A credit to Ireland my arse! Great opening night at @DCCultureArtsNB. Full house, brilliant performances, warm responses. Well done everyone. pic.twitter.com/YrL8ei3Ty5 Powerstone Ent Ltd (@Powerstone3NI) September 10, 2016 Back in 2013 a box of old glass lantern slides were discovered in the organ loft of Alexandra Presbyterian Church. Research showed that the slides were copies of photographs provided by families in Castleton Presbyterian Church. They depicted relatives serving at the front, images of both men who survived and men who were killed in action. You can find out more on the Castleton Lanterns website The discovery inspired theatre critic turned playwright Jane Coyle to write a fictional story:. Johnny has returned home to Dublin wounded in the World War One battlefield in France. Inheriting a set of lantern slides taken by a relative employed as an army photographer, he screens the images in a local club in a bid to give a glimpse of loved ones to families.Set in the months prior to the Easter Rising, the play highlights the criticism faced by some returning to Ireland having fought for the British. It also draws attention to the discomfort felt by those in authority about revealing the true conditions of war to families back home and to potential new recruits.Johnny (played by Shane Whisker) finds that his lantern show stirs up negative emotions in some viewers, while giving others hope that they can find out the truth about their dead children. These twin narratives along with the exposure of several secrets in Johnnys past and family dynamics that wouldnt look out of place in an episode of Eastenders or The Jeremy Kyle Show slowly propel the play towards its climax.The women are strong and fairly open minded while the men constantly teeter on the brink of failure. Mrs Haughey (Libby Smyth) is Johnnys landlady, a character who morphs from a stern busybody to become the plays comic turn before she stops hovering at the door of her parlour and fades from view.Along the way we meet Joe (Noel McGee) who moved his wife Sylvia (Julie Kinsella) and daughter Christina (Hannah Coyle) from London to Dublin. On the other posher side of the river, fur-coated Alice (Cathy Brennan-Bradley) is also affected by the war. While the menfolk fought side by side, can their families overcome class and ideological differences to remember and honour them together?A mysterious man called Wainwright (James Doran) who at first I thought was going to be a Russian spy adds to the intrigue. With a cast of seven, few actors other than Johnny are given the space to develop their characters and shine.The action mostly rotates around two or three clumps of furniture built in different corners of the stage. Director Stephen Beggs makes good use of the space around the audience during the lantern show scene.The play succeeds in exploring the changing mood in Ireland - both just over 100 years ago and today - in relation to the war. But the relatively short scenes prevented the play building up pace, and while the later twists and turns introduced some tension into the final twenty minutes, ultimatelyfailed to ignite an electrifying spark that could make the play jump off the page and stage and into my imagination.During Septemberis touring venues in Newry (Tue 13), Antrim (Wed 14), Armagh (Thu 15), Derry (Sat 17), Downpatrick (Wed 21), Coleraine (Thu 22), Strabane (Fri 23) and Lisburn (Sat 24). Cops seize 7 guns Police executed a warrant on a premises at Southern Main Road, Claxton Bay, around 10 am and in the process, recorded their largest seizure of illegal firearms for the year so far. These included the shotguns and AK47s, one .9mm pistol, 18 magazines, one scope and over 1,000 rounds of assorted ammunition. Police said the number of illegal firearms seized by South Western Division was now 74 compared to 20 discovered for the same period last year. The exercise was spearheaded by acting Snr Supt Inraj Balram and included Insp Brian Ramphal, Sgt Terrence Victor, Sgt Shahid Ali and officers of the South Western Division Task Force, CID. Police are in search of a male suspect who was known to be the occupier of the premises but eluded capture. Imam: Families must take care Imam Shiraz Ali, officiating at the funeral service for the teenager at the Nur E Islam Masjid in El Socorro, implored mourners to not let his death be in vain. Let us ask ourselves, How am I living my life? Are we getting closer to the Creator and learning about Islam? Ali said believers should recognise that Allah was in control of their lives. It belongs to Him. Our soul belongs to Him, Ali said. We must have that conviction in our hearts despite the tragic circumstances. We must have faith despite the sadness we feel. Muhammad, 15, of Moonstone Crescent, Edinburgh 500, Chaguanas, was gunned down last Thursday while playing cards at a shopping plaza in the central Borough. Reports are that around 10 pm, Muhammad was with a group of men at Village Plaza, Edinburgh 500, when an occupant in a white AD wagon began shooting at the group. The card players fled the scene but Ali slumped to the ground. A report on his autopsy, performed at the Forensic Sciences Centre, St James, revealed the teenager was shot 11 times in the head and upper body. Muhammads father, Kameel, also met a tragic demise, one year ago, after, he too, was gunned down outside of his home in William Trace, Aranguez. The teenager reportedly began acting out after his fathers killing. Investigations are continuing. Yesterday, Muhammads mother, Stacey Standard, other family members and friends, hugged one-another and wept openly as they celebrated her sons too-short life. Several of his sullen-faced schoolmates at the Carapichaima West Secondary School were among those who filed past the white coffin bearing their friends remains. I am just holding on as best as I can under the circumstances, a teary-eyed Standard told Sunday Newsday after the funeral service. Imam Ali told mourners that death was inevitable. Every soul is going to taste death, he said. Ali said Muhammads death must bring families closer together. Look out for each other. What we can do now is get close to the family and offer support, he said. Sister searches bodies for Mark In a conversation with Sunday Newsday last Friday she said that prior to his disappearance, her brother had complained of being threatened by persons in his home area, Paris Boulevard, on Laventille Road. She thought that he was just crying wolf, but now she is wondering if he had been killed by unknown assailants in the area. In the past he had disputes with neighbours, but I never paid it any mind, she told Sunday Newsday. Up to a month before his disappearance he came to me with another complaint, but I thought that it was just another case of him crying wolf. Now that he has gone missing, I am not so sure. Bailey explained that her brother, a taxi driver, was last seen on August 18 by residents in the area. He had been plying his services as a taxi driver with the use of a vehicle owned by another person on a work-toown basis. The owner of the vehicle, who had not heard from him for a number of days, went to his home to check on him. That was when he found his car abandoned, a short distance away from his home. Bailey, one of the missing mans two sisters, had been abroad, and returned to Trinidad to visit him last month. I decided to go look to look for him on the 26th (of August) because I missed his birthday on the 19th (of August), Bailey recalled, His neigbours told me that they thought he was by relatives in Diego Martin, but I told them he was not there. He was not answering his phone and no one had seen or heard from him for days. My family and I became worried and spread the word on Facebook that he had gone missing. We also made a report to the police, but up to now they have not done anything in the way of helping us find him. Bailey said they checked hospitals, police stations, and even St Anns Psychiatric Hospital, to see if he had suffered from some kind of nervous breakdown and was admitted there, but all her efforts were to no avail. Bailey is now resorting to sifting through unidentified bodies to see if one of them is her brother. The young woman also said she had been hearing rumours that he had been murdered and his body disposed of, either by burning or by being chopped up and placed in a barrel. Every burnt body that they find, and every John Doe that they find, I keep running here (Forensics) to see if it is him, the desperate Bailey said. I just wish that if persons knew where he is, or where his body is, they could tell us so that it could bring closure to our family. And if he is alive, I just hope he could contact us. His mother, Andrea, is worried sick about him. Every day she cries and prays for his safe return. Persons with information on the whereabouts of Mark Dale Stanisclaus can call his sister, Candice Bailey at 346-3327, his mother Andrea Bolan, at 671-0199 his second sister Madonna, at 713-2154 or the nearest police station. PM speaks to nation tonight The address to the nation will be aired on both radio and television channels, a release from the Office of the Prime Minister said yesterday. Political commentator Dr Winford James was among some who questioned why the urgency for a national address at this time given that he has been on different media acting as his own PRO (public relations officer) on his Governments performance over the last year and what he intends to do in the future. James said Rowley kept reminding citizens in his almost two-hour television interview during the week that he has a job to do, that he will do it to the best of his ability and within the circumstances. One wonders what has happened that would have occasioned a national address at this time, he said. The upcoming budget statement, James said, should be able to answer many of the questions that will be on the minds of citizens. If Rowley was going to review his Governments performance, James said, he needs to assure the country about its development goals, to deal aggressively with crime, and how the country will earn foreign exchange and keep jobs. Given the fall in energy prices and the parlous state of affairs with people paying more for less, James said he would like to know how Government will go about diversifying the economy in order to raise more income. He would like to know how Rowley was going to set about his developmental priorities and what will be done in the next year. He would also expect him to address what new initiatives, if any, that his Cabinet has come up with, with respect to reducing the high and serious levels of criminality in the country. Nevertheless, a source told Sunday Newsday that Rowleys address will be essentially to mark the first anniversary of the Peoples National Movement (PNM) in government under his leadership. The address was scheduled to be recorded at the studios of a private company, Advance Dynamics, yesterday for distribution to media houses subsequently for broadcast at 7.30 this evening. The PNM won the general election of September 7 last year, and Rowley has been making the rounds of select media during the past week to review the administrations performance since assuming office. Apart from a major newspaper interview, Rowley occupied most of a two-hour morning television programme during the past week, and is scheduled to be on one of the radio stations today on which he has already had air time during the week. In one of the interviews, he said there would be Cabinet changes but would announce them after the budget. Speculation about a possible reinstatement of fired housing minister, Port-of- Spain South MP Marlene McDonald arose when she took part in recent crime talks with the Opposition. Rowley, at a post-Cabinet briefing, noted an ongoing investigation by the Integrity Commission over allegations against McDonald over the acquisition of a residence for her common- law husband are ongoing but did not rule out her return to Cabinet if cleared. McDonalds successor, Housing Minister and San Fernando East MP, Randall Mitchell, yesterday said he did not know the reason for the Prime Ministers address tonight. You would have to ask the Prime Minister that, Mitchell told reporters at a HDC key distribution ceremony in San Fernando. On how he would feel if McDonald was cleared of allegations and re-instated to her post, Mitchell said, Thats entirely within the prerogative of the Prime Minister, so Ill leave that to him. Kamla: Opposition will back better tax bill It is now in Governments hands to do the right thing to ensure that properly drafted legislation is passed in Parliament, she said in a statement.Assuring the Opposition will not rest until properly drafted legislation was passed in the Parliament, Persad- Bissessar said it was mindful of Trinidad and Tobagos international obligations with respect to the United States Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) and the implications of non-passage of the non-passage of the local Tax Information Exchange Bill, 2016. FATCA is aimed at preventing tax evasion by US taxpayers by using non-US financial institutions and offshore investment instruments. The parliamentary agenda, Persad-Bissessar said, can be adjusted immediately to accommodate a comprehensive review of this piece of legislation. She pledged the United National Congress willingness to do all that was necessary to ensure that improved legislation can be passed before the September 30 deadline. However, she said, We will not support faulty legislation by a government incapable of managing a meaningful governance agenda. Under the bill, she said, the Minister of Finance, will have access to your private financial information. I will not allow such an invasion into the lives of our citizens. That power should be vested in the Board of Inland Revenue and not the minister. She noted that on Friday, Government rejected her call to meet with the Opposition to work every day and night for a week in a joint select committee to complete a review of the bill. Instead Government opted for a private meeting tomorrow. The Opposition, Persad- Bissessar said, is of the view that there is sufficient time for the bill to be reviewed in detail, and allow for appropriate consultations with stakeholders. However, the Opposition will meet with Government and once a workable solution was found they will work together. She said the Finance Ministry advised weeks ago that the draft bill was completed and would be presented to the Opposition in early August for review to be laid in Parliament in September. The Opposition received on Tuesday a copy of the 121-page bill containing 30 clauses, for schedules and direct impact on at least seven other laws, giving us a mere three working days to examine, scrutinise and prepare for last Fridays debate. By Governments own admission, she said, there has been no consultation with stakeholders on the bill. She noted the lack of either parliamentary, or, judicial scrutiny of the Executive and said the overreach of the draft legislation extends to all legislation related to financial information, and not only to the seven named in the bill. She called for the proper identification of the additional pieces of legislation so that citizens will know the extent of the intrusive arrangements and the necessity for them. Similar legislation by other Caribbean countries had features which catered for the special circumstances of each country, she said, and as such, a comparative analysis was needed to improve the legislation to better serve the interests of TT. Doctor: Give mothers, fathers more time home with newborns Paternal leave is three days. A father being around for three days makes no sense. Fourteen weeks maternity leave for a mother is way too short for breastfeeding up to six months. If these could be extended we can look forward to a society with less risk of post-partum depression, Kalloo told Sunday Newsday yesterday. Noting the issue is on the front burner again because of the death of young mother Abigail Ragoobar, who last week fell 40 feet to her death at a Tobago villa and was reported to have struggled with PPD, Kalloo said there were many reasons for PPD, including the lack of a support system from the father of the child, hence the appeal for extended paternity and maternity leave. The Tobago case, she said, has brought home the reality that must be faced and to point out to Government that it is an issue they need to deal with in terms of the extension of family time for the new-born and their parents. If you have an increase of leave to three months for fathers to be home with their wives and their newborn babies, we will see a decrease in post-partum depression because they will have a better support system in place, she said. In other parts of the world where maternity and paternity leaves are between six months to a year, she said PPD was less. If PPD is increasing in Trinidad and Tobago, she said, it means we are going down the wrong road and we could correct it by extending family time to cope with the new born. At present, she said about ten to 20 percent of new mothers suffer from PPD in degrees ranging from mild to moderate to severe. We are aiming to reduce that figure, especially those who would have psychotic and suicidal thoughts, and hating the baby as well, she said. We have seen cases where mothers would discard a baby without having second thoughts. That is due to post-partum depression. So the mother blames the child and tries to get rid of it, she said. The most common cause of PPD, she said, was due to hormonal changes during pregnancy, but noted many of the patients would have had symptoms of depression even before they became pregnant. Persons with known symptoms of depression, or had pre-menstrual symptoms of depression were more at risk of having post-partum depression, she said. Pleading with husbands/ partners to support their wives with home duties while on leave and not to lime with the boys, she said, would definitely make a difference. Long ago we would see more patients coming in with their partners during the pregnancy. We still see some, but in follow-ups we are seeing only the wives. So we are wondering now if there is a lack of the male understanding the emotional aspect of being pregnant, she said. She noted the surge in hormones during pregnancy causes women to become more emotional in various ways and men tend to shy away from that. Their way of handling it, she said, You deal with it. I going out with the boys. Many women, who suffer with PPD on account of a lack of support from their husbands, she said, would hope that their partner changes when the baby comes. A lot of them do. Some dont get the support required, she said. Men need to understand, she said, that they must be that strong support system. They must know the changes involved in pregnancy, and must be present to prevent the depression that could start in pregnancy and then go on after pregnancy. Other stressful life events could contribute to PPD, she said include social factors, conflict in marriage, and financial issues. Post-partum depression, she said, could be managed with professional psychological support, a support system of family members, friends and relatives, taking small recreational breaks away from the environment, and pursuing other activities besides worrying. In addition, Kalloo noted TT was promoting breastfeeding up to six months to enable a healthy child and bonding between parents and baby. She appealed to employers to provide nurseries/breast feeding centres at their places of work to encourage mothers to go to work, breast feed and continue to bond with their children, as opposed to having a fear of leaving them behind which increases anxiety and depression. Pastor: TT a killing field This is how a pastor yesterday described the current state of the nation as murders continue to soar. Pastor Winston Mahabir made the declaration while delivering the sermon at the funeral service of Denise Martin, 28, who died on Wednesday at San Fernando General Hospital after she was shot to the head on September 2. According to police, Martin and her boyfriend Shamshudeen Mohammed were liming at Mohammeds home in Fyzabad when they were confronted by two gunmen who opened fire on them. Martin was shot in the head and hand while Mohammed sustained gunshot wounds to the leg. Martin never regained consciousness. Mahabir told mourners at the family home in Dow Village, Otaheite, that Trinidad and Tobago was once a paradise but sadly can be now deemed a killing field where the population can no longer keep track of violent crimes, murders and petty crimes. The death of the innocent would not go unpunished. The population is fed up of crime, he said. Mahabir said to combat crime one should not only deal with the offences but attempt to stop crime before it occurs. We must stop the thoughts of these individuals and get into their minds. We are concerned with dealing with criminals when they commit an offence, but we need to address the behaviour of the minds of individuals before, he explained. The pastor further stated, If we deal with actions only we will be reactive rather than proactive. The work of the police is to prevent crime and infractions of the law not when something happens to arrest and charge. We need to stop the thoughts before, he said. Mohammed was temporarily discharged from San Fernando General Hospital to attend the funeral, under police guard, to bid farewell to his girlfriend. Holding crutches, Mohammed limped to the casket where he placed a red rose near Martins body. Martins daughter Denisha, six, wept as she kissed her mother goodbye. The mother of one was later laid to rest at the Oropouche Cemetery. To date no arrest has been made as police officers have since launched a manhunt for the killer. Investigations are continuing. Stalemate on P/Town No 1 The Education Ministry is willing to build a new school, which parents of the schools students are protesting for but the board believes it can be repaired. Since June 2015, students of No 1, located on Edward Street, Princes Town have been on a shift system at Princes Town Presbyterian Primary School No 2 on M1 Ring Road, Princes Town. However this arrangement has been met with ire from parents of students attending both schools who complain about the cramped conditions of sharing a school, even if classes take place at different times of the day. In an effort to further highlight their frustration, parents of No 1 students held a candlelight walk and vigil through the streets of Princes Town, ending at No 1s Edward Street building. PTA president Nola Ramjohn- Karim said their position is the same as that of the Ministry of Education and the Trinidad and Tobago Unified Teachers Association (TTUTA) which agree the school should be demolished and rebuilt. Reports indicated the Presbyterian board, however, believes No 1 can be repaired. The board is holding the children at ransom, they are holding the children and parents at ransom in those two schools, Ramjohn- Karim said. She said Education Minister Anthony Garcia told her the ministry can do nothing without the cooperation of the school board. The ball is in the boards court right now. The minister told me because its a board school and the school belongs to the Presbyterian Church of Trinidad and Tobago, the ministry cannot move in and do anything, they have to wait for the board to give them permission. The ministry is not to be blamed, nobody else is to be blamed, the board right now is the hold up, she added. Her views were echoed by the Ministry of Education which issued a press release yesterday stating that both Princes Town Presbyterian Primary School No 1 and Princes Town Presbyterian Primary School No 2 are owned by the Presbyterian Board and the Ministry of Education could do nothing unless it has the concurrence of the board. The Princes Town Presbyterian Primary School No 1 has been condemned by the Ministry of Works and the building deemed unsafe for occupation by both teachers and students. The Ministry of Education accepts that position. However, the Presbyterian Board is of the view that certain sections of the school can be repaired in spite of the position of the Ministry of Works. In fact, at a meeting of ministry officials and the chairman and members of the board, the board held to the position that a block of the existing structure can be repaired to provide twenty classroom spaces, the ministry stated. However, the ministry pointed out parents are in disagreement with the board and are insisting a new school should be built to accommodate the current population of students. Presbyterian Primary School Board chairman Carlyle Mulchan, contacted by Sunday Newsday yesterday, said he was having a busy day and was at his business place and did not know when he would be able to give any information concerning the No 1 school. A meeting took place in Parliament last Friday between Garcia, Minister in the Education Ministry Dr Lovell Francis and PTA members on the problem. The parents reiterated their view that the school, having been condemned by the Ministry of Works should be rebuilt. However, at that meeting the parents agreed with the position of the ministers that because the school is owned by the board, the ministrys hands are tied, the ministry stated, adding the conflict was not between itself and the parents but between the parents and the school board. The ministry cannot construct a new school until the board agrees. The Ministry of Education stands ready to act as soon as the conflict is resolved, the ministry stated. Furthermore, the statement being made by some sections of the media that six toilets are being shared by one thousand students, is blatantly false. All the students do not attend school at the same time, the ministry added. If the school is rebuilt, a model similar to New Grant Anglican Primary School, a prefabricated school which took just over three weeks to be constructed, will be used, Garcia told Sunday Newsday yesterday. The minister also reported this plan to Parliament on Friday stating a decision had been taken to build a new school in the mode of what was used at three other schools recently constructed. Garcia told MPs there was a meeting with the boards chairman last month who indicated the school could be repaired. However, there seemed to be a difference of opinion between the board and the PTA. Both the chairman of the Presbyterian Board and members of the PTA, we were told, visited the New Grant Anglican School to see what work was done in such a short space of time, Garcia said during Parliament Question Time. It is now being recommended that what was used to facilitate the construction of New Grant Anglican School should be the same process that we should enter into. He said the ministry will be open to meeting with the board and the relevant stakeholders. Also, Garcia said a situation at Iere Village Government Primary School involving a lack of water supply only came to the ministrys attention on Thursday. Garcia said the matter was being dealt with, and will be resolved by tomorrow. It was thought it was a problem caused by WASA, Garcia said. WASA came in and WASA determined that the problem was an internal one because there was a line that led to the water tank that was burst. So when students arrived at school (Thursday), there was no water in the water tanks. We have at present a contractor on site who is taking steps to rectify the problem. Garcia said it was not true to say the 260 students of the school were denied an education. He said classes were held, though they may have been dismissed early. Locust swarms in Point not so bad Residents of Salazar Trace and then Strikers Village last week reported thousands of locusts have swarmed their area over the last six weeks. The locusts - which look like four-inch long, armoured grasshoppers with striped underbellies and redtipped wings - were said to have destroyed farmers crops, razed trees of their leaves, and some residents even claimed to have been attacked by them. However, director of the Ministry of Agricultures South Regional Office, Raffick Ali, last Friday said the ministrys investigations revealed it is not a bad situation at all. Ali said contrary to reports of thousands, the locusts numbered a few hundred. The species harassing Point Fortin are referred to as the Cedros locusts, one of two locust species found in the southern peninsula. The second is the Moruga locust, and it is much smaller and more akin to a grasshopper. Ali said the Ministry of Agriculture has since sprayed the affected areas with insecticides adding this was part of an on-going locust spraying programme that they administer each year. It is a pattern and we know when it starts and when we have to be on alert...These are old problems. Ali said they spray the insects themselves and also soak the soil beds where they lay eggs to kill the eggs and the adults. Point Fortin Mayor Clyde Paul was also unfazed. We always have this in the area, said the mayor told Sunday Newsday. It is a seasonal thing that we deal with, not every year, but every other year or so. The mayor said the public nuisance was in the hands of the Ministry of Agriculture and confirmed the ministry conducted spraying exercises on Friday. The locusts appear seasonally each year. They leave the forest and swarm to different areas in order to feed. The severity of their numbers depends in large part on environmental conditions, according to Ali. Regarding reports that residents have been bitten by the locusts, Ali said locusts are not known to attack fleshy things because they are herbivores. Though residents consider the locusts pests, there is at least one creature that has celebrated its appearance. According to nature photographer, David Huggins, the Plumbeous Kite, a raptor that usually eats forest cicadas, has been feasting on the larger Cedros locusts since they appeared. HDC to earn $900M Housing Minister Randall Mitchell made the revenue announcement during a key distribution ceremony yesterday at Omardeens School of Accountancy, Cipero Street, San Fernando. Addressing the 62 new home owners persons received keys to homes in Moruga, Point Fortin, Princes Town and Chaguanas Mitchell encouraged them to convert their Licence To Occupy and Rent-to-Own arrangements to mortgages in the shortest time possible. When you convert to mortgages, those arrangements allow for a revenue stream to be made available to the HDC that allows it to invest into more developments for the benefit of the national community, Mitchell explained. He added the ministry supports the HDCs initiative to close mortgages and thus far, we have seen this drive yielding upwards of 529 mortgage conversions. It is estimated that $900 million will be realised over the next three years; a substantial amount which will help us to increase our national housing stock. In addition to increasing the housing stock, the ministry is pursuing initiatives to improve existing housing stock nationwide. Hence the disbursement of 753 home improvement grants at a cost of $11.3 million to persons wishing to conduct much needed repairs and upgrades to existing homes. Mitchell said, this should reduce, to some degree, the demand placed for new HDC homes. Some 351 persons also received home improvement subsidies this year, a 34 percent increase over the 2015 fiscal period under the former administration. The ministry also allocated subsidies to 385 persons to assist with new construction facilitated by an Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) Loan Agreement. Mitchell said this represented a 100 percent increase over 2015. He lamented that these programmes had been under threat of closure by the IDB due to under- activity and in some cases, non-activity, during the previous administration. Mitchell assured however they are now active and have been providing much needed assistance to those in need. There was good news too for persons who dont own a home of their own. Mitchell said housing projects that were incomplete when the Peoples National Movement came into office in September 2015 are now near to completion (and) will be ready within the next few months. The minister was referring to HDC developments in Diego Martin, San Fernando, Carlsen Field and Point Fortin. Garcia: I will sue over Las Alturas I will also be seeking a judicial review to quash that very misleading and damaging section of the report, which was intended to, as we say locally, lick me up, he said. Garcia told Sunday Newsday yesterday that if no satisfactory apology is issued to him, he will approach the court for damages. I am going to seek damages from the three commissioners, in particular the chairman, in their personal capacity. Garcia threatened to sue them in their personal capacity, because clearly after spending $24 million of taxpayers money, to come up with such rubbish they should be dipping in their pockets rather than the State to compensate me. That is my position. Noting his reasons for a judicial review, he said, The report in my view is blatant untruths. It cannot be supported by facts. The commissioners had some other agenda, a political agenda, other than the truth. It seems that they came with preconceived notions. When a court examines it, it will have no choice but to rule in my favour. They will deem it to be malicious and to have motives that does not square with the evidence that was produced at the inquiry. His lawyers, he said, were going through the report, and from a preliminary perusal, they have advised him that he has a case. They are putting together the papers to approach the court. It is up to them to file for action. I expect it to be done very soon, he said. The commission was chaired by retired Justice Mustapha Ibrahim and included civil engineer Dr Myron Wing-Sang Chin, and engineer Anthony Farrell. The report said Garcia and former Urban Development Corporation of Trinidad and Tobago executive chairman Calder Hart should be held responsible for the failed $26 million Las Alturas towers. Garcia appeared before the commission and according to the report, he gave a very pathetic display in the witness box. The report said it was under his stewardship that Buildings H and I were built in an area unsuitable for development, and were earmarked to be demolished. It said, Several decisions taken by him or on which he participated leave much to be desired. His evidence was very unsatisfactory in many respects and decisions made by him showed lack of proper guidance and leadership which was required to oversee the project. When decisions were taken, Garcia said, I was nowhere around. How could I be responsible for something that happened after I left the HDC? He said, I left the HDC in June 2008. Construction started sometime in 2009. It was completed in 2010. The problem started in 2011. It was sad, he said, that in 2016 people can use taxpayers money to attack innocent citizens on the basis of outright lies. Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley laid the report in the Parliament on Friday after President Anthony Carmona handed it over to him. Carmona received it from the commission on Monday. Moonilal: Fire Garcia, AG According to Moonilal, the Commission of Inquiry into the Las Alturas project has confirmed the direct complicity of Udecott chairman Noel Garcia and managing director Margaret Chow in the decision to utilise taxpayers money in construction of public housing on volatile lands without official approvals. The independent investigation, he said, has determined that Garcia was guilty of civil liabilities in his role at the time as managing director of the Housing Development Corporation (HDC), while Chow was deemed the change agent in charge of Las Alturas. Today, Moonilal said, Garcia is Udecott chairman with an even larger taxpayer-funded budget than HDC while Chow is Udecotts managing director. Al-Rawi, as Attorney General guiding critical policy and legislative matters, Moonilal said was a HDC director at the time the decision was made to build the housing apartments on unstable soil and an abandoned quarry. Al-Rawi is directly implicated in the Las Alturas scandal, Moonilal said, despite Dr Rowleys protestations, denials and blatant cover- up attempts. He said Rowley must hold Al-Rawi, Garcia and Chow directly responsible for the Las Alturas disgrace, and promptly remove them from public office and from any positions that permit them to spend taxpayers dollars and direct policies. Moonilal claimed Rowley was the housing minister when Cabinet gave approval to construct the Las Alturas towers, and the project was conceived under his ministerial watch. He said Rowleys handling of the Las Alturas outrage was similar to the $3 billion World Gas-to- Liquids (WGTL) scandal. Calling on Rowley to take decisive action on the Las Alturas report, he said TT must also demand accountability and probity on the matter. Growing more agri-business Minister of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries, Clarence Rambharat, hinted at this on Wednesday, saying he believes the business of planting and harvesting of crops belongs in private sector hands. The minister revealed that he told the National Agricultural Marketing and Development Corporation (Namdevco) to advertise for private sector participation in its new and incomplete packing houses, presumably ones under construction. Suggesting that government business is bad business and it will always be so, the minister said, I have no intention to put more taxpayers money into those packing houses. Rambharat made these comments while addressing a Hot Pepper Field Tour organised by the Agricultural Society of Trinidad and Tobago at the farm of Nawaz Karim in Maloney. Rambharat believes the business of planting and harvesting crops belongs in private sector hands. Namdevco officials would not say how many new and incomplete packing houses the company has, saying they had to confirm the information with the corporations acting chief executive officer, Ayoub Mohammed, who was in a meeting. However, newspaper reports suggest there are about five packing houses owned and operated by Namdevco. Ten million dollars has been provided as an initial allocation to the corporation in the 2009-2010 budget to establish five packing houses and in 2013, Cabinet approved a further $52 million to finance the building of packing houses in Rio Claro/Tabaquite; Sangre Grande; Chaguanas/Couva and Tableland/Barrackpore, and to set up a temporary facility at the port of Port-of-Spain. Rambharat said he was convinced the packing house at Woodford Lodge should not be used by Namdevco but should be put into the hands of the private sector. And this matter of packing, storage, freezing and so on is a private sector initiative to be supported by the government using what we have and that is the physical asset and let Namdevco perform the other functions that the law asks them to perform. In fact, the minister said he did not believe the wholesale markets at Macoya and Debe should be operated by the government at all and if it has to be, that parts of it should be made available to the private sector for the work of the farmers to be done. He said everyone recognises that government business would always be bad business and this is why he preferred to have farmers and farmers associations running their own affairs and doing what was necessary for the farmers to be competitive. The ministers declaration represents a sharp change in direction from that of the previous administration which established the packing houses to assist farmers in exporting high quality products and encouraged them to see the facilities as an opportunity to move up from being food producers and become entrepreneurs, as former minister of food production Devant Maharaj once put it. During a speech at the sod-turning for the start of construction of the packing house at the former Tanteak site at Brickfield, Tabaquite, during his tenure, Maharaj said the facility would provide employment opportunities through linkages in agro-processing and create further vertical linkages with restaurants and fast food outlets when the packed produce is marketed. The initiative of this packing house will provide long overdue support and a modern facility for the farmers in their respective areas. Farmers will be encouraged to not only simply be farmers but to become agro-entrepreneurs, Maharaj said. The Brickfield packing house, which was to provide 300 square metres of storage space, was intended to benefit farmers from Tabaquite; Brasso; Caratal; Brothers Road and Rio Claro. Namdevco operates another packing house on seven acres of land at the Caroni North Bank Road, Piarco. Just two kilometres from the Piarco International Airport. The corporation said the Piarco facility was intended to provide a one stop destination for fresh produce packers and exporters so that they can store their fresh fruits and vegetables as well as meat and fish, in transit to foreign markets. The Piarco packing house boasts four refrigeration rooms, three chiller rooms, one freezer room and storage area for over 100 pallets of produce. Users are charged a fee for use of the facilities. Czech islamophobes attempted to stage an Islamic state invasion in Prague, several people were hurt 21. 8. 2016 cas cteni 1 minuta Marking the 48th anniversary of the Warsaw Pact invasion of Czechoslovakia, which took place on 21st August, 1968, Czech islamophobic activists from the "Martin Konvicka Initiative" tried to stage an Islamic State invasion at the Old Town Square in Prague on Sunday afternoon. They arrived in military vehicles, disguised as Arabs, wielding airsoft weapons, replica machine guns and Islamic State flags. When they started shooting, this produced panic amongst the passers-by, mostly foreign visitors, and several people were hurt. Czech islamophobes see all muslims as terrorists. They do not distinguish between an ordinary muslim and an Islamic State fighter. They also see all refugees as potential terrorists. Prior to the event, the Czech police had inspected the replica guns and found them acceptable, but when panic arose, Prague local authority officials cancelled the event. Miroslav Adamec, "The Martin Konvicka Initiative" spokesperson, said that the event was supposed to remind people of "what is daily happening several thousand kilometres from here and is now coming even to us, in Central and Western Europe." Czech police is now assessing whether the event had infringed the law and whether it can be classified as the offence of disseminating alarmist news. #Konvicka zadneho uprchlika na svou demonstraci nenasel, tak mu nezbylo nez se za nej sam vydavat. Foto: P. Malina pic.twitter.com/BoS5dT8BBZ Tilwaen (@Tilwaen) August 21, 2016 Source in Czech HERE There are stories like this in the Czech Republic every day that never make it to the outside world because of a lack of translation. You can support us and help reveal what's happening in Central Europe today. Please make a contribution today on www.paypal.com and send your donation to redakce@blisty.cz. We fully rely on crowdfunding in our work. Thank you. 0 It's been quite a year. And I make no predictions about the one to come. I do know that it will -- at least where we are -- start ou... We have used your information to see if you have a subscription with us, but did not find one. Please use the button below to verify an existing account or to purchase a new subscription. Moroccos Permanent Representative at the UN headquarters in New York, Ambassador Omar Hilale, reiterated the Kingdoms commitment to the UN-brokered 1991 cease-fire agreement in response to the Polisarios recent violation of the agreement in the area of Guerguarat and its provocations by threatening to resume armed hostilities on the backdrop of the security measures taken by Morocco to counter criminal and trafficking networks in the southern provinces beyond the security wall, the berm. Morocco remains committed to the UN-brokered 1991 cease-fire agreement and has not threatened to use force, the diplomat said in an interview with the Moroccan national news agency, following consultations by the UN Security Council Members on the latest development in the Guergarat border area in the southernmost tip of the Saharan provinces. The Royal Armed Forces are showing restraint while remaining vigilant and prepared to defend the homeland against any threat, said the Moroccan official, adding that a large number of Security Council members denounced the violation of the Military Agreement No 1 and the calls to resume hostilities on the backdrop of the road construction in Guergarat by Moroccan authorities. On the same occasion, Hilale expressed satisfaction at the UN Security Council consultations which, he said, resulted in an utter defeat for the Polisario proponents in the UN Security Council who failed in their attempt to put pressure on Morocco to halt the asphalt paving of the Guergarat road. This failure suffered by the opponents of Moroccos territorial integrity in the Security Council comes after a series of blows dealt to the separatists, notably their setback in the consultations of August 28 and the rejection of an attempt to attend the Non-Aligned Movement next week in Venezuela, Hilale said. The diplomat recalled that Morocco explained to the Security Council the nature of the anti-smuggling operation in Guergarat and the need for building a 3km-long road in that area to safeguard Moroccos security. The road is key to monitoring the area, which was turned by criminal networks into a venue for engaging in all sorts of illegal commercial activities, including the trafficking of arms, drugs and humans, Hilale stressed, noting that the asphalting of that road was undertaken in coordination with the MINURSO and Mauritania. Moroccos concerns were also vindicated by the busting last Thursday of an international drug trafficking network comprising 4 Polisario members. The investigations undertaken by the judicial police show the connivance of the polisario with terrorist groups operating in northern Mali as well as the involvement of high ranking Polisario officials in drug trafficking. As for the Sahara issue, Hilale made it clear that the consultations on the situation in the Guergarat should not be confused with the Political process. He said the political process is about the autonomy initiative that Morocco presented as a lasting solution to the regional dispute over the Sahara. As for the visit by the UN Security Generals Personal Envoy for the Sahara Christopher Ross, Hilale said that Morocco informed the UN that the current context marked by the upcoming legislative elections is not convenient for such a visit. A woman wears a face mask on October 10, 2001, near the remains of the World Trade Center in New York City. Photo: Spencer Platt/Getty Images Within days of the attack on the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001, then EPA chief Christine Whitman infamously encouraged New Yorkers to head back to Lower Manhattan. The good news continues to be that air samples we have taken have all been at levels that cause us no concern, she told reporters. A week later, she again assured the public that the air was safe to breathe and their water is safe to drink. Her claims were echoed by then New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani who, in his apparent eagerness to get the Financial District up and running again, told everyone to go back to normal. He also called the air around Ground Zero safe as far as we can tell, with respect to chemical and biological agents, even as experts warned that it was not. You wont see any immediate problems, Mount Sinais Dr. Philip Landrigan told the New York Daily News on September 13, describing the risks of exposure to the wreckage of the Twin Towers. It will take 25 to 30 years to develop. Rescue and cleanup crews were permitted to dig through Ground Zero without respirators and neighborhood residents and workers attempted to return to their daily lives as poison was being released all around them. As Newsweek explained earlier this week: When the towers came downthey released a massive plume of carcinogens, turning lower Manhattan into a cesspool of cancer and deadly disease. We will never know the composition of that cloud, because the wind carried it away, but people were breathing and eating it, [said the World Trade Center Health Programs Dr. Michael Crane]. What we do know is that it had all kinds of god-awful things in it. Burning jet fuel. Plastics, metal, fiberglass, asbestos. It was thick, terrible stuff. A witchs brew. Because the fires burned at Ground Zero for more than 90 days, a later study explained that the contaminants found in the dust immediately after the attacks continued to show up in samples for weeks. By the time Whitman and Giuliani received significant criticism (Whitman was sued in 2006, and finally apologized this week; Giuliani faced protests during his 2007 presidential campaign), the damage was done, though its scope still isnt fully clear. Fifteen years after 9/11, heres some of what we know about how the destruction of the Twin Towers has affected New Yorkers health: A worker wipes dust from the clothing racks in a store in New Yorks financial district September 17, 2001. Photo: Joe Raedle/Getty Images Lots of people might not be getting treatment According to the Centers for Disease Control, roughly 400,000 people including rescue and recovery workers, residents, students and school staff, building occupants, and passersby were exposed to the immense cloud of dust and debris, the indoor dust, the fumes from persistent fires, and the mental trauma of the Twin Towers collapse. As of June 2016, only 74,968 were enrolled in the World Trade Center Health Program. (The program, established by the James L. Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act in 2011, provides federally funded monitoring and treatment of health problems stemming from 9/11.) 56,580 of enrollees were FDNY or other responders people who, at this point, know quite well that they are at risk of falling ill. Meanwhile, only 8,881 civilians have enrolled: I dont know, really, what the psychology is behind it all, WTC Environmental Health Center executive director Terry Miles told WYNC several years ago. I believe people just dont want to be sick from 9/11. They just dont. And they dont want their kids to be sick from 9/11, either. But the fact is people are sick because of the fallout. Either way, as Newsweek noted, that means that hundreds of thousands of people susceptible to 9/11-related illnesses remain untreated and unaccounted for. God Bless America written in the dust near Ground Zero. Photo: Chris Hondros/Getty Images The dust hung around for way longer than it should have According to analysis published in 2002, the aforementioned dust that settled on the area around Ground Zero contained, among other things, construction materials, soot, paint (leaded and unleaded), and glass fibers (mineral wool and fiberglass), metals, and asbestos. The study concluded that, These results support the need to have the interior of residences, buildings, and their respective HVAC systems professionally cleaned to reduce long-term residential risks before rehabitation. In many cases, that didnt happen. Cleanups involving asbestos are generally handled by specialists, but, as Discover reported: Initially, the New York City Department of Health (NYCDOH) took the lead in implementing an indoor cleanup program, which placed the responsibility for asbestos removal directly on landlords and residents themselves, in direct violation of city, state, and federal laws and at an enormous potential health risk. Without clear guidance, the landlords were free, if you will, to do whatever they wanted, or to do nothing, the New York Committee for Occupational Safety and Healths David Newman told the L.A. Times. It was kind of a Wild West. A Tribeca resident who spoke to Discover said that she received a letter from the NYCDOH instructing her to clean her apartment herself using a wet rag and use a High Efficiency Particulate Airfilter vacuum. A man who was living in a Brooklyn Heights dorm said that nobody ever told him that the dust he found in his vents and air conditioner was potentially dangerous. When we turned it on, the dust would blast into the room, he said, explaining that he and his roommate repeatedly cleaned it up themselves. In 2007, the superintendent of a building located a couple blocks from Ground Zero told the New York Times that he was still finding the dust in the ceilings and walls. Meanwhile, much of the professional dust removal was performed by cleaners many of them immigrants who werent properly trained or equipped for the task. Two such workers told the L.A. Times that they wore paper masks only 30% of the time they spent vacuuming dust from air vents. All of those people subsequently developed respiratory problems. New York firefighters take a break near Ground Zero in the aftermath of the attack. Photo: Alan CHIN/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images Survivors suffer from alarming rates of asthma, gastroesophageal disease, PTSD, cancer, and other illnesses In 2009, a study of World Trade Center Health Registry enrollees showed that 10.2 percent had received a new diagnosis of asthma in the five to six years following the attack. Rescue and recovery workers were the exposed group most likely to develop asthma (12.2 percent did), followed by passersby (8.6 percent). Intense dust cloud exposure on September 11 was a major contributor to new asthma diagnoses for all eligibility groups: for example, 19.1% vs 9.6% in those without exposure among rescue/recovery workers. Asthma risk was highest among rescue/recovery workers on the WTC pile on September 11. Other persistent risks included not evacuating homes, and experiencing a heavy layer of dust in home or office. A study conducted from 2011 to 2012 found that of 2,500 people diagnosed with asthma in the two years after 9/11, two-thirds reported continued symptoms that interfered with their usual activities. A 2011 study of the same population found a significant number of post-9/11 gastroesophageal reflux symptoms (GERS). (The symptoms are associated with gastroesophageal reflux disease [GERD], which can lead to esophageal cancer.) Twenty percent of those surveyed reported GERS two to three years after the attack, while 13 percent said that the symptoms persisted for five or more years. Of the people who developed symptoms right after the attack, 46.5 percent still had them ten years later. As with asthma, the illness was most common among responders (41 percent), but people exposed to the initial dust cloud and those who didnt evacuate their homes were also at an elevated risk. These and other studies also noted that both asthma and GERS occurred more frequently in patients who also had PTSD (which affected at least 15 percent of people in the vicinity of the attack), though plenty of people without the psychological condition developed one (or both) of the physical illnesses. The 2011 Annual Report on 9/11 Health also pointed to continuing cases of sarcoidosis (inflammatory cells on the lungs, skin, eyes, and lymph nodes) among responders, residents, and passersby. It also noted a host of ongoing respiratory sickness among exposed firefighters, including sinus inflammation (17.2 percent), bronchitis (13.2 percent), and COPD/emphysema (1.5 percent). Technically, researchers have yet to definitively link Ground Zero exposure and cancer, but the connection has become obvious. Earlier this week, Newsweek reported that, As of June, 5,441 of the 75,000 people enrolled in the World Trade Center Health Program have been diagnosed with at least one case of 9/11-related cancer. And many of them have multiple cancers, with the total number of cancers certified at 6,378 as of June. The FDNY told the magazine that cancer rates among firefighters and EMTs who worked at Ground Zero are now 19 to 30 percent higher than they were before 2001. Meanwhile, from the NYC Health Department: The Registry first examined cancer incidence from 2003 to 2008 in a study that found more cases than expected of prostate cancer, thyroid cancer, and multiple myeloma among rescue/recovery workers enrolled in the Registry, compared to the general New York State population. The article Ten-year cancer incidence in rescue/recovery workers and civilians exposed to the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center presents findings from a follow up study of cancer incidence. The study found that for all cancer sites combined from 2007-2011, there were 11 percent more cancer cases than expected among rescue/recovery workers, and 8 percent more among civilian survivors compared with the New York State general population. Prostate and thyroid cancer remained elevated among rescue/recovery workers. There were also a small, but higher than expected, incidence of skin melanoma in rescue/recovery workers and non-responder civilian survivors. Among civilian survivors, the study found elevated incidence of female breast cancer and non-Hodgkins lymphoma. Unfortunately, the worst is probably yet to come. As former NYC Health Commissioner Dr. Thomas Farley pointed out during the 2012 battle to make funds from the James Zadroga Act available for cancer treatment, Cancers take 20 years to developand we might see something different 20 years down the line. (Ultimately, nearly 60 types of cancer were added the list of illnesses eligible for coverage.) Other doctors who have worked with 9/11 survivors have said that they expect to see an increase in cancer in the coming years. Hillary Clinton, prior to leaving the ceremony. Photo: Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images Hillary Clinton left a 9/11 anniversary event on Sunday morning in New York after feeling ill. While the Clinton campaign originally said that she left the morning service at the National September 11 Memorial because she was feeling overheated, they later released a statement from her doctor that explained she was dehydrated and overheated as a result of pneumonia. After nearly fainting while waiting for her motorcade, Clinton traveled to her daughters Manhattan apartment and recovered. Late on Sunday, the Clinton team announced that a trip to California planned for Monday and Tuesday, which included fundraisers and a taping of The Ellen DeGeneres Show, has been canceled. Clinton left the 9/11 service around 9:30 a.m., about 90 minutes after arriving, and it seems that none of the pool of reporters present at the ceremony witnessed Clintons departure, nor were they informed of her whereabouts or condition until later in the morning. Fox News reporter Rick Leventhal originally said that an anonymous law enforcement source told him Clinton had a medical episode she appeared faint, stumbled as her motorcade arrived, and needed to be helped into a van by the Secret Service. This video of the moment seems to confirm that account: Hillary Clinton 9/11 NYC pic.twitter.com/q9YnsjTxss Zdenek Gazda (@zgazda66) September 11, 2016 A zoomed-in version: The temperature in Manhattan on Sunday morning was around 80 degrees with high humidity. The Daily Beast reports that a senior law-enforcement official told them that Clinton looked pale when she arrived at the ceremony, but Zdenek Gazda, who shot the above video, told BuzzFeed News that Clinton looked fine as she walked to the curb, though she was clearly being escorted out of the event: Gazda and law-enforcement sources add that Clinton appeared to lose a shoe while being helped into the van. Just before noon on Sunday, Clinton left her daughters apartment and told reporters she was feeling great, saying, Its a beautiful day in New York, according to the New York Times. She then went home to Chappaqua, New York, where she was examined by Dr. Lisa Bardack. The Times also notes that Clinton has been struggling with seasonal allergies over the past few weeks, and early Sunday evening, the Clinton campaign released a statement from Clintons personal physician, Dr. Lisa R. Bardack, which indicated the episode on Sunday morning was at least partially related to that: Secretary Clinton has been experiencing a cough related to allergies. On Friday, during a follow up evaluation of her prolonged cough, she was diagnosed with pneumonia. She was put on antibiotics, and advised to rest and modify her schedule. While at this mornings event, she became overheated and dehydrated. I have just examined her and she is now re-hydrated and recovering nicely. Nonetheless, the news stories suggesting Clintons fainting spell shakes up the race are already published, and the reporters who travel with Clinton are already pointing out that they werent made aware that Clinton was ill before her diagnosis was released. Its also not clear why the campaign didnt just mention the pneumonia right away, rather than saying she had merely overheated. Donald Trump also attended the event at the 9/11 memorial on Sunday morning. He and his surrogates have aggressively fanned theories that Clinton is secretly in poor health, despite a lack of evidence to support the claim. Last year, Dr. Bardack reported that the candidate was in excellent health, a medical opinion she reiterated again last month. In an uncharacteristic move, Trump is refraining from commenting on Clintons illness, though his supporters are certainly not showing the same restraint. Two Trump advisers told WaPo tonight that the candidate & aides are closely monitoring HRC news. But he's not planning to tweet. Robert Costa (@costareports) September 11, 2016 Neither Clinton nor Trump have released their full medical records, though the summary letter from Clintons physician contains much more detail than a similar, shorter letter from Trumps physician. In the Washington Post on Friday, President Obamas former physician David L. Scheiner argued that its important for both candidates to release more information, since, at their advanced ages, Stuff begins to happen. He also offered a detailed take on the information that Clinton has released thus far: We were told that Clinton has an underactive thyroid that is being treated with a replacement hormone and that she has a history of suffering thrombophlebitis (venous blood clots) in her legs. This leads me to wonder if these clots were provoked by trauma or some other cause, since unprovoked clots have a more worrisome prognosis. Around the time of her 2012 fall and concussion, Clinton suffered a venous thrombosis in her brain, and she is now on a blood thinner called Coumadin. This is a difficult drug to control, and close monitoring of prothrombin times a measure of how long it takes a persons blood to clot is necessary. We physicians should see a record of her prothrombin times to assess adequacy of control. Being on Coumadin, she would have to avoid certain foods, such as green leafy vegetables, and avoid medications with problematic interactions. There are new anticoagulant medications that dont require such monitoring or diet and drug restrictions. Why isnt she on this more efficacious medication? It took Clinton up to six months to make a full recovery, and for two months, she had double vision. This was not a simple concussion. In 2013, her doctors letter reported, her neurologic exam was normal. But that was three years ago. Concussions can cause cognitive decline. Would a current neuro-psychologic exam show any change? This is all somewhat unfair to Clinton, however, who ends up being placed under greater scrutiny as a consequence of acting more responsibly than her opponent. We can ask specific questions about her health because she has been willing to share some important information, even if it is inadequate. In contrast, we know nothing about Trumps health. On that note, looking ahead: Feels like a good day for Clinton to release her medical records and call on Trump to do same adam nagourney (@adamnagourney) September 11, 2016 Something that I bet becomes a thing - last week, Trump told ABC that he would release his medical records first. pic.twitter.com/Zm0Ar6XBWP Sopan Deb (@SopanDeb) September 11, 2016 News also broke on Friday that Trump will reveal his personal health regimen this week on Dr. Ozs television program, which is a roughly half-factual science show. Make body language, maritime law, and Iranian regime change great again. Photo: Mark Wallheiser/Getty Images Speaking at a campaign rally in Pensacola, Florida, on Friday night, Donald Trump indicated that, as president, he would attack Iran if their sailors made improper gestures toward the U.S. Navy. After promising to build more ships for the Navy, which has a base in Pensacola, Trump tossed in an aside referencing the recent run-ins that U.S. warships have had with Iranian attack boats in the Persian Gulf. During those encounters, small Iranian speedboats controlled by Irans Revolutionary Guard, which opposes the countrys nuclear deal with the U.S., have harassed U.S. ships in ways the Navy has deemed unsafe and unprofessional. Said Trump, to the delight of the crowd, When [the Iranians] circle our beautiful destroyers with their little boats, and they make gestures at our people that they shouldnt be allowed to make, they will be shot out of the water. Some news reports are framing Trumps statement about Iran as a matter of him once again going off script and ad-libbing some ill-advised bluster on top of the supposedly softened speeches his campaign has prepared for him. Thats undoubtedly what he did in this case, and maybe it was just intended as some kind of macho nationalistic towel-snap to get a quick U.S.A. chant out of the crowd. But while its indeed worrisome, if not exactly news, that the apparent body-language expert is unable to follow plans, or scripts, or basic political norms in this case Trump, a major-partys presidential candidate, indicated that he would be willing to start an armed conflict with another country, not to defend Americas citizens, interests, or allies but over injured pride. And even if it is just a joke, or something Trump is willing to say to get a buzz off of a specific crowd, there is no reason to believe he wouldnt continue to offer such asides if elected. As it happens, Trump also questioned Hillary Clintons mental health again on Friday, saying that he thinks she is an unstable person and trigger-happy. Earlier in the day, Trump had addressed the Values Voter Summit in Washington, D.C., and criticized Clinton for being just too quick to intervene, invade, or to push for regime change with people we dont even know who they are, they take over, and theyre far worse. That is an important and completely valid criticism of regime-change thinking, but even putting aside how Trump supported U.S.-instigated regime change in Iraq and Libya, and backed the U.S.-supported ouster of Hosni Mubarak in Egypt, Trumps attack on Clintons alleged quick trigger came just minutes after he had criticized President Obama for not supporting Irans Green Movement in 2009 following a disputed presidential election, which has long been seen by Americas hawks and neoconservatives as a missed opportunity for regime change in Iran. According to Trump, who apparently knows the Iranian political scene surprisingly well, Obama didnt support people that would have taken over, and I think in this case probably would have taken over the right way. (The Toronto Star sought clarification on the in-speech contradiction from the Trump campaign, but received none.) So in one day, Donald Trump said that he both supported regime change and didnt support regime change (even though he has always supported regime change), and then later suggested hed go to war with one of the countries he is still willing to publicly support regime change in, just as soon as they literally give us the finger from a little boat? More BDS Falsehoods in The Toronto Star | Main | Rarely Highlighted in the Mainstream Media are Genuine Palestinian Peace-Seekers September 11, 2016 Biased Reuters, AFP Captions on Disputed Gaza Death UPDATE, 5 pm EST: AFP, Reuters Add IDF's Account to Captions on Disputed Gaza Death Both Reuters and Agence France Presse, major photo services with thousands of clients across the world, published incomplete, tendentious captions Friday concerning a Gaza teen killed under disputed circumstances. While Palestinian sources claim that Israeli troops shot 18-year-old Abdel-Rahman Al-Dabbagh in the head during a border clash, the Israeli army said that it only used tear gas. As a Reuters new story accurately reported: An 18-year-old Palestinian was killed during a rock-throwing protest near the Gaza-Israel border on Friday and a Palestinian health official said Israeli soldiers shot him, but the Israeli army said troops were not responsible. Gaza health ministry spokesman Ashraf Al-Qidra said Abdel-Rahman Al-Dabbagh was killed by an Israeli bullet to the head during the border clash in the central Gaza Strip. The Israeli military said troops had sought to contain the violence on the other side of the border fence and had used only tear gas. "Dozens of rioters breached the buffer zone and attempted to damage the security (border) fence. ... Forces stationed at the border used tear gas that led to the dispersal of the riot. Following a preliminary review, the Israel Defense Forces did not conduct the reported shooting," a military statement said. Nevertheless, in violation of Reuters' policy to "take no sides, tell all sides," Reuters' captions about the incident completely ignore the information from the Israeli side. Reuters' handbook further advises journalists: Our text and visual stories need to reflect all sides, not just one. . . . We have a duty of fairness to give the subjects of such stories the opportunity to put their side. Examples of Reuters' one-sided captions, which left out the Israeli information, follows: A man mourns the death of Palestinian youth Abdulrahman Al-Dabag, who medics said was shot dead by Israeli troops on Friday, at a hospital in the central Gaza Strip September 9, 2016. REUTERS/Ibraheem Abu Mustafa A man mourns the death of Palestinian youth Abdulrahman Al-Dabag, who medics said was shot dead by Israeli troops on Friday, at a hospital in the central Gaza Strip September 9, 2016. REUTERS/Ibraheem Abu Mustafa AFP's news article from Friday likewise accurately reported the disputed circumstances. Nevertheless, some of AFP's captions also ignored the Israeli army statement that troops used only tear gas. An example of those biased AFP captions follow: Palestinian Territories, Deir el-Balah : Palestinian men mourn the death of 16-year-old Abdel Rahman al-Dabbagh, who according to the health ministry was shot dead by Israeli troops during clashes near the border fence, at a hospital morgue in the central Gaza Strip, on September 9, 2016. Ministry spokesman Ashraf al-Qodra identified the teenager as Abdel Rahman al-Dabbagh, and said he was killed east of Bureij refugee camp in central Gaza, saying the teenager was hit in the head and taken to hospital where he was pronounced dead./ AFP PHOTO / SAID KHATIB On the other hand, other AFP captions , like the one below, did accurately note the disputed circumstances Dabag's death. Relatives of 16-year-old Abdel Rahman al-Dabbagh, mourn during his funeral in Bureij refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip, on September 10, 2016. Israeli troops shot and killed the teenager during clashes the previous day near the border fence with Israel, Palestinian sources said, but the Israeli military denied having used live fire. / AFP PHOTO / MAHMUD HAMS CAMERA has contacted editors at both AFP and Reuters to ask that they amend the incomplete captions. Stay tuned for an update. Posted by TS at September 11, 2016 07:50 AM Guidelines for posting This is a moderated blog. We will not post comments that include racism, bigotry, threats, or factually inaccurate material. Post a comment Everyone knows that Instagram has changed how people view fashion. You could even say that it has produced a divide in the fashion world between designers with a refined sense of taste and cutting, who know the subtle tricks of dressmaking, and those seeking a visual pop, with color or vivid graphics, who use young celebrities like heart pills. Tommy Hilfiger wants to be in the second group. In fact, for his fall 2016 collection shown last night in a carnival setting, complete with rides and french fries, at the South Street Seaport he teamed up with Gigi Hadid (22.6 million Instagram followers) to draw inspiration from her personal style. The most coveted looks will surely be the black leather jackets with her name, in Gothic letters, on the back. Wheee! The Gigi Hadid Motorcycle Club take me for a ride! Seriously, though, the idea is not as dumb as it sounds. From its early days as a preppy shirtmaker, the Hilfiger brand has pretty much always followed the latest youth trend. Does it really matter if Gigi inspired the black over-the-knee socks worn with denim cutoffs, or the big, sloppy varsity sweaters? They looked great better than his stuff has looked in a while. Gigi basically supplied the brand with a framework around which to focus some classic American looks, something muses have been doing for decades. (Think of Loulou de la Falaise and Saint Laurent, or Carine Roitfeld and Tom Ford.) Gigis Instagram base also doesnt hurt. View Slideshow Photo: Imaxtree What struck me most about the Monse show, also Friday, was that it uniquely combined both qualities that is, the designs have savoir faire and they would also pop on a cell-phone screen. Thats a rare combo; too often the sizzling shows lack real design value. But Monses creators, Laura Kim and Fernando Garcia, are young enough to appreciate that we are an image-glutted culture, and experienced enough, as proteges of the late Oscar de la Renta, to make clothes that fulfill both missions. They did this in a number of ways. The most obvious was in their use of bold menswear stripes and glam textures mainly sequins in rich tones of copper, rose red, and jungle green. Often the color got an extra jolt by being mixed with a pristine white element, like a shirt or a wide collar. Among the very best looks were sleeveless evening tops, in either sequins or silk charmeuse, with an asymmetrical flap collar. They sort of drizzled over the body and were shown with slouchy striped trousers that repeated the flap detail. Garcia and Kim also did some clever things with cutting, in particular their trousers like a daytime pair that convincingly combined gray pinstripe and khaki with cargo pockets. And there were some terrific scarf-print dresses that seemed to spill over the body. View Slideshow Photo: Imaxtree But the real achievement in this collection (Monses third) is that Kim and Garcia brought more control to their deshabille style, and they did it in the construction of the garments. You can see it in the slightly molded waists and bodices of the dresses, in the silhouette of a trench coat. Theres a lot more traditional form than in previous collections, and yet the loose, sexy attitude that has defined Monse and quickly made it a hot label hasnt been lost. Next season, Garcia and Kim will return to Oscar de la Renta as co-creative directors while continuing their own label. As proof of how skillful these designers are, they will probably keep the style of the two brands quite separate. Oscar has its own identity, after all, and an incredible history to mine. But the Monse founders are also keenly aware of how Gigis generation reads fashion, and that will be to Oscars benefit, too. Jeffrey Dodd and Jason Wu also had strong collections, if on a more modest scale. Dodds best looks were a tailored jacket and coat in either white or a faded denim-blue canvas, with frayed edges, and a lovely strapless cotton dress in a cloudy-blue print. Hes a good knitwear designer, and I wish this collection had included more. Knits, along with sheer fabrics, micro-pleating, and many asymmetrical hems, gave Wus show an appealing lightness not to mention, a great silhouette. View Slideshow Photo: Imaxtree Its no secret that people arent buying clothes at the moment. But its also no secret what would get them to buy again: great fashion at a very affordable price. A side of fries would help, too. I am referring to Alexander Wangs fantastic show on Saturday night at Pier 94. He had it all: cute clothes based on the classic dress shirt, now deconstructed as bras, cropped tops, and boxers. Also in the same sporty vein were silk pinstriped board shorts edged in black lingerie lace, minimal shirtdresses, and blousy cropped tops in a red-rose print, a fabric Wang also used for a lining. If you grew up in this country, in California, or Maine, or Michigan, youd surely recognize Wangs touchstones bikinis, surfer clothes, your brothers boxer shorts, a pair of fringe moccasins courtesy of a souvenir trading post (and now finished with rubber soles). Right after the show, Wang held a party complete with a McDonalds burger stand, a Slurpee van, and a 7-Eleven trailer stuffed with free snacks. I hardly need to describe the look of bliss on editors faces. View Slideshow Photo: Imaxtree In the past, Ive ragged Wang for being lazy or under the influence of avant-garde designers like Rei Kawakubo, who are already way out of his league and moderate price range. Actually, Ive always thought Wang was at his best imagining what it was like to be a lazy, sleepy, horny kid at the height of an American summer. And there you have it: a recipe for success in 2016-17. Stick with what you know, dont overthink anything, and pay attention to price. There is certainly a space in American fashion and retailing for $3,000 dresses, just as there are finer dining establishments than McDonalds, but the arena is oversold, and small high-end brands cannot possibly compete with the LVMH class. A visit to Co, a Los Angeles label showing at the Mercer Hotel, made this clear. Justin Kern, who founded the brand five years ago with his wife, Stephanie Danan, told me that Neiman Marcus has expanded the number of branches where it sells Co to nearly 20, largely because Danan and Kern have kept their prices in the average range of $1,000. (Yes, there are separates for a lot less, and the most expensive item in their new collection, a retro gold red-carpet number, is about $3,000.) View Slideshow Photo: Courtesy of Co Kern says theyre able to do this because their clothes, made from European fabrics, are produced in Asia. He might also have noted, but didnt, that big luxury brands tend to be greedy, padding their prices, because they know people will pay. An additional advantage is that Cos type of luxury is quite accessible softly ruffled camisoles, a sleeveless, below-the-knee black lace dress with a swishy skirt, a flounced silk crepe dress in a tiny floral print. Aesthetically, the clothes have a bit of a retro vibe, eased by simplified details. Recently, Kern and Danan partnered with Andrew Rosen of Theory, who has been looking for a designer who truly knows how to do luxury at a fair price. I was also impressed with Simon Miller, a label designed by Chelsea Hansford and Daniel Corrigan that showed Saturday evening in the Marble Cemetery off Second Avenue. Their clothes are utterly simple in fact, they dont look like much. A ropy slip dress in dung brown. A light gray hoodie. Slouchy sweaters and washed 90s-style denim. But Corrigan and Hansford are whizzes at restraint. That ropy slip dress is actually Italian leather knitted in tiny chain loops. It feels great, and the price is under $1,000. The hoodie is as soft as a washed Turkish towel. Hansford and Corrigan have made texture and muted colors mossy green, mustard, terra-cotta their signature, but their easy style is further evidence, I think, people want less complexity from fashion and more genuine value. View Slideshow Photo: Imaxtree Mike Eckhaus and Zoe Latta, the artists behind the vanguard label Eckhaus Latta, now find themselves at a conventional crossroads delivering on their success. Last seasons superb show at PS1 (my absolute favorite of the NY shows) brought them more attention for their organic way of issuing surprises from such mundane styles as pullovers and fleecy coats. The collection they showed yesterday at Seward Park, on the Lower East Side, told me two things: The designers werent sure of the direction they wanted to take and, at the same time, they wanted to meet certain retail standards for styling and construction. Hence the oversize coats with a higher level of finishing than Eckhaus Latta would have been capable of in the past, and t-shirts with a swag of jersey top-stitched to the front and hanging down one side an idea that, frankly, seemed too predictable for the artists. View Slideshow Photo: Imaxtree Dont get me wrong: Many of the clothes captured Eckhauss chin-out, indie pride, and the fuzzy boots (imagine jumping into a box of lint) were terrific. But, clearly, Latta and Eckhaus are confronting the reality that fashion is a business, maybe a thankless business, but a business all the same. And their heart, I suspect, is somewhere else. You may want to check out Ryan Roche, if youre not already a fan of her knits. The designer has expanded into woven separates, mostly made in Italy, where she has recently acquired a Milan partner. The new silk and crepe pieces flatter her knits. Indeed, her clothes are far more body-conscious and versatile than in the past. And, who knows, a queen of beige may finally shock us with color. it's weird to think 1989 was released two years ago. hopefully she takes 2 years releasing this one. Reply Thread Link hopefully she never releases anything Reply Parent Thread Link True. I wish she would just go away :') Reply Parent Thread Link we aren't that lucky Reply Parent Thread Link for real Reply Parent Thread Link i can't believe it was two years ago. it feels like yesterday. Reply Parent Thread Link I agree except I remember that night downloading the leak and that was DEFINITELY 2 years ago. it's so weird to me how moments in my life are merely just backstory to pop music milestones Reply Parent Thread Expand Link More like release it soon then take 2 years to promote herself or sorry "taking a break" Reply Parent Thread Link Snatch that non-existent wig off of his fivehead and reveal that ugly hairline for everyone. Reply Thread Link his receding hairline is so fucking tragic. especially when he noticeably self tans and you can tell by the paleness around his hairline. Reply Parent Thread Link They need a special brown paper bag to cover that mess. Reply Parent Thread Link I'm genuinely amused every time you go for tom's hairline lmao Reply Parent Thread Link Tom better beat that PR rush!!!!! Reply Thread Link Maybe he can replace Emma Watson as feminist ambassador or whatever job she does that was handed to her by her... what was it, two black bosses iirc? Reply Parent Thread Link Eww at the Brazilian Stan, she is racist and will prob never go tour in LATAM bc it's so ~dangerous, why bother stanning for this gringa? Reply Parent Thread Link lol didn't this gringa escrota canceled a tour in brazil for some stupid reason too? Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Stop drawing attention to your ugly ass nails, Toiletseat Reply Parent Thread Link she looks beautiful in that second gif??? Reply Parent Thread Link Spam!!! Lol Oop at me thinking that 13 was a snake Reply Parent Thread Link i hope she goes cuntry again Reply Parent Thread Link YAS that gillette gif! i loved the speak now tour. Reply Parent Thread Link I really hope she puts out an album I can enjoy. Tired of stanning her but hating her music, it's unnatural. Reply Parent Thread Link she needs at least 4 years to even find a decent hairstyle. Reply Thread Link LOL I love that Gigi is a news source now. Reply Thread Link She's been through two break ups and needs to write her FU song(s) about Kanye and Kim. I wonder if she'll ever flop. Reply Thread Link They all do eventually Reply Parent Thread Link We can only hope. Reply Parent Thread Link I wonder who she'll target this time around... Reply Thread Link Are they still besties? I forgot they were even really good friends until I saw your gif just now Reply Parent Thread Link I don't think so, we haven't seen them together at an event in years. They prob still text but highly doubt they are as close as they once were. Reply Parent Thread Link I feel it'll mainly be about Calvin and maybe like 2 songs about Tom since they didn't date for long but who knows Reply Parent Thread Link You act like she hasn't made several songs on several albums about guys she's dated for like a month. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link half of 1989 was about harry styles and they were together for like 3 months as well. you KNOW there will be a song about the whole kimye fiasco too Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Forgive me ONTD for I have sinned. I put on 1989 in my car. I took out Heartstrings to put in Glory but Wildest Dreams was on the radio but it was staticy so I couldn't enjoy it and had to listen to it properly. Idc I can't wait for the next TS album. Reply Thread Link "Wildest Dreams" is a great fucking song. Reply Parent Thread Link It really is! Reply Parent Thread Link wildest dreams is so fun to sing along to tbh Reply Parent Thread Link heartstrings <3 iconic dream pop but yeah 1989 is a good album. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link 1989 is a great album. Wildest Dreams comes on the radio a lot and it's fun to sing along with lol Reply Parent Thread Link I adore Wildest Dreams. It's probably my favourite on 1989. Reply Parent Thread Link Fuck ONTD. It's a decent pop album. Reply Parent Thread Link Child, please I still listen to the Taylor Swift songs I like Couldn't stand her from that Romeo and Juliet song but if I hear a bop, a bop is a bop Reply Parent Thread Link Glory already saved Pop music so she can stay at home with her cats Reply Thread Link Flawless comment. Reply Parent Thread Link Loved glory omg Reply Parent Thread Link Glory really is THAT album. Hands down one of the best pop releases of 2016. Reply Parent Thread Link Lmao at first I was gonna be like this cat lady shade But then I remembered she does have cats Reply Parent Thread Link couldn't agree more. Reply Parent Thread Link a musician recording music...burn ha! Reply Parent Thread Link Right? ONTD and its Taylor hatred working overtime. Edited at 2016-09-11 02:38 pm (UTC) Reply Parent Thread Link mte lol Reply Parent Thread Link Idk, she should date a 50 year old Sons of Anarchy ranking member who goes to the can for a stash of machine guns then maybe I would actually want to hear more "he did me so wrong" revenge songs. Also, she could be totally justified in burning his house down which is always fun. Reply Thread Link clay morrow would be an upgrade compared to calvin harris Reply Parent Thread Link lmao Reply Parent Thread Link lmfao Reply Parent Thread Link One of the only things keeping me a fan is her magic so I'm ready Reply Thread Link did she put some kind of stanning curse on you sis Reply Parent Thread Link *MUSIC This actually the worst typo I have ever done in my life D: I'm also surprised no one else pointed it out lmaoo Reply Parent Thread Link Why tho Reply Thread Link A songwriter / musician? Doing what a songwriter / musician does? Reply Parent Thread Link Oh, so Nate Parker was going to start a worldwide discussion about toxic masculinity and consent, huh? As long as his publicist approves, I guess. Fuck this rapist. Reply Thread Link shit.... fuck em up Reply Parent Thread Link He would start the discussion so long as NO ONE brings it back to him and questions him about being a rapist, and instead praises him and licks his asshole. Paint him in a flawless, saint-like light? You can stay. Try to question his rapist ass about being a rapist piece of shit, and you can forget about it and get the fuck away from His presence! Edited at 2016-09-11 10:10 pm (UTC) Reply Parent Thread Link He can die. Literally. Reply Thread Link Oh damn lol. We went in on him! Reply Parent Thread Link CBC coming through as always. Reply Parent Thread Link i need a summary of what happened before i click on this vid, how cringing / explicit is this gonna be? did the interviewer go in on him or did he bring it up so he could talk about his ~paaain~ Reply Thread Link I need that too. Hopefully a good sis posts it. Reply Parent Thread Link It was neutral enough that I feel like he could have played it off without being a baby about it or without his team being babies about it. Like, the interviewer just said has the promotional strategy changed since there has been so much publicity about your personal life. Reply Parent Thread Link Wowwwww, that's it?! Punk ass bitch . Fuck him and his co-rapist to hell tbh Reply Parent Thread Expand Link thx i hope all the interviews obliquely bring up the question, tbh. Reply Parent Thread Link Eli asked him if he thought Fox Searchlight had changed marketing strategies because of the rape and before Parker could answer a handler ended the interview before the allotted time. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link No. The interviewer asked a legitimate, non gotcha question: does he think Fox Searchlight has changed their strategy due to the controversy over his personal life? Considering they have virtually ended all the college talks schedule for the movie and seemed to tightly controlling all of Nate Parker's interviews, its a good point to bring up. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link even though he deserves this i still feel secondhand embarrasment what does the interviewer say? Reply Thread Link he just asks if fox changed their approach/strategy because of the focus on his personal life Reply Parent Thread Link Nate ain't shit but this interviewer rubbed me the wrong way, in the studio he's like I just want to know if he's changed!!!! I wanted to get some answers. So you think this black man is still out here raping people? I am 100% not here for a rapist but the way this is being handled versus the way problematic white men are handled is very sus Reply Parent Thread Link agreed to a certain extent Reply Parent Thread Expand Link I think I get what you mean. On the one hand, Parker has brought this on himself and deserves every bit of backlash he gets, but on the other hand, it makes me angrier at the blatant industry hypocrisy. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link i'm honestly way more worried about him getting too little backlash than too much. this man has never been punished for what he did in any meaningful way apparently his film got a standing ovation at tiff: http://www.vulture.com/2016/09/birth-of-a-nation-toronto-film-festival-nate-parker.html i'm honestly way more worried about him getting too little backlash than too much. this man has never been punished for what he did in any meaningful way Reply Parent Thread Link Suffer! Hope the movie bombs Reply Thread Link I'm really mixed on this. Nat Turner has such an incredible story that needs to be told and from all reports the movie is exceptional. I wish there was a way to support the movie without supporting Nate Parker. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link I think saying "from all reports the movie is exceptional" is very generous tbh Reply Parent Thread Link nioe, not all reports love it. and its not even accurate. it adds two ahistorical rapes to justify the revolt Edited at 2016-09-11 09:18 pm (UTC) Reply Parent Thread Link What? The reaction to the movie is mixed at best. I think you are confusing the response with Moonlight's. Edited at 2016-09-11 09:21 pm (UTC) Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Reviews make it seem like it is Important but not necessarily good Reply Parent Thread Link Because he's a shitty person. NP seems like a douchebag who gets off on condescending power plays. I doubt he's changed from the person he was when he raped that young woman. Reply Parent Thread Link well gosh it seems like he's getting tired of this hanging over his every action and experience, like a dark cloud, affecting his personal and social lives every day of his life! good now he knows .001% of how he made his victim feel Reply Thread Link I hope this happens throughout the promo tour of Birth of a Nation. "Did you rely on your own experience as a rapist when writing and directing rape scenes in this movie? Do you feel like it gave a sense of realism to those scenes?" Reply Thread Link oh holy shit that would be so brave to say that to the fuckhead Reply Parent Thread Link From your keyboard to God's ear. Reply Parent Thread Link this is so smart now I need someone to ask this Reply Parent Thread Link One can only dare to hope! Reply Parent Thread Link Oh good lord could you imagine if someone ACTUALLY asked that? They'd be my hero lol. Reply Parent Thread Link someone really needs to ask him this Reply Parent Thread Link lmaoooomgggg please let this happen!! Reply Parent Thread Link I wish someone actually had the guts to ask him that. Reply Parent Thread Link i pray people ask him that question. esp since Nat Turner apparently didn't even have (or at least never mentioned) a wife, so the rape in the movie is entirely Parker's own invention. Reply Parent Thread Link He's going to be at Vancouver International Film Festival with the film, I think (side-eying VIFF so hard right now). Maybe an audience member will step up in the Q&A. Reply Parent Thread Link i just read it out loud in the monotone way a reporter would ask this and got goosebumps lol. dear god, someone needs to ask this Reply Parent Thread Link If someone has the guts to even ask that question, I'd be shocked and goddamn it would be NICE to get an answer. Reply Parent Thread Link this is all i want from life Reply Parent Thread Link I need this to happen, but I doubt it will. Reply Parent Thread Link nah i already feel too bad for the actresses he directed in those scenes. Reply Parent Thread Link That still....HA! Suffer. Reply Thread Link Nate Parker on rape controversy hanging over The Birth of a Nation: "Ive addressed it. In future forums, Ill addess it more. Katie Hasty (@TheKatieHasty) 11. September 2016 Nate Parker: "Healing comes with honest confrontation with our past. If youve got injustice this is your movie. Katie Hasty (@TheKatieHasty) 11. September 2016 Parker deflected: Again, Ive addressed this a few times... this is the foum fror the film, thanks for opportunity to be here." Katie Hasty (@TheKatieHasty) 11. September 2016 Edited at 2016-09-11 09:22 pm (UTC) Reply Thread Link That last one. lol. No he does not care to apologize to the victim's family because he feels no remorse and feels like he's the victim in the situation. Reply Parent Thread Link "Parker has not apologized" This is what has been baffling to me about the whole thing. Not only did he rape someone, he still feels he did nothing wrong, and he even blamed her saying I felt like you put yourself in that situation, you know what I mean?". Reply Parent Thread Link LMAO, that screencap Reply Thread Link Lol A+ gif Reply Parent Thread Link Why the fuck is Gabrielle Union pushing this movie is about people fighting against sexual violence when both rape scenes in the movie are actually factually inaccurate and was added by the writers to drum up more drama? Also, this whole narrative of how it's bigger than Parker and what not is bullshit. At the end of the day Parker is going to reap the benefit of a successful movie so it is about him. Also, it's kinda ridiculous how FSL is pushing Gabrielle Union to defend his ass. She is the one who had to discuss it in the presser today while Parker gave a non-answer. Edited at 2016-09-11 09:16 pm (UTC) Reply Thread Link interesting bc one half of your comment is furious at her and then you come around to asking why she's been asked these questions. and honestly, she was a rape victim being made to answer for her boss. she'll never win Reply Parent Thread Link Yeah she's been put in a really awful position especially because she's been open about being an advocate for sexual assault survivors previously. Reply Parent Thread Link 1) I just don't think she needs to defend the NP or be the spokesperson for the movie when it comes to that bit of controversy BUT at the moment that is FSL's strategy. They want GU to be the person who addresses the controversy. It places her in an unfortunate situation because she probably has no choice. 2) I don't like what she is trying to say in her defense for the movie especially with regards to sexual assault. Both rape scenes in the movie are historically accurate. And it's very disingenuous to suggest that two men who perpetrated sexual assault on a women should lead discussion of how women should deal with sexual assault. At this point it seems like a cheapshot to appease those who are mortified by NP's past. It's like Brock Turner being given the responsibility to educate people on college drinking culture. Reply Parent Thread Link Mte The comments directed towards Gabrielle are fucking infuriating Reply Parent Thread Link IA, she's in an impossible situation. Reply Parent Thread Link mfte Reply Parent Thread Link Honestly, I think it would have been better for her if Gabrielle was just like "I was unaware of Nate's past at the time I made this movie" and left it at that. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link How Did Albertas Oil Future End Up With Pipeline Companies? How did the value of your house and your future employment opportunities end up in the hands of owners/operators of buried steel tubes and a single federal regulator? Why does the fate of Canadas largest and most valuable resource industry and the millions of Canadians who depend upon it rest with commercial pipeline companies and the National Energy Board (NEB)? What about all the other stakeholders? Why are the governments which own these resources on behalf of the people and all the elected politicians not more actively involved? What about the voters? Whos representing the consumers who need the product to survive in this large cold country and the Canadians whose jobs depend on oil and gas development? When will we hear from the companies that actually find and produce oil? Welcome to Canadian pipeline paralysis 2016. Incredibly, three private pipeline companies TransCanada Corporation, Enbridge Inc. and Kinder Morgan Canada, guided by and the vacillating and increasingly impossible mandate of the NEB - are now in charge of Canadian oil policy. Kinder Morgan isnt even Canadian. Give your head a shake. These companies clearly drew the short straw when, in the pursuit of commercial self-interest, they ended up in expensive, high profile and inconclusive public hearings debating aboriginal land claims and the future of planet Earth. Pipeliners are just plumbing companies which connect buyers and sellers for money. Who put them in charge? The logical people to weigh in on such matters of domestic and global importance our elected politicians are nowhere to be found. Unless of course they object at which point you cant keep them quiet. The NEBs Energy East hearing in Montreal was shut down on August 29 for reasons of decorum and safety thanks to three highly-motivated professional disrupters. Finally, more people are asking the question nobody wants to answer; how did the future of Canadas oil industry end up being decided at pipeline hearings? Politicians Love Regulators Because politicians love regulators. They hide behind them. Regulators are government institutions which study, analyse and adjudicate on major projects somebody believes are in the public interest. They need regulatory approval because they impact people, often called voters. Highways. Power lines. Pipelines. Railroads. Mass transit. All shared public works and utility infrastructure that modern society cannot live without. And people love pipelines. They just dont know it. Every residential and commercial building is supported by multiple pipelines carrying fresh water and natural gas in and sewage out. Pipeline conduits protect electricity, telephone and cable TV lines. Every community in the country is riddled with pipelines. Look before you dig. The 2016 oil pipeline stalemate is about the contents not the tube. A great example of why politicians love regulators is sour gas or hydrogen sulphide development in Alberta. The WCSB is cursed with some of the highest concentrations of poisonous H2S in the world. Following the tragic 1982 Lodgepole blowout the provinces energy regulator concluded future exploitation of reservoirs with a certain combination of H2S and potential flow rate should be subjected to what became the Critical Well public consultation process. The regulator was the Energy Resources Conservation Board (ERCB), a name which has changed a couple of times. It took some getting used to. A resource developer would have to post a public notice and within a certain distance go door-to-door saying, Wed like to drill a poison gas well upwind of the school your kids attend. What do you think of that? The reaction was universally negative. However, through long and expensive public hearings the ERCB would listen to and review everything including the drilling plan and accidental release mitigation measures and decide if it could be done safely and in the public interest. Most wells were eventually approved but a few were denied. An entire industry of emergency response planning, community consultation, security and downwind air quality monitoring emerged. There seemed to be enough money around to keep this increasingly expensive business going. Related: Most Oil Industry Experts See Oil Below $60 Through 2017 The genius of the Critical Well regulatory process was no elected politician had to tell their flock, Drilling poison wells in your back yard is good for the economy. Shut up and take one for the team. That was left to regulators frequently described as the fairest and finest in the world. Todays gas prices are so low and H2S processing costs so high nobody can afford to do develop sour gas so this issue has gone away. But even the decision of the worlds most enlightened adjudicators was not always accepted. Recall late last century when Weibo Ludwig took the law into his own hands and was arrested for bombing gas wells and facilities in northwest Alberta. The mandate of the NEB has not been materially different from the ERCB. Faced with a pipeline application and approval process, the regulator was charged with seeking industry and public input before determining if the design was safe, the setbacks adequate, that environmental protection had been considered, and finally if the project was in the national interest. The historic bias has been towards economic advantage because, until recently, resource development in Canada been never been regarded as anything else. It has worked well for decades. Canada didnt become the 5th largest hydrocarbon jurisdiction (oil, gas, natural gas liquids) in the world without building and burying a whack of pipe. However, in the past five years the subject changed from the existence of the pipe to the contents. Suddenly formerly boring NEB hearings were dealing with increasing numbers of intervenors talking about the terrible effects of mankind consuming oil such as global warming, climate change and rising oceans. For Enbridge, TransCanada and Kinder Morgan, this was simply not their business. They are transportation companies. All they did with oil was move it around. It was like railways being questioned because they might transport genetically modified wheat or the merits of highways based on the fuel consumption ratings of the cars on trucks that might use it. The Anti-Carbon, Anti-Harper Crowd Takes Control The success the climate change/anti-carbon crowd has enjoyed vilifying oil is well documented. Carbon-based fuels are changing the climate and will ultimately destroy the environment. This must stop now. There is no worse source than Albertas oil sands. This is not true (think lignite coal) but in this racket perception is reality. It is counter-intuitive that everyone can burn oil and depend upon oil-based products to live their lives while simultaneously learning to hate the commodity. But thats what happened. Its a big deal. It is no longer politically advantageous for anybody running for public office to say, Oil is the miracle fuel that powers modern civilization so shut up and take one for the team. More politicians are learning there is more to be gained from trashing oil than defending it. And what else could possibly matter more than winning the next election? An unabashed supporter of oil was former Prime Minister Stephen Harper who, early in his mandate, called Canada an energy superpower. But as oil became branded as toxic it had a similar impact on politics. With fewer public officials brave enough to wade into the fray, the NEB process into new pipeline Northern Gateway became the battleground for oil development versus anti-carbon fuel forces. Former NEB chair Gaeten Caron has said many times since retiring that the scope of NEB hearings has exploded far beyond the regulators original mandate. Harpers determination to support the industry became a liability, one of many reasons his party lost the 2015 federal election. Harper was PM for almost ten years. It became fashionable to claim his administration completely bungled the pipeline file. Both Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Alberta Premier Rachel Notley routinely blame Harpers government for polarizing the pipeline debate by ignoring the anti-carbon movement, interfering in the NEB process and running roughshod over the interests of First Nations and others affected by development. Even people who should know better have lost their senses. In an exchange with this writer, the former Alberta Liberal MLA and broadcaster Dave Taylor declared on Twitter, I called out Harper's failure to get a single mile of pipeline to export all that oil. Utterly false. Under Harper, in 2010 Enbridge completed the Alberta Clipper line to the U.S. and two years later TransCanada completed phase one of Keystone pipeline. Today these lines carry 1.7 million b/d of oil to the U.S., over 40 percent of Canadian crude production. One of the first acts of the Obama administration in 2008 was to ratify the cross-border permit for Clipper, the same approval the White House withheld to kill the Keystone XL shortcut to Cushing in 2015. There were thousands of kilometers of export lines and regional connectors buried while Harper was PM. Reviewing history objectively and recognizing how much pipe did get approved before oil became uber-politicized, critics should be more sympathetic to the former federal and provincial governments and industry for wondering where the anti-oil tsunami came from and how it grew so strong so quickly. How could the U.S. approve Clipper and Keystone but not KXL? Purchasing The Elusive Social License In Edmonton and Ottawa new governments claim to have the answer. Albertas NDP solution is carbon taxes and oil sands emission caps as proof to opponents that Alberta truly cares about the environment. The clearly contradictory message is that the NDP supports the oil industry but for our collective good it must be heavily taxed and regulated, even if the process renders it uneconomic. Its a great day at the office when a progressive government can raise taxes and save mankind at the same time. The NDPs 2015s Climate Change Leadership Plan concluded there existed a positive cost/benefit analysis whereby large and comprehensive carbon taxes would earn a so-called social license from opponents, thus permitting continued oil development. Well suffer by imposing huge financial penalties on carbon but prosper by gaining permission (defined as reduced opposition) from environmentalists. The NDP thesis, at least publicly if not intellectually supported by several large oil sands producers, was no action, no pipe. The $3 billion a year carbon tax will come into effect on January 1, 2017. Federally the Liberals concluded fine-tuning the NEBs mandate and an expanded consultation process with opponents would mollify resistance. Simply re-regulate the regulator and rebuild trust, the key element that was said to be lacking. As a related issue, how Ottawa will ever permit Northern Gateway to proceed after the Prime Minister has publicly-declared an oil tanker ban on the north Pacific Coast is impossible to comprehend. But after the Montreal NEB hearing disruptions it became obvious that neither Albertas nor Ottawas schemes to make new friends meant anything to anti-oil crusaders. Trudeau was half a world away in China talking about other things. Albertas energy minister Marg McCuaig-Boyds public reaction sounded like the famous line from the classic movie Cool Hand Luke. Just before he was shot in the head in the last scene star Paul Newman said, What weve got here is a failure to communicate. CBC News wrote, The protests, said McCuaig-Boyd, are an indication that Alberta needs to work harder to allay the concerns. Theres a pattern emerging here. Seek Forgiveness, Not Permission Both Northern Gateway and Trans Mountain have received conditional NEB approval. The problem is the NEBs decision was not no. Legal challenges promised before the Northern Gateway hearings resulted in the courts overturning federal approval because Ottawa failed to adequately consult aboriginals. This had nothing to do with the NEB. The solution? More consultation. The Trudeau administration is staring at the multi-conditional Trans Mountain NEB approval with a federal decision due by year-end. Maybe. Related: Why Big Oil Is Shying Away From Mexicos Latest Oil Auction Anybody objectively studying the pipeline approval process can only conclude the NEB pipeline application, review and decision process no longer works. Opponents are well organized and well-funded and wont accept yes or even maybe for an answer. The simple reversal of Enbridge Line 9 from Sarnia to Montreal was fought vigorously, followed by civil disobedience once it was operating. Built during the world oil crisis of the 1970s, Line 9 was a pipeline that originally flowed west to east and was reversed twice. It was built for no other purpose but to carry oil. The latest Energy East stalling tactics involve deep research on NEB panelists hunting for alleged conflicts of interest. And if that doesnt work, opponents will just storm the hearings and physically shut down the proceedings. When the anti-crude crowd figured out how the NEB regulatory process worked, they must have jumped for joy. Anybody can attend and say anything. The mandate is to hear from everyone, no matter how bizarre or arcane the presentation. If denied, a voice intervenors could allege massive injustice. The media would transmit their every utterance for free. How else could so few people with so little money hijack the future of the Canadian oil business? Canadian regulatory bodies work more on the principles of British common law than American-style constitutional law. If the process is open and all voices heard, the final decision will be accepted by the public in the interest of fair play. The problem is opponents of oil and pipelines are so convinced of the purity of their cause they no longer accept any need to play fair. When Will Pipeline Companies Give Up? Those who care about the future of Canadas oilpatch should question how long pipeline companies will continue this application/hearing/disruption/approval/denial process before they do something that actually makes money. Between KXL, Northern Gateway, Trans Mountain and Energy East, these companies have invested billions. If approved, these costs can be rolled into the rate base and generate a return. But when rejected, the costs are restated as losses. Billions out the door either way. At some point pipeline executives proposing and promoting pipelines that never get approved will realize they are not making career-enhancing decisions. And theyve already figured that out. TransCanada and Enbridge have been busy doing what they are supposed to do, which is make money for shareholders. In July TransCanada closed the $US13 billion acquisition of Columbia Pipeline Group Inc., a large gas distributor in the northeast U.S. On September 6 Enbridge announced a $US37 billion merger with Spectra Energy Corp. which operates oil and gas pipelines in Canada and the U.S. If they cant build pipe, then buy it. Nothing wrong with that. TransCanada and Enbridge are great Canadian companies. But this strategy is much more successful for their shareholders than for tens of thousands of unemployed oil workers wondering if and when they will be able to return to work. Imagine if Canada woke up one morning to learn TransCanada had simply given up on Energy East and withdrawn its application because the process was unworkable and political support non-existent. This is pure conjecture of course as their customers will likely persuade and/or pay them to keep pushing. But this cant and wont go on forever. Ordinary Canadians must realize the wrong people have been put in charge of the future of oil in Canada and the NEB-mandated pipeline approval process no longer works. No regulator can thrive or even survive when its political masters conclude it is the problem, not the solution, and decline to provide clear and definitive support. Unfortunately, this is the Trudeau governments current strategy for success. Political Leadership Please There is an alternative. That is for Canadas elected political class to put the interests of the economy ahead of their own and state the obvious; Were putting an oil pipeline through your neighborhood. Shut up and take one for the team. Governments have the power of legislation and legal enforcement. All it takes is the political will and courage to use it. If the country is to gain control of its economic future the only solution is to challenge the organized, well-funded, vocal and surprisingly small anti-oil crowd. Dont hide behind regulators which will be confronted and assailed so long as they dont say no. And most importantly, dont dump the issue on private-sector common carriers of commodities the world still requires and consumers will not live without. For Alberta, if we cant get pipe then cancel the carbon tax. The massive tax increases and development restrictions for the oil business to purchase a social license will be economically damaging. The desired response, which is petroleum opponents standing down so Alberta can get more pipe to tidewater and stay in the oil business, is clearly not working. If one of the worlds largest oil producing regions cant gain low-cost market access could Edmonton at least allow the people who live here to keep their jobs and homes? Must Albertans be taxed to the point of financial ruin during a massive recession to win a battle that cannot be won? Time for Plan B. By David Yager for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Sitting in front of a desktop computer in a classroom on the third floor of Carmen High School of Science and Technologys South Campus, Katera Boss and her classmates, Karina Arevalo and Ana Jacinto, are typing in a language that is hard for the untrained eye to decipher. The students are writing code, the basic programming language that enables computers to perform pre-set commands. The girls are building a game that solves an age-old mystery: Where has the missing homework gone? "Im learning a whole lot about computers while creating this game. Learning to code is something I always wanted to do but never had the chance," Boss said. For two weeks, Boss, a junior at Tamarack Waldorf School, and eight other teens participated in Layton Boulevard Wests Code Academy, a pilot computer programming class that is teaching them skills they can parlay into careers in an increasingly technology-driven society. Computer programming is the process of developing a script of instructions, or codes, that enable computers to perform certain functions. The actions could range from commanding the computer to automatically execute a command such as sending a daily email to creating a video game character that performs an animation, said Ben Juarez, who came up with the idea for the class. Juarez, a Public Policy Forum researcher and Layton Boulevard West resident, created it as part of his participation in the Neighborhood Leadership Institute development program at Cardinal Stritch University. The program pairs two individuals living or working in a Greater Milwaukee Foundation Healthy Neighborhood, in this case Layton Boulevard West, to work together on a plan to benefit their neighborhood. Juarez teamed up with Araceli Arevalo, community organizer for Clarke Square and Layton Boulevard West at Safe and Sound. Together, they secured a mini-grant from Safe and Sound to fund the class and recruited youth to participate, including Arevalos daughter Karina. "The goal is to help kids understand what is waiting for them in the future," said Juarez, who taught himself how to program three years ago. What awaits them is a world where even white-collar jobs are becoming automated, added Juarez. The students, all ages 12-17, spent the first week of the coding class learning the building blocks of Java, a programming language and computing platform. The last two weeks were spent on a project that will be unveiled during a graduation ceremony this weekend. So far, the road has been bumpy since coding is not an easy skill to master, some students admitted. But it has been rewarding, Jacinto and others said. "Coding is hard. But I find it exciting to learn because its a skill thats utilized in all types of professions including in business settings," Jacinto said. Coding helps students understand how computers work, and in the process build language, math and logic skills, said Edwin Lagunes, a senior at Rufus King High School who volunteered to help the novice coders. "One letter off and the program doesnt work," warned Lagunes, who has been accepted to the Milwaukee School of Engineering, where he hopes to major in computer programming. He helps the students find their errors and guides them to solve problems on their own. Academy instructor and mechanical engineer Uwakwe Omegbu describes the process as learning a new language, which involves a lot of trial and error. Omegbu added that some students are more excited about learning a new language than if they think theyre studying science. "That excitement is what keeps me going. Theyre getting it!" Omegbu said. Inevitably, some projects wont turn out as expected. But thats all part of the plan, Juarez said. "I want them to feel good about themselves knowing that they can fail. The scientific method is all about learning from failure," he added. Theres been a learning curve for everyone involved, Arevalo said. The students emotions have transitioned from confused to excited. "From one week to the next, theyve become more and more engaged," she added. Arevalo and Juarez hope to offer the class again. For Arevalo, its another way to keep kids safe and off the streets. Juarez added that it brings a new skill to the neighborhood. In turn, the teens could play a part in shaping the future. "Imagine we could start of a pipeline of engineers in this community," Juarez said. Reprinted from WSWS Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton is focusing her campaign on appeals to Republican politicians and the national-security establishment, arguing that Republican Donald Trump is too friendly to Russian President Vladimir Putin and has repeatedly insulted the military. Commenting on Wednesday night's Commander-in-Chief Forum in New York City, broadcast by NBC, where the two candidates made back-to-back half-hour appearances, Clinton told reporters outside her campaign plane: "Bizarrely, once again, he praised Russia's strong man, Vladimir Putin, even taking the astonishing step of suggesting that he prefers the Russian president to our American president. Now, that is not just unpatriotic and insulting to the people of our country, as well as to our commander-in-chief. It is scary because it suggests that he will let Putin do whatever Putin wants to do and then make excuses for him." Clinton also modified her statement during the forum, ruling out any return of US ground troops to Iraq or any dispatch of such forces to Syria. She told the press that she was opposed to putting a "big contingent" of American troops in the two countries, rendering her pledge meaningless and suggesting that an open-ended intervention by significant numbers of US ground troops was entirely possible. The Democratic candidate went on to denounce Trump's declaration at the forum that under the Obama administration, American generals had been "reduced to rubble." Clinton invoked the Republican president most identified with Cold War anticommunism and militarism, posing the question, "What would Ronald Reagan say about a Republican nominee who attacks America's generals and heaps praise on Russia's president? I think we know the answer." She then concluded, "Every Republican holding or seeking office in this country should be asked if they agree with Donald Trump. Republicans are in a terrible dilemma of trying to support a totally unqualified nominee." These rhetorical appeals to Republicans were followed by a meeting Friday between Clinton and top former officials in the state and military-intelligence apparatus. Participants included two former secretaries of Homeland Security who have endorsed Clinton, Republican Michael Chertoff, from the Bush administration, and Democrat Janet Napolitano, from the Obama administration. Also participating was General David Petraeus, the former head of the CIA; Richard Fontaine, former foreign policy advisor for Senator John McCain; and Michael Morell, former acting director for the CIA. Clinton said that one of her priorities on national security was to "hunt down" Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. His assassination, like the killing of Osama bin Laden in 2011 at Obama's orders, would "send a resounding message that nobody directs or inspires attacks against the US and gets away with it." The Democratic candidate for vice-president, Senator Tim Kaine of Virginia, made an even blunter denunciation of Trump's praise for Putin Friday, telling CBS's "This Morning" that Trump's comment "betrays an irrationality and a hostility to the president that's unpatriotic." Kaine even suggested that's Trump's joking remark last month, suggesting that the Russian government had probably hacked into Hillary Clinton's private server and should release the 30,000 emails she claims to have deleted, could result in criminal charges. "We impeached a president for that, what he has encouraged Russia to do," Kaine said, adding that Richard Nixon was "impeached for encouraging crooks to commit espionage against the DNC in a presidential year to get an edge." Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid said that if a prominent Democrat had praised Putin as Trump did, "we would be through." Congressman Charles Rangel added, referring to Putin, "A communist leader that's a potential enemy!" Underscoring its effort to win support with outright redbaiting, the Clinton campaign released a video of news footage of several of Reagan's children deploring the possibility of a Trump presidency. Michael Reagan, a longtime ultra-right talk radio host, said in one clip, "My father would be appalled." The Clinton campaign also released a list of 15 retired generals and admirals who have recently endorsed Clinton, adding to the 95 on the initial list released Wednesday. Air Force Major General Peter Cooke referred specifically to Trump's statements at the Commander-in-Chief Forum, as well as his aspersions against Republican Senator John McCain, a Vietnam-era POW, saying, "Anytime anyone states that generals are rubbish or an individual is not a hero because he or she was captured I find it appalling... I'm proud to support Secretary Clinton." The campaign also publicized a tally of all cabinet-level officials in the administration of George W. Bush, conducted by Huffington Post, which found nine supporting Trump and seven declaring they will not support him, with another 18 who have not publicly declared a position, including former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and former National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley. Congressional Republican leaders sought to distance themselves from Trump's statements praising Vladimir Putin. House Speaker Paul Ryan called Putin an "aggressor," adding that it "certainly appears" that Russia was waging cyberattacks on the US political system, as Democrats have claimed. "That is not acting in our interests and that is an adversarial stance and he is acting like an adversary," Ryan said. Next Page 1 | 2 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). Get it? (Image by leighblackall) Details DMCA Both agreements are part of a continuing effort by international corporations to impose a global economic system that weakens the ability of national governments to look out for public goods such as health, education and the environment. Although national governments sign these agreements, they are negotiated behind closed doors by teams that represent corporate interests, exclude elected legislators, and pay little heed to the concerns of labor and civic organizations. While the TPP was still being negotiated, President Obama classified the document. To read the 5,544-page text, members of Congress had to go to a soundproof room and surrender their cellphones and mobile devices. They could not take notes, or share specific information with anyone else. They could be accompanied only by aides with national security clearances. A similar secrecy envelops negotiations on the TTIP, and has contributed to a growing hostility toward the agreement in France and among Germans of all parties (TIME, 5/1/16). Obama will likely wait until the noise of the election is over before sending his TPP implementation bill to Congress in its lame-duck session. Unless both houses pass this bill, the TPP fails. Because Congress has granted the President fast-track authority for the TPP, it must now vote the bill up or down with no amendments allowed. Since Hillary Clinton, under pressure from Bernie Sanders and the progressive wing of her party, has come out against the TPP, Obama wants to get it passed before she takes office. The TPP will expand an international super court already operating through the 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and numerous bilateral treaties negotiated by the U.S. This quasi-legal system is called Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS). It allows foreign investors to sue a host country's government for losses caused by policies and regulations in health, education and other areas of public interest. For example, TransCanada Corporation, whose Keystone XL pipeline was rejected by President Obama, is using NAFTA's ISDS process to sue the U.S. for $15 billion in lost profits. As is standard in ISDS, this case will be decided in a court outside the American judicial system by a panel of three private investment attorneys. Their decision cannot be appealed in a U.S. court. Bernie Sanders is right: "The idea that a major multi-national corporation can sue us for fifteen billion dollars because the president made the decision that he thought right tells you what trade agreements are all about. They are designed to protect corporate profits and to hell with the environment, human rights, health care, or the needs of the people. And that is why the TPP has got to be defeated." As Public Citizen explains, the TPP is "NAFTA on steroids" because it expands incentives for corporations to locate in foreign countries with low wages, poor working conditions and little or no environmental regulation. Such incentives have harmed American workers in three ways: 1. They have contributed to "the net loss of more than 57,000 American manufacturing facilities and nearly 5 million U.S. manufacturing jobs." 2. They enable corporations to threaten to relocate abroad if workers or unions press for better wages and benefits. 3. Displaced factory workers "must then compete for lower-paid non-offshoreable service sector jobs." As the Economic Policy Institute noted in 2013: "The result has been 20 years of stagnant wages and the upward redistribution of income, wealth and political power." The global 1% and their political servants are promoting regional trade agreements such as the TPP and TTIP in a piecemeal strategy to impose a more aggressive version of the global capitalist regime that came into being in 1994 as the World Trade Organization (WTO). The WTO began with 128 member states, and is now at 164. It operates mostly by consensus, with each country having an equal vote. Governments of poorer and less developed nations quickly discovered how WTO rules could interfere with their efforts to secure the well-being of their people. As Lori Wallach explains in her book Whose Trade Organization?, the WTO could force changes in "countries' domestic food safety standards, environmental and product safety rules, service-sector regulation, investment and development policy, intellectual property standards, government procurement rules, and more." Readers may recall the "Battle in Seattle," a 2007 film based on events leading to the collapse of the WTO ministerial meeting in 1999. A combination of street protests by over 40,000 demonstrators and resistance from delegates of poorer member states angered by American bullying forced the WTO director to suspend the meeting. Since 1999, poorer countries have used the WTO's democratic governance structure to block further increases in WTO control over their domestic laws and policies. So now President Obama is leading the campaign to impose a global capitalist government on a reluctant community of nations. He is counting on most Republicans and enough Democrats in Congress to support him in the upcoming lame duck session. This final battle by his administration highlights the continuity between him and Bill Clinton. The first act of the Clinton administration was to get NAFTA through Congress in 1993 with more Republicans than Democrats voting for it in both houses. In America today, there is one plutocratic Party, with two branches, Democrat and Republican, vying to serve one corporate agenda. This is a reprint from NewsBred. I sincerely believe we would never know the forces of our world till we read Animal Farm by George Orwell. It tells the story of a society consisting of only two forces, one who wants control and the other who is controlled. The one that wants control uses propaganda, deception, money, violence and terror. It covers up its tracks with moral positions. The other one is easily duped by these methods. According to Orwell's Animal Farm , one only fall in either of the two categories: controllers and controlled. Propaganda makes use of a primary weapon: the historical, religious, caste, and race divides which are ever-present in any society. Propagandists keep driving a wedge into these fault lines so that society remains divided. The classic "Divide and Rule" formula. Hindus, Muslims, Dalits, and Christians are made suspicious of each other. They tear each other apart rather than rejoice in common themes between them. Lilliputian leaders ride high on the animosity between groups in order to win elections. They are damned if they improve the lot of those who voted them into power. Nor do the propagandists fret, for it was never their aim to improve the lives of the controlled. They want to keep society weak and polarized. They want to keep society sick, just like a patient who never leaves the couch of a loathsome doctor while he sucks the patient dry of all resistance and resources. So identify which of the two groups you belong to. Don't delude yourself into believing that you fall into neither group. It is as if one who does not fall into either group does not exist, and one does not matter to society. Those who do not matter will also pay a price, and so will their children. To be neutral is to be considered dangerous to society and the next generation. I take my role as one of the "NewsBred", as one that takes on the propagandists. One could argue that the like of Barkha Dutt, Rajdeep Sardesai and Sagarika Ghose are not propagandists, and that they believe in a just and equal society. That they believe in the freedom of the individual, and they do not want intolerance and injustice to exist in society. Every time one deludes oneself in misplaced trust, and comes out in defense of news-peddlers, then they only need to give themselves one simple test. As an Indian you are told daily that Kashmir is burning. Ask yourself whether the propagandists whom you believe has told you these simple facts: That out of 22 districts of Jammu and Kashmir, the trouble involves only 5 districts: Srinagar, Ananthnag, Baramullah, Kulgam and Pulwama; That the residents of other 17 districts, unlike a few secessionists in these five districts, are completely pro-Indian; That the population of these five districts is less than 15 per cent of the entire Jammu and Kashmir state. Obviously a far lower number must be the ones who are "secessionists"; It ought to surprise you that there are more than 14 major religious/ethnic groups comprising 85 per cent of the Jammu and Kashmir population who are pro-India. These include Shias, Dogras (Rajputs, Brahmins, Mahajans), Kashmiri Pandits, Sikhs, Buddhists (Ladakhis), Gujjars, Bakarwals, Paharis, Baltis, Christians and many more; The total number of Muslims in Jammu and Kashmir state are 69 per cent of the population--and since only a handful are involved, it ought to give one the idea that not everyone is looking for "secession," or "azaadi"; That Shias (12 per cent), Gujjars Muslims (14 percent), Pahari Muslims (8 per cent), Buddhists, Pandits, Sufis, Christians and Jammu Hindus/Dogras (approx. 45 per cent) are totally opposed to separatism and Pakistan; That out of a total population of 1.25 crores, the majority do not speak Kashmiri as their mother tongue. Their mother tongue is Dogri, Gujjari, Punjabi, Ladhaki and Pahari; This "Kashmiriyat" narrative by propagandists would make better sense if one was told that almost 85 percent area of Jammu and Kashmir state are not Muslim majority. The area-wise division of Jammu and Kashmir is: Kashmir 15 %, Jammu 26% and Ladakh 59%; That only a small number in Kashmir speak Kashmiri and this group controls the narrative from business to bureaucracy to agriculture; from Hurriyat to militants; from National Conference to PDP; from media houses to think-tanks in Delhi--and the foreign forces who want a weak India; That stone-pelting, hoisting of Pakistani flags and anti-India demonstrations are held in just 5 districts in Kashmir valley. The other 17 districts have never participated in such activities; Poonch and Kargil have over a 90 per cent Muslim population. There has never been an anti-India or separatist protest in these districts. Next Page 1 | 2 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). A Pennsylvania State historic marker dedicated to heroes of 9/11 stands near a bend in a road that cuts through rural farm fields sixty miles west of Philadelphia, the city famous for Independence Hall and other fabled sites associated with the birth of the United States. This marker does not honor the persons killed in the crash of Flight 93 on September 11, 2001 near Shanksville, Pa, a small community about 180-miles west of the small community where this marker stands. However, this marker does recognize heroes who battled terrorism, albeit the persistently denied yet deadly domestic terrorism that predates America's "War on Terror" launched in the wake of the September 2001 attacks. Pa State Historic marker honoring heroes of 9/11 (Image by Linn Washngton Jr.) Details DMCA This marker commemorates the Christiana Riot -- a deadly clash at a farmhouse where a Maryland slave owner died during an armed skirmish with African-Americans who lived in the small Lancaster County village of Christiana. The slave owner came to Christiana to reclaim his 'property' -- three of the four black men who escaped from that slave owner two years before the clash. African-Americans blocked that slave owner's attempted re-enslavement. Despite the fact that freedom and the rule-of-law were central in that September 11, 1851 event recognized by that Pa State historic marker, some Americans today reject recognition of those black freedom fighters as heroes"sharing sentiment with many Americans of 1851. Those escaped slaves sought the same freedom that white Americans -- then and now -- consider an unquestioned birthright. That trio took refuge on the farm owned by William Parker, an African-American who also fled slavery in the adjacent state of Maryland. Following that deadly clash, Parker, his family and the trio of escapees fled into Canada. Forgotten in the ruckus around notions of who should receive the full measure of America's birthright freedom and the propriety of resistance to gross violations of the rule-of-law is this reality. The actions of William Parker and his neighbors were about both solidarity with the enslaved and self-preservation for themselves against terrorism from white racism. In 1851 when federal law sanctioned return of escaped slaves, the federal government routinely ignored its law enforcement duty to protect free blacks from kidnap into slavery. The Academy Award winning 2013 movie "12 Years a Slave" depicted the brutal ordeal endured by one of the thousands of free blacks illegally kidnapped into bondage. William Parker had headed a self-defense group to protect his black neighbors from kidnapping by slave catchers who regularly raided Pennsylvania and other Northern states. In December 1799 black leaders in Philadelphia sent a petition to the U.S. Congress that asked America's national legislature for protection from Fugitive Slave Law "abuses" -- the kidnap of free blacks into slavery. Congress indignantly rejected that 1799 plea for rule-of-law protection of freedom, a stance disturbingly similar to contemporary congressional inaction on police brutality that abuses more law-abiding blacks daily than suspected law-breakers of any color. That 1851 Christiana Riot is another link in the chain of freedom robbing institutional racism that connects America's colonial past with contemporary times. Surprising for the racial injustices rampant in 1851, the blacks and one white arrested after the Christiana Riot won acquittals. That failure to convict enflamed white Southerners and Northerners alike who railed about rule-of-law failure to protect their property and/or privilege. In 2016, as in 1851 and 1951, the persistence of race-based inequities embedded in American society gives 'freedom' a hollow ring for citizens of color across the United States. UCC Peacemakers Promote Antisemitic Organization | Main | Biased Reuters, AFP Captions on Disputed Gaza Death September 11, 2016 More BDS Falsehoods in The Toronto Star Linda McQuiag claims BDS success, ignoring massive increase in foreign investments during last decade since the launch of the campaign The anti-Israel BDS movement (boycott, movement and divest) campaign has long used misinformation to garner support. It's a shame that Canadian journalist Linda McQuaig follows suit ("Elizabeth May shouldn't run away from BDS: McQuaig," Aug. 22). The Toronto Star should have learned from its 2013 experience, when CAMERA prompted corrections of false BDS claims that Meg Ryan and Bruce Willis heeded boycott calls and refused to perform in Israel. Writing last month in The Toronto Star, McQuaig argued that BDS is successful, noting a "2014 UN report [which] found that foreign investment in Israel had dropped by almost half from the previous year, partly because of the campaign." She ignores, though, the United Nation's latest figures, which reflect an increase in direct foreign investment in Israel of over 70 percent in 2015 compared to the previous year. Moreover, according to Bloomberg ("The Boycott Israel Movement May be Failing," June 2016), "Foreign investments in Israeli assets hit a record high last year of $285.12 billion, a near-tripling from 2005 when the so-called Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement (BDS) was started." The 2014 decline coincided with the summer 2014 war between Hamas and Israel. Given the overall growth in the last decade since the launch of BDS, the 2014 downturn cannot logically be attributed as a BDS success. In another deception, McQuaig quotes Desmond Tutu alleging "racially segregated roads" in the Palestinian territories, echoing the bogus canard that there are "Jewish-only roads" in the West Bank, a falsehood about which CAMERA has prompted correction in numerous media outlets. Finally, McQuaig misleads with her grossly inaccurate characterization of Israel's occupation of the Gaza Strip. She erred, referring to "the fact that millions of Palestinians have been living under military occupation in the West Bank and Gaza for almost 50 years, with Israel effectively annexing their land." (Emphasis added.) Her errors are three-fold: Israel's 38-year occupation of the Gaza Strip is not "nearly 50 years old." Nor, contrary to her assertion, are Gazans still living under Israeli occupation. Nor did Israel "effectively annex" the Gaza Strip. Israel's occupation of the Gaza Strip (formerly under Egyptian sovereignty) lasted from 1967 until 2005, when Israel pulled out every last soldier and civilian (alive and deceased, even uprooting graves) from the Gaza Strip. Far from "effectively annexing" the Gaza Strip, Israel has fully withdrawn. Hamas, listed as a terror organization by Canada, the United States, and the EU, governs the territory. CAMERA has contacted editors on the last point to request a correction. Stay tuned for an update. Posted by TS at September 11, 2016 04:30 AM Guidelines for posting This is a moderated blog. We will not post comments that include racism, bigotry, threats, or factually inaccurate material. Post a comment Hillary Clinton: We need more love and kindness - we came we saw he died Hillary Clinton cackling over the assassination of Gaddafi. (Image by Brian London, Channel: Brian London) Details DMCA Now that Hillary Clinton has done away with any and all pretenses that she will govern as a progressive with her descent into shrillness and red-baiting, it merits pointing out that the neocons are back with a vengeance. That's right - the very same people who were instrumental in George W. Bush's wars are on the ballot along with her. Mrs. Clinton has been and always will be a warmonger, a trait that has endeared her to both the Pentagon pimps as well as the Wall Street racketeers who benefit off of a state of perpetual war. With the Clinton restoration all but guaranteed, Hillary has made no secret of her intent to escalate the violence in Syria as well as to instigate what could be a full scale war with Russia -- possibly through the U.S. backing of the Ukrainian gangster regime to mount an invasion of Crimea. The Democrats have successfully wrestled the mantle of the war party away from the Republicans and as a result the neocons have been migrating back to the party that originally puked them up. With the DNC convention now behind her and Bernie Sanders having been packed off like a crazy old uncle in the attic, Hillary is freed of the shackles of restraint and her speeches have become increasingly bellicose and fascistic in nature. There are the constant claims of sinister Russian plots to subvert the election and the demonizing of her opponent Donald Trump as the head of the Kremlin's fifth column in America. She has managed to weave together a strident narrative cribbed from the greatest hits of both Senator Joseph McCarthy and Dick Cheney and is now prowling the outer reaches of the lunatic fringe peddling her warmed-over Cold War conspiracy theories. In one of the most amazing turnabouts in history, the Democrats have also become the party embracing the type of American exceptionalism has served as the lynchpin of the neoconservative ideology ever since the days of Leo Strauss. It was quite the scene to behold when antiwar protesters at the Philadelphia convention were drowned out by mobs of pro-Hillary zealots chanting "USA! USA! USA!", as clear of a sign as any that we have now passed through the looking glass and are being marched up to the gates of Hell itself. Mrs. Clinton has recently begun invoking the potent elixir of that American exceptionalism on the campaign trail, peppered with her neo-McCarthyist denunciations of her critics. She has even gone so far as to channel George W. Bush's worst excesses in dispersing the "unpatriotic" smear which once again will be used to stifle dissent of critics of perpetual war. It is all very sweet, sweet music to the ears of the neocons. She may as well be Bush in drag. The exodus from the GOP over to Team Hillary was led by ideological standard bearer Robert Kagan who took to the editorial pages of the neocon-infested Washington Post to denounce Trump as a fascist and to throw his support behind Mrs. Clinton. He is even doing fundraisers for her which is understandable considering that he is married to Victoria "f*ck the EU" Nuland who was instrumental in the coup that toppled the legitimately elected leadership in Ukraine and who is a virtual lock to be Clinton's Secretary of State. The Kagan family has been a common element that has snaked through decades of ruinous American foreign policy debacles like a corpse-choked river of blood. A refined and well-spoken intellectual, the mild-mannered Kagan needs to be judged on his dangerous ideology rather than his ability to serve as an affable pitchman for the blood barters. He comes across as a big teddy bear but it is what he is preaching that has led to mountains of dead bodies and defense contractor booty. Mr. Kagan was a co-founder of the infamous Project for the New American Century (PNAC) which became synonymous with the bloody quagmire in Iraq as that war's architects were briefly exiled from respectability. Not to worry though, ever the canny operator, he helped to re-brand and relaunch the neocons as a bipartisan force with the creation of a new think tank The Foreign Policy Initiative (FPI) which has been instrumental in pushing for a new Cold War with the Russia. While the neocons' advocacy for Israel is well known, their roots are really in the Cold War era and a burning, pathological hatred for Russia. Many of today's most influential neocons -- including Kagan -- found a friendly incubator in the shadowy deep state netherworlds of the Reagan administration where they were able to coalesce under the cold warrior umbrella only to watch in dismay as the Soviet Union collapsed and the great unifying menace of Russian Communism was no more. They would get another shot at glory though when they rose to the apex of foreign policy power as key drivers of the war machine under George W. Bush and Dick Cheney. The September 11, 2001 attacks and the launching of the permanent Global War on Terror (GWOT) was like a dream come true for the PNAC bunch. In their 2000 manifesto "Rebuilding America's Defenses", the Project for the New American Century longed for "a new Pearl Harbor" as a catalyzing event to gain public acceptance for the use of U.S. military might to conquer the world. On that tragic and terrible day it dropped right into their laps like a gift from the heavens. But ill-conceived plans often go bad and that's exactly what happened with the invasion of Iraq - a bloody sinkhole of death and despair to this very day and a quagmire that has served to destabilize the entire reason and lead to the rise of the savage extremism of ISIS. While the entire fiasco can't be blamed entirely on Bush - Obama and Hillary's Libyan regime change also played a huge role - it was the neocons who drew up his foreign policy who upset the existing order and threw the Middle East into chaos and anarchy. Like Ozymandias, the neocon dream seemed dead in the Iraqi desert as well as within the walls of Abu Ghraib prison but they are a persistent bunch and like Lazarus, they have risen from the dead. As previously mentioned, the neocons have very successfully re-branded and have joined with liberal interventionists for a repackaged global crusade that aims to topple the rule of Vladimir Putin in Moscow. The 24/7 agitprop that is laying the groundwork for a war with Russia began to build to a crescendo soon after the reviled Putin pulled Barack Obama's chestnuts out of the fire over the anticipated 2013 regime change attack on Syria. Next Page 1 | 2 | 3 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). Reprinted from Sputnik Aleppo destruction (Image by debate.org) Details DMCA Tough negotiations between America and Russia's top diplomats have managed to produce a tentative ceasefire plan for Syria. But Washington doesn't really want a ceasefire. More likely, a respite for its regime-change proxies. After more than 13 hours of intense discussions in Geneva this weekend, on top of months of back-and-forth talks, US Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov emerged in a joint press conference to announce that a cessation in fighting would begin this week. A previous attempt at implementing a truce back in February failed within days of that initiative because anti-government insurgents affiliated with the al-Qaeda terrorist network refused to abide by that earlier agreement. There is no reason why this second ceasefire attempt should otherwise succeed in holding. There may well be a temporary lull in violence simply because opposition militia will avail of the opportunity to regroup and repair. But the core of the insurgents are dominated by terrorist groups like Jabhat Fatah al Sham (formerly al-Nusra Front) and Daesh and numerous other affiliates. These proscribed terror groups have no interest in negotiating a political transition in Syria with the incumbent government of President Bashar Assad. Their whole purpose is to overthrow the state and turn it into a so-called caliphate ruled by fear. This gets to the kernel of why the ceasefire deal worked out by Kerry and Lavrov is fatally flawed. Arguably, the Russian side is negotiating in good faith with the genuine intention of achieving a peaceful resolution to the nearly six-year-old conflict, which has resulted in 400,000 dead and millions displaced from their homes. But not so the American side. We must always keep firmly in mind that the conflict in Syria was instigated in the first place by the US and other foreign powers for the objective of regime change against the Assad government -- a long-time ally of Russia and Iran. Recall that former French Foreign Minister Roland Dumas revealed in 2013 that the foreign conspiracy for regime change in Syria was hatched at least two years before the violence erupted in March 2011. This US-led criminal agenda for regime change has not changed. When John Kerry talks about getting Russia to sign up to a "political transition" he means a process which will culminate in the ouster of the Assad government. At the Geneva press conference this weekend, the US diplomat clearly said that he was coordinating his efforts with those of the exiled opposition group called the High Negotiations Committee. Days before, the Saudi-backed HNC unveiled yet another "vision" demanding "transition" and Assad's departure. On the Geneva meeting this weekend, the Washington Post reported: "Kerry acknowledged the truth of the Russian charge that some opposition groups are fighting in tandem with the [al-Nusra] Front and said it was incumbent on them to now make a choice." The paper also noted: "Both Kerry and Lavrov emphasized that outside supporters of all non-terrorist [sic] belligerents would have to bring their allies in line." Without this putative separation of "moderates" and "terrorists" then there can be no feasible premise for a substantive cessation of violence. The proposal for US and Russian forces to subsequently cooperate in carrying out air strikes against terror groups is therefore a non-starter. The confidence for this assertion is because, as Kerry half-acknowledged, there is no distinction between "moderate rebels" and "terrorists." They are all part of the same regime-change proxy army that the US and its NATO and regional allies orchestrated from the outset of this reprehensible conflict. Expecting these proxies to somehow sort themselves into "good guys" and "bad guys" is a ludicrous conception of how and why the war was instigated and prosecuted. Next Page 1 | 2 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). This paper was first published in Feb. 2007. It received over 100 comments at op-ed news. It was republished in June 2009 and another 36 comments were added. It all still holds true, on the 16th anniversary. President Obama has continued the 9-11 coverup. Meanwhile, many professionals- architects and engineers, intelligence officers, health care workers, as well as people who were there at the time, have challenged the official story. Meanwhile the crucial question was never asked. WHODUNIT ??? * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Anyone who has studied 9-11 at all knows it was an inside job. George W. Bush was not surprised. His brother Marvin's security company closed down one tower the week before and brought in lots of cables and other equipment. The towers, including building 7, were dropped by controlled demolition. The planes provided a dramatic cover story- great pix. Rumsfeld had control of scrambling planes to intercept enemies transferred to himself, exclusively, a few months before. He was unreachable that morning, so no planes intercepted the four hijacked airliners. Instead, there was a "stand-down" of NORAD. By some strange coincidence, a dozen military air exercises were being run that morning, at least one of which simulated planes crashing into buildings, so that the air traffic controllers were confused about whether the "attack" was real or part of a drill. The buildings were pulverized, but the passports of the hijackers were somehow left in a car and quickly "discovered". There was no investigation, only a coverup that blamed the CIA and recommended police state measures to prevent future "attacks". Then there's the lack of plane parts and small hole at the Pentagon. The flying out of the Bin Laden family the next day. The millions made on selling airline stocks short by those in the know. The confusion about passenger lists. The rejection of FBI reports about possible terrorists at US flying schools. The trucking out of girders from the demolished towers before dawn, so that crucial evidence disappeared. The finding of thermite and demolition materials, in the rubble. And on and on. There are so many videos that its hard to choose, but my favorites is 9-11 Mysteries at http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-6708190071483512003 If you are not certain that 9-11 was an inside job, please watch this video. It's 1 1/2 hours of factual material that will convince you. You owe it to yourself and all the rest of us to learn the truth about 9-11. Most Americans, even those who are working for peace and justice, are reluctant to believe that Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld and the rest actually planned and implemented 9-11, even though their long range plan (PNAC) clearly states that they need "a new Pearl Harbor". The Reichstag fire is a better parallel, since it was also an inside job. Polls show widespread skepticism of the cover story, and suspicion that Bush allowed 9-11 to happen, ignoring warnings from abroad and from his own intelligence service. But to think that he actually helped plan it, that demolition charges were set in the Towers by his brother's company- that is a depth of evil that most of us can't even begin to contemplate. Why is this? We all know so well what liars and connivers the Bush people are, how little they care for human life, or truth, or honor, how greedy they are for power and how ruthless they are in pursuing it. Why is it so hard to believe that they planned and carried out 9-11? The degree of denial is astounding. The cover story is paper thin. Osama bin Laden was blamed within 24 hours, with no investigation. It's obvious that the 9-11 Commission asked the wrong question,- not whodunit, but why were the signals missed? It's obvious that Osama, no matter how bright and charismatic, could not have orchestrated such a massive attack from caves in Afghanistan. It's obvious that the Saudi hijackers, if that's who they were, were allowed into this country with no screening, allowed to take flight lessons, allowed to get on airplanes with box cutters- but how could all this be known, when the twin towers were pulverized? Etc. etc. Next Page 1 | 2 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). Articles Listed By Date List By Popularity Search Title Date Between Any 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 Any 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 and Any 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 Any 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 Page 1 of 15 First Last Back Next 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 View All SHARE Why I'm Voting Green in 2020 It is important to realize we have had two parties of the millionaires governing the United States since its founding. People have always had to pick between which of the millionaire parties we should choose from when neither put the people's interests first. Some people have found a successful third way that builds people's power. Friday, October 30, 2020It is important to realize we have had two parties of the millionaires governing the United States since its founding. People have always had to pick between which of the millionaire parties we should choose from when neither put the people's interests first. Some people have found a successful third way that builds people's power. SHARE Responding To Voter Suppression, Understanding Manipulated Elections - PopularResistance.Org Voter suppression in the 2020 election has become a topic of great concern. In reality, voter suppression has been part of US politics since the founding of the country Tuesday, August 25, 2020Voter suppression in the 2020 election has become a topic of great concern. In reality, voter suppression has been part of US politics since the founding of the country (3 comments) SHARE Popular Movements Can Overcome Authoritarian Policing The movement has changed the opinions of people in the US, we must build on that success, and continue the pressure for change no matter who is elected president. Monday, July 27, 2020The movement has changed the opinions of people in the US, we must build on that success, and continue the pressure for change no matter who is elected president. (1 comments) SHARE Police Violence And Racism Have Always Been Tools Of Capitalism The problems of police violence comes down to corporate-capitalists vs. the people. Racial separation and inequality are ways the ownership class keeps people divided so the people can be controlled. Monday, June 22, 2020The problems of police violence comes down to corporate-capitalists vs. the people. Racial separation and inequality are ways the ownership class keeps people divided so the people can be controlled. (2 comments) SHARE We're in a Recession, and It's Likely to Get Worse The coronavirus epidemic is creating an ongoing teachable moment that could be used to transform the US economy. COVID-19 and the oil war are triggers leading to a recession that has its roots in record corporate and personal debt, long-term low wages and an artificially-inflated stockmarket. Thursday, March 19, 2020The coronavirus epidemic is creating an ongoing teachable moment that could be used to transform the US economy. COVID-19 and the oil war are triggers leading to a recession that has its roots in record corporate and personal debt, long-term low wages and an artificially-inflated stockmarket. (4 comments) SHARE Chelsea Manning Is Free From Jail, Faces Exorbitant Fines Prosecutors in the Eastern District of Virginia ended the grand jury of Julian Assange and Wikileaks in which Chelsea Manning refused to testify. As a result, US District Court Judge Anthony Trenga ordered the immediate release of Chelsea Manning. Friday, March 13, 2020Prosecutors in the Eastern District of Virginia ended the grand jury of Julian Assange and Wikileaks in which Chelsea Manning refused to testify. As a result, US District Court Judge Anthony Trenga ordered the immediate release of Chelsea Manning. (9 comments) SHARE The US Is Not Prepared For Coronavirus; We Need To Take Action The coronavirus (COVID-19) is in its very early stages in the United States so it is too early to predict its full impacts. The World Health Organization reports that COVID-19 has stricken more than 86,000 people around the world, killing nearly 3,000 and has spread to at least 60 countries. Monday, March 2, 2020The coronavirus (COVID-19) is in its very early stages in the United States so it is too early to predict its full impacts. The World Health Organization reports that COVID-19 has stricken more than 86,000 people around the world, killing nearly 3,000 and has spread to at least 60 countries. (4 comments) SHARE Mistrial Is Another Blow To U.S. Coup In Venezuela; Our Work Continues We hope the Trump administration sees that prosecuting us again will be viewed by the world as further proof of US injustice. Another prosecution raises the stakes for the US as an acquittal or second failed prosecution will be further evidence of the failed coup. Tuesday, February 18, 2020We hope the Trump administration sees that prosecuting us again will be viewed by the world as further proof of US injustice. Another prosecution raises the stakes for the US as an acquittal or second failed prosecution will be further evidence of the failed coup. (2 comments) SHARE Keep War, Environmental Degradation And Profit Out Of Space The 21st Century nuclear arms and developing outer space arms races, which began under Obama and are increasing under Trump, are going to be something the world has never seen before. They are a bonanza for weapons makers, the Pentagon budget and capitalists in space. They will create a less secure world, a greater wealth divide, a tattered safety net and new, more dangerous forms of war. Monday, February 10, 2020The 21st Century nuclear arms and developing outer space arms races, which began under Obama and are increasing under Trump, are going to be something the world has never seen before. They are a bonanza for weapons makers, the Pentagon budget and capitalists in space. They will create a less secure world, a greater wealth divide, a tattered safety net and new, more dangerous forms of war. (2 comments) SHARE The World Demands US Out Of The Middle East -- Will The US Listen? We must continue to demand that the US follow the rule of law, respect the sovereignty of other nations, end the illegal coercive economic measures and get our bases and troops out of other countries. Tuesday, January 28, 2020We must continue to demand that the US follow the rule of law, respect the sovereignty of other nations, end the illegal coercive economic measures and get our bases and troops out of other countries. (1 comments) SHARE "Ukrainegate" Teaches Us More About Ourselves Than Trump Or Biden Ukrainegate' has opened the floodgates of impeachment in Washington, DC. President Trump's phone call with Ukrainian President Zelensky provided such an opportunity that Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi, who resisted pressure for impeachment, is now on board along with a majority of the party. Monday, September 30, 2019Ukrainegate' has opened the floodgates of impeachment in Washington, DC. President Trump's phone call with Ukrainian President Zelensky provided such an opportunity that Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi, who resisted pressure for impeachment, is now on board along with a majority of the party. (11 comments) SHARE Linking Popular Movements And Unions Is A Winning Strategy For Workers Labor Day is a time to reflect on the potential of workers building power. The people are on the path to build a powerful political movement against both corporate-controlled parties to fight for a government that represents the interests of workers and puts people and planet before profits. Monday, September 2, 2019Labor Day is a time to reflect on the potential of workers building power. The people are on the path to build a powerful political movement against both corporate-controlled parties to fight for a government that represents the interests of workers and puts people and planet before profits. SHARE Hong Kong in Crosshairs of Global Power Struggle The U.S. and other Western powers are working to preserve a capitalist dystopia and manufacture consensus for long-term conflict with China, write Kevin Zeese and Margaret Flowers. Tuesday, August 20, 2019The U.S. and other Western powers are working to preserve a capitalist dystopia and manufacture consensus for long-term conflict with China, write Kevin Zeese and Margaret Flowers. (7 comments) SHARE As Conflict With Iran Escalates, Path To Peace Can Be Found As Conflict With Iran Escalates, Path To Peace Can Be Found | PopularResistance.Org Monday, June 24, 2019As Conflict With Iran Escalates, Path To Peace Can Be Found | PopularResistance.Org SHARE Ukraine: Why "OU" Lost by a Landslide The answer is clear if you read U.S. documents published by WikiLeaks in 2006, writes Kevin Zeese Tuesday, April 23, 2019The answer is clear if you read U.S. documents published by WikiLeaks in 2006, writes Kevin Zeese (1 comments) SHARE Greens say "no to NATO" while war parties give standing ovations to NATO Many Greens, working with other peace and anti-imperialist activists, helped to organize the week of actions and many other Greens participated. The Green Party showed itself to be the alternative to the two-winged War Party of the Democrats and Republicans, a party that stands for an end to militarism and imperialism. Wednesday, April 10, 2019Many Greens, working with other peace and anti-imperialist activists, helped to organize the week of actions and many other Greens participated. The Green Party showed itself to be the alternative to the two-winged War Party of the Democrats and Republicans, a party that stands for an end to militarism and imperialism. (7 comments) SHARE US and Puppet Guaido Implicated In Terrorism Plot Against Venezuela This week the US was caught seeking to create violent chaos with imported mercenaries disguised as Venezuelan military, funded by assets seized from Venezuela as part of the US economic war. Telesur reports the government unveiled telephone conversations and other evidence between leaders of the right planning violence against the country that came from a Guaido aide. Sunday, March 24, 2019This week the US was caught seeking to create violent chaos with imported mercenaries disguised as Venezuelan military, funded by assets seized from Venezuela as part of the US economic war. Telesur reports the government unveiled telephone conversations and other evidence between leaders of the right planning violence against the country that came from a Guaido aide. (3 comments) SHARE New Republic Gives Green Party Credit For The Green New Deal I write how the Democrats two marquee issues -- the Green New Deal and Medicare for All -- came from the Green Party. The article is a response to the New Republic thesis that the Green Party is no longer needed because the Democrats are supporting the Green New Deal and becoming socialist. This is a very false thesis. Saturday, February 23, 2019I write how the Democrats two marquee issues -- the Green New Deal and Medicare for All -- came from the Green Party. The article is a response to the New Republic thesis that the Green Party is no longer needed because the Democrats are supporting the Green New Deal and becoming socialist. This is a very false thesis. SHARE Venezuela: US Pursuing Humanitarian Aid Path To War The United States has been working with oligarchs in Venezuela to remove President Maduro since he came to office in 2013 after the death of Hugo Chavez and was re-elected that year. After he won re-election to another six-year term in 2018, the regime change planners sought new strategies to remove Maduro, including an assassination attempt last August. Tuesday, February 5, 2019The United States has been working with oligarchs in Venezuela to remove President Maduro since he came to office in 2013 after the death of Hugo Chavez and was re-elected that year. After he won re-election to another six-year term in 2018, the regime change planners sought new strategies to remove Maduro, including an assassination attempt last August. SHARE The Billionaires are Wrong; We can't afford anything but single payer health care We need to hold dishonest billionaires accountable and tell the truth - we can afford National Improved Medicare for All (NIMA). The people are right. The billionaires are wrong. Thursday, January 31, 2019We need to hold dishonest billionaires accountable and tell the truth - we can afford National Improved Medicare for All (NIMA). The people are right. The billionaires are wrong. Page 1 of 15 First Last Back Next 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 View All Apple Inc. announced its new generation of iPhones on September 7. The changes can be termed as incremental at best. Another thing that is not changing is the exorbitant price tag of a new iPhone in the Indian market. Last year, a report published by CNET declared that iPhone 6s was priced highest in India. ALSO READ:Apple iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus: Specifications, availability and pricing During the launch event on Wednesday, Apple CEO Tim Cook announced the iPhone 7 at $649 which roughly translates to Rs 43,200 and the iPhone 7 Plus at $769 which is around Rs 51,200. In India, the iPhone 7 is estimated to be priced around Rs 62,000 for the 32GB variant, whereas the iPhone 7 Plus 32GB is expected to be priced around Rs 72,000. Being an American brand, is iPhone 7 cheaper just in the US? Let's have a look at what other countries are paying for the same device: iPhone 7 32GB iPhone 7 Plus 32GB UK 599 british pound (Rs 53,100) 719 british pound (Rs 63,750) Australia AUD 1079 (Rs 55,000) AUD 1269 (Rs 64,600) UAE Dh 2599 (Rs 47,100) Dh 3099 (Rs 56,100) Canada 899 canadian dollar (Rs 46,250) 1049 canadian dollar (Rs 53,971) China 6,388 yuan (Rs 63,650) 7,188 yuan (Rs 71,630) China's pricing is similar to India's due to the depreciating value of Yuan. Apple is not willing to negotiate with the prices in order to maintain the profit margin. iPhone consumers in China will be paying an additional $45, in comparison to last year's launch prices of the 6s and 6s Plus. Coming back to India, since the very first iPhone, Apple has been pricing the devices higher than other countries. Though they provide various options to finance the product, Apple has failed to break into the top five smartphone companies in the country. Let's try and understand why iPhones in India come with such exorbitant price tags: Third party retailers Since Apple has no manufacturing unit within the country, they cannot avail the FDI in single-brand retail. This leaves them with no option but to collaborate with Indian retail agencies. To maintain profit margins, Apple sells the device at a higher price. Tax The current pre-GST tax structure makes it tough for brands like Apple to maintain a low price. The custom duty is the first obstacle, which is calculated over the total price of the product, shipping charges and handling charges. Last year, the American company paid 11.43 per cent in custom duty for the iPhone 6s. According to Zauba, the accessories boxed with the iPhone have to be taxed separately and last year the taxes were more than double of the custom duty paid for the smartphone at 28.85 per cent. After paying the custom duty, the product has to cross various state borders which charge an approximate of 12.5 per cent VAT on the total price of the smartphone. Similar to China's current plight, India's weaker currency is also a major reason why Apple smartphones burn a hole in your pocket. The company wouldn't want to take the risk of decreased profit margins due to the drastic fall of Indian Rupee in the last decade. Apple's future in India The Cupertino giant, for the first time, experienced a double digit fall in year-on-year sales percentage. China, the biggest market for iPhones after USA has also showed a steep fall in purchases. On the other hand, despite the high prices in India, the company was able to show a year-on-year growth of 56 per cent. This is why Apple Inc. views India as a promising market, a market which can counter their saturation in sales. If Apple manages to come to terms with Modi's Digital India, the scary-looking prices on the iPhones might end up being a practical buy for the practical Indian. From Greg Swank, 12-4-2 You are about to read a list of 45 goals that found their way down the halls of our great Capitol back in 1963. As... Dr Kwame Nkrumah, Ghana's first President, established the Centre 40 years as part of an industrialization programme to expand international trade especially inter-African trade. The Ghana Trade Fair Company Limited was incorporated as a Limited Liability Company under the Statutory Corporations (Conversion to Companies) Act 1993, Act 461 in April 1997. With this vision successive governments have failed to make the facility something worth fighting for and now has turned into a white elephant. The Company took over the assets and liabilities of the Ghana Trade Fair Authority (GTFA) which was established as a State Owned Enterprise under PNDC Law 215. The Authority had the mandate to commercially manage the Ghana International Trade Fair Centre as a commercial enterprise. Before then the Trade Fair Centre was managed by the Trade Fair Secretariat which was a unit within the Ministry of Trade and Industry. The Government of Ghana owns 100% shares of the Company. Dr Kwame Nkrumah, Ghana's first President, established the Centre 40 years as part of an industrialization programme to expand international trade especially inter-African trade. He said his dream of holding the 1st Ghana International Trade Fair in February to March 1966, a few months after hosting the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) Conference in 1965, was curtailed following the overthrow of his government. Lieutenant General J A Ankrah, who became the Head of State after the 1966 Coup, therefore officially opened the 1st International Trade Fair on February 1, 1967. A total of 17 foreign countries, seven African as well as over 40 infant Ghanaian industries participated in the 1967 Fair. Today foreign nations have registered to participate with nine African countries having over 126 established industries as well as several small and medium scale enterprises taking part. But today the trade fair company limited is not what we all know it be or some of us have witnessed in the past. Hitherto, when there is an exhibition, people from across the country troop in to see the beauty of Ghanaian products beings exhibited and people go there to purchase the best of products and one is guaranteed of getting the best. The trade fair due its patronage, one might even get lost in it but today instead of people going to the trade fair to exhibit their products, companies and agencies have now resorted to the use of conference centres and other event centres to do their fair due to the bad nature of the trade fair centre. A look at the outside of the trade fair and the sheds which was a sight to behold, one could see that it is a shadow of itself and it does not represent the vision of Dr Nkrumah. Traders are now at a loss as they do not get where to exhibit their products and the trade fair centre until having a major international event, just sit without anything going on. A look at the building shows clearly that we have lost our maintenance culture. The facilitys painting is in bad shape with paint peeling off and the wall also in cracks. The inside of the sheds are abysmal as you see there roofings rusting and the building in bad shape. We have left it and now it has become another neglected asset left to it faith which we will eventually sell out to foreigners because we cannot maintain and will look on as it gets spoilt. We have political leaders going round with promises of building event centres for the creative arts industry when they come to power but have this big national asset rotting before our eyes. Meanwhile if the facility is maintained properly, it could generate the country lots of revenue and a national asset that will be forever cherished by generations. This is how far today's Ghana has become as we have no sense of purpose and do not feel the need to care for our properties. Nkrumah will be crying in his grave. Source: MINAAYA ABAKAH- WOODE/ATV NEWS Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video President John Dramani Mahama has pledged to establish a juice factory for the people of Eguafo in the Komenda Edina Eguafo Abrem (KEEA) District of the Central Region during his second term as president. Addressing residents on the second day of his campaign tour in the Central Region, President Mahama said establishing a citrus factory in the municipality was not a promise his government could not fulfill. The President's promise followed a request by the Omanhen of Eguafo Traditional Area, Nana Kwamena Ansah III, when he paid a courtesy call on him at his palace on Tuesday. President Mahama said the KEEA was a very important agricultural area where oranges and other fruits were grown but due to the unavailability of a ready market for their produce, people come from Ivory Coast to the purchase fruits. He said in some cases the fruits were left to rot because there was no ready market but emphasised that, that dilemma would be a thing of the past when the citrus factory is established for them. He said government would not hesitate to resuscitate the citrus factory built by Kwame Nkrumah in the area as it has done with the Komenda sugar factory. President Mahama said the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) criticised him for building the Komenda Sugar Factory adding that but stressed that borrowing to build a citrus factory was not a waste of the tax payer's money. He said he was not perturbed by those criticisms because Dr Kwame Nkrumah suffered a similar fate in the hands of the Danquah- Busia tradition but persisted to establish many factories during his time as president. President Mahama urged to the people in the area to vote massively for him and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the 2016 polls to ensure that his vision for them becomes a reality. Nana Ansah III expressed unhappiness with the situation whereby a lot of focus was given to the fishing communities in the constituency while those who engaged in farming were neglected. Source: GNA Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video After fierce debate, including opposition from Namibia and Japan, a motion was adopted at the IUCN World Conservation Congress to urge closure of all domestic ivory markets In a bid to stop the killing of elephants for their tusks, world governments voted at a major conservation conference to urge the closure of all domestic ivory markets. After fierce debateincluding opposition from governments like Namibia and Japanthe motion was adopted on the final day of the International Union for Conservation of Nature World Conservation Congress, a 10-day meeting that drew 9,000 people to Honolulu, Hawaii this month. "Today's vote by IUCN members is the first time that a major international body has called on every country in the world to close its legal markets for elephant ivory," said Andrew Wetzler, deputy chief program officer at the Natural Resources Defense Council. "It's truly a landmark moment, and a victory for elephants that will hopefully be repeated later this month at the next meeting of Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) in Johannesburg." Although the motion is non-binding, it "urges the governments of countries with domestic ivory markets to take all necessary legislative and regulatory efforts to close them," according to the IUCN. Experts say that domestic ivory markets help fuel poaching by allowing traffickers a cover for their illegal imports and exports. Kenya Wildlife Services (KWS) rangers prepare a pyre in preparation for a burning of tonnes of ivory, rhino-horn and other confiscated wildlife trophies The United States and China, among the biggest consumers of ivory, have already agreed to enact near-total bans on their domestic markets. At the IUCN meeting, Japan and Namibiawhich also have thriving domestic ivory marketssought to soften the language of the motion by making 20 different amendments, but those efforts were rejected. "The global conservation community is stepping up," said Wildlife Conservation Society President and CEO Cristian Samper. "No more domestic ivory sales. Elephants have had enough of the ivory trade and so has the world." Poaching persists CITES banned the international commercial trade in African elephant ivory in 1989. The US and China, among the biggest consumers of ivory, have already agreed to enact near-total bans on their domestic markets But illegal poaching of endangered elephants for their tusks persists at dangerous levels, according to research released at the start of the September 1-10 conference, the largest of its kind in the conservation community. Savanna elephants have declined at a rate of 27,000or eight percentper year, with a total of 144,000 lost in less than a decade, said the findings. Poaching hotspots identified include Angola, Mozambique and Tanzania, where "staggering population declines" were found, said the study funded by Microsoft co-founder and billionaire philanthropist Paul Allen. Other populations face "local extinction" in northeast Democratic Republic of Congo, northern Cameroon and southwest Zambia. Wildlife groups hailed the IUCN move and called for more action at the CITES talks in Johannesburg later this month. "There, we remain hopeful the delegates will be emboldened by the IUCN vote to adopt a resolution submitted by African governments that also calls for closure of domestic ivory markets," said Samper. "The shutting down of domestic ivory markets will send a clear signal to traffickers and organized criminal syndicates that ivory is worthless and will no longer support their criminal activities causing security problems in local communities and wiping out wildlife." 2016 AFP Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. PITTSFORD, Vermont Susan D. Woodworth, 60, was born in Montreal, Canada. While her body completed its time on this earth on Sept. 3, 2016, her soul, with all its colorful, vibrant energy, will continue to live in and around us. She is survived by her husband, Bob Kersten; her children and their families, Gideon, Liz and Wyatt Frisbee, Chelsea Frisbee and Silas Branson, and Bobs son Kris and his family Kate and Sadie Kersten. Sue is survived by her parents, Don and Earla Woodworth; her brother and his family, Greg, Carolyn, Sara and Hilary Woodworth; and her brother, Gordon Woodworth; her former husband, father of her children, Ron Frisbee and his family; and many aunts, uncles, cousins, and a universe of friends. Her friend Martha said this: This is how I think of you always positive, always finding what is good and divine, within the complexities of everything that is difficult. Sue was one easily fascinated by life. She loved a good snowstorm, buying and planting her spring flowers, and her fall mums; writing and receiving mail and thank you notes; making and sharing good soups, muffins and homemade gifts, campfires, snowshoeing, swimming and inner-tube floating in her pond, traveling on new roads, long walks and talks with Bob. She spoke to every dog she met. She loved learning from old people and babies, and everyone in between. Living at Goose Landing on Burr Pond was her happiest place ever. After graduating with a BA in English from Middlebury College in 1978, her life was engaged in ministry, through a wide variety of meaningful work: Henderson Settlement, Frakes, Kentucky; United Ministrys Play School in Delhi; Director of Delaware Opportunities Big Buddy Program; Campus Minister at Hartwick College and SUNY Oneonta; Activities Director at Countryside Care Center, Delhi; Childrens Program Facilitator at the Daniel Pierce Library in Grahamsville, and then as a Licensed local pastor, serving the Andes, Hurleyville and Woodridge UMCs. She retired in December 2015 from Silver Bay YMCA, where she served as host of Brookside/Trinity Pastoral Respite Ministry. When she was diagnosed with cancer three months after retiring, she vowed to continue living fully and intentionally. She asks that you honor and remember her best by living your life fully and intentionally with kindness and compassion. A Memorial Service to celebrate Sues life will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 17 at the United Ministry of Delhi, on the Courthouse Square, in Delhi. The family will greet attendees from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. prior to the service in the Harder Room. All are invited to a reception following the service in McIntosh Hall. Calling hours will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 16, at Colonial Memorial Funeral Home, 396 State Route 52, Woodbourne, New York 12788. In lieu of flowers, donations in Sues name may be made to Henderson Settlement, (www.hendersonsettlement.com), P.O. Box 205, 16773 Highway 190, Frakes, Kentucky 40940; to The Intervale Center, (www.intervale.org), 180 Intervale Road, Burlington, Vermont 05401; or to The United Ministry of Delhi, P.O. Box 111, Delhi, NY 13753. Arrangements are under the care of Colonial Memorial Funeral Home, for further information please call 845-434-7363 or visit www.colonialbryantfuneralhome.com. QUEENSBURY -- A Troy woman who police said was part of a group that stole thousands of dollars worth of merchandise from stores in the Million Dollar Half-Mile outlet centers pleaded guilty to a felony charge Wednesday in Warren County Court. Rosalie Johnson, 47, also known as Rosalie Jackson, pleaded guilty to fourth-degree criminal possession of stolen property for April thefts from stores in French Mountain Commons. Police said she was in a car that contained about $2,500 worth of stolen items, which police stopped after getting a shoplifting complaint from an unspecified store. Johnson has three prior felony convictions, all for theft or forgery-related crimes, and faces up to 4 years in state prison when sentenced by Warren County Judge John Hall. Charges are still pending against two co-defendants, Niameeka Ross, 26, of Troy; and Ishmiel Hairston, 18, of Albany. EASTON Author Jon Katz will speak at the Easton Library at 7 p.m. Thursday. Katz will speak about the meaning of animals in people's lives, about his next book Talking to Animals, and about the conflict between people with pets and people with animals that is occurring all over the country. He will be accompanied by Red, a border collie. Katz lives locally on Bedlam Farm, a working farm complete with a variety of farm animals and dogs. He has written several novels as well as works of nonfiction covering a wide range of topics, with his more recent works exploring his own relationship with his dogs and other animals on his farm and the broader issues of animals place both physically and emotionally in the modern world. Katz will not be bringing any books, but will sign any that attendees bring with them. The program is free, and the meeting room is handicapped accessible. Easton Library is located at 1074 state Route 40. GLENS FALLS Ric Stafford said he and his wife were nervous about starting a family after the 9/11 terrorist attacks in 2001. Theres always been wars and what not, but that was quite a precedent set, he said in an interview Friday. Anxiety turned to hope in the months and years that followed as Stafford involved his son, now 14, and daughter, now 9, in raising funds and constructing the Glens Falls 9/11 Memorial on May Street, next to the citys Ridge Street fire station. During the whole building process weve included them, he said. We have pictures with them getting in holes with shovels, using the wheelbarrows, helping us plant flowers. Stafford, who chaired the 9/11 Memorial Committee and organizes the annual Glens Falls 9/11 Remembrance ceremony, said his children may be more cognizant than many others their age of the events in New York City, Pennsylvania and Arlington, Virginia, on 9/11. Everybody kind of came together, and you just dont want to lose that, he said. So, about five years after the Glens Falls memorial was built and dedicated, Stafford continues to be vocal about the importance of teaching about 9/11 in schools and of public awareness in general. When we started the fundraising it was, Always remember. And thats what we do with the remembrance ceremony every year, he said. Stafford was a construction worker remodeling the home of a firefighter in Niskayuna on Sept. 11, 2001. The firefighter who owned the home was dispatched to help with rescue efforts in New York City. The attacks inspired two goals, both of which Stafford has accomplished: constructing the local memorial and becoming a professional firefighter. I was working construction. I kind of didnt have a clear path for which way my life wanted to go, said Stafford, a Glens Falls firefighter since 2010. Stafford said he watched a History Channel documentary about 9/11 on Thursday. The importance of raising public awareness is just as strong as it was in 2001, he said. It still has the same lasting effect it did 15 years ago, Stafford said. It still hit me the same way. It felt like someone was punching me right in the gut. GLENS FALLS Two local development agencies are urging the city to support an application for a grant to provide up to $500,000 for upgrades to The Queensbury Hotel. The state is again offering New York Restore grants, similar to those used by developer Peter Hoffman for Warren Street Square in Glens Falls and Bank Commons in Hudson Falls. At Thursday mornings meeting of the Glens Falls Civic Development Corp., Glens Falls Industrial Development Agency and Glens Falls Local Development Corp., the IDA and LDC boards voted to urge the council to support the grant. The council needs to approve the proposal for the application to be made. A public hearing will be held before the vote. Weve seen this used successfully before, and it fits for the Queensbury, said EDC Warren County President Edward Bartholomew. It would work into their plan for larger meeting rooms and conference rooms. Edward Moore bought the hotel in late March and is investing $2 million to expand and improve it. Work already done at the hotel includes the purchase of new mattresses, new linens in food and beverage and guest rooms, new pillows, flat-screen TVs for every room and new DirecTV HD programming. Work is expected to start soon on the flooring and painting in the hotel lobby. Bartholomew said he has been impressed with the way the new manager, Tyler Herrick, and his staff have been promoting the hotel. They are really doing a lot. They have added a new shuttle to take people to various places, Bartholomew said. I think they have become more aggressive in recruiting smaller conferences and meetings. We have not seen that kind of activity there in many years. Herrick said the hotel and its architects are preparing plans for the Sept. 27 hearing on the grant proposal and added he is appreciative of the support from city officials. After we met with them about our plans, the city and Ed Bartholomew saw that the grant was something we fit, he said. We appreciate the fact they think this is something that is viable. The hotel is not the only active project in the city. Bartholomew said there is renewed interest in development along South Street, following the announcement of the $10 million Downtown Revitalization Initiative. Just as we expected, the announcement has resulted in an uptick in interest, Bartholomew said. But what people have to remember is that the $10 million is not going to go directly to a developer. The idea is about leveraging that amount to get maybe $25 million or $30 million in total investment. In other projects, Bartholomew said the financing for the Crandall Public Library has been completed, and the refinancing for the major work at the Glens Falls Hospital is almost complete. If you have been lucky enough not to have to use the hospital, then you have not seen all the great work that has been done in there, Bartholomew said. They have done a great job in the admissions and welcoming area, and they have been able to make it more confidential. Bartholomew also said that, according to developer Sonny Bonacio, the mixed-use project being built next to the hospital is already signing up tenants. They are talking about the work being complete in the first quarter next year and occupancy in the second quarter, Bartholomew said, noting Bonacio is still seeking commercial tenants. GRANVILLE Visitors on this weekends tenth annual Washington County Cheese, Wine and Beer Tour found a little bit of Tuscany in the hills of northern Granville. Dancing Ewe Farm makes Tuscan-style pecorino cheeses from a dairy flock of more than 120 Lacune-Friesian cross sheep, said Jody Somers, who owns the farm with his wife Luisa. Our cheese isnt exactly the same as Tuscan pecorinos because of the terroir, or flavor imparted by local soil, plants, water and the way the animals are handled, Somers said. Jody Somers learned cheese-making in Tuscany and Luisa Somers grew up there. On Saturday, the milking ewes were grazing out of sight near the Mettawee River. Theyre moved to fresh pasture every three to five days, Somers said. The different grasses and deep-rooted broad-leaved plants add complexity to the flavor of their milk, which improves the flavor of the finished cheese. Visitors could pet the farms four junior rams, downstairs in the old dairy barn, and two adult rams in a pen near the road. The rams will be turned in with the ewes for breeding in November, Somers said. Visitors could also see the ewes milking parlor and the cheese house and sample the farms four cheeses, two fresh and two aged. Everything is done by hand, Somers said. As part of their dedication to quality, the Somers send a sample of the ewes first milk every spring to a lab in Italy, which creates a cheese starter culture matching the characteristics of the milk. Dancing Ewe Farm sells salumi, which is Italian for cured meats. Most are made from hogs raised on small Iowa farms, but theres also an all-beef product for people who dont eat pork. In 2009, Luisa Somers set about restoring her familys neglected olive grove in Tuscany. The Somers go to Italy every December to harvest the olives and have them processed. They return to Granville in April, just in time for lambing season, bringing the bottled extra-virgin oil and selected organically produced wines to sell in the U.S. Guests can sample Italian cuisine and hospitality from summer through fall at Saturday night dinners and Sunday lunches, served in the farms new barn. The meals feature the farms cheeses, wines and olive oil and Luisa Somers fresh pasta, made with the farms own eggs. Reservations are essential. We try to give every guest the best possible experience, Jody Somers said. Dancing Ewe is making its debut on the cheese tour this year. Also new are R.S. Taylor and Sons Brewery in Hebron and Victory View Vineyard in lower Easton. Rich Taylor, owner of R.S. Taylor and Sons, said his business celebrated its first anniversary last week. Eight brews, including ales, a stout and Saratoga Apple Hard Cider, were on tap in the busy tap room. Visitors could order a four-brew sampler, a full glass, salad, sandwich, or bowl of chili and enjoy them under the umbrellas on the patio. Its been steady, Taylor said. I didnt expect the morning to be busy, but it was. Anne and Skip Gifford of Glenville and Pat and Todd Baumgartner of Manchester, Vermont, were trying the brews. This is our fourth stop, Skip Gifford said. He and his wife have been coming on the tour for several years. The Baumgartners were on the tour for the first time, they said. Skip Gifford said he liked the Belcher Town Ale, named after a hamlet nearby. Pat Giffords favorite was the Willies Nut Brown Ale. Mary Darcy of Albany was taking the entire six-stop tour with friends. Its really fun, she said. There are different farms every year. You can meet the farmers, try the cheeses and pet the animals. Its a nice chance of pace. Traveling the back roads to the farms, you discover all the good stuff you didnt know was here. This is the tours 10th year, said Renata Pilato, who organized it for seven years. This year she stepped aside for Angela Miller at Consider Bardwell Farm, one of the stops, and Tom Foster. Consider Bardwell Farm sells cheese to R.S. Taylor and Victory View, making them logical additions to the tour, Pilato said. The tour draws 1,900 to 2,500 visitors a year. That was too much for some smaller cheese producers who sold out their entire stock, Pilato said. Dancing Ewe Farm joined in part to replace them. The tour may morph into an agricultural community support tour, Pilato said. Cheese will always anchor it, but it may fill in with other agricultural businesses. QUEENSBURY Retired Army National Guard recruiter Arthur Coon remembers that the telephone was ringing off the hook moments after the first plane struck the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001. It just rang nonstop, Coon said. I just thought it was a testament to the soldiers. Everybody was looking to do something. He recalled that some soldiers who had enlisted were using his house as a staging area to wait for whatever was going to come next. I think at the time everybody thought there was going to be this immediate need for soldiers to go to New York City, he said. It had begun as an ordinary day until his wife called and told him about the plane striking the tower. Coon first assumed it was an accident like the plane that struck the Empire State Building in the 1940s until the second strike. You go look at the TV and you realize its far more serious than that, he said. Coon continued to watch the days events unfold from the Appleknocker Lounge of the Glens Falls Armory, which was located on Warren Street at the time. Later that day, all Guard members received orders to report to their respective armories. They told them to be ready to go somewhere, Coon said. The medical unit had its Humvee ambulances ready to go, in addition to civil ambulances, he said. For 24 hours minimum, all these soldiers are on duty around the state, waiting, he added. Ultimately, National Guard members were not deployed to the city to help with the recovery efforts. However, some soldiers volunteered for the effort. Coon said talking about the day of the attacks still gives him chills. He recalled that one of the recruits on 9/11 was Robert Hemsing, who was later severely injured in Iraq during a 2004 Easter Sunday attack that killed 21-year-old Nathan Brown of South Glens Falls. He was sitting on my couch at the time asking what he could do, Coon said. Coon retired from the Guard in 2011 with the rank of sergeant first class and now works as a photographer. Even though he was never deployed in combat, he formed bonds with the recruits and still keeps in touch with those soldiers through Facebook and in person. They became part of our family, he said. The 9/11 attacks changed the role of the National Guard. At the time, the Guard had not been mobilized since World War II, according to Coon. They had told recruits there was really no chance they were going to a conflict. In those intervening years, the Guard is there going with the regular Army, doing what they did, he said. Coon said the soldiers at the time thought they would be going to New York City to help out. If you took yourself back 15 years and somebody said to you, Were going to end up in Iraq and Afghanistan because of this, you said, What are you talking about? Thats crazy talk. Coon said he is thankful soldiers have gotten so much public support. We never, ever heard of anybody denigrating our soldiers. Even if you had a negative opinion of the war, you still supported our soldiers. Thats the way it should be, he said. Its like America did it wrong in Vietnam and then wanted to right it. They went after the politicians not the soldiers, he added. The village of Lake George relies on foreign workers to staff its restaurants and motels, its little ice cream stands and its big attractions that power its seasonal economy. The village should in return provide these workers with a little bit of support. Lake George is a small village, but were not talking about a handful of workers. Mayor Robert Blais estimated 300 student workers show up in the village each summer to take on some of the jobs like washing dishes and cleaning motel rooms that many local people arent willing to do. These students pay fees to the organizations that arrange for their visas, and they pay for their own plane tickets, just for the opportunity to work as hard as they can for a few months often at more than one job and save money to bring back home. They have been taken advantage of in the past. In 2007, the state Department of Labor found foreign students were cheated out of wages by local employers. Five businesses had to pay more than $100,000 in back pay and penalties. The Post-Star has in the past exposed poor and unsafe living conditions among foreign students, who were being packed into rooming houses, charged $60 or $70 each for living three and four to a room. In 2010, again, foreign students told a Post-Star reporter about being cheated out of wages. Because of those stories, Blais promised a public forum on the issues as a prelude to taking action. Neither the forum nor the action ever happened. Last month, the village passed new regulations to allow for inspection and licensing of rental properties, including boarding houses. Incredibly, local officials had waited a year before doing anything, after firefighters in the summer of 2015 were unable to figure out how many students were living in a house on Cherry Street that caught fire, or if all of them had been evacuated. Two women from Mongolia were terribly injured in July of 2010 while they were walking along the shoulder of Route 9 and an impaired driver veered off the road and struck them. That accident exposed a problem with the program that brought the women to the U.S., as its insurance did not cover the long-term care they needed. Before their families arrived, the women were lying for days in the hospital, in critical condition, with no one able to advocate for them. A recent story in The Post-Star by Joseph Tingley revealed that little has changed for foreign student workers in Lake George. They are still being crowded into rooms. They still have nowhere to turn if they need help. For five years, the village did have an organization, called The Connection, that offered foreign student workers a hand. Businesses and landlords paid a small fee to the organization to be matched with employees and renters. Students could go to the office to ask questions and find an advocate for their concerns. But Blais says The Connection was not supported by the business community, and it closed in 2009. The village or the Chamber of Commerce should take up the duties The Connection handled answering students questions; calling their landlords, if necessary; referring them to the Department of Labor if they are being underpaid. The job would be seasonal, and it wouldnt have to be full-time. The duties could, perhaps, be added to those of an existing part-timer. The hundreds of foreign workers who come to Lake George each summer are worth millions of dollars to the local economy. Not only do they keep the resorts businesses running by doing the grunt work, they spend hundreds of thousands of dollars locally themselves. The least the village can do in return is make sure they are safe and their rights under U.S. law are not being violated. Local editorials represent the opinion of The Post-Star editorial board, which consists of Publisher Terry Coomes, Editor Ken Tingley, Projects Editor Will Doolittle, Controller/Operations Director Brian Corcoran and citizen representative Stuart Ginsburg. Welcome Guest! You Are Here: Local sci-fi author RJ Mirabel talks about and signs his latest novel. LOCAL SCI-FI AUTHOR VISITS PAGE ONE 3:00 PM SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 11 RJ Mirabal, a retired Los Lunas high school teacher, will be at Page One Books 3:00 pm Sunday, September 11, to talk about and sign his latest science-fiction novel, "Zero Visibility Possible: The Rio Grande Parallax 3," the final book in his trilogy. The book is described as such: "The adventure intensifies at a breakneck pace to the shocking conclusion of the 'Rio Grande Parallax' series. Impossible odds face two groups of comrades who have traveled far seeking answers to mysteries. The first company heads for the Saddle of the Mountains of the Sky while the second, a hundred miles to the west on the barren Malpais, is led by Esther. Both groups face deadly enemies and startling enigmas. Back in Rio Luna, Esthers mysterious disappearance confounds her parents and her friend, Markey. In the Valle, though, questions surrounding Don are resolved. Meanwhile, the Soreyes heap new terrors on the clanspeople. Will the travelers return in time? Facing challenges far more insurmountable than bringing down the Tower of Il Serrohe, can the hapless clanspeople dare hope for freedom?" Mirabal, retired award-winning Los Lunas high school teacher, still is active in teacher organizations. He is past president and rally chairman of the Land of Enchantment BMW Riders and remains active in the club. When he's not writing or promoting his books, Mirabal explores back roads and wilderness trails throughout the state. He also plays the hammered dulcimer, and is a board member of the New Mexico Dulcimer Association which puts on a yearly dulcimer music festival. His first novel, "The Tower of Il Serrohe," was a Finalist in the Science Fiction and Fantasy category of the 2013 New Mexico-Arizona Book Awards. Page One Books is located at 5850 Eubank Blvd NE, Suite B-41, in Albuquerque's Mountain Run Shopping Center (southeast corner of Eubank and Juan Tabo). The Mirabal event is free and open to the public. For more information, please call 294-2026 or visit www.page1book.com. ------------------------- RJ Mirabal website: https://rjmirabal.wordpress.com Welcome Guest! You Are Here: Home Regional News East Rob Ninkovich New England Patriots defensive end Rob Ninkovich has reportedly agreed to a contract extension. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa) In a curious case of timing, the New England Patriots have agreed to a contract extension with defensive end Rob Ninkovich, according to multiple reports. The news comes the morning of the team's regular season opener against the Arizona Cardinals -- for which Ninkovich will not be present. Ninkovich is currently serving a four-game suspension for violating the NFL's PED policy. Even if he wasn't, he'd likely still be sidelined with a torn triceps he sustained during the preseason. The Boston Globe's Ben Volin was the first to report that the Patriots have signed Ninkovich to a one-year extension, with ESPN Boston's Mike Reiss confirming the news shortly after. According to Volin, the two sides agreed on the deal last Monday, two days after the news of the 32-year-old's suspension came down. According to Reiss, the two sides came together to re-work Ninkovich deal in response to the approximately $475,000 he was going to lose in the suspension. The new contract reportedly move part of Ninkovich's salary (the part that is docked by suspension) into a signing bonus, effectively turning his contract into a two-year, $4.7 million deal that runs through 2017, according to the Globe. On Thursday, September 8, the former Deputy Governor of the Bank of Ghana painted a gloomy picture of the economy under president John Mahama, describing his administration as the worse the country has witnessed. He said the Mahama-led administration has run down the economy in a bizarre manner, leading it to seek a bailout from the International Monetary Fund. I heard that somebody has been making a lot of noise about the progress of this country and how the economy is not going well. John Mahama has worked hard and has developed this country to an extent that we havent seen in many years. "At the appropriate time, we shall respond in full measure to all the lies that have been told; at the appropriate time, we shall correct him and teach him the things that he doesnt know but thinks he knows, he said. But I heard one thing, which I have to correct. On TV3 four days ago, I heard our opponent saying something that was very wrong so let me correct the first one because we will continue to correct him when he goes wrong. He said that interest payment had exceeded capital expenditure, ah! even anybody knows that if I borrow money to pay for a road and it is going to take me 10 years to pay for that road. Every year I take one-tenth of the money and use it to pay back from the person I borrowed the money from, he explained. Following Dr Bawumia's lecture, the vice president has come under pressure to respond since he is head of the economic management team. Nonetheless, the Finance Minister has refuted portions of Dr Bawumia's lecture. Mr Seth Terkper is challenging Dr Bawumia's computation of the country's debt stock. "If the principle is not going to help the system, you dont stick by the principle and say I am gambling my political career with it. When it happens like that you put very body in a very difficult position," Christian Adai Poku said. Mr Poku said NAGRAT view the teacher trainee allowances as a policy decision and not a political decision, saying [we] will continue to advocate our position on this matter and we are always ready to engage government. In a tweet on his Twitter handle, President Mahama said: He reiterated the stance of the government that they would not reverse the decision taken. The presidential nominee of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Nana Akufo Addo has promised to restore the allowance of the teacher trainees if he is voted into power after December 7. The NDC government scrapped the teachers and nurses trainee allowances some years ago to do away with the quota system and allow the admission of more people. Later the allowance of the nursing trainees was restored. This brought a lot of agitations among teacher trainees who demanded their allowance be restored as well. They have threatened to vote against the NDC if President Mahama and other stakeholders do not change their mind. The health ministry in a press statement said, "The Ministry of Health (MoH) has directed all heads of health institutions and agencies to ensure that there is continuous dispensing of medications at all health facilities as the Ghana Hospital Pharmacists Association (GHOSPA) continues its strike." It added: Patients on admission and out-patients should be having complete supply of medication, and pharmacies should remain open for non-striking staff to handle under the supervision of the heads of the institutions." GHOSPA has declared an indefinite strike in protest over what they call the failure of the National Labour Commission (NLC) and the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC) to address discrepancies in their market premium payment. -Illegal strike- The National Labour Commission (NLC) says GHOSPA's strike is illegal and has dragged the group to the Labour Division of the High Court in a bid to compel the group to call off its strike. The NLC argues that the strike action is not in the interest of the ordinary Ghanaian. We have filed a motion at the High Court, Labour Division, to get a court order to get them to resume work immediately Even though every worker is justified in pressuring the employer for better conditions of service and higher remuneration, they should also take note that they have a responsibility to ensure that people do not die needless deaths, the Executive Secretary of the NLC, Charles Adongo Bawa Duah told Accra-based Citi FM. Welcome to the Pulse Community! We will now be sending you a daily newsletter on news, entertainment and more. Also join us across all of our other channels - we love to be connected! Photo In light of the suspicions hanging over Donald Trump and Pam Bondi, the Florida attorney general, this opening quote from her Republican National Convention speech is particularly rich. Nov. 8 is a day of reckoning for all those who have abused their power, she said. Winning this election means reclaiming something to which Ive dedicated my entire career: the rule of law. While it hasnt been proved that Mr. Trump or Ms. Bondi violated bribery law, theres little doubt that they abused the public trust in 2013, when Ms. Bondi received a $25,000 campaign contribution from Mr. Trump four days after her office announced that Florida was reviewing the allegations in a lawsuit filed in New York against his Trump University. Attorneys general in New York and California are pursuing separate class-action suits alleging that Trump University bilked consumers of tens of thousands of dollars they each paid for a worthless real-estate investment course. In the end, Ms. Bondis office did not take any action against Trump University. Mr. Trumps contribution from his family foundation to Ms. Bondi violated federal tax law barring tax-exempt charities from engaging in political activity. The Washington Post reported last week that Mr. Trump paid a $2,500 penalty to the Internal Revenue Service for the violation. Sign Up for the Opinion Today Newsletter Every weekday, get thought-provoking commentary from Op-Ed columnists, the Times editorial board and contributing writers from around the world. Please verify you're not a robot by clicking the box. Invalid email address. Please re-enter. Sign Up Receive occasional updates and special offers for The New York Times's products and services. Thank you for subscribing to Sign Up for the Opinion Today Newsletter . An error has occurred. Please try again later. View all New York Times newsletters. News of the fine came as Mr. Trump has spent days accusing Hillary Clinton and the Clinton Foundation of similar pay-to-play schemes. Confronted on Monday, Mr. Trump said oddly that he hadnt spoken to Ms. Bondi. The Associated Press reported in June that an adviser to Ms. Bondi confirmed that Ms. Bondi had spoken to Mr. Trump and asked for the contribution. Mr. Trump has made a point of saying that hes in the habit of buying politicians. He said in July 2015, When you give, they do whatever the hell you want them to do. And during a Republican debate the next month, he said: I was a businessman. I give to everybody. When they call, I give. And you know what? When I need something from them, two years later, three years later, I call them, and they are there for me. In Iowa in January, he said : When I call, they kiss my ass. O.K.? Advertisement Continue reading the main story Ms. Bondis office did not respond when asked for an explanation of why she would accept a $25,000 donation from Mr. Trump just days after her office announced that it was reviewing New Yorks allegations against him. The Florida allegations are not the first of their kind. In 2013 and 2014, Mr. Trump gave a total of $35,000 to the campaign of Greg Abbott, Texas attorney general, now the states governor. In 2010, Mr. Abbotts office had dropped its investigation of Trump University. A 2014 series in The Times recounted in detail how many attorneys general, including Ms. Bondi, accepted travel, luxury accommodations and other perks from corporations targeted by their offices. This behavior is practically built into a campaign finance system in which nearly limitless cash engulfs both parties. If Ms. Bondi promised to back off the Trump University suit in exchange for campaign money during that 2013 phone conversation, it could be a crime. As for Mr. Trump, the $2,500 I.R.S. fine is a tiny penalty, unless voters impose consequences of their own. Having stated our case, the Commission saw that we had a case and that there was the need to bring in the Minister for Finance and the Minister for Transport to come and appear before them so the issue can be resolved properly, General Secretary of the Union, Godwill Ntarmah said. However, on Wednesday [September 14], we are going to meet at the National Labour Commission, he said on Citi FM, adding: "once we have all been subpoenaed to come before the Commission, we think we have to give the Commission the maximum respect by not stopping the trains on Monday and waiting on the outcome of the Wednesday meeting. The union prior to the cancellation of the strike said several petitions to the Transport Ministry on their condition of service had been neglected. The promise comes after almost three years of ban on recruitment into government agencies in a bid to contain rising public sector wages, the large size of public sector workers and fiscal discipline. At a campaign rally at Senya Bereku in the Central Region, the president urged voters to retain his administration, promising to create more job opportunities in his second term. Those who want to be enrolled onto the youth employment modules should see their Members of Parliament because from 2017, we have vacancies for 400,000 young people under the Youth Employment Agency, president Mahama said as he campaigned for the December 7 vote. The new recruitment is to ease the unemployment situation in the country which many labour experts have described as ticking time bomb. The president also pledged to build fishing landing sites in Senya Bereku and construct the Swedru-Bodwease road. "We have already begun building a market and for those who ply the Bodwease road, I want you t know that we have assigned a contractor to complete the Swedru-Bodwease road," he said. President Mahama has also promised a progressively free tertiary education and a meter to every home. The cost of these promises was not made available. Ghana will come of its three-year aid programme with the International Monetary Fund next year and the economy has been projected to grow at a respected rate. The president said the country will come out of the programme with a robust economy despite calls from the Trades Union Congress for the deal to be ended. His rival, Nana Akufo-Addo, is promising a million dollar to every constituency to alleviate poverty. In addition, he has promised to build a dam in every farming village in the three northern regions. Welcome to the Pulse Community! We will now be sending you a daily newsletter on news, entertainment and more. Also join us across all of our other channels - we love to be connected! Welcome to the Pulse Community! We will now be sending you a daily newsletter on news, entertainment and more. Also join us across all of our other channels - we love to be connected! Adeyemi was put to the stand on Friday, September 9, 2016, where he was subsequently granted bail in the sum of N500,000, with two sureties in like-sum. ALSO READ: Kidnapped catholic priest regains freedom in Edo Rafael Donny, the prosecutor in the matter, told the court that the accused committed the offence around July and August 2016. He was charged with deprivation of liberty and unlawful burial in his residence, which he pleaded not guilty to before Taiwo Akanni, the Chief Magistrate of the court. According to the prosecutor, all the offences contravened sections 162(1) and 270 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011. Adenuga, who stole the ATM card during a trip to The Bells University, Ota, with his boss, was aided by two accomplices, Adewale Opeyemi and Jeremiah Iyitoye. According to Punch News, the prime suspect confessed to the crime after an intense investigation by the state police. On one occasion, the suspect withdrew a sum of N200,000 from the bank account through the ATM, and allegedly bought four iPhones, valued at N495,000; one Macbook laptop, valued at N415,000; 10 wristwatches, a Blackberry and a ring, Punch reports. An officer at the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department, Yaba, gave a brief detail about how the operation was carried out. The suspect is the lecturers driver. He is also a computer expert. He hid the ATM card for three days and when he saw that the man did not look for it, he used software to get the PIN." "He called Adewale (Opeyemi) and handed over the card to him for safekeeping, saying it belonged to his sister." When he drove his boss out again at another time, he had access to the mans phone and deliberately entered the wrong PUK number three times which led to the blockage of the line. Upon reactivating his phone line, Banjoko received an alert that a sum of N2,728,255 had been withdrawn from his bank account. This prompted him to make a report at the police station where investigations began immediately, according to a source. At that point, he received 30 alerts that a total of N2,728,255 had been withdrawn from his account. He reported the matter to the police, and the case was transferred to the RRS." When the matter got to the Anti-Vice Section of the SCIID, the police arrested the driver and after interrogation, he confessed to the crime and named his accomplices." The police recovered two iPhones 6 Plus, two iPhone SSE, one Macbook laptop, seven GT Shock wristwatches, one Blackberry Z10, one ring and two bags. The suspects who were arraigned on Friday, September 9, 2016, were charged with two counts of stealing before Mrs. O.A. Erinle, of the Yaba Magistrates Court. Their offence is punishable under sections 409 and 285 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, Nigeria, 2011. He told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Omu-Aran, Kwara, that such procedure was necessary, especially at the early stage of pregnancy to ensure good health of mother and child. Onuh, who is attached to Omu-Aran General Hospital, said the clinical check would also help to prevent mother-to-child harmful and complicated issues, including premature labour. He emphasised the need for pregnant women to avoid some procedures such as whitening and ensure that they had regular medical check-ups to guard against bacterial infections. One possible reason is that oral bacteria harbours prostaglandin, a labour inducing hormone. Fluctuating hormone can cause expecting mothers to develop pregnancy gingitivitis (swollen, bleeding gum). This, if left untreated, can lead to periodontal diseases, which in turn, can raise the risk for low birth weight and premature delivery. If you reduce the bacteria in the mouth, you reduce the low-level infections that could cause preterm labour. So, pregnant women are advised to undertake clinical examination and cleaning of their teeth at least once, to have a clean bill of health, he said. The medical expert also said that it was necessary for pregnant women to cultivate good eating habit to avoid unnecessary weight gain. He disagreed with the belief that eating plenty of food would produce healthier and stronger babies. Onuh said that heavier mothers, especially those who were over-weight when they conceived and gained a more weight during pregnancy were at greater risk for gestational diabetes and hypertension. According to him, their babies tend to be larger in the process and can cause serious difficulties during delivery. He advised mothers against over-weight and urged them to do a lot of exercise to keep fit. You dont need to gain a great deal of weight to have a healthier baby. Published on Jun 6, 2014 D-Day 60 (DVD): ******************** Own this DVD about what happened over a five-hour period on a five mile stretch of French coastline. According to a report by Vanguard Newspaper, Lokpobiri emphasized that the increase in price of a bag of rice is as a result of the high cost of importation. Lokpobiri, who made this revelation at a town hall meeting in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State on Saturday, September 11, 2016, further said that Nigeria spends about $22bn a year on food importation. He said: For your information, we spend about $22bn a year importing food into Nigeria. We know how many more dollars they bought and that is why you see the price of rice going up. Price of rice was may be N12,000 some months ago, but it is now about N26,000 and if we dont start producing, by December it could be N40,000. ALSO READ: President Buhari says rice production will improve in 18 months Rice matures in three months. So, this is a wake up call for Bayelsa people to take the four farms we have seriously. The federal government has four farms in the state in our records. The average land you see in Bayelsa can grow rice, so the colonial masters were not wrong in their assessment when they said Niger Delta could feed not only Nigerian but also the entire West Africa sub-region. Unfortunately, agriculture till today, is not a priority of the Niger Delta as far as the state governments are concerned because of oil, Lokpobiri disclosed. The Commandant of the corps in the state, Mr Ibrahim Abdullahi, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Maiduguri. Abdullahi said that the personnel were deployed in seven local government areas, and listed them as Baga, Damboa, Munguno, Dikwa, Mafa, Konduga and Nganzai. He said that the command had earlier deployed 92 officers and men , trained in weapon handling by the 7 Division of the Nigeria Army, to critical areas to strengthen security and restore life. You can see our personnel are actively involved in the recent relocation of the IDPs to Konduga, Mafa and Dikwa local government areas. The deployment is ongoing as the IDPs agree voluntarily to go back to their ancestral home. Our job is to defend the defenceless. More personnel are going to be deployed if the IDPs agreed to go back to their liberated communities, he said. Inaku made the disclosure s to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Calabar on Sunday. He said that the government set aside the amount, following the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET)s prediction of possible flooding in 11 states, including Cross River, during the year. NAN recalls that NIMET had predicted that there would be flood in Akwa Ibom, Bauchi, Benue, Borno, Cross River, Delta, Kaduna, Kwara, Nasarawa, Yobe and Zamfara states. We have bought mattresses and toiletries; provisions have been made for foodstuff and other necessities of comfort. We know that if measures are not taken to address the situation, the effect of the flood will be very devastating and will cost the state so much, Inaku said. He said part of the amount would be spent on building a permanent camp for flood victims in the state. The director-general said that an estimated 216,000 people would be severely affected by flood in 10 local government areas of the state if the flood occurred as predicted. He listed the local government areas as Calabar Municipality, Calabar South, Odukpani, Biase, Obubra, Ikom, Abi, Etung, Bakassi and Yala. He said that five persons had died while property worth millions of naira had been lost to flood in the state between January and August. Following NIMETs prediction, the state government has earmarked about N800 million to intensify the fight against flooding in the state. This money will be used to build a permanent camp for 216,000 people that are likely to be severely affected by the flood. We have identified where the camp would be erected. The governor has given directives to the Ministry of Lands and Survey to partner with us in this direction. Part of the amount will also be used to hire boats to move some people in the riverine areas to safer places and provide water and healthcare for them. Yam farms in some communities have been washed away by flood. We also need to relocate these farmers to a permanent site, Inaku said. This is contained in a statement signed by its Director of Information, Commodore Christian Ezekobe, in Abuja. In line with the Chief of the Naval Staffs drive to eliminate all forms of economic sabotage in the maritime domain, a naval patrol team deployed by the Forward Operations Base (FOB) ESCRAVOS in Delta raided Sara Creek near ESCRAVOS. During the operation, which was conducted on Sept.7, the team arrested 6 persons in connection with operating an illegal refinery. Three Cotonou boats laden with unquantified suspected stolen crude oil were destroyed in the process. The patrol team also recovered one speed boat and a Cotonou boat carrying 1510,000 litres and 2 x 5000 litres GP tanks laden with suspected illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil (AGO). Other items recovered are 3 outboard engines and 4 pumping machines. "Similarly the patrol team deployed by NNS DELTA has arrested a Cotonou boat laden with 100 metric tons (MT) of product suspected to be illegally refined AGO, it said. The statement said that the boat was arrested on September 7, 2016 at Ogboro Creek in Warri South LGA of Delta State. In a related development, a patrol team deployed by NNS DELTA on Sept. 3 combed Benneth Island situated in Warri South LGA of Delta. On arrival, the suspects fled as the team recovered 40 MT of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), one pumping machine and some hoses with which the criminals operated. Again, on Sept. 2, a patrol team deployed by FOB ESCRAVOS located and destroyed an illegal refinery as well as a very large Cotonou boat laden with product suspected to be stolen crude oil. In the course of the operation, one Mr Endurance Edirin was arrested for involvement in the operations of the illegal refinery at Ekpemu Creek in Warri South West LGA in Delta. Some items recovered were 2 mobile phones, one pumping machine and hoses. In all the cases, investigations have commenced and the suspects would be promptly handed over to the prosecuting agencies for further action, the statement said. NN, however, appealed to the general public especially, those with legitimate businesses in the maritime sector .to avoid criminal acts. Patience Jonathan admitted owning the account after it was reportedly frozen by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission in July 2016 following a money laundering case against a former Special Adviser on Domestic Affairs to ex-President Jonathan, Waripamowei Dudafa. In a recent report by Punch Newspaper, an EFCC source revealed that the vocal first lady wasn't the initial target of the investigation but after her admittance to owning the accounts, she has got questions to answer. The source further hinted that Patience Jonathan was found to be the sole signatory to the accounts and also has a special card which she used in making withdrawals across the world. ALSO READ: Patience Jonathan says $31.4m frozen by EFCC belongs to her Patience, the report alleged, had a sum of $5m balance in one of the accounts which was opened in her name. Meanwhile, Chairman, Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption, Prof. Itse Sagay has urged the EFCC to probe the ex-President's wife. Prof. Sagay stressed that Mrs Jonathan must account for the source of the funds since she has claimed ownership and was a civil servant until her hubby became the President. The EFCC and ICPC Act have provisions under which they can ask the court to freeze the account of a person if a persons capacity to earn is below the amount of money that the person appears to have. If she is claiming the money belongs to her, she has put herself in a position where she must explain how she earned it, Sagay said. Nothing like a good cup of coffee. Actions speak louder than words, but words more important at the moment of separation going to war. "Mac, you're really home ! !! ! 1:06:15 -- Silent goodbye to his family shows a man's longing for his mission, protecting his family. "Okay. Dan." "The president wants to shake your hands. So do I." Heroes deserve our respect forever! Air Force aces Joseph McConnell and Manuel "Pete" Fernandez meet with President Dwight D. Eisenhower at the White House in May 1953. McConnell's wife, Pearl "Butch" McConnell, died in 2008 at the age of 86. She never remarried and was buried with Captain McConnell at Victor Valley Memorial Park in Victorville, California . Published on Mar 12, 2016 The McConnell Story is a 1955 dramatization of the life and career of U.S. Air Force pilot Joseph C. McConnell (19221954), who served as a navigator in World War II before becoming the top American ace during the Korean War. He was killed while serving as a test pilot at Edwards Air Force Base in the Mojave Desert of California. The Warner Brothers production, filmed in CinemaScope and Warner Color, starred Alan Ladd as McConnell and June Allyson as his wife. Longtime Warners staff composer Max Steiner wrote the musical score for the film. The movie was announced in May 1954, with Alan Ladd and June Allyson attached from the beginning. It was Alan Ladd's second consecutive film for Warner Bros following Drum Beat. However unlike that it was made for Warner Bros, not Ladd's own production company. A number of months after the film was announced, McConnell died in a crash. This required the script to be rewritten. For a sequence depicting the rescue of a downed B-29 Superfortress crew that McConnell was trying to protect, a Sikorsky H-19 of the 48th Air Rescue Squadron, Eglin AFB, Florida, was deployed to Alexandria AFB, Louisiana, for seven days in February 1955. Captain E. R. Thone and Airman First Class Ronald K. Opitz, of the 48th ARS, were the crew for the helicopter, TDY to shoot the rescue sequence. Colonel William L. Orris, Commander Detachment No. 1, Air Force Operational Test Center at Kirtland AFB, New Mexico was the technical advisor for the film. Shown on American Movie Classics, host Bob Dorian said that Ladd, who hated flying, filmed his scenes in mockups in front of blue screens. He also noted that Ladd and Allyson fell in love during filming; Ladd reportedly called Allyson's husband, actor/director Dick Powell, and told him, "I'm in love with your wife," to which Powell replied, "Everyone is in love with my wife." Bello made the call on Sunday in Lokoja in a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Kingsley Fanwo, to commemorate this years Eid-el-Kabir celebration. He said that regular prayers for the country and its leaders, and sacrifices on the part of Nigerians through show of understanding and cooperation in these trying times, would see the nation through. He said that no nation could grow without sacrifices from her citizens, adding that the country was currently going through an invaluable opportunity to think out of the box and rebound to greatness. The governor described the Eid-el-Kabir period as a season of extraordinary affinity with Allah, urging Muslims to use the period to seek breakthrough and progress for the country. Nigerians must remain united. We must continue to pray for our leaders as directed by Allah. Every leader is anointed by Allah; therefore, we must continue to pray for our nation and our leaders, he said. He particularly urged Muslims in the country to continue to live peacefully with people of other religions in accordance with Allahs injunction. A world of peace is inestimable. Peace is the father of development. As we seek development, we must preach peace among religions and ethnicities. Muslims must be seen at the forefront of promoting peace around in the country, he stated. Bello also charged youths in the state to shun criminality and embrace the New Direction agenda of his administration to make the state a centrepiece of modern development in Nigeria. He thanked the people of the state for their sacrifices and support for his administration, saying Kogis best years were already unfolding. The actor, who is best known for his role in the 2014 movie, "Selma", thinks the Nigerian movie sector has the potential to compete with the world's top. Oyelowo was quite passionate about his Nigerian roots, as he marvelled the crowd while giving a speech at the 2016 Toronto International Film Festival held on Thursday, September 8, 2016. ALSO READ: Actor calls out Academy for lack of diversity in nominations He began his address with a great measure of humour when he said, This is the first time Ill be in a room full of people that can pronounce my name. This is contained in a statement signed by the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Prince Dayo Adeyeye on Saturday in Abuja. Adeyeye said in the statement that the allegation was not only wide but totally unreasonable and baseless. In the first instance, we wish to ask Gov. Oshiomhole the following pertinent questions, where and when did the PDP register the so called militants? Were they registered by INEC? If not which organisation registered them? Were they registered as voters or as Observers? For what purpose? And when did Oshiomhole suddenly discovered the registration of the alleged militants? These are the pertinent questions Gov. Oshiomhole should answer, Adeyeye said. Adeyeye recalled that the same Oshiomhole had alleged that over six billion dollars was found in the account of a former Nigerian Minister. He said that Oshiomhole made the allegation after returning from an official visit with President Muhammadu Buhari from USA. Adeyeye said that the governor had said that it was one American official that told them about the alleged money while they were in the United State. Neither the President nor any other member of the official delegation said they heard any such statement. Mr Oshiomhole kept on repeating this lie until an American embassy officials had to publicly repudiate him. Yet the Governor offered no public apology for misleading Nigerians, Adeyeye said. The national publicity secretary, however, warned against any attempt to tamper with the states voters register. He added that nor should such be used to embark on unwarranted arrest, harassment and intimidation of PDP members in Edo state. A News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) correspondent covering the Hajj, reports that at least 62,000 Nigerians were part of the gathering. The event at Mount Arafat featured Pilgrims supplication for Allahs guidance and forgiveness.Staying at Arafat from sunrise until sunset is the major rite of the pilgrimage. NAN reports that movement from Muna, where the pilgrims spent the night, started as early as 2 a.m. and was completed at about 10 a.m. Pilgrims were camped in tents fully equipped with cooling system to alleviate the high temperature which sometimes rose to 40 degrees Centigrade.Speaking at a news briefing, the Chairman, National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), Alhaji Abdullahi Muktar, said the Commission was able to conclude the movement of the pilgrims at about 9 a.m. on Sunday. The coordination and movement were unprecedented in our history, and he commended officials and pilgrims for their cooperation and discipline. Muktar said that all the tents were provided with cooling system and water coolers while the quality of food served the pilgrims had greatly improved. He further said that effort would be made to serve Nigerian dishes to pilgrims in subsequent years. The Chairman also announced that there was no incident of traffic accident involving Nigerian pilgrims. He, however, said that 10 pilgrims had so far been confirmed to have died. He appealed to pilgrims to continue to be law-abiding in the final phase of the exercise. Also speaking, the Head of the Medical Team, Dr Ibrahim Kana, said there was no reported case of a serious medical problem during the stay at Arafat. Meanwhile, special prayers were conducted in Arabic, English, Hausa, Ogoni and Yoruba by leading clerics for the progress of Nigeria and guidance of its leaders at Arafat. He said that the government was making frantic efforts to rescue the diplomats who may be at risk of eviction due to rental dues. The diplomats have been going without salaries for about five months, and some of them are being threatened to be dragged to court for failing to pay rents by their landlords, Leek said. ALSO READ: Refugees say kidnap, rape and looting on the rise in South Sudan In March, South Sudan said it would downsize the number of staff in its embassies across the world in order to cut costs due to economic slump stemming from a two-year civil war. The move comes amid unconfirmed reports that some of the foreign missions have been served with eviction orders for not paying rent while some staff have not been paid for months due to economic crisis. Our diplomats dont get their salaries regularly because scarcity of hard currency has disadvantaged them from paying their house rents abroad, Leek stressed. The lawmaker explained that the situation has been exacerbated by the current economic crisis that has made foreign currencies to be very scarce, coupled with the large number of diplomats deployed in foreign missions abroad. Since South Sudan gained its independence from Khartoum in 2011, the world youngest nation has so far opened 32 missions worldwide. Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Mawien Makol said that the delays were due to economic crisis, coupled with recent fighting that forced former first vice president Riek Machar to flee the country. A long-planned economic development proposal that fell apart was our biggest story of the week last week, and we're continuing to pursue fallout from the decision. 1. Walmart backs out Four years and $15 million later, Walmart told Rock Island Mayor Dennis Pauley last week that it won't build a Supercenter on the former Watch Tower Plaza site after all. The city spent all that money relocating businesses and preparing the site for construction, but in the end, Walmart decided a store at that site didn't make sense for its business. While stung by the decision, Rock Island officials immediately began seeking out other potential developers. 2. Big sale There was other big economic news last week in Rock Island, however. Rock Island Auction Co., which sells weapons and other artifacts that only the most-serious collectors would buy, held another of its incredible auctions. It started Friday and ends today, and includes a knife given to President Teddy Roosevelt on his last day in office, a rare Winchester rifle given as a gift by William "Buffalo Bill" Cody, a Heinrich Himmler shooting prize pistol given to snipers who recorded at least 100 kills and an 1887 Gatling gun. 3. Campaign visit Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton campaigned on Labor Day in the Quad-Cities with an afternoon address at the 49th annual Salute to Labor picnic at Illiniwek Park. It's the second year in a row that Clinton spoke at the event. Besides politicians, this year's picnic also attracted national labor leaders, including two who hail from Rock Island: Dennis Williams, the United Auto Workers president, and Lonnie Stephenson, the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers president. 4. Arrest in fatal crash The same day the Iowa State Patrol put out a warrant for the arrest of Sebon Cordell Reese, 18, he was arrested by East Moline police acting on a tip about Reese's whereabouts. Reese was wanted on a charge of homicide by vehicle-reckless driving and eluding in connection with the death of Willie Nathaniel Holley, 62, of Rock Island in a construction zone on U.S. 61 on Sept. 1. East Moline police picked up Reese at an apartment complex. He has since been transferred to the Scott County Jail, where he is awaiting court action on those charges and probation violation. 5. Murder case Davenport police investigated a homicide last week, arresting Thomas James Lopez, 55, in the death of his girlfriend, Mellisa Lewis. Police said the two lived together in the 1600 block of West 14th Street. Lopez is accused of assaulting Lewis on Aug. 31, pushing her several times. The last time, she fell and hit her head on a window sill. She died of her injuries last Sunday. Lopez is charged with first-degree murder and other charges. 6. Gov. Bustos? In other campaign news, the U.S. House representative in the Illinois Quad-Cities, Cheri Bustos, was being touted last week as a potential challenger to Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner in 2018. Politico reported that "sources close to the state (Democratic) party" told them that Bustos is on the Democrats' short list for the governor's race. The Moline Democrat first has a re-election race this year. 7. Closing the gap Davenport School Board members gave Superintendent Art Tate a tough goal during his annual performance evaluation: Work to close the achievement gap among different groups of students in the district. For years, students of color and those from low-income families have scored lower on assessment tests than others. Last week, our education reporter, Deirdre Cox Baker, tackled the issue and talked with Tate and others about how the district can turn that pattern around. 8. Oscar Mayer fire It really wasn't a big fire, but it attracted a lot of attention on our website. A Monday fire in the elevator mechanics at the top of a building used for storage at the Oscar Mayer plant in Davenport was the top story at qctimes.com last week. Firefighters fought the smoky blaze in the 1300 block of West 2nd Street for about two hours. 9. Food on the square Davenport's pilot program for food trucks kicked off last week to large crowds at Kaiserslautern Square on East 3rd Street downtown. Three vendors participated in the first of four Food Truck Tuesdays, and officials declared it a success. Those officials hope September's pilot program will lead to a city ordinance in time for 2017's season. 10. Car in the water Columnist Barb Ickes spotted Gary Sloat riding in a strange vehicle and wrote about him for last Wednesday's paper. Sloat converted a Volkswagen into an amphibious vehicle and gave a demonstration by driving his Aquabug into the Mississippi River at the Main Street landing in Davenport and boating downstream to the Marquette Street landing. The terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon on Sept. 11, 2001, dominated U.S. news coverage for months, not just for general news organizations but for specialized outlets such as Education Week, which found many stories and angles to pursue. Within minutes of the worst terrorist attack in the history of the United States, the reverberations rippled through the nations classrooms, Karla Scoon Reid and Catherine Gewertz wrote in Education Week s first issue just days after the jet hijackings that led to the deaths of nearly 3,000 people in New York City; Arlington, Va., and Shanksville, Pa., where one jet was flown into the ground. Parents raced to schools to hold their children close, the story continued. Administrators closest to the attack sites took varying paths to ensure their students security and sanity. But the assaults also put new demands for crisis management on other American school systems. Kevin Bushweller, then, as now, an Education Week editor, was on a reporting trip to a high school on the Upper West Side of Manhattan when the two hijacked airliners crashed into the twin towers, leading to their collapse. The atmosphere in the school was awash in worry, Bushweller wrote of his visit to La Guardia High School of Art and Music and Performing Arts. Students leaned against walls in the hallways and frantically tapped numbers into their cellphones. But the calls did not go through at first. Some students had tears streaming down their cheeks. Others covered their faces with their hands or simply looked bewildered. There are many images seared into memory from Sept. 11, including then-President George W. Bushs visit to an elementary school in Sarasota, Fla., as the terror unfolded. Erik W. Robelen wrote in Education Week that the week was supposed to be one focused on the education policy of the Bush administration. The president had visited a school in Jacksonville, Fla., the day before under the theme of Putting Reading First. And at Emma E. Booker Elementary School in Sarasota the day of the attacks, Bush famously continued to read to students from a childrens book, My Pet Goat, for an uncomfortably long time even as his aides alerted him about the second plane that hit the World Trade Center, making it clear that, as White House Chief of Staff Andrew Card whispered into the presidents ear, America is under attack. Sandra Kay Daniels, the teacher whose classroom the president was visiting, later told Robelen that she and her students did not immediately know what the president was hearing from his aide. I knew something was on his mind because of the expression on his face, Daniels said. Curriculum and Media Help Students Comprehend While schools across the country were forced to deal with the aftermath of the terror attacks, for some the impact was all-too direct. Three students and three teachers from a Washington, D.C., elementary school, on their way to an ecology conference, perished as passengers of the hijacked plane that the terrorists flew into the Pentagon, Alan Richard reported . At Xavier High School in lower Manhattan, just steps from the World Trade Center, students, teachers, and staff members lost 29 relatives in the attack, Gewertz reported . In some suburban New York City schools, many students lost parents. But even far from the sites of the attacks, the terror touched schools. Textbooks, carefully planned activities, and even years of teaching experience seemed inadequate tools for dealing with events of such immediacy and magnitude, David J. Hoff and Kathleen Kennedy Manzo reported in a story about the impact of the events on instruction. The attacks in New York and just outside Washingtonbesides being formative events for todays young people as the bombing of Pearl Harbor, the assassination of President Kennedy, and the Watergate investigation were for older Americanscould bring lasting consequences that schools curricula will reflect. Childrens media such as Scholastic News, Time for Kids, and Channel One worked in the weeks after the attacks to help students understand the issues and help teachers facilitate discussions, Michelle Galley reported . Meanwhile, student newspapers made room for stories reflecting angles of the terror story, such as the paper at a high school in Wauwatosa, Wis., which published a former students firsthand account of the World Trade Center attacks, Rhea Borja wrote . Even Education Weeks pursuit of multiple angles in the weeks after the attacks reflected the depth and all-consuming nature of the story. The Wall Street Journal, in fact, did a story about how trade journals and specialized publications such as Farm Journal, Cheese Market News, and Pit & Quarry magazine were finding their own angles on the story. Patriotism and Anthrax One side effect of the terror attacks was a resurgence of patriotism in the schools, as Manzo reported . The attacks seem to have created an instant change in many places in the attitude toward civics education and the role of schools in cultivating patriotism, many observers say, according to her story. What was once a mainstay of public education, but had lost significance and even become controversial because it was viewed as being at odds with a multicultural and inclusive message, came back in a stream of red, white, and blue this month. In an Education Week article a couple of weeks later, Mark Walsh (your Education and the Media blogger) reported that students were reciting the Pledge of Allegiance with renewed vigor, and that schools were restoring the pledge in places where the practice had fallen by the wayside. Some civil libertarians and community members, though, gingerly raised questions about whether public schools should promote slogans such as God Bless America. Just as a mild degree of normalcy had returned to the nation, the October 2001 anthrax mailings to various media and government targets raised fresh anxieties and caused more problems for schools, as well as for the congressional education committees that were working on a measure to reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. But the committees would resume their work and, in the end, the terror attacks would help prompt a spirit of bipartisanship on the major education bill. A month after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, President Bush invited four senior lawmakers to the White Housetwo Republicans and two Democrats, Robelen would report in Education Week in 2004 , Although national security surely was the most pressing issue on the presidents mind, this talk in the Oval Office wasnt about protecting the homeland or fighting terrorists overseas. It was about education. And shortly before Christmas 2001, less than a year after the president came to office, Congress delivered, Robelen wrote in reference to the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. Overwhelming majorities in both chambers backed what is arguably the most far-reaching federal education law in U.S. history. While the NCLB law has now been superseded by the Every Student Succeeds Act, the effects of Sept. 11 on our nations schools have not completely receded, even after 15 years. Research assistance provided by Assistant Librarian Maya Riser-Kositsky The president of the United States lands with all the majesty of Air Force One, waiting to exit the front door and stride down the rolling staircase to the red-carpeted tarmac. Except that there is no rolling staircase. He is forced to exit -- as one China expert put it rather undiplomatically -- through "the ass" of the plane. This happened Saturday at Hangzhou airport. Yes, in China. If the Chinese didn't invent diplomatic protocol, they surely are its most venerable and experienced practitioners. They've been at it for 4,000 years. They are the masters of every tributary gesture, every nuance of hierarchical ritual. In a land so exquisitely sensitive to protocol, rolling staircases don't just disappear at arrival ceremonies. Indeed, not one of the other G-20 world leaders was left stranded on his plane upon arrival. Did President Xi Jinping directly order airport personnel and diplomatic functionaries to deny Barack Obama a proper welcome? Who knows? But the message, whether intentional or not, wasn't very subtle. The authorities expressed no regret, no remorse and certainly no apology. On the contrary, they scolded the press for even reporting the snub. No surprise. China's ostentatious rudeness was perfectly reflective of the world's general disdain for President Obama. His high-minded lectures about global norms and demands that others live up to their "international obligations" are no longer amusing. They're irritating. Foreign leaders have reciprocated by taking this administration down a notch knowing they pay no price. In May 2013, Vladimir Putin reportedly kept the U.S. secretary of state cooling his heels for three hours outside his office before deigning to receive him. Even as Obama was hailing the nuclear deal with Iran as a great breakthrough, the ayatollah vowed "no change" in his policy, which remained diametrically opposed to "U.S. arrogant system." The mullahs followed by openly conducting illegal ballistic missile tests -- calculating, correctly, that Obama would do nothing. And when Iran took prisoner 10 American sailors in the Persian Gulf, made them kneel and broadcast the video, what was the U.S. response? Upon their release, John Kerry publicly thanked Iran for its good conduct. Why should Xi treat Obama with any greater deference? Beijing illegally expands into the South China Sea, meeting only the most perfunctory pushback from the U.S. Obama told CNN that he warned Xi to desist or "there will be consequences." Is there a threat less credible? Putin annexes Crimea and Obama crows about the isolation he has imposed on Russia. Look around. Moscow has become Grand Central Station for Middle East leaders seeking outside help in their various conflicts. As for Ukraine, both the French president and the German chancellor have hastened to Moscow to plead with Putin to make peace. Some isolation. Iran regularly harasses our vessels in the Persian Gulf. Russian fighters buzzed a U.S. destroyer in the Baltic Sea. And just Wednesday, a Russian fighter flew within 10 feet of an American military jet. The price they paid? Being admonished that such provocations are unsafe and unprofessional. An OSHA citation is more ominous. Add to that American acquiescence not just to ransoming hostages held by Iran, but to delivering the loot by unmarked plane filled with stacks of cold (untraceable) cash, like a desert drug deal. Why the stealth? Obviously to conceal the manner of the transaction from Congress and the American public. Some humiliations are so grotesque that even the Obama team can't miss it. Now the latest. At the G-20, Obama said he spoke to Putin about cyberwarfare, amid revelations that Russian hackers have been interfering in our political campaigns. We are more technologically advanced, both offensively and defensively, in this arena than any of our adversaries, said Obama, but we really don't want another Cold War-style arms race. Instead, we must all adhere to norms of international behavior. It makes you want to weep. This KGB thug adhering to norms? He invades Ukraine, annexes Crimea, bombs hospitals in Aleppo -- and we expect him to observe cyber-code etiquette? Rather than exploit our technological lead -- with countermeasures and deterrent threats -- to ensure our own cyber safety? We're back to 1929 when Secretary of State Henry Stimson shut down a U.S. code-breaking operation after it gave him decoded Japanese telegrams. He famously explained that "gentlemen do not read each other's mail." Well, comrade, Putin is no gentleman. And he's reading our mail. While Congress was on its August recess, I went to work. During the past month, I traveled to every corner of our Congressional District as part of my 21st Century Heartland Tour. The idea was simple I wanted to use this as an opportunity to listen and learn from people in our region, both about our success and potential, but also about the challenges families face in rural Illinois. And whether it was meeting with leaders about community health care in Stronghurst, discussing rural economic development in Savanna, or learning more about renewable energy solutions in the Rockford area, I learned a lot from the people I serve every day in Congress. Too often, rural families get left out and left behind by politicians in Washington. But the issues impacting rural America each and every day are unique and far too important to ignore. Just take a look at our manufacturing industry. I strongly believe we have some of the hardest working men and women in America right here in our region. And given our rich manufacturing history, we have incredible potential to lead the nation in todays manufacturing renaissance. This August, I visited several manufacturers and small businesses throughout our region. Everywhere I go, I hear from employers that they have plenty of jobs to fill, but arent able to find applicants with the training and skills necessary for the position. Thats why Im focusing my attention on closing the skills gap by increasing apprenticeship and internship opportunities for students. We also need to increase collaboration between employers and educational institutions, even as early as middle and high school. For businesses to grow and students to thrive, we also need to ensure that high speed internet is available and accessible throughout rural America. Thats why I held a roundtable discussion at Monmouth College that focused on rural broadband. Because in rural America, only half of our families have access to high speed internet, as opposed to more than 90 percent of families in urban areas. Rural broadband is an economic development tool that will not only help local small businesses grow and succeed, but also attract new employers and bring good paying jobs to our region. And finally, we need to ensure that families in rural America have access to quality, timely and affordable health care. Thats why I visited the University of Illinois College of Medicine in Peoria to learn more about their rural health program. Even though 1-in-4 Americans live in rural areas like ours, we only have a tenth of the nation's practicing physicians. No family should have to drive hours just to see a doctor or to get the care they need. Congress must pass legislation that gives doctors more incentive to practice and live in rural communities. This 21st Century Heartland Tour gave me the opportunity to visit with so many hard-working men and women who make our region among the best places in America to live, work and raise a family. The Midwest faces some serious challenges, but we also have serious potential. Im committed to working with both my Democratic and Republican colleagues to find common ground and provide real solutions for the families in our region. Another pandemic fallout: Used car prices are way up, and the repo man is back WASHINGTON | West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin admits he's a proud father seeing his daughter run a drug company, but he says he didn't know much about the business decisions Mylan NV made as it raised prices more than 400 percent on the EpiPen and kept it that way on purpose. Heather Bresch, Manchin's daughter and Mylan's chief executive officer, has come under fire from lawmakers, including many of his fellow Democrats, for her pricing decisions on the life-saving anti-allergy drug. "We make a point ever since I've been in this position, and when I was governor, we made a point, we just didn't get involved. It's so convoluted. I don't understand," he said. "To get into something you don't understand and your daughter being in this type of industry it was best I stayed away." Bresch, 47, is facing demands from Manchin's colleagues to appear before Congress and explain the price increases, which came as her pay rose substantially. "My daughter is my daughter with unconditional love and she's the most amazing person that I know of as far as not only being accomplished, but just, she's so compassionate and generous in how she's always lived her life," Manchin, 69, said in a recent interview outside the Capitol. The EpiPen has become a national symbol for those who argue drugmakers are gouging customers and saddling taxpayers with unsustainable costs increases. "The only thing you can ask is that people be open-minded and fair," Manchin said. "That's all. Just be open-minded and fair. That's all anybody can ask for, especially if it's your child. So that's all we're asking for." He said his daughter would make sure people who needed EpiPens got them. "The only thing I know about from my daughter is if someone got a hold of the company and says we can't afford 'em, we need one, she would give them one. That's all. I know that. I know her well enough to know that would happen," he said. After facing strong criticism from lawmakers and Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton, Mylan offered more discounts for certain customers and said it would introduce a generic version of the anti-allergy shot for half the price of the original EpiPen. The auto-injector cost $57 a shot when Mylan purchased the drug in 2007, but a series of price increases took the cost to more than $600 for a pair of EpiPens. Mylan declined to comment on Manchin's remarks. Manchin said he is sure his daughter will answer all of the questions that have been asked of the company by his colleagues, but said he sees a larger issue than Mylan. "They are all too expensive," he said. "So if there is a way to find out that we can deliver it at a better, more economical price, and still have the innovative and creative juices flowing I guess that makes all these things happen, you've got to find the balance somewhere," Manchin said. "Maybe it's a blessing in disguise. You've got to look for the silver lining all the time, don't you?" Manchin said, referring to the renewed focus on the high cost of prescription drugs. Manchin said he's not worried the issue could be used to attack him in 2018, when he will be up for re-election. "If they attack me because I love my daughter, that's not a big price to pay," he said. Aging Committee Chairwoman Susan Collins of Maine said she wasn't sure a hearing would be necessary. Her committee has already held hearings on other drug companies raising prices and is working to finish a report on the larger issue with recommendations. Others, however, have called for antitrust investigations and hearings in Congress. Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont said he wants broader action on drug affordability in addition to hearings. "People are dying. People are getting much sicker than they should, and I think no one doubts any more that the pharmaceutical industry is motivated by incredible greed," the former Democratic presidential candidate said. House Oversight and Government Reform Chairman Jason Chaffetz of Utah also has his committee is likely to hold a hearing on EpiPen pricing. Separately, New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman said that he opened an antitrust investigation into Mylan, saying the drugmaker may have ripped off local school systems that purchased the EpiPen by adding anticompetetive terms to sales contracts with the schools. Bresch and the company successfully pushed for a 2013 U.S. law that expanded the purchase of the product by schools nationwide. Jump on your bike in the throes of winter and ride 1,800 miles across the U.S., stopping only to fish for one of the most elusive fish on the Olympic Peninsula. No problem, Brian Ohlen is on it. Ohlen, a 32-year-old Rapid City native, is the winner of a bicycle accessory company contest that will sponsor a cross-country trip that kicks off in January and wraps up in March. Ohlen will bike from Vancouver, British Columbia, to Mexico, fishing for steelhead trout along the way. Im really into riding and fly fishing, and I like to combine the two, he said. Ohlen was selected by the Blackburn Company, which accepted YouTube video submissions and selected six people to ride an established biking route. Ohlen, who now lives in Cody, Wyo., said he wouldnt have won without the creative and technical help of former Cody High School students Hunter Hicks and Alexx Dominguez. The students, who were taking a class in video production, filmed a three-minute video of Ohlen biking to the Shoshone River to fish. They were great help, Ohlen said. Ohlen said he was surprised and excited to be selected, but not surprised that the company enjoyed the work of Hicks and Dominguez. I wasnt surprised it caught their eye, he said. They were looking for people who embody the core of their founding adventure and getting out there using a bike as a means of travel and fun. Blackburn will provide Ohlen with a bike, camping gear and a stipend. Ohlens brother, Matt Ohlen, will start the trip with Ohlen in British Columbia. He will ride along the coast, spending time with locals and fishing his way south until he gets to Mexico. Hes looking forward to starting strong with a family member. I think it will be great, he said. It will help me get started. Growing up on the back of a bike His first memories of fishing are with his father and grandpa, who took him out when he was just 3 or 4 years old. His parents are Dave and Sandi Ohlen, of Rapid City, and his mother often took him biking when he was a kid. I grew up riding in the baby seat on the back of my moms bike, he said. Theyd take me around the Black Hills. Ohlen has worked in bike shops since he was 16 and now works at Absaroka Bicycles in Cody. During the trip, Ohlen's goal is to catch one steelhead in every state, which will be a challenge. The steelhead is similar to a rainbow trout, but has a life cycle like a salmon. They are born in the river, spawn there and then head to the ocean. The biggest migration is in the winter. There are people who go weeks without catching any or getting a bite, he said. His other hurdle will be riding his bike with camping gear, food, and an 11-foot fishing rod. Ill have everything I need, he said. Packing enough stuff on the bike will be a challenge. Ill be pretty loaded down. Hell camp most of the time, but stay at hotels when needed. Ohlens greatest dilemma is something completely out of his control the weather. Im most nervous about that, he said. There will be head winds, rain, constant rain. Ohlen, who is married to Nancy Patterson, said he knows the trek is dangerous and that his wife will worry about him. Ill have a cellphone and Ill be in quite a few towns, he said. Shes a little bit nervous. But his vision of taking the coast by bike is overriding any nerves. Catching a steelhead, I dream about that, he said. I cant wait to get my fly in the water. For more information or to see updates of Ohlens journey, visit spokenfly.com. Nearly three years after Winter Storm Atlas blanketed western South Dakota and two months after the state Supreme Court ruled that a Quinn couple was entitled to compensation from their insurance company for nearly 100 yearling heifers that died in the blizzard, dozens of ranchers are reportedly revisiting their insurance policies to determine if they, too, are eligible for claims previously denied. The Atlas storm killed thousands of livestock with heavy rain followed by snow from Oct. 3 to Oct. 5, 2013, in western South Dakota. In late July, the South Dakota Supreme Court overturned an earlier decision by a lower court that ruled against Richard and Larayna Papousek, who run a crop and livestock ranch 61 miles east of Rapid City. A veterinarian who had examined some of the couples dead cattle attributed the cause of death to drowning. Nonetheless, the circuit court had ruled in favor of De Smet Farm Mutual Insurance Co. of South Dakota, finding that the Papouseks policy, which specifically covered drowning, didnt cover their loss because none of the 93 heifers was found in water. But in reversing the lower court, justices noted: Papouseks point out, however, that reasonable people understand that the hallmark of drowning is not the presence of water outside the body; rather, it is death caused by water or fluid within the body. That unanimous ruling by the states high court has sparked a wave of scrutiny from area ranchers whose claims were initially denied coverage, according to Silvia Christen, executive director of the South Dakota Stockgrowers Association, which represents about 1,000 ranchers in the state. I have been getting a disturbing number of calls from ranchers who had De Smet Insurance during the Atlas blizzard, Christen said Friday. The company has their claims adjusters calling folks and offering to revisit their cases and settle cases that were previously declined. In other words, the insurance company is trying to buy its way out of more potentially expensive lawsuits. But in reviewing claims with ranchers, Christen said De Smets adjustors had been working to reduce the amount of monetary damages despite their policies having the same verbiage as the Papouseks policy. What Im hearing is they had the exact claim that was decided in the Papousek case, she said. It seems since the Supreme Court case, the company recognizes that its definition of drowning wont hold up in court. That would seem to be good news. But the company seems to not want to pay the full claim, or pay at the rate that was decided in the Supreme Court case. Christen said the Stockgrowers Association believes that is decidedly unfair. This isnt about ranchers who are looking for a handout, she said. These are ranchers who took out insurance policies to manage their losses, and they should expect to be covered when they have a loss. Rapid City attorney Michael Hickey, who represented the Papouseks in their case against the insurance company, said Friday that the high courts ruling had triggered at least a half-dozen calls from potential clients who found themselves in the same situation as the Papouseks. Theyve brought us copies of their insurance policies, which are virtually identical in terms of coverage as the Papouseks, and weve given them some recommendations and advice, Hickey said. The only company that routinely denied these claims appears to be De Smet; others handled those insured fairly. It appears that now theyre saying they want to do the right thing, which they should have done three years ago. Calls to De Smet Insurance on Friday seeking comment were not immediately returned. Christen and Hickey encouraged those who had been denied insurance claims tied to Winter Storm Atlas to review their policies with an attorney. Dont sign anything just because the insurance company puts something in front of you, Hickey advised. They may not have your best interests at heart. Hickey, who has been practicing law for 40 years and said he gained his greatest satisfaction by helping salt-of-the-earth people like the Papouseks prevail in their case, said most non-ranchers had little comprehension of the destruction Storm Atlas had wrought or the strain it had placed on small family ranching operations, some of which lost scores of cattle. In some cases, these losses were tremendous, he said. Until you see the pictures and the number of cattle lost, you cant understand the devastation. They were the future of these ranches and, in some instances, it put people out of business. Pearl Harbor, the Kennedy assassination, 9/11. Once every few decades, a moment so horrific happens that it freezes the collective conscience of our country. These are moments we can never forget nor would we want to. They brought about great despair, but out of those depths, hope still rises. These are times that make us pause and take note of where we are as a nation and how we got there. On the 15th anniversary of the September 11 attacks, Rapid City Journal reporters spoke to Black Hills residents about that day and what they remember. Eric Abrahamson, 60, Rapid City, historian Where were you when you heard about the Sept. 11 attacks? I was driving my sons to Southwest Middle School on the morning of September 11, 2001. What was the first thing you thought about after the attacks? I remember we heard the first news on the radio, and like so many people we were confused, thinking that a small plane had hit the WTC by accident. It wasnt until after I got home and turned on CNN that I discovered that this was actually an attack. What is the biggest example of how America has changed since then? As a historian, I think that over the long run, in the public consciousness, 9/11 will mark the beginning of an era in which terrorism has slowly become the dominant form of warfare in the public imagination. For the Cold War generation, missiles and mushroom clouds were the things to be feared; in our age a lone plane flying low over a city or a backpack left unattended have become the new instruments of terror. Rose Speirs, 54, Deadwood, communications director for Deadwood History Inc. Where were you when you heard about the Sept. 11 attacks? I was at the Rapid City Journal (my first day on the job) in the Spearfish office training with Hollie Stalder and Debbie Renner. Debbie had a TV set up in the office, and when Hollie and I came back from a meeting, Debbie asked us if we had heard about the planes hitting the twin towers in New York City. We were speechless. What was the first thing you thought about after the attacks? I felt like nowhere was safe, and I was really sad and fearful. I, along with everyone in our office, knew our world had changed drastically in a matter of a couple of hours. If something so devastating could happen in New York City it could happen anywhere. What is the biggest example of how America has changed since then? I believe we became more united as a country and most of the world after the 9/11 attacks. We know ISIS and al-Qaeda must be defeated. Their blatant disregard for human life is dreadful and disgusting. Dorothy (Dusty) Pence, 62, rural Hot Springs, writer Where were you when you heard about the Sept. 11 attacks? Sleeping. My sister woke us to tell us. I can still hear the horror and terror in her voice. What was the first thing you thought about after the attacks? I was aware of the bigger picture, but set it apart to focus on where family members were a son in meetings in the Sears Tower, a cousin in his office in New York City. (He was watching the horror from his office window; it had not yet occurred to him that his building might be a target.) What is the biggest example of how America has changed since then? At first, I think we became stronger, more united. Sadly, now I believe we are dramatically weaker than before the attacks, not because of the attacks, but in spite of them. We seem to be blind to the very real dangers that confront us, to the fact that the evil that is terrorism is spreading and that even here in the Black Hills we are vulnerable. William Busse, 32, Rapid City, realtor Where were you when you heard about the Sept. 11 attacks? On Sept. 9, 2001, I said goodbye to my family and friends as I left Rapid City Regional Airport at 6 a.m. set to arrive in Milan Malpensa, Italy, where I would spend my junior year of high school. I arrived not speaking a word of Italian on Sept. 10. The next day, Sept. 11, is a day that I will never forget. It stands out like a flash in my memory. I was out getting some pizza when I noticed my host mother speaking to a stranger on the street. She quickly and frantically ran to speak with me trying to explain that there was a terrorist attack in New York but I did not understand. Eventually she said "bomba in New York." I understood a bomb went off in New York. It wasn't until the evening news where I saw clips of the planes crashing into the towers that I knew of what had happened. What was the first thing you thought about after the attacks? I still did not understand why the planes had crashed into the towers and could not understand a word of the news report. I felt fortunate to have arrived safely a day before 9/11 as I had just flown out of New Jersey, and saddened by what had happened. What is the biggest example of how America has changed since then? I think America changed dramatically, security seemed to increase tenfold, and the days began to be rated by colors of how bad it was getting. It is sad to know that our country and world changed forever because of these attacks. Ray Dixion, 75, Rapid City, architectural illustrator-retail sales Where were you when you heard about the Sept. 11 attacks? I was a freelance commercial artist, doing an architectural rendering, working out of my house. I was downstairs in the lower level where my studio was. I look over (at a television) and they say it looks like a plane has flown into one of the twin towers. When I first started watching, they werent sure that was the case. As the morning went on, another plane definitely flew into the second tower. You could see the flames shooting out and the whole nine yards. After that I was locked into watching this for the rest of the day. What was the first thing you thought about after the attacks? At first, I thought this was an accident. First off, whats a plane doing low enough to be flying into the Trade Center buildings? Thats not how that works. And then they showed the video, that guy flew into that tower. Thats that part that really blew me away. Then, of course, the second one, by that time the light goes on that these guys are bad news. What is the biggest example of how America has changed since then? Everywhere you go, in any type of public conveyance or building, it used to be, you could walk anywhere and not think about something. Now you try to get on an airplane, its a drill, to get on a train, its a drill. When I look at that, if those guys were looking to serve us notice and put us on edge, they did a pretty damn good job. I also see the real edginess that came out of 9/11 has sorted out a little bit. Its not as crazy as it was right after the event. Now you find people annoyed with the airport lines and the trains dont do this and dont do that but still, in the back of their minds, they remember those planes flying into that building. Mai Ozbirn, 44, Rapid City, beauty salon owner Where were you when you heard about the Sept. 11 attacks? I was then living in Huntington Beach, Calif. I was still sleeping when the first plane hit the World Trade Center, and my husband then woke me up to watch the news on TV. I saw the second plane hit the skyscraper and people jumping out of the building. What was the first thing you thought about after the attacks? Am I awake or am I dreaming? I asked my then husband. I was so horrified at the sight of people jumping out of the World Trade Center that I started crying. What is the biggest example of how America has changed since then? Americans have become more concerned about their safety in light of the dangers of terrorism. Coming from a place in Vietnam that didnt have tall buildings, I used to dream about living in one. But now Im scared of going up tall buildings, fearing I might get trapped like some of the Sept. 11 victims. Sara Strand, 21, Rapid City, bank teller Where were you when you heard about the Sept. 11 attacks? I was only 6 years old at the time. I was with my mom, Cyndy, and my dad, Scott, getting ready for school. My mom was doing my hair. We were watching TV and I can remember my parents just losing it. My mom started bawling and my dad was calling family members. It was huge. My mom stayed home from work, but they took me to school at South Park Elementary. We were in a lockdown. We just kind of sat there. What was the first thing you thought about after the attacks? I was scared because I didn't know what was going on. All I could think was: 'Why aren't we going to P.E.? Why aren't we going to recess? Why haven't we gone to lunch yet?' I could tell the adults around me were scared. I remember our teachers trying to explain to us what was going on. The teachers and the principal were trying to reassure us that everything was OK. They were crying. I didn't really realize how big of an impact it would be. What is the biggest example of how America has changed since then? I think people are more guarded. They take things more seriously. We never thought anything like that would happen here. We knew bad things could happen, but I don't think we realized people would be willing to kill themselves for an act of terrorism. One thing that changed was the added security at schools. We had to wear IDs and we had security guards at the door. When I was little there was no such thing as a security guard at school. After 9/11 at my sister's school they had to go through a metal detector. I think we did a 360 on our view of safety. Craig Howe, 57, director of the Center for American Indian Research and Native Studies in Martin Where were you when you heard about the Sept. 11 attacks? I was teaching Native American issues courses at Washington University in St. Louis, Mo. I first heard about the attacks on the radio before heading into work. What was the first thing you thought about after the attacks? To me, what was striking was the absence of planes in the sky, with the exception of the occasional fighter jet. The sky was almost clear of vapor trails for what seemed like two weeks. And the ambient sounds were different without the noise of airliners landing and taking off from the St. Louis airport. And all this made me think of how in this modern world we accept vapor trails in the sky as normal and the sounds of airliners and other machines as unavoidable. Those who were paying attention during that period would have seen clear skies a very rare phenomena. My hope is that the tragic magnitude of 9/11 might help people empathize with Native Americans, who have also lived through centuries of painful events like the massacres at Wounded Knee. Julie Schmitz Jensen, 59, Rapid City, executive director/vice president of Rapid City Convention & Visitors Bureau Where were you when you heard about the Sept. 11 attacks? I was in the kitchen beginning the process of preparing breakfast for my family. I turned the TV on and was shocked to see what had already happened and continued to watch as the events unfolded. As each of my three kids came for breakfast, the fear and horror just grew. My children were Sam, age 15; Ben, age 13; and Abby, 9. The boys were way more engaged and interested in talking about it, especially after coming home from school that afternoon. By afternoon, there were all kinds of conspiracies and rumors, so we just kept watching TV, and I just tried to stay calm around them and expressed confidence in our countrys ability to deal with this horrendous terrorist attack. What was the first thing you thought about after the attacks? Ellsworth Air Force Base and The South Dakota National Guard. Personnel from the Base and Guard are our neighbors and co-workers, so I began wondering and worrying how this was going to impact their lives as they defend our country. I also always think we could be a target because EAFB is centrally located and so important to our countrys defense. What is the biggest example of how America has changed since then? Heightened awareness of how easy something like this happened created the Department of Homeland Security to prevent terrorist attacks within the U.S. and they, obviously and with good reason, have made traveling much more of an ordeal. In a more general sense, I feel it made Americans more paranoid and defensive, but at the same time it brought everyone together. Unfortunately, the standing together mentality has diminished with time. Cuny Dog sat on a four wheeler laden with reflector rods and sage grass and raised a fist over his head. It was Labor Day weekend and a delegation of Native American tribes from Colorado had just marched into camp to the sound of bells and singing. Cuny Dog, a 65-year-old Oglala Lakota man from Manderson in the White Horse Creek district of the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, wanted to see it for himself. It doesnt get any better than this, he said. Cuny Dog is head of security at the sprawling tent city that has sprung up over the last several months near the banks of the Missouri River in Cannon Ball, N.D., in what is being hailed as one of the largest gatherings of indigenous peoples in American history. I never thought this would happen in my lifetime," said Dorothy Sun Bear, 57, of Pine Ridge. Sun Bear and Cuny Dog are among an estimated 600 people who have made the 360-mile journey from Pine Ridge to this spot less than a mile north of the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation to join thousands of others from all over the world to protest the Dakota Access pipeline (DAPL). If built, the thousand-mile long oil pipeline will reportedly cause the destruction of tribal burial sites and cross under the Missouri River, posing a threat to the source of the Standing Rock Sioux's drinking water. We live in times of prophecy, said Clarence Roarland, another member of the Oglala in South Dakota. A prophecy that says there will come a poisonous black snake. It is also told that our people would come together." On Sept. 9, a much-anticipated decision by a federal judge was announced, granting Energy Transfer Partners permission to proceed with construction on the pipeline. However, on the same day the Department of Justice, the Department of the Army, and the Department of the Interior issued a joint statement that construction will not be allowed to proceed until environmental and cultural concerns raised by the Standing Rock Sioux can more thoroughly be addressed. One Nation In the week prior to those announcements, the camp was quiet, and Cuny Dog and others kept busy with the daily life in the hilly pasture lands that have become a home away from home. Resting in the shade behind the donation tent, Drey Willier, 15, smiled as he thought about life in the camp with his fellow Lakota and the many other tribes that have gathered there. Making new friends, riding horses the smell of smoke in the night, the sound of drums it makes me think its what our ancestors would have seen and heard long ago, Drey said. If it was up to me, we would live like this forever." The camp goes by many names. Mni Wiconi is one, Lakota for Water is Life. The DAPL Resistance Camp is a more utilitarian label, while others casually call it the Red Warrior Camp, after a contingent of nonviolent activists bivouacked there. On the hand-drawn map at the entrance security checkpoint, it is referred to simply as North Camp, but around the cooking fires and drum circles, it goes by a different name: Oceti Sakowin. Translated from Lakota, it means the Seven Council Fires, the traditional name of the seven Sioux nations. The last time this many of those nations stood as one was in 1876 at the Battle of Greasy Grass, otherwise known as the Battle of Little Big Horn, where General George Armstrong Custer and his troops were annihilated. For the first time in 140 years, the seven Sioux nations are again united as one. Though the fight to protect their land remains the same, this time it is not an armed conflict with federal soldiers, but a peaceful resistance against Energy Transfer Partners, the Texas-based corporation building the pipeline. Mark K. Tilsen Jr., an Oglala poet from Pine Ridge, sat on the windswept grass outside his family campsite and reflected on the relationship between his own tribe the people of Crazy Horse and the Hunkpapa Sioux, the people of Sitting Bull, who live in Standing Rock. We Oglalas have a well-earned reputation of being angry and often not doing a lot, he said. So when we came here by the hundreds, it surprised a lot of people and brought even more people up here. We have a reputation as warriors that is well-deserved. We know that historically: The last time the Hunkpapa gathered all of the Oceti Sakowin together, we defeated Custer, and the Oglalas were some of the lead warriors of that campaign. So its actually historical, that the Hunkapapa call and the Oglala answer. The Hunkpapa called; we answered. Standing with Standing Rock What may appear at a distance to be an anarchic profusion of tents and tipis is, upon closer examination, a self-organized community of diverse, like-minded people united in their commitment to the nonviolent protection of ancestral lands and drinking water from the Missouri River. The camp is nestled between rolling hills near the intersection of the Cannon Ball River to the south and the Missouri River to the east. Most of the 80 acres of land where it's situated is owned by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, though another portion where the smaller Sacred Stone Camp can be found is owned by the Standing Rock Sioux. Food and medical needs are provided for. There is no traditional law enforcement presence, as security duties are performed by Cuny Dog and his two dozen volunteer force of mounted and foot patrols, discernible by the red bandanas tied to their arms. The last time Cuny Dog felt such a strong sense of unity among his people was when he was a young man, during the occupation of Wounded Knee in 1973. There will never be another Wounded Knee, Cuny Dog said. And there will never be another Standing Rock. This is the story of the world. And the eyes of the world are upon us. The difference between then and now is the American Indian Movement occupiers of Wounded Knee were armed with guns, while the protectors of the water gathered near Standing Rock are not. Weapons, drugs, and alcohol are strictly forbidden in the camp. If anyone is found in possession of these items, they are asked to leave. This is a peaceful camp, Cuny Dog said. It is very, very beautiful. Shiree Russell, 24, is from the Cheyenne River Indian Reservation in north central South Dakota and has been at the camp since Aug. 8. Im here for my kids, she said as she watched her two young sons gleefully splash around in the muddy shallows of the Cannon Ball River. Its them its going to affect. Desiree Kane is a member of the Miwok tribe in the Sierra Mountains, along the California and Nevada border. A member of the media team, she has been living in the camp on and off since it was first formed in April. Back then, Kane said, there were maybe 20 or 30 campers there. The camp has ballooned since then to the size of a small city, one that dwarfs many rural towns in North Dakota. According to Kane, an estimated 8,000 people from 150 different Native American tribes in the U.S. and Canada have come together in the historic struggle against the oil pipeline, the prophesied black snake. Among them are hundreds more people of all races and nationalities from as faraway as South Korea and New Zealand, Belgium and Brazil. The unity is palpable, Kane says. That strength and that unity is becoming self-sustaining, self-moving. As it grows, the positive energy keeps building. Sonia Kendrick drove 11 hours from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, to be at the camp, and is one of the many white faces that can be seen chopping wood or helping in the kitchen. A representative of Feed Iowa First an Iowa based nonprofit focused on feeding those in need Kendrick brought 35 coolers of fresh organic vegetables to donate to the cause. I drove all the way here in a truck with a bunch of vegetables, and that doesnt sound sustainable, she said. But to me, this is an emergency. Life in the camp At the main kitchen, Susan Chasing Hawk of Standing Rock and her husband, Joe, are keeping an eye on a massive iron cauldron full of squash and what she guesses must be 50 pounds of buffalo meat simmering over an open fire tended by a few young men chopping wood nearby. When the sun sets, hundreds of people will climb the slope and fall into an orderly queue for dinner. There are also six other ad hoc kitchen tents run by different tribes scattered throughout the camp that serve free meals throughout the day. In the dewy mornings, some of the cooks wander the camp handing out freshly made breakfast sandwiches, still warm in their tin foil wrappers. The Oglala kitchen is my favorite, Chasing Hawk said. All of the food is donated, and for now, there is plenty of it. Bags of potatoes are heaped beneath a fully stocked refrigerated semi-trailer, along with countless stacks of bottled water. Jean Roach of Rapid City volunteers in the donation tent, which is bursting with supplies. Coffee, canned soup, blankets, lanterns, paper towels, feminine hygiene products, a propane stove, first-aid kits, sleeping bags, tents; these are just a few of the items donated in a single day. All of it is available for free to the long-term occupants of the camp. This is our home now, Roach said. Near the heart of the camp, Alayna Eagle Shield led a group of students to the Cannon Ball River to pray. You guys have the strongest prayers in the whole camp, she said to the young boys and girls in her care. Dont forget that. Eagle Shield is a language specialist at the Language and Culture Institute in Standing Rock. She and a few volunteers from as far away as Missouri and California started the Defenders of the Water School for the children of the camp, some of whom will be there for a long time. She is working on a curriculum that includes math and science courses, as well as cultural lessons from tribal leaders like JoDe Goudy, chairman of the Yakama Nation in Washington, who shared a myth of how the trickster spirit Coyote fought and defeated the malicious Thunderbird. There is a calling that is felt by all our people, Goudy said. By answering it, it brings us together. After school, some of the children ran off to play pretend wars in bales of hay and clamber laughing over a felled tree in the wide open meadow. For those not yet born The cry went through the camp on the evening of Sept. 1. The three affiliated tribes of North Dakota the Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara had arrived. New tribes come every day, and each one is ceremoniously greeted with song and dance at the camp headquarters where the kitchen, medical, school and donation tents are ranged in a wide ring around a central fire routinely fed with cedar fronds. Marching at the head of the group was Chairman Mark Fox, dressed in a traditional war bonnet made from the feathers of eagles. Waiting to greet them in the great ring stood David Archambault II, chairman of the Standing Rock Sioux. Archambaults face was serene but notched with stern resolve. A few weeks ago he was arrested for standing with anti-pipeline protesters. Though things have quieted down since then, helicopters still circle in the sky above the camp, and its hard to say who is flying them. Word is its the FBI, maybe the Bureau of Indian Affairs, or private security hired by Energy Transfer itself. According to Kane, there have also been sightings of surveillance drones flitting between the clouds. It is the lull before the storm. On Sept. 3 the bulldozers will whir back to life and begin carving furrows into tribal burial grounds. Security personnel will use attack dogs and pepper spray in an attempt to drive more protesters from the construction area. The camp's future will be cast further into doubt on Sept. 9 by an announcement of pending federal efforts to determine if sacred tribal grounds and waterways are indeed endangered by the Dakota Access pipeline. But all of that is days away. For now, Archambault is focused on greeting the hundreds of people pouring into camp to support the cause. The tribes need a leader, Chairman Fox of the Three Affiliated Tribes bellowed, as he removed the feathered war bonnet from his own head and ceremoniously placed it atop Archambaults. And that leader, Fox said as cheering voices rose around him, is Archambault. The chairman of Standing Rock was speechless in the moment, but later his thoughts were collected. Im not doing this to be at the center of anything, Archambault said in the waning light. Im doing this because I love our people this is all about our future; for our children who are not yet born. The cooking fires burned bright and hot as night fell onto a sky brimming with stars. Veils of smoke passed like ghosts through the camp and the only sounds were the wind and the drums and the people gathered in circles in the dark singing. Career and internship fair The Black Hills State University School of Business will host a Career and Internship Fair along with an Accounting Fair from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Sept. 21 at the Holiday Inn Rushmore Plaza, 505 N. Fifth St. An accounting fair will also be held the same day in Spearfish at the Joy Center, 1351 St. Joe St., from 9 a.m. to noon. BHSU students and alumni are invited to attend the fairs to network with more than 20 employers. Businesses and organizations can still sign up by emailing Melissa.Haught@BHSU.edu or calling 605-642-6277. BHSU professor's art on display BHSU art professor Ann Porter will exhibit her "Saints and Stuffies" artwork at North Idaho College in Boswell Hall Corner Gallery until Nov. 4. Porter draws plush toys in charcoal, which suggests the passage of time. Porter has worked on the exhibition for three years. Black Hills residents can see Porter's artwork on display at the Dahl Arts Center at the Governor's seventh Biennial Art Exhibition and at the BHSU Faculty Show in the Ruddell Gallery in Spearfish. New music scholarship established The Black Hills State University Foundation has announced a new music scholarship, The Flora Menzel Lee Memorial Music Scholarship. The scholarship was established in memory of Lee, a native South Dakotan whose love of music was a joyous part of her 97 years. Lee was an elementary classroom teacher in Flandreau and Spearfish, and music was a passion in her life. The scholarship exists to help graduates or children of graduates from Spearfish High School who will pursue either a music degree or education degree with music emphasis at BHSU. Kevin Kaitfors, music major from Spearfish, is the first recipient of the $500 scholarship. To contribute to the scholarship, call 605-642-6343. PIERRE | The buffer-strips proposal coming from Gov. Dennis Daugaard began with Sen. Jim Peterson of Revillo in the 2016 legislative session. The Republican governor vetoed the bill the Democratic lawmaker had passed. Now with a variety of technical and legal revisions the governor too wants to reward helping our environment. It offers a property tax reduction for landowners who plant strips of grass 50 to 120 feet wide between private farm ground and public water bodies. The grass strip reduces soil erosion and slows run-off that contains agricultural pollution. The intent is to protect water quality. There could be other benefits such as wildlife habitat. It is the latest piece of tax subsidy that shapes environmental behavior in South Dakota. For decades state governments official policy has offered motorists a tax break of two cents per gallon on motor fuel using 10 percent ethanol and 90 percent gasoline. Another official state policy for many years was to provide direct payments from the government to ethanol producers that turned corn into fuel in South Dakota. These cost our highway program millions of dollars per year. State policy also offers tax breaks for production of electricity from wind. Federal policy likewise offers tax breaks for wind power. During the town meeting at Avon, an opponent of the Prevailing Winds project said tax policy led to the controversial proposal to put up to 100 turbine towers. It is commonly stated that wind power relies on the tax subsidies. We have at least two major manufacturers of wind-turbine components in South Dakota now. During the 2016 legislative session, lawmakers offered similar tax subsidies for solar power. This week, the city of Pierre will mark start-up of a solar-panel field at its airport. A utility district is behind the project. Basin Electric, a major generator of power for rural electric cooperatives across the Dakotas, has made renewables aka wind, primarily a growing piece of its supply. Basin has its own wind fields and buys electricity produced by others. Basin might add more wind power by 2019. Meanwhile, the coal industry was decimated during the past seven-plus years of President Barack Obamas administration. If you believe in climate change, this was a major step. A big railroad project to haul more Wyoming coal through South Dakota died as a result. The Dakota Access pipeline, its construction now at a standstill over tribal peoples protests in North Dakota, is intended to bring more oil to market. So was the Keystone XL pipeline, which didnt get a permit from the Obama administration to pierce the Canada-U.S. border. Both pipelines would run through South Dakota. The presidential election will shape the future of carbon fuels such as coal and oil and renewables such as wind and solar. Republican Donald Trump probably grants the Keystone permit. Democrat Hillary Clinton probably wouldnt. Clinton wants to reach the Paris-agreement targets for U.S. carbon reduction by 2025 and 2050 that President Obama embraced. She wants a half-billion solar panels installed by 2020 for a seven-fold increase. For many voters, the future of our planets climate is at stake this presidential election. Genres : Comedy, TV Plot Synopsis The Big Bang Theory: The Complete Ninth Season - which returns to CBS this fall with its tenth season - continues the saga of Leonard and Sheldon, two genius roommates who are brilliant in the lab, but socially challenged outside of it. In Season Nine, Sheldon embarks on some soul-searching adventures, no doubt entailing substantial revisions to his Relationship Agreement with neurobiologist Amy. Meanwhile, Leonard and Penny tie the knot in Las Vegas...but how this will affect the Roommate Agreement with Sheldon is anyone's guess. Meanwhile, Howard and his wife, Bernadette, are living alone in his mother's house (but not for long!), and Raj is not only able to talk with women - but finds the challenges of getting exclusive with only one, Emily (Laura Spencer). With unexpected plot twists, celebrity guest appearances, and moments of social awkwardness that often stimulate an involuntary laugh reflex, The Big Bang Theory: The Complete Ninth Season successfully melds the worlds of sitcom and science into a series that has captured the hearts of fans all over the country, and the world. OK, supporters of Hillary and for that matter, Hillary herself it is YOUR job to convince the voters of the United States not to elect a maniacal, hateful con man to be president. That's your responsibility. It's not up to us to take him on and make your case. By "us," I refer to those in the media, who cling to the ideal that journalists are supposed to be skeptics, and follow the story wherever it leads "without fear or favor," as The New York Times publisher wrote back in 1896. That is our tradition. That "favor" part is the key. If you can't sell yourselves, if Donald Trump becomes president, if his regressive constituency is empowered to drag us back into the Dark Ages, that's on you. I've covered you for 25 years now. In that entire time, you have greeted each and every controversy with the same tired, deceptive tactics. First you circle the wagons and belittle the unwelcome story. If that doesn't work, you try to intimidate the bearer of bad news, the reporter. When that is counterproductive, you dissemble, play lawyerly word games and go into your secrecy mode. You speak of a "zone of privacy." I have news for you: Public officials, particularly presidents of the United States, or even secretaries of state, have a really tiny zone of privacy. You're still at it, even though it never works. A case in point is the just-released partial case file of the FBI's investigation into the narrow question of whether you violated the law, mishandling classified material as secretary of state, when you insisted on doing all your communication on a private server. It is true that the Feds decided that they couldn't accumulate enough evidence to prosecute you. But your answers to their interrogation might leave the impression you were feckless or raise suspicions among those who will cast their ballots. For those who have followed your career, it looks like more of the same Clinton games. How can you rescue your campaign? It won't work if you continue to hide from the media. Blaming us for focusing on triviality and ignoring all that makes Donald Trump an abomination just won't cut it. Let us not forget that it's not for nothing that Trump despises those who report on him even more than you do. He had gotten used to sycophantic coverage over the years, but now that we're doing our job, making him accountable and exposing his demagogic horror, he's going ballistic occasionally inciting his hordes perilously close to the point of violence against those in the press pen. You haven't resorted to that, but your tactics are definitely not trivialities. Even if you survive the election, your evasions will seriously undermine your presidency. Americans still believe in a transparent government, even if that's a subterfuge. Because of your reputation, you have very little slack. And you might not get the chance. If you don't change your ways and embrace openness, it could well be President Donald Trump, heaven help us. And you'll have only yourself to blame. Two years ago last May, Julie Gould was getting ready to graduate from a college in South Carolina with a degree in anthropology and womens and gender studies. Back then, she couldnt have imagined what her office was going to become. In preparing for life after college, she and a friend had sat down one day with a coin and two maps. One map was of the world, the other of the United States. A coin flip later, Gould found her finger pointed at Montana. She had never been there before. Before she knew it, she had signed up to join the Montana Conservation Corps. I graduated on 16th of May, she said. I left the 18th of May and started working with the MCC. I grew up in the big city. This was something new. Late last week, she and five other Montana Conservation Corps members were putting the finishing touches on a new and very stout stock bridge three miles up from the Blodgett Creek trailhead. Over the course of the most of the summer, the crew had moved close to 60 tons of granite to hand-build the abutments of the bridge and then maneuvered 1,000-pound bridge stringers across the span. On this day, they were working to fill the approaches on both sides of the bridge with granite broken into small pieces with sledge hammers. Through it all, they learned the meaning of teamwork and pride in workmanship. These are skills that not many people know anymore, said Josh Page, Goulds co-crew leader. Its an impressive structure. Its definitely the biggest project that Ive ever worked on. The Bitterroot National Forests Steve Bull has served as the foreman on the project. The old bridge was listing badly when the MCC crew arrived on the scene. The crew made use of the old bridge initially to get from one side to the other while hauling the rock theyd need to build abutments and riprap the shoreline. Using steel cable, they built a rigging capable of flying large pieces of granite and the heavy stringers into place. The work was always hard and physically demanding. Bull said hes been impressed by the grit the crew has shown throughout the entire process. These guys, I love them, Bull said. They are fantastic. They are so bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. These guys will give you their all. They are tough. When the bridge is complete, it will likely last for decades. The stone abutments will be ready to build new bridges on when this one eventually fails. Probably about 75 percent of our time was spent building those abutments, Page said. We moved a lot of rock to make that happen using a highline system. Thats a skill that very few people know any more. Both Page and Gould have developed a liking to the work and lifestyle of serving on a trail crew. Its a job thats really self motivating, Gould said. I think thats a blessing. You develop a community with your crew. You get to know people in obscure ways that might not happen otherwise. Gould is looking at going back to graduate school for a degree in resource conservation. The mules have been lugging in my GRA book, she said. This is hard work, but it is great work too. It allows you time for self reflection. Gould looks up at the fog lifting off the cliff just above their worksite. This really is a beautiful office, she said, with a smile. Future leaders from Southeast Asia come to the Bitterroot Valley last week to learn about renewable power in a rural setting. The event was hosted by Ravalli Electric Co-op. The 21 college students and young professionals came as part of an Academic Fellowship on Global Environmental Issues organized by the Maureen and Mike Mansfield Center at the University of Montana. Julie Foster, Ravalli County Economic Development Authority executive director, said the valley has expertise to offer. Southeast Asia has a lot in common with the Bitterroot. Both are rural areas, Foster said. They have infrastructure issues and anything that you put on the chart as our challenge is probably their challenge too. Some of these problems can be solved with solar and alternative energies and these are young people that are coming up to make these changes. Jim Maunder, manager of member services for REC, explained the history and concepts of electric cooperatives and the Valley Solar project with 188 panels and room for expansion. Students asked about the energy output, what the government takes from the project and the viability of other alternative energy options. The students said they were amazed that a company would take on the duties of maintenance, insurance and data logging for the benefit of 101 members of the co-op that have purchased panel output. Maunder said he expected the purchasers to be young with environmental interests. Most of them were older and retirees that bought these for their children and their grandchildren, he said. The biggest thing is power generation. Can we count on it? It snows here, it rains here, but we also have really nice sunny days. Maunder explained that the solar output ramps up quickly on summer mornings and lasts about 12 hours. He said each panel is expected to produce approximately 350 kWh per year or the equivalent of what a modern energy-efficient refrigerator would use in a year. He expects the panels to pay for themselves in about 24-years and then would be recycled. Heather Handeland, area specialist for the United Stated Department of Agriculture, explained the grant award from their Rural Energy for American Program that made the solar project affordable for co-op members. Our focus is on rural areas, Handeland said. We can build a community from the ground up and we focus on infrastructure. Handeland said part of the USDA efforts is to reduce consumption of fossil fuels and the Valley Solar project fit that goal perfectly. The students visited the Valley Solar site and talked with installer Jeff Laursen, a master electrician and owner JKL Electric. Syahwil Saputra, from Indonesia, said he is grateful to come to the United States and learn about energy solutions. You have very good renewable energy systems, Saputra said. Indonesia is different. We have many natural resources but we cannot manage them well, but here in the United States you have the technology to manage. It is quite good to be here and learn how the government, non-profits and people manage the resources. Saputra said values the opportunity to study success. Hopefully, when I come back to my country I can introduce what I learned here in the Unites States, he said. University of Montana graduate teaching assistants accompanied the students. Shanti Johnson, a teaching assistant in Environmental Science Journalism, summarized the event for the students saying the Valley Solar project is only the beginning. We have to start somewhere so we can show we can do it, she said. Johnson said the program is important to the Asian students living in rural areas. It means overcoming huge hurdles and many of these places dont have access to sustainable or reliable power, she said. To show them what rural area in Montana is doing, in a sustainable way, is really important for them. It helps to generate ideas and it plants the seeds for them to work on their own projects. Mel Wardlow, program manager for the Mansfield Center, said the program is beneficial for the students. They get to meet with practitioners who worked on a project from the ground up, she said. They have the opportunity to ask questions on how it actually works. They get ideas and inspiration. These young adults are very motivated and also very accomplished already. Wardlow said the visit on Thursday was inspiring to Montanans as well. It gave workers at REC a global perspective for the work they do and the opportunity to meet others from another culture, she said. The academic fellows came from Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. In 1941, the Historic St. Marys Mission celebrated the 100th anniversary of the day the missionaries arrived in the Bitterroot Valley in response to repeated requests by Salish tribal leaders. Close to 8,000 people came to experience the Founders Day celebration back then. On Sept. 24, the mission will host the 175th Anniversary Commemoration of that event. While Historic St. Marys Mission Director Colleen Meyer isnt expecting quite that large of a crowd, shes certain that those who do come will enjoy the expanded program and the varied demonstrations that volunteers will offer that day. We do encourage families to come, Meyer said. There will be a lot of fun and interactive things for people to do. All of our staff will be in heritage dress, which will be very colorful. We invite anyone to dress in period costumes. It will add to the festivities. The years Founders Day celebration is themed Friendships and Relationships. Its fitting considering the history thats observed that day. Through my research I find it very rare that an American Indian tribe invited white man on to their lands, Meyer said. Yet four arduous trips were made to St. Louis by the Salish Indians seeking the Black Robe missionaries to bring the Christian teachings to their people. This powerful story will be told in a re-enactment at St. Marys Mission on Sept. 24 during our 175th Founders Day Commemoration. The Founders Day celebration will also mark for a first for the Bitterroot Valley. The Montana Historical Society is holding its annual convention in Hamilton that same week. Its the first time the convention has been held in Ravalli County. When we realized that the dates coincided, we traveled to Helena to meet with their directors, Meyer said. Were proud that our valley is hosting this annual history conference and that its closing event is our Founders Day anniversary. The Founders Day Commemoration will get underway at 9 a.m. with the opening of exhibits and the soothing sounds of Bitterroot Community Band. At 10 a.m., Bishop George Leo Thomas will open the ceremony with an invocation that will be followed with a Salish smudge ceremony by Steve Lozar. Last year was the first time that weve done this, Meyer said. It was very moving. Its very much an honor to have Steve Lozar agree to do this. Its considered a cleansing ceremony and way to honor all the people who have gathered together. The annual re-enactment of the Salish Indians welcoming the Black Robe missionaries will be followed a dedication of the Salish encampment. The Salish encampment represents the homeland of the Bitterroot Salish, Meyer said. It will be dedicated by Lucy Vandeburg representing the tribe. Local historian Chris Weatherlys sign that features Louise Vandeburgs quote touching on the emotion the Salish experienced when they returned to their homeland will be unveiled at that time. Following that, two descendants of women who found a way to bridge the gap between Indian and white will offer their thoughts during a Friendships and Relationship Ladies Tea. Salish tribal member Mary Ann Combs was 9 when the tribe was moved out of the Bitterroot Valley in 1891. Her memories of that forced move were captured in later writings. Years later, Combs made trips back to the valley where she met Margaret Sullivan. They became lifelong friends who often talked over tea. Rachel Bawers of Arlee is the great-granddaughter of Combs. Francie Sullivan is Sullivans daughter. The two women have never met before, but on Founders Day theyll share a cup of tea on stage and recall their memories of these two significant women. They are both very excited about this, Meyer said. Rachel taught her great-grandmother to speak English. Francie thought of Mary Ann as a grandmother. Francie plans to bring some of her mothers teacups with her. Other guest speakers include Joe McDonald, the past president of the Salish-Kootenai College, Bruce Whittenberg, Montana Historical Society Director and Brian Matz of Fonbonne University in St. Louis, Missouri. Brian Matz has researched and studied the archives and Jesuit records stored in St. Louis, Meyer said. It will be interesting and fun to hear him relate some of the stories that hes found from those writings. After the formal ceremony, people will be able to enjoy a wide variety of exhibits, childrens games, and Salish dancing and drumming. Well also have a mountain man encampment where people can take a step back in time, she said. Well also have a time capsule that includes items donated by the Salish Tribe, as well as schoolchildren at St. Ignatius and Stevensville, and the St. Marys Mission. It will be recovered in 25 years on the 200th anniversary. At 5 p.m., Mass will be celebrated at the mission in honor of the invitation made by the Bitterroot Salish Indians to the Black Robe missionaries, Meyer said. Everyone is welcome to attend. The event is free. Darby author Jon Turks new book, Crocodiles and Ice: A Journey into Deep Wild by Oolichan Books, will launch in Montana at Chapter One Book Store in Hamilton on Tuesday, Sept. 20. The book starts off as an adventure book but the journey becomes an exploration of what deep wild and deep wilderness is all about, Turk said. It is an ancient message. Its Walden Pond. It is a journey into a consciousness revolution and a value wilderness. Turk describes his book as a scientist and adventurers journey into a consciousness revolution based on a deep, reciprocal communication with the earth. The book highlights my award-winning polar expedition circumnavigating Ellesmere Island, as well as other, lesser known passages, he said. But, more critically, I tell the story of my lifelong journey from suburban Connecticut into a passion for deep wild, an ancient passage, repeated in one form or another countless times, and ignored just as often. Turk said a journey in to the wilderness can be empowering. I was 65 years old when I was rated one of top 10 adventurers in the world, he said. How do you perform at this level at that age? The answer is the journey into the wilderness can empower us. Turk said that Chapter One Book Store owner Mara Luther had ordered 50 copies of his book then after she read it she doubled the order. Luther said the book is all of the adventure without the personal danger. Jon tells a good story, Luther said. You feel like youre sitting around a bonfire and hes telling you a story. Luther said the book is about travel but also about internal growth. It will appeal to anybody who is interested in the human capacity for perseverance and seeing your youth, understanding your decisions and laughing at your follies, she said. Turk has lived up the West Fork near Darby since 1984. This valley has been very dear to me and it has been my foundation, Turk said. This book seems to be going big internationally and I draw my strength and ideas out of the Bitterroot Valley and its great to be sharing these ideas here in my home. Meet Jon Turk and his book Crocodiles and Ice: A Journey into Deep Wild 6 p.m. on Sept. 20 at Chapter One Book Store, 252 W Main St., Hamilton. Crocodiles and Ice will launch in Canada Sept. 15. Crocodiles and Ice pre-sales have been booming, both in the US and Canada, so this is a local piece of writing, or art, to come out of our home here in the Bitterroot Valley and go international, Turk said. It is very exciting. For more information visit jonturk.net/ crocodiles-and-ice. WEST FORK The first time Ted Billings ever came west, he climbed Trapper Peak. The boy from back East was 12 that summer when he walked in the footsteps of his great-uncle Sam Billings. He couldnt have known it then, but that trip would change his life forever. Sam Billings was something of legend by that time to the family that he had left behind in New Jersey. Billings served as the district ranger at the Bitterroot National Forests West Fork Station. His life in the wilds of Montana had been the talk at the Billings family table for decades. It was 1962 when Ted Billings finally had the opportunity to meet his great-uncle in person. He remembers learning how to play cribbage that summer. He taught the whole family how to play that game, Billings said. We still play it. I just remember that he was this humble man who seemed bigger than life to me. He basically was the reason that I eventually moved west. Billings not only moved west, but he also embraced the outdoors-driven lifestyle of his great uncle. He became a mountaineer who guided trips to top of Denali in Alaska. For years, he and his wife, Carol, have served as caretakers to the backcountry hut system in Colorado operated by the 10th Mountain Division Hut Association. Throughout all those years filled with adventure, Billings remembered his roots and that humble forest ranger who had blazed the trail for him. I had this plaque that Sam had made apparently while he stayed at the Bear Cone Lookout in 1940, Billings said. My dad had it for years and had given it to me. The plaque was hand-burned with a hot nail on the back of wood used to ship pumpkins. It was simple enough. It noted the location and date set off by black marks burned carefully along its edge. I had it in my woodworking shop for years and then moved it to my bedroom, Billings said. I had this thing that Sam had made. I knew it was important to him. And so last year, Billings stopped by the West Fork Ranger Station to see if they would be interested in displaying it there. Along the way, he came up with this idea that he would like to serve as the host at the campground named after his relative. When Sam Billings died in 1986, there were people who still remembered what he had done to save Boulder Creek from the sawyers saw. The site had been slated for a timber sale in the 1940s, but Sam Billings had said it was too beautiful to be logged. From his point of view, the site had everything a good campground needed, including rocks and boulders for rock hounds, fish for fishermen and flowers for all. Sam Billings was instrumental in establishing the Boulder Creek Campground and took special pride in administering the site. Rev. Wayne Wardwell of Hamilton spearheaded a drive to rename the site to the Samuel T. Billings Campground after Billings death. In 1987, the U.S. Forest Service did just that. This summer, Ted Billings and his wife volunteered to become the first-ever campground hosts at the site. It was something that I wanted to do, Billings said. Carol Billings said she wasnt sure how this all was going to work out financially, but she knew how important it was to her husband. Our life together has kind of been a long story, she said. One thing has always led to another. In this case, all it took was a visit with Bitterroot National Forest natural resource specialist Joe Butsick. We like to have campground hosts, Butsick said. Their main role is public relations. When people see theres a host at the campground, they feel safer too. The Sam Billings Campground is free to the public. Theres no water or electricity. But that didnt dissuade Billings. I was camping here in May, he said. I thought to myself that I wouldnt mind being a volunteer. I met with Joe and told him he wouldnt have to pay me. The next thing I knew he was bringing by a rake, a broom and some papers to sign, Billings said. And then I was here. He called his father, Bob, to give him the news. He couldnt believe it, Billings said. It meant something for all of us. Billings father and sister spent this last week with him at the campground. They shared stories about Sam Billings that have been told in the family for generations. This place is a hidden gem, Billings said. I think the dirt road into keeps the riff-raff out. Weve met the nicest people this summer who seem to really enjoy being here. Billings stops himself for second to look around at this place that was so special to his great-uncle. I think Sam Billings is smiling now, he said. I think he would be pleased to know that were here. Privacy Policy RealChoice is a BlogSpot blog. You get whatever privacy you get when you post on a blog. As Blogmistress of RealChoice, I do not collect information on my users or those who post comments. I will delete spam and offensive comments, and thoroughly cooperate with law enforcement, as I did in the case of Ted "Operation Counterstrike" Schulman, if people make terroristic threats on my blog. So fight nice, kids. 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Cut,cap and balance! Genres : Drama, Romance Starring : Shotaro Hanayagi, Kokichi Takada, Ryotaro Kawanami Director : Kenji Mizoguchi Plot Synopsis This heartrending masterpiece by Kenji Mizoguchi about the give-and-take between life and art marked the directors first use of the hypnotic long takes and eloquent camera movements that would come to define his films. The adopted son of legendary kabuki actor Kikunosuke (Shotaro Hanayagi), who is striving to achieve stardom by mastering female roles, turns to his infant brothers wet nurse (Kakuko Mori) for support and affectionand she soon gives up everything for her beloveds creative glory. Featuring fascinating glimpses behind the scenes of kabuki theater in the late nineteenth century,The Story of the Last Chrysanthemum is a critique of the oppression of women and the sacrifices required of them, and the pinnacle of Mizoguchis early career. Kathmandu, Nepal: The government has declared a public holiday September 13 across the nation on the occasion of the Muslim festival of Bakr Eid. The Ministry of Home affairs informed about the public holyday on Tuesday by issuing a press release on Sunday. Kathmandu, Nepal: The legislative parliament has on endorsed three bills related to restructuring of judiciary as per the new Constitution. With the endorsement of these bills ways is paved to forming High Courts in seven provinces. The Constitution of Nepal has a provision that a High Court should be formed in each of the seven provinces within one year of the Constitution promulgation. With the formation of the High Court, the existing 16 Appellate Courts will be dissolved. The bills endorsed by the parliament today were Judicial Administration Bill, Judicial Service Commission Bill and Judicial Council Bill. The proposal tabled by the Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Ajaya Shankar Nayak, were endorsed by the Parliament meeting with majority votes. Though these bills were scheduled to endorse on Friday, the meeting of the parliament was postponed for Sunday due to lack of quorum. Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal Kathmandu, Sept 11: Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal has said that he has taken his upcoming visit to India as a challenging opportunity. Informing the parliamentary international relations and labour committee today about his four-day India visit starting September 15, Prime Minister Dahal expressed the confidence that the visit would add a new chapter to the bilateral relations between the two countries. "I am confident that the visit would not only normalize the relations that went through some bitter experience in the recent past, but also build a strong foundation for mutual trust", he said. The Prime Minister made it clear before the committee that he would not be signing any new agreements but reviewing and implementing the old agreements. Additional support for post-quake reconstruction, purchase trade agreement related to hydropower, the postal highway will be the matters to be discussed during the visit. He also expressed the commitment to consider the recommendations of the MPs and work in the interest of the nation. Sharing that the deliberations in regards to amendment to the new constitution to address the demands of the dissenting groups were near to a positive conclusion, Prime Minister Dahal disclosed that an all-party meeting had also been called for coming Tuesday to discuss his India visit. Prime Minister Dahal is scheduled to leave for India on September 15 and will return home on September 18. PM Dahal briefed the Committee members that he was scheduled to meet Nepalis in India, attend a reception at Nepali Embassy in India and hold an interaction with foreign dignitaries on September 15. There will be official meeting in the second day while PM Dahal will visit a hydropower project in Himanchal state and will hold interaction with intellectuals soon after returning New Delhi from Himanchal. Similarly, PM Dahal is scheduled to visit the factory of Patanjali Yogpeeth run by Baba Ramdev on September 18 and will return home the same day. On the occasion, Lawmakers suggested PM Dahal to raise issues like controlling criminal activities in the bordering areas, address problems meted out by Border Security Force of India to Nepalis during their movement around border points, controlling the smuggling of Nepali migrant workers to third countries via India, among others during his India visit. RSS Kathmandu, Nepal: The Supreme Court (SC), the apex Court of the country, has on Sunday asked the government to furnish reasons for changing morphology rules (arrangement of letters) of Nepali language. A single bench of Justice Jagadish Sharma Poudel has also ordered the government to inform the court regarding why and at whose orders changes were made to Nepali language. The Court made the verdict responding to the writ filed by advocate Bhadra Sharma aka Swagat Nepal and journalist Tapendra Karki. Advocate Nepal and Journalist karki had moved to the court demanding immediate intervention over the government decision to change morphology rules. Kathmandu, Nepal: CPN-UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli has suggested the Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal not to sign any agreement against the national interests during the India visit. CPN UML chairman Oli, who is also the immediate past Prime Minister, made the suggestion while submitting a memorandum at Singha Durbar on Sunday morning. Prime Minister is scheduled to visit neighboring India next week for a tree day official visit in the invitation of his India counterpart Narendra Modi. Former Prime Minister Oli has made the urge to the Prime Minister as per the decision of his party. A standing committee meeting of the UML held on Saturday decided to urge the Prime Minister not to sign any agreement against the national interests during the India visit. Responding to the memorandum submitted by the former Prime Minister Oli, Prime Minister Dahal said that he would not sign any deal against the national interests. sacw.net - 11 September 2016 Unlike a lot of political actors in J & K, my work is not based on hear asay, so here is my response to all those, including jingoistic media persons, who assume that the pre-1953 position is impractical and completely nullifies the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court of India over J & K. Achievable solutions get relegated to the background when federal countries emphasize centralization as opposed to decentralization. I emphasize that prior to 1953 the Indian Supreme Courtas arbitrating jurisdiction to the state extended in case of disputes between the federal government and the state government, or between J & K and another state of the Indian Union. But the purview of the Indian Supreme Court to the state did not extend as the ultimate arbitrator in all civil and criminal cases before J & K courts. Delhi Accord of 1952 The negotiations in June and July 1952 between a delegation of the J & K government led by Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah and a minister of his cabinet, Mirza Afzal Beg, and a delegation of the Indian government led by Nehru, resulted in the Delhi Accord, which maintained the status quo on the autonomous status of J & K. In a public speech made on 11 August, Abdullah earnestly declared that: aThis briefly is the position which the Constitution of India has accorded to our State. I would like to make it clear that any suggestions of altering arbitrarily this basis of our relationship with India would only constitute a breach of the spirit and letter of the Constitution, it may invite serious consequences for our harmonious association of our State with India. The formula evolved with agreement of the two Governments remains as valid today as it was when the Constitution was framed and reasons advanced to have this changed seem completely devoid of substance. In arriving at this arrangement, the main consideration before our Government was to secure a position for the State which would be consistent with the requirements of maximum autonomy for the local organs of State Power which are the ultimate source of authority in the State while discharging obligations as a unit of the Federationa (Soz 1995: 128). At the talks held between the representatives of the state government and the Indian government, the Kashmiri delegation relented on just one issue: it conceded the extension of the Indian Supreme Courtas arbitrating jurisdiction to the state in case of disputes between the federal government and the state government, or between J & K and another state of the Indian Union. But the delegation shrewdly disallowed an extension of the Indian Supreme Courtas purview to the state as the ultimate arbitrator in all civil and criminal cases before J & K courts. It was also careful to prevent the financial and fiscal integration of the state with the Indian Union. The representatives of the J & K government ruled out any modifications to their land reform program, which had dispossessed the feudal class without any right to compensation. It was also agreed that as opposed to the other units in the Union, the residual powers of legislation would be vested in the state assembly instead of in the center. But this was an ephemeral victory. It became increasingly clear, over the years, that the autonomy issue remained unresolved and anti-autonomy factions in Jammu and Ladakh did not lose their political clout. Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah tried to defuse the complicated situation in 1953 by proposing a plan for devolution of authority to the provinces within the state through the Constituent Assemblyas basic principles committee. According to this plan, the Kashmir Valley and Jammu regions would be entitled to elected assemblies and separate councils of ministers with the authority to debate and legislate on certain affairs of local and regional importance. This multi-pronged devolution was intended to maintain the autonomy of J & K while mollifying regional and sectarian opposition in the Jammu and Ladakh regions (Bose 2003: 63). But the sectarian conflict in Jammu and Ladakh, fuelled by right-wing Indian nationalist elements, could not be appeased with anything short of the overthrow of the Sheikh Mohammad Abdullahas regime. From the 1960s, militant groups in the Jammu province have advocated and supported the secession of the province from the Muslim-dominated Kashmir Valley, which is a politically unwise demand that negates the social, religious, and cultural complexities of the Jammu province. If this demand is fulfilled, the three predominantly Muslim districts a Doda, Rajouri and Poonch a of Jammuas six districts would rather cast their lot with the Muslims of Kashmir Valley than align themselves with the Hindus of Jammu, in keeping with the logic of the partition of India. Intro Greetings! I am a political scientist , specializing in International Relations , my research and teaching focus on ethnic conflict and civil-military relations . I watch way too much TV, and I like movies as well so I tend to write about both and find IR stuff in pop culture. I rant alot about American politics and sometimes about Canadian politics. I like to take ideas I once learned a long time ago and apply them to whatever strikes my fancy. Genres : Drama, Romance, War Starring : Blanche Sweet, House Peters, Gerald Ward Director : Cecil B. DeMille Plot Synopsis "Cecil B. DeMille s thought-to-be-lost 1915 silent film The Captive, is a found treasure. Set during the Balkan Wars, The Captive tells the story of Sonia (Blanche Sweet, The Woman in White), a young woman living in Montenegro and left to care for her younger brother Milos (Gerald Ward, The Warrens of Virginia) and the family farm when older brother Marko (Page Peters, Davy Crockett) goes off to battle. Unable to handle the day-to-day tasks following her brother s tragic death, help comes in the form of Mahmud Hassan (House Peters, Prisoners of the Storm) a captured Turk nobleman now a prisoner of war. Tasked with helping Sonia, their initial frosty relationship soon melts into love. As the war rages on Sonia, Mahmud and Milos will face near-insurmountable obstacles in their quest for a better life amidst the hell of war. Directed by Cecil B. DeMille (The Ten Commandments, The Buccaneer) from a screenplay written by DeMille and Jeanie Macpherson (based on her play), the wartime romantic drama The Captive features supporting performances by Jeanie Macpherson (The Girl of the Golden West), Theodore Roberts (The Ten Commandments), William Elmer (The Devil and Miss Jones) and features a musical score newly composed by Lucy Duke." Young roster has high hopes for future. Only four seniors suited up. Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. 'Free State of Jones' is Director Gary Ross's (who also wrote the screenplay) attempt to tell the story of Newton Knight, a real-life Confederate deserter in Civil War Mississippi, who took his pro-union, anti-slavery values and led a number of other army deserters and fugitive slaves in a local revolt/opposition to Confederate officers in the area. It's a piece of history we've not seen put on film before (although the 1948 flick 'Tap Roots' is loosely based on Knight's story), and it's obvious from the get-go that Ross wants to convey Knight (played by Matthew McConaughey) in a big, sprawling epic kind of way. The movie starts out strongly enough, with a powerful first act in which we're introduced to Newton as a nurse in the Confederacy, helping those who are injured in battle. However, following a tragedy involving a young family member, Newt abandons his post and returns home to his wife, Serena (Keri Russell), and young son. He isn't home for long when his child develops a high fever and he must enlist the aid of local house slave Rachel (Gugu Mbatha-Raw), who is able to bring his fever down, and whom Knight feels a great amount of gratitude toward. As the events of the movie unfold and the relationship between Newt and his wife begin to splinter, the attraction between him and Rachel begins to grow. Newt is a man who firmly believes that the poor men of the South none of whom are slave owners have been asked to fight to protect the rights of the well-off. Further exasperating this viewpoint is a new law in the South that says that any owner of 20 slaves will not have to fight in the war. In fact, the more slaves owned, the less members of one's family need to enlist. Additionally, Confederate troops are coming into Knight's county and taking food, supplies, and materials from every household. They're only supposed to take 10 percent, but 10 percent is what they're actually leaving behind, if anything at all. This leads to Newt (along with a woman and her daughters) stopping a local Confederate Lieutenant (Bill Tangradi) from raiding yet another home, and results in Knight having to flee the area when the Confederates label him both as a criminal and an AWOL solider. Sadly, after a pretty solid opening, Ross's film gets bogged down quite literally when Newt has to take up residence in the Mississippi swamps, where he befriends a number of other runaway slaves who are also seeing refuge there. This middle part of the movie is the weakest bit, and in a jarring bit of editing the movie occasionally jumps forward in time 85 years to show one of Newt's decedents fighting for his freedom in a Mississippi courtroom because he married a white woman and it's been determined that he's one-eighth black (which also kind of spoils for viewers if Newt and Rachel are going to wind up together in the past). Gary Ross is one of my favorite directors (this is only his fourth movie, with his prior three being Pleasantville, Seabiscuit, and The Hunger Games), but this time around he isn't quite able to deliver the goods. It's not that 'Free State of Jones' isn't ambitious enough...the problem is that it's too ambitious. There's just too much Ross is trying to cover and not enough of a clear focus on what the arc of this story is. Most movies take their characters from points A to B to C in a film. Ross's hero goes from A to B to C to D to E, with short jumps over to F and G and flash-forwards to Z. Such sprawling storytelling works for historical characters like an Abraham Lincoln, where an audience knows enough about a person and his/her history to fill in the gaps, but here we don't get a really good examination of why Knight is the way he is which is surprising because it there's one thing this movie does have, it's a lot of time...parts of it just seem to drag on indeterminately. 'Free State of Jones' isn't the first movie I've seen this year where it's more than obvious that a bit of editing would have made for a much better movie. There seems to be a growing trend in Hollywood for studios to allow their filmmakers to show all the money that they put into a film and allow them to keep most of their scenes in the final cut. Of course, a smart director knows when shorter is better (there's a reason Clint Eastwood's 'Sully" is 96 minutes, and it's not because that's all that Eastwood shot), but many directors tend to 'fall in love' with their work and can't help but insist to keep scenes in, even if they hurt their film in doing so. There's probably a really good 105-minute movie in Ross's 140-minute 'Free State of Jones' and those 105 minutes are worth the look. But this 140-minute film is not something you're likely going to want to own. The Blu-Ray: Vital Disc Stats 'Free State of Jones' secedes onto home video in this Blu-ray/DVD/Digital HD combo pack. The 50GB Blu-ray and dual-layer DVD are housed inside a standard Elite keepcase along with an insert containing a code for either an UltraViolet or iTunes digital copy of the movie. A slipcover with artwork matching that of the keepcase's slick slides overtop. Both the Blu-ray and DVD are front-loaded with trailers for Hardcore Henry, Bad Moms, Hard Target 2, The Darkness, 'Snowden', Neighbors 2, and The Purge: Election Year. The Blu-ray main menu is the typical Universal design, with a still black and white image of Matthew McConaughey's character's face and menu selections down the left side of the screen. The Blu-ray in this release is region-free. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. If you are currently a print subscriber but don't have an online account, select this option. You will need to use your 7 digit subscriber account number (with leading zeros) and your last name (in UPPERCASE). Longtime "Native Son" Chronicle columnist Carl Nolte, who you might expect would be one of the first to decry the ways in which San Francisco has changed for the worse, penned a column this weekend that we can add the archive of the opposite camp. "Its the damndest thing," Nolte writes. "A lot of cities are going to hell because the economy is going down. San Francisco is going to hell because the economy is going up. People are mad because the city is booming. Too many people. Too much money, dammit." So he goes about surveying a cross section of his friends, "expatriate San Franciscans, a cab driver or two, and a couple of artists," and he finds that no, SF is not an irredeemable, soulless, techie hellscape, despite what you may have heard or read. With money, of course, comes much better food, as many have pointed out. But Nolte, who grew up on Potrero Hill, says that back in the "Good Old Days," "Potrero Hill didnt have restaurants... just coffee shops." Despite the demise of some dive bars, he champions the new, calling out the recent opening of Bernal beer spot Old Devil Moon, noting that back in his day, you wouldn't find fancy Belgian beer on tap on Mission Street, just Rainier Ale, which they nicknamed "The Green Death." And to counter the idea that the city has lost its soul, he points to Chinatown, which hasn't lost its soul, and he talks to a painter friend who came here in the '60's and who says, "The city still attracts young people. Its still a city of different cultures, different races, sex practices. Always an attraction." Also, observing a fancy cruise ship about to depart from the new terminal at Pier 27, Nolte writes, "Im old enough to remember the old waterfront, crowded, dingy, a bit dangerous. This one is better." You may hear from your grumpy neighbor who went to Burning Man when it was still on Baker Beach that everything has gone to hell and all the cool people have left. You may hear from BrokeAss Stuart that you have to go Oakland to find anything cool anymore. But you can take it from one old-timer, at least, that it's a changed city that only gets better with age if a bit more expensive. Previously: Here's Why Everyone Needs To Stop Bemoaning A Vanishing San Francisco And Move On San Francisco Has Always Been A Pretty Expensive Place To Live For some people, prepping for a job interview falls into the Oh, Ill get to it later category. While its not the best strategy, its certainly an understandable onebut only up to a point. Youre postponing the inevitable, which in this case is a shot at a potentially better-paying job in a role thats upgraded from your current one, says Vicki Salemi, Monsters career expert. Clearly, not everybody got Vickis memo. Among them, these 21 people who found just about anything to do other than get ready for their interview. Sound familiar? The serial cereal eaters Follow Jordan Danae @jordaniaa_ I have an interview in the am I need to b sleep, but I keep thinking bout cereal 11:57 PM - 5 Jun 2016 Retweets likes Follow fierce @sashagradd I have a job interview in 30 minutes so why am I still watching DBZ and eating cereal 9:17 AM - 16 Jun 2016 Retweets 7 7 likes Follow Katie @TheRadiantVII i have a job interview in a few minutes and im still in my pjs. just eating cereal. taking my time. 2:20 PM - 16 Mar 2016 Retweets 3 3 likes The crafty folk Follow jamie-if-you-want-it @youcanwhatit I have an interview in four hours and yet here I am searching how to make paper cranes. 3:25 AM - 2 Jun 2016 Retweets likes The screen addicts (just one more swipe...I swear!) Follow Kait @corruptlou I have a job interview in 20 minutes and instead of getting ready like I should be I'm sitting on the toilet playing with snapchat filters 11:04 AM - 23 Feb 2016 Retweets likes I should be prepping for my interview later. But look at me, still tweeting. Gizelle Cano (@gzllcn) May 29, 2014 Follow Wednesday Addams @alikicksrocks I have an interview in two hours and I'm sitting in bed eating apple slices watching bobs burgers 8:00 AM - 9 Jun 2016 Retweets 4 4 likes Follow Farah @peachesmydog I should be preparing for my interview, but the Sixth Sense just came on 10:49 PM - 22 Feb 2016 Retweets 4 4 likes Follow herbifors @forsmatt I should be preparing for my interview tomorrow but instead I'm watching snake videos 8:41 PM - 24 Jan 2016 Retweets 5 5 likes Poor-life-choice people Follow Kitster @ukulele_chick I should be preparing for my interview but I'm drinking a gin cocktail, eating Triscuits and reading Twitter. C'est ma petit vie. Petite? 6:06 PM - 14 Jun 2016 Retweets 2 2 likes Follow Hannah Clayton @ItsMe_Hannah_C I should be preparing for my interview tomorrow and my final Thursday but instead I'm just going to lay in bed and be consumed by anxiety 8:46 PM - 26 Apr 2016 Greensboro, NC, United States Retweets 5 5 likes Follow lena @kendrickll4ma I forgot I have a job interview in 1 hour and I'm contemplating all my life choices because I'm so hungover 3:43 AM - 7 Jun 2016 Retweets 2 2 likes Follow Tai @HalfordTaila so I have a job interview in an hour and I'm still in bed looking like I have just woken up from a coma:/ 5:36 AM - 19 Jun 2016 Retweets 10 10 likes Follow Sam Pennell @sam_pennell18 I should be prepping for my interview, but I'm laying in bed waiting on pizza. 6:01 PM - 26 Feb 2016 Retweets likes The online shoppers i should be preparing for my interview tomorrow but will i spend the rest of the afternoon looking up laptop sleeves? you bet your ass moon day (@hello_deer) November 18, 2015 Follow Sinead @ilaughtilicry i have a job interview in the morning and instead of sleeping im looking at shoes and listening to really old school britney bcuz priorities 6:27 PM - 8 May 2016 Retweets 6 6 likes The night owls Follow viv @vivianaudreyy Finding dress pants at 1:30 am the night before a job interview is my newest low of my procrastinating tendencies 3:40 AM - 27 May 2015 Retweets likes Follow Sarah Johnson @saritathechica It's 1:30am, I have a job interview in the morning, and I'm watching monsters inc 12:31 AM - 14 May 2016 Retweets 5 5 likes And then there's the pop culture vultures Follow Captain @siLPH_Co I should be sleeping and/or prepping for my job interview, but instead I am building Pokemon decks. My life is under control. 12:08 AM - 22 Jun 2016 Retweets 2 2 likes Follow Conall Keenan @_conallkeenan I have an interview in the morning but I don't wanna sleep incase Beyonce drops her album #FirstWorldPains 6:16 PM - 3 Apr 2016 Northern Ireland, United Kingdom, United Kingdom 6 6 Retweets 65 65 likes Follow Ryan E @HaansYolo I should be prepping for my interview but instead am reading gollum quotes. What's taters, precious? 9:50 AM - 12 Nov 2014 Retweets likes Some of those procrastination moves might make for a good story or tweet, but if youre really looking to nail your interview, you might start with some of Vicki Salemis procrastination tips instead: 1. If youre procrastinating, set a timer. If youre playing Candy Crush, give yourself a 20-minute limit. 2. Im a big fan of productive procrastination. Maybe youre postponing your interview prep, but your apartment needs tidying up. Procrastinate by cleaning! 3. If youre having trouble focusing, research the company youre meeting withcheck out their website, social media feeds and insight on Kununu from employees who work there. 4. Practice your elevator speech with a friend. Answer the question, Why should we hire you? by outlining your top skills and experiences that make you an asset to a company. 5. Feeling too overworked to concentrate? Throw yourself a dance party! Crank your favorite hits for 20 minutesthen get back to business. Like what youve read? Join Monster to get personalized articles and job recommendationsand to help recruiters find you. Many students must take on loans to finance their college educations. While such loans make it possible for students to further their educations, many of those students ultimately graduate with substantial amounts of debt. According to a study by the Institute for College Access & Success, an independent nonprofit organization working to make higher education more available and affordable for people of all backgrounds, 70 percent of students in the class of 2012 graduated with student loan debt. The average amount of debt those students carried was $29,400, and many financial analysts say there is no relief in sight. In fact, the Federal Reserve of New York indicated that, by the end of 2013, American student loan debt had ballooned to $1.08 trillion, an increase of over 300 percent from 2003. Substantial student loan debt can make life difficult for recent graduates, especially when the job market for recent grads is far from robust. Many student loans come with a six-month grace period that gives grades time to work out a repayment plan, and there are ways for new grads to maximize this grace period to their advantage. Know your loan(s). Grace periods vary depending on the loan. While a six-month period is common, some loans have grace periods as long as nine months. There also may be an eligible deferment built in. In addition, while grace periods typically kick in after a student graduates, grace periods actually begin whenever a student withdraws from school or drops below half-time status. That's an important consideration for students thinking of taking a semester off or leaving school altogether. If you plan to continue your education, or re-enroll in school, you may once again be eligible for a repayment grace period. Log in to www.nslds.ed.gov using your Federal Student Aid PIN to view your loan balances, information about who is servicing your loans and more. Pay the interest. For some loans, including some federal Perkins loans and subsidized Stafford loans, interest will not accrue during your grace period. However, interest may begin to accrue immediately upon graduation. You can avoid higher bills by making payments before your grace period expires. The longer you defer your payments, the more interest you may have to pay. Change your repayment plan. Your lender may provide a set repayment plan, but typically you do not have to keep it, but the U.S. Department of Education notes that these lender-established plans are not necessarily set in stone. Contact your loan servicer to come up with a repayment plan that works best for you. You may be able to lower your payments, consolidate various loans, tie monthly payments to your income level, or even have loans forgiven if you work as a teacher or in other areas of public service. Establish an emergency fund. If you are employed, start saving some extra money now so you can build up your bank account, which may be more difficult when you begin paying back loans. Use the time to your advantage by clearing other debt as well. Student loans make it possible for many students to finance their educations. To help reduce debt, make use of your loans' grace periods and get your financial ducks in a row. CAPTION: Student loan grace periods give recent graduates time to develop a repayment plan that works to their advantage. PLEASE NOTE! Due to the March 23, 2020 NM DOH Public Health Order, These Event Listings Are Not Accurate! All non-essential businesses are closed, public gatherings are prohibited! (One day some of these events will be rescheduled or will resume, but they are not happening now!) One of the best westerns in the history of cinema really isn't a western at all. 'High Noon' may be set in the dusty town of Hadleyville somewhere in the blistering Southwest and may climax with a memorable showdown between a high-minded sheriff and vicious band of vengeful cowboys, but director Fred Zinnemann's taut, suspenseful drama eschews classic western motifs in favor of timeless personal and social themes. Characters and ideas, not barroom brawls or Indian skirmishes, drive this riveting claustrophobic yarn that waits to explode like a ticking time bomb. Were it not for the constant bright, hot sun bathing every scene, we might term this outdoorsy period piece a film noir. And yet the western setting, with its black-and-white vision of right and wrong and uncomplicated view of civilization, suits the tale well, emphasizing the core values of honesty, responsibility, and morality that permeate it. The film's premise - a man alone against not only a gang of thugs but also a paranoid society that shuns him - is simple enough, as is the culminating confrontation between good and evil, but the dark subtext of 'High Noon' adds rich, complex shadings that raise the picture to a rarefied plane. A superior, understated script, excellent performances, and artistic direction that meticulously maximizes tension all combine to create an unforgettable motion picture that stands the test of one of the movie's central elements...time. Clocks are everywhere in the movie - which, much like the TV series '24,' takes place almost in real time - and each second weighs heavily upon Will Kane (Gary Cooper), the soft-spoken marshal of Hadleyville, who's one day shy of retirement. Will has just married his fresh-faced sweetheart, Amy (Grace Kelly), when he learns notorious outlaw Frank Miller (Ian MacDonald) has been released from jail and is headed back to town on the noon train, most likely to settle his score with Will, who sent him to prison. Frank's brother and two henchmen await his return at the local depot, and their ominous, scowling presence sends the townsfolk into a tizzy. Though Will's replacement won't arrive until the next day, everyone urges him to flee with his bride and escape the gang's wrath. At first, Will heeds their advice, but soon, his conscience and sense of honor and responsibility to the town he cleaned up and protected overrides his desire for personal safety, and despite the vociferous objections of Amy, who became a pacifist Quaker after her father and brother were killed in a violent attack, he returns to Hadleyville to face the vengeful quartet. Will only has an hour or so to round up a posse to help him fight Miller and his marauders, but he's met with resistance, both cowardly and thoughtful, at every turn. "It's not my battle" is an oft-repeated refrain that greets Kane everywhere he seeks support - the saloon, church, homes of friends. Even his cocky deputy (Lloyd Bridges) rebuffs him because he's bitter about being passed over for Will's job. Amy is resentful, too, believing Will doesn't respect her religious beliefs enough to avoid a violent conflict. In a fit of pique, she decides to leave Will on the same train that will bring his nemesis to town. Helen Ramirez (Katy Jurado), Will's former flame and a successful local businesswoman, also plans to depart, because she believes Hadleyville won't survive the coming carnage. As noon approaches and the townspeople shutter themselves, Will's abandonment is complete, and he's left to take a stand against a vicious band of trigger-happy gun toters all alone. At face value, 'High Noon' is a highly effective, straightforward, no-frills thriller that mounts suspense as well as a Hitchcock mystery. But if you read between the lines, the film also reflects the social and political turbulence that affected America at the time. The House UnAmerican Activities Committee called screenwriter Carl Foreman, briefly a card-carrying Communist in the 1930s, to testify during the movie's production, and when he admitted his party affiliation but refused to implicate others, he was perfunctorily labeled an "uncooperative witness" and blacklisted. His experiences definitely influenced the 'High Noon' script, which many have labeled an indictment of McCarthyism. With good reason. The townspeople and Kane's friends and colleagues keep their heads low and turn their backs on the sheriff to protect themselves, rather than stand up to a bullying entity and fight for the greater good. Fear is a contagion that quickly spreads through the tight-knit community, crippling even the strongest men who appear impervious to weakness. And Will, despite years of noble, courageous work for the people of Hadleyville, becomes persona non grata in the blink of an eye, instantly snubbed (dare we say blacklisted?) by those who saluted and supported him only hours before. 'High Noon' also explores social hypocrisy, denounces religion, and takes an existential tack, as Kane, ultimately forsaken, becomes the master of his own fate. While it's amazing such a tightly constructed film with such an uncomplicated story can brim with so much substance, it's important to note the brilliance of Zinnemann's film lies in its circumspect tone. No grandiose speechifying telegraphs ideas and viewpoints. Instead, an unsettling quiet pervades the piece. We wait for people to speak up and show some passion, but the most powerful statement is their inertia. Interestingly, the movie's opening sequence is silent (except for the overlaid Oscar-winning theme song 'Do Not Forsake Me, Oh My Darling') - a bold and unique choice at the time - and throughout the film Zinnemann crafts an array of indelible images that propel the narrative and convey underlying emotions and motivations without any dialogue. That's the essence of moviemaking, and 'High Noon' is a masterful specimen. Cooper, who won an Oscar for his iconic portrayal (beating out Marlon Brando, Kirk Douglas, Jose Ferrer, and Alec Guinness), almost didn't get the role. Gregory Peck was producer Stanley Kramer's first choice for Will Kane, but Peck turned the part down because he felt it was too similar to the character he played in 'The Gunfighter' a year or so earlier. (Peck later termed his refusal of 'High Noon' the biggest mistake of his career.) Though at 50, Cooper was too old for the role - the character is 35 in the story upon which the movie is based - he doesn't try to hide his age. Instead, he embraces it, bringing to Kane a hint of fragility and vulnerability that add to the burden this put-upon man must carry and make us question whether he's fit to take on the young bucks who target him. Cooper's soft-spoken nature, slight awkwardness, and lazy gait also fit the character like a glove, adding a relatable hesitancy to his work that engenders both sympathy and respect. The supporting cast is excellent, too. In only her second film, the 21-year-old Kelly is still green around the edges and a tad too patrician, but she's a magnetic presence (Zinnemann showers her with beautiful close-ups), while the fiery Jurado won a Golden Globe Award as Best Supporting Actress for her fine work in her second American feature. Lloyd Bridges, Thomas Mitchell, Otto Kruger, Lon Chaney, Jr., Harry Morgan, and Lee Van Cleef in his film debut also shine in small but pivotal parts. In all, 'High Noon' earned seven Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Screenplay, and took home four Oscars (Best Actor, Best Editing, Best Score, and Best Song). Ironically, it lost the Best Picture prize to Cecil B. DeMille's 'The Greatest Show on Earth' - in retrospect, one of the worst Best Picture winners in history. Yet DeMille was a champion of McCarthyism, and in a bit of pandering, the Academy bestowed its top honor on his bloated epic to emphasize the film industry's patriotism and send a message that Hollywood was and would continue to be a team player in the fight against Communism. Today, 'The Greatest Show on Earth' is all but forgotten, but the reputation of 'High Noon' continues to grow, and its potent themes will always remain relevant and inspiring. Call it a western, call it an allegory, call it a drama of ideas, call it a masterwork of precision and suspense. 'High Noon' is many things, but above all, it's a great motion picture that's both entertaining and meaningful. And how fitting that a movie that focuses so intently on the finite nature of time should become one of the most timeless movies in history. The Blu-ray: Vital Disc Stats The Olive Signature edition of 'High Noon' arrives on Blu-ray packaged in a standard clear case inside an attractive matte-finish sleeve. Along with the Joan Crawford western 'Johnny Guitar,' 'High Noon' is the inaugural release in the Olive Signature series, and from a purely aesthetic standpoint, it's a classy, impressive product. An eight-page booklet featuring an insightful essay by Nick James and several black-and-white scene shots - all printed on high-quality glossy stock - is tucked inside the front cover. Video codec is 1080p/AVC MPEG-4 and audio is DTS-HD Master Audio 1.0. Once the disc is inserted into the player, the static menu without music immediately pops up; no previews or promos precede it. SIOUX CITY | Bernie Ketelsen on Aug. 31 ended a 44-year career of working for Woodbury County, after a long time as manager of Little Sioux Park near Correctionville, Iowa. Ketelsen was the longest-serving employee of the Woodbury County Conservation Department. Department Director Rick Schneider said Ketelsen has been a devoted worker who many people see as the face of Little Sioux Park. Ketelsen began his employment with the county on July 15, 1972, as a conservation assistant for the Little Sioux Park and Fowler Forest Preserve areas. In 1975 he became the park officer for Bigelow Park-Browns Lake, and returned to Little Sioux Park in 1978 as the head park manager. Ketelsen managed the Northeast District for the Conservation Department, which includes Little Sioux Park, Shagbark Hills, Midway Park, Walling Access, Curtin Timber and Dixon Bridge Access. He also oversaw the Union Bridge Trail and Stub Gray Shooting Range. Over his career Ketelsen mentored hundreds of summer employees who worked park maintenance, summer ranger and lifeguard positions. He worked with summer youth training programs and with area school classes during environmental field trips to the park. NEW YORK With Congress back at work, small business owners are hoping issues they care about like tax reform or health care will get some attention. They may be left waiting a while. Most of the focus this fall will likely be on the presidential race and other elections. Both houses of Congress are in session during September, then leave for campaigning. They have four scheduled weeks of work starting Nov. 14 in what's known as a lame duck session, but how much lawmakers accomplish then may depend on the results of the presidential voting and which party controls the House and Senate. "There will be a lot of things that will be kicked down the road, and that just continues to cause more uncertainty and unpredictability for small businesses," says Karen Kerrigan, president of the Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council. Meanwhile, small business groups want to see how much attention their wish list gets from the presidential campaigns of Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican Donald Trump. The congressional agenda Kerrigan is optimistic about some bills that have support from both parties, including legislation that would let small businesses offer employees Health Reimbursement Arrangements, or company-funded savings accounts that staffers can use to pay medical bills. HRAs became illegal under the health care overhaul. The bill has passed the House. Another measure with bipartisan support that Kerrigan says has a chance of passing would modify online crowdfunding investment that became legal in May. The bill, which has been approved by the House, would raise the total that a company can raise from individual investors to $5 million from $1 million. It also would allow a fund known as a special-purpose vehicle or single-purpose vehicle to buy shares on behalf of a group of individual investors. That would make crowdfunding more attractive to venture capital or private equity funds that invest on behalf of others. Some legislation could pass by being attached to appropriations bills that will be the priority during the lame duck session, says Todd McCracken, CEO of the National Small Business Association. The NSBA is hoping Congress reauthorizes the Small Business Innovation Research program, under which companies can participate in projects to develop technology products for the government. The program must be authorized by 2017 to continue funding projects, but advocacy groups want Congress to act this year so it doesn't fall through the cracks during what's expected to be a busy legislative session next year. The group also wants Congress to approve President Barack Obama's nominee to the board of directors of the Export-Import Bank, an agency that makes and guarantees loans so U.S. companies can export their goods. Three of the five board seats are vacant, and without a quorum, the bank cannot make loans over $10 million. Obama nominated Mark McWatters, who has held a variety of federal and Texas state government positions, to fill the seat, but the nomination has stalled in the Senate Banking Committee. The National Federation of Independent Business wants lawmakers to amend federal regulations including rules taking effect Dec. 1 that require an estimated 4.2 million workers to be given overtime pay, spokesman Jack Mozloom says. In an NSBA survey of business owners released Wednesday about the issues they want Congress and the president to address first, just over a fifth mentioned reducing the national deficit, and 19 percent said they should end partisan gridlock and work together. Fourteen percent mentioned simplifying the tax system, and 11 percent want health care costs addressed. The survey questioned more than 1,000 owners, including members and non-members of NSBA, from July 22 to Aug. 3. What the candidates say Although much of the focus of the presidential campaign has been on the candidates' personalities, they have made spoken about some issues that affect small business. Clinton has released proposals including: A standard deduction for expenses similar to the ones available to individual taxpayers. She also wants to increase the equipment and property tax deduction known as the Section 179 deduction to $1 million from the current $500,000. An expansion of the small business tax credit under the health overhaul to include employers with up to 50 employees, up from the current 25. Reducing regulations that limit small business lending by community banks and credit unions. Trump's proposals include: A 15 percent maximum tax on business income. A review of all regulations on businesses with an eye to eliminating the least critical to health and safety, and regulations including Environmental Protection Agency rules covering streams on private land. Renegotiating the 22-year-old North American Free Trade Agreement and withdrawing from the Trans-Pacific Partnership, which is awaiting approval from Congress. Small business advocates say they'd like to see more details from both candidates. The National Federation of Independent Business wants to know whether business owners whose companies don't pay corporate taxes partnerships and sole proprietors might also see their rates fall, Mozloom says. What to do in the meantime? Surveys this spring showed small business owners were scaling back expansion and hiring plans, in part because of uncertainty about the election. But there won't be a new Congress and administration until January, meaning owners could be in limbo. "They're in a holding pattern, waiting to see what's going to happen," Mozloom says. Depending on the election results, slow progress on small business issues could last into in 2017. Owners might want to consider just moving ahead, says John Arensmeyer, CEO of the Small Business Majority. "I don't think they should be waiting around to make business decision based on who's going to get elected," he says. If Christopher Guest had gotten to the Federal Duck Stamp competition before Brian Golden Davis, we might have had another outrageous Best in Show. Instead, Davis plays it straight, making the documentary a rousing who won it? just by following a handful of competitors. Some like Burbank, South Dakotas Adam Grimm view it as the American Idol of painting. Others like Minnesotan Rob McBroom see it as a way to test the boundaries of tradition. Davis introduces each of the artists on their home turf, then follows as they create the works that will square off at the national finals. Dee Dee Murry has a dog that paints; Tim Taylor is a true believer whod love to see Grimm win if he cant. The crown princes of duck painting, though, are the Hautman brothers who have won more times than anyone. Two brothers are ineligible (winners have to sit out for three years), the third wants to approach his siblings four-peats. Davis includes a clip from the film Fargo that reinforces their dominance. Setting the scene nicely, he builds to the big event where five judges consider more than 200 paintings of ducks. Regulars say a win results in thousands of dollars of business, even though there is no monetary prize for the first place finisher. If you can paint ducks, you can earn a million bucks, an observer notes. The judging is tense you can see the competitors stirring in the audience. The finalists are impossible to predict. Golden gets plenty of drama from something thats compared to the Olympics. It has a spelling bee kitschy-ness and an honesty thats not even found in politics. McBroom clearly relishes his position as a detractor (he uses Taylors work as a starting point and loves to poke the bear) and isnt afraid to break rules. Grimm is a more natural hero. He supports his family with his art and puts in the time needed to craft a winner. When we see all the work he does (from tracking birds in their habitats to agonizing over brushstrokes), its clear hes a favorite. Still, those judges dont need artistic skill, just an ability to weigh in on what they like. Like the finalists, we get nervous on judging day and dont stop worrying until the winner is named. Luckily, Davis has the winner in his mix. He never tips his hand but he does show us what we need to know before the announcement. Million Dollar Duck is an engrossing documentary that will have you chuckling while it sucks you in. It doesnt tear the lid off the competition but it does show the level of seriousness with which this is approached. Different strokes for different folks? Oh, yeah. Duck doesnt just fly, it soars. The Million Dollar Duck airs Wednesday on Animal Planet. SIOUX CITY | Candice Nash is a self-confessed fair food aficionado. Growing up with a dad who was a pork producer, she has attended her share of state and county fairs. So its a no-brainer that this is how she acquired a critic's knowledge of deep-fried foods. "Deep-fried candy bars are great and so are deep-fried fruits," she said. Peaches are especially good following an oily bath, she said. "The only thing that disappointed me was deep-fried butter, which is good in theory but not great in taste, she said. For Nash, who works as the morning DJ on KSUX-FM, a new item in grocery freezers is a must-try. "Foods just taste more delightful after being deep fried," said Nash, minutes before taste-testing two versions of the new Hostess Deep Fried Twinkies. "I've been eating deep-fried Twinkies at various fairs for at least six or seven years," she said. "I'm curious to see if these can match the taste of the ones I've seen in the past." Hostess worked with Walmart in the creation of consumer-friendly, deep-fried Twinkies. Available exclusively in the frozen food sections of Walmart since August, these Twinkies may be deep-fried, cooked in a toaster oven or baked in a 350-degree conventional oven for 6 to 8 minutes. Whats that? "I don't know about this," Nash said, skeptically looking at the fresh-from-the-oven Twinkie. "A deep-fried Twinkie needs to burn off at least 25 percent of your taste buds during the first bite. This probably won't do the trick." One of the things Nash noticed immediately about the new, mass-produced deep-fried Twinkie was the lack of any sort of stick. "Nuh-uh, it needs a stick," she said with a laugh. "There's always the chance that the bad, artery-clogging stuff will get sprayed out if a stick's involved." The Midwestern creation of a cream-filled cake Legend has it that the Twinkie was invented by James Alexander Dewar in Schiller Park, Illinois, in 1930. A baker for the Continental Baking Company (later known as Hostess), he came to the realization that machines used to make cream-filled strawberry shortcakes sat idle outside when the fruit's growing season was over. Idle machines were a no-no at the start of the Great Depression. So Dewar concocted a cake that would be filled with banana cream. He dubbed it a "Twinkie." A World War II ration on bananas resulted in a change to vanilla cream as the filling of choice for Twinkies. Despite the introduction of other flavor fillings over the years, the vanilla cream-filled Twinkies are considered definitive by most snack cake fanatics. Grease is the word for a golden snack A kitschy treat that has been enjoyed by generations of Americans, Twinkies remains Hostess' best-selling snack cake. Ever wondered how many Twinkies are made every year? Industry insiders say at least half a billion. The deep-fried Twinkie has been an American fair staple for years. Surprisingly, the originator of the idea to deep-fry a battered Twinkie is credited to Christopher Sell, an English transplant to the United States. So, would Nash pick up a box of deep-fried Twinkies from a frozen food aisle any time soon? Probably not. The fun of deep-fried Twinkies is battering the cakes yourself and personally dropping them into a deep fryer, she said. "In life, it's the destiny that's more in important than the trip. Like Twinkies, there's a lot of tradition wrapped up in fair foods." SIOUX CITY | The Rev. Jay Denne will conclude the 10 a.m. church service at St. Luke Lutheran Church in Sioux City Sunday morning by doing something he's never done before: He'll bless a "Blessing Box." "It's part of a 'God's Work Our Hands Day' at church," said Lisa Franco, a parishioner at St. Luke Lutheran Church, two blocks south of Morningside Avenue on the corner of South St. Aubin Street. A Blessing Box contains food and nonperishable items available for anyone to pick up, at any time. There are diapers, bars of soap and hair care products as well. The structure is attached to a pole on the front lawn of the church. It is wooden, stained, and has a door with a latch. The idea, according to Franco, came from a relative in Iowa City, Iowa, where a church erected a similar Blessing Box not long ago. What makes it different from the church's food pantry is its accessibility. One need not go inside the church during regular office hours to receive aid. Other Blessing Box sites have popped up all over the U.S. in recent months, if not years, often near churches, or along busy thoroughfares. Some private residents have built a Blessing Box on their own front yard, and have placed items from their own cupboards in the box out front. The concept mirrors that of the Little Free Libraries that have sprouted up in Sioux City in recent months. One such library has dozens of books at the front door of the Sioux City Journal. Readers may stop to pick up a book for free from the Little Free Library, no questions asked. The box, one of 10 in the community dedicated to the encouragement of reading, is made from a refurbished Journal newspaper rack. "We want the Blessing Box to be used," Franco continued. "We hate to have to go to that, but that's maybe where our society is at right now. We do hope other churches follow suit." The U.S. Agriculture Department last week reported that more than 10 percent of Iowa households were classified as "food insecure" from 2013 to 2015. That term means the family had trouble at some point in providing food for all family members. Food bank and food pantry efforts across the region attempt to keep pace with demand. In Cherokee, Iowa, for example, an official noted that the Christian Action Program Food Bank, in the basement of the rectory serving Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, served 20 to 25 people per month six years ago when the community's largest employer, Tyson Deli Foods, employed 770. Last December, in the wake of the plant's 2015 closing a year ago, the food pantry served well over 300 residents. Teresa Westcott, an official with the organization in Cherokee, noted that the Christian Action Food Bank there has served 3,060 people over the past 12 months. Denne, who also serves St. Thomas Episcopal Church in Sioux City, said that church has a food pantry open each Monday and Wednesday. "During August, our food pantry had a record-breaking month by serving 294 families," he said. "It shows there is a need." This week, the Yankton (S.D.) School District will open a food pantry at Lincoln Elementary School in Yankton. The site will be open from 6-8 p.m. on the second and fourth Wednesday of each month. It will be available to families who have a child in the school district. Back in Sioux City, the Blessing Box at St. Luke Lutheran Church will attempt to address the same concern. "We think we're the first (Blessing Box) in Sioux City, if not western Iowa," Franco said. "We've put this out as a congregation and we hope other congregations do the same. "Hunger is an issue 24 hours per day, 7 days per week," Franco said. "We did this to serve anyone in the community at any time. It might help a mother at 6 a.m. who needs lunch help, or someone at midnight who needs a diaper for the baby." The service is open to anyone, whether or not they're a member of St. Luke Lutheran Church. There are no questions asked, no charges, no qualifiers. "We began filling it last Sunday and placed items in there before church," said Franco. "We want items to be there, so if someone has a need, they can take something from the box." ATLANTA Does this gun make me look fat? For decades, women have had few choices when it comes to the clothing they can wear to hide that they're carrying a firearm. They could wear baggy T-shirts or coats, or put it in a purse and hope it didn't get swiped or that they didn't have trouble getting it out in an emergency. Enter holsters, corsets, camisoles and other clothing designed to be flattering, feminine and functional for the pistol-packin' mama crowd. "I don't want to dress in tactical gear and camo all the time. I love tactical clothing for the range. It's comfortable. I don't want to ruin my everyday clothing," said Marilyn Smolenski, who in 2012 created Nickel and Lace, a company that caters to women who want to carry a firearm concealed but don't want to trade in their femininity. "But I don't want to wear it to the grocery store." Smolenski started her company right around the time when Chicago city laws changed and she could again legally carry a firearm. When that happened, she struggled to find something that didn't make her look frumpy and didn't broadcast that she was packing heat. Most of the clothing was geared to men coats with hidden pockets, or holsters that tuck neatly inside a waistband. But until the last few years, those weren't always great options for women who don't wear belts as frequently and are more likely than men to wear form-fitting clothing, making it difficult to hide the fact they're carrying a firearm. "When you put a man's holster on a woman's body it sticks out. It doesn't hug the body," said Carrie Lightfoot, founder and owner of The Well Armed Woman in Scottsdale, Arizona, which does everything from providing firearms instruction to women to selling a variety of concealed carry clothing. One of her company's first missions was to design and produce a holster that recognized the differences in body types and clothing styles between men and women. Women's waists tend to be shorter, providing less room to withdraw a gun from a holster. Hips and chests can get in the way too, she said. Lightfoot and Smolenski said that some manufacturers tended to "shrink it and pink it" thinking that taking gear produced for men and making it smaller and brightly colored would satisfy female customers. They and their counterparts emphasize they are driven first by function and safety before aesthetics come into the equation. "Women need to know they can carry effectively," Lightfoot said. "I think the key is finding a way to carry it so you can be comfortable and move through your day without being poked and having a big hunk of metal in your pants and not be able to sit at work." Both also are advocates for providing women with information and guidance on ways to feel secure and be safe. For Smolenski, that goal has led to the creation of the annual Firearms and Fashion Show which includes seminars on personal safety. Her company actually got its start with a line of jewelry from necklaces that can be pulled away easily and then used as a weapon to "chopsticks" that can both be used to hold up hair and then be wielded against an attacker. For Anna Taylor, the founder and CEO of Dene Adams LLC named after her grandfather, who first taught her to respect firearms and handle them safely the road to creating a line of concealed carry clothing began at around the time she became a single mom and the safety of the family rested on her shoulders. When she got her first concealed carry permit in 2013, she went through seven different holsters. "Some were hard and uncomfortable. Some of them I'd have to take off and set down when I went to the bathroom and I was afraid I would go off and leave it just like I've left my phone behind before. Others, belly band types with a print so bad you could see the grip or outline of the gun through my clothes," Adams said. "So when I went out in public, I felt like I had these awkward arms always trying to hide this thing." Her first design involved a mousepad and a post-partem corset to create a soft holster. She was able to carry the kids around, nurse, give the kids baths even jump on the trampoline "and I could forget that it was there." With her last $200, she found a manufacturer willing to do a small run. Flash forward three years and she now has products on shelves at nearly 100 dealers around the country. She has expanded into safety and training and is now an NRA pistol and rifle instructor. She even has a few men who buy her products including, she said, air marshals, who gravitate to the snug, comfortable designs. "We have options that don't have lace. We have solid black," she said. SOUTH SIOUX CITY | Atokad galloped back into South Sioux City Saturday with a three horse race. The new track-- that is owned by Ho-Chunk Inc.-- must hold at least one live race this year to maintain the racing license they received from the state earlier this year, and it shot right out of the gates. "This turnout is amazing. I wasn't sure how many people would come," Alexcia Boggs, development director for Ho-Chunk, said. "I think we planned for about 250 and we had about 300 hundred giveaway gifts and 300 programs to give out, and we ran out." The event had family-friendly games, food, a crazy hat contest, pony rides and a place to make your bets on the three horse race-- the amount the state would only allow to a track's first race. "I put $20 on lane one," Chris Twinn, of Sioux City, said. "I was just listening to people around me and they said to go with them." Twinn got good advice. The horse in lane one--Tranarchy-- nudged out Tax Scratch Fever for the $3,500 prize in a time of 12.80 seconds on the furlong track. Gold Mine Girl finished closely behind. Ho-Chunk, the Winnebago Tribe's economic development corporation, purchased the former Atokad Downs in 2012 with the hope of developing a $30 million to $40 million casino at the South Sioux City site. The 65-foot-wide track, which is a furlong from start to finish was recently completed earlier this year. But a proposed constitutional amendment to legalize casino wagering at Atokad and other horse tracks in Nebraska is still stuck at the starting gate. This summer, the pro-gambling group, Keep the Money in Nebraska, financially backed by Ho-Chunk and the Nebraska Horesman's Association, gathered more than 120,000 signatures to place on the November ballot an initiative to legalize casinos at the tracks. Nebraska Secretary of State John Gale's office, however, rejected 31,600 signatures as invalid, leaving supporters well short of the number of signatures needed. Ho-Chunk said they are still in the regrouping phase after the failed initiative, but they are going to keep trying to keep their plan alive. "We certainly looked forward to seeing this blossom and became a part of Nebraska racing," Jayne Mann, of Aurora, Neb., said. "We just came to see how far they have come in a short amount of time." Register for more free articles. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! Already a Subscriber? Already a Subscriber? Sign in Terms of Service Privacy Policy WINNEBAGO, Neb. | Last fall, Tonie Greve was experiencing severe chest pains when she arrived at Winnebago Hospital. Greve, a member of the Omaha Tribe of Nebraska and a registered nurse who worked at the hospital run by Indian Health Service (IHS) for more than a decade, said she had to affix the EKG leads to her chest because a nurse didn't know how to put them on. At the time, Greve said she wasn't sure if she was having a heart attack or just a bad bout of asthmatic bronchitis. The first doctor she saw remarked that her blood sugar level was probably 600 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL) because of her weight. Greve asked for her primary care doctor who happened to be walking through the emergency department. "He goes, 'You're diabetic now?' That's how the contract doctors treat the patients," recalled Greve, whose lab work later revealed she had a blood sugar level of 93 mg/dL. A normal blood sugar level is less than 140 mg/dL two hours after eating and less than 100 mg/dL after not eating for eight hours. In May 2015, Greve lost her job at the embattled facility in Winnebago that provides free health care to enrolled members of the Winnebago and Omaha Indian tribes and other tri-state area tribes after she said she blew the whistle on a case of negligence that led to a patient death. That same month, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released a report that identified a number of life-threatening deficiencies at the hospital. CMS terminated the hospital's Medicare contract on July 23, 2015, after IHS and hospital officials failed to correct a series of deficiencies the agency identified. More than a year later, the federal government still isn't reimbursing the hospital for treating patients enrolled in Medicare, the federal health care program for the elderly and disabled. IHS officials says improvements have been made at the hospital, where some top staff have been replaced and day-to-day management of the emergency department was recently turned over to a private contractor. But some tribal members say patients' lives remain at risk. "It's not improving. It's getting worse. People continue to lose their lives because of poor care," said Wehnona Stabler, CEO of Carl T. Curtis Health Education Center, located on the Omaha reservation in Macy. Stabler was employed with IHS for 31 years. Tori Kitcheyan, treasurer for the Winnebago Tribe, testified before the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs in February. She said at least five of the hospital's patients have died "unnecessarily," including a child under age 3. These deaths were documented in CMS reports. In July, Kitcheyan told the House Subcommittee on Indian, Insular and Alaska Native Affairs, "We have no way of knowing how many more unnecessary deaths and misdiagnosis have occurred at the hands of IHS personnel." In a statement last week, Kitcheyan told the Journal the tribe remains hopeful the hospital will be ready for Medicare recertification this fall, but she said the Winnebago Tribal Council continues to receive complaints about administrators, providers and poor quality of care at the hospital. Stabler and Greve both cited the March death of a patient with diabetes. They say the unidentified woman died because medical staff at Winnebago Hospital's emergency department failed to perform a finger-stick test to check her blood sugar. The Journal contacted CMS to try to verify the allegation. CMS doesn't have the authority to conduct investigations because the hospital isn't currently a Medicare-certified facility, according to a CMS spokeswoman. IHS spokeswoman Britt Ehrhardt wrote in an Aug. 9 email that IHS is unable to comment on specific cases due to medical privacy laws. She wrote that IHS is working with the Winnebago and Omaha tribes to implement a comprehensive plan to ensure the safe delivery of care for all patients at the hospital and to restore full Medicare billing and reimbursement work. Under its treaty rights, Kitcheyan said the tribe is working to compact with IHS to assume full funding and control over programs, services, functions and activities that IHS provides. "The Winnebago Tribal Council is committed to a successful transition while ensuring the health, safety and wellness of the 10,000 Native Americans who count on the facility for health care," she said. Need for care is great In exchange for ceding millions of acres of tribal lands, American Indian tribes are guaranteed federal responsibilities and benefits, including free health care, through treaties made with the federal government. IHS, an agency within the Department of Health and Human Services, is responsible for providing federal health services to 1.9 million American Indians and Alaska Natives who belong to 567 federally recognized tribes in 35 states. It was established in 1955 after American Indian health services were transferred from the Bureau of Indian Affairs to the Public Health Service, in hopes of improving the health care of American Indians living on reservations. Mark Morgan, a primary care physician who served as acting clinical director at Winnebago Hospital from June 2012 to October 2014, said diabetes is prevalent among patients who live on the Omaha and Winnebago reservations. He said additional conditions that occur along with diabetes include heart disease, infections, amputations and kidney disease. Autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and scleroderma also disproportionately affect American Indians, according to Morgan. "Patients really suffer from all of these complications that go along with diabetes and the onset is very young," said Morgan, who now works as clinical director of Carl T. Curtis Health Education Center. "In our nursing home we have people in the 40-year-old age range." Stabler said some members of the Omaha Tribe are afraid to go to Winnebago Hospital's ER just 9 miles up the road. According to a May 2015 CMS survey, the hospital caused "immediate jeopardy" to 10 of 30 randomly selected patients. Those patients include the following: A 60-year-old man came to the hospital multiple times on July 3, 2014, complaining of chest pain. A physician never examined the patient, who was tearful and grabbing his chest. He was eventually transferred to a Sioux City hospital. A 28-year-old woman, who was 14 weeks pregnant and experiencing bleeding, arrived at the hospital on April 12, 2015. When staff couldn't find a fetal heart beat with equipment, they told the woman's mother to drive her to a Sioux City hospital. A 15-month-old with rapid breathing and a fever was discharged on Jan. 20, 2015, after receiving a nebulizer treatment and ibuprofen. The child's parents brought him back on Jan. 22 in respiratory distress. The child was transferred to a Sioux City hospital. Stabler said she has given gas vouchers to patients who want to seek medical care elsewhere. The majority of people living on the reservation, she said, can't afford care at the next closest hospitals in Sioux City, Omaha or Pender, Nebraska. "The law asks you to go there. They want us to go there first," Stabler said. "Because that hospital's not functioning, because we cannot depend on it, because a lot of us are scared to go there, it has created a whole other level of burden and thats not fair to the patients." Emergency department encounters declined at Winnebago Hospital from fiscal year 2014 to fiscal year 2015, falling from 10,496 to 9,564, according to IHS data. The facility recorded 10,379 emergency department encounters in fiscal year 2013. However, the hospital's average daily patient load increased from 2.1 in 2012 to 9.2 in 2014. In May, the IHS contracted with AB Staffing Solutions to take over emergency departments at Winnebago and two other troubled IHS hospitals on the reservations of the Pine Ridge and Rosebud tribes in South Dakota. AB Staffing Solutions will manage the three hospitals for a year, with an option for an additional four, one-year contracts. If the company stays for six years, the contract would be worth $60 million. In July, AB Staffing Solutions personnel began running the Winnebago Hospital's emergency department, which is fully staffed with a director, four physicians and two mid-level providers. A physician is at the hospital 24 hours each day, Ehrhardt said in an email. The Winnebago Hospital also was included in a national contract to provide hospital management staff with intensive training and education on the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Conditions of Participation for Medicare, she noted. Evan Burks, president of the Gilbert, Arizona-based company, acknowledged AB Staffing Solutions "has much work to do," but he said the quality of services will continue to improve by working with IHS staff and the community. He said board certified or board eligible emergency physicians are providing care at the hospital. "I'm proud of our staff for accepting the challenge of attracting qualified, quality personnel, especially at a time when emergency department experienced providers and RNs are in high demand throughout the nation," he said. 'Am I gonna die?' Serious management problems and substandard health care services at tribal hospitals in the IHS' Great Plains region based in Amberdeen, South Dakota, first came to light in 2010 when former U.S. Sen. Byron Dorgan, D-North Dakota, launched an investigation into the facilities. The Dorgan Report found several IHS facilities had health care providers on staff who lacked proper licensing or credentialing. Staff positions at these facilities remained vacant for long periods of time and service units experienced substantial and recurring diversions of reduced health care services due to a lack of qualified providers or funds. The report also revealed employees with a record of misconduct or poor performance were being transferred to different health facilities within the IHS system. Greve said some changes were made in 2011, but within two years of the release of the investigation's findings, she said "proactive solutions" were replaced by "silence." In 2013, she said she started noticing staff at Winnebago Hospital weren't complying with federal health care system regulations by working outside their scope of practice. A pharmacist was examining wound care patients and writing orders, while nurses were mixing intravenous medications and running laboratory equipment, according to Greve. She said she was asked by a supervisor to go to the drug dependency unit to write orders and dispense medications to patients. She said she refused because she lacked training in that area. Greve said nurses were carrying out doctor's orders that had been discontinued or were no longer valid. While patients who came to the hospital seeking emergency contraceptives or drugs to treat sexually transmitted diseases were being sent home without medication, Greve said some patients with wounds were taking antibiotics longer than they should have been. The overuse and misuse of antibiotics contributes to antibiotic resistance, a growing public health concern that makes it harder and more expensive to treat bacterial infections. Greve said her brother's recovery was delayed when staff failed to renew a medication he was prescribed to treat a wound. She said family members who use Winnebago Hospital continue to tell her they aren't getting their medications. The death of a patient on April 17, 2014, put Winnebago Hospital and IHS back under the microscope. Greve, who was working when the patient went into cardiac arrest, reported the wrongdoing she witnessed, prompting CMS to review the facility. According to CMS's survey, a 35-year-old man was admitted to the hospital with breathing problems on April 14, 2014. Over the next three days, nursing staff failed to measure his oxygen intake and output and report his deteriorating condition to the attending physician. At 10 a.m. on April 17, the man was found on the floor of his room. Ten hospital personnel, including a physician, spent 30 minutes getting him back into bed. The hospital didn't have mechanical lifting equipment that could accommodate the 590-pound patient. At 12:40 p.m., the patient's blood pressure dropped significantly and he stopped breathing. The charge nurse didn't know how to access the hospital intercom system from the telephone in the patient's room to call an emergency alert, according to the survey. Twenty more minutes elapsed before the patient was intubated because the crash cart was missing emergency airway resuscitating equipment. The man later died. "I had told everybody that day, 'I am blowing the whistle,'" recalled Greve, who now lives in Mesa, Arizona. After moving, Greve gave up nursing for a while. She said she still has nightmares about the man's death. Genres : Music, Concert Starring : Toto Plot Synopsis Toto have welcomed many different band members across their long career but in the early nineties they had a short period as a four-piece featuring Steve Lukather (guitar & lead vocals), David Paich (keyboards & vocals), Jeff Porcaro (drums & percussion) and Mike Porcaro (bass). The line-up, with some additional touring members, performed this concert at Montreux in July 1991 and would go on to make the Kingdom Of Desire album released in 1992, shortly after the tragic early death of drummer Jeff Porcaro. The Montreux show, now being released for the first time, combines then unreleased tracks from the Kingdom Of Desire album with classic hits and covers of songs by Jimi Hendrix and Sly Stone. It is a perfect addition to any Toto fan's collection. TRACKLISTING: 1) On The Run 2) Kingdom Of Desire 3) I ll Be Over You 4) Africa 5) Jake To The Bone 6) Red House 7) Rosanna 8) I Want To Take You Higher SIOUX CITY | Democratic candidates Jay Williams and Paula Hawks face big challenges as they seek to oust, respectively, U.S. Sen. John Thune and U.S. Rep. Kristi Noem in heavily Republican South Dakota. The 2016 general election outcome could continue a trend in South Dakota, as no Democrat has won federal office since 2008, when Stephanie Herseth Sandlin won a House seat. Two years later, Noem knocked off Herseth Sandlin. South Dakota is a tough state for Democrats, as Republicans usually rack up fundraising leads and the number of registered Republicans now exceeds Democrats, 246,953 compared to 169,038. Williams is a business owner who lives in Yankton. A former teacher, Hawks is a state representative from Hartford. Last month she held a town hall meeting in the area, talking about agriculture and jobs in Vermillion. Hawks points to her expertise on education issues and continues to stress agricultural issues in her campaign. Hawks came of age during the 1980s farm crisis growing up on a rural Flandreau farm, so Hawks' campaign manager Michael Ewald said she understands the primacy of agriculture in the state. Ewald said Noem is "invested" in climbing in the Washington power game, although he acknowledged she is a formidable competitor. "We've got to work 10 times harder, make more phone calls, knock more doors, host more events and log more miles and that's what we've been doing," Ewald said. "From a more philosophical perspective, we've really tried to put Paula in a position where she can connect directly with voters as much as possible with no filters, hosting town halls all across the state. And we've also made it a point to reach out to every voter, Democrat, Republican and independent." In campaign finance reports through the most recent period, Williams had raised less than $37,000 through June 30. Four days ago, Thune felt so comfortable in his re-election bid that he told colleagues was giving $2 million from his own campaign funds to the National Republican Senatorial Committee, to help elect other GOP senators. Williams spoke Wednesday at an East River Electric Coop forum in Sioux Falls. In that appearance, Williams said there is gridlock in the Senate with a failure to fill court judge vacancies and that Thune is part of the problem. The South Dakota Republican Party did not respond to interview requests. WASHINGTON -- The president of the United States lands with all the majesty of Air Force One, waiting to exit the front door and stride down the rolling staircase to the red-carpeted tarmac. Except that there is no rolling staircase. He is forced to exit -- as one China expert put it rather undiplomatically -- through "the ass" of the plane. This happened on Sept. 3 at Hangzhou airport. Yes, in China. If the Chinese didn't invent diplomatic protocol, they surely are its most venerable and experienced practitioners. They've been at it for 4,000 years. They are the masters of every tributary gesture, every nuance of hierarchical ritual. In a land so exquisitely sensitive to protocol, rolling staircases don't just disappear at arrival ceremonies. Indeed, not one of the other G-20 world leaders was left stranded on his plane upon arrival. Did President Xi Jinping directly order airport personnel and diplomatic functionaries to deny Barack Obama a proper welcome? Who knows? But the message, whether intentional or not, wasn't very subtle. The authorities expressed no regret, no remorse and certainly no apology. On the contrary, they scolded the press for even reporting the snub. No surprise. China's ostentatious rudeness was perfectly reflective of the world's general disdain for President Obama. His high-minded lectures about global norms and demands that others live up to their "international obligations" are no longer amusing. They're irritating. Foreign leaders have reciprocated by taking this administration down a notch knowing they pay no price. In May 2013, Vladimir Putin reportedly kept the U.S. secretary of state cooling his heels for three hours outside his office before deigning to receive him. Even as Obama was hailing the nuclear deal with Iran as a great breakthrough, the ayatollah vowed "no change" in his policy, which remained diametrically opposed to "U.S. arrogant system." The mullahs followed by openly conducting illegal ballistic missile tests -- calculating, correctly, that Obama would do nothing. And when Iran took prisoner 10 American sailors in the Persian Gulf, made them kneel and broadcast the video, what was the U.S. response? Upon their release, John Kerry publicly thanked Iran for its good conduct. Why should Xi treat Obama with any greater deference? Beijing illegally expands into the South China Sea, meeting only the most perfunctory pushback from the U.S. Obama told CNN that he warned Xi to desist or "there will be consequences." Is there a threat less credible? Putin annexes Crimea and Obama crows about the isolation he has imposed on Russia. Look around. Moscow has become Grand Central Station for Middle East leaders seeking outside help in their various conflicts. As for Ukraine, both the French president and the German chancellor have hastened to Moscow to plead with Putin to make peace. Some isolation. Iran regularly harasses our vessels in the Persian Gulf. Russian fighters buzzed a U.S. destroyer in the Baltic Sea. And just Wednesday, a Russian fighter flew within 10 feet of an American military jet. The price they paid? Being admonished that such provocations are unsafe and unprofessional. An OSHA citation is more ominous. Add to that American acquiescence not just to ransoming hostages held by Iran, but to delivering the loot by unmarked plane filled with stacks of cold (untraceable) cash, like a desert drug deal. Why the stealth? Obviously to conceal the manner of the transaction from Congress and the American public. Some humiliations are so grotesque that even the Obama team can't miss it. Now the latest. At the G-20, Obama said he spoke to Putin about cyberwarfare, amid revelations that Russian hackers have been interfering in our political campaigns. We are more technologically advanced, both offensively and defensively, in this arena than any of our adversaries, said Obama, but we really don't want another Cold War-style arms race. Instead, we must all adhere to norms of international behavior. It makes you want to weep. This KGB thug adhering to norms? He invades Ukraine, annexes Crimea, bombs hospitals in Aleppo -- and we expect him to observe cyber-code etiquette? Rather than exploit our technological lead -- with countermeasures and deterrent threats -- to ensure our own cyber safety? We're back to 1929 when Secretary of State Henry Stimson shut down a U.S. code-breaking operation after it gave him decoded Japanese telegrams. He famously explained that "gentlemen do not read each other's mail." Well, comrade, Putin is no gentleman. And he's reading our mail. DES MOINES | Voters in large numbers do not approve of the presidential candidates presented to them by the Democratic and Republican political parties. That has given third-party candidates an opportunity to make more of an impact on this election than any since the 1990s. Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Hillary Clinton are viewed less favorably by voters than any major-party presidential candidate since pollsters first asked the question in the 1960s. In a recent NBC News poll, Trump was viewed favorably by 36 percent of voters and unfavorably by 62 percent, and Clinton was viewed favorably by 38 percent unfavorably by 60 percent. That appears to have created an opening for candidates from outside the two major political parties, including Libertarian Gary Johnson, Jill Stein of the Green Party and independent Evan McMullin. Its a race like no other, in a sense that these are the two most disliked candidates that have run for president in recent memory, and some people are searching for some out, for some kind of third option, said Kedron Bardwell, chair of the political science department at Simpson College in Indianola. Johnson thus far has had the most success in polling on the presidential race. He has reached double digits in many polls and has the best chance of the third-party candidates to qualify for the presidential debates. In order to participate in the debates, Johnson must average 15 percent in polls approved by the debate commission. Johnson is averaging 9 percent in Real Clear Politics polling average. Third-party candidates have faced long odds in U.S. presidential elections ever since the Democratic and Republican parties took command in the late 1800s. No state has gone to a third-party candidate since 1968, when George Wallace won five states in the South, and no third-party candidate has cracked the top two in an election since Theodore Roosevelt, as a Progressive in 1912, finished a distant second to Democrat Woodrow Wilson but won six states and beat incumbent Republican President William H. Taft. Third-party candidates most recently made tangible impacts in the 1992, 1996 and 2000 elections. In 1992, Ross Perot qualified for the debates as an independent and earned 17.4 percent of the vote in Iowa. He tried again in 1996 with the Reform Party that he created and got 8.5 percent of the Iowa vote. In 2000, Ralph Nader of the Green Party got 2 percent of the vote. No third-party candidate has earned as much as 1 percent of the vote since. Johnson and Stein, the two most prominent third-party candidates in the polls this year, were on the ballot in 2012 as well. Johnson secured just 0.8 percent of the vote in Iowa and Stein just 0.2 percent. Theres a very low bar for how well these candidates have done in the last few elections, Bardwell said. I dont think a lot of people have that distinct memory of Perot, so theyre used to these elections where a certain number of people say theyre going to vote for third party and then a week before the race comes, all of a sudden they say, Oh, gosh, but that would waste my vote. So they change. It appears unlikely a third-party candidate this year will succeed in winning a state. If he continues to move up in the polls, Johnson could reach the level of support Perot reached in the 1990s. But Johnson or Stein could affect the election by siphoning support from Trump or Clinton, tilting the scales of the presidential race. Polling experts have said it is too early to tell whether Trump or Clinton are losing more voters to third-party candidates. Whats more, those experts say its not clear voters who say now that they plan to vote for a third-party candidate will do so when they cast their ballots. I havent seen (the polling impact of third-party candidates) shift a whole lot, and when I have seen it shift, Ive seen it shift both ways, said Chris Larimer, a political science professor at the University of Northern Iowa. I think its still a little bit of an unknown. The third-party candidates also remain largely unknown. On average, more than half of voters surveyed do not know enough about Johnson or Stein to form an opinion, according to the Huffington Posts poll tracker. The following companies are subsidiares of Barclays: Adler Toy Holding Sarl, Aequor Investments Limited, Alymere Investments Limited, Alynore Investments Limited Partnership, Analog Analytics, Analog Analytics Inc, Analytical Trade Holdings LLC, Analytical Trade Investments LLC, Analytical Trade UK Limited, Archstone Equity Holdings Inc, Ardencroft Investments Limited, B D & B Investments Limited, B.P.B. 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Limited, and Zeban Nominees Limited. Read More A day after describing half of Donald Trump's supporters as "deplorables," Hillary Clinton is apologizing, reports the BBC. US presidential candidate Hillary Clinton has apologised for calling half of Donald Trump's supporters "deplorable" people. But the Democrat launched a furious attack on her Republican opponent and promised to keep fighting "bigotry and racist rhetoric". Mr Trump had responded by saying the comment was "insulting" to "millions of amazing, hard working people". Opinion polls suggest Mr Trump is gaining on Mrs Clinton. It's a plain fact that many of Trump's supporters are racist, sexist and homophobic, that his campaign has energized the support of white nationalist groups in particular. One in five of his followers think the emancipation of the slaves was a mistake. Here's what she said: To just be grossly generalistic, you can put half of Trump supporters into what I call 'the basket of deplorables.' Right?" the Democratic presidential nominee told donors at the event. "Racist, sexist, homophobic, xenophobic, Islamaphobic, you name it. And unfortunately, there are people like that and he has lifted them up. He has given voice to their websites that used to only have 11,000 people, now have 11 million. He tweets and retweets offensive, hateful, mean-spirited rhetoric." American media, particularly major newspapers and television news, cultivate the false balance that's required to make insulting these people a political misstep, and the false equivalence to cast it all as a horse race between two equally undesirable nags. But equivocating like this after a moment of plain speaking is an exemplary Hillary mistake: How very sad. Your Ultimate Investing Toolkit Sign up for MarketBeat All Access to gain access to MarketBeat's full suite of research tools: Portfolio Monitoring Top Stock Lists Premium Reports Stock Screeners Live News Feed Premium Support Free for your first month. The following companies are subsidiares of Crane: "CPI-Kiev" LLC, ARDAC Inc., AeroHose, Alfa Laval - The Industrial Flow Group, Armature d.o.o., Automatic Products (UK) Ltd., Automatic Products international - Assets, B. Rhodes & Son Ltd., Barksdale GmbH, Barksdale Inc., CA-MC Acquisition UK Ltd., CR Holdings C.V., CashCode Co - Assets, Coin Controls International Ltd., Coin Holdings Ltd., Coin Industries Ltd., Coin Overseas Holdings Ltd., Coin Pension Trustees Ltd., Conlux Matsumoto Co. Ltd., Consolidated Lumber Co, Corva Corp, Crane (Asia Pacific) Pte. Ltd., Crane Aerospace Inc., Crane Australia Pty. Ltd., Crane Canada Co., Crane Composites Inc., Crane Composites Ltd., Crane Controls Inc., Crane Currency, Crane Electronics Corporation, Crane Electronics Inc., Crane Environmental Inc., Crane European Financing LLC, Crane Fengqiu Zhejiang Pump Co. Ltd., Crane Fluid & Gas Systems (Suzhou) Co. Ltd., Crane Global Holdings S.L., Crane GmbH, Crane Holdings (Germany) GmbH, Crane International Capital S.a.r.l., Crane International Holdings Inc., Crane International Trading (Beijing) Co. Ltd., Crane Ireland Ventures Designated Activity Company, Crane Ltd., Crane Merchandising Systems Inc., Crane Merchandising Systems Ltd., Crane Merger Co. LLC, Crane Middle East & Africa FZE, Crane Ningjin Valve Co. Ltd., Crane North America Funding LLC, Crane Nuclear Inc., Crane Overseas LLC, Crane Payment Innovations GmbH, Crane Payment Innovations Inc., Crane Payment Innovations International Ltd., Crane Payment Innovations Ltd., Crane Payment Innovations Pty Ltd., Crane Payment Innovations Sarl, Crane Payment Innovations Srl, Crane Pension Trustee Company (UK) Limited, Crane Process Flow Technologies (India) Pvt. Ltd., Crane Process Flow Technologies GmbH, Crane Process Flow Technologies Ltd., Crane Process Flow Technologies S.P.R.L., Crane Process Flow Technologies S.r.l., Crane Pumps and Systems Inc., Crane Resistoflex GmbH, Crane SC Holdings Ltd., Crane Stockham Valve. Ltd., Crane Yongxiang (Ningbo) Valve Company Ltd., Croning Livarna d.o.o., Cummis-Allison Corp, Delta Fluid Products, Delta Fluid Products Ltd., Dixie Narco, Donald Brown (Brownall) Ltd., ELDEC Corporation, ELDEC Electronics Ltd., ELDEC France S.A.R.L, Edlon - PSI division, Environmental Products USA, Etex Group - Business, Flow Technology Inc., Friedrich Krombach GmbH Armaturenwerke, General Technology Corp., Hattersley Newman Hender - Assets, Hattersly Newman Hender Ltd., Hydro-Aire Inc., Inta-Lok Ltd., Interpoint S.A.R.L., Interpoint U.K. Limited, Kessel (Thailand) Pte. Ltd., Kontron America - Mobile Rugged Business, Laminated Profiles - Assets, Lasco Composites, Liberty Technologies, MCC Holdings Inc., MEI Australia LLC, MEI Auto Payment System (Shanghai) Ltd., MEI Conlux, MEI Conlux Holdings (Japan) Inc., MEI Conlux Holdings (US) Inc., MEI Payment Systems Hong Kong Ltd., MEI Queretaro S. de R.L. de CV, MEI de Mexico LLC, MOVATS - Nuclear Valve Division, Merrimac Industries, Merrimac Industries Inc., Mondais Holdings B.V., Money Controls, Money Controls Argentina SA, Money Controls Holdings Ltd., Multi-Mix Microtechnology SRL, NABIC Valve Safety Products Ltd., Nippon Conlux Co. Ltd., Noble Composites, Noble Composites Inc., Number One Supply, Owens Corning - FRP Panel Business, P.L. Porter, P.T. Crane Indonesia, Pegler Hattersly Ltd., Resistoflex, Sequentia Holdings, Signal Technology, Sperryn & Company Ltd., Stentorfield, Streamware, Telequip, Terminal Manufacturing Co., The Dow Chemical - Plastic-Lined Piping Products division, The Krombach Group, Triangle Valve Co. Ltd., Unidynamics / Phoenix Inc., Ventech Controls, Viking Johnson Ltd., W.T. Armatur GmbH, Wade Couplings Ltd., Wask Ltd., Westlock Controls, Xomox, Xomox Chihuahua S.A. de C.V., Xomox Corporation, Xomox Corporation de Venezuela C.A., Xomox France S.A.S., Xomox Hungary Kft., Xomox International GmbH & Co. OHG, Xomox Japan Ltd., Xomox Korea Ltd., Xomox Sanmar Ltd., and Yilme Holdings B.V.. Read More Living Gospel Equality Now: Loving in the Heart of God: Association of Roman Catholic Women Priests Culture/Media, Technology September 11, 2016 Technological advancements have transformed our daily lives, and politics is changing too. The issues may not change that much people want decent housing and decent jobs, they want access to education and opportunity, they want thriving public services and a society which works for the millions not just the millionaires. But the terrain on which opinions are formed is changing. With rapid advances in digital technology, data and information can become sources of inequality and exploitation as well. This digital manifesto is about ensuring that our advances are shared, utilised and enjoyed by everyone, as part of a wider strategy to rebuild and transform Britain so that no one and no community is left behind. Universal Service Network We will deliver high speed broadband and mobile connectivity for every household, company and organisation in Britain from the inner city neighbourhoods to the remotest rural community. Open Knowledge Library We will create a free-to-use online hub of learning resources for the National Education Service. The Open Knowledge Library will be the digital repository of lessons, lectures, curricula and student work from Britains nurseries, schools, colleges and universities. Community Media Freedom We will ensure that a diversity of views and opinions are heard. The BBC Charter will be updated with a commitment to nurture programming from local and identity communities. The Office of Communications will protect network neutrality. Funding bodies will be encouraged to sponsor new media arts projects. We will reform the laws on intellectual property so that producers and consumers benefit. Platform Cooperatives We will foster the cooperative ownership of digital platforms for distributing labour and selling services. The National Investment Bank and regional banks will help to finance social enterprises whose websites and apps are designed to minimise the costs of connecting producers with consumers in the transport, accommodation, cultural, catering and other important sectors of the British economy. Digital Citizen Passport We will develop a voluntary scheme that provides British citizens with a secure and portable identity for their on-line activities. The Digital Citizen Passport will be used when interacting with public services like health, welfare, education and housing. The individual holders of a Digital Citizen Passport will be able to control who has access to their personal data and for what purposes. Programming For Everyone We will require that all publicly funded software and hardware is released under an Open Source licence. Public bodies will financially reward staff technicians who significantly contribute to Open Source projects. A Peoples Charter of Digital Liberty Rights We will launch a public consultation with people and parties across the political spectrum to draw up a digital bill of rights. This constitutional settlement will reaffirm the continued importance of long-held and hard-won individual and collective freedoms within the new information society. Massive Multi-Person On-line Deliberation We will utilise information technologies to make popular participation in the democratic process easy and inclusive. We will aim to organise both online and offline meetings for individuals and communities to deliberate about pressing political issues and participate in devising new legislation. We will create a 21st century networked democracy where everybody can be a political decision-maker. Source: jeremyforlabour.com. Download the full policy PDF. Yosemite National Park NASA Naked summits alternate with forested lowlands in Yosemite Valley, part of Californias Yosemite National Park. During the Pleistocene Ice Age, glaciers sculpted the underlying rocks in this region, leaving behind canyons, waterfalls, rugged peaks, and granite domes. As the ice retreated, forests grew, but forests only extend as high as 2,900 meters (9,500 feet) above sea level. Above the tree line are rocky landscapes with sparse alpine vegetation. So from the sky, Yosemite Valley appears as a light-and-dark patchwork of forest, rock, and shadow. The Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus on NASAs Landsat 7 satellite captured this true-color image of part of Yosemite Valley on August 18, 2001. The valley runs roughly east-west, and tall granite peaks lining the valleys southern side cast long shadows across the valley floor. On the valleys northern side, steep slopes appear almost white. Along the valley floor, roadways form narrow, meandering lines of off-white, past parking lots, buildings, and meadows. On the north side of Yosemite Valley is El Capitan. Shooting straight up more than 915 meters (3,000 feet) above the valley floor, El Capitan is considered the largest granite monolith in the world. This granite monolith sits across the valley from Bridalveil Fall, one of the valleys most prominent waterfalls. Larger image When Always B Miki and Wiggle It Jiggleit lock horns, the race is typically not to be missed. Saturday night's matchup in the $225,000 Jim Ewart Memorial was no exception. A field of nine lined up for the Ewart at Scioto Downs, with Always B Miki favoured at even money from post six over Wiggle It Jiggleit, the 6/5 second choice from post eight. When the wings of the gate folded, a calvary charge of pacers vied for early command with Luck Be Withyou (Eric Goodell) fronting the field through a sizzling :25.2 first fraction. Montrell Teague was parked with Wiggle It Jiggleit through that opening quarter, while Brett Miller was able to settle Always B Miki fourth along the rail. Wiggle It Jiggleit cleared to the lead in front of the grandstand but wasn't able to get much of a breather. As the half flashed up in :53, Always B Miki was at his bridle and the two powerhouses matched strides down the backstretch. The third quarter was reached in a torrid 1:19 with neither pacer giving way. Always B Miki looked to poke a head in front around the final turn but Wiggle It Jiggleit fought back heading into the turn. In deep stretch, Always B Miki got the best of his archrival and hit the wire three-quarters of a length earlier than his foe with Luck Be Withyou staying for third. The mile was timed -- over a sloppy track -- in 1:47, matching Always B Miki's lifetime best and his world record from earlier this year at Mohegan Sun Pocono. "It's tough to keep a horse like that 100 percent peak [form]," said trainer Jimmy Takter after the monstrous mile. "We had a couple of starts that he sored up a little bit on me so I had to back him off, I couldn't train him like I normally did. Last couple of weeks here, I've been able to train him normally. I felt him in the warm up, he felt like he was going to do a good performance. "And I congratulate Brett for taking the pressure off, he's a high-pressure horse to drive but Brett handled him perfect. I'm very happy for him." This was the first time Brett Miller had sat behind Always B Miki with regular driver David Miller driving at Mohawk Racetrack on Saturday night. "I was leaving as much as I could, within reason...a :25.2 first quarter, that's making it...first of all, I'd just like to thank Jimmy and the owners for giving me a shot with this horse. I've never sat behind a horse quite like this. This is one of the most powerful horses I've ever sat behind, and he just went a mile that was unreal. "Wiggle It Jiggleit, everybody knows what a champion he is...this horse, in the last turn, it almost felt like Wiggle It might have put him away but at the top of the stretch, this horse took back off." Owned by Bluewood Stable and Christina Takter of New Jersey and Roll The Dice Stable of Delaware, Always B Miki (Always A Virgin - Artstopper) is now 7-4-0 in 12 starts this year, with earnings in excess of $919,000. The win was his 25th lifetime from 47 starts. Earlier on the card, Goodell guided Homicide Hunter to victory in the $100,000 Chip Noble Memorial Trot. His 1:52.1 winning time also established a new Scioto track record. Chris Oakes trains Homicide Hunter (Mr Cantab - Evening Prayer) for Crawford Farms Racing of Syracuse, N.Y. It was wall-to-wall stakes on Saturday evening at Mohawk Racetrack, as the oval hosted the Champlain Stakes, the Simcoe Stakes plus eliminations for the Canadian Trotting Classic and Maple Leaf Trot. Trot Insider will keep you posted on all the action, so be sure to refresh your browser throughout the night for all the updates. Maple Leaf Trot Eliminations Resolve torched the oval in 1:51.1 for driver John Campbell, who was a last minute fill-in for trainer Ake Svanstedt. Campbell fired his charge to the lead from Post 5 and together they rolled the group through fractions of :27.2, :56.1 and 1:24.2 before using a :26.4 kicker to win by 1-3/4 lengths over Shake It Cerry. The show dough went to Lookslikeachpndale. The 1:51.1 performance earned Resolve a share of the track and Canadian record for older trotting horses. Daylon Magician established the record in 2012. The five-year-old son of Muscle Hill-Anikawiesahalee, who was sent off as the 1-2 favourite, is owned by Hans Enggren of Abbottstown, PA. The 13-time winner has picked up three of those wins this season. Hes banked more than $1.4 million to date. Hannelore Hanover powered to a 1:52 triumph in the second elimination for driver Yannick Gingras and trainer Ron Burke. The four-year-old daughter of Swan For All-High Sobriety got away third, but quickly moved to the lead when the field entered the backstretch. After watching JL Cruze cut the quarter in :27, Gingras threw down middle splits of :55.1 and 1:24.1 with Hannelore Hanover. She used a :27.4 closing panel to win by 3-1/4 lengths over Il Sogno Dream. Third money was earned by Windsun Revenge. Burke Racing Stable LLC, Weaver Bruscemi LLC and Frank Baldachino anted up $45,000 to supplement the streaking mare to the rich event, and she didnt let them down. It was the tenth straight win for the 23-time winner who was sent off at odds of 1-9. She recently surpassed $1 million in career earnings. Canadian Trotting Classic Eliminations Fresh off his win in last weekends Yonkers Trot, Marion Marauder steamrolled to a four-length triumph in his $40,000 Canadian Trotting Classic elimination for driver Scott Zeron and trainer Mike Keeling. The three-year-old son of Muscle Hill-Spellbound Hanover got away third while Tony Soprano hustled the field past the quarter pole in :27.2. Zeron had his charge on the move in the backstretch, and in a matter of strides they swept to the top and moved the field past the half in :55.4. Marion Marauder came under heavy pressure around the final turn when Waitlifter K sprinted alongside the favourite. That foe gained a brief lead before Marion Marauder kicked back into gear to reclaim the top spot going to the three-quarter pole in 1:24.1. Marion Marauder used a :27.4 closing panel to seal the deal over Winter Harbor and Tony Soprano. Sent off as the 1-5 choice, Marion Marauder posted his ninth win of the season from 11 trips to the track for owners Jean Wellwood of Stratford and Devin Keeling of Cambridge, Ont. The colt has banked more than $1.5 million to date. Bar Hopping took the second elimination, and in doing so took down the heavily-favoured Southwind Frank. Tim Tetrick tucked Bar Hopping into the two-hole when the starting gate sped away, and he tracked Bee In Charge to the quarter in :27.1. Southwind Frank shot out of the three-hole as soon as the field entered the backstretch, and once he cleared he proceeded to chop out middle fractions of :55.3 and 1:24.1. Bee In Charge angled out of the pocket coming out of the final turn, and Bar Hopping was gearing up three-wide. Bar Hoppings :28.1 kicker earned him the win by 2-1/4 lengths over Southwind Frank, with Bee In Charge rounding out the top three in the $40,000 affair. Sent off at odds of 4-1, the three-year-old son of Muscle Hill-Cocktail Hour nabbed his fourth win of the year in 12 starts for trainer Jim Takter. The five-time winner is owned by Christina Takter, Hatfield Stable, Marvin Katz and Al Libfeld. The $20,000 payday lifted his lifetime earnings to $557,548. $204,040 Simcoe Stakes for three-year-old colt and gelding pacers Betting Line had a lot of ground to make up heading into the final quarter of the rich tilt, but he did it for driver David Miller who rallied the Casie Coleman pupil to the 1:49.1 triumph. Miller got away in mid-pack with the son of Bettors Delight-Heathers Western, and he remained there throughout the first half while Lyons Snyder buzzed the field through fractions of :27 and :54. Lyons Snyder was still the boss at the three-quarter pole in 1:20.4, and Betting Line was more than eight lengths away while gearing up on the outside. A :26.4 closing quarter by Betting Line propelled him to the half-length score over Lyons Snyder. Voracity was third. It was the eleventh straight win for Betting Line, who is owned by West Wins Stable, Christine Calhoun and Mac Nichol. The 17-time winner is closing in on $1.3 million in seasonal earnings. Hes stashed away $1,831,942 in his career. Champlain Stakes for Two-Year-Old Open Pacers Ideal Wheel was a run-away in his $105,474 assignment, but he managed to out-stagger his foes to the line en route to a 1:51.4 score for driver David Miller. The Casie Coleman-trained son of American Ideal-Bet On Luck blasted to the lead from Post 6 and wheeled the field through wild fractions of :27.3, :54.1 and 1:20.3 before finishing off the competition with a :31.1 closing panel. He held a double-digit lead throughout points of the mile, and wound up winning by 2-1/4 lengths over Very Special Agent. Third prize went to Odds On Delray. Mac Nichol of Burlington, Ont. owns the speedster who now boasts a 3-1-1 record from six trips to the track. His share of the $105,474 purse boosted his lifetime earnings to $157,505. Seven days removed from his win in the rich Metro Pace, Beyond Delight made his way to victory lane for the third straight start thanks to his win in the second division of Champlain Stakes. Sylvain Filion asked the Tony OSullivan trainee to blast to the lead, and the colt had no problem throwing down fractions of :27, :56.4 and 1:24.4 before firing home in :27.2 to win by a pair of lengths over Blood Line in 1:52.1. Windsong Napoleon grabbed the show dough. The son of Bettors Delight-Outtathisworld now owns a 3-1-3 record from 10 trips to the track for owners Jeffrey Snyder, Michael Snyder and Four Friends Racing Stbl LLC. The freshman has already racked up $423,305 in earnings. Champlain Stakes for Two-Year-Old Filly Pacers Everyones Watching entered the $104,566 assignment a maiden, but came away a stakes winner in 1:52.4 for the tandem of driver Jody Jamieson and trainer Tony Alagna. The daughter of Artiscape-Burnett Blue Chip got away fourth and held that position for the first three-quarters of the mile. Heavily-favoured Happy Hannah carved out sensible panels of :28, :57.3 and 1:25.2, but she came up short in the late going. Everyones Watching, who tracked cover to the three-quarter pole, tipped out late and powered home in :26.4 for the neck decision over Windy Sport. Happy Hannah settled for third prize. Riverview Racing LLC, Deo Volente Farms LLC, Crawford Farms Racing and Steven Wienick share ownership on the filly who went over $100,000 in earnings with the win. She was a $100,000 purchase from last years Harrisburg Yearling Sale. Blameitonthenight survived a first-over journey to win her $106,066 assignment for the tandem of driver Yannick Gingras and trainer Tony Alagna. The daughter of Mach Three-What Could Be watched Somemoneysomewhere and Thats The Ticket take turns on the lead through first-half fractions of :27.3 and :56.2 before powering to the top while racing parked to the three-quarter pole in 1:24.3. Her :28.4 closing quarter earned her the win by a half-length margin over stablemate Awash in 1:53.2. Stonebridge Sundae rounded out the Triactor ticket. Sent off at odds of 7-1, Blameitonthenight won for the third time in seven tries for Alagna Racing LLC, Crawford Farms Racing and Donna Ozment. The rich win bumped her bankroll to $110,547. $34,000 Preferred Pace Nickle Bag pushed his lifetime earnings over $750,000 with a come-from-behind triumph in the $34,000 Preferred Pace. James MacDonald picked up the catch-drive on the Bill Robinson pupil, who swept from seventh at the half to win by a half-length margin over Nirvana Seelster in 1:51.1. Race favourite State Treasurer was third. Bill Robinson trains the six-year-old son of Rocknroll Hanover-Buckle Bunni for Linda Loyens of Denfield and Harry Loyens of Ilderton, Ont. The 30-time winner has picked up 11 of this wins this season. To view results for Saturday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Saturday Results Mohawk Racetrack. Er is iets heel griezeligs aan de gang in Nederland. Dat wij geleidelijk aan in een totalitaire 'democratie' wegzinken wordt steeds ... 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During the day, he was exhausted and fought debilitating anxiety. Large blasts from fireworks or random clatter agitated Workman, 36. There were other unsettling consequences from the post-traumatic stress disorder he brought home from combat missions in Iraq. He became isolated. He felt he couldnt relate to people. But drugs soothed him. He regularly used oxycodone and vicodin, prescription opiates which he procured illegally from friends. They were a nice pick-me-up, he explained last month from his mothers Longview home, where he lives with his comfort dog, a pit bull named Princess. But pills werent always easy to find, and they were expensive. So Workman began smoking heroin. Switching from pills to the street drug was a natural progression, though Workman says he still doesnt understand how his addiction became so bad. It crept up on me, he said, stroking Princess. I just didnt know what I was getting myself into. For the past two years, Workman has been getting treatment at an Olympia clinic called Vantage Physicians, where his addiction is treated with a drug called suboxone. Hes one of at least 70 people countywide who travel more than 60 miles for opioid addiction treatment because, until recently, there were few options in the Kelso-Longview area. The situation improved last spring when PeaceHealth opened a suboxone clinic in Longview at its Broadway campus. But many addicts, including Workman, still are having trouble finding treatment close to home or anywhere. Workman tried to switch to the PeaceHealth clinic earlier this year, but he was denied because his Veterans Administration insurance wasnt accepted. Workman, like many heroin addicts, doesnt have private insurance. Workman said that by only accepting private insurance, the clinic eliminated a lot of the addict population. Theyre not casting a wide net as to who they can help, Workman said. The vast majority of people that are struggling with this problem are not going to be able to go. In July, the clinic began accepting state-covered Medicaid patients, a step officials said will help serve more people. Kyle Rahn, director of behavioral health services with the Columbia Health Network, said the clinic initially didnt accept Medicaid patients because it was wrongly assumed that people could get coverage through the Behavioral Health Organization, the fiscal agent for publicly-funded mental health and substance use disorder treatment in Cowlitz, Grays Harbor, Lewis, Pacific, and Wahkiakum counties. Rahn admitted that most of the people denied treatment when the clinic first opened were patients insured through Medicaid, the state health plan for the low-income and disabled. He said the clinic also is working with veterans, like Workman, insured through the VA. An overwhelming majority of the patients are disabled because of the addiction issues, so the Medicaid platform is actually going to open the door substantially (for treatment), he said. Even with the clinic, though, options are still limited for people seeking suboxone treatment. Like others, PeaceHealths clinic has limited space. Spots are limited to 100 patients. Before Workman learned of the Olympia clinic, he said he was denied by a handful of others that didnt have space. Workman said he initially heard about suboxone treatment through a friend. He wanted to get clean, so he began researching places that offered it. Suboxone is an opioid, just like heroin or vicodin. It is used to treat opioid dependency because it blocks cravings without producing the euphoric effects of a drug like heroin. And unlike heroin, it doesnt cause withdrawal symptoms. Opioid addiction is a growing problem in Cowlitz County, which had the states highest rate of heroin-related deaths in the three-year period from 2011 through 2013. Its rate of prescription-drug overdoses was also well above the state average, according to a 2014 report. The PeaceHealth clinic and Kaiser Permanente are the only ones in the county that offers suboxone treatment. Another clinic opening later this year will offer methadone treatment, which is similar to suboxone treatment in that it weans people off their addiction by blocking cravings. When Workman first began looking for treatment options, he said he could only find clinics in larger cities. and most werent accepting new patients. You have to get to a big city before you find a clinic, he said. But its not just a big-city problem. Eventually, Workman said he stumbled upon Vantage Physicians in the phone book. His acceptance, he said, was a major step. They were the only one that didnt say no, Workman said. It was like winning the lottery when we called and they were accepting new patients, his mother added. The Olympia clinic doesnt work with insurance companies. Instead, patients like Workman pay a $150 monthly fee. In addition, Workman pays $100 each month for his suboxone, though that fee can vary depending on the dosage. Workman said its common knowledge that people from Cowlitz County travel to places like Vancouver and Olympia for their treatment. Its not only inconvenient for addicts and can act as a barrier to treatment for some but the out-of-county care costs the state about $75,000 a month. Unlike the practice of some clinics, Workman doesnt have to take the suboxone at the Olympia clinic. He receives a prescription each month and can fill it in Longview. He is, however, subject to random urinalyses. If he fails one, the clinic works with him to get him back on track. In addition to the drug treatment, Workman sees a psychiatrist in Vancouver and a counselor Longview, both of which help him cope with his PTSD. Some people use suboxone treatment for less than a year. But Workman said he doesnt see himself ever weaning off the drug. His addiction to opioids lasted nearly six years. Hes been on suboxone for two. Its not in the cards for me to stop taking it anytime soon, especially living here, he said. For me to not take suboxone would really stress me out. Workman and his mother said they want to see more options for people seeking the treatment, especially in places like Cowlitz County. Its not all about Nick, Sandy Workman said. This whole thing is about people not being able to get help. While local strongmen sweated and grunted in Tam OShanter park, tossing cabers and bales of hay, Queen Mary I of Scotland held court over the rest of the festival comfortably in the shade. The activities are all part of the annual Kelso Highlander Festival. Seated on a large throne underneath a tent, surrounded by servants and draped in an emerald green dress lined with sunflower yellow trimming, Queen Mary explained her story to festivalgoers. Im Mary Queen of Scotland, Ireland and France, she said. The year is 1563, I just came back from France after the death of my dear husband, the Dauphin of France. She paused. And the festival is set up here in my honor as I just came back from France to Scotland. The beguiling historical figure was portrayed this weekend by Nicole Miller, of Bremerton, who was part of a group of actors that call themselves The Scottish Court. By her side were Lady Gordon, countess of Huntley and George Gordon, the fifth earl of Huntley and lord chancellor of Scotland. Ladies in waiting sat by her side, in full period dress despite temperatures that climbed into the lower 80s. Mary Stuart, or Mary, Queen of Scots is a controversial figure in Scottish history. Born in 1542, Mary was the only surviving legitimate child of King James V of Scotland, who died just six days after her birth. As an infant, Mary succeeded the throne, but spent the majority of her time in France while Scotland was ruled by regents individuals who were chosen to administer the throne because she was a minor. As Henry VII of Englands great-great-granddaughter, Marys claim to the English throne was as strong as her claim to the Scottish one. Though a treaty designed to have Mary secure the English throne failed, Queen Elizabeth I of England continued to see Mary as a threat. Following an uprising in Scotland in 1567, Mary fled and sought protection from Elizabeth, only to be confined in several castles and houses in England for almost nineteen years. In 1587 at the age of 44, Mary was found guilty of plotting to assassinate Elizabeth, and was beheaded. Millers character was contrastingly lighthearted and portrayed a happier, 21-year-old Mary who was delighted to return to her home country of Scotland. For Miller, the history, the costumes and the atmosphere make Highlander games and fair circuit worthwhile. Miller started going to Renaissance fairs when she was in high school 16 years ago. Ive been hooked ever since, Miller said. She was known as a fair rat, the common name for kids who hang around renaissance fairs. Now Miller enjoys creating the fun for other young festival goers. Her favorite part is the children. Seeing their smiles and making their day, Miller said. Skylare, Haley and Penelope Lopez and friends Kayden and Dawson Shoddy gathered in Queen Marys tent Saturday afternoon. Miller handed each a stone, emerald in color, that she called dragons tears. I tell them you can put a wish on it, but you have to obey your parents and then your wish will come true, Miller said. Penelope, 7, thought at first she wanted to wish for a million dollars. After a moment of thought, she decided on a puppy instead. They dont understand that were actors playing something. To them its real, said Sheree Robinson, who plays the Countess of Argyll. Though she said she does get a few personal questions some kids are especially interested in how she uses the restroom while wearing her 65-pound costume. I tell them the truth, Robinson said. We have special underclothes that are only connected at the waistband. While Miller has a royal seamstress to make her royal garments, Robinson and a few other cast members made their own, hoopskirts and all. More children roamed around the royal tent, gawking at the actors and costumes. We want to keep that joy and the mystical side of that for the kids, Robinson said. The festival continues Sunday with the Kilted Klassic golf tournament, live music, food, highland games and the Kelso Rotary rubber duck race at 2 p.m. The button drawing is at 5 p.m. hidden Dismissing criticism over the Reliance Jio ads featuring Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Telecom Minister Manoj Sinha has said there is nothing wrong in someone fulfiling Prime Ministers dream to provide digital connectivity. He also said the tariff war unleashed by Reliance Jio by offering free voice calls and data at low price is "healthy competition" that will ultimately benefit users. Sinha, 55, who replaced Ravi Shankar Prasad at the high-profile ministry in the last Cabinet reshuffle three months ago, also countered charges by COAI, the association of incumbent telecom operators, that sector regulator Trai is biased, saying "show me a decision taken by Trai favouring anyone". In an interview to PTI, he said the intention of Prime Ministers Digital India campaign is to bridge the digital divide and use the Internet as a growth enabler. "I think when the Prime Minister launched Digital India campaign, the intention was to end the digital divide in the country. If anyone is giving digital connectivity to people on a large scale, then in a way, he is fulfiling the dream of the Prime Minister... then I do not see any objection," he said. He was responding to the criticism by political parties, particularly the Congress and the AAP, over the Prime Minister featuring in a full-page newspaper advertisement issued by Reliance Jio immediately after billionaire Mukesh Ambani announced the launch plan at the RIL AGM. He hit out at the Congress for "doublespeak", saying, "I have received letters from 10-20 senior Congress leaders complaining that Reliance Jio is not getting points of inter-connect (from other operators) and that immediate action should be taken... It is doublespeak." Refusing to be drawn into the debate on whether or not requisite permission was taken from the PMO for use of the photograph to promote a commercial service, Sinha said, "It will be better if you ask this question to the Prime Minister... whether there was permission or not. I cannot give my opinion on this." On the price war unleashed by Jio, he said: "Healthy competition in the sector is good for consumers and as a minister, I feel consumer is God." PTI Disclaimer: Reliance Jio is owned by Reliance Industries, who also own Network18, the publisher of Firstpost and Tech2. Featured Post MNN: 'Mohawk Mothers -- Excavation Stops and Injunction Starts' Post navigation Previous MOHAWK MOTHERS: EXCAVATION STOPS & INJUNCTION STARTS Posted on October 28, 2022 Mohawk Nation News https:/... White Mesa Ute Spiritual March to Shut Down Uranium Mill Mohawk Warrior Society Book Launch Lakota Jean Roach: The True Story of Leonard Peltier Justice for Dad: Taylor Dewey Shares the Harsh Road to Justice Justice Dept Files Lawsuit Against Rapid City Hotel Western Shoshone Ian Zabarte Speaks on Radiation Archive Search This Blog About Censored News Censored News is published by Brenda Norrell. Since 2006, Censored News has received more than 20 million pageviews. As a collective of writers, photographers and broadcasters, we publish news of Indigenous Peoples and human rights. Contact publisher Brenda Norrell: brendanorrell@gmail.com From the publisher Censored News is published by Brenda Norrell, a journalist in Indian country for 40 years. Norrell created Censored News after she was censored and terminated as a staff reporter at Indian Country Today in 2006. She began as a reporter at Navajo Times during the 18 years that she lived on the Navajo Nation. She was a stringer for AP and USA Today and later traveled with the Zapatistas through Mexico. She has been blacklisted by all the mainstream media for 14 years. Contact brendanorrell@gmail.com Translate Airstrikes kill 100 in Syria after new truce deal Syrian rescuers carry a little girl from the rubble following a reported airstrike on the rebel-held Salihin neighbourhood of Aleppo . AFP, Beirut : Air strikes on rebel-held areas of Syria reportedly killed at least 100 people hours after the US and Russia announced plans for a truce. An air strike on a market in Idlib killed up to 60 people while at least 45 died in strikes on Aleppo province, opposition activists say. A 10-day truce is meant to start on Monday, followed by co-ordinated air strikes against jihadist militants. Turkey and the EU welcomed the plan but warned that further action was needed. Turkey said aid must be delivered from the very start while EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini looked towards a "political transition". A spokeswoman for Syria's opposition said the plan provided some hope but more details were needed about how it would be enforced. In the capital, Damascus, the government endorsed the deal, the state news agency Sana reported. There has been no official reaction from Iran which, like Russia, is allied to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. The conflict in Syria, which began with an uprising against Mr Assad, has raged for five years and claimed the lives of more than a quarter of a million people. Millions have fled abroad, many of them seeking asylum in the EU, but nearly 18 million people remain in Syria, which has been carved up by fighting between government and rebel forces. When a busy vegetable market was targeted in Idlib, as many as 90 people were injured in addition to those killed, media and opposition activists say. Some of Saturday's air strikes are believed to have hit the towns of Anadan and Hreitan near Aleppo, Syria's second city. Getting a deal was an achievement, given the sour atmosphere between Moscow and Washington. It offers some fragile hope about stopping the slaughter. But there is scepticism about its chances. That is because a lot is going to have to go right, quite quickly, if the agreement is to work. One necessity is President Assad's consent. A week-long ceasefire might be possible, but a political deal to end the war is still out of sight. The Assad regime's survival depends on the Russians, so he will listen to them. But with Russia's help, the Assad regime is looking more robust. So it is hard to see why the president, or his Russian allies, would want him to go. The war in Syria is made up of layers of conflict, which connect up to regional and global rivalries. That makes it very hard to calm, let alone end. The truce is due to take hold at sunset on Monday, at the start of the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha. Under the plan, Syrian government forces will end combat missions in specified opposition-held areas. In an unexpected development, Russia and the US will then establish a joint centre to combat jihadist groups. These include IS but also Jabhat Fateh al-Sham, the group known until recently as the Nusra Front, when it was allied to al-Qaeda. The deal was reached in Geneva, Switzerland, between US Secretary of State John Kerry and his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov. Mr Lavrov said only the Russian and US air forces would operate in areas designated for co-ordinated strikes but added that the Syrian air force could operate in other areas. Welcoming the deal, Turkey, which launched its first major military incursion into Syria last month, said it was essential to halt fighting across Syria and deliver humanitarian aid to those in need "from the first day". "The agreement... is very welcome," said Ms Mogherini, stressing that a UN proposal for a political transition would be "the starting point for resumption of the intra-Syrian talks". Previous diplomatic initiatives have foundered on President Assad's refusal to give up power, leading to widespread scepticism about the latest initiative. BEIRUT (AP) - A day of intense airstrikes Saturday on and around the northern city of Aleppo killed at least 45 people, according to opposition activists. The Aleppo Media Center, an activist collective, said 45 people were killed Saturday, just hours after the new U.S.-Russian agreement was reached to try and end the violence in Syria. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said 30 people were killed in Aleppo province and another 39 were killed by airstrikes in neighboring Idlib province. Contrasting casualty figures are common in the aftermath of large attacks in Syria. The United States and Russia announced a deal Saturday that would establish a nationwide cease-fire starting on Monday, followed a week later by an new military partnership targeting Islamic State and al-Qaida militants as well as the establishment of new limits on the forces of Syrian President Bashar Assad forces. Previous Syrian cease-fires or limited truces have also been preceded by spikes in violence as both government and rebel forces seek to consolidate positions or gain new ground in the final remaining hours of warfare. State news agency SANA said the Syrian government accepts the agreement, adding that hostilities will stop in the northern city of Aleppo, the country's largest, for "humanitarian reasons." It did not say when the violence will stop, adding that the U.S.-Russia agreement "was reached with the knowledge and approval of the Syrian government." Saturday's violence shows that it might be difficult to implement the U.S.-Russia agreement as both countries enjoy limited influence on the government and insurgent groups to cease the bombardment. A cease-fire reached by the two world powers earlier this year and put into effect in late February failed shortly afterward and was followed by months of violence the killed thousands. Russia is a main backer of Assad's government while the U.S. has been supporting rebel groups trying to remove him from power. Syria's conflict, now in its sixth year, has continued despite several rounds of peace talks and international attempts to try end the violence. At least a quarter million people have been killed and half the country's prewar population displaced. Tongi factory fire death toll now 31 11 still missing: Minister promises punishment Staff Reporter : Six more bodies were recovered from the fire ravaged Tampaco Foils Ltd in Tongi on Sunday evening, raising the death toll to 31 with many more missing. Firefighters recovered the charred bodies after taming the blaze around 5:00pm, nearly 36 hours after the factory was engulfed in flames. Eleven people still remain missing since the fire at the factory on Saturday that left 25 people dead, mostly workers, and 100 injured. Gazipur district administration announced the missing list based on information taken from the relatives of missing persons at 3:00pm on Sunday. The missing people are: Ismail Hossain, 45, son of Montaz Ali of Purba Gopalpur village of Gazipur Sadar, Rahat Hossain Murad, 19, son of Abu Taher of Shibpur village, Ramganj upazila of Lakshmipur, Sree Rajesh Babu, 22, son of Paritosh Babu of Himardighi village (Monnunagar) of Tongi, Zahirul Islam, 37, son of Abul Hossain of Fulki village, Mirzapur of Tangail, Anisur Rahman, 30, son of Sultan Gazi of Gopalpur village, Tongi, Nasir Uddin Patwari, 40, son of Yunus Patwari of Tegaria village of Kachua in Chandpur, Masum Ahmed, 30, son of Tofazzal Hossain of Naiki village of Muradnagar in Comilla, Rafiqul Islam, 40, son of Abbas Ali of Mesara village of Hossainpur upazila in Kishoreganj and Kazim Uddin, 36, son of Abdul Khaleque of Champur village of Magura Sadar upazila. Identities of two other missing persons could not be known immediately. Meanwhile, Industries Minister Amir Hossain Amu on Sunday said that the government would take punitive measures against those who are responsible for Saturday's factory fire. "Necessary action will be taken if anyone's negligence is found behind the incident," the Minister said while talking to reporters after visiting the factory in Tongi BSCIC industrial area in the morning. He also said the government will provide all necessary assistance to the victims' families. The government on Saturday announced that it would give Tk 200,000 to each of the families of the workers killed in the accident. The families of the workers injured in the incident will also get a maximum of Tk 100,000 each, said officials of the Ministry for Labour and Employment. HC orders BB to carry out inspection Staff Reporter : Indiscipline in the NRB Commercial Bank has become too big in recent time and a High Court bench has asked the Bangladesh Bank (BB) to carry out an inspection on the bank to clear the chaos. On Thursday, the High Court (HC) bench comprising justice Md Ashfaqul Islam and justice Md Khasruzzaman gave the order responding to a writ petition filed by AM Tushar Iqbal Rahman Rahman is one of the sponsors of NRB Commercial Bank. A certified copy on the court order issued by M Ashraful Islam, prosecutor of the petitioner, said that the Court was pleased to direct the BB, respondent number one of the petition, to carry out an inspection under Section 44 of the Bank Companies Act, 1991 on the allegations made in the letter dated May 26, 2016. The petition was filed to the HC seeking direction upon the central bank to carry out an inspection under Section 44, 45 and 45 of Bank Companies Act, 1991 based on the allegations made by AM Saidur Rahman, who was then a nominated director of the bank on behalf of his son, to the BB on May 26 this year. The petitioner also requested the court to direct the central bank to use its power in removing NRB Commercial Bank chairman Farasath Ali, vice chairman Toufique Rahman Chowdhury and managing director Dewan Mujibur Rahman. AM Saidur Rahman, then a nominated director of the bank, submitted an allegation to the BB urging the central bank to take proper measures to save the bank from embezzlers. A copy of the letter was also submitted to the HC. In the letter, Saidur mentioned a number of irregularities took place in the bank since its inception in April 2016. He also alleged that the bank has disbursed substantial amount of loans to one of its directors' organisation without proper scrutiny and assessment. The letter also mentioned a number of irregularities of the bank's top management and in appointment of nominated directors seeking formation of special investigation committee by BB on the issues. The HC also asked the BB to explain why it (BB) would not carry out investigation into the allegation submitted by Saidur in May this year. The BB inquiry conducted in 2015 had found a number of irregularities in appointment of alternate directors, interior decoration of branches and loan sanction at the bank. The BB inquiry found that the bank had not sent any Credit Information Bureau information on its newly-appointed eight alternate directors in violation of BB rules. The BB inspection team also unearthed that the bank had conducted irregularities to appoint civil contractor to complete the interior decoration of its ten new branches. Azimpur militant committed suicide identified as Shamshed Staff Reporter : The suspected militant, who committed suicide by slitting his throat during the raid at Azaimpur, has been identified as Abdul Karim alias Shamshed from Rajshahi. He also rented a flat for the Holey Artisan attackers in the capital, said Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) to the reporters. Md Yusuf Ali, Additional Deputy Commissioner (Media) of DMP said, "The documents we recognized from their house revealed that the real name of the alleged militant killed on the Saturday raid was Shamshed Hossain." Meanwhile, the Forensic Department of Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) confirmed the identity of the suspected militant who died during the raid at Azimpur. Sohel Mahmud, Assistant Professor of the Forensic and Medicine Department of DMCH told media after autopsy on Sunday afternoon that the deceased Shamshed Hossain committed suicide by slitting his throat during the raid on Saturday. "There were three inches deep and one and half inches long stabbed marks in his throat. The stabbed mark showed that he had been killed by a sharp weapon," the physician said. Besides, there were four stab marks in chest and one in his back. He had explosive mark in his right hand. The Medical College collected samples for viscera, blood, urine and DNA test. They are also examining if the suspect took any drugs or energy enhancing materials before his death. Police on Saturday raided a house on 209/5 Pilkhana Road. During the raid, one suspected militant died and three other female militants were injured. Five police members also received injuries at the drive. The injured law enforcement members were Mahtab, Jahiruddin, Lablu, Ram Chandra Biswas and Shajahan Ali. They were admitted to DMCH, said DMP sources. During the raid, the militants tried to commit suicide by detonating grenade, said police. The militant was killed and his three female accomplices were injured. One of the women was likely to be the wife of Major (retd) Jahidul Islam, who was killed in a police raid on September 2 in the capital's Rupnagar and who was said to have trained the Gulshan and Sholakia attackers, Inspector General of Police AKM Shahidul Hoque told reporters after the incident. 3 suspected robbers killed in gunfights Staff Reporter : Three suspected robbers were killed in separate 'gunfights' with police in different areas of the country on Sunday. They have been identified as Kazol Mia, Rabiul Islam and Anwar Hossain. The shootouts on Sunday morning occurred in Khulna, Brahmanbaria's Nabinagar and Ashulia, on the outskirts of the capital. Police and experts said, the law enforcers are in alert position ahead of Eid. The killing of the bandits is the sign of the alertness of them. Police in Khulna, Brahmanbaria and Dhaka described the incidents as encounters between robbers and police patrols. In Khulna, an alleged rigleader of a pirate gang was killed at Tiyakhal, adjacent to the Sonamukhi river in Koyra upazila early Sunday. The deceased was identified as Rabiul Islam, 24, son of late Ruhul Amin, an inhabitant of Mohoratpur village of the upazila. Sheikh Shamsur Ali, Officer-in-Charge of Koyra Police Station, said that on secret information, a team of police arrested Rabiul from Rathghat area of the upazila on Saturday afternoon. After gleaning information from Rabiul, police conducted another drive in Tiyakhal area around 11pm along with him to recover firearms. When they reached the spot around 4am, accomplices of Rabiul attacked police and opened fire on them, which left Rabiul dead on the spot. Police also recovered eight firems, several bullets and two machetes from the spot. The OC added that Rabiul was accused in eight cases, including robbery and abductions. In Brahmanbaria, Nabinagar police said that 35-year-old Kazol Mia, who was wanted in several robbery cases, died when a police patrol team intervened and prevented an attempt to rob. Imtiaz Ahmed, the Officer-in-Charge of Nabinagar police station said, "The robbers opened fire forcing the police to retaliate. Kazol Mia was caught in the fire line." He said a locally made firearm, two rounds of ammunitions and four machetes were recovered from the spot. In Dhaka's Ashulia, a suspected robber was killed at Srikhandalia of Ashulia early Sunday. The deceased was identified as Anwar Hossain. Officer-in-Charge of Ashulia Police Station, Mohsinul Qadir said, a team of police conducted a drive there around 4.30am after getting secret information that a gang of robbers was preparing to commit robbery in the area. "Sensing presence of police, the robbers opened fire on the law enforcers, prompting them to retaliate, triggering a gunfight that left Anwar dead." Police recovered the body after the robbers have fled, he added. The law enforcers also recovered one foreign-made pistol, three other country-made firearms, six bullet shells and three rounds of bullets from the spot. US remembers victims 15 years after 9/11 attacks Reuters, New York : Americans prepared to commemorate the 15th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks on Sunday with the recital of the names of the dead, tolling church bells and a tribute in lights at the site where New York City's twin towers tumbled. The names of the 2,983 victims will be read slowly by relatives as music plays during a ceremony at the 9/11 Memorial plaza in Lower Manhattan that will pause for six moments of silence. Four of those mark the exact times four hijacked planes were crashed into the World Trade Center, the Pentagon near Washington D.C., and a Pennsylvania field. The last two record when the North and South towers of the Trade Center collapsed. The ceremony will be held by two reflecting pools with waterfalls which now stand in the towers' former footprints, and watched over by an honor guard of police and firefighters. More than 340 firefighters and 60 police were killed on the that sunny Tuesday morning in 2001, in the worst attack on U.S. soil since Pearl Harbor was bombed in 1941. Many of them died while running up stairs in the hope of reaching victims trapped on the towers' higher floors. In his weekly radio address on Saturday, U.S. President Barack Obama said it had been one of the darkest days in the history of the nation, but that it underlined the core values and resilience that define Americans. "We're still the America of heroes who ran into harm's way; of ordinary folks who took down the hijackers; of families who turned their pain into hope," Obama said. "We are still the America that looks out for one another, bound by our shared belief that I am my brother's keeper, I am my sister's keeper." No public officials will speak at the New York ceremony, in keeping with a tradition that began in 2012. The 9/11 Memorial Museum, which sits in the plaza surrounded by white oak trees, will be open on Sunday only to family members of the victims. Houses of worship throughout the city have been asked to toll their bells at 8:46 a.m. EDT (1246 GMT), the time American Airlines Flight 11 slammed into the North Tower. A second pause will come at 9:03 a.m. (1303 GMT), when United Airlines Flight 175 struck the South Tower. American Airlines Flight 77 hit the Pentagon at 9:37 a.m. (1337 GMT), then the South Tower collapsed at 9:59 a.m. (1359 GMT). At 10:03 a.m. (1403 GMT) United Flight 93 crashed near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, and the final moment of silence will be observed at 10:28 a.m. (1428 GMT) when the North Tower fell. As evening falls across the city on Sunday, spotlights will project two giant beams of light into the night sky to represent the fallen twin towers, fading away at dawn. Nineteen hijackers died in the attack, later claimed by Osama bin Laden and al Qaeda, which led directly to the U.S. war in Afghanistan and indirectly to the invasion of Iraq. Eid-ul-Azha imbibes us to make sacrifice THE nation will celebrate Eid-ul-Azha, the festival of sacrifice tomorrow with offering of animals to endear the pleasure of Allah and praying for the welfare of Muslims Ummah. It is celebrated every year on the occasion of Hajj in Mecca where devotees gather from all over the world to register their presence to the witness of Allah. The entire nation is on move on this occasion in Bangladesh from early this week to celebrate the festival. People are rushing home from the capital to district towns and villages to celebrate the event together with their families. We congratulate the nation on this occasion and wish the people a happy Eid celebration. The nation is passing through a difficult time and we call for greater unity of the nation on this occasion when many people are in distress and away from home and militancy is threatening social peace. Eid-ul-Azha is the second largest festival of the Muslims and family members take this opportunity to share time in fraternity and exchange greetings with friends and neighbours ignoring busy work schedule of daily life. The Qurbani calls for renewed pledge from the people to be more committed to and imbibed with the spirit of sacrifice. It is not slaughtering animals only, the real spirit of sacrifice lies with slaughtering one's own greed, lust and animality, which are endangering humanity. Sacrificing animals will have no meaning if one can't abandon animalistic behaviours like killing fellow human beings or grabbing their belongings. The call for sacrifice therefore means giving away instead of amassing wealth illegally and robbing others as it is noticeable everywhere today. This is what the Eid-ul-Azha reminds us since the time of Prophet Ibrahim (AH) who had introduced the ritual to yearn the pleasure of Allah. Initially he went on sacrificing his son Ismail being ordained in a dream to sacrifice his dearest thing on earth, but at the last moment Allah became pleased with him and instead asked him to sacrifice an animal that started the ritual. On this occasion we also must look back at the cruelty in many Muslim countries where leaders are torturing people and making them homeless. Corruption and greed of political leaders and powerful people are marginalizing the poor who have no power and protection to their life and property. We believe that the spirit of Eid-ul-Azha can only be established by ensuring social justice and equitable distribution of national wealth such as enforcing Zakat to cut back poverty. We also call for stop to civil wars in some Muslim countries, which are rendering millions of people homeless and the celebration meaningless. Peace and stability all over the world needs change of social practice. We hope the occasion will rekindle people's life with new hope and prosperity at all levels. 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Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe Business / Companies by Dickson Mangena THE decline in the prices of cattle has affected the demand for stockfeed as farmers are now failing to raise adequate money to purchase the commodity, an official has said.In an interview last week, National Foods managing executive in the stockfeeds division Mr Lewis Ngwenya said the demand for stockfeed by farmers was mainly due to scepticism by farmers to fatten their cattle as they fear they would not recoup the investment due to the low prices prevailing on the market.The price of cattle has dropped to as low as a $1 to $0,90 cents per kilogramme (kg) of live mass down from $3,00 or $2,50 per kg"You realise that the decline in the prices of cattle has also led to the farmers reducing the demand for stockfeed to fatten their cattle," said Mr Ngwenya.He said the market for cattle stockfeed has dropped although there is still a need for supplementary feeding because of the drought.He, however, said the company has the capacity to meet demand."The company is well capacitated to meet the demand for stockfeed since there are more than enough raw materials to produce stockfeed."With our increased production in our mills, thanks to the import ban, the raw materials for stockfeed are also increasing," Mr Ngwenya said."We can safely say that our current capacity can meet the demand to the end of the year and we are sitting down to see if we can go beyond that period should the worst hit us like a continued drought."One of the strategies that we look at is to use yellow maize instead of white maize that we now reserve for human consumption."He said with the drop in demand for stockfeed, the company was seeking other markets and were hoping to boost export especially to Botswana."Botswana Meat Commission (BMC) was recently admitted back to supply Europe and their demand for stockfeed will definitely go up and we are looking forward to take that advantage," said Mr Ngwenya.National Foods stockfeeds division received ISO 9001 certification at their plant in Bulawayo last week.Three certificates were issued by the Standards Association of Zimbabwe (SAZ).According to the SAZ technical director Mr Sebastian Zuze the certificates were a way of accepting the promise that National Foods Stockfeeds Division will produce quality products and adhere to environment and labour friendly processes on their production."ISO certification is voluntary but it is symbolic for a company to go the route as it is a promise to customers that you are going to produce quality products for them.However, SAZ has the right to take them back if that promise is not met," said Mr Zuze.Mr Ngwenya also said that poultry stockfeed demand was low as well."There is also a decline in the demand for poultry feed because generally protein prices are down and the trends in poultry farming have changed."Now poultry farmers are just small-scale farmers and ordinary people in their backyards, who when the industry gets complicated they will not risk anything, so they just stop producing," said Mr Ngwenya. News / Africa by Dumisani Nsingo BOTSWANA authorities have started shooting Zimbabwean cattle that stray into its borders to guard its herd against Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) as it kowtows to the European Union (EU) beef export requirements.More than 30 cattle have been shot so far in areas adjacent to the border. Botswana's border patrol unit started shooting the cattle that encroached into the neighbouring country from Gwanda rural district areas close to Mulambapeli Border Post on the southern part of Gwanda Town last week.Prior to the development the authorities had earlier this year in a meeting with Government officials indicated it would start shooting livestock which strayed into their country as it sought to conform with the EU's stringent requirements for beef exports.The shooting policy by the neighbouring country puts at risk more than 90 000 of Matabeleland South cattle along the Botswana-Zimbabwe border.It is said a number of villagers that send their cattle to relief grazing areas of Tuli Settlement and Russell Gorge near Shashe River, which is close to the boundary between the country and Botswana but on the Zimbabwean side lost a sizeable number of animals with over 30 cattle from Nhwali village believed to have been killed and burnt.The other affected villages are Mulambapeli, Mashaba, Kafusi, Nsendami and Takaliyawa. Matabeleland South provincial veterinary officer Dr Mbuso Moyo confirmed the shooting but could not divulge more information referring this publication to his principals.Contacted for a comment veterinary deputy director Dr Chenjerai Njagu said he was unaware that Botswana had started shooting livestock which encroached into its border but hinted that it was an issue that was discussed between the two countries' governments."Of course Botswana had told us that it was going to kill livestock which strayed beyond its borders at a joint committee meeting which was attended by Government officials from both countries but Zimbabwe had asked for some time to sensitise its people. However, I haven't received any information that they have since started to shoot the animals and in any case I wouldn't give you any comment at this particular time because this is more of a diplomatic issue and I can't pre-empt anything before my principals do," said Dr Njagu.Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development Deputy Minister Paddy Zhanda who is responsible for livestock production could neither confirm nor deny the shooting of cattle by the Botswana authorities but stated Government was aware of the policy."We did an exercise to sensitise people that once their cattle crossed to the Botswana side they risked being shot. The Botswana government is under pressure from its farmers because the country exports beef to the EU market. It's not something new though as it used to take place sometime ago. The three months grace period which we were given had since lapsed. However, at the moment I can't confirm much we will have to send our veterinary officer and the police to ascertain how many cattle have been shot," said Dep Minister Zhanda.A visit to one of the affected areas by Sunday News revealed that the Botswana authorities had started shooting livestock which crossed into their country. A number of villagers interviewed were incensed and disgruntled by the Botswana authorities' policy citing that it was insensitive and a way of drowning them in poverty as livestock rearing was one of their mainstay since their area was relatively dry with very low annual rainfall to embark on meaningful crop farming.The villagers alleged that the fence demarcating the two countries was destroyed by a herd of elephants as the gigantic animals sought water at Shashe River and had not been repaired for sometime leading to their cattle having easy access to the Botswana side."I had my bull shot by the Botswana authorities on border patrol in the presence of a veterinary officer from Zimbabwe on Sunday (last week) and it happened to be the only bull which was servicing my 25 cows and heifers. We understand that this shooting is a policy, but it is going to leave us in poverty because most of us rely on rearing cattle for livelihood," said a 49-year-old widow, Ms Liseli Ncube from Mashaba Village under Chief Mathe.The village head, Mr Will Sebata said although the policy used to be there some time back there was a need for villagers to be given ample of time to put in place precautionary measures to ensure that their animals did not cross the border."As community leaders the shooting of our cattle is something which we don't condone. Of course we were informed way back that cattle that crossed the border would be shot to avoid the spread of FMD but the time frame was rather short. The cattle ended up straying to the Botswana side after elephants destroyed the fence. I heard one of our villagers lost quite a large bull which played a pivotal role in our community as it serviced a number of cows," he said.Zimbabwean farmers and communities living near wildlife parks are at risk of FMD, which led to the country losing its quota to export 9,100 tonnes of beef to the EU in 2001.The first case of FMD in the country was clinically detected on 16 August 2000 in a cattle feedlot in south-western Zimbabwe.Prior to the outbreak, the country was known as an exporter of meat especially to the European market. The outbreaks have adversely affected the meat industry. Emerging indications point to the fact that there are two sources of infection in the Zimbabwe outbreaks, both originating from the African buffalo species.FMD is a severe, highly contagious viral disease of livestock with significant economic impact. The disease affects cattle and swine as well as sheep, goats, and other cloven-hoofed ruminants. All species of deer and antelope as well as elephant, and giraffe are susceptible to FMD.Botswana has been dependent on its exports to the EU and they remain the bulwark of the nation's international trade partners.EU banned beef from Botswana in 2011 due to low quality, hitting hard the country's beef exports and presence of FMD in some of its areas was cited as one of the embargo. Figures from that country's central bank indicated that beef exports stood at $68.3 million respectively in 2011 and 2012, sharply down from $127.6 million dollars in 2010. Botswana aims to see a surge in beef exports to the EU markets, following the lift of a long export ban in 2013. News / National by Staff Reporter President Robert Mugabe has always been a security threat to Zimbabwe since the dark days of Gukurahundi, opposition MDC leader WelshmanNcube has said.Ncube said he is fully backs the current wave of street protests.However, he said the demonstrations should be peaceful, he told the Standard.Below are part of his comments.Standard : What is your view on the usefulness of on-going mass protests in the country and the new wave of anti-government movements suchas #ThisFlag and #Tajamuka Ncube : I fully support all citizens' peaceful actions designed and intended to bring to an end the suffering of the citizens of thisbeautiful country so badly and cynically ruined by Zanu PF. These protests are necessary and long overdue. However, they must remainpeaceful at all times including when young angry citizens are provoked by the police and other State agents bent on discrediting thesecitizens' actions. When we resort to violence, even when highly-provoked, we undermine our moral standing to resist the machinations of theregime which have brought us to this state of affairs. Thus, demonstrations, stayaways, marches, Yes, Yes, but violence No, No.It is also imperative that those who seek to take action and to demonstrate must have a game plan, an end game with measurable outcomes.STANDARD : President Robert Mugabe's unrestrained attack on the judiciary has drawn criticism from across the board. Do you think he hasbecome a threat to Zimbabwe as a nation state and its institutions?NCUBE: He has not become a threat; he has "always" been a threat right from the days of Gukurahundi to this day. News / National by Staff Reporter Opposition parties should forget dislodged Zanu PF from power if they go for 2018 elections divided, former Zanu PF legislator Margret Dongo has warned.Below is part of her conversation with the StandardSTANDARD: Do you think opposition parties have a chance of dislodging Mugabe and Zanu PF in the 2018 elections?Margret Dongo: I agree that the opposition side of the politics in this country, if left to go into an election separately, may not stand the obvious chance of winning against Zanu PF.I am happy, however, to note that there are currently very positive developments towards coming out with an umbrella body that will face Zanu PF and effectively go a long way in diluting Zanu PF's rigging.If opposition parties unite, they will without doubt, defeat Zanu PF by very high margins.STANDARD : What is your role in Zimbabwe People First and why did you choose to join that party instead of the other opposition parties?MARGRET DONGO: I am there to work, as has always been my passion, for the good of this country, its people and without mention, my family also. I could equally have worked for this country's best interests from any opposition grouping but my colleagues in People First approached me and I saw no reason to refuse. That is why I remain for the creation of a common front of the opposition in the next general election. I believe that every opposition grouping in this country has a role to play towards the freedom and liberty of our people.STANDARD: Do you think people like Mujuru would have joined the opposition ranks had they not been expelled from Zanu PF?MARGRET DONGO: I cannot speak for my interim President Mujuru but can only risk equating her situation to mine. The mere fact that as then vice-president of both Zanu PF and the country, she was humiliated in the manner she was, is an obvious indication that she must have fundamentally differed with Mugabe and her cronies, and this over a very long period. They took their revenge in the way they did but it looks like citizens have since seen through Zanu PF's lies. Pre-purchase property inspection is a relatively new thing in the United Kingdom. Its not something that most people have heard about, but it has become increasingly popular over the last few years with the rise in property prices and increased demand for high quality homes. What are the benefits of pre-purchase building inspection? What can you expect to find out when you pay someone else to inspect your home before you buy it? And what should you look for during an inspection? Many people want to know if theyre buying a house thats been well maintained or if its had any serious problems. If youve found a place on the market that seems attractive, but then discover some issues after moving in, you may not be as excited about buying it as you thought you were. Its important to do your due diligence when looking at properties. A lot goes into making a property appealing to potential buyers, from the landscaping to the flooring to the kitchen appliances. The same applies when inspecting a property there are many things that need checking over to make sure everything is running smoothly. Here are some of the benefits of performing a pre-purchase inspection: You get to see exactly what will happen to your money When you go shopping for a new car, youll probably be shown several different models. You might even be shown one that looks like a great value, but doesnt fit around all of the extra features that you want. When it comes time to actually buy the vehicle, however, you wont have seen how your money will be spent on it once you drive it off the showroom floor. Likewise, when you shop for a new home, you dont really know what youre getting yourself into until you move in. In order to get a feel for whether the home youre considering is what you want, you normally have to spend quite a bit of time inside it. This allows you to learn more about everything that youre going to be spending your hard-earned cash on. A pre-purchase building inspection gives you much the same kind of experience without having to spend thousands of dollars. Since youre paying for the service, you can expect to see exactly what youre paying for, instead of just seeing a vague idea of what you might end up with. You find out about potential major repairs Some buildings are very expensive to maintain, which means that owners often neglect them for the sake of saving money. While youre paying for a building inspection, youre also paying for a professional who knows how to spot signs of trouble and repair work that needs doing. If you notice that a particular area of your new home needs fixing right away, you can call in an expert to take care of it quickly. If you find that theres something wrong with your boiler, you wont have to wait weeks for a plumber to come over and fix it. Instead, youll have access to a solution immediately. You can save hundreds of pounds by finding out about potential problems early on One of the biggest expenses when you first buy a home is the cost of moving in. Many people dont realize this until its too late. Buying a home involves not only paying for the actual house, but also for moving costs, furniture, and other items that have to be moved along with the home. Having a good idea ahead of time of what youre likely to encounter can help you avoid these kinds of costs. If you know youll need to replace the plumbing system, for example, youll be able to put together a budget for the expense and plan accordingly. You can protect your investment by finding out if the homes been well cared for While there are plenty of people who think that houses always look better when theyre newly built, youd be surprised at how well maintained older residences can still look nice. Sometimes, though, those homes need some additional maintenance to keep them looking their best. This could involve repairs that arent so noticeable or small improvements that you wouldnt consider otherwise. Even worse, some houses have fallen into disrepair without anyone noticing. This is why having a professional perform a building inspection prior to purchasing a home is such a big benefit. Not only will it give you insight into the state of the property, but it will also give you peace of mind knowing youre not getting taken advantage of. As long as youre aware of the potential pitfalls, youll have less reason to worry about the state of your new home. You can use information gathered during a building inspection to negotiate a lower price If youre worried about buying a home because you suspect that it may need extensive renovation work, you may already have a rough idea of how much work youll need to do to bring it up to scratch. That knowledge can come in handy if you decide to buy the home. You can use all of the details that you gather during a building inspection to present a realistic picture of what the home is worth to prospective buyers. If a potential buyer thinks that the home is worth more than what you paid for it, you can try negotiating a lower price. You can sell your home faster and for more money If you decide to list your home on the market soon after buying it, youll need to price it accurately in order to attract buyers. But if youve already done a thorough building inspection, youll know exactly what work is needed and what the current market conditions are. In other words, youll be able to make a more accurate estimate of the amount of money youve invested in the home and how much its worth. If you find that youre selling your house for close to its full market value, you can use this information to convince the potential buyer that your home is worth the asking price. Even if youre planning to stay in the home for a while before you decide to sell, the fact that you did a thorough building inspection will give you more confidence when listing it. Prospective buyers will know exactly what theyre paying for. Your home will hold its value longer As mentioned earlier, the value of a home depends heavily upon the condition of the building itself. If your home is in bad shape, potential buyers wont be interested in buying it. On the other hand, if youve performed a thorough building inspection and know what sort of repairs are necessary, you can offer your prospective buyer a compelling reason to invest in your property. When you buy a home, youre essentially agreeing to have it inspected periodically to ensure that it stays in top shape. Not only does this allow you to avoid expensive repairs down the road, but it can also increase the value of your home. You can make smart decisions about property investments Buying real estate isnt as simple as just driving a couple of minutes to pick up a house. There are lots of considerations involved, ranging from location to cost. The same is true when youre investing in property. If you find a house that meets all of your requirements, youll want to make sure that you have a solid understanding of where it stands with regards to the rest of the market. If you havent spent enough time researching the area, you could inadvertently end up with a bad deal. There are lots of resources available online that can help you determine the overall level of competition in your area. They can also help you figure out if there are any properties that meet your requirements that you didnt know about. If you own rental property, you can use the information to identify tenants who might cause damage If you own rental property and youve noticed that certain tenants consistently cause damage, you can use the results of a building inspection to identify them. You can then contact them directly to let them know that youre watching them closely and that you dont appreciate the problem theyre causing. They might start taking better care of their homes, which would be good news for everyone. It could also be the case that youll find out that theyre responsible for previous damages that werent caught during a previous visit. You can make smarter decisions about hiring contractors If youve hired contractors to build or repair your home, you might want to ask them for references. However, unless you perform a thorough building inspection, you might not know exactly what to look for. For instance, maybe you only checked the roof for leaks or the walls for cracks. You might not have looked underneath the foundation for anything that could cause a future issue. By performing a building inspection, you can ensure that you hire reputable contractors who will be trustworthy with your money. You can avoid purchasing a home thats in poor condition Of course, the main benefit of structural inspections perth is that it helps you avoid purchasing a home thats in poor condition. Before you make the decision to buy a home, you should do whatever you can to find out about the state of the building. You can also ask your realtor about what sorts of inspections are typically recommended. Some agents say that its standard practice to check the heating system, the roof, the electrical wiring, and the floors. Others will tell you that they recommend that you check the entire structure. Either way, if you choose to hire an inspector, youll find out exactly what needs to be fixed and how much it will cost to do so. As a result, it can be concluded that a pre-purchase building inspection is highly important for the buyers because it provides transparency regarding the current conditions of the structure. Additionally, the building owner is made aware of any upgrades or repairs that are required, which could lead to a fair deal throughout the purchasing and selling process. News / National by Stephen Jakes The Joice Mujuru led ZimPF has said it is committed to rebuilding Zimbabwe around Human Rights and observing the Rule of Law."We will return humanity to government - not only in how we treat our own people, but also in how we champion the rights of those elsewhere," said the party in its Facebook page."We will make Human Rights the cornerstone of our foreign policy. Under a ZimPF government, Zimbabwe will be the torch bearer for Human Rights in SADC, Africa and the world at large.""Brick by brick we shall build, step by step we will achieve. Here a little, there a little, a new Zimbabwe will come. Come join us, let us rebuild Zimbabwe! Together we will make it! Lets do this! Lets build Zimbabwe!!!! Brick by brick!!" News / National by Sandra Tekere MORE than 16 000 graduates have applied for employment in African countries since August of last year, a Deputy Minister has said.In an interview, Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development Deputy Minister Dr Godfrey Gandawa said following an advert flighted by the Ministry in the Press recently more than 16 000 graduates from universities, polytechnics and colleges all over Zimbabwe have responded with more applications still flowing.He said forms were being downloaded and graduates' names being added to the data base although none have been actually exported to the different countries."The response from the invited graduates is still overwhelming and after a year, 16 000 have shown interest. They have been added to the database and many African countries are still expressing interest in recruiting local graduates," he said.With Zimbabwean graduates being sought all over the world many African countries will benefit as Zimbabwe has the highest literacy level in Africa.Exporting graduates is not a new phenomenon. Worldwide countries like Cuba make money from exporting health staff to other countries. Recently, the Namibian Ministry of Education made a call for teachers from the Sadc region and Zimbabwean teachers seized the opportunity.Dr Gandawa said people must stop being skeptical about labour exports, instead, he said they have to continue applying as the policy would see the country getting financial benefits. The policy is being facilitated by the Government, human export and policy in collaboration with the Ministry of Labour, Public Service and Social Welfare and Civil Service Commission. They have created a database that includes people who graduated from the country's tertiary institutions and those who trained abroad since 1980.With thousands of graduates being produced in Zimbabwe every year, the labour exportation is expected to help fellow African countries like Namibia, South Sudan and other countries that need professionals like teachers, nurses and pharmacists who could not be absorbed by the Government due to a constrained fiscal space in Zimbabwe and as a result it might help the country to stabilise economically as it will reduce the unemployment rate. News / National by Staff reporter Margret Dongo (MD) helped in the formation of the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association. The former Zanu-PF MP for Sunningdale's liberation war name was Tichaona Muhondo (the battle will decide).She left Zanu-PF and formed her own party Zimbabwe Union of Democrats, in the 90s but the party failed to get traction and remained on the fringes.She nonetheless remained vocal and challenged President Robert Mugabe and Zanu-PF on many occasions. She is now the interim leader for the women's league in former Vice-President Joice Mujuru's Zimbabwe People First.After some war veterans went to the press recently demonising Mujuru and making all sorts of allegations against her, including that she did nothing in the liberation struggle, The Standard chief reporter Everson Mushava (EM) caught up with Dongo to get her views on the allegations and on how female combatants were treated during the war, as well as on other issues relating to Zimbabwean politics.Below are excerpts of the interview.EM: As a prominent female ex-combatant, what did you make of the stories published in the media recently claiming that Joice Mujuru owes her rise during and after the liberation struggle to her romantic liaisons with influential men?MD: With the story coming from the source that it came from, there was no surprise to it. In fact, knowing Zanu-PF as well as I do, I can confidently say that they are not even through yet with tarnishing Mai Mujuru's image in their calculated efforts to scuttle her imminent takeover of the State presidency after the coming elections. I, however, do not wish to dignify the nonsense with any further comment.EM: How much do you know of Mujuru's war record and does it tally with what some ex-Zanla commanders are now saying about her?MD: I think I have responded to that already. Mai Mujuru remains this country's wonderful heroine.EM: You have written about the abuse of women during the liberation struggle. Do George Rutanhire's claims on Mujuru's alleged liaisons with commanders buttress your arguments in the book?MD: Of course, in most war situations generally it is unfortunate that both sexual abuses and sexual liaisons occur; such that those unhappy today with Mai Mujuru's current political successes, which of course they didn't expect, exploit that phenomenon to build up false stories against those they want to tarnish. I knew Mai Mujuru as a responsible leader during the struggle.EM: Certain sections of the media have been at the forefront trashing war records of those that have been kicked out of Zanu-PF and trying to embellish President Robert Mugabe's own record. What is your reaction to such an observation?MD: Again, it doesn't come as a surprise. It is typical of the dead-wood in Zanu-PF to machinate against people's histories in their desperate, but futile, efforts to survive their political implosion. Mugabe and all war veterans participated in the liberation struggle and no one can be taking that away from anyone. History cannot and should not be denied. In any case, it has its own way of correcting itself, so any lies and embellishment by Zanu-PF in the manner you have stated will come to nought.Any attempted falsities, as I have already stated, will come to nought. Zimbabweans know the truth of our history because we were in the liberation struggle together. In any case, events during the war are not and can never be the preserve of either Mugabe or Zanu-PF alone. We are all part of the history and its narrative.EM: What are your views on the relationship between Mugabe and war veterans?MD: It is a matter of public record that Mugabe's relationship with the war veterans association, with particular reference to its leadership, is currently strained. However, I cannot speak for each and every individual war veteran. But as for me, it was long-severed.EM: In your view, can Zimbabweans trust war veterans that now say they believe they were used by Mugabe and Zanu-PF to fight the people?MD: We should in a way appreciate that it is possible. The views of the association and that of individual war veterans may not always be the same. After all, war veterans live in society. However, it is my strong impression that the generality of the war veterans are genuinely no longer happy with Mugabe. It is also natural that as our elder, there is always that feeling in most of us that he did some great things for us and this country in the past, such that were he to change course today and give an ear to what the veterans are advising him, perhaps we could witness a thawing of relations, if not actually a re-birth of their relationships. It is still a bit too early, however, to state with any certainty that the good relationship is gone forever.EM: Do you think the war veterans have really seen the light and are now interested in democracy or they are just throwing tantrums over lost privileges?MD: War veterans saw the light earlier than most citizens and went to war to free this country and its people. They were fighting for democracy, and by democracy I do not mean textbook democracy but real democracy which has been an illusion so far in this country. And let me tell you that I do not see what you describe as "tantrums" because we have not enjoyed any privileges in this country. Actually, as compared to how other countries treat their war veterans, especially in Namibia, America and Britain, we are not yet even near their first rung of the ladder!EM: Do you think opposition parties have a chance of dislodging Mugabe and Zanu-PF in the 2018 elections?MD: I agree that the opposition side of the politics in this country, if left to go into an election separately, may not stand the obvious chance of winning against Zanu-PF. I am happy, however, to note that there are currently very positive developments towards coming out with an umbrella body that will face Zanu-PF and effectively go a long way in diluting Zanu-PF's rigging. If opposition parties unite, they will without doubt, defeat Zanu-PF by very high margins.EM: What is your role in Zimbabwe People First and why did you choose to join that party instead of the other opposition parties?MD: I am there to work, as has always been my passion, for the good of this country, its people and without mention, my family also. I could equally have worked for this country's best interests from any opposition grouping but my colleagues in People First approached me and I saw no reason to refuse. That is why I remain for the creation of a common front of the opposition in the next general election. I believe that every opposition grouping in this country has a role to play towards the freedom and liberty of our people.EM: Do you believe the many former Zanu-PF officials accused of human rights violations such as Didymus Mutasa have truly reformed?MD: It is not a question of believing. It remains very important to always ensure that all of us Zimbabweans remain dedicated and focused towards the common goal of restoring and living the values and ideals of the liberation struggle. I have no problem working genuinely with anybody whose past may raise questions among other people, as long as we are on the same track, the popular and deserved track for Zimbabwe.EM: As a former Zanu-PF legislator and war veteran, where do you think Mugabe went wrong?MD: We are all mortals and a time comes when in whatever endeavours we may have been good at, as we grow older and wiser we should pass on the active baton to the next generation while we remain perhaps in an advisory role. This surprising refusal to relinquish office does the country and its people no good. No one person could ever be indispensible in this world. When you naturally tire, you should retire.EM: How come you never protested at the height of gukurahundi when there were gross human rights violations on Zanu-PF opponents and genocide?MD: This I did, but remember I was a lone voice during my term of office in Parliament. I was already viewed as a rebel and that alone undermined my contributions. Do not forget the role that I played in the politics of this country since 1995 has not be recognised in other sections of the opposition politics though noted and used for their benefit without mention. The gukurahundi issue is an issue that did not receive the expected response from the international world during that time. I have noticed political opportunists abuse the gukurahundi episode very often for their selfish interests and never for the good and peace of the victims of that genocide. Let me clarify also that in an abusive situation, often both the abused and the abuser could be victims of the circumstances and may both need remedy, though of a different nature.EM: Would you have left Zanu-PF if the party had not tried to block your election into Parliament?MD: There is reason to everything, and therefore a reaction to every development. I left Zanu-PF for reasons now public, but it is not that I was not expressing my opinion through the Zanu-PF party channels during my long stay there. You know party discourses usually remain confidential within the parties. And as the elders say: kamoto kamberevere kanopisa matanda mberi [what starts as a small fire can grow into a raging inferno]. The explosion over Sunningdale was evidence of a long-simmering dissatisfaction with certain approaches and behaviours then in Zanu-PF.EM: Do you think people like Mujuru would have joined the opposition ranks had they not been expelled from Zanu-PF?MD: I cannot speak for my interim President Mujuru but can only risk equating her situation to mine. The mere fact that as then vice-president of both Zanu-PF and the country, she was humiliated in the manner she was, is an obvious indication that she must have fundamentally differed with Mugabe and her cronies, and this over a very long period. They took their revenge in the way they did but it looks like citizens have since seen through Zanu-PF's lies.EM: Why do you think Zimbabweans should trust people that were forced out of Zanu-PF and only started speaking out about its shortcomings when they were out in the cold?MD: Like I have just said, party differences are often always handled confidentially and, as we often say, in a mature manner. The fact that the differences led to my colleagues' dismissals means they were fundamental. And it goes without question that the bottom line of the differences was Mugabe's dictatorship.EM: What changes would you want to see in Zimbabwe and what would it take to achieve them?MD: Given the extent of destruction Zanu-PF has occasioned on all fronts in this country, social, economic, political, you name it, I could write a whole bible on that, the country requires massive attention. However, suffice to say that people of Zimbabwe know the nature of the changes they want effected and that is why everybody is anti-Zanu-PF today, except those few enjoying the looting with Mugabe. News / National by Thobekile Zhou ZIFA president Philip Chiyangwa has talked himself into another controversy by telling all Zimbabweans to shut up.Chiyangwa was live on state-controlled StarfmZimbabwe station.Chiyangwa was in Bulawayo earlier in the day watching Highlanders and Dynamos."Just got off the phone LIVE @StarfmZimbabwe with Philip Chiyangwa who says if you're not contributing money towards ZIFA 'just shut up", StarfmZimbabwe presenter Chief Koti twitted.That attracted a string of harsh criticism from a cross section of people.Below are some of the comments: News / Regional by Nozibelo Maphosa NATIONAL Assembly Member for Nkulumane Killian Sibanda has initiated vocational training courses in his constituency aimed at helping youths and raise standards of life for women, children and other vulnerable groups.In an interview on Friday after touring Sizinda Vocational Training Centre where youths from his constituency are doing courses, Sibanda said he wanted to help youths who are not eligible for tertiary education, so that in spite of not having gone to college, they can be taken off the streets and made into people of value to society."I chose to assist these youths study towards their careers because they are the future generation of Zimbabwe and educating them will get them off the streets," said Sibanda.Principal of the Sizinda Vocational Training Centre Mrs Sifiso Takavarasha said Sibanda had been assisting the training centre with studying equipment since last year. The training centre offers short courses in disciplines such as catering, cosmetology, electrical systems, motor mechanics and clothing technology."Sibanda has been providing us with training material, so these short courses we are offering are like a scholarship from him to the Nkulumane youths. We have had more than 300 students studying catering, electrical systems, motor mechanics and clothing technology all from Nkulumane constituency," said Mrs Takavarasha.Mrs Takavarasha said though clothing technology had few students they were hoping to enrol more in that department with time."We are looking forward to enrol many students in the clothing technology department as we can see the country's clothing industry has been grossly affected by second hand clothes," said Mrs Takavarasha.Among the projects is a training facility which saw 300 women graduating after completing short courses in jam and sauce making, vegetable drying, soap making and how to manage small businesses.Sibanda said he had also facilitated markets for the beneficiaries which would see the women supplying retail shops such as Choppies."We are taking advantage of the introduction of Statutory Instrument 64 which says we should not import goods we can produce locally," said Sibanda.Apart from youths, Sibanda is helping Mandwandwe High School complete construction of its Science laboratory and Mncumbatha Secondary School to complete the building of its classroom blocks. Sibanda also facilitated electricity connection for new stands in Nkulumane 12. He said the connections should be complete by November. Opinion / Columnist The Economist says we are living in a world of "post-truth" politics.We are inclined to agree.The Economist's basic argument is premised on the manner in which the 2016 US presidential race is panning out.The magazine says this is a campaign where one of the major party candidates, Mr Donald Trump, has emerged as "the leading exponent of 'post-truth' politicsa reliance on assertions that 'feel true' but have no basis in fact".Of course, the author (evidently anti-Trump) of the article neglects to speak of Mrs Hillary Clinton's storied brush with truthfulness.But the basic premise is what we are concerned with: the increasing tendency of many politicians and their naive followers to accept what feels to be true over what actually is true.It is this negation of fact that has brought us to the doorstep of the age we find ourselves about to enter here in Zimbabwe.It is an age we are blindly stumbling into and it is not Huntington's clash of civilisations or Fukuyama's end of history.It is a post-truth world.This is a world where millennial politicians can glibly write off fact by alleging media agendas.This is a world where when a millennial politician is caught with a hand in the cookie jar he or she claims the cookie jar surrounded itself around the hand.It is a post-truth world.Truth doesn't matter anymore. Truth is the god that Nietzsche said was dead.What matters today more than anything else is survival over integrity, winning over principles, and wealth over values.It is as if we are living on Golding's lawless island, where we weep for the end of innocence and the darkness of man's heart.Let us get to the point.We take great exception to Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Minister Saviour Kasukuwere's statement last week vis-a-vis land earmarked for housing for young Zimbabweans.As reported by our sister paper The Herald, before Wednesday's Politburo meeting President Mugabe asked Minister Kasukuwere a very simple question.He wanted to know what was happening to youth land allocations in relation to a report we had carried earlier pertaining to alleged opacity in the matter.Instead of seriously confronting an issue that is of existential interest to millions of young Zimbabweans, the honourable minister chose to say "vakanga vashaya zvekunyora".Surely, can a whole national paper, the biggest weekly in the country for that matter, sit down to conspire to dream up a story just so as to fill up space?The Sunday Mail does not inhabit a fantastical realm, a phantasmagorical plain where non-existent Tadyanemhandu beheadings occur.When we raise issues, when we publish stories, it is not in pursuit of personal agendas or maligning individuals.It is because there is a matter of national concern that needs redress for the good of the citizenry.We have neither the brief nor the time to immerse ourselves in whatever personal score settling may be taking place between some individuals in Government or the ruling party.Can our politicians and public servants simply address the issues at hand?It is not that we are targeting Minister Kasukuwere.For instance, the chair of the Civil Service Commission Dr Mariyawanda Nzuwah also feels that us reporting on his alleged US$200 000 taxpayer-paid phone bill has nothing to do with The Sunday Mail.Really?Several other public officials have taken issue with reporting on their alleged mismanagement, sometimes bordering on flagrant abuse of office and graft, because they feel they should not be held accountable by the public.We cannot indulge them. We can do no other than stand by the people who elect them into office and pay their salaries.They in turn must stand on integrity, principles and the values enshrining public service.As long as we allow the kind of behaviour where post-truth politics trump the national interest, where service is sacrificed for expediency, and where communication is estranged from fact, we are embarking on a journey that takes Zimbabwe to Hell in hand basket without anyone giving a toss. Opinion / Columnist There should be a referendum that will determine if the entire people of Mathebeleland are agreeable to the restoration of Ndebele Kingdom. It is not advisable to impose a Kingdom on the diverse peoples of Mathebeleland, we are not subject but are a democratic institutions that need to be consulted.. It is a few individuals who appear to want to speak on behalf of the entire peoples of this region who want to dominate other minorities in the region. Mathebeleland is not wholly the nation of the Ngunis and the Khumalos only. We are more than six Kingdoms in this region.Who gives the Khumalo Kingdom the right to dominate other Kingdoms in Mathebeleland? What makes Khumalo Kingdom more special than other Kingdoms so that they shall only be the ones to revive their own and not the other? Who is going to maintain all the costs that entails a King's kraal. Did you make a referendum that was wholly agreeable to all ethnic groups that the Khumalo Kingdom will be the one that dominates other ethnic groups? Are you aware of the fact that Mathebeleland is seriously depopulated, many people relocated to South Africa because of marginalization of the region.This whole wish of a kingdom is wholly chauvinistic and wholly masculine, wholly misogynistic. This dreaming of what it was yesteryears at the detriment of our women and children are galling to say the least. Whoever is dreaming of the Mathebeleland restoration of a Khumalo King is putting so many lives at risk that they purport to protect. The "other" will not agree, this will be putting the region again in a Gugurahundi mood. Should there be war in this region, it is those very Ndebele men who will run away, run back for cover in Zululand, leaving women and children vulnerable, at the mercy of yet another coming ethnic cleansing. This suggestion is wholly done by unscrupulous men, failed politicians who see no purpose in their lives either than talk big.I would rather refer you to an article written by Dinizulu Macaphulana of late who spoke passionately about those who glorify war and the consequences of it, women and children as complete casualties of it. The restoration will not just happen without resistance. I would be tempted to think that the statement is a provocation to confrontation. There is no funding for such "nice thinking". The region is destitute, abjectly poor to ever entertain such niceties of yesteryears. For Pete's sake we are in a miserable debt, we do not even know if we are to repay our debt by giving up parts of the lands to repay it. We owe the International lenders over 20 Billion US dollars. At the present moment the treasury is bankrupt. Who can still sit down and dream of a Kingdom when the entire 4 million is without food but rely on food handouts from international community. The region has no water at all; the water projects are at a standstill.What value is the Khumalo Kingdom give to the other ethnic groups in the region? Are you going to attract tourism by yearly occurrences of Mhlanga dances, the touristic will enjoy seeing paraded half dressed Ndebele girls posing to be seen by the king, to be picked as the fourth of fifth of sixth wives of the King of Mathebeleland? Why are drawing us back to the middle ages customs from Zululand? The King Zwelithini of Zululand is wholly unproductive. He dreams of apartheid days as his glory days. Is this what the people who want to restore the Ndebele kingdom emulating from King Zwelithini? This wish to the restoration of Ndebele King is wholly the idea of being worshiped; it's galling. Who will ever worship beggars from the taxpayers' treasury?I would rather we look into rebuilding the region and assisting the women and children in their fight for chronic poverty in the region. We should engage in project that will give water in the region. We should fight for our school to have Ndebele speaking teachers to facilitate better education for our children. We need to fight for the devolution of power so that we determine our future and not our future to be determined by the central government. Devolution is already in the constitution, why can't we give it a chance? The Lady Thokozile Mkhwanazi who resides in USA is giving all of us good example of empowering the region. She had made tangible contribution worth emulating! Why can't we forcefully ask all opposition parties tell us how they are going to effectively solve ethnic tensions in the country as a whole? We forcefully request them to show us clauses and phrases that shows clearly how ethnic diversities will be accommodated in the devolution clauses of the constitution.This restoration of Ndebele Kingdom is wholly misogynistic. Women and children's rights are trampled up in those institutions or Kingdoms. We shall fight against the restoration of Ndebele Kingdom; we shall make sure there is no restoration of Ndebele Kingdom in Zimbabwe even if the devolution goes through. Such Kingdoms are wholly misogynistic and they do not have a place in a competitive global development. What goes on inside those corridors of such kingdoms; its traditions and cultural that are out of date that have no place anymore in this globally changing development, I am citing King Zwelithini of Zululand and king Mswathi Swaziland as classical examples of absolute backwardness in relation to how they view women and children and foreigners too.We do not want to see a situation whereby the Ndebele Kingdom will dominate other ethnic minorities in the region because of the presence of their King. You certainly resist Shona dominance, we resist Ndebele dominance equally. Shona dominance cannot be the only "bad" and the dominance of the Ndebele the only "good." We the San population have never been acknowledged by Ndebeles in you Kingdoms at any time. As a citizen of Zimbabwe from the San population I am not agreeable to the restoration of Ndebele Kingdom under the Khumalo rule. I will mobilize others of my clan and certainly of other clans and Kingdoms too, to resist this move of the restoration of Ndebele Kingdom, the Khumalo as the named Kingship.Let's have a referendum that will determine whether the peoples in the region are agreeable to such a restoration. If indeed the referendum went into your favour, to restore Ndebele kingdom and the Khumalo as the King I will be made to understand and accept democratic decisions and respect the majority wishes. Opinion / Columnist OPPOSITION political parties have ganged up in a marriage of convenience under a body called National Electoral Reform Agenda (Nera), and made their intentions known of demanding the so-called electoral reforms before the 2018 elections.In a recent Press conference in Harare they said: "As political parties, we have realised that at the centre of the current national crisis is the crisis of legitimacy. We are not only demanding the implementation of electoral reforms, but also the announcement of a clear road-map to the next election by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission a road-map complete with processes and time-frames. We are also calling on Sadc, specifically the current chair of Sadc to remain seized with the issue of Zimbabwe and to ensure that the electoral field in this country is leveled ahead of the next election."Nera has, among other parties, the MDC-T led by Mr Morgan Tsvangirai and Zimbabwe People First led by Dr Joice Mujuru.The group also demanded that ZEC avails the electronic voters' rolls for inspection by all stakeholders and give an update on the delimitation exercise.Nonetheless, what we find strange is that the new baby born out of this marriage has a number of key figures who were in Government when the issue of electoral reforms was addressed during the making of the new Constitution, which was approved in the referendum of 16 March 2013 and parliament on 9 May 2013.Dr Mujuru was by then Vice President before she was kicked out of the ruling party and Government, and some of the key figures in Dr Mujuru's party, Mr Didymus Mutasa and Mr Rugare Gumbo held high positions in Government and Zanu-PF before their sacking. The list does not end there, Mr Tsvangirai was also Prime Minister in the Inclusive Government that ushered in the new Constitution and Mr Tendai Biti as well as Mr Welshman Ncube, leaders of other political parties, were also part of Government.It is therefore clear that the said demands for electoral reforms are part of machinations by opposition parties to grand stage and seek relevance, after being rendered irrelevant in the country's body politic for some time after the Zanu-PF resounding victory in the last elections. And with elections approaching in 2018, it would appear opposition parties are on the election mode and are already trying to score cheap points against the ruling party and Government. But what they forget is that the world knows that the main actors on the opposition front today were heavily involved in the crafting of the new Constitution, and they surely cannot turn around now and claim otherwise.In any case, if anyone is not happy with issues of constitutional nature, the Constitutional Court is there to give them an ear, instead of resorting to grand staging and calling for demonstrations whose outcome we all now know violence.Politburo member and Member of Parliament for Tsholotsho North and Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education Prof Jonathan Moyo hit back, saying the demands were "totally unacceptable". And President Mugabe noted that their actions were bent on forcing the country to go back to a Government of National Unity, boldly declaring that they were day dreaming."They have been quiet for three years and now all of a sudden they want electoral reforms and give themselves a funny name, like Nera Let us be clear, for a long time since 1999, the opposition had said the most important reform that must happen in the country is a new Constitution they were saying no Constitution, no elections, for a long time. We got that in 2013 and it was a negotiated Constitution among the political parties within the context of the Global Political Agreement (GPA). The Electoral Act as it is right now is a product of GPA parties. Then they said no we must start talking about electoral reforms. It is totally unacceptable and we should not be in doubt about that because the fundamental laws of the land have changed. There is no law, conduct or practice or custom that supersedes the law or that is above the Constitution."We note the issue of the so-called electoral reforms is raised by opposition political parties each time they think of elections, instead of telling the electorate what they have to offer. We have no doubt that this grand staging will bring nothing to the citizens of Zimbabwe, as has been the norm with regards to machinations of opposition political parties in the country. Opinion / Columnist This time we focus the spotlight on the Mvuthu chieftainship at Jambezi within Hwange District in Matabeleland North. Our interest in it is inspired by the instance when a girl who was the eldest child of a chief did not succeed her father after his death. Later, the same Mvuthu family was landed with a chiefly succession wrangle where this time around, as before, a girl is the eldest child and wants to succeed her late father. Before we deal with the contentious issues, let us deal with a brief account of the history of the chieftainship.As far as we are aware what is today referred to as the Mvuthu Chieftainship originated with one Njotsho Mlotshwa who was chief of iNtemba or eNtembeni Village/Regiment located in the headwaters of the Khoce River, to the north east of Bulawayo.Apparently, King Mzilikazi Khumalo married one of the Mlotshwa daughters, a sister to Chief Galu Mlotshwa who led the Elibeni Village/Regiment north of Bulawayo and close to the aManxele Hills in Ntabazinduna. Today an old people's home in Bulawayo's Luveve Township is named after the regiment/village led by the Mlotshwas.Probably the best known chief of iNtemba is Xukuthwayo Mlotshwa who was a reputable poet during King Lobengula Khumalo's reign. It is also very likely that he was the first chief of iNtemba Village/Regiment while his father Njotsho was an ordinary man. Oral traditions claim that Xukuthwayo was one of the men who carried the king whenever they crossed flooded rivers. King Mzilikazi Khumalo, out of gratitude, then rewarded Xukuthwayo Mlotshwa by marrying off his daughter to him.Chief Xukuthwayo Mlotshwa had other Khumalo wives.Chief Xukuthwayo Mlotshwa's heir apparent was one Mvuthu Mlotshwa who was a minor at the time of Chief Xukuthwayo Mlotshwa's demise. Sikhombo Mguni may have acted as regent at the time. Young Mvuthu Mlotshwa, whose mother MaKhumalo was a younger sister of King Lobengula Khumalo was summoned to go and live at the royal capital of KoBulawayo, at its new location where modern Bulawayo stands today.That relocation from eNtabenende where iNtemba was located then, took place before Mvuthu was old enough to herd goats.For the next 12 years he was being carried on the back of a captive lady (owesihlangu). Apparently, Mvuthu Mlotshwa was issued with a Martini Henry rifle and the king (Lobengula Khumalo) asked him to defend him when time for that came.Indeed, Mvuthu Mlotshwa put his rifle to good use, felling a number of whites under Major Allan Wilson at the Pupu Battle across the Shangani River on 4 December 1893.Mvuthu Mlotshwa, then a married man, left KoBulawayo and went back to live at eNtabenende where his successor Tebele Mlotshwa was born and raised. As a result of land alienation iNtemba had been evicted from its historical location close to Bulawayo. ENtembeni people were resettled nearer Esigodini, formerly known as Essexvale. Some such as the Dlaminis and the Mabalekas went to Ntabazinduna where they are found to this day. Apparently, Tebele was chief for a brief period of only five years. After the cessation of hostilities in World War II (1939-1945) white settlers effected land alienations with ferocious enthusiasm. Some Ndebele people were made to take part in long haul treks to new places of resettlement. The Mvuthu community at Essexvale (now Esigodini) was punished by being relocated to Jambezi near the Zambezi River.The chief who undertook the trip to the new place was Abednico Mlotshwa whose wife was a MaTshabangu. His younger brothers were Simeon, Butcher and Lugude. They moved to a place where they lived with other fellow evictees from Matobo District and Gweru District (Lower Gwelo). It is important to note that the name of the chieftainship had since become Mvuthu after Xukuthwayo Mlotshwa's son by the same. Chief Mvuthu Mlotshwa (Abednico) was made Headman under Chief Hwange-within Reserve Area B.Chief Mvuthu's eldest child was a girl by the name Thandiwe. As per Ndebele succession procedures and principles the Mlotshwa family met to choose a successor after the death of Chief Mvuthu (Abednico). The Mlotshwa family knew that according to their tradition regarding chiefly succession a girl was not qualified for succession. As a result, Thandiwe was passed over and Louis, alias Nyangayezizwe, was chosen as the chiefly candidate and was accordingly appointed by Government as the next Chief Mvuthu.Before going further with the account of Mvuthu Chieftainship let's pose a while to consider a few pertinent issues. Let us start with a case where a chief's senior wife or house has several sons who come after a daughter. This happens to have been the case when Thandiwe was bypassed. Younger child, but eldest qualifying son Louis, took over. It is important to appreciate that all the sons in the senior house qualify to succeed their father. However, it is the eldest qualifying son who succeeds his father ahead of all other qualifying sons. There is an important pecking order to consider and observe.The second eldest qualifying son would succeed if the eldest qualifying son say, had girls only. In fact, this would be a rare case of lateral succession that is from late chief to his younger brother. This can still happen among the Ndebele when the law of primogeniture (vertical, from father to eldest qualifying son) has not been possible to implement. An incumbent chief's in-laws are usually keen to have their daughter produce the next chief. When their daughter who is married to a chief fails to conceive a son, they dispatch another daughter of theirs to try and conceive a son for the first daughter.Such a wife takes precedence over other wives that were junior to the one she has come to produce a son for. Her position in the pecking order is that of her paternal aunt for whom she has come to produce a son to succeed the incumbent chief upon his death.If that does not happen, the next eldest son from the senior house is eligible to take over. Here it is the mother and her status that determines who the next chief will be. Suppose this number two son has no child, the next eldest qualifying son, i.e. from the senior house, takes over. Let us, for a while say the second eldest son is late but the third eldest qualifying son is still alive, what happens? If the second eldest qualifying son had produced sons there is no issue at all. It is the eldest among his qualifying sons that takes over.The third son, even if still alive does not take over ahead of son 3's qualifying sons. The assumption here is that the eldest qualifying son's house has been disqualified for good as a result of the house having failed to produce a son. Note that this disqualification is for all time and has happened before in Ndebele chiefly succession matters.Let us trace the Chief Mvuthu Chieftainship to see what has taken place in its case. Chief Mvuthu (Louis) married MaZulu who did not produce any son at all. Instead, she had three girls. Chief Mvuthu passed on in 2014. In view of the scenario given above what would, in the heyday of the Ndebele State, have taken place? There would have been no question of eldest daughter Silibaziso taking over. Then who would have taken over? As pointed out above, there were a number of sons from the senior house all qualifying to take over. In the event of Louis not having produced a son, one of his younger brothers would have taken over-in this case the second eldest qualifying brother, Simeon.However, we are informed that Simeon was already late at the time when succession was to take place. Assuming the third eldest qualifying brother Butcher is still alive, he does not succeed the late chief if the second eldest qualifying brother Simeon has sons. It so happens that Simeon indeed has surviving qualifying sons, the eldest of whom is Sanders. If Ndebele traditional principles of chiefly succession were to be followed, it is Simeon's son Sanders who would have taken over.However, this does not seem to be the case as there are contradictory views which are seeking the succession and installation of Chief Mvuthu (Louis)'s eldest child, Silibaziso Mlotshwa. The wrangle has apparently spilled into the High Court. We are not aware of the outcome, one way or the other. 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: Hurricane Update: Fears arise that Gov. Ron DeSantis may reroute Hurricane Ian from Florida coast to Martha's Vineyard Study: People who define themselves by what they stand against, are usually afraid to tell people what they stand for Liz Cheney: Voters need to ask themselves, why they are so out of touch with their politicians White House: IRS toy guns for children are now politically correct, mandatory BREAKING: Biden's economic sanctions on the U.S. to be partially lifted prior to November election GOP's new slogan for midterms: Make Dissent Patriotic Again PSA: Due to high gas prices police departments will now be responding and making arrests via Zoom. NYT: Roe vs Wade to be renamed the "Don't Say Fetus" law Democrats insist on carrying unwanted presidency to term Elon Musk went to bed thinking he owns Twitter. Then the mail-in ballots arrived at 2am... Obama: "If you like your information you can keep your information" Fact checkers reveal Biden handler not a real Easter bunny Biden 2021: you'll save $0.16 on 4th of July BBQ! Biden 2022: you'll save a ton of $$ if you don't eat this 4th of July! Disney to buy Epstein Island for new theme park The Biology Underground is like the Weather Underground, except they are real biologists and they've had to go underground "Psssst. Hey you, kid. Ya wanna watch a Disney movie with me?" "I am not suicidal," says COVID-19 after being contracted by Hillary Clinton Trans-swimmer Lia Thomas's trophy is smaller than for male swimmers, and only 73% gold Sources: U.S. now considers majority of U.S. citizens a threat to U.S. BREAKING: Russian General claims he was beaten up outside Ukrainian bio lab by two Nazis who poured vodka and caviar over him and yelled "This is NATO Country!" Global warming news: 100,000 Russian migrants fleeing climate change about to march into Ukraine Future headline: Donald Trump to buy CNN for one dollar Georgia Governor Stacy Abrams feels honored to be the new Supreme Court justice President Biden: 'Vote for me or I'll shoot this foot' Fact checkers give Pinocchio's speech four Bidens Fauci: The only thing we have to fear, is a lack of fear itself! Study: Most people have had sex more violent than January 6th Facebook permanently bans Facebook from Facebook for violating Facebook community standards New remake of the 1950's horror movie Them to be titled Them/They Teachers Union: Idea that CRT is being taught in K-12 just a conspiracy theory by white supremacists trying to maintain their systemically racist police state Xze/She/He who controls the past controls the future; Xze/She/He who controls the present controls the past S ocialists vow to fight against Critical Socialism Theory A more perfect Soviet Union: the Party pretends it unites us, and we pretend we are united Biden solves border crisis with free direct flights from Central America to major metropolitan areas Critical race theory: destroy the world of systemic racism, build a world of systemic race-baiting In the future everyone will get canceled for fifteen minutes Biden proposes bill to spend two trillion dollars on more money printing factories Social unity: They pretend to hold elections and we pretend we voted Immigrants to Texas and Florida from New York and California break down and cry when they realize all their sacrifices for a better tomorrow were based on lies China anal swabs detect new 'silent but deadly' transmission of covid-19 variant Social science breakthrough: 'White' is the new way of saying 'Bourgeois' Biden administration swat teams make sweeping arrests of underground female-only track meets 'Green energy' to be renamed 'blackout energy' for easier comprehension of climate complexities New children's game: Rock, Paper, Scissors, Science Texas: Biden administration sends emergency wind turbines to help fight the blackouts BREAKING: Biden signs executive order canceling the number 45 ATTENTION: It is your duty to report anyone who says this is no longer a free country. Fact-checking commissars are monitoring all state-approved social media platforms for your convenience OUT: If you don't vote, you can't complain! IN: If you didn't vote Democrat, you can't complain! Social media justice: followers removed from pro-Trump accounts will be added to Biden's Twitter account Fact check: a democratic election is the one in which votes are counted until Democrats win JUST IN: China bans Twitter for being too totalitarian Pelosi introduces new House rule to replace 'gender' terms like mother, daughter, father, son with the word 'comrade'; the only acceptable pronoun will also be 'comrade' Sources: Biden transition team demands access to White House basement to begin renovations BREAKING: President Trump pardons America for its past Prime Minister Modi: to avoid accusations of racism India will change its name to Cleveland Biden creates Antifascist Librarian Justice Committee; the first book scheduled for burning is Fahrenheit 451 Media study: 148% of Americans believe voter fraud doesn't exist 2020 Election forecast: if Joe Biden emerges from the basement on Election Day and sees his shadow, expect four more years of Trump BREAKING: President Trump pardons Corn Pop Toobin, though on administrative leave, is still pulling for Biden Chinese whistleblower: Biden-20 was genetically engineered in a Wuhan lab Nancy Pelosi sponsors a bill to create the office of removal of the President New college humanities major: Critical Trump Studies Opinion: Joe Biden is just an idea CNN: Biden took a solid second place in the debate, while Trump only came next to last Having ordered that all Californians switch to electric cars by 2035, Gov. Gavin Newsom follows up by mandating them to have electricity by 2035 Election 2020: Joe Biden pledges to a peaceful post-election transfer of power to George Soros Out: Flatten the curve. In: Flatten the country. Breaking: the Democrat Party has finished transitioning from being the party of JFK to being the party of Lee Harvey Oswald Paradigm shift in Chromatics: Study shows Indigo (#3F00FF) mixed with Jamaic (#C0FF01) yields Black (#000000) Study: the trouble with wokeism is eventually you run out of victims Stacey Abrams refuses to concede to Harris; declares herself Biden's VP Election 2020: Spunky former presidential candidate wins VP slot by a head Churches in many states to hold services in opened up pubs and bars Election 2020: Xi Jinping still undecided on vice president for Joe Biden Reports: Republicans pounce on 'Republicans pounce' reports Minneapolis launches online looting app to combat Covid-19 DNC study finds lockdowns no longer necessary as the economy is now being destroyed more effectively by looters and rioters With America in lockdown, China offers to host Democrat primary Bernie Sanders tests negative for President In related news, Joe Biden follows other candidates in withdrawing from race and endorsing Joe Biden New York Governor Cuomo shuts down all 'non-essential' business, surprised to find himself out of a job Biden commits to picking a woman as running mate as long as she passes his sniff test Joe Biden's coronavirus prevention tips: always rub hand sanitizer on young girls before sniffing and fondling them Russian lawmakers warned that the American Democrats are meddling to re-elect Putin Joe Biden promises lucrative board member jobs as door prizes to get people to his rallies Democrats now worried they might even lose the illegal alien vote Soleimani's remains FedExed back to Iran and now no one knows what happened to the box BREAKING: massive search underway in Iran after Soleimani's boxed FedEx'd remains stolen off front porch Liz Warren harshly critical of Biden's suggestion to coal miners that they should learn to code, offers to have them trained as romance novelists instead Pelosi: "First we have to impeach Donald Trump before we can find out why we impeached him." Schiff calls his Amazon Alexa to testify: 'She knows absolutely everything' Iran answers to new Reagan statue in Berlin by erecting Obama statue at Tehran airport where he delivered pallets of cash California accepts award for most progressive environmental policies; further progressive developments to be announced as blackouts permit BREAKING: Romney DNA test reveals he is 1/1024th Republican California Governor Gavin Newsom blames electricity blackouts on Ukrainian kulaks, vows revenge Rat falling from White House ceiling fears for his life, begs reporters for protection, offers a tell-all memoir Latest UN climate report shows this month so far has seen the scariest climate pronouncements on record Climate science: there's no need for climate protests in China because China is already communist Islamic clerics split on whether Reps. Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib should be traveling around the world without an accompanying male relative Dem candidates call for the Beatles' song 'Get Back' and the 'White Album' to be banned; surviving two white guys of the group must pay reparations Bond's number is up: next 007 will be a black woman, played by Barack Obama NYT: moon landing was one small step for Man, one giant leap for White Male Supremacy HURRICANE WATCH: Tropical storm Barry has records sealed, once offshore expected to change name to Barack Trump politicizes the 4th of July, declares it henceforth to be called the 45th of July, or July the Trumpth Barack Obama critical of Trump for failing to insert 'I, me, my' into his 4th of July speech: "very unpresidential!" Congressional Democrats: John Dean's testimony proves Trump is Nixon in disguise and must be impeached Bernie Sanders admits to being a millionaire, promises to eat himself if nominated International Women's Day observed, women only paid 73% of attention afforded to men Democrats: anti-Semitism means never having to say you're sorry AOC: aborting babies helps preserve the planet for the next generation Bernie Sanders launches presidential campaign, promises to "build a great big beautiful Iron Curtain" around America if elected West Virginia renames itself Eastern Kentucky to avoid further embarrassment from Virginia BREAKING: Justice Ginsburg released from hospital after breaking 3 ribs at late night bar brawl in Adams Morgan DNA news: Senator Warren tanking in latest totem polls Orwell studies: 84% of academics believe problems raised in 1984 can be fixed with solutions from Animal Farm Progress in gender justice: online dating industry issues recommendations for men to wear body cameras, bring attorneys as chaperones Study: the only people who don't know what socialism is are the socialists Poll: 1 in 3 #FightFor15 activists believe movement is related to lowering the age of consent across America CNN expert: Kavanaugh confirmation will increase global warming by 3 degrees Harry Reid comes forth to say Judge Kavanaugh didn't pay any taxes in high school Hollywood to America: If you've got a flag on the Moon, you didn't plant that; some other country made that happen Protest march in straight jackets against Trump ends in chaos as participants try but fail to free themselves HEADLINES YOU WILL NEVER SEE: California Gov. Jerry Brown single-handedly stops wildfires in his state by issuing an immediate statewide ban on wildfires San Francisco closes all Planned Parenthood clinics after sting operation catches employees using plastic straws Vegan mother undergoes experimental surgery to force her breasts to produce almond milk With none of his emails answered, frustrated Nigerian man commits suicide and leaves $100bn fortune to charity California gives new meaning to strawman argument as caped Strawman battles supervillains in restaurants, bars, and fast food joints Violence increases in Mexico as cartels switch from smuggling drugs to plastic straws to San Francisco Obama proposes a Paris Economic Change agreement among nations to address how world will cope with future runaway economic warming Stormy Daniels plans border visit to give migrant children freebies San Francisco: man dumping off 20 lbs of human waste in plastic bag on street corner cited for using non-biodegradable plastic bag BREAKING: ICE renamed Planned Citizenship, immediately absolving it of all criticism Senate Democrats demand Supreme Court nominee not be unduly influenced by U.S. Constitution BREAKING: In 2018, Obama and Biden can finally celebrate Recovery Summer IG Report: the FBI broke the law, but since there was no criminal intent, no reasonable prosecutor would bring such a case Pelosi on Trump's MS-13 "animals" comments: "Four legs good, two legs bad" Iran nuclear talks set to resume between the United States and John Kerry Report: The Mueller investigation has finally determined that the lyrics to Louie Louie are not about Trump and Russian collusion MARKETS: Demand for carbon credits spikes as Hamas seeks to undo damage to Earth's atmosphere caused by burning 10,000 tires on Gaza border BREAKING: After state reassignment surgery Pennsylvania will henceforth be known as Transylvania Experts: If we don't act now, unicorns will be extinct in just ten years. Children will ask, "Mommy, what's a unicorn?" Women and minorities will be forced to seek alternative hallucinations Korean war must continue: Hawaiian federal judge declares Trump's peace effort unconstitutional New York: feminists march on Broadway, demand the street be given new, non-misogynistic name Experts: California's planned transition of all state jobs from citizens to illegal aliens by 2020 will help to avoid bankruptcy and save money for social programs for illegal aliens Putin: If I didn't want Hillary to be president she would be dead Doritos maker PepsiCo to introduce snack line for women; new Doritas chips will be 77% as big as Doritos and won't make any scary 'crunchy noises' TMZ: Tooth Fairy accused of sexually assaulting millions of children, outs self as Transgendered Tooth Recovery Specialist RUSSIA COLLUSION: Trump offers Putin to trade Rep. Maxine Waters for two unnamed members of the State Duma Ikea founder dead at 91; his coffin arrived in a box with confusing instructions and took 3 hours to assemble This Thanksgiving ex-president Obama continues with his tradition of apologizing to turkeys everywhere for the injustice they suffered since America's founding Oslo, Norway: 2017 Nobel Peace Prize goes to advocacy group about which you'll forget immediately after reading this headline Cambridge, MA, library to replace racist 'Cat in the Hat' with inclusive 'Che in a Beret' Millions of men worldwide eagerly await broadcast of Hugh Hefner's funeral, solely for the articles Bill Gates offers to pay for Trump's wall on condition he gets to install Windows Bernie Sanders introduces single-payer public transportation bill to end America's unequal, unfair, and expensive private transportation system DNC embroiled in controversy after official Twitter account accidentally 'likes' pictures of US Constitution and Bill of Rights Hurricane Irma hits Cuba, causes millions of dollars worth of improvements to property and infrastructure Climate study: extreme weather may be caused by unlicensed witches casting wrong spells in well-meaning effort to destroy Trump Ex-president Obama declares Irma "Hurricane of Peace," urges not to jump to conclusions and succumb to stormophobia CNN: Trump reverses Obama's executive order banning hurricanes ISIS claims responsibility for a total solar eclipse over the lands of American crusaders and nonbelievers When asked if they could point to North Korea on a map many college students didn't know what a map was CNN: We must bring America into the 21st century by replacing the 18th century Constitution with 19th century poetry Pelosi: 'We have to impeach the president in order to find out what we impeached him for' BREAKING: As of Saturday July 8, 2017, all of Earth's ecosystems have shut down as per Prince Charles's super scientific pronouncement made 96 months ago. Everything is dead. All is lost. Life on Earth is no more. DNC to pick new election slogan out of four finalists: 'Give us more government or everyone dies,' 'Vote for Democrats or everyone dies,' 'Impeach Trump or everyone dies,' 'Stop the fearmongering or everyone dies' Al Gore's "An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power" is humanity's last chance to save the Earth before it ends five years ago Experts: The more we embrace diversity the more everything is the same BOMBSHELL: TMZ offers Kathy Griffin $5 mil to keep any future sex tape private DEVELOPING: CNN, WaPo, NYT anonymous sources say Vladimir Putin may have ties to Russia BREAKING: Manning and Snowden have come out with strong condemnation of Donald Trump leaking classified information to Russia Gun store goes into lockdown over report an "active university professor" roving the grounds Dozens injured at Ralph Lauren & Louis Vuitton headquarters after Ivanka calls in missile strikes on rival fashion houses BOMBSHELL: Evidence proves Donald Trump conspired with his campaign to defeat Hillary Clinton University ranked "very intolerant of free speech" fights the accusation by banning the study and all involved Concerned that Russians don't consume enough alcohol in the month of March, Russia's Orthodox Church makes St. Patrick's Day official holiday Grassroots group calls for "The Million Regulators March" on Washington, supported by all who fear the loss of their betters telling them what to do Experts: Starbucks CEO Schultz's hiring of 10,000 Muslim refugees likely to blow up in his face Will the groundprog be frightened by its own shadow and hide - or will there be another season of insane protests? Trump signs executive order making California and New York national monuments; residents have two days to vacate Women's March against fascism completed with 400,000 fewer deaths than anticipated Feminist historians uncover ghastly concentration camps where so-called "housewives" were forced to live inauthentic lives slaving away in kitchens Dictionary of the future: Global Warming was a popular computer simulation game, where the only way to win was not to play "Anti-fascist" groups violently protest misspelling of their original name, "aren't-we-fascists" Post-inauguration blues: millions of democrats distraught as the reality of having to find real jobs sets in "Journalism is the continuation of war by other means" is exposed as a fake quote by mainstream media journalists Congressional Democrats: "We cannot just simply replace Obamacare with freedom because then millions of Americans will suddenly become free" Schoolchildren jailed for building only white snowmen Obama's reckless attacks on Russia serve as recruitment tool to create more Russian hackers Hillary: "I lost, so I'm going to follow our democratic traditions, poison the wells, and scorch the earth" Children in Venezuela cook and eat their Christmas toys Hillary: "I can hack Russia from my bathroom" Hillary suggests to counter "fake news" with government newspaper called "Truth" ("Pravda" for Russian speakers) BREAKING: Millions of uncounted votes found on Hillary's private voting machine in her Chappaqua bathroom New York Times: Fidel Castro world's sexiest corpse After years of trial and error, CIA finally succeeds with the "waiting it out" technique on Fidel Castro Post-election shopping tip: look for the PoliticsFree label at your local grocer to make sure you don't buy from companies that don't want your business anymore In Hillary's America, email server scrubs you Obama transfers his Nobel Peace Prize to anti-Trump rioters Democrats blame Hillary's criminal e-mail server for her loss, demand it face prison Afraid of "dangerous" Trump presidency, protesters pre-emptively burn America down to the ground Clinton Foundation in foreclosure as foreign donors demand refunds Hillary Clinton blames YouTube video for unexpected and spontaneous voter uprising that prevented her inevitable move into the White House Sudden rise in sea levels explained by disproportionately large tears shed by climate scientists in the aftermath of Trump's electoral victory FBI director Comey delighted after receiving Nobel Prize for Speed Reading (650,000 emails in one week) U.N. deploys troops to American college campuses in order to combat staggeringly low rape rates Responding to Trump's surging poll numbers, Obama preemptively pardons himself for treason Following hurricane Matthew's failure to devastate Florida, activists flock to the Sunshine State and destroy Trump signs manually Tim Kaine takes credit for interrupting hurricane Matthew while debating weather in Florida Study: Many non-voters still undecided on how they're not going to vote The Evolution of Dissent: on November 8th the nation is to decide whether dissent will stop being racist and become sexist - or it will once again be patriotic as it was for 8 years under George W. Bush Venezuela solves starvation problem by making it mandatory to buy food Breaking: the Clinton Foundation set to investigate the FBI Obama captures rare Pokemon while visiting Hiroshima Movie news: 'The Big Friendly Giant Government' flops at box office; audiences say "It's creepy" Barack Obama: "If I had a son, he'd look like Micah Johnson" White House edits Orlando 911 transcript to say shooter pledged allegiance to NRA and Republican Party President George Washington: 'Redcoats do not represent British Empire; King George promotes a distorted version of British colonialism' Following Obama's 'Okie-Doke' speech, stock of Okie-Doke soars; NASDAQ: 'Obama best Okie-Doke salesman' Weaponized baby formula threatens Planned Parenthood office; ACLU demands federal investigation of Gerber Experts: melting Antarctic glacier could cause sale levels to rise up to 80% off select items by this weekend Travel advisory: airlines now offering flights to front of TSA line As Obama instructs his administration to get ready for presidential transition, Trump preemptively purchases 'T' keys for White House keyboards John Kasich self-identifies as GOP primary winner, demands access to White House bathroom Upcoming Trump/Kelly interview on FoxNews sponsored by 'Let's Make a Deal' and 'The Price is Right' News from 2017: once the evacuation of Lena Dunham and 90% of other Hollywood celebrities to Canada is confirmed, Trump resigns from presidency: "My work here is done" Non-presidential candidate Paul Ryan pledges not to run for president in new non-presidential non-ad campaign Trump suggests creating 'Muslim database'; Obama symbolically protests by shredding White House guest logs beginning 2009 National Enquirer: John Kasich's real dad was the milkman, not mailman National Enquirer: Bound delegates from Colorado, Wyoming found in Ted Cruzs basement Iran breaks its pinky-swear promise not to support terrorism; US State Department vows rock-paper-scissors strategic response Women across the country cheer as racist Democrat president on $20 bill is replaced by black pro-gun Republican Federal Reserve solves budget crisis by writing itself a 20-trillion-dollar check Widows, orphans claim responsibility for Brussels airport bombing Che Guevara's son hopes Cuba's communism will rub off on US, proposes a long list of people the government should execute first Susan Sarandon: "I don't vote with my vagina." Voters in line behind her still suspicious, use hand sanitizer Campaign memo typo causes Hillary to court 'New Black Panties' vote New Hampshire votes for socialist Sanders, changes state motto to "Live FOR Free or Die" Martin O'Malley drops out of race after Iowa Caucus; nation shocked with revelation he has been running for president Statisticians: one out of three Bernie Sanders supporters is just as dumb as the other two Hillary campaign denies accusations of smoking-gun evidence in her emails, claims they contain only smoking-circumstantial-gun evidence Obama stops short of firing US Congress upon realizing the difficulty of assembling another group of such tractable yes-men In effort to contol wild passions for violent jihad, White House urges gun owners to keep their firearms covered in gun burkas TV horror live: A Charlie Brown Christmas gets shot up on air by Mohammed cartoons Democrats vow to burn the country down over Ted Cruz statement, 'The overwhelming majority of violent criminals are Democrats' Russia's trend to sign bombs dropped on ISIS with "This is for Paris" found response in Obama administration's trend to sign American bombs with "Return to sender" University researchers of cultural appropriation quit upon discovery that their research is appropriation from a culture that created universities Archeologists discover remains of what Barack Obama has described as unprecedented, un-American, and not-who-we-are immigration screening process in Ellis Island Mizzou protests lead to declaring entire state a "safe space," changing Missouri motto to "The don't show me state" Green energy fact: if we put all green energy subsidies together in one-dollar bills and burn them, we could generate more electricity than has been produced by subsidized green energy State officials improve chances of healthcare payouts by replacing ObamaCare with state lottery NASA's new mission to search for racism, sexism, and economic inequality in deep space suffers from race, gender, and class power struggles over multibillion-dollar budget College progress enforcement squads issue schematic humor charts so students know if a joke may be spontaneously laughed at or if regulations require other action ISIS opens suicide hotline for US teens depressed by climate change and other progressive doomsday scenarios Virginia county to close schools after teacher asks students to write 'death to America' in Arabic 'Wear hijab to school day' ends with spontaneous female circumcision and stoning of a classmate during lunch break ISIS releases new, even more barbaric video in an effort to regain mantle from Planned Parenthood Impressed by Fox News stellar rating during GOP debates, CNN to use same formula on Democrat candidates asking tough, pointed questions about Republicans Shocking new book explores pros and cons of socialism, discovers they are same people Pope outraged by Planned Parenthood's "unfettered capitalism," demands equal redistribution of baby parts to each according to his need John Kerry accepts Iran's "Golden Taquiyya" award, requests jalapenos on the side Citizens of Pluto protest US government's surveillance of their planetoid and its moons with New Horizons space drone John Kerry proposes 3-day waiting period for all terrorist nations trying to acquire nuclear weapons Chicago Police trying to identify flag that caused nine murders and 53 injuries in the city this past weekend Cuba opens to affordable medical tourism for Americans who can't afford Obamacare deductibles State-funded research proves existence of Quantum Aggression Particles (Heterons) in Large Hadron Collider Student job opportunities: make big bucks this summer as Hillarys Ordinary-American; all expenses paid, travel, free acting lessons Experts debate whether Iranian negotiators broke John Kerry's leg or he did it himself to get out of negotiations Junior Varsity takes Ramadi, advances to quarterfinals US media to GOP pool of candidates: 'Knowing what we know now, would you have had anything to do with the founding of the United States?' NY Mayor to hold peace talks with rats, apologize for previous Mayor's cowboy diplomacy China launches cube-shaped space object with a message to aliens: "The inhabitants of Earth will steal your intellectual property, copy it, manufacture it in sweatshops with slave labor, and sell it back to you at ridiculously low prices" Progressive scientists: Truth is a variable deduced by subtracting 'what is' from 'what ought to be' Experts agree: Hillary Clinton best candidate to lessen percentage of Americans in top 1% America's attempts at peace talks with the White House continue to be met with lies, stalling tactics, and bad faith Starbucks new policy to talk race with customers prompts new hashtag #DontHoldUpTheLine Hillary: DELETE is the new RESET Charlie Hebdo receives Islamophobe 2015 award; the cartoonists could not be reached for comment due to their inexplicable, illogical deaths Russia sends 'reset' button back to Hillary: 'You need it now more than we do' Barack Obama finds out from CNN that Hillary Clinton spent four years being his Secretary of State President Obama honors Leonard Nimoy by taking selfie in front of Starship Enterprise Police: If Obama had a convenience store, it would look like Obama Express Food Market Study finds stunning lack of racial, gender, and economic diversity among middle-class white males NASA: We're 80% sure about being 20% sure about being 17% sure about being 38% sure about 2014 being the hottest year on record People holding '$15 an Hour Now' posters sue Democratic party demanding raise to $15 an hour for rendered professional protesting services Cuba-US normalization: US tourists flock to see Cuba before it looks like the US and Cubans flock to see the US before it looks like Cuba White House describes attacks on Sony Pictures as 'spontaneous hacking in response to offensive video mocking Juche and its prophet' CIA responds to Democrat calls for transparency by releasing the director's cut of The Making Of Obama's Birth Certificate Obama: 'If I had a city, it would look like Ferguson' Biden: 'If I had a Ferguson (hic), it would look like a city' Obama signs executive order renaming 'looters' to 'undocumented shoppers' Ethicists agree: two wrongs do make a right so long as Bush did it first The aftermath of the 'War on Women 2014' finds a new 'Lost Generation' of disillusioned Democrat politicians, unable to cope with life out of office White House: Republican takeover of the Senate is a clear mandate from the American people for President Obama to rule by executive orders Nurse Kaci Hickox angrily tells reporters that she won't change her clocks for daylight savings time Democratic Party leaders in panic after recent poll shows most Democratic voters think 'midterm' is when to end pregnancy Desperate Democratic candidates plead with Obama to stop backing them and instead support their GOP opponents Ebola Czar issues five-year plan with mandatory quotas of Ebola infections per each state based on voting preferences Study: crony capitalism is to the free market what the Westboro Baptist Church is to Christianity Fun facts about world languages: the Left has more words for statism than the Eskimos have for snow African countries to ban all flights from the United States because "Obama is incompetent, it scares us" Nobel Peace Prize controversy: Hillary not nominated despite having done even less than Obama to deserve it Obama: 'Ebola is the JV of viruses' BREAKING: Secret Service foils Secret Service plot to protect Obama Revised 1st Amendment: buy one speech, get the second free Sharpton calls on white NFL players to beat their women in the interests of racial fairness President Obama appoints his weekly approval poll as new national security adviser Obama wags pen and phone at Putin; Europe offers support with powerful pens and phones from NATO members White House pledges to embarrass ISIS back to the Stone Age with a barrage of fearsome Twitter messages and fatally ironic Instagram photos Obama to fight ISIS with new federal Terrorist Regulatory Agency Obama vows ISIS will never raise their flag over the eighteenth hole Harry Reid: "Sometimes I say the wong thing" Elian Gonzalez wishes he had come to the U.S. on a bus from Central America like all the other kids Obama visits US-Mexican border, calls for a two-state solution Obama draws "blue line" in Iraq after Putin took away his red crayon "Hard Choices," a porno flick loosely based on Hillary Clinton's memoir and starring Hillary Hellfire as a drinking, whoring Secretary of State, wildly outsells the flabby, sagging original Accusations of siding with the enemy leave Sgt. Bergdahl with only two options: pursue a doctorate at Berkley or become a Senator from Massachusetts Jay Carney stuck in line behind Eric Shinseki to leave the White House; estimated wait time from 15 min to 6 weeks 100% of scientists agree that if man-made global warming were real, "the last people we'd want to help us is the Obama administration" Jay Carney says he found out that Obama found out that he found out that Obama found out that he found out about the latest Obama administration scandal on the news "Anarchy Now!" meeting turns into riot over points of order, bylaws, and whether or not 'kicking the #^@&*! ass' of the person trying to speak is or is not violence Obama retaliates against Putin by prohibiting unionized federal employees from dating hot Russian girls online during work hours Russian separatists in Ukraine riot over an offensive YouTube video showing the toppling of Lenin statues "Free Speech Zones" confuse Obamaphone owners who roam streets in search of additional air minutes Obamacare bolsters employment for professionals with skills to convert meth back into sudafed Gloves finally off: Obama uses pen and phone to cancel Putin's Netflix account Joe Biden to Russia: "We will bury you by turning more of Eastern Europe over to your control!" In last-ditch effort to help Ukraine, Obama deploys Rev. Sharpton and Rev. Jackson's Rainbow Coalition to Crimea Al Sharpton: "Not even Putin can withstand our signature chanting, 'racist, sexist, anti-gay, Russian army go away'!" Mardi Gras in North Korea: "Throw me some food!" Obama's foreign policy works: "War, invasion, and conquest are signs of weakness; we've got Putin right where we want him" US offers military solution to Ukraine crisis: "We will only fight countries that have LGBT military" Putin annexes Brighton Beach to protect ethnic Russians in Brooklyn, Obama appeals to UN and EU for help The 1980s: "Mr. Obama, we're just calling to ask if you want our foreign policy back. The 1970s are right here with us, and they're wondering, too." In a stunning act of defiance, Obama courageously unfriends Putin on Facebook MSNBC: Obama secures alliance with Austro-Hungarian Empire against Russias aggression in Ukraine Study: springbreak is to STDs what April 15th is to accountants Efforts to achieve moisture justice for California thwarted by unfair redistribution of snow in America North Korean voters unanimous: "We are the 100%" Leader of authoritarian gulag-site, The People's Cube, unanimously 're-elected' with 100% voter turnout Super Bowl: Obama blames Fox News for Broncos' loss Feminist author slams gay marriage: "a man needs a man like a fish needs a bicycle" Beverly Hills campaign heats up between Henry Waxman and Marianne Williamson over the widening income gap between millionaires and billionaires in their district Biden to lower $10,000-a-plate Dinner For The Homeless to $5,000 so more homeless can attend Kim becomes world leader, feeds uncle to dogs; Obama eats dogs, becomes world leader, America cries uncle North Korean leader executes own uncle for talking about Obamacare at family Christmas party White House hires part-time schizophrenic Mandela sign interpreter to help sell Obamacare Kim Jong Un executes own "crazy uncle" to keep him from ruining another family Christmas OFA admits its advice for area activists to give Obamacare Talk at shooting ranges was a bad idea President resolves Obamacare debacle with executive order declaring all Americans equally healthy Obama to Iran: "If you like your nuclear program, you can keep your nuclear program" Bovine community outraged by flatulence coming from Washington DC Obama: "I'm not particularly ideological; I believe in a good pragmatic five-year plan" Shocker: Obama had no knowledge he'd been reelected until he read about it in the local newspaper last week Server problems at HealthCare.gov so bad, it now flashes 'Error 808' message NSA marks National Best Friend Day with official announcement: "Government is your best friend; we know you like no one else, we're always there, we're always willing to listen" Al Qaeda cancels attack on USA citing launch of Obamacare as devastating enough The President's latest talking point on Obamacare: "I didn't build that" Dizzy with success, Obama renames his wildly popular healthcare mandate to HillaryCare Carney: huge ObamaCare deductibles won't look as bad come hyperinflation Washington Redskins drop 'Washington' from their name as offensive to most Americans Poll: 83% of Americans favor cowboy diplomacy over rodeo clown diplomacy GOVERNMENT WARNING: If you were able to complete ObamaCare form online, it wasn't a legitimate gov't website; you should report online fraud and change all your passwords Obama administration gets serious, threatens Syria with ObamaCare Obama authorizes the use of Vice President Joe Biden's double-barrel shotgun to fire a couple of blasts at Syria Sharpton: "British royals should have named baby 'Trayvon.' By choosing 'George' they sided with white Hispanic racist Zimmerman" DNC launches 'Carlos Danger' action figure; proceeds to fund a charity helping survivors of the Republican War on Women Nancy Pelosi extends abortion rights to the birds and the bees Hubble discovers planetary drift to the left Obama: 'If I had a daughter-in-law, she would look like Rachael Jeantel' FISA court rubberstamps statement denying its portrayal as government's rubber stamp Every time ObamaCare gets delayed, a Julia somewhere dies GOP to Schumer: 'Force full implementation of ObamaCare before 2014 or Dems will never win another election' Obama: 'If I had a son... no, wait, my daughter can now marry a woman!' Janet Napolitano: TSA findings reveal that since none of the hijackers were babies, elderly, or Tea Partiers, 9/11 was not an act of terrorism News Flash: Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-LA) can see Canada from South Dakota Susan Rice: IRS actions against tea parties caused by anti-tax YouTube video that was insulting to their faith Drudge Report reduces font to fit all White House scandals onto one page Obama: the IRS is a constitutional right, just like the Second Amendment White House: top Obama officials using secret email accounts a result of bad IT advice to avoid spam mail from Nigeria Jay Carney to critics: 'Pinocchio never said anything inconsistent' Obama: If I had a gay son, he'd look like Jason Collins Gosnell's office in Benghazi raided by the IRS: mainstream media's worst cover-up challenge to date IRS targeting pro-gay-marriage LGBT groups leads to gayest tax revolt in U.S. history After Arlington Cemetery rejects offer to bury Boston bomber, Westboro Babtist Church steps up with premium front lawn plot Boston: Obama Administration to reclassify marathon bombing as 'sportsplace violence' Study: Success has many fathers but failure becomes a government program US Media: Can Pope Francis possibly clear up Vatican bureaucracy and banking without blaming the previous administration? Michelle Obama praises weekend rampage by Chicago teens as good way to burn calories and stay healthy This Passover, Obama urges his subjects to paint lamb's blood above doors in order to avoid the Sequester White House to American children: Sequester causes layoffs among hens that lay Easter eggs; union-wage Easter Bunnies to be replaced by Mexican Chupacabras Time Mag names Hugo Chavez world's sexiest corpse Boy, 8, pretends banana is gun, makes daring escape from school Study: Free lunches overpriced, lack nutrition Oscars 2013: Michelle Obama announces long-awaited merger of Hollywood and the State Joe Salazar defends the right of women to be raped in gun-free environment: 'rapists and rapees should work together to prevent gun violence for the common good' Dept. of Health and Human Services eliminates rape by reclassifying assailants as 'undocumented sex partners' Kremlin puts out warning not to photoshop Putin riding meteor unless bare-chested Deeming football too violent, Obama moves to introduce Super Drone Sundays instead Japan offers to extend nuclear umbrella to cover U.S. should America suffer devastating attack on its own defense spending Feminists organize one billion women to protest male oppression with one billion lap dances Urban community protests Mayor Bloomberg's ban on extra-large pop singers owning assault weapons Concerned with mounting death toll, Taliban offers to send peacekeeping advisers to Chicago Karl Rove puts an end to Tea Party with new 'Republicans For Democrats' strategy aimed at losing elections Answering public skepticism, President Obama authorizes unlimited drone attacks on all skeet targets throughout the country Skeet Ulrich denies claims he had been shot by President but considers changing his name to 'Traps' White House releases new exciting photos of Obama standing, sitting, looking thoughtful, and even breathing in and out New York Times hacked by Chinese government, Paul Krugman's economic policies stolen White House: when President shoots skeet, he donates the meat to food banks that feed the middle class To prove he is serious, Obama eliminates armed guard protection for President, Vice-President, and their families; establishes Gun-Free Zones around them instead State Dept to send 100,000 American college students to China as security for US debt obligations Jay Carney: Al Qaeda is on the run, they're just running forward President issues executive orders banning cliffs, ceilings, obstructions, statistics, and other notions that prevent us from moving forwards and upward Fearing the worst, Obama Administration outlaws the fan to prevent it from being hit by certain objects World ends; S&P soars Riddle of universe solved; answer not understood Meek inherit Earth, can't afford estate taxes Greece abandons Euro; accountants find Greece has no Euros anyway Wheel finally reinvented; axles to be gradually reinvented in 3rd quarter of 2013 Bigfoot found in Ohio, mysteriously not voting for Obama As Santa's workshop files for bankruptcy, Fed offers bailout in exchange for control of 'naughty and nice' list Freak flying pig accident causes bacon to fly off shelves Obama: green economy likely to transform America into a leading third world country of the new millennium Report: President Obama to visit the United States in the near future Obama promises to create thousands more economically neutral jobs Modernizing Islam: New York imam proposes to canonize Saul Alinsky as religion's latter day prophet Imam Rauf's peaceful solution: 'Move Ground Zero a few blocks away from the mosque and no one gets hurt' Study: Obama's threat to burn tax money in Washington 'recruitment bonanza' for Tea Parties Study: no Social Security reform will be needed if gov't raises retirement age to at least 814 years Obama attends church service, worships self Obama proposes national 'Win The Future' lottery; proceeds of new WTF Powerball to finance more gov't spending Historical revisionists: "Hey, you never know" Vice President Biden: criticizing Egypt is un-pharaoh Israelis to Egyptian rioters: "don't damage the pyramids, we will not rebuild" Lake Superior renamed Lake Inferior in spirit of tolerance and inclusiveness Al Gore: It's a shame that a family can be torn apart by something as simple as a pack of polar bears Michael Moore: As long as there is anyone with money to shake down, this country is not broke Obama's teleprompters unionize, demand collective bargaining rights Obama calls new taxes 'spending reductions in tax code.' Elsewhere rapists tout 'consent reductions in sexual intercourse' Obama's teleprompter unhappy with White House Twitter: "Too few words" Obama's Regulation Reduction committee finds US Constitution to be expensive outdated framework inefficiently regulating federal gov't Taking a page from the Reagan years, Obama announces new era of Perestroika and Glasnost Responding to Oslo shootings, Obama declares Christianity "Religion of Peace," praises "moderate Christians," promises to send one into space Republicans block Obama's $420 billion program to give American families free charms that ward off economic bad luck White House to impose Chimney tax on Santa Claus Obama decrees the economy is not soaring as much as previously decreeed Conservative think tank introduces children to capitalism with pop-up picture book "The Road to Smurfdom" Al Gore proposes to combat Global Warming by extracting silver linings from clouds in Earth's atmosphere Obama refutes charges of him being unresponsive to people's suffering: "When you pray to God, do you always hear a response?" Obama regrets the US government didn't provide his mother with free contraceptives when she was in college Fluke to Congress: drill, baby, drill! Planned Parenthood introduces Frequent Flucker reward card: 'Come again soon!' Obama to tornado victims: 'We inherited this weather from the previous administration' Obama congratulates Putin on Chicago-style election outcome People's Cube gives itself Hero of Socialist Labor medal in recognition of continued expert advice provided to the Obama Administration helping to shape its foreign and domestic policies Hamas: Israeli air defense unfair to 99% of our missiles, "only 1% allowed to reach Israel" Democrat strategist: without government supervision, women would have never evolved into humans Voters Without Borders oppose Texas new voter ID law Enraged by accusation that they are doing Obama's bidding, media leaders demand instructions from White House on how to respond Obama blames previous Olympics for failure to win at this Olympics Official: China plans to land on Moon or at least on cheap knockoff thereof Koran-Contra: Obama secretly arms Syrian rebels Poll: Progressive slogan 'We should be more like Europe' most popular with members of American Nazi Party Obama to Evangelicals: Jesus saves, I just spend May Day: Anarchists plan, schedule, synchronize, and execute a coordinated campaign against all of the above Midwestern farmers hooked on new erotic novel "50 Shades of Hay" Study: 99% of Liberals give the rest a bad name Obama meets with Jewish leaders, proposes deeper circumcisions for the rich Historians: Before HOPE & CHANGE there was HEMP & CHOOM at ten bucks a bag Cancer once again fails to cure Venezuela of its "President for Life" Tragic spelling error causes Muslim protesters to burn local boob-tube factory Secretary of Energy Steven Chu: due to energy conservation, the light at the end of the tunnel will be switched off Obama Administration running food stamps across the border with Mexico in an operation code-named "Fat And Furious" Pakistan explodes in protest over new Adobe Acrobat update; 17 local acrobats killed White House: "Let them eat statistics" Special Ops: if Benedict Arnold had a son, he would look like Barack Obama AD GOES HERE Opinion / Columnist THE wave of protests that characterised Harare in recent weeks all but confirmed a failed retracing of the Libyan, Tunisian, Egyptian and Syrian political footprints.Granted, the country is facing economic problems but to suggest that the problems are a result of a political vacuum is only seeking to take inflated imaginations too far as well as negating the resounding voice of the masses who voted for a Government of their choice three years ago.And the fact that it is not the first time that Zimbabweans have faced problems of such magnitude economically but have never employed such means of solving them leaves one pondering on where they all of a sudden have borrowed such character from.In 2008 for example the situation was far more worse than the one currently prevailing but the amount of protests were not as much as they are now and the amount of violence and anger then can never be matched to the purpoted anger displayed in the country this time around.Although the protests were done within the legal orbit and the parameters of the country's constitution where they were sanctioned by the courts of law it doesn't in any way exonerate them from enquiries on whether the anger was Zimbabwean, and if the violence was part of Zimbabwe's genetic make-up.If so why didn't it happen in 2008. Why were tyres spared and why were rocks and boulders not used to barricade the roads.Or do we have a whole new generation that has suddenly grown up now. Or is it that everything that the protestors are doing are an imported phenomenon that is alien to Zimbabwe. Maybe, it is something that they have seen working elsewhere.This is not to say Zimbabweans have no anger of their own but this time around the purpoted anger had traces of the North Africa and Arab springs which were themselves fomented by the imperialistic West seeking to gain entry into the oil rich countries through the invocation of the so-called Responsibility to Protect doctrine as a justification for a "humanitarian intervention" at least according to the US President Barrack Obama.What is important is to point out that the West is always clever enough to veil its involvement and its interventionist policy by sponsoring shadowy groups and opposition political parties to give the demonstrations and the political disturbances a local face behind which lies the real threat to democracy.Professor Jonathan Moyo last week took a dig at the embarrassing admission by US, EU, Canada and France ambassadors in Zimbabwe's involvement in politics of instability that they have been propping. He said it was purely against the Vienna Convention."We have seen the Americans and the EU supporting the hash tag groups while the opposition has been falling on each other to join and claim involvement thinking it's a big thing. They think Jesus had sent these guys to come and save and they tweet like they are opposition. They are using the social media to violate the Vienna Convention. They want to trigger violence. That is totally unacceptable," said Prof Moyo.One therefore wonders if Zimbabweans have learned nothing and forgotten everything from the Libyan situation or they are just seized and blinded by the bribed push from the West that is still eager to effect illegal regime change after a decade and a half of failure.In the case of Zimbabwe, the opposition has been a monumental failure hence the rising up of the hash tagged shadowy groups #Tajamuka /Sesijikile #ThisFlag and #MyZimbabwe that also capitalised on the proliferation of social media to give the uprising a semblance of the North Africa and Arab springs.These groups incite and excite the general public and mobilise them to be the visible force on the ground so that intervention and the responsibility tom protect comes in as justification from their handlers.What is clear is that these groups that are fronted by local faces, faces of our kith and kin but behind them lies an alien hand that dictates the pace, fund the activities and even rise the tempo giving form to the old statement, 'only fools fight while wise man supply them with the means to do so'. But unlike in the bible where wise men are known to have come from the East, this time the world's 'wise men' are coming from the West which makes skeptics doubt if they are really wise. The situation in countries such as Libya where groups of power hungry cowards were used by the US and Nato forces as the local voices and local faces to front the abduction and merciless killing Col Muammar Gaddafi should not be allowed to happen in Zimbabwe.And in trying to glorify their acts of terrorism in the world the US and Nato forces claimed that it was a humanitarian intervention and their responsibility to protect that saw them intervening in sovereign nations. The laughable justification was that they intervened to protect the people of Libya from harm their by President but in the process inflicted more harm themselves.And now the people of Libya are suffering more than before, perhaps more than what they were doing under Col Gaddafi.Their once proud nation has been made into ruins. Its reconstruction after the disturbances that brought nothing but misery to the majority of the populace is evidence of the destructive nature of the US and its allies.The proud African nation that stood its ground in rejecting US military presence on the continent arguing that it was an affront to Pan African unity today stands desolate and remains trapped in a spiral of deteriorating security, economic crisis, and political deadlock.Trust in the nation's weak government institutions has fallen to an all-time low as political elites, unable to agree on even a governmental structure, deploy armed militias to control territory and economic assets. An additional challenge comes from ISIS and other violent extremists exploiting the situation to expand operations in Libya. Still, civil society organisations remain active and committed to laying the foundation for a unity government capable of rebuilding the state.The same can be said of Syria where the cause, course, timing and sponsors are the same. The difference is just that Bashar al-Assad the President of Syria enjoys the support of Iran, Russia and China and he moved in just in time to crush the protests although in the process he may have lost development and peace.Syria is still burning and Assad is holding on, but do we really want such a situation in Zimbabwe? And like in what happened in Iraq in 2013 when Saddam Hussein was hunted down and killed by the very people who had created him the Americans, Col Gaddafi also fell an easy prey to the former French colonisers who felt he was blocking their imperialist dream to control not only the rich oil deposits of Libya but the resources of entire African continent. And just like hyenas wanting to feast on their cubs first accuse them of smelling like a goat as justification; the West employed the same trick.Minister of Information, Media and Broadcasting Services Christopher Mushohwe also warned the Western diplomats to confine themselves to the parameters guiding their operations and reminded them that Zimbabwe was a sovereign State that does not need intervention or dictation from anyone on how it should run its politics. He said their interventionist policies confirm that they were still in the thick of regime change agenda as agents of imperialism. The sextoy market is growing quite rapidly in India right now. Although it is not a big trend, it is a hot topic on the internet as it is secretly expanding its market. In this article, we will focus on sextoy and introduce recommended sextoy for Indian beginners of sextoy by gender. India, the birthplace of the Kama Sutra, is very strict about sex. Also, premarital sex is basically not allowed. Therefore, there are many people who are sexually restricted. But what happens when you continue to be sexually restricted? Frustration may build up and you may end up taking your sexual stress out on your partner. If you are able to adopt sextoy in a timely manner, you can get rid of those problems. I want to have more exciting sex than Im having now. I want more variation in masturbation I want to get even stronger pleasure than I do on my own. If you have any of these problems, please stay with me until the end. What is sex toys for Indian? Sextoy, as the name implies, is a toy used during sex and masturbation. It is a generic term for vibrators, Egg-vibrators, Electric massagers, dildo, handcuffs and condoms. They are used to make regular sex more exciting or to make masturbation more pleasurable. Because sextoy is very stimulating, it can help you to get rid of the problems and frustrations of being in a rut of sex with your partner for a long time, or if you are unhappy with the lack of pleasure in sex with your partner. The ability to satisfy your desires with movement, texture, and size, which cannot be done by a normal human being, can help you to be satisfied with sex and, as a result, improve your relationship with your partner. It is also said to help improve sexual dysfunction (inability to get an erection or ejaculate) and difficulty in feeling during sex (insensitivity), which is attracting more attention than in the past. In recent years, the demand for sextoy has increased due to the spread of smartphones and the Internet and the increasing number of people using online shopping. Even those who are concerned about the appearance of sextoy (and find it difficult to purchase) can now easily obtain it by using mail order. In the case of online shopping, most of the stores have taken steps to ensure that the contents of the products delivered to you are not revealed, so you can purchase them without your family members knowing. Until a while ago, you had to go to the store where the adult goods were sold to buy them, so it was quite a hurdle to overcome. Also, many people may have an image that sextoy is somehow embarrassing to own. But nowadays, some of them are so stylish and cute that you cant believe they are sextoy at a glance. More and more people are using them for travel and outdoor use because they are not too bulky and are suitable for carrying around. Sextoy situation in India Before introducing the recommended sextoy for Indians, lets talk about one of the sextoy situations in India in recent years. In India, due to the high concentration of population, the following six cities have particularly high sales of sextoy in India. Mumbai Kolkata Bangalore Delhi Chennai Hyderabad These cities account for roughly 70 percent of sextoy sales in India. In the future, the percentage of sextoy use will gradually increase in other cities in India as well. If you never talk about sextoy publicly, that girl in your neighborhood might be a sextoy user too. If you are interested in sextoy, you dont have to suppress your desire for it. What are Sextoys for beginner? Among all sextoys, sextoy for beginners are vibrators, dildo, masturbators, Sex Lubricants, and condoms. Sex Lubricants and condoms, which are familiar to people who have had sex, are also a great beginners sextoy. I will explain the details of each toy later, but there are many sextoy products that are painful to use and can only be used after some anal expansion. I assume that the Indian readers of this article are people who have not had much experience with sextoy. If such people use professional sextoy suddenly, they are at risk of injury or trauma. Therefore, to introduce sextoy, you need to start with a beginners version and gradually become familiar with it. Advantages of using sextoy for Indians There are three advantages of using sextoy for Indians You can masturbate in a wide variety of ways. Can have stimulating sex Can develop new sexual zones If you try to masturbate with your own fingers or hands, it tends to be a pattern. However, with sextoy, you can easily masturbate in a variety of ways. You will definitely be fascinated by the attraction of new stimulation. Also, your daily sex life will be more exciting than ever. There are many things in sextoy that are visually stimulating and give you a strong and intense feeling of pleasure. This allows you to see your partners promiscuity in a way that you wouldnt normally see it. When you are in a relationship, sex with your partner may become a pattern, but it can also eliminate these problems. It can also lead to the development of new sexual zones (which is the training of sexual stimulation to allow you to feel orgasms). For more information on the development of new sexual zones, see the following articles [Women's Erogenous Zone]How to find and develop, 7 hidden sexual zones !![In India] In this issue, we will dissect the female erogenous zone! ..." Many of you may be like that. Men, in particular, shou... Thus, the use of sextoy can only be a good thing for the men and women of India. Sextoy for beginner men in India So, lets continue with the recommended goods for Indian sextoy beginners. For ease of understanding, we will introduce them by gender. Lets start with the men! The following five goods are recommended for novice Indian sextoy men Masturbator Cock rings Love Doll Sex Lubricants Toys for the prostate Lets check each one in detail. Masturbator The masturbator is a sextoy for men that elaborately reproduces a womans vagina, mouth, and anus, and is one of the most popular sextoy products. It is used by men to masturbate, and it is popular because it provides stronger stimulation and pleasure more easily than using hands. Most are made of good quality silicone, and their softness is something that cannot be achieved with ones own hands. They can provide stronger pleasure than a real womans vagina, so be careful not to overuse them. (You wont be able to have an orgasm in a womans vagina anymore.) Again Male masturbators are a wonderful toy. I do not need any favourite timing, bothersome bargaining. You do not have to worry too much. Revolutionize your masturbation time! ! ! Made in Japan is a wonderful kinky toy.#sextoysindia #SexToyIndia #Japanhttps://t.co/4k70QGzoTP pic.twitter.com/tRVdxTKPpa SEXToys India PR (@SextoysIndia) November 12, 2018 Some of them are disposable, while others can be washed and used over and over again, so its fun to buy a few to use depending on your mood. If you want to know more about masturbator, please click here Really pleasant male masturbation and how to do it Are you in a rut with your daily masturbation routine? I'm going to show you five ways men masturbate that you might ... [For Beginners] How to choose and use a male masturbator without fail Gentlemen.Have you ever used a masturbator? The person who sees this article is probably the one who has not experien... Cock Ring A cock ring is literally a ring-shaped sextoy that is worn on a mans penis. It maintains an erection by binding the penis with a ring of rubber and blocking blood flow. It is sometimes used as an accessory to be worn on the penis, and may be made of metal or plastic as well as rubber. In some cases, cock rings have parts or vibrators attached to them that stimulate the vagina, so they kill two birds with one stone, giving a woman pleasure while maintaining an erection. Cock rings are also sometimes used to treat erectile dysfunction. It can help with erectile dysfunction, where the penis doesnt get hard when you get an erection or doesnt last long when you try to insert it. Men who are prone to breakage or who are unsure of the hardness and size of their erections can use a cock ring to increase the size of their penis and maintain an erection for a longer period of time. Cock rings vary in price from around RS700 to over RS2000 with a vibrator function. Some of them do not fit your penis, so you should check the size of the cock ring before you buy. You should know the size of your partners or your own penis when it is erect. [Penis enlargement] What is a cock ring? Types and usage Cock rings can make your penis bigger and harder. It also makes sex with women more fulfilling and increases your sat... Love Doll Love dolls, also known as Dutchwives, are dolls with the appearance of a woman who can experience simulated sex. There are dolls that look like a woman, but they have no face and only have their breasts and lower torso cut off, and some dolls are so realistic that they can actually be mistaken for real women. Some expensive dolls can cost more than 1 million yen, and the quality of the doll is easily influenced by the price. The higher the price, the higher the quality of the doll will be, the closer it will be to the real woman, and the cheaper the doll will be, the less elaborate it will be, making it look like a real doll! Something is wrong! That is also true. You cant go wrong if you choose a balance between price and taste. There are stores that allow you to make custom-made love dolls, so you can create a girl of your choice. You can make a girl of your choice. You can start with inexpensive love dolls at first, and once you get used to it, you can try custom-made love dolls. If you want to know more about Love doll, please click here Thorough explanation of the charm of sex dolls! Have you ever heard of sex dolls that are used primarily for pseudo-sex purposes? It is a doll that is quite close to... Sex lubricants Sex lubricants are used as a substitute for lubricating fluid during sex or as a lubricant for men to use masturbator rules. It is not uncommon for women to have difficulty getting wet, depending on their physical condition, or to have difficulty getting wet due to their constitution. Forcing the penis into the vagina at such times can cause painful intercourse. There are various types of Sex Lubricants, some with a warming effect, some with a cooling effect, and some with a scent. Changing the Sex Lubricant used during play is recommended as a good sex accent. If you want to learn more about Sex Lubricants, click here. What is sex lubricant?Explain the difference and usage of each ingredient The word "sex toy" may seem like a hurdle to overcome, but lotion is actually one of the most familiar sex toys. Many... Toys for the Prostate Another sextoy for men is prostate toys. The most famous prostate toys include Enemagra, which was originally a prostate massager developed by an American urologist to treat an enlarged prostate line. Modern prostate toys are imitations of Enemagra that have spread as sextoy for men. Many people think of prostate toys as being used by gay men, but in fact they are often used by straight men. What is the prostate? The prostate is an organ found only in men. It is a walnut-sized organ located deep in the pelvis, just below the bladder, and its primary role is to protect and nourish sperm. You cannot touch the prostate gland from outside the body, but you can touch it by inserting a finger or sextoy through the anus. By inserting a finger or sextoy through the anus and touching the prostate and developing it, you can feel intense orgasms. Orgasms felt in the prostate are mainly dry orgasms, which are orgasms that do not involve ejaculation. (You can also feel orgasms with ejaculation through prostate stimulation.) The prostate is called the male G-spot, and dry orgasms can be much more intense than ejaculation. Therefore, men who are able to develop a prostate can become addicted to the pleasure. sextoy for beinner women in India The following are the recommended goods for Indian women who are new to sextoy. The following three are recommended for use by women who are new to sextoy. Vibrator. Dildo Electric Masserger Lets check out what each one is in detail. If you want to check out womens toys, click here. [BEST25]Sex Toys for Women in IndiaThat Can Help You Have an Orgasm There are many women who pretend to feel orgasm during sex. But don't worry, you don't have to pretend to feel orgasm... Vibrators A vibrator is a sextoy that vibrates with an Egg-Vibrator to provide stimulation and is often referred to simply as a vibrator. Some vibrate as well as rotate, and there are many variations of sextoy. It is quite a popular sextoy, and is well recognized by people who do not know much about sextoy. Its usage is similar to that of a massager, but it is more compact and easier to carry than a massager, and many of them look as cute as a lipstick or a macaroon, so they are popular among women. For a while, a famous influencer on twitter said, This is good! You may have heard of the topic of this article by introducing the recommended vibrators. Vibrators are great for women to use on their own, but they are also recommended for men who have difficulty satisfying women with sex. Since it is powered by electricity, it is far less tiring than moving your hands by yourself. This makes it easier to satisfy a woman with sex because you can caress her for longer than usual. Vibrators are mainly used on the female side, but they can also be used on men. When used on men, they are used to attack the nipples and glans, and in both cases it is recommended to wear a condom for hygiene reasons. Introducing how to use the vibrator, its purpose, and how to choose it! Vibrator uses the vibrations caused by the rotation of the motor to provide stimulation. It is one or two of the most... Dildo A dildo is a model sextoy made to mimic a male penis. It can be made of silicone, elastomer (think of it as a material similar to PVC), metal or glass. A dildo can be used by a man for his female partner during sex, or by a woman for masturbation to get pleasure from it. They are mainly inserted into women, but some can be used in the male anus as well. It is sometimes used synonymously with vibrators, but the vibrator is not the same thing as a vibrating device. A model of a penis that does not vibrate is a dildo. Some of them have suction cups that can be attached to the floor or wall so that you can enjoy realistic masturbation without using your hands. For fun, there is a dildo made in the shape of your partners penis. This one is also popular as a gift, and if youve been together for a long time and are having trouble finding a gift for your partner, you might want to pick one. To learn more about dildo, please click here. What is Dildo: Orgasms with Dildos for Men and Women A dildo is a model of a male organ that is used by women for masturbation and by men to stimulate the prostate gland. Th... Electric Masserger A Electric Masserger is a hand-held electric massager, also known as a handheld massager, and can usually be purchased at electronics stores. It was originally designed to relieve stiff shoulders and back pain, so the hurdle of buying one in a physical store is quite low. Many people may have seen or used it in some form or another, as it is often installed in leisure hotels. Such a massager is highly recommended for beginners because it is easy for women to get pleasure from it when they use it during masturbation. It is larger than Egg-Vibrator and vibrations are stronger than those of Egg-Vibrators and vibrators, so even just hitting the clitoris can give you a great deal of pleasure. For those women who have never had an orgasm during sex with their man, the massager may be a good way to get a feel for what it feels like to have an orgasm. It looks and feels like an electric massager, so you wont have to feel awkward if your roommate finds out. If you are in a rut of having sex with your partner, if you want to feel an orgasm through masturbation, or if you are thinking of using a sextoy, why dont you try it from a simple massager? To learn more about Electric Masserger, click here. What is a massager? Introducing types, selection methods, and usage Originally, the Magic-wand vibrator and the massage machine were sold as a home massage machine used for the back and th... How to choose a sextoy for Indian Now that weve covered the different types of sextoy, heres how to choose one. Especially if you are trying sextoy for the first time, pay attention to the following three points: Does the size fit you (the partner)? Does the size fit you (your partner)? Is the environment able to produce sound without problems? Price range First of all, the choice of size is quite important. Most sextoy are used against or inserted into the genitals, but the genitals are very delicate organs for both men and women. For this reason, using an inappropriate size may cause damage. Secondly, the environment should be able to produce sound without problems. Some sextoys not only wear, but also rotate and vibrate. Its easier to get pleasure from something that moves than something that doesnt, but the fact that it moves means that the internal rotors make some noise. If you live in a house with thin walls or if you have roommates, you may not be able to concentrate because of the noise, so it is best to choose one that is silent or has a low noise level. Especially in India, where many people live with their families, it is very important that you dont have to worry about sound when you use it. Finally, there is the price range. The price range of sextoy ranges widely, from around RS500 at the cheapest to RS10,000 or more at the highest. Its good to consider how much money you can afford and how much you want to buy. Do you want your family to not find out about sextoy? I live with my family and want to use sextoy without them finding out! If you are a man, you should buy a camouflage sextoy that does not look like a sextoy at first glance. For men, there are many masturbators that do not look like a sextoy, and for women, there are vibrators that only look like cosmetics. If you choose such a type, youll be safe in case your family members find out. How to buy sextoys in India The best way to purchase sextoy is through online shopping. For more information on how to purchase sextoy, please see the article below. Sextoy is one of them. Therefore, you can easily get sextoy in India by using online shopping. SexToysINDIA is a long established and stable sextoy store and you can have sextoy delivered to any place in India. They also offer cash on delivery, so those who are worried about shopping with a credit card do not have to worry. Of course, the latest security is in place, so your information will not be taken out when you use your credit card. To begin with, many people may be concerned about whether they are legally allowed to purchase sextoy. ikmAs it turns out, its not illegal. Right now, it is not open to the public because the Indian adult market is still in the development stage, but it will gradually spread from now on. Take advantage of sextoy and open the door to new pleasures and culture. Cautions for Indians using sextoy When using sextoy, keep the following three things in mind Keep sex toys clean Watch out for electrical leakage Beware of the heat generated by the body while using a sex toy As I mentioned earlier, many sextoy products are used for the delicate zone. Therefore, it is most important to keep the sextoy itself clean. It is very important to keep the sextoy itself clean, because if a slight scratch is created by friction, bacteria can enter and breed there. It is safe to wear a condom when using the masturbator, just in case. In addition, many sextoy devices are powered by a power source, so if they are not waterproof, there is a possibility of electric shock or malfunction due to wetness. Some may even develop heat during continuous use. If the fever becomes too much, you may get burned, so be careful. If you get a fever during use, stop driving the sextoy immediately and refrain from using it. You will enjoy sex more if you keep it safe and use it correctly. Summary What did you think? In this article, we have introduced the recommended sextoy for the beginners of sextoy in India. The sextoy market is growing rapidly in India and it will continue to grow steadily in the future. As India is a rather closed-minded country, it can be difficult to be open about ones sexual habits and values. However, being faithful to ones desires by properly dissolving ones sexual desire is very effective for ones physical and mental health. If this is your first time to learn about sextoy, or if you are interested in using sextoy, why not give it a try? Indian Sextoys for ur best! will introduce you to sextoy and other trivia about sextoy, sexuality, and sexuality for men and women. I want to read more! If you think its a great idea, please bookmark it. MURPHYSBORO Victory Christian Fellowship church has about 100 members and attracts a number of children from the community, particularly those who live in the mobile home park near the church off North Second Street. Outreach and ministry to youth are central at this church, which has a whole wing devoted to youth ministry: the Agape Zone. Gleaning from discussions the youth ministers had been having with the youth, Pastor Bonnie Vorhees said she became aware that many of the children who attend the church had no idea what 9/11 as in Sept. 11, 2001 meant or of its significance. She and her husband, Frank Voorhees, senior pastor of the church, will be sharing some of their Sunday morning worship with a local representative from Woodmen Life, a not-for-profit insurance company, that donate flags to other not-for-profits. The flag will be raised on the flag pole during the service to bring attention to the flag and the liberties and freedoms that it embodies. "We saw the children that they really don't know what 9/11 is all about, because they've not been taught, apparently, they're just not aware of it," Bonnie said. Not only are children unaware, she said, "even some adults, which is surprising, but they are unaware." "Our generation was very patriotic, very aware of what a great country this was, of the freedoms we have, that we could very well lose." Many of these young children she's talking about were born after, some even years, after that fateful day, Sept. 11, 2001. "I think they just haven't been made aware," Bonnie said. Marsha Shull, president of the Carbondale Chapter 50 of Woodmen Life, said she wants young people and others to think of freedoms and liberties when they see the American flag. That group gives flags away free to nonprofits, such as police, fire, first responders and churches and other groups and can sell them to for-profits. "The more flags that there are, the more patriotism it shows of the country," she said. At Murphysboro high school, principal Tony Wilson estimated that about half the school's population was aware of 9/11. He said the topic is discussed in some of the school's higher-level government and social studies courses. Students might also not be aware of the lasting impact of 9/11, such as increased security and officers on airplanes and even the impact on schools, which were also impacted by the April 1999 shooting massacre that left 12 students and one teacher dead at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado. "Unfortunately, though, most of these students, they dont (know about 9-11) and how its impacting us," Wilson said. "Inside of the school, we have to focus more on intruder drills you didnt do that much 15 years ago." Most schools, like Murphysboro's high school, have also taken other security measures. "Our doors are locked during the day," Wilson said. The school has a video camera installed outside its doors, so anyone visiting must state his or her name and purpose of the visit and who they're at the school to see, Wilson said. Once inside the building, the visitor's actions are taped by another video camera. "I think it just creates a heightened awareness," he said. That includes not becoming so naive as to think that some sort of attack couldn't happen here, he said. Banterra Bank will assist the American Cancer Society throughout the month of September in raising money through the sale of cupcake die-cuts at all 35 of its branch locations. Customers and employees will be able to purchase a cupcake die-cut for a $1 minimum donation. Also as a fun incentive, Banterra employees can wear jeans on Fridays when making a donation and the company is having a contest among its branches for the most creative cupcake display, according to a news release from Banterra Bank. Giving back to the communities where we live and work is important to Banterra, and we have supported the American Cancer Society in various ways over the years, said Jeff May, president for Banterra Bank. Banterra is the largest, locally-owned bank in the region, so Im glad that our volume of branches, along with financial donations from the Banterra team and customers, can assist ACS with their September fundraiser. All proceeds go directly to the American Cancer Society and all funds raised throughout Banterra locations will assist within the regional footprint, Banterra Bank stated. For more information, call Banterra at 866-226-8377 or visit www.banterra.com. The Southern The Hamilton Memorial Hospital Auxiliary will host a gourmet food extravaganza fundraiser with the South Bend Chocolate Company from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday, Sept. 19, in the hospital lobby. The gourmet food will include an assortment of chocolates, salsas, jams, and relishes. Those attending will receive complimentary samples. This is a great opportunity to satisfy your sweet tooth with great quality gourmet foods and support our hospital, said Marilyn Smith, Hamilton Memorial Hospital Auxiliary President. For more information, call the Hamilton Memorial Hospital Auxiliary Gift Shop at 618-643-2361, Ext. 2520. The hospital is located at 611 S. Marshall Ave. in McLeansboro. The Southern CARTERVILLE Numbers for fall enrollment remain invariable for John A. Logan College as other community colleges in the region reported flat estimates and a decline. At its regular meeting on Tuesday Aug. 30 as 10th day numbers neared officials at John A. Logan College reported a possible 17 percent increase for fall enrollment. A Tuesday news release from the Carterville-based community college affirmed a 16 percent increase documenting 3,948 students as a headcount for this fall in comparison to the 4,313 students that were reported last fall. Eric Pulley, director of Instructional Research at JALC, said 392 students were deducted from the total credit enrollment average, causing enrollment numbers to drop from 4,313 students to 3,921 students for fall 2015. That led to the 16 percent increase this fall. "We took out our continuing education and our center for business industry students because they are simply small-credit-hour students that are not a true reflection of what we consider our traditional college type of enrollee," he said. Of the 3,921 students that were calculated in fall 2015, after the reduction, Pulley said staff then estimated a total of 3,396 students based on past purges. This was the number that was documented as the official fall 2015 enrollment number. "Last fall, we did not have what we call a purge for students who had not paid and my office did an estimation based on past purges as to how many would have been impacted by that, and so forth and so on," Pulley said. "We ended up with, what I termed at the time, as a best estimate of what our fall enrollment would have been had we had a purge and that came to 3,396 and that was the total given last fall." According to Matt Berry, the legislative and external affairs liaison for the Illinois Community College Board, numbers for fall enrollment should not only reflect those in credit-bearing courses, but also include purges if the purge occurs before data is reported. "The fall enrollment reporting will include everyone who is enrolled in credit bearing courses," he said. "If a CPR course leads to a certification and provides college credit, the student would be counted in fall enrollment numbers. "If the purge occurred before data was reported, but within the reporting time frame and the student was no longer enrolled due to the purge they would not be counted in the enrollment numbers as they are no longer enrolled at the college." In an interview after the official release of enrollment numbers for JALC, Pulley said the total enrollment numbers for fall 2016 came to 4,406 students. That number was then reduced to 3,948 students as a result of reductions that were made from students enrolled in continuing education and center for business industry programs the same category of students that were excluded from enrollment numbers in fall 2015, Pulley said. "I reduced the number of higher reaching students (same category of students left out of fall 2015 calculations) and we had 458 this time, which brought us to 3,948 and thats the comparative number to the 3,921 which then you would compare to the 3,948 we have with a purge that actually occurred this time," he said. "So compared to our best estimate of where we would have been last fall, and again this was reported in the spring, the exact numbers was 3,396, which leaves us with a difference of 552 on the positive side which is the 16.3 percent that I reported." As numbers remain inconclusive for JALC, official headcounts for Shawnee Community College decreased by 52 students, averaging 1,691 students, and 14,217 in credit hours, for the fall. That compares to 1,743 students in fall 2015. "These numbers do not include our adult education or dual credit students, which we are still processing at this time," said Katie Armstrong, marketing coordinator for SCC. Officials for Rend Lake College reported flat enrollment numbers documenting 1,501 students for the fall in comparison to the 1,511 students that were enrolled in fall 2015. "Total credit hours at 10th day last year, without dual credit courses included, was 22,674.50," said ReAnne Palmer, public information specialist for RLC. Terry Wilkerson, president of RLC, said he considers the results a win as headcounts in enrollment for higher education continue to drop throughout the state. When true enrollment across the state is down, I consider flat enrollment to be a win, he said. With the state facing so many issues with the budget, students are concerned and going elsewhere to continue their education. Though its not the improvement were hoping for, Rend Lake is continuing to bring in about the same number of students and we will continue to give those students the best education and services we can moving forward. MARION The anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on the U.S. was on the minds of many people attending Veterans on Parade Saturday morning in Marion. Ed Davis, president and founder of the parade, said choosing Patriots Day for a day to honor veterans and first responders was not accidental. Im from New York and 9-11 was a big deal to me. I was an iron worker on the World Trade Center, Davis said. We feel there is nobody more patriotic than a veteran. The Sept. 11 attacks were four coordinated terrorist attacks on the U.S. by the Islamic group Al-Qaeda. When the attacks were over, 2,974 Americans had lost their lives. The locations included the north and south towers of the World Trade Center in New York City, the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., and United Airlines Flight 93. Flight 93 was initially headed to Washington, D.C., but crashed in a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, after passengers tried to take control of the plane from hijackers. Several spectators of the parade and a participant were asked about their memories of Sept. 11, 2001. Mikkala Deaton of Marion held her one-month-old son, Bennett, in her arms as she waited for the parade to start. She was only 3 or 4 in 2001, so she does not have any memory of that infamous day. As an eighth grader, Deaton did a project on the attack on the Twin Towers. She built model towers and located the spots where the planes hit each tower. She said it was pretty interesting. Her freshman year of high school, her family visited New York City and saw everything. Her parents both served in the Army overseas. The reality was crazy. It was very emotional, Deaton said. She said her husband, Tyler Deaton has just returned to Camp Pendleton from a deployment with the U.S. Marine Corps. He will get to meet Bennett for the first time next week. Chris Pulliam of Corinth was 16 on Sept. 11, 2001, and in class at Vienna High School. I was sitting at school watching it on Channel 1, a news station for schools, he said. It was mind-blowing horrific. Pulliam and his wife Tiffany have three daughters, Kamyha, 4, Kendalyn, who will turn 2 on Sept. 18, and Mercy, 3 months old. Sara Church, social services administrator with the Salvation Army, was 21 on Sept. 11, 2001. I had a daughter due that day, so I was sitting at home watching Good Morning America, Church said. She remembers the regular news anchor breaking in with live coverage of the attack. Her baby was born Sept. 25. All of us have a story about where we were and what we saw, Church said. At the parade, Salvation Army gave out free water and ice pops. We wanted to show people we are here, we remember, and we appreciated our veterans and first responders, Church said. Veteran Paul Langan of Marion was a little older on Sept. 11, 2001. I was at the breakfast table when it came over the television, and I knew it wasnt good, Langan said. It was a shock. You want to think its an accident, and it isnt. Gregg Roman is director of the Middle East Forum. Updates throughout the day at http://calevbenyefuneh.blog spot.com. If you enjoy "Love of the Land", please be a subscriber. Just put your email address in the "Subscribe" box on the upper right-hand corner of the page.Twitter updates at LoveoftheLand as well as our Love of the Land page at Facebook which has additional pieces of interest besides that which is posted on the blog. Also check-out This Ongoing War by Frimet and Arnold Roth. An excellent blog, very important work. . ..MEF/The Hill..09 September '16..At his first security briefing, Avigdor Liberman, Israel's Defense Minister, declared that Israel no longer has "the luxury of conducting drawn-out wars of attrition." 100 days into his term, with no sign of the decades-long conflict slowing, it is clear that the time has come to apply that principle to the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. In order for there to be peace between Israel and its Arab neighbors, Israel must win and the Palestinians must lose.For most of human history, military victory ended wars. The Pax Romana, a period of 200 years of relative peace within the Roman Empire, began only when Augustus defeated Marc Antony in the Battle of Actium. When the North ravaged the South in the American Civil War, it caused the seemingly intractable conflict that claimed three quarters of a million lives over four years to fade away. The South, knowing it was defeated, never made trouble again. German and Japanese ill-will toward Western democracies in World War II rapidly dissipated, thanks to the bitter pill of defeat; friendship soon followed.The conventional wisdom that conflicts are best resolved through negotiation and compromise simply isn't true.Today's conventional wisdom holds that conflicts are best resolved through negotiation and compromise. But let's look at the facts. After 40 years of negotiations to reunite Cyprus, the island remains divided, and 60 years of standoff over the Korean peninsula have achieved little. In Syria, the killing continues unabated despite five years of talks to reconcile Sunnis and Alawites. And at the same time, years of diplomatic efforts to roll back Iran's nuclear program ended with the West's capitulation to Tehran's demands.The negotiations fallacy is especially evident in the Arab-Israeli conflict.The crux of the conflict is simple: Israel wants to survive; the Palestinian leadership wants to destroy it. Some Palestinian leaders make no secret of this. Hamas leaders' open incitement to violence spawned the so-called " stabbing intifada, " and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas praises the Palestinian "martyrs" and names streets after them. Others talk peace but demand a Palestinian "right of return" to Israel, a requirement that would effectively eviscerate the Jewish state by allowing millions of Arabs of Palestinian descent to resettle permanently within Israel's borders. But no matter their angle, all Palestinian leaders preach hatred towards Israel.American policy has long been to prevent Israel from achieving a decisive military victory over its adversaries. In 1956, President Eisenhower forced Israel to abandon its territorial gains from the Suez Crisis. Similarly, following the 1967 Six Day War, the U.S. helped engineer a U.N. resolution calling on Israel to return unspecified "territories occupied" in the war. The Reagan administration stopped Israel from obliterating Yasser Arafat's PLO forces in Lebanon in 1982, and, most recently, the Obama administration pressured Israel to limit its objectives in its 2014 war with Hamas. These concessions, which are often unilateral and irreversible, include settlement freezes, prisoner releases and forfeiture of territory.Such policies deliver pernicious results; American "restraint" of Israel encourages its enemies to take risks. Much like government bailouts encourage banks to make high-risk, high-payoff investments by removing the consequences of failure, Israel's adversaries need not fret over irrevocable loss because they know the international community will admonish Israel for any gains it achieves.Moreover, restraining Israel legitimizes and nourishes Palestinian rejectionism, defined as the refusal to acknowledge Israeli sovereignty and right of Jews to live in their ancestral homeland. Because it knows there will be no consequences for its sophisticated propaganda war, the Palestinian Authority can continue to demonize Israel. "To become a normal people, one whose parents do not encourage their children to become suicide terrorists, Palestinian Arabs need to undergo the crucible of defeat," writes Middle East Forum President Daniel Pipes.The fear of crushing defeat is a potent weapon in neutralizing Palestinian resistance.When Israel has licensure, without American opprobrium, to unleash its military might after a Palestinian rocket or terror attack, as when Liberman ordered over 50 airstrikes on Hamas military infrastructure in Gaza in response to one rocket, the Palestinians retreat. The fear of crushing defeat is a potent weapon in neutralizing Palestinian resistance.America's handling of the Arab-Israeli conflict is preventing the kind of metamorphosis in Palestinian thinking about Israel that peace requires. It's time for Washington to allow Israel to demolish the Palestinian dream of a one-state solution, free of Jews. As Ronald Reagan said regarding the US fight against communism, the only way to "win is if they lose."This doesn't mean the U.S. should support a winner-take-all settlement of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. But we must dispense with the fallacy that Israel is only a concession or two away from an American-brokered diplomatic breakthrough. As Gen. Douglas MacArthur said famously, "there is no substitute for victory." This editorial appeared in Thursday's Washington Post. President Barack Obama's 11th and final trip to Asia looked rude and ragged from the outside. It began with a botched arrival in China, featuring a missing airline staircase, that some interpreted as a deliberate snub of the president. Then came an unmistakable insult from Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, who obliged Obama to cancel their bilateral meeting by calling him the Tagalog equivalent of "son of a whore." The kerfuffle was particularly troubling because it came as China marshaled ships near a shoal whose defense from Beijing's incursions has been a focus of recent U.S.-Philippine cooperation. Administration officials insisted that the tour was better than it looked. Among other things, they cited the mutual commitment of Obama and Chinese President Xi Jinping to a global climate change accord, as well as the confirmation following a meeting with South Korea's president that a U.S.-supplied missile defense system will be deployed despite Chinese objections. Still, it was striking that Obama's most substantive meetings appeared to be with Russia's Vladimir Putin and Turkey's Recep Tayyip Erdogan, with whom he bargained over the wars in Ukraine and Syria. Even on a trip meant to showcase the U.S. commitment to Asia, the crises elsewhere in the world intruded. To a substantial extent, that has been the story of Obama's "pivot" of U.S. foreign policy toward Asia, which was meant to be a major part of his foreign policy legacy. In Laos, where he was the first U.S. president to visit, Obama summed up some of its achievements: new defense agreements or collaborations with Japan, Australia and South Korea; the deployment of more military capability to the region; improved relations with former adversaries such as Burma and Vietnam, and the 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal. Those were meaningful steps in what, overall, has been a sensible strategy. However, they are likely to pale in the historical record of Obama's presidency next to the nuclear accord with Iran and the catastrophic wars in Syria and Iraq - for better and for worse. The centerpiece of the policy, the TPP, would be a major accomplishment, but Obama sounded suspiciously like the parrot owner in the Monty Python sketch as he insisted that it was not, in fact, dead, despite its rejection by both major-party presidential candidates and key congressional leaders. Obama would do his successor, and U.S. standing in Asia, an enormous service if he somehow managed to revive and pass the treaty in Congress's lame-duck session after the election. Otherwise, he will leave the next president with the unresolved challenge of how to cement U.S. ties to the states in the region as Chinese power grows. Even with the TPP, the next president would face an increasingly aggressive China attempting to establish dominion over most of the South China Sea and an increasingly dangerous North Korea building nuclear warheads and missiles capable of reaching the U.S. homeland. For all its ambition and incremental achievements, an Asia policy that leaves behind that much trouble will be hard to regard as a success. A great people has been moved to defend a great nation. Terrorist attacks can shake the foundations of our biggest buildings, but they cannot touch the foundation of America. These acts shatter steel, but they cannot dent the steel of American resolve. America was targeted for attack because we're the brightest beacon for freedom and opportunity in the world. And no one will keep that light from shining. Today, our nation saw evil the very worst of human nature and we responded with the best of America. With the daring of our rescue workers, with the caring for strangers and neighbors who came to give blood and help in any way they could. President George Bush, in his speech after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks Sept. 11, 2001, was a dark day in our history. Only Dec. 7, 1941, the attack on Pearl Harbor is comparable. But, like they say, its always darkest before dawn. Theres no need to recap what happened that Tuesday morning in New York. But, what happened afterward was a show of American resolve. This nation came together like it has never done before. We rallied, bringing people together from disparate backgrounds. Theres no denying that President Bush was a lightning rod for criticism during his eight years in office, but he never stood taller than in those days following the attack on the Twin Towers. The nation needed someone to rally around. Someone to supply the right amount of American pride, yet a pride tempered by reality and compassion. Fast forward to today, and its safe to say those lessons Bush taught us have faded. Sure, its here in bits and pieces a little here, a little there. Patriotism is alive and well in the United States. Since the attack on the Twin Towers, it seems American flags have been omnipresent. But, we need to remember the entirety of what President Bush showed us. The past couple of years have been tough on our resolve. There have been numerous terrorist acts that have tried to tear the people of this country apart. And, it seems we have drifted away from some of the core concepts of America. You know the acts were talking about. Theres no need to recap all the negativity this country has endured in the past several years. Bush finished his speech on that fateful day with this: This is a day when all Americans from every walk of life unite in our resolve for justice and peace. America has stood down enemies before, and we will do so this time. None of us will ever forget this day, yet we go forward to defend freedom and all that is good and just in our world. No, the attacks of 9/11 did not break the United States of this country, but they have had negative effects. We, as a nation, have not succumbed to foreign powers, but we have, in too many instances, turned against ourselves. Too many of us seem to have forgotten that within a week of the attacks President Bush appeared at the Islamic Center in Washington. Again, he uttered some of the most profound, most healing words of his presidency, Like the good folks standing with me, the American people were appalled and outraged at last Tuesdays attacks. And so were Muslims all across the world. Both Americans and Muslim friends and citizens, tax-paying citizens, and Muslims in nations were just appalled and could not believe what we saw on our TV screens The face of terror is not the true faith of Islam. Thats not what Islam is all about. Islam is peace. These terrorists dont represent peace. They represent evil and war. In light of the political mood in our country today these words seem almost foreign. As a people, as a country, we need to get back to believing that America is stronger because of its diversity, its acceptance of religious liberty. Stop the hate. We need to regain our bearings, be proud of the liberties guaranteed in the Constitution and Bill of Rights. It shouldnt take a national tragedy to bring the people of this country together. We should want to do it. Its who we are or, at least who we are supposed to be. CAYCE More South Carolinians will soon be able to harness the power of the sun, thanks to a new solar energy initiative by S.C. Electric & Gas Co. The company announced plans to launch a community solar partnership with leading community solar solutions provider Clean Energy Collective. An alternative to rooftop solar, CECs RooflessSolar will give SCE&G residential electric customers, schools, churches and municipalities the opportunity to subscribe to or purchase panels in solar farms and receive credit for solar generation on their energy bills each month. CEC will develop, construct, own and operate the 16 MW community solar portfolio, the largest utility-driven program in the state and one of the largest in the country. Details regarding facility development, product offering and customer participation will be announced as plans advance in the coming months. "For some, rooftop solar is a good resource, but for those in this market looking for another option including home owners, renters, churches, schools and municipalities community solar can be a great alternative," said Danny Kassis, vice president of customer relations and renewables for SCE&G. Were pleased to work with CEC to put solar power within reach for more of our customers and extend our commitment to growing renewable energy in South Carolina. SCE&G has long placed a priority on growing its renewable energy portfolio and lowering carbon emissions. Customers interested in SCE&Gs community solar program, can complete an online sign-up form to receive program specifics when they become available at www.sceg.com/communitysolar. Community solar is part of our plan to create a balanced energy portfolio and grow a clean energy future for South Carolina, said Keller Kissam, retail president of SCE&G. Were proud to say that with the future completion of our solar initiatives and new nuclear reactors, 60 percent of the energy we produce each year will be non-greenhouse gas emitting. Were investing in a clean, reliable energy future for our customers. Tapping CECs industry-leading expertise in community solar development gives SCE&G the ability to deploy an efficient, cost-effective and successful community solar program. CEC will integrate its software and services suite Community Solar Platform to provide customer sales, system monitoring, production tracking, bill crediting, and ongoing subscriber engagement. We commend SCE&G for its leadership among investor-owned utilities in establishing one of the countrys most significant community solar programs, providing a renewable energy option that is more broadly accessible to South Carolinians of all economic or geographic circumstance, said Paul Spencer, CECs founder and CEO. The community solar project is the latest initiative by SCE&G to grow solar energy. Since 2007, SCE&G has interconnected more than 1,600 customer solar systems, including homes, businesses, nonprofits and governmental entities. In April, SCE&G announced the planned addition of six new solar generating facilities to its system. A The Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College Foundation is offering a chance to support students and treat your taste buds at the same time. The foundations An Evening of Fine Wines and Foods is set for 7 to 10 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 20, at The Cinema in Orangeburg. Co-chairs for this years signature fundraising event are Dallas and Debbie Lovelace and Mickey and Catherine Hay. Funds raised at the event support OCtech student scholarships, faculty and staff professional development, and special projects requested by the college. OCtech is an excellent educational addition to our community and we are very fortunate to have it, Debbie Lovelace said. This event exemplifies our faith and commitment to higher education in our community. Participating wine and beer vendors are Advintage Wine Distributing, Break Thru Beverage, Orangeburg Distributors, Republic National Distributing Co. and Southern Glazers of S.C. Food vendors include A Gracious Affair, Aberdeen Catery, Blaz n Buz Catering Co., Cakes by Joann Zeigler, Catering for All Occasions, Chestnut Grill, Eatery at the Depot, Fit Street Deli & Hibachi, Fogles Piggly Wiggly, Golden Kernel Pecan Co., House of Pizza Sims Street, Main Street Cafe and Catering, Palmetto Star BBQ, The Rotonda of Santee, Thai Orchid, Thee Matriarch Bed & Breakfast and Unique Flavor Soul Food Restaurant. We are enormously grateful to the wine distributors who are providing a variety of interesting wines and to the area caterers who will share delicious samples of their menus, Catherine Hay said. An Evening of Fine Wines and Foods will be a delightful evening and we encourage everyone to join us, she said. Not to be missed will be the evenings silent auction, which will feature bottles of wine and wine-related gifts as well as other exceptional items. Wine will be available for purchase at the event through Gibbys Bottle Shop. Gibbys will donate 10 percent of proceeds from wine ordered that evening to the OCtech Foundation. Individuals ordering 12 or more bottles of wine will receive a 10 percent discount on their purchase. Tickets to An Evening of Fine Wines and Foods are $75 per person. For more information or to purchase tickets, call Melissa Pearson at 803-535-1246 or visit www.octech.edu. Spreading goodwill among the community and welcoming newcomers to Orangeburg through civic engagement and lasting friendships has been the mission of one local club for more than 60 years. The late Janet Legon Lashley of Orangeburg organized the Newcomers Club in 1950 with the goal of acquainting individuals who had just moved into the community with each other and helping them become familiar with their new surroundings. Lashley was known as the Welcome Wagon Lady. Local merchants went to her for help organizing a nonprofit group introducing them to the towns newest residents. Orangeburg residents Ruth McKinney, Ann McArthur and the late Harriett Gillespie, who became the groups first president, met in McKinneys living room to write the constitution for the club. It began with a membership of 50 women. During the clubs first few years, Lashley personally visited new women in town to welcome them to the community and give them a small gift from the local merchants The club will celebrate 66 years of service with an anniversary luncheon to be held at 11:45 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 14, at the Orangeburg Country Club. Club President Leona Mack, who has been a member since 1970, was one of the women Lashley personally invited to join the club. We are going to invite past presidents and other guests to the luncheon. Well have some scrapbooks and some other historical information to share, but one of the biggest things that we want to accomplish every year is to invite prospective members, Mack said. Were always looking for new people to join the club. Mack said one of the clubs most recent members, Yvonne White, is from New York City. Shes gotten involved and were going to have a luncheon at her house in the spring, Mack said. White said she enjoys having lunch with the group and learning more about Orangeburg from them. "They are knowledgeable and very nice, decent and respectable ladies to be around," she said. Retired Realtor Alice Hutto and retired teacher Lula Jones are two other new members. Virginia Miller, 102, the mother of former Orangeburg Mayor Paul Miller, is the group's honorary member. She now lives in Bellevue, Washington. Mack said the club has a little less than 40 members. I can remember when it was 110. Ive heard the ladies say that they wanted us to be a little bit more of a social club with not quite so much parliamentary procedure. But I still have the gavel, Mack said, smiling. I still respect the gavel and I do use it some because it takes that to be organized with a group of women. The club has three functions each month, including a general meeting the second Wednesday of every month and an Out to Lunch Group that convenes the fourth Wednesday of every month. Then we have potluck the first Saturday night in the month. We have interest groups, including canasta and pinochle. We had a Kentucky Derby party in Eutawville for years, Mack said. We also have Christmas parties and different functions in members homes, including salad luncheons. We have a Tour of Homes once a year, she said. The Newcomers Club is most grateful to all the hosts and hostesses who are graciously donating their time, talent and hospitality for the success of the Newcomers Club parties. The group also holds fundraisers for local charitable causes. One such fundraiser is the clubs annual auction. We donate money to local charities. This year we donated $1,800. We have donated as much as $4,000. Then we have another small auction to go along with that, too, Mack said. Merchants and members donate items for the auctions. Mack said the club continues to foster lasting friendships among its members. A lot of people in the Newcomers Club just make the people that they meet family, Mack said. You do have lasting friendships and you do help people through our club. Mack said her own life has been enriched by being a member. The Newcomers Club has made my life richly blessed because of the friendships Ive made and the happy moments we have with our Newcomer members, she said. For more information about the club, including how to join, call Mack at 803-803-534-5740 or longtime club Vice President Myrna Gutting at 803-531-4925. Ephesians 5 begins by telling us to be imitators of God. We are told of the contrast between darkness and light; also we are told not to walk in darkness. Furthermore, we are reminded that light is found in nothing in the world but rather in the Person of Christ. Ephesians 5:15-17 builds on this discussion of light, Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil. So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. (NASU) This passage connects with the previous passage by using the word therefore. Is there a bigger fool than a person whom Christ has dawned His Light upon and yet continues to walk in darkness? Is there a more unwise person than one who claims to know God and yet does not walk with Him? We are commanded to walk as wise men rather than unwise. Those who are wise, go on with the Lord, walking with Him in His Light. Those who are unwise remain as infants, babes in Christ, walking in darkness. It is a sad, tragic fact that many who claim to be Christians never invest the time or effort to even reach a bare minimum of Biblical knowledge. They continue to walk in darkness because they refuse the light that God has graciously given them. Our refusal to receive the light offered to us causes us to go through life with one bruised shin after another and worse. Paul addressed this issue with the church at Corinth, And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual men, but as to men of flesh, as to infants in Christ. I gave you milk to drink, not solid food; for you were not yet able to receive it. Indeed, even now you are not yet able, for you are still fleshly. For since there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not fleshly, and are you not walking like mere men? (1 Corinthians 3:1-3, NASU) Many Christians seem to have the idea that if they have some intellectual knowledge of Christ then that is all that is required of them. Perhaps they cannot even explain the gospel message. And yet somehow they believe that they know all that they need to. It is sad when a Bible teacher understands that the one he should be teaching is not capable of receiving the teaching. Hebrews 5:11-14 goes into more detail, Concerning him(Jesus) we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food. For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is an infant. But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil. (NASU) We Christians are expected, yea commanded, to fully comprehend the meaning of justification but to also move on to more truths of our relationship with our Creator. We ought to fully understand sanctification and glorification. We ought to be able to give a defense for Christianity to anyone who asks (1 Peter 3:15). If we are not diligent to accurately handle the Bible, then we will stand ashamed before God. (2 Timothy 2:15) --- The terrorist attack that shook America at its core 15 years ago today gave the world just one demonstration of the self-sacrifice and dedication that first responders and other public safety officials display in times of need. Whether it was law enforcement officers, emergency medical workers, firefighters or other first responders, running toward the danger and destruction left amid the 9/11 attacks was somewhat of an automatic instinct despite the risks. It is the care and concern for the safety and well-being of others that these individuals continue to display which one restaurant manager says deserves the highest respect and recognition. William Kuck, manager of The Kuckery Restaurant & Catering in Orangeburg, and a few other sponsors will hold a special buffet dinner from 5 to 9 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 27, at The Kuckery located on 210 Cannon Bridge Road in Orangeburg. The dinner is being held to honor Orangeburg County first responders, fire department members, law enforcement and Highway Patrol officers and game wardens. Were looking at having at least 300 people. We want them to know that we respect their jobs. Really, if you look at it, some things are getting worse than it was with 9/11, Kuck said. He said he talks with police and Highway Patrol officers every day, all of whom are painfully aware of the dangers their jobs can present, particularly at night. Some of them say at nighttime that they dont know whether to pull a person over until you've got another backup person come behind you. They dont know. A lot of their departments are short of manpower now because people dont want to get into it. Theyre afraid of death, so we need to thank the ones that we do have out there, Kuck said. Kuck is sponsoring the buffet dinner, along with two small businesses in Orangeburg and a local surgeon, all of whom prefer to remain anonymous. Kuck said his cousin is affiliated with the two small businesses and is working hard to put the buffet dinner together. Kuck said his cousin for years has paid the bills of first responders and other public safety officials he has seen eating in restaurants. Hes that type of person. If youre a patrolman or anything else and youre sitting and eating in Summerville, Charleston or Orangeburg, he will normally pick that ticket up without wanting nobody to know hes doing it, Kuck said. His cousin said, I always tell the waitresses to say one thing: Someone that cares. When Im at the Kuckery, there are generally some patrolmen or someone in uniform there. I always go over to them and tell them, Thank you. I appreciate what youre doing. The 65-year-old said he has a lot of respect for first responders and other individuals who put their lives on the line and demonstrate self-sacrifice every day. He said he has been disturbed by not just the senseless killing of police officers, but senseless killings everywhere. I reckon thats my motivation for having this dinner. These people are always the first ones there. Five policemen were killed in Dallas and you can never pay them enough respect. Most people run away from danger, but first responders go toward the shots, toward the danger, he said. I also have a sensitive spot for the incident on 9/11. No religion should ever preach, Go kill somebody else. You just dont do that. Its the way humans treat each other I just dont know. Theres a lot of value in human life, and some people dont respect that. Kuck said the dinner is just a small token of appreciation for public safety officials. He urges other businesses and individuals to sponsor similar efforts. Like his cousin, Kuck said he would like to see more unity within the community. Its so much downgrading of cops and the first responders anymore. You got good and bad in everybody. Lately in South Carolina, for example, were coming up together more than ever as a whole group of people. Its not like in the other big cities and all, Kuck said. First responders, all the cops, everybody kept everything in control and found out what was going on. I think the county is doing the same thing now. I just think everybody needs to come more together and thank the ones that are really keeping the peace. Kucks cousin said it was unfortunate how a major crisis such as 9/11 one that killed nearly 3,000 people -- could serve to bring the country together only before we go back to squabbling amongst ourselves. Its just the way the country is, he said. Kuck, however, said he was willing to help his cousin and the other sponsors put together the dinner, which they hope will be one of many such efforts to be held in the community. A lot of my customers black, white, Indian, Chinese say, If you cant get along with William, you aint gonna get along with nobody. I treat everybody fair and the same as I want to be treated. When my cousin came to me with his idea, I said, 'I think its a great idea. Ill do everything I can to help. "Never forget" is the oft-repeated refrain used when talking about the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. Yet it often seems an empty phrase brought out yearly for memorial services and invoked by politicians seeking to justify the latest round of new counter terrorism efforts. Despite the phrase perhaps being overused, the attacks themselves should never be forgotten as they marked a key turning point in modern history and would, arguably, lead to the birth of a much more dangerous enemy in the form of Daesh. Not since Pearl Harbor had the worlds only superpower been attacked within its domestic borders and what was so surprising was that the attack was not carried not by another state but by a then little-known terrorist group al-Qaeda. The attack itself was carried out by just 19 men, from al-Qaeda, who hijacked four planes and successfully flew two into the World Trade Center in New York, one into the Pentagon and the fourth only missed another target due to the heroic actions of the passengers, who caused it to crash into a field. The actions of these few would turn 9/11 into a day that changed history by leading to two American-led invasions as part of the Global War on Terrorism: Afghanistan and then Iraq. While the Afghan campaign was initially successful and had the backing of the international community, the Iraq campaign would lead to a long-running insurgency and widespread sectarian violence between the two dominant strands of Islam present in the country. With the removal of Saddam Hussein and the de-Baathification of Iraqi police and military units, the Americans and British forces both created a power vacuum and deposited hundreds of highly trained soldiers onto Iraqi streets. Many of these now jobless individuals joined the growing insurgency, which was fighting against the Western occupation. While many different groups existed, one group in particular stood out -- Tanzim Qaidat al-Jihad fi Bilad al-Rafidayn aka al-Qaeda in Iraq. Originally founded in 1999, this group would go through a series of name and leadership changes as coalition attacks degraded its command and control structures. Despite the losses, the continued presence of American and British troops in Iraq led many to join AQI and it rose in prominence and infamy as it carried out attacks against coalition troops and atrocities against Shia Muslims. This prominence allowed it to form the Mujahedeen Shura Council in 2004 as an umbrella organisation encompassing all of the Sunni insurgent groups present in Iraq. Under the guidance of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the group became more and more sectarian, often focusing on local Shia militias rather than the occupying coalition forces. This eventually led to a split from the main body of al-Qaeda and to the renaming of the group as the Islamic State of Iraq in 2006. The group effectively controlled most of Iraq and likely had a loose membership of 300,000 to 500,000 fighters and allied tribesmen who saw the group as a means of protecting themselves from an ineffective Iraqi government and the growing power of Iranian backed Shia militias. Tit-for-tat sectarian violence continued and the group survived US/UK attempts to dismantle it and then the Arab spring arrived and the Syrian civil war started. This provided an ideal opportunity for the group to expand across the border into Syria and enlarge its geographic footprint. Between 2011 and 2013, this is exactly what the group did before declaring a worldwide caliphate in June 2014 and changing its name to Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS, aka Daesh). Daesh has since gone on to inspire nearly half a dozen attacks, beyond the borders of Iraq and Syria, in both Europe and the Middle East. It is arguable that had 9/11 never happened then the specific circumstances that led to the formation of AQI would never have occurred and Daesh would now not exist. Thus, we should never forget 9/11 partly to remember and honor the victims but also as a reminder that responding to terrorism with force can have far-reaching effects that are hard to predict. Fortunately, we are unlikely to see a spectacular attack like 9/11 carried out again as Daesh appears to be focused on retaining the land it controls in Iraq and Syria. However, Daesh is more dangerous because of its ability to inspire those with little or no history of extremist violence to carry out low-level attacks, such as Charlie Hebdo, Bataclan and Nice. The legacy of 9/11 is not just memorials to those who died but is an ongoing struggle to detect, disrupt and neutralise plots inspired by Daesh. ----- Dr. John Bahadur Lamb is lecturer in criminology and security studies at Birmingham City University. Sept. 11 marks the 15th anniversary of the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. As with the assassination of JFK and the attack on Pearl Harbor, 9/11 will forever be seen as a critical moment in American history. For those who lived through the 9/11 attacks, the anniversary brings up many unpleasant memories. I was young a junior high school student. Our teachers told us there had been an attack, but refused to discuss it further. It was not until I got home and turned on the television that I began to understand that I was seeing something unlike anything Id ever encountered. Like many Americans, I was scared and worried about what the terrorist acts would mean for our country. I remember asking my parents if there would be more attacks and if there were terrorists living in the United States. I wondered what I would do if I or someone I loved was a victim of an attack. Although they tried to be comforting, it was clear my parents didnt have the answers. Lucky for me and other Americans, the chance of being killed (or even injured) in an act of terror is remarkably low about one in 20 million. You are more likely to die while moving your couch, or from being struck by lightning, from falling out of bed, from the flu, or from brain-eating parasites! Some would argue that this illustrates that government has done a good job since 9/11. Consider, however, that the number of Americans killed in terror attacks on an annualized basis has remained remarkably constant and low over several decades, with a few exceptions like 9/11. In the period from 1995 through 2014, for example, seven years saw no deaths in the United States related to terrorism. In six other years, one to four Americans were killed on U.S. soil in terror-related incidents. Even looking worldwide, the number of Americans killed in terror attacks pales in comparison to other causes of death. In 2013 just under 2.6 million U.S. citizens died. Thirteen of these deaths were terror-related, 0.0005 percent of all deaths. In 2001, taking into account the deaths from the 9/11 attacks, terror deaths still represented less than 0.2 percent of all U.S. deaths. Yet despite these comforting numbers, Americans are less safe and less free than they were 15 years ago. The danger comes not from terrorism, but rather from the U.S. government. The War on Terror has enabled massive government expansion. The cost is not just the nearly $2 trillion in taxpayer money, but our liberty. Consider that during the last 15 years, U.S. government has spied (and continues to spy) on U.S. citizens and international leaders. The U.S. government has used enhanced interrogation, otherwise known as torture, to combat terrorism. These techniques are not exclusively used in foreign combat zones, however. Recent investigations of the Chicago Police Department, for example, indicate that local governments have employed these same techniques at home, not against terrorists but against U.S. citizens. Drones and other forms of extrajudicial killing are now standard practice. These activities not only fail to eliminate terror threats, but provide a rallying cry and recruitment tool for terrorist organizations, making Americans at home and abroad less safe. The push to use drone technology domestically by state and local law enforcement has substantial consequences for privacy. Militarized police, now on the front lines of the war on terror at home, have trampled the rights of Americans with a barrage of no-knock raids and unauthorized surveillance. Moreover, those who speak out against these activities, whistleblowers who expose the wrongdoings of the U.S. government, are labeled as un-American, anti-military or even traitors, and punished. Meanwhile, questionable and perhaps illegal activity by government officials goes unchecked. Many Americans look outside of the United States to determine who represents the biggest threat to freedom and safety. Fifteen years after 9/11, wed do well to realize that the largest threat to our liberties comes not from people thousands of miles away but from our own government. ----- Abigail Hall Blanco is a research fellow at the Independent Institute and an assistant professor of economics at the University of Tampa. She wrote this for InsideSources.com We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking Accept, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. The Covenant volleyball team concluded its trip to the Blues City Invite in Memphis on Saturday with a pair of losses to regional foes. The Lady Scots fell in four sets to Birmingham Southern (25-19, 16-25, 27-25, 25-16) before losing to host Rhodes in three sets (25-10, 25-23, 25-23).Covenant drops to 2-5 on the year with the losses.After falling the first set, Covenant took the second set and played the Panthers into extra points in the third before losing and then dropping the fourth set in a 3-1 loss.Covenant struggled in the opening set, but found its rhythm in the second set.In that 25-16 second set victory, the Lady Scots hit an impressive .357 with 18 kills to knot the match up at 1-1. In the third, Covenant continued its strong play with 19 kills and held a late lead before Birmingham Southern rallied for the 27-25 victory. The Panthers then pulled away in the fourth set to take the match.Schuyler Moore had 37 assists, 23 digs and seven kills in the loss, while Jessica Seehorn had 13 kills and 10 digs. Ginny Moore added 12 kills and 17 digs and Chloe Storm tallied 10 kills. Mariah Corney added 12 digs on the defensive end.Birmingham Southern (4-1) was led by Ashley Dodson's 14 kills and Marjorie Ward's 30 assists and 11 digs. Melania Hissam had a match-high 25 digs.Facing the host Lynx in the finale of the tournament, Covenant was unable to overcome Rhodes in the second and third sets before falling in three.The Lady Scots dropped the first set 25-10, but rebounded in the next two sets to challenge Rhodes. Covenant had 10 kills in the second set and nearly pulled off a late comeback before going down 25-23. In the third, the Lady Scots got within one point on several occasions late, but the Lynx held off Covenant for the two-point win and the match.Ginny Moore had six kills and Schuyler Moore had 17 assists and 12 digs. Seehorn totaled five kills while Hannah Stewart recorded 11 digs.Rhodes (4-3) received 12 kills from Heather Antrim and 20 assists from Lindsey Blasius in the win.Covenant will travel to Atlanta, Ga., next weekend for the Emory Invitational. The Lady Scots face Transylvania on Friday at 5 p.m. at the Woodruff PE Center. Chinese President Xi Jinping sent a letter on Saturday congratulating the opening of the China-U.S. Schwarzman College at Tsinghua University. Education is an important force that pushes forward human civilization. Nowadays the young people in all countries should establish a world vision and raise awareness of cooperation through education, Xi said in the letter. The China-U.S. exchanges in education have played a positive role in promoting understanding and friendship among the people as well as improving the relations between the two nations, he said, adding the two countries should deepen cooperation in this field. He hoped that the Schwarzman College can be built into an international platform for cultivating the world's excellent talents, providing study opportunities for the youth of all countries and helping them enhance understanding and exchanges. U.S. President Barack Obama also sent a congratulation letter for the opening ceremony. The Schwarzman Scholars program of Tsinghua University is a one-year post graduate program co-founded by the university and Stephen Schwarzman. It aims to cultivate students with international vision, overall quality, leadership and knowledge of China. The first group of 110 scholars come from 70 colleges in 31 countries. Flash Facebook withdrew a decision to delete posts containing the iconic "napalm girl" photo from the Vietnam war on Friday after it was criticized for abusing powers of censorship. The Pulitzer Prize-winning photo, taken by Associated Press photographer Nick Ut, is officially known as "The Terror of War" and depicts children running from a napalm attack with armed soldiers behind him. One of the children, Kim Phuc, is naked. Napalm is a flammable liquid used in warfare. It was used by the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War primarily as an anti-person weapon, as it sticks to skin and causes severe burns when on fire. When Norwegian writer Tom Egeland posted the photo among six others on Facebook, trying to discuss "seven photographs that changed the history of warfare," his post was deleted. And his account was subsequently suspended. Norway's largest newspaper, Aftenposten, reported on the suspension, using the same photo in an article published on its Facebook account. Facebook reached out and asked the publisher to either remove or pixelate the photo. Before Aftenposten could respond, Facebook deleted the article and image from the newspaper's homepage earlier this week. Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg also joined the debate, posting on her Facebook page, "Facebook gets it wrong when they censor such images." Hours later, Solberg's post, which included the image, disappeared from her account. On Friday, Facebook decided to give in to the public outcry and said it would restore the image. "An image of a naked child would normally be presumed to violate our community standards, and in some countries might even qualify as child pornography," a Facebook spokeswoman said. "In this case, we recognize the history and global importance of this image in documenting a particular moment in time," she added. While Facebook admitted that the photo is iconic, it also asserted that it was difficult to create a "distinction between allowing a photo of a nude child in one instance and not others." Facebook has repeatedly said it is only a tech company, not a media organization. But its zealous censorship has cited many criticisms. In July, Facebook took down a live video posted by a U.S. woman that showed her boyfriend's last breath after being fatally shot by police. The company later restored the video after a public outcry. By Azertac Works of Azerbaijani photographers have been demonstrated at an international festival in Chelyabinsk, Russia. Joined by photographers from many countries, the festival saw the launch of over 10 photo exhibitions. 50 photographs on multiculturalism by AZERTAC, Baku Media Center and Azerbaijan Photographers Union were on display at the festival. By Azertac An Azerbaijani parliamentary delegation led by Speaker Ogtay Asadov will visit France on September 14 to attend the European Conference of Presidents of Parliament. The delegation includes Chairman of the Milli Majlis foreign and inter-parliamentary relations Standing Committee, head of Azerbaijan's delegation to PACE Samad Seyidov, MP, chairperson of Parliamentary Assembly of Council of Europe (PACE) Committee on Migration, Refugees and Displaced Persons Sahiba Gafarova and other officials. Some 350 delegates are expected to attend the European Conference of Presidents of Parliament, organised by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE). They will be discussing the migration and refugee crisis in Europe: role and responsibilities of parliaments, national parliaments and the Council of Europe: together promoting democracy, human rights and the rule of law, mobilisation of parliaments against hate, for inclusive and non-racist societies. Ogtay Asadov will hold a series of meetings with PACE leadership and heads of the delegations participating in the event. By Azertac Minsk has hosted a session of the Coordinating Council of Prosecutors General of the member states of the CIS. Azerbaijan was represented at the event by Deputy Prosecutor General, head of the Central Anti-Corruption Department under the Prosecutor General Kamran Aliyev. In his address at the session, Aliyev pointed out that Azerbaijan joined all international and regional conventions on the fight against global and regional terrorism. He provided an insight into the role of the Office of the Azerbaijani Prosecutor General in combating terrorism, and highlighted national anti-terrorist legislation and practical mechanisms. He drew the audience`s attention to the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict. He said 20 per cent of Azerbaijans territory was occupied by the Armenian military units at the end of the 20th century. These uncontrolled territories are used for setting terrorist camps, providing asylum for wanted terrorists, holding trainings, planning and executing acts of terror, he said. Russian Prosecutor General Yury Chaika was elected as chair of the Council for the next three years. The next session will be held in Russia in 2017. On the sidelines of the event Aliyev held meetings with heads of delegations from Russia, Belarus, Moldova, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan to discuss ways of developing cooperation. By Trend Armenian armed forces have 19 times violated the ceasefire on the line of contact between Azerbaijani and Armenian troops over the past 24 hours, using large caliber machine guns, Azerbaijans Defense Ministry reported on September 11. Armenian armed forces, located in Paravakar and Vazashen villages in Armenias Ijevan district, on the nameless heights in Berd district opened fire at Azerbaijani position located on the nameless heights in Gazakh district, in Munjuglu village of Tovuz district. The positions of Azerbaijani Armed Forces were also fired from positions of Armenian military units located near to the occupied Horadiz, Gorgan, Garakhanbayli, Ashagi Seyidahmadli villages of Fuzuli district, in Kuropatkino village of Khojavend district, as well as, nameless heights in Goranboy and Fuzuli districts. The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts. By Azertac Pakistani Federal Minister for Defense Production Rana Tanveer Hussain has said his country would be participating in ADEX-2016 Azerbaijan International Defense Industry Exhibition due to take place in Baku on September 27-30. He met with Azerbaijani ambassador to Pakistan Ali Alizade. Tanveer Hussain highlighted Pakistans defense industry potential, and expressed the country`s readiness to supply defense industry products to the Azerbaijani army. He also pointed out prospects for cooperation in the military and technical spheres. Tanveer Hussain noted that Pakistan was one of the first countries to recognize Azerbaijan`s independence. Ambassador Alizade spoke of the Armenian provocations against Azerbaijan. He praised Pakistan`s supporting Azerbaijan on the conflict with Armenia. The ambassador said that as a member of the Contact Group on Kashmir of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation Azerbaijan had always been committed to the settlement of the Kashmir issue based on UN Security Council resolutions. By Trend Azerbaijan will extradite 22 Iranian prisoners to the Islamic Republic on September 12, an Iranian deputy foreign minister said. Deputy Foreign Minister for Consular, Parliamentary and Iranian Expatriates Affairs Hassan Qashqavi has said that on the occasion of the Eid al-Adha 22 Iranians serving prison sentences in Azerbaijan will be transferred to home, Tasnim news agency reported. Over the past years Iran and Azerbaijan on several occasions have extradited a number of prisoners which comes following the expansion of political relations between the two neighboring countries. This post is prompted by a number of things that have left me pondering how as Christians we are to bring about change in our churches. When we strongly b... 7 years ago Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq) has announced that its CEO Marwan Jassim Al Sarkal has received the Middle East CEO of the Year Award by the prestigious Burj CEO Awards. Bestowed recently during a ceremony held in Washington DC, USA, the Burj CEO Awards are international recognition for the best organisations and top executives from different business sectors around the world. Al Sarkal was named as the best CEO in the Middle East in the awards programme in recognition of his non-stop efforts and significant contribution to developing Shurooqs successful strategies that aim at reinforcing Sharjahs position on the world business and investment map. The honour also comes in appreciation of Al Sarkal's outstanding success in managing and leading Shurooq, which has succeeded in developing a number of premier tourist and leisure destinations in the region. Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi, chairperson of Shurooq, said: We are extremely proud of Shurooqs management excellence, which has reflected positively on the teamwork, quality of performance, distinctive management skills and excellent delivery of projects and services. The managements success begins from within the organisation itself, which is represented in the internal organising and corporate development. Such awards are the fruit of the corporate strategy embraced by Shurooq since its establishment an approach based on the managements attention and concentration on capacity building of its human resources, as well as its confidence in the ability of its in-house manpower to make a big difference and leave a positive impact at their workplace and posts in Sharjah as well as the rest of the UAE. Al Sarkal said; The Emirate of Sharjah has equipped its national youth with all the potential and tools that enable them to excel and innovate, gain high leadership skills and realise accomplishments." "Winning such a prestigious global accolade is a success for the Emirate of Sharjah as a whole. The award will serve as an incentive that will inspire me to do my utmost to support Sharjah's economic growth, and solidify its internationally acclaimed position as a global business and investment hub. "I am also very proud to see other Emirati executives winning awards in other categories, in new achievements that show the UAE's success in establishing companies and corporates that managed in a short span of time to become examples for others, not only in the region but in the entire world," he added. Among the most prominent companies and organisations that won the award in its various categories alongside Shurooq are the Covenant Bank for Women (Tanzania), DP World, Emirates Airline, Dubai Duty Free, Facebook, HP, Hollywood Studios, Ras Al Khaimah Free Zone, and the National Bank of Abu Dhabi. The Burj CEO Awards is an affiliate of the CEO Clubs Network and is dedicated to top executives and organisations working in different business sectors worldwide. It is the first award programme launched by the Network since its inception 30 years ago. The Burj CEO Awards programme aims to recognise and honour the outstanding success and significant contribution of chief executives to the business network and international business community. The CEO Clubs Networks members have the opportunity to meet more than 16,000 top CEOs in various sectors from all across the globe. TradeArabia News Service The Bahrain Ministry of Works, Municipalities Affairs and Urban Planning recently held the second introductory course on project management for employees of the government sector. About 22 employees from different directorates attended the course was conducted by the Project Management Office of the ministry at the Training Center of the Municipalities Center, said a statement from the ministry. The move is aimed at enhancing the staff knowledge and contributing to achieving the Ministrys vision of becoming a leading professional providing high quality services. The attendees later received participation certificates which qualifies them to attend other training courses like the Project Management Professional Course. The Project Management Office at the Ministry owns the professional training license from the US Project Management Institute, which qualifies them to improve the performance of the office, improve the services provided by the Ministry and enhance the skills and knowledge of the Ministrys staff. Work is progressing well on the Jasra Interchange Revamp Project in Bahrain with the first phase on track for completion by the end of this year, said a ministry official. The Phase One of the project, which commenced in April, involves constructing a new slope to link Janabiya Highway to Sheikh Isa bin Salman Highway and revamping of the existing slopes to improve traffic flow along the highway, said a statement from the Ministry of Works, Municipalities Affairs & Urban Planning. The project has been awarded to Haj Hassan Group at the cost of BD429,465 ($1.12 million). Over 1,000 vehicles ply along this busy highway during peak hours. Once the new slope gets ready, the traffic congestion i slikely to go down by 40 to 75 per cent during morning and evening peak hours, it stated. Minister of Works, Municipalities Affairs & Urban Planning Essam bin Abdulla Khalaf visited the project site to inspect the work progress. He was accompanied by a number of senior ministry officials including the acting works affairs undersecretary Ebrahim Al Hawaj, roads assistant undersecretary Huda Fakhro, roads planning and design director Kadhim Abdul Latif and roads projects and maintenance director Sayyed Bader Alawi. On the progress, Al Khalaf said the reclamation works for the slope connecting Janabiya Highway to Sheikh Isa bin Salman Highway has completed. "Work is presently underway to construct and expand the side lanes along Sheikh Isa bin Salman Highway. The Ministry has also made the necessary procedures to protect the main 400kv power network to ensure that the electricity connections are not affected by works involved in the project," he stated. Khalaf pointed out that concrete casting in the project had been done using the sliding mold technique to create the concrete barriers on the sides of the additional slope connecting Janabiya Highway to the highway without any twists in the concrete barrier. The concrete barriers have been successfully created as per the scheme, he added.-TradeArabia News Service German industrial orders data on Tuesday underlined growing concerns that Europe's biggest economy is heading towards an economic slowdown, eking out a smaller-than-expected rise and showing a decline in domestic demand. Contracts for goods "Made in Germany" were up by 0.2 per cent in July, the Economy Ministry said. That was weaker than a Reuters consensus forecast for a rise of 0.5 per cent. Domestic demand fell by 3.0 per cent while foreign orders rose by 2.5 per cent, with demand from euro zone countries jumping by 5.9 per cent. It was the first full month of industrial orders data since Britain's economically unsettling vote to leave the euro zone. "Economic and political uncertainty are dampening order activity around the globe," VP Bank economist Thomas Gitzel said, adding that Britain's 23 June vote to leave the EU was only one negative factor among several others. "With US presidential candidate Donald Trump, the next uncertainty is around the corner," Gitzel said, pointing to Trump's sharp rhetoric against free trade. The US is Germany's most important export market. The data for June was revised up to a drop of 0.3 per cent from a previously reported fall of 0.4 per cent. In the less volatile two-month-comparison, orders were down by 0.2 per cent in June and July. Reuters Damen Shipyards Group has signed a concession agreement with the government of Curacao for the future operation of the current Curacao Drydock Company. Damen will establish a new company on Curacao under the name Damen Shiprepair Curacao, said a statement from the company. It is expected that Damen will start up its operations in the two graven docks and on the available quays end October, it said. Part of the agreement consists of Damen bringing in extra capacity in the shape of a floating dock. Furthermore it has been agreed a total of $40 million will be invested in the infrastructure and training facilities for personnel, it added. The facilities of Damen Shiprepair Curacao currently consist of two graven docks as well as approximately 2.000 m of repair quays outfitted with 13 cranes, said a statement. Rene H Berkvens, CEO Damen Shipyards Group, signed the agreement with the Minister of Economic Development Eugene Rhuggenaath, it added. Berkvens said: Whilst having a long history in building and delivering new ships to customers in the Americas this is the first step in our ambition to play a major role in shiprepair and conversion in the Caribbean area. This strategic partnership between our company and Curacao fits into our strategy to further expand our repair and service activities worldwide, he added. Damen Shiprepair Curacao will become part of the Damen Shiprepair & Conversion group which currently operates 40 dry docks in 15 shipyards around the world, it stated. TradeArabia News Service Itamco for Agriculture Development (Ghabbour Farms), a leading producer and supplier of top quality fresh produce to Egyptian and international markets, plans to expand its exporting activities to the African market in 2017. The company currently exports to Arab, Asian, European, and some African countries, and aims to expand in African markets, Eastern Europe and Southeast Asia, Esraa Assaf, head of exports and logistical services at Ghabbour, was quoted as saying in a Daily News Egypt report. For its export operations, the company depends on 20 countries: India, Malaysia, Singapore, Belgium, Bangladesh, the UK, Germany, Sweden, Netherlands, Hong Kong, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain, Nigeria, and South Africa, it said. Assaf further added that the companys main activity lies in producing and exporting vegetables as well as fruit crops, including lemons, grapefruits, grapes, pomegranates, peaches, apricots, mangos, and strawberries. The company owns 2,000 acres on the Cairo-Alexandria desert road where they produce lemons, mangos, grapes, pomegranates, raspberries, strawberries, artichokes, lettuce, cabbages, broccoli, and other vegetables, added the report. The United States may launch unilateral sanctions against North Korea, a US special envoy for the isolated state said on Sunday, two days after it carried out its fifth and biggest nuclear test in defiance of UN sanctions. "In addition to action in the Security Council, both the US and Japan, together with the Republic of Korea, will be looking at unilateral measures, as well as bilateral measures, as well as possible trilateral cooperation," said Sung Kim, the envoy, referring to South Korea by its official name. Specific details of the US unilateral sanctions have yet to be decided, Kim said, speaking to reporters in Tokyo after meeting Japanese foreign ministry officials. But both the US and Japan were looking at "a full range of possibilities, in terms of additional unilateral sanctions that can be implemented," he added. North Korea on Friday set off its most powerful nuclear explosion to date, saying it had mastered the ability to mount a warhead on a ballistic missile, ratcheting up a threat that its rivals and the United Nations have been powerless to contain. The UN Security Council denounced North Korea's decision to carry out the test and said it would immediately begin working on a resolution. The US, Britain and France pushed for the 15-member body to impose new sanctions. "We will be working very closely in the Security Council and beyond to come up with the strongest possible measure against North Korea's latest actions," said Kim. Reuters Americans commemorated the 15th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attacks on Sunday with the recital of the names of the dead, tolling church bells and a tribute in lights at the site where New York City's massive twin towers collapsed. As classical music drifted across the 9/11 Memorial plaza in lower Manhattan, family members and first responders slowly read the names and delivered personal memories of the almost 3,000 victims killed in the worst attack on US soil since the 1941 bombing of Pearl Harbour. Tom Acquarviva lost his 29-year-old son Paul, who worked at financial services firm Canter Fitzgerald on the 101st to 105th floors of the North Tower, just above where the first plane struck. Acquarviva was one of 658 Cantor Fitzgerald employees killed in the attack. "We miss him terribly. Terribly, terribly, terribly. Not a day goes by that we don't remember him," Acquarviva told Reuters. But he said he felt a sense of hope: "There are more people here today than there ever have been." The ceremony paused for six moments of silence: four to mark the exact times four hijacked planes were crashed into the World Trade Center, the Pentagon near Washington D.C., and a Pennsylvania field. The last two record when the North and South towers of the Trade Center crumpled. It was held by two reflecting pools with waterfalls that now stand in the towers' former footprints, and watched over by an honour guard of police and firefighters. More than 340 firefighters and 60 police were killed on the that sunny Tuesday morning in 2001. Many of the first responders died while running up stairs in the hope of reaching victims trapped on the towers' higher floors. At the Pentagon, a trumpet played as US President Barack Obama took part in a wreath-laying ceremony. "Fifteen years may seem like a long time. But for the families who lost a piece of their heart that day, I imagine it can seem like just yesterday," Obama said. No public officials spoke at the New York ceremony, in keeping with a tradition that began in 2012. But many dignitaries attended, including Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump and his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton. "We'll never forget the horror of Sept. 11, 2001," Clinton said in a brief statement. "Let's honor the lives and tremendous spirit of the victims and responders." Trump said in a statement that it was a day of sadness and remembrance, but also of resolve. "Our solemn duty on behalf of all those who perished ... is to work together as one nation to keep all of our people safe from an enemy that seeks nothing less than to destroy our way of life," Trump said. TRIBUTE IN LIGHTS Houses of worship throughout the city tolled their bells at 8:46 a.m. EDT (1246 GMT), the time American Airlines Flight 11 slammed into the North Tower. A second pause came at 9:03 a.m. (1303 GMT), when United Airlines Flight 175 struck the South Tower. American Airlines Flight 77 hit the Pentagon at 9:37 a.m. (1337 GMT), then the South Tower collapsed at 9:59 a.m. (1359 GMT). At 10:03 a.m. (1403 GMT) United Flight 93 crashed near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, and the final moment of silence was observed at 10:28 a.m. (1428 GMT) when the North Tower fell. As evening falls across New York City on Sunday, spotlights will project two giant beams of light into the night sky to represent the fallen twin towers, fading away at dawn. In the twin towers' place now rises the 104-story 1 World Trade Center. Also known as the Freedom Tower, it is the tallest skyscraper in the Western Hemisphere, at 1,776 ft. Fifteen years after the attack, the US government marked its return to the site on Friday, moving its New York City offices there. Nineteen hijackers died in the attack, later claimed by Osama bin Laden and al Qaeda, which led directly to the US war in Afghanistan and indirectly to the invasion of Iraq. In Kabul, the top American commander in Afghanistan, General John Nicholson, paid tribute to members of the Nato-led coalition and Afghan security forces who had been killed since the Taliban regime fell. But in an address which touched on his own experience as an officer in Afghanistan, stretching back a decade, he also underlined how far from peace the country remains. "As we know, sadly, the number of terrorist groups has only grown since 9/11," he said. "Of the 98 groups now designated globally, 20 are in this region, the Afpak region."-Reuters Iran began building a second nuclear plant with Russian help on Saturday, in a $10 billion project which follows Tehran's landmark nuclear deal with world powers last year, state media reported. State television showed Iranian and Russian officials at launching ceremonies for the 10-year project which will include two power plants with a total capacity of more than 1,000 megawatts after their completion. Iran already runs one Russian-built nuclear reactor at Bushehr, its first. Russia signed a deal with Iran in 2014 to build up to eight more reactors in the country. A report by the U.N. nuclear agency has found that Iran has kept to the nuclear deal it agreed with six world powers last year limiting its stockpile of substances that could be used to make atomic weapons. The confidential report by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) seen by Reuters did not point to any violations in Iranian compliance with the deal under which Tehran is to restrict its nuclear activities in exchange for a lifting of many of the international sanctions weighing on its economy.-Reuters Iran revealed that it exported 8.724 million tonnes of petrochemical products worth $3.6 billion from March 20 to August 21, said a report. According to a report by National Petrochemical Company (NPC), the production of petrochemicals reached 21.238 million tonnes during the five-month period, added Iran Daily News, citing IRNA. In the month to August 21, the output of petrochemical complexes stood at 4.215 million tonnes, of which 1.859 million tonnes worth $569 million were exported, the report added. The country's petrochemical production capacity is currently 61 million tonnes and the figure will almost double to reach 120 million tonnes by 2025. For the first time, two Iranian petrochemical shipments were dispatched in late August to Brazil. Iranian petrochemical industry pursues diversification of export markets for petchem and polymer products as a major policy in the post-JCPOA period, added the report. UAE-based carriers have rolled out a ban on the use of the Samsung's Galaxy Note 7 on board its flights, following complaints of the device's batteries exploding, said a report. Emirates, Etihad Airways, flydubai and Air Arabia have already warned passengers against using them on flights, said a report in The Economic Times. "The General Civil Aviation Authority has banned operating, charging and carrying in bags the Samsung Note 7 on board national carriers' flights," it said in a statement carried by the official WAM news agency. Singapore Airlines, Australia's Qantas, and Virgin Australia have announced similar bans. US and Japanese aviation authorities have urged passengers not to turn on or charge the large-screen phones on aircraft, while the US Federal Aviation Administration has told passengers not to stow the device in checked baggage. Talise by Jumeirah has been named the World's Best Hotel Spa Brand for the second year running at the World Spa Awards held in Sardinia, Italy. The World Spa Awards serves to celebrate and reward spa industry excellence through the annual awards programme and is the sister event of the World Travel Awards. Both events took place at the world-class resort and welcomed hundreds of hospitality leaders from around the world. Paul Hawco, director of Talise Spa Operations, Talise Wellness, Jumeirah Group, collected the awards. He said: We are delighted to have won multiple awards and are extremely proud to have received the honour of Best Hotel Spa brand for Talise by Jumeirah for the second year running. These awards and recognition for Talise and our teams are a true testament to our commitment in providing a quality guest experience and wellness offering. Talise Ottoman Spa at Jumeirah Zabeel Saray (Dubai) was voted World's Best Resort Spa 2016; Dubai's Best Resort Spa 2016 and Middle East's Best Resort Spa 2016. Talise Spa at Burj Al Arab Jumeirah was named Dubai's Best Hotel Spa 2016 and Dubai was also named as the Middle East's Best Spa Destination 2016. Elsewhere, Talise Baku at Jumeirah Bilgah Beach Hotel won Azerbaijan's Best Hotel Spa 2016. China's Best Hotel Spa 2016 was won by Talise Spa at Jumeirah Himalayas Hotel and in Europe Spain's Best Hotel Spa 2016 was picked up by Talise Spa at Jumeirah Port Soller Hotel and Spa. Throughout the year a record number of votes were cast in more than 90 countries by leading spa tourism industry professionals and hundreds of thousands of spa consumers. At the 23rd Annual World Travel Awards a number of Jumeirahs European properties were recognised. In London Jumeirah Carlton Tower won the award for Europe's Leading Luxury Business Hotel 2016. Grosvenor House Suites by Jumeirah Living was named Europe's Leading Hotel Residences and England's Leading Hotel Residences. Jumeirah Frankfurt won Germany's Leading Hotel. - TradeArabia News Service Monday's Highlights Monday clubs and meetings Alcoholics Anonymous: 6:30 a.m., 917 N. Beech; 8:30 a.m., 500 S. Wolcott; 10 a.m., 328 E. A St.; noon, 500 S. Wolcott, Ste. 200; 2 p.m., 917 N. Beech; 5:30 p.m., 456 S. Walnut; 6 p.m., 500 S. Wolcott, Ste. 200; 7 p.m., 917 N. Beech; 8 p.m., 328 E. A. Douglas: Noon, 805 E. Richards, Ste. 1; 7:30 p.m., 628 E. Richards (upstairs in back). Unless otherwise noted, all meetings are open. Casper info: 266-9578; Douglas info: (307) 351-1688. Al-Anon: Noon, 701 S. Wolcott, St. Mark's Church, Brown Baggers, nonsmoking. Narcotics Anonymous: Noon, 500 S. Wolcott, 12-24 Club; 7 p.m., 302 E. 2nd, Methodist Church; 8 p.m., 4700 S. Poplar (church basement). Web site: http://www.urmrna.org. Teen Addiction Anonymous: 3:30-4:30 p.m., Boys & Girls Club Teen Center. Info: 258-7439. Adult Children of Alcoholics: 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m., 12-24 Club, 500 S. Wolcott St., Suite 200. TOPS Weight Loss: 5:30 p.m., Weight Loss Support Group TOPS #246, Wyoming Oil & Gas Building, 2211 King Blvd. Use NE door entry. Info: 265-1486. Senior dancing Mondays Free to Seniors 60 or older. Join the tap dancing group of Joyce's Senior Stompers. It is fun, easy clogging, exercise for both mind and body. It helps to keep flexible, coordination and build strength. We meet on Monday at 10 a.m. for beginners and 11:15 a.m. for intermediate at the Casper Senior Center. Call Joyce Sisk, 237-4908, for more info. Suicide prevention at Rotary Traci Blevins, coordinator of the Natrona County Suicide Prevention Task Force, will address Rotarians and guests at a noon luncheon meeting at the Parkway Plaza. Blevins will discuss events, opportunities and efforts to alert residents of Natrona County regarding the suicide epidemic, how they can help and where to go for help. Blevins received a masters degree in social work in 2012, focusing on counseling and working with youth and families. Over the past 10 years, she has worked directly with youth and families through individual and family counseling, facilitating parenting classes and teaching mental health first aid to youth. She also serves as chairman of the Natrona County Suicide Prevention Coalition. The Science Zone Fall Programs The Science Zone fall programming starts the week of Sept. 12. Classes and events include Wee Science for ages 3-5, Homeschool Science, Dean Morgan Design Team, SciGirls, Night at the Museum, Lego Club, Tinkering Tuesday and many more. Stop by 111 W. Midwest Ave. in Casper, call 473-ZONE or check online at thesciencezone.org for more information on classes and events scheduled throughout the fall. Fine Arts meets Casper Fine Arts Club will meet at Bethel Baptist Church, 3030 S. Poplar St. The program will be presented by past Wyoming poet laureate Echo Klaproth. Business meeting at 1 p.m. Program at 1:30 p.m. Everyone welcome. Contact President Lu Dwyer, 234-0606, for further information. Tai chi for pain Tai Chi for Arthritis Part 1 is not just for those with arthritis. Tai chi is an ancient practice proven to reduce pain and improve your mental and physical well-being. This series of Tai Chi for Arthritis was developed by Dr. Paul Lam. The form uses gentle Sun-style tai chi postures that are safe, easy to learn, and suitable for every fitness level. This form can be done standing or seated. The practice of tai chi will help you to reduce stress, increase balance and flexibility and improve your overall feeling of wellness. Preregistration for the workshop is required. The cost is $122 for 16 consecutive sessions, meeting Mondays and Wednesdays from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m., starting Sept. 12 and ending Nov. 2 for the next session. This workshop class will be located at the Healthy Life Studio in the Sunrise Shopping Center. You can register for this workshop online at www.healthylifestudio.com or call 472-1962. Tween Cooking Club The Natrona County Library's Tween Cooking Club will meet at 4 p.m. Students in grades four through six will make granola bar bites, which contain peanuts. All supplies provided. Call 577-READ ext. 5 for more information. Board discusses charter school application In accordance with State Statute 16-4-404, notice is hereby given that the NCSD #1 Board of Trustees have scheduled the following meetings to discuss The Guild Charter School Application: Monday, Sept. 12, 6 p.m., public hearing; Monday, Sept. 26, 7:30 p.m., board vote. These meetings will be held in the Jefferson Room, Central Service Facility, 970 N. Glenn Road, and will be open to the public. Funday Monday at Elks Funday Monday is still going on at the Casper Elks Lodge. Come down for a burger and fries for only $7, serving from 6 to 7 p.m., and buy a ticket and win some money. Card-carrying members may buy tickets; members and guests may buy burgers. Hobby photographers meet September's meeting of the Casper Photography Association will be at 7:15 p.m., at the Oil and Gas Commission Building, 2211 King Ave. The program for the meeting will be on 3D photography, presented by Helen McGreevy Hoff. Nancy Patrick will provide refreshments. The September field trip will be Sept. 17. We will travel to Lost Cabin to photograph the Okie Mansion. In addition to the photo opportunity we will have a historical presentation by the mansion caretaker. Space is limited. Poison Spider park closure Poison Spider Off-Highway Vehicle Park, near Casper, will be closed for public safety from Monday to Friday due to pipeline maintenance in the OHV park. Poison Spider OHV Park is a 285-acre open play area 14 miles from Casper. This fee-free area is a popular local destination for off-road vehicle enthusiasts. For more information, contact the Bureau of Land Management Casper Field Office at 261-7600. POWELL As a boy, Sam Mihara lived with his family in a three-story home in San Franciscos Japantown neighborhood. One day when he was 9, plainclothes policemen and military officers removed the family. The government sent them to Heart Mountain Relocation Center in northern Wyoming, where they were confined by a barbed-wire fence. Armed soldiers patrolled the perimeter and watched internees from guard towers. In February 1942, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066, forcing immigrants and American citizens of Japanese descent to move from the Pacific Coast, where they were considered too close to Japan and U.S. military installations, to one of 10 inland camps, including Heart Mountain, for the duration of the war. It was really traumatic, Mihara says now. I had never been imprisoned. In total, 14,000 people lived at Heart Mountain. Now, its a place of learning, of history. Fifty former incarcerees, now in their 70s and older, and another 200 family members and friends recently made a pilgrimage to the former camp to remember the past. But for many of the incarcerees, the present is concerning. People like Mihara see a troubling parallel between the hostility and mistrust toward Japanese-Americans in World War II and the political rhetoric now directed at Muslims, who are painted by some leaders and pundits as the enemy, or at least as something other than fully American. A recent Pew Research Center poll, for example, found that 63 percent of Republicans and 41 percent of Democrats agreed that about half or some Muslims in the U.S. were anti-American. I really feel sad history might be repeated, Mihara said. Some of those who made the pilgrimage to Heart Mountain people such as Takashi Hoshizaki and Dorothy Kittaka said Republican presidential nominee Donald Trumps words and proposals come uncomfortably close to what was said about Japanese-Americans after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. Trump called for a ban on Muslim immigration but later revised his proposal to a ban on foreigners who live in countries he described as compromised by terrorism. In December, Time magazine asked Trump whether he would have supported Japanese internment camps. I would have had to be there at the time to tell you, to give you a proper answer, the billionaire said. I certainly hate the concept of it. But I would have had to be there at the time to give you a proper answer. Such words worry Hoshizaki. The man doesnt know history, he said of Trump. Hes a businessman. Everything is right (at the speed of) now. I think he shoots first and asks questions later. The Star-Tribune contacted Trumps Wyoming campaign director, who said she couldnt speak for the real estate mogul but left a message with campaign officials. The newspaper did not hear back from them. Trump spokeswoman Hope Hicks also did not respond to emailed questions for this story. *** Heart Mountain was built in the summer of 1942 on prairie about 13 miles north of Cody near the Shoshone River. The stories of the people who lived there contain a complicated mix of emotions. Despite being held against their will, many of the former child incarcerees described finding hundreds of new playmates after arriving at the camp. They went to school, joined scouting, tromped around the Wyoming sagebrush and discovered new plants and wildlife. Many said the injustice didnt hit them until later in life how their families had to leave their homes and the possessions that they had worked so hard to earn, because their countrymen didnt trust them. Here are four of their stories. Takashi Hoshizaki He arrived at Heart Mountain from Los Angeles by train when he was 16 with thousands of other Japanese-Americans. The journey took four days, and no one knew exactly where they were going. One day, Takashi Hoshizaki remembers a man poking his head out the window and surmising they were in Pocatello, Idaho. Hours later, they were in Wyoming. My first impression was this was a great place, said Hoshizaki, who is known as Tak. On the contrary, my sister saw all the dust blowing and said, This is a terrible place. Tak settled into life at the camp he was a junior assistant scoutmaster for Boy Scouts for Heart Mountains Troop 313 but as time wore on, he wondered about the outside world. People could not leave the camp unless they had official business, such as printing the camps newspaper in Cody. Soon enough, however, he left Heart Mountain though, again, not by choice. When he turned 18, he received draft papers. But with his loved ones robbed of their civil rights and living like prisoners, Tak said his conscience wouldnt let him serve in the military. He was among a group of 63 Heart Mountain internees who resisted the draft. U.S. marshals took him to Cody, then to jail in Casper. His trial was held in Cheyenne, and he was sentenced to two years in federal prison. Taks decision to fight the draft was a moral one, a way to stand up to a government he felt was racist that had upended peoples lives, he said. Before he arrived in Wyoming, he and thousands of Japanese-Americans were rounded up and sent to the L.A. County Fairgrounds in Pomona, California, awaiting transport to the camps. When I went to Pomona, I heard the older (people) say, We should have contested this. When Tak was released, World War II had ended and his family was allowed to leave Heart Mountain. He joined them in Los Angeles. Ten years after his first draft notice, he was called to serve again when the U.S. entered the conflict in Korea. That time, he proudly answered the call, he said. In time, Americans have forgotten the history of the Japanese internment. The trouble is, history could repeat itself, Tak said. Shigeru Yabu He knows its controversial to say it, but Shigeru Yabu had a great time at Heart Mountain, though he does remember his parents being overwhelmed by the conditions. Shig arrived with his family when he was 10 and ran around with a gang of boys his age, mostly having fun and getting into a little trouble, too. The day after he arrived, there was a knock on the door. A friend from San Francisco had come to play. He and I wanted to go to a guard tower, he said. We wanted to see their guns. We thought they were going to talk to us. They never paid attention. Shig and his friends played marbles and rock-paper-scissors. They traced circles in the dirt with pocket knives and roamed the sagebrush, seeing their first scorpion. Another internee somehow had a car and they paid him $10 for an all-day trip around the Big Horn Basin. They heard there was a river nearby, the Shoshone, and often pushed down the barbed wires of the fence to sneak out of the camp. They fished and swam in the river, he said. One day, the gang fired a slingshot and knocked down a birds nest. Inside was a baby magpie they named Maggie. They found a cage for Maggie. Adults and children fed her bugs and food from the mess hall and taught her to speak, whistle and laugh, he said. That bird was an internee, he said. At Heart Mountain School, Shig once forgot the list of words for a spelling test. He didnt want to tell his mother, knowing shed be cross. So he feigned sickness and ended up in the camps hospital, which had ice water, white sheets on the beds and pretty nurses. The doctor said he needed to perform exploratory surgery to figure out what was wrong with Shig, who became anxious because he didnt want an operation. The doctor figured out he was faking and sent him back to the barracks his family lived in. I had a great time, he said, because of my age, maybe. Shig is now 84 and lives in California. At the remembrance event, he wore a T-shirt that said, I survived Heart Mountain! The way he sees it, Trump has the right to speak his mind. People dont have to believe him. And the best way to fight rhetoric is with more speech, he said. I guess I believe in the freedom of speech, he said. Dorothy Kittaka Dorothy Kittakas family lived in Auburn, Washington, before they passed through a series of camps. In 1943, they landed at Heart Mountain, one of the last groups to arrive. Delays kept the family in limbo, living in camps and not knowing where they would end up, she said. Her older brother had chicken pox, and the family was quarantined for a year. Then the government presented her parents a loyalty oath and pressured them to sign it. Her parents hesitated. After all, this was the country that was imprisoning them, she said. Kittaka, who now lives in Fort Wayne, Indiana, had relatives who refused to sign it. They were American citizens but decided to return to Japan. They were disheartened by their country, she said. Her parents reviewed the oath and made a different choice. My parents decided to sign it and move on with their lives, she said. Kittakas passion for music she became a music educator as an adult was sparked at Heart Mountain, where she saw a musician play a trumpet on the playground. It was the same tune nearly every day. That melody stayed with me, she said. Though the conditions at Heart Mountain were less than desirable, her parents fought to bring up their children with manners. When coal shipments arrived, incarcerees often got mean and competitive, trying to pick up the best pieces for their furnaces. Kittakas father made his children hold back. He said, Dont act like animals, no matter the situation, she said. As a result, the family often took home the dusty, dirty pieces of coal. The family lost everything theyd left in Washington. They moved to Illinois after being released from Heart Mountain. The 77-year-old said Trumps words are a chilling reminder. I think he needs to stop, she said of Trump. His rhetoric at this point is the same as we had heard and read about at the time of the internment. Sam Mihara At Heart Mountain, Sam Miharas family settled into a 20-by-20-foot room with wall-to-wall cots and a coal stove furnace. Temperatures that first year dropped to 28 degrees below, sending the camps residents most of whom were accustomed to the moderate climes of California scrambling for warm clothing. Mihara, a city boy, had to adjust to Wyoming. We thought we had gone to the end of the world sagebrush country, he said. No civilization, except a two-lane highway and train tracks. After he was released, he was bitter. I didnt fully appreciate what racial hatred could do, he said. Japanese-Americans were depicted as the enemy in mass media, with propaganda highlighting the Japanese attack on the United States. Paranoia took hold in the government, with one report even suggesting that folks living in America could spy for the Japanese government, scrolling secret messages with invisible ink on products sent across the Pacific. Over time, Miharas bitterness dissipated. The now 83-year-old now gives talks on his experience at Heart Mountain. He wants to teach people what happened. This camp is a good example of what can happen to other people to Middle Easterners, to others, he said. I sometimes camp under rock overhangs of about five to 50 feet deep, and a few to several feet high and wide. Here Ill just call them caves. In the summertime I dont generally camp in them, because there are too many critters like snakes, scorpions and various bugs and rodents. This is especially true in ones that have a lot of loose and broken-up rock, cracks in the walls, odd combustible items and sometimes moss or dripping. The time to camp in a cave to be a caveman is in the winter. I have half a dozen such places scattered around Wyoming, Utah and Colorado. They are mostly between 3,000 and 7,000 feet in elevation, where the winters are milder than up high. I go to them when Im out wandering around, looking for petroglyphs and Indian ruins, and maybe finding a few antlers. I prefer caves that face east, so that the morning sun floods in as soon as its up. In just a few minutes, this reflective sunlight can really boost the temperature, and in the winter this is important. The ambiance of a cave, however, is at its height after dark. Near the front of each of my caves Ive built three-sided reflective firewalls. This is better than a simple stone ring, because some of the heat comes out low and right where you sit, to either enjoy the fire, or for the convenience of cooking on coals raked out of the flames. You can always reconstitute freeze-dried foods in water, obtained by melting snow, but theres nothing like toasted multigrain bread right off the coals. I have also propped up slabs of rock for back rests. I like to have a pile of wood that will last for three or four hours. And sometimes Ive had visitors. I was reclining and reading a book by headlamp, and warmed by a good fire, when gradually I felt as though I were under observation. I looked into the darkness, and two glowing eyes looked at me. They bobbed around a little, shy and a little uncertain, but curious. Gradually a bobcat came into focus. I said, Hello Bob. You live round here? This your cave? Hows the hunting? Seen any good antlers? Bob didnt answer, but he understood that I meant no harm. Im just passing through, and will only be here for two nights. I hope thats OK with you. He nodded in assent, but didnt get any closer than 15 feet. Bob didnt seem to want any food or anything. He just wanted to hang out and keep me company. I was grateful. I said to Bob, I read a lot of books, you know, and only the most current will do. He seemed to perk up with interest. This evening Im reading Thoreaus Walden. He was a little too civilized for my taste, living in a cabin and all, but his diction is pretty good. I lay back and turn off the light. Bob probably went off to his job of rabbit control. The fires glow softly illuminates the walls and ceiling. I dream of what they have seen and heard. Thousands of years ago there would have been saber-toothed cats, and short-faced bears, animals that no longer exist. Then a particularly clever animal, group-oriented and possessing incredibly intricate hands and a mental agility like no other animal had ever had, came along the first waves of humans, the early Indians. Later, the fur trappers arrived. Many of their stories are recounted in the 10 volumes of The Mountain Men: The Fur Trade of the Far West, edited by LeRoy Hafen. These volumes are available in many Wyoming libraries. The cowboys came next. Though today we put them on pedestals, the reality is that they were some of the poorest and most abused workers the world has ever seen. One cowboy in Wyoming was David Love, who in winter would pack an overhang with brush, then set it ablaze to warm up the dirt floor, then scoop it out and sleep in it. Check it out in the incomparable Rising from the Plains, by John McPhee. Its a Wyoming story blending geology with culture. They all came to the Rocky Mountain region and might have made use of the same caves I do. Today cavemen are few, and like former U.S. presidents were a small and exclusive club. Im proud to be a part of it a Rocky Mountain caveman. Pristine streams in Wyoming, as rare as they are cherished, refresh weary travelers hiking through the forests, mountains and deserts of Wyoming. A capful of water poured overhead, or a cupful splashed over the face, is a welcome blessing on a long, hot hike. With the Wyoming Department of Environmental Qualitys new rule downgrading water quality across much of the state, however, such experiences may become a thing of the past. Last week, the DEQ released a revised version of its Categorical Use Attainability Analysis for recreational water quality. A year ago, the DEQ rescinded its decision to downgrade water quality thresholds for not having taken recreational concerns into account. This time around there are much-needed improvements, but at its root the study is fundamentally flawed and inappropriately downgrades recreational water quality standards for nearly 83,000 miles of Wyoming streams. Wyoming is unique for its open spaces and intact ecosystems. People live in and travel to this state to immerse themselves in natural landscapes and open spaces. Wyomings leadership recognizes this, and stresses the importance of outdoor recreation to people and the economy. Many of the stream miles to be impacted are on public lands lands important to the more than 97 percent of Wyoming residents who recreate outdoors and to our wilderness school, NOLS, for teaching leadership and outdoor skills. NOLS is one of Fremont Countys largest employers, while the states outdoor recreation economy is second only to the energy sector in annual revenue. Economic diversification carries the state forward when oil, gas and coal revenues falter. Now is the time to invest in the outdoor economy, not step backward on our water quality standards. These stream standard downgrades, if implemented, send a message that Wyoming doesnt value the pristine qualities of our streams and natural resources. Wyoming residents and visitors alike should be confident that the streams they visit, whether in their backyards or deep in the backcountry, are safe and will be maintained to the highest recreational standards. Families and children play in these streams. NOLS students, too, use many streams that would be downgraded. The DEQs decision to implement bulk downgrades of stream quality should not be a future that Wyomingites settle for. The existing system for addressing watersheds on a case-by-case basis is more appropriate and better preserves Wyomings heritage. Wyoming has the opportunity to take ownership of its image as a land of pristine waters and of its opportunities for primitive and unbounded outdoor recreation. The public perception of these qualities, Wyomings image of a pristine Western landscape, is what drives the tourism and outdoor recreation economies in our state. We need the vision to recognize the value of this image, the actual quality of our streams to uphold it, and the leadership to grow them positively. Clean water is not a privilege in Wyoming. It is a birthright. It is the responsibility of our state agencies to maintain a high level of water quality for its citizens and for the country. It is certainly no secret that a good deal of religious misunderstanding takes place these days in both America and the state of Wyoming. Most of this misunderstanding comes from the lack of knowledge about each others history and traditions. To help overcome this divide, the Episcopal Foundation of the Diocese of Wyoming, in conjunction with an international art group called CARAVAN, is sponsoring a statewide art exhibit titled The Bridge. This exhibit originates in the Middle East and is designed to promote interfaith dialogue. The Bridge features the contemporary art of 47 Christian, Muslim and Jewish artists from 15 different nations. It has appeared throughout the world in places such as Cairo, Egypt; London, England; and Metz, France. It has appeared nationally at the Ground Zero site in New York, the University of Chicago; Spokane, Washington; and most recently in Portland, Oregon. We are pleased to have it come to Wyoming where it will be displayed from Sept. 7 through Sept. 28. The premiere showing was set for Sept. 7 at the Buchanan Center for the Performing Arts at the University of Wyoming in Laramie. Openings will then be held at Western Wyoming College in Rock Springs, The Lander Art Center in Lander and at Northwest College in Powell. Several of the artists will be present at each site to explain how art can bring people of different faiths together. At the conclusion of each regional exhibit there will be a special concert of Sufi Songs of Love. Each of these three faiths can trace their beginnings back to the common patriarch of Abraham in the biblical book of Genesis. Judaism and Christianity trace their heritage back to Abraham and Sarah, while Islam traces its heritage back to Abraham and his concubine Hagar. The prophet Muhammad reformed this ancient desert faith into what then became Islam. Over the years they went their separate ways, and sometimes this led to strife and even enmity between the three. Often this enmity was caused by radical factions that even used conflict instead of the respective faiths call to love. Many of these divisions are being played out today in world affairs and tragically comes as the result of the numerous conflicts in the Middle East where all of this began. It is into this spiritual void that the Foundation of the Episcopal Diocese is offering the CARAVAN program to help bridge the differences between these three world religions of the book. It is the Foundations intention that each of these artistic exhibits will bring discourse about not only the religions but also the angels of our better nature that can bring peace to the world instead of violence. As Bishop of the Diocese of Wyoming, I would urge people to come and view any of these shows that are a part of The Bridge and learn more about the faiths that they represent. In doing so we hope to see light cast on our societal differences where too often we hear only about the darkness. The Bridge is designed to display that light through art. Editor: The men of Wyoming gave the women of Wyoming the right to vote 51 years before it became the law for all citizens of the United States. Now we have a chance to support and elect the first woman president. Why has it taken so long? Other women have tried but they have been held to different standards from the men. Now, one of America's most admired women, with more experience relevant to the office of the Presidency than the men before her is the candidate: Hillary Clinton. From Elizabeth Dole to Margaret Chase Smith, women candidates for president abandoned their campaigns because fundraising was so difficult. Just as her predecessors have done, and all members of Congress, Hillary Clinton has been raising money through super PACS and from wealthy donors. In her case, however, she has been attacked as a prisoner of corporate interests. Yet U.S. senators and congressmen spend half their working days on the phone raising money from all these same corporate interests who want to influence the legislation Congress passes in their favor. Then there is that private email server which turned out to be safer than the one maintained by the State Department. If you prosecute her, then you will have to prosecute the 300 people in the State Department who corresponded with her and deemed the subject matter inconsequential. After you have done that, you will have to go after Colin Powell for his private email account. The House panel spent $7,000,000 investigating her over Benghazi, over 25 months, the last of seven investigations, all finding nothing of consequence on her part. Maybe we are just a state that doesn't like to have a woman for a boss. The above post was written by our monthly correspondent, Lee Liberman. The writer and co-producer of this odd holocaust film, available now on DVD and via, is a most accomplished fellow --, international human rights lawyer, law professor, prolific author, the latest work of which is:Published in May 2016 to a torrent of praise (press title, above, for review) it contains the material that led to our film plus the stories of two Nuremberg prosecutors whose work created the basis for the prosecution of war criminals.The film itself,(2015), has won top prizes at several film festivals and a British film award. It is thus with ambivalence that I quarrel with it because Sands's body of work is completely admirable and the film is engrossing and thought-provoking.Directed by Sands's friend,(of, above), it begins as the story of Niklas Frank and Horst von Wachter, whose two highly placed Nazi fathers, Hans Frank and Otto von Wachter, executed the entire Jewish population under their jurisdiction in Poland and Ukraine. The film morphs into a warm yet toxic relationship among the three men -- Wachter, Sands, Frank (l - r, below).The viewer goes along as the world and crimes of the two fathers are revealed until the viewer begins to feel unwillingly drawn into the relentless, emotional "right-fight" (I'm entirely right; you're entirely wrong) that escalates pitting Sands and Niklas against Horst. (One columnist wrote that the film should have been titled "Making Horst Crack".)Sands is painfully connected to his subjects: his paternal grandfather was the sole survivor of a family of 80 Jews from western Ukraine murdered by the two senior Nazis. Hans Frank was Hitler's personal lawyer and appointed governor of occupied Poland; he turned it into a killing field. Frank's mandates were carried out by Otto von Wachter -- an Austrian lawyer who served as civil administrator of Krakow and Galicia (Ukraine). (Below, front row, Frank, l, with Hitler.)We learn through Sands's interviews with each son (both born in 1939 and now nearing 80) that Hans Frank and his wife were cold, estranged parents. Niklas learned kindness from his nurse; he matured clear-eyed about the crimes of his father having already been primed by the indifference of both parents. He described his father once as 'a slime-hole of a Hitler fanatic' ; his book,(1987) was a controversial bestseller in Germany -- said to have been the first time a child of a high-ranking Nazi broke the silence of Nazi descendants.Horst, on the other hand, grew up in a loving family (above). "I know that the whole system was criminal and that he was part of it, but I don't think he was criminal....." he says. Horst claims his father believed and even told Hitler that his racial policies could not endure. Otto's views appeared to have concerned his superiors enough for Heinrich Himmler to have offered him the option to change posts; dutiful Otto stayed on the job and carried out Hans Frank's extermination directive. Hans was executed following the Nuremberg trials. Otto fled, taking refuge in the Vatican and dying of illness at 49 while under its protection.At the overgrown killing field where his relatives were executed and their bones remain (above), Sands confronts Horst with his father's 1942 signed paperwork and continues to press Horst to admit his father's guilt. Niklas joins in and all three grow obstinate. Frank and von Wachter both had command authority over the mass murder but Horst remains mealy-mouthed -- his father was not evil. Niklas declares that Horst is a Nazi at heart and renounces their friendship from childhood (below, an almost proud Niklas with photo of his executed father).The film reveals that Horst chose not to follow the professional path for which he was groomed. Refusing to go to law school, he found employment as an assistant to a Jewish artist, assuaging his soul, at least, that his daily life served as protest against anti-Semitism. Horst retains an empathic view of Judiasm but no matter the evidence, cannot bring himself to condemn his father.It's too easy to condemn Horst for being in denial of his father's guilt and to applaud Niklas's clarity about his father's crimes -- it means none of the familial ties or the environmental conditioning have been factored in, such as the coldness of the Franks that led a son to hate a father nor the relent-less pressure of conformity by the Nazi culture that carried Otto in its tide.The mindset that was to govern Germany originated in a Prussian Calvinism practiced by Wilhelm I (1797-1888) King of Prussia, ('the soldier king,' with his wife Augusta, at right), the first German head of state of a united Germany (Prussia was a territory/ kingdom that combined with others to form the German empire). "Soldatic virtues" included duty, discipline, subordination, loyalty. Prussian men were instilled with a range of strictures that were to infiltrate the character of a united Germany. And when Hitler came to power in 1933, education and public opinion were commandeered entirely; the force of Nazism suppressed or replaced the individuality, empathy, and objectivity required for public opposition.In a recent interview with the aged (105) secretary of Joseph Geobbels, Brunhilde Pomsel, she describes herself as a product of Prussian discipline and sense of duty: "... After the rise of the Nazi party, the whole country was as if under a kind of spell...the idealism of youth might easily have led to you having your neck broken." In effect, for an individual to oppose Nazism went against the human instinct to seek safety and protection in the prevailing wind. Humans bond together for survival.Philippe Sands, his family having been murdered by the two fathers, is an understandably emotionally-fraught narrator as he presses Horst, the troubled, guilt-ridden older man, to 'crack' -- not Sands's finest moment. Oddly, at least one virtue of this film is in its revelation of myopia that freezes belief like a dragonfly fixed in amber. A federal appeals court has rejected an Arizona aeronautical companys claim that a major competitor used its market dominance to unfairly smother competition in the aeronautics maintenance business. A three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said Friday that Aerotec International had not produced sufficient evidence to support its claim that Honeywell International had leveraged its monopoly power in the repair-services market to cause injury to Aerotec. Circuit Judge Margaret McKeown wrote that Aerotecs antitrust claims were invalid because antitrust laws require injury to competition and not merely to a competitor. As the Supreme Court reminds us, the law directs itself not against conduct which is competitive, even severely so, but against conduct which unfairly tends to destroy competition itself, she wrote in the opinion. The court said Aerotec has about 1 percent of the market for repair of specialized auxiliary power units. Honeywell dominates the manufacturing of the units and also repairs them. Aerotec claimed Honeywell complicated the process to get parts, created unfair deals to undercut independent businesses and restricted trade by forcing airlines into de facto trade agreements with the manufacturer. Arizona now has two federally designated American Viticulture Areas, both of them in Southern Arizona. Willcoxs new designation as an AVA signals to the wine world that its wine industry is legitimate as legitimate as any in Napa Valley, California, and other American wine-growing regions. The AVA designation is a gesture of prestige that lends legitimacy to Willcoxs burgeoning wine industry, said Rod Keeling, president of the Arizona Wine Growers Association. Its all about credibility, said Keeling, who owns Keeling Schaefer Vineyards in Pearce, outside the Willcox AVA boundaries. With the designation, The federal government and wine officials say, Hey, you guys in the sticks are doing something different, something unique, said Cellar 433 winemaker John McLoughlin, who spearheaded the Willcox AVA application process. It signals to consumers that the wine comes from a region the federal government thinks is unique from any other wine-growing region in the nation, based on everything from topography and soil makeup to geography. Winegrowers within the AVA are allowed to advertise it on their bottles and in their marketing so long as the grapes are entirely sourced from within the region. The move will not impact consumers it shouldnt lead to increased prices for wines, for example, McLoughlin said. Arizona may soon get a third AVA, this one in the Verde Valley area of Central Arizona. Winegrowers there are in the early stages of applying for an AVA that would encompass 123 acres of vineyards in Page Springs, Cottonwood and Camp Verde, said Craig Boyd, vineyards manager and winemaker at Alcantara Vineyards in Cottonwood and one of the Verde Valley AVAs chief architects. They hope to submit a petition by early next year to the federal Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, which regulates the wine industry. The process can take as long as three years. Last week, the federal government designated the Willcox AVA for 526,000 acres in Cochise and Graham counties, federal documents show. The area is a shallow basin, separated from neighboring valleys by the Pinaleno, Dragoon, Chiricahua and Dos Cabezas mountain ranges. Arizonas only other AVA designated growing area is Sonoita, which got its AVA in 1984. Once that happens, wineries within the boundaries will be able to label their wines estate, meaning the fruit and production is 100 percent locally sourced and unique to Willcox. Wineries outside the AVA have to label their wines as "Willcox," Arizona or American, but cannot call them estate wines. It puts us more on the map. I dont want to say that it legitimizes us, because we are pretty legitimate as it is. But it does put wines that come from this area the special designation that in addition to being just Arizona wine, were Willcox wines, said Robert Carlson of Carlson Creek Vineyard. It feels like recognition for what weve already been doing. McLoughlin said the application process included studying the areas unique soils, topography, concentration of wineries and geography. He said he invested $25,000 to $40,000 in the process, which included hiring someone to help draft the extensive application and represent the Willcox wineries in the process. McLoughlin said the initial plan was to include wineries in the Chiricahua region, which includes Keeling Schaefer Vineyards in Pearce. But McLoughlin said those wineries didnt want to be included in a Willcox AVA, so the group submitted two petitions one for Willcox and the second for the Chiricahua Foothills AVA. The Chiricahua application was rejected because the trade bureau felt the two areas were too similar. Keeling said that application is now in limbo. Some 85 percent of the wine grapes grown in Arizona come from Willcox, Keeling said. Wine grape harvest has come early to Southern Arizona and farmers are looking at smaller yields but better fruit. Rod Keeling started picking white wine grapes and roses two weeks ago at his Keeling Schaefer Vineyards in Pearce, which has 21 of its 50 acres under vine. He also has sent crews into other vineyards as part of his custom farming operation to help with their harvests. Keeling said his roses already are in the fermenting stage and he anticipates starting to harvest the reds this week. I would say we are probably right around two weeks early, he said, attributing it to an early spring bud break brought on in part by ideal weather conditions. Keelings vineyard sits at 5,000 feet and doesnt get as much of summers punishing heat as his Willcox and Sonoita neighbors. That usually means that harvest time runs about two weeks behind his neighbors, but this year everyone is harvesting earlier. And the amount of grapes coming from the vines seems to be lower than in past years. No one has any estimates of how low or exactly why, with reasons ranging from weather conditions early winds when the vines were budding that destroyed some buds before they flowered and variances in irrigation and fertilization practices. The lower yield means better quality fruit, said Carlson Creek Vineyards Robert Carlson. I think its going to be a great year, Carlson said last week as he and his crew waited out Wednesdays rain to resume picking on Thursday, Sept. 8. All of the fruit looks amazing. What Im seeing is the fruit quality is much higher, and thats not just here, thats also in California, added John McLoughlin, who owns Cellar 433 vineyards, which produces handcrafted wines under several labels including Bitter Creek Winery, Jerome Winery and Sultry Cellars. McLoughlin operates one of the largest vineyards in the state, with 150 of his 400 acres in Willcox under vine. He began harvesting Chardonnay the second week of August, just a bit ahead of his historical harvest time that falls between Aug. 10 and 25. Keeling, president of the Arizona Wine Growers Association, said he has heard from vineyards around the state that the harvest is earlier and the fruit overall is expected to be better. The association estimates Arizona vineyards will produce 1,710 tons of fruit this year and will produce about 290,700 gallons of finished wine. Hey, so I need to swing through Tar The sentence isnt even all the way out of my mouth before all three kids yell, SHOTGUN! The race is on for the front passenger seat. My little babies who spent so many years facing backward and then forward but always in the same super-safe, crumb-covered, beverage-stained (please let it have been some sort of beverage) carseats can all legit ride in the front. No. 3 finally journeyed forward this summer. Hes still learning the protocol. He actually stuck his hands out the moonroof. Wooooooooooo! Dude, I told him, this is a minivan. That kind of behavior is reserved for convertibles. The view from the front is sooo much better, he marveled on that maiden voyage. Theyre all big enough, weigh enough, and doggone it, now theyre going to sit right next to me and screw around with my air-conditioning controls and mess with my radio station pre-sets. I mean, I guess its cool that theyre being democratic about the shotgun process and making sure everyone gets a crack at the front seat. Growing up, I was the ultimate seatator and my younger brother never dared utter Shotgun. He knew better. Interestingly, its made everyone reassess their positions in the car, and when its a full-family ride and theres no chance at the front as I previously established decades ago as a child, I own Shotgun the next-best thing is to stake their claim to the second-row captains chairs. But they struggled with what to yell, which is important since in our family yelling must always be involved. Shotgun, obviously, was out. No. 3 actually tried out Captains chair! Thats just way too long. I suggested cap. For some reason, No. 3 decided to try out C.P. Thats almost as many syllables as captains chair and its stupid, No. 1 informed him. The actual ground rules are still being hammered out. Once, we just casually mentioned going out somewhere, and No. 3 called out, CAP! You have to actually see the car, No. 1 explained. No. 3 shrugged, Im practicing. Well, thats just stupid. And annoying. So now you have to sit in the back. Huh. Maybe this process isnt so equal after all. Another time we headed out the door for a full-family trek, all three started bellowing Cap! like some weird tic. They sounded like the seagulls in Finding Nemo except instead of squawking Mine! Mine! Mine! they shouted Cap! Cap! Cap! The OG Captain had had enough. He. Shut. Them. Down. You, Big Daddy pointed at No. 3, to the back. But, I called. I dont care. Pretty sure what was uttered at that point wasnt Oh cap, but it was close. Ajo toddler VictoriaLynn Heredia-Manuel died as shed been left to live in squalor and without love. The 17-month-old girl spent her final weeks in a trailer filled with rotting garbage and drug paraphernalia, newly released documents show. She ate half of a marijuana joint and tried to swallow the foil her mothers boyfriend who was her unofficial caregiver between the mothers arrest in April and VictoriaLynns death in June used to cook heroin. Neighbors later reported pulling garbage from her small hands and broken glass from her mouth. They noticed the girls horrible diaper rashes and knew she was not being fed regularly. They heard her screaming, and some stopped by to check on her. One visitor was her aunt, who later told authorities she was turned away and told she could see VictoriaLynn only if she returned with heroin. Yet no one called for help on the childs behalf not even a Pima County Sheriffs deputy who left her with neighbors hours before she died. 9 rounds of adrenaline Paramedics started trying to save VictoriaLynn around 12:30 a.m. June 10. They worked for 90 minutes and gave her nine rounds of adrenaline, sheriffs records obtained by the Arizona Daily Star show. A deputy had left her with neighbors after her mothers boyfriend, Julian Moore, was arrested on an outstanding warrant. Those neighbors, who could not be reached for comment and have not been charged in the case, told authorities VictoriaLynn was crying uncontrollably and seemed off balance. The crying was so loud and prolonged that people stopped over to see what was wrong. One neighbor saw the child being carried outside, screaming and tucked under the neighbors arm. The neighbors, who had recently lived with Moore and knew VictoriaLynn, said they could not get her to settle down until she finally seemed to fall asleep around midnight. When they checked on her a short time later, they said she had vomited and was not breathing. When paramedics arrived, VictoriaLynn was on the floor. Her eyes were open, but she was unconscious and vomit was running from her mouth. Her autopsy report showed that she had minor injuries to her head, face and torso, but none serious enough to kill her. No cause of death has been determined. Pima County Deputy Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Eric Peters declined to comment on the case, but said that, in infants and toddlers, unspecified and sometimes undetectable natural diseases combined with subtle trauma, malnutrition or neglect all can play a role in a childs death but might not be determinable by autopsy. No reason to suspect danger Arizona law gives law enforcement officers the discretion to take a child into temporary custody and requires them to report any child suspected to be in danger of abuse or neglect. In VictoriaLynns case, the deputy who arrested Moore on a shoplifting warrant suggested she be left with neighbors, sheriffs records show. The deputy asked the couple if they would be willing to watch the child, most likely until morning when Moore got out of jail, and they agreed, said Deputy Ryan Inglett, a sheriffs department spokesman. When a parent or guardian is arrested, the decision regarding the custody of the arrestees child or children may be decided upon by the parent or guardian when there is no report or suspicion of criminal conduct, child abuse or neglect, or if the deputy has no reason to suspect or believe that the child is in danger, Inglett said. Moore, however, was not VictoriaLynns parent or legal guardian. During a search of the neighbors home hours after the little girl died, deputies found a plastic bag of meth inside a DVD case in the bathroom. Child would Scream bloody murder Moore was charged with child abuse within days of VictoriaLynns death. He told investigators VictoriaLynn often seemed to have an upset stomach and that she would scream bloody murder. In an interview with pretrial services the day before, Moore said he had been unemployed for the past two years and had used marijuana, meth and heroin for the past year, according to the report provided to the court. During the interview, Moore indicated that he had no interest in receiving drug treatment, and said he had secured a job doing day labor, the document says. The Arizona Department of Child Protective Services would not provide any information on the case because it has not been determined if VictoriaLynn died of abuse or neglect. Moore was booked into jail on a $3,000 bond, but was released with no bond Aug. 4, at the recommendation of Pima County Superior Court pretrial services, court records show. Deputy County Attorney Lauren Pylipows objected to his release based on the nature of the crime, the age of the victim and Moores drug history. Despite the states concerns, pretrial services said nothing in Moores criminal history suggested he was likely to reoffend, the document says. That history is unclear because the related document filed with the report is labeled Confidential history/information imaged under seal. Moores conditions of release require that he live in a pretrial services-approved residence in Tucson, not go to Ajo, have no contact with children, and receive drug monitoring and treatment. He is to appear in Pima County Superior Court before Judge Jane Eikleberry on Sept. 20. mothers history of drug use, arrests VictoriaLynns mother, Starlynn Manuel, was arrested in April and accused of failing to follow the conditions of her release from federal custody on drug charges, said Chris DeRosa, a spokesman for the U.S. Marshals Service. In March 2007, Starlynn was stopped for a traffic violation on the Tohono Oodham reservation and an officer noticed the strong odor of marijuana emitting from the vehicle, according to a criminal complaint filed in federal court. Manuel told the officer there was marijuana in the car that she was going to be paid $3,000 to help transport it, the complaint says. Nearly 300 pounds of marijuana was pulled from the vehicle, leading to Manuels arrest for felony possession of marijuana with attempt to distribute, federal court records show. She was sentenced to 60 months in federal prison followed by three years of probation, and was released in May 2012. In March 2013, after she quit her job without telling her probation officer, missed four required drug tests, failed to attend counseling and used meth on multiple occasions, a warrant was issued for her arrest, according to the states petition for the warrant. She was sentenced to four months in prison for the violation, followed by 32 months of probation, federal court records show. In June 2014, Manuels mother filed a motion in Pima County Superior Court seeking custody of Manuels 7-year-old daughter. The motion alleged that Manuel was living with a sex offender and may have requested food stamps on behalf of the child. Two months later, Manuels mother withdrew the request. DCS would not comment on the older girls whereabouts. Manuel was arrested in April and, on July 25, was sentenced to six to seven months in prison. Two men were arrested Saturday morning, following a fight that led to a drive-by shooting on the southwest side of town, authorities said. Pima County Sheriff's deputies received a 911 call shortly after 5 a.m., reporting that two men had been fighting in the 7000 block of South Westover Avenue when several gunshots were heard and a vehicle fled the scene, said Deputy Ryan Inglett, a department spokesman. When deputies were responding to the scene, in the area of South Mission and West Valencia Road, they ran across the vehicle that was described leaving the shooting, and performed a traffic stop, immediately noticing evidence of the shooting, Inglett said. A female driver was taken to the hospital with "injuries sustained during the shooting," Inglett said. It's unclear if she was shot. The two men inside of the car, 26-year-old Stephen Romero-Valencia and 23-year-old Andrew Valencia, were arrested for drive-by shooting, discharging a firearm at a residence and aggravated assault- all felonies, Inglett said. Hurricane Newton was more blessing than catastrophe for much of Southern Arizona no toppled trees or power lines, no flooded streets, just a slow rain that seeped into the soil instead of running off to washes and rivers. It put most of the southern part of the state in the win category for the 2016 monsoon, and ahead of normal totals for the year to date. Tucson added 1.27 inches to boost its monsoon total to 7.05 inches. Normal for the entire period June 15 to September 30 is 6.08 inches. University of Arizona climatologist Mike Crimmins said some rain gauges recorded rain during each hour of a 20-hour period when remnants of the hurricane hovered overhead Wednesday. The rainfall rates were slow enough that moisture was able to infiltrate into the soils without runoff being a major issue, said Glenn Lader of the National Weather Service in Tucson. Some areas, especially at higher altitudes, wrung out more rain from the prodigious cloud cover, Lader said. Gauges in the Rincon, Santa Catalina, Huachuca and Pinaleno mountains collected more than 6 inches. Despite all that mountain rain, many of the major watercourses did not fill. It helped that the storm was preceded by a couple of dry weeks, said Lader. Meteorologist Bob Maddox, writing on his Mad Weather blog, said he was surprised, given the heavy mountain rains, that there had been no flow in the Rillito downstream from the Dodge gauge In an email, he said there was only one plausible answer the steady, low, rain rates were to large degree soaked up by the soil. In town, the usual streets flooded. Things were a mess near the Weather Service offices on North Euclid Avenue and East Sixth Street, said Lader. Maddox wrote that the runoff in his north-central neighborhood down Dodge, Country Club, and Tucson was pretty ugly, but absolutely nothing like the events of 26 June and 9 August when these streets were raging torrents and hardly usable. Thats the difference between a steady, winter-like rain and the vicious bursts that come with monsoon thunderstorms, said Crimmins. Newton made landfall in Mexico as a tropical storm, but weakened considerably by the time it crossed into Arizona near Nogales, which received 2.5 inches of rain. If the remnants of Newton had arrived in the heated atmosphere of the afternoon, they might have turned into thunderstorms, said Lader. On Wednesday, however, the sky was blanketed at dawn and stayed that way. The core of the heaviest rain was south and east of Tucson heaviest in Santa Cruz County, western Cochise County and southern Greenlee County, Lader said. The community of Hereford in Cochise County was the site of the only swift-water rescue reported to the Weather Service, he said. The Sierra Vista Herald reported that a couple and their dog were rescued by firefighters after their car was swept down an arroyo near South Burro Drive and East Ramsey Road. No deaths, no major damage, no significant flooding Hurricane Newton caused less havoc than a single thunderstorm. You couldnt ask for it to come in a better package than that, said Crimmins. The impetus for the Magma Arizona Railroad originated from the necessity in providing ore transport for the mines around Superior beginning in 1875 with the discovery of a rich silver lode by Charles G. Mason, Isaac Copeland, Benjamin W. Reagan and W. H. Long. Further discoveries resulted in the formation of the Pioneer Mining District, including the Silver King Mine and later the Silver Queen Mine, which came to be known as the Magma Mine after the incorporation of the Magma Copper Co. by William Boyce Thompson and George Gunn on May 20, 1910. Financial support then arrived to build the needed railroad that would supplant the costly ore teams. On Oct. 13, 1914, the Magma Arizona Railroad Co. was incorporated as a subsidiary of the Magma Copper Co. The MacArthur Brothers were awarded the contract to build a 30.36-mile, 36-inch narrow-gauge rail line from Magma Station, formerly known as Webster, to Superior at a cost of $160,000. Extensive building operations commenced at the end of 1914. More than 250 men and 125 mules were involved in grading, bridge excavations and track surfacing, with the last spike driven on April 29, 1915. Cuts requiring extensive excavation and fills proved challenging during construction, causing the contractor to go over budget. The railroad began transporting the rich copper ore, some exceeding 40 percent copper, with four steam locomotives acquired from the American Locomotive Co. during World War I. Although the war contributed to the rise in copper prices, it also was responsible for a shortage of labor, which delayed repairs to the railroad of damage from fires and flooding. A new standard-gauge railroad was built by the Twohy Brothers in 1923 alongside the existing narrow gauge. The salvaged narrow-gauge rail was later sold to the Old Dominion Mine for use as underground tracks for the electric mine tramway. The engines were serviced by water stops at Desert Wells and Queen. Prior to the completion of the Magma Copper Co.s smelter at Superior in 1924, concentrates were shipped to the Hayden smelter using the Arizona Eastern Railroad junction at Magma. Business for the railroad declined during the Great Depression with the closure of many local mines. By 1940, passenger and mail service was discontinued due to declining profits and alternative methods of transportation such as automobiles and trucks. However, World War II and the ensuing decades saw the re-emergence of the Magma Mine as a producer, contributing to the resurgence of the railroad. The area around Picketpost Mountain west of Superior contained substantial deposits of perlite worked at four mines after World War II. Several spurs along the Magma Arizona Railroad were established near Superior to accommodate the perlite industry with direct shipments of the volcanic material. Perlite is a glassy volcanic rock of rhyolitic composition named after its pearl-like structure. It has the ability to expand like popcorn when heated and is used in commercial applications such as plasters, insulation and fire-resistant materials. The 1960s saw the Magma Arizona Railroad used in movies, as it was one of the last steam operations in the country. Several prominent movies were shot on-site, including How the West Was Won and Cheyenne Autumn. The Magma Arizona Railroad faced challenges as the building of steam locomotives declined, and there also was dearth of spare parts needed to maintain the fleet of engines. It ultimately succumbed to the diesel revolution. The final weeks of steam operation occurred in August 1968, a decade after steam engines were replaced with diesels among the major railroads. That same year, the railroad set a record of outbound tonnage: 81,177 tons. The closure of the smelter at Superior by the Newmont Mining Corp. on July 11, 1971, due to a labor dispute and mounting environmental regulations, increased the workload of the railroad, which included daily, heavy loads of bulky concentrates instead of the previous transport of copper anodes several times a week. The line continued to operate until shortly after the merger of the Magma Copper Co. and the Broken Hill Proprietary Co. Ltd. (BHP) and subsequent closure of mining operations around Superior in 1996. The development of the Resolution Copper Mine near Superior, currently the largest discovered copper deposit in the United States, may revive the Magma Arizona Railroad, which is currently owned and being refurbished by the Resolution Copper Co. Kenyon Gee wasnt born when his grandfather, Gee Poy Lim, bought a store on South Sixth Avenue. The elder Gee retained the stores name: T&T Market. On July 31, Kenyon and Terry Gee, joint owners of the market, closed it, ending nearly 75 years three generations of the familys ownership of the neighborhood store at 2048 S. Sixth Ave. in South Tucson. The closure marks another passage in our rich cultural story. Chinese-family-owned stores once dotted Tucsons barrios on the south and west sides and downtown. In these stores, multi-ethnic Tucson intersected and connected. Our identities are wrapped up in the store, said Terry Gee, who was born in Sacramento, Calif., and came to Tucson after college 26 years ago to join Kenyon in running the store. Its an emotional end for the Gee family, whose narrative is similar to that of many of Tucsons Chinese families. The immigrant men and women learned English and Spanish, faced cultural and racial barriers, worked long and hard hours, created relationships with their customers, and saw their offspring go to college to forge their own careers. Thats the legacy of the Chinese merchant families, said Kenyon Gee. Our parents sacrificed so much for their kids to have a better life, he said. Kenyons grandfather and father were born in China. When his father, Keen Suey Gee, was 6 years old, he and his mother came to Tucson to join Kenyons grandfather. Other Chinese men came from California, where they worked in mining camps and towns, or from Mexico until they were forcibly expelled during Mexicos nationalistic 1910 Revolution. Most of these men later would bring their wives and children. In Tucson, many of the families opened up corner markets, largely segregated to the barrios and neighborhoods restricted to Mexicans, Yaquis, Tohono Oodham and African-Americans. When Kenyons grandfather bought the store from its Chinese owners, his family said he was crazy for buying an old building, Kenyon said. But that old building became the hub for the extended Gee family, including uncles, aunts and cousins, some of whom lived behind the store. I remember playing with my cousins, climbing on stacks of beer, said Kenyon. We had a great time there. While the children played, the elders worked. Kenyons father took over in the early 1970s and eventually Kenyon and Terry took over. I love mom-and-pop stores, but theyre difficult, said Terry, adding that she and Kenyon put in long hours to keep their store open. In the 08 recession, many of the Gees working-class customers lost their jobs. Others drifted away to the big corporate box stores. The businesss decline accelerated in 2010 when Arizona enacted SB 1070, aimed at undocumented immigrants. Many moved away despite the laws subsequent emasculation by a federal judge as unconstitutional. We had a very close relationship with our customers, said Terry. So close that she and Kenyon recently attended a memorial service for a longtime customer who died. It wasnt unheard of for Kenyon or Terry to deliver groceries to a customer who could not come to the market. When the time came to shutter the front door, customers came to say goodbye and make one last purchase. One man bought all the baloney in the store. Another bought the snow-ball maker and another a soda cooler. Terrys eyes well up. Kenyon is quiet. Talking about family history, values and contributions, in the name of T&T Market, is difficult. There are less than a handful of Chinese-family-owned stores left in Tucson. Times are tough, said Mike Mar, owner of United Market, which sits four blocks south of T&T Market. Like Kenyon Gee, Mar is a third-generation market owner. His grandfather and father opened the original United Market on another block of South Sixth Avenue. Ive been doing this since I was 11 or 12 years old, Mar said. The legacy of the Gees, the Mars, the Gins, the Lees and all the other families is that they enriched Tucsons culture, said Robin Blackwood of the Tucson Chinese Cultural Center, which has documented the histories of the families and the markets. Their stories have to be kept alive, she said. If were diligent and work hard, we can maintain the legacy and history of these families, Blackwood said. The sounds of laughter filters through the mid-morning air, which isnt unusual for a Saturday in the park. Except that this laughter is coming from a group of high school students armed with rakes and shovels, as they pick up trash and clear brush in an effort to help to clean up their neighborhood park. More than 60 students, parents and teachers from Changemaker High School turned out at Swan Park for the September 11th National Day of Service and Remembrance event, one of the schools four annual days of service, intended to let students reflect and give back to the community. Its not often you can get this many students out of bed at 6:30 in the morning, said Changemakers program director, Marylyn Valencia. It makes us proud that they understand why were doing this. Students wearing yellow safety vests, work gloves and the occasional straw hat picked up trash, pulled weeds, cut back buffelgrass and trimmed trees in the park, which is a few hundred yards from the school. We just wanted to get out into our community and help build it up again, said senior Jose Andrade, 16. Although the students get community-service hours for their participation, even the early-morning weekend start time wasnt enough to scare them away. Tenth-grader Angelina Hayes said she cleared out her schedule in order to participate. At a ceremony after the cleanup, the school officially adopted the park and was presented with a certificate by Tucson Mayor Jonathan Rothschild. This is all about coming together, and getting the students to think about how we can make a difference, Valencia said. Were making a change in our own neighborhood. Sunday Nights report on the 60 Minutes debacle in Lebanon revealed the $US500,000 cheque paid to Ali al-Amins lawyer. Nine has never disclosed the confidential details of the settlement to secure the freedom of four of its employees. But it left others behind in the move, including Australian Adam Whittington who headed up the operation through his Child Recovery Agency operation. Last night he was highly critical of Nine who had paid him $115,000 to conduct the operation after it was commissioned by Brisbane mother Sally Faulkner. Ive sat in a Lebanon prison, the most horrible place ever, spent four months nearly away from my kids. I missed my, my five-year-olds birthday, he told Sunday Night. As soon as they pulled out their chequebook everything went downhill. Whittington spent 104 days in a Beirut prison, frequently infested with rats and maggots, while the Nine crew were treated to pizzas and coffee, he claimed. Mike Willesees report was sympathetic to Whittington, justified by Sally Faulkners desperate position and critical of Nine. It suggested Nine News boss Darren Wick should have been sacked from Nines internal review, not producer Stephen Rice. They turned it into an absolute joke the way they acted and behaved in Beirut to get what they wanted, he said. Ive seen that review. I received a copy of it in the prison. It was passed around and used as toilet paper. Thats what we did with it. When asked how Australians would react to a foreign kidnapping taking place on Australian style, he said the actions were understandable in the context of a separated family. If they were in Sally shoes.. why wouldnt you try and get your children back? Whittington also told Willesee he was not being paid for the interview, but Nine contends that he has previously requested a substantial payment from Nine to not tell his story. Last week producer Stephen Rice agreed to a settlement that averted further legal action against Nine following his dismissal. Ironically Sunday Night executive producer Hamish Thomson knocked back the Sally Faulkner story when he was running Inside Story for Nine, before it was picked up by 60 Minutes. Help India! By IANS, Panaji : The mobile phone of Russian teenager Elena Sukhonova, who was found dead on railway tracks near here under mysterious circumstances, had several missed calls from a Calangute beach shack owner, police said. Support TwoCircles Superintendent of Police (North) Tony Fernandes told IANS that a Nokia mobile phone belonging to Elena, which was recovered from the death scene had several phone calls from Vishant Kudnekar, who runs the OPinhal Buckingham shack at Calangute beach. We are trying to get to the bottom of the matter. There were several missed calls on Elenas phone from Kudnekar, some time prior to her death, Fernandes said. Interestingly, Kudnekar has already applied for anticipatory bail May 14, but was denied the same. Elena was a regular visitor to Kudnekars shack and according to witnesses, was well acquainted with Kudnekar. The police are having a tough time trying to establish the sequence of events leading to the death of the Russian teenager on May 8. Fernandes added that the police had also summoned a group of Pune-based tourists, who were in Goa in the last week of April. She had spoken to them in the last couple of days before her death. We are trying to find out how they knew her and if they had called her to Pune, he said, hinting at the possibility that Elena may have been trying to travel to Pune when she met her end. Elenas mutilated body was found along a railway track nearly 30 km from here. Hasty attempts by the police to establish that Elena died of an accidental fall from a train were exposed by a senior Konkan Railway Corporation Ltd (KRCL) official who said that it was impossible for a person to slip from a train and fall under its wheels. Several Russian tourists, who spent a few hours early on May 8, have also said that Elena made no mention of travelling to Mumbai. The police had initially claimed that Elenas passport was found near the body, whereas a seizure memo signed by the Mapusa police inspector Manjunath Dessai states the passport was recovered from the hotel room she was staying in. Help India! By IANS, New Delhi : The percentage of adulterated milk and milk products sold in Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra and Punjab has been found to be high, Minister of State for Health Dinesh Trivedi said Thursday. Support TwoCircles Giving a statement in response to a call attention motion in Lok Sabha on rampant adulteration in food and edible substances in the country and the steps taken to tackle it, the minister also said that the percentage of adulteration has declined. According to available information provided by the states and union territory governments, the percentage of adulteration in food articles from 8.44 percent of the samples collected in 2006 came down to 7.73 percent in 2008, the minister said. He said samples of food articles, including milk products, edible oil, vegetables, sweets and other food articles, are taken regularly for testing by the authorities. Citing figures of 2007, the minister said out of the 3,495 prosecution cases, in 2,409 cases convictions were done. Nearly 30,699 cases were pending in the courts, he added. He said samples lifted in Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra and Punjab showed higher percentage of adulteration in commodities like beverages, milk and milk products. In Andhra Pradesh, about 277 samples of beverages were lifted and 20 percent of them were found adulterated. In the same way, in Gujarat, 121 samples were taken, of which 24 percent was found adulterated. In Maharashtra, 281 samples were collected of which 23 percent were found adulterated. In the same way in Punjab, 170 samples were taken and 35 percent of them were found to be adulterated. Noting that food safety laws rest with states and union territories, Trivedi said they need to tighten their enforcement machinery and keep strict vigil on the activities of unscrupulous elements and strive for speedy trial so that the perpetrators do not play havoc with the health and lives of the consumers. He said in 2006, 7,695 cases were registered of which 1,284 convictions occurred. The number dipped in 2007 with 3,902 food adulteration cases being registered. About 2,472 convictions took place. In 2008, 3,250 cases were registered, but only 549 convictions were reported. Under the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act, 1954, sale of spurious, adulterated food items also attracts penalty of imprisonment upto life and fine of Rs.5,000 if the act has led to grievous hurt. Help India! By TwoCircles.net Staff Correspondent, Bengaluru: The anticipatory bail petition submitted by Abdunnasir Madan in connection with his naming in the Bengaluru blast case has been postponed to Tuesday. The Bengaluru fast-track court made the postponement as the prosecution requested for more time. The petition was to be considered today. Support TwoCircles In another development, the National Youth League yesterday condemned the plot against Madani. The Sangh parivar and imperialist forces are conspiring to jail Madani again based on the words of the others accused in the Bengaluru blast case, said Pulikkal Moideen Kutty, state general secretary of the NYL in a press conference in Malappuram. Mr Moideen Kutty said that justice should be made available to Madani as a citizen. Madani was found innocent after ten years in jail and hunting him again should be put an end to, he added. The NYL also extended support to the protest actions in the matter. Meanwhile, the PDP leadership yesterday asked the state government to send a medical team to Anvarsseri as Madani was very weak and unhealthy. Party leader Poonthura Siraj explained that the request was made as treatment would be disturbed due to controversies if Madani is taken to any government medical college hospital or private hospital. The fasting protest launched by the PDP against the conspiracy to deport Madani to other states using the Benagaluru blast case entered the fourth day today. Famous historian and leader of the NCHRO MS Jayaprakash visited Anvarsseri and fasted, expressing his solidarity with the struggle. Several other leaders also visited the protesting PDP leaders. Jamat e Islami secretary H Shaheer Moulvi, environmental and human rights leader Odanavatom Vijayaprakash etc visited Madani and the fasting PDP leaders on Thursday. Partys state vice-chairman Varkkala Raj, district vice-president Shaji Pathanapuram and Kottayam district vice-president KJ Devasya are fasting now. Madani was named 31st accused in the additional chargesheet of the Bengaluru blast case submitted by the investigation team last Friday. The words of Thadiyantavide Naseer and Shafas, accused in the case and now in the custody of police, are said to be the polices evidence against Madani. Madani was issued non-bailable arrest warrant by the Bengaluru court last day. It has asked the police to present him before the court by 23rd of this month. Help India! By Brij Khandelwal, IANS, Agra: The Samajwadi Party is singularly focussed on how to seize power in Uttar Pradesh as it ended a two-day national convention here amid luxurious trappings. Those delegates with old-time socialist moorings who wanted to update themselves on the need and relevance of socialism in this era of free market economy were disappointed. Support TwoCircles But some of the organisers and delegates expressed surprise that party leaders chose to end the meeting that drew thousands from all across India before lunch Wednesday although it was to last until 5 p.m. As expected, party chief Mulayam Singh Yadavs family overshadowed the June 7-8 conference. Yadav tried to enthuse party workers by asking them to focus on upcoming elections in Uttar Pradesh so as to dislodge the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) government. All of us have to unitedly work to dislodge the BSP government. The next government in Lucknow will be ours, he declared. But the party leadership appeared to be in a bind. Many leaders, including Yadav, offered evasive replies when asked about the Samajwadi Partys ties with the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government. While party leaders backed yoga guru Baba Ramdevs fast against corruption, nobody was prepared to go the whole hog and snap ties with the UPA. What struck many as odd was the luxury enveloping the Samajwadi Party meet. Long back these conferences used to be marked by ideological debates and hair-splitting of the finer aspects of socialism and its new variants, V.P. Singh, an educationist, recalled. All hotel rooms were booked in the city. Delegates came from as far as Kerala and Tamil Nadu. But many spent the day sightseeing. Agra was flooded with banners, hoardings and posters. One veteran socialist here, watching from the sidelines, expressed surprise at the vulgar display of resources. This included a large number of vehicles and the luxurious living style of many leaders. In our days in the 60s and even early 70s, socialist conferences were marked by austerity and better bondings, said the socialist, not ready to be identified by name. There was also trouble in store after a party leader, Heera Thakur, abused Uttar Pradesh Chief Minster Mayawati from the stage repeatedly. Police searched for him in the hotels but he had disappeared. (Brij Khandelwal can be contacted at [email protected]) Help India! By IANS, Imphal: In another incident of election violence in Manipur, a group of armed militants attacked a polling booth Saturday, killing a CRPF trooper and injuring four others, including a woman, police said. Support TwoCircles The attack took place around 1.40 p.m. when a group of armed militants came to capture a polling booth in remote Chandel district of the state. The security forces deployed at the booth opened fire to prevent the militants from capturing the booth. In the ensuing gun battle, one CRPF personnel was killed while four others were seriously injured. The injured included a woman voter, a militant and three security personnel. Sources said the condition of the woman voter and three security personnel was serious. Help India! By IANS, Imphal: Voting was peaceful Saturday morning across Manipur as people came out to exercise their democratic right despite a string of bomb blasts in the past one week. Support TwoCircles The state will elect its 60-member 10th assembly. The State Election Office said polling began at 7 a.m. and will be held till 3 p.m. Ballotting is taking place at 2,357 polling booths, out of which 875 have been termed hyper-sensitive. Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh and his wife Landhoni Devi cast their votes around 7.30 a.m. at the polling booth in Thoubal Aphokpam Lower Primary School in Khangabok constituency. Landhoni Devi is the sitting legislator from Khangabok. I am expecting that the Congress party would secure around 45 seats. But 35 is the minimum number we are winning, the chief minister told IANS after casting his vote. The two-time chief minister of the state said over 80 percent voting is expected across the state. People would come out despite the militants threat as it is a democratic exercise that comes after every five years and no one wants to miss it, he said. In addition to the states police forces, the state election authority is using 350 companies of central paramilitary forces for smooth conduct of the polls. A day ahead of the polls, suspected militants triggered a blast in the Manipur capital at Thangmeiban Iikamdewan Leiki locality under Imphal West district. One person received minor injuries in the Friday bombing. On Thursday, a blast took place just 2 km from Kangla Fort, where the states official Republic Day function was celebrated. No one was injured. Militants exploded two powerful bombs in Kakwa area in Imphal West district Wednesday night with no casualty. On Jan 22, militants triggered a powerful explosion outside the residence of I. Hemochandra Singh, the speaker of the outgoing assembly and Congress party candidate in the state. The blast killed one person. Help India! By M Reyaz, TwoCircles.net, Kabul: Afghanistan created history on Saturday by turning out in large number to vote for the first transition of power since Hamid Karzai took over after NATO intervention in 2001, braving the incessant rain and threats issued by Taliban. Support TwoCircles In weeks preceding the elections, Taliban had particularly targeted the election campaigns, journalists, Independent Election Commission, etc. in order to create panic among the citizens to keep them away from voting. However, Afghans who are tired of 30 years of conflict came out in large number, although it was raining the whole day to vote, perhaps to register their protest against Taliban, as also wishing for a peaceful transition. Another takeaway of the election turnout was large number of women who queued for hours to vote. The number of women was particularly high in cities. According to Afghanistans Independent Election Commission about 7 million that is about 58% of the eligible voters took part in the April 5 presidential election. This turnout is certainly highest in the contemporary history of Afghanistans experiment with democracy. Shortage of ballot papers were reported at several centers across the country around afternoon. IEC chief Yusuf Nuristani, however, defended the Commission saying that the turnout was beyond their expectations and that initially they had sent 600 ballots to every polling site and more ballots were immediately sent. In last two weeks, the Taliban had attacked the Serena Hotel, the main office and a provincial office of the Independent Election Commission (IEC), another guest house, killing scores. On Wednesday, a suicide attack at the Interior Ministry had killed at least six security personnel and injured four others. However, it was much to the credit of the Afghanistans security forces that the voting at 6,212 polling stations was largely peaceful. About 352,000 security forces were deployed nationwide to provide security. According to the Interior Ministry, 140 attacks were planned in past 24 hours in which nine police and six army soldiers lost their lives. 89 insurgents were also killed as a result of ANSF operations, Interior Minister Umer Daudzai said on Saturday night. Former foreign minister and a leading Presidential candidate Zalmai Rassoul commended the security forces. Todays election showed our security forces are capable of taking proper security measures for the country, he said. Another front-runner, Dr. Abduallah Abdullah said that the Afghan security forces honoured their commitment to the nation. Dr Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai, considered favorite by many, too tweeted, ANSF did their job with honesty and bravery. We cant thank them enough. They have proven their ability to protect and defend this nation. Electoral Complaints Commission (ECC) has so far received over 200 complaints which they will examine. The number of complaints may go up by Monday. There are apprehensions of a peaceful transition of power among common Afghans as the society is largely divided on ethnic lines. Although there are eight candidates in the race, the cntest largely appears to be three ways among Dr Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai, Dr Zalmai Rassoul and Dr Abdullah Abdullah. Outgoing President Hamid Karzai said, Today the people of Afghanistan exhibited a great show of democracy to the world and made Afghanistan proud and victorious, adding, This is particularly pleasing that the entire election operation was conducted by Afghans, from conducting the election till providing security and the media coverage. If no candidate gets more than 50% of the vote in the first round which with 8 candidates is unlikely a second round must be held pitting the top two candidates against each other that may elongate the whole process into months. So far there has been no serious allegation of fraud and all eyes will now be set on the preliminary results from the first round that are not expected until April 24. (Photos: Aaquib Khan) Help India! By IANS, Dhaka : A Bangladesh court Sunday again deferred the hearing on framing charge against former prime minister Khaleda Zia and others in connection with graft cases involving Zias orphanage and charitable trusts. Support TwoCircles The cases would be taken up March 19. The Zia Orphanage Trust graft case was adjourned for the 19th time, and the Zia Charitable Trust graft case for the 10th time. Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) chief Zia, her son and BNP senior vice chairman Tarique Rahman, and four others are accused in the orphanage case while Zia and three others are accused in the charitable trust case, reported the Daily Star. On July 3, 2009, Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) filed the case against Zia, Rahman and four others on the charge of embezzling over Tk2.10 crore by forming the fake trust. The ACC Aug 8, 2011 filed another case against the former prime minister and three others for abusing power in setting up the charity. Judge Mohammad Rezaul Islam of a special court passed the order after Zias lawyer pleaded for deferment of the hearing at which charges were to be formally framed against the accused. Taherul Islam Towhid, a defence lawyer, said Zia could not appear in the court due to illness and requested for the deferment of the hearing. Mosharrf Hossain Kajal, public prosecutor, said the court could continue the hearing in absence of the BNP chief. However, the court granted the deferment. Help India! Rabat : Morocco has put its security services on maximum security alert over terror threat during Eid al-Adha celebrations, local media reported on Saturday. The annual festival is also known as the Feast of the Sacrifice, which marks the end of the spiritual peak of the annual pilgrimage or Haj in Arabic, when pilgrims descend from the hill of Arafat to the nearby holy city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia. Support TwoCircles Eid al-Adha will take place on Monday in Morocco, Xinhua news agency reported. Citing security sources, Moroccan daily Al Ahdath Al Maghribia said that the raise of the alert to its highest level is motivated by the growing threats the country is facing from the Islamic State (IS) terrorist group. The measures are also driven by the threat posed by the increasing numbers of Moroccans sympathising with the terrorist organisation as evidenced by the rising number of terror cells busted in the past months, the source added. Help India! By A Mirsab, TwoCircles.net, Support TwoCircles Mumbai: Upset with repeated denial of a meeting with Zabiuddin Ansari, an accused in 26/11 Mumbai attack by Arthur Road Jail authority, his advocate has complained to State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) and Bombay High Court requesting to protect his fundamental rights of fair trial and justice. Advocate Asif Naqvi on Saturday sent a letter to SHRC and chief justice of Bombay High Court bringing to their notice how he was treated by Jail authority when he went for a meeting, made him to sit for 2 hours and then refused a meeting even though before conviction of Ansari he would regularly meet him at jail. On July 28, Mumbai session court convicted 12 accused including Zabiuddin Ansari in Aurangabad Arms Haul case and sentenced him to life imprisonment. He is presently lodged at Arthur Road jail facing a trial in 26/11Mumbai attack case in a court established inside the jail. The Jail authority is purposely not allowing the accused to meet his advocates which is a denial of right to fair trial, equity and natural justice, Naqvi wrote in a letter. Speaking with TwoCircles.net he told, I had gone to meet him at Jail to take instructions in regards with the appeal against his conviction and also regarding two pending petitions before Bombay High Court. Initially I was made to wait for 2 hours, then my valet and mobile phone was confiscated and asked to go inside where an officer came with instructions from his superiors saying I was not allowed to meet Ansari. I told him that I was the advocate on record for him in Aurangabad Arms haul case and for two petitions in Bombay High court. I did show them wakalatnama but I was blatantly refused a meeting, he explained the incident. A week later Naqvi again applied for an interview but he was denied it once again by Jail authority. I am receiving letters from Ansari requesting to meet him at jail as he desperately wants to talk with me regarding appeal and petitions but jail is repeatedly not allowing an interview with him which is unjustified and violation of his rights, Naqvi added. Naqvi now hopes that his complaint will be seriously considered by SHRC and it will intervene in the matter to uphold rights of a prisoner. He also expects Bombay High Court to turn the complaint into a writ petition and an appropriate order may be issued by court against jail authority. It is every accused persons right to meet with a lawyer irrespective of he being under trial or convicted, I strongly expect high court to come down heavily upon jail authority for this denial of meeting, Naqvi asserted. Since his arrest in 2012, Ansari is lodged under solitary confinement at Arthur road jail. He was on hunger strike for nearly two months against solitary confinement but had to break it after his mother intervened. His petition to remove him out of solitary confinement is pending before Bombay High court. Related: A torture tale of 26/11 accused: 33 months solitary confinement, trial in absence and now hunger strike In what is becoming the norm, the Syrian government has been accused of dropping barrel bombs loaded with chlorine gas. According to local activists, the chlorine gas attack occurred in a rebel-held part in the Syrian city of Aleppo. This week, local media and activists claimed that the government used helicopters to drop containers loaded with chlorine gases on civilians in Aleppo. Syrian Civil Defence, a volunteer emergency group commonly known as white helmets, backed the claims saying that its volunteers reached the scene soon after the gas attack. Local volunteers say that when they got to the scene of the attack, they found people choking due to the deadly effects the gas has on the lungs. According to them, the symptoms were similar to what happened in the past when government forces attacked rebel-held areas using chlorine gas. Government forces put eastern Aleppo under siege On Sunday, Assads forces placed eastern Aleppo under siege for the 2nd time since July after they captured some areas previously held by rebels. Aleppo has been a focal point of the civil war and has been a divided city since the fighting in Syria began. Syrian government forces hold areas in the west while the opposition controls neighbourhoods in the east. A month ago, opposition forces had managed to breach the siege in several districts of Aleppo, however, the recent push by the government forces took back most of the ground gained by the opposition. In the past, opposition forces have failed to get a decisive victory in Aleppo due to divisions among them. In addition, Russias support of the government forces has crippled the once strong rebel push, resulting in a deadly stalemate. International community urged to act on Syrias chemical attacks The UN and the international community have been urged to take action against the Syrian government due to the chemical attacks. Syrian government forces have been accused of using chemical weapons against rebel-held areas in the past. An inquiry by the Organisation for Prohibition of Chemical Weapons discovered that Assads forces were responsible for chemical attacks in 2014 and 2015. Both of these attacks involved chlorine gas. Civilians trapped in Aleppo city On Tuesday, the UN said that a brief cessation of hostilities to allow relief for civilians caught up in the fighting was closely followed by brutal fighting. The report said that the brief relief in fighting had allowed aid to reach civilians for the first time in years, however, it only lasted for a few weeks. Aleppo city is one of the places that has witnessed the worst fighting in Syria. Currently, it is estimated that 600,000 live under siege while 300,000 civilians are trapped in the city. Young foreigners head for China on journey of a lifetime Updated: 2016-09-10 07:18 By Tan Yingzi in Chongqing(China Daily) A program which originated in the Europe is now taking hold on the mainland Three-year-old Yoyo has a special friend in his home this summer. Isabell Rohde, 18, from Spangenberg, a small town in central Germany, is spending six months as an au pair with Yoyo's family in southwest China's Chongqing. Isabell Rohde (left) on a trip with Pu Yongjian's family. Provided by Pu Yongjian Like many European peers, the young woman decided to take a gap year to experience some foreign culture before going to college. "I was looking for an opportunity to experience a different culture after finishing high school," Rohde tells China Daily. "It's my first time abroad." At Yoyo's home, her main duty is to take care of the boy, play with him and teach him some English. She will also take some Chinese language courses every week and travel with the host family. The au pair program originated in Europe after World War II to promote cultural exchanges among young Europeans. Au Pair, a French term, means "at par" or "equal to", and indicates that the au pair is on par with other members of the family, rather than a traditional domestic help or nanny. Au pairs live with their host families and look after the children. In return, they get an allowance and opportunities to study a foreign language. Due to visa restrictions and limited demand, the au pair program was not introduced in China until the early 2000s. At first, it was Chinese au pairs going out, mainly to the United States, as some American parents started to realize the importance of learning Chinese. In 2006, Yu Hongbin, from Harbin, northeast China's Heilongjiang province, was the first Chinese au pair to land in the United States, according to the New York Times. In China, the demand for au pairs has started to grow in recent years as some affluent and ambitious Chinese parents want their children to get a hands-on feel when learning a foreign tongue. In 2014, a Chinese movie, When a Peking Family Meets Au Pair, drew public attention to this concept. Based on the experiences of a Chinese host family, the movie is about how a traditional Chinese family gets along with a Colombian au pair called Natalie. Yoyo's father Pu Yongjian, an economics professor at Chongqing University, learnt about the au pair program this year through an English teacher whose friend is running an au pair agency in Chongqing. "My son likes English very much, so I want to have an English-speaking au pair to help him practice the language at home," says Pu. But at first, the agency told him it might take a while to find an au pair who wants to come to Chongqing, a lesser-known Chinese city in the underdeveloped western region. Typically, foreign au pairs want to live in Beijing and Shanghai. "Bai Mei (the Chinese name Pu gave to Rohde, which means white plum blossom) is an exception," says Pu. "She wanted to go to the 'backward' part of China." My academic and professional background also attracted the German student who plans to pursue an economics degree in college when she returns home, the professor says. Explaining how au pairs and families are matched, Ma Senhu, the general manager of the Chongqing Holiday Cultural and Tourism Exchange Center, which helped Pu find the German au pair, says: "Our clientele comprises well-educated professionals with international exposure, such as professors, lawyers and entrepreneurs." There are about 10 agencies who are involved in the au pair program in China and about 700 foreign au pairs came to the country last year, says Ma. "Thanks to the country's fast growth, an increasing number of young foreigners are applying for positions in China," he says. The agency has matched 15 Chongqing families with au pairs this year. "The selection process is mutual," says Ma, adding that the two sides communicate directly via email and video chats to see if they click. "Almost no foreign au pair can speak Chinese, so Chinese parents need some foreign language skills," he says. Meanwhile, though an increasing number of Chinese parents are buying into the program, many have concerns about the system. She Ke, the editor-in-chief of a fashion magazine and a mother of two young children, says: "I cannot imagine having a foreigner living in my home. "It can lead to lot of cultural and lifestyle conflicts. For instance, do I have to prepare Western food for the au pair every day?" Zhuang Yilin, a senior manager at a multinational company in Shanghai and also a mother of two, has been thinking about having an au pair for some time. "It is not easy to find a trustworthy one," she says. "I want an au pair with a good personality and a positive attitude. I have heard some negative feedback about au pairs in China, so I am being very cautious." Language experts also say that it is not necessary to have an au pair for kids at very young age. Liu Jian, Chief Academic Officer of Best Learning, an English language training center, says: "While having a native speaker at home is obviously the best way to pick up a foreign tongue, if the child is only three years old, the au pair is just a babysitter and cannot teach the child a lot. I think the proper age (for a child to have an au pair) is around 10." tanyingzi@chinadaily.com.cn Isabell Rohde's job is to take care of and play with Yoyo. Photos Provided by Chongqing Holiday Cultural and Tourism Exchange Center China phases out over 250,000 tonnes of ozone depleting substances Updated: 2016-09-11 07:01 (Xinhua) China has phased out 250,000 tonnes of ozone depleting substances (ODS) in the past five years, accounting for over a half of the total amount phased out by all developing countries, the Ministry of Environmental Protection(MEP) said Friday. On Friday, a meeting commemorating this year's International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer on Sept. 16 was held in Beijing by the ministry, the United Nations environment and development programs. During the meeting, MEP vice minister Zhao Yingmin said more than one million tonnes of ODS had been phased out globally. China will encourage and support research into alternative technological substitutes for ODS, he said. Peking University welcomes second cohort of Yenching scholars Updated: 2016-09-11 19:38 By Zhao Xinying(chinadaily.com.cn) The Yenching Academy holds its opening ceremony on Saturday to welcome the second cohort of Yenching scholars at the auditorium of Peking University's landmark administrative building. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn] The Yenching Academy of Peking University held its opening ceremony on Saturday to officially announce the beginning of the 2016 academic year and welcome the second cohort of Yenching scholars. The ceremony, which took place at the auditorium of the university's landmark administrative building, was hosted by John Holden, associate dean of the academy. The Yenching Academy, offering master programs on Chinese studies to outstanding students from across the world, was officially launched in May 2014. It ushered the first cohort of Yenching scholars in September 2015. This year, the second batch comes from 42 countries and regions from across the world, including Argentina, Bangladesh, Brazil, Canada, Cuba, India, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Ukraine, and the United States. Zhu Shanlu, Chair of the Peking University Council, extended welcome to them on behalf of the university. He hoped that the Yenching scholars could bring excellent thoughts and culture from different countries and regions of the world to Peking University and create their own future in the exchange with their brilliant peers. Fang Jun, deputy director of the Education Ministry's international cooperation and exchange department, called on the scholars to make full use of the great sources provided by the academy and the university, to learn about China in an all-round, in-depth way. Liu Jinghui, Secretary-General of the China Scholarship Council, told a story about her own dream of studying at Peking University and urged the Yenching scholars to "grab" every single opportunity at the academy to make more friends from other countries, to get to know more about China and the world and to make an impact on life and study. Before the ceremony ended, three Yenching scholars were also invited to the stage to share their visions about and their experience at the academy. A brief reception was held after the ceremony to welcome the new cohort and to foster the communication among the two cohorts and the faculties. Guests including diplomats of many countries' embassies, officials from the Ministry of Education and the Peking University, as well as faculties of the academy attended the ceremony. Chinese, Estonian presidents exchange congratulatory messages on anniversary of relations Updated: 2016-09-11 20:32 (Xinhua) BEIJING -- Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Estonian counterpart, Toomas Hendrik Ilves, exchanged congratulatory message on Sunday to mark the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between their two countries. Noting that friendly cooperation has been a main theme in the development of China-Estonia relations over the past 25 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations, Xi said that China-Estonia relations have shown a good momentum for development, and that mutual political trust between the two sides has kept deepening, with fruitful results achieved in practical cooperation, with people-to-people and cultural exchange turning increasingly active, and with close cooperation maintained in international and regional affairs. China is willing to make joint efforts with Estonia to further consolidate friendship between the two countries, deepen mutually beneficial cooperation, and keep bringing about interests to the two countries and the two peoples, Xi said. Ilves, for his part, said that over recent years, Estonia-China relations have developed in an in-depth way, with increasingly close exchange and cooperation in all fields. The Estonian president expressed the belief that the relations of friendly cooperation between the two countries will keep developing in the future, and that the friendship between the two peoples will bear even more plentiful fruits. A former University of Nebraska at Kearney psychology professor was sentenced to five years probation Wednesday for possession of child pornography. United States Senior District Judge Richard G. Kopf also ordered Joseph J. Benz, 56, to pay $9,999 in restitution to the numerous victims in the case and register as a sex offender for the remainder of his life. In March 2013, Nebraska Attorney Generals Office investigators traced an internet protocol address belonging to Benz at his home in Kearney as a potential download source of child pornography. Between March and May of 2013, investigators found more than 20,000 video and image files of child pornography on a computer at Benzs residence. Benz also had copied the files to a number of external hard drives and flash drives. Investigators discovered he had been downloading the files since at least 2008, according to a news release. Benz had worked for the university since 1989. Please turn JavaScript on and reload the page. Loading... Checking your browser before accessing the website. This process is automatic. Your browser will redirect to your requested content shortly. Please wait a few seconds. 1. U.S. acceptance of coexistence as the only alternative to atomic war. 2. U.S. willingness to capitulate in preference to engaging in atomic war. 3. Develop the illusion that total disarmament of the United States would be a demonstration of moral strength. 4. Permit free trade between all nations regardless of Communist affiliation and regardless of whether or not items could be used for war. 5. Extension of long-term loans to Russia and Soviet satellites. 6. Provide American aid to all nations regardless of Communist domination. 7. Grant recognition of Red China. Admission of Red China to the U.N. 8. Set up East and West Germany as separate states in spite of Khrushchev's promise in 1955 to settle the German question by free elections under supervision of the U.N. 9. Prolong the conferences to ban atomic tests because the United States has agreed to suspend tests as long as negotiations are in progress. 10. Allow all Soviet satellites individual representation in the U.N. 11. Promote the U.N. as the only hope for mankind. If its charter is rewritten, demand that it be set up as a one-world government with its own independent armed forces. (Some Communist leaders believe the world can be taken over as easily by the U.N. as by Moscow. Sometimes these two centers compete with each other as they are now doing in the Congo.) 12. Resist any attempt to outlaw the Communist Party. 13. Do away with all loyalty oaths. 14. Continue giving Russia access to the U.S. Patent Office. 15. Capture one or both of the political parties in the United States. 16. Use technical decisions of the courts to weaken basic American institutions by claiming their activities violate civil rights. 17. Get control of the schools. Use them as transmission belts for socialism and current Communist propaganda. Soften the curriculum. Get control of teachers' associations. Put the party line in textbooks. 18. Gain control of all student newspapers. 19. Use student riots to foment public protests against programs or organizations which are under Communist attack. 20. Infiltrate the press. Get control of book-review assignments, editorial writing, policymaking positions. 21. Gain control of key positions in radio, TV, and motion pictures. 22. Continue discrediting American culture by degrading all forms of artistic expression. An American Communist cell was told to "eliminate all good sculpture from parks and buildings, substitute shapeless, awkward and meaningless forms." 23. Control art critics and directors of art museums. "Our plan is to promote ugliness, repulsive, meaningless art." 24. Eliminate all laws governing obscenity by calling them "censorship" and a violation of free speech and free press. 25. Break down cultural standards of morality by promoting pornography and obscenity in books, magazines, motion pictures, radio, and TV. 26. Present homosexuality, degeneracy and promiscuity as "normal, natural, healthy." 27. Infiltrate the churches and replace revealed religion with "social" religion. Discredit the Bible and emphasize the need for intellectual maturity which does not need a "religious crutch." 28. Eliminate prayer or any phase of religious expression in the schools on the ground that it violates the principle of "separation of church and state." 29. Discredit the American Constitution by calling it inadequate, old-fashioned, out of step with modern needs, a hindrance to cooperation between nations on a worldwide basis. 30. Discredit the American Founding Fathers. Present them as selfish aristocrats who had no concern for the "common man." 31. Belittle all forms of American culture and discourage the teaching of American history on the ground that it was only a minor part of the "big picture." Give more emphasis to Russian history since the Communists took over. 32. Support any socialist movement to give centralized control over any part of the culture--education, social agencies, welfare programs, mental health clinics, etc. 33. Eliminate all laws or procedures which interfere with the operation of the Communist apparatus. 34. Eliminate the House Committee on Un-American Activities. 35. Discredit and eventually dismantle the FBI. 36. Infiltrate and gain control of more unions. 37. Infiltrate and gain control of big business. 38. Transfer some of the powers of arrest from the police to social agencies. Treat all behavioral problems as psychiatric disorders which no one but psychiatrists can understand. 39. Dominate the psychiatric profession and use mental health laws as a means of gaining coercive control over those who oppose Communist goals. 40. Discredit the family as an institution. Encourage promiscuity and easy divorce. 41. Emphasize the need to raise children away from the negative influence of parents. Attribute prejudices, mental blocks and retarding of children to suppressive influence of parents. 42. Create the impression that violence and insurrection are legitimate aspects of the American tradition; that students and special-interest groups should rise up and use united force to solve economic, political or social problems. 43. Overthrow all colonial governments before native populations are ready for self-government. 44. Internationalize the Panama Canal. 45. Repeal the Connally reservation so the United States cannot prevent the World Court from seizing jurisdiction over nations and individuals alike. Adoring ancient Vietnamese culture, Nguyen Thi Tu Anh spent over 20 years collecting 100 Nghe animals (a fictional creature with a lion-like head, a long tail and a dog-like body) of diverse sizes and colours which were made from stone, pottery, wood, bronze and earth. Visiting the house of Tu Anh in District 9, Ho Chi Minh City, one will be amazed at her collection of 100 Nghe animals of different styles and colours which are displayed on bookshelves, cabinets and wooden stairs. Sharing the story related to her collection, Tu Anh said that her work as a tourist guide gives her an opportunity to travel to every corner of the country. When she took tourists to visit royal tombs, temples and pagodas where she saw the Nghe animal, she felt a close attachment to this animal. She believes that collecting the animal is a way to preserve the beauty of the Vietnamese spiritual culture. In Vietnamese culture, sacred animals are those originating from legends or are created and used as cultural symbols to deliver ideas and belief in their psyche and religion. They embodied the natural forces and had characteristics of mysterious supernatural powers that dominated humanity and the universe. One among them is Nghe, a pure mascot of the Vietnamese people which appeared in some Vietnamese folk verses, as Each person has one profession/ Peacock is for dancing and Nghe is for guarding. This mascot is the mixture of some sacred animals with the body of a dog, the august nuance of a lion, the power of a dragon and a slight remembrance of a phoenix and a crane. Tu Anh acknowledged: In the spiritual life of the Vietnamese people, the Nghe animal is important like other mascots, such as dragons and phoenixes because it symbolises the intelligence, thereby it is placed at both sacred places and houses. The more I learn about the animal with exquisite sculptural techniques, the more I become passionate about it. Besides the sculpturing techniques, the painting of the Nghe animal is very special and has not faded for hundreds of years. Nghe animal is a spiritual animal in Vietnamese culture. Photo: Dang Kim Phuong/VNP A gold-plated Nghe animal about 200 years old in the collection. Photo: Dang Kim Phuong/VNP A Nghe animal with a light green colour dates back to the Ly Dynasty (the 11th century). Photo: Dang Kim Phuong/VNP A pair of ceramic Nghe animals from the Tran Dynasty (the 13th century). Photo: Dang Kim Phuong/VNP A Nghe animal hundreds of years old with its original colour. Photo: Dang Kim Phuong/VNP A pair of Nghe animals which were made of Bat Trang pottery with three colours. Photo: Dang Kim Phuong/VNP A pair of Nghe animals which are often placed on pillars in communal houses. Photo: Dang Kim Phuong/VNP A pair of Nghe animals was used as paperweights. Photo: Dang Kim Phuong/VNP Nghe animal has the nuance of a lion. Photo: Dang Kim Phuong/VNP Dragons scales carved on the body of a stone Nghe animal. Photo: Dang Kim Phuong/VNP A pair of Nghe animals made of wood. Photo: Dang Kim Phuong/VNP Nghe animal is a Vietnamese symbol. Photo: Dang Kim Phuong/VNP This mascot is the mixture of some sacred animals with the nuance of a lion, the power of a dragon and a slight remembrance of a phoenix and crane. Photo: Dang Kim Phuong/VNP Nghe is a sacred animal in Vietnamese culture which symbolises loyalty and intelligence. Photo: Dang Kim Phuong/VNP The first Nghe statues appeared in the 15th century and became popular from the Ly Dynasty to the end of the Tay Son Dynasty (the 11th to 18th century). During the past eight centuries, the Nghe animal was an indispensable animal in offering rites. It was placed in sacred places such as palaces, temples, pagodas, and tombs, and in houses of both high class and the common people. It even appeared in some churches due to the cultural exchange. Sometimes, the animal with exquisitely carved patterns was used as a paperweight or coat-hanger in pagodas. Thanks to the great cultural value of Nghe statues, the collection was displayed at the Hue Festival in 2007. I am very happy when my collection of Nghe statues is showcased in a significant cultural space which draws much attention from both domestic and foreign visitors and collectors. This collection is a chance for many people to learn about the diversity and uniqueness of Vietnamese sacred animals, including Nghe, so they can better understand the Vietnamese culture because each mascot has its own story, characteristics and relationship to culture. Story: Nguyen Vu Thanh Dat Photos: Dang Kim Phuong Hanoi, September 10 (VNA) - Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong on September 9 received the Secretary General of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) of Japan, Toshihiro Nikai who is on an official visit to Vietnam. The LDP secretary general, who is also President of the JapanVietnam Parliamentary Friendship Union, spoke highly of the official visit by Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong to Japan last September, saying that it set a milestone and opened up a new era in bilateral relations between the two countries. He stressed the political trust between the two countries serves as a firm foundation for the effective and beneficial cooperation between them. Nikai affirmed that the LDP in its role as the ruling party of Japan, will constantly prioritise the partnership and relationship with Vietnam in its foreign affairs. He vowed to boost exchanges and cooperation with the Communist Party of Vietnam. Meanwhile, Party General Secretary Trong expressed delight at the strong and fruitful development in relations between Vietnam and Japan. He also affirmed that Vietnam regards Japan as one of its most important and long-term partners in all fields of cooperation. The Vietnamese Party chief appreciated the great contributions by the LDP Secretary General in his role as the president of the JapanVietnam Parliamentary Friendship Union and in the development of the friendship associations of the two countries. VNA/VNP GUANGXI Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has highlighted the role played by Chinas Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, which shares border with Viet Nam, in consolidating the friendship and developing the comprehensive strategic co-operative partnership between the two countries. Guangxi has actively cooperated with Vietnamese ministries, agencies and localities over the past years, the PM told Secretary of the Party Committee of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region Peng Qinghua yesterday. The Vietnamese leader is in Guangxi to attend the 13th China-ASEAN Expo (CAEXPO) and China-ASEAN Business and Investment Summit (CABIS), as part of his official visit to China at the invitation of his Chinese counterpart Li Keqiang from September 10-15. PM Phuc highlighted exchanges and co-operation between Guangxi and Vietnamese localities, saying that Peng Qinghua visited Viet Nam four times, and that trade between Viet Nam and Guangxi reached nearly US$25 billion in 2015. Up to 4,000 out of about 10,000 Vietnamese students in China are now studying in Guangxi, he added. Affirming the importance Viet Nam has attached to the friendship and mutual beneficial co-operation with China , the PM suggested the two sides carry forward existing co-operative mechanisms and work out effective solutions to facilitate their economic, trade, investment and tourism ties, especially the circulation of the two countries imports and exports. He called on the Chinese side to import more Vietnamese products in order to balance the bilateral trade. The two countries should accelerate the upgrade and building of pairs of border gates upon which they have agreed, and enhance their co-ordination in fighting crimes, ensuring security and addressing labour-related issues in the border area. Viet Nam will take note of Guangxis proposals of increasing transport connectivity and building border economic cooperation areas, the Vietnamese leader promised, hailing Guangxis efforts to expand win-win and pragmatic co-operation with Vietnamese localities and others in the countrys central and southern regions. Peng Qinghua affirmed that the Party, authorities and people of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region stick importance to consolidating the time-honoured friendship and enhancing mutual beneficial cooperation with Vietnamese ministries, agencies and localities, while regarding Viet Nam as one of the top priorities in the China-ASEAN co-operation. He told PM Phuc about Guangxis measures to expand exchange and step up collaboration with Vietnamese localities in economy, trade, culture, education and tourism, as well as its efforts to make it easier for cross-border goods exchanges and resolve labour-related issues in the border area. The official noted his wish to join hands with Viet Nam in the transport sector, especially the construction of the Lang Son-Ha Noi-Hai Phong-Ha Long-Van on-Mong Cai expressway, the ong ang-Ha Noi express railway and border economic zones. VNS GUANGXI Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc received Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli in Nanning , Guangxi yesterday. The PM is in Guangxi to attend the 13th China-ASEAN Expo (CAEXPO) and China-ASEAN Business and Investment Summit (CABIS), as part of his official visit to China at the invitation of his Chinese counterpart Li Keqiang from September 10-15. PM Phuc told the Chinese Vice Premier that this is the first time Viet Nam has attended the CAEXPO as the Honorary Country, which is a good opportunity for Viet Nam to enhance economic, trade and investment co-operation with China and other ASEAN countries. The PM thanked the Chinese Government for providing support to Vietnamese firms and localities in participating in the expo, adding that he believes in the success of the event thanks to the thorough preparations of the host country and the active participation of ASEAN countries. He appreciated the progress in Viet Nam-China co-operation in several fields, and informed his guest that during the visit, he intended to discuss with Chinese Party and Government leaders measures to promote the stable and healthy development of bilateral ties, including maintaining meetings and contacts between senior officials of the two Parties and countries. The two sides should also encourage exchange and win-win cooperation, as well as closer coordination to solve outstanding issues, thus taking bilateral economic, trade and investment ties to a new stage of quality, effective and sustainable development, PM Phuc said. He said that the two sides should work together to effectively control disputes at sea and persistently deal with disputes by peaceful measures in line with international law, the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, thus maintaining peace and stability in the East Sea and in the region. Phuc affirmed that "Viet Nam pursues a consistent external policy of peace, independence, multilateralisation and diversification, with strengthening the friendship and co-operation with China being one of the leading priorities". Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli expressed his belief that the visit of Prime Minister Phuc would be a success, contributing positively to the relations between the two Parties and countries. He noted that the presence of the PM and many Vietnamese firms at the 13th CAEXPO demonstrated the importance that the Vietnamese Government attaches to the China-Viet Nam and ASEAN-China ties, which helps ensure success of the event. The Vice Premier affirmed that the Chinese Party and Government attach importance to the relations with Viet Nam , and hope the two sides would maintain high-level contact, enhance political trust, promote substantial cooperation, expand people-to-people exchange while keeping good control of disputes towards the stable, healthy and sustainable development of the comprehensive strategic co-operative partnership of the two countries. VNS HA NOI Sustainable development has become a topic of concern, in the context that both the world and Viet Nam are facing problems of environmental pollution, depletion of resources, ecological imbalances, the gap between the rich and poor and its implications in the development process. Prof Motoo Furuta, Rector of Viet Nam-Japan University (VJU), stressed, in his opening speech, at a conference held in Ha Noi yesterday. The conference, which was the first in a series of activities during the VJUs opening week, attracted some 250 guests, speakers and educators from Viet Nam and Japan. "Sustainable development is the philosophy throughout the academic activities of the VJU, he said, adding that the universitys missions were to provide human resources and research products of high quality, acquisition and transfer of knowledge from Japan; and promote co-operative relations between VietNam and Japan. Sharing the same opinion, Dr Hiroshige Seko, Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan, stressed the importance of the free flow of trade in the world and training human resources to Viet Nam. In recent years, Asian countries and Viet Nam are playing an increasingly important role in the free flow of trade in the world, he said, describing it as an unpreventable trend. He urged for putting in place strong reforms, especially in high quality human resources training, to realise Viet Nams economic potentials. Meanwhile, Kitaoka Shinichi, president of Japan International Co-operation Agency, reiterated the important milestone in the relationship Viet Nam and Japan have played in the worlds history. He stressed that Viet Nam and Japan had many similarities, such as in population size, and both were influenced by the Chinese civilisation and the spirit of love for peace, as well as respect for international law. He also noted the help Japan provided Viet Nam in various infrastructure projects, such as Terminal T2 of Noi Bai International airport, Nhat Tan Bridge, Cho Ray Hospital and the Viet Nam-Japan University, which he said was a special project for training students between the two countries. Prof Dr Vu Minh Giang, Chairman of VNUHs Science and Training Council, analysed the similarities and differences between Viet Nam and Japan in their natural conditions, cultural, organisational models and behaviours with foreign cultures. "The two nations are like the left and right hands, which seem to be in contrast, but not in conflict. They support each other. Therefore, we need to combine and complement each other to grow stronger in the future," he said. In the opening lecture on global change and sustainability, Prof Kensuke Fukushi from University of Tokyo said that for sustainable development, humans needed to balance the three elements of economic, social and environment. He also stressed that climate change was both a challenge and an opportunity for Viet Nam. VNS By Minh Thu Roses, lilies, daisies, sunflowers and orchids are all in bloom or slightly open. They are no less beautiful than those displayed in any flower shop. Their brilliant grace charms all people upon first sight. They are even edible. Surprised? Theyre not real? Youre right. They are buttercream and sugar flowers made by baker Nguyen Vu Hoang Anh. At just 22, Anh is already the owner of Mito Sweets, a brand focusing on cakes, sweets and training. Hes also authored many magazine articles on how to make cakes. Anh gathered his knowledge and experience in book The Gioi Ngot Ngao (The Sweet World) in 2009, which received a warm welcome from baking lovers. Now, hes a famous trainer and judge of pastry contests, not only in Viet Nam but in other Asian countries. But people dont know that he didnt expect to one day become a maestro of the sweets world. Six years ago, Anh was a high school student. He once accompanied a young female neighbour to a bakery shop to collect materials. He was dazzled and became lost in the world of colourful molds, decorative objects and baking tools. Mimicking nature: From buttercream and gumpaste, Anh can create any kind of flower and make it look real. His neighbour was his first teacher. She showed him the basic steps to make a cake. Gradually, he was attracted to find out more. I never forget the glint in my friends eyes when I gifted them the cakes I made, he said. Baking had such an irresistible attraction to me that I decided to research it seriously, said Anh. Though Anh graduated from Ha Noi Universitys Chinese language faculty, he was determined to pursue his career as a professional baker. He spent a lot of time looking up material for himself on the Internet to learn more. After two years of self-study, he used all his savings to study abroad. The courses earned him a Masters and equipped him with further precious knowledge and experience. He discovered that he had an endless love, passion and inspiration for fondant and gumpaste cakes. This genre has recently appeared in Viet Nam and a common example is the exquisite and expensive gateaux. The material is wonderful, Anh said. Its partly like Japanese clay and partly like Vietnamese rice dough to make to he (toy figurines). I can use it to create any form I want; flowers, animals, animated characters and other symbols. He started with simple things like cupcakes, then tried himself with birthday cakes and finally wedding cakes, which require the most diligence and talent from bakers. This genre was new in Viet Nam and there were very few experienced bakers to consult with, so I had to learn and practise hard to master it, he said. The ingredients were so expensive. There was no ready-to-use gumpaste. So I had to mix it on my own. And can you imagine? A student like me didnt have much money to buy sophisticated molds from abroad. I used beer bottle caps to shape rose petals. It wasnt bad, actually. Gumpaste is very sensitive to temperature, moisture and to other ingredients. Thats why Anh experienced many failures that often discouraged him. The thing that helped him move forward was that he could always learn from defeat. You never know what you can do with gumpaste if you dont try, said Anh. I love flowers and remember their colours and characteristics. Then I try to mix colours to imitate real flowers. Its a happy feeling when I see the gumpaste flowers bloom from my hands. One artwork he is most satisfied with was inspired by Venus, the immortal god of all-encompassing love, beauty, sex, fertility, prosperity and desire. He spent four days making this cake. The first day was for making sugar eggs and all the roses. The golden egg on top symbolizes love, beauty and sex, and the gold dust colour represents immortality and desire. On the remaining days, he made the two tiers, painted the Venus picture and added other hand-modeled details. Because the Birth of Venus painting inspired this cake, I tried to paint Venus with coloured gel and alcohol to give the cake a nice watercolour effect. The alcohol dries very quickly, so all the details and colours will set beautifully on the fondant. He made a statue face and a rose by hand out of gum paste. Though income from making cakes now brings him an easy life, he doesnt presume on using molds, especially in this "Venus" cake, because he wants to make the details very unique. I made this cake with so many new techniques. I painted all the details with edible golden paint to make it resemble royal jewelry. My strong point is sugar flowers - so I made a rose bouquet on top of the egg. The bouquet is made to resemble roses growing from the egg. As a reward, it won the title "Cake of the Month" last year by Satin Fine Foods, a world-leading manufacturer of Satin Ice fondant distributing to over 60 countries worldwide. I cant work without music and every time I work in my studio I need to have music playing for inspiration, said Anh. I always choose a song to match the theme of the cake I am making. For this cake, he played the song Venus by Lady Gaga to get the inspiration he needed. The quick rhythm of the song gave me so much energy and helped me concentrate on the cake, he said. From a student who knew nothing about baking, Anh has now become famous and successful within his chosen genre. Hes busy with classes where he can meet people who share the same passion and bring him much energy and inspiration to work. Anh teaches in both Ha Noi and HCM City, and also receives invitations to train bakers in Singapore, Jakarta, Hong Kong and Manila. This month, he will head to the Macaron Pastry Training Centre in Bangkok for a course about floral cakes. Hes so proud that he has a chance to return to the place where he had once been a student. Days pass, but glossy buttercream and fondant cakes still bring Anh an infinite source of energy to create with. For Anh, lifes meaning is so simple: I just do something I love and inspire others, thats enough for me. Let me sweeten your day, he said. VNS by Tu Le At 3,143m, Fansipan, commonly revered as the Roof of Indochina, is located in the northern Vietnamese province of Lao Cai. I have always dreamed of visiting it. The peak is famous for not only its glorious dreamlike mountain scenery, but also for the arduous trek to get there. My dreams are now not so far from my reach thanks to the opening of the state-of-the-art Fansipan Legend cable car system in February. However, the controversy over the new cable car system came as no surprise, and created in me mixed thoughts about this special structure. Flipping through a couple of newspapers, it was easy for me to realize the huge changes that the cable car system has brought to Sa Pa and Fansipan. With a length of 6,282m, the Fansipan Legend cable car system according to the Guinness Book of World Records has become the worlds longest three-rope cable car route. With a capacity of 30-35 passengers in each car, the whole system can carry 2,000 people an hour. The system can operate safely even during extreme weathers, so Fansipan can now welcome tourists, of all ages and health conditions, all year round. Standing on the summit of Indochina has been my dream for a long time, which had not been realized, due to its famously tortuous trek. Now thanks to the opening of the convenient cable car service, even my frail 78 year-old mother and my 5-year-old daughter can join me on the trip to Fansipan, said Pham Quoc Long, a tourist from Ha Noi, who was taking his family to visit Fansipan for the first time. In addition to the recent inauguration of Ha NoiLao Cai Highway, it comes as little surprise that the Fansipan Legend cable car system has attracted significantly more tourists to Sa Pa and pushed local economic development to a higher level. In contrast, as a hotly discussed topic on numerous online forums about travel and trekking, the construction and operation of the Fansipan Legend cable car system has faced strong opposition from different groups of trekking enthusiasts. The system has significantly shortened the amount of time needed to reach the peak: The famously arduous trek to Fansipan used to take at least three days for a round trip - now it only takes 15 minutes for anyone to reach the peak from Muong Hoa Valley. To many people, especially for those that have taken the three-day trek, less time equals less meaning. Conquering Fansipan peak for many people is a life challenge. The ineffable emotion when reaching the peak and hugging the national flag after an exhausting and grueling trek was just so meaningful to me. Now with the cable cars, everything seems ordinary and boring because the whole thing takes just 15 minutes, said ang Hoang Minh, from HCM City. For many Vietnamese young people, the Fansipan peak goes beyond being the summit of Indochina. Conquering the peak becomes a special rite of passage, a symbol of youth, determination and even nationalism. The most important thing during my trip to the peak was the experiences along the way, not the picture with the three-sided landmark at the peak. Travelling in the cable car, you will not have the feeling of passing through the old deep forest, feasting your own eyes on the splendid natural scenery along the way. You will not earn the priceless lessons of determination, about facing any obstacle, or realizing what you can do goes far beyond what you first thought. Travelling to Fansipan on the cable car, I guess, may disappoint you deeply because the peak itself, to be honest, is nothing remarkable, said An Du, a young woman from HCM City who had an unforgettable trek to the summit. The cable car system has proven a great disappoint not only to youth and adventurous trekkers, but also to environmentalists and experts on cultural conservation. The rapidly increasing number of tourists certainly has brought the hustle and bustle of a big city to Sa Pa, the cozy small town once known for its peace and quiet. The number of tourists visiting the peak has roared, leading to a boom in tourist services, which adds a lot of pressure on the conservation of nature around the peak. I am really concerned that Fansipan will reluctantly become a garbage dump created by the large number of irresponsible tourists. The leave nothing behind but your footprint philosophy may become a thing of the past on Fansipan," shared Tran Nam on his Facebook page. Frankly speaking, despite being a disappointment to a fair number of adventure seekers, the Fansipan Legend cable car system has brought the famous peak closer to more people; more Vietnamese can now directly appreciate the beauty of their country. Lets all hope that the modern cable cars come with effective management and continuously maintains the natural and cultural conservation practices in beautiful Sa Pa and Fansipan for years to come. Dont be overly judgmental here. If you wish to conquer Fansipan in the traditional way, well, go for it. Get to the top on your own feet. If anyone with a health condition still wants to visit the famous peak, the cable car system is right there to serve them. It doesnt ruin the excitement of the adventurous trekkers in any way. Dont let your own selfishness overshadow the joy of other travellers, cautioned Hoa Phuong, a university student. VNS Unequal Budget funding for the Yes vote wont give Australians equal say If you seek to ensure not all Australians get an equal say in the debate about an enshrined voice, then dont be surprised when millions of them cry foul about the integrity of the result. Our gas: Andrews makes national energy demand Victorias Premier has proposed solving the east coast's gas problems by creating a nationwide scheme similar to one already successful in the country's West. Cash challenges PM to front Australians over IS families With the contentious Syrian repatriation mission in full swing, the Opposition continued to question the safety of the Islamic State linked families that have begun arriving on Sydney soil. Andrew Clennell looks ahead to the coming week in politics 02:31 Sky News Political Editor Andrew Clennell has assessed what is set to be seen in the coming week in politics. BOONE Preserving the freedom to operate, improving ag productivity and dealing with market uncertainty were among the topics discussed during a grower and industry leader panel on the evolution of agriculture at the 2016 Farm Progress Show. The five farmers on the panel: Bob Hemesath, former Iowa Corn Growers Association president; Craig Hill, president of the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation; Stephanie Essick, an Iowa Soybean Association director; Ray Gaesser, American Soybean Association past president; and Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey. Hemesath said farmers freedom to operate is an important issue, including everything from regulations to the desires of consumers and other nations. We have a lot of issues facing us that the general consumer thinks might be a problem for farmers, and we need to communicate what we are doing on those, he said. Hemesath said this includes policy on topics ranging from crop insurance and biotech labeling to trade. He stressed the need to talk face to face with neighbors and consumers about these issues. Hill discussed current economic conditions, highlighting points from the Iowa Farm Bureaus Economic Summit. Agriculture has always faced cycles. We have currently a trough in the cycle. Were going to have to experience this for a few years and design methods that we can increase demand, Hill said. When there is a margin available, you grab it. He said a focus on innovation is even more important. What we do with one acre today is a lot, but in 35 years were only going to have a third of an acre to do what we did with that in terms of population, income of population, reduced acres, Hill said. He said new genetics technology is an example of the type of innovation that will be needed. I think farmers have to worry about control. We may lose that technology if society doesnt accept that, Hill said. Farm connections He also said the transition of agriculture to younger generations is not going as smoothly as we all hoped and encouraged older farmers to bring young people into their operations. Essick said, We may raise corn and beans, but the most important thing on our farm that we are raising is our children. Essick, a fourth-generation farmer, encouraged young people in agriculture to keep learning, even after college. She shares pictures of her familys farm on Facebook so others can relate to their issues. Were all in this together, Gaesser said, Hill described a need to get basic education about agriculture and food production in schools. Farmers and others in the ag industry may need to change their tone a little, too maybe a little bit more emotional, he said. Complicated world Hemesath echoed Hills sentiments about cycles and taking profits when you can. Were coming out of a time when it was pretty easy to make money in agriculture. I dont say that lightly, but it was, and I think we kind of got a little lax in our management and our marketing and our risk management, Hemesath said. I think we have to use those tools. They are always important, but they are more important now. Hill added, I think its going to be a very complicated world. He described how insurance companies need software experts to understand the massive amount of data and information about the people and products they insure. Similarly, he said, stewardship of data will be crucial to understanding all the information gleaned from sensors that analyze every square meter of soil. Northey said, We are going to have some folks that its going to be hard to put a plan together this next spring unless we see some prices bounce on how were going to be able to make money on this next crop. One of the things, I think, that everybody thats been through it always argues is: Make those tough decisions when you need to make them. And thats earlier rather than later. Northey said the Century Farm awards at the Iowa State Fair are a reminder of Iowas long ag history. You know there were terribly challenging times when folks thought they were not going to get through, and you have to get through those or you dont get to keep the farm, he said. If you can do it, its amazing how making every day work suddenly finds you 90 years or 100 years or 150 years later and how rewarding that is. Congratulations, Christine Williams! CEDAR FALLS Christine Williams will receive the first annual Tiffany Becher Memorial Scholarship from La James International College. Williams is the owner of Chrisseta Beauty School and Salon in Liberia; she initially came to the U.S. with the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Women program, a global initiative that fosters economic growth by providing female entrepreneurs around the world with a business and management education, mentoring and networking. Williams chose La James for esthetics and teacher training. She will receive $5,000 to be used for the completion of her training program. She hopes to use her training to provide career opportunities for women in Liberia. The annual scholarship program is in honor of the late Tiffany Becher, daughter of founder Cynthia Becher. WATERLOO A Waterloo teen is facing new charges after police found a stolen shotgun in a garage. Deleco Deshurn McDonald, 18, had been detained on Sunday on weapons charges after a home, garage and vehicle were shot in the area of West Arlington and Cutler streets, and officers found a .22-caliber rifle and a 9mm handgun. McDonald allegedly admitted to holding the rifle, but he denied shooting, court records state. He told police someone had shot at him, records state. Authorities later searched McDonalds garage on Reed Street and found a 12-gauge Weatherby shotgun. Officers were told the weapon had been taken during a burglary, and on Thursday, McDonald was arrested for trafficking stolen weapons. His bond was set at $10,000. WATERLOO For most Americans, 9/11 is a day they will never forget. But for current high school students, its mostly a history lesson. Many incoming freshmen werent even born 15 years ago today when planes crashed into the Twin Towers, the Pentagon and a Pennsylvania field. Todays seniors were just toddlers. While many aspects of students lives are changed due to the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001 from world politics to Americas relative understanding of security its been left to the schools to teach the events of that day and explain their impact. Teachers own memories contribute to those lessons. I was here teaching government, recalled West High School teacher Tom Yuska. A kid came in and said, Mr. Yuska, I heard a plane hit the World Trade Center. We turned on the TV. We literally watched the second plane hit the World Trade Center, he said. The class spent the rest of the hour watching the coverage. The attacks are now included in Wests U.S. history textbooks, and Yuska teaches about them every spring. On or near Sept. 11 every year, though, he and a number of high school teachers across the Cedar Valley immerse their students in the events of that day, setting aside the regular curriculum. Many of those teachers did so on Friday. As history teachers, very rarely do we see those moments on which history pivots, said Jonathan Grieder, another West teacher. It was scary. The kids were scared and I was terrified, said Yuska. Its probably one of the craziest days Ive had as a teacher. It was easily the most emotional day of my teaching career, noted Bob Schmidt, a long-time Cedar Falls High School history and government teacher. Ive been in school with Columbine, Challenger, Sandy Hook, and none of them had the emotional impact of 9/11 and those were emotional days, he said, referencing a 1999 school shooting, the 1986 space shuttle explosion and a 2012 school shooting. I remember those days very clearly, said Schmidt. But 9/11, when I had kids walking to class that day, they had genuine fear. My kids today like to hear how we coped with fear and that anxiety, too. Such personal recollections are part of what he presents to students in his Advanced Placement classes each year. They love hearing the anecdotes about everyday life and what went on that day in America, said Schmidt. How hes approached the class period has changed over the years. Now I give a timeline and a brief history of that day, he said, before taking questions from students. He shows video clips from the attacks, although a lot of them have seen visuals of it. ... Its more historical now, simply because I have kids that have no recollection of it. Cedar Falls senior Emily Fishel appreciates how Schmidt approaches 9/11, but said the subject has been talked about more in passing by most of her high school history teachers. I think the recent history gets kind of stepped over and not addressed just because of time constraints, she said. Theres just not enough time in the year to cover everything. Solutions sought Grieder brings the topic into other social studies classes, talking about the economic impact of 9/11 in his economics class and the legal ramifications of decisions made afterwards by U.S. leaders in his law and society class. In his ninth-grade U.S. history class, students watch videos and listen to audio of the events. We experience as much as we can through primary sources, and then we discuss it, he said. Since the first anniversary of the attacks, Yuska has done some similar things as well as bringing in magazines and newspapers hes saved from the time. Youve got to do this, he said. These are interesting points to kids. If students have a lot of questions about why the terrorists hated America, hell play the Oct. 3, 2001, Issac and Ishmael episode of The West Wing TV series, which addresses the attacks. When I get into a class like contemporary affairs, thats a big topic what caused it, said West teacher Kirk Stevens. Students in the class spent multiple days last week going through stations where they watched videos, examined articles and photos and participated in discussions related to the attacks. The discussion tends toward looking for solutions. Kirk tells students, These are the events that happened. Now that you know it, how can we prevent another (attack)? He said they come up with ideas like working with other countries to deal with the threat, increasing international trade and diminishing the U.S. presence in places where terrorists have come from. One thing I like showing is interviews with Muslim students (from Indonesia and the United Arab Emirates), said Stevens. And they have a totally different perspective on it. Ben Barnett addressed 9/11 in his Columbus Catholic High School communications class, which he is teaching for the first time. Students looked at how the attacks affected and changed the communications field. He is conscious of the gap students face when he teaches about the subject. They understand it was a pivotal moment, but they dont understand the depth and severity of what happened to us, said Barnett. Theres some students who know a little bit more than others (about the attacks), but they dont understand the context because this is their context. At the adjacent Blessed Maria Assunta Pallotta Middle School, more than 40 students spent time Friday afternoon asking local public officials and representatives of various emergency response fields about their memories of 9/11. It was part of a volunteer service project where the students also handed out thank-you cards they made for the visitors. It kind of gets students involved in 9/11, said participant Faith Freshwater, a seventh-grader. They learn about it. Bella Lorenz, another seventh-grader, viewed her participation as giving back to the emergency responders. Its important that we help the people that protect us, she said. Security normal Grieder noted he was only in sixth-grade when the attacks happened. However, he still remembers being able to show up at an airport 30 minutes before a flight and generally living in a less fearful time. Todays students dont know what that world looks like, because they only know after, he said. Metal detectors and other security measures at airports have always been a part of life for Jackson Kliewer, a ninth-grader at Holmes Junior High School in Cedar Falls. Its normal for me, all the surveillance, he said. My parents, how they knew airports before 9/11, it sounds almost completely insane. Lexie Williams, a Holmes freshman who was born just 10 days after the attacks, sees an important difference between her generation and that of her parents. They could go out and they could do anything, because they trusted people, she said. Now, I think that we kind of look at people hesitantly, like, Whats your motive? I think in schools we should be taught to be more open to people. Last year, when a teacher showed video from the Twin Tower attacks during a class it was the first time some of Williams and Kliewers classmates realized people had jumped out of the buildings to escape the fiery destruction. Both voiced concern over how little some of their peers know about 9/11 or more recent terrorist attacks in the U.S. and around the world. Kids cannot be sheltered from this, said Kliewer. Its very important they know everything that took place. People Im talking to, they say what they heard from their parents, added Williams, about 9/11. I think we should be doing more research on what happened. West High junior Parker McNally said the first time a teacher walked his class through the events of that day was in third-grade. Its impact really hit him in seventh-grade, though, when more class time was devoted to explaining what happened, including showing students video of the attacks. Students also spent time in discussion and wrote a reflection on 9/11. It was kind of an out-of-body experience, actually seeing the footage and knowing what was behind it, he said. We saw so much footage of it that it almost made me sick. A period of intense interest in the subject followed. I spent a lot of time researching it. I wanted to know why, said Parker. I want answers, but Im never going to get those, and thats what I realized. West senior Dayton Carpenter took Stevens contemporary affairs class last year. Learning about Islamic culture, discussing the impact U.S. policies have on other countries and hearing multiple perspectives on 9/11 was insightful for him. It helped him better understand what happened and how monumental the changes to American society have been. He understands Americans are more fearful of terrorists since 9/11. Like the other students, Carpenter recognizes the need for increased security measures, but isnt very concerned about the possibility of being a victim of terrorism. I think its completely different than before the attacks 15 years ago, he acknowledged. I dont think itll ever be the same as 9/10. WATERLOO Superintendent Jane Lindamans contract is up for approval Monday by the Board of Education. The board meets at 6 p.m. in the Education Service Center, 1516 Washington St. Lindaman, who is now in her third year leading Waterloo Community Schools, received high marks from the board during a closed-door evaluation in July. But president Shanlee McNally said at the time that tight budgets this year mean she would likely receive only a small raise. Details of the salary increase for the three-year contract will be unveiled Monday. In other business, the board will: Hold a public hearing on demolition of the former Edison School. Later in the meeting, the board is expected to approve seeking bids for the project. Accept a $5,000 donation from the R.J. McElroy Trust for emergency fund purposes at eight of the districts 11 elementary schools and three of its four middle schools. The money will be used for discretionary purposes such as clothing, medical expenses and activity fees. Approve an agreement with Hudson Community School to share a Waterloo high school science teacher. Hudson will pay half of the salary, or $30,497. Elect officers, including president and vice president, as part of its annual reorganization. WATERLOO The hours are long, the stress level can be high and its a temporary job lasting one day. And yet year after year auditors across the state manage to find people up to the task. Black Hawk County Elections Manager Karen Showalter needs nearly 350 people to work in the precincts on Election Day from before polls open at 7 a.m. and until after they close at 9 p.m. Shes filled all but about 40 positions by calling on past precinct election workers most have worked three elections or more and people past workers draft into service. Its still a lot, but it could be worse. It could be a lot worse, so most are returning, Showalter said. So, were doing actually really good. Showalter hopes to fill all positions by early October so workers can be trained before the Nov. 8 election. A precinct election officials duties include preparing the polling place for election, determining eligibility of voters, instructing voters on how to use voting machines and reporting results to the courthouse. Workers are paid for both their time on Nov. 8 and time they spend in up to four training sessions to learn the processes, procedures and equipment. Pay starts at $9.50 per hour, plus mileage. When Showalter took on the job of elections manager, one of her charges was to recruit poll workers to have a strong pool this year and years beyond. Id say just the sheer volume (of people needed), the long day, moving toward new technology, has really been the reason that were looking at having to recruit more people, Showalter said. Since many people who return year after year are retired, Showalter said, new technologies have hampered the ability to keep some poll workers. One reason people are not returning this year was the fact the county got new voting machines, and some long-time workers chose not to learn the new system. Through the advancement of technology, while its good for the process, weve lost a few of our workers that way too, Showalter said. Showalter said since she took on the role as elections manager her predecessor Kyle Jensson retired in April shes found creative ways to attract people to help out. Shes spoken to service groups, senior centers, businesses and the University of Northern Iowa, and reached out to college students on social media. Anyone interested in learning more about being a precinct official Nov. 8 can contact the Black Hawk County Elections office at 833-3007 or at election@co.black-hawk.ia.us. They can also view the application online at http://www.co.black-hawk.ia.us/190/Elections. WATERLOO The City Council is scheduled Monday to consider upgrading Waterloos building and fire codes. Building Official Craig Clark and Chief of Fire Services Pat Treloar have proposed adopting the 2015 building and fire codes, replacing the 2009 versions currently governing construction. Both said there were few substantial changes, and some rules are less restrictive than existing codes. Clark said the new codes will be nearly identical to those followed in neighboring Cedar Falls. We paired with (Cedar Falls) to go over the code changes and we had three meetings with the homebuilders association, he said. It gave us a good process with Cedar Falls to discuss how they interpret things too. One major change governs when egress windows must be installed when basements are remodeled. Currently any basement remodeling project requires an egress window, while the new code would only require the window if the basement has a sleeping room. Thats a big change that will make a nice impact for people wanting to remodel, said Clark, noting some homeowners simply wanting to replace wood paneling with drywall are often frustrated by the egress window cost. Other key changes will require permits for any accessory storage building larger than 120 square feet instead of the current 200-square-foot threshold and the return of a requirement for self-closing hinges on doors from garages to homes. The latter change was a long-time code requirement removed in 2009. Treloar said key changes in the fire code include a reduced number of sprinkler heads in certain fire suppression systems and a less restrictive requirement for fire alarms in smaller occupancy buildings. The proposed fire code would require a pre-inspection by fire officials before a new business can open in an old building, because changes in use can trigger changes in code requirements. It would also require sprinkler system shut-off valves for each floor in a newly constructed building of three stories or more. That may add cost but would be better for building occupants should the sprinkler system malfunction. The meeting is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. in the council chambers on the second floor of City Hall. The council is also expected to discuss funding sources for public safety cameras at traffic intersections during a 4:05 p.m. work session. Sue Flynn WATERLOO It was a normal Tuesday morning and I was hurriedly getting my three children ready for school. I had the Today show on but wasnt watching intently. I glanced at the TV screen and saw a plane flying directly into the side of what I learned was one of the twin towers. My memory of this horrific event saddens me on many emotional levels to this day. I am embarrassed to say my first thought when I saw the plane hit was it was a video game commercial; it was surreal, it was clear and graphic. I watched the TV more intently, and realized this wasnt a video game but a real, actual plane flying into a building, not a video game but real live horror. It was shocking for me to realize my perception was so desensitized to such an act, but also so sorrowful someone could do such an unfathomable thing. I continued to watch in fear; the second plane; the speculations, the smoke, the people on the planes and in the buildings; and I hugged my kids and prayed for their futures and for the future of this great country. Krista Balek WATERLOO I was 14 and in eighth grade in September of 2001. I first knew something was wrong during second period art. Mr. and Mrs. M taught art and science at the middle school. Halfway through class, Mrs. M ran into the room. She was distraught; she hugged Mr. M and sobbed. They left the room to talk and the lesson continued as normal when he returned. When I walked into third period science, Mrs. M was sitting on a chair in front of the classroom. She told us what had happened. It didnt seem real. I didnt see any of the footage until fourth period when I went to TAG. Our instructor had the news on and we all sat and watched for the entire period. I couldnt tell you what happened the rest of the day. My strongest memory of that time, and the one that always comes to me first whenever I think of 9/11, is Mrs. M sitting in front of us and the look on her face as she struggled to hold back tears and stay professional. Cheri Roberts WATERLOO I saw the second tower fall. Called my local Red Cross to donate blood, and they said there wont be a need for blood. Chilling. Najda Pajazetovic WATERLOO I was in my third-grade reading class at Orange Elementary. I remember my teacher getting a call and instant tears covered her face. Within minutes, all of the classes combined into one and we watched the news together, as our teachers held hands behind us and cried. School was dismissed early that day and I just remember all of the sadness around me. I remember my mom sitting down with my brother and I that night and explaining what had happened. She told us things might be rough for us after this event because the horrible people that did this were Muslim, like us, and we might be classified as bad people like them. She was right. We prayed for the people who were affected that night. Patty Van Auken FREDERIKA It was morning in Andover, Minn., and my children (all toddlers) had arrived to my daughter and son-in-laws home where I cared for them while their parents were at work. We were in the middle of breakfast and beginning our days activities. The television was on; the present program was interrupted with an emergency announcement. The screen showed one of the twin towers smoking profusely. Fire began to blaze amid the rolling, rapidly rising smoke. The announcer said a plane had flown into the tower. I remember first thinking, How in the world did a plane get OKd to be in that area? Then as I watched, I began talking to my Father in heaven to be present with the passengers, the flight personnel (in the plane and in a tower someplace) and with all victims in such a terrible accident. About that time, as I watched, a second plane came into view. And I watched as it hit the second tower. Then I recognized the accident was part of a well-planned attack. Shocked at what I was witnessing and experiencing a feeling of shock, a dashed thought of disbelief, concern for so many immediate victims, thoughts of who? Why? How can there be help for all? I, almost without thought, picked up my Bible lying on the counter. Right beside me sat six little cherubs, so innocent, chattering, laughing, nibbling at each bite. I was experiencing so many thoughts and concerns for so many. I opened my Bible at random and looked where my finger rested. I became assured once again man does not rule God is in control. The Bible verse: Isaiah 41:10. Fear not, for I am with you. Do not be dismayed, I am your God. I will strengthen you. I will help you; I will uphold you with my victorious right hand. I marked it immediately 9-11-01. It helped to recall that verse as news continued with the plane from Boston crashing in Pennsylvania and the attack on the Pentagon. Isaiah 41:10 helps continually. Just claim and hold on to that promise. I remember. In the two months since Congress last failed to do anything about Zika, scientists have been busy uncovering disturbing new details about the virus. Now back in Washington, lawmakers have again rejected a bill to fund the Zika fight a failure Congress must reverse before its month-long session is over. Since June, hundreds more Americans have been infected, including 35 bitten by virus-bearing mosquitoes in Florida. Several more babies have been delivered with Zika-related birth defects in the U.S. (and many more in Puerto Rico, where U.S. officials have declared a public health emergency). About a third of babies whose mothers are infected early in pregnancy develop problems from microcephaly to blindness, deafness, seizures and a tendency to inconsolable crying. And while Zika seems relatively benign in adults, a small number of victims suffer the nervous system disorder Guillain-Barre syndrome. Scientists now believe pregnancy may greatly prolong a Zika infection by enabling the germ to travel repeatedly between the mother and the baby. And even babies who seem normal at birth, but whose mothers were infected with Zika late in pregnancy, can suffer serious developmental problems later on. Some public health experts are comparing Zika to German measles and thalidomide. Once a fetus is infected, Zika infiltrates the stem cells that generate neurons, keeping them from growing, multiplying and differentiating. Studies indicate the possibility that Zika could invade adult brains in a similar way, targeting pockets of neural progenitor cells that are critical to learning and memory. On the bright side, a promising vaccine containing a gene fragment similar to one in the virus is being tested in Puerto Rico. And researchers have identified two existing drugs that might protect human brain cells from Zika. But progress on all fronts not just drug development but mosquito eradication, diagnostic testing and research to understand all of Zikas effects will be delayed without adequate federal funding. The money the National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have lifted from other parts of their budgets will run out this month. The legislation that failed Tuesday was voted down by Democrats for good reason: It contained deal-killing partisan provisions, including one that would forbid any funding for womens health from going to Planned Parenthood. Anything that could jeopardize passage of this legislation needs to be stripped from the bill. Zika is too serious, and too dangerous, for politics as usual. Earlier this year, I received a call from a gentleman with an area service club. He said, Barb, I read your column last September about taking action against hunger, and I want you to come and speak to our service club about the food bank. I also want you to know that we are going to volunteer and collect donations for you. It was a direct response to what Hunger Action Month, which takes place every September, is all about. It is one of many responses to Hunger Action Month, one I remember clearly. This year, there is still a need in our community. Hunger and food insecurity still exist. Consider these statistics: 12.7 percent of people are food insecure in Northeast Iowa, according to Feeding America and USDA. The number is slightly up, but up considerably since the late 1990s when it was around 9 percent. Almost 20 percent are children. More than 60 percent of people in Northeast Iowa are making choices of eating versus paying for medical bills, utilities or rent or their mortgage. 48 percent of households have incomes below the federal poverty rate. 16 percent of clients have no health insurance and 61 percent of clients are choosing between eating and paying for medicine and medical care. 8 percent of our clients have a high school diploma and 44 percent have some sort of post high school education. So what did the Northeast Iowa Food Bank accomplish this year? In FY 2016, the Food Bank distributed to member agencies 6 million pounds of food, or 5 million meals. If you add other food banks, we handled another 2 million pounds of food or 1.6 million meals. Served an average of 2,200 families each month with food through the Cedar Valley Food Pantry. Provided more than 131 schools with food through the Back Pack program, providing more than 135,000 bags to children, up from 90,000 bags in FY 2014. Provided more than 55,000 meals and snacks to children through the Kids Cafe program. We served more than 450 unduplicated children, up from 242 in FY 2014. Provided more than 1,700 seniors with food through our Elderly Nutrition Program. In FY 2014, more than 25,000 bags and boxes of food was provided through Area Agencies on Aging and senior sites. Provided 13 communities in Northeast Iowa with Mobile Food Pantries, reaching an average of 100 families each month at these sites. Each distribution provides between 4,000 and 5,000 pounds of food. We piloted, with many community partners, Summer Feeding programs in Cedar Falls and Waverly, in addition to the sites we have always done. More than 11,000 people volunteered at the food bank last fiscal year. Just as the man who called me from the service club who wanted to make a difference, so can you. The list is long of those who have already stepped forward, but unfortunately more needs to be done. You can help a child eat after school or on the weekend. You can help a senior citizen have food so they can use their limited income to pay other bills. You can help a family with medical issues eat this month. Taking action works, and it warms your heart. September is Hunger Action Month, the time to raise awareness and get people to take action. Watch for our 30 Ways in 30 Days calendar, but remember this isnt the only month to make a difference. It can be any month. It is just a way to start. What will you do to make a difference? To find out how to get involved go to www.northeastiowafoodbank.org or call 235-0507. The Wild Hunt is taking this moment to pay tribute to the many people who lost their lives on September 11, 2001; to the brave who stepped forward and not back; and to the families who still grieve. In memory of the victims and acknowledgement of the survivors, we offer the words often spoken here: What is Remembered, Lives. For more thoughts from our writers, past and present: Fear of a Blue Sky by Alley Valkyrie For the rest of the week, I spent my afternoons in Union Square, praying and making offerings for the dead. The screaming only started to fade a few months later as the fire finally went out, but I heard the screams in traces for the next several years. Personal Thoughts on 9/11 by Cara Schulz (originally posted on PNC Minnesota) I lost one of my best friends, and Air Force buddy and matron of honor at my wedding. I didnt know she was in one of the towers while I sat in stalled traffic on 394 that morning I was horrified hearing the radio news report that a second plane had hit a tower and, judging by how the traffic slowed and then stopped as people lost focus on driving, the other drivers shared my horror. Traffic stopped. And it felt like the world stopped. Each year the world should stop again and it doesnt and that feels wrong. The Sacred Void: the 9/11 Memorial: by Heather Greene I cant pretend to know what the 9/11 Memorial means to others specifically to those who directly lost loved ones in the attacks. For me the memorial was not what I expected. I had hoped to find a place of calm where I could process my own lingering sadness. But I didnt. I wanted the memorial to fill me with comfort and pride in my country. But it didnt. Existing in a Changed World: Pagan Reflections on 9/11 by Jason Pitzl-Waters September 11th was one of the things that started me on the path towards Pagan blogging and journalism. Years before The Wild Hunt I had a small proto-blog called MythWorks where I tried to find Pagan reactions to the madness that had just occurred. 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(12) Nov 06 (8) Nov 05 (4) Oct 29 (1) Oct 01 (1) Jul 29 (1) May 11 (1) Jul 11 (1) Turnbull has lied to Christians about a plebiscite. = = = = = New Moon festival at Springvale, in Melbourne. It is good to see happy, excited children. Some playing with balloons. Mainly their faces beam as they prepare for food coma following a big day. But while it may feel like all is right with the world, there are some things that are terribly wrong. It is US Patriots Day. Anniversary of the evil 911 attacks that happened as a direct result of Bill Clinton being elected President twice. Bill weakened the CIA in the Middle East as a cost measure. In NSW Council elections have ended for places with councils that function. There are many places where councils did not function. The ALP have taken many for granted where they dominate council. It is disappointing Fairfield, despite a split ALP vote, did not change hands after Liberal Party infighting. Dai Le had good support, but it was not enough. An ISIL wannabe stabbed a man in Sydney, but ABC refused to mention the motivation for the attack. It is apparently more comforting if the attack is described as random. Meanwhile, an ABC presenter describes the Israeli West Bank as occupied. Their tacit support for terrorists over homeowners is noted. For some, at the moment, the Sex Party has more credibility. === from 2015 === None for 2015 .. because of Melbourne promotional trip From 2014 It is Patriot Day in USA and time to remember why we are at war with terror. It is also an election year for US Congress. Two years ago, in another election year, Obama was dancing with Beyonce and unable to be contacted when his personal pick for Libyan ambassador was calling for help over a terrorist hit. Sadly Hilary Clinton was on hand to deny aid and give weapons to ISIS forces without interference from special forces. Clinton and Rice blamed an Egyptian Coptic filmmaker, even pointing him out to terrorists, as reason for the attack. The White house had been in election mode and had claimed Al Qaeda was no more as an international force. When Romney referred to it in debate, media mugged him for Obama. A year later, Obama had wanted to bomb Syria in favour of ISIS. Russia said 'no' and so the White house favoured an illegitimate government in Ukraine which forced Moscow to claim their own naval dock yard and brought ethnic tensions to the surface in Ukraine which resulted in MH17. Obama needs to project strength if he is to get a congress that will work to his agenda, but who feels that such a congress would be worthwhile? As Bill Clinton showed, a hostile congress can get good bills past an incompetent President. It is Patriot day and worth remembering victims of 9/11. An Australian wife of a victim at the World Trade Centre has opened a door to his room for the first time since that day. Their child is teaching at a high school. It is worse than a life interrupted, there are all the blessings of a life together and the growth together, the nesting, the aims for a future .. and it was all denied forever. It was terror, but many Islamic leaders have claimed it was Islam which which committed the atrocity. In the Middle East people are recorded cheering the atrocity. Saddam Hussein in Iraq paid money to suicide bombers after the event. There was, as then President Bush noted, an Axis of Evil. People claiming that there was a purpose to the evil, twisting a knife into families of victims. And the cause, at the root, is no different from that which Israel has defended herself from her beginning as a modern state. Terror has changed us in the west. But the legacy of what has made the west great is still there. Left wing discourse on the issue is very wide of the mark and looking flaky because of it. 'War for oil' ? We need to be humble. We need to own our mistakes. We need to want to be free. We need to fight for our treasure. The soldiers that fought for America in WW2 are correctly referred to as 'The Greatest Generation.' But what will they call those who in the face of terrorism got confused? For thirteen years since 9/11, activists have failed to explain what happened in their discourse of why things happen. ABC continues to oppose Australia in war. Australia has a proud history in war, but not perfect. The ABC view seems oppositional, one sided, corrosive, misguided and contrary to their charter. Meanwhile opposition leader Shorten has tried to torpedo a $20 billion submarine deal with Japan which might force a bad $40 billion deal with people who cannot produce excellent vehicles with equivalent speed. No doubt Shorten will be excused for any digger that dies as a result of his bad speech. The Lin family murders were horrible and so far not fully explained. A relative is facing court in relation to the killings. They had custody of a survivor who had been absent at the time of the killings. The survivor, a young female, is alleging sexual abuse by her subsequent guardian which others feel could be a motive. The child survivor has not done anything wrong and deserves much better than what she has so far been given in life. But many things are unfair. presaging Pistorius verdict, Leigh Sales on ABC 7:30 report calls Pistorius a "Fallen hero." The judge at trial has presaged the verdict by taking on board serious issues raised by the defence. He has been found not guilty of murder. One can still hope for a custodial sentence and disgrace related to his behaviour. ICAC has heard how a $20k check from a banned donor developer did not go directly to the Liberal Party but instead went to what they called a slush fund. So the ICAC does not think slush funds are appropriate? Under what circumstances might they be? Still the ICAC has no evidence of corruption. Injustice has no end. Aboriginal children are suffering from racist myths just as 1400 children of Rotherham have. Racism needs to be opposed, but it isn't being opposed rationally by laws that claim to, like 18c. Nobody has proposed a better defence than a free press to safeguard western nations from corruption, but the press have a strong left wing agenda and are weak, not free. And the suppression of free speech has resulted in the abuse detailed in the top end of Australia, and Rotherham, in numbers that would not be tolerated were the news known, and not censored by race. An Australian detective is working to protect children from pedophiles in South East Asia. He has sacrificed everything to do so after being on holiday and approached by a pimp with an offer. In Australia Federal Border Protection and Immigration Minister Morrison has done a brilliant job to date, but deserve to be given access to Temporary Protection Visas to do even better. A child of a newly arrived Afghan couple has died after falling into a creek at a barbecue. Three years old, surviving a harsh journey, only to fall in a tragic accident. Frightbats of the media are lying and feeding a false narrative of the world. They trip up on facts, but their fans don't notice, or defend them. One statistic that fails the anti government rhetoric is the unemployment statistic that has over 120k employed recently, but no reason for it. There was a chilling statistic recently suggesting unemployment rose for no reason too. One unexplained fact gets accepted by the anti government rabble, another is rejected from the same source, suggesting it is the narrative that is wrong. There are difficult jobs, like that of cabinet minister for the stool of a King, but what about jobs done for free, unpaid, out of love? Google has such a wonderful permanent frat party aspect for her workers so that some don't bother having homes. A solar storm approaches Australia, but we will survive. Ebola has been reported as not being in Australia after a sick person complained it might be. Self diagnosis is fraught. From 2013 We begin tonight and the editorial will finish with Saddam Hussein. Today is 9/11. On the eleventh of September 2001 some terrorists claiming to be Islamic took down four flights of commercial aircraft and killed thousands of people, changing the way democracy works in America. The day was chosen because of the emergency call number in the US. But any excuse could be made. Terrorism has no meaning, and should never be allowed to win, or be seen to win. Pointed look at Obama. The left wing dominate the free press, but don't have moral rectitude. Abbott's daughters have been pictured with Mr Abbott on the FB page " Furiously Masturbating to Abbott's Daughters " The page has been reported to FB, which replies it is within the bounds of community standards. In the same vein as having a biased press is useful for conservatives to get votes in a conservative cycle, this kind of page will disgust reasonable people. But it is a sad indictment on the community standard, and as an equivalent involving the left wing would not be tolerated, it is a double standard. Mr Abbott is still a few days from announcing a ministry. Sadly Sophie Mirabella seems to have missed out in her electorate. The media attacks on her have been very dirty. The expected winner of the seat of Indi is a conservative who has the support of Tony Windsor, another so called conservative who supported the ALP as an independent on many occasions over his entire career. So Mr Abbott's government has not begun yet, but the opposition will begin masturbating. Fires have claimed a few houses in NSW, and rage in California. The NSW fires have added poignancy, with some having been deliberately lit and with a thief having stolen a laptop from an open window of a damaged house. Another fire burns inside the heart of Obama who really wants to hit Syria with more than pins. One can only imagine what the pricks have done to Whitehouse maps of Syria, Obama wants to use real weapons. Only the world won't let him. Assad is in discussions to surrender chemical weapons. One hopes this happens and the history of those weapons is analysed to see how Saddam did it .. and with which Democrat's support. Historical perspective on this day Not done === Publishing News === This column welcomes feedback and criticism. The column is not made up but based on the days events and articles which are then placed in the feed. So they may not have an apparent cohesion they would have had were they made up. === Thanks to Warren for this advice on watching Bolt Warren Catton Get this for your PC or MAC https://www.foxtel.com.au/foxtelplay/how-it-works/pc-mac.html Once you have installed it start it up and press Live TV you don't need a login to watch Sky News! === I am publishing a book called Bread of Life: January. Bread of Life is a daily bible quote with a layman's understanding of the meaning. I give one quote for each day, and also a series of personal stories illustrating key concepts eg Who is God? What is a miracle? Why is there tragedy? January is the first of the anticipated year-long work of thirteen books. One for each month and the whole year. It costs to publish. It (Kindle version) should retail at about $2US online, but the paperback version would cost more, according to production cost. If you have a heart for giving, I fundraise at gofund.me/27tkwuc === Editorials will appear in the "History in a Year by the Conservative Voice" series, starting with August , September , October, or at Amazon http://www.amazon.com/dp/1482020262/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_dVHPub0MQKDZ4 The kindle version is cheaper, but the soft back version allows a free kindle version. List of available items at Create Space July June May April March February January December November October September August Collected writings The Amazon Author Page for David Ball UK .. http://www.amazon.co.uk/-/e/B01683ZOWG French .. http://www.amazon.fr/-/e/B01683ZOWG Japan .. http://www.amazon.co.jp/-/e/B01683ZOWG German .. http://www.amazon.de/-/e/B01683ZOWG Zero to show after a year at nations helm PRIME Minister Malcolm Turnbull may well be the most over-qualified underachiever ever to occupy the Lodge, Piers Akerman writes. === Sydney stabbing. Which religion does the ABC ... Piers Akerman TICKLISH questions remain swirling around Julia Gillard following her appearance at the royal commission into trade union corruption. Not the least of which is the haste with which she sought to distance herself from the two witnesses who preceded her into the witness box on Wednesday and their remarks about her role in suggesting the establishment of a slush fund similar to the one she assisted former boyfriend Bruce Wilson set up in Western Australia the Australian Workers Union Workplace Reform Association. Continue reading 'Gillard forgetting who her friends used to be' === Tim Blair On September 11, 2001, 19 middle-class Islamists financed by a multi-millionaire murdered nearly 3000 men, women and children in the United States. Leftists have spent the subsequent 13 years complaining about climate change, Israel, sexism, racism, homophobia and the gap between rich and poor. === Tim Blair The ABC commemorated Anzac Day this year with an attempted demolition of five common Anzac Day myths , including the devastating non-revelation that Gallipoli stretcher bearer John Simpson Kirkpatrick may have used more than one donkey to rescue injured soldiers. Now the ABC marks the 100th anniversary of Australias first battle of World War I by claiming that Australian troops conducted a mass execution of German and New Guinea prisoners in 1914. This claim is based on a solitary tape recording made in the 1960s by an alleged witness named Bob. Telegraph, UPDATE. Even Mike Carlton, who basically has to be waterboarded before agreeing with me or the rejects the ABCs claims: Hate to say it, but this RN story is as dodgy as all get out. It confirms nothing. === Tim Blair It hasnt been a great week for frightbat fact-checking. First, Anne Summers declared Mungo MacCallum dead despite him being very much alive. And now Cankles McBabystopper is exposed as a research retard Fairfax Media recently carried a column by Clementine Ford in which she describes her horror that the death in custody last month of young Aboriginal woman Julieka Dhu did not cause even the vaguest ripple across mainstream Australian media. Admitting she and her editor had not heard about the death until almost a month after it occurred, Ms Ford asserted that the most comprehensive reporting of the circumstances of Ms Dhu on August 4 in Western Australia was on two independent websites. Ms Ford, who found out about the death from a person on Twitter, said this silence showed a shameful indictment on Australias attitudes to Aborigines. While there is no question that Ms Dhus death is tragic and raises serious questions about her treatment by authorities, Ms Ford is wrong to say that the mainstream media ignored the case. In fact, The Australian and The Weekend Australian has led the investigation into Ms Dhus death, an investigation that uncovered her alleged mistreatment and provided the material for the two websites Ms Ford cites. Australian ran pieces about Dhus death in Port Hedland on August 25, August 26, Theran pieces about Dhus death in Port Hedland on August 23 August 30 and September 9 . Fords reaction is, as usual, lame UPDATE. Ford misses a lot of news, which she assumes is because it hasnt been reported. Here she is in 2013 , complaining about the lack of coverage in the case of Johanna Jazzy-O Martins murder, which Ford mistakenly claimed took place within weeks of the kidnapping and killing of Jill Meagher: I did not mention Martin, that other woman whose body was desecrated and discarded without thought. Because I didnt know. Because the media, which includes me, perhaps doesnt care enough about the murders, rapes and violations of women not like us to pay it the same kind of attention. This is the first response to Fords piece: Pretty poor research here, Jazzy O was killed in 2011, about a year before Jill Meagher. I remember it clearly because the story was well covered on the news and in the newspapers. The Australians reporting on Miss Dhu which is not true. The question is, how much does Clementine UPDATE II. Irony: Ford complains about being called a research retard but in the same post claims I wrote that she ignoreds reporting on Miss Dhu which is not true. The question is, how much does Clementine want cake? === The ABC notes an important anniversary: One hundred years ago today, Australians took part in one of the first engagements of World War One, the Battle of Bitapaka in Papua New Guinea. And, being the ABC, it marks the occasion with its usual respect for the military and for credible, verifiable sources: New claims have emerged about the execution of German and Papua New Guinean prisoners by Australian servicemen during Australias first WWI battle, which occurred on this day 100 years ago For years, there have been rumours of executions by the Australians after the battle of Bitapaka, and now an old tape recording of a witness appears to confirm them. The eye witness, an elder in the village of Kabakaul, said he saw the Australians come ashore, and he described the execution of two white men and a number of native police. Then a big man of war said fire and they all died, said the man identified on the tape as Bob, speaking in the Tok Pisin language. They shot all the men who were lined up on one side. Only one boy was alright, a young boy such as this, he ran away. So they all died and the trench they dug was full with dead bodies. The recording was made in the 1960s by a plantation owner Ian Purvis, who was living near RabaulIn all, six Australians are listed as being killed in the battle of Bitapaka on the 11th of September 1914 Officially, one German soldier and 30 native police are listed as being killed in the battle of Bitapaka. Great sources. And, being the ABC, it marks the occasion with its usual respect for the military and for credible, verifiable sources:Great sources. === === Go back. Wrong way: DUMPING the East West Link would force motorists to endure decades of congestion, Premier Denis Napthine says. Dr Napthine today fired back at Labors plan to reject the $6-8 billion road project if it wins the election The Premier said he was very confident the government would win a looming Supreme Court case, in which inner Melbourne councils are arguing the planning process surrounding East West Link was unlawful. Labor is understood to be using that court case as a reason to declare any road contract signed before the election as invalid Until today, Mr Andrews had said Labor would build the East West Link if it won the election and contracts were already signed. This morning, he told 3AW that he had changed his mind He said it was not legally safe for the government to sign a contract while there is a Supreme Court case looming against the project. Does Dan Andrews really want to make Labor seem the party that rips up contracts? That creates sovereign risk? That leaves key arterials clogged? === It would mean that we would be risking mass killings on a horrific scale.It would mean we allow terrorists to establish a safe haven in Iraq to replace the one they lost in Afghanistan. It would mean the increasing probability that US troops would have to return at some later date to confront an enemy that is even more dangerous. But Obama did pull out all US forces, against the warnings of his generals. He even boasted about it in the presidential debates: No, but what I what I would not have done is left 10,000 troops in Iraq that would tie us down. That certainly would not help us in the Middle East. The slaughter that followed has been ghastly: And sure enough, as Bush predicted: US President Barack Obama has authorised air strikes against Islamic State group targets inside Syria for the first time, pledging to destroy its fighters wherever they exist. In an address to the nation on Wednesday, Obama also announced an expansion of strikes in Iraq, saying he would be dispatching nearly 500 more US troops to the country to assist its besieged security forces. Obama called on Congress to authorise a programme to train and arm rebels in Syria who are fighting both the Islamic State group and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Too little and far too late. Just a month ago, Obama ridiculed the idea hes now embraced, a year or two too late, of arming moderate Syrian rebels: Its always been a fantasy, this idea that we could provide some light arms or even more sophisticated arms to what was essentially an opposition made up of former doctors, farmers, pharmacists and so forth. John McCain attacks: McCAIN: No, facts are stubborn things, Mr. Carney, and that is [the Presidents] entire national security team, including the Secretary of State said he want to arm and train and equip these people and he made the unilateral decision to turn them down. The fact he didnt a residual force in Iraq, overruled all of his military advisers, is the reason why were facing ISIS today. So the facts are stubborn things in history and people ought to know them. And now the president is saying basically that we are going to take certain actions, which I would favor, but to say that America is safer, and that the situation is very much like Yemen and Somalia shows me that the president really doesnt have a grasp for how serious the threat of ISIS is. CARNEY: Well, again, Senator, were going to have to agree to disagree. And I think on the question of the residual force, there was another player in that which was the Iraqi government. A, and B, it was the fulfillment of the previous administrations withdrawal plan. And it was also the fulfillment of the presidents promise to withdraw from Iraq and not maintain a true presence, in perpetuity, which is pretty consistent with what the American people wanted and believed it was the right approach. McCAIN: Mr. Carney, you are again saying facts that are patently false. The fact is because [Senator] Lindsey Graham, [former Senator] Joe Lieberman and I, we were in Baghdad, they wanted a residual force. The president has never made a statement during that or after that he wanted a residual force left behind. The Iraqis were ready to go. The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff testified before the Senate Armed Services Committee that the number cascaded down to 3,500. That was not sufficient to do anything but to defend themselves. And you in your role as a spokesperson bragged about the fact that the last American combat troop had left Iraq. If we had left a residual force the situation would not be what it is today. George W Bush warned in 2007 that pulling out of Iraq would be deadly, and the US would be forced to go back in:But Obama did pull out all US forces, against the warnings of his generals. He even boasted about it in the presidential debates:The slaughter that followed has been ghastly:Too little and far too late.Just a month ago, Obama ridiculed the idea hes now embraced, a year or two too late, of arming moderate Syrian rebels:John McCain attacks: === COULD fear of seeming racist make us shut up about child abuse? Yes, and I have a lawyers warning to prove it. Do not think a Rotherham could not happen here. Something like it has happened already to Aboriginal children. In Rotherham, in Englands north, 1400 children as young as 11 were raped and trafficked by mainly Pakistani gangs. Just as shocking, as a formal report last month revealed, is that many in authority were too scared to speak out. Several staff described their nervousness about identifying the ethnic origins of perpetrators for fear of being thought racist; others remembered clear direction from their managers not to, the report notes. But here, too, we have a culture of political correctness that stops our ears and mouths. We even have laws that stifle the debate we need if children are to be saved. When I first wrote here about the Rotherham case I wanted to include a single sentence about linking problems in Aboriginal communities to Aboriginal culture. The papers lawyers had that sentence taken out, because such a bare assertion can get us into trouble under the Racial Discrimination Act, which frowns on such offensive statements. True, we can still discuss these issues if we include lots of detail, without mistakes. Just last weekend The Australian revealed extensive evidence of horrific child sexual abuse in remote South Australian settlements. But the legal danger just helps to stifle one of the most important social questions facing us: is Aboriginal culture hurting too many children and women? ( COULD fear of seeming racist make us shut up about child abuse? Yes, and I have a lawyers warning to prove it.Do not think a Rotherham could not happen here. Something like it has happened already to Aboriginal children.In Rotherham, in Englands north, 1400 children as young as 11 were raped and trafficked by mainly Pakistani gangs. Just as shocking, as a formal report last month revealed, is that many in authority were too scared to speak out.Several staff described their nervousness about identifying the ethnic origins of perpetrators for fear of being thought racist; others remembered clear direction from their managers not to, the report notes. But here, too, we have a culture of political correctness that stops our ears and mouths. We even have laws that stifle the debate we need if children are to be saved.When I first wrote here about the Rotherham case I wanted to include a single sentence about linking problems in Aboriginal communities to Aboriginal culture. The papers lawyers had that sentence taken out, because such a bare assertion can get us into trouble under the Racial Discrimination Act, which frowns on such offensive statements.True, we can still discuss these issues if we include lots of detail, without mistakes. Just last weekend The Australian revealed extensive evidence of horrific child sexual abuse in remote South Australian settlements. But the legal danger just helps to stifle one of the most important social questions facing us: is Aboriginal culture hurting too many children and women? Read full article here .) === Greg Sheridan is spot on: I fear Bill Shorten may just about have demagogued us out of one of the best options we have for providing for the security of this nation. Up until this week, Shorten had been a very responsible opposition leader on national security. But to so irresponsibly demonise the possibility that the Abbott government could consider buying submarines from Japan has done real damage to our national interests. This is the reality that Shorten is ranting against: Probably we could buy a fleet of subs from Japan for $20 billion whereas we would spend $40bn, or probably quite a bit more, to build the subs ourselves and we would certainly be building subs inferior to those of Japan. It is not absolutely clear that there would be that many fewer jobs for Australia with a Japanese sub. We would probably have twice as many subs, or have them in half the time, if we went with the Japanese option. This is the reality that Shorten is ranting against: === Or theres Scott Morrisons inevitable compromise - which risks sending a signal to the people smugglers: HUNDREDS of asylum-seekers who arrived in the first six months of the Papua New Guinea resettlement deal, announced in the final days of the Rudd government, could return to Australia to live on temporary protection visas. Immigration Minister Scott Morrison ... [said he] remained confident of concluding resettlement talks with PNG, despite difficult and frustrating problems that have led the countrys cabinet to delay the proposal for months In what Labor called a monumental backflip, Mr Morrison said asylum-seekers who arrived between July 19 and December 31 last year might be allowed to live in Australia once Howard-era TPVs were reintroduced. For us, it is about outlining the space where we can have a discussion with the crossbenchers ... but the bottom line for the government is that TPVs must be restored, Mr Morrison said. Unlike permanent visas, TPVs expired every three years, allowing the government to reconsider whether the refugees still needed protection. A further compromise should be possible to secure the votes for the TPVs. It should be possible to agree that after, say, six years here with no possibility of return that a TPV becomes a permanent one. The fact is that were one of the few muggins prepared to settle boat people, so the choice is between letting those at Manus Island rot in detention or forcing them home.Or theres Scott Morrisons inevitable compromise - which risks sending a signal to the people smugglers:A further compromise should be possible to secure the votes for the TPVs. It should be possible to agree that after, say, six years here with no possibility of return that a TPV becomes a permanent one. === Wissam Haddad, head of the al-Risalah Islamic Centre considered a hub of extremist preaching in Sydney, dismissed the prospect of an imminent terror attack. He said if the government was truly concerned about angry, young men attacking Australian targets, it would let Muslims who wanted to fight in Syria go there. The guys that are there dont ever want to come back, Mr Haddad told The Australian. He said many young men in his circle yearned to leave Australia permanently. And again the implied threat, illustrating how multi-cultural societies risk having foreign conflicts spread to their own streets: Look at Australias foreign policy in regards to Iraq. Youre going to be angering a lot of people. Its the government itself that are creating the problem. And indeed: The Australian has been told that, while authorities are unaware of extremists a bomb, ASIO and the AFP have identified a number of radicals with settled intentions to perpetrate terrorist acts in Australia. The plans are considered serious enough to justify raising the terror alert level from medium to high, meaning an attack is likely. Among those of concern are alleged Muslim extremists whose hopes of joining Islamic State, the terrorist army that has captured swathes of Syria and northern Iraq, slaughtering thousands, have been thwarted by ASIO, which recommended their passports be cancelled as part of a campaign to ground would-be foreign fighters. The fact is, as counterterrorism academic The reality is that to do a proper monitoring job of a person, you would have to follow them, see what they do and that would require at least two surveillance teams cause youd have to work round the clock. Now this is absolutely impossible when youre talking about these amount of numbers. So the only monitoring that they can do will be, I guess, things like social media and phones. Many of us might be tempted to agree, were it not for the obligation we have to take them back:And again the implied threat, illustrating how multi-cultural societies risk having foreign conflicts spread to their own streets:And indeed:The fact is, as counterterrorism academic Nick OBrien points out , there are now too-many wanna-be jihadists for ASIO to properly monitor them all: === === === === === === === === === === === === === === === === === === === === === === The deteriorating situation in Syria is rapidly spiraling out of control and creating a hell for Syrian Christians far worse anything that the mainstream US media is reporting, or our administration is acknowledging. The gangs of terrorists (for that is what they are, not rebels) are appropriating Christian-owned property by force, beating, torturing, and murdering Christians, and making any normal existence, for those who remain, impossible. Yet the Obama administration continues to support the rebels. in the Sheikh Maksoud neighborhood of Aleppo. She is one of the criminals arrested for unknown reasons by a new Islamist commission in what they call the freed regions of Syria. The paper at her feet says: Those who dont spit at this woman have no honor! The Christian woman in the photograph is tied to a pillarneighborhood of Aleppo. She is one of the criminals arrested for unknown reasons by a new Islamist commission in what they call the freed regions of Syria. The paper at her feet says: Those who dont spit at this woman have no honor! It is a disgrace that our government continues to provide both moral and military support to these terrorists, in contravention of every convention of human rights and the rules of war. This is particularly agregious in light of our knowledge that many of these fighters are aligned with al Qaeda, our openly proclaimed enemy, and one of the organizations on our State Department list of terrorist organizations. I can't like this, but will share it .. race, religion or ethnicity are of no matter to me .. no one should be treated this way. - ed === Late breaking news tonight - HUGE NEWS - Total Recall in Colorado. Two historic grass-roots victories against gun-grabbers. Read all about it/share/like/celebrate/ replicate! ==> === Today is World Suicide Prevention Day. Today more people die by suicide than by murder or war. Please take 5 minutes to learn the signs to save a life: === Just because I walk away when you run your mouth, Doesn't make me weaker than you. It means God seen what I was about to say and puts His hand over my mouth and say's calm my child I have this... Let Go and Let GOD.. === Former federal police boss Mick Keelty says police could consider not investigating the offence to free resources. "In one policing district the Review team was told that two police officers from a particular station were permanently involved in chasing down petrol drive-offs,'' he found. "Police were divided on the use of their resources in this way.'' Petrol stations could introduce pre-pay systems for fuel to stop people driving off without paying, he found in his review of Police and Community Safety. The issues surrounding Hamidur Rahman spring to mind. Federal police said they were interested in antecedent events .. ed === Charles Krauthammer reacted to on Syria tonight on Special Report. Bret Baier asked the syndicated columnist about the added time it will take to wait for a possible . === In Memoriam - September 11 2001 Today we reflect on the horrible and tragic events that unfolded in the heart of America on the 11th of September 2001. Today we remember the lives of those lost, and admire the brave, courageous and selfless efforts of all emergency services personnel who put their lives on the line that day to save others. Some of those didn't return home. Today, we Honour America's Bravest. Never Forget... From Australia, God Bless. === 'll be writing about the travesty of Obama's abdication of US power to Russia, and his betrayal of Israel for Friday's paper. In the meantime, my friend Lee Smith got it right. Clearly the Sept. 11 attacks had no impact on Obama. He was t http://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/putin-didnt-save-obama-he-beat-him_753730.html oo busy reading the New York Times profile on his terrorist buddy Bill Ayres, which was published that day, to notice that America was under attack. === === September 11: Patriot Day in the United States in the United States Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you. Isaiah 46:4 NIV === Morning and Evening by Charles Spurgeon Morning "And he goeth up into a mountain, and calleth unto him whom he would: and they came unto him." Mark 3:13 Here was sovereignty. Impatient spirits may fret and fume, because they are not called to the highest places in the ministry; but reader be it thine to rejoice that Jesus calleth whom he wills. If he shall leave me to be a doorkeeper in his house, I will cheerfully bless him for his grace in permitting me to do anything in his service. The call of Christ's servants comes from above. Jesus stands on the mountain, evermore above the world in holiness, earnestness, love and power. Those whom he calls must go up the mountain to him, they must seek to rise to his level by living in constant communion with him. They may not be able to mount to classic honours, or attain scholastic eminence, but they must like Moses go up into the mount of God and have familiar intercourse with the unseen God, or they will never be fitted to proclaim the gospel of peace. Jesus went apart to hold high fellowship with the Father, and we must enter into the same divine companionship if we would bless our fellowmen. No wonder that the apostles were clothed with power when they came down fresh from the mountain where Jesus was. This morning we must endeavour to ascend the mount of communion, that there we may be ordained to the lifework for which we are set apart. Let us not see the face of man today till we have seen Jesus. Time spent with him is laid out at blessed interest. We too shall cast out devils and work wonders if we go down into the world girded with that divine energy which Christ alone can give. It is of no use going to the Lord's battle till we are armed with heavenly weapons. We must see Jesus, this is essential. At the mercy-seat we will linger till he shall manifest himself unto us as he doth not unto the world, and until we can truthfully say, "We were with him in the Holy Mount." Evening "Evening wolves." Habakkuk 1:8 While preparing the present volume, this particular expression recurred to me so frequently, that in order to be rid of its constant importunity I determined to give a page to it. The evening wolf, infuriated by a day of hunger, was fiercer and more ravenous than he would have been in the morning. May not the furious creature represent our doubts and fears after a day of distraction of mind, losses in business, and perhaps ungenerous tauntings from our fellow men? How our thoughts howl in our ears, "Where is now thy God?" How voracious and greedy they are, swallowing up all suggestions of comfort, and remaining as hungry as before. Great Shepherd, slay these evening wolves, and bid thy sheep lie down in green pastures, undisturbed by insatiable unbelief. How like are the fiends of hell to evening wolves, for when the flock of Christ are in a cloudy and dark day, and their sun seems going down, they hasten to tear and to devour. They will scarcely attack the Christian in the daylight of faith, but in the gloom of soul conflict they fall upon him. O thou who hast laid down thy life for the sheep, preserve them from the fangs of the wolf. False teachers who craftily and industriously hunt for the precious life, devouring men by their false-hoods, are as dangerous and detestable as evening wolves. Darkness is their element, deceit is their character, destruction is their end. We are most in danger from them when they wear the sheep's skin. Blessed is he who is kept from them, for thousands are made the prey of grievous wolves that enter within the fold of the church. What a wonder of grace it is when fierce persecutors are converted, for then the wolf dwells with the lamb, and men of cruel ungovernable dispositions become gentle and teachable. O Lord, convert many such: for such we will pray tonight. === Today's reading: Proverbs 8-9, 2 Corinthians 3 (NIV) View today's reading on Bible Gateway Today's Old Testament reading: Proverbs 8-9 Wisdom's Call 1 Does not wisdom call out? Does not understanding raise her voice? 2 At the highest point along the way, where the paths meet, she takes her stand; 3 beside the gate leading into the city, at the entrance, she cries aloud: 4 "To you, O people, I call out; I raise my voice to all mankind. 5 You who are simple, gain prudence; you who are foolish, set your hearts on it. 6 Listen, for I have trustworthy things to say; I open my lips to speak what is right. 7 My mouth speaks what is true, for my lips detest wickedness. 8 All the words of my mouth are just; none of them is crooked or perverse. 9 To the discerning all of them are right; they are upright to those who have found knowledge. 10 Choose my instruction instead of silver, knowledge rather than choice gold, 11 for wisdom is more precious than rubies, and nothing you desire can compare with her.... ...read the rest on Bible Gateway Today's New Testament reading: 2 Corinthians 3 1 Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, like some people, letters of recommendation to you or from you? 2 You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everyone. 3 You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts. 4 Such confidence we have through Christ before God. 5 Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God. 6 He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant-not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.... ...read the rest on Bible Gateway === For two days the tractors have been roaring day and night. This morning I saw a John Deere 9620 with alternate track system, pulling an insane plow behind it. This monster has to have cost an arm and a leg to buy and it roars like a dragon as it plows the fields. I could not get pictures, but the images below are about what I saw I have talked about how huge John Deere is in Russia and they are growing yearly here in the evil Russian landscape John Deere John Deere I have many more articles if you care to search This years harvest is huge and they are getting ready for the farming gamble and getting next years harvest going. Our Tiny Russian Village overlooks some of the most fertile land I have ever seen. The Russians have almost reopened all the old Soviet fields and in fact are starting to open unused land and clearing areas the size of small states in the world. Agriculture has become Russias forte and investment has 100 fold increased. Farming is the root of a country and without it, you have no future. Russia has land, more land and a bunch more land. They are using it and it shows There just is not anything that Russia does not produce, grow and or create and make. I am just amazed at the fact that I have been here to watch this revolution of growth and entrepreneurship.Just like the old days in America * * * * * * * * * * Boza and I were a day behind in filling the wells. I was pretty sick yesterday! My blood sugar got messed up and it was my fault. Simple really, my fault! This morning though, I was at 5.3 mmol/L. that is good and I feel a whole bunch better So, I am writing this post as I fill the wells and soon will have to go and turn the big well off * * * * * * * * * * I decided, due to serious driver issues for many older programs, to reinstall Windows 7. Mainly to do with Android driver issues and I am big into Android. That was the actual deciding factor and I went head and swapped it out.I really like Windows 8.1, but serious driver crap was getting in my way of progress. When you spend most of the time looking for drivers to make something to work, then productivity is lacking. I installed Windows 7 and within minutes after setting up my desktop. I had solved my android issues That is what it is about I also after months of studying, disassembled my laptop and fixed my screen. Using a magnifying glass that Svetochka gave me, I found several bent pins in the connections and with a toothpick, I straightened everything back out. Took me and my big clumsy hands several hours, but I did not rush and succeeded. It was a good lesson for me in patience My laptop does not need an external monitor now and I am one happy Bear! * * * * * * * * * * Now that I have Windows drivers issues solved, I will get my images I have taken and post a few pictures in the next few days. I have been taking pictures, but, Oh Well! Things happen, you fix them and get on with life * * * * * * * * * * Weather is getting cold, it has rained for three days and is touching upon freezing at night. that is Russia for you * * * * * * * * * * Just turned off the big well. It will take an hour to stop running, for we have a water tower that fills first. I have this filling the wells down to an art. Blood sugar was just checked and it is at 5.3 and I need to eat in a little bit. Not really hungry, but if I do not eat, I will have issues * * * * * * * * * * Sammy the Volga is running as good as she can right now. I ran another compression check and number one cylinder is very low. Number three is almost as low. Two and four are okay! Number one fires about half the time, at its best and number three fires about all the time. It has settled out and is waiting my decision on what to do with the engineI guess we need to get it done next week? It runs so much better that it is a hard decision to make, because spending money that needs to be other places is hard to do, but soon the car engine will die completely and Sammy the Volga is family, we do not let family die unless we can not help it I have been to town twice since getting the car temporarily fixed, it sings a tune with a miss in the engine, she is happy, but sick and she knows it! The Volga is a tough car * * * * * * * * * * Something sad: Russians expect war with America. Or better against the West. China has sided with Russia and Iran has sided with Russia. There are many more countries and the truth is, Europe will be the battle field. If Europe could be smart, and that is if! They would drop the western games and slide on over to the East. They would embrace China, Iran and Russia! For this time, the world needs to take the battle field to the USA! This is the only way that Americans will see the light. The fact is we have allowed the US government to mess the world up badly. Too many Neocons in too many important places. They are running rampant and the end game is coming The truth is: The Russians will fight to the very last person. They have true feelings for their country. They are very and I mean very particular about who tries to abuse them. The abuse is flagrant and in the Russians faces, by the Western Empire Will you fight to the bitter end? Do you have what it takes! I know I do, but I am few and far between as per Americans. The problem is, that at my age, you either fight for what is right or do not fight at all. That is something to think about Russia is getting ready for war! I mean they are getting the mindset and the physicality for real war and expect it to come to them. Many will die on both sides, but I will say again, This time, no matter where war is started, if America starts a war with someone like Iran, China and or Russia, the war will end on American soil, with Washington DC turned to dust! If you had your act together, you would realize that China has been for the last 10 years, producing weapons at an alarming rate. Russia has been sharing technology and China has advanced tremendously in the weapons field. Russia has some amazing tech and even though America has very advanced tech, The slaughter on both sides will be horrendous. This is not a playground where kids get in a scuffle! This is reality on a huge scale and America will be burned deeply in this scuffle Many will live through it! It will be a different world when it is over. It should not happen It will not happen if people get off their asses and stop what the Western Empire is doing. If you cant see what they are doing, then you have a bunch of studying to do The world is big enough for us all. No one or no country needs to control the world and the world is big enough to fight back I think this quote below sums up the difference in mindsets. I see Europe thinking about the past, but I see a bully pushing for the new dream war of delight on European soil. I think in the end, America will find itself alone and will either back down or go all out and try to take the world with it. That is sad Most Americans view World War II nostalgically as the good war, in which the United States and its allies triumphed over German Nazism, Italian fascism, and Japanese militarism. The rest of the world remembers it as the bloodiest war in human history. By the time it was over, more than 60 million people lay dead, including 27 million Russians, between 10 million and 20 million Chinese, 6 million Jews, 5.5 million Germans, 3 million non-Jewish Poles, 2.5 million Japanese, and 1.5 million Yugoslavs. Austria, Great Britain, France, Italy, Hungary, Romania, and the United States each counted between 250,000 and 333,000 dead. Author: Oliver Stone WtR 146 - - Daily Mail: - - - - : - 18 , -, - - - 164,1 - : : - COVID-19 555 = : , 15 - Laws crafted by those elected should do most good for most people columns By Kurt Nimmo Remember Obamas no boots on the ground in Iraq pledge? Forget about it. Hundreds of additional U.S. troops have flowed into Iraq during the past week as American and Iraqi forces there begin final preparations to launch an invasion of Mosul this fall, Military Times reported on Thursday. The Islamic State has held the Iraqi city for over two years. It is the largest city held by the self-proclaimed caliphate. In 2012 the US Defense Intelligence Agency predicted Salafist, Muslim Brotherhood, and al-Qaeda in Iraq insurgents would establish a principality stretching from Mosul and Anbar in western Iraq to Hasaka and Der Zor in eastern Syria. Air Force Col. John Dorrian, a top spokesman for U.S. forces in Iraq, declined to say what those troops are doing but said preparations are underway to potentially launch the Mosul invasion this fall. Theres a tremendous amount of work going on to set conditions, including the logistics detail that would be required in order to go after Mosul. And then we continue to hammer the enemy with strikes, including both artillery and airstrikes, Dorrian told reporters Thursday at a press briefing. The commander of the US-led operation in Iraq, Lieutenant General Stephen Townsend, told the Wall Street Journal Wednesday the assault could begin within the next month. In late August the Qayara air base south of Mosul was destroyed by retreating IS fighters. Destruction of the facility raised new doubts over whether the long-awaited operation will begin this year, Fox News reported. Iraqi army commanders stationed at the base say it will take months of reconstruction before it is ready to receive cargo planes and house the tens of thousands of troops needed for the march on Mosul. Their assessments call into question whether Iraq will be able to launch the operation this year, as the prime minister has repeatedly pledged. Turkey complicated the situation in Iraq in December when it sent a large and heavily armed contingent across the border and occupied a military camp near Mosul. There are rumors, not confirmed yet, that Turkey now uses the presence of its force to blackmail the Iraqi government. Turkey, it is said, wants agreement from Baghdad for a gas pipeline from Qatar through Iraq to Turkey, the Moon of Alabama blog noted at the time. A large-scale offensive with US troops in October or later appears timed to coincide with the US election. A sequential debate on defense and military affairs staged earlier this week positioned Clinton and Trump as competing hawks on defense and national security. Donald Trump has positioned himself as a Reaganesque proponent of a significantly expanded military. Bloomberg reported: If elected, Trump would ask Congress to lift military spending caps, increase defense spending, and seek a plan from generals to counter Islamic State in his first 30 days in office, he said in a speech Wednesday in Philadelphia. Trump also said he would increase the size of the army to about 540,000, the Marine Corps to 36 battalions, the navy to a number of surface ships and submarines approaching 350, and the Air Force to at least 1,200 fighter aircraft. () Trumps campaign, in a fact sheet distributed before the speech, credited the conservative Heritage Foundation, the army chief of staff, and the National Defense Panel as recommending some of the proposals hes espousing. The Heritage Foundation advocates liberating Mosul from the Islamic State. Liberating Mosul from the clutches of ISIS is not the end of the story. ISIS will still have a base on which to fall back in Syria, write Luke Coffey and James Phillips for the Foundation. Kurt Nimmo is the editor of Another Day in the Empire, where this article first appeared. He is the former lead editor and writer of Infowars.com. A 47-feet blue whale was rescued along the Konkan coast in Ratnagiri district in Maharashtra on Sunday in a joint effort by locals, fishermen and forest officials. The marine mammal was spotted fighting for its survival by the residents of Madban village late in the evening of September 10, the whale was beached for over two days. But since this is an isolated spot, it was spotted only on Saturday and we were informed by the locals, said N Vasudevan, chief conservator, Marine Conservation. Estimated to weigh around 20 tonnes, on Sunday morning, two boats with 50 personnel carried out the rescue operation over eight hours by pulling the mammal into the sea with the help of ropes during high tide. Vasudevan said, A Blue Whale was found stranded at the sea coast of village Madban near Jaitapur Atomic Energy Project Taluka Rajapur District Ratnagiri on 10th evening. It was safely released into deep sea water with the help of 2 boats by forest staff, NGOs, local people and fishermen today afternoon. The length of the whale was 47 feet and weight may be around 15 to 20 tonnes. Vasudevan added that this was one of the biggest rescues in India. After the beaching and death of a whale at Juhu, Mumbai and the safe rescue earlier this year from Ratnagiri itself, the sheer size of the mammal makes this the biggest rescue of beached mammal in history. The blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus) falls under the red list of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and schedule 1 of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1986. The Baloch Human Rights Organization (BHRO) on Sunday staged a protest in front of Karachi Press Club to end the ongoing siege at the house of Rauf Baloch in Turbat by the Pakistani forces. The BHROs activist accompanied by students, Human Rights activists and activists of National Student Federation (NSF) raised slogans demanding to end the siege at the house of Rauf, who has been alleged by the forces of hosting the family members of a senior Baloch political leader. The BHRO in a statement said that the Frontier Corps (FC) and the police have kept Raufs house under siege for four days. The FC and Police have kept Mr. Raufs house under siege for 4 days where there is an old man along with two women and two children. After 2 days of harassment of women and children FC returned and police took control of the house, the statement said. Pointing out that police is now torturing the women and children through different ways, the protesters revealed that neither Human Rights activists nor neighbours are allowed to visit the house. The statement said that the FC and the police do not have any reason to surround and siege the house and the move is only to harass the family activists, adding it increases tension. It pointed out that the security forces themselves were pushing the bad situation towards worse. The protesters demanded that if Rauf has breached the law with his activities, he should be treated as per law. According to Constitution of Pakistan, politics and democratic struggle is right of every citizen, and if state institutions have any objections regarding activities of any person he should be treated as per law, but in Balochistan unlike legal procedure, military forces will is the law itself, the statement added. The statement also highlighted harassment of Baloch women and children is not something new, adding they are tortured through different ways. In Makran, Awaran, Jhalawan and Dera Bugti, many women were abducted and killed by Pakistani forces. Last year in the month of July Pakistani forces abducted two women during an operation from Awaran and were released after a few days. Later they told their story that how they were treated and what tortures they went through in jail, the statement said. Farzana Majeed Baluch, a Baloch human rights activist, had earlier asserted that history was repeating in itself as the human rights violations committed by Pakistan in Balochistan and the army targeting Baloch women was as bad as the torture and rape of women that took place during the Liberation War of 1971, which eventually led to the creation of a new country, Bangladesh, from what was then East Pakistan. Meanwhile, the BHRO appealed to the Balochistan Government and other authorities to instruct the military forces to obey the law. Army foiled an infiltration bid along the Line of Control in Naugam sector of Kashmir, killing four militants on Sunday. Alert soldiers posted along the Line of Control in Naugam sector noticed some suspicious movement and challenged the intruders, an army official said. Three of the encounters were with terrorists who were trying to infiltrate in Tangdhar, Gurez and Nowgam sectors. The other was between the police and a group of terrorists who had hold up in a building in Poonch. The militants opened fire at positions of security forces which was effectively retaliated, triggering a gunbattle, he said. Four militants were killed and a war-like store recovered from the scene of the gunbattle, the official said. The operation is still in progress. The encounter in Poonch started after the police received information about the presence of two heavily-armed terrorists in an under construction government building. The building is close to an army camp. In another encounter near the Line of Control in Nowgam Sector, in north Kashmir, the Army has killed four terrorists. The encounter started after the army intercepted a heavy-armed group of terrorists trying to infiltrate. Four terrorists, believed to be Pakistanis, were killed. Four AK-47 rifles and a large cache of ammunition were recovered from the site of encounter. Hillary Clinton on Sunday expressed regret for calling half of Donald Trumps supporters deplorable people but promised to keep fighting bigotry and racist rhetoric by her Republican rival as the presidential campaign got shriller ahead of the D-day. Last night I was grossly generalistic, and thats never a good idea. I regret saying half that was wrong, Clinton said in a statement in which she also vowed to call out bigotry in Trumps campaign. The 68-year-old Democratic presidential nominee had sparked an uproar on Friday when she described Trumps supporters at a fundraiser. To just be grossly generalistic, you can put half of Trump supporters into what I call the basket of deplorables, Clinton said. Right? Racist, sexist, homophobic, xenophobic, Islamaphobic, you name it. She added, And unfortunately, there are people like that and he has lifted them up. He has given voice to their websites that used to only have 11,000 people, now have 11 million. He tweets and retweets offensive, hateful, mean-spirited rhetoric. Clinton then said some of these people were irredeemable and not America. She described the rest of his supporters as people who are looking for change in any form because of economic anxiety and urged her supporters to empathise with them. In her statement, Clinton was emphatic in condemning what she said was Trumps racially insensitive campaign ahead of the November 8 presidential poll. She listed a series of controversial moments from Trumps campaign, including his fight with a Muslim Gold Star family, criticism of a federal US judge of Mexican heritage and his insinuation that President Barrack Obama wasnt born in the US. I wont stop calling out bigotry and racist rhetoric in this campaign, Clinton said. She also noted her comments about empathising with other Trump supporters. As I said, many of Trumps supporters are hard-working Americans who just dont feel like the economy or our political system are working for them, Clinton said. Im determined to bring our country together and make our economy work for everyone, not just those at the top. Because we really are stronger together. Iran, a close ally and military backer of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, welcomed a U.S.-Russian deal for a truce in Syria, saying on Sunday the conflict should be ended through politics. The agreement, by the powers that back opposing sides in the five-year-old war, promises a nationwide truce from sundown on Monday, improved access for humanitarian aid and joint military targeting of hardline Islamist groups. Iran supports any ceasefire and peace plan to end the humanitarian crisis in Syria or limit it that involves a political solution based on the Syrian peoples votes, said Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Hossein Jaberi Ansari, quoted by the state news agency IRNA. Iran has always believed that there is no military solution to the Syrian crisis and that it should be resolved through peaceful means, he added. Washington and Moscow reached the breakthrough deal early on Saturday to try to restore peace in Syria, but air strikes hours later on a busy market place that killed and injured dozens added to rebels doubts that any ceasefire could hold. Russia and Iran are both providing crucial military support to President Assad against rebels and jihadi fighters in Syrias civil war. Iran has sent what it said were military advisers to help Assad and allowed Russian fighter-bombers to use an Iranian base to launch operations in Syria in August. [dropcap]T[/dropcap]he Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has grabbed headlines for all the wrong reasons. Whether it is an internal rift, clash of ideas, blame game or to command others in the party, the party has shown it is undergoing a crisis after coming to power in Delhi. Since it existence, AAP always courted controversy for some or the other reason. Indians old political parties were shaken from the root, while people were looking out for an option. They came as an alternative. Arvind Kejriwal becomes larger than life. However, now party workers are leaving him and started teri kameez meri kameez se safed kaise attitude. BJP and Congress could not take the success of this party. Hue & cry and AAP walk hand in hand. On Sunday, Devinder Kumar Sehrawat, a rebel AAP MLA, who is representing the Bijwasan constituency created storm on social media. Sehrawat said he wrote various letters to Kejriwal, including one on exploitation of women, but all remained unanswered. The AAP activist allegedly committed suicide in Narela area of north-west Delhi claiming that she had gone into depression after her alleged molester, a party colleague identified as Ramesh Bhardwaj, was released on bail. The woman who consumed poison at her residence died during treatment at Delhis LNJP Hospital. Sehrawat, alleges that Kejriwal was aware of the harassment Soni was going through. I dont know why, but if AAP is bad and ruthless then why Seharawat has not tendered his resignation from the party? Why he was quiet and now suddenly come up when AAP is going through turbulence? It all started with Kumar Vishwas, he was summoned after an AAP volunteer from Amethi accused him of ignoring her request to clarify on the allegations of illicit affair between the two. Sources in the AAP said the poet-turned-politician has decided to defy summon by the DCW. Anyhow, Kumar got clean chit in allegations. There was an on-going tussle between Arvind Kejriwal and Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung regarding the handling of government files. The LG has directed all ministers and officials of the Delhi government to refer to him all files on various issues as is stipulated under the Constitution. This is not the first time that the AAP government is in confrontation with the LG. During its first stint, it had tabled the Jan Lokpal Bill in the Assembly without getting Jungs approval. Arvind Kejriwal demanded public trials of news media in order to expose false news reports. Stating that the matter needed to be taken up if any channel was found airing erroneous content, he declared, If you see that a particular channel is showing something factually incorrect, then you should raise the issue. His Law Minister Jitender Singh Tomar was accused of forging his LLB degree. The minister told Arvind Kejriwal that the allegation against him was fake and baseless even as Congress and BJP stepped up their demand for his dismissal. Arvind Kejriwal initially defended Tomar and called for a public trial of the media. Arvind Kejriwal had to apologise for not stopping his speech at a rally where a Rajasthan farmer Gajendra Singh committed suicide in full public glare. Kejriwal admitted that he should not have continued with his speech against the land ordinance after the incident but pointed out that he was to originally speak for an hour but spoke only for 10-15 minutes. Aam Aadmi Party MLA Jarnail Singh has been absconding after being booked for allegedly assaulting MCD engineer and stopping his work. The victim Azhar said the MLA bashed him while he was in Krishna Park to demolish an illegal construction. This has led to protests with the BJP demanding his arrest. The woman had filed a complaint against Bhardwaj for allegedly touching her inappropriately. A case of molestation was registered in June and the accused was arrested and subsequently bailed. Aam Aadmi Party faced another embarrassment after Sandeep Kumar Sex Scandal as senior Party MLA Devinder Sehrawat claims Party leaders soliciting sexual favours to dole out tickets in Punjab. Social activist Anna Hazare expressed disappointment over the state of affairs in AAP. More embarrassment is in store for the Aam Aadmi Party and its leadership. Even as the party strives hard to steer clear of the sex CD scandal of former Delhi minister Sandeep Kumar. Few days ago, AAP MLA from Okhla had resigned from all posts, saying that while he was trying to work, he and his family were being dragged into unnecessary controversies. His brother-in-law and his wife separated about four years back and Khan has had no contact with her. This seems to be a family dispute into which Khans name is being dragged. Anyway, the FIR is lodged against him. There are several AAP leaders who had to leave the party for some or the other reasons. Kejriwal may be boasting about clean politics but his party men are bringing embarrassment for him. Now, he should concentrate on cleaning up his carpet apneAAP. (Any suggestions, comments or dispute with regards to this article send us on feedback@afternoonvoice.com) Two days after beleaguered businessman Vijay Mallya told a Delhi court that he felt incapacitated to travel to India despite his best intentions as his passport has been revoked, the ED has started working on issuing a third attachment order worth a few thousand crore of rupees more against him. The ED has already attached assets worth Rs. 8,041 crore as part of its criminal probe against Mallya and this time the targeted assets would include those on foreign shores. Officials said while the Enforcement Directorate has till now been effecting seizure of assets under the stringent provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), the next edition of attachments will be carried out under sections of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC). The agency had got a proclamation issued by a Mumbai court under CrPC against Mallya after he skipped multiple summonses to depose in its money laundering probe in the alleged bank loan frauds worth over Rs. 9,000 crore. With Mallya not joining EDs PMLA probe till now, the agency, they said, will the third set of attachment orders for assets held directly and indirectly by him, including those at overseas locations like South Africa, the UK and others. It is understood that the agency has already got a dossier prepared in this regard of his shares in companies and other business commitments, and an order for attachment of assets under CrPC would be issued in some time. While sources did not mention the estimated value of the assets that would be attached under the fresh order, it is expected to be worth a few thousand crores of rupees. The agency, meanwhile, has also moved to add fresh charges against him in its existing request to Interpol for issuance of a global arrest warrant and that in the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT) between India and the UK which it wants to invoke in order to force Mallya to join the probe. The ED had on September 3 issued its second attachment order for assets worth Rs. 6,630 crore and seized his farmhouse, flats and Fixed Deposits in connection with its money laundering case against him and his associates. The agency had also recently taken over investigation into the alleged loan default of Rs. 6,027 crore availed from a consortium of nationalised banks led by SBI, in which a fresh case was also filed by CBI last month. Pakistan High Commissioner Abdul Basit was summoned to the Ministry of External Affairs and categorically conveyed Islamabad should let Indian diplomats posted in Pakistan work without hindrance. A message was sent to Pakistan that our accredited diplomats should be allowed to discharge their normal functions without any inconvenience. The incident of discourtesy involved the Karachi Chamber of Commerce where a speech on India-Pakistan trade ties by Mr. Bambawale was cancelled barely an hour before the event was to take place. Mr. Bambawales visit to Karachi was a privilege granted to him which turned controversial after his comments during an event held at the Karachi Council on foreign relations. Pakistani diplomatic sources based in India informed that they used the meeting with Indian diplomats to demand similar courtesies from our country. M R Jayanthi (The views expressed by the author in the article are his/her own.) Launching a fresh attack against PM Narendra Modi, BSP supremo Mayawati and the ruling SP in poll-bound Uttar Pradesh, Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi on Sunday extended his favoured suit-boot analogy to criticize Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Rs. 15 lakh monogrammed suit. He also punned colloquially about the failure of the Samajwadi Party (SP) and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and said while the elephant has eaten all the money, the cycle is standing punctured in the state. Haathi saara paisa kha gaya. Hathi ko apne maar ke bhaga diya (elephantthe election symbol of BSPate all the money and then you chased it out), Gandhi said while addressing a public meeting on the sixth day of his yatra. Phir aap cycle (SPs election symbol) laaye. Ye paanch saal se phansi hui hai, hil nahi rahi hai. Uska tyre puncture hai aur apko ration card nahi dila pa rahi hai (Then you voted for SPs cycle which has been stranded for past five years. Its tyre is punctured and is not moving. The party could not provide ration cards to you), he said attacking SP. Modi is busy paying off the debts of industrialists. Have you ever seen a photograph of Modis with any farmer? You wont find one, because (that would mean) he has to get his clothes dirty. His Rs. 15 lakh suit will get dirty, thats why he doesnt come mingle with you. (Instead) he goes to America to meet (US President) Obama, Rahul said addressing farmers in Azamgarh, Uttar Pradesh. Modiji apni duniya mein mast rehte hainjaisa mainey kaha tha janata trast, Modiji mast (Modiji is happy in his own world. As I had said earlier, the public is in trouble but Modiji is happy)his attention is either in America or Japan. He made tall promises that everyone will get Rs. 15 lakh in their bank accounts, the youth will get employment and bullet trains will be run. When will they get Rs. 15 lakh? When will the youth get employment and bullet trains? Even the regular train fares have been hiked, he said. Appealing to people to vote for Congress in the upcoming elections, Rahul said, Now you should think about the hand (Congresss election symbol) and then see what we do about ration (cards) and farmers. The Gandhi scion, who is on his 2500 km Deoria to Dilli yatra to connect with the masses in the run-up to the 2017 state Assembly polls, resumed his yatra from Azamgarh and after holding series of meeting in Mau he will reach Ghazipur. The party woos Subhash Velingkar who has formed RSS Goa Prant for challenging BJP in the Goa assembly polls. After Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut met former Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh Goa unit chief Subhash Velingkar in Panaji speculations are rife in political circles that Sena might enter into a pre-poll alliance with the latter for contesting Goa assembly polls in 2017. Both leaders had a conversation for two hours. Sena has assigned the responsibility of overseeing the campaigning activities in Goa to Raut and he is currently busy reorganising the party in the state. The party has already announced that it wont join hands with its old ally BJP for contesting the Goa assembly election. It is already trying to woo rebel leaders like Subash Velingkar who had announced about his decision to float a new party. Velingkar was ousted from RSS for making anti-BJP statements. Sanjay Raut already has started preparations for the Goa assembly election and said, We will recruit more members and will get more prominent people to join our party. Shiv Sena may contest at least 20 to 22 seats from Goa. We wont enter into an alliance with BJP for contesting the election and our preparations are in full swing. BJP has failed to deliver the promises made by it to voters during the last election. We will be targeting BJP over issues like rising unemployment, presence of drug mafia in Goa, Russian and Nigerian nationals staying illegally in the state. Even though large number of Marathi people reside in Goa but their children are unable to choose Marathi language as a medium of instruction at primary level. We are working towards addressing this issue, he added. Velingkar has been garnering the support of swayamsevaks to defeat the BJP in the Goa assembly polls. He alleged the BJP for destroying the local culture and appeasing minorities. He also attacked the BJP for giving preference to English as a medium of instruction in schools and sidelining Marathi and Konkani language. The former RSS leader has also formed a parallel unit of the RSS named RSS Goa Prant which has nominated him as the sanghachalak. We have to become like Narasimhas. The opponents of our agitation are not mere opponents of our culture and mother tongue, they are its devourers. Their defeat is imminent, Velingkar said. We will extend full support for Mr Velingkar as he is fighting for an ideological cause. Sena doesnt interfere if somebody is fighting for politics but if someone is fighting for ideology we will definitely assist them. What is happening between Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is an internal matter between them. But Mr Velingkar has support of Shiv Sena on the issue of mother tongue. Whatever strength we have in Goa, we will extend that to Mr Velingkar, added Raut. Washington and Tokyo are seeking the strongest possible measure to be taken against North Korea after its latest and most powerful nuclear test, a top US envoy said on Sunday. Sung Kim, the US State Departments special representative for North Korea policy, also suggested that the US may launch its own sanctions in response to the provocative and unacceptable behaviour by the North Koreans. We will be working together very closely in the Security Council and beyond to come up the strongest possible measure against North Koreas latest action, Kim told in Tokyo after meeting his Japanese counterpart Kenji Kanasugi. In addition to sanctions in the Security Council, both the US and Japan, together with the ROK (South Korea), we will be looking at unilateral measures, Kim said, without going into further detail. North Korea has been hit by five sets of UN sanctions since it first tested a nuclear device in 2006, but has insisted it will continue, come what may. The North carried out its fifth nuclear test on Friday, claiming that it had successfully tested a nuclear warhead, and drawing global condemnation. The international community has engaged in a flurry of diplomacy in an attempt to persuade China to use its leverage to persuade Pyongyang to comply with UN sanction resolutions. China has said it firmly opposes the test, but analysts believe Beijing wants to avoid a collapse of North Korea in order to prevent the balance of power on the Korean peninsula from leaning towards the US. Washingtons dialogue with Beijing over the crisis will continue, Kim said. We continue to work together to urge China to implement existing Security Council resolutionsand to work with us to make sure North Koreas behaviour and their deliberation change in a more productive and positive direction, Kim said. North Korea continues to present growing threats to the region, to our allies and to ourselves. We will do everything possible to defend against that growing threat, he said. WASHINGTON, Sept. 9, 2016 - EPA violated the Freedom of Information Act by releasing personal information, including phone numbers and email addresses, of the owners of concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs), a federal appeals court ruled today. The unanimous decision by the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals in St. Louis is a big victory for the American Farm Bureau Federation and the National Pork Producers Council, which sued EPA three years ago after it released CAFO information to environmental groups. The court reversed the decision of U.S. District Judge Ann Montgomery in Minnesota, who found that AFBF and NPPC had not been able to demonstrate standing on behalf of their members. Farm Bureau general counsel Ellen Steen said AFBF is reviewing the decision and its implications, but she called it "a clear and very significant win for farmers and ranchers. The decision is a vindication of the right of farm families to protect their personal information, such as their home address and GPS coordinates, their phone numbers and email addresses." The appeals court "recognized that EPA cannot legally gather farmers and ranchers personal information and serve it up on a silver platter to anyone who asks for it," Steen said. "We are thrilled that AFBF was able to stand up and defend the privacy of farmers and ranchers in this way." EPA contended that because the information is already publicly available, the plaintiffs cannot show causation or redressability essential elements of legal standing. The appeals court disagreed. The agency asserts that the disputed information is already publicly available through the states, and the court cannot prevent further distribution and use of that information by third parties, the 8th Circuit said. This argument, however, rests on the agencys flawed understanding of the plaintiffs alleged injury in fact. The asserted injury is the nonconsensual disclosure of personal information by the EPA. That injury was caused by EPAs disclosures and threatened disclosures, and it can be redressed by an order requiring EPA to refrain from future disclosures and to recall information previously disclosed. The environmental groups that intervened on the side of EPA in the case Food & Water Watch, the Environmental Integrity Project and Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement had argued that AFBFs and NPPCs claims are moot because EPA had already released the information, which will remain available to the public. But the 8th Circuit said the case is still live, noting that EPA has proposed to disclose more information from seven states, including Minnesota, and . . . EPA has the capacity to request the return of information that it already disclosed. EPA also had said that it did not violate FOIAs prohibition against release of private information such as personnel and medical files because the information it released was already available from the individual states. Did you know Agri-Pulse subscribers get our Daily Harvest email and Daybreak audio Monday through Friday mornings, a 16-page newsletter on Wednesdays, and access to premium content on our ag and rural policy website? Sign up for your four-week free trial Agri-Pulse subscription. But the court said EPAs reasoning was contrary to law. The EPA here is more than simply a second source for identical, publicly available information, the court said. The agency has aggregated vast collections of data from the majority of states much of it obtained through state-specific information requests and provided it to requesters in a single response, the court said. The case now goes back to the district court, where AFBF said the remaining question is whether the Farm Bureau and NPPC can obtain an injunction to prevent future releases of farmers and ranchers personal information. The environmental groups have disputed AFBF and NPPCs argument that the case is about personal information. When they sought to intervene in the case in 2013, Food & Water Watch Executive Director Wenonah Hauter said it was about obtaining basic information the identities and contact information of owners and operators of these facilities. #30 For more information, go to www.Agri-Pulse.com. Academics are increasingly calling for the end of the Jewish state with impunity. One of the latest offerings at the University of California, Berkeley, is a course on dismantling Israel. In autumn 2016, students interested in learning about the history of the Arab-Israeli conflict will be able to take Palestine: A Settler Colonial Analysis. Positing that Israel is a colony, the course description promises to explore the possibilities of a decolonized Palestine. In other words: a land in which Israel has somehow been erased. This student-sponsored class is being led by Dr. Hatem Bazian, whos well known for inciting anti-Israel hatred. Hes an anti-Israel activist and he uses academia to further his agenda, says Nonie Darwish, founder of Arabs for Israel and a human rights advocate. Dr. Bazian, who cofounded an Islamic college in Berkeley, also co-founded the anti-Israel campus group Students for Justice in Palestine. A group he worked for was shut down by the US Government in 2006 for having ties to the terrorist group Hamas. Two years before that, in a rally in San Francisco, Dr. Bazian publicly called for a violent intifada in the US. How did such a radical figure, espousing violence, get invited to teach a course on the destruction of Israel at a major university? Tragically, the anti-Zionist sentiment that has infected Berkeley is sweeping across other universities as well. While it would be, rightly, unthinkable to call for the destruction of any other country, universities and academics are increasingly calling for the end of the Jewish state with impunity. In the past two years, over 200 professors worldwide have signed petitions promising to boycott the Jewish state. With such declarations becoming increasingly common, its no surprise that some campuses are offering classes that are highly biased or downright dangerous as they incite hatred and call for violence against Israel and its supporters. Here are just a few recent examples of the trend to demonize Israel and even call for its destruction in classes and lectures on campus. One-Sided Claims A 2015-2016 academic year course at University of California, Riverside, claimed to study Israel, but assigned readings from ardent critics of the Jewish state only. Palestine & Israel: Settler-Colonialism and Apartheid, presented the Israeli-Palestinian conflict from the (incorrect) assumption that Israel practices Apartheid, and is an illegitimate state. The course was taught by undergraduate Tina Matar, a leader in Riversides branch of the hardline anti-Israel Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) group. The courses faculty sponsor, Prof. David Lloyd, is a vocal proponent of boycotting and singling out Israel for opprobrium. Despite numerous complaints, university officials defended the course, seemingly implying that normal academic norms didnt apply as it was a student led course". Teaching Blood Libels Stunting and maiming a population. Experimenting on Palestinians. Extracting organs from Palestinians for medical research. An echo of classic blood libels that Jews somehow seek to harm others. Such were the stunning accusations leveled by a respected professor, Prof. Jasbir Puar, Associate Professor of Womens & Gender Studies at Rutgers University, when she spoke at Dartmouth College on February 3, 2016. Her talk, Inhumanist Biopolitics: How Palestine Matters, reached a new low according to former University of California President Mark Yudof and Ken Waltzer, Executive Director of the Academic Engagement Network, who penned a sharply worded critique of Prof. Puars lecture in The Wall Street Journal. In response to this criticism, over 1,000 academics and supporters signed an open letter in defense of Prof. Puar, asserting her work is of the highest professional and scholarly rigor. grounded in serious scholarship and thorough research". Poisonous Atmosphere Following that controversial speech at Vassar, Michaela Pohl, a non-Jewish history professor, penned an open letter describing the chilling effects of anti-Israel speech at her campus and at campuses around the world that are increasingly hosting ever more virulent levels of anti-Israel discourse. The atmosphere at Vassar College, where Ive been teaching Russian history since 1999, is troubled, Prof. Pohl explained. I am not Jewish, but even I have experienced an increase in hostility and strained silences among students and colleagues I have been called a (expletive) fascist, Zionist and idiot for speaking out against Vassars BDS resolution and speaking up for Israel and for U.S. policy. I have seen Jewish students profiled and singled out at a BDS meeting. I have felt the icy silence that reigns in some departments. Many professors have signed very visible and public petitions but dont acknowledge them in person, instead saying, I have nothing to do with that. Academics who teach incorrect, extreme negative views of Israel are beginning to have a long term effect according to Prof. Pohl, causing Jewish students to be uneasy, and even at times fearful for their safety on campus. Endorsing Conspiracy Theories For ten years, the HAWK University of Applied Sciences and Arts in Hildesheim, in Germany, offered a course on The Middle East conflict and social work that was, in the words on one German legislator, Volker Beck of the Green Party, unscientific, one-sided and hair-raisingly anti-Israel. The course taught, incorrectly, that Israel ethnically cleansed Palestinians and robbed them of their organs and presented suicide bombers in a sympathetic light. The class extremism was uncovered only after a Jewish academic, Dr. Rebecca Seidler, was asked to teach a course elsewhere in the university and saw a list of reading material. Much of the syllabus appeared to have been taken from anti-Semitic websites that promote conspiracy theories, she pointed out. Although Dr. Seidlers complaints were initially dismissed as oversensitivity, after her concerns gained attention in the press, the university finally cancelled the long-running course. Laughing at Students A 2013 letter from the Zionist Organization of America (ZOA) to Dr. Joseph E. Aoun, President of Northeastern University in Boston, catalogued a litany of student complaints about anti-Israel professors classroom behavior, and asked the university to respond. According to students, Prof. Denis Sullivan, the Director of the university's Middle East Center for Peace, Culture and Development, made a habit of mocking students who questioned his extreme one-sided attacks on Israel, ridiculing and encouraging students to ridicule those who questioned his assertions. One student reported breaking down in tears and changing her major after being mocked in class. Another student reported being mocked after she questioned the assertions of another professor about honor killings. Facing relentless ridicule, the student stopped wearing her Jewish star to class, then dropped the class altogether. Northeastern University Economics Professor Dr. M. Shahid Alam, after being criticized for attacking Israel in class, was quoted as saying you know you should really laugh away accusations of anti-Semitism. It has now become laughable. And there may come a time when you wear that label as a mark of distinction. According to media reports, the university declined to respond to the ZOAs letter or concerns. Combatting Hate Some campuses have been successful at cancelling anti-Israel courses and preventing professors spreading anti-Israel hatred in class. In 2015, the University of Missouri announced it was cancelling a planned course, Perspectives on Zionism, that was to be taught by George P. Smith, a biology professor with no background in political science, history, or Middle Eastern studies, who is known for his extreme anti-Israel views and for heckling pro-Israel speakers on campus. The course was scrapped after concerned students, faculty and alumni contacted the university. That same year, concerned members of the academic community at the University of Southampton in England succeed in dissuading the university to go ahead with a planned conference that was to debate the legality of Israels very existence. The conference, International Law and the State of Israel: Legitimacy, Responsibility and Exceptionalism, was organized by academics with well-known biases against the Jewish state. Jewish community leaders and academics noted that the conference would "surpass the acceptable, and, based on title and advertised speakers, it sets out explicitly to question the very legitimacy of a member state of the UN. Its not easy to stand up to anti-Jewish and anti-Israel rhetoric in class. But with Israel coming under ever more extreme and virulent attack, its more important than ever to insist on rational academic discourse about the Jewish state. Whether as students, parents of students, alumni, or concerned members of the community, we all have the right and the obligation to insist on fair treatment when it comes to the Jewish state. September 10, 2016 The religious authority in Saudi Arabia responded aggressively to Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khameneis annual message Sept. 5 in which Khamenei attacked the Saudi government against the backdrop of the disputes between both states that culminated in forbidding Iranian pilgrims from the hajj this year. Iran also accused Saudi Arabia of negligence in managing the hajj, which led to the deaths of more than 760 people and injuries to around 1,000 in 2015. Sheikh Abdulaziz Al Sheikh, the Saudi grand mufti and head of the Council of Senior Scholars, spoke to Makkah newspaper Sept. 6, saying, We must understand that those are not Muslims. They are Majus [Zoroastrians], and their enmity to Muslims specifically to the Sunni community goes way back. Although Sheikh was addressing the Iranian political regime, his choice of words and the context of his response gave the impression that he was targeting Iranian Shiites in general. He used the pronoun they in his reply to the message of Khamenei, who is only one of many Iranians. He also focused on Zoroastrianism, the historical religion of Iranians before Islam, and his reference to historical enmity with Sunnis is further proof that the international media got the story right this was an attack on Iranian Shiites in general. Such a tone is not new in the Salafi-Wahhabi discourse. It dates back to the old history of Wahhabism in the kingdom continuing to the present time. When Abdul-Aziz bin Baz was grand mufti from 1962-1999, he deemed Shiites apostates on several occasions, including in official fatwas and speeches. Ibn Jibreen, the oldest member of the Council of Senior Scholars when he died around age 76 in 2009, issued several fatwas stating that Shiites are polytheists who have deviated from Islam, saying they deserve to be killed if they reveal their beliefs. The council is the highest religious authority in the kingdom. Other fatwas from influential and living clerics in the kingdom such as Sheikh Abdul Rahman al-Barrak called for considering Shiites apostates, secluding them, treating them with hatred and banning humanitarian aid from reaching them. Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif replied to Sheikh on his official Twitter page, writing, Indeed; no resemblance between Islam of Iranians & most Muslims & bigoted extremism that Wahhabi top cleric & Saudi terror masters preach. In a speech before the families of the victims of the hajj stampede on Sept. 7, 2015, Khamenei described the ruling Saudi family as a cursed malicious tree. He said that it has deviated from the Muslim world and Islam and has allied with Islams enemies who must be deterred and whose aggression on Muslims and Islam must be halted. The religious divisions were not limited to the political Shiite-Wahhabi conflicts. Internal skirmishes between the different Muslim currents broke out, given the fateful setbacks resulting from the ongoing regional political disputes. For instance, there are clear sensitivities against Wahhabis from Muslims outside Shiite Islam due to Wahhabis' bad reputation following the rise of radical jihadi currents such as al-Qaeda and the Islamic State (IS) that have adopted Wahhabism as their principal influence. An Islamic conference was held Aug. 25-27 in Chechnyas capital, Grozny, and senior Sunni scholars from various Sunni schools attended. The meeting was sponsored by Chechen President Ramzan Kadyrov. The conference aimed at introducing Sunni identity and determining its adherents. The closing statement limited the Sunni community to Asharis, Maturidis by belief, followers of the four jurisprudential schools of Sunnism (Hanafi, Maliki, Shafi'i and Hanbali) and followers of pure Sufism in terms of ethics and chastity. Any other sects are not included in the Sunni community. This clearly indicates that, in the participants' view, Wahhabism is not considered part of Sunni Islam, but rather an emerging innovation (Bid'ah) in Islam. The closing statement also restricted the big Islamic schools to deep-rooted religious institutions in Al-Azhar University (Cairo, Egypt), University of Al-Quaraouiyine (Fez, Morocco), Al-Zaytoonah University (Tunisia) and Hadhramaut University (Yemen). The statement did not mention Islamic centers and religious institutions in Saudi Arabia. The conference provoked Wahhabi scholars and Saudi officials who considered it a conspiracy from kuffar (nonbelievers) against Saudi Arabia, and an attempt to make a coalition between Saudi Arabia's enemies Shiites and Sufis in particular. The attendance of Ahmed el-Tayeb, the grand imam of Al-Azhar in Cairo, at the conference sparked the anger of many Saudis. Prominent writer Muhammad al-Shaikh tweeted, Tayebs participation at the Grozny conference that dismissed Saudi Arabia from Sunnism will force us to change our behavior with Egypt. Our country is more important, and [President Abdel Fattah al-]Sisis Egypt shall go to hell. The Shiites' increasing effort to undermine Wahhabisms influence in managing Islamic affairs is now expanding to other Islamic denominations, including sects within Sunnism. This is especially true given the fact that hatred of Wahhabism is not confined to Shiites, but also includes Sufis, most of whom are Sunni. Wahhabis and their political advocates in Saudi Arabia often express equal hatred for Sufism and Shiism. Western states recently tightened the noose on Saudi Arabias Wahhabi activities after they noticed the role of the associations sponsoring these activities in producing religious radicalism. The French authorities decided Aug. 20 to close down 20 out of 120 mosques affiliated with Salafi groups in France. In Berlin, King Fahd Academy is shutting down because the academy is thought to have played a role in provoking extremism. The above developments indicate that the region is undergoing extensive religious changes that might largely reduce the presence of Salafi and Wahhabi movements due to internal protests against them in the Muslim world and abroad. In addition, Saudi Arabias role has declined, given the drop in its oil influence on the global economy and dwindling US support for the kingdom. September 10, 2016 WASHINGTON Once upon a time in American politics, Labor Day signified the beginning of the general election campaign. Todays election cycles never really end the notion of the permanent campaign is quite real but one thing remains the same: The voters who determine the outcomes of close elections will decide, starting now, whom they want to see in the White House. Will 2016 turn out to be a close election? That question is yet to be answered, but during the first week of September, the head-to-head national polls did tighten. As the race stands now, Hillary Clinton leads Donald Trump by 2.7 percentage points in the RealClearPolitics polling average. Clinton has led Trump in the average every day since the conventions ended. As the week began, each camp hoped to demonstrate the competence to become Americas 45th commander-in-chief and the next leader of the free world. But these intentions rarely go according to plan. Commander-in-Chief Forum A week focused mostly on national security issues came to a head Sept. 7 when Clinton and Trump participated in a nationally televised forum with military veterans. Although NBC News billed the event as a kind of dress rehearsal for the first presidential debate, the candidates did not actually face each other. Moderated by Today host Matt Lauer, the session consisted of back-to-back 30-minute interviews that exposed each candidates vulnerabilities and NBCs, too. Trump spoke in generalities, while answering specific questions with a lack of detail that frustrated some of the military people in the audience. The Republican nominee also continued to praise Russian President Vladimir Putin, an inexplicable stance that puzzles and annoys many of his fellow Republicans. During the forum, Trump was at it again, actually favorably comparing Putin against President Barack Obama. The Russian strongman, Trump said, is a leader, far more than our president has been a leader. Later in the week, Trump doubled down on his praise for Putin, telling Larry King in an interview that aired on the Russian-owned RT network that he thought it was pretty unlikely Russians would interfere in the US election. The Republican Partys mascot is an elephant, which seemed fitting this week: Other GOP leaders found themselves in the uncomfortable position of having to clean up after the lead elephant. Vladimir Putin, said Speaker of the House Paul Ryan, is an aggressor who does not share our interests. Yet for all his shortcomings, Trump continues to deftly capture Americans current fears and angst. In crass political terms, Trump did well, wrote influential liberal commentator Peter Beinart. He did well because he capitalized on the publics sour mood: He said the war in Iraq was a disaster, the withdrawal from Iraq was a disaster, the war in Libya was a disaster, and the management of the Department of Veterans Affairs is a disaster. And he blamed Clinton because she was part of those decisions and he was not. Yet Trump can never stop himself from going too far, as he did when he seemed to be telling Lauer that the United States should steal Iraqs oil. We go in, we spent $3 trillion, Trump said. We lose thousands and thousands of lives, and then look, what happens is we get nothing. You know, it used to be [to] the victor belong the spoils. Now, there was no victor there, believe me. There was no victory. But I always said, take the oil. Clinton also foundered with the NBC format. Although her email controversy is now a year-and-a-half old, the former secretary of state still could not provide a convincing account in her exchange with Lauer about why she circumvented federal open-government law by setting up a secret server and then had her lawyers destroy half of her emails when their whereabouts became an issue. Clinton also struggled to articulate her vision for US foreign policy and Americas place in the world. As the bookend to Trumps ramblings, she got bogged down in Washington jargon and bureaucratic minutiae. Asked about the VAs problems providing health care to military families, for instance, she explained that when people leave the service, their medical records arent transmitted to the agency. She issued a mea culpa on her vote in support of the US invasion of Iraq, explaining that it is imperative that we learn from the mistakes, like after-action reports are supposed to do, without ever describing the lesson she had learned. She defended the administrations incursion in Libya by saying that if the United States had stood on the sideline, Libyans would have become embroiled in a civil war like Syrias. But as Beinart pointed out, Libya has followed Syria into civil war, anyway. Gary Johnson Speaking of Syria, Americans who were so disillusioned by the Sept. 7 NBC forum that they found themselves considering third-party candidate Gary Johnson were in for further disappointment. Johnson, a former Republican governor of New Mexico running in 2016 on the Libertarian Party ticket, was asked on MSNBCs popular Morning Joe news show on Sept. 8 what he would do about Aleppo a city at the center of the Syrian humanitarian crisis. And what is Aleppo? Johnson responded. General outrage followed that a candidate for the US presidency wouldnt know about a major area of foreign policy. It was a flub that could benefit Clinton more than Trump. RealClearPolitics David Byler wrote, Its impossible to know what effect, if any, Johnsons Aleppo flap will have. But Clinton would likely benefit more overall from a wholesale collapse in his support, and Trump would benefit somewhat by grabbing his more conservative supporters. Blaming the messenger But the toughest criticism of the week landed on the head of Matt Lauer for his handling of the forum. In an event aboard the decommissioned aircraft carrier Intrepid, the Today host was lost at sea, wrote The New York Times. Seemingly unprepared on military and foreign policy specifics, he performed like a soldier sent on a mission without ammunition, beginning with a disorganized offensive, ending in a humiliating retreat. Wednesday nights Commander-in-Chief Forum on NBC should have gone down as the first time the two 2016 presidential candidates shared a stage, added The Huffington Post. But it will be remembered largely for the shortcomings of the man who was tasked with moderating. Chief among the criticisms leveled at Lauer was that he let Trump skate on his oft-repeated, but highly dubious, claim that he was totally against the Iraq War. And so, with less than nine weeks to go before Election Day, as Americans prepared for the 15th anniversary of 9/11, US politics is still roiled by that tragic event and its aftermath. Carl Cannon is the Washington bureau chief for RealClearPolitics; Emily Goodin is RealClearPolitics' managing editor. September 8, 2016 While rumors are floating in the media about a possible Abbas-Netanyahu summit in Moscow or Cairo, in reality, Israeli and Palestinian parties are preparing to consolidate their domestic hard-line positions in order to prepare for a period of deadlock and a possible wider outbreak of violence toward the end of 2016. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is interested in headlines on such a summit with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to protect himself from American and European pressure to advance the two-state solution and to stop settlement expansion. Under the cover of this upcoming summit, the Israeli government continues to build in the West Bank, undisturbed by the international community. At the same time, both the Israeli and Palestinian leaders are preoccupied with fortifying their internal coalitions. In the Palestinian camp, there are voices predicting outbreak of an armed intifada before the end of 2016. For now, Palestinian political energies in the West Bank are focused on the municipal elections slated for Oct. 8 this year, which were recently suspended under Palestinian court order. A senior PLO official in Ramallah told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity that in the West Bank Fatah should have when and if elections take place the upper hand. The official noted that in the Gaza Strip, on the other hand, Fatah feared that Hamas will manipulate the results in its favor, despite the economic crisis. In addition, he alluded that a compromise between Abbas and his bitter enemy former Internal Security Chief Mohammed Dahlan might be in the making, as Al-Monitor has recently reported. In any case, the PLO official said that in 2016, Fatah will be focused on consolidating its power in the Palestinian Authority, as no two-state solution process is possible. In Israel, there is a mirror image. Netanyahu understands that, given the American transition, this is the time to fortify his right-wing base. His main vehicle for this, besides spreading rumors on an eventual meeting with Abbas, is to expand settlement construction and legalize settler outposts. On Aug. 31, the government decided, through the Israeli civil administration in the West Bank, to authorize additional settler units in the Jerusalem area, to retroactively legalize 178 settler units just outside the Green Line and to advance plans for a 234-housing unit project in the Elkana settlement. The US administration was dismayed by this decision. White House press secretary Josh Earnest expressed these sentiments by saying, This significant expansion of settlement activity poses a serious and growing threat to the viability of a two-state solution. And so, the issue of retroactively legalizing illegal outposts erected by Israeli settlers is greatly distressing. It leaves the expansion of the settlements in the hands of the settlers. Both the Israelis and the Palestinians are using this period of international deadlock to consolidate the base of their political support in order to prepare for another year of political stalemate. By focusing on mutual hostilities (as a way of consolidating public support), both parties are most probably leaving the door wide open for the more violent extremist elements on both sides. The PLO official said that much like 1987, with the first intifada breaking out in December that year, December 2016 could, given the desperation of Palestinian public opinion, witness the beginning of the third intifada. He analyzed this eventuality also from a more strategic political point of view. He, a well-known pragmatist who took part in previous peace negotiations, today believes that an armed intifada, led possibly by Abbas and Dahlan, could be the only way to awaken the international community and the next US administration to the necessity of Palestinian statehood. Concerning this Palestinian threat, an Israeli Foreign Ministry official noted that Israeli intelligence is aware of the growing tendency within Fatah to prepare for an armed intifada: These are veiled threats. An intifada will quickly turn against Abbas and his corrupted regime, he argued. The Israeli strategy for the last part of 2016 is to emphasize to the United States and the European Union the rejectionist violent nature of the Abbas regime, to defend Israels national and civilian interests in the West Bank, to curtail the assistance of international aid organizations whose finances are used to arm Hamas and to prepare for the American transition. And so, with none of the sides sincerely contemplating an initiative to break the diplomatic deadlock, the Israeli-Palestine horizon, even in the foreseeable future, is filled with dark clouds of possible violence. September 9, 2016 Hillary Clinton's plan to win the presidency has largely consisted of standing back and letting Donald Trump self-destruct. That doesn't seem to be working anymore. The latest RealClearPolitics polling average shows the Republican candidate steadily closing the gap with his Democratic opponent. Clinton is now leading Trump by less than 3 percentage points 45.6% to 42.9% down from 9 points right after the Democratic National Convention in July. {image2} Because of the way the US electorate is distributed, Clinton still has a substantial edge over Trump. To clinch the deal, she only needs to win 41 electoral votes in the relative handful of states that are currently considered toss-ups, while Trump needs 116 to reach the magic number of 270. That electoral map is constantly shifting, however, with three states Virginia, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin that were considered to be in the Clinton column just last month now up for grabs. To be sure, time is not on Trump's side. In nine of the past 10 elections, the candidate who has been behind on Labor Day the start of the traditional two-month sprint until Election Day went on to lose in November (the exception was George W. Bush in 2000). On the flip side, the current trend doesn't bode well for Clinton. The polling model used by the politics website FiveThirtyEight gave Clinton an 89% chance of winning after her convention, with a projected edge of 8.6 percentage points. She's now down to a 69% chance of winning, with a lead of just 3.9 percentage points. That website also points out that almost 1 in 5 Americans are either undecided or determined to vote for one of the marginal third parties, more than twice the number at this time four years ago. The main culprit: a steady stream of negative stories that raise questions about Clintons character, including recent revelations about her interactions with Clinton Foundation donors at the time that she was President Barack Obama's secretary of state. As a result, Clinton's lead has withered in lockstep with her image among voters: only 35% of voters view her as the more honest and trustworthy candidate, according to a recent CNN/ORC poll, with 50% choosing Trump. That same poll found that a surprising 54% of women aged 45 or older support Trump, compared with 39% who support Clinton. And 90% of Republicans now say they support their party's candidate, which shows the party is finally coalescing around its unconventional nominee. Surprisingly, Clinton is even struggling with Hispanic voters despite Trump's racially charged campaign. Recent polls show Clinton isnt doing any better among Hispanics than previous Democratic candidates, despite Trump's focus on tough immigration laws and controversial depiction of Mexican immigrants as "drug dealers" and "rapists." Clinton may have believed that Trump's words were so toxic that Hispanics would automatically turn out in droves just to block him, but it now seems clear that getting them to the polls will require the same voter outreach efforts as in any other election. Her campaign is just now beginning to air Spanish-language television ads in key battleground states such as Florida and Nevada, which have the country's highest Latino populations but are still toss-ups. Clinton appears to have gotten the message in recent days. She started taking questions from the press for the first time in 275 days this week and tried to make the campaign all about Trump once again, focusing especially on his praise for Russian strongman Vladimir Putin in a transparent bid to get traditional Republicans to rethink their newfound tolerance for Trump. "I was just thinking about all of the presidents that would just be looking at one another in total astonishment," she told reporters this week. "What would Ronald Reagan say about a Republican nominee who attacks Americas generals and heaps praise on Russias president? I think we know the answer." September 9, 2016 GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip The city of Hebron is full of different types of crafts that distinguish it from other Palestinian cities. This led it to win the 2016 World Crafts City award, organized by the World Crafts Council (WCC). Rula Maayah, the Palestinian minister of tourism and antiquities, learned that Hebron won the title Sept. 6. The WCC organizes the competition on a yearly basis in a bid to record crafts from around the world and to encourage craft. Ahmed Rajoub, an official with the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, told Al-Monitor he was thrilled to learn that Hebron won the title. He confirmed that this win was expected, as the WCC evaluation committee visited Hebron in early August and shortlisted the city. Rajoub said the results were announced earlier than expected due to technical reasons related to the council; the winners were to have been announced Sept. 22. Ziad Jaber, an engineer at the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities in Hebron, told Al-Monitor, What made us win is our compliance with the conditions of the competition, as the city was up to the world level of handicrafts in terms of longevity and genuineness. Also, crafts directly contribute to the improvement of the economic situation of the workers and employ the highest possible number of workers in Hebron, where there are developmental policies set to improve the quality of this work. Jaber confirmed that the ministry opted for crafts for the WCC competition because Hebron excels at them and that Hebrons crafts glass, ceramics, pottery and embroidery have both historical and economic importance. He said that while the competition only required one craft, the ministry preferred to submit four to enhance its chances of winning. Jaber explained the nature of the four crafts that took part in the competition. Pottery represents the historical and cultural legacy of thousands of years, as it defines the history of the sites it is found in. Embroidery symbolizes the Palestinians inherent heritage, and women are trying to continuously develop and renew this activity. He added, The glass craft dates back to 1846 in Palestine and continues to maintain its high economic value. While ceramics is not an old craft, it recently garnered a great deal of popularity, which is why it was part of the competition. Asked about the privileges offered by the WCC to the winning city, Rajoub said, This competition paves the way for an exchange of experiences with all the cities included in the archives of the WCC and allows the forging of direct relationships with artisans around the world. The title will enhance the authenticity of handicrafts in the city, as Hebron will be recognized as a craft city around the world. This is deemed an achievement for all Palestinian cities, Jaber added. Jaber said that the title will shed light on the violations committed by Israel and settlers and will refute what he called the false Israeli narrative that attributes some crafts to Israel's own history. This win will open global channels for craftsmen to promote and showcase their products outside of Palestine and will encourage them to increase their productivity. It will offer them the chance to exchange their experiences with cities famous for the same crafts and will attract visitors and tourists interested in crafts. He said the export of crafts is facing several obstacles imposed by Israel as the goods exported are very limited and often based on individual initiatives. Badr Daour, the head of the Tourism Association and director of the Traditional Handcrafts Center, told Al-Monitor that Hebron is a cradle of traditional crafts with approximately 12 crafts: pottery, glass, engraving on wood, embroidery, bamboo, artifacts, mosaics, ceramics, copperplate, upholstery, pot manufacturing and traditional food. Daour said some crafts, such as copperplate and pot manufacturing, are on the verge of extinction due to the lack of the required attention. Asked about the most important impediments facing the citys crafts, Daour pointed to the absence of institutions that support the export of products, the lack of economic agreements with other countries and the failure to obtain internationally recognized quality certifications that would facilitate the export process knowing that the goods exported by individuals are unrivaled in quality, both in terms of raw materials and the industry technique. Daour said that the Palestinian embassies are not playing any role because of a lack of commercial attaches, and that this has harmed the promotion of these crafts at the global level. Add to this the lack of formal accredited crafts academies and the fact that these crafts are mostly only taught by grandparents and parents, he added. Daour hoped that the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities would show further interest in the crafts of Hebron and that it would support artisans with all its strength, as crafts convey a historical, national and economical message. Ziad Fakhoury, one of the most famous craftsmen in Hebron whose family has been working in pottery for 100 years, said pottery is facing several problems related to shipment and export through Israeli crossings due to the high price of cargo transportation that exceeds the pottery cost. He indicated that pottery craftsmen were exporting nearly 80% of their products to the Israeli side. Add to this is that areas in Hebron that have been dedicated to pottery are now overpopulated and that municipal officials have requested the closure of plants due to the harmful smoke that comes out of wood-burning stoves during manufacturing. Fakhoury stressed that the number of factories recently fell from 13 to five due to those barriers and called on the Ministry of Tourism to pay further attention to these crafts, protect them from extinction and allocate space for such plants far from residential areas. He told Al-Monitor, The use of pottery is of great importance at the sanitary and environmental levels, as it is used for agricultural pots or cooking and drinking utensils, but people have become ignorant of its value. Abeer Osaily, director of public relations at the Hebron Women Charitable Society, indicated that the society employs a large number of women in embroidery to provide them with an income and to protect the Palestinian heritage. She hoped that the citys win would lead their products to foreign markets. Immediately after the results were announced, the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities decided to hold a yearly crafts festival in Hebron, according to Rajoub. He said that a crafts city in the Old City of Hebron will be built, based on an agreement with the Hebron municipality and the Hebron Rehabilitation Committee, which started to raise financial support to start the implementation of the project. He said the crafts city will be dedicated to the teaching, practicing and marketing of handicrafts. Hayley Barber is Alabama's representative for the 2017 Miss America Competition held at Atlantic City's Boardwalk Hall. She is one of 52 contestants hoping to succeed 2016 Miss America Betty Cantrell, Miss Georgia 2015, for the Miss America crown. Barber will take the stage tonight during the 96th Miss America Competition. The event broadcasts live from Atlantic City's Boardwalk Hall, Sunday, September 11, 2016 at 8 p.m. central/ 9 p.m. eastern on ABC. The UAB senior marketing major took a year off her studies to assume the duties of Miss Alabama and prepare for Miss America. Upon completion of her studies, she plans to attend optometry school and hopes to one day open her own private pediatric practice. 'long journey' to Miss America Barber competed for the Miss Alabama title four times before her perseverance paid off on her fifth try. She was crowned Miss Alabama in June. Read more about her 'long journey' to Miss America here. She has a vision Barber's personal platform is "Sight for Small Eyes," her campaign to make sure young children receive comprehensive eye examinations and have access to vision therapy for those with low vision. It's personal. Barber herself wears corrective lenses. Read more about her platform here and watch her talk about motivating parents to get their children comprehensive eye exams below while on stage at Atlantic City's Boardwalk Hall during preliminary Miss America competition. She has a servant's heart During the 2017 Miss America preliminary competition, Barber made Miss Alabama history when she was awarded $21,000 in scholarships in one evening, all earned because of her passion for helping others. She was named the winner of the Jean Bartel Quality of Life Award, an award recognizes Miss America contestants who excel in making a significant impact on the lives of others through community service. "My main goal for Miss Alabama and Miss America is to get legislation passed that would require comprehensive eye examinations before entering school," Barber told AL.com after her arrival in Atlantic City. Her future optometry education will be partially funded by the Miss America STEM Scholarship Award. She was named one of three recipients of the award that goes to Miss America contestants with a declared field of study in science, technology, engineering, or math. She was also recognized as Miss America's National Miracle Maker for raising the most funds for Children's Miracle Network, Hospitals, the official platform of the Miss America Organization.The Miss Alabama Organization was announced as the second runner-up for states raising the most money for CMN. Those funds directly help hospitals like Children's of Alabama. Dancing Queen Barber started taking dance lessons at four and even danced in a Christmas pageant with Heather Whitestone McCallum, Alabama's second Miss America. "Heather Whitestone (Miss America 1995) is the reason I started competing in the organization," she told AL.com in June. Read more about that experience here. Barber performed a tap dance to the jazz song "Big Noise from Winnetka," in Atlantic City's Boardwalk Hall during the second of three nights of preliminaries at the 2017 Miss America Competition. Watch her tap dancing talent below. Not a governor By the way, she's Hayley Barber, not Haley Barbour, the former governor of Mississippi. Alabama has had three Miss Americas. Alabama's first Miss America, Yolande Betbeze Fox, Miss America 1951, changed pageant history when she refused to pose in swimsuits during her reign. That refusal eventually led then Miss America pageant sponsors Catalina bathing suits to withdraw and start the Miss USA competition. "She always felt her actions were pivotal in directing pageant progress towards recognizing intellect, values, and leadership abilities, rather than focusing on beauty alone," according to the Miss America website. She was a political activist, a civil rights advocate and socialite. The Mobile native died earlier this year after battling lung cancer. Heather Whitestone McCallum, was the first deaf Miss America. UAB physician Deidre Downs Gunn, was the last Miss Alabama crowned Miss America. She was crowned in 2004. A Sylacauga man was killed Saturday afternoon when the pickup truck he was driving left the roadway and hit a tree. Joshua Blake Loggins, 31, was pronounced dead at the scene, according to Alabama state troopers. The single-vehicle crash occurred at around 3:09 p.m. on McGowan's Ferry Road, about 13 miles west of Sylacauga. Loggins was driving a 1998 Dodge Ram. Troopers continue to investigate. Earl Lawson told himself one thing, even as it was happening: It will all be over soon. He and his wife, Carrie, had received an urgent call after midnight claiming Lawson's father was gravely ill. They were to come to the hospital. Now. But it was a ruse. They rushed to the car, and it began. A masked gunman appeared out of the darkness and ordered them out of the car. He forced Lawson to the ground and instructed Carrie to bind her husband with duct tape. He drove away with Carrie as Lawson assured himself she would be OK. She had to be OK. "Back in 1991, nobody got kidnapped. I'd never heard of a carjacking. There weren't a lot of murders in Jasper," Lawson said in a recent interview, his first about the case in more than 20 years. "Having somebody kidnapped was the last thing you could ever think of." It has been 25 years since 25-year-old Carrie Smith Lawson disappeared in Walker County on Sept. 11, 1991. A quarter century since she vanished without a trace in a mystery that became one of the most talked-about missing person cases in Alabama history. It is a case that has outlasted investigators who tried to track her down, one that haunted and hounded Lawson, his family and Carrie's. It has also plagued the family of a woman who has been behind bars for 25 years in connection with the crime. And it still, in some ways, marks Walker County. "This case affected our community," District Attorney Bill Adair said, noting hundreds of people carried out searches and held prayer vigils. "Thousands of people sympathized, empathized with their family." "It was an event that brought tragedy to our community and brought a lot of attention, and it's something that still reverberates today," Adair said. "The cases today are looked at through the lens of Carrie's case. It's a case that people still talk about." "What has been taken from me personally is immeasurable," said Carrie's sister, Margaret Smith Kubiszyn. "I have four sisters-in-law and I'm close with them, but missing a sister is so difficult. That is the only person who shares your story. You lose your future, and also your connection to the past." The kidnapping Lawson, then 26, was born and raised in Jasper, where he joined a local firm after graduating from law school at The University of Alabama. Carrie, the daughter of a Tennessee millionaire, had also just graduated from UA's law school. She had taken the bar exam but disappeared never knowing she had passed. They had been married for 18 months when the call came early that morning from a woman saying they needed to get to the hospital right away. The woman claimed to be a nurse at Walker Regional Medical Center. Lawson said his father had suffered recent medical issues, so at the time it seemed believable that something could be wrong with him. The couple got dressed and jumped into their Ford Explorer parked in the carport. "The guy just comes up with a gun. I'm not even sure I had cranked the vehicle," Lawson said. "He had a mask on and told us to get out. "In my mind, I'm thinking simple robbery and that I couldn't believe we fell for this," he said. "He had duct tape and told Carrie to duct tape my hands behind my back. He told me to get on the ground on my stomach. I couldn't believe this was happening. Then they got in my car and they left." Lawson said he managed to free himself. Because his keys were with the Explorer, he had to kick in the back door to get inside his home and call 911. Then he had to call Carrie's parents, David and Harriett Smith, in Tennessee. "I remember having to call them and tell them what just happened," he said, "and that is maybe the hardest thing I've ever had to do in my life." Kubiszyn was on a business trip in Cincinnati. "I was talking on a payphone. My uncle called me, and then my dad got on the phone and told me that Carrie had been kidnapped," Carrie's older sister recalled. "It was the next morning. My uncle lived in Nebraska. He flew his plane down, and he actually picked me up in Cincinnati." She was stunned. "That doesn't happen to people. That doesn't make any sense. It was like the movies," Kubiszyn said. "I fully expected when we got down there, they would have found her and it would be over. Clearly it wasn't." Friends, family and federal agents descended upon the small town. The FBI set up a command post inside Lawson's home. Carrie's parents took up residence in a Jasper motel. Kubiszyn stayed in the guest room at her sister's house that had a window on the front side of the home. "I was going to be at that house when she came walking up the driveway," she said. "I can still see the driveway. I can see the window off the guest room. But she didn't." RANSOM DEMAND It wasn't long before the kidnapper -- later identified as 49-year-old Jerry Bland, a former strip mine operator -- contacted Lawson and demanded a $300,000 ransom for Carrie's safe return. "I was convinced as soon as we got him the money, we were going to get Carrie back and nail this bastard," Lawson said. "I had every hope in the world there was going to be a good ending to this." It turned out to be anything but cut-and-dry. "He would run you around every night. You'd go to location A, and then he'd call you on that payphone and tell you to go to location B, which might be 20 miles down the road," Lawson said. "The FBI, they're pretty direct on what you can expect," he said. "On Day 1, they told us the statistical probabilities of someone being found alive and well. And then, Day 2, they told you again. You didn't want to hear it, but you appreciated it." The kidnapper initially demanded Lawson's father, Earl Lawson Sr., make the delivery in Cullman. When Lawson Sr. arrived at the site, however, there were about five police cars there totally unconnected to the kidnapping case, purely a coincidence. Still, Bland didn't know that and called off the drop. Family members demanded assurances Carrie was alive and well, and Lawson spoke to her briefly Sept. 12. "The FBI was taping the call, but the tape recorder was turned off," Kubiszyn said. "So we never heard her voice, because the tape had malfunctioned." On Sept. 13, another meeting was arranged and Lawson delivered $300,000 at a service station on the outskirts of Jasper. "He called the payphone and said, 'I'm watching you right now. I've got a rifle pointed at your head. Do you see the house across the street?' " Lawson said of Bland. Lawson left the money at the payphone, as directed, and drove off. "I knew, and I guess that I was overly hopeful, that the minute I got back to my house, the word is going to be that he released her and we'd find her," he said. "But that call just never came." Under the FBI's direction, Lawson wore a directional beeper to let agents follow him as he made the drop. Concealed in the ransom bag was another beeper, which would allow agents to follow the kidnapper. Both beepers, however, transmitted on the same frequency and when the drop was over, the agents -- who had air support -- unwittingly followed Lawson's vehicle instead of the money. "I remember sitting at my kitchen table. My family and Carrie's family," Lawson said. "And we never heard anything." Thousands of people -- friends, family and strangers -- carried out massive searches over several counties. Meanwhile, the investigation continued. SELF-INFLICTED GUNSHOT Authorities got a major break when Bland was identified as a suspect. Karen McPherson They were able to tentatively identify him by his voice after releasing audiotapes of his ransom demands. They focused on his associates, and eventually turned their attention to Karen Lancaster McPherson, a wife, mother and truck driver from a close-knit, blue-collar Walker County family. She was also Bland's cousin by marriage, and the two were close. A search of her home turned up thousands of dollars, and ultimately she identified Bland as Carrie's kidnapper. McPherson was the "nurse" who made the call, and she dropped Bland off at the Lawson home to carry out the kidnapping. She also watched over Carrie afterward, and told investigators that the last time she saw Carrie was within two days after the abduction, and that she was alive at the time. Bland, once successful in businesses of coal mining and land reclamation, had fallen on hard times and was desperate for money, according to investigators and family members. Drugs -- primarily cocaine -- helped fuel that fall. His wife, Sheila, who has since moved out of Alabama, was McPherson's cousin. "I have no idea how he picked our family next," Lawson said. "Nobody's ever come up with a reason." They were still missing a definitive link, until a cassette tape was found -- reportedly by a young boy at an apartment complex who turned them over to his father -- that had recordings of plans to kidnap Jasper businessman and coal executive Ellis Taylor. One of the voices was determined to be Jerry Bland, and the other McPherson. The voice on the tape, investigators said, matched that of the man making the ransom calls to Lawson. On Saturday, Sept. 28, 1991, federal agents searched Bland's home. They reportedly found some of the ransom money -- which had been documented by serial numbers -- in a truck on his property. He wasn't arrested then, however, but FBI instead staked out the house throughout the weekend. "They had searched his house, and questioned him and left him in the house with a bunch of guns," Kubiszyn said. "We were all in the kitchen discussing what needed to be done with Jerry Bland. They were saying something about exculpatory evidence that needed to be cleared up. I can remember one of the feds saying, 'Look, he had marijuana in the house. Let's just arrest him on a drug charge, get him in jail.' I remember someone saying he could kill himself." During the stakeout, Bland, his wife and two daughters slept on mattresses in the living room, ducking when police lights bore into their windows. At some point, Bland's wife and the girls left the home. It was early that Tuesday morning -- about 4:30 a.m. -- that agents reported hearing a single gunshot inside Bland's home. It was daylight before agents would go inside and find Bland dead from what was ruled a self-inflicted gunshot. "We all went to bed that night thinking they were going to arrest him then," Kubiszyn said. "And when we woke up the next morning, he was dead. I just remember being nauseous." Bland left behind a suicide note of which the full contents have never been released. Authorities at the time said the note indicated the ransom money was in the attic, and that's where roughly $250,000 had been found. The note, however, left no clues on Carrie's whereabouts. "I couldn't help but think that anybody would tell, or leave a note, about where she was," Lawson said. "The fact that Bland killed himself without doing anything is incomprehensible to me." FBI CRITICIZED The FBI took heavy criticism for its handling of the case. Former Washington Post reporter Ron Kessler, in his book "The FBI: Inside the World's Most Powerful Law Enforcement Agency," called the case one of the agency's "biggest failures." That book claimed, in part, that agents had the authority to search Bland's home without a warrant. Instead, after Bland's voice was identified as the kidnapper making ransom demands, agents surrounded the house and waited to obtain a warrant. During the wait, Bland killed himself. The FBI, usually tight-lipped, staunchly defended their actions in an interview with The Birmingham News. "It's obvious we're not happy with the result of the kidnapping investigation and I was in charge of it," former FBI Special Agent in Charge Allen P. Whitaker said in 1993. "Do I think it was one of the agency's biggest failures? No, I don't. But it wasn't one of our shining successes." In that same interview, Frank Evans, a supervisory special agent, said, "It is so patently inaccurate, we felt an obligation to say wait a minute. Even we have a limit that you can push us to before we stand up and cry foul." The federal agents said as soon as they identified Bland's voice, they obtained a local search warrant and carried out a search of the home, where they recovered part of the ransom money. And when Bland killed himself, state charges were being sought because Carrie had not been taken across state lines, which would have constituted a federal crime, they said. The Smith family also has long thought there were more than Bland and McPherson involved, as does McPherson's family. "The whole thing was poorly handled," Kubiszyn said. "I still don't know why they didn't arrest him. The whole Jerry Bland suicide is very suspicious, and it's very possible somebody else killed him." Lawson concedes there might have been mistakes during the investigation, but, "To a T, those guys gave 200 percent every day, every minute. They cried with us. If mistakes were made, it wasn't because of a lack of effort. They cared, and tried their very hardest. It was personal to them." CONTINUED SEARCH EFFORTS Despite Bland's death, and McPherson's swift arrest on first-degree kidnapping charges, the searches for Carrie continued by hundreds, if not thousands. "It was amazing to watch. Churches would cook for all of the search groups," Kubiszyn said. "I think we found five dead bodies searching for Carrie, and certainly we found people who would kill somebody for a couple of hundred dollars. It was kind of crazy." The intensity lasted for about six weeks, but ultimately the FBI and other agencies pulled out. The Smith family kept at it, though, offering a $100,000 reward and privately funding searches that continue to this day. McPherson quickly pleaded guilty in November 1991 and was sentenced to life in prison. [McPherson family speaks out: 2016] The Smith and Lawson families signed an agreement with McPherson that if she would meet with Carrie's father and tell them everything she knew about the abduction, they would not oppose parole after 10 years. "He sat down in that jail for four or five hours, and he took the tapes that day to have them analyzed and the voice analyst said she was lying," Kubiszyn said. "And her lawyers called that night and said she was taking her story back. She didn't say anything that was true." Carrie was declared legally dead two years after her disappearance. Private investigator W.W. "Red" Self sits in his Pinson office in this 2002 file photo. Self, who was hired by Carrie Lawson's family, investigated her disappearance for a decade. (AL.com/File) The family hired private investigator W.W. "Red" Self, a former Birmingham police officer and district attorney's office investigator, a few months after the investigation and he stayed on the case until his death. "He's made a career out of it," David Smith said affectionately in 2002. "I went to visit him in the nursing home before he died and he said he wasn't afraid to die and he couldn't wait to see Carrie," Kubiszyn said. "He'd never met her, but he loved her." In 1996, investigators hired a construction crew to pump out a pool at a closed surface mine in Tuscaloosa County. An excavator scooped out the bottom of the pool but found nothing. A month later, an anonymous tip led searchers to Lake Tuscaloosa near the Alabama 69 bridge about 10 miles north of Northport. In 1997, a prison inmate claimed he had first-hand knowledge of the case. Tony Lynn Dobbins said he was there when Carrie was murdered. He said he and another man guarded Carrie at an abandoned house in Marshall County and then she was taken to Jackson County and strangled. Dobbins led searchers to where he said her body was left, but again the tip led nowhere. In 2000, the Smiths met with FBI agents and pleaded with them to reopen the case, but were told all leads had been exhausted. In 2002, a tip led searchers near the Tuscaloosa County community of Samantha, where crews used a backhoe to try to unearth new information about Carrie's remains. There were psychics, and more inmates looking for a way out of lockup for a day, but never any success in finding Carrie's remains. "It devastated my parents. I honestly believe the trauma exacerbated my mother's Alzheimer's, and it certainly broke all of our hearts," Kubiszyn said. "Financially, my dad has spent hundreds and hundreds of thousands of dollars." Harriett Smith died about eight years ago, and Smith, now 82, has since remarried. He still responds to tips, and continues to fight against parole for McPherson, most recently in August. "We have a before and after in our family," Kubiszyn said. "I've always admired my dad so much -- he just keeps plugging on. He just wants to know what happened. I think probably in the last 10 years, he's more resigned to the fact that we probably won't find her, but if anybody calls him and says they know something, he's going to follow up on it. "No matter how old your child is, you want to protect your child. I always felt like he had this deep-seated feeling that he failed Carrie because he couldn't protect her," she said. "That breaks my heart because all he's done is try to find her. He was the best dad to both of us. You often hear people say that girls who have a loving father, it's easier for them to be Christians because they can envision a loving God, and all he's done for us is model a loving father." REMEMBERING, YET MOVING ON Kubiszyn said Carrie was the bright light in their family. "People were drawn to her in life, and people are drawn to this story, because of her innate kindness and innate beauty. She was the kindest person you've ever met," she said. "Her legacy is her kindness and how you can make an impact on people just by being thoughtful. She wasn't a spectacular student, she wasn't a beauty queen, she wasn't someone who leaves their mark by being famous. But everyone that knew her felt like they were loved by her, and that was extraordinary." Lawson said much of those first few months after Carrie's disappearance and Bland's suicide is a blur. The day the FBI pulled off the case, and out of Lawson's house, he found himself sitting in total darkness while he waited for a friend to come pick him up. "That was the first time I felt alone," he said. "I didn't know what to do next." Lawson moved away from Jasper about eight months later, joining a Birmingham law firm and renting an apartment in the city. "I needed to start over. Everywhere I went in Jasper, people wanted to hug me and talk about it," he said. "I was 26 years old, and I still had to work and earn a living somehow." There were several extortion attempts on the Lawson family, one that led to a 15-year prison sentence for the convict. And, of course, there were people who thought Lawson was somehow involved in Carrie's abduction. "And still do," Lawson said. "Of course it bothered me. It still bothers me. And it bothers me that my kids have to read stuff like that." Lawson has since remarried, has three children and continues to work as an attorney. He doesn't talk about Carrie or the case much, but said not a day goes by when he doesn't think about the kindness shown to him and his and Carrie's families. "Most of those people didn't know us at all," he said. "It's stuff like that that gets you through. We were supported by thousands of people who didn't even know us, and that's one reason we've been able to move on. It taught me a lot about how to be a friend, and I never stop thinking about the people who took time off from their jobs, time off from school to search and cry with us." When he does talk about it, it's to use it as proof of what God can do in someone's life. "That's the part of the story I tell as often as I can to the people who want to hear it," he said. "No matter what deck of cards life deals you, no matter how bad it is, you can overcome that. I use it as an example when people have a horrible tragedy and their entire world as they know it has been obliterated. If you had told me that moment that I'd have the kind of life I have now, I would have never believed it. You have no idea what God can do." A Hartford, Connecticut, parking deck collapsed Saturday night and injured dozens, according to Hartford police. Students from nearby Trinity College were partying in an off-campus house and its parking deck when the structure crumbled. Police Deputy Chief Brian J. Foley tweeted that the third floor of the deck detached from the house and started the collapse. That floor fell in on the second floor, which collapsed on the first floor. More than 30 people were injured, but there were no fatalities. Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin released a statement yesterday, and said that the collapse "could have been a truly tragic accident." "I commend all the first responders who worked quickly and professionally to identify the injured students and get them transported safely to local hospitals," he said. According to ABC News, the deck was old and not structurally sound. The station reported that the worst injury in the incident was a broken arm. An Alabama Department of Corrections inmate who escaped on Saturday from a Deatsville corrections facility has been recaptured. Robert John Faulk, 33, didn't return to the Elmore County Frank Lee Work Release Center after he was released on an eight-hour pass. He was captured at 3:35 a.m. Sunday morning in Realtown. He was arrested without incident by the Tallapoosa County Sheriff and local police. Faulk was sentenced in October 2015 to serve four years and 10 months in prison on a possession of controlled substance conviction out of Tallapoosa County. The inmate is awaiting his return to the Alabama Department of Corrections. Employees at Colonial Pipeline are working to repair a leak in a gasoline pipeline that was first detected on Friday, company spokesman David York said Sunday. York said two pipelines in the area were shut down on Friday after the leak was discovered, but one of those was unaffected and has been switched back on. The pipeline with the leak remains off until it is repaired. The leak was first reported by workers at a mining operation who detected a strong odor of gasoline near the intersection of County Road 91 (Coalmont Road) and Lindsey Road and called Colonial Pipeline, which confirmed the leak. York said the company is not sure how much gasoline was spilled, but the area is currently cordoned off from the public because of strong gasoline odors and potentially harmful vapors. State, federal and local agencies including the Environmental Protection Agency, the Alabama Department of Environmental Management, and the Shelby County Emergency Management Agency are on scene. "The leak has been confined to that general area," York said. "There is no danger to any of the surrounding communities or waterways. "We've got crews actively working to get the pipeline uncovered and determine the source of the leak and get repairs made." York said some of the gasoline has soaked into the soil and some collected in a mining retention pond near the site, which he described as a "very remote area," with the nearest home more than two miles away. He said the gasoline is being collected and taken back to the company's Pelham tank farm for treatment. "We're in the process of picking up all the gasoline, but we've sucked up a lot of water too, so we don't know the exact amount [of the spill]," York said. "That's what we're working on now is recovery of the gasoline and preparing to make repairs to the pipeline." In addition to contacting state and local authorities, Colonial Pipeline also involved conservation group Cahaba Riverkeeper, to advise them on potential effects to the watershed. Cahaba Riverkeeper David Butler said the company has been "aggressive" in its response to the spill and that the spill appears to be well-contained. "I think it would be pretty extraordinary for [the gasoline] to reach the river," Butler said. "They're aggressively protecting the river, in case of a worst case scenario for sure. "It's really pretty fortunate where it is, it's in pretty contained area, and it's been so dry here that most of the little perennial streams are pretty dry right now so there's not really a lot of potential at this point for it to migrate towards the river." Butler said he was informed about the spill on Friday, but did not visit the site in person until Sunday because of the presence of gasoline fumes. He also observed the scene from a helicopter Sunday morning with Colonial Pipeline employees. "They've been very open in terms of keeping us updated and allowing us access and taking suggestions and all those sorts of things," Butler said. "In terms of protecting the river, they certainly seem genuine in their desire to do as much as they can to prevent it from reaching the river." Butler said the response from Colonial Pipeline was markedly different from how some companies respond to spills. "I keep shaking my head and thinking 'Am I still in Alabama?'" Butler said. "It's certainly unusual in this type of situation to have that kind of cooperation. "It's definitely refreshing from our standpoint." The Colonial Pipeline website states the company operates the largest pipeline in the United States by volume, transporting more than 105 million gallons daily. Colonial boasts 5,500 miles of pipeline between Houston and New York Harbor, to transport gasoline, diesel fuel, jet fuel and other refined petroleum products. Colonial Pipeline has set up a special web site for updates on the spill response, which York said would be updated twice daily while the response is ongoing. The gratitude was appreciated though a bit misplaced. Harley Estep was sitting at the bar at a local American Legion post when a man came up to welcome him home and thank him for his military service. It was 2014 and Estep had returned recently from a deployment overseas in Iraq with the 56th Stryker Brigade Combat Team of the Pennsylvania Army National Guard. A sergeant by rank, a mechanic by trade, Estep was quick to set the record straight and fix what he saw as an injustice. Im not the one that needs to be thanked, the Hampden Township resident said before introducing the man to the Vietnam War veteran seated nearby. Hes the one you need to thank. When the man left, the Vietnam War veteran turned to Estep and said Thank you, its been a long time since I heard that. That was the beginning of what became the Welcome Home for Vietnam Veterans picnic held at the Mechanicsburg Club this past Saturday. The picnic included a formal recognition of all Vietnam veterans present, the presentation of a special 50th anniversary pin, a 21-gun salute, a bagpipe serenade and the playing of Taps. Fifteen area veterans organizations rallied to donate money and promote the event, which also received major backing from the Myers-Buhrig Funeral Home & Crematory in Mechanicsburg. A small army of volunteers mobilized themselves to salute one of the most under-appreciated groups in U.S. military history. It has just been weighing on my mind to do something, said Estep, whose employer, United Rentals, donated equipment for the event. He had been appalled by stories handed down over the years of how veterans returning home from Vietnam were spat on at the airport and called baby killers by protesters. Restaurants and bars had refused to serve Vietnam veterans and there was even a case of a VFW post turning away a veteran by saying his tour of duty in Southeast Asia did not count toward membership, Estep said. Everybody in the military that has been deployed has gotten a welcome home. Everybody but Vietnam veterans, and many still suffer from the emotional wounds that go with the memory of an unwelcoming reception, Estep said. I talked to them on how they would like to be honored. They wanted to be able to sit down at a picnic and talk to friends and fellow veterans. Eighteen months ago, Estep began work to establish a committee to plan the event. The Myers-Buhrig Funeral Home became involved as a major sponsor of the event by providing bottled water, a shuttle bus service, tents and volunteers to help with traffic control and to assist people with mobility issues. We see an opportunity to give back to the veterans who have given so much to us, said Bob Buhrig, funeral home owner and funeral director. Veterans are such an important part of our country and community. Buhrig added the picnic is a chance to right a wrong since Vietnam veterans were not given the welcome home they deserve. The funeral home in Mechanicsburg employs many veterans, along with retired civilian workers from local military installations. The funeral home also provided a memorial area to honor fallen veterans. This included a hearse with a flag at half-staff along with a field cross. Saturdays event was free for veterans while others in attendance were invited to make a donation to PA Wounded Warriors. Eid Mubarak in Arabic means blessed celebration and is a common greeting for Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha. Eid al-Adha is Islams holiest festival and is celebrated annually as an official holiday in many countries. Here is how some people around the world are getting ready for the festivities. The US must continue to pressure Pakistan to stop harbouring the militants who threaten Afghanistan and the world. The day after the terrorist attacks on the Twin Towers and the Pentagon on September 11, 2001, US President George W Bush vowed to retaliate against the perpetrators. He declared that the US would make no distinction between the terrorists who committed these acts and those who harbour them. On October 7, the US military, with the support of a large coalition, began bombing al-Qaeda and Taliban targets in Afghanistan. Bush reiterated that if any government sponsors the outlaws and killers of innocence, they have become outlaws and murderers themselves. With the US military intervention came lofty promises to the Afghans of Marshall-Plan proportions for reconstruction, democratisation and eradication of terrorism. Diversion of US attention to Iraq, a country that had nothing to do with al-Qaeda at the time, considerably downsized Washingtons initial pledges to Afghanistan. Still, the post-9/11 US and international intervention brought many benefits to the Afghans, not the least of which was the collapse of the Taliban government. Benefits to Afghans The flow of international aid and technical assistance helped rebuild a significant portion of the countrys infrastructure. The number of Afghan students registered in schools increased from about a million in 2001 to almost nine million in 2016, with a rise from zero to 39 percent for female students. The average life expectancy has risen from 45 years in 2001 to 62, and child mortality rate has dropped from 136 per 1,000 live births to 101. As per the Afghan Ministry of Public Health records, 60 percent of the nation now has access to basic healthcare services. OPINION: The end of Pakistans double-games in Afghanistan The new Afghan Constitution, ratified in 2004, has provided the country with one of the most democratic systems in the region, ensuring gender equality, human rights protection and freedom of expression for all citizens. With the US military intervention came lofty promises to the Afghans of Marshall-Plan proportions for reconstruction, democratisation and eradication of terrorism. by Unfortunately, the magnificent legal foundations that were laid by the constitution, reconstruction of the infrastructure and the steady progress in most of Afghanistans human development indicators since 2001 have occurred parallel to a deteriorating security situation. Under heavy assault On the eve of the 15th anniversary of the tragic 9/11 attacks, Afghanistan is once again under heavy assault by various terrorist groups, particularly the Taliban and the Haqqani group. They have recaptured some districts while keeping others under continuous assault. Kabul experiences indiscriminate suicide attacks and road travellers are kidnapped on the countrys interstate highways, often to be exchanged for Taliban prisoners. While almost 3,000 souls were killed on 9/11 in New York and Washington, the US has lost nearly 3,600 military and civilian personnel in Afghanistan due to the resurgence of the Taliban. The Afghan casualty figures have been staggering. During 2014 and 2015 alone, the National Security Forces have had 28,500 casualties, and the death toll has risen by 20 percent during the first half of 2016. From 2009 to mid-2016, there have been 63,934 civilian casualties, according to the UN. The expansion and intensification of terrorist attacks throughout the country has also led to the closure of hundreds of schools and healthcare facilities and has considerably curbed the provision of services in restive areas. The number of internally displaced people has risen to 1.2 million (UNAMA), and last year, Afghans constituted the second largest refugee group in Europe. Why is the biggest international military and monetary investment into a country since World War II not paying the dividend? Washingtons purpose Was Washingtons sole purpose of invading Afghanistan retribution for 9/11 attacks? What, then, happened to Bushs threats that the US would make no distinction between the terrorists who committed these acts and those who harbour them? Opinion: Ashraf Ghani A return to traditional Afghan governance Surely, the US has had ample intelligence on the government that has consistently harboured and sponsored the Taliban, the Haqqanis and various Arab and Central Asian terrorist groups. Osama Bin Laden was found and killed by US Navy seals only 60 kilometres from the Pakistani capital. It is no secret that the Afghan Talibans two principal leadership headquarters have been located in Quetta and Peshawar and the Haqqanis have been operating freely out of Waziristan. Mulla Omar, the first Taliban leader, died in Pakistan and his replacement, Mulla Mansour, was killed by a US drone attack in Pakistan. Pakistan has been using these non-state militant groups as a main arm of its myopic and outdated foreign policy. From recruitment of fighters to financing, supplying of arms and their IP addresses, all has been facilitated in Pakistan. Yet, Washington did little if anything to persuade Islamabad to stop playing the role of godfather to militants who are not only threatening Afghanistan and the immediate neighbourhood, but also the entire world. Washington did little if anything to persuade Islamabad to stop playing the role of godfather to militants who are not only threatening Afghanistan and the immediate neighbourhood, but also the entire world. by Instead, to facilitate its decision of pulling out of Afghanistan by 2014, the Obama administration stressed a political settlement between the Taliban and the Afghan state and the Afghans were told to prepare for a power-sharing arrangement. Political expediency The rhetoric coming out of Washington and London also changed from ideals of democracy and human rights, to a politically expedient portrayal of Afghans as a backwards tribal society that is better off left to their 13th-century ways. But, with the announcement of US and NATO military withdrawal, an all out victory was in sight for the enemies of the Afghan state. Meanwhile, the new Afghan government that came to power in September 2014 launched a new and multi-faceted approach. It resuscitated a regional coalition around economic and trade cooperation, which would require regional security; China, Pakistans all-weather ally for half-a-century, was also brought on board. Meanwhile, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani shifted the narrative of negotiations from reconciliation (ie, power-sharing with the Taliban) to peace between the two neighbouring states. He took the first goodwill steps for confidence building, but Pakistan stubbornly continued with its old behaviour. Although this approach came at a heavy cost for Ghani domestically, and at face value did not produce immediate results, the recent signs of a shift in policy towards Pakistan in Washington indicate a bittersweet success. Earlier this year, the US Congress took the lead to tighten the knob on Pakistan by reducing the flow of aid and imposing conditions that require Islamabad to show a tangible shift of policy on Afghanistan. The Obama administration has followed suit. To honour the lives that have been lost or have forever been crippled from September 11, 2001, until September 11, 2016, and to prevent further tragedy, the US must seriously continue to pressure Pakistan and dry terrorism in its roots. Helena Malikyar is an Afghan political analyst and historian. The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial policy. It is no wonder that this war persists as terror groups expand further. Terrorism is a terrible thing, but it is made even more terrible and tragic when people and governments fail to react to it intelligently and allow it to perpetuate itself and expand which is precisely what is happening today, 15 years after the 9/11 attacks by al-Qaeda against the United States. I was in Boston on September 11, 2001, and I find myself in Boston again this week. As I watch the publics mood here, I see a very bizarre combination of militaristic triumphalism, political perplexity, and slightly hysterical fears about new terror attacks; nearly 50 percent of Americans tell pollsters today they worry about terror attacks in the US. No wonder, then, that the balance sheet of events since 2001 is mostly negative and frightening for the whole world. A review of American actions against terrorism since 9/11 registers one very big achievement: No major terror attack by al-Qaeda or the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS) against the US mainland has occurred since 2001, due to significantly enhanced anti-terror measures in the US and globally. Negative balance sheet The rest of the balance sheet is negative. The root causes, political symptoms, and operational capabilities of al-Qaeda and ISIL-style terrorism in their Arab-Asian heartlands have expanded steadily in the past 15 years. This expansion occurred side-by-side with heightened military attacks against them and widespread political repression and socioeconomic deterioration in their home societies. ALSO READ: Obama on 9/11 anniversary we never give in to fear The US and dozens of allied Western and Arab-Asian states have fought traditional and covert military campaigns against terrorists over the past two decades without eliminating them. In fact, the opposite has happened, partly as a response to non-stop US-led military attacks in the so-called global war on terror that have destabilised a dozen countries and caused thousands of civilian deaths. The US and dozens of allied Western and Arab-Asian states have fought traditional and covert military campaigns against terrorists for the past two decades - without eliminating them. by Al-Qaeda has reinvented itself and even expanded its reach, and it also spawned the more vicious ISIL, and that continues to franchise itself and even inspire attacks by lone-wolf terrorists around the world. When I witnessed at close range the 9/11 attacks in 2001, I was struck by the three-pronged response of American society as a whole both ordinary citizens and the government. Americans were totally perplexed about why anyone would attack the US as al-Qaeda had done; they went out of their way to read and learn about Islam, seeking to discover why some criminal Muslims carried out those attacks; and they unleashed the full, immense force of their military by attacking Afghanistan, and 18 months later, Iraq inadvertently setting in motion perhaps the largest and most sustained expansion in international terrorism in the past century. The explanation for this problematic situation should be obvious to any honest analyst or observer, who seem to be in short supply in American and Arab public life. Security-based response The security-based response to the 9/11 attacks anchored in the ongoing global war on terror has totally ignored all the underlying political and socioeconomic conditions in the Arab-Asian region that have driven the two main dynamics we still suffer today: The formation, expansion and durability of criminal terror groups, and support for these groups from millions of distressed and desperate citizens. Most troubling today is that every single one of the underlying causes of mass citizen discontent that nourish these terror organisations has worsened over the past 15 years, rather than being tackled and redressed. Specifically, we see heightened political repression across most Arab-Asian lands, constant warfare, deteriorating environmental conditions, sectarian polarisation, stagnant or worsening job prospects, more extreme economic inequalities, population growth that outpaces economic expansion, heightened political violence by governments, rebels and foreign powers alike, and non-stop foreign military interventions. Direct foreign militarism since 2001, including continuing drone attacks, have created ideal conditions for al-Qaeda and ISIL to exist and expand. These include fractured state control, mass civilian political resentment, and ungoverned spaces as we have seen in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Yemen, Somalia, Syria, Iraq and Libya. OPINION: Americas war for the Greater Middle East Consequently, according to respected local and international pollsters, five to eight percent of populations in the Arab world express favourable views of al-Qaeda or ISIL this reaches 15 percent in some cases. The low figure of five percent means that perhaps 20 million Arab nationals look favourably upon al-Qaeda and ISIL and hundreds of other groups like them that have come into being in war-torn lands like Syria, Libya, Yemen and Iraq. Alongside this is the new problem of the centre of gravity of the global jihad shifting from Afghanistan and Pakistan to Syria and Iraq, in the heart of the Arab world, where the ability to exploit logistical support and recruit new members is so much greater. Making things worse The demonisation and humiliation of ordinary Muslims in the West make things even worse from being removed from civilian flights in the US for speaking Arabic, for example, to being shot dead by a Muslim-hating American neighbour or hearing a presidential candidate repeatedly ask to ban Muslims due to possible security threats. These trends expand the support for militants around the world who claim to protect citizens from Western governments and their allies in Arab-Asian repressive governments. We know that some 10,000 American soldiers and civilian contractors have been killed and 50,000 wounded in the Iraq, Syria, and Afghanistan wars since 2011 the longest wars in the US history. We do not know how many have been killed or injured in the dozen countries across the Middle East and South Asia where the global war on terror continues unabated. Accurate counts of the dead and injured generally seem to be unavailable when it comes to the lives of darker skinned people from the global South. This is how it is in the global war on terror. So it is no wonder that this war persists and persists as terror groups expand and expand; and, 15 years after 9/11, Americans continue to be perplexed, militaristic, and more worried than ever about new terror threats. Rami G Khouri is a senior public policy fellow at the Issam Fares Institute at the American University of Beirut and a non-resident senior fellow at Harvard University Kennedy School. The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial policy. The politics of the mourning has triumphed over the mourning of the political. Cities have a life of their own. It is as if they dont belong to the countries where they are geographically located. You fly from New York to London, Paris, Istanbul, Cairo, New Delhi, Mexico City or Tokyo and the lives of the two cosmopolises your flight connects resonates deeply with each other beyond all political borders. The significance of these cities have to do with their collective memory of themselves, and the manner in which such memories live in their inhabitants. In every one of its citizens, the city sings that chorus memory. Tehran during the Iranian Revolution of 1977-1979, Philadelphia during the Bicentennial Celebrations of 1976, and New York during the events of 9/11/2001 mark such enduring urban dramas for me. From Tehran to Cairo, Beirut, Damascus, Istanbul, Casablanca, London, Paris, New York, Mexico City, Buenos Aires, Tokyo and New Delhi, there are world historic events that connect the lives of cities and their inhabitants to a more global history of nations than their fictive frontiers could care to fathom. There was a moment on that fateful Tuesday morning of 9/11 that New York went through an enervating collective trauma that has changed its history forever very much on the same spectrum that people must have experienced in Kabul or Kandahar, Baghdad or Mosul, Damascus or Aleppo, Beirut or Tripoli ever since that fateful day in our contemporary world history. A pre-political moment For those of us who lived through that fateful 9/11 in New York, we remember vividly an intensely emotional moment when the politics of the horror had not come rudely to control and define it with unsurpassed vulgarity. ALSO READ: Obama on 9/11 anniversary- We never give in to fear It was an existential moment, a moment of prehistoric fear, a traumatic sense of planetary emptiness. We no longer knew where we were. We had lost the map of our universe. It was an existential moment, a moment of prehistoric fear, a traumatic sense of planetary emptiness. We no longer knew where we were. We had lost the map of our universe. by I remember our students at the Columbia University campus bringing their colourful chalks and childhood crayons and writing memorabilia on our iconic steps in front of our Alma Mater statue. To me, those faded scribblings are infinitely superior in their emotional intelligence, and more enduring in the memories of that fateful day they invoked than any other official 9/11 Memorial. Yes, it was a ghastly act by a gang of Muslim criminals followed by even ghastlier and more criminal acts by the wildly unleashed US militarism. But just before those two successive political moments, there was an entirely different instantiation of thoughts, emotions, acts of mourning that has now been almost completely buried under the ashes of those two magnificent Twin Towers of the World Trade Center. The politics of the mourning has triumphed over the mourning of the political. A metaphysics of scale Compared to the scale of death and destruction that the US has unleashed on major cities in Afghanistan and Iraq, and later Bashar al-Assad and his nemesis have visited upon Syria, the destruction of those two towers now appears as entirely negligible, even remembering them perhaps an insult to the memories of hundreds of thousands of innocent human beings maimed and murdered and turned into hopeless refugees in Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya or Syria. But still, for those of us who lived through that day in New York and can never forget the minutiae details of where we were and what we did as those two towers were crumbling down, there is a precious but entirely lost moment when the tragic event brought New York to the fold of humanity. Maybe it took only a few hours, or perhaps even a day or two, before the militarist logic of the US wounded pride took over and began beating the drums of war. But during those precious few hours, something extraordinary happened in this city. We were mourning the loss of two sublime poetic uprisings from the heart of our ordinary urbanity. The politics of mourning 9/11 have by now completely overcome and preempted the possibility of the mourning of the political. But there was a moment when those two buildings had just fallen down we saw them on our television screens and walked like zombies towards their mourning sites. There was an eerie silence about the city. A ghost of New York had arisen from its ashes and is hovering over its wounded pride. Every major city around the globe was mourning with New York on that day and on that day, for a fleeting moment, there was a lingering hope that the entirety of the nation that claims New York as its own would recognise that global mourning and learn humility and empathy with similar buildings falling in any other city. Alas, that did not happen. US President George W Bush soon appeared on the scene and instantly dragged that moment into a furious jingoistic militarism from which the world is still burning alive. But those who lived that 9/11 day in New York were taught a lasting lesson on what it means when today we see Aleppo, or when we saw Kandahar or Baghdad shocked and awed into fearful suspension of hope in our own fragile humanity. Hamid Dabashi is Hagop Kevorkian Professor of Iranian Studies and Comparative Literature at Columbia University in New York. The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial policies. Is the Russia-US agreement on Syria the beginning of the end of the conflict? Unlikely. The agreement merely reflects a shared commitment to a military strategy, with its major strategic goals being to delink and separate Jabhat Fateh al-Sham (formerly known as al-Nusra Front) and the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS) from other rebel groups. To be sure, the agreement also calls for a cessation of regime bombardment of civilian areas, an opening up of humanitarian corridors, and the demilitarisation of key supply routes positive measures in the short-term. However, the agreement cannot possibly serve as a blueprint for a resolution because it fails to set in motion any political mechanisms to do so. Instead, it represents the convergence of interest and strategy between the Americans and Russians, which will ultimately reshape the political possibilities for post-conflict Syria. Once heralded as necessary to ending the conflict, though, this convergence is unlikely to achieve that goal due to its narrow military focus. INTERACTIVE: Whats left of Syria? For anyone familiar with Syrias conflict landscape, the strategy of separating Jabhat Fateh al-Sham and ISIL from other rebel groups should immediately be seen as problematic. Syrian rebel groups, especially Jabhat Fateh al-Sham, are deeply intertwined and embedded in civilian areas. As foreign support has become less reliable over the course of the conflict, armed groups have had to increasingly rely on cooperation with each other to sustain themselves, conduct military operations and hold territory. While some armed groups were numerically and militarily stronger than others, as was the case with Jabhat Fateh al-Sham, they nevertheless needed to rely on military and administrative cooperation with others to remain relevant on the battlefield. Disentangling these networks will be virtually impossible. In a previous cessation plan earlier this year, Jabhat Fateh al-Sham ceded to Turkish and rebel requests to withdraw from civilian areas but returned once the cessation agreements collapsed. Such is the fluidity of the military situation on the ground that armed groups can appear and disappear from civilian areas with relative ease. The latest agreement to cease aerial bombardments on civilian areas has been celebrated by the Americans as a major step forward. This is certainly true, as barrel bombs have terrorised civilians for years but the agreement only references aerial attacks by regime forces, with no provisions applying to ground forces. This is destabilising, as there is nothing resembling a central command for the regime today. Russia may indeed be able to ground air attacks, but the same cannot be said for the tens of thousands of militia fighters in Syria who are autonomous from central command. What incentives will they have to adhere to the agreements cessation of hostilities? The opening up of humanitarian corridors will only flood the country with more goods that have been the subject of countless raids by militia fighters. What will be different the day after the agreement is in place? Russian guarantees that it can control violence in Syria when so much of that violence is diffused and decentralised may end up being a fantasy. EXPLAINER: Syrias Civil War This may all be both a design and the intended outcome of the agreement, which is quite limited in its scope. Perhaps what we are witnessing here instead is the emergence of a new international consensus on what an acceptable outcome in Syria would be. After all, the agreement reveals as much by what it contains as what it omits. Previous United Nations Security Council Resolutions, such as 2254 and 2268, were much more expansive in their understanding of the conflict and the measures needed to propel a resolution. This included recognition of the need for political transition and a political solution to the conflict. No such provisions appear to have made their way into this final agreement, with key questions of what will come after the conflict left unaddressed. Any agreement or process to end the conflict must stretch beyond geopolitics and address the serious, long-term issues that are important to Syrians, including refugee repatriation, prisoners whereabouts, transitional justice and reconstruction. Sadly, the recent agreement between Russia and the United States represents a retreat from past efforts to include these dimensions of the conflict as part of any deal. Focusing solely on the military aspect renders Syrians invisible and portends a bleak future for Syria as a frontline state against ISIL, ensuring continued violence in the country. Forces loyal to eastern Libyan commander Khalifa Haftar have launched attacks at ports in Libyas oil crescent and clashed with guards who control the terminals, according to a spokesman and witnesses. Petroleum Facilities Guard (PFG) spokesman Ali al-Hassi said on Sunday afternoon that Haftars forces attacked at Zueitina, Ras Lanuf, and Es Sider ports to the east of Sirte, as well as the nearby town of Ajdabiya, and that clashes were ongoing. A port engineer confirmed that Haftars forces had entered the oil ports of Ras Lanuf and Es Sider, Libyas largest, and said one of the storage tanks at Es Sider had been set alight in the clashes. The PFG also said it would reopen the Zueitina Port, but Haftars forces, known as the Libyan National Army (LNA), mobilised in the area leading to fears of a struggle for control. Meanwhile, the LANA news agency loyal to the internationally recognised parliament reported spokesman Colonel Ahmed Mesmari as saying on Sunday that Haftars forces took control of both ports. The ports have been closed since late 2014, but the PFG recently struck a deal with the UN-backed government in Tripoli to reopen them and attempt to resume exports. Haftar and other power brokers in the east have opposed the UN-backed Tripoli-based government, preventing it from extending its authority to eastern Libya. Ras Lanuf and Es Sider were badly damaged earlier this year in attacks by Islamic State of Iraq and Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS) fighters based in Sirte. Widely expected The attacks on Libyas major oil ports by Haftar, who opposes the UN-backed Government of National Accord (GNA), pushes the North African state towards a broader battle over its oil resources and disrupts attempts to restart production. Armed conflict, political disputes and militant attacks have reduced Libyas oil production to about 200,000 barrels a day (bpd) from 1.6 million bpd it was producing before an uprising and fall of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. Haftars move to take over the oil ports, according to Libya analyst Mattia Toaldo, of the European Council on Foreign Relations, was widely expected. This area of the oil crescent is where militias, after the fall of Gaddafi, have fought over and over again, he said, speaking to Al Jazeera from London. The fighting around the oil ports underscores the fragility and volatility of the unity government in Libya, a country with rival parliaments and rival governments. Haftar has never recognised the government in Tripoli. Hes loyal to the House of Representatives [in Tobruk], which, because things are complicated in Libya, is also internationally recognised, said Toaldo. Haftar, a former army general who has been a divisive figure in Libya since Gaddafi was toppled, has resisted attempts to integrate him into a unified armed forces and overcome divisions between the east and west regions. Many in western Libya and Tripoli criticise Haftar as a former Gaddafi ally bent on establishing a military dictatorship, but he has become a political figurehead for many in the east who feel abandoned by the capital. Manuel Valls warns of new attacks in France, but says Sarkozys proposal to systematically detain all suspects is wrong. French Prime Minister Manuel Valls has warned that there will be new attacks in France, but said that proposals by former president Nicolas Sarkozy to boost security were not the right way to deal with the threats. Paris was put on high alert last week after French officials said they dismantled a terrorist cell that planned to attack a Paris railway station under the direction of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). French police also arrested a 15-year-old boy suspected of planning a separate attack, investigators said on Sunday. The teenager was detained in eastern Paris on Saturday after having been under house arrest since April for suspected links to ISIL members. This week at least two attacks were foiled, Manuel Valls said in an interview with Europe 1 radio and Itele television on Sunday. There will be new attacks, there will be innocent victims this is also my role, to tell this truth to the French people, Valls said. OPINION: How should France answer to the horror in Nice? Valls also warned that the country faced a threat from 15,000 others in the country who were on the radar of police and intelligent services. In an interview with newspaper Le Journal du Dimanche, Sarkozy proposed to systematically place French citizens suspected of having links to fighters in special detention facilities. And dont tell me it would be Guantanamo, Sarkozy said in the interview. In France, any administrative confinement is subject to subsequent control by a judge. Guantanamo Bay Detention Camp, opened by former United States President George W Bush, was used to hold prisoners rounded up overseas after the US became embroiled in wars in Afghanistan and Iraq following the September 11, 2001 attacks on New York and Washington. Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve said that French police had arrested 293 people this year for links to terrorist networks. Investigators believe an ISIL operative had been in contact with one of the women arrested last week in connection with a car found abandoned a week ago near Notre Dame cathedral, a major tourist draw in central Paris. The car contained five gas cylinders, three bottles of diesel and a lit cigarette. Paris prosecutor Francois Molins said the women were acting on orders coming from Syria. OPINION: Dont let ISIL divide France One woman named as Ornella G was remanded in custody on Saturday on terrorism charges, after her fingerprints were found on the vehicle. She told police she and an accomplice had tried to set the vehicle alight but fled when they saw a man they believed to be a plain-clothes policeman. Three other women, alleged members of the same cell, have also been detained. Police sources believe the three were planning another attack. One of the women has been linked to one of the attackers who killed a French priest in Normandy in July, and to an assailant who stabbed a police couple to death at their home in a Paris suburb in June. France is on heightened alert after a series of attacks since January 2015 that have killed 238 people and made security a hot topic in campaigning for next years presidential and parliamentary elections. ISIL claimed responsibility for the Paris attacks in November which killed 130 people, and also claimed that the truck driver who crushed 86 people to death in Nice in July was one of the groups soldiers. Nearly two million Muslims have gathered in the vast Saudi plain of Mount Arafat for the most important ritual of the Hajj, an annual pilgrimage that re-enacts the actions of the Prophet Muhammad from more than 1,400 years ago. Worshippers from more than 150 countries converged at the 70-metre hill at sunrise on Sunday, some 15km from Mecca, for wukuf, a high point of the Hajj which all pilgrims must attend in the mid-afternoon. Wearing two white, unstitched pieces of cloth for men known as the ihram, and any loose-fitting clothing for women, the pilgrims climbed steps built into the hill where the Prophet Muhammad gave his final sermon. In what looked like an unbroken sea of white, the pilgrims marched to the top, reciting prayers and supplications. Al Jazeeras Jamal Elshayyal, reporting from Mecca, said there was an extremely sombre mood at the plain, with many spending their time in prayer and introspection. Many of the people we have spoken to have been reflecting on the Prophets final sermon and how poignant it is today. A message that was about the sanctity of life, forbidding oppression and calling for greater love and unity. At sunset on Sunday, the pilgrims will head to Muzdalifah, about 9km away. There they will spend the night under the open sky until just before sunrise and begin collecting pebbles for the next days rites. On Monday, as Muslims around the world celebrate Eid al-Adha (Feast of the Sacrifice), pilgrims performing the Hajj will cast pebbles at a pillar on the Jamaraat Bridge in Mina, in a symbolic renunciation of the devil. This stoning ritual goes on for two days before Hajj draws to a close. WATCH: Experience the journey of a Hajj pilgrim in 360-degree video As part of its intensified crowd control measures, nearly a thousand new surveillance cameras have been installed at Meccas Grand Mosque, and the Jamarat stoning will be more tightly controlled than in previous years. Saudi authorities had appealed to pilgrims to perform the ritual at any part of the day, rather than only in the afternoon. Also for the first time, pilgrims will be given electronic bracelets storing personal and medical information that will help authorities to provide care and identify people. The Hajj is one of the worlds biggest displays of mass religious devotion and is expected to be attended by more than 1.5 million pilgrims. This year, though, Iranian pilgrims are notably absent after Tehran and Riyadh failed to reach a deal on arrangements for Iranian citizens. Last years Hajj was marred by a stampede that killed 769 pilgrims the highest Hajj death toll since a crush in 1990. The disaster deepened tensions between the countries as many of the pilgrims killed were Iranian. In a separate development, the kingdom said it was launching a 24-hour Farsi-language channel that would broadcast this years Hajj. The channel aims to broadcast the message of the Hajj, the eternal meanings of Islam and to show what is being provided by the kingdom, the Saudi Press Agency quoted Adel al-Toraifi, the minister of information and culture, as saying. Pilgrimage to Mecca is one of the five pillars of Islam and undertaking it is considered an obligation for Muslims at least once during their lives, if they can afford to do so. Want to see what the Hajj pilgrimage looks like? Follow us on Snapchat at AJENews. Deadly tiger snakes are seen swimming through the streets as rivers overflow their banks. Torrential rain in southeast Australia has caused flooding in the state of Victoria. Glenelg River, one of the longest in the state, reached major flood levels on Saturday night at the village of Casterton. The river rose to 6.1 metres and barely dropped during the day on Sunday. About 50 homes were surrounded by water, with several at risk of being inundated. State Emergency Services Duty Officer Gerry Sheridan told ABC News that residents should avoid the floodwater because of the unknowns. He said there were a lot of contaminants and toxins in the waters, as well as snakes and vermin. Venomous tiger snakes had been seen swimming through the streets of the nearby town of Coleraine, where residents of the town were evacuated on Friday night. A number of people had to be rescued. Emergency services saved one man after his milk tanker became trapped in the early hours of Sunday and another driver in Springfield was rescued on Saturday afternoon. His two dogs were rescued from the roof of his car a few hours later. Motorists are being urged not to risk driving through floodwaters, which could be deeper than they appear. Monday is expected to be dry in the region, but heavy rain is expected to return on Tuesday and Wednesday. These torrential downpours could make the flooding worse. US State Department says mass graves found in Sinjar are clear evidence ISIL carried out genocide. The US State Department has accused ISIL of committing genocide against the Yazidi community when it retreated from several villages and cities it controlled in northern Iraq. Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS) fighters left dozens of mass graves in the Sinjar area, according to the State Departments annual report on religious freedom around the world, which was released on Saturday. The discovery of the graves earlier this year came as several countries said ISIL had carried out a genocide against Shia Muslims, Christians, Yazidis and other religious groups. ISIL continued to pursue a brutal strategy of what Secretary of State (John) Kerry judged to constitute genocide against Yazidis, Christians, Shia Muslims, and other vulnerable groups in the territory it controlled, the report said. READ MORE: The German village helping Yazidi women raped by ISIL Deputy Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who presented the report, said that the actions of ISIL were genocidal because the group killed Yazidis because they are Yazidi, Christians because they are Christian, Shia Muslims because they are Shia. Yazidi community leaders in Iraq echoed the report and told Al Jazeera that the discovery of the graves, which are thought to contain thousands of bodies, was evidence of genocide, adding to a history of mass killings in the country dating back to the era of former president Saddam Hussein. The Yazidis are neither Muslims nor Arabs and follow a unique faith abhorred by ISIL. Search for family members Soham Hadjkhoudaid, an Iraqi Yazidi, told Al Jazeera that she was certain her husband and his father and brothers were buried in a recently discovered mass grave near Sinjar. ISIL fighters seized their village two years ago and the men were captured at a checkpoint while trying to escape. READ MORE: In five years, there wont be any Yazidis left here Witnesses told the family they were killed and dumped in the grave, Hadjkhoudaid said. We still hope they might come back to us by any chance. We always feel their presence around us. Just to visualise how they were killed is horrifying to us, she said. Digging up bodies can be dangerous as ISIL often plants bombs in and around the graves, according to Iraqi security officials. Government workers for the Kurdish Regional Government and the central government in Baghdad are also trying to cooperate with Yazidi leaders, Al Jazeeras Natasha Ghoneim, reporting from the town of Sinjar, said. Everyone involved wants to ensure everything is properly documented, so the Yazidi deaths can be officially recognised as a genocide. There was a time when one of the worst sins you could commit on the American Right was to buy into false moral equivalence. During the Cold War, this usually meant saying that we were no better than the Soviet Union. For example, Democratic Sen. William J. Fulbright Bill Clintons mentor said of the Soviet Union in 1971, Were it not for the fact that they are Communists and therefore bad people while we are Americans and therefore good people our policies would be nearly indistinguishable. My old boss William F. Buckley famously had the best retort to this kind of myopic asininity. To say that the CIA and the KGB engage in similar practices is the equivalent of saying that the man who pushes an old lady into the path of a hurtling bus is not to be distinguished from the man who pushes an old lady out of the path of a hurtling bus: on the grounds that, after all, in both cases someone is pushing old ladies around. After the Cold War, the false moral equivalence arguments didnt stop; they simply mutated to fit the times. The isolated abuses at Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq were expanded into an indictment of America itself. Shamefully, Sen. Ted Kennedy declared in 2005, we now learn that Saddams torture chambers reopened under new management: U.S. management. Sen. Dick Durbin claimed American policies were indistinguishable from those of the Nazis, the Soviets and Pol Pot. Amnesty International dubbed the prison at Guantanamo Bay the Gulag of our time. The problem with this sort of rhetoric should be obvious; however bad Abu Ghraib or Guantanamo Bay may be in your eyes, logic and facts cant make them the moral equivalents of genocidal mass slaughter (in Saddams Iraq, Nazi Germany, Pol Pots Cambodia or the Soviet Union). Nor is locking up terrorists and enemy combatants anything like imprisonment or summary execution of dissidents, intellectuals and other civilians. Last year, President Barack Obama went for a personal best in the worst moral equivalence Olympics. At a National Prayer Breakfast, he argued that those who condemn the tactics of the Islamic State the beheadings, the slavery, the mass rapes, burying people alive and so forth must understand that Christians did some very bad things 10 centuries ago during the Crusades. So lets not get on our high horse about all that. Conservatives, including yours truly, ran to their respective rhetorical garages to get as many brickbats, crowbars and sledgehammers as necessary to demolish that specious nonsense. So its interesting to see how conservatives have been responding to the Republican nominees own adventures in moral equivalence. Last December in an interview with MSNBCs Joe Scarborough, Donald Trump was asked about his sometimes lavish praise of Vladimir Putin. Scarborough noted that Putin kills journalists, political opponents, and invades countries. Obviously that would be a concern, would it not? Hes running his country, and at least hes a leader, Trump replied. Unlike what we have in this country. Scarborough persisted: But again: He kills journalists that dont agree with him. Trumps answer: I think our country does plenty of killing, also, Joe, so, you know. More than nine months later a suitable period to rethink ones absurd and ridiculous position, one might think Trump was asked again about his so-called bromance with the Russian autocrat. In a Commander-in-Chief forum, NBCs Matt Lauer confronted Trump with some of his past quotes about Putin, including Trumps claim that, in terms of leadership, hes getting an A, our president is not doing so well. When Lauer ran through just a few of Putins offenses, including his alleged involvement in the hacking of the Democratic Partys computers, Trump responded: Well, nobody knows that for a fact. But do you want me to start naming some of the things that President Obama does at the same time? I take a backseat to no one as a critic of Barack Obama, but this is repugnant. Barack Obama has done some terrible, foolish and deplorable things as president. But all of his transgressions are measured against the standards of our constitutional system and our political culture. For instance, in 2009, the Obama Justice Department outrageously monitored the phone calls and emails of my Fox News colleague James Rosen. In order to get the warrants, they hilariously named Rosen a criminal co-conspirator of one of his sources. Thats really bad. But it is not the moral equivalent of having Rosen gunned down in the street. That Donald Trump cannot see such distinctions is no longer shocking. That many of his conservative supporters cant either grows less shocking by the day. Supreme court rejects an appeal from Israeli doctors who view the practice as torture and medically risky. Israels Supreme Court has ruled that the force-feeding of prisoners on hunger strike is constitutional after rejecting an appeal from the Israel Medical Association. This law is legal under Israeli law and international law, the court ruled on Sunday about a law passed in July last year allowing hunger-strikers to be force-fed if their lives are in danger. Saving a life must remain the priority and the state is responsible for the lives of its prisoners, the judges said, according to the Paris-based AFP news agency. The medical association appealed against the law last year, calling it a form of torture. READ MORE: Israeli doctors refuse to force-feed hunger-striking Palestinian prisoners The state is responsible for the safety of prisoners but also of its citizens, whose safety may be endangered because of events such as a hunger strike by prisoners, the judges added. Shortly after the passing of the law in July 2015, United Nations officials condemned it, saying it was a non-violent form of protest used by individuals who have exhausted other forms of protest to highlight the seriousness of their situations. Many Palestinian prisoners held under Israels controversial administrative detention law, which allows suspects to be held for renewable six-month periods without trial or charge, have staged hunger strikes. Israel says the controversial practice allows authorities to hold suspects while continuing to gather evidence, while Palestinians, rights groups and members of the international community have condemned the system. There are currently around 7,000 Palestinian prisoners held by Israel, of whom some 700 are under administrative detention. Attackers were killed after staging an attack on Mombasas main police with a knife and a petrol bomb. Three women tricked their way into a Mombasa police station where they stabbed one officer and set fire to the building with a petrol bomb before they were shot dead. Under the pretext of reporting a stolen phone, the women walked into the police station on Sunday morning around 10:30 local time, with a knife and petrol bomb concealed in their traditional Buibui robes. While being questioned by officers, one drew a knife and the other threw a petrol bomb at the police officers, Patterson Maelo, Mombasa County Police Commander, told reporters at the scene. READ MORE: Al-Shabab raids Kenyan police, taking bullets and guns The station caught fire. Police shot the three and killed them. Two officers are in hospital with wounds. Presumably it is a terror attack. 3 women shot dead. 3 officers injured & hospitalized. Petrol bomb burns down section of station. #MombasaAttack pic.twitter.com/oTEpSi0kho Mac Otani (@MacOtani) September 11, 2016 Two bullet-proof jackets and an unused petrol bomb were recovered from the dead suspects, coast regional commander Nelson Marwa told reporters. We already have crucial leads that will help in the investigation, he said. Two separate police sources who asked not to be named said a woman who had housed the suspects the night before the attack had been arrested. READ MORE: Five police killed in al-Shabab convoy attack in Kenya Salma Mohamed, a witness who was at the station to see a relative in custody, told Reuters news agency that one attacker had jumped on to a counter and stabbed an officer in the thigh before being shot. Police did not say which group the suspects were linked to but Mohamed said the women pledged allegiance to al-Shabab. They shouted saying they were al-Shabab and recited the Arabic slogan Allahu Akbar even as police fired bullets at them. They did not run. They shouted until bullets fell them down, she said. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack yet. Mombasa, a city on Kenyas coast with a large Muslim population, has been targeted by al-Shabab fighters several times in recent years, although the frequency of attacks has slowed. Somalias al-Qaeda-linked al-Shabab group has previously taken responsibility for attacks in Mombasa and other parts of Kenya, in what it said was retaliation for the East African country sending its troops to Somalia. Al-Shabab was behind an attack on Nairobis Westgate shopping mall that killed 67 people and a raid on Garissa university in the northeast that killed 148. Al Shabab fighters also launched several attacks in 2014 that left more than 100 dead in Lamu County region. Fourteen others were wounded in the attack targeting soldiers loyal to President Hadi in southern province of Abyan. At least 10 Yemeni soldiers have been killed in a suicide bombing attack in the southern province of Abyan, security officials said. Sundays attack saw 14 other soldiers wounded when the bomber drove an explosives-laden car into an army position where many soldiers loyal to Yemens internationally-recognised government were concentrated, Paris-based AFP news agency reported citing officials. Ensuing clashes reportedly erupted between pro-government troops and suspected al-Qaeda fighters in the area. The attack comes nearly a month after government forces, backed by an allied Arab coalition, dislodged al-Qaeda fighters from Zinjibar, the capital city of Abyan. Troops retook other towns across Abyan but have been met by fierce resistance in a key al-Qaeda stronghold, Al-Mahfid, a town which lies further east. READ MORE: Scores killed in ISIL-claimed suicide bombing in Yemen Fighters from al-Qaeda and the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) armed group have escalated their attacks in the countrys south in recent months. Al-Qaeda has expanded its influence in southern Yemen, taking advantage of a power vacuum that has pitted Yemens Houthi rebels against the government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi. Both the United States, and an Arab military coalition, who back Hadis government, have also turned their sights on al-Qaeda, targeting it with air strikes. Yemen has been torn apart by conflict since 2014, when Houthi rebels, allied with ousted President Ali Abdullah Saleh loyalists, captured large swaths of the country, including the capital Sanaa. Since then, the United Nations estimates that approximately 10,000 people have been killed and 2.8 million driven from their homes in fighting across the country. Turkey appoints trustee mayors to 24 municipalities on grounds that previous mayors provided support to terrorists. Turkey has removed 24 mayors accused of links to Kurdish separatist fighters, replacing them with state-appointed trustees in a major shake-up under emergency powers enacted after a failed coup attempt. The mayors were suspended from their posts over the past month on suspicion of links to the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), a group that has been waging a deadly insurgency in the southeast since 1984, an interior ministry statement said. Another four mayors were removed on suspicion of links to the US-based cleric Fethullah Gulen, a former ally of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan who is now blamed for the July 15 failed coup attempt. All 28 mayors were replaced on Sunday with state-appointed trustees. READ MORE: Turkey suspends 11,000 teachers for suspected PKK links While most of the removed mayors belonged to pro-Kurdish parties, three of them were from the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and one was from the opposition Nationalist Movement Party (MHP). Mayors from the AKP and MHP are accused of having links to Gulen movement, according to Turkish media. The move is the largest step yet taken by new Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu since he took over from Efkan Ala in a surprise reshuffle earlier this month. Soylu said the move meant that local municipalities would no longer be controlled by terrorists or those under instructions from Qandil, referring to the PKKs mountain base in northern Iraq. The move was made within the three-month state of emergency imposed after Julys coup attempt. The incumbents had all been elected in 2014 local polls. The municipalities affected, mainly in the southeast, include important, predominantly Kurdish urban areas such as Sur and Silvan in the province of Diyarbakir and Nusaybin in the province of Mardin. The mayors of the cities of Batman and Hakkari in the southeast have also been replaced. The interior ministry said 12 of the mayors suspended are already under arrest. READ MORE: How could failed coup affect Kurdish peace process? The pro-Kurdish Peoples Democratic Party (HDP), whose regional politicians were the among the chief targets of the move, denounced the reshuffle as a coup. In a statement, the HDP said the move was reminiscent of the military takeover in 1980 and ignored the will of the voters. The government should immediately abandon this perilous step, it said, they should quit trying to take advantage of the recent coup attempt on July 15th. But Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag denied the authorities had ridden roughshod over democracy, accusing the suspended mayors of funnelling revenues to terror groups. Being elected does not grant a right to commit a crime, he wrote on Twitter. READ MORE: Deadly clashes between Turkish military and Kurdish PKK Elsewhere, Turkish media reported that the police dispersed crowds that had gathered to protest at the new mayoral assignments in southeastern provinces, and short clashes erupted in several areas. Security forces in Hakkari prevented HDP co-mayors Fatma Yildiz and Saban Alkan from entering the municipality building following Sundays assignments, which led to protests outside the municipality building. Police dispersed the crowd after they refused to leave the scene, the Turkish daily Hurriyet reported. Four people, including Deputy Mayor Mikayil Erdal and HDP district organisation head Asim Ozcan, were detained but released shortly after, newspaper said. In Batman, another group from the HDP gathered to protest the assignments to four municipalities in the province. Police fired tear gas and used water cannons to disperse the crowd. In addition, around 200 people also protested the assignments in the Suruc district of the southeastern province of Sanliurfa. The US Embassy in Ankara said on Sunday that it was concerned by reports of clashes in southeastern Turkey. We are concerned by reports of clashes in Turkeys southeast following the governments decision to remove some elected local officials from office on charges of supporting terrorism, and appoint local trustees in their place, the embassy said in a statement posted on Twitter. It said it supported Turkeys right to defend itself against terrorism but noted the importance of respect for due process and the right to peaceful protest. We hope that any appointment of trustees will be temporary and that local citizens will soon be permitted to choose new local officials in accordance with Turkish law, it said. OPINION: Turkeys war on the PKK The Turkish military said on Wednesday that 186 PKK members had been killed in the operations conducted in the southeastern district of Cukurca over the past few days. A total of 11,285 personnel linked to a separatist-terrorist organisation have been suspended, Turkeys education ministry said on its official Twitter account on Thursday. Turkey, the US and the European Union have branded the PKK a terrorist organisation. The autonomy-seeking group abandoned a two-year ceasefire in July, reigniting a conflict that has claimed more than 40,000 lives since 1984. The government has accused the PKK of a series of attacks in the southeast of Turkey in recent weeks. Actors use performance art to speak out against corruption, unemployment and bad governance. Actors in Zimbabwe have taken to the stage to protest against corruption, unemployment and bad governance despite what government opponents call a crackdown on dissent. In State of the Nation, a group of young Zimbabweans use performance art to mock politicians vying to become the countrys next leader, and pull no punches when it comes to longtime President Robert Mugabe and his inner circle. Mugabe is presumed dead at the start of the play then one of the performers unleashes a flurry of jokes about his wife Grace, her so-called lavish lifestyle and out-of-touch persona. When my people are starving, I sometimes skip meals for them, Chisi Tenga, the actress playing Grace Mugabe, says to a laughing audience. Opposition leaders including Morgan Tsvangirai, Joice Mujuru and Pastor Evan Mawarire dont escape the ridicule, with the actors saying comedy is key to highlighting corruption. Al Jazeeras Haru Mutasa, reporting from Harare, said the actors know they may get into trouble but insist they will keep performing until they are forced to shut the play down. Several people have been arrested while protesting in the past few weeks. Others have been badly beaten by riot police. For some Zimbabweans, going on stage to voice their opinions is an alternative option, Mutasa said. At the end of the performance the actor portraying President Mugabe comes back from an unexplained trip abroad. He then says he will win elections in 2018 and 2023, reminding everyone that he is not yet ready to go. READ MORE: Zimbabwes season of rising discontent Mugabe, 92, has been in power since the countrys independence from Britain in 1980. He is coming under growing pressure from his opponents, and some former allies, who are calling for him to step down. Anger over high unemployment and cash shortages has led to violent protests in the past month. Despite Mugabes record of deploying the security forces to crush public dissent, a one-day strike in July, called by trade unions and Christian pastor Evan Mawarire, shut down offices, schools and some government departments. Police last week banned protests in the capital for two weeks as a coalition of opposition parties planned street marches to press for reforms before the next general election in 2018. Friends of a murdered Afghan journalist search for answers as they come to terms with their loss. Devastated by the murder of their best friend, Afghan journalist Esmat Kohsar and American reporter Courtney Body investigate the truth about what happened on the night of March 20, 2014. Just two and a half weeks before the Afghan presidential elections, journalist Sardar Ahmad, his wife and their two children were killed while having dinner at a restaurant in Kabuls most distinguished hotel. While the Taliban immediately claimed responsibility, Courtney and Esmat believe there is more to the story. For Sardar: The Afghan Journalist tracks their struggles as they grapple with their own dedication to journalism and love for the country of Afghanistan, while finally coming face to face with the loss of their friend. FILMMAKERS VIEW By Elissa Sylvia Mirzaei When I met Sardar Ahmad in 2010, I found him immediately likeable. He was smart, funny and personable. He was a talented journalist and entrepreneur. I worked with him for several years, both at his budding media company Kabul Pressistan and at Agence France-Presse. He loved his country and chose to stay when it would have been easy for him to leave. He was a doting father, too. When my husband, Gulistan, and I went to India for a week, Sardar asked us to bring back some medication for his son, Omar, which wasnt available in Afghanistan. Back in Kabul, we met Sardar at his office. He was wearing a bright red tracksuit, which only Sardar could make look stylish and dignified without any air of tackiness. Omar and Sardars daughter, Nilufar, were running circles around their father outside, their laughter ringing out over the din of late afternoon traffic. That image is etched in my mind. When you live in a country like Afghanistan you are caught in the hyper-awareness of the precariousness of life and the constant imminence of death. You have to try to be prepared for loss of life either your own death or that of your friends. Despite the attempts at mental preparedness, you never really think either is going to happen. Gulistan and I lost numerous friends over the years in Afghanistan. Sardar was one of them. Even writing that, over two years after he and his family were killed, it still feels hard to believe. The moment of loss is ephemeral but the repercussions are permanent. Since 1992, 29 journalists have been killed in Afghanistan. Sardar was a journalist, but he wasnt killed for his work. Instead he added to the much larger number of Afghan civilian casualties which hit a record high of 11,000 in 2015. Why he was killed, why his family was killed, remains unknown even though the Taliban initially claimed responsibility. In some ways who did it is only nominally relevant. Even when the perpetrators are clearly identified, there is rarely any legal repercussion or semblance of justice served. Sardars death left many in Kabul heartbroken, among them two of his best friends and former colleagues, Esmat Kohsar and Courtney Body. Their attempt to investigate the Serena Hotel attack is as much about holding someone accountable for a horrific crime as it is about coming to terms with the loss of Sardar. It is their attempt to make sense so that they can make peace. As former Afghan Intelligence Chief Amrullah Saleh says in the film, The mere passage of time kills a case. And the passage of time has killed thousands of cases. But the case does not die for those grieving the loss of an irreplaceable human being, struggling to make sense of the senseless as they try to continue to love a country that has given them so much and taken so much away. The All Basotho Convention party, which led the outgoing government, won only eight of 120 seats in parliament. AFRIQUE US $30 billion to benefit farmers, strengthening Africas agriculture - 11 Septembre 2016 Nairobi, Kenya, September 9, 2016 Weiteithye Farmers Group in Mwala, Eastern Kenya, comprises about 100 small-scale farmers struggling with crop production, value addition and marketing of their produce. Like other smallholder farmers in Africa, the Weiteithye group lacks access to inputs, financial services and skills in agri-business, efficient machinery for processing produce, market information, new technology, among others. David Mutiso, the groups Chairman, is calling for support to promote agriculture into a profitable sector. Most of the people in the rural areas like us depend on farming. The Government must make agriculture work for us; we need to earn proper income from agriculture, he said. It is farmers like Mutiso who are set to benefit from the US $30 billion pledged by major development institutions, the private sector and African leaders at the African Green Revolution Forum (AGRF) in Nairobi, Kenya. The funds will support investments to increase production and income for smallholder farmers and local African agriculture businesses over the next decade. A session on Making Political, Policy and Financial Commitments to Africas Agricultural Transformation saw Kenyas President, Uhuru Kenyatta, pledge US $200 million to support 150,000 young farmers and agricultural entrepreneurs to access markets, finance and insurance over the next five years. The African Development Bank announced investments of US $24 billion in the coming decade to drive Africas agricultural transformation. This is a 400% increase in financing to the agricultural sector by the Bank from its current levels of $600 million per year, Chiji Ojukwu, Director of the Banks Agriculture and Agro-industries Department, remarked on behalf of Bank President Akinwumi Adesina. The Banks contribution will support the private sector to unlock the potential of African agriculture. In his keynote address delivered on September 8, 2016 during a plenary session on the Role of Policy in Enabling Public-Private Partnerships to Achieve African Agricultural Transformation, President Adesina said, Africa must seize this moment and prioritize investments in agriculture. It is time to support African farmers; African farmers cannot fail. The Africa Agriculture Status Report 2016, launched at the AGRF, highlights the importance of private-sector investment in all aspects of agriculture, such as inputs, as well as the agricultural value chain, including production, processing, marketing and transport. A fertilizer firm, OCP Africa, committed to investing US $150 million over the next five years to support local fertilizer distribution, storage and blending, while the World Food Programme promised to purchase at least US $120 million each year in agricultural products from smallholder farmers through a partnership called the Patient Procurement Platform. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, for its part, pledged US $5 billion, a portion of which will go towards crop and livestock research, strengthening data, and improving systems to deliver innovation and information; and to provide better tools to farmers. The next six years will see Africas agriculture benefit from US $3 billion pledged by the International Fund for Agricultural Development. The Rockefeller Foundation committed to contributing US $180 million towards investments in human resilience to catalyse agricultural transformation, while the Kenya Commerical Bank, East Africas largest commercial Bank will invest US $350 million in loans for smallholder farmers, 50,000 of them women and another 50,000 youth. Targeting women and youth is priority for the AfDB. Through its Affirmative Finance Action for Women (AFAWA), the Bank will help to leverage US $3 billion for women farmers and entrepreneurs. The Bank is already rolling out its ENABLE (Empowering Novel Agri-Business Led Employment) Youth initiative, in partnership with the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture. The ENABLE Youth program seeks to bolster youth entrepreneurship in agriculture and agri-business. The initiative will see the Bank train the next generation of agriculture entrepreneurs, also referred to as agri-preneurs, in several countries, and provide them with seed money through banks to finance their bankable business plans. Dans la meme rubrique : < > Addis Abeba - N'Djamena : l'ADAC reagit a l'incident de vol d'Ethiopian Airlines RDC : Tshisekedi convoque un conseil de defense et expulse l'ambassadeur du Rwanda Abdoulaye Diop : "l'Afrique doit cesser d'etre un terrain de bataille geopolitique pour monopoliser ses ressources" Pour toute information, contactez-nous au : +(235) 99267667 ; 62883277 ; 66267667 (Bureau N'Djamena) Just over a year after its grand opening, the Leadwood Museum and School Archives continues to entice visitors to see its growing collection of local artifacts. From school memorabilia, such as a band majorettes uniform and the cornerstone of the former West County Middle School, to helmets and other mining equipment, to a variety of items provided by local residents, including a handmade baby highchair and a wire-wrapped wooden water pipe, there is bound to be something of interest at the museum for nearly everybody. Inconspicuously tucked away in a narrow back room of the C.Z. Boyer and Son Funeral Home at 501 Bank St., the museum has nevertheless been getting quite a lot of attention since it opened last summer under the direction of Bernard Laiben, a former band director for the West County School District. Over the past year weve probably doubled the number of artifacts, said Laiben. People come in and after looking around, so many of them will say Oh, I have this or I have that, and then about a week or two later they bring it in for us; theyll donate it or loan it to us. Although Laiben has purchased some of the artifacts on display, including the two large film projectors from Leadwoods former Roxy Theater, the majority of items have been donated or indefinitely loaned to the museum. Along with taking special care of the items people place in his trust, Laiben is also conscientious about making sure everyone who loans him something to display knows they can ask for it back at any time. Some things in here, he said, are personal, family belongings. Like the Van Lear highchair. Thats a very personal family heirloom that Mary Younts family donated. Mary just passed away last year. I think it was her dad who made that highchair. Because of the interest so many people have shown in the museum people such as the Yount-Van Lear family and Nedra and Larry Queen the number and variety of artifacts kept at the museum is quite impressive for such a small space. Mary Yount loved the idea of this museum, Laiben said. Every week shed call me because she found something she wanted me to come by and see. Pointing to a long, slender wooden pole resting on a glass shelf against a wall, Laiben described another item donated by Younts children, Van Yount and Patti Sullivan. Its a grabber from the Van Lear store that her grandpa started, he said, to get the canned food from the top shelves The Van Lear store was right next to the bank down here and her grandpa, Clarence Van Lear, started the store. But it was only there, I think, from 1927 to 1932. The depression pushed them out. Another interesting item loaned to the museum by the Yount family is a Rapid Calculator, manufactured around 1925. Believed to have come from the St. Joe Mine payroll offices where Marys husband Bob worked, the contraption is described as a pinwheel calculating machine with nine levers for setting numbers, 10 wheels for recording numbers of revolutions of the large drum, and 18 wheels for recording results. Among other mining artifacts are a few safety helmets. Standing out is one helmet that looks older than the others, or at least appears to have more wear and tear than the cleaner, shinier headwear also on display. A typed description of the dingy, dusty miners helmet is framed and under glass alongside a copy of an old newspaper article. Two Die, Three Injured in Mine Train Crash is the headline of the article. The helmet belonged to one of the men who died from the crash. New in 1928, the helmet was worn by miner Thomas Dunlap on the day he died in October 1935. Dunlaps grandson Tom Dunlap loaned it to the museum. Likely the most noticeable features of the museum, at least initially, are two large movie theater projectors, each setting atop a wheeled base in the center of the floor. Formerly located behind the current Leadwood Police Department, the Roxy Theater operated from July 1935 until October 1954. The projectors were the last set of projectors used at the theater and were stored in the basement of the home of Ralph Miller, who, according to Laiben, was one of the managers of the Roxy and lived a couple of doors down the street from the theater. They were taken from the theater and put into Ralphs basement, where they stayed for 62 years, he said. After negotiating with the Millers daughter to acquire the projectors, Laiben was tasked with getting them moved a significant undertaking given their size and weight and then getting them cleaned up and restored. All the stainless steel was covered in rust, he said, because they were in a basement for 62 years. And a Leadwood basement is a wet basement. So I had to repaint the bases, all the black I had to repaint; all the stainless steel I had scrub with steel wool until my fingers bled. But they came out really nice. The projectors came with a bonus: inside one of the machines was a reel of film. Its a Roy Rogers film, Laiben said, about a 10-minute Roy Rogers short that had been there for 60 some-odd years If you look at the thread, you can see Roy Rogers and Trigger. One of the oddest artifacts Laiben has acquired is a wooden water pipe. Provided by Leadwood residents Larry and Nedra Queen, the oddity hangs just below the ceiling near the entrance to the museum. The pipe is actually four cut and rounded boards wrapped in a coil of wire. According to information provided by Nedra in her book The Early Days of Leadwood, the outer wood was coated with creosote to preserve the wood. When water was flowing through it, the pipes would swell and the wire would tighten up, therefore making it somewhat leak free. Its estimated the pipe dates to the 1920s and was most likely part of the crude water system supplied free of charge to area residents until the mid-to-late 1930s when the Lead Belt Water Company began installing new cast iron pipes. Thereafter, residents began paying a monthly rate for their water. Laiben has been able to acquire so many artifacts for display at the museum, he said he could easily expand the exhibits and has hopes for possibly acquiring a larger space one day. But regardless of when or if hell get to expand, Laiben is especially grateful for the support and generosity of Charlie Boyer, the owner of the funeral home building where the museum is housed. Hes been super, Laiben said. He just let me do whatever I wanted to do And then when he came to the grand opening, before he left that evening he told me, This is probably the best thing I couldve ever done with this part of the building. He loved it. Even though hes not from Leadwood, he feels a real connection with the town. Laiben didnt accomplish it all on his own he frequently mentions the many people who have helped with and otherwise supported the museum but what was once just a smattering of school memorabilia stored away in a middle school band room, is now an impressive collection of artifacts. Together, these objects tell the stories about the people who used to live in Leadwood, formerly Owl Creek, and the numerous other communities in the area. Some of those townships still exist Irondale and Frankclay, for instance. Others, such as Hazel Glen, have long vanished from existence save a few fading photographs and assorted memorabilia. Because of Laibens love of history and his fascination with the particular history of the Leadwood region, what may have been forgotten by most can live on inside his museum. Its a work in progress, he said, and he is always on the lookout for new items to add to the museums collection. Anyone who would like to donate or loan something they have to the museum should contact Laiben. He can be reached at blaiben@outlook.com or 573-701-3951. Although the museum is only open on Tuesdays from 5:30 to 7 p.m. and occasionally on Saturdays, Laiben welcomes anyone who would like to visit the museum to send an email or call him to schedule a visit. One of the untold stories of 9/11 has been a comprehensive telling of what it was like for the President, his staff, the Secret Service, members of the military, guests and the traveling press corps who were aboard Air Force One that day. Bits and pieces have come out. For example, Chief of Staff Andrew Card talked at some length about being caught in the middle of President Bush's insistence he return to Washington, DC and the Secret Service's insistence that either the sky or the hardened bunkers at U.S. Strategic Command outside Omaha were the safest place for him to be for on the Discovery Network's The President;s Gatekeepers. In We're the Only Plane in the Sky, Politico talked to over two dozen of the people on Air Force One that day, as well as Air Force officers and pieced together a narrative that uses only the words of those who were there. The voices include people from Andrew Card, the White House Chief of Staff, to the commanders of Barksdale and Offutt Air Force Base where Air Force One stopped to refuel, to the White House stenographer tasked with keeping the official record of his scheduled appearance, to the Air Force pilot who took the presidential plane to the edge of its performance envelope, to members of the same Air National Guard unit President Bush had once served in, who escorted Air Force One from over the Gulf of Mexico back to Washington DC. Here are some of my favorite parts of the story. From the commander of Barksdale AFB.(Home base of 2d Bomb Wing, the B-52H Stratofortress bombers). Lt. Gen. Tom Keck: We were already in a practice THREATCON Delta, the highest threat condition. I said lock her down for real. My deputy came in, Lt. Colonel Paul Tibbetshis grandfather was the pilot who flew the Enola Gay [which dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima]. He told me that at THREATCON Delta, general officers have to wear sidearms. I tried to refuse, but he insisted. So I was wearing my sidearm, which I never do. We got this radio requestCode Alphaa high priority incoming aircraft. It wanted 150,000 pounds of gas, 40 gallons of coffee, 70 box lunches, and 25 pounds of bananas. It wouldnt identify itself. It was clearly a big plane. It didnt take us long to figure out that the Code Alpha was Air Force One. The pilot of Air Force One tells of this incident at Barskdale AFB. Col. Mark Tillman: I went down to the tarmac to see about having the plane refueled. We could carry 14 hours of fuel. I wanted 14 hours of fuel. I was worried that they werent going to have enough fuel trucks, but it turned out wed happened to park over a hot refueling tank they used for bombers. This civilian is arguing with our crew, The fuel pits are only authorized for use in time of war. This Air Force master sergeantGod bless himoverhears this and roars, We are at war! He whips out his knife and starts cutting open the cover. That defines to me what the day was like. The F-16 fighter escort pilot from the 111th Fighter Squadron, (Texas Air National Guard) relates this, Maj. Scott Crogg: All the rules that fighter pilots spend their lives living by were now out the window. When we landed [at Offut] we got more gas and picked up maps for the rest of the country. There are always maps and approaches for the country in base operations, but all the maps always say, "Do not remove from base operations." We just took all of them and stuffed them in our bag. Colonel Tillman walked into base operations and we finally started to get some information. The president was actually an alumni of our unit in Houston. Colonel Tillman told us, he feels comfortable with you guys and wants you to continue us. We told him wed sit back about five milesyou dont get that close to something that valuable, for all sorts of reasonsbut if something happened, we can eat up that range real quick. The White House stenographer assigned to keep the official record of the President's trip that day was the only smoker on the plane when it left Washington DC, By the time it landed at Barksdale AFB some of the other passengers were bumming cigarettes from her. By the time it reached STRATCOM at Offutt Air Force Base, with its hardened, underground bunkers, it seems she had lots of company. Ellen Eckert: When he [President Bush] went into the bunker, wow. Thats still a scene in the movie in my head all these years later. Clearly the only way to go was down. We just stood outside, waiting. We smoked a million cigarettes, all my new chain-smoking friends. All the while, the policy makers aboard Air Force One were struggling with the fog of war. The President could communicate with the Vice President in the White House command center and military channels were functioning. But many other communication channels were swamped by the sheer volume of signals, as every American tried to make cell phone contact with loved ones and Air Traffic Control was in constant communication with every commercial plane in the air that morning. In addition, Air Force One at that time had no satellite TV or Internet feeds. Those aboard Air Force One found themselves viewing glimpses of what the rest of America was watch in shock and horror as Air Force One, eight miles above the ground, cruised over broadcast TV stations at maximum speed. Prince Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein -- a Jordanian of the Hashemite tribe (which traces itself back to Muhammed) -- has just called various right-wing Western politicians "demagogues and political fantasists". Mr. Hussein did so while addressing a security conference in The Hague. Here's a few words on the Prince himself. Prince Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein is the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. He's the son of Prince Ra'ad bin Zeid, the former Lord Chamberlain of Jordan. Hussein himself was once Jordan's Permanent Representative to the United Nations. A Jordanian as a UN human rights chief? That's the same Jordan that doesn't allow a single Jew to become a citizen and which is a specialist administrator of torture. (Jordan does allow Israelis and Jewish tourists.) This also squares well with all those Saudis at the United Nations who preach to the rest of the world about interfaith, terrorism and, believe it or not, human rights. Here's Wikipedia on Jordan's current record: -- limitations on the right of citizens to change their government peacefully; -- cases of arbitrary deprivation of life, torture, poor prison conditions, impunity, arbitrary arrest and denial of due process through administrative detention, and prolonged detention; -- breaches of fair trial standards and external interference in judicial decisions; -- infringements on privacy rights; -- limited freedoms of speech and press, and government interference in the media and threats of fines and detention that encourage self-censorship; -- restricted freedoms of assembly and association... -- legal and societal discrimination and harassment of religious minorities and converts from Islam are a concern... -- legal and societal discrimination and harassment of members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community; -- loss of Jordanian nationality by some citizens of Palestinian origin; -- restricted labor rights; and -- cases of abuse of foreign domestic workers. Prince al-Hussein included Geert Wilders, Donald Trump, and Nigel Farage in his broad generalisations. However, he singled out the Dutch leader, Geert Wilders, as an especially bad bigot. Then Trump and Farage came in for an attack. Apparently they use the same tactics as the Islamic State. Yes, you read that correctly. Well, if Geert Wilders is a demagogue and political fantasist, so too are very many people in the Netherlands, because opinion polls have just told us that Wilders' party -- the Freedom Party (PVV) -- is leading the polls in that part of the world. Wilders, like Nigel Farage, has also recently addressed the American people. More precisely, Wilders addressed the U.S. Republican Party National Convention in Cleveland, Ohio, last month. Prince al-Hussein went into more detail when he spoke at the inauguration of the Peace, Justice and Security Foundation. Firstly, he said that he was speaking directly to Geert Wilders and his acolytes. Indeed, he was speaking to all the populists, demagogues, and political fantasists who inhabit Europe and America. Prince Hussein continued: "I am a Muslim, who is, confusingly to racists, also white-skinned; whose mother is European and father, Arab. And I am angry, too, because of Mr. Wilders' lies and half-truths, manipulations and peddling of fear." Isn't it strange when European political/economic elites and Arab princes (in this case) cast disparaging remarks about populists and populism? It's as if populism is as culpable as racism is nowadays. It's also interesting to hear Hussein say that because he's white, this ends up being confusing to racists. Really? But, Prince Hussein, Islam is not a race and neither do Muslims constitute a single race. So why should patriots and counterjihadists be confused by Hussein's whiteness? Is he mixing-up patriots and counterjihadists with those very many Leftists who see everything in terms of race? Or, instead, is he confusing them with the very many Muslims who use the race card to quell all criticisms of Islam and Muslims (as Muslims)? Prince Hussein returned to his themes of populism and Mr. Wilders. His said that the PVV's (Wilders' party) manifesto is grotesque and that Wilders has much in common with Donald Trump, Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban, France's National Front leader Marine Le Pen, and UKip's Nigel Farage. Moreover, he called for decisive political action to be taken against populism and patriotism. (Whatever could he mean by that?) In one news piece I read, Prince Hussein talked about half-truths and oversimplification when it comes to Islam. In detail, he said: But in its mode of communication, its use of half-truths and oversimplification, the propaganda of Daesh uses tactics similar to those of the populists." That's strange really because Hussein, at least here, seems not to have given any examples of such half-truths or oversimplifications. However, since Hussein pretends to believe that all the critics of Islam think that there can be no such thing as a white or a yellow Muslim, perhaps he's mistaking Islam's critics for other people. I said earlier that International Socialists (i.e., Leftists) see everything in terms of race (as National Socialists also do), and that Muslims use the charge of racism to help them install sharia blasphemy law, so here's Hussein elaborating on this. He said that "humiliating racial and religious prejudice fanned by the likes of Mr Wilders" had become official policy in some countries. Mr. Hussein also warned that such racism and populism could easily and quickly descend into colossal violence. The only places in which there is colossal violence nowadays are Muslim countries. These Muslims, however, aren't the victims of white racism or populism: they are victims of Muslim-on-Muslim hate. As for Europe and the United States, it will almost a certainty be the case that most of the violence which happens in the future in these countries will be the responsibility of Muslims. And Prince Hussein himself will bear some of the responsibility for that. Prince al-Hussein finished off his speech with the following words: "Are we going to continue to stand by and watch this banalisation of bigotry, until it reaches its logical conclusion?" Sorry, Mr. Hussein, I see much more bigotry and violence coming from the Muslim quarter than I do from anywhere else in the world. And, in a certain sense, such violence is partly a result of what Hussein and his United Nations are attempting to bring about in European and American -- i.e., sharia blasphemy law. Paul Austin Murphy's blogs can be found at Counter-Jihad: Beyond the EDL and Paul Austin Murphy's Philosophy. He's had pieces published in Broadside News, Intellectual Conservative, Liberty GB, New English Review, and Faith Freedom. Now that the practical choice is between coughing Clinton and terrifying Trump, the Seamless Garment crowd is making new attempts to co-opt pro-life sentiment in favor of the vociferously pro-abortion candidate that is, Clinton. This New Pro-Life Movement is supposedly bolder, more sincere, more consistent, and especially more "prudent" than the old (and conservative) one. It's wise to wave aside some of this with a sneer especially the tried-and-false dilution of the pro-life message with the goofy pretense that opposing capital punishment makes innocent lives safer. But it's also wise to take seriously a more profound falsehood: that the way to advance pro-life goals is to throw our full support behind the welfare state. Oddly enough, one of the most prominent proponents of this viewpoint is Mark P. Shea, whose self-written Wikipedia listing describes him as "an American author, blogger, and speaker working in the field of Roman Catholic apologetics" and whose forays on behalf of broad pro-lifery display all the telling logic and rhetorical effectiveness of a banana slug in the noonday sun. Shea is fond of telling us such things as that the invasion of Europe must be encouraged by pro-life Christians, maybe because Jesus was a refugee, too. It's pointless to ask him whether little German girls ought to be raped by Jesus stand-ins. Indeed, it's pointless to offer counter-argument to anything Shea says, since he never offers argument. He makes assertions and accuses anyone who disagrees with him of defying the Magisterium. But Shea refers us to Matthew Tyson, whose presentation of the New Pro-Life Gospel is more explicitly reasoned and cogent. Tyson reasons thus: pro-lifers have put all their authentic plastic fetal models into the wrong basket. They've been working to elect Republicans for years. They've concentrated on changing the composition of the Supreme Court. Yet time and again, the Court has handed them defeats, and legalized abortion has continued unabated. Therefore, pro-lifers must address the "root causes" of abortion by expanding various welfare programs so women will not feel forced to seek the destruction of their children. Like all the most effective lies, this one has a limited truth behind it. Efforts to establish a pro-life or even a strict constitutionalist Supreme Court have proved less than encouraging. Tyson is right that both Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey were decided by courts on which Republican presidents had appointed a majority of the justices. (He's certainly wrong, however, to characterize these courts as featuring a majority of conservatives.) Why has this strategy proved a disappointment? One reason is that pro-life conservatives haven't managed to place all their most favored nominees on the Court. Please recall that Robert Bork was President Reagan's first choice for the vacancy left in 1987 by the retirement of Justice Powell, and that Douglas Ginsburg was Reagan's second choice. (Ginsburg withdrew his nomination over marijuana use, arguably a necessary qualification for Democrat presidential candidates.) Instead of Bork or Ginsburg, we got Anthony Kennedy the "conservative justice" liberals love to flatter, and the deciding vote in Whole Woman's Health v. Hellerstedt. Why is it that we got Kennedy instead of Bork? Because Bork was borked by just such Democrats as the "pro-life" Tyson proposes to vote for. Let's hear it for a progressive pro-life attitude! Whole Woman's Health is certainly the most extreme pro-abortion decision ever rendered by the Court and it's important to look at who, aside from Kennedy, rendered it. We have Stephen Breyer (a Clinton appointee), Ruth Bader Ginsburg (a Clinton appointee), Sonia Sotomayor (an Obama appointee), and Elena Kagan (an Obama appointee). One of the reasons the grand pro-life strategy for the Supreme Court hasn't delivered is that voters like Shea and Tyson have labored to thwart it. Tyson mocks conservatives for electing Republicans in an effort to influence the composition of the Court: supposedly, in conformity with the commonplace definition of insanity often attributed to Albert Einstein, conservatives do the same thing over and over again and expect different results. Is Tyson saner because he intends to the same thing over again (that is, vote Democrat) and get the same unacceptable result? Tyson boils the whole pro-life emphasis on the U.S. Supreme Court down to a single question: can pro-lifers overturn Roe v. Wade? He concludes reasonably, though not unassailably that they cannot. Yet is this the only question of importance to the movement that is likely to come before the Court? Whole Woman's Health shows that it is not. Texas's perfectly sensible restrictions on abortion mills could have stood without overturning Roe. They didn't stand because a Democrat-influenced Court is inevitably devoted to expanding Roe. This is a process that will continue if the insouciant Mr. Tyson gets his way. Will the Court overturn state requirements that only a physician can perform surgical abortions? Following the example of California's legislature, a Democrat Court almost certainly will. Will the Court restrict even further the First Amendment rights of abortion opponents? A Democrat Court will. Will the Court lift restrictions on fetal tissue procurement and sale? Yup if the Democrats prevail. Mandatory abortions for mothers deemed unfit? Don't count it out. After all, Hillary is a big admirer of Margaret Sanger. It's all coming down that great big pro-abortion highway, folks, and "pro-lifers" Shea and Tyson are, in effect, cheering it on. None of this stuff really matters, after all. What really matters is "focusing on why." What really matters is "thinking deeper." What really matters is expanding the welfare state in every way imaginable. An entertaining deficiency in Tyson's argued thesis (and Shea's unargued one) is the assumption that pro-lifers should practice something that can only be called vital utilitarianism. Just as Jeremy Bentham thought ethics should focus on the greatest good for the greatest number, the new "pro-lifers" think our only concern should be the most lives for the greatest number. In this assessment, questions of principle are mere distractions. American law is establishing an expanding right to kill? Who cares? We can't change that anyhow and shouldn't even try. The only question is, how can our heroes Shea and Tyson save the most lives? Photos on their websites should let the critical reader know just what unlikely action heroes Shea and Tyson would be. More important, utilitarianism of this sort, even if it's not explicitly hedonistic, isn't an ethical theory consistent with the Catholic faith. Despite their ethical confusion, our new "pro-lifers" insist that the smart and prudent thing for pro-lifers to do is to support every state program for making lives easier, work less necessary, and businesses more likely to collapse. Only that way and not by maintaining pro-life principles can we truly call ourselves pro-life. This is the most offensive part of the argument because it is so hypocritical. Expanding the welfare state too is the same old thing expected to produce new results. Tyson indicates that aborting mothers are women in poverty who feel they don't have options. But why are there so many single mothers in poverty? Shea and Tyson probably don't remember Daniel Patrick Moynihan although, as a liberal Democrat, he would certainly have won their vote. Way back in 1965, Moynihan first began to assert that the expanded welfare state wasn't good for poor people, and especially for poor blacks. Experience since then has only tended to strengthen his distrust of such expansion. Shea and Tyson like simplifications, so I'll give it to them simplified. Welfare programs contribute to the breakdown of the family, and the breakdown of the family contributes to the abortion culture. In the interest of diluting the pro-life message, Shea especially is strongly committed to undermining the Second Amendment and portrays his enthusiasm for gun control as a pro-life stance. Since Shea lives to examine others' consciences, he likes to interpret support for the Second Amendment as idolatry, rendering the gun rights stalwart a devotee of "The Gun Cult." But where does most gun violence in America actually occur? Gun homicides occur mostly in the inner city where welfare programs have long been busy, in effect, destroying the black family. Wyoming, a largely rural state, has the highest per capita rate of gun ownership in the country yet it maintains a low level of gun homicides. The difference is that families in Wyoming have not been ravaged by welfare to the same degree and for the same length of time as those in, say, Chicago. To Shea's eternal shame, the measures he is recommending to save lives from abortion (measures that will actually do no such thing) are the same measures that brought about the gun violence he abhors. The New Pro-Life Movement isn't new. It isn't pro-life. And it can't even manage to be consistent in its own mistaken priorities. Tom Riley is well known as a poet of the formalist school and maintains a blog entitled Flammeus Gladius. During the Bush-Cheney years, we were constantly reminded that the bad guys were on a mission to destroy us. President Bush would often speak of the threat and remind us that it was long-term and very dangerous. President Obama changed the tone. He lowered the volume and did not constantly speak of the threats. I'm not saying he does not care, but the intensity is missing. It's 9-11 plus 15, and I feel very unsafe. Put a map of the world on the wall, and there are red lights everywhere. The latest is North Korea. It's nice for President Obama to call the test dangerous, but that's not going to do much to stop the next test. The Washington Post has a good message for President Obama: Western analysts used to dismiss North Koreas tests as political stunts, meant to impress the domestic audience, capture international attention and leverage aid. Though the latest detonation came on a national holiday, that explanation is looking implausible. As it has frequently said publicly, the regime now aims to be recognized as a nuclear power and to acquire the ability to deter not just South Korea and Japan, but also the United States. President Obama reiterated Friday that the United States does not, and never will, accept North Korea as a nuclear state. But Mr. Obama has failed to take the North Korean buildup seriously enough. For years, his administration pursued a policy of strategic patience, which mostly consisted of ignoring North Korea while mildly cajoling China to put more pressure on the regime. In February, Mr. Obama signed into law a bill pushed by congressional Republicans that gave him broad new powers to sanction North Korea and cut off its economic lifelines. The next month, the United Nations Security Council unanimously passed a resolution imposing new sanctions on the regime, including limits on its trade. However, China has not aggressively implemented the U.N. sanctions and Mr. Obama has not used the powers Congress gave him. As The Posts Anna Fifield recently reported, customs data shows that Chinas trade with North Korea in June was almost 10 percent higher than the previous year, in spite of the sanctions. Though the White House has issued executive orders sanctioning Mr. Kim and other senior leaders, congressional leaders point out that it has yet to penalize any Chinese companies or banks for continuing to do business with the regime. Quick translation: Get serious, Mr. President. It may be that young Kim is crazy, but a head case with nuclear weapons is beyond dangerous. My guess is that President Obama will punt on this one and leave another problem for his successor. On this one, Mr. Trump has a point about bringing China into the mix. The Chinese can stop Kim in a heartbeat. They could take him out or just squeeze him to death. We need more from China than a statement like this: China, Pyongyang's only major ally, has said it will lodge a diplomatic protest with North Korea's embassy over the nuclear test. State news agency Xinhua released a commentary on the explosion on Friday, saying North Korea had "dealt yet another heavy blow to the foundation of regional security, its own security included". China had earlier said it was "strongly opposed" to the test. Am I the only one who finds the Chinese statement silly? Imagine that your neighbor's dog comes over and bites your kid. Your neighbor calls you on the phone and says he is very disappointed and will take it up at the next neighborhood association meeting. China can do better than that, and I hope a President Trump makes that very clear! It is hard to believe that a small nation in the Korean peninsula can be this dangerous or take up so much of our time. There are two lessons here for future presidents: 1) Take them out when you can, as we had the opportunity in 1994 when the country was desperately looking for food. In other words, don't throw a lifesaver to anti-American thugs. They will only use it to regain strength and make your life more miserable later. 2) Attach North Korea to our China relationship. Make it clear to China that an attack by North Korea on any of our allies Japan or South Korea, for example would be an attack on the U.S., requiring a full military retaliation against China. Again, it is incredible to me that a country with starving people could pose such a threat to world peace. Let's learn our lesson and not allow the next Kim to get his hands on a weapon. Thank you, President Bush, for understanding that much about Saddam Hussein. P.S. You can listen to my show (Canto Talk) and follow me on Twitter. How bad is the murderous crime wave currently sweeping Chicago's streets? A resident of one neighborhood has hired his own personal security team to patrol his community, doing the job the Chicago police can't do. CBS Chicago: A Chicago man, fed up and frustrated with what he says is the rising crime in his neighborhood, takes matters into his own pocketbook shelling out thousands to pay for private street security. Security firm owner Howard Greer, also a Chicago cop, patrols the 1100 block of North LaSalle. Its his off-duty job, paid for by this De Mudd. Ive been watching my neighborhood deteriorate over the last couple of years, Mudd says. Police, he says, couldnt keep up. So, Greer and fellow off-duty officers now walk the Gold Coast pocket with guns and handcuffs six days a week, eight hours a day. The biggest problems here? Drug dealing, prostitution and loitering. Its like a supplement, supplement to crime fighting, supplement to police department, Greer explains. I think its very effective. Its not cheap. Mudd says hes paid $5,000 since mid-August and anticipates spending $50,000. I have the means. Ive been very fortunate, he says. Mudd doesnt blame police and, in fact, sympathizes with them. He also talked to his alderman before hiring Greers firm. Ald. Walter Burnett says he remembers speaking to Mudd about the idea and agrees there are not enough police patrols. Burnett wishes it didnt come to this. Mudd agrees. I have solved the problem for my neighborhood, but what Ive done is Ive just pushed the problem to another street corner in Chicago, he says. Thats not the results that we, as citizens, should be looking for. It is hard to believe today marks the 15-year anniversary since the 9/11 terrorist attacks. It was a teachable moment in a specific point in time when Americas view of the world changed dramatically, and perhaps permanently. The 9/11 attacks, were a pivotal moment in modern history and they represent the most lethal attack against the United States by a hostile foreign force since Pearl Harbor. Today, September 11, 2001 continues to impact the entire world and our lives in so many ways. Nearly, 3000 people lost their lives that day and their loved ones continue to mourn them. Tens of thousands of soldiers worldwide have lost their lives in the War on Terror. Well over a hundred thousand civilians have been killed in the conflict spawned by the 9/11 attacks and well over a million people have been injured or had their lives uprooted in countries around the globe where there is armed conflict and instability linked to 9/11. We are still looking back and remembering what happened tragically on that day and why it happened. Many still are having a hard time understanding the scope of those violent assaults on American soil. In the aftermath, people started asking questions: who are these people and what is it that drives them to want to commit mass murder and in the process, taking their own lives? What is the driving force behind this violent ideology? The tragic and catastrophic events of September 11, 2001 have affected many of us enormously. Some felt the temptation to cry out loud and run to the end of the world and say their prayers with a heavy heart. Many felt like crying for the overflowing flood of human blood and innocent moans of the victims families. People felt apprehensive, anxious, fearful and in stunned disbelief at the magnitude of the human devastation. During the events of September 11th, 2001, Americans stood still and watched the most dreadful events unfolding right in front of their eyes. They were very traumatized by the sequence of events that led to this calamity. Many bystanders told reporters of how they saw body parts of those who had flung themselves out of the WTC to avoid the flames. Americans watched, prayed and hoped, searching for an answer, a comfort and strength to pass those tumultuous moments. September 11th, 2001 proved, unlike anything else in recent American history, that everyday people do extraordinarily caring things. September 11th was the day that ordinary people became heroes. Heroes appear in the face of unparalleled challenges and circumstances when ordinary people take spontaneous action in the face of imminent threat to their own lives. Heroes are those extraordinary people who make sacrifices and become agents of historical and social change. Indisputably, other heroes of 9/11 were the firefighters, police, and emergency and rescue workers, who completed their duties with infinite bravery. Their heroism rests upon a selfless commitment to all mankind. After 9/11, the U.S. government took many steps in an attempt to make the country safer, including strengthened security at airports and in public buildings. A new cabinet-level department, the Department of Homeland Security (an unmanageable and monstrous bureaucracy), was created. The DHS original intention was to protect the United States from terrorism, but more than a decade after its creation, the Department of Homeland Security continues to push against a mixed record of accomplishments and setbacks, and a mission that many experts profess is still hard to pin down. On another front, we must confront Islamism (the political nature of Islam), because if we dont, it will continue to get far more extreme. This is not Islamophobia, as many Muslims and their liberal apologists protest. A phobia is a baseless irrational fear. Detestation of Islamism, the violent form of Islam, is based on irrefutable facts and it is not only rational, it is ethically imperative. America cannot afford to continue down this current path of appeasement, hoping that Islam issues will simply go away by themselves. The breach of Fortress America from the air on 9/11 was only the first installment of many more forthcoming heinous assaults, about which wehave been repeatedly warned by devout Muslims. Unless we abandon our way of thinking, we will suffer the consequences of a dangerous complacency. The best and most rational way of dealing with this violent ideology that promotes terror, hate and mayhem is through effective immigration policy and education that encourages tolerance, religious freedom and goodwill to all. In short, all such purveyors of animosity toward our tolerant Western values must be required and refrain from preaching messages of hate and violence anywhere within our beloved country, or face immediate removal and deportation on the basis that such teachings represent calls for physical violence against American citizens and as such, they represent enemies in our midst no different from hostile saboteurs of the most recent past. As we recall September 11, 2001, we need to keep in mind that we were attacked not for what we do wrong but for what we do right. On this day, I would like to express my deepest sympathy to the families and the victims of this tragedy and I condemn, in the strongest terms, the new coalition of stealth and civilizational jihad, infringing upon the United States, its institutions and the Constitution under the banner of multiculturalism. The poor showing by Chancellor Angela Merkel's CDU party in the recent state elections may be at least partially responsible for a decision by the government to return home half the refugees from Afghanistan. The Merkel government wants to make a deal with Kabul to send back 40,000 of the 80,000 refugees - most of whom are unmarried males whose asylum applications were rejected 3 times. Daily Caller: The deportations would not include women and children the vast majority of refugees are men but would include those whose asylum applications have already been rejected three times. Some of the deportations would include refugees who agree to return willingly, and the government plans to use chartered flights to return the refugees. Voters delivered a stunning rebuke in a recent election to German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who has firmly stood by her policy of embracing more and more refugees. Her party, the Christian Democratic Union, suffered its worst defeat ever at the polls, and fell to third behind a nationalist party with a platform of limiting refugee intake. Now candidates from a sister party, the Christian Social Union, are vowing not to back Merkel for a fourth term. Although Merkel has acknowledged her refugee policies have been a source of trouble for the country, she is adamant that the lack of support is based on flawed implementation rather than the principal behind the policies. There are political issues that one can see coming but dont really register with people at that certain moment, Merkel said in a recent interview, blaming failure to act sooner for the unrest regarding the refugees. In Germany we ignored both the problem for too long and blocked out the need to find a pan-European solution. Merkel is delusional if she thinks that the problem was in implementing her polciies rather than the policies themselves. The rise of the nationalist AfD party should tell her that the political opposition is to her "open door" refugee policy that is changing the character of her country while endangering citizens by allowing up to 500 terrorists from ISIS to enter Germany. Her coalition partner, the CSU, have no such delusions. They see Merkel's refugee policy as a sure loser in next year's national elections and will either force her to change or leave the coalition. Returning Afghan refugees is a small step. Merkel will have to do a lot more if she expects success at the polls next year. As most AT readers know, on Friday Hillary Clinton referred to half of Trump supporters as a basket of deplorables, calling them all the isms and ics out there. This, on top of prior labels of us including her likening us to terrorists. But Fridays comments didnt fade into the background. And so as sometimes happens in politics after backlash to questionable remarks, there comes the so-called apology. Quite frankly, I couldnt care less if Clinton (cough) apologized since a disingenuous apology means nothing and lets her off the hook. I prefer it when she reveals her true colors and for such exposure to be allowed to stand. But thats just me. So on Saturday, Clinton offered the obligatory, needs-to-save-her-behind non-apology. And it sounded like this: Last night I was grossly generalistic, and thats never a good idea. I regret saying half that was wrong, Clinton said in a lengthy statement. But she added, I wont stop calling out bigotry and racist rhetoric in this campaign. The little felon is quite a piece of work. She regrets saying half. That was wrong. So whats the take away? That her estimate needed to be tweaked? Did she mean to say forty percent? Or maybe half was a low ball and she meant to say all of us were a basket of deplorables? Meanwhile, no sooner had she expressed her regret, then she clung to the idea (what a bitter clinger!) but switched the focus, saying that Trumps campaign was deplorable. And by the way, in case youre wondering how she described the other half of Trumps supporters during her fundraising speech on Friday, well, we are apparently hopeless, helpless people that no one cares about and who feel let down. Well arent we just pathetic? Us coal people types (as the spouse of the felon said) are so mindless, stupid, and frustrated that, per Mr. Felon, we blame the president when the sun doesnt come up in the morning. Amazing, is it not, that Mrs. Felon (and Mr. Felon, as well) described millions upon millions of Americans in despicable ways, yet the backlash hasnt come close to what was leveled against Mitt Romney with his (factual) 47% comment back in 2012, when little Barry had this to say: We need a President who is fighting for all Americans, not one who writes off nearly half the country. Not to be a huge downer, but Clinton will do more than write us off if shes elected. She will make it her mission to destroy us. As AT commentator walternowotny wrote on Saturday: Nazis called people who needed to be eliminated undesirables, Bolsheviks former people, Hillary calls them deplorable. In the end all socialists are the same. Indeed. In fact to the commenter's point, deplorables isnt a word. Deplorable is. Its an adjective, not a noun. Theres no plural. You could say deplorable person or deplorable people. But when Clinton turned an adjective into a noun, she removed all reference to our personhood and rendered us former people. Beware the coughing witch bearing gift baskets. Hat tip: Breitbart, Yahoo News Like all liberals, Hillary Clinton uses words in unusual ways. That's why her completely inoffensive statements: ... you know, just to be grossly generalist, you could put half of Trump's supporters into what I call the basket of deplorables. And: Racist, sexist, homophobic, xenophobic, Islamaphobic, you name it ... ...are upsetting so many people. But once you understand what Hillary actually meant, you will realize she was actually praising Trump voters. Here are some entries from Hillary's own dictionary previously thought lost along with her emails about Benghazi. Homophobic: 1) Feeling that people shouldn't be forced to go against their right to exercise their religion beliefs by being compelled to provide services at a so called gay "wedding." 2) Thinking a mother and a father are better at raising a child than just one of them, or two of one of them. 3) Wondering why, if the gay lifestyle is just like the heterosexual lifestyle, gays are dying of so many different STDs at a young age. 4) Believing that the 55,000,000 votes cast against gay marriage are more important than the opinion of five rich white judges. 5) Believing that making soldiers shower with men who look at them as sex objects has consequences. Islamophobe: 1) The relatives of the people who died on 9/11 and in San Bernardino who think some Muslims are radical terrorists. 2) Anyone who doesn't think sharia law is compatible with the Constitution. 3) Anyone who thinks the Islamic State is Islamic. 4) Anyone who doesn't think the Palestinians are completely nonviolent. Racist: 1) Anyone who cares about the thousands of blacks murdered in Chiraq and other Democrat-run cities 2) Anyone who isn't happy that the leading cause of death among blacks is abortion. 3) Anyone who doesn't know the difference between a White Hispanic and a Hispanic. 4) Anyone who opposes race-based quotas at public schools. 5) Anyone who thinks the law should be colorblind. 6) Anyone who doesn't think the greatest threat to blacks in America is the police. 7) Anyone who doesn't think Clarence Thomas, Thomas Sowell, and Ben Carson are race traitors. Sexist: 1) Thinking biological males shouldn't be allowed to use women's bathrooms. 2) Thinking marriage should be a lifelong commitment and that men shouldn't be able to trade in the wives who got them to where they are today for newer models. 3) Thinking that a 105lb female isn't as physically capable as a 210lb male when they both exercise regularly. 4) Thinking women should be held to the same standards as men. 5) Thinking putting women into combat roles will impact combat effectiveness. Xenophobic: 1) Being bothered by losing your I.T. job to low-paid people brought over from India 2) Being concerned that the black unemployment rate is twice that of the white unemployment rate. 3) Asking what a lot of low-skilled non-English-speaking people who don't believe in democracy or individual responsibility do to make America better 4) Believing that people who break the law to get into the U.S. are criminals. Once one understands what words mean to Hillary, her comments make a lot more sense. You can read more of Tom's rants at his blog, Conversations about the obvious, and feel free to follow him on Twitter. The read of the day is Sharyl Attkissons organization and exposition of what we now know about Hillarys email practices via the FBI reports. She has taken all that data and created a detailed timeline, as well as a list of dramatis personae. Presented in a clear, deadpan voice, it delivers what title of the piece promises: The Clearest (No Spin) Summary of FBI Report on Hillary Clinton Email. The absence of bombast or bias makes the accumulation of facts all the more devastating. Consider the way she present her list of takeaways: The Takeaways The FBI could not review all of the Hillary Clinton emails under investigation because: The Clintons Apple personal server used for Hillary Clinton work email could not be located for the FBI to examine. An Apple MacBook laptop and thumb drive that contained Hillary Clinton email archives were lost, and the FBI couldnt examine them. 2 BlackBerry devices provided to FBI didnt have their SIM or SD data cards. 13 Hillary Clinton personal mobile devices were lost, discarded or destroyed. Therefore, the FBI couldnt examine them. Various server backups were deleted over time, so the FBI couldnt examine them. After State Dept. notified Hillary Clinton her records would be sought by House Benghazi Committee, copies of her email on the laptops of her attorneys Cheryl Mills and Heather Samuelson were wiped with BleachBit, and the FBI couldnt review them. After her emails were subpoenaed, Hillary Clintons email archive was also permanently deleted from her then-server PRN with BleachBit, and the FBI couldnt review it. Also after the subpoena, backups of the PRN server were manually deleted. Even though the FBI did not have a complete record of Hillary Clintons emails on three unclassified personal servers, it found: 2,093 emails State Dept. currently classifies as Confidential or Secret. (State Dept. did not address what their classification was at the time they were sent.) 193 emails (81 separate email conversations) that were classified at the time they were sent, ranging from Confidential to Top Secret/Special Access Program. 68 of the 81 email chains remain classified today. 8 were Top Secret. 37 were Secret. 36 were Confidential. 7 were Special Access Program. 3 were Sensitive Compartmentalized Information. 36 were Not Releasing to Foreign Governments. 2 were Releasable Only to Five Allied Partners. 12 of the suspect email chains were not provided by Hillarys attorneys. The FBI found them other ways. The email chains contained classified information from 5 other agencies: CIA, DOD, FBI, NGA and NSA. World Vision International, one of the major NGO's serving Gaza, has laid off 120 employees and closed its Gaza office after the head of the charity in the region was indicted by the Israelis for diverting money into the coffers of Hamas. Jewish Press: World Visions eastern Jerusalem office had released a statement on Friday, July 29, passionately defending El-Halabi as a widely respected and well-regarded humanitarian, field manager and trusted colleague of over a decade. He has displayed compassionate leadership on behalf of the children and communities of Gaza through difficult and challenging times, and has always worked diligently and professionally in fulfilling his duties. Less than two weeks later, however, They informed 120 employees from World Vision in Gaza they were officially cancelling their contracts and stopping all their projects in the enclave, the employee said. The head of the NGO in Palestine and a number of foreign staff met on August 9 with Palestinian employees in the Gaza office and gave them documents to sign, which they did. The employee added that the NGO had promised to take the staff back once the crisis was resolved. On August 4, after the indictment, the Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet) intelligence service announced World Visions Gaza operations manager Mohammed El-Halabi had funneled 60 percent of the organizations budget to the military wing of Hamas. El-Halabi was arrested on June 15, 20165 at the Erez crossing between Israel and Gaza. He was indicted in Israel on August 4, 2016 on charges of infiltrating the charity on behalf of Hamas, and having redirected some $43 million of World Vision funds to the military wing of the terror organization over a six-year period. According to the indictment and subsequent media reports, the funds were instead used to build Hamas terrorist tunnels and military installations, as well as for other terrorist activities. World Vision International (WVI) argued the Israeli-quoted figure was inaccurate, saying the budget for Gaza operations was smaller than the amount claimed by the Shin Bet. But according to watchdog organization NGO Monitor, its not that simple and in fact, the World Vision International (WVI) umbrella organization also has some structural difficulties to work out. Shin Beit's file on El-Halabi was apparently pretty thick. This is what I wrote after he was arrested: El Halabi was groomed for the job since he was young, according to a rare statement from Israeli intelligence. He was indoctrinated and trained as a Hamas operative in the early 2000s. Opponents of U.S. aid to the West Bank and Gaza even when dispensed by private charities have been warning about this for years. Ever since the Holy Land Foundation trial of nearly a decade ago showed links to charities in the Middle East, it's been assumed that some money given to charities in the U.S. found its way to Hamas to fund terrorism. The HLF trial also demonstrated the sophistication and complexity of the networks used by charities to get money into the hands of the terrorists. So it's a good bet that there are other private organizations involved in helping Hamas launch attacks against Israeli civilians. Direct aid to Hamas is illegal in the U.S. But the government donates to charities where some of that money almost certainly ends up funding Hamas. Until some kind of assurances can be given the American taxpayer that our government is not supporting terrorism against the Israelis, all aid should be stopped. Hamas's network of support includes "legitimate" charities that most western governments use to funnel aid to residents of Gaza. There is no direct aid to Hamas from the west, but there may as well be considering the revelations about World Vision International and its regional director El-Halabi. Other aid groups in the region proclaim their innocence, and perhaps in most cases, it's true. But their own efforts may be compromised by funneling charitable donations through groups and individuals who have hidden their Hamas connection well. Until the US government can assure its citizens that the cash we send to Gaza through established charities is not going to fund terrorism, the donations should stop. Initially, Samsungs latest flagship phablet, the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 was a big hit, with strong sales which required the South Korean company to ramp up production in order to fill the amount of orders. However, everything went downhill when reports from around the world started to emerge that there were units which exploded while being charged. This prompted Samsung to launch a massive recall of all affected units. On top of this, the US Federal Aviation Administration, or better known as the FAA, issued a warning which advised Galaxy Note 7 users to avoid charging or using the phone on flights. While Samsungs stock has already been declining since the recall was issued, to add salt to the wound, the FAA warning did not help much either. Since the issued warning, Samsungs stock has taken a beating and has lost a massive $10 billion from its market value. Samsungs stocked closed at 1.575 million Won ($1,432) in Seoul on Friday. This represents a significant decrease of 3.9 percent from the previous days close. The companys stock didnt take such a severe loss before this even though it was under huge pressure as investors were pleased with the steps Samsung was taking in order to rectify the issue. At the moment, Samsung is in the midst of replacing all affected Galaxy Note 7 units and has started to ship out new replacement units to certain retailers, though most retailers and carriers will only start to receive their units in a week or so. If you are a Galaxy Note 7 user, Samsung themselves advises you to immediately turn off the device and hand it in at your respective point of purchase and you will be able to pick up a loan device from the Samsung Galaxy J series in the meantime while waiting for your replacement unit. The FAA isnt the only one which has warned against the usage of the Galaxy Note 7 on flights, as major airlines from all over the world have also done the same, including three Australian airlines and Malaysia Airlines. The Indian government has also banned the Galaxy Note 7 from being placed in check-in luggage. In the world of Android, the biggest story this past week was undoubtedly the unveiling of the LG V20, which LG officially announced back on last Tuesday evening, complete with a dual-camera setup on the back that contains 16MP + 8MP wide-angle camera sensors, a 32-Bit Quad DAC, and a Snapdragon 820 processor. Aside from the latest LG smartphone, the FAA is advising passengers not to use their Galaxy Note 7 phones on flights, following the official recall of the phone that was started back on September 2nd. There was at least one noteworthy leak that surfaced this past week, as benchmarks were leaked last Sunday for the rumored Google Marlin device, while rumors surfaced that the Pixel and Pixel XL smartphones coming from Google might launch with Android 7.1 Nougat instead of Android 7.0. Google is also rumored to be working with Huawei again on another Nexus device, although this time the rumor states that it will be for a new tablet, and not just any tablet, but one with a 7-inch display making it a new Nexus 7 refresh. The Pixel XL is also rumored to be a Telstra exclusive in Australia, but more importantly that rumor states that pre-orders of the device are to begin on October 4th which is the rumored date for Googles announcement of the Pixel and Pixel XL. A new rumor also mentions that Samsung is allegedly in talks with both NVIDIA and AMD for use of their GPUs in future Exynos processors. If youve happened to miss any of this past weeks top stories, you can find them from the links below. Leak: Benchmark Details Surface For Google Marlin Smartphone Advertisement Rumor: Pixel XL To Be Telstra Exclusive In Australia Rumor: Pixel Phones To Launch With Android 7.1 Nougat LG Announce Improved V20 with Second Display, High-End Audio Advertisement Android 7.0 Nougat OTA Update Now Rolling Out To Nexus 6/6P Alphabet Will Use Drones to Deliver Burritos at Virginia Tech Android will Get Nintendos Super Mario Run In the Future Advertisement Rumor: Future Samsung GPUs Could Come From NVIDIA Or AMD Avoid Using The Galaxy Note 7 On Flights, Says The FAA Rumor: Google And Huawei To Release A 7-inch Tablet This years freshman class are children of the 21st century born after the start of a new millennium. For them, the events of Sept. 11, 2001 are something they read about in a textbook or see on television. This generation of students note that day as pivotal point in American History much like the battles shaping the nation and world their parents learned about as students. On Friday, a group of the class of 2020 at Farmington High School took a few minutes out of taking a quiz in the World History through Literature class of Dr. Brian Reeves to discuss what they learned about the events of that day through stories told to them by their families. Reeves told the students he was in a neighboring classroom on that Tuesday, turning on the television to watch what was occurring in New York City, Washington, D.C. and Shanksville, Pennsylvania. Elayna Roberts said her father is an air traffic controller and was working in St. Louis on 9/11. He remembers being really nervous about everything, she said. Everything that happened touched him in a way. I remembering him talking about it being traumatic, very hectic. Melissa Miller said her mother is an elementary special education teacher. On 9/11, her mother and fellow teachers gathered around a television in the teachers lounge to watch the events unfold. Uncertainty of what would occur was also on the mind of her father, Melissa said. He said it was a very scary experience for him, she said. My mom was pregnant with me at the time and they also had a 3-year old, my sister. He told me he remembered having to get home because he was afraid the whole entire country would be under attack. Olivia Currington said the anniversary makes her mom emotional each year. We didnt know anyone (killed or injured) in 9/11, but she remembers how terrified she was because she didnt know what was going on and she was pregnant with me, she said. Although Mikaila Moffit said her family hasnt shared a lot about what they remember from that day, she knows it to be one of the worst tragedies to happen in American history. Alex Hatch said his mother talks about how her work came to a stop to watch the events unfold on live television. Rothman Harris remembers seeing the footage replayed in real-time during the anniversary of the attacks and thinking that it was happening when his parents explained it was a remembrance of that day. Watching it on the news every year is a reminder of what could happen, Currington said. Then, the Paris attacks in November were so alike its kind of scary. Reeves noted there is a new paradigm for students growing up now. I never worried about terrorism in Cape Girardeau when I was growing up, he said. I dont worry about it here in Farmington. But, going to New York, you think about it a little more if you are traveling to a big city. Reeves shows footage from 9/11 in his classrooms when the anniversary falls on a school day something he feels is significant for this generation of students. For 10 years after, all of my students (remembered the attacks), he said. This is a visceral image they had. They remembered watching and hearing this. Last year, I had some students that really struck me for the first time that (9/11) could have been Antietam and the Civil War. This came before their time. Reeves said a challenge he faces as a history teacher is some things like the Cold War and 9/11 I lived through all that so I just assume they know about it. Its an awakening sometimes to know that (it) now is history. Dear Dad, I'm always sad, and a little teary, this week of the year, remembering of course that we lost you a dozen Septembers ago. Sometimes it seems like yesterday, sometimes as if it were a world and a time apart. Everything seems so different now, what with your absence, a void that never seems to close, and with all that has happened in these 12 years. Every year I wonder how I'd explain the world you left behind and the way we live today, when we speak of cars without drivers and take pictures with our phones. So this year I'm going to try. How I wish I could have some assurance you might read it. Since you've been gone, we've had a black president and same-sex marriages, both unimaginable when last we spoke. Your grandchildren -- all eight of them, each remarkable -- hardly use cash and almost never watch television shows on a television. You have three great-grandchildren, rugged and rambunctious, whom you've never met. They may never need a postage stamp to pay a bill. That stamp, by the way, costs 49 cents, a far cry from the two cents your father spent for the stamp to pay the hospital bill when you were born, back there in 1925. When you took your last breath in September 2004, we had troops in Afghanistan and Iraq and our nation was seized by the fear of terrorism. Those faraway countries still are in upheaval and fear persists in our streets, schools, malls and hearts. I went to the ballgame last night and had to pass through a metal detector. There was no metal detector that night in 1962 when you took me to my first game, though I do remember hearing the rumble of the subway near Boston's Kenmore Square and worrying that the noise was a Russian bomber, probably targeting Fenway Park. I was looking through a bunch of your letters the other day and laughed when I re-read one you wrote me in college, complaining that the Salem Evening News, where I worked as a teenager, raised its price from a dime to 12 cents. You said it wasn't worth it, though you'd probably still buy it for the obits. The newspaper I edit today costs $2. I've often thought that I got my love of newspapers from you, a faithful subscriber to three, and I would dread having to explain to you the peril our business faces today, when hardly anyone under 40 reads a paper and when everyone around me seems to have forgotten the role a free press plays in a free society -- something you believed in even when it cost your beloved Richard Nixon, whom you voted for five times in national elections, his presidency. Today Mr. Nixon doesn't look so bad, having enjoyed a small burst of revisionism, though many my age will never forgive him. Yet I concede that the presidents who followed seem so much smaller now. You'll be happy to know that two heroes we shared -- George H.W. Bush and Bob Dole, born one and two years before you -- still are with us, at ages 92 and 93, respectively. They seem to grow in stature as they grow older. Perhaps that is because ours is an age that holds compromise in contempt. Even though this year we hear a lot of talk about the "art of the deal," which Messrs. Bush and Dole turned into a true art form, it is derided and devalued in politics, if not in commerce. As for one of my other heroes, you will remember how, nearly a decade after your brother died in a PT boat during World War II, the young Jack Kennedy traveled to Salem in his 1952 Senate campaign, providing a chill and a thrill to your mother, who spent the rest of her life in grief at the loss of her son. John F. Kennedy still has wisdom to shed on our times. Last week I read "Profiles in Courage" for the third time. My copy is so tattered that clumps of time-speckled pages fall from its binding, but I was struck by Sen. Kennedy's observation about the stories he told between the soft covers of that 35-cent Pocket Book. "Indeed," he wrote, "there would be no such stories had this nation not maintained its heritage of free speech and dissent, had it not fostered honest conflicts of opinion, had it not encouraged tolerance for unpopular views." How welcome those words would be today -- which brings me to the presidential election that's underway. You will recognize both of the principals, but you may search in vain for their principles. One is Donald Trump -- the real estate and casino guy. He's no different from the Donald Trump you recall. And he is running against Hillary Clinton. She's Bill Clinton's wife, of course, and she has since been a senator and secretary of state. He remains slightly vulgar, she slightly slippery. The result is that this may be the most unpalatable presidential election in history. We both remember how my generation -- the baby boomers -- demeaned yours, saying you made a hash of things, worshiped conformity and consumerism, forced us to live with the nightmare of the mushroom cloud. The world you left us looks like heaven compared to the one we made, with even more conformity (some people call it political correctness) and even more consumerism, plus global climate change and seething anger in places, such as Iraq, that we tried to heal the way you tried to heal Korea and Vietnam. Many things are better, far better. There are new opportunities to excel for your daughters-in-law, your daughter, your granddaughters and that new great-granddaughter. And crime is down, way down. But we have lost much: a sense of national purpose, an abiding civility. I used to scoff when you preached "moderation in all things"; I thought it was babble suitable for "Babbitt." I was wrong about that, as I was about so many things, for now I miss the moderation you personified, and the sense of purpose, and above all the civility. Mostly I miss you, and the world you tried to make better. We all do. Love, Dave Donald Trump and his top aides can justifiably be satisfied with his stunningly successful trip to Mexico. At the same time, Trump has continued to sow confusion about his stand on immigration -- not his overall position but specifically about his intentions regarding the 12 million immigrants who are in this country illegally. Will he soften his stance on deportations? The text of Trump's speech Wednesday in Arizona suggested there has indeed been a softening of Trump's original deport-them-all approach. But it sure didn't sound like softening. And the change -- Trump will allow millions of illegal immigrants to stay in the country and reconsider their status only after new security measure are put in place -- was announced in a confusing way that left even fair-minded listeners unsure of what Trump was proposing. Then, after nearly two weeks of suggesting first that there would be softening in his proposal, and then that there would not be softening, on the morning after the speech, Trump told radio host Laura Ingraham that there would, in fact, be "quite a bit of softening" in his approach. "Oh, there's softening," Trump said. "Look, we do it in a very humane way, and we're going to see with the people that are in the country. Obviously I want to get the gang members out, the drug peddlers out, I want to get the drug dealers out. We've got a lot of people in this country that you can't have, and those people we'll get out. And then we're going to make a decision at a later date once everything is stabilized. I think you're going to see there's really quite a bit of softening." If that is indeed Trump's new approach, it is in line with voter sentiment revealed in a Fox News Poll released at nearly the same moment he took the stage in Arizona. The Fox findings suggest that if Trump were to actually soften his position on deportations, he would strengthen his standing not only with the independent voters whose support he is seeking, but with the voters whose support he already has. First, Fox asked, "What do you think should happen to the illegal immigrants who are currently working in the United States -- do you favor deporting as many as possible or do you favor setting up a system for them to become legal residents?" Just 19 percent said deport as many as possible, while 77 percent said set up a system to become legal residents. That 19 percent is the lowest point -- so far -- in a decline that has been going on for several years. When Fox asked the same question in 2010, 45 percent said deport as many as possible. Last year, in July 2015, 30 percent gave that answer. That fell to 27 percent in January of this year, and 19 percent now. Trump is not singlehandedly turning people against deportation -- the downward trend began before he ran for president -- but he doesn't seem to be doing his cause much good, either. The 77 percent who favor setting up a system for illegal immigrants to become legal residents represent a broad consensus. Sixty-six percent of Republicans favor setting up such a system; 76 percent of independents and 87 percent of Democrats agree. Seventy-five percent of men favor a system for illegal immigrants to become legal residents, as do 79 percent of women. Seventy-four percent of whites and 87 percent of non-whites agree. Sixty-nine percent of the much-discussed whites without a college degree favor a system, as do 80 percent of whites with a college degree. All age groups favor it by huge margins, as do people who make less than $50,000 a year and those who make more than $50,000 a year. Sixty-nine percent of conservatives favor a legalization system, as do 88 percent of liberals. Then Fox asked specifically about Trump: "If Donald Trump were to soften his position on handling illegal immigrants living in the United States, would you be more or less likely to vote for him?" (One could argue that the question was leading, but on the other hand, Trump had used the word "softening" himself, and it is reasonable to ask voters about a candidate's own statements.) Here's the interesting thing. Among people who don't support Trump, 27 percent said a softening would make them more likely to support him. Thirty-four percent said it would make them less likely -- that is probably the group that would not like anything Trump did. (Thirty-six percent said it wouldn't matter.) Among people who already support Trump, 48 percent said a softer position on immigration would make them more likely to vote for him, while just 15 percent said it would make them less likely to vote for him. (Again 36 percent said it didn't matter.) In other words, the vast majority of Trump's voters would like to see him soften his position or at least wouldn't mind it if he did. The poll suggests that Trump could loosen up a little and help himself with his own voters, as well as the more moderate voters he's hoping to attract. Forty-one percent of men said a softening would make them more likely to vote for Trump, as did 31 percent of women. Thirty-eight percent of whites said the same thing, as well as 29 percent of non-whites. (Again the lower numbers for women and non-whites are probably due to the fact that relatively fewer of them would support Trump under any circumstances.) Forty-five percent of voters under the age of 35 said a softening would make them more likely to support Trump, as well as 39 percent of voters age 35 to 54. Forty-three percent of evangelicals would also welcome a softening. So that's why Trump is pledging a softening, even if he hasn't made it perfectly clear. It's what a lot of voters want to see. remaining of Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading. Thank you for reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. Before the Angelus, Francis commented the "Chapter of mercy", the 15th in Luke's Gospel, which presents us with parables with which Christ responds to the whispers of the scribes and the Pharisees: the lost sheep, the coin, and the prodigal son. There is no sin in which we have fallen, the pope said, " from which, by the grace of God, we cannot rise again; there is no individual beyond redemption because God never ceases to want our good, even when we sin! After the Marian prayer, he dedicates a prayer for Gabon and speaks about the beatification of Ladislaus Bukowinski, in Kazakhstan. Vatican City (AsiaNews) Pope Francis, before the Angelus, said that in the three parables "of mercy" in chapter 15 of the Gospel of Luke "Jesus wants to make us understand that God the Father is the first to have a welcoming and merciful attitude toward sinners." The stories of the lost sheep, the coin, and the prodigal son "are Christ's answer to the whispers of the scribes and Pharisees" and the ways the Master "shows us Gods open arms for all of us." With these three stories, Francis said, "Jesus wants to make us understand that God the Father is the first to have a welcoming and merciful attitude toward sinners. God has this attitude. In the first parable God is presented as a shepherd who leaves 99 sheep to go in search of the lost one. In the second he is compared to a woman who lost a coin and searches it until she finds it. In the third parable God is imagined as a father who welcomes his son who had been away; the father figure reveals Gods heart, the merciful God, manifested in Jesus." A common element in these three parables, the pope immediately added, "is that expressed by the verbs that mean rejoicing together, partying. It is not about mourning. It is about rejoicing, celebrating. [...] In the first two parables, the emphasis is on the joy that is so overwhelming that one has to share it with friends and neighbours. In the third parable it is on the feast that comes from the heart of the merciful father and spreads to all his house. This feast of God for those who return to Him in repentance is in tune with the Jubilee Year we are experiencing, as the term jubilee itself says. i.e. jubilation." The message in today's Gospel, Francis concludes, "gives us great hope and we can summarise it as follows: there is no sin in which we have fallen, from which, by the grace of God, we cannot rise again; there is no individual beyond redemption, no one is beyond redemption, because God never ceases to want our good, even when we sin! May the Virgin Mary, Refuge of Sinners, bring out of our hearts the trust that was kindled in the heart of the prodigal son: I shall get up and go to my father and I shall say to him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. On this path, we can give joy to God, and his joy can become ours." After the Marian prayer, the pope invited the audience to recite a "special prayer for Gabon, which is going through a time of severe political crisis. I entrust to the Lord the victims of the clashes and their families. I join the bishops of that dear African country to invite the parties to reject all violence and to always aim for the common good. I encourage everyone, particularly Catholics, to be builders of peace within the law, in dialogue and fraternity. Finally, Francis said that "today in Karaganda, Kazakhstan, Ladislaus Bukowinski, priest and pastor, persecuted for his faith, was proclaimed Blessed. How much this man suffered, how much! In his life he always showed great love for the weakest and neediest and his testimony appears as a distillation of spiritual and corporal works of mercy." Need help.. I am an aslyum seeker in united states and my case is pending on court but recently me and my girlfriend who is an australian permanent resident got married in usa .my question is there going to be any complication due to the fact that i cant travel back to my home country and can we go ahead and apply for spouse visa.. Or do i have to be in my home country to apply for spouse vis .. Need serious help.. Asap .. Thank you Hi all I am filling out a Statutory Declaration form for the partner Visa as me being the sponsor could someone please share of what is expected from me to write in question 5 6 7 and 8 of the Declaration - partner Visa form thankyou in advance snappy Investigators who probed the ditching of USAir 1549 into the Hudson River in 2009 say the recently released movie about the event portrays them in an inaccurate and unfair light. The movie, Sully, directed by Clint Eastwood, was released over the weekend in U.S. theaters. For dramatic purposes, Sully portrays the NTSB investigators as prosecutors initially intent on blaming Chesley Sullenberger III and his First Officer, Jeff Skiles, for making the wrong decision after the A320 they were flying had both engines snuffed by birds strikes on departure from LaGuardia. The film initially suggests the crew could have turned back to LaGuardia or landed at nearby Teterboro, New Jersey. It also implies that the left engine was still capable of generating thrust. Were not the KGB. Were not the Gestapo, said Robert Benzon, who led the National Transportation Safety Boards investigation. Were the guys with the white hats on. The NTSB said it was not contacted during the scriptwriting or filming of Sully. Benzon is now retired. As explained in todays review of the film by AVwebs Paul Bertorelli, the script inserts tension into the story by taking events out of context and presenting them in a fictionalized NTSB public hearing. During the hearing, the Sullenberger character, played by Tom Hanks, explains to investigators that they failed to take into account human factors in concluding the airplane could have made the turn back to LaGuardia. Until I read the script, I didnt know the investigative board was trying to paint the picture that he (Sullenberger) had done the wrong thing. They were kind of railroading him into it was his fault,' Eastwood, whos a helicopter pilot himself, said in a publicity video made to promote Sully. According to Hanks, a draft script included the names of the actual NSTB investigators but at Sullenbergers insistence, these were changed to fictional names. Hanks told Bloomberg News,These are people who are not prosecutors. They are doing a very important job, and if, for editorial purposes, we want to make it more of a prosecutorial process, it aint fair to them. Thats an easy thing to change. Some investigators worry that the films depiction of the investigative process will make pilots less inclined to cooperate with investigations. TomHaueter, who headed the agencys major investigations branch at the time of the 1549 probe but who is now a consultant, told The Associated Press that,There is a very good chance that there is a segment of the population that will take this as proof of government incompetence and it will make things worse. 11 September 2016 10:27 (UTC+04:00) By Trend Armenian armed forces have 19 times violated the ceasefire on the line of contact between Azerbaijani and Armenian troops over the past 24 hours, using large caliber machine guns, said Azerbaijans Defense Ministry on September 11. Armenian armed forces, located in Paravakar and Vazashen villages in Armenias Ijevan district, on the nameless heights in Berd district opened fire at Azerbaijani position located on the nameless heights in Gazakh district, in Munjuglu village of Tovuz district. The positions of Azerbaijani Armed Forces were also fired from positions of Armenian military units located near to the occupied Horadiz, Gorgan, Garakhanbayli, Ashagi Seyidahmadli villages of Fuzuli district, in Kuropatkino village of Khojavend district, as well as, nameless heights in Goranboy and Fuzuli districts. The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 11 September 2016 13:10 (UTC+04:00) Pakistani Federal Minister for Defense Production Rana Tanveer Hussain has said his country would be participating in ADEX-2016 Azerbaijan International Defense Industry Exhibition due to take place in Baku on September 27-30. He met with Azerbaijani ambassador to Pakistan Ali Alizade, reports Azertac. Tanveer Hussain highlighted Pakistans defense industry potential, and expressed the country`s readiness to supply defense industry products to the Azerbaijani army. He also pointed out prospects for cooperation in the military and technical spheres. Tanveer Hussain noted that Pakistan was one of the first countries to recognize Azerbaijan`s independence. Ambassador Alizade spoke of the Armenian provocations against Azerbaijan. He praised Pakistan`s supporting Azerbaijan on the conflict with Armenia. The ambassador said that as a member of the Contact Group on Kashmir of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation Azerbaijan had always been committed to the settlement of the Kashmir issue based on UN Security Council resolutions. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 11 September 2016 09:44 (UTC+04:00) By Trend Petlim container port in Turkey will reach its design capacity of 1.5 million TEU (twenty-foot equivalent unit) during four-five years, Director General of Petlim Dogan Cirakoglu told Azerbaijani reporters in Izmir. The first phase of construction has already been completed, and the construction work within the second phase will be completed before late 2016, Cirakoglu said. Presumably in 2019 the terminal capacity will reach 500,000-600,000 containers a year, and it will reach its design capacity of 1.5 million containers per year after 2020. He said that currently the construction work within the second phase has been completed by 60 percent. A 350-meter berth is being constructed within the second phase, and the deepening work continues, Cirakoglu noted. The total length of the berth within the two phases will be 736 meters. It is expected that the port will start to receive vessels within the framework of commercial activity in late September-early October 2016. Currently, 10 large container ports operate in Turkey. Turkish petrochemical complex Petkim and the Dutch APM Terminals inked an agreement for the construction of the Petlim port in March 2013. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Trend According to a source in the Russian Energy Ministry, Russia is waiting for signing the permits on the Turkish Stream pipeline in the coming days, Sputnik reported. Russia is waiting for signing the remaining permits on the Turkish Stream pipeline in the coming days, a source in the Russian Energy Ministry said on Saturday. We are waiting for the response of Turkish colleagues [to the proposed roadmap on the Turkish Stream], we must meet with them again. We are waiting for their permits in the near future but there were some impediments earlier There is still no date [of signing the agreement on construction]. We are waiting for the response and then there will be a date We are waiting for the construction permit, Gazprom is working on that, the source told RIA Novosti. The Turkish Stream project, which was planned to bring Russian gas via the Black Sea into Turkey and southern Europe, was suspended after a Russian Su-24 aircraft was downed by a Turkish F-16 fighter in Syria on November 24, 2015. In June, following Turkey's apology to Russia for the November incident, the sides began a reconciliation process. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 11 September 2016 11:00 (UTC+04:00) Minsk has hosted a session of the Coordinating Council of Prosecutors General of the member states of the CIS, reports Azertac. Azerbaijan was represented at the event by Deputy Prosecutor General, head of the Central Anti-Corruption Department under the Prosecutor General Kamran Aliyev. In his address at the session, Aliyev pointed out that Azerbaijan joined all international and regional conventions on the fight against global and regional terrorism. He provided an insight into the role of the Office of the Azerbaijani Prosecutor General in combating terrorism, and highlighted national anti-terrorist legislation and practical mechanisms. He drew the audience`s attention to the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict. He said 20 per cent of Azerbaijans territory was occupied by the Armenian military units at the end of the 20th century. These uncontrolled territories are used for setting terrorist camps, providing asylum for wanted terrorists, holding trainings, planning and executing acts of terror, he said. Russian Prosecutor General Yury Chaika was elected as chair of the Council for the next three years. The next session will be held in Russia in 2017. On the sidelines of the event Aliyev held meetings with heads of delegations from Russia, Belarus, Moldova, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan to discuss ways of developing cooperation. 11 September 2016 12:30 (UTC+04:00) By Trend Iranian President Hassan Rouhani will attend the 71st UN annual General Assembly conference in New York, said Iranian First Vice-President Eshaq Jahangiri. Jahangiri added that President Rouhani will seriously follow up on the failure of the US to properly fulfill its commitments regarding the implementation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), IRIB news agency reported. The 71st UN annual General Assembly will be opened on September 13 and its annual general debate will take place onSeptember 20. Rouhani has already taken part in the three previous sessions of General Assembly. Jahangiri further said that Rouhani will also pay a visit to Venezuela to attend the summit of Non-Aligned Movement. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 11 September 2016 18:30 (UTC+04:00) By Trend Said Mortazavi, under arrest on the charge of having a number of detainees tortured to death under his tenancy as Tehran prosecutor general in 2009, has apologized to the families of the victims. He made his apology during his third hearing over a plea by the Ruholaminies, who lost a son while he was incarcerated in the Kahrizak facility to the south of Tehran for participation in the post-election riots of that year, IRNA news agency reported on September 11. Mortazavi was named by a 2010 Iranian parliamentary report as the man responsible for the abuse of dozens and death of three political prisoners at Kahrizak detention center in 2009. He was put on trial in February 2013 after a parliamentary committee blamed him for the torture and deaths of at least three detainees who participated in the protests against the then president Mahmud Ahmadinejad's reelection. On 15 November 2014, he was banned from all political and legal positions for life. IRNA quoted Mortazavi as having also handed a letter to the court narrating the situations of that time and his duty as the prosecutor general of Tehran vis-a-vis those issues. I, as the prosecutor general of Tehran at that time, express ashamedness to God for the ghastly incident, although God Almighty is well aware that there has been no will in its occurrence, Mortazavi was quoted as having said in his letter. Mortazavi has been acquitted of the charges of having acted as the accessory in murder and violating the verdicts of Kahrizak judges. He has also been acquitted of the charge of having assisted filing a false report over the incidents. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz Coming just shortly after the cancellation of TLCs 18, 19, 20 and Counting over the Josh Duggar sexual abuse/incest scandal comes another slam for TLC with the show they used to replace the Duggars with which happens to be another Christian family with 10 children who belong to the same Quiverfull cult. Via NBC News reports: The patriarch of a family featured on the TLC reality television show The Willis Family was arrested Friday and charged with rape of a child stemming from an alleged sexual encounter around 12 years ago, authorities said. Toby Nathaniel Willis, 46, was arrested in Greenville, Kentucky, by agents from the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, the bureau said in a statement. The TBI said Willis traveled to Kentucky in an effort to avoid law enforcement. The law enforcement agency said authorities began investigating Willis on Aug. 29, and agents developed information Willis had a sexual encounter approximately 12 years ago with an underage female. More details were not released. The TBI said the investigation remains ongoing. Willis is featured in the TLC show about a musical family in Nashville. The network apparently removed the shows page from its website Saturday. TLC did not immediately return requests for comment. Via Raw Story: Willis and his wife Brenda like Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar are Quiverfull parents, adherents to a Christian dominionist sect that encourages married couples to produce as many offspring as possible in order to raise an army of believers. The word Quiverfull comes from the Old Testament Psalms of the Christian Bible. Psalm 127 says, Children are a blessing from the Lordhappy is the man who has his quiver full of them. The Duggar family has had problems of its own, with eldest son Josh confessing to molesting underage girls including his sisters as a teen. Then Josh was revealed to have cheated on his wife through the website Ashley Madison. When reached for comment about Willis arrest, a spokesperson for TLC said, We are shocked to hear this news. A spokesperson for TLC said, We are shocked to hear this news. Shocked, shocked I tell you! TLC really does stand for Touch Little Children, doesnt it? Share this: Tweet More Email Print While every life that was lost in the September 11th attacks was precious and deserves remembrance. I wanted to take a moment today to mention and mourn the loss the our LGBT brothers and sisters who are no longer with us because of the events of that fateful day. Their exact numbers will never be known. But we know they were there. Airline passengers and crew, office workers, police and firefighters. We learned that missing rescue personnel were gay, and that many of their lovers, some of whom were also police and and fire fighters, had to grieve in silence for fear of outing them and in too cruel a way learned that the closet was a terrible place to grieve. That tragic event was 21 years ago. And still feels like yesterday to many. That was the day the world changed forever. The day that the last of Americas innocence was snatched away. Wile we remember all the victims of that fateful day let us take a moment to remember out fallen LGBT brothers and sisters who must not be forgotten. They are in our hearts, in our thoughts and in our prayers this day, Below is a partial list of those we lost: Father Mychal Judge. New York Fire Department Catholic chaplain Judge, 68, was killed while ministering to a fallen firefighter at Ground Zero. Mark Bingham, 31, a passenger on United Airlines Flight 93 that crashed in Pennsylvania, helped to thwart the planes hijackers. September 16 is officially designated Mark Bingham Day in San Francisco. Michael Lepore, 39, was a project analyst at Marsh & McLennon. He is survived by his partner of 18 years, David OLeary. Carol Flyzik was aboard American Airlines Flight 11, It was the first of two to crash into the World Trade Center. Flyzik, who was a registered nurse and a member of the Human Rights Campaign, is survived by Nancy Walsh, her partner of nearly 13 years. David Charlebois, the co-pilot of American Airlines Flight 77, which crashed into the Pentagon. Charlebois was a member of the National Gay Pilots Association. Charlebois is survived by Tom Hay, his partner of almost 13 years. Graham Berkeley, 37, a native of England who lived in Boston, boarded United Airlines Flight 175 on Sept. 11 on his way to a conference in Los Angeles. His plane became the second hijacked airliner to crash into the World Trade Center. Ronald Gamboa, 33, and his partner of 13 years, Dan Brandhorst, 42, were traveling with their 3-year-old adopted son, David. Brandhorst and Gamboa were founding members of the Pop Luck Club, an L.A. organization for Gay men interested in adopting children. James Joe Ferguson, 39, director of geography education outreach for the National Geographic Society, was on American Airlines Flight 77 when it crashed into the Pentagon. John Keohane was killed by falling debris. Keohane worked at One Liberty Plaza near the World Trade Center and died when the towers collapsed. After the planes hit the Trade Center towers, Keohane met Mike Lyons, his partner of 17 years, on the street when Keohane was suddenly killed by falling debris. Tragically, Lyons committed suicide March 1, 2002, on his 41st birthday. Roxy Eddie Ognibene, member of the Renegades of New Yorks Big Apple Softball League, worked as a bond trader for Keefe, Bruyette & Woods on the 89th floor of WTC 2 and was tragically lost in the Sept. 11 World Trade Center attack. Luke A. Dudek, Was a food and beverage controller at Windows on the World. Dudek is survived by his partner of 20 years, George Cuellar. Dudeks first day back to work in New York was Sept. 11. He died in the attacks on the World Trade Center. Catherine Smith, 44, who worked on the 97th floor of one of the World Trade Center towers. Waleska Martinez, 37, a computer whiz in the Census Bureaus New York office, was aboard flight 93 that crashed outside Shanksville, PA. Jeffrey Collman, flight attendant on American Airlines Flight 11, which crashed into the north tower. He is survived by Keith Bradkowski, his partner of 11 years. Eugene Clark, worked on the 102nd floor of the south World Trade Center tower. He sent his partner Larry Courtney a voice message stating Im OK. The plane hit the other tower. And were evacuating. Clark was never seen by his partner again. Andrew LaCorte. worked in One WTC and was killed instantly when the first plane hit. At the time he had no partner but is remembered and missed by his many friends and family. Renee Barrett, Renee was injured in the September 11 terrorist attack on the World Trade Center, died on October 18 of her injuries. Barrett was a member of the Gay Metropolitan Community Church of New York. She leaves behind her life partner Enez Cooper and her 18-year-old son, Eddie. Seamus ONeal, also lost his life in the attacks on the World Trade Center. He is survived by his partner Tom Miller. Patricia McAneney was the fire marshal of her floor in the first World Trade Center tower. She is survived by Margaret Cruz, partner of 18 years. Pamela Boyce, was at work on the 92nd floor of the World Trade Centers north tower when it was struck. She is survived by Catherine Anello her partner. Tom Ryan, one of just three out-of-the-closet firefighters in New York, [says] he learned that about 25 closeted gay firefighters died on Sept. 11, and he knows others who survived but are still afraid to come out. As the days went by, we learned that some of the missing rescue personnel were gay, and that many of their lovers, some of whom are cops and fire fighters, were grieving in silence for fear of outing them. There were also gay cops that lost family members that were rescue personnel. We all learned too quickly and in too cruel a way that the closet is a terrible place to grieve. Edgar Rodriguez, NYPD Francis S. Coppola, a New York City detective whose partner, a firefighter named Eddie, died in the attacks, summed up his feelings about t Sept. 11th: I have never been more proud of being an American or a New Yorker, but at the same time it has made me sad. The greatest country in the world, and yet we are treated like second-class citizens. The great love of my life died doing what he did best and what he loved to do: helping others. I have never been an activist or ever wanted to be one; however, it is time we stand up and be counted and demand equality nothing more or nothing less. ***NOTE: This list of LGBT Americans whos lives were lost on 9/11 is by no means complete. Unfortunately there is actually no way to know the exact number of LGBT victims of this tragic event. If there are those who were lost that that you would like to remember please feel free to add them to the comment section and Ill update the list accordingly. WK Share this: Tweet More Email Print Firms have been warned not to use Brexit as an excuse to cut jobs and workers' rights amid warnings that a "shadow" was hanging over workplaces in the aftermath of the EU vote. Len McCluskey, general secretary of Unite, said productive factories like Ford's engine plant in Bridgend, south Wales, have had their future thrown into doubt following the referendum result. "We are ready to work with employers to overcome any genuine problems that may exist. But we are not prepared to see Brexit used as a smokescreen for further disinvestment from Britain. Out of the EU must not mean out of work," he said at the TUC Congress in Brighton. Mr McCluskey also called for an end to the "shameful racist backlash" on migrant workers. "It is greedy bosses who are to blame for driving down wages, not migrant workers." He called on unions to "pick up the pieces" following the referendum result to protect workers' rights. Dave Prentis, general secretary of Unison, told the conference that the aftermath of the referendum had brought out the "worst" in society, adding: "A rising and ugly tide of racism, frightening anti-foreigner, anti-immigrant sentiment once consigned to the sewer of the far right, now unleashed into the mainstream. "The referendum result has also left the government without a plan. Conservative politicians parroting 'Brexit is Brexit' as a substitute for a proper economic plan for our country, our jobs and our children's futures. "We might have a new Prime Minister, but she is sticking with the failed austerity that prolonged the recession and hurt so many working people. "Harsh spending cuts are pushing nurses, teaching assistants, social workers, town hall staff and those caring for our loved ones beyond breaking point. "But the British people didn't vote for more cuts in June, they didn't endorse austerity, in fact they voted for the opposite - for more spending." The Police Ombudsman is facing calls to investigate why Martin McGuinness was not interviewed about Bloody Sunday. In his report into the 1972 killings by British soldiers in Londonderry Lord Saville said Mr McGuinness was "probably" carrying a Thompson sub-machine gun on the day. Mr McGuinness denies this. DUP East Londonderry MP Gregory Campbell lodged a complaint on the police's failure to question the Deputy First Minister. He said: "I have now been left with no option but to write to the Policing Ombudsman with a formal complaint against the police in not carrying out what most people would regard as their impartial duty to question an identified person who has admitted being a senior member of the Provisional IRA at a time when that organisation was engaged in killing people in the vicinity where two police officers were also murdered. "If the Saville Report has led to soldiers being questioned about their actions at that time then that same report which indicated that Mr. McGuinness 'probably' had a sub machine gun must lead to his being questioned about knowledge which he may have also." The RUC was the only routinely armed police force in the UK during the Troubles The PSNI paid almost 12 million to compensate former police officers for hearing loss over two years, the service said. During the Troubles, the RUC was the only routinely armed police force in the UK and undertook regular firearms training. The successful claims are based on the failure of senior officers to provide proper ear protection for colleagues using the weapons at work, the Police Federation said. Details of payments have been revealed by the PSNI in response to a Freedom of Information request. Between October 2013 and last autumn, 2,415 cases were settled for 11.9 million, averaging just under 5,000 per person. Thousands of former RUC officers have lodged legal cases for damages. Sinn Fein said some officers were being compensated twice for the same injury and claimed the totals were staggering. Policing Board member Gerry Kelly said: "There is a clear duty to deal with claims for compensation where people have had an injury on duty. "However, there has been considerable public disquiet about the level of some claims, particularly the staggering level of hearing loss claims, which in many cases were being paid to people who were being compensated twice for the same injury, sustained by using the firing range without using ear protection." A spokesman for the Police Federation for Northern Ireland (PFNI), which represents rank and file officers, said police were no different from other employees injured at work. "There were deficiencies in the ways in which officers were protected from damage to their hearing," the spokesman said. "A rigorous claims process is in place and each claim is only settled after due diligence and professional medical assessment. "The average amount of 4,969 reflects the damage that was inflicted on an individual's hearing." He said it was an issue of protection and entitlement. "These claims come forward because damage has been caused and all officers are awarded is what the courts deem to be appropriate settlements." A statement from the PSNI's legal services branch said the service was confident that all claims against the organisation, whether brought by officers or staff or members of the public, were dealt with appropriately. "Legal advice is provided by PSNI's legal services branch, with advice sought from the Crown Solicitor's Office and counsel, in appropriate cases," the statement read. "All PSNI use of funds is subject to internal and external oversight. "In the event that a particular case raises issues of wider application, appropriate learning is applied in order to seek to avoid recurrence." Picture - Kevin Scott / Presseye Firefighters deal with a major fire in the Great Victoria Street area of Belfast on the 11th September 2016 ( Photo by Kevin Scott / Presseye ) Picture - Kevin Scott / Presseye Firefighters deal with a major fire in the Great Victoria Street area of Belfast on the 11th September 2016 ( Photo by Kevin Scott / Presseye ) Picture - Kevin Scott / Presseye Firefighters deal with a major fire in the Great Victoria Street area of Belfast on the 11th September 2016 ( Photo by Kevin Scott / Presseye ) Picture - Kevin Scott / Presseye Firefighters deal with a major fire in the Great Victoria Street area of Belfast on the 11th September 2016 ( Photo by Kevin Scott / Presseye ) Picture - Kevin Scott / Presseye Firefighters deal with a major fire in the Great Victoria Street area of Belfast on the 11th September 2016 ( Photo by Kevin Scott / Presseye ) Picture - Kevin Scott / Presseye Firefighters deal with a major fire in the Great Victoria Street area of Belfast on the 11th September 2016 ( Photo by Kevin Scott / Presseye ) Picture - Kevin Scott / Presseye Firefighters deal with a major fire in the Great Victoria Street area of Belfast on the 11th September 2016 ( Photo by Kevin Scott / Presseye ) Picture - Kevin Scott / Presseye Firefighters deal with a major fire in the Great Victoria Street area of Belfast on the 11th September 2016 ( Photo by Kevin Scott / Presseye ) Picture - Kevin Scott / Presseye Firefighters deal with a major fire in the Great Victoria Street area of Belfast on the 11th September 2016 ( Photo by Kevin Scott / Presseye ) Picture - Kevin Scott / Presseye Firefighters deal with a major fire in the Great Victoria Street area of Belfast on the 11th September 2016 ( Photo by Kevin Scott / Presseye ) Firefighters deal with a major fire in the Great Victoria Street area of Belfast on the 11th September 2016 ( Photo by Kevin Scott / Presseye ) Picture - Kevin Scott / Presseye Firefighters deal with a major fire in the Great Victoria Street area of Belfast on the 11th September 2016 ( Photo by Kevin Scott / Presseye ) Firefighters deal with a major fire in the Great Victoria Street area of Belfast on the 11th September 2016 ( Photo by Kevin Scott / Presseye ) Picture - Kevin Scott / Presseye Firefighters deal with a major fire in the Great Victoria Street area of Belfast on the 11th September 2016 ( Photo by Kevin Scott / Presseye ) Picture - Kevin Scott / Presseye Firefighters deal with a major fire in the Great Victoria Street area of Belfast on the 11th September 2016 ( Photo by Kevin Scott / Presseye ) Firefighters deal with a major fire in the Great Victoria Street area of Belfast on the 11th September 2016 ( Photo by Kevin Scott / Presseye ) Large blaze at building on Great Victoria Street Belfast Close Firefighters are tackling a large fire in Belfast city centre. The blaze appears to have started at a property on Great Victoria Street near the Go Express petrol station. It erupted shortly after 6pm on Sunday September 11. Multiple fire engines are at the scene. Fire in Great Victoria Street Belfast @BBCNews pic.twitter.com/vQzN6usXGH Lozza Mc (@LoriMcCully) September 11, 2016 Smoke can be seen billowing across the city. The Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service have advised motorists to avoid the area. Drug seizures have hit a 10-year high in Northern Ireland, according to the latest police figures. Some 5,597 incidents were recorded during the last financial year - more than double the number documented a decade ago - and up almost 500 on the previous year. Cannabis was by far the most commonly recovered drug, accounting for 4,445 of the total seizures, with b enzodiazepines (prescription drugs), mainly diazepam, in the next highest category at 614 seizures. Cocaine was found during 566 police raids, the statistics also show. Detective Chief Superintendent Andrea McMullan, who leads the Police Service of Northern Ireland's (PSNI) fight against drugs and organised crime, said: "While we seize cocaine, it is not the major drug of choice in Northern Ireland. "That still remains cannabis and the prescription drugs." A total of 182.4 kilos of cannabis resin were taken off the streets by police between April 2015 and March of this year - a sharp increase on the previous year. The figure includes 164 kilos of the drug which were found during one major raid in the Newry area. However, police recorded a significant drop in the number of so-called cannabis farms and nearly 5,000 fewer cannabis plants were recovered compared to 2014/15. Ms McMullan said : "We are at a 10-year high in relation to the number of drug seizures and also in relation to the amount of drugs seized. "We have better structures now but there are also higher levels of community confidence in policing which means more information is being passed from the community which can help us target resources." During the period, a total of 46 kilograms of cocaine were seized alongside 10,435 ecs tasy tablets. The largest single ecstasy find was in the Antrim area when 5,000 tablets were discovered last July. Most seizures occurred in and around Belfast city where 1,592 incidents were recorded - an increase of 116 when compared to the previous 12 months - but s ignificant numbers of seizures also took place in Armagh, Banbridge/Craigavon and Lisburn/Castlereagh areas. Correspondingly, the number of drug-related arrests has also increased year on year from 1,440 during 2005/06 to the current high of 2,953. Police have also targeted resources against heroin dealers, particularly in Belfast, Portadown and Ballymena. The senior officer said: "We are not seeing a large change in the number of people we perceive to be using heroin. There is a more visible heroin market which is probably linked to the changes around how heroin is managed at street level dealing. "Because of the changed more visible market, we have carried out some really focussed activity on heroin and we have made significant arrests in the Portadown and Belfast area - about 27." Despite the positive results, Ms McMullan said there were still challenges for law enforcement. "The market has definitely changed over the past decade," she said. "It's more easily accessible. Five years ago, if you wanted to get drugs, it was probably still a street corner, shady dealer. Now there are so many more ways you can access the drugs market. That accessibility poses significant challenges for law enforcement." Much of the illegal drugs trade is controlled by between 50-70 organised crime gangs - some with paramilitary links who tax drug dealers and engage in supplying - as well as some foreign nationals. At present, police attention is particularly focussed on a core element of around 130 people who operate across the region as well as in the Republic. Ms McMullan said: "The largest proportion of organised crime gangs that we investigate are still indigenous. "The border does not exist for any commodity in crime - it's a road you drive along the same as any other. "Our crime gangs are taking drugs down into the south and likewise they are coming up." However Ms McMullan said there was no evidence in Northern Ireland of the violence and gang war culture that exists in Dublin. "We are not seeing that," she said. "We have seen no evidence of that in terms of weapons used with the crime gangs. "There are crime gangs who bring in drugs and they also facilitate firearms but we are not seeing that as a direct link to drugs nor are we seeing a large proportion of firearms within the non-paramilitary field. "We are not seeing large transportation of firearms to facilitate gang warfare. And our crime gangs on the whole they tend to be Northern Ireland wide rather than territory based." The Bataclan Theatre in Paris was stormed by gunmen during a concert in November last year A Northern Ireland-born director is vying for America's top television award for his programme on the Paris terror attacks. James McGrath, 47, from Saul, near Downpatrick, produced US broadcaster CBS's 48 Hours - Paris Under Attack one-hour special the day after the tragedy in which 130 people were killed by extremists . It is shortlisted for an honour at this month's Emmy ceremony in Los Angeles. Gunmen had stormed the Bataclan Theatre during a concert in the French capital last November wearing suicide vests. It was part of a co-ordinated assault around the city which left the country in a state of emergency and prompted heightened security across Europe. Mr McGrath said it was often the story which propelled programmes like his into the limelight. He added: "If we were to win that would be the cherry on the top." Normally a weekend director, he took charge of the week night programme because the normal director was in Cleveland preparing for a special presidential debate. The day after the Paris attacks Mr McGrath oversaw a special anchored from New York. It went through the events chronologically and looked at French society and the place of young out of work Muslim men in France. It investigated encrypted apps which helped the attackers stay below the radar of the authorities, relayed survivors' dramatic stories of escaping the chaos and considered whether it was time for a new strategy to fight terror. The programme is competing for an Emmy, the television industry's most prestigious honour, with five other broadcasts, one from the New York Times, others from the enduringly popular 60 Minutes from CBS, Al Jazeera and other rival news shows. Mr McGrath graduate d from the Ulster University with a mechanical engineering degree and moved to London to work for The Disney Channel. After leaving Disney he went to America to meet some university friends in New York and San Francisco. He decided to stay on because of the better social life he had there. A bartender in an Irish pub in New York gave his CV to some senior CBS staff and he was invited in for an editing test and has spent the last 20 years there. The Emmy awards is one of the main award ceremonies of the year. Game Of Thrones, much of it shot in Northern Ireland, is also in the running for recognition. Johnny Adair at his home in Troon The son of former loyalist terror boss Johnny 'Mad Dog' Adair has been found dead in Scotland. Johnathan Adair Junior known as "Mad Pup" was found at a property in Troon. Police were called to the scene at 5.15pm on Saturday September 10. The death of the 32-year-old, who had recently been released from prison, is being treated as unexplained. Johnathan's father, Johnny "Mad Dog" Adair, was one of the notorious paramilitaries of the Troubles The exiled loyalist, who now lives in Scotland, was once the ruthless leader of the Lower Shankill 2nd Battalion, C Company which killed Catholic civilians in the early 1990s. He was jailed for directing terrorism. In 2002 Johnathan "Mad Pup" Adair was shot in both legs just before his 18th birthday. The wife of shamed MP Keith Vaz has said she will eventually forgive him for cheating on her with rent boys - although she admitted she felt like smashing crockery over his head. Maria Fernandes said she had decided to give the high-profile former minister a second chance, but warned he needs to change or "I'll sling him out". Mr Vaz, 59, who has two children with Ms Fernandes, quit as chairman of the influential House of Commons Home Affairs Committee after becoming embroiled in the scandal. Ms Fernandes told the Mail on Sunday the revelation that her husband of 23 years paid two male prostitutes for sex had come "out of the blue" and was a " complete shock". She said the Leicester East MP begged for forgiveness, saying he was "very sorry" and promising it would "never happen again" after he broke the news to her before the scandal was reported in the press. "'It was like an out-of-body experience, it was not real. There was a lot of things over the years, but this had not been one," she said. "It was a terrible shock and I am still processing it ... Keith is not a bad person, he's just done a terrible thing. It's absolutely terrible because it's affected all of us, because it's affected the kids. "But he's a good person, a good father, he's been a good husband and nine-tenths of the time he's got things right. This time he's fallen... badly." Police have said they will "assess and identify what criminal offences - if any - may have been committed" in the allegations, first reported in the Sunday Mirror. Mr Vaz had a conversation regarding cocaine with one of the male escorts in which the MP said he did not want to use the drug but indicated that he would pay for it for the other man at a later date, according to the newspaper. Ms Fernandes, who was told about the situation on the Friday before the story broke, said she told the couple's 19-year-old daughter about it but their 21-year-old son was on holiday in Vietnam and did not find out for a further 24 hours. Ms Fernandes said their daughter was "v ery angry with her father, and I think she was angry for me" but she was also "worried about him". She added that over the next few days she experienced a range of emotions following her husband's "betrayal". " I would have liked to have taken all my crockery and broken it on his head," she said. "My immediate thought was to tell him to leave then have space to discuss things." But she continued: " I've decided to forgive him. That's different to forgiving him right now. If I don't forgive him eventually, it is going to tear me up. It's going to destroy me and I don't want that. I don't like that feeling of anger and bitterness. "Although I'm a lapsed Christian, t here is still a Christian part of me that talks about forgiveness because you let go if you forgive. So from that point of view, yes, I've made the decision but how it will be done ... that's all to happen in the future." Ms Fernandes, a lawyer, said they would go to marriage guidance sessions and he would need a full health check after having unprotected sex. She said she feared for Mr Vaz's mental health: "He wanted to kill himself twice - once as Europe minister ( when he was caught up in a scandal over passports) - and again now. He just wanted to die." She added: " We've been happily married for a long time, we have two beautiful children, and we have a good life together, and he has threatened that by his behaviour. And if he does that again, then I'll sling him out." The two male escorts accused Mr Vaz of being a "liar and an actor", and defended their role in exposing the double life of the MP, who told them he was an industrial washing machine salesman called Jim. One of the men told the Sunday Mirror: "Some people may be upset by what we did. But we feel exposing a public person like Vaz is the right thing. "Vaz has two lives - Jim and Keith. He's the biggest liar I've ever met - tricking people from every side so he can get the benefits. "People trusted him and voted for him. He was the best actor I've ever met." The escort dismissed the suggestion that Mr Vaz might have been drugged: "If he'd been drugged why did he not go to the police and say he was a victim and he was drugged? He had enough time to contact police." One of the men explained how they realised who their client was after seeing him on TV "I feel sorry for his wife. I wouldn't be able to take that stress, that shame. She loved him, she married him. He never wore a wedding ring," the man said. "He's brought shame on his family, they all have to suffer for him, they are guilty of nothing and they are victims in this. I feel sorry for them and I would like to apologise to them. "But Vaz has only one person to blame - himself." The men claimed Mr Vaz suggested flying them abroad to Tunisia or Morocco and offered money for each male prostitute they supplied. One added: "He used to use code, say he'd pay us for 'painting', but he meant sex and fees for finding him other escorts. He offered to give me money for each escort I brought to him. He said he'd give me 50 for each one." Close to two million people from around the world have begun performing the rites of the Islamic hajj pilgrimage, entering into a state of physical and spiritual purity and circling the cube-shaped Kaaba with their palms facing upward in supplication and prayer. Notably absent this year are Iranian pilgrims. Last year, some 64,000 Iranians took part in the hajj, but disputes with the Saudi government prompted Tehran to bar its citizens from taking part this year. Saudi Arabia has blamed Iranian officials for the decision and suggests it was politically motivated to publicly pressure the kingdom. Iran said Saudi "incompetence" caused a crush and stampede during last year's hajj that killed more than 460 of its citizens. The hajj, which begins on Saturday in Mecca, is one of the world's largest pilgrimages. AP A judge handed preliminary charges on Saturday to a 29-year-old woman whom authorities suspect is part of a female "terrorist commando" group in the service of the Islamic State group - one of five suspects in an aborted attack near Notre Dame Cathedral and another possible attack thwarted by police. The discovery of an abandoned car early last Sunday led investigators to the arrests of three more women and a man that revealed links to two attacks this year in France claimed by the Islamic State group and underscored the overlapping nature of the terrorist web. France, which is in a state of emergency, has been on tenterhooks with three attacks this year, including a lorry attack in Nice on Bastille Day. An abandoned car found on Sunday with its licence plates removed, its hazard lights mysteriously flashing and loaded with gas canisters set a frantic search in motion. A woman identified by authorities as Ornella G., was the first to be arrested, on Tuesday with a companion at a road stop near the southern city of Orange. Her companion was freed, the prosecutor's office said on Saturday. But Paris prosecutor Francois Molins said on Friday that Ornella G's fingerprints were found inside the car. She was known to intelligence agents as someone who was looking to go to Syria. The judge charged Ornella G. with association with terrorists to commit attacks and attempted murder in an organised group linked to a terrorist enterprise and ordered her jailed, the prosecutor's office said. On the heels of Ornella G.'s arrest, police traced the person linked to the car to a house in the Essonne region south of Paris and descended on Thursday evening. A confrontation with three women outside ensued, including the 19-year-old daughter of the car's owner, Ines Madani. She was shot in the leg as she lunged at a police officer with a knife - after another woman, Sarah H., 23, attacked and wounded a plain clothes officer with a kitchen knife through the open window of his car, Mr Molins said on Friday. The third woman, Amel S., 39, who lived at the house, also was arrested along with her daughter, about to turn 16 but potentially implicated in the "terrorist project", according to the prosecutor. She was found in another Paris suburb. Mr Molins said the investigation has led to the dismantling of a "terrorist commando (group) of young women" aligned with the Islamic State group. "In the last few days and hours, a terrorist cell was dismantled, composed of young women totally receptive to the deadly Daesh ideology," said Mr Molins, using an Arabic acronym for the extremist group. The prosecutor contended that the women were guided in their actions by IS members in Syria, "which shows this organisation intends to make women combattants". Police found a handwritten pledge of allegiance to Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi inside the purse of Ines Madani. The note also stated that in answer to the call of the number two IS leader, killed in August, Abu Mohammed al-Adnani, "I attack you in your lands to mark your minds and terrorise you", Mr Molins said in an account of the arrests. The probe took on a wider scope with the arrest of Sarah H. Investigators discovered she was to marry Larossi Abballa, the man who killed a police couple in June in their home in Magnanville, outside Paris, before being killed in a police raid. She then was to marry Adel Kermiche, who slit the throat of Father Jacques Hamel, 85, during morning Mass in July in the Normandy town of Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray, Mr Molins said. Mr Kermiche and another attacker were shot to death by police. Sarah H. was subsequently to marry Mohamed Lamine A., known to be radicalised and the brother of a man jailed in the Magnanville murders. Those detained can be held for four days of questioning before going before a judge who will charge or free them. AP The death penalty victimizes the innocent children and family members of condemned men and women. These are citizens of this country who have committed no crime, and yet, because of capital punishments ignominious existence, they are punished too. Their state-sanctioned suffering, one that Californians will be directly responsible for promoting if they vote for Proposition 66, is severe. For the children, just think about it: they didnt do a damn thing wrong except be born. And then, on an especially dark, dreary, and evil day, theyre being brought to prison to see their mother or father one last time. And theyre in some sterile room, and everyones watching; the warden, the prison chaplain, the press, a gaggle of attorneys and guards, all of them are watching to see how these children of the condemned are going to carry it. Are they going to cry? How are they holding up knowing the human race has decided the person they love (and who gave them life) is so damn defective that they must be cast out into the unfathomable, the ungodly, the unknown? What can they be thinking, some of them just toddlers? What possible chance for a happy/normal life can they have after watching society exterminate their father or mother (or other caregiver) like a parasite, a cancer, a plague? On its website , the United Nations Human Rights Office of the High Commissioner observes: There are few studies available which describe the experience of children whose parents have been sentenced to death or who have had one or both parents executed. From the available information, however, it is clear that children who have lost parents because of lengthy prison sentences or executions suffer deep and lasting grief and trauma. In remarks to a panel discussion on the human rights of children of parents sentenced to death or executed, Marta Santos Pais, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Violence against Children, said: The sentencing of a parent to the death penalty compromises the enjoyment of a wide spectrum of childrens rights. Associate Professor Sandra Jones of Rowan University explained to the panel, [t]hese children feel terribly alone [and] tend to isolate themselves and suffer from internali[z]ed shame. Often these children feel they have to defend the parent in prison, and they live in fear waiting to hear they have been killed. These children typically have to deal with many psychological issues depression, anxiety, [behavioral] problems and aggression. Many of them go on to become offenders. Of course, the children and family members of those who have been murdered are victims; thats so obvious, no one needs to study the phenomenon. But, when as a society we chose to descend to the killers level by sanctioning the death penalty, we must acknowledge all of the dirty, nasty consequences, many of which can hardly be described (or swept under the rug) as collateral. Ms. Pais warned the assembled experts at the United Nations: It is critical that the situation of children of parents facing the death penalty get the urgent attention and action required. In California, on November 8, just like the citizens of Nebraska and Oklahoma , we have an opportunity to forever put an end to the uncivilized, gruesome, state-sponsored spectacle of innocent children having to watch a parent be executed: Vote No on Proposition 66 and Yes on Proposition 62 Source: The Hill, Stephen Cooper, September 9, 2016. Cooper is a former D.C. public defender who worked as an assistant federal public defender in Alabama between 2012 and 2015. | Report an error, an omission; suggest a story or a new angle to an existing story; send a submission; recommend a resource; contact the webmaster, contact us: deathpenaltynews@gmail.com Opposed to Capital Punishment? Help us keep this blog up and running! DONATE! Hillary is even ahead in many Red states because Trump is such a bad candidate. Predictions of an electoral landslide are starting to appear. I got to tell you, you tin foil hat wearing fools would be the type of people who, when observing a tsunami heading to shore, would stop to weed your gardens before fleeing to higher ground. BLAH HA HA HA HA HA Czech islamophobes tried to denigrate islam using a portable toilet as a muslim shrine, the Prague local authority cancelled the event 11. 9. 2016 cas cteni 1 minuta The notorious Czech islamophobic group called "The Martin Konvicka Initiative" tried to stage an event marking the 15th anniversary of the WTC attacks of 11th September 2001 in Prague today. The event, entitled, "To Mecca with Humour", was scheduled to take place in front of the Saudi Embassy, but the officials of the Prague local authority cancelled the event in mid-stream. Czech islamophobes used a portable toilet which was supposed to represent the muslim "Kabu" shrine in Mecca. They were preparing to "stone" it with crushed newsprint balls in order to mock the sacred muslim ritual. As they prepared to do this, officials of the Prague local authority stepped in and ordered the event to be stopped in mid-stream. "What happened was a gross indecency and this is why the gathering was dissolved," said Eva Novakova, an official from the local authority. The officials cancelled the event because its participants were denigrating a religion and had deviated from their original programme. On 21st August, 2016, the Martin Konvicka Initiative caused panic at the Old Town Square in Prague when they staged a mock Islamic State invasion there. Several people were hurt in the stampede. Source in Czech HERE 0 This picture looks like a typical naturist activity but its not. This is a booth promoting naturism this weekend at the Fete de lHumanite. It roughly translates to Festival of Humanity and it attracts over half a million people to a 415 hectare (1025 acres) park north of Paris. Started in 1930, it has become a massive cultural expo and concert. Over the years, it has featured many acts including big names like Pink Floyd, The Who, Joan Baez, and Avril Lavigne. According to a report on the France Bleu website, it all started with the poster for the festival that featured a nude man and woman. This motivated the leaders of the Association de Promotion du Naturisme En Liberte (APNEL), which translates to the Association for the Promotion of Liberated Naturism, to approach the organisers with the idea. Much to their surprise, they agreed both to the booth and to the exhibitors being nude. So with the support of the Federation Francaise de Naturisme (FFN), the naturist federation for France, they organised this booth at the festival. Their own promotional materials feature a clever play on the word humanite. They replaced the ni with nu which means nude in French. While people in North America believe that France is far more tolerant about nudity, that is not always the case. Yes, it is true that Germany and France are the cradles of naturism. And there are more naturist resorts in France than anywhere else. But outside of the naturist clubs, resorts, and beaches, nudity is very restricted. For example, unlike in Canada and some states in the USA (like New York) women do not have the right to be topfree. And unlike in Germany, being nude in a public park will get you arrested. So having this level of nudity at a large textile event is quite unprecedented. Yves Leclerc, the vice-president of the FFN is quoted as saying We are in hundreds of selfies. We have even had people from other booths who came and got undressed to pose. It was unreal. Jacques Frimon, vice-president of APNEL, says that the people who are bothered by nudity are rare. He added that even some tourists from Iraq were just amused by the nudity. The France Bleu article says that when people see them, the first reaction is to smile or laugh to hide their discomfort. Then, because this is the 21st century, everyone pulls out their smartphone to take a photo or selfie. Well done APNEL and FFN! Thats the way to promote the naturist movement! You can watch a video (in French) here: Here is the link if the embedded video does not work: http://www.bfmtv.com/mediaplayer/video/les-naturistes-s-invitent-a-la-fete-de-l-huma-855851.html kbear said: and what did that poor ugly bird ever do to you that it had to die so you could spend a crazy amount of money on a wallet?? btw, i use ostrich feathers in hair bows but the birds don't have to be slaughtered for that.. Click to expand... It didn't do anything TO me - not any more than the cow did anything to me that was made into my cowskin leather shoes. But, like cows and pigs and other animals whose hides are used for leather goods, most ostriches are bred and slaughtered for meat. I've had it in England, and it's quite good.And, I bought it because it was my first "big" paycheck for appearing in an Off-Broadway play and I splurged... as I recall, at the time, the "big" paycheck just about covered the cost of the wallet LOL. Do You Know Why Teenagers Become Obese At Puberty? Wellness oi-Staff When young teenagers reach puberty, both girls and boys tend to experience a rapid drop in the number of calories that they burn, finds a new study. The research, that also explains the dramatic rise in childhood obesity in puberty, found that 15-year-olds use 400 to 500 fewer calories while at rest per day compared to when they were 10-years-old a fall of around a quarter. This was particularly surprising as it is a period of rapid growth, and growth uses lots of calories, the researchers said. However, by the age of 16, their calorie expenditure begins to climb once again. In addition, the study also found that teenagers exercise less during puberty, adding to the calorie excess that underlies obesity. This exercise drop is particularly stark in girls, whose activity level drops by around a third between the ages of seven and 16. "When we looked for an explanation for the rising obesity in adolescence, we were surprised to find a dramatic and unexpected drop in the number of calories burned while at rest during puberty," said Terry Wilkin, Professor at the University of Exeter in Britain. Childhood obesity is one of the most serious global public health challenges for the 21st century, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). "Child obesity and associated diabetes are both among the greatest health challenges of our time. Our findings can explain why puberty why teenagers gain excess weight in puberty, and it could help target strategies accordingly," Wilkin added, in the paper published The International Journal of Obesity. During the 12-year-long study, between 2000 and 2012, the research team analysed data gathered from nearly 350 school children in Britain. The children were assessed every six months between the ages of five and 16, during which blood samples were given to assess metabolic health and measurements of size, body composition, metabolic rate and physical activity taken. Of this set, 279 children gave data that made them eligible for the latest study. Burning calories uses up a fixed amount of oxygen. The children rested in a sealed canopy and their oxygen consumption was measured over a period of time, to enable researchers to calculate their calorie use from the amount of oxygen consumed. Inputs From IANS GET THE BEST BOLDSKY STORIES! Allow Notifications Story first published: Sunday, September 11, 2016, 22:30 [IST] Study Reveals How Air Pollution Increase Diabetes Risk Wellness oi-Staff While the link between lifestyle and genetic factors with diabetes is well established, researchers have now found that long-term exposure to higher levels of traffic-related air pollution may also put you at increased risk of developing the chronic condition. Exposure to air pollution increases the risk of developing insulin resistance as a pre-diabetic state of Type-2 diabetes, the study said. "Whether the disease becomes manifest and when this occurs is not only due to lifestyle or genetic factors, but also due to traffic-related air pollution," said Professor Annette Peters from Helmholtz Zentrum Muenchen - German Research Centre for Environmental Health, located in Neuherberg, in Germany. For the study, published in the journal Diabetes, the researchers analysed data of nearly 3,000 participants of the KORA (Cooperative Health Research in the Region Augsburg conducted in Germany between 2006-2008) study who live in the city of Augsburg and two adjacent rural counties. All individuals were interviewed and physically examined. Furthermore, the researchers took fasting blood samples, in which they determined various markers for insulin resistance and inflammation. Non-diabetic individuals underwent an oral glucose tolerance test to detect whether their glucose metabolism was impaired. The researchers compared these data with the concentrations of air pollutants at the place of residence of the participants, which they estimated using predictive models based on repeated measurements at 20 sites (for particle measurements) and at 40 sites (for nitrogen dioxide measurements) in the city and in the rural counties. "The results revealed that people who already have an impaired glucose metabolism, so-called pre-diabetic individuals, are particularly vulnerable to the effects of air pollution," lead author of the study Kathrin Wolf from Helmholtz Zentrum Muenchen said. "In these individuals, the association between increases in their blood marker levels and increases in air pollutant concentrations is particularly significant! Thus, over the long term especially for people with impaired glucose metabolism air pollution is a risk factor for Type-2 diabetes," Wolf noted. Inputs From IANS GET THE BEST BOLDSKY STORIES! Allow Notifications Story first published: Sunday, September 11, 2016, 18:30 [IST] Joshua Cooper was 22 years old, living in Eugene and preparing to go to his job at McDonald's when the first plane struck the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001. He was also an infantry soldier in the Oregon National Guard, having enlisted in the summer of 2000. Watching the events unfold on television, he says he was shocked, just like the rest of the nation. But it did not occur to him just how his life would change as a result. Cooper, now a staff sergeant, is one of three full-time soldiers working at the National Guard Armory in Albany, home of the 105 soldiers of the 224th Engineer Company. Sitting at his desk, Cooper wears the latest iteration of combat uniform; hes worn four others since enlisting. Such changes in dress are indicative of the evolution the force has seen over the past 15 years. The Combat Infantry Badge above his left pocket, and the 1st Cavalry patch on his right shoulder, announce hes been to war. As a private with the Springfield-based 2nd Battalion, 162nd Infantry, he was activated and attached to the 1st Cavalry in 2002, ultimately serving a 13-month combat deployment in Iraq. It was that experience, said Cooper, that gave him a sense of purpose, and led to his military career. Cooper has been present for all the transformations the Guard has undergone as a result of the 9/11 attack. What was once considered a weekend warrior force, used primarily for domestic support missions, has become what Cooper describes as one more branch of the active military. Its almost like its a fifth service, said Cooper. It's like theres the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and National Guard. Cooper explained that the biggest thing 2/162 ever did before Sept. 11 was deploy once a year to the Sinai Peninsula to guard a tower there. Other than that, it was typical weekend drills, which before Sept. 11 often seemed like large camping trips, complete with coolers. Even the vehicles were casual, he said. Instead of Humvees, Guard units would use chopped Chevy Blazers painted camouflage. Thats all gone, said Cooper. Marking the largest mobilization of National Guard troops since the Second World War, 9/11 has changed the way The Guard trains and deploys. Cooper said he first noticed it during training prior to deploying to Iraq. We never even had Humvees, he said. And now we were training to fight in formations with them. Cooper said the new training was essentially changing everything about how theyd been taught to fight. During infantry basic training at Fort Benning in Georgia before 9/11, soldiers received maybe an afternoons worth of urban combat training, known as Movement Over Urbanized Terrain, or MOUT. Wed never done MOUT stuff, he said. But after 9/11, he said, "it was all focused on MOUT stuff. Cooper said even shooting styles changed during the train-up to deployment. Where it used to be all about movement to contact in wedge formations and careful fire discipline, now he and his fellow soldiers were learning to fire in groups of four inside buildings, and in tight quarters. It was like we were being completely retrained, he said. After his 2003 deployment, Cooper would again serve in Iraq in 2010. He said that deployment was shorter, but it seemed longer. But what he noticed then was that the equipment had evolved once again. He recalled the Humvees his unit got from a Navy yard in Kuwait in 2003, to which he helped add steel doors and plywood walls in the rear, which would carry racks of water bottles that doubled as shrapnel protection. But by 2010 we had the Caimans, he said, referring to the massive armored trucks, deployed to countermand roadside bombs. Such equipment upgrades have affected the 224th Engineers as well. As they prepared Saturday to deploy for a month-long January training mission at the National Training Center in the California desert, all their vehicles the graders, trucks and backhoes they use to fortify positions and build operating bases are not only armored, but armed. It used to be the engineers were all construction workers and contractors who would come out and do their job, he said. They all have armored cabs in their vehicles and a lot of them even carry mounted weapons. Its becoming like how the Marines do it, where youre infantry first, no matter what your job is. In contrast to soldiers like Cooper, the 224th Company Commander, 1st Lt Andrew Schaal, was a freshman in high school when the planes struck the towers. He didn't enter the military until 2009, after graduating from Oregon State University with a construction engineering degree. "All I know of the army is the post-9/11 army," he explains, adding that the attacks inspired him to join, and pointing to his combat veterans as his biggest asset. "As a commander, I rely on those soldiers who went through it," he said. When he's not drilling as company commander, Schaal lives in New Jersey, where he works as a design coordinator for a construction firm. The company's first sergeant, 37-year-old Joe Gassner, had been in the Army for five years when the planes struck the towers. He deployed to Iraq as an engineer in 2003, attached to the 101st Airborne Division, back when the Albany Armory housed Bravo Company, 52nd engineers, or B/52. In fact, the first Oregon soldier to die over there, Nathan Nakis, was from his unit. Gassner, like Cooper, remembers the pre-9/11 Guard. "We had the archaic Russian mindset," he said. "We were training to fight the Russians and the Chinese." Gassner described a peacetime force with very few combat veterans in the years before the attacks. "I remember maybe one or two people with a combat patch," he said. He also described a very different attitude among soldiers back when the towers fell. "There was a lot of angst over our deploying," he said. "There were a lot of people upset about the idea of being gone overseas because of a war." Now, say both Gassner and Schaal, the soldiers have a very different perspective, because the military as a whole has been on a war footing for the past 15 years. "You don't walk into this armory now without understanding what's going on," said Gassner, who lives in Scio, and is in his fourth year as an electrician apprentice. While some soldiers 15 years ago would complain about or try to avoid deployments, these days, said Schaal, there's a waiting list, and his soldiers are all trying to get on it. Another thing that has changed, said Cooper, is the level of thanks he gets when civilians see him in his uniform. This, he said, he understands, but it can be uncomfortable. Nine of Coopers fellow soldiers never came back from Iraq. He knew two of them personally. And more than a few have since committed suicide. Are they thanking me for all the s--- Ive gone through? he asked. Because people put me up on a pedestal, but if I told them all the details of what we did, they wouldnt really want to hear it. Ive had to shoot people, and thats something that your brain tells you is wrong, but it was my job. Gassner also said he can become uncomfortable with the thanks. "I don't want to sound ungrateful," he begins, and then pauses. "You can only thank me so many times." Gassner said he knows the people who thank him have their heart in the right place, but that on one level it can start to feel patronizing. "Sometimes I come back and thank them for their taxes," he said with a smile. Cooper said his wife talks sense into him when people wanting to thank him put him off. 'They just never see anyone from the military," shell tell me. "Theyre just excited.' To be sure, the force of citizen soldiers that make up The Guard have gained a new reputation since 2001. For Cooper, having found a coveted full-time job with the Guard is a good thing. He lives in Albany with his wife and stepdaughter. He said hes found a career and a purpose, and it's clear hes come a long way since that day 15 years ago, when he was preparing for another day working at McDonalds. Register for more free articles. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! Already a Subscriber? Already a Subscriber? Sign in Terms of Service Privacy Policy Register for more free articles. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter. Sign up! Already a Subscriber? Already a Subscriber? Sign in Terms of Service Privacy Policy Pat Hickey claims he is innocent of all charges laid against him by a Brazilian court, and will fight each and will vigorously defend his good name. He made the assertion in a statement issued this evening. A judge in Brazil formally accepted the charges, relating to alleged ticket touting at the Rio Olympic Games, against Pat Hickey last Friday. In the statement, Mr Hickey said that he believes in the Brazilian judicial system and is confident of being discharged of all accusations. Mr Hickey says this has been a "life changing" experience for him and his family. He also that, contrary to media reports, he is not under house arrest in Brazil. Full statement from Pat Hickey I have just received formal notification from the Brazilian authorities of the charges laid against me. For clarity, I am not under house arrest as, like with so many things with this case, has been misreported by the media. I intend to face all the charges and to fight each and every one of them. I am completely innocent of all such charges and I will also vigorously defend my good name and character that I have spent my lifetime building through voluntary service for numerous sporting bodies. I believe in the Brazilian judicial system and I am confident that I will be discharged of all accusations. This has been a life changing experience for me, my wife, my 4 children and my 5 grandchildren and my priority is to recover my health and see my family as soon as possible. I have been very heartened and humbled by the outpouring of support, letters, texts and emails from the thousands of people in Ireland and from the international sporting world. I will be making no further comment until the case has been concluded. On Tuesday, Oregon State University will hold a grand opening at its growing Cascades campus in Bend to mark the completion of the new Tykeson Hall. It's another important milestone for OSU, as it builds a four-year university in central Oregon. It's important as well for that region, which has battled for decades to have a four-year institution. The growth of the Bend campus also is important for the mid-valley, but perhaps for less obvious reasons. The Cascades campus has become increasingly important to OSU not just in its own right, but as part of the university's overall strategy to manage enrollment, in particular at its Corvallis campus. You might recall the reaction in Corvallis back in 2009, when OSU President Ed Ray outlined what would be necessary for OSU to become one of the nation's top 15 land-grant universities. One of the attributes that went along with that goal, Ray said, was that OSU would have an enrollment of between 30,000 and 35,000 students. At the time, enrollment at OSU was just under 22,000, although it had boomed an astonishing 8 percent from the year before. The rate of enrollment increase on the Corvallis campus has cooled off since then. Total enrollment last fall was 30,592, with 24,466 students on the Corvallis campus. The university's campuses in Bend and Newport, along with its online classes, made up the difference. OSU thinks it still has room for growth in Corvallis, but is projecting essentially flat enrollment on its home campus this fall. (A proviso: These enrollment numbers are notoriously hard to predict, even through the first few weeks of school.) OSU officials say they plan to cap enrollment at the Corvallis campus at 28,000, but now think that mark might not be reached until 2030 or so. But by that time, the hope is that the Cascades campus has 3,000 to 5,000 students (it had about 1,000 last fall). The school's Newport campus could have 500 students by that time, OSU officials say, and the hope is that the university's online offerings will attract somewhere between 7,000 and 10,000 students students who show up in Corvallis only to cram into Reser Stadium for graduation. If those predictions pan out, it could lead to an OSU with more than 40,000 students, but with only about 70 percent of the student body in Corvallis. It's an interesting notion to ponder. And it's also worth noting, as an aside, that there is a big difference between housing 24,000 OSU students in the mid-valley and housing 28,000. It's also worth wondering to what extent the state will be willing and able to properly fund what amounts to another four-year public university. OSU-Cascades is essentially becoming Oregon's eighth four-year university. Although legislators have embraced the Bend campus, they also face tighter budgets, which include increasing bills from the state's Public Employees Retirement System. Steve Clark, the university's vice president for university relations and marketing, says the idea isn't just to have another university fighting for a piece of decreasing state funding. "The worst thing would be that the budget would be divided by eight" instead of seven universities, Clark said last week. "You cannot cut the pie by one more slice. You cannot expect that OSU can fund (Cascades) by itself." That's particularly true, he said, because the relatively new Cascades is not yet able to tap into a deep philanthropic base, the way that older schools like OSU and the University of Oregon can in launching successful billion-dollar fundraising campaigns. If Cascades is able to grow and prosper, that donor base will deepen over time. But it won't happen if the new campus doesn't get the resources it needs to grow during these critical early years. As Cascades gets ready for its grand opening, that's the big question mark hanging over the festivities. (mm) PARIS: Iranians took to the streets around the country again on Friday to protest against the killings of youths in ... Andrew Mackenzie and Graham Kerr. Illustration: John Shakespeare. This easily pips the $US4.6 million that Mackenzie earned in 2015 which translates to $6 million Aussie at current exchange rates. Kerr's lode should also surpass Mackenzie's pay for last year given BHP has already stated he will not receive a bonus in 2016 due to the fatal dam collapse at Samarco mine in Brazil. "The tailings dam failure at Samarco in November 2015 was a key consideration, along with the ongoing decline in commodity markets," said a BHP spokeswoman. CBD might suggest it would be a bad look in the wake of its $8.3 billion loss as well, but that's just me. Speaking about losses, South32 was $2.1 billion in the red last year. And, given his remuneration is so high, people might be worried about what reception Kerr will get from investors at the company's shareholder meeting in November. So it might be a good thing there should be many less shareholders to cause a ruckus if the 125,739 of them who hold a less than marketable parcel of securities take up the company's offer and sell their stock to the sale facility it has set up. Giant steps We don't know if this reflects the ABC's sporting ambitions, but CBD could not help but notice chief Aunty, Michelle Guthrie, watching the Greater Western Sydney Giants slay the Swans at ANZ Stadium on Saturday night. There was nothing inconspicuous about her appearance in a corporate box alongside AFL chief, Gillon McLachlan, and NSW Premier, Mike Baird. The real powerplay was between the big chairs, of course. The win gave Giants' chairman, former Business Council of Australia chair Tony Shepherd, bragging rights over his Swans equivalent, Moelis & Co boss, Andrew Pridham. Shortlife Aussie/Irishman Alan Shortall still casts a long shadow over the injectable syringe maker he headed for so many years: Unilife. As we have reported, the company accounts were in a little disarray after Shortall's departure earlier this year due to "violations of company policies and procedures and possible violations of law and regulation" which surfaced. The ASX-listed Unilife issued its preliminary final report (unaudited) this month for the year ending June 30, but warned its "audited" financial statements are expected to "vary in material respects" to the unaudited financial statements it has just issued. "Accordingly, investors are urged not to place undue reliance on the unaudited financial Information in making an investment decision about the company's securities," Unilife said in a refreshingly honest statement that should be adopted more widely on the ASX. How different would things be if Dick Smith had this sort of disclaimer on its accounts last year? Unilife has repeated its claim that the investigation into the "possible violations of law and regulation" by Shortall and former chairman Jim Bosnjak "has not identified any material financial loss to the company". Unfortunately, it appears that one section of the unaudited report that we can rely on is the update on the company's cash position. Frank Calabria, named on Friday as Origin Energy's new chief executive officer, said he'll focus on paying down a $9 billion debt pile and consider more asset sales when he takes over from Grant King next month. "We set a target and I would be very disappointed if we don't get well below that" by June 2017, said Mr Calabria. "Clearly we want to accelerate debt reduction." New Origin chief exec Frank Calabria. Credit:Glen Watson Origin has been weighed down by debt used to help fund its share of the $25.9 billion Australia Pacific liquefied natural gas project in Queensland state, which is nearing completion. It's among oil and gas producers that are struggling as lower prices and weaker demand growth crimp revenue, while new LNG projects from Asia to North America expand a gas glut. Mr Calabria, who joined Australia's largest electricity company as chief financial officer in 2001 and is currently its energy markets head, takes the helm on October 19 the first change at the top in 16 years. There were rumblings about rumblings in the state ALP caucus and cabinet this past week. They are but the peptic processes of a party seeking to digest its first term legacy ahead of an election late next year, or early 2018. Will the outcome be genuine muscle bulk or just be piss and wind? Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk. Credit:Bradley Kanaris Deputy Premier Jackie Trad last week again reiterated she was not interested in the Premier's job. Well, in Annastacia Palaszczuk's job. She needed to do this, given the Second Law of Politics is that disunity is death. The First Law is the iron law of numbers. Perhaps the most bizarre comment on the ALP leadership gossip came from Opposition Leader Tim Nicholls, whose party has had three leaders in the time the ALP has had one. So Australians aren't world competitive, and must give up time off and work 24 hours, according to Harold Mitchell ("Australians, we can't afford for you to relax on your days off", BusinessDay, September 2016, p31). These would be the same Australians who have 120 million days off untaken, in formal leave eligibility, and who routinely work beyond any time in lieu or paid time. These would be the same Australians who lead the major economies in labour productivity over the last 5 years by a big margin.Yes, we should imitate 'Asia' (apparently it's all one place, rather than a number of very different countries) and work 'harder and smarter'. Go on, Harold. Imitate 'Asia': reduce our labour productivity and take more time off. Christopher Hood, Queanbeyan Free the chooks Rather than argue about how many hens per hectare is "free range" why not make it mandatory for all "free range" producers to print a "hens per hectare" figure prominently on their egg cartons and let the consumer choose? It would be interesting to have a full comparison by also requiring "barn laid" and "cage" egg producers to specify how many "hens per hectare" they have in their barns and cage complexes. Oleh Lukomskyj, Evatt Foolish Liberals I, like Leigh Cox (Letters, September 2), posted a polite (and neutral, mind you) question on the Canberra Liberals Facebook page only to have the comment removed and my ability to comment/interact with the page blocked. As a swinging voter, I appreciate the opportunity to discuss local issues with candidates and parties prior to the election. I have met with a number of candidates from all sides at shopping centre stalls and had a particularly engaging conversation with Paul Sweeney from the Libs regarding light rail. But this attitude of controlling discussion in what should be an open forum makes me wonder if the Canberra Liberals motives are genuine. Am certainly reconsidering my voting intentions. Gary Lachonis, Bruce Speed limits too low You know that the road safety bureaucrats are running out of ideas when they start discussing lowering the (already low) speed limits around town. Not content with land mining roads with endless plastic speed humps (one street near Manuka has about 10 over a two-kilometre stretch) the experts are now pondering whether the suburban speed limit of 50 km/h should not be further reduced to 40km/h. With deeply concerned expressions they talk about stopping distances, impact affects, travel times and the suchlike. One thing they don't mention is how well nearly all Canberra motorists drive now compared with previous decades. And our reward for safe and sensible driving? Talk of even lower and more punitive speed limits! What about considering sensibly increasing speed limits along certain routes (Bowen Drive in Parkes, for instance) to better aid the rapid (and still safe) transportation of Canberra's population? Or will Big Brother decide at some time in the future to mandate our bed times, when the statistics point to us all being fresher and more alert when driving the next morning? Mark Francis, Griffith Education inequities The Greens/Labor ACT government provides $12,000 per year for each government school student and only $2000 for each Catholic school student. Of the money available under the Schools for All program for disabled school students, NSW provides $1000 per year for each student in a Catholic school but the ACT government provides nothing, and the number of students with a disability in ACT Catholic schools has almost doubled since 2006. Peter D. Hughes, Curtin An interest in military items does not equate to glorification of war Dr Sue Wareham's lip-pursing (Letters, September 9) is unwarranted. Her cause would be better served by taking a more nuanced position concerning the forthcoming AWM "shed" Open Day. I too loathe war but I nonetheless maintain an interest in all things military. These are not incompatible, let alone mutually exclusive. I prefer to inform myself and educate my children about the causes, conduct and consequences of military adventurism rather than simply wish it all away. A visit to the AWM Open Day no more glorifies war than does a visit to the doctor glorify Dr Mengele, or the application of eugenics theory, or any of the other error-stricken medical adventurism of the last thousand years. Rob Westcott, Reid Slap on wrist pathetic Our current crop of federal MPs, including those errant ones who take the money from dubious sources would benefit from some intensive education and training ethics, due diligence, thinking before acting, how to balance incomes and outgoings, and how to be astute decision-makers. But would this guarantee politicians understood the meaning and consequences of making decisions which compromise their integrity, which render them susceptible to corruption, and which undermine and debase national policy? To get caught out, receive a slap on the wrist, apologise, and then to hope the matter subsides and people eventually forget, doesn't cut it. G. Jarosch, Crestwood, NSW Dastyari a target Senator Sam Dastyari is either very naive or just plain dumb. His action in seeking a foreign organisation to pay a bill that "he didn't want to pay", opens him up to serious security ramifications. Most spies or serious criminals can only dream of such a coup, ie, a person of influence in their debt. A government minister or a person who may be one in the future is pure gold to intelligence agencies, and might only come along once in several lifetimes! This episode has nothing to do with political donations, as the press commentators would have us believe, it does however put Australia's future security in jeopardy. Senator Dastyari will be a possible intelligence target while ever he serves in the Australian Parliament. Dave Jeffrey, Farrer Howard out of touch It speaks eloquently of John Howard's moral compass that, as per his latest National Press Club speech, he regards the odd million for public electoral funding in our trillion-dollar economy as a price too high to pay for safeguarding democracy from its deturpation by local and foreign vested interests. And, just as importantly, from the least appearance of such corruption. And it is disingenuous for Howard, while he strangely now attracts all this new limelight, to caution Australia against such "massive increases in public funding", when between 2003 and 2007 he had no reservations whatsoever in committing the nation to the huge expense of a fraudulently contrived foreign war. The man must take a quaint view of the Westminster system, and must find it very compatible with hypocrisy. Alex Mattea, Kingston So John Howard believes that because women are the nation's "carers" they will never achieve equal representation in the national Parliament. What chauvinistic rubbish! There are 76 senators and 150 members, and there are currently over 2 million women aged between 40-70: can he seriously believe that out of that 2 million-plus we can't find just 113 women who could make an outstanding contribution to our national life? To paraphrase Mathew 7.7 "seek and ye shall find". Roger Dace, Reid Research there to see Peter Martin ("The ghost of Dastyari's past", Comment, September 8, p16) says if you click on the research button on the Australia-China Relations Institute's website, you won't see research, only fact sheets that urge Australia to adopt a range of policy positions in its dealings with China, including signing an FTA and not running joint naval patrols with the US in the South China Sea. In less than two years ACRI has commissioned no fewer than six major research reports from the very best scholars in their fieldson topics from the beef trade to the state of Mandarin language learning in Australia. These are all freely available on our website. Just last week we released a report on Chinese-language media in Australia, a timely contribution that delves into Chinese soft power. ACRI has also produced peer-reviewed research on Australian public opinion towards foreign investment. That both sides of politics have used the facts and arguments that ACRI has assembled to justify taking particular policy positions is something we are proud of. It shows that our research is relevant, rigorous and firmly in Australia's national interest. How advocating that lowering barriers to Australian companies wanting to sell into the world's most exciting market could be spun as "pro-Beijing", as opposed to "pro-Canberra", is beyond comprehension. Professor James Laurenceson, deputy director, ACRI, University of Technology Sydney Who's in charge? Others can demonstrate the legal speciousness of Sir David Smith's endlessly repeated assertion (Letters, September 9) that the Governor-General and not the Queen is our head of state. Smith has previously said the Queen is not our head of state but our sovereign. I don't want the Queen to be our sovereign. I want the Australian people to be sovereign. Greg Ellis, Murrumbateman, NSW MPs not stupid Rhys Stanley's suggestion (Letters, September 8) that federal MPs are cultivated to support the presence in Palestine of the "occupying troops of Israel" is ludicrous. MPs travel to a range of foreign countries, including America and China, funded by groups wanting to promote greater ties. Perhaps Stanley would prefer MPs remained ignorant of a long-running conflict or for this country to miss potential economic opportunities overseas? Mark Kessel, Caulfield North, Vic TO THE POINT The Canberra Times wants to hear from you in short bursts. Email views in 50 words or fewer to letters.editor@canberratimes.com.au HERE'S TIT FOR TAT It is amusing to see Meegan Fitzharris describing the Liberal's health proposals as "lazy". They are probably better than Labor's tram proposals, which could well be described as "stupid". J.J. Marr, Hawker NO WAY TO WIN VOTES If Jeremy Hanson is going to support Brendan Smyth's duplicitous appointment as international engagement commissioner ("Bar and his new recruit all business", September 9, p4), then I certainly will not be supporting him. Ric Hingee, Duffy. TRUE HEAD OF STATE Wrong again, David Smith (Letters, September 9). The monarch is our head of state. The High Court did not say otherwise in 1907, and its judges would have been in no doubt that King Edward VII was our head of state at that time. High Court Justice Stephen Gageler made it clear in the offshore detention case earlier this year that the monarch is our head of state and the Governor-General is the monarch's representative in the Commonwealth of Australia. Frank Marris, Forrest David Smith doesn't give up does he? At the risk of provoking a further response from David, I suggest he give it away; he is not going to win the argument. The Queen (of England) is Australia's head of state and the Governor-General is her vice-regal representative. Don Sephton, Greenway I've just found another compelling reason for Australia to become a republic as soon as possible. It's to stop David Smith endlessly banging on that the Governor-General rather than the Queen is actually Australia's head of state. David Jenkins, Casey WRONG GAS PEDAL Regarding ActewAGL's "estimates", a few months ago we got a quarterly gas bill for over $200. Seems cheap until you realise we have not used natural gas for several years and at that time closed our account. Seems even non-customers are fair game for AGL's estimates of bills. Malcolm Paterson, Greenleigh, NSW Former prime minister Tony Abbott is maintaining his high-vis presence in national media, using morning television to cement expectations of "a term of delivery" for the Turnbull government. Two days shy of the anniversary of his ousting as prime minister, Mr Abbott said "a lot of good things have happened over the last year", but declined to directly answer whether Malcolm Turnbull had been a "good prime minister". "There was a good two years followed by a good 12 months, an election win, and now we have got three years to get on with governing," he told Channel Nine's Today program as politicians returned to Canberra on Monday. "As Prime Minister Turnbull says, this is going to be a term of delivery," he continued, in what could be seen as an ultimatum to his flailing successor. When officers tried to arrest him outside the Ohlfsen Road home, he allegedly attempted to stab an officer through the window using a large knife. Police point Tasers at Ihsas Khan as he sits on the ground. Dramatic photos obtained by Fairfax Media show the moment three officers used Tasers to subdue him before bundling him into a van. Ms Burn said investigators have found information to suggest Mr Khan had planned to commit an attack on Saturday that was inspired by the so-called Islamic State. Minto victim Wayne Greenhalgh with wife Bronwen. Credit:Facebook "We know that this person has strong extremist beliefs inspired by ISIS. What made him actually act yesterday we don't know," she said on Sunday. "There was clearly some planning yesterday that we do know about and that only came to light post the incident." Blood splatter is seen on the road near where the alleged attack took place. Credit:Wolter Peeters "This clearly was a very volatile, very violent situation that police and the members of the community were confronted with." 'Never hurt a fly' Mr Greenhalgh was well-known around the neighbourhood and was often seen out walking his dog. Police are investigating after a man was stabbed in Minto. "Everybody knew Wayne. He would say hello to anyone," said one local resident. "He'd never hurt a fly but I'm sure would fight till death to protect anyone." He was taken by ambulance helicopter to Liverpool Hospital in a critical condition on Saturday. His condition improved to serious on Sunday. The attacker allegedly chased the victim into the salon and tried to smash his way in Credit:Wolter Peeters Police believe Mr Khan, who also lives in Ohlfsen Road, didn't know his victim but Ms Burn said he had "formed some views" about him in the immediate lead-up to the attack. Mr Greenhalgh's wife Bronwen said Mr Khan had approached them earlier in the day with a Koran in his hand. Residents gather after a man was arrested for allegedly committing a terrorist act. "We thought he was going to ask us something and then he just turned around and went back home," she told Channel 9. Mr Khan had come to the attention of police before. However, he was not on a terrorism watch list and was not considered "front and centre" of the authorities' growing list of major investigations. Fairfax Media understands local police had been called on two occasions when Mr Khan abused and threatened people in public for their non-Islamic behaviour. He was also charged with maliciously damaging property when he destroyed an Australian flag in 2013 yet the matter was dealt with under the Mental Health Act. Ms Burn said Mr Khan was not connected to any local or international terror groups. 'Zealot' Police sources told Fairfax Media that Mr Khan is a hardline religious zealot and has serious mental health issues including schizophrenia. When police searched his family home on Saturday night, they found an electronic copy of Islamic State's magazine Dabiq and evidence he had been searching for extremist YouTube videos. Fairfax Media has been told that in an interview with police, Mr Khan said he knew the leader of Islamic State and believed he was justified in killing people to protect and exact revenge for Sunni Muslims. "He said he wanted to do the worst he could do," a police source said. He told police he didn't know Mr Greenhalgh but "disliked him" for reasons unknown. The attack has underscored the challenges facing authorities as they grapple with rapidly radicalised lone wolves who are not on their radar until tragedy strikes. "This is the new face of terrorism. This is the new face of what we deal with," Ms Burn said. "There is an individual who is known to police for some matters and... for whatever reason becomes inspired to act. They are able to get some basic capability and act." One resident on Ohlfsen Road, who asked not to be named, told Fairfax Media Mr Khan had stood outside her home a few days ago yelling at her in Arabic. Another resident said she saw him in the middle of the night pushing a wheel and axle and walking in and out of traffic. "It could have been any of us," the resident said. "None of us can believe it." Mr Khan chose not to appear in Parramatta Bail Court on Sunday and he was refused bail. "Police would like to reassure the community there is no ongoing threat in relation to this incident," a statement said. 'Shoulder to shoulder' Prime Minister Turnbull drew a connection between the 9/11 attacks in the US and Saturday's alleged attack in Sydney with its ISIS or ISIL inspiration. "We stood then as we stand today shoulder to shoulder with free nations in the battle against terrorism," he said. The 9/11 attack was elaborate and had been months in the planning, Mr Turnbull said, whereas the Minto attacked was the latest of an increasingly prevalent number of lone wolf attacks. "At one level they seem very different, 15 years apart, different events. But connecting them both is a violent Islamist ideology which perverts the religion of Islam and seeks to destroy and threaten our way of life," he told a media conference, adding the heroism of those on the scene also linked the two events. "The terrorist threat is described as probable. We saw recently a call by ISIL in their magazine for attacks in Australia. We can't say whether that particular call inspired this individual," Mr Turnbull said. "Intelligence is absolutely critical, it is more important than ever, so I want to say to all Australians that if you see or become aware of something suspicious or unusual, if you know something, or believe somebody could pose a threat to the community, please call the national security hotline. New anti-terror laws Attorney-General George Brandis said on Sunday the attack appeared to be ISIL-inspired but the man seemed to have been acting alone. Senator Brandis said two new anti-terror laws, which had been in development for some time, would be brought to Parliament this week. One would create a new category of control order for young people aged between the ages of 14 and 18. "At the moment, the minimum age at which a control order can be applied for is 16, but sadly we have seen terrorism events perpetrated in Australia by people as young as 14 years of age," he said. The other piece of legislation was a criminal code amendment for high-risk terrorism offenders, which would provide for a uniform, nationwide regime of post-sentence detention. Something went wrong, please try again later. Invalid email Something went wrong, please try again later. Sign up to our daily newsletter for the latest local and breaking news in Bristol. Burglars, thieves and violent attackers are all policing our streets, it has been revealed. A Freedom of Information Act request has exposed how criminals have been let inside Avon and Somerset police. As of April this year there were a total of 13 serving police officers in the force, which covers Bristol, who had criminal backgrounds. Between them the unnamed police officers had 15 convictions including five assaults, two for burglary, two for shoplifting, one of harassment, two criminal damage, one deception, a theft and another for gaining a pecuniary advantage. The police revealed that nine of the convictions were historic and the officers had the convictions before joining the constabulary. It means the force decided the conviction did not compromise the individual's role as police officers. The other four officers were convicted after joining the police in years 2001, 2004, 2009 and 2015 but all managed to keep hold of their jobs. A spokesman for Avon and Somerset police said: "Each matter will be judged on a case by case basis with public safety always being our number one priority. "We expect the highest level of professionalism and diligence from all our staff. "We take all allegations of criminal and or inappropriate behaviour very seriously and robustly investigate the conduct of the officers involved where those standards of professionalism and diligence are not met." The spokesman said: "If a Police Officer or Police Staff member is accused of an offence it will invariably be recorded as a misconduct matter. "These are dealt with on a case by case basis. "Invariably if someone appears at court then the assessment will be gross misconduct meaning that their suitability to remain employed by the constabulary reviewed." The revelations come as an acting police sergeant, John Mizen, was jailed for 20 weeks after subjecting his estranged wife to a campaign of harassment after finding her in bed with another man. Bristol Crown Court heard on Friday that the officer deluged her with more than 3,000 messages between November last year and May and set up a false Facebook account stating his wife was going to specified locations and meeting men for sex. Mizen remains suspended on full pay ahead of a misconduct hearing to see if he will keep his job. The court heard that Mizen had a previous conviction for harassing a former partner where he set up a false Trade it so she was inundated with calls and accessed her computer to cancel courses she had booked, causing her significant inconvenience and distress. He managed to keep his job as police officer following that conviction. Astros strike back to win Game 2 vs. Phillies, evening up World Series The Houston Astros won Game 2 on Saturday night to send the World Series back to Philadelphia at 1-1. THE DREAM OF ENLIGHTENMENT The Rise of Modern Philosophy Anthony Gottlieb Liveright Publishing 300 pages; $27.95 A man is asleep at a table, his arms half-covering a drawing. Behind him a whole crowd of owls, bats, cats and less easily definable creatures hovers, crouches and flutters. One of the most humanoid of them is holding out a pen, and seems keen for the man to wake up. On the side of his table, written in large letters, are the words El sueno de la razon produce monstruos. We are looking at one of the etchings in Goya's late-18th-century work "Los Caprichos." The sleep of reason produces monsters. Or is it the dream of reason? The Spanish word allows either meaning. Goya's note on the etching suggests he inclined to the former sense: The monsters arrive when reason is no longer alert. But the other reading has a long and persuasive history: When reason dreams, it dreams of monsters. A spurt in advertising activity has led to an interesting fallout the number of creative and media accounts that have been pitched for this year has also increased as advertisers seek new agency partners. Maruti Suzuki, Indias largest carmaker, is set to grow its market share next year to 50 per cent from 47 per cent now, as the companys Gujarat plant goes on stream early next year. Wolfgang Prock-Schauer, 60, is not new to India, having been chief executive (CEO) of Jet airways from 2003 to 2009, when he left to join Lufthansa-owned BMI in the UK, returning to India last year to head GoAir. He spoke to Anjuli Bhargava on the changes in Indian aviation and the change for himself, personally from a full-service airline veteran to pushing the low-fare airline philosophy. Edited excerpts: What change do you see from the time you were away from the Indian scene? Much better infrastructure. The picture has changed completely from 2003. I see huge growth in the number of people travelling. I could not have imagined 63 frequencies a day between Mumbai and Delhi but here we are. I see a far more diverse picture. When I first came to Mumbai, I saw two-three airlines. Now theres a whole range, domestic and international. Mangalore Refineries and Petrochemicals Ltd (MRPL), a subsidiary of ONGC Ltd, plans to set up around 100 retail outlets in the current financial year as part of its expansion plans in the retail business. Right from his college days, Kapil Shelke dreamt of building the worlds fastest electric motorcycle. Armed with a rudimentary knowledge of electric motors, circuits and batteries from tinkering with remote control cars as a child, he set out to achieve this dream. Unlock 30+ premium stories daily hand-picked by our editors, across devices on browser and app. Full access to our intuitive epaper - clip, save, share articles from any device; newspaper archives from 2006. Curated newsletters on markets, personal finance, policy & politics, start-ups, technology, and more. Pick your 5 favourite companies, get a daily email with all news updates on them. 26 years of website archives. Tata Teleservices, the joint venture between Tata Sons and Docomo of Japan, will have to bid aggressively in the coming auction to win back spectrum in the Andhra Pradesh circle, expiring next year. Around 500 medical representatives, who were earlier employed with Ranbaxy and now in Sun Pharmaceutical, are planning a pan-India strike on September 26, to protest the non-payment of salaries and other issues such as arbitrary transfers. In the aftermath of the Welspun controversy, Business Standard gets deeper into the issue of global scrutiny facing Indian businesses across key sectors, in a three-part series. Today, we look at the textiles sector, in the first part Weeks after the Welspun controversy broke and prominent US retailer Target Corporation severed ties for selling it something other than what was contracted, Walmart, the biggest chain in the world, has for the same reason ended its partnership with the Mumbai-based textile giant on selling Egyptian cotton sheets. The Cauvery Supervisory Committee will strictly adhere to the final order of Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal (CWDT) while deciding on the quantum of the river's water to be released to Tamil Nadu and other states as directed by the Supreme Court, a senior official has said. The Committee, headed by Union Water Resources Secretary Shashi Shekhar, will meet on Monday to decide on the quantum of Cauvery water to be released to Tamil Nadu and other states. The statement from the official comes in the wake of Karnataka requesting the Centre to send an experts' team to inspect "realities" in Cauvery basin before the Committee passes its order. "We cannot send an inspection team there as that is not part of the SC order. It has specifically said that the Committee has to follow the language of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal (CWDT). So, the Committee will have to go by the letter and spirit of the SC order," the official said. In an interim order on September 5, the apex court had asked Karnataka to release 15,000 cusecs of Cauvery water daily for next 10 days to Tamil Nadu, leading to protests in parts of Karnataka. The court had also directed Tamil Nadu to approach the Supervisory Committee, set up to implement award of CWDT, within three days for the release of Cauvery water as per the final order of Tribunal. Expressing concern over the decision, the Karnataka government had on September 7 written to Union Water Resources Ministry, saying drinking water needs are likely to be "jeopardised" if water is released as directed by Supreme Court from the four reservoirs in the state. In the letter, Karnataka also rued that Supreme Court's order would have been "different" if a report of experts on "ground realities" in the state was made available to it before it gave the interim order. "The matter can be resolved in the long-run until Cauvery Management Board is set up (as suggested by CWDT). But until then, we can not go beyond the orders of Supreme Court," the official said. Chief Secretaries of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala and Puducherry besides officials of Central Water Commission will attend the meeting of the Committee. The apex court will hear the matter again on September 16. With the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) writing to Brazilian company Embraer, seeking details on a report that it employed an agent to sell three EMB 145 aircraft to the DRDO in 2008, Defence Minister on Sunday asserted that if the issues in the case display a criminal nature, then it will be handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation. Speaking to the media here, Parrikar stated he has asked the DRDO to submit a complete report on the matter on Monday, and it will be only after that that he can make a concrete statement. "I am not going to give a knee jerk reaction and just make a statement based on rumours. I have asked for a report which will be submitted on Monday, and if the issues are of a criminal nature, then we can forward this case to the CBI for a criminal investigation and if there are just procedural issues then we can do an internal investigation," Parrikar said. Admitting that he was himself unaware on several nuances of the issue since it happened in 2008, the Defence Minister re-iterated that he will make a composite statement on the case only after he gets the report on Monday. Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has asked the Centre to probe the aircraft bribery allegations linked to manufacturers of the Embraer. A joint US-Brazil investigation into Embraer, has uncovered a bribery case leading to a deal signed between the company and DRDO in 2008 for three aircraft equipped with indigenous radars for AEW&C (airborne early warning and control systems). The company has been under the scanner of the United States Justice Department since 2010 after a contract with the Dominican Republic raised suspicions. "Eleventh September...two contrasting images come to the mind. Today we pay tributes to all those who lost their lives in gruesome attacks," Modi tweeted. 11th September...two contrasting images come to the mind. Today we pray tributes to all those who lost their lives in gruesome attacks. Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 11, 2016 The terror attacks carried out by the Al Qaeda killed nearly 3,000 people and left over 6,000 injured in New York and Washington DC. The twin towers of the World Trade Centre were destroyed in the attack. As protests against the release of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu showed signs of abating in Mandya, the epicentre of agitation, and other districts in the basin, no major blockade was reported on the Bengaluru-Mysuru highway today, police said. Bengaluru-Mysuru highway was clear and other routes were open now, Mandy Police officials said, adding, buses were also running as usual. Road traffic between Bengaluru and Mysuru had seen regular disruptions and blockade following the September 5 Supreme Court's directive to Karnataka for release of water to Tamil Nadu. However, some protests by farmers and pro-Kannada outfits were reported in Mandya, Hassan and nearby places today. In Mandya, 'Cauvery Hitarakshana Samithi' (Cauvery Welfare Committee) under the leadership of its President G Madegowda met to discuss further strategy. They have demanded for immediate stopping of water being released to Tamil Nadu, compensation for farmers and withdrawal of cases against Cauvery protesters. They have also decided to hold meeting of Legislators from Cauvery belt on September 14. Meanwhile, BJP state President and Former Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa joined protest in Mandya today, while JD(S) Supremo and former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda conducted aerial survey of the water levels at dams in Cauvery basin region. Speaking to reporters, Gowda supported government's decision to release water to Tamil Nadu as per Supreme Court's directive keeping in mind the main petition that coming up in the Supreme Court on October 18, where the state is challenging the final award of the tribunal. "I had asked to release water, because if we disobey today, we may not get any benefit from the main petition which is coming up on October 18. If we don't get any benefit from it, Karnataka's fate will be sealed", he said Deve Gowda's remarks supporting government's decision to release water to Tamil Nadu is being criticised as it is contrary to party's stand which has been staging protests in Mandya and Hassan against the release of water. On September 5, the apex court had directed Karnataka government to release 15,000 cusecs to Tamil Nadu for the next 10 days to meet the irrigation requirement for Samba paddy crop. Terming as "totally absurd" the allegations levelled by controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naik against the government, Union Minister M on Sunday accused him of taking shelter under religion and wondered if he is the "boss" of all Indian Muslims. "Is Zakir Naik the boss of all Indian Muslims? What nonsense he is talking. He has to answer the criticism about himself. What is that Muslims have got to do with him," the Information and Broadcasting Minister said here. In a four-page 'open letter' released in Mumbai on Saturday, Naik had asked the government what exactly has he done to earn the tag of "Dr Terror" and sought "logical answers" to charges levelled against him. Naidu termed as "a totally absurd charge" the allegations by the Islamic televangelist that it is not just an attack on him, but an attack against Indian Muslims. "He does something wrong...And then government wants to take some action, if at all and you try to take shelter under religion," the Minister said. Taking strong exception to Naik's allegations, the senior BJP leader said, "This is the way..The new technique. People commit crimes or commit mistakes and then they try to take cover under religion or caste, or the region or the language so that they get some support for the mistakes they have committed." The founder of Peace TV, run by his Mumbai-based IRF, Naik has come under the scanner of security agencies after a Bangladeshi newspaper had reported that one of the attackers of the July 1, 2016, terror strike in Dhaka was "inspired" by his speeches. UKs (NATS) is willing to be a stakeholder in Indias Air Navigation Services, which the government is planning to hive off as a part of the civil aviation ministrys restructuring plan to set up a specialist entity to running air navigation operations. Niall Greenwood, managing director, Asia Pacific of NATS said the company will like to be a part of the operations what with India being the fastest growing aviation market in the world. Greenwood said that rather than 100 percent ownership, the company intends to form a joint venture or partnership with an Indian public or private entity to provide training and technological inputs. We will certainly look at it as we will like to be part of the operation. I think the strength will be in in collaborating with an Indian business that will be interested in the service. We will be interested in some form of joint venture, bringing in technology inputs, and training services, Greenwood said in an interview with Business Standard. NATS currently held by joint ownership of the UK government (49%), airlines and private players was one of the first ANS service to privatise itself. As the government steps its push to provide governance through mobile phones, the Electronics and IT Ministry has mandated smartphone manufacturers to ensure that all devices support Hindi and at least one local language. The ministries of Railways, Communications, Environment and Forest, Finance and Defence are the top litigants among various ministries of the Union government, latest data show. According to data available on Legal Information Management and Briefing System (LIMBS), while Railway Ministry has entered data related to 58,735 cases, the Communication and IT Ministry has keyed in details of 7,617 cases. The Environment and Forest Ministry has entered 2,893 cases, the Finance and Defence ministries 1,375 and 792 cases, respectively, in a new network-centric system to streamline litigation-related data and make it available at a single point to prevent delay in dealing with upcoming matters in the courts. But, at the same time, officials said these are the cases which have been uploaded by respective ministries and the actual figure may vary, though chances of such an eventuality are rare. While a total of 41 ministries are active on LIMBS, 13 have been bracketed as "inactive", including AYUSH, Department of Atomic Energy, Minority Affairs, Shipping and Tourism. The LIMBS, conceived by the Law Ministry, can capture information pertaining to different courts and tribunals and categorise them into various sets of management information system reports for officials concerned to take action. LIMBS can send reminders through SMS to officials to provide alerts about particular cases coming up for hearing. The system will be modified based on the feedback of officials involved in sharing the data, official sources said. It was conceived sometime in September last and, according to the plan, it will be fully functional by the next financial year. The Law Ministry had urged Secretaries in various departments of the Union government to appoint a joint secretary-level officer as the project coordinator for implementing LIMBS. According to a status note on the National Litigation Policy pending before the Union Cabinet for approval, "government enjoys the dubious distinction of being the largest litigant in the courts involving a big draught on public exchequer." Though there are no official estimates, the Law Ministry believes government is a party to 46 per cent of the cases being contested in various courts, including tribunals. Most cases relate to service matters of employees or deficiency in service provided by government bodies. Law Ministry handles several cases every month where the Department of Personnel and Training seeks to challenge judgements which go against the government and favours an employee. Law officers, including additional solicitors general decide on whether such cases have to be challenged or the judgement accepted. As the government pushes to provide governance through mobile phones, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has mandated smartphone manufacturers to ensure all devices support Hindi and at least one local language. State-owned looking forward to the next round of capital infusion will need to fulfil a new set of criteria, including credit recovery, as the ministry has revised the recapitalisation norms. The second tranche of capital allocation for the current financial year would be based on cost of operations as well as recovery and quality of credit on the basis of risk weighted assets, sources said. Only those lenders that fulfil the criteria post third quarter (October-December) results of the current financial year will be eligible for the second round of funding, sources added. The money was allocated last financial year on the twin principles of ensuring 7.5 per cent Common Equity Tier 1 (CET 1) at the end of the 2016 and growth capital to five major . The government in July had announced the first round of capital infusion of Rs 22,915 crore for 13 . Seventy five per cent of the amount (Rs 22,915 crore)...is being released now to provide liquidity support for lending operations as also to enable banks to raise funds from the market, the ministry had said. The remaining amount, to be released later, will be linked to performance with particular reference to greater efficiency, growth of both credit and deposits and reduction in the cost of operations, it had said. The first tranche was announced with the objective to enhance their lending operations and enable them to raise more money from the market. Out of the Rs 22,915 crore, State Bank of India (SBI) was provided Rs 7,575 crore followed by Indian Overseas Bank (Rs 3,101 crore) and Punjab National Bank (Rs 2,816 crore). The other lenders, which have got commitment of capital infusion are Bank of India (Rs 1,784 crore), Central Bank of India (Rs 1,729 crore), Syndicate Bank (Rs 1,034 crore), UCO Bank (Rs 1,033 crore), Canara Bank (Rs 997 crore), United Bank of India (Rs 810 crore), Union Bank of India (Rs 721 crore), Corporation Bank (Rs 677 crore), Dena Bank (Rs 594 crore) and Allahabad Bank (Rs 44 crore). The capital infusion exercise for the current financial year is based on an assessment of need according to the compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of credit growth for the past five years, banks own projections of credit growth and estimates of the potential for growth of each Public Sector Bank (PSB), it had said. Minister Arun Jaitley in his Budget speech for 2016-17 had proposed to allocate Rs 25,000 crore towards recapitalisation of PSBs. "If additional capital is required by these banks, we will find the resources for doing so. We stand solidly behind these banks, he had said. RECOVERY PLAN Britain's desire to become a free trade leader following its vote to leave the European Union (EU) is seen as wishful thinking by experts, who say London's hands are tied until a formal exit from the bloc. Prime Minister Theresa May used this month's G20 summit in China to explore potential trade deals with Australia, India, Mexico, Singapore and South Korea. But trade experts have been quick to highlight Britain's lack of experience in such negotiations. "Currently, legally speaking, the UK is part of the EU and therefore is not able to conclude free trade agreements," said Hosuk Lee-Makiyama, director of trade policy think tank, the European Centre for Political Economy. "For me, it is more an experience problem because the UK has actually not negotiated" on such matters since 1973 when the country joined the EU, Lee-Makiyama added. At stake is Britain's position as a major world economy along with its future economic and employment growth. trade to and from the country each year totals hundreds of billions of pounds, around half of which is with the EU. Brussels and Berlin have lost no time in reminding Britain that while it remains within the EU, trade negotiations on behalf of all member states are the sole responsibility of the European Commission. May has meanwhile come up against hurdles outside the EU, with US President Barack Obama insisting that Washington's priority remains striking a free trade deal with Brussels, however unlikely, before tackling any separate agreement with London. British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson on Friday insisted at a joint ministerial meeting that "Australia is keen to do a free trade deal" and the two countries would be able to "at least to sketch out a very productive deal," while Britain negotiates its exit from the EU. Australian counterpart Julie Bishop said that opened "many opportunities to develop an even closer relationship", but her trade minster warned earlier this week that formal negotiations on a deal must wait until is concluded, which could take years. "We are now in a time where lawyers don't matter," Lee-Makiyama told AFP, adding, "It is about high politics." Tim Oliver of the London School of Economics stressed that "there are no friends or special relationships in international trade". He told AFP: "Some countries will know the UK is keen to do deals and vulnerable because it has little experience at negotiating them." The Conservative government has yet to set out its vision for following the June 23 referendum, beyond saying it would not start formal exit negotiations with Brussels until next year. Britain's desire to become a free trade leader following its vote to leave the European Union (EU) is seen as wishful thinking by experts, who say London's hands are tied until a formal exit from the bloc. China's banks, which dialed down fundraising efforts this year even as bad debts swelled, are making up for lost time. Both lenders and the companies set up to acquire their delinquent assets are bolstering their finances. China Citic Bank last month announced plans to raise as much as 40 billion yuan ($6 billion), while Agricultural Bank of China, Industrial Bank and China Zheshang Bank are also boosting capital. China Cinda Asset Management and China Huarong Asset Management Co. are poised to tap investors. "Chinese banks are preemptively raising capital while pricing remains ... Any day now, will introduce a fleet of self-driving cars in Pittsburgh, making this former steel town the world's first city to let passengers hail autonomous vehicles. So with the world watching, what has the city of 306,000 done to prepare for Uber's unprecedented test? The answer is not much. Nepal Prime Minister Prachanda has said he will not sign any controversial deal with India during his visit this week but would lay a "strong foundation" for mutual trust after bilateral ties went through "some bitter experience" over Madhesi stir during his predecessor's tenure. The Maoist chief, who became Nepal's premier for the second time on August 4 taking the reign of the country from the pro-China K P Oli, said he was taking the four-day visit starting from September 15 as a "challenging opportunity." "I am confident that the visit (to India) would not only normalise the relations that went through some bitter experience in the recent past, but also build a strong foundation for mutual trust," he told the Relations and Labour Committee of the Parliament yesterday. Later at an interaction on Indo-Nepal ties organised by Nepal Institute of Relations, Prachanda said he would like to urge all to let him "take risk as a leader". "A leader should have the privilege to take risk," the 61-year-old new prime minister said, adding that he would not sign any controversial deal with India during the visit. "I urge all the people in the country not to dictate me and let me take risk in favour of our national interest." Soon after he took over, Prachanda sent special envoys to India and China in a bid to improve ties with both countries. He accused Oli government of creating a rift between people from the hills and the plains. "The country cannot be prosperous without strengthening national unity," he said. Prachanda has said disagreements with the Madhesi people inhabitants of the southern plains who share strong cultural and family bonds with Indians over the federal boundaries in the new Constitution would be sorted out by mid-October. Nepal's ties with India had strained after a months-long border blockade last year by the ethnic minority protesters over the new Constitution, which they claim is discriminatory to their interest. The Oli government accused India of imposing an "unofficial blockade" on the landlocked nation to support the Madhesi demand of more political representation. Prachanda, whose first stint as Nepal's premier from 2008 to 2009 came to an end due to disagreement with the military over his attempt to sack the army chief, has three major tasks cut out for him: concluding the peace process, implementing the new Constitution and improving relations with India, according to leading Nepalese daily The Kathmandu Post. He has long been floating the idea of tripartite cooperation between China-Nepal-India and he believes it could fulfil Nepali people's aspirations of change and prosperity. Another major area of focus for his government would be ensure reconstruction of Nepal following the devastating earthquake in April last year. Earthquake victims have complained that the Rs 200,000 aid announced by the previous government was insufficient to reconstruct their homes. Dock workers began unloading furniture, clothing and other cargo on Saturday from a container ship owned by bankrupt Co Ltd, breaking a logjam that has stranded goods on a dozen vessels bound for the US West Coast. The Hanjin Greece docked at the Port of Long Beach in California early Saturday morning and workers were hauling off containers of products destined for US retailers, labour union officials said. But ending the crisis could be a protracted affair. Port operators, cargo owners, longshoremen, shippers and others all must reach financial agreements with Hanjin before each ship can be docked, officials said. Two other ships owned by the South Korean shipper were anchored close to the Long Beach port but as of mid-day Saturday did not have orders to dock, according to the Marine Exchange of Southern California, a group that tracks cargo ship traffic. Union officials said nine others were floating in the Pacific. Around $14 billion of cargo has been tied up globally as ports, tugboat operators and cargo handling firms refused to work for Hanjin, the world's seventh-largest container carrier, which filed for receivership in a Seoul court September 4. On Friday, courts in South Korea and the United States cleared the way for Hanjin to spend $10 million to unload cargo from four ships headed to the US West Coast. And on Saturday, shareholder Korean Air approved a plan to provide 60 billion won ($54.16 million) to the troubled shipper. While the unloading of the Hanjin Greece was underway, truck drivers had not yet been called in to transport the goods from the port for distribution to retailers, many of which are awaiting products for the busy holiday shopping season. "At this moment, the drivers are still idle," Patrick Kelly, secretary-treasurer for Teamsters Local 952, said at a news conference on Saturday morning. Once its unloaded, the Hanjin Greece will be reloaded with empty containers or with containers filled with goods for export, said Barbara Maynard, a spokeswoman for Justice for Port Drivers, a union organising effort by the Teamsters' Port Division. Union officials have voiced concern about the welfare of crew members on Hanjin ships stuck at sea. Initial checks with Hanjin Greece workers found they were in good condition, Maynard said. "The crew on that ship at least is doing OK," she said. Pakistan has not stopped Afghan traders from moving products to India through the border, authorities said after Afghan President Ashraf Ghani warned Islamabad to open the land border or lose transit route to Central Asia. "Pakistan is fulfilling its commitment to the Afghan people by providing them a trade transit facility," Foreign Office spokesman Nafees Zakaria told BBC Urdu on Saturday. He clarified that under Islamabad's bilateral agreement with Kabul, Afghanistan could export goods through Pakistan but Indian goods could not be imported into Afghanistan through Pakistan. Zakaria's remarks came after President Ashraf Ghani threatened to block Pakistan's land access to Central Asia if it did not allow Afghan traders to take their goods to India through land border checkpost. "If Pakistan does not allow Afghan traders to use the border for imports and exports of their goods, Afghanistan will also not allow Pakistan to use Afghan transit routes to reach Central Asia and other countries for exports," Ghani said in a meeting with Britain's special envoy for Afghanistan and Pakistan Owen Jenkins in Kabul on Friday. A spokesperson for Pakistan's trade ministry contended that the Afghan leader was practically seeking concession for India as Afghan trucks were already allowed to deliver their goods to India. However, as per the existing arrangement, they were not allowed to carry back Indian goods. "Giving concession to India is unlikely at this stage," the official told Dawn, alluding to worsening ties with Delhi. "Connectivity through Wagah is still far away." Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj had at the last Heart of Asia ministerial conference in Islamabad expressed her country's desire to join the Afghanistan-Pakistan Trade and Transit Agreement. The Pakistani official dismissed President Ghani's statement as a political stunt. "It's not new. He (Ghani) gave a similar statement last year as well during his visit to India and is again scheduled to travel to Delhi next week (September 14)," he recalled. Pakistan is reportedly considering other routes as well for reaching Tajikistan, bypassing the war-ravaged Afghanistan, he said. There are plans for getting Chinese help in linking China-Pakistan Economic Corridor with Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan as well as Corridor 5&6 of CAREC (Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation), which will establish connectivity between Pakistan and Central Asia. President Ghani, meanwhile, also pointed out in his comments that Afghanistan was no more entirely reliant on Pakistan for its external trade as it has got other routes for exports and imports. He was referring to the trade route India is helping to build linking Iran's Chabahar port with Afghanistan. Meanwhile, Afghanistan's bilateral trade with Pakistan is on the decline. According to some estimates, it has gone down by 50 per cent over the past few months because of border issues. Last month, the Chaman border crossing remained closed for almost 14 days, while in June the Torkham border crossing remained closed for a week. Afghan exports that mostly consist of fresh fruits suffer the most because of these closures. When Angelina Jolie Pitt is not shooting an action-packed movie, she is vouching to save lives. The 41-year-old actress, who reportedly met with families displaced by the Syrian crisis, along with UNHCR Special Envoy, recently held a press conference at the Azraq Refugee Camp in Jordan to emphasize the need for international solution, reports People magazine. The Academy Award winning actress urged the U.N. leaders to find an end to the Syrian conflict, the ongoing multi-sided armed conflict which began in 2011 in Syria. "It is almost impossible to fathom what the last five years have meant, in the lives of refugees in Jordan and elsewhere in the region," the humanitarian said, adding, "Not a single family in this camp of 60,000 people has not suffered loss and trauma." Besides, she also highlighted on the worsening situation as a consequence of lawmakers failing to provide enough aid to refugees as the crisis continues to rage on. "They have had no food delivery since early August. There is next to no humanitarian access whatsoever. There is no mechanism for evacuating the war wounded. None of the basic protections under international humanitarian law are being applied," the American actress viewed. She urged the world leaders to highlight the fundamental root causes of the Syrian conflict and what it will take to end it during the UN General Assembly to be held in 10 days time. "Any increase in humanitarian funding saves lives and is deeply appreciated as well as absolutely necessary. But let's be clear: aid workers here are still waiting for what was promised at the last conference," she urged. The filmmaker, who addressed the conference on behalf of the refugees, said they wanted a political solution so they could stop being "passive recipients of aid. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In a fresh wave of protests against the ongoing atrocities and human rights violation by Pakistan in Balochistan, the Baloch activists staged a protest here on Sunday. The protestors raised 'stop genocide of Baloch people', 'we want peace' and 'Balochistan zindabad' slogans during their protest. President of Baloch National Movement in Australia, Mir Baloch, said: "We are here to protest the ongoing atrocities in Balochistan. Since five days, our senior activist's house is under siege. No one is allowed to go in or come out. They have no food or water." He added, "We are thankful to the Indian Diaspora and the Indian Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) to raise the issue of human rights violation in Balochistan. We urge the international community to take note of the situation and extend support for Balochistan." Yesterday, the Baloch National Front staged a protest in Turbat, Balochistan, condemning the abduction of Baloch women, harassment of activists and the human rights abuses being carried out by the Pakistani forces. Earlier, Baloch Republican Party representative at the United Nations Human rights council Abdul Nawaz Bugti had stated that in different parts of Dera Bugti, people are now being abducted. He also stated that in Turbat area, a political worker's house is under siege since the past four days and his family, mostly women and children including an infant are starving. Bugti also emphasised that Pakistani forces have denied access to them including their own human rights organisations, who are not being allowed to visit them. Earlier, welcoming Prime Minister Narendra Modi's statement on Balochistan in his Independence Day address, several Baloch activists claimed that the people of the region support him and he should take up the Baloch issue with the international community at the United Nations. Last month, in a bid to highlight the ongoing Baloch genocide and human rights violations and the disappearance of Baloch people through the hands of Pakistani military and intelligence agencies in Balochistan, the Baloch National Movement (BNM) Germany chapter held demonstrations in different cities. Many activists are asserting that since 2003, more than 23,000 activists, students, lawyers, women, journalists, writers and human rights defenders have been enforced disappeared by the Pakistani army and its death squads. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Firefighters continue to completely douse the fire triggered by explosions at a packaging factory in Tongi of Bangladesh's Gazipur district yesterday. Palash, a duty officer of Fire Service and Civil Defence, said the intensity of the fire has decreased compared to yesterday, reports the Daily Star. He added the firefighters are yet to bring the fire under control. About 25 units of firefighters are said to be working to bring the situation under control. The death toll from the fire rose to 25 as another victim is said to have died at the Dhaka Medical College Hospital earlier today. About 50 people, mostly workers, suffered injuries when flames tore through Tampaco Foils Limited's factory in BSCIC industrial area of Tongi yesterday. The district administration has formed a five-member investigation committee, which will submit its report in 15 working days. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Baloch Human Rights Organization (BHRO) on Sunday staged a protest in front of Karachi Press Club to end the ongoing siege at the house of Rauf Baloch in Turbat by the Pakistani forces. The BHRO's activist accompanied by students, Human Rights activists and activists of National Student Federation (NSF) raised slogans demanding to end the siege at the house of Rauf, who has been alleged by the forces of hosting the family members of a senior Baloch political leader. The BHRO in a statement said that the Frontier Corps (FC) and the police have kept Rauf's house under siege for four days. "The FC and Police have kept Mr.Rauf's house under siege for 4 days where there is an old man along with two women and two children. After 2 days of harassment of women and children FC returned and police took control of the house," the statement said. Pointing out that police is now torturing the women and children through different ways, the protesters revealed that neither Human Rights activists nor neighbours are allowed to visit the house. The statement said that the FC and the police do not have any reason to surround and siege the house and the move is only to harass the family activists, adding it increases tension. It pointed out that the security forces themselves were pushing the bad situation towards worse. The protesters demanded that if Rauf has breached the law with his activities, he should be treated as per law. "According to Constitution of Pakistan, politics and democratic struggle is right of every citizen, and if state institutions have any objections regarding activities of any person he should be treated as per law, but in Balochistan unlike legal procedure, military forces' will is the law itself," the statement added. The statement also highlighted harassment of Baloch women and children is not something new, adding they are tortured through different ways. "In Makran, Awaran, Jhalawan and Dera Bugti, many women were abducted and killed by Pakistani forces. Last year in the month of July Pakistani forces abducted two women during an operation from Awaran and were released after a few days. Later they told their story that how they were treated and what tortures they went through in jail," the statement said. Farzana Majeed Baluch, a Baloch human rights activist, had earlier asserted that history was repeating in itself as the human rights violations committed by Pakistan in Balochistan and the army targeting Baloch women was as bad as the torture and rape of women that took place during the Liberation War of 1971, which eventually led to the creation of a new country, Bangladesh, from what was then East Pakistan. Meanwhile, the BHRO appealed to the Balochistan Government and other authorities to instruct the military forces to obey the law. Khuram Ali, the central organizer of NSF, said it is a condemnable act to keep women and children under siege for days. He demanded that instead of violating human rights and state's law, forces should act reasonable and as per law against the accused person, they consider guilty. Meanwhile, the BHRO's activists also appealed to the Pakistani media and civil society's organization to reconsider their policy towards Balochistan because remaining silence in this way is to hide the real situation which makes them equal partner in this crime. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Clarifying against the allegations of being a lobbyist for controversial Islamic speaker Zakir Naik, Congress leader K. Rahman Khan said on Sunday that the BJP is simply trying to politicize the issue as he had at the time forwarded the CD to the concerned ministry and not handled the matter himself. At a press conference yesterday, Union Law and Justice Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said that Khan, who was former Minority Affairs Minister, wrote a letter to then I&B Minister Manish Tewari in February 2013 in which he termed Naik as a "renowned Islamic scholar" and sought the government's protection for him from campaigns run by a regional channel and a Hindu group. Quoting from Khan's letter to Tewari, Prasad said that Khan had accused some news agencies of projecting Naik as a sympathiser of terrorism and sought action from him "to prevent any confrontation between communities and flaring up of communal sentiments". "I received a letter along with some CD alleging that a particular channel has made serious allegations against our trust, which are all false. So I forwarded that letter along with the CD to the concerned ministry which was Information and Broadcasting," Khan told ANI when asked what action he took after receiving the CD from Naik's foundation. "When I get a complaint, I don't go into the complaint or examine the complaint. It is for the (concerned) ministry to examine it. BJP is trying to politicise the issue," he added. He further said that anything related to the matter is to be clarified and the party spokesperson will do so. He added that Naik's foundation, Islamic Research Foundation (IRF), has a Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) licence, which is issued only after receiving clearance from the intelligence agencies. So, there was no reason to believe otherwise. Prasad yesterday also questioned the Congress as to how the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation received a sum of Rs. 50 lakhs from Naik in 2011. Prasad said leaders like former prime minister Manmohan Singh, Montek Singh Ahluwalia, P. Chidambaram, Rahul Gandhi, Suman Dubey, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Ashok Ganguly etc., were associated with the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation back in 2011. A few days ago, four officials, including a joint secretary of the Ministry of Home Affairs were suspended for renewing the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act registration of Naik's NGO despite of an ongoing investigation against him. Naik is banned in the UK and Canada for his hate speeches aimed against other religions. He is among 16 banned Islamic scholars in Malaysia. He was also accused of radicalising and attracting youths for terror acts and has come under the scanner of the security agencies. This happened after the Bangladeshi newspaper 'Daily Star' stated that one of the attackers of the July 1 terror strike in Dhaka ran propaganda on Facebook quoting Naik. Naik is popular in Bangladesh through Peace TV which is owned, run and managed by his Islamic Research Foundation. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) At least one terrorist was killed in an ongoing encounter with the security forces in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch on Sunday. Few terrorists are suspected to be around the mini-secretariat in Allah Pir area of Poonch. Earlier today, a police personnel was killed in the ongoing gunfight. Meanwhile, four terrorists have been killed in the ongoing encounter with the security forces in Nowgam sector of Jammu and Kashmir's Handwara. Four weapons have so far been recovered from the slain terrorists, while search operation is currently underway. On the other hand, as many as 12 civilians have been injured in a clash between the security forces and protesters in Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir. Earlier this week, clashes broke out in Shopian where the protesters set ablaze a mini-secretariat building, injuring more than 80 people. Kashmir is witnessing unrest post the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist Burhan Wani in an encounter with security forces on July 8. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Union Home Ministers Rajnath Singh on Sunday chaired a high-level meeting at his residence at 17 Akbar Road on the present situation in Jammu and Kashmir. The meeting was attended by the Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval, IB Chief Dineshwar Sharma, BSF DG KK Sharma and Home Secretary Anil Goswami. The death toll in the ongoing unrest in the Kashmir Valley rose to 80 as a youth succumbed to his injuries today in Srinagar. Kashmir is witnessing unrest post the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani in an encounter with security forces on July 8 where more than thousands have been injured. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In what may come as a major embarrassment for Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Devendra Sehrawat today expressed his disappointment over the ongoing controversies and said party's credibility is at the lowest level as of now. "Credibility of the party is at the lowest level amongst the common people. There will be no one to save this party," he said. Sehrawat also avoided commenting on the sexual harassment case registered against his party colleague Amanatullah Khan. "The AAP MLA will put forth his position in this regard and the concerned agencies will carry out the investigation. I do not have any opinion on this," said Sehrawat. A case of sexual harassment has been registered against Amanatullah on a complaint by his sister-in-law, forcing him to quit as the city's Waqf Board chairman. Amanatullah's sister-in-law approached the Jamia Nagar police station alleging that he had put pressure on her to get into a physical relationship with him. A case under Sections 354A (sexual harassment), 506 (criminal intimidation), 509 (word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman), 120B (criminal conspiracy) and 498A (husband or relative of husband of a woman subjecting her to cruelty) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) has been registered against the AAP MLA and the woman's husband. The AAP MLA has so far claimed that the charges against him were baseless. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju on Sunday said there is no question of the government leaking out information or documents as far as the renewing of the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) registration of Islamic preacher Zakir Naik's NGO is concerned. "We knew the issue of Zakir Naik's Islamic Research Foundation donating 50 lakhs crores to the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation or related body more than a month before, but we do not want to play politics. So, we have asked for more information. In the meantime, some individual journalists have filed RTI to Rajiv Gandhi Foundation and got the information. There's no question of government leaking out the documents or information," Rijiju told the media here. Condemning Naik, Rijiju said it was unfortunate that rather than thinking about what the Congress has done, the Islamic preacher was making unnecessary accusations. "We abhor equating religion with terrorism. Anybody who propagates terrorism will not bear anything with regards to identity of particular religion. security is most important," he added. Naik has written an open letter to the government, seeking clarification on the allegations of forced conversions. In a series of questions posed to the government, he asked why a probe continued against him even after "not a single conclusive evidence of wrong doing" was reported by any agency. "Why would the government renew Islamic Research Foundation's FCRA registration and then cancel it? Is there design to leaking confidential information of the government, solicitor general and the MHA? Is there a design to leaking selective government documents to the media?" the letter read. Extending his favourite 'suit-boot' analogy, Congress vice-president on Sunday took a jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Rs 15 lakh monogrammed suit. On day six of his rally with the farmers, Gandhi said the Prime Minister is concerned about his suit getting dirty and that's why he doesn't come amidst the farmers, but visits America to meet President Barack Obama. "Have you ever seen Narendra Modi clicking photos with the farmers? You can never find such a picture as he is concerned of his clothes getting dirty. He doesn't come and meet you as his Rs. 15 lakh suit will get dirty. (Instead) he visits America to meet Obama," Gandhi said. While asking the farmers of Uttar Pradesh to vote for the grand old party, Gandhi said the Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) have failed to fulfil the expectations of the people and so they should now trust the Congress Party. "Haathi paisa kha gaya, cycle ka tire puncture ho gaya, now go with the hand. Trust it and see." The Congress has started its campaign for the upcoming Uttar Pradesh election which is due next year. The grand old party has appointed Sheila Dikshit as the chief ministerial candidate of the state to cash in on her pro-development image as former Delhi chief minister and also win the sizeable Brahmin vote. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday paid his tributes to the victims of 9/11 and remembered the 'historic' speech of Swami Vivekananda that was delivered in Chicago on this day in 1893. "11th September...two contrasting images come to the mind. Today we pray tributes to all those who lost their lives in gruesome 9/11 attacks. On this day in 1893, Swami Vivekananda delivered his historic speech in Chicago & won many hearts & minds," Prime Minister Modi tweeted. He said Swami Vivekananda's speech in Chicago demonstrated the strength of India's rich culture and the power of universal brotherhood and harmony. More than 2,750 people were killed when two passenger jets destroyed the Twin Towers on September 11, 2001. While another jet slammed into the Pentagon, a fourth jet crashed in a field in Pennsylvania after those on board tried to overpower the hijackers. Swami Vivekananda's speech at the first Parliament of the World's Religions in Chicago is considered among his most significant contributions to the world - so much so that a three-day world conference was organised to commemorate his 150th birthday in 2012. The speech made him a 'hero' in the U.S. His opening lines "Sisters and brothers of America" earned him a two-minute long standing ovation from the audience. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In yet another protest against the ongoing atrocities in Balochistan by Pakistan, the Baloch Republican Party activists today staged a protest in the port city of Busan in South Korea. The protestors raised 'stop killing Baloch people' and 'break your silence UNO' slogans during their protest. "We appeal to the countries who believe in democracy, human rights and freedom of speech especially groups like the European Union and the United Nations, to pressurise Pakistan to stop the ongoing genocide of Baloch people in Balochistan," said one of the protestors. "We strongly condemn this country (Pakistan) that was formed in the name of Islam and is involved in the Genocide of Balochs." he added. The protestor also thanked Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for raising this issue. Similar protest was also witnessed in Melbourne today where the Baloch activists raised 'stop genocide of Baloch people', 'we want peace' and 'Balochistan zindabad' slogans during their protest. Yesterday, the Baloch National Front staged a protest in Turbat, Balochistan, condemning the abduction of Baloch women, harassment of activists and the human rights abuses being carried out by the Pakistani forces. Earlier, Baloch Republican Party representative at the United Nations Human rights council Abdul Nawaz Bugti had stated that in different parts of Dera Bugti, people are now being abducted. He also stated that in Turbat area, a political worker's house is under siege since the past four days and his family, mostly women and children including an infant are starving. Bugti also emphasised that Pakistani forces have denied access to them including their own human rights organisations, who are not being allowed to visit them. Earlier, welcoming Prime Minister Narendra Modi's statement on Balochistan in his Independence Day address, several Baloch activists claimed that the people of the region support him and he should take up the Baloch issue with the international community at the United Nations. Last month, in a bid to highlight the ongoing Baloch genocide and human rights violations and the disappearance of Baloch people through the hands of Pakistani military and intelligence agencies in Balochistan, the Baloch National Movement (BNM) Germany chapter held demonstrations in different cities. Many activists are asserting that since 2003, more than 23,000 activists, students, lawyers, women, journalists, writers and human rights defenders have been enforced disappeared by the Pakistani army and its death squads. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Continuous rainfall in Chhattisgarh's Bastar region from the past two days has caused extensive damage to the standing crop, affecting more that 500 farmers. According to reports, 250 to 300 hectares of crop has been damaged so far as a result of which the farmers here are distressed and demanding a proper compensation from the state government. Several villages, including Burungpal, Mavlibata, Urdhva, Guram, Gautam, Dilmili and Katakanda, in the region have been affected. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) strongman Mohammad Shahabuddin has lashed out at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for indulging in unwarranted post his release from jail and said the saffron party is left with no option now as they have miserably failed in fulfilling the promises made to the nation. The gangster-turned politician, who was released from the Bhagalpur jail yesterday after 11 years of imprisonment, also taunted the BJP over the present state of affairs in Kashmir. Asserting that RJD boss Lalu Prasad Yadav was his leader, Shahabuddin said that he was least bothered about the present of . "I am more concerned about the kind of which Lalu Yadav should do. I can also give him my suggestions. Now, it is up to him whether he accepts the same or not," he told ANI. Silencing his critics, Shahabuddin pointed out that every crime has a motive. "I am neither a contractor nor a goon or extortionist nor someone who does collections or takes donations, then why are they terrified? You can ask this from the people also that I am not a contractor then what is their motive. There should be a motive for something," he said. "I don't want to name anybody. There are politicians in who earn money through contracts. One can understand that they are fighting with each other, but why should I fight? I would I create terror? What benefit will I get out of it? What is the motive? You tell me. Will I get money out of it? I don't need to indulge in such acts to earn fame. If I don't have a motive and you are saying this because of heck of it. I speak what is right but this does not suit them," he added. The BJP has dubbed Shahabuddin's release to be a "well-planned strategy" of Nitish Kumar-led government and said it would stage protests across on September 14 to protest against it. "It is a managed bail. It is a government's well planned strategy which cleared the way of Shahabuddin in securing bail," said former deputy chief minister and BJP leader Sushil Modi. The Patna High Court had earlier on September 7 granted bail to Shahabuddin in a case of murder of a witness in the 2004 killing of two brothers in Siwan. He had got bail in nearly 12 other cases earlier. Washington D.C. [US], Sept. 11 (ANI): In the wake of North Korea's fifth Nuclear test on September 9th, U.S. analysts dealing with North Korea are saying that the two most threatened nations from this test - Japan and South Korea need to ask questions on how impoverished North Korea secured the uranium based process for making a nuclear bomb with an explosive power of 10 to 12 Kilotons of TNT. The source for this technology was Pakistan as reported by The Washington Post in 2011 when the founder of Pakistan's nuclear bomb, Abdul Qadeer Khan, had disclosed that North Korea bribed top military officials in Islamabad to obtain access to Nuclear Technology in the late 1990's. North Korea watchers in Washington are saying that the September 9th nuclear detonation by North Korea is a logical continuation of the 2011 reports in The Washington Post which stated that A.Q. Khan made available documents that supported his claim that he personally transferred more than three million US Dollars in payments by North Korea to officers in the Pakistan Army. A claim denied by Pakistan at that time but it did not stop the U.S. officials from worrying about the potential involvement of elements in the Pakistan Army in the illicit nuclear trade. Experts say that North Korea has developed a unified design for nuclear weapons that could be mounted on a variety of its missiles capable of reaching Seoul and Tokyo. The North Korean SCUD and the Midrange Rodong are capable of delivering a nuclear attack on both South Korea and Japan. The Washington Post quoted nuclear expert Whang Joo Ho of Kyung Hee University in South Korea as saying that with the latest test North Korea has demonstrated its ability to drop a Nuclear Bomb on its Asian neighbours. While recounting Pakistan's role in the development of the North Korean Nuclear Program, experts said what A.Q. Khan started in the late 1990's is "now coming home to roost and the two most threatened nations are Japan and South Korea." If anything Japan and South Korea need to question the "fountain head" for this technology which has brought the to this point where a virtual rogue state now has nuclear weapons, said U.S. analysts, adding that "even the Pakistani President in 2006, General Pervez Musharraf, had accused A.Q. Khan of profiting from nuclear related commerce but did nothing to punish other members of the Pakistani establishment who were involved in nuclear trade with North Korea." The North Korean nuclear blast is one element of the anger against Pakistan in Washington. The other element being Pakistan's "duplicity" in the war against terror. On September 8th, the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Bob Corker, anguished over the flow of over 33 billion U S dollars to Pakistan over the years while Islamabad continued to give safe haven to terror groups who were involved in the killing of American troops in Afghanistan. Bob Corker told the Committee that "the Government of Pakistan knows where they (terrorists) live." Corker has been instrumental in the stopping of the sale of eight F 16's to Pakistan and the holding back of over 300 million dollars in military aid. Sources at the Senate Foreign Relations Committee who were contacted after the North Korean Nuclear explosion said "a number of influential Senators are seeking answers on how North Korea got to this point," adding that the administration should have conducted detailed investigations on reports about Pakistan's shipments of Centrifuges and other technology which North Korea bought and which has today presented the U.S. with a real headache on how to protect its two close allies - Japan and South Korea from a unpredictable regime with a deliverable Nuclear Weapon. Sources said the real issue is not North Korea, as nothing more was expected from a regime which has refused to move on from the 1953 Armistice and which remains in a state of hostilities against the West but the country which sold the technology and drawings. Along with the United States, both Japan and South Korea need to review their ties with Pakistan because North Korea's fifth nuclear test has now changed everything in the Asian theatre. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A person was on Sunday arrested with a Nataraja idol worth Rs 1.8 crore from India-Nepal border near Bahraich district in Uttar Pradesh. It is reported that the idol was being smuggled from Kathmandu. A joint team of SSB and state police arrested the person from Sujauli village. Nataraja (The King of Dance) is a depiction of Lord Shiva as the cosmic dancer who performs his divine dance (called Tandavam) to destroy a weary universe and prepare for its renewal, by the god Brahma, who starts the process of creation. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The 12th edition of the Indo-US Economic Summit will get underway here from September 14, to be inaugurated by Union Urban Development Minister Venkaiah Naidu, the organisers Indo-American Chamber of Commerce (IACC) said in a statement. The two-day conference will have a special address by US Ambassador to India Richard Verma, a keynote address on agriculture by Food Processing Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal, and the valedictory address by Minister of State for Law and IT P.P. Chaudhary, the statement said. "Being organised for the 12th consecutive year, the Indo-US Economic Summit is the one-stop platform for all Indo-US policy, business and trade deliberations," the IACC said. Leaders from business, government and academia "will deliberate on augmenting the existing two-way trade to $500 billion and will focus on sectors that foster growth," it added. "As the Indian economy further globalises and expands, the summit will provide a valuable opportunity to assess developments across India-US trade relationship, economy and society," IACC Regional President Lalit Bhasin said. According to the organisers, the conclave will bring together more than 250 people, who are thought leaders from business, government, civil society and academia. --IANS bc/sm/vt (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) At least 90 people were killed in airstrikes in northern Syria just hours after the US and Russia reached an agreement on a ceasefire, set to begin on Monday, authorities announced. According to UK-based nonprofit group, Syrian Observatory For Human Rights (SOHR), 58 people were killed in an airstrike on a market in the city of Idlib and another 32 when warplanes bombed the Aleppo province, EFE news reported. SOHR said the death toll could rise, as numerous people were also wounded in the bombings, some critically. There were also airstrikes in other parts of the Idlib province including near Jisr al-Shughur, Ain Al-Bayda, Hambushia and Bidama. Currently, airstrikes are being carried out in Syria by the government, Russia, Turkey and the US-led international coalition. The agreement was announced on Saturday by US Secretary of State John Kerry who said he had reached the deal with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov that seeks ceasefire all over Syria. The announcement came after intensive US-Russian talks in Geneva in a bid to end the five-year-long fighting in the Arab country. --IANS ksk (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Sunday refused to accept the resignation of its legislator Amanatullah Khan and slammed the "Modi Police" for registering an FIR against Khan who they said was being "framed" for exposing corruption in the Delhi Waqf Board. On Saturday an FIR was registered against Khan at the Jamia Nagar police station over molestation charges levelled by his sister-in-law. "We refused to accept his (Khan's) resignation. It's a six-year-old family matter and his in-laws are dragging him into it," Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia told reporters at a press conference here at the AAP office. "We have found out in our investigation that he is being dragged into it," he added. On Saturday, Delhi Police booked Khan under section 509 (word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman), section 506 (criminal intimidation), section 498 A (relative of husband of a woman subjecting her to cruelty) of Indian Penal Code (IPC). Sisodia said that Khan was being framed in this case for exposing corruption in the Waqf Board and he has nothing to do with his brother-in-law's wife for last four years. MLA from Okhla, Khan, who was made the Chairman of Delhi Waqf Board in March, was recently accused of involvement in an alleged recruitment scam there and the Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) launched a "preliminary inquiry" against him. Khan on Saturday claimed to have raised financial irregularities of Rs 280 crore in the Waqf Board. Terming Delhi Police as "Modi Police", Sisodia said "Modi Police has set a scanner against AAP. As soon as any complaint is made, the Delhi Police register it without making any inquiry." Sisodia made allegation against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP President Amit Shah asking why they are not being probed even after an IAS officer (Pradeep Kumar), now suspended, had already moved a notice in the Supreme Court for the CBI to probe some tapes which allegedly showed them as using Gujarat police to conduct surveillance on a woman. Terming the issue as "India's Monica Lewinsky case", Sisodia challenged media to start a debate on the issue. He said the AAP party knows "how to clean itself", and it does not care for the allegations of the "Modi government or Modi Police". "Our boss is not Modi. Our boss is janata (citizens) who knows everything. We are doing our work," he added. --IANS rak/rn (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Actress Richa Chadha feels that all films in Bollywood don't always portray women in a good light. "All Bollywood films don't depict women in good light but to counter that, enough good films are also being made in Bollywood. There are many sensible people in the film industry who will not allow violence against women, children or trafficking," Richa said at a panel discussion here. Richa was taking part in a discussion on "Gender-based Violence in India" here on Friday. She observed how most people let their daughters live with it (crimes against women) rather than come out in the open and discuss it. "They don't want her to lose face in society... In reality, the number of cases are actually double of the statistics that are given out but because of the under-reporting, we remain unaware." Richa said. The actor also shared an incident that affected her deeply. "I was shooting for 'Main Aur Charles' when I met a guy in a juvenile rehabilitation centre who was a teenager and was held for raping his 11-year-old neighbour. He spoke very casually about his crime. I feel that such people in juvenile centres are not reformed at all," Richa asserted stressing her grave concern on the issue. --IANS iv/nv/dg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) British police have cordoned off a Sikh temple in Leamington Spa, in Warwickshire, after more than 20 men, some carrying swords, entered the building on Sunday. Armed officers were on the scene at the Gurdwara on Tachbrook Drive in an attempt to negotiate a peaceful solution to what police were treating as an aggravated trespass rather than a terrorist incident, the Guardian reported. "At this time we believe that it is an escalation of an ongoing local dispute," a police official said. "The report was received at 6.47 a.m. after a group of between 20 and 30 men entered the temple. We believe that some of the men are in possession of bladed items and as such armed officers have been deployed to the scene," the police official added. Jatinder Singh Birdi, a former treasurer at the temple, said a marriage between a Sikh and non-Sikh couple was due to take place, BBC reported. Birdi said mixed marriages has been a contentious issue in the local Sikh community, with a minority opposing using the temple for such services. "There have been tensions that have been going on for a couple of years with some people objecting to mixed marriages in taking place in the gurdwara," Birdi said. --IANS ask/rn (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Protesters demanding a judicial probe in the 2008 Batla House gunfight in Delhi showed black flags to Congress Vice -President as he passed through the district on his Kisan Mahayatra through Uttar Pradesh. A group of men belonging to the Ulema Council waved black flags near Sindhari turn here on Sunday when Gandhi's entourage was passing, police said. In the gunfight on September 19, 2008 in Batla House area of Jamia Nagar in south Delhi, two suspected Indian Mujahideen terrorists, Atif Amin and Mohamed Sajid were killed while two other suspects, Saif and Zeeshan were arrested. Delhi Police Inspector Mohan Chand Sharma, who led the police action was also killed during the incident. The Ulema Council has been advocating a judicial probe into the incident and claiming innocence of the two youth killed. Local Intelligence Unit (LIU) had already got whiff of the plans of the Ulema Council and had detained, as a preventive measure, its state president Nur-ul Huda. He said that the protests would continue. When Gandhi's motorcade entered Mau from Azamgarh, it met with heavy rains but crowds thronged the Muhhamadabad Gohna area to have a glimpse of the Congress leader and to hear him. Hundreds of people had also gathered at the Azamgarh crossing where anganwadi workers waited for hours to present a memorandum to Congress Vice-President but he did not accept it and moved on. Gandhi later had a food at the house of a Dalit family and moved ahead to garland a statue of former Congress leader Kalpanath Rai. After a 13-km trip through Mau district he entered the Ghazipur district. The Yatra will remain suspended for two days - Monday and Tuesday owing to Eid and would resume thereafter, a Congress leader told IANS. Hollywood star Chris Pine looks up to actor Ryan Gosling and would like to be a "smart operator" like him. Asked whose career choices he would like to emulate, Gosling told Heat magazine: "I think Ryan Gosling. He's got a very intelligent handle on his position in the industry. "He's got a very strong presence in arthouse cinema, but keeps his feet on both sides of the ledge and that's something I admire. He's a very smart operator." Pine also shared that his good looks have sometimes hindered his career. He shared how he has had to work hard to land gritty roles since directors were not convinced his features were right for the parts he wanted, reports femalefirst.co.uk. "I don't think I've ever struggled with this horrible burden but yeah, I've had to work beyond how I'm perceived, physically. And sometimes I've had to convince directors and casting guys that I'm right for the part. When I did 'Smokin' Aces', it called for this redneck hillbilly with tattoos and I really wanted the role. "But at the time, the director, Joe Carnahan, didn't think I was right and didn't have that rabid fire. I had to really convince him I could do it, just to give me that chance. It's liberating not to have looks as a factor. I'm not a model. My looks shouldn't come into it. It's such an odd part of the job." --IANS dc/rb (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Protesting against "harassment and exploitation" by the Madhya Pradesh government, Dalits and tribal groups under an umbrella organisation on Sunday called for a 'hunkar' protest rally on September 20 in Bhopal. Dalit Shoshan Mukti Manch and Adivasi Ekta Manch issued a statement, saying that as per report of the National Crime Record Bureau, Madhya Pradesh tops in harassment cases against Dalits and tribals. It said that most of the cases are not reported or registered by the police. Kisan Sabha President of Madhya Pradesh Unit, Jasvinder Singh, and Dalit Shoshan Mukti Manch Convener, Kishore Pippal, alleged that the Shivraj Singh Chouhan government has given directions to all police stations not to register cases of harassment against Dalits and tribals. They said in a statement that "many difficulties" are put before those applying for caste certificates. The displacements of Dalits and tribals is taking place due to giving land to private developers. They also said the government has put a stop to employment opportunities and vacancies in order to make the reservation policy useless. Privatization of education is being done and over one lakh government schools are being closed. These policies have made the lives of Dalits and tribal population hell, the statement said. They said the Hunkar rally would demand tackling of these problems and for the betterment of Dalits and tribal communities. --iANS hindi-sanjeev/rn (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Santosh Yadav, the first woman to climb Mount Everest twice, on Sunday blamed commercialisation for the series of deaths which has plagued mountaineering this season and created a bad publicity for the adventure sport. Besides the death of an Australian woman and a Dutch man in May this year due to frostbite and altitude sickness, a few Indians also lost their lives trying to etch their names in history. "When I climbed the Everest in 1992, three people fell sick. Out of them two died. The lesson I learnt there was if you don't follow rules, then accidents are bound to happen," Yadav told reporters at an event here on Sunday. "The same situation developed in May this year when they (the Australian and Dutch climbers) had left oxygen at the base camp. I always carried excess oxygen with me. There were detractors who used to tell me I can do it without oxygen. But I refused to pay heed to their comments. We cannot attempt something without foolproof precaution and preparation," she added. Yadav feels the ease with which mountaineers nowadays attempt to climb the Everest is not good for their overall development. "Today's situation in mountaineering is we are dependent on others. When we used to climb, we used to find our own way. Girls don't do that, but I used to. Now sherpas act as navigators, but during our time the case was different." "There are companies who plan and decide on the route. When we used to climb, we used to plan the route. How to negotiate roads, and everything was done by us. I used to brief others, plan contours," she said. Though not totally running down commercialisation which has entered the sport of mountaineering nowadays, Yadav stressed that it was best not to let the basics of climbing be affected. "I'm not running down commercialisation totally. But one has to follow the basics of climbing." "It took us 15 days to reach the base. Now people avail helicopters and take flights. We used to practise gradual climbing. Sherpas have started opening roads since 1996. I am not fond of this," she said. "Also the cost of mountaineering now is much more than what it used to be. Dreams of many are shattered. Overall, I feel the charm is lost if everything is spoon fed, and chances of accidents are much more." In August, Dinesh and Tarakeshwari Rathod said they had achieved a lifelong goal by becoming the first Indian couple to summit of Mount Everest. But later, Nepalese authorities said the Rathods, both police officers in the Indian state of Maharashtra, had doctored photographs submitted to the government in applying for a certificate of a successful climb. The couple were barred from climbing Nepal's mountains for 10 years. On the false claims about climbing which are on the rise, Yadav said: "We used to climb at least 7,000 metres to be deemed fit to meet the basic mark. Now the mark is money. Chances of accidents are more because they remain amateurs." "In case of the false claims about climbing also, I feel no joy can be derived from that. One should not aim to reach the summit. Rather, the desire to scale the top of the world is what should motivate mountaineers," she added. --IANS dm/ssp/ajb/vt (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Rebel RSS leader Subhash Velingkar on Sunday exhorted swayamsevaks to become like Narasimhas and defeat the BJP in the upcoming state polls, blaming the saffron party of trying to denationalise Goans, destroying local culture and going overboard with minority appeasement. Velingkar, who was addressing the first conclave of the rebel RSS unit in Goa, also blamed Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar -- a former state CM -- of trying to split the rebel RSS ranks. "We have to become like Narasimhas. The opponents of our agitation are not mere opponents of our culture and mother tongue, they are its devourers. Their defeat is imminent," Velingkar said. Narasimha, an avatar of the Hindu god Vishnu and often visualised as having a human torso and lower body with a lion face and claws, is believed to have taken the avatar to destroy the demon king Hiranyakashyapu. Velingkar attacked the Bharatiya Janata Party as well as Parrikar for backing English over regional languages -- Marathi and Konkani -- as the primary language of education in Goa's primary schools. The RSS leader also said thatg not a single party worker supported the BJP's decision to allot state government grants to primary schools teaching in the English language, adding that the RSS leadership was scared of his criticism of Parrikar. "They say do not take Manohar Parrikar's name. He is a culprit and he is responsible for creating this situation. If I am to not take his name, then am I really putting out the truth before the people," he wondered. Earlier this month, Velingkar, had accused Parrikar of using his influence with the Sangh top brass and sacking him as the state RSS chief. The RSS leader has also formed a parallel unit of the RSS in Goa, which has nominated him as the sanghachalak. He also criticised "the malgovernance and failure" of the state BJP government in fulfilling promises under the rein of Parrikar, the then Chief Minister, and incumbent Laxmikant Parsekar. The Sangh on Saturday appointed a new sanghachalak for Goa. Continuing his tirade against the local BJP unit, Velingkar said voting for the BJP in the state assembly polls due next year would lead to destruction of local culture. The BJP, he said, was keen on appeasement of minorities -- even more than the Congress in Goa. "The BJP will accept all demands which lead to de-nationalisation. If BJP is re-elected, they will be free to commit the sin of allowing grants to all English schools. They will say, they've got the mandate to do this. BJP should not be given the licence to destroy the culture," Velingkar said. Criticising the BJP's position on the issue of dual citizenship, triggered by a unique Portuguese law which allows natives of its colonies to become Portuguese citizens, Velingkar said the saffron party was pandering to the demands, largely made by the state's Catholic population, for dual citizenship. "One lakh Portuguese nationals are citizens of Goa, adopted citizens. They can contest elections here. They can work here even in sensitive areas. They can become directors (in government departments), they can buy property here. Portugal citizens can either leave our nationality or Portugal's nationality. They have to make a choice. Can there be two fathers? The very concept of dual citizenship should be rid of. This will destroy nationalism," Velingkar said, Claiming that Hindus and Catholics in Goa shared common ancestors, he said the RSS had no differences with Goan Catholics, who account for 26 per cent of the state population. "But if there is a sense of anti-nationalism in some corner, then the government, which is elected on our votes, which is enjoying perks of office with our money, is stoking it (with its dual citizenship stance). Should people tolerate this? No!" Velingkar also said that the BJP even promised the restarting of the pro-Portuguese Fontainhas cultural festival -- Goa's unusual festival of the arts -- in an election manifesto for a recent bypoll in Panaji, a constituency formerly represented by Parrikar himself. "We have not sold the state capital to the Portuguese. We need to be careful of those who want to restart this festival. You have to fear their agenda, when they come back with public mandate," Velingkar warned. --IANS maya/ss/dg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Iran supports the deal between Russia and the US to bring about a truce in Syria, an official said on Sunday. "The Islamic Republic of Iran has always welcomed the establishment of ceasefire in Syria and easier access to the humanitarian aid for the whole people of the country," Xinhua news agency cited Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qasemi as saying. A lasting ceasefire will require a comprehensive mechanism to monitor the situation and control the borders in order to prevent the inflow of new fighters, arms or financial resources into Syria, he said. In the meantime, the pause in the fighting should not give the terrorist groups the opportunity to replenish forces, he added. Qasemi also urged the international community to keep fighting against the extremists and terrorist in Syria seriously. On Sunday, Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister for Arab and African Affairs Hossein Jaberi Ansari said that Tehran welcomes the cease-fire in Syria and the peace plan to stop deterioration of humanitarian situation. The Islamic republic believes that the Syrian crisis has no military solution and this issue should be resolved through political means, Ansari said. The US and Russia on Saturday announced a landmark agreement on a nationwide cease-fire in Syria, which would commence with the start of the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha. The week-long truce also includes improving humanitarian aid access and a joint military operation against banned terrorist groups. According to the truce, all attacks and airstrikes will be stopped and unobstructed access will be allowed to besieged areas, including the city of Aleppo. Iran, a major regional ally of the Syrian government in its fight against militant groups, has repeatedly acknowledged the presence of its military advisers in the Arab state. --IANS sm/vt (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) It's an unclean state of affairs and the government is left red-faced. In the latest report, 'Swachh Survekshan: 2016', the state has been placed at the bottom of the table, showing that a lot more needs to be done to clean up . And the opposition is gunning for the Raghubar Das government even as it makes tall promises and issues advertisements on its 'achievements'. The survey which was conducted by the National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) between May and June 2015 covering 73,176 households in 3,788 villages across the country has placed Sikkim at the top of the list. Kerala, Mizoram, Himachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Haryana, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Manipur and Meghalaya make up the top 10 list. The report was released by Union Rural Development Minister Narendra Singh Tomar in New Delhi. Sikkim has recorded 100 per cent in the category of people using household/community toilets and 98.2 per cent in the category of households having sanitary toilets. In contrast, Chhattisgarh has 21.2 per cent households having sanitary toilets with at the bottom having a mere 18.8 per cent. Reacting to the findings of the survey, Jharkhand Congress spokesperson Lal Kishore Nath Shahdeo said in the last 20 months of the BJP rule, the state has failed to make progress in any area. The only achievement of the government seems to be in issuing advertisements and installing hoardings featuring tall claims. "The ground reality is far from the truth. The Swachh report is just an example that the government has been more interested in taking away the land of the poor and farmers by making changes in the land laws and giving them at throwaway prices to the corporate houses," Shahdeo said. CPI(ML) legislator Raj Kumar Yadav is more critical of the state government as he pointed out that even though Chief Minister Raghubar Das had promised to make a Swachh Jharkhand, the report indicated that the photo-ops with brooms and other so-called cleanliness drives were just publicity stunts. The government is not worried about the villages but only cares for industrial houses and businessmen, Yadav said, adding that all claims regarding rural development were just false. Facing opposition charges, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party is finding it tough to defend the government. "This report is based on previous year's assessment. But the report should be considered seriously by the municipal bodies," Jharkhand BJP spokesperson Pradeep Sinha told IANS. "The civic bodies should understand that such reports impact the state's image and the government is making efforts to promote tourism and investments here," he added. A day after the Left alliance of All India Students Association (AISA) and Students Federation of India (SFI) swept the students union election, students gave the February 9 incident when protesters, including current students union President Kanhaiya Kumar, were arrested as the prime reason for the overwhelming mandate against ABVP (Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad). "I am not happy as such that AISA has come to power, but because the ABVP has lost. And ABVP had to lose because of its role in the crackdown. It is against minority, against women and has a patronising attitude towards students," Sushil Kumar, who is doing his PhD from School of Indian Languages (SIL), told IANS. "But AISA is not as completely honest as it claims to be. It hasn't addressed the students' issues in the last one year, even in the aftermath of the February 9 incident. They didn't condemn the government actions, nor their nationalism discourse. It spoke in the government's tone and made concessions, instead of coming out with a well-rounded rebuttal against them," he added. Shrimant Jainendra, another PhD student from SIL, blamed the ABVP for its defeat, and interpreted the election result as not just AISA's victory but also the ascent of the Birsa Ambedkar Phule Students' Association (BAPSA) as a rising star. "The February 9 incident could have been dealt with at the administrative level, but the way ABVP called the media channels before the protests were to start and later termed JNU's women students 'prostitutes', worked heavily against them. Students expressed their anger by voting for AISA and BAPSA," Jainendra told IANS. "There is disaffection against the Left too among the students. And that is clearly manifested in the robust support BAPSA got during the polls. A big section of students which hail from OBC (Other Backward Classes), SC (Scheduled Caste) section this time perceived a favourable alternative in BAPSA, as a result of which they received unexpected number of votes," Jainendra added. The Birsa Ambedkar Phule Students Association turned out to be a surprise party this elections, with its presidential candidate Sonpimple Rahul coming second to President-elect Mohit Kumar Pandey of AISA in a close contest. A former supporter of ABVP, Dhirendra, from School of Language (SL), also accused the the BJP-affiliated party of "spreading a lot of negativity" about the campus during the February crackdown. "AISA is one of the most vibrant parties in the campus and has done a lot of hard work in the last one year for students. The mandate which they have received is completely just, while on the other hand students could'nt forget what ABVP had done during the February incident. JNU voters are very conscious of campus and they voted keeping all that in mind," Dhirendra told IANS. He suggested the ABVP should engage in dialogue with the students more on their issues. "Rahul Sonpimple of BAPSA is a very good debater, like Kanhaiya Kumar, and Left parties were a little cautious about the possibility of his winning the President's post, just like the latter did last year. No one knew much about Jahnavi (ABVP presidential candidate); she was an unknown face in the campus," he commented. The Left alliance of SFI and AISA bagged the posts of President, Vice President, General Secretary and Joint Secretary in the results declared on Saturday. The BJP-affiliated ABVP and the Congress-backed National Students Union of India (NSUI) were far behind in all four posts, while the newly-founded BAPSA gave a close fight. The SFI, affiliated to the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M), and the AISA, the student wing of the Communist Party of India-Marxist-Leninist (CPI-ML), formed an alliance to fight the elections. This was the first student election in the campus since the arrest of JNUSU President Kanhaiya Kumar of the CPI-backed All India Students Federation -- on charges of sedition after a group of students allegedly raised anti-India slogans at an event in February. The move to create 17 new districts in Telangana has opened a Pandora's box with the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) government coming under intense pressure to make changes to its plan. Over 30,000 suggestions/objections have been received since the government issued its draft notification on the move last month. People in some towns have taken to the streets, seeking district status for their respective regions. The opposition parties and non-political groups have intensified their protests and are even planning to approach the courts. As part of the reorganisation of districts, the government has also proposed to create 45 new 'mandals' or blocks. This has also triggered demands for more 'mandals'. While the draft notification issued on August 22 has met the long-pending demands of people in some towns, it has also led to discontent in others. People are unhappy over either denial of district status to their towns, or their amalgamation with a particular district. Telangana, the youngest state of India with a population of 35 million, currently has 10 districts. The TRS government has initiated the process for formation of 17 new districts for what it calls "administrative convenience". The new districts will start functioning from Dussehra (October 11). The district collectors and other officials are on a daily basis receiving hundreds of representations from a cross-section of people. Barring Hyderabad, which is set to remain intact, protests are being witnessed in all the districts. While the TRS claims that the process has been undertaken in a transparent manner and on a scientific basis, the opposition parties alleged that the reorganisation was designed to benefit some individuals in the ruling party. People in Sircilla, a town in Karimnagar district, are agitating for district status. Minister for Information Technology K. Tarakarama Rao, who represents the Sircilla assembly constituency, is facing the ire of the people of this town, who allege that he has gone back on his word. The minister, who is Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao's son, wrote an open letter to the people to pacify them. He promised the town's development on a par with others in the district. Jangaon town in Warangal district and Gadwal in Mahabubnagar are also witnessing vociferous protests for district status. The main opposition Congress, the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the communist parties are supporting the demands in different places. Congress leader D.K. Aruna, who is spearheading the agitation for district status to Gadwal, claims that it was deliberately ignored by the TRS for political reasons though the town fulfils all the criteria for being named a district. "The government is showing undue haste in creating new districts. The process should have been taken up after looking into all aspects," said TDP state unit working president A. Revanth Reddy. He alleged that the government was going ahead with the reorganisation without making public the basis on which the process was taken up. The proposed reorganisation has given rise to apprehensions in some towns like Adilabad. This district is set for trifurcation. Adilabad, located close to the Maharashtra border, will be a big loser with the creation of Nirmal and Kumaram Bheem Mancherial districts. "Despite being a district headquarter, Adilabad always remained backward compared to Nirmal and Mancherial towns. Now with two new districts, it will suffer further," said Raghunath Reddy, a retired government employee. Similarly, people in Warangal district were opposing the proposal to make Hanamkonda a separate district. They are not in favour of delinking the twin cities. Irrigation Minister Harish Rao has warned the opposition parties against creating hurdles in the formation of the new districts. "The opposition leaders are doing this for political mileage, but they should remember that the people will teach them a lesson and will not allow them to enter their constituencies," said Rao, a nephew of the chief minister. (Mohammed Shafeeq can be contacted at m.shafeeq@ians.in) --IANS ms/vm/sac/ky (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Greta Friedman, who was kissed by a sailor in this iconic World War II photo. Photo: Twitter Greta Friedman, the woman kissed by a sailor in the iconic picture taken in New York city's Times Square after the Second World War ended in 1945, has died, a media report said. Her son Joshua Friedman confirmed the news to CNN on Saturday saying that his mother died at an assisted living home in Richmond, Virginia. She was 92. The black-and-white photograph of Friedman, dressed in a white uniform, being embraced and kissed by a sailor to celebrate the end of the war became an enduring image. "My mom had so many stories and so many experiences; this was just one of many," Friedman said about the iconic photo. Friedman, then 21 and a dental assistant, was in Times Square when the news of Japan's surrender to the US was announced on a billboard, marking the end of the war, CNN reported. The photo, taken by legendary photographer Alfred Eisenstaedt, was published in Life magazine a few weeks later. But the identities of the two people were a mystery. It was not until 1980 when both Friedman and George Mendonsa, the sailor in the photo, were determined to be the couple in the photo, CNN added. Megastar Amitabh Bachchan says his forthcoming film "Pink" is neither about women's empowerment nor on rape but a social thriller and one that touches upon many aspects of what morals and society norms and practices women in India experience. Talking about his interactions with the media regarding the film that features him in the role of a lawyer, he posted on his blog on Sunday: "The question of the context and the premise of the film shall always be of prime interest, and many dwell their queries on that ... much is not spelt out because of the nature of the story and, of course, the nature of its genre -- a social thriller!" So why a social thriller? "Well, because the story is in the thriller genre and while we are busy narrating the story, there shall be occasion to swiftly brush past the issue of society and morals and conduct." He also said that there was a "sense of surprise" when the trailer recently released and the "harsh verbology was heard". "There is a sense of wanting why ever this was spoken, especially through my mouth for they have never heard ... When words are spoken, they must have a reason. There must be circumstance. "They are in defence or prosecution, and have the researched clearance not just from the CBFC, but also from the records of past real-life cases, from study of the legal procedures from different courts of law and through the discussions on court protocol with the legal luminaries of the country." He added that the film is not on women's empowerment and "no, it is not on rape. It is a social thriller and one that touches upon many aspects of what morals and society norms and practices women in our city and in our country go through". He hopes that the dignity of their presentation shall receive the dignity and respect that they feel the need to, "in our world for the women". "Equality ... presence of respect in our daily lives and living and, above all, the strength of any society to be governed by half of what the polity believes to be the female, the women the lady," he wrote on the blog, where he also shared a few images of himself "wrapped about in the elements of the Ef (extended family), I conduct myself with the pride that it so richly deserves ... the shawl stitched with such dexterity and finesse". Directed by Aniruddha Roy Chowdhary, the thriller is set in Delhi. Co-produced by Shoojit Sircar, "Pink" will release on September 16. --IANS nn/nv/dg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) After noting a low turnout in the early parliamentary election, Croatian President Kolinda Grabar Kitarovic on Sunday urged citizens to vote -- the second time in 10 months. She said she hopes for a bigger turnout and that all eligible voters should go to vote because it is the time to decide future, Xinhua reported. "Croatia has no time to waste and I hope the new government will be formed as soon as possible," she added. Meanwhile, the State Election Commission (DIP) said the turnout by 11:30 a.m. local time was 18.86 per cent, three per cent lower than last elections held in November 2015. But Croatian Parliament Speaker Zeljko Reiner was confident about the turnout, saying by evening when polling stations close the turnout would go higher. From 7:00 a.m. local time on Sunday, around 3.8 million eligible voters started to cast their ballots through 6,750 polling stations across the country to elect a 151-member new parliament from 2,456 candidates. Some 140 members will be elected in the ten constituencies across the country, with eight from national minorities, and three from Croatian citizens residing abroad, according to the law. Poll stations will be closed at 7 p.m. local time and the DIP will publish the preliminary results at about 10 p.m. local time. The pre-election surveys suggested the election was unlikely to produce a clear winner again. It showed main party Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) would get 58 seats while its rival People's Coalition, led by opposition Social Democratic Party (SDP), would win 62 seats. --IANS sku/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Bollywood actor Ranveer Singh will be sharing the stage alongside British rock band Coldplay at the debut edition of the Global Citizen Festival on November 19 in Mumbai. Ranveer will be toplining the list of Indian performers at the Global Citizen 2016 festival, which also marks Coldplay's maiden gig in the country, read a statement. This is part of Global Citizen's launch of a 15-year campaign to mobilise social change in India. The event will also have a line-up of other international and Indian headliners. The "Bajirao Mastani" star will perform to a medley of his hits. "With this performance, Ranveer follows up on his recent stage performance alongside Major Lazer. He was one of the most obvious choices to open for Coldplay," said a source. This six-hour concert will also feature live musical performances, stars, dancing, and short films by eminent filmmakers. In its first year, Global Citizen India will offer a wide cross-section of content and actions focused on creating meaningful impact in the areas of education, equality and clean water and sanitation. In 2014, Prime Minister Narendra Modi participated in the Global Citizen Festival in New York. And in 2015, Martin met Modi to discuss 'Swachh Bharat', 'Namami Gange' and 'Beti Bachao - Beto Padhao' initiatives. --IANS sug/nv/dg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Three militants and a policeman were killed in a day-long gunfight on Sunday between security forces and guerrillas in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district, while four militants were killed in Kupwara as the army foiled an infiltration bid, the state police said. The police said the militants in Poonch were killed when in the evening, army commandos stormed the under-construction mini secretariat building in Poonch town from where militants were firing. Earlier, a policeman was killed while a sub-inspector and a civilian were injured in the firing exchanges which began in the morning. "Army commandos had launched the final assault against the holed up militants today evening," said a senior police official, adding militants started firing from the under-construction state mini secretariat building near the headquarters of Brigade in Poonch town in the morning after which all escape routes for the militants were sealed. In Kupwara, a gunfight broke out in Nowgam sector of the Line of Control (LoC) as soldiers detected and challenged a group of infiltrating militants. The infiltration bid was foiled and the engagement ended with four killed, said a police officer. In Bandipora, another gunfight started on Sunday morning near the LoC in Gurez sector. Police sources said militants attempted to infiltrate into the Indian side of the LoC from Pakistan, but timely action by the army had forced them to withdraw. --IANS sq/vd/vt (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, whose state is submerged in water, reportedly told the prime minister that he wants to cry. We should add our tears to his. This years floods not only have the imprint of our gross and near criminal mismanagement, but also mark the beginning of the world risked because of climate change. This should worry us. In fact, scare us. We need to realise that we do not have the luxury of delayed action and petty party politics. In this climate-risked world, where we are hit by a double whammy, we need to ensure that not only do we get development right, but we also need to do this at a scale and speed we have never done before. Targeting former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, BJP President on Sunday alleged that he had robbed the poor to serve "Delhi ke damaad", an apparent reference to Congress President Sonia Gandhi's son-in-law Robert Vadra. He also lashed out at Hooda for describing the investigation initiated by government agencies against him as "political vendetta", claiming the Congress leader was rattled as the BJP government had exposed how farmers were exploited under his rule and their money gifted to "Delhi durbar". Addressing the 'Guarav Rally' organised by Union Minister and prominent Jat leader Birender Singh here, Shah said Haryana has seen "unprecedented" development under Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, who had provided a transparent and corruption-free government. "Previous chief ministers of the state used to look after their own areas and supporters. I want to say here that Haryana has seen three Lals Bhajan Lal, Bansi Lal, Devi Lal and (Bhupinder Singh) Hooda. "Hooda never spared any effort in robbing poor people of Haryana in order to serve Delhi ke damaad (Delhi's son-in-law). Hooda's circle was restricted to just taking care of his family, caste, village and relatives," he said and promised that the Khattar government was for all. On investigations being conducted by government agencies and recent registration of case against Hooda, Shah said, "now when files are being opened, he (Hooda) is calling it political vendetta. "It has now come to fore how the state was exploited by taking money of poor farmers of Haryana and giving it to Delhi Durbar as gift," he said. Shah said nobody could point fingers at the BJP CM and his ministers in the state on the issue of corruption. Without naming, Shah also took a swipe at former chief minister Om Prakash Chautala, who along with his son and others, had been convicted in the teacher's recruitment scam. "This is the same Haryana where people are behind bars for recruitment (scam)," he said, adding the Khattar led government recruited people in transparent manner. "This government is for all. It is not a government for any particular caste or community," Shah asserted. "Whatever people may say, I, as the BJP Chief, want to assure Jind people that the BJP government will deliver justice to everybody and ensure rights irrespective of caste or community," he added. Anxieties in the Congress party are mounting. Party president Sonia Gandhi has met no one, due to indisposition, for almost two weeks. More and more, issues are being referred to Rahul Gandhi and the expectation is that he will be made working president, leaving his mother a nominal president. Chief Ministers of three of the more prominent Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-ruled states, along with some key party leaders, meet in Bhopal on Monday to prepare a programme for all nine party-ruled administrations. We spend an awful lot of time here talking about Trump-- way too much-- and a lot of time talking about Congress. We put too little energy into down-ballot races. But I do need to mention that this week there was a great result in a hard-fought legislative primary race in Massachusetts. Progressive champion Mike Connolly won a Cambridge-based seat against an entrenched incumbent, guaranteeing him a seat in the state House of Representatives next year. As far as I can see, only two incumbents were defeated, Rep. Marcos Devers, Lawrence's longest-serving politician, who was beaten in a 3-way race by 28 year old political newcomer Juana Matias, and Rep. Tim Toomey, and incumbent first elected in 1992, who was beaten by Connolly in the 26th Middlesex District. Connolly pulled in 2042 votes (52%) in Cambridge to Toomeys 1828. While Somerville cast 704 ballots for Toomey and 884 for Connolly. The Phoenix, "I basically knock on doors and ask if people are interested in donating no money to my campaign. When they ask why, I tell them that we're trying to set an example by getting money out of politics." His campaign was run by 200 volunteers. Connolly, who had been an Occupy Wall Street (Occupy Boston) activist, was endorsed by Noam Chomsky and by Bernie new organization, Our Revolution. I guess he's Our Revolution's first big win. Connolly ran a purely grassroots, door-to-door campaign , telling, "I basically knock on doors and ask if people are interested in donatingmoney to my campaign. When they ask why, I tell them that we're trying to set an example by getting money out of politics." His campaign was run by 200 volunteers. [T]he 32-year-old has dubbed himself "No Money" Mike; though facing an entrenched 20-year incumbent, Tim Toomey, Connolly has taken zero contributions, and promises to never raise a penny if elected. For campaign muscle, Connolly is relying on a grassroots network of activists including some he met at Dewey Square during Occupy Boston. Together they've knocked on every Democratic, undeclared, and Independent door in the district, and on several more than once. Frank Gerratana, a fellow Occupier and intellectual property lawyer who is Connolly's campaign manager, says, "The conditions are great. Cambridge and Somerville are full of people who have more time than they have money." Both candidates favor raising the minimum wage to $15/hour but Mike opposed casinos and favors marijuana legalization and Toomey was the only Cambridge rep to support expanded gaming and he opposes marijuana legalization, which is on the ballot in November. Here in California, one of the most important elections in the state is a legislative seat in the San Bernardino area, where our old friend Eloise Reyes is battling it out with corrupt conservaDem Cheryl Brown, one of the worst of the incumbent Democrats in Sacramento. Big oil-- led by Chevron-- has made their jihad against Eloise Reyes a proxy war. Chevron is trying to show progressives that if they attempt to galvanize the will of the people, hell will be launched upon them. Eloise has withstood these attacks-- attacks that have already set California independent expenditure records of $6 million in negative advertising-- by telling the people the truth: that she can't be bought. As anyone who follows Sacramento politics is well aware, Brown, has been bought and paid for by the charter school industry, Big Oil, and WalMart her entire career. From fancy trips to Maui to gold watch gifts, Cheryl Brown has come to exemplify the worst of modern politics. By electing Eloise, Californians will set as an example for all progressives under attack that money can only go so far. Additionally, electing Eloise will send a truly inspiring message to burgeoning Latino politicians that you don't have to sell out in order to get ahead. Like Hilda Solis before her, Eloise is setting an example that the state's Latino community will be a force to be reckoned with and a power center with the progressive community in newly emerging competitive districts. Please join Blue America in supporting Eloise, as well as Mike Connolly and the other candidates in state elections you'll find by tapping the Blue America thermometer below: Nepal's new prime minister, Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda', will embark on a three-day official visit to India starting Thursday. This will be Prachanda's first foreign visit after assuming office earlier this month. Nepal's Deputy Prime Minister Bimalendra Nidhi, who was on a visit to India as Prachanda's special envoy, had discussed the visit with Indian. When the country's Supreme Court said in July that a governor must keep away from disagreement or discontent within individual parties, not get embroiled in political controversies, it seemed clear that J P Rajkhowa, governor of Arunachal Pradesh, would have to go. A political crisis had gripped the state last year. It resulted in the overthrow of the Congress-led government, installation of one led by party rebel Kalikho Pul and then the reinstatement of the earlier government, on order of the SC. The five-judge Bench's verdict was a comment on the political system and the role of the authority who represents the central government and the President. Sacked Goa Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) unit chief Subhash Velingkar held the maiden meeting of RSS Goa Pradesh, reiterating to step up the fight for the defeat of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the coming state Assembly election slated for 2017 on the issue of promotion of Konkani and Marathi while pressing for the withdrawal of grants to English medium schools. Hitting out strongly at Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Chief on Sunday promised that Tota Singh, Kairon, Majithia and Sukhbir Singh Badal will be sent to jail once the party will come to power in Punjab. "In the past 10-15 years because of Badals, Captain Amrinder, Akali Dal, BJP and Congress government, famers of Punjab had suffered a lot and are now committing suicide. Today I want to announce that whoever provoked the farmer of Punjab to commit suicide, we will not spare them. I announce that when the Aam Aadmi Party will come to power, then case will be filed against Tota Singh, Kairon, Majithia, Sukhbir Singh Badal. They will be sent to jail and their property will be seized," said Kejriwal while releasing the party's 31-point farmer manifesto here. Kejriwal yet again accused Majithia for promoting drug trafficking in the state and challenged Majithia to get him (Kejriwal) arrested within four months, otherwise the AAP government will put the SAD leader behind bars once they will come to power in Punjab. In May, Majithia slapped a defamation case against Kejriwal and some of his party members for tarnishing his reputation and accused them of maligning his family name by levelling "false, baseless and malicious allegations" after Kejriwal accused him for promoting drug trafficking in Punjab. However, Kejriwal and his party colleague Sanjay Singh were granted bail by the Punjab Court in connection with the defamation case on a personal bond of Rs 40, 000. The matter would be next heard on October 15. Two days ago, Kejriwal visited Amritsar for campaigning for the upcoming Punjab election which is due in 2017. While campaigning in Amritsar, Kejriwal said that AAP government would ban consumption and sale of alcohol, meat and tobacco near the Golden Temple. "Anandpur Sahib which is the birth place of the Khalsa will also be declared a holy city," he added. Kejriwal is in Punjab on a four-day visit to hear the grievances of AAP workers in the state. Kejriwal's visit has come at a time when AAP is facing "crisis" over several issues, including the sacking of Sucha Singh Chhotepur as Punjab convener. To buttress its pro-farmer image, the Narendra Modi government is looking to announce a series of reforms for the agrarian sector in the run-up to the in five states, including the agrarian ones of Uttar Pradesh and Punjab early next year. At least 16 people died and 253 were injured in a 5.7-magnitude earthquake that struck northwest Tanzania, local authorities said today. As rescuers scrambled to find survivors from the Saturday quake, premier Kassim Majaliwa headed to the worst-hit city, Bukoba, to attend a mourning ceremony at its stadium. President John Magufuli, who is from the region, said he was "deeply saddened." Salum Kijuu, governor of Kagera province where Bukoba is located, told AFP "the current toll is 16 dead, 253 injured, 840 buildings destroyed, including 44 public buildings." He said most of the casualties and damage occurred in Bukoba district itself. A group of 15 boarders at a boys' secondary school was believed to be among the casualties there. The previous toll from local authorities was 14 dead and 200 injured. The quake struck at 1227 GMT in a region near Lake Victoria and the borders of Uganda and Rwanda, according to the US Geological Survey (USGS). Its epicentre was 23 kilometres east of the northwestern town of Nsunga, in Bukoba district. Bukoba suffered widespread damage, with 270 houses destroyed and electricity disrupted, the Red Cross said in a statement. Its main hospital was stretched to nearly full capacity and had limited stocks of medicine. "Telecommunications have been disrupted and we are trying to get a clear picture of the damage to hospitals and other essential infrastructure," Andreas Sandin, Red Cross operations coordinator in East Africa and the Indian Ocean Islands, said in a statement. "We ran out immediately, part of my house collapsed," Bukoba resident Jonathan Mbelwa was quoted as saying in Tanzania's Swahili-language Habari Leo newspaper. "Even the old people say they've never seen an earthquake as big as this in these parts," he added. Earthquakes are fairly common in the Great Lakes region but are almost always of low intensity. An AFP correspondent who has relatives in Bukoba said 10 family houses had collapsed. No damage was reported in Tanzania's economic capital, Dar es Salaam, which is located some 1,400 km southeast of Bukoba. "It's safe in Dar but we are still worried about the safety of our family," the AFP correspondent added. "The regional hospital is overwhelmed and can't handle any more patients. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A chemical company says one of its plants has suffered an explosion in northern Chile, killing two workers. The Australian company Orica confirmed the explosion in a Sunday statement. The explosion occurred yesterday afternoon at its chemical and explosives plant in Antofagasta about 680 miles (1,100 km) north of Santiago and set off a fire that was controlled hours later by area firefighters. The cause of the accident is under investigation. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Two pickpockets were arrested at the Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) here for allegedly stealing a flyer's walletcontaining Rs 2,100 cash, foreign currency and bank cards. Officials said the incident was reported around 5 AM when a CISF security personnel deployed to check the CCTV footage of the bus terminal area at the international arrival noticed suspicious activity of the duo. The CISF official immediately alerted his on-duty colleagues who intercepted the two and recovered the wallet of the flier, identified as A Siddiqui, who was coming from Dubai and travelling to Patna. The wallet contained Rs 2,100 cash, 300 Dirhams and a few credit and debit cards and the arrested men have been identified as B Upadhyay and Om Prakash, the officials said. "Siddiqui was later tracked over CCTV and he was handed over his wallet before he boarded a flight to Patna. Till this time, he was unaware about the theft. He later made a complaint in this regard after which the police booked and arrested the two pickpockets," they said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Five officials including a superintendent of an Industrial Training Institute (ITI) were placed under suspension in R S Pura in Jammu district. During a surprise visit to ITI, R S Pura yesterday, minister of state for technical education Priya Sethi found that superintendent of the institute Vivek Sagar was absent from his duties without availing proper authorisation, an official spokesman said. He said that the minister ordered the immediate suspension of the officer. The minister also expressed concern over dilapidated condition of the institute. In another incident, the deputy commissioner, Jammu, Simrandeep Singh ordered the suspension of four revenue officials for violating the Jammu and Kashmir employees Conduct Rules 1971. Four revenue officials (Patwaris) identified as Sunny Kumar, Altaf Hussain, Manmohan Singh and Pardeep Singh had not joined their new place of posting despite the orders being issued by the deputy commissioner, the spokesman said. "As the conduct of these Patwaris tantamount to the violation of Rule 3 of Jammu and Kashmir Employees Conduct Rules, 1971 and general public will suffer due to their non-joining at the respective place of postings. The DC has placed them under suspension with immediate effect and attached them with ADC (Admn) Jammu," an official spokesman here said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The opening ceremony at a Miniso store in Hanoi on September 11. Photo by phapluatvietnam.vn Cheap homeware, bags and electrical goods will be available in 12 stores by the end of the year. Japanese lifestyle and fashion brand Miniso opened its first three outlets in Hanoi on September 10, VietnamPlus reported on Sunday. Its entry into Vietnam is part of a franchise deal inked with Vietnam's Le Bao Minh Group in April this year. The company plans to open 12 stores by the end of this year, the news site said. Miniso was co-founded in 2013 by Japanese designer Miyake Jyunya and Chinese businessman Ye Guofu. The brand has 1,600 stores in 22 countries and territories, having started with just four stores in Tokyo. It plans to raise the total number of outlets to 6,000 by 2020, said Ye Guofu, global co-founder of Miniso and vice chairman of Miniso Asia-Pacific. Le Bao Minh Group is best known as the exclusive distributor of Japan's Canon, having more than 230 stores across Vietnam with average annual sales of more than VND3 trillion ($134 million). Vietnams retail market has grown at roughly 10 percent per year in recent years, and sales are likely to reach $109 billion in 2017, according to the Economist Intelligence Unit. The Southeast Asian nation has also climbed to 11th place on the A.T. Kearny 2016 Global Retail Development Index, which indentifies the worlds top 30 retail markets with the most potential for investment opportunities. Related news: > Vietnam's retail sales see slowest growth in 6 years > Dawn of Vietnam's retail market > Vietnamese retail giant joins forces with local farmers to grow safe vegetables Six more flood-related deaths were reported from Bihar, taking the toll to 228 even as more rains pounded a few parts of the state, while two persons were killed today in a landslide in Uttarakhand. The weatherman has warned of "very heavy rains" in Telangana and heavy rains in Assam, Meghalaya, sub-Himalayan West Bengal, Sikkim, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka tomorrow. Of the six fresh deaths in the Bihar deluge, three each were reported from Saran and Begusarai, a Disaster Management Department statement said. As per Bihar's Water Resources Department, the water level of Punpun river has breached the danger mark at Sripalpur in Patna, and that of Kosi river at Baltara in Khagaria district and Kamlabalan in Jhanjharpur district. Heavy showers were witnessed at a few places in northwest and northeast of the state. Patna gauged 4 mm of rains. Purnea had 11.6 mm of rainfall in the last 24 hours. Bhagalpur and Gaya got 9.8 mm and 5.8 mm of precipitation, respectively. A senior army officer and his wife were killed during in a landslide triggered by heavy rains in Uttarakhand's Chamoli district. The car, in which Colonel Sudip Kumar (45) of the Garwal Scouts, his wife Sheetal (40), their eight-year-old son and driver were travelling, was swept away by debris into a deep gorge, Sub-Divisional Magistrate Yogendra Singh said. The boy and the driver were injured in the accident and were rushed to an army hospital. Colonel Kumar was posted at Lansdowne and was going to Badrinath with his family when the accident took place. Due to the landslide, the Rishikesh-Badrinath national highway was closed between Badrinath and Joshimath. The district authorities have issued an adviosry to people to avoid the highway. Delhi had a pleasant start to the day. The sun shone bright in afternoon. The maximum temperature in the city settled at 34.7 degrees and humidity at 74 per cent. The minimum was recorded at 25.5 degrees. Light rains were witnessed in eastern Uttar Pradesh, while dry weather conditions prevailed elsewhere in the state. The MeT office has predicted rains and thundershower at several places tomorrow. Mercury was recorded close to normal in Punjab and Haryana. Hisar was the hottest place in the two states at 36.9 degrees Celsius. Moderate rains are likely at isolated places tomorrow. West Bengal got light rains. Heavy precipitation is likely in sub-Himalayan districts of Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri and Cooch Behar over the next two days. The south Bengal districts are likely to have one or two spells of rain or thunderstorm. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders are totally oblivious of the issues confronting farmers of Punjab and its stand on Sutlej Yamuna Link (SYL) has exposed its "farcical sympathetic" attitude towards Punjab and its farming community, Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal said here today. He said AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal, who boasts of his concern towards state's farmers, has "no knowledge" of the issues Punjab is facing today and does not even know the "difference" between the Rabi and Kharif season crops. He said Kejriwal is "totally ignorant" regarding the knowhow of farming sector, like sowing season of wheat and paddy, and wondered how can he frame the beneficial plans for the farmers. Calling the affidavit filed by the AAP government in the Supreme Court regarding river waters as "anti-Punjab" and contrary to the interest of farmers in nature, Sukhbir said it has completely exposed AAP before the people of Punjab. "Living in Delhi, Kejriwal doesn't know a thing about farming community of Punjab and its problems," he said. Sukhbir claimed that the welfare schemes started by the SAD-BJP combine government for the benefit of the farmers are matchless. "People of Punjab surely know as to who is their real benefactor and who is playing dirty politics over farmers' issues", he added. Meanwhile, at a separate function at Jalalabad, Sukhbir labeled Kejriwal as "one with a confrontationist attitude." "Kejriwal is a habitual liar who cannot be trusted as he hasn't lived up to the promises he made to the people of Delhi before the elections," he said. Downplaying the release of farmers manifesto by AAP, he said that the outsiders assembled by AAP are "totally ignorant" of the cultural ethos and values of Punjab. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Afghan forces backed by air strikes mounted a new offensive to flush out Taliban insurgents encircling the capital of southern Uruzgan province, officials said today, days after militants stormed into the city. Taliban fighters on Thursday had attempted to overrun Tarin Kot, triggering heavy fighting around government buildings and sending panicked residents fleeing, but they were repelled hours later by Afghan forces bolstered by reinforcements. Government troops launched a fresh offensive late yesterday to further beat them back from the outskirts of the city, which has been besieged for months. "Dozens of Taliban fighters have been killed since military, police and special forces mounted the offensive backed by air strikes," Dost Mohammad Nayab, spokesman for Uruzgan's governor, told AFP. He said 13 policemen were killed and 20 wounded in recent days of fighting, which highlights the insurgent movement's aggressive push to capture big cities, from Kunduz in the north to Lashkar Gah in the south. Boosting morale for government troops, General Abdul Raziq, the powerful police chief of Kandahar province with a fierce reputation for brutality, has been leading the operation in Uruzgan. US warplanes also offered support, with three air strikes in the vicinity of Tarin Kot on Friday, along with Afghan air support. But many civilians who fled the Taliban onslaught on Thursday remain fearful of returning to Tarin Kot. "We left everything behind, including our house, farm and livestock," said Ezatullah Khpalwak who escaped to Kandahar with 25 family members when the fighting erupted. "The government says it has driven out the Taliban from Tarin Kot, but we fear the militants will make a comeback." In a sobering admission on Thursday, Uruzgan's police chief Wais Samim had said many of Tarin Kot's outer defences had fallen to the Taliban without a fight, suggesting internal foul play as he vowed action against any insurgent sympathisers. The Taliban had drawn jobless Afghans from outlying districts to join them in attacking Tarin Kot, promising them free rein to loot once they were inside the city, multiple village residents told AFP. "The Taliban announced in mosques: 'the head of the enemy will be ours, the booty will be yours'," Mohibullah, a resident of the volatile Dehrawud district, told AFP. "That's how they attracted dozens of jobless men to fight with them. Nepal Foreign Minister Prakash Sharan Mahat arrived here today on a three-day visit to prepare the ground for Prime Minister Prachanda's visit to India this week, his first foreign trip after assuming office. Mahat will hold talks with his Indian counterpart Sushma Swaraj tomorrow to prepare for the meeting between Prachanda and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Prachanda will embark on a four-day state visit to India from September 15 at the invitation of Modi. This would be Prachanda's first visit abroad after taking charge of the government last month, for the second time. Ahead of his visit, Pranchanda has said: "I am confident that the visit (to India) would not only normalise the relations that went through some bitter experience in the recent past, but also build a strong foundation for mutual trust." According to sources, the two sides will explore new areas of cooperation apart from reviewing status of bilateral ties. Nepal-India ties had soured after months-long border blockade last year by ethnic minority protesters over the new Constitution which they claimed marginalised them. Kathmandu then had accused India of imposing an "unofficial blockade" on the landlocked nation in support of the Madhesis, who share close cultural, linguistic and family links with Indians across the border. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Minister of State for External Affairs M J Akbar today met Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif here and discussed topics of mutual interest. "Had warm meeting with Iran Foreign Minister Javad Zarif. Had a very good discussion on issues of mutual interest," Akbar said. He also visited a Gurudwara here and spoke about bilateral relations at Institute for Political and International Studies, a Tehran-based foreign policy think-tank. Armed police today arrested 14 people in the West Midlands region of England Akbar also met with the Indian community residing in the country. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Actress-activist Angelina Jolie has visited a Syrian refugee camp and urged world leaders to help sort the current crisis. "This is not a problem of Jordan's making, or that Jordan should be left to bear alone. They have been warning for years that they would reach a point where they on their own could do more. The world has known about the situation in the Berm for months, but no solution has yet been put forward. "This is symptomatic of the wider problem. For all the good intentions, extraordinary efforts in the field, and the generosity of host communities, it is impossible to say that we, as an international community, are using all the tools at our disposal, or that we have even come close to doing enough to help the Syrian people," Jolie said in a statement. She further said that the Syria conflict and the concerns of its people should be at the centre of discussion at the upcoming United Nationa's General Assembly. "My message to world leaders, as they prepare to gather at the UN General Assembly in 10 days' time, is to ask that the fundamental root causes of the Syria conflict, and what it will take to end it, are put at the center of the discussion." During her visit, the 41-year-old actress met with a family who had suffered imaginable loss. In a statement released through the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), she said, "This is my fourth visit to Jordan since the conflict in Syria began. It is almost impossible to fathom what the last five years have meant, in the lives of refugees in Jordan and elsewhere in the region. "Not a single family in this camp of 60,000 people has not suffered loss and trauma. I met a family this morning, who fled Daesh in Raqqaa, and then moved 20 times, trying to find safety inside Syria. In that time, the mother suffered repeated miscarriages, and her two brothers and one sister were killed in an airstrike. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Armed men entered a Delhi-Gorakhpur express train that had slowed down near the Shakur Basti railway station here and looted cash and valuables from passengers, police said. The Gorakhdham Express slowed down before entering the Shakur Basti railway station around 8.30 PM on Saturday when around seven-eight men entered the train, police said. They looted passengers and even stabbed two men who tried to protest, said a senior police officer, adding that the two men were carrying Rs 40,000 and Rs 70,000, respectively, and they were robbed and attacked. The miscreants jumped off the train when it reached the station, police said. The injured passengers were taken to a hospital, police said. The station doesn't have CCTV cameras. A group of 20-30 men, believed to be carrying "bladed weapons", occupied a Sikh temple in the UK today, apparently opposing a mixed marriage between a Sikh and a non-Sikh. Warwickshire Police said about 20 or 30 men entered the Gurudwara Sahib in Leamington Spa, earlier this morning and occupied the Sikh temple. Jatinder Singh Birdi, a former treasurer at the temple, said a marriage between a Sikh and non-Sikh couple was due to take place at the Gurudwara, the BBC reported. Police officers are currently inside the temple on Tachbrook Drive negotiating with the group, it said. A force spokesman said the occupation by the men was being treated as "an aggravated trespass" from "the escalation of a local dispute" and was not a terror incident. Police have cordoned off the area while officers and religious leaders try to end the stand-off. Birdi said mixed marriages has been a contentious issue in the local Sikh community, with a minority opposing using the temple for such services. "There have been tensions that have been going on for a couple of years with some people objecting to mixed marriages in taking place in the Gurudwara," Birdi was quoted as saying by the report. "The general consensus is people are respectful of mixed marriages if the traditions are respected. Nothing has happened on this level before. "This is meant to be one of the happiest moments of somebody's life - it shows a lack of respect," he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A senior army officer and his wife were killed while their minor son and driver were injured when the car in which they were travelling fell into a gorge after being hit by debris of landslide in Chamoli district here today. The landslide was triggered by heavy rainfall and the car was swept away by the debris and fell into a deep gorge, said Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Yogendra Singh. The deceased were identified as Colonel Sudip Kumar, 45, of the Garwal Scouts and his wife Sheetal, 40, while the couple's eight-year-old son and driver were injured in the accident and were rushed to Army hospital. Due to the landslide, the Rishikesh-Badrinath national highway was closed between Badrinath and Joshimath, said Kumar, adding the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) is clearing the debris from the highway. Colonel Kumar was posted at Lansdowne and was going to Badrinath with his family when the accident took place. The district authorities have issued an adviosry to people to avoid the highway between Badrinath and Joshimath. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Actor Ashton Kutcher says he gets sound sleep every night because he leads a stress-free life. Kutcher, who has 21-month-old daughter Wyatt with wife Mila Kunis and is also expecting his second child with her, says he is extremely happy and has no worries in his life, reported Female First. "Usually I sleep eight hours a night. I don't have any unpaid bills that won't let me sleep at night - nor personal problems neither. I don't want to owe anybody anything or let conflicts rise. "Before there are any rumours or even lawyers involved, I'd rather call somebody. Most problems can be solved by talking. After a good chat I'm at peace with myself. If somebody still has a problem, at least I know I did everything I could do," Kutcher, 38, said in an interview with the German edition of GQ Style magazine. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Vietnamese laborers are allowed to join Malaysias manufacturing, construction and plantation sectors. After a halt from February 2016, the Malaysian government has welcomed a new workforce from foreign countries including Vietnam, which has a track record of sending large numbers of laborers to ASEANs third largest economy. The green light issued by Malaysia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs on August 24 applies to workers in three sectors, manufacturing, construction and cultivation. In February 2016, Malaysia's government temporarily stopped granting work permits to foreigners, including Vietnamese, to review the status of foreign workforce employed in that country and re-evaluate tax policy for foreign employees. The move has disruped Vietnamese labor export to Malaysia in recent months. The total number of Vietnamese going to Malaysia for work in the first eight months of this year reached only 1,762 while the annual average figure is about 7,000. Malaysia is an attractive market for Vietnamese laborers with low requirements of skills and language. Photo by Jakub Michankow, CC by 2.0 The Vietnamese government started labor exports to Malaysia in April 2002. After nearly 15 years, there are approximately 60,000 Vietnamese laborers in this ASEANs economic pillar. With relatively low fee (from $1,000 to $1,200 for a Vietnamese laborer) and low requirements for skills, qualification and language, Malaysia has been considered as a suitable labor market for Vietnamese rural workers, especially low skilled ones in mountainous areas and ethnic minorities. Vietnam's annual average income was $2,100 last year, according to the World Bank. Vietnamese laborers participate in all sectors of Malaysian economy excluding security. Manufacturing attracts the highest number of Vietnamese workers, with seafood processing, electronics, mechanics being the most popular. Women laborers from Vietnam are often recruited in textile sectors alongside the service sector as house maids, hotel maids to waiting staff or even gold artisans. Vietnamese workers also contribute largely to Malaysian farming and agriculture sectors. Related news: > ASEAN countries stifle free labor market > Too hot to work: Vietnam to lose $85bn in labor productivity by 2030 > Vietnamese job seekers value development prospects over salaries A 59-year-old man in Australia is battling for his life after being stabbed multiple times by a man allegedly inspired by Islamic State terror group, officials said today. The 22-year-old attacker has been charged with "committing a terrorist attack" and "attempted murder" following the attack in Ohlfsen Road, Minto, just after 4 PM (local time) yesterday, police said. "We will be alleging before court that this was an act inspired by ISIS, it was a deliberate act, it resulted in a person receiving extremely serious injuries. We will allege that he was going to attack them (the officers) also," NSW Deputy Police Commissioner Catherine Burns said. It is possible the man attacked the stranger in an attempt to lure police and attack them, she said, adding investigators have found information to suggest the man had planned to commit an attack yesterday that was inspired by Islamic State. "We know that this person has strong extremist beliefs inspired by ISIS. What made him actually act yesterday we do not know. There was clearly some planning yesterday that we do know about and that only came to light post the incident. "This clearly was a very volatile, very violent situation that police and the members of the community were confronted with," she said. The victim, known as Wayne, was well-known around the neighbourhood and was often seen out walking. He was allegedly stabbed while walking through a reserve, suffering serious injuries to his hands and body. Witnesses heard the accused man shouting in Arabic during and after the attack. The victim managed to run to a nearby home to seek help. The accused will appear in Parramatta Bail Court today. "Police would like to reassure the community there is no ongoing threat in relation to this incident," police said in a statement. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The far-right candidate in Austria's troubled presidential election wants the house where Hitler was born demolished as well as to improve relations with the Jewish community, according to comments published today. "Well, the only options are turning (the site) into a memorial or tearing it down. If you ask me, I would be for demolishing it," Norbert Hofer of the Freedom Party (FPOe) told the Austria Press Agency in an interview. Earlier this year the Austrian government approved legislation forcibly expropriating the owner of the house in Braunau am Inn in northern Austria where the Nazi dictator was born in 1889. This is to prevent the site becoming a neo-Nazi pilgrimage site. But it is unclear what will happen now. The building has protected status -- not because of Hitler -- so demolition is legally tricky. Hofer also said hat he wants better relations with Austria's Jewish community organisation, the IKG, representing Austria's 15,000 Jews. The IKG often accuses Hofer's party -- whose first leader in the 1950s was formerly in the SS -- of having neo-Nazi and anti-Semitic sympathies, something the party denies. Hofer said that if elected on October 2 -- although the election looks likely to be postponed -- he would "naturally" seek a rapprochement with the IKG. "Problems exist in order to be resolved. And I think that I can handle relations (with the IKG) very, very well. This is a task that is of great interest and importance to me," he said. Regarding Austria's Muslim community, Hofer said he wants an official German translation of the Koran so that non- Muslims "can understand this religious community better". He said though that if elected, he would not continue the tradition, introduced by the previous president, of hosting a reception for Muslims at the end of Ramadan in the Hofburg presidential palace. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The death toll in the fire tragedy at a Bangladeshi factory that claimed at least 25 lives may go up with authorities today listing 11 people missing in the latest industrial accident to hit the country. The fire yesterday broke out following a powerful boiler explosion at the four-storey Tempako Packaging Factory in Tongi industrial area, north of the capital Dhaka. Eleven people still remained missing based on information from their relatives, said Fatema-Tuz-Zohra, an official of the control room that the Gazipur administration has opened. About 100 people were inside the food and cigarette packaging unit when the explosion occurred and the fire spread quickly because of flammable chemicals stored in the building. More than 24 hours after the tragedy, several relatives of the people missing in the accident gathered in front of the unit part of which was reduced to ashes yesterday. Industrious Minister Amir Hossain Amu said that Bangladesh government will take strong action against anyone found guilty of negligence. "The matter is being investigated and steps will be taken if anyone is found guilty," Amu told reporters after visiting the site today. He said his ministry has decided to launch an investigation in all factories to check out their equipment. "We have instructed to check for leakages, electrical malfunction and the boilers." Low-cost manufacturing is the mainstay in Bangladesh, one of the world's top garment exporters with a USD 27-billion industry. But a series of industrial disasters in recent years have raised questions about its safety standards. Tighter controls have been introduced, but dozens of workers still die every year. At least 13 people died in a fire at a plastic factory in Dhaka last year. In 2012, 112 workers died in a fire at a factory just outside the capital. The country suffered an even greater tragedy in 2013 when the Rana Plaza garment complex collapsed on the outskirts of Dhaka, killing 1,135 people, after another clothing factory building collapsed, trapping over 3,000 workers. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Eight people have now died after an explosion at a rubbish dump outside Cotonou in Benin, the local mayor said. "Our tally is eight dead, six of them in hospital and two at home, and 87 injured," the mayor of Tori, Robert Tolegbon, told state television yesterday. The authorities had initially reported two people killed and 61 injured in the blast, which happened in the Avame district of Tori, around 40 kilometres (25 miles) from Cotonou, on Thursday evening. A company dumped flour and spoilt wheat at the landfill, setting it on fire, but local people flocked to areas that were not burning to try to get the foodstuffs when there was an explosion. Many of those injured suffered severe burns. Waste dumps in much of West Africa are uncontrolled, with toxic materials, including electronic equipment and chemicals, regularly discarded alongside household rubbish. Poverty forces many to scavenge and salvage for items to sell or use. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A fact-finding team of the ruling BJD, which had visited Chhattisgarh to study the barrages being built in upper reaches of the Mahanadi river, and the impact of those on Odisha today submitted its report to Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik. Rajya Sabha MP and former minister Prasanna Acharya who led the team, and party general secretary and minister Debi Prasad Mishra presented the 23-page report to Patnaik. "The fact-finding team that went to Chhattisgarh to examine the Hirakud water problem has just presented its report," Patnaik said here. Refusing to disclose contents of the report, Acharya hit out at Chhattisgarh government for undertaking construction of barrages and other projects saying these would severely affect flow of the Mahanadi river water into Odisha through Hirakud Dam. Construction works taken up in an unilateral manner is against the principles of the federal set-up, he said. The BJD team, formed by Patnaik, who is also the party chief, had undertaken a two-day visit to Chhattisgarh last month and made spot visits to different projects being taken up on Mahanadi river and its tributaries in that state. The team members had also spoken to Chhattisgarh officials before preparing the report, Acharya said. Submission of the report assumes significance as the Odisha Chief Minister has suggested to the Union Water Resources Ministry that he could join the proposed tripartite talks on Mahanadi river water dispute on September 17 in Delhi. Patnaik has also called for a preparatory meeting here tomorrow to discuss the issue threadbare ahead of the proposed tripartite talks. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Toughening its stand on Polavaram issue after the Centre announced it will finance the project, the ruling BJD today threatened to intensify its stir against the multi-purpose dam in Andhra Pradesh, saying it will displace a large number of poor tribals in Odisha. Many villages in tribal-dominated Malkangiri and Rayagada would be adversely affected by the project and BJD would strongly protest the "anti-Odisha" move of the NDA government at the Centre, BJD spokesperson Suryanarayan Patro told reporters here. It is unfortunate that the Centre has announced a financial package for Andhra Pradesh, which includes full funding of the Polavaram irrigation project despite knowing that the matter is sub-judice, he said. Announcing BJD's agitational plan against Polavaram project, both Patra and Biju Yuva Janata Dal (BYJD) president Sanjay Das Burma said a demonstration would he held near Raj Bhawan here on September 14. A memorandum addressed to President Pranab Mukherjee would also be submitted to Governor S C Jamir to lodge a protest against the multi-purpose project, which would submerge many areas and displace a large number of poor tribals in Odisha, Das Burma said. BJD workers would also stage dharnas outside the offices of Collectors in the seven districts of Malkangiri, Koraput, Rayagada, Nabarangpur, Ganjam, Kandhamal and Gajapati in south Odisha, which were likely to be affected by the project, on September 20, Das Burma said. If the Centre fails to respond to BJD's demand in a positive manner by September 20, the party would stage a peaceful hartal (shutdown) in these seven south Odisha districts on October 1, he said. BJD would further intensify its agitation on the issue if the Centre fails to take concrete steps to protect the interests of Odisha, the party leaders said. The agitational plan was announced a day after Chief Minister and BJD chief Naveen Patnaik held a meeting with senior leaders to firm up the party's strategy on Polavaram issue. Earlier, the state government had on September 2 rejected Andhra Pradesh's request to conduct a public hearing on the Polavaram project, saying it could not go for such an exercise because the matter is sub-judice. The Odisha government cannot conduct a public hearing at this stage without the direction of the Supreme Court as it would violate the law, state Forest and Environment Secretary S C Mohapatra had told reporters. The public hearing should have been done before the Centre accorded clearance to the Polavaram project, he had said. Facing flak in Andhra Pradesh after the Centre did not grant special category status to the state, BJP today said there is no provision for it under the 14th Finance Commission and asserted that the financial package will address the concerns over revenue deficit. It also condemned the attack on its senior leader and Union Minister M Venkaiah Naidu by Telugu film star and Jana Sena Party founder Pawan Kalyan and called him the "third rotten laddoo" of the state after Congress and YSR Congress. Kalyan has attacked Naidu for his "failure" to get special category status to Andhra Pardesh despite "repeated promises". "When the special category status for the AP was being talked about neither we were in the government nor we knew about the (recommendations of the) 14th Finance Commission. "The Commission's report was submitted to then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in January 2014. But the report was not implemented by his government. It was, instead, implemented by us (the NDA government) after coming to power," BJP national secretary Siddharth Nath Singh said today. "Manmohan Singh accepted 14th Finance Commission report in January 2014. We came to power in May. He did not include special status in the report," he said. The Centre had last week announced a financial package for the state that included full funding of the Polavaram irrigation project, tax concessions and special assistance. Andhra Pradesh has been demanding a Special Category State (SCS) status from the Centre ever since its economic powerhouse Hyderabad, which housed several IT and pharmaceutical companies as well as PSUs, went to Telengana in the bifurcation. "In the report, there is no provision now for dividing the states on special and general basis for giving them certain financial packages or for the purpose of devolution of central taxes," he said. "Once that is done, there can't be any special or general category," he added. However, there are various mechanism in the 14th Commission called the revenue deficit grant, he said adding, "Three states have been accepted as revenue deficit, which also include Andhra Pradesh". On Kalyan's diatribe against Naidu, Singh said that "there are two rotten ladoos in Andhra --Congress and YSR Congress. Now the third is Jan Sena of Pawan Kalyan, which is trying to join them." "We condemn Pawan Kalyan's utterances about our senior leader Venkaiah Naidu and personal attack on him," he said while seeking an apology from him for his remarks about Naidu. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The BSF has arrested two persons for their alleged involvement in the smuggling of Fake Indian Currency Notes (FICN) in Farakka area in the Malda district. Acting on a tip off, a joint operation was conducted by the troops of Sector Headquarters BSF Malda, 24 Bn BSF and police personnel from Baishnabnagar Police Station at Farakka PTS More (Township More) in the Malda district yesterday evening, a statement released by the BSF today said. Two suspected persons, who were seen approaching from the railway station area, were stopped at a check point. When searched, three bundles of FICN with face value of Rs 1,37,000 concealed with black plastic inside a laptop bag and two mobile phones with sim card were found in their possession, it said. On questioning, the two persons were identified as - Subroto Mondal (18) and Palash Mondal (20) - both residents of Khutipara area of Churiantpur, a village on the international border with Bangladesh in Malda district. The two persons and the seized FICN and other items have been handed over to the police of Baishnabnagar Police Station for further legal action, the release said. The BSF, South Bengal Frontier, this year, so far has seized FICN with a face value of Rs 1,15,31,000 and arrested 13 smugglers, it added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has said the frequent police cases against its legislators and leaders will not end until Assembly elections are over in Goa and Punjab. "Merely police case(s) do not prove anything. Do you think police cases are sacrosanct? Why are they coming before Goa and Punjab election where has decided to contest and win?," senior leader Satyendar Kumar Jain told PTI while on his two-day visit to the poll-bound state. He was replying to queries on leaders facing charges of sexual harassment with MLA Amanatullah Khan being the latest to face such allegations. "These cases will continue till the voting day for Punjab and Goa election. If we withdraw from the poll, all of this would stop. Party has taken swift action against those found wrong. We are the only party which has taken strong action. Has any other party done it?," the Delhi Health Minister asked. Jain said their political rivals could not digest the fact that "we, the common man have entered into their space." " was earlier space only for son of politicians and anti-socials. They know that we don't belong to their 'biradari' (clan)," he said. The leader was confident that there would be no impact on the impression about AAP in the minds of voters despite such tactics. "A similar campaign was launched months before Delhi election, but you have seen the results, people chose AAP," he added. He said the party would replicate Delhi's polyclinic and mohalla clinic model in Goa if it is voted to power in that state. "Once AAP comes to power we will have one polyclinic each in respective constituency (total 40 constituencies). There will be 8 to 10 mohalla clinics in each constituency depending on the size," he said. Jain, however, expressed concern that functioning of mohalla clinics in Delhi would be severely affected if the issues faced by them are not resolved by the end of this month. "All mohalla clinics are currently functioning. Attempts are made to paralyse them. Till now there is no impact, but if some approvals are not given, then at the end of this month, the impact would be seen," he said. Jain alleged that secretaries (in Delhi) are not forwarding files to him as the Lieutenant Governor has threatened them not to cooperate with the AAP government. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) may probe the $208 million aircraft deal if any criminality is indicated in the internal probe already ordered, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar said on Sunday. He said he has sought a report from the Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) by Monday and only after that he could make a proper statement on the issue. We are investigating the matter. The investigation is going on... I am not going to give a knee-jerk reaction, Parrikar told reporters here while responding to questions over the deal that has run into a controversy. If there is a criminal angle, then we can give it (probe) to CBI. The defence ministry cannot investigate criminal angle, he said when asked whether the probe would be handed over to CBI. He said if only procedural issues are involved, then the defence ministry can do an internal investigation. The deal for purchase of three Brazilian aircraft in 2008 during the United Progressive Alliance regime has kicked up dust with US authorities going into alleged payment of kickbacks. The deal has come under the scanner of the US Justice Department which has been probing for alleged payment of bribes to secure contracts. "DRDO has sought information from manufacture of Embraer aircraft within 15 days on media reports on aircraft deal signed in 2008," Defence Ministry sources have said, adding "On receipt of information by the DRDO, further steps may be initiated." The deal was signed in 2008 between Embraer and the DRDO for three aircraft equipped with indigenous radars for AEW&C (airborne early warning and control systems). Header Plan Co. has been fined US$9,068 for discharging polluted wastewater. The provincial government of Dong Nai has decided to fine Taiwans Header Plan Co., Ltd VND205 million ($9,068) for discharging polluted wastewater into the Moi Canal that flows into the Dong Nai River, VietnamPlus reported on Saturday. According to the news site, the Taiwanese firm, which mainly produces screws, has been told to clean up the damage it has caused before September 30. The provincial Department of Natural Resources and Environment has been told to monitor the measures being taken fix the problem. The department started investigating the waste water discharged by Header Plan following complaints from locals living near the companys factory in Vinh Cuu District. Photo courtesy of Header Plan Co., Ltd The 610km Dong Nai River is the third longest river in the country, running through 10 provinces and Ho Chi Minh City and supplying water to nearly 20 million people. Earlier this year, Taiwan's Formosa Ha Tinh Steel Plant grabbed headlines for causing one of the biggest environmental disasters in Vietnamese history, killing tons of fish across four coastal provinces. The companys test-run led to the discharge of toxic substances into the sea, including phenol, cyanide and iron hydroxide. Formosa has officially apologized to the Vietnamese people and paid $500 million in compensation to make up for the damage. The firm also promised to compensate local people for economic losses, help them find new jobs and subsidize clean-up activities. Related news: > Ho Chi Minh City to invest $255 mln on Dong Nai bridge connection > Taiwanese fish killer completes $500 million compensation package Actor Chris Pine looks up to Hollywood star Ryan Gosling and would like to be a "smart operator" like him. The 36-year-old "Hell Or High Water" actor is a huge fan of the "Drive" star's career and thinks he has made some very smart decisions when it comes to choosing a diverse range of projects, reported Female First. Asked whose career he would like to emulate, he said, "I think Ryan Gosling. He's got a very intelligent handle on his position in the industry. "He's got a very strong presence in arthouse cinema, but keeps his feet on both sides of the ledge and that's something I admire. He's a very smart operator. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Democratic Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton today left the 9/11 commemoration ceremony here abruptly after feeling unwell. "During the ceremony she felt overheated and departed to go to her daughter's apartment" in the city's posh Flatiron neighbourhood, the Clinton campaign said adding that she is feeling "fine now." Clinton, 68, and Republican rival Donald Trump separately had visited the memorial site, but they did not address the event. In December 2013, the former secretary of state had to be rushed to New York's Presbyterian Hospital after a medical scare following a fainting spell and concussion. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Hillary Clinton today expressed "regret" for calling half of Donald Trump's supporters "deplorable" people but promised to keep fighting "bigotry and racist rhetoric" by her Republican rival as the presidential campaign got shriller ahead of the D-day. "Last night I was 'grossly generalistic,' and that's never a good idea. I regret saying 'half' -- that was wrong," Clinton said in a statement in which she also vowed to call out "bigotry" in Trump's campaign. The 68-year-old Democratic presidential nominee had sparked an uproar on Friday when she described Trump's supporters at a fundraiser. "To just be grossly generalistic, you can put half of Trump supporters into what I call the basket of deplorables," Clinton said. "Right? Racist, sexist, homophobic, xenophobic, Islamaphobic, you name it." She added, "And unfortunately, there are people like that and he has lifted them up. He has given voice to their websites that used to only have 11,000 people, now have 11 million. He tweets and retweets offensive, hateful, mean- spirited rhetoric." Clinton then said some of these people were "irredeemable" and "not America." She described the rest of his supporters as people who are looking for change in any form because of economic anxiety and urged her supporters to empathise with them. In her statement, Clinton was emphatic in condemning what she said was Trump's racially insensitive campaign ahead of the November 8 presidential poll. She listed a series of controversial moments from Trump's campaign, including his fight with a Muslim Gold Star family, criticism of a federal US judge of Mexican heritage and his insinuation that President Barack Obama wasn't born in the US. "I won't stop calling out bigotry and racist rhetoric in this campaign," Clinton said. She also noted her comments about empathising with other Trump supporters. "As I said, many of Trump's supporters are hard-working Americans who just don't feel like the economy or our political system are working for them," Clinton said. "I'm determined to bring our country together and make our economy work for everyone, not just those at the top. Because we really are 'stronger together.'" Clinton had made similar comments against Trump's supporters in an interview on Thursday with an Israeli television station. But when they were widely reported, Trump and Republicans quickly pounced on the remarks, which drew comparisons to President Barack Obama's comments about clinging to "guns and religion" at a 2008 campaign fundraiser and Mitt Romney's "47 per cent" remark in 2012. "Isn't it disgraceful that Hillary Clinton makes the worst mistake of the political season and instead of owning up to this grotesque attack on American voters, she tries to turn it around with a pathetic rehash of the words and insults used in her failing campaign?" Trump said in a statement. "For the first time in a long while, her true feelings came out, showing bigotry and hatred for millions of Americans," Trump said. Trump's running mate, Mike Pence, forcefully condemned Clinton "in the strongest possible terms" yesterday at the Values Voter Summit in Washington. "The truth of the matter is that the men and women who support Donald Trump's campaign are hard-working Americans, farmers, coal miners, teachers, veterans, members of our law enforcement community, members of every class of this country, who know that we can make America great again," Pence said. "Let me just say, from the bottom of my heart, Hillary, they are not a basket of anything," Pence said. "They are Americans and they deserve your respect." Clinton had earlier divided Trump's supporters into "two big baskets," what she called "the deplorables," in an interview with Channel 2 Israel that aired on Thursday. "If I were to be grossly generalistic, I would say you can take Trump supporters and put them in two big baskets," Clinton said. "There are what I call the deplorables -- the racists, you know, the haters, and the people who are drawn because they think somehow he's going to restore an America that no longer exists. So just eliminate them from your thinking, because we've always had an annoying prejudicial element within our politics. Terming its recent confrontation with regulator TRAI in the wake of Rel Jio controversy as "unfortunate misunderstanding", the cellular operators body has said it has no intention to disparage anyone and is keen to move forward and resolve issues. The telecom regulator had convened a meeting of telcos to resolve the ongoing dispute between the incumbent operators and the new entrant Reliance JIO over interconnecting joints. The Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) on Friday alleged that TRAI "in an unprecedented manner" had "acquiesced" to Reliance Jio's demand to keep the association out of the crucial interconnect meeting between the operators. Taking a stern view of allegations, the telecom watchdog thereafter asked the cellular operators' body to take back its words and apologise for "malafide" and "patently wrong" statement. When contacted, director general, Rajan S Mathews told PTI, "There is no intention to disparage anyone...We said that our association respects TRAI and its work...This was an unfortunate incident." Mathews emphasised the association is keen to move forward and resolve, not create, issues. "It is an unfortunate misunderstanding...We want to proceed forward on real issues that impact consumers...The matter has been resolved," Mathews claimed. Asked if he would tender an apology as demanded by the regulator, Mathews said, "No apology is required...It was a misunderstanding." As TRAI's letter was addressed to Gopal Vittal, Chairman of COAI, it was Vittal who spoke to TRAI, Mathews added. Mathews drew flak from the regulator on Friday over his statement that he was "kept out of the Trai meeting at the insistence of Reliance Jio and Trai acquiesced to their demand, in an unprecedented manner." Soon thereafter, TRAI shot off a letter to chairman, Vittal saying that the "The statement of Director General, ...Alleging that he was not allowed by Trai to participate in the said meeting at the behest of Reliance Jio is to say the least patently wrong, mischievous and perhaps with malafide intention." "In order to set the record straight, the Director General COAI may be directed to retract his false statement made in the media and issue apologies for the same," the letter had said. The Coast Guard here has set up an air enclave to step up aerial surveillance of Karnataka coast for helping in search and rescue operations and also to check maritime crimes. The Coast Guard Air Enclave (CGAE), which would operate from the old terminal building of the airport at Bajpe, was launched yesterday, a release by the Coast Guard said here today. The air enclave is equipped with aircraft and helicopters and will carry out maritime surveillance, search and rescue operations, respond to oil spills, assist fishermen in distress and check smuggling and other forms of maritime crimes, it said. "Shipping traffic off Karnataka coast has considerably increased. The coastline has numerous vital points including ports in Mangaluru and Karwar, which are vulnerable to anti-national activities," the release said. Thousands of fishermen from various coastal villages of Karnataka venture into the sea for their livelihood every day. "With the vast coastline and numerous landing points, the role of the Indian Coast Guard in Karnataka assumes greater significance," it said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Colombia's largest rebel group has handed 13 child soldiers over to an international humanitarian mission as part of a deal to end decades of bloody fighting. The International Red Cross said in a statement yesterday that the minors were in good health and were being transported to a temporary shelter under the supervision of the United Nations Children's Fund. The humanitarian gesture comes in the wake of a deal reached last month between the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, and the government to end a half-century of hostilities. Out of respect for the minors' privacy, the Red Cross did not say where the handover took place or provide their ages. The FARC has long faced accusations of violating human rights norms by forcing minors to join its ranks, as a way to demonstrate its military strength in rural areas where it is dominant. Between 1975 and 2014, almost 12,000 minors are believed to have been illegally recruited, Colombia's chief prosecutor says. But as peace talks in Cuba advanced last year, the rebels announced they were raising the minimum age for recruits from 15 to 17, and in May it agreed to let all guerrillas under age 18 leave its jungle camps. The handover didn't materialize until now because of FARC leaders' security concerns that the underage fighters would be interrogated by authorities in order to locate and attack rebel camps. It's unclear how many of the FARC's estimated 7,000 guerrillas are minors. The chief rebel negotiator known by his alias Ivan Marquez said in May that 21 soldiers under the age of 15 live in guerrilla camps, but some government officials have put the number closer to 200. A visit to a rebel camp last month by Associated Press journalists found several guerrillas who acknowledged joining the rebel group as children, some as young as 14. But all said they had done so of their own free will while fleeing poverty and domestic violence. Authorities say more minors could be handed over before the FARC begins to demobilize as part of the peace deal. The government has vowed to reunite the children with their families when possible and provide them with psychological assistance to ease their transition back to civilian life. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Rebel Congress leader from West Bengal Manas Bhunia, who had recently caused a flutter in the party by praising Mamata Banerjee as the best chief Minister in the country, could be in for more trouble. The high-powered Central Disciplinary Action Committee of the party, headed by senior leader A K Antony, has sought an explanation from Bhunia for his various actions that had seen him at loggerheads with the state Congress as also the state Legislature Party which has suspended him. Highly placed party sources said that in a letter sent to him last week, Bhunia has been given 15 days to explain why action should not be taken against him. Bhunia, who has been made Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee despite the party not recommending his name for the prestigious post, had fuelled speculation that he could soon jump ship when he showered praise on Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee. "Mamata is the best Chief Minister in the country who is fighting against communal forces to uphold the federal structure," he had said. Congress is the main opposition party in West Bengal. It was Bhunia's tiff with the state Congress Legislature Party over accepting the PAC chairman's post which has ultimately triggered his suspension. Bhunia has been sharply critical of both PCC Chief Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury and CLP leader Abdul Mannan. Striking a belligerant posture, Bhunia had only yesterday said that he would write to AICC president Sonia Gandhi and vice-president Rahul Gandhi, seeking removal of Chowdhury and Mannan. AICC leaders have been critical of the actions of Bhunia and recall that before the Assembly elections, he was pitching for CPI(M) leader Surjya Kant Mishra as the next Chief Minister. Trinamool Congress has been making systematic attempts to weaken the Congress by luring its leaders into the partyfold, pary leaders claim. Congress had contested the last Assembly elections in a strategic understanding with the CPI(M)-led Left parties. In the Assembly elections held before when Left was ousted from power, Congress had sided with Trinammol. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Nearly 13 employees of a toll booth in the district have been booked for allegedly beating up a couple from Nashik and molesting the woman, police said. The 36-year-old woman and her husband, aged around 40, were travelling to Mumbai on September 7, when they stopped at a toll booth in Padgha village on Mumbai-Nashik highway of the district and paid the toll. However, the toll collector allegedly kept delaying the issue of receipt to them, Padgha police sub-inspector P N Chowdhari said. When the car driver asked him repeatedly for the receipt, the toll collector got annoyed and he along with other workers present there allegedly beat up the couple. They also allegedly molested the woman and her dress got torn in the melee, the SI said. The toll booth employees also threatened the couple with dire consequences if they were seen again in the area, he said quoting the complaint filed by the woman on September 9. Based on the complaint, offences were registered against 13 persons under IPC sections 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 143 (unlawful assembly), 147 (rioting), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 504 and 506 (criminal intimidation), he said. Investigation is on in the matter, police said, adding that no arrest has been made so far. The toll booth is managed by a well-known contractor. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Curfew-like restrictions were in force in three police station areas of Srinagar today, while curbs on assembly of people continued throughout Kashmir as normal life remained affected for the 65th straight day in the unrest-hit Valley. Curfew-like restrictions were in place in Nowhatta, M R Gunj and Khanyar police station areas of the city, a police official said. He said there was no curfew anywhere in the Valley. However, the official said restrictions on the assembly of people continued to remain in force throughout the Valley to maintain law and order. Meanwhile, normal life remained crippled due to restrictions and the shutdown call by separatist groups against the killing of civilians in security forces' action over the past two months. While shops, business establishments and petrol pumps continued to remain shut during the day, they open in the evening on some days of the week in view of the 12-hour relaxation in the strike from 6 PM announced by the separatists. The separatists have extended the shutdown programme till September 16. Schools, colleges and other educational institutions in the Valley continued to remain closed. Some of the areas in the outskirts and civil lines of Srinagar witnessed increased movement of private vehicles and auto-rickshaws this morning, while some shops selling essentials were also open in view of the upcoming Eid festival. The deadly violence, in the wake of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani's killing in an encounter with security forces in south Kashmir on July 8, has left 75 people, including two cops, dead and several thousands injured. Targeting AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal for proposing to accord holy city status to Amritsar if his party comes to power, the Dal Khalsa today said it's a "calculated attempt" aimed to exploit the sentiments of Sikhs for the votes in the upcoming Punjab assembly elections in 2017. Party's ex-president H S Dhami said the nomenclature of holy city status for Amritsar was first sought in 1980's, which was not only rejected by the then government but also opposed by Hindu chauvinist groups, including the BJP by "giving it a communal colour". If present day politicians, including Kejriwal, think they could win over the hearts of the Sikhs with such "poll gimmicks", then they are highly mistaken, he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Local air carriers have been asked to stop providing charging service for Galaxy Note 7 smart phone during flights. The Civil Aviation Administration of Vietnam (CAAV) on Friday asked local air carriers to stop providing charging service for Samsungs Galaxy Note 7 smart phone during flights and advised passengers not to pack them in any checked baggage. The move was made to ensure safety during flights following recent U.S. warnings based on reports of Samsungs Galaxy Note 7 smart phone catching fire. The carriers have been asked to report on execution of the ban to CAAV by September 23. The South Korean manufacturer announced last week it was recalling all Galaxy Note 7 smartphones equipped with batteries it has found to be prone to catch fire. An employee poses for photographs with Samsung Electronics' Galaxy Note 7 new smartphone at its store in Seoul, South Korea, September 2, 2016. Photo by Reuters/Kim Hong-Ji/File Photo On Friday, Singapore Airlines prohibited the use of the phones during flights, following an identical move by three Australian airlines, Qantas Airways, Jetstar Airways and Virgin Australia. Related news: > Concerned over Galaxy Note 7 phone's fire-prone batteries, US FAA issues air travel advisory > Samsung issues recall for Galaxy Note 7 after battery fires protesting against the Una flogging incident have decided to launch a postcard campaign called 'Badbu Gujarat Ki' (stink of Gujarat), in response to the tourism department's 'Khushbu Gujarat Ki' (scent of Gujarat) initiative spearheaded by Amitabh Bachchan. The Una Dalit Atyachar Ladat Samiti will launch the campaign from Kalol near Ahmedabad on Tuesday, when thousands of postcards bearing the tagline 'Badbu Gujarat Ki' will be mailed to Bachchan's residential address in Mumbai, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi inviting them to the state. The postcards will invite them to "visit Gujarat and get a taste of stink left by cow carcases which have not been disposed by protesting ever since they pledged against it following the Una atrocity incident," Una Dalit Atyachar Ladat Samiti convener Jignesh Mevani said on Sunday. Mevani alleged that Bachchan created a fake image of Gujarat to propagate Modi's agenda. "Amitabh Bachchan came to Gujarat upon invitation from then Chief Minister Narendra Modi, and talked only about Gujarat having good things like greenery, scent, progressive culture," he said. "We have given up disposing carcasses. Hundreds of cows are lying dead and stinking all over the place. continue to die in gutter, caste division and untouchability have made them suffer," he rued. "Now that we have given up disposing dead cows, we will invite Bachchan and Modi to come to Gujarat, spend some time and enjoy 'badbu Gujarat ki'," Mevani said. Following the Una case in which Dalits from Mota Samadhiyala village were brutally beaten up by self-styled cow vigilantes, the community members from the state pledged en masse to give up their traditional profession of disposing cow carcasses as a way of protest. "This is about the conscience of Dalits to quit caste-based occupation that caste system imposes upon them. In response, thousands of Dalits have pledged not to pick up cow carcass, and in hundreds of villages it has been given up. This has also broken the myth that Dalits are solely dependent on this profession," Mevani claimed. The Dalits were even attacked by upper caste members in many villages for not disposing cow carcasses, he alleged. Mevani also said that the situation in villages is tense because of this, but the government is still not ready to act on demands put up by Dalit community members. "Dalits being beaten up, either for disposing or not disposing carcasses, has angered them against the state government which is still not ready to accept our demands, including allotment of land to SC/ST, among others," he said. Mevani said the community will hold a mass gathering in Ahmedabad on September 14 wherein 'rail roko' campaign will be planned. He also said that as part of the ongoing protest, Dalits will gherao the office of sub-divisional magistrate, if land allotted to Dalits by the state government at Saroda village in Dholka taluka of Ahmedabad in 2006 which is still under alleged illegal possession of upper caste members of the village is not given back in the possession of legal occupants within five days. Croatians were voting today in a snap election whose outcome might prolong political uncertainty in the EU's newest member, which had shifted to the right under previous conservative governments. The election comes as the former Yugoslav republic faces economic struggles and at a time of strained ties between neighbours in the volatile Balkans, notably with former enemy Serbia. At 0300 IST, four-and-a-half hours after polling stations opened, turnout was nearly 19 per cent, the electoral commission said. It was some three percentage points less than at the same time in the November elections. Some 3.8 million Croatians are eligible to cast ballots after a November election produced no absolute winner. A barely-functioning coalition government, led by the conservative HDZ party, took power after that vote before collapsing in June over a conflict of interest scandal. The coalition's five-month rule was marked by a shift to the right amid a growing climate of intolerance, including attacks on independent media and minorities, notably ethnic Serbs. Authorities have appeared to turn a blind eye to the far-right surge, but it has sparked global concern and brought already frosty ties with Serbia to their lowest level since Croatia's 1990s independence war. Polls and analysts have given a slight lead to a coalition led by the main conservative Social Democrats (SDP) of former prime minister Zoran Milanovic, who was in power for four years until November. "SDP seems set to win but without an absolute majority" in the 151-seat parliament, political analyst Zarko Puhovski told AFP. The likeliest outcome is a similar scenario to that of the previous vote -- prolonged talks on forming a government and potentially another election. HDZ is banking on staying in power with a new and more moderate leader, Andrej Plenkovic, who has pledged to move it away from populism and extremism. "I'm changing the HDZ... My mission is to position it in the centre-right," said the 46-year-old former member of the European Parliament. HDZ's former junior government partner -- the "Most" party (meaning "Bridge" in Croatian) -- is likely to play kingmaker once again. With Plenkovic's moderate agenda, HDZ could also count on the backing of minorities, notably Serbs, as well as Croatians living abroad, its traditional supporters. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Delhi government today organised the first school management committees (SMC) meeting which is aimed at bridging the gap between the parents and government schools. The sabha was organised for management committees of government schools in the Burari Assembly constituency. Members from 15 schools attended the event held at Rajkiya Pratibha Vikas Vidyalaya, Civil Lines here to share their grievances with the government officials. Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia was present during the event where the parents spoke about the problems faced by them. "The concept of the SMC sabha was to provide a platform to parent and SMC members to voice their issues with the schools to officials concerned, in order to ensure effective and speedy resolution," according to an official release. Speaking at the event, Sisodia said, "The government is very keen on involving parents and the community in school administration. SMCs are playing a very constructive role in improving the condition of government schools today." Sisodia, who sought tighter deadlines for completion of work and pulled up the officials who were found to be lax, would personally follow-up all commitments made by officials to ensure that the works get completed on time. During the event, when a parent complained of poor grain quality in mid-day meals, Sisodia enquired about it and gave the the contractor a week's time to improve food quality, failing which the contractor would be penalised and replaced. Regarding the complaints of delay in construction of classrooms, he asked officials of PWD and Education Department to convene a meeting tomorrow. Apart from Sisodia, Burari MLA Sanjeev Jha, District Magistrate (North East District), and officials of education department, PWD, Delhi Jal Board, MCD and Delhi Police attended the event. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The draft Human Trafficking Bill, which has proposed severe punishment that may extend to life term for offenders, and a national body for rescue and rehabilitation, is likely to be taken up for inter-ministerial discussions later this week. "The draft has been finalised from our end. We have now called for a meeting of an inter-ministerial committee to deliberate upon the proposals," official sources said. The meeting is likely to take place on September 15. The committee will comprise representatives from the Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Law and Justice, Ministry of Health and Family Affairs, Skill Development and NGOs. The Ministry of Women and Child Development hopes to place the draft Bill before Parliament during the Winter Session. The draft, which has been revised at least five times since it was unveiled in May, now has a provision for a pan-India communication network, which will include hotlines for preventing trafficking. A national-level body, National Bureau on Trafficking in Persons, which will coordinate interstate and transborder rescue activities and rehabilitation of victims, has also been mooted. The draft broadly divides offences into "trafficking" and "aggravated trafficking". The punishment for offences in the former category is rigourous imprisonment between 7 and 10 years and a fine of not less than Rs one lakh. Aggravated forms of trafficking will invite a jail term of between 14 years and life imprisonment and a fine of not less than Rs 5 lakh. This applies in cases of trafficking of children, transgenders, differently-abled, and use of drugs, among others. The Bill was unveiled in May by Minister for Women and Child Development Maneka Gandhi and had come under severe criticism by NGOs, which called it "vague and full of loopholes" and demanded "a deeper, wider consultation". (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) President Recep Tayyip on Sunday said Turkey had a duty to defeat the Islamic State extremist group, adding its operation inside Syria was a first step towards this goal. Turkey has sent dozens of tanks and hundreds of troops into Syria, in an unprecedented operation dubbed Euphrates Shield aimed at booting out both IS jihadists and Kurdish militia from the border area. The operation, launched on August 24, came after a string of bloody suicide bombings and rocket attacks inside Turkey blamed on IS. "It is the binding duty in front of our nation to finish off the organisation called Daesh (IS) in Syria and ensure it is unable to carry out actions inside our country," said in a televised message for the upcoming Eid al-Adha Islamic holiday. "The Euphrates Shield operation is the first step towards this," he added. said Turkey was now "much stronger, determined and more dynamic" than before the July 15 coup bid, which the authorities blame on the US-based preacher Fethullah Gulen. He denies the charges. Six Turkish soldiers have been killed so far in rocket attacks in Syria blamed on IS but Erdogan said that the Euphrates Shield would continue and "not one drop" of blood of Turkey's forces would be spilt in vain. Turkey had previously been accused of not doing enough in the fight against IS and its Western partners have applauded the operation. Turkey's operation is also targeting the Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD) and its People's Protection Units (YPG) militia, which Ankara regards as the Syrian branch of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) which has waged a 32-year insurrection inside Turkey. This has created strains with Turkey's NATO ally the United States, which works with the YPG on the ground in the fight against IS. Erdogan said the "PKK has no chance of resistance against the power of our state", despite an upsurge in violence that has seen hundreds of members of the security forces killed since a ceasefire ruptured in 2015. "The PKK's Syrian branch -- the PYD-YPG -- awaits the same fate," he added. Erdogan had previously indicated Turkey and the United States have discussed an operation to push IS jihadists out of their de facto capital of Raqa in Syria but there have been no details on the timing or how this would work. Foreign investors have pumped in nearly Rs 6,800 crore ($1 billion) into the country's capital so far this month, driven by global and domestic factors. The latest infusion comes on top of a whopping inflow of Rs 25,904 in the preceding two months (July-August). Prior to that, foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) had pulled out a total of Rs 4,373 crore from the capital (equity and debt) in June and July. Experts attributed the latest flurry in inflow to factors including good and widespread monsoon, better corporate earnings, sound progress on rollout progress of the Goods and Services Tax (GST), and positive data coming from the US economy. Sentiments also rode high after domestic passenger vehicle sales grew for the 14th straight month in August, they added. According to depositors' data, net investment by FPIs stood at Rs 3,178 crore in equities during September 1-9, while the same for debt was at Rs 3,617 crore, taking the total inflow to Rs 6,795 crore ($1.02 billion). So far this year, FPIs have invested Rs 44,028 crore in equities while withdrawing Rs 3,730 crore from the debt market. This resulted in a net flow of Rs 40,297 crore. French police have arrested a 15-year-old boy suspected of planning an attack, investigators said today, as Prime Minister Manuel Valls warned that the country faced a threat from 15,000 homegrown radicals. The teenager was arrested in eastern Paris yesterday and had been under house arrest since April for suspected links to Islamic extremists. The police suspect him of plotting "in response to calls from Syria to attack France," one of the sources said, just days after a separate plot to blow up a car packed with gas cannisters was allegedly foiled in central Paris. Investigators are looking into calls made by a French member of the Islamic State group, Rachid Kassim, for supporters of the group to strike French targets. The source said the 15-year-old had been in touch with Kassim using the encrypted messaging app Telegram. Kassim has regularly appeared in IS propaganda videos calling for attacks on French targets. He has been linked to at least one of the two teen jihadists who executed an elderly priest in a Normandy church in July. Appearing on French television today morning, Prime Minister Manuel Valls said that around 15,000 people were known to police in France as having been radicalised, up from a previous estimate of 10,000. He said around 700 jihadists from France were fighting in Syria and Iraq. Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve said police had arrested 293 people this year for "links to terrorist networks." Investigators believe IS operative Kassim had been in contact with one of the women arrested last week over a car found abandoned a week ago near Notre Dame cathedral, a major tourist draw in central Paris. The car contained five gas cylinders, three bottles of diesel and a lit cigarette. Paris prosecutor Francois Molins said the women were acting on orders coming from Syria. One woman named as Ornella G was remanded in custody yesterday on terrorism charges. Her fingerprints were found on the vehicle. She told police she and an accomplice had tried to set the vehicle alight but fled when they saw a man they believed to be a plain-clothes policeman. Three other female alleged members of the same cell have also been detained. The three were planning another attack, according to police sources. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) American fantasy series "Game of Thrones" bagged nine trophies to become the top winner at the first half of the 2016 Creative Arts Emmy Awards. For the first time, the awards are being handed out over two nights. On night one, "Game of Thrones" took home highest number of wins, earning in categories like casting, visual effects, stunt coordination and production design. Crime anthology series "People V OJ Simpson" came away from the ceremony at the Microsoft Theater with four wins, including casting, hairstyling, editing and sound mixing. The first half included the four guest acting categories. Margo Martindale won her second consecutive best guest actress in a drama series gong for for her work on "The Americans". Hank Azaria won best guest actor in a drama series for Showtime's "Ray Donovan". "The Americans" finally broke into the Emmy race for its fourth season. Tina Fey and Amy Poehler shared the best guest actress in a comedy series win for their co-hosting stint on "Saturday Night Live", a first in the history of Emmys. The most surprising win, however, belonged to actor Peter Scolari, for his work on HBO's "Girls". He won the outstanding guest actor in a comedy series. Scolari, who plays the father of actress Lena Dunham's Hannah Horvath character, was not on the list when the Emmy nominations were announced in July. But after it was determined that Peter MacNicol was not technically eligible for the nomination that he received for "Veep", (he appeared in too many episodes to be considered a guest star) Scolari entered the race as he was the next highest vote-getter in the nominations balloting. HBO led the network field as of now with 11 trophies, followed by FX with 10 and PBS with five. Diane Warren picked up an Emmy for the powerful anthem "Til It Happens to You" for the documentary "The Hunting Ground". The song picked won for music and lyrics. The song was nominated but didn't win earlier this year at the Oscars, marking Warren's eighth loss at the Academy Awards. But her Emmy win came on her first try. "Mr Robot" picked up its first Emmy with the music composition win for composer Mac Quayle. CBS' "The Late Late Show with James Corden" prevailed for interactive program, recognition that bodes well for the first-year show's chances in the comedy-variety show category at the Emmy Awards. 2016 Emmys will take place on September 18. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh today directed the security forces to go after those instigating youths to indulge in violence Jammu and Kashmir and try to bring back normalcy in the state within a week. The directive was given during an hour-long meeting the Home Minister had with top security officials, including National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, besides others. Sources said the Home Minister conveyed that the security forces must go after the instigators of the violence in Kashmir Valley and book them as they continue to disrupt normal life for 65 days after the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen militant Burhan Wani on September 8. Singh said that normalcy should be brought back within a week and school and other educational institutions should function as students are worst sufferers during the prolonged turmoil, sources said. Attempts should also be made to reopen shops and other commercial establishments which were shut completely, the Home Minister told the officials. The Home Minister reviewed the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir, where a policeman and three militants were killed two separate incidents today. The officials briefed the prevailing situation in Kashmir Valley as well as along the border and the steps taken to bring back normalcy in the state, official sources said. The unrest had started following the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen militant Burhan Wani on July 8. So far, 75 people lost their lives in the 65 days of turmoil. Three militants and a policeman were today killed and six others, including an police officer, were injured in twin encounters between security forces and four terrorists in Poonch town of Jammu and Kashmir. The encounters between security forces and the militants, who were holed up in a house and another structure near the under-construction Mini Secretariat, erupted at around 7.30 AM and continued through the day. "Three militants have been knocked down. The civilians, who were held hostage, have been safely evacuated. Operation is still on," Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Rajouri-Poonch range Johny Willian told PTI. Meanwhile, four terrorists who were trying to sneak into India via the Line of Control (LoC) were killed today as Army foiled three infiltration attempts in Kashmir. One infiltration bid was foiled in Naugam sector, another in Tangdhar sector and the third one in Gurez sector. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The government is planning to build a memorial for in Uttar Pradesh, in an attempt to woo a large number of followers of the mystic poet ahead of Assembly elections in the state. The memorial may be set up either at Kabir Churaha in Varanasi, which is the Parliamentary constituency of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, or Maghar where the body of the Sant rests, a source said. The source said 'sammelans' would be organised at various places in Uttar Pradesh on the 15th century poet who has a large following in the state, where Assembly polls are scheduled next year. The move comes in the backdrop of Bharatiya Janata Party MP from Nagar Sharad Tripathi meeting Union Minister Mahesh Sharma a few days ago. Maghar falls in Tripathi's constituency. According to the source, Tripathi had mooted the idea of setting up the memorial and demanded about Rs 80 crore from the Centre for the purpose. Tripathi also proposed to hold special sound and light programmes every evening at the memorial, besides suggesting that a railway station be named after the poet. The source said that work on the memorial will start soon and be taken up on a war footing basis to have "visible signs" of the initiative before the state goes to polls. The Culture Ministry is also flooded with various proposals from other states as well such as Rajasthan, Haryana and Bihar where the Sant was associated with, according to the source. "Kabir's quotes are old but they are remembered and hold relevance even today. His quotes are the symbol of social harmony in the country. We will definitely work to preserve and propagate Kabir's legacy," Sharma said. The source said the government plans to compile the literature associated with Kabir and his dohas to make them available to the public both in physical or digital form. The years of Kabir's birth and death are unclear, with some historians claiming 1398-1448 as the period during which Kabir lived, while others suggesting 1440-1518. Eco-friendly architectural solutions have won international recognition. Vietnamese architect Vo Trong Nghia has been named 2016 Prince Claus Laureate together with four other artists. The highest title of Principal Claus Laureate was awarded to Thai filmmaker and artist Apichatpong Weerasethakul. The Prince Claus Awards Ceremony will be held at the Royal Palace Amsterdam on December 15, 2016. The judges described Nghia as an architect who is putting sustainable architecture on the map by combining local materials and traditional skills with 21st century designs. With a focus on green spaces, his designs range from major urban structures to durable but inexpensive housing for remote communities," the press release said. "His approach to urban design is shaping the future of architecture and transforming Vietnams urban landscape. However, at the core of his practice, he uses the physical environment to reconnect humans back to Mother Nature. The four artists who shared the title with Nghia include chef and food activist Kamal Mouzawak, Pakistan non-profit organization PeaceNiche, Egyptian/Lebanese historian and artist Bahia Shehab and Columbian online news portal La Silla Vacia. The Prince Claus Awards honor achievements in the field of culture and development by awarding individuals, groups and organizations whose cultural actions have a positive impact on the development of their societies. To mark its 20th anniversary, the event created the opportunity for each of the five Laureates to support a project that they feel expands and enhances creativity in their own environment. This year, Vietnamese visual artist Dinh Q Le is part of the awards committee. Related news: > Remote 'mud' house claims architecture award > Quirky design bathes Hanoi box house in light > Cubism shines light on pottery studio The Central government should deal strictly with the separatists spreading unrest in Kashmir, yoga guru Baba Ramdev said on Sunday. "The government should tighten its grip over the handful of separatists who are causing trouble in the (northern) state," he said. Ninety-nine per cent population in Kashmir is peace loving, but the remaining are creating trouble and they should be dealt with an iron hand, Ramdev told reporters here. ALSO READ: Kashmir unrest: 4 militants killed in Naugam encounter, arms recovered ALSO READ: Kashmir unrest: Cop killed in ongoing encounter in Poonch, gunfight on The yoga guru, who led the campaign for bringing back black money two years ago, said there was a need for result oriented and more effective steps in this direction. On the overall performance of the Centre, Ramdev said that the Narendra Modi-led government was the best on three fronts, namely internal and external security of the country, formulating new policy and its execution, and bringing international prestige and place in the world. Central police organisations like IB, CBI and NIA are among 32 government entities which are yet to implement project. Besides them, eight paramilitary forces including Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) and National Security Guard (NSG) are also among the organisations which have not yet implemented the project aimed at digitisation of their work. A presentation on the status of implementation of project was made by the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG) at a conference on e-governance on Thursday. The event was attended by Minister of State in Prime Minister's Office Jitendra Singh, senior bureaucrats and 172 newly inducted IAS officers where details of status of e-governance or computerisation of offices under all ministries were given. The project is one of the Mission Mode Projects under the National e-Governance Plan. The project is being implemented by the Department of Administrative Reform and Public Grievances of India (DARPG) to improve efficiency in government processes and service delivery mechanisms. Among the 32 government organisations which are yet to implement e-office are eight central police organisations-- Intelligence Bureau (IB), Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), National Investigation Agency (NIA), Bureau of Police Research & Development, National Crime Records Bureau, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Police Academy, Hyderabad, North Eastern Police Academy, Shillong, and National Institute of Criminology & Forensic Science. Seven central armed police forces, CISF, NSG, Assam Rifles, Border Security Force (BSF), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Indo Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) and Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) have also not implemented the e-office, as per the presentation. Ministries of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Corporate Affairs, AYUSH and newly created Skill Development and Entrepreneurship have also not operationalised e-office, it said. The departments of Defence, Defence Research & Development, Ex-Servicemen Welfare, Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP), Department of Posts and Legislative Department have also not implemented the e-office, according to the presentation. India Meteorological Department (IMD), Department of Space, Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, Department of Agricultural Research and Education, Department of Atomic Energy, Department of Biotechnology and Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities are also yet to implement it. The presentation was based on the data received from National Informatics Centre (NIC), which provides information technology support to central government departments. Cabinet Secretary Pradeep Kumar Sinha has directed a fortnightly progress report on the implementation of e-office in all ministries and departments. The ministries of Health & Family Welfare, Women and Child Development, Legal Affairs, Rural Development, Civil Aviation, Panchayati Raj, and Drinking Water and Sanitation are "having maximum usage of e-office". The ministries of External Affairs, Tourism, Environment, Forest and Climate Change, and Department of Revenue are among 14 such government organisations who are "showing no significant progress in e-office", the presentation said. Amid reports that the Centre may scale down security cover of Kashmiri separatists and curtail various facilities enjoyed by them in view of the Valley unrest, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar today said withdrawal of such facilities was long overdue. "The facilities extended to Kashmiri separatists should have been withdrawn long time back," he said after attending a function here. The Defence Minister was in the city to present the FGI Excellence awards and attend a function organised at Siddhivinayak temple in Dandiya bazaar locality, where RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat presented a sacred thread made up of gold to the deity. Responding to a query by PTI whether separatists should continue enjoy the perks at the cost of exchequer, the minister said, "There is a concern about separatists getting such facilities. I favour withdrawal of such facilities." His remarks came amid indications that the Centre may harden its attitude towards separatists following the cold shoulder given by them to the MPs, who were part of an all-party delegation, during their recent visit to J&K. Miffed by the snub by separatists, the government was considering moves to curb foreign travel of separatists by withdrawing their passports and denying travel documents in some cases, besides scaling down their security cover. However, after the meeting of the all-party delegation in Delhi on September 7, CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury and MIM MP Asaduddin Owaisi had said that Home minister Rajnath Singh denied that there was a plan to curtail the security provided to separatist leaders. Parrikar also justified deployment of additional troops in Kashmir, saying it was aimed at foiling attempts by terrorists to enter India from across the border and that the move had nothing to do with the ongoing unrest in the Valley. "Army does not act in internal matters unless requested by local administration. Our mandate is to seal the border and foil infiltration bids by terrorists. Today, three infiltrators were killed when they tried to enter India," Parrikar said. Army today foiled three separate infiltration attempts along LoC in Kashmir in Naugam, Tangdhar and Gurez sectors. Parrikar further said that the civilian protests are not under the jurisdiction of Army, and "additional deployment of soldiers has nothing to do with tackling unrest in civilian areas in Kashmir." On holding talks with all stake-holders, including separatists, and formulating special strategies to tackle law and order situation in Kashmir, the minister said, "The Home Ministry decides on these issues." He added that the Union government has been handling violence in the Valley pro-actively, "which comes from across the border. A small percentage is holding the majority to ransom in the state. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Nepal Prime Minister Prachanda has said he will not sign any controversial deals with India during his visit this week but would lay a "strong foundation" for mutual trust after bilateral ties went through "some bitter experience" over the recent Madhesi stir. The Maoist chief, who became Nepal's premier for the second time on August 4 taking the reign of the country from K P Sharma Oli, said he was taking the four-day visit starting from September 15 as a "challenging opportunity." "I am confident that the visit (to India) would not only normalise the relations that went through some bitter experience in the recent past, but also build a strong foundation for mutual trust," he told the International Relations and Labour Committee of the Parliament yesterday. "More support for post-quake reconstruction, hydropower trade agreements and the Postal Highway" will be the main agenda during his high-level talks in Delhi, Prachanda said. Later at an interaction on Indo-Nepal ties, Prachanda said he would like to urge all to let him "take risk as a leader". "A leader should have the privilege to take risk," the 61-year-old new prime minister said, adding that he would not sign any controversial deals with India during the visit. "I urge all the people in the country not to dictate me and let me take risk in favour of our national interest." Political leaders, economists and intellectuals, however, said there was a need to improve the soured ties with India. They, including top economist Bishwombhar Pyakurel, urged Prachanda to work towards reducing Nepal's more than USD 3.5 billion trade-deficit with India during his meetings in Delhi. Pyakurel said Nepal should ask India to allow free-access to Nepalese products and address non-tarriff barrier issues. He also advised the Nepalese premier to seek more foreign direct investment from India, which at number four lags far behind China - Nepal's top foreign direct investment partner. Bal Bahadur Kesi, a member of the ruling coalition partner Nepali Congress, said Nepal and India should identify the reasons that led to the deterioration in their ties, before taking further confidence-building measures. Sunil Manandhar, of another ruling partner CPN-United, called for a breakthrough in implementing the Pancheshwor mega hydropower project that was signed nearly two decades ago with India. Soon after he took over, Prachanda sent special envoys to India and China in a bid to improve ties with both countries. He accused the Oli government of creating a rift between people from the hills and the plains. "The country cannot be prosperous without strengthening national unity," he said. Prachanda has said disagreements with Madhesi people - inhabitants of the southern plains who share strong cultural and family bonds with Indians - over the federal boundaries in the new Constitution would be sorted out by mid-October. Nepal's ties with India had strained after a months-long border blockade last year by the ethnic minority protesters over the new Constitution, which they claim is discriminatory to their interest. The Oli government accused India of imposing an "unofficial blockade" on the landlocked nation to support the Madhesi demand of more political representation. Prachanda, whose first stint as Nepal's premier from 2008 to 2009 came to an end due to disagreement with the military over his attempt to sack the army chief, has three major tasks cut out for him: concluding the peace process, implementing the new Constitution and improving relations with India, according to leading Nepalese daily The Kathmandu Post. He has long been floating the idea of tripartite cooperation between China-Nepal-India and he believes it could fulfil Nepali people's aspirations of change and prosperity. Another major area of focus for his government would be ensure reconstruction of Nepal following the devastating earthquake in April last year. Earthquake victims have complained that the Rs 200,000 aid announced by the previous government was insufficient to reconstruct their homes. Four prominent Indian Americans and three Americans have been awarded by a Houston based chamber of commerce for their outstanding and tireless work as entrepreneurs and for "building bridges" between India and America. The awards were given by Indo-American Chamber of Commerce of Greater Houston (IACCGH) at a gala event here. The "Young Professional of the Year"was presented to Malisha Patel, 36, who is the Chief Operating Officer of Memorail Hermann Hospital Sugarland. Woman entrepreneur award was presented to Revati Puranik, CFO, Worldwide Oilfield Machine, a company that specialises in manufacturing oil and gas equipment. Bhavesh (Bob) Patel, CEOLyondellBasellwas awarded Business leader of the year, while entrepreneur of the year was given to Abezaar S Tayabji, founder and CEO Shipcom Wireless. Lifetime Achievement awards were presented to three Americans- Marvin Odum, former Shell USA President, Richard Huebner, former president Houston Minority Supplier Development and Dr John Mendelsohn, former President M D Anderson Cancer Center, for bridging barriers between India and USA. A gala event themed "Building Bridges" was attended by over 700 guests, comprising top business leaders, prominent community members, Counsil General of India Dr Anupam Ray, University of Houston Chancellor and President Dr Renu Khator. Various elected officials likeCongresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, Congressman Al Green and Pete Olson, Harris County Judge Ed Emmett, Mayor of Houston Sylvester Turner, Council member Jack Christie, City of Houston Controller Chris Brown were also present. The chief guest and keynote speaker was Bruce Culpepper, President, Shell USA. Hilton Americas Executive Director Jagdip Ahluwalia said the Chamber has connected entrepreneurs, doctors, educators, technocrats in an informal setting to create lasting business relationships. Consul General Dr Ray in speech said it is a good time to be a diplomat in the US and this is evident from the fact that a few days ago on the same day the US Secretary of State was in India and the Indian Defense Minister was in Washington. Both countries were talking about issues like defense, cybersecurity, increase in trade, he said. "When you do business in India you are essentially doing business with a country that is more like the US than many countries in the world", Ray said. Houston Mayor Sylvestor Turner said the Indian presence in Houston makes it the most diverse city in America. More than 700 companies in Houston do business with India. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Iran today welcomed the proposed ceasefire in Syria brokered by Russia and the US, but said a monitoring system was needed to stop it being exploited by "terrorists". "Iran welcomes any establishment of a ceasefire in Syria and facilitating of access of all people of this country to humanitarian aid," said foreign ministry spokesman Bahram Ghasemi. "Given the experience of a few months ago, the ceasefire must be sustainable... And must not be exploited as an opportunity for terrorist groups to revive their power and transfer fighters and weapons," he added, referring to a truce that collapsed earlier this year. "The continuation and sustainability of a ceasefire relies on the creation of a comprehensive monitoring mechanism, in particular control of borders in order to stop the dispatch of fresh terrorists, as well as weapons and financial resources for the terrorists," said Ghasemi. He said Iran, a principle backer of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, has always called for a political solution to the crisis. Ghasemi also called for humanitarian aid to reach all parts of Syria "without discrimination... In particular those areas under the control or siege of terrorist groups where less attention has been paid." The new ceasefire, agreed as part of a landmark deal brokered by Russia and the US, was set to begin on Monday. A barrage of air strikes on rebel-held areas in Syria killed scores of people just hours after Assad's government approved the truce deal yesterday. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In the last six to nine months, the Islamic State has faced major reversals in the battlefield, a top American spy said, calling the dreaded terror outfit a "failing" organisation. "There has been significant reversal of their battlefield successes over the last six to nine months. We have seen that they have been pushed out of a number of areas inside of Iraq, as well as in Syria. A number of their leaders have been removed from the battlefield. They do not have the same type of patrol over territory that they had this time last year," the CIA Director John Brennan. "So, this is all part of the strategic effort that has been under way to try to get the intelligence that is necessary in order to give the coalition the opportunity to take strikes from the air, and also make sure that the Iraqi forces and and those elements that are fighting on the ground against are empowered and able to do that," he was quoted as saying by CBS News. "When I was able to roll across a number of these ungoverned spaces in both Iraq and Syria, that momentum generated quite a bit of attraction. That's why the foreign fighters were flowing there, because they thought this was a winning organisation. It's now a failing organisation. And their narrative has been refuted," he said. Brennan also said that their claims of great victory have been debunked. "That's why I think fewer and fewer people now are looking to as being an organisation they want to belong to," he said. With increasing US pressure, the Islamic State has dispersed for a while. "One of the thing that the has done is to develop these franchises around the world. A lot of these terrorist organisations that have raised the ISIS flag in different parts of Africa and the Middle East and South Asia, they were already existing terrorist groups, and they tried to jump onto the bandwagon of ISIS," he observed. Even those organisations have suffered serious setbacks. "When I look at Nigeria, in terms of the Islamic State of West Africa, also the heads of these organisations, whether it be in Saudi Arabia, Algeria, and Afghanistan, they have been taken off the battlefield. So, progress is being made not just in Iraq and Syria, but also beyond," he said in response to a question. Brennan said CIA has been probably the most instrumental agency since 9/11 in degrading, dismantling al Qaeda and making sure that that organisation and now ISIS are unable to carry out attacks here in the homeland. "We're trying to be as careful as a surgeon's scalpel in terms of taking out the cancer of these terrorist organisations," he said. On the 15th anniversary of the 9/11 terror attacks, former New York Mayor Rudy today said that Islamic State terror group which "has spread its tentacles all over the world" poses a serious threat to the US than Al-Qaeda. "We are dealing with a different paradigm, meaning there we were dealing with one major group, Al-Qaeda. Having gone after the mafia and the Colombian drug cartels, I can tell you it's easier to go after a single organisation than it is what we're facing today, which is this Islamic nation which we think of just as ISIS in Syria and Iraq, but it has spread its tentacles all over the world," Giuliani told ABC in an interview. "They're in 28 different countries. Al-Qaeda never had the capacity to do that. I'm not going to say they're smarter people; they're better educated people. And they're people who know us better. They come from France and Germany and England and the US," he said. "The Al-Qaeda people were Afghan warriors. Great warriors -- horrible people but great warriors. They didn't have the ability to use the Internet; they didn't have the ability to infiltrate. So in some ways we're safer; and in some ways we're in a much more dangerous situation," said Giuliani. "Compared to 15 years ago, we're safer in certain ways, but not as safe in other ways. "We're always fighting the last war. We're always fighting the last battle, the attack in the airplane. So, yes, is our airplane safety much greater today? Absolutely. Is our cargo safety much safer today? Can't tell you that," he said. Giuliani said he knows well both about Donald Trump and his Democratic rival, Hillary Clinton. "I believe there'd be a major difference between the two of them in terms of our economy and most importantly, how we deal with terrorism. I don't like the way this administration has dealt with terrorism. I think they've put us too much on defense and there have been too many terrorist attacks in the last year," he said. "San Bernardino happened less than a year ago. You just start counting them from San Bernardino on in December of last year and we're talking about a major escalation in terrorist attacks and a major proliferation in terrorist attacks, that this administration I believe has encouraged by going on defense. We're sitting back waiting for the next attack. We should be on offense," Giuliani said. "When Hillary said I'm not going to put any troops in, you might as well -- you might as well stop trying to deal with them. I mean, now they know -- now they know you're a patsy," he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Jailed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) leader Abdullah Ocalan today received his first family visit in two years, meeting his brother on the Turkish prison island where he has been held for over one-and-a-half decades, his lawyers said. His brother Mehmet Ocalan travelled from the port of Gemlik south of Istanbul to the high security prison on the island of Imrali in the Sea of Marmara returning in the early evening, the state-run Anadolu agency reported. Amid concerns over his health after months cut off from the outside world, Ocalan's lawyers confirmed that he had met his brother. "Mr Ocalan today received a family visit. A statement about the situation of our client will be made in the shortest time," the Asrin lawyers office wrote in a statement on their Twitter account. Turkish media reports had announced on Saturday that permission had been granted for the visit marking the Eid al-Adha Islamic holiday, in an apparent bid to counter alarm over his welfare. A group of 50 Kurdish activists, including MPs, are on the seventh day of a hunger strike to protest the lack of about Ocalan. They have vowed to continue their action until there is concrete confirmation he is alive and well. Turkish media reports said this was the first family visit Ocalan had been allowed since October 6, 2014. He last met with a political delegation from the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) in April 2015. The last visit to Ocalan was by a delegation of the Council of Europe's Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) in April 2016. It said there were just four prisoners held on Imrali. Ocalan was captured in 1999 by Turkey's secret service in Kenya, put on trial and sentenced to death. His sentence was commuted to life imprisonment in 2002 when Turkey abolished the death penalty. He has been held on Imrali ever since. Ocalan held secret talks with top officials that resulted in the PKK declaring a ceasefire in 2013. But this collapsed in 2015 and conflict is again raging in Turkey's Kurdish-dominated southeast. The PKK, which has led an insurrection that has claimed tens of thousands of lives since 1984, is outlawed as a terror group by Turkey, the United States and European Union. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Director Jeff Nichols is in final negotiations with 20th Century Fox to helm the remake of 1988 sci-fi film, "Alien Nation". The "Loving" director is also attached to pen the screenplay for the new version, reported Deadline. The original movie, which was directed by Graham Baker, follows a racist cop (James Caan) who is forced to team with a new partner (Mandy Patinkin), a member of an alien race who was on a ship carrying 300.000 alien refugees known as the Newcomers. The ship crashed on Earth years before the Newcomers assimilated into Los Angeles. The film was successful enough to spawn a 1989 TV series. The title was a clever metaphor to explore racism, which seems timeless in relation to current racial politics. The remake will be Nichols' next project dealing with a different kind of racism after his latest civil rights drama "Loving" starring Joel Edgerton, Ruth Negga and Michael Shannon which premieres at Toronto this weekend. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Today is the 15th anniversary of the September 11 attacks that killed nearly 3,000 people. The Al-Qaeda plane hijackings of September 11, 2001, the first foreign attack on the U.S. mainland in nearly two centuries, ruptured a sense of safety and plunged the West into wars still being fought today. Two planes smashed into New York's World Trade Center, leaving 2,753 dead. A third hit the Pentagon in Washington, killing 184, and 40 more died after a fourth plane headed for Washington crashed into a field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania after a passenger revolt. Here is the timeline of the events that fateful morning, which reshaped the course of U.S. history: 8:46 am - The first strike An American Airlines Boeing 767 making a Boston-Los Angeles connection with 92 people on board, including five hijackers smashes into the North Tower of the World Trade Center, leaving a giant hole in the building's facade. Thick smoke trails into the sky from the tower's upper floors. 9:03 am - Second tower hit A United Airlines Boeing 767 making a Boston-Los Angeles connection with 65 people on board, including five hijackers hits the South Tower of the WTC, sparking a massive explosion. a hijacked commercial plane crashing into the World Trade Center in New York. Photo by AFP/Seth Mcallister 9:30 am - Bush speaks Then U.S. president George W. Bush, in Sarasota, Florida, calls the blasts "an apparent terrorist attack." He orders "a full-scale investigation to hunt down and to find those folks who committed these acts" and says he will immediately return to Washington. 9:37 am - Pentagon hit An American Airlines Boeing 757 making a Washington Dulles-Los Angeles connection with 64 people on board, including five hijackers smashes into the Pentagon in suburban Washington, setting off two explosions. 9:42 am - Planes grounded The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) orders the cancellation of all commercial flights in the United States. 9:59 am - South Tower collapses The WTC's South Tower, hit 56 minutes earlier, collapses in a huge cloud of smoke and dust. 10:03 am - Crash in Pennsylvania A United Airlines Boeing 757 traveling from Newark to San Francisco with 44 people on board, including four hijackers crashes into a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, after passengers and crew apparently fought with the hijackers. 10:28 am - North Tower collapses The north tower of the WTC collapses, an hour and 42 minutes after it was struck. A huge cloud of dust blankets lower Manhattan. U.S. national flags erected by students as they pay their respects to honor the victims of the September 11, 2001 attacks in New York. Photo by AFP/Mark Ranston Related news: > 15 years after 9/11, terror threat now 'home-grown' It is imperative to give screenwriters their due if Hindi cinema is to move to the next level, Bollywood powerhouse Karan Johar said at the 41st Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF). In a lively onstage conversation at the Glenn Gould Studio, a part of the festival's official programme, he said, "The industry is trying out new genres and approaches all right, but we do not empower writers enough. The writer is the soul of a film. The director isn't everything - they should contribute to that soul." With that goal in mind, his Dharma Productions, he said, has set up a new writing division to encourage the creation of original content for films. "The movie star is no longer King, content is. The writer is the backbone of a film," Johar, 44, asserted. Speaking about his life and times as a film producer, director and entertainer, Johar was in scintillating form and brought the house down in Toronto on a wet and gloomy Saturday evening. The nearly 90-minute In Conversation was laced with self-deprecating wit and punchy one-liners that had the expatriate audience asking for more. It was a rousing performance calibrated like one of his glitzy, star-studded films - for maximum mass impact. While the filmmaker lost no opportunity to underscore the increasing global relevance of Bollywood as a marker of India's global soft power identity, he also acknowledged the chinks in the armour of one of the world's most dynamic film industries. "The success of a film like 'Kapoor & Sons' is proof that the audience is evolving faster than the filmmakers. Many of us in the industry, including me, are caught in a time warp." "Kapoor & Sons", bankrolled by Johar's Dharma Productions, had a gay protagonist. "Six actors rejected the role because they were scared to play a homosexual character. Fawad Khan, who took the part and owned it, is not only a great actor but also a brave one," he said. Johar was asked about the autobiography that is due for release next fall. "It is titled 'An Unsuitable Boy'. It has got everything in there - the good and the bad," he said. About his upcoming film, "Ae Dil Hai Mushkil", Johar said, "The film is an ode to myself without being self-indulgent. It is about the angst of falling in love without reciprocation. I am the brand ambassador of that emotion." He told a questioner: "Every tear that you shed (when you watch a film of mine) is a dollar in my account. You weep and I laugh all the way to the bank." Among the projects that Dharma Productions, which is currently gearing up for the Diwali release of "Ae Dil Hai Mushkil", is a Dhyan Chand biopic. "We will make that film when we get the casting and the time right," he said. All through the conversation, Johar touched upon aspects of the Mumbai movie industry that make it such a unique beast. Talking about his love for film music, he quipped, "Why do you a need a therapist when you have Hindi film songs?" About his shot at acting in Anurag Kashyap's "Bombay Velvet", Johar said, "There were too many gap days and too much hanging around doing nothing. I was bored with the process. That is probably why nobody has offered me another role, not even a bad one that I can refuse," he said. Keith Vaz's wife today came out in his defence saying though she felt "betrayed" she would forgive him as he was "not a bad person" after UK's longest- serving Indian-origin MP was embroiled in a sex scandal involving male prostitutes. Maria Fernandez said she felt "betrayed" after the 'Sunday Mirror' claimed in a report that the 59-year-old Vaz paid for two male prostitutes and made references to drugs, but has decided to give him a second chance. "The shock was also the whole scenario of allegedly using sex workers because it is so unlike him," the 'Sun on Sunday' quoted her as saying. The 57-year-old former barrister, who has two children with Vaz, said: "Keith is not a bad person." Her comments came as it emerged that local police in the influential Labour MP's Leicester constituency had been looking into claims of misconduct. According to a 'Sunday Times' report, four witnesses, including a former lord mayor of Leicester, last week confirmed they had been interviewed by Leicestershire detectives. The inquiries have been going on for at least a year. Leicestershire police refused to comment last week on whether Vaz was under investigation or whether the witnesses were being interviewed as part of a wider inquiry. But one of the official police documents, a five-page witness statement seen by 'The Sunday Times', accuses the MP of intervening in the eviction of a council tenant in Leicester in 1991, who was suspected of providing "the services of young men for other men". The witness said he was concerned about whether the intervention was an abuse of public office. Andrew Bridgen, the Conservative MP for North West Leicestershire, said he had been aware of inquiries by Leicestershire police involving Vaz since last summer. He said John Bercow, the Speaker of the House of Commons, had declined to raise the matter with the force. Bridgen said: "I think it is deeply regrettable that the opportunity was not taken to establish whether Keith Vaz might have a conflict of interest when he chaired the Home Affairs Select Committee in relation to ongoing police inquiries." He said that to a casual observer the affair had "all the hallmarks of an establishment cover-up". A spokesperson for Bercow denied there had been any cover-up: "The Speaker has no power to 'suspend' select committee chairs nor any authority or right to suggest that they stand aside. (Reopens FGN 15) Meanwhile, Scotland Yard had confirmed on Friday it was considering whether Vaz had committed any offences in his involvement with male prostitutes revealed last weekend. Vaz is not under any formal investigation yet and he has not issued a comment on the latest claims. He had resigned as chair of the Home Affairs Select Committee earlier this week after allegations he had met two male escorts from eastern Europe at his north London flat last month. The high-profile politician is also alleged to have told the escorts to bring the party drug known as "poppers" and is also quoted as discussing the possibility of paying for cocaine at a future meeting, but added that he would not take the drug himself. Vaz, a Leicester East MP for Labour since 1987, was born to Goan parents in Aden, Yemen, in 1956 and went on to study law at Cambridge University. He served as minister for Europe in former prime minister Tony Blair's cabinet, becoming the first Indian-origin minister to occupy a senior cabinet portfolio at the time. AAP national convenor and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal today mounted a no holds barred attack on the Badal family and Punjab Congress chief Amarinder Singh, alleging that they have "looted" the state for their "vested interests". "What have the Akalis and the Congress given to the people of Punjab? They have only looted the state for their vested interests. People should disassociate themselves with these parties. Otherwise, their children will never forgive them," he said here after releasing his party's 'Kisan Manifesto'. Asserting that Punjab will "change" after the 2017 Assembly polls, Kejriwal, on the last day of his four-day tour of the state, told a rally that the future of Punjab was bright and it would show the direction to the entire world. He said the farmers of the state were once prosperous and accused the Badals and Amarinder of "grabbing" their land and "forcing" them to commit suicide in the last 15 years. "We (AAP) will not let them (the Badals and Amarinder) go scot free. I have pitched my tent in Punjab now and I will leave the state only after sending the Badals to jail," said Kejriwal. He also lashed out at state ministers Tota Singh, Adesh Partap Singh Kairon, Bikram Singh Majithia and Sukhbir Singh Badal. "After we form the government in Punjab, we will get cases lodged against them and send them to jail," he said. The AAP supremo accused Tota Singh of "selling spurious pesticides" which forced cotton farmers to commit suicide, Kairon of "looting" foodgrains worth Rs 12,000 crore, Majithia of "being in the drugs business" and Sukhbir of "knowing it all", adding that AAP will confiscate the land of these ministers and build schools and hospitals on them. "Three months back, I had announced that Majithia was in the drugs trade. He got a false case registered against me, thinking that he will be able to suppress me. But, I am not afraid of him," said Kejriwal. "There are only four months left for the polls. I warn Majithia that either he gets me arrested or after the polls, I will get him arrested and send him to jail," he said. Kejriwal alleged that whenever he said anything against the Badals, Amarinder threatened to throw him out of Punjab. "I wonder why can't he (Amarinder) face the truth about the Badals?" he asked, adding that the state Congress chief behaved like "an advocate of the ruling family of Punjab". "Congress, Akali Dal and BJP are together in the run-up to the polls," he claimed, adding that after AAP forms the government in Punjab, the buses of the Badals will be impounded and handed over to the unemployed youth. (Reopens DES-30) Addressing the gathering of doctors and teachers in Patiala tonight, Kejriwal lashed out at Delhi Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung, accusing him of working on the directions of BJP. "Our cabinet had approved regularisation of 17,000 guest teachers and this proposal was disallowed by LG. LG is acting on the directions of BJP," he alleged. However, Kejriwal said Punjab is a full fledged state. "...There is no LG and we can do what we want for the people". The national convenor of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) promised to revamp the education and health services in Punjab if voted to power in coming assembly elections. He also promised to regularize all the contract teachers and doctors in the state. In an interactive session with teachers and doctors, Kejriwal said the AAP is committed to honour each and every promise it made to voters of Punjab. Talking about the education, he claimed Delhi government had for the first time did not allow any hike in fees by private schools. "We improved the conditions of government schools in Delhi...We set up toilets and made arrangements of drinking water on war footing," he said. Kejriwal said his government has kept its focus on education, health, power and water. AAP government was setting up Mohalla clinics in Delhi and "will implement the same in Punjab as well," he added. He said fee structure of medical colleges would also be supervised and there will not be any irregular increase. However, Kejriwal did not speak to media. Tomorrow he will release the party's farmers' manifesto at Baghapurana in Moga. For six years, Amy Passiak oversaw the distribution of hundreds of objects from the World Trade Center in New York, a task she finished days before the 15th anniversary of the September 11 attacks. There was only a knot of people on July 27, in a corner of the cargo area at New York's Kennedy airport, to help with the end of the adventure. The last pieces from the Twin Towers still stored in Hangar 17, which had been exposed to the view of thousands, left under Passiak's watchful eye. For six years, she coordinated the distribution of almost 2,800 pieces under the control of the site's owner, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. Among them, there was no individual, personal object: a damaged police car, sunglasses sold at one of the stores in the building, but mostly massive objects, fragments of the destroyed skyscrapers in lower Manhattan. There was a lot of steel, including several of the tridents, the distinctive forked steel structures on the facade at the base of the buildings, each weighing several dozen tons. In 2009, the Port Authority decided to distribute the objects to non-profit organizations and government entities for use in public memorial projects. Already working at the 9/11 Memorial and Museum, Passiak was chosen to supervise the program. Passiak, who is in her 30s and holds a master's degree in museum studies, discovered a universe about which she knew almost nothing. "I was a senior in high school in Michigan when 9/11 happened. I had never been to New York City," she said. Passiak had no close family connection to the victims of the attacks, or the police officers, firefighters and emergency personnel, nothing that could create a link, even an indirect one, with the attack. "I didn't have a real concept of what the World Trade Center was, where it was," she added. Retrospectively, this distance perhaps allowed her to completely plunge into the task without feeling emotionally overwhelmed. Since a little more than a year ago, the pace of the work has sharply slowed and Passiak is also handling other projects, but "for about four years, my life was September 11, which is crazy," she said. Generally, "I think that I'm a very emotionally steady person," she said, "so I think that that actually helped with the job. I was able to remain calm." Passiak and the Port Authority approved the requests of 1,567 different groups across the United States, many of them fire and police departments, schools and cities. Requests for objects also were approved for 10 foreign countries, including Canada, China, Germany and Italy. Despite its long ties with the US, France is missing from the list. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Trinamool Congress leader Madan Mitra was reportedly taken ill in the hotel where he was put after his release from prison yesterday after being jailed for over 21 months in connection with the Saradha scam. According to a family source, Mitra complained of stomach pain last night following which a doctor was called to attend him at the hotel in the southern part of the city. The former state transport minister was attended to by the doctor who administered an injection last night after which Mitra's health condition improved, the source said. "There is nothing to worry, but doctors have prescribed him complete rest. He has also been asked not to talk much and avoid any form of stress," the source said adding doctors were keeping a close watch on the leader. It was learnt that with the CBI saying it would move to the High Court against Mitra's bail, the TMC leader's counsel had visited him at the hotel last evening to have a discussion on their next move in this connection. Mitra was released from Alipore jail yesterday morning and taken to a hotel within the Bhowanipore police station limits as per the condition set by the court for granting him bail. His own residence is within Kalighat police station limits. Alipore sessions court granted Mitra bail on Friday on two sureties of Rs 15 lakh each. He was directed to appear before the court on November 23, surrender his passport to CBI and appear before its investigating officer once every week. He was also directed not to leave Bhowanipore police station jurisdiction area. Mitra, who was arrested on December 12, 2014, was granted bail by a lower court last year. He had surrendered before the court after his bail was cancelled by the Calcutta High Court on November 20 last year. Former union minister Matang Sinh is among those arrested in the case, while several TMC functionaries, including Mamata Banerjee's close aide Mukul Roy, have been questioned in connection with it. The CBI had taken over the investigation to the Saradha chit fund scam in June, 2014 on the order of the Supreme Court. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Maharashtra is exploring ways to increase employment under Skill India Mission by partnering with the Centre for the newly launched National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme. Union Minister for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Rajiv Pratap Rudy met State Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis in Mumbai last week to discuss ways to skill people. The Centre will incentivise employers by reimbursing 25 per cent of the stipend paid to the apprentice. The Scheme, with an outlay of Rs 10,000 crore, envisages training 50 lakh apprentices by 2019-20. The Union Government notified the Scheme on September 1, 2016. "The meeting discussed at length the contribution that the state can make to newly announced National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme by ensuring that corporates in the state engage with more apprentices and give them an opportunity to work hands-on in the industry which can help increase their employability," the Skill Development Ministry said today. As per the discussions held between Fadnavis and Rudy, Maharashtra will identify 5-7 acres in each of its 40 districts to set up driver training institutes -- an initiative under the Skill Development Ministry with support from the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways. "Maharashtra has been number one in delivering on skills mandate in the year 2015-16. It has skilled close of 2 lakh people in the short-term skill courses. Happy to see such great response from youth in the state," Rudy said. Fadnavis said Maharashtra will identify spare infrastructure to be converted into skill development centres to offer effective delivery of trainings under Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana. The Advance Training Institute in Mumbai will be developed into a centre for excellence to make it a hub for a complete skill solution for a particular industry. Maharashtra is also working on plans to ensure that no student in the state fails in class X exam. The state government is planning to create a certificate as 'passed and fit for skills' for those who either score low or are not able to clear their examination. They also discussed on upgrading the quality of ITIs in the State. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A 45-year-old man allegedly hacked his mother, wife and two daughters to death in Sangli district of western Maharashtra in the wee hours today and later surrendered himself before police. The deceased were identified as Sushila Irkar (60), her daughter-in-law Sindhubai Irkar (40) and Sindhubai's daughters Rupali (19) and Rani (16), all residents of a village in Jat tehsil of Sangli, police said. "The accused, Bharat Irkar, took all four victims to their farms in the wee hours on the pretext of some work and allegedly hacked them to death with sharp weapons. He later surrendered himself at the police station," inspector attached to Jat police station, said. "We are still investigating the motive behind the murder. However, prima facie, it seems that there was some dispute within the family," he added. The accused has two sons-- aged 14 and 11-- the officer said, adding, "But they survived as they had gone to their relatives' place to study since there were no electricity in their house on Friday night." Further investigation into the case is on. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) After finding a right model in India, German wholesale major Metro Cash & Carry is ready to expand its business in India, although it will prioritise existing markets to consolidate its position. The company, which is aiming to have 50 stores by 2020, has opened its 23rd store in Lucknow and is gearing up to roll out rest 27 stores in the next four years. "We have got a right model now and (are) ready for rapid expansion in the country. We have now become the largest cash & carry store in the country," Metro Cash & Carry India MD Arvind Mediratta told PTI. The company, which is currently operating six stores in Bangalore, three in Hyderabad, four in Punjab and two each in Delhi and Mumbai, is not looking at expanding in new regions. "Our strategy is not to get into a pan India presence but to make sure that we are able to expand and intensify our presence in these chosen markets," he said. Mediratta further said: "We want to invest in the big markets like Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Delhi NCR and UP". According to him, a place like Bangalore, where Metro already operates six stores, still has potential of having two more. The company, which follow October-September calender, has added five stores this fiscal. Metro, which entered in UP last week, has plans to intensify its operation in the state. "We have lot of hopes and expectation from the UP market. We believe that in UP we can have 25 stores and this is just beginning," he said, adding "UP has the potential to be our biggest market". In the cash & carry format, Metro is focusing on kirana stores, hotels and restaurants and the professionals. "India is a land of opportunity and we believe that there is lot of potential because there are at least one crore kirana stores and lakhs of hotels, restaurants and self employed professionals," he said. When asked that whether Metro would consider to participate in multi-brand retail, after shift in government's policy, he said: "We are a 59 billion Euro company globally and half of that business come from Cash & Carry format. And in India, we believe that we have a huge opportunity...We intend to focus on this format." Presently, India is among the four focus markets of Metro group for future expansion. The other three are Russia, China and Turkey. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A militant who is believed to have played a key role in carrying out the Dhaka cafe attack in Bangladesh that claimed the lives of 22 people including an Indian, killed himself during a raid, police said today. Shamsed Hossain slit his throat on his own using a sharp weapon, a doctor at the forensic medicine department of state-run Dhaka Medical College Hospital told reporters after an autopsy. Police had said earlier that Hossain was killed in an encounter. Three women terrorists and five policemen were also injured in the gunfight. Police's counter terrorism and transnational crimes (CTTC) unit team carried out the raids at Azimpur area here late yesterday. Police is yet to officially make any statement about the background of the militants belonging to a faction of the banned Islamist militant outfit, Jamayetul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB). JMB is known for its ideological inclination to ISIS. Police suspects one of the arrested women to be the wife of a slain ex-army major and militant leader Jahidul Islam who was killed in an anti-militancy clampdown in suburban Narayanganj on August 27. "The operation (raid) was carried out on a tip-off that Jahid's family were hiding in Azimpur. One of the injured women may be Jahid's wife," Inspector General of Police AKM Shahidul Hoque said. Another officer who is familiar with the raid, said one of the children rescued from the scene could also be the offspring of the renegade ex-military officer and "we are contacting related people for confirmation". Police earlier said the ex-major was recruited in JMB by its key-organiser Bangladeshi-Canadian Tamim Chowdhury, who was killed during the raid Narayanganj last month. At least 28 Islamist extremists have been shot dead by Bangladesh security forces since the July 1 Dhaka cafe assault in which mostly foreigners, including an Indian, were killed. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Like most illustrations in childrens books, the image of Mother Teresa is quite simple, showing her kneeling in prayer beside her bed in a dark room, facing a bare cross and a single candle. The tiny nuns eyes are open, and her expression is hard to read. The text on the opposite page is candid. Mother Teresa experienced a great sorrow. Ever since she had moved to the slums, she no longer felt the presence of Jesus as she had before. She felt as though abandoned, rejected by him, according to Mother Teresa: The Smile of Calcutta, a storybook for young children. In her heart, she felt darkness and emptiness. She experienced the suffering of the poor who did not feel loved. She shared in the loneliness Christ suffered on the Cross. Only the priests who worked with her knew about this dark night of the soul, an experience seen in the lives of some other saints. Working with text by Charlotte Grossetete, originally written in French, Ignatius Press editor Vivian Dudro said she spent lots of time working on how to phrase that part. ... You picture a young child reading about this pain in a saints life or having this story read to them. How do you explain something like this in a few simple words? This dark night is clearly a crucial part of the life of the Albanian nun who was canonized this past weekend as St. Teresa of Kolkata. The formal petition to Pope Francis concluded: Despite a painful experience of inner darkness, Mother Teresa travelled everywhere, concerned ... to spread the love of Jesus throughout the world. She thus became an icon of Gods tender and merciful love for all, especially for those who are unloved, unwanted and uncared for. St. Teresas sense of spiritual loss was the mirror image of the intense spiritual visions that, in 1946, inspired her to plunge deep into the slums of Calcutta (now called Kolkata) to serve the poorest of the poor. This move eventually led to the founding of the global Missionaries of Charity. Early in this work, in 1951, her private letters and journals indicate that she prayed to be allowed to experience the isolation and pain Jesus suffered on the cross. Her visions immediately stopped. Lord, my God, who am I that you should forsake me? The one you have thrown away as unwanted unloved, she wrote in 1957. I call, I cling, I want, and there is no one to answer. ... Where I try to raise my thoughts to heaven, there is such convicting emptiness that those very thoughts return like sharp knives. It will be a challenge to explain this concept to young children, said Father James Martin, the author of Jesus: A Pilgrimage and many other popular works of apologetics. He has called Mother Teresa the greatest Catholic saint of modern times because of her faithful service to the poor even while experiencing such a profound challenge in her prayer life. Asked to explain this painful puzzle as schoolteachers and priests will do in the years ahead he said he would focus on the common experience of prayer. Martin offered, by email, these thoughts for children: Do you know how sometimes its hard to pray? Well, believe it or not, Mother Teresa didnt feel like God was close to her. Even though she knew that God was close, she just didnt feel it. She felt very lonely. When she talked to a friend about it, though, he said that even Jesus felt lonely. And poor people feel lonely, too. So Mother Teresa started to understand that this was one way she could be closer to Jesus. This is the key point, stressed Dudro. St. Teresa used her suffering as a motivation to continue serving the poor and abandoned, rather than as an excuse to flee to safety elsewhere. She asked for this experience, and she got it, said Dudro. Thats a powerful and beautiful thing, but thats also the kind of beauty that strikes a chord of terror in me. But she wanted that sense of communion with her Beloved. ... So be careful what you pray for. Right? ... But whatever happens, be faithful and keep putting one foot in front of the other. Keep going. Do you know how sometimes its hard to pray? Well, believe it or not, Mother Teresa didnt feel like God was close to her. Father James Martin Hundreds of family members and friends read out the names of the nearly 3,000 people, including Indians, who died in the 9/11 attacks 15 years ago in a solemn ceremony at a memorial built here on Ground Zero as the US commemorated the anniversary of the biggest terror attack on its soil. Presidential candidates Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton momentarily paused their bitter rivalry and separately joined the people at the 9/11 memorial in downtown Manhattan to honour the 2,977 people killed and the thousands left injured when al-Qaeda terrorists crashed hijacked planes into the twin towers of the World Trade Centre. Moments of silence were observed at precisely the time the planes struck the twin towers, the Pentagon and the one that crashed into a field in Pennsylvania after its passengers overpowered the hijackers. People carried pictures of their loved ones who died in the attacks and placed flowers and American flags in the names inscribed into bronze panels edging the twin reflecting pools at the memorial site. The pools sit within the footprints where the Twin Towers once stood and the names of every person who died in the 2001 attacks as well as in the 1993 World Trade Centre bombing are inscribed into the Memorial pools. Every year at the solemn and emotional ceremony, those who were killed in the attacks are remembered by not just their families but by hundreds of visitors and tourists who attend the commemoration. The memorial is visited by thousands of city residents and tourists daily to offer homage to those killed in the attacks. A new freedom tower, 'One World Trade Centre', now stands next to the memorial and a museum has also been erected that houses relics, including flags and equipment from the time the towers fell. It tells the stories of the thousands of firefighters, ordinary citizens and law-enforcement authorities who helped save countless lives and toiled day and night to find the survivors in the wreckage. The New York Police Department also held a memorial to remember those officers killed that day, reading out names of each of them. "September 11, 2001 touched every single NYer, but the terrorists did not prevail, because 15 years later we are strong, and we are unified," New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said. New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said flags will fly at half-staff on state buildings for the nearly 3,000 individuals who lost their lives in the 2001 terrorist attacks. Two planes crashed into World Trade Centre, leaving 2,753 dead. A third hit the Pentagon in Washington, killing 184, and 40 more died after a fourth plane headed for Washington crashed into a field in Pennsylvania after passengers overpowered the hijackers. Several Indians working in the twin towers and those in the area were among the victims. New Jersey resident Arjan Mirpuri lost his 30-year old son Rajesh that fateful day. Mirpuri had said his son did not even work at the World Trade Centre but had gone there that day to attend a trade show. "Before that day, Rajesh had never gone to the WTC. 9/11 became the most unfortunate day of our lives," Mirupri had said. The family and friends of 25-year-old Neil Shastri established a foundation in his name and to honour his life, which was taken away in the attacks. The Foundation said on its website that its mission is to continue Shastri's legacy by engaging in various philanthropic endeavours that reflect his generous spirit and passion for learning. "Neil was taken from his wife, parents, brothers, and friends much too early and a left a void that will never be filled. Through the Neil G Shastri Foundation, Neil's family and friends hope that they are honouring his memory by touching a few lives and doing some good in ways that Neil was never able to do," the foundation said. Ceremonies will be held across the US to mark the 15th anniversary of the attacks that changed the country forever. US President Barack Obama had said in May 2011 that "justice has been done" to "those families who lost loved ones to al Qaeda's terror" 10 years after the 9/11 attacks when US Navy Seals carried out a successful operation to kill the attacks' mastermind Osama Bin Laden in a house in Pakistan. Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar today termed as "unimportant" RJD strongman Mohammad Shahabuddin's remarks describing him as "chief minister of circumstances" and said he would go by the people's mandate and not by what someone else says. "We have not got the mandate to give reactions. You (media persons) too are wasting your time and space on this. The whole world knows what is the mandate of the people of Bihar. Should I go by the people's mandate or pay attention to what someone is saying? We have not paid attention to such things in the past. All these things are not important," he told reporters here. Kumar said this in response to a query by media persons on the sidelines of a programme at Bihar College of Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy here. Shahabuddin's description of Nitish Kumar as 'chief minister of circumstances' after his release from jail yesterday has created ripples in political circles. In an embarrassment to the Chief Minister, RJD vice-president Raghuvansh Prasad Singh said, "What is wrong in it (Shahabuddin's statement)? Nitish Kumar has indeed been a Chief Minister of circumstances and not because of his own strength and numbers." Senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi seconded Shahabuddin's remarks. He also termed as a "well planned strategy" of the Nitish Kumar government to ensure the RJD strongman's release from jail. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Amid reports that Prime Minister Narendra Modi summoned former Gujarat Chief Minister Anandiben Patel to Delhi over chaos at a BJP event in Surat, the state party unit has said they were not aware of it and that there was no official communication regarding the development. According to Gujarat BJP's media convener Harshad Patel, the former Gujarat chief minister was on a personal visit to Delhi yesterday to inaugurate a crafts exhibition there. "The state party unit was not aware about PM's summon or subsequent meeting with Anandiben, as there was no official communication about it to the party. Anandiben was in Delhi yesterday to inaugurate a crafts exhibition. It was a private visit," he said. However, sources in the state BJP claimed it was likely that Anandiben may have met Modi yesterday. "Anandiben's visit to Delhi was unscheduled and the party did not have any official communication about it. However, it is highly possible that she may have met the PM yesterday and discussed the events that took place in Surat," a source said. Anandiben was present on the dais with BJP president Amit Shah, Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani and other party leaders when they were booed off stage as members of Hardik Patel's Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti created ruckus and vandalised furniture at a programme to felicitate BJP leaders in Surat last Thursday. The slogan shouting by Hardik's supporters continued even when top BJP leaders like Shah and Rupani started their respective address, forcing them to cut short their speeches. The organisers had then abruptly declared the programme closed and the leaders were whisked away. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Greta Friedman, the woman kissed passionately by an American sailor in the iconic black and white picture taken in Times Square here after the World War II ended in 1945, has died. Friedman, 92, died of pneumonia, her son, Joshua Friedman, said. Friedman had said she was grabbed and kissed by a sailor in a euphoric moment that made for one of the most defining American photos of the 20th century. The black and white image of a woman and an American sailor was shot by the renowned photographer Alfred Eisenstaedt on August 14. 1945, after the of Japan's surrender effectively heralded the end of World War II. The photograph ran as a full page in Life magazine shortly after. Yet the identity of its subjects - a dark-suited sailor and a woman in a white nurse's outfit captured in what seemed to be mid-embrace amid a celebration in Times Square on V-J Day - has long been debated. At least 11 men have claimed to have been the sailor in the photo, while three women, including Friedman, had prominent claims that they were the nurse, the New York Times reported. Friedman said that she did not see the photo until the 1960s, when she came upon a book of the Eisenstaedt's images and found the moment immortalised on the page. She wrote to Life and was told that another person had been identified as the woman in the photo. "I didn't believe that because I knew it happened to me," she said in 2005. "It's exactly my figure, and what I wore, and my hairdo especially." "I felt that he was very strong. He was just holding me tight. I'm not sure about the kiss," Friedman had said. "It was just somebody celebrating. It wasn't a romantic event." Eisenstaedt, a photojournalist who produced more than 2,500 picture stories and 90 covers for Life, did not have a definitive record of the man and woman in the photo. Decades later, he met with Edith Shain, a kindergarten teacher from Beverly Hills, California, who claimed to be the woman in the photo. Eisenstaedt died in 1995 while Shain died in 2010. The photo has served as a symbol of the exuberance Americans felt at the end of World War II, capturing what many saw as a charmingly ideal portrait of the US at a portentous moment of history. It has been the subject of countless reproductions, re-enactments and tributes, the Times noted. Friedman did not shy away from the photo or her role in it, her son said, adding that he said he believed she understood the argument that it was an assault but did not necessarily view it that way. Friedman was born Greta Zimmer on June 5, 1924, in Wiener Neustadt, a small town in Austria outside Vienna. She was one of four daughters born to Max Zimmer, a clothing store owner, and Ida Zimmer. Friedman landed in New York City. She had been working at a dentist's office on Aug. 14, which was why she was wearing the white nurse's outfit, she had said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) US President Barack Obama today urged Americans on the 15th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks to embrace the nation's diversity and not to allow "terrorists" to divide the country. "Our diversity, our patchwork heritage, is not a weakness. It is still and always will be one of our greatest strengths," Obama said at a remembrance service at the Pentagon, one of the sites attacked on 9/11. "This is the America that was attacked that September morning. This is the America that we must remain true to. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Riding high on initiatives taken by both Central and state governments to increase wind power generation, Shriram group entity Orient Green Power is targeting nearly 1,000 MW wind capacity and Rs 1,000 crore revenue over the next 3-4 years. "Considering the initiatives taken by the Centre and various state governments to increase the share of renewable power, especially wind, we see a huge scope for us to almost double our capacity to nearly 1,000 MW in the next 3-4 years," its Managing Director S Venkatachalam told PTI here. Orient, which reported a total revenue of Rs 388.20 crore in fiscal 2015-16, is eyeing Rs 1,000 crore revenue by the time it touches the 1,000 MW mark. The company has a total operational capacity of around 425 MW and 57 MW of projects at various stages of development. "We are hopeful of adding over 100 MW each year to reach our targets," he said, adding some of the states are not only planning to set up new projects but some are likely to look at replacing the older projects. Currently, Orient Power has operational projects in states like Tamil Nadu (308 MW), Andhra Pradesh (75 MW), Gujarat (29 MW) and Karnataka (1 MW) and another 11 MW in Europe. It is also planning to expand in regions like Maharashtra and Rajasthan. The BSE-listed firm is also in the process of firming up loan for 43.5 MW expansion project in Andhra Pradesh. The company is planning to invest around Rs 320 crore for the expansion out of which the debt component will be around Rs 220 crore while Rs 100 crore will be through equity infusion. "We are also in the process of refinancing old wind assets debts with lower interest and longer tenor. We are in the process of getting final approval of flexible structuring 5:25 scheme from existing bankers to extend the tenure of rupee loans by 17 years up to 2033," Venkatachalam said. Orient Green, which also has 106 MW of biomass-based power capacity is in the process of demerging the wind and biomass businesses. It will put the biomass business in a company christened Biobijilee Green Power Ltd. "We have 12 biomass projects in states like Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Telangana and Madhya Pradesh. We want to currently focus on the wind energy which has huge growth potential. At the same time, we want to increase efficiency of our biomass projects," Venkatachalam said. Out of the 12 units, the company has sold its 20 MW biomass plant near Kolhapur in Maharashtra to Singapore-based Sindicatum Captive Power for which it received Rs 81 crore. "We have outlined a strategy to monetize some of the biomass assets and to use the funds generated towards supporting profitable business units. The rationalisation of assets is progressing well," he said. Venkatachalam further said significant progress has been made on the sale of Sanjog unit in Rajasthan and talks are underway for the sale of three biomass units. "We expect another 5-6 units to become profitable in the long-term. We will get about Rs 50-60 crore of equity from the sale of these assets in the next few months", he further mentioned. Venkatachalam further noted that upon completion of divestment, resultant transfer of debt as well as receipt of sale proceeds, the company will enjoy a stronger balance sheet position which will allow it to invest necessary working capital towards elevating the performance of high potential units whose operations have higher profit. The company has about Rs 2,000 crore of debt on its books. Over 300 students from financially weak families from the tribal-dominated regions of Madhya Pradesh have cleared competitive like JEE, AIIMS, AIPMT and NEET among others, thanks to initiatives taken by the state government. "It is unbelievable but true that by pursuing studies in government schools, crossing barriers of financial crunch, 323 students of tribal dominated districts of the state have cleared JEE, AIIMS, AIPMT and NEET examinations," a Public Relation Department Official said today. Notably, 155 students of Mandla, Jhabua, Dhar and Chhindwara districts have achieved distinction to clear these examinations, while three belong to primitive Baiga tribe. "Three students, belonging to Baiga tribe, have successfully cracked the NEET examination. These three students belong to the labour-class family," he said. Success of these students has proved that "light of education" is spreading in the backward, tribal and interior parts of Madhya Pradesh. Many unique experiments were encouraged in tribal districts. Projects like Navratna and Gyanarjan in Mandla district, Akansha project in Dindori, Prayas in Anuppur and project step in Jhabua were run to promote education among such pupils, the official said. Under the Gyanarjan project, 85 students of Mandla district were selected in the JEE and NEET examination in the last two years. One of the student was selected for IIT Kharagpur last year. The students of Baiga tribe who cleared NEET exam are Rameshwar of Singarpur village, Yogendra Kumar Dhurve and Rashmi Dhurve of village Ghughri. The official said that 250 girls and boys have succeeded to clear JEE examination whereas 73 students have achieved distinction to clear NEET examination in the year 2016-17. As many as 21 students belonging to Schedule Tribe community were selected for the IITs. Out of 73 students selected for NEET, 53 students belong to Schedule Tribe community. In 2015-16, 153 girls/boys students of the reserved category had cleared these examinations. Success of these students has proved that "light of education is spreading" in the backward, tribal and interior parts of Madhya Pradesh, he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Of the 3,640 people who committed suicide in Mumbai between 2013 and 2015, over 91 per cent of them, or 3,321 persons never attended school or were dropouts from schools or colleges, an RTI query has revealed. According to the data furnished by the Mumbai police, 332 of these people never attended school, 607 left school after primary education, 1,016 left school before passing class X or SSC, 838 completed only SSC and 528 were college drop-outs. As many as 63 per cent of those who committed suicide in the megacity during these three years were male. The most common way of ending the life was hanging (2,600), followed by setting oneself on fire (450) and by poison. As many as 2,837, or around 80 per cent, were in the age group of 15 to 45 years. The top three reasons for suicide among the men were unemployment, drug abuse and failure in examination. Among the women, marriage-related issues, love affair and failure in examination were the top three reasons. Commenting on the issue, Dr Sagar Mundada, president of Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors, said the Mental Health Care Bill, 2013, which decriminalises suicide attempt, will help people in many ways. "It will allow anyone who has attempted suicide to be treated immediately without the medico-legal process. It will also remove the stigma attached to suicide," he said. Private hospitals often overcharge for treating such patients citing the legal process involved. Decriminalisation would make the treatment affordable. Also, suicide cases will be reported correctly. Under-reporting will be curtailed, resulting in collection of accurate data, Dr Mundada said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Pakistan today said that its special envoy on Kashmir met UN High Commissioner for Human Rights in Geneva and briefed him over the alleged human rights violations on the Indian side of the restive state. Sardar Awais Ahmad Khan Leghari, Special Envoy of the Prime Minister on Jammu & Kashmir and Chairman Standing Committee of National Assembly on Foreign Affairs met Prince Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein as part of Pakistan's efforts to highlight the issue of Kashmir. Foreign Office (FO) said in a statement that Leghari briefed UN High Commissioner "about the ongoing critical human rights situation in Kashmir, underscoring that the matter was of great concern to all Pakistanis." It said that High Commissioner Zeid thanked the Special Envoy for his visit to Geneva and for briefing him on "the human rights situation." "He assured the Special Envoy that his office was carefully observing the situation in the area and was in contact with both India and Pakistan in this regard," the Foreign Office said. The envoy asked the High Commissioner to take concrete measures to immediately end violence in Kashmir. The envoy said that India should fulfil its human rights commitments under the UNSC resolutions and international human rights obligations. Leghari is one of 22 envoys appointed by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to brief the international community about the situation in Kashmir. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) For the first time in over 30 years, Pakistan's Muttahida Qaumi Movement has decided not to collect hides of sacrificial animals on Eidul Azha this year for its welfare projects, citing "unfavourable conditions" and "targeted" by state institutions. The announcement was made by MQM leader Dr Farooq Sattar who said the party reached the decision after consultation with the coordination committee and all office-bearers of the Khidmat-i-Khalq Foundation (KKF). The leader of the party, which had been winning annual major share of hides collection in the metropolis for decades, decided to stay away from the process considering the "unfavourable conditions" that did not allow the party to go for its "social welfare activity". "To generate funds for our social welfare projects, we have only two options, which are Zakat and Fitra collection in Ramazan and hides collection on Eid-ul-Azha," Dawn newspaper quoted Sattar as saying at the party's temporary headquarters. "However, for the past one year, we have not been allowed to carry on with the activities. We were denied this right. We are being forced to announce that we are not collecting hides this Eid." Last year, he said, the law-enforcement agencies "targeted" party workers and "snatched truckloads of hides" donated to the KKF and then handed them over to other charity organisations. The law-enforcement agencies did not allow KKF volunteers to collect hides and they "illegally seized hundreds of truckloads of hides" in Karachi, Hyderabad, Sukkur and other parts of Sindh, he added. The MQM leader said the snatching of truckloads of hides by the law-enforcement agencies despite the fact that the KKF had been granted permission was against the law, the constitution and the official code of conduct. "And it did not end here," he said, adding that dozens of KKF workers and volunteers were arrested in the process who were only collecting hides and then they were booked under false charges. "So we decided to stay away from this welfare work only to keep our workers safe as we don't want to waste our energy under the given circumstances. This gap will allow us to reorganise the KKF and MQM," he said. MQM is a political party claiming to represent the Mohajir (Urdu speaking people) in Sindh. It remains the single largest party in Karachi for decades now and have dominated the political landscape of Pakistan's largest city for years sweeping provincial and national elections but since the clean-up operation began on the orders of the federal government, the party has come under intense pressure. Last month, Pakistan charged London-based MQM leader Altaf Hussain with treason for an inflammatory speech slamming Islamabad. The MQM Chief is reported to have criticised Pakistan by calling it a cancer for the entire world. According to Pakistan media reports Hussain called Pakistan under the Nawaz Sharif administration a "cancer of the world" and an "epicentre of global terrorism. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Days after Hardik Patel-led Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) created a ruckus at BJP chief Amit Shah's event in Surat, members of the same outfit today tried to disrupt two separate events, Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani and state BJP chief Jitu Vaghani were present. While police detained as many as 26 PAAS members for trying to raise slogans at Rupani's event in Jasdan taluka in Rajkot district, they took into custody 11 other members at Vaghani's event in Bhavnagar city. Rupani was in Atkot village in Jasdan taluka today for ground-breaking ceremony of a private hospital and medical college. However, the Patidar community members tried to disrupt his speech by raising slogans. "We detained 26 members of PAAS when they tried to shout slogans like 'Jai Sardar, Jai Patidar' at Chief Minister's programme. They were trying to disrupt the CM's speech. They were kept at Jasdan police station for nearly five hours," a police official said. In Bhavnagar, 11 members of the outfit were detained for attempts to disrupt the event where Vaghani was present, Bhavnagar B-division police official said. "While two persons were detained when they tried to shout slogans and disrupt the programme, nine others had been taken into preventive custody before the event," the official said. Last Thursday, BJP president Amit Shah along with Chief Minister Vijay Rupani and other party leaders were booed off stage as the members of Hardik's organisation created ruckus and vanadalised furniture at a programme to felicitate Patel leaders in Surat. That event was meant to felicitate Patidar leaders, like newly-appointed state BJP chief Jitu Vaghani, deputy chief minister Nitin Patel, central BJP ministers Purshottam Rupala and Manshukh Mandaviya. Former Gujarat CM Anandiben Patel was also present on the dais. There were reports that Prime Minister Narendra Modi summoned Anandiben to Delhi over the chaos at the Surat event, although the state party unit said it was not aware of it and that there was no official communication regarding the development. The Patidars, under the banners of PAAS and Sardar Patel Group (SPG), have been demanding reservation under OBC quota for the community. (Reopens BOM 11) Meanwhile, during his address, Rupani reiterated his government's commitment towards supply of water, electricity, and agricultural services for farmers in the state. He said the state will benefit from the Saurastra Narmada Avataran Irrigation (Sauni) Yojana, recently launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and added the Centre's farm loan scheme will also prove to be beneficial to farmers. The programme was also attended by spiritual leader Morari Bapu as well as some state ministers. A group of Patidars also felicitated the guests on the occasion. Udaipur-based agrochemicals maker PI Industries is looking to foray into the sector for manufacturing and export of early intermediates. "Building on our knowledge base in chemistry, we have also planned to foray into the sector for manufacturing and export of early intermediates. We see synergy at the R&D manufacturing and customer end in this area," the company management said in its annual report. The company is already working closely with its global partners, focusing on two to three high-potential molecules for the Indian market under the in-licensing arrangement. "We have made an investment to the tune of Rs 321.44 crore in FY16 to set up two new state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities at Jambusar and R&D centre at Udaipur. "The 60,000 square feet R&D center is equipped with best in class infrastructure and would house around 150 research scientists," PI Industries Chairman Salil Singhal told shareholders at the company's annual general meeting (AGM). The company said its product development team is working on a rich pipeline of products that are being evaluated and are in different stages of registration and it will continue with its tradition of introducing one-two new products every year. "To meet with the requirement of our global customers, combined efforts of our R&D, product development and manufacturing teams resulted in commercialising three new high potential molecules during the year. "We follow a strategy of launching two to three high potential molecules every year leading to sustained revenue growth and healthy margins," it added. The agrochemicals industry is expected to play a pivotal role in driving food security for India, which is on its way to replace China as the world's most populous country. With dwindling land under cultivation and an alarmingly lower portion of that under irrigation, the need to increase farm productivity with efficient use of plant nutrients and protection is pressing. Estimates suggest that the country loses more than 30 per cent of its farm produce to pests and weeds, which warrants containment through adequate usage of plant protection chemicals, Singhal said. The company performed well in 2015-16 given the backdrop of a slowdown in the global agrochemicals industry. Its revenue grew by 8.1 per cent to Rs 2,097 crore, while net profit rose by 28.8 per cent at Rs 313 crore. "In terms of order book position, we closed the year with a record high of USD 850 million. The robust order book with revenue visibility for coming years will continue to drive our investments towards further strengthening our capabilities," PI Industries Managing Director Mayank Singhal said. Fourteen people were arrested today for aggravated trespassing in the West Midlands region of England after a gang of 20-30 sword-wielding men stormed a Sikh temple, apparently opposing a mixed race marriage between a Sikh and a non-Sikh couple. Specially trained officers from Warwickshire Police are still believed to be inside Gurdwara Sahib in the town of Leamington Spa to negotiate with the other men. Fourteen people were arrested for aggravated trespassing in the West Midlands region of England, police said. A spokesperson for Warwickshire Police said: "The report was received at 6.47 am after a group of between 20 and 30 men entered the temple. This is currently being treated as aggravated trespass and at this time we believe that it is an escalation of an ongoing local dispute." "We believe that some of the men are in possession of bladed items and as such armed officers have been deployed to the scene. Officers are inside the temple to negotiate a peaceful resolution," the spokesperson said. "We would like to reassure people that this is not being treated as a terrorist incident," he added. The spokesperson confirmed religious leaders in the temple were working with officers to negotiate a peaceful resolution. "There are police cordons in place around the temple and we would ask that people avoid the immediate area while the incident is resolved," he said. Some reports claim the armed gang is demonstrating against a mixed race marriage, although this remains unconfirmed. Jatinder Singh Birdi, a former treasurer at the temple, said a marriage between a Sikh and non-Sikh couple was due to take place. "There have been tensions that have been going on for a couple of years with some people objecting to mixed marriages in taking place in the Gurdwara," he was quoted as saying by BBC. "The general consensus is people are respectful of mixed marriages if the traditions are respected. Nothing has happened on this level before. This is meant to be one of the happiest moments of somebody's life - it shows a lack of respect," he said. A police cordon is currently in force around the temple while officers and religious leaders try to end the stand-off. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) INK Talks founder and renowned curator Lakshmi Pratury today said among all the personalities she has hosted, Hollywood producer and Avatar Director James Cameroon and renowned social worker Prakash Amte fascinated her the most at her Conferences. "Among the best of guests I had at INK conferences were Prakash Amte and James Cameroon. My father had worked with Gandhiji. To me, Prakash Amte is a modern day Gandhi. He is very humble. He is not doing social service out of sacrifice or whatever, but (because) he loves doing it," Pratury told PTI here. Pratury has hosted celebrities like Cameron, visual data scientist Alexander Tsiaras, French designer Philippe Starck and Indian activist Sunitha Krishnan, who works for eradicating human trafficking, psychiatric rehabilitation and social policy for the victims of trafficking. INK Conference aims to offer individuals a platform to voice their ideas and exchange them with the world. On Amte, Pratury said she is completely blown over by his humbleness and his company brings a lot of peace and serenity around. On the funnier side of Amte, Pratury, who was included in Forbes Magazine's list of Women to Watch in Asia, said the social worker surprises the journalists, especially the foreign correspondents, who mistake him for being a mere servant for his simple dressing at his house. "When he introduces himself as Amte with a better dress on, the foreign correspondents are taken by surprise as they had asked for him mistaking him as servant. That's funny; that's personable, indeed," she said. Asked to react on the elitist tag attached to INKTalks or INKConferences, Pratury said nothing comes for free, but 75 per cent of participants were not celebrities or well known people, who became famous by providing them such a platform. "If you see our talks, only 25 per cent of the speakers are well-known people, but other 75 per cent were not well known when they came on the stage. Some of them became famous because they came on to our stage. We never build campaigns around famous people because we don't know whether they will be participating," she said. Pratury gave an account of a struggling chess player Sandhya Goli, who was selected as INK Fellows of 2016 as she was impressed by her perseverance to make it big through the platform. "There is one girl called Sandhya Goli. She hasn't made to grand master. She will take another four years to be grand master. Because of her perseverance, I was fascinated by it and selected her as one of the INK Fellows". (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Once again highlighting the issue of vacancies in the judiciary and huge backlog of cases, Chief Justice of India T S Thakur today said the process of appointment of judges must be accelerated. The CJI has flagged the issue in his public speeches on many occasions in the recent past. "There are 12 judges per 10 lakh people in the country andat leastthree crore cases are pending in the courts. There is a need to speed up the process of appointment to vacant posts of judges," Justice Thakur said. He was addressing the first state conference of judicial officers, organisedby the Chhattisgarh High Court and the State Judicial Academy, here. As per the Law Commission's report in 1987, 40,000 judges were needed then, but even today the strength of judiciary was only 18,000, he said. If the situation did not change, the figure of pending cases would cross five crore in the next 15-20 years, and crores of people would be deprived of justice, the CJI said. Appointments can be made gradually by setting a target for the next five years, Thakur said, adding that he had expressed his concerns on the issue with the Prime Minister too. The foremost attribute of judiciary is honesty, he said. "If any person, belonging to any sector, is not honest, then he must be a trader ("dukandar"). An arbitrator should not be a trader and is not supposed to sell judgement. Therefore, honesty is the foremost quality needed in the judiciary," the CJI said. A good judge is the one who gives a patient hearing to both the sides before dispensing justice, Justice Thakur said. Supreme Court judge Abhay Manohar Sapre and Chief Justice of Chhattisgarh High Court Deepak Guptawere also present. (Reopens BOM-11) Speaking at the workshop, the Chief Minister, in an apparent reference to Maoists, said, "the destroyers of schools, hospitals and bridges and their supporters can never be the well-wishers of tribal people. "Bastar is undergoing transformation. I am glad to inform that state government's efforts in the field of education has resulted in children of Bastar making it to institutions of national repute such as IIT, IIM, NIT." He said Chhattisgarh is the first state to provide Right to Food Security and skill development to its people. Acknowledging that rules laid by NALSA will play an important role in development of the country, Singh said, "It's a matter of great pride for Chhattisgarh that the CJI is here to deliberate on such an important subject. "The seven rules of NALSA not only protect the rights of people belonging to weaker and backward sections of society but also ensure implementation of state governments' schemes. Rahul Gandhi today took an apparent dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his expensive monogrammed suit as he said that he does not visit the farmers as he fears that his suit might get dirty. "He (Modi) does not go to the farmers so that his suit does not get dirty. He is a leader who loves to travel to the US and China," the Congress vice president said addressing a meeting here in poll-bound Uttar Pradesh. The suit which Prime Minister Narendra Modi wore during his meeting with US President Barack Obama in Delhi last year was auctioned later and was bought for Rs 4.31 crore to Surat diamond baron and private airline owner Laljibhai Patel. Earlier, Rahul, who addressed public meetings at various places here, attacked BSP and the ruling SP, saying while the "elephant" (election symbol of BSP) has eaten all the money, the "cycle" (poll symbol of SP) is standing "punctured" in the state. "Haathi saara paisa kha gaya. Hathi ko apne maar ke bhaga diya (elephant--the election symbol of BSP--ate all the money and then you chased it out)," Gandhi said while addressing a public meeting on the sixth day of his yatra. "Phir aap cycle (SP's election symbol) laaye. Ye paanch saal se phansi hui hai, hil nahi rahi hai. Uska tyre puncture hai aur apko ration card nahi dila pa rahi hai (Then you voted for SP's cycle which has been stranded for past five years. It's tyre is punctured and is not moving. The party could not provide ration cards to you)," he said attacking SP. During his yatra, the Congress vice president had 'chai' (tea) and 'samosa' at a local shop and later paid visit to a Dalit family's home where he had lunch. Appealing to people to vote for Congress in the upcoming elections, Rahul said, "Now you should think about the hand (Congress's election symbol) and then see what we do about ration (cards) and farmers," he said. The Gandhi scion, who is on his 2500 km 'Deoria to Dilli yatra' to connect with the masses in the run-up to the 2017 state Assembly polls, resumed his yatra from Azamgarh and after holding series of meeting in Mau he will reach Ghazipur. Azamgarh is parliamentary constituency of SP supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav. Describing institutions like RBI, EC and judiciary as "soul" of India, Gandhi alleged that they are being "undermined" by the present government. "We respected RBI's independence. It is the financial bedrock of India and now it is is being ridiculed. People in RSS and BJP are under the impression that nobody else's opinion matters but theirs," he said. Turning to the media, Gandhi said it might have shown him in poor light or written against him but he would never scare them or work against their interests. Taking a dig at Modi on yoga, Gandhi claimed that the Prime Minister cannot even perform "padmasana" (lotus pose), a cross-legged sitting position, and said a yoga teacher told him that those who cannot perform padmasana cannot do yoga. Taking the jibe further, Rajasthan Congress unit chief Sachin Pilot said the Prime Minister may not be able to perform 'padmasana' but has made the entire country do "shirsasan" (headstand), a pose in which the performer stands on his head. It was an all-Rahul show where the Congress vice president presided over the convention as party chief Sonia Gandhi has been taking a back seat for quite some time. Rahul had presided over the party's foundation day function on December 28 last and two months back chaired a meeting of the Congress Working Committee, the party's highest decision making body. He had also chaired a meeting of the general body of the Congress Parliamentary Party in the absence of Sonia, who was then said to be unwell, triggering speculation about his elevation. Congress insiders said Rahul's elevation as Congress president was just a matter of time. Gandhi, in his opening remarks, spoke about the note ban, insisting it was for the first time that India's Prime was being "ridiculed world over" for taking such an "ill- conceived" decision. "Never before every single economist of any repute said that Prime Minister has taken an ill-conceived decision," Rahul said, adding demonetisation was a "personal" decision of Modi. Referring to Modi's 2014 Lok Sabha election campaign line that "achhe din" will come when BJP was voted to power, Gandhi said only Congress' return to the helm in 2019 will bring in good days. Gandhi kept up the suspense on the issue of alliance for Uttar Pradesh assembly election, cryptically remarking it will be an "exciting affair". "Uttar Pradesh mein maja aayega (it will be an exciting affair)," he said. Speaker after speaker at the convention, including Ghulam Nabi Azad, Mallikarjun Kharge, Kamal Nath, Ahmed Patel, Kapil Sibal, Sachin Pilot and Jyotiraditya Scindia attacked the Prime Minister. Sibal said a probe will be ordered on how much BJP benefitted from the demonetisation. Gujarat PCC Chief Bharat Singh Solanki said it was important for the Congress to defeat the BJP in the upcoming assembly polls in five states. Youth leader from Assam Sushmita Dev said demonetisation has created such a strange situation that the currency of Bhutan is being used in parts of North East. The convention also adopted a resolution condoling the death of 125 people in the wake of demonetisation which resulted in huge queues outside banks and ATMs, and demanded compensation for the families of the deceased. In another resolution, the party hailed Indira Gandhi in her birth centenary year and accused the NDA government of attempting to "belittle" her life and work. Congress will hold 'Jan Vedna' conclaves across all states between January 20 and 25 and at district and block levels thereafter. Rajasthan government has given its nod to set up a dedicated fund for road safety which will be utilised in activities for training, rectification of black spots, and safety audit among others. The fund will be formed with 25 per cent of the total money collected from penalties, a release said today. "In the fund, financial assistances from the state and central government, CSR from public and private organisations could also be received. The transport department is preparing detailed guidelines for the setting up and execution of the fund," the release said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday met a youth from who has topped the examination for assistant commandant in Border Security Force, saying his success story will inspire many in the state. Singh said he was immensely happy to meet Nabel Ahmad Wani, a young man from Udhampur in Jammu and Kashmir, who topped the BSF assistant commandant examination recently. "The success story of Nabeel shows that youths in have lot of potentials and his success will inspire many young boys and girls in the state," he said. Wani was accompanied by Director General of BSF K K Sharma when he met the Home Minister, who also wished Wani success and bright future in life. The Home Minister also introduced Wani to top officials, including NSA Ajit Doval, Union Home Secretary Rajiv Mehrishi and others, who had come for a meeting with Singh during that time. Wani said that he felt unemployment was the biggest problem being faced by the youth which can only be solved by education. Wani, who is currently serving as a junior engineer in Udhampur, said it was his dream to join the defence forces and serve the country which has now been fulfilled. "The more we get education the better and more jobs we will get. We cannot get education by taking to stones but by holding a pen," Wani said. Ratcheting up pressure on Pakistan, Home Minister will visit Russia and the United States next week to highlight the issue of the neighbouring country sponsoring terrorism in India and discuss efforts to counter ISIS activities in the region. Singh will visit Russia for five days beginning September 18 where he will have bilateral talks with Russian Minister for Internal Affairs Vladimir Kolokoltsev and discuss issues related to Indo-Russia joint anti-terror cooperation. They will also discuss cross border terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir and growing activities of ISIS in the country and its neighbourhood. The Home Minister will travel to Washington on September 26 for a seven-day visit for the Indo-US Homeland Security Dialogue with his American counterpart Jeh Charles Johnson. Singh will raise the issue of Pakistan-sponsored terrorism and activities of ISIS in India and other South Asian countries. "In both the bilateral visits to Russia and the US, the Home Minister will highlight Pakistan's direct involvement in cross border terrorism and growing activities of the Middle East terror group in India and its neighbourhood," a Home Ministry official said. The Home Minister will have threadbare discussions with his Russian and the US counterparts on how to enhance anti-terror cooperation, especially checking the growing activities of ISIS and sharing of intelligence inputs. Other issues to be discussed in the two visits include extradition of each other's wanted criminals, liberalisation of visas etc. The visit by Singh, one of the top leaders of the Modi government, to the two global powers within a week is considered significant as India has raised the pitch on the issue of "terror export" from Pakistan. Prime Minister Narendra Modi raised the issue at the G20, BRICS meet and East Asia Summit, where he called on the international community to isolate and sanction this instigator of terrorism. Modi urged the nations to intensify joint efforts to combat terrorism and sought "coordinated actions" by the grouping to "isolate supporters and sponsors of terror". The government's tough stance comes amid heightened tension with Pakistan, which is openly backing militancy in Jammu and Kashmir which has been hit by unrest for over two months now. "The bilateral visits of the Home Minister are part of India's efforts to create global opinion against Pakistan sponsored terrorism in India," the official said. Further cementing anti-terror cooperation, real-time sharing of intelligence inputs, cyber security and critical infrastructure protection, countering illicit finance, global supply chain security, megacity policing and science and technology are some of the key issues to be discussed at the meetings to be held in Moscow and Washington. Holding the proposed draft Dam Safety Bill by the Centre omits several crucial areas and may end up compromising on accountability mechanisms, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa today requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi to direct the Water Resources Ministry to reconsider the need for the legislation. "The Draft (Dam Safety) Bill omits to cover crucial areas and may end up compromising existing accountability mechanisms and arrangements", she said in her letter to Modi. "I am of the view that since state governments have adequate expertise and experience on dam safety and as the Central Water Commission also associated with Dam Safety aspects, there appears to be no pressing need for necessity to have a Central legislation on the issue", she said. Noting that the draft Bill covers an area falling within the legislative competence of states, she said "Government of India must desist from needless adventurism and not ride rough shod over the federal constitutional framework". "I request you to direct the Ministry of Water Resources to reconsider the need for the proposed legislation on Dam Safety", Jayalalithaa said. Her Government had analysed the Draft Bill in detail and the detailed comments on drafting and related issues would be communicated by the Chief Secretary to the Ministry of Water Resources, River development and Ganga Rejuvenation, she said. She also reiterated that the matter should not be proceeded with in haste without discussing issues raised by Tamil Nadu. Pointing out that her government had objected to the Bill earlier introduced by the then UPA government in Lok Sabha,she said it was unfortunate that none of the views conveyed by her appeared to have been considered while preparing the bill. State governments are fully "conscious" of the duty to manage and maintain dams properly. In this context, any legislation to regulate dam safety "must ensure" that the functions and rights of the state governments are not "abrogated" or "trampled" upon in any manner, she said. In the earlier draft bill introduced in the Lok Sabha, the legislation was to apply only to states whose legislatures had passed resolutions under Article 252(1) calling upon Parliament to make a law on the subject, she said. "No such indication has been given in the present draft and the intent appears to be to extend the legislation throughout the country", she said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Union minister Kiren Rijiju today hit out at Congress over controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naik's NGO donating Rs 50 lakh to an allied entity of Rajiv Gandhi Foundation, saying instead of introspecting the party was falsely accusing the government of leaking information. Rijiju said despite knowing about the transaction, the government did not make public the information or "play politics" over the issue. "The issue of Zakir Naik's Islamic Research Foundation donating Rs 50 lakh to Rajiv Gandhi Foundation or its related body ... We knew it more than a month ago. But we did not want to play politics. "So, we have asked for more information. In the meantime, some individual journalists filed RTI to Rajiv Gandhi Foundation and got the information," the Union Minister of State for Home Affairs told reporters on the sidelines of a function here. The Islamic Research Foundation (IRF), founded by Naik, had donated Rs 50 lakh to Rajiv Gandhi Charitable Trust (RGCT), an associate entity of Rajiv Gandhi Foundation, in 2011 but the amount was returned to IRF by RGCT in July this year. Both the IRF and the RGCT were registered under the Foreign Contribution Regulations Act and such donation of foreign funds from one FCRA registered NGO to another is authorised and legally permitted. Rijiju said there was no question of the government leaking the information or the documents. "We knew it long time back but we did not want to play politics but to get the correct information whatever is there," he said. He said it was "unfortunate that rather than introspecting about what Congress has done, they are just making unnecessary accusation that the government is leaking out documentation." "How can we leak documents like that?" he said on the sidelines of an event held to honour the families of gallantry award winners of central paramilitary forces. The Congress had accused the government of leaking this information. Rijiju later tweeted on the issue saying, "Every action of the government is not announced instantly. There are methods for getting to the bottom of the matter. He added that "illegal inflow of money from outside will be strictly checked and we are doing it." While replying on Naik's recent statement asking what wrong has he done, Rijiju said religion and terrorism cannot go hand in hand. "We abhor equating religion with terrorism. Anybody who propagates terrorism will not bear anything with regard to identity or religion. We look at things that way. National security is most important," Rijiju said. The RGCT, a registered, not-for-profit organisation, was established in 2002 to address the development needs of underprivileged people in the country, especially the rural poor. It works in the poorest regions of Uttar Pradesh, one of the least developed states in the country and Haryana. The IRF is embroiled in a controversy because of allegations that Naik was inciting youths for terror. An IRF spokesman had said a thorough probe was conducted earlier after the new government took over but they could not find any evidence against it. The Home Ministry had suspended Joint Secretary G K Dwivedi, who was heading the foreigners division which deals with the FCRA related issues, and three other officials for renewing the licence of IRF. Congressspokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi had owned upthe donation but claimed it was unsolicited and a one-off affair. Singhvi emphasised that the donation preceded IRF's embroilment in allegations of terror and forced conversions, adding Naik's NGO was not on the watchlist at the time. "It (donation) was discovered by chance when the recent events happened... And some months ago, a remittance was made," Singhvi was quoted as saying. A Royal Nepal airline plane with 160 people on board, which took off from IGI airport here this evening, made an emergency landing within 20 minutes of the take off following a wing flap malfunction. All the people in the Kathmandu-bound flight, however, are safe, airport sources said. "The Royal Nepal Airlines flight number RA-218 which took off for Kathmandu from here at about 20:00 hours, sought an emergency landing permission as a wing flap failed to open. The aircraft had 160 people on board," the sources said. The plane safely landed on runway 28 of IGI airport within 20 minutes of the take off, they said. The operation on runway 28 has been shut due to the incident. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Republican Party of India president and Union minister Ramdas Athawale today said his party is holding talks with the BJP over seat-sharing formula in Uttar Pradesh elections but would contest the poll even if it fails to reach an agreement. He said his party has demanded 20-25 seats from the BJP and the talks in this regard has been held with party leaders Rajnath Singh and Kalraj Mishra. "After a go ahead in this regard by BJP president Amit Shah, we will field candidates. Even if our party does not have an understanding with BJP, we will still contest UP polls on over 200 seats," he added. He said if his party contests the polls in alliance with BJP "we will certainly get majority here". The Dalit leader said he considers BSP supremo Maywati his "sister". "I consider Mayawati as my sister. If she comes to me as sister, I will get her meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi. But she should not become my rival. I am not against her. She is a bold lady of my caste and a good administrator," Athawale told reporters here. The Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment said Mayawati is "using name of Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar. And If she really follows him she should adopt Buddhism. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) China and Russia will hold an eight- day joint naval exercise from tomorrow in the contentious South China Sea, the first drill by any country in the contested waters since an tribunal rejected Beijing's historic claims to the resource-rich sea. The naval drills, the first by Russia and China in the South China Sea, will be held off southern China's Guangdong Province, and was reportedly not close to Beijing's nine-dash line which was struck down by the arbitration court in The Hague in July in a case brought by the Philippines over Beijing's maritime claims there. The drills were "routine" and not directed at any other countries, Chinese Navy said in a statement on Sunday. Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan alongwith the Philippines, contest China's claims over the South China Sea. Its historic claims, incorporated in the contested "nine dash-line", were struck down by the arbitration court which also upheld Philippines's claims to the sections of the sea close to its coast. Trade worth more than $5 trillion passes through the strategic South China Sea annually. The US and Japan have said that the tribunal's verdict is legally binding but China's claims got a fillip when Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed his backing to Beijing's stand this month while attending the G20 summit in Hangzhou. "We stand in solidarity and support of China's position on this issue - not to recognise the decision of this court. This is not a political position, but purely legal," Putin has said. He, however, said the dispute should be resolved peacefully by the parties concerned. The naval drill, which was announced in July, will feature Navy surface ships, submarines, fixed-wing aircraft, ship- borne helicopters marine corps and amphibious armoured equipment from both navies, Chinese navy spokesperson Liang Yang said. Most of the Chinese participants will come from the Nanhai (South China Sea) Fleet under the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN), he said. Together, Chinese and Russian participants will undertake defence, rescue, and anti-submarine operations, in addition to joint island seizing and other activities, Liang said. The drill, from September 12-19, is part of an annual event, which aims to consolidate and advance the Sino-Russian comprehensive strategic partnership, he said. The annual China-Russia joint naval exercise is the fifth of its kind between the two countries since 2012. The drills were held in 2012 in the Yellow Sea; off the coast of Russia's Far East in 2013; and in the East China Sea in 2014. In 2015, the drill was conducted in two phases: in the Mediterranean in May and then in the Peter the Great Gulf, the waters off the Clerk Cape, and the Sea of Japan in late August. Ruling Shiromani Akali Dal-BJP combine in will create history again by winning the Assembly elections for the third consecutive time next year on development agenda, Union Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal has said here. The Minister for Food Processing Industries and SAD MP from Bathinda said the alliance will be voted back because it had worked hard for the future of the state on an agenda of "development, development and yet more development". "For the future and progress of Punjab, this government has worked very hard. A lot has been done, there is always a lot more that needs to be done. I am very confident that we will do a hat-trick and create history for the third time,"she told PTI during a visit to the UK earlier this week. "The SAD-BJP government in created history in the last elections by bringing in a government second time, where a sitting government had never been voted back into power. Not only were we voted back but we were voted back with a bigger majority than what we had come in with the first,"said the daughter-in-law of Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal. Punjab is scheduled for polls in January-February 2017 and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has jumped into the fray besides SAD-BJP's traditional rival Congress. Badal, however, said she was confident of victory because "inthe last 10 years, there is not a single Punjabi in any city or any village who would say that development has not happened in the state." She added: "The World Bank has ranked Punjab as the best destination in ease of starting up a new business...Take any sector, in education - we were 14th when we took over, today we are 2nd in the country. "We were a power deficit state, but now we are a power surplus state; the revenues of the state have gone up three times; we have three international and five domestic airports; the entire infrastructure has been upgraded." She said Punjab is the only state where water and electricity for farming is given absolutely free of cost, which is a huge support to farmers. "These kind of concessions have only been given in Punjab whenever an Akali Dal government comes in," she said. The minister was on a three-day visit to the UK to promote India as a destination for food processing. She held talks withall the top UK retails chains including Sainsbury's, Marks & Spencer, Tesco, Partridges, Waitrose, Holland & Barrett and Harrods. "Everyone has shown a lot of interest either in coming to India or tying up with local people and even sourcing from India.We are hoping to hold a World Food Summit alongside the Vibrant Gujarat Summit in Ahmedabad in January,where we have invited all these representatives to come and make a common platform of stakeholders," she said. The Indian government had recently allowed 100 per cent foreign direct investment (FDI) through the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) route in marketing of food products produced and manufactured in India. "We want global giants to come and Make in India, not just for India but we are looking at making India the food factory of the world because that is the kind of raw material base we have," she said. Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) today announced its first list of candidates for the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections to be held early next year. The SAD announced the name of 21 candidates. "This is the first list of SAD candidates. Another list may be issued soon," party MPs Prem Singh Chandumajra and Balwinder Singh Bhunder said here. "The SAD will seek an alliance with the BJP in Uttar Pradesh on the Punjab pattern," they said "If it does not fructify, the party will contest polls alone as it has the right to expand its base in the state which has 1.5 crore Punjabis," Chandumajra said. Former Uttar Pradesh chief secretary Rai Singh will be the party's president in the poll-bound state, while his wife Raj Rai Singh, who was finance minister in BJP-BSP government, will be the party's candidate from Pilibhit. The SAD has also roped in Ram Hirde, president of Ravi Dass Sabha in Uttar Pradesh. The Akalis' have chosen to field candidates from constituencies having a considerable Sikh and Punjabi population, including Pilibhit, Ghaziabad, Gola, Bilaspur (Rampur) and Rae Bareli. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Scotland Yard is facing allegations of racial discrimination including by a British-Indian woman officer who was called a "good little Hindu girl". Legal firm Equal Justice this weekend disclosed details to 'The Sunday Times' of six new discrimination claims, involving race, sex and gender, being lodged against the Metropolitan police (Met). Lawrence Davies, head of Equal Justice, has allegedly provided details of six new anonymised claims to show the scale of the challenge in stopping discrimination within the force. It is alleged in one case a British-Indian woman detective was described as a "good little Hindu girl" and another was told by male colleagues: "You need to grow a beard, shout more and be more masculine." "The evidence is clear that the Met is no longer a safe working environment for a black and ethnic minority officer," Davies told the newspaper. An inquiry published last week by the UK's Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) into race discrimination at the Met Police found officers expected to be victimised if they complained about discrimination. However, the report concluded no equality laws were breached. The Met Police said it could not comment on anonymous claims that may be subject to ongoing legal proceedings or active investigation. It said: "Of the 68 employment tribunal claims brought against the Metropolitan police last year, we lost only three cases. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Non-tariff barriers, ways to promote services sector and cooperation in intellectual property rights (IPRs) are the key issues to be discussed in the meeting of trade ministers of BRICS on October 13 here. Besides, trade ministers of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS) would also deliberate on enhancing collaboration among small and medium enterprises (SMEs), an official said. "Before this meet, senior officials of these five countries would meet on October 11 and 12 to work out the details about ways to boost commerce and investments," the official added. The officials of the group are also expected to work on an outcome document which could find place in the communique released after the meeting of the trade ministers. Member countries would also deliberate on increasing cooperation in IPR related matters to promote innovation and entrepreneurship. Experts stated that India should raise the issue of non- tariff barriers which domestic exporters are facing in Brazil, Russia and China. "Exporters face lot of issues related to registration of pharmaceutical products, sanitary and phytosanitary matters in agri goods and certain mandatory norms in IT sector. These acts as barriers which needs to be removed to boost trade among BRICS members," said Ajay Sahai, DG of Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO). Trade Expert and Professor at Jawaharlal Nehru University, Biswajit Dhar, said member countries should enhance their cooperation not only at regional level but also at multi-lateral forums like WTO. "Currently there is lack of coordination among BRICS members on trade related matters. Close coordination is required in that front at the WTO related matters also," Dhar said. There will also be a meeting of BRICS Business Council, which would deliberate on ways to increase investments, and a three-day trade fair, starting from October 12 here. These meetings are part of the eighth annual Summit of BRICS. India is hosting summit from October 15-16 in Goa in its capacity as chair of the influential bloc comprising five countries with 42 per cent of the world population and combined GDP of over USD 16 trillion. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi today asked whether Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar will invoke the Crime Control Act against RJD strongman Mohammad Shahabuddin, demanding speedy trial in all cases pending against him. "Will the Chief Minister dare to invoke the Crime Control Act (CCA) against Shahabuddin? Or will he extern Shahabuddin from the state till the CCA is invoked against him? Mr Chief Minister, Shahabuddin and Sushasan (good governance) cannot go hand in hand. You will have to choose one of them," he said. Demanding speedy trial of all cases pending against Shahabuddin, Modi questioned whether the fair probe into the murder case of journalist Rajdeo Ranjan and trial in the Rajiv Roshan case were possible if Shahabuddin was out of jail. "How permission was granted to take out a procession of hundreds of cars with arms while Shahabuddin was going to his hometown of Siwan from Bhagalpur jail?" he said, adding why toll tax was not taken from hundreds of vehicles used in the procession. "Will the government provide security to the family members of journalist Rajdeo Ranjan, and Rajiv Roshan, who was an eyewitness in the killing of his two brothers, who were drenched in acid in 2004?" Sushil asked. The BJP leader also wondered whether the state government would appeal in the division bench of the High Court against the bail granted to Shahabuddin in the Rajiv Roshan murder case. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Dismissing criticism over the ads featuring Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Telecom Minister Manoj Sinha has said there is nothing wrong in someone fulfiling Prime Minister's dream to provide digital connectivity. He also said the tariff war unleashed by by offering free voice calls and data at low price is "healthy competition" that will ultimately benefit users. Sinha, 55, who replaced Ravi Shankar Prasad at the high-profile ministry in the last Cabinet reshuffle three months ago, also countered charges by COAI, the association of incumbent telecom operators, that sector regulator Trai is biased, saying "show me a decision taken by Trai favouring anyone". In an interview to PTI, he said the intention of Prime Minister's Digital India campaign is to bridge the digital divide and use the Internet as a growth enabler. "I think when the Prime Minister launched Digital India campaign, the intention was to end the digital divide in the country. If anyone is giving digital connectivity to people on a large scale, then in a way, he is fulfilling the dream of the Prime Minister... Then I do not see any objection," he said. He was responding to the criticism by political parties, particularly the Congress and the AAP, over the Prime Minister featuring in a full-page newspaper advertisement issued by immediately after billionaire Mukesh Ambani announced the launch plan at the RIL AGM. He hit out at the Congress for "doublespeak", saying, "I have received letters from 10-20 senior Congress leaders complaining that Reliance Jio is not getting points of inter-connect (from other operators) and that immediate action should be taken... It is doublespeak." Refusing to be drawn into the debate on whether or not requisite permission was taken from the PMO for use of the photograph to promote a commercial service, Sinha said, "It will be better if you ask this question to the Prime Minister... Whether there was permission or not. I cannot give my opinion on this." On the price war unleashed by Jio, he said: "Healthy competition in the sector is good for consumers and as a minister, I feel consumer is God. Asked if this fierce competition triggered by Reliance Jio's entry as healthy or disruptive, the telecom minister recounted the journey the sector had made from a point when call charges were as high as Rs 15-17. "There was a time when call rates were Rs 15-17... The journey began from there and then moved to Rs 1, and now to a point where it seems it does not require any money (free calls)," he said. On September 1, Reliance Industries announced that customers of Reliance Jio - its telecom venture - will get free voice calling and roaming services, bundled with data access for Rs 19 onwards, making the offering one of the "lowest" globally. These tariff plans come into effect from January 1. Till then, all customers will get free access to unlimited voice calls (local and STD), SMSes and data. On the ongoing tussle between incumbent operators and the new entrant over the points of inter-connect, he said, "Be it tariffs or points of inter-connect, it comes under the domain of Trai (and not the telecom ministry)." "It is alright when someone is testing network whether you should give inter-connect points or not... But once the commercial service is launched, then everyone shares network with each other. I think there are enough rules in place and Trai will look into it," the minister said. Asked about allegations of bias against Trai, he said, "Show me any decision that Trai has taken (with bias). Without any conclusion in place, it is not appropriate to form an opinion about someone." The minister also spoke of trust being restored among investors with the Modi government coming to power. "Before the Modi government, there was a trust deficit among investors, be it domestic or foreign investors. Now, that trust has resumed. Now, people know there will be a level-playing field. There will be no injustice and bias against anyone," he said. He listed completion of Bharat Net project and bridging the digital divide as the government's top priority. "It (Bharat Net) reaches in rural areas as soon as possible as per government's top priority," Sinha said. Bharat Net, formerly known as the Optical Fibre Network, has missed several deadlines in the past. The government now expects to complete the laying of optical fibre across all 2.5 lakh panchayats by 2018. "I don't know what happened earlier, but now the target of the government to complete phase one of laying optical fibre network in village panchayats will be completed by March 2017 and I am saying this with rigidity and on my responsibility," Sinha said. Reeling under an onslaught of cheap imports, domestic stainless steel industry has urged the government to raise the import duty on such products to 12.5 per cent. Stainless steel flat product imports hit a record 5.32 lakh tonne (LT) in 2015-16, which is 25 per cent of the total domestic demand of about 24 LT. Since 2011-12 (3.07 LT) inbound shipments have grown by 50 per cent, industry body India Stainless Steel Development Association (ISSDA) said. India produces about 30 LT of stainless steel, which is mainly used in kitchen-related products followed by process industry, engineering, automobiles, railways and buildings. "Like steel, stainless sector is also facing a spate of cheap imports that now accounts for one-fourth of the domestic consumption. We are requesting the government to protect the industry," ISSDA President N C Mathur told PTI. Industry is demanding that government raise the basic customs duty (BCD) on finished stainless steel flat products from 7.5 per cent at present to 12.5 per cent, which is on par with that on carbon steel. Also, as several raw materials used in making stainless steel are imported, it is urging the government to bring the import duty on such products to zero, Mathur added. "We were excluded from the minimum import price (MIP) as well as from the carbon steel customs duties, when they were raised twice last year. But, now the situation for us is very bad and already industry is in crisis," he said. ISSDA is also demanding imposition of a provisional countervailing duty of hot rolled and cold rolled flat stainless steel products from China. "Of the 5.32 LT imports in the last fiscal, 50 per cent alone came from China. Imports from China have grown over two-fold to 2.77 LT in 2015-16 from 1.13 LT in 2013-14," Mathur said. ISSDA said that stainless steel producers have invested around Rs 35,000 crore towards modernisation and capacity expansion since 2000, which will be of no use if government does not support the industry at this juncture. "We are asking for short-term support for 1-2 years as the industry has to meet interest payment and debt obligations that in such an environment will not be possible. These cannot wait for the budget as from the data you can see how grave the situation is," Mathur rued. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A 22-year-old engineering student here was allegedly beaten by a group of people for posting "derogatory" remarks on social media against Kannada film actors. According to the police, the incident occurred yesterday near the college where the youth was studying and they got to know about it only through media reports. A purported video of the incident has gone viral on the internet showing around half-a-dozen men thrashing the student. It was alleged that he had also made comments, which were later deleted, against the ongoing Cauvery water agitation in Karnataka on the social media. The group is understood to have let off the youth, who was born and brought up in the city, after he apologised, police said, adding that none of the sides came forward to register any complaint. Meanwhile, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has appealed to social media users to not support any hate campaign. "I appeal to Twitter users to not support any hate campaign. It is irresponsible and mischievous to support hate messages of any kind," he has tweeted. Protests by farmers and pro-Kannada outfits have been reported from several parts of the state since the Supreme Court order asking Karnataka to release water to Tamil Nadu. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) With two more deaths being reported today, the toll in suspected hooch tragedy at Vareli village in the district rose to 15. In-charge district collector K Rajesh confirmed that two persons died in Haripura village. The state government has not officially termed the incident as a hooch tragedy and referred to it as "unnatural death". "At least 15 persons have died unnatural death in Surat during last one week," the government stated in a release issued today. The government will bear all expenses for the treatment of victims admitted at different hospitals. The deaths, attributed to hooch, are being reported from last week, mainly from Valeri village in Palsana taluka. Rajesh had said yesterday six persons are undergoing treatment at government and private hospitals. He had said the exact cause of the deaths is yet to be ascertained, though methanol poisoning is not ruled out. The Forensic Science Laboratory at Gandhinagar was examining the viscera and other samples of the deceased. Meanwhile, a three-member committee, formed yesterday by the government to probe the issue, today interacted with officials here. The panel, headed by ADGP (police reforms) VM Pargi, also met some of the victims at Surat civil hospital. Pargi told reporters the committee will submit its report to government within three days. "We are here to probe the reasons behind suspected unnatural deaths. We held discussion with doctors as well as other officials to find out the exact cause of these deaths. We will submit our report within three days," the ADGP said. Two other members of the panel are the Director of Prohibition and Excise B K Kumar and Deputy Director of Gandhinagar-based Forensic Science Laboratory, M S Dahiya. State Tribal Development Minister Ganpat Vasava visited Haripura village to take stock of the situation. "It is too early to term these deaths as hooch tragedy. It's a matter of investigation whether these villagers have died due to spurious liquor. To find out the reasons, we have formed a committee. Based on their report, government will take strict action against culprits," he told reporters. However, local Congress MLA Anand Chaudhary claimed that the government is hiding facts from people. "Whether the government accepts or not, these villagers have died due to spurious country-made liquor, as such liquor is being sold freely in this area since long under the nose of police," said Chaudhary, who represent Mandvi seat in district. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Police have arrested three men for allegedly using abusive language with a policewomen during Ganesh immersion procession near Shivjai Park in central Mumbai. The incident took place last night. Santosh Goudar, Vinod Parsi and Gajanan Pakale got into altercation with the lady officer when she told them to take care of themselves or they will fall down. All three were allegedly drunk. Irked, they hurled abuse at her, a police release said. They were arrested under IPC sections 509 (word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman), 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace) and 186 (obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions). (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A transgender in Pakistan was shot and injured allegedly by a man over a monetary dispute in this city, the sixth case of violence against trans people in northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province this year. The transgender, Deedar, was attacked yesterday when she visited the house of her alleged attacker, Shahid, to take back her money which was loaned to him, police said. She alleged that she had lent Shahid over Rs 100,000 two months ago, which he had promised to return in a month, but later he refused to return the loan, the Dawn reported. "When I went to his home for my money, Shahid not only misbehaved but also dragged me out and shot at me," Deedar was quoted as saying by the Dawn . The injured transgender was shifted to Khyber Teaching Hospital (KTH). "She was shot in the arm, we provided initial treatment in the emergency department and later shifted her to the surgical ward," said a senior doctor at the emergency department of KTH. A large crowd of transgenders gathered at the hospital following the incident. The president of Shemale Association of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa demanded protection for her community, saying they felt insecure. After recording Deedar's statement, police raided a house in the Pishtakhara area and arrested the accused. This is the sixth reported case of violence against trans people in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa this year, the daily said. In June, a transgender was shot multiple times for allegedly resisting sexual advances by a group of armed men. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Tribal rights will be protected at any cost in Assam and tribal society needs to be uplifted from illiteracy and poverty in the state, Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal today said. All illegal encroachment on tribal land would be removed by the government and rights of the sons of soil would be upheld at any cost, Sonowal said at a Vision Document release function of the Akhil Bharatiya Vanavasi Kalyan Ashram (ABVKA) here. He said tribal people live in difficult socio-economic conditions and factors like illiteracy and poverty have halted their development process, which has reduced them to minority in their own homeland. Taking a strong stance against such practices, Sonowal said the government was determined to bring the tribal people of the state at par with other communities. He said taking advantage of their weaker socio-economic status the anti-social elements like terrorists organisations were luring away some of the tribal youths, which would not be allowed to continue. Both central and state governments have been working towards making an inclusive society where rights of all communities were upheld and benefits of government schemes reach all people cutting across all barriers, Sonowal assured. Urging the people of Assam to work hard to achieve their goals in life, the Chief Minister said government schemes would only be successful when people work hard to take their benefits. The tribal youths must work towards making meaningful contribution to society through sincere and dedicated endeavours, staying away from social evils like drugs and other anti-social activities, he said. Prime Minister Modi's ambitious schemes like Jan Dhan Yojana, Fasal Bima Yojana etc were all aimed at enabling the underprivileged sections of society to make the dream of an inclusive society a reality, he said. Sonowal said ABVKA has been doing commendable job in highlighting the issues of the tribal society and the Vision Document would go a long way in helping the government to formulate ways for tribal uplift. The Document would help the government in implementing tribal welfare schemes in the coming days as extensive research has gone into highlighting all issues and concerns of the tribal society, he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Turkey today removed 28 mayors accused of links to Kurdish militants or US-based cleric Fethullah Gulen, using emergency powers to replace them with state-appointed trustees in a move that sparked accusations of trampling on democracy. The mayors have been suspended from their posts on suspicion of links to the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) which is waging a deadly insurgency in the southeast, or Gulen, who is blamed for the July 15 failed coup, an interior ministry statement said. Using special powers under the state of emergency imposed in the wake of the abortive putsch, they have been replaced by state-appointed trustees, similar to administrators appointed to head a company that goes into bankruptcy. Twenty-four of the outgoing mayors are accused of links to the PKK and four of links to Gulen, the ministry said. The reclusive cleric denies charges of masterminding the coup. The move is the most important step yet taken by new Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu since he took over from Efkan Ala in a surprise reshuffle earlier this month. Soylu said the move meant that local municipalities would no longer be controlled by "terrorists or those under instructions from Qandil", referring to the PKK's mountain base in northern Iraq. The decree was issued under the three-month state of emergency imposed after the coup. The incumbents had been elected in 2014 local polls. The municipalities affected -- mainly in the Kurdish-dominated southeast -- include hugely important urban areas known as centres of PKK activity such as Sur and Silvan in the Diyarbakir region and Nusaybin in the Mardin region. The mayors of the cities of Batman and Hakkari in the southeast have also been replaced. The interior ministry said 12 of the mayors suspended were already under arrest. Shortly after the move was announced, the authorities detained the former mayor of Cizre in Sirnak province, Leyla Imret, who in 2014 became one of Turkey's youngest ever mayors, the Dogan agency said. There were scuffles between protesters and police outside the town hall in Hakkari and also in Suruc in the Sanliurfa region where dozens were killed last year in an IS suicide bombing, Dogan said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Turkey's military said today that its warplanes killed 20 Islamic State group fighters in an attack on targets in northern Syria, while Turkey's president renewed a pledge to destroy the group. Warplanes had struck three buildings identified as belonging to IS, the Chief of General Staff's office said in a statement. A vehicle and motorcycle also were destroyed in the airstrike yesterday evening that came less than two days before a US-Russia agreement on a cease-fire in Syria takes effect. In separate airstrike today, Turkish jets struck Kurdish rebel targets in northern Iraq, killing 13 militants. The state-run Anadolu agency cited a statement from the Chief of General Staff's office saying the militants were killed in three airstrikes that also took out weapons emplacements in Iraq's Qandil mountains and the Bazian and Avasheen regions. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan reiterated his government's commitment to eliminating IS in Syria and the threat the group poses to Turkey. Erdogan said in a televised message marking the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha that Turkey has a "primary duty" to its people to destroy IS and prevent it from staging attacks in Turkey. He added that the Turkish government is determined to end the "scourge" of the Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK, which renewed its 30-year insurgency for autonomy within Turkey after peace talks failed last year. Last month, Turkey sent tanks across the Syrian border to help rebels retake Jarablus, a key IS-held border town, and to contain the expansion of a Syrian Kurdish militia. Turkish jets have carried out several strikes against IS targets in Syria since the operation began. But clashes have also reportedly broken out between Turkish and Kurdish forces in the area. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Two persons were killed and one was injured after the motorcycle they were riding on hit an electric pole in Mansarover area here, police said today. The accident took place late last night when the speeding two-wheeler with three men on it collided with a divider and the pole subsequently, they said. Vijay Das (20) and Budaru Das (19) died in a hospital while Kanak Das, the driver, was injured and is being treated the Sawai Man Singh hospital here. The bodies have been handed over to the family members after postmortem. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Tango, the oldest tiger in the UK has died aged 22 at a wildlife park in Lincolnshire. Woodside Wildlife Park said: "It is with great sadness that we must announce the passing away of Tango the tiger." The park yesterday asked people to share their memories and photographs of Tango, who was moved to Lincolnshire in 2014 after being rescued from a German circus, the BBC reported. Tango and his partner were saved hours before they were due to be put down. On his 20th birthday, Tango was given a cardboard birthday cake filled with meat to celebrate his milestone. Speaking at the time, Ben Pascoe, head keeper at the park, said: "He's the equivalent of about an 80-year-old man and I don't know of any 80-year-old men that are still running about." Tigers usually live to about 16, and occasionally into their late teens, he said. The world's oldest known tiger, Flavio, a male Siberian/Bengal tiger, died at Big Cat Rescue in Tampa, Florida, in 2014. Staff at the centre said he was aged 25. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The topper of the Assistant Commandant's exam, Nabeel Ahmed Wani, feels that unemployment is the biggest problem being faced by the youth which can only be solved by education. The resident of Jammu and Kashmir said it was his dream to join the defence forces and serve the country which has now been fulfilled. Terming unemployment as the biggest problem, he said, "The more we get education the better and more jobs we will get." "We cannot get education by taking to stones but by holding a pen," Wani, who is currently a Junior Engineer in Udhampur, said. "I had made it my aim to join the defence forces. I had appeared in various exams including the armed forces and . I am happy I topped Assistant Commandant's exams," he said. Wani had lost his father, who was a teacher by profession, some years ago. "I belong to a village. We had no sources but my mother and father supported me. I did my engineering from Punjab and obtained the first rank in the exams," he said. He also expressed satisfaction that his father's dream of him joining the armed forces as an officer was fulfilled. Senior RJD leader Raghuvansh Prasad Singh today echoed party colleague Mohd Shahabuddin's lack of faith in Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's leadership, saying he did not agree with his appointment to the top post but obeyed the decision of the grand alliance. "Lalu Prasad is our leader and we wanted him to be chief minister. When the grand alliance was formed, then its leaders decided that Nitish Kumar would be their leader. I did not agree with it but obeyed," the former union minister said. Lalu cannot contest elections or hold an official position due to his conviction in a corruption case. Singh also attacked the tough prohibition law enacted by the Bihar government, saying it was being used to defame people. He has been a critic of JD(U) chief Kumar who continues to be distrusted by a strong section of RJD leaders. Shahabuddin, a gangster-turned-politician, had yesterday called Kumar a "chief minister of circumstances", soon after he was released on bail after spending many years behind bars. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Inspired by Donald Trump's strident stance on immigration, students at the Washington State University are seeking to build a "Trump wall" in support of the Republican Party nominee. "I think it's going to be a good event," James Allsup, president of the university's College Republicans chapter, said. "Hopefully people will come out and get informed, and we can have a dialogue about the issues. I'm expecting a wide range of feedback," Allsup was quoted as saying by the Spokesman-Review. The group has requested approval from university officials and hope to have the wall built by October. The university, which is in Pullman, Washington, would be the second school to hold such a demonstration in the state. Trump supporters at the University of Washington erected a plywood wall at the Seattle campus. But some students at Washington State University said they disapprove of the demonstration, though they respect the College Republicans' right to free speech. "As a Latino student, it's disappointing to see that some of my peers want to do something like this and put other students in an uncomfortable situation," Eduardo Ramos, a sophomore and member of the Latino student group MEChA said. But Allsup said the demonstration is not about race. Immigration has become a sensitive issue in Trump's presidential campaign. He recently gave a fiery speech on his immigration policy, the same day he met with Mexico President Enrique Pena Nieto. In his speech, Trump vowed "no amnesty" for millions of undocumented migrants living in the US and threatened to deport them if he becomes president. Trump maintains the US will still build a wall, and that Mexico will pay for it despite Mexican officials insisting the country will not foot the bill to stop the flow of illegal immigrants to the US. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A 49-year-old woman parachutist died after her chute failed to open and she crash-landed "spinning like a top" in County Durham, UK police said today. Witnesses described seeing the woman rapidly spiralling down to earth entangled in the canopy cords of her parachute before landing in a nearby Shotton Colliery housing estate. The parachutist who crashed into a parked car had been "spinning like a top" as she fell to the ground, The Guardian reported, quoting a witness as saying. The as-yet-unnamed woman, from Hebburn, South Tyneside, was flown by air ambulance with critical injuries to hospital in Middlesbrough following the incident yesterday afternoon. She later died in intensive care, police said. The woman had jumped before but not in the UK, Durham Police said. Detective Inspector Dave Cuthbert said: "This is a tragic incident. The lady who has died was using her own equipment and was making her first sky-dive in this country, having previously made parachute jumps abroad. Witnesses said the sky diver did not scream during the descent and had her legs and arms open prior to hitting a hatchback car, which was parked outside a detached home on a cul-de-sac on the outskirts of the village, about 400 metres from a skydiving centre based at Shotton airfield. The dead woman was one of a group of parachutists who had taken off from the nearby airfield, the BBC reported. The coroner has been informed and a post-mortem examination is due to be carried out on the woman's body. It is understood residents carried out Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) on the woman before paramedics arrived at the scene, where she had landed close to a car. One witness, who did not want to be named, said it did not look like the woman was moving before she hit the car and he thought she was unconscious. "She was not screaming," he said. "All I can see is her spinning like a top." He did not see the impact, but later saw the woman on the ground as people tried to help her, after she appeared to have suffered a serious head injury. Ian Rosenvinger, from the Skydive Academy at Peterlee parachute centre said that the canopy on the woman's parachute rotated round and round, leading to a heavy landing. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The woman who had allegedly drowned her three minor sons in a well before attempting suicide, was arrested from Gurujang village in Odisha's Angul district today, the police said. The woman, identified as Soubhagini Behera, who had fled after being rescued from the well yesterday, was caught from a temple where she was hiding, Inspector In-charge of Kishorenagar Police Station, I Kerketta said. Behera had attempted suicide after allegedly pushing into the well the three boys, aged around 6, 4 and 2 years, the police said. While fire brigade personnel rescued the woman from the well after being informed by villagers, the three children could not be saved, they said adding, the woman ran away shortly after being pulled out. The woman was now being interrogated by the police to ascertain the circumstances under which she had taken the extreme step, they said. Her husband, who was the sole breadwinner of the family, was now lodged in jail after being arrested for some offence and the woman was apparently finding it difficult to manage the family, the villagers said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilisers Ananth Kumar today said efforts were on to start the construction of a Rs 6,000-crore proposed fertiliser plant in Madhya Pradesh this year. "We want to start the construction work of the plant this year itself. Officials of Union Chemicals and Fertilisers Ministry are holding talks with their Madhya Pradesh counterparts to choose a place," he told reporters on the sidelines of a function. The proposed fertiliser plant will be made ready for manufacturing within three years, he said. According to the minister, the plant will operate on public-private partnership (PPP) model and envisages production of 13 lakh tonnes of urea per year to meet the demands of farmers in the state. Kumar said his ministry plans to develop pharmacy clusters in around 100 acres of land near Indore. Under the proposed project, more than 100 ancillary units of health and drugs will be allocated land to generate 40,000 jobs, he said. To a query, he said the Narendra Modi government is working continuously to restore peace in Kashmir and added that the visit by an all-party delegation has sent a positive message among people of the Valley. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In a bid to stop the killing of elephants for their tusks, world governments have voted at a major conservation conference to urge the closure of all domestic ivory markets. After fierce debate -- including opposition from governments like Namibia and Japan -- the motion was adopted on the final day of the International Union for Conservation of Nature World Conservation Congress, a 10-day meeting that drew 9,000 people to Honolulu, Hawaii this month. "Today's vote by IUCN members is the first time that a major international body has called on every country in the world to close its legal markets for elephant ivory," said Andrew Wetzler, deputy chief program officer at the Natural Resources Defense Council. "It's truly a landmark moment, and a victory for elephants that will hopefully be repeated later this month at the next meeting of Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) in Johannesburg." Although the motion is non-binding, it "urges the governments of countries with domestic ivory markets to take all necessary legislative and regulatory efforts to close them," according to the IUCN. Experts say that domestic ivory markets help fuel poaching by allowing traffickers a cover for their illegal imports and exports. The United States and China, among the biggest consumers of ivory, have already agreed to enact near-total bans on their domestic markets. At the IUCN meeting, Japan and Namibia -- which also have thriving domestic ivory markets -- sought to soften the language of the motion by making 20 different amendments, but those efforts were rejected. "The global conservation community is stepping up," said Wildlife Conservation Society President and CEO Cristian Samper. "No more domestic ivory sales. Elephants have had enough of the ivory trade and so has the world." CITES banned the international commercial trade in African elephant ivory in 1989. But illegal poaching of endangered elephants for their tusks persists at dangerous levels, according to research released at the start of the September 1-10 conference, the largest of its kind in the conservation community. Savanna elephants have declined at a rate of 27,000 -- or eight per cent -- per year, with a total of 144,000 lost in less than a decade, said the findings. Poaching hotspots identified include Angola, Mozambique and Tanzania, where "staggering population declines" were found, said the study funded by Microsoft co-founder and billionaire philanthropist Paul Allen. Other populations face "local extinction" in northeast Democratic Republic of Congo, northern Cameroon and southwest Zambia. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Actress Renee Zellweger has said she enjoyed having her anonymity back during her six year career break from Hollywood. Now back in the spotlight, the "Bridget Jones's Baby" star has been revealed what she got up to during her time away, saying that she took the time to do the things she would always wanted to accomplish, reported Contactmusic. Speaking on ITV's "The Jonathan Ross Show", Zellweger was asked if she was able to be anonymous during her time away from Hollywood. "Yes actually. When you go away and you are out of people's consciousness, they stop noticing you," she said. "It is fantastic, you order your coffee and you get a coffee and leave. It is really nice because I'd meet people authentically, you'd have authentic conversations on the street and I enjoyed that, that's something that I had missed. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Two days after beleaguered businessman Vijay Mallya told a Delhi court that he felt "incapacitated" to travel to India despite his "best intentions" as his passport has been revoked, the ED has started working on issuing a third attachment order worth a few thousand crore of rupees more against him. The ED has already attached assets worth Rs 8,041 crore as part of its criminal probe against Mallya and this time the targeted assets would include those on foreign shores. Officials said while the Enforcement Directorate has till now been effecting seizure of assets under the stringent provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), the next edition of attachments will be carried out under sections of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC). The agency had got a proclamation issued by a Mumbai court under CrPC against Mallya after he skipped multiple summonses to depose in its money laundering probe in the alleged bank loan frauds worth over Rs 9,000 crore. With Mallya not joining ED's PMLA probe till now, the agency, they said, will the third set of attachment orders for assets held "directly and indirectly" by him, including those at overseas locations like South Africa, the UK and others. It is understood that the agency has already got a dossier prepared in this regard of his shares in companies and other business commitments, and an order for attachment of assets under CrPC would be issued in some time. While sources did not mention the estimated value of the assets that would be attached under the fresh order, it is expected to be worth a few thousand crores of rupees. The agency, meanwhile, has also moved to add fresh charges against him in its existing request to Interpol for issuance of a global arrest warrant and that in the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT) between India and the UK which it wants to invoke in order to force Mallya to join the probe. The ED had on September 3 issued its second attachment order for assets worth Rs 6,630 crore and seized his farmhouse, flats and Fixed Deposits in connection with its money laundering case against him and his associates. The agency had also recently taken over investigation into the alleged loan default of Rs 6,027 crore availed from a consortium of nationalised banks led by SBI, in which a fresh case was also filed by CBI last month. A whopping Rs 43 lakh in cash, 283 mobile phones and 79 laptops were among the belongings left behind by commuters while travelling in the Delhi Metro till August this year, according to the rail network's 'lost and found' data. The recovery of cash forgotten and later restored to the traveller, as per data accessed by PTI, is one of the largest in the last few years. For the entirety of last year, the corresponding figure was only over Rs 18.80 lakh. As per data prepared by CISF, the security force tasked to secure the Metro network, a total of Rs 43,18,155 in forgotten cash was recovered by its personnel apart from foreign currency worth over Rs 26,000 and bank cheques/drafts worth over Rs 40.85 lakh. Besides that, 79 laptops, 23 pieces of gold ornaments, 283 laptops, 63 watches, nine cameras and as many tablet phones were recovered from the Delhi Metro from January to August this year. "These are cases of lost and and found in the Delhi Metro. Such cases occur at some station or the other almost every day. The Central Industrial Security Force is tasked with the security duties in the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation and after recovering these items and scanning them from the point of view threats, the force hands them over to the station controller. "In most cases, the person who forgets his belonging comes back and the cash and other stuff is handed back to the bonafide owner after due verification," a senior official said. The comparative figures for last year's recoveries of foreign currency and bank instruments stood at Rs 16,000 and Rs 1.93 lakh respectively. During the 12-month period, 108 laptops, 26 pieces of ornaments, 37 cameras, 60 watches, 313 mobile phones, 14 tablet phones and half-a-dozen I-Pods were left and found at various Metro stations. The Delhi Metro network has over 150 operational stations running across Delhi, Ghaziabad, Gurgaon and Faridabad. An estimated 26 lakh people use it to travel to their destination every day. Jewellery designer Nirav Modi became the first Indian luxury designer brand to have a 1,000 sq. ft store in the most luxurious address of New York, Madison Avenue, last year. The Nirav Modi store shares space with legendary brands such as Chanel, Hermes, Prada and Gucci, and the designer is known to be shelling out a whopping $1.5 million a year as rental for the store. The store launch was graced by celebrity guests such as US presidential contender Donald Trump, Hollywood actress Naomi Watts and leading model Coca Rocha. Modi even walked the Red Carpet at the Oscars alongside Kate Winslet, who was adorned in a Nirav Modi jewel. Thereafter, he has opened stores on the Old Bond Street in London, Hong Kong and Macau. While Modi's attempt to build a global luxury brand so far has been bang on, and he is confident of being profitable by the end of year three, the big question, however, is, whether the global connoisseurs of luxury take him as seriously. Will they prefer a Nirav Modi jewel to a Cartier or a Tiffany? India may be associated with Maharajas and royalty, and boast a heritage of intricate craftsmanship, but the fact remains that Indians have only supplied their luxurious crafts to other global brands and have seldom invested in building their own brands. Gucci or Chanel may be buying the fine embroidery on their outfits from India, but when a local embroider tries to set up a global luxury brand, it becomes an uphill task. Modi's jewels fetched a whopping `60 crore at the Christie's auction way back in 2010, which gave him the confidence of building his own global luxury brand. However, unlike a Cartier or a Tiffany, which have a heritage of over 100 years, brand Nirav Modi is barely five years old. "In India, luxury is still finding its feet. The European brands have withstood the test of time, and to break into that market, you are breaking into 100 years of establishment," explains Divya Thakur, Founder of luxury design consultancy, Design Temple. A luxury brand not just implies an expensive price tag but an element of timelessness or heritage. Therefore, a brand like Ganjam Jewellers, which has a heritage of over 100 years, could be considered luxury. "It is difficult to find a luxury brand in India in the true sense. Most of the brands are young, hence they don't qualify," say Nitai Mehta and Sumangali Gada, Founders, Forest Of Chintz, a four-year-old high-end jewellery and accessories brand. The duo call themselves 'high-end', since they don't have a heritage to boast about, even though they retail their products (priced between $500 and $3,000) at stores such as Ikram in Chicago, where the likes of Michelle Obama shop, and Bon Marche in Paris. While it may be nice for a luxury brand to have an element of heritage and history, luxury branding specialist Alok Nanda, founder of Alok Nanda & Company, claims that luxury in the contemporary world is more about building the craft, authenticity and narrative. "If you don't have heritage, you should have a convincing story to tell." The first ingredient of a convincing story is obviously the superior quality of the brand, and this is where most Indian luxury brands are trying to score. When Neelkanta Jagdale, Chairman, Amrut Distilleries, launched Amrut Single Malt Whisky way back in 2004 in Scotland, the intent was to give the Scottish single malt brands a run for their money. Jagdale succeeded in doing so and his brand today shares shelf space with leading brands in premium stores such as Harrods and Waitrose in London and other premium retailers in as many as 80 countries. Similarly, Nirav Modi claims the designer is all about authenticity. A third generation diamantaire, he claims that the finest diamonds go into his jewellery. "We spend hundreds of hours creating even a small jewel. If we make a large necklace, it takes us a minimum of 2,000-3,000 hours," he explains. Meanwhile, Hidesign, the premium leather bag maker, is all set to launch its luxury offering, Atelier. Founder Dilip Kapur is trying to build upon the artisinal skill involved in creating the brand. He says that the bags are handcrafted by 12 highly skilled craftsmen, handpicked from the team that makes Hidesign products. "This is a fine moment for anything with quality to stand. Any brand that delivers excellence, vision and strategy can succeed,"agrees Thakur of Design Temple. Daunting Task After being in the over five-decade-old family embroidery business and having worked for most of the leading global luxury brands, Mehta and Gada decided to create a luxury brand (Forest Of Chintz) of their own. The idea was to fill the void of a truly global Indian luxury brand. They also had a perfect start. They were invited to showcase their embroidered bags and accessories at the SS13 show of the Paris Fashion Week. "Working in the luxury space was an advantage only from the point of view of understanding your product and quality. The challenge has been to build the brand," says Gada, who feels that it is a herculean task to build a global luxury brand sitting in India. "You have to picket yourself in a couple of places across the world. You need to have PR, publicity done for you on those locations, which often tends to become expensive," she explains. Most Indian luxury brands also suffer from short-sightedness. So, if you are an Indian brand, you don't think global. Nirav Modi claims that he realised it rather early. "When you look at any luxury product, it's not created for different markets, it's the same in all markets. We take care that our jewellery is not ethnic Indian, but it's global in its appeal." Agrees Gada of Forest Of Chintz. "In order to be a luxury brand in the true sense, you also need to source and manufacture from across the globe," she adds. "We tried printing our scarves in India, but we didn't get the quality, so we printed them in Italy. Similarly, we make bags out of Hong Kong." Nirav Modi says that he will open six stores every year, out of which four would be in international markets, which have a high concentration of the wealthy. Again, a great strategy for a luxury brand. Modi says that the store he has leased on Old Bond Street in London was bought for the highest ever per sq. ft price in London by the investor. Apart from the rentals, which could be anywhere between $2,000 and $3,000 per sq. ft per year, a tenant also has to pay 'key money' to the previous tenant. Though Modi avoids answering the kind of key money he has paid, he says that a tenant for a 300-sq. ft store on the same street, had paid the earlier occupant 8 million as key money just a few months ago. To get the desired return on investment, Modi says that his store has to generate an annual turnover of $25 million. Incurring such high costs is not the cup of tea of most Indian luxury brands, who have no choice but to be happy retailing out of multi-brand luxury stores. This, indeed, is limiting, but brands such as Forest Of Chintz and Amrut Whisky have ensured that they are available in a few high-end retail stores so that they are able to maintain exclusivity. However, Kapur of Hidesign has a different strategy for his upcoming luxury brand, Atelier. He says he will take it abroad, but only to emerging countries such as South Africa, Russia and the Middle-East. "Luxury may be synonymous to Europe, but the whole of Europe is going through severe recession. The emerging economies have far higher spending powers." The likes of Forest Of Chintz are looking at strategic partners to establish themselves firmly in the global luxury market. "We want to raise money with someone who understands the business and will fill the gaps where we are weak," says Mehta. Indian luxury brands are indeed putting their best foot out to carve a niche in the global luxury market, but it's certainly going to take them a while to find their feet. SHARE WEDNESDAY Orientation set for small businesses A small business orientation is from 4-6 p.m. at the Center for Economic Development, 3209 S. Staples St., CED 146. The seminar will provide new business owners information to start a business. Topics include small business loans and financing requirements, business plan, licensing, contracting and permit information and resources. Free. Information: www.seminarscc.com. THURSDAY Entrepreneurship boot camp set The SBA will host an entrepreneurship boot camp for veterans from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Del Mar College Center for Economic Development, 3209 S. Staples St. Learn tips from successful entrepreneurs, how to network to grow a business, how to use social media, and how to finance a business. RSVP required by Set. 13 at jreid@momentumtexas.org. Must bring proof of veteran status and citizenship. Information: 214-773-4663. FRIDAY SBA offers help to start a business The SBA will assist with requirements on starting a business or help on an existing business, applying for a small business loan, free technical assistance from SCORE Corpus Christi and Del Mar College Small Business Development Center. The seminar is from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. at the SBA Corpus Christi Branch Office, 2820 S. Padre Island Drive, Suite 108. Information: 361-879-0017, ext. 301 or elizabeth.soliz@sba.gov Government contracting seminar A business registration for government contracting seminar is from 2-3:30 p.m. at SBA Corpus Christi Branch Office, 2820 S. Padre Island Drive, Suite 108. The seminar will provide guidance to establish business credentials and enhancing business profiles on various governmental search engines. Free. Information and registration: 361-879-0017, ext. 301 or 303 or email elizabeth.soliz@sba.gov. Court reporters seminar offered A seminar for court reporters will be hosted by the Coastal Bend Court Reporters Association from 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Nueces County Courthouse, first floor jury room. Cost: $10. Compiled by Natalia Contreras Does history matter? Consider the impact of one history book, "How the Irish Saved Civilization." The book, published in 1995, at a stroke, changed the image of the Irish people from a wild, uncivilized crowd to the people who laid the foundations of the modern world. It was on the New York Times Bestseller List for more than a year. Any American of Irish heritage probably walked a little taller after reading the book. On the other hand, no one will walk any prouder after reading "Mexican American Heritage," a racially tainted and historically inaccurate proposed textbook for Texas schools. A public hearing on the textbook is scheduled to be held in Austin on Tuesday before the State Board of Education. A decision on the book is due in November. The proposed history book isn't just a badly researched and one-sided view of the role played by Mexicans and Texans of Mexican heritage in history of the state, it is a slur against a whole ethnic group. On page 248 of the book there is this insult: "Stereotypically, Mexicans were viewed as lazy compared to European or American workers. Industrialists were very driven, competitive men who were always on the clock and continually concerned about efficiency. They were used to their workers putting in a full day's work, quietly and obediently, and respecting rules, authority, and property. In contrast, Mexican laborers were not reared to put in a full day's work so vigorously. There was a cultural attitude of "manana," or "tomorrow," when it came to high-gear production. It was also traditional to skip work on Mondays, and drinking on the job could be a problem. The result was that Mexican laborers were seen as inferior and kept in low-paying, unskilled jobs that did not provide a pathway upward." The passage was one of more than a hundred specific errors of either facts, interpretation or of omission cited by a committee of college professors and public school teachers who reviewed the proposed textbook. The committee produced a 54-page report which will be presented at the hearing in Austin. The committee was chosen by Ruben Cortez, D-Brownville, whose District 2 includes Corpus Christi. At a news conference in Brownsville this week, Cortez told the Texas Tribune, "It is an utter shame we must deal with racially offensive academic work." How the book came to be is itself perplexing. Advocates had hoped to get approval for a Mexican-American studies curriculum. To a Texas school population that is majority Mexican-American, knowing more about Texas Hispanic history than that the Spanish built the missions and that Santa Anna stormed the Alamo would give valuable perspective. But that proposal got defeated. What they did get was a Mexican-American studies course that would be optional for high school students. Then the state board put the call out for textbook proposals. The only submission, "Mexican-American Heritage," comes from a publishing house linked to a former board member, Cynthia Dunbar. A previous book published by Dunbar called public education "a subtly deceptive tool of perversion." This is a tip-off that Dunbar is no friend of public education. The two people listed as authors, Jaime Riddle and Valarie Angle, claim no expertise as historians. The textbook controversy comes just as academic studies on ethnic history have revealed an even richer tapestry of America's history. Recently I attended a fascinating talk by Bryan Stone, a Del Mar College professor, on his new book, "Memories of Two Generations: A Yiddish Life in Russian and Texas." It tells the story of a different kind of immigrant, an Orthodox Jew, who, at the age of 51, emigrated from Czarist Russia to Texas. Del Mar College's annual summer seminar presented by its Mexican American Studies program this past July presented new information on early Spanish language newspapers in Texas, profiles of Mexican-Americans who served in World War II and Korea and new research on violence against Mexicans and Mexican Americans. This weekend Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi's History Department hosted a symposium, "Chicano Voices: Stories from the South Texas Civil Rights Movement." This is history told firsthand. Texas public school students, and not only Mexican-American students, ought to have a chance to learn more about how the state came to be, a story richer and fuller than the myths that surround Texas. Instead, unless it is stopped, "Mexican American Heritage," will perpetuate all the prejudices that have plagued Texas. Nick Jimenez has worked as a reporter, city editor and editorial page editor for more than 40 years in Corpus Christi. He is currently the editorial page editor emeritus for the Caller-Times. His commentary column appears on Wednesdays and Sundays. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO State Rep. Todd Hunter (front left) was among a delegation from the Coastal Bend that traveled to China in late July to meet with top administrators and government officials associated with the Tianjin Pipe (Group) Corp. The 253-acre pipe plant, near State Highways 35 and 361 in Gregory, represents the largest single investment by China in a U.S. manufacturing facility. SHARE CONTRIBUTED PHOTO A delegation from the Coastal Bend traveled to China in late July to meet with top administrators and government officials associated with the Tianjin Pipe (Group) Corp. The group returned with a pledge the facility would be operational by late 2017. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO A delegation from the Coastal Bend traveled to China in late July to meet with top administrators and government officials associated with the Tianjin Pipe (Group) Corp. By Chris Ramirez of the Caller-Times GREGORY The itinerary called for more than 30 hours of flying, crossing the international date line twice, and traveling another six hours on the ground by train. But to hear state Rep. Todd Hunter tell the story, the effort was worth it. He was part of a delegation from the Coastal Bend that traveled to China in late July to meet with top administrators and government officials associated with the Tianjin Pipe (Group) Corp. The mission was twofold. Local officials wanted reassurances from the company and its management team they were still committed to opening a $1.3 billion pipe-making plant near Gregory. They also hoped to start relationships with other Asian companies both Chinese-based businesses and American firms doing business in China hoping to lure them to the Coastal Bend. In the end, they returned from China with a pledge the facility would be operational by late 2017, albeit with fewer employees that were promised at the outset of construction. "We know they were dealing with unforeseen changes in the industry, so getting that reinforcement from them was important," said San Patricio County Judge Terry Simpson, who was among those who made the trip. "It's better to sit down and honestly discuss face-to-face about what's happening." The 253-acre TPCO America pipe plant, near State Highways 35 and 361 in Gregory, represents the largest single investment by China in a U.S. manufacturing facility. It is a subsidiary of the Tianjin Pipe Corp., which has been supplying seamless steel pipe to major international oil and gas companies for two decades, including those based in the Gulf Coast. When fully operational, the plant will convert recycled scrap metal and pig iron into seamless steel pipe, which is used in the energy industry. The company projects the facility will produce 500,000 metric tons of pipe each year. Construction delays and headlines about China's cooling economy raised concerns in the Coastal Bend of whether the project would be completed. TPCO America recently wrapped up production of a proprietary thread it plans to market in the United States and Canada, but also revealed it may need "less than 600" employees for the Gregory plant. Initially, company officials said it would employ about 600-800 workers. Simpson said he was disappointed fewer employees would be needed, but acknowledged the region's economic landscape has changed. For one thing, crude oil now trades for a third less than it did when ground on the site was broken in 2011. That could force some companies to scale back their pipe purchases, affecting TPCO America's customer base. "We understand the circumstances they're going through and the delays they've had. They're finally on schedule," Simpson said. "It won't be as many employees as they intended, but it will still be a major economic driver in the area." No new agreements were signed, and no existing contracts were amended during the delegation's visit. TPCO America wrapped work on its end finishing facility in 2014. In this section of the plant that plain-ended pipe is converted into finished casing pipe that can be used in oil and gas production. Through 2014, more than 1,000 metric tons of finished pipe were produced. Focus of the second phase is the plant's the plant's rolling mill. It's here that the company uses raw steel billets to produce plain end pipe. As the rolling mill operations get underway, it will employ an estimated workforce of 300-400 people, according to the company's website. Hunter, a Republican from Corpus Christi, declared Tianjin Pipe Group to be a "good friend" of the Coastal Bend. He said meeting TPCO America's decision-makers on their own turf both strengthened the region's relationship with the company and also helped further its reach for future investment. "Traveling there and meeting with them there showed them that we do want them investing here. The message (we got) back was they're committed to us," he said. "We made a good impression and got a good response from them, and think 2017 will be a very positive year for us both." Twitter: @Caller_ChrisRam TPCO America Company profile Leadership: Li Qiang, chairman Liu Hongan, president Wei Xiaolun, vice president, administration Xiao Xuelin, vice president, construction Bai Renzhao, vice president, production Yu Shihong, chief finance officer Project details Location: Gregory, near State Highways 35 and 361 Size: 253 acres Production capacity (design): 500,000 metric tons per year of seamless steel pipe. No. of employees (when operational): "Fewer than 600" Total investment: $2.7 billion over first decade of construction and operation Chris Ramirez PROJECT TIMELINE Jan. 1, 2009: Tianjin Pipe (Group) Corp. announces plans to build a $1 billion steel pipe manufacturing facility on 252 acres east of Gregory. May 26, 2009: San Patricio County commissioners unanimously approve more than $40 million in tax incentives for TPCO. April 14, 2010: The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality unanimously approves the company's air quality permit application, which had been submitted in November 2008. Aug. 26, 2011: TPCO officials break ground to the cheers of local and state officials and legislators. The company estimates construction to take about 34 months. Nov. 8, 2012: More than 400 people show up for a hiring event to fill the first round of about 30 job openings at the TPCO mill. The company expects to eventually employ between 600 to 800 workers when both plant phases are fully operational. March 19, 2014: TPCO officials announce plans to begin the second phase of construction on the pipe mill as phase one construction wraps up. The plant is scheduled to open in mid 2016. Mid- to late 2017: Company officials expect the plant to be operational. Source: Caller-Times archives SHARE Darien Marshall Filamir Gomez Jr. Truanser Hughes Jeremiah Jenkins By Staff Reports of the Corpus Christi Caller-Times The Corpus Christi Police Department announced in a tweet Saturday night the fourth suspect in the fatal Sept. 1 Shooters Depot robbery was arrested. Darien Marshall, 22, surrendered Saturday at Corpus Christi Police Headquarters, according to a CCPD new release. A capital murder warrant had been issued for his arrest in the death of store owner George Koumbis, 62. Police responded around 9 p.m. Sept. 1 to a robbery at Shooters Depot on Leopard Street and found Koumbis and a 38-year-old store employee shot. Koumbis died shortly after being taken to a hospital. The employee is still recovering in the hospital. Marshall is the last of four suspects to be arrested in the incident. U.S. marshals arrested 19-year-old Truanser Hughes on Sept. 2 on an unrelated aggravated robbery warrant before the Corpus Christi Police Department charged him with capital murder and obtained arrest warrants for three other suspects. Filamir Gomez, 20, was arrested on suspicion of capital murder Wednesday in San Diego. Jeremiah Jenkins, 28, turned himself in to police Friday afternoon, his defense lawyer said. . Hughes, Gomez and Jenkins remained in Nueces County Jail on Saturday, according to jail officials. Hughes' bail was set at $1,050,000 and both Gomez and Jenkins had bail set at $1 million. As of 10:30 p.m., Marshall was not in the jail, but his bail was set at $1 million in the warrant. Anyone with information on the crime can leave a tip by calling Crime Stoppers at 888-TIPS or submitting information online at www.888TIPS.com. Caller-Times reporters Julie Garcia, Esther Hackleman, Fares Sabawi and Krista M. Torralva contributed to this report. Contributed photo Police said man with blue pants and a red shirt robbed a bank in the 4100 block of Baldwin Boulevard on Thursday. SHARE CONTRIBUTED PHOTO/CORPUS CHRISTI POLICE DEPARTMENT An arrest has been issued for Willie Church, who is suspected of robbing a bank on Aug. 25. By Jennifer Killin of the Caller-Times U.S. Marshals caught up to the suspected Kleberg Bank robber on Saturday evening in Dallas. Marshals found 20-year-old Willie Church about 5:30 p.m., according to Carlos Alvarado, deputy U.S. Marshal and Gulf Coast Regional Fugitive Task Force commander. Church was identified in late August via a Crime Stoppers tip after images of the suspect from bank surveillance footage were released to the public. Police believe Church wore a long, black wig and hospital nursing scrubs during a robbery at Kleberg Bank on Baldwin Boulevard on Aug. 25. Bank employees told officers the robber also was holding a red purse. He passed a note to the teller demanding cash and fled into a nearby neighborhood. A warrant was issued on suspicion of robbery. Church's bail was set at $60,000, Alvarado said. Twitter: @CallerJen Contributed Photo/St. Edwards University/Phil Oakley Pro-farm workers signs greeted the marchers at the Texas Capitol in 1966. SHARE Contributed Photo/St. Edwards University/Phil Oakley United Farm Workers Union founder Cesar Chavez rallies with the marchers on the grounds of the Texas Capitol on Labor Day 1966. Contributed Photo Daria Vera (left) and her family in 1966 in Rio Grande City. It was the year Vera, who picked cantaloupe, met Cesar Chavez, who was in South Texas to organize the farm workers. Contributed Photo/St. Edwards University/Phil Oakley A donkey, which was briefly stolen, accompanied the marchers from Rio Grande City to the Texas Capitol in 1966. Contributed Photo/Shel Hershor Marchers and their supporters rally on the Capitol grounds in Austin on Labor Day 1966. Related Photos La Marcha to the Capitol, 1966 By John Moritz, USA Today Network Austin Bureau AUSTIN Joel Martinez was a young minister when he found himself swept up in the early stages of a movement that would have a profound effect on the migrant farm labor force in the middle 1960s. Then 26 and serving as a Methodist pastor in San Antonio, Martinez was sent to the Rio Grande Valley to help a burgeoning movement among farm workers fighting to earn a living wage. The United Farm Workers Union in Texas had recently been organized, and the workers who harvested the South Texas melon crop wanted to call attention their back-breaking labor and poverty-level wages. "The working conditions down there were horrendous," said Martinez, a grandson of sharecroppers and a retired Methodist bishop still living in San Antonio. "There were no toilets in the field, no fresh water, and the workers were paid about 40 cents an hour." In Starr County that summer, Martinez was among several Texas clergymen who joined the effort started by emerging civil rights leader Cesar Chavez, labor organizer Eugene Nelson and others to organize and take part in what would be a 400-mile march from Starr County to Austin to demand a $1.25 an hour wage for the workers. On Sunday, Martinez, now 76, and others who participated in that march and related efforts in 1966 will return to the Capitol to mark the 50th anniversary of the event that is credited with helping to launch the Chicano movement in Texas and to raise awareness about the conditions faced by the laborers who harvested the nation's produce. Daria Vera was a 19-year-old mother who picked cantaloupe in Rio Grande City when she met Chavez, who in 1966 was in South Texas to organize the farm workers. It took little persuading for Vera to join the union and to become secretary-treasurer of the fledgling local group, she said. "We worked in 110 degree weather with no shade and no cold water," recalled Vera, who plans to be in Austin on Sunday. "If we had to go to the bathroom, we went in the field. If we needed a drink, we drank from the irrigation canals." Workers then were paid by how much produce they picked and not by the hour, Vera said. That effectively deprived them of earning the era's $1.25-an-hour minimum wage, which is equivalent to about $9 an hour today. An ordinary worker picked enough to earn less than a third of that, she said. Before the march began on July 1, 1966, Vera said the workers in Rio Grande City went on strike. When growers began hiring pickers from Mexico to replace the striking workers, Vera said she and others blocked the bridge over the Rio Grande. They were arrested, she said. Her daughter was about 18 months old at the time. According to the Texas State Historical Association, the arrests and the inability to win higher wages and better conditions for the workers fueled the decision to begin what workers would call La Marcha. As workers made their way north to Corpus Christi and then to San Antonio, they began attracting national media attention. Martinez said he joined the marchers at various points along the route. Meanwhile, he and others from organizations like the Texas Council of Churches rounded up donations of food and clothing for the workers and their families. "Obviously, the marchers weren't working but they still had needs," he said. "We did what we could to make sure they were fed and had clothes to wear." Guadalupe Guzman, then 29 and a mother of two, was among about 40 people who marched every step of the route. She said the two month journey was grueling, but she was heartened along the way by words of support they received from strangers, many of them fellow farm workers and other laborers. "Some people called out 'God bless you' and offered us some food and something to drink," said Guzman, who plans to be in Austin on Sunday. She recalled that a donkey with a sign draped over its back reading "$1.25" for the wage the workers was seeking, walked along with the marchers. But in San Antonio, she said, the donkey was stolen. "We were very upset," she said. "We liked that donkey." Then, as the workers returned to their route, someone led them to where the donkey had been taken. The sign was nowhere to be found, so one of the marchers shaved "$1.25" into its fur. The marchers had hoped to meet with Gov. John Connally and other state leaders at the Capitol to press their case for a special legislative session to deal with farm workers' rights. But in New Braunfels, about 50 miles south of Austin, Connally along with then-Attorney General Waggoner Carr and House Speaker Ben Barnes informed the marchers that there would be no meeting at the Capitol and no special session. Connally died in 1993 and Carr died 11 years later. Barnes, however, said any notion that the elected leaders were disrespectful to the marchers and indifferent to their cause is a mistake. "That march ignited in me the passion to take up the cause of the farm workers," said Barnes, who in 1966 was a 28-year-old Texas political prodigy. He said he pushed for minimum wage legislation during the 1967 session and came up short of the votes need. Two years later as lieutenant governor, Barnes said he was able to persuade lawmakers to set a $1.25 minimum wage for most workers. The minimum wage for farm workers was $1.10 an hour. The Farm Workers Union newspaper at the time, El Malcriado, called the wage in its July 1969 edition "criminally inadequate." Undaunted, the marchers continued north and arrived in the capital city on Labor Day. Gonzalo Barrientos, who grew up working in the fields alongside his parents and would later serve in the Texas House and Senate, said he was among an estimated 10,000 who joined the marchers at a rally on the Capitol grounds. He was 25 at the time. "My mom and dad were sitting on the sidewalk. They were not activists by any means," said Barrientos, whose 32-year legislative career ended after the 2006 elections. "I said to them, 'You have to join in.' And they did." That the marchers were stiff-armed by Connally was of no surprise to Barrientos, who was training Peace Corps and VISTA volunteers at the time. "Texas has never been particularly friendly to the labor movement," said Barrientos, a Democrat who aligned himself with the outnumbered liberals in the Legislature regardless of which party was in control. But Martinez, who ended his ministerial career in 2008 with the United Methodist Church's San Antonio Area, said even though the march produced no immediate legislation for the farmworkers, the effort should be remembered as a historic milestone. "That's when most Texans came to realize what it was like for these workers," he said. "That's when Mexican-American people saw that they could stand up for their rights. They planted the seeds for social change." Twitter: @JohnnieMo IF YOU GO What: 50th Anniversary of La Marcha in Austin When: Sunday 10 a.m.: Mass at St. Edwards University Queen of Peace Chapel, 3001 S. Congress Avenue, Austin 11 a.m.: Unveiling of plaque at Ragsdale Student Center St. Edwards University Noon: Program on the university quad 1 p.m.: Start of 4-mile march to the Capitol 4 p.m.: Arrive at Capitol for a rally On the Web: United Farm Workers Texas Information: Visit the Facebook page for the 50th Anniversary Commemoration SHARE Tuesday marks a decade since former Texas Gov. Ann Richards' death, and it has become apparent that the politics surrounding both her election in 1990 and her re-election defeat to George W. Bush four years later foreshadowed some of the defining characteristics of the current political movement in Texas and the United States. Most obvious, Richards became the last Democrat to win the governorship, beginning a streak of Republican electoral dominance that continues today. But Richards' career also points toward a deeper pattern in partisan change in the state, as well as the emergence of a style of partisan politics that has become more or less the norm. Richards' loss to Bush in 1994 signaled a point of no return in the lopsided partisan politics of Texas, but it was also a mile marker on a long road that Richards had been on for years. The early years of her life were spent as a Democratic activist in the liberals' running fight with the conservative wing of the party, putting her in the center of historical changes in the state. "Some of the liberal Democrats, of which I was one, did everything in the world that we could to help the Republican Party grow in Texas because we thought there should be a two-party system," she told me in an interview in 2003. "We wanted them out of the Democratic Party and they got out in spades." Her tone and her face spoke volumes to me about the political context of our conversation, when Republicans had just captured both houses of the Texas Legislature and returned Rick Perry to the governor's seat that he had inherited when Bush was elected president. Richards ended her career as an elected official embroiled in the style of politics that would come to dominate the 21st century, losing in a mutually nasty political campaign with Bush's political team, led by Karl Rove. Those in that campaign still point to the other side's nastiness as defining Richards' verbal belittling of Bush as "a jerk" and "shrub," and the allegations that the Bush campaign was behind whisper campaigns about her personal life. This was not, of course, the first campaign to get personal, but it pushed the boundaries of partisan warfare in ways that echo through the current presidential campaigns. Richards should also be rightly remembered as dedicated to the causes that were important to her. Most personally and importantly, the fight for equal rights for women and racial minorities that defined her generation of liberal Democrats. I asked her in our 2003 conversation to reflect on whether she was satisfied with the progress made in the status of women as of the early 21st century. She bristled and replied: "Oh, I'm hardly satisfied. I'm outraged most of the time at how the progress seems to stall, how difficult it is for young people to realize that their very freedoms are in jeopardy if they're not willing to fight for them." Richards' view of progress during her decades in politics was conditioned by the political tide she was so clearly swimming against in her home state. Still, after expressing her outrage, she allowed for some balance in her accounting of the status of women. "You also have to look back," she said. "And accept and be pleased that things have changed." Looking back, I remain struck by her balance of outrage with a nostalgia-free assessment of the scope of what she had fought for most of her life, particularly in the midst of yet another in a series of political campaigns in which unalloyed outrage, whether real or manufactured, is the approach of choice for some of the loudest voices in politics. Had she lived to see the 2016 campaign, the elevation of Donald Trump's brand of politics, and the presidency within the reach of her longtime friend Hillary Clinton, her reaction would be predictable. There's no doubt she would relentlessly support Clinton in a campaign embroiled in the kind of negative campaign Richards herself fought in Texas, albeit raised to an exponential level by the Trump campaign. She surely would meet Trump's outrageousness with her own outrage and her willingness to fight. Something went wrong, please try again later. Invalid email Something went wrong, please try again later. Sign up to our free email newsletter to receive the latest breaking news and daily roundups Two shop units that have stood empty on one of Cambridge's busiest streets for months could soon be reopening for business, according to estate agent Bidwells. One of the empty stores on Market Street was previously operated by Starbucks, and is set to be occupied by a retailer. The second, a large multi-storey building, used to be occupied by the West Cornwall Pasty Co, but Bidwells would not disclose who the new tenants will be. A spokesperson for Starbucks said the shop was closed following a 'performance review'. They said: "We regularly review out stores to ensure they're contributing to a strong business performance and our store on Market Street in Cambridge closed after over 15 years serving the local community." As previously reported in the News, the coffee company is set to open a new store in Regent Street on September 29, in partnership with local franchisee 23.5 Degrees. The West Cornwall Pasty Co moved out of its rented premises in March last year after the building's owner announced plans to turn the upper floors into flats. While the unit is now under offer, according to Bidwells there have been "technical issues" with the property. The cost of renting the former Starbucks site is believed to be over 100,000 per year. Anne Beamish, the Editor of Independent Cambridge, hopes to see retailers opening at the two sites, said: "I don't know who will be occupying these premises but at those types of figures for rent, I doubt very much it will be independents. Personally I would rather see retail than more food and drink offerings as the majority of newly-opened businesses have been restaurants which don't necessarily cater for the local residents' needs." Ian Sandison, Chairman of Cambridge Business Improvement District (BID), said: "Cambridge enjoys a very low vacancy rate when compared to other high streets across Britain (5.9 per cent of empty shops compared to 11.2 per cent). It continues to be a rapidly growing international city, which attracts influential national stores such as John Lewis. We also have a higher proportion of successful independents with new ones opening regularly just last week, Poco Kids opened on King Street. "Even though shop vacancy rates are low and there is strong demand for retail investment properties, we do not wish any unit to be empty for longer than necessary: where possible we aim to support landlords in filling their empty units." Police later searched the McKellar home Zhao lived in and uncovered more than 500 grams of ice with an estimated street value of between $300,000 and $600,000, digital scales and receipts for various Canberra ATMs. Five weeks out from an election, which would determine if light rail went ahead, the spokesman said Canberra Metro had advised that none of the trees to be removed on the city to Gungahlin route had yet been felled. The Medical Board did not seek to have Dr Melhuish de-registered as an anaesthetist, instead telling the tribunal it did not believe his conduct was "such as to make him unfit to hold registration in the profession"; but his contract with ACT Health was not renewed after it expired in October 2014. The ceremony was also live-streamed to other family members including Kylie's sons Kodi, 12; Ethan, 9; and Owen, 4 at the Oriental Terrace restaurant in Erindale so they could share in the experience. The ceremony was projected up against a wall of the restaurant. It was a moment when the whole extended family could celebrate something positive and do all they could to will Dolton to be better. The idea that an emissions trading scheme is the "one true climate policy" is one of the last vestiges of the Kevin Rudd era and the highfalutin rhetoric about "evidence-based policy" and great moral challenges. To be clear, an emissions trading scheme is neither sinner nor saint, it's just a policy idea with a patchy theoretical and empirical track record. A well designed ETS might be capable of driving rapid reductions in greenhouse gas emissions at low cost, but we can't say for sure because nowhere in the world has a well designed ETS been used to achieve such an outcome. But there are plenty of economists who aren't worried about practice getting in the way of theory. The pilot, carried out with Nokia, saw 4,000 subscribers moved from traditional telecoms services to a fully IP operation. Nokia says its network migration operating centre in Poland will continue to move Orange Polskas customer to all-IP services. Rafal Dziedzic, Orange Polskas director of technology and operations strategy, said: Implementation of the all-IP programme supports Orange Polskas ambition to retain leadership in the digital economy and ultra-broadband innovations in Poland. Poland is one of the Orange groups leading pilot technology markets in a larger global effort to implement an all-IP transformation programme to replace legacy systems. Nokia possesses the necessary global experience and local resources to support Orange Polska as its all-IP partner, said Dziedzic. We successfully piloted the PSTN smart transform migration solution with Nokias migration operations centre, with the intent to then develop a mass migration programme leveraging this joint experience. Federico Guillen, president of Nokias fixed networks business group, said that migrating from traditional networks is a process that can be extremely difficult, complex and expensive without the right expertise. Transforming to all-IP services, will help Orange drive operational savings and create additional revenue opportunities that fuel business growth, said Guillen. Our Promise: Welcome to Care2, the world's largest community for good. Here, you'll find over 45 million like-minded people working towards progress, kindness, and lasting impact. Care2 Stands Against: bigots, racists, bullies, science deniers, misogynists, gun lobbyists, xenophobes, the willfully ignorant, animal abusers, frackers, and other mean people. If you find yourself aligning with any of those folks, you can move along, nothing to see here. Care2 Stands With: humanitarians, animal lovers, feminists, rabble-rousers, nature-buffs, creatives, the naturally curious, and people who really love to do the right thing. You are our people. You Care. We Care2. The Hartford named its first-ever chief strategy and ventures officer, with a goal of driving new growth through innovation. XL Catlin appointed an executive to serve as global head of underwriting for its fledgling global retail Accident & Health insurance arm. QBE North America gains a former Allied World Assurance executive as its new senior vice president, underwriting leader for Healthcare. An executive at Olympus Insurance Company is moving up the ranks. *** John Wilcox is The Hartfords first-ever chief strategy and ventures officer. Hell be tasked in this newly-created position with leading efforts to spot and capitalize on new opportunities to drive growth through innovation and improve operating capabilities. Wilcox, who will report directly to Chairman and CEO Christopher Swift, has close to three decades of industry experience. He also worked an earlier, four-year stint at The Hartford, holding senior leadership positions in corporate strategy and Personal Lines. Most recently since 2012, Wilcox was president and chief operating officer at Risk Strategies Company, a national insurance brokerage firm. Before joining The Hartford in 2008, Wilcox was a partner with McKinsey & Co. *** A Liberty Mutual veteran has joined XL Catlins global retail Accident & Health insurance arm as its global head of underwriting. Ronnell Agatep will be based in New York. His job is a newly-created position and hell be tasked with driving product development and underwriting guidelines for XL Catlins new retail Accident & Health business unit. Agatep will report to Patrick Corbett, XL Catlins global chief underwriting officer for retail Accident & Health. Previously, Agatep was at Liberty Mutual, where he was senior vice president of global Accident & Health. Through his 25-year career, he has held senior A&H management and underwriting positions in the U.S. U.K., South Africa and the United Arab Emirates. *** A former Allied World Assurance executive will be QBE North Americas new senior vice president, underwriting leader for Healthcare. Cynthia Oard will be charged with setting underwriting strategy across all major Healthcare segments including Hospitals, Physicians, Aging & Assisted Living, Allied Health and Managed Care. She will also work with QBEs regional executive to develop the Healthcare franchise nationally and over all distribution challenges. Oard, a 25-year insurance industry veteran, was most recently senior vice president and Healthcare Practice lead at Allied World. She also has prior experience with Darwin Professional Underwriters, Chubb and Executive Risk. Oard will be based in Chicago and report to Specialty Insurance President Jeffrey Grange. *** An executive at Olympus Insurance Company, a Florida homeowners insurer, is moving up the ranks. Bradley Burton has been promoted to executive vice president of Underwriting and Business Development. In his new role, Burton will lead the companys underwriting, policy service and product development. As well, Burton will oversee successful implementation and future modification to the companys new underwriting and policy management system. Hell also oversee business development efforts. Burton was previously vice president of Underwriting, and joined Olympus 9 years ago. He has worked previously at companies including Travelers Insurance Company, Southern Heritage Insurance Company, Florida Family Insurance Company and Tower Hill Insurance Group. Sources: The Hartford, XL Catlin, QBE North America, Olympus Insurance Company A 200-mile long strip of tarmac in Australias Northern Territory is one of the few places on earth ungoverned by speed limits, but it wont stay that way for long. Thats because the local government plans to impose a 130 km/h speed limit, despite protest from the areas residents and top-ranked automakers like Porsche. According to the BBC, the newly elected North Territory Chief Minister Michael Gunner said that the decision boils down to saving life, stating: Our policy is to remove open limits based on advice from doctors, nurses, surgeons and police who agree open limits should not exist. Surprisingly, previous government research showed that speed limits in the area have caused deaths to rise, prior to their abolishment in 2014. Porsches director of public relations, Paul Ellis, told the BBC and ABC Australia that speed isnt the main issue when it comes to fatalities, accusing NT of becoming a nanny state: All Im saying is lets have a logical discussion about what causes fatalities. To say that speed is the biggest issue, I dont think that is correct. Speed does not kill, bad driving kills. And its just a shame weve taken a nanny state approach. Moreover, he continued saying that such decisions would deter car companies from coming to Australia: Weve done a pretty good job of killing off the local car industry, the manufacturing of local cars in Australia, and now it seems the Northern Territory governments doing its best to deter international car companies from coming to Australia to spend money and invest in the local economy. However, Michael Gunner said that car companies will still be able to undergo test drive trials at any speed, as long as theyll apply for a permit. VIDEO Photo: Darren Handschuh File photo. The Upper Room Mission is holding its first ever Autumn Rib Fest and community open house next month. A donation will buy a plate of BBQ chicken or ribs, along with baked beans, coleslaw and a bun. The proceeds will support the Missions Healthy Snack program which helps feed over 250 hungry school-aged children in the Vernon School District. The program runs from September to June and supports a local elementary school. The goal of the program is to provide nutritious food items to the children so they are able to make healthy food choices, have increased concentration, as well as assist them in maintaining a healthy weight, said Lisa Anderson, director of resource development at the Mission. Food items we provide consist of milk, cereals, oatmeal, bagels, peanut butter, jam, cheese, yogurt, fruits, vegetables and granola bars. Breakfast items and snacks are also provided to two local high schools. Without both the Healthy Snack program and the URM's kitchen services, many people would go without food or not have a safe and secure place to eat, said Anderson. Individuals who experience food insecurity are more likely to be diagnosed with a variety of chronic conditions, and have difficulty managing those conditions. Many school children would spend all day in school with an empty stomach. Perhaps youve never been inside the Mission before, or have donated to us but arent familiar with all the services we provide. This is a great chance to come down, enjoy some amazing food, and have a walk around our agency and learn more about what we do for the communitys less fortunate individuals and families. The Rib Fest and open house take place Sunday, Oct. 2, 2-5 p.m. at the Upper Room Mission, 3403-27th Avenue. Photo: Contributed The City of Penticton will be looking at more equitable ways to charge the city's residents and businesses for sewer treatment. City council voted unanimously in favour of staff looking deeper into how people are charged for treatment of their sewage, to address several problems staff had noted. Some of those changes could include a monthly fixed charge year-round for businesses and from April to September for residents. That would be in addition to a variable consumption charge, year-round for businesses and from October to March for residents. However, during the winter months, a minimum charge would ensure residents who are not present would still contribute to the cost of the city's sewage system. Staff will also define what can be submitted for reductions in charges for businesses, as well as a potential fee for businesses to apply for those charges and a fee for businesses that attempt to defraud the city in applying for exemptions. On the charge for businesses to apply for reductions, Coun. Andre Martin asked staff to consider waiving charges for a business's first application for reductions. "Since we're introducing this, I don't think we should charge them, at least for the first time," Martin said. "Maybe if they change their business, or do something, or that business changes its use, then possibly have a fee for it." In an interview, Mayor Andrew Jakubeit said staff haven't said when they will get back with more defined provisions, but said the conversation will likely come up again later in the fall. Photo: RDOS The regional district wants South Okanagan residents to get the rocks out of their garbage, that is. The RDOS says several loads of yard waste have recently been brought to local landfills containing large rocks. The rocks pose a safety hazard and can damage wood chipping equipment. The offending haulers were fined extra tipping fees, pushing the cost from hundreds of dollars to more than $1,000 per load. Rocks in yard and wood waste have the potential to break blades, jam equipment and cause serious injury to landfill workers. Were seeing heavy equipment operators scrape rocks into loads of yard waste to save time, said RDOS solid waste facilities supervisor Don Hamilton. This puts people at our landfill at risk of serious harm if they dont see stones or rocks when chipping. People could be seriously hurt if rocks hit these powerful moving blades." Heavy equipment operators are urged to be careful when land clearing. Yard waste is subsidized at landfills throughout the district to encourage residents not to burn. The first 500 kilograms is free, with larger loads charged $50 a tonne. The waste is chipped for composting, animal bedding and dust control at landfills. Photo: Google Street View A kennel in Saskatoon says that 14 dogs in its care perished Saturday due to a malfunctioning heater. Playful Paws Pet Centre posted on its Facebook page that a mechanical failure on a rooftop heating unit caused it to continuously push heat into one of its upstairs kennel rooms. It says the heat continued to the point that the dogs died. The Facebook post says management and staff are devastated and most of the dogs' owners have been contacted. The kennel describes itself as a pet daycare and boarding facility. No one with Playful Paws or the Saskatoon SPCA could be immediately reached for comment. Photo: Skylar noe-vack A motorcyclist was rushed to hospital after a crash in Penticton. It happened Saturday at about 7:45 p.m. in front of Earl's on the 1800 block of Main Street. The motorcyclist was found lying in the street when emergency crews arrived. The extent of his injuries are unclear. Police were talking to witnesses at the scene. Photo: The Canadian Press Alberta's medical regulator wants more stringent rules on how physicians prescribe opioid painkillers and other drugs to improve the safety of patients. The College of Physicians and Surgeons says next month it will send draft proposals for a standard of practice called "Safe Prescribing" to doctors, the provincial government and others seeking feedback in the hope of approving it next March. The college notes that opioid prescribing by Alberta doctors is among the highest in the country, and that Canada is one of the top three countries in the world for painkiller use. "Data obtained from the Triplicate Prescription Program in 2015 reveals a significant number of Alberta physicians continue to prescribe opioid dosages in excess of the maximum recommended dose in the 2010 Canadian guideline for safe and effective use of opioids for chronic non-cancer pain," says a memo about the proposed draft standard of practice. Some prescription opioids include codeine, morphine, oxycodone and fentanyl patches. The proposed standards would require doctors to prescribe the lowest effective dose to patients who require long-term opioid treatment for chronic pain other than cancer. Physicians would have to discuss medication decisions with patients including potential serious side effects, other treatment options and the probability of the drug improving their health. Doctors would also be required to regularly track a patient's drug treatment history through Alberta's pharmaceutical information network. Dr. Trevor Theman, registrar of Alberta's college, said they want to move quickly with changes after they hear back from physicians and the government. "Obviously Alberta and Canada have a huge issue around opioid overuse and misuse," he said. "Others have called it a crisis, and I think that is a fair characterization." Representatives of Vietnamese and Chinese businesses meet at the China-ASEAN Expo in 2015 (Photo: VNA) The firms will display their goods, including agro-forestry-fishery products, processed food, electric and electronic devices, wood products, handicrafts and consumer goods at 237 booths, covering over 5,000 square metres. In particular, Vietnam, as the honorary country of the event, will run its national booth with the theme Beautiful City, introducing the cradle of Vietnamese coffee, Buon Ma Thuot City in the Central Highlands province of Dak Lak. Speaking at the press briefing ahead of the event, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Do Thang Hai said Vietnam this year continues to send the biggest number of businesses to CAEXPO among the 10 ASEAN nations. Many of the participating firms this year are prestigious ones with the plans to expand their foothold in the giant Chinese market, starting from the border areas such as Yunnan and Guangxi, according to Hai. As the honorary country at the 13th China-ASEAN Expo (CAEXPO 2016), Vietnam will also join host China in chairing various activities marking the 25th founding anniversary of the ASEAN-China dialogue relationship./. PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc is welcome at the Wuxu Anning Airport (Photo: VNA) CAEXPO, hosted annually by China, will take place from September 11th-14th in Nanning city, Guangxi, China. It has contributed significantly to the trade exchanges between China and ASEAN as well as among ASEAN nations over the past years. This year, Vietnam, as the rotational honorary country at the CAEXPO 2016, will join host China in chairing various activities marking the 25th founding anniversary of the ASEAN-China dialogue relationship. Addressing the opening ceremony, PM Phuc hailed the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT)s thorough preparations, assisting participating Vietnamese enterprises in showcasing their products and joining trade exchange activities. The PM expressed his hope that the firms will expand their markets in ASEAN nations and China, thus contributing to domestic production and promoting exports. According to the Vietnam Trade Promotion Agency under the MoIT, this year, Vietnam has the biggest number of businesses to CAEXPO among the 10 ASEAN nations, with 237 booths, covering over 5,000 square metres. The firms will display their goods with high competitiveness in ASEAN nations and China, including agro-forestry-fishery products, processed food, electric and electronic devices, wood products, handicrafts and consumer goods. During the four-day exhibition, the Vietnamese firms will have meetings with leaders and enterprises from other participating nations. According to the organisation board of the event, Vietnamese firms booths received around 50,000 visitors, with total contract value exceeding USD100 million at the event last year./. Sharp Bust Pain Left Side Comes and Goes | And Bust pain on left side vs right side Sharp Bust Pain Left Side Comes and Goes | And Bust pain on left side vs right side Sharp Bust Pain Left Side Comes and Goes The pain in your bust isnt something to avoid, but it is important to understand that the problem could have several opportunities of causes. In most of circumstances, its associates to the cardio system. However, bust pain could be set off by problems in the esophagus, lungs, muscle mass as well as ribs, or nerves, for circumstances. Certain of these problems can be fatal and significant. Find more about Sharp Bust Pain Left Side Comes and Goes, in this article. If you are experiencing unanswered bust discomfort, the best way to determine what is triggering it is to consult your doctor to assess your health and wellness and health problems. Bust Pain Causes The body can experience various kinds of sensations accordinged to what causes the indications. Most of the minute, the factor has definitely absolutely nothing to need to do with the heart and theres no method of determining this without talking with a physician. But bust pain that lasts a lot longer compared with a set of mins becomes also even worse as you move, after that discolors away, and after that returns and is often set off by heart arrest or some various various other heart-related issue. There are many factors for bust pain that you need to consider: Heart-related Causes A pair of circumstances of heart-related causes for bust pain consist of: Heart attack The factor for heart arrest is the blockage of blood flow, usually set off by a embolism in the heart muscle. Angina Angina is the name used to discuss bust pain that is set off by the inadequate circulation of blood towards the heart. Its usually set off by the accumulation of plaque that is thick on the wall surface surface areas of the arteries that transport blood towards the heart. The plaque reduces blood flow to the heart and limits the flow of blood to the heart especially throughout exercise. Aortic Dissection This fatal problem affects the main artery which runs through your heart (aorta). If the layers inside these capillary damage from each various various other, hypertension is pushed through them and may cause the aortas wall surface surface to tear. Pericarditis It explains a swelling that occurs in the sac that boundaries the heart. It dominates for this to cause severe pain that increases when you breathe in, or while current down. Search Keyword: sharp chest pain left side comes and goes, sharp intermittent chest pain, sharp pain in upper chest, signs and symptoms of angina, sting feeling in chest, stinging feeling in chest, what does a sore chest mean, when your heart hurts, when your heart is hurting, back pain and chest pain left side, chest discomfort when breathing, chest muscle pain left side, chest pain not heart, chest pain upper left side above breast, dull chest pain that comes and goes, dull pain in chest comes and goes, dull pain in left chest, dull pain left chest, heart sharp pain, heart throbbing pain Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (right) shakes hand with Toshihiro Nikai, General Secretary of Japans Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and President of the Japan-Vietnam Parliamentary Friendship Union. (Source: VNA) The PM made the request during his reception for Toshihiro Nikai, General Secretary of Japans Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and President of the Japan-Vietnam Parliamentary Friendship Union, who is on a visit to Vietnam. He said Vietnam welcomes and is considering Japans proposal on establishing a representative office of its Tourism Promotion Agency in the country. PM Phuc also expressed hope for stronger tourism cooperation and cultural exchanges between the two countries. He praised the Japan-Vietnam Parliamentary Friendship Unions contribution to promoting bilateral ties between the two countries, and urged the two legislative bodies to boost exchanges of high-level delegations and cooperation. He wished the LDP and Japanese parliamentarians would help in persuading the Japanese government to maintain ODA provision to Vietnam. On his part, Nikai said the Japan-Vietnam parliamentary friendship union and its Vietnamese counterpart both play an important role in promoting cooperation between the two countries and affirmed he will do all he can to develop the relationship. Nikai said that he will convey the PMs recommendations to relevant government agencies to find solutions for implementation as soon as possible. He also affirmed that Japan is ready to cooperate with Vietnam in all fields./. The instruction also requires airlines to stop providing charging service for those phones during flights, citing the recommendation of the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on September 8th. Airline carriers are to report on relevant issues to the CAAV before September 23rd, 2016. Previously on September 9, the Singapore Airlines also banned the use of Galaxy Note 7 on all of its flights. The same day, China Airlines and EVA Airways of Taiwan said they will not allow those phones in checked luggage. China Airlines also advised passengers not to turn on or charge the phones during flights. The smart phone maker Samsung of the Republic of Korea launched Galaxy Note 7 in early August. Over 2.5 million sets have been sold in 10 markets worldwide. However, following reports of 35 explosions due to the phones faulty battery, sales of the phone was suspended on September 2nd and recalling started in the US./. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Le Hai Binh (Photo: VNA) The spokesperson added the test seriously violated relevant resolutions of the United Nations Security Council, increased tensions and threatened peace and stability in the region. Vietnams consistent stance is to support denuclearisation on the Korean Peninsula and advocate the comprehensive ban of nuclear tests, non-proliferation of nuclear weapons towards full nuclear disarmament, Binh said. He went on to say that Vietnam calls on relevant sides to abide to the UNSCs resolutions and take practical actions to promote peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula./. Wells Fargo, the nation's largest bank, scrambled on Friday to contain the fallout from an investigation that found its employees set up 2 million fake accounts that customers didn't ask for to get bonuses. The bank took out full-page ads in some newspapers to apologize and promised to change the culture that allowed the scheme to fester. But a Federal Reserve Board member, while not addressing the company's case specifically, said the banking industry at large isn't doing enough to prevent unethical behavior among its employees. Advertisement "What I have seen is that too many banks, instead of putting in place a comprehensive system for assuring that all their employees understand what is legal and ethical across the board, only respond when there is a particular problem," Fed Gov. Daniel Tarullo said in an interview with CNBC on Friday. U.S. banks, including Wells Fargo, have paid billions of dollars in fines for various misdeeds since the 2008 financial crisis. Last month, regulators fined the San Francisco-based bank $4 million for charging illegal fees to student-loan borrowers. Advertisement But this case, which regulators said involved pervasive misconduct involving thousands of bank employees, raised new questions about whether federal authorities have done enough to detect and punish bad behavior. Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton pounced on the case to criticize her opponent, Republican nominee Donald Trump, who has said he would dismantle some of the financial-industry regulations put in place in recent years. The Wells Fargo settlement " is a stark reminder of why we need a strong consumer watchdog to safeguard against unfair and deceptive practices," Clinton said in a statement. On Thursday, Wells Fargo agreed to pay $185 million to settle the case and said it had dismissed 5,300 employees for their conduct over the last five years. "If you fire 5,300 people because they've opened up 2 million accounts inappropriately, then there's something wrong with the institution," said Richard Bove, a bank analyst for Rafferty Capital Markets, who downgraded Wells Fargo's stock to a "sell" rating after the news broke. The investigation was led by federal regulators at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, as well as by authorities in Los Angeles, where the allegations first surfaced. As part of the settlement, Wells Fargo admitted no wrongdoing and no high-level Wells Fargo executives were singled out for prosecution. The size of the fine also pales in comparison to Wells Fargo's profits of more than $20 billion last year. "There is a need, I think, for focus on individuals as well as the fines put on the institutions," Tarullo said. There are "things that do need to be pursued in order to make the point that there is individual culpability, as well as collective." Rather than pursuing what would have been relatively minor criminal charges against individual bank employees, the Los Angeles City Attorney's Office said it pursued a civil case because it was focused on compensating bank customers. (Wells Fargo says it has already repaid customers more than $2 million in overdraft and other fees linked to the fraudulent accounts.) Advertisement Criminal cases "get more difficult to prove as you go up" the executive ladder, said Frank Mateljan, a spokesman at the Los Angeles City Attorney's Office. "Our focus was definitely getting the culture to change and for there to be some monetary fines for allowing this to happen." Legal experts say the potential for criminal charges probably was limited. Authorities may have been able to nab low-level employees for fraud or theft, but showing a direct link to senior Wells Fargo executives would have been difficult, they said. Wells Fargo was accused of fostering an environment that incentivized employees to "cross-sell" existing customers with additional services, prompting some to go too far to claim their bonuses. The conduct dated back to at least 2011 and involved more than 1.5 million checking and savings accounts and about 500,000 credit-card accounts, with many customers getting hit with unexpected fees, according to federal officials. Employee incentive programs were popular in the late 1990s and early 2000s at large banks, but not so much anymore, said Sudhir Suchak, a clinical assistant professor of finance at the University at Buffalo School of Management who spent 30 years at British bank HSBC. "I'm not aware of many incentive programs going on much anymore, and I think this is why. . . . It's quite surprising a bank of this size would have that," Suchak said. Advertisement The allegations immediately drew recriminations from consumer advocates and even some banking industry officials. "Not only is this conduct appalling and harmful to American consumers and communities, it also contributes to the growth of excessive regulation that needlessly burdens the local community banks that do right by their customers," said Camden R. Fine, president of the Independent Community Bankers of America. "While Wells Fargo has the luxury of throwing money at the problem to make it go away without its board or senior management being held accountable, the individuals and local institutions affected by its actions will continue to suffer for years to come." Wells Fargo has lowered its sales goals since the fraudulent accounts were discovered, said Richele Messick, a company spokeswoman. She declined to say when the changes were made. Wells Fargo has also declined to comment on whether any senior executives were punished internally for the conduct, or were included among the 5,300 fired. "We are making fundamental changes," she said. "We have looked at and worked hard to improve our sales practices. We have been on a path for the last several years of making these changes." Kevin Barker, a senior equity analyst for the investment bank Piper Jaffray, said the settlement could lead to "an outsized amount of scrutiny" of Wells Fargo from other regulators, including state attorney generals, Barker said. It could also open the door for regulators to review the practices at other banks, he said. "The optics aren't great," Barker said. Ambassador Hoang Anh Tuan talks with fishermen to be returned. (Photo: VNA) Indonesian Minister of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Susi Pudjiastuti met with Vietnamese Ambassador to Indonesia in Jakarta on September 8th on preparations for the repatriation, which will be conducted by sea transport for the first time. The Indonesian Minister said the return of fishermen was the result of the active cooperation between the two nations, saying that the two nations will conduct a joint patrol on their border at sea on the occasion of the repatriation. Minister Susi also underlined the potential of Vietnam for aquaculture and seafood processing, and urged localities in Natuna to foster cooperation with Vietnamese enterprises in the field. She expressed her hope that the two nations will continue working together to return the remaining Vietnamese fishermen detained in Indonesia to their home country. For his part, Ambassador Hoang Tuan Anh expressed his thanks to the Government of Indonesia and the Minister for their active contribution to the agreement. Vietnam has taken numerous measures to prevent its fishermen from violating Indonesias waters, he said, adding that the efforts were hampered by fishermens poor awareness of law and disadvantaged circumstances. Indonesia said it is currently detaining around 312 Vietnamese fishermen./. Lighten up, Paramount Theatre in Aurora. You're doing "Mamma Mia!" I'm all for truth in storytelling even with a song whose musical treats, and I mean that sincerely, includes the immortal lyric "Super trouper, beams are gonna blind me," a line so full of Euro-pop non sequiturs, only ABBA could possibly have pulled it off. Heck, I even subscribe to the theory that "Mamma Mia!" which I have seen about 4,323 times and relished the prospect each and every time, is actually a very important show in the evolution of musical theater. This was the first successful show to take a blockbuster pop catalog and insert it inside a story in this case, a silly yarn of a once-wild baby boomer, whose daughter wants her one-of-three-candidates dad at her big, fat Greek Island wedding that had nothing whatsoever to do with the lives of the original artists. "Mamma Mia!" is a masterful creation much copied and never equaled. In fact, I'm gonna step out even further. "Mamma Mia" was one of the first pop-culture Euro-reckonings of boomer anti-establishment behavior with its uptight Gen X offspring. We just had yet to meet the millennials. Shiver. Advertisement I have never forgotten the night I first saw "Mamma Mia!" in London in 1999, when the lyrics were still on every Brit's lips. (ABBA did not tour much to the USA, which explains the Atlantic divide.) That first night, no one had any idea what song was coming next or how it would be used. It was one of the most exuberant collective nights I've ever spent in any theater. If you're reading this review, dollars to doughnuts you've at least seen the movie. MOST READ ENTERTAINMENT NEWS THIS HOUR Advertisement For everyone else, you can make fun of ABBA all you want, but its songs are fiendishly difficult to play and sing; I spent many miserable evenings trying to learn to bang out those minor keys on my Casio. Alas, director Jim Corti's Paramount production just is not stocked with the lead performers who really can do the score justice. The correct pitch comes and goes. Nothing ever feels musically relaxed. In the case of the crucial Act 2 power ballad, "The Winner Takes It All," Amy Montgomery, who is miscast here, just about gets through the number. Montgomery, who plays the star of the show, Donna, is a sincere, genuine and talented actress. But aside from her vocal challenges (shared by the young Kiersten Frumkin, who will get a lot better as Sophie if she just chills out), Montgomery makes the mistake of playing Donna as angry for the entire two and a half hours that we are in her company. Sure, Donna is upset that Sophie has invited her potential dads (played, competently but rather blandly, by Michael Gillis, Steve O'Connell and Jeff Diebold) to her wedding and she has her issues with her past. But it's "Mamma Mia!," for goodness' sake. A romantic comedy with a silly wedding. The one moment I almost lost it watching this production was when Donna is singing "Slipping Through My Fingers" (about as wistful as ABBA ever got), here re-purposed to be to "Mamma Mia!" what "Sunrise, Sunset" is to "Fiddler on the Roof." Donna sings it to Sophie as she puts on her wedding dress. It's a gentle, wistful song about the passing of time, rendered Saturday night as an emotional crisis worthy of Medea. Unless Sophie slipped back in pronto, it seemed, the whole island would be headed for perpetual therapy. Too much. Too much. You can't strip so much of the joy out of the show in this case, when an unscheduled wedding emerges at the climax, you think: Really? They actually like each other? In fairness, some scenes do have what is needed Jennifer Knox had the right tone in "Does Your Mother Know," which works, and Sara Sevigny is delightful in her "Take a Chance on Me" showcase with O'Connell. The ensemble is lively and harmonic throughout, and the famous disco megamix certainly pleased many in the crowd. But you have to look hard for any emotional or sensual warmth trademarks, folks, of the ABBA gestalt. And, for that matter, of the business of taverna-hotels on Greek islands. No pretty sunsets here, god knows. I really found myself resisting all the projections, which are far too on the nose (when people are singing about Paris, you don't need to be looking at a projection of the Eiffel Tower) and, in fact, I'd say the whole design by the typically brilliant Kevin Depinet didn't really serve the piece. Nor did Matt Guthier's costumes, which are in need of romantic simplicity with comic accessories. So. I swear I hold no eternal candle for the once-brilliant original production, which only diminished over the years as the tours became cheaper. Regular readers will know I've been deeply impressed with so many of Corti's homegrown takes at the Paramount, which always delivers a Broadway-sized orchestra and production values. That applies here. But, let's leave it with the words of the Swedish gods themselves, in provision of the uber-text of the show: "Gimme gimme gimme a man after midnight. Won't somebody help me chase these shadows away. Gimme gimme gimme a man after midnight. Take me through the darkness to the break of the day." Advertisement Chris Jones is a Chicago Tribune critic. cjones5@chicagotribune.com Twitter@ChrisJonesTrib "Mamma Mia!" - 2 stars When: Through Oct. 30 Where: Paramount Theatre, 23 E. Galena Blvd., Aurora Advertisement Running time: 2 hours, 30 minutes Tickets: $44-$59 at 630-896-6666 or paramountaurora.com RELATED STORIES: 'Hamilton's' Lin-Manuel Miranda and the terrifying urgency of fame 'Fun Home' to 'Visiting Edna,' our top-10 early votes for theater this fall 'Dear Evan Hansen' and Chazz Palminteri: Our Top 10 for Broadway Watch the latest movie trailers. Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 122 Sophie Turner as Jean Grey, anger management student, in "Dark Phoenix." The film, the latest in the "X-Men" franchise, costars James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender and Jessica Chastain. Read the review. (Twentieth Century Fox) I need your help with a Lufthansa seat upgrade that wasn't delivered as promised. I planned to fly from San Francisco to Bangalore, India, via Frankfurt on United Airlines and Lufthansa. I paid $275 on the Lufthansa website for an upgrade to premium economy on my flight from Frankfurt to Bangalore but could not upgrade, because it was a United codeshare for the Lufthansa flight. All I could do was pay for an exit-row seat. At my request, my travel agent reissued the ticket so that both Lufthansa flights had Lufthansa flight numbers. I first requested an upgrade for the United flights on the United website, then I went back to the Lufthansa website to upgrade those flights. The Lufthansa website showed that my record was locked and that I needed to call the Lufthansa reservation line. Advertisement I got multiple stories from multiple Lufthansa agents. One agent told me that both my upgrade and exit-row seat reservation were canceled by Lufthansa's computer system due to the ticket being reissued to change the codeshare flight, and another told me that the problem was because I applied for upgrades on the United flights. Whatever the cause, my record was completely locked up on the Lufthansa system and could not be accessed by Lufthansa agents. After going back and forth with both United and Lufthansa, with each blaming the other, I finally canceled the entire flight. Advertisement I'd like a full refund of the upgrade and exit-row seat ($310) paid to Lufthansa, because the problem was within its reservations system. Lufthansa says these fees are nonrefundable. Ronald LaPedis, San Bruno, Calif. A: I agree with you if you paid for an upgrade through your airline, you should receive one. But which airline? This was what's known as a "codeshare" flight, an odd airline industry practice in which one airline poses as another. In this case, United was pretending to operate a flight from Frankfurt to Bangalore, even though it was a Lufthansa flight. As part of that process, it led you to believe it could accept a $275 fee to upgrade your seat. Turns out a technical glitch in Lufthansa's system prevented the airline from fulfilling the promise, and it had nothing to do with the codeshare. This reminds me a little bit of the Chinese finger trap. The money you paid for the upgrade only goes one way. The seat-reservation fee you paid was nonrefundable, even though Lufthansa couldn't give you the seat you paid for. How is that fair? And don't even get me started on the seat. Your "premium" economy seat has a barely civil amount of legroom and space, an amount all economy-class seats used to have. You shouldn't have to pay extra for it. You shouldn't have to fear being stuck in a substandard seat to Bangalore. It shouldn't be allowed. It looks as if you were working with a travel agent. A qualified travel adviser should be able to help secure a refund after an upgrade failure. If that doesn't work, you can appeal the decision to someone higher up at Lufthansa. I list the names, numbers and email addresses of the airline's customer-service executives on my consumer-advocacy site: elliott.org/company-contacts/lufthansa-airlines/. In the end, we fixed this one together. You pushed your case with a vice president at Lufthansa, and I also contacted the airline requesting a resolution. Lufthansa refunded the $310 you had to spend on an upgrade and seat assignment. Christopher Elliott is the ombudsman for National Geographic Traveler magazine and the author of "How to Be the World's Smartest Traveler." You can read more travel tips on his blog, www.elliott.org, or email him at chris@elliott.org. Advertisement RELATED STORIES: Packing in some far-flung travel before college There's something about airport bookstores Vueling rescheduled flight, didn't bother to tell passenger Fifth-grader Owen Chaidez, 10, plays during recess at Hillcrest Elementary School on Sept. 9, 2016, in Downers Grove. Chaidez, along with his mother, raised $600,000 to build a wheelchair-accessible playground at his school. (Armando L. Sanchez/Chicago Tribune) (Armando L. Sanchez/Chicago Tribune) Before the start of first grade four years ago, Owen Chaidez excitedly waited on the playground at Hillcrest Elementary School in Downers Grove. But when the bell rang and his friends ran inside, the boy, who uses a wheelchair, became stuck in the wood chips covering the playground's surface. His mother found him moments later, crying and alone. "The more he tried to dig out of it ... the deeper he was getting in the wood chips," Peg Chaidez said. "I promised him that day I would do something to make a difference." Advertisement Last month, the 46-year-old mother made good on her promise when Owen cut the ribbon welcoming the public to "Owen's Playground." The new $600,000, fully accessible playground at the District 58 school is designed to be used by all students including those with physical and cognitive disabilities. With extra wide ramps, rubberized flooring, sensory stations and other custom-designed features, the playground is the latest in a wave of inclusive playgrounds being constructed across the Chicago area in recent years. The passionate parents and nonprofit organizations behind them say they couldn't wait for cash-strapped communities and school districts to find the time and money to follow rules laid out in the Americans with Disabilities Act. The act requires all playgrounds to offer equipment, materials and designs that provide children with disabilities the same play opportunities as other children. Advertisement "For many communities and many school districts, they're working hard to accommodate students in the classroom." said Heather Binder, development and outreach manager for Rebuilding Together Aurora. "Sometimes they don't have enough bandwidth to look beyond those four walls." So the nonprofit partnered with a local volunteer project, Gateway to Laughter, and last month, completed an inclusive playground at John Gates Elementary School, the hub for students with disabilities in the East Aurora school district. Before the playground was remodeled, five classrooms of students with disabilities were regularly left on the sidelines at recess, Binder said. From left, fifth-grader Owen Chaidez, 10, plays during recess at Hillcrest Elementary School Friday Sept. 9, 2016, in Downers Grove, Ill. Chaidez, along with his mother, raised $600,000 to build a wheelchair accessible playground at his school. (Armando L. Sanchez / Chicago Tribune) Today, they play alongside their classmates on six pieces of equipment built by volunteer contractors and laborers. The structures, from spinning contraptions to musical stations, were designed to be accessible for both typical children and those with mobility impairment or cognitive challenges, Binder said. "Just like any move toward equality, it's a slow march sometimes," Binder said. "We just felt really compelled to go above and beyond." For many decades, there were no enforceable standards for playgrounds across the country. In 2010, a section was added to the Americans with Disabilities Act that for first time required new or remodeled playgrounds to include, among other guidelines, low-sitting structures for someone using a wheelchair, according to Sherril York, executive director of the National Center on Accessibility. In roughly the same amount of time, York said she has noticed a growing number of playground equipment manufacturers offer products that take into account children and caregivers with special needs, she said. Chicago playgrounds all meet the latest ADA standards, with offerings such as bucket seating on swings for children who may not be able to sit upright, said Jessica Maxey-Faulkner, spokeswoman for the Chicago Park District. And once parents of children with disabilities or caregivers with special needs themselves learned of the new requirements and possibilities, grass-roots efforts to construct state-of-the-art playgrounds grew across the country, as it has in the Chicago area, York said. Advertisement Owen's Playground, one of a growing number of inclusive playgrounds being built in the Chicago area, opened at Hillcrest Elementary School in Downers Grove. Sept. 9, 2016 (Vikki Ortiz Healy / Chicago Tribune) (Chicago Tribune) In Elmhurst, the community's Park District is scheduled to open "The Playground for Everyone" in November, after years of partnering with nonprofits for fundraisers and planning. The municipality each year designates $350,000 to remodel of one of its 18 playgrounds. That sum covers the design and construction of a playground that meets ADA standards, such as smooth surfaces and low structures. But advocates for people with special needs in Elmhurst dreamed of a playground that would go beyond the bare minimum: extra handicapped parking spaces nearby, double-wide ramps where children using wheelchairs could pass each other and ample seating for caregivers who are often left without a place to rest, said Ginger Wade, marketing director for the Elmhurst Park District. Together with a nonprofit group called Special Kids Day, as well as several other community groups, the Park District raised another $250,000 for the creation of The Playground for Everyone, which is now under construction on Butterfield Road. "We've always had playgrounds that were accessible, but this is kind of taking that to the next level," said Wade, who noted similar projects in Wheaton and South Elgin. "It's like when you go to the restaurant and they have one thing that's gluten-free. This is where it's all gluten-free. The specialty becomes the standard. Now I think it's becoming more and more expected." York, of the National Center on Accessibility, which is considered by advocates as the leading authority on access issues unique to park and recreation programs and facilities, said she has been encouraged to see playground organizers interested in addressing more than the needs of children with physical disabilities. The new parks are also geared toward caregivers with disabilities and children with autism spectrum disorders, vision loss and hearing impairments. From left, fifth-grader Jeevan Kolavennu, 10, and fifth-grader Owen Chaidez, 10, play during recess at Hillcrest Elementary School Friday Sept. 9, 2016, in Downers Grove, Ill. Chaidez, along with his mother, raised $600,000 to build a wheelchair accessible playground at his school. (Armando L. Sanchez / Chicago Tribune) "They're thinking about individuals with all different types of needs on the playground and trying to make sure that it's not just this special playground that sits there all by itself with individuals with disabilities," York said. Advertisement At Hillcrest, Principal Michelle Rzepka said her student body of 380 enjoys the playground several times a day, and visitors come to Owen's Playground after school from all parts of the Chicago area. Daywatch Weekdays Start each day with Chicago Tribune editors' top story picks, delivered to your inbox. > "We don't have the wood chips or the barriers that we once did. Instead of seeing kids on the sidelines, we're seeing kids integrating together and playing together," Rzepka said. "It is well-loved." It's a sight that Chaidez, who spearheaded the Downers Grove project while working full-time as a digital analyst for an advertising agency, at times worried she would never see. From left, fifth-grader Sofia Pieranunzi, 10, and fifth-grader Owen Chaidez, 10, play during recess at Hillcrest Elementary School Friday Sept. 9, 2016, in Downers Grove, Ill. Chaidez, along with his mother, raised $600,000 to build a wheelchair accessible playground at his school. (Armando L. Sanchez / Chicago Tribune) Owen, now a 10-year-old fifth-grader, was born with a rare condition called arthrogryposis multiplex congenita that affected his joints and left him able to walk short distances only with assistance. He mostly uses a wheelchair. He encouraged his mother's work on Owen's Playground by repeating a lesson she's taught him many times. "As much as I would start to get discouraged, he would always say, 'You can do it, Mom. You can do anything,'" said Chaidez, who is now fielding calls from all over the country and Canada about how to build accessible playgrounds in their own communities. Advertisement "He thinks I can do no wrong," she said. vortiz@chicagotribune.com Ohio police are looking for the owner of a heart that was found in a field. (The Washington Post ) Only an hour earlier, the field beside a convenience store parking in Norwalk, Ohio was empty. An EMS crew from the small town 60 miles southwest of Cleveland had been parked nearby on Aug. 25 and left after receiving a call for service. When they returned in their ambulance, police told the Norwalk Reflector, there was a mysterious bag sitting in the field. Advertisement Upon investigating, the crew members found themselves staring at what appeared to be a human heart. "It was fresh; it wasn't decomposed," Norwalk, Ohio, Police Chief Dave Light told the Reflector. Advertisement Detective Sgt. Jim Fulton told the paper that probably an hour had passed between the time the crew left the parking lot and returned. "After they returned, it was there," Fulton said. "It was just a little ways into that field off the parking lot. It was in a plastic bag." The paramedics called police, who picked up the heart and transported it to the county coroner's office for testing the next day. Authorities say they are confident that the heart is human, which raises a troubling question: To whom does the heart belong? Police told the Reflector that they're not aware of any cases in which a heart has been stolen, nor do they have any reports of grave robberies or bodies being tampered with. "I haven't heard anything like that," Light told the paper, noting that he'd hoped local media coverage might lead someone to step forward with information about a missing organ. Jill Del Greco, a spokeswoman for the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation, told the paper that her agency is not investigating any cases involving a missing heart. "We wouldn't necessarily hear about it," Del Greco told the Reflector. "Most cases are handled at the local level." Advertisement Light admitted that the paramedics who found the heart could not be certain it was human in origin. Pigs, chimpanzees and dogs all have hearts that can resemble human hearts. "Pig hearts are promising because they're close enough to human hearts in anatomy," Popular Science reported in an article about the possibility of using animal hearts as transplants for human patients. "Doctors also already use heart valves taken from pigs and cows in human surgeries." On any given day, about 3,000 people in the United States are on the waiting list for a heart transplant, but only about 2,000 hearts become available each year, according to the U.S. National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. Wait times can last from several days to several months, the institute notes, and can hinge upon someone's medical condition and blood type. Huron County, Ohio, coroner Jeff Harwood told the Reflector that when he first encountered the heart "it was in pretty good condition," but the organ "had an odor of decomposition to it." He noted that nobody had been in touch with him to claim the heart. Asked whether he could be certain that the heart was human, the coroner said, "I could not say it was not, so that's why we shipped it off." Advertisement "They wanted to do some tests on the fluid to see if it's a preservative," he added. Police told the paper that the coroner's office performed a biopsy before sending the heart to a veterinarian for additional analysis. "They're 95 percent sure it was human," Light told the Reflector, "but they want to make 100 percent sure." Tracing body parts is a task that police sometimes find themselves engaged in. In June, police in Penn Township, Pa., discovered a human brain beneath a robbery suspect's porch. The brain even had a name: "Freddy." Police say the name was given to the brain by Joshua Lee Long, who is incarcerated in connection with burglaries in Pennsylvania, according to the Sentinel. Advertisement Police think the brain was stolen. Cumberland County Coroner Charley Hall confirmed that the brain belonged to an adult human. Pennsylvania state trooper Bob Hicks told television station WPMT that investigators think the brain was originally used for teaching purposes. Police accused Long of using the brain to get high by spraying the organ's embalming fluid on marijuana. "At this point now, we're just trying to figure out where it came from," he said. "We're hoping that if anyone feels like they're missing a human specimen brain, bring it to our attention and maybe we could return it to its rightful owner." The Washington Post A U.S. Marine pauses at one of the pools at the National September 11 Memorial following a morning commemoration ceremony for the victims of the terrorist attacks fifteen years after the day on September 11, 2016 in New York City. (Spencer Platt / Getty Images) Fifteen years after the Sept. 11 attacks, America's top homeland security official can't say for sure whether the country is safer from terrorist attacks. "It's a mixed bag," Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson told CNN's Jake Tapper on Sunday's "State of the Union." Advertisement Johnson said U.S. intelligence and security officials have become "pretty good" at uncovering plots hatched abroad by terrorist groups. But he indicated that the government is facing a new challenge to try to prevent terrorist-inspired attacks hatched within the country's borders, including those of the "lone wolf" variety. "We are safer when it comes to the 9/11-style attack. Our government has become pretty good at detecting plots against the homeland," Johnson said. "But we've got this new environment and new threat, which makes it harder, and we're now seeing attacks in Orlando and San Bernardino that we've got to protect against. ... This is a new phenomenon." Advertisement Law enforcement officials have said that the attackers in each incident (the Orlando, Florida, shooting in June that killed about 50 people and the San Bernardino, California, assault in December that killed 14) were inspired by the Islamic State militant group, which controls territory in Iraq and Syria and has urged Muslims worldwide to fight on its behalf. Johnson indicated that stopping such lone wolf attacks can't be done simply by using traditional government intelligence tools. He urged all Americans to be "vigilant." Speaking on NBC's "Meet the Press" with Chuck Todd, Johnson said, "Invariably, the high-probability, higher-probability type of threat, another San Bernardino, another Orlando, is uppermost on our minds. It is the thing that keeps me up at night the most." The Orlando killer was on an FBI terrorist watch list but was later removed, years before he bought the weapons used in the attack. (Being on an FBI watch list doesn't preclude you from being able to buy a gun, though Congress tried without success to change that this summer.) Johnson appeared on several Sunday news shows from a remembrance ceremony at Ground Zero. He said the attacks occurred on his 44th birthday and that he watched them unfold from his office in Manhattan. "I kept wanting to see that tower emerge from the smoke and the dust," he said. "And, of course, that never happened." The Washington Post Islamic State militants that were killed during an attack in March were buried in unmarked graves in Ben Guerdane, Tunisia. (Lorenzo Tugnoli for The Washington Post) LONDON The flow of foreign fighters to the ranks of the Islamic State - once a mighty current of thousands of radicalized men and women converging on Syrian and Iraqi battlefields from nations across the globe - has been cut to a trickle this year as the group's territory has shrunk and its ambitions have withered. The decline, officials and experts say, has been dramatic, prolonged and geographically widespread, with the number of Europeans, Americans, North Africans and others joining up to fight and die for the idea of a revived Islamic caliphate falling as precipitously as the terrorist group's fortunes. Advertisement From a peak of 2,000 foreign recruits crossing the Turkey-Syria border each month, the Islamic State and other extremist groups operating in Syria are down to as few as 50, according to U.S. intelligence assessments. Governments from Britain to Tunisia say their citizens are less likely than they have been in years to heed the Islamic State's calls for front-line volunteers. Advertisement Diminished flows deprive the organization of needed reinforcements and further erode its ability to cast itself as the rebirth of a vast Islamic empire. But they also raise questions about whether the terrorism threat is actually easing or just morphing into a more dangerous new phase. "It's a massive falloff," said Peter Neumann, director of the International Center for the Study of Radicalization at King's College London. "And it's basically because Islamic State is a failing entity now. The appeal of Islamic State rested on its strength and its winning. Now that it's losing, it's no longer attractive." The sustained decline marks an important milestone in global efforts to defeat the Islamic State, reflecting measures ranging from a multinational military campaign to, in at least one nation, rules requiring parental permission slips before young men can leave the country. But Neumann and others said the decline in Islamic State recruiting figures - which has come almost as quickly as it rose following leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi's declaration of a caliphate in June 2014 - is hardly an unmitigated success for the United States and its allies. Instead, it may be the beginning of a new stage one in which would-be fighters choose to carry out attacks at home rather than travel abroad, and battlehardened veterans seek out new lands for conflict. "It's like after the Afghanistan war in the 1980s," said Neumann, citing the period after Soviet troops withdrew in 1989 and legions of foreign fighters formed a diaspora of radicalized veterans that subsequently fueled the rise of al-Qaeda. "They'll be asking themselves, 'What's next?' " That peril helps explain why U.S. and other officials have been cautious in trumpeting the declining foreign-fighter numbers. French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve announced this week that there was "a fourfold decrease" in the number of French citizens who have traveled to the Islamic State's domain in the first six months of 2016, compared to the 69 fighters who did so over the same period last year. Advertisement Rather than celebrate, however, French officials have been bracing the public for what could happen if some among the almost 700 French citizens or residents who are still fighting in Syria and Iraq decide it is time to come home. "Their return represents an additional menace for our national security," said French Prime Minister Manuel Valls, whose country has been hit by repeated terrorist attacks in the past two years. One European law enforcement official said that although the number of people departing for Syria has been dropping, the security threat may simply be changing, not diminishing. "If you look at one side, fewer people leaving would also mean fewer people getting radicalized and also being passed out from Syria and Iraq to commit attacks," said Wil M. van Gemert, the head of the operations department at Europol, the European Union law enforcement agency. "But if you look at the summer, you see what kind of attacks we've had," he said, listing incidents in France, Germany and Belgium. "We had people who had been radically inspired, and IS took a position where they claimed them to be their soldiers," he said, using an abbreviation for the Islamic State, which is also known as ISIS or ISIL. In many cases, however, the Islamic State's connections with those attackers were tenuous at best. Advertisement And as the group fights for its survival amid a U.S.-led assault from the air and Turkish, Kurdish and Iraqi military offensives on the ground, the Islamic State has struggled to draw significant numbers of new foreign fighters under its direct control. - - - As of December, up to 31,000 people from at least 86 countries had traveled to Syria or Iraq to fight alongside the Islamic State or other extremist groups, according to a comprehensive analysis by the Soufan Group, an international security consulting firm. The extraordinary flows - outpacing those from all other recent conflicts - gave the Islamic State a virtually unending supply of fighters with which to battle the group's myriad enemies. Even more important than battlefield ranks, however, was the propaganda value of an army that matched the scope of the group's rhetoric, which called for a global Muslim uprising against infidel regimes. But since late last year, amid a succession of battlefield losses, that has become a harder case to make as the flows have sharply slowed, creating a self-reinforcing spiral of decline. The ranks of new fighters have diminished so dramatically that certain countries, such as Belgium and Britain, have not even increased their estimates this year of the number of citizens who have left home to fight. Advertisement Olivier Van Raemdonck, a spokesman for Belgium's Coordinating Unit for Threat Analysis, the country's main terrorism tracking body, said that Belgian authorities have received information about a few people departing this year but that they have not been able to confirm such tips. Belgium has had the highest per capita flow of foreign fighters to Syria of any European country. But now "an entire channel has been shut down," Van Raemdonck said. In the United States, which has been a far less significant source of fighters than many European nations, the average number of Americans traveling to fight for the Islamic State in Syria dropped from six to 10 per month during the first half of 2015 to just one a month, FBI Director James B. Comey said in May. He cited the group's lost luster as the cause. "ISIS, the so-called Islamic State brand, has lost significant power in the United States," he said. The group's reduced international cachet is not the only explanation for the lower numbers. The increasing difficulty of traveling to Islamic State-held territory also has hurt recruitment figures, experts and officials say. Dramatically stepped-up restrictions, including tanks lined up at 50-yard intervals in some places where fighters are known to cross and walls and ditches constructed in others, have made it far harder to infiltrate along the favored path into Islamic State terrain: the Turkey-Syria border. Late last month, the group lost its last remaining foothold on that border, cutting off a valuable conduit through which recruits had long passed. "We expect this development to have a positive impact" on further reducing the flow of foreign fighters, said a senior Turkish official who spoke on the condition of anonymity. Advertisement Enhanced intelligence sharing between Turkey and Western governments also has helped to make what was once a relatively easy journey from Europe to Syrian battlefields far more difficult. The Turkish government says it has added more than 40,000 names to its no-entry list based on intelligence supplied by foreign governments in the past 1 1/2 years, compared to fewer than 5,000 names in 2014. The rise has been accompanied by a sharp increase in the number of deportations, as Turkish authorities intercept would-be fighters and send them home. The lack of fresh Islamic State manpower is evident on the battlefield. Brig. Gen. Yahya Rasoul, a spokesman for the Iraqi military, said the group has begun to recruit children to plug the gap as adult militants are killed and foreigners leave for Syria or home. "There is big confusion in their ranks," said Rasoul. Whereas the Islamic State once used foreign fighters as suicide bombers, it is increasingly tapping young Iraqi boys, he said. Besieged senior Islamic State officials have begun to acknowledge that there will be no cavalry coming to bolster their ranks. In his last speech before he was killed in an airstrike last month, spokesman Abu Muhammad al-Adnani alluded to the increasing problems facing foreigners wishing to travel to Islamic State territory. He also issued the sort of threat that explains why Western security officials fear extremist-fueled attacks will not end just because access to the battlefields of Syria and Iraq has been restricted. "If the tyrants have closed in your faces the door of hijrah [migration], then open in their face the door of jihad and make their act a source of pain for them," he said in a late-May audio recording. "The smallest action you do in the heart of their land is dearer to us than the largest action by us, and more effective and more damaging to them." Advertisement He urged his followers to strike civilian rather than military targets, as hitting the former is "more damaging." - - - Overstretched European security agencies remain ill-prepared to deal with the consequences if that call is heeded by Islamic State sympathizers, or if the flows start to reverse and fighters return home in large numbers. "It's a five-letter word, and it's called intel," said Francois Heisbourg, a former member of a French presidential commission on defense and national security. "The only thing you can seriously do is to ramp up the ability to track and keep track of those who are here and those who are coming here." In Germany, where the flow of foreign fighters to Syria has been cut from an average of dozens a month to a small handful, the head of the Federal Criminal Police Office, Holger Munch, recently told the Berlin daily Der Tagesspiegel that those who "have already spent a long time with IS, have been exposed to brutal war experiences and established many contacts" represent "a special threat" to German security if they return. Concern over a reverse flow - or over extremists who decide to strike at home rather than go abroad - is hardly limited to the West. Advertisement In Tunisia, the source of the single largest contingent of foreign fighters to the conflicts in Syria and Iraq, the flows have declined as travel to the battlefields has become more difficult, according to officials and analysts. Among the new measures blocking the path of would-be recruits: All men under 35 seeking to travel outside Tunisia need written permission from their parents stating their purpose for leaving. But the reduced flows have stoked growing worries that the problem of militant extremism will become even more pronounced domestically. "The battle is shifting from Syria to North Africa," said Badra Gaaloul, a researcher with the Tunis-based International Center of Strategic, Security and Military Studies. "There are a lot of ISIS sleeping cells still active in Tunisia, so many that we call them 'awake cells,' " said Gaaloul. "They want to start a caliphate in Tunisia." As evidence, Gaaloul cited the assault on the border town of Ben Guerdane by Islamic State militants this year, which Tunisian and regional officials say was an attempt to create a new safe haven as the group faces pressure in its Libyan stronghold of Sirte. In recent days, senior Tunisian officials - who say there are still 4,000 countrymen fighting for the Islamic State and other extremist groups - have publicly expressed concern that Tunisian fighters fleeing Libya and Syria would return. Advertisement "The danger is real. Those who leave Sirte are heading south to eventually join Boko Haram, but some are also going west [to Tunisia]," the country's defense minister, Farhat Hachani, told journalists, referring to the Nigerian militant group that has pledged support for the Islamic State. Egypt, too, has seen reduced outflows, having paid off tribes along the Libyan border that run human-smuggling networks to block the path of would-be fighters, according to Mohannad Sabry, an Egyptian journalist and author of a book on the Islamist insurgency in the Sinai Peninsula. But just because radicalized Egyptians are not formally linking up with the Islamic State does not mean they are not a threat, especially as the government feeds extremism by cracking down on its political opponents. "The numbers are decreasing," Sabry said, "but actually the number of wannabes is rising." Raghavan reported from Cairo and McAuley from Paris. Liz Sly in Beirut, Loveday Morris in Baghdad, Karla Adam in London, Stephanie Kirchner in Berlin, Michael Birnbaum and Annabell Van den Berghe in Brussels, and Matt Zapotosky in Washington contributed to this report. HARTFORD More than 30 students were injured when porches collapsed on top of each other at a three-story house near Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut, during an off-campus party late Saturday night, police said. Emergency officials said the 30 students taken to area hospitals suffered broken bones, wounds, scrapes and concussions but said no injuries were life-threatening. Hartford Deputy Police Chief Brian Foley described the injured mostly Trinity students as "walking wounded." One of the injured declined medical treatment. Advertisement The 10:15 p.m. CDT collapse resulted in a chaotic scene near the school's campus as dozens of students ran toward the house and tried to aid those trapped in the rubble. Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 11 The rear of 1713-15 Broad St., where three porches collapsed Saturday night, injuring about 30 Trinity College students. (David Owens / Hartford Courant) "I heard a cracking sound and I turned around, heard screams and saw the whole thing coming down," Adam Keefe, a Trinity junior from Rhode Island, said. "It was completely out of no where." Advertisement Keefe said he and other students ran toward the house and pulled debris off of injured students. Paramedics and firefighters treated the injured students, many of whom were sprawled on grassy areas near the house as sobbing students, some embracing each other while others were on their cellphones talking to parents, looked on. "I stayed there. I was worried. The most important thing was I wanted to make sure if people were OK," Keefe said. Hartford Fire Department Capt. Raul Ortiz said the porch material was heavy and some students were fortunate to be alive. Scene of a reported porch collapse in Hartford. (Alaine Griffin / Hartford Courant) "The fact that the injuries were not really that serious is really a miracle," Ortiz said. Officials said the third-floor porch collapsed onto the second-floor porch, then onto the first-floor where people were gathered. "People were on multiple floors of that porch and it had a pancake collapse and toppled over, injuring people as they were scattering and trying to run for cover, Ortiz said. "The deck literally came detached from the house and collapsed," Foley said. "Those were heavy old decks that came down. At this point, the third floor, you look and see a lot of the wood was rotted and very old and structurally not very sound and when you get 50 or 60 kids out there partying on the decks it's obviously a very dangerous situation." Off-campus party caused deck collapse. HPD and HFD responding. pic.twitter.com/D1jhxoRD6Y Brian Foley (@LtFoley) September 11, 2016 Foley said the building is owned by Trinity and is not a fraternity house, though some people who live there are members of a fraternity. He said a private management company oversees the building. Five people reside there. Advertisement Mayor Luke Bronin went to the scene and released a statement early Sunday morning, saying that the collapse occurred "during a large student party." Though there were dozens of injuries, Bronin said "we are very lucky that there were no fatalities and no known critical injuries from what could have been a truly tragic incident." He said Hartford firefighters and police were on the scene within minutes of the accident. "I commend all the first responders who worked quickly and professionally to identify the injured students and get them transported safely to local hospitals," Bronin said. It was not known early Sunday if the students were able to stay in the house or if they had to be relocated. Police Honor Guard members at the memorial ceremony at the Aurora Police Station Sunday to honor the victims of the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks. (Denise Linke / The Beacon-News) At precisely 8:43 a.m. Sunday, the chime of a bell filled the air at the Aurora Police Station's memorial for fallen police officers, marking the moment when the first hijacked plane hit the World Trade Center's north tower 15 years before. Dozens of people gathered Sunday morning to remember those who died during the terror attacks on the United States on Sept. 11, 2001. Advertisement "There are times in almost everyone's life when they remember exactly where they were when something happened," said Aurora Police Cmdr. Keith Cross. "I think we can all agree that Sept. 11 is one of those times." The 40-minute ceremony included a memorial to the approximately 2,600 civilian victims of the attacks, but also focused on the 403 firefighters and police officers who lost their lives while rescuing trapped and injured people. Advertisement Aurora Police Chief Kristen Ziman discusses the sacrifice of those who died during the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks during a memorial ceremony at the Aurora Police Station Sunday. (Denise Linke / The Beacon-News) "As first responders, we know all too well the scenario of getting up in the morning and going to work, but never coming home," Cross observed. Firefighting experience made watching the tragedy unfold even more painful, stated Aurora Fire Chief Gary Krienitz. "I was in the station when it happened, and I recall how everything stopped that morning," he said. "As firefighters, we all knew that our brothers and sisters were in those buildings as they were falling down." Aurora Police Chief Kristen Ziman said police officers also held their New York compatriots close to their hearts that day and that they still do. "We know their souls and we draw strength from them as we continue to hold the line," she asserted. Krienitz noted that communities all over the world were holding 9/11 memorial ceremonies Sunday. A lone bagpiper from the Aurora Police Pipes and Drums plays "God Bless America" during the Sunday ceremony at the Aurora Police Station to honor the victims of the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks on the United States. (Denise Linke / The Beacon-News) "We think that we were the only country affected by the attacks, but 115 nations lost lives that day," he said. "There are memorials in England, Israel, Italy, China and many other countries." Cross asserted that the attacks did not achieve the terrorists' goal of fracturing the United States. Advertisement "Never have I seen this country so united in the fight to preserve our freedoms," he said. After the ceremony closed with the sound of a bagpiper playing "Amazing Grace" while walking into the distance, several area leaders stayed behind to discuss the need to keep 9/11 victims' memories alive. "We have kids in their teens today who hadn't been born when the attacks happened. We have to instill in them the desire to revere and honor the sacrifices the victims made for our country," said state Rep. Stephanie Kifowit (D-Oswego). A memorial wreath was placed during the ceremony at the Aurora Police Station Sunday to honor the victims of the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks on the United States. (Denise Linke / The Beacon-News) "Remembering 9/11 saddens me, but I don't want to forget and I hope we as a nation never forget," stated Aurora 1st Ward Alderman Tina Bohman. Denise Linke is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News Folkloric dancers perform during the Fiestas Patrias parade Sunday in Aurora. (Linda Girardi / The Beacon-News) From folkloric dancers to floats decorated in green, white and red, the culture and history of Mexico was celebrated during the Fiestas Patrias parade Sunday in downtown Aurora. The parade was part of the Fiestas Patrias Festival Saturday and Sunday in the city. Advertisement The festivities, organized by the Aurora Hispanic Heritage Advisory Board, commemorated the date of Mexico's independence from Spain on Sept.16, 1810. The 70 units in Sunday's parade celebrated not solely Mexican-Americans but all of the Latin American countries, organizers said. Advertisement "Our celebration underscores the pride we feel for our Latino cultures," said Adrienne Holloway, chairwoman of the Aurora Hispanic Heritage Advisory Board. The parade stepped-off from River and Benton streets with a Parade of Nations float comprised of elementary and middle school children from Aurora public and parochial schools that honored flags of South and Central American nations as well as the United States. "We want the youngsters to have this cultural experience," said Maria Lozano, director of English Language Learners at West Aurora School District 129. The parade featured women dancers in ruffled blouses and colorful tiered long skirts with ribbons and men in regional costumes that performed fancy footwork for the crowds along the route. Mariachi musicians played traditional ballads from Mexico with string instruments, trumpets, drums and maracas. A crowd gathered at the Reviewing Stand at the corner of Downer Place and Stolp Avenue for a pre-parade program. Holloway introduced this year's grand marshal of Fiestas Patrias, Aurora University professor and community advocate Eva Serrano. She was described as a "builder of bridges" for young adults in the greater Aurora area. "Her heart is in helping young people succeed," Holloway said. Serrano, a child of parents from Mexico and Puerto Rico, welcomed the parade attendees and then gave them an assignment to encourage young people to embrace their heritage. Advertisement "We need to remind our young people to learn to love themselves and feel proud where they have come from and to love thy neighbor," she said. Sonia Chavez, of Aurora, watched the parade with her daughter and granddaughter. Chavez said she was 7 years old when her mother emigrated from Mexico with six children because she saw opportunities in the United States. "Like every parent, our mother wanted the best for her children. I am overwhelmed with emotion thinking how our family has prospered," she said. Maria Pacheco said she, too, was born in Mexico and immigrated to the United States in 1974 in her 20s. "My family came for a better future," Pacheco said. She recently retired after 24 years as a secretary for a dean at East Aurora School District 131. Advertisement "I feel very proud to be Mexican and grateful to live in a beautiful city," the Auroran said. The parade was marched by Aurora's four mayoral candidates, state Rep. Linda Chapa LaVia (D-Aurora); Ald. Richard Irvin, at large; Ald. Michael Saville, 6th Ward; and Rick Guzman, assistant chief of staff in the mayor's office. Diana Iracheta, 20, was part of the Fiestas Patrias scholarship pageant comprised of young aspiring women in college. "It's an honor to represent our Mexican culture in the United States," said Iracheta, who is studying mechanical engineering at Northern Illinois University. Aurora University alum Roberto Gonzalez, who was with college friends, said his father was born in Mexico. He said the parade showed the city at its best. "You can really see how diverse Aurora is," Gonzalez said. Advertisement Linda Girardi is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News Rose Medina, far right, sang the National Anthem for Elgin's Sept. 11 Ceremony. She was joined by representatives from the city of Elgin, Elgin Police and Fire Departments, and area veterans organizations. (Janelle Walker / The Courier-News) A generation of youths can't remember the events of Sept. 11, 2001, said Elgin Mayor David Kaptain during Elgin's annual remembrance ceremony Sunday. Children in Elgin schools were either not born yet or too young to remember watching television with their families that day and in the weeks following. Advertisement That is one of the reasons Elgin continues to commemorate the 9/11 terrorist attacks, Kaptain said. It is also a time to remember how the country came together in just a few short hours, Elgin civic leaders, police and fire officials said. Advertisement Kaptain was in Colorado when the planes hit the World Trade Center, Pentagon and crashed in a Pennsylvania field, he said. There was no getting home to Elgin as all airports shut down. "We watched as the world changed in two hours," he said. But he also saw people offer to help those stranded offering lodging and food to those waiting for airports to reopen. "People just felt like they needed to help," Kaptain said. "That is our legacy as Americans for our young people," that Americans help each other in times of crisis. Elgin will continue to hold a ceremony on Sept. 11, even as other communities have ended that tradition, he added. "It is important to remember, for our young people, for our veterans and for our police and firefighters," Kaptain said. Sunday's event included an honor guard from the Elgin VFW Post, a combined honor guard from the Elgin police and fire departments and the playing of taps. The joint Elgin Fire and Police Department Honor Guard prepares to retire colors during the Elgin 9/11 ceremony. The bell in the foreground is rung every year to honor those who died in the attacks. (Janelle Walker / The Courier-News) A bell was rung in honor of all those killed firefighters, police officers, those in the planes and those in the towers and the Pentagon. Advertisement Many of Sunday's speakers talked about where they were when they heard about a plane hitting one of the World Trade Center towers, and turning on the TV to see the second plane hit, or watching as the towers fell. Many were at meetings already, or working, or out of town and watching from afar. It is now a part of American history, said Elgin Assistant Fire Chief Brian McMahon. History was never one of his favorite classes until he was older and saw how important it is to know what came before, the firefighter said. It is that history, he said, that must be taught so that others, especially the children, will not forget. Janelle Walker is a freelance reporter for the Courier-News. The North American F-86 Sabre flying overhead during the Wings Over Waukegan Northern Illinois Airshow on Saturday at Waukegan Airport. (Mark Kodiak Ukena / Lake County News-Sun) The organizers of the Northern Illinois Airshow had their own kind of barrel roll to contend with Saturday as rain and wind threatened the event Saturday at Waukegan National Airport. As winds blew over canvass tents and the rain poured down delaying some airplanes on their way to perform in the show just an hour and a half after the grounds opened at 9 a.m., there was a concern the show wouldn't go on. Advertisement "Things were looking bleak," said Tom Coogan, a spokesman for the show formerly known as Wings Over Waukegan. "The rain was coming sideways and we had as many people exiting (to seek cover in their cars) as there were coming in," he said. "But once the front passed some of the aircraft that had been held up were able to come in and start with a restricted show," he said. Advertisement Still, high winds and low cloud cover canceled the Quad City Skydivers performance. The weather turned nice as Wayne Messmer sang the National Anthem and then sang America the Beautiful as T-28 jets flew in a "missing man formation," leaving a spot open in the formation to honor all those who died in 911. "We even had a voluntary moment of silence. It just happened, we didn't even announce it," he said. While Glenn Lutter, a Vietnam veteran from Libertyville who attended with his wife, Linda, and grandson Noah West, 7, likes planes, he also has a love of cars. One of his highlights was the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation small 1940 Ford pick-up truck remodeled as a fire truck powered by a turbojet engine. "You could see the wheels lifting off the ground," Lutter said. His grandson also named that as one of his favorites of the "jet show," as he liked to call it. "I really liked the fire truck with the big rocket in the back and the parachute to make it stop," West said. "He was going pretty fast," he added. They also enjoyed the acrobatics of Mike Vakin in the prop plane Extra 300. At one point between rolls and precision turns the plane went tail over nose, which to a novice looked like it was in trouble. Advertisement "That defied all the laws of lift, that was nuts," Lutter said. "I thought it looked pretty fun to do but dangerous at the same time. I thought it was amazing he could do that," said West. The show also included a number of older military aircraft flown by members of the Warbird Heritage Foundation, based at the airport. Coogan said air shows are a time for pilots to have a good time, pointing out several who were walking around with smiles on their faces, like Dave Scott of Oshkosh, Wisconsin, a professional aerobatic pilot. "I'm flying a bi-plane I built myself," he said. "At an air show our number one goal is to have fun. ... I'm living the dream." People also could peak inside fighter jets and corporate jets, including the General Dynamics F-111 Aardvark, a medium range bomber that will be mounted at a new Lake County Veteran Memorial Park at the airport that was dedicated earlier in the morning. Coogan said the plane will be mounted in the park before the end of fall and donations are being solicited at lakecountyveteransmemorial.com. Advertisement Members of the Zion Benton High School Junior ROTC stood guard near many of the other planes on display. Joqulyna Nelson, 14, of Zion, said the only thing they ask people to do was not to get too close. But it was OK to take selfies, she said standing in front of a selfie favorite: A-10 with shark face and Gatling gun. "I think everyone here has taken a selfie of it because it looks like a shark and looks really cool," she said. fabderholden@tribpub.com Twitter @abderholden As long as there are Americans alive to remember what happened on Sept. 11, 2001, it will probably never be just another day. And that date has been significant often in dark and terrifying ways -- for centuries. The deadliest civilian attack of Americans on Americans until the Oklahoma City bombing of 1995 culminated on Sept. 11, 1857. Mormons, aided by Native Americans in their employ, murdered at least 120 men, women and children in a California-bound wagon train at Mountain Meadows, Utah. The motivation for the "Mountain Meadows Massacre" remains unclear. Advertisement Several times in recent years, residents of Darmstadt, Germany, have gathered on Sept. 11 with American servicemen based nearby to mark both the U.S. deaths of 2001 and German deaths of 1944. It was on that night 72 years ago when Royal Air Force bombers used a new technique, bombing in a fan shape, around the mostly-wooden center of the city, creating a firestorm that would kill about 12,000 people and leave about 66,000 homeless, according to contemporary accounts. Germans referred to the attack as "terror bombing," a claim that would be reiterated soon with the more well-known fire-bombing of Dresden. That same night, a furious air battle between American and German forces took place over the Ore Mountains, on the German border with Czechoslovakia. Over 50 planes were shot down. Advertisement Sept. 11 was key in every year of World War II. In 1941, after attacks on U.S. shipping by German U-boats, President Franklin D. Roosevelt spoke Sept. 11 of a German "act of piracy," then ordered the Navy to fire on the subs. The same day, Charles Lindbergh, then one of the most popular men in America, assailed Roosevelt, Britain and the world's Jews for trying to get the U.S. into World War II: "We cannot blame them for looking out for what they believe to be their own interests, but we also must look out for ours. We cannot allow the natural passions and prejudices of other peoples to lead our country to destruction," he told an America First rally in Des Moines, Iowa. Sept. 11 was a big day symbolically in that war. In 1943, the Germans occupied Rome, and restored Benito Mussolini to power. A year later, American ground forces entered Germany. And a year after that, American troops occupied Nagasaki, Japan. Sept. 11 was also a significant date during the American Revolutionary War. In 1777, the Battle of Brandywine began. Historians say multiple U.S. mistakes led to the stinging defeat, but the orderly retreat of Gen. "Mad Anthony" Wayne protected ammunition the British might otherwise have captured, keeping the revolution alive. Exactly two years later, Polish patriot Casimir Pulaski died from wounds sustained during the Siege of Savannah. The British attacked Fort Henry in the war's final battle, on Sept. 11, 1782. U.S. forces turned back the British in the Battle of Lake Champlain on Sept. 11, 1814. Since it took place just before the armistice that ended the War of 1812, it probably prevented a considerable portion of northern New York from winding up in Canada. The date is very important in the history of Chile. On Sept. 11, 1973, Chilean President Salvador Allende's government was overthrown in a coup d'etat by the Chilean military, reportedly with help from the U.S. By the end of the day, Allende was dead, officially a suicide. Advertisement Sept. 11 is a red-letter day in religion. The World's Parliament of Religions the first time the Earth's faiths joined for talks opened at the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago on Sept. 11, 1893. That meeting is still hailed as a major triumph, but the Colloquy of Worms, which began Sept. 11, 1557, is not. It was said to be the last great attempt by Catholics and Protestants to settle their more thorny issues, but when the Protestants failed to agree among themselves, it collapsed. On a lighter note, Sept. 11 may be viewed differently by Pete Rose than by any other person. On Sept. 11, 1985, he broke Ty Cobb's base hit record. Lee Meriwether was crowned Miss America on that date in 1955. That was the first time the pageant was televised. This year's pageant also is on Sept. 11. Historical information for this article was derived from historical web sites, including History.com, Wikipedia, pbs.org, HistoryNet, Museum of the Air Battle over the Ore Mountains, the U.S. Army, The Pluralism Project (Harvard University). ileavitt@pioneerlocal.com Advertisement Twitter @IrvLeavitt What's Quickly? It's where readers sound off on the issues of the day. Have a quote, question or quip? Call Quickly at 312-222-2426 or email quickly@post-trib.com. They say it's a code of silence in the Chicago Police Department. That's probably so. Anywhere you work, co-workers will protect each other, but it's also a code of silence in the neighborhoods where these gangbangers live. A lot of those people know who those killers are and who's gangbanging and selling drugs, and they keep their mouth closed. Advertisement I agree with the commenter that says our language is going down the tubes. What about this term "baby daddy"? It should be "baby's dad" or "baby's father" or "baby's daddy." That Ryan Lochte and his fellow U.S. swimmers Gunnar Bentz, Jack Conger and James Feigen are disgusting. They made such a black eye for our country. I wish that our government would take away their Olympic medals and lock them away for at least a year before they give them back. These young people need to be held accountable for fabricating stories of a robbery in Rio in Brazil. Advertisement You complain about former President Richard Nixon and that what he did was wrong, but what he also did was great. He returned some land to Native Americans. He signed the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act. Post Tribune Twice-weekly News updates from Northwest Indiana delivered every Monday and Wednesday > Was it sad to see Omran Daqneesh, that 5-year-old boy sitting there in Syria all bloody after being pulled out from the bombed building? Yes, but he's another case of collateral damage. As long as the Islamic terrorists hide among these innocent civilians, there will be collateral damage, and the terrorists hope that this deters others from bombing them. You can't build a bomb that only kills the bad guys. Quickly isn't quick anymore. It's all these long paragraphs of people going, "Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah," about something. Go back to the short format please. What really gets me is this commercial about no more wrinkles. If anything on the market did work, we all would know about it. None of us would have wrinkles so we know that claim's a lie. People have been complaining about paying taxes for schools for as long as I remember and I'm 83 years old. If we didn't help pay the taxes and taxes for schools we would have a dumbing up of society because most people could not afford to send their children to school without the help from other people. That's just the way it is so don't complain about it. It's been going on for centuries. There was a commenter talking about eliminating toll booths. Here's another person who does not understand. We don't own the Indiana Toll Road. We leased it. Indiana does not control the Toll Road anymore. It belongs to the Indiana Finance Authority and is operated by the Indiana Toll Road Concession Co., a consortium. You want to talk about the toll booths? Talk to them about it. I am sick of all this political talk in Quickly. If you're crazy enough, you can listen to it on the television all day long. I don't need to have a steady digest of it, reading it in Quickly every day. Give us something that takes us away from all this political mumbo jumbo. Read more at www.post-trib.com/quickly. A Chinese construction company has won a case against the Namibian government who cancelled the company's successful tender of a 7-billion-Namibian-dollar (about US$500 million) airport expansion project. The tender was for expanding the Hosea Kutako International Airport road. Hosea Kutako is Namibia's biggest airport and is about 50 kilometers from Windhoek. The tender cancellation by the government in December 2015 prompted the winning bidder, Anhui Foreign Economic Construction Group, to challenge the decision in the High Court in February this year. Namibian President Hage Geingob cancelled the tender citing irregularities in the manner it was awarded by the Namibia Airports Company. However, the High Court on Friday ruled that the cancellation was "unlawful and therefore invalid and set aside." The Namibia Press Agency also reported Friday that the government suffered another setback when the High Court dismissed its counter aplication in connection with the matter. The government was then ordered to foot the legal bills of the construction company, which include the cost of one instructing attorney and one instructed counsel, on top of having to pay its own legal representation, it reported. In its papers, the company argued that it had already incurred costs negotiations, revisions undertaken, financing arrangements and negotiating with the Namibian workforce after winning the tender in 2014. The company also cited time consuming processes as it took over an 18-month period just to win the tender. The company further argued that even though Geingob decided to cancel the tender, he together with his predecessor, former President Hifikepunye Pohamba was involved in supervising the ultimate decision on the project. The company wanted the court to review and set aside the decision by works and transport minister Alpheus !Naruseb to discontinue all activities related to the upgrading and expansion of the international airport. You are here: Home Ride-hailing services Didi Chuxing and Uber [Photo/zol.com.cn] Drivers of China's online ride-hailing services will be required to hold a legal license by passing exams in November. Unlicensed drivers who engage in the services will face a fine ranging from 10 thousand yuan (US$1,500) to 30 thousand yuan (US$4,500). Those with 3-years of driving experience and no records of traffic accident crimes, dangerous driving, drugs or drink driving will be allowed to take examinations for online-driving services. The requirements come from one of two newly issued regulations over the taxi and online ride-hailing services by China's transportation authority. The regulations will take effect in October and November respectively. The regulations also specifically stipulate the taxi services. For example, taxi drivers who take a detour or refuse passengers can also be fined a maximum of 2,000 yuan. Alibaba will boost investment and development in ASEAN, according to founder and chairman Jack Ma on Sunday. The e-commerce giant will "participate in the development of local small- and medium-sized enterprises and young people," said Ma at the opening ceremony of the 13th China-ASEAN Expo in Nanning, which runs from Sunday to Wednesday. He did not, however, elaborate or share any specific plans. China-ASEAN trade has exploded, it is now 58 times larger than when the two sides established dialogue relations 25 years ago, which translates into great business opportunities and social development, according to Ma. If hundreds of millions of young people and small businesses participate in globalization, the world economy and trade will be changed in a greater way, he said, adding that the Belt and Road Initiative is the start of inclusive globalization. A Chinese construction company has won a case against the Namibian government who cancelled the company's successful tender of a 7 billion Namibian dollar (about 500 million U.S dollars) airport expansion project. The tender was for expanding the Hosea Kutako International Airport road. Hosea Kutako is Namibia's biggest airport and is about 50 kilometers from Windhoek. The tender cancellation by the government in December 2015 prompted the winning bidder, Anhui Foreign Economic Construction Group, to challenge the decision in the High Court in February this year. Namibian President Hage Geingob cancelled the tender citing irregularities in the manner it was awarded by the Namibia Airports Company. However, the High Court on Friday ruled that the cancellation was "unlawful and therefore invalid and set aside." The Namibia Press Agency also reported Friday that the government suffered another setback when the High Court dismissed its counter application in connection with the matter. The government was then ordered to foot the legal bills of the construction company, which include the cost of one instructing attorney and one instructed counsel, on top of having to pay its own legal representation, it reported. In its papers, the company argued that it had already incurred costs negotiations, revisions undertaken, financing arrangements and negotiating with the Namibian workforce after winning the tender in 2014. The company also cited time consuming processes as it took over an 18-month period just to win the tender. The company further argued that even though Geingob decided to cancel the tender, he together with his predecessor, former President Hifikepunye Pohamba was involved in supervising the ultimate decision on the project. The company wanted the court to review and set aside the decision by works and transport minister Alpheus Naruseb to discontinue all activities related to the upgrading and expansion of the international airport. You are here: Home Chinese Vice Premier Liu Yandong on Saturday attended the opening ceremony of China-U.S. Schwarzman College at Tsinghua University. Liu called on the college to cultivate youth with broad vision, excellent capability, responsibility and leadership. She hoped that Schwarzman College can be built as an international platform for cultivating future leaders. Liu hoped that the first group of Schwarzman scholars will value the opportunity, promoting cultural exchanges between China and other countries, and cooperating to face the global challenges. Liu also met with Stephen Schwarzman, chairman, CEO and co-founder of Blackstone, former Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and other foreign guests. The Schwarzman Scholars program of Tsinghua University is a one-year post graduate program co-founded by the university and Stephen Schwarzman. It aims to cultivate students with international vision, overall quality, leadership and knowledge of China. The first group of 110 scholars come from 70 colleges in 31 countries. Wang Yi-wen, deputy chief prosecutor of the Taoyuan District Prosecutors Office, speaks in Taoyuan, southeast China's Taiwan, Sept. 10, 2016. The driver of a tour bus that caught fire and left 26 people dead in Taiwan on July 19 was drunken and set fire to the vehicle intentionally, local prosecutors said Saturday. [Xinhua] The driver of a tour bus that caught fire and left 26 people dead in Taiwan on July 19 was drunken and set fire to the vehicle intentionally, local prosecutors said Saturday. The man splashed gasoline in the vicinity of the driver's compartment before igniting the bus with a lighter, according to the prosecutors. All the people in the bus, including the driver, were killed when the bus caught fire and crashed into a highway barrier near Taoyuan Airport. They included 23 tourists and a tour guide from the Chinese mainland, the local driver and a local tour guide. Wang Yi-wen, deputy chief prosecutor of the Taoyuan District Prosecutors Office, told the press that since the nature of the case was defined as murder, the families of the Chinese mainland victims could entrust civil compensation issues to representatives in Taiwan. According to the prosecutors, the driver, identified as Su Ming-cheng, had a habit of drinking alcohol as well as smoking, and he rarely communicated with the tour guides on his bus. Su was once detained for a period of 25 days on charge of injuring a tour guide after drinking alcohol. In addition, he was sentenced to five years in prison in a court ruling for rape, though the final verdict was not yet given when the bus fire case took place because he decided to lodge an appeal, according to prosecutors. It was also found that just before the case happened, Su's family members had talked frequently with him, trying to discourage him from committing a suicide. An artist's impression of Spire London tower. [Photo: Greenland Group] China's biggest private property company Greenland Group is to build Europe's tallest residential tower, the 67-story Spire London in London Docklands, according to the Guardian Newspaper. The 800 million pound (1.06 billion US dollars) tower will reach 241 meters in height and will have 861 apartments, ranging from 595,000 pounds (789,862 US dollars) to three million pounds (four million US dollars). Greenland Group is developing four of the 10 tallest buildings in the world, and said the tower is scheduled to reach its halfway point in height during the summer of 2018, with completion expected by 2020. The UK managing director of Greenland Group, Wenhao Qian, told the Guardian the venture was a major confidence boost for London's post-Brexit property market. 2 Flash In the 15 years since the Sept 11 attacks, the Lower Manhattan area has been transformed by public and private investment, according to a new city report. New office towers, a mass transportation hub and new retail complexes that attract young professionals have sprung up in an area that suffered extensive damage to its infrastructure. "As the rebuilding has progressed, the local economy has changed. The area has become much more residential as older office buildings have been converted to residential use and new towers are completed," said the report, "Transformation of Lower Manhattan's Economy", which was released on Tuesday. "The streets are filled with young professionals and growing families." Thomas P. DiNapoli, state comptroller of New York, told The Wall Street Journal that Lower Manhattan is a residential neighborhood "very much on the rise". The population in Lower Manhattan grew from 22,700 in 2000 to 49,000 in 2014, and more than three-quarters of the population is younger than 45 years old, with the number of children tripling since 2000. Residential housing units have more than doubled to 30,000 since 2000. Jonathan Miller, president of appraiser Miller Samuel Inc, said the downtown area has seen a tremendous expansion of development "to the point where over the last decade at least, we've seen price growth in that area at nearly double the overall growth of the borough". There's been a surge of post-9/11 activity, and "in many ways, even though it's a commercial, mixed-use district, there's been a tremendous amount of residential development that's been incorporated into it", he said. Employment, which was badly affected by the attacks, is at its highest since that time. Total private sector jobs reached 228,300 last year, compared with 270,000 in 2000. The Lower Manhattan area has historically been home to many financial institutions in New York City, and they are still the predominant industry in the area, the report said. "A number of firms relocated outside of Lower Manhattan as part of an effort to enhance their geographic diversity and minimize the impact of another attack. Some moved to Midtown Manhattan, while others moved across the river to New Jersey," it said. Commercial real estate has rebounded, though many of the older commercial buildings in the area have been converted to residential buildings. Tourism to the area remains important to the city, despite being affected in the immediate aftermath of the 9/11 attack, which destroyed the World Trade Center. The National September 11 Memorial and Museum and the newly completed World Trade Center Transportation Hub, Fulton Transit Center and Brookfield Place draw major crowds. "Lower Manhattan has made a dramatic comeback over the last 15 years, but very much so over the last year, with major openings and developments," said Fred Dixon, president and CEO of NYC & Co, the city's tourism marketing agency. "Downtown is a pillar of the 'new' New York. Tourism to the area is certainly very important to our overall visitor economy. The sheer number of new openings including hotels, attractions, shops, restaurants and transportation offerings makes it an attractive draw for both visitors and New Yorkers alike," he said. More than 23 million tourists visited the September 11 Memorial last year, and 4 million visited the memorial museum, according to the report. Flash Israel's military said on Saturday that it concluded the searches for survivors and casualties in a collapsed Tel Aviv construction site, five days after the accident that cost the lives of six men. The statement came after the rescuers extracted one last body of a construction worker who was missing since the accident. No more people, dead or alive, are believed to be under the rubbles, the authorities said. The four-story car park in Ramat Hachayal, a high-tech offices quarter of Tel Aviv, collapsed on Monday, injuring 23 people. Police spokeswoman Luba Samri said that the bodies of casualties were taken to the national forensic institute to ascertain their identity. So far, the authorities identified three bodies: Ahed Rimawi, 34, from Beit Rima, a Palestinian village outside the West Bank city of Ramallah; Denis Dianchko, 28, a citizen of Ukraine; and Oleg Yakobov, 60, an Israeli citizen from Tel Aviv. All of the victims were construction workers at the site, which was still under construction at the time of the accident. The car park was supposed to become usable in two weeks, with about 600 parking slots. About 500 Home Front Command soldiers, police, firefighters, and emergency medical personnel worked around the clock to find survivors. "For six days, forces of the Home Front search and rescue forces, both active and reserve forces, have been operating to save lives from the destruction site," Major General Yoel Strik, head of the Home Front Command, said in a statement. "Today the efforts have come to an end with the extraction of the last trapped from under the rubble, unfortunately lifeless. We send our condolences to the families," he said. The reasons for the collapse were unclear. Israel has a high number of construction accidents. According to figures from the Economy and Industry Ministry, 30 workers were killed in construction sites since the beginning of 2016. Flash At least 10 civilians were killed and dozens wounded when Saudi-led airstrikes hit a village north of Yemen's capital Sanaa on Saturday, a security official said. The death toll is more likely to increase as rescue teams are searching underneath of destroyed houses and near an artesian well in Bait Sa'dan village of Arhab district, about 50 km north of Sanaa, said the official. "The warplanes launched five airstrikes against the residents' houses and farms this morning and resumed with other three strikes when rescue teams approached the area to try to rescue possible survivors, killing or injuring many of them," the offical told Xinhua on condition of anonymity. Further 10 airstrikes hit the village later in the morning, the official added. There were dozens of injured bleeding and rescue teams and medics were trying to rush them to hospitals, the official added. Official Saba news agency, which is under control of Shiite Houthi rebels, reported more than 50 killed and injured in the airstrikes against the village, but without detailing the number. This was the latest in a series of air strikes against civilians in Yemen, which triggered widespread criticism against Saudi-led military coalition. On Thursday, the coalition warplanes killed nine civilians from three families, including four children, in Yemen's northern province of Amran, some 60 km north of Sanaa. The military Arab coalition led by Saudi Arabia has been aerial bombing rebels, Shiite Houthi armed group and its allied troops loyal to former President Ali Abdullah Saleh, since 2015 after the rebels expelled Saudi-backed internationally recognized government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi into exile. Houthi fighters and Saleh forces stormed Sanaa and about half of the country's north in late 2014 and they still dominate despite the 18-month intensified war. The coalition intervened with air military campaign with the aim to prevent the rebels from controlling the country and restore the government. The UN-sponsored peace talks between Yemeni rival factions collapsed last month, but UN envoy Ismail Ould Chiekh Ahmed said this week the Yemeni parties agreed to resume negotiations to end war and share future new government. At least 10,000 people, mostly civilians, were killed in the airstrikes and battles, and about three million are displaced. Flash Egypt and the Arab League (AL) welcomed on Saturday the ceasefire recently reached in conflict-stricken Syria after mediation efforts of the United States and Russia. The Egyptian Foreign Ministry hailed the truce that was reached Friday evening and will take effect on Sept. 12, the first day of the Muslim Feast of Sacrifice, calling on all Syrian parties to maintain complete ceasefire "while continuing to target terrorist elements." The ministry's spokesman Ahmed Abu Zeid urged Syrian conflicting parties "to put an end to the humanitarian suffering of the Syrian people due to continuous violence and fighting and to pave the way for political talks." The truce was announced earlier on Saturday by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry who said he had reached the deal with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov that seeks ceasefire all over Syria. The announcement came after intensive U.S.-Russian talks in Geneva in a bid to end the five-year-long fighting in the Arab country. Meanwhile, AL Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul-Gheit also welcomed the truce and hoped all measures could be taken "to relieve the suffering of the Syrian civilians and get the Syrian crisis close to a political settlement that meets the aspirations of the Syrian people." You are here: Home Flash The Israeli warplanes backed a rebel attack in Syria's southern province of Qunaitera on Saturday, attacking one of the military positions in that area, Syria's national TV said. Citing a military source, the TV said the Israeli air force was backing the terrorists of the Jabhat Fateh al-Sham, previously known as the al-Qaida-linked Nusra Front, in the countryside of Qunaitera, near the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights. It added that the Israelis were facilitating the move of the rebels from inside the occupied Golan Heights. It said the Israeli warplanes attacked a military site in Qunaitera countryside, stopping short of giving further details. The TV report said the Syrian forces and allied troops have thwarted a wide-scale offensive by the rebels against the towns of Hadar and Mashati-Hadar, as well as Tal Ahmar in Qunaitera countryside. The clashes are still raging in that area, the report added. The Syrian government repeatedly accused Israel of backing the rebels in Qunaitera. Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Zhang Yesui said Saturday the nuclear test launched by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) is "not conducive to the peace and stability of the Korean peninsula." Zhang made the remarks in a meeting with DPRK ambassador to China Ji Jae Ryong to voice China's position on DPRK's nuclear test. Zhang said it is China's "firm and consistent" stance to realize denuclearization on the Korean peninsula, maintain regional peace and stability and resolve problems through dialogue and consultation. "The DPRK's persisting nuclear weapon development and nuclear tests run counter to the expectations of the international community, escalate tension on the peninsula and is not conducive to the peace and stability there," Zhang said. China urges the DPRK to refrain from actions that might exacerbate tension and return to the correct direction of denuclearization at an early date. DPRK state-run television reported early Friday that the country had conducted a nuclear warhead explosion test. It was Pyongyang's fifth nuclear test and followed the previous one by eight months. China's Foreign Ministry issued a statement on Friday expressing firm opposition to DPRK's nuclear test. Rows of new energy vehicles roll off the production line at a Chinese automaker's plant in Anhui province. Xu Congjun / For China Daily The Chinese government is considering introducing a carbon credit regulation scheme next year as part of a detailed and practical plan to assess the efforts made by automakers towards cutting greenhouse gas emissions. According to a draft regulation that was released earlier this month, carbon credit will be calculated according to the amount of reduced carbon dioxide emissions from the use of new energy vehicles manufactured in or imported to the country. The credits should be handed in before the end of the year to the agency under the State Council, and extra credits traded on the nation's official carbon credit market, due to be rolled out in 2017. Automakers who expect to produce more carbon emissions than agreed will be able to either purchase credits on the market. Failing to hand in the required credit after a certain buffer time, would end up with their following year's credits reduced according to the excess emissions produced. Each credit in short would incur a penalty, charged at three to five times the previous year's annual average credit price. "This is an executable plan, which includes sanctions, to assess how carmakers are progressing with their carbon dioxide emissions reduction plans, said John Zeng, head of the Shanghai-based LMC Automotive Consulting. He added: "The country will have a detailed and practical system to oversee the development of new energy vehicles. There is currently no assessment method or system of sanctions for automakers who fail to meet targets." A company may earn credits by producing or importing fully electric, plug-in hybrid, fuel-cell cars, but mild hybrid cars will not earn any carbon credits. For example, the Toyota Prius, which is said to be the world's best-selling hybrid model, will not generate a single carbon credit under the government's proposed scheme. Zeng said the draft scheme is consistent with the country's existing new energy vehicle industrial policies, and a specific calculation method would be needed. "China is constantly encouraging fully electric, plug-in hybrid, fuel-cell vehicles, and the country's carmakers have already have expertise (in developing them)," he said. He continued: "The carbon credit scheme should be consistent with the fuel consumption cap of 5-liters per 100 km by 2020. A conversion could be made between carbon emissions and fuel consumption." A fine ranging from 100,000 yuan ($15,052) to as much as 1 million yuan has been proposed for automakers that report false carbon credit information. Potential homebuyers examine a property project model in Yichang, Hubei province, Aug 23, 2016. [Photo/China Daily] Couples in Beijing and Shanghai are considering divorce to buy a new home as rumors stoke anxiety over rule changes for property purchases Beijing civil servant Li Zhen and his wife face a difficult decision: The couple may need to divorce to realize their dream of a bigger and nicer home. If they do not split, at least legally, they may have to pay up to 1 million yuan ($150,000) in income tax if they sell either of their two small apartments, according to the current real estate policy. This would make their plan to upgrade financially impossible. But if they divorce, with each taking ownership of one property, they could be spared the tax. Time appears to be against them, too, as the market is rife with speculation that Chinese banks could tighten lending requirements for potential homebuyers, such as demanding higher down payments, from which unmarried people would be exempt. "I know that if people work out what we're doing they'll despise me and even question my morality," Li said. "But what can we do?" The Li family is not alone. Many happily married couples in Beijing and Shanghai who have seen house prices soar are facing a similar dilemma. In Beijing, families with more than one property are required to pay a 20 percent tax on any profit made from a real estate deal. According to the regulations, families can own a maximum of two apartments. Potential homebuyers read advertisements at a property expo in Beijing in April. [Photo/China Daily] Some couples in the capital have also opted to divorce before selling to avoid the tax. In Shanghai, civil affairs offices have been overwhelmed by couples who want to split up due to concerns over changes to the rules. Their anxiety was compounded on Aug 24 with a rumor that the city was to block divorcees from buying property with a 30 percent down payment within a year of their breakup. The strategy is to get divorced in the morning, buy a property as a single person (with a down payment of just 30 percent of the full price if it's their first home) in the afternoon, and remarry the next day. It's a method often used by couples who want a new house but don't want to meet the higher down payment requirement for a second home, which is at least 50 percent. On Aug 25, the Shanghai housing authority took to social media to dismiss the rumor. Yet that did not prevent more than 130 couples applying for a divorce that day at just one of the city's civil affairs offices, double the daily average, China Economy Weekly reported. The authority dismissed similar rumors twice in a week in early September, saying that policymakers were not considering changing the polices regarding property purchases. By Thursday, five social media accounts had been closed permanently for spreading the rumors, with 13 more suspended for about a month. The next day, seven real estate agents were detained on allegations of starting rumors to boost their business. "People would rather believe the rumor than risk becoming ineligible to buy a home with the current down payment requirement if a limit is placed on property purchases," said Ma Junjie, an agent for Homelink in Shanghai. "It's indeed herd mentality, but for some, to be one of the herd is better than being left behind." Neighboring cities such as Nanjing and Suzhou, where home prices have risen by more than 30 percent year-on-year, have introduced measures to curb speculative buying, including pushing up down payment requirements for second homes and blocking people from applying for mortgages to buy a second or third home if they have not paid off their previous mortgage. Industry insiders believe the gap between supply and demand is the key factor for the rising property prices. Gao Jianfeng, a property market analyst at Numora Securities, also said that limits on home purchases only work on a temporary basis. "In such situations, unless land supply rises significantly, measures to curb soaring home prices won't be very effective," he said. The residential property market in China is diverging, with some cities struggling to reduce huge inventories and others facing overheated markets. Albert Lau, CEO of Savills China, said in an interview this year that for lower-tier cities facing pressure to reduce inventory, one key task is to transform the local economy and make the city more attractive to potential buyers. If a city does not provide enough employment opportunities or attract people to settle there, it won't generate the demand for housing, he said. (Xinhua) 08:54, September 11, 2016 President Xi Jinping meets teachers at his alma mater, Bayi School in Beijing, on Friday ahead of Teacher's Day on Saturday. He took the opportunity to extend his appreciation to the country's educators for their hard work. Yao Dawei / Xinhua BEIJING, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping sent a letter on Saturday congratulating the opening of the China-U.S. Schwarzman College at Tsinghua University. Education is an important force that pushes forward human civilization. Nowadays the young people in all countries should establish a world vision and raise awareness of cooperation through education, Xi said in the letter. The China-U.S. exchanges in education have played a positive role in promoting understanding and friendship among the people as well as improving the relations between the two nations, he said, adding the two countries should deepen cooperation in this field. He hoped that the Schwarzman College can be built into an international platform for cultivating the world's excellent talents, providing study opportunities for the youth of all countries and helping them enhance understanding and exchanges. U.S. President Barack Obamaalso sent a congratulation letter for the opening ceremony. The Schwarzman Scholars program of Tsinghua University is a one-year post graduate program co-founded by the university and Stephen Schwarzman. It aims to cultivate students with international vision, overall quality, leadership and knowledge of China. The first group of 110 scholars come from 70 colleges in 31 countries. A program which originated in the Europe is now taking hold on the mainland Three-year-old Yoyo has a special friend in his home this summer. Isabell Rohde, 18, from Spangenberg, a small town in central Germany, is spending six months as an au pair with Yoyo's family in southwest China's Chongqing. Isabell Rohde (left) on a trip with Pu Yongjian's family. Provided by Pu Yongjian Like many European peers, the young woman decided to take a gap year to experience some foreign culture before going to college. "I was looking for an opportunity to experience a different culture after finishing high school," Rohde tells China Daily. "It's my first time abroad." At Yoyo's home, her main duty is to take care of the boy, play with him and teach him some English. She will also take some Chinese language courses every week and travel with the host family. The au pair program originated in Europe after World War II to promote cultural exchanges among young Europeans. Au Pair, a French term, means "at par" or "equal to", and indicates that the au pair is on par with other members of the family, rather than a traditional domestic help or nanny. Au pairs live with their host families and look after the children. In return, they get an allowance and opportunities to study a foreign language. Due to visa restrictions and limited demand, the au pair program was not introduced in China until the early 2000s. At first, it was Chinese au pairs going out, mainly to the United States, as some American parents started to realize the importance of learning Chinese. In 2006, Yu Hongbin, from Harbin, northeast China's Heilongjiang province, was the first Chinese au pair to land in the United States, according to the New York Times. In China, the demand for au pairs has started to grow in recent years as some affluent and ambitious Chinese parents want their children to get a hands-on feel when learning a foreign tongue. In 2014, a Chinese movie, When a Peking Family Meets Au Pair, drew public attention to this concept. Based on the experiences of a Chinese host family, the movie is about how a traditional Chinese family gets along with a Colombian au pair called Natalie. Yoyo's father Pu Yongjian, an economics professor at Chongqing University, learnt about the au pair program this year through an English teacher whose friend is running an au pair agency in Chongqing. "My son likes English very much, so I want to have an English-speaking au pair to help him practice the language at home," says Pu. But at first, the agency told him it might take a while to find an au pair who wants to come to Chongqing, a lesser-known Chinese city in the underdeveloped western region. Typically, foreign au pairs want to live in Beijing and Shanghai. "Bai Mei (the Chinese name Pu gave to Rohde, which means white plum blossom) is an exception," says Pu. "She wanted to go to the 'backward' part of China." My academic and professional background also attracted the German student who plans to pursue an economics degree in college when she returns home, the professor says. Explaining how au pairs and families are matched, Ma Senhu, the general manager of the Chongqing Holiday Cultural and Tourism Exchange Center, which helped Pu find the German au pair, says: "Our clientele comprises well-educated professionals with international exposure, such as professors, lawyers and entrepreneurs." There are about 10 agencies who are involved in the au pair program in China and about 700 foreign au pairs came to the country last year, says Ma. "Thanks to the country's fast growth, an increasing number of young foreigners are applying for positions in China," he says. The agency has matched 15 Chongqing families with au pairs this year. "The selection process is mutual," says Ma, adding that the two sides communicate directly via email and video chats to see if they click. "Almost no foreign au pair can speak Chinese, so Chinese parents need some foreign language skills," he says. Meanwhile, though an increasing number of Chinese parents are buying into the program, many have concerns about the system. She Ke, the editor-in-chief of a fashion magazine and a mother of two young children, says: "I cannot imagine having a foreigner living in my home. "It can lead to lot of cultural and lifestyle conflicts. For instance, do I have to prepare Western food for the au pair every day?" Zhuang Yilin, a senior manager at a multinational company in Shanghai and also a mother of two, has been thinking about having an au pair for some time. "It is not easy to find a trustworthy one," she says. "I want an au pair with a good personality and a positive attitude. I have heard some negative feedback about au pairs in China, so I am being very cautious." Language experts also say that it is not necessary to have an au pair for kids at very young age. Liu Jian, Chief Academic Officer of Best Learning, an English language training center, says: "While having a native speaker at home is obviously the best way to pick up a foreign tongue, if the child is only three years old, the au pair is just a babysitter and cannot teach the child a lot. I think the proper age (for a child to have an au pair) is around 10." tanyingzi@chinadaily.com.cn Isabell Rohde's job is to take care of and play with Yoyo. Photos Provided by Chongqing Holiday Cultural and Tourism Exchange Center President Xi Jinping meets teachers at his alma mater, Bayi School in Beijing, on Friday ahead of Teacher's Day on Saturday. He took the opportunity to extend his appreciation to the country's educators for their hard work. Yao Dawei / Xinhua BEIJING -- Chinese President Xi Jinping sent a letter on Saturday congratulating the opening of the China-US Schwarzman College at Tsinghua University. Education is an important force that pushes forward human civilization. Nowadays the young people in all countries should establish a world vision and raise awareness of cooperation through education, Xi said in the letter. The China-US exchanges in education have played a positive role in promoting understanding and friendship among the people as well as improving the relations between the two nations, he said, adding the two countries should deepen cooperation in this field. He hoped that the Schwarzman College can be built into an international platform for cultivating the world's excellent talents, providing study opportunities for the youth of all countries and helping them enhance understanding and exchanges. US President Barack Obama also sent a congratulation letter for the opening ceremony. The Schwarzman Scholars program of Tsinghua University is a one-year post graduate program co-founded by the university and Stephen Schwarzman. It aims to cultivate students with international vision, overall quality, leadership and knowledge of China. The first group of 110 scholars come from 70 colleges in 31 countries. A visitor holds up his child as crowd floods into West Lake in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, on Sept 10. The number of tourists visiting West Lake in the first weekend after G20 Summit increased as awareness of Hangzhou's attractiveness and beautiful scenery rose. [Photo/IC] Zhang Gaoli, Chinese Vice-Premier, delivers a speech at the opening ceremony of 13th China a-ASEAN Expo and China-ASEAN Business and Investment Summit, September, 11, 2016. [Photo by Huo Yan/chinadaily.com.cn] The 13th China-ASEAN Expo opened on Sunday in Nanning, capital city of China's southern Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region. This year marks the 25th anniversary of the ASEAN-China Dialogue Relations and the beginning of the full-range development of China-ASEAN free trade zone. It has also seen various Belt and Road projects carried out. This year's expo and summit hope to promote new cooperation between China and ASEAN countries in areas such as capacity cooperation, Belt and Road Initiative, China-ASEAN Information Harbor among others. Chinese Vice-Premier Zhang Gaoli and political leaders of ASEAN countries attended the opening ceremony and Zhang delivered the keynote speech. "For 25 years, the relations between China and ASEAN counties have developed fast and both sides have forged one of the closest ties," Zhang said. "The development of China-ASEAN friendship is an essential contribution to the global stabilization," Zhang added. "The result of the China-ASEAN cooperation is solid and the joint development of the two sides brings real benefits to the people," Zhang added. Zhang put forward proposals to further improve the cooperation between China and the ASEAN countries. For the first, he proposed to improve development of inclusiveness and realize the connection of strategic development plans. "We will continue to promote the 2+7 Cooperation Framework and Lancang-Mekong cooperation mechanism for common future," Zhang said. He called for capacity cooperation between the two sides to realize complementary development. Zhang said an open market is essential to the economic and trade cooperation and the two sides should lower tariff to promote trade and investment. He also said the ties should be strengthened to bring more benefits to the people. The four-day 13th China-ASEAN Expo and China-ASEAN Business and Investment Summit will last until September 14. Zhengzhou, the capital city of Central China's Henan province, was the hub of traditional trains, and now, especially in the past five years, is coming closer to becoming the center of the high-speed rail network. With a bullet train rolling out of Zhengzhou East Railway Station, a new high-speed link between Zhengzhou and Xuzhou in eastern China Jiangsu province began on Saturday morning. This route would consolidate Zhengzhou's position as a high-speed railway hub, the local government officials said. The country's high-speed rail network now exceeds 20,000 km in length and connects the west with major north-south lines, which helps to cut travel time between west and east in the country, according to Xinhua News Agency. Ju Kaifeng, deputy party secretary of Zhengzhou Railway Bureau, said it only took one hour and 18 minutes from Zhengzhou to Xuzhou, which saved as much as half the time than before. By 2020, people could arrive in Taiyuan, Xi'an, Jinan and Wuhan from Zhengzhou within two hours, and Shanghai in four hours, he said. "The high-speed railways shorten the distance between people," said Wu Yufeng, a Zhengzhou resident who works in Guangzhou. He added that it was convenient to visit his relatives by high-speed train. Central China's Henan province focused on the high-speed rail network in its 13th Five-Year Plan (2016-2020), to help the regional logistics hub compete with other established rivals in the nation's coastal areas. In addition, the high-speed railways also help Zhengzhou city become more international. Plan to create seven free trade zone test areas was approved by the government on September 1, including Liaoning, Zhejiang, Henan, Hubei, Sichuan and Shananxi province, as well as Chongqing Municipality. Henan government plans to focus on developing modern logistics transportation hub with the "One Belt One Road" policy. Jiao Jinmiao, director of the Henan Provincial Commerce Department, told the local newspaper, Dahe Daily, that Zhengzhou, as the intersection of the railways, the government would focus on development of e-commerce, modern logistics, international trade, as well as high value-added manufacturing, aiming to meet the need of globalization. Guideline to improve how verdicts are carried out, senior official says The Supreme People's Court has launched a major push to improve the way courts implement verdicts, to reduce inefficiency in the justice system. A new guideline for the nation's 200,000 judges states that disputes arising from verdicts not being enforced effectively, or at all, must be resolved quickly. Courts are advised to set up panels to review any complaints and to clearly explain the procedures and decisions to involved parties. The guideline, which took effect on June 30, aims to better protect people's rights, said Wu Shaojun, deputy director-general of enforcement for the SPC. "We cannot stop litigants from questioning enforcement, but we can reduce the number of complaints by having better rules to follow," he said, adding that the guideline could reduce the number of complaints to zero within three years. Zhang Yuan, an SPC judge who helped to draw up the guideline, said a flight attendant's dispute with a district court in Beijing last year was an important test case for the new complaints procedure. "His complaint was simple, but it helped to quicken our efforts to develop the procedures," he said. The flight attendant was sued by a former friend for failing to pay back a loan to buy a home. The court found in favor of the plaintiff and ordered the defendant to sell his home to repay the debt. However, in his complaint, the defendant said he was out when court officials visited his home to do an evaluation of his property and that the price set without his consent was too low. "He was outraged by the price. Basically, he just wanted to know whether the evaluation was reasonable, but when he asked the court for more information, the court didn't respond," Zhang said. Angry at being ignored, he filed a complaint with the SPC, which is when Zhang got involved. The judge set up a panel to review the case, which resulted in the flight attendant receiving a full explanation for the property evaluation, which he accepted. Petitions about the implementation of verdicts made up 30 percent of all enforcement-related complaints to the top court last year, making the issue a top concern, the judge said. "Whatever the result is, judicial authorities must settle disputes in the spirit of the rule of law," he added. In addition, the guideline stipulates that higher courts must play a supervisory role when they receive complaints about lower courts. All courts are also required to explain clearly to the involved parties when a verdict cannot be carried out. In Yunnan province, the parents of a man injured in a traffic accident complained to the SPC after a local court failed to follow up on a compensation order. After an investigation, it was discovered the defendant had no assets with which to pay damages. "According to the guideline, courts can no longer ignore such situations," Zhang said. "They must provide an explanation on what they did to carry out a verdict, and why it was not carried out." In the Yunnan case, he added, the couple received compensation from a government fund set up to help out in such cases. China and Russia will start an eight-day joint naval exercise from Monday, which for the first time will take place in the South China Sea for the first time, according to a Chinese navy spokesman. The drill, "Joint Sea-2016", will feature naval surface ships, submarines, fixed-wing aircraft, ship-borne helicopters marine corps and amphibious armored equipment from both navies, spokesman Liang Yang said on Sunday. The naval exercise will be held in the eastern waters of Zhanjiang, the southernmost city of Guangdong province, where the Nanhai Fleet under the People's Liberation Army Navy is headquartered. Most of the Chinese participants will come from the Nanhai Fleet. The exercise will be commanded by Rear Admiral Yu Manjiang, vice-commander of the Nanhai Fleet. The annual China-Russia joint naval exercise is the fifth between the two sides since 2012. Chinese and Russian naval forces will undertake defense, rescue, and anti-submarine operations, in addition to joint-island seizing missions and other activities, said Liang, the navy spokesman. Liang said the drill, from Sept 12-19, is part of an annual program, which aims to consolidate and advance the Sino-Russian comprehensive strategic partnership, and deepen friendly and practical cooperation between the two militaries. Yang Yujun, spokesman of Chinese Defense Ministry, said in July that the drill "does not target any third party". Vladimir Matveyev, the chief press officer of Eastern Military District for the Pacific Fleet of Russia, told TASS news agency late last month that the Russian anti-submarine ships Admiral Tributs and Admiral Vinogradov, the amphibious ship Peresvet, the towboat Alatau, and the tanker Pechenga will take part in the drill. Yin Zhuo, director of the PLA Navy's Expert Consultation Committee, said that dispatching large anti-submarine ships shows that the Russian navy attaches great importance to the joint exercise with China. Poster of movie "The Woman Who Left" [Photo/mtime.com] Philippine director Lav Diaz's nearly four-hour-long black and white revenge drama "The Woman Who Left" has won the Golden Lion for best film at the 73nd Venice Film Festival Saturday. The director dedicated his award to his country. "It looks beautiful. This is for my country, for the Filipino people, for our struggle and for the struggle of humanity. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you so much." The runner-up Grand Jury prize went to fashion designer Tom Ford's thriller "Nocturnal Animals" while the Best Director award was shared by Russia's Andrei Konchalovsky for the Holocaust drama "Paradise" and Mexico's Amat Escalante for "The Untamed. Argentine actor Oscar Martinez received the Best Actor award for his performance in the comedy-drama "The Distinguished Citizen" while Emma Stone took the Best Actress prize for her role in the musical "La La Land." Chinese actress and director Zhao Wei is the only Asian member among the nine jurors of this year's main competition, who's also presented the award for Best Director at the closing ceremony. No Chinese film entered this year's main competition. Venice Film Festival 2016: The full winners list International Competition: Golden Lion: The Woman Who Left (Lav Diaz) Grand Jury Prize: Nocturnal Animals (Tom Ford) Silver Lion for Best Director: Amat Escalante (The Untamed) and Andrei Konchalovsky (Paradise) Best Actor (Volpi Cup): Oscar Martinez (The Distinguished Citizen) Best Actress (Volpi Cup): Emma Stone (La La Land) Best Screenplay Award: Noah Oppenheim (Jackie) Special Jury Prize: The Bad Batch (Ana Lily Amirpour) Marcello Mastroianni Award for Best Young Actor: Paula Beer (Frantz) Horizons (Orizzonti): Best Film: Release Me (Federica Di Giacomo) Best Director: Home (Fien Troch) Special Jury Prize: Big Big World (Reha Erdem) Best Actress: Ruth Diaz (The Fury of a Patient Man) Best Actor: Nuno Lopes (Saint George) Best Screenplay: Bitter Money (Wang Bing) Best Short: La Voz Perdida (Marcello Martinessi) Lion of the Future: Luigi De Laurentiis Award for Best Debut Film: The Last of Us (Ala Eddine Slim) Venezia Classici Awards Best Documentary on Cinema: The Graduation (Claire Simon) Best Restored Film: Break Up, the Man with the Balloons (Marco Ferreri) Special Awards: Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement: Jean-Paul Belmondo and Jerzy Skolimowski Jaeger-LeCoultre Glory to the Filmmaker Award: Amir Naderi Persol Tribute to Visionary Talent Award: Liev Schreiber Editor's note: A recent poll surveyed 417,196 teachers across the country and found more than 90 percent of teachers were not satisfied with their salary. It shows more than 60 percent of teachers make 1,000 yuan to 3,000 yuan ($150-$449) a month. Is teaching a poorly paid profession? Do they deserve more money? Forum readers share their opinions. LaoshiDan (expat in China) This is a worldwide phenomenon, not just limited to China. But as a foreign teacher working here in China and having witnessed my Chinese peers being paid much less and treated inferiorly, the profession and country has a very long way to go before it becomes equitable to our hard-working and dedicated Chinese teachers and professors. (Xinhua) 14:16, September 11, 2016 BEIJING, Sept. 11 -- China and Russia will stage an eight-day Navy drill in the South China Sea off southern China's Guangdong Province starting Monday, a Chinese Navy spokesperson said Sunday. The drill, "Joint Sea-2016," will feature Navy surface ships, submarines, fixed-wing aircraft, ship-borne helicopters marine corps and amphibious armored equipment from both navies, according to spokesperson Liang Yang. Most of the Chinese participants will come from the Nanhai Fleet under the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN). Together, Chinese and Russian participants will undertake defense, rescue, and anti-submarine operations, in addition to joint-island seizing missions and other activities, Liang said. The marine corps, in particular, will carry out live-fire drills, sea crossing and island landing operations, and island defense and offense exercises among others, he said. Liang said the drill, from Sept. 12-19, is part of an annual program, which aims to consolidate and advance the Sino-Russian comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination, and deepen friendly and practical cooperation between the two militaries. It will also improve coordination between the two navies on joint defense operations at sea, he said. Earlier reports in July quoted a Chinese Defense Ministry spokesperson as saying that the drill "does not target any third party." The annual China-Russia joint naval exercise is the fifth of its kind between the two countries since 2012. The drills were held in 2012 in the Yellow Sea; off the coast of Russia's Far East in 2013; and in the East China Sea in 2014. In 2015, the drill was conducted in two phases: in the Mediterranean in May and then in the Peter the Great Gulf, the waters off the Clerk Cape, and the Sea of Japan in late August. Children peer into the south reflecting pool at the National September 11 Memorial and Museum in Manhattan, New York, US, September 1, 2016. [Photo/Agencies] In the 15 years since the Sept 11 attacks, the Lower Manhattan area has been transformed by public and private investment, according to a new city report. New office towers, a mass transportation hub and new retail complexes that attract young professionals have sprung up in an area that suffered extensive damage to its infrastructure. "As the rebuilding has progressed, the local economy has changed. The area has become much more residential as older office buildings have been converted to residential use and new towers are completed," said the report, "Transformation of Lower Manhattan's Economy", which was released on Tuesday. "The streets are filled with young professionals and growing families." Thomas P. DiNapoli, state comptroller of New York, told The Wall Street Journal that Lower Manhattan is a residential neighborhood "very much on the rise". The population in Lower Manhattan grew from 22,700 in 2000 to 49,000 in 2014, and more than three-quarters of the population is younger than 45 years old, with the number of children tripling since 2000. Residential housing units have more than doubled to 30,000 since 2000. Jonathan Miller, president of appraiser Miller Samuel Inc, said the downtown area has seen a tremendous expansion of development "to the point where over the last decade at least, we've seen price growth in that area at nearly double the overall growth of the borough". China has expressed strong opposition to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea's latest nuclear test, saying the event has increased tensions and is not conducive to peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula. "China urges the DPRK not to take any more action that could exacerbate tensions, and to return to the correct path of denuclearization as soon as possible," Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs Zhang Yesui told Ji Jae-ryong, the DPRK's ambassador to China Saturday. In the meeting, Zhang reaffirmed China's position on the peninsula, which is to realize denuclearization, maintain regional peace and stability, and resolve problems through dialogue and consultation. Pyongyang's development and testing of nuclear weapons goes against the expectations of the international community, intensifies tensions and is not conducive to peace and stability, Zhang said. The DPRK conducted its fifth and biggest nuclear test on Friday to measure the power of its nuclear warhead, the explosive yield of which was estimated at about 10 kilotons. The Republic of Korea and Japan condemned the test, as did United States President Barack Obama, who said it posed a grave threat to regional security and international peace. According to a statement on the White House website on Friday, Obama said the US does not, and never will, accept the DPRK as a nuclear state. The United Nations Security Council also strongly condemned the test, saying on Saturday that it was a clear violation of repeated calls for the DPRK to halt such activity. The UN approved a series of sanctions against Pyongyang after its fourth nuclear test in January. Su Xiaohui, a researcher of international strategy at the China Institute of International Studies, said, "China has sent a clear message that it will never accept the DPRK as a nuclear state, and it will continue to firmly push forward denuclearization of the peninsula." Wang Junsheng, a researcher of Asia-Pacific studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said the latest test will bring fresh tension to the region, but added that any decision should be made in the common interest. "It requires concerted efforts from all parties to maintain peace and stability on the peninsula," he said. Sailor George Mendonsa kisses Greta Zimmer Friedman to celebrate victory over Japan. ALFRED EISENSTAEDT The woman in an iconic photograph that shows her kissing an ecstatic sailor in New York's Times Square to celebrate the end of World War II has died. Greta Zimmer Friedman, who was 92, fled Austria during the war as a 15-year-old. She died on Thursday at a hospital in Richmond, Virginia, from complications from old age, her son, Joshua, said. Friedman was a 21-year-old dental assistant in a nurse's uniform when she became part of one of the most famous photos of the 20th century. On Aug 14, 1945, the day Japan surrendered to the United States, people spilled into the New York City streets from restaurants, bars and movie theaters to celebrate the news. That's when George Mendonsa spotted Friedman, spun her around and planted a kiss. The two had never met. In fact, Mendonsa was on a date with a nurse, Rita Petry, who would later become his wife. The photo by Alfred Eisenstaedt is called V-J Day in Times Square, but is more commonly known as The Kiss. Mendonsa said that in some photos of the scene, Petry can be seen smiling in the background. The photo was first published in Life magazine, buried deep within its pages. Over the years, it gained recognition, and several people claimed to be the kissing couple. In an August 1980 issue of Life, 11 men and three women said they were the subjects. It was years before Mendonsa and Friedman were confirmed to be the couple. Joshua Friedman said his mother recalled the events happening in an instant. "It wasn't that much of a kiss," Greta Friedman said in an interview with the Veterans History Project in 2005. "It was just somebody celebrating. It wasn't a romantic event." Both of her parents died in the Holocaust, according to Lawrence Verria, who co-authored a book about the picture called The Kissing Sailor: The Mystery Behind the Photo that Ended World War II. Friedman will be buried in Arlington National Cemetery, next to her husband. Security taskforce of "Chaoyang residents" wear unified armbands. (Photo/Beijing Youth Daily) Hundreds of strictly selected people collectively known as "Chaoyang residents," ranging from deliverymen to water bill collectors, are assisting police in ensuring public safety, reported Beijing Youth Daily. The term "Chaoyang residents"is well-know as they have previously helped police arrest high-profile drug users including celebrities. In areas under charge of the district's Jinsong Police Station, local officials have issued red armbands to people from all walks of life to help prevent crime. Pan Lei, a policeman at the station, said the armband with Chinese characters "Chaoyang residents" and a handshake symbol indicates the public and police have joined hands to ensure order. Members of the security taskforce are comprised of deliverymen, sanitation workers, store inspectors, water bill collectors, car park attendants, property management personnel, guards employed by residential communities and building unit supervisors. All members with red armbands have taken a training course and passed exams, according to police. A sanitation worker needs to be vigilant about suspicious items in a building and report clues on prostitution and drug use to police, said Yu Tao, deputy director of the police station. A deliveryman should check packages and help monitor if there are banned knives inside, Yu added. He also said the trained group has been active in providing security. On Sept. 3, a community guard tipped off police about a suspected thief who was later caught with the help of other group members. The guard received a 1,000 yuan ($150) reward the next day. Yu said participation of community members in improving safety is still in the experimental stage and may be applied in more areas under the jurisdiction of the police station. An expert once told Global Times that bringing more people into crime prevention is an effective method for public security bureaus to maintain public safety and also helps address the shortage of police. Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli (R) meets with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen in Nanning, capital of south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Sept. 10, 2016. (Xinhua/Ding Lin) NANNING, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli met with leaders from member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in southwest China's Nanning City on Saturday, calling for stronger ties between China and ASEAN. The foreign dignitaries include Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, Myanmar's Vice President U Myint Swe, Lao Deputy Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone and Thai Deputy Prime Minister Prajin Juntong. Zhang welcomed the foreign leaders to attend the 13th China-ASEAN Expo and the China-ASEAN Business and Investment Summit slated from Sunday to Wednesday in Nanning, capital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. When meeting with Hun Sen, Zhang said Cambodia has played an active role in promoting China-ASEAN relations. Expressing China's appreciation, Zhang said China is willing to continue to maintain exchange of high-level visits with Cambodia, well implement the consensus reached by the leaders in order to forge ahead bilateral ties and deepen cooperation in various fields. Hun Sen said Cambodia has firmly pushed forward the comprehensive strategic partnership of cooperation with China. Cambodia is ready to work with China to enhance cooperation in areas including agriculture, transportation, water conservancy and power grid, he said. When meeting with Nguyen Xuan Phuc, Zhang said Chinese President Xi Jinping, Premier Li Keqiang maintained close contacts with Vietnamese party and government leaders, reaching consensus on further promoting China-Vietnam comprehensive strategic cooperation. China would like to work with Vietnam to implement the consensus, advance substantial cooperation, strengthen people-to-people and cultural exchanges so as to promote the healthy and stable development of bilateral ties, Zhang said. Vietnam is the honorary country of this year's China-ASEAN Expo. Zhang said he believes that with efforts from all sides, this year's Expo will become a success and contribute to a closer China-ASEAN community of shared future. Phuc said Vietnam and China share a comradely and brotherly traditional friendship, expressing the hope that the two countries can further enhance exchange of high-level visits and strengthen mutually beneficial cooperation. When meeting with U Myint Swe, Zhang said China and Myanmar should maintain close high-level exchanges, enhance mutual trust and deepen practical cooperation in all areas for the sustainable, steady and healthy development of bilateral ties. U Myint Swe said Myanmar thanked China's valued support for Myanmar's economic development and national building, adding that Myanmar is willing to implement the consensus reached between the two countries' leaders and deepen the comprehensive strategic partnership of cooperation. When meeting with Sonexay Siphandone, Zhang said China will continue its friendly policies towards Laos and offer firm support to the development of Laos. He said China is willing to work with Laos and other ASEAN countries to implement the outcome of the China-ASEAN leaders' meeting to advance China-ASEAN relations to a new level. Sonexay Siphandone said Laos attaches great importance to its relationship with China and will work with China in implementing the outcome of the ASEAN-China leaders' meeting and foster the building of ASEAN-China community of shared destiny. When meeting with Prajin Juntong, Zhang expressed willingness to synergize development strategies with Thailand and jointly push forward the Belt and Road Initiative, calling for more cooperation in industrial production capacity, railway, aviation and aerospace, renewable energy and tourism. "Thailand is an important member of ASEAN. China will work with Thailand and other ASEAN members to contribute to regional development and prosperity," Zhang said. Prajin Juntong said Thailand will maintain high-level exchanges with China and strengthen cooperation in transportation and science and technology, adding that as a close partner of China, Thailand will work to advance the relations between ASEAN and China. (Photo : Getty Images. ) A publisher of a magazine distributed aboard Air China has issued a public apology following a backlash to an article that appeared in an issue of the magazine. Advertisement The publisher of Air China's in-flight magazine Wings of China on Friday issued an official apology for publishing a controversial article earlier this week that caused a huge furor across the world. A 'Letter of Apology' from Wings of China's publisher, Air China Media Group, confessed that the article caused a "huge misunderstanding," the Telegraph reported. Like Us on Facebook Advertisement "(It) created a huge negative influence on the operation, image and reputation of Air China. We express our deep apology for this," the letter said. An article titled "Tips from Air China" that was published in the Wings of China magazine warned visitors to London from traveling to areas that are dominated by ethnic minorities like Indians, Pakistanis, and black people. The article was deemed by many as racially offensive and encouraging discrimination. The controversial article came to notice after a local Chinese journalist, Haze Fan, tweeted a screen shot of it to London Mayor Sadiq Khan, asking for his opinion. The tweet led to a flurry of angry response from London citizens including local MPs (Member of Parliament) representing the city's minority communities. Meanwhile, Air China has distanced itself from the controversial article. The airline said that it offers hordes of magazines on its flights, and the article that they publish are not "Air China's opinion." Air China revealed that it has withdrawn the Wings of China magazine from all its flights after the controversial article was brought to its management's notice. The airline also urged the publishing house to learn lessons from this fiasco and avoid a similar controversy from happening again. Advertisement TagsAir China Magazine, Air China, china, Racism in China (Photo : Getty Images. ) Huang Xingguo, the mayor of Tianjin, is being probed for corruption. Advertisement The Mayor of northern China's Tianjin city, Huang Xingguo, is being investigated for alleged corruption activities, China's Communist Party said on Saturday. The 61-year-old Tianjin Mayor is the latest high-profile Chinese official to be investigated for graft. In a brief statement, the Communist Party's Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) said that Huang is suspected of "serious discipline breaches," Reuters reported. The commission did not provide any further information and is not clear whether Huang has hired a lawyer to fight the corruption charges. Like Us on Facebook Advertisement Huang has been the Mayor of Tianjin since 2008. The city was recently in the news after a massive chemical explosion left 170 people dead. Huang's fall from grace was not expected, as he is widely considered to be one of the most successful mayors in China. Last month, Huang's deputy, Yin Hailin, was also put under investigation for corruption. China's President Xi Jinping's nationwide anti-corruption drive has lead to the arrest of several top officials over past couple of months. Last year, China's Security Chief Zhou Yongkang became the most senior most to be convicted by a court, after he was found guilty of bribery. Advertisement TagsHuang Xingguo, Mayor of Tianjin City, Corrupation in China, china (Photo : Getty Images) Alleged Filipino drug pusher shot dead by police. Advertisement True to his antisocial narcissistic personality, disturbed Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte denied calling U.S. President Barack Obama a "Son of a whore!" and instead blamed the international media for distorting the words he uttered last Sept. 5 before leaving for the ASEAN Summit in Laos. Like Us on Facebook Advertisement By again blaming others for his problems and not himself, Duterte seems to confirm a diagnosis made by a Filipino psychologist earlier this year he suffers from a mental affliction called "antisocial narcissistic personality disorder." According to Dr. Natividad Dayan, former president of the International Council of Psychologists who diagnosed Duterte as part of a divorce proceeding, people suffering from this disorder tend to justify their bad behavior. "For all his wrongdoings, he tends to rationalize and feel justified. Hence, he seldom feels a sense of guilt or remorse," wrote Dr. Dayan in a report submitted to a Philippine court. Duterte is also unable to reflect on the consequences of his actions, she noted. She said the hallmarks of a person with an antisocial narcissistic personality are "gross indifference, insensitivity and self-centeredness;" a "grandiose sense of self-entitlement and manipulative behaviors" and a "pervasive tendency to demean, humiliate others and violate their rights and feelings." A few days later in an official visit to Jakarta, Indonesia, Duterte sought to downplay the severity of his profanity by claiming the Filipino phrase "Putang ina!" (literally "Your mother's a whore!") but translated into English by media as "Son of a whore!" is "an ordinary expression (used) by everyone (in the Philippines)." "It's son of a bitch or son of a gun. It's not son of a whore," Duterte said as he further sought to defend his vulgarity. He earlier admitted he did use the profanity but said this wasn't directed against Obama. "... I said that, but not in relation to Obama ... I'm not fighting with America," he said, backpedalling on his remarks. In Filipino culture, however, the phrase "Putang ina!," "Putang ina mo!," or "Tang ina!," shouted out is a hurtful personal insult. The phrase is hardly spoken in jest, even to one's family and closest friends. A Filipino will generally utter this phrase in a cheery tone (and probably smile) to send the message he's saying it jokingly. And the easiest way to get into a fight in the Philippines is to angrily shout "Putang ina mo!" at someone. No light hearted banter was present when Duterte swore at Obama after hearing a question about human rights. And no one can claim Duterte and Obama are close friends. Asked how he'd explain the large number of drug-related killings to Obama, Duterte went off topic and surprisingly answered the Philippines had long ceased to be a colony of the United States. Duterte said he doesn't have a master except the Filipino people. "I do not care about him. Who is he?" Duterte asked. You must be respectful. Do not just throw questions and statements. Putang ina! (Son of a whore!). I will swear at you at that forum!" Obama canceled a meeting with Duterte in Laos upon learning of the profanity. Duterte's rants against both Obama and UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon were triggered by remarks made by these leaders questioning the apparently wanton killings in Duterte's drug war. In August, Agnes Callamard, UN Special Rapporteur on summary executions, said the Philippine drug war "is effectively a license to kill. Directives of this nature are irresponsible in the extreme and amount to incitement to violence and killing, a crime under international law." In June, Ban condemned the extrajudicial killings under Duterte. In reply, Duterte said the Philippines might leave the UN. "I unequivocally condemn his apparent endorsement of extrajudicial killings, which is illegal and a breach of fundamental rights and freedoms," said Ban. For some strange reason, Duterte referenced this attack by Ban on Sept. 9 in Jakarta before an audience of Filipinos. "Pati ito si Ban Ki-moon, nakihalo (Even Ban Ki-moon has joined in). He also gave his statement before, several weeks ago, about the human rights violation. Sabi ko, isa ka pang tarantado (I said, you're one more idiot)." Data shows that since Duterte assumed the presidency on June 30, the Philippine National Police has killed over 1,000 alleged drug pushers. Another 1,390 killings attributed to "vigilantes" are being investigated. Advertisement TagsRodrigo Duterte, Barack Obama, Son of a whore!, Antisocial Narcissistic Personality Disorder, Putang ina!, Your mother's a whore!, Putang ina mo!, Ban Ki Moon, Agnes Callamard (Photo : GettyImages/VCG) The upcoming drill would involve marines participating in live-fire drills and landing operations. Advertisement China and Russia would start a joint naval drill in the South China Sea on Monday. The exercise is expected to last over eight days and has been named "Joint Sea-2016." The exercise would include various submarines, ship-borne helicopters, and surface ships. Both navies will conduct anti-submarine operations, defense operations, and "island seizing." Like Us on Facebook Advertisement According to Reuters, China and Russia conducted joint military drills in the Mediterranean and the Sea of Japan last year. The upcoming drill would involve marines participating in live-fire drills and landing operations. This naval operation is the largest-ever drill conducted by the navies of these two countries. China had announced plans for this drill in July, describing it as "routine." The country clarified that the operation is not aimed against any other country and is meant to boost cooperation. Shanghai Daily reported that this drill is the fifth one between the two countries since 2012. The countries held a joint drill in the Yellow Sea and off the coast of Russia's Far East in 2012 and 2013 respectively. In 2014, the exercise was held in the East China Sea. The joint exercise comes at the time when the South China Sea is a major international issue. In July, a United Nations-backed arbitration court ruled against China's historic rights to the disputed maritime territory. The court also disapproved the country's environmental actions. China did not participate in the case and has rejected the ruling. Russia is one of the countries that has voiced support for China's stance in the South China Sea dispute. Advertisement TagsRussia, china, South China Sea, Philippines After the massacre, Oliver Cromwell declared to the English Parliament, "I am persuaded that this is a righteous judgment of God upon these barbarous wretches, who have imbued their hands in so much innocent blood and that it will tend to prevent the effusion [shedding] of blood for the future, which are satisfactory grounds for such actions, which otherwise cannot but work remorse and regret." Just what happened at Drogheda, Ireland is hard to pin down with certainty. Two groups stood to gain by issuing propaganda against Cromwell. The Irish hoped to inflame patriotic fervor by magnifying the event and certain Englishmen hoped to discredit Cromwell because they feared his growing power. Parliament had sent the Protestant Cromwell into Catholic Ireland to subdue it and prevent Prince Charles from landing and preparing an invasion from the nearby Island (he used Scotland as his launch pad instead). Aware that previous armies had bogged down in Ireland, usually because of insufficient financing, Cromwell insisted on having the necessary money in hand before he sailed. That way he could pay for supplies as he needed them and not make enemies by robbing the common folk. Once in Ireland, he moved quickly, knowing that a drawn-out war favored the inhabitants, not the invaders. The situation in Ireland was complex. The Irish were badly divided and several betrayed their own towns. They offered little effective resistance to Cromwell. In fact, he reduced opposition across most of the island within eight months, although subordinates required another decade to complete the work he had begun. Drogheda was one of the first cities Cromwell faced. He offered fair terms and gave his men strict instructions against excessive violence. However, the situation fluctuated a good deal. As Drogheda's fortunes waned or waxed, the garrison alternately negotiated or stalled. Cromwell's troops broke through the wall before negotiations were complete (possibly with inside help) and rushed through the town, killing virtually everyone in the city. They set fire to St. Mary's church, burning alive those who had taken refuge in it and then butchered women hiding in the vaults below. Some accounts say they used Irish children as human shields and killed every priest, treating them like combatants, because they had encouraged the defenders. According to those tales, only thirty defenders survived and they were sold as slaves to Barbados. At least one of the English soldiers claimed that Cromwell himself ordered the slaughter. Defenders of Cromwell say that not only did he not order the slaughter but that the massacre of the women never happened. Cromwell himself insisted (even before he left Ireland) that no one in arms was massacred, destroyed or banished. His statement fell short of denying that civilians were slaughtered. Tales of civilian massacres increased at the time of the restoration of the English throne when it was both politically correct and safe to say the worst things one could about the man who cut off the head of King Charles I. Whatever the truth, Cromwell surely is to blame for not attempting to stop the massacre. By the brutal standards of the time, killing a defiant garrison was acceptable, but butchering civilians was not. By his own statement, it is clear Cromwell hoped that the events at Drogheda (and at Wexford a few days later) would shorten the war. At Wexford, his troops committed another massacre, although apparently without his approval. A priest writing over a century later claimed 300 women were slaughtered beside a cross at which they had taken refuge and seven friars were killed in the performance of their duty. Whether this is true or not, Cromwell considered the victory an unexpected providence and said he prayed that God would have all the glory. The present religious troubles in Ireland were aggravated by the events at Drogheda and Wexford. British soldiers, for example, are called "Cromwell's lads." However, it would be unjust to leave the impression that Cromwell's campaign was the beginning of the Irish religious troubles. Eight years before Cromwell's invasion, for instance, Catholics slaughtered hundreds of Protestant civilians in Ulster and thousands more throughout Ireland. Bibliography: Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept.11 Trend: Organizers of the rally in Baku receive financial resources from the foreign organizations, Siyavush Novruzov, deputy executive secretary of the ruling New Azerbaijan Party, told Trend. He said the National Council's rally gathered relatives of party leaders, members of the National Council. Novruzov noted the rally organizers are trying to demonstrate to foreign organizations that there is a protest in Azerbaijan. "And for it, they receive funding", he added. National Council has today held the rally at the stadium "Mahsul" in the Yasamal district of Baku. The rally was agreed with the executive power of the city. The rally, which was held from 17:00 till 19:00, was attended by 2 500 representatives of various parties in the National Council, the opposition and non-governmental organizations. No serious violations have been registered at the National Council's rally in Baku. Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump confronted the conservative audience at the Values Voters Summit in Washington on Friday, and spoke about religious freedom, education, military and foreign policies. Thousands were gathered at the summit when he was introduced on the stage by Oscar-winning actor Jon Voight. Trump began by recounting the "decent, devoted, [and] selfless" service by Christians in the country, especially in times of disaster when the faith-based charity groups rush to help victims of natural calamities and persecution. He noted that Christians' "values of love, charity and faith built this nation." "Yet," he said, "our media culture often mocks and demeans people of faith." He said that if he becomes president, his administration will cherish and protect the Christian heritage. Trump then spoke about the African American church, and "their unbreakable faith and spirit [which] overcame some of the most difficult periods in our history." "This is the power of faith. It's the power to heal. It's the power to unite," he continued. He said that the country "very, very divided" today, but it will be faith in God and his teachings which will lead America back to unity. Trump favored repealing the Johnson amendment, which is one of the first things he promised to do if elected. He argued that the amendment blocked pastors and ministers from telling the world about what they thought, lest they lose their tax-exempt status. Trump's mention of the late Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia and his proposed nomination of judges was especially received with great applause. "I have pledged to appoint judges who uphold the Constitution, to protect your religious liberty, and apply the law as written. We reject judges who rewrite the Constitution to impose their own person views on 300 million-plus Americans." Trump spoke at great length about school choice, and how that was an issue close to his heart. "Millions of poor and disadvantaged students are trapped in failing schools. This education crisis afflicts all communities, but none more so than the African-American community - none." "School choice is at the center of this civil rights agenda, and my goal is to provide every single inner-city child in America that is trapped in a failing government school the freedom to attend the school of their choice. Competition - the schools the schools will get better and better and better," he continued. To alleviate this deficit, Trump proposed $20 billion block grant from federal government for school choice programs, and he also said that he will campaign for the states to assign $110 billion from their education funds for these programs. Regarding his foreign and military policies, Trump said that collaboration with Russia, as well as military, cyber, financial, and ideological warfare were needed to defeat the ISIS. "My administration, on the other hand, will work with any country that is willing to partner with us to defeat ISIS and halt radical Islamic terrorism. And by the way, that includes Russia. If they want to join us on knocking out ISIS, that is just fine as far as I'm concerned. It's a very imperfect world, and you can't always choose your friends. That's life," he said. Other speakers at the summit included actor Kirk Cameron, and Christian authors and Flip it Forward show hosts David and Jason Benham, who spoke passionately about their faith. Cameron encouraged Christians to become active in the political arena and urged them to "please, get out and vote." 11 books every Christian should read before they turn 25 Yes of course reading the Bible is vital but by the grace of God he has gifted writers who are able to brilliantly communicate God's word to our everyday life situations. Yes, reading blogs is good for you that's why I am committed to writing regular posts that will encourage and help Christians to understand the rapidly changing world we are living in. But the short article is no replacement for the immersive mind-reshaping and heart-reawakening power of a great Christian book. I still remember the books that I invested time to read back in my teenage years and at university. In fact, they have proven to be an irreplaceable foundation in my Christian life and ministry. And occasionally I come across books that stand out and I wish I had been able to read 20 years ago. The following 11 books I recommend without hesitation. Buy them, put them on your shelf or your Kindle and commit to reading one a term. Taking the time to build strength and resilience in your faith through intentional and sustained reading is a worthwhile and life-changing investment at any age, but get started while you're young and you'll reap the rewards. 1. Mere Christianity CS Lewis, Harper Collins I would personally recommend almost everything Lewis ever wrote. His essays are outstanding, the Chronicles of Narnia need no introduction and even his quirky space trilogy is pretty good. But for me Lewis is in his element when he is explaining and defending the Christian faith. Lewis is a master craftsman when it comes to writing and his words written during the Second World War are as fresh and arresting now as when he first wrote them. 2. The Cross of Christ John Stott, IVP There is nothing more central to the Christian faith than what Jesus accomplished on the cross that is why Paul summarised the gospel as: "We preach Jesus Christ and him crucified." Since the day of Jesus' crucifixion the cross has been an area of ridicule, contention and challenge for Christians. Here is a master teacher helping us to experience the wonder, the mystery, the tragedy and the breadth of what the Bible has to say about the crucifixion. 3. Out of the Salt Shaker Rebecca Manley Pippert, IVP I don't know many Christians that find evangelism easy, but this is an encouraging book by a woman with a passion for helping other people connect with Jesus. Pippert shows how all of us have a role to play in evangelism and that the most effective way of sharing faith is through authentic personal relationships. Pippert is an excellent storyteller and her gentle style will encourage and inspire you to a lifetime of being open about your faith. 4. The Reason for God Tim Keller, Hodder Keller is a rare mix of pastor, evangelist, theologian and social commentator. If you only read one book on defending your faith this is the one to go for. Keller in this apologetics book for the 21st century tackles questions of suffering, science, intolerance, and sexuality with such a rare clarity and gentleness, you could not only benefit from reading it yourself but also think about giving to someone exploring faith. 5. Knowing God J.I. Packer, Hodder Here is a warm hearted approach to Christian theology, written by a man of great learning but great humility. This is a book to be read slowly. For some people this book is a gateway to theological study, for me it opened my eyes to a whole other level of thinking about the Christian life and the gospel. My favourite line, which has transformed my life, is this: "Justification is the basic blessing, on which adoption is founded; adoption is the crowning blessing, to which justification clears the way." 6. L is for Lifestyle, Ruth Valerio, IVP Christian discipleship affects not just what we do on Sundays or during our times of personal prayer, following Jesus impacts every decision we make. Activist and theologian Ruth Valerio gives us a practical and challenging account of what it means to live a life of Christian stewardship. This is an A-Z guide that helps us to discover how to live practically in a way that is just, fair and honouring to God. 7. When Helping Hurts Brian Fikkert & Steve Corbett , Zondervan If we don't care about seeking justice, there is something seriously deficient with our discipleship. But sadly too often well-meaning Christians end up doing more harm than good in their work for the poor. Brian Fikkert and Steve Corbett's short book will help you ask the right questions so that you don't invest your time, money and effort in the wrong kinds of help. 8. Every Good Endeavour Tim Keller, Hodder So many young adults have no idea what they are going to do with their lives. Here is a book that helps us all gain a vision for how our work can be to the glory of God whether we work as pastors, psychologists, politicians or parents. Two books by one author in a short list of unmissable books might seem excessive but Keller's short book is eloquent and encouraging and well worth your time. 9. How to read the Bible for all its worth Gordon Fee and Douglas Stuart, Zondervan The Bible is the most important thing we can ever read as Christians, but too many of us have undeveloped skills in reading the Bible well. This book will change the way you read the Bible for life. With top notch scholarship made accessible to ordinary people, this is a book to treasure. 10. Gospel and Kingdom Graham Goldsworthy, Pater Noster This is the shortest book on the list. In fact, if reading is a challenge and you only read one book on this list, then this is the one to go for. It's a gem. It will open your eyes to reading the Old Testament in the light of its big story. (This book is currently only available as part of the Goldsworthy Trilogy so you get three books for the price of one!). 11. Through Gates of Splendour Elizabeth Elliot, Tyndale House I loved reading about the real life struggles of Jim Elliot, a twenty-something who had a passion for God and serving God's purposes in the world. Elliot's most famous quotation is "He is no fool who gives up what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose" and in this biography you get a glimpse at what this meant for young Jim, particularly through his college days. Through Gates of Splendour tells the inspiring but tragic story of five young missionaries who responded to God's call to reach out the Auca tribe in Equador. You will want to read the story for yourself, so I won't spoil the ending for you here, but suffice to say Elizabeth Elliot tells the story with passion, conviction and incredible courage as she has a major roll to play in the way things end up working out for God's glory. You will aslo enjoy: Chasing the Dragon, Jackie Pullinger's story or Bilquis Sheihk's moving account of her dangerous conversion from Islam. Whichever biography you chose to complete this list allow the courage and devotion of Christians from different continents and centuries to challenge your daily discipleship. Rev Dr Krish Kandiah is a contributing editor to Christian Today, the founding director of Home for Good and an author and speaker. He has written 10 books including Fresh bitesize inspirations for new students, Route 66 navigating life with the Bible and the award winning Paradoxology why Christianity was never meant to be simple. Catch up with his latest book recommendations at www.booksforlife.uk. 3 right ways to respond after you've messed up and need to be forgiven As Christians, we should be especially familiar with the concept of second chances - giving people another go at getting things right and, of course, being afforded the opportunity to do so ourselves. God gives us room time and time again to move on from our mistakes and He commands us to extend the same courtesy and compassion to others. Although the phrase "second chance" might bring to mind a limit on how often we outstretch a hand of forgiveness to someone who has wronged us, if we're following in Christ's footsteps and listening to his instructions, we should be prepared to forgive and be forgiven more than once. But that doesn't mean that forgiveness itself or our understanding of it diminishes. Some of us still struggle with being on the receiving end of a second chance. Here are three things we can do when we're given a second chance. Don't try and undo We can have an apparently insatiable urge to erase our past failures. But, regardless of whether our faults are between us and God or are known by other people, no matter how hard we try, this is something that we can't do. The damage will already have been done and although we shouldn't ignore what we've done wrong, trying to go back and fix things when the consequences of our actions have already been suffered will probably only make things worse and cause more harm to the person we're trying to help. By all means we should apologise and act so that we avoid similar behaviour in the future but it's often best that we don't keep going over and over the past. Swap guilt for goodness If we recognise and regret having let someone down, betrayed their trust or simply failed to do what we should have, then the subsequent feeling of guilt is inevitable. However, there's no need for us to feel guilty forever. If we believe in reconciliation, then we also need to understand that it frees us from the trappings of sin and that includes constantly feeling bad about our past. Instead of wallowing in self pity, we can use our failures to fuel our thirst to do good. It's also a apt moment to look to God and once again realise how good He is to forgive us for our sins and to never let us down. Be thankful If we're on the receiving end of a second or third or even 'nth' chance, we can end up taking it for granted. Just because forgiveness is readily available to us, doesn't mean we should ignore the great cost at which it came - especially if what you did genuinely hurt another person. We can show our appreciation for the forgiveness we've received in a number of ways, by voicing our gratitude to the particular person and by praising God, by demonstrating that we can learn from our mistakes and by being gracious in our forgiveness of others. Amy Duggar and Dillon King talk about their marriage: 'We don't miss being single' Time certainly flies by so fast. Amy Duggar and husband Dillon King have been married for a year already, and the two lovebirds appear to be even more in love now than when they tied the knot. "We don't miss being single," Dillon tells PEOPLE. "We love being with one another and waking up every morning beside each other." The Kings said "I do" to one another on Sept. 6, 2015 in front of close friends and family near Bentonville, Arkansas. They are now marking the first year anniversary by gushing about just how much they enjoy wedded bliss. "If we have an issue we settle it before bedtime," Dillon shares. "I love to cook and Amy cleans or vice versa. Amy handles the laundry, but I take out the trash." Back when they were single, the Kings love to go out and have fun during weekends. But now, they prefer nothing more than to spend the night in and snuggle with each other. "We've switched out from nights on the town to sweatpants and a movie for most of our Saturday nights," Amy says. With the two so well-adjusted to married life, being parents just might be in the cards next. "Our first year has been really fun. Our goals for next year are to travel the world and fall further in love with each other! Who knows? There might even be some baby talk," teases Amy. Meanwhile, her cousin Jessa Duggar is expecting her second baby (or babies) with husband Ben Seewald. The two made the happy announcement on their blog: "We are overjoyed to announce that Spurgeon has a new title in life as 'big brother!' We are so thankful that God is adding to our family. 2017 is shaping up to be a wonderful year already and we know Spurgeon will do a great job in his new role," they write. Cardinal stresses Christians and Muslims do not worship the same God: Islamic god 'is a governor' Some people are claiming that Christians and Muslims worship the same God, but Catholic Cardinal Raymond Burke, an American and former head of the highest court at the Vatican, insists this is not true. He said Allah and God are different because the Islamic god "is a governor," while the Sharia law, "which comes from Allah," believes it "must dominate every man eventually." "I hear people saying to me, well, we're all worshipping the same God, we all believe in love," Burke said in an August teleconference about his latest book, according to the National Catholic Register. "But I say stop a minute and let's examine carefully what Islam is, and what our Christian faith teaches us both." Burke, who is an archbishop and the patron of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, said in contrast to Allah, God is the "giver of revelation," and His law is written "on our hearts" and "we're given a divine grace to live according to that law." He said the teachings of God are not true in Islam, so people cannot claim that the Christians' God and the Muslims' Allah are just the same. Burke does not believe the Sharia law is founded on love, so to claim that Christians and Muslims both believe in love is "simply not correct." "And while our experience with individual Muslims may be one of people who are gentle and kind and so forth, we have to understand that in the end what they believe most deeply, that to which they ascribe in their hearts, demands that they govern the world," he said. "Whereas, in the Christian faith we're taught that by the development of right reason, by sound metaphysics, and then that which leads to faith and to the light and strength that's given by faith, we make our contribution to society also in terms of its governance," he added. Denmark's changing scene: As number of baptisms rises, thousands of Christians leave Church There is both good news and bad news for Christians in Denmark. The good news is that the number of baptisms is on the rise, according to Anders Gadegaard, the dean of Copenhagen's Church of Our Lady (Kbenhavns Domkirke). "We are seeing an increase in the number of enrolments [and] a rising interest in belonging to the Church of Denmark," Gadegaard said as quoted by The Local, a Danish online news source. However, Gadegaard admitted a sharp rise in the number of people who recently decided to leave the Church of Denmark. In the second quarter of this year alone, he said 10,300 people left the churchthe highest quarterly figure since 2007, when official statistics on church withdrawals were first recorded. He said the figure was twice as high as in the first quarter of the year and more than four times higher in the same period last year. What is triggering the Christian exodus from the Danish church? Gadegaard pointed at the Danish Atheist Society (Ateistisk Selskab) as the prime instigator. The group launched a massive advertising campaign in the spring that included banners on buses asking, "Why believe in a god?", "Why should faith cost something"? and "Did Jesus and Mohammed speak with a god?". The ads urge the public to visit the group's website, udmeldelse.dk, which provides short and easy instructions for leaving the church, allowing readers to easily access the necessary paperwork to leave the church. The biggest come-on in the Atheist Society's campaign is their pronouncement that Danes will each save about 133,000 kroner (over $20,000) in church taxes in their lifetime if they quit the church. Despite the atheist group's apparent success in convincing many Danes to leave the church, Gadegaard said he doesn't think it will have a lasting effect. "I think the number is a reflection of a very special situation created by the atheists' campaign. We're not talking about a whole new trend that will continue," he told Politiken. Denmark is not the only Scandinavian country that's seeing a record number of Christians leaving the church. Up north in Norway, over 25,000 Norwegians decided to leave the church in a matter of weeks last month. That is a huge number considering Norway's population of 5 million. Unlike in Denmark, this exodus appeared to be the inadvertent handiwork of the Church of Norway itself when it launched a new website allowing people to easily verify their status within the church. The site also allows for a simpler withdrawal processgiving more than 25,000 Norwegians the tool to leave the church. 'Homeland' for Christians in Middle East pushed to protect them from ISIS genocide campaign What can Christians do to help protect their fellow persecuted Christians in the Middle East? The question has been around since the Islamic State (ISIS) started a campaign of genocide against Christians in Syria and Iraq. Now, finally, a credible answer has been voiced: the creation of a protected Christian homeland in the region. A Christian group called the Philos Project has partnered with In Defense of Christians to discuss how American believers can put policy and prayer together to stop the violence against Christians in the Middle East, CBN News reports. Advocates for the persecuted Church recently gathered in Washington, D.C. to raise awareness about the ISIS' genocide campaign against believers in the region. During the gathering, Christians in America were urged to actively help their beleaguered fellow Christians. "We all feel the temptation to stay out of it and mind our own business... But minding our business is simply not an option," said Robert Nicholson, president of the Philos Project and key speaker at the event. Many of the advocates are convinced that the only way to protect Christians in the Middle East is to create a homeland for them. "Everyone wants to help Christians with aid, but until now there has been no structure through which to deliver it no address to mail the check," Nicholson said. "Christians in the Middle East will only be safe when they have a protected homeland, a foundation on which to build their shattered society," he added. The Philos Project and other organisations are now working to create an independent Christian state in the Ninevah Plains region of Iraq. Critics say the homeland idea is impractical, but the Philos Project cites modern examples of this solution to prove that it can work. "History has shown us various examples of this concept working in practice, of minority peoples under existential threat surviving and thriving by securing territory: Israel, Armenia, Iraqi Kurdistan, even (to a far less satisfactory degree) Native American reservations in the U.S.," Nicholson said. Iran, not ISIS, is world's terrorist powerhouse and America's greatest enemy, says bestselling author Despite its unmistakeable brutality and apparently lengthening arms to spread its campaign of terror, the Islamic State (ISIS) is not America's most dangerous enemy. This is the view of New York Times bestselling author Robert Spencer, who is also the director of the online journal Jihad Watch. In his latest book called "The Complete Infidel's Guide to Iran," Spencer says Iran, which has long branded the United States as the "Great Satan," actually poses the greatest threat not only to America but also to Israel and the West. The reasons are many, and here are just some of them: Iran is the "terrorist powerhouse of the world." Spencer says the enemy has been made all the more dangerous by the "disastrous" nuclear deal with the United States and other powers "that barely restricts that nation's nuclear ambitions." The Iranian theocracy led by Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has openly declared itself an enemy of the United States and also of anyone who dissents from its Shia brand of Islam. Iranian forces confront U.S. Navy ships in the Persian Gulf "on a near daily basis." Iran executes more of its citizens than any other nation in the world. Iran claims leadership of the global Islamic jihad which seeks nothing less than world conquest. In the book, Spencer discloses that the United States and the other world powers actually surrendered to the mullahs in agreeing to a nuclear deal with Iran. Spencer notes that the deal expires in 15 years, with no mechanism to keep Iran from continuing nuclear research and development, according to FrontPage Mag. He cites other points in the agreement advantageous to Iran: Inspectors must give the mullahs up to 24 days' notice before entering suspect sites. Iran doesn't have to prove it's living up to the deal, since sanctions have already been removed, allowing Iran to get as much as $700 billion from renewed trade deals. There are no consequences for violating the terms of the deal. Spencer also chronicles Iran's long-standing support for terrorists, including "shocking evidence" of its role in the 9/11 attacks on the United States. He disputes Iran's claims that its nuclear weapons are only for deterrence or self-defence and explains why the Obama administration has grossly underestimated the Iranian threat to U.S. national security. Spencer likewise outlines a new grand strategy on how Iran's Shi'ite terrorism might be contained and its threat to the United States reduced. Iran already considers itself at war with America, Spencer points out. "If we refuse to recognise that fact, we are only falling prey to the mullahs' campaign of duplicity," he says. As former Democratic Senator Joe Leiberman and U.N. Ambassador Mark D. Wallach reported last November, "Iran continues to act as a nuclear weapons outlaw." Tuesday CoreNet: Monthly breakfast meeting. 7:309 a.m., Junior League of Houston, 1811 Briar Oaks Lane. Topic: Houston's Future in Space. Program: Steven Gonzalez, associate manager of the strategic partnership office at the NASA/Johnson Space Center, will discuss the future impact of NASA, the Houston Spaceport and its Design and Innovation Park. Information: www.corenetglobal.org. National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC): Houston Chapter meeting. 5:30 p.m., H.E.S.S. Club, 5430 Westheimer. Registration: Debra Savage at rsvp@nawic-houston.org. Greater Houston Builders Association: Remodelers Council luncheon. 11:30 a.m., Lakeside Country Club, 100 Wilcrest. Program: City of Houston building official panel. Information: www.ghba.org. Get Together Northwest: Lunch. 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m., Champion Forest Baptist Church, Multipurpose Building. Speaker: Debra McCammon, executive director of Hospitality House. Information: www.gettogethernw.org. Job Search 101: Resume development workshop. 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m., 3300 Chimney Rock, No. 120. Cost: Free. Registration: http://js101.org, 713-866-4002 or js101info@gmail.com. Wednesday Worldwide Employee Benefits: Meeting. 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m., Maggiano's Little Italy, 2019 Post Oak Blvd. Topic: How to Improve Your Subrogation Recoveries. Speaker: Tom Lawrence, CEO/CLO of Benefit Recovery Group and senior partner of Lawrence & Russell. Information: Nancy Gilbert at ngilbert@sarofim.com or 713-308-2717. Thursday Agile Leadership Network: Houston Chapter meeting. 6 p.m., Sysco, 1390 Enclave Parkway. Topic: Build Quality In: Guiding Software Delivery with Tests. Speaker: Lisa Crispin, co-author of Agile Testing and More Agile Testing. Registration: www.alnhouston.org/. Kiwanis Club of Houston: Meeting. 11:30 a.m., Forest Club, 9950 Memorial Drive. Speaker: Bob Harvey of the Greater Houston Partnership. Topic: Outlook for the Houston economy. Cost: $30. Registration: Bonita Ramirez, 832-649-4674, or bonita@kiwanishouston.org. Job Search 101: LinkedIn workshop. 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m., 3300 Chimney Rock, No. 120.Cost: Free. Registration: http://js101.org, 713-866-4002 or js101info@gmail.com. Friday Labor and Employment Law Seminar: Hosted by Fisher Phillips. 7 a.m.-3:30 p.m., Hotel Sorella CityCentre. Topic: From Start to Finish: Managing Employees Without Finishing at the Courthouse.Information: Carol Porter at cporter@fisherphillips.com. Online: www.fisherphillips.com. Energy Prospectus Group: Luncheon. 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m., H.E.S.S. Club, 5430 Westheimer. Speaker: Glenn J. Mullan, CEO, Golden Valley Mines. Cost: Free for members, $40 for pre-registered guests, $50 at the door. Information: www.energyprospectus.com or 281-435-8874. Sunday National Medicare Education Week: Informational session. 2 p.m., Health Museum, 1515 Hermann Drive. UnitedHealthcare officials will address top questions. Cost: No fee. Information: Go to NMEW.com and click on "find an event" or call 1-855-434-4941. Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 11 By Maksim Tsurkov Trend: The Star oil refinery in Turkey owned by the Azerbaijani state oil company SOCAR plans to complete construction of the oil receiving marine terminal before late 2016, Director General of the refinery Ibrahim Palaz told reporters in Izmir, Turkey. All the major work concerning the terminal will be completed until the end of 2016, Palaz said. The two other terminals intended for shipment of finished oil products will be ready for operation in September 2017. The annual naphtha production volume, used by Petkim as the main raw material, will amount to 1.66 million tons at the STAR refinery. Along with naphtha, the new oil refinery will produce diesel fuel with ultra-low sulfur to the amount of 5.95 million tons, aviation kerosene - 500,000 tons, reformate - 500,000 tons, petroleum coke - 630,000 tons, liquefied gas - 240,000 tons, mixed xylene - 415,000 tons, olefin LPG - 75,000 tons and 145,000 tons of sulfur. The refinery will not produce petrol and fuel oil. It is planned to refine Azeri Light, Kerkuk and URALS oil at the plant. At present, the share distribution in the project is as follows: 60 percent is owned by Rafineri Holding A.S. (100 percent owned by SOCAR Turkey Enerji A.S.), which had previously acquired all the remaining 18.5 percent share of Turcas Petrol in the project, and 40 percent belongs to SOCAR. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @MaksimTsurkov This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate They had been in the Gulf of Thailand for two days, and Terry Truong worried how much longer they could last. Hunger clawed at their stomachs; their lips cracked from the sun and the overpowering thirst. They were running out of diesel. Waves pounded the small wooden boat Truong had hastily outfitted with a motor. They scooped out the rising water with buckets. By the fourth day, the battery had lost its power, and the 31 South Vietnamese army officers looked to the heavens and prayed. Then Truong saw the lights. He aimed the boat toward the glimmer. Hours later, they had reached the vessel, but the Thai fishermen onboard pulled their knives. It was a crime to transport Vietnamese refugees, and they were afraid. "Please," Truong begged. More Information FINDING A NEW HOME Nearly 800,000 Vietnamese came to the United States as refugees between 1974 and 2013, with one-quarter arriving in just the first three years. According to the United Nations high commissioner for refugees, as many as 400,000 Vietnamese who fled by boat died at sea. Houston has the nation's largest Vietnamese population outside of the San Jose and Los Angeles area - nearly 111,000 residents. The United States is home to the largest Vietnamese diaspora in the world, and their remittances make up about 7 percent of the communist country's gross domestic product. Hubert Vo, a Vietnamese refugee, became the first Vietnamese to be elected to the Texas Legislature in 2004. See More Collapse Six months later, in August 1980, he arrived in Houston speaking little English, but "finally free" at age 28. Like Truong, nearly 800,000 Vietnamese came to the United States as refugees between 1974 and 2013, with one-quarter arriving in just the first three years. They are the fortunate ones. As many as 400,000 died on risky boat journeys like the one Truong endured. In all, it was the most expansive refugee resettlement in U.S. history, drawing not only the elite and middle class who came in military airlifts but fishermen and farmers. Many came to Houston, which the federal government designated as a major resettlement site along with cities in California. Its humid climate was reminiscent of Vietnam, and ample jobs and a cheap cost of living also drew refugees here. Today, the city has the nation's largest Vietnamese population outside of the San Jose and Los Angeles area. Nearly 111,000 live in the metropolitan region, two-thirds of whom were born abroad, according to the U.S. Census. They're an integral part of Houston's culture, with Vietnamese street signs, shops and restaurants lining Bellaire Boulevard and a history of political representation at City Council. But when they first came, in the 1970s and 1980s, nearly two-thirds of the country told pollsters that they didn't want them. In Houston, racial tensions erupted. Vietnamese shrimpers in Seabrook and Galveston clashed with white fishermen, and a Ku Klux Klan group threatened them, sailing around the bay in menacing white robes and burning effigies. U.S. marshals were ordered to protect the Vietnamese boats, and a federal lawsuit filed on their behalf eventually chased the Klan out of state. It was a terrifying time. To help their community, some Vietnamese investors purchased rundown complexes in south Houston as a safe space for their compatriots. The largest, Thai Xuan, still exists today near Hobby Airport. Its 1,000 Vietnamese residents have transformed it into a token of the old country, renewing traditions and existing almost entirely in Vietnamese. Women still wear non las, cream-colored cone-shaped hats made of straw, and sell fried egg rolls in the parking lot. When Truong arrived, Houston's economy was about to collapse from the oil crash. But nothing could dampen his spirits about being here. He still considered it miraculous that he and his fellow officers on the boat had persuaded the Thai fisherman to drop them at a refugee camp near the Malaysian border. It was Truong's second attempt to flee Vietnam, and he didn't have the luxury of failure as an option. The first time, in the days following the 1975 Fall of Saigon, he abandoned at the last minute a departing Navy ship to see about a girl. But by 1979, when he was working as an accountant for a government agency, a friend with ties to Hanoi's upper echelons told him he was to be investigated for his time in the South Vietnamese Army. Truong knew what that meant. Tens of thousands of Vietnamese whom Hanoi considered to be traitors were tortured and killed in so-called re-education camps. Truong knew he didn't have much time. He purchased a boat and rallied his brother and officers from his unit. The girl, who didn't want to leave her family, stayed behind. By the time Truong arrived in Houston months later, he was exhausted but overjoyed. "I feel like my life has changed," he said. Within days, he found work at a mechanic's shop. The owner, who was once stationed in Vietnam, told Truong that he loved his people. Truong worked 16 hours a day at $3.50 an hour. He made manager of the night shift and with the commission he paid for his brother to attend Houston Community College, where Truong also took English classes. He sent money to his mother and four siblings in Vietnam. Soon he found a job installing vector cables, at $10 an hour a significant raise. After his job fell victim to the oil crisis, he was hired as manager of a convenience store at the corner of Interstate 10 and Federal Road in Jacinto City. Gunshots rung out every day. Truong's store was often robbed and sometimes he was even shot at. Once, he himself fired at a man who cocked a gun at him. Truong's time in one of the 20th century's cruelest conflicts had taught him quick reflexes. The man turned out to be a felon wanted by police. "It was very hard, those years," Truong said. Meanwhile, he met another girl, also a Vietnamese refugee. They married. His brother, whom Truong supported so he could go to college, graduated with a degree in electrical engineering and eventually persuaded his sibling to retire. Now Truong works at VN TeamWork, Inc. a Houston nonprofit founded by Michael CaoMy Nguyen, a fellow Vietnamese refugee who came here in a 1975 military airlift. "We received help from the Americans, and we wanted to pay it back," said Nguyen's wife, Ninh. Truong, too, said he was inspired by the assistance he received. "When I came to this country people helped me, and I said one day I will pay back this help," he said. Such strong cultural ties mean that many Vietnamese tend to stick close to one another. They cluster in Midtown and south Houston and around sprawling Bellaire Boulevard, Census data shows. The more prosperous congregate around a sliver of Memorial or in Sugar Land. Experts say it's partly the circumstance of their arrival. Their evacuation, so sudden and traumatic, coupled with the harsh Communist punishment endured by many left behind, forged for them a shared identity around the idea that they can never go home again. Language bonds them together, as does gratitude for the generosity they have encountered. "I appreciate America opening its arms and taking me in," said Truong, now 64. "This is the greatest country in the world." The body of a man shot to death was discovered in his south Houston home Saturday evening, several days after he was killed, police said. Just after 6 p.m., patrol officers responded to a report of a "person down" at a residence on the 3400 block of Sparrow near Fairland. The home's door was ajar, prompting officers to call in the Houston Police Department's homicide unit, said Detective Michael Dykins. Inside, police found a man in his mid-40s, dead from what appeared to be several gunshot wounds. He had been dead for three or four days, Dykins said. There were no signs of forced entry and a motive was unclear. Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept.11 Trend: Pursuing multi-vector foreign and energy policies, Greece will become an energy hub, Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras said at a press conference Sept.11, RIA Novosti reported. He said the energy routes of the 21st century will go through Greece. "To a large extent we have succeeded in this thanks to the Trans-Adriatic Pipeline (TAP)," he added. As part of the Stage 2 of the Shah Deniz development, gas will be exported to Turkey and European markets by expanding the South Caucasus Pipeline and constructing Trans-Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline (TANAP) and TAP. TAP's initial capacity will be 10 billion cubic meters of gas per year with the possibility of expanding it to 20 billion cubic meters. TANAP project, worth $9.2 billion, envisages transportation of gas of Azerbaijans Shah Deniz field from Georgian-Turkish border to the western borders of Turkey. Gas will be delivered to Turkey in 2018, and after completion of the Trans Adriatic Pipelines (TAP) construction, it will be delivered to Europe in early 2020. The summers final Live on the Waterfront concert was held Wednesday evening at Prince Arthurs Landing. The popular series in Thunder Bay has completed nine weekly shows that began on July 13. Wednesdays concert was unique as it was held one hour later in the evening to mesh with the 10 p. The ancient rock-cut Buddha sculptures in the Bamiyan Valley of central Afghanistan were destroyed for religious reasons by the Taliban in 2001 causing a great loss of history. Closer to home, the pillaging of archaeological sites near Thunder Bay in the 1970s was also a loss of history, but done purely for profit. Iran exported over 3.6 billion dollars worth of different kinds of petrochemical products during the first five months of the current Iranian calendar year, IRNA news agency reported. The country sold more than 8.724 million tons of a variety of petrochemicals to the international markets during the same period. The growth in the petrochemical products comes following the implementation of last years nuclear agreement which is also known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and easing of sanctions as well as banking restrictions. In July, the National Iranian Petrochemical Company (NIPC) resumed export of its products to Britain. A consignment of Iran's petrochemical and polymer products was shipped to the UK. Other countries such as Bulgaria, Romania, Greece, Italy and France have also shown interest to purchase Iran's petrochemical products. Before the imposition of the western sanctions against Iran, the European countries had accounted for about 13 percent of the country's export of petrochemical and polymeric products. CLEVELAND, Ohio - Since thousands of delegates and journalists packed up and left Quicken Loans Arena in late July, one question keeps cropping up: What's the next big thing for Cleveland, now the Republican National Convention is behind us? Sorry to disappoint, but there's no simple response to that query when it comes to major investments in the city. Broach the subject with business leaders, and they'll react with generic, vague answers. Or they'll tender a shrug, a sigh or a poorly concealed eye roll. Despite much handwringing and hype over the candidate and the political climate, the GOP convention did provide a chance for Cleveland to remake its image on the national, and world, stage. Based on the abundance of laudatory headlines, the city largely succeeded. Yet the long-term impact of the convention on Cleveland's efforts to rebuild itself - with new jobs, new companies and new developments - will be much harder to measure than the short-term pop of positive press. We won't know what's next, really, for a few years. "Anyone who wanted an immediate impact is going to have to wait," said Rick Batyko of Team NEO, a nonprofit economic-development group. "I had a local TV station call me, because they wanted to know what businesses are coming to Cleveland because of the RNC. It doesn't work that way. But what this does do is put us on the consideration list." Researchers at Cleveland State University are putting together an economic-impact study of the convention at the behest of the Cleveland 2016 Host Committee, a nonpartisan, local group that handled logistics and fundraising for the July 18-21 event. The results of that research won't be released until early next year, though. And the study will focus on the past - the convention and major investments completed in the run-up to it - instead of the future. It's tough, meanwhile, to assess the value of the networking that occurred, the business relationships that were established or rekindled and the ways that the convention might have impacted Cleveland's appeal to corporate executives from outside of the region. Some notable C-suite leaders did pop into town for a day or two during the convention, attending policy discussions hosted by the Jones Day law firm, more intimate gatherings at the Cleveland Clinic, networking events with local chief executives and and tours of the city. People who focus on government affairs for out-of-town corporations also made the trek to Cleveland, providing a possible gateway for local business-development groups to reach out to executives who make decisions about real estate, relocations and expansion projects. "What I expect, based on the anecdotal feedback that I've been getting, is that Cleveland as a potential site for new development will be on lists it hasn't been on before - and will stay on lists long enough to get site visits, as opposed to falling off earlier in the process," said Joe Roman, president and chief executive officer of the Greater Cleveland Partnership, the metropolitan chamber of commerce. "I've had 20 years of working with site selectors. Their job is to please their client as quickly as they can. ... I don't think we will hear as many of them saying 'Well, we just didn't know that much about Cleveland.'" The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum was bathed in red, white and blue during the welcome party for delegates, journalists and other Republican National Convention VIPs in July. Roughly 12,000 people were invited. During the RNC's opening-night festivities, Jones Day Partner Chris Kelly was watching fireworks on the East Ninth Street Pier. He started chatting with a Californian wearing a straw hat. The man, it turned out, was a real estate developer who had done business with Jones Day from time to time. He marveled at the compactness of the center city, the lack of traffic and the Euclid Avenue HealthLine, a rapid-transit bus line that links downtown to University Circle. "He clearly had thought about this," said Kelly, co-leader of Jones Day's capital markets practice and one of four local business executives to co-chair the host committee. "It wasn't a casual conversation. The vibrancy of it, the availability of land close to where the energy is - I got the feeling that he wasn't doing suburban shopping malls." Dan Walsh, a former regional banking executive who now runs an investment firm called Citymark Capital in downtown Cleveland, had a similar, serendipitous experience. He bumped into a former client, an out-of-town player in the apartment business, at The Q. Walsh ended up showing off Cleveland and forging a better link to lenders and apartment investors. "Take my experience and multiply it by 30,000," said Walsh, who is also board chairman for Destination Cleveland, the convention and visitors' bureau, a key participant in readying the city for the event. "The value of this convention, I think, is incalculable." The impact is, perhaps, clearest on the hospitality side. The Huntington Convention Center of Cleveland is landing more, and bigger, events thanks to publicity and a flurry of hotel openings that led up to the GOP gathering. The facility, which opened in 2013, is performing better than expected, though it - like many convention centers - still isn't profitable on its own. It's harder to get a sense of whether Cleveland's stint in the spotlight will bring more cash and companies here, because of the behind-closed-doors nature of business deals. "I believe that the value of this will be the halo effect it will leave," Jay Foran, senior vice president of industry and innovation at Team NEO, said of the convention. "Each year, making the case for Cleveland and Northeast Ohio has gotten better and better. Will I be able to tie a project win two years from now directly to this? I think it's going to be hard to do that." Team NEO can't talk about specific business-attraction efforts. The nonprofit Downtown Cleveland Alliance, which represents property owners, is guarded when discussing projects in the pipeline. Business leaders have been reluctant to drop names of CEOs who showed up on guest lists. During the week of the convention, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce wouldn't even confirm that it had set up shop at the Cowell & Hubbard restaurant on Euclid Avenue. It's also difficult to measure who didn't show up. Amid widespread reports of dampened corporate financial support for the convention after real estate mogul Donald Trump emerged as the Republican nominee, some trade organizations and executives bowed out. Meanwhile, the throng of reporters grew, as news organizations champed at the bit for political drama and protests. When controversy failed to erupt, Cleveland became the story, instead. Kelly, of Jones Day, acknowledged that some people were disappointed in the level of corporate turnout. But he said there was tremendous value in heavier-than-expected media attendance. "They change impressions, and impressions matter," he said of the press. The Cleveland Clinic participated in and hosted several events and tours during the GOP convention week in July, including a Thursday reception for C-suite executives. Top executives from U.S. Steel Corp., accounting firm EY, Owens Corning of Toledo and Cleveland-based KeyCorp did speak on panels at Jones Day, where CEOs of publicly traded companies joined neighborhood leaders and the occasional local public official in the crowd. Programs arranged by the host committee and JobsOhio, a quasi-public entity, put representatives of Northeast Ohio businesses including Key, the Clinic, University Hospitals and the Solon-based Swagelok Company on stage with politicians and magnates from other parts of the state. The discussions subtly showcased Cleveland to out-of-town executives and reporters during explorations of bigger issues, such as workforce development, energy policy, urban reinvestment, education, prescription-drug development and the opioid crisis. On the final night of the convention, the Clinic hosted roughly 100 high-ranking executives at a rooftop cocktail reception, dinner and panel event on the hospital's main campus. The guest list was private, but many of the attendees traveled here from outside of Cleveland, said Kristen Morris, the Clinic's chief government and community affairs officer. The entire point, she said, was to showcase the city to people who make business decisions. As an international healthcare brand, the Clinic itself didn't necessarily get a bump in visibility from the convention, though Morris has heard from more policymakers - of all political stripes - since the event. "The ultimate outcome is going to be defined by the city, writ large," she said of payoff from Cleveland's hosting gig. "Do we have more investment in our city? What's the next big event that's going to come?" The convention also brought - and occasionally forced - regional businesses, nonprofit groups and the public sector to work together in new, more organized ways. That cooperation, and improved communication, didn't end when workers at The Q swept up the red-white-and-blue confetti and cleared away the balloons. Public Square stole the show during the Republican National Convention. In early August, a solitary pedestrian walked through the downtown Cleveland space after all the fanfare was over. Along with new physical infrastructure - nearly 300 trees, a reimagined Public Square, a slew of planters, repaired streetlights, repaved roads and big technology upgrades by AT&T, for example - the convention left Cleveland with a better system of public-private collaboration. And that improved coordination left some community leaders more optimistic about the next big challenges, from financing and building ambitious downtown real estate projects to attracting more jobs and residents in an effort to ensure that the national "comeback" narrative isn't just a story - that it's something concrete, sustained. So will a change in Cleveland's image bring a wave of investment? It's too early to tell. "We don't have to clear that first hurdle anymore," said Joe Marinucci, president and chief executive of the Downtown Cleveland Alliance. "We've significantly improved the perception of Cleveland, downtown Cleveland." Still, Marinucci does have one more banner event on his wish list: "To get the Indians into the playoffs would add a good energy dimension into the fall," he said, laughing. 11DARCY-JOHNSON.jpg Libertarian Party nominee for president, Gary Johnson asked "What is Aleppo?" on MSNBC's "Morning Joe" CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Hopefully Gary Johnson knows today marks the 15th anniversary of the horrific attacks on the United States in New York city, Washington D.C. and the skies over Pennsylvania, by al-Qaeda. The Libertarian Party nominee for president disqualified himself to be Commander-in-Chief when he asked "What is Aleppo?" on MSNBC's "Morning Joe." This is the exchange between Johnson and Mike Barnicle, a regular contributor on the morning news program. Barnicle: "What would you do if the you were elected about Aleppo?" Johnson: "About?" Barnicle: "Aleppo" Johnson: "And what is Aleppo?" Barnicle: "You're kidding." Johnson: "No" Barnicle: "Aleppo is in Syria. It's the epicenter of the refugee crisis..." Johnson: "OK. Got it." It could have been worse, Johnson could have mistaken Aleppo for Alpo, the dog food, or the Alamo. He probably thinks the Alamo is just a car rental company. Johnson is the former two-term governor of New Mexico. He's not the first governor to run for president to demonstrate weak foreign policy knowledge. But it turns out Johnson's domestic knowledge is equally weak. In June, Johnson asked "Who's Harriet Tubman?" The New Yorker reported that Johnson asked who Tubman was when he was being directed to a room named after the famous abolitionist, whose likeness will grace the new $20 dollar bill. Until his gaffe, Johnson had high hopes of qualifying for at least the first presidential debate along side Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton. He needs to reach a threshold of 15 percent support in several polls. He had been hovering around 10 percent before demonstrating on "Morning Joe" that he's better suited to co-star in the next sequel of "Dumb and Dumber." Did I mention that Johnson has admitted to being a regular pot user? As Nancy Reagan once said,"Just say no" to drugs... and Gary Johnson. Have something to say about this topic? Use the comments to share your thoughts, and stay informed when readers reply to your comments by using the Notifications Settings (in blue) just below. Ellet High School fire Akron firefighters extinguished a small fire inside Ellet High School late Friday night. (Akron Fire Department) AKRON, Ohio -- Firefighters extinguished a small fire that ignited inside Ellet High School late Saturday night. An alarm inside Ellet High School went off about 11 p.m., according to the Akron fire department. Firefighters went into the building and found smoke in the hallways. They called for more companies to respond and searched the school, room-by-room, until they found the fire. The fire was mostly contained to one room on the school's first floor, Akron fire department spokesman Brodie Sadowski said Sunday. Firefighters quickly extinguished the fire and brought in a commercial ventilation truck to blow smoke out of the halls. Sadowski did not know the extent of the fire's damage, or where it started. Investigators are still trying to determine how the fire started. gary norton.jpg East Cleveland Mayor Gary Norton will face a recall in a December special election. (Plain Dealer file photo) Thomas Wheeler EAST CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The two highest ranking elected officials in this cash-strapped suburb will face a recall election this fall, but not on the November ballot. The Cuyahoga County Board of Elections and East Cleveland City Council Clerk's office this week certified more than 600 petition signatures to force a recall vote of Mayor Gary Norton and City Council President Tom Wheeler, said Pat McDonald, the board's executive director. McDonald said he expects to set the election for Dec. 6. The special election, which could cost the city between $25,000 and $30,000, will come just 10 months before the next mayoral primary election and while the city is locked in merger negotiations with the city of Cleveland. The residents needed about 560 valid signatures to force a special recall election, McDonald said. Devin Branch, submitted more than 1,200 signatures to the board, McDonald said. The clerk sent Norton a letter late on Thursday informing him of the election. Under the East Cleveland charter, if he does not resign by Wednesday, he will face a recall election within 60-90 days. Norton does not plan to resign. In a phone interview with cleveland.com Saturday he characterized the election a waste of money in a city that cannot afford it. "East Cleveland will select it's next mayor 10 months after this needless recall election," Norton said. "This is a horrible expenditure of funds given the city's current financial provision, and beyond that, switching a single mayor or single councilman will have no impact on the city's financial situation and the city's economy." Norton said the money the election will cost will have to be cut from other city services. He pointed to possible cuts in police and fire. "There's little to nothing left to cut in the city," he said. Wheeler has already faced recall efforts twice since December, and an effort to recall Norton last spring failed. An amendment to the city's charter meant to curtail the ease with which residents can trigger a recall is currently being reviewed by the board of elections and has not been finalized for the November ballot. Norton refused to say whether he was going to run for re-election next year, and declined to answer why voters should vote to keep him as mayor in December. The city is currently engaged in negotiations with Cleveland over a possible annexation. The talks were dealt a serious blow late last month when East Cleveland's City Council submitted a list of conditions for the merger that Cleveland City Council President Kevin Kelley called a "non-starter." Norton said he did not agree with the demands and that he hoped the talks would continue. UPDATE: This post has been updated to include a more precise account the amounts of valid signatures needed and submitted to the Board of Elections, and to reflect that a proposed charter amendment is currently under review by the elections board. police tape.jpg Jahad McLaughlin Jr. and Martinique King were gunned down on East 86th Street in Cleveland early Sunday morning. (File photo) CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The names of a man and woman slain in an early Sunday shooting in the city's Fairfax neighborhood have been released. Jahad McLaughlin Jr., 23, and Martinique King, 22, were pronounced dead at University Hospitals, according to the Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner's Office. McLaughlin and King were shot about 2 a.m. on East 86th Street near Beckham Avenue, just south of Quincy Avenue, police said. Witnesses heard screams and gunshots, then found the pair lying in the street, police said. Investigators do not have a suspect in the killing. McLaughlin and King's deaths came after five other people were shot in a 12-hour span across Cleveland. Nakale Crosby, 18, was shot dead Saturday evening as he sat in a car on East 116th Street near Putnam Avenue, police said. Police have made no arrests in that killing either. Anyone with information can call homicide detectives at 216-623-5464. To comment on this story, please visit Sunday's crime and courts comments page. Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 11 By Khalid Kazimov Trend: Three companies from Iran and France have agreed to cooperate on safety and quality inspection of vehicles. Iran Standard & Quality Inspection Co (ISQI), Iran Test & Research Center for Auto Parts (ITARC) as well as French company of UTAC CERAM signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) Sep. 11 on cooperation, IRNA news agency reported. Ashkan Golpaini, the head of ISQI, has said that the MoU envisages upgrading Irans standards on technical tests and environmental issues. The MoU comes following agreements between Irans leading carmakers of Iran Khodro and Saipa with French companies of Peugeot and Renault. Iran-Khodro has already signed a deal with Peugeot and Saipa signed one with Renault for further cooperation. Irans car production stood at 900,000 the last Iranian year. Cleveland police car stock A man and woman were shot dead early Sunday morning on East 86th Street near the Cuyahoga County Juvenile Justice Center complex in Cleveland. (File photo) CLEVELAND, Ohio -- A man and woman were shot dead in the street early Sunday morning about two blocks from the Cuyahoga County Juvenile Justice Center complex. Witnesses heard screaming and gunshots about 2 a.m. on East 86th Street near Beckham Avenue, south of Quincy Avenue, police said. They went outside and found the man and woman lying shot in the street, police said. Paramedics rushed the victims to University Hospitals, where they were eventually pronounced dead. Police do not have a suspect in the killing. The pair was among seven shooting victims across Cleveland's East Side in a 12-hour span Saturday and Sunday, including an 18-year-old Maple Heights man that was killed as he sat in a car. To comment on this story, please visit Saturday's crime and courts comments page. Cleveland police car 3.jpg An 18-year-old Maple Heights man was shot dead Saturday evening as he sat in a car at East 116th Street near Miles Avenue, Cleveland police said. (File photo) CLEVELAND, Ohio -- An 18-year-old Maple Heights man was shot dead in Cleveland Saturday evening, according to officials. Nakale Crosby died at Marymount Hospital, the Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner's Office said. Crosby was sitting inside a car at East 116th Street and Putnam Avenue about 5:30 p.m. Witnesses told police they heard several gunshots, then went outside and found Crosby had been shot in the car, police said. Someone drove Crosby to Marymount Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead. Detectives continue to investigate. Crosby was one of three people killed and four wounded in Cleveland shootings Saturday afternoon and early Sunday morning. To comment on this story, please visit Saturday's crime and courts comments page. Cleveland police officer stock Three people were killed and four more were wounded in shootings across Cleveland Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning, police said. (File photo) CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Three people were killed and at least four more were wounded in shootings across Cleveland's East Side Saturday and Sunday. A man and woman were shot dead in the street just two blocks from the Cuyahoga County Juvenile Justice Center complex, and an 18-year-old man was killed in a car in the city's Union-Miles Park neighborhood, Cleveland police said Sunday morning. The killings bring the city's unofficial homicide total for the year to 79, a slight drop from last year's tally at this time. The violence started about 3:40 p.m., when a 35-year-old man was shot at East 131st Street and Miles Avenue. Police made no arrests, and did not release details of the shooting. A 26-year-old man showed up to MetroHealth about 4:15 p.m. with a gunshot wound. The man said he got the wound a few days before near East 40th Street and Quincy Avenue, police said. Nakale Crosby, 18, of Maple Heights, was shot as he sat inside a car at East 116th Street and Putnam Avenue about 5:30 p.m., police said. Witnesses told police they heard several gunshots, then went outside and found the wounded Crosby, police said. Someone drove him to Marymount Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead. A man was shot about 11 p.m. at East 65th Street and Broadway Avenue. Another was shot two hours later on East 108th Street near Aetna Road. A man and woman were found shot in the street on East 86th Street south of Quincy Avenue about 2 a.m., after witnesses heard screaming and gunshots, police said. Paramedics rushed them to University Hospital, where they were later pronounced dead. The Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner's Office identified the pair as Jahad McLaughlin Jr., 22, and Martinique King, 23. The slayings bring the unofficial homicide count this year to 79, with two more possible cases awaiting an official ruling by the medical examiner's office. The city measured 85 killings through Sept. 14 of last year, on its way to a year-end tally of 120. September turned out to be the deadliest month in Cleveland in more than five years. Homicide detectives logged 20 killings that month, including the deaths of 5-year-old Ramon Burnett and 3-year-old Major Howard in drive-by shootings. To comment on this story, please visit Saturday's crime and courts comments page. Jill Stein Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein speaks during a news conference at South Austin neighborhood Thursday, Sept. 8, 2016, in Chicago. (Tae-Gyun Kim, Associated Press) On the 15th anniversary: Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump both paused their campaign ads Sunday, the anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks, but Clinton didn't hold back from criticizing her opponent in a pre-taped interview for CNN's "State of the Union," reports Politico. "What, unfortunately, Donald Trump has done is made our job harder, and given a lot of aid and comfort to ISIS operatives, even ISIS officials, who want to create this as some kind of clash of civilizations, a religious war," Clinton said. "It's not, and we can't let it become that." She also criticized Trump's relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Stein calls for new 9/11 inquiry: Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein called for a new investigation into the Sept. 11 terror attacks Friday, saying the commission that conducted the initial investigation was stonewalled by the George W. Bush administration, reports The Hill. "Led by the families of those who died on 9/11, the American people wanted - and deserved - a comprehensive and independent inquiry into the attacks," Stein said in a statement. She described the 9/11 Commission report as containing many "omissions and distortions." Clinton apologizes: Clinton expressed "regret" Saturday for her comment that "half" of Trump's supporters are "deplorables," reports CNN. "Last night I was 'grossly generalistic,' and that's never a good idea. I regret saying 'half' - that was wrong," she said in a statement in which she also vowed to call out "bigotry" in Trump's campaign. "To just be grossly generalistic, you can put half of Trump supporters into what I call the basket of deplorables," Clinton said Friday at a fundraiser. "Right? Racist, sexist, homophobic, xenophobic, Islamophobic, you name it." Both Trump and his running mate, Mike Pence, criticized Clinton's comment. Huckabee's rhymes: Former GOP presidential candidate and Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee took to Twitter Saturday to criticize Clinton's comment in the form of a poem, reports The Hill. "Hillary shows contempt for people in her 'basket.' I think she blew a gasket. Her campaign headed for a casket," he tweeted. And, of course, Twitter users had a field day with it. Clinton's health concerns heat up: Clinton's weekend became even worse Sunday when she abruptly left a Sept. 11 ceremony in New York before it concluded, and a video appears to show her struggling to maintain her balance as Secret Service agents lift her into a van, reports The New York Times. She was taken from the event at Ground Zero to her daughter Chelsea's apartment. Campaign spokesman Nick Merrill said she was feeling "overheated" during the ceremony. Her doctor's diagnosis: Clinton was diagnosed with pneumonia on Friday, her doctor said in a statement Sunday, reports Politico. "Secretary Clinton has been experiencing a cough related to allergies. On Friday, during follow up evaluation of her prolonged cough, she was diagnosed with pneumonia," Clinton's doctor, Lisa Bardack, said. "She was put on antibiotics, and advised to rest and modify her schedule. While at this morning's event, she became overheated and dehydrated. I have just examined her and she is now re-hydrated and recovering nicely." WaPo poll: The latest Washington Post/ABC poll shows Clinton leading Trump nationally by 5 percentage points among likely voters. In a four-way race, 46 percent support Clinton, 41 percent Trump, 9 percent Libertarian Gary Johnson and 2 percent Stein. Among registered voters, Clinton's lead is slightly greater, 45 percent to Trump's 35 percent. McMullin's battle to get on the ballot: Conservative independent presidential candidate Evan McMullin qualified for the ballot in Kentucky, but didn't make it on Mississippi's ballot, reports Politico. The former CIA agent is on the ballot in Iowa, Utah, South Carolina, Colorado, Arkansas, Idaho, Minnesota, Louisiana and Virginia. He has also failed to get his name on the ballot in a number of states, most recently Wyoming and North Dakota. Pence's tax returns: Mike Pence released 10 years of tax returns Friday, reports NBC News. The returns from the Pence family date from 2006 to 2015 and show that, unlike Trump's, Pence's finances are relatively routine. Last year, his gross adjusted income was $113,026, he paid an effective tax rate of 12.4 percent and gave about $9,000 to charity, according to the campaign. Trump goes off-script: In a speech that frequently veered off from his prepared remarks, Trump suggested Friday that if Clinton were to shoot somebody with thousands of witnesses she would not face charges, reports Politico. "Because she is being so protected, she could walk into this arena right now and shoot somebody with 20,000 people watching, right smack in the middle of the heart, and she wouldn't be prosecuted, OK?" Trump said in Pensacola, Florida. He also went off-script to tell the military-friendly crowd he will "expand our Navy toward the goal of 350 ships, which is about 100 more than we have right now." "And by the way, with Iran, when they circle our beautiful destroyers with their little boats and they make gestures at our people and that they shouldn't be allowed to make, they will be shot out of the water," Trump said. vote3.jpg Voting at St. Linus Hall on Rocky River Drive in Cleveland on Nov. 3, 2009. State Sen. Frank LaRose writes that his Senate Bill 206, which has passed the Senate and is pending in the House, would increase transparency by allowing electronic campaign-finance filings in Ohio's 88 counties. (Chuck Crow, The Plain Dealer, File, 2009) Frank LaRose, Republican, 27th Ohio Senate District If elections are the vehicle of our democracy, technology is the engine that propels them forward efficiently. Unfortunately, by no fault of their own, county boards of elections are stuck with a horse and buggy when it comes to campaign finance reporting. While campaign committees and state candidates such as myself have used an electronic filing system for the past 15 years, county boards of elections can only accept paper reports because state law has failed to keep pace with modern technology. In 2016, Ohioans should have the opportunity to view local campaign finance reports online as they already have the ability to review reports from state candidates. Full transparency demands nothing less. With the enthusiastic support of the bipartisan Ohio Association of Elections Officials, I authored legislation to remove the paper-only requirement that still regulates municipal, county and local candidates and campaign committees that file with county boards of elections. In this day and age, it's shocking that a candidate or campaign committee would have to drop off a pile of paperwork at their county elections office to meet current legal requirements. The concept is straightforward: Amended Senate Bill 206 would update Ohio's campaign finance law by allowing campaign finance reports to be filed electronically. This legislation passed the Senate with unanimous bipartisan support in May, and it will be referred to a House committee in the fall when the legislature returns. County boards of elections would still be responsible for overseeing this process and auditing the reports, as well as training and assisting filers. For the sake of transparency and accountability, Ohio citizens must have the ability to examine the finances of the political candidates and committees that campaign for their vote. Ultimately, these facts and figures tell a more objective story than any campaign ad or speech ever could. If we hope to keep Ohio voters informed and engaged in the decisions affecting their communities, we have to use modern means of communication. Since 1999, the Ohio secretary of state's office has operated an online campaign finance database that provides information that is easy to search, download and analyze. If enacted, Senate Bill 206 would open the same database to county boards of elections, creating access to campaign finance reports for state and local candidates in the same place for those candidates who file electronically. Adding to the current database would save the public from having to search for campaign finance data in two different places, streamline filing requirements for candidates and eliminate unnecessary paperwork for local boards of elections. The legislation would also help Ohio's dedicated investigative journalists to do their jobs more effectively. There are only winners in this scenario. As an elected official, I have actively championed legislation to make elections as efficient, transparent and accessible as possible for voters. In the past year alone, I have supported a budget amendment to fund electronic poll books statewide, authored legislation that will bring online voter registration to Ohio, and proposed a more fair and bipartisan way of drawing congressional district lines. Some of these proposals attract more controversy than others, but modernizing Ohio's campaign finance law should not be a subject of contention. Put simply, Senate Bill 206 cuts red tape and administrative paperwork while improving transparency in local elections. In providing easy access to voters, Ohio has long been a national leader. Modernizing campaign finance law is another commonsense measure to continue this trend. Respectfully, I call on my colleagues in the Ohio House to take this important measure into serious consideration when we return to Columbus this fall. It's time to put the buggy in the barn and let local candidates and elections officials join the modern world. Republican State Sen. Frank LaRose of Hudson represents the 27th Ohio Senate District, encompassing all or part of Stark, Summit and Wayne counties. parade of flags In this 2006 file photo, Esperance Barinakandi, who moved to Cleveland after many years in a refugee camp in Tanzania, holds the flag of Burundi during a celebration at Lincoln-West High School of the 46 nationalities represented there. Dr. Anand Sandesara writes, after a friend, Lou, who spent two decades in a Tanzanian camp, finally made it to Akron this year, that Northeast Ohio should open the door wider to refugees. (Dave I. Andersen, cleveland.com, File, 2006) Dr. Anand Sandesara is a resident physician at Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital I met Lou years ago in East Africa. He had a gap-tooth smile, easy manner, and deep laugh. I was immediately impressed by him - he spoke five languages, including spotless English and impeccable French. He had obtained a master's degree in social work and was fiercely passionate about his profession. He was a father of four and loving husband. Lou was a refugee, and we were inside a camp. Nyarugusu refugee camp in western Tanzania is today one of the world's largest, with more than 150,000 inhabitants. Lou and so many like him had fled his native Democratic Republic of the Congo as civil war raged on its farthest front. The day he left the Congo was the day his father was murdered by a rebel group. In crammed wooden boats, entire towns rowed the width of Lake Tanganyika to safety across the border. I met Lou while carrying out research with the Red Cross inside the camp, where he was one of the few refugees who had been hired to assist. He was an incredible asset to the team, and quickly, he became my friend. Living quarters at Nyarugusu refugee camp in Tanzania, pictured in 2010. The author's friend Lou lived at the camp for two decades until being resettled in Akron earlier this year. Long after I had returned home, Lou and I exchanged emails with updates, thanks to the advances of mobile technology. His life involved prolonged periods of watchful waiting, punctuated with moments of crisis. While I labored through medical school or took call in the ICU, Lou would often cross my mind. My life was not easy, but it was far from the life of a refugee. He was the most resilient and positive person I knew. As of 2016, Lou had spent 20 years inside this camp. Twenty years - half a lifetime for him and a full lifetime for his children who knew nothing outside the bounds of their barbed-wire fence. I moved to Cleveland for pediatric training, and our contact became more spaced out. There was an uneasy lull in communication until recently. Lou then wrote that his family had applied for resettlement abroad, and, in all caps, excitedly stated that it had been granted. They were being relocated to the United States. A following email said where: Akron, Ohio. I was speechless. After 8,000 miles and years apart, Lou was somehow a quick trip down Interstate 271. The moment I heard back from him, I already had one foot in the car. His children had grown, but Lou looked the same. We embraced and laughed giddily in the middle of the street for a reunion that we both long ago had dismissed as impossible. What strikes you about Americans? Everyone is so nice. What surprised you? There is so much space. What are you most excited about? I never have to live in a camp again. We have won a golden ticket. He spoke of his dreams - that his children become educated, that he gets back into social work, that his wife opens a restaurant. In 2015, only about 0.1 percent of the world's refugees and internally displaced persons were resettled to the United States, after undergoing a vigorous multi-layered security screening process through various federal government agencies. Our state accepted a portion of that already infinitesimally small percentage, and about 700 individuals ended up scattered across Northeast Ohio. Research has shown that, compared to native-born residents, refugees here are more likely to send their children to college, become employed, and start businesses, rapidly becoming self-sufficient independent of public assistance and collectively contributing millions to the local economy. As the political climate hardens against refugees and xenophobia rears its hateful head, it is crucial to remember stories of individuals like Lou and the immense potential for symbiotic growth with refugee communities. The beauty of this country is that we, our parents, our grandparents, or our more distant ancestors all arrived here from somewhere outside our modern borders (with the exception of Native Americans). We are lucky enough to live on U.S. soil and be called Americans and enjoy the rights that come with that privilege. With these blessings come the responsibility of lending a hand to others. There have not been this many refugees globally since World War II, so this is not the time to cross our arms and close our doors. We need to openly welcome refugees to our nation of immigrants and watch the rich social fabric of Northeast Ohio continue to expand. Dr. Anand Sandesara is a resident physician at Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland. ******** Have something to say about this topic? Use the comments to share your thoughts, and stay informed when readers reply to your comments by using the Notification Settings (in blue) just below. "It replaces student loan debt with tax debt," said Mark Kantrowitz, publisher of Cappex, a website that connects students with colleges and scholarships. The public service route is tax-free while debt canceled by income-based repayment plans is taxed. That potential tax liability could be crippling to lower-income borrowers. The federal government currently offers two types of loan forgiveness for student debt: public service loan forgiveness and loan forgiveness provided by income-based repayment plans, the latter of which requires two decades or more of loan repayment. Student loan forgiveness may be a sweet deal for borrowers, who have collectively accumulated more than $1.3 trillion in debt. The downside: a potentially big tax bill down the road. As currently structured, July 2019 is the earliest any borrower may receive loan forgiveness under an income-based repayment plan and a tax bill from the IRS. However, unexpected tax bills have already arisen for people who have had their student debt discharged after death or because they are permanently disabled. In April, a bipartisan group of U.S. senators introduced a bill to eliminate the tax penalty levied on student loans forgiven for death or permanent disability. "Families grieving the loss or permanent disability of a child did nothing wrong, and they should not be punished by the federal government with a massive tax bill," Republican Sen. Rob Portman of Ohio said in a statement when he co-sponsored the bill. "The same tragic reason they cannot pay back their student loans is the reason that they cannot afford an enormous tax increase so contrary to the purposes of our student loan system." The taxman doesn't care if your school closes either. If the 35,000 students enrolled in the recently shuttered ITT Tech schools successfully applied for loan discharges, they may still owe taxes on the amounts canceled. The number of people affected by tax liabilities from income-based repayment plans will dwarf taxes owed for loan discharges from death, permanent disability and school closures. The percentage of federal student loan borrowers enrolled in income-based repayment plans has quadrupled over the past four years from 5 percent in 2012 to nearly 20 percent in 2016. Though most borrowers in income-based repayment plans will pay off their debts, low-income workers likely will barely manage to cover the interest on their student loans as their balances grow. Upon receiving student loan forgiveness, low-income borrowers will owe the IRS up to 25 percent of whatever amount is forgiven plus additional state taxes. Alexander Holt, an education policy analyst at New America, a nonpartisan think tank, used this example: Take a person who started with $20,000 in debt and had a $20,000 salary in her first year out of college with a 2 percent raise every year. She would have about $44,000 ($30,000 in today's dollars) forgiven after 20 years. Having never paid more than $10 dollars a month, she would owe the IRS at least $4,000 in today's dollars in additional taxes that year, which would quadruple her income-tax payment (not including extra state taxes she may owe as well). Overall, that year her federal tax payment would be around 30 percent of her actual, near-poverty-level income. "A plan that promises borrowers they never will owe a burdensome payment but eventually creates an impossibly large payment out of 'forgiveness' is deceptive and has the potential to stop low-income borrowers from enrolling in the program out of fear of the tax," Holt wrote in his January analysis of student loan forgiveness. He estimated that the cost of tax-free loan forgiveness for borrowers in income-based repayment plans would be less than $20 million. That sum is tiny compared with the $11 billion the Department of Education spends on income-based repayment plans each year. As a Navy SEAL and then a professional wrestler, Jesse Ventura has developed a reputation as a fighter. Now he's taking on a new battle, the U.S.'s "War on Drugs" that has sought to outlaw illegal substance abuse, but led to a number of spillover effects. In his new book, "Jesse Ventura's Marijuana Manifesto", the former Governor of Minnesota argues for the legalization of pot. He makes no distinction, however, between medical and recreational. "I'm in favor of all. There is no difference. The entire plant is a medical plant," Ventura told CNBC's On the Money in an interview. He said he took on the cause for a personal reason. "Someone very, very close to me developedepileptic seizures and was seizing four times a week," said the former governor. Ventura said the person, who he declined to name for privacy reasons, took four types of pharmaceutical medicines. "None of them worked. They all had horrible side effects," he added. "Finally in desperation," Ventura took the person to Colorado, where weed has been legalized. After taking medical marijuana the person has been "completely seizure-free and is completely off all of the pharmaceutical medicine," for at least two years. "So marijuana cured the seizures," he added. A mattress store in Texas shuttered its doors indefinitely on Friday, after releasing an advertisement that appeared to parody the Sept. 11 terror attacks, and sparked outrage nationwide. San Antonio-based Miracle Mattress' "Twin Tower Sale" ad was quickly removed after furious viewers responded to itbut not before it went viral. It featured three store workers, two of whom collapse into two towers of mattresses. Afterward, one of the workers faced the camera and joked, "we'll never forget." The ad was ripped as being in poor taste, and furious social media users buried Miracle Mattress' Facebook page in negative comments. In a statement, the company blasted the ad as tasteless, adding it would shutter its doors indefinitely. "We take full responsibility for our actions and sincerely regret the hurt and pain caused by this disrespectful advertising campaign," Mike Bonanno, owner of the San Antonio-based Miracle Mattress, said in a statement. Bonanno noted that the company plans to offer support for the 9/11 Memorial and victims funds and will detail those efforts next week. In addition, he said that several fake social media accounts have been creatn the wake of the scandal, and have been targeting customers and outraged Twitter users. "Miracle Mattress, its ownership, and its employees, will not be engaging in any personal attacks or responses on any social media platform," Bonanno said. "Any account doing so is unauthorized." Mattress Miracle is not the only company to make a marketing mishap attempting to honor September 11. A Wal-Mart in Florida took down a large display of Coke products on Thursday that had depicted the Twin Towers. Shawn Tweet Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 11 By Khalid Kazimov Trend: Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qasemi has said that Iran welcomes establishing ceasefire in Syria. Iran has always welcomed establishing ceasefire in Syria and providing access for humanitarian aid for all people of the country, Tasnim news agency quoted him as saying. Following a meeting in Geneva on September 10, Russia and the US agreed to co-ordinate air strikes against extremists in Syria. As part of a detailed agreement to reduce the violence there, a "cessation of hostilities" is expected to start from September 12. The ceasefire does not include terrorist groups such as the IS terrorist group (ISIS,ISIL, Daesh). Bahram Qasemi also called for monitoring Syrian borders in order to prevent sending aid to terrorists during the ceasefire. Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 11 By Khalid Kazimov Trend: Azerbaijan will extradite 22 Iranian prisoners to the Islamic Republic on September 12, an Iranian deputy foreign minister said. Deputy Foreign Minister for Consular, Parliamentary and Iranian Expatriates Affairs Hassan Qashqavi has said that on the occasion of the Eid al-Adha 22 Iranians serving prison sentences in Azerbaijan will be transferred to home, Tasnim news agency reported. Over the past years Iran and Azerbaijan on several occasions have extradited a number of prisoners which comes following the expansion of political relations between the two neighboring countries. Missouri football's Brady Cook 'deserves to be praised' after upset win Missouri quarterback Brady Cook has taken criticism all season. On Saturday night, he led the Tigers to an upset road win at South Carolina. Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 11 By Khalid Kazimov Trend: The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) forces have killed at least four members of a militant group following an armed clash in Irans southeastern province of Sistan and Baluchestan. The clash took place over the past week near the countrys border with Pakistan, Fars news agency reported. At least two other militants were injured as the IRGC forces attacked the nine-member team linked to the Jaish Al-Adl (Army of Justice) group in Saravan County. Jaish Al-Adl claims that it has taken up arms since 2012 to fight for what it says are the rights of Iran's minority Sunni population. The report said that the militant group is affiliated with Saudi Arabia and the US. Sistan and Baluchestan Province has witnessed frequent clashes between Iranian forces and drug smugglers as well as rebels. Tehran, Iran, September 11 By Mehdi Sepahvand Trend: Said Mortazavi, under arrest on charge of having a number of detainees tortured to death under his tenancy as Tehran prosecutor general in 2009, has apologized to the families of the victims. He made his apology during his third hearing over a plea by the Ruholaminies, who lost a son while he was incarcerated in the Kahrizak facility to the south of Tehran for participation in the post-election riots of that year, IRNA news agency reported September 11. Mortazavi was named by a 2010 Iranian parliamentary report as the man responsible for abuse of dozens and death of three political prisoners at Kahrizak detention center in 2009. He was put on trial in February 2013 after a parliamentary committee blamed him for the torture and deaths of at least three detainees who participated in the protests against the then president Mahmud Ahmadinejad's reelection. On 15 November 2014, he was banned from all political and legal positions for life. IRNA quoted Mortazavi as having also handed a letter to the court narrating the situations of that time and his duty as the prosecutor general of Tehran vis-a-vis those issues. I, as the prosecutor general of Tehran at that time, express ashamedness to God for the ghastly incident, although God Almighty is well aware that there has been no will in its occurrence, Mortazavi was quoted as having said in his letter. Mortazavi has been acquitted of the charges of having acted as accessory in murder and violating the verdicts of Kahrizak judges. He has also been acquitted of the charge of having assisted filing a false report over the incidents. Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland, center, takes questions about a de-annexation bill during a Senate committee hearing in Nashville in March. Strickland joined Chattanooga Mayor Andy Berke, left, and Knoxville Mayor Madeline Roger in opposing the the bill to shrink several Tennessee cities. (AP Photo/Erik Schelzig) SHARE By Thomas Bailey Jr. of The Commercial Appeal The question is clear but the answers are partly cloudy: If neighborhoods are allowed to de-annex from Memphis, will their property values rise or fall? We dont know, says Shelby County Property Assessor Cheyenne Johnson. Its such a complex issue, I dont even know if I have an opinion, says suburban real estate agent Kent Anderson. I have no studies nor any information on the effect of de-annexation, says Rep. Mike Carter, R-Ooltewah, who is leading the charge in the General Assembly to allow neighborhoods to de-annex themselves by referendum. I think that it would be incredibly speculative since there is not a deannexation statute ..., he says. However, the studies show annexation devalues the home. I dont see how (home values) possibly would go down, says Rep. Steve McManus, R-Cordova, another proponent to allow de-annexation votes. ... I would say they would have to rise. But Memphis and Tennessee need numbers and facts before the General Assembly revisits the de-annexation proposal that passed in the House last session, says Memphis City Councilman Bill Morrison. He chairs the local task force studying de-annexation. ... What is the effect on a neighborhood that de-annexation (causes)? Do property values do this or that or whatever it is they do? Morrison says. Residents in South Cordova, Southwind and Windyke are pushing for the right to divorce themselves from Memphis through referendums. If they succeed, they will no longer have to pay city taxes. They can also distance themselves from the Memphis brand, which some associate more with crime, taxes, blight, panhandling, weak schools and poverty than with a glistening riverfront, growing art districts, jobs, new urbanist developments, education reform and vast improvements to major parks such as Shelby Farms and Overton. But any legislation almost certainly would require owners of de-annexed houses to repay Memphis for their share of the $1.2 billion debt the city has incurred for services and infrastructure. And while the homeowners would be freed of city taxes, they would have to pay private firms to collect their waste, possibly face a county tax increase for services like increased sheriffs patrols, and lose unfettered access to such services as the citys fire protection and libraries. Now, houses that are just outside Memphis have a little bit of a bump in market price than nearby houses inside the city, said Anderson, a Crye-Leike agent based in Germantown. Thats the easy part of it, he said. The difficult part is how do we handle this pay back, he said. Even Johnson, the countys property assessor, says figuring out the impact on home values is complicated. A lot of factors play into it, she says. For instance, it could be a time factor. How far in advance will those individuals be made aware this could actually take place? How are they are going to support their own infrastructure? What are they now going to have to be responsible for? How about the school system? Police and fire departments? Some answers should start coming by late September from the Memphis administration, says Morrison, the council member who chairs the Strategic Footprint Review Task Force. Do (property values) stay the same, go up, go down? he said. What is the reaction of people when they realize if they are de-annexed, there goes your library, your parks, the garbage pick-up, your street paving? All those things we provide as an urban government, the county doesnt provide those services. Morrison adds: I think one of the best analogies we have are that we (the city) are the retail service and the county provides wholesale. His task force comprising city and suburban leaders, people for and against de-annexation wants to gather all the facts and get the information out to the neighborhoods that are considering de-annexation. Morrison also feels the task force should revisit the 18-year-old growth and border agreements among the countys seven municipalities. After all, he says, de-annexed areas could be annexed by suburban municipalities. And the county needs time to prepare to provide services to new areas. Its just a good time to do this, Morrison says of updating a county-wide growth and border plan. It will take some time to do this. Ideally, the General Assembly would grant Memphis and Shelby County a year by not taking up a new de-annexation bill in the 2017 session that starts in January, he says. Give us this next session, Morrison says. Keep it where it is and see what we do. If (legislators) dont like what we do, come 2018, go for it. But if you give us time I really think youll like what we do. Memphis officials have said two seemingly contradictory things about the proposal that would allow areas annexed since 1998 to de-annex themselves by referendum: The contraction could harm the city financially with the loss of up to 111,228 residents and $28 million a year in residential property tax revenue; and de-annexation could be good for Memphis. Mayor Jim Strickland has said he would be open to the possibility of South Cordova, Southwind and Windyke leaving Memphis. I am one who believes the city needs to shrink, in a fair way, Morrison says. If we become a smaller city you are not 400 police officers down, you are just 200 down, he says. ... Were not going to reduce fire service and police service, but gosh if we have a smaller area to patrol and the same number of officers I think youd have the effect of crime going down, more money for schools ... If you could rebuild your inner core, everybody wins. The General Assembly is not likely to give Memphis a year to study de-annexation, say both McManus, the Cordova state representative, and Carter, the state representative from near Chattanooga. I told folks with the city, Look if you do it good. Then you need to do this, McManus says of allowing neighborhoods to leave Memphis. You need to make some motion to de-annex and do it before January. If you dont do it before January, Im not sure what (legislation) will look like. There is going to be a bill. It already passed in the House and the Senate is warming up to it. Carter offers a compromise. The General Assembly would pass the de-annexation law in 2017 but delay its implementation for any city or county which is in the works of developing their own plan, Carter says. But Carter is not open to holding off a year. I have found with politicians, if they have a deadline, they work better than if they have a study, he said. One thing that is not good for real estate values is uncertainty, says Charles Blow, the Shelby County property assessors administrator of appraisal operations. What happens if you are de-annexed? he says. Theres just a lot of variables to the analysis. Just as a general rule, uncertainty is a negative. SHARE Jennifer Weiner is the author of "The Littlest Bigfoot." "The Littlest Bigfoot" by Jennifer Weiner. By Beth Waltemath, Chapter16.org "Everyone here has something" is a message that appears several times in Jennifer Weiner's debut middle-grade novel, "The Littlest Bigfoot," the first of a trilogy mixing mystery, adventure and coming-of-age themes. Twelve-year-old Alice Mayfair never fit in anywhere not in her family, not in her neighborhood off Manhattan's Central Park, and not in any of the many schools she has attended. When her chauffeur drops her off in the middle of a forest in upstate New York at The Experimental Center for Love and Learning, she finds an unlikely soul mate in a young Yare girl (a member of the species known more commonly as Bigfoot) and learns that friendship, like friends, can be very different from what you first expect. Weiner recently answered questions from Chapter 16 via email about writing for young readers and how books can be a "reset" button in their lives. What was the biggest challenge for you in shifting from an adult perspective to writing from a child's? When I was writing "The Littlest Bigfoot," I just did what I do with my adult fiction try to tell the story as best I can, try to make the characters feel fully realized and believable, try to have a plot that's going to keep readers engaged. I actually workshopped "The Littlest Bigfoot" in my daughter's first- and second-grade classrooms. I'd show up as the "guest reader," read about 10 minutes of whatever chapter I was working on, and pay close attention to when the kids started squirming. Then I'd go home and take the squirmy passages out! As a writer you are known for your humor, particularly in characterization. Does humor work differently when writing for young readers, who are still learning the difference between laughing at someone and laughing with someone? I hope that, in addition to the broadly funny scene, there are descriptions that will help kids become more discerning about how humor works and why things are funny. For example, when Lori and Phil are earnestly explaining that the Experimental Center "tolerates everything except intolerance," I think adults will understand immediately who, or what, is being satirized, but I hope that kids will take some time to unpack it. "The Littlest Bigfoot" deals with bullying, particularly in the form of body shaming, and you recently wrote an op-ed piece for The New York Times about the ways in which nude or provocative photos were wielded during the Republican primary season. What do you hope young readers will learn from this book about the power play over the female body? As I'm writing this, there's a picture making the Twitter rounds which shows the cover of Boys' Life magazine reading "Explore Your Future," with pictures of jets and calculators and microphones, and the cover of Girls' Life with headlines reading "Your Dream Hair" and "Fall Fashions You'll Love." This is the world our kids are living in. I wanted this book to be a dissenting voice, a kind of "reset" button or at least as an alternative to so much of what girls see and hear. I wanted Alice's larger body to be not just accepted but envied and celebrated by Millie and the Yare, in a way that would help Alice and readers understand how subjective beauty can be. To read an uncut version of this interview and more local book coverage please visit Chapter16.org, an online publication of Humanities Tennessee. (Mary Altaffer/Associated Press) A window at the National September 11 Memorial Museum in New York reflects visitors to the site where the World Trade Center once stood. Fifteen years ago, 2,977 people were killed in terrorist attacks. By Jessica Bliss, USA TODAY NETWORK Tennessee The experience plays like a slow motion movie in Cindy New's head. Watching the fire in the first tower, the plane flying over her head and crashing into the second tower, walking the 55 blocks with her fiance back to their hotel, watching the news spread quickly as they went up the avenue. On Sept. 11, 2001, New was on vacation with her then-fiance, now husband, in New York City. They were walking in Battery Park on the southern tip of Manhattan, enjoying the day with nothing but blue skies overhead. Then the terror ensued. "I'm more aware of my surroundings every day since that day," says New, who is now retired and living in Fairview, Tennessee. On this anniversary, 5,479 days have passed since that day. Fifteen years gone by from the day we wondered: What just happened? What have we all lost? Even now, our lives are still not the same. They never will be. "It's one of those events that you remember," says Assistant Chief Deputy Mark Dunbar, a 35-year veteran of the Shelby County Sheriff's Office. "It's one of those things that sticks with you for life." We regret our loss of freedoms at the airport, entering our capitol buildings and in our schools. We arrive earlier for flights, wear flip-flops to help hasten the hassle of taking off our shoes. We think twice before opening the front door of our homes. We feel the push to better protect our children, to educate them on the staggering and unpredictable dangers beyond our front steps. We worry and feel fear. But we also feel moved to be more kind and compassionate. We shake the hands of our military men and women and thank them for protecting our country. We change our career paths, looking for professions to serve. We work to better know and understand our neighbors, to hug our loved ones more often. "This day and time is so fragile," says 49-year-old Wendy Gibson as she stands outside the Southeast Community Center in Antioch, Tennessee. We feel it so close to home. On 9/11, Steve Sadler drove from his home in Dickson to the Red Cross where he worked drawing blood when the radio mentioned that a plane had just crashed into one of the twin towers. He incorrectly assumed it was a small passenger plane. By the time he pulled into his employer's parking lot, the radio had announced a second plane had hit the other tower. He immediately surmised this was a horrible attack against our country. He went about his job, setting up a blood drive at Nashville's Meharry Medical College, expecting to see 20 or 30 blood donors. Occasionally, he caught a glimpse of the smoldering towers on the television in the lobby. What he saw that day reinforced his belief in America. Over the course of the next 18 hours, he saw hundreds of people pour into the blood drive and thousands upon thousands donate across the country. "On that day, we weren't black or white or Democrat or Republican," he says. "No one was classified into small subgroups. We were all Americans. Americans who patiently waited in line for hours upon hours to donate blood to be sent to New York. "The patriotism I saw over the next few months cemented my faith that even though we have our differences, when hit with a tragedy such as the Sept. 11 attack, Americans can and will come together as one." And we did come together. We held memorials, cultivated moments of silence. We read the name of every victim, every hero whose life was lost. We swore to never forget. But over time the memory fades. Some say we have forgotten too soon. Slackened our patriotism and suppressed the threats. So many Americans believed our country was exempt before the terror attacks happened, and when the World Trade Center collapsed, that illusion shattered. Those who did live through the day believe it remains our job to remind those post-9/11 generations what it really was like. To make them aware that danger does exist. And also to help them understand what that danger looks like and what it means in their everyday lives. "You can't keep all your kids in a basket forever," says 31-year-old Arnetta Woods, who was a teenager working at KFC in Detroit when 9/11 happened. Now, as a mother raising children in Memphis, she takes what affected her childhood and instills it in their lives. "I expose them to that," she says, so they know how to "keep each other safe." Jessica Lane-Russell, too, was a freshman in college at the time. She remembers a roommate's phone ringing with the news, and the girl's face changing as the reality of the chaos settled. It traveled like electricity down the hall. "I had just felt my innocence disappear," says the now 33-year-old Lane-Russell. "I didn't truly understand yet what freedom I truly had, but, at that moment, I knew it had been taken away." Even today, the innocence of our children "brings everything so close to home," says Damon Macklin III, a 24-year veteran of the Memphis Fire Department, who had just finished a hearty breakfast of pancakes, eggs, bacon, sausage and potatoes at a local Perkins restaurant when he stopped to discuss 9/11 and his role on the Tennessee Task Force, which was deployed to search the Pentagon. "Now, I've got to educate my kids to be aware of everything that's going on around them," he said. Macklin was at the dentist's office when his pager went off that day. He took his son and daughter to their grandmother's. He arrived at the Pentagon 12 hours later to help the search and rescue efforts. That sense of duty carries on to today. Firefighters and police officers who respond to the call never stopping to think what they are running toward, only knowing it is their job to rescue and protect. And neighbors who, when really stopping to think what the next day might bring, act a little kinder toward each other. Sept. 11, 2001, was a watershed moment. It changed forever the way we move within our community, our government. If we want to go to the statehouse in Tennessee, we can't just go in and knock on the door of our representative. That, author and historian Wayne Dowdy says, makes it "a major shift in American history." "We accept the fact that we cannot have unfettered access to our congressmen or our mayor or our city council members," says Dowdy, the history department manager with the Memphis Public Library and Information Center. In a post 9/11-world, 15 years removed from the terror but not from the memory, it comes down to this for mom Lane-Russell: "Anger simply isn't the answer," she says. "Only love is." USA TODAY NETWORK Tennessee reporters Andy Humbles, Ariana Sawyer, Chris Gadd, Craig Thomas, Dessislava Yankova, Jen Todd, Josh Cross, Linda A. Moore, Melanie Balakit, Nancy Phillips Stephens, Nicole Young, Pranaav Jadhav, Tena Lee, Tim Adkins and Tony Centonze contributed. Park visitors cruise along the boardwalk in front of Shelby Farms' new visitors center. The public got its first taste of the $52 million Heart of the Park renovation earlier this month. (Jim Weber/The Commercial Appeal) SHARE By Tom Charlier of The Commercial Appeal Having shepherded $52 million worth of improvements at Shelby Farms Park, Jen Andrews can look out the window of her new office and see the grandeur of a park designed for this century as well as a chronic traffic problem dating back to the last one. "Right now, I'm looking at traffic backed up on Farm Road to well past the park entrance ...," said Andrews, executive director of the Shelby Farms Park Conservancy, during a recent phone interview that coincided with morning rush hour. "None of these people are coming to the park." Traffic congestion on Walnut Grove and Farm Road has frustrated generations of commuters making their way through Shelby Farms between Cordova and East Memphis. Now, with the completion of "Heart of the Park" expected to boost park attendance to 2 million annually, almost double that of previous years, officials worry it could get worse. But critical decisions are expected in the next few months on a long-planned and long-controversial road project intended to relieve the traffic congestion. By around the end of the year, the Federal Highway Administration likely will issue a record of decision on the proposed Shelby Farms Parkway, ending the environmental review process and clearing the way for design work to begin. Allowing for design, right of way acquisition and other steps, construction could start by fall of 2022, according to transportation officials. The project, previously known as Kirby-Whitten Parkway, would include a trumpet-shaped, grade-separated interchange to replace the traffic signal at Walnut Grove and Farm and funnel northbound and southbound traffic along a meandering, landscaped route on the park's western edge, eventually connecting with Whitten Road. Bike lanes would be included, as well as tunnels beneath the parkway for pedestrians and cyclists. Farm Road would become an internal park road. Click here for an online computer animation depicting the project. The total cost of the project, including right-of-way acquisition, utility relocation and design work, is estimated $35.9 million, according to the Tennessee Department of Transportation. The federal government would fund 80 percent of the work, with the city of Memphis covering the rest. In the meantime, however, the city plans a relatively modest project to alleviate traffic tie-ups at the traffic light at Walnut Grove and Farm. That project will lengthen the eastbound left turn lane on Walnut Grove, minimizing the problems arising from vehicles backing up into the through lanes, blocking traffic, when the turn lane fills up, Randall Tatum, city traffic engineer, said in an email. While acknowledging the turn-lane extension will help, Andrews said the parkway could provide the best long-term solution to the congestion. The conservancy signed off on the parkway project certifying, as required under federal law, that it won't significantly harm the park in 2014 after reviewing the plans and securing pledges from transportation officials to protect the park. The group has said the road could benefit the park by moving heavy commuter traffic away from the center of the park to the western fringe and by opening up 200 acres west of Farm Road to recreational uses. "A well designed and well built road can be a great benefit to the park and its visitors," Andrews said. By eliminating the traffic jams at Farm and Walnut Grove, the parkway could make it much easier for visitors to get to the park, whether by bicycle, walking or driving, she added. "Commuters don't have many choices in this area, so we certainly don't begrudge them using Farm Road," Andrews said. "But it's clearly not working, and if it's not working today, it's certainly not going to work 10, 15 or 20 years from now." Last year, an average 47,186 vehicles traveled daily on Walnut Grove east of Farm Road. That's an increase of almost 20 percent from the traffic volume recorded in 2010, possibly resulting from some motorists taking an alternative route to avoid the recent construction at Interstate 40-240. The parkway project has existed in one form or another for some 30 years, with the current plan produced by a special committee appointed more than a decade ago by then-Shelby County Mayor AC Wharton. The committee was made up of environmentalists, park-users and other stakeholders. But in recent years, the project has generated renewed criticism. The Sierra Club, although it was represented on Wharton's committee, now opposes the parkway on several grounds, including environmental impacts and cost, said Dennis Lynch, transportation chair for the group's Tennessee chapter. "The road has never been justified, and there are many other projects that deserve higher priority than that one," he said. Noting that under the current plan there would be 11 lanes of traffic just west of the interchange, Lynch said the project is too big and intrusive. Construction would consume a total of more than 120 acres of Shelby Farms, he said. Lynch said current traffic "is not that bad" -- a problem only during rush hours and could be sufficiently alleviated with modest steps such as the turn-lane extension. "These are things they could've done 20 years ago but never considered important enough to do," he said. There also are a number of environmental concerns that haven't been addressed, Lynch said. They include the project's effect on the Wolf River floodplain and the Memphis Sand aquifer, which is vulnerable to contamination through gaps in a protective clay layer in the Shelby Farms area. SHARE The Commercial Appeal files September 10, 1961 Dr. Giles Coors (right) and his son, Giles, Jr., rest on the porch of an old farm house in the middle of the Cargile dove field near Tunica, Mississippi. The Memphis sportsmen, assisted by their beloved retriever, Smut, bagged 24 birds in opening day action in a wheat field on Sept. 10, 1961. Sept. 11 25 years ago: 1991 Mayor Dick Hackett and Willie Herenton, his chief challenger in the mayor's race, have agreed to appear together at a forum two days before the Oct. 3 election. The forum, sponsored by the Rotary Club, will include remarks by the candidates and a question-and-answer period, said Pete Shearon, Rotary vice president and chairman of its program committee. It will not be a formal debate, he said. Hackett's decision to participate in the Oct. 1 luncheon at The Peabody means he will deviate at least once from his strategy of campaigning at small, private functions and avoiding appearances with Herenton. However, the Rotary function could be the only time the two mayoral candidates share the same platform. 50 years ago: 1966 Margaret Lowrance "Peggy" Bowen, who will reign as Lumber's Lady Fair during Memphis Wood Products Week Oct. 2-8, faces a busy round of activities. The 20-year-old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Armour C. Bowen Jr. of 2161 South Parkway East will be formally presented to the sponsoring Lumbermen's Club of Memphis at the Wood Chopper's Ball on Oct. 8. She also will appear at other official activities of the week and at service clubs and on radio and television. Miss Bowen was graduated from The Hutchison School and attended Converse College at Spartanburg, S.C., for two years. She is now a junior at Ole Miss, majoring in elementary education. 75 years ago: 1941 Washington Senator Clark, (D, Mo.) contended in testimony before a Senate subcommittee yesterday that the motion picture industry was a "monopoly controlled by a half dozen men who were determined to plunge this nation into war" through movie propaganda. 100 years ago: 1916 Boston Charles Evans Hughes' prestige as leader of the Republican Party will be fixed by the result of the Maine election tomorrow. A badly split party is awaiting apprehensively the returns from that state. 125 years ago: 1891 A general meeting of the Merchant's Exchange has been called for tomorrow afternoon to consider the feasibility of holding a trades' display in this city on the night of Oct. 12, being the night preceding the opening of the Interstate Fair. September 2, 2016 - Paul Taylor holds a sign at the corner of East Parkway and Central Avenue. Taylor, who is currently out of work with after suffering a hernia, says he panhandles when necessary. The Memphis City Council will consider new restrictions to panhandling near intersections, particularly during rush hour. (Brandon Dill/Special to The Commercial Appeal) SHARE If the goal is to get a fiery debate started, there is no shortage of fuel in a conversation about panhandling. How many of these cardboard sign carriers are professional scam artists? Are they really homeless? Hungry? Veterans? If I am laid off from my job as a stock broker, can I make more money by standing on the street corner asking for enough change for bus fare back to West Memphis? There are anecdotes aplenty, and even some documentation, suggesting that some members of the panhandling set might not be quite as destitute as they claim. Investigators have gone undercover to confirm widespread skepticism. Advocates for the homeless and the hungry say very few panhandlers are homeless or hungry. Advocates for those who solicit on the street ask what's the harm in giving. Who cares what the money is going for, or whether the pleas scratched out on those signs tell the whole story of why this person is asking for spare change? And efforts to limit panhandling inevitably clash with our embrace of free-speech rights, which gives us pause to rush into particularly harsh measures to rein in panhandling. Our basic sense of fairness discourages us from using jail time to punish people whose only offense is asking for money. A proposed ordinance sponsored by Memphis City Council member Philip Spinosa Jr., which got a positive recommendation last week from the council's Public Safety & Homeland Security Committee, strikes the right balance between recognizing the constitutional rights of panhandlers and making the practice safer for everyone. For one thing, tourists visiting Downtown Memphis as well as those of us who make the decision to live in the neighborhood need protection from aggressive panhandlers. Tourism is a $3.2 billion-a-year industry in Memphis. That money makes it possible for the city to do more for its homeless and hungry population. Downtown residents add vitality to the city's core, and the more people who choose to live there the safer it is. Beyond Downtown, motorists trying to negotiate tricky interchanges throughout the city would appreciate one less hazard to avoid. Previously, the council banned panhandling within 50 feet of any financial or health care facility, including ATMs. One can no longer solicit within 25 feet of religious building entrances, pay phones, marked crosswalks, public transportation stops, restaurant and retail patios, gas station pumps, carwashes and ticket lines, or within 20 feet of any vendor location, among other areas. A state law prohibits panhandlers from touching people without their permission, blocking a person's way, following people or making any statement, gesture or other communication that would cause a reasonable person to fear personal harm for refusing to hand over some cash. The proposed new ordinance would expand on these protections. The current 7 p.m.-to-8 a.m. ban on panhandling would be extended to between 5 p.m. and 10 a.m. And it would require panhandlers to stay at least 25 feet from intersections with lights, construction zones, bridges and interstate exit ramps. Violations will remain misdemeanors punishable by a fine up to $50 per offense. The measure goes before the full council Sept. 20. It could be subject to approval in a final vote as early as Oct. 18. Clearly, those who want to help people who are genuinely homeless or hungry should not be obstructed from acting on their charitable impulses. For those who want to help people in need, particularly those generous souls who are leery of fraudulent pitches, there should be plenty of opportunities. Some communities have erected kiosks in areas with heavy foot traffic to give donors a chance to make an impulse donation. Meanwhile, the council should advance this ordinance and do what it can to make the streets safer and more accommodating for everyone. SHARE Janet Howard Germantown Your Sept. 4 Viewpoint article U.S. should treat Russia like the threat it is, regarding Russia under Vladimir Putins authoritarian, kleptocratic regime, is on the money. Putin has been a man of steely determination to make Russia great again at whatever cost. Whats more, the West, and in particular the United States, had warning of the impending trouble on the horizon by Poland some time ago, thereby, prompting Poland to ask NATO to consider enhancing defenses in Europe. With the invasion of Ukraine and the annexation of Crimea, it appears quite evident Putin has a grand strategy for further empowering Russias standing globally. Lets not overlook Putins concerted effort to modernize his military and, in so doing, making global tensions greater. Lest we forget, there is his support of a despot in Syria and his arms deals with Iran. American voters in this election year should have these issues on their radar as well as the economy, jobs, taxes and health care. A presidential nominee who would approach Putin with guns blazing and a flurry of bombast is laboring under some sort of delusion. SHARE Rev. Bruce Neili By Rev. Bruce Nieli, Special to Viewpoint A wise European psychiatrist once said that there are two types of religiongood religion, that makes you love; and bad religion, that makes you hate. We are all too familiar with bad religion: the Ku Klux Klan, the Thirty Years War, the Salem Witch Trials, the Inquisition and, more recently, the Islamic State, al-Qaida, and the Taliban, to name some. Many would question whether these truly represent religion at all and chalk them up to bigotry, racism, fanaticism and fear. But there is also good religion. For almost 16 years, from Feb. 4, 1998, until Aug. 31, 2013, I had the privilege of living in a Memphis neighborhood permeated by the fruits of good religion. As an evangelist based at the wonderful St. Patrick's Catholic Church, serving the historic 38126 ZIP Code and vicinity, I continuously breathed in the spirit of deeply religious men, women, boys and girls animated to love their neighbor and work for the common good. This was the neighborhood where the spirituals of African-American slaves and their descendents in the black churches became the blues of Beale Street, soul music of Stax, and rock and roll at Sun Records. This was the neighborhood that would welcome immigrants from Ireland, Italy, sub-Sahara Africa and the diverse countries of our planet. This was the neighborhood where a down-and-out entertainer, on his knees in prayer with $7 in his pocket, would one day give the world St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. And this was the neighborhood where a great evangelist more powerful than I will ever be gave his life so that all of us could one day be "free at last!" And this is the neighborhood where the homeless by the thousands find a home and hot meals and the hospitality of smiling new friends. Yes, all of the preceding examples represent the fruit of good religion. And I am proud to say that so much of it came to be centered in St. Patrick's, this weekend celebrating its 150th anniversary. St. Patrick's was indeed the home of so many immigrants and refugees seeking a better life for themselves and their families. St. Patrick's Center provided space for the early Stax musicians to rehearse, as one of the very few places where blacks and whites could hang out together as friends. A priest originally from St. Patrick's, Samuel Stritch, would advise his former altar server, Danny Thomas of Toledo, to come to Memphis to found his hospital. It was at St. Patrick's where Helen Day Riley would bring the Catholic Worker Movement to West Tennessee, providing hospitality to homeless working single mothers. And it was in the St. Patrick's dining room where the sanitation workers of Memphis would meet to organize their protest and invite Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to come and offer support. Their last march would start at St. Patrick's parking lot and continue on to Mason Temple and end at the Lorraine Motel. It was at Mason Temple where Dr. King would communicate to the world an essential ingredient of the God of good religion mercy. He preached forgiveness and reconciliation even with the knowledge that his life in a short time could very well be cruelly taken from him. And it is at that same St. Patrick's Center where meals and service to the homeless and poor continue to be offered daily, in cooperation with MIFA and other neighborhood places of worship and community organizing groups. Yes, there is such a thing as good religion. Shortly before I left Memphis for my current mission in Texas, I led a group of school children on a pilgrimage march from the St. Martin de Porres Shrine on Adams Avenue to the Lorraine Motel, connecting two Martinstwo African-Americans who, although living centuries apart, worked for the dignity of all human life. At the Lorraine Motel stood Jesse Jackson, at the very spot where he stood on April 4, 1968, next to Dr. King. Seeing my guitar, he motioned me to strum, as he led the crowd gathered there in "We Shall Overcome." I would play this song again several months ago, once again at the Lorraine Motel, leading a group of spirit-filled people through the streets of Memphis. A photograph of this was sent to the Vatican and, would you believe, wound up in Pope Francis' newsletter commemorating his initiated Year of Mercy. As practitioners of good religion, we believe that God's mercy endures forever, but that we must be merciful as God is merciful. Then truly we shall overcome and humankind will be free at last. Father Bruce Nieli, CSP, is a Paulist evangelist and missionary based in Austin, Texas. As part of the Extraordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy, he has been named a Missionary of Mercy of Pope Francis. SHARE By Michael Gerson, The Washington Post WASHINGTON Fifteen years after one of the most vivid and violent days in American history, there is still a debate over what the events of Sept. 11, 2001, actually mean. For some individuals, it is clear enough. They experience horrible, continuing and unrecoverable loss the immense absence of friends and family chosen for death at random or led there by duty. But the place of these events in our national life remains disputed in a way that, say, Pearl Harbor was not. No one accused President Franklin Roosevelt of overreacting to the Imperial Japanese threat. This charge, however, is routinely made in assessing the war against terrorism that America overreacted in the surveillance of citizens; in the pursuit, interrogation and killing of enemy combatants; and in the use of the military to confront emerging threats. After the killing of Osama bin Laden in particular, some in the Obama administration seemed to regard the threat of terrorism as diminished, contained and manageable. This viewpoint while offering important corrections has become dramatically less credible with the collapse of sovereignty at the heart of the Middle East; with ongoing mass atrocities against civilians in Syria; with a refugee crisis that incubates resentment and now shakes the foundations of the European Union; and with the establishment of a physical place a quasi-state that claims to be the Islamic caliphate. The second largest city in Iraq has been controlled by a terrorist organization for more than two years. And the existence of this faux caliphate, according to security expert Juan Zarate, has "rejuvenated [terror] networks in Europe, in Southeast Asia, in the Middle East and elsewhere that were previously suppressed." Clearly, national passivity as a matter of conviction or indecision can also invite serious strategic and moral challenges. Yet this argument against inaction is becoming dated in some respects. President Obama has returned military advisers to Iraq and slowly escalated America's commitment to the defeat of the Islamic State (there are several thousand U.S. troops now in Iraq and Syria). Progress is being made in significant increments. Obama is attempting to shape an American role that offers intelligence, coordination and airpower while building up the capabilities of allies and proxies. The effort has been limited and late perhaps too late in Syria but developing this sort of capacity is the correct goal dictated by the correct question: How does America exercise maximum military influence without the risks of invasion and occupation? And the Obama administration has devoted increasing, useful attention to the ideological battle against Islamic extremism. In one respect, the propaganda produced by the Islamic State has a narrow goal produce volunteers to fight for, operate and populate its sad excuse for a caliphate. The effort, at its height, produced perhaps 40,000 foreign recruits. As the chances of dying on terrorist vacation have increased, recruitment has slowed. And efforts to counter Islamic State propaganda have skillfully employed defectors who describe menial work, desperate conditions and disappointed expectations. One response by the Islamic State to military reverses has been to call for terrorist attacks in place claiming that Muslims can demonstrate their fidelity by shooting up a local nightclub or running a truck into a crowd. This approach is not new. But the Islamic State, according to Zarate, has made it "a core part of their strategy." In some ways, fighting a geographic caliphate is the kind of thing America does best, applying deadly force with great precision. But disputes about theology and identity are unfamiliar terrain for the American government. Violent Islamists don't require mass appeal. They set out, via social media and the deep web, to exploit the angry, damaged and vulnerable. Identifying the radicalized involves attention to individuals by family members, peers and imams. And it requires an atmosphere of trust between the FBI and the Muslim community. In this context, the argument by the Republican presidential nominee that America is too engaged in the world and too soft on Islam is utterly, dangerously wrong on both counts. When he proposes a religious test at the border, or demonizes Muslim refugees, or calls for the murder of the families of terrorists, he feeds social division, alienates important allies, materially complicates the war on terrorism and puts our country at additional risk. Fifteen years on from 9/11, the main task remains the ideological and religious isolation of the enemy placing them on an island of unholy cruelty. A war of civilizations the war they want will not be won. Michael Gerson's email address is michaelgerson@washpost.com. Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 11 By Khalid Kazimov Trend: Iran will take legal actions against the Saudi government to fulfill the rights of the victims of Mina stampede, said Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif. Zarif made the remarks through a statement on Sep.11 ahead of the first anniversary of Mina stampede that took place last September near the holy city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia, IRNA news agency reported. Irans Foreign Ministry will not give up pursuing the rights of the victims of the deadly crush, Zarif added. He further said that the Mina issue will impact future ties between Iran and Saudi Arabia. About 500 Iranian Hajj pilgrims were killed in Mina stampede last September. Although Riyadh says that 770 individuals were killed in the incident, Iran, which had the greatest number of deaths among foreign nationals, has put the death toll at about 4,700. The Mina tragedy came after, a massive construction crane collapsed onto the Grand Mosque in Mecca, killing more than 100 people, including a number of Iranians. Ayatollah Khamenei earlier denounced Saudi Arabias management of the Hajj pilgrimage saying Saudi rulers were to blame for the deaths of hundreds of pilgrims in both incidents during last years rituals. Fake News and Compromising Scoops Sacrifice Truth 9/10/2016 Philippine Journalism , Philippines , Rodrigo Duterte 83 Comments PROVERBS 18:8 (RSV) The words of a whisperer are like delicious morsels; they go down into the inner parts of the body. PROVERBS 18:8 (KJV) The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly. PROVERBS 18:8 (NIV) The words of a gossip are like choice morsels; they go down to a man's inmost parts. THE ROMANS 1:30 Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, In its en banc decision written by Justice Querube Makalintal (who later served as Chief Justice from 1973 to 1975), the Supreme Court declared: Putang ina mo is a common enough expression in the dialect that is often employed, not really to slander but rather to express anger or displeasure. It is seldom, if ever, taken in its literal sense by the hearer, that is, as a reflection on the virtues of a mother. http://www.rigobertotiglao.com/2016/09/09/supreme-court-ruling-putang-ina-mo-doesnt-mean-your-mother-is-a-whore/ ISAIAH 11:3-4 3 And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the LORD: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears: 4 But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked. I believe that the term "responsible journalism" and "investigative journalism" became suggestive from what was commonly disdained among journalists who are irresponsible and are whisperers/talebearers/gossipers. Here are what the Bible says about them:Gossips are very sellable. They make the broadsheets and tabloids attractive to buy. As the Bible said, they are like "delicious morsels."One ingredient of irresponsible journalism is the indirect but apparent intentional intrigues created by the so-called "journalist" in his futile mind. The Bible says so, there are inventors of evil.Let us take the case of President Rody Duterte. It appeared that the cancellation of the planned meeting with President Obama was directly caused by the intrigues created by local and international journalists. If they practiced selective perception in their presentation of news, it is because of wanting to scoop. Beginning with the expression, putang ina mo, they had it translated as an address to mean Duterte is calling Barak Obama as son of a whore, when all the time it is the same as the American common expression of sonamabitch (son of a bitch) or sonamagan (son of a gun) that is merely an expression of anger or disgust.We know in law and in the daily conversations among Filipinos that the expression "putang ina mo" is an expression of frustration common among Filipino communities. It is most frequently used not to defame the mother of the person being mentioned but to express frustration and sometimes as an expression of camaraderie among friends. I say "in law" because no less than the Supreme Court of the Republic of the Philippines ruled that the use of the phrase "putang ina mo" does not always mean cursing the mother of the recipient of such connotation.What is glaring now is that not only foreign media are incorporating malice in the utterances of President Duterte, but local journalists as well. Many Philippine networks are biased against the President.Imagine calling the President "tough-talking, foul-mouthed, trash talking, that foreign media began to pick up from local news to cast doubt on the integrity of the person of our President.What about false news? A TV station said, Obama was able to shake hands with everyone at the ASEAN summit except Duterte. But heres what Obama said -These practices compromise the President.I am not defending the President. I am speaking as a sensible preacher of the word of God by norms, in law and logic, especially that in the Bible, one must judge not only according to what he has heard.I am also a victim of unfair journalism practices of the country's most popular networks. I understand the situation of the incumbent President.I am not saying that the President must not be criticized. But my point is journalists must be fair and impartial. Subjecting an innocent person through irresponsible journalism is public trial and condemnation!Our country may have laws protecting freedom of speech and publication, but by all means practice fairness. Tell the truth and nothing but. When you style your slants, do not restructure quotations with scoops in your mind at the expense of your subject. Consider the context.When full transcripts of speeches made by Duterte are read, that is the only time one can understand what happened, whether the journalist said it right or not. But how many of the readers can get to read full transcripts?The ball is yours. You, journalists, owe it to the community to do your work right! SUBSCRIBE Sign up with your email address to receive news and updates straight in your inbox. By Mehdi Sepahvand Conservatives in Iran have already started voicing grave suspicion of UK Ambassador to Tehran Nicholas Hopton just a few days since his appointment. Iran and the UK restored diplomatic relations to the highest level by exchanging ambassadors on September 5 after a near five-year moratorium. But on September 11, the state-run Mehr news agency published an article in whose headline it called Hopton a fake diplomat. The article calls the newly appointed envoy an intelligence force who has previously worked for a foreign security organization in the UK before he started work as a diplomat in the Foreign Office, where his work also included the area of security. The article goes on to note Hoptons presence in Yemen during the Arab Spring and his role in conveying secret messages between London and Doha in relation to support for terrorist groups during the rise of the Syrian crisis. The article underlines Hoptons specialties in soft war and campaign, raising the point that the envoy has come with a special mission months before presidential elections in Iran. This much for conservative media, but the Chairman of the Iranian Parliaments National Security and Foreign Policy Commission Alaeddin Boroujerdi said on September 10, No matter Tehran and London have upgraded their relations to the ambassadors level, Tehran should keep a vigilant eye on Britains newly appointed envoy, given the perception here in Iran that the UK cannot be trusted anyway. We should be very careful England doesnt exceed its limits through its ambassador and acts only within the political framework outlined by the Vienna Convention and other international regulations, said The UK closed its diplomatic compounds in Tehran in November 2011 after being stormed by a crowd of protesters, itself a consequence of London imposing new sanctions on Iran at that time. While the government (of Iran) has decided to upgrade relations, the British diplomat must always be watched as the country has had a negative record both before and after the Revolution, the senior parliamentarian underscored. The English should avoid repeating their past mischiefs, and their performance needs to be watched continuously, said Boroujerdi. While there is compelling evidence that the conservative remarks serve genuine worries, as right-wing politicians in Iran have always dismissed the UK as an enemy with soft ways and intricacies, there can be another concern for those who have started the campaign against the new UK envoy. The UK has left a record of supporting change in Iran, not the least obvious being what it did during the 2009 presidential disputes. By acting quickly to portray a negative image of Hopton, the right-wing party may be planning to undo whatever efforts their rivals may be intending to make to raise in Iranian voters the hope of some change during their presidential campaigns, thereby channeling the votes to their own side. The presidential elections in Iran will be held in the first half of 2017. President Hassan Rouhani may like then to run for a second term. But he will face the numerous instants of criticism that the more conservative rivals have directed at him. They have nearly refused to accept as helpful all of his efforts so far, the biggest of which being the nuclear deal. Another newly-sprung issue for which conservatives are lashing out at Rouhani is his cooperation with the Financial Action Task Force which is required to boost Irans financial transparency and chances of international business. But the right-wing side has accused Rouhani of paving the way for enemies to infiltrate the country. There is enough sense in believing that the same logic is going on in the case of Hopton. Follow the author on Twitter @mehdisepahvand Around 250 Syrian refugees in Turkey returned to the liberated Syrian city of Jarabulus on Sunday, Anadolu agency reported. According to the officials at Turkey's Karkamis border checkpoint, the group of refugees, including women and children, left the southeastern Gaziantep province after authorities approved their requests to do so. Jarabulus was cleared from Daesh as part of Operation Euphrates Shield, which began two weeks ago as the Free Syrian Army (FSA) fighters, backed by the Turkish Armed Forces, took the city from the terrorist group. The number of Syrians who left Turkey for Jarabulus has reached 1,200 in the past four days, officials noted. Turkey, meanwhile, started to provide electricity gradually to Jarabulus late Saturday. Electricity to the Syrian city is supplied from Turkey's Karkamis electricity distribution center located near the Syrian border. After the lighting of street lamps, locals showed their support with applause. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan vowed to defeat terrorism in his Eid al-Adha message on Sunday, Anadolu reported. In a televised message, Erdogan said Turkey had a duty to defeat the Daesh terror group in Syria and render it unable to carry out activities in Turkey. Last month, Ankara launched an operation to remove Daesh from Syrias northern border region. He added that the country was determined to end the PKK plague in southeast Turkey and said the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO) behind the July 15 attempted coup and the PKK/PYD in Syria would face the same fate as the PKK in Turkey. Turkey was stronger, more resolute and more dynamic than before coup attempt, Erdogan said. Those with malicious intentions must know that they will find a Turkey with an army of 570,000 and police forces of 260,000 and a nation of 79 million, he said. Prime Minister Binali Yildirim also gave an Eid message in which he pledged that traitors would not be able to damage Turkeys unity. All dirty plots against Turkish unity are in vain, he said. No terror groups will be able to bring Turkey to its knees. Battle of the Airfields Being Waged by India and China along Volatile Arunachal Pradesh Border An Indian Air Force Sukhoi Su-30MKI lands at the Pasighat ALG. (Photo : Indian Air Force) India has finished upgrading four Indian Air Force (IAF) airfields 100 km or less from its border with China at Arunachal Pradesh state -- which China claims to own and will try to seize in the event of a war -- and will finish the construction of two more within the year as it tries to match an equally massive Chinese build-up of its air and missile power. Advertisement The widely publicized inauguration this August of the Pasighat Advanced Landing Ground (Pasighat ALG) in Arunachal Pradesh was intended to reassure the public the Indian Armed Forces is taking Chinese military provocations seriously. Pasighat ALG is located only 100 km from the Chinese border and has been completely refurbished so it can handle India's most modern military aircraft, including the potent Indian-made Sukhoi Su-30MKI multirole air superiority fighter with a range of 3,000 km and all other types of military helicopters. An IAF Su-30MKI landed at Pasighat during the inauguration of the airfield while three other fighters took off from other newly rebuilt ALGs in the state. Pasighat ALG is one of the operating bases under the Eastern Air Command and is considered a strategic asset greatly aiding in the defense of Arunachal Pradesh. The blatant display of Indian airpower so close to the Line of Actual Control (LAC) was a signal to Beijing that India will defend the state China still claims to own despite the state always having been a part of India. Last March and May, upgraded ALGs were inaugurated in Mechuka, Ziro, Along and Wallong, all in Arunachal Pradesh. Work is underway on upgrading the ALGs at Tuting and Tawang, also in Arunachal Pradesh. Work on the Tuting ALG is almost complete with 75 percent of upgrade work finished. The ALG will become operational by end of this year. Upgrading the Tawang airstrip into an ALG is underway and is slated for completion by the first quarter of 2017. Reconstruction of the ALG at Vijaynagar will be undertaken after the road between Miao and Vijaynagar is restored. The infrastructure in these ALGs consist of facilities such as new hard-surface runways; aprons for ground maneuvering; air traffic control towers and perimeter roads. The new ALGs can support all of India's military aircraft and their being such a short distance away from the border means the IAF can respond much more quickly in the event of a crisis. Conversely, the ALG's locations this close to China means these airfields will be among the first the Chinese will attack in the event of hostilities. "The ALGs will further enhance our existing operational capabilities in Eastern Air Command," said Air Marshal Hari Kumar during the inauguration of the Ziro and Along ALGs. "The capacity build-up will enable operations by some of our new inductions, including the C-130J Super Hercules ... besides enhancing air maintenance capability of the IAF in the region, the new airfields (at Ziro and Along) will also facilitate civil air connectivity soon." Despite the Indian military build-up, the military balance along the border is heavily against India. China has deployed 300,000 men of the People's Liberation Army Ground Force along its border with India at Arunachal Pradesh. The Chinese have also built airfields at Hoping, Pangta and Kong Ka to support six existing airfields in the Tibetan Autonomous Region that can handle fighter jets and heavy transport aircraft. Chinese ballistic missiles such as the DF-31 and DF-31A aimed at India have been deployed to Delingha, north of Tibet. Arrayed against these forces are 120,000 Indian Army soldiers that will soon receive 90,000 reinforcements. Supporting these men are two IAF Su-30MKI squadrons from Tezpur in Assam. Also counted in India's favor is the forthcoming deployment of a BrahMos supersonic cruise missile regiment to the state. The Aegis Ashore missile defense system in Romania. (Photo : US Navy) Russia is putting teeth into President Vladimir Putin's threat last May to retaliate against the U.S. missile shield meant to protect Europe against Iranian missiles by speeding-up development of new intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) capable of penetrating the shield's land- and sea-based anti-ballistic missiles (ABMs). Advertisement Russia is developing ICBMs with special attention being paid to their ability to pierce the US missile shield system, said Col. Gen. Sergey Karakayev, commander of Russia's Strategic Missile Troops. He revealed Russia is currently carrying out active work on improving its means of overcoming the missile shield. Gen. Krakayev, however, noted threats from the U.S. missile defense system in Europe do not critically reduce combat capabilities of the Russian Strategic Missile Forces "This is conditioned by the fact that the United States is not stopping after what it has achieved and continues improving its missile defense system, including the deployment of its elements in Europe," he said. That's why special attention is being paid to the development of new missiles and technologies that can overcome the missile shield, he said. Gen. Krakayev said Russian countermeasures to the Aegis shield could include new types of warheads and striking from multiple directions, "which forces the opposing side to ensure perimeter missile defense." "This is achieved both through the ICBM's shorter acceleration phase and new types of warheads with a hard-to-predict flight trajectory and new means of overcoming the missile shield." Russia will also accelerate the production and deployment of its newest ICBMs, the road-mobile RS-24 Yars (its newest ICBM) and the silo-based RS-28 Sarmat, which is still in development. Gen. Krakayev revealed the Yars missile systems will comprise half of the total effective combat strength of the Russian Strategic Missile Forces by 2021. Putin has resolutely opposed the U.S. missile shield, saying the U.S. claim the shield protects Europe against Iranian ballistic missiles is a lie. Putin argues the true intent of the shield is to threaten Russia and destabilize the strategic balance in Europe. The missile shield Russia so resolutely opposes is called the "Aegis Ashore Missile Defense System" capable of firing RIM-161 Standard Missile 3 (SM-3) missiles that can defeat incoming short and medium range Iranian missiles. SM-3, which is a missile used only by the U.S. Navy, is primarily designed as an anti-ballistic missile but with an anti-satellite capability. The missile shield in Europe, which is operated by NATO, consists of land-based launchers located in Romania (and later, Poland) and sea-based launchers aboard four U.S. Navy Arleigh Burke-class destroyers at anchor off the seaside town of Rota in Spain. The system in Romania became operational last May. The Romania installation is the first land-based defensive missile launcher in Europe. It joins other elements of the NATO defensive shield, including a command-and-control center at Ramstein Air Base, Germany; a radar installation in Turkey and the four U.S. Navy destroyers at Rota. Captain Kirk in 'Star Trek' (Photo : YouTube) Google's DeepMind team has developed new artificial intelligence (AI) tech called WaveNet that sounds like a real person talking instead of a robotic voice. It upgrades text-to-speech programs that are easy to notice in online videos such as at Google's YouTube site, and can even make new piano music samples. The British company also recently built the computer program AlphaGo that in March defeated one of the world's top Go players in a five-game match. Advertisement Developers now use two methods to build speech programs. In one method a person creates a library of words and speech bits, which makes it difficult to change sounds and the rise/fall of voices. The other type of speech programs creates digital words based on how they would sound when a person says them. These sounds are easier to tweak but sound more like the talking computer in the original "Star Trek" TV series that is celebrating its 50th anniversary. Text-to-speech programs are becoming more important to the computing world. People are using several personal assistants including Apple's Siri, Amazon's Alexa, and Microsoft's Cortana. However, the digital assistants' responses are made by combining small pieces of voice recordings. Google's AI team used a new approach. It recorded audio waveforms recorded by real humans then fed the audio recordings to the neural network. Waveforms are the "shapes" of sounds that dance up and down on some media player displays. In fact, DeepMind's new tech could also be used in future songs. Google engineers fed classical piano songs to WaveNet, which gave it the tools for creating new music samples, according to Engadget. Meanwhile, the new technology converts text into a series of phenomes (smallest unit of sound in languages) and syllables that are voiced out. Google's AI team then tested the new technology. The blind tests' subjects reported that WaveNet's results were more human-like than other text-to-speech programs. WaveNet's output first includes nonsense sounds with breaths and pauses. However, after Google's tech adds language rules and makes suggestions it sounds like real human speech. DeepMind stated in a post that the new tech makes computerized voices more than 50 percent closer to real human voices. This was based on English and Mandarin Chinese tests. The average score was 4.21 for English and 4.08 for Mandarin, with a score of 5 being very realistic, according to The Verge. WaveNet is not ready to be added to the tech company's Google Assistant. However, the British AI company's samples posted on its website show the technology could become a seminal game-changer in future voice assistants. Here's a video on DeepMind's AlphaGo: Turkish Airlines is set to operate four flights per week to and from the Egyptian resort; on Saturdays, Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays The first Turkish plane to return to Egypt's Sharm El-Sheikh in over 10 months landed in the early hours of Sunday, carrying 154 tourists of different nationalities, state news agency MENA reported. The tourists were received with traditional dances and songs, and were offered flowers and candy. The plane was initially scheduled to land late Saturday, but was delayed for two hours. Turkish Airlines is set to operate four flights per week to and from the Egyptian resort; on Saturdays, Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays. Since November 2015, flights from Istanbul to Sharm El-Sheikh have been suspended following the crash of a Russian airliner over central Sinai in October that year, killing all 224 people on board. A number of European airlines and governments introduced restrictions on flights to Sharm El-Sheikh over security concerns after the Russian airliner disaster. Egypt has been in talks with Russian and British officials to resume flights to the touristic resort. The two countries have sent delegations to review security procedures in the Sharm El-Sheikh International Airport, with Egyptian officials predicting flight resumption in as early as October. The airline's crash was a blow to Egypt's already ailing tourism industry. The number of tourists coming to Egypt dropped by 50 percent in the first half of 2016 compared to the same period last year, according to Egypt's tourism authority. Tourism revenues during that period witnessed a drop of 60 percent compared to 2015. Search Keywords: Short link: Mortality due to heat exhaustion, fatigue and other natural causes during the hajj pilgrimage is common The number of Egyptian pilgrims who have died in Saudi Arabia climbed to 21 Sunday, state news agency MENA reported. All cases died of natural causes. The deceased have been buried in Saudi Arabia, after Egyptian authorities consulted with their families, MENA added. A total of 19 Egyptian pilgrims are currently receiving treatment in Saudi hospitals due to heat exhaustion, high blood pressure and hypertension. Over 80,000 Egyptian pilgrims are in Saudi Arabia to perform hajj this year. The hajj and lesser umrah pilgrimages bring millions of Muslims to Saudi Arabia from around the globe every year. Mortality due to heat exhaustion, fatigue and other natural causes during the pilgrimage is common. Fatal crowd stampedes are also regular occurrences due to the volume of pilgrims along the pilgrimage route. Saudi authorities have undertaken new safety measures after more than 2,000 died in a stampede last year. This includes having pilgrims wear electronic safety bracelets. One of the five pillars of Islam, the hajj must be performed at least once in a lifetime by all Muslims who can afford the costly and difficult trip. Search Keywords: Short link: The National Council for Women is launching hotlines to receive complaints from sexual harassment victims and offer legal aid Egypt's National Council for Women (NCW) is launching operation rooms to receive complaints of sexual harassment and offer legal aid to victims during Eid Al-Adha, as the annual holiday often witnesses a surge in reported harassment. The semi-governmental council said in an official statement Saturday that council lawyers would accompany police officers responding to reports of harassment incidents during the four-day Eid to offer legal support for victims wishing to press charges. This is in the framework of the NCWs ongoing cooperation with the interior ministrys violence against women unit. Sexual harassment was first criminalised in Egypt in 2014, with violators facing minimum jail terms of six months and/or fines of EGP 3,000 to EGP 5,000, with harassment defined as using physical, verbal or electronic communication, or any other action, that carries sexual or pornographic connotations. The majority of Egyptian women report suffering some form of street harassment on a daily basis, according to UN figures. In recent years, female police officers have been deployed by the interior ministry on the streets to confront sexual harassment during Eid. Eid Al-Adha, one of two major holidays observed annually by Muslims worldwide, will begin on Monday 12 September. The NCW is receiving complaints during the holiday at the following hotlines: 01205575331, 01121997477, 01007525600, or by email at [email protected]. Search Keywords: Short link: At least 21 civilians were killed in two separate air strikes by the Saudi-led coalition in northern Yemen on Saturday, residents said on Sunday, as fighting intensified in the country before the Muslim Eid al-Adha feast. They said at least 15 civilians were killed when war planes targeted workers drilling for water in the Beit Saadan area of the Arhab district north of Sanaa, and that 20 other people were wounded. Residents said Saudi-led coalition warplanes, apparently mistaking the drilling machine for a rocket launcher, bombed the site and killed four workers. The planes conducted a second raid when residents of the village rushed to the scene, killing at least 11 more and wounding 20. A spokesman for the Saudi-led coalition could not immediately be reached for a comment. The coalition, which has been fighting to roll back gains made by the Iran-allied Houthi group since 2014 and restore ousted President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi to power, says it does not target civilians. U.N.-sponsored talks to try to end the fighting collapsed in failure last month and the Houthi movement and allied forces loyal to former president Ali Abdullah Saleh resumed shelling into neighbouring Saudi Arabia. Saturday's attacks were the latest in a series of strikes that have hit schools, hospitals, markets and private homes. Local media put the number of dead and wounded at the water-drilling site at around 100 and published pictures of burned bodies and mangled equipment, and videos showed workers collecting mutilated bodies and carrying them away in blankets. In the second attack on Saturday, residents reported an air strike hit the home of Sheikh Maqbool al-Harmali, a local tribal chief in Hairan district of Hajjah province, killing six civilians. The United Nations says more than 10,000 people have been killed in the fighting, many of them civilians. Search Keywords: Short link: Forces loyal to a Libyan general on Sunday said they had seized two key oil export terminals as a UN-backed unity government struggles to assert its authority over the oil-rich country. If confirmed, the seizure of the ports would deal a major blow to the Tripoli-based Government of National Accord (GNA), which had hoped to rely on oil exports for its revenues. General Khalifa Haftar's forces took control of the Al-Sidra and Ras Lanuf ports, the LANA news agency loyal to a rival authority reported a spokesman as saying. "Clashes are now ongoing near the Zuwaytina port" further east in the same oil-rich area seen as key to the country's economy, Colonel Ahmad Mesmari said. Haftar, one of the most powerful military figures in Libya, has refused to endorse the GNA and remains loyal to the authority based in the east of the country. UN Libya envoy Martin Kobler on Twitter said he was worried about the reported fighting in Libya's so-called "oil crescent". "Oil belongs to ALL Libyans," he tweeted. "Conflicts can only be solved through dialogue, not violence. Urge all parties to sit 2gether." Haftar's forces took the Ras Lanuf and Al-Sidra terminals -- together capable of handling 700,000 barrels of oil per day -- from installation guards loyal to the GNA. In late July, the oil installation guards announced the reopening of the two ports after an agreement with the unity government to resume oil exports. The terminals had been closed for months following attacks in January by the jihadist Islamic State group, who took advantage of turmoil after the 2011 uprising to gain a foothold in the country. In recent weeks, pro-GNA forces have been pressing to expel the last IS jihadists from what was their North African stronghold of Sirte. The jihadists took over the city -- some 180 kilometres (110 miles) to the east of the oil terminals -- in June last year. Libya has been in chaos since the revolt that toppled and killed longtime dictator Moamer Kadhafi, with rival authorities and militias vying for control of the country. A UN-brokered deal in December led to the GNA starting to work in Tripoli, but it has since struggled to assert its authority over the country. Oil is Libya's main natural resource with reserves estimated at 48 billion barrels, the largest in Africa. But the country's production has plummeted from 1.5 million bpd to just 300,000 bpd since 2010. Libya's oil sector is managed by the National Oil Company which is split into two rival branches, one allied to the GNA and the other to the authority in the east. Search Keywords: Short link: Iran on Sunday welcomed the proposed ceasefire in Syria brokered by Russia and the United States, but said a monitoring system was needed to stop it being exploited by "terrorists". "Iran welcomes any establishment of a ceasefire in Syria and facilitating of access of all people of this country to humanitarian aid," said foreign ministry spokesman Bahram Ghasemi. "Given the experience of a few months ago, the ceasefire must be sustainable... and must not be exploited as an opportunity for terrorist groups to revive their power and transfer fighters and weapons," he added, referring to a truce that collapsed earlier this year. "The continuation and sustainability of a ceasefire relies on the creation of a comprehensive monitoring mechanism, in particular control of borders in order to stop the dispatch of fresh terrorists, as well as weapons and financial resources for the terrorists," said Ghasemi. He said Iran, a principle backer of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, has always called for a political solution to the crisis. Ghasemi also called for humanitarian aid to reach all parts of Syria "without discrimination... in particular those areas under the control or siege of terrorist groups where less attention has been paid." The new ceasefire, agreed as part of a landmark deal brokered by Russia and the US, was set to begin on Monday. A barrage of air strikes on rebel-held areas in Syria killed scores of people just hours after Assad's government approved the truce deal on Saturday. Search Keywords: Short link: Hezbollah has announced its support for a US-Russia truce deal for Syria, where the Lebanese Shiite movement has intervened militarily on behalf of President Bashar al-Assad. In a statement published late Saturday on its official media arm Al-Manar, the group's unnamed "field commander for Syria operations" said Hezbollah "stands with the ceasefire." "Syria's allies are completely committed to what the Syrian leadership, government, and security and political forces have decided in terms of the ceasefire," the statement said. But it pledged to pursue an "open, relentless war against the terrorists" of the Islamic State group and Al-Nusra Front, which changed its name to Fateh al-Sham Front after renouncing its ties to Al-Qaeda. Hezbollah has dispatched between 5,000 to 8,000 fighters to bolster the beleaguered Syrian army. The group receives military and financial support from Iran, which threw its weight behind the truce deal on Sunday. "Iran welcomes any establishment of a ceasefire in Syria and facilitating of access of all people of this country to humanitarian aid," said foreign ministry spokesman Bahram Ghasemi. The new ceasefire, agreed as part of a landmark deal brokered by Russia and the US, is set to begin on Monday at sundown. If the truce holds for one week, the US and Russia could start joint operations against jihadists from the Islamic State group and Fateh al-Sham Front. Search Keywords: Short link: ANSONIA The citys 8,169 registered voters will have more than a president, senator or state legislators to pick this fall. Theyll have eight questions to answer involving bonding a total of $18.3 million for public safety vehicles and improvements including a new police station. After months of haggling, cost-cutting and debating the Board of Aldermen unanimously agreed on Aug. 30 to put the questions up for vote on the Nov. 1 ballot. There are 3,037 registered Democrats, 1,452 registered Republicans, 69 other party members and 3,611 unaffiliated voters in Ansonia, according to Nancy Valentine, the Republican Registrar of Voters. Corporation Counsel John P. Marini and Mayor David Cassetti said their job is to educate the voters as to why the money is being sought and what it will pay for. They said theyll schedule Town Hall meetings and a mayors forum, and the ballot questions will be addressed in Cassettis State of the City speech this fall. The biggest amount sought is $12.1 million for planning and building a new police station on Olson Drive or elsewhere in the city. Currently, the citys police are headquartered in the century-old former Larkin School. Police Chief Kevin Hale said those headquarters are substandard. The police station bonding is the fifth question on the ballot. Each question questions requires a yes or no answer. The first asks residents to decide if the city should issue about $1.6 million in general obligations bonds, mostly for the Board of Education for projects including a storage unit at Ansonia High School and new boilers at Prendergast School. The second questions asks for a vote to issue $510,000 in bonds for relocation and renovation of the citys senior citizen center. Question three asks voters to decide if they want to spend $215,000 to upgrade citywide communications. Similarly the fourth question asks voters to approve or reject just over $1 million in bonds to improve communications and purchase equipment for police, fire and the Ansonia Rescue and Medical Service. The sixth questions seeks $720,000 in bonding for improvements to several city buildings including a roof and chimney for Fountain Hose and a sewer line for Charter Hose. Questions seven asks voters to approve or reject another $1 million in road improvements including milling, paving, striping and drainage. The final question seeks permission to bond $1.1 million for vehicle purchases include a new ambulance, a dump truck, plow, sander, tractor, and four police vehicles. None of these are luxury items, Marini said. Sooner or later, these projects and purchases will have to be made. Both Marini and Cassetti advocate bonding, rather than budgeting and raising taxes Michael DAlessio, Ansonias Public Works superintendent, said hes concerned every time he sends one of his old trucks out to plow snow in the winter. This is something we really need, he said of his request for new vehicles. Still David Knapp, a former alderman and chairman of the Democratic Party, questioned the logic of bonding rather than budgeting for vehicles. Marini said the $12 million being sought for the new police station will come in the form of a 40-year, low-interest loan from the federal government. Putting the police station on Olson Drive will transform that entire area and the downtown, he said. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Last call? End of the line? Nope bar cars are chugging back to Metro-Norths New Haven Line. The steel horse speakeasies filled the plastic cups of commuters for decades, but the 1970s-era club cars were slowly phased out of service. Once the last of the M2 rail cars were retired, bar cars faded into history. The last Metro-North bar car, also last in the nation, made its final all-aboard on May 9, 2014. Officials said at the time bar cars might be back, and rumors of their return have never gone away. Now, it looks like the rumors are coming true. According to sources, Gov. Dannel P. Malloy is planning to announce next week the purchase of 60 new M8 rail cars, 10 of which are bar cars. The news follows years of wrangling by the state to find a design that would be compatible with the M8s, but not bleed the budget. It also comes days before a Thursday deadline for public comment on a proposed fare increase. In January 2014, state Department of Transportation Commissioner Jim Redeker said there were plans to launch new bar cars, contingent on cost. Revenue from bar car concessions had fallen to $357,000 in 2013, down from $491,000 the year before, according to the railroad. It wasnt for lack of commuter appetite. Concession carts on the departure platforms at Grand Central Terminal earned $6.4 million in 2013 and $6.3 million in 2012. At the same time, booze and sandwich storage competed with increasing ridership, who wanted more seats. The DOT signed a $1.1 million contract in 2014 with Pennsylvania rail engineering firm Louis T. Klauder & Associates to come up with various design options. As previously reported by Hearst Connecticut Media, Redeker said a proposal for ready-to-use M8 bar cars was scratched because they cost $2 million to $3 million each. The price of bar car retrofitting has not been released, nor has the cocktail menu. cattanasio@ctpost.com; @viacedar This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate NORWALK Martha Castillo was shocked when she spotted a large creature with beige fur stalking a family of deer outside of her home on the 100 block of Murray Street late last week. The animal, which she soon realized was a coyote, lurked near her front lawn just yards from where she stood with her two dogs. I was scared out of my wits, Castillo said. Im a city girl Im not used to seeing wild animals. Castillo screamed for her dogs, startling the coyote. Instead of following the deer or coming after her, Castillo said the coyote simply ran down the sidewalk along Murray Street. This was my first time seeing (a coyote), Castillo said. At first I thought it was a German shepard, but the tail was so low. Since spotting the animal on Friday, Castillo said several neighbors also reported seeing a coyote in the area. One neighbor reported seeing a coyote on Orchard Hill Road, which runs parallel to Murray Street, Castillo said. Another neighbor spotted a coyote near Wolfpit Elementary School playground. A Wolfpit Elementary School official said the school had received no reports of coyotes in the area. However, Castillo said she is concerned because, besides the school, the area is home to many young children and small dogs that are outside throughout the day. The neighbor who lives in the back has small children, Castillo said. The little kids are smaller than my dogs. Castillo said she reported the sighting to animal control and will continue to keep an eye out to alert her neighbors. I just think residents should know, she said. It might be a good warning. Ten soldiers were killed on Sunday in a suicide bombing in a part of southern Yemen where Islamist militant groups are active, a security official said. A further 14 soldiers were wounded when the bomber drove an explosives-laden car into an army position in Abyan province, said the official. The same source previously said the attack had killed six and wounded 18. Jihadist groups including Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) and the Islamic State group have carried out numerous attacks in the region. Yemen's army is simultaneously fighting Huthi rebels who control the northern capital Sanaa and jihadist groups in the south. A Saudi-led Arab military coalition that backs the Yemeni government of President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi has also turned its sights on AQAP, targeting it with air strikes. The United States has carried out numerous drone strikes against AQAP operatives in Yemen. AQAP and IS have escalated their attacks in recent months, notably in the southern port city of Aden. That is despite efforts by government forces to stabilise urban areas they have controlled since ousting Huthi forces from Aden last year. A suicide car bombing targeting young army recruits in Aden killed some 71 people on August 29. It was claimed by IS. The Saudi-led coalition launched its military campaign in March 2015 as Huthi rebels closed in on Hadi in his refuge in Aden, forcing him into exile. Backed by the air power and ground support of the coalition, government forces pushed the rebels out of five southern provinces last summer. The conflict in Yemen has left 6,600 people dead since the Saudi-led intervention, according to the United Nations. Search Keywords: Short link: President Barack Obama says the nation will never forget the lives of those killed in the Sept. 11 attacks as the United States on Sunday commemorated the 15th anniversary of the attacks with a moment of silence observed in somber remembrance at Ground Zero in New York. Obama said at a Pentagon memorial service that he is inspired by the resilience of the victims' families. He quoted Scripture: "Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you. Write them on the table of your heart." Obama also praised America's diversity and urged Americans not to let their enemies divide them. He called the day "difficult" but one that "reveals the love and faithfulness in your hearts and in the heart of our nation." At the White House, Obama observed a moment of silence at 8:46 a.m. EDT the time the first hijacked airplane hit the north tower of New York City's World Trade Center. Presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump temporarily paused their bitter election campaign to attend the service with police and relatives of the victims at the September 11 memorial. The Al-Qaeda attacks killed 2,753 people in New York, 184 at the Pentagon in Washington D.C and 40 on Flight 93 -- which had also been headed toward the US capital until passengers and crew staged a rebellion and the hijackers crashed it into a field in Pennsylvania. Held at the September 11 memorial, the service also paused to mark the moment when the second plane hit the South Tower. Other moments of silence will take place when each tower fell, as well as the attack on the Pentagon and Flight 93. In New York, police and relatives of those killed in the World Trade Center began the annual reading of the names of the victims at Ground Zero, now the site of the National 9/11 Memorial and Museum. "September 11, 2001 touched every single NYer, but the terrorists did not prevail, because 15 years later we are strong, and we are unified," New York Mayor Bill de Blasio wrote on Twitter. Search Keywords: Short link: These real PA creatures could become cryptids if we don't save them Check it out: Fun things to do this weekend in Lake County entertainment The US ambassador to the United Nations, Samantha Power, says she is "outraged" that South Sudan's government has harassed civil rights activists who met with a UN Security Council delegation during a visit to the young nation. Power said in a statement issued Saturday that the delegation observed "chilling" living conditions for civilians trapped in the ongoing conflict between the government and rebel forces. She says the South Sudanese government should elevate, not suppress, the voices of activists "who organize peacefully and provide constructive criticism." She says the Security Council is "engaging directly with the government of South Sudan to underscore that intimidation and threats toward civil society must cease immediately." Heads of organizations that met with the diplomats say they have been ordered to report to the government. Search Keywords: Short link: Egypt will sign a 500 million euro agreement to support small and medium enterprises (SMEs) with the European Investment Bank (EIB) among a number of financing agreements in the second half of October, the Ministry of International Cooperation announced Sunday on its website. The statement came after Minister of International Cooperation Sahar Nasr met with EIB director Heinz Olbers during his Cairo visit as well as the director of the bank's Egypt office Christophe Lucet. The meeting saw a discussion on the current portfolio of financial cooperation as well as areas of cooperation between Egypt and the bank for 2017. Egypt will also sign a 75 million euro agreement for the financing of 13 trains for the new line of Cairos underground metro system. Last December, Egypt signed a $600 million loan deal with the EIB to finance a new power plant in Beheira governorate. Nasr stressed in Sundays statement on the importance of the funds reaching SME owners, adding that Egypt's House of Representatives formed a committee to provide all the necessary support for this sector. In April, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development provided Europack with 1.78 million to launch its SME financing programme in Egypt. Egypt has been focused on encouraging SMEs as a way to boost the economy and create jobs in a country with an unemployment rate of 12.5 percent as of the second quarter of 2016. In January, Egypts central bank announced the launching of a four-year programme to increase financing of SMEs nationwide, as these businesses are key contributors to the states investment and production sectors. The cabinet approved in August a draft law allowing individuals to launch single-person companies without the need for more employees, as part of its efforts to support SMEs. In August, Egypt reached an initial agreement with the International Monetary Fund on a $12 billion fund facility over three years. Egypt's economy, which relies heavily on imports, particularly of foodstuffs, has been struggling due to a sharp drop in tourism and foreign investments in the wake of political and security unrest that followed the 2011 uprising. Search Keywords: Short link: It is madness to refuse to select children for the best schools on academic ability (file photo) Its not every day that a Prime Minister steals a soundbite from me, and Im pleased that she has done. Whats more, she is welcome to use it again, and I have plenty more where that came from. She rightly swatted away narrow-minded enemies of grammar schools, saying: We already have selection in our school system and it is selection by house price, selection by wealth. Ive been making this exact point for many years, as part of a lonely campaign to restore our lost grammar schools. When I started in the 1990s I was told it was a lost cause. Nobodys saying that now. Its winning because its right, just and wise. If Chairman May has really decided to bulldoze aside the nasty, spiteful egalitarian garbage which blocks the road to good state schools, she can count on my total support against all who get in her way. I havent been keen on her before, and wasnt even sure she cared, but her bold strike on Thursday night was impressive politics. It is national madness to refuse to select children for the best schools on academic ability. We must have wasted oceans of talent thanks to the idiotic comprehensive system. We should not waste another drop. I have this picture in my mind of the desolate faces of clever boys and girls trapped in howling, chaotic classrooms where academic excellence is actively despised, resigned to failure and disappointment, and going off into lost lives of needless mediocrity, from which their parents were powerless to rescue them. If people ever wonder why we lack the talent, skills and competence that used to be normal in this country, it is because our state schools threw them in the bin in the name of equality. And even now the enemies of promise are still ganging up to hold back the talented but poor. The BBC, to its lasting shame, is running what amounts to a campaign against grammars which it is forbidden by its charter to do. Its reporters are allowed to intone at the end of reports that many people doubt that grammars aid social mobility, weasel words which they can use to smuggle their own opinions into what is supposed to be impartial journalism. Many people, I can assure them, think the opposite and have evidence to prove it. But they rarely get asked on. The Corporation, ever the reliable voice of the smug, wealthy Left, has readily swallowed the anti-grammar propaganda which concentrates on the tiny number of untypical grammar schools which still survive in a few areas. These schools are besieged, and no wonder, when seven years at their private equivalents would cost a minimum of 120,000 in post-tax income. If people ever wonder why we lack the talent that used to be normal in this country, it is because our state schools threw them in the bin in the name of equality (file photo) The top comprehensives, secretly selective in various clever ways, are actually more socially exclusive than these hopelessly oversubscribed grammars. If there were, once again, more than 1,000 such schools all over the country, this pressure would drop away. Lots of other things would happen. Standards would rise. Sir Michael Wilshaw, chief inspector of English schools, bafflingly opposes grammar schools despite having gone to one (and would this son of a postman have risen so high otherwise?). Yet he admitted in a recent speech: The fate of the most able pupils in non-selective [i.e. comprehensive] schools is particularly depressing. Some 60,000 youngsters who achieved the top levels at Key Stage 2 did not achieve an A or A* in English and maths five years later. 'Indeed, only a quarter achieved a B grade. According to the Sutton Trust, 7,000 children a year who were in the top ten per cent nationally at age 11 were not in the top 25 per cent at GCSE five years later. These youngsters are drawn disproportionately from the white working class. Why is this? Well, these facts may help. Grammar schools, where excellence is encouraged rather than bullied or ignored, get better results than comprehensive education. Grammar schools, where excellence is encouraged rather than bullied or ignored, get better results than comprehensive education (file photo) In 2015, no less than 96.7 per cent of pupils in Englands grammar schools got five good GCSEs. Only 56.7 per cent of pupils at comprehensives (in fully comprehensive areas, not in any way creamed off by grammars) did so, whatever their background. And what about those supposedly dreadful secondary moderns which comprehensives are meant to have saved us from? Almost half (49.7 per cent) of pupils at non-selective schools in grammar school catchment areas won five good GCSEs. So, after 50 years and billions of pounds, comprehensives have only a miserable seven per cent advantage over todays equivalent of despised secondary moderns. But grammars still have a 40 per cent advantage over comprehensives. Smashing up the grammars did not help a single child in a secondary modern. But it ruined the hopes of many who might otherwise have gone to grammars, but were dumped in bog-standard comprehensives. Closing the grammars because the secondary moderns were bad was like cutting off a mans left leg because his right leg is gangrenous. In short, it was mad. Let us welcome this long-awaited return to sanity, even if the privileged rulers of the BBC refuse to do so. Theresa May needs the support of all of us to do this good thing, and to take it further. The real menace on the roads The risk posed to the public by 'white van man' Christopher Gard (pictured) was well known to magistrates I have to try not to grind my teeth when I read about people who kill their innocent fellow creatures because they think its all right to text while driving. How can we bring home to these homicidal, heedless cretins that their actions are at least as dangerous as letting off a gun in the street? Try speaking politely to them if you spot them (as I have). They will threaten and swear at you. One said to me: You know perfectly well the police dont care. I can do what I like. He is, alas, quite right. He shouldnt be. Last week Christopher Gard was jailed for killing Lee Martin, a cyclist. Gard, because he was not looking where he was going, drove into Mr Martin at 65mph. He then tried to conceal that he had been texting at the time. This was not a moments carelessness. It was a deliberate risk. For the sake of a text about taking his dog for a walk, he deprived Mr Martins two daughters (12 and 15) of a father, and his wife of a husband. Gard knew his actions were stupid and illegal. He had eight convictions for using his phone at the wheel and had promised magistrates to stop doing this six weeks before he destroyed a happy family. Theres only one solution. A years loss of licence and a vicious fine on a first conviction, and prison on a second; and the police instructed to enforce the law with maximum rigour, as they once did with the breathalyser and seatbelts. Police and magistrates who ignore this crime, or deal with it lightly, are risking the lives of others. Stop it. Question time for our drug law MPs The saga of Keith Vaz MP (before whose Home Affairs Committee I once appeared in a vain attempt to persuade them to stop weakening the drug laws) prompts this suggestion. Any MP involved in influencing drug laws should be asked, on oath, when they last used any illegal drug, or observed others using such drugs including their children. If we can demand details of financial interests, this is only reasonable. Julia Roberts starred in the film version of the bestselling self-help book A few years ago, to coincide with the release of the film of the bestselling self-help book Eat, Pray, Love, by Elizabeth Gilbert, I was given the assignment of following in the authors footsteps. Over the course of a year, Gilbert had learned to love food and speak Italian in Rome, how to meditate at an ashram in India, and finally found love with a handsome Brazilian man in Bali. I had precisely ten days. In Rome I dined alone, and had to buy a new Apple laptop, as mine died. Only when I got it back to the hotel did I realise the keyboard had all the letters in the wrong place, and even the word processing software Id bought didnt speak English: at least I learned salvare, annulla and finestra, as I only had time for one language lesson. In India, at a retreat in Kerala, there was an enormous spider in my hut. I called reception, who sent a young man who only served to rile it. I was supposed to be learning yoga and meditation, but I was so stressed the unfortunate truism of travel is that, unfortunately, you always pack yourself I remember yelling down the phone to reception: Ive forgotten my mantra! And Bali? Well, it wasnt magical, as in the book. My resort that just means the hotel has over 400 rooms, and room service takes four hours was full of drunk Australians, the beaches were dirty, the roads were jammed with traffic, and the locals openly indulged in cock-fighting. Upon visiting the faith healer who had become Gilberts friend, I couldnt hear what she was saying (her extreme accent, my deafness), so the poor photographer sent with me had to make notes. What did she say? I asked eagerly as we got in a taxi. She says you are going to have two children. Given I was then over 50 and without a boyfriend, that seemed highly unlikely. But still, still! I held out hope it wasnt all stuff and nonsense, given Gilbert not only found love in Bali, but took him home to the US, triggering a second book, Committed: A Skeptic Makes Peace With Marriage. Gilberts writing has a powerful message, after all: that we all deserve a happy ending as long as we learn to grow, let go of material things, and find ourselves. Jose Nunes and Elizabeth Gilbert who is calling it quits with her husband' But it turns out Gilbert wasnt that committed. In a lengthy Facebook post on Wednesday, she revealed that death or the prospect of death has a way of clearing away everything that is not real. In that space of stark and utter realness, I was faced with this truth: I do not merely love Rayya; I am in love with Rayya. And I have no more time for denying that truth. The Rayya in question is Gilberts best friend, a Syrian-born author suffering from cancer and heres the surprise a woman. The relationship has ended Gilberts marriage, and the new couple are demanding privacy and respect. Until the next memoir is published, presumably. I dont care that Gilbert is now a lesbian. What makes me want my money back is the fact this story proves that abandoning your job and all responsibility to go on a journey doesnt necessarily make you a very nice person. I went on a yoga holiday in Udaipur once, but found it impossible to learn to breathe through one nostril when all I could see from my mat on the terrace was a woman bathing her skeletal children in the filthy water of a lake that was being rapidly depleted by the demands of tourism. Gilbert's work tell us inner peace will bring us untold riches, that we cant help who we fall in love with, are self-indulgent New Age narcissism I cannot stand rich Westerners who see the developing world as some sort of spa where they can nourish their inner selves while being massaged. I remember sitting in Nairobi airport, ashen from having visited a refugee camp, marvelling at the bronzed teenagers around me, all laughing and flirting and posting exotic photos on Facebook; they think they are so cool, travelling as they do, but to me they seemed blind. Why didnt Gilbert go to India to teach? In Bali, why did she not campaign to end cock-fighting? But no, it was all about Me, Me, Me. These memoirs telling us inner peace will bring us untold riches, that we cant help who we fall in love with, are self-indulgent New Age narcissism. Truly good people dont care about inner turmoil: they care about the outside world. David Cameron earned his reputation as the essay-crisis Prime Minister from his supposedly relaxed, see-how-it-goes approach to life at No 10. But there is nothing ad hoc about his approach to writing his autobiography, which is slated to arrive on the shelves in October next year. A Cameron friend reveals to Dog: He has been talking into a tape-recorder pretty much every evening for the past six years. Tony Benn did the same for his memoir surely one of the few similarities between Dave and the late Labour arch Leftie. David Cameron earned his reputation as the essay-crisis Prime Minister Once they had recovered from the shock of Keith Vazs rent-boy-induced resignation as the Home Affairs Select Committee chairman, mischievous colleagues could not help recalling their trip earlier this year to Copenhagens red-light district a fact-finding visit for an inquiry into sex industry laws. I remember it didnt go as planned, said one. Keith was heard telling a committee official, But I told you, we wanted to actually meet some prostitutes. The demise of Leicester MP Vaz who allegedly posed as a washing machine salesman called Jim for his secretly-recorded assignation spawned a raft of merciless gags in the Commons Tea Room. Noticing that this Tuesdays Commons adjournment debate is entitled Fire risk from faulty tumble dryers, one Tory MP quipped: Sounds right up Keiths street. Or should that be Jims? Ed Balls' dancing partner, Katya Jones When slinky Katya Jones was paired with clunking, heffalump Ed Balls on Strictly Come Dancing, she reacted by whooping and ululating in apparent ecstasy. Hardened politician that he is, Balls wasnt taken in. I havent seen anyone fake such delight since Ed Miliband made me his Shadow Chancellor, he sighed. Meanwhile, Ballss provocative claim in his new Speaking Out memoirs that he only talked to Miliband twice in the entire General Election campaign last year sparks a furious riposte from the former Labour leaders camp. Says one ex-Miliband insider: They spoke on average at least twice a day. To say otherwise is complete and utter rubbish. Or total Balls, as he might have said. As if he wasnt impeccably attired enough, ever-stylish Labour MP Chuka Umunna has taken delivery of a new 1,600 suit a gift from his old friend the Savile Row tailor Alexandra Wood. Dog expects to see Chuka, one of the favourites to succeed Keith Vaz as Home Affairs Committee chairman, donning the new threads for his charm offensive with fellow MPs. It has taken 49 years but Patrice Greenberg finally feels comfortable in her own skin. At 11 years old her schoolmates called her 'Frankenstein's daughter' after an operation left her with a large scar on her throat sparking insecurities that lasted for decades. By the time she was 40 Patrice, from Sydney, felt like a wizened old lady after a lifetime of heavy smoking and sun exposure left her skin weathered and wrinkled. Transformed: Patrice Greenberg, 49, felt like a wizened old lady after a lifetime of heavy smoking and sun exposure (left) - she has since had a face lift and feels better than ever (right) Good feelings: Patrice told Daily Mail Australia she finally feels wonderful about herself after travelling to Phuket, Thailand, for face lift surgery earlier in the year Patrice told Daily Mail Australia she finally feels wonderful about herself after travelling to Phuket, Thailand, for face lift surgery earlier in the year. Stark before and after photos illustrate the dramatic change in her appearance. 'Self-esteem was something that I was lacking,' she said. 'But the surgery has really changed my life. I can hold my head up high now. I don't feel like a wrinkly old woman anymore.' Happy: She said that before the face lift, she was lacking in self esteem, and now says she can hold her head up high (pictured) Origins: Patrice's insecurities started as an 11-year-old, when she was bullied so harshly it eventually drove her out of Sydney Patrice's insecurities started as an 11-year-old, when she was bullied so harshly it eventually drove her out of Sydney. 'I had my thyroid gland removed and that left me with a very major scar on my throat. 'It looked like someone had slit my neck. People started calling me Frankenstein's daughter. Saying that I had a head transplant and things like that. 'That is why as soon as I was old enough I left Australia and re-invented myself in the United States. I ended up becoming a fashion designer.' Build up: Although Patrice left her bullies in Sydney behind, years of heavy smoking and sun exposure eventually saddled her with a different insecurity, leading to the surgery (pictured) Nip and tuck: Patrice arranged her surgery in Thailand through Gorgeous Getaways - a company that specialises in cosmetic and plastic surgery holidays Although Patrice left her bullies in Sydney behind, years of heavy smoking and sun exposure eventually saddled her with a different insecurity. 'For about the last five years I have seen the deterioration of my youth in front of me. 'I really wanted those wrinkles gone. Working in the fashion industry I'm surrounded by young beautiful women every day. Looking at myself in the mirror, I was suffering a lot emotionally.' Patrice arranged her surgery in Thailand through Gorgeous Getaways - a company that specialises in cosmetic and plastic surgery holidays. She said the myths about Thailand's medical profession being 'dodgy' did not seem true in her experience. 'I have to say I was very nervous about having the operation. But after meeting the surgeon I wasn't at all anxious. He knew what he was doing and put me at ease. 'The hospital was fantastic, the nurses were fantastic and the staff couldn't be more accommodating. 'The hospitals was so clean, you could eat off the floor. Especially compared to the hospitals in Australia. I wouldn't have any reservations about going back there.' Positive: She said the myths about Thailand's medical profession being 'dodgy' did not seem true in her experience Inspired: Patrice is recuperating in Sydney but will soon return to India, where she runs a clothing business - she said she has been inspired to lose the habits that weathered her skin Patrice is currently recuperating in Sydney but will soon return to India, where she and her husband run a clothing business. She has promised to kick all the bad habits that weathered her skin in the first place and is looking forward to life with her new-found self-esteem. 'I made a promise that I would drink more water, take better care of my skin and use sunblock. 'I won't be out in the sun like I was before. If I need a tan I'll use fake tan instead of lying in the sun. 'It is time for the fashion industry to recognise that it must effect change' The campaign will launch ahead of LFW and aims to end skinny models The Australian model is now leading a new #nosizefitsall campaign This led the now 24-year-old to found her own petition against size zero Rosie Nelson, from Canberra, was told she should 'slim down to the bone' At age 21 and a size 8-10 UK (10-12 AU), Canberra model, Rosie Nelson, was told by a London modelling agency that she should come back when she was 'down to the bone'. This was the moment that forced the young model to re-think her place in the billion-dollar fashion industry, and the moment which later led to the 21-year-old founding a petition to 'create a law to protect models from getting dangerously skinny'. So far, the London-based model, who is now 24, has been successful with her petition, attracting nearly 130,000 signatures, and even visiting Number 10 Downing Street to put it before the parliament inquiry. But Ms Nelson has now taken a further step in her quest to end size zero, by teaming up with the Women's Equality Party in Britain and putting her name and face to their new #nosizefitsall campaign. Scroll down for video End size zero: Model, Rosie Nelson (pictured), from Canberra was told she should come back to a modelling agency when she had slimmed down 'to the bone' when she was just 21 Change: This inspired the model from Canberra to found a petition to end the fashion industry's use of 'dangerously skinny models' (pictured) - she has 130,000 signatures It is time for the fashion industry to recognise that it can and must effect change in this area 'The presentation and idolisation of a uniform body type by the fashion industry has significant and wide-reaching consequences,' states the campaign. 'It is time for the fashion industry to recognise that it can and must effect change in this area.' The official launch of the campaign is next week, where it will coincide with the opening of London Fashion Week SS17. Pioneer: The now-24-year-old visited Number 10 Downing Street to put her petition before the parliament inquiry (pictured) New campaign: She now fronts a new campaign, called #nosizefitsall, which aims to end BMIs of less than 18.5 on the catwalk - this campaign will launch ahead of London Fashion Week The campaign will call for an end to BMIs of less than 18.5 on the catwalk and a sample size of size 12 or larger, reflecting average body sizes in the UK, Australia and the rest of the world. I've been on shoots for up to 10 hours where no food is provided - the underlying message is always that you shouldn't eat Rosie Nelson is set to be the face of the campaign, alongside fellow plus-size model, Jada Sezer. 'Modelling can be a very lonely place, especially for girls working internationally who are away from the usual support network of friends and family,' Ms Nelson writes on her change.org page. 'When models travel overseas they are often put into shared accommodation with other models, and being surrounded by girls who are all striving to stay thin can perpetuate bad eating habits and encourage eating disorders. 'I've been on shoots for up to 10 hours where no food is provided - the underlying message is always that you shouldn't eat.' Emotional: 'Modelling can be a very lonely place, especially for girls working internationally who are away from the usual support network of friends and family,' Ms Nelson writes Starving: She has also explained in the past that occasionally she has been without food for as long as 10 hours, as there is none provided on a shoot The campaign will be led by Women's Equality leader, Sophie Walker, and it will operate on social media under the hashtag #nosizefitsall. '28 published empirical studies from the UK, Europe, North America and Australia have found that media images have a direct impact on how negatively or positively we view our bodies, with negative body image putting someone at a considerably heightened risk of developing an eating disorder,' the campaign states. 'The softly, softly approach has been tried for years and is not working. 'The time has come to demand change.' Each piece from the collection is able to be customised by shoppers For the range, she sports a series of flowing gowns and jumpsuits The 17-year-old is now the face of Fame and Partners' Gown Collection With 742,000 Instagram stars and several campaigns, she is hot property She might be just 17 years old, but the Bali-based model and Instagram star, Inka Williams, is hot property. This is perhaps one of the reasons why she has been snapped up by Australian online label on the rise, Fame and Partners, to front their new Gown Collection. Released on Friday, the collection features a series of gorgeous, flowing dresses and jumpsuits worn by the French-Australian model, with prices between AUD $299 and AUD $499. Hot property: Bali-based model and Instagram star, Inka Williams (pictured), is the face of a new collection for Fame and Partners Stunning: Released on Friday, the collection features a series of gorgeous, flowing dresses and jumpsuits worn by the French-Australian model, with prices between $299 and $499 The dresses are divided into different personality types - there are styles for 'The Provocateur', 'The Minimalist', 'The Bohemian' and more. A highlight of the Fame and Partners gown collection is a beautiful black backless dress with a giant ribbon, entitled the 'Serpentina dress' (AUD $379). Another style that is sure to sell out is the silky, nude 'Escala dress' (AUD $329), which features a daring thigh-high split and plunging neckline. Like many of the dresses in the line, it is reminiscent of something designed by the cult label, The Reformation. Suits you: The dresses are divided into different personality types - there are styles for 'The Provocateur', 'The Minimalist', 'The Bohemian' and more Pretty: A highlight of the Fame and Partners gown collection is a beautiful black backless dress with a giant ribbon (pictured), entitled the 'Serpentina dress' (AUD $379) DIY: Each dress in The Gown Collection is able to be customised - when you want to buy a dress, you can alter the skirt length and style, fit, sleeves or additional features Each dress in The Gown Collection is able to be customised. All potential shoppers need to do is select the style they like, before they are asked whether they would like to alter the skirt length and style, fit, sleeves or additional features. The aim of the range is to create truly bespoke dresses at more accessible prices than is the norm with high fashion. Growing profile: In the past, Inka Williams has modelled for the likes of Spell, Sabo Skirt and Pepper Mayo Watch this space: Her 743,000 Instagram followers have earned her a contract with IMG Models Cover girl: Meanwhile, countless comparisons with Miranda Kerr have also helped the 17-year-old to secure shoots and covers with the likes of ELLE Australia In the past, Inka Williams has modelled for the likes of Spell, Sabo Skirt and Pepper Mayo. Her 743,000 Instagram followers have earned her a contract with IMG Models, while countless comparisons with Miranda Kerr have also helped the 17-year-old to secure shoots and covers with the likes of ELLE Australia. She has her eyes set on the big time, however, and this latest campaign is sure to only increase her ever-growing profile. Watch this space. Her most popular looks include Maleficent, Spiderman and Cruella De Vil Ms Costello told Daily Mail she paints her face for several hours each day Her remarkable transformations are going viral all over the world She regularly transforms herself into Disney and other fictional characters If you're already searching for Halloween make-up inspiration, look no further than this face and body painter, Natalie Costello. The 27-year-old, from Dublin, Ireland, regularly transforms herself into Disney and fictional characters from books and films, and has recently been garnering global attention, thanks to her remarkable skills. From Maleficent to Cruella De Vil and Predator, Ms Costello's designs, however, are not as pretty as your average Disney princess make-up look. Talented: Natalie Costello, 27 (pictured), is a face and body painter from Dublin in Ireland Transformation: She regularly transforms herself into a whole host of fictional characters and Disney villains - she does this with make-up (pictured as Predator, and above as Scar) Fan base: The 27-year-old has garnered fans from all over the world, who love her remarkable and creative transformations (pictured as Spiderman) Instead, the Irish face and body painter specialises in dark characters and iconic Disney villains. I've been painting my face ever since and paint myself for a few hours every day Rather than making herself over as Simba from The Lion King, for instance, Ms Costello picked his evil uncle, Scar, as her subject, while one of Ms Costello's other most popular selfies shows the 27-year-old in full make-up as Angelina Jolie's character, Maleficent. 'I have always been crazy about make-up and have done face painting on and off for years,' Ms Costello told Daily Mail Australia of her skills. 'Unfortunately I had to stop after university, as I had serious back problems. But I went back to study make-up just last year, aged 26, and got obsessed with it. 'I've been painting my face ever since and paint myself for a few hours every day.' Special area: Ms Costello specialises in dark characters and iconic Disney villains such as Cruella De Vil (pictured) Unrecognisable: While she looks nothing like her transformations in real life (pictured), the 27-year-old says she paints her face for a few hours every single day Popular: One of her most successful selfies shows Ms Costello in full make-up as Maleficent - her posts receive hundreds of likes Though Ms Costello is unrecognisable in her face paint garb and her transformations look near-impossible to pull off, she captions every painted selfie with the products she used to achieve the look. To become Spiderman, for example, Ms Costello used regular products from the likes of MAC, Illasmasqua and Make-up For Ever. For anyone wanting to re-create the selfies at home, however, beware. Each look, according to Ms Costello, can take hours to complete. Half and half: She also does unusual make-up styles, such as this one, which shows half of her face as Belle from Beauty and the Beast, and half as the beast Growing: Natalie Costello's presence is slowly and steadily growing on Instagram, where she already has just over 8,000 followers Mermaid: People regularly comment on her pictures, writing things like: 'Zero words for this, you are incredible' Natalie Costello's presence is slowly and steadily growing on Instagram, where she already has just over 8,000 followers. 'This one is definitely the best,' one commenter writes underneath a half and half look compiling Beauty and the Beast from the iconic Disney film. 'Zero words for this, you are incredible,' another person on Instagram adds beneath another selfie. Writer Elizabeth Jane Howard with her lover, novelist Kingsley Amis Elizabeth Jane Howard was furious when the novelist Kingsley Amis was added to the panel for a Sunday Telegraph symposium on Sex In Literature that she had organised at the Cheltenham Literary Festival in 1962. Amis had written four novels, including his first and most celebrated, Lucky Jim. But at 40, he was still regarded as one of the Angry Young Men the group of novelists and playwrights who scorned the Establishment. Jane, as she was always known, telephoned the Telegraphs assistant editor Peregrine Worsthorne to vent her anger, but he declined her request to revoke Amiss invitation. She resolved to make the best of it and asked Amis and his wife Hilly to stay at the house she had taken in Cheltenham. After the evening event in October and a late dinner, Jane and the Amises were driven to the house. It was after midnight and an exhausted Hilly immediately retired. Amis said he would have a nightcap. Jane agreed to keep him company. The truth was that neither of them wanted the evening to end. We talked and talked until 4am, she wrote, about our work, our lives, our marriages and each other when he kissed me, I felt as though I could fly. Amis did not remember it quite so rapturously. I sort of threw a pass at Jane, he told a friend. Which was sort of accepted. Jane thought it would be a grave mistake to fall in love with Amis, who was married with two teenage sons and a daughter, and about to move to Spain. She was married, too, to the broadcaster Jim Douglas-Henry. An affair, she thought, would put her back in the mistress role she had so often endured which not only made her miserable, but made writing impossible. However, when Amis rang Jane soon after her return to London, her resolve evaporated instantly. They met in a bar near Leicester Square. Before we even have a drink, Amis said, I have to tell you something. Elizabeth Jane Howard was once described as a bottomless pit of neediness (pictured, in 1956) He had booked a room in a nearby hotel. He knew he was pushing his luck and quite understood if she didnt want to sleep with him. Some might regard this as presumptuous but, to Jane, the point was that he wanted her urgently: a reaction that made her feel so alive that she could never resist it. Jane was once described as a bottomless pit of neediness. This was why she lived her life at such an emotional pitch, rushed headlong into things without considering the risks, and could not control her impulsive imagination. It made her the novelist she was but she wrote: It took me a long time to grow up. I seemed destined to make the same mistakes again and again. Or, as she put it another time, she was a tart for love. Jane was violently attracted to Amis and did not want to disappoint him. In bed, she pretended that sex with him was the best shed ever had. He was also undoubtedly one of the funniest and most brilliant man she had ever met. As for Amis, he was bowled over by Janes beauty and elegance, her intelligence, her sexual responsiveness and delight in everything he said. There was also a thoroughbred quality to her that was new to him; Jane had grown up in Notting Hill with a governess and a host of servants, but she assured him that she wasnt as posh as he thought. When their affair began, Amis had been married for 14 years. He had met his wife, Hilary Bardwell, in 1946 while finishing his English degree at Oxford. He was 23 and she a 17-year-old art student: a pretty, unpretentious girl with a rebellious streak. When they married in January 1948, Hilly was already pregnant with their first child, Philip, and by the end of the year she was pregnant again with their second son, Martin. Although Hilly never doubted Amiss fondness for her, she was wounded by his unquenchable desire for other women. There were frequent rows, but he made no effort to change his ways. HER MOST SKILLFUL LOVER OF ALL..LAURIE LEE Jane claimed to have very little recollection of 1955 a turbulent year in which she had affairs with a number of leading literary figures including Laurie Lee and Cecil Day-Lewis. Lee was in his early 40s and married when Jane met him. Lee saw at once that Jane was miserable and asked if she would come to Spain with him for two weeks just the two of them. They set off on September 4, 1955, to Gerona. What followed was, she claimed, a sexual awakening she had never had such a skilful and considerate lover. In later years, when journalists asked her which of her many men she had been happiest with, the answer was often (but not always) Laurie Lee. Jane was desolate when they returned to London after two weeks. Id had two weeks of unalloyed happiness, she wrote, so why should I cry? As autumn gave way to winter, Jane began to see more of Day-Lewis than was wise especially since he was married to one of her closest friends, the actress Jill Balcon. Day-Lewis had been attracted to Jane for many months, and now set out to seduce her. She remembered that we spent a couple of afternoons on Hampstead Heath looking back he was awfully good at finding very private places there I wonder if hed done it before. On December 11 he wrote: Ive hardly stopped thinking of you for a moment. Yesterday I walked to the bus stop where we kissed each other, to make sure it was really true. It is. Of course Im afraid not of you, but of everything that would follow those terrible conflicting tides. This was a reference to his much earlier vacillation between his first wife Mary and his lover Rosamond Lehmann. Their love-making always ended with him going home to Jill, leaving Jane with the desolate, empty bed. Advertisement When he was teaching at Swansea University, they moved in a rakish, bawdy circle of young dons, journalists and postgraduates. Hilly drank and smoked and flirted. Who can blame her for feeling that, if Amis was going to behave like that, she was going to have some fun too. However, her son Martin feels that she was a reluctant swinger, a swinger by default: her heart wasnt in it. Everything changed with the publication of Lucky Jim in 1954. From then on Amis had a lot more money and fame. He accepted a lectureship at Peterhouse, Cambridge. There were more trips to London, supposedly to see friends and editors, but also for parties and affairs. Hilly and the children remained the bedrock of his life, but in 1956 he nearly lost them when Hilly fell in love with an irresponsible charmer. Amis saw him off with a blistering letter. By the end of 1962, a plan had evolved: they would move to Majorca for a year. Hilly was all for it. A quieter life with fewer temptations might begin to repair the cracks in their marriage. Then came Cheltenham and the momentous meeting between Amis and Jane. Each was not just a lover but a rescuer, making the other feel better, brighter and stronger. If I were living with you, Jane wrote on February 6, 1963, we would stop drinking brandy and we would try and design life around you writing more. The letter ends: Sorry I kissed you so much in the restaurant I love you more than I have loved anyone else. Had to wait to be sure it was true. It is. HOW A THERAPIST GOT HER LABIDO BACK Kingsley Amis always regarded psychiatrists as figures of fun, who peddled platitudes to those too feeble to face reality. But he was at such a low ebb that he was willing to give the idea a go. He could justify it on the grounds that even if the treatment didnt work, it might make good copy for a novel. He started going to a psychologist called Dr Patricia Gillan, who ran a sex clinic at Londons Maudsley Hospital. Given the state of Amiss marriage, his therapy included a certain amount of marriage guidance counselling. After a few sessions, Dr Gillan asked to see Jane on her own. She was an interesting mixture of shrewdness and naivety, wrote Jane, and after a few minutes exclaimed, From all Ive heard about you, I thought you were going to be simply awful, and youre not, are you? There were two further sessions with a Professor Brindley, where Jane found out to her relief that she was not frigid, just out of practice. She even found she could bring herself to climax in front of someone else, and remembered how amused she was by the immense sweetness and funniness of Prof Brindley saying in his gentle, pedantic, courteous voice, I do hope that you had a satisfactory orgasm, Mrs Amis. Advertisement Although Amis was always admiring (I love all of you, not just your beauty and brightness and tenderness and funniness, he wrote), Jane could not stop worrying that she might bore him. At the same time, she was such a mass of new sensations that she wrote: Im not known to myself any more, so have nothing much to rely on in that respect. My whole body feels different: breasts so sharp with feeling it hurts to put on a brassiere. Perhaps people in love shouldnt wear clothes? Amis had already begged her not to go on apologising. I repeat that you didnt come within two miles of boring or annoying me everything you do is better than all right with me, he wrote. Towards the end of March, they managed to escape for a few days together. Amis wrote: Those three days were the most wonderful time Ive ever had I cant describe how wonderful I found you. More than anything else I was moved by you as a young bride this is where love and sex meet: I was sexually excited by it in all possible ways but also felt so full of love I would have cried, if crying were possible while making love. Zachary Leader, Amiss biographer, writes that his letters to Jane are unlike any other letters of his I have seen. The emotional openness is striking, as is their happiness, optimism, gentleness, willingness to try new things and confidence. On April 24 Amis wrote: Darling, take no notice of this if it makes you feel shy, but I thought it would be very lovely if when you let me in you were wearing less than you usually are. In fact as little as possible. In fact well nobody can see you as you open the door, and Ill ring 4 times as usual, and since Ive asked you it wont look forward on your part. He added: I reproach myself rather for my insensitivity in not realising much sooner that you liked making love better when it was all gentle. I want you to know how supreme it is for me to make love to you and how utterly your pleasure transports me. Your joy is literally my joy. I always thought that was just a figure of speech, but its a solid fact. Ive never been so close to anyones body before. You havent a square inch of coarse skin anywhere on you. Jane tried to keep their relationship secret, particularly at home, where her husband would still appear from time to time. Amis, meanwhile, had no intention of leaving Hilly and the children, even after she found a letter from Jane in his pocket. The rows became louder and more hurtful: Amis told Hilly that he would not give up Jane and announced he was taking her on a three-week holiday in Spain. At the same time he made it clear to Hilly that he still intended to move to Majorca with her and the children, from where he would make occasional forays to London. Jane wrote of her anxieties: The more I love you, and feel about you, the more I feel that all my disadvantages would annoy you, and the more difficult they are to manage. As an anxious person himself, Amis was sympathetic. Yet Janes fears were uncannily prescient. When she wrote this letter he was completely infatuated with her, yet within a few years he would be gritting his teeth every time she came into the room. In July 1963, Amiss marriage deteriorated still further. He and Hilly were at the Festival of Science Fiction Film in Trieste, where, after one drunken lunch, Hilly got out her lipstick, and on her sleeping husbands back wrote, in mockery of his work in progress One Fat Englishman: 1 FAT ENGLISHMAN. I F*** ANYTHING. Later that month, Amis embarked on his working holiday with Jane he had promised to deliver his book to his publishers by mid-August. Jane and Amis travelled to Sitges, an elegant seaside town south-west of Barcelona, and moved into a tiny flat. There, they worked for most of the morning. They ate lunch at a little restaurant nearby, before going back to the flat for leisurely sex, a siesta and a bit more work, and then as the light faded, strolling down to the waterfront for drinks and dinner. With his book completed and their month-long holiday coming to an end, Amis knew he faced some hard decisions. But when he returned to Cambridge on September 8, it was to a locked and empty house. Hilly had walked out of her marriage without even leaving a note. Amis felt shaken and desolate, but the decision had been made for him. He took the next train back to London and Jane. They married in 1965. By the mid-1970s, what had begun as a passionate affair had long since deteriorated into a bitter and acrimonious marriage. Amis was not the philanderer he had been, but he and Jane made love less and less a development Jane, for whom a healthy sex life was the wellspring of a good relationship, found both humiliating and inexplicable. Martin Amis said that by 1975, [Jane] was telling me more about my fathers growing remissness in that area than I really wanted to know. He later observed their life together was built on a massive foundation of resentment. In November 1980, Jane, who said she now began to realise [her husband] not only didnt love me but actually disliked me, announced she was going to a health farm in Suffolk for ten days. When she said goodbye, Amis was reading the paper and barely looked up to see her go. On the day he expected her back, a letter arrived from her solicitor. It read: This is to tell you Im leaving there isnt the slightest hope of things getting any better. You are not going to stop drinking and I cannot live with the consequences. Not a word from the old bitch yet, Amis told the writer Brian Aldiss a month later. By God she was hard to live with but living without her seems altogether pointless. I had no idea she meant so much to me. Artemis Cooper, 2016 The Last Supper, a play by Ahmed El-Attar is set to run for five consecutive days at Falaki theatre from 22 till 26 September. In a review published in 2014 in Ahram Online, May Selim said "The director creates a space in which the audience remains in close proximity to the actors. The stage of the Falaki Theatre has been transformed into a rectangular box in which actors and spectators are isolated from the outside world. As such, the useless conversations of the caricatured characters start weighing heavily on the audience, who find in them resemblances to people in their own lives." The cast includes Boutros Boutros-Ghali, Ahmed Farag, Mona Farag, Mahmoud El Haddad, Mohamed Hatem, Ramsi Lehner, Nanda Mohammad, AbdelRahman Nasser, Sayed Ragab, Mona Soliman and Marwa Tharwat. The Last Supper premiered in November 2014 at the Falaki Theatre in Cairo and soon after was performed at the Grand Plateau of La Friche Belle de Mai during the 9th Edition of the Rencontres a lechelle Festival Marseille, France. The play also took part in the official selection of 2015 Festival dAvignon (Avignon Festival), France. The play was staged in Cairo on several occasions. Programme: Performances daily, 22-26 September, 8pm Falaki Theatre, Falaki Street, American University Campus, Downtown, Cairo For more arts and culture news and updates, follow Ahram Online Arts and Culture on Twitter at @AhramOnlineArts and on Facebook at Ahram Online: Arts & Culture Search Keywords: Short link: Dogs Bar hope to introduce an entire doggy-themed menu in the future So far, the beer has proven popular at the bar and on social media It is made from a beef extract-based brew and sold in screw-top bottles The specially-created beer for dogs is non-alcoholic and safe for pets Can't bear to leave your beloved pooch at home, even when you go for a beer? Then you might be a fan of The Dogs Bar in St Kilda, Melbourne. The crafty local's favourite pub have devised an inventive way for owners to bond with man's best friend, thanks to their new 'Beer Dog Bitter' drink, which went on sale this weekend. Puppy love: Dogs Bar in Melbourne have started selling a 'Beer Dog Bitter' crafted especially for canines (pictured) For a mere AUD $6.50, dogs can lap at the new specially-created craft beer, made exclusively for canines, or sip on a cool beer with their owners in the afternoon sun. And while the new doggy beer is strictly non-alcoholic, it is perfectly safe for animals, as it is made from a beef extract-based brew. Sold in a glass screw-top bottle, or stubbie, the 'Beer Dog Bitter' is designed to let pups lap up as much as they want from a nearby bowl supplied by the bar. Treat: The drink is non-alcoholic, costs AUD $6.50 and is made from a beef extract-based brew (pictured) Hair of the dog: Sold in a glass screw-top bottle, the 'Beer Dog Bitter' is designed to let the pups lap up as much as they want from a nearby bowl or glass supplied by the bar The screw-top feature on the 'Beer Dog Bitter' also cleverly allows owners to take the rest of their pint home in a doggy bag if they think their pet would like leftovers later on. The 'Beer Dog Bitter' has been a hit both on social media and at Dogs Bar since it launched in Melbourne on Saturday. The pub told Daily Mail Australia that the special brews have been selling well, and added that the beer is set to remain on the menu for the foreseeable future. Doggy bag: They can also take some home in a doggy bag if they want to enjoy it later - the beer has so far proven popular at the pub and on social media This isn't the only doggy treat Dogs Bar have up their sleeves, however. The pub also promises to reveal a special menu for dogs in the near future, too. Despite all the bluster, there is one currency in fashion that never loses its value: skinniness. In that world, to be thin is to be successful, superior and celebrated. To be taken at all seriously in the cut-throat world of high fashion the world of tiny A-listers and stick-thin fashion editors such as Anna Wintour you have to be skin and bones. And its clear from the models that strode down the catwalk in Victoria Beckhams 2017 spring/summer catwalk show last night that she wants to be taken very seriously indeed by the fashion crowd. With husband David and 17-year-old son Brooklyn in attendance, the 42-year-old former Spice Girl sent a series of emaciated models down the ramp, each clad in a selection of outfits that would have struggled to contain the assets of a pre-pubescent schoolboy, let alone a normal female. Haunted: Teen model Jessie Bloemendaal is 5ft 11in and has a tiny 24in waist. The heavy make-up gives her a hollow-eyed look Bloomers: Poshs outfit makes Julia Ratner, 15, look like a half starved space cadet Stern: Ondria Hardinz collar bones jut out as she walks down the Beckham show catwalk yesterday The teenage girls on her catwalk, such as 5ft 11in Dutch-born Jessie Bloemendaal and French model Camille Hurel, had waists of 24in around the size of a eight-year-old girls. And the clothes themselves seem to have been conceived to highlight the thinness of the wearer, to deliberately exclude anyone for whom a small strip of satin might not be an adequate covering. One ensemble, a pair of shiny white satin bloomers paired with a cross- body sash and knee-high white boots, made the wearer look like a half-starved space cadet. Most dresses were designed to highlight ribs, tummies and bone-thin arms thanks to cutouts and corsetting, meaning no one over a size 12 could ever consider putting them on. Even the fabrics crushed velvet and silks were unforgiving, made to highlight flat planes of the body, not curves. The models bleached eyebrows, lank, austere hair and sunken expressions also contributed to the illusion of illness. One of the first things that anorexia does to the body is cause hair loss and dark circles, and it seemed to me at least, the make-up was deliberately designed to give this impression. One after another they came, this silent, sullen army of the starving, ribs and shoulder-blades on show, skeletal forms visible through unforgiving shapes and fabrics. Swagger: The open front reveals Mica Arganarazs impossibly small waist Youthful glow: Jessie Bloemendaal's waist is 24in - the same size as an eight-year-old girl This is thinspiration in fashion form, the catwalk version of those thigh-gap pictures that celebrities like to post on social media site Instagram in order to remind mere mortals of their innate physical superiority. Theirs is a world where thinness is not only celebrated, but worshipped as the pinnacle of stylishness, an indicator, even, of moral superiority. After all, we are in the grip of an obesity epidemic, are we not? Controversy: Victoria Beckham seems to be thumbing her nose at the critics Its certainly clear that Victoria once censured for being too thin is completely unrepentant about exploiting this deeply dangerous trend. Last year, after criticism that her models were too skinny, she said: Theyre young, theyre thin, but that doesnt mean theyre ill. Its clear shes thumbing her nose at those critics by sending out an even more skeletal set of girls this year. Yet there had been welcome signs that the industry was taking tentative steps to reform itself. Last December, French MPs demanded all models had a doctors certificate saying they were healthy, and there are more plus-size models than ever such as the sumptuous size 16 Ashley Graham being used by mainstream shops such as H&M and Marks & Spencer and designers such as Dolce & Gabbana. Indeed, even Victoria had once spoken out against skinny models. In 2010, she pledged to follow the Beauty Is Health campaign created by the Council Of Fashion Designers Of America and ban extremely thin models from her shows. I had a casting last week and had some terribly thin girls come in, and it wouldnt have worked, she said at the time. Shes also insisted her clothes are for women of all shapes and sizes. But despite the occasional hype about this or that plus-sized model, regular attempts by the industry to encourage a more normal-sized aesthetic are mere window dressing. Truth is, most designers are incorrigible: they would sooner be spotted in last seasons trousers than send a single curve down the runway. And, with the start of the New York shows, we see once again how empty are the promises not to mention the stomachs of those who reign supreme on planet fashion. Unforgiving: This gold concoction hangs off Iris Landstras tiny frame Floral: The clothes themselves seem to have been conceived to highlight the thinness of the wearer Of course, Victoria is birdlike in size. In this months Vogue, she pens a letter to her younger self in which she talks movingly about her physical insecurities, her youthful self-loathing, how she would fret about being fat when the photographic evidence shows she was anything but . . . With that in mind, you might think she would spare a thought for todays young girls whose turn it is to wrestle with those very same demons. But then what do you expect from someone who has no formal fashion training? Victoria is no Donna Karan, no Giorgio Armani, no Dolce & Gabbana. It seems to me that she designs as though the female form were the enemy or an embarrassment partly perhaps out of necessity. After all, anyone can drape a few bits of sparkly fabric on a waif and make them look halfway decent; to dress a fully-formed female is a far more complex endeavour, one that requires real skill and years of experience. Aida Dellal Hersham at Fawley Hall Henleys Fawley Court has certainly had an idiosyncratic life: it was the inspiration for Toad Hall, then became a wartime decoding centre and a boarding school run by Polish clergymen. New owner AIDA DELLAL HERSHAM talks about bringing the crumbling estate back from the brink Aida Dellal Hersham has a fairly unique take on feminism but Aida is a fairly unique person. Half Iraqi and half Iranian, she grew up in Tehran, where she was educated in a convent. She arrived in London to study just before the revolution in Iran which drove her family into hiding and never returned home. A stamp featuring Mole and Toad in The Wind in the Willows Now she has bought and restored Fawley Court, a Sir Christopher Wren-designed pile on the banks of the Thames, near Henley, that is considered one of Englands finest homes. The inspiration for Toad Hall in The Wind in the Willows, Fawley was requisitioned (along with Bletchley Park) as a decoding centre during the Second World War. In 1953 it was bought by the Marian Fathers, a Polish clerical congregation, to be used as a boarding school, and became a hub for the local Polish community. But it fell into serious disrepair, ending up on the English Heritage at-risk register (a fate befalling only the most neglected of homes). Nonetheless, there was outcry from the community who regarded the property as part of their heritage when the Marian Fathers, unable to afford its upkeep, sold Fawley to Aida in 2008. I found myself at the epicentre of a war, Aida, a divorcee in her 50s, recalls, as we sip tea in one of Fawleys many grand reception rooms, from china mugs made right here on the estate. It is great being a woman, though, she beams. I mean, imagine if Id been a man It would have been very different. But when they saw this woman on her own in this big house, what were they going to do come and attack me? Aida in the library designed by James Wyatt She adds with a twinkle that she thinks she has been an inspiration to other women by taking on a home the size and scale of Fawley single-handedly. But Aida does not consider herself a feminist in any conventional sense. I am actually quite passive, but I am good at spotting those occasions when being a woman is an advantage. I am also tolerant and a peacemaker. I grew up in a Muslim country, in a Jewish family, in a Catholic school. My best friend was Buddhist. I accept everything and everyone. The boundaries we have today are totally alien to me. So when I was buying Fawley, and entering into all that drama, I made sure that I understood and got along with both sides. Technically, she purchased the estate from the Vatican, which Aida says agreed to sell it to her only after she had signed a form professing to have no anti-Catholic sentiments. I said, Are you joking? I was raised by nuns! You dont get much more tolerant than me. Aida exudes magnanimity, with her large dark eyes and aura of total calm. Her dog Baloo, a small fluff-ball of the american eskimo breed, is a constant presence at her ankles, barking furiously whenever anyone in this case me seems to monopolise Aidas attention. Fawley Court today Aida tells me with a beatific smile that she is on great terms with both the Marian Fathers and their congregation. She leads special tours of Fawley for the boys who boarded here: I love seeing where their tuck shop was and hearing all their stories. They are always welcome. Not long ago she encountered a desperate Polish woman trying to climb over the gates. I went over to her and said, Please dont do that. Youre going to hurt yourself. Its not necessary. I helped her down, brushed off the dust and invited her in for tea. She couldnt believe it. When she left, I wrote down my number, gave it to her and said, If you ever want to come back, you only have to ring me. She also organised with the Ministry of Defence a special visit for the code-breakers and their descendants. Their stories of D-Day were phenomenal: how they decoded the Nazi signals, how they felt, the planes flying over. I learned so much. Aida has a palpable enthusiasm for the rich history of her new home, inviting in its former inhabitants, it seems, not only out of a sense of duty, but also out of genuine wonder. Having been exiled from her own homeland so dramatically, she is in a perfect position to empathise with those who were shut out of Fawley. Its strange never being able to take your children back to where you grew up, she muses. Aidas parents on their wedding day in 1954 She has two children, a 33-year-old daughter, an entrepreneur and new mother, and a 29-year-old son, a banker, from her marriage to ex-husband Gary Hersham, a wealthy London property agent. Both children are based in London, where Aida keeps her main home. They have no idea what my childhood was like. My heritage has been lost, destroyed in the revolution. Thank goodness my mother is still around and my father only passed away two years ago, so they have tapped into the culture through them. 'I think I have passed my open-mindedness on to them, too. Theyre great kids. Their father and I separated when they were tiny, so they have been unscathed. They have a good relationship with him and I am hawk-eyed over them. Aida with her son in 1992 Aida arrived in London aged 17 to round off her education with a degree at the London School of Economics (LSE). Shortly after she arrived the revolution broke out, the Shah Irans last Persian monarch was deposed and the country became an Islamic republic. Everyone left. My parents went into hiding before resettling in New York. Everything was destroyed. I couldnt go back, so I had to make my life in London. Its opening up there now. I might return one day, she says. But it wont be the same. I have no family left in Iran. Its clear from talking to Aida and hearing of her love for Fawley even as she first encountered it in all of its crumbling English splendour that she has thrown her positivity into embracing her adopted country and giving something back to the nation that took her in. And fortunately, she feels shes found a bit of her beloved Tehran in the 72 acres of Lancelot Capability Brown-designed parkland that surrounds her new home. She was drawn to the property because in her LSE days she loved Henley and gravitated towards it as a weekend destination. There was just something about being close to the river that uplifted me. So when she heard that Fawley might be for sale, she jumped. When she first visited, it was a dank and miserable day, but it was still love at first sight. In Tehran our parks were particularly beautiful, with courtyards and water and lots of flowers. Its one of my strongest memories of my childhood there. The first time I saw Fawley, the park reminded me of Tehran. I brought my mother, but didnt say anything as I wanted to see if she would notice it, too and she did, immediately. Aida is now setting about infusing the huge property with her particular East-West aesthetic: Tehran-style courtyards are to be built in the park, and there is already a 300-seat concert hall where she plans to hold festivals and performances. I want there to be a salon culture here, to bring together great minds and influencers on every level from politics and the arts and great composers. Henley Royal Regatta But if this all sounds a bit new-fangled, it isnt. Though she has hung some stunning modern art on the walls I want to make Fawley relevant today Aidas abiding concern has been retaining the houses original features, while introducing the best of the new. In restoring the home, she has worked with no fewer than 14 historians not to mention archaeologists, archivists and English Heritage to get things just right. There are buildings from the 12th century and others from 1985. We need to understand exactly the materials and building methods that were used in different periods. It has been so complex definitely not a project for the faint-hearted! The main house is Grade I-listed and there are an additional 13 Grade II-listed buildings on the property; 150,000 square feet in total. Different rooms were designed by various artistic minds of the day, including architect James Wyatt and Grinling Gibbons, Wrens master carver. Aida is particularly proud of the Gibbons ceiling she restored (it was allegedly burnt when a Polish father fell asleep while smoking). Fawley was in such a state when Aida bought it that it took seven years to clean and make it safe enough to sleep in; there was no plumbing, no heating and the house was weeks away from burning down. She paid 13 million for it and has put untold millions more into bringing it back from the brink. But Aida was in a better position than most to handle the project: she comes from a family that made its fortune in property (she recalls walking round buildings in Tehran with her father as a child), was married to the man who owns Mayfair-based Beauchamp Estates and worked in the industry herself. I managed a property fund for seven years, so a project like this isnt off-putting; it is the pinnacle of my career! Aida with her dog Baloo in the saloon designed by Grinling Gibbons Not surprisingly, she hasnt taken any shortcuts. As well as restoring Fawley beautifully and authentically, Aida has taken care to do it ethically, too. We are a sustainable estate, she tells me proudly. We have our own heating, our own water, our own food. And it was all a lot easier to implement than you might think. Aida is doing all of this not just for herself and her family though it delights her that her daughter was able to marry in the grounds three years ago, and that her seven-month-old grandson will get to toddle around in its splendour but also out of a sense of duty to the community. As well as hosting events for the Henley Literary Festival, which starts this month, Fawley played a big role in the famous Henley Royal Regatta this summer, sponsoring the womens races. I felt that was important, says Aida. I want to have a good relationship with my neighbours and to use this wonderful property that I am so privileged to be the custodian of to enhance local events. Aida recently opened the Fawley River Club, a clubhouse, restaurant and bar on the Thames. It marks the halfway point in the Regatta race route, so you can hear the coxswain shouting, Were at Fawley!, which is fun. She is also considering hosting a Wind in the Willows-themed Christmas fair. Only one thing has marred Aidas blissful transition to being chatelaine of this great house. A property developer, Richard Butler-Creagh, launched a lawsuit against Aida, alleging that she owed him a 5-million facilitators fee for helping her buy Fawley. He was likely hoping that Aida might concede in fear. His claim was dismissed in court. The judge called him delusional, but it was a terrifying time for me. We were in court for a couple of weeks. The whole thing was madness. Ben Fogle at the Henley Literary Festival Even when talking about this, Aida doesnt sound spiteful just relieved to be able to focus on enjoying her estate, which she has only been able to start inhabiting in the past few months. Her grandson has already spent a weekend at Fawley and will doubtless spend much more time here. Swans with their cygnets glide past us on the river as Aida gives me a tour of the grounds, telling me excitedly of the annual Swan Upping ceremony on the Thames and that if you have cygnets on your land you get a letter from the Queen so thats fun. There are, of course, willows bending over the river, and we have a few toads, too, Aida winks. Its hard to believe that not long ago this place was derelict; it now seems so full of life. I like to think of Fawley as similar to waking up a giant. Of course, I am lucky to be here, but more than that, I am happy for Fawley itself, and for the people who will get to enjoy it in future now that it has woken up and that the light is shining on it once again. Maldives ex-president takes refuge in Indian high commission as his country brands him a 'fugitive' India has decided to let former Maldivian President Mohamed Nasheed "spend the night" in the Indian high commission in the country's capital, Male. However, Male has condemned the action, telling New Delhi it should not give shelter to a fugitive. "Nasheed is a fugitive. India should not give refuge to him in its high commission and we have told this to the Indian government," Masood Imad, press secretary to the Maldivian President Mohammed Waheed Hassan Manik told Mail Today. Former president of Maldives Mohamed Nasheed has taken refuge in the Indian High Commission after a Maldivian court issued a warrant and ordered police to arrest him Nasheed moved to the high commission after an arrest warrant was issued against him by a Maldivian court. The court took action after he failed to turn up for his trial hearing at Hulhumale Magistrate Court on February 10, in a case regarding the detention of chief judge Abdulla Mohamed in 2012. The Julian Assange moment began at 1.30 pm IST on Wednesday when the guards recognised Mohamed Nasheed being accompanied by two security guards at the main entrance of Indian high commission in Male. Former Maldivian President Mohamed Nasheed, second from left, at the Indian high commission in Maldives "Mindful of my own security and stability in the Indian Ocean, I have taken refuge at the Indian High Commission in Maldives," Nasheed tweeted. "The former Maldivian President Mohamed Nasheed is in the Indian high commission and has sought India's assistance. We are in touch with the relevant Maldivian authorities to resolve the situation." Syed Akbaruddin, spokesperson of the ministry of external affairs, said. Security personnel stand guard outside the Indian High Commission in Male, Maldives Coal might be all but dead in the UK but worldwide prices are enjoying a surprise resurgence. Britains last deep mine Kellingley colliery in north Yorkshire closed last December with the loss of around 450 jobs. It followed a slump in prices to near-decade lows because of falling demand. Cutting edge: An unexpected surge in Chinese imports to compensate for lower domestic production has seen European prices leap to near an 18-month high In China the International Energy Agency declared the fuels golden age was over in order to curb pollution. But an unexpected surge in Chinese imports to compensate for lower domestic production has seen European prices leap to near an 18-month high. The price of coal needed to make steel has surged more than 45 per cent over the past three weeks. And the price for premium coking coal exported from Australia jumped to more than $158 a ton last week, more than double the $78 a ton sellers were getting at the start of the year. Blue-blooded bank NM Rothschild is facing an embarrassing lawsuit from four British pensioners who claim it mistreated them over mortgages. The investment house lent them cash worth up to 75 per cent of the value of their Spanish homes, it is alleged, with the proceeds then invested in an insurance company. The aim was to provide the pensioners with income. But they claim it did not perform as well as promised, leaving them unable to pay off their debts. They claim that Rothschild abused its position as a highly respected bank. Unable to pay: Rothschild denied the allegations and said it had acted as a lender, not an adviser After being invited to a meeting by now-defunct financial adviser Henry Woods, Michael and Roberta Carney, aged 72 and 71, took out a 247,500 loan in 2006 on their Malaga home, investing most of it in a fund run by Aspecta Assurance. The couple claim to have lost 105,500, according to The Sunday Times. Brian and Pamela Fox, 84 and 81, said they had lost 213,000 after agreeing to a similar scheme in 2005. Airbnb is set to become the next target for angry tax campaigners for channelling its takings from across Europe through the low tax state of Ireland. Airbnb opened its 40,000 sq ft new headquarters in Dublin earlier this year to manage all its non-US sales. The Irish division has yet to file any accounts, but a spokesman told The Mail on Sunday it has been taking all its non-US revenue through Ireland since 2014. The US part of the business is a privately owned company and so does not need to publicise its earnings. But it may soon attract more attention after a fundraising last month valued the group at a whopping $30 billion (22.5 billion). Sitting pretty: From left, Airbnb founders Brian Chesky, Nathan Blecharczyk and Joe Gebbia The valuation means its founders, Joe Gebbia and Brian Chesky, both 35, and Nathan Blecharczyk, 32, own stakes of $3 billion each. Airbnb has grown fast by allowing people to rent out spare rooms or entire properties easily. The firm takes a 3 per cent cut of all bookings made via its website, as well as a 6 to 12 per cent fee from guests. The group, whose US headquarters are in Silicon Valley, California, said it had based its international business in Ireland because it was a centre for technology firms. But tax campaigners point to Irelands corporation tax rate of just 12.5 per cent, compared with 20 per cent in the UK. Richard Murphy of Tax Research said: This is yet another case of a company that appears to be saying one thing and doing another. Its technology is all US-based and yet it is charging through Ireland. How can that be explained by anything but tax? Tax experts said the move would allow Airbnb to keep its earnings out of the US, where federal corporate tax rates are 35 per cent and state taxes are due on top. The revelation that it is channelling payments for its service through Ireland suggests it is deploying techniques pioneered by fellow Silicon Valley giants Apple, Facebook and Google. When Airbnb raised cash from investors last year, it said it was taking $900 million in commission and fees, and hoped to be taking $10 billion a year by 2020. If the proportion of its US and non-US earnings match those of other technology giants, that would mean billions of dollars flowing through Ireland. Despite the $30 billion valuation, the site was reported to have made a $150 million loss in 2015, as it spent heavily to grow worldwide. But its rapid growth has been criticised by some, who say it allows people renting out rooms and homes to get round local legislation, such as health and safety and fire regulations, and evade tax bills. Ufi Ibrahim, chief executive of the British Hospitality Association, said: The BHA welcomes the opportunities the sharing economy brings to owners letting their homes from time to time. But it is concerned about the lack of transparency of data from home-sharing websites and the ability for landlords to use such platforms to circumvent regulations and tax. Apple and others have managed to engineer tax rates of less than 1 per cent by using Ireland as a base, then shifting earnings from there to tax havens such as the British Virgin Islands and Bermuda. They do this by making payments to companies in these tax havens for the use of company brands. Airbnb declined to discuss its tax structure in detail last week, but a spokesman said: We comply with tax rules and pay all the tax we owe in the places where we do business. Telephone number sales: Airbnbs funky headquarters in Dublin Airbnb hosts keep 97 per cent of the price they charge for their listing and the income is subject to local taxes. It added that it had collected and remitted more than $110 million in tourist, hotel and occupancy taxes for governments in more than 200 jurisdictions around the world. Apple and others have faced huge criticism globally for their tax arrangements. Apple has been based in Ireland since the 1980s, serving all non-US customers from a base in Cork. The European Commission last month challenged the iPhone-makers tax arrangements, saying deals it struck with Irish tax authorities were so generous they constituted state aid, and that Apple should repay 13 billion. Google takes payments from UK advertisers via an Irish base, despite having thousands of UK staff. It agreed a 130 million tax settlement with Revenue & Customs earlier this year, saying it would now pay higher UK taxes reflecting the revenue it received here. Amazon takes payments through a Luxembourg company for goods bought on its website. But it recently set up a British branch, meaning that profits from the sale of goods to UK customers are now taxed here. The owner of a dog grooming business who padlocked herself to an EE store last month over her poor mobile phone signal is planning another protest, this time aimed at getting the Government to step in over poor rural coverage. Diane Cartwright relies on her mobile to run Porthma Dog in Porthmadog, Gwynedd, with her husband Edmund. She claimed an intermittent signal meant her firm was potentially losing money from missed calls. She has now been released from her contract with EE, but only after numerous calls and eventually sitting in the doorway of the nearest shop in Bangor 30 miles away. Determined: Diane Cartwright says she was losing trade Cartwright said: This job has to keep two of us going and Id had no phone calls for over a week. I need constantly to have people phoning me, booking. Rival network giffgaff took out a full-page advert for Cartwrights dog grooming business asking if any local dogs were looking a bit ruff, to make up for money she may have lost. Cartwright said: I was really overwhelmed by it. They put an advert in the Daily Post. A lot of people have come in and said, Have you been having trouble with your phone? We saw the advert. In a lot of rural places you cant get signal. Providers need to get the signal sorted out. Im doing another demonstration. Take it to Parliament. Let the MPs sort it out. I shall go on social media to see if anyones interested in a demonstration somewhere and start an official petition. I should think theres easily 100,000 people that are having problems some way or another, not just with EE. They need to spend more on masts and infrastructure. tried to buy a Jaguar at a car dealership, authorities said A Florida teenager accused of pretending to be a doctor faces new charges in Virginia after police said he fraudulently tried to buy a luxury car at a dealership. Malachi Love-Robinson was arrested on Friday and charged with identity theft and other fraud offenses after he attempted to purchase a Jaguar, Stafford County Sheriff's officials said. Staff at Kargar Motors car dealership became suspicious when the teen applied for a car loan with an elderly woman as the co-signer on the loan, police said. Scroll down for video Malachi Love-Robinson, accused of pretending to be a doctor, was arrested on Friday after he attempted to purchase a Jaguar at a car dealership in Virginia, police said Staff at Kargar Motors car dealership in Stafford (pictured) became suspicious when the teen applied for a car loan with an elderly woman as the co-signer on the loan, police said Love-Robinson had initially submitted an online inquiry about the Jaguar that was for sale, saying he was seeking credit approval, ABC News reported. By the time he showed up in person on Friday, the Jaguar had been sold so a salesperson then showed him a 2013 Lexus. The teen was with an elderly woman when he went to see the car who he said was going to be a co-signer on the loan, according to ABC News. He reportedly also said that he was a doctor making $120,000 a year, which raised another red flag. The employees called the sheriff's office after looking up Love-Robinson's name in an internet search. Love-Robinson was arrested in February after law enforcement officials in Florida said he was practicing medicine without a license Love-Robinson was illegally operating a medical practice complete with an office, a lab coat and stethoscope but had no license to do so, authorities in Palm Beach County said Deputies then went to the car dealership where they spoke with Love-Robinson, who said he came to Virginia to buy a car for himself and another for his godmother. The woman, who was not identified, later told deputies that she had not given Love-Robinson permission to be listed as a co-signer on the loan. She also told police she was unaware of recent purchases made on her credit card for two iPads, which deputies seized when they arrested Love-Robinson. Authorities are still investigating the incident and Love-Robinson is being held in jail Authorities are still investigating the incident and Love-Robinson is being held in the Rappahannock Regional Jail, sheriff's officials said. Last month, the teen was arrested for a third time for two charges of grand theft and fraud. In that incident, he is accused of writing a bad check for $1,500 as a down payment for a car at West Palm Nissan in May 2015, court records indicated. Details on the new grand theft charge were not available. Previously, Grieco Mazda in Delray Beach filed a lawsuit seeking roughly $7,200 in damages and interest claiming that the teen wrote them a bad check for a new car. A lawsuit claims that in June 2015, Love-Robinson gave a salesman a Wells Fargo check for $1,800 as a down payment for a 2016 red Mazda 6 costing more than $27,000, the Palm Beach Post reported. The bank refused to cash the check, saying the account was closed. Records show Love-Robinson responded to the suit in writing in August, claiming the bad check was a mistake, and that the dealership did not give him enough time to fix it. Love-Robinson was facing new grand theft charges last month. He is accused of writing a bad check for $1,500 as a down payment for a car at West Palm Nissan in May 2015 (pictured) The Sun Sentinel reported Love-Robinson lost that case in April 2016. In February, the teen was arrested after deputies said he was practicing medicine without a license and stole more than $35,000 from an 86-year-old patient. He was then arrested again in March and charged with two counts of practicing medicine without a license, two counts of practice of naturopathy without a license, three counts of forgery, two counts of grand theft from a person 65 or older, and three counts of fraudulent use of personal identification information. The teen was illegally operating a medical practice complete with an office, a lab coat and stethoscope but had no license to do so, authorities in Palm Beach County said. In one instance, they said he went to a woman's house five times after she contacted him online to treat her for stomach pains. He told her she suffered from arthritis and sold her vitamins, charging her $3,494, which she paid by check. He was charged then with two counts of practicing medicine without a license, one count of grand theft larceny and four counts of fraud. Love-Robinson has denied the charges, saying he never said he was a medical doctor. He claims to have a doctorate from the Universal Life Church, which sells them online for $29.95. The pebble was removed but the procedure set back Ms Marsh over $500 A woman paid more than $500 to save her $12 goldfish named Conquer after a huge pebble he swallowed became stuck in his throat. Emma Marsh, 21, of Brisbane, was horrified when she noticed her beloved pet fish was struggling to breathe after biting off a bit more rock than he could chew. Spotting the black object through his translucent white scales, she raced to Brisbane Bird and Exotics Veterinary Service where staff immediately went to work. Emma Marsh, 21 and from Brisbane, took her pet goldfish Conquer to the vet after he swallowed a rock and started choking on it The team dripped an anaesthetic agent into Conquer's water to put him to sleep and then set to work dislodging the stone The team of veterinarians lifted Conquer's head out of the water gently and used surgical tweezers to get a grip of the large object After completing a physical exam on Conquer, the team dripped an anaesthetic agent into his bowl, sending him straight to sleep. From there they were able to lift his head slightly out of the water and use a pair of surgical tweezers to carefully dislodge the rock. Veterinarian Emma McMillan told the Courier Mail she was astonished that Conquer had managed to swallow such a large pebble. 'He is 13g and only 5cm long,' she said. 'The pebble was about 8 or 9mm long and was stuck lengthways across the side of his mouth, which is why he couldn't spit it back out. 'He was making excessive mouth movements trying to dislodge it ... if we did nothing he would have starved to death.' The entire procedure set back Ms Marsh over $500, with Conquer needing to spend a night in the clinic to recover from the traumatic event. Conquer has since made a full recovery and is back in his own fish tank. Success! The rock, which had become stuck lengthways across the side of Conquer's mouth, was eventually yanked out Oday Shakar is still young but he has already lived through more than your average American fashion designer: childhood bullying, two years in Iraq after the Gulf War and cancer. But he's back stronger than ever to relaunch his label after a two-year hiatus with full-skirted gowns of breathtaking grace and elegance that would look right at home in a James Bond movie. His stunning collection for spring/summer 2017 inspired by Middle Eastern art, Arabic calligraphy and geometric prints aroused an outpouring of oohs, aahs and raucous applause at New York Fashion Week. "I realized I needed to find beauty in my own story so that's where I grabbed inspiration for this, so I mix contemporary Middle Eastern art with beautiful simple silhouettes for everyday (wear)," Shakar told AFP. And what a story. Born in southern California to a Harvard-educated Iraqi father and impeccably stylish mother, Shakar grew up riding horses. But his world was upended when he moved to Iraq as a 12-year-old. It was after the 1990-1 Gulf War when US-led forces expelled Saddam Hussein's troops from Kuwait. He did not speak Arabic and suddenly found himself in the very different world of Baghdad. "It was a bit of a culture shock," he admitted. But it was in Iraq that Shakar realized he wanted to be a designer. "My aunt studied fashion design and wasn't able to pursue it, so in a way I'm doing all of this because she didn't get the chance and I have the opportunity, being an American," he said. Shakar first launched his label in 2009 aged just 25 and has dressed the likes of Oscar-winning actress Sandra Bullock, but his New York show was the first of his career. "A little nervous," he giggled backstage when asked how he felt. The Oday Shakar woman is a woman of the world, he explains. Elegant, timeless, conservative and yet cutting-edge, his designs could be worn by devotees from across cultural and geographical divides. "She is well travelled, she's educated, she is very bold, she knows what she wants," he told AFP. "She also likes to feel glamorous but doesn't want to be wearing a fully beaded gown anymore... to me that's a thing of the past." From the first twangs of Middle Eastern music, Shakar transported the crowd into a world with a simple yet sophisticated silhouette. There were the full skirts for day and evening, cinched at the waist in delicate geometric patterns, or two-tone skirts in purple and violet, or black and gray that shimmered in the light. Capes billowed behind, necklines were high and cut-outs on the sleeves. There were also tight pencil skirts in suede, wide-legged pants with pleated front panels and jodhpur-style pants with a strap under the foot. Moving to New York only six months ago, Shakar hit the ground running, developing and producing everything in the Big Apple. "It's definitely had its ups and downs," he said. "But it's been actually one of the more inspiring times of my life." He was diagnosed with stage four thyroid cancer in 2009, but has been in remission since 2011. Shakar just sees it as part of life. "It's how you overcome those things and not so much what you're going through at the moment, but looking further and growing beyond it and seeing how you can grow stronger," he said. Now in his mid 30s, he has not been to Iraq for nearly 18 years but members of his family are still there and they keep in touch. After Iraq, he lived in Jordan and Lebanon before returning to the United States. "I keep myself grounded by the memories of not having as much and dealing with just stuff that we don't necessarily think about living here," he said. He does not wish to be dragged into the controversies surrounding race and immigration in the United States -- hot-button issues in the divisive presidential race between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton. "I just believe in peace and equality all around no matter what religion, culture, sexuality," he said. "That's something that really needs to be put in the forefront -- not focusing on all of the things that divide us." Search Keywords: Short link: A big fluffy dog, who had spent six years in a filthy barn stall, got the makeover of a lifetime after a groomer shaved 35 pounds of matted fur off of him. The Great Pyrenees, named Lazarus, was recently rescued from the 'poop-filled barn stall' Sunday, according to Amanda Brooke Charsha-Lindsey with the Big Fluffy Dog Rescue in Tennessee. Charsha-Lindsey posted before and after photos of the rescued pooch, who desperately needed a haircut. Scroll down for video This is Lazarus, the Great Pyrenees before he was rescued by a groomer. He had spent six years in a 'poop-filled barn stall' The great ball of fur was spotted by groomer Candice Skelton who rescued the pooch Several layers of Lazarus' fur (left) was matted and clumped together as the poor animal was neglected by his owners. But he was completely unrecognizable (right) once 35 pounds of fur was shaved off of him Several layers of Lazarus' fur was matted and clumped together as the poor animal was neglected by his owners. Groomer Candice Skelton rescued Lazarus and shaved 35 pounds of hair off of him, according to Yahoo News. In a video posted to Facebook, Charsha-Lindsey said: 'It took seven people to get this dog here and get him out of that situation.' She said Lazarus is still timid and 'still has a way to go', noting that adoption isn't even a possibility yet. The sweet boy is currently in a foster home in Virginia, where he will stay until he's ready to be adopted into a permanent home, The Dodo reported. In several posts, Charsha-Lindsey responded to negative comments about the dog's owners who she said became 'terminally ill'. The now happy pup hadn't been abused in any way, but he was neglected by his owners who became 'terminally ill' She also clarified that Lazarus hadn't been abused in any way. Charsha-Lindsey wrote on Facebook Friday that she took Lazarus to do a lap around the yard in order to loosen him up and 'start building some muscle tone back'. She said Lazarus will now need 'vetting and some rehab time to introduce him to the world'. Amanda Charsha-Lindsey (pictured) wrote on Facebook Friday that she took Lazarus to do a lap around the yard in order to loosen him up and 'start building some muscle tone back'. She said Lazarus will now need 'vetting and some rehab time to introduce him to the world' hey are being smuggled into jails and used by criminals and extremists as the 'Fly' and is just 2.75 inches tall Known as 'The Fly', the Zanco phone ranges in price from 25 online to 75 in the shops They are the latest craze to hit the high street mobile phones so small they fit in the palm of your hand. But security sources fear the new generation of micro mobiles could let extremists recruit and plan terror from behind bars. The Mail on Sunday has established that their astonishingly small size means growing numbers of the phones are already smuggled into jail and used by criminals and extremists. The devices can be easily be concealed inside or around a human body and, with minimal metal content, the phones can apparently evade scanners. They are openly advertised online as 'Boss approved', suggesting they will not activate the Boss (body orifice security scanner) chairs used for visitors and inmates in jails. The phones have been sold online for two years, but concerns have heightened because for the first time they are now available in high street stores. Last month prison officers uncovered a batch of nine phones concealed in a games console illegally brought into a London prison. Staff only found them because they were hidden with a drugs package discovered by sniffer dogs. A spokesman for the Prison Governors Association said: 'We are aware of the increase of mobile phone trafficking and disappointed that very small phones are being openly advertised as being able to 'beat the Boss'. Something should be done to tackle this.' The spokesman added: 'The availability of these trafficked mobile phones means we can't monitor conversations. It also allows prisoners to continue to carry out crime from behind bars. 'The technology is available to defeat them and we would urge the Government to invest in it to stop these phones being used.' The Mail on Sunday purchased a Zanco 'Fly' for 75 from a West London corner shop. The phone is sold by Zini Mobiles Ltd, a UK-based company registered online to Bradford-based Mr Shazad Bashir Talib. Online reviews for this and other micro mobiles speak volumes. 'The perfect prison phone 21 Aug. 2013,' wrote one. It is just 2.75ins tall and 0.75ins wide, less than half an inch thick and has a 0.66ins screen 'Very handy phone. The handset works well in my cell,' wrote another while a third said: '5 out of 5 stars,' adding it was easy to hide internally. This and other brands offer an additional headache for anti-terror chiefs as they contain voice changing software which can potentially defeat recognition systems designed to pick up terrorists. When used by our reporter, the phone proved capable of converting a male voice into an entirely convincing female voice. Micro mobiles can be bought for just 30 each but inside prison are said to be worth 250. There is now serious concern that these phones will be used by dangerous terrorist preachers such as Anjem Choudary, who was jailed last week for five-and-a-half years for encouraging support for the Islamic State. The two killers of soldier Lee Rigby were influenced by Choudary after they converted to Islam. Nearly 15,000 mobile phones and SIM cards were recovered in jails last year. Some of them were used for drug-dealing and smuggling guns into the UK. Last night Chris Phillips, who headed the police's National Counter Terrorism Security Office, called for prisons to use sophisticated signal blocking devices to stop inmates communicating on mobiles. He said: 'The prisoners have already got big mobile phones so these smaller ones will be easy to get past security.' During almost five years on the beat, patrolling some of the roughest parts of London, Mike Abbott arrested dozens of people for drug offences. As a young recruit he picked up people carrying cannabis on the street in areas such as Brixton, and later participated in undercover operations against major suppliers. The stench of hash was becoming more prevalent, he says. My job was to uphold the law and cannabis, like other drugs, was illegal. Ex-Met Police officer Mike Abbott runs one of the most successful medical marijuana firms in the United States, Columbia Care Three decades later, Abbott is a high-flying businessman. Yet given his background, there is a certain irony that his latest venture has seen him emerge as among the biggest legal cannabis dealers in the United States. For this former member of the Metropolitan Police now runs Columbia Care, the largest player in the emerging market for medical marijuana in the United States. Sale of the drug for such purposes is now permitted in 25 of the nations 50 states. Abbotts fast-growing firm set up with a friend and former colleague from Goldman Sachs has opened dispensaries from small towns in Arizona to major cities such as Boston, Chicago and New York. These outlets are sober in appearance. But the goods on sale would once have led to instant arrest by the firms boss: potent buds from marijuana plants; cannabis cookies crafted by some of the 211 staff; and specialist inhalation equipment. Supplies come from a string of high-tech greenhouses and warehouses. The firm has thousands of plants growing in seven states. Amid bold claims for the curative powers of the drug, demand is rising so fast that Columbia Care is expanding rapidly. It expects to grow more than five times as many plants next year, producing at least ten tons of the crop to harvest for more than 200,000 patients. The success of Abbotts three-year-old firm already profitable despite tens of millions of pounds of investment underlines the astonishing pace of cannabis reform in the country that launched, and for decades led, the global war on drugs. Another eight states ballot voters in November three more for medical use and five, including California, questioning whether to join a quartet already backing legalisation. It is estimated sales in the Golden State alone could top $7 billion a year. Mr Abbott (pictured, second row, five from the right) served with the Special Patrol Group on the streets of Brixton after joining the Met in 1983 Abbott is focused on the medical market, and argues that his police experiences helped influence his unlikely change of direction, selling cannabis products to patients with conditions such as cancer, epilepsy and multiple sclerosis. Why should people with a medical need risk being arrested? he asks. This allows them to go to a regulated environment rather than a street dealer, avoiding a waste of crucial resources and helping criminals. Certainly, it is a long way from the days in 1983 when a school-leaver from Liverpool joined Londons police force at a time of intense industrial and racial upheaval. I loved serving with them but it was a very difficult period, recalls Abbott. He found himself on the front line of the miners strike as a member of the Special Patrol Group and patrolling Brixton, where cannabis use inflamed tensions. Bizarrely, he met his American wife Jana on an undercover operation he fell for the then student, who was enjoying an innocent drink in a Chelsea pub that was under police watch for suspected drug activity. Why should people with a medical need risk being arrested? This allows them to go to a regulated environment rather than a street dealer Mike Abbott Today the couple have three children. The eldest two, both teenagers, asked their nine-year-old sibling what he would tell teachers at a new school if quizzed over what their father did. Ill tell them he makes medicines, came the response. Yet Abbott, 52, admits most business friends thought he was crazy when he told them he was entering the marijuana industry after a career in top-level finance he worked for banks and a hedge fund after leaving the police. Old pals from those days on the beat just made jokes about dope dealing. One key person was supportive: his elderly father, a former hospital doctor, who told him if he could collect data on any medicinal properties of marijuana then he would be doing a wider service to society. It was Abbotts business partner Nick Vita who first heard about a medical marijuana firm. He tracked it down and was impressed after giving cannabis cream to his mother, who found it alleviated crippling rheumatoid arthritis. The pair began as passive investors but now run the firm. Vita says he has never smoked pot, while Abbott admits trying it at university after leaving the police. The fledgling firm made some mistakes at first such as hiring people who had grown illicit cannabis in basements. It did not take long to realise the hippies were wrong for us, says Abbott. Today they use academics from the Mid West to advise on farming techniques. I found tight security when visiting the firms New York production centre in a former Kodak plant near the Canadian border. Inside the first room, a woman was carefully watering hundreds of plants in varying stages of growth, each worth $5,000. It was strange initially to wander around rooms filled with cannabis sprouting up under bright lights. Columbia Care is the largest player in the emerging market for medical marijuana in the United States I estimated there were 2,500 plants at this single 50,000 sq ft centre, which opened in Rochester after Columbia Care won a licence last year to trade in New York. The site is being prepared already for a fivefold expansion over several floors. Another in Massachusetts cost $6 million to open. It has 60 strains such as California Dreaming and Strawberry Amnesia growing in eight flowering rooms. Recent polls found almost nine in ten Americans back the idea of people being allowed to use marijuana for medical purposes. A narrow majority support legal recreational use, although it remains controversial with 41 per cent still opposed. Colorado, the first state to permit recreational use, now raises four times as much from cannabis taxes as from alcohol. But there is still fierce debate over the consequences, with concern from parents over sales near schools and a sharp rise in cannabis-related emergencies in hospitals. There are suspicions that criminal drug cartels, seeing profits fall from cannabis, are promoting harder drugs with more vigour. Studies have also linked regular use in adolescence to depression and schizophrenia. Abbott aims to build a big pharmaceutical firm based on cannabis, arguing he operates in a different market to the recreational one. Id love to bring some lessons we have learned here to Britain, he says. Id love to bring some lessons we have learned here to Britain Mike Abbott Tricia Reed, chief pharmacist at the firms Manhattan branch, says she joined the firm after becoming fed up doling out highly addictive opiate painkillers blamed for fuelling Americas heroin epidemic at a leading chemist chain. She says she has seen patients get off opiates, seizures end for children with complex epilepsy, and cancer patients given a fresh lease of life. Her most memorable case was a woman in her 30s suffering brain cancer who was preparing to go into a hospice. She says the patients tumour shrank 40 per cent after taking cannabis, her weight rose and she was given several months extension of decent life. Im not saying its a cure but it can improve quality of life, says Reed. These are big claims, but they help explain why a former London policeman has become perhaps the worlds least likely cannabis baron. Of course we want to build a profitable business, says Abbott. Nowadays, apart from the Corbynites, theres no optimism among most of the partys MPs Tony Blair, Neil Kinnock, Gordon Brown and Ed Miliband have made no major interventions in recent weeks - almost like they're in denial On September 24, Jeremy Corbyn is expected to be re-elected leader of the Labour Party, which means he will have won two leadership contests in just over a year. While not unassailable, he will feel vindicated for resisting the demand from most of his MPs to resign. That his most senior detractors in the party have fallen silent will further embolden him. The former Labour leaders who earlier in the summer denounced Corbyn now have nothing to say. There have been no major interventions in recent weeks from Tony Blair, Neil Kinnock, Gordon Brown or Ed Miliband. No fiery speeches made or compelling articles written outlining the depths of the Labour crisis and what needs to be done. Jason Cowley fears key figures in the Labour Party are either in denial, or have given up In private they denounce Corbyn they speak of the tragedy of it all but publicly they are quiet. They show no fight, merely a kind of meek acceptance of the inevitable. Its almost as if they are in denial or have given up. Whats going on? Why isnt there more fight? Its because theres a general feeling of hopelessness, Labour grandee Roy Hattersley told me. This is far worse than the early 1980s. I had hope then. Now I dont have any. Roy Hattersley says there is a 'general feeling of hopelessness' Theres a saying by the Italian philosopher Antonio Gramsci that is a favourite of the Left: Pessimism of the intellect, optimism of the will. It refers to the long struggles on the Left to challenge and rectify concentrations of wealth and power as well as to disrupt established hierarchies. The history of the Labour Party has been characterised by struggle and fight, the fight to enfranchise the populace and build the institutions the NHS, the welfare state, the good state schools that could transform working peoples lives for the better and create equal opportunities for all. Nowadays, apart from the Corbynites, theres no optimism of the will among most of the partys MPs. Instead, there is only pessimism of the intellect (they have no idea how to renew and become a unified election-winning force again) and pessimism of the will (even the desire to fight is draining away). And the EU referendum, in which a third of Labour supporters voted for Brexit, has demoralised them further. The forces of globalisation, immigration, stagnant wages, rampant inequality, precarious rather than stable jobs, digital disruption all have contributed to the crisis on the Left in the UK and the rest of Europe, where moderate social democracy is in retreat. Labours traditional voters those who voted for Brexit feel let down and left behind. They feel alienated from metropolitan liberals and the London Left, and are turning to Ukip, the SNP and Theresa Mays Tories. Jeremy Corbyn is expected to be re-elected leader of the Labour Party on September 24 - meaning he will have won two leadership contests in just over a year Labour MPs know what is wrong because their constituents tell them so. As a consequence, their mood is as bleak as Ive known it. The partys support has collapsed in Scotland, and most of the 106 gains that Labour will need to win a majority after the constituency boundary changes are in England, where the party is weak. The rebellion against Corbyn that, in the aftermath of the Brexit vote, began with mass resignations from the Shadow Cabinet and an overwhelming vote of no confidence by MPs in the leader, is ending in a mood of sullen resignation in the Parliamentary Labour Party (PLP). Corbyns supporters are, by contrast, jubilant, and they should be. The challenge to Corbyn this summer has been feeble. The onus was on the PLP to come up with something different, ideas and a broad analysis of what has gone wrong and what should be done. This has not come close to happening. Andy Burnham, a leadership frontrunner only last summer, want to pursue careers away from Westminster hes the favourite to become the next mayor of Manchester The leadership contest has been an ideas-free zone and a procession for Corbyn, who has toured the country doing what he does best bolstering the true believers at events that often have the feel of religious revivalist rallies. The challenger to Corbyn, the Welsh MP Owen Smith who is from the soft Left, has offered little beyond self-belief and a certain dogged persistence. He has shown more courage than many of his colleagues in taking on the challenge when others cowered or equivocated, but he has made too many gaffes. Smiths policy proposals are largely the same as Corbyns. He delivers the same statist, anti-austerity rhetoric. His message amounts to no more than this: Like Jeremy, I am of the Left and for the Left, but Im more competent than he is. Be enthused by that, if you will. Labours traditional voters those who voted for Brexit feel let down and left behind Jason Cowley That Smith emerged as the sole challenger proves Corbyn is winning more than the leadership contest. He and his shrewd Shadow Chancellor, John McDonnell, who is now the real power in the remade party, have successfully dragged Labour to the radical Left. With the backing of the Unite union, they are now determined to complete the job by taking control of the crucial policy-making National Executive Committee and begin selecting more MPs in their own image which obviously means deselecting others. But this isnt a Trotskyite takeover. Corbyn has been democratically empowered by the membership. No one was coerced into voting for him. Clearly, Labour members want him and his socialist populism, even if, judging from the polls, the electorate resoundingly does not. Millions of middle-ground voters, who were captured by Tony Blair but have been abandoned by Corbyn, surely want the brightest talents on the Labour benches Yvette Cooper, Chuka Umunna, Dan Jarvis, Keir Starmer to stand up and be counted and not be perceived to be muted in surrender. Perhaps they simply dont know how to respond or fight in the way Denis Healey and Roy Hattersley did to save their party during the Bennite wars of the early 1980s. Perhaps it was all too easy for them on the way up, when the Left was marginal and Blair was winning landslide majorities. Perhaps they are constrained by members and activists. Challenger Owen Smith who is from the soft Left, has offered little beyond self-belief and a certain dogged persistence Several moderate MPs I know have spoken of giving up on politics altogether. Others, such as Andy Burnham, a leadership frontrunner only last summer, want to pursue careers away from Westminster hes the favourite to become the next mayor of Manchester. So heres the essential question for Labour, the answer to which will define its prospects over the next decade and beyond: is it content to be a mass membership movement of anti-capitalist radicals, or does it aspire to be a party of government capable of appealing to moderate voters who do not live in cities? In Theresa May, Labour is up against a Prime Minister much more formidable than David Cameron, the gilded Old Etonian Notting Hill liberal. Her meritocratic Cabinet has more state- educated Ministers than any previous Conservative government, and more than all Labour governments since Clement Attlees in 1945. With Ruth Davidson now the most popular politician in Scotland, the Tories are beginning to look and sound like the rest of the country. Mrs May has made a direct appeal, too, to those voters who are working hard, but just managing. That message resonates. She does not want to govern for the few, but the many. He has called for 21 Church of England bishops to be removed, as well as 92 hereditary peers and requiring peers to stand down after 20 years The call came from rebel Tories after plans to axe 50 constituencies were released this week The Prime Minister has been told to prune the 'bloated' House of Lords Rebel Tory MP Charles Walker proposes cutting the 'bloated' House of Lords Radical plans to kick bishops out of the House of Lords are being proposed by MPs as the price of a controversial bid to slash the size of the Commons. Prime Minister Theresa May was last night told to prune the bloated Lords or ditch proposals to reduce the number of MPs from 650 to 600. The ultimatum from rebel Tories came ahead of the release this week of detailed proposals to axe 50 constituencies at the next General Election. The move part of a Tory manifesto pledge to cut the cost of politics will trigger bitter turf wars among MPs over whose seats will go. Senior Tory MP Charles Walker branded the plans ridiculous if they were not matched by similar measures to cut the size of the bloated and unelected House of Lords, which has 805 members. Mr Walker, chairman of the influential Commons Procedure Committee, set out a radical plan involving: Ejecting 21 Church of England bishops from the Lords, leaving only five senior Lords Spiritual including the Archbishop of Canterbury; Removing the remaining 92 hereditary peers; Requiring all other peers to stand down automatically after 20 years service. His blueprint was accompanied by warnings from other MPs that Mrs May, who has a working Commons majority of only 17, will lose the vote to reduce the number of MPs unless she makes major concessions. Labour, which could lose up to 30 seats from the shake-up, is already set to oppose the plans. And Mr Walker pointedly refused to rule out voting with Labour if the Prime Minister failed to compromise. He suggested Britain could look like a banana republic if it slashed the number of elected MPs and kept enlarging the unelected Lords. Under Mr Walker's proposals, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, would be among those to lose their seats He said: I do not believe we can contemplate reducing the number of elected representatives sitting in our Parliament before we have addressed the size of the Lords. He added that he was happy to stay with the system where peers were appointed rather than elected. But he said: We need to get the number down to 600 or below. Fellow Tory Philip Davies also attacked the MP reduction plans, and warned: Most Tory MPs do not support cutting the size of the Commons. Last night Government sources said Mrs May was committed to honouring the constituency boundaries as promised in the 2015 Tory manifesto which vowed to make votes of more equal value. One Tory MP said: We have widely different constituency sizes in terms of voters and we need to equalise so that, as near as possible, one persons vote in one part of the country is worth the same as another persons in another seat. This is the stomach-turning moment a man pushes a salivary stone out of his submandibular duct. Brandon Douglas, an American stationed with the Navy in Bahrain, posted the video to YouTube on Saturday and it was viewed nearly 200,000 times. 'I had some swelling on my sublingual gland which is right under your tongue. 'It had some pus/mucus stuff coming out so i had it looked at. Brandon Douglas, an American stationed with the Navy in Bahrain, posted a video to YouTube of a salivary stone coming out of his mouth Douglas said he felt something pushing its way out of his mouth after breakfast and decided to grab his phone before running to the bathroom to record what was happening 'Dentist said it was probably a stone developing (and) four days later I end up pushing that bad boy out. 'I guess its from not staying hydrated and some other factors. I stay pretty hydrated so I'm hoping it was a fluke,' Douglas wrote on Reddit. Douglas said he felt something pushing its way out of his mouth after breakfast and decided to grab his phone before running to the bathroom to record what was happening. The 30 second clip begins by showing Douglas's mouth open with his tongue up and a white object sticking out just beneath. The man groans as he continues to push his tongue toward the roof of his mouth. Then, a long white stone begins to emerge. The 30 second clip begins by showing Douglas's mouth open with his tongue up and a white object sticking out just beneath Using his fingers, Douglas pulls the salivary stone out of his mouth and spits in the sink Douglas lifts his tongue once again as if to check that everything has been evacuated from the duct Douglas doesn't appear to be in pain as the long, white stone slides out from his submandibular duct. Amazingly, the stone creeps out for a solid ten seconds until it is clear of the hole in his mouth. WHAT CAUSES SALIVARY STONES? "When spit (saliva) cannot exit a blocked tube (duct), it backs up into the gland, causing pain and swelling of the gland. The most common symptoms are pain and swelling of the affected gland at mealtimes. "About eight in ten salivary stones form in one of the submandibular glands. The submandibular duct is a tube, which runs from under the front of the tongue to the submandibular gland. "Most stones that cause symptoms will not go away unless they come out or are removed." SOURCE: Patient.info Advertisement It drops into his lower jaw and appears to be about an inch-and-half long. Using his fingers, Douglas pulls the salivary stone out of his mouth. Douglas lifts his tongue once again as if to check that everything has been evacuated from the duct. He spits into a sink and groans again, proclaiming: 'S***!' 'This thing was bothering me about five days. Dunno how I got it but my tongue s*** it out,' he wrote on the video. Douglas also posted the clip to Reddit and it has since received more than 700 comments. He was flown to Perth and has non-life- A pilot was lucky to escape alive after crashing a crop dusting plane into a paddock in rural Western Australia. The pilot, 29-year-old Alistair Farnhill from Victoria, was airlifted to Perth and transferred to Royal Perth Hospital after the plane crashed about 100km north of Esperance at 10am on Saturday. The plane stalled during a turn, causing Mr Farnhill to lose control, said Scott Mackie from South East Air Ag- the company that owns the aircraft. A pilot was lucky to escape alive after crashing his crop dusting plane into a paddock in rural Western Australia (pictured) 'He was very lucky but I think he was onto it,' he told PerthNow. 'He's going to be feeling a bit sore and sorry for himself, but he's still got a good sense of humour.' The pilot's injuries were originally critical, but he is now in a stable, non-life-threatening condition. Mr Mackie said the crop dusting plane is insured for about $500,000. The brother-in-law of Formula 1 heiress Petra Stunt, who was found dead at his parents 3.5 million home, did not take his own life, his family insisted last night. Lee Stunt, 37, was discovered by his father at the mansion on the exclusive Wentworth Estate in Surrey on Wednesday afternoon. Although paramedics tried to revive him, the married businessman was declared dead at the scene. Police said last night that they were treating his death as unexplained pending a post- mortem examination tomorrow. Lee Stunt, pictured with his wife Elizabeth, was found dead on Wednesday His brother James who is married to the youngest daughter of Formula 1 boss Bernie Ecclestone said last night: He was the happiest, nicest man I could ever have hoped to have had as a brother. I will never get over losing him. In a video posted online from Los Angeles, James dismissed claims his brother suffered from depression. My brother was not depressed, he said. My brother did not commit suicide. You could not have met a more positive man. He suffered from a simple anxiety condition, many people do. I do and my great father-in-law does. And last night he added: My brother died in his sleep. He took a prescription drug sometimes for occasional anxiety attacks. He did not take illegal drugs. We just dont know what caused his death. Lee's brother James, pictured with heiress wife Petra, described him as 'a positive man', and said Lee died in his sleep Lees wife Elizabeth, 34, an equestrian eventer, was yesterday being comforted by family and friends at the couples 1 million home in Binfield, Berkshire. He was the happiest, nicest man I could ever have hoped to have had as a brother. I will never get over losing him. James Stunt Lee was the CEO of Stunt & Co, a precious metals company owned by younger brother James. Their publishing director father Geoffrey and mother Lorraine have lived on the Wentworth Estate in Virginia Water, Surrey, for more than 15 years. A Surrey Police spokesman said yesterday: The death is being treated as unexplained. Formal identification and a post-mortem examination will take place in due course. James, a 34-year-old art collector, married Petra, 27 who is set to inherit half of a 2.5 billion fortune with her sister, Tamara in a lavish 12 million wedding in 2011. His older brothers death comes after he and Petra were allegedly targeted in a petrol bomb attack at their 66 million West London home. The bomb reportedly landed next to the heiresss Range Rover. Last month, Bernie Ecclestones mother-in-law Aparecida Schunck, 67, was rescued by police after being abducted from her home in Sao Paulo, Brazil. She was released after being held for nine days by kidnappers, who had demanded a 28 million ransom from the Formula 1 boss. Advertisement Donald Trump took a break from the campaign trail on Saturday to attend the funeral of conservative activist Phyllis Schlafly, who he called a 'true patriot'. Schlafly, an early supporter of the Religious Right movement who helped defeat the Equal Rights Amendment, died on Monday at the age of 92. 'We are here today to honor the life and legacy of a truly great American patriot', Trump said as he took the podium at the Cathedral Basilica of St Louis. Donald and Melania Trump touch the casket of Phyllis Schlafly, the conservative activist who died on Monday aged 92 Trump and Melania met with Schlafly's family members at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis on Saturday Schlafly, an early supporter of the Religious Right movement who helped defeat the Equal Rights Amendment, was one of the earliest prominent Trump supporters 'A movement has lost its hero. Believe me, Phyllis was there for me when it was not at all fashionable. Trust me.' Trump's attendance of the funeral of Schlafly, one of his earliest backers, was overshadowed by the the furore surrounding Hillary's disparaging of his supporters, whom she called 'deplorables'. Making the remarks on Friday, Clinton rapidly backtracked and apologized for her ill-judged remarks by which she put half of Donald Trump's supporters in a 'basket of deplorables.' Trump responded strongly, saying Clinton was guilty of a 'grotesque attack on American voters'. Less than 24 hours after she made the comments at a private New York City fundraiser, Clinton said in a statement, 'last night I was 'grossly generalistic' and that's never a good idea. I regret saying 'half' that was wrong.' But she argued that the word 'deplorable' was reasonable to describe much of Trump's campaign. Responding in a statement, Trump said it was 'disgraceful that Hillary Clinton makes the worst mistake of the political season and instead of owning up to this grotesque attack on American voters, she tries to turn it around with a pathetic rehash of the words and insults used in her failing campaign?' Schlafly, who died from cancer, was an outspoken Trump supporter, endorsing him in early March and urging Christians to support his candidacy, according to Politico. She also appeared at the GOP convention this summer as a Trump delegate and her book, The Conservative Case for Trump, was released earlier this week. 'Her legacy will live on every time some underdog outmatched and outgunned defies the odds and delivers a win for the people,' Trump said in his remarks. 'America has always been about the underdog and always been about defying the odds,' he added. Trump praised Schlafly as 'a patriot, a champion for women and a symbol of strength' after the news of her death Monday 'Phyllis was there for me when it was not at all fashionable. Trust me,' Trump said as he gave his remarks on Saturday 'Her legacy will live on every time some underdog outmatched and outgunned defies the odds and delivers a win for the people,' Trump continued as he promised Schlafly, 'We will never, ever let you down' 'The idea that so-called little people or the little person that she loved so much, could beat the system, often times the rigged system.' 'That the American grassroots is more powerful than all of the world's special interest put together, and that's the way Phyllis felt.' Trump said he believed Schlafly was looking down at the from above, telling them to 'keep up the fight, no doubt about it'. 'We will never, ever let you down,' Trump said, speaking directly to Schlafly. Schlafly rose to national attention in 1964 with her self-published book, A Choice Not an Echo, that became a manifesto for the far right. Schlafly's casket is led down the aisle at the Cathedral Basilica of St Louis as funeral attendees look on Trump said he believed Schlafly was looking down at the from above, telling them to 'keep up the fight, no doubt about it' Members of the clergy listen on as Trump delivers his remarks prior to the start of the funeral procession The book, which sold three million copies, chronicled the history of the Republican National Convention. It is credited for helping conservative Senator Barry Goldwater of Arizona earn the GOP nomination in 1964. Schlafly later helped defeat the proposed Equal Rights Amendment to the Constitution, which would have outlawed gender discrimination. But it was the Eagle Forum, which Schlafly founded in 1972, that she considered her greatest legacy. The ultraconservative group has chapters in several states and claims 80,000 members. 'I've taught literally millions of people how to participate in self-government,' Schlafly said. 'I think I've built a wonderful organization of volunteers, mostly women but some men, willing to spend their time to get good laws and good politicians.' The Eagle Forum pushes for low taxes, a strong military and English-only education. Schlafly helped defeat the Equal Rights Amendment to the Constitution, which would have outlawed gender discrimination. She is pictured in 1976 next to women opposed to the ERA Trump (pictured with Schlafly at a rally in St Louis in March) 'a conservative icon who led millions to action, reshaped the conservative movement and fearlessly battled globalism and the 'kingmakers' on behalf of America's workers and families' Schlafly (pictured at the Republican National Convention in July this year) went to every convention since 1952. She attended this year's event as a Trump delegate It is against efforts it says are pushed by radical feminists or encroach on US sovereignty, such as guest-worker visas, according to its website. The Eagle Forum also describes the Equal Rights Amendment as having had a 'hidden agenda of tax-funded abortions and same-sex marriages'. As momentum grew in the 1970s for the Equal Rights Amendment, Schlafly became its most outspoken critic and was vilified by its supporters. She had a pie smashed into her face and pig's blood thrown on her, and feminist Betty Friedan once told Schlafly: 'I'd like to burn you at the stake.' Schlafly was criticized in a 1970s Doonesbury comic a framed copy of which hung on her office wall. 'What I am defending is the real rights of women,' Schlafly said at the time. 'A woman should have the right to be in the home as a wife and mother.' Thirty-five states ratified the amendment, three short of the necessary 38. Schlafly said amendment supporters couldn't prove it was needed. 'They were never able to show women would get any benefit out of it,' she told the Associated Press in 2007. The Eagle Forum website describes the Equal Rights Amendment as having had a 'hidden agenda of tax-funded abortions and same-sex marriages'. Pictured, Schlafly leads a group of protesters as the legislature considers the amendment As momentum grew in the 1970s for the Equal Rights Amendment, Schlafly (pictured demonstrating in front of the White House) became its most outspoken critic Schlafly (pictured in 1975) had a pie smashed into her face and pig's blood thrown on her, and feminist Betty Friedan once told her: 'I'd like to burn you at the stake' The Eagle Forum, which Schlafly founded, is against efforts it says encroach on US sovereignty, such as guest-worker visas. She is pictured in 2006 at a hearing on immigration 'It [the US Constitution] is already sex-neutral. Women already have all the rights that men have.' Saint Louis University history professor Donald Critchlow, who profiled Schlafly in a 2005 book, said the defeat of the amendment revived conservatism and helped pave the way for Ronald Reagan's election in 1980. 'What the ERA [defeat] did was show the right, and especially Reagan strategists, that a new constituency could be tapped to revitalize the right,' he said. 'It allowed the right to take over the party.' Schlafly was born on August 15, 1924, and grew up in Depression-era St Louis. Her parents were Republican but not politically involved. Her own activism was born partly out of convenience. With the country involved in World War II during her college years, Schlafly worked the graveyard shift at the St Louis Ordnance Plant. Her job included testing ammunition by firing machine guns. She would get off work at 8 am, attend morning classes, then sleep in the middle of the day before doing it all over again. With the country involved in World War II during her college years, Schlafly (pictured kissing her husband Fred in 1981) worked the graveyard shift at the St Louis Ordnance Plant Her own activism was born partly out of convenience. Schlafly (pictured in 2013) chose political science as her major because it fit her schedule Schlafly (pictured at home during her years as an opponent to the Equal Rights Amendment) received an honorary degree at Washington University's commencement in 2008 Trump said he was 'honored to spend time with her'. Schlafly (pictured at a Trump rally in March) co-authored a book called The Conservative Case for Trump, which was released on Tuesday The schedule limited her options for a major. 'In order to pick classes to fit my schedule I picked political science,' Schlafly said in 2007. She graduated from Washington University in 1944, when she was 19. But Schlafly's first taste of real politics came at age 22, when she guided the 1946 campaign of Republican congressional candidate Claude Bakewell, helping him to a major win. In 1952, with her young family living in nearby Alton, Illinois, Schlafly's husband, attorney John Schlafly Jr, was approached about running for Congress. He declined, but she ran and narrowly lost in a predominantly Democratic district. She also ran unsuccessfully for Congress in 1970. Schlafly earned a master's degree in government from Harvard in 1945. She enrolled in Washington University School of Law in 1976, and at age 51, graduated 27th in a class of 204. She then received an honorary degree at Washington University's commencement in 2008. Some students and faculty silently protested by getting up from their seats and turning their backs to the stage, but Schlafly called it 'a happy day', adding: I'm just sorry for those who tried to rain on a happy day.' Schlafly was an outspoken opponent of same-sex marriage, abortion rights and loosening US border restrictions. Citing Schlafly's views about homosexuals, women and immigrants, protesters said she went against the most fundamental principles for which the university stood. Citing her views about homosexuals, women and immigrants, protesters at the commencement said Schlafly (pictured in 2010) went against the university's principles Schlafly (pictured sorting mail in her office in 1975) remained active in conservative politics well into her later years, during which she kept writing her column Trump said in a statement released Monday night: 'She fought every day right to the end for America First' Schlafly remained active in conservative politics well into her later years, during which she kept writing her column that appeared in 100 newspapers. She also did radio commentaries on more than 460 stations and published a monthly newsletter. Trump praised Schlafly as 'a patriot, a champion for women and a symbol of strength' after the news of her death Monday. He called her 'a conservative icon who led millions to action, reshaped the conservative movement and fearlessly battled globalism and the 'kingmakers' on behalf of America's workers and families'. Trump said in a statement released Monday night: 'She fought every day right to the end for America First.' Obama is also accused of failing to adequately interrogate potential future terrorists and of selling out U.S. allies to Iran Dick Cheney, the former vice president, accused President Barack Obama of doing more than any of his predecessors to 'aid America's adversaries' and 'hobbling our defenses' against Islamic terrorist groups. In a stinging Wall Street Journal op-ed co-written with his daughter, Wyoming congressional candidate Liz Cheney, the former vice president said that Obama's policies have emboldened terrorist organizations and hostile terror-supporting countries. Dick Cheney is widely regarded as the driving force behind the Bush administration's foreign policy interventions in Afghanistan and Iraq following the attacks of September 11, 2001. The United States marks 15 years since the attacks on Sunday. U.S. President Barack Obama (left) was harshly criticized in a Wall Street Journal op-ed by former VP Dick Cheney and his daughter, Wisconsin congressional hopeful Liz Cheney (right) 'President Obama has been more dedicated to reducing America's power than to defeating our enemies,' the Cheneys wrote. 'He has enhanced the abilities, reach and finances of our adversaries, including the world's leading state sponsor of terror, at the expense of our allies and our own national security,' the vice president and his daughter wrote. 'He has overseen a decline of our own military capabilities as our adversaries' strength has grown.' Obama was also faulted by the former vice president and his daughter for what they say is his dangerous downsizing of American armed forces. 'By reducing the size and strength of our forces, he has ensured that future wars will be longer, and put more American lives at risk,' they wrote. The Cheneys also took Obama to task for cancelling the 'enhanced interrogation program' the controversial detention and interrogation of suspected Al-Qaeda terrorists. Almost 3,000 Americans were killed in a coordinated terrorist attack on September 11, 2001. The World Trade Center (above) burns moments before collapsing after a plane collided into it Before taking office, Obama vowed to close down the U.S.-run detention center in Guantanamo Bay. Despite his promise, however, the administration has been unable to completely shut down the prison due to stiff opposition from Congress. Just months before Obama steps down, the prison population at Gitmo stands at 61, according to Fox News. Since 2002, the U.S. has detained 780 suspected terrorists at the facility, according to the New York Times. Most of the detainees have been sent to 59 different countries. 'As he released terrorists to return to the field of battle, Mr. Obama was simultaneously withdrawing American forces from Iraq and Afghanistan,' the Cheneys wrote. Then-president George W. Bush (far right), his vice president, Cheney (second to right), White House chief of staff Andrew Card, and National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice confer on 9/11 'He calls this policy 'ending wars.' Most reasonable people recognize this approach as losing wars.' The op-ed also goes on to accuse Obama of squandering President George W. Bush's achievements in stabilizing Iraq and of kowtowing to Iran. Responsibility for struggling against the system of Israeli administrative detention cannot only be pushed on the shoulders of captives. All Palestinians must stand up and struggle to abolish the practice Struggling against administrative detention is the duty of all of us Related Water as a weapon for racial discrimination The number of detentions that the Israeli occupation army has inflicted on the sons and daughters of the Palestinian people is estimated to be one million since the beginning of the occupation in 1967. It is estimated that approximately 40 percent of all male adults have been subject to arrest or detention at the hands of the Israeli army in one way or another. Undoubtedly, the package of military laws, prevalent military rule and the absence of a fair judiciary created a situation that cant be described except as Apartheid an unjust system based on racial discrimination, under which thousands of male and female captives suffer. There is an old saying that best describes this situation which is, What can you do when the judge is your adversary? Consequently, every detention is an injustice derived from the hegemony of the military occupation force. However, the most unjust and abusive form of detention is definitely "administrative detention," which is only practiced by the most despotic regimes. In this field, Israel has surpassed all repressive regimes in practicing it. Administrative detention allows Israelis to detain any Palestinian for six months that can be renewed forever, without pressing charges against the detainee, without the captive knowing the reason behind his detention, and even without his lawyer knowing the reason for his detention, which is kept in secret files. It is a cheap means that grants the intelligence services an absolute right in detaining whoever they want, whenever they want, and for as long as they want. I know cases in which the captives were detained under administrative detention for six years without one charge being pressed against them. Netanyahus government has innovated a new level of persecution by practising administrative detention on the day of the release of captives whose sentences had ended after they passed more than 10 years in captivity as was the case of Bilal Al-Kayed. Administrative detention isnt only unjust in itself but is an embodiment of injustice in its most flagrant form. Every Palestinian, male or female, is prone to its danger, for one sole reason: they are Palestinians. Because of this injustices flagrant nature, captives fought vigorously against it with the only weapon they had the hunger strike. All of them exposed themselves to certain death, wagering their lives for the sake of their freedom and their peoples freedom. Khader Adnan, Samer Al-Issawy, Thaer Halahla, Bilal Ziyab, Hanaa Shibly, Muhammad Al-Qiq, and now Bilal Al-Kayed, Mohammed and Mahmoud Al-Balboul, all these names became synonyms of heroism and dedication. Nobody should forget the daring exploit of the five martyrs who paid with their lives the price of continuing the battle of the hunger strike. They are Abd-El-Kader Abo-Al-Fahm, Rasem Halawa, Ali Al-Ja'fari, Mahmoud Freitekh and Hussein Obeidat. Today, there are more than 460 captives languishing in administrative detention. It isnt ethically permissible that the responsibility of the struggle against administrative detention be laid on the shoulders of these captives only. It is the responsibility of all of us, and the responsibility of the entire Palestinian people. It isnt enough to just participate in solidarity with them through some rallies and sit-ins, for the time has come in which everyone must stand up and contribute in a joint battle in order to abolish administrative detention altogether. This means that an international popular and official campaign be launched in order to expose and uncover Israel, its laws and policies, especially its system of administrative detention, which it continues to practice, and use the sanctions and boycott weapon so as to force it to abolish the practice. All of us are prone to the danger of administrative detention and all of us are called upon to struggle against it. The writer is secretary-general of the Palestinian National Initiative. Search Keywords: Short link: feared being buried' before he went missing A man who was tasered and stabbed 15 times before his body was dumped into a shallow bush grave 'always feared being buried' his grieving mother has told a Sydney court. Jacob Munro, 24, told his mother Debra Hall he hated the thought of being buried - only three months before he went missing, The Sydney Morning Herald reported. In a victim impact statement read to the NSW Supreme Court Ms Hall said: 'It was devastating to find out he had been buried for months, but more so because of the conversations we had earlier about him hating the thought of being buried.' Jacob Munro (pictured), 24, explained to his mother Debra Hall that he hated the thought of being buried only three months before he went missing Mr Munro was reported missing and five months later was found in the grave at Bulahdelah State Forest, north of Newcastle (pictured) 'I didn't know that such a dark place existed in my soul.' Nine days before Mr Munro was murdered, his killers took a trip to a forest and dug his grave. To check it was the right size, one of them climbed in to try it out. Then on July 22, 2014, Stanley Robert Forward and Donald John Cameron stabbed and tasered the 24-year-old to death. He was reported missing and five months later was found in the grave at Bulahdelah State Forest, north of Newcastle. Ms Hall did not know her son was dead until detectives came to her door to tell her his body was not only in a hospital morgue, but had been there for six weeks. Then on July 22, 2014, Stanley Robert Forward and Donald John Cameron stabbed and tasered Mr Munro (pictured) to death Forward, 23, and Cameron, 64, have pleaded guilty in the NSW Supreme Court to murdering Mr Munro and to knowingly taking part in the cultivation of 664 cannabis plants. A third man who cannot be named is also wanted in connection with the murder, and a fourth, David Ian Wilkinson, 70, has admitted to cannabis cultivation as well as receiving, harbouring, maintaining and assisting Forward, knowing he had murdered Mr Munro. The sentencing hearing will continue before Justice Desmond Fagan. It had always been Mary Massey's dream to marry her best friend Damien, according to her family. The five-year-old, who suffered from cystic fibrosis and chronic pneumonia all of her life, had been planning their wedding since she was two years old. So when doctors at Cook Children's Hospital in Texas told Mary's family she was not expected to live much longer due to her worsening condition, loved ones rallied behind her to fulfill her wish, according to WFAA. It had always been Mary Massey's dream to marry her best friend Damien, her family said. So when doctors told them she did not have much longer to live, they granted her wish Mary, who suffered from cystic fibrosis and chronic pneumonia, and her best friend Damien are shown wearing their Mickey and Minnie Mouse 'wedding' rings On Thursday evening, Mary was given her dream wedding as she married five-year-old Damien in a ceremony complete with Mickie and Minne Mouse rings and sealed with a hug. Mary was dressed in a grey princess dress and wore a pink sparkly crown while Damien wore a suit. The pair later enjoyed a cake covered in their favorite Disney characters, Mickie and Minnie Mouse. A sweet snap capturing the special day showed the best friends all dressed up as they laid next to one another, holding hands, in Mary's hospital bed. Mary was a patient at Cook Children's Hospital in Texas (pictured). She died on Friday is to be laid to rest on September 14 Less than six hours after having her dream fulfilled, Mary died 'in her mother's arms, happy and without any pain' early Friday, according to Damien's mother and Mary's godmother, Tonya Reyes-Dickerson. Mary's mother, Kayla Parker, told WFAA that even though her daughter is gone, her family's memories of her will be cherished forever. She leaves behind her mother, a nine-year-old sister and a 14-year-old brother, according to a Gofundme page set up to raise funds for hospital and funeral costs. In the 1993 blockbuster film The Fugitive, Harrison Ford plays an innocent man on death row who escapes incarceration and hunts down the real killer of his wife. This week, life imitated art at least if you believe a Florida man on trial for murder he says he did not commit. Dayonte Resiles, a 22-year-old from Broward County, Florida, is accused in the stabbing death of Jill Halliburton Su, 59, a member of the wealthy Halliburton family, during a home invasion robbery in September 2014. This past July 15, Resiles escaped from a courtroom during a hearing in the trial, triggering a six-day manhunt. Scroll down for video Dayonte Resiles, 22, could face the death penalty if he is convicted in the grisly killing of Jill Halliburton Su, a descendant of the founder of the billion-dollar oil company Halliburton In a handwritten note addressed to the judge, Resiles claims that his decision to escape was motivated by a desire to gather enough evidence that would prove his innocence Resiles jumped out of a jury box and ran from a courtroom around 9:30am, breaking free of his handcuffs and shackles and ditching his gray prison jumpsuit in a hallway. It was later determined that he received help from his girlfriend and three others as part of a plot that had been planned during jailhouse calls and visits. Following his recapture, Resiles wrote a letter to the judge hearing his case. An apologetic Resiles insisted that his intention was to gather evidence that would prove his innocence. 'I hope you don't take it personal because your (sic) one judge that I have great respect for,' he wrote to Judge Raag Singhal. The note was first obtained by NBC 6 South Florida. During a courtroom hearing on July 15, Resiles broke free of his handcuffs and shackles and escaped, igniting a six-day manhunt 'I felt I was at a dead end with nowhere to turn to,' he wrote. 'I tried to appeal to everyone to prove to them I was innocent but my voice went unheard.' 'When I escaped, my whole reason was to gather enough info on my case to prove my innocence,' Resiles writes. On September 8, 2014, the body of Halliburton Su was found by her oldest son, who was sent to check up on the house when her husband couldn't access the home's surveillance cameras at work. It's believed that Resiles broke in the house through a rear window to rob the home, but ran into Su and killed her in the process. The Davie, Florida, home was reportedly covered in blood spots and an alarm was yanked out of the wall. Investigators believe Resiles tied Su up with a green belt before stabbing her to death in her own bedroom. On September 8, 2014, the body of Halliburton Su was found by her oldest son, who was sent to check up on the house when her husband couldn't access the home's surveillance cameras The home was left ransacked - jewelry boxes and dresser drawers torn through as the suspect looked for valuable. Resiles had reportedly been accused of burglarizing other high-end homes before. If convicted, he could face the death penalty. Mrs Su's son called police when he found the body, saying he thought it was a suicide. But when authorities arrived on the scene they started investigating the death as a homicide, since the home's back door near the pool was broken and a room had been ransacked, indicating a break in. She was the grand-niece of Halliburton Oil Co founder Erle P Halliburton. Her father Louis Halliburton worked for his uncle Erle at the oil business for a few years after fighting in World War II. An African American man who was said to be eating chicken wings in the backyard of his home while holding a pocket knife was shot and killed by policeman in southern Florida. The incident occurred at around 10:00 p.m. on Friday. Gregory Frazier, 55, was reportedly using a small pocket knife to eat near his home in Pompano Beach when he was confronted by two men from the Broward Country Sheriff's Office. According to the Broward Palm Beach New Times, the officers were called to the home by Frazier's sister who had witnessed a verbal altercation between Frazier and her daughter. Scroll down for video Gregory Frazier, 55, was shot and killed by armed deputies from the Broward County Sheriff's Office at around 10 p.m. on Friday The argument between Frazier and his niece ended when the officers arrived. Still, they told Frazier to get down on the ground knowing that he had a knife. 'Leave me alone,' Frazier is reported to have replied. Soon after, both of the deputies opened fire and killed him, according to Local 10 News. Neighbors say that the officers shot him six times in the back, though this has yet to be confirmed. Deborah Frazier, the victim's sister, called the police after her brother became embroiled in an argument with her daughter Both of the deputies have been placed on administrative leave pending the results of an investigation. 'I never would have called the cops if I'd known this was going to happen,' Deborah Frazier, the victim's sister, says. 'They just came in and started shooting right away.' The Frazier killing is just the latest incident in which officers have used lethal force against African Americans, raising questions about the prevalence of racism in law enforcement. This past July, 12 police officers were shot and five killed while working at a Black Lives Matter protest in downtown Dallas. The deputies demanded that Frazier relinquish his pocket knife and get down to the ground, but he refused The officers were shot by a gunman who said he carried out the attack to revenge the two police-related deaths of black men - Philando Castile in Minnesota and Alton Sterling in Louisiana - earlier that week. In February 2016, a police officer in Raleigh, North Carolina, shot and killed a black man whom he was trying to arrest. A prosecutor ruled that the officer, D.C. Twiddy, acted in self-defense since Akiel Denkins, 24, pulled out a gun and reached for Twiddys weapon. Denkins had been wanted for allegedly selling cocaine. Also in February, a Montgomery, Alabama, police officer shot dead Gregory Gunn, 58, just a few feet away from his home. The officer, Aaron Smith, was charged with murder. Last year saw other high-profile incidents, including the death of Freddie Gray, 25, at the hands of six Baltimore police officers. In 2014, 43-year-old Eric Garner died after an NYPD officer in Staten Island placed him in an illegal chokehold during an altercation on a sidewalk. Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce says the NSW government's ban on greyhound racing is to blame for the Coalition's disastrous results in the state's local elections. A backlash against Liberals in NSW local government elections was a 'cathartic mechanism' to deal with anger over the ban, Mr Joyce said. The federal Nationals leader said there would be much analysis of the political lesson from Saturday's vote - but to him it was simple. 'Be careful of your core constituency - they bite,' he told the ABC on Sunday. Scroll down for video Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce says the NSW government's ban on greyhound racing is to blame for the Coalition's disastrous results in the state's local elections The elections came weeks after Mr Baird announced the ban, which will take effect on July 1 next year Labor claimed large swings in the western Sydney local government areas of Liverpool, Penrith, the Blue Mountains, Blacktown, Campbelltown and Camden. Independent Clover Moore was re-elected as Sydney mayor for a fourth term in the face of a challenge from the Liberals' Christine Forster. The elections came weeks after Mr Baird announced the ban, which will take effect on July 1 next year. A backlash against Liberals in NSW local government elections was a 'cathartic mechanism' to deal with anger over the greyhound ban, Mr Joyce said 'I just think that the greyhound decision has not been accepted in many areas,' Mr Joyce said Mr Joyce believed the western suburbs results reflected a reaction to the Baird government's decision to outlaw the sport. 'I just think that the greyhound decision has not been accepted in many areas,' he said. 'It's probably good that the local government election is out of the way; it's a cathartic mechanism to deal with it in some form.' A campaign to ban greyhound racing across the country gained momentum after the sensational decision by the NSW government. A campaign to ban greyhound racing across the country gained momentum after the sensational decision by the NSW government NSW announced in July it would ban greyhound racing and the ACT quickly followed suit Mr Baird made the announcement in July and the ACT quickly followed suit after a Special Commission of Inquiry following the live baiting scandal found damning evidence of animal cruelty. Live baiting has been banned for decades in Australia but it was revealed in 2015 that live animals including piglets, rabbits and possums were still being used as bait to train some of the nation's most successful dogs. 'I'm proud of the decision we have made to save thousands upon thousands of dogs from cruelty and death,' Mr Baird said in a statement last month. 'It wasn't an easy decision, but it was the right decision,' he said, adding that the government would help trainers and breeders whose livelihoods were impacted. Live baiting has been banned for decades in Australia but it was revealed in 2015 that live animals were still being used as bait to train some of the nation's most successful dogs A man allegedly used an axe to attack two protective services officers at a train station in Melbourne in the early hours of Sunday morning. A Victoria Police spokesperson said the man was approached by the two officers outside Dandenong Train Station at around 3.25am. The officers reportedly had a conversation with the man before he allegedly assaulted them. After the first attack the man is said to have run away from the officers. A man has allegedly attacked two public services officers with an axe outside Dandenong train station in the early hours of Sunday morning The incident occurred at close to 3.25am outside the suburban train station. It is alleged the man assaulted the two officers after a conversation before running away and throwing an axe at the pair 'As PSOs chased the man it's alleged he threw an axe at them,' Police spokesman Thomas O'Byrne said. Police joined in on the search for the man and he was arrested shortly after at nearby Walker Street in Dandenong. The PSO's suffered minor injuries and were treated at the scene. A 36-year-old man from Dandenong is helping police with their enquiries. Chris Noble and neighbours Bianka O'Brien, 31, and baby Jude were killed The fire exploded into the units above his store in September 2014 Khan set fire to his Rozelle convenience store in a bungled insurance scam He has lodged an intention to appeal his conviction at NSW Supreme Court to at least 30-years in jail in August A shopkeeper who killed a man and a mother and baby when he set his store on fire in a bungled insurance scam will appeal his conviction and 30-year prison sentence. Adeel Khan, 46, was sentenced last month in the NSW Supreme Court after he killed three people when he set fire to his Darling Street, Rozelle in inner-west Sydney, convenience store in September 2014. The inferno exploded into the units above his store, and killed Bianka O'Brien, 31, her 11-month baby Jude, and their neighbour Chris Noble, 27. But Khan has lodged an intention to appeal, Sydney Morning Herald reported. He has maintained his innocence and insisted three armed robbers had tied him up and set fire to his store. Scroll down for video Adeel Ahmad Khan has lodged his intention to appeal his conviction and 30-year sentence after he set his Rozelle store on fire and killed three people (pictured on sentencing day) The inferno exploded into the units above his store, and killed Bianka O'Brien, 31, her 11-month baby Jude (pictured together), and their neighbour Chris Noble, 27 The father-of-three lodged his intention to appeal just five days after he was handed a minimum 30-year sentence, or a maximum of 40-years behind bars. Khan had been found guilty in June of the murder of Mr Noble and of the manslaughter of Ms O'Brien and baby Jude. Included in his sentence is causing grievous bodily harm to Mr Noble's flatmate Todd Fisher, as well as injuring flatmate Corey Cameron. Mr Noble lived above Khan's convenient store and Ms O'Brien and her son lived next door. Chris Noble (pictured), 27, was killed in the Rozelle inferno in September 2014 11-month-old baby Jude (pictured) and his mother Ms O'Brien were killed Khan was sentenced to a minimum of 30-years or maximum of 40-years in jail Khan had set up an elaborate system of 10 petrol containers and wicks throughout his ground-floor store for a $225,000 insurance payout and to avoid having to meet lease payments, the court had heard during the trial. He was aware there were residences above his store. However, CCTV footage had caught Khan filling containers with 38 litres of petrol at a service station two days before the devastating fire. In sentencing, NSW Supreme Court Justice Elizabeth Fullerton said his motives 'were personal financial gain'. She said the fire to pull an insurance scam was 'offending of the most serious kind'. 'There is no evidence of remorse or contrition,' she said. Khan is pictured with his wife Naima Adeel. He had set up an elaborate network of 10 petrol containers and wicks throughout his ground-floor store for an insurance payout Ms O'Brien (pictured with her husband) and her family lived in the unit next to Mr Noble above the store Chris Noble (pictured), 27, lived in the unit above Khan's Rozelle convenience store The explosion tore down the Darling Street, Rozelle convenience store The vendor of the allotment lived in the family home on the property, but Advertisement A small and vacant block of land in a popular suburb has gone under the hammer for more than $2 million. The Port Melbourne property, south of Melbourne, was put on the market for the first time in 112 years and was expected to reach $1 million, but was sold for $2,055,000 on the Saturday auction. Frank Callaghan, the property's auctioneer, said property developers 'jaws dropped' as owner-occupier bidders took charge of bidding over the property, in a report by Domain. A 304 square-metre empty block of land in South Melbourne has been sold at an auction for $2,055,000 at an auction on Saturday The 186 Dow street allotment is located in the sought after Melbourne suburb of Port Melbourne Also adding to its value is the property's three block proximity to the beach and the Port Melbourne Pier 'The turnout was huge, there were people to the left of me and people to the right of me,' Mr Callaghan said. The vendor of the Port Melbourne plot, who is in his 90s, previously lived in the family home on the land but demolished it in the 1980s. The 304 square metre property has a 10 metre frontage and is 30 metres deep. It is also just three blocks from the beach and the Port Melbourne Pier. Frank Callaghan, the property's auctioneer on the day, said: 'the turnout was huge, there were people to the left of me and people to the right of me' Mr Callaghan said that finding an empty block of land in the Port Melbourne area is incredibly rare to find He added that property developers were as eager as owner-occupier bidders for this property, 'in this case, not only was the ultimate bidder desiring to build one family home... but so was the under-bidder' The vendor of the block of land, who is in his 90s, had previously lived in the family home on the property, but demolished it in the 1980s Mr Callaghan said that an empty block of land was incredibly rare to find in the sought after Port Melbourne area. 'We say, "builder, developer, come and have a look, block of land, great opportunity", and up until now the developers would compete and fire away at each other and they would win, win, win,' he said. Natalie Jeffers, from Brighton, is the 'co-founder' and 'organiser' of Black Lives Matter UK and also runs an organisation called Matters of the Earth One of the key leaders in the Black Lives Matters group in Britain missed the group's protest at London City airport because she was flying to a conference in Brazil, paid for by a government department. Natalie Jeffers, from Brighton, is the 'co-founder' and 'organiser' of Black Lives Matter UK and also runs an organisation called Matters of the Earth, in which she tries to bridge 'the gap between the academic and creative worlds'. According to The Sunday Times, her work with Matters of the Earth has been funded in part by a 50,000 grant from the Department for International Development. When a small group of activists caused London City airport to grind to a halt, Ms Jeffers was flying to the Costa do Sauipe resort in Brazil to speak at a feminist conference. From an account for Matters of the Earth, which is run by Ms Jeffers, she retweeted a message about the London City airport protest. She was flying to Brazil when the protest happened From her Matters of the Earth account, she retweeted Black Lives Matter's message: 'At London City Airport a small elite is able to fly, in 2016 alone 3,176 migrants have died or gone missing in the Mediterranean.' According to the Times, a source close to the international development secretary, Priti Patel MP, said the minister was angry about the spending and would be demanding to know why the courses were commissioned in the first place. Nice work if you can get it: The 200-a-night Costa do Sauipe resort in Brazil A spokesman for the Dfid said: 'In 2015, one of our subcontractors commissioned Matters of the Earth to produce small-scale and specific pieces of work. The money was not used for wider agendas.' Ms Jeffers was attending the Association for Women's Rights in Development congress which had been moved from May to September over fears about the Zika virus. Ms Jeffers has received 50,000 in funding from a contractor of the Department for International Development and missed a Black Lives Matter protest at London City Airport because she was flying to Brazil Ms Jeffers has stated she did not use the money for Black Lives Matter or its work. The group caused outrage when nine activists disrupted flights from London City Airport by lying on the runway for hours before they were removed by police. Several critics noticed from the photos posted by the group that all the activists involved were white, but the group defended itself, saying they were allies. Campaigner and journalist Wail Qasim, an activist with Black Lives Matter, said white people protesting had given black people a voice. Ms Jeffers has stated she did not use the money for Black Lives Matter or its work. He told MailOnline: This shows the sort of responsibility that white people should be taking. They should be willing to put bodies on the line for black rights. Youll notice that white activists have not been giving comment to the media. Really whats happened is that black voices have been able to speak off the back of the actions of the white activists. It should absolutely always be black leadership, not white leadership. As part of a piece about her background for a conference last Autumn, Ms Jeffers described herself as 'a Black feminist who draws positive energy from travelling the world, building community, cooking and sharing tasty food with empowered souls, loving friends and family'. Celebrating Christmas is under threat unless Britons stand up for traditional values in the face of political correctness, the government's integration tsar has warned. Dame Louise Casey said some council officials were worried about being called 'racist' if they promoted core British values. She cited one example where a community centre she visited had put up a 'festive tree' because the 'incredibly well-meaning white manager' did not want to cause offence by using the word Christmas. She said: 'What offence did he think he was causing? What did we ever think would be offensive about celebrating Christmas with a tree?' Dame Louise Casey said some council officials were worried about being called 'racist' if they promoted core British values Casey was asked in 2015 by former prime minister David Cameron to lead a comprehensive review into boosting integration to 'bring Britain together as one nation'. Her study is expected to be published within weeks and will hammer home the importance of upholding British cultures within ethnic communities across the UK. This, in turn, will help integration and defeat the 'hate-mongers' from the far-right and Islamic extremists, she said at a recent meeting of council leaders. Casey cited an example where a 'well-meaning white manager' had put a 'festive tree' to avoid using the word 'Christmas' Casey, who chaired the Government's troubled families unit and led an investigation into social services in Rotherham - where Asian sex gangs had abused as many as 1,600 children - said a desperation to avoid being labelled as racist meant councillors turned a blind eye to the appalling abuse for 16 years. She said: 'The council and police were in denial about what was happening in their town. That was a tragic failure, not least for the victims. 'We need to be bolder in not just celebrating our history, heritage and culture, but standing up for our democratically decided-upon laws of the land and standing up to those that undermine them', she added. Her comments will come as a blow to public figures particularly under New Labour who championed multiculturalism, the Left-wing doctrine which encourages migrants to keep their own traditions rather than integrate into British ways. Speaking to the Daily Telegraph, she added: 'It is not racist to say the pace and rate of immigration has created a lot of change in Britain and for some people that feels too much. 'Or that when a large number of people from a different ethnic or religious background suddenly move into an area that it can be unsettling for those already resident there; or that when a school has a large religious minority population, it can change its character quite quickly. 'Not talking about this and the issues that arise from it only creates more tensions.' (Beijing) - The mayor of Tianjin, one of the four largest cities in China, is being investigated for corruption, according to the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI), the ruling Communist Party's top anti-graft agency. Huang Xingguo, 61, the mayor and interim party secretary of the city's party committee, is being investigated for "serious violations of party discipline," a euphemism for corruption, the CCDI said in a tersely worded statement released late Saturday night. However the CCDI provided no details about the nature and extent of his alleged irregularities or where he is being held. Huang is the tenth person in the 205-member Central Committee of the Communist Party to have fallen from grace since party general secretary Xi Jinping began a sweeping anti-graft campaign in November 2012 amid rising discontent over rampant official corruption. Huang was last seen in public on September 9, when he went to a local school in the city's Hexi District to attend a function in the morning marking this year's Teacher's Day, according to a September 10 report in Tianjin Daily, a party-run newspaper. He held a meeting with a visiting delegation of the Nationalist Party in Taiwan in the afternoon, according to the publication. Huang, who has served as the interim party secretary of Tianjin since December 2014, held the record as the longest serving interim party secretary at the provincial level or among top city authorities. It is not clear what prevented him from being officially promoted to the top job in the port city. The key position is usually held by a member of the powerful Politburo of the party's Central Committee, the party's top decision-making body. That's the case with Beijing, Shanghai and Chongqing party secretaries. During his tenure in Tianjin, the city and its reputation were badly scarred by a deadly warehouse blast on August 12, 2015 that left 165 people dead and another eight still unaccounted for. Among other controversies, a warehouse with huge stocks of hazardous chemicals was allowed to be built within one kilometer of at least three high-rise apartment buildings and a subway station--all in violation of government safety rules, investigators found. Scores of government officials overseeing work safety and port facilities as well as company executives were detained in the aftermath of the disaster. While Huang earlier acknowledged that he needed to take responsibility for the incident, he side-stepped a question during a news conference last year about whether he would take the blame by resigning. Huang, a native of Xiangshan in eastern province of Zhejiang, spent much of his career in the eastern region rising through the ranks before he was promoted as the party secretary of Ningbo in 1998. He was transferred to Tianjin to serve as the deputy party secretary of the city in a promotion five years later. He was further promoted as the mayor in January 2008 and stayed on as the mayor of Tianjin as well as the interim party secretary in the city in December 2014. Contact reporter Li Rongde at (rongdeli@caixin.com); editor Ken Howe at kennethhowe@caixin.com The 33-year-old dad-of-eight is baffled by the A French migrant who scoffed at the offer of a five-bedroom house has refused to rule out adding to the eight children who have already helped him claim more than 100,000 in benefits. Arnold Sube is looking to move out of the three-bedroom property where he is currently residing in Bletchley, Buckinghamshire, having blown his 15,000 savings on private rent within a few weeks of arriving. He had initially been renting privately after moving from Paris to study mental health nursing but had his 1,278-per-month rent covered by the local council as soon as he had lived here for the required three-month period. Arnold Mballe Sube and his wife Jeanne, both 33, currently share their three-bedroom, end-of-terrace home in Luton with their eight young children but describe it as 'terrible' The family claim the conditions of their current home in Luton, Bedfordshire (pictured) are 'terrible', but turned down the chance to live somewhere roomier over a lack of storage space One of the houses the family turned down was a 250,000 terraced three-storey townhouse in Luton Luton Borough Council has offered him several five-bedroom properties, but the 33-year-old is holding out for more, despite threats that he might be made homeless if he does not accept an offer soon. He told The Star: 'I came with 15,000 and I paid by myself but after a few months I applied for a house on benefits. 'I love working. I have been working for the last 13 years. My intention was just to live and study while my family were still in France but my wife couldnt do it.' Their current home: The family complain they are living in overcrowded conditions with a lack of storage The main bedroom Arnold Mballe Sube and his wife Jeanne, 33, currently share with their baby Mary HANDOUTS FOR FAMILY It is not clear exactly what benefits the family claim, but as EU citizens they would be entitled to up to 25,000 a year in handouts while receiving housing benefit. In their home they have flatscreen televisions, games consoles and a Sky HD box. They have received hand-outs in the last 12 months, including: 44,000 in housing and child benefits, child tax credits and NHS course payments worth 27,000 38,400 four-month hotel stay Advertisement Mr Sube also refused to rule out adding to his family - which already consists of wife Jeanne and children Mejane, 16, 13-year-olds Fabian and Analia, Prosper, 10, Dylan, nine, six-year-old twins Sharon and Stacy, and three-week-old Mary - saying 'you never know.' The former warehouse worker does not understand why many Brits look down on him, and claims the French would be very welcoming of incoming UK families, as all his kids will have jobs and pay taxes when they grow up. 'I want to make a contribution to society. I dont like lazy people. My dad told me to work hard,' he added in the Star interview by Charles Wade-Palmer. The NHS funds the annual 9,000 cost of his three-year degree. Despite their current cramped conditions (pictured), the Subes rejected the larger house due to its lack of space Due to the size of their family, there is very little floor space left in the Sube family home but Arnold uses one bedroom as an office and gym (pictured) The family received more than 100,000 last year in benefits and while they waited to move into their current home Luton Borough Council housed them for almost four months at the town's 160-per-night Hampton by Hilton hotel. However, Luton Borough Council this week issued an ultimatum to the couple - either they accept a formal offer of another available four or five bedroom property or make themselves 'intentionally homeless'. A mystery woman could hold vital clues to the murder of Stephen Lawrence, detectives say. Forensic experts have uncovered the unidentified DNA of a woman from a bag strap found at the crime scene. No one has ever come forward to claim the black leather strap and detectives suspect it may have been left by a witness. New evidence has led to a fresh witness appeal over the murder of Stephen Lawrence (pictured) in a desperate bid to finally crack the 23-year-old murder case Forensic experts have uncovered the unidentified DNA of a woman from a bag strap found at the crime scene They have already spoken to 110 individuals, testing forensic samples from 50 of them, but are yet to identify its owner. It has also been revealed that dozens of women refused to provide DNA samples that would rule them out of the investigation. On the eve of what would have been Stephens 42nd birthday tomorrow, investigators hope revealing its existence could help them finally get justice. Senior investigator Det Chief Insp Chris Le Pere said: Since January 2016, officers have been carrying out screenings to eliminate witnesses. So far we have been unable to identify the owner of the bag strap. Fresh attempts are also being made to identify a man (pictured) captured on CCTV in a shop two hours before the attack While there is no evidence that a woman was at the scene of the attack. I need to establish who this bag belonged to, and why was it at the spot. The strap was not left by Stephen or Duwayne Brooks. Stephen, an 18-year-old A-level student, was stabbed to death by a racist mob in Eltham, south east London, on April 22 1993. His friend Duwayne fled unharmed. The murder is one of the most notorious in modern police history and failings in the original Met inquiry led to a complete overhaul in police race relations. Despite securing two convictions, Scotland Yard wants to put at least a further three suspects, and possibly four, in the dock. Hopes of a breakthrough rose three years ago after a 20th anniversary appeal prompted very significant phone calls. A police image of a witness' description of a man at the murder scene, compared with CCTV footage of a man who was in a nearby shop two hours earlier Officers now hope that publicising the latest clue will help them trace the owner of the strap. An appeal, including a reconstruction, will be shown on Crimewatch tonight with an interview with his father, Neville. The strap was found in 540 crates of material stored at a south London police station and sent for forensic review in 2014. Testing improvements led to the full DNA profile of the unidentified woman. It was left on the road beside the attack in Dickson Road, by the junction with Well Hall Road. Having reviewed statements, and re-interviewed witnesses, officers now believe that the strap may be significant. No woman has ever been linked to the crime scene and Duwayne, who was yards from Stephen when he was fatally stabbed, did not see a girl in the gang. Drug dealer Gary Dobson and gangsters son David Norris were convicted of murder by an Old Bailey jury in 2012 after campaigning by the Daily Mail. The A-level student was stabbed to death by a group of six white youths in an unprovoked racist attack at a bus stop on Well Hall Road They were nailed by damning forensic evidence discovered on clothing seized from their homes after the murder. Suspected Luke Knight and brothers Neil and Jamie Acourt have faced a private prosecution for the killing, but have never been convicted. Jamie Acourt remains on the run after disappearing this year over a 4million cannabis smuggling ring. The sixth suspect was never identified. Police also want to trace a man seen in a jacket featuring a distinctive V emblem 100 yards from the attack. They have improved grainy images of the potential witness, dubbed the V Man, captured by CCTV at an off-licence two-and-a-half hours earlier. Det Chief Insp Le Pere added: In April 2013, a man called Crimewatch and Crimestoppers saying he had information, and asked about a reward. I would ask that he contacts us again. Tomorrow would have been Stephens 42nd birthday, as another year passes the Met will continue to explore all avenues to seek justice for his tragic death. Anyone with information should contact Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111, or the Met incident room on 020 8785 8310. A search has been launched to track down the 'Humber Monster,' a sea beast said to have a head the size of an elephant, six humps and terrifying flashing eyes. Mike Covell, from the Humber Monster Watch, is hoping to track down the creature in time for Hull taking up the title of the UK City of Culture in 2017. Mr Covell has even formed a patrol to monitor the shores of the city's famous river. A search has been launched to track down the 'Humber Monster,' a sea beast said to have a head the size of an elephant, six humps and terrifying flashing eyes. Pictured, the Humber Bridge over the River Humber near Hull 'Throughout the 1920s, trawlermen from Hull had reported strange sightings of a creature in the Humber and the North Sea,' he said, according to The Express. He added: 'In 1923, a Hornsea school teacher was swimming off the coast when he was attacked by an unknown sea creature.' In the 1920s, Hull lived in constant fear of the sea beast with numerous sightings and updates in newspaper reports. Eyewitnesses at the time said it could travel at more than 100mph, had a head the size of an elephant, six humps and terrifying flashing eyes. In 1934, another frightening encounter with the monster was recorded, this time by Thomas Atkinson. He had been walking with his wife and children by the river when they witnessed something black swimming in the Humber, according to the Hull Daily Mail. Mike Covell, from the Humber Monster Watch, is hoping to track down the creature in time for Hull taking up the title of the UK City of Culture in 2017. Above, the infamous 1934 image of the mythical Loch Ness monster The creature turned to face the family and stared at them with its eyes the size of portholes until they fled in terror. In 1925, a 'giant octopus' was found by fishermen on Withernsea beach, near Hull. It was reportedly about 6ft long with eight tentacles full of suckers. Earlier this week a new photograph taken by a man in Scotland opened up the intriguing possibility that two Loch Ness monsters are at large. Ian Campbell, 56, was on a bicycle ride with his son and a family friend when he spotted two big 'creatures' apparently swimming across the Loch together. The council regulatory officer, who says he is not a man 'given to flights of fancy', is convinced that the two 'monsters' he saw and photographed were both about 30ft in length. A west Sydney man used a fence paling to stop an alleged terror attack on Saturday afternoon during which grandfather Wayne Greenhalgh was repeatedly stabbed. Sivei Ah Chong, 43, repeatedly beat Ihsas Khan, 22, on the head with a paling in a bid to stop him as he allegedly attempted to continue his attack on Mr Greenhalgh, 59, who'd been out on his afternoon walk about 4pm. Mr Khan allegedly attacked his victim in a park in Minto, causing wounds to his hands and body. Scroll down for video Grandfather Wayne Greenhalgh , 59, was repeatedly stabbed and remained in Liverpool Hospital on Sunday evening Police arrested Ihsas Khan, 22, on Saturday. He was charged and refused bail on Sunday Blood splattered across the floor of the hairdressing salon where Mr Greenhalgh sought shelter Sivei Ah Chong, 43, used a fence paling to stop Mr Khan's alleged attack Mr Greenhalgh fled to a nearby hairdresser's where he sought safety and as Mr Khan allegedly tried to smash his way in, Mr Ah Chong confronted him. 'I said "mate, put your knife down". And then that's when I walked up to him and bashed him with a [fence paling]' he told 9 News. Before hitting Mr Khan, Mr Ah Chong had asked him what he was doing. 'He said "Oh, these people are killing my brothers and sisters in Iraq.' Mr Ah Chong's son, Derek, said his father had repeatedly told Mr Khan to drop his knife, but the alleged attacker told him: 'Do it, I want you to do it', The Daily Telegraph reported. 'Then my dad grabbed the piece of wood he had used before and smashed him over the head again and he backed off then and he looked a bit dazed. Mr Ah Chong recalls how he stopped the attack upon grandfather Wayne Greenhalgh The bloodied victim was taken into the hairdressing salon (pictured) alongside the house by the owners of the property On Sunday evening, Mr Greenhalgh was in a stable condition in Liverpool Hospital 'He then started yelling "call the police, call the police, I want them to come and shoot me I want to die today",' Derek said. He said Mr Khan had been yelling 'Allah Akbar' during the attack. Mr Ah Chong said he would have died if Mr Khan had a gun. Blood was splattered across the ground a car and the door and floor of the hairdressing salon where Mr Greenhalgh took refuge. Witness Andrew Horton said somehow, the door of the salon stayed intact despite Mr Khan hitting it with the handle of his knife, headbutting it and kicking it. Police arrived at the scene and arrested Mr Khan. Paramedics treated Mr Greenhalgh at the scene before he was airlifted to Liverpool Hospital in a critical condition. Residents in Minto watch on at the scene of the attack after police and ambulance services arrived He underwent surgery and on Sunday evening was in a serious but stable condition. He had lost 'several' fingers, according to 9 news. Deputy Commissioner Catherine Burn said police would allege the 'deliberate' attack was inspired by ISIS. 'We will allege that he set out to do something yesterday, how long he had been planning this, we don't know. 'This is the new face of terrorism, this is the new face of what we deal with.' Mr Khan chose not to appear in Parramatta Bail Court on Sunday and was charged with committing a Terrorist Act and attempted murder. He was refused bail. A young man has asked KFC to compensate him with buckets of chicken after he bit into a wing and found cardboard had been deep fried into it. Nathaniel John has complained to the KFC Facebook page after ordering a 'feed' at his local restaurant in Sebastopol, at Victoria's Ballarat, on Sunday. 'To my horror as [I] bit into the final greasy, succulent piece of chicken that was the remains of my Zinger Box, I found it had an additional topping of no extra cost (thanks but no thanks),' Mr John wrote to the company's official Facebook page. A young man has asked KFC to be compensated with buckets of chicken after he claims he bit into a wing and found cardboard had been deep fried into it (pictured) 'A piece of card board with ink on it had been deep fried with my chicken wing.' He joked: 'I wasn't aware that KFC stood for "Kentucky Fried Cardboard".' In his public post, Mr John said compensation would solve the issue. 'I'm a reasonable guy, so I think that it's fair that some sort of compensation can be agreed upon,' Mr John wrote. Nathaniel John complained to the KFC Facebook page on Sunday afternoon 'So a couple of buckets of chicken home delivered for myself and the boys to enjoy on this fine Sunday would be greatly appreciated. 'Stay lit KFC.' KFC quickly responded, and told Mr John the fast food chain takes 'matters like this very seriously'. 'I'll arrange for a store manager to follow up with you directly,' the customer service representative said. Mr John told Daily Mail Australia he was yet to hear back from KFC again. Daily Mail Australia has contacted KFC for comment. KFC quickly responded, and told Mr John the fast food chain takes 'matters like this very seriously' Pregnant women are being offered shopping gift vouchers as an incentive to give up smoking as part of a university study. Dr Mai Frandsen, a research fellow from the Cancer Council of Tasmania and the University of Tasmania, said that although they are motivated to quit, expectant mothers are not armed with the right tools or strategies to quit. 'Even the women who do admit that they smoke during their antenatal appointments with their midwives, there are still quite a number who don't admit to it,' Dr Frandsen said in a report by the ABC. Expectant mothers who smoke are being offered $50 department store vouchers to stop them from smoking (stock image) The University of Tasmania will give expecting mothers $50 department store vouchers in an attempt to stop them from smoking, all paid for by a grant through the university. Tasmania has the second highest rate of women who smoke while pregnant and the aim of the study is to curb those numbers. Ladies who take part in the study will undergo a test monthly test that will detect how long they have gone without smoking. Participants will be vetted in a strict process before taking part in the research to ensure their suitability for the study. A man, 62, has been killed after a runaway plane crashed into another light aircraft on the tarmac. A light plane appeared to taxi off without a pilot when it crashed into another empty light plane parked nearby and killed a 62-year-old man on the tarmac. Police and emergency services arrived at Parafield Airport in Adelaide shortly after 4pm on Sunday, however the man from Wattle Park died at the scene. Scroll down for video A man, 62, has been killed after a runaway plane crashed into another light aircraft on the tarmac Nobody was in either aircraft at the time of the crash, South Australia police confirmed (crash scene pictured) Nobody was in either aircraft at the time of the crash, South Australia police confirmed. Witnesses said they heard a 'crash' and 'bang' when the planes collided, according to Nine News. The man's death will be investigated by police. Police will be preparing a report for the State Coroner and the Air Transport Safety Bureau will attend the airport tomorrow to conduct an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the tarmac crash. Gilligman told officers the Eiffel Tower was in fact the cell's preferred target, not Notre Dame (file image) A mother-of-three who wanted to blow up the Eiffel Tower has became the first member of France's first ever all-female Islamic State cell to be charged. Ornella Gilligman, 29, was in a high-security prison in Paris today facing trial for 'attempted murder and involvement with a criminal gang preparing a terrorist act,' said prosecutors. They were still questioning three women accomplices, after a car packed with gas cylinders was found a week ago close to Notre Dame Cathedral. While many feared the ancient place of worship was about to be attacked, Gilligman told officers the Eiffel Tower was in fact their preferred target. Sources close to the case said Gilligman's 'attempt to set fire to the car' was unsuccessful, so she ran away. A burning cigarette butt was later found in the Peugeot 607, along with six gas canisters, and three canisters full of petrol. Gilligman, who left her fingerprints in the car, fled to the south of France with a boyfriend, and they were arrested on Tuesday at a motorway service station near the city of Orange. This is the moment elite French police busted the all-female ISIS terror cell in Paris. The first woman has now been charged The gang were just hours away from launching a deadly attack on a Paris mainline train station The ISIS suspects have been named as Ornella Gilligman, Sarah Hervouet, Amel Sakaou and Ines Madani Both were said to be 'heading for Spain'. Gilligman's boyfriend has since been released without charge. Gilligman, who was already on a security watch list after trying to join the Isis caliphate in Syria, has since been interrogated at length, and was formally charged on Saturday. She told officers that 'the Eiffel Tower' was the main target of the jihadi cell, which has since been broken up by the authorities. The other members were Ines Madani, 19, Sarah Hervouet, 23, and Amel Sakaou, 39, and all were 'determined to cause carnage in Paris' according to prosecutors. Madani, whose father owned the Peugeot 607, was also on a terror watch list after trying to get to Syria. The flat the women were sharing was raided on Thursday evening, when Madani, 19, wounded an officer with a kitchen knife The teenager was shot by intelligence officers on Thursday when they found her holed up in a flat in Boussy-Saint-Antoine, south of Paris. She was carrying a 'last testament' letter pledging her loyalty to Isis, before she was seriously wounded and rushed to hospital. The Boussy-Saint-Antoine flat belonged to Amel Sakaou, who was said to be a key member of the Isis cell. In a bizarre twist, Sarah Hervouet, the third woman arrested at Boussy-Saint-Antoine, had been engaged to no less than two murderous male Isis operatives who died in France earlier this summer. Hervouet had been due to wed Larossi Aballa, 25, who killed a policeman and his partner before being blasted to death in Magnanville, 20 miles west of Paris in June. After Aballa died, Hervouet was then engaged to Adel Kermich, a 19-year-old who murdered a Catholic priest in Normandy in July, before he too was gunned down. Forensics scoured the apartment targeted during the raid, where one officer was stabbed and a suspect was shot in the head A handcuffed man (hooded, left) is taken out of a building in Boussy-Saint-Antoine, south of Paris Meanwhile, a 16-year-old has been arrested in his home in Paris for allegedly planning to carry out an attack. A security official said Sunday that the boy was arrested a day earlier after France's intelligence services 'detected a threat.' The official said the arrest isn't linked to the arrests last week of the women. The boy had already been under house arrest due to France's state of emergency in which dozens of people are under special watch, said the official who was not authorized to speak publicly about the arrest and asked not to be named. French Prime Minister Manuel Valls said on Sunday there would be new attacks in France but proposals by former president Nicolas Sarkozy to boost security was not the right way to deal with threats. The French capital was put on high alert last week when French officials said they dismantled a 'terrorist cell' that planned to attack a Paris railway station under the direction of Islamic State. 'This week at least two attacks were foiled,' Manuel Valls said in an interview with Europe 1 radio and Itele television on Sunday. Valls said there were 15,000 people on the radar of police and intelligent services who were in the process of being radicalised. Labour's Emily Thornberry accused Sky News presenter Dermot Murnaghan of sexism during an extraordinary argument live on TV today. The Shadow Foreign Secretary lost her temper after Mr Murnaghan asked her to name prominent foreign politicians. After failing to name French Foreign minister Jean-Marc Ayrault or even answer what gender South Korean President Park Geun-hye is, Ms Thornberry lashed out at Mr Murnaghan for his 'patronising' questions and claimed he did not ask similar questions of male politicians. Labour's Emily Thornberry (left) accused Sky News presenter Dermot Murnaghan (right) of sexism during an extraordinary argument live on TV today Mr Murnaghan insisted the questions were relevant to her job, which also includes shadowing the new Brexit department. But an angry Ms Thornberry shot back: 'Let's take this off air because I've got a lot to say to you and I don't think a lot of it ought to be broadcast.' Scottish Tory leader Ruth Davidson hit out at MS Thornberry, saying there were 'plenty of genuine sexism and mysogyny in politics' but said we 'don't need prominent women debasing the term to cover their own poor performance'. The remarkable exchange came at the end of a tetchy interview. When asked whether she could name the French Foreign minister Mr Ayrault, Ms Thornberry said: 'Don't start pub-quizing me, Dermot. Don't start pub quizzing me.' After Mr Murnhaghan asked again, she said: 'No, and I'm not going to start answering your questions on this. Do you know what, what really upsets me about your attitude to me, is you do this with me. I don't remember you doing it with anybody else, you know. 'Have you done it with David Davis, do Sky journalists have a go at Boris Johnson on this basis, how about Liam Fox? Did you do pub quizzes with them. I mean honestly, really, can we talk about some serious stuff? Scottish Tory leader Ruth Davidson hit out at MS Thornberry, saying there were 'plenty of genuine sexism and mysogyny in politics' but said we 'don't need prominent women debasing the term to cover their own poor performance' Emily Thornberry (left) lost her temper after Dermot Murnaghan asked her to name her foreign politicians Ms Thornberry suggested Mr Murnaghan ask her questions about Syria or North Korea, saying: 'You really want to spend this time pub quizzing me? What's with you... Sunday morning, honestly.' She was later asked if she knew who the South Korean president is. An increasingly frustrated Ms Thornberry said: 'If you want me to go with you to a pub tonight and we can do a pub quiz tonight, let's do it.' The remarkable on-air argument is the latest in a long line of headline-grabbing comments Emily Thornberry (pictured) has made Then asked if she knew the president's gender, she said: 'I'm not getting drawn by you into this nonsense.' Ms Thornberry - visibly furious with Mr Murnaghan for his line of questioning - returned to the argument at the end of the interview when she was asked about Labour's recent problems with anti-Semitism. She said: 'There is always more to be done [about anti-Semitism in Labour], there is always more to be done, and do you know what there is certainly a lot more to be done by the Tories and I certainly think sometimes, when it comes to sexism, some Sky presenters need to look at themselves too. 'I really do, it really upsets me that every time I come on here you do another pub quiz with me, because you do not do it with anyone else and I do think that it is patronising.' But Mr Murnaghan told her: 'It's not because you're the Shadow Foreign Secretary and this was about the French foreign minister Jean-Marc Ayrault ,who Boris Johnson met now several times.' It is the latest in a long line of headline-grabbing comments Ms Thornberry has made. The gaffe-prone Labour MP was sacked from Ed Miliband's Shadow Cabinet in 2014 after being accused of snobbery when she tweeted a picture of a house with three England flags and a white van parked in the drive during the Rochester by-election. She said she had 'never seen anything like it'. Emily Thornberry accused Dermot Murnaghan of 'sexism' because he asked her to name the French Foreign minister It led to days of negative headlines for the Labour party just months before the 2015 general election and helped opponents brand the party out of touch with its traditional voters. She returned to the Labour frontbench under Jeremy Corbyn, a close friend. But she again landed herself into trouble soon after being appointed Shadow Defence Secretary when she boasted she had once held a senior honorary rank in the Armed Forces while working as a legal representative at military court hearings. The Ministry of Defence dismissed her claim, insisting there was no record of Ms Thornberry, or any other civilian legal representative, being given honorary rank in respect of their work as a barrister or a solicitor. And despite being in charge of Labour's defence brief at the time, she appeared not to know the meaning of 'Defcon One' - the term for imminent nuclear war. During an internal Labour meeting on the party's review of Britain's Trident nuclear submarines, she shocked aides by asking: 'Can someone explain Defcon One and Two to me? I've only ever seen it in films.' Ms Thornberry was also caught on camera mouthing 'b*****cks' at David Cameron during Prime Minister's Questions earlier this year. Rescue operation took place in village near Raqqa, Syria earlier this month A British sniper took out a feared ISIS executioner as he prepared to murder several hostages by shooting a fuel tank on his back and incinerating him. The SAS marksman fired a single round from his Barrett .50 calibre sniper rifle at the terrorist, who was about to use a flame thrower to kill 12, from 1,500m. The bullet hit the flame thrower's fuel tank and caused a huge fireball, also killing three other ISIS members who were ready to film the execution. A British sniper took out a feared ISIS executioner as he prepared to murder several hostages by shooting a fuel tank on his back and incinerating him (stock image) A source told the Daily Star Sunday how the rescue operation took place in a tiny village near Raqqa, Syria, earlier this month. Shortly after the explosion, the prisoners - thought to be civilians - were freed by British and US special forces. The ISIS executioner killed in the mission is said to have been on a US 'kill list' for several months, due to his method of slaughtering prisoners by burning them alive. The source told the newspaper: The SAS team moved into an overwatch position above a village where they were told the execution was going to take place. The SAS marksman fired a single round from his Barrett .50 calibre sniper rifle at the terrorist, who was about to use a flame thrower to kill 12, from 1,500m (stock image) Up to 12 civilians were going to be murdered eight men and four women. They were suspected of being spies. The executioner gave some sort of rambling speech over a loud hailer then when he finished the SAS sniper opened fire.' The rescue comes a few months after another SAS sniper took out two ISIS car bombers with a single shot when they were driving towards their target in Libya. The heroic sharpshooter saved hundreds of lives by hitting the driver in the head with a deadly shot from 1,000m. The bullet went through the driver's skull and lodged in the passenger's neck, killing them both. Kitchen staff at a pub allegedly attacked two lost ducklings before appearing to burn the head off one of them, witnesses claimed. One of the ducklings was recovered alive from the garage of the hotel in Launceston, Tasmania, and is being cared for by an animal rescuer, but the other was found decapitated. Images of the body obtained by Daily Mail Australia show that its head appeared to have been burned off and the neck was blackened like it had been torched with a flame. Kitchen staff at a pub allegedly attacked two lost ducklings before appearing to burn the head off one of them, witnesses claimed Images of the body obtained by Daily Mail Australia show that its head appeared to have been burned off and the neck was blackened like it had been torched with a flame The ducks came to be in the garage after two women reunited them with their mother after seeing them wandering around a nearby carpark. But the ducklings were scared by passing cars and ran into the pub's garage through the open rollerdoor. Adina Purton and Melissa Singline said on Facebook that when they tried to retrieve the birds, the door was closed in their face as the chefs joked that they would 'shoot the ducks if they didn't get out of the place in five minutes'. The women claimed they contacted a wildlife rescue group but were soon told by a manager that 'one of the ducklings had been found dead on the floor'. The surviving duckling (pictured) is being cared for by an animal rescuer until it can be given to the RSPCA The animal was said to be in good health despite its alleged beating 'We were then handed a box which contained a small head less baby duckling. I am absolutely disgusted that anyone would mistreat an animal this way especially when we had given them fair warning that help was on its way,' Ms Purton wrote. Ms Purton's post has since been shared more than 2,000 times with more than 1,000 comments. Tasmanian Police said on Sunday that they attended the restaurant and believed the ducklings death was an accident. 'From what I can see it certainly wasnt intentional. They were trying to save it,' they said. However, the RSPCA was investigating the alleged animal cruelty. 'We'll have a look at the case, we'll talk to police and we'll see how best to address the situation on Monday,' RSPCA Tasmania chief executive Peter West told ABC. Adina Purton wrote on Facebook how the ducklings came to be in the pub after she and a friend tried to reunite them with their mother Pub owner said in a statement on Sunday night that the 'very unfortunate incident' was a 'complete accident' and staff had been upset by abuse on social media. He said police had spoken with those involved, and the manager on duty, and believed the duckling's death was an accident. 'My staff and I are emotionally upset with the abuse we have received on Social media and people calling and leaving abusive messages,' he said. Her friend Melissa Singline shared Ms Purton's post and added her own thoughts on the incident Ms Purton's post has since been shared more than 2,000 times with more than 1,000 comments, with Melissa thanking commenters for their support He earlier claimed in a now-deleted Facebook post that there was no foul play and it was unknown how it died. 'Where the ducks walked into was an area where high shelving sits and some wire, we don't know what happened and there was no one in the room to see what happened,' he wrote. 'As an animal lover and have my own pets (sic) I am disgusted to have just heard of this.' Archaeologists in Peru have found more than a dozen ancient tombs at a coastal ruin complex, including the remains of two children whose feet were cut off. Experts digging at Chotuna-Chornancap, in north Lima, discovered 17 graves dating to at least the 15th century. This included the graves of six children placed side by side in pairs of shallow graves. Two of them had their feet cut off in an apparent ceremonial sacrifice to become 'guardians' for others buried nearby. The rest of the graves contained adult men and women who also had injuries on their bodies, suggesting they may have been sacrificed as well. Six children were found in paired graves to the north, east and west of the temple, and two were footless, as though amputated The rest of the graves contained adult men and women who also had injuries on their bodies A vase decorated with the figure of Naymlap, hailed as the father of the Lambayeque civilisation Haagen Klaus, a bioarchaeologist at George Mason University who has worked at Chotuna-Chornancap, told the Guardian: 'It's not unusual that sacrifices are made to those individuals, sometimes during the funeral or even years or generations afterward. 'But we can see that a number of the individuals that were buried were children and that does fit into the larger pattern of ritual sacrifice.' Archaeologists also found one 'high-status' tomb in the middle of the sprawling complex - as it was discovered along with various offerings including two clay pots, a sculpture of a smiling man and a vessel carved into the shape of a coquero, a person who chewed coca leaves. The temple complex was discovered in 2010 and so far, more than 50 sacrifice victims have been found at the site spanning hundreds of years and at least three civilisations. Experts digging at the site have also found evidence that followers of Naylamp, the mythical founder of Sican society who according to legend emerged from the sea and became a god, may have existed in reality. Naylamp built palaces and temples and when he died, his servants entombed him in secret to ensure his legend. When Adam Whittington and his colleagues saw the Channel Nine inquiry into the botched 60 Minutes child abduction while they were in prison, they used it as toilet paper. The child recovery expert returned to Australia last Saturday after four months in Lebanese prison and has finally given his account of events after the failed attempt to recovered Queensland woman Sally Faulkner's children from her former partner in Beirut. Speaking to Channel 7's Sunday Night without payment, he discussed prison conditions, payment of $USD500,000 to Ms Faulkner's ex-husband Ali Elamine by Channel Nine and disgust at a report into the incident - and the incident itself. He said of the Nine Network 'They just want to keep me quiet, honestly they don't want the truth to come out. To stop me sitting here in front of you or anyone else'. Scroll down for video Child recovery expert Adam Whittington has told his side of the botched 60 Minutes child snatching debacle after finally returning to Australia from Lebanon Mr Whittington became visibly emotional when recalling his time in Lebanese prison A cheque allegedly showing the payment of $USD500,00 to Ali Elamine from Channel Nine He also confirmed his team were directly paid $115,000 by 60 Minutes to cover fees and expenses, and said that they could prove Nine's claims about the money were 'a lie'. His wife called attempts by Channel Nine to backtrack over stories about the payments a 'big lie'. Mr Whittington appeared distraught when he recalled his time in prison. Recalling an incident in prison where he witnessed the treatment of a man believed to be gay, he began to cry. Brisbane mother Sally Faulkner with her two children. An attempt was made to abduct the kids from their grandmother on a Beirut Street in April Ali Elamine and he and Sally Faulkner's two children '[Prison] was pretty bad. It's just one of those places you don't want to remember.' Rats were common in their cell. His mother, Georgina Whittington, described receiving letters from him detailing water with maggots in it, being kept in a 'dungeon' and no showers for five weeks. Meanwhile, the 60 Minutes team were having pizzas delivered and getting coffees, Mr Whittington said. Eventually, Channel Nine paid Mr Elamine what Mr Whittington said was 'compensation for the working team' - but only the 60 Minutes crew, not his child recovery team. The 60 Minutes crew went home while they remained in prison - and while three of them are free, one is still in jail. As for the actual snatching of Ms Faulkner's children, he said there were no injuries. Mr Whittington said his team were used as scapegoats after the debacle Afterwards, he claimed the children were 'so, so happy'. How the authorities were tipped off was a 'mystery' he said. Mr Whittington said when Mr Elamine saw him after the arrest, the other man said: 'Welcome to Lebanon you c***. This is not Australia now, you're f***ed'. Mr Whittington said his team were scapegoats - and so was Channel Nine producer Stephen Rice, who was sacked over the incident. He denied being a kidnapper and said his motivation was the satisfaction of seeing children reunited with their parents. In addition, he said he didn't believe his team were breaking any laws However, he added he wouldn't be 'doing any more jobs like this. I'm not risking my family'. Australian television presenter Tara Brown and producer Stephen Rice arrive at Sydney International Airport on April 21 The airport worker who checked in two of the hijackers who flew a plane into the Pentagon on 9/11 has spoken about the guilt he feels and the long road to recovery. Vaughn Allex was working at Dulles Airport, Virginia, when two brothers rushed in late for American Airlines Flight 77 to LA. He checked them in anyway - and within hours 184 people were dead. It's a decision that haunts him to this day. 'Hardly a day goes by when there's not some kind of reminder,' he told KCBY. Regret: Vaughn Allex was working for United in Dulles airport on 9/11 when two brothers came in late for their flight. He checked them in anyway - unaware that they would hijack the plane Hijackers: These men flew Flight 77 into the Pentagon. Allex helped Nawaf and Salem Alhazmi get on board. The FBI and FAA both said he wasn't to blame but he still feels guilty Destruction: The deal toll from the Pentagon crash (pictured) was 184 It wasn't until September 12, when FBI agents showed him the manifest for Flight 77, that Allex realized what had happened. On that list were the names Salem and Nawaf Alhazmi - the two brothers who had arrived late, and later hijacked the flight along with three others. 'I looked at the FBI agents and they looked at me and they knew, and I just went, "I did it, didn't I?"' Allex said. 'They said, "You did what?" I said, "I did it, I put them on the plane."' Both the FBI and FAA said Allex did nothing wrong. But that did little to assuage his own guilt - or the anger of his colleagues. Every day he would arrive at work to find that he was completely alone: No-one would even talk to him. Even support groups were little help, he told NPR's StoryCorps. 'How do I sit in a room with people that are, that are mourning and crying and they're like, "What's your role in this whole thing?"' he asked. 'What could he say to them? "Well, I checked in a couple of the hijackers and made sure they got on the flight."' Fallout: Afterward, Allex's colleagues refused to speak to him and he found the guilt overwhelming His guilt was so bad that when one customer mentioned that her husband had been killed in the 9/11 attacks, he misheard her as saying 'You killed my husband on September 11.' It was only the support of his family and close friends who got him through the years that followed. 'It was pretty bad, it was pretty much a bottomless pit for a long time,' he told KCBY. Help: He has been able to overcome the guilt with help from his close friends and family, including his wife Denise (left) But he managed to keep going. In 2008 he quit his job and went to work for the Department of Homeland Security. He visits the National 9/11 Pentagon Memorial multiple times every year, and attends the annual Rattle the Runway Ride at Dulles Airport, in which motorbike enthusiasts commemorate the fallen. And slowly, he says, he's coming to terms with what happened. 'I feel like in some ways I've - I really have come out of a shadow over the last 15 years,' he told NPR, 'and I'm - I'm back in the light now.' Details of how university researchers suffocated greyhound dogs, then took out their hearts and put them back in before killing them for a second time have shocked animal rights activists. Scientists from Monash University in Victoria published the paper about how donated organs, such as hearts, could be preserved, revived and used even after the donor dies. Humane Research Australia chief executive Helen Marston has criticised the use of greyhounds in the study as 'unnecessarily cruel', according to a report by the Sydney Morning Herald. Researchers from Monash University conducted experimental studies on greyhound dogs (stock image) that looks into how donated hearts can be preserved before the donor dies 'People believe these things happened a long time ago or somewhere overseas, but these experiments are happening right here, right now, under our noses,' Marston said. 'Quite a lot of them are paid for with our tax dollars,' she added. The scientists used 12 greyhounds who were all put under general anesthesia until they stopped breathing to 'achieve circulatory death'. Afterwards, their heart was removed and left to preserve for hours. The hearts were then reinserted back into the greyhounds who were revived and monitored before being euthanased. A statement on the website HRA states that they are: 'opposed to the use of all animals in research and teaching on both ethical and scientific grounds.' Humane Research Australia chief executive Helen Marston has criticised Monash University's (building pictured) the use of greyhounds in the study as 'unnecessarily cruel' 'The use of greyhounds however, is of particular concern when we consider they are discarded from another unethical and very cruel industry,' it said. 'Dogs are not simply laboratory 'tools' for researchers to use at their leisure. These experiments are unethical, unreliable, and unnecessary.' On July 1, New South Wales Premier Mike Baird introduced a statewide ban on greyhound racing in response to an inquiry into the greyhound racing industry. A Dirt Late Model racer has died after a multi-car crash at Eldora Speedway in Ohio. Shane Unger, 35, of Rossburg, died at Mercer County Community Hospital in Coldwater on Saturday night. The crash happened during a late restart in the second heat race at the World 100, the track said. Racer Shane Unger (above, with his daughter) has died after a multi-car crash on Saturday It says emergency crews quickly attended to Unger and placed him in an ambulance to transport him to the hospital. The Unger family has conveyed their appreciation of the prayers and support expressed by the racing community and requests their privacy be respected at this time, the track added, in a statement. The track is owned by three-time NASCAR Sprint Cup champion Tony Stewart, who was racing at Richmond International Raceway on Saturday. A team spokesman said after the race that Stewart had not been informed of the driver's death. Unger died at Mercer County Community Hospital in Coldwater, Ohio, on Saturday night The crash happened during a late restart in the second heat race at the World 100 at Eldora Speedway (above, file photo) In August 2014, Stewart fatally struck 20-year-old fellow driver Kevin Ward Jr. in a sprint car race in upstate New York. Ward's parents have filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Stewart claiming that he acted recklessly when he struck and killed the young driver in an open-wheel race at Canandaigua Motorsports Park in upstate New York. But an Ontario County grand jury cleared Stewart of any criminal wrongdoing. Rebel Labour MPs could return to the Shadow Cabinet as they signalled they could agree a truce with Jeremy Corbyn if he is re-elected leader. The veteran left-wing leader suffered 20 resignations from the Shadow Cabinet and 80 per cent of Labour MPs signed a vote of no confidence in his leadership in June. But after Mr Corbyn refused to stand down and polls show he is on course for another resounding victory in Labour's leadership election, some among the rebels are considering a return to serving in his top team in a bid to unite the party. Rebel Labour MPs could return to the Shadow Cabinet as they signalled they could agree a truce with Jeremy Corbyn (pictured at a campaign rally in Yorkshire yesterday) if he is re-elected leader Such a move would suggest Labour moderates are resigned to Mr Corbyn staying as leader for the foreseeable future and are resistant to splitting from the party, a move that was muted among some in the party over the summer. But they will demand significant concessions for agreeing to return to the frontbench. Moderates will demand they have more of a say over the running of the Shadow Cabinet, the return of Shadow Cabinet elections and assurances that he will not attempt to de-select MPs who opposed his leadership. Labour MPs voted overwhelmingly in favour of bringing back shadow cabinet elections, which they see as a way of curbing Mr Corbyn's power over policy. But the policy still needs to be backed by the party's ruling National Executive and a vote at conference to come into affect. Mr Corbyn has struggled to fill positions in his Shadow Cabinet that were left vacant after the mass resignations and he has signalled he is willing to talk to critics in order to end the farce and have a full team to take on the Tories in the Commons. Jeremy Corbyn (pictured campaigning at Featherstone Rovers Rugby stadium in Yorkshire yesterday) struggled to fill all the positions in his Shadow Cabinet after the mass resignations in the summer Plans for Labour rebels to agree a truce with Jeremy Corbyn signal they are resigned to him beating leadership challenger Owen Smith (pictured on the Andrew Marr Show today) One of the rebel MPs told the Sunday Telegraph: 'There is a sense in the Labour party as a whole that we should try to come together. 'But that is only going to be possible if there is a completely new arrangement and some indication from Corbyn that he really wants to cooperate.' A poll earlier this month showed Mr Corbyn was 24 points ahead of challenger Owen Smith in the leadership election, which would give him his second landslide victory in just one year after Labour MPs forced a leadership contest in the summer. The YouGov survey put Mr Corbyn on 62 per cent compared to just 38 per cent for Mr Smith. Mr Corbyn's right-hand man and Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell insisted they would listen to critics and attempt to learn the lessons of splits in the party if the left-winger is re-elected. He also said Mr Smith would be welcome to return to the frontbench despite the bitter leadership contest to help heal the wounds in the party. Speaking to the BBC today, Mr McDonnell said: 'I have always looked upon him as a mate, I have always looked upon him as someone who is incredibly talented and someone who could, I think, make a major contribution.' 'What I hope happens at the end of this election campaign, that phrase 'what's said on tour, remains on tour' I think will apply,' he said. Jeremy Corbyn's right-hand man and Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell (right) insisted they would listen to critics and attempt to learn the lessons of splits in the party if the left-winger is re-elected 'Once the decision is made, the ballot is cast and we have the count, I think Labour MPs, the vast bulk of them and the vast bulk of our membership, the whole of the movement, I think, will unite behind the new leader.' Mr Smith is hoping to win votes in the leadership contest by promising to keep Britain in the EU. Today he even suggested he could sign Britain up to the euro and the borderless Schengen zone if he was elected Prime Minister. The Labour leadership hopeful said if the country had broken from Brussels by the time he takes office he would be prepared to reapply to join the EU. Mr Smith said he would fight a general election making a 'really strong case for us to stay' in the EU, but if the country had already left then 'hypothetically' he could apply for the UK to rejoin. Owen Smith (pictured) is hoping to win votes in the leadership contest by promising to keep Britain in the EU Theresa May has said she will not trigger Article 50 - which begins the formal two-year exit period - before the end of the year, but if she were to take the step next year the UK would leave in 2019, before the next scheduled general election. Although formal negotiations on the Brexit terms cannot be thrashed out until Article 50 is invoked, Mr Smith disputed that and said Mrs May must reveal her plan. 'If she were to trigger Article 50 before the British public knows what the real Brexit deal is, I think that would be dereliction of duty on her part,' he told BBC's Andrew Marr Show. 'My point is simple - once we know what the deal is, that's the point at which you have an extra democratic moment in Britain.' Asked if he would try to regain entry into the EU after Brexit if he was in Number 10 following the 2020 general election, Mr Smith said: 'I think it's very hard to answer because it's a hypothetical question ... If we had gone into a further recession, if we had the prospect of another 10 years of Tory austerity, if they were saying that the price of our staying out is opening up the NHS to private sector competition, it is worse terms and conditions - more flexibility and less red tape as the Tories would no doubt dub it - then I think the sensible and responsible thing for a Labour government to do is to say we are better off in the European Union.' Asked whether, as a new member, the UK could be obliged to sign up to the single currency and the Schengen Area, Mr Smith said: 'Potentially, but again we are getting into hypotheticals built on hypotheticals. The father of a four-year-old girl who has not suffered a seizure since he began treating her with 'life-saving' medical cannabis maintains breaking the law is his only option. Each of the thousands of seizures little Katelyn has suffered have caused brain damage and had the potential to be fatal, after she was diagnosed with Dravet syndrome when she was six-months-old. But the NSW Central Coast girl has not been hospitalised with a seizure in 10-months, since her father Michael Lambert began importing cannabis paste from Denmark. Despite the possibility he will be sentenced to prison on charges of possession and cultivation of the drug, Michael said the treatment has been his only option, he told Channel Nine's 60 Minutes. Scroll down for video Katelyn Lambert, four, has not been hospitalised with a life-threatening seizure since she began treatment with medical cannabis 10-months ago (pictured in a crop field) The NSW Central Coast girl has Dravet syndrome and has suffered thousands of seizures, which once sent her to hospital once every two weeks 'You can't make a father watch his daughter die,' Michael told the program, which aired on Sunday night. 'Any law that says I have to watch her die and not look after her is a stupid law, and needs to be changed.' His father, Sydney financier Barry Lambert, has supported the use of medical cannabis despite the charges hanging over his son's head. 'We're just doing what's right,' Barry said. The grandfather last year donated $33.7 million to the University of Sydney's research into the treatment, marking one of the biggest private grants to medical research in Australian history. Her father, Michael Lambert (pictured), has been charged with possession and cultivation of the drug Katelyn's grandfather, Barry Lambert, donated $33.7 million to University of Sydney to research the treatment The family said Katelyn improved 'from the first day' of consuming medical cannabis. 'I just said to my wife: 'Holy smokes, it works,' Michael said. 'Instead of all this noise in her head, it was just clear instead of jerking and dribbling. The father reiterated medical cannabis does not give his daughter a high, and confirmed Katelyn takes other medication. He said it had given the family hope, despite a low life expectancy for children with Dravet syndrome. 'It's an amazing plant. It's given us amazing hope that there is a future for Katelyn.' Michael said he remained hopeful despite the harm her seizures have caused. 'We can see the damage but we also know she's got a growing brain. She's got a hope. She's got a future. If we can stop the seizures then we can give her that future,' he said. 'I just said to my wife: 'Holy smokes, it works,' Michael said. 'Instead of all this noise in her head, it was just clear instead of jerking and dribbling' 'It's an amazing plant. It's given us amazing hope that there is a future for Katelyn,' her father said (Katelyn pictured playing with her grandmother, Joy) Katelyn is pictured with her grandparents Barry and Joy looking at crops of cannabis He was arrested and charged last year with cultivation and possession of marijuana, and has pleaded not-guilty in the hopes he will be let off on medical necessity. 'I'm not gonna have a criminal record. I'm gonna win,' Michael told 60 Minutes. Barry said the longest seizure Katelyn has ever suffered lasted two-and-a-half hours, and Dravet syndrome once had her hospitalised every few weeks until she began treating it with medical cannabis. 'It appears it works miracles for her. But that's why the research needs to be done to understand the science behind it and to prove beyond doubt that it works and what the long-term impacts would be,' Barry told Daily Mail Australia last year. 'It's very hurtful when they have a seizure. No one wants to see a child sick when they're young,' he said at the time. Barry is a former Commonwealth Bank executive and is the chairman of Count Financial. Footage has revealed the eerie interior of an abandoned ISIS courthouse in Fallujah - where frightened prisoners would be sentenced to die. Inside, the walls are adorned with ISIS flags, while a basement area houses several iron cages designed to hold people captive before their fate was decided. Deliberately built in a mixture of shapes and sizes, the cages were designed to force the person being held captive into uncomfortable positions, such as having to permanently kneel or crouch down. Prisoners would then be dragged up to the courtroom above, where designated ISIS judges would carry out trials. Inside, the walls are adorned with ISIS flags, while a basement area houses several iron cages designed to hold people captive before their fate was decided Footage has revealed the eerie interior of an abandoned ISIS courthouse in Fallujah - where frightened prisoners would be sentenced to die The video shows old court papers, which include photos and documents of proceedings and complaints concerning conflicts between ISIS members During hearings, those in captivity would be handed violent sentences, be it the removal of limbs or even death During these hearings, those in captivity would be handed violent sentences, be it the removal of limbs or even death. The revealing footage also shows documents held within the court, seemingly containing information of those who were tried and their sentences. The building, discovered by Iraqi soldiers after ISIS fighters were driven out of the area, is thought to have been in use as late as June. Standing at the site, Iraqi Army Brig, Jalil Abdulredha, told NBC: 'They used to imprison locals in iron cages like animals. 'They made different shapes of cages for different positions, such as kneeling and standing. This shows the brutality of this terrorist organization.' The building, discovered by Iraqi soldiers after ISIS fighters were driven out of the area, is thought to have been in use as of June Deliberately built in a mixture of shapes and sizes, the cages were designed to force the person being held captive into uncomfortable positions During these hearings, those in captivity would be handed violent sentences, be it the removal of limbs or even death Private schools are expecting a boost in applications from middle class children who fail to get into grammars, the head of a body representing independent schools has said. Neil Roskilly, chief executive of the Independent Schools Association, warned that Theresa May's plans to allow all schools in England to select pupils on the basis of academic ability will trigger an exodus of the middle classes from state education. Parents whose children fail the 11-plus exam for grammars will prefer to pay for private education rather than send their kids to second-rate state schools, he predicted. Private schools are expecting a boost in applications from middle class children who fail to get into grammars, the head of a body representing independent schools said today. Pictured, Eton College in Berkshire, England Mr Roskilly, who represents nearly 400 private schools, said parents were already using independent schools as an 'insurance' in case their children fail to get into grammars in parts of England. Last week Mrs May announced sweeping school reforms that would allow all schools to convert to a grammar or selective school, including existing state comprehensives and academies. Justine Greening, the Education Secretary, will start the parliamentary process of lifting the ban on new grammars tomorrow when she introduces a green paper in the Commons proposing wide-reaching school changes. New grammar schools will have to take a quota of pupils from poor backgrounds, or open a non-selective school to run alongside. The consultation for change also proposes to force private schools to open or sponsor local state schools or risk losing tax breaks. Neil Roskilly, chief executive of the Independent Schools Association, warned that Theresa May's plans to allow all schools in England to select pupils on the basis of academic ability will trigger an exodus of the middle classes from state education Schools would have to open up for a fresh wave of selections for 14 and 16-year olds, which Mrs May said would avoid the 'cliff edge' fears in the selection system. Mr Roskilly said the radical changes could boost private schools. He told the Observer: 'The most thriving independent schools are actually in areas where there are grammar schools now. 'The expectations of parents are raised through preparation for the 11-plus test in places such as Kent Tunbridge Wells is a classic example. 'And those parents then say, "We didn't get in but I am not going to go into the maintained sector". 'For every grammar school that is created, there are three or four of what used to be called secondary moderns. That's the great fear for the middle classes. 'So they then look at the independent schools as an insurance offer in those areas. I can see that happening more and more across the country.' Five councils have already drawn up plans to open new grammar schools. Kent county council today revealed plans to open a boys' grammar school in Sevenoaks along with existing proposals to expand a girls' grammar school, which it already has permission for. Thurrock council in Essex said it was 'not hanging about on this' and is already planning its bid for a share of the 50million the Government will make available for expansions. But further Cabinet splits over the policy have emerged, with senior ministers warning the return of selective schools could backfire and was an unwise move considering the Tories' slim majority in the Commons. A 26-year-old woman was found safe in the woods on Saturday, 10 days after she went missing from a New Jersey Starbucks, authorities said. Tammy Kim was found by a hunter in Ogdensburg, less than three miles away from the Starbucks in Franklin where her father dropped her off on September 1. Kim disappeared by the time her parents returned three hours later to pick her up, and both her phone and laptop were later found at a nearby shopping mall, the New Jersey Herald reported. Tammy Kim (pictured left and right) was found by a hunter in Ogdensburg, less than three miles away from the Starbucks in Franklin where her father dropped her off on September 1 Kim disappeared by the time her parents returned three hours later to pick her up, and both her phone and laptop were later found at a nearby shopping mall Kim's parents said she appeared 'disoriented and confused' in the surveillance footage they found of her at a laundromat (pictured) after she disappeared Kim, an aspiring artist and teacher, was spotted by a man on the first day of bow hunting season for deer in Sussex County, according to a statement released by her family. She was flown to Morristown Hospital for a medical evaluation, and detective Nevin Mattessich told CBS: 'She look ed as good as someone could look being in the woods for as long as she was. 'We dont believe preliminary she was assaulted...She obviously didnt appear fine, but no obvious signs of injuries initially,' Mattessich added. Kim's parents announced she was found, thanking law enforcement before adding: 'We ask for privacy and continued prayers as Tammy continues to slowly recover.' Kim's parents, who put up missing posters for their daughter and organized friends and family to search for her, had mentioned her health problems. They said she had not been feeling well the morning she went missing, a possible side effect from not having taken medication for an autoimmune disorder, CBS reported. Her parents said she had not been feeling well the morning she went missing (pictured, the Franklin Starbucks where Kim was dropped off on September 1) She often went to the Starbucks where her parents dropped her off at 10am last Thursday. But the 26-year-old was not at the coffee shop around noon when her parents returned, and she was later spotted on surveillance camera at a laundromat. Her mother wrote on Facebook: ' We learned that she must have been feeling disoriented and confused only after we saw the video footage from the stores.' Her phone was found about 1.5miles away from the Starbucks, and her laptop was left in a planter at a shopping mall, according to the New Jersey Herald. Hillary Clinton recalled seeing 'the burning pile' of where the World Trade Center had stood just one day after the Sept. 11, 2001 terror attacks reminding CNN's Chris Cuomo that she visited Ground Zero before President George W. Bush. 'It was as close to a depiction of hell that I have ever personally seen,' she recounted to Cuomo, in an interview that aired Sunday to mark the 15th anniversary of 9/11 shortly before she hurriedly left a memorial service in New York City. Her campaign later told reporters that the former secretary of state had become 'overheated' while video of the incident shows her stumbling and bobbing before her aides and security detail usher her inside a black van. Clinton, a New York senator at the time, said she was in Washington during the attacks, though took a FEMA plane with her colleague, Democratic Sen. Chuck Schumer, to survey the damage in Manhattan the next day. Scroll down for video Hillary Clinton sat down with CNN on Friday for an interview aired on CNN Sunday, marking the 15th anniversary of the 9/11 terror attacks Hilary Clinton, then a New York senator, recalls visiting Ground Zero and made sure to note that she was onsite before President George W. Bush 'We saw this curtain of black smoke that was stretched across the island, basically,' she said. 'Occasionally it would be broken by a firefighter coming out.' Clinton was both complimentary and critical of the Bush Administration, pointing out first that the Republican hadn't allotted federal funds to help with the cleanup of New York. 'We got word that the White House had shockingly sent up a request for $20 billion because, of course, the Pentagon had been hit and we had to start hardening our security,' she explained. 'And there wasn't one penny for New York.' Clinton recalled getting the late Sen. Robert Byrd, the appropriations committee chairman, in her corner: 'Consider me the third senator from New York,' he said. And also getting Bush to commit to $20 billion for New York as well. 'And he meant it,' she said, complimenting the former commander-in-chief. 'This was the day before he himself went,' Clinton said of meeting with Bush at the White House and relaying to the president what she had seen on the ground. She used that experience to also whack Bush for his administration's view on helping the first responders. 'I saw so many problems that others weren't yet aware of because I was listening and watching and one of the things was what was happening to the people in the neighborhoods and particularly the people working on the pile,' she said. 'Because it was clear they were being affected by this toxic brew of what had been bombed by planes and was in the air,' Clinton continued. 'And, unfortunately the administration kept saying there's no evidence of that, but you could see the evidence, you could smell it, you could taste the evidence,' she added. 'So I became very passionate about everyone whose own health was going to be damaged because they had put themselves out to help.' Newly-released audio from 2003 reveals a fiery Clinton who was angry at both Bush and Rudy Giuliani, New York City's mayor during the attacks, for suggesting that the air quality in lower Manhattan was safe. 'Maybe in the immediate aftermath, the first couple of days, nobody could know. But a week later? Two weeks later? Two months later? Give me a break!' Clinton said, according Reuters. 'They knew and didn't tell us the truth.' Clinton's sit-down with Cuomo took place Friday, before she got herself in trouble by describing half of rival Donald Trump's supporters as those who fall into a 'basket of deplorables' people who are racist, sexist, homophobic, xenophobic and Islamaphobic. The Democrat later walked back her comments amid harsh criticism from Trump and his allies. Clinton also scattered warnings about Trump throughout her interview with Cuomo. 'What unfortunately Donald Trump has done is made our job harder, and given a lot of aid and comfort to ISIS operatives and even ISIS officials who want to make this some sort of clash of civilization a religious war,' Clinton said at one point. 'It's not, and we can't let it become that.' A marriage between a Sikh and non-Sikh couple was due to take place Fifty-five people have been arrested after armed police swooped on a Sikh temple in a row over mixed marriages. Officers descended on the Gurdwara Temple in Leamington Spa, at 6.47am today after a peaceful protest took place on the couple's big day. Police cordoned off the roads around the temple - which is one of the largest Sikh temples outside of India and cost 11million to build. Jatinder Singh Birdi, a former treasurer at the temple, said a marriage between a Sikh and non-Sikh couple was due to take place. Officers made so many arrests they hired a coach to take them away. Police insisted the arrests were made for 'suspicion of aggravated trespass' and not for carrying 'bladed weapons'. Sikh protesters sit down for a peaceful protest against the marriage in the gurdwara A video appeared on Facebook which showed the protest. A banner reading: 'Stop violating Sikh principles for money!!' was shown to the camera Police officers take down details of suspects arrested in connection with the temple protest Police hired a coach (pictured) after 55 people were arrested for protesting at the temple Force vans escorted the coach to a police station after the protest which is thought to be over a mixed marriage Police cordoned off the roads around the temple - which is one of the largest Sikh temples outside of India Officers descended on Gurdwara Temple in Leamington Spa after men stormed the building Mr Birdi said mixed marriages has been a contentious issue in the local Sikh community, with a minority against using the temple for such services. He said: 'There have been tensions that have been going on for a couple of years with some people objecting to mixed marriages in taking place in the gurdwara. 'Nothing has happened on this level before. This is meant to be one of the happiest moments of somebody's life - it shows a lack of respect.' Many Sikhs see the bid to stop inter-religious marriages as an attempt by men to control Sikh women and stop them from marrying 'out'. A group calling themselves 'Sikh Youth Birmingham' claimed they were responsible for the occupation of the temple. They said around 100 'peaceful protesters' had come to 'uphold the sanctity of the sacred Anand Karaj', the term for a Sikh wedding. Police responded to the incident at the temple in Leamington Spa early this morning A video on their Facebook page appears to show two armed officers confronting them inside the temple. Another clip shows dozens of men with their faces covered in dark hoods sitting on the floor while chanting Sikh prayers. A police spokesman said the force had not conceded that the protesters had 'simply walked into' the building or that only small Kirpans were found. 'We will be working to establish the exact facts of the incident,' the spokesman said. Another Facebook group called 'Sikh 2 Inspire' wrote: 'Our brothers peacefully protested in the form of a sit down protest chanting Waheguru Mantar at Leamington Spa Gurdwara sahib, and are currently being arrested. What is their crime? 'No violence was committed, no one used a Sri Sahib, and no foul language was used. 'The Sikhs protesting were not 'armed' with anything other than their kirpans which a Sikh must wear always being amritdhari. Officers went inside the temple to 'negotiate a peaceful resolution' with the protesters On the 'Sikh Youth Birmingham' Facebook page, many raised objections to their protests. Sunile Doal said: 'Today my mate's Satsang on what was today his 18th birthday was cancelled due to this protesting. 'I'm so ashamed how these embarrassing protesters can be so selfish in ruining the daily events and visiting of my friends and family members all over the country on his special day and for other people who visit the Gurdwara on a regular basis especially on a Sunday. 'As a Sikh community we are a community who stand together. Today I've never seen such a selfish act from these protesters who have ruined what would've been a great day with celebration. No words.' To that, the group replied: 'The police cancelled it. Nobody else stopped anyone entering the Gurdwara.' Many Sikhs see the bid to stop inter-religious marriages as an attempt by men to control Sikh women and stop them from marrying 'out' A spokesman for Warwickshire Police said earlier: 'We would like to reassure people that this is not being treated as a terrorist incident. 'There are also religious leaders in the Temple working with officers to negotiate a peaceful resolution.' Superintendent David Gardner added: 'We would like to reassure people that this was a contained incident that we believe was an escalation of a local dispute. SIKHS ALLOWED TO WEAR SMALL DAGGER Sikhs wear a small dagger called a Kirpan. It is a symbol of courage and must never be used to attack, although their religion says it can be used for protection if other methods of defence have failed. In the UK under the Criminal Justice Act 1989, people are allowed to carry blades for religious reasons. Britain boasts the largest Sikh community outside of India with 336,000 followers recorded in a 2001 census, although Sikh community figures say the real figure is more than double that. Advertisement 'A significant number of bladed weapons were seized from the scene. As a result of reports that the men were in possession of these weapons we deployed armed officers as a precaution. Nobody was injured in the incident. 'Over the coming days we will be working with the local Sikh community to address some of the ongoing issues that have culminated in today's events. 'We would like to thank local people for their patience while we dealt with this incident.' Police cordoned off the surrounding roads as they attempted to the bring an end to the dispute. All but one of the 55 suspects - aged between 17 and 39 - have been released on police bail until next month, pending further inquiries. A 30-year-old man from Derby remains in police custody. This is not the first time a marriage between a Sikh and non Sikh has been disrupted. In August last year, demonstrators - many of them masked - tried to stop a wedding between a Sikh bride and her Non-Sikh partner at the Sri Dasmesh Gurdwara in Birmingham. The protesters hurled abuse at guests and temple elders. Police in Missouri continues to search for a 21-year-old woman who has been missing for three days. Jessica Runions, 21,was last seen at a house party about 9:30pm on Thursday. Her car, a black 2012 Chevy Equinox, was found burned and empty about 2am Saturday morning near an underpass on 95th Street an Blue River Road in Kansas City. 'We are very concerned for her safety,' said Captain Stacey Graves, of Kansas police, to KCTV. Jessica Runions, 21,was last seen at a house party in Kansas City about 9:30pm on Thursday Relatives first reported Runions missing on Friday when she didn't return a series of phone calls, which the family says is unusual for her Runions' car was found empty and burned up in near this remote overpass in Kansas City 'It's suspicious circumstances her vehicle unoccupied, burned in a remote area... just asking anyone who has had contact with her to call the police.' It is unusual for Runions, who works in a retirement home, to not get in touch with her family for this long. 'She had constant contact it's not like her to not return phone calls maybe a long period of time but she would eventually get back with you,' aunt Michele Runions told KSHB. Runions' family says she was last seen at a house party with her boyfriend and a childhood friend of his, Kylr Yust. Runions' family says she was last seen at a house party with her boyfriend and a childhood friend of his, Kylr Yust Police say the disappearance of Runions is 'suspicious' after they found her vehicle unoccupied and burned in this remote part of Kansas City Yust was a person of interest in the disappearance of his girlfriend Kara Kopetsky, a 17-year-old high school student who vanished in 2007 just a week after filing a protection order against Yust when their relationship soured. He's also been linked to a number of other crimes: assaulting a girlfriend, animal cruelty and drug trafficking, for which he spent the last three years behind bars. He was never charged with Kopetsky's disappearance. Family members say Runions was last seen with Kylr Yust (left), who was a person of interest in the disappearance of his then-girlfriend Kara Kopetsky (right), 17, who vanished in 2007 Police reports say that Yust claimed in 2013 that he had killed former girlfriends and could dispose of bodies by feeding them to pigs at a family farm,WDAF-TV reported. On Thursday, Yust apparently stayed at the party with Runions when her boyfriend left, her family said. 'We just know that they left the party together,' Michele Runions told KSHB. Police have not named any suspects. 'They are aware of those leads and will continue to investigate them,' Graves told KCTV. Want to fund more charity projects such as a surprise kitchen remodel Couple got tired of spending most of their money on bills and mortgage Went from living in North Ogden to Pleasant View, Utah with twin sons Ashley and Thomas Hughes have relocated to a new 2,200 sqft home A couple of Utah parents have sold their gorgeous mansion and relocated to a more humble home to dedicate their lives to charity. Ashley and Thomas Hughes spent one year in their 8,000-square-foot home in North Ogden. But in just a few months, they got tired of spending most of their budget on bills and mortgage payments. The couple wanted to spend their money for others instead. Their five-month-old son Miloh died in May 2014 of sudden infant death syndrome. The Hughes have since held a give-back day on the anniversary of his death. But they want to give back even more - and their new, more humble home in Pleasant View has freed up more funds to do it. Ashley and Thomas Hughes (pictured) sold their splendid 8,000-square-foot home in North Ogden, Utah, and relocated to a more humble house in Pleasant View The couple want to free up some of their budget to fund charity projects. They began to give back after their five-month-old son Miloh (pictured) died of sudden infant death syndrome Thomas and Ashley moved to Pleasant View about three weeks ago, KSL reported. They live there with their two sons, twin boys. The couple are expecting another boy for February 2017. With more money at their disposal, the Hughes want to fund one big charity project per month. They want to take another family with them to Disneyland in October. The Hughes are also working on a surprise kitchen remodel for a different family. The couple, who have a YouTube channel dedicated to their family life, posted a video in May to mark Hug For Hughes, a day on which they urge others to do one random act of kindness in honor of Miloh. After just a few months in their large North Ogden home (pictured), Ashley and Thomas grew tired of spending most of their budget on bills and mortgage payments They now live in this home in Pleasant View with their two sons, twin boys - and are expecting another boy for February 2017 Thomas and Ashley (pictured with their two sons) want to fund one big charity project a month. They are working on a surprise kitchen remodel for another family Ashley recounted coming home from the store and finding 20 cars in front of the house. Miloh had been sleeping in bed when Thomas went to check on him and realized his son wasn't breathing. An ambulance came to take him to the hospital, where doctors tried to revive him but eventually had to pronounce him dead. 'We always dedicate his birthday and the day he passed away to doing random acts of kindness,' Ashley explained in the video. 'Just smile at someone. Be nice to somebody you're not normally nice to. Pay for somebody's food or drink at the drive-through.' Thomas added: 'If your neighbor is busy and their garbage cans are left out on the street, take them in for them. Do something kind like that. Bring their paper closer to their door. Little things like that go a long way.' Amber Rudd threatened retaliation against the EU after plans emerged to force British tourists to apply for visas to travel to Europe after Brexit. The Home Secretary admitted the European Commission was considering a scheme to introduce a visa programme similar to the US waiver to tighten security in the wake of recent terror attacks through the EU. She said reports of the scheme, which would require Britons to pay for permission to travel to the 26 countries in the EU's borderless Schengen zone, was not ideal but was an example of the 'two-way negotiation' that would take place between the UK and Brussels. Ms Rudd suggested any restrictions imposed on Britons would affect the UK Government's approach to EU nationals. Amber Rudd (pictured on the Andrew Marr Show today) threatened retaliation against the EU after plans emerged to force British tourists to apply for visas to travel to Europe after Brexit Asked about reports of the EU's visa plans, Ms Rudd told the Andrew Marr Show: 'I don't think it's particularly desirable, but we don't rule it out, because we have to be allowed a free hand to get the best negotiations. 'It's a reminder that this is a two-way negotiation. 'The EU and the Commissioners may be considering alternatives - they will be considering their negotiations with us, just as we are considering it with them. 'But I am going to make sure that what we do get is in the best interests of the UK.' Currently British passport holders can travel throughout member states without having to apply for short-term visas, but Britain's decision to leave the EU has left question marks over the criteria needed for UK nationals to visit the Schengen zone. According to The Guardian, the European Commission is due to unveil draft legislation for the EU travel information and authorisation system (Etias) later this year as part of a broader response to calls for greater security across the continent following recent terror attacks in France and Belgium. The scheme would cover all visitors to the Schengen zone from countries that do not need a visa to enter. British passport holders may have to apply for visas to visit some parts of Europe after Article 50 is invoked and the UK leaves the European Union Shadow home secretary Andy Burnham attacked Ms Rudd over the prospect of Britons facing a visa system to visit EU countries. He said: 'This is yet another example of the drift and confusion as a result of the Government's failure to plan for Brexit. Ministers should not just accept there's a cost of 50 for the average family to go on holiday. 'The Home Secretary's words will not have reassured ordinary families about the cost of Brexit. She seems to be sympathetic to an idea that will put a flat 50 tax on the average family holiday in Europe. WORK PERMIT IMMIGRATION SYSTEM 'CERTAINLY HAS VALUE' SAYS AMBER RUDD Amber Rudd (pictured on the Andrew Marr Show today) said work permits 'certainly have value' Amber Rudd gave a further indication that the Government is pursuing a work permit system to control immigration from the EU. Theresa May last week ruled out a points-based immigration system - a key pledge by the Vote Leave campaign. And Boris Johnson, who championed the policy during the referendum campaign, admitted defeat on the issue. Asked what kind of immigration policy the Government would pursue after Brexit, Ms Rudd told the Andrew Marr Show: 'What we're going to look at is how we can get the best for the economy, driving the numbers down but protecting the people who really add value to the economy. 'Whether we look at the work permit system or another system is something that my department is looking at closely at the moment.' Pressed on the prospect of a work permit system, she added: 'I think that work permits certainly have value but, as I say, we're not ruling anything out at the moment.' The Home Secretary sought to reassure universities after reports that the Government is planning a further crackdown on the number of visas offered to foreign students. 'We are looking at a number of options but students do make an important contribution,' she said. 'There's going to be no blanket banning of students coming to the UK but we are looking at bringing down the numbers overall.' Advertisement 'Tory ministers might think nothing of that, but it would make it even harder for ordinary families to afford a holiday. 'Norway doesn't have the charge so why should we? I challenge the Home Secretary to rule it out.' Steve Peers, a professor of EU law at the University of Essex, said he believes electronic visa waiver plans will go ahead but he did not know what the rules would be. 'It's going to annoy a lot of people,' he said. 'We can ask for full free movement, but any arrangement is going to have to be reciprocal, so you have to ask what Nigel Farage and the others will accept.' Camino Mortera-Martinez, a research fellow specialising in justice and home affairs at the Centre for European Reform, quoted in the newspaper, said: 'In theory UK citizens, as third-country nationals, would certainly be subject to the obligations (of such a scheme),' adding: 'This will have to be part of the Brexit talks. It will all have to be negotiated.' It is believed EU powerhouses France and Germany, who have been victim to a spate of terror attacks in recent months, both back a system based on the US ESTA visa and want visitors to request permission to travel to the zone at least three days before they enter. The plans for a visa programme were announced back in 2011 and the French interior minister, Bernard Cazeneuve, said last month that France supported 'a European ESTA, like that in the US, Canada and Australia'. Now the plan has resurfaced as part of a series of security measures to counter the growing terror threat in Europe. In July a German-Iranian citizenship shot and killed nine at a shopping center in Munich while on Bastille Day in Nice, in the same month, 86 people were mowed down by a truck driven by a fanatic. British citizens can currently travel to the US without a visa although Britons must pay $14 US dollars and complete and submit an application form at least 72 hours (three days) in advance of entering the country-as part of a visa waiver programme. However UK passport holders can only stay in the US for 90 days under the scheme and if a Briton has a criminal record they can be denied entry. Regulations passed by congress earlier this year makes Britons, who have traveled to Iran, Iraq, Syria or Sudan in the past five years ineligible for the scheme so they must apply for a visa to enter the US. In her interview today Ms Rudd gave a further indication that Britain would pursue a work permit system to control immigration from the EU. 'What we're going to look at is how we can get the best for the economy, driving the numbers down but protecting the people who really add value to the economy, she said. 'Whether we look at the work permit system or another system is something that my department is looking at closely at the moment.' Pressed on the prospect of a work permit system, she added: 'I think that work permits certainly have value but, as I say, we're not ruling anything out at the moment.' The Home Secretary sought to reassure universities after reports that the Government is planning a further crackdown on the number of visas offered to foreign students. 'We are looking at a number of options but students do make an important contribution,' she said. Advertisement Saudi authorities deployed drones to watch over nearly 2 million pilgrims as they descended Mount Arafat on the final stages of the Haj. On foot or seated on the roofs of buses, the faithful climbed down the craggy hills outside Mecca at sunset and set out en masse for the open plateau of Muzdalifah. The surveillance was part of stepped-up efforts to avoid a repeat of last year's crush, which killed nearly 800 pilgrims, according to the official count. Muslim pilgrims gathered on Mount Mercy on the plains of Arafat during the annual haj pilgrimage, outside the holy city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia Pilgrims gathered to perform the midday prayer at the Nimra Mosque, believed to where the Prophet Mohammed stopped to pray the day he made his last sermon Saudi authorities deployed drones to watch over nearly 2 million pilgrims as they descended the granite hill on the final stages of the Haj The surveillance was part of stepped-up efforts to avoid a repeat of last year's crush, which killed nearly 800 pilgrims, according to the official count. Pictured are pilgrims at the Nimra Mosque The actual death toll could have been worse, as counts by countries of repatriated bodies showed over 2,000 people may have died, more than 400 of them Iranians. Pictured are pilgrims praying at the Nimra Mosque The actual death toll could have been worse, as counts by countries of repatriated bodies showed over 2,000 people may have died, more than 400 of them Iranians. At Muzdalifah, pilgrims collected pebbles in the dark before retreating for the night into Mina, the narrow city of air-conditioned white tents where last year's crush occurred, to throw the stones at a representation of the devil. Authorities have deployed drones to reinforce a network of electronic surveillance of the crowds that would alert authorities to intervene quickly to any incident. Saudi Arabia has said that 1.855 million pilgrims, most of them from outside Saudi Arabia, have arrived for the annual pilgrimage, a religious duty for every able-bodied Muslim who can afford the journey. Saudi Arabia stakes its reputation on its guardianship of Islam's holiest sites and organising Haj, a role that Iranian authorities have challenged as part of a growing dispute over the handling of last year's disaster. The Grand Mufti, the kingdom's top religious authority, warned Iran that to disrupt the Haj would be unacceptable, in comments reported by local daily al-Okaz on Sunday. 'Any policy that aims to divert the Haj from its proper course is un-Islamic and is a criminal policy,' he was quoted as saying. Authorities have deployed drones to reinforce a network of electronic surveillance of the crowds that would alert authorities to intervene quickly to any incident. Here a man puts his hands above his head on Mount Mercy Saudi Arabia has said that 1.855 million pilgrims - including these on Mount Mercy - have arrived for the annual pilgrimage, a religious duty for every able-bodied Muslim who can afford the journey Saudi authorities have previously suggested that pilgrims failing to follow crowd control rules bore some blame for the disaster, but have not released any further details. In this image, a man holds a book above his head on Mount Mercy Saudi Arabia's state news agency, SPA, also published a four-part broadside accusing Iran's leaders of using 'the cloak of religion to implement heretical policies.' The series said 300 Iranian pilgrims caused last year's crush by taking a wrong turn in the direction opposite where they had been assigned to move. Later updates of the SPA stories removed the reference to the 300 Iranian pilgrims and their actions, without elaborating. Saudi authorities have previously suggested that pilgrims failing to follow crowd control rules bore some blame for the disaster, but have not released any further details. An investigation into the incident is still pending. Last Monday, Iran's supreme leader accused Saudi authorities of murdering pilgrims during the crush. In response, Saudi Arabia's mufti said Iran's leaders were not Muslims. Last Monday, Iran's supreme leader accused Saudi authorities of murdering pilgrims during the crush. In response, Saudi Arabia's mufti said Iran's leaders were not Muslims. Pictured are Muslims at prayer at the Nimra Mosque The frequency of such disasters has been greatly reduced as the government spent billions of dollars upgrading and expanding Haj infrastructure and crowd control technology. Here, pilgrims queue outside a toilet in Arafat Sudanese women pray on a rocky hill known as the Mountain of Mercy, on the Plain of Arafat. This is near the site where the Prophet Mohammed made a sermon calling on Muslims to unite Pilgrims from Iran are not attending Haj this year, after talks between the two Middle East powers over Haj arrangements broke down in May. The 2015 crush, in which two large groups of pilgrims arrived together at a crossroads in Mina, a few miles east of Mecca, on their way to performing the 'stoning of the devil' ritual at Jamarat, was the worst disaster to strike the annual pilgrimage for at least 25 years. The Saudi authorities redesigned the Jamarat area after two stampedes, one in 2004 and one in 2006, killed hundreds of pilgrims. Advertisement Hillary Clinton has called off plans to visit the West Coast on Monday and Tuesday following her 'medical episode' at the 9/11 memorial ceremony. Her doctor revealed that the 68-year-old has pneumonia - hours after a video showed her collapsing into the arms of her Secret Service agents after being rushed from the memorial service at the World Trade Center. Dr Lisa R Bardack said Sunday evening that Clinton had become overheated and dehydrated at the event in lower Manhattan. Bardack said Clinton is now 'recovering nicely' at her home in Chappaqua, New York. The Democratic nominee was scheduled to attend fundraisers on Monday and Tuesday in California, and tape an episode of Ellen DeGeneres' talk show. Clinton is now holed up in her upstate New York home after a bystander recorded her losing her balance, slumping at the knees and being held up by her aides while waiting to get in a minivan. Her campaign had earlier blamed 'overheating' for the episode - which saw her rushed away from the ceremony at Ground Zero and back to Chelsea's apartment. Her press pool was not informed for 90 minutes of her whereabouts or given an explanation for the abrupt departure. At the time the temperature was around 80 degrees and the humidity was low. Earlier on Sunday, Bardack said that Clinton 'has been experiencing a cough related to allergies'. On Friday, during follow up evaluation of her prolonged cough, she was diagnosed with pneumonia. Bardack said Clinton was put on antibiotics, and advised to rest and modify her schedule. 'While at this morning's event, she became overheated and dehydrated. I have just examined her and she is now re-hydrated and recovering nicely.' Clinton's collapse adds to growing fears for her health, which began mounting on Labor Day when she broke out in a coughing fit during a speech in Ohio. It now seems that cough has developed into pneumonia, according to Bardack's statement. Katie Packer, a GOP strategist, told the Los Angeles Times that the incident will increase attention on the health of both Clinton and Trump, 70. 'This is the kind of thing that voters have a right to understand before they cast a vote,' she said. 'But Trump and Hillary are elderly. They are obligated to release full medical records and full tax returns to the American people. And the media, party leaders and American people should settle for nothing less.' Video has surfaced of Hillary Clinton appearing to stumble as she was led into a van after suffering a 'medical episode' during the 9/11 memorial service. Her doctor later revealed that she has been diagnosed with pneumonia The presidential candidate is seen standing on a curb near the World Trade Center when she appeared to lose her balance Several party leaders and Clinton backers told POLITICO that she needed to offer a fuller accounting of her health. 'There will have to be some kind of accounting for this,' said one former Clinton adviser. Clinton was already facing calls on Sunday afternoon to release her full medical records. In the footage, Clinton is seen standing on a curb near the site of the Twin Towers when she suddenly appears unable to stand. She seems to nearly fall to the ground before she is caught by her aides, who hold her up. Her security detail then had to help her into the van by grabbing each of her arms. The former Secretary of State then appears to fall forward towards the door of the van before being bundled inside. Law enforcement sources told the Daily Beast she was thrown into the back seat like a 'side of beef'. She appeared to lose a shoe under the vehicle in the struggle before being driven to daughter Chelsea's apartment in Manhattan. Despite the concerning footage, she emerged from the home just over two hours later at 11.45am on Sunday saying she was fine. She told a waiting crowd and reporters: 'I'm feeling great, it's a beautiful day in New York.' A smiling Clinton was then greeted by a young girl on the street to pose for a picture. She waved at customers at a nearby restaurant before getting into a van. Clinton then traveled to her home in Chappaqua, New York, according to her campaign. It is not known whether she saw a doctor. Nick Merrill, her traveling press secretary, said Clinton 'overheated' during the ceremony, but quickly recovered when she returned to Chelsea's apartment. She recently said she had been suffering from allergy attacks since Labor Day and had upped her antihistamine dosage. The concerning footage shows her knees appearing to buckle, causing her to fall towards two of her handlers. They then steady her on the sidewalk Her aides then rushed to her side and then helped her into the van before she was rushed off to Chelsea's Manhattan home Clinton emerged from her daughter Chelsea's apartment after she was rushed from the 9/11 memorial service because of a 'medical episode' Despite the concerning footage, she emerged from the home at 11.45am on Sunday saying she was fine. She is pictured speaking with a little girl in front of her daughter's apartment building Clinton was seen smiling and waving at customers at a nearby restaurant before getting into a van. She then traveled to her home in Chappaqua, New York, according to her campaign Clinton suffered two coughing fits this week while on the campaign trail, one while she was speaking publicly in Ohio on Monday and another while she was taking questions from reporters. Dailymail.com had asked Clinton about her health Thursday pointing to notes released by the FBI as part of the bureau's email investigation that suggested Clinton may have suffered memory loss from the concussion she sustained in 2012. 'Can you clarify what you told the FBI about your concussion?' Dailymail.com had asked the candidate, to which Clinton replied curtly, 'read the reports,' offering no additional explanation. There are also questions over whether the Secret Service had to adapt to the situation and shied away from standard procedure when they whisked Hillary away from the scene. A source told the Washington Post that agents are supposed to wait for a car before they take a protected individual away. In the video, Hillary is seen leaning against a bollard before the motorcade draws up. They appeared to have rushed her departure, which meant lead agent Todd Madison had to leave her side to open the van door, which is also against protocol. The Secret Service later denied they had broken protocol. Nick Merrill, her traveling press secretary, said Clinton 'overheated' during the ceremony, but quickly recovered when she returned to Chelsea's apartment The 68-year-old greeted people with a smile as she walked down the street. She recently said she had been suffering from allergy attacks since Labor Day and had upped her antihistamine dosage Today, shortly after 9.30am, the pool reporter covering Clinton at the World Trade Center notified the rest of the press that the Democrat had disappeared from the event with no notice from the campaign. She had spent about 90 minutes at the memorial. Her disappearance for more than an hour is questionable as no reporter was allowed to follow her, which according to a report from the Washington Post is, yet again, the Clinton campaign asking everyone to just trust it. It wasn't until 11am that reporters were told where Clinton went and what had happened, though Fox News had already reported that Clinton had suffered from a 'medical episode.' Trump said he had 'no idea' what happened when asked about his rival's health after the ceremony. Trump's campaign did not respond to a request for additional comment from Dailymail.com. Some attendees at the ceremony told the New York Times that Clinton had not appeared ill when she first arrived. Representative Peter T King, of New York, who said he spoke briefly with Clinton around 8.30am told the Times that Clinton 'seemed fine'. Merrill said in a statement: 'Secretary Clinton attended the September 11th Commemoration Ceremony for just an hour and thirty minutes this morning to pay her respects and greet some of the families of the fallen. She told waiting reporters: 'I'm feeling great, it's a beautiful day in New York' Clinton was taken from the 9/11 memorial site at 9.30am on Sunday, just 90 minutes after arriving to remember the 2,977 people who lost their lives The Democratic presidential candidate was standing alongside rival Donald Trump and other politicians when she apparently fainted, according to reports One of Clinton's handlers is seen with his arm across her shoulders. She is seen with her arm resting on his back as she leaves the ceremony Her campaign team said she 'overheated' during the ceremony. It was around 80 degrees at Ground Zero during the service Onlookers have also said her symptoms seemed far worse than her aides have suggested Witnesses said her departure from the service was 'unexpected', but they said it was 'clear' that she had a medical episode 'During the ceremony, she felt overheated so departed to go to her daughter's apartment, and is feeling much better.' Clinton's press team later updated the statement to remove the word 'just,' stating it was a 'typo.' Eyewitnesses said that Clinton had to wait a couple of minutes for her motorcade as it wasn't waiting for her when she exited the event. Fox News reporter Rick Levanthal, who broke the initial story, quoted one person who was standing 15 feet away from Clinton who saw her stumble off the curb. Her 'knees buckled', Levanthal tweeted, as she lost a shoe during this 'unexpected early departure'. Her detail retrieved a shoe from underneath the van and helped the former secretary of state inside, according to reports. The temperature was around 80 degrees at Ground Zero during the service. There was a humidity of 41 per cent. Clinton was standing in the middle of a crowd of politicians packed together in a small space. Clinton's pool reporter wrote that she could not see whether the Democratic hopeful was standing in direct sunlight, though noted that there wasn't a lot of shade in the area where the politicians were gathered. Hillary was joined by politicians, including Bill de Blasio, as mourners remembered the 15th anniversary of the attacks WHY HILLARY WAS ABLE TO DITCH THE PRESS Around 9.30am today Hillary Clinton left the 9/11 ceremony in New York City and it wasn't until 11 a.m. that reporters were told why she had left and where she headed, with her campaign saying she felt 'overheated' and was recovering at daughter Chelsea's Manhattan apartment. While a 'pool' of reporters accompanied Clinton to today's service, the Clinton campaign has so far refused to agree to what is called a 'protective pool,' which is how President Obama's movements are covered. The White House and the White House Correspondents Association have agreed to a set of rules that include having reporters travel with the president in motorcades and cover his arrivals and departures from the White House and events. Those rules would have required that the Clinton campaign allow reporters to accompany Clinton to Chelsea's house today while she recovered, though the campaign may have still kept reporters at an arm's distance from the candidate, as she wobbled into her black van. Donald Trump's campaign has also not allowed a protective pool to cover the Republican hopeful. Twice recently the billionaire has ditched his traveling press in another city, while heading elsewhere. The first time, Trump and his running mate Mike Pence headed to Louisiana to survey flood damage. The Trump campaign also sent the press plane ahead to Phoenix, Arizona, while the candidate headed to Mexico to meet with the country's president. Reporters covering Clinton have pressed again and again for a protective pool but had let up in recent days as the candidate started answering more questions from journalists on the campaign trail. No doubt today's events will renew this discussion. Advertisement Clinton had already suspended campaigning on Sunday in a show of support for those who died on 9/11 and those who survived the terror attacks. Earlier on Sunday she tweeted: 'We'll never forget the horror of September 11, 2001. Today, let's honor the lives and tremendous spirit of the victims and responders.' Clinton was a senator from New York 15 years ago and did a sit-down interview with CNN's Chris Cuomo about her experience during and after the attacks. She recalled being evacuated from the Senate office buildings in Washington, D.C. on 9/11 and then heading to New York City alongside her peer, Sen Chuck Schumer, on Sept. 12. Clinton visited lower Manhattan and described what she saw on the ground as 'hell'. 'We saw this curtain of black smoke that was stretched across the island. 'Occasionally it would be broken by a firefighter coming out. I remember one image so indelibly, dragging his ax, and it was as close to a depiction of hell that I have ever personally seen. 'PHARMA BRO' MARTIN SHKRELI SHOWS UP OUTSIDE CHELSEA CLINTON'S APARTMENT TO TROLL HILLARY ABOUT HER HEALTH Pharma Bro Martin Shkreli showed up outside Chelsea Clintons Manhattan apartment on Sunday to taunt Hillary Clinton about her health. Shkreli was waiting outside and wrote on Twitter that he enjoyed hurling abuse at 68-year-old Clinton. He stood outside, shouting at her to drop out of the election and voicing his support for her rival Donald Trump. Shkreli found infamy after controversially hiking the cost of a lifesaving drug by 5,000 per cent last year Shkreli wrote on Twitter that he enjoyed screaming at Hillary Clinton as she left her daughter's apartment in New York on Sunday Pharma Bro Martin Shkreli showed up outside Chelsea Clintons Manhattan apartment on Sunday to taunt Hillary Clinton about her health I enjoyed screaming why are you so sick and go trump at @HillaryClinton, he later wrote on Twitter, adding: Get well soon bae! Shkreli also posted a video of his antics on YouTube captioned: Me yelling stupid stuff at Hillary. In the short clip, he is heard asking her: Do you need Pharma Bros help? Shkreli found infamy after controversially hiking the cost of a lifesaving HIV drug by 5,000 per cent last year. The 33-year-old former CEO of Turing Pharmaceuticals, sparked outrage and earned the title of the country's most-hated man on the internet when he raised the price of the anti-parasitic infection drug Daraprim to $750 a pill. In December, US authorities arrested him on fraud charges unrelated to Daraprim, saying he ran his investment funds and companies almost like a Ponzi scheme. He pleaded not guilty to the allegations and a trial date was set for June 2017. Advertisement She suspended her campaign on Sunday as a mark of respect for those who died Earlier on Sunday, she was seen wearing sunglasses as she arrived in New York 'There weren't that many survivors; the ones that did survive were grievously injured. The loss of life was overwhelming. 'But it was also my job and the job of other officials to get our city and state and country what we needed,' she said. She noted in the CNN interview that she visited New York City before then-President George W. Bush and played up her role in helping the city get federal funding to rebuild and aiding first responders in getting proper medical care after being exposed to the dirty air coming from the burning remains of the Twin Towers. Today's health scare, however, will likely bury the effect the CNN interview would have on her poll numbers, which have dipped into being within spitting distance of Trump's in recent days. Instead, the fainting spell could lend proof to conspiracy theories that Trump's allies have pushed, which suggest Clinton's health is failing. It was Trump surrogate Rudy Giuliani, the former New York City mayor, that brought these theories into the mainstream by saying on Fox News Sunday last month that voters should 'go online and put down "Hillary Clinton's illness." Take a look at the videos for yourself,' the Republican instructed. This came a week after Trump himself had told a crowd that Clinton lacked the 'mental and physical stamina to take on ISIS'. Clinton speaks to outgoing NYPD Commissioner Bill Bratton (behind her) and New York Governor Andrew Cuomo (right facing towards her) CAN CLINTON'S PNEUMONIA WORSEN AND WHAT IT MEANS FOR HER PRESIDENT RUN: It hasn't been specified as to what type of pneumonia Clinton has, but whether she has walking pneumonia or bacterial pneumonia, if the illness isn't treated properly it could worsen. Causes: In most cases pneumonia is caused by a bacteria or virus, such as the flu. Some people get pneumonia after breathing infected air particles into their lungs. It can also occur during or after a viral upper respiratory infection, such as a cold or flu. Doctors have said that allergies could lead to pneumonia because seasonal allergies can sometimes cause upper respiratory problems. Symptoms may include: Cough, often producing mucus, Fever, shaking, 'teeth-chattering' chills. Fast, often shallow, breathing and the feeling of being short of breath, as well as feeling very tired or weak. What happens when you have pneumonia: Depending on your age and health, older, sicker people usually have more severe cases. And their cases of pneumonia are more likely to cause complications, such as bacteria in the bloodstream or throughout the body. Pneumonia is more serious in the age group of 65 or older, because they often have and may develop other medical problems. Can it get worse? Without the proper treatment, it may get worse. A person may have breathing problems, or the infection can spread to other areas of your body. Pus or extra fluid may collect in the space around your lungs, or your lungs may get damaged. You may not be able to get enough oxygen if your lungs are inflamed or damaged. Low oxygen can cause damage to other body organs, such as your kidneys, heart, and brain. People can die from bacterial pneumonia if they don't receive the proper treatment, or if a person's body doesn't respond well to treatment, the infection will worsen. How can Clinton's health scare affect her run for president? Dr Lisa R Bardack (pictured) released a statement through her campaign team after the incident saying that she advised Clinton to modify her schedule and put her on antibiotics When Clinton abruptly left the 9/11 anniversary ceremony Sunday after feeling 'overheated', the incident opened up an even bigger can of worms. By Sunday afternoon, hours after video showed her collapsing into the arms of her Secret Service agents, the Democratic candidate was bombarded with calls for her to release her full medical records. GOP candidate Donald Trump, for months now, has been calling for Clinton to release the records and the nominee now has a powerful, visceral counter-argument that she is physically unfit to serve, reinforced by video that raises new, and unanswered, concerns about her health. The video will only amplify the questions, in part because of the lack of details from her campaign about what occurred. Dr Lisa R Bardack released a statement through her campaign team after she performed a check-up on the presidential candidate at her home after the 'medical episode'. She said: 'Secretary Clinton has been experiencing a cough related to allergies. On Friday, during a follow up evaluation of her prolonged cough, she was diagnosed with pneumonia. Clinton's doctor put her antibiotics and advised her to rest and modify her schedule. Source: WEBMD Advertisement Clinton's campaign interpreted Trump's words to mean that he was peddling some of the right-wing conspiracy theories going around the internet including that Clinton had suffered a seizure on camera and that she was showing signs of dementia. Trump's comment prompted the Clinton campaign to address her health and fitness for the first time since releasing a doctor's note a year before. 'While it is dismaying to see the Republican nominee for president push deranged conspiracy theories in a foreign policy speech, it's no longer surprising,' Clinton's communications director Jennifer Palmieri said in a statement. 'Donald Trump is simply parroting lies based on fabricated documents promoted by Roger Stone and his right wing allies,' Palmieri continued. She then pivoted for a moment to blast Trump for not releasing any of his tax returns to the American public. 'Hillary Clinton has released a detailed medical record showing her to be in excellent health plus her personal tax returns since 1977, while Trump has failed to provide the public with the most basic financial information disclosed by every major candidate in the last 40 years,' she acknowledged. 'It's time for him to stop using shameful distractions to hide his own record,' Palmieri added. Clinton's people included a new statement from her physician, Dr Bardack, who had signed off on the Democrat's health in the beginning months of her campaign last year. Clinton, New York Mayor Bill de Blasio (right) and U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer (left) attend ceremonies to mark the 15th anniversary of the September 11 attacks 'As Secretary Clinton's long time physician, I released a medical statement during the campaign indicating that she is in excellent health,' Bardack wrote last month. 'I have recently been made aware of allegedly "leaked" medical documents regarding Secretary Clinton with my name on them. These documents are false, were not written by me and are not based on any medical facts,' she continued. 'To reiterate what I said in my previous statement, Secretary Clinton is in excellent health and fit to serve as President of the United States,' Bardack said. In December 2012, Clinton fainted and suffered a concussion after contracting a stomach virus. She later developed a blood clot. Shes been taking the anticoagulation drug, Coumadin, ever since. In 2005, she fainted before a scheduled speech in Buffalo, New York, after suffering a similar stomach virus. Beyond Giuliani and Trump, Clinton's health also became front-and-center when Dr Drew Pinsky said he was 'gravely concerned not just about her health, but her health care'. 'It just seems like shes getting care from somebody that she met in Arkansas when she was a kid, and youve got to wonder. Youve got to wonder,' Pinsky had said. A former police sergeant has claimed she stood down from her counter-terrorism role because her bosses refused to look into complaints about extremist views held by its officers. Muslim Javaria Saeed joined the Metropolitan Police after the London bombings but stood down after her comments were not followed up on for fear that they would look Islamophobic. The 35-year-old flagged up two incidents in relation to the same officer, who said that female genital mutilation was a 'clean and honourable practice' that should be legalised, and that female Muslim victims of domestic abuse should take their cases to sharia courts rather than police. Javaria Saeed joined the Metropolitan Police after the London bombings but stood down after her complaints were not followed up on However, according to The Sunday Times her managers failed to act because they were scared of appearing to be racist. She said: 'Racism in the Met is not from white officers in my case, but from Muslim officers who the service refused to properly investigate because they were afraid of being called Islamophobic and racist' The former SO15 sergeant added: 'My experiences were that it was Muslim officers being racist towards my individual views; also in private, holding racist views against white officers, and sexist views against females. 'If such views were held and expressed by white officers, they would be fired.' She also claims she was called a bad Muslim by some of her colleagues because she does not wear a hijab. Ms Saeed previously made headlines when a project that she had devised to turn Muslim teenagers away from extremism featured an American rapper who angered Islamic community leaders. Scotland Yard was roundly criticised after blowing 80,000 on the MYPD roadshow, including 26,000 for artist Adam Saleh for less than two weeks' work, but they had no idea that he had previously been forced to make a grovelling apology over a hoax anti-police video that claimed US officers had abused him over his religion. Scotland Yard was roundly criticised after blowing 80,000 on Ms Saeed's roadshow, including 26,000 for artist Adam Saleh for less than two weeks' work His video was viewed more than 200,000 times and the controversy it sparked was covered by news websites worldwide. In the video, Saleh and a friend are seen being shouted at, pinned against a wall and frisked, apparently by a uniformed officer during an argument over their traditional Islamic robes. But the incident was staged, with an actor dressed as a policeman. It follows West Midlands Police's annoucement that it would consider letting officers wear a burka in a bid to boost force diversity. West Midlands Police will discuss allowing the burka (stock photo) into its uniform The constabulary said it will discuss allowing the traditional Islamic dress - which covers the entirety of a woman's face and body - to become part of Muslim female officers' uniform. But the idea was even attacked by the Muslim Women's Council, who said in a statement: 'In the media the term burka is used to describe the full face covering but the veil with the slit for the eyes is actually the niqab. 'The burka is actually the full gown which goes from shoulder to ankle with the face remaining clear. 'It would be very surprising if West Midlands Police were in favour of full-face coverings. Two years ago best mates Nik Mirkovic and Alex Tomic had no business experience and just $20,000 between them. Now the Gold Coast pair's teeth whitening company HiSmile has raked in $10 million in its first 18 months and is on track to make another $40 million by the end of 2017. Aged just 21 and 22, they decided to take on the $460 billion cosmetics industry together after Mr Tomic got bored with his commerce degree and dropped out after six months. Two yeas ago best mates Alex Tomic (L) and Nik Mirkovic (R) had no business experience and just $20,000 between them 'I just felt that my passion was to begin now, going into the industry to really test myself,' he told News Corp. The friends of 10 years spent a year researching trends to find an entry point, and spotted a massive gap in the teeth whitening market. 'We thought it was a boring industry that didnt give the consumer much option,' Mr Tomic said. 'The brands and companies in that field represented something that wasnt for the customer and was also overpriced and not easily accessible.' Now the Gold Coast pair's teeth whitening company HiSmile has raked in $10 million in its first 18 months. Pictured former Big Brother star Aisha Jade The friends of 10 years spent a year researching trends to find an entry point, and spotted a massive gap in the teeth whitening market HiSmile's success has been entirely built on social media, where it has more than 650,000 fans across its various pages. When the first batch of its LED light-activated teeth whitening kits rolled off the production line, they sent more than half of it to beauty bloggers and social media personalities. 'In this day and age, no ones really watching TV ads, no ones really looking at billboards or reading magazines everyones on their phones, everyones on Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat,' Mr Tomic said. After much experimentation, Mirkovic and Tomic found their demographic niche in 15-24-year-old females and tailored their message to them. The company employs an army of models, reality TV stars and internet personalities to hock its products, which also include whitening mouthwash made with coconut oil and a teeth whitening pen for 'touch ups on the go'. HiSmile's success has been entirely built on social media, where it has more than 650,000 fans across its various pages. Pictured former Geordie Shore star Charlotte Crosby When the first batch of its LED light-activated teeth whitening kits rolled off the production line, they sent more than half of it to beauty bloggers and social media personalities Famous advocates include former Big Brother stars Skye Wheatley and Aisha Jade, Geordie Shore's Charlotte Crosby, and Brooke Hogan from Australia's Next Top Model. Their feeds are updated a dozen times a day with photos of attractive young women grinning with HiSmile kits, photogenic food, and celebrities with killer gnashers. Despite its reach, only about $25,000 a month is spent on social media marketing and paying influencers to do the advertising for them. 'I think the biggest thing for us is that social media has given us the leverage to spread our message for free,' they told GQ Australia. 'We love testing new platforms and reaching out to as many people as possible. Everyone benefits from smiling so we truly believe that there is a space for HiSmile in everyones life.' The company employs an army of models, reality TV stars and internet personalities to hock its products. Pictured Brooke Hogan from Australia's Next Top Model The eclectic content of their posts and the heavy use of influencers is aimed at positioning the brand as a 'global movement' - selling a lifestyle not just a product The eclectic content of their posts and the heavy use of influencers is aimed at positioning the brand as a 'global movement' - selling a lifestyle not just a product. To that end, they hoped to have a presence all over the world in the next decade. 'Well have head offices in all the major cities in the world, London, New York, Hong Kong, LA,' Mr Tomic told SmartCompany. The young duo were well on their way to that goal, with a claimed 100,00 worldwide customer base - 45 per cent of which is overseas even though everything is mailed from a Queensland warehouse. Their feeds are updated a dozen times a day with photos of attractive young women grinning with HiSmile kits, including former Big Brother star Skye Wheatley (pictured) Scientists have finally recorded dolphins having a conversation for the time ever after decades of research. A pair of the marine mammals were observed using clicks and pulses to form distinct 'words', in theory constructing sentences to communicate with each other. The breakthrough was made after researchers developed an underwater microphone designed specifically to pick up on the exchanges. The two Black Sea bottlenose dolphins, Yasha and Yana, were observed waiting for the other to finish their 'sentence' before replying back. A pair of the marine mammals were observed using clicks and pulses to form distinct 'words', in theory constructing sentences to communicate with each other (stock) Scientists at the Karadag Nature Reserve, in Feodosia, Russia said that, like humans, dolphins are able to communicate certain emotions such as stress or happiness. Lead researcher Dr Vyacheslav Ryabov told The Telegraph: 'Essentially, this exchange resembles a conversation between two people. 'We can assume that each pulse represents a phoneme or a word of the dolphin's spoken language. 'This language exhibits all the design features present in the human spoken language, this indicates a high level of intelligence and consciousness in dolphins. Dolphins have larger brains than many mammals - 1,800g and 0.9 per cent of its average body weight, the same brain-to-body weight percentage of a chimpanzee. The idea that dolphins have superior intelligence was made popular in the 1950s by neuroscientist John Lilly. The two Black Sea bottlenose dolphins, Yasha and Yana, were observed waiting for the other to finish their 'sentence' before replying back (stock) He attached electrodes to the brains of living dolphins to stimulate neurons and observed that a dolphin that was about to be brutally killed made loud noises, which he interpreted as attempts to communicate with its tormenters. After further experiments Lilly became convinced dolphins had a human-like faculty of speech and attempted to establish contact with the marine mammals. Dolphins form cliques, can recognise themselves in a mirror, empathise, fear and love - just like humans. And these similarities have been used to explain why dolphins are so keen to befriend humans. Tales of dolphins befriending humans are said to date back as far as AD 77 when Roman naturalist Pliny the Elder recounted a story about a dolphin who formed a bond with a boy who fed him bread. The ex-girlfriend of Mark Hamills son says the Star Wars actor tried to force her to get an abortion. Maegan Chen is suing to establish paternity and collect child support for her unborn daughter, who is due on October 31, the New York Post reports. Chen, a former porn actress, says she met Hamills son Nathan Hamill, 37, a toy maker, on Tinder and went on a first date on New Years Eve last year. After dating for three months, the 30-year-old, who now works as a model and lives in Las Vegas, discovered she was pregnant. Scroll down for video Maegan Chen (right) is suing to establish paternity and collect child support for her unborn daughter. She says her ex-boyfriend Nathan Hamill (left) and his family pressured her to abort the baby She said that since then, Nathan and his parents have pressured her to terminate the pregnancy. Mark Hamill told me that I shouldnt bring a child into the world that nobody wants, she told The Post. She added that when she first told Nathan that she was pregnant, he immediately urged her to get an abortion. Chen said she took two pills to end the pregnancy, but they didnt work. She said after that, Nathan said their relationship was over if she didnt get an abortion and believes the family thinks she is gold-digging. The ex-girlfriend of Mark Hamills son Nathan (left, with his father and brother Griffin) says the Star Wars actor tried to force her to get an abortion Nathan Hamill arrives at Portmagee Harbour to be transported to the set of Star Wars Episode VII in Skellig Island, Ireland, in July A text message he sent her, seen by the Post, said: If you keep it, we wont hang out anymore. He also told her that she would get no money from a trust fund and no money from my parents. She said she then met his parents - Mark Hamill and his wife Marilou York in London in the spring. It was there that the actor, who plays Luke Skywalker in the Star Wars films, told her that his son is not ready to be a father, she said. And his wife Marilou also set up an appointment with a specialist in the city to consult on an abortion, Chen alleged. She said that she had been expecting to get an ultrasound and when she realized it was for an abortion, she refused. Chen said she met the actor (left and as Luke Skywalker, right) told her that his son is not ready to be a father Chen returned to the United States in May and ended her relationship with Nathan shortly afterwards, she said. A month later, she received an email from York. Meagan, you blew it, the email, dated June 21, allegedly read. I dont want you to think this is a money making endeavour because you will be extremely disappointed. Chen added: Nobody ever asked me what I wanted. I felt really pressured from them to get rid of the baby. Wanted to make a martyr of himself in an attack on Australian culture Alleged he was inspired by ISIS and looked up to Curtis Cheng's killer A grandfather walking his dog at a park was repeatedly stabbed in an ISIS-inspired terror attack because he represented the Australian way of life. Ihsas Khan, 22, allegedly stabbed Wayne Greenhalgh, 59 in a frenzied attack in a Minto, south-west Sydney park, about 4pm on Saturday. Khan wanted to make a 'martyr of himself' and had even told police after his arrest his role model was Farhad Jabar, who in 2015 killed police accountant Curtis Cheng, The Australian reported. The attack came only a week after ISIS called for 'lone wolf' attacks in places such as Bondi, the MCG, SCG and the Sydney Opera House. Police allege the Islamic extremist picked Mr Greenhalgh because he 'embodied Australian culture', The Daily Telegraph reported. Police arresting Ihsas Khan, 22, on Saturday. On Sunday he was charged with committing a Terrorist Act and attempted murder Police pointing tasers at the alleged attacker after the attack in Minto, south west Sydney Wayne Greenhalgh, 59 was the victim of the attack and remained in Liverpool Hospital after undergoing surgery Deputy Commissioner Catherine Burn said the attack was 'the new face of terrorism' On Sunday, Khan was charged with committing a terrorist act and attempted murder. 'We will be alleging before court that this was an act that was inspired by ISIS, it was a deliberate act yesterday, it resulted in a person receiving extremely serious injuries,' NSW Police Deputy Commissioner Catherine Burn said on the same day. 'We will allege that he set out to do something yesterday, how long he had been planning this, we don't know.' Ms Burn called the attack the 'new face' of terrorism. Khan was a known 'religious fanatic', The Australian reported. Police believed Khan may have been trying to lure police to the scene to attack them. He had no known ties to the victim, but he was known to police. On Sunday evening, Mr Greenhalgh was in a stable condition Materials seen inside Mr Khan's vehicle after the attack on Saturday afternoon Witnesses reported Khan was waiting in the reserve for up to 10 minutes before Mr Greenhalgh arrived and said they heard him shouting 'Allah Akbar' and other Arabic words during and after the attack, according to The Sydney Morning Herald. In the weeks leading up to the attack, his behaviour had become increasingly erratic and bizarre, residents in the area of the incident said. He would also allegedly preach in the street, wearing white robes and shouting verses from the Koran, The Daily Telegraph reported. Then, on Saturday, Khan allegedly approached Mr Greenhalgh and began stabbing. After receiving multiple wounds to his hands and body, Mr Greenhalgh escaped to a nearby property trailing blood. A man, 22, has been charged for attempted murder and committing a Terrorist Act in Minto, Sydney. It is alleged he stabbed a 59-year-old man in a park before the victim escaped and ran to a nearby property (pictured) The victim escaped to a nearby hairdressing salon where he sought help after he was stabbed on Ohlfsen Road, Minto The bloodied victim was taken into the hairdressing salon (pictured) alongside the house by the owners of the property The occupant, Duyen Phan, locked them inside the hairdressing salon she ran from the garage. A local resident said she watched in horror as Ms Phan barricaded the entrance as Mr Khan, 22, allegedly attempted to smash his way inside before local heroes intervened. Sivei Ah Chong, 43, confronted Mr Khan and repeatedly bashed him over the head with a plank of wood, stopping him from getting to Mr Greenhalgh. 'A Muslim guy ran behind me with a knife and then I said to him: "Mate, what are you doing?",' Mr Ah Chong said. 'And he said: "These people are killing my brothers and sisters in Iraq." 'I said: Mate, put your knife down. "And then that's where I walked up to him and bashed him with a fence paling." When the police arrived Mr Khan attempted to allegedly stab an officer through a car window before he was subdued and taken into custody. Residents in Minto watch on at the scene of the attack after police and ambulance services arrived Paramedics treated Mr Greenhalgh at the scene before airlifting him to Liverpool Hospital in a serious condition. About 5.30pm on Sunday, a spokesman for the hospital told Daily Mail Australia Mr Greenhalgh's condition was stable. He had undergone six hours of surgery for his injuries, which included a punctured lung and deep lacerations and lost several fingers, according to reports. The large 'hunting' knife used during the attack was under forensic examination. The Joint Counter Terrorism Team is currently investigating the incident. Mr Khan chose not to appear in Parramatta Bail Court on Sunday and was charged with committing a terrorist act and attempted murder. He was refused bail. He's expected to appear in Sydney's Central Court on Wednesday morning. The attack occurred at Ohlfsen Road, in Minto, Sydney's south west on Saturday afternoon Police taped off much of the area along Ohlfsen Road following the incident Al Qaeda's leader threatened to repeat the 9/11 attacks 'thousands of times' while terror supporters praised the events in sickening online tributes. Terror chief Ayman al-Zawahiri posted a video on YouTube Thursday marking the 15th anniversary of the assault that claimed 2,977 lives. Addressing the United States, Zawahiri blamed 9/11 on 'your crimes against us'. He said that if these continue, 9/11 'will be repeated thousands of times'. On September 11, 2001, the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center were struck by hijacked aircraft, claiming 2,753 lives. Terror chief Ayman al-Zawahiri ([ictured in archive footage) posted a video on YouTube Thursday marking the 15th anniversary of the assault that claimed 2,977 lives On September 11, 2001, the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center were struck by hijacked aircraft, claiming 2,753 lives. Further deadly attacks that day were carried out against the Pentagon and on a third commercial aircraft that crashed in rural Pennsylvania Further deadly attacks that day were carried out against the Pentagon and on a third commercial aircraft that crashed in rural Pennsylvania. In the video, Zawahiri cited Washington's policies towards Arab and Muslim countries. He mentioned its 'occupation' of lands in their countries, and support for their 'criminal and corrupt' governments. The United States has become hardened against large-scale plots such as 9/11 but remains vulnerable to small and home-grown attacks, American officials say. The 9/11 attacks spawned what President George Bush called the 'war on terror', which initially focused on Al-Qaeda and the Taliban. It has since targeted the Islamic State group which has seized territory in Syria, Iraq and Libya. Terror supporters posted sickening tributes to the 9/11 attacks online, as people around the United States commemorated the 15th anniversary of the events Zawahiri also urged jihadists to unite. He asked African Americans to convert to Islam to 'save' them from American laws, which he said are controlled by 'the white majority'. While people across the United States paid their respect to those who lost their lives on 9/11, terror supporters spread nauseating praise for the attacks online. Dozens posted an image of the World Trade Center in flames on messaging app Telegram, Vocativ reported. They said in an accompanying message: 'The anniversary of 9/11 that gladdened the hearts of the believers irked the infidels. May Allah accept its planners and executors, with the apple of our eyes, Sheikh al-Mujahideen Osama Bin Laden on top of them.' Others on Telegram praised Bin Laden, who was killed in May 2011 by United States Navy SEALs. They called him a 'martyr' and asked others to pray for him as well as for the perpetrators of the attack. On Twitter, jihadist accounts shared a poem reading: 'we destroyed America with a civil aircraft, The World Trade Center turned into a pile of ashes,' according to Vocativ. A Danish school has come under fire for separating students into different classes by ethnicity in a bid to prevent ethnic Danes being outnumbered. The Langkaer upper secondary school outside the city of Aarhus said its first-year students had been divided into seven different classes, out of which three classes had a 50 percent limit on the number of ethnic minority students. The remaining four classes consisted only of students from an immigrant background. Scroll down for video The Langkaer upper secondary school outside the city of Aarhus said its first-year students had been divided into seven different classes The school had seen the number of students who are migrants or the children of migrants rise from 25 per cent in 2007 to 80 per cent of this year's first-year students. The school's headmaster, Yago Bundgaard, denied allegations that the practice amounted to discrimination and said that the aim was to encourage integration by preventing a dwindling number of ethnic Danes from leaving the school. 'For real integration to take place in a class there has to be sufficient numbers from both groups for it to happen,' he told public broadcaster DR. Describing it as 'the least bad solution', Bundgaard said that the ethnic minority students had been picked based on whether they had 'a Danish-sounding name', but admitted that it was a 'fluid' distinction. The school had seen the number of students who are migrants or the children of migrants rise from 25 per cent in 2007 to 80 per cent of this year's first-year students. Pictured, migrants in Denmark last year Turkish-born commentator and former lawmaker Ozlem Cekic said she would report the school to Denmark's Board of Equal Treatment. 'When a headmaster isolates the brown children from the white in an upper secondary school, he is part of sending a signal that the whites must be protected from the brown,' she wrote on Facebook. Human rights lawyer Nanna Krusaa also told broadcaster TV 2 that 'placing students solely based on race or ethnicity is in my clear view illegal'. The school's headmaster, Yago Bundgaard, denied allegations that the practice amounted to discrimination. Pictured, migrants near the German border in September last year Danish Education Minister Ellen Trane Norby said that she had requested a report from the school to ensure that the law was being upheld, but that she was also looking at introducing legislation to make upper secondary schools in Denmark more ethnically mixed. 'The fundamental problem is that we in Denmark have... schools with a too high ratio of students with a different ethnic background than Danish,' she wrote on Facebook. He is the fearsome Central African dictator who rules his country with an iron-fist and allegedly skins enemies alive and eats their testicles and livers. Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo is Africa's longest serving leader having been in power since 1979. He extended his rule in April when he was re-elected with 93.7 per cent of the vote. The opposition claimed at least 200 of its members were barred from voting. He seized power from his tyrannic uncle three decades ago and had him executed by firing squad. The new president relaxed some of the restrictions of his predecessor - such as a ban on the Catholic Church - but kept the absolute control he inherited. Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo allegedly skins enemies alive and eats their testicles Over the years 'the torturer in chief' has accumulated huge wealth while most Equatorial Guineas remain in crushing poverty, with little or no access to decent healthcare or education. The country has become sub-Saharan Africa's third-biggest oil producer in recent years, but the wealth is not shared across the nation. Most shockingly, the 74-year-old - who is viewed as being one of the world's most brutal dictators - has been accused of cannibalism by his political opponents. The president of the sub-Saharan African nation believes is a God-like figure One rival, Severo Moto, recalled how Obiang had 'just devoured a political commissioner...I say devoured because this commissioner was buried without the testicles and the brain.' '[He] wants me to go back to Guinea ... [so he can] eat my testicles.' Elsewhere, a presidential aide revealed during a show on state radio how the leader was 'in permanent contact with the Almighty'. He said: 'He can decide to kill without anyone calling him to account and without going to hell because it is God himself, with whom he is in permanent contact, and who gives him this strength.' Teodorin Obiang, currently vice president, is accused of using the proceeds of corruption and embezzlement to fund an array of luxury purchases It comes as his playboy son will go on trial in France on charges of plundering his country to fund a jet-set lifestyle in Paris. Teodorin Obiang, currently vice president, is accused of using the proceeds of corruption and embezzlement to fund an array of luxury purchases, from private jets and top properties to pop star Michael Jackson's famous white glove. Obiang Senior has also been pursued in French courts for allegedly plundering state coffers to buy luxury homes and cars in France. The trial will be the first arising from a series of landmark investigations in France into the alleged ill-gotten gains of a handful of African leaders. Prosecutors will show how Obiang, now 47, amassed French assets worth several tens of millions of euros between 2007 and 2011, 'either directly or through front men or shell companies', a source close to the investigation said. Obiang was agriculture minister for his father Teodoro Obiang Nguema in the tiny central African nation at the time, earning a government salary of under $100,000 (89,000 euros) a year. He will face charges of laundering the proceeds of corruption, embezzlement, misuse of public funds and breach of trust. US authorities have also pursued Obiang junior, accusing him of racking up more than $300 million through embezzlement, extortion and money laundering. In October 2014, he was forced to turn over more than $30 million in ill-gotten gains - including a Malibu villa, a Ferrari and Michael Jackson memorabilia. He managed, however, to hang onto the white glove Jackson wore during his 'Bad' tour. Advertisement A squadron of 14 Spitfires ruled the skies again today as they flew over a wartime airbase to celebrate a landmark day for the RAF that saved allies forces in the Second World War. The majestic spitfires stole the show as they flew in formation for crowds at the Duxford Airshow, joining numerous planes that have never been seen before in the UK. The impressive display form the iconic fighter planes celebrated the 80th anniversary of the formation of RAF Fighter Command, tasked with defending Britain from the infamous German Luftwaffe. Airbourne again: A squadron of 14 Spitfires ruled the skies again today as they flew over a wartime airbase to celebrate a landmark day for the RAF that saved allies forces in the Second World War Perfectly formed: The majestic spitfires (pictured, a rare Mark 1a, the first model of the long-serving plane) stole the show as they flew in formation at the Duxford Airshow, joining numerous planes that have never been seen before in the UK Recreation: Also taking to the skies over the weekend were two German Hispano Buchon (Messerschmitt Bf-109) planes, one of which was part of a recreation of the dynamic flying sequence they recently flew for the upcoming feature film Dunkirk Legendary: The German Fokker DR1 saw widespread service in the spring of 1918. It was the model made famous by Manfred von Richtofen, the infamous German World War One pilot known as the Red Baron, who painted his Fokker red Late showing: A Grumman F8F Bearcat (left), used by the US Air Forced at the end of World War Two, and Hawker Fury FB 11, which first flew in 1945 and was active in the 1950s and 1960s Flying high: The Avro Lancaster Bomber from the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight was the most successful and popular bomber used by Britain in the Second World War, delivering 608,612 long tons of bombs Diamond nine: Also on show for the crowds at Duxford today were the Red Arrows, the spectacular aerobatic display team that lit up the skies with their smokey trails and roaring engines. Here, they fly in the famous diamond nine formation Impressive: The Red Arrows flew past upside down, leaving trails behind them in an impressive display at the air show, which was commemorating the 80th anniversary of the RAF Fighter Command Coiourful display: The Hawk T1 has 5,200lbs of thrust and leaves behind the colours of the Union Jack to create an impressive display in the skies for spectators Flying the flag: The pilots in the small squadron are among the best in the world and are internationally renowned for their skills in the air. The smoke is created by releasing diesel and dye into the exhaust, which oxidises instantly Brave: In death-defying stunts, these two pilots fly past each other with seemingly just inches between the tops of the cockpits at incredibly high speeds Sky high: The jets, based at RAF Scampton, speed through the skies in different directions, leaving spectators aghast as they leave their blue and red trails It was the fighter aircraft division that saved millions of lives when they fought off the German attack from the skies in the Battle of Britain in 1940. Today, the planes flew in a formation of 14 above the Imperial War Museum Duxford, including four rare Spitfire Mark Is, the first of model of a plane that served throughout the entire war and into the 1950s. Also taking to the skies over the weekend were a Hispano Buchon (Messerschmitt Bf-109) and two Mark I Spitfires will recreate the dynamic flying sequence they recently flew for the upcoming feature film Dunkirk. Crowds can witness the recreation of a Cold War dogfight between a Soviet Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15 and two British De Havilland Vampires. Iconic: A Supermarine Spitfire flies over the crowd. It is one of 14 that took to the skies today in an incredibly rare meeting of so many classic aircraft, including various different models of the famous fighter Keeping watch: Flying in formation, the 14 planes lit up the skies above Duxford in Cambridgeshire, above a base that played a pivotal role in the war effort and during the Battle of Britain Flying together: A Grumman F8F Bearcat (left) and Hawker Fury FB 11 fly together in a showcase of some of the later models of fighter that joined the war effort and continued to fly in various air forces around the globe afterwards Sleeping giants: Lying in wait, these are some of the incredible classic planes parked together on the turf ahead of the moment that the iconic planes took to the skies together in the rare display Blast from the past: As well as the Second World War, there were a series of First World War replica planes on display, developed in a pioneering period when planes were first used for combat Silver surfers: For the first time flying at a UK air show are the 1930s bi-planes (pictured) a Gloster Gladiator, two Hawker Nimrod aircraft, a Hawker Fury (closest) and a Hawker Demon The air show also includes a display from the Red Arrows, and The Great War Display team, with nine replica First World War aircraft including a replica Royal Aircraft Factory BE2c. There will also be three Royal Aircraft Factory SE5a aircraft; two German Fokker DR1 triplanes and two Junkers CL1 aircraft. A Bristol Fighter, Bristol Scout and Sopwith Snipe showcased the power and capabilities of the First World War. And for the first time flying at a UK air show are the 1930s bi-planes a Gloster Gladiator, two Hawker Nimrod aircraft, a Hawker Fury and a Hawker Demon. Feature film: Two Hispano Buchons (pictured), also known as Messerschmitt Bf-109s, took part in a recreation of the scene from upcoming movie Dunkirk, which they were recently involved in filming Rear view: The Spitfires (pictured) stole the show yesterday , well before the fourteen of them all flew together this afternoon Invading forces: As well as British planes, there were a host of foreign fighters on show for the Imperial War Museum air show, including this G-BUYU Bowers Fly baby 1A, painted in German Army Air Service Feared flyer: The Spitfire was the most famous plane used by the Allies. It started with the MIA but there 19 different marks and 52 variants by the time that the plane was eventually retired from military service International: The Global Stars are another world-famous British aerobatic team, with a new 'dotty smoke' system that adds to the dynamic nature of the air show Fan favourites: Ground crew work on a First World War aircraft (left) and spectators marvel at the massive Lancaster Bomber (right) Fashion friendly: Enthusiasts also attended, clad in military dress from the period when RAF Duxford was a crucial base for the Royal Air Force Visitors to this weekend's air show also included a group of veterans, who told stories of their time at RAF Duxford with 64 and 65 Squadrons, serving as pilots, navigators, medics and engineers. Les Millgate, who served as a pilot on Gloster Meteors at RAF Duxford remembered: 'From the age of probably about five I wanted to fly. So just about as soon as I could, at the age of 18, I volunteered for the air force. This was 1950 and that was it. So, 60 years later, here I am still talking about aircraft.' $122million of potentially dirty money is quite a hair-raising amount of money to be seized from any suspect - not least when he's your country's head of anti-corruption. Russian police raided the house of Dmitry Zakharchenko, the deputy head of the Energy Industry Department of the General Administration of Economic Security and Combating the Corruption. After coming away with the huge sum, $2.2million of which was in Euros, he was arrested on suspicion of abuse of power, obstruction of justice, and accepting bribes. The total amount of money seized is yet to be confirmed exactly, but is believed to be around $122million A source told Russian media outlet RIA Novosti: 'The final amount is unknown. [Police] confiscated a cache only in [Zakharchenko's] house; it is not yet known how many more assets [he has], but we are working in this direction.' There was reportedly so much cash that investigators had to actually stop and find boxes big enough to but it all in. His lawyer, Yury Novikov, said: 'We are asking about two alternative measures: home arrest or 70 million rubles ($1 million) bail.' There was reportedly so much cash that investigators had to actually stop and find boxes big enough to but it all in A student addicted to eating microbeads for breakfast has stocked up on the controversial plastic particles before they are banned. Sam Lewis, a business studies student at Plymouth University, squirts face wash on his cereal which he claims gives them a 'great texture'. He started the bizarre daily ritual as a dare but now cannot imagine tucking into his breakfast without the helping of face wash. Scroll down for video Sam Lewis, a business studies student at Plymouth University, squirts face wash on his cereal which he claims gives them a 'great texture' The 21-year-old said: 'My friends said I should put them on my cereal so I did. I couldn't believe how good it tasted. 'They taste best on Coco Pops, they add a really great texture like the crunchiness of sugar that doesn't dissolve. 'I sort of wash the facewash off the beads.' Unsurprisingly, Sam's unusual habit could be harming his health, and he said the beads sometimes cause stomach ache after a meal. 'I haven't really looked online at the health implications I'm not that bothered. They just taste kind of good! 'My mum doesn't know about it yet because I don't live at home. I think she's probably going to be pretty mad about it', he said. He added: 'Obviously, the ban means I won't be able to feed my addiction, which is a real worry. But I've got a plan to stock up on facewash and make sure I've got a big stash.' Sam's favourite cereal to have the microbeads on is Kellogg's Coco Pops MICROBEAD TOXINS COULD PERMEATE HUMAN TISSUE Toxins in plastic microbeads could get into the food chain through fish and then permeate human tissues if eaten. The frightening possibility has been identified by Government experts and environment groups. It strengthens calls for a ban on the beads, which are contained in beauty products, face scrubs, gels and toothpaste. They end up being flushed down plug holes before reaching rivers and the sea, where they are eaten by marine life. The Daily Mail launched its 'Ban the Beads' campaign amid growing evidence of the damage they cause to the environment. Now evidence supplied to the all-party Commons Environment Audit Committee (EAC) points to the danger the beads pose to human health. A submission from experts at the Government's food and farming department, Defra, said the evidence base is limited, but added: 'They do not biodegrade, they accumulate in the marine environment, they can absorb toxic chemicals and pathogens, and their small size means they have the potential to be ingested by marine organisms. 'Microplastics have been found in a wide variety of species including zooplankton, mussels, oysters, shrimp, marine worms, fish, seals and whales. Chemicals on microplastics ingested by an organism can dissociate from plastic particles and enter body tissues... This suggests that these chemicals have the potential to travel through the food chain.' Advertisement The UK government has announced plans to ban microbeads used in cosmetics and cleaning products by 2017. The small pieces of plastic commonly found in toothpaste, exfoliating body scrubs and other household products and are thought to damage the environment. Environmentalists fear they are building up in oceans and potentially entering the food chain. Cosmetic firms use the tiny plastic beads, which are often invisible to the naked eye, to add sheen to their products or improve their effectiveness at exfoliation. Most microbeads are made from polyethylene, the same material used to make plastic bags, bullet-proof vests and artificial knee joints meaning they are incredibly tough and resilient. A single shower can result in 100,000 microbeads being washed into the sea. More than 4,000 flights could be landing in the UK every year without proper security checks, a damning report on Britain's Border Force will warn tomorrow. David Bolt, Britain's independent chief inspector of border and immigration, conducted random checks on two days in 2014 and 2015 and found that 7.5 per cent of flights had landed in the UK without authorities noticing. This amounted to around 11 flights in a day that went undetected. More than 4,000 flights could be landing in the UK every year without proper security checks, a damning report on Britain's Border Force will warn tomorrow The report states: 'This would imply as many as 4,197 high-risk flights annually are not being physically met by Border Force agents, risk assessed or remotely checked against a security database, as is supposed to happen,' Most of the unidentified flights would be charter planes and private aircraft that land at remote airfields and do not handed over passenger information to UK authorities in advance. But they can include commercial flights from countries such as Turkey, Yemen and Pakistan. The findings were buried in a review of airport security by Mr Bolt and identified by the Adam Smith Institute, which is publishing a report on the UK Border Force tomorrow. The review - first reported in today's Sunday Times - also found that the Border Force was using software that was 'years out of date' and said it was missing key targets on collecting advanced passenger information. But a spokesman for the Border Force said the report was misleading. He said: 'We carry out detailed risk assessments and our officers physically meet any flight considered to be high risk.' It's border wars! Home Secretary Amber Rudd threatens retaliation against EU over plans to force British travellers to pay for visas in Europe Amber Rudd threatened retaliation against the EU after plans emerged to force British tourists to apply for visas to travel to Europe after Brexit. The Home Secretary admitted the European Commission was considering a scheme to introduce a visa programme similar to the US waiver to tighten security in the wake of recent terror attacks through the EU. She said reports of the scheme, which would require Britons to pay for permission to travel to the 26 countries in the EU's borderless Schengen zone, was not ideal but was an example of the 'two-way negotiation' that would take place between the UK and Brussels. Ms Rudd suggested any restrictions imposed on Britons would affect the UK Government's approach to EU nationals. Amber Rudd (pictured on the Andrew Marr Show today) threatened retaliation against the EU after plans emerged to force British tourists to apply for visas to travel to Europe after Brexit Asked about reports of the EU's visa plans, Ms Rudd told the Andrew Marr Show: 'I don't think it's particularly desirable, but we don't rule it out, because we have to be allowed a free hand to get the best negotiations. 'It's a reminder that this is a two-way negotiation. 'The EU and the Commissioners may be considering alternatives - they will be considering their negotiations with us, just as we are considering it with them. 'But I am going to make sure that what we do get is in the best interests of the UK.' Currently British passport holders can travel throughout member states without having to apply for short-term visas, but Britain's decision to leave the EU has left question marks over the criteria needed for UK nationals to visit the Schengen zone. According to The Guardian, the European Commission is due to unveil draft legislation for the EU travel information and authorisation system (Etias) later this year as part of a broader response to calls for greater security across the continent following recent terror attacks in France and Belgium. The scheme would cover all visitors to the Schengen zone from countries that do not need a visa to enter. Shadow home secretary Andy Burnham attacked Ms Rudd over the prospect of Britons facing a visa system to visit EU countries. He said: 'This is yet another example of the drift and confusion as a result of the Government's failure to plan for Brexit. Ministers should not just accept there's a cost of 50 for the average family to go on holiday. 'The Home Secretary's words will not have reassured ordinary families about the cost of Brexit. She seems to be sympathetic to an idea that will put a flat 50 tax on the average family holiday in Europe. WORK PERMIT IMMIGRATION SYSTEM 'CERTAINLY HAS VALUE' SAYS AMBER RUDD Amber Rudd (pictured on the Andrew Marr Show today) said work permits 'certainly have value' Amber Rudd gave a further indication that the Government is pursuing a work permit system to control immigration from the EU. Theresa May last week ruled out a points-based immigration system - a key pledge by the Vote Leave campaign. And Boris Johnson, who championed the policy during the referendum campaign, admitted defeat on the issue. Asked what kind of immigration policy the Government would pursue after Brexit, Ms Rudd told the Andrew Marr Show: 'What we're going to look at is how we can get the best for the economy, driving the numbers down but protecting the people who really add value to the economy. 'Whether we look at the work permit system or another system is something that my department is looking at closely at the moment.' Pressed on the prospect of a work permit system, she added: 'I think that work permits certainly have value but, as I say, we're not ruling anything out at the moment.' The Home Secretary sought to reassure universities after reports that the Government is planning a further crackdown on the number of visas offered to foreign students. 'We are looking at a number of options but students do make an important contribution,' she said. 'There's going to be no blanket banning of students coming to the UK but we are looking at bringing down the numbers overall.' Advertisement 'Tory ministers might think nothing of that, but it would make it even harder for ordinary families to afford a holiday. 'Norway doesn't have the charge so why should we? I challenge the Home Secretary to rule it out.' Steve Peers, a professor of EU law at the University of Essex, said he believes electronic visa waiver plans will go ahead but he did not know what the rules would be. 'It's going to annoy a lot of people,' he said. 'We can ask for full free movement, but any arrangement is going to have to be reciprocal, so you have to ask what Nigel Farage and the others will accept.' Camino Mortera-Martinez, a research fellow specialising in justice and home affairs at the Centre for European Reform, quoted in the newspaper, said: 'In theory UK citizens, as third-country nationals, would certainly be subject to the obligations (of such a scheme),' adding: 'This will have to be part of the Brexit talks. It will all have to be negotiated.' It is believed EU powerhouses France and Germany, who have been victim to a spate of terror attacks in recent months, both back a system based on the US ESTA visa and want visitors to request permission to travel to the zone at least three days before they enter. The plans for a visa programme were announced back in 2011 and the French interior minister, Bernard Cazeneuve, said last month that France supported 'a European ESTA, like that in the US, Canada and Australia'. Now the plan has resurfaced as part of a series of security measures to counter the growing terror threat in Europe. In July a German-Iranian citizenship shot and killed nine at a shopping center in Munich while on Bastille Day in Nice, in the same month, 86 people were mowed down by a truck driven by a fanatic. British citizens can currently travel to the US without a visa although Britons must pay $14 US dollars and complete and submit an application form at least 72 hours (three days) in advance of entering the country-as part of a visa waiver programme. However UK passport holders can only stay in the US for 90 days under the scheme and if a Briton has a criminal record they can be denied entry. Regulations passed by congress earlier this year makes Britons, who have traveled to Iran, Iraq, Syria or Sudan in the past five years ineligible for the scheme so they must apply for a visa to enter the US. In her interview today Ms Rudd gave a further indication that Britain would pursue a work permit system to control immigration from the EU. 'What we're going to look at is how we can get the best for the economy, driving the numbers down but protecting the people who really add value to the economy, she said. 'Whether we look at the work permit system or another system is something that my department is looking at closely at the moment.' Pressed on the prospect of a work permit system, she added: 'I think that work permits certainly have value but, as I say, we're not ruling anything out at the moment.' The Home Secretary sought to reassure universities after reports that the Government is planning a further crackdown on the number of visas offered to foreign students. 'We are looking at a number of options but students do make an important contribution,' she said. William and Kate have brought their children on annual visit to Highlands Carole and husband Michael also took pride of place at church service The women chatted amiably as the sovereign pointed out beauty spots Guests of the Queen often expect to be chauffeured about usually by a flunky. But Carole Middleton must have been a little surprised to find herself riding shotgun to Her Majesty on a visit to Balmoral. The 90-year-old monarch scotched rumours of a rift with the Duchess of Cambridges parents as she drove them about at the weekend. Scroll down for video The Queen was spotted driving Kates mother, Carole Middleton, back to Balmoral from a grouse shoot on Saturday. Carole and her husband are in Scotland as guests of Her Majesty The Queen drove the Duchess of Cambridge to a picnic lunch with Prince William in the hills above Loch Muick on the Balmoral estate yesterday On the way back from a grouse shoot on Saturday, the Queen could be seen chatting amiably with Carole peering over the steering wheel of her Range Rover and pointing out beauty spots. Carole and husband Michael flew to Aberdeen on Thursday on a scheduled British Airways flight. They arrived hours after William and Kate, who have brought up their two children, Prince George and Princess Charlotte for their annual visit to the Highlands. There have been rumours of friction between the Middletons and the Royal family, particularly Prince Charles, over access to George and Charlotte. The two women chatted amiably as the sovereign - who could barely be seen over the steering wheel of her Range Rover - pointed out some beauty spots to Mrs Middleton on the way Carole and her husband Michael flew up to Aberdeen on Thursday evening on a scheduled British Airways flight. Pictured, the Queen and Mrs Middleton return from a shoot yesterday The Queen has also been wrongly accused of freezing the Middleton family out. But that seemed to be far from the case at the weekend. The extended family party have been enjoying country walks, picnics and BBQs. Yesterday the Queen, dressed in a casual sleeveless jacket, drove the Duchess of Cambridge or the Countess of Strathearn as she is known north of the border to a picnic lunch with Prince William in the hills above Loch Muick on the estate. A smiling Kate looked happy and relaxed as she sat in the front passenger seat of the dark green Range Rover in a khaki coat and patterned scarf. Elegant in a tweed jacket, Carole Middleton looked relaxed as she joined senior members of Royal Family for a service at Crathie Kirk, near Balmoral Castle, on Sunday morning William and Kate, who arrived in Royal Deeside on Thursday, have been staying at Prince Charless private Birkhall residence with their children. Pictured, the couple this morning The Queen, pictured travelling to church with Prince Philip, invited Carole Middleton to join her family north of the border. William and Kate are currently on holiday with their children A smiling Duchess of Cornwall opted for a festive pink jacket with tartan trim for the Sunday morning service. She was driven to the church by her husband, Prince Charles William, 34, was also spotted driving a converted Land Rover Defender up the Capel Mounth path on the way to Glen Clova for a grouse shoot shortly after 10am yesterday. On Sunday the Middletons also took pride of place in the royal pew at church. The family holiday in Scotland will end this week. Prince William has engagements on Wednesday and Friday, before jetting off to Canada for an official Royal tour with his wife and children from September 24 until October 1. Royal officials declined to comment on the Scottish holiday. Carole looked relaxed as she was driven to the church service in a Range Rover this morning He also called for an end to the British ' Andrew Halls said some opponents of grammar schools were guilty of the 'British embarrassment with intellect' People who dismiss grammar schools outright are guilty of the British embarrassment with intellect, a leading private school headmaster has said. Andrew Halls, headteacher of Kings College School in Wimbledon, said the problem with grammar schools had been that there were too few so they became the only schools people wanted to go to. He said the shortage of grammars had left pupils with the choice of secondary moderns, which were seen as bear pits not always fairly and technical schools, which were as rare as hens teeth. Mr Halls said he would support the creation of new grammars as long as the point of entry was well managed and at least as much investment was put into their alternatives. He told MailOnline: Those who dismiss grammars outright are in denial about the social mobility benefits they brought. Survey after survey shows that from the 1980s, when the last grammar school cohorts dropped out of the system, England echoed to the sound of ladders being pulled up. So many comprehensive schools at the time were not fit for purpose that working class families had no way to help their children out of poverty.' Mr Halls said the closure of grammar schools had left England as one of the only developed countries where the older generation is more literate and numerate than their grandchildren. He added: This is why in 21st-century England you are more unlikely than at any point in the last fifty years to rise above the social background you were born into. Andrew Halls, the headmaster of Kings College School in Wimbledon, said the problem with grammar schools had been that there were too few so they became the only schools people wanted to go to Theresa May recently announced a plan to overturn the ban on selective schools and allow existing grammars to expand and new ones to open with quotas for poorer pupils. Mr Halls, who attended Shenley Court School, a Birmingham comprehensive, said it was wrong to assume that bright children would succeed regardless of what school they attended. He added: There is an English embarrassment with intellect and the assumption that being bright is a lucky attribute and that you will land on your feet wherever you go. Prime Minister Theresa May recently announced a plan to overturn the ban on selective schools In reality, being bright can be crucifying if no one thinks as you do. Kings College School, which charges nearly 20,000 per year, was named The Sunday Times independent school of the year in 2014. Mr Halls stressed the need for better-funded technical colleges where less academic children could learn a trade. And he called for a modern generation of grammar schools with more flexibility around the year of entry than had existed previously. We need a 21st-century version of grammar schools with more flexibility around years of entry, perhaps Year 9 in addition to Year 7. And you could not possibly reintroduce them without investing even more in technical colleges. Believes China has been routing aluminum through Mexico to avoid tariffs Industry exec is convinced it is related to Chinese billionaire Liu Zhongtian Measures one million metric ton; six per cent of world's aluminum stock Giant pile of aluminum was discovered two years ago in central Mexico A Chinese billionaire is hiding a giant stockpile of aluminum in the Mexican desert, his American rivals have claimed. The pile, worth $2 billion and measuring one million metric tons, represents six per cent of the world's aluminum. It was discovered two years ago after a California aluminum executive sent a pilot over San Jose Iturbide, a city in central Mexico, the Wall Street Journal reported in an investigative piece Friday. Trade representative Jeff Henderson believes Chinese billionaire Liu Zhongtian, an aluminum magnate, routed merchandise through Mexico to avoid paying US tariffs. Trade representative Jeff Henderson (right) believes Chinese billionaire Liu Zhongtian (left), an aluminum magnate, routed merchandise through Mexico to avoid paying US tariffs An aluminum stockpile (pictured), worth $2 billion and representing six per cent of the world's aluminum, was discovered two years ago in San Jose Iturbide, a city in central Mexico Liu controls China Zhongwang Holdings Ltd, the world's second largest aluminum producer in its category. His current fortune is estimated at $3.2 billion according to Forbes. 'My Moby-Dick has been Zhongwang,' Henderson told the Wall Street Journal. Henderson is the president of the Aluminum Extruders Council, an American trade group. Aluminum manufacturers receive subsidies in China. This means Chinese companies could be able to sell aluminum at a lower price than American firms. The United States protected domestic trade by enforcing tariffs, which have to be paid when aluminum is imported. Bringing in merchandise through Mexico would enable a Chinese manufacturer such as Zhongwang to avoid paying those tariffs. Bringing in merchandise through Mexico would enable a Chinese manufacturer such as Zhongwang, controlled by Liu, to avoid paying US tariffs. Pictured is the stockpile in Mexico Liu (center) controls China Zhongwang Holdings Ltd, the world's second largest aluminum producer in its category. His current fortune is estimated at $3.2 billion Liu, who is currently the deputy secretary of China's Communist Party, told the Wall Street Journal he didn't have any connection with the aluminum in San Jose Iturbide. He denied trying to route his aluminum through Mexico to avoid the payments. 'These things have nothing to do with me,' he said. But documents such as legal filings, company records and trade documents, as well as interviews of some of Liu's previous business partners, suggest otherwise, according to the Wall Street Journal. Tons of aluminum traveled from China to Mexico after being shipped by several companies, the newspaper found. One of these companies belonged to Liu's son and another to someone who claims to be Liu's longtime business partner. The US Department Of Commerce is investigating the pile of aluminum in San Jose Iturbide after receiving several complaints against China from the metals industry. Aluminum producers in the United States have struggled in recent years. There were 23 aluminum factories across the country in 2000. That number is expected to fall to five by the end of this year. The pile of aluminum, meanwhile, could be shipped back to Vietnam, the Wall Street Journal reported based on sources familiar with the matter. A teenage mother has been beaten up a second time - almost exactly a year after she learned no one would be prosecuted over the previous attack. Tia Jade Edwards, 17, suffered a broken nose and possible damage to her eye socket, which may need surgery. In September 2015, she learned no-one would be prosecuted over a beating three months before, in which she suffered a black eye, cuts and swollen lips. A teenage mother has been beaten up a second time (left) - almost exactly a year after she learned no one would be prosecuted over the previous attack (right) North Wales Police had questioned three people following the previous incident but the Crown Prosecution Service said there was insufficient evidence to secure a conviction. A family member said Tia was in a 'terrible state' when police were called to an address in Colwyn Bay after this Friday's alleged attack, which is believed to have taken place before 10pm. The relative said Tia, who is said to be extremely upset and at home recovering with relatives, could require further hospital treatment. The college student was admitted to Ysbyty Hospital Glan Clwyd following the assault. She may need surgery on a broken nose and there are concerns about her eye socket and teeth. Tia has an eight-month-old daughter who was staying with relatives at the time. Ms Edwards may need surgery on a broken nose and there are concerns about her eye socket and teeth. She is pictured here in 2015 The family said a man has been arrested following the incident, but North Wales Police have yet to confirm the arrest. In July last year, Tia made national headlines after she was attacked at a house party in Abergele and photos posted on Facebook sparked outrage from hundreds of people who called for justice. Her guardian Alison Faulds said at the time: 'I am fuming. She is a 16 year-old girl and it's not like she did it to herself. 'Tia is fuming as well because justice has failed. If someone gets away with this they can do it again. 'The evidence is all over Facebook, yet they told me they couldn't use any of the evidence on Facebook.' In July last year, Tia made national headlines after she was attacked at a house party in Abergele Two women, both aged 37, and a youth were questioned by North Wales Police in relation to the incident and were released on police bail but no charges were brought. A spokesman for the Crown Prosecution Service said at the time: 'Having considered the available evidence in accordance with the Code for Crown Attack: Steve Nash was reportedly robbed and murdered in a remote part of Mongolia A British adventurer is feared to have been murdered during an expedition across Mongolia. Steve Nash, an experienced paraglider pilot, was robbed of his passport and wallet before he was killed in a senseless attack, his friend claimed. The 53-year-old, from Helsby, Cheshire, was hiking and paragliding across remote terrain with his friend and fellow pilot Gareth Aston when he was reportedly targeted by assailants. Local authorities are said to be investigating the incident. Speaking to Cross Country Magazine, friend Malcolm Grace said that Mr Nash's wife Shirley first became concerned when his satellite tracking device stopped updating his route online. He said: 'There was no end-of-day "OK" message. The last track-point showed him stopped in themiddle of a valley. 'Some hours later we got the devastating news from Gareth that Steve had been killed and robbed. His passport and his money were missing. Everything else was still there, including his paraglider - packed in his backpack.' Mr Nash is believed to have flown in Mongolia before and had returned to traverse the Khangai Nuruu mountain range. According to a post on the 'Spiralling the Steppes 2' expedition Facebook page, Mr Aston was forced to leave the trip early on August 31 due to injury and Mr Nash chose to continue on his own. Adventurer: Paraglider pilot Steve Nash, second from left, with expedition partner Gareth Aston, far right, hours before Mr Nash was reportedly murdered by robbers in Mongolia The alarm was raised just hours after Mr Aston was collected by a local adventure company. Mr Nash had twice competed in the Red Bull X-Alps race, considered to be one of the world's toughest adventure races. Participants must complete a 1,000km route across the mountain range by foot or paraglider. He was also a member of the Nova Paragliding Team. Friends paid tribute on Mr Nash's JustGiving page for the Red Bull X-Alps race, remembering 'a true gent and amazing pilot'. One wrote: 'Steve was a true inspiration, happy to share his knowledge, skills & adventures in the most enthusiastic of ways. Nicest guy you would ever want to me. Thoughts are with you Shirley & Family.' Experienced: Mr Nash, 53, posted this photograph on Facebook with the caption: 'Flying my IBEX 3 above the tiny island of Vartersay in the south of the Outer Hebrides' Another posted: 'RIP Steve, you were a friend to everyone in the sport and always happy to share your skills and knowledge. Such sad news. Condolences to Shirley, your family and friends.' Mr Nash's family have asked that donations in Steve's memory be made to the Wings for Life - Spinal Cord Research Foundation, and the Llanberis and Ogwen Valley Mountain Rescue Teams in Snowdonia, Wales. Now a picture has emerged showing the moment the man was held down A migrant being deported on an easyJet flight was shouting 'Allahu Akbar' This is the moment a migrant was held down after he shouted 'Allahu Akbar' 29 times on a flight to Venice This is the horrifying moment a migrant being deported on an easyJet flight was held down in his chair after he screamed 'Allahu Akbar' 29 times. Stunned holidaymakers on board the flight to Venice, Italy, were forced to sit next to the man who continued to shout 'death is coming' on the plane. Passengers on the plane - which had just left Gatwick Airport - were petrified and feared a terror attack was imminent, while children were left in tears. And a photograph showing the moment the man was held down in his seat has now emerged after it was revealed the Home Office is using budget airlines to deport illegal immigrants. The handcuffed man was being guarded by Home Office officials but that still did not prevent him from shouting and swearing at crew and passengers. An 11-minute audio recording was obtained by The Mail on Sunday and the unnamed migrant can be heard screaming 'we will die' nine times. Meanwhile, he also shouted 'death is coming' 17 times and those on board described his behaviour as being 'crude and threatening'. Lucy and Terence O'Sullivan, from Detling, Kent, were celebrating their honeymoon and were sitting just five rows in front of the man. Scroll down for audio Lucy and Terrence O'Sullivan were left terrified by the threats made by the handcuffed man, who was being deported to Venice Mrs O'Sullivan, 33, a carer, told the Mail on Sunday: 'It was really scary. I felt threatened. I was tearful. 'The worst-case scenario was that we weren't going to get off that plane alive because we didn't know who the person was, what the circumstances were or anything. 'When we got on board, the seats were moving so he was obviously kicking or thrashing out. I thought someone was having a fit. 'But when we got up close we could see people were restraining him.' Mrs O'Sullivan feared they could be victims of a terror attack and said: 'We didn't know whether he came from a group of terrorists.' Mr O'Sullivan, 34, a site auditor, added: 'It was pretty terrifying. 'I was thinking he's somehow got explosives on to the plane and he doesn't want to go through with it. I absolutely feared for my life.' The newly-married couple were eventually reassured later into the flight by fellow passengers who explained the situation. The couple (pictured left and right) were celebrating their honeymoon when they were on the plane with the migrant It has emerged that budget airlines are being used by officials to deport illegal immigrants from Britain Passengers were not allowed to use the toilet close to where the migrant, believed to be of African origin, was sat at the back of the plane. On Saturday night, easyJet apologised for the 'distressing' incident and announced it was reviewing the circumstances with the Home Office The company said: 'We acknowledge that on this occasion the situation onboard could have been distressing for other passengers and apologise for that. 'However, the safety of the flight was never compromised. 'We would not have carried the passenger had he displayed threatening behaviour prior to the flight, the captain would have diverted if any threat was made to the safety of the flight or passengers on board, and he was in the care of two officers escorting him on behalf of the Home Office for the duration of the flight.' Four new state polls show Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump within the margin of error of each other and potentially picking off states associated with the other candidate's party. Trump, for his part, looks to be making the blueish New Hampshire and Nevada more competitive than they have been in recent cycles. Clinton, on the other hand, could potentially win the red states of Georgia and Arizona, the new NBC News/Wall Street Journal/Marist polls show. Scroll down for video Donald Trump (left) and Hillary Clinton (right) are neck-and-neck in four states, according to a new set of surveys, including the historically red Georgia and Arizona In New Hampshire, a state that Trump heaps praise on because its Republican voters handed the billionaire his first primary win, he receives 41 percent support from likely voters to Clinton's 42 percent. Among registered voters, a bigger sample size, Trump and Clinton were tied at 40 percent. The state's independent-minded voters gave Libertarian Party candidate 15 percent of their support when pollsters looked a four-way race. In this scenario Green Party candidate Jill Stein scored 3 percent of the vote, while Clinton got 39 percent and Trump received 37 percent support. New Hampshire voters gave their electoral votes to President Barack Obama in 2012 and 2008 and Democratic hopeful John Kerry, now the secretary of state, in 2004, but President George W. Bush won the Granite State in the year 2000. The margin of error for likely New Hampshire voters was plus-or-minus 3.6 percent and registered voters was 3.1 percent. In Nevada, another state that has voted Democratic the last two cycles though also went for George W. Bush both times he ran Clinton again leads Trump by only one point. She receives 45 percent of support from likely voters, to Trump's 44 percent, with a margin of error of 3.9 percent. When the pool is expanded to registered voters Clinton pulls ahead, earning 46 percent to Trump's 41 percent, which is outside the poll's 3.2 percent margin of error for that sampling. Additionally when Johnson and Stein are added in, Trump squeaks ahead of Clinton by one point, earning 42 percent to Clinton's 41 percent, while Johnston nabs 8 percent of the vote and Stein, again, gets just 3 percent. Moving to two states that are usually safe havens for Republicans, Clinton is just one point behind Trump in Arizona, earning 41 percent to his 42 percent among likely voters. When the pool is expanded to registered voters, Clinton stays at 41 percent, while Trump falls behind her to 40 percent support. The surveys' margin of error are 3.8 percent and 3.2 percent respectively. Since 1980 Arizona has only gone Democratic once in 1996 to re-elect Clinton's husband, President Bill Clinton. Finally, Georgia is proving to be a more competitive state than in years past, when it was reliably red. The new survey shows Clinton at 43 percent and Trump at 46 percent among likely voters, within the poll's margin of error of 3.9 percent. Among registered voters the two candidates are tied at 44 percent, with a margin of error of 3.2 percent. The Southern state last elected a Democrat in 1992, helping President Bill Clinton win the White House over Republican George H.W. Bush. 'As we enter the final lap of this very unconventional election, it would not be surprising if the electoral map in the end has new contours,' surmised Lee Miringoff, the director of the Marist College Institute for Public Opinion. 'Any of these four states could awaken a fault line in what is looking more and more like a shake-up election with more states being up for grabs,' Miringoff said. President Bush was bundled onto Air Force One with no destination In the hours following the 9/11 attacks, the US top brass were in disarray In the confused, chaotic hours following the 9/11 attacks, President Bush found himself trapped aboard a fuel-depleted Air Force One while America inched toward nuclear war, it has emerged. Bush and his closest advisers argued about whether to return to Washington, DC to command the country, or to head elsewhere to protect the Commander in Chief, Politico reported. Meanwhile, with only eight hours of fuel on board and the chain of communication scrambled, the President was unable to tell Vladimir Putin that the US's step up to DEFCON 3 was not a precursor to nuclear war. President Bush was bundled into Air Force One after the second plane hit the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001. He then spent hours in the air The Secret Service refused his demands to turn Air Force One (pictured) around and take it to Washington, DC. Instead, they moved aimlessly, with dwindling fuel supplies In the a time before iPhones, or even BlackBerries, communication to and from the President was highly limited - especially from a Florida high school. Master Sgt. Dana Lark, superintendent of communications for Air Force One told Politico that they found out about the second strike on the towers via old-fashioned TV aerial. 'We didnt have the ability to tune into CNN, Fox, or anything else,' he said. 'It was the Today Show, the strongest signal that day, and theyre showing pictures [of the Towers], smoke billowing out. I saw the second airplane strike. I said, "Oh s**t."' Bush had already been notified about the first attack before entering the classroom, when it was hoped that it was just an accident. But the second hit made it clear this was the result of an offensive strike. 'I whispered in his ear, "A second plane hit the second Tower. America is under attack,"' Andy Card, Bush's chief of staff, said. 'I took a couple steps back so he couldnt ask any questions... I was pleased with how the president reacted - he didnt do anything to create fear.' Bush had been notified of the attacks while visiting Emma E Booker Elementary School in Sarasota, Florida. At first it was thought it could have been an accident But when the second plane struck, chief of staff Andrew Card (left) notified the President. He was ultimately rushed out to Air Force One, as it was feared he might be the next target Bush and the Secret Service - now spooked about the possibility of an attempt to decapitate the government - argued about whether he should address the nation or be spirited away into hiding. Eventually, a compromise was found. 'He gave a very brief statement, he started off and I cringed right away,' Card recalled. 'He said, "Im going back to Washington, DC." And I thought, you dont know that. We dont know that. We dont know where were going.' Unknown to the President and his team, the Pentagon had also been hit - cutting off contact with secretary of defense Donald Rumsfeld. Co-ordination damaged, the team bundled into Air Force One, which took off 'like we were on a roller coaster,' according to Bush's then senior adviser Karl Rove. Before leaving for Air Force One, Bush tried to find out what was happening - but the school only had a CRT TV The Secret Service agreed to the President giving a brief statement before he left for Air Force One. But then they were in the air - and worried about being hit by other planes Communication with the ground was re-established through two secure lines, but these were not always consistent, and communication between various departments on the ground was also confused and difficult. And the team felt no more secure in the air: Six unidentified aircraft in the US were all potential 'missiles.' A plan to secure the President on the ground in Camp David fell apart when United Flight 93 crashed 100 miles from the base. Worse, communications outside of the two secure lines were jammed due to saturation of data. 'It was all the same systems the airplane pilots were using at the same time, talking to their dispatchers,' Lark said. 'We as Air Force One didnt have any higher priority than American This or United That.' Communication was so fragmented that Bush couldn't even find out whether his family was okay. And the team could only get regular updates on the situation from local TV picked up as the plane flew overhead. Fighter jets were scrambled to protect the plane - but as the day wore on, Air Force One and its entourage became the only jets in the sky, and thus an even more obvious target With rumors swirling that 'Angel' - the top-secret code name for air Force One - was a target, two F-11 fighters were dispatched to guard the plane. Meanwhile, an armed guard was sent to make sure the press remained downstairs, away from the President - something that had never been done before. 'Will Chandler (the lead Air Force security officer) was summoned to the front,' said Air Force One security Staff Sgt. William Buzz Buzinskim, 'then he stayed up there, providing security at the cockpit stairs. 'That got us thinking: Is there an insider threat? [Colonel Tillmans] putting someone at the flight deck. You just dont know whos who. ' As fear of threats inside and out grew, Bush demanded to go back to Washington, but was overruled by the Secret Service - instead, the plane would fly to Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana, to refuel and deposit non-essential passengers. Communication with the ground was inconsistent, and the President had trouble figuring out what was happening, and who was safe While paranoia and fear of the outside were both building in Air Force One, the situation on the ground was heating up too, NBC reported. By chance, both the US and Russia were engaging in war games intended to simulate a potential nuclear encounter, and around 36 real nuclear warheads had been loaded into planes in North Dakota, Missouri - and Barksdale. Admiral Richard Mies, the commander of US Strategic Command (STRATCOM) had started unloading the nukes as soon as the towers were hit. But the possibility that the President's plane might be attacked in the vicinity of those Barksdale warheads was still a severe one. 'You would destroy half of Bossier City with the explosions,' Al Buckles, Strategic Command's watch officer that day, said. 'Nuclear weapons were exposed.' As the Barksdale crew ran to offload the bombs, Russian President Vladimir Putin came calling, demanding to speak to the President. Their own war games practice had picked up the fact that Donald Rumsfeld had stepped up the DEFCON rating - the sliding scale towards nuclear war - to level 3. That meant preparing for war. If it stepped up again to DEFCON 2, the bombers would be reloaded with nukes and prepped to fly. Russia detected the US raising its DEFCON level, but Vladimir Putin could not be connected to Bush, who was still in the air. Condoleeza Rice eventually defused the situation in Russian The US and Russia were teetering on the edge of nuclear escalation - and thanks to an inability to establish secure communications with Air Force One at that point, Bush wasn't there to answer. For 30 minutes, Putin waited for Bush to respond. Eventually, national security adviser Condoleeza Rice - who is fluent in Russian - stepped in to talk the situation down. On board the plane, things were getting chaotic. Any and all information - including news reports - was being passed up to the President, in violation of the usual filters that only allow confirmed facts. 'The fog of war is real,' Card said. 'You can be in a car accident and everyone in the car crash has a different perspective. Take that and multiple that a million times.' And war it was: The plane touched down in Barksdale - off-the-record to the on-plane staff, but filmed by local news crews in the area - and landed surrounded by nuke-packed bombers. Stress: All aboard the plain were under immense stress. Eventually they were able to refuel in Florida - surrounded by nuclear weapons that had been used in a war game that day The plane refueled and passengers were able to contact loved ones at last. 'I called my wife and said, "I'm safe. I can't tell you where I am,"' recalled representative Adam Putnam. 'And she said, "Oh, I thought you were in Barksdale? That's what I saw on TV."' One more Presidential statement later the plane was up again with 14 hours of fuel and no plan. Now, rather than a flood of air traffic communication, there was almost nothing on the radio but control towers warning Air Force One about crop dusters in the fields below. 'I saw one of the agents was standing in the hallway,' said White House stenographer Ellen Eckert, 'and I went up to him: "So this is the safest place to be? This is Air Force One, right?" 'He said, "Well, listen, don't mention this, but we might as well have a big red X on the bottom of this plane. Were the only plane in the sky." 'That was scary. I went into the bathroom and used one of those Air Force One notepads to write a letter to my family - six siblings and two parents. 'They're never going to see this, its going to burn up in a fiery inferno. One of the flight attendants opened the door and comforted me and gave me a washcloth to wipe. "We've got this. Were all together."' Bush was able to make proper contact with the intelligence services in Offutt Air Force Base near Omaha Nebraska (pictured: Bush entering the base) Bush caught up on the day's events in a bunker deep beneath the base before returning to Washington, DC The plane landed again at US Strategic Command (STRATCOM), Offut Air Force Base, Omaha, Nebraska, giving it only 15 minutes' warning. The President and his crew then descended into a bunker where, finally, they could properly connect to the world. Discussions were had and a suspect was finally identified: Al-Qaeda. With an enemy defined and with the drama having finally quietened, the President and his team returned to Washington, DC on Air Force One. 'It was about an hour from touching down, pretty late in the day, a lot of people were asleep, and the lights on Air Force One were turned down,' recalled Mike Morell, presidential adviser for the CIA. 'The president came back into the staff compartment. I was the only one awake. I said, "How are you doing?" "I'm just fine, thanks for asking."' Bush was finally able to address America properly upon landing back in Washington 'One of the things that struck me, he transformed right before my eyes from a president who was struggling a bit with the direction of his administration on September 10th, to a wartime president, just in a matter of hours. 'I could already see this new confidence and power in him.' Bush finally returned to the White House by helicopter, flying in a zig-zag pattern to avoid being struck by rockets. 'Out of the front left of the chopper, the President had a clear view of the Pentagon,' said Ari Fleischer, White House press secretary. 'The president said to nobody and everybody: "The mightiest building in the world is on fire. This is the face of war in the 21st century."' They're the real-life 'Fault in Our Stars' couple two ill teenagers who fell in love and embarked on a journey to fight their diseases together. But now the tragic love story of Katie and Dalton Prager, who met while fighting cystic fibrosis, is coming to an end. Katie, 26, has entered hospice care at home in Kentucky after her lung transplant didn't work. Doctors say there is nothing else they can do for her. Katie and Dalton Prager (pictured) met when they were both teenagers fighting cystic fibrosis After a long battle against their multiple diseases their story similar to the John Green novel 'The Fault in Our Stars' Katie has entered hospice care at home in Kentucky Katie's lung transplant didn't work and doctors now say there is not else they can do for her 'There are too many things going on in my body to be able to fix everything,' she wrote on her YouCaring page. 'Things appear to be going downhill faster than I thought they would.' Now Dalton, 25, is racing against time to be near his wife but his health declined recently, and he's been stuck with pneumonia at a hospital in St. Louis, unable to be by Katie's side. 'Katie is his love and that's all he has cared about is being with her,' Dalton's mother, Renee Strausner, told KSDK. 'My main goal as mom is to get him there to see her.' Now Dalton, 25, is racing against time to be near his wife in Kentucky but can't yet travel due to his health Dalton's health declined recently, and he's been stuck with pneumonia at a hospital in St. Louis Katie says she is in hospice care because 'there are too many things going on in my body to be able to fix everything' The couple met in their teens, when Katie heard about Dalton's story and offered him support. 'If you ever need a friend to talk to, you can reach out to me,' Katie wrote to him on Facebook, while she was in Kentucky and he was in Missouri, CNN reported. They began to chat about their condition and, slowly, fell in love. Doctors warned them to not meet in person, for fear that Katie could contract from Dalton the horribly-contagious bacteria Burkiholderia cepacia. But, for love, she was willing to do anything. 'I told Dalton I'd rather be happy like really, really happy for five years of my life and die sooner than be mediocre happy and live for 20 years,' Katie told CNN. 'That was definitely something I had to think about, but when you have those feelings, you just know.' The couple met in their teens, when Katie heard about Dalton's story and offered him support They began to chat about their ailments on Facebook and, slowly, fell in love Doctors warned them to not meet in person, for fear that Katie could contract from Dalton the horribly-contagious bacteria Burkiholderia cepacia Throwing caution to the wind, the two met up on August 28, 2009, after Dalton drove six hours from his hometown of St. Charles, Missouri, to a Dairy Queen near Katie's home in Flemingsburg, Kentucky. 'My heart was racing, but I just went right up to him and hugged and kissed him on the mouth without even saying hello,' Katie told CNN. 'I'm usually not that kind of girl, but it just felt so right.' The two married in 2011, when they were both 20 years old. They were hospitalized together in August 2014, hoping for lung transplants. Dalton had his transplant in November of that year, just as Katie's battle became much more complicated. Despite warnings not to meet, Katie told Dalton: 'I'd rather be happy like really, really happy for five years of my life and die sooner than be mediocre happy and live for 20 years' Throwing caution to the wind, the two met up on August 28, 2009, after Dalton drove six hours from his hometown in Missouri to a Dairy Queen near Katie's home in Kentucky The two married in 2011, when they were both 20 years old. They were hospitalized together in August 2014, hoping for lung transplants Dalton had his transplant in November, just as Katie's battle became much more complicated as she had to fight for her insurance to cover the costs of a transplant In December 2014, Katie was discharged from the Pittsburgh hospital after a long stay and returned to Kentucky, but began having trouble breathing three days later. The hospital would not admit her because Medicare would not pay because she had used her lifetime maximum, the couple said. She would not be covered for the expensive out-of-state medical procedure again until she had spent spends 60 consecutive days out of the hospital. She was admitted into University of Kentucky Hospital but was told the facility also didn't transplants on patients with the kind of infection that Katie had. After months, Katie was finally able to get a new lung but her transplant has since failed With nothing else left to try, Katie and Dalton are rushing to be together, even if only for the end. 'If we only get to spend a day and a night together, we'll be happy with that,' Katie said After months, Katie was finally able to get a new lung. Even as the Pragers dealt with a host of new issues Katie with cancer, liver failure and heart problems, Dalton with lymphoma and pneumonia they remained positive. They planned to travel together and perhaps write a book about their love story. But then Katie's health took a turn for the worst: her lung transplant didn't work. With nothing else left to try, Katie and Dalton are rushing to be together, even if only for the very end. 'If we only get to spend a day and a night together, we'll be happy with that,' Katie told CNN. In her final post, Katie thanked her supporters. 'I get to spend the rest of my time surrounded by people and things that make me happy,' she wrote on YouCaring.com. 'Please don't take this as a sign of me giving up. It's the last thing I want people to remember of me. 'God bless you all and thank you for going on this journey with me! Love, Katie.' Simon Kirby (pictured) has been poached by Rolls-Royce The controversial HS2 high-speed rail link was thrown into fresh turmoil last night after its highly-paid boss quit weeks before a crucial decision by MPs. Simon Kirby, the project's chief executive whose 750,000 salary made him Britain's most highly-paid civil servant, has been poached by Rolls-Royce. It leaves Europe's largest infrastructure project, designed to link London with the Midlands, without a chief shortly before it is expected to be given the go-ahead by the Commons. No successor has yet been appointed. The HS2 project has been dogged by disagreements over the route and the cost of the second phase of the scheme, which involves building high-speed lines from Birmingham to Manchester and Leeds. The cost has rocketed from 40billion to 55billion before the project has even begun, and some estimates predict it could soar to 80billion. One source told the Sunday Times that Theresa May was considering significantly altering the scheme, saying: 'The new Government is understood to want a new direction.' The long-delayed announcement on the exact route of the HS2 scheme is now due in the autumn. There have been intense rows about the new line especially in the North of England where vital links with the existing rail network were in doubt. For example, there was heated debate over whether the line should connect with current main line trains in the centre of Sheffield, or skirt the city with a stop at the Meadowhall shopping centre. A report earlier this year warned HS2 will cost five times as much as its French equivalent and do little to help regenerate the North of England. If given the green light, the first phase of the rail link, between London and Birmingham, is expected to be finished by around 2026, while a second phase, reaching the North East and North West, is due to finish by around 2032. The Department for Transport denied there were any plans to change the route. But Joe Rukin, from the Stop HS2 campaign group, said Mr Kay was 'getting out before the true scale of the mess he has presided over is realised'. He added: 'The departure of Simon Kirby will be a serious blow to those who champion HS2, although many of us are at a complete loss to see exactly what it is he has done to justify his three-quarters of a million pay packet.' Rolls-Royce said 51-year-old Mr Kirby as chief operating officer will report to the company's chief executive, Warren East, and the position was created to take responsibility for transforming the engineering giant across the group. The long-delayed announcement on the exact route of the HS2 scheme (pictured) is now due in the autumn HS2 chairman Sir David Higgins said the project would miss Mr Kirby's 'experience and leadership'. Mr Kirby said it had been a 'huge honour' to work on the massive rail plan, adding: 'I have absolute confidence in their ability to deliver the project and, in doing so, to help transform the way we do things in this country.' The Cuban government has called on the United States to do more to ease economic pressure on the nation in light of improved relations between Washington and Havana, saying U.S. economic sanctions cost Cuba $4.6 billion in the last financial year. Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez made the remark at a news conference marking the launch of an annual campaign for a United Nations resolution that condemns the U.S. sanctions on the financially strapped island. Rodriguez called the U.S. sanctions "the main cause of the economy's problems and obstacle to development." He said over the 55 years the embargo had been in place, it had cost Cuba a total of $125.9 billion. The figure includes actual costs, such as fines on Cuba's business partners, and hypothetical figures, such as sales Cuban businesses could have been making in U.S. markets. The wife of a Texas fire chief who was shot dead has been charged with conspiring to commit his murder. Officers from Royse City found Captain Robert Poynter, 47, dead in a vehicle with a single gunshot wound Friday. His wife Chacey Tyler Poynter, 29, called around 10:40 pm saying her husband, an 18-year veteran firefighter, had been shot, police said. She was arrested Saturday after giving suspicious and conflicting information to authorities, according to investigators. Officers from Royse City found Captain Robert Poynter , 47, dead in a vehicle with a single gunshot wound Friday. He is pictured with his wife Chacey Tyler Poynter (left), 29, was arrested Saturday after giving suspicious and conflicting information to authorities, according to investigators. Michael Garza (right), 37, was arrested in the early hours of Sunday and charged with murder Chacey has been charged with conspiracy to commit murder, the Dallas Morning News reported. She is now one of two suspects in the case. Michael Garza, 37, was arrested in the early hours of Sunday and charged with murder. Garza was her boyfriend according to WFAA. Robert began serving at the University Park Fire Department in Dallas in 1997, as a firefighter and paramedic. He became a lieutenant in 2002 and a captain in 2012. The University Park Fire Department said in a statement Sunday: 'The members of the University Park Fire Department were deeply saddened to hear of the death of Captain Robert Poynter. 'Our heartfelt thoughts and prayers are with the family at this difficult time.' Video courtesy of Fox 4 A father has been charged with murdering his six-year-old daughter just six hours after child services told the youngster's mother she was safe. Seth Pickering, 36, was arrested after he allegedly took Lila Marie Pickering from a home in Asheville, North Carolina, and killed her. The girl's mother, Ashley Pickering, said a welfare officer had spoken to her the same evening, saying she was 'happy', 'healthy' and in a 'great home'. Seth Pickering, 36, (left) was arrested after he allegedly took six-year-old Lila Marie Pickering (right) from a home in Asheville, North Carolina, and killed her She told the Citizen-Times: 'I just spoke with her case worker (on Friday) and she said she was happy and healthy and in a great home, and they were going to work on getting her back down here.' A detective then called her at 2am to ask her if she was the wife of Seth Pickering. She said yes, then the officer told her: 'It is with heavy hearts we regret to inform you that your daughter's deceased and Seth's been arrested for first-degree murder.' The girl's mother, Ashley Pickering, said a welfare officer had spoken to her the same evening, saying she was 'happy', 'healthy' and in a 'great home' 'What they said to me just keeps playing in my head like a broken record,' she told the newspaper. 'My husband and I separated because he was abusive, and we were working on getting her back down here, she said. 'She was in protective custody. I dont know how he got her near her. Its been one nightmare after another after another. For 15 months, weve been fighting this. Seth Pickering was arrested at 7pm on Friday. About an hour earlier, police were preparing to issue an Amber Alert after learning he had taken the child. Capt. John Elkins of the Buncombe County Sheriffs Office said: 'We had a deputy at a home in west Buncombe County after we received a report that the father had taken the child without permission. 'As the deputy was there, we learned of the homicide.' They found him in a car sitting alongside Lila's dead body. Authorities would not elaborate on her cause of death. are being financially crippled by CCJs they knew nothing about They have faced financial ruin because of devastating county court judgments but these families had no idea there were outstanding claims against them. Over the past two months, the Daily Mail has travelled the country speaking to people who have had CCJs obtained against them in their absence. Here they tell of the awful moments they discovered their credit ratings had been wrecked making it virtually impossible to buy a property, take out a loan or even secure a phone contract. Scroll down for video Lost their dream house: Kristian and Laura Hancocks with their children Charlie and Bethan Someone elses debt blighted my family Father-of-two Kristian Hancocks says the impact of having a CCJ against him has devastated his family. I cannot begin to explain the stress this has caused, says the 40-year-old. We are at the end of our tethers and cant cope with any more. Mr Hancocks, a 40-year-old engineer, found out he had a CCJ against him a year ago when he and wife Laura, 35, a nursery manager, were declined a mortgage at the last minute stopping them buying a new home. By that point they had exchanged contracts on the sale of their old house, so they and their children Charlie, eight, and Bethan, six, have been left without a home. Their possessions are in storage while they lodge with relatives. Unbelievably, the cause of the CCJ was a 40 parking ticket incurred by someone who had bought their old car. Private parking firm ParkingEye sent warnings in their name to an address where they hadnt lived for five years. When we discovered I had a CCJ, I was horrified, said Mr Hancocks, from Uttoxeter, Staffordshire. I had sold the car. We had a receipt and had told the DVLA. Mr Hancocks contacted ParkingEye but was told the firm would not consider an appeal because a 28-day time limit had passed. Despite sending proof from the DVLA that he had sold the car, the firm did not budge. While all of this was going on, our house sale completed, Mr Hancocks told the Daily Mail. We couldnt back out. The house we wanted to buy went back on the market and was sold. We were to be homeless in a matter of weeks. This has cost us financially we have to pay for all our belongings to be in a storage unit and are paying rent instead of a mortgage. But emotionally the price has been much higher. The children do not have their own toys or their own bedrooms and are extremely confused. Weve had to re-home our cat Marty, which has caused huge distress to our daughter. My wife is tearful. ParkingEye has not removed the CCJ, which was for 170 after costs associated with the CCJ were added on to the initial 40 ticket. The couple have so far been too overwhelmed with the upheaval of moving in with their relatives to start a court battle over the claim. ParkingEye declined to comment. Mortgage refused: Media consultant James Smith was turned down because of a CCJ he knew nothing about Old water bill cost us our home They thought they had found their dream home. But media consultant James Smith and his wife Jennie were turned down for a mortgage because of a CCJ he knew nothing about. Mr Smith, 31, from Reigate, Surrey, later found out the mark against his name was due to an unpaid Severn Trent Water bill sent to his university digs after he moved out. Mr Smith incurred the 100 bill with his old housemates a decade ago, while at university in Leicester. It arrived at the house after they had finished their courses and told Severn Trent Water they were moving so they had no idea they had anything outstanding to pay. When the money did not arrive, the water company obtained a CCJ against Mr Smith with court claim forms sent to the old student house. The fact you can get a CCJ without knowing is so absurd, he said. It stopped us putting the offer in [for the house we wanted]. We were denied that opportunity. Mr Smith called Severn Trent Water as soon as he discovered the CCJ, but was told the charge would only be removed if he paid an inflated fee of several hundred pounds. He refused and had the CCJ set aside in 2010 after a hearing in front of a judge. But he and his wife have still not bought a property. I am now paranoid about applying for a mortgage in future, he added. The Mail has not used Jamess real surname at his request. Severn Trent Water said it did not comment on individual cases. Car crash: Sue and Antony Evans couldn't get a mortgage because of a CCJ which was on Antony's file which he didn't know about Couldnt buy near their disabled son Their 13-year-old son is severely disabled and has to live in a residential home. So when a house came on the market near where he lives in Swanage, Dorset, Anthony Evans and wife Sue were delighted. In May, the family had an offer accepted on the property, where they hoped to move with their four other children. But they soon discovered they couldnt get a mortgage because of a CCJ passed five years ago without their knowledge. The charge related to a car crash in which Mr Evans, a deputy headmaster, was involved in 2011. A female driver claimed 131 for a personal injury and the matter was supposed to have been dealt with by Mr Evanss insurance company. But unbeknown to him, the insurers settled the claim a few days after the payment deadline meaning he received a CCJ on his own file. Mr and Mrs Evans were then in a race against time, and were forced to borrow 60,000 from family to make sure the house was theirs. Mrs Evans, a housewife, said: We couldnt believe what had happened to us. Its nothing short of a miracle we are now in this house. It is scary to think you can end up in this position without even knowing. Forced to sell shop and home Small business owner Bob Long has faced ruin after he was unknowingly issued with a CCJ. His jewellery shop, which he grew over 40 years, is being sold and he has to move house. The 63-year-old was given a ticket by private parking firm ParkingEye three years ago at a Stansted hotel despite staff saying that he could park for free while at a meeting. No ticket was put on his car, while the subsequent fine and CCJ notices were sent to an old address. The first Mr Long heard about the fine or the CCJ was when banks refused him credit in the run-up to Christmas 2014, during the crucial period when he usually makes a third of his annual income. I nearly fell through the floor, he told the Mail. If they wanted to, they could have found me. But no one picked up a phone. This literally crucified my business. The parking ticket and CCJ were removed, but the loan he needed only came through after Christmas. By that time, he had let down suppliers and customers. Mr Long, who is divorced and has two adult children, estimates that he lost 30,000 in earnings because of the CCJ. His shop Crown Jewellers in Bungay, Suffolk is now on the market and he is moving home. He has also sold his car. You only have to sow the seed once that you are a bad payer and news travels fast, he added. Years of credibility went down the tubes. ParkingEye declined to comment. HOW TO FIND OUT IF THERE IS A CCJ AGAINST YOU WHAT IS A CCJ? If someone thinks you owe them money, they can apply to a County Court for a judgment against you to claim it back. The court will decide whether there really is a debt to pay and, if so, will issue a CCJ (county court judgment). If you have a CCJ against you and dont pay, an order can be made so the money is automatically taken from your wages. A charge can be put on your home, your bank accounts can be frozen and bailiffs can be sent to collect the money. The CCJ is also put on your credit file for six years, warning banks and employers that you have a history of debt. Most High Street banks refuse to offer a mortgage to anyone with a CCJ. HOW DO YOU FIND OUT? A CCJ claim form is sent to you by the court, using an address provided by the person or company that says you owe them money. You have 14 days to respond. If you do not, the claim is automatically passed. This is known as a default judgment. You then get another letter informing you of the judgment and giving you a month to pay. If you hand over the money within the time limit, the CCJ is wiped from your record.But if you miss the letters and the payment deadline, it stays on your file for six years. People often only find out about CCJs years later for example when they are refused a mortgage or loan because the letters were sent to old addresses. Even if you pay off the debt at this stage, the CCJ stays on your credit file. CAN YOU DEFEND YOURSELF? If you receive the claim form and accept that you owe the money, you can choose to pay within 30 days and the CCJ does not show on your file. If you do not accept it, you should send your defence to the court. This has to be done within in 14 days or you can send an acknowledgment within 14 days asking for an extra fortnight. Any case that is defended is then heard by a judge, who will either dismiss the claim or pass judgment against you. If your defence is unsuccessful, you will then have a month to pay in full to avoid having a CCJ on your record. However, the Daily Mail has found that 85 per cent of all CCJs are now being passed as default judgments, because no defence is served. HOW DO YOU GET RID OF A CCJ? You can apply to have a CCJ set aside, but this costs 255. It is only likely to be successful if made promptly once you find out. If you did not receive the claim forms because they were sent to an old address, it is likely to be set aside. The claimant then has the chance to agree with it being set aside. If so, no court hearing is needed. If not, the case will be heard in court in front of a judge. The vast majority of applications to set aside CCJs are successful. To check if you have a CCJ, you can visit www.trustonline.org.uk/search-yourself or www.ccjcheck.co.uk Advertisement Vet put down dog then sued us Grandfather Andy Banwell has faced the humiliation of having a CCJ for five years because a vet bill was sent to an old address after his dog was put down. Labrador Bella was put to sleep by a veterinary centre after they discovered she had cancer. A few months later, Mr Banwell and his wife received a phone call from the surgery saying they had not responded to a bill in the post. They hadnt seen a letter, so asked for the invoice to be resent. The next they heard about it was from a debt company in 2011, who told Mr Banwell he had a CCJ. I was gobsmacked, he said. The summons was sent to an old address. It was unbelievable [the vet] hadnt called again to tell me. Mr Banwell and his wife Becky, both 53, paid the 1,164 bill as soon as they found out about it. But the vet refused to agree to the CCJ being cleared. Mr Banwell paid to apply for it to be set aside but the judge refused on a technicality as the people living at Mr Banwells old address did not return the summons to the court. It has cost me ever since, said Mr Banwell, an IT contractor. There is a stigma with having a CCJ. I cant work for certain financial institutions because they check for CCJs. I cant get normal credit cards and you can forget a mortgage, we have to rent. The vet Lucas Veterinary Centre in Longwell Green, Bristol was dissolved in September 2012. It was owned by Susan Lucas and Joseph Tristram. Mrs Lucas said she was not prepared to enter discussion. Mr Tristram said: I have no recollection of the case so cant comment. Year of hell: Teaching assistant, Sarah Becker was blocked from getting a mortgage because of a 1 parking fine Year of hell from 1 ticket Teaching assistant Sarah Becker told of the damage caused by receiving a CCJ over a 1 parking ticket. The 45-year-old didnt see signs saying she had to pay 1 to stop her car for ten minutes at a pub. She was fined 165 by ParkingEye in 2013. She then received a letter from the CCJ centre in Northampton, and decided to pay in instalments. But she had no idea that the only way to stop a CCJ showing on your credit file is to pay it in full in 30 days. She then found she couldnt get a mortgage. The consequences were so severe, she said. I found out I couldnt buy a house. Miss Becker, from Northampton, applied to have the CCJ set aside. ParkingEye did not show for the hearing and the judge threw out her CCJ. She has now bought a house. I spent hours trying to work it all out. It caused me a serious amount of stress, she said. ParkingEye declined to comment. REVEALED: THE FIRMS THAT CHASE CUSTOMERS FOR DEBTS AS SMALL AS ONE PENNY The ten firms that most vigorously use the courts to obtain CCJs against consumers are exposed today by the Mail. Top of the list are companies that pursue thousands of people every year for debts that have been sold on or assigned to them by banks, phone firms or water suppliers. People who have been targeted include customers of Vodafone, EE, Barclays, Capital One, Halifax, Bank of Scotland, Lloyds Bank and HSBC. Water companies such as Severn Trent Water and United Utilities are also frequent users of the county court, as is private parking firm ParkingEye. Families have had their credit ruined over debts registered by the court of 1p, 1 and 1.57. 1. Lowell Portfolio (chases old debts claimed by Barclays, Capital One, Halifax, Vodafone, EE, O2). Claims since 2013: 434,736. Smallest judgment: 107.25 2. Cabot Financial (Barclays, Capital One, Bank of Scotland, Lloyds Bank and HSBC). Claims since 2013: 239,180. Smallest judgment: 95 3. Severn Trent Water. Claims since 2013: 80,849. Smallest judgment: 1.57 4. ParkingEye. Claims since 2013: 60,291. Smallest judgment: 1p 5. United Utilities. Claims since 2013: 50,582. Smallest judgment: 35 6. Capquest Investments (NatWest, Halifax, Barclaycard, Santander). Claims since 2013: 50,313. Smallest judgment: 50 7. MKDP LLP (Barclaycard, HSBC). Claims since 2013: 44,959. Smallest judgment: 50 8. Yorkshire Water Services. Claims since 2013: 43,117. Smallest judgment: 62.83 9. The Registrar of Companies (the official responsible for Companies House, which deals with all company filings). Claims since 2013: 34,921. Smallest judgment: 1p 10. Anglian Water Services. Claims since 2013: 31,177. Smallest judgment: 1 The figures above are from responses to freedom of information requests made to the Ministry of Justice (MoJ). All the firms said that obtaining CCJs was a last resort after they had repeatedly tried to contact customers. They said that thorough checks were always made on addresses. A spokesman for Lowell Portfolio added: This action is only taken where previous efforts to engage with our consumer have failed and where we believe they have the means to pay. Cabot Financial said it only takes legal action on a small proportion of its customers. Severn Trent Water said it only claims for debts of more than 100. It believes the 1.57 judgment was for interest after the customer paid the outstanding balance before going to court. ParkingEye said it would never make a claim for 1p, but that when a driver does not pay the debt in full, the court may issue a judgment on the outstanding value. A United Utilities spokesman said it believes the 35 judgment was for court costs. Yorkshire Water Services said it does not make court claims for debts of less than 80 but sometimes not all of the debt is paid or court fees are still left over. Meanwhile the Registrar of Companies denied obtaining judgments without customers having had the chance to defend them. They said several letters are sent to registered office addresses. Capital One, Barclaycard, EE and Santander said they do all they can to find solutions with customers before passing on debts. However they added that if a customer moves house, it is their responsibility to tell the firm about the change of address. Anglian Water said it did not recognise the 1 judgment. Advertisement Lives ruined for a sake of a penny: Huge rise in 'debt' judgements against families who knew nothing about them Families are being financially crippled by county court judgments they knew nothing about, the Daily Mail reveals today. Hard-working professionals have had to sell their homes and even their businesses after rulings that they had no chance to contest. Banks, utility companies and parking cowboys are obtaining the judgments (CCJs) at an anonymous building in Northampton over alleged debts as small as 1p. Last night, the Ministry of Justice launched an investigation into the Mails findings, as campaigners compared them to the PPI scandal over mis-sold insurance. The heart-breaking stories we uncovered included: Newlyweds who lost their dream house because a water bill was sent to the grooms old university digs; A family who found themselves homeless because of someone elses parking ticket; A jeweller who was forced to sell his home and shop because a mistaken parking ticket cost him 30,000. More than 2,000 judgments are being signed off every day, without the cases being defended or heard by a judge in open court. The number of CCJs has risen by more than a third in just three years almost 900,000 were issued last year, and 85 per cent were uncontested. No knowledge: Sue and Antony Evans couldn't get a mortgage because of a CCJ The judgments which stay on a persons credit file for six years are issued against people who fail to pay a bill. But the Mail has discovered that a growing number of financially responsible people are having CCJs obtained against them without their knowledge. They often result from the chaos of a house move, when people forget to update their utility provider, bank or phone company promptly. Bills and CCJ claims are then sent to the old address and they have no chance to dispute the order or pay. In other cases, people have had CCJ claims sent to old addresses even though they have updated all their records. Many only find out about the judgments years later when they are refused mortgages or business loans. Those who have CCJs taken out against them include customers of HSBC, Lloyds Banking Group, Barclays, NatWest, Vodafone, O2, npower, United Utilities and parking companies. Courts minister Sir Oliver Heald said last night: These are serious claims which will be looked at urgently. Our legal system is world-leading and we are determined to ensure that it is not open to abuse. County courts have an important role to ensure debts are paid, and to protect people and businesses from crooks. Those found not to have paid back money they owe have CCJs placed on their official credit records as a warning to banks, landlords and employers. But in an apparent perversion of the system, hundreds of thousands of consumers are having CCJs obtained against them every year over alleged debts, without any defence being heard in open court. Private parking firm ParkingEye which runs car parks at hospitals, supermarkets and hotels made more than 60,000 CCJ claims against drivers in the past three years, with its smallest judgment being for 1p. The Ministry of Justice figures do not provide any more information about the victims or what happened in their cases. The companies have been allowed to file bulk claims for CCJs to a court office building in Northampton using an electronic system. When they make a claim, the firms provide the office with address details for the customer they are pursuing. Claim forms are then posted out by the court and if there is no reply in 14 days, the CCJ is automatically processed by administrative staff. Courts minister Sir Oliver Heald said the claims made would be investigated Crucially, the court does not check the addresses or ask for proof that they are correct. Almost every person who spoke to the Mail about unfairly receiving a CCJ said they knew nothing about the claims at the time because correspondence had been sent to old addresses. Mason Bullock Solicitors, which specialises in the cases, said it was contacted by at least two people every day who had discovered they had a CCJ passed against them that they were not warned about. Bob Neill, Tory MP and chairman of the Commons justice committee, said last night: The Mails investigation raises very serious issues. People should always know if court proceedings are being taken against them and have the chance to defend claims. Political campaigner Baroness Ros Altmann said the CCJ system was giving unscrupulous firms a licence to steal. She added: There is a serious flaw in the UK legal system. If big companies are relying on this as a means of income then they should be forced to repay, like with PPI. People can apply to have CCJs set aside, but it costs 255 and can take up to a year. Three out of four people applying to have them set aside are successful. Barclays, NatWest, HSBC and Lloyds Banking Group, which owns Lloyds Bank, Halifax and Bank of Scotland, said they made every effort to contact customers who they believed owed them money, and CCJs were a last resort. Vodafone, O2 and npower said they did not pursue CCJs themselves, while Severn Trent Water and United Utilities said they took multiple steps to contact customers, and only took them to court over debts of more than 100. The man accused of stabbing two backpackers to death has reportedly been moved to a mental health facility after he tried to force prison guards to kill him. Smail Ayad, who is accused of murdering Mia Ayliffe-Chung, 21, and Thomas Jackson, 30, at the Home Hill hostel on August 23, has reportedly made threats to Townsville Correctional prison guards in hope they will kill him, The Courier Mail reported. It is believed Ayad, 29, was flown under heavy guard to a mental health facility in Brisbane on Thursday night. 'He was painful to deal with. Every time he had to be moved it was always a big commotion,' a prison source said. Scroll down for video Smail Ayad (pictured), accused of stabbing two backpackers to death, has reportedly been moved to a mental health facility after he tried to force prison guards to kill him Ayad is accused of murdering Mia Ayliffe-Chung (right) and Thomas Jackson (left) at the Home Hill hostel in Townsville on August 23 At Townsville Correctional, Ayad required special treatment as he would frequently lash out at guards. He was reportedly told to lie on the ground of his cell to be handcuffed and would try to kick and punch the guards the moment the cuffs were removed. 'He was very high profile. You could see he was preparing for something. Who knows what was going through his mind,' the source told The Courier Mail. Ayad also allegedly left two detectives hospitalised and seven police were used to force him into his cell last month. It is believed Ayad, 29, was flown under heavy guard to a mental health facility in Brisbane on Thursday night British backpacker and aspiring model Mia Ayliffe-Chung, 21, was allegedly dragged out of bed and stabbed to death by the French National Ms Ayliffe-Chung's friend Tom Jackson, 30, stepped in and tried to defend his friend, but was stabbed in the head, neck and torso around 20 times At Townsville Correctional, Ayad required special treatment as he would frequently lash out at guards British backpacker and aspiring model Mia Ayliffe-Chung, 21, was allegedly dragged out of bed and stabbed to death by the French National at the dormitory they shared in the Home Hill hostel. Ms Ayliffe-Chung's friend Tom Jackson, 30, stepped in and tried to defend his friend, but was stabbed in the head, neck and torso around 20 times. He spend six days fighting for his life in hospital, but his family turned off his life-support machine at Townsville Hospital on August 29. Ayad will front court on October 28, but it is unknown whether the matter will be moved to Brisbane. Ms Ayliffe-Chung was allegedly killed in front of 30 horrified witnesses by the Frenchman Ayad will front court on October 28 over the murder of Ms Ayliffe-Chung and Mr Jackson , but it is unknown whether the matter will be moved to Brisbane Italy has now received more migrants so far this year than in the whole of 2015 after more than 3,400 were rescued from the Mediterranean over the weekend. About 1,100 were plucked to safety from eight overloaded dinghies and two fishing boats off the coast of Libya yesterday, Italys coastguard said. It followed the rescue of 2,300 migrants from 18 boats heading towards Italy on Saturday. Italy has now received more migrants so far this year than in the whole of 2015 after more than 3,400 were saved from the Mediterranean over the weekend. Pictured are migrants rescued by the Aquarius rescue ship The arrivals come on the heels of an influx at the end of August, when more than 14,000 people were found heading to Italy over five days. Most were from sub-Saharan Africa. According to Italys interior ministry, about 124,500 migrants have arrived since the start of 2016, surpassing the 122,000 recorded for all of last year. This years running total is expected to rise rapidly in the coming weeks as traffickers move as many migrants to Italy as possible before winter weather makes the journey even more treacherous than it already is. Libyas coastguard has accused the EU of enticing migrants to their deaths with rescue missions. More than 3,100 people have died trying to reach Europe this year. The migrants picked up yesterday were rescued by the Italian coastguard and naval vessels, a British and an Irish warship and several boats chartered by humanitarian groups. The Aquarius, hired by SOS Mediterranee and Doctors without Borders (MSF), said it had picked up 552 people, including women and small children. Italy is sheltering growing numbers of would-be refugees after countries such as Austria tightened their borders and made it harder for migrants to travel to their preferred destinations in northern Europe. The Aquarius, hired by SOS Mediterranee and Doctors without Borders (MSF), said it had picked up 552 people, including women and small children Italy is sheltering growing numbers of would-be refugees after countries such as Austria tightened their borders. Pictured are migrants being helped off the Aquarius German Chancellor Angela Merkel has been under pressure since more than a million migrants claimed asylum in her country last year after she opened its borders to arrivals. According to interior ministry figures this month, Italy has 155,000 migrants in reception centres, compared with 103,000 in 2015 and 66,000 in 2014. More than 400,000 have successfully made the crossing to Italy from north Africa since the beginning of 2014. Libyas 1,100-mile coastline has become a hub of illegal immigration to Europe, in the absence of proper border controls. Migrants head in rickety boats for the Italian island of Lampedusa some 190 miles off the coast. Yesterday, Libyan officials said they would release two German members of a group that aids illegal migrants. A record $1 million reward has been offered by NSW authorities to find missing toddler William Tyrrell. NSW Police Commissioner Andrew Scipione made the announcement on Monday morning alongside Premier Mike Baird and Detective Chief Inspector Gary Jubelin. 'I can announce to you that as of today there will be a $1 million reward for the safe return, the return of this little boy,' Mr Scipione said. 'That is one million reasons why somebody who is out there who knows what has happened should come forward and talk to us and do it soon.' Scroll down for video William Tyrrell mysteriously vanished from his grandmother's yard two years ago (pictured). Police have offered a $1 million for information that leads to the toddler's recovery Detective Chief Inspector Jubelin (pictured) provided an update on the state's largest investigation Toddler William Tyrrell mysteriously vanished from his grandmother's yard two years ago. The announcement came as Monday marked the two-year anniversary of disappearance of the little boy who would have turned five this year. Dressed in his favourite Spiderman suit, the three-year-old was last seen playing in the yard of the Kendall property on the morning of September 12, 2014. Det Chief Insp Jubelin provided an update on the state's largest investigation and reassured people the reward did not mean investigators had run out of lines of enquiry. 'We have had over 2,800 reports to Crime Stoppers alone from members of the public providing information,' Det Chief Insp Jubelin, who is leading Strike Force Rosann, said. 'We have a further 196 reports directly to the strike force. We have had 1,078 sightings of William Tyrrell. 'All of this information has been followed up and we have collated the information and created investigators notes on it which is currently in in excess of 11,000 pieces of information we have got. 'We have selected 628 exhibits and we have identified 690 persons of interest.' Det Chief Insp Jubelin said police had now established a second strike force team to help find William. William disappeared in Kendall on the NSW mid-north coast on the morning of September 12, 2014, in his treasured Spiderman costume Police have previously said the toddler could have been the target of a paedophile ring in the north coast region Strike Rosann Two is made up of investigators from the armed hold-up squad, the sex crimes squad and the fraud squad. Police have previously said the toddler could have been the target of a paedophile ring in the north coast region. 'There has been some very public lines of inquiry that have played out in the media in the public,' Det Chief Insp Jubelin said. 'There is a lot the public are not aware of. As we stand here and speak we are working on covert operations. 'We are also using local areas of command to target these [persons of interest]. 'How we target them, I am not going to go into methodology, it is covert, overt, all different ways, depending on the level of risk associated with those persons of interest.' Det Chief Insp Jubelin said the reward would put pressure on the person who abducted William. The little boy would have turned five this year as the record reward was announced NSW Police Commissioner Andrew Scipione (pictured) made the $1 million reward announcement on Monday morning Police scouring bushland for evidence of the missing boy near Bonny Hills in March 2005 'We see this $1 million as a big tool... if you have got information in regards to William's disappearance and you have concerns that you could be potentially complicit in the offence by concealing the offence, that offence will be negated the moment you come to police,' he said. 'So that is a big ticket item that you can consider if you have been sitting on this information. 'The thing you might weigh up if you have information you are sitting on, there is now a $1 million reason to come forward. 'I am confident in saying that it is only a matter of time before we find out what has happened to William, and if we come to you the offer of the reward is off the table. 'The person responsible for abducting William will now have to look at the people they have confided in and think, "Well, there is a million reasons why they might betray me", so the pressure is on and we are going to continue on pushing that. 'I'm sure people know where he is.' Det Chief Insp Jubelin also acknowledged it was 'unacceptable two years down the track that we haven't solved this crime'. Washing machine repairman William 'Bill' Spedding (right) has been the most high-profile person to be questioned over the little boy's baffling disappearance Police have been given information avout 690 persons of interest linked to the case He said he had spoken to the family of William earlier on Monday. 'The family are very hopeful that with the generosity of the reward [it] can flush people out,' he said. Det Chief Insp Jubelin reiterated the family had been ruled out as persons of interest but he would not go into specific persons of interest. He reassured the public investigators still had many lines of enquiry. To date, washing machine repairman William 'Bill' Spedding, who is fighting to have unrelated child sex charges dismissed, has been the most high-profile person to be questioned during the two-year investigation. The 65-year-old has strenuously denied any involvement in William's disappearance and has not been arrested or charged in relation to the case. Earlier this year, William's grandmother Natalie Collins, 56, said she had given up hope the toddler would be found alive. The case has been referred to the NSW coroner but police say investigations continue with the hope the young boy is still alive. His parents, who wrote a heartfelt poem to their missing boy as they faced their second Christmas without him last year, have been ruled out as suspects. A well-wisher has raised more than $100,000 to aid an elderly man after seeing the 89-year-old street vendor struggling to push his cart of frozen treats. Joel Cervantes Macias was driving through the Little Village area in Chicago on Thursday when he saw Fidencio Sanchez having a hard time pushing his paleta cart. Macias, a Mexican restaurant owner who grew up in Chicago but now lives in Wisconsin, said the sight of Sanchez broke his heart, noting he thought the vendor should be enjoying retirement at his age. Joel Cervantes Macias was driving through the Little Village area in Chicago on Thursday when he saw Fidencio Sanchez having a hard time pushing his paleta cart (pictured) He took a photo of Sanchez and posted it to Facebook with the caption: 'I respect this man to the fullest! #workflow #dyingbreed #mexicano #migente' He took a photo of Sanchez and posted it to Facebook with the caption: 'I respect this man to the fullest! #workflow #dyingbreed #mexicano #migente.' Macias then bought 20 paletas from Sanchez for $50 before driving away. After his photo of Sanchez captured the hearts of hundreds, he decided to start a Gofundme page, with the help of a friend, to help make life a little easier for Sanchez and his wife, Eladia. Sanchez has spent years selling paletas, pushing his cart for several hours each day, earning just $50 to $60 a day, according to DNAinfo Chicago. Macias pictured center with Sanchez and his wife Eladia above. They recently lost their only daughter in July Macias started the fundraiser on Friday with the goal of raising just $3,000. But by Sunday evening, they had raised more than $115,000 by donations from more than 5,600 people He had retired two months ago but returned to work after their only daughter died in July. Sanchez's wife also had become ill and was unable to sell paletas anymore to help pay bills. Macias started the Gofundme campaign on Friday with the goal of raising just $3,000. Macias is a Mexican restaurant owner who grew up in Chicago but now lives in Wisconsin But by Sunday evening, they had raised more than $115,000 by donations from more than 5,600 people. Sanchez learned of the fundraiser during while at church on Saturday morning, Gustavo Gutierrez, who supplies Sanchez's cart, told DNAinfo. 'He's taking it with a lot of love,' Gutierrez said of Sanchez's reaction after learning about the fundraiser. Gutierrez also noted that Sanchez is a 'really hardworking gentleman' who is 'always giving.' 'The entire community [of] Little Village knows about Mr Fidencio because for decades he's always been selling,' Gutierrez said. 'He wants to continue. Which is great in terms of spirit, but we're concerned, of course, that something could happen to him. 'So we're trying to make it as easy as possible for him.' Video courtesy of ABC 7 Chicago Sanchez said he plans to share the money with his churches back in Mexico and in Chicago and also with his grandchildren Macias said on the Gofundme page that he plans to use Facebook Live to film him giving the money to the couple on Monday. Sanchez said he plans to share the money with his churches back in Mexico and in Chicago and also with his grandchildren, according to Univision Chicago. Theresa May announced the plans for Theresa May is facing a parliamentary battle to lift the ban on opening new grammar schools that could last years Existing grammar schools will be allowed to expand almost immediately under a 50million plan to kick-start Theresa Mays schools revolution. The Prime Minister is facing a parliamentary battle to lift the ban on opening new grammar schools that could last years. But she has been told there is no legal bar on existing grammar schools opening satellite campuses providing hundreds of places. Education Secretary Justine Greening will announce 50million a year today to help them begin this process straight away. Mrs May is prepared for a bitter struggle to get the legislation through the Commons and the House of Lords. A handful of Tory rebels led by the sacked education secretary Nicky Morgan have vowed to fight the plan. The Liberal Democrats and Labour are also determined to kill the legislation. Yesterday, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn an ex-grammar school boy said: If these divisive plans go ahead, I will make it a top priority to reverse them when Labour is back in power. But Mrs May was backed by Home Secretary Amber Rudd, who said she was absolutely an enthusiast and dismissed criticism it was going back to the Fifties. Yesterday, it also emerged that five councils some of which are fully comprehensive are considering creating thousands of new grammar school places. Education Secretary Justine Greening will announce 50million a year today to help grammar schools begin this process straight away Kent is planning to open a boys grammar in Sevenoaks, on the same site as a girls grammar. Thurrock in Essex, Windsor and Maidenhead, and Northamptonshire are also preparing to open grammars. In Sutton, south London, a grammar is seeking to open a satellite several miles away in Croydon. Thurrock council, which has no grammars, is committed to attracting grammar school places. James Halden, Thurrocks member for education, told the Sunday Times: We are not hanging about. Officers are already putting together our case for a share of the 50million the PM announced on Friday. In a further boost to the PM, LibDem peer Baroness Nicholson is to join the Tories, partly because of the grammars policy. Lady Nicholson, a LibDem MEP and peer since she defected from the Tories more than 20 years ago, said she was dedicated to fighting for them. Miss Greening will publish a consultation paper today on education changes outlined by Mrs May in a key speech on Friday. They include allowing new grammars to open in England for the first time since 1998. Existing comprehensives and academies will be able to convert, provided there is local demand and they agree to strict criteria, including either taking a fixed proportion of poor pupils or opening a non-selective school to run alongside the new grammar. Pupils at Woodford County High School, named as one of the best grammar schools in the country Controversially, the proposals will also force private schools to open or sponsor a local state school or risk losing charity tax breaks worth 140million a year and to let new faith schools select solely on the basis of religion. The legal precedent for allowing existing grammars to expand was established last year by Weald of Kent School in Tonbridge, which is to open a new 450-place school on a satellite site in Sevenoaks. The then education secretary Nicky Morgan hailed the move, saying: Why would I deny a good school the right to expand? Officials say the bar to other schools following suit was a lack of funding. To encourage them, Mrs May is to make the 50million available annually. Yesterday, Mr Corbyn and other senior Labour figures who attended grammars themselves were attacked by one of his own MPs. Backbencher Kate Hoey said: What makes the wrong-headed opposition of Labours top team all the worse is their staggering hypocrisy. Spokesman for Clinton Park Stables said the horse is known to be a 'klutz' But the horse's caretaker has since claimed he merely tripped and fell He said the driver had been screaming at the horse, who appeared tired Bogdan Paul Angheluta saw the horse fall around 2am last Friday A 14-year-old carriage horse allegedly collapsed in the middle of a busy Manhattan street after the driver pushed it to make a green light, one witness claims. Bogdan Paul Angheluta was coming out of Space Ibiza nightclub when he saw the driver screaming at the horse before it collapsed around 2am last Friday. The horse's caretaker has claimed he merely tripped and fell, but Angheluta said it was clear the horse was tired and breathing 'slow and hard' after the fall. A 14-year-old carriage horse allegedly collapsed in the middle of a busy Manhattan street after the driver (pictured) pushed it to make a green light, witness Bogdan Paul Angheluta claims 'I'm 100 percent positive,' Angheluta told the New York Post. '(The driver) was forcing him to make the light.' Angheluta said the 1,700 pound horse was on the ground for more than 20 minutes and that he began cradling his head to try and 'calm him down'. A police officer blocked off the intersection and 10 minutes later five or six men from the horse's stable came. Angheluta said they had a bucket of water and put something in the horse's mouth. They also told him to 'leave the horse alone', he added. 'I was yelling at them,' Angheluta said. 'I was frustrated, angry.' The horse was finally helped back up and the officer told him 'there was no need to worry'. But the incident has shaken Angeheluta, who has since sent photos of the collapsed horse to the animal-rights group NYCLASS. The horse's caretaker has claimed he merely tripped and fell, but Angheluta said it was clear the horse was tired and breathing 'slow and hard' after the fall NYCLASS has since contacted the NYPD, the New York Mayor's Office and the Health Department. Christina Hansen, a spokeswoman for the New York carriage industry, said the horse, named Norman, was heading back to his home at the Clinton Park Stables at the end of his shift. 'He didn't collapse, he tripped himself,' she said. 'He's kind of a klutz.' Christopher Miller, spokesman for the New York Health Department, said the incident was investigated and Norman was examined by a veterinarian. Advertisement For seasoned travellers looking to splash out, the term 'guesthouse' can lack a certain appeal. They might imagine having to fend for themselves in a dustier version of the gleaming five-star establishment where they'd rather be laying their heads. Cue Pretty Beach House on the New South Wales Central Coast - perhaps, until now, the best kept secret in Australia's range of intimate, luxury hideaways. If you find yourself in the region and with a little spare time and cash, this retreat is the perfect antidote to Sydney's metropolis. The ultimate in intimate luxury: Pretty Beach House on the New South Wales Central Coast is a shining example of Australia's hidden getaways Nestled at the heart of The Bouddi National Park and perched atop a near vertical winding road, this understated hotel is remarkable and renowned for attracting glamorous globetrotters. Renovated extensively after having most of its original form destroyed in a 2012 bush fire, the main house is centred around a towering tree, its bark still charred from the flames which cremated the property four years ago. The house reopened in 2015 under the watchful eye of chef Stefano Manfredi, proprietors Brian and Karina Barry and the owner, Australian advertising mogul John Singleton. Its new look is imposing - every detail is impeccable and considered, a testament to designer Michelle Leslie's skill. Guests are even gifted a whiff of the place upon departure in the form of a limited edition Coco Luxe candle. Sumptuous: A towering bed with ivory sheets and sand-coloured pillows is the centre piece in the Treetops Pavilion Recovery: The property was destroyed by a 2012 bush fire but reopened three years later after an impressive makeover It has only four rooms - three standalone 'pavilions' and a sprawling penthouse suite above the main house's restaurant and living area. All are finished to an exceptional standard. There is a shag pile carpet beginning at the foot of the staircase which led to our suite prompting the first of many excited squeals during our stay. More followed when we were settled in with a glass of Pol Roger, the house champagne (rates are all inclusive of food and drinks and guests are encouraged to help themselves to the expansive wine collection). A towering bed piled high with ivory pillows and sand-coloured textiles is the centrepiece in the Treetops Suite -our home for the weekend. Alongside all the trimmings of a typically luxurious hotel room is a a record player, a collection of suitably chilled-out vinyls (Bob Marley and The Wailers played on loop in our case), and books ranging from Karl Lagerfeld's memoirs to one on the history on the region. Relaxed: In the bathroom a deep copper bath tub and couple's sinks lead the way to a spacious walk-in wardrobe In the bathroom a deep copper bathtub and metallic, his and hers sinks entice. Tucked away in the drawers of the walk-in wardrobe are cosmetic wipes, deodorant and sun screen - a relief to those of us who pack last minute. Outside, on a terrace the length of the suite, you'll find a day bed, patio dining set and fire pit. We took breakfast here both mornings, unable to tear ourselves from the view of the peninsula below. Lunch is a casual affair and served without fuss. Fortune had it that ours was plated up by Mr Manfredi, who we found quietly creating made-to-order pizzas in a poolside oven upon our arrival. Served with champagne and salad, it was the first of several feasts we enjoyed. Star: Stefano Manfredi is the undisputed king of Italian cuisine in Australia and commands Pretty Beach House's kitchen While lunch is served without ceremony, dinner is more of an occasion. Mr Manfredis show stopping degustation menus are a big pull for the house. Australia's undisputed king of Italian cuisine, being served by his team of trusted chefs in such an intimate setting really is a treat. Daily menus boasting a harmony of Australian produce and European flair are paired with a seductive wine list from the expansive cellar. Put simply, the food at Pretty Beach house is exquisite. Renowned: Mr Manfredi's evening degustation menus offer the finest in Australian produce balanced with European infusions Cosy: Meals are served in the intimate dining room where a wood burning fire and leather couch stand next to couple's tables Standout dishes during our stay include a sweetcorn and basil vellutata and a chocolate mousse served at a precise 45C. Though, it has to be said, Mr Manfredi's balsamic infused butter is simply delicious. While many are drawn to the guesthouse for its culinary credentials, it boasts countless other charms. The familiar staff, dressed smartly in shirts and jeans, remove any of the stiffness that might be associated with a place of such luxury. Their local knowledge is excellent and shared willingly. We were directed to a secluded beach a 10-minute walk away with a picnic of rose and parma ham sandwiches when we were eager for a dose of exploration. Tallow Beach, which became our private haven for the day, is as Australian as it gets - thundering waves, powdery sand and known to only to a handful of locals who are keen to keep it that way. No fuss: Lunch is a casual affair and in our instance was made-to-order pizza served with chilli jam, salad and champagne, naturally Adventure: Ask nicely and the charming staff will pack a picnic for a trip to a nearby secluded beach. We enjoyed rose with parma ham sandwiches and fruit Variety: Breakfast is hearty and served either in the dining room or in-room. One option is a continental offering of fruits, pastries and breads which precedes cooked eggs (above) The Bouddi National Park, where you'll find Pretty Beach House, is protected and bursting with traces of its original, Aboriginal owners, The Darkinjung people. At the rear of the house, where bush walks to the aforementioned beaches begin, are rocks which still bear the carvings of the indigenous residents who once lived there. These serve as the backdrop for a fascinating smoking ceremony performed at cocktail hour by a local member of the community whose connection to the land and its history is extraordinary. Unaware of the area's significance beforehand, we left enlightened and with plenty to ponder over dinner. Setting: Pretty Beach House is nestled in The Bouddi National Park which boasts a wide range of stunning rural beaches. Above, the walkway to Tallow Beach Pavilion guests can enjoy the privacy of their own plunge pools but the a dip available at the main house is just as inviting. Beside it is a cosy day spa is where guests can enjoy Aboriginal-inspired massages for a supplement. The drive to Pretty Beach House from Sydney is a manageable 90 minutes from Sydney and is picturesque. For those keen to make more of a splash, a seaplane transfer from the city's iconic Circular Quay can be arranged at added cost. With little else in the area to draw guests seeking what can only be described as a special, sumptuous experience, the guesthouse is a destination in itself. But with all that it has to offer in service, style and natural beauty, youd be hard pushed to find a more worthwhile journey. Splashing out: For those who wish to make more of an entrance, a seaplane service from Sydney's Circular Quay can be arranged Advertisement These incredible macro photographs show how some of the world's biggest structures can be shrunk down to images on tiny droplets of water. The pictures were taken by Serbian photographer Dusan Stojancevic, who started experimenting with the style in his home of Belgrade 15 years ago. By training his macro lens on drops of water, positioned in front of buildings he wanted to photograph, Stojancevic was able to capture the city as few have seen before. He has since gone on to capture iconic buildings like the Blue Mosque in Istanbul, the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona and, most recently, the Empire State Building in New York. As Stojancevic uses only his camera and doesn't augment the images with Photoshop, the buildings pictured are often slightly blurry. But somehow, the less defined focus has added a surreal quality to the scenes captured. Dusan Stojancevic has captured iconic sights like the Brooklyn Bridge in New York (pictured) in droplets of water The Serbian photographer started experimenting with the technique in his home of Belgrade. Above, the city's Church of Saint Sava New York City is the photographer's most recent macro photography project. Above, New York's Grand Central Station Stojancevic only uses his camera to capture sights like the National Assembly in Belgrade, rather than Photoshop MACRO PHOTOGRAPHY Macro photography, also known as photomacrography, macrography and macrophotography is extreme close-up photography. It is used to photograph very small subjects and make them appear larger than life. Ring flashes, with flash tubes arranged in a circle around the front of the lens, can help light subjects at close distances. Advertisement In some of the images, the cities appear as though they're suspended in the air. Above, a view of the Manhattan skyline He has revealed photographs from four cities he's visited. Above, a night view of the Blue Mosque in Istanbul Although the images in some of the photos are extremely sharp, other can be blurry. Above, Ada Bridge in Belgrade The technique, which Stojancevic has been perfecting over 15 years, works in the day and at night. Above, New York's National Library Stojancevic, who works as photographer in Belgrade, was still using a film camera when he started to experiment with the technique. Above, the Manhattan skyline Over the years, the photographer has moved on to digital photography and honed the technique. Above, another shot of Manhattan, featuring the Empire State Building The slight blur in some of his images, like this one of the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, give them a surreal quality The photographer's earlier work often featured his home of Belgrade. Above, Genex Tower in the Western Gate of Belgrade Stojancevic says he first started experimenting with the technique after taking a photograph from his window. Above, the T.C. Usce in Belgrade Some of the images feature landscapes while others consist only of one building, like this image of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York Stojancevic shared many of his photographs on Facebook and Instagram. Above, New York's World Trade Center Transportation Hub While most people prefer to get straight to their destination on a direct flight, one avid traveller spent two days flying from London to Aberdeen via five different airports in order to collect the extra air miles. James Mutton set off from London Gatwick but stopped in Jersey, Amsterdam, London Heathrow, Glasgow and Shetland before finally arriving in Aberdeen. Incredibly, the 31-year-old thinks he's made huge savings for himself and wife Emma by opting for some of the least direct routes imaginable. James Mutton spent two days flying from London to Aberdeen (pictured) via five different airports in order to collect the extra air miles James (left) set off from Gatwick and travelled to Jersey. He then flew back to Gatwick before making his way to Amsterdam and returning to Heathrow. Finally, he travelled up to Glasgow and Shetland before finishing in Aberdeen Speaking of the arduous journey last month, James said: 'I was heading to Scotland to visit a friend in St Andrews.' 'But rather than going straight there I flew from Gatwick to Jersey and back, out to Amsterdam then back to Heathrow, then up to Glasgow, Glasgow to Shetland and finally Shetland to Aberdeen! 'The trip was fun, although part of the enjoyment for me is in the planning of it. 'A lot of people ask why I do it. But I wouldn't do it if I didn't get something from it.' James's dedication to stacking up the air miles, as well as hotel loyalty points, has meant he and his wife Emma has travelled the world and stayed in luxury accommodation for a fraction of what it would cost them full price. The avid traveller stopped in Jersey (above), Amsterdam, London Heathrow, Glasgow and Shetland before finally arriving in Aberdeen He explained: 'If I'd had to pay cash on a like-for-like basis for the trips we've been on over the last two-and-a-half years they would probably be worth around 25,000. 'I think I've used around half a million air miles in that time. 'I just want to go to exciting places in comfort and spend as little money getting there as possible.' The London-based geography teacher's high-flying hobby started when he and Emma were planning their wedding. He realised they were going to be spending a lot on credit cards, and decided they could reap the benefits if he found out how to get the most out of the system. It soon paid off and the couple were able to enjoy a trip to the USA as a result. He said: 'We flew to New York and Washington - first class. 'The flights would have been around 8,000 full price but we ended up paying around 500. And we stayed at four and five-star hotels, completely free. James says he and his wife flew to New York (above) and Washington in first class using the air miles he collected and paid a fraction of the cost 'In the first class lounge at Heathrow we enjoyed a three-course meal, Champagne, waiter service, a massage and a spa. It was incredible!' There are different 'status levels' as you collect air miles. James is currently on the silver tier, but hopes to move up to gold soon, which means he will receive bigger bonuses and other benefits. But while it seems there are only upsides to James's unusual obsession, he can sometimes find himself in odd situations. He said: 'Last summer I left my iPad on a plane and it ended up in Rome. 'It was going to be a palaver sending my passport with a courier to get it released, so I decided it was easier for me to book a flight to Rome with air miles, go to the left luggage office, pick up my iPad then fly back to London. 'I flew business class, got the iPad and got back on exactly the same plane with exactly the same crew. They were asking if there was something wrong, and I had to say no, I was just picking up my iPad! The geography teacher once flew to Rome just to collect an ipad after he left it on the plane 'It would have cost me 300 for a new tablet, or 1,000 for the plane tickets full price, but I only paid 50 and some air miles.' James, who blogs at www.misterairmiles.com, thinks more people should follow his lead. He added: 'It's free money - everyone should do it! 'You can get air miles from flying or through credit cards or Tesco Clubcards and once you've got 9,000 that'll get you a return flight within Europe. 'Hotels work in the same way. I now get platinum status, which means I get an upgrade. 'We went to the US recently and had two nights in a hotel in Monterey at $899 a night, but didn't pay a thing - and we got an upgrade so we got a room facing the sea. Advertisement These breathtaking photographs reveal the mesmerising beauty of Namibia's enormous sand dunes. They feature Big Daddy, Big Mama and Dune 45, three of the biggest dunes inside Namib-Naukluft National Park. Hikers come from all over the world to climb these constantly shifting structures, now popular tourist attractions, and take in the stunning view across the African plain. These breathtaking photographs reveal the mesmerising beauty of Namibia's enormous sand dunes. Above, a group of people on Dune 45 Some of the images look so surreal that they could almost be abstract art. Above left and right, hikers near the top of Dune 45 Hikers come from all over the world to climb these fluid structures, now popular tourist attractions, and take in the stunning view across the African plain. Above, the Big Daddy dune with the Deadvlei salt pan to the right These hikers were caught on camera by Switzerland-based photographer Julia Wimmerlin, who visited the area with her husband Jean. The couple worked together to capture these incredible photographs, which reveals just how big the dunes are. Big Daddy, example, is a dizzying 350m (1,148ft) high. Some of the images look so surreal that they could almost be abstract art. Julia, 39, said: 'Many people go to Africa for animal safaris, but I wanted my first encounter to include more. 'Namibia has it all - the most stunning landscapes from the desert dunes to the ocean, as well as mountains, beautiful, fascinating history and culture, and wildlife. 'I was absolutely in awe at the beauty of the place - it's like nature is an artist. 'As the sun goes up you observe the shadows of the dune, and as the sun moves further the light patterns change and create the most surreal images I've ever seen - it's just magical.' Photographer Julia Wimmerlin visited the area with her husband Jean to capture these images. Pictured here is the Big Mama sand dune as seen from above The Russian beauty has been in her native Moscow for modeling commitments. But on Saturday, Bradley Cooper and his girlfriend Irina Shayk were reunited stateside as the pair enjoyed a relaxed weekend outing in Los Angeles. The 41-year-old Oscar nominated actor and his lady love, 30, who is Vogue Russia's September cover girl, were nearly unrecognizable as the casually clad couple were spotted outside their home in the Pacific Palisades. Casual couple: Bradley Cooper and his girlfriend Irina Shayk enjoyed a relaxed weekend outing in Los Angeles on Saturday Bradley and Irina, who've been linked together since April 2015, exuded laid-back style as they were seen keeping a low profile while getting into their car. The American Hustle actor hid his buff physique beneath a white T-shirt and a pair of baggy knee-length shorts. The handsome star rocked a heavy beard and longer locks and sported blue tinted sunglasses and a silver watch. Bradley, who attended the Stand Up To Cancer event on Friday night, completed his comfy look with a pair of tan flip flops. Laid-back look: The 41-year-old Oscar nominated actor rocked a T-shirt, heavy beard, longer locks, and sported blue tinted sunglasses Irina looked summertime chic for her Saturday SoCal outing with her hunky beau. The model donned a colorful maxi dress and layered a denim jacket on top of the effortless ensemble. The brunette beauty added a pair of white trainers and appeared to go sans make-up and left her long locks down to blow in the breeze. Summertime chic: The 30-year-old Russian supermodel donned a colorful maxi dress and layered a denim jacket on top of the effortless ensemble Earlier in the day, Bradley was spotted solo running a quick errand in the same T-shirt but traded his shorts and sandals for pants and black Nike trainers. The Silver Linings Playbook actor not only attended the star-studded televised fundraiser in Los Angeles on Friday night but he also presented, fielded phone calls from donors, and served as executive producer for the special. Bradley is set to direct and star alongside Lady Gaga in the remake of A Star Is Born. Busy A-lister: Earlier in the day, Bradley was spotted solo running a quick errand in the same T-shirt but traded his shorts and sandals for pants and black Nike trainers Meanwhile, earlier this week Irina was in her home country's capital city to celebrate her Vogue Russia cover, in which she went blonde for. The beauty took to Instagram on Monday sharing a photo of herself lounging in bed beside her new September issue. 'It's such a honor to be on the September Vogue cover of my home country,' the supermodel said in a statement. Sleeping beauty: Irina took to Instagram on Monday sharing a photo of herself lounging in bed beside her new September Vogue Russia issue, in which she went blonde for 'After over 10 years in the industry it's a milestone in my career I will never forget, plus my mom and family can read the entire magazine!' This year alone, Irina has covered Vogue Turkey, Vogue Japan, and Vogue Germany, and in the past has taken the front of the brand's Mexico, Spain, and Brazil publications. Her exquisite fashion sense has been on point during New York Fashion Week. And on Saturday afternoon, Pamela Anderson did not disappoint as she stepped out in a sophisticated number for Christian Siriano's fashion show. The 49-year-old was once again accompanied by her youngest and stylish son, Dylan Jagger, 18, as they made their way to NYC's venue, ArtBeam, to join a slew of stars. Scroll down for video White after Labor Day? Pamela Anderson continued to make a fashion statement as she headed to Christian Siriano's Spring/Summer 2017 Collection on Saturday in NYC The blonde bombshell seemed to disregard the 'no white after Labor day' rule as she opted for a long and fitted white dress, which was buttoned along the front. Two collar flaps wrapped around her shoulders while she went with a casual side ponytail. Carrying a small camel-colored purse, her army green and black shoes exactly matched her son's camouflage jacket as they walked side by side. Dylan topped off the look with a thin white shirt underneath, black skinny jeans, shoes and sunglasses. Matching mother and son: The 49-year-old accessorized her button-down white dress with her son, Dylan Jagger's, camouflage jacket as the two attended the event Models unite! The blonde beauty was joined by Christina Hendricks and Neve Campbell as they enjoyed the show Topping it off: Two collar flaps wrapped around her shoulders while she went with a casual side ponytail Man of the hour: The star posed up with the designer, who rose to prominence after winning the 2008 Project Runaway Ashley Graham was also one of the other attendees at Christian's Spring/Summer 2017 collection event as she dazzled in the designer's black sequined dress. Jaimie Alexander, Kelly Osbourne, Christina Hendricks, Coco Rocha also joined Pamela and Ashley at the star-studded fashion show. And it's no surprise to see the turnout given the 30-year-old's rise to prominence after winning the 2008 Project Runaway. Sealed with a kiss: Pammie, who a small camel-colored purse, gave Christian a big smooch Beauties: (From left) Coco Rocha, Christina, Pamela, Neve, Jaimie Alexander and Ashley Graham looked glamorous in the front row Dazzle: The 5ft9in model sparkled in Christian Siriano's black sequined dress Breathtaking: The 32-year-old actress turned heads in a black-and-silver poncho jumpsuit that highlighted her slender figure More fashionistas: Kelly Osborne stood out in a black dress as she held her precious pooch while Christina made a statement in an off-the-shoulder red dress He rose to further success when he jumped at the opportunity to design Leslie Jones' red carpet premiere gown after she claimed that designers refused to dress her because of her size. Now, Christian has made his mark in the industry by being one of the rare designers who dresses for all shapes and sizes. The collection was inspired by the perfect getaway on the Isle of Capri and the models even had nails that reflected the Tyrrhenian Sea created especially by KISS Products. Play time! The 28-year-old model enjoyed some puppy love at the event Patterns: Both Coco and Neve wowed in bold patterns and cut-outs Big day: Later on Saturday, Pamela and her son headed to the Alexander Wang show Pamela has been busy as of late attending a line of NYFW events. She brought her glamour at Harper Bazaar's ICONS party on Friday night as well as Alexis Bittar's Coveteur Collection on Thursday. The mom-of-two will also be featured in Paramount Pictures' Baywatch remake - due out next year - alongside Zac Efron, Dwayne Johnson, Kelly Rohrbach, and David Hasselhoff. His big day: Christian's Spring/Summer 2017 collection kicked off as part of NYFW Just call her Princess North West. On Saturday, the three-year-old tot donned a pretty flower crown made of fresh violet and yellow blossoms during an outing with her aunt Kourtney Kardashian. Kourtney, 37, had her niece in her arms as she breezed outside of her family's clothing store, DASH, in New York City. Just call her Princess North West! On Saturday, the three-year-old tot donned a pretty flower crown made of fresh violet and yellow blossoms during an outing in New York with her aunt Kourtney Kardashian North had a pink frosted cupcake in her hands to nibble on as she enjoyed a ride in Kourtney's arms. Keeping it comfortable for a day of babysitting, Kourtney stepped out in a pair of black platform sneakers which matched her edgy leather shorts. She teamed the trendy pieces with a lightweight top which showed off her bra. Wearing her raven black tresses up into a high ponytail, Kourtney's look was topped off with a pair of oversized sunglasses and a black backpack. She added a pair of Initial Stud earrings by Aurum and Grey. Sweet tooth: North had a pink frosted cupcake in her hands to nibble on as she enjoyed a ride in Kourtney's arms Super stylish: Keeping it comfortable for a day of babysitting, Kourtney stepped out in a pair of black platform sneakers which matched her matching leather shorts They're hers! She added a pair of Initial Stud earrings by Aurum and Grey North, meanwhile, had her hair scooped up into two cute buns as she wore an orange velvet spaghetti strap dress with a black top and choker necklace. The stylish young tot was also kitted out in a pair of black Yeezy trainers, direct from her father Kanye West's fashion line. Close family friend Jonathan Cheban, meanwhile, helped Kourtney out of the building as he guided her down the stairs. Fashion designer in the making: Kim Kardashian shared that 'we make all' of North's clothes Taking five: While at Tommy Pier with her niece, Mason, and Penelope, Kardashian took a breather as she leaned against a booth Fun and games! The reality star treated her children Penelope and Mason to a day at the carnival During their day together, Kourtney took North to check out Tommy Pier, the real-life carnival that was the setting for the Tommy Hilfiger runway show the previous night. The girls were joined by two of Kourtney's children, Mason and Penelope. North's parents Kim Kardashian and Kanye West have been busy attending New York Fashion Week events these last few days. Wheel-y fun! Kourtney Snapchatted various moments from her day at Tommy Pier Sugar and spice: Kardashian showed off various cupcakes which she spied during her New York outing In bed with Kourtney! The reality star showed some leg in her thigh-high dress on Instagram On Wednesday 39-year-old Kanye transported New York's fashion elite - along with a host of his A-list friends - to Roosevelt Island to debut his Season 4 collection. Then lengthy catwalk show saw several models fainting due to the heat, while others actually tripped up on the runway. Talking about his line Kanye wasn't keen on it being described as fashion, explaining to Vogue: 'Lets say "apparel," especially for the style of clothes I make. Im not saying that this is a fashion proposition, Im saying that this is a human proposition.' 'I want to make pieces that can be timeless. Pieces that you can pick up out of a vintage store in 20 years and say, "Wow, Im happy I have this".' Aww: Khloe Kardashian Instagrammed a silly video of Kourtney playfully screaming towards the camera Sweet treat! The reality star zoomed in to a frosted red velvet cupcake The big picture: The 37-year-old gave fans a birds eye view of Tommy Pier He seems to be ageing very well. But Ronan Keating, 39, clearly has little sympathy for those who indulge in surgical intervention to hold back the years. The former Boyzone frontman has blasted fellow celebrities who use Botox, claiming they always end up looking 'ridiculous'. Scroll down for video Not holding back: Ronan Keating has blasted fellow celebrities who use Botox, claiming they always end up looking 'ridiculous' Speaking to The Sunday People, he said: 'I dont believe in Botox in any shape or form. I think its awful for anyone men and women. 'I think its hideous. I know some people feel like they have to, fair enough. I gather rat poison is being injecting into your face. 'I dont know if Simon Cowell does it or not but people look ridiculous when they use it.' Frozen in time? Ronan mentioned X Factor's Simon Cowell in his damning comments It's not clear whether X Factor boss Simon still uses the muscle-freezing potion, but he has certainly indulged in the past. In fact, he once admitted to going overboard with the treatment, saying: 'Hopefully I look better now I probably did have a little too much Botox a couple of years ago, because everyone on TV has it.' He also confessed other quirky undertakings to try and stop the ravages of time. 'Once in LA, years ago, I met this girl who would wrap me up in cling film and then tin foil, after covering me in oils,' he said. 'It was meant to be detoxing. 'She then put me in this tube in my house, locked me into it for an hour, and told me what she liked or didn't like on the show.' Youthful: Although he's about to turn 40, Ronan - pictured with his wife Storm - still manages to look fantastic Not that Ronan won't feel the need to look good on camera, of course. Earlier this year it was announced he would replace Ricky Martin on The Voice: Australia, which boasts a lucrative prize including a signed contract with Universal, $100,000 cash and a new car. Ronan and wife Storm originally met on the set of Australia's X Factor for which Ronan acted as a judge and began dating after the breakdown of their previous marriages. Ronan ended his 17-year-union with Yvonne Keating, while Storm divorced Sydney financial director Tim Ivers. They wed more seven months ago in a lavish ceremony overlooking the Firth of Forth in Scotland. Loved-up: Ronan and wife Storm originally met on the set of Australia's X Factor On Thursday, Sigourney Weaver attended the Toronto International Film Festival premiere of A Monster Calls with co-star Felicity Jones. The ladies looked beautiful for their night out, with each modeling their own take on evening wear. Sigourney looked far younger than her 66 years while wearing a chic jumpsuit while Felicity chose a feminine number. Scroll down for video Their big night: On Thursday, Sigourney Weaver, 66, attended the Toronto International Film Festival premiere of A Monster Calls with co-star Felicity Jones, 32 Felicity, 32, wore a beige, ruffled gown that featured black detailing along the collar. The UK native wore her brown locks down while her fringe was parted in the middle. For make-up, the actress added a touch of drama with her kohl-lined eyes, which she paired with a nude lip. Elegant: For her look, Sigourney, chose a black jumpsuit, which was decorated with a dalmatian print bodice For her look, Sigourney, chose a black jumpsuit, which was decorated with a dalmatian print bodice. The Oscar-nominated actress wore chin-length hair in loose waves, which she parted to one side. She accessorized with shell earrings and a black clutch. Glamourous do: The Oscar-nominated actress wore chin-length hair in loose waves, which she parted to one side In A Monster Calls, a young boy gets assistance from a tree monster to help him cope as his mother is dying of cancer. Felicity stars as the mother to Lewis MacDougall's character, while Sigourney portrays his grandmother. The actress prepped for her role by meeting with woman who battled the illness. 'It definitely stays with you when you've finished at the end of the day,' she said in an interview with the Press Association. 'It takes a bit of time to decompress when you come back and you have to resist the temptation to just have a drink or something. You have to let it percolate in your mind.' A heartbreaking tale: In A Monster Calls, a young boy (Lewis MacDougall) gets assistance from a tree monster to help him cope as his mother is dying of cancer She's been enjoying the single lifestyle since splitting from long-term boyfriend James 'Arg' Argent. But TOWIE's Lydia Bright swapped her party heels for a more sporty get-up on Saturday when she took part in a terrifying 80m descent down the ArcelorMittal Orbit in London's Olympic Park. The reality star looked fearless as she prepared for her challenge, raising money for Barnardo's children's charity. Scroll down for video Fearless! TOWIE's Lydia Bright took part in a terrifying 80m descent down the ArcelorMittal Orbit in London's Olympic Park on Saturday Lydia scaled down the landmark, showing no sign of nerves and flashing a beaming grin. She seemed in great spirits as she performed the stomach-churning task, eager to do her bit for charity. Lydia is supporting Barnardo's in its 150th anniversary year as part of the charity's nationwide Abseil Challenge, which aims to raise 100,000 to help some of the UK's most vulnerable children, young people and families. Don't look down! The reality star scaled down the landmark, showing no sign of nerves and flashing a beaming grin Brave members of the public are also taking part in the fundraising feat alongside VIPs in London and at other sites this autumn. The blonde beauty was last seen at the St John Ambulance's Everyday Heroes awards, looking chic in a silk crop top and floral skirt. Lydia's on/off romance with Arg came to a crashing end earlier this year after their 10 year relationship was plagued with rumours of infidelity and substance abuse. In series 18, which wrapped last month, the formerly loved-up duo had an explosive row which truly marked the demise of their union - leading to Lydia's firmly single status. Both Arg and Lydia have been at the forefront of TOWIE since its 2010 inauguration, where viewers have watched their love story play out. The thug who hospitalised X Factor 2012 winner James Arthur is reportedly a jealous ex of a fan he slept with. James, 28, had to visit A&E last Saturday night after being assaulted with a bottle in a North Yorkshire pub. Now, a woman claiming to have had a one night stand with the star says it was her jealous ex-boyfriend who battered him. Scroll down for video Attacked: X Factor 2012 winner James Arthur was hospitalised on Saturday night after allegedly being attacked in a Yorkshire pub The fan, 30, says she spent a night with Arthur in 2014 after he paid her a night-time visit following chats on Facebook. She claims that the pair smoked weed together before 'one thing led to another' - and that her ex flew into a fit a rage when he found out, which led him to seek vengeance two years later. 'I feel awful that having a one-night stand with me has led James to be hurt like this,' the mother-of-one told the Sunday People. According to the publication, James messaged her on Facebook after the attack, saying: 'I hear your behind me almost getting killed. Thanks for that. The fan, 30, says she spent a night with Arthur (pictured) in 2014 after he paid her a night-time visit following chats on Facebook Bad night: James alluded to the incident in a Tweet in the early hours of Sunday morning 'I'd like to go into pubs where I grew up and not be attacked by low lifes. A glass to the back of the head is dark as f***. So so dark.' The fan added that her head was a mess when she slept with James and that she wishes her ex had never found out. MailOnline has contacted James's representatives for comment. James received a head wound on a night out at the Plimsoll Line pub in Redcar in the Tees Valley region of Yorkshire on Saturday. Police were called to the venue to investigate and are still hunting James's assailant. Talented: James wowed the judges in his first audition for The X Factor in 2012, which he went on to win Alluding to the incident, James tweeted on Saturday: 'Good night in Redcar tonight,' along with a bewildered emoji and beer glass image. However, he later reassured fans he was 'fine', tweeting: 'I'm fine thank you. No worries, we move on #BackFromTheEdge.' One source told Gazette Live that the local musician had been 'glassed' by another pub customer. A Cleveland Police spokeswoman told GazetteLive: 'We received a report of an assault at the Plimsoll Line on Redcar High Street at around 10.40pm on Saturday August 20. Glassed: James, 28, had to visit A&E on Saturday night after being assaulted with a bottle in a North Yorkshire pub 'A 28-year-old man received a head wound after he was reported to have been hit with a bottle. 'The man was taken to James Cook University Hospital for treatment. Inquiries are ongoing in relation to the incident.' Middlesborough-born James was mentored by Nicole Scherzinger when he appeared on the ITV talent show four years ago. His debut single, a cover of Shontelle's Impossible ended up No.1 in the charts and sold over 1million copies. James went on to release his eponymous debut album in November 2013, which charted at No.2 and sold over a quarter of a million copies. However, in June 2014, James announced he had parted ways with Syco and signed with Columbia Records last year. James has recently revealed on Twitter he is working on his second album. He split from his wife Antonia Davies in 2013 after 30 years together. And Johnny Vaughan has admitted he's struggling to cope with being single again following their painful divorce. The former Big Breakfast host, 50, revealed that it was a 'strange feeling' to be alone again and he hasn't been having much luck in the dating department. Scroll down for video Single life's a struggle: Johnny Vaughan has admitted he's finding it hard to cope with being single again following his painful divorce in 2013 He told The Sunday Mirror: 'Im finding it very hard, to be honest. Ive struggled. Ive been on a few dates but I dont know what to say.' Johnny and Antonia met when they were just 19 and this is the first time he has really been single. The TV personality admits he finds the dating process so awkward and uncomfortable that he tells lies just to impress people. Moving on: Johnny and Antonia met when they were just 19 and were together for 30 years, so this is the first time the star has really been single Oops: The TV personality admits he finds the dating process so awkward and uncomfortable that he tells lies just to impress people 'I told one [date] recently I was training to do a triathlon, which Im absolutely not', he joked. Johnny is actively seeking a companion and is planning to explore the open of online dating and Tinder, but is nervous about what to expect. The couple's marriage broke down in 2013 following a series of rows - with a divorce finalised last year. Split: The couple's marriage broke down in 2013 following a series of rows - with a divorce finalised last year Johnny met Antonia, a costume designer, while working in a West London video shop and they married in 1999 after six years together. They have two children, Tabitha and Rafferty. In 2010 Vaughan revealed that Antonia had suffered a miscarriage with what would've been their third child. Speaking to the Mail in 2012, he said: I knew Antonia before I was jailed [for drug offences aged 22] and she used to write to me while I was inside, but she was a model and zipping around the world. I had another girlfriend at the time and she was there for me when I got out, but it didnt last because her parents thought I was the most vile person on the planet. 'Mind you, her mothers Australian and thats where most convicts ended up, so genetically that probably makes two of us! Home and Away star Pia Miller announced in October that she was splitting with her husband of ten years, AFL star Brad Miller. And this week the mother of two opened up about co-parenting, telling Stellar magazine that they're getting along well and are focusing on being the best parents they can be. The 32-year-old told the publication: 'We've got an open dialogue when it comes to the boys and we're working really well together.' Scroll down for video 'We're working really well together': Home and Away star Pia Miller opened up about co-parenting with her AFL star ex Brad Miller (seen with Brad in 2010) 'Both of us have the same best interest at heart for them,' adding that as long as that remains their focus, they'll be fine. Pia is mother to son Lennox, nine, who she shares with Brad and son Isaiah, 13, who she has from a previous relationship. She also talked about her new man Tyson Mullane - who was previously dating model Cheyenne Tozzi - and claimed she wasn't attracted to him for his looks. 'Both of us have the same best interest at heart for them': Pia is seen here with sons Lennox, nine, (L) who she shares with Brad and son Isaiah, 13, (centre) who she has from a previous relationship It's love: She also talked about her new man Tyson Mullane - who was previously dating model Cheyenne Tozzi - and claimed she wasn't attracted to him for his looks 'Tyson is very creative and I love seeing what he does with his work,' the actress said of the film producer. In February, the stunner confirmed her relationship with Tyson, with rumours having swirled that they were an item since November. On Valentine's Day, she shared a shot of them touching noses in a traditional 'hongi' greeting. 'Tyson is very creative': In February, the stunner confirmed her new relationship Happy: Rumours swirled that they were an item since November In May, she also spoke about the breakdown of her marriage, telling Marie Claire her work schedule 'took a toll' on the relationship. 'I'd shoot all day, jump on a plane, race home and make dinner - it was like I was working full-time in both places,' Pia said. 'I was trying to do everything and it took a toll on me physically, I think it took its toll on everything.' Honest: In May, she also spoke about the breakdown of her marriage, telling Marie Claire her work schedule 'took a toll' on the relationship (seen in 2009) Pia and Brad revealed last year they were calling time on their relationship, releasing a statement which read: 'After several months of reflection we have decided to separate, 'We have shared ten wonderful years together. We will always be supportive of one another. We are, and always will be, a family,' she said. The beauty also added that Brad would be relocating from his home in Melbourne to Sydney, where she films the Channel Seven soap, 'so that we can continue to co-parent the children together'. Chilean-born Pia, who worked as a model and television presenter before breaking into acting, welcomed son Lennox with former Richmond player Brad in 2006 after they were first set up through mutual friends a year earlier. They later tied the knot in December 2007 with Brad becoming a step-father to the brunette's older son Isaiah, whom she has from a previous relationship when she was 19. They're always impeccably presented when they present on television. And it was no different for Channel Seven's Sally Obermeder, 43, and Edwina Bartholomew, 33, at the Nelune Foundation's Lilac Ball in Sydney on Saturday. Both women looked stylish as they flashed some skin in plunging outfits, with Sally wearing a classic little black dress while Edwina donned a cowl back gown. Scroll down for video Taking the plunge: Sally Obermeder (left) and Edwina Bartholomew (right) arrived at the Nelune Foundation's Lilac Ball in Sydney on Saturday flashing some flesh in plunging dresses Showing off a golden tan, Sally flaunted her trim pins in her dress that stopped just below the knees, with a thigh-high split visible. The dress also featured elaborate and on-trend large bell sleeves. Sally teamed the look with simple black heels, a matching clutch and bright turquoise earrings. Her hair was out neatly straightened over her shoulders and her make-up included bronzer and a smokey eye. Dolled up: Sally's hair was out neatly straightened over her shoulders and her make-up included bronzer and a smokey eye Picture perfect: The popular personality teamed her v-neck little black dress with simple black heels and a matching clutch, adding a pop of colour with large turquoise earrings Edwina meanwhile looked chic in a navy Sheike dress, that had long sleeves and a wrap style split at the bottom. The Sunrise star wore soft make-up including dewy foundation and blush, and had her blonde locks swept off her face into a high bun. She accessorised with eye-catching chandelier earrings. Also attending the Lilac Ball was former swimmer Giaan Rooney, 33, who wore a stunning purple lace dress. Saying hello: Also attending the Lilac Ball was former swimmer Giaan Rooney, 33, who wore a stunning purple lace dress and acted as MC for the charity event Olympic co-hosts: The pair worked together on Channel Seven's coverage of the Rio Olympic Games recently Giaan and Edwina hugged one another in front of the media wall, before Giaan began her duties as emcee of the charity event. Fellow Network Seven personality Andrew O'Keefe was also on-hand to lend his support to the cause. While Network Ten newsreader Sandra Sully and husband Symon Brewis-Weston attended the glitzy fundraiser also. Sandra turned heads in a figure-hugging red lace dress that emphasised her curves in the all the right places. Night out: Meanwhile, also showing their support on the evening was Network Ten newsreader Sandra Sully and her husband Symon Brewis-Weston The Nelune Foundation aims to help cancer patients with the costs of treatment and care. According to the website, it aims to: 'Provide psychological and practical support, assistance and care for public hospital and underprivileged cancer patients in the community - "helping patients fight cancer with dignity."' Sally - who battled an aggressive form of breast cancer in 2011 and was diagnosed at 41 weeks pregnant - took to Instagram in support of the event. She spoke about the need for a cure as what the Nelune Foundation hopes to get. She remarked in part of her post: 'Tonight $1.9 million was raised. Incredible. As we work towards the ultimate goal, please say a prayer for those who are currently doing battle and for their loved ones and families who support them. We are all in this together.' She's one of the top models in the world. But sometimes even the likes of Miranda Kerr needs a break from high fashion, as the native Australian demonstrated on Saturday afternoon. The 33-year-old Victoria's Secret Angel opted for a laid-back look for her outing in Malibu. Scroll down for video Out and about: Miranda Kerr, 33, opted for a laid-back look for her outing in Malibu On top, the world-class beauty wore a simple button down collared shirt featuring dark vertical stripes. Though she did keep several buttons open revealing just a glimpse of her decolletage, she kept her look conservative by tucking the garment into her fitted jeans. The classic denim did flatter her amazingly toned limbs, and stopped just above her ankles. Pretty standard: On top, the world-class beauty wore a simple button down collared shirt featuring dark vertical stripes Some classic ballet flats in black rounded out the very demure ensemble. She did add just a touch of bling with a thing leather belt sporting silver rivets, and several thin chain necklaces. Accessories included a faint leopard print purse with long chain strap and some unique sunglasses with thick black frames with gold details. Nothing fancy: Some classic ballet flats in black rounded out the very demure ensemble Picture-perfect: While she swept her brunette tresses back and clipped them up into a functional do, of course her bright crimson lipstick and natural make-up was spot on While she swept her brunette tresses back and clipped them up into a functional do, of course her bright crimson lipstick and natural make-up was spot on. The leggy lady seemed to be in a good mood, even though she is missing many of the festivities associated with NYFW. She smiled several times as she palled around with a small group of friends after lunch. Afternoon delight: She smiled several times as she palled around with a small group of friends after lunch She'll be walking down the aisle with DJ Ruckus in the coming months. And Shanina Shaik is set to be one stunning bride if her look at Harper's Bazaar Icons New York Fashion Week party is anything to go by. The 25-year-old Victoria's Secret model donned a floral motif lace Tom Ford dress, which fell just below her knees. Wedding inspiration? Shanina Shaik is set to be one stunning bride if her look at New York Fashion Week's Harper's Bazaar Icons partyon Saturday is anything to go by The shift was cinched in at the waist with a black velvet belt, accentuating her svelte physique. Across the hip was a dramatic, almost-Victorian effect created with the material. Cap sleeves arched over her shoulders with long mesh sleeves sticking out from underneath and finishing mid-palm in a delicate lace hem. The bride-to-be tied the outfit together with black accessories, including a box clutch and strappy Giuseppe Zanotti heels. Dramatic dress: Long mesh sleeves came out from underneath her cap sleeves and finished mid-palm in a delicate lace hem, while the material across the hip created a dramatic effect Accessories: The shift was cinched in at the waist with a black velvet belt, accentuating her svelte physique, and the model donned strappy Giuseppe Zanotti heels Statement earrings: The stand-out piece of the 25-year-old's entire ensemble, were her large Lorraine Schwartz earrings Possibly the stand-out piece of her entire ensemble, were her statement earrings. Shanina pulled her hair back off her face for the evening to ensure all had a chance to glimpse at the divine Lorraine Schwartz design. The Australian-born beauty of Lithuanian, Pakistani and Saudi Arabian descent, lightly dusted her tanned skin with a peach bronzer across her cheeks and kept her large almond eyes the focus of her face with dramatic eye make-up. Pairing back her lips for the soiree, the brunette beauty opted for a nude-colour with pink undertones. Framing her face: The beauty of Lithuanian, Pakistani and Saudi Arabian descent, lightly dusted her tanned skin with a peach bronzer across her cheeks and kept her large almond eyes the focus of her face with dramatic eye make-up Recently, Shanina's fiance DJ Ruckus admitted to the Daily Telegraph that he is nervous about meeting the Victoria Secret model's father, describing the impending moment a 'very big ordeal'. 'Shanina's mother came to Christmas in New York with us when we got engaged which is apparently a big deal because they always do Christmas in Australia,' Ruckus told the newspaper. 'But I haven't met her father yet, which is a very big ordeal. I'm not too concerned though as he's a very nice guy. And I'm not a bad dude. I'm excited.' The pair were engaged in the Bahamas earlier this year and posted a snap cuddling up together while showing off a huge diamond engagement ring on her hand. When your mother is the Queen Of Pop, little surprises you. Yet even Madonna's daughter Lourdes looked stunned as she joined her famous mum at the Alexander Wang's Spring 2017 collection in New York on Saturday. The 58-year-old Like A Prayer hitmaker suffered a wardrobe malfunction as she nuzzled into the 19-year-old model's neck on the front row. Scroll down for video Mum!! Madonna's daughter Lourdes looked stunned as she joined her famous mum at the Alexander Wang's Spring 2017 collection in New York on Saturday Madonna smiled as she cosied up close to her daughter while clad in a very eye-catching outfit - yet seemed unaware of her unfortunate slip up. She donned a belted corset with a sheer neckline, sporty black trousers, and a jacket to match - looking stunning in the process, although her wardrobe malfunction drew attention away from her look. The popstrel styled her hair in loose ringlets while bringing out her green eyes with a winged slick of eyeliner. Lourdes, meanwhile, sported a fluffy white turtleneck, black shorts, fishnet stockings, and a pair of ankle boots. Put it away! The 58-year-old Like A Prayer hitmaker suffered a wardrobe malfunction as she nuzzled into the 19-year-old model's neck on the front row What a show! Eyes glued to the catwalk, Madonna and Lourdes were clearly riveted to the show Star-studded! Madonna and Lourdes enjoyed prime views beside the likes of Zoe Kravitz, Nicki Minaj, Tyga, and Kylie Jenner Eyes glued to the catwalk, Madonna and Lourdes were clearly riveted to the show. The popstrel grinned widely as her daughter gazed towards the runway, looking in awe of the show, which included the likes of Kendall Jenner as models. Alexander Wang's Spring 2017 collection included flowery and flowing crop tops, lace hem shorts, and a sequin maxi skirt of which Kendall wore down the runway. Sporty and sexy: The Material Girl singer donned a belted corset with a sheer neckline, sporty black trousers, and a jacket to match Hitting her stride: Madonna hit her stride in a pair of black heels, which were barely visible beneath her slouchy trousers Attention to detail: The popstrel styled her hair in loose ringlets while bringing out her green eyes with a winged slick of eyeliner Charmed! The hit-maker received a warm welcome by Nicki Minaj Mwah! The ladies kissed each other on the cheek The show may have been a pleasant change of pace for Madonna, whose ex-husband Guy Ritchie won the bitter nine month custody battle they had been entrenched in with each other over where their son should live. The Sherlock Holmes director reached a settlement with the pop star hours before they were due in court in New York on Wednesday. Speaking outside the court Guy's lawyer, Peter Bronstein, said that the 16-year-old-year-old would continue to live with his father in London. According to Page Six, Bronstein said: 'The case is settled and everyone agrees that Roccos needs changed and hes going to be living with dad. 'Everyones agreed to that and theres no further need for any kind of a court case.' Though court documents obtained by TMZ claimed the exes were scheduled to attend another hearing on Wednesday but did indeed resolve their differences 'hours before' the hearing. Come here! The chart-topper slung her arm around the fashion designer She's made headlines lately with her exceptionally daring, flesh-flashing outfits. But on Saturday, Emily Ratajkowski took it one level down in a miniskirt and boots as she attended the KnotOnMyPlanet campaign launch on Saturday as part of New York Fashion Week. The 25-year-old model flaunted her petite figure while joining a slew of models. Scroll down for video Looking good: Emily Ratajkowski looked more modest than she's looked lately as she hit up the KnotOnMyPlanet campaign launch during NYFW on Saturday Effortlessly stylish: The 25-year-old exuded confidence as usual as she posed against the city background The UK born beauty looked stylish in a plunging white top, supported by no bra, and a shiny, black metallic skirt that she cinched with a thick belt around her tiny waistline. Emily threw over an oversize Frame Denim jacket, propping it on just one shoulder as she exposed her sexy shoulder on the other side. The Blurred Lines music video star covered up to her calves in nude colored boots and held a leather clutch as an accessory. Beauties: The model-actress posed with 31-year-old Doutzen Kroes who wowed in a cut-out white jumpsuit Near naked beauty: Emily dropped jaws with her scantily clad appearance at the Harper's Bazaar party on Friday Her brunette locks were loosely curled and parted in the middle as she went for a brown and cinnamon hue for her make-up. Besides her stance on fashion, the actress recently exposed a bit of her vulnerable side in an thought-provoking essay in Glamour magazine for the October issue. Speaking out on how men are applauded for being sexual but women aren't, she wrote: 'I realized then that Ive been called an attention whore so often that I had almost gotten used to it. And as women we are accused of seeking attention more than men are, whether for speaking out politically, as I did, for dressing a certain way, or for even posting a selfie.' Edgy: Karlie Kloss went for a horizontal striped shirt tucked into a black leather skirt and velvet lace shoes In the wind: The party was caught in a breeze Wowing the crowd: The girls looked incredibly chic for the bash The model look: It was clear the ladies were used to life in front of a camera as they posed up a storm Slender: Joan Smalls flaunted her enviable figure in a one-sleeve crop top from Bossa, a high-waisted pencil skirt and brown fringe shoes Lady in red: Martha Hunt stood out in a plunging red dress, which was cut out high along her toned thigh Boho babe: Veteran model Naomi Campbell looked stunning Other models who showed their support for the campaign were Karlie Kloss, Naomi Campbell, Martha Hunt, Doutzen Kroes, Joan Smalls, Sara Sampaio and Jasmine Tookes. Wearing a long white flared jumpsuit, cut out near the midriff and dressed with a bejeweled elephant brooch, Doutzen is one of the many stars who is passionate about the campaign, which aims to prevent the slaughtering of elephants. The 31-year-old model, who visited Kenya, spoke up about the issue telling Vanity Fair: 'We have to raise awareness that ivory should not be a product anymore. It's something that should be looked at that is disgusting.' She added: 'Elephants are being slaughtered just for that, just for their tusks, and just being left. It's such a sad thing to see and to even think about.' Fierce: Sara Sampaio opted for a classy white jumpsuit by label Misha Collection, highlighting her slender physique Poise: Jasmine Tookes looked sophisticated in a black-and-white patterned number Tie the knot: Doutzen, spokesperson for the campaign, is working to end elephant slaughtering. She posted this powerful photo on Friday The spokesperson urged for fashion influencers to tie knots on social media and spread the word to donate to Elephant Crisis Fund. Emily, Gigi Hadid , Candice Swanepoel, Cara Delevingne and Adriana Lima are some of the fashion models who have participated in the campaign. Emily wrote on her Instagram: '30,000 elephants slaughtered in a year? #knotonmyplanet. Please go online now to knotmyplanet.org to donate and share an image of YOU tying your knot.' Support: Emily also took to Instagram to tie the knot as part of the social media campaign. She noted that '30,000 elephants' are slaughtered 'in a year' The brunette beauties, who play sisters in their new film, have been traveling the globe to promote Planetarium. And on Saturday, Natalie Portman and Lily-Rose Depp were in Canada for their movie premiere during the 2016 Toronto International Film Festival. The Oscar winner, 35, and Johnny Depp's 17-year-old daughter looked stunning as they hit the red carpet side by side. Press rounds: Natalie Portman (left) and Lily-Rose Depp stepped out in Canada for the Planetarium premiere during the 2016 Toronto International Film Festival on Saturday Natalie, whom is reportedly expecting her second child with French husband, Benjamin Millepied but is yet to comment publicly on the news, hid her growing baby bump beneath a chic shift. The feminine cream colored frock featured a simple floral pattern and a loose silhouette. Instead of highlighting her pregnant belly, the Black Swan star opted to show off her trim legs in the long-sleeved number which fell above her knees. She teamed the pretty look with a pair of black suede pointy toed pumps and added a silver clutch. Under cover: Natalie, whom is reportedly expecting her second child with French husband, Benjamin Millepied - according to People - but is yet to comment publicly on the news, hid her growing baby bump beneath a chic shift All smiles: The Oscar-winner, 35, appeared in high spirits as she posed for snaps alongside Johnny Depp's 17-year-old daughter whilst radiating with a healthy glow The Israeli born star but Los Angeles native showed off her natural beauty with a simple make-up look and exuded effortless elegance with a slicked back ponytail and diamonds dangling in her ears. She appeared in high spirits as she posed for snaps alongside Lily-Rose whilst radiating with a healthy glow. Natalie is already the proud mother to son Aleph, who she welcomed in 2011 with husband Benjamin, whom she met while filming Black Swan in 2009. Flapper girl: Lily-Rose donned a vintage inspired mini-dress with black and silver feather and fringe embellishments Leggy display: The model and actress flaunted her lithe legs in the shortened hemline and further accentuated her trim pins with a pair of black strappy feathered stilettos In 2012, the pair tied the knot in an intimate Jewish ceremony, before they relocated to Paris, but have recently moved back to the states. Lily-Rose channeled her best flapper style as she arrived in a vintage inspired mini-dress with black and silver feather and fringe embellishments. The model and actress flaunted her lithe legs in the shortened hemline and further accentuated her trim pins with a pair of black strappy feathered stilettos. Just like her mother: Lily looked absolutely stunning as she posed for some portrait snaps on the day wearing a chic plunging patterned dress Something to remember: She created a series of sultry and moody expressions as she documented her time in Toronto She's got the look: Lily Rose looked super cute as she posed with her arms outstretched on the table before her She wore her light brown wavy tresses pulled back in a loose messy up 'do and highlighted her eyes with a bold baby blue shimmery eye-liner. The talented teen looked a bit jet-lagged when she posed on the carpet alone but appeared to perk up when her co-star joined her. Planetarium follows the journey of two sisters who are believed to possess the supernatural ability to connect with ghosts, during which they cross paths with a visionary French producer while performing in Paris. Cozy co-stars: The film follows two sisters who tour 1930s France as mediums They've had a number of set backs on The Block including getting slammed by judges for their rooms, despite being experienced renovators. But on Sunday's episode of the show, Dan, 55, and Carleen, 52, finally had a win. The pair claimed the top score for their master bathroom from the judges, winning a whopping $10,000 cash. Scroll down for video Success: Dan, 55, and Carleen, 52, finally had a win on The Block on Sunday, pocketing $10,000 for their bathroom Hairdresser Carleen made light of the situation and afterwards joked: 'I love it, I love the smell of money!' Dan joked to camera, 'she'll spend it in five minutes.' The pair also won a night away from The Block thanks to winning. They did it: In the judges feedback, Shaynna Blaze said she was impressed after they 'slammed' them last week About their win, Carleen added: 'This makes you stop second guessing yourself too.' In the judges feedback, Shaynna Blaze said she was impressed after they 'slammed' them last week. 'They've shown us,' she said. Darren Palmer meanwhile said they started a new trend, which he called 'the new tradition.' Darren said their bathroom was 'on trend with Milan' and was perfect in styling. Impressive: Darren Palmer meanwhile said they started a new trend, which he called 'the new tradition' Shaynna and Neale agreed it was their styling, with Neale loving the tiles and feel of the room. The couple earned a total of 29 points, narrowly beating Julia and Sasha who were on 28.5 points. Karlie and Will scored 27 points, while Andy and Ben scored 19.5 points and Kim and Chris coming last on 19 points. The win for Carleen and Dan came after last their master ensuite was panned by the judges last month and Dan broke to tears. Tough: The win for Carleen and Dan came after last their master ensuite was panned by the judges last month and Dan broke to tears The judges weren't impressed: 'I'm not an emotional bloke, but this brings out everything in you,' Dan said to camera after the bad review for their ensuite (pictured) 'I'm not an emotional bloke, but this brings out everything in you,' Dan said to camera after the bad review. Neale Whitaker also could not get past what he referred to as a tacky plate, with the text, 'Drink Champagne and Dance All Night'. 'This really offends me. I think it's so cheap, before spotting a candle emblazoned with the text, 'I love the s**t out of you'. 'That is probably one of the worst things', he added. Meanwhile last week Neale likened their guest bedroom a '$2 shop.' 'I'm seriously ready to go home,' 52-year-old Carleen shared to the camera after their disastrous room reveal. She shot to fame after being linked to reality star Scott Disick. But on Friday, Kourtney Kardashian's ex couldn't be further from Megan Blake Irwin's mind as she stepped out with her new boyfriend for the Harper's Bazaar annual Icons party in New York. The 22-year-old looked chic in a strapless black dress as she stood next to her mysterious tuxedo-clad beau. Scroll down for video In love: Megan Blake Irwin stepped out with her new boyfriend for the Harper's Bazaar annual Icons party in New York on Friday The blonde bombshell wore her blonde locks to one side, and sported a dark mauve lipstick on her plump pout. When Megan isn't wowing at events, she can often be seen on Instagram showing off her flawless figure. Earlier this week, she flaunted her impressive physique in a tiny red and white bikini for her 95,000 followers. Red hot! Scott Disick's rumoured ex showed off her flawless figure in a tiny Solid & Striped bikini on Tuesday Going makeup free, the Australian model shared a snap of herself relaxing in a sun chair poolside. Displaying her soft golden tan, the 22-year-old blonde reclined on her side for the sultry snap. The statuesque stunner held one hand to her hair as she played with her messy tresses. Going places: The blonde is one of Australia's up-and-coming models She covered her face with a pair of gold-tinted aviator sunglasses and wore a gold ring on her finger. Megan - who is believed to be back in New York after a short trip to Australia - captioned the snap: 'What Hurricane Storm!? #WeekendAway #PoolSide #Reflection @SolidAndStriped,' adding a love heart emoticon. The star was back Down Under to serve as an ambassador for the Spring Racing Carnival. He's developed a reputation as a cougar hunter after being linked to older blonde women such as Kate Moss, Paris Hilton and Lara Stone. But Jordan Barrett appeared to have had a change of heart after meeting Hungarian model and actress Barbara Palvin. A picture shared with Jordan's 381,000 Instagram followers shows him leaning up to kiss the 22-year-old brunette at the Frame Denim dinner in New York on Sunday night. Scroll down for video Pucker up: Jordan Barrett and Barbara Palvin shared what appeared to be a passionate kiss at the Frame Denim dinner party during New York Fashion Week on Sunday night The Australian model is pictured kneeling before Barbara, who is leaning against a bar stool. She stood out from the crowd in a black top with a plunging lace insert, and her brunette tresses were pulled back from her face in a high ponytail. The pair are surrounded by women wearing matching Frame New York Fashion Week branded denim jackets. Brunette beauty: Hungarian model Barbara Palvin, 22, is only a fraction older than Jordan, which is a rarity for the Australian hunk Looking cosy: In May, Jordan was pictured at an after party in the company of Lara Stone, 32 Searching for a lookalike? Jordan, 19, is usually photographed cosying up to women with blonde hair Jordan, wearing the same jacket, appears to also have his hand on another brunette woman. Barbara looked to be enjoying the moment, as she held Jordan's head towards hers, his golden locks intertwined between the young woman's fingers. Considering his past rumoured romances, the young Hungarian seems a strange choice for well-connected model Jordan. Lusty looks: Despite her beau sitting right beside her, Kate Moss, 42, and Jordan could barely keep their eyes off each other in June Sweet as sugar: The former Victoria's Secret Angel is young and brunette - two attributes which would usually rule her out of Jordan's interests 'Just friends': Pictures of the Australian model with heiress Paris Hilton set tongues wagging, but Jordan was adamant the pair shared a platonic relationship Over the years, the 19-year-old has been romantically linked to 32-year-old model Lara Stone, Kate Moss, who is more than twice his age, and Paris Hilton, 35. Even when Jordan romances a girl closer to his age, they are still almost always blonde. The Australian-born model has been seen romancing 19-year-old Hailey Baldwin and was spotted cuddling up to fellow Australian, 22-year-old Megan Blake Irwin. Hot and Heavy: In December, Jordan and blonde Hailey Baldwin were spotted getting close during a night out in New York City and even shared a kiss in a photo booth Blonde ambition: Jordan has also been romantically linked to Megan Blake Irwin, who was formerly rumoured to be dating Scott Disick She's known for showing off her long lean figure in an endless array of bikinis. And Kimberley Garner didn't disappoint during New York Fashion Week on Friday. The 26-year-old former Made In Chelsea star turned heads in a black ensemble as she attended the Dan Liu show in New York. Scroll down for video Stylish: Kimberley Garner didn't disappoint during New York Fashion Week on Friday Flashing more than a hint of cleavage in a revealing bralet, the strappy crop top was held together by gold buttons which flaunted her bare skin underneath. Teaming the vest with low-slung skinny jeans, the English beauty flaunted her long lean legs. And not needing to add height to her statuesque figure, Kimberley opted for stylish brogue-style ankle boots. Fashionista: The 26-year-old former Made In Chelsea star turned heads in a black ensemble as she attended the Dan Liu show in New York Adding a touch of Goth, she completed her all-black ensemble with a matching choker and a delicate necklace. Leaving her blonde tresses loose, she accentuated her blue peepers with lashings of mascara. And going for natural make-up, she added a touch of bronzer to complete her appearance. Kimberly found fame in E4 reality show Made in Chelsea, but left after only one season. Reality fame: Kimberly found fame in E4 reality show Made in Chelsea, but left after only one season The blonde beauty, who dated Spencer Matthews and Richard Dinan during her time on the show, admitted recently that she was unhappy with the way she was edited in the show, and accused producers of persuading her to say certain things. She explained: 'They definitely edit a lot - I was shocked when I watched it back. They get you to say certain phrases, and suddenly create scenes that happened completely differently to reality. 'You'd watch it back thinking, "That didn't even happen!" and the storyline would be completely different. That was one of the reasons why I left.' After leaving the show the former reality star has been focusing on her swimwear range, Kimberly London. Having founded her brand in 2013, she is extremely passionate about keeping her designs British. She said: 'It's always been important to me that we support the incredible talent here in the UK. 'I've built such strong relationships with teams here and our pieces truly are the Best of British.' She knows how to stand out on the big screen. And Dakota Fanning continued to captivate on Saturday night in Toronto. The 22-year-old sizzled in a low-cut ruby red dress at The Hollywood Foreign Press Association and InStyle's Toronto International Film Festival celebration. Playing with fire! Dakota Fanning sizzled in a low-cut ruby red dress at The Hollywood Foreign Press Association and InStyle's Toronto International Film Festival celebration The cut of the neckline put Dakota's cleavage on maximal display. Dakota's skin tight red frock featured a romantic flowing train which showed off her strappy beige heels. Taking the plunge! The cut of the neckline put Dakota's cleavage on maximal display Stars in stripes! Jennifer Connelly flashed some leg in her edgy frock, while Bryce Dallas Howard donned a fitted dress with a strappy design Ooh la la! Gabrielle Union worked a romantic and eye-catching yellow frock on the red carpet Her long, platinum blonde hair was parted at the center and styled into loose and beachy waves. And complimenting her complexion, she brushed on red blush and a swipe of eyeliner to bring out her light blue eyes. Topping off the look, Dakota carried a circular gold clutch. Red alert! Maria Bello and Rooney Mara both made sure to stand out in their red hot looks Flower power! Michael Shannon made sure to stand out in his bright floral print shirt with colourful shoes Simply chic: Riley Keough donned a sexy and sheer black frock while Amy Adams grinned brightly in her extra stylish ensemble Dakota has been busy as of late as her new films Brimstone and American Pastoral make the rounds at film festivals. The actress stars alongside the likes of Kit Harington and Paul Anderson in Brimstone - which is slated for release on October 13 in the UK. Dakota and Kit were late additions to the movie, replacing Mia Wasikowska and Robert Pattison in the principle roles. American Pastoral, meanwhile, is scheduled for limited release in the US on October 28. She is set to prove her acting chops once again after landing the lead role in iconic play Hedda Gabler in London's West End. But it was all about glamour for Ruth Wilson on Saturday night as she stole the show at the Toronto Film Festival. The actress, 34, had heads turning in a plunging floral number as she attended the That Pretty Thing That Lives In The House premiere. Scroll down for video Flower power: Ruth Wilson, 34, looked fabulous in a floral frock as she attended the That Pretty Thing That Lives In The House premiere at the Toronto Film Festival on Saturday The star opted for an elegant loose-fitting floral dress, cropped just inches above her ankles to draw attention to her interesting shoe choice. Chunky block heels gave some height to Ruth's small frame as well as adding an extra retro vibe to the classy ensemble. The former Luther actress wore her tresses in a loosely curled ponytail to draw focus on her flawless complexion. British beauty: The Middlesex-born star opted for an elegant loose-fitting floral dress Posing: Chunky block heels gave height to Ruth's small frame as well as adding an extra retro vibe to the classy ensemble With soft eye make-up, light blusher and bright pink lipstick, Ruth managed to look every inch the Hollywood star. The brunette beauty was in the party mood as she later headed to Toronto's International Film Festival party. Ruth stars alongside Joshua Jackson and Maura Tierney in the hot US drama The Affair, in which she plays adulterous Alison Bailey. Blue steel: With soft eye make-up, light blusher and bright pink lipstick, Ruth managed to look every inch the Hollywood star The Golden Globe-winning show tells the story of Alisons affair with married man Noah Solloway, played by veteran actor Dominic West, from each characters perspective. Series 3 of the hit show is set to air in the US on 20 November. Ruth is also known for her appearances in Luther, Jane Eyre, The Lone Ranger and Saving Mr Banks. She has fully recovered from her battle with substance abuse. A nd Tallulah Willis looked healthier and happier than ever on Saturday, as she put on a very loved-up display with her boyfriend in California. The 22-year-old packed on the PDA with her handsome man as they enjoyed a lunch date in Studio City - with her beau giving her behind a cheeky squeeze before they passionately locked lips on the street. Scroll down for video She's a handful! Tallulah Willis, 22, packed on the PDA with her handsome man as they enjoyed a lunch date in Studio City on Saturday - with her beau giving her behind a cheeky squeeze Tallulah's man did not waste an opportunity to cop a feel of his girl's womanly figure as she took a quick phone call. Smiling cheekily, the tall hunk gave her derriere a quick squeeze in full view of all around, which was met by giggles from the star. Turning to face her lover the daughter of Bruce Willis and Demi Moore then leaned up to give him a smooch, with her man passionately wrapping his arms around her neck as they indulged in the intimate moment. The pair then headed on a romantic stroll around the sunny town after enjoying their low-key lunch together. Pucker up! Turning to face her lover the daughter of Bruce Willis and Demi Moore then leaned up to give him a smooch Known for her quirky style, the redhead looked casual but cool in a set of denim dungarees, layered on top of a white and blue tee - perhaps a piece from her own clothing line, released in March. The youngest daughter of the family took her illustrations and printed them on a selection of tops, which she released for sale online under her clothing label called Buuski. One is called 'Youth' while the other is 'Sorry...I thought you know.' Adding a vintage red bag and a pair of cat-eye sunglasses, the star looked effortless as she and her boyfriend soaked up the Californian sunshine. Denim day: Known for her quirky style, the redhead sported a set of denim dungarees, layered on top of a white and blue tee - perhaps a piece from her own clothing line, released in March The artist also flashed one of her many tattoos for the outing, which she recently revealed she only regrets one of. Talking to W magazine, the youngster said: 'I have 28 and only regret one. Only a few of them have some deeper meaning for me, most of them just feel like little decor on the bod.' She added: 'I cant stop getting them, much to Mamas chagrin.' However she declared in July that she had a small inking of a cactus on her hip removed, later tweeting that she wished to quash her desires for more body art. The Whole Ten Yards actress appears to be turning her life around, having celebrated remaining clean for two years that same month. Tallulah spent time in rehab in 2014 in Arizona for a reported cocaine and alcohol addiction, after being hit hard by her parents' divorce in 2000. Recovering: Tallulah has turned her life around since her time in rehab in 2014, after being hit hard by her parents' divorce in 2000 She has also been open about her struggle with body dsymorphia, which she was diagnosed with at the age of 13. In a candid interview with Glamour magazine last year, Tallulah admitted her road to recovery has not been easy, but is set for success. She confessed: 'It's not night and day--it's not like now I completely love myself and I have no problems. That isn't how it works. But there are the starting points of that, and that's really exciting. I'm growing every day and breaking old patterns.' Onwards and upwards: Talking of her recovery, the star said 'It's not night and day' but that she is 'growing every day and breaking old patterns' As the fashion world awaits the unveiling of her new collection, Victoria Beckham has received some words of encouragement from her biggest fans. The star's four children - Brooklyn, 17, Romeo, 14, Cruz, 11, and Harper, 5 - sent her a bouquet of flowers along with a touching note to calm any nerves ahead of her New York Fashion Week show on Sunday. The 42-year-old designer shared the sweet snap to her 12 million Instagram followers, which read: 'To Mummy, good luck with the show. We love you.' Scroll down for video Hot mama: Victoria Beckham, who has been hard at work ahead of her NYFW show on Sunday, received a touching message from her children to calm any nerves Supportive brood: The designer gushed over her adorable family, who sent her flowers as well as a good luck card ahead of the collection's big reveal The proud mother gushed over her adoring children with the caption: 'Feeling loved this morning, I love you @davidbeckham @brooklynbeckham X Kisses from NY VB #VBSS17 #NYFW'. The picture perfect family often turn out in full force to lend their support to the matriarch of the clan, with dad David and their brood usually sat in the front row of her runway shows. Victoria ensured she got an early start on Sunday as she left her hotel to sort out the last minute preparations for the collection's big reveal. Sticking to her latest trusty style combination of a shirt and trousers, Posh Spice oozed glamour as she stepped out in the city Flashing her decolletage whilst remaining demure, the mum-of-four donned a navy blouse with white cuffs that she rolled up to show off her toned arms. If it aint broke! Sticking to her trusty style combination of a shirt and trousers, the 42-year-old designer oozed glamour as she stepped out in the city Getting shirty: Flashing her decolletage whilst remaining demure, the mum-of-four donned a navy blouse with white cuffs that she rolled up to show off her toned arms Tucking the garment in to highlight her slender waist, the brunette beauty also wore a pair of billowing trousers with a vertical stripe along the seams that aided in elongating her petite frame. Keeping her accessories simple, she finished off the look with a chunky gold watch, whilst she clutched a large white handbag - no doubt filled with designs and plans - with her perfectly manicured fingers. Victoria admitted last year she will read all her reviews when they come in. 'I think people who say they dont read everything are probably lying, people who say they dont care are probably lying,' she told The Telegraph. 'Theres nothing wrong with constructive criticism, and I learn from that and better myself. Im not expecting anyone to be sycophantic in any way, I never expected that. Leggy lady! Tucking the garment in to highlight her slender waist, the brunette beauty also wore a pair of billowing trousers with a vertical stripe that aided in elongating her petite frame But Victoria looked ready for business as she made her way to her studio in a pair of heels - a rarity now that she often favours flat shoes. She added to The Telegraph earlier this year: 'I just cant do heels any more. At least not when Im working. I travel a lot. Clothes have to be simple and comfortable.' This, despite once famously saying she didn't 'get' ballerina pumps. She growled: 'I beyond hate ballerina flats. I can't walk in them. Unless they're on a ballet dancer doing ballet, I just don't get it. I love heels. I hate my feet - they are the most disgusting thing about me.' She told Bachelor Richie Strahan she had only ever been in one relationship on Thursday night - with her ex-fiance. But her ex-boyfriend Scott Van Den Bosch claims the pair dated after she split with her fiance Tim Verlinden, reported Confidential. According to Scott, the pair were so serious he brought her to New Zealand to meet his parents - six months before filming began on The Bachelor. Scroll down for video What are you hiding? A man claiming to be Bachelor contestant Nikki Gogan's ex-boyfriend puts her claims of having only ever been in one relationship into question 'I thought things were going to be progressing,' he said. Nikki told the paper she never saw the relationship as serious, and referred to Scott as a 'friend'. But the electrician also claimed to have stayed with the 28-year-old for a week at her parents house in Perth. Wearing a crown already? Richie's relationship with Nikki Gogan is heating up, with the 28-year-old admitting she had fallen in love with him Pucker up: The pair are often seen locking lips on the show, and Richie has called the real estate agent a 'perfect match' And the hidden relationship wasn't the only bombshell Scott dropped during the interview - he also said Nikki may have been with Richie before the show began. 'It was just from some things she said to me I got the feeling they'd already been together,' he said. It's not the first time someone from Nikki's past has refuted the things she has said in front of the cameras. See ya later: Nikki left her fiance, who she had been with for 12 years, in May last year before applying for the Bachelor Have they met before? Nikki's ex-boyfriend Scott says he thinks the Perth woman has been with her handsome suitor before 12 years no date: During her first date with Richie, Nikki claimed she had never been on a date before, despite having been in a relationship with Tim (pictured) for 12 years During her first date with Bachelor Richie, she claimed it was her first ever date. Former partner of 12 years and ex-fiance Tim Verlinden could not believe his ears. 'Come on,' he said. 'No date, my arse.' His love life has been somewhat turbulent in the past, splitting from his wife after allegations he was unfaithful. The TV presenter, 56, was seen checking into the intimate Chewton Glen Tree House hotel in The New Forest at the weekend, alongside a pretty female companion. But Jeremy Clarkson sparked rumours of a new relationship this week, as he enjoyed a romantic weekend with the mystery brunette. Scroll down for video Love on the cards? Jeremy Clarkson, 56, sparked romance rumours this week as he arrived at the Chewton Glen Tree House hotel in The New Forest with a mystery woman The pair, who both kept casual in jeans and simple shirts, were seen leaving one of the luxurious treehouse suits for hotel breakfast, and returning again soon after. Walking side by side Jeremy and the leggy brunette looked comfortable, smiling as they indulged in their private weekend away. Onlookers at the hotel revealed to Mirror Online: 'Jeremy and his companion were laughing, joking and having a great time. Chewton Glen is a romantic place to come and they certainly looked like they were enjoying each others company.' Getting intimate: The pair were seen leaving one of the luxurious treehouse suits for hotel breakfast, and returning again soon after However their private, quiet stay was somewhat interrupted - with EastEnders star Danny Dyer hosting his wedding at the venue the same weekend. A further source revealed: 'He was laughing about how he tried to go away for a quiet weekend and ended up walking on to the set of EastEnders. He said congratulations to Danny and Jo, then made himself scarce.' Jeremy fuels further rumours of a romance with the appearance, after he and the same brunette were seen enjoying an al-fresco lunch in London in July. Loved-up: An onlooked revealed: 'Jeremy and his companion were laughing, joking and having a great time', and admitted they were 'certainly enjoying each others company' The potential romance comes after Jeremy split from his wife of 22 years Frances Cain, with her reportedly filing divorce proceedings in April 2014. Frances, as his former manager, has been a key part in the ascent of Jeremy's career, turning him into a global motoring TV icon thanks to his role on BBC's Top Gear, from which he was sacked last year. And, although they have split, they are still said to be on very good terms with each other following their over 20 years of marriage Who's that girl? Jeremy was spotted with the leggy brunette earlier this year at a cafe in Chelsea Last October, it was reported that Jeremy had moved back to the home he had shared with his former wife and children - they are parents to a teenage daughters Emily, Katya, and son Finlo - in Chipping Norton. According to the Sunday Mirror, the 55-year-old had moved back to the country estate, and spent his 'weekends and down-time at a guest cottage in the grounds in Chipping Norton.' The paper added, at the time: 'He is still close to wife of 22 years Frances Cain and likes to pop to the main house for meals with her and their three children.' Moving on: The potential romance comes after Jeremy split from his wife of 22 years Frances Cain, with her reportedly filing divorce proceedings in April 2014 It was also reported that his rumoured girlfiend of the time Phillipa Sage, who allegedly had an affair with Jeremy in 2011 leading to his marriage split, joined him for the stay but at a discreet distance. Events organiser and long-time friend Phillipa first became a public part of Jeremy's life when she was spotted sharing a kiss with the former Top Gear host in Greece in 2013. Jeremy is currently filming new car show 'The Grand Tour', alongside original Top Gear presenters Richard Hammond and James May, due for release on Amazon Prime this autumn. The petrolhead was originally sacked from BBC show Top Gear for an 'unprovoked physical and verbal attack' on a producer, which left the victim in hospital. Three musketeers: Jeremy Clarkson alongside Richard Hammond (L) and James May (R) have been filming their new show The Grand Tour after Jeremy was sacked from Top Gear for assaulting a producer last year He's Hollywood's man of the moment after receiving tremendous applause for his film Loving at the Cannes premiere in May. And Joel Edgerton appeared to be all smiles as he stepped out onto the red carpet for the Hollywood Foreign Press Association and InStyle's annual celebration of the Toronto International Film Festival. Cutting a casual figure in a brown page boy hat, black suede jacket and dark blue jeans the 42-year-old actor bared a grin while speaking to celebrity friend, Nicole Kidman, at Saturday's red carpet event. Scroll down for video All smiles! Joel Edgerton appeared to be all smiles as he stepped out onto the red carpet for the Hollywood Foreign Press Association and InStyle's annual celebration of the Toronto International Film Festival Wearing a brown page boy hat, his face was framed and accentuated his piercing blue eyes which gazed at photographers taking snaps for the evening. Whether the climate was chilly has not been revealed, but the Great Gatsby actor opted to button up his black suede jacket revealing a navy and white striped shirt below. Briefly distracted from the cameras, Joel turned to greet Nicole Kidman who was also in attendance at the event and appeared to be mid-embrace. Casual: Wearing a brown page boy hat, his face was framed and accentuated his piercing blue eyes which gazed at photographers taking snaps for the evening Friends in high places: Briefly distracted from the cameras, Joel turned to greet Nicole Kidman who was also in attendance at the event and appeared to be mid-embrace Nicole, wore her famous fiery red hair sleek and out for the occasion and dangling earrings could be seen peeking from behind the long locks. The famed 49-year-old actress wore a body hugging red and dark maroon striped dress which had a sequin detail to it. She toted a small rectangular clutch in her hand as she spoke to Joel on the red carpet and appeared to be enthralled in conversation - not turning to face the cameras. Transformation: Joel Edgerton went from cutting a casual figure during the day to looking dapper at night as he attended Tom Ford's New York Fashion Week show on Wednesday The AACTA-winner was spotted at the front row at Tom Ford's Autumn/Winner presentation on Wednesday. Looking smart in a black suit and tie, the Blacktown-born heartthrob posed for photographers at the star-studded event. He completed the ensemble with black dress shoes and also sported his signature black frames. Dapper: The AACTA-winner changed into a black suit and tie as he attended Tom Ford's show Last month, Joel was reported to be in 'early talks' to appear in the spy thriller Red Sparrow alongside Oscar-winner Jennifer Lawrence, according to Deadline. It comes after Joel received almost unanimous praise from critics for his latest film Loving. The Australian star plays lead character Richard Loving, who is sentenced to prison in Virginia in 1958 for entering into an interracial marriage with partner Mildred, played by Ruth Negga. Sought-after: The heartthrob is in talks of starring alongside Jennifer Lawrence in the spy thriller Red Sparrow next year Late last year, the Hollywood actor revealed that he wasn't deemed attractive enough to star in the heavily beach-centric Australian soaps at the beginning of his career in the late '90s. He told the UK's Telegraph: 'I just wasn't that pretty, to be honest! They didn't want me on a surfboard.' 'And back then I was a little bit judgmental about the soapy stuff. I was working happily in the theatre,' he explained. She was spotted spending time in Bondi with her first husband, Gilles Bennison on Saturday. But on Sunday, it was strictly business. Elle Macpherson was pictured shooting her November cover for Elle magazine, reclining on a boat in Sydney Harbour as stylists did her hair and makeup. Scroll down for video Easy breezy: Elle Macpherson looked completely at ease as she leaned back on a boat floating in Sydney Harbour while stylists did her hair and makeup on Sunday The 52-year-old looked more than relaxed as she showed off a hint of her taut torso under a blue and white striped button up shirt. Her blonde tresses had a beachy look, as a stylist ruffled her hair to add volume. Elle, who earned the nickname 'the body' during her lengthy modelling career, clutched on to ropes and a handrail as she kept herself elevated. Old flame: Elle turned heads as she strolled through Bondi on Saturday with her first husband Gilles Benison - who also worked as the photographer for Elle's cover shoot It was all hands on deck, as another stylist applied makeup to her face. The shoot was photographed by the supermodel's French first husband and former International Creative Director of Elle magazine Gilles. It's not the first time the two have worked together - 30 years ago, the 72-year-old photographed the Australian beauty for the cover of the same magazine. All smiles: The 52-year-old appeared at ease all weekend as she spent time with the French photographer The earlier shoot was done in the same year of their wedding, but the uncomfortable detail did not seem to affect Elle, who appeared relaxed in her surroundings. On Saturday, the former couple turned heads as they strolled through Bondi after dining together at Icebergs. The mother-of-two played the part of mega-star perfectly, strolling through the beachside suburb in a large furry leopard print coat and oversized black sunglasses. Her ex-husband Gilles raised eyebrows, however, with his seemingly regular outfit ending abruptly, as he covered his feet in white Birkenstocks and drawing attention to his partially bare feet with a dark nail polish on his toes. It was only a day ago that the actor was in Toronto promoting his new documentary. But Leonardo DiCaprio was spotted in the Big Apple with Nina Agdal on Sunday, flying to his girl's side to support her during New York Fashion Week. The 41-year-old actor and his 24-year-old girlfriend were spotted sneakily leaving a NYFW party together in the early hours of the morning. Scroll down for video Under cover: Leonardo DiCaprio, 41 and his girlfriend Nina Agdal, 24, were spotted leaving a NYFW party together in the early hours of Sunday morning Shielding his face in his trademark grey flat cap, Leo was keen to leave the party with haste as he clambered into the awaiting vehicle. The Wolf of Wall Street star dressed down for the outing, retaining a low profile in a loose shirt and red neck scarf. Meanwhile model Nina, who was likely to have attended a whole host of glamorous Fashion Week events that day, upped the glamour in a quirky blazer dress. Model material: Nina, who was likely to have attended a whole host of glamorous Fashion Week events that day, left the party in a quirky blazer dress Wearing the double-breasted suit jacket as a micro-mini dress, the Danish beauty flashed her enviable slender pins for all at the bash to see. Sweeping her hair into a high pony, the blonde showed off her striking model features as she strutted to the car behind her man in a pair of black heeled sandals. The pair then sped off in the vehicle, joined by another blonde friend. Getaway car: The pair then sped off from the party in the vehicle, joined by another blonde friend Leo's flying visit comes just one day after he appeared in Toronto to promote his new climate change documentary Before the Flood - with Nina not accompanying him to the premiere. They were last seen in public together back in Beverly Hills last week, when they headed for a juice. Last month the Victoria's Secret Angel headed out for a celebratory dinner with the actor after announcing she had been signed to one of the world's top modelling agencies, IMG Models. Glamour puss: Nina looked stunning at the Harper's Bazaar Icons bash on Friday, after being signed to elite worldwide agency IMG Models While the 24-year-old was already signed to the impressive Elite Model Management, she will now be able to call supermodels Kate Moss and Gisele Bundchen her peers at the agency. However it is not all fun and games for the couple, who were later involved a car crash together while enjoying a weekend in the Hamptons. A witness told Page Six that Leo had been perfectly gentlemanly as he cared for his model girlfriend after the incident. Style icon: Nina has been attending a whole host of events without Leo at NYFW this week, including the Seen And Unseen show (L) and the Target + IMG kick off (R) The onlooker said: 'When the driver unlocked the door, DiCaprio helped her out. She was shaken up. Leo was nice about it. He motioned for her to come with him, and he helped her over to the guardrail so she could rest.' While neither were hurt, Leo could be seen tenderly stroking Nina's face as they waited by the side of the road While police had no information for the site about whether or not there were any charges, they reported that the trio were unharmed, but an ambulance arrived 'as a precaution'. The pair, who were first spotted together in 2014, rekindled their romance earlier this year. She recently told a fan on Twitter that she had given up smoking. But it seems Michael Jackson's daughter Paris is finding nicotene too hard to quit. The 18-year-old and her rocker beau Michael Snoddy, 26, both lit up as they strolled hand-in-hand at the Los Angeles County Fair in Pomona, on Saturday. Still struggling to give up smoking: Paris Jackson and her rocker beau Michael Snoddy both lit up as they strolled around the LA County Fair, hand-in-hand, on Saturday The bottle-blonde beauty was there to support the 26-year-old drummer, who was due to perform with his band, Street Drum Corps. Of course, the recent rumours of their impending nuptials, which both have denied via socia media, could have been enough to trigger Paris's bad habit again. The second of the late King Of Pop's three children was dressed in her favourite rock-punk chic. She combined an oversized white, blue and black plaid shirt, that hung off one shoulder to reveal a bright red bra strap and the tattoos on her shoulder, with ripped skinny jeans and heavy black boots. The look of love: The late Michael Jackson's 18-year-old daughter has been dating the 26-year-old drummer, who plays with the Street Drum Corps, since March The celebrity completed her ensemble with a soft black head wrap. Michael sported a blonde mow-hawk, a black vest that showed off his sleeve of tats and black, acid washed jeans, cut off at the knees. The couple have been virtually inseparable since they started dating in March. Rock couple: Michael was due to perform with his band at the fair later that evening Meanwhile, Paris has recently rekindled her relationship with her mother, Debbie Rowe, after a two-year estrangement, according to TMZ. The rapprochement came after the 57-year-old was diagnosed with breast cancer. Debbie's marriage to the Thriller star lasted three years, producing a now 19-year-old son called Michael Joseph 'Prince' and Paris, before ending in 1999. Michael had another child via surrogacy, Prince Michael 'Blanket' Jackson II, in 2002. This sighting also comes the day UsWeekly reported her aunt Janet Jackson, 50, has been on bed rest as she awaits the due date of her first child. She's the mother-of-two who has stepped up her game as a parent after an eventful year, with her husband imprisoned and a breast cancer diagnosis. And Roxy Jacenko was every bit the doting mother on Sunday night posed embracing her children Pixie and Hunter for a pre-dinner family snap posted to Instagram. She appeared to be all smiled in the snap captioned: '123 pictures later. Sunday night calls for Chinese food.' Scroll down for video Doting: Roxy Jacenko was every bit the doting mother on Sunday night posed embracing her children Pixie and Hunter for a pre-dinner family snap posted to Instagram Roxy wore her hair waved and loose falling over her shoulders as she tightly hugged her two adoring children. She appeared to be makeup free but looked fresh faced donning her natural beauty in the photograph. Her daughter Pixie, known for her Instagram fame, wore a red bow in her hair which matched her red blazer. The five-year-old who was revealed to be 'struggling' with her father's imprisonment put on a brave face for the picture and was all smiles while hugging her mother. Posing: The devoted mother often canvases pictures with her children on her Instagram posing for selfies in elevators Her brother hunter was seen in a denim jacket, crisp white T-Shirt and was not wearing shoes at the time of the picture. It has been a week since Roxy started radiation treatment for breast cancer, but the determined mother was not about to let that spoil her family outing. The devoted mother often canvases pictures with her children on her Instagram posing for selfies in elevators and snuggled up at home together. Cuddles and kisses: Roxy shares an intimate moment with her children But Roxy, who shares the little ones with husband Oliver Curtis, has struggled since he was sentenced to two years' jail in NSW Supreme Court, following his insider trading conviction. Roxy also recently revealed in June that she found a lump on her left breast and recently underwent breast cancer surgery. She has since commenced radiation therapy to treat the condition, and has vowed to continue working amid the health scare. He's best known for his talents as a musical comedian with a finesse for stringing together humorous compositions. And Tim Minchin has once again proven why when joined by the cast of the hit West End musical Matilda at the Proms in the Park concert on Saturday. The multi-talented comedian, actor, composer, songwriter, pianist and director appeared in Hyde Park, London sitting behind a piano centre stage at the event. Scroll down for video Multi-talented! Tim Minchin performs songs from award winning West End production of Matilda at Proms in the Park to commemorate the centenary year of author Roald Dahl Smiling out at the crowd he wowed fans with his performance to commemorate the centenary year of author Roald Dahl with a piece from the musical Matilda. He performed alongside both cast members who play Matilda in the musical Zara-Angel Hator and Clara Read and appeared completely consumed by the music. His hair lay draped beside his bearded face while he sang and at one point gestured at the piano with enthusiasm. He was joined by Zaris-Angel Hator and Clara Read who both play Matilda in the musical production of the West End show while performing. Piano man: Sitting at his piano Tim appeared to be at home with the musical instrument and made the experience a night to remember for fans who were able to make it to the event Sitting at his piano Tim appeared to be at home with the musical instrument and made the experience a night to remember for fans who were able to make it to the event. The multi-talented entertainer contributed to the West End production of the Tony Award-winning and Grammy Award-nominated show which was likely helped by his background in theatre and various stage productions. Proms in the Park was celebrating its 20th anniversary since starting in 1996 and welcomed Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, ABC, All Saints, Rick Astley, The Feeling for the event. Crowd pleaser: His hair lay draped beside his bearded face while he sang and at one point gestured at the piano with enthusiasm Joining them was flautist Sir James Galway, Royal Choral Society, BBC Concert Orchestra and conductor Richard Balcombe. A picture posted to the musical Matilda's Instagram showed Tim with Zaris-Angel and Clara and was captioned: 'Clara, Zaris-Angel and @timminchin with the lovely @allsaintsoffic @bbc_proms #promsinthepark #matildathemusical.' The image saw the talents standing on the red carpet appearing to be all smiled just hours before the event. Award winner: The multi-talented entertainer contributed to the West End production of Matilda which won a Tony Award and was nominated for a Grammy Award Meanwhile although Tim is best known for his musical comedies he has also appeared on television in Australia, Britain, and the United States. Growing up in Perth, he attended the University of Western Australia and the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts, before moving to Melbourne to pursue his career. His show Darkside launched him into the public eye, achieving critical success at the 2005 Melbourne International Comedy Festival and the 2005 Edinburgh Festival Fringe. It's one of the most important dates on her calendar and Victoria Beckham made sure the day of her fashion show was a memorable one. The 42-year-old former Spice Girl was treated to a spot of lunch at one of her favourite eateries, Balthazar, following her successful NYFW catwalk extravaganza as she does every year. Of course, there to support her on her big day was husband David Beckham and eldest son Brooklyn Beckham, who couldn't have seemed more proud. Scroll down for video A family tradition: Victoria Beckham was pictured heading to Balthazar restaurant in New York following her hugely successful fashion show earlier that day Love: She was joined by her beloved husband David (left) and son Brooklyn (right) who also attended the catwalk show Victoria looked beautiful as she headed inside the venue, wearing a purple floral dress from her collection which suited her perfectly. Sashaying inside, the completed her look with a pair of oversized shades and wore a pair of nude strappy sandals. In her hand, she carried mint green Tissue bag from her latest collection as Brooklyn and David followed closely behind her. Summery: Victoria's dress was from her upcoming collection and she teamed it with a pair of nude sandals Snap happy: Fans lined the street in order to catch a glimpse of the famous British family Arm candy: The former Spice Girl carried a mint green leather bag in her hand Proud: David wore a big smile on his face as he joined his wife inside the venue Special day: Victoria's parents, Tony and Jackie also came along to join them all at the family meal Just a matter of hours before, the pretty brunette put on quite the show as she showcased her Spring/Summer 2017 collection at New York Fashion Week on Sunday, while sporting a loose-fitting karate-inspired ensemble for the show. She wore a baggy white shirt with stone-coloured trousers and a thick black belt tied around her slender hips as she was followed by husband David and her son Brooklyn. She wore a baggy white shirt with stone-coloured trousers and a thick black belt tied around her slender hips as she was followed by husband David and her son Brooklyn. She's a star! Victoria has successfully carved made the transition from pop star to fashion designer With New York Fashion Week underway, it is imperative any Big Apple fashionista is dressed flawlessly - something Victoria seemed to abide by. As she unveiled the forthcoming collection from her self-titled brand, she was in comfortable yet stylish garb, rocking the loose look with aplomb. Victoria allowed the loose garments to hang off her slender frame with the white button-down shirt bunching at the sleeves and then tucked into her sarong-style pants. She completed the look with the black sash style belt which coordinated with her flat sandals - a shocking look for a woman famed for her love of heels. A brief smile! Anna Wintour looked impressed with the show as she cracked a rare smile Handsome support: David was the perfect addition to the audience as he threw his support Last men (and woman) standing: As the show kicked off, the entire audience were seen sitting down save for an extremely stoic looking Brooklyn, David and Anna All white: Many of the dresses were simple in theme and even void of colour Stunning: The venue was nothing short of beautiful as the guests drank in the stunning views Greeting the ladies: David was on the charm offensive as he greeted the front row All the fash pack! The group were looking forward to the show ahead Pride of place in the front row was David, who could not stop smiling as he watched on with pride at his wife's latest work. Anna, famed for being notoriously hard to please, was beaming as she watched the collection - implying she had given Victoria a much-desired thumbs up. The fashion powerhouse wore a chic blue and white gown as she sat on the front row while wearing her trademark bob in a chic blowdry. As the show kicked off, the entire audience were seen sitting down save for an extremely stoic looking Brooklyn, David and Anna. As ever the collection was stunning with extremely loose silhouettes on dresses as well as a mustard-coloured three-piece coord with just a bra beneath. Her supporters: Brooklyn, David and Anna were engrossed in the show as they watched on Intense stares: The collection was rich with colour blocking and many ensembles boasted extremely similar styles or hues All good? Anna, famed for being notoriously hard to please, was beaming as she watched the collection - implying she had given Victoria a much-desired thumbs up Sensational: Victoria debuted her first collection of dresses to a dubious industry in 2008. With only 400 dress made for the first season, the former pop star didn't aim to high Backstage at the launch, Victoria told Vogue: 'I really feel I've come into my own this season. This is how I want to dress now. It's looser, much more effortless, more comfortable. I wanted the clothes to look like they'd just been thrown on.' Victoria debuted her first collection of dresses to a dubious industry in 2008. With only 400 dress made for the first season, the former pop star didn't aim to high. However, she blew the fashion world away with her sleek, feminine, well-made designs, easily recognisable as 'Brand Beckham' thanks to signature additions such as a zipped-up back. Feeling green: Alongside the flowing slips crushed velvet was also a key part of the collections Fashion fun: David and Anna were engrossed in chat as they awaited the clothes along the runway Earning their stripes: The models looked fabulous as they walked the runway Her shows soon became one of the hottest seats at New York Fashion Week, where she has shown two collections a year ever since. This year, figures filed at Companies House show that the turnover from the her and David's joint incomes totalling 65.8 million. Victoria's clothing range and related activities made 34.5 million, overtaking David for the first time, with his income bringing in 17.2 million. The business has boomed since opening in 2008, with her first store opening on London's Dover Street in 2014. She is set to open a space in Hong Kong next year, and is hoping to follow with stores in Dubai, New York and Miami. Striking: She is set to open a space in Hong Kong next year, and is hoping to follow with stores in Dubai, New York and Miami Speaking about her team to the Daily Telegraph, she explained: I have a great team of people who work with me. Im not doing this on my own. I think we have grown in confidence. I dress differently now to how I did then. I wear looser dresses, flat shoes. I can express myself in a different way. 'I want to evolve each season. I never want to be one of those brands where people know what theyre going to see. I always want an element of surprise. 'One thing I never want to do is copy what anybody else is doing. I have a signature, and its very important to me to stay true to that. Nearly time! The Spice girl-turned-pop star was followed by husband David and her son Brooklyn as she headed to the show Tres chic: With New York Fashion Week underway, it is imperative any Big Apple fashionista is dressed flawlessly - something Victoria seemed to stick by Earlier in the day, when heading to the show, in true superstar style, Victoria wore huge sunglasses with a dazzling gold watch, while her beauty regimen was equally flawless with loose curls worked through her tresses and a natural make-up look. Hot on her heels of leaving the hotel was David, who opted for an extremely bizarre creased suit in a rusty brown colour, paired with his favoured baker boy cap. Brooklyn, 17, looked like a rocker in head to toe black while his long hair was wet, seemingly fresh from the shower. He clutched his camera, no doubt to snap images from his mum's show, to assist his desire to be a photographer. Sunnies: In true superstar style, Victoria wore huge sunglasses with a dazzling gold watch, while her beauty regimen was equally flawless with a loose curls worked through her tresses and a natural make-up look The karate kid: Victoria Beckham proved she knows how to push the style stakes as she stepped out in New York on Sunday sporting a loose-fitting karate-inspired ensemble ahead of her fashion show Strange ensemble: Hot on her heels was David, who opted for an extremely bizarre creased suit in a rusty brown colour, while also rocking his favoured baker boy cap Supportive son: Brooklyn, 17, looked like a rocker in head to toe black while his long hair was wet, seemingly fresh from the shower. He clutched his camera, no doubt to snap images from his mum's show, to assist his desire to be a photographer Daddy and son: As the fashion world awaits the unveiling of her new collection, Victoria received some words of encouragement from her biggest fans As the fashion world awaits the unveiling of her new collection, Victoria received some words of encouragement from her biggest fans. Brooklyn and the star's other three children - Romeo, 14, Cruz, 11, and Harper, 5 - sent her a bouquet of flowers along with a touching note to calm any nerves ahead of her New York Fashion Week show on Sunday. She shared the sweet snap to her 12 million Instagram followers, which read: 'To Mummy, good luck with the show. We love you. Hot mama: Victoria, who has been hard at work ahead of her NYFW show on Sunday, received a touching message from her children to calm any nerves Supportive brood: The designer gushed over her adorable family, who sent her flowers as well as a good luck card ahead of the collection's big reveal The proud mother gushed over her adoring children with the caption: 'Feeling loved this morning, I love you @davidbeckham @brooklynbeckham X Kisses from NY VB #VBSS17 #NYFW'. The picture perfect family often turn out in full force to lend their support to the matriarch of the clan, with dad David and their brood usually sat in the front row of her runway shows. Victoria ensured she got an early start on Sunday as she left her hotel to sort out the last minute preparations for the collection's big reveal. Sticking to her latest trusty style combination of a shirt and trousers, Posh Spice oozed glamour as she stepped out in the city Flashing her decolletage whilst remaining demure, the mum-of-four donned a navy blouse with white cuffs that she rolled up to show off her toned arms. If it aint broke! Sticking to her trusty style combination of a shirt and trousers, the 42-year-old designer oozed glamour as she stepped out in the city Getting shirty: Flashing her decolletage whilst remaining demure, the mum-of-four donned a navy blouse with white cuffs that she rolled up to show off her toned arms Tucking the garment in to highlight her slender waist, the brunette beauty also wore a pair of billowing trousers with a vertical stripe along the seams that aided in elongating her petite frame. Keeping her accessories simple, she finished off the look with a chunky gold watch, whilst she clutched a large white handbag - no doubt filled with designs and plans - with her perfectly manicured fingers. Victoria admitted last year she will read all her reviews when they come in. 'I think people who say they dont read everything are probably lying, people who say they dont care are probably lying,' she told The Telegraph. 'Theres nothing wrong with constructive criticism, and I learn from that and better myself. Im not expecting anyone to be sycophantic in any way, I never expected that. Leggy lady! Tucking the garment in to highlight her slender waist, the brunette beauty also wore a pair of billowing trousers with a vertical stripe that aided in elongating her petite frame But Victoria looked ready for business as she made her way to her studio in a pair of heels - a rarity now that she often favours flat shoes. She added to The Telegraph earlier this year: 'I just cant do heels any more. At least not when Im working. I travel a lot. Clothes have to be simple and comfortable.' This, despite once famously saying she didn't 'get' ballerina pumps. She growled: 'I beyond hate ballerina flats. I can't walk in them. Unless they're on a ballet dancer doing ballet, I just don't get it. I love heels. I hate my feet - they are the most disgusting thing about me.' Jennifer Garner spruced up for a church outing on Sunday. The 44-year-old actress looked gorgeous in a flattering navy mini dress as she took her three children, Seraphina, Violet and Samuel, to an early morning service in her Brentwood neighbourhood. The 13 Going on 30 star accentuated her stems in some blush suede ankle-tie heels. Scroll down for video Beautiful in blue: Jennifer Garner looked gorgeous as she headed to church on Sunday with her three children She appeared to have freshly washed locks which she tied back in a low bun. Completing Jen's look were some large sunglasses and a chic black handbag. Jen made sure her three kids hopped out the back of her SUV safely and they hopped across the sidewalk into church together. So stylish: Jennifer teamed a navy fit and flare frock with nude ankle tie heels Busy mom: While estranged husband Ben Affleck is away filming, Jennifer has her hands full Hop to it: Samuel, four and Violet, 10, were pictured making a run for it Meanwhile Jennifer's estranged husband Ben Affleck jetted back to Europe this week to continue filming Justice League. Last week it was Jennifer's turn to focus on her career as she attended the Telluride Film Festival in Colorado to promote her indie movie Wakefield in which she stars opposite Bryan Cranston. The duo split in June 2015 and since then have been committed in their co-parenting of their three young children. Bright and bold: Seraphina, seven, sported a colourful look for the outing People and UsWeekly have both reported that the two have grown closer as they vacation together in the US and overseas. But sources have cautioned they are just friends. And now she is finding out how to live as a single woman. In March she told Vanity Fair: 'I definitely put a lot of time towards my marriage that I will now have for myself. I dont know how I will use that.' Family first: The actress takes her children to church every week when she can On the go: Jennifer appeared to have freshly washed her hair and had it tied back in a bun She credits walking for helping her stay fit during her 'last moments' of pregnancy. And on Sunday, Hilaria Baldwin enjoyed a family stroll in New York with her tiny tot Carmen and stepdaughter Ireland as well as husband Alec who kept an eye on son Rafael. The trio were joined by another woman, who appeared to be the nanny of the youngest children. Scroll down for video... Day out: On Sunday, Hilaria Baldwin, 32, enjoyed a family stroll in New York with her tiny tot Carmen, three, and stepdaughter Ireland, 20 Hilaria was dressed comfortably in a blue shift dress, which she paired with nude-colour flip-flops. The expectant mum shielded her eyes from the sun with a pair of colour-rimmed glasses. The star kept her accessories to a minimum, adorning herself with stud earrings and a delicate necklace. Easy attire: Hilaria was dressed comfortably in a blue shift dress, which she paired with nude-colour flip-flops Simplicity: The wife of Alec Baldwin kept her accessories to a minimum, adorning herself with stud earrings and a delicate necklace His mini me: Alec was with son Rafael, who he pushed in a pink car Hilaria took to Instagram to acknowledge her sweet outing, as well as pay tribute to the victims of 9/11. The snap features Ireland and Carmen sitting on city steps, as the 20-year-old holds a tiny pup in her hand. 'On a day of such strong emotions and remembering those who were lost, I like to hold my family extra close and tight. Grateful for these two (and one tiny creature),' she wrote, followed by a collection of hashtags and Irelad's Instagram handle. 'I like to hold my family extra close and tight': Hilaria took to Instagram to acknowledge her sweet outing, as well as pay tribute to the victims of 9/11 As is evident by her Instagram account, Hilaria is often pictured outside of her home with her family. The Spanish beauty explained that walking is what helps her stay healthy. 'We walk a lot Not only is it great family time, but it's keeping me active during these last moments or #baldwinbabybump3 #366daysoflivingclearly #hilarialcm,' she wrote. Just when we thought the hero of Poldark couldnt be a more immaculate, old-fashioned, idol Master Ross surprised us and surpassed himself. We knew he was a magnificent lover, fighter, and rebel while his ability to wield a scythe with his top off was second to none. We didnt realise Poldark was also Cornwalls answer to Martin Luther King or such a barnstorming, impassioned, defence lawyer Poldark could have been a series about a precursor to Perry Mason (except dressed like Adam Ant). Scroll down for video Tough times: Just when we thought the hero of Poldark couldnt be a more immaculate, old-fashioned, idol Master Ross surprised us and surpassed himself - on Sunday night's episode If only Poldark hadnt been busy single-handedly winning the American war of Independence, pointlessly hammering rocks looking for tin, or riding his horse back and forth along the cliff-top all day. It was a good job he was secretly such a rapier-sharp legal eagle too. It was hard to see how else he would have avoided being hanged in only the second episode of his own series. Such was the evidence stacked against him, even his own lawyer had given up any hope that Poldark would get off. Such was the evidence stacked against him, even his own lawyer had given up any hope that Poldark would get off In fact, thanks to Poldark taking over a crucial cross-examination and his own eloquent speeches, our hero was found Not Guilty by the jury who reached their verdict with a star-struck haste that made it the 1780s equivalent of OJ. The charges racked up against Poldark saw him accused of inciting a riot, viciously attacking a Customs Officer, and plundering diverse goods (pilchards mostly). They were disgraceful allegations, corroborated by false witness statements funded by the corrupt machinations of Poldarks enemy George Warleggan. Never mind that they were also basically true. As if Poldarks crimes were not heinous enough the prosecution took no chances in his summing up, adding: it is no exaggeration to suggest that what we have here is a revolutionary. Self-serving, contemptuous of his class, and careless of others property. Final words: Poldark began to sense he was doomed. Will I have a chance to say goodbye to my wife? he trembled Again hard to argue with... Finally, the QC thundered, Poldarks own statements made it clear that he was a strong admirer of the bloodshed and tyranny happening across the Channel. The accusation that Poldark liked the French was the coup de grace and clearly a capital offence in itself. Good God man ! Do you not see whats happening?! blazed Poldarks lawyer. This country is in dread of France. The court must be seen to set an example. That is why you must grovel, or you will not see the sun rise tomorrow. Poldark began to sense he was doomed. Will I have a chance to say goodbye to my wife? he trembled. No, his lawyer snapped, not breaking it to him gently. You will be removed from the court and taken directly to your fate. A nice way of saying hanged' No, his lawyer snapped, not breaking it to him gently. You will be removed from the court and taken directly to your fate. A nice way of saying hanged. Even now Ross was so heroically magnanimous he joked to the prosecution: you almost convinced me I was guilty. This was largely because he was. The prosecution QC relished the shocked effect on the public gallery and the jury when he informed them of Poldarks statements of the night of the riot and the plundering of the pilchards. When he was asked how when he was asked if what part he played in the death of Matthew Sanson, he said regrettably none whatsoever. At this point even Poldarks own lawyer looked as if he wanted him to be found guilty. Poldark had also denied encouraging the riot that broke out on the beach when his acolytes plundered the pilchards telling the officers: I did not consider it a riot. The esteemed Captain Bray testified that when he abandoned the vessel and reached the shore the scene that greeted him was like Dantes Inferno with all semblance of order gone. It was as close to hell as I ever hope to come. Poldark had denied encouraging the riot that broke out on the beach when his acolytes plundered the pilchards telling the officers: I did not consider it a riot' Local peasants were fighting over the spoils, drunken men cavorting, and his passengers confronted by viciousness of the grossest kind. Not so much like Dantes Inferno as like Camden Town on a Friday night. Demelzas dad had also stormed into the court declaring Poldark was the devil and left his daughter unfit for neither man nor beast. He accused Poldark of attacking him too and implored the court that justice be done in the name of all who have suffered at his hands. And you thought your in-laws were difficult. Poldarks cause was made even worse by the fact that outside the court the peasants were revolting with a baying mob turning on the local (posh) MP. Who suffers when mines close? Not fancy folk ! cried their leader (one of the Wurzels), who the judge promptly sentenced to be hanged. He's no fan: Mind you it was a good job Poldark didnt rely on Demelza to turn things round. At first when Demelza launched her Cunning Plan to save him it was hard to tell whether she was being more devious or more stupid than she seemed Nonetheless, Poldark was too principled/pompous to accept his lawyers advice that he apologised and plead for mercy. The case against you is too strong. Youve got a wife. Youve got a family. Do you not think worth making this concession for their sake? The answer to this was: no. I cannot put my name to begging and flattery ! Poldark spat. Mind you it was a good job Poldark didnt rely on Demelza to turn things round. At first when Demelza launched her Cunning Plan to save him it was hard to tell whether she was being more devious or more stupid than she seemed. Then the influential gentleman she had befriended (Bergerac) confirmed: Shell hang her husband if shes not careful ! Plan A: Demelza had planned to win over the judge by dazzling him with her Lovely Hair and reveal George Warleggans plotting and bribery Demelza had planned to win over the judge by dazzling him with her Lovely Hair and reveal George Warleggans plotting and bribery. If a body did know the truth about an accused, wouldnt he or she be obliged to speak? she mused to the judge the night before the trial. What if a body knew some other body who paid money so that other bodies might speak lies? Eh? He told her: You speak of a great many bodies... frowned the judge struggling like us - to follow what she was talking about. Ive made it worse ! she wailed to Verity later You speak of a great many bodies... frowned the judge struggling like us - to follow what she was talking about. Ive made it worse ! she wailed to Verity later. What did you hope to achieve? Francis Poldarks sister asked. I dont know. Anything ! Not a particularly well-thought out plan... Oh dear: Dr Dwight meanwhile testified that shortly before the night of the riot Poldarks child had died of Putrid Throat leaving the accused suffering the effects of a mental breakdown' Doctor Dwight meanwhile testified that shortly before the night of the riot Poldarks child had died of Putrid Throat leaving the accused suffering the effects of a mental breakdown. Through grief and lack of sleep, Captain Poldark was temporarily not himself. A Lack of sleep? Not the strongest defence against charges of assault, leading a riot, and plundering a load of pilchards. Casting aside his lawyers words of contrition Poldark launched into a vehement attack on the idea that starving ordinary people should return the rich pickings they had found to those whose only goal is profit. This certainly sounded like a revolutionary to me. Speaking his mind: Casting aside his lawyers words of contrition Poldark launched into a vehement attack on the idea that starving ordinary people should return the rich pickings they had found to those whose only goal is profit' Think of the traditions of our county ! he cried. Where people scour the beaches for flotsam as if stealing barrels of pilchards was basically an ancient rite. In times of dire need, when fathers have seen their children without a crust for their bellies or a rag for their backs, these pickings have been the means of keeping ordinary people alive ! Hallelujah ! What a man ! It transpired the jury were as unable to resist Poldarks charms and good looks as we were, acquitting him of all charges. She's not looking too sure: Demelza went through a range of emotions as the case ran on Demelza and Bergeracs niece Caroline swooned. His former fiancee Elizabeth tried not to run up and kiss him (Poldark that is not Bergerac). Her husband Francis Poldark was almost as gutted as the villainous George Warleggan. Despite the end of last weeks episode, Francis was still very much alive having become such a miserable failure that he hadnt even managed to commit suicide. I pointed the pistol at my head and the flint went down but the powder did not ignite, Francis explained to Doctor Dwight. Since then Ive been trying to decide whether to do it again. No wonder Elizabeth wished she was back with Ross. Basking in the glory of his triumph and his new career as the best defence lawyer in Truro, Poldark returned home to be greeted by a group of what he liked to call ordinary people, swilling cider and dancing to appalling music played on the fiddle. The heroic revolutionary celebrated his victory in the time-honoured way of privileged landowners through the ages namely, hiring some more servants (Jud and Prudie Paynter). The servants, he told Demelza, would have to be fiendishly hard working, pitifully grateful, and exceedingly cheap. Perhaps the experience of being in court that taught Poldark that acting like a man of the people didnt pay after all Being an international sex symbol takes a good deal of hard work. And on Sunday, Bradley Cooper proved just how challenging it can be to stay on top. The 41-year-old actor worked up quite a sweat as he headed out for a jog in Los Angeles. The Silver Linings Playbook star had his hair in a tiny man bun and was sporting a bushy beard. Maintaining the movie star figure: On Sunday, Bradley Cooper was spotted having a jog in Los Angeles with his hair up in a man bun The American Hustle star wore tiny navy workout shorts that bared much of his tanned, toned legs as he ran. Light blue trainers matched the blue aviator sunglasses he'd worn to snag a bit of exercise. His white T-shirt clung to the bearded actor's well-maintained torso. Emblazoned on the front of it was: 'MY FATHER,' under which was scrawled: '#Reasons2StandUp' a slogan of the charitable programme Stand Up To Cancer. Honouring his roots: His shirt read, 'MY FATHER,' above, '#Reasons2StandUp' - a slogan for the charitable programme Stand Up To Cancer - in tribute to his father Chris Cooper, who died of lung cancer in 2011 The actor's father, Charlie Cooper, died of lung cancer in 2011. On Friday night, he appeared at the fifth biennial Stand Up To Cancer charitable telethon, which was filmed at The Walt Disney Concert Hall. The star of The Hangover also served as executive producer of the hour-long broadcast. The programme featured appearances by a phalanx of notable figures including Emma Stone, Tom Hanks, Anna Kendrick, Kristen Wiig, Kathy Bates, Shannen Doherty and United States Vice President Joe Biden, whose son Beau died of cancer last year. Celine Dion - who lost both her husband and brother to cancer this January - performed the live debut of her new song Recovering, which P!nk wrote for her. Star-studded: On Friday night, the 41-year-old (right, front) executive produced and appeared in the fifth biennial Stand Up 2 Cancer charitable telethon with a fleet of celebrities including Kristen Wiig (left, front) and Emma Stone (centre, front) She dedicated the song to the two men, as well as to her father Adhemar Dion, whose 2003 death she also attributed to the illness. Near the beginning of the broadcast, Cooper took the stage to give a speech in which he discussed his father's illness. 'I was lucky enough to be with him through his treatments, and I was with him in the end,' he said. 'He was my best friend, and there's not a day I don't miss him, and I know that's an experience I share with millions around the world.' The Limitless star continued: 'What I hope for is this: that one day, every cancer patient can become a survivor.' She's the mother-of-one whose chemistry with Richie Strahan has taken her all the way to the finale of The Bachelor. But Alex Nation may have had a secret advantage, with New Idea claiming the 24-year-old negotiated a guaranteed spot in the top five with the show's producers 'because she would be away from her son' Elijah. And the timing of the show has also left the blonde's ex-boyfriend Tom Barbour, 23, questioning their sudden split last year. Scroll down for video Dumped: Tom Barbour, 23, was 'blindsided' by his sudden breakup with Alex last year ahead of auditions for The Bachelor Advantage? The reality TV starlet told friends she 'made a deal' with the producers to guarantee herself a top five spot on the show According to close friends, Tom was 'blindsided when Alex said she wanted it all to end' following a 15-month romance that was seemingly going well. 'She had told some friends that because she would be away from her son, she insisted the producers make it worth her while, and made a deal that she would make the final five,' the source revealed. 'So even if she didn't win, it would help her profile and acting aspirations.' Blindsided: Friends close to the pair say Tom was taken aback by Alex's decision to break up their 15-month romance Meanwhile, the weekly tabloid has also revealed Tom escaped on a European trip to avoid watching his former love fall for someone else on TV. Currently in Sweden, the student began his six-month holiday and exchange trip back in July. 'He had so many unanswered questions from Alex it was making him crazy because he knew she had moved on, so he decided to do the same,' the insider told the publication. Close: Tom was friends with the single mother for 10 years before the pair began dating Alex and Tom were friends for 10 years before dating, and the Victorian beauty previously said: 'I thought he was the one I'd marry and settle down with.' But the part-time model broke up with the university student - who was left a paraplegic after he fell 9m from a construction site - last year after a 15-month romance. Speaking to OK! Magazine, Alex claimed Tom is 'probably the first person (she) ever loved,' despite the fact she was previously married. According to New Idea, Alex 'insisted' producers promise her a spot in the top five as she'd be away from her son Elijah Speaking of Tom's accident, she explained: 'He'd fallen nine metres and severed his spinal cord, but we fell madly in love and I renovated my house so he could move in with me.' Meanwhile, Alex shocked viewers when she decided not to introduce her five-year-old son to Richie during home visits last week. Speaking to Mamamia, the aspiring actress said: 'I didn't want to put pressure on him or confuse him.' However, Alex has denied the New Idea claims as "completely false and misleading, telling Daily Mail they are incredibly hurtful to both her and Tom. Our relationship ended amicably with us both agreeing it was best to part ways, insists the Bachelor beauty. We are on good terms, she declares. Tom is now overseas on a scholarship to study, asserts Alex, slamming New Ideas suggestion her former lover fled to escape her. Plan reached to resolve Guinea-Bissau crisis The opposing sides in Guinea-Bissau's political crisis have accepted a plan that would see a new "consensus" government formed, West African leaders said Saturday. Guinea-Bissau has been in the throes of a power struggle since August 2015, when President Jose Mario Vaz sacked Domingos Simoes Pereira, the leader of the ruling African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde (PAIGC), as prime minister. Vaz named Baciro Dja as his choice to take over the job in June, but a powerful faction of the party have protested the decision ever since. Guinea-Bissau has been plagued by military coups and instability since its independence from Portugal in 1974, and has more recently become a key cocaine trafficking hub Seyllou (AFP/File) Guinea's President Alpha Conde headed up a delegation from regional bloc ECOWAS (the Economic Community of West African States) to defuse the crisis, and the group on Saturday said the feuding sides had agreed on a six-point plan. This would include the "formation of an inclusive consensus government" with a two-year mandate, following a dialogue between the different groups to develop a two-year working plan. "Now everything depends on the willingness of the Bissau-Guineans," Minister of State Naby Youssouf Kiridi Bangoura told AFP. No timeline was given for the mooted new government to take power. The plan would also see the two sides accept changes to the constitution, electoral legislation, and laws governing political parties. N. Korea says floods damaged tens of thousands of buildings Floods have damaged tens of thousands of buildings in northeastern North Korea after the worst downpour there for decades, state media said Sunday, urging all soldiers and civilians to join a drive to help victims. The report on the official KCNA news agency gave no death toll or exact figure for damage. A UN report last week, citing Pyongyang government data, said 60 people had been killed and over 44,000 were homeless along the Tumen River, which partially marks the border with China and Russia. A UN report citing Pyongyang government data said 60 people had been killed and over 44,000 were homeless along the Tumen River, which partially marks the border with China and Russia Robyn Beck (AFP/File) "Tens of thousands" of homes and public buildings had collapsed and railways, roads, power supplies, factories and farmland had been destroyed or submerged, according to Sunday's report, citing the central committee of the ruling Workers' Party. People in North Hamgyong province were suffering "great hardship", it added. The main thrust of an ongoing nationwide 200-day mass mobilisation campaign aimed at boosting the economy would be redirected to helping flood victims, it quoted the central committee as saying. The objective was to "direct all efforts to the construction of dwelling houses to provide flood-hit people with warm cradles and turn the flood-battered region into a fairyland in the era of the Workers' Party within this year." The mobilisation campaigns have been condemned by Human Rights Watch as exercises in forced labour using political coercion to extract economic gain. But the state news agency, in a report later Sunday, said the response had been impressive. "All the people of the DPRK (North Korea) have turned out in a struggle for reconstruction of disaster areas in the northern part of North Hamgyong province recently hit hard by stormy heavy rainfalls," it said. Many construction units including soldier-builders and shock brigade members were rapidly moving into the disaster areas from other construction sites where they had been waging the 200-day campaign. - Vulnerable to disasters - Officials and employees of the government, industrial establishments and cooperative organisations nationwide had "zealously" volunteered to take part in the flood damage rehabilitation drive. "The railway transport sector is now striving to ensure the fast transport of building materials and equipment as well as groups of builders to the flood-hit areas," KCNA said. Impoverished North Korea is vulnerable to natural disasters, especially floods. At least 169 people were killed by a massive rainstorm in the summer of 2012. Its territory is largely composed of mountains and hills that have long been stripped bare for fuel or turned into terraced rice fields. This allows rainwater to flow downhill unchecked. A series of floods and droughts was partially responsible for a famine that killed hundreds of thousands between 1994-98, with economic mismanagement and the loss of Soviet support exacerbating the situation. The UN Food and Agriculture Organization said in April that North Korea's chronic food shortages were expected to worsen this year, given the tight food supplies last year and this year when "most households were already estimated to have poor or borderline food consumption levels". The United Nations Security Council is planning fresh sanctions on the nation after it staged its fifth nuclear weapons test Friday. Woman in famous WWII kiss photo dies at 92 The woman dramatically kissed by a sailor celebrating the end of World War II in an iconic photograph seen around the world has died, according to The New York Times. She was 92. Greta Zimmer Friedman passed away from pneumonia, her son Joshua Friedman told the paper. Then a 21-year-old dental assistant, Friedman was grabbed and kissed by an elated sailor in New York's Times Square on August 14, 1945 as news spread that Japan had surrendered and WWII would end. A visitor walks past "VJ Day a Times Square, New York, NY, 1945" by Alfred Eisenstaedt during the 'Life. I grandi fotografi" (Life. The great photographers) exhibition at the auditorium on April 30, 2013 in Rome Gabriel Bouys (AFP/File) Photographer Alfred Eisenstaedt shot the iconic image, which would endure as a defining 20th century American photograph after it ran as a full page in Life magazine. The 2012 book "The Kissing Sailor: The Mystery Behind the Photo That Ended World War II" published by the Naval Institute Press identified the pair as Friedman and George Mendonsa. Though their passionate embrace might indicate otherwise, Friedman and Mendonsa did not know each other and never had a romantic relationship. In fact, the sailor's future wife, Rita Mendonsa, can be seen grinning above his shoulder in the photograph. In a 2005 interview archived by the Veterans History Project, Friedman said she had never seen the image until the 1960s when she looked at a book of Eisenstaedt photography. Two planes smashed into New York's World Trade Center, leaving 2,753 dead on September 11, 2001 This year marks the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks on the United States that left nearly 3,000 people dead. The Al-Qaeda plane hijackings of September 11, 2001 were the first foreign attack on the US mainland in nearly two centuries. It ruptured America's sense of safety and plunged the West into war in Afghanistan -- a military operation that is only now just concluding. The Islamist extremists smashed two planes into New York's World Trade Center, killing 2,753 people. A third commercial jet hit the Pentagon, killing 184, and 40 more died after a fourth plane crashed into a field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania after a passenger revolt. Here is a timeline of events that fateful day, which reshaped the course of US history, drawing information from the 9/11 Memorial website and the 9/11 Commission report. - 8:46 am - The first plane hits - American Airlines Flight 11, a Boeing 767 flying from Boston to Los Angeles with 92 people on board -- including five hijackers -- crashes into the North Tower of the World Trade Center. The impact leaves a giant hole in the building's facade. Thick smoke trails into the sky from the tower's upper floors. - 9:03 am - Second tower hit - United Airlines Flight 175, also a Boeing 767 making a Boston-Los Angeles connection, this time with 65 people on board -- including five hijackers -- hits the World Trade Center's South Tower, sparking a massive explosion. - 9:05 am - Bush informed - George W. Bush's chief of staff informs the US president, who is reading a story to elementary school children in Florida, that the United States is under attack. - 9:30 am - President speaks - Bush calls the blasts "an apparent terrorist attack" during brief remarks at the school. He orders "a full-scale investigation to hunt down and to find those folks who committed these acts." - 9:37 am - Pentagon hit - American Airlines Flight 77, a Boeing 757 headed from Washington's Dulles airport to Los Angeles with 64 people on board -- including five hijackers -- smashes into the west facade of the Pentagon just outside the US capital. - 9:42 am - Planes grounded - The US Federal Aviation Administration orders all commercial flights in the United States to land as quickly as possible, after earlier halting all departures. - 9:59 am - South Tower collapses - The World Trade Center's South Tower, hit 56 minutes earlier, collapses in a huge cloud of smoke and dust. - 10:03 am - Crash in Pennsylvania - United Airlines Flight 93, a Boeing 757 traveling from Newark to San Francisco with 44 people on board -- including four hijackers -- crashes into a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, after passengers and crew who had learned about the other attacks fought with the hijackers. - 10:28 am - North Tower collapses - The north tower of the World Trade Center collapses, an hour and 42 minutes after it was struck. A huge cloud of dust blankets lower Manhattan. - 8:30 pm - Presidential address - In an address from the Oval Office, Bush denounces the attacks as "evil, despicable acts of terror." He announces that thousands have died and says Washington will "make no distinction between the terrorists who committed these acts and those who harbor them." 'American Pastoral' looks back at 60s turmoil "American Pastoral," Ewan McGregor's film adaptation of the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, offers a grim look at the turbulent 1960s -- and stark parallels with US society today. The "Trainspotting" star is making his directorial debut with the film, which premiered at the Toronto film festival. The film constructs a complex portrait of a man -- and of a generation -- struggling to comprehend the collapse of a value system during a time of great upheaval, from the tumult of 1968 to outrage over the Watergate political scandal in the early 1970s, and how that ripped apart the seemingly ideal American family. "American Pastoral" director and star, Ewan McGregor speaks at the film's press conference following it's premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival Geoff Robins (AFP) It chronicles the life of a high school all-star athlete Seymour "Swede" Levov (McGregor) who marries a beauty queen (Academy Award winner Jennifer Connelly), and has a daughter, Merry, played by Dakota Fanning. Swede has a seemingly perfect life. But it comes apart when Merry is radicalized in response to the Vietnam War, and rejects her family's comfortable existence for a secret life of violent protest. "It's the unraveling of the American Dream," Uzo Aduba, best known for her role as "Crazy Eyes" on the Netflix television series "Orange Is the New Black," and now starring in her first feature film as a worker in Swede's garment factory, said of this difficult chapter in US history. In 1968, public opinion shifted against the Vietnam War. A wave of grief spread over the assassination of peace proponent Martin Luther King Jr., which turned to rioting. Two months later presidential hopeful Robert Kennedy was shot dead in Los Angeles, and the nation became numb. Richard Nixon would become the next American president touting a "law and order" crackdown in mostly black and poor urban cores. - Parallels with today - Now, racial turmoil has once again flared up over police shootings of African Americans. Governments are struggling to prevent Western youths from traveling overseas to take up arms for the extremist Islamic State group. And Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump is campaigning on a platform that includes a pledge to crack down on illegal migrants from Mexico, and a proposed ban on Muslims entering the country. Toronto film festival co-director Cameron Bailey said the film, "arriving as the world grapples with a new period of chaos, offers a bold vision of history that doubles as a mirror to the present." The film also stars David Strathairn, Molly Parker and Valorie Curry, who is also appearing at the festival in "Blair Witch." Fanning said she hadn't initially seen those similarities. Rather, she only considered it during filming "in the context of the time the movie takes place," the actress added. As the youngest cast member -- born in 1994 -- she described trying to relate "the best that I could using the script and the words on the page." "Now I think I have more of a perspective on it and a lot of people have mentioned the parallels between now and then and how this film perhaps highlights those parallels," Fanning said. "With any film, you just hope that it moves someone, it makes them feel something, it starts a conversation, whatever that may be, it changes someone's opinion. "So if this film does that for someone in the context of today, I'm happy about that." "American Pastoral" director Ewan McGregor takes part in a press conference with actress Jennifer Connelly following the film's premiere at the Toronto film festival Geoff Robins (AFP) US, Japan scramble for 'strongest' sanctions against NKorea Washington and Tokyo are seeking "the strongest possible" measures against North Korea after its latest and most powerful nuclear test, a top US envoy said on Sunday. Sung Kim, the US State Department's special representative for North Korea policy, also suggested that the US may launch its own sanctions in response to "the provocative and unacceptable behaviour by the North Koreans". "We will be working together very closely in the Security Council and beyond to come up the strongest possible measure against North Korea's latest action," Kim told reporters in Tokyo after meeting his Japanese counterpart Kenji Kanasugi. Buildings are seen through fog in the North Korean town of Sinuiju, behind the Broken Bridge, from Dandong in north-east China, on September 11, 2016 Greg Baker (AFP) Kanasugi said Seoul, Tokyo and Washington would be coordinating their response. "We agreed to continue Japan-US and Japan-US-South Korea cooperation...as we work toward an adoption of a new UN Security Council sanction that will include further sanction measures against North Korea," he said in a statement. North Korea has been hit by five sets of UN sanctions since it first tested a nuclear device in 2006, but has insisted it will continue its testing programme, come what may. The North carried out its fifth nuclear test on Friday, claiming that it had successfully detonated a nuclear warhead, and drawing global condemnation. The international community has engaged in a flurry of diplomacy in an attempt to persuade China to use its leverage to persuade Pyongyang to comply with UN sanction resolutions. China has said it "firmly opposes" the test, but analysts believe Beijing wants to avoid a collapse of North Korea in order to prevent the balance of power on the Korean peninsula from leaning towards the US. Washington's "dialogue" with Beijing over the crisis will continue, Kim said. "We continue to work together to urge China to implement existing Security Council resolutions...and to work with us to make sure North Korea's behaviour and their deliberation change in a more productive and positive direction," Kim said. "North Korea continues to present growing threats to the region, to our allies and to ourselves. We will do everything possible to defend against that growing threat," he said. South Korean president to meet opposition after nuke test South Korean President Park Geun-Hye will meet the leaders of political parties on Monday following North Korea's nuclear test, amid speculation she will urge them to ease opposition to a US missile defence system. A presidential spokesman on Sunday confirmed the meeting with leaders of the three parties but gave no details of the subject. Yonhap news agency quoted an unidentified presidential official as saying Park would seek cooperation from both her conservative ruling party and liberal opposition parties for her handling of the nuclear threat. South Korea's President Park Geun-Hye (R) talks to her chief foreign policy secretary Kim Kyou-Hyun during an emergency meeting in Vientiane, on September 9, 2016 The Blue House (The Blue House/AFP/File) North Korea Friday staged its fifth and most powerful atomic detonation, describing it as a test of a nuclear warhead for a missile. Park cut short her visit to Laos and returned home, summoning a meeting of top officials to urgently review defences against what she termed "imminent" nuclear threats from the North. At Friday's meeting, Park urged opposition parties and other opponents to stop "politically-motivated fault-finding such as objections to the deployment" of the highly-sophisticated US missile defence system. South Korea in July announced plans to deploy the Terminal High Altitude Area Defence (THAAD) system in the south of the country to counter growing nuclear and missile threats from the North. China, which believes the system's radar could also be used to track its own defences, objected strongly. Its leader Xi Jinping argued that "mishandling" the issue could intensify regional disputes when he met Park on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Hangzhou on Monday. The plan has also met resistance from residents of Seongju county, the planned venue for the deployment. Opposition parties oppose the THAAD deployment, saying it would only escalate a regional arms race and hurt ties with the country's biggest trading partner China. They say its usefulness against the North's military threats is in any case doubtful. Three people on fishing boat kidnapped off Malaysia: official Three crew members on a Malaysian fishing trawler have been kidnapped in waters where militants from the Abu Sayyaf group have previously taken hostages, a security official said on Sunday. The incident is believed to have occurred late Saturday off Pom Pom Island, a popular scuba diving location in the eastern state of Sabah. "The boat is Malaysian registered," Wan Abdul Bari Abdul Khalid, head of Malaysia's Eastern Sabah Security Command, told AFP, without providing further details. Fishermen offload their catch from a boat at the Sandakan central fish market in the Malaysian Borneo state of Sabah Mohd Rasfan (AFP/File) Authorities did not directly link the kidnapping to the Abu Sayyaf but Deputy Prime Minister Zahid Hamidi said a "kidnap-for-ransom" group was responsible. "The kidnap-for-ransom group operates near the southern Philippines, near Malaysian islands, and although the authorities monitor the waters closely, this group moves under the radar," he was quoted as saying by the New Straits Times. Zahid added that the three people kidnapped were not Malaysian citizens but permanent residents. In May, the Abu Sayyaf released 14 Indonesian sailors who had been kidnapped in two high-seas raids, attacks that prompted Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines to launch joint patrols. In July, Malaysian police said five Malaysian tugboat crew were abducted by Abu Sayyaf off the coast of Sabah. The Abu Sayyaf is a loose network of a few hundred Islamist militants, formed in the 1990s with seed money from Osama bin Laden's Al-Qaeda network, that has earned millions of dollars from kidnappings-for-ransom. Although its leaders have pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group, analysts say they are mainly focused on lucrative kidnappings. In April and June the group beheaded two Canadian tourists after ransom demands were not met, and a Malaysian man was beheaded last year. Anything but the ANC: Johannesburg mayor makes his mark South Africa's biggest city Johannesburg is now run by a mayor who describes himself as an "unapologetic capitalist", after local elections that transformed the country's political landscape. For the first time since apartheid, the city's mayor is not from the African National Congress (ANC), but instead from the pro-business Democratic Alliance (DA) opposition party. And Herman Mashaba, a millionaire who made his fortune in black hair products, has set himself the ambitious goal of transforming South Africa's economic capital. For the first time since apartheid Johannesburg's mayor, Herman Mashaba, is not from the ANC, but from the pro-business Democratic Alliance (DA) opposition party Gianluigi Guercia (AFP) Mashaba, 56, was elected last month after the ANC failed to win an outright majority in the August municipal polls, and the DA and other smaller parties joined forces to wrestle it from power. The change of control in Johannesburg dealt a humiliating blow to the ANC, the celebrated anti-apartheid party once led by Nelson Mandela and which still holds power at national level. Speaking to AFP from his mayoral office in the bustling city centre, Mashaba pledged to run an investor friendly administration, and scrap the "socialist" policies of his predecessors. "The problem with the previous administration is that they created a culture of dependency," he said. "I am an unapologetic capitalist... I want people to take ownership of their lives." - Rapid rise - Mashaba only entered politics in 2014 when he joined the DA and began a rapid rise to power that has attracted criticism over his lack of experience in both politics and local government. "I know that the ANC would like us to fail," he said in his defence. "I have been called a political novice... people said to me I had no chance of becoming mayor of Johannesburg (but) here I am now, 15 days into this office." Mashaba, who founded his hugely successful Black Like Me hair company in 1985, said he would draw on his years in business to improve lives in the city. "Local government is about everyday issues -- water, electricity and housing. We need to get that right," he said. Johannesburg is home to major international companies and boasts the country's best infrastructure, including its first high-speed train. But about half of its five million people live in poverty, according to official data that defines poverty as households with a monthly income less than 2,300 rand ($162). Mashaba, who calls himself a "committed civil servant", has set himself a target of five percent annual economic growth -- in stark contrast to the national GDP rate predicted to be zero percent this year. And he admits that his survival depends on the intricacies of dealing with other parties, including the revolutionary socialist Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF). But he said that strong economic growth was achievable, and that the EFF had committed to support the DA "for as long as we run an accountable government". Mashaba belonged to no political party until two years ago, and says he voted for Mandela and the ANC in South Africa's first multi-racial elections in 1994 and later for Mandela's successor Thabo Mbeki. "In 1994 I was excited, I thought I was going to see an explosion of entrepreneurs coming out of South Africa," he said. "Today, people are unemployed, people are living in squalor, people are failed dismally by the ANC government which is self-serving." - DA dreams - The DA, which is widely seen as being dominated by middle-class whites, won 27 percent of the vote in the local elections and is keen to further broaden its appeal ahead of presidential elections in 2019. Mashaba's strong capitalist message may threaten its attempts to appeal to the poor who rely on state support and often live in appalling conditions in apartheid-era townships without water or toilets. "It's no doubt that the poor should come first, that is a human rights issues," Mashaba, whose mother was a domestic worker, said. "The problem with the previous city mayor was that he was more about style than substance. "This city can be business friendly and pro-poor at the same time." Whatever the political approach, the lack of jobs is a national crisis facing all politicians in South Africa. At least 25 percent of the adult population in Johannesburg is out of work. "By 2021, if unemployment in this city is still over 20 percent, then I expect people not to vote me back," Mashaba said in a typically bold pledge. His performance in Johannesburg could be a test case for the DA, which now also rules Cape Town, Pretoria and Port Elizabeth, and hopes to eventually topple the ANC from power. It is not a challenge that overawes him. Bangladesh factory fire death toll jumps to 29 Bangladeshi firefighters found four more bodies in the charred rubble of a packaging factory that collapsed due to a major blaze over the weekend, officials said Sunday, raising the death toll to 29. Around 100 people were working at the factory on Saturday when the fire caused by an explosion in the boiler room tore through the four-storey structure on the outskirts of the capital Dhaka. Senior firefighting official Anis Mahmud said firefighters found four bodies during a search and rescue operation on Sunday evening. Smoke and flames billow from a burning factory in Tongi, in the key Bangladeshi garment manufacturing hub of Gazipur, on the outskirts of Dhaka, on September 10, 2016 Rajib Dhar (AFP) "We eventually conducted an operation after dousing the fire and recovered four bodies," he told AFP. The official added that the relatives of 10 people had filed missing persons reports in connection with the blaze. Some 70 people were also injured, some critically, in the fire at the Tampaco Foils Limited factory, which packages food and cigarette products for local and foreign brands. Another firefighter said he feared more bodies were still inside the factory in the industrial town of Tongi. "There might be more bodies underneath the rubble as many people were working inside during the accident," he told AFP on the condition of anonymity. The blaze is the latest in a series of deadly accidents to hit impoverished Bangladesh, whose $27-billion garment industry is the world's second largest behind China's. The accident is the worst since the collapse of the Rana Plaza garment complex in 2013 that killed more than 1,100 people in one of the world's worst industrial disasters. That tragedy triggered international outrage and successfully put pressure on US and European clothing brands to improve deplorable safety conditions at the factories that supply them. Bangladesh factory inspector general Syed Ahmed said an investigation into the cause of Saturday's accident would be opened. "We will find out the responsible people behind this disaster and will take all necessary and legal actions," Ahmed told AFP. According to the company's website, the packaging factory supplies multinational and domestic brands including British-American Tobacco Bangladesh Limited and Nestle Bangladesh Limited. Labour rights groups urged the Bangladesh government and Western companies to work harder to protect the safety of workers in their supply chains. "The boiler explosion and resulting fire... demonstrates the ongoing dangers to industrial workers in that country," a statement from a consortium of groups, including the International Labor Rights Forum, said. N. Korea demands US recognise it as 'legitimate' nuclear-armed state A defiant North Korea Sunday restated its demand for recognition as a "legitimate" nuclear-armed state, as world powers pondered ways to punish Pyongyang for its latest and largest atomic test. The North also vowed to increase its nuclear strike force "in quality and in quantity", two days after its fifth test in a decade sparked international condemnation and moves for tougher UN sanctions. In Japan, a visiting senior US envoy said Washington and Tokyo were seeking "the strongest possible" measures in response. People watch a television news report on North Korea's latest nuclear test, at a railway station in Seoul, on September 9, 2016 Jung Yeon-Je (AFP) North Korea insists that its missile and nuclear tests are necessary to counter what it says is a US nuclear threat to its independence. A statement Sunday from a foreign ministry spokesman in Pyongyang mocked President Barack Obama's "totally bankrupt" policy on the country. "Obama is trying hard to deny the DPRK's (North Korea's) strategic position as a legitimate nuclear weapons state but it is as foolish an act as trying to eclipse the sun with a palm," said the statement quoted by the official KCNA news agency. Friday's test came only eight months after the previous one and was almost twice as powerful, at an estimated 10 kilotons. Most worryingly for the international community, the North claimed it had been a miniaturised warhead that could be mounted on a missile. The UN Security Council agreed Friday to start work on new measures -- even though five sets of UN sanctions since the first nuclear test in 2006 have failed to halt the North's nuclear drive. Sung Kim, the US State Department's special representative for North Korea policy, said Washington and Tokyo would work closely in the Security Council and beyond "to come up with the strongest possible measure against North Korea's latest action". He also suggested the US may launch its own unilateral sanctions in response to "the provocative and unacceptable behaviour by the North Koreans". -- Retaliation -- KCNA insisted Sunday that North Koreans were delighted by Friday's detonation. "The test demonstrated the dignity of the country guided by the iron-willed commander as well as the strength of the Korean people," scientist Choe Kwang-Ho was quoted as saying. The government in Seoul will take "all diplomatic and military efforts to counter North Korea's continued provocation", senior presidential secretary for foreign affairs Kim Kyou-Hyun told reporters Sunday. Referring to Friday's phone conversation between President Park Geun-Hye and Obama, he said the United States had vowed to defend Seoul using "all means available" -- including the nuclear umbrella and conventional forces. The South's military has said it would launch a retaliatory strike at Pyongyang's military leadership if it deemed the country was under nuclear threat. Dubbed the Korea Massive Punishment and Retaliation system, the countermeasure would "directly target" key North Korean sites -- including its war command post -- if any sign of a nuclear attack was detected. "We will deploy strike forces with precision-guided missiles and elite special forces," Leem Ho-Young, chief director of strategic planning at Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff, told reporters Friday. The South has no atomic weapons of its own and shelters under the nuclear "umbrella" of its US ally, which stations 28,500 troops in South Korea. But there are growing voices calling for the South to have its own nuclear weapons, despite government opposition. A group of ruling Saenuri Party lawmakers, whose membership is now 24 and growing, was launched last month to push for the country to start preparations for its own nuclear development. Nuclear North Korea Adrian LEUNG , AFP (AFP) North Koreans unload a boat after crossing the Yalu river near the North Korean town of Sinuiju, opposite the Chinese border city of Dandong on September 11, 2016 Greg Baker (AFP) Philippine's bloody crime war a 'success': govt The bloody crime war that has claimed nearly 3,000 lives in the Philippines in just two months was dubbed a "success" on Sunday by a spokesman for controversial President Rodrigo Duterte. Martin Andanar insisted many of those slain have been killed in "gang wars" and not by shadowy vigilantes encouraged by the president, as critics have alleged. Duterte, who took office in June after winning election on a promise to kill tens of thousands of criminals, has vowed to press his campaign, despite growing international criticism. Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte speaks during a press conference in Davao City on September 5, 2016 Manman Dejeto (AFP/File) "The police operations are a success. But there have also been gang wars or internecine (conflicts) where they eliminate each other," Andanar told reporters. He said such killings were under investigation by the police. Andanar was reacting to police reports showing that more than 41 people were being killed each day under the Duterte administration's anti-crime campaign. By the end of last week, at least 1,466 people have been killed by police in anti-drug operations since Duterte took office, police spokesman Senior Superintendent Dionardo Carlos said. Another 1,490 are classified as "deaths under investigation" referring to people murdered in suspicious circumstances, many of them shot by suspected vigilantes or found dead with crude signs labelling them drug-pushers or criminals. The government has insisted that those killed by police died because they resisted arrest. However human rights groups charge that Duterte has been actively encouraging extra-judicial killings, telling police that he will protect them from punishment while urging civilians to kill drug pushers in their community. The issue of the extra-judicial killings led to a spectacular falling out with US President Barack Obama when Duterte on Monday called the American leader "a son of a whore," over the prospect that he would raise the issue during their meeting at a summit in Laos. Obama cancelled his meeting but later told the fiery Philippine leader in a brief encounter that he should conduct his crime war "the right way". United Nations officials, human rights groups, local Catholic church leaders and some legislators have criticised Duterte's harsh campaign, saying it is eroding rule of the law in the Philippines. Five dead in strife-torn Indian Kashmir A police officer and four militants were killed in separate incidents Sunday in Indian administered-Kashmir as hundreds of residents clashed with security forces in the region hit by weeks of deadly unrest. Indian soldiers shot and killed four militants as they tried to cross the heavily militarised border that divides the disputed Himalayan region between India and rival Pakistan, an army official said. "They tried to infiltrate into Nowgam sector and were intercepted. Four militants were killed and their AK rifles were recovered," army spokesman NN Joshi said, referring to the area northwest of the main city of Srinagar. Kashmiri protesters clash with Indian government forces during a protest in Srinagar on September 9, 2016 against civilian killings in Kashmir's ongoing summer unrest Tauseef Mustafa (AFP) An unknown number of militants later killed a police officer in Poonch sector south of Srinagar, an officer in the area's police control room told AFP. Security forces were called in to hunt down the militants, sparking a fierce and ongoing gunbattle, the unnamed officer said, without giving more details. The encounters with militants came as stone-pelting residents protesting against Indian rule of the region clashed with troops in Pulwana and two other places in the southern Kashmir Valley, leaving scores injured, police officers said. Eighty civilians have been killed and thousands injured in the worst violence to hit the Muslim-majority territory since 2010. A curfew has been lifted from much of the region since protests broke out over the death on July 8 of a popular young rebel leader in a gunbattle with security forces. But the unrest shows few signs of abating, with residents continuing to take to the streets, while schools and most businesses remain closed, hitting the region's economy hard. Kashmir has been divided between India and Pakistan since the two gained independence from British rule in 1947. Both claim the territory in full. Several rebel groups have for decades fought Indian soldiers -- currently numbering around 500,000 -- deployed in the territory. They demand independence for the region or its merger with rival Pakistan. Chinese ships sail near disputed islands: Japan Four Chinese vessels sailed into territorial waters around disputed islands in the East China Sea, Japan said Sunday, as Tokyo attempts to engage with Beijing to press North Korea over its latest nuclear test. The four coastguard vessels sailed into waters surrounding the islands, administered as Senkaku by Japan and claimed as Diaoyu by China, at around 10:30 am (0130 GMT) and left about 90 minutes later, the Japan Coast Guard said. The two countries are locked in a long-running dispute over the uninhabited islets. China regards them as its own, rejecting the view it violates Japan's territorial waters. A Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force plane pictured in 2011 flying over the disputed islets known as the Senkaku islands in Japan and Diaoyu islands in China The latest incident comes at a tense time for the region after Pyongyang conducted its fifth and most powerful nuclear test Friday, to the outrage of its neighbours and the international community. Japan, the United States and South Korea have asked China -- one of North Korea's few allies -- to use its leverage to persuade Pyongyang to comply with UN sanction resolutions. Japan has routinely complained that China is escalating regional tensions by regularly sending ships to the island chain despite repeated protests from Tokyo. Sunday was the first time the Chinese ships had sailed into the waters around the tiny islands since Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe met Chinese President Xi Jinping last week at the G20 Summit in Hangzhou, China. At the meet Xi and Abe sought to improve ties, with Xi saying the two should "put aside disruptions". However the rapprochement only went so far, with the Chinese leader also urging Japan to "exercise caution" on territorial disputes. Just weeks before the summit, hundreds of Chinese fishing boats, accompanied by government ships, had flooded into nearby waters, infuriating Tokyo. Iran welcomes Syria truce plan, calls for 'comprehensive monitoring' Iran on Sunday welcomed the proposed ceasefire in Syria brokered by Russia and the United States, but said a monitoring system was needed to stop it being exploited by "terrorists". "Iran welcomes any establishment of a ceasefire in Syria and facilitating of access of all people of this country to humanitarian aid," said foreign ministry spokesman Bahram Ghasemi. "Given the experience of a few months ago, the ceasefire must be sustainable... and must not be exploited as an opportunity for terrorist groups to revive their power and transfer fighters and weapons," he added, referring to a truce that collapsed earlier this year. US Secretary of State John Kerry (L) and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov (R) said the truce in Syria would come into force September 12, the first day of the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha Fabrice Coffrini (AFP) "The continuation and sustainability of a ceasefire relies on the creation of a comprehensive monitoring mechanism, in particular control of borders in order to stop the dispatch of fresh terrorists, as well as weapons and financial resources for the terrorists," said Ghasemi. He said Iran, a principle backer of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, has always called for a political solution to the crisis. Ghasemi also called for humanitarian aid to reach all parts of Syria "without discrimination... in particular those areas under the control or siege of terrorist groups where less attention has been paid." The new ceasefire, agreed as part of a landmark deal brokered by Russia and the US, was set to begin on Monday. A barrage of air strikes on rebel-held areas in Syria killed scores of people just hours after Assad's government approved the truce deal on Saturday. Seychelles opposition fetes first win in decades Seychelles opposition supporters took to the streets on Sunday to celebrate after their coalition broke the ruling party's four-decade grip on power with a victory in parliamentary elections. Convoys of cars draped in opposition flags honked horns on the Indian Ocean nation's main island, Mahe, as cheering opposition supporters sang and danced on the streets. "It's better than Christmas or New Year, it's a victory for us and for the Seychelles," said a woman who gave her name as Carene. A supporter of the opposition coalition of the Seychellois Democratic Alliance holds up a flag as he celebrates the victory of the party in the parliamentary elections in Seychelles Rassin Vannier (AFP) "We've been waiting for this for a very long time," said Joe Constance. The vote saw the opposition coalition of the Seychellois Democratic Alliance, known by the acronym LDS in the local Creole language, win 15 parliament seats against 10 for the ruling Parti Lepep, known as the People's Party locally. Parti Lepep has been in power in the former British colony since a coup in 1977, a year after independence, and it has won a majority in every election since the return of multi-party politics in 1993. "The results just announced by the electoral commission are historic for our country and I feel somewhat proud," said Roger Mancienne, head of the LDS. There is little political difference between the rivals, but the opposition argued the country needed change while the ruling party claimed it would offer economic stability for the islands, which depend on tourism and fishing. The opposition has pledged to cooperate with the presidency in the interests of the nation. Even before the result was announced, President James Michel vowed to work with the newly elected legislature. "The people have spoken, the people have decided and the peoples decision is supreme," said Michel. "My party respects the people's opinion." The Seychelles National Party (SNP) partnered with four smaller opposition parties -- together known as The Seychellois Alliance and made up of former leaders from Parti Lepep -- to strengthen its bid for power. In a recent sign of growing opposition popularity, the SNP's leader Wavel Ramkalawan came a close second in presidential elections in December 2015, losing to the incumbent James Michel by just 193 votes. It marked the first time a candidate from Lepep had been forced into a second round. The SNP party refused to take part in 2011 elections, claiming they would be unfair. - 'Work for the common good' - As both head of state and government, the president will now have to rule without a parliamentary majority. "My hope is that this spirit of consultation continues in the new National Assembly, where we all work together for the common good of our nation," said Michel. The vote in the archipelago nation of 115 islands took place over three days, ending Saturday. Voting began on the islands furthest away from the main island of Mahe, and its capital Victoria. Mahe voted on Saturday, along with the two other main islands Praslin and La Digue. The three account for 98 percent of the Indian Ocean nation's 90,000 people. Turnout was 87 percent. In percentage points it was a slim victory, with 48.37 percent for the LDS and 48.01 percent for Lepep. The National Assembly has a maximum 35 seats, 25 of them elected at the ballot box and the remainder attributed proportionally, with one seat for every 10 percent of the vote. Seychelles' opposition leader Wavel Ramkalawan came a close second in the December 2015 presidential elections, losing by 193 votes Rassin Vannier (AFP/File) Three women who were screaming 'Allahu Akbar' have been shot dead in Kenya after trying to firebomb a police station. Officers said the women, one of whom was wearing a suicide vest, were killed while trying to stage what was an 'apparent terror attack' in the coastal city of Mombasa. Another three women, who are thought to have been their accomplices were arrested. Police officers cordon off the scene where three women were shot dead after trying to firebomb a police station in Kenya Officers said the women, one of whom was wearing a suicide vest, were killed while trying to stage what was an 'apparent terror attack' in the coastal city of Mombasa Kenyan soldiers seal the perimeter of the Central Police Station in Mombasa after three women were shot dead by officers Mombasa County police chief Peterson Maelo said the three women had entered the city's busiest police station yesterday morning saying they wanted to report a stolen phone. He added: 'In the process one hurled a petrol bomb at the report office as the others confronted two officers and stabbed them. 'All the three attackers have been killed and the two police officers have been rushed to hospital," he added, describing it as 'an apparent terror attack.' The fire was put out and the station sealed off by heavily armed police officers as the probe got under way. The station in Mombasa was sealed off by heavily armed police officers as the probe into the attack got under way A member of the bomb disposal squad seals off the area before checking the bodies of the three dead women Police spokesman Charles Owino named two of the women as Fatuma Omar and Tasmin Yakub Abdullahi Farah, who are both from Mombasa. He identified Farah as the ringleader saying she 'had a suicide vest that did not detonate because she was shot down swiftly by officers.' He said police raided her home in the city's Kibokoni area and arrested three accomplices, who are Somali refugees. A senior police officer in Mombasa who asked not to be identified said earlier that the three attackers were wearing Muslim dress. Kenya has been regularly targeted by the Somalia-based Shabaab, East Africa's long-time Al-Qaeda branch A witness named Saumu said 'the women were shouting saying God Is Great, Allahu Akbar ... then one of them threw something at the cops and that's when I ran away.' Kenya has been regularly targeted by the Somalia-based Shabaab, East Africa's long-time Al-Qaeda branch. The group is fighting to overthrow the internationally-backed government in Mogadishu which is protected by 22,000 African Union troops, including Kenyan soldiers. 9/11 pilot's mother 'believes he is alive in Guantanamo' The mother of Mohammed Atta, one of the kamikaze hijackers who destroyed the World Trade Center, says she believes her son is alive at the US prison in Guantanamo Bay, in an interview published Sunday in Spain. Bozaina Mohamed Mustafa Sheraqi told daily newspaper El Mundo that Atta -- one of the masterminds behind the September 11, 2001 attacks -- was the victim of an elaborate US plot and had done nothing wrong. "He is alive and this is the message I send my son. I think he is in Guantanamo. Son, I want to see you before I die. I am 74 and I live with the hope that you have survived. I know you never did anything wrong and you never could have done what they say you did," she told the newspaper by telephone from Cairo where she lives with her two daughters. The US flag flies above the US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba Paul J. Richards (AFP) The United States "is hiding the truth. They are the ones who designed this attack to spread the idea that Islam is terrorism. They selected people with Arab passports to blame them and, at the same time, our nations and divide us," she added. The newspaper said it was the first interview which Bozaina has granted since 9/11. Atta's family has long claimed they believe he had nothing to with the attacks and was alive. After Mohammed Atta was first identified as one of the 19 hijackers of 9/11, his late father --- a lawyer also named Mohammed who died in 2008 -- flatly denied it, even claiming his son had phoned him from an undisclosed location the day after the attack. But after the 2005 bombings of three London subway trains and a bus, the elder Atta appeared to have accepted the loss of his son. When a CNN producer talked to him shortly after the London bombings, he boasted that his son's heroism had marked the advent of a 50-year religious war and demanded $5,000 (5,600 euros) for a televised interview. He said the money would go towards funding another attack in London. CNN declined the interview but reported the conversation on its website. Guantanamo Bay's inmate population currently stands at 61 prisoners John Moore (Getty/AFP/File) United States mourns on 15th anniversary of 9/11 America commemorated the 15th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks Sunday with emotional services of remembrance in New York, Washington and Pennsylvania to honor those who perished in the world's deadliest terror strikes. On September 11, 2001, 19 Al-Qaeda operatives crashed four passenger jets into the Twin Towers in Manhattan, the Pentagon and a field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania -- killing nearly 3,000 people and changing the world forever. This year's anniversary comes with the United States locked in a bruising White House election battle between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, who both attended the New York service, although Clinton left early after feeling unwell. People look over the north memorial pool during the 15th Anniversary of September 11 in New York Bryan R. Smith (AFP) Even 15 years later, the long shadow cast by the attacks lives on in wars being fought today in Iraq and Afghanistan, and conflict tearing apart countries from Libya to Syria, allowing Al-Qaeda affiliates and the Islamic State (IS) terror group to breed and prosper. President Barack Obama said no words or deeds could ever truly erase the pain of loss, but urged Americans to stand true to the nation's ideals and not allow groups like Al-Qaeda and IS to divide the country. "It is so important today that we reaffirm our character as a nation," he told a remembrance service at the Pentagon. "Our diversity, our patchwork heritage, is not a weakness. It is still and always will be one of our greatest strengths." In New York, relatives fought back tears, clasped onto each other and bowed their heads at the September 11 Memorial on the site of the destroyed World Trade Center, which was closed to the general public. The emotional service -- in the shadow of the newly built Freedom Tower -- observed six moments of silence to honor the four attacks and the moments each of the Twin Towers collapsed. Each year, family members spend hours reading out the names of all the dead at the memorial, an increasing number of them young adults who never or barely knew lost parents, uncles, aunts and grandparents. - Lone-wolf threat - Mourners sobbed and laid flowers in the grooves of their loved ones' names, carved into the walls of two reflecting pools in the footprint of the towers overlooked by the Freedom Tower, the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere. The US government says the country is now better protected against a 9/11-style terror attack, but the new threat is the lone-wolf assailant. "Our government has become pretty good at detecting something hatched from overseas," Homeland Secretary Jeh Johnson told Fox News. "Where we're challenged, however, is with the lone-wolf style attack, the self-radicalized actor. Terrorist organizations have the ability to (get) into our homeland through the internet and recruit and inspire." The United States, but more increasingly Europe, have been hit by such attacks, including the 2013 Boston Marathon bombings and the 2015 San Bernardino killings in California. "We'll never forget the horror of September 11, 2001. Today, let's honor the lives and tremendous spirit of the victims and responders," tweeted Clinton, who was a US senator from New York at the time of the attacks. Trump called the anniversary "a day of sadness and remembrance" but also "a day of resolve." It was the country's "solemn duty," he said in a statement, "to work together as one nation to keep all of our people safe from an enemy that seeks nothing less than to destroy our way of life." George W. Bush, who was president at the time of the attacks, spent the morning at church in Dallas, Texas, his home state. He was due to attend the Dallas Cowboys home opener against the New York Giants, where he will take part in the ceremonial coin toss with two New York police officers who were at Ground Zero on 9/11. Sunday marks the start of the NFL season in the United States, and those attending the American football games and watching on television will watch video messages from both Obama and Bush. The September 11, 2001 attacks Infographie (AFP) Nearly 3,000 people were killed on September 11, 2001 when hijacked passenger jets crashed into the Twin Towers in New York, the Pentagon and a field in Pennsylvania Seth McAllister (AFP/File) Clinton diagnosed with pneumonia, 'dehydrated' at 9/11 event Hillary Clinton was diagnosed with pneumonia and was dehydrated when she suddenly left a 9/11 memorial ceremony, her doctor said, sparking fresh speculation about the Democratic presidential candidate's health barely eight weeks from Election Day. The incident at New York's Ground Zero, in which the 68-year-old Clinton seemed to buckle and lose her footing as she was helped into her vehicle, offered Republican Donald Trump a new opening to attack his White House rival with just 15 days before their first high-pressure presidential debate. Clinton had been seeking to bounce back from a blunder Friday, when she told donors that half of Trump's supporters belonged in a "basket of deplorables" -- so Sunday's episode was certainly ill-timed. New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio speaks to US Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton during a memorial service on September 11, 2016 Brendan Smialowski (AFP) The former secretary of state spent 90 minutes at the ceremony in lower Manhattan, greeting some relatives of those killed in the terror strikes 15 years ago, her campaign said in a statement. "During the ceremony, she felt overheated so departed to go to her daughter's apartment, and is feeling much better," it added. Later, the campaign released a statement from her personal doctor, Lisa Bardack, who revealed that Clinton had been diagnosed with pneumonia Friday and was suffering from dehydration. "Secretary Clinton has been experiencing a cough related to allergies. On Friday, during follow-up evaluation of her prolonged cough, she was diagnosed with pneumonia," Bardack said. "She was put on antibiotics, and advised to rest and modify her schedule. While at this morning's event, she became overheated and dehydrated. I have just examined her and she is now re-hydrated and recovering nicely." A campaign aide said Clinton had been examined at her home in Chappaqua, New York, after leaving Ground Zero. - Stumble - A video posted on Twitter showed Clinton appearing unsteady as she waited to get into a black van to leave the 9/11 service. She appeared to stumble as she was helped into the vehicle, and had to be held up on either side by members of her entourage. It was a humid day in New York, with temperatures around 82 degrees Fahrenheit (28 Celsius). "I didn't see anything unusual. What I can tell you is that many of us (had) a sigh of relief when a gust of wind would come by because it was incredibly stifling," Democratic congressman Joe Crowley, who stood near Clinton for about an hour at the ceremony, told MSNBC. Clinton appeared better as she walked out of her daughter Chelsea's home a few hours later, smiling and posing for pictures with a young girl before departing for Chappaqua. "I'm feeling great, it's a beautiful day in New York," Clinton said. But a senior aide said a planned fundraising trip to California on Monday was "currently in discussion," as the campaign mulls Clinton's next steps in the heat of a narrowing race. - Health issues? - Trump -- who also attended the 9/11 ceremony -- was uncharacteristically silent on Twitter about Clinton's illness, as both took a break from formal campaigning to mark the somber day. But the businessman, his spokespeople and surrogates have promoted the idea in recent weeks that Clinton has serious health problems. The internet is awash with claims that she may have a brain tumor, Parkinson's or dementia. Trump, 70, has said Clinton is "not strong enough to be president" and that she "lacks the mental and physical stamina to take on ISIS" jihadists. The root of the claims lies in 2012, when Clinton was nearing the end of her State Department tenure. A stomach virus and dehydration prompted her to faint, causing what her doctor said was a concussion. They said they found a blood clot on the brain and Clinton temporarily suffered from double vision. She later received the all-clear. The former first lady has dismissed "conspiracy theories" about her health and pointed to a letter from her doctor declaring her fit to serve as president. A Monday coughing spell by Clinton prompted renewed questions about whether she is physically fit for the job. - 'Vitality and viability' - Clinton's illness is unlikely to be a turning point in the race, said Jennifer Lawless, a professor of government at American University in Washington. "What the Clinton campaign needs to do over the course of the next several days is demonstrate her vitality and viability. She has to be at tons of events and seem very energetic," Lawless told AFP. That strategy could be in jeopardy if Clinton follows her doctor's recommendation to "rest and modify her schedule." Larry Sabato, a veteran political scientist at the University of Virginia, said Clinton's team should release a full health record. "We really haven't gotten very much, essentially a letter from her doctor," he told CNN, but added that Trump should be held to the same requirement. A Washington Post-ABC News poll out Sunday shows Clinton leading Trump 46 percent to 41 percent among likely voters. US Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton waves to the press as she leaves her daughter's apartment building after resting on September 11, 2016, in New York Brendan Smialowski (AFP) L-R: Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump and New Jersey Governor Chris Christie stand together at the National 9/11 Memorial Brendan Smialowski (AFP) Air strikes 'kill 22 civilians near Yemen capital' At least 22 civilians have been killed in air strikes by a Saudi-led military coalition near Yemen's rebel-held capital Sanaa, witnesses and residents said on Sunday. The first strike hit a site where locals were digging an aquifer in Beit Saadan, a village of the Arhab region north of the capital, on Saturday afternoon killing and wounding several people, they said. As residents rushed to help victims, a second air strike was carried out causing more casualties and material damage, they added. Smoke billows from buildings following a reported air strike by the Saudi-led coalition targeting a military college in the Yemeni capital Sanaa on August 30, 2016 Mohammed Huwais (AFP/File) In all 22 people were killed and seven wounded, several sources in the village said, adding however that the toll could rise because some bodies had been blown to pieces and could not be identified. Asked about strikes, coalition spokesman Brigadier General Ahmed Assiri told AFP: "All our operations in the area were targeting Huthi (Shiite rebel) positions and members." The rebels meanwhile said on their sabanews.net website that the coalition had carried out 22 air strikes against the aquifer that killed and wounded "more than 100" people. Six other civilians were killed on Saturday in a coalition air strike on a house in Haidan, a town in Hajja province, northwest of Sanaa, the rebels said. Saudi Arabia intervened in Yemen in March 2015 to prop up the government of President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi after the Huthi rebels took over Sanaa. Since then the conflict has left more than 6,600 people dead, most of them civilians, and displaced at least three million others, according to the United Nations. Fighting has intensified since the collapse of UN-backed peace talks in Kuwait on August 6. Lebanon's Hezbollah backs Syria truce deal Hezbollah has announced its support for a US-Russia truce deal for Syria, where the Lebanese Shiite movement has intervened militarily on behalf of President Bashar al-Assad. In a statement published late Saturday on its official media arm Al-Manar, the group's unnamed "field commander for Syria operations" said Hezbollah "stands with the ceasefire." "Syria's allies are completely committed to what the Syrian leadership, government, and security and political forces have decided in terms of the ceasefire," the statement said. Lebanon's Shiite movement Hezbollah acts as a parallel government in parts of the country, providing a range of social services Mahmoud Zayyat (AFP/File) But it pledged to pursue an "open, relentless war against the terrorists" of the Islamic State group and Al-Nusra Front, which changed its name to Fateh al-Sham Front after renouncing its ties to Al-Qaeda. Hezbollah has dispatched between 5,000 to 8,000 fighters to bolster the beleaguered Syrian army. The group receives military and financial support from Iran, which threw its weight behind the truce deal on Sunday. "Iran welcomes any establishment of a ceasefire in Syria and facilitating of access of all people of this country to humanitarian aid," said foreign ministry spokesman Bahram Ghasemi. The new ceasefire, agreed as part of a landmark deal brokered by Russia and the US, is set to begin on Monday at sundown. Saudi launches Persian hajj TV after tensions with Iran Saudi Arabia has launched Persian-language television broadcasts from this year's hajj, the information minister said on Sunday, following tensions with Iran over the annual pilgrimage. Minister of Information and Culture Adel al-Turaifi said the 24-hour satellite channel would cover hajj rituals and prayers from the Grand Mosque in Mecca. "The channel aims to broadcast the message of the hajj, the eternal meanings of Islam and to show what is being provided by the kingdom" during the pilgrimage, the Saudi Press Agency quoted Turaifi as saying. Muslim pilgrims gather to perform noon and afternoon prayers at Namira Mosque near Mount Arafat, southeast of the holy Saudi city of Mecca, during the hajj on September 11, 2016 Ahmad Gharabli (AFP) It targets "Persian-language speakers, whose number is estimated at 130 million all over the world," he said. Persian, also know as Farsi, is primarily spoken in Iran, Afghanistan and Tajikistan. In the days leading to this year's hajj, which began on Saturday in western Saudi Arabia, Tehran renewed criticism of the kingdom's handling of the annual rites and of a deadly stampede last year. The accusations prompted verbal retaliation from Riyadh and the six-member Gulf Cooperation Council of which Sunni-dominated Saudi Arabia is the most powerful member. Shiite Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said the "cursed, evil family" of Saudi royals does not deserve to manage Islam's holiest sites, while the top Saudi cleric Grand Mufti Abdul Aziz al-Sheikh said Iranians "are not Muslims". For the first time in nearly three decades, 64,000 pilgrims from Iran are not participating in the hajj, after the regional rivals failed to agree on security and logistics. The Persian-language channel also has radio and internet services, Turaifi said. With 60 staff, the channel began broadcasts on Saturday evening and will continue until Wednesday, officially the last day of the hajj, which has drawn more than 1.8 million faithful. Mozambique army destroys rebel base: police The Mozambican army has destroyed a base used by Renamo rebels -- the country's main opposition -- to launch ambush attacks, police said on Sunday. Renamo, which previously waged a 16-year civil war that ended in 1992, has refused to accept the results of 2014 elections when it was beaten once more by the ruling Frelimo party, in power since independence 40 years ago. The base in the central Morrumbala district had been used to attack trucks transporting goods, commuter buses and other targets, police said. Since 2013, tensions have flared between the Frelimo government and Renamo fighters who have again taken up arms in a battle they say is against the Frelimo elite John Wessels (AFP/File) Renamo has in past few years staged a string of deadly attacks in the country as it fights to make its voice heard and for a greater share of power. "Defence and security forces stormed Renamo's headquarters in Zambezia (in Morrumbala district) on Saturday morning and managed to recover goods that had been stolen in the area," police spokesperson Jacinto Felix told AFP. The country's independent broadcaster STV reported that eight people were killed during the Saturday clash, but neither the police nor Renamo could confirm the report. Since 2013, tensions have flared between the Frelimo government and Renamo fighters who have again taken up arms in a battle they say is against the Frelimo elite, whom they accuse of enriching themselves at the expense of the country. On August 12, Renamo gunmen attacked Morrumbala's main town, torching a health centre and looting medical supplies. A local police station was also vandalised and 23 prisoners set free by the rebels. On Monday peace talks between the government and Renamo are set to resume in the capital Maputo in the presence of international mediators. Afghan forces mount offensive around besieged southern city Afghan forces backed by air strikes mounted a new offensive to flush out Taliban insurgents encircling the capital of southern Uruzgan province, officials said Sunday, days after militants stormed into the city. Taliban fighters on Thursday had attempted to overrun Tarin Kot, triggering heavy fighting around government buildings and sending panicked residents fleeing, but they were repelled hours later by Afghan forces bolstered by reinforcements. Government troops launched a fresh offensive late Saturday to further beat them back from the outskirts of the city, which has been besieged for months. This photo from September 8, 2016 shows an Afghan soldier on patrol during the fighting with Taliban in the Tarin Kot "Dozens of Taliban fighters have been killed since military, police and special forces mounted the offensive backed by air strikes," Dost Mohammad Nayab, spokesman for Uruzgan's governor, told AFP. He said 13 policemen were killed and 20 others wounded in recent days of fighting, which highlights the insurgent movement's aggressive push to capture big cities, from Kunduz in the north to Lashkar Gah in the south. Boosting morale for government troops, General Abdul Raziq, the powerful police chief of Kandahar province with a fierce reputation for brutality, has been leading the operation in Uruzgan. US warplanes also offered support, with three air strikes in the vicinity of Tarin Kot on Friday, along with Afghan air support. But many civilians who fled the Taliban onslaught on Thursday remain fearful of returning to Tarin Kot. "We left everything behind, including our house, farm and livestock," said Ezatullah Khpalwak who escaped to Kandahar with 25 family members when the fighting erupted. "The government says it has driven out the Taliban from Tarin Kot, but we fear the militants will make a comeback." In a sobering admission on Thursday, Uruzgan's police chief Wais Samim had said many of Tarin Kot's outer defences had fallen to the Taliban without a fight, suggesting internal foul play as he vowed action against any insurgent sympathisers. The Taliban had drawn jobless Afghans from outlying districts to join them in attacking Tarin Kot, promising them free rein to loot once they were inside the city, multiple village residents told AFP. "The Taliban announced in mosques: 'the head of the enemy will be ours, the booty will be yours'," Mohibullah, a resident of the volatile Dehrawud district, told AFP. "That's how they attracted dozens of jobless men to fight with them." Nayab said many homes inside Tarin Kot were looted after the Taliban raided the city on Thursday, with stolen possessions including vehicles of local residents. The deteriorating security highlights the struggle of overstretched Afghan forces to secure remote provinces such as Uruzgan, a top poppy-growing region where Australian, Dutch and American troops fought for years. Elsewhere in the country on Sunday, the prominent police chief of eastern Nangarhar province, an Islamic State group stronghold, was killed by a roadside bomb. General Zorawar Zahid was leading a counter insurgency operation in the troubled Hasarak district when his vehicle hit an improvised explosive device, underlining the growing insecurity in Afghanistan. The Taliban claimed responsibility for his killing. Syrian rebels Ahrar al-Sham reject truce: group An influential Syrian rebel group, the hardline Islamist Ahrar al-Sham, on Sunday rejected the truce deal brokered by Russia and the United States hours before it was due to begin. A high-ranking member of the group, which works closely with former Al-Qaeda affiliate Fateh al-Sham Front, said in a statement on YouTube that the deal would only serve to "reinforce" the regime of President Bashar al-Assad and "increase the suffering" of civilians. Ahrar al-Sham, which has an influential presence on the ground in Syria's brutal war, is the first rebel group to officially react to the deal reached on Friday following marathon talks in Geneva. Opposition fighters from the Ahrar Al-Sham brigade walk in the Shiekh Lutfi neighbourhood of the northern Syrian city of Aleppo in 2014 Baraa al-Halabi (AFP/File) "The people cannot accept half-solutions," the group's deputy leader Ali al-Omar said in the YouTube video to mark the start of the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha on Monday, when the truce is due to come into force. "The Russian-American deal... will send all the sacrifices and gains of our people who have risen up into smoke. It will only serve to reinforce the regime and surround the revolution militarily." Omar also rejected the aspect of the deal in which Washington is supposed to convince mainstream opposition fighters to break their alliance with Fateh al-Sham. That group, which is not covered by the truce deal, has also dismissed the accord. "It's simple -- the Russian-American deal is intended to eliminate those who protect Syrians," Fateh al-Sham spokesman Mostafa Mahamed wrote on Twitter. "The negotiations and the deals which do not take account of fighters on the ground are useless." The announcement of the truce after weeks of talks between the US and Russia -- which back opposing sides in the Syrian war -- comes with opposition forces struggling on the ground. Pro-regime forces reimposed a devastating siege on Aleppo's eastern districts last week in a major blow to the rebels. The Assad regime and its allies have said they will respect the truce deal. Top black writer blasts US 'Third World' police The United States is cursed with "Third World police" which has led to "almost state-sanctioned" killings of people from minority groups, one of the country's leading black writers said Sunday. Marlon James, who won the prestigious Man Booker Prize last year for his epic novel "A Brief History of Seven Killings", told a literary festival in Paris that some officers thought themselves above the law, comparing them to death squads during the "dirty war" run by Argentina's military rulers in the 1970s. "What people like me find alarming is there is almost state-sanctioned violence in America, particularly with the police," said the Jamaican-born novelist, who has lived in the US for more than two decades. Marlon James, who won the prestigious Man Booker Prize for his epic novel "A Brief History of Seven Killings", told a literary festival in Paris that some US police officers thought themselves above the law Dominique Faget (AFP/File) "America has developed a weird kind of Third World police, which horrifies people like me and my friends from Kenya or Nigeria. "The whole idea that you are beyond the law you are serving and protecting, and that killing people will not have consequences, is something that we who migrated to America thought we had got away from," he told an audience at Festival America. "This sort of unquestioned authority, straight up killing people is why Black Lives Matter happened," he added, referring to the protest movement that sprung up out of a series of high-profile police killings of black men. "The way that kind of violence is protected... means it is state-sanctioned violence and that is no different to Argentina during the dirty war." - 'Minorities victimised' - James, 45, whose parents were both police officers in Jamaica, said Americans had to look hard at themselves as well as at their police. "I don't think it is something that Americans realise because it is mostly a minority that is victimised by it. We are naive in that we never pay attention to violence until it affects us. "And that is a problem because when it finally does come to us nobody is going to be protecting us. It will end up endlessly repeating itself unless we stop it at some point," he warned. James' virtuoso Man Booker-winning novel follows a group of people involved in the attempted assassination of the reggae legend Bob Marley in Kingston just before he was to appear at a political rally. The ironically-titled "A Brief History of Seven Killings" runs to nearly 700 pages, with the New York Times calling it "epic in every sense of that word: sweeping, mythic, over-the-top, colossal and dizzyingly complex". From Italy to New Zealand, memorials abroad use 9/11 relics Besides the relics of the World Trade Center's destruction that have found their way to every U.S. state, many were also given to groups abroad and have become centerpieces of memorials to the victims of 9/11. The overseas memorials include: Pompeii, Italy - A memorial created by a city long ago consumed by its own catastrophe features a twisted steel beam set into volcanic rock from Mount Vesuvius. Meaford, Ontario - Set along a path in Beautiful Joe Park, named for a dog whose rescue was celebrated in an 1892 children's book, a memorial includes a small iron cross cut from Trade Center steel. It pays tribute to the police search dogs that combed the wreckage. ADVANCE FOR USE SUNDAY, SEPT. 11, 2016 AND THEREAFTER-FILE - In this Friday, Sept. 11, 2009 file photo, a firefighter stands in the bucket of a telescopic ladder truck in Christchurch, New Zealand, over a memorial built from steel from the World Trade Center to mark eight years since the 9/11 attacks. More than 2,600 artifacts have gone to 1,585 fire and police departments, schools and museums, and other nonprofit organizations in every state and at least eight other countries. (AP Photo/Wayne Hamilton) London A memorial sculpted from three World Trade Center girders is set in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, and pays tribute to all the victims of 9/11, including 67 British citizens killed. Oberviechtach, Germany - A memorial in this Bavarian town features a piece of I-beam from the Trade Center, positioned alongside a glass model of the Twin Towers. Christchurch, New Zealand - Steel donated by the city of New York was used in a sculpture situated along the Avon River, across from the central fire station, that honors firefighters around the world. ADVANCE FOR USE SUNDAY, SEPT. 11, 2016 AND THEREAFTER-FILE - This Sunday, Sept. 11, 2005 file photo shows the "Memory and Light" monument designed by Daniel Libeskind, the architect who created the master plan for reconstruction at ground zero, in Padua, northern Italy. Italy marked the fourth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks with a new glass and steel memorial monument that incorporates a twisted steel beam from the World Trade Center. (AP Photo/Luigi Costantini) ADVANCE FOR USE SUNDAY, SEPT. 11, 2016 AND THEREAFTER-FILE - In this Tuesday, March, 17, 2015 file photo, Mayor Boris Johnson, right, unveils a sculpture by U.S. artist Miya Ando entitled "Since 9/11", which uses steel taken from the World Trade Center during the unveiling at the Queen Elizabeth II Olympic Park in London. The piece was commissioned by a UK-based charity to help educate Londoners about the attack on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon on Sept. 11, 2001. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant) ADVANCE FOR USE SUNDAY, SEPT. 11, 2016 AND THEREAFTER-FILE - In this Sunday, Sept. 11, 2011 file photo, a man photographs a large piece of the World Trade Center that was unveiled in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The 1,277 kilogram (2,815 pounds) piece of exterior wall steel was gifted to The Military Museums by the Port Authority of New York. (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press via AP) Man charged with terrorism after stabbing in Sydney SYDNEY (AP) A man charged with committing a terrorist act and attempted murder after allegedly stabbing a man in Sydney was inspired by the Islamic State group, police said Sunday. The 59-year-old was stabbed several times while walking through a park in suburban Minto in southwest Sydney on Saturday afternoon and is in critical condition, police said in a statement. The suspect, Ihsas Khan, 22, also attempted to stab a police officer before he was arrested, police said. He was charged Sunday and faces a potential life prison sentence if convicted. Khan was refused bail in the Parramatta Bail Court and his case was adjourned until Wednesday. He did not enter pleas. Khan and his victim did not know each other, and New South Wales Deputy Police Commissioner Catherine Burn described the attack as planned and deliberate. "This was clearly a very volatile, a very violent situation that police and the members of the community were confronted with," Burn told reporters. Khan shouted words at the scene, which led police to believe he was inspired by the IS group, Burn said. "We know that this person has strong religious beliefs inspired by ISIS. What made him act yesterday we don't know," she said. Khan had previously been charged with a property-related offence, she said. "He has had a couple of interactions with local police over matters where we might say his behavior was odd or unusual," Burn said. "He is a person of concern." Despite his unusual behavior, he was not known to be connected with any terrorist group, she said. "This really highlights the challenge that this is the new face of terrorism," she added. Federal Attorney General George Brandis said bystanders had put their own lives at risk by intervening in the attack. "It may very well be but for the bravery of those citizens to intervene, the victim's life would have been lost," Brandis told reporters. "They are an inspiration to us all. They acted heroically and we should all be in their debt." An 18-year-old man was arrested on Thursday outside the Sydney Opera House after allegedly telling security guards he was under instructions to carry out an attack by the IS group. Counterterrorism investigators charged the teen with threatening to destroy property. Police said he was was carrying two canisters of automotive fluid. His arrest came days after the IS urged followers to stab, shoot, poison and run over Australians at iconic locations including the Opera House. Desiigner released without bail; Gun charges dropped NEW YORK (AP) A Brooklyn rapper has been released without bail on misdemeanor charges after a gun charge was dropped. The Daily News reports (http://nydn.us/2ctLBdP ) Sidney Royel Selby III whose stage name is Desiigner was released Saturday after appearing in Manhattan Criminal Court on menacing and drug possession charges. The newspaper said Desiigner's lawyer said claims about a gun were bogus and no weapon was found. On Friday, New York City police said the "Panda" performer was pulled over Thursday night in midtown Manhattan after a road rage dispute in a tunnel connecting Manhattan and New Jersey. Police had said another driver claimed the 19-year-old rapper waved a handgun while exiting the tunnel. Desiigner emerged from court saying, when "you're doing right ... keeping it positive, they can't lock you down." ___ Three speed boats collided during a race on a Massachusetts lake, leaving one driver dead and two others injured, included one in critical condition, authorities said. The collision happened on Saturday afternoon during the annual Bill Giles Memorial Regatta on Watson Pond in Taunton, the Bristol County District Attorney's office said. One speed boat spun out while traveling at 65mph, causing a pileup and all three drivers to be thrown from their boats, Taunton Fire Chief Timothy Bradshaw said. Scroll down for video Three speed boats collided during a race on a Massachusetts lake, leaving one driver dead and two others injured, included one in critical condition (scene pictured), authorities said The names of the victims were not immediately released and the crash is under investigation A 39-year-old New Hampshire man, who was driving the second boat that collided, died at the scene, the Bristol County DA's office said. The driver of the third boat, a 67-year-old man from Maine, was transported to Rhode Island Hospital in critical condition. Meanwhile, the driver of the first boat, a 72-year-old Maine man was treated for minor injuries. The collision happened on Saturday afternoon during the annual Bill Giles Memorial Regatta on Watson Pond in Taunton Taunton Fire Dive Team pulled all three men out of the water. The names of the victims were not immediately released and the crash is under investigation. The death at this year's regatta is not the first time someone has died at the event. Driver safely exits SUV dangling from Texas parking garage AUSTIN, Texas (AP) Bystanders have helped rescue an SUV driver after the vehicle plunged off the ninth floor of a Texas parking garage and dangled from the side. Austin Fire Battalion Chief Palmer Buck says the driver later described how the sport utility vehicle didn't stop as he slowly pulled into a parking spot Friday. The vehicle rolled through garage safety wire and flipped, then got caught and was left hanging. Authorities say the safety wire became tangled in a wheel, preventing the SUV from falling several stories to the ground. Bystanders helped the man unbuckle his seat belt and slipped him out the vehicle's window into the garage. White House campaign casts a shadow over 9/11 anniversary NEW YORK (AP) The U.S. marked the 15th anniversary of 9/11 with the solemn roll call of the dead Sunday but couldn't keep the presidential campaign from intruding on what is traditionally a politics-free moment of remembrance. About 90 minutes into the ground zero ceremony, Hillary Clinton left after feeling "overheated," her campaign said. A doctor for the 68-year-old Democrat said Sunday she had previously been diagnosed with pneumonia. Hours after video surfaced of her stumbling into a van, Clinton said she was "feeling great," but the doctor advised her to rest. Donald Trump has repeatedly questioned whether Clinton is physically fit to be president. Asked about the incident, the Republican nominee said only: "I don't know anything about it." Trump left the ceremony after Clinton. Mourners hold photos of their loved ones during the 15th anniversary of the attacks of the World Trade Center at the National September 11 Memorial, Sunday, Sept. 11, 2016, in New York. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer) The episode cast a political shadow over an event that has tried to keep the focus on remembrance by inviting politicians but barring them from speaking. The two candidates had followed the custom of suspending all TV ads for the day. The politics of the moment weren't entirely absent from the ceremony, where some victims' relatives pleaded for the nation to look past its differences, expressed hopes for peace or called on the next commander-in-chief to ensure the country's safety. Joseph Quinn, who lost his brother, Jimmy, appealed to Americans to regain the sense of unity that welled up after the terror attacks. "I know, in our current political environment, it may feel we're divided. Don't believe it," said Quinn, who added that he served in the military in Iraq after Sept. 11. "Engage with your community. ... Be the connection we all desperately need." Nearly 3,000 people died when terrorists slammed hijacked planes into the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, on Sept. 11, 2001. Organizers estimated 8,000 people gathered Sunday at the lower Manhattan spot where the twin towers once stood. They listened to the nearly four-hour recitation of the names of those killed. "It doesn't get easier. The grief never goes away. You don't move forward it always stays with you," Tom Acquaviva, who lost his son, Paul. For Dorothy Esposito, the passage of 15 years feels "like 15 seconds." Her son, Frankie, was killed. About 1,000 people gathered for a name-reading observance in Shanksville. At a Pentagon ceremony, President Barack Obama praised military members and others who have helped the U.S. fight terrorism, urged Americans not to let their enemies divide them and called the country's diversity one of its greatest strengths. "We stay true to the spirit of this day by defending not only our country, but also our ideals," he told hundreds of service members, survivors and victims' relatives. In New York, some victims' relatives said their loss had inspired them to help others. Jerry D'Amadeo said he worked this summer with children at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, where 26 children and adults were massacred in 2012. "Sometimes the bad things in our lives put us on a path to where we should be," said D'Amadeo, who was 10 when he lost his father, Vincent. James Johnson was at ground zero for the first time since he last worked on the rescue and recovery efforts in early 2002, when he was a New York police officer. The 9/11 museum and memorial plaza, three skyscrapers and an architecturally audacious transit hub have been built on land that was a disaster zone when he last saw it. "I've got mixed emotions, but I'm still kind of numb," said Johnson, now a police chief in Forest City, Pennsylvania. "I think everyone needs closure, and this is my time to have closure." Cathy Cava, on the other hand, has attended all 15 anniversary ceremonies since she lost her sister, Grace Susca Galante. "I believe most of her spirit, or at least some of her spirit, is here," Cava said. "I have to think that way." At sundown, twin towers of light rose above the lower Manhattan skyline, an annual tribute to those who lost their lives. The beams from 88 searchlights represent the World Trade Center towers. They will stay lit until dawn Monday. ___ Associated Press writers Lisa Lerer, Tom Hays, Michael Balsamo and Deepti Hajela contributed to this report. Reach Jennifer Peltz on Twitter @ jennpeltz. A mourner holds a photo of her loved one during the 15th anniversary of the attacks of the World Trade Center at the National September 11 Memorial, Sunday, Sept. 11, 2016, in New York. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer) A mourner holds a photo of their loved one during the 15th anniversary of the attacks of the World Trade Center at the National September 11 Memorial, Sunday, Sept. 11, 2016, in New York. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer) A mourner holds a photo of her loved one during the 15th anniversary of the attacks of the World Trade Center at the National September 11 Memorial, Sunday, Sept. 11, 2016, in New York. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer) A couple kisses while visiting the Pentagon Memorial prior to a Sept. 11 observance ceremony at the Pentagon, Sunday, Sept. 11, 2016. (AP Photo/Cliff Owen) Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, center, accompanied by Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., center left, Rep. Joseph Crowley, D-N.Y., second from left, and New York Mayor Bill de Blasio, center top, attends a ceremony at the Sept. 11 memorial, in New York, Sunday, Sept. 11, 2016. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, left, speaks with New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, right, as he attends a ceremony at the Sept. 11 memorial, in New York, Sunday, Sept. 11, 2016, on the 15th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) Candles in memory of the passengers and crew of Flight 93, are carried to the Wall of Names at the Flight 93 National Memorial in Shanksville, Pa, Saturday, Sept. 10, 2016, as the nation marks the 15th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks. (AP Photo/Jared Wickerham) Visitors make their way through the Flight 93 National Memorial before lit candles are carried to the Wall of Names in memory of the passengers and crew of Flight 93, at the Flight 93 National Memorial in Shanksville, Pa., Saturday, Sept. 10, 2016, as the nation marks the 15th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks. (AP Photo/Jared Wickerham) The Tribute in Light, viewed from the Brooklyn borough of New York, rises above the lower Manhattan skyline, Sunday, Sept. 11, 2016, in New York, the fifteenth anniversary of the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001 on the United States. (AP Photo/Craig Ruttle) The Tribute in Light, viewed from the Brooklyn borough of New York, rises above the lower Manhattan skyline, Sunday, Sept. 11, 2016, in New York, the fifteenth anniversary of the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001 on the United States. (AP Photo/Craig Ruttle) The Tribute in Light, viewed from the Brooklyn borough of New York, rises above the lower Manhattan skyline, Sunday, Sept. 11, 2016, in New York, the fifteenth anniversary of the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001 on the United States. (AP Photo/Craig Ruttle) Reviving old traditions, Arab beer brewers make their mark FUHEIS, Jordan (AP) It took gumption to pour millions of dollars into starting a brewery in an overwhelmingly Muslim country where many frown on consuming alcohol. Jordanian beer pioneer Yazan Karadsheh is now taking his next risky step, sending a first shipment of his Carakale to the U.S., where it will compete with thousands of brands in a $22 billion-a-year craft beer market. The 32-year-old Karadsheh is part of a small but growing brotherhood of Arab brewers in the Levant who want to nurture local beer-drinking cultures and compete against the brews of large companies, some of them multi-nationals that dominate the region's beer market. In this Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2016 photo, Carakale Brewery staffer Ramzi Kharoufeh fills a box with beer bottled, pasteurized and labeled that day in Fuheis, Jordan. The maker of Jordans first craft beer, Carakale, is part of a small but growing group of Arab brewers in the Levant who want to nurture local beer-drinking cultures and compete against large companies that dominate the regions growing beer market. (Sam McNeil/AP Photo) Carakale is the first craft beer in Jordan. The West Bank already has three independent breweries well-established veteran Taybeh, newcomer Shepherds and tiny Wise Men's Choice, made in a basement near biblical Bethlehem. Lebanese brands include Colonel, made at a large brew pub in the coastal town of Batroun, and 961, named after the country's international dialing code. Small breweries also sprang up in Israel over the past decade. It's a modest revival in a region where beer-brewing traditions go back to ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia, but lay dormant for centuries. Demand is also up. Regional beer consumption increased by 44 percent over the past decade though the close to 4 million hectoliters (105 million gallons) guzzled in nine Arab countries and Israel last year amount to a drop compared to U.S. consumption of 234 million hectoliters (6.1 billion gallons), according to industry figures and IWSR, an alcoholic drinks research company. Karadsheh believes there's room for expansion. "Obviously, they drink," Karadsheh, a member of Jordan's Christian minority, said of his compatriots. "Alcohol might be taboo, but you can find alcohol and buy alcohol easily in the market. Jordan is a very liberal place, compared to surrounding countries." Karadsheh and other up-and-coming brewers Shepherds founder Alaa Sayej in the West Bank and Colonel creator Jamil Haddad in Lebanon stumbled onto their career-changing passion by chance. Karadsheh studied engineering in Boulder, Colorado, a decade ago, but then got a second degree in brewing. Sayej, 27, earned a master's degree in finance, but began brewing in his U.K. dorm room. Haddad, 33, quit a job in advertising to turn his long-time beer brewing hobby into a business. In liberal, diverse Lebanon, getting a brewing license was a simple procedure unfettered by social taboos, said Haddad. By contrast, Karadsheh and Sayej battled red tape and religious backlash. Sayej said officials in the Palestinian self-rule government initially rejected his label featuring the drawing of a shepherd, insisting it was a depiction of Jesus and thus blasphemous on a beer bottle. Sayej, a Christian, said it took him three months to persuade the authorities otherwise. There was also trouble in his home village of Bir Zeit, where he set up his brewery. Once predominantly Christian, the village has a growing Muslim population. At a recent Bir Zeit heritage festival, Shepherds decided to remove its booth after a local Muslim preacher railed against the brewery at the local mosque, saying it's "haram," or religiously forbidden. Sayej said he withdrew because he didn't want to disrupt community relations, but that Shepherds later staged its own festival in Bir Zeit. Karadsheh's initial land deal for his brewery fell through because the owner didn't want to be linked to alcohol production. Karadsheh found another plot near Fuheis, a predominantly Christian community close to Amman. During construction, a tile layer walked off the job, feeling it was wrong to work in a brewery. Still, they managed to start brewing Karadsheh in 2013, Haddad in 2014 and Sayej last year. All three feel passionate about what goes into their different styles of beers, including seasonal brews for the summer and for Christmas, as well as staples like blond ale, wheat and stout beer. Karadsheh and his onsite brewer, Jordan Wambeke, hope to break into the U.S. market with beers infused with distinctly Middle Eastern flavors, such as a coffee porter with a pinch of cardamom and a hint of date molasses. "In general, people go to imports looking for something different, something they absolutely can't get locally, and something that is going to last the trip overseas," said Wambeke, 28, who is from Cody, Wyoming, and joined Carakale six months ago. The first shipment of about 7,000 liters is to leave the Fuheis brewery in the coming weeks for a warehouse in New Jersey, for further distribution along the East Coast, said Karadsheh. Carakale will be competing with products from more than 4,500 craft beer breweries in the U.S., where two more microbreweries open each day, said Bart Watson, chief economist at the Brewers Association, which represents independent brewers. Watson said it's a challenge to break into the competitive U.S. beer market, worth more than $100 billion a year, but that consumption of craft beers and imports is growing. "Any company that can differentiate itself and offer something new has an opportunity," he said. Sayej, who teamed up with younger brothers Khalid and Aziz the company slogan is "brewed by brothers for friends" also hopes to export. He said he has pre-orders from Italy, the U.K., Sweden, Belgium and the U.S., but is waiting to install pasteurization equipment this fall. Pasteurization helps beer survive a long journey, he said. Sayej banks on the beer's origins for his marketing strategy. "We have the best ingredient in the world to distinguish us," he said jokingly. "It's Holy Land water." Veteran brewer Nadim Khoury, who launched Taybeh beer in the West Bank in 1994 and now makes 600,000 liters a year, takes pride in being the first to put Palestinians on the global beer map. "We don't have a country," Khoury said of decades of failed efforts to set up a Palestinian state. "But we have our own beer." Karadsheh wants the same for Jordan to "create the first internationally recognized Jordanian beer." ___ This story has been corrected to show that the Carakale brewing supervisor's last name is spelled Wambeke, not Wombeke. In this Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2016 photo, Yazan Karadsheh, founder of the Carakale Brewery in Fuheis, Jordan, watches a machine fill beer bottles and cap them on an assembly line. The Jordanian microbrew is starting to export to the United States its signature blonde, Indian pale ale, and a coffee porter dosed with roasted cardamom. (AP Photo/Sam McNeil) In this Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2016 photo, Jordan Wambeke, head brewer of the Carakale Brewery in Fuheis, Jordan, keeps an eye on the labeler machine in the brewery's bottling assembly line. The Jordanian microbrew is starting to export to the United States its signature blonde, Indian pale ale, and a coffee porter dosed with roasted cardamom. (Sam McNeil/AP Photo) In this Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2016 photo, a machine lifts, spins and cleans bottles at the start of the Carakale Brewery's assembly line in Fuheis, Jordan. The maker of Jordans first craft beer, Carakale, is part of a small but growing group of Arab brewers in the Levant who want to nurture local beer-drinking cultures and compete against large companies that dominate the regions growing beer market. (AP Photo/Sam McNeil) In this Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2016 photo, Jordan Wombeke, head brewer of the Carakale Brewery in Fuheis, Jordan, watches the in the brewery's bottling and capping machine. The Jordanian microbrew hopes to break into the U.S. market with beers infused with distinctly Middle Eastern flavors, such as a coffee porter with a pinch of cardamom and a hint of date molasses. (AP Photo/Sam McNeil ) In this Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2016 photo, Yazan Karadsheh, right, founder of the Carakale Brewery in Fuheis, Jordan, talks to a technician while head brewer Jordan Wombeke quality tastes beer off the assembly line. The maker of Jordans first craft beer, Carakale, is part of a small but growing group of Arab brewers in the Levant who want to nurture local beer-drinking cultures and compete against large companies that dominate the regions growing beer market. (AP Photo/Sam McNeil) Obama calls on Americans to embrace diversity on 9/11 WASHINGTON (AP) President Barack Obama on Sunday marked the 15th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks by calling on Americans to embrace the nation's character as a people drawn from every corner of the world, from every religion and from every background. He said extremist groups will never be able to defeat the United States. Obama spoke to hundreds of service members, and relatives and survivors of the attack that occurred at the Pentagon when American Airlines Flight 77 slammed into the Defense Department's headquarters, killing 184 people. The youngest victim was only 3 years old. In all, about 3,000 people lost their lives that day as a result of the planes that crashed into New York City's World Trade Center and in a Pennsylvania field. President Barack Obama, right, with Defense Secretary Ash Carter, center, and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Joseph Dunford, stand at attention as the national anthem is played during a memorial ceremony at the Pentagon in Washington, Sunday, Sept. 11, 2016, to commemorate the 15th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta) The president said extremist organizations such as the Islamic State group and al-Qaida know they can never drive down the U.S., so they focus on trying to instill fear in hopes of getting Americans to change how they live. "We know that our diversity, our patchwork heritage is not a weakness, it is still and always will be one of our greatest strengths," Obama said. "This is the America that was attacked that September morning. This is the America that we must remain true to." Obama spoke on warm, mostly sunny morning, noting that the threat that became so evident on Sept. 11 has evolved greatly over the past 15 years. Terrorists, he said, often attempt strikes on a smaller, but still deadly scale. He specifically cited attacks in Boston, San Bernardino and Orlando as examples. In the end, he said, the enduring memorial to those who lost their lives that day is ensuring "that we stay true to ourselves, that we stay true to what's best in us, that we do not let others divide us." "How we conduct ourselves as individuals and as a nation, we have the opportunity each and every day to live up to the sacrifice of those heroes that we lost," Obama said. Obama's comments also came in the heat of a presidential election in which voters will weigh which candidate would best keep America safe. Republican nominee Donald Trump said he would suspend Muslim immigration into the United States, a policy he later amended by saying he would temporarily ban immigration from "areas of the world where there is a proven history of terrorism against the United States, Europe or our allies, until we fully understand how to end these threats." Obama's speech Sunday reinforced themes he has emphasized in recent months when he has described Trump's proposals on Muslim immigration as "not the America we want." Obama also marked his final Sept. 11 observance as president with a moment of silence inside the White House to coincide with when the first plane hit the Twin Towers. Atop the White House, the American flag flew at half-staff. Obama invited governors, interested organizations and individuals to follow suit. Obama said he has been humbled by the people whose 9/11 stories he's come to learn over the past eight years, from the firefighters who responded to the attacks, to family members of those who died, to the Navy Seals who made sure "justice was finally done" in the killing of al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden. He said the nation's security has been strengthened since 9/11 and that other attacks have been prevented. "We resolve to continue doing everything in our power to protect this country that we love," he said, facing the benches that are a hallmark of the Pentagon Memorial. Behind the president, a U.S. flag stretching some three stories tall hung on the section of the Pentagon that was struck on Sept. 11. The president said 15 years may seem like a long time, but he imagined that for the families, it can seem like yesterday. He said he has been inspired by their efforts to start scholarship programs and undertake volunteer work in their communities. "In your grief and grace, you have reminded us that, together, there's nothing we Americans cannot overcome," Obama said. President Barack Obama bows as a moment of silence is observed during a memorial ceremony at the Pentagon in Washington to commemorate the 15th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, Sunday, Sept. 11, 2016. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta) President Barack Obama listens as Secretary of Defense Ash Carter speaks during a memorial ceremony to commemorate the 15th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, Sunday, Sept. 11, 2016, at the Pentagon in Washington. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta) President Barak Obama speaks at the Sept. 11 memorial observance ceremony at the Pentagon, Sunday, Sept. 11, 2016. (AP Photo/Cliff Owen) Clinton says Trump anti-IS strength is "phony" WASHINGTON (AP) Hillary Clinton is urging people who like the sound of Donald Trump's boasts about defeating the Islamic State group to consider the difference between "real strength" and "phony strength." "It's phony strength to not know what you're talking about, and to make outrageous statements that will actually make our job harder, no matter how in the moment it sounds," the former New York senator and Democratic presidential candidate told CNN in an interview aired Sunday, the 15th anniversary of the attacks on New York and Washington. "Real strength is leveling with the American people and making it clear we will defeat ISIS," she added. "But that we've got to make sure that here at home, we're not opening doors to people who feel that somehow they want to be part of this global movement because Donald Trump has said it's a war between us and them, and that's pretty attractive to people." Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton arrives to attend a ceremony at the National September 11 Memorial, in New York, Sunday, Sept. 11, 2016, on the 15th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) Clinton's remarks were aired as she and Trump, her Republican rival and a New York native, visited the memorial to the World Trade Center's Twin Towers. Four hijacked airliners crashed on Sept. 11, 2001 one into each tower, one into the Pentagon and a fourth in a field in Pennsylvania. Altogether, nearly 3,000 people were killed. A decade later, U.S. forces killed al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden during a raid in Pakistan authorized by President Barack Obama. But as al-Qaida's influence waned, the Islamic State group gained strength, exploiting the chaos of a civil war in Syria. Trump has vowed to defeat the Islamic State group with the advice of military leaders. But he also has said he would suspend Muslim immigration into the United States, a policy he later tried to amend by saying he'd temporarily ban immigration from "areas of the world where there is a proven history of terrorism against the United States, Europe or our allies, until we fully understand how to end these threats." This year's Sept. 11 anniversary falls during a pitched presidential campaign and politics hovered even though both candidates pledged to suspend political activities out of respect for the victims, first responders and their families. Trump kept up his campaign against the media, tweeting irritably about the New York Times's coverage on Sunday, and he was photographed giving a thumbs-up at ground zero. CNN said he had declined an opportunity for his own interview. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks during a rally, Friday, Sept. 9, 2016, in Pensacola, Fla. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) Turkish warplanes kill 20 Islamic State group fighters ISTANBUL (AP) Turkey's military said Sunday that its warplanes killed 20 Islamic State group fighters in an attack on targets in northern Syria, while Turkey's president renewed a pledge to destroy the group. Warplanes had struck three buildings identified as belonging to IS, the Chief of General Staff's office said in a statement. A vehicle and motorcycle also were destroyed in the airstrike Saturday evening that came less than two days before a U.S.-Russia agreement on a cease-fire in Syria takes effect. FILE- In this Thursday, Aug. 25, 2016 file photo, Turkish army tanks and armored personnel carriers move toward the Syrian border, in Karkamis, Turkey. Turkey's military said Sunday, Sept. 11, 2016, its warplanes have killed 20 Islamic State group fights in an attack on targets in northern Syria, while Turkey's president renewed a pledge to destroy the group. (AP Photo/Halit Onur Sandal, File) In separate airstrike Sunday, Turkish jets struck Kurdish rebel targets in northern Iraq, killing 13 militants. The state-run Anadolu news agency cited a statement from the Chief of General Staff's office saying the militants were killed in three airstrikes that also took out weapons emplacements in Iraq's Qandil mountains and the Bazian and Avasheen regions. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan reiterated his government's commitment to eliminating IS in Syria and the threat the group poses to Turkey. Erdogan said in a televised message marking the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha that Turkey has a "primary duty" to its people to destroy IS and prevent it from staging attacks in Turkey. He added that the Turkish government is determined to end the "scourge" of the Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK, which renewed its 30-year insurgency for autonomy within Turkey after peace talks failed last year. Last month, Turkey sent tanks across the Syrian border to help rebels retake Jarablus, a key IS-held border town, and to contain the expansion of a Syrian Kurdish militia. Turkish jets have carried out several strikes against IS targets in Syria since the operation began. But clashes have also reportedly broken out between Turkish and Kurdish forces in the area. ____ Kenyan police kill 3 women who attacked police station NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) Three women have been killed after they attacked a police station in the Kenyan coastal city of Mombasa on Sunday, a police official said. One of the women threw a firebomb at officers while another pulled out a knife, Mombasa police chief Parterson Maelo said, adding two policemen were wounded in the attack. The women, who were dressed in niqabs, were then shot by police. One of the women had a suicide vest that didn't detonate, another police official said. A member of a bomb disposal team prepares the scene before checking the bodies of three women who were shot dead by police, outside the central police station in the coastal city of Mombasa, Kenya Sunday, Sept. 11, 2016. The three women were killed by police after they attacked the police station using petrol bombs and knives, a police official said Sunday. (AP Photo) No group has claimed responsibility for the attack. But Kenya faces a constant danger of being attacked by adherents of the Somali militant group al-Shabab, which has vowed retribution for Kenya's deployment of troops to Somalia in 2011. Maelo said the women arrived at the central police station at about 10:30 a.m. (0730 GMT) to report a stolen telephone. "While the officers were questioning them about the particulars of the stolen phone one of them drew a knife and another threw a petrol bomb at the officers of the report office," he said. Two of the suspects have been identified as Kenyans Fatuma Omar and Tasmin Yakub Abdullahi Farah, police spokesman Charles Owino said. One had a suicide vest that didn't detonate, he added. A raid was conducted at Farah's house, leading to the arrest of three Somali refugees for questioning, he said. This is the second attack linked to extremism on a police station this year. In July, a Muslim police officer killed seven colleagues in a standoff at the Kapenguria police station in western Kenya. Al-Shabab is al-Qaida's affiliate in the region. It has recruited hundreds of Kenyans and used them in numerous attacks on the country, including the April 2015 attack at Garissa University, which killed more than 148 people. Recently, al-Shabab attacks in Kenya have been limited to the border towns of Mandera and Liboi near Somalia. However, Kenya is also struggling to battle the Islamic State group's recruitment of some of the country's youths. At least 20 young Kenyans have travelled to Libya to join the extremist group, according to police. Authorities have also been warning of a plot by extremist medics to unleash an anthrax attack. Four medics are in police custody accused of being IS members and plotting such an attack. Authorities fear IS is trying to establish a presence in Kenya, East Africa's biggest economy and telecommunications and transport hub. There is concern that those who join IS and al-Qaida will be used to launch attacks on Western targets in Kenya and neighboring countries. ___ A previous version of this story has been corrected to say the women were wearing niqabs, not burqas. One of the bodies of three women who were shot dead by police lies outside the central police station in the coastal city of Mombasa, Kenya Sunday, Sept. 11, 2016. The three women were killed by police after they attacked the police station using petrol bombs and knives, a police official said Sunday. (AP Photo) PICTURED: Muslims gather for climax of hajj pilgrimage MOUNT ARAFAT, Saudi Arabia (AP) Before dawn on Sunday, Muslim pilgrims from around the world began ascending a hill just outside Mecca where the Prophet Muhammad delivered his final sermon some 1,400 years ago. The day spent on Mount Arafat is the pinnacle of the five-day hajj pilgrimage, which all able-bodied Muslims are required to perform at least once. Muslims spend the day there in deep prayer, many openly weeping as they repent and ask God for forgiveness. Prayer on this day at Mount Arafat, about 20 kilometers (12 miles) east of Mecca, is believed to offer the best chance of erasing past sins and starting anew. Many Muslims who are not performing the hajj fast from dawn to dusk on this day, for similar reasons. An Indonesian father carries his daughter through the crowd after reaching the top of a rocky hill known as Mountain of Mercy, on the Plain of Arafat, during the annual hajj pilgrimage, ahead of sunrise near the holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia, Sunday, Sept. 11, 2016. Mount Arafat, marked by a white pillar, is where Islam's Prophet Muhammad is believed to have delivered his last sermon to tens of thousands of followers some 1,400 years ago, calling on Muslims to unite. (AP Photo/Nariman El-Mofty) Many of the roughly 2 million pilgrims taking part in this year's hajj will climb a hill called Jabal al-Rahma, or mountain of mercy, in Arafat and spend time there in supplication. It was here where the Prophet Muhammad delivered his final sermon, calling for equality and for Muslims to unite. The white terrycloth garments worn by men throughout the five-day hajj are forbidden to contain any stitching a restriction meant to emphasize the equality of all Muslims and prevent wealthier pilgrims from differentiating themselves with more elaborate garments. The day of Arafat is the one time during the hajj when roughly all pilgrims are in the same place at the same time. The site of people from more than 160 different countries, with all the men dressed in simple white garments, is breathtaking. Egyptian pilgrim Mahmoud Awny said the feeling of being in Arafat is "indescribable." "All Muslims on Earth wish they could have been here today. Thanks to Allah for enabling me to be here," he said. The hajj is a physically and emotionally exhausting experience, and this year temperatures soared to 108 degrees Fahrenheit (42 C) in Arafat. Volunteers passed out water, juice and umbrellas to shade pilgrims from the sun. Around sunset, the pilgrims will head to an area called Muzdalifa, nine kilometers (5.5 miles) west of Arafat. Many walk the route, while others use buses. They spend the night there, most in the open air huddled near one another, and pick up pebbles along the way that will be used in a symbolic stoning of the devil in Mina, where Muslims believe the devil tried to talk the Prophet Ibrahim named Abraham in the Bible out of submitting to God's will. Here is a selection of images by Associated Press photographer Nariman El-Mofty showing the faithful in Arafat. ___ Follow Nariman El-Mofty on Twitter at www.twitter.com/NMofty and on Instagram at www.instagram.com/narimanelmofty ___ Follow AP photographers and photo editors on Twitter: http://apne.ws/15Oo6jo Muslim pilgrims pray on a rocky hill known as Mountain of Mercy, on the Plain of Arafat, during the annual hajj pilgrimage, ahead of sunrise near the holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia, Sunday, Sept. 11, 2016. Mount Arafat, marked by a white pillar, is where Islam's Prophet Muhammad is believed to have delivered his last sermon to tens of thousands of followers some 1,400 years ago, calling on Muslims to unite. (AP Photo/Nariman El-Mofty) Sudanese women pray on a rocky hill known as Mountain of Mercy, on the Plain of Arafat, during the annual hajj pilgrimage, near the holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia, Sunday, Sept. 11, 2016. Mount Arafat, marked by a white pillar, is where Islam's Prophet Muhammad is believed to have delivered his last sermon to tens of thousands of followers some 1,400 years ago, calling on Muslims to unite. (AP Photo/Nariman El-Mofty) Volunteers throw umbrellas to Muslim pilgrims before they climb Mountain of Mercy, on the Plain of Arafat, during the annual hajj pilgrimage, ahead of sunrise near the holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia, Sunday, Sept. 11, 2016. Mount Arafat, marked by a white pillar, is where Islam's Prophet Muhammad is believed to have delivered his last sermon to tens of thousands of followers some 1,400 years ago, calling on Muslims to unite. (AP Photo/Nariman El-Mofty) A Muslim pilgrim rests on a rocky hill known as Mountain of Mercy, on the Plain of Arafat, during the annual hajj pilgrimage, ahead of sunrise near the holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia, Sunday, Sept. 11, 2016. Mount Arafat, marked by a white pillar, is where Islam's Prophet Muhammad is believed to have delivered his last sermon to tens of thousands of followers some 1,400 years ago, calling on Muslims to unite. (AP Photo/Nariman El-Mofty) Muslim pilgrims pray on a rocky hill known as Mountain of Mercy, on the Plain of Arafat, during the annual hajj pilgrimage, near the holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia, Sunday, Sept. 11, 2016. Mount Arafat, marked by a white pillar, is where Islam's Prophet Muhammad is believed to have delivered his last sermon to tens of thousands of followers some 1,400 years ago, calling on Muslims to unite. (AP Photo/Nariman El-Mofty) Muslim pilgrims make their way to a rocky hill known as Mountain of Mercy, on the Plain of Arafat, during the annual hajj pilgrimage, near the holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia, Sunday, Sept. 11, 2016. Mount Arafat, marked by a white pillar, is where Islam's Prophet Muhammad is believed to have delivered his last sermon to tens of thousands of followers some 1,400 years ago, calling on Muslims to unite. (AP Photo/Nariman El-Mofty) Muslim pilgrims pray on a rocky hill known as Mountain of Mercy, on the Plain of Arafat, during the annual hajj pilgrimage, near the holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia, Sunday, Sept. 11, 2016. Mount Arafat, marked by a white pillar, is where Islam's Prophet Muhammad is believed to have delivered his last sermon to tens of thousands of followers some 1,400 years ago, calling on Muslims to unite. (AP Photo/Nariman El-Mofty) Muslim pilgrims pray on a rocky hill known as Mountain of Mercy, on the Plain of Arafat, during the annual hajj pilgrimage, near the holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia, Sunday, Sept. 11, 2016. Mount Arafat, marked by a white pillar, is where Islam's Prophet Muhammad is believed to have delivered his last sermon to tens of thousands of followers some 1,400 years ago, calling on Muslims to unite. (AP Photo/Nariman El-Mofty) Muslim pilgrims make their way in Arafat, during the annual hajj pilgrimage, near the holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia, Sunday, Sept. 11, 2016. Mount Arafat, marked by a white pillar, is where Islam's Prophet Muhammad is believed to have delivered his last sermon to tens of thousands of followers some 1,400 years ago, calling on Muslims to unite. (AP Photo/Nariman El-Mofty) A Sudanese Muslim pilgrim makes his way up a rocky hill known as Mountain of Mercy, on the Plain of Arafat, during the annual hajj pilgrimage, ahead of sunrise near the holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia, Sunday, Sept. 11, 2016. Mount Arafat, marked by a white pillar, is where Islam's Prophet Muhammad is believed to have delivered his last sermon to tens of thousands of followers some 1,400 years ago, calling on Muslims to unite. (AP Photo/Nariman El-Mofty) Sudanese women pray on a rocky hill known as Mountain of Mercy, on the Plain of Arafat, during the annual hajj pilgrimage, near the holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia, Sunday, Sept. 11, 2016. Mount Arafat, marked by a white pillar, is where Islam's Prophet Muhammad is believed to have delivered his last sermon to tens of thousands of followers some 1,400 years ago, calling on Muslims to unite. (AP Photo/Nariman El-Mofty) Muslim pilgrims pray on a rocky hill known as Mountain of Mercy, on the Plain of Arafat, during the annual hajj pilgrimage, ahead of sunrise near the holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia, Sunday, Sept. 11, 2016. Mount Arafat, marked by a white pillar, is where Islam's Prophet Muhammad is believed to have delivered his last sermon to tens of thousands of followers some 1,400 years ago, calling on Muslims to unite. (AP Photo/Nariman El-Mofty) Muslim pilgrims pray on a rocky hill known as Mountain of Mercy, on the Plain of Arafat, during the annual hajj pilgrimage, ahead of sunrise near the holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia, Sunday, Sept. 11, 2016. Mount Arafat, marked by a white pillar, is where Islam's Prophet Muhammad is believed to have delivered his last sermon to tens of thousands of followers some 1,400 years ago, calling on Muslims to unite. (AP Photo/Nariman El-Mofty) A Muslim woman prays on a rocky hill known as Mountain of Mercy, on the Plain of Arafat, during the annual hajj pilgrimage, ahead of sunrise near the holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia, Sunday, Sept. 11, 2016. Mount Arafat, marked by a white pillar, is where Islam's Prophet Muhammad is believed to have delivered his last sermon to tens of thousands of followers some 1,400 years ago, calling on Muslims to unite. (AP Photo/Nariman El-Mofty) Muslim pilgrims make their way up on a rocky hill known as Mountain of Mercy, on the Plain of Arafat, during the annual hajj pilgrimage, ahead of sunrise near the holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia, Sunday, Sept. 11, 2016. Mount Arafat, marked by a white pillar, is where Islam's Prophet Muhammad is believed to have delivered his last sermon to tens of thousands of followers some 1,400 years ago, calling on Muslims to unite. (AP Photo/Nariman El-Mofty) Muslim pilgrims make their way up a rocky hill known as Mountain of Mercy, on the Plain of Arafat, during the annual hajj pilgrimage, ahead of sunrise near the holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia, Sunday, Sept. 11, 2016. Mount Arafat, marked by a white pillar, is where Islam's Prophet Muhammad is believed to have delivered his last sermon to tens of thousands of followers some 1,400 years ago, calling on Muslims to unite. (AP Photo/Nariman El-Mofty) Muslim pilgrims pray on a rocky hill known as Mountain of Mercy, on the Plain of Arafat, during the annual hajj pilgrimage, ahead of sunrise near the holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia, Sunday, Sept. 11, 2016. Mount Arafat, marked by a white pillar, is where Islam's Prophet Muhammad is believed to have delivered his last sermon to tens of thousands of followers some 1,400 years ago, calling on Muslims to unite. (AP Photo/Nariman El-Mofty) Libyan troops recapture key oil terminals from militia BENGHAZI, Libya (AP) Libyan forces loyal to a powerful general on Sunday recaptured two key oil terminals from militias in a surprise attack, according to officials familiar with the operation, a move that adds a new layer to the turmoil gripping the North African nation since 2011. They said forces led by Gen. Khalifa Hifter, who heads the Libyan National Army, took over the Ras Lanuf and al-Sidra terminals on Libya's Mediterranean coast and were battling militias at a third terminal, al-Zueitina. The majority of Libya's oil exports went through the three terminals before a militia known as the Petroleum Facilities Guards seized them more than two years ago. "Zero hour has arrived, so march forward like wolves and charge like lions," Hifter told his forces as they prepared for Sunday's dawn attack. In a radio message, he urged the troops not to harm civilians or damage the facilities. The militia driven out of the facilities is allied with the recently-formed, U.N.-backed government headquartered in the capital, Tripoli. That government does not recognize Hifter as commander of the national army. The Petroleum Facilities Guards' leader, Ibrahim Jedran, struck a deal in July with the U.N. envoy to Libya, Martin Kobler. The details of that pact were never disclosed, but critics have speculated that it involved billions of dollars, sparking charges that Kobler and the United Nations were empowering the warlord viewed by many as having held Libya's oil hostage. The officials said there were no casualties among the attacking forces and that the militiamen at the three facilities did not offer much resistance. The attack took place on the eve of a major Muslim holiday, Eid al-Adha, which begins on Monday. "Many of them (militiamen) abandoned their weapons to escape or turned themselves in," said Brig. Gen. Ahmed al-Mosmary, a spokesman for Hifter's forces. "We will continue to move till we secure the whole area." Hifter's forces also moved against two areas in the eastern city of Benghazi that remain under militia control. Al-Mosmary said there was also little confrontation from the militiamen there, but that land mines were slowing down the advancing troops. Hifter enjoys the support of several Arab nations, including Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Jordan, as well as others in the West, but he is also viewed by many as an obstacle to peace. He is allied with the parliament based in eastern Libya, which refuses to recognize the U.N.-backed government in Tripoli. He is widely viewed as the savior of Libya's eastern region, which had long suffered from marginalization under the rule of longtime dictator Moammar Gadhafi. Libya has been split between rival parliaments and governments, each backed by a loose array of militias and tribes. Western nations view the U.N.-brokered government as the best hope for uniting the country. After American rebuke, Israeli leader says he stands by ally JERUSALEM (AP) Israel's prime minister has marked the 15th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks by saying his country stands by its "greatest ally, the United States of America." Benjamin Netanyahu's comments Sunday came two days after a rare American rebuke for statements in which he insisted settlements were not an obstacle to peace and that Palestinians wanted the "ethnic cleansing" of Jews in the West Bank. Israel has been widely criticized for building Jewish settlements in territories captured in the 1967 Mideast war, land the Palestinians want for a future state. Netanyahu said it was outrageous that the Palestinians demand this state be free of Jews and it was "even more outrageous that the world doesn't find this outrageous." India says 4 rebels killed in gunbattle near Kashmir border SRINAGAR, India (AP) The Indian army said it killed four militants in a fierce gunbattle Sunday near the Kashmir border separating Pakistan from India's portion of the Himalayan region. Army spokesman Col. N. N. Joshi said the gunbattle began early Sunday in the state's Kupwara district, when the rebels were seen moving in the area. When challenged by soldiers patrolling the area, the rebels opened fire and a gunfight followed in which four of them were killed. In a separate incident, a policeman was killed when a gunbattle broke out between rebels and security forces in the state's Poonch district. The Indian-controlled portion of Kashmir has been racked by protests for the past two months following the killing of a top rebel leader. More than 70 civilians have been killed and thousands wounded, mostly by government forces firing bullets and shotgun pellets to quell the protests. India accuses Pakistan of training and financing militants and helping them infiltrate into Indian Kashmir. Islamabad denies the charge, saying it offers only moral and diplomatic support to the militants and to Kashmiris who oppose Indian rule. Saudi launches Farsi-language hajj TV amid dispute with Iran RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AP) Saudi Arabia has launched a Farsi-language satellite television channel broadcasting the hajj as Iranians abstain from the pilgrimage amid a dispute between the two regional rivals. The Saudi Minister of Culture and Information Adel al-Toraifi tells Saudi media that the channel is also being broadcast by radio to Iran, Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as via mobile phone applications and the internet. In remarks published by the official Saudi Press Agency on Sunday, al-Toraifi says the channel "aims to broadcast the message of hajj, the eternal meanings of Islam and what is being provided by the kingdom.... to pilgrims and visitors." Saudi workers change the Kiswah (the cloth that covers the Kaaba) in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, Sunday, Sept. 11, 2016. Workers change the Kiswah once a year when pilgrims leave for the plains of Mount Arafat during the Hajj. (AP Photo/ Hussein Malla) Turkey replaces 28 elected officials with appointees ISTANBUL (AP) Turkish police used water cannons and teargas to disperse protesters Sunday after Ankara announced it had replaced 28 elected municipal and district mayors in several predominantly Kurdish towns in Turkey's east and southeast. The removed officials are suspected of colluding with groups the government considers terrorist organizations, the Interior Ministry announced Sunday, adding that the decision was in line with a governmental decree enacted in the wake of a failed military coup. Turkey declared a state of emergency following the July 15 coup attempt that allows the government to rule by decree. It has since suspended tens of thousands of people from government jobs over suspected links to terrorist organizations. Of the officials replaced with by Ankara-appointed deputy and district governors Sunday, 24 are suspected of ties with the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party or PKK, and four are thought to be linked to the Gulen movement the governments alleges is responsible for the abortive coup that left over 270 people dead. The ministry said in its statement that when local governments "come under the influence of terrorist organizations, it is the state's primary duty to take precautions against those who have usurped the people's will." "Being an elected official isn't a license to commit crimes," Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag wrote on Twitter. "If mayors and town councilors finance terrorism by transferring public funds allocated to them to serve the people...., they lose their democratic legitimacy." The United States embassy in Ankara expressed concern over the government's actions, saying in a statement that it hoped the substitute office-holders who took up their new posts Sunday would be temporary and that "local citizens will soon be permitted to choose new local officials in accordance with Turkish law." Three of the 28 officials are members of Turkey's ruling Justice and Development Party; one belongs to the Nationalist Movement Party and the rest to pro-Kurdish parties. The pro-Kurdish People's Democracy Party, or HDP, condemned the appointments as a "coup by trustees" that violates the Turkish constitution and the European Convention of Human Rights. "This unlawful and arbitrary action will only deepen existing problems in Kurdish towns and cause the Kurdish issue to be even more unsolvable," the party said in a statement. The main opposition Republican People's Party also condemned the move. A delegation of senior party members spoke to reporters in the southeastern city of Diyarbakir, where they called the appointments unlawful and said they would be taking the decision to Turkey's constitutional court. Addressing the nation on Sunday for the Muslim holiday Eid, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said he was determined to "save Turkey from the PKK scourge." "Like the Gulen movement, the PKK cannot possibly withstand the power of the people and the strength of the state," Erdogan said in a video statement. The private Dogan news agency reported that a group of about 200 people gathered in front of city hall in the southeastern town of Suruc to protest the government-installed officials and were dispersed with tear gas and water cannons. A protest in front of Batman city hall was broken up in the same way. Four people, including a deputy mayor, were briefly detained in a minor skirmish outside city hall in the southeastern province of Hakkari. Co-mayor Fatma Yildiz, who was replaced Sunday morning, said the decision was "a blow against the will of the people," Dogan reported. Syrian Rebels leery of cease-fire plan BEIRUT (AP) Rebel factions in Syria expressed deep reservations on Sunday about the terms of a U.S.-Russian deal that seeks to restart the peace process for the war-torn country, with the leader of at least one U.S.-backed rebel faction publicly calling the offer a "trap." The second in command of the powerful, ultraconservative Ahrar al-Sham group condemned the superpower agreement as an effort to secure President Bashar Assad's government and drive rebel factions apart. "A rebellious people who have fought and suffered for six years cannot accept half-solutions," said Ali al-Omar in a video statement. FILE - In this Sept. 9, 2016 file-pool photo, Secretary of State John Kerry talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov during their joint news conference following their meeting to discuss the crisis in Syria, in Geneva, Switzerland. (Kevin Lamarque/Pool Photo via AP, File) But the commander and other rebel leaders stopped short of fully rejecting the agreement's interim cease-fire, which is slated to come into effect in stages beginning on Monday at sunset. The deal hammered out between U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Geneva Saturday allows the Syrian government to continue to strike at al-Qaida-linked militants, until the U.S. and Russia take over the task in one week's time. The arrangement has divided rebel factions, who have depended on the might of the powerful al-Qaida-linked Jabhat Fatah al-Sham faction to resist government advances around the contested city of Aleppo. Al-Omar said his group would "refuse the targeting of any faction of our blessed factions" and called on rebels to unify into a single front. Still, a senior official inside Ahrar al-Sham said rebels would nevertheless abide by the cease-fire to regroup after a punishing conflict with pro-government forces over Aleppo. "The Islamist factions and Jabhat Fatah al-Sham will abide by the cease-fire without publicly declaring it," said the official. "They will announce they are opposed to the U.S.-Russian agreement, but they will halt their operations on the ground because of the losses they sustained in the battles for Aleppo," he said, speaking on condition of anonymity. Other factions less closely tied to Jabhat Fatah al-Sham, including those backed by Turkish ground forces in the northern frontier area, will publicly commit to the agreement, according to the Ahrar al-Sham official. "The free Syrian factions under the Euphrates Shield banner will announce their commitment to the agreement, of course," he said. Under the terms of the agreement, the U.S. and Russia will coordinate to target the Islamic State group in Syria and Jabhat Fatah al-Sham, while rebels and the Syrian government will be expected to stop attacking one another. The deal has received the endorsement of President Bashar Assad's government and its key allies Russia, Iran and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah. But that scenario is complicated by the fact that Jabhat Fatah al-Sham remains intertwined with several other factions. It is not clear how these governments intend to distinguish between Jabhat Fatah al-Sham and other allied rebel factions or how they will be able to attack the al-Qaida linked militants without hitting other rebels as well. Despite fundamental differences in their vision for Syria, rebels and opposition activists hailed a rebel coalition led by Jabhat Fatah al-Sham when it broke a government siege on the rebel-held eastern quarters in Aleppo. The U.N. estimated a quarter million residents were trapped inside with dwindling food and medical supplies. The government has since re-established its siege. Over 2,000 people have been killed in fighting over the past 40 days in Aleppo, including 700 civilians and 160 children, according to a Syrian human rights group. One of the more immediate goals of the Kerry-Lavrov agreement is to allow the U.N. to establish aid corridors into Aleppo. On Saturday, presumed Russian or government airstrikes on rebel-held Idlib and Aleppo provinces killed over 90 civilians, including 13 children in an attack on a marketplace in Idlib, according to the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. In the aftermath on Sunday, rebels and opposition activists were asking whether the government's side could be trusted. "What truce, when the regime commits a massacre in Idlib?" said Ahmad Saud, commander of the U.S.-backed Division 13 brigade, on Twitter. "I am starting to feel that the truce is a military trap to kill us more." Several previous negotiated cease-fires have all eventually collapsed. A partial "cessation of hostilities" that brought sorely needed relief to civilians in March unraveled as the government continued to strike targets in opposition areas, including near a hospital and school near Damascus and a marketplace in Idlib province, killing dozens of civilians. Pope prays for victims of clashes in Gabon, urges dialogue VATICAN CITY (AP) Pope Francis has prayed for victims of violent protests in the west African nation of Gabon, calling attention to what he described as a "grave political crisis" in the former French colony. In remarks to the faithful in St. Peter's Square, Francis on Sunday also encouraged the Gabonese people, particularly Catholics, to be "builders of peace while respecting legality, dialogue and brotherhood." Gabon was marked by violent protests after the results of an Aug. 27 presidential election were announced. The opposition candidate mounted a legal challenge, accusing the incumbent leader of fraud. Pope Francis delivers his message during the Angelus noon prayer from his studio window overlooking St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, Sunday, Sept. 11, 2016. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia) The opposition says as many as 100 people have died in the protests, while the government has put the toll at three. Francis says he supports an appeal by Gabon's bishops for all sides to renounce violence. Pope Francis delivers a blessing during the Angelus noon prayer from his studio window overlooking St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, Sunday, Sept. 11, 2016. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia) Conservative push to impeach IRS chief; effort won't succeed WASHINGTON (AP) A campaign-season drive by conservative House Republicans to impeach the IRS commissioner won't succeed. With solid Democratic opposition and resistance from many in the GOP, there simply aren't enough votes to oust John Koskinen from his post. Members of the conservative House Freedom Caucus are pushing it anyway, and it could come to a head over the next week or two. A look at the effort: ___ FILE - In this Feb. 10, 2016 file photo, Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Commissioner John Koskinen testifies on Capitol Hill in Washington. A campaign-season effort by conservatives to impeach the IRS commissioner has no chance of succeeding and is being resisted by other Republicans who think it could hurt them with swing voters. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta, File) Q: Why do conservatives want to impeach Koskinen? A: They accuse him of lying to Congress, not answering subpoenas and overseeing an agency that destroyed documents. They say those actions hindered the House GOP's long-running investigation of how the Internal Revenue Service unfairly treated tea party groups that sought tax exemptions several years ago, before Koskinen was with the agency. Two months to the election, going after Koskinen and the IRS is popular with many conservative voters, for whom the IRS has long been a dirty word. They've not forgiven its handling of tea party organizations. And Koskinen was appointed by President Barack Obama, another favorite conservative target. ___ Q: What do Koskinen and Democrats say? A: They say the accusations are unfounded. "There is no evidence that Commissioner Koskinen ever in any way sought to impede Congress' oversight of the IRS," Koskinen's personal lawyers wrote in documents they provided Sunday. While the IRS acknowledged it subjected tea party groups to unfairly harsh treatment, the Justice Department and the IRS inspector general found no evidence the agency was motivated by political bias, and it's not been proved that documents were purposely destroyed. Democrats say the effort is aimed at stirring up conservative votes and campaign donations. Koskinen's term runs until Nov. 12, 2017. He's said publicly he considers himself to serve at the pleasure of the president which suggests he'd leave if a president asked. ___ Q: How does impeachment work? A: Under the Constitution, Congress can remove officials for "treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors." That last phrase is generally considered to reserve impeachment for the most serious offenses. The House needs a majority vote to impeach, or formally charge, an official. The Senate then holds a trial on whether to convict and remove the person from office, which requires a two-thirds majority. ___ Q: What do other Republicans think of impeaching Koskinen? A: Not much. Congressional GOP leaders have shown little passion for it and noted it divides their own party. House Republicans meet this Thursday to discuss it. The reason for GOP discomfort: support impeachment and we could lose moderate voters who view impeachment as partisan and excessive and don't care much about Koskinen; oppose it and we could alienate conservatives. Why force that choice on ourselves two months before elections? "That sort of action would not be helpful at this point in the campaign," said Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., who heads Senate GOP campaign efforts. Some prefer to send the effort to the House Judiciary Committee punting it until after the elections. ___ Q: Why don't House GOP leaders simply block the vote? A: The proposal's sponsors introduced it under a procedure that requires a House vote within two days of calling it up on the House floor. Besides, Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., who's taken a neutral public stance, doesn't want to anger conservatives whose support he'll need to be re-elected to the speakership next January should the GOP retain House control. Some conservatives say they'll wait until after Thursday's GOP meeting before forcing a vote. Others say they could call it up Tuesday for a vote later in the week. Motions could be made to kill, postpone, or sidetrack the measure to a House committee. Its House fate is unclear. But should it pass the House and clear other procedural votes, Senate GOP leaders could face their own decisions about handling a proposal that ultimately is going nowhere. One possibility the Senate could adjourn for the elections before receiving the measure from the House, leaving it in limbo. ___ The Onion ramps up speed of satire in Campaign 2016 PHILADELPHIA (AP) Even satire has a shelf life. In a presidential campaign with fast-changing headlines that sometimes defy belief, The Onion has managed to maintain its niche by becoming more agile, just like real news organizations. The 28-year-old satirical media outlet, famous for creating fake news, has evolved with technology a bit like everyone else, including the news industry it parodies. For the first time, The Onion this summer sent staffers to the Democratic and Republican conventions. In this photo provided by The Onion, Onion, taken Sept. 2, 2016, editor-in chief Cole Bolton, second left, meets with staffers at the outlet's Chicago headquarters. For the first time this summer, The Onion, the satirical outlet known for creating fake news, sent staffers to the Democratic and Republican conventions. (Leonardo Adrian Garcia/The Onion via AP) "Although technology requires media to be much quicker, it also allows us to be a bit faster, and we've started training ourselves and developing ways that we can be a little more reactive, too," said Matt Klinman, The Onion's head writer for video. Klinman was part of a team of staffers sent to the conventions in Philadelphia and Cleveland with a goal of mocking the news in something close to real time. Its video team quickly posted full-length clips of high-profile convention speeches on Facebook, complete with cable news-style graphics that included jokes and commentary. "We've been sort of wanting to crack a way of doing live coverage as The Onion for a long time," Klinman said. The Onion's sarcastic take on political gatherings apparently struck a chord on Facebook, where its convention videos outpaced those from major news outlets such as The New York Times, ABC, NBC and CNN for much of the two-week period when the meetings were held. The data come from Tubular Labs, an analytics firm The Onion uses to track video views. The Chicago-based Onion is planning similar coverage for the upcoming presidential debates. Jokes, especially ones about current events, can become dated quickly in today's media environment. The Onion's move to ramp up the speed of satire came during the last presidential cycle, said Editor-in-Chief Cole Bolton. Before 2012, Onion writers would work two weeks ahead of time on its send-ups of candidates and issues and "sort of just hope, fingers crossed, that they would be a really good comment by the time they came out," Bolton said. It has moved to a faster model since, whittling down as many as 1,500 headlines pitched by its writers and contributors weekly to the 30 or so it actually uses as the basis to create satirical articles. In this campaign, the process has produced headlines that at first glance could blur the line between reality and satire. "Trump Campaign Ponders Going Negative," says one. "'Secretary Clinton Is A Different Person Than Donald Trump,' Says Bernie Sanders In Ringing Endorsement," says another. With the mock headlines easily shared on social media, The Onion is on track to see a 38 percent increase in traffic to its main website over the 2012 election cycle, spokeswoman Lauren Pulte said. A healthy public appetite for satire is reflected both in the online statistics and Univision's purchase of a sizable stake in The Onion this year. "Comedy is playing an expanding role in our culture as a vehicle for audiences to explore, debate, and understand the important ideas of our time," Univision news chief Issac Lee said in announcing the deal in January. Rick Edmonds, a media business analyst at The Poynter Institute, said The Onion was at the forefront of a politically and socially conscious niche of satire that extended to "The Daily Show" and "The Colbert Report" and now includes John Oliver's HBO show and others. "The field that The Onion was fairly early entered in continues to grow," he said. Whoever ends up as the next occupant of the White House, The Onion is excited about the comedic possibilities. With Hillary Clinton, The Onion has turned to a tried-and-true tactic of satire playing up one aspect of a character by portraying the Democrat as a hyperaggressive, over-the-top version of herself, Bolton said. That technique doesn't work for the bombastic Trump, who Bolton believes can top any exaggeration on his own. "Instead of playing up the craziness with him, playing up just how sad and terribly alone he feels on the inside is just a funnier way to go," Bolton said. Bolton expects The Onion's political coverage to gain even more popularity as the campaign enters its closing stretch because, he said, "it's still dawning on people ... the consequences are pretty real." He sees The Onion's role as saying out loud what journalists can't. "Whatever we think is stupid in the world, we're indicting it and putting it on trial and putting it on display." ___ What political news is the world searching for on Google and talking about on Twitter? Find out via AP's Election Buzz interactive. http://elections.ap.org/buzz Ex-swimmer in rape case joins thousands in Ohio sex database COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) A former Stanford University swimmer whose six-month jail sentence for sexually assaulting an unconscious woman sparked a national outcry has registered as a sex offender in Ohio, where he is living with his parents. Brock Turner, 23, registered at the Greene County sheriff's office four days after he was released from a California jail on Sept. 2 for good behavior after serving half his term. As a Tier III sex offender, the harshest of three levels in Ohio, Turner must register as a sex offender for life, checking in every three months. A look at Ohio's sex offender law and online database: FILE--This Sept. 6, 2016 file photo released by the Greene County Sheriff's Office, shows Brock Turner at the Greene County Sheriff's Office in Xenia, Ohio, where he officially registered as a sex offender. When the former Stanford University swimmer registered as a sex offender he joined a nationwide legion of criminals that has grown dramatically in recent years and now numbers more than 800,000. As registration has expanded along with the definition of sex crimes, so have legal challenges to a one-size-fits-all punishment that can treat a one-time peeping tom the same as a serial rapist.(Greene County Sheriff's Office via AP, file) OHIO'S ELECTRONIC SEX OFFENDER REGISTRATION AND NOTIFICATION (ESORN) Ohio's sex offender registry started in 1997 in response to public outcry nationally over high-profile child sex abuse cases, including the 1989 abduction of 11-year-old Jacob Wetterling from a rural Minnesota road by a masked gunman as he rode bikes with his brother and a friend near his home. The 1994 federal Jacob Wetterling Act required states to create a system of sex offender registration. Ohio's database was originally for law enforcement only. It became accessible to the public in 2004. Last year, the Ohio Supreme Court said the state's registry requirements were constitutional and didn't amount to cruel and unusual punishment. On Sept. 3, Wetterling's remains were finally located and three days later, Minnesota man Danny Heinrich confessed to abducting and killing Wetterling. ___ HOW THE DATABASE WORKS Ohio's online database currently has about 17,500 offenders, with photos included, listed in a database searchable by name, addresses, offenders' emails and phone numbers, and whether offenders have violated registration rules. Offenders must register within five days of entering a new county or when changing their address. They must provide fingerprints, DNA, social security numbers and contact information. The Ohio Attorney General's Office maintains the database, but information is entered by local sheriffs, who handle registration and notification. Email alerts can be set up for notification when offenders move into specified areas. Violations for failing to register or update information depend on the seriousness of the original crime. ___ OFFENSE LEVELS Ohio currently has a three-level registration system. Tier I offenders, convicted of crimes like sexual contact with minors, voyeurism or promoting prostitution, must register annually for 15 years. Tier II offenders, convicted of crimes like kidnapping with sexual motivation or use of a minor in nudity-oriented material like photos, must register every six months for 25 years. The most serious level, Tier III, for crimes such as rape, sexual battery and murder with a sexual motivation, requires lifetime registration every three months. ___ EFFECTIVENESS Results are mixed on whether the registries reduce the rates at which sex offenders commit new crimes. A 2000 study found no significant difference in the rates between individuals in the databases and individuals before they were entered into a database. Last month, federal appeals court judge Alice Batchelder said there is "scant" evidence that Michigan's sex offender registry law accomplishes goals such as reducing recidivism. A 2005 study, however, found a nearly 70 percent reduction in the so-called recidivism rate of offenders forced to register and be subject to notification requirements. n this Sept. 2, 2016, Brock Turner leaves the Santa Clara County Main Jail in San Jose, Calif. When the former Stanford University swimmer registered as a sex offender in Xenia, Ohio, Sept. 6, 2016, he joined a nationwide legion of criminals that has grown dramatically in recent years and now numbers more than 800,000. As registration has expanded along with the definition of sex crimes, so have legal challenges to a one-size-fits-all punishment that can treat a one-time peeping tom the same as a serial rapist. (Dan Honda/Bay Area News Group via AP, file) An unfinished nuclear power plant that took the U.S. government 40 years and $5 billion to build in Alabama is going up for sale at a fraction of the cost. The Tennessee Valley Authority has set a minimum bid of $36.4 million for the Bellefonte Nuclear Plant. Included in the sale it the 1,600 surrounding acres of waterfront property on the Tennessee River. The buyer gets two unfinished nuclear reactors, transmission lines, office and warehouse buildings, eight miles of roads, a 1,000-space parking lot and more. The Tennessee Valley Authority has set a minimum bid of $36.4 million for the Bellefonte Nuclear Plant (pictured), which cost $5 billion to build The plant, which is located in northeastern Alabama, is unfinished and was put up for sale after years of stop and start construction Initial bids are due Monday, and at least one company has publicly expressed interest in the site with plans to use it for alternative energy production. But TVA says it isn't particular about what the purchaser does using the site for power production, industrial manufacturing, recreation or even residences would all be fine with the agency, said spokesman Scott Fiedler. 'It's all about jobs and investment, and that's our primary goal for selling this property,' said Fielder. TVA hopes to close the deal in October. Initial bids are due on Monday, and one company has publicly expressed interest in the site TVA says it isn't particular about what the purchaser does with the property and can use it for power production, industrial manufacturing, recreation or even residences The sale is bittersweet for site manager Jim Chardos, who went to work at Bellefonte in 1994 expecting it to be finished as a nuclear power plant. All these years later, he commutes 90 minutes each way to work to oversee a plant that has never been stocked with radioactive fuel or used either of its reactors to generate a single watt of electricity. Work began at Bellefonte in the mid-'70s on the backside of the nuclear energy boom in the United States, Chardos said. The utility initially planned to construct four reactors at the site, but demand for power in the region never met those early expectations and work halted in 1988. A series of starts and stops preceded TVA's decision earlier this year to sell Bellefonte. The buyer gets two unfinished nuclear reactors, transmission lines, office and warehouse buildings, eight miles of roads, a 1,000-space parking lot and more The Nevada-based Phoenix Energy has said it will offer $38 million for Bellefonte in hopes of using it for a new, non-nuclear technology to generate power 'If you're going to make 1,200 megawatts you need to sell it to somebody, and if there's no need for it you're not going to finish,' he said. 'And that's really what's happened.' Sales of U.S. nuclear plants aren't all that unusual; the Nuclear Energy Institute, an industry group, says at least 30 units have been sold in part or whole since 1999. The potential sale of Bellefonte is creating hope in a region where residents gave up long ago on the promise of thousands of good-paying, permanent jobs once expected at the plant. 'It was a great thing but then they just pulled the plug and left out, you know,' said Hollywood Mayor Frank 'Buster' Duke, who worked at Bellefonte about a decade before moving on. The sale is bittersweet for site manager Jim Chardos (pictured), who went to work at Bellefonte in 1994 expecting it to be finished as a nuclear power plant The potential sale of Bellefonte is creating hope in a region where residents had given up on the promise of thousands of good-paying, permanent jobs once expected at the plant Today, he said, the 1,000 or so residents of his town need a place to work whether TVA or some other entity owns the property. 'It would help the area as far as land values go. Population would improve, businesses would come in,' he said. The Nevada-based Phoenix Energy has said it will offer $38 million for Bellefonte in hopes of using it for a new, non-nuclear technology to generate power. The company says its system uses electromagnetic induction energy fields to heat water indirectly and produce steam that would turn turbines and generate electricity at Bellefonte. Chardos said he would still like to see the site used to generate electricity by nuclear power, but he can't be too picky. 'It's all about the jobs,' he said. 5 wounded when shots fired into crowd at Michigan party KOCHVILLE TOWNSHIP, Mich. (AP) Authorities say at least five people were hurt after shots were fired into a crowd at a party near Saginaw Valley State University in central Michigan. Saginaw County sheriff's officials say the people were treated at hospitals and that their injuries aren't considered life-threatening. They say the victims attending the large party early Sunday in a Kochville Township apartment and town house complex were not university students. Investigators are searching for two suspects. Catalonia separatist leader urges binding independence vote MADRID (AP) The leader of Spain's powerful northeastern region of Catalonia has said he plans to propose a government-approved binding independence referendum to secede from Spain by next year. Catalonia's separatist leader, Carles Puigdemont, spoke Saturday at a news conference before celebrations of the Catalan National Day holiday, which separatists have used for years to rally hundreds of thousands in support of a new European nation. Around 1.6 million people voted in favor of secession in a non-binding vote held in 2014. Most of the region's 5.4 million eligible voters didn't participate. People wave 'estelada' flags, that symbolize Catalonia's independence, during a demonstration calling for the independence of Catalonia, in Barcelona, Spain, Sunday, Sept. 11, 2016. Thousands of people demonstrated in Barcelona to call for the creation of a new Mediterranean nation, as they celebrate the Catalan National Day holiday. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez) Polls show most Catalans support a referendum on independence, but are roughly divided over splitting from Spain. Acting Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, his conservative Popular Party and two more of Spain's main political parties oppose a Catalonian state. Overwatering jeopardizes Lima's beloved 400-year olive trees LIMA, Peru (AP) Four centuries ago the Count of San Isidro planted nearly 2,000 olive trees from his native Spain in a sprawling grove on the edges of Lima, the capital of colonial Peru. Perfectly suited to the arid climate, the olive trees thrived as the city grew around them. Their twisting, knobby trunks and shady leaves became the centerpiece of a park named for them El Olivar that's a magnet for lovers, exercise enthusiasts and children on school field trips. However, in a feat of poor planning, officials surrounded the trees with a 25-acre (10-hectare) carpet of crabgrass that every week receives more than 2 million gallons (9,000 cubic meters) of water, practically drowning the 1,700 trees. In this Aug. 28, 2016 photo, a group of friends check their camera in El Olivar park, in Lima, Peru. An excess of water keeping El Olivar green is killing an ancient grove of olive trees planted by Spanish conquerors some four centuries ago. Perfectly suited to the arid climate, the olive trees thrived as the city grew around them. However, in a feat of poor planning, officials surrounded the trees with a carpet of crabgrass that every week receives several million gallons of water, practically drowning the 1,700 trees. (AP Photo/Martin Mejia) After nearly a century of overwatering, many of the slow-growing trees are at risk of dying. Eleven have exposed roots and are in danger of falling, as one did in 2014. The problem is drawing attention to how residents and city planners waste scarce water resources ornamenting Lima with lush parks unsuited to the capital's dry environment. "Lima was built atop a desert," Maureen Vilca, a teacher at a private Catholic school, reminded her students as they sat under the trees on a recent school day. The district of San Isidro, Lima's wealthiest and best-organized, is looking for ways to urgently fix a problem created by previous administrations. Under consideration are plans to substitute the current grass for a less thirsty species, or using targeted irrigation techniques to prevent overwatering. Under normal conditions the trees could live more than 1,000 years, said Fernando de la Vega, who oversees San Isidro's parks. Salustio Pomacondor, a forestry expert, said the lack of water planning is endemic to Lima. He cited as an example a 6-mile stretch of parks along El Malecon, which overlooks the Pacific Ocean and which the city spent years improving without much consideration for the constant watering that such immaculate landscaping requires. Another example of the focus on aesthetics over utility is the preference on downtown sidewalks for willows, a tree usually found next to rivers and which requires 40 gallons (150 liters) of water each week. Pomacondor said the majority of Lima's 9 million residents have little notion of how scarce a resource water is in the capital despite the fact that annual rainfall rarely exceeds a third of an inch (9 millimeters.) While an estimated 700,000 residents have no access to running water, the rest consume an average of 66 gallons (250 liters) a day, more than their counterparts in other Andean capitals such as Bogota, Quito or La Paz. "Everyone plants whatever they feel like," he said. ___ Franklin Briceno is on Twitter at https://twitter.com/franklinbriceno . His work can also be read at http://bigstory.ap.org/author/franklin-briceno In this Aug. 28, 2016 photo, a group of students rest in El Olivar park in Lima, Peru. Four centuries ago the Count of San Isidro planted nearly 2,000 olive trees from his native Spain in the sprawling grove on the edges of Lima, Perfectly suited to the arid climate, the olive trees thrived as the city grew around them. Their twisting knobby trunks and shady leaves became the centerpiece of a park named for them, El Olivar, that's a magnet for lovers, exercise enthusiasts and children on school field trips. (AP Photo/Martin Mejia) Joost Luiten of the Netherlands wins KLM Open for 2nd time SPIJK, Netherlands (AP) Joost Luiten of the Netherlands shot a final round 63 Sunday to finish at 19 under and win the KLM Open for the second time in his career. It was the fifth European Tour victory for Luiten, who also won the 2013 KLM Open. Luiten shot 10 birdies and two bogies on the final day at The Dutch course, which hosted the tournament for the first time. He finished three clear of Bernd Wiesberger of Austria, who shot 6-under to finish second on 16 under. Clinton recovering after health episode, cancels Calif. trip NEW YORK (AP) An ill Hillary Clinton abruptly left a 9/11 anniversary ceremony Sunday and needed to be held up by three people before she appeared to stumble off a curb and was helped into a van. Several hours later, her campaign revealed she had been diagnosed with pneumonia on Friday and advised to rest. Less than two months from Election Day, it was an unwanted visual for Clinton as she tries to project the strength and vigor needed for one of the world's most demanding jobs. Republican rival Donald Trump has spent months questioning Clinton's health, saying she lacks the stamina to be president. In a statement, Clinton's doctor said the former secretary of state had become overheated and dehydrated at the event in lower Manhattan. "I have just examined her and she is now rehydrated and recovering nicely," Dr. Lisa R. Bardack said. Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton waves after leaving an apartment building Sunday, Sept. 11, 2016, in New York. Clinton's campaign said the Democratic presidential nominee left the 9/11 anniversary ceremony in New York early after feeling "overheated." (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) The physician said Clinton has had an allergy-related cough, and that during a follow-up examination Friday, the candidate was diagnosed with pneumonia, put on antibiotics, advised to rest and modify her schedule. Clinton's departure from the event was not witnessed by the reporters who travel with her campaign and aides provided no information about why she left or her whereabouts for nearly two hours. Spokesman Nick Merrill eventually said Clinton had gone to her daughter's nearby apartment, but refused to say whether the former secretary of state had required medical attention. Clinton exited the apartment on her own shortly before noon. She waved to reporters and said, "I'm feeling great. It's a beautiful day in New York." In the meantime, a video surfaced on Twitter that showed Clinton being held up by aides as a black van pulls up. She stumbles and appears to fall off the curb as she is helped inside. After leaving her daughter's, Clinton was driven to her home in Chappaqua, New York, and made no public appearances. She later called off plans to fly to California on Monday morning for two days of fundraising, campaign events and an appearance on Ellen DeGeneres' talk show. Trump, who attended the same event marking the 15th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, was noticeably restrained. Asked by a reporter about Clinton's health incident, Trump said, "I don't know anything." The incident compounds an already difficult stretch for Clinton as the presidential race enters its final stretch. Despite Trump's numerous missteps, the race remains close and many Americans view Clinton as dishonest and untrustworthy. On Friday, Clinton told donors that "half" of rival Donald Trump's supporters are in a "basket of deplorables" a comment that drew sharp criticism from Republicans. Clinton later said she regretted applying that description to "half" of Trump's backers, but stuck by her assertion that the GOP nominee has given a platform to "hateful views and voices." Now Clinton is sure to face new questions about whether she's physically fit for the presidency. Trump and his supporters have been hinting at potential health issues for months, questioning Clinton's stamina when she takes routine days off the campaign trail and reviving questions about a concussion she sustained in December 2012 after fainting. Her doctor attributed that episode to a stomach virus and dehydration. Clinton's doctor reported she is fully recovered from the concussion, which led to temporary double vision and discovery of a blood clot in a vein in the space between her brain and skull. Clinton also has experienced deep vein thrombosis, a clot usually in the leg, and takes the blood thinner Coumadin to prevent new clots. Clinton spent about 90 minutes at the 9/11 event Sunday, standing alongside numerous other dignitaries, including New York's Democratic senators, Chuck Schumer and Kirstin Gillibrand. The weather was warm and humid in New York on Sunday, and there was a breeze at the crowded memorial plaza during the ceremony. Rep. Joe Crowley, D-N.Y., said he spent time before the ceremony chatting with Clinton and watching her sign autographs and take pictures. He said he was standing behind her during the remembrance and "she did not seem out of the ordinary at all." "It was stiflingly hot. I was sweating through my shirt," Crowley said. "I had to leave myself. I drank about a gallon of water." Schumer said he also spoke with Clinton during the event and saw her leave "on her own accord."? Trump's personal physician has said the Republican presidential nominee is in excellent health both physically and mentally. But the 70-year-old has refused to release his own health records. Dr. Harold Bornstein's report last December remains the only medical information released so far by the Trump campaign. Bornstein told NBC News he needed just five minutes to write a glowing public assessment of Trump's health as a limousine waited to carry the letter back to Trump. ___ Pace reported from Washington. Associated Press writers Tom Hays and Michael Balsamo in New York, and AP writer Laurie Kellman in Washington contributed to this report. ___ Follow Lisa Lerer on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/llerer and Julie Pace at http://twitter.com/jpaceDC ___ This story has been corrected to reflect that Clinton said 'basket of deplorables,' not 'bucket of deplorables' in reference to 'half' of Trump's supporters. Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton walks from from her daughter's apartment building Sunday, Sept. 11, 2016, in New York. Clinton unexpectedly left Sunday's 9/11 anniversary ceremony in New York after feeling "overheated," according to her campaign. (AP Photo/Craig Ruttle) Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton walks from her daughter's apartment building Sunday, Sept. 11, 2016, in New York. Clinton unexpectedly left Sunday's 9/11 anniversary ceremony in New York after feeling "overheated," according to her campaign. (AP Photo/Craig Ruttle) Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton gets into a van as she leaves an apartment building Sunday, Sept. 11, 2016, in New York. Clinton's campaign said the Democratic presidential nominee left the 9/11 anniversary ceremony in New York early after feeling "overheated." (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) Bill would make site where Civil War began a national park CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) U.S. Sen. Tim Scott, the first black U.S. senator from the deep South since Reconstruction, is proposing that the site where the Civil War began be raised in status to that of a national park. The Republican lawmaker has introduced a bill creating the Fort Sumter and Fort Moultrie National Park as the nation's 60th national park and second in South Carolina. Fort Sumter, on Charleston Harbor, was bombarded by Confederate guns on April 12, 1861, in a fight that started four years of civil war. Guests arrive at the visitor center at the Fort Sumter National Monument in Charleston, S.C. on Friday, Sept. 9, 2016. U.S. Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., has introduced a bill in the Senate to designate Fort Sumter and nearby Fort Moultrie as a national park, raising the status of the sites in a move that is expected to attract more visitors. Fort Sumter is where the opening shots of the Civil War were fired in 1861. (AP Photo/Bruce Smith) Moultrie, located on nearby Sullivans Island, is where American patriots turned back a British fleet trying to capture Charleston days before the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Both forts are part of the Fort Sumter National Monument, one of 84 national monuments among 413 sites administered by the National Park Service. Scott says a national park designation will give the forts a higher profile among the array of other national park properties and should mean more visitors to sites that now draw about 1 million visitors a year. "What we hope to do is bring more attention," Scott said. "People know the first shots of the Civil War but they don't necessarily know the history dating back to the first years of our country and the significance Fort Moultrie played." It's not the first effort to create a national park at the sites. Similar legislation was introduced by the late U.S. Sen. Strom Thurmond, a fellow Republican but a one-time staunch segregationist, in 2002. That bill died in committee. Scott said he hasn't give much thought to the significance of a black man working to raise the status of an iconic Civil War site. "South Carolina has a provocative history," the former congressman said. "Perhaps part of that history is me representing in Congress the site where the Civil War began and now as a senator hopefully making it into a park." He said the bill "resonates on both sides of the aisle and frankly I think it will resonate throughout the nation" and hopes it can pass this year. Tim Stone, the superintendent of the Fort Sumter National Monument, said a national park designation won't expand the park or mean more budget money. "It just raises the profile and stature," he said. "It gives the importance of Fort Sumter and Fort Moultrie and their role in American history their proper due." He said status as a national park is important because many people plan their travels around visiting national parks. If you search online for national parks in South Carolina, the only thing that comes up is Congaree National Park near Columbia, he said. Jim Thompson, director of Fort Sumter-Fort Moultrie Historic Trust, a nonprofit that helps support projects at the forts, is pleased a new park would have Moultrie in the name. The fort was only partially finished when troops under Col. William Moultrie turned back a British fleet on June 28, 1776, six days before the signing of the Declaration of Independence. "Word got back to Philadelphia which gave courage to some of those who were on the fence to go ahead and sign the Declaration of Independence," Thompson said. Visitors look at a display at the visitor center at the Fort Sumter National Monument in Charleston, S.C. on Friday, Sept. 9, 2016. U.S. Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., has introduced a bill in the Senate to designate Fort Sumter and nearby Fort Moultrie as a national park, raising the status of the sites in a move that is expected to attract more visitors. Fort Sumter is where the opening shots of the Civil War were fired in 1861. (AP Photo/Bruce Smith) A pleasure boat motors past Fort Sumter in this Friday, Sept. 9, 2016, photograph taken from the beach on Sullivans Island, S.C. U.S. Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., has introduced a bill in the Senate to designate Fort Sumter, which is in Charleston Harbor, and Fort Moultrie, on Sullivans Island, as a national park, raising the status of the sites in a move that is expected to attract more visitors. Fort Sumter is where the opening shots of the Civil War were fired in 1861. (AP Photo/Bruce Smith) Bach defends decision to miss Paralympics opening ZAGREB, Croatia (AP) International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach is quoted as saying his absence from the opening of the Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro has nothing to do with the charges brought by Brazilian prosecutors against another high-ranking IOC official. Olympic Council of Ireland President Patrick Hickey is among ten people facing charges of ticket scalping, conspiracy and ambush marketing related to last month's Olympics. Police investigators have said they wanted to speak with Bach about email exchanges he had with Hickey related to Ireland's ticket allocation. Bach, who traveled to Zagreb, Croatia, this week, said he missed the ceremony to attend the funeral in Germany for former West Germany president Walter Scheel. In comments translated into Croatian and published on the Croatian Olympic Committee website, Bach also said he didn't want to cancel a visit to the country for the second time in just three months. He missed the International Skating Union Congress in Dubrovnik in June to attend the funeral of Muhammad Ali. "Choosing between the trip to Rio and the funeral of a close friend whom I had known for more than forty years, the human reasons prevailed," Bach was quoted as saying. Jails, prisons still trying to meet federal anti-rape rules HOUSTON (AP) Miguel Moll knew the risk of rape when he was thrown into a Texas jail in 1989 after joyriding in a stolen car. Then 17, he was placed in a holding pen in Houston, and an older inmate said of the teenager, "I got this one." The comment sparked the first of many fights Moll had while behind bars. "The mentality you have to develop very quickly is either that of a wolf or that of a lamb," he recalled. Miguel Moll, left, hands out snacks to children arriving to an after school program at an apartment complex, Friday, Sept. 2, 2016, in Fort Worth, Texas. Moll knew the risk of rape when he was thrown into a Texas jail in 1989 after joyriding in a stolen car. A generation later, the federal government has adopted guidelines intended to prevent prison rape in part by separating young offenders from adult inmates. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez) A generation later, the federal government has adopted guidelines intended to prevent prison rape in part by separating young offenders from adult inmates. But four years after the rules were supposed to take effect, they are proving difficult to adopt in the nation's crowded jails and penitentiaries. Since 2012, states have been working to meet the standards set forth by the Prison Rape Elimination Act, or PREA, which was partially inspired by the 1996 death of Rodney Hulin, an undersized 17-year-old inmate who hanged himself in Texas after his requests for help following repeated rapes by adult inmates were denied. Texas sheriff's offices say separating the two populations has been a challenge because of overcrowding and steep financial costs. "It's a big logistical headache," Brazos County Sheriff Chris Kirk said. The law was also supposed to provide for better staff training, improved reporting and investigation of all sexual assaults behind bars and more money for research. In 2011-12, an estimated 4 percent of state and federal inmates and 3.2 percent of jail inmates reported experiencing one or more incidents of sexual victimization by another inmate or facility staff, according to the Justice Department. The rape-prevention law "is a valuable and important act, and we take it very seriously," said Ryan Sullivan, a spokesman for the Harris County Sheriff's Office, which has about 150 youth offenders at its jail in Houston. The facility holds more than 9,000 inmates. The Harris County Jail was cited in a May audit for not housing 17-year-old offenders apart from adult inmates. Elsewhere in Texas, Dallas County is spending more than $11,000 per week to keep at least 60 juveniles separated from adults at its jail complex. Like Moll, Art Medina was incarcerated at 17 in Texas. He was later sentenced to life in prison in 1985 for his role in a fatal Houston-area carjacking and spent 15 years in solitary confinement after seriously wounding an inmate who threatened to rape him. He was paroled after serving a total of 26 years. Now in their 40s, both men have returned to the prison system as volunteers to help adopt the PREA standards. Medina said in the past inmates felt like "nobody cares about them." "That culture has changed. People are being held accountable," he said. The nation's 7,600-plus prisons, jails, community-based facilities and juvenile detention centers are being checked on their compliance with the law. So far, only 12 states are in full compliance, according to the Justice Department. Thirty-six other states say they are working to comply. Still, the department said in an email that it is sees "evidence of a very substantial effort nationwide" to satisfy the new standards. The age separation has been especially complicated in states such as Texas that prosecute 17-year-olds as adults. Advocates say some facilities still question whether the federal mandate applies to them. In many jurisdictions, one of the biggest barriers is summoning the political will to make changes, said Brenda Smith, who was a member of the National Prison Rape Elimination Commission, which helped develop the standards. States that do not comply face losing 5 percent of their federal prison grants. County jails and local lockups are usually not included in the determination of whether a state is in compliance. Locally run facilities have no risk of losing federal money unless that funding is directly tied to a state contract for jail services. Smith, a law professor at American University in Washington, D.C., said that means local authorities can only be held accountable by public criticism or lawsuits. In Michigan, the prison system faces federal and state lawsuits filed by prisoners who allege officials failed to adequately separate offenders ages 14 to 17 from adults, resulting in sexual assaults. A Wisconsin legislative report concluded in July that the state's prison system was not splitting up the age groups. And an American Civil Liberties Union survey in North Carolina in 2014 found that none of the 60-plus county jails that responded appeared to be in complete compliance. Those findings have renewed calls for the states that prosecute 17-year-olds as adults to raise their age of adult criminal responsibility to 18. Those states include Texas, Michigan and North Carolina. Sullivan, Kirk and other Texas jail officials say they would be in favor of raising the age. Efforts to raise the age failed in the last legislative session in Texas, but advocates plan to try again next year, said Elizabeth Henneke, policy attorney with the Texas Criminal Justice Coalition. ___ Follow Juan A. Lozano on Twitter at https://twitter.com/juanlozano70 Miguel Moll plays a board game with Heaven Watkins, left, Rialey Mims, center, and another child, front, as he watches over them at an after school program at an apartment complex, Friday, Sept. 2, 2016, in Fort Worth, Texas. Miguel Moll knew the risk of rape when he was thrown into a Texas jail in 1989 after joyriding in a stolen car. A generation later, the federal government has adopted guidelines intended to prevent prison rape in part by separating young offenders from adult inmates. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez) Miguel Moll untangles a set of toys for Jonah Smith, left, Moll's son Miguel Moll V, center, and and Victoria Carter, right, as he watches over them at an after school program at an apartment complex, Friday, Sept. 2, 2016, in Fort Worth, Texas. Miguel Moll knew the risk of rape when he was thrown into a Texas jail in 1989 after joyriding in a stolen car. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez) Speed boat crash in Massachusetts leaves 1 dead, 1 critical TAUNTON, Mass. (AP) Authorities say three speed boats collided during a race on a Massachusetts lake, leaving one driver dead and two others injured. The Bristol County District Attorney's office says the collision happened Saturday afternoon during the Bill Giles Memorial Regatta on Watson Pond in Taunton. Taunton Fire Chief Timothy Bradshaw said in a statement that one speed boat spun out traveling 65 mph, causing a pileup. He said all three drivers were thrown from their boats. One on the racers goes airborne during a fatal crash Saturday, Sept. 10, 2016, during the Bill Giles Memorial Regatta on Watson Pond in Taunton, Mass. Authorities said multiple speed boats collided during the race. (Mike Gay/The Daily Gazette via AP) The Bristol County DA's office says a 39-year-old New Hampshire man died at the scene. A second boater, a 67-year-old man from Maine, was rushed to Rhode Island Hospital in critical condition, and a 72-year-old Maine man was treated for minor injuries. Their names were not immediately released. The crash is under investigation. One of the boats involved in a fatal crash is brought to shore Saturday, Sept. 10, 2016, during the Bill Giles Memorial Regatta on Watson Pond in Taunton, Mass. Authorities said multiple speed boats collided during the race. (Mike Gay/The Daily Gazette via AP) Dakota flute-maker, player earns nation's highest folk honor SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) There was a time when Bryan Akipa knew nothing of flutes. But that was long ago, before the budding artist stumbled across a wooden mallard-head flute in the studio of his mentor, sparking a fascination that led to a career in both making and playing the distinctive Dakota flutes. Now Akipa, a member of the Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate Tribe, is a recipient of the nation's highest honor in the folk and traditional arts, the National Heritage Fellowship, which is awarded by the National Endowment for the Arts. Akipa, who will be recognized later this month during a ceremony in Washington, told The Associated Press that he had to read up about the award when he got the surprise call notifying him he had earned it. "On Facebook, my daughter put it on her page, and I think she got the most likes. I put it on mine, but I got a few likes," Akipa said. "Everyone congratulating me is really special, especially since it's for the traditional flute." This undated photo provided by Michael Wolforth shows Dakota flute maker and player Bryan Akipa in Rapid City, S.D. Akipa, a member of the Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate tribe, is one of the recipients of the 2016 National Endowment for the Arts National Heritage Fellowship. (Michael Wolforth via AP) Akipa, 59, carved his first flute in 1975 from red cedar using a pocketknife, without knowing that it would lead to a career in music. After taking a break to serve in the Army and to finish college, Akipa became a teacher and began playing the flute for his students, as well as in different venues during the summer as a way to supplement his income. He produced his first CD in 1993, and he has since earned a Grammy nomination and won several Native American Music Awards. Akipa stressed that every flute he sells is made entirely by hand. He said he sometimes even travels from his northeastern South Dakota community of Sisseton to northern Minnesota in search of wood. "I've never mass-produced them," said Akipa, who doesn't track the number of flutes he has carved. "There are flute-makers that could make 2,000 flutes a year. They have laser technology (and) computers; they don't even touch the wood." Russell Eagle Bear, a historic preservation officer for the Rosebud Sioux Tribe, said the flutes were traditionally used in courting and social gatherings. He said the art of flute-making was kept alive by only a few people for several years, but that it has had a comeback over the past three decades. Akipa has taught flute-making classes in an effort to keep the tradition alive. He said he plans to use the $25,000 that comes with the fellowship to boost his career, which he had to pause to care for relatives. He wants to buy recording software and a new microphone to release a couple more albums. South Dakota's U.S. Sen. John Thune, who broke the good news to Akipa, said the artist's talent and dedication to his work, as well as the historical and cultural significance it represents, "gives South Dakotans, especially members of the Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate, a lot for which we can be proud." "With this honor, which has only been given to 404 individuals or groups since it was created more than 30 years ago, he'll receive the national recognition he deserves and join the ranks of past recipients like B.B. King and Bill Monroe, just to name a few," Thune said. ___ Follow Regina Garcia Cano on Twitter at https://twitter.com/reginagarciakNO CIA Director John Brennan warns of Russian hacking WASHINGTON (AP) CIA Director John Brennan warned on Sunday that Russia has "exceptionally capable and sophisticated" computer capabilities and that the U.S. must be on guard. When asked in a television interview whether Russia is trying to manipulate the American presidential election, Brennan didn't say. But he noted that the FBI is investigating the hacking of Democratic National Committee emails, and he cited Moscow's aggressive intelligence collection and its focus on high-tech snooping. "I think that we have to be very, very wary of what the Russians might be trying to do in terms of collecting information in a cyber realm, as well as what they might want to do with it," he told CBS' "Face the Nation" on the 15th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks. FILE - In this Sept. 7, 2016 file photo, Russian President Vladimir Putin holds the Cabinet meeting in Moscow's Kremlin, Russia. Recent hacks of election data systems in at least two states have raised fear among lawmakers and intelligence officials that a foreign government is trying to seed doubt about - or even manipulate - the presidential race, renewing debate over when cyberattacks cross red lines and warrant a U.S. response. (Mikhail Klimentyev/Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP, File) On the terrorism threat, Brennan said the U.S. government is much better now at sharing information. He praised Saudi Arabia as "a good example of how foreign intelligence services can work against these terrorist organizations." On Friday, Congress sent President Barack Obama a bipartisan bill that would allow families of Sept. 11 victims to sue the government of Saudi Arabia. Fifteen of the 19 hijackers from Sept. 11 were Saudi nationals. The Obama administration has said that if U.S. citizens can take the Saudis to court, then a foreign country could in turn sue the United States. The White House has indicated Obama would veto the measure because of the potential for it to backfire and because of apprehension about undermining a longstanding yet strained relationship with a critical U.S. ally in the Middle East. Also in the interview, Brennan: defended the work of U.S. drones in combating threats. He said drones were "exceptionally powerful and capable means of taking kinetic actions against terrorists when that is called for." Egyptian adviser to murdered Italian student's family freed CAIRO (AP) An Egyptian court has released from detention a rights activist who had worked as a legal consultant to the family of Italian student Giulio Regeni who was tortured to death in Cairo this year, defense lawyers said Sunday. Ahmed Abdullah, head of the Egyptian Commission for Rights and Freedoms, an NGO, was arrested in April, ostensibly as part of a government crackdown on protesters campaigning against Egypt's intention to turn over two Red Sea islands to Saudi Arabia. The court released Abdullah on bail Saturday, according to the lawyers. Charges against Abdullah, including inciting violence and attempting to overthrow the government, have not been dropped. His release came one day after Egypt's top prosecutor, Nabil Sadek, publicly acknowledged for the first time that Regeni was investigated by police less than three weeks before he disappeared on Jan. 25. His body, bearing marks of severe torture, was found on the side of a highway just west of Cairo on Feb. 3. It was not immediately clear whether Abdullah's release was linked in any way to two days of talks on Regeni's case held in Rome last week between Sadek and Italian officials. Regeni's family said in April it was distraught over Abdullah's arrest. Sadek's revelation was the first time any Egyptian official publicly acknowledged that the 28-year-old doctoral student was a subject of interest to police, who have long been accused of abuse and torture. Egyptian officials, including President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, have consistently denied any police role in the murder of Regeni. However the fact that it took the country's top prosecutor nearly eight months to acknowledge that police had a prior interest in him seems certain to fuel suspicions that Cairo has concealed essential facts of the case. The issue has roiled relations with one of Cairo's closest western allies and its largest trade partner in the EU. El-Sissi promised in an interview with the Italian daily La Repubblica in March that investigators will work "night and day" to identify and prosecute those responsible for Regeni's torture and death. La Repubblica said that during the two-hour interview, el-Sissi never once directly responded to questions about who might have been responsible. Sadek, in a joint statement issued at the end of his talks in Rome, also cast doubt on the Egyptian Interior Ministry's account implying that a criminal gang was responsible for Regeni's death. In March, police announced that five members of a gang had been killed and that some of Regeni's personal belongings were found at the home of the sister of the gang leader. Italian authorities and Regeni's family immediately cast doubt on that story. The joint statement by Sadek and Italian officials said the case would continue to be investigated but added that there are "weak doubts in regards to the connection" between Regeni's death and the alleged gang members. The statement prompted calls by social media activists in Egypt to prosecute all those involved in the death of the alleged gang members, describing their death as cold-blooded murder committed simply to create a cover story. "What is important here now is that there should be a serious political will to hold the Interior Ministry accountable," a front-page article in the independent daily al-Maqal said. "The restructuring of the Interior Ministry has become a necessity, if not for the protection of human lives, then at least out of concern for Egypt's foreign relations." Prominent rights activist Gamal Eid said Sadek's revelation about the police investigation of Regeni eats into the trust and confidence in Egypt's security agencies. Director Oliver Stone to discuss 'Snowden' at Harvard school CAMBRIDGE, Mass. (AP) Academy Award-winning director Oliver Stone will talk about his new film, "Snowden," at the Harvard Kennedy School. The movie is set to be released in theaters Friday. It stars Joseph Gordon-Levitt as former CIA employee Edward Snowden, who in 2013 leaked classified information from the National Security Agency to the media, revealing global surveillance programs. He then fled to Russia, where he got asylum. Stone is set to talk about the film Monday evening with Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and author Ron Suskind. Gunmen kill woman, 5-year-old boy in Niger refugee camp NIAMEY, Niger (AP) A spokesman for the U.N. refugee agency says that a woman and a 5-year-old boy were killed when unidentified gunmen attacked a security post near a refugee camp in Niger. Benoit Moreno says the victims of Saturday night's attack were refugees at the Tabarey-barey camp, which houses around 10,000 refugees from Mali. Moreno said five other civilians were hospitalized with injuries and one Niger soldier was also wounded. He said that the civilians were caught in crossfire between soldiers and the gunmen and didn't appear to have been targeted. Mexicans march for gay marriage, day after opponents rally MEXICO CITY (AP) Hundreds of gay and lesbian rights supporters marched to Mexico City's Metropolitan Cathedral to support same-sex marriage Sunday, one day after thousands marched against it. Sunday's demonstrators carried a banner reading "We are families too" and placards reading "I respect your family, respect mine." A day earlier, marches were held in several Mexican cities opposing same-sex marriage. White-clad demonstrators Saturday chanted "Children need a father and a mother!" and "Wake up and defend the family." Demonstrators carry a rainbow flag during a gay rights march in Mexico City, Sunday, Sept. 11, 2016. Hundreds of gay and lesbian rights supporters marched to Mexico City's Metropolitan Cathedral to support gay marriage. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo) In May, President Enrique Pena Nieto proposed legalizing same-sex marriage nationwide. It is currently legal only in some places such as Mexico City, the northern state of Coahuila and Quintana Roo state on the Caribbean coast. Pena Nieto's party suffered losses in midterm elections in June and has largely sat on the initiative since then. A man shouts slogans as he takes part of a gay rights march in Mexico City, Sunday, Sept. 11, 2016. Hundreds of gay and lesbian rights supporters marched to Mexico City's Metropolitan Cathedral to support gay marriage. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo) Police: Man shot after asking if bulletproof vest works TAMPA, Fla. (AP) Police say a Florida man asking if a bulletproof vest "still worked" was fatally shot by his cousin. A Tampa Police report says 23-year-old Joaquin Mendez put on the vest late Saturday and "wondered aloud whether it still worked." Police say his cousin, 24-year-old Alexandro Garibaldi, pulled out a gun and responded, "Let's see." Officers found Mendez outside the house with a gunshot wound in his chest. Mendez died at a hospital. According to the report, Garibaldi initially told officers he found his wounded cousin after hearing a gunshot. However, police say a witness described Garibaldi shooting Mendez. Police say the vest was found inside the house with a gunshot. Eddie Antar, who turned the Crazy Eddie electronics stores into a retail giant before it collapsed amid federal fraud charges, has died at age 68. The Bloomfield-Cooper funeral home in Ocean Township, New Jersey, confirmed Sunday that Antar died Saturday. A cause of death wasn't disclosed. Antar had five children - four daughters and a son. Antar was born on December 18, 1947 and lived in Brooklyn where he first established his Crazy Eddie chain, founded in 1969. Eddie Antar (pictured, center), who owned retail chain Crazy Eddie electronics and served seven years in federal prison for fraud, has died in his New Jersey home. He was 68 years old Crazy Eddie was known for its commercials featuring a manic sales man and eventually grew to have 43 locations from Boston to Philadelphia It became the largest consumer electronics chain in the New York City region as the rise of the VCR began. The chain eventually grew to have 43 locations from Boston to Philadelphia. One of the reasons the chain became so popular was its memorable advertisments that featured a maniacal pitchman who touted 'Our prices are insane!' Many people falsely believed the man in the commercials was Antar himself, according to the New York Times. The ads were later lampooned on a variety of TV shows including 'Saturday Night Live' and 'Futurama'. In the early 1980s the company went public at $8 a share and two years later had skyrocketed to $79 a share. The company reported annual sales of more than $350 million. However, this was not true and in 1987 stockholders staged a takeover of the company, the Times reported. After two weeks they discovered $45 million worth of products were missing and federal prosecutors began to build a case against Antar. They asserted that he had defrauded his shareholders by manipulating his stock. In 1990, Antar fled to Israel after being indicted on securities fraud and insider trading charges He and two of his brothers were eventually charged with inflating the value of his company. In 1990, Antar fled to Israel after being indicted on securities fraud and insider trading charges. Antar was extradited to the United States in 1993. The company's chief financial officer Sam E. Antar, who was Antar's cousin, testified against Antar after pleading guilty to fraud charges, according to the Times. Antar (right) was extradited to the United States in 1993 and took a plea bargain, which caused him to serve seven years in federal prison Sam E. Antar explained how the company inflated its sales figures. His involvement in the case led to him becoming a government consultant on accounting fraud, the Times reported. Antar took a plea bargain and pleaded guilty to one charge of racketeering conspiracy. He served seven years in federal prison. In 2001, Antar attempted to re-launch Crazy Eddie as an internet company but the efforts proved fruitless. A collaborator in the Crazy Eddie commercials, Larry Weiss, remembered Antar as a man with many sides. 'He was a character. He was very charming, charismatic, very powerful, very decisive. He was an incredible leader. Jeremy Corbyn's opponents could return to shadow cabinet, say allies Critics of Jeremy Corbyn could be welcomed back into the shadow cabinet if he wins the Labour leadership contest, his allies have said. Shadow foreign secretary Emily Thornberry said MPs "owe it to the Labour Party to work together", while shadow chancellor John McDonnell said he would like to see leadership challenger Owen Smith return to the top team. But Ms Thornberry also suggested shadow cabinet ministers could be elected by the whole of the Labour Party - potentially strengthening the position of Mr Corbyn's allies because of the leader's popularity with the grassroots. Jeremy Corbyn is seeking re-election as leader Despite Mr Smith's insistence that he can be named leader when the results are announced on September 24, Mr Corbyn is the firm favourite to retain his post, prompting speculation that many of the senior MPs who quit shadow cabinet roles could seek a return to the top team. Earlier this month L abour MPs and peers backed proposals to restore elections to select the shadow cabinet in a move viewed as a fresh challenge to Mr Corbyn, who is marking a year as party leader on Monday. The Parliamentary Labour Party held a ballot on reintroducing the measure Ed Miliband axed in 2011 to give him a free hand selecting his top team. But the vote is not binding and the reform will need the backing of the ruling National Executive Committee and the party's conference before it can be introduced. Ms Thornberry told BBC Radio 4's Westminster Hour: "I think that the process of opening the party up to democracy and working with this enthusiasm is a good thing. "If we are going to have shadow cabinet elections then I think it is something we should think about. If we are going to have them elected maybe we should be thinking about party conference or the membership having some sort of input into that. Why not? What are we afraid of?" The shadow foreign secretary urged colleagues to unite behind Mr Corbyn: " Of course it is going to be difficult, and I appreciate that there are certain people who have very hardened positions and who will not work with Jeremy. "But I think there are many others who will accept democracy within the party and who will work to do the best they can for the sake of the Labour Party, because the Labour Party is bigger and greater than all of us, we stand on the shoulders of giants. We owe it to the Labour Party to work together." Her comments came after she became embroiled in a sexism row with Sky News presenter Dermot Murnaghan when she was challenged to name the French foreign minister. " Don't start pub quizzing me, Dermot," she said. "Don't start pub quizzing me." She added: "I certainly think, sometimes, when it comes to sexism, some Sky presenters need to look at themselves too. I really do. It really upsets me that every time I come on here, you do another pub quiz with me because you do not do it with anybody else and I do think that it's patronising." Mr McDonnell, a key ally of Mr Corbyn and the chairman of his re-election campaign, attempted to broker a peace with the leader's critics, insisting that the leadership team is prepared to listen to their concerns. He said he wanted Mr Smith to return to the shadow cabinet, adding: "I have always looked upon him as a mate." He added that the leadership team is "talking to people all the time" about returning to the shadow cabinet. Despite the bitter leadership contest, Mr McDonnell said: "What I hope happens at the end of this election campaign, that phrase 'what's said on tour, remains on tour' I think will apply." TUC general secretary Frances O'Grady called for Labour to unite behind the winning candidate. "As soon as the contest is over, we are saying get behind whoever the leader is, get united. But start focusing on people out in the country. "Voters want to get a bit more attention, it can't just be about the rights of MPs, or the rights of members, I think Labour needs to start focusing on what voters want," she told BBC Radio Four's Today programme. Bill Nighy 'proud' to stand in for Alan Rickman in new film Actor Bill Nighy has said he was "proud" to fill the role intended for the late Alan Rickman in his latest film, The Limehouse Golem. Rickman, who died of pancreatic cancer in January aged 69, was set to star in the adaptation of Peter Ackroyd's novel but was forced to pull out before his death due to his illness. Nighy, 66, said he was a "great admirer" of Rickman after taking over the role of police inspector John Kildare, who investigates a series of brutal killings in Victorian-era London. Bill Nighy features in The Limehouse Golem He told the Press Association: "I didn't have any reservations (about taking on the part). "I was very proud to be considered in those terms. I knew Alan reasonably well and I was a great admirer, like everyone else who came into contact with him. "At the time we didn't really know how ill he was indisposed. Obviously it was a great loss to everybody." Nighy, who starred in Love Actually and Pirates Of The Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest, said he was a fan of superhero movies but believed there was an increasing market for smaller films. "I think the market will get bigger and bigger because of the way of the digital revolution, people are just going to need more stuff," he said. "People will always want other kinds of stories. I like all those superhero movies. I like all those blockbusters, I'm for everything if it's any good." Discussing the success of British actors in the film industry, Nighy said: "I don't think it has much to do with where you come from, it's just those are the breaks. "There's a tradition, there are precedents because we've been making films for a long time and therefore younger people coming through see that possibility. But I think it's happening over. "I don't think anybody should be discriminated against depending on their background. I think everybody should have equal opportunities." Johnson backs group pressing PM to deliver Brexit Boris Johnson has helped launch a new group aimed at ensuring Theresa May delivers on her promise that "Brexit means Brexit". The Foreign Secretary has thrown his weight behind the Change Britain campaign, which is led by his former Vote Leave colleague Labour MP Gisela Stuart. Mr Johnson said the group would make sure that the UK gained control over "laws, borders, money and trade" as part of the process of leaving the European Union. The Change Britain campaign is lead by Mr Johnson's Vote Leave colleague Labour MP Gisela Stuart His comments came as former Cabinet minister John Whittingdale urged the Prime Minister to speed up the formal process of breaking away from Brussels, rather than waiting until next year to trigger Article 50. Mr Johnson, who was a key player in the Vote Leave movement, recorded a video message supporting Change Britain - which involves some of the other prominent figures from the Brexit camp including Michael Gove, whose decision to stand for the Tory leadership effectively torpedoed the Foreign Secrertary's hopes of entering Number 10. In his message Mr Johnson said: "On June 23 the people of this country voted to leave the European Union and they voted for change. "They did so by a clear majority. But there were many people who also voted for remain. So it's absolutely vital that we work together, Leavers and Remainers, as we seize the opportunities that this country now has to forge a positive and exciting new relationship, not just with the European Union, but also with the rest of the world; changing Britain and making it global again. "Now more than ever we need to show the British people that as politicians we are listening to what they have to say. "Brexit means Brexit and that means delivering on their instructions and restoring UK control over our laws, borders, money and trade." Ms Stuart said: "'The vote means this country will undergo the biggest change in 40 years in our diplomatic, trade and economic relationships. "It also creates a unique opportunity to review our democratic and constitutional arrangements. Making the most of these opportunities is going to take careful, hard work. "The referendum also marked a more profound political change than a change of occupancy in Downing Street. It has forced us to acknowledge that people in large sections of the UK have lost faith in political parties and the Westminster elite. "While millions in this country enjoy unprecedented prosperity and freedoms, many millions more feel despair at their sense of exclusion and diminishing prospects. "The referendum debate divided families and friends and there is still some of the feeling of disorientation that ran through July as we all came to terms with the enormity of the change. "Some on both sides seem attracted to refighting old battles, but the British people are impatient for us to roll up our sleeves and get down to work. This isn't a time for Leavers and Remainers; now is a time for doers." Meanwhile Mr Whittingdale, the former culture secretary, urged Mrs May to push ahead with triggering Article 50, which begins the formal two-year process of leaving the EU. "Article 50 is the beginning of the process rather than the end," he told the Telegraph. "We do need to get the formal process under way. I don't say that it has to happen tomorrow but I would like it to happen pretty soon, and by that I mean weeks, not months." He also revealed how he responded to being sacked as Mrs May took office: "I went clubbing in Ibiza. It was great. "Dance music in a club is as much about the light show, the atmosphere and the volume as the music itself. If you listen to it in your car it's not quite the same." Change Britain's website does not include the Vote Leave commitment to using the money saved in EU contributions to fund the NHS. During the referendum campaign the Leave campaign controversially claimed that the UK sends 350 million a week to the EU, suggesting "let's fund our NHS instead". Open Britain, which was formed out of the ashes of the defeated Remain camp, challenged the group to come clean about the figure. Tory former minister Anna Soubry said: "They should all hang their heads in shame. "There were many people, particularly in less wealthy areas, who were convinced by Leave's claim that if we left the EU we would be able to pour millions more into the NHS. Britons may need visas to travel to Europe after Brexit, says Rudd The price of post-Brexit border control could be Britons having to apply for visas to travel to continental Europe, the Home Secretary has suggested. Amber Rudd said reports the European Commission is considering plans for a visa programme to operate across the Schengen free movement area is a "reminder" that the UK is in a "two way negotiation" with the EU as it seeks its divorce from Brussels. She agreed that people would be "surprised" if they had to apply for a short-term visa to visit countries like France but insisted such a scheme could be rolled out. Amber Rudd said the UK was considering a work permit system She told the Andrew Marr Show on BBC One: "I think they (British citizens) would be surprised. "I don't think it's particularly desirable but we don't rule it out because we have to be allowed a free hand to give the best negotiation." Control over who comes to the UK was a central issue during the EU referendum campaign. Ms Rudd said the UK will be able to control its borders post-Brexit but stressed any measures introduced would have to be "reciprocal". She said: "Once we leave the European Union we will have complete control over who comes into the UK from the EU and who doesn't, with one or two provisos of course. "First of all, it's going to be reciprocal, we are going to have to work out what's in the UK's interests as well going to the European Union and what works for our economy and making sure that we get the right balance. "Looking across the whole spectrum is what's going to be the guiding principle." She also reaffirmed the Tory manifesto commitment to cut immigration to the UK to the tens of thousands. "I'm completely committed to making sure that we reduce it and yes, tens of thousands, although it will take some time," she said. Ms Rudd said it is "too early" to outline the specifics of how the Government will achieve its target but she repeated the Prime Minister's rejection of an Australian-style points system. However, she suggested a work permit system is being considered. "Whether we look at a work permit system or another system is something that my department is looking at closely at the moment," she said. She said a work permit system "certainly has value" and "we are not ruling anything out at the moment". Ms Rudd also addressed her comments from the referendum campaign when she said Boris Johnson was not the person you want to drive you home at the end of an evening out. Following the suggestion that Mr Johnson was now driving Brexit in his role as Foreign Secretary, Ms Rudd said: "Boris is not the driver. Theresa May is the driver. The rest of us are in the car." Ms Rudd also responded to concerns that the number of student visas available to people coming to the UK from non-EU countries could be reduced in order to cut immigration numbers. She said: "We are looking at a number of options but students do make an important contribution. "There's going to be no blanket banning of students coming to the UK but we are looking at bringing down the numbers overall." Andy Burnham, shadow home secretary, hit out at the idea of Britons facing a visa system to visit EU countries. He said: "This is yet another example of the drift and confusion as a result of the Government's failure to plan for Brexit. Ministers should not just accept there's a cost of 50 for the average family to go on holiday. "The Home Secretary's words will not have reassured ordinary families about the cost of Brexit. She seems to be sympathetic to an idea that will put a flat 50 tax on the average family holiday in Europe. "Tory ministers might think nothing of that, but it would make it even harder for ordinary families to afford a holiday. "Norway doesn't have the charge so why should we? I challenge the Home Secretary to rule it out." Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron said: "Having to pay for a visa to visit or work in Europe is another sign that things are happening around this Brexit Tory Government and all they seem to do is squabble amongst themselves. Jamie Murray: Bruno Soares partnership is best ever US Open champion Jamie Murray says his doubles chemistry with Bruno Soares is even better than with his brother Andy. Murray and Soares won their second grand slam title of the year on Saturday as they beat Spain's Pablo Carreno Busta and Guillermo Garcia-Lopez in Flushing Meadows. The British-Brazilian duo sealed their first major triumph at the Australian Open in January and their success in New York means they have a chance of finishing 2016 as the number one partnership in the world. Jamie Murray, left, and Bruno Soares won the US Open doubles title (AP) Murray now turns his attention to Britain's Davis Cup semi-final against Argentina on Friday, when he is likely to play with younger brother Andy in the doubles rubber. The siblings led Britain to Davis Cup glory last year for the first time in 79 years but Jamie believes his partnership with Soares is perhaps even stronger. "It probably is easier to play with Bruno, like we talk more," Murray said. "Andy's a great player. But I think Bruno and I are with each other every day. We are working on our games and communicating all the time. "I find it easy to do that with Bruno. Obviously sometimes with Andy it's not always so easy because great players, they do things the way they do. "If I kind of come in and start saying, 'I think you need to serve there or hit your return there', they are not used to hearing that. That can be a bit problematic sometimes. "I think for me and Bruno we are kind of on an even keel and both have the same goal." Murray linked up with Soares at the start of the year after splitting with Australian John Peers, with whom he had reached consecutive grand slam finals but lost at the final hurdle. Soares brings baseline stability to Murray's brilliance at the net and the Scot said he hopes their partnership will continue. "Yeah, of course," Murray said, before Soares added with a smile: "I hope so, I can't do much more to keep him with me." Murray continued: "Look, we had the best year of our career, whatever way you look at it. "Neither of us had won a grand slam before and then we came together and we have won two. So yeah of course, I could never disagree with that." Murray becomes the first British player to win the US Open doubles since Roger Taylor in 1972 and Soares is the first ever from the Brazil to lift the trophy. They have endured disappointments, however, too, most notably at Wimbledon where they lost in the third round and, separately, at the Olympics. Jamie lost in the first round in Rio with Andy, while Soares was beaten in the quarter-finals. "We have been good friends for a long time, me and Jamie. We get along super well," Soares said. "For me, it's very important to get along off court. I can't do this well with someone that I don't get along well with. "We have had an amazing year but we lost sometimes, some tough ones and with match points. "You've got to be able to go to dinner with the guy after a tough loss and talk like friends. We get special moments like this, but we have brutal moments as well so it's impossible to do that without a friend." Kell Brook backs his trainer Dominic Ingle's decision to end fight Kell Brook has defended trainer Dominic Ingle amid criticism of his decision to throw in the towel during his WBC and IBF middleweight title defeat by the fearsome Gennady Golovkin. With Brook under intense pressure from the champion's latest assault, already appearing tired and his right eye cut and swollen, Ingle ended the fight to conclude a resilient performance. The challenger was taken to hospital with a broken eye socket before being released in the early hours of Sunday morning. He is to be operated on in the coming week, before preparing for an eventual return to the ring at light-middleweight. Kell Brook's right eye socket was broken by Gennady Golovkin in their middleweight world title fight "I came back after the second round and said 'I can't see out of the right eye, Dominic'," Brook, 30, told Sky Sports. "I was talking to him, and he knows me, he saw me growing up as a kid. "He's like a father figure. It was the right decision and I can fight another day. I was getting caught, and getting caught. It could have ended up seriously bad. "As much as the loss has been gutting and upsetting, I'm excited and happy the fans have seen a great battle against a great fighter, a throwback fighter. "I'm looking forward to getting straight back in the top boys. I've had a taste of this magnitude of fight and I want this again. I'll be back and I'll be twice as strong and twice as fast." Brook had been the significant underdog having stepped up from welterweight against one of the world's leading and most destructive fighters. Few observers believed him capable of winning, but his promoter Eddie Hearn regardless maintained fighting Golovkin was the right thing to do. " Peter Nelson (executive president of American television network HBO) has already come up to me and said: 'We need to talk about Kell Brook'," said Hearn. "That was part of the plan: to broaden the brand. S o actually, it was a very smart move." Brook's domestic rival Amir Khan last fought at 155lbs when losing to Mexico's Saul Alvarez in May but is expected to return at welterweight in 2017. The weight Brook gained to challenge Golovkin, combined with his previous, intense struggles to make the 147lb limit means he is likely incapable of returning there. Hearn, however, again spoke of his desire to match the two together. "As a promoter there is nothing better in a build-up than two fighters who don't particularly like each other," the 37-year-old said. "But for now it's about getting that eye socket tidied up, having some rest and he'll probably be returning in the spring, summer next year." The 34-year-old Golovkin's performance again demonstrated why he is considered one of the greatest middleweights in history and why he is so widely feared. His possession of the IBF, WBC and WBA titles - the WBA refused to sanction theirs for Saturday's fight - has made WBO champion Billy Joe Saunders his next target. Victory over Saunders would unify the division's four world titles, and asked who he next wanted to fight, the Kazakh said: "First of all Billy Joe Saunders, and then 'Canelo' (Saul Alvarez). Now I want a unification fight. I would absolutely come back to the UK to fight. I love the UK, I'm a big fan of London. "(Brook's) strong but he's not a middleweight. In the first round I felt I'm stronger. In the second I wanted a street fight." Ceremony in London marks 15th anniversary of September 11 attacks People gathered in silence in London to mark the 15th anniversary of the September 11 terror attacks. Two silences lasting one minute were held at the 9/11 memorial in Stratford's Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park to mark the times two passenger jets hit the World Trade Centre on September 11 2001. Flowers had been laid at the bottom of the 8.5 metre sculpture, which is the biggest part of World Trade Centre steel outside of America. Ceremonies have been held to commemorate the 15th anniversary of the September 11 attacks It comes from just below the point of impact where the South tower was hit, and comprises three girders held together by a piece of polished metal. Peter Rosengard, of the Since 9/11 charity which organised the gathering, said the horror of that day "changed the world forever". He said: "This steel was one of the pieces in that devastation. It was dragged from the ruins of the World Trade Centre and is now here proudly standing tall in London, as we remember that day. "It changed our world forever, and now on the 15th anniversary, we remember those innocent victims. We remember and reflect and honour their memory." Nearly 3,000 people were killed - 67 of them British - when passenger jets hijacked by al Qaida terrorists struck the twin towers of the World Trade Centre in New York and the Pentagon outside Washington. A fourth hijacked plane crashed into a field in Pennsylvania. Mr Rosengard and his daughter Lily, 21, brought the steel back from the United States in 2011 for the 10th anniversary of the attacks. It is thought to be the only piece to be donated to a capital city. Designed by American artist Miya Ando, the structure was unveiled by Boris Johnson in the Stratford park in March 2015. Mr Rosengard continued: "Everything they tried to destroy, those murderers and terrorists, the beating, pulsing heart of the metropolis, is reflected in the sky. "This remarkable sky today, quite remarkable because you will remember, if you cast your mind back, the incredible blue sky of September 11 2001." He added: "We polished this steel as a symbol of hope for the future. We polished it to reflect the life, the birds, the trees, children's faces, our faces - everything those terrorists wanted to destroy. "They didn't; we put the steel up again, here it is." Onlookers who gathered by the sculpture were unanimous in their recollections of that day as "unreal". Ciaran Clerkin, 71, was head teacher at Selwyn Primary school, near to Stratford when the attacks took place, and remembered the day as a "spectacle of images being replayed and replayed". He said: "It took a while for it to sink in. "I felt it was best to just let the school carry on. Gradually over the rest of the day the teachers explained to the children what had happened. "At the end of the day we went home and of course for the next 48 hours there were wall-to-wall images of that." The other thing he particularly remembered was the moment then-president George W Bush heard the news of the attack. Critics turn on Jeremy Corbyn over wording of September 11 tweet Jeremy Corbyn said his thoughts were with those whose lives were "shattered" by the September 11 attacks - but faced criticism after referring to the "wars and terror" that followed. The Labour leader, who played a leading role in the Stop the War Coalition opposed to the military interventions in Afghanistan and Iraq, came under attack on social media after posting a tweet on the 15th anniversary of the attack. Mr Corbyn wrote: "My thoughts are with those whose lives were shattered on 9/11/2001 - and in the wars and terror unleashed across the globe in its aftermath." Jeremy Corbyn leaving a Stop the War coalition fundraiser The tweet was an edited form of a slightly longer statement, released before the social media post, in which Mr Corbyn had described the attacks as a "horrific atrocity". Twitter user Tom - @RealTomH - said Mr Corbyn: "Can't just remember the victims of 9/11 on 9/11. Is incapable of it." Robbie Travers, who described himself as an arch-Blairite, said: "Is anyone surprised that Jeremy Corbyn is using 9/11 to advance his anti-Western ideology?" Dan Kaszeta, a security expert, wrote: "Damn you Corbyn. I cheated death that day." London mayor Sadiq Khan posted his own message to mark the anniversary of the terror attack, writing on Facebook: "Today marks 15 years since the 9/11 terror attacks which claimed the lives of 2,977 victims, injured thousands more and tore a hole in the lives of countless friends, families and loved ones. 67 British citizens died on 9/11, and many more victims had close ties to London. "This was an atrocity that touched all of us who lived through it. "Today our city stands shoulder to shoulder with our American friends as we mourn all those who died 15 years ago. I look forward to paying my respects in person when I visit New York next week." Labour former home office minister and ex-MP Tony McNulty referred to Mr Khan's message and said: "Good solid unequivocal statement in memoriam of 9/11 - free from any weasel words about other events." A spokesman for the Labour leader said: "As Jeremy said in his statement, the 9/11 attacks were a horrific atrocity. The statement speaks for itself." The full statement released by Mr Corbyn said: "My thoughts are with those whose lives were shattered 15 years ago in the horrific atrocity on 9/11 - and in the wars and terror unleashed across the globe in its aftermath." Harry Kane: England players can lift Tottenham at Wembley Tottenham's English contingent can ensure Wembley becomes a home away from home in the Champions League, according to Harry Kane. Spurs return to the continent's elite competition on Wednesday when they welcome Monaco to North London, though it will be at Wembley, rather than White Hart Lane, where they entertain clubs in the Champions League this term while they transform their stadium. The crowd is expected to set a new record for the largest attendance for a home Champions League game in Britain, yet fans of rival club Arsenal can testify to the struggles of a Wembley relocation as they won just two of their six fixtures in Europe when temporarily playing there in the late 1990s. Harry Kane has played regularly at Wembley for England However, while Kane is mindful of their French opponents rising to the occasion too, he believes a strong English core that includes regular internationals Kyle Walker, Danny Rose, Eric Dier, Dele Alli and himself, can help them instantly settle in not-so-unfamiliar surroundings. "If there are 85-90,000 Tottenham fans in there it's only going to make you play better," Kane said. "A lot of us have played there already, so it feels like even more of a home. Everyone knows how iconic Wembley is, but that's what we've got to be careful of, Monaco are going to come here and it's a big occasion for them as well. We have to make sure we're ready for that." Tottenham head into their Monaco meeting on a high as they thrashed Stoke 4-0 in Staffordshire on Saturday, with Kane ending a nine-game goal drought by netting for the 50th time in the Premier League. "The lads are excited and we wanted a good result here," he added. "Now we can go there on Wednesday and enjoy the record-breaking crowd; it's going to be an amazing atmosphere and the lads cannot wait to play in that one now. "There's a buzz about that one and coming off the back of a 4-0 win you can't ask for much more. We have to prepare well for Wednesday now. "We're not there just to participate. We want to go as far as we can, we feel we have a group that we can definitely qualify from. A good start is important." Kane's strike came after Dele Alli had also opened his account for the campaign and Heung-Min Son had netted a brace at the bet365 Stadium. And unlike his English colleagues, the South Korean got his first taste of the most famous stadium in England when Spurs trained there recently. "For every player, it's a dream to play in the Champions League," the 24-year-old said. "For me also, It's two years since I played in the Champions League. I can't wait for this night. Wetherspoon upbeat as Greene King delivers post-Brexit warning By Rahul B Sept 9 (Reuters) - Pub operator J D Wetherspoon gave an upbeat evaluation of its post-Brexit prospects on Friday, even as a trading update from rival Greene King cast a nervous eye towards Britain's impending departure from the European Union. The rivals' share prices diverged after Wetherspoon announced better than expected results while Greene King warned of tougher trading conditions ahead, adding to the mixed messages on Britain's economic outlook since its EU referendum in June. "I haven't seen a loss of confidence among customers. People in Britain are feeling good," Wetherspoon Chairman Tim Martin told Reuters after the company reported a 3.6 percent rise in pretax profit in the 52 weeks to July 24. More pertinent to his post-Brexit assessment, however, was a 4.1 percent increase in sales since July 24, while Greene King said its like-for-like sales had grown 1.7 percent since the end of its financial year on May 1. "While the broader implications remain unclear, a number of recent industry surveys have flagged risks to leisure spend and we are alert to a potentially tougher trading environment ahead," a Greene King statement said. The company, which brews ales such as Old Speckled Hen, had cautioned in June that uncertainty arising from the Brexit vote would weigh on consumer sentiment. Stifel analysts described Greene King's sales as "somewhat disappointing" because they implied that growth had slowed since the end of June. Shares in Wetherspoon, which owns more than 950 pubs in Britain and Ireland, rose 6 percent to a record high in morning trade and were up 4.8 percent at 969 pence at 1111 GMT. Greene King shares were down 4.5 percent at 803 pence. "Wetherspoon probably outperformed Greene King because most of its growth is generally organic," said Investec analyst Karl Burns, citing the company's market position and the brand's reputation for value. "Most of Greene King's growth is capex driven, so it takes time to come through", he added. Russia says to sign TurkStream pipeline deal with Turkey in October MOSCOW, Sept 10 (Reuters) - Russia plans to sign an agreement with Turkey next month on the implementation of the Turkish Stream gas export pipeline project, Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak was quoted as saying on Saturday. "The inter-governmental agreement and road map are currently being reconciled, the process of agreeing on the final text is underway. We plan to proceed to the signing in October," Novak said, according to Russian news agency RIA. Talks on the project were halted last year after Turkey shot down a Russian air force jet and Russia retaliated with trade sanctions but since then Moscow and Ankara have made significant progress to mend relations. Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said in August at a joint news conference with Russian President Vladimir Putin that building the gas pipeline quickly was a priority. Turkish foreign minister tells Kerry Turkey welcomes Syria deal ISTANBUL, Sept 10 (Reuters) - Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu spoke by phone with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry on Saturday and told him that Turkey welcomes a U.S.-Russian ceasefire agreement for Syria, the Turkish foreign ministry said in a statement. The U.S. and Russia earlier hailed the deal to put Syria's peace process back on track, including a nationwide truce from sundown on Monday, improved humanitarian aid access and joint military targeting of banned Islamist groups. Turkey, which launched its first major military incursion into Syria two and half weeks ago, has said it is preparing to provide humanitarian aid to the northern city of Aleppo in conjunction with the United Nations following the deal. Militant suspected in Bangladesh cafe attack killed himself, police say By Ruma Paul DHAKA, Sept 11 (Reuters) - A suspected militant believed by Bangladesh police to have been among the planners of a July cafe attack that killed 22 people killed himself during a police raid on a hideout in the capital, police said on Sunday. The July attack in Dhaka's diplomatic quarter was claimed by the jihadist group Islamic State and was one of the most brazen in Bangladesh, hit by a spate of killings of liberals and members of religious minorities in the past year. The government has pinned the blame on domestic militant groups, but security experts say the scale and sophistication of the incident suggest links to a trans-national Islamist network. National police chief Shahidul Hoque said the dead man, Shamshed Hossain, was suspected to be one of the planners of the cafe attack, and to have rented a flat for the militants who carried it out. "He killed himself inside the flat so that we can't collect information from him through interrogation," another official, Sanwar Hossain, told reporters on Sunday. An autopsy report confirmed that the militant committed suicide by slitting his throat, doctors said on Sunday. Police had earlier said they shot the man during Saturday's raid on the hideout. Three women who were wounded and arrested in the raid also tried to kill themselves, Hossain added. Five officers from the police counter-terrorism unit were wounded when women militants attacked them with chili powder, explosives and knives, police have said. One of the women could have been the wife of a man killed last week in a shootout with police and believed to have trained the cafe attackers, police said. Police have killed more than two dozen suspected militants in shootouts since the July attack, including its presumed mastermind, Bangladesh-born Canadian citizen Tamim Ahmed Chowdhury. The United States believes elements of Islamic State are "connected" to operatives in Bangladesh, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said during a visit to Dhaka last month. US crude stocks plunge as tankers delay arrival on storm warning: Kemp By John Kemp LONDON, Sept 9 (Reuters) - U.S. crude oil inventories plunged by more than 14.5 million barrels in the week ending on Sept. 2, the largest weekly drop since 1999. The reasons for the drawdown are not hard to find with a modest acceleration in refinery processing rates and a sharp slowdown in crude imports. Crude imports fell from an average of 8.9 million barrels per day in the week ending Aug. 26 to just 7.1 million bpd in the week ending Sept. 2, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Crude imports fell by a total of almost 13 million barrels compared with the previous week, accounting for most of the reported decline in inventories. TANKER ARRIVALS Crude imports have been trending higher since early 2015 as domestic production has fallen and refiners have turned to foreign crudes to help meet strong demand for gasoline and diesel. Crude imports of 8.9 million bpd in the week ending Aug. 26 were the highest for nearly four years and imports have been above 8.4 million bpd in six out of the last 12 weeks (http://tmsnrt.rs/2ceIe93). By contrast the 7.1 million bpd of imports in the week ending Sept. 2 were the lowest for 10 months, according to EIA data. Changes in the weekly volume of imports are the single most important source of week to week volatility in the stock numbers so the import slowdown produced a predictably sharp drop in inventories. Crude oil imports exhibit significant week to week volatility but most of the changes are "noise" related to the timing of tanker arrivals and customs clearances. Crude importers must notify the Energy Information Administration about the amount of oil imported before 7am Eastern Standard Time on Friday each week. But crude is reported only once it has cleared U.S. customs, a paperwork transaction rather than a physical movement. Until then it is considered "in transit" and remains outside the reporting framework. While crude from Canada arrives by pipeline most other crude arrives by tanker, much of it in very large crude carriers carrying around 2 million barrels at a time. In general, crude cargoes are cleared in a single entry with U.S. Customs, which creates significant "lumpiness" in the data. Weekly import data is therefore very sensitive to the timing of tanker arrivals and customs clearances. In many cases a sharp rise or fall in imports is reversed the following week. HERMINE WARNING Ship arrivals and customs clearances can be impacted by bad weather and logistical problems as well as ordinary bunching, which seems to have been what occurred during the week ending Sept. 2. Crude imports to both the U.S. East Coast (Maine to Florida) and the Gulf Coast (Texas to Alabama) were both sharply lower in the week ending Sept. 2. East Coast imports fell to less than 600,000 bpd from over 1.2 million bpd the week before. Gulf Coast imports dropped to less than 2.5 million bpd, from 3.2 million bpd the week before, and the lowest level on record. Imports to other areas also fell but by much less. Pipeline imports into the Midwest fell marginally but remained within the recent range. Seaborne imports to the West Coast also fell but remained within range. The fact that the slowdown in imports was concentrated on the eastern seaboard points to weather and other local logistical problems as the most likely cause. One likely explanation is tropical storm Hermine, which moved through the Gulf of Mexico and started to move up the East Coast during the week ending Sep. 2. The National Hurricane Center started issuing warnings about Hermine on Aug. 28 ("Hermine Graphics Archive", NHC, accessed Sept. 9). In most cases tankers will respond to the warning of a hurricane by attempting to divert away from it, remaining at sea and delaying arrival, which is consistent with the slowdown in imports reported last week ("Marine Safety", NHC, accessed Sep 9). The confluence of weather warnings on both the Gulf and East Coasts, a small slowdown in imports to the West Coast and an even more modest slowdown into the Midwest produced a very large drop in nationwide imports. The result was an unusually sharp drop in both imports and inventories but it seems to have been more a statistical effect than a sign of a fundamental shift. In the past, sudden slowdowns in imports have often been followed by a sharp rebound the following week as delayed tankers arrive and discharge. Bullets trump rehab as Asia quickens "failing" war on drugs By Andrew R.C. Marshall and Antoni Slodkowski BANGKOK/YANGON, Sept 11 (Reuters) - The Philippines has launched a bloody "war on drugs" that has killed at least 2,400 people in just two months, while neighbouring Indonesia has declared a "narcotics emergency" and resumed executing drug convicts after a long hiatus. In Thailand and Myanmar, petty drug users are being sentenced to long jail terms in prisons already bursting at the seams. The soaring popularity of methamphetamine - a cheap and highly addictive drug also known as meth - is driving countries across Asia to adopt hardline anti-narcotics policies. Experts say they are likely to only make things worse. Geoff Monaghan has seen it all before. He investigated narco-trafficking gangs during his 30-year career as a detective with London's Metropolitan Police, then witnessed the impact of draconian anti-drug policies as an HIV/AIDS expert in Russia. "We have plenty of data but often we forget the history," said Monaghan. "That's the problem." He believes President Rodrigo Duterte's anti-drugs campaign in the Philippines will fuel more violence and entrench rather than uproot trafficking networks. "I'm very fearful about the situation," he said. Reflecting the regional explosion in use, the amount of meth seized in East and Southeast Asia almost quadrupled from about 11 tons in 2009 to 42 tons in 2013, said the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). The only region seizing more meth was North America, where the booming trade inspired the popular television series "Breaking Bad". Meth was the "primary drug of concern" in nine Asian countries, the UNODC said, including Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, Japan and South Korea. PLAYING CATCH-UP A rising chorus of experts blame this surge in production and use of meth in Asia on ineffective and even counterproductive government responses. They say national drug-control policies are skewed towards harsh measures that criminalise users but have failed to staunch the deluge of drugs or catch the kingpins behind it. They also want a greater emphasis on reducing demand through more and better quality drug rehabilitation. "There is so much scaremongering and hysteria surrounding the issue of drugs," says Gloria Lai of the International Drug Policy Consortium (IDPC), a global network of 154 non-governmental groups. "That's a disincentive for challenging old ways of thinking." Meth is a transnational business, worth around $15 billion in mainland Southeast Asia alone in 2013, the UNODC says. Much of the production takes place in laboratories in lawless western Myanmar. Ingredients such as pseudoephedrine and caffeine are smuggled across porous borders from India, China and Vietnam. Laos and Thailand are major trafficking routes, with the finished product travelling by road or along the Mekong River for distribution throughout Southeast Asia and China. Meth is sold in cheap pills called "ya ba", a Thai name meaning "crazy medicine", or in a more potent, crystalline form known as "crystal meth", "ice" or "shabu". Contraband is effectively hidden amid rising volumes of regional trade, leaving law enforcement to play catch-up, said Jeremy Douglas, the UNODC's Asia Pacific chief. "We need to start thinking about big-time regional engagement, up to the highest level. It's impossible to deal with the problem on a country-by-country basis," he said. "I can't recall the last time a major trafficking kingpin was caught." SOCIAL COST The meth explosion carries huge social consequences: overburdened health services, overcrowded prisons, families and communities torn apart. Small-time users and dealers bear the brunt of unsparing law enforcement that is popular in crime-weary communities. In mid-July, as drug war killings escalated in the Philippines, one survey put President Duterte's approval rating at 91 percent. Thailand launched an equally popular "war on drugs" in 2003 that killed about 2,800 people in three months. But figures show it had no lasting impact on meth supply or demand in Thailand. "The world has lost the war on drugs, not only Thailand," the country's justice minister Paiboon Koomchaya told Reuters in July. Paiboon hinted at a radical shift in policy, saying he wanted to reclassify meth to reduce sentences for possessing and dealing the drug. For now though, Thailand continues to jail thousands of petty drug users, with about 70 percent of its 300,000 or so prisoners jailed on drugs offences, according to government data. TOUGH TO TREAT Meth addiction is tough to treat, ideally requiring costly and time-consuming counselling. Long-term use can cause changes in brain structure and function. In March, U.S. President Barack Obama said drug dependency should be seen as "a public health problem and not a criminal problem", part of a bid to roll back a "war on drugs" begun in the 1970s and now widely seen as a failure. Policy in Asia is largely moving in the opposite direction, with drug rehabilitation underfunded and inadequate. Less than 1 percent of dependent drug users in Indonesia got treatment in 2014, said the UNODC. Lacking alternatives, desperate Indonesians resort to herbal baths, Islamic prayer and other remedies of unproven efficacy. "Rehab" in many countries often means detention at a state facility. In Thailand, thousands of users are held at army camps for four months. Relapse rates at drug detention centres range from 60-90 percent, says the World Health Organisation. "Often, the government response causes more harm to an individual than the drug itself," said the IDPC's Lai. Evidence shows that the most effective treatment is voluntary and community-based. A 2015 study in Malaysia found that half the people at compulsory centres relapsed within 32 days of release, compared with 429 days for those who had volunteered for treatment. Tackling demand is complicated by meth's broad appeal across different ages, professions and social classes. In Myanmar, manual labourers claim that smoking ya ba boosts their stamina, while students say it boosts their grades. A Yangon student who asked to be identified by the nickname "Nick" told Reuters at a grim state-run rehab clinic that he smoked ya ba to help him concentrate on his studies. U.S. North Korea envoy says unilateral action possible against North Korea TOKYO, Sept 11 (Reuters) - The United States may take unilateral action against North Korea, a U.S. special envoy for the isolated state said on Sunday, two days after it carried out its fifth and biggest nuclear test, in defiance of U.N. sanctions. "In addition to action in the Security Council, both the U.S. and Japan, together with the Republic of Korea, will be looking at unilateral measures, as well as bilateral measures, as well as possible trilateral cooperation," said Sung Kim, the envoy. Conservatives take lead in Croatia election By Igor Ilic and Ivana Sekularac ZAGREB, Sept 11 (Reuters) - The conservative Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) was on track to win the most seats in Sunday's parliamentary elections but the country looked set for lengthy coalition horsetrading after voters once again declined to return a clear governing majority. With 60 percent of votes counted, the HDZ had 61 seats, pushing the Social Democrats into second place with 54, but were still short of a majority in the 151-seat parliament even with the support of Most ("Bridge"), the likely kingmaker party. In a sign of voter disillusionment, turnout plunged, and Zivi Zid ("Human Shield"), a populist left alliance, surged from one to eight seats with promises to be tough on banks and demands for prosecutions of unnamed corrupt officials. The HDZ seems best placed to form a government, but it could be difficult for any party to build a coalition with a clear mandate for carrying out the painful public adminstration reforms being urged on the country of 4.3 million. "I am sure that we are the party that will have the privilege of forming a stable government for the next four years," said Andrej Plenkovic, a soft-spoken diplomat and European parliamentarian who was only recently made leader. The European Union wants its youngest member to tame high public debt, cut the budget deficit, restructure public administration and improve the business climate to spur growth in an economy still dominated by state enterprises. Most, which was headed for 12 seats, has said implementing its liberal reforms is its pre-condition for entering a coalition. But any governing majority may need support from other, smaller parties, including deputies of ethnic minorities. "STABLE GOVERNMENT NEEDED" The HDZ, which led the country through its first turbulent years of independence and war after the break-up of Yugoslavia 25 years ago, will face a fight from the SDP, whose leader Zoran Milanovic still held out hope of forming a government. "The votes are still being counted," Milanovic said. "Croatia needs a stable government and at this moment we still don't know what that government will be." Neither party offered much detail during the campaign on how they would deliver promised higher standards of living in one of Europe's weakest economies, where unemployment runs at 13 percent. The previous HDZ-Most government collapsed acrimoniously after just five months amid rows over public administration reforms and government appointments. Turnout was 10 percent down from the previous vote 10 months ago, with politicians seen as having failed to get to grips with the country's economic woes, compensating with nationalist rhetoric and gestures that have brought relations with Serbia to their lowest ebb since the 1990s Balkan wars. Three years after joining the EU, Croatia's record on securing European funds is poor, a reflection of public administration shortcomings that contribute to macroeconomic imbalances the European Commission says must be fixed. Growth of 2.5 percent is far short of the 4 percent needed to make a dent on living standards, analysts say. With interest payments on public debt eating up 3.5 percent of output, Croatia's next government will have little room for manouevre. Thailand finds 21 new cases of Zika in Bangkok, including pregnant woman BANGKOK, Sept 11 (Reuters) - Twenty-one new cases of locally-transmitted Zika virus have been confirmed in central Bangkok, including a pregnant woman who later gave birth with no complications, Thailand's public health ministry said on Sunday. Residents in the Thai capital were urged not to be alarmed after the cases were confirmed in the Sathorn area of the city, an up-market neighbourhood popular with the city's expatriate community and part of the capital's business district. "Of the 21 cases confirmed in the Sathorn area there was one pregnant woman who recovered and gave birth successfully," Ministry of Public Health spokesman Suwannachai Wattanayingcharoenchai told Reuters by telephone. "Mother and newborn are safe," he said, adding that the pregnant woman's husband had recently returned from Singapore. Thailand first recorded the Zika virus in 2012 and the Bangkok Metropolitan Authority conducts regular testing for the virus. The new Thai cases follow confirmation from Malaysia on Wednesday of its first case of the Zika virus in a pregnant woman, a 27-year-old living in a southern city next to Singapore. Island city-state Singapore reported its first locally infected Zika patient on Aug. 27 and since then, the number of reported infections has swelled to more than 300. Zika infections in pregnant women have been shown to cause microcephaly, a severe birth defect in which the head and brain are undersized, besides other brain abnormalities. Suwannachai said that 30 pregnant women with Zika were being monitored in Thailand. So far, six of the women had given birth without complications or any birth defects. Sixteen out of Thailand's 76 provinces have confirmed cases of Zika since January this year, according to the health ministry, but no birth defects or deaths have been reported. "There have been no deaths or complications so far, so I urge our brothers and sisters not to be alarmed," said Suwannachai. Although microcephaly is typically detected during ultrasounds in the late second and early third trimester of pregnancy, it can be detected as early as 18-20 weeks gestation, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Bridge to nowhere shows China's failed efforts to engage N.Korea By Sue-Lin Wong DANDONG, China, Sept 11 (Reuters) - Towering above the murky waters, the New Yalu River Bridge was supposed to symbolise a new era in relations between China and North Korea, helping bring investment to landmark free trade zones jointly run with the impoverished and isolated state. Costing 2.2 billion yuan ($330 million) and partially completed last year, the dual-carriageway bridge today sits abandoned, the impressive border post on the Chinese side deserted and locked, not a soul to be seen. On the North Korean side the unfinished bridge ends abruptly in a field, with little sign of infrastructure work happening. Launched with great fanfare at a five-star Beijing hotel in 2012, the free trade zones close to the Chinese border city of Dandong were meant to be part of China's efforts to coax its erstwhile diplomatic ally into cautious, export-oriented economic reforms, rather than sabre rattling and nuclear tests. China's anger at North Korea for carrying out its fifth and biggest nuclear test last week means the bridge looks unlikely to open any time soon, especially as Pyongyang is already under wide-ranging UN sanctions China has promised to uphold. The lonely streets of the Dandong New Zone stand testimony to the failure of those engagement efforts. Apartment complexes with fancy names like "Singapore City" lie bare or half-finished, and shopping malls empty or at very low capacity. At the Guomen Wanjia Home & Life Square Mall, Sun Lixia sits waiting for customers at a lighting store. "North Korea hasn't opened their end of the bridge and we can't really do anything about it. It's been bad for the local economy here. Who knows when they'll open it?" Sun said. "Apartments haven't been selling quickly, a lot of people aren't willing to move here," she added. "There isn't even a proper hospital here, it's only been half completed." It's far cry from what one Dandong official told state media in 2012: that the development would resemble Causeway Bay, one of Hong Kong's busiest commercial areas, and the bridge handle 50,000 people and 20,000 vehicles a day to North Korea. "ABUNDANT RESOURCES" The Hwanggumphyong and Wihwa Islands economic zones, along with one at the other end of the border at Rason, had high level support. Late North Korean leader Kim Jong Il inked an agreement for them during a trip to China in 2010. The Rason zone has been more successful, though, with much more development, including a Chinese-built road into town and a new bridge being built at its border crossing. Kim's son, the youthful current leader Kim Jong Un, has yet to visit China, and seems unlikely to be invited any time soon as he pursues an accelerated nuclear weapons and missile testing programme to the increasing alarm of the outside world. A glossy promotional booklet from 2012 shows an artist's rendering of gleaming tower blocks in Hwanggumphyong and wide, tree-line avenues. "North Korea has not only abundant, high-quality human resources, but also rich capital resources and enormous land to develop," the bilingual Chinese-English booklet reads, promising legal protection for investors and tax breaks. When Reuters visited this week, only farmland and barbed wire fencing could be seen from the Chinese side. "The government was counting on trade between China and North Korea to drive economic growth here but that hasn't happened," said a security guard who gave his family name as Liu, standing in front of an office building on the optimistically named Commercial Street. "To be honest, the main reason the new zone hasn't developed is because the bridge isn't open," Liu added. WAR TIES The new link is meant to supplement Dandong's old "Friendship Bridge", with its lone lane for both vehicles and people running parallel to a single-line railway track. About three-quarters of bilateral trade flows through the city, and statistics show how limited that still is. China's trade with the North is dwarfed by that with capitalist South Korea, which was worth 908 billion yuan ($136 billion) between January and July, compared to just 17.7 billion yuan between China and North Korea. Dandong's emotional ties with North Korea run deep, thanks to its front line position during the 1950-53 Korean War when China and North Korea fought against a U.S.-led UN coalition. Shops are packed with often low quality-looking North Korean goods, including ginseng and spirits infused with snakes and medicinal herbs, and North Korean waitresses sing patriotic songs at government-run restaurants for curious tourists. Those relations have been severely strained by North Korea's nuclear and missile tests and periodic shootings and murders blamed on North Korean residents and security forces. "I don't like North Korea. The police on the other side used to shoot farmers who'd go over to sell potatoes, corn, things like that, in the winter," said Dandong farmer Zhao Guangfu, 70. Jin Qiangyi, Director of Yanbian University's Centre for North and South Korea Studies, said China found itself in a "distressing" position on what to do with North Korea. "We have a choice about whether we can push them to reform and open up, to get them to change," Jin said. "Of course political and military sanctions need to be stepped up, but civilian opening up and exchanges must be strengthened too." Shutting the door won't work, Jin added. Turkey removes two dozen elected mayors in Kurdish militant crackdown DIYARBAKIR, Turkey, Sept 11 (Reuters) - Turkey appointed new administrators in two dozen Kurdish-run municipalities on Sunday after removing their elected mayors over suspected links to militants, triggering pockets of protest in its volatile southeastern region bordering Syria and Iraq. Police fired water cannon and tear gas to disperse demonstrators outside local government buildings in Suruc on the Syrian border as new administrators took over, security sources said. There were smaller protests elsewhere in the town. There were also disturbances in the main regional city of Diyarbarkir and in Hakkari province near the Iraqi border, where police entered the municipality building and unfurled a large red Turkish flag, taking down the white local government flags that had previously flown. President Tayyip Erdogan said this week the campaign against Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) militants, who have waged a three-decade insurgency for Kurdish autonomy, was now Turkey's largest ever. The removal of civil servants linked to them was a key part of the fight. The 24 municipalities had been run by the pro-Kurdish opposition Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), the third largest in parliament, which denies direct links to the militants. It decried the move as an "administrative coup". "No democratic state can or will allow mayors and MPs to use municipality resources to finance terrorist organisations," Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag said on Twitter. "Being an elected official isn't a licence to commit crimes." Turkey's battle against the PKK resumed with a new intensity after a ceasefire collapsed last year and with attempts by Kurdish groups in Syria's war to carve out an autonomous Kurdish enclave on Turkey's border. In a message to mark the Muslim Eid al Adha holiday, Erdogan said the PKK had been trying to step up attacks since a failed military coup in July and that they aimed to disrupt Turkish military operations in Syria. The U.S. embassy said it was concerned by reports of clashes in the southeast and that while it supported Turkey's right to combat terrorism, it was important to respect the right to peaceful protest. "We hope that any appointment of trustees will be temporary and that local citizens will soon be permitted to choose new local officials in accordance with Turkish law," it said. WESTERN CONCERN The crackdown comes as Ankara also pushes ahead with a purge of tens of thousands of supporters of U.S.-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen, accused by Turkey of orchestrating the attempted coup in July. Gulen denies any involvement. The mayors of four other municipalities, three from the ruling AK Party and one from the nationalist MHP opposition, were also replaced over alleged links to what the authorities call the "Gulen Terror Organisation", or FETO. The interior ministry said the 28 mayors, 12 of whom are formally under arrest, were under investigation for providing "assistance and support" to the PKK and to Gulen's organisation. Turkey has sacked or suspended more than 100,000 people since the failed coup. At least 40,000 people have been detained on suspicion of links to Gulen's network. The crackdown has raised concern from rights groups and Western allies who fear Erdogan is using the failed coup as pretext to curtail all dissent, and intensify his actions against suspected Kurdish militant sympathisers. Turkish officials say the moves are justified by the extent of the threat to the state. The HDP, which says it promotes a negotiated end to the PKK insurgency, said it did not recognise the legitimacy of the mayors' removal. "This illegal and arbitrary stance will result in the deepening of current problems in Kurdish cities, and the Kurdish issue becoming unresolvable," it said in a statement. Tensions in the southeast had already been heightened since Turkey launched a military incursion into Syria two and half weeks ago dubbed "Operation Euphrates Shield". At least 21 civilians killed in Saudi-led air strikes in Yemen - residents SANAA, Sept 11 (Reuters) - At least 21 civilians were killed in two separate air strikes by the Saudi-led coalition in northern Yemen on Saturday, residents said on Sunday, as fighting intensified in the country before the Muslim Eid al-Adha feast. They said at least 15 civilians were killed when war planes targeted workers drilling for water in the Beit Saadan area of the Arhab district north of Sanaa, and that 20 other people were wounded. Residents said Saudi-led coalition warplanes, apparently mistaking the drilling machine for a rocket launcher, bombed the site and killed four workers. The planes conducted a second raid when residents of the village rushed to the scene, killing at least 11 more and wounding 20. A spokesman for the Saudi-led coalition could not immediately be reached for a comment. The coalition, which has been fighting to roll back gains made by the Iran-allied Houthi group since 2014 and restore ousted President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi to power, says it does not target civilians. U.N.-sponsored talks to try to end the fighting collapsed in failure last month and the Houthi movement and allied forces loyal to former president Ali Abdullah Saleh resumed shelling into neighbouring Saudi Arabia. Saturday's attacks were the latest in a series of strikes that have hit schools, hospitals, markets and private homes. Local media put the number of dead and wounded at the water-drilling site at around 100 and published pictures of burned bodies and mangled equipment, and videos showed workers collecting mutilated bodies and carrying them away in blankets. In the second attack on Saturday, residents reported an air strike hit the home of Sheikh Maqbool al-Harmali, a local tribal chief in Hairan district of Hajjah province, killing six civilians. BAML Italy head gets ECB nod for appointment at Monte dei Paschi-source MILAN, Sept 11 (Reuters) - The European Central Bank has given a preliminary nod to the possible appointment of Marco Morelli, head of Bank of America Merrill Lynch in Italy, as chief executive of ailing lender Monte dei Paschi di Siena , a source close to the matter said. If confirmed the ECB's informal green light, first reported by Ansa news wire, would help pave the way for a swift succession at the helm of Italy's third biggest bank, whose chief executive Fabrizio Viola agreed to step down on Thursday. The bank needs to move quickly to implement an emergency rescue plan, which includes a capital increase of up to 5 billion euros ($5.6 billion), and avert the risk of being wound down. Monte dei Paschi declined to comment. The ECB and Morelli, who was Monte dei Paschi's chief financial officer before leaving the Tuscan bank in 2010, were not immediately available for comment. The source said head hunters Egon Zehnder, appointed by Monte dei Paschi for the CEO selection process, would give the results of its survey of potential candidates to the lender on Monday, before Chairman Massimo Tononi travels to Frankfurt for meetings with the ECB. The formal appointment is likely to take place towards the middle of week, a second source said. Eastern Libyan commander's forces seize key oil ports By Ayman al-Warfalli BENGHAZI, Libya, Sept 11 (Reuters) - Forces loyal to east Libyan commander Khalifa Haftar on Sunday seized at least two key oil ports from a rival force loyal to the U.N.-backed government, risking a new conflict over the OPEC nation's resources. Ahmed al-Mismari, a spokesman for Haftar's self-styled Libyan National Army (LNA), said its fighters had full control of Es Sider, Ras Lanuf, Brega and Zueitina after launching an early morning military operation on the eve of the Muslim holiday of Eid. The attacks on Libya's major oil ports by Haftar, who opposes the U.N.-backed Government of National Accord (GNA), could derail efforts to restart production. Those efforts are seen as critical to saving Libya's economy and helping the GNA survive. The National Oil Corporation in Tripoli confirmed LNA control of Es Sider and Ras Lanuf, while the situation in Brega and Zueitina could not be independently verified. Armed conflict, political disputes and militant attacks have reduced Libya's oil production to about 200,000 barrels per day (bpd) from the 1.6 million bpd it was producing before an uprising toppled Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. Western states have backed the GNA to stabilise a country where chaos allowed Islamist militants and migrant smugglers to operate across swathes of territory. But Haftar, a former army general who has been a divisive figure in post-Gaddafi Libya, has resisted attempts to integrate him into unified armed forces and overcome divisions between factions in the east and west. Many in western Libya and Tripoli criticize Haftar as a former Gaddafi ally bent on establishing a military dictatorship, but he has become a political figurehead for many in the east who feel abandoned by the capital. A government and parliament based in the east still resist the GNA's authority in Tripoli and they have in the past tried to sell crude themselves. In a statement released late on Sunday, the GNA's leadership, or Presidential Council, called the attacks an "unjustified escalation" that would "prolong the period of conflict" in Libya. EXPORT QUESTIONS The ports targeted by the LNA were previously under the control of the Petrol Facilities Guard (PFG), whose leader, Ibrahim Jathran, struck a deal with the GNA in July to end its blockade of Ras Lanuf, Es Sider and Zueitina. But although the National Oil Corporation (NOC) recently offered two cargos for export from Ras Lanuf, there had been little sign of any rapid resumption of production in recent weeks, and control by Haftar's brigades could make the deal irrelevant. Mismari said the LNA had been able to seize Ras Lanuf and Es Sider quickly because it had won over local tribes before staging a rapid advance. "This force was being prepared for a long time, and it entered without any resistance from Jathran's forces," he told Reuters. One witness said there had been a heavy deployment of LNA armoured vehicles around Ras Lanuf and Es Sider. Akram Buhaliqa, a second LNA spokesman, said there had been no casualties among LNA forces, although the NOC said a small fuel tank for power generation had been set ablaze in Es Sider. On Sunday afternoon, residents said LNA forces had taken control of a large house belonging to Jathran's family in a residential district of Ajdabiya following clashes. Jathran's exact whereabouts were not clear but in an appeal broadcast on a pro-Haftar TV station, the leader of the eastern Magharba tribe, Saleh al-Ateiwish, called on Jathran to return to the tribe and "to ask his people to surrender and let them go to their families without any losses". Ras Lanuf and Es Sider were badly damaged earlier this year in attacks by Islamic State militants based in Sirte, where they are on the verge of defeat by forces aligned with the GNA backed by U.S. air strikes. U.S. remembers victims 15 years after 9/11 attacks By Melissa Fares NEW YORK, Sept 11 (Reuters) - Americans prepared to commemorate the 15th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks on Sunday with the recital of the names of the dead, tolling church bells and a tribute in lights at the site where New York City's twin towers tumbled. The names of the 2,983 victims will be read slowly by relatives as music plays during a ceremony at the 9/11 Memorial plaza in Lower Manhattan that will pause for six moments of silence. Four of those mark the exact times four hijacked planes were crashed into the World Trade Center, the Pentagon near Washington D.C., and a Pennsylvania field. The last two record when the North and South towers of the Trade Center collapsed. The ceremony will be held by two reflecting pools with waterfalls which now stand in the towers' former footprints, and watched over by an honor guard of police and firefighters. More than 340 firefighters and 60 police were killed on the that sunny Tuesday morning in 2001, in the worst attack on U.S. soil since Pearl Harbor was bombed in 1941. Many of them died while running up stairs in the hope of reaching victims trapped on the towers' higher floors. In his weekly radio address on Saturday, U.S. President Barack Obama said it had been one of the darkest days in the history of the nation, but that it underlined the core values and resilience that define Americans. "We're still the America of heroes who ran into harm's way; of ordinary folks who took down the hijackers; of families who turned their pain into hope," Obama said. "We are still the America that looks out for one another, bound by our shared belief that I am my brother's keeper, I am my sister's keeper." No public officials will speak at the New York ceremony, in keeping with a tradition that began in 2012. The 9/11 Memorial Museum, which sits in the plaza surrounded by white oak trees, will be open on Sunday only to family members of the victims. Houses of worship throughout the city have been asked to toll their bells at 8:46 a.m. EDT (1246 GMT), the time American Airlines Flight 11 slammed into the North Tower. A second pause will come at 9:03 a.m. (1303 GMT), when United Airlines Flight 175 struck the South Tower. American Airlines Flight 77 hit the Pentagon at 9:37 a.m. (1337 GMT), then the South Tower collapsed at 9:59 a.m. (1359 GMT). At 10:03 a.m. (1403 GMT) United Flight 93 crashed near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, and the final moment of silence will be observed at 10:28 a.m. (1428 GMT) when the North Tower fell. As evening falls across the city on Sunday, spotlights will project two giant beams of light into the night sky to represent the fallen twin towers, fading away at dawn. Three women killed in attack on police station in Kenya's Mombasa By Joseph Akwiri MOMBASA, Kenya, Sept 11 (Reuters) - Three robed women tricked their way into a Mombasa police station where they stabbed one officer and set fire to the building with a petrol bomb before being shot dead, an officer and a witness said on Sunday. The city of Mombasa, with a large Muslim population on the coast of Kenya, has been targeted by Islamist militants in recent years although the frequency of attacks have subsided. Under the pretext of reporting a stolen phone, the women walked into the police station on Saturday morning, a knife and petrol bomb concealed in their traditional Buibui robes. "While being questioned by officers, one drew a knife and the other threw a petrol bomb at the police officers," Patterson Maelo, Mombasa County Police Commander, told reporters at the scene. "The station caught fire. Police shot the three and killed them. Two officers are in hospital with wounds. Presumably it is a terror attack." Maelo did not say which group he suspected the attackers belonged to. Salma Mohamed, a witness who was at the station to see a relative in custody, said one attacker had jumped onto a counter and stabbed an officer in the thigh before being shot. Somalia's al Qaeda-linked al Shabaab has taken responsibility for attacks in Mombasa and other parts of Kenya, saying it was in retaliation for the East African country sending its troops to Somalia. Britain eyeing work permits to control EU immigration - interior minister By William James LONDON, Sept 11 (Reuters) - Britain's interior minister Amber Rudd said on Sunday she was looking at a work permits system to control migration from the European Union, responding to Brexit voters' demand for tighter border controls. Although formal negotiations on leaving the EU have yet to begin, Britain is searching for a way to satisfy voters who backed leaving the EU because they wanted lower immigration and an end to open borders with the bloc, whilst meeting the needs of an economy in which some sectors depend on foreign labour. "Work permits certainly has value," Rudd told the BBC, saying her department was examining immigration control systems and that no decisions had yet been made. Britain currently has a visa system for non-EU nationals, but under EU rules citizens from within the 28-country bloc are free to live and work in Britain. "What we're going to look at is how we can get the best for the economy, driving the numbers down but protecting the people who really add value to the economy," Rudd said. Earlier this month Prime Minister Theresa May rejected a "points-based" system to screen immigrants - something Brexit campaigners promised to implement - stirring fears among some voters that her government was not taking a hard enough line on key issues like immigration. But May has said the June 23 vote to leave the EU showed Britons wanted to control the movement of people from the bloc. Rudd, a close ally of May, backed the government's long-standing target of bringing net annual migration into Britain, currently at 327,000, down below 100,000. Migration controls are likely to form one of the most contentious negotiating points in talks with the EU on leaving the bloc, as Britain looks to tighten border controls without losing access the EU single market. Iran welcomes Syria deal, urges political solution DUBAI, Sept 11 (Reuters) - Iran, a close ally and military backer of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, welcomed a U.S.-Russian deal for a truce in Syria, saying on Sunday the conflict should be ended through politics. The agreement, by the powers that back opposing sides in the five-year-old war, promises a nationwide truce from sundown on Monday, improved access for humanitarian aid and joint military targeting of hardline Islamist groups. "Iran supports any ceasefire and peace plan to end the humanitarian crisis in Syria or limit it that involves a political solution ... based on the Syrian people's votes," said Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Hossein Jaberi Ansari, quoted by the state news agency IRNA. "Iran has always believed that there is no military solution to the Syrian crisis and that it should be resolved through peaceful means," he added. Washington and Moscow reached the breakthrough deal early on Saturday to try to restore peace in Syria, but air strikes hours later on a busy market place that killed and injured dozens added to rebels' doubts that any ceasefire could hold. France's premier warns of new attacks, 15,000 people on police radar PARIS, Sept 11 (Reuters) - French Prime Minister Manuel Valls said on Sunday there would be new attacks in France but proposals by former president Nicolas Sarkozy to boost security was not the right way to deal with threats. The French capital was put on high alert last week when French officials said they dismantled a "terrorist cell" that planned to attack a Paris railway station under the direction of Islamic State. "This week at least two attacks were foiled," Manuel Valls said in an interview with Europe 1 radio and Itele television on Sunday. Valls said there were 15,000 people on the radar of police and intelligent services who were in the process of being radicalised. "There will be new attacks, there will be innocent victims...this is also my role to tell this truth to the French people," Valls said. In an interview newspaper Le Journal du Dimanche (JDD), Sarkozy said France needed to get tough on militants by creating special courts and detention facilities to boost security. "He is wrong about trying to wring the neck of the rule of law," Valls said. Sarkozy proposed to systematically place French citizens suspected of having militant links in special detention facilities. "And don't tell me it would be Guantanamo," Sarkozy said in the interview. "In France, any administrative confinement is subject to subsequent control by a judge." Guinea Bissau agrees to deal aimed at ending crisis BISSAU, Sept 11 (Reuters) - Guinea Bissau political rivals have agreed to a road map that includes the formation of a new government, according to a statement from regional mediators seeking to end a year-long political crisis in the West African country. President Jose Mario Vaz dismissed prime minister Domingos Simoes Pereira in August 2015 and the country's political institutions have been paralysed by infighting since then. Observers hoped the appointment of Baciro Dja as prime minister in May would ease the deadlock but he has failed to win the support of a key faction within the ruling PAIGC party. The United Nations has warned that the crisis might benefit drug traffickers and attract "extremist terrorist groups" seeking to gain a foothold in the region. The former Portuguese colony is notoriously unstable and has seen nine coups or attempted coups since 1980. The turbulence has helped it become a major transit point for cocaine trafficked from South America to Europe. A team of mediators from regional bloc ECOWAS, led by neighbouring Guinea's President Alpha Conde and Sierra Leone's Ernest Bai Koroma, spent Saturday in talks with stakeholders in the capital Bissau. "The (parties consulted) have all shown their support for the plan proposed by mediators," said Guinea's government late on Saturday, after meetings with the president, prime minister, PAIGC as well as the main opposition party PRS. "The signals being sent are reassuring that the crisis in Guinea Bissau is beginning to ease," the statement said. The six-point plan includes a preliminary agreement to form a consensus government, an agreement to reform the constitution and the defence sector, it said. It gave no timeframe for the new government. Previous internal and external efforts to resolve the political deadlock have failed. The crisis has prevented parliament from agreeing budgets and has blocked international aid on which the poor, cashew-exporting country of 1.7 million depends. Syria rebels guardedly agree on truce but battles persist By Angus McDowall and Tom Perry BEIRUT, Sept 11 (Reuters) - Government troops and insurgents fought in several parts of Syria on Sunday, apparently seeking to strengthen their positions on the eve of a ceasefire that Free Syrian Army rebels said they would observe but with major reservations. The Free Syrian Army groups wrote to the United States on Sunday about the deal it agreed on with Russia, saying that while they would "cooperate positively" with the ceasefire, they were concerned it would benefit the government. Although the letter did not explicitly say the groups would abide by the ceasefire, two rebels who confirmed its text to Reuters said they would respect the ceasefire when it comes into force on Monday evening. But according to the letter, the groups are worried by the absence of enforcement mechanisms, a lack of provision for besieged areas and clauses letting army jets fly for up to nine days after the deal comes into effect. The influential hardline Islamist rebel group Ahrar al-Sham issued a statement late on Sunday attacking the ceasefire deal, but stopping short of explicitly saying it would not abide by its terms. A war monitor reported clashes around Aleppo and Damascus, but pushes by the government in the mountainous northwest and rebels in the southwest indicated an effort to improve their positions before fighting is due to stop on Monday. Syria's five-year civil war has killed hundreds of thousands of people and displaced 11 million - half the country's prewar population - causing a refugee crisis in the Middle East and Europe and inspiring jihadist attacks around the world. Underscoring the war's global impact, President Bashar al-Assad is backed by Russia's air force, Iran's Revolutionary Guards and Shi'ite militias from Iraq and Lebanon, while the rebels are supported by the United States, Turkey and Gulf Arab states. Previous peace agreements crumbled within weeks, with the United States accusing Assad and his allies of attacking opposition groups and civilians. On Saturday, air strikes on rebel-held areas killed scores of people. "A big part of the agreement serves the regime and doesn't apply pressure on it and doesn't serve the Syrian people," said Zakaria Malahifji of the Aleppo-based rebel group Fastaqim. Syria's government has not issued an official comment on the truce, but Syrian state media on Saturday quoted what it called private sources as saying the government had given its approval. Iran welcomed the deal on Sunday. ISLAMIC STATE EXCLUDED The ceasefire will not apply to the jihadist groups Islamic State or Jabhat Fateh al-Sham, known as the Nusra Front until it broke formal allegiance to al Qaeda and changed its name. The rebel groups writing to the United States said the exclusion of Jabhat Fateh al-Sham, which operates only inside Syria, while including Iran-backed foreign Shi'ite militias that operate across international borders showed a double standard. They added in their letter that its exclusion from the ceasefire would be used by Russia as a pretext to bomb other rebel groups, citing their experience of a failed cessation of hostilities earlier this year. The Syrian air force bombed Islamic State targets near Palmyra, state television reported on Sunday, while rebels clashed with the group northeast of Damascus, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a U.K.-based war monitor said. The United States warned insurgents on Saturday they would face "dire consequences" if they cooperated with Jabhet Fateh al-Sham, which fought alongside a range of mainstream and Islamist rebel groups during intense battles in recent weeks in southern Aleppo. Ahrar al-Sham, one of the largest Islamist groups among the rebels, which has fought alongside Jabhat Fateh al-Sham, criticised the deal in a videotaped speech celebrating Islam's Eid al-Adha festival, which falls on Monday, without rejecting it outright. It said the deal failed to meet the minimum goals of the movement and would increase the suffering of the Syrian people. It also attacked what it called the "singling out" of particular groups, apparently a reference to the exclusion of Jabhat Fateh al-Sham. Illustrating how widely insurgents work with the former al Qaeda affiliate, Ahrar al-Sham was one of several rebel groups to announce the launch of an offensive in the southwest in coordination with Jabhat Fateh al-Sham on Saturday. Insurgents posted footage said to show battles on that front on Sunday which Reuters could not verify. In Latakia province, violent clashes continued on Sunday two days after the army and its allies launched an offensive around several villages near the main coast road to Aleppo using heavy artillery fire and dozens of air strikes, the Observatory said. Bulgaria might nominate EU Commissioner Georgieva for top U.N. job SOFIA/BRUSSELS, Sept 11 (Reuters) - Bulgaria is considering nominating Kristalina Georgieva, the EU commissioner now in charge of sorting out the bloc's budget in the face of Britain's planned departure, for the U.N. Secretary-General job. Officials and diplomats in Sofia, Brussels and elsewhere told Reuters there were intensive talks on Georgieva joining the race for the top U.N. job and a final decision was expected in the coming days. Ten people have already declared their candidacy. Bulgaria's Deputy Prime Minister Rumiana Bachvarova, asked whether Bulgaria would nominate Georgieva, said: "It is a decision of the prime minister and he will consider the situation. Consultations with other countries are also needed for a such a decision. For the moment there is no official proposal tendered at the government. If there be such, it can be tendered by the end of the working day on Monday." South Korea's Ban Ki-moon will step down from the top U.N. job at the end of the year and former Portuguese prime minister Antonio Guterres, who also served as the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees, has been the frontrunner so far. Bulgaria's own candidate, Irina Bokova, who is director-general of U.N. cultural organization UNESCO, has polled equal third. Officials differed on whether she would have to quit the race to allow Sofia to nominate Georgieva, whether Bulgaria could have two candidates or other countries could propose the Bulgarian EU commissioner. In Brussels, Martin Selmayr, the influential head of cabinet of the Commission's head, Jean-Claude Juncker, said on Twitter: "Would be great loss for @EU_Commission. But Kristalina would make strong UNSG, and many Europeans proud. + strong signal for gender equality." Civil society groups and nearly a third of the 193 U.N. member states have pushed for the first woman secretary-general. Georgieva has been discussed as a potential candidate earlier in the process but Sofia eventually put forward Bokova, who was not immediately available for comment on Sunday. The next secret ballot for the top U.N. job -- the fifth such vote -- is due on Sept. 26 and a diplomatic source in Sofia said Georgieva may have the backing of Hungary, Croatia and Latvia. But the person stressed it would be odd for Sofia to have others nominating a Bulgarian national. "The Bulgarian prime minister is in a very difficult situation... Seems he has not decided yet," the source said of ongoing talks, which also include Bulgaria's ruling centre-right GERB party. To be successful, any candidate must be endorsed by all five veto-wielding, permanent members of the U.N. Security Council - Russia, China, France, Britain and the United States. The German and Hungarian government spokesmen declined to comment, as have the spokespeople for the Bulgarian and Latvian foreign ministries. But the Latvian said that the leaders of Latvia, Lithuania, Portugal, Malta and Cyprus were due to dine with the German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin later on Sunday. The German leader could play a big role in pushing Georgieva's case, something the Russian foreign ministry said Merkel has already attempted. EU/IMF rift on Greek debt is hurting country, Tsipras says By George Georgiopoulos THESSALONIKI, Greece Sept 11 (Reuters) - A rift between the International Monetary Fund and the European Union over how to make Greece's debt sustainable is damaging the country's attempts at economic recovery, Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras said on Sunday. Describing the debt pile, equivalent to more than 170 percent of economic output, as not just a Greek but a "European problem", he said investors would remain wary of the country for as long as the two sides were at odds on how to restructure it. "I would say that what is creating conditions of delay in regaining trust of markets and investors ... is the constant clash and disagreement between the IMF and European institutions," Tsipras told a news conference in the northern city of Thessaloniki. Greece almost tumbled out of the euro zone last year, with investors fleeing its assets as talks dragged on between Athens and international lenders over terms of a financial bailout, the country's third since 2010. The IMF has yet to decide whether to participate in Greece's newest international bailout, saying it is not yet convinced the country's debt is sustainable or its fiscal targets feasible. Greece's debt to GDP ratio is the highest in the euro zone. Tsipras said differing views among lenders was preventing the inclusion of Greek debt in the European Central Bank's quantitative easing (QE) asset purchase programme. The ECB has said it cannot specify when it could start buying Greek bonds, but that Greece needs to pass a debt sustainability analysis before it happens. Lenders have promised to look at how Greece's debt mountain can be made sustainable, and whatever they decide will swing whether the IMF decides to sign up for the latest bailout deal. NO EARLY ELECTIONS Tsipras, a leftist who came to power in early 2015 promising to end years of austerity, is trailing opposition New Democracy in opinion polls. A Kapa Research poll published by the To Vima newspaper on Saturday showed New Democracy ahead by 3.9 points. On Sunday, Tsipras ruled out early elections, saying: "The country doesn't need elections. The country needs stability." On Friday, euro zone finance ministers called on Greece to stay on track with reforms it must pursue under the bailout, which is worth up to 86 billion euros, ahead of a second review of progress in meeting terms that is due to start in October. It still needs to pursue energy market reforms, create a new body to oversee privatisations and establish a new independent revenue agency. The Greek premier said the country had already completed 70 percent of reforms required under the bailout programme. Tsipras, who eschews ties and prefers open-collared shirts, reiterated a pledge that a "significant event", such as debt relief, would make him put one on. Robed women petrol-bomb police station in Kenya's Mombasa By Joseph Akwiri MOMBASA, Kenya, Sept 11 (Reuters) - Three robed women tricked their way into a Mombasa police station where they stabbed one officer and set fire to the building with a petrol bomb before being shot dead, an officer and a witness said on Sunday. Police also recovered an unexploded suicide vest from one of the attackers, spokesman George Kinoti said in a statement. The city of Mombasa, with a large Muslim population on the coast of Kenya, has been targeted by Islamist militants in recent years although the frequency of attacks has subsided. Under the pretext of reporting a stolen phone, the women walked into the police station on Saturday morning, a knife and petrol bomb concealed in their traditional Buibui robes. "While being questioned by officers, one drew a knife and the other threw a petrol bomb at the police officers," Patterson Maelo, Mombasa County Police Commander, told reporters. "The station caught fire. Police shot the three and killed them. Two officers are in hospital with wounds. Presumably it is a terror attack." Two bullet-proof jackets and an unused petrol bomb were recovered from the dead suspects, Coast regional commander Nelson Marwa told reporters. Two separate police sources who asked not to be named said a woman who had housed the suspects the night before the attack had been arrested. Kinoti said police arrested three other people at the house of one of the attackers, saying they were her accomplices. Salma Mohamed, a witness who was at the station to see a relative in custody, said one attacker had jumped onto a counter and stabbed an officer in the thigh before being shot. Police did not say which group the suspects were linked to but Mohamed said the women pledged allegiance to al Shabaab. "They shouted saying they were al Shabaab and recited the Arabic slogan 'Allahu Akbar' even as police fired bullets at them. They did not run. They shouted until bullets felled them down," she told reporters. Somalia's al Qaeda-linked al Shabaab has claimed responsibility for attacks in Mombasa and other parts of Kenya, saying this was retaliation for Kenya sending troops to Somalia. Central bankers say Basel on right track with bank capital rules By Huw Jones LONDON, Sept 11 (Reuters) - Regulators are heading in the the right direction in reforming the way banks calculate how much capital they must hold to stay solvent, a group of central bankers said on Sunday. The reforms have been heavily criticised by lenders who say they will lead to hefty increases in capital requirements, an outcome the central bankers said should be avoided. The world's top central bankers said on Sunday that completion of remaining post financial crisis reforms to bank capital was going in the right direction and the focus should be on avoiding large increases in requirements. The Basel Committee of banking supervisors is finalising rules on how much capital lenders should hold to withstand shocks without needing the taxpayer handouts that many were given during the 2007-09 financial crisis. The committee is facing hefty pushback from banks and some governments, especially in Europe. The Group of Central Bank Governors and Heads of Supervision, or GHOS, met on Sunday to scrutinise progress so far on finalising the Basel III reforms ushered in by the financial crisis. Its members include the Federal Reserve, the Bank of England, and the European Central Bank (ECB). "The GHOS endorsed the broad direction of the Committee's reforms," it said in a statement. "The GHOS discussed the Basel Committee's ongoing cumulative impact assessment and reaffirmed that, as a result of this assessment, the committee should focus on not significantly increasing overall capital requirements." Banks have dubbed the remaining reforms Basel IV, meaning a step change in requirements that they say will make it harder to increase lending to the economy. The final reforms cover capital requirements for credit and operational rules, and stricter parameters for assessing the riskiness of assets. They also include a new "floor" below which capital requirements cannot go, irrespective of the amount needed according to a bank's own modelling. European banks in particular say this would penalise large holdings of low risk loans on their books, and give too much emphasis to the volume of assets rather than their riskiness. Earlier this month, the European Union urged the Basel Committee to ensure that capital requirements were "not significantly increased in any of the major regions of the world". Basel members like Japan have said the benefits of modelling should be preserved, while other members like the Fed are more sceptical about capital calculation models. The GHOS statement on Sunday, which reinforces a similar statement at the start of the year, will buttress Basel, though banks expect some watering down when the final rules are published given concerns among some of its members. "Finalising the committee's post-crisis reforms will complete Basel III and help restore confidence in banks' risk-weighted capital ratios," said Mario Draghi, who heads the ECB and chairs GHOS. Stefan Ingves, chairman of the Basel Committee and Governor of Sweden's central bank, said: "The Committee has taken significant steps over the past few months towards finalising the post-crisis reforms by the end of the year." Families remember 9/11 victims 15 years after attacks By Melissa Fares NEW YORK, Sept 11 (Reuters) - Americans remembered the victims of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks on Sunday at a ceremony marking 15 years, with the recital of their names, tolling church bells and a tribute in lights at the site where New York City's massive twin towers collapsed. As classical music drifted across the 9/11 Memorial plaza in lower Manhattan, family members and first responders slowly read the names and delivered personal memories of the almost 3,000 victims killed in the worst attack on U.S. soil since the 1941 bombing of Pearl Harbor. Relatives in the crowd embraced and some held photos of loved ones and signs that read: "Never to be forgotten," "We miss you," and "Gone too soon." Tom Acquarviva's 29-year-old son Paul was one of 658 employees of financial services firm Cantor Fitzgerald who perished after the first plane struck the north tower just below where they worked on the 101st to 105th floors. "Not a day goes by that we don't remember him," Acquarviva told Reuters. Angela Checo honored her brother, Pedro Francisco, 35, who was a vice president at investment and wealth manager Fiduciary Trust on the 96th floor of the south tower. "He was coming down but forgot someone and went back upstairs to save them," Checo said. "That's why he never made it down." The ceremony paused for six moments of silence: four to mark the exact times four hijacked planes were crashed into the World Trade Center, the Pentagon near Washington D.C., and a Pennsylvania field. The last two record when the North and South towers of the Trade Center crumpled. It was held by two reflecting pools with waterfalls that now stand in the towers' former footprints, and watched over by an honor guard of police and firefighters. More than 340 firefighters and 60 police were killed on the that sunny Tuesday morning in 2001. Many of the first responders died while running up stairs in the hope of reaching victims trapped on the towers' higher floors. "PIECE OF THEIR HEART" At the Pentagon, a trumpet played as U.S. President Barack Obama took part in a wreath-laying ceremony. "Fifteen years may seem like a long time. But for the families who lost a piece of their heart that day, I imagine it can seem like just yesterday," Obama said. No public officials spoke at the New York ceremony, in keeping with a tradition that began in 2012. But many dignitaries attended, including Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump and his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton. Trump said in a statement that it was a day of sadness and remembrance, but also of resolve. "Our solemn duty on behalf of all those who perished ... is to work together as one nation to keep all of our people safe from an enemy that seeks nothing less than to destroy our way of life," Trump said. Clinton said in a statement that the horror of Sept. 11, 2001 would never be forgotten, and paid tribute to the victims and first responders. She fell ill after about 90 minutes at the service, becoming "overheated," aides said, and was taken to her daughter Chelsea's apartment in Manhattan. She emerged later and told reporters she was "feeling great." TRIBUTE IN LIGHT Houses of worship throughout the city had tolled their bells at 8:46 a.m. EDT (1246 GMT), the time American Airlines Flight 11 slammed into the North Tower. A second pause came at 9:03 a.m. (1303 GMT), when United Airlines Flight 175 struck the South Tower. American Airlines Flight 77 hit the Pentagon at 9:37 a.m. (1337 GMT), then the South Tower collapsed at 9:59 a.m. (1359 GMT). At 10:03 a.m. (1403 GMT) United Flight 93 crashed near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, and the final moment of silence was observed at 10:28 a.m. (1428 GMT) when the North Tower fell. As evening falls across New York City on Sunday, scores of 7,000-watt xenon light bulbs will project two giant beams of blue light into the night sky to represent the fallen twin towers, fading away at dawn. The "Tribute in Light" was first set up in 2002, six months after the attacks, and has become part of the annual memorial service. The beams reach four miles (6.4 km) into the sky and can be seen as far as 60 miles (96.6 km) away on a clear night, organizers say. In the twin towers' place now rises the 104-story 1 World Trade Center. Also known as the Freedom Tower, it is the tallest skyscraper in the Western Hemisphere, at 1,776 feet (541 meters). Fifteen years after the attack, the U.S. government marked its return to the site on Friday, moving its New York City offices there. Nineteen hijackers died in the attack, later claimed by Osama bin Laden and al Qaeda, which led directly to the U.S. war in Afghanistan and indirectly to the invasion of Iraq. In Kabul, the top American commander in Afghanistan, General John Nicholson, paid tribute to members of the NATO-led coalition and Afghan security forces who had been killed since the Taliban regime fell. But in an address which touched on his own experience as an officer in Afghanistan, stretching back a decade, he also underlined how far from peace the country remains. "As we know, sadly, the number of terrorist groups has only grown since 9/11," he said. "Of the 98 groups now designated globally, 20 are in this region, the Afpak region." Skirmishes in Indian Kashmir leave police officer, seven militants dead By Fayaz Bukhari SRINAGAR, India, Sept 12 (Reuters) - Indian security forces killed seven militants in two gunbattles that also left a police officer dead in Kashmir on Sunday, as tensions in the region ratcheted higher and street protests against Indian rule grew. Three of the militants were killed after they tried to storm the government secretariat in Poonch, near the de-facto border with Pakistan, which lays claims to the Himalayan region. "One policeman was killed, while another police officer and civilian were injured as militants tried to storm the building. The police repulsed the attack and the militants took refuge in nearby buildings," said a senior police official, adding that the three militants were killed after a day-long gunbattle. Separately, a senior army officer told Reuters that the army foiled two infiltration attempts by militants near the line of control with Pakistan. Four militants were killed in one of the gunbattles. Infiltrators attempting to cross the border were pushed back in the second clash in which no one was killed, authorities said. Large swathes of Kashmir remain shut down for a third month, as Indian authorities struggle to contain violent demonstrations triggered by the killing by security forces in July of a young militant commander who was revered by some Kashmir youth. On Saturday, two people were killed in new protests in Kashmir, taking the death toll to 75 since protesters took to the streets following the killing of Burhan Wani, the commander of the Hizbul Mujahideen group. There was more trouble on Sunday when police fired tear gas to disperse a mob in Karimabad in southern Kashmir, and at least 50 people were injured in the clashes, the police control room said. The violence in Indian Kashmir has reignited tensions with Pakistan as New Delhi blamed its neighbour for stoking further trouble there by pushing militants across the heavily militarised border that divides the region. More troops have now been deployed on the Kashmir frontier to foil such infiltration attempts, officials said. Tesla boss Elon Musk has said an update to the company's Autopilot self-driving feature could have prevented the death of a man in one of its cars earlier this year. The company has made 'major improvements' to the autonomous technology so that it relies upon radar to help it detect other vehicles and obstacles around it. It has also introduced new restrictions on when the feature can be used and will issue audible warnings asking drivers to take back control of the car. Scroll down for video Elon Musk (pictured) revealed details of the update to the Autopilot feature in his Tesla Motors cars, which is due to be released in a 'couple of weeks'. He said the improvements to the radar could 'very likely' have prevented a fatal crash involving a Tesla vehicle earlier this year WHAT'S IN AUTOPILOT 8.0 Tesla claims there are dozens of refinements in its Version 8.0 of its Autopilot software. It will use advanced signal processing to create a better picture of the world using radar. The company claims it will be able to bounce the radar signal under a vehicle in front using a radar pulse signature to see objects ahead in even zero visibility. This helps to decrease heavy braking. The system will also take a highway exit if an indicator activated. In the next update to the software version 8.1 it will follow a GPS system at highway exits. The update will also offset the car in the lane when overtaking a vehicle close to the edge of its lane. A flashing white border will appear on the instrument panel along with audible alerts for drivers. The car will not reengage Autosteer until it is parked if the user repeatedly ignores warnings. The software will also improve its auto lane change availability. If in manual mode, the car will also alert the driver if it is about to leave the road and the steering wheel has not been used to take action. The car will activate Autosteer to avoid a collision. Advertisement Musk said it was 'very likely' the improved software would have prevented the death of Jousha Brown, who died in May when his Tesla Model S collided with a truck in Florida. Mr Brown had been using the Autopilot feature at the time of the crash and Tesla said the system had failed to detect the white trailer against the bright sky. However, the National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration is still conducting an investigation into crash and it said it would now review the updates to Autopilot made by Tesla. The company insists its Autopilot feature is not intended to take over completely from motorists and drivers should be ready to take back control of their vehicle at any time. In the update, which will be released as an 'over-the-air' download, will make greater use of the vehicle's radar systems to look for hazards its cameras are unable to pick up. This should allow the car to detect other vehicles and obstacles more accurately. Autopilot 8.0 will also temporarily prevent drivers from using Autopilot if they fail to respond to warnings to take control of the car. Mr Musk said: 'We're making much more effective use of radar. It will be a dramatic improvement in the safety of the system done entirely through software.' He added, however, that the update 'doesn't mean perfect safety.' 'Perfect safety is really an impossible goal,' Mr Musk said. 'It's about improving the probability of safety. There won't ever be zero fatalities, there won't ever be zero injuries.' Telsa introduced its Autopilot feature in vehicles (pictured) in 2014 but has been criticised for rushing the system into its vehicles following a high profile accident in the US. The company has insisted its system is safe when used correctly The Autopilot feature will take over steering and braking from the motorist when activated (pictured). Updates will allow the vehicle to use its radar systems to map the world around it rather than relying upon its visual cameras One of the main challenges of using cameras and radars for a braking system is how to prevent so-called false positives, in which a car might think an overhead highway sign, for example, was an obstacle to be avoided. Using radar and fleet learning, rather than relying primarily on cameras, would solve that problem, Mr Musk said. 'Anything metallic or dense, the radar system we're confident will be able to detect that and initiate a braking event,' he said. Silicon Valley-based Tesla is known for its innovation in luxury electric vehicles but some critics, including rival carmakers, have said it was hasty in rolling out Autopilot. WHY TESLA IS USING RADAR IN ITS AUTOPILOT FEATURE Radar was supposed to be a supplementary sensor to the primary camera in Tesla's Autopilot system, but it will now be used as a primary control sensor. According to Tesla: 'This is a non-trivial and counter-intuitive problem, because of how strange the world looks in radar.' Radar uses photons of electromagnetic radiation that are a moderately long wavelength. These travel easily through fog, dust, rain and snow, but anything metallic looks like a mirror. The radar can see people, but they appear partially translucent. Something made of wood or painted plastic, though opaque to a person, is almost as transparent as glass to radar. On the other hand, any metal surface with a dish shape is not only reflective, but also amplifies the reflected signal to many times its actual size. Tesla said: 'A discarded soda can on the road, with its concave bottom facing towards you can appear to be a large and dangerous obstacle, but you would definitely not want to slam on the brakes to avoid it. 'Therefore, the big problem in using radar to stop the car is avoiding false alarms. 'Slamming on the brakes is critical if you are about to hit something large and solid, but not if you are merely about to run over a soda can. 'Having lots of unnecessary braking events would at best be very annoying and at worst cause injury. 'The first part of solving that problem is having a more detailed point cloud. The second part consists of assembling those radar snapshots, which take place every tenth of a second, into a 3D "picture" of the world. 'The third part is a lot more difficult. When the car is approaching an overhead highway road sign positioned on a rise in the road or a bridge where the road dips underneath, this often looks like a collision course. 'The navigation data and height accuracy of the GPS are not enough to know whether the car will pass under the object or not. By the time the car is close and the road pitch changes, it is too late to brake. 'This is where fleet learning comes in handy. Initially, the vehicle fleet will take no action except to note the position of road signs, bridges and other stationary objects, mapping the world according to radar. 'The car computer will then silently compare when it would have braked to the driver action and upload that to the Tesla database.' Advertisement The revised system will sound warnings if drivers take their hands off the wheel for more than a minute at speeds above 45 miles per hour (72 kph) when there is no vehicle ahead. The warning will sound after the driver's hands are off the wheel for more than three minutes when the Tesla is following another car at speeds above 45 mph. The dashboard also will flash a pulsing light. Joshua Brown (pictured) died after his Tesla Model S collided with a truck while the Autopilot feature was activated. Tesla said at the time that the software had failed to detect a white trailer against the bright sky. An investigation into the accident is still ongoing If the driver ignores three audible warnings in an hour, the system will temporarily shut off until it is parked, Mr Musk said. Advanced Autopilot users, rather than new users, were most likely to ignore warnings to put their hands back on the wheel, Mr Musk said. It has been a difficult summer for Mr Musk following as Tesla attempts to deal with demand for its upcoming Model 3 while he has also tried to convince investors on the merits of a proposed acquisition of SolarCity, the solar roof installation firm. Earlier this month another of his companies, SpaceX, suffered a major setback after one of its Falcon 9 rockets exploded on its launch pad in Cape Canaveral, Florida. After winning, what his rival opposition Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) declared were massively rigged elections, Pakistan's Prime Minister Lion of Punjab Nawaz Sharif told a cheering crowd in Muzaffarabad on July 22: We are waiting for the day (when) Kashmir becomes (a part of) Pakistan," according to Firstpost. Two days before that, on July 20, Pakistan officially observed a black day to express solidarity with the people of Jammu and Kashmir. That very day, Sharifs Punjabi Muslim brother, the notorious Hafiz Saeed, chief of the Lashkar-e-Tayyeba who was born in the jihadi stronghold of Sargodha, staged a long march from Lahore to Islamabad in support of the Kashmir militants. Since then, Sharif has written two letters to the United Nations secretary general to protest Indian atrocities in Kashmir. It was clear that Sharif is following the voice of his masters, who whistle from the Pakistan Army's headquarters in Rawalpindi. As if to convince the same masters that he was even more loyal to the Army than Sharif, Pakistani pappu Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, PPP chairman, called up separatist Hurriyat leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq a few months ago, accused Sharif of being soft on Kashmir, and promised another separatist, Syed Ali Shah Geelani, rallies in support of Kashmir, according to The Indian Express. Meanwhile, the top gun of Pakistan, General Raheel Sharif, speaking on Defence of Pakistan Day September 6 called for respecting the aspirations of the Kashmiri people. That Pakistan is a rogue state is evident by the fact that though it launched the failed Operation Gibraltar against India in Kashmir, claimed the life of 3,800 soldiers, including General Sharifs uncle Major Aziz Bhatti, Pakistani kids are taught that India launched an unprovoked attack on the country in the dead of night. The true solution for this struggle for self-determination (of Kashmir) resides not in raining bullets upon the defenceless Kashmiri people but in heeding to their voice and respecting their aspirations. The Kashmir issue can only be resolved by implementing the UN resolutions, General Sharif, whose official bio-data proudly says he belongs to the martial Rajput race, said during a recent ceremony in Rawalpindi, The Indian Express reported. Calling Kashmir the lifeline of Pakistan, the General, who lost his elder brother in the war against India in 1971, without even naming the country, used a veiled threat of nuclear weapons. The same threat was ominously issued a month earlier by Syed Salahuddin, chief of the Hizbul Mujahideen and United Jihad Council. Thus, in this case it is not clear if it is the dog (Army) that is wagging the tail (jihadis), or vice versa - when it comes to jihad in Kashmir - as part of the grandiose Ghazwa-i-Hind, Islamist prophecy of conquering India. At the same time, Pakistani military and civilian leaders are shedding tears on Kashmir, the soldiers are busy with their secret, dirty war in the killing fields of Balochistan, the world capital of enforced disappearances where at least 20,000 Baloch people have "been disappeared" and as many as 6,000 killed and dumped. This is ethnic cleansing, pure and simple, Sher Mohammed Bugti, spokesperson for the Baloch Republican Party told this correspondent on phone from Geneva. He said a fresh military offensive targeted the bordering areas of Dera Bugti in Balochistan and Dera Ghazi Khan in Punjab. According to Bugti, more than 15 people have been killed and eight injured in the Army raid, while security forces have abducted 26 Baloch civilians, including women and children. He said at least eight gunship helicopters, 37 armoured vehicles and hundreds of troops took part in the operation. He added that 60-plus houses belonging to civilians have been burned down by the Pakistani Army. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had expressed solidarity with the people of Balochistan. On the same day, when General Sharif was talking about respecting the aspirations of Kashmiris, his soldiers were committing brutalities in full public view in Turbat in occupied Balochistan. According to the pro-independence Baluch Sarmachar media, the house of a former student leader, Pir Jan Baloch, has been under siege of Pakistani security forces since the evening of September 6 in Doctors Colony in Turbat. Five women, two infants and a 70-year-old man are the occupants of the house. Local people are resisting the security forces' attempt to abduct the family. However, the siege continues, depriving people in the house of food, water and other essential commodities, Baluch Sarmachar reported. While Sharif will be forcefully taking up the Kashmir issue at the UN on September 21, with American friends of the Baloch, Pandits, Sindhis and Gilgitis expected to protest outside the UN complex in New York, it is still not clear whether Union minister for external affairs Sushma Swaraj will help the Baloch cause by exposing the brutalities of the Pakistan Army and ISI, and demand right to self-determination for Balochistan in her speech at the UN. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while addressing an all-party conference and in his Independence Day speech too, had expressed solidarity with the suffering people of Balochistan. Though Modis speech in defence of Balochistan is said to be reflective of the Modi Doctrine and Doval Doctrine - named after Indians top security boss Ajit Doval, who risked his life by his undercover posting in Pakistan to take out wanted terrorists - there are some Cold War era diplomats in the Indian Foreign Service who still believe in the Nehruvian policy of turning the other cheek to Pakistan. It is for this reason that ambiguity shrouds whether Indias Baloch move is simply a tactical ploy or a more comprehensive strategic policy to safeguard Indias vital national interests in the warm waters of the Gulf -Balochistans 700-mile coastline forms the northern lip of the strategic Straits of Hormuz. However, in a rare show of national unity, it was heartening to see the Congress side with Modi and disown the statement of former Union minister for external affairs Salman Khurshid, when he had criticised Modis stance on Balochistan. Even Pakistanis have begun to speak out against the security forces' injustices in Balochistan. According to Pakistans former ambassador to the US Husain Haqqani, federal shipping minister Mir Hasil Bizenjo - a friend of Mani Shankar Aiyer says: If a referendum was held in Balochistan today, the militants would win." Early this year, Hulas Chandra Singh, Ruplal Thakur and Deewakar Mahto along with 40 others went to Malaysia. All coughed up around Rs 50,000 each to work abroad. Before taking a flight, all were declared medically fit in India. But after three months of employment, they were told by their respective companies that they were unfit. The companies neither wanted to give them salary nor send them back to India. It was only after contacting Vinod Kumar Singh, a former MLA, that the 43 labourers could return home. You must have watched the movie Airlift, which was made on an Indian businessman living in Kuwait who helped evacuate hundreds of Indian labourers during the Gulf War. You must also have read about foreign minister Sushma Swaraj and minister of state VK Singh bringing back stranded labourers from foreign soil. But do you know that Vinod Singh, a leader from Jharkands Bagodar constituency, has since 2009 helped hundreds of labourers come home from exploitative jobs not only in Malaysia, Kuwait and Kango (Africa) but different states of India as well. Singh's tireless efforts, sometimes single-handedly, have saved more than 500 labourers from being stuck abroad. The CPI-ML leader was a legislator from Bagodar, the largest assembly segment of Giridih, from 2005 to 2014. Earlier, Mahendra Singh, his father, was a five-time MLA before he was assassinated in 2005. The CPI-ML first created a wing called Migrated Labourers Association when about 100 people from each village of Bagodar and its neighbouring Bishnugarh, Barkatta and Dumri migrated outside for work, for lack of job opportunities in India, and were soon stuck in different countries. The wing was meant to help them. A villager named Sikander also runs a WhatsApp group relating to the same, called Migrated. Efforts to bring back labourers from such situations had started seven years ago. Singh, 40, recalls: That year, in January, I got a call from Malaysia and the caller said he was from Bagodar but his passport, as well as that of some others, had been seized by their employer company. They were forced to work without salary and only given two meals." Along with the caller, there were 15 more people in the custody of the company this way." Vinod Singh (in a white shirt) stands next to a statue of his father Mahendra Singh along with the workers who returned from Malaysia. The reason why Singh, a Master's degree holder from Banaras Hindu University, is so easily approachable, even from abroad is that he has always kept the same phone number, which is known to everyone in his constituency and remains available on it round the clock. So even when the companies took away every document from the migrated labourers' possession, Singh's number remained handy in their mind. Most labourers who sought his help told Singh that they were betrayed by agents or companies. When contacted in distress, Singh uses his personal contacts and tries reaching out to companies and embassies, forcing the companies to end the exploitation and pay pending salaries. He has even managed to get labourers released from jails abroad. In August this year, when 43 labourers returned from Malaysia, it was found that the companies which had employed them owed them more than Rs 1 crore. Singh talks about 2009. When state governments and the central government could not do much that time, I had tried to contact Indian embassy officials in Malaysia. This information got leaked to the exploiting company and its officials thrashed the labourers for contacting me. One day, the entire work force even escaped from there, but because they had no passport, they were arrested by the local police and sent to jail where they were kept in inhumane conditions, he says. However, while I was in search of some contact in Malaysia and had even prepared my passport to visit the country, I got to know that my friends brother was the Indian ambassador there. He personally took care of everything and got all the labourers released, he explains. The entire process took eight months in 2009, but Singh's efforts to help such workers only intensified from then onwards. He lives in a small village in the constituency, for he thinks it is necessary that he live with the people who voted for him and resolve their troubles. Even his father Mahendra Singh helped migrated labourers escape similar situations in 2003, says Sandeep Jaiswal, a former journalist and now active member of CPI-ML. Interestingly, among the latest returnees, one is Dewakar Mahto, cousin of present MLA Nagendra Mahto. In 2014, Singh helped 150 labourers return to India from Kango, where the ebola virus had broken out. At least 13 labourers from the Jharkhand region also succumbed to the deadly virus. In case a labourer gets killed, Singh often forces companies to pay compensation. On a few occasions, company officials have even visited Bagodar to pay up or deposit the money in labourers' accounts. In the village Gohar, in Barkatta block under Hazaribagh district, four of the five Mahto brothers, their nephew and father got killed while working in different countries. Here also, Singh forced the companies to send back their bodies and compensate the deceased family. The former MLA has demanded that the Jharkhand government pay compensation to those who die while working abroad. Not just abroad, Singh has helped workers facing problems in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka to escape the clutches of the companies exploiting them and return to their respective states, Pawan Kumar Mahto, president of Migrated Labourers Association, reveals. The new rules provide for setting up appellate committees which can overrule decisions of the big tech firms on takedown or blocking requests. The following companies are subsidiares of Johnson & Johnson: 3Dintegrated ApS, ALZA Corporation, AMO (Hangzhou) Co. Ltd., AMO (Shanghai) Medical Devices Trading Co. Ltd Beijing Branch, AMO (Shanghai) Medical Devices Trading Co. Ltd Guangzhou Branch, AMO (Shanghai) Medical Devices Trading Co. 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Ltd., Johnson & Johnson Pte. Ltd. Korea Branch, Johnson & Johnson Pty. Limited, Johnson & Johnson Romania S.R.L., Johnson & Johnson S.A., Johnson & Johnson S.A. de C.V., Johnson & Johnson S.E. Inc., Johnson & Johnson S.E. d.o.o., Johnson & Johnson SDN. BHD., Johnson & Johnson Sante Beaute France, Johnson & Johnson Services Inc., Johnson & Johnson Surgical Vision Inc., Johnson & Johnson Surgical Vision India Private Limited, Johnson & Johnson Taiwan Ltd., Johnson & Johnson UK Treasury Company Limited, Johnson & Johnson Ukraine LLC, Johnson & Johnson Urban Renewal Associates, Johnson & Johnson Vision Care (Shanghai) Ltd., Johnson & Johnson Vision Care Inc., Johnson & Johnson Vision Care Ireland Unlimited Company, Johnson & Johnson d.o.o., Johnson & Johnson de Argentina S.A.C. e. I., Johnson & Johnson de Chile Limitada, Johnson & Johnson de Chile S.A., Johnson & Johnson de Colombia S.A., Johnson & Johnson de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Johnson & Johnson de Uruguay S.A., Johnson & Johnson de Venezuela S.A., Johnson & Johnson del Ecuador S.A., Johnson & Johnson del Peru S.A., Johnson & Johnson do Brasil Industria E Comercio de Produtos Para Saude Ltda., Johnson & Johnson for Export and Import LLC, Johnson & Johnson s.r.o., Johnson Y Johnson de Costa Rica S.A., Johnson and Johnson (Proprietary) Limited, Johnson and Johnson Sihhi Malzeme Sanayi Ve Ticaret Limited Sirketi, LTL Management LLC, La Concha Land Investment Corporation, Latam International Investment Company Unlimited Company, Legal Entity Name, MDS Co. Ltd., McNEIL MMP LLC, McNeil AB, McNeil Consumer Pharmaceuticals Co., McNeil Denmark ApS, McNeil Healthcare (Ireland) Limited, McNeil Healthcare (UK) Limited, McNeil Healthcare LLC, McNeil Iberica S.L.U., McNeil LA LLC, McNeil Nutritionals LLC, McNeil Panama LLC, McNeil Products Limited, McNeil Sweden AB, Medical Device Business Services Inc., Medical Devices & Diagnostics Global Services LLC, Medical Devices International LLC, Medos International Sarl, Medos International Sarl succursale de Neuchatel (Branch), Medos Sarl, MegaDyne Medical Products Inc., Menlo Care De Mexico S.A. de C.V., Mentor B.V., Mentor Deutschland GmbH, Mentor Medical Systems B.V., Mentor Partnership Holding Company I LLC, Mentor Texas GP LLC, Mentor Texas L.P., Mentor Worldwide LLC, Micrus Endovascular LLC, Middlesex Assurance Company Limited, Momenta Ireland Limited, Momenta Pharmaceuticals, Momenta Pharmaceuticals Inc., NeoStrata Company Inc., NeoStrata UG (haftungsbeschrankt), Netherlands Holding Company, NeuWave Medical Inc., Neuravi Limited, Novira Therapeutics, Novira Therapeutics LLC, NuVera Medical Inc., OBTECH Medical Sarl, OGX Beauty Limited, OMJ Holding GmbH, OMJ Ireland Unlimited Company, OMJ Pharmaceuticals Inc., Obtech Medical Mexico S.A. de C.V., Omrix Biopharmaceuticals Inc., Omrix Biopharmaceuticals Ltd., Omrix Biopharmaceuticals NV, Ortho Biologics LLC, Ortho Biotech Holding LLC, Ortho-McNeil Pharmaceutical LLC, Orthospin Ltd., Orthotaxy, PT Integrated Healthcare Indonesia, PT. Johnson & Johnson Indonesia, Patriot Pharmaceuticals LLC, Peninsula Pharmaceuticals LLC, Pharmadirect Ltd., Pharmedica Laboratories (Proprietary) Limited, Princeton Laboratories Inc., Productos de Cuidado Personal y de La Salud de Bolivia S.R.L., Proleader S.A., Pulsar Vascular Inc., Regency Urban Renewal Associates, RespiVert Ltd., RoC International, Royalty A&M LLC, Rutan Realty LLC, SYNTHES Medical Immobilien GmbH, Scios LLC, Sedona Singapore International Pte. Ltd., Sedona Thai International Co. Ltd., Serhum S.A. de C.V., Shanghai Elsker For Mother & Baby Co. Ltd, Shanghai Elsker Mother & Baby Co. Ltd Minghang Branch, Shanghai Johnson & Johnson Ltd., Shanghai Johnson & Johnson Pharmaceuticals Ltd., Sightbox LLC, Sodiac ESV, Spectrum Vision Limited Liability Company, Spectrum Vision Limited Liability Partnership, SterilMed, SterilMed Inc., Surgical Process Institute Deutschland GmbH, Synthes Costa Rica S.C.R. Limitada, Synthes GmbH, Synthes Holding AG, Synthes Holding Limited, Synthes Inc., Synthes Medical Surgical Equipment & Instruments Trading LLC, Synthes Produktions GmbH, Synthes Proprietary Limited, Synthes S.M.P. S. de R.L. de C.V., Synthes Tuttlingen GmbH, Synthes USA LLC, Synthes USA Products LLC, TARIS Biomedical, TARIS Biomedical LLC, TearScience Inc., The Anspach Effort LLC, The Vision Care Institute LLC, Tibotec LLC, Torax Medical Inc., UAB "Johnson & Johnson", UAB Johnson & Johnson Eesti Filiaal (Estonian Branch), Vania Expansion, Verb Surgical, Verb Surgical Inc., Vision Care Finance Unlimited Company, Vogue International, Vogue International LLC, Vogue International Trading Inc., WH4110 Development Company L.L.C., XO1, XO1 Limited, Xian Janssen Pharmaceutical Ltd., Xian-Janssen Pharmaceutical Ltd. Beijing Branch Office, Xian-Janssen Pharmaceutical Ltd. Shanghai Branch Office, Zarbee's Inc., and Zarbee's Naturals. Read More The following companies are subsidiares of General Motors: 2140879 Ontario Inc., ACAR Leasing Ltd., ACF Investment Corp., AFS SenSub Corp., APGO Trust, Adam Opel GmbH, AmeriCredit, AmeriCredit Financial Services Inc., Annunciata Corporation, Argonaut Holdings LLC, Astyx Inc., BOCO (Proprietary) Limited, Banco GM S.A., Boco Trust, BrightDrop LLC, BrightDrop Solutions LLC, BrightDrop Vehicle Distribution LLC, CHEVYPLAN S.A. Sociedad Administradora de Planes de Autofinanciamiento Comercial, Cadillac, Cadillac Europe GmbH, Carve-Out Ownership Cooperative LLC, Chevrolet Deutschland GmbH, Chevrolet Otomotiv Ticaret Limited Sirketi, Chevrolet Sales (Thailand) Limited, Chevrolet Sales India Private Ltd., Chevrolet Sociedad Anonima de Ahorro para Fines Determinados, Controladora General Motors S. de R.L. de C.V., Cruise, Cruise LLC, Cruise Munich GmbH, DCJ1 LLC, DMAX Ltd., Dealership Liquidations Inc., Delphi Energy and Engine Management Systems UK Overseas Corporation, EDS (Electronic Data Systems), GCAR Titling Ltd., GM (UK) Pension Trustees Limited, GM Administradora de Bens Ltda., GM Asia Pacific Regional Headquarters Ltd., GM Components Holdings LLC, GM Corretora de Seguros Ltda., GM Cruise Holdings LLC, GM Defense LLC, GM Eurometals Inc., GM Finance Co. Holdings LLC, GM Financial, GM Financial Bank, GM Financial Canada Leasing Ltd., GM Financial Colombia Holdings LLC, GM Financial Colombia S.A. Compania de Financiamiento, GM Financial Consumer Discount Company, GM Financial Holdings LLC, GM Financial Insurance Company, GM Financial Mexico Holdings LLC, GM Financial de Mexico S.A. de C.V. SOFOM E.R., GM Financial del Peru S.A.C, GM Global Technology Operations LLC, GM Global Tooling Company LLC, GM Global Treasury Centre Limited, GM Holdings Australia Pty Ltd, GM Holdings U.K. No.1 Limited, GM Inversiones Santiago Limitada, GM Investment Trustees Limited, GM Korea Company, GM LAAM Holdings LLC, GM Mobility Europe GmbH, GM Personnel Services Inc., GM Philippines Inc., GM Protections LLC, GM Regional Holdings LLC, GM Retirees Pension Trustees Limited, GM Speciality Vehicles UK Limited, GM Subsystems Manufacturing LLC, GM Technical Center Korea Ltd., GM-DI Leasing LLC, GMAC Administradora de Consorcios Ltda., GMAC Prestadora de Servicios de Mao de Obra Ltda., GMCH&SP Private Equity II L.P., GMF Funding Corp., GMF Global Assignment LLC, GMF International LLC, GMF Leasing LLC, GMF Wholesale Receivables LLC, General Motors (China) Investment Company Limited, General Motors - Colmotores S.A., General Motors Advisory Services LLC, General Motors Africa and Middle East FZE, General Motors Asia LLC, General Motors Asia Pacific Holdings LLC, General Motors Asset Management Corporation, General Motors Australia Pty Ltd., General Motors Australia and New Zealand Pty Ltd., General Motors Auto LLC, General Motors Automobiles Philippines Inc., General Motors Automotive Holdings S.L., General Motors Belgique Automobile NV, General Motors Chile Industria Automotriz Limitada, General Motors China LLC, General Motors Daewoo Auto and Technology CIS LLC, General Motors Egypt S.A.E., General Motors Europe Limited, General Motors Financial Chile Limitada, General Motors Financial Chile S.A., General Motors Financial Company Inc., General Motors Financial of Canada Ltd., General Motors Global Service Operations Inc., General Motors Holden Australia NSC Pty Ltd., General Motors Holdings LLC, General Motors IT Services (Ireland) Limited, General Motors India Private Limited, General Motors International Holdings LLC, General Motors International Operations Pte. Ltd., General Motors International Services Company SAS, General Motors International Services LLC, General Motors Investment Limited, General Motors Investment Management Corporation, General Motors Investment Participacoes Ltda., General Motors Investments Pty. Ltd., General Motors Israel Ltd., General Motors Japan Limited, General Motors LLC, General Motors Limited, General Motors New Zealand Limited, General Motors New Zealand Pensions Limited, General Motors Overseas Commercial Vehicle Corporation, General Motors Overseas Corporation, General Motors Overseas Distribution LLC, General Motors Peru S.A., General Motors Research Corporation, General Motors South Africa (Pty) Limited, General Motors Taiwan Ltd., General Motors Technical Centre India Private Limited, General Motors Treasury Center LLC, General Motors Uruguay S.A., General Motors Ventures LLC, General Motors Warehousing and Trading (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., General Motors de Argentina S.r.l., General Motors de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., General Motors del Ecuador S.A., General Motors do Brasil Ltda., General Motors of Canada Company, General Motors-Holden's Sales Pty. Limited, Global Services Detroit LLC, Grand Pointe Holdings Inc., Grand Pointe Park Condominium Association, IBC Pension Trustees Limited, Lease Ownership Cooperative LLC, Lidlington Engineering Company Ltd., Limited Liability Company "General Motors CIS", Maven Drive LLC, Millbrook Pension Management Limited, Monetization of Carve-Out LLC, Motors Holding LLC, Multi-Use Lease Entity Trust, North American New Cars LLC, Omnibus BB Transportes S. A., OnStar Connected Services Srl, OnStar Egypt Limited, OnStar Europe Ltd., OnStar Global Services Corporation, OnStar LLC, OnStar de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., P.T. G M AutoWorld Indonesia, P.T. General Motors Indonesia, PIMS Co., PT. General Motors Indonesia Manufacturing, Pan Asia Technical Automotive Center Company Ltd., Prestadora de Servicios GMF Colombia S.A.S., Rapid Motor Vehicle Company, Reliance Motor Car Company, Riverfront Holdings III Inc., Riverfront Holdings Inc., Riverfront Holdings Phase II Inc., SAIC GM (Shenyang) Norsom Motors Co. Ltd., SAIC GM Dong Yue Motors Company Limited, SAIC GM Dong Yue Powertrain Company Limited, SAIC GM Wuling Automobile Company Limited, SAIC General Motors Corporation Limited, SAIC General Motors Sales Company Limited, SAIC-GMAC Automotive Finance Company Limited, SAIC-GMF Leasing Co. Ltd., Servicios GMAC S.A. de C.V., Shanghai OnStar Telematics Co. Ltd., Sidecar Technologies, Ultium Cells LLC, Vehicle Asset Universal Leasing Trust, WRE Inc., and Zona Franca Industrial Colmotores SAS. Read More The following companies are subsidiares of HSBC: Assetfinance December (F) Limited, Assetfinance December (H) Limited, Assetfinance December (M) Limited, Assetfinance December (P) Limited, Assetfinance December (R) Limited, Assetfinance June (A) Limited, Assetfinance June (D) Limited, Assetfinance Limited, Assetfinance March (B) Limited, Assetfinance March (D) Limited, Assetfinance March (F) Limited, Assetfinance September (F) Limited, Assetfinance September (G) Limited, B&Q Financial Services Limited, Banco Nominees (Guernsey) Limited, Banco Nominees 2 (Guernsey) Limited, Banco Nominees Limited, Bank of Bermuda (Cayman) Limited, Beau Soleil Limited Partnership, Beijing Miyun HSBC Rural Bank Company Limited, Billingsgate Nominees Limited, CC&H Holdings LLC, CCF & Partners Asset Management Limited, COIF Nominees Limited, Canada Crescent Nominees (UK) Limited, Canada Square Nominees (UK) Limited, Capco/Cove Inc., Card-Flo #1 Inc., Card-Flo #3 Inc., Charterhouse Administrators (D.T.) Limited, Charterhouse Management Services Limited, Charterhouse Pensions Limited, Chongqing Dazu HSBC Rural Bank Company Limited, Chongqing Fengdu HSBC Rural Bank Company Limited, Chongqing Rongchang HSBC Rural Bank Company Limited, Cordico Management AG, Corhold Limited, Corsair IV Financial Services Capital Partners, Dalian Pulandian HSBC Rural Bank Company Limited, Decision One Mortgage Company LLC, Dem 5, Dem 9, Dempar 1, Dempar 4, Elysees Immo Invest, Eton Corporate Services Limited, Fdm 5 SAS, Finanpar 2, Finanpar 7, Flandres Contentieux S.A., Fonciere Elysees, Fujian Yongan HSBC Rural Bank Company Limited, Fulcher Enterprises Company Limited, Fundacion HSBC A.C., GPIF Co-Investment LLC, Giller Ltd., Global Payments Technology Mexico S.A. De C.V., Griffin International Limited, Grundstuecksgesellschaft Trinkausstrasse Kommanditgesellschaft, Grupo Financiero HSBC S.A. de C.V., Guangdong Enping HSBC Rural Bank Company Limited, HITG Administration GmbH, HRMG Nominees Limited, HSBC (BGF) Investments Limited, HSBC (General Partner) Limited, HSBC (Guernsey) GP PCC Limited, HSBC (Kuala Lumpur) Nominees Sdn Bhd, HSBC (Malaysia) Trustee Berhad, HSBC (Singapore) Nominees Pte Ltd, HSBC Administradora de Inversiones S.A., HSBC Agency (India) Private Limited, HSBC Alternative Investments Limited, HSBC Amanah Malaysia Berhad, HSBC Americas Corporation (Delaware), HSBC Argentina Holdings S.A., HSBC Asia Holdings (UK) Limited, HSBC Asia Holdings B.V., HSBC Asia Holdings Limited, HSBC Asia Pacific Holdings (UK) Limited, HSBC Asset Finance (UK) Limited, HSBC Asset Finance M.O.G. Holdings (UK) Limited, HSBC Asset Management (India) Private Limited, HSBC Assurances Vie (France), HSBC Australia Holdings Pty Limited, HSBC Bank (Chile), HSBC Bank (China) Company Limited, HSBC Bank (General Partner) Limited, HSBC Bank (Mauritius) Limited, HSBC Bank (RR) (Limited Liability Company), HSBC Bank (Singapore) Limited, HSBC Bank (Taiwan) Limited, HSBC Bank (Uruguay) S.A., HSBC Bank (Vietnam) Ltd., HSBC Bank A.S., HSBC Bank Argentina S.A., HSBC Bank Armenia cjsc, HSBC Bank Australia Limited, HSBC Bank Bermuda Limited, HSBC Bank Canada, HSBC Bank Capital Funding (Sterling, HSBC Bank Capital Funding (Sterling 2) LP, HSBC Bank Egypt S.A.E, HSBC Bank Malaysia Berhad, HSBC Bank Malta p.l.c., HSBC Bank Middle East Limited, HSBC Bank Nominee (Jersey) Limited, HSBC Bank Oman S.A.O.G., HSBC Bank Pension Trust (UK) Limited, HSBC Bank Polska S.A., HSBC Bank USA National Association, HSBC Bank plc, HSBC Branch Nominee (UK) Limited, HSBC Brasil Holding S.A., HSBC Brasil S.A. Banco De Investimento, HSBC Broking Forex (Asia) Limited, HSBC Broking Futures (Asia) Limited, HSBC Broking Futures (Hong Kong) Limited, HSBC Broking Securities (Asia) Limited, HSBC Broking Securities (Hong Kong) Limited, HSBC Broking Services (Asia) Limited, HSBC Canadian Covered Bond (Legislative) GP Inc, HSBC Canadian Covered Bond (Legislative) Guarantor Limited Partnership, HSBC Capital (USA) Inc., HSBC Capital Funding (Dollar 1) L.P., HSBC Capital Limited, HSBC Card Services Inc., HSBC Casa de Bolsa S.A. de C.V., HSBC Cayman Services Limited, HSBC City Funding Holdings, HSBC Client Holdings Nominee (UK) Limited, HSBC Client Share Offer Nominee (UK) Limited, HSBC Columbia Funding LLC, HSBC Corporate Advisory (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, HSBC Corporate Finance (Hong Kong) Limited, HSBC Corporate Trustee Company (UK) Limited, HSBC Custody Nominees (Australia) Limited, HSBC Custody Services (Guernsey) Limited, HSBC Daisy Investments (Mauritius) Limited, HSBC Diversified Loan Fund General Partner Sarl, HSBC Electronic Data Processing (Guangdong) Limited, HSBC Electronic Data Processing (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, HSBC Electronic Data Processing (Philippines) Inc., HSBC Electronic Data Processing India Private Limited, HSBC Electronic Data Processing Lanka (Private) Limited, HSBC Electronic Data Service Delivery (Egypt) S.A.E., HSBC Enterprise Investment Company (UK) Limited, HSBC Epargne Entreprise (France), HSBC Equipment Finance (UK) Limited, HSBC Equity (UK) Limited, HSBC Europe B.V., HSBC Executor & Trustee Company (UK) Limited, HSBC Factoring (France), HSBC Finance (Brunei) Berhad, HSBC Finance (Netherlands), HSBC Finance Corporation, HSBC Finance Limited, HSBC Finance Mortgages Inc., HSBC Finance Transformation (UK) Limited, HSBC Financial Services (Lebanon) s.a.l., HSBC France, HSBC Fund Services (Korea) Limited, HSBC Germany Holdings GmbH, HSBC Global Asset Management (Bermuda) Limited, HSBC Global Asset Management (Canada) Limited, HSBC Global Asset Management (Deutschland) GmbH, HSBC Global Asset Management (France), HSBC Global Asset Management (Hong Kong) Limited, HSBC Global Asset Management (Japan) K. K., HSBC Global Asset Management (Malta) Limited, HSBC Global Asset Management (Mexico) S.A. de C.V., HSBC Global Asset Management (Oesterreich) GmbH, HSBC Global Asset Management (Singapore) Limited, HSBC Global Asset Management (Switzerland) AG, HSBC Global Asset Management (Taiwan) Limited, HSBC Global Asset Management (UK) Limited, HSBC Global Asset Management (USA) Inc., HSBC Global Asset Management Holdings (Bahamas) Limited, HSBC Global Asset Management Limited, HSBC Global Custody Nominee (UK) Limited, HSBC Global Custody Proprietary Nominee (UK) Limited, HSBC Global Services (Canada) Limited, HSBC Global Services (China) Holdings Limited, HSBC Global Services (Hong Kong) Limited, HSBC Global Services (UK) Limited, HSBC Global Services Limited, HSBC Group Management Services Limited, HSBC Group Nominees UK Limited, HSBC Holdings B.V., HSBC IM Pension Trust Limited, HSBC INKA Investment-AG TGV, HSBC Infrastructure Limited, HSBC Inmobiliaria (Mexico) S.A. de C.V., HSBC Institutional Trust Services (Asia) Limited, HSBC Institutional Trust Services (Bermuda) Limited, HSBC Institutional Trust Services (Ireland) DAC, HSBC Institutional Trust Services (Mauritius) Limited, HSBC Institutional Trust Services (Singapore) Limited, HSBC Insurance (Asia) Limited, HSBC Insurance (Asia-Pacific) Holdings Limited, HSBC Insurance (Bermuda) Limited, HSBC Insurance (Singapore) Pte. Limited, HSBC Insurance Agency (USA) Inc., HSBC Insurance Brokers (Philippines) Inc, HSBC Insurance Holdings Limited, HSBC Insurance Services Holdings Limited, HSBC International Finance Corporation, HSBC International Trustee (BVI) Limited, HSBC International Trustee (Holdings) Pte. Limited, HSBC International Trustee Limited, HSBC Inversiones S.A., HSBC InvestDirect (India) Limited, HSBC InvestDirect Financial Services (India) Limited, HSBC InvestDirect Sales & Marketing (India) Limited, HSBC InvestDirect Securities (India) Private Limited, HSBC Investment Bank Holdings B.V., HSBC Investment Bank Holdings Limited, HSBC Investment Funds (Canada) Inc., HSBC Investment Funds (Hong Kong) Limited, HSBC Investment Funds (Luxembourg) SA, HSBC Invoice Finance (UK) Limited, HSBC Issuer Services Common Depositary Nominee (UK) Limited, HSBC Issuer Services Depositary Nominee (UK) Limited, HSBC LU Nominees Limited, HSBC Latin America B.V., HSBC Latin America Holdings (UK) Limited, HSBC Leasing (Asia) Limited, HSBC Leasing (France), HSBC Life (International) Limited, HSBC Life (Property) Limited, HSBC Life (UK) Limited, HSBC Life Assurance (Malta) Limited, HSBC Life Insurance Company Limited, HSBC Management (Guernsey) Limited, HSBC Markets (USA) Inc., HSBC Marking Name Nominee (UK) Limited, HSBC Mexico S.A., HSBC Middle East Finance Company Limited, HSBC Middle East Holdings B.V., HSBC Middle East Leasing Partnership, HSBC Mortgage Corporation (Canada), HSBC Mortgage Corporation (USA), HSBC Nominees (Asing) Sdn Bhd, HSBC Nominees (Hong Kong) Limited, HSBC Nominees (New Zealand) Limited, HSBC Nominees (Tempatan) Sdn Bhd, HSBC North America Holdings Inc., HSBC Odeme Sistemleri Bilgisayar Teknolojileri Basin Yayin Ve Musteri Hizmetleri, HSBC Operational Services GmbH, HSBC Overseas Holdings (UK) Limited, HSBC Overseas Investments Corporation (New York), HSBC Overseas Nominee (UK) Limited, HSBC PB Corporate Services, HSBC PB Services (Suisse) SA, HSBC PI Holdings (Mauritius) Limited, HSBC Participaciones (Argentina) S.A., HSBC Pension Trust (Ireland) DAC, HSBC Pensiones S.A., HSBC Portfoy Yonetimi A.S., HSBC Preferential LP (UK), HSBC Private Bank (C.I.) Limited, HSBC Private Bank (Luxembourg) S.A., HSBC Private Bank (Monaco) SA, HSBC Private Bank (Suisse) SA, HSBC Private Bank (UK) Limited, HSBC Private Bank International, HSBC Private Banking Holdings (Suisse) SA, HSBC Private Banking Nominee 3 (Jersey) Limited, HSBC Private Equity Advisors LLC, HSBC Private Equity Investments (UK) Limited, HSBC Private Trustee (Hong Kong) Limited, HSBC Private Wealth Services (Canada) Inc., HSBC Professional Services (India) Private Limited, HSBC Property (UK) Limited, HSBC Property Funds (Holding) Limited, HSBC Provident Fund Trustee (Hong Kong) Limited, HSBC Qianhai Securities Limited, HSBC REIM (France), HSBC Real Estate Leasing (France), HSBC Realty Credit Corporation (USA), HSBC Representative Office (Nigeria) Limited, HSBC Retirement Benefits Trustee (UK) Limited, HSBC Retirement Services Limited, HSBC SFH (France), HSBC Savings Bank (Philippines) Inc., HSBC Securities (Asia) Limited, HSBC Securities (Canada) Inc., HSBC Securities (Egypt) S.A.E., HSBC Securities (Japan) Limited, HSBC Securities (Philippines) Inc., HSBC Securities (Singapore) Pte Limited, HSBC Securities (South Africa) (Pty) Limited, HSBC Securities (Taiwan) Corporation Limited, HSBC Securities (USA) Inc., HSBC Securities Asia International Nominees Limited, HSBC Securities Asia Nominees Limited, HSBC Securities Brokers (Asia) Limited, HSBC Securities Investments (Asia) Limited, HSBC Securities Services (Bermuda) Limited, HSBC Securities Services (Guernsey) Limited, HSBC Securities Services (Ireland) DAC, HSBC Securities Services (Luxembourg) S.A., HSBC Securities Services Holding Limited, HSBC Securities Services Holdings (Ireland) DAC, HSBC Securities and Capital Markets (India) Private Limited, HSBC Seguros S.A de C.V., HSBC Seguros de Retiro (Argentina) S.A., HSBC Seguros de Vida (Argentina) S.A., HSBC Service Delivery (Polska) Sp. z o.o., HSBC Services (France), HSBC Services Japan Limited, HSBC Services USA Inc., HSBC Servicios Financieros S.A., HSBC Servicios S.A de C.V., HSBC Software Development (Canada) Inc, HSBC Software Development (Guangdong) Limited, HSBC Software Development (India) Private Limited, HSBC Software Development (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, HSBC Specialist Investments Limited, HSBC Stockbrokers Nominee (UK) Limited, HSBC Technology & Services (China) Limited, HSBC Technology & Services (USA) Inc., HSBC Transaction Services GmbH, HSBC Trinkaus & Burkhardt (International) S.A., HSBC Trinkaus & Burkhardt AG, HSBC Trinkaus & Burkhardt Gesellschaft fur Bankbeteiligungen mbH, HSBC Trinkaus Europa Immobilien-Fonds Nr. 5 GmbH, HSBC Trinkaus Family Office GmbH, HSBC Trinkaus Immobilien Beteiligungs KG, HSBC Trinkaus Real Estate GmbH, HSBC Trust Company (Canada), HSBC Trust Company (Delaware) National Association, HSBC Trust Company (UK) Limited, HSBC Trust Company AG, HSBC Trustee (C.I.) Limited, HSBC Trustee (Cayman) Limited, HSBC Trustee (Guernsey) Limited, HSBC Trustee (Hong Kong) Limited, HSBC Trustee (Singapore) Limited, HSBC UK Bank plc, HSBC UK Client Nominee Limited, HSBC UK Holdings Limited, HSBC USA Inc., HSBC Violet Investments (Mauritius) Limited, HSBC Wealth Client Nominee Limited, HSBC Yatirim Menkul Degerler A.S., HSI Asset Securitization Corporation, HSI International Limited, HSIL Investments Limited, Hang Seng (Nominee) Limited, Hang Seng Bank (China) Limited, Hang Seng Bank (Trustee) Limited, Hang Seng Bank Limited, Hang Seng Bullion Company Limited, Hang Seng Credit Limited, Hang Seng Data Services Limited, Hang Seng Finance Limited, Hang Seng Financial Information Limited, Hang Seng Indexes Company Limited, Hang Seng Insurance Company Limited, Hang Seng Investment Management Limited, Hang Seng Investment Services Limited, Hang Seng Life Limited, Hang Seng Qianhai Fund Management Company Limited, Hang Seng Real Estate Management Limited, Hang Seng Securities Limited, Hang Seng Security Management Limited, Haseba Investment Company Limited, Hg Janus A Co-Invest L.P., High Time Investments Limited, Honey Green Enterprises Ltd., Hongkong International Trade Finance, Household Capital Markets LLC, Household Finance Corporation III, Household Pooling Corporation, Hubei Macheng HSBC Rural Bank Company Limited, Hubei Suizhou Cengdu HSBC Rural Bank Company Limited, Hubei Tianmen HSBC Rural Bank Company Limited, Hunan Pingjiang HSBC Rural Bank Company Limited, INKA Internationale Kapitalanlagegesellschaft mbH, Imenson Limited, InfraRed NF China Real Estate Investments LP, Inmobiliaria Banci S.A. de C.V., Inmobiliaria Bisa S.A. de C.V., Inmobiliaria Grufin S.A. de C.V., Inmobiliaria Guatusi S.A. de C.V., James Capel & Co. Limited, James Capel (Nominees) Limited, James Capel (Taiwan) Nominees Limited, Jasmine22 Limited, John Lewis Financial Services Limited, Keyser Ullmann Limited, Lion Corporate Services Limited, Lion International Corporate Services Limited, Lion International Management Limited, Lion Management (Hong Kong) Limited, Lyndholme Limited, MIL (Cayman) Limited, MIL (Jersey) Limited, MW Gestion SA, Marks and Spencer Financial Services plc, Marks and Spencer Savings and Investments Limited, Marks and Spencer Unit Trust Management Limited, Mercantile Company Limited, Mexicana de Fomento S.A. de C.V., Midcorp Limited, Midland Bank (Branch Nominees) Limited, Midland Nominees Limited, PT Bank HSBC Indonesia, PT HSBC Sekuritas Indonesia, Promocion en Bienes Raices S.A. de C.V., Prudential Client HSBC GIS Nominee (UK) Limited, R/CLIP Corp., RLUKREF Nominees (UK) One Limited, RLUKREF Nominees (UK) Two Limited, Real Estate Collateral Management Company, Republic Nominees Limited, Republic Overseas Capital Corporation, S.A.P.C. - Ufipro Recouvrement, SAS Bosquet - Audrain, SAS Cyatheas Pasteur, SAS Orona, SCI HSBC Assurances Immo, SFM, SFSS Nominees (Pty) Limited, SNC Dorique, SNC Kerouan, SNC Les Mercuriales, SNC Les Oliviers D'Antibes, SNC Makala, SNC Nuku-Hiva Bail, SNCB/M6-2007 A, SNCB/M6-2007 B, SNCB/M6-2008 A, Saf Baiyun, Saf Chang Jiang, Saf Guangzhou, Saf Zhu Jiang, Saf Zhu Jiang Jiu, Saf Zhu Jiang Shi Ba, Saf Zhu Jiang Shi Er, Saf Zhu Jiang Shi Jiu, Saf Zhu Jiang Shi Liu, Saf Zhu Jiang Shi Qi, Saf Zhu Jiang Shi Wu, Shandong Rongcheng HSBC Rural Bank Company Limited, Sico Limited, Societe Francaise et Suisse, Somers Dublin DAC, Somers Nominees (Far East) Limited, Sopingest, South Yorkshire Light Rail Limited, St Cross Trustees Limited, Sun Hung Kai Development (Lujiazui III) Limited, Swan National Leasing (Commercials) Limited, Swan National Limited, Thasosfin, The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited, The Venture Catalysts Limited, Timberlink Settlement Services (USA) Inc., Tooley Street View Limited, Tower Investment Management, Trinkaus Australien Immobilien Fonds Nr. 1 Brisbane GmbH & Co. KG, Trinkaus Australien Immobilien-Fonds Nr. 1 Treuhand-GmbH, Trinkaus Europa Immobilien-Fonds Nr.3 Objekt Utrecht Verwaltungs-GmbH, Trinkaus Immobilien-Fonds Geschaeftsfuehrungs-GmbH, Trinkaus Immobilien-Fonds Verwaltungs-GmbH, Trinkaus Private Equity Verwaltungs GmbH, Tropical Nominees Limited, Turnsonic (Nominees) Limited, Valeurs Mobilieres Elysees, Wardley Limited, Wayfoong Nominees Limited, Wayhong (Bahamas) Limited, Westminster House LLC, Woodex Limited, and Yan Nin Development Company Limited. Read More The following companies are subsidiares of PepsiCo: Alimentos Quaker Oats y Compania Limitada, Alimentos del Istmo S.A., Amavale Agricola Ltda., Anderson Hill Insurance Limited, Asia Bottlers Limited, BAESA Capital Corporation Ltd., BFY Brands, BFY Brands LLC, BFY Brands Limited, BUG de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Balmoral Industries LLC, Bare Foods Co., Barrhead LLC, Be & Cheery, Beaman Bottling Company, Bebidas Sudamerica S.A., Beech Limited, Bell Taco Funding Syndicate, Bendler Investments II Ltd, Bendler Investments S.a r.l, Beverage Services Limited, Beverages Foods & Service Industries Inc., Bishkeksut OJSC, Blaue NC S. de R.L. de C.V., Blue Cloud Distribution Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Arizona Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Arkansas Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Colorado Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Florida Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Georgia Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Illinois Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Indiana Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Iowa Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Kentucky Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Louisiana Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Minnesota Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Mississippi Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Missouri Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Nebraska Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Nevada Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of North Carolina Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Ohio Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Oklahoma Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Pennsylvania Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of South Carolina Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Tennessee Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Texas Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Virginia Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Wisconsin Inc., Blue Ridge Sales LLC, Bluebird Foods Limited, Bluecan Holdings Unlimited Company, Bokomo Zambia Limited, Bolsherechensky Molkombinat JSC, Boquitas Fiestas LLC, Boquitas Fiestas S.R.L., Bottling Group Financing LLC, Bottling Group Holdings LLC, Bottling Group LLC, Bronte Industries Ltd, C & I Leasing Inc., CB Manufacturing Company Inc., CEME Holdings LLC, CMC Investment Company, Caroni Investments LLC, Centro-Mediterranea de Bebidas Carbonicas PepsiCo S.L., Ceres Fruit Juices Pty Ltd, ChampBev Inc., China Concentrate Holdings Hong Kong Limited, Chipsy International for Food Industries S.A.E., Chipsy for Food Industries S.A.E., Chitos Internacional y Cia Ltda, Cipa Industrial de Produtos Alimentares Ltda., Cipa Nordeste Industrial de Produtos Alimentares Ltda., Cocina Autentica Inc., Comercializadora CMC Investment y Compania Limitada, Comercializadora Nacional SAS Ltda., Comercializadora PepsiCo Mexico S de R.L. de C.V., Compania de Bebidas PepsiCo S.L., Concentrate Holding Uruguay Pte. Ltd., Concentrate Manufacturing Singapore Pte. Ltd., Confiteria Alegro S. de R.L. de C.V., Copella Fruit Juices Limited, Copper Beech International LLC, Corina Snacks Limited, Corporativo Internacional Mexicano S. de R.L. de C.V., CytoSport Holdings Inc., CytoSport Inc., Davlyn Realty Corporation, Defosto Holdings Limited, Desarrollo Inmobiliario Gamesa S. de R.L. de C.V., Dilexis S.A., Donon Holdings Limited, Drinkfinity USA Inc., Drinkstation Inc., Drinkstation Innovation Co. Ltd., Drinkstation Limited, Dutch Snacks Holding S.A. de C.V., Duyvis Production B.V., EPIC Enterprises Inc., Echo Bay Holdings Inc., Elaboradora Argentina de Cereales S.R.L., Enter Logistica LLC, Environ at Inverrary Partnership, Environ of Inverrary Inc., Eridanus Investments S.a r.l, Evercrisp Snack Productos de Chile S.A., FL Transportation Inc., FLI Andean LLC, FLI Colombia LLC, FLI Snacks Andean GP LLC, Fabrica PepsiCo Mexicali S. de R.L. de C.V., Fabrica de Productos Alimenticios Rene y Cia S.C.A., Fairlight International SRL, Far East Bottlers Hong Kong Limited, Food Concepts Pioneer Ltd., Forest Akers Nederland B.V., Forty-Six Peaks Holding Inc., Fovarosi Asvanyviz es Uditoipari Zartkoruen Mukodo Reszvenytarsasag, Freshwater International B.V., Frito Lay Gida Sanayi Ve Ticaret Anonim Sirketi, Frito Lay Poland Sp. z o.o., Frito Lay Sp. z o.o., Frito Lay de Guatemala y Compania Limitada, Frito-Lay Australia Holdings Pty Limited, Frito-Lay Dip Company Inc., Frito-Lay Dominicana S.A., Frito-Lay Global Investments B.V., Frito-Lay Inc., Frito-Lay Investments B.V., Frito-Lay Manufacturing LLC, Frito-Lay Netherlands Holding B.V., Frito-Lay North America Inc., Frito-Lay Sales Inc., Frito-Lay Trading Company Europe GmbH, Frito-Lay Trading Company GmbH, Frito-Lay Trading Company Poland GmbH, Frito-Lay Trinidad Unlimited, Fruko Mesrubat Sanayi Limited Sirketi, GB Czech LLC, GB International Inc., GB Russia LLC, GB Slovak LLC, GMP Manufacturing Inc., Gambrinus Investments Limited, Gamesa LLC, Gamesa S. de R.L. de C.V., Gas Natural de Merida S. A. de C. V., Gatorade Puerto Rico Company, General Bottlers of Hungary Inc., Golden Grain Company, Goveh S.R.L., Grayhawk Leasing LLC, Green Hemlock International LLC, Grupo Frito Lay y Compania Limitada, Grupo Gamesa S. de R.L. de C.V., Grupo Mabel, Grupo Sabritas S. de R.L. de C.V., Gulkevichskiy Maslozavod JSC, Hangzhou Baicaowei Corporate Management Consulting Co. Ltd., Hangzhou Haomusi Food Co, Hangzhou Haomusi Food Co. Ltd., Hangzhou Tao Dao Technology Co. Ltd., Health Warrior, Health Warrior Inc., Heathland LP, Helioscope Limited, Hillbrook Inc., Hillgrove Inc., Hillwood Bottling LLC, Hogganfield Limited Partnership, Holding Company "Opolie" JSC, Homefinding Company of Texas, Hudson Valley Insurance Company, IC Equities Inc., IZZE Beverage Co., Inmobiliaria Interamericana S.A. De C.V., Integrated Beverage Services Bangladesh Limited, Integrated Foods & Beverages Pvt. Ltd., International Bottlers Management Co. LLC, International KAS Aktiengesellschaft, Inversiones Borneo S.R.L., Inversiones PFI Chile Limitada, Inviting Foods Holdings Inc., Inviting Foods LLC, KAS Anorthosis S.a r.l, KAS S.L., KFC, Kevita Inc., Kinvara LLC, Kungursky Molkombinat JSC, Larragana S.L., Latin American Holdings Ltd., Latin American Snack Foods ApS, Latin Foods International LLC, Lebedyansky, Lebedyansky Holdings LLC, Lebedyansky LLC, Limited Liability Company "Sandora", Linkbay Limited, Lithuanian Snacks UAB, Mabel, Marbo Product d.o.o. Beograd, Marbo d.o.o. Laktasi, Matudis - Comercio de Produtos Alimentares Limitada, Matutano - Sociedade de Produtos Alimentares Lda., Mid-America Improvement Corporation, Mountainview Insurance Company Inc., Muscle Milk, NCJV LLC, New Bern Transport Corporation, New Century Beverage Company LLC, Noble Leasing LLC, Northeast Hot-Fill Co-op Inc., Office at Solyanka LLC, Onbiso Inversiones S.L., One World Enterprises LLC, One World Investors Inc., P-A Barbados Bottling Company LLC, P-A Bottlers Barbados SRL, P-Americas LLC, PAS Luxembourg S.a r.l, PAS Netherlands B.V., PBG Canada Holdings II LLC, PBG Canada Holdings Inc., PBG Cyprus Holdings Limited, PBG Investment Partnership, PBG Midwest Holdings S.a r.l, PBG Soda Can Holdings S.a r.l, PCBL LLC, PCNA Manufacturing Inc., PR Beverages Cyprus Holding Limited, PR Beverages Cyprus Russia Holding Limited, PRB Luxembourg S.a r.l, PRS Inc., PSAS Inversiones LLC, PSE Logistica S.R.L., PT Quaker Indonesia, Papas Chips S.A., Pei N.V., Pep Trade LLC, Pepsi B.V., Pepsi Beverages Holdings Inc., Pepsi Bottling Group Global Finance LLC, Pepsi Bottling Group GmbH, Pepsi Bottling Group Hoosiers B.V., Pepsi Bottling Holdings Inc., Pepsi Bugshan Investments S.A.E., Pepsi Cola Colombia Ltda, Pepsi Cola Egypt S.A.E., Pepsi Cola Panamericana S.R.L., Pepsi Cola Servis Ve Dagitim Limited Sirketi, Pepsi Cola Trading Ireland, Pepsi Logistics Company Inc., Pepsi Northwest Beverages LLC, Pepsi Overseas Investments Partnership, Pepsi Promotions Inc., Pepsi-Cola Advertising and Marketing Inc., Pepsi-Cola Bermuda Limited, Pepsi-Cola Bottlers Holding C.V., Pepsi-Cola Bottling Company Of St. Louis Inc., Pepsi-Cola Bottling Company of Ft. Lauderdale-Palm Beach LLC, Pepsi-Cola Company, Pepsi-Cola Ecuador Cia. Ltda., Pepsi-Cola Far East Trade Development Co. Inc., Pepsi-Cola Finance LLC, Pepsi-Cola General Bottlers Poland Sp. z o.o., Pepsi-Cola Industrial da Amazonia Ltda., Pepsi-Cola International Cork, Pepsi-Cola International LLC, Pepsi-Cola International Limited, Pepsi-Cola International Limited U.S.A., Pepsi-Cola International Private Limited, Pepsi-Cola Korea Co. Ltd., Pepsi-Cola Management and Administrative Services Inc., Pepsi-Cola Manufacturing Company Of Uruguay S.R.L., Pepsi-Cola Manufacturing International Limited, Pepsi-Cola Manufacturing Mediterranean Limited, Pepsi-Cola Marketing Corp. Of P.R. Inc., Pepsi-Cola Mediterranean Ltd., Pepsi-Cola Metropolitan Bottling Company Inc., Pepsi-Cola Mexicana Holdings LLC, Pepsi-Cola Mexicana S. de R.L. de C.V., Pepsi-Cola National Marketing LLC, Pepsi-Cola Operating Company Of Chesapeake And Indianapolis, Pepsi-Cola Sales and Distribution Inc., Pepsi-Cola Technical Operations Inc., Pepsi-Cola Thai Trading Co. Ltd., Pepsi-Cola de Honduras S.R.L., Pepsi-Cola of Corvallis Inc., PepsiAmericas Nemzetkozi Szolgaltato Korlatolt Felelossegu Tarsasag, PepsiCo ANZ Holdings Pty Ltd, PepsiCo Alimentos Antioquia Ltda., PepsiCo Alimentos Colombia Ltda., PepsiCo Alimentos Ecuador Cia. Ltda., PepsiCo Alimentos Z.F. Ltda., PepsiCo Alimentos de Bolivia S.R.L., PepsiCo Amacoco Bebidas Do Brasil Ltda., PepsiCo Asia Research & Development Center Company Limited, PepsiCo Australia Financing Cyprus Limited, PepsiCo Australia Financing Limited Partnership, PepsiCo Australia Financing Partner 1 LLC, PepsiCo Australia Financing Partner 2 LLC, PepsiCo Australia Financing Pty Ltd, PepsiCo Australia Holdings Pty Limited, PepsiCo Australia International, PepsiCo Austria Services GmbH, PepsiCo Azerbaijan Limited Liability Company, PepsiCo BeLux BV, PepsiCo Beverage Sales LLC, PepsiCo Beverage Singapore Pty Ltd, PepsiCo Beverages Bermuda Limited, PepsiCo Beverages Hong Kong Limited, PepsiCo Beverages International Limited, PepsiCo Beverages Italia Societa' A Responsabilita' Limitata, PepsiCo Canada Finance LLC, PepsiCo Canada Holdings ULC, PepsiCo Canada Investment ULC, PepsiCo Canada ULC, PepsiCo Captive Holdings Inc., PepsiCo Caribbean Inc., PepsiCo China Limited, PepsiCo Consulting Polska Sp. z o.o., PepsiCo De Bolivia S.R.L., PepsiCo Del Paraguay S.R.L., PepsiCo Deutschland GmbH, PepsiCo Eesti AS, PepsiCo Euro Bermuda Limited, PepsiCo Euro Finance Antilles B.V., PepsiCo Europe Support Center S.L., PepsiCo Finance Americas Company, PepsiCo Finance Antilles A N.V., PepsiCo Finance Antilles B N.V., PepsiCo Finance South Africa Proprietary Limited, PepsiCo Financial Shared Services Inc., PepsiCo Food & Beverage Holdings Hong Kong Limited, PepsiCo Foods A.I.E., PepsiCo Foods China Company Limited, PepsiCo Foods Group Pty Ltd, PepsiCo Foods Guangdong Co. Ltd., PepsiCo Foods Nigeria Limited, PepsiCo Foods Private Limited, PepsiCo Foods Sichuan Co. Ltd., PepsiCo Foods Taiwan Co. Ltd., PepsiCo Foods Vietnam Company, PepsiCo France SAS, PepsiCo Global Business Services India LLP, PepsiCo Global Business Services Poland Sp. z o.o., PepsiCo Global Holdings Limited, PepsiCo Global Investments B.V., PepsiCo Global Investments S.a r.l, PepsiCo Global Mobility LLC, PepsiCo Global Real Estate Inc., PepsiCo Global Trading Solutions Unlimited Company, PepsiCo Golden Holdings Inc., PepsiCo Group Finance International B.V., PepsiCo Group Holdings International B.V., PepsiCo Group Spotswood Holdings S.a r.l, PepsiCo Gulf International FZE, PepsiCo Hellas Single Member Industrial and Commercial Societe Anonyme, PepsiCo Holding de Espana S.L., PepsiCo Holdings, PepsiCo Holdings LLC, PepsiCo Holdings Toshkent LLC, PepsiCo Hong Kong LLC, PepsiCo Iberia Servicios Centrales S.L., PepsiCo India Holdings Private Limited, PepsiCo India Sales Private Limited, PepsiCo Internacional Mexico S. de R. L. de C. V., PepsiCo International Hong Kong Limited, PepsiCo International Limited, PepsiCo International Pte Ltd., PepsiCo Investments Europe I B.V., PepsiCo Investments Ltd., PepsiCo Ireland Food & Beverages Unlimited Company, PepsiCo Japan Co. Ltd., PepsiCo Light B.V., PepsiCo Logistyka Sp. z o.o., PepsiCo Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., PepsiCo Management Services SAS, PepsiCo Manufacturing A.I.E., PepsiCo Max B.V., PepsiCo Mexico Holdings S. de R.L. de C.V., PepsiCo Nederland B.V., PepsiCo Nordic Denmark ApS, PepsiCo Nordic Finland Oy, PepsiCo Nordic Norway AS, PepsiCo Nutrition Trading DMCC, PepsiCo One B.V., PepsiCo Overseas Corporation, PepsiCo Overseas Financing Partnership, PepsiCo Panimex Inc, PepsiCo Products B.V., PepsiCo Products FLLC, PepsiCo Puerto Rico Inc., PepsiCo Sales Inc., PepsiCo Sales LLC, PepsiCo Services Asia Ltd., PepsiCo Services CZ s.r.o., PepsiCo Services LLC, PepsiCo Twist B.V., PepsiCo UK Pension Plan Trustee Limited, PepsiCo Ventures B.V., PepsiCo Wave Holdings LLC, PepsiCo World Trading Company Inc., PepsiCo Y LLC, PepsiCo de Argentina S.R.L., PepsiCo de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., PepsiCo do Brasil Industria e Comercio de Alimentos Ltda., PepsiCo do Brasil Ltda., PepsiCola Interamericana de Guatemala S.A., Pet Iberia S.L., Pete & Johnny Limited, Pine International LLC, Pine International Limited, Pinstripe Leasing LLC, Pioneer Food Group Pty Ltd, Pioneer Foods Groceries Pty Ltd, Pioneer Foods Group Ltd., Pioneer Foods Holdings Pty Ltd, Pioneer Foods Pty Ltd, Pioneer Foods UK Ltd, Pioneer Foods Wellingtons Pty Ltd, Pipers Crisps Limited, PlayCo Inc., Pop corners, PopCorners Holdings Inc., Portfolio Concentrate Solutions Unlimited Company, Premier Nutrition Trading L.L.C., Prestwick LLC, Prev PepsiCo Sociedade Previdenciaria, Productos Alimenticios Rene LLC, Productos S.A.S. C.V., Productos SAS Management B.V., Punch N.V., Punica Getranke GmbH, Q O Puerto Rico Inc., QFL OHQ Sdn. Bhd., QTG Development Inc., QTG Services Inc., Quadrant - Amroq Beverages S.R.L., Quaker Development B.V., Quaker European Beverages LLC, Quaker European Investments B.V., Quaker Foods, Quaker Global Investments B.V., Quaker Holdings UK Limited, Quaker Manufacturing LLC, Quaker Oats Asia Inc., Quaker Oats Australia Pty Ltd, Quaker Oats B.V., Quaker Oats Capital Corporation, Quaker Oats Europe Inc., Quaker Oats Europe LLC, Quaker Oats Limited, Quaker Sales & Distribution Inc, Raptas Finance S.a r.l., Rare Fare Foods LLC, Rare Fare Holdings Inc., Reading Industries Ltd, Real Estate Holdings LLC, Rockstar Energy Drink, Rolling Frito-Lay Sales LP, S & T of Mississippi Inc., SIH International LLC, SVC Logistics Inc., SVC Manufacturing Inc., SVE Russia Holdings GmbH, Sabritas LLC, Sabritas S. de R.L. de C.V., Sabritas Snacks America Latina de Nicaragua y Cia Ltda, Sabritas de Costa Rica S. de R.L., Sabritas y Cia. S en C de C.V., Sakata Rice Snacks Australia Pty Ltd, Sandora Holdings B.V., Saudi Snack Foods Company Limited, Sea Eagle International SRL, Seepoint Holdings Ltd., Senselet Food Processing PLC, Senselet Holding B.V., Servicios GBF Sociedad de Responsabilidad Limitada, Servicios GFLG y Compania Limitada, Servicios Gamesa Puerto Rico L.L.C., Servicios SYC S. de R.L. de C.V., Seven-Up Asia Inc., Seven-Up Light B.V., Seven-Up Nederland B.V., Shanghai PepsiCo Snack Company Limited, Shanghai YuHo Agricultural Development Co. Ltd, Shoebill LLC, Simba (Proprietary) Limited, Simba Proprietary Limited, Sitka Spruce, Smartfoods Inc., Smiles and Bites Holdings S.de R.L. de C.V., Smiths Crisps Limited, Snack Food Investments GmbH, Snack Food Investments II GmbH, Snack Food Investments Limited, Snack Food-Beverage Asia Products Limited, Snacks America Latina S.R.L., Snacks Guatemala Ltd., So Spark Ltd., Soda-Club CO2 Atlantic GmbH, Soda-Club CO2 GmbH, Soda-Club CO2 Ltd., Soda-Club Switzerland GmbH, Soda-Club Worldwide B.V., SodaStream, SodaStream Australia Pty Ltd, SodaStream CO2 SA, SodaStream Canada Ltd., SodaStream Enterprises N.V., SodaStream France SAS, SodaStream GmbH, SodaStream Iberia S.L., SodaStream Industries Ltd., SodaStream International B.V., SodaStream International Ltd., SodaStream Israel Ltd., SodaStream K.K., SodaStream New Zealand Ltd., SodaStream Nordics AB, SodaStream Poland Sp. z o.o., SodaStream SA Pty Ltd., SodaStream Switzerland GmbH, SodaStream USA Inc., SodaStream Osterreich GmbH, South Beach Beverage Company Inc., South Properties Inc., Spitz International Inc., Sportmex Internacional S.A. de C.V., Springboig Industries Ltd, Spruce Limited, Stacy's Pita Chip Company Incorporated, Star Foods E.M. S.R.L., Stokely-Van Camp Inc., Stratosphere Communications Pty Ltd, Stratosphere Holdings 2018 Limited, Streamfoods Ltd, TFL Holdings LLC, Tasman Finance S.a r.l, The Gatorade Company, The Good Carb Food Company Ltd., The Pepsi Bottling Group Canada ULC, The Quaker Oats Company, The Smith's Snackfood Company Pty Limited, Thomond Group Holdings Limited, Tobago Snack Holdings LLC, Tropicana Alvalle S.L., Tropicana Beverages Limited, Tropicana Europe N.V., Tropicana United Kingdom Limited, Troya-Ultra LLC, United Foods Companies Restaurantes S.A., V-Water, VentureCo Israel Ltd, Veurne Snack Foods BV, Vitamin Brands Ltd., Walkers Crisps Limited, Walkers Group Limited, Walkers Snack Foods Limited, Walkers Snacks Distribution Limited, Walkers Snacks Limited, Whitman Corporation, Whitman Insurance Co. Ltd., Wimm-Bill-Dann Beverages JSC, Wimm-Bill-Dann Brands Co. Ltd., Wimm-Bill-Dann Central Asia-Almaty LLP, Wimm-Bill-Dann Foods LLC, Wimm-Bill-Dann Georgia Ltd., Wimm-Bill-Dann JSC, and Wimm-Bill-Dann Ukraine PJSC. Read More Sally Beauty Holdings, Inc. operates as a specialty retailer and distributor of professional beauty supplies. The company operates through two segments, Sally Beauty Supply and Beauty Systems Group. The Sally Beauty Supply segment offers beauty products, including hair color and care products, skin and nail care products, styling tools, and other beauty products for retail customers, salons, and salon professionals. This segment also provides products under third-party brands, such as Wella, Clairol, OPI, Conair, and L'Oreal, as well as exclusive-label brand merchandise. The Beauty Systems Group segment offers professional beauty products, such as hair color and care products, skin and nail care products, styling tools, and other beauty items directly to salons and salon professionals through its professional-only stores, e-commerce platforms, and sales force, as well as through franchised stores under the Armstrong McCall store name. This segment also sells products under third-party brands, such as Paul Mitchell, Wella, Matrix, Schwarzkopf, Kenra, Goldwell, Joico, and Olaplex. As of September 30, 2021, the company operated 4,777 stores, including 134 franchised units in the United States, Puerto Rico, Canada, Mexico, Chile, Peru, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Belgium, France, the Netherlands, Spain, and Germany. It also distributes its products through full-service/exclusive distributors, open-line distributors, direct sales, and mega-salon stores. Sally Beauty Holdings, Inc. was founded in 1964 and is headquartered in Denton, Texas. Wells Fargo & Company, a diversified financial services company, provides banking, investment, mortgage, and consumer and commercial finance products and services in the United States and internationally. It operates through four segments: Consumer Banking and Lending; Commercial Banking; Corporate and Investment Banking; and Wealth and Investment Management. The Consumer Banking and Lending segment offers diversified financial products and services for consumers and small businesses. Its financial products and services include checking and savings accounts, and credit and debit cards, as well as home, auto, personal, and small business lending services. The Commercial Banking segment provides financial solutions to private, family owned, and certain public companies. Its products and services include banking and credit products across various industry sectors and municipalities, secured lending and lease products, and treasury management services. The Corporate and Investment Banking segment offers a suite of capital markets, banking, and financial products and services to corporate, commercial real estate, government, and institutional clients. Its products and services comprise corporate banking, investment banking, treasury management, commercial real estate lending and servicing, equity, and fixed income solutions, as well as sales, trading, and research capabilities services. The Wealth and Investment Management segment provides personalized wealth management, brokerage, financial planning, lending, private banking, and trust and fiduciary products and services to affluent, high-net worth, and ultra-high-net worth clients. It also operates through financial advisors. Wells Fargo & Company was founded in 1852 and is headquartered in San Francisco, California. The following companies are subsidiares of Bristol-Myers Squibb: 1096271 B.C. ULC, 345 Park LLC, A.G. Medical Services P.A., AHI Investment LLC, AbVitro LLC, Abraxis BioScience Australia Pty Ltd., Abraxis BioScience Inc., Abraxis BioScience International Holding Company Inc., Abraxis BioScience LLC, Abraxis BioScience Puerto Rico LLC, Acetylon Pharmaceuticals Inc., Adnexus, Adnexus a Bristol-Myers Squibb R&D Company, Allard Labs Acquisition G.P., Amira Pharmaceuticals, Amira Pharmaceuticals Inc., Amylin Pharmaceuticals, Apothecon LLC, B-MS Generx Unlimited Company, BMS Benelux Holdings B.V., BMS Bermuda Nominees L.L.C., BMS Data Acquisition Company LLC, BMS Forex Company, BMS Holdings Sarl, BMS Holdings Spain S.L., BMS International Insurance Designated Activity Company, BMS Investco SAS, BMS Korea Holdings L.L.C., BMS Latin American Nominees L.L.C., BMS Luxembourg Partners L.L.C., BMS Omega Bermuda Holdings Finance Ltd., BMS Pharmaceutical Korea Limited, BMS Pharmaceuticals Germany Holdings B.V., BMS Pharmaceuticals International Holdings Netherlands B.V., BMS Pharmaceuticals Korea Holdings B.V., BMS Pharmaceuticals Mexico Holdings B.V., BMS Pharmaceuticals Netherlands Holdings B.V., BMS Real Estate LLC, BMS Spain Investments LLC, BMS Strategic Portfolio Investments Holdings Inc., Blisa Acquisition G.P., Bristol (Iran) S.A., Bristol Iran Private Company Limited, Bristol Laboratories Inc., Bristol Laboratories International S.A., Bristol Laboratories Medical Information Systems Inc., Bristol-Myers (Andes) L.L.C., Bristol-Myers (Private) Limited, Bristol-Myers Middle East S.A.L., Bristol-Myers Overseas Corporation, Bristol-Myers Squibb (China) Investment Co. Ltd., Bristol-Myers Squibb (China) Pharmaceuticals Co. Ltd., Bristol-Myers Squibb (Israel) Ltd., Bristol-Myers Squibb (NZ) Limited, Bristol-Myers Squibb (Proprietary) Limited, Bristol-Myers Squibb (Shanghai) Trading Co. Ltd., Bristol-Myers Squibb (Singapore) Pte. Limited, Bristol-Myers Squibb (Taiwan) Ltd., Bristol-Myers Squibb (West Indies) Ltd., Bristol-Myers Squibb A.E., Bristol-Myers Squibb Aktiebolag, Bristol-Myers Squibb Argentina S. R. L., Bristol-Myers Squibb Australia Pty. Ltd., Bristol-Myers Squibb Axia Limited, Bristol-Myers Squibb B.V., Bristol-Myers Squibb Belgium S.A., Bristol-Myers Squibb Business Services Limited, Bristol-Myers Squibb Canada Co., Bristol-Myers Squibb Canada International Limited, Bristol-Myers Squibb Delta Company Limited, Bristol-Myers Squibb Denmark Filial of Bristol-Myers Squibb AB, Bristol-Myers Squibb EMEA Sarl, Bristol-Myers Squibb Egypt LLC, Bristol-Myers Squibb Epsilon Holdings Unlimited Company, Bristol-Myers Squibb Farmaceutica Ltda., Bristol-Myers Squibb Farmaceutica Portuguesa S.A., Bristol-Myers Squibb GesmbH, Bristol-Myers Squibb GmbH & Co. KGaA, Bristol-Myers Squibb Holding Germany GmbH & Co. KG, Bristol-Myers Squibb Holdings 2002 Limited, Bristol-Myers Squibb Holdings Germany Verwaltungs GmbH, Bristol-Myers Squibb Holdings Ireland Unlimited Company, Bristol-Myers Squibb Holdings Limited, Bristol-Myers Squibb Holdings Pharma Ltd. Liability Company, Bristol-Myers Squibb Ilaclari Inc., Bristol-Myers Squibb India Pvt. Limited, Bristol-Myers Squibb International Company Unlimited Company, Bristol-Myers Squibb International Corporation, Bristol-Myers Squibb Investco L.L.C., Bristol-Myers Squibb K.K., Bristol-Myers Squibb Kft., Bristol-Myers Squibb Luxembourg International S.C.A., Bristol-Myers Squibb Luxembourg S.a.r.l., Bristol-Myers Squibb MEA GmbH, Bristol-Myers Squibb Manufacturing Company, Bristol-Myers Squibb Marketing Services S.R.L., Bristol-Myers Squibb Middle East & Africa FZ-LLC, Bristol-Myers Squibb Norway Ltd., Bristol-Myers Squibb Nutricionales de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Bristol-Myers Squibb Peru S.A., Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharma (HK) Ltd, Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharma (Thailand) Limited, Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharma Company, Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharma EEIG, Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharma Holding Company LLC, Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharma Ventures Corporation, Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharmaceuticals Limited, Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharmaceuticals Unlimited Company, Bristol-Myers Squibb Polska Sp. z o.o., Bristol-Myers Squibb Products SA, Bristol-Myers Squibb Puerto Rico Inc., Bristol-Myers Squibb Puerto Rico/Sanofi Pharmaceutical Partnership Puerto Rico, Bristol-Myers Squibb Romania S.R.L., Bristol-Myers Squibb S.A.U., Bristol-Myers Squibb S.r.l., Bristol-Myers Squibb SA, Bristol-Myers Squibb Sanofi Pharmaceuticals Holding Partnership, Bristol-Myers Squibb Sarl, Bristol-Myers Squibb Service Ltd., Bristol-Myers Squibb Services Sp. z o.o., Bristol-Myers Squibb Spol. s r.o., Bristol-Myers Squibb Theta Finance Ltd., Bristol-Myers Squibb Trustees Limited, Bristol-Myers Squibb Verwaltungs GmbH, Bristol-Myers Squibb de Colombia S.A., Bristol-Myers Squibb de Costa Rica Sociedad Anonima, Bristol-Myers Squibb de Guatemala S.A., Bristol-Myers Squibb de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Bristol-Myers Squibb/Astrazeneca EEIG, Bristol-Myers Squibb/Pfizer EEIG, Bristol-Myers Squibb/Sanofi Pharmaceuticals Partnership, Bristol-Myers de Venezuela S.C.A., CHT I LLC, CHT II LLC, CHT III LLC, CHT IV LLC, CR Finance Company LLC, Cardioxyl Pharmaceuticals, Cardioxyl Pharmaceuticals Inc., Celem LLC, Celem Ltd., Celgene, Celgene A.B., Celgene AS, Celgene Ab (Finland), Celgene Alpine Investment Co. II LLC, Celgene Alpine Investment Co. III LLC, Celgene Alpine Investment Co. LLC, Celgene ApS, Celgene B.V., Celgene BVBA, Celgene Brasil Produtos Farmaceuticos Ltda., Celgene CAR LLC, Celgene CAR Ltd., Celgene Chemicals Sarl, Celgene China Holdings LLC, Celgene Co., Celgene Corporation, Celgene Distribution B.V., Celgene EngMab GmbH, Celgene Europe B.V., Celgene Europe Limited, Celgene European Investment Company LLC, Celgene Financing Company LLC, Celgene Global Holdings Sarl, Celgene GmbH [Austria], Celgene GmbH [Germany], Celgene GmbH [Switzerland], Celgene Holdings East Corporation, Celgene Holdings II Sarl, Celgene Holdings III Sarl, Celgene Ilac Pazarlama ve Ticaret Limited Sirketi, Celgene Inc., Celgene International Holdings Corporation, Celgene International II Sarl, Celgene International III Sarl, Celgene International Inc., Celgene International Sarl, Celgene K.K., Celgene Kft., Celgene Limited [Hong Kong], Celgene Limited [Ireland], Celgene Limited [New Zealand], Celgene Limited [Taiwan], Celgene Limited [UK], Celgene Logistics Sarl, Celgene Ltd, Celgene Luxembourg Sarl, Celgene Management Sarl, Celgene NJ Investment Co, Celgene Netherlands B.V., Celgene Netherlands Investment B.V., Celgene Pharmaceutical (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Celgene Pte. Ltd., Celgene Pty Ltd, Celgene Puerto Rico Distribution LLC, Celgene Quanticel Research Inc, Celgene R&D Sarl, Celgene RIVOT LLC, Celgene RIVOT Ltd., Celgene RIVOT SRL, Celgene Receptos Limited, Celgene Receptos Sarl, Celgene Research Incubator At Summit West LLC, Celgene Research S.L.U., Celgene Research and Development Company LLC, Celgene Research and Development I ULC, Celgene Research and Development II LLC, Celgene Research and Investment Company II LLC, Celgene S. de R.L. de C.V., Celgene S.L.U., Celgene S.R.L., Celgene SAS, Celgene Sarl AU, Celgene Sdn Bhd, Celgene Services Sarl, Celgene Sociedade Unipessoal Lda, Celgene Sp. Z.o.o., Celgene Sro [Czech Republic], Celgene Summit Investment Co, Celgene Switzerland Holding Sarl, Celgene Switzerland II LLC, Celgene Switzerland Investment Sarl, Celgene Switzerland LLC, Celgene Switzerland Sarl, Celgene Tri A Holdings Ltd., Celgene Tri Sarl, Celgene UK Distribution Limited, Celgene UK Holdings Limited, Celgene UK Manufacturing II Limited, Celgene UK Manufacturing III Limited, Celgene UK Manufacturing Limited, Celgene d.o.o., Celgene sro [Slovakia], Celmed LLC, Celmed Ltd., ConvaTec Divestiture, Cormorant Pharmaceuticals, Cormorant Pharmaceuticals AB, Crosp Ltd., Delinia Inc., Deuteria Pharmaceuticals Inc., DuPont Pharmaceuticals, E. R. Squibb & Sons Inter-American Corporation, E. R. Squibb & Sons L.L.C., E. R. Squibb & Sons Limited, EWI Corporation, EngMab Sarl, F-star Alpha, FermaVir Pharmaceuticals L.L.C., FermaVir Research L.L.C., Flexus Biosciences, Flexus Biosciences Inc., Forbius, Galecto Biotech, GenPharm International L.L.C., Gloucester Pharmaceuticals LLC, Grove Insurance Company Ltd., Heyden Farmaceutica Portuguesa Limitada, IFM Therapeutics, Impact Biomedicines Inc., Inhibitex, Inhibitex L.L.C., Innate Tumor Immunity Inc., JuMP Holdings LLC, Juno Therapeutics GmbH, Juno Therapeutics Inc., Kosan Biosciences, Kosan Biosciences Incorporated, Linson Investments Limited, Mead Johnson (Manufacturing) Jamaica Limited, Mead Johnson Jamaica Ltd., Medarex, Morris Avenue Investment II LLC, Morris Avenue Investment LLC, MyoKardia, O.o.o. Bristol-Myers Squibb, Oy Bristol-Myers Squibb (Finland) AB, Padlock Therapeutics, Padlock Therapeutics Inc., Pharmion LLC, Princeton Pharmaceutical Products Inc., Receptos LLC, Receptos Services LLC, RedoxTherapies Inc., Route 22 Real Estate Holding Corporation, SPV A Holdings ULC, Seamair Insurance DAC, Signal Pharmaceuticals LLC, Sino-American Shanghai Squibb Pharmaceuticals Limited, Societe Francaise de Complements Alimentaires(S.O.F.C.A.), Squibb Middle East S.A., Summit West Celgene LLC, Swords Laboratories, VentiRx Pharmaceuticals Inc., Westwood-Intrafin SA, Westwood-Squibb Pharmaceuticals Inc., X-Body Inc., ZymoGenetics, ZymoGenetics Inc., ZymoGenetics LLC, ZymoGenetics Paymaster LLC, iPierian, and iPierian Inc.. Read More Telefonica, S.A., together with its subsidiaries, provides telecommunications services in Europe and Latin America. The company's mobile and related services and products comprise mobile voice, value added, mobile data and Internet, wholesale, corporate, roaming, fixed wireless, and trunking and paging services. Its fixed telecommunication services include PSTN lines; ISDN accesses; public telephone services; local, domestic, and international long-distance and fixed-to-mobile communications; corporate communications; supplementary value-added services; video telephony; intelligent network; and telephony information services, as well as leases and sells handset equipment. The company also provides Internet and broadband multimedia services comprising Internet service provider, portal and network, retail and wholesale broadband access, narrowband switched access, high-speed Internet through fibre to the home, and voice over Internet protocol services. In addition, it offers leased line, virtual private network, fibre optics, web hosting and application, outsourcing and consultancy, desktop, and system integration and professional services. Further, the company offers wholesale services for telecommunication operators, including domestic interconnection and international wholesale services; leased lines for other operators; and local loop leasing services, as well as bit stream services, wholesale line rental accesses, and leased ducts for other operators' fiber deployment. Additionally, it provides video/TV services; smart connectivity and services, and consumer IoT products; financial and other payment, security, cloud computing, advertising, big data, and digital telco experience services; virtual assistants; digital home platforms; and Movistar Home devices. It also offers online telemedicine, home insurance, music streaming, and consumer loan services. The company was incorporated in 1924 and is headquartered in Madrid, Spain. Regions Financial Corporation, a financial holding company, provides banking and bank-related services to individual and corporate customers. It operates through three segments: Corporate Bank, Consumer Bank, and Wealth Management. The Corporate Bank segment offers commercial banking services, such as commercial and industrial, commercial real estate, and investor real estate lending; equipment lease financing; deposit products; and securities underwriting and placement, loan syndication and placement, foreign exchange, derivatives, merger and acquisition, and other advisory services. It serves corporate, middle market, and commercial real estate developers and investors. The Consumer Bank segment provides consumer banking products and services related to residential first mortgages, home equity lines and loans, consumer credit cards, and other consumer loans, as well as deposits. The Wealth Management segment offers credit related products, and retirement and savings solutions; and trust and investment management, asset management, and estate planning services to individuals, businesses, governmental institutions, and non-profit entities. The company also provides investment and insurance products; low-income housing tax credit corporate fund syndication services; and other specialty financing services. As of March 01, 2022, it operated through a network of 1,300 banking offices and 2,000 automated teller machines across the South, Midwest, and Texas. Regions Financial Corporation was founded in 1971 and is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama. GSK plc, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the creation, discovery, development, manufacture, and marketing of pharmaceutical products, vaccines, over-the-counter medicines, and health-related consumer products in the United Kingdom, the United States, and internationally. It operates through four segments: Pharmaceuticals, Pharmaceuticals R&D, Vaccines, and Consumer Healthcare. The company offers pharmaceutical products comprising medicines in the therapeutic areas, such as respiratory, HIV, immuno-inflammation, oncology, anti-viral, central nervous system, cardiovascular and urogenital, metabolic, anti-bacterial, and dermatology. It also provides consumer healthcare products in wellness, oral health, nutrition, and skin health categories. The company offers its consumer healthcare products in the form of nasal sprays, tablets, syrups, lozenges, gum and trans-dermal patches, caplets, infant syrup drops, liquid filled suspension, wipes, gels, effervescents, toothpastes, toothbrushes, mouthwashes, denture adhesives and cleansers, topical creams and non-medicated patches, lip balm, gummies, and soft chews. It has collaboration agreements with 23andMe; Lyell Immunopharma, Inc.; Novartis; Sanofi SA; Surface Oncology; Progentec Diagnostics, Inc.; Alector, Inc.; and CureVac AG., as well as strategic partnership with IDEAYA Biosciences, Inc. and Vir Biotechnology, Inc. The company was formerly known as GlaxoSmithKline plc and changed its name to GSK plc in May 2022. GSK plc was founded in 1715 and is headquartered in Brentford, the United Kingdom. USANA Health Sciences, Inc. develops, manufactures, and sells science-based nutritional and personal care products. The company offers USANA nutritional products that comprise essentials/CellSentials, such as vitamin and mineral supplements that provide a foundation of total body nutrition for various age groups; optimizers comprising targeted supplements that are designed to meet cardiovascular, skeletal/structural, and digestive health needs; and foods that include meal replacement shakes, snack bars, and other related products. It also provides Celavive, a skin care regimen for various skin care types and ethnicities; and other products for prenatal, infant, and young child age groups. In addition, the company offers materials and online tools to assist associates in building their businesses, as well as in marketing products. It offers its products directly in the Asia Pacific, the Americas, and Europe, as well as online. The company has a research collaboration agreement with Beijing University of Chinese Medicine for research in the field of traditional Chinese medicine; and National Sports Training Bureau. USANA Health Sciences, Inc. was founded in 1992 and is headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah. Hewlett Packard Enterprise Company provides solutions that allow customers to capture, analyze, and act upon data seamlessly in the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, the Asia Pacific, and Japan. The company offers general purpose servers for multi-workload computing and workload-optimized servers; HPE ProLiant rack and tower servers; HPE BladeSystem and HPE Synergy; and solutions for secondary workloads and traditional tape, storage networking, and disk products, such as HPE Modular Storage Arrays and HPE XP. It also offers HPE Apollo and Cray products; and HPE Superdome Flex, HPE Nonstop, HPE Integrity, and HPE Edgeline products. In addition, the company provides HPE Aruba product portfolio that includes wired and wireless local area network hardware products, such as Wi-Fi access points, switches, routers, and sensors; HPE Aruba software and services comprising cloud-based management, network management, network access control, analytics and assurance, and location; and professional and support services, as well as as-a-service and consumption models for the intelligent edge portfolio of products. Further, it offers various leasing, financing, IT consumption, and utility programs and asset management services for customers to facilitate technology deployment models and the acquisition of complete IT solutions, including hardware, software, and services from Hewlett Packard Enterprise and others. Additionally, the company invests in communications and media solutions. It has a partnership with Striim, Inc. to offer high performance and mission-critical solutions with real-time analytics. It serves commercial and large enterprise groups, such as business and public sector enterprises; and through various partners comprising resellers, distribution partners, original equipment manufacturers, independent software vendors, systems integrators, and advisory firms. Hewlett Packard Enterprise Company was founded in 1939 and is headquartered in Houston, Texas. Toyota Motor Corporation designs, manufactures, assembles, and sells passenger vehicles, minivans and commercial vehicles, and related parts and accessories. It operates in Automotive, Financial Services, and All Other segments. The company offers hybrid cars under the Prius name, fuel cell vehicles under the MIRAI name; and conventional engine vehicles, including subcompact and compact cars under the Corolla and Raize names. It also provides mini-vehicles, passenger vehicles, commercial vehicles, and auto parts under the Toyota name; mid-size cars; luxury cars; sports cars under the GR Yaris, Corolla Sport, Corolla Cross, and Supra names; and recreational and sport-utility vehicles under the Highlander name. In addition, the company offers pickup trucks under the Tacoma name; minivans; and trucks and buses. Further, it provides financial services, such as retail financing and leasing, wholesale financing, insurance, and credit cards; and designs, manufactures, and sells prefabricated housing. Additionally, the company operates GAZOO.com, a web portal for automobile information. It operates in Japan, North America, Europe, Asia, Central and South America, Oceania, Africa, and the Middle East. The company was founded in 1933 and is headquartered in Toyota, Japan. India vs South Africa, T20 World Cup 2022: Is Time Running Out for KL Rahul? 'Started Innocuously When I was Offered a Line at a Party': Wasim Akram Open Up About His Cocaine Addiction Perth Weather Update and Pitch Report, India vs South Africa, ICC T20 World Cup 2022: Weather Forecast and Pitch Report for the IND vs SA Match T20 World Cup: Try to be Calm in Situations When Adrenaline is Flowing, Says Anrich Nortje A suspect in the investigation into a string of recent robberies in the Charlottesville area turned himself over to city police without incident Saturday afternoon. According to authorities, 17-year-old ZaJuan Jahquay Page, of Charlottesville, was wanted for his possible connection to a string of robberies in the Venable neighborhood, near the University of Virginia, the most recent of which were reported to have happened Aug. 21, Aug. 31 and Sept. 4. Earlier this week, authorities charged 18-year-old Pendarvis Marquette Carrington, of Charlottesville, with two counts of robbery, two counts of use or display of a firearm in commission of a felony and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Carrington is currently being held at Albemarle-Charlottesville Regional Jail. Page is currently being held at Blue Ridge Detention Center, as is a third suspect in the investigation, a 17-year-old juvenile whose name has not been released because of his status as a minor. Authorities released Pages name earlier this week for public safety reasons. Attempting to solicit otherworldly ideas that could boost the quality of life in a few Charlottesville neighborhoods, a group of artists and volunteers readied a rocket ship Saturday in Ix Art Park. And if all goes according to plan, the 20-foot-tall rocket and a 35-by-35-foot landscape around it might be seen all over the world if it breaks the Guinness World Record for the largest cardboard sculpture. Accolades and worldwide attention aside, the project is primarily meant to give Charlottesville a rocket to a better tomorrow, said PauseLab Creative Director Matthew Slaats. Slaats said a group of area teens with the citys Community Attention Youth Internship Program, in conjunction with PauseLab, created the Cville Galaxy concept after collaborating with local artists and residents. The goal of the project is to help launch BeCville, a planned yearlong effort organized by PauseLab, a community-focused creative arts program sponsored by the Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission Corporation. Supported by the city, the Charlottesville Area Community Foundation and the National Endowment for the Arts, BeCville organizers will be asking residents from the citys Strategic Investment Area how it should use $15,000 for a series of community art projects and programs. Were going to listen and then artists will respond to those project ideas, Slaats said. Those ideas will then get voted upon by the neighborhood in the spring. Well probably do, like, three $5,000 projects. Eyeing the 330-acre section of the city that officials in 2013 identified for redevelopment, Slaats said BeCville organizers want specific ideas from area residents on how to use the $15,000 in the southern section of the city thats bounded by the CSX/Buckingham Branch Railroad line, Rialto Street, Ridge Street and Palatine Avenue. The area includes sections of the Fifeville, Belmont-Carlton, Ridge Street and Martha Jefferson neighborhoods, as well as low-income housing communities such as Friendship Court and Crescent Halls. Throughout the week or until the Cville Galaxy rocket can no longer stand on its own, Slaats said, area residents are invited to write ideas for new projects on the rocket. After that, BeCville organizers will be reaching out to the community to continue soliciting ideas for new projects. We wanted to inspire ideas, Slaats said about this weekends project at Ix. I think this community is great because its super creative and thoughtful. The question is: how do we use this as a starting point for how to grow more projects? Slaats offered colorful crosswalks and interpretive murals and signage as examples of projects that could be completed, but he added that whatever is adopted should come organically from the community. The idea is to democratize how projects get completed and support artists in creating solutions for the needs a neighborhood sees, said Emma Terry, a BeCville steering committee member and University of Virginia faculty member. Although UVa is not formally involved with BeCville, Terry, who works for the universitys vice provost for the arts, said she got involved to help bridge the UVa and Charlottesville gap and promote the university and citys various arts programs. Patrick OShea, a Charlottesville High School senior, also noted the opportunities that Cville Galaxy and Be Cville projects can open up for younger artists who are interested in their community. Ive always felt that I want to connect what I do in school with art back to the community because Ive lived here my whole life, OShea said. If I can contribute, I should. If the Cville Galaxy project does break the record, it will surpass a 31-by-31-foot cardboard castle that was built by local art students in Hong Kong this spring. Once upon a time, you could board an airliner without first taking off your shoes. Once upon a time, you could walk to the airport gate with your dearly departing to exchange long looks and last kisses. Once upon that time, you could make a phone call, text or email without a computer algorithm scanning for key words such as bomb, target and nuke. That time was before Sept. 11, 2001. A lot has changed since the day terrorists hijacked and flew airliners into the World Trade Center towers and the Pentagon and a passenger revolt forced the fatal crash of another in the Pennsylvania countryside. Congress quickly created the Transportation Safety Administration and the Department of Homeland Security and pushed through legislation known as the Patriot Act. We went to war in Afghanistan. We are still there. A few years later, we went to war in Iraq. Were still there, too. Now we bicker amongst ourselves over immigrants, refugees, drone strikes, demonstrations and patriotism. We are polarized by the politics of war, race, economics and religion. Sometimes it seems that the terrorist attacks caused our melting pot to boil over. After 9/11, someone said to me that he prayed we didnt become the evil we sought to overcome that day, said the Rev. C. Neal Goldsborough, interim rector at St. Pauls Memorial Church in Charlottesville. I dont believe for a minute that we, as a nation, are as evil as the folks who slit the throats of the crews on those airplanes and flew the airliners into buildings. But I do worry that our actions in Iraq have allowed that evil to expand. The Rev. Goldsborough has watched the societal change since 2001, but he has a broader perspective. Unlike those of us who watched the horror of 9/11 unfold on television or read about it in school, he saw it up close. A U.S. Navy Reserve chaplain living in Northern Virginia, he was called to duty at the Pentagon beginning Sept 12. He notified families that loved ones were missing, presumed dead and then for sure dead. He walked into the ruins to help remove with dignity any human remains, most of which were parts and pieces due to the impact and inferno caused by American Airlines Flight 77, full of fuel, crashing into a concrete building recently reinforced to contain explosions. At other times, he waited for remains to be brought to him, speaking prayers over them before consigning them to a refrigerated trailer for later identification. It was tough on everyone, especially on the families waiting for word about their loved ones. The lucky people were the ones who found out that their loved ones remains had been found, the Rev. Goldsborough recalled. There were some people who had nothing recovered. All they found of one man was his American Express card. The impact of those days hit him hard. One day, waiting to bless remains, he was brought the broken body of a child. Thats when it really hit home for me that evil was very real in this world, he said. At the same time, I worked with so many people who proved that evil doesnt have the last word. These were people who really witnessed the word of God. In the Iraq War, the Rev. Goldsborough served as Father Mulcahy to a mobile hospital unit, providing what spiritual sustenance and assistance he could to the wounded, maimed and dying at a field hospital in Kuwait. I remember thinking when I was in that hospital that if all of this suffering and loss that these men and women are going through comes to nothing, if it is a fools errand, it will be too much to bear. Im afraid it will become something like a fools errand the more I hear people say its all been a mistake. We put our best women and men in harms way and for what? Im still working on it. Maybe Ill be working on it the rest of my life, he said. There are a lot of questions about how far weve gone as a nation and what were becoming. Theres also a lot of inconvenience because of whats happened. Every time I take my shoes off at the airport I have to check myself from getting upset and feeling inconvenienced, the Rev. Goldsborough said. I do that by thinking back to the wounded who came through my hospital. They were the ones who were inconvenienced. As communities across the nation came together to remember the horrific events that unfolded 15 years ago on Sept. 11, the city of Charlottesville did the same on the Downtown Mall on Sunday, recognizing the sacrifices made by the first responders. The focus of the event at the Sprint Pavilion was to remember, reflect and honor, as many of the speakers focused on the heroic work of police, fire and rescue personnel. The keynote speaker was Dr. Richard Westphal, a professor in the University of Virginias School of Nursing, who has 33 years of active-duty military service and specializes in mental health care. Other speakers were Charlottesville Fire Department Chief Andrew Baxter and Battalion Chief Richard Jones, as well as Dan Eggleston, Albemarle County Fire and Rescue chief. Charlottesville Mayor Mike Signer and retired Lt. Col. Joel Jenkins also spoke at the event. Pastor Nathaniel Drew, the city fire departments chaplain, gave the invocation and Pastor Randy Galladay, chaplain of the Scottsville Volunteer Fire Company, gave the benediction. During his address, Westphal talked about the trauma many first responders experienced on 9/11, and the continuing effects for many of them 15 years later. It is important to note that the Sept. 11 injury was experienced deeply in our first responder communities, and the echoes of that day continue to be experienced by professionals and communities, he said. Westphal closed his remarks by thanking first responders for their sacrifices to the nation and their communities. Thank you for the commitment that you made to each other and to the community, and thank you for your service, he said. Baxter spoke prior to Westphal, welcoming everyone who came out to the pavilion and pointing their attention to the event programs on their seats. In each program was the name and photo of a first responder who died on 9/11. These remembrance cards are in the programs for a very specific purpose to help us remember, and remember with intention that those who gave the ultimate sacrifice on 9/11 were real people, people like us, Baxter said. After the event concluded, Tony Carbonelli, a retired firefighter from New York, said he came to the pavilion to honor the losses of 9/11, having lived through it literally. Carbonelli said he was working in Manhattan on the day of the attacks. Being there, you would not believe the horrificness of what was going on there, he said. The fire, the smell, the debris that kept raining down, the jumpers. I mean the whole event was something out of Dantes Inferno, and yet these guys and gals did not back away. They were going up as everybody was coming down and a lot of them didnt make it. Carbonelli said he was blown away by what he saw in Charlottesville to honor and remember the sacrifices of 9/11, and said hell be bringing both his praise and copies of the event program back with him to New York the next time hes there. RICHMOND Like many a traveler, Richmond International Airport Police Chief Richard R.J. Clark once upon a time groused about removing his footwear for security screening before flying. I didnt like taking my shoes off. I just thought it was frustrating, said Clark, a former Henrico County police lieutenant and tactical services commander who took the helm of the airport police department about two years ago. A training program in Chantilly that included a segment on underwear bomber Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, who tried to detonate an explosive device on a Detroit-bound flight on Christmas Day 2009, convinced him otherwise. I sat through one class, Clark said. I will take my shoes off. Clark is one cog in a vast international security machine that was assembled at immense cost by national, local and state governments after the Sept. 11, 2001, al-Qaida attacks, when commercial jets loaded with passengers became terrorist-piloted missiles that struck the World Trade Center and Pentagon. A third hijacked jet, United Flight 93, crashed in a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, after passengers stormed the cockpit in an attempt to thwart the terrorists. Clarks long experience with Henricos SWAT team helped get him his current job. That experience is an attractive attribute in the post-9/11 world, said airport President and CEO Jon Mathiasen. It brought a whole new educational level and training to our department that we felt was needed, knowing whats going on in the world these days, with a lot of tragedies in public areas, Mathiasen said. Clark and airport Public Safety Director Victor Williams are responsible for preparing the airports 30-officer police force and other employees for a universe of threats that can seem impossibly broad. Those include some that largely were absent from the vernacular a generation ago, when active shooter might plausibly have been thought to refer to an avid target or trap-and-skeet enthusiast. Its a constant learning cycle and it can be anything from active shooter to bombs or hazardous-materials response, Clark said. You have everything, suicide bombers, the list goes on and on. You just have to prepare and make sure that your team and your fellow employees are all ready to respond. ... The psyche of it in general is you just have to do the best you can do. ... You cant be ready for every single opportunity; there are so many different things that can happen. You just have to do the best to have your fundamentals down and your networks in place. And what happens thousands of miles away can have immediate local implications as security officials work to shore up gaps exposed by attacks elsewhere. Everything is global now. It doesnt matter if it happens in Russia or Turkey or Alaska or South America, Clark said. It has an impact on us. Were not in a good place Including the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the U.S. has spent about $7.6 trillion on defense and homeland security since the Sept. 11 attacks, according to the Nobel Prize-nominated National Priorities Project, a nonprofit, nonpartisan group that examines the federal budget. Some security experts and academics who study terrorism wonder what all that money has achieved, especially with the rise of the Islamic State during the past several years and its ability to harness social media to horrific effect, inspiring even previously unaffiliated attackers to commit atrocities in its name around the world, from Paris to San Bernardino, California. Were not in a good place, said Scott Atran, a psychologist, anthropologist, University of Michigan adjunct professor, director of research at Frances National Center for Government Research and co-founder of Oxford Universitys Centre for Resolution of Intractable Conflict. Atran and other scholars noted that Osama bin Laden, the head of al-Qaida who was killed in a raid by U.S. Navy SEALs in 2011, bragged about spending roughly half a million dollars on the 9/11 attacks. The global threat has arguably increased. In just the last two years, ISIS created the largest volunteer fighting force since World War II, said Atran, who has interviewed al-Qaida and ISIS fighters and operatives and wrote Talking to the Enemy, a book about how terrorists see themselves. In terms of official policy and understanding, weve havent progressed too well or too far. Atran and other scholars see the U.S. decision in 2003 to invade Iraq and topple Saddam Hussein, as well as the lack of planning for the aftermath of the war and ignorance of the complex balance of tribal loyalties and Sunni and Shiite power dynamics, as one of most colossal mistakes of the post-9/11 years. By any measure, its been a failed campaign. The loss of life, the cost, the consequences to the Middle East have dramatically outweighed any benefit of eliminating a dictator, said William Pelfrey Jr., an associate professor of homeland security and emergency preparedness at Virginia Commonwealth University. Bernard Haykel, a professor of Near Eastern studies at Princeton University and a scholar of Islam, said the invasion was disastrous for the region and created the conditions for ISIS to emerge. I dont think we would have had ISIS if it wasnt for the invasion of Iraq, Haykel said. Atran also links the handling of Iraq with ISIS rise, particularly prison environments that brought together Sunni Baathists arrested after the fall of Saddams regime and jihadists. The U.S. comes in and says were going to have a vote and democracy will win, Atran said. You get tyranny of the majority. The Shia, whod been shafted for 100 years or more, suddenly were shafting the Sunni. ... All the ISIS young guys I was interviewing were Sunnis who grew up under U.S. and Shia rule. Impossible to prevent In 2001, the recognized threat was from fairly sizable, hierarchical, well-organized groups such as al-Qaida, and the main way to fight them was to target their leaders for killing or capture, the scholars said. Finally, people realized this decapitation strategy had diminishing returns, primarily in preventing new people from joining, Atran said. Pelfrey says at present the largest threat is posed by homegrown terrorism, far-right extremists or radicalized U.S. citizens. Were seeing that play out in Europe. Most of the acts in Europe over the past few years are radicalized residents who have become enamored of the Islamic State and their propaganda, Pelfrey said. Omar Mateen, the 29-year-old security guard who pledged allegiance to ISIS in the midst of his massacre of 49 people at a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida, in June, was claimed as a soldier of the caliphate after the fact, though evidence that he was in contact with the group before the killings has yet to emerge. That type of lone wolf radicalized via the internet and not a foreign implant hiding in a sleeper cell, as was feared in the immediate post-9/11 atmosphere, is a much different and more difficult danger to confront, several scholars said. Its impossible to prevent those. The best we can do is a counter-philosophy campaign, and I think the United States has been really behind in that, Pelfrey said. We dont put as much effort into countering their ideology. Thats been our biggest deficit thus far in the war on terrorism. And some civil liberties and human rights groups, as well as scholars, have criticized the prevalence of undercover sting operations, particularly those involving confidential informants, to foil domestic terrorism plots. The FBI and federal prosecutors have defended the practice and call it a necessary means for identifying and thwarting potential terrorists. In a 2012 article in the FBIs Law Enforcement Bulletin titled Avoiding the Entrapment Defense in a Post-9/11 World, FBI Assistant General Counsel David Gottfried wrote that law enforcement officials cannot afford to wait for a terrorist plot to mature before they break it up. In other words, law enforcement must, in a controlled manner, divert someone determined to harm the United States and its people into a plot bound to fail from the outset, instead of one that might succeed, he wrote. The U.S. Attorneys Office for the Eastern District of Virginia, based in Arlington County, leads the nation in prosecutions of international terrorism cases, according to a Syracuse University report. In July, Joseph Farrokh, 29, of Woodbridge, was sentenced to more than 8 in prison for attempting to travel to Syria to join ISIS, a plan he concocted with another man, Mahmoud Amin Elhassan, 25, also of Woodbridge. Farrokh was arrested at Richmond International Airport in January. Elhassan was arrested the same day in Woodbridge. Both arrests were partly the result of information obtained from a confidential human source with prior criminal convictions who was paid over $10,000 by the FBI in the course of his cooperation, as well as two other confidential human sources, an affidavit supporting Farrokhs arrest says. Atran suggested that more than half of such arrests have been pure entrapment cases that took extraordinary government involvement to lure suspects into breaking the law. In June, Michael German, a former undercover FBI agent who now researches national security law at New York Universitys Brennan Center for Justice, told The New York Times that the FBI is manufacturing terrorism cases through the use of informants to coax suspects into plots they would not attempt on their own. Theres a lot of effort put into entrapment, but theres no effort put into steering people away from it, Atran said. That could change. In July, the Department of Homeland Security began a $10 million Countering Violent Extremism Grant Program, which it called the first federal grant funding available to nongovernmental organizations and institutions of higher education to carry out countering violent-extremism programs. The program provides funding for religious groups, mental health and social service providers, educators and others for programs that enhance the resilience of communities being targeted by violent extremists, provide alternatives to individuals who have started down a road to violent extremism and create or amplify alternative messages to terrorist/violent extremist recruitment and radicalization efforts, the department said. It also seeks to develop and support efforts that counter violent extremists online recruitment efforts. We should be much more intelligent about how we fight this group, Haykel said of ISIS. This group wants to change our lifestyle. They want to bleed us financially and militarily, and we shouldnt be willing to do their bidding. We should hit them in a very intelligent way and without draining our resources. ... This is a fight that is ideological. Its not something that you can defeat militarily. A stupid game According to the University of Marylands National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism, there were 510 terrorist attacks in the U.S. from 1995 to 2014 that caused 3,264 deaths, the vast majority of which occurred on Sept. 11, 2001, when nearly 3,000 people were killed. From 2006 to 2014 in the U.S., lightning strikes killed five times as many people as terrorist attacks, 287 to 57. And in 2015 alone, 35,092 people died in traffic wrecks in this country, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. For at least some who study security, its time to inject more common sense into the debate around transportation safety. Its amazing how the psychology of security wins, said Bruce Schneier, a security technologist and lecturer at Harvard Universitys Kennedy School of Government. The taxi ride to the airport is the most dangerous part of your trip, by far. Its not even close. ... Fifteen years is not a long time; thats what were learning. Schneier said the U.S. security apparatus invests most of its time and energy fighting the last attack. We screen shoes, they use liquids, he said. This is a stupid game, and it makes no sense to play at. Schneier called 9/11 a singular event that exploited unique vulnerabilities and says its long past time to go back to what he calls sensible security. Its really not surprising that 9/11 wasnt repeated again, Schneier said. We are reactive. We respond to things that actually happen. Not things that might have happened but didnt. ... In a sense, airport security is the last line of defense, and its not a very good one. The Transportation Security Administration the agency created after 9/11 and much maligned ever since as a result of security lapses, widespread morale issues and its spot as the most visible arm of the federal government for frustrated travelers started its PreCheck program in 2011 and has expanded it in recent years. Prescreened travelers who enroll in the program, which costs them $85 and covers five years, usually dont have to remove shoes, laptops, liquids, belts and light jackets but must submit to fingerprinting and a background check. About 3 million travelers have signed up for the program, well below what the agency hoped in its estimates to Congress. Getting infrequent travelers to pay the fee and undergo the application process has been problematic, though in states such as Virginia, where PreCheck registration is available at Department of Motor Vehicles locations, officials expect the numbers to grow. If you only fly a few times a year, its not worth it, said Schneier, who sees something akin to a PreCheck level of security for everyone, without the application process or fee, as the way forward. He pointed to the TSAs record when tested by federal overseers, who last year managed to smuggle simulated explosives and weapons through checkpoints 95 percent of the time. If TSA is that bad, why arent planes falling out of the sky? The only explanation is, nobodys trying. Because if they were trying, there would be successes, Schneier said. The politics, however, of scaling back security can be difficult. To be the guy who says we dont need to do liquids anymore, whats in it for you? Schneier said If youre wrong, your career is over. It just isnt that easy But Mathiasen, the Richmond airport president and CEO, said the relationship between the airport and the nearly 200 TSA employees here has been positive. He added that airport and airline decisions, such as moving hubs and providing enough space for screening, also can create the traffic jams usually attributed to the TSA. Our relationships been good. It doesnt mean we agree on everything, Mathiasen said. Sometimes its not about TSA local. Its usually about TSA headquarters [wanting] to pass a new policy or rule, which in turn ends up trying to be an unfunded mandate that costs a lot of money or a tremendous amount of inconvenience for the airport operator, the passenger or both. Mathiasen said that about a year and a half ago, the TSA tried to shift responsibility for staffing the exit lanes for secured areas to airports. The industry basically said, No, unless you want to pay us, Mathiasen said. And often, the TSA, which some argue never was given the funding equal to its mission, is being pressured from above. In their defense, when something happens like youve seen in other countries and so on, sometimes, our elected officials, they want to pull the rabbit out of the hat and make everything well. Well, it just isnt that easy; it just isnt that easy in a free society like we live in, he said. Mathiasen said he frequently is asked about whether airport security is effective. He says it is. There are more cameras, more security personnel and more awareness by everyone from police to passengers to baggage handlers about potential threats than ever before. But there are also limits to what that can achieve. He noted that other modes of transportation have been left out of the security transformation the airline industry has undergone. For example, at Amtraks Staples Mill Road station the busiest in the South on the Friday before Labor Day, scores of people boarded and disembarked from trains without any screening of their persons or luggage. Mathiasen sees the future of combating travel threats in technology and better identifying potential terrorists before they strike. You need a greater, larger, FBI-type agency going after these people on a much greater basis than we are right now, he said. Once they get to the airport, he added, youre at the end of the road. The risk of foreign policy crises emerging during presidential election campaigns is well-known, and 2016 isnt likely to be an exception. Incidents in the South China Sea, the Persian Gulf, Northern Syria, and Eastern Europe could escalate quickly, testing the presidents leadership in defending U.S. interests abroad. Three crises in presidential campaigns over the past 60 years demonstrate the risks in 1960, 1980 and 2000. In each case, a presidents reputation was damaged and Americas influence abroad suffered. In 1960, Dwight Eisenhower hoped to cap his successful eight years in office with a state visit to Moscow. Instead, the visit was cancelled when President Nikita Khrushchev chose to embarrass Eisenhower by dramatizing the failure of a U-2 spy mission over the USSR. The incident contributed to John Kennedys election that year. Twenty years later, in 1980, Jimmy Carter failed to win re-election in part because of his failure to force Iran to release 52 American diplomats taken as prisoners in a state-sanctioned attack on the U.S. Embassy. In October 2000, Bill Clinton failed to act when terrorists in Yemen attacked the USS Cole, a guided missile destroyer, inflicting 17 deaths and nearly 40 casualties on U.S. sailors. Clintons inaction in this case helped George W. Bush win the presidential election a few weeks later. In each of these cases, Americas reputation abroad was damaged. U.S.-Soviet relations turned cool, despite Eisenhowers successful efforts at detente; and U.S. influence in the Middle East and Europe suffered as a result of Carters failure to respond forcefully to Irans hostile action, which many viewed as a warlike act. Clintons inaction after the Cole attack was also viewed as a sign of U.S. weakness. What dangers does President Obama face before he leaves office on Jan. 20, 2017? Here are four, any of which could lead to an armed conflict. Russias Vladimir Putin is orchestrating a propaganda offensive against Ukraine and the Baltic States designed to stir up opposition to their governments. Hes also building up Russian forces on Ukraines border and consolidating his hold on two breakaway eastern provinces. Russian aircraft use intimidating tactics over the Baltic Sea. NATO has warned about potential armed clashes there, and it has dispatched troops to the three Baltic States and Poland to reassure them. Meanwhile, China continues to press toward its goal to be dominant power in Southeast Asia, specifically in the strategic South China Sea. Chinese ships and aircraft employ dangerous tactics against U.S. and allied ships transiting that waterway. Any of these could trigger a clash that leads to the risk of war. A similar crisis could erupt in Northeast Asia if China does not restrain North Koreas nuclear blandishments against South Korea and Japan. Irans harassment of U.S. ships in the Persian Gulf is another test for Obama, even though Iran doesnt pose a military challenge of the same magnitude as China. But its dangerous naval tactics in the Gulf could result in armed clashes and heightened tensions in the Middle East. Turkey has emerged as a new and serious challenge to U.S. hopes to destroy ISIS in Syria and Iraq and end Syrias civil war. President Recep Erdogan, who urged the U.S. four years ago to intervene in Syria, has sent his own troops across the border to counter Syrian Kurds, who Turkey views as a threat to its internal security. President Obama lost influence with this NATO ally following an abortive coup against Erdogan last month. The danger now is that Erdogan could trigger a clash with Russia if his troops move toward the Syrian city of Aleppo. How would Barack Obama respond to any of these incipient crises? Would he temporize, the way Jimmy Carter did in 1980? Or would he leave it to his successor, as Bill Clinton did in 2000? In his last months in the White House, Obama and his family surely are concerned about his legacy as president. He entered office in 2009 determined to end two costly and controversial wars, and to avoid new ones. Vladimir Putin no doubt has concluded that Obama wants to avoid armed conflicts and rely instead on diplomacy to manage U.S. foreign policy. The leaders of China, Iran, North Korea and even Turkey have calculated that Obama will not act. And therein lies the danger of miscalculation. If confronted with a serious threat to U.S. interests abroad, Obama may decide that his legacy will be enhanced if he shows strength instead of weakness in the face of danger. The next four months will be testing time for this president. Donald Nuechterlein is a political scientist and author of books on U.S. foreign policy. E-mail him at nuechtd@cstone.net. Federal prosecutors last week moved to dismiss all corruption charges against former Gov. Bob McDonnell and his wife, Maureen. The dropped case hit with a thud. A crash. A detonation. The McDonnells were convicted in 2014, but this year the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the ex-governors convictions and sent the case back to an appeals court for evaluation on whether there was sufficient evidence to pursue a new trial. Maureen McDonnell had been tried separately. Just last month, a federal appeals court heard arguments on whether to vacate her convictions as well. Prosecutors new decision makes that a moot point. The complete collapse of the governments case generates some serious reverberations. First, of course, is the injustice of the ultimately unnecessary prosecution. The first couple suffered years of strain and stress, spent an untold amount of money defending themselves, and watched their political and personal reputations turned to trash. The fallout also damaged Virginias reputation as a stronghold of good government. If the federal Justice Department were not going to succeed in prosecuting the McDonnells, it never should have begun. The McDonnells always claimed that prosecutors exceeded the definition of corruption by claiming that routine political behavior was, in fact, criminal behavior. In their case, that hinged on gifts received from a prominent state businessman who sought political favors. Although they facilitated Jonnie R. Williams Sr.s access to state officials and other business contacts, there emerged no good evidence that their efforts tangibly benefited him. The collapsed case now may help refine the definition of what is not illegal behavior, but it does not help us understand what is illegal behavior. And therein lies a problem. After the McDonnells were charged, the mere prospect that political gifts could be more dangerous than previously imagined was sufficient to ignite a push toward more stringent ethics policies. Gov. Terry McAuliffe ordered tougher standards for his executive personnel, and state legislators passed stricter laws. Now that all charges have been dropped, what does that do to the clean government movement? Its unlikely that lawmakers will repeal recent ethics legislation at least, not immediately. (Watch for standards to be slowly, quietly, incrementally loosened in the future.) But the ineffectual prosecution at the very least may slow the momentum for ethics reform; at worst, it taints reform as excessive, like the prosecution of the McDonnells a form of guilt by association. Mr. McDonnell acknowledged that one of the lessons of his experience was that politicians must be exceedingly careful in their behavior, keeping in mind not only what is illegal but also what ought to be illegal. Personal ethical standards and a keen eye on how actions could be perceived by others could go a long way toward keeping politicians out of trouble. While were still sorting out the implications of the McDonnell case, we hope our political servants will bear than in mind. Bugles Across America member Dave Shuma said playing "Taps" is the most difficult, yet poignant 24 notes a musician could ever play. Typically, we are honoring veterans and their families, said Shuma. On this day, we are honoring those who lost their lives during the Sept. 11 attacks and its just such a tragedy to our country. Shuma, along with Dick Stageberg, played the somber song a total of five times in several locations in downtown Culpeper on Sunday to pay tribute to the victims killed during the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks at the World Trade Center towers in New York City, the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia and a field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. Sunday marked the 15th anniversary of that deadly day in American history. Bugler Gerry Schuck usually honors the fallen victims with solo performances during this annual event, but health problems kept him on the sidelines, directing the patriotic occasion instead. Its an honor to be involved with this event and the biggest thing is to be able to say thank you to everyone while they are still alive, said Schuck. In my heart, its a sad song to play and I give it 150 percent when I play. I am planning on playing next year. Shuma sounded "Taps" precisely at 8:46 a.m. in front of the Culpeper County Volunteer Fire Department on West Davis Street standing underneath the Tower 1 fire engine with the American flag waving from above. That time marked the moment American Airlines Flight 11 flew into the North Tower of the World Trade Center. Company 1 Chief Kenny Mills said, its an honor to pay tribute to the guys who have fallen. They may be gone, but we will never forget them. At 9:03, Stageberg played in the Culpeper County Courthouse courtyard, marking the time the South Tower was struck before Shuma played again at 9:37 a.m. at the Wine Street Memorial Park, marking the moment American Flight 77 hit the Pentagon. American Legion Post 33 Commander Dan Goolsby, a Vietnam veteran, said hes been paying tribute to the Sept. 11 victims since the beginning. Its an honor, he said, after watching the tribute in the courtyard. Hearing Taps gives me goosebumps every time I hear it. It hits you every time. With local law enforcement stopping traffic at the intersection of Main and Davis streets shortly after 10 a.m., Stageberg sounded Taps a fourth time before Shuma concluded with Taps again, paying tribute to the victims of United Flight 93 and the Benghazi, Libya attacks. Motorists didnt mind the interruption at all. This is like having a front row seat [to the tribute]. Its awesome, said Nicole Brown, sitting in the passenger seat of her husbands Ford F150 truck on Sunday. We didnt even know this was going on today. We are on our way to breakfast. Stageberg concluded Sundays event sounding, America The Beautiful and Amazing Grace. Sundays event is a way of remembering all of the innocent citizens that perished that day as a result of this horrific attack and for those that have since sacrificed their lives for the freedoms that we Americans must never take for granted, read a statement on the flyer Schuck handed out to the crowd. May they all rest in peace and may they never be forgotten. This final tribute also honored Ken and Jennifer Lewis, the married Culpeper couple and flight attendants who died on American Flight 77. A small crowd of about 25 people observed the tribute at the first three locations, but grew larger to about 50 when the ceremony moved back downtown. Several organizations participated in Sundays event including Culpepers American Legion Post 330, Veterans of Foreign Affairs Post 2425, Culpeper County Volunteer Fire Department, Culpeper Minutemen Chapter Virginia Society Sons of the American Revolution, Culpeper Police Department and Culpeper County Sheriffs Office. Many onlookers brought tissues to wipe their tears as the ceremony brought back so many solemn memories. Scott Perry can still hear the scream of the airliners engine. He could see the rivets on the bottom of the plane as it soared over his third-floor office at the old Navy Annex near Washington. It was that close. Then he watched the plane crash into the Pentagon about a mile away, causing a shock wave that rattled the Navy Annex, Perry recalled. Smoke billowed from the Pentagon, polluting what had been a perfect September day with blue skies and temperatures in the mid-70s. And it all happened in a matter of seconds. It was like the fist of God just smashed the ground, Perry, 57, of Spotsylvania County, said in describing the moment of impact. His schedule later that day had included a meeting in the section of the Pentagon that was struck. The phrase never forget has become a political slogan, but Perry said he truly will never forget that terrible day. He still cries at the memory as the nation commemorates the 15th anniversary of the attacks on the Pentagon and World Trade Center. Perry spoke with The Free LanceStar Thursday, his second interview with the newspaper in 15 years. The first took place on the day of the actual attack, with Perry telling a reporter at the time: Theres a picture in my mind that probably wont go away for a long time. He said in the recent interview that he became more focused on his job with a U.S. Defense Department missile defense program after Sept. 11. What was previously unimaginable was now in the realm of possibility. Its not so far-fetched to imagine anymore something devastating happening in the country, he explained. Perry is married with two grown children, one of whom served in the Marines 2008-12. He retired two years ago, but still does consulting work. Several memories have stuck with him over the years, including his drive home hours after the attack. He did not see a single car on his trip down Interstate 95, he said, reminding him of a scene from an apocalyptic movie. He also remembers the rumors about car bombs after he and others evacuated the annex. Scores of people moved from a parking lot to Arlington Cemetery. Years later, Perry said, he was contacted by someone who ran a 9/11 conspiracy website. Perry, an engineer, said he told the person that he knows what he saw from his office windowand it wasnt a cruise missile. Conspiracy theories aside, most Americans came together after Sept. 11, and Perry said he thinks youd see that same sense of resolve and unity if the country suffered another similar attack. I think wed pull together, he said. I would hope so anyway. These days, people dont ask him about Sept. 11 so much. But he said he still thinks about that day, about the victims and what those poor passengers must have been thinking as their plane flew toward the Pentagon. It isnt an antiseptic memory to me, he said. Its real, and I guess its just something Ill never forget. LONDON - England - We have won the Brexit battle but it seems the Remainers are winning the war. Not only have they employed delaying tactics onto Brexit, but they have installed a Remain PM, a Remain Chancellor of the Exchequer and even Remain trade negotiators to thwart Brexit. With all her wishy washy claims, Theresa May is a duplicitous grey witch in kitten heels stirring an unholy cauldron of lies, false promises and downright bollocks. Westminster insiders only know too well what the plan is: They had the peoples vote but the people do not count. Why do you think they brought in Theresa May and that shister Philip Hammond? There will not be a Brexit while theyre in charge because their governmental power supercedes any Brexiteer in the government. We all know the hand of Peter Mandelson is behind all this. Yes, the Dark Lord himself. He is the one at the helm of the table whispering in Mays ear. They will delay and delay.. The fight is not over. The Remainers are staunch communists who do not take votes as done deals. The EU is a Marxist entity and so are the supporters of the EU. They do not believe in freedom from totalitarian rule, and this is why they have taken over the government and hijacked the Brexit vote. We must do something fast, we must take back the reins from these liars, these vagabonds and traitorous deceivers; these turncoats who have no bond of honour or honesty between them. They are the ultimate enemy, because they are the enemy within, a far more dangerous adversary than the politburo and apparatchiks of the EU itself. Mumbai: Imtiaz Alis film with Shah Rukh Khan and Anushka Sharma has been in the news since a long time. And since some reports stated that the title of the film is The Ring, it stuck on with the film despite no official confirmation from the makers or the actors. The rumours got strengthened when the image of a clap-board from the sets displayed the name of the film as The Ring. But, Anushka has finally confirmed that the title of the film is indeed The Ring, and that it is just a working title for now, in this picture that she shared on Instagram. Considering the fact that there is already a Hollywood horror film of the same title, there are good chances of it remaining just a working title and it would be interesting to see what the final title would be. According to reports, the first schedule of the film has been wrapped up. Anushka plays a Gujarati girl and Shah Rukh plays a tourist guide in the film and several pictures from the shoot in Prague have been in the news. The crew will now move to Amsterdam for the next schedule. Mumbai: She has become the first Bollywood actress to walk the ramp at New York Fashion Week, but Sunny Leone reveals in the initial stage of her career, she was called "too fat" to be a model. Leone walked the ramp at the coveted fashion week on September 8 and looked resplendent as the showstopper in an ivory Archana Kochhar gown. For the 'Mastizaade' star, walking the ramp was a moment of getting back at her detractors, who never thought she could make it as a model. "It was such an amazing feeling. Ever since I was a little girl, I wanted to be a model and when I turned 18, I tried. I was told I was too short, too fat, too commercial or they were just not interested," Leone told PTI in an email interview from New York. "This is my big 'screw the negative people' moment because this too short, too fat, too commercial girl got to walk at New York Fashion Week," she said. The 35-year-old actress opened the show for Kochhar with much applause but admitted that she was scared of tripping on the ramp. "I was so nervous about tripping and falling. Also, this has been a dream for so long, I didn't believe it was happening." At the show, acid-attack survivor Reshma Qureshi also walked the ramp for the Indian designer, who showcased her collection "A Tale of Two Travels". Leone said while she couldn't get time to meet other designers, she spent time with Qureshi. "I did get a chance to spend time with Reshma Quereshi and she is a doll. I wish her all the best in life and I admire her strength and determination." The actress is basking in the praise for walking the ramp and said she is not bothered about the fashion police. She feels fashion is subjective and is very happy with her style on a personal level. "I always find it interesting, the ones doing the policing are not well dressed at all, and what I mean is mainly grooming aspects. So it's fine if they hate what I wear because I love it and am happy wearing it. Fashion is subjective to each and everyone of us," she said. The New York Fashion Week commenced on September 8 and will go on till September 15. Mumbai: After wrapping up the first schedule of 'The Ring' in Prague, Shah Rukh Khan has now moved to Amsterdam. The actor has already started shooting for the film's second shoot along with Anushka Sharma and film's director Imtiaz Ali. The actor is not only shooting for the film but is also learning new things on the sets. Shah Rukh Khan learned how to countdown in Dutch from his films first AD and also returned the favour by teaching the friangi guy how to say the tongue twister Kaccha Papad, Pakka Papad. Shah Rukh shared the video on his official Instagram account where the actor wrote, Jurriaan our first AD learning how to do pappad & me the countdown. #hindidutchbhaibhai. Jurriaan our first AD learning how to do pappad & me the countdown. #hindidutchbhaibhai A video posted by Shah Rukh Khan (@iamsrk) on Sep 10, 2016 at 8:51am PDT Later, Shah Rukh also shared an adorable video of himself with AbRam. In the video, we hear the two conversing, SRK: Hi, I am the red Spider-Man; AbRam: Hi, I am the black Spider-Man; Both: Together we are, unbeatable. SRK shared the video with caption, We cannot accomplish all that we need to do without working together" #srkinstagyaan. Some of the master storytellers from the world of literature are now the protagonists of a number of upcoming films that explore their real persona. Nawazuddin Siddiqui is set to play writer Saadat Hasan Manto in his biopic, Sonakshi Sinha is likely to play Amrita Pritam in a film on the Sahir Ludhianvi-Amrita love story. And Victor Banerjee will be playing Rabindranath Tagore, in a film that explores his relationship with writer Victoria Ocampo. Poet, writer, playwright, composer and philosopher, Rabindranath Tagore was influenced by numerous women in his life, who inspired him to pen women characters that were way ahead of their times. His muses were strong, free-willed women, and his relationship with them has been much discussed and written about be it his relationship with his sister-in-law and first muse Kadambari Devi, or with Victoria, the Argentine writer. Director Pablo Cesar is making a movie titled Thinking of Him, an Indo-Argentine production, that focuses on Tagores meeting with Victoria, fondly addressed by him as Bijoya in his letters. The approximately 100 minute long film will have four to five songs. In 1924, while on his way to Peru, Tagore had fallen ill, and spent two months recuperating in the suburbs of Buenos Aires, where Victoria took care of him. Talking about stepping into Tagores shoes, Victor, says, I have to understand how much she really felt for him as a woman, and as an intellectual. There are two aspects to it one is the sensual or the physical aspect, and the other is the mental or intellectual aspect. The girl who is playing Victoria in the film has beautiful eyes and they speak a lot even in silence. It is about a lady whom Tagore identifies with emotionally. They were very close to each other, especially after they parted. Talking about reinventing the literary great, he says, The world will wonder how and why I am portraying this part, and they will interpret it differently. Then, Indians will want to see whether I can walk like Tagore or talk like Tagore. That does not bother me as I am portraying a part of him that doesnt belong to us. This film is not about what you and I think of Tagore. It is about what she thought of Tagore and what Argentinians think of him. Though they only met twice, the letters exchanged, memoirs and autobiography of Victoria were the main research material for the film. She was half his age when they met, but there was something beyond mere admiration in their relationship, says Victor, adding, It was Victoria who organised Tagores first art exhibition in Paris in 1930. She was not a frivolous woman. She had relationships with men of high intellectual calibre physicists, scientists and philosophers. From Jorge Luis Borges to Albert Camus and Octavio Paz all were more than acquaintances to her. Despite all the associations she had, including with Ernesto Sabato in the end, she never loved or worshipped any person more than Tagore. Tagore was more of a social reformer than a poet, believes Victor. He wrote more on social reforms than he wrote on poetry. I personally think our national anthem is not patriotic enough. There is another poem by Dwijendralal Ray called Dhono Dhanne Pushpe Bhora, which is more soul-stirring as a national anthem. She made a Rockstar debut in 2011, which earned her a Best Female Debut nomination. But a few months ago, amidst speculations about her personal life, actress Nargis Fakhri took a break from Bollywood. About her on her absence, the actress says, I was on a short holiday recently. When Im not doing films, I have a lot of other things to do like shooting for commercials. Nargis will soon be seen in Banjo, opposite actor Riteish Deshmukh. Describing the movie, she says, Banjo is a quirky movie in which I play a DJ who goes to Mumbai in search of a band. So, how was her real-life experience of landing in Mumbai for the first time? Says Nargis,It was late at night and at first, I could hardly see anything. Looking down from my window seat, I saw people and cows moving around! Once outside, I heard hawkers yelling all over the place. I was so scared that I did not come out of my room for at least two days! Having received a warm reception in Bollywood however, Nargis says, I am really blessed to have got work here, although I did face ups and downs. I feel people work very hard here and have no time for holidays. Nargis has many things on her wish list. I love travelling. But now it is impossible for me to walk down the streets of India as my fans recognise me! Maybe someday, I will travel across India with no one following me! Also, I always pray to the Omnipresent Power to put me with good hearted people and kind souls, because I am very sensitive. I am glad that normal people are clean at heart. Such people have always helped me. On lessons learnt, the actress says, Life has taught me many things. My gut feeling is never wrong. I keep my distance from fake people, especially those who talk about you without knowing what you must be going through. This includes some people from the industry. I dont like negative energy. Also, I think everyone is insecure. Sometimes, even the prettiest women look into the mirror and feel something is lacking. Nargis confesses that she has no friends in the industry, except for Imtiaz Alis assistant director. She is my best buddy and always ready to help me even during the wee hours. I am happy to have her by my side. As for her mantra for life, Nargis says, Life is like a rollercoaster ride. Those who come to work here should not take ups and downs seriously get ready for an adventure. You need to be strong, follow your gut feeling and go ahead in life. Success will be yours. The actress has her plans laid out. After Banjo releases, I will be flying to New York to shoot a Hollywood film opposite Raj Kumar Rao. I have also been deputed to write a story for a magazine, she says. Adah Sharma who appeared in a special song in STRs Idhu Namma Aalu will be making her debut as a heroine in the Tamil remake of Telugu film Kshanam which starred Adivi Shesh and herself. The actress will be reprising her role in the remake as well. Actor Sibiraj will be essaying the role of Rishi, the investment banker from San Francisco who is called by his former girlfriend to search for her kidnapped daughter. Sibirajs father and actor Sathyaraj produces the Tamil version of Kshanam under their home banner Nathambal Film Factory. Speaking to DC, Sibiraj muses, Talks are going on to finalise the cast and technical crew of the film. We will soon be announcing the details officially. e also hear that Telugu star Adivi Shesh who contributed the story and co-wrote the screenplay would not be a part of the remake. The actor who is currently gearing up for his next Telugu film says, At the moment, I am focusing only on Telugu cinema. I am not part of the Tamil remake nor the Hindi remake. He was just back from a shooting in Chennai, just in time to celebrate Onam with his family in Kochi. Kalabhavan Shajohn, who is known for his roles in My Boss and of course, Drishyam, now has two major releases Mohanlal-starrer Oppam and Dileep-starrer Welcome to Central Jail. In Oppam, I played a negative role, while in Welcome to Central Jail, I portray a jailer with a comical makeover, he says. Interestingly, the roles where he dons the khaki have got much fervour. Asked why he chose a cop role again, he says, It maybe that negative roles suit me. In fact, I was consciously making a decision to reduce khaki roles as I have acted as both a convict and a cop, but this role came under a good production which had Dileep as the hero. I was thrilled to play the role of a jailer as I have not done it before. Shajohn is now acting in a major role under a major production in S. Shankars Enthiran 2. Earlier, we saw Kalabhavan Mani in the first part and now its Shajohns turn. Shankar sir happened to see my performance in Drishyam and his manager contacted me and asked for my schedule. But that time, I was about to go to the US for a stage show. I almost lost the role, but later he asked me if I was interested to act in the movie. I said yes, and Shankar sir changed the entire schedule for my return. I have some combination scenes with Akshay Kumar and Rajni sir. It is an important role and I cant disclose more at the moment, he says. Apart from acting, Shajohn is also stepping into direction. His first directorial venture a family entertainer with Prithviraj in the lead - will start shooting next year. I have dreamt of it for many years. I finished the scripting and got the dates of Raju (Prithviraj). At the moment, he is busy with other projects. That is why we couldnt start shooting this year. We have scheduled it for next year, shares Shajohn. The actor is also playing a 70-year-old in the upcoming movie Pareed Pandari opposite Sajitha Madathil. Other than that, he is currently acting in a Mohanlal movie and will also be seein in the Mammootty starrer The Great Father. Friedman, who fled Austria during the war as a 15-year-old, died Thursday at a hospital in Richmond, Virginia, from complications of old age. (Photo: Twitter) New York: The woman in an iconic photo shown kissing an ecstatic sailor in Times Square celebrating the end of World War II has died. Greta Zimmer Friedman was 92. Friedman, who fled Austria during the war as a 15-year-old, died Thursday at a hospital in Richmond, Virginia, from complications of old age, her son, Joshua Friedman, said. Greta Friedman was a 21-year-old dental assistant in a nurse's uniform when she became part of one of the most famous photographs of the 20th century. On Aug. 14, 1945, known as V-J Day, the day Japan surrendered to the United States, people spilled into the New York City streets from restaurants, bars and movie theaters, celebrating the news. That's when George Mendonsa spotted Friedman, spun her around and planted a kiss. The two had never met. In fact, Mendonsa was on a date with an actual nurse, Rita Petry, who would later become his wife. The photo by Alfred Eisenstaedt is called "V-J Day in Times Square," but is known to most simply as "The Kiss." Mendonsa said that in some photos of the scene, Petry could be seen smiling in the background. The photo was first published in Life magazine, buried deep within its pages. Over the years, the photo gained recognition, and several people claimed to be the kissing couple. In an August 1980 issue of Life, 11 men and three women said they were the subjects. It was years before Mendonsa and Friedman were confirmed to be the couple. Joshua Friedman said his mother recalled the events happening in an instant. "It wasn't that much of a kiss," Friedman said in an interview with the Veterans History Project in 2005. "It was just somebody celebrating. It wasn't a romantic event." Both of Friedman's parents died in the Holocaust, according to Lawrence Verria, co-author of "The Kissing Sailor: The Mystery Behind the Photo that Ended World War II." Friedman will be buried in Arlington National Cemetery, next to her late husband, Dr. Misha Friedman. Last week I wrote about the score in general as far as the climate change phenomenon is concerned. I presented quite a dismal picture on the state of affairs for the planet. The devastating effects of climate change because of the excessive amounts of carbon we are emitting every day is causing global warming that is unprecedented. 70% of this has come from burning fossil fuels like coal to supply electricity to the world. In India, more than 300 million people do not get electricity at all, and another 300 million do not get electricity when they need it. If burning coal to produce electricity is causing damage, will we be able to develop enough clean renewable energy infrastructure that can act as a substitute? Yes! It is possible and India is doing it as we speak. India has set itself a target of 350 GW of electricity from renewable energy (250 GW from solar and 100 GW from wind) sources by 2030, when 40% of our electricity will be from renewable energy sources. Of this, 100 GW from solar and 60 GW from wind will be in place by by 2020. Indian coal companies are moving into solar! Neyveli Lignite Corporation (NLC), has announced its third solar power project of 65 MW capacity at Neyveli at a cost of Rs 350 crores. The project is expected to be commissioned in the first week of June 2017, and consists of 238,000 solar photovoltaic modules with a power generating capacity of 280-310 watts each. NLC has plans to establish 4,000 MW of solar capacity in the states of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala, Telangana, and Rajasthan. The company's first solar project of 10 MW capacity got commissioned in September 2015 and the the second solar power project with a capacity of 65 MW commenced in July 2016. The Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) issued a tender to set up 200 MW of solar capacity along with a storage facility in Karnataka's Pavagada solar power park. Pavagada solar power park is among around 25 solar parks approved by the Ministry of New & Renewable Energy. The planned capacity of the solar park is 5 GW, making it one of the largest power projects in India. National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) has already auctioned 500 MW of capacity for the solar park. More capacity is expected to be auctioned soon by NTPC Limited as well as SECI. This new tender comes only days after SECI issued the first solar power storage tender of 100 MW capacity for the 1 GW Kadapa solar power park in Andhra Pradesh. India also plans to set up 10 GW of solar based Pumped Hydro Storage Capacity. The entire plan is expected to require a total investment of Rs. 80,000 crore. In this project, solar power will be combined with hydro power pumped storage to maximize the use of renewable energy and keep the carbon footprint of power generation minimal. Solar power projects will be set up near water reservoirs. During daytime, a part of the solar power generated will be used to pump the water up the hill, while during the night the water will be released downhill to generate hydro power in the conventional manner. This process will avoid the requirement to store solar energy in batteries. The total potential of setting up pumped storage capacity in India is estimated to be around 90 GW. The CEA is believed to have identified sites to set up 10 GW of pumped storage capacity. There is a lot happening in India. Indians ought to be proud of what the nation is trying to do. We now need to ask ourselves, what can we do as individuals to support the ambitions of the country. Ask not what the country will do for you, but what you will now do to support this mission of the country. The hole made by burglars in the wall of the pawn shop in Maduranthagam on Friday night (Photo: DC) Chennai: At least 30 sovereigns of gold worth over Rs 6 lakh was burgled from a pawn shop by unidentified persons by drilling a hole on the rear side of the shop, Maduranthagam, in neighbouring Kancheepuram district on Friday night. Local residents, who noticed the hole, alerted the pawnshop owner Paraschand, who lives in nearby village Pavachur. The hole was big enough for a man to enter. The pawnshop owner then opened his shop and found the locker in which he kept the jewellery items was broken. All the 30 sovereigns of gold ornaments he kept in the locker were missing. He then alerted the Anaicut police station. A police team with finger print expert and sniffer dog rushed the scene. It looks like more than one person was involved in the burglary, the police said. Though this is not the first time burglars were decamping with valuables from shops after making holes on the wall, there seems to be an increase in the trend. Burglars are even making holes in cash wagons in train and escaping with huge amount. Jewellery shop owners should remember to keep their valuables in bigger, stronger safe, noted an officer. Chennai: Chennai police arrested two youths and a pawnbroker shop owner in connection with series of chain snatching and robbery incidents in Ashok Nagar and nearby areas on Friday. The two were guided by the pawnbroker to commit crimes, police said. Police tracked the suspects with a clipping from a CCTV, installed by the members of the residents welfare association in Ashok Nagar. Police recovered 30 sovereigns of gold jewellery and cash from them. The accused S. Thameem Ansari, 20 and Arjunan, 20, of Thousand lights were acting based on the instructions of G. Kishore Kumar, 42, who runs a pawnbroker shop in Thousand Lights. Police teams traced the suspects photograph through the CCTV footage recorded at a building. The duo tried to flee after snatching three sovereigns of gold chain from a school teacher Sridivya, when she was returning from school two weeks ago. On August 25, they had snatched a gold chain from Mala, 37, a resident of Ashok Nagar. Investigators circulated the CCTV footage of this incident to all the police personnel Whatsapp groups to trace the suspects. One of the police teams narrowed down on them when they were traveling on a bike. During enquiry they revealed the involvement of the pawnbroker Kishore. Police picked up Kishore and during questioning he confessed to having indulging in criminal activities to earn easy money. During interrogations they confessed that they targeted women and senior citizens. Kishore would go to the house of one of the the two to pick up the stolen gold and paying them 50 per cent of the money initially. Since he owns a pawn broker shop, it was easy for him to sell the stolen jewels, police noted. Ashok Nagar residents had installed 120 CCTV cameras in their neighbourhood recently. It helped us to track the two suspects, police noted. New Delhi: An FIR was registered on Sunday against controversial AAP MLA and former minister Somnath Bharti, for allegedly misbehaving with security guards at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Delhi. The case was registered at Hauz Khas police station, said reports. The chief security officer (CSO) of AIIMS lodged the complaint against Bharti, alleging that he misbehaved with security personnel and damaged government property on September 9. Bharti is the latest in a string of AAP MLAs to fall afoul of the law. Bharti was earlier booked in a domestic violence case filed against him by his wife Lipika Mitra. He was later granted bail in the case. The AAP MLA was a part of the first AAP Cabinet formed after the 2013 elections, and gained notoriety for raiding the homes rented by Africans in Khirki Extension to look for drugs. When the police refused to do so, citing a lack of a warrant, a group led by Bharti allegedly caught four women and forced them to give urine tests. Bharti also faced flak in 2014 for revealing the name of a Danish tourist who was raped in the capital, in contravention of laws that prohibit naming a rape victim. Los Angeles: Actress-activist Angelina Jolie has visited a Syrian refugee camp and urged world leaders to help sort the current crisis. "This is not a problem of Jordan's making, or that Jordan should be left to bear alone. They have been warning for years that they would reach a point where they on their own could do more. The world has known about the situation in the Berm for months, but no solution has yet been put forward. "This is symptomatic of the wider problem. For all the good intentions, extraordinary efforts in the field, and the generosity of host communities, it is impossible to say that we, as an international community, are using all the tools at our disposal, or that we have even come close to doing enough to help the Syrian people," Jolie said in a statement. She further said that the Syria conflict and the concerns of its people should be at the centre of discussion at the upcoming United Nation's General Assembly. "My message to world leaders, as they prepare to gather at the UN General Assembly in 10 days' time, is to ask that the fundamental root causes of the Syria conflict, and what it will take to end it, are put at the center of the discussion." During her visit, the 41-year-old actress met with a family who had suffered imaginable loss. In a statement released through the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), she said, "This is my fourth visit to Jordan since the conflict in Syria began. It is almost impossible to fathom what the last five years have meant, in the lives of refugees in Jordan and elsewhere in the region. "Not a single family in this camp of 60,000 people has not suffered loss and trauma. I met a family this morning, who fled Daesh in Raqqaa, and then moved 20 times, trying to find safety inside Syria. In that time, the mother suffered repeated miscarriages, and her two brothers and one sister were killed in an airstrike. Santhosh Dina, who was thrashed after he wrote a Facebook post against the Cauvery agitation. (Photo: Facebook) Bengaluru: A 22-year-old engineering student in Bengaluru was allegedly beaten by a group of people for posting "derogatory" remarks on social media against Kannada film actors. According to the police, the incident occurred on Saturday near the college where the youth was studying and they got to know about it only through media reports. A purported video of the incident has gone viral on the internet showing around half-a-dozen men thrashing the student. It was alleged that he had also made comments, which were later deleted, against the ongoing Cauvery water agitation in Karnataka on the social media. The group is understood to have let off the youth, who was born and brought up in the city, after he apologised, police said, adding that none of the sides came forward to register any complaint. Meanwhile, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has appealed to social media users to not support any hate campaign. "I appeal to Twitter users to not support any hate campaign. It is irresponsible and mischievous to support hate messages of any kind," he has tweeted. Protests by farmers and pro-Kannada outfits have been reported from several parts of the state since the Supreme Court order asking Karnataka to release water to Tamil Nadu. In the infamous 1991 Cauvery riots, which are said to be the worst in the history of Karnataka, 28 people were killed in the city Bengaluru: There was an alleged sinister plan by some vested interests to replay the infamous December 1991 Cauvery riots on Friday, especially in Bengaluru, during the Karnataka bandh on the Cauvery water issue, an official source in state police department told Deccan Chronicle. There were specific intelligence inputs on massive efforts from some sectors to replay the December 1991 bloodbath on Friday, which would have worked as a double edged sword for them; on bringing the national attention on Karnatakas plight on the water sharing issue with Tamil Nadu in a rain deficit year and discrediting the Siddaramaiah-led Congress government for its failure to get justice to its people and maintaining law and order in the state. ''The Chief Minister was constantly briefed about the intelligence inputs and last minute decisions were made in Vidhana Soudha to seek Central police forces for deployment in the city. In one night, intervening September 8 and 9, the police had picked up 596 anti-social elements from across the city and put them under preventive custody. They were released on Friday late evening, the officer added. There were credible inputs that some anti-social elements would indulge in large scale violence leading to loss of lives and property. Besides the bandh the police also had to ensure a peaceful Ganesha procession on Tannery Road the same night. Any spillover from the bandh violence would have proved very dear to the State administration. A contingency plan was immediately drawn; for massive deployment and bundobast. ''The State police requisitioned Central police forces and the reserve police forces from Kerala and Andhra Pradesh. The CM and police top brass met some leaders of some pro-Kannada outfits on Thursday late evening and held close door discussions to ensure that while the Friday bandh would be absolute to send a strong message of solidarity, it would be without violence, said another officer on condition of anonymity. In the infamous 1991 Cauvery riots, which are said to be the worst in the history of Karnataka, 28 people were killed in the city and thousands were injured and displaced from across the state. Thousands of Tamil families fled Karnataka in fear. All educational institutions in the state were shut down for nearly a month. The loss to property was estimated to be around Rs 19 crore. Ahmedabad: Dalits protesting against the Una flogging incident have decided to launch a postcard campaign called 'Badbu Gujarat Ki' (stink of Gujarat), in response to the tourism department's 'Khushbu Gujarat Ki' (scent of Gujarat) initiative spearheaded by Amitabh Bachchan. The Una Dalit Atyachar Ladat Samiti will launch the campaign from Kalol near Ahmedabad on Tuesday, when thousands of postcards bearing the tagline 'Badbu Gujarat Ki' will be mailed to Bachchan's residential address in Mumbai, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi inviting them to the state. The postcards will invite them to "visit Gujarat and get a taste of stink left by cow carcases which have not been disposed by protesting Dalits ever since they pledged against it following the Una atrocity incident," Una Dalit Atyachar Ladat Samiti convener Jignesh Mevani said on Sunday. Mevani alleged that Bachchan created a fake image of Gujarat to propagate Modi's agenda. "Amitabh Bachchan came to Gujarat upon invitation from then Chief Minister Narendra Modi, and talked only about Gujarat having good things like greenery, scent, progressive culture," he said. "We have given up disposing carcasses. Hundreds of cows are lying dead and stinking all over the place. Dalits continue to die in gutter, caste division and untouchability have made them suffer," he rued. "Now that we have given up disposing dead cows, we will invite Bachchan and Modi to come to Gujarat, spend some time and enjoy 'badbu Gujarat ki'," Mevani said. Following the Una case in which Dalits from Mota Samadhiyala village were brutally beaten up by self-styled cow vigilantes, the community members from the state pledged en masse to give up their traditional profession of disposing cow carcasses as a way of protest. "This is about the conscience of Dalits to quit caste-based occupation that caste system imposes upon them. In response, thousands of Dalits have pledged not to pick up cow carcass, and in hundreds of villages it has been given up. This has also broken the myth that Dalits are solely dependent on this profession," Mevani claimed. The Dalits were even attacked by upper caste members in many villages for not disposing cow carcasses, he alleged. New Delhi: CBI may probe the USD 208 million Embraer aircraft deal if any criminality is indicated in the internal probe already ordered, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar said in Vadodra on Sunday . He said he has sought a report from DRDO by Monday and only after that he could make a proper statement on the issue. "We are investigating the matter. The investigation is going on... I am not going to give a knee-jerk reaction," Parrikar told reporters while responding to questions over the deal that has run into a controversy. "If there is a criminal angle, then we can give it (probe) to CBI. The Defence Ministry cannot investigate criminal angle," he said when asked whether the probe would be handed over to CBI. He said if only procedural issues are involved, then the Defence Ministry can do an internal investigation. The deal for purchase of three Brazilian aircraft Embraer in 2008 during the UPA regime has kicked up dust with US authorities going into alleged payment of kickbacks. The deal has come under the scanner of the US Justice Department which has been probing Embraer for alleged payment of bribes to secure contracts. "DRDO has sought information from manufacture of Embraer aircraft within 15 days on media reports on aircraft deal signed in 2008," Defence Ministry sources have said, adding "On receipt of information by the DRDO, further steps may be initiated." The deal was signed in 2008 between Embraer and the DRDO for three aircraft equipped with indigenous radars for AEW&C (airborne early warning and control systems). New Delhi: Union minister Kiren Rijiju on Sunday hit out at Congress over controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naik's NGO donating Rs 50 lakh to an allied entity of Rajiv Gandhi Foundation, saying instead of introspecting the party was falsely accusing the government of leaking information. Rijiju said despite knowing about the transaction, the government did not make public the information or "play politics" over the issue. "The issue of Zakir Naik's Islamic Research Foundation donating Rs 50 lakh to Rajiv Gandhi Foundation or its related body ... We knew it more than a month ago. But we did not want to play politics. "So, we have asked for more information. In the meantime, some individual journalists filed RTI to Rajiv Gandhi Foundation and got the information," the Union Minister of State for Home Affairs told reporters on the sidelines of a function in Delhi. Read: Is Zakir Naik the boss of all Muslims, asks Union Minister Venkaiah Naidu The Islamic Research Foundation (IRF), founded by Naik, had donated Rs 50 lakh to Rajiv Gandhi Charitable Trust (RGCT), an associate entity of Rajiv Gandhi Foundation, in 2011 but the amount was returned to IRF by RGCT in July this year. Both the IRF and the RGCT were registered under the Foreign Contribution Regulations Act and such donation of foreign funds from one FCRA registered NGO to another is authorised and legally permitted. Rijiju said there was no question of the government leaking the information or the documents."We knew it long time back but we did not want to play politics but to get the correct information whatever is there," he said. Read: What have I done to earn 'Dr Terror' tag, asks Zakir Naik in open letter He said it was "unfortunate that rather than introspecting about what Congress has done, they are just making unnecessary accusation that the government is leaking out documentation." "How can we leak documents like that?" he said on the sidelines of an event held to honour the families of gallantry award winners of central paramilitary forces. The Congress had accused the government of leaking this information. Rijiju later tweeted on the issue saying, "Every action of the government is not announced instantly. There are methods for getting to the bottom of the matter." He added that "illegal inflow of money from outside will be strictly checked and we are doing it." While replying on Naik's recent statement asking what wrong has he done, Rijiju said religion and terrorism cannot go hand in hand. "We abhor equating religion with terrorism. Anybody who propagates terrorism will not bear anything with regard to identity or religion. We look at things that way. National security is most important," Rijiju said. The RGCT, a registered, not-for-profit organisation, was established in 2002 to address the development needs of underprivileged people in the country, especially the rural poor. It works in the poorest regions of Uttar Pradesh, one of the least developed states in the country and Haryana. The IRF is embroiled in a controversy because of allegations that Naik was inciting youths for terror. An IRF spokesman had said a thorough probe was conducted earlier after the new government took over but they could not find any evidence against it. The Home Ministry had suspended Joint Secretary G K Dwivedi, who was heading the foreigners division which deals with the FCRA related issues, and three other officials for renewing the licence of IRF. Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi had owned up the donation but claimed it was unsolicited and a one-off affair. Singhvi emphasised that the donation preceded IRF's embroilment in allegations of terror and forced conversions, adding Naik's NGO was not on the watchlist at the time. "It (donation) was discovered by chance when the recent events happened... and some months ago, a remittance was made," Singhvi was quoted as saying. Hyderabad: Controversial BJP MLA from Hyderabad T Raja Singh on Sunday threatened to cause an unpleasant situation in the city if you do not respect our religious beliefs. He was referring to alleged slaughtering of oxen for food on Bakri Eid, according to a report. T Raja Singh, who had earlier justified attacks on those who consume beef, issued an open warning to the government and police against the alleged slaughtering of oxen during the Bakri Eid festival. In a video message posted on his Facebook page, the BJP MLA alleged that the Telangana government and the police is defying the Supreme Court guidance by allowing slaughtering of healthy cattle. He added "slaughtering of cow, calf and ox are prohibited but ignoring this various parts of the old city area are going to witness the violation on Bakr-Eid". Government should immediately rescue all these healthy cattle brought for slaughtering on Bakri Eid, he said. He recommended examination of these cattle by veterinary doctors. Issuing a veiled threat, T Raja Singh warned the government that if they fail to act it might vitiate the peaceful atmosphere of the state as well as the city. Naidu termed as 'a totally absurd charge' the allegations by the Islamic televangelist that it is not just an attack on him, but an attack against Indian Muslims. (Photo: File) Hyderabad: Terming as "totally absurd" the allegations levelled by controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naik against the government, Union Minister M Venkaiah Naidu on Sunday accused him of taking shelter under religion and wondered if he is the "boss" of all Indian Muslims. "Is Zakir Naik the boss of all Indian Muslims? What nonsense he is talking. He has to answer the criticism about himself. What is that Muslims have got to do with him?" the Information and Broadcasting Minister said in Hyderabad. In a four-page 'open letter' released in Mumbai on Saturday, Naik had asked the government what exactly he had done to earn the tag of "Dr Terror" and sought "logical answers" to charges levelled against him. Naidu termed as "a totally absurd charge" the allegations by the Islamic televangelist that it is not just an attack on him, but an attack against Indian Muslims. "He does something wrong...and then government wants to take some action, if at all and you try to take shelter under religion," the Minister said. Taking strong exception to Naik's allegations, the senior BJP leader said, "This is the way..the new technique. People commit crimes or commit mistakes and then they try to take cover under religion or caste, or the region or the language so that they get some support for the mistakes they have committed." The founder of Peace TV, run by his Mumbai-based IRF, Naik has come under the scanner of security agencies after a Bangladeshi newspaper had reported that one of the attackers of the July 1, 2016, terror strike in Dhaka was "inspired" by his speeches. The Kashmir Valley has seen protests for 65 days, in which 79 people have lost their lives so far. (Photo: HU Naqash/ DC) New Delhi: Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday directed the security forces to go after those instigating youths to indulge in violence Jammu and Kashmir and try to bring back normalcy in the state within a week. The directive was given during an hour-long meeting the Home Minister had with top security officials, including National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, besides others. Sources said the Home Minister conveyed that the security forces must go after the instigators of the violence in Kashmir Valley and book them as they continue to disrupt normal life for 65 days after the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen militant Burhan Wani on September 8. Singh said that normalcy should be brought back within a week and school and other educational institutions should function as students are worst sufferers during the prolonged turmoil, sources said. Attempts should also be made to reopen shops and other commercial establishments which were shut completely, the Home Minister told the officials. The Home Minister reviewed the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir, where a policeman and three militants were killed two separate incidents today. The officials briefed the prevailing situation in Kashmir Valley as well as along the border and the steps taken to bring back normalcy in the state, official sources said. The unrest had started following the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen militant Burhan Wani on July 8. So far, 75 people lost their lives in the 65 days of turmoil. Three militants and a policeman were today killed and six others, including an police officer, were injured in twin encounters between security forces and four terrorists in Poonch town of Jammu and Kashmir. The encounters between security forces and the militants, who were holed up in a house and another structure near the under-construction Mini Secretariat, erupted at around 7.30 am and continued through the day. "Three militants have been knocked down. The civilians, who were held hostage, have been safely evacuated. Operation is still on," Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Rajouri-Poonch range Johny Willian told PTI. Meanwhile, four terrorists who were trying to sneak into India via the Line of Control (LoC) were killed on Sunday as Army foiled three infiltration attempts in Kashmir. One infiltration bid was foiled in Naugam sector, another in Tangdhar sector and the third one in Gurez sector. Bhubaneswar: Noting that the media in recent times has become "aggressive" to get high television rating points (TRPs), Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting M Venkaiah Naidu on Saturday said self-regulatory mechanism adopted by the media should be fair and strict. Addressing a CSR conclave Bhubaneswar, Naidu said media should carry development news to the people for overall growth of the society. "Unfortunately, media, particularly the electronics media, has becoming aggressive. Self-regulatory mechanism adopted by the press should be fair and strict," he said. Stating that media's role should be "constructive and positive" instead of making it a practice of serving sensational stories aiming high viewership, Naidu said news channels must dedicate some space for developmental stories. "Sensationalism and yellow journalism can erode the confidence of news consumers. The responsibility of the media sector is not just providing news, but providing factually correct news. It should be of utmost importance that the news provided is not biased and partitioned," he said. He said if the media maintains quality, TRP should not be a problem for it. "Social media is playing an extremely important role and is competing with traditional media in reaching out to masses. Though there is self regulation in press, the social media do not have it," Mr Naidu pointed out. "Media acts as an agenda setter for society apart from playing the role of a watchdog, which has been transforming people's lives by setting up progressive agenda, shaping up public opinion, maintaining social cohesion and removing social evils and superstitions," Naidu said, adding, that the media should highlight the best practices of the people which would encourage them to keep the good work going. "It will not only motivate the good-doers, but the youth will be inspired for self-employable initiatives," the Union Minister said. He also called upon the media "not to dilute" the country's rich culture and heritage. "Social consciousness is very important for media... Obscenity, vulgarity and violence are causing havoc in our society... It must be avoided... It is not in our culture and media organisations must not dilute our culture and heritage," he said. Speaking on the corporate sectors, Naidu said "We need socio-economic development of the society and the corporates must take steps for skill development programmes." Azamgarh: Rahul Gandhi on Sunday took an apparent dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his expensive monogrammed suit as he said that he does not visit the farmers as he fears that his suit might get dirty. "He (Modi) does not go to the farmers so that his suit does not get dirty. He is a leader who loves to travel to the US and China," the Congress vice president said addressing a meeting in Azamgarh in poll-bound Uttar Pradesh. The suit which Prime Minister Narendra Modi wore during his meeting with US President Barack Obama in Delhi last year was auctioned later and was bought for Rs 4.31 crore to Surat diamond baron and private airline owner Laljibhai Patel. Earlier, Rahul, who addressed public meetings at various places here, attacked BSP and the ruling SP, saying while the "elephant" (election symbol of BSP) has eaten all the money, the "cycle" (poll symbol of SP) is standing "punctured" in the state. "Haathi saara paisa kha gaya. Hathi ko apne maar ke bhaga diya (elephant--the election symbol of BSP--ate all the money and then you chased it out)," Gandhi said while addressing a public meeting on the sixth day of his yatra. "Phir aap cycle (SP's election symbol) laaye. Ye paanch saal se phansi hui hai, hil nahi rahi hai. Uska tyre puncture hai aur apko ration card nahi dila pa rahi hai (Then you voted for SP's cycle which has been stranded for past five years. It's tyre is punctured and is not moving. The party could not provide ration cards to you)," he said attacking SP. During his yatra, the Congress vice president had 'chai' (tea) and 'samosa' at a local shop and later paid visit to a Dalit family's home where he had lunch. Appealing to people to vote for Congress in the upcoming elections, Rahul said, "Now you should think about the hand (Congress's election symbol) and then see what we do about ration (cards) and farmers," he said. The Gandhi scion, who is on his 2500 km 'Deoria to Dilli yatra' to connect with the masses in the run-up to the 2017 state Assembly polls, resumed his yatra from Azamgarh and after holding series of meeting in Mau he will reach Ghazipur. Azamgarh is parliamentary constituency of SP supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav. Ramdas Athawale has been part of NDA since 2011 after he quit the NCP-Congress alliance. (Photo: PTI) Lucknow: Republican Party of India president and Union minister Ramdas Athawale on Sunday said his party is holding talks with the BJP over seat-sharing formula in Uttar Pradesh elections but would contest the poll even if it fails to reach an agreement. He said his party has demanded 20-25 seats from the BJP and the talks in this regard has been held with party leaders Rajnath Singh and Kalraj Mishra. "After a go ahead in this regard by BJP president Amit Shah, we will field candidates. Even if our party does not have an understanding with BJP, we will still contest UP polls on over 200 seats," he added. He said if his party contests the polls in alliance with BJP "we will certainly get majority here". The Dalit leader said he considers BSP supremo Maywati his "sister". "I consider Mayawati as my sister. If she comes to me as sister, I will get her meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi. But she should not become my rival. I am not against her. She is a bold lady of my caste and a good administrator," Athawale told reporters in Lucknow. The Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment said Mayawati is "using name of Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar. And If she really follows him she should adopt Buddhism." An article published in the Onam special edition of RSS mouthpiece 'Kesari' claimed there was no reference in any mythological scriptures which supports the popular and widely circulated legend. (Photo: DC) Thiruvananthapuram: As Keralites gear up to celebrate Onam, RSS has triggered a controversy by questioning the legend behind the festival, arguing that it marks the celebration of birth of 'Vamana' (incarnation of Lord Vishnu) and not the homecoming of demon king Mahabali. An article published in the Onam special edition of RSS mouthpiece 'Kesari' claimed there was no reference in any mythological scriptures which supports the popular and widely circulated legend that Vamana had sent Mahabali to the netherworld through deceit and the king visits the land annually to meet his subjects. Countering the argument, senior CPI(M) leader and state Health Minister K K Shylaja said Onam was celebrated by all irrespective of caste, creed and religion and the attempt of the RSS was to bring back the bygone "upper class hegemony". It was also a part of RSS's agenda to "hijack the festival", the minister alleged. According to the popular belief in the state, Mahabalis homecoming in the Malayalam month of Chingam to see his subjects is celebrated as 'Thiru Onam' annually, which falls on September 14 this year. However, the article written by K Unnikrishnan Namboothiri in the RSS magazine argued that Onam was originally celebrated as the birthday of Vamana and not a festivity to mark the homecoming of the demon king. "There is no such reference or explanation anywhere in mythology or epics to support the story that Mahabali was pushed to the netherworld by Vamana and he visits the land every year to meet his subjects. Then, how did such a false story become prevalent in Kerala?" the article stated. The write-up claimed that Lord Vishnu had actually "blessed" the demon king and not "punished" him by pushing into 'pathala' (netherworld). "There is no indication in spiritual texts like Bhagavatham' or 'Narayaneeyam' or such other authentic books that Bali was pushed to the netherworld. Instead, such texts say that the noble king had emerged victorious in the trial by Vamana and he was blessed by the God," it said. The writer also criticised the general picturisation of Mahabali as a man with moustache, potbelly and wearing an 'olakkuda' (traditional palm leaf umbrella). "It is an attempt by some vested interest to distort the mythical stories and paint in poor light the characters of Hindu Puranas," the writer said, adding that such attempts to destroy Hinduism should be checked. According to mythology, Onam is connected with Asura (demon) king Mahabali, under whose reign everyone lived in happiness and equality. Envious by his popularity, Devas (Gods) sought the help of Lord Vishnu to get him banished into the netherworld. But before going down, Mahabali secured a boon from Lord Vishnu to visit his subjects every year on the 'Thiru Onam' day. The demon king's annual visit is celebrated by Keralites, who lay by their front yards with floral carpets, wear new clothes and prepare a sumptuous feast. Mysuru: M.D. Rajanna, a 54 year-old resident of Subhashnagar in Mandya district, has filed a petition in the principal court and JMFC court in Mandya, accusing nine persons including Supreme Court Chief Justice and its two judges, Chief Ministers of Karnataka and TN states and others related to recent judgment related to Cauvery dispute on Friday. The complainant has named Supreme Court Chief Justice T S Takur and two judges of the apex Court, Justice Dipak Mishra, Udya Umesh Lalith, as accused number 1, 2 and 3 respectively, and Chief Secretary of TN, Chief Minister of TN Jayalalithaa, Chief Secretary of Karnataka and CM of Karnataka Siddaramaiah as accused 4, 5, 6 and 7, and principal secretary of Central irrigation department, and state irrigation minister Mr M B Patil as accused number 8 and 9 respectively, in the court. While the petition has been accepted the hearing has been put off to September 14. Complainant Rajanna has stated: The SC has no power to admit any dispute pertaining to water, and to adjudicate interstate water dispute as per the article 262 and 262 (1) of the Constitution. And the said article provides power to parliament to enact a law to handle the dispute, and exclude the jurisdiction of any court including SC in respect of any water dispute. The accused knew it fully well. Yet, accused number 3 and 4 have approached the SC with the dishonest intension to cheat and defraud Karnataka people, and 5 and 9 have failed to defend the case, which amounts to offence under section 219 and 420 r/w 34 of IPC. And the accused 1 and 3 have passed the order directing Karnataka to release 15,000 cusecs per day to TN for ten days, illegally, which amounts to offence under section 219 of IPC. Sinha said the intention of Prime Minister's Digital India campaign is to bridge the digital divide and use the Internet as a growth enabler. (Photo: File) New Delhi: Dismissing criticism over the Reliance Jio ads featuring Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Telecom Minister Manoj Sinha has said there is nothing wrong in someone fulfilling Prime Minister's dream to provide digital connectivity. He also said the tariff war unleashed by Reliance Jio by offering free voice calls and data at low price is "healthy competition" that will ultimately benefit users. Sinha, 55, who replaced Ravi Shankar Prasad at the high-profile ministry in the last Cabinet reshuffle three months ago, also countered charges by COAI, the association of incumbent telecom operators, that sector regulator Trai is biased, saying "show me a decision taken by Trai favouring anyone". In an interview to PTI, he said the intention of Prime Minister's Digital India campaign is to bridge the digital divide and use the Internet as a growth enabler. "I think when the Prime Minister launched Digital India campaign, the intention was to end the digital divide in the country. If anyone is giving digital connectivity to people on a large scale, then in a way, he is fulfiling the dream of the Prime Minister... then I do not see any objection," he said. He was responding to the criticism by political parties, particularly the Congress and the AAP, over the Prime Minister featuring in a full-page newspaper advertisement issued by Reliance Jio immediately after billionaire Mukesh Ambani announced the launch plan at the RIL AGM. He hit out at the Congress for "doublespeak", saying, "I have received letters from 10-20 senior Congress leaders complaining that Reliance Jio is not getting points ofinter-connect (from other operators) and that immediate action should be taken... It is doublespeak." Refusing to be drawn into the debate on whether or notrequisite permission was taken from the PMO for use of the photograph to promote a commercial service, Sinha said, "It will be better if you ask this question to the Prime Minister... whether there was permission or not. I cannot give my opinion on this." On the price war unleashed by Jio, he said: "Healthy competition in the sector is good for consumers and as a minister, I feel consumer is God." Jind (Haryana): Targeting former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, BJP President Amit Shah today alleged that he had robbed the poor to serve "Delhi ke damaad", an apparent reference to Congress President Sonia Gandhi's son-in-law Robert Vadra. He also lashed out at Hooda for describing the investigation initiated by government agencies against him as "political vendetta", claiming the Congress leader was rattled as the BJP government had exposed how farmers were exploited under his rule and their money gifted to "Delhi durbar". Addressing the 'Guarav Rally' organised by Union Minister and prominent Jat leader Birender Singh here, Shah said Haryana has seen "unprecedented" development under Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, who had provided a transparent and corruption-free government. "Previous chief ministers of the state used to look after their own areas and supporters. I want to say here that Haryana has seen three Lals-- Bhajan Lal, Bansi Lal, Devi Lal--and (Bhupinder Singh) Hooda. "Hooda never spared any effort in robbing poor people of Haryana in order to serve Delhi ke damaad (Delhi's son-in-law). Hooda's circle was restricted to just taking care of his family, caste, village and relatives," he said and promised that the Khattar government was for all. On investigations being conducted by government agencies and recent registration of case against Hooda, Shah said, "now when files are being opened, he (Hooda) is calling it political vendetta. "It has now come to fore how the state was exploited by taking money of poor farmers of Haryana and giving it to Delhi Durbar as gift," he said. Shah said nobody could point fingers at the BJP CM and his ministers in the state on the issue of corruption. Without naming, Shah also took a swipe at former chief minister Om Prakash Chautala, who along with his son and others, had been convicted in the teacher's recruitment scam. "This is the same Haryana where people are behind bars for recruitment (scam)," he said, adding the Khattar led government recruited people in transparent manner. "This government is for all. It is not a government for any particular caste or community," Shah asserted. "Whatever people may say, I, as the BJP Chief, want to assure Jind people that the BJP government will deliver justice to everybody and ensure rights irrespective of caste or community," he added. New Delhi: Senior RJD leader Raghuvansh Prasad Singh on Sunday echoed party colleague Mohd Shahabuddin's lack of faith in Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's leadership, saying he did not agree with his appointment to the top post but obeyed the decision of the grand alliance. "Lalu Prasad is our leader and we wanted him to be chief minister. When the grand alliance was formed, then its leaders decided that Nitish Kumar would be their leader. I did not agree with it but obeyed," the former union minister said. Lalu cannot contest elections or hold an official position due to his conviction in a corruption case. Singh also attacked the tough prohibition law enacted by the Bihar government, saying it was being used to defame people. He has been a critic of JD(U) chief Kumar who continues to be distrusted by a strong section of RJD leaders. Shahabuddin, a gangster-turned-politician, had on Saturday called Kumar a "chief minister of circumstances", soon after he was released on bail after spending many years behind bars. Srinargar: The Army foiled three infiltration bids from across the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir after killing four militants. This was the highest number of attempted ingress reported in one day from Tanghdar, Nowgam and Gurez sectors of Kupwara and Bandipore districts in recent months. Separately, three militants and a policeman were killed in a firefight in an area of Poonch district which is also close to the de facto border, officials said. Army sources here said a heavily-armed group of militants had slipped into the Nowgam sector of Kupwara early on Sunday but when challenged, it opened fire at Indian forces, triggering a fierce encounter in which four militants have been killed, so far. The encounter started after own alert troops intercepted the terrorists group. Four AK-47 rifles and a large cache of ammunition and other war-like stores were found on the slain men believed to be foreign terrorists, the sources said. A defence spokesman here added that the Army troops noticed some suspicious movement near the 12-feet-high fence along the LoC in Nowgam sector and challenged the intruders. The infiltrating terrorists opened fire towards them and they (troops) quickly and effectively retaliated, the spokesman said. Similar attempts were foiled by Army troops in neighbouring Tangdhar and in Bandipore. Hyderabad: Chinese companies are shying away from investing in Telangana state governments infrastructure and irrigation projects. Its exactly a year since Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao visited China to seek investments and signed MoUs. As a follow-up to his tour several Chinese firms visited TS and met the CM last year but none invested in any irrigation or infra project doubting repayment capacity. TS will send a delegation to China soon for negotiations. Mr Rao met representatives of more than 90 companies in China. He addressed 65 companies in Shanghai. Chinas Leo Group promised to invest Rs 1,000 crore to manufacture heavy duty pumps in Telangana. The Gezhouba Group had promised investments in irrigation. But no progress has been made so far. Only the MoU signed with Celkon and Makeno to invest $20 million in Hyderabad to set up an LeD TV unit had fructified. Mr Singh will begin his five-day official visit to Russia on September 18 and will hold bilateral talks with Russias internal affairs minister Vladimir Kolokoltsev, and discuss issues related to cross-border terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir. (Photo: Representational Image/AFP) New Delhi: India will take up the issue of cross-border terrorism with Russia and United States during the visit of home minister Rajnath Singh to the two nations in the coming week, starting next Sunday. Mr Singh will begin his five-day official visit to Russia on September 18 and will hold bilateral talks with Russias internal affairs minister Vladimir Kolokoltsev, and discuss issues related to cross-border terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir, Indo-Russia joint anti-terror cooperation and the growing activities of ISIS in India and its neighbourhood. The home minister will then travel to Washington from September 26 for a week for the Indo-US Homeland Security Dialogue with his American counterpart, Jeh Charles Johnson. In Washington, Mr Singh will raise the issue of Pakistan-sponsored terrorism and the activities of ISIS in India and other South Asian countries. The home minister will have detailed discussions with his Russian and US counterparts on how to enhance anti-terror cooperation, check ISIS growing activities and the sharing of intelligence inputs. Other issues that will be discussed include extradition of each others wanted criminals and liberalisation of visas. During talks with both countries the home minister will highlight Pakistans involvement in terrorism and the growing activities of the Middle Eastern terror group in India and its neighbourhood. Srinagar: The Army on Sunday carried out a flag march in Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir where about 170 people were injured in clashes. Another 30-35 people sustained injuries in similar incidents elsewhere in the Valley, sources said. Pulwamas Karimabad area erupted at 6.30 am after Armys Rashtriya Rifles along with J&K police and CRPF arrived in the area, reportedly to effect arrests. Karimabad has during the 64-day-old unrest in the Valley witnessed a series of pro-freedom protests, rallies and clashes. At one such rally held on July 31 and which was attended by more than 50,000 people, the Lashkar-e-Tayyabas topmost commander Abu Dojana had also appeared to pay homage to slain militants. Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar and Home Minister Rajnath Singh at Goa Shipyard Ltd, Vasco on Friday during the commissining ceremony of the OPV Sarathi into India Coast Guard. (Photo: PTI) New Delhi: In a fresh attempt to raise the pressure on Pakistan in the international arena, India will take up the issue of cross-border terrorism with Russia and United States during the visit of home minister Rajnath Singh to the two nations in the coming week, starting next Sunday. The growing influence of the Islamic State in the subcontinent will also be discussed during the visits to the two countries, sources said. On Sunday, the home minister chaired a high-level meet to review security arrangements in the Kashmir Valley ahead of the Id festival later this week. It was decided to deploy additional paramilitary forces in and around Srinagar during Id-uz Zuha as it was felt that separatists may try and trigger fresh violence during the festival, an official source said. National security adviser Ajit Doval, home secretary Rajiv Mehrishi and top intelligence and security officials were present at the review meeting. Inspector S. Ashok Babu said Mohammad Quthbuddin of Musheerabad and Mahender Reddy were arrested while they were slaughtering cows. (Representational image) Hyderabad: The Shamirpet police arrested two persons for allegedly slaughtering a cow on Sunday and rescued two cows from their possession. Inspector S. Ashok Babu said Mohammad Quthbuddin of Musheerabad and Mahender Reddy were arrested while they were slaughtering cows. Based on information passed by Chennapur villagers, we raided the agriculture field of Mahender Reddy. They had slaughtered a cow and its carcass was found near a well. We sent the carcass to veterinary hospital for postmortem. Mahender Reddy said the cow was suffering from disease and died while undergoing treatment. We have medical reports, the inspector told this newspaper. Srinagar: A considerable number of Kashmiri youths, especially from South Kashmir, have been missing and are believed to have joined the ranks of militant groups after the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen militant Burhan Wani in July this year. A conglomerate of four districts Pulwama, Kulgam, Shopian and Anantnag, which has seen an uprising since Wani was killed in an encounter with security forces on July 8, is believed to have accounted for the disappearance of nearly 80 youths in past two months with majority from Pulwama district, sources in the know said. According to the intercepts of militants groups and some sketchy intelligence inputs gathered from the ground in South Kashmir, youths were mainly moving towards Hizbul Mujahideen militant group with a few attracted to banned Lashker-e-Taiba, they said. Meanwhile, Our Id would be on the day Kashmir becomes free, said Adnan, one of the dozens young Kashmiris lying in beds at the Ophthalmology ward of Srinagars Sri Maharaja Hari Singh Hospital (SMHS). Adnan is threatened with partial or total loss of vision after pellets were lodged in his eyes during a recent clash between irate crowds and security forces. Kashmir Valley is on the boil since July 8 in the aftermath of the killing of Hizb-ul-Mujahedin militant commander Burhan Muzaffar Wani. As many as 80 civilians, mostly youth, have been killed and over 11,500 wounded in security forces actions in their tough campaign to contain unrest. Two policemen also died and, as per the Home Ministry officials, over 5,500 security personnel have been injured in mob violence during the nine- week- old unrest. Among the injured civilians are over 600 young Kashmiris who have been hit in their eyes in pellet gun firings and what is really going to haunt many of them for the rest of their lives is the loss of their eyesight. On Sunday, the 65th day of unrest, more than 250 people were injured in fresh clashes at various parts of the Valley including Karimabad in southern Pulwama. The security forces swung bamboo sticks, fired teargas canisters and, of course, pellet guns to quell protesters and stone-pelting mobs, officials said. There evidently will be no let up in the ongoing shutdowns and protests even during the coming Eid-ul-Zuha. Chennai: Chennai Corporation council on Saturday discussed providing herbal food at Amma canteens. Raising the issue in last council meet, AIADMK councillor Sukumar Babu informed the council that Amma canteens benefited mostly the middle class and the poor and at present there is a good demand for herbal food. To start with the corporation can include herbal snacks and soups in the evening hours and this should not be subsidised unlike the other food items. This herbal food menu will help the corporation to make extra revenue and decrease the deficit in operating Amma canteens. The move will also benefit the upper middle class public looking for herbal food at a reasonable price, he said. Replying to this, mayor Duraisamy explained that Amma canteen was a state subject and a pet project of state chief minister. The council will take up the issue with the state, he said. Provision of nila vembu (herbal drink) and Papaya leaf syrup for low lying areas has helped the corporation to keep dengue at bay and it is only the DMK that is campaigning for Dengue. I wanted to know that whether the DMK is ready to prove the prevalence of dengue in Chennai, mayor said in his reply speech. Chennai: A 28-year-old man was killed and a woman injured when a portion of a building and a mobile tower installed on it collapsed on them on Mint Street in Sowcarpet n Saturday afternoon. The deceased was identified as M. Paranthaman, a fish-cart rider from Washermenpet and injured woman was Lalitha, 49, of Jeeva Nagar, Korukkupet. Paranthaman was having tea from a roadside shop when the portion of the cement slab fell on him. He died immediately. Onlookers informed police, fire and rescue service. Fire service rescue workers from Esplanade, Washermenpet and high court rushed to the place and removed the debris. They rescued the woman and took out Paranthaman trapped underneath the debris. The two were taken to Stanley Medical College Hospital where a medical team declared Paranthaman dead on arrival, while Lalitha was admitted to ICU. A police team headed by Flower Bazaar Deputy Commissioner of Police (incharge) S. Jayakumar visited the scene. The accident happened as the building was in very bad shape. A slab from the roof collapsed and fell on the box like mobile tower installed by the Tata Docomo - a mobile phone service provider. The huge box fell on the balcony of the first floor facing the road. The box and balcony slab crushed the man to death, an officer said. Police is enquiring with Devaraj, the owner of the building. He arrived at the place as soon as he came to know about the accident, police noted. As of now the police have registered a case of accident. We may alter the case after conducting enquiry with Devaraj. South Kashmir has become into a virtual breeding ground for militants with many youths joining their rank and file or becoming their sympathisers. (Photo: PTI) Srinagar: A considerable number of Kashmiri youths, especially from South Kashmir, have been missing and are believed to have joined the ranks of militant groups after the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen militant Burhan Wani in July this year. A conglomerate of four districts -- Pulwama, Kulgam, Shopian and Anantnag, which has seen an uprising since Wani was killed in an encounter with security forces on July 8, is believed to have accounted for the disappearance of nearly 80 youths in past two months with majority from Pulwama district, sources in the know said. According to the intercepts of militants groups and some sketchy intelligence inputs gathered from the ground in South Kashmir, youths were mainly moving towards Hizbul Mujahideen militant group with a few attracted to banned Lashker-e-Taiba, they said. Senior officials in the security establishment agreed that there was no clear picture of situation in South Kashmir's rural areas and with army and security forces being pushed into these places, a clear picture will emerge. Police has been forced to concentrate more on law and order than on counter-insurgency operation in the last two months there has been little intelligence that has been generated during the period, they said. Simultaneously, the security forces including army is moving quietly into South Kashmir, which has been the most politically sensitive area of the Valley and centre point of 2-month old agitation, to 're-claim' the lost ground from the agitators and bring some semblance of rule of law. During a recent meeting, army top officials suggested that there was a need for "re-claiming the areas which had been under occupation of protesters" after which troops have been moved in for area domination. Traffic on the national highway was being regulated and allowed to move only in a convoy, the officials said. This has been happening because of protests post killing of Burhan Wani in an encounter on July 8. Over 70 people have been killed so far in these protests. South Kashmir, a traditional bastion of ruling PDP which is having an alliance government with the BJP, has become into a virtual breeding ground for militants with many youths joining their rank and file or becoming their sympathisers. New Delhi: Terming the whole incidence a family affair, Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, on Sunday, said that the resignation of MLA and Delhi Waqf board chairman Amanatullah Khan would not be accepted by the party. Khan, who represents the Okhla constituency, resigned on Saturday from all the posts he held in the Delhi government, hours before a sexual harassment case was filed against him by his sister-in-law. The complainant approached Jamia Nagar police station alleging that Khan had put pressure on her to get into a physical relationship with him. She also accused her husband of demanding dowry and putting pressure on her to get physically intimate with Khan, he added. A case under IPC sections 354A (sexual harassment), 506 (criminal intimidation), 509 (word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman), 120B (criminal conspiracy) and 498A (husband or relative of husband of a woman subjecting her to cruelty) was registered against Khan and the womans husband, said the officer. In his resignation letter to Kejriwal, Amanatullah wrote, I have been working wholeheartedly to serve people of Delhi. But some people are not liking my honesty and dedication. Therefore I would like to get relieved of all responsibilities party has given me, I resign from all posts. The complaint against Khan put AAP in fresh trouble, as the party recently expelled former Delhi minister Sandeep Kumar from the party after a CD purportedly showing him in a compromising position with a woman went viral. The woman has accused Kumar, who is currently in prison, of rape. New Delhi: Facing flak in Andhra Pradesh after the Centre did not grant special category status to the state, BJP on Sunday said there is no provision for it under the 14th Finance Commission and asserted that the financial package will address the concerns over revenue deficit. It also condemned the attack on its senior leader and Union Minister M Venkaiah Naidu by Telugu film star and Jana Sena Party founder Pawan Kalyan and called him the "third rotten laddoo" of the state after Congress and YSR Congress. Kalyan has attacked Naidu for his "failure" to get special category status to Andhra Pardesh despite "repeated promises". "When the special category status for the AP was being talked about neither we were in the government nor we knew about the (recommendations of the) 14th Finance Commission. "The Commission's report was submitted to then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in January 2014. But the report was not implemented by his government. It was, instead, implemented by us (the NDA government) after coming to power," BJP national secretary Siddharth Nath Singh said on Sunday. "Manmohan Singh accepted 14th Finance Commission report in January 2014. We came to power in May. He did not include special status in the report," he said. The Centre had last week announced a financial package for the state that included full funding of the Polavaram irrigation project, tax concessions and special assistance. Andhra Pradesh has been demanding a Special Category State (SCS) status from the Centre ever since its economic powerhouse Hyderabad, which housed several IT and pharmaceutical companies as well as PSUs, went to Telengana in the bifurcation. "In the report, there is no provision now for dividing the states on special and general basis for giving them certain financial packages or for the purpose of devolution of central taxes," he said. "Once that is done, there can't be any special or general category," he added. However, there are various mechanism in the 14th Commission called the revenue deficit grant, he said adding, "Three states have been accepted as revenue deficit, which also include Andhra Pradesh". On Kalyan's diatribe against Naidu, Singh said that "there are two rotten ladoos in Andhra --Congress and YSR Congress. Now the third is Jan Sena of Pawan Kalyan, which is trying to join them." "We condemn Pawan Kalyan's utterances about our senior leader Venkaiah Naidu and personal attack on him," he said while seeking an apology from him for his remarks about Naidu. Chennai: Citing reports of Tamil Nadu government gearing up for a meeting of the Cauvery supervisory committee, DMK chief M. Karunanidhi on Saturday said the committee is a powerless body and demanded that a review petition should be filed in the Supreme Court to get 96 tmc of water from Karnataka. He said the supervisory committee is a toothless body as it did not have legal sanction and no power to control the states. Tamil Nadu government should ask the Supreme Court to direct the Centre to form the Cauvery Management Board and Cauvery Water Regulation Committee within a specified time. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had refused to intervene on the issue as the matter before the Supreme Court, the DMK leader said and charged that the activities of Tamil Nadu government is not transparent on the issue. He also said the Chief Minister had not received President Pranab Mukherjee as per protocol and details of convening state cabinet meeting on Cauvery issue had not been shared with the media. The total quantity of water that should be released by Karnataka is 96 tmc as per the final verdict of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal, he added. Hyderabad: In 1990s when the Union Front government wanted him to take over as Prime Minister, TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu let go the opportunity on the advise of his son who told him that the PM's post was "temporary". "My son (Lokesh, now Telugu Desam general secretary) told me the Prime Minister's post is temporary but the Chief Minister post is permanent. So, I did not accept the prime minister's post," the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister told reporters in an informal chat on the occasion of his 35th wedding anniversary on Saturday. Naidu had served as the convener of United Front. It was in 1997 when the United Front government was in power at the Centre that Naidu was chosen by the United Front leaders to be the Prime Minister. He was just two years old as Chief Minister of united Andhra Pradesh at that time but, given his party's numerical strength in the Lok Sabha, played a key role in bringing various parties together to forge the United Front. The United States-Russia agreement five years into the bloody Syrian civil war on a week-long ceasefire starting Monday evening as Id celebrations begin is a small ray of light in an otherwise bleak outlook. For one thing, the ceasefire needs to hold although Moscow has assured Washington it has President Bashar al-Assads assent. As if to mock the ceasefire, Syrian and allied warplanes killed score of civilians in Idlib and Alleppo. The High Negotiating Committee (HNC), an umbrella group supported by the West and Gulf states, unveiled its own peace plan but welcomed the ceasefire. The other Opposition group was more sceptical, doubting Moscows ability to force President Assad to stop the war. Given the Syrian situation, scepticism is in order but a few takeaways from the deal are clear. It is a diplomatic victory for Russia as Moscow had militarily intervened on President Assads side to assert its wider regional and world interests, and the deal came about with Washington treating Moscow as an equal partner. Five years of war have destroyed Syrian cities, left hundreds of thousands dead and half its population either domestically displaced or seeking shelter in different parts of the world. As if the cup of misery were not full enough, Turkey intervened militarily for the first time, though its main aim was not the Islamic State but Syrian Kurds who were exploiting Damascus weakness to form self-governing enclaves. The dilemma for the United States was that it supported Syrian Kurds through air support as they represented the best ground fighting force. Faced with a dilemma, Washington sided with Turkey while Syrian Kurds felt they had again been shortchanged, having lost out to other powers building on the ruins of the Ottoman Empire. Turkeys President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has his own Kurds (grouped under PKK), having abandoned a truce in favour of suppressing them. The United States has its limitations due to its aversion to re-entering the Middle East except though an air war after the Iraq fiasco. It is presenting a bulwark largely against Islamic State. The other outside powers have their own fish to fry. Russia is only too willing to curtail its role, given its economic circumstances, as long as its role in the Middle East and the world is recognised. Syria gives it a window on the Mediterranean and a world presence. If the ceasefire holds, it would provide a desperate people essential food and medical supplies. The next step must revert to the Geneva conference table in an attempt to separate the various strands that go to make up the Syrian imbroglio. Without a reassessment of the Wests relations with Russia, the ceasefire deal with Moscow would not have been possible. The US presidential campaign and the approaching end of the Obama presidency would seem to rule out radical steps by Washington at this stage. And the other actors, Iran and the Hezbollah guerrillas, are on the same side as Moscow. Under the plan put forward by the High Negotiating Committee, meeting under the aegis of the British foreign office, a six-month negotiating period has been offered. It would govern the country for 18 months and President Assad should step aside as soon as it was formed. There lies the rub, as Mr Assad has consistently refused to step aside and the Russians would have to agree to such a proposal. In the region, the scenario is dependent upon the rivalry between Saudi Arabia and the Gulf states against Iran and its Hezbollah allies overlaid by the Shia-Sunni schism. There are no short-term measures that can immediately relieve the tensions. But there is a new wind blowing in Riyadh on the coming to power of the new King and his confidant. There is at least some thought being given to the long-term economic future of the Saudi kingdom, relying overwelmingly on oil revenue. There also seems to be the beginning of a process of recognition that the fortune the kingdom spends on spreading Wahhabi Islam around the world is becoming counter-productive. The developed world is on a short fuse in view of the rash of terrorist incidents claimed on behalf of Islamic State. One consequence has been the rise of the right wing in German politics for the first time since 1945. Keeping the pot simmering in the Middle East is no longer the answer to everyones prayers. The longer the ferment continues, the situation is likely to get more complicated. Saudi Arabia seems unsuitable to fill the vacuum that will grow as the process of American withdrawal from the Middle East proceeds apace. Indeed, future generations will wonder how an enlightened age could tolerate years of mass murder while safeguarding their selfish interests. The Arab Spring perhaps came too early or too late. Except for Tunisia, where it all began, no other Arab country swept by revolutionary rhetoric and action has been able to weather the storm, except to revert to the traditional rule of autocrats. Egypts record of one year of Muslim Brotherhood rule was a failure because it did not know how to rule and highlighted its own ideology in preference to governance. Syria is a warning light indicating more troubling times for the Arab world as dictatorship cannot provide an answer to sociological and economic problems. Even the Syrian Opposition is deeply divided, either gyrating to the winds of its various sponsors or living for the moment. India has displayed some faint interest in Syria by sending its junior foreign minister to Damascus. But the stakes for the main protagonists is high, and the next important steps will be determined by how far the new truce fares, apart from providing much needed succour to the unfortunate people of Syria. The world will hope that although peace seems to be a long way away, a beginning can be made in bringing the country back to civilisation. Amazon has not release specific sales figures for its tablets. But a survey by research firm IDC estimated the online titan was the fifth largest vendor in the second quarter with global sales of 1.6 million units. US online giant Amazon announced Thursday a new small-format tablet that includes its digital assistant Alexa. The eight-inch (20-centimeter) display Fire HD tablet will start at $89 for US customers, making it one of the least expensive on the market. "We believe in a different approach to tablets -- providing premium products at non-premium prices -- and customers love it," said Kevin Keith, manager for Fire Tablets. "In fact, we've seen Fire tablet sales more than double year-over-year as a result. The all-new Fire HD 8 packs more battery life, more storage, faster performance, plus Alexa -- all for less than $90." Amazon has not release specific sales figures for its tablets. But a survey by research firm IDC estimated the online titan was the fifth largest vendor in the second quarter with global sales of 1.6 million units. Amazon also sells a seven-inch Fire tablet starting at $49 and a 10-inch device from $230. The global tablet market, led by Apple's iPad, has been declining over the past few quarters, with some consumers turning to slim PCs, some with detachable keyboards. Amazon's Alexa, which competes with Apple's Siri, Google Now and Microsoft's Cortana, is a key element of the company's strategy to move into the connected home and internet of things. Alexa's skills include selecting music, appointment reminders, checking bank balances, ordering food, summoning Uber rides and more. Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter. Apple has been investing in autonomous technology since the last two years or so. A new emphasis recently confirmed by a person with knowledge of the project suggests Apple may be shifting focus to self-driving technology. However, according to reports by The New York Times, Apple is re-thinking what it plans to do about self-driving cars. The company has reportedly shut down parts of the projects. Moreover, job cuts in the California-based tech giant seems to be the latest sign of trouble with the companys car initiative. The Times also reported saying how Apple has a number of full autonomous vehicles in the middle of testing. But it seems like this project is about to come to a standstill. Apple has been investing in autonomous technology since the last two years or so. The project, code-named - Titan has struggled to make progress. Only time will tell what Apple has in store for us next. Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter. Under the pretext of reporting a stolen phone, the women walked into the police station on Saturday morning, a knife and petrol bomb concealed in their traditional Buibui robes, a type of burqa. (Representational image) Mombasa, Kenya: Three women in burqas tricked their way into a Mombasa police station where they stabbed one officer and set fire to the building with a petrol bomb before being shot dead, an officer and a witness said on Sunday. The city of Mombasa, with a large Muslim population on the coast of Kenya, has been targeted by Islamist militants in recent years although the frequency of attacks have subsided. Under the pretext of reporting a stolen phone, the women walked into the police station on Saturday morning, a knife and petrol bomb concealed in their traditional Buibui robes, a type of burqa. "While being questioned by officers, one drew a knife and the other threw a petrol bomb at the police officers," Patterson Maelo, Mombasa County Police Commander, told reporters at the scene. "The station caught fire. Police shot the three and killed them. Two officers are in hospital with wounds. Presumably it is a terror attack." Maelo did not say which group he suspected the attackers belonged to. Salma Mohamed, a witness who was at the station to see a relative in custody, said one attacker had jumped onto a counter and stabbed an officer in the thigh before being shot. Somalia's al Qaeda-linked al Shabaab has taken responsibility for attacks in Mombasa and other parts of Kenya, saying it was in retaliation for the East African country sending its troops to Somalia. Al Shabaab was behind an attack on Nairobi's Westgate shopping mall that killed 67 people and a raid on Garissa university in the northeast that killed 148. The militants also launched several attacks in 2014 that left more than 100 dead in Lamu County region. Tens of thousands of people across Mexico marched on Saturday to protest against President Enrique Pena Nieto's proposal allowing same-sex marriage throughout the country. (Photo: AFP) Mexico City: Tens of thousands of people across Mexico marched on Saturday to protest against gay marriage, challenging President Enrique Pena Nieto's proposal to recognise same-sex marriage throughout the traditionally conservative country. The marches were called by the National Front for the Family, a coalition of civil society organisations and various religious groups, and continued throughout the day from Mexico's far north to the Yucatan peninsula. Same sex marriage is permitted in Mexico City, as well as in several states including Coahuila, Quintana Roo, Jalisco, Nayarit, Chihuahua and Sonora. Pena Nieto has proposed changing the constitution to allow it nationally. The embattled leader, who is grappling with discontent over a slowing economy, conflict of interest scandals, drug gang violence and a visit by U.S. presidential hopeful Donald Trump that led to his finance minister's ouster, has opened himself to criticism by asking lawmakers to debate gay marriage. "It's pulling on the noose," said Victor Sanchez, a sociologist at Colegio de la Frontera Norte in Tijuana. "This comes as the government is showing a certain sort of fragility in other areas ... and they're taking advantage of the moment." Pena Nieto says Congress should debate and settle the issue of gay marriage. By mid-day on Saturday, an estimated 40,000 people converged on the city of Queretaro in central Mexico, during a peaceful 3 to 4 kilometer march through the city, one of the largest gatherings in the country, Civil Protection officers said. "I think it was something unprecedented, the awakening of the society of Queretaro in defense of the family," said Jose Alcantara, an organiser with the National Front for the Family, adding the group had gathered more than 100,000 signatures against the proposal. Ary Campos Martinez, a spokesperson for Civil Protection in the city of Puebla in central Mexico, said officers had originally expected roughly 5,000 marchers, but were working to monitor a crowd of approximately 12,000 by mid-day. In the northern city of Monterrey, others came to a central plaza in counter-protest of the marches to sing and read poetry. "It's a discriminatory position and we hope it doesn't have success," said Jesus Gonzalez, 38, a human rights activist. Mexico's Supreme Court said last year that laws restricting marriage to a man and woman were unconstitutional. However, many state legislatures have not changed their statutes to comply, meaning couples must file legal challenges on a case-by-case basis to get married. Gay marriage is still banned under local laws in many of Mexico's 31 states. Trump supporters at the University of Washington erected a plywood wall at the Seattle campus. Washington: Inspired by Donald Trump's strident stance on immigration, students at the Washington State University are seeking to build a "Trump wall" in support of the Republican Party nominee. "I think it's going to be a good event," James Allsup, president of the university's College Republicans chapter, said. "Hopefully people will come out and get informed, and we can have a dialogue about the issues. I'm expecting a wide range of feedback," Allsup was quoted as saying by the Spokesman-Review. The group has requested approval from university officials and hope to have the wall built by October. The university, which is in Pullman, Washington, would be the second school to hold such a demonstration in the state. Trump supporters at the University of Washington erected a plywood wall at the Seattle campus. But some students at Washington State University said they disapprove of the demonstration, though they respect the College Republicans' right to free speech. "As a Latino student, it's disappointing to see that some of my peers want to do something like this and put other students in an uncomfortable situation," Eduardo Ramos, a sophomore and member of the Latino student group MEChA said. But Allsup said the demonstration is not about race. Immigration has become a sensitive issue in Trump's presidential campaign. He recently gave a fiery speech on his immigration policy, the same day he met with Mexico President Enrique Pena Nieto. In his speech, Trump vowed "no amnesty" for millions of undocumented migrants living in the US and threatened to deport them if he becomes president. Trump maintains the US will still build a wall, and that Mexico will pay for it despite Mexican officials insisting the country will not foot the bill to stop the flow of illegal immigrants to the US. Seoul, South Korea: North Korea said on Sunday that the United States' push for sanctions following its fifth nuclear test was "laughable" and the country would continue to strengthen its nuclear power. "The group of Obama's running around and talking about meaningless sanctions until today is highly laughable," state-run KCNA news agency cited a foreign ministry spokesman as saying in a statement. The United States may launch unilateral sanctions against North Korea, a US special envoy for the isolated state said earlier on Sunday, two days after it carried out its fifth and biggest nuclear test in defiance of UN sanctions. Earlier today, a US special envoy for the isolated state said that the United States may launch unilateral sanctions against North Korea, two days after it carried out its fifth and biggest nuclear test in defiance of UN sanctions. "In addition to action in the Security Council, both the US and Japan, together with the Republic of Korea, will be looking at unilateral measures, as well as bilateral measures, as well as possible trilateral cooperation," said Sung Kim, the envoy, referring to South Korea by its official name. Specific details of the US unilateral sanctions have yet to be decided, Kim said, speaking to reporters in Tokyo after meeting Japanese foreign ministry officials. But both the US and Japan were looking at "a full range of possibilities, in terms of additional unilateral sanctions that can be implemented," he added. North Korea on Friday set off its most powerful nuclear explosion to date, saying it had mastered the ability to mount a warhead on a ballistic missile, ratcheting up a threat that its rivals and the United Nations have been powerless to contain. The UN Security Council denounced North Korea's decision to carry out the test and said it would immediately begin working on a resolution. The US, Britain and France pushed for the 15-member body to impose new sanctions against the hermit nation. Duterte, who took office in June after winning election on a promise to kill tens of thousands of criminals, has vowed to press his campaign, despite growing international criticism. (Photo: AP) Manila: The bloody crime war that has claimed nearly 3,000 lives in the Philippines in just two months was dubbed a "success" on Sunday by a spokesman for controversial President Rodrigo Duterte. Martin Andanar insisted many of those slain have been killed in "gang wars" and not by shadowy vigilantes encouraged by the president, as critics have alleged. Duterte, who took office in June after winning election on a promise to kill tens of thousands of criminals, has vowed to press his campaign, despite growing international criticism. "The police operations are a success. But there have also been gang wars or internecine (conflicts) where they eliminate each other," Andanar told reporters. He said such killings were under investigation by the police. Andanar was reacting to police reports showing that more than 41 people were being killed each day under the Duterte administration's anti-crime campaign. By the end of last week, at least 1,466 people have been killed by police in anti-drug operations since Duterte took office, police spokesman Senior Superintendent Dionardo Carlos said. Another 1,490 are classified as "deaths under investigation" referring to people murdered in suspicious circumstances, many of them shot by suspected vigilantes or found dead with crude signs labelling them drug-pushers or criminals. The government has insisted that those killed by police died because they resisted arrest. However human rights groups charge that Duterte has been actively encouraging extra-judicial killings, telling police that he will protect them from punishment while urging civilians to kill drug pushers in their community. The issue of the extra-judicial killings led to a spectacular falling out with US President Barack Obama when Duterte on Monday called the American leader "a son of a whore," over the prospect that he would raise the issue during their meeting at a summit in Laos. Obama cancelled his meeting but later told the fiery Philippine leader in a brief encounter that he should conduct his crime war "the right way". United Nations officials, human rights groups, local Catholic church leaders and some legislators have criticised Duterte's harsh campaign, saying it is eroding rule of the law in the Philippines. Seoul: A defiant North Korea Sunday restated its demand for recognition as a "legitimate" nuclear-armed state, as world powers pondered ways to punish Pyongyang for its latest and largest atomic test. The North also vowed to increase its nuclear strike force "in quality and in quantity", two days after its fifth test in a decade sparked international condemnation and moves for tougher UN sanctions. In Japan, a visiting senior US envoy said Washington and Tokyo were seeking "the strongest possible" measures in response. North Korea insists that its missile and nuclear tests are necessary to counter what it says is a US nuclear threat to its independence. A statement Sunday from a foreign ministry spokesman in Pyongyang mocked President Barack Obama's "totally bankrupt" policy on the country. "Obama is trying hard to deny the DPRK's (North Korea's) strategic position as a legitimate nuclear weapons state but it is as foolish an act as trying to eclipse the sun with a palm," said the statement quoted by the official KCNA news agency. Friday's test came only eight months after the previous one and was almost twice as powerful, at an estimated 10 kilotons. Most worryingly for the international community, the North claimed it had been a miniaturised warhead that could be mounted on a missile. The UN Security Council agreed Friday to start work on new measures -- even though five sets of UN sanctions since the first nuclear test in 2006 have failed to halt the North's nuclear drive. Sung Kim, the US State Department's special representative for North Korea policy, said Washington and Tokyo would work closely in the Security Council and beyond "to come up with the strongest possible measure against North Korea's latest action". He also suggested the US may launch its own unilateral sanctions in response to "the provocative and unacceptable behaviour by the North Koreans". Retaliation KCNA insisted Sunday that North Koreans were delighted by Friday's detonation. "The test demonstrated the dignity of the country guided by the iron-willed commander as well as the strength of the Korean people," scientist Choe Kwang-Ho was quoted as saying. The government in Seoul will take "all diplomatic and military efforts to counter North Korea's continued provocation", senior presidential secretary for foreign affairs Kim Kyou-Hyun told reporters Sunday. Referring to Friday's phone conversation between President Park Geun-Hye and Obama, he said the United States had vowed to defend Seoul using "all means available" -- including the nuclear umbrella and conventional forces. The South's military has said it would launch a retaliatory strike at Pyongyang's military leadership if it deemed the country was under nuclear threat. Dubbed the Korea Massive Punishment and Retaliation system, the countermeasure would "directly target" key North Korean sites -- including its war command post -- if any sign of a nuclear attack was detected. "We will deploy strike forces with precision-guided missiles and elite special forces," Leem Ho-Young, chief director of strategic planning at Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff, told reporters Friday. The South has no atomic weapons of its own and shelters under the nuclear "umbrella" of its US ally, which stations 28,500 troops in South Korea. But there are growing voices calling for the South to have its own nuclear weapons, despite government opposition. A group of ruling Saenuri Party lawmakers, whose membership is now 24 and growing, was launched last month to push for the country to start preparations for its own nuclear development. Bozaina Mohamed Mustafa Sheraqi told daily newspaper El Mundo that Atta -- one of the masterminds behind the September 11, 2001 attacks -- was the victim of an elaborate US plot and had done nothing wrong. (Photo: AP) Madrid: The mother of Mohammed Atta, one of the kamikaze hijackers who destroyed the World Trade Center, says she believes her son is alive at the US prison in Guantanamo Bay, in an interview published Sunday in Spain. Bozaina Mohamed Mustafa Sheraqi told daily newspaper El Mundo that Atta -- one of the masterminds behind the September 11, 2001 attacks -- was the victim of an elaborate US plot and had done nothing wrong. "He is alive and this is the message I send my son. I think he is in Guantanamo. Son, I want to see you before I die. I am 74 and I live with the hope that you have survived. I know you never did anything wrong and you never could have done what they say you did," she told the newspaper by telephone from Cairo where she lives with her two daughters. The United States "is hiding the truth. They are the ones who designed this attack to spread the idea that Islam is terrorism. They selected people with Arab passports to blame them and, at the same time, our nations and divide us," she added. The newspaper said it was the first interview which Bozaina has granted since 9/11. Atta's family has long claimed they believe he had nothing to with the attacks and was alive. After Mohammed Atta was first identified as one of the 19 hijackers of 9/11, his late father --- a lawyer also named Mohammed who died in 2008 -- flatly denied it, even claiming his son had phoned him from an undisclosed location the day after the attack. But after the 2005 bombings of three London subway trains and a bus, the elder Atta appeared to have accepted the loss of his son. When a CNN producer talked to him shortly after the London bombings, he boasted that his son's heroism had marked the advent of a 50-year religious war and demanded $5,000 (5,600 euros) for a televised interview. He said the money would go towards funding another attack in London. CNN declined the interview but reported the conversation on its website. Vaz and Maria have been married for 23 years and have two children. (Photo: YouTube Screengrab) London: Speaking on the actions of her husband, the wife of Indian-origin British Labour MP Keith Vaz, Maria Fernandes, said that she felt like smashing crockery on his head when she learnt about his infidelity. Keith Vaz was embroiled in a sex scandal after a newspaper claimed he had paid for male prostitutes. He allegedly paid for sex with two male prostitutes and offered to pay for a class A or banned drug, according to the newspaper report, which is accompanied by a video. Following the accusations, he had stepped down from his post as chair of the influential House of Commons Home Affairs Committee, which he has headed for the past 10 years. Commenting on Vaz's sex scandal, Maria said that earlier she felt like punishing her husband but will eventually forgive him. She further said that he should get a second chance and has warned him that he has to change or she will 'sling him out'. "It was like an out-of-body experience, it was not real. There was a lot of things over the years, but this had not been one," Maria was quoted as saying by The Telegraph. It was a terrible shock and I am still processing it ... Keith is not a bad person, he's just done a terrible thing. It's absolutely terrible because it's affected all of us, because it's affected the kids. But he's a good person, a good father, he's been a good husband and nine-tenths of the time he's got things right. This time he's fallen... badly, she added. Vaz and Maria have been married for 23 years and have two children. A statement today by the Chief of General Staff's office said warplanes struck three buildings identified as belonging to ISIS. (Photo: Representational Image/AP) Istanbul: Turkey's military says its warplanes have attacked Islamic State group targets in northern Syria, killing 20 fighters. A statement today by the Chief of General Staff's office said warplanes struck three buildings identified as belonging to ISIS. A vehicle and motorcycle were also destroyed in the Saturday evening airstrike that came less than two days before a US-Russia agreement on a ceasefire in Syria takes effect. Turkey last month sent tanks across the Syrian border aiming to help rebels retake Jarablus, a key ISIS-held border town, and to contain the expansion of a Syrian Kurdish militia. Turkish jets have carried out several strikes against ISIS targets in Syria since the operation began. But clashes have also reportedly broken out between Turkish and Kurdish forces in the area. A man on an easyJet flight terrified the other passengers as he kept shouting Allahu Akbar, death is coming and we will die over and over again throughout the journey. (Photo: AFP/Representational) West Sussex: Passengers of a British low-cost airline carrier had a terrifying experience during their flight to Venice, Italy, when a co-passenger screamed Allahu Akbar, death is coming and we will die over and over again during the two-hour journey. According to a report in Daily Mail, the man screamed Allahu Akbar 29 times, death is coming 17 times, and we will die nine times. The man also kicked and thrashed about on his seat, a few passengers of the EasyJet plane flying to Venice from Crawley in West Sussex, said. Passengers were terrified fearing it to be a terror attack but later noticed that the man was in handcuffs and was being guarded by officials of the Home Office the government department responsible for immigration and counter-terrorism. It was really scary. I felt threatened. I was tearful. The worst-case scenario was that we werent going to get off that plane alive because we didnt know who the person was, what the circumstances were or anything. There was nothing explained to us. It was very daunting. We didnt know whether he came from a group of terrorists, or anything along those lines, Terence OSullivan, a passenger who was sitting only five rows in front of the man, said. The unidentified man was an illegal immigrant of the African origin and was being deported to Italy. He was taken away by the Italian police as soon as the plane landed in Venice. The airline later apologised to the passengers for the distressing incident and said it has taken up the issue with the Home Office. At least 21 civilians were killed in two separate air strikes by the Saudi-led coalition in northern Yemen. (Photo: AP/Representational) Sana'a: At least 21 civilians were killed in two separate air strikes by the Saudi-led coalition in northern Yemen on Saturday, residents said on Sunday, as fighting intensified in the country before the Muslim Eid al-Adha feast. They said at least 15 civilians were killed when war planes targeted workers drilling for water in the Beit Saadan area of the Arhab district north of Sanaa, and that 20 other people were wounded. Residents said Saudi-led coalition warplanes, apparently mistaking the drilling machine for a rocket launcher, bombed the site and killed four workers. The planes conducted a second raid when residents of the village rushed to the scene, killing at least 11 more and wounding 20. A spokesman for the Saudi-led coalition could not immediately be reached for a comment. The coalition, which has been fighting to roll back gains made by the Iran-allied Houthi group since 2014 and restore ousted President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi to power, says it does not target civilians. UN-sponsored talks to try to end the fighting collapsed in failure last month and the Houthi movement and allied forces loyal to former president Ali Abdullah Saleh resumed shelling into neighbouring Saudi Arabia. Saturday's attacks were the latest in a series of strikes that have hit schools, hospitals, markets and private homes. Local media put the number of dead and wounded at the water-drilling site at around 100 and published pictures of burned bodies and mangled equipment, and videos showed workers collecting mutilated bodies and carrying them away in blankets. In the second attack on Saturday, residents reported an air strike hit the home of Sheikh Maqbool al-Harmali, a local tribal chief in Hairan district of Hajjah province, killing six civilians. The United Nations says more than 10,000 people have been killed in the fighting, many of them civilians. An activist for a prominent Baloch political outfit said on Saturday that in a renewed police operation, even civilians in Balochistan have been attacked and abducted. (Photo: Twitter) New Delhi/ Balochistan: Now, Baloch activists in Melbourne, Australia have thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his support to their cause. According to a report, an activist for a prominent Baloch political outfit said on Saturday that in a renewed police operation, even civilians in Balochistan have been attacked and abducted. The activist called on the international community to take steps to stop Pakistans human rights abuses in Balochistan. On August 15, Indias Independence Day, Modi sought to counter Pakistans criticism of Indias handling of the Kashmir unrest by raking up Balochistan and PoK. He called out Pakistan for its hypocrisy in commenting about Kashmir even as it continues to oppress people within its borders. Since then, Baloch activists in Pakistan and in other parts of the world have thanked Modi for raising the issue. "Pakistani atrocities have always been there. The positive thing now is that the world knows about them," Baloch activist Abdul Nawaz Bugti tweeted. Meanwhile, the Baloch National Front on Saturday staged a protest condemning the abduction of Baloch women, harassment of activists and the human rights abuses being carried out by the Pakistani forces. The protestors were seen shouting slogans, calling for a stop to the abduction of women in Balochistan and they also urged the United Nations to "wake up" and take notice of the issue. "It is the time that international media raises their voices and helps save Baloch from the inhuman atrocities committed by Pakistani forces on a daily basis in Balochistan," Bugti said in a message. Many activists are asserting that since 2003, more than 23,000 activists, students, lawyers, women, journalists, writers and human rights defenders have been enforced disappeared by the Pakistani army and its death squads. Abdur Rahim, 35, allegedly had a key role in July's Dhaka cafe attack in which 22 people died, police said. (Photo: PTI/Representational Image) Dhaka: A suspected Bangladeshi Islamist militant believed to have been shot dead in Dhaka during a gunfight with police actually committed suicide, a forensic doctor said on Sunday. Abdur Rahim, 35, allegedly had a key role in July's Dhaka cafe attack in which 22 people died, police said. He was killed in the capital's Azimpur neighbourhood on Saturday evening as officers tried to bust a militant hideout. "Abdur Rahim was killed due to excessive haemorrhage after he slit his own throat with (a) sharp weapon," forensic doctor Sohel Mahmud at Dhaka Medical College Hospital said after submitting the autopsy report. Rahim was a deputy of Tamim Chowdhury, the leader of a faction of the banned Islamist militant outfit, Jamayetul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB). Chowdhury, a Canadian citizen of Bangladesh origin, was shot dead during a gunfight with police last month. Three suspected female members of the group were also found injured in the hideout and were later arrested. "Rahim slit his throat and committed suicide when he realised he might get caught by police," national police chief Shahidul Hoque said. "However, we also found bullet wounds on his body, but he was mainly killed due to the sharp weapon damage," Hoque told AFP. Police earlier said Rahim planned the Gulshan cafe attack and hired the flat used by the militants before the assault. The JMB has been blamed for a wave of attacks on foreigners and religious minorities in the last three years that has killed at least 80. With the latest death, at least 28 Islamist extremists have been shot dead by Bangladesh security forces since the cafe assault in which mostly foreigners died. The MQM Chief is reported to have criticised Pakistan by calling it a cancer for the entire world. (Photo: AP) Karachi: For the first time in over 30 years, Pakistan's Muttahida Qaumi Movement has decided not to collect hides of sacrificial animals on Eidul Azha this year for its welfare projects, citing "unfavourable conditions" and "targeted" by state institutions. The announcement was made by MQM leader Dr Farooq Sattar who said the party reached the decision after consultation with the coordination committee and all office-bearers of the Khidmat-i-Khalq Foundation (KKF). The leader of the party, which had been winning annual major share of hides collection in the metropolis for decades, decided to stay away from the process considering the "unfavourable conditions" that did not allow the party to go for its "social welfare activity". "To generate funds for our social welfare projects, we have only two options, which are Zakat and Fitra collection in Ramazan and hides collection on Eid-ul-Azha," Dawn newspaper quoted Sattar as saying at the party's temporary headquarters. "However, for the past one year, we have not been allowed to carry on with the activities. We were denied this right. We are being forced to announce that we are not collecting hides this Eid." Last year, he said, the law-enforcement agencies "targeted" party workers and "snatched truckloads of hides" donated to the KKF and then handed them over to other charity organisations. The law-enforcement agencies did not allow KKF volunteers to collect hides and they "illegally seized hundreds of truckloads of hides" in Karachi, Hyderabad, Sukkur and other parts of Sindh, he added. The MQM leader said the snatching of truckloads of hides by the law-enforcement agencies despite the fact that the KKF had been granted permission was against the law, the constitution and the official code of conduct. "And it did not end here," he said, adding that dozens of KKF workers and volunteers were arrested in the process who were only collecting hides and then they were booked under false charges. "So we decided to stay away from this welfare work only to keep our workers safe as we don't want to waste our energy under the given circumstances. This gap will allow us to reorganise the KKF and MQM," he said. MQM is a political party claiming to represent the Mohajir (Urdu speaking people) in Sindh. It remains the single largest party in Karachi for decades now and have dominated the political landscape of Pakistan's largest city for years sweeping provincial and national elections but since the clean-up operation began on the orders of the federal government, the party has come under intense pressure. Last month, Pakistan charged London-based MQM leader Altaf Hussain with treason for an inflammatory speech slamming Islamabad. The MQM Chief is reported to have criticised Pakistan by calling it a cancer for the entire world. According to Pakistan media reports Hussain called Pakistan under the Nawaz Sharif administration a "cancer of the world" and an "epicentre of global terrorism." Islamabad: After Afghan President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani alleged that Pakistans Wagah port has been closed for his countrys traders, Islamabad said that it has not stopped them from moving their products to India through the border. Pakistan is fulfilling its commitment to the Afghan people by providing them a trade transit facility, Foreign Office spokesman Nafees Zakaria said on Saturday. He clarified that under Islamabads bilateral agreement with Kabul, only Indian goods could not be imported into Afghanistan through Pakistan, reports the Express Tribune. Pakistans Trade Ministry spokesperson Muhammad Ashraf also denied the charge, saying: Under the Pak-Afghan transit trade agreement, Afghan products go to India through Wagah. There has been no change in this policy in Pakistan. During a meeting with the United Kingdoms special envoy for Afghanistan and Pakistan Owen Jenkins in Kabul on Friday, President Ghani warned to close transit route for Pakistan to Central Asian countries as the Wagah port has been closed for the Afghan traders for import and export. He said Afghanistan is no more a landlocked country as several other options and transit routes are available for the import and export of commodities of the Afghan traders. Ghani alleged that Pakistan usually closes transit routes during the fruits season which incurs loss of millions of dollars to the Afghan traders. No matter how unconventional the AAP may be, it is beset by the conventional issues of rumblings within a byproduct of being in power. There are at least three legislators Pankaj Pushkar, Asim Ahmad Khan and Devinder Sehrawat who have spoken up publically against `arm-twisting or `bullying within the party. Yet they are hardly any threat to their Aam Aadmi Party which enjoys a brute 67-MLA majority in a 70-member Assembly. The demands for closing liquor vends and the allegations of exploitation of women by AAP leaders have given some ammunition to a few AAP legislators, who came out into the open against the party. One sacked minister has even alleged threat to life from AAP convener and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. Kejriwal seems to be in no hurry to gun for the dissenting voices probably because of his own interest in not reducing the strength of the treasury benches in the Assembly. An expulsion from the party means that the MLA can sit in the House as an independent. Pankaj Pushkar The AAPs Timarpur legislator Pankaj Pushkar has been sharing the platform with leaders of the Swaraj Abhiyan, a breakaway group of the party, during public hearings demanding closure of liquor vends. I have always been with the Swaraj Abhiyan, says Pushkar. His voice is frequently muffled by the other AAP MLAs in the House, but The Swaraj Abhiyan is the real inheritor of the ideals of the movement from which the AAP was born, says the legislator. The AAP was an instrument to fight conventional parties. The public invented the AAP as a weapon to fight corruption but it is now going the same way as others, he says. Pushkar admits it is a lonely battle for him in the Assembly. I am motivated by the principle of empowering people and meeting the high standards of the democratic processes, he says. Are there others who share his feelings about the degeneration in the AAP? I keep talking to party MLAs and there are others as well who feel like me. I guess they will speak up at some point of time, he says. The Timarpur legislator is categorical about differentiating himself from sacked ministers Asim Ahmad Khan and Jitender Singh Tomar. They might be harbouring a grudge as they were axed from the Cabinet. In my case it was the concern over the AAPs deviation from the values and the objective of the movement that forced me to speak up, he said, pointing at the manner in which Yogendra Yadav and Prashant Bhushan, both founders of the Swaraj Abhiyan, were kicked out of the AAP last year. Asim Ahmed Khan The Matia Mahal legislator and former food and supplies minister admits he is a rebel. I have no problem in admitting it, says Asim Ahmed Khan, who was removed from the Cabinet over allegations of corruption. They can do anything to gain voter sympathy. They can pull you down at any moment or at any provocation just to play to the galleries, says Khan, who recently held a press conference to allege that he was facing a threat to life from Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. Khan claims there are many others like him who are unhappy with the goings-on in the party. They are all scared. Someday may be they will dare to voice their concern publicly, says the former minister. Khan does not rule out the possibility of his playing a constructive role in bringing together those within the AAP who are unhappy. Devinder Sehrawat Bijwasan MLA Colonel Devinder Sehrawat is the latest addition to the list of AAP legislators who have publically taken on the party bigwigs. The ex-servicemans letter to Kejriwal seeking action against party members who exploit women has sparked a war of words within the AAP and invited stinging criticism from rival parties. Sehrawat is sticking to his stand and claims that some forces within the party are trying to dismiss his allegations lightly but there is no escape. The Bijwasan legislators outburst seems to be a sequel to his revolt at the time when the party removed former colleagues Yogendra Yadav and Prashant Bhushan for their alleged anti-party activities in March last year. He, along with Pushkar, had refused to sign a two-page letter seeking the removal of the two party colleagues. Sandeep Kumar, others Sacked women and child development minister Sandeep Kumar, after being caught in the sex CD scandal, has been suspended from the membership of the AAP. Some in the party believe he could end up being a strong dissenting voice against the party in the coming days. Former law minister Jitender Singh Tomar claims he is not a rebel. He says he was not sacked but resigned from the Cabinet voluntarily over allegations of using forged academic documents. I still enjoy the confidence of the party and hold no grudge against the party, says Tomar. The forgery case was due to political vendetta. One out of the two cases has already been dismissed by the Delhi High Court, he says, adding that there is no reason for him to have any ill-feeling. There were some ripples within the AAP when Labour Minister Gopal Rai was stripped of his transport portfolio over the alleged wrongdoings in the premium bus proposal. The development set off rumours that the minister was not happy with the decision. Sacked Assembly Deputy Speaker Bandana Kumari, a legislator from Shalimar Bagh, might also be experiencing heartburn after she was replaced by Mangolpuri legislator Rakhi Birla. In public, Kumari has accepted the partys decision with grace and denied having any problems with it. Delhi BJP President Satish Upadhyay has hailed the performance of the ABVP in Delhi University Students Union elections. He said that students have shown their faith in nationalism, education and job creating policies of the Narendra Modi government. Upadhyay thanked student voters for their trust in Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad, the Sangh parivar's umbrella organisation for students. Soon after the announcement of the victory on Saturday, there was a celebration at BJP office with crackers being burst. Hindu Sena on Friday registered a complaint against the makers of short film Mamas boys at New Delhis Parliament Street police station for hurting the religious sentiments of Hindus. In the complaint, Hindu Sena chief Vishnu Gupta alleged that the movie maligns the characters in Mahabharta by depicting them as homosexuals and of loose character. In the name of modernisation, the movie has ridiculed the characters of our holy book Mahabharta. Any other community would have come on roads by now but we have taken the legal route by complaining against it to the police, said Gupta. The film directed by Akshat Verma is a satirical take on Draupadi's polygamous wedding to the Pandavas. Akshat Verma and the team of Mamas boy have deliberately and maliciously acted , intending to outrage religious feelings of Hindus by insulting its religion and religious beliefs by making fun of its religious book," the complaint says. It adds that the film may also be termed under Article19(2) of Constitution, which mentions reasonable restrictions on right to expression. The 16 minutes 32 seconds long movie was uploaded on YouTube by the makers on September 6. Senior actors like Neena Gupta and Bollywood actress Aditi Rao Hydari are playing the role of Kunti and Draupadi respectively in it. I didnt expect a senior actor like Neena Gupta to work in a movie like this, Gupta added. The Hindu Sena Chief also said that YouTube should remove the film from the site and the makers of the film must immediately face strict action. The makers of the film could not be contacted for their response. Meanwhile, the police have received the complaint but are yet to file an FIR in the matter. We have received the complaint and are going through the contents of the letter. We will soon take the appropriate action as per the law, said a senior police officer. Three boys drowned in river Yamuna near southeast Delhis Okhla on Saturday afternoon. They had jumped off the fenced barriers enacted at the river bank and were swept away by a strong current, said police. The victims identified as Danish, 14, Faizal, 11, and Varish, 13, were fished out from the river by boat club divers at 5.50 pm. They were rushed to Holy Family Hospital where Faizal and Varish were declared brought dead. Danish died after some time in the ICU. All the three were residents of Jamia Nagars Batla House. The bodies have been sent for post-mortem after which they will be handed over to their family members. The fathers Varish and Faizal paint homes while Danishs father works as a labourer, said police. The incident happened around 4 pm when four friends from Jamia Nagar headed to the Yamuna for swim. Its illegal to swim in the river. To stop the people from going near it, artificial barriers fenced with barbed wires have been erected in several places, said a police officer. The three jumped off the barrier into the river while the fourth one stayed back, he added. Wife of an army man was reportedly sexually harassed and beaten up by four men in South East Delhis Fatehpur Beri. Two of the accused have been apprehended while the other two are on the run, saidthe police. The incident happened on Wednesday night when the 32-year-old woman was going to a place called Bhati for a wedding function on her scooty. The woman stays with her in-laws in Aayanagar and her husband is posted at the India-Pakistan border in Rajasthan. On her way to the wedding, she was stopped by four men near Sultanpur. The accused made her come down from her two-wheeler, and then started harassing her by passing lewd comments. When the woman objected to their acts, two of the accused came from behind and started dragging her to a secluded place. She put up a fight The woman tried to resist their attempt by giving them a brief fight. However, she was soon overpowered by the four, and was beaten up. The screams of the woman soon reached some people standing nearby and they rushed to her help. According to eyewitnesses, a police control room vehicle was passing by, which stopped there after seeing the commotion. Seeing the police van, the four assailants tried to flee. But policemen caught two of them. The woman was rushed to Safdurjung Hospital where she was treated for face and abdomen injuries. Police have registered a complaint and are questioning the two arrested men. The first openly lesbian Miss America contestant will not only vie for the crown at the 95th annual pageant in New Jersey this weekend, she will also aim to spotlight the injustices faced by gay and transgender people. "We are still fighting for visibility," 23-year-old Erin O'Flaherty, who was crowned Miss Missouri in June, said during a media event in Atlantic City ahead of Sunday's contest final. "So it's really important for me just to exist in this capacity as completely who I am and be open and proud about it for the LGBT community." O'Flaherty said she plans to run for Miss America on the platform of preventing suicide, which disproportionately affects lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender youth. When not competing, O'Flaherty, works to provide suicide prevention services to LGBT youth and owns a clothing store. She said the cause of suicide prevention is personal not only because she identifies as gay, but because she lost a close friend to suicide at age 13. "I realized in the grieving process that there were signs that I missed," O'Flaherty said. "So I set out to educate myself on what those warning signs could be and what we could do to end suicide." Contestants of the Miss America contest, first held in 1921, select causes that are important to them as part of the competition. In an interview portion of the competition, contestants are asked questions about their platforms. They are separately judged for their talent, as well as their appearance in evening wear and swimsuits. That element of the competition remains a target for critics who say the competition reinforces the idea that girls and women should be primarily valued for their bodies. O'Flaherty, whose talent is singing, said she rejects the idea that beauty pageants objectify women. "The Miss America Organization has absolutely enhanced my life," O'Flaherty said. "It's given me a platform to speak about issues that are really close to my heart." The Miss America final will be held on Sept. 11 at the beach resort of Atlantic City. Two days after beleaguered businessman Vijay Mallya told a Delhi court that he felt "incapacitated" to travel to India despite his "best intentions" as his passport has been revoked, the ED has started working on issuing a third attachment order worth a few thousand crore of rupees more against him. The ED has already attached assets worth Rs 8,041 crore as part of its criminal probe against Mallya and this time the targeted assets would include those on foreign shores. Officials said while the Enforcement Directorate has till now been effecting seizure of assets under the stringent provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), the next edition of attachments will be carried out under sections of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC). The agency had got a proclamation issued by a Mumbai court under CrPC against Mallya after he skipped multiple summonses to depose in its money laundering probe in the alleged bank loan frauds worth over Rs 9,000 crore. With Mallya not joining ED's PMLA probe till now, the agency, they said, will the third set of attachment orders for assets held "directly and indirectly" by him, including those at overseas locations like South Africa, the UK and others. It is understood that the agency has already got a dossier prepared in this regard of his shares in companies and other business commitments, and an order for attachment of assets under CrPC would be issued in some time. While sources did not mention the estimated value of the assets that would be attached under the fresh order, it is expected to be worth a few thousand crores of rupees. The agency, meanwhile, has also moved to add fresh charges against him in its existing request to Interpol for issuance of a global arrest warrant and that in the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT) between India and the UK which it wants to invoke in order to force Mallya to join the probe. The ED had on September 3 issued its second attachment order for assets worth Rs 6,630 crore and seized his farmhouse, flats and Fixed Deposits in connection with its money laundering case against him and his associates. The agency had also recently taken over investigation into the alleged loan default of Rs 6,027 crore availed from a consortium of nationalised banks led by SBI, in which a fresh case was also filed by CBI last month. The total attachment made by the agency in this case has now shot up to Rs 8,041 crore as it had attached assets worth Rs 1,411 crore a few months back. This is one of the largest attachment of assets made by ED in a PMLA case till now. An attachment of assets order under PMLA is aimed at depriving an accused the benefits from their ill-gotten wealth and also works to make absconding offenders join probe as their resources are choked. Such an order can be appealed before the Adjudicating Authority of the said Act within a period of 180 days. The agency has been wanting Mallya to join the investigation in these cases "in person" and has virtually exhausted all legal remedies like seeking an Interpol arrest warrant and getting his passport revoked. Mallya had recently told a Delhi court that he wants to return to India but he is "incapacitated" to travel despite his "best intentions" as his passport has been revoked by the Indian authorities. However, sources in the ED said Mallya or any other person whose passport has been revoked pending criminal investigations can approach the Indian High Commission or Embassy in the country they are in and get an "emergency or alternative travel document" issued in order to travel back. "The provision is stipulated under Section 4 (2)(a) of the Passport Act which talks about issuance of an emergency certificate authorising a person to enter India. Mallya can well use this legal provision to come back to India and join the probe. He is wanted in a criminal probe of money laundering by the ED apart from one under the now repealed Foreign Exchange Regulation Act (FERA)," they said. Mallya, who is currently in London, through his counsel told the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Sumit Dass in a case lodged against him for allegedly evading summons in a FERA violation matter, that he was "making all efforts to have the revocation of passport set aside." "I request you (counsel) to kindly convey to the judge that I have the utmost respect for his authority and towards the judicial system of the country, in general. "However, in the given circumstances, despite my best intentions to obey the order of the judge, I find myself incapacitated to travel to India, at this moment; even though I am making all the efforts to have the said revocation of my passport set aside," Mallya's email to his counsel said. For six years, Amy Passiak oversaw the distribution of hundreds of objects from the World Trade Center in New York, a task she finished days before the 15th anniversary of the September 11 attacks. There was only a knot of people on July 27, in a corner of the cargo area at New York's Kennedy airport, to help with the end of the adventure. The last pieces from the Twin Towers still stored in Hangar 17, which had been exposed to the view of thousands, left under Passiak's watchful eye. For six years, she coordinated the distribution of almost 2,800 pieces under the control of the site's owner, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. Among them, there was no individual, personal object: a damaged police car, sunglasses sold at one of the stores in the building, but mostly massive objects, fragments of the destroyed skyscrapers in lower Manhattan. There was a lot of steel, including several of the tridents, the distinctive forked steel structures on the facade at the base of the buildings, each weighing several dozen tons. In 2009, the Port Authority decided to distribute the objects to non-profit organizations and government entities for use in public memorial projects. Already working at the 9/11 Memorial and Museum, Passiak was chosen to supervise the program. Passiak, who is in her 30s and holds a master's degree in museum studies, discovered a universe about which she knew almost nothing. "I was a senior in high school in Michigan when 9/11 happened. I had never been to New York City," she said. Passiak had no close family connection to the victims of the attacks, or the police officers, firefighters and emergency personnel, nothing that could create a link, even an indirect one, with the attack. "I didn't have a real concept of what the World Trade Center was, where it was," she added. Retrospectively, this distance perhaps allowed her to completely plunge into the task without feeling emotionally overwhelmed. Since a little more than a year ago, the pace of the work has sharply slowed and Passiak is also handling other projects, but "for about four years, my life was September 11, which is crazy," she said. Generally, "I think that I'm a very emotionally steady person," she said, "so I think that that actually helped with the job. I was able to remain calm." Passiak and the Port Authority approved the requests of 1,567 different groups across the United States, many of them fire and police departments, schools and cities. Requests for objects also were approved for 10 foreign countries, including Canada, China, Germany and Italy. Despite its long ties with the US, France is missing from the list. A defiant North Korea today restated its demand for recognition as a "legitimate" nuclear-armed state, as world powers pondered ways to punish Pyongyang for its latest and largest atomic test. The North also vowed to increase its nuclear strike force "in quality and in quantity", two days after its fifth test in a decade sparked international condemnation and moves for tougher UN sanctions. In Japan, a visiting senior US envoy said Washington and Tokyo were seeking "the strongest possible" measures in response. North Korea insists that its missile and nuclear tests are necessary to counter what it says is a US nuclear threat to its independence. A statement today from a foreign ministry spokesman in Pyongyang mocked President Barack Obama's "totally bankrupt" policy on the country. "Obama is trying hard to deny the DPRK's (North Korea's) strategic position as a legitimate nuclear weapons state but it is as foolish an act as trying to eclipse the sun with a palm," said the statement quoted by the official KCNA news agency. Friday's test came only eight months after the previous one and was almost twice as powerful, at an estimated 10 kilotons. Most worryingly for the international community, the North claimed it had been a miniaturised warhead that could be mounted on a missile. The UN Security Council agreed Friday to start work on new measures -- even though five sets of UN sanctions since the first nuclear test in 2006 have failed to halt the North's nuclear drive. Sung Kim, the US State Department's special representative for North Korea policy, said Washington and Tokyo would work closely in the Security Council and beyond "to come up with the strongest possible measure against North Korea's latest action". He also suggested the US may launch its own unilateral sanctions in response to "the provocative and unacceptable behaviour by the North Koreans". KCNA insisted today that North Koreans were delighted by Friday's detonation. "The test demonstrated the dignity of the country guided by the iron-willed commander as well as the strength of the Korean people," scientist Choe Kwang-Ho was quoted as saying. A considerable number of Kashmiri youths, especially from South Kashmir, have been missing and are believed to have joined the ranks of militant groups after the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen militant Burhan Wani in July this year. A conglomerate of four districts -- Pulwama, Kulgam, Shopian and Anantnag, which has seen an uprising since Wani was killed in an encounter with security forces on July 8, is believed to have accounted for the disappearance of nearly 80 youths in past two months with majority from Pulwama district, sources in the know said. According to the intercepts of militants groups and some sketchy intelligence inputs gathered from the ground in South Kashmir, youths were mainly moving towards Hizbul Mujahideen militant group with a few attracted to banned Lashker-e-Taiba, they said. Senior officials in the security establishment agreed that there was no clear picture of situation in South Kashmir's rural areas and with army and security forces being pushed into these places, a clear picture will emerge. Police has been forced to concentrate more on law and order than on counter-insurgency operation in the last two months there has been little intelligence that has been generated during the period, they said. Simultaneously, the security forces including army is moving quietly into South Kashmir, which has been the most politically sensitive area of the Valley and centre point of 2-month old agitation, to 're-claim' the lost ground from the agitators and bring some semblance of rule of law. During a recent meeting, army top officials suggested that there was a need for "re-claiming the areas which had been under occupation of protesters" after which troops have been moved in for area domination. Traffic on the national highway was being regulated and allowed to move only in a convoy, the officials said. This has been happening because of protests post killing of Burhan Wani in an encounter on July 8. Over 70 people have been killed so far in these protests. South Kashmir, a traditional bastion of ruling PDP which is having an alliance government with the BJP, has become into a virtual breeding ground for militants with many youths joining their rank and file or becoming their sympathisers. Better intelligence network of terrorists, assistance of people to local terrorists, heavy turnouts at the funerals of militants and stone-pelting on security forces even during encounters has virtually become a routine affair in the region. Small boys armed with stones, lathis have laid a virtual seize of arterial roads leading to the national highway thereby restricting the movement. Constant engagement of protesters with security forces show little signs of things returning to normalcy any time soon. Pictures emerging from lanes and by lanes show written slogans favouring 'independence', support to terror groups and glorification of militants killed in encounters with the security forces. The sources said that the figure of youth joining various militant groups could easily cross 100 mark once a detailed district wise analysis was carried out. Last year, out of the 90 youths, who had joined militant groups, 80 per cent of them hailed from various districts of South Kashmir alone. The worst-hit areas are Heff-Shrimal in Shopian district, Samboora, Lillahar, Pulwama town and Tral of Pulwama district, Qaimooh and Redhwani in Kulgam district and Redhwani in Anantnag district. These are the areas which are dotted with apple orchards and lead to dense forests where militants are holed up, the officials said, adding that in case the army mounts pressure on one side, they escape and mingle with the local population on the other. The intelligence network of the militant groups, which had ended in mid-1990s, has revived again and the terrorists come to know about the advancement of security forces, giving them an advantage to flee the area, the officials said. The adjoining jungles which are dotted with Poplar and Pine trees provide a platform for terrorists to train new recruits, the officials said, adding there have been information that militants were being trained in Kamla forest of Shopian district but when raids were conducted, no one could be found. Having a population of over 23 lakh, South Kashmir, which has been political quite active, is also considered the bastion of Jamaat-e-Islamia group and have been traditionally voting for PDP. The defunct Muslim United Front (MUF) of late 1980's, many of whose sympathisers had picked up guns in 1990s following alleged rigging in 1987 elections, was born in South Kashmir and so was PDP, which had formed an alliance government with the BJP in March last year. Britain's desire to become a free trade leader following its vote to leave the EU is seen as wishful thinking by experts, who say London's hands are tied until a formal exit from the bloc. Prime Minister Theresa May used this month's G20 summit in China to explore potential trade deals with Australia, India, Mexico, Singapore and South Korea. But international trade experts have been quick to highlight Britain's lack of experience in such negotiations. "Currently, legally speaking, the UK is part of the EU and therefore is not able to conclude free trade agreements," said Hosuk Lee-Makiyama, director of trade policy think tank, the European Centre for International Political Economy. "For me, it is more an experience problem because the UK has actually not negotiated" on such matters since 1973 when the country joined the European Union, Lee-Makiyama added. At stake is Britain's position as a major world economy along with its future economic and employment growth. International trade to and from the country each year totals hundreds of billions of pounds, around half of which is with the European Union. Brussels and Berlin have lost no time in reminding Britain that while it remains within the EU, trade negotiations on behalf of all member states are the sole responsibility of the European Commission. May has meanwhile come up against hurdles outside the EU, with US President Barack Obama insisting that Washington's priority remains striking a free trade deal with Brussels, however unlikely, before tackling any separate agreement with London. British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson on Friday insisted at a joint ministerial meeting that "Australia is keen to do a free trade deal" and the two countries would be able to "at least to sketch out a very productive deal," while Britain negotiates its exit from the EU. Australian counterpart Julie Bishop said that Brexit opened "many opportunities to develop an even closer relationship," but her trade minster warned earlier this week that formal negotiations on a deal must wait until Brexit is concluded, which could take years. "We are now in a time where lawyers don't matter," Lee-Makiyama told AFP. "It is about high politics." Tim Oliver of the London School of Economics stressed that "there are no friends or special relationships in international trade". He told AFP: "Some countries will know the UK is keen to do deals and vulnerable because it has little experience at negotiating them." The Conservative government has yet to set out its vision for Brexit following the June 23 referendum, beyond saying it would not start formal exit negotiations with Brussels until next year. Members of a Tamil outfit today disrupted a meeting of a Kannada literary organisation, to protest the alleged beating of a 22-year-old Tamil youth in Bengaluru over his Facebook post on Cauvery issue, police said. Members of the Thanthai Periyar Dravida Kazhakam reached the hall where a meeting of the Samakalina Kannada Ilakiyam was scheduled and raised slogans stating that they will not allow the meeting to be conducted as a Tamil youth was allegedly beaten by Kannada activists in Bengaluru recently over a Facebook post on Cauvery issue. They tore the banner of the Ilakiyam put up in front of the hall. They dispersed after police reached the spot. The meeting was also cancelled after the incident, police said. Meanwhile, some members of All India Youth Federation were arrested for attempting to stage rail roko at the railway station here, protesting against the Kerala government's move to construct a dam across Siruvani, police said. They were prevented by police from conducting the rail roko. Ratcheting up pressure on Pakistan, Home Minister Rajnath Singh will visit Russia and the United States next week to highlight the issue of the neighbouring country sponsoring terrorism in India and discuss efforts to counter ISIS activities in the region. Singh will visit Russia for five days beginning September 18 where he will have bilateral talks with Russian Minister for Internal Affairs Vladimir Kolokoltsev and discuss issues related to Indo-Russia joint anti-terror cooperation. They will also discuss cross border terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir and growing activities of ISIS in the country and its neighbourhood. The Home Minister will travel to Washington on September 26 for a seven-day visit for the Indo-US Homeland Security Dialogue with his American counterpart Jeh Charles Johnson. Singh will raise the issue of Pakistan-sponsored terrorism and activities of ISIS in India and other South Asian countries. "In both the bilateral visits to Russia and the US, the Home Minister will highlight Pakistan's direct involvement in cross border terrorism and growing activities of the Middle East terror group in India and its neighbourhood," a Home Ministry official said. The Home Minister will have threadbare discussions with his Russian and the US counterparts on how to enhance anti-terror cooperation, especially checking the growing activities of ISIS and sharing of intelligence inputs. Other issues to be discussed in the two visits include extradition of each other's wanted criminals, liberalisation of visas etc. The visit by Singh, one of the top leaders of the Modi government, to the two global powers within a week is considered significant as India has raised the pitch on the issue of "terror export" from Pakistan. Prime Minister Narendra Modi raised the issue at the G20, BRICS meet and East Asia Summit, where he called on the international community to isolate and sanction this instigator of terrorism. Modi urged the nations to intensify joint efforts to combat terrorism and sought "coordinated actions" by the grouping to "isolate supporters and sponsors of terror". The government's tough stance comes amid heightened tension with Pakistan, which is openly backing militancy in Jammu and Kashmir which has been hit by unrest for over two months now. "The bilateral visits of the Home Minister are part of India's efforts to create global opinion against Pakistan sponsored terrorism in India," the official said. Further cementing anti-terror cooperation, real-time sharing of intelligence inputs, cyber security and critical infrastructure protection, countering illicit finance, global supply chain security, megacity policing and science and technology are some of the key issues to be discussed at the meetings to be held in Moscow and Washington. Ministers of the Modi government will criss-cross the globe in the next three months as part of an outreach programme that will cover 68 countries to achieve the target of NDA ministers having visited all the 192 nations with which India has diplomatic relations. Home Minister Rajnath Singh will travel to Hungary, which is among the countries not visited by any minister in the Modi government. Apart from Singh, Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad will visit Estonia and Latvia and Chemical and Fertiliser Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar will be heading to Tongo, while BJP ally Lok Janshakti Party leader and Food Minister Ram Vilas Paswan has been assigned to travel to Mauritius. The entire exercise is likely to be over by the year end. Noting that by 2016-end, the government will not leave any country where Indian Ministers have not gone, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, in letters to the ministers, said her Ministry has identified 68 nations yet to be visited by them. She has also conveyed that all the interactions in the visiting countries will be arranged by the respective ambassadors and, in case a minister was interested in visiting certain places in those countries, their itinerary will be made accordingly. The aim of the visits, which is part of government's massive outreach programme, is to enhance bilateral ties and explore areas of cooperation, official sources said. Eyeing an "aspirational India", Snapdeal has invested Rs 200 crore in rebranding activities and also unveiled a new logo as the e-commerce major focuses on wooing the next 100 million potential online shoppers. The SoftBank-backed company has pumped in over Rs 200 crore for the re-branding initiative, which will include a 360-degree marketing campaign ahead of the festive season. "There are about 50-60 million online buyers in India currently and for e-commerce to become larger, the next 300-400 million people coming online would be very important... Things like discounts, fast shipping, functional benefits are already there, but going ahead, e-commerce brands will have to stand for something of a higher order," Snapdeal Co-founder and CEO Kunal Bahl told PTI. With this new positioning, Snapdeal is focussing on the next phase of growth, engaging with the next 100 million online shoppers, he added. The re-positioning by the company comes ahead of the festive season. Snapdeal like competitors Flipkart and Amazon is lining up offers to woo customers to shop on its platform. These companies are also ramping up logistics to ensure timely delivery of packages even at peak demand. According to a report by Kotak Institutional equities, Indian e-tailing market could reach USD 28 billion by 2019-20, registering a compounded annual growth rate of 45 per cent over the next four years. It forecasts the number of online buyers to touch 110 million. "The new positioning is focussed on the aspirational India. It is about understanding that each purchase is not just a transaction, but an opportunity to upgrade to a better life as is expressed in the new brand identity -- Unbox Zindagi," Bahl said. "I think we have spent Rs 200 crore or north of that in the entire campaign," he said, adding that the overhaul is based on the insights of interactions of key members of its leadership team with existing and potential users in metros as well as cities like Guwahati, Bhopal, Rajkot, Nagpur, Madurai. Snapdeal has done away with its blue and red logo, replacing it with a Vermello (red)-coloured box. "Our delivery boxes will be in the shade of red, which we are calling Vermello. The new logo, with two arrows forming a box, conveys Snapdeal's journey as partners and enablers, indicating progress, onwards and upwards," he said. The campaign has been conceived by Prasoon Joshi and his team at McCann while Shankar, Ehsaan and Loy have worked on the jingle. The Supreme Court today agreed to conduct an early hearing tomorrow on the application filed by Karnataka seeking a direction to reduce the quantum of water to be released from Cauvery river to Tamil Nadu from 15,000 cusecs to 1,000 cusecs. The Supreme Court's decision to hear the plea, filed late last evening, came after it was mentioned before the court's registry, which consulted Chief Justice T S Thakur. In its plea, Karnataka has sought modification of the apex court's September 5 order for release of 15,000 cusecs of water for 10 days as immediate relief to Tamil Nadu farmers. Karnataka's advocate V N Raghupathy said that the matter was mentioned before the registry today and it would be heard tomorrow at 10.30 am. Tomorrow being a holiday, the bench will sit only to hear the matter. Karnataka's decision to move the Supreme Court comes ahead of the Cauvery Supervisory Committee's meeting here tomorrow to decide on the quantum of the river's water to be released to Tamil Nadu and other states. The application has sought that instead of 10 days, the apex court should restrict the release of water to only 6 as the state itself was facing a distress situation due to a massive agitation which was causing a loss of Rs 500 crore per day to Karnataka. In the plea, Karnataka has said there was "huge public pressure" and the state police, with great difficulty, have been able to prevent attempts to damage public property. "Even the minimum arrangement mentioned by your lordships has caused distress and havoc in the entire southern part of Karnataka, paralysing civil life. The agitation of farmers has been that their dry crop is equalled with that of the farmers in Tamil Nadu. Tamil Nadu's need for the rice crop consumes more than twice the water which is needed for light crops in Karnataka," the application said. The application says that people, particularly farmers in the districts of Mysuru, Hassan, Mandya and Bengaluru, have been squatting on the roads and streets, affecting the IT industry in the state capital which earns huge revenue by way of income tax, service tax, and foreign exchange of USD 60 billion for the country. The application also referred to inputs from security agencies that said if the flow of water is allowed to continue further, the situation "may go out of hand". In an interim order on September 5, the court had directed Karnataka to release 15,000 cusecs of Cauvery water per day to Tamil Nadu for the next 10 days to ameliorate the plight of the farmers there. The apex court had also directed Tamil Nadu to approach Supervisory Committee, set up to implement the award of Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal, within three days for release of water as per the final order of the CWDT. As protests against the release of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu showed signs of abating in Mandya, the epicentre of agitation, and other districts in the basin, no major blockade was reported on the Bengaluru-Mysuru highway today, police said. Bengaluru-Mysuru highway was clear and other routes were open now, Mandy Police officials said, adding, buses were also running as usual. Road traffic between Bengaluru and Mysuru had seen regular disruptions and blockade following the September 5 Supreme Court's directive to Karnataka for release of water to Tamil Nadu. However, some protests by farmers and pro-Kannada outfits were reported in Mandya, Hassan and nearby places today. In Mandya, 'Cauvery Hitarakshana Samithi' (Cauvery Welfare Committee) under the leadership of its President G Madegowda met to discuss further strategy. They have demanded for immediate stopping of water being released to Tamil Nadu, compensation for farmers and withdrawal of cases against Cauvery protesters. They have also decided to hold meeting of Legislators from Cauvery belt on September 14. Meanwhile, BJP state President and Former Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa joined protest in Mandya today, while JD(S) Supremo and former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda conducted aerial survey of the water levels at dams in Cauvery basin region. Speaking to reporters, Gowda supported government's decision to release water to Tamil Nadu as per Supreme Court's directive keeping in mind the main petition that coming up in the Supreme Court on October 18, where the state is challenging the final award of the tribunal. "I had asked to release water, because if we disobey today, we may not get any benefit from the main petition which is coming up on October 18. If we don't get any benefit from it, Karnataka's fate will be sealed", he said Deve Gowda's remarks supporting government's decision to release water to Tamil Nadu is being criticised as it is contrary to party's stand which has been staging protests in Mandya and Hassan against the release of water. On September 5, the apex court had directed Karnataka government to release 15,000 cusecs to Tamil Nadu for the next 10 days to meet the irrigation requirement for Samba paddy crop. Karnataka has moved the Supreme Court for urgent hearing on its plea seeking a direction to restrict the quantum of water to be released from Cauvery river to Tamil Nadu, from 15,000 cusecs to 1,000 cusecs. The application filed late last evening has sought for modification of the apex court's September 5 order. It has sought that instead of 10 days, the apex court should restrict the flow of water only for 6 days as the state itself was facing distress situation in view of massive agitation and loss of Rs 500 crore per day. Meanwhile, the Cauvery Supervisory Committee meeting is scheduled for tomorrow in Delhi to decide on the quantum of the river's water to be released to Tamil Nadu and other states. CPI also condemned the attack on Tamils and their establishments in Karnataka by some groups and charged the Karnataka government with remaining silent despite violence. The party's state leader Mutharasan said in a release here that despite the Supreme Court order to release water, there were forces in Karnataka opposed to it and to Tamil Nadu getting its due share of water. The centre and Karnataka governments should take strong action against such elements and protect the Tamils and their establishments, he said. The Tamil Nadu government should also convene an all party meeting to discuss the issue, he said. It is doubtful when he wrote a letter to a medical journal about patients in Mumbai afflicted with an untreatable form of tuberculosis that Dr Zarir Udwadia was seeking to become the source of controversy himself. But instead of provoking an all-out attack on the disease, as he had hoped, the letter set off a global health alarm and, at least initially, prompted a backlash from the government. Until writing the letter in late 2011, Udwadia was perhaps best known as the pulmonologist to the elite in Mumbai, where his physician father had become known nationally for saving the life of Bollywood superstar, Amitabh Bachchan. Hardly anyone outside public health circles knew of the free weekly TB clinic the younger Udwadia had run for more than two decades. Udwadia wrote about four of his clinic patients for whom none of the commonly used medicines worked to combat the disease, a deadly bacterial infection that can be transmitted through a sneeze or a cough. The idea that people could contract such a deadly disease sitting next to someone on a bus or on an international flight aroused concern among global health authorities and created a problem for the government. TB is so old that it has been discovered in the skeletons of Egyptian mummies, was recorded by Hippocrates and is mentioned in the Rigveda. The disease disproportionately affects the poor because it spreads easily in crowded places among people whose resistance is low from malnutrition or illness. It has been curable for decades with a regimen of several antibiotics taken for six months. But often patients fail to follow the whole course of treatment, and the disease mutates into a more virulent form. India is of particular concern, having the most TB patients in the world more than 2 million of the more than 9 million active cases globally. The country also has the most drug-resistant patients, about 100,000 with multidrug resistance, in which the two most powerful TB medicines do not work. Mumbai is especially problematic because of its overcrowded slums, with almost a third of TB patients in some neighbourhoods having a resistant form of the disease. Drug-resistant disease is more expensive and even more difficult to defeat than the traditional form, requiring two years treatment with such a toxic course of medicines that many patients drop out. Even if they do complete the regimen, studies show there is only a 60% likelihood of a cure. In the media storm that followed Udwadias journal letter, government officials publicly denied the problem and accused him of wrongly setting off a panic. A Mumbai health official seized his patient samples for retesting. Udwadia clammed up for a few weeks but then re-emerged even more outspoken than before, vigorously defending his findings and denouncing the government for its complacency. The 55-year-old physician has been extremely vocal ever since, criticising the government for failing to take advantage of a new generation of medicines to stamp out the disease. With the new TB drugs approved by the FDA, nobody should be dying of TB, he said in an interview this month in his small office, wh-ere, during his free clinic, he stood by an open window, examining the leather tanners, taxi drivers and maids, in saris, burqas and turbans, who were waiting in the long corridor outside. Theyre not available here because of government inertia, and its unconscionable, he says, speaking with characteristic speed, enunciating every syllable for emphasis. Just a few weeks ago, Rahima Sheikh, 44, one of the four drug-resistant patients he described in his 2011 letter, lay on the table by the window as he listened to her chest and reviewed her test results. The tall, lean doctor with a halo of black hair refuses to wear a mask to protect himself, even though his wife says he does worry about contracting TB. How can you connect to a patient that way? he asks. Instead, he leaves open his window so there is good air circulation, which reduces the chances of infection. Where many international and Indian public health experts are cowed into speaking in diplomatic jargon for fear of losing government support for their programmes, or even their jobs, Udwadia stands out as the most influential voice demanding better treatment for Indias TB patients and unabashedly criticising the status quo. Hes the conscience keeper and the pioneer, says Chapal Mehra, a public health specialist who works for international agencies. He stood his ground when the government tried to terrorise him, and forced us all to see the dirt. Udwadia grew up in Mumbai, training in government hospitals, where TB was widespread, and at City Hospital in Edinburgh, where researchers first combined medicines for a cure. When he returned to India in 1991 to set up his medical practice, he had few patients, so he opened the free clinic to keep himself busy. It is now the busiest outpatient clinic at his hospital. Within a couple of years, India began seeing its first cases of drug-resistant TB. As more and more drug-resistant patients showed up at his clinic, he became expert in treating them with various combinations of medicines, as well as an influential voice about the dangers of ignoring the spread of those strains. Ineffective TB programmes After its initial criticism of Udwadia, the government did an about-face and announced increased funding for the countrys TB programmes, with a special focus on drug resistance. And Mumbai began seeking out patients with drug resistance and treating them. Udwadia notes that the government TB programmes still do not identify or treat the majority of drug-resistant patients. Two new TB drugs approved in Europe and the US several years ago are still not available in India, he says. Its scandalous when there are so many desperate patients, he says. Its conceivable, with the combination of those two drugs, that there should be no more drug-resistant TB in India. Udwadia began using the first of the new TB drugs with his sickest patients soon after it was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration in 2012. Fifteen of his 20 patients who received the new TB drug recovered, which is significant, Udwadia says, because they were his sickest, having failed to respond to almost every other treatment. Where he was not widely known before the controversy erupted over his journal letter, Udwadia is now a sought-after speaker. But for him, he says, the best times are when a patient with drug resistance whom he has been treating for years is finally cured. When Sheikh, a tiny woman wearing a salwar kameez, showed up for her recent checkup, Udwadia grinned and reached across the table to shake her hand, unable to contain his excitement as he reviewed her tests. They were negative for TB for the third successive year. Her lungs are so scarred from the disease that she becomes breathless after walking several steps, but she says she is grateful to be alive. She takes a two-day train ride from her hometown in northern India to Mumbai every six months for a checkup. I know it sounds like a cliche, but these times are what I live for, Udwadia says. In India, all patients tell the doctor, You saved my life, but with Rahima Sheikh, I know its really true. An eight-month-old baby who suffered from a heart ailment died for want of treatment, in a case of alleged police apathy. The incident took place in Uttar Pradeshs Hamirpur district, about 200 kilometres from here, as the cops detained the girl childs kin, who were being questioned in connection with a case in which they were later found to be innocent. The mother of the baby girl kept pleading with the cops to allow at least one of the male members to take the infant to a hospital in Kanpur but the cops did not relent. By the time the two uncles of the infant were released after they were found to be innocent, the little girl had already died. A probe has now been ordered into the matter, police said on Sunday. According to reports, the police had picked up the infants uncles from their village of Kadaura on Friday evening in connection with a case. The police told the family members that they would be released after brief questioning. The infant, who suffered from a heart ailment, had not been keeping well for the past few days and her condition had deteriorated at night prompting her mother Rupa Devi to rush to the police station along with the sick baby. She pleaded with the cops to let one of the men go so that the infant could be taken to the hospital in Kanpur. A 35-year-old history-sheeter was hacked to death by a gang of five persons at his house near Sarakki in JP Nagar in the early hours of Sunday. According to the police, the deceased is Srinivas alias Stand Kutty. He was residing in a rented house along with his wife Lakshmi. Srinivas was running errands for Ansar Pasha, the corporator of Banashankari temple ward. Sources say that he was also into real estate business. Srinivas was a rowdy sheeter with Banashankari police station and has several cases of theft, dacoity, attempt to murder and robbery registered against him in various police stations. Around 3 am, a gang of five persons went to Srinivass house. They broke open the door and barged inside. Srinivas, who was asleep, woke up to the noise and came out of the bedroom. The gang attacked him with sharp weapons. Hearing his screams, Lakshmi came out and found her husband being attacked. She tried to intervene, but was pushed away by the assailants. They continued to attack Srinivas, who collapsed. Hearing the commotion, the neighbours came out and the assailants took to their heels. The JP Nagar police were alerted, who rushed to the house and shifted Srinivas to a nearby private hospital, where he was declared brought dead, said the police. The police mentioned that an old rivalry might be the reason for the attack. All possible angles are being investigated and a few vital clues about the identity of the assailants have been obtained. The assailants, who are on the run, will be arrested at the earliest, added the police. A case has been registered in JP Nagar police station and investigation is being carried out. Widespread resistance against antibiotics, including some of the most potent ones, poses a simmering public health threat, according to Indias first long-term nationwide study on rising resistance against antimicrobial medicines. Six Indian states, Delhi and Karnataka included, account for more than 90% of the resistant cases, says the survey. Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra and West Bengal are other four states with high drug-resistant cases. The study analysed 1,35,268 blood cultures collected between 2008 and 2014 from all over the country and found almost 14% of the samples 18,695 to be exact carry drug resistant bugs, which are extremely difficult to treat. The blood samples were tested for one of the 10 disease-causing microbes widely seen in the medical field. Many of these microbes have stopped responding to even last-resort antibiotics like carbapenem, colistin and vancomycin. Increased antibiotic use has long been directly linked to higher rates of antibiotic resistance. With the highest volume of antibiotic sales in 2010, it is not surprising that India has a simmering public health crisis related to antibiotic resistance, a group of public health researchers, who carried out the analysis reported in the International Journal of Infectious Disease. The alarming results come out days ahead of a special session at the United Nations General Assembly on September 21 when national leaders, doctors, medical researchers and non-governmental organisations would discuss antibiotic resistance as an emerging major public health crisis. Almost three years ago, the Union Health Ministry came out with an official order asking the pharmacists to sell the most potent antibiotics only against prescription and maintain a separate register. But since then there is little action on the ground. The policy made a nice balance between access to antibiotics and curbing the sale of most powerful antibiotics, whose abuse leads to resistance. But it was poorly enforced, health economist Ramanan Laxminarayanan who led the study from the Public Health Foundation of India told DH. Resistance to carbapenems, a last-resort class of antibiotics has been found higher in India than in any other country. More than 70 people were injured during clashes in Kashmir on Sunday as a 23-year-old youth injured in clashes last month died at hospital taking the death toll in ongoing unrest to 78. Javaid Ahmad of Wadwan area of central Kashmirs Budgam district, who had received a bullet injury on August 5, succumbed at SKIMS hospital in Srinagar on Sunday around noon, a doctor at the tertiary-care hospital said. The bullet had torn apart his popliteal artery which had necessitated an amputation and resulted in renal failure, he said. In Karimabad area of south Kashmirs Pulwama district about 60 people were injured in clashes after security forces launched a counter-insurgency operation in the village. We had received an input of presence of three-four militants in Karimabad and launched an operation along with Army on Sunday morning, Superintendent Police (SP) Pulwama, Rayees Bhat told DH. The locals had blocked the roads and made announcements in mosques, calling for protests. We had to call off the operation, he said, adding 18 people were arrested for having organised the protests. One of the arrested persons includes brother of deceased cop-turned-Hizbul militant Naseer Pandit. However, locals belied the police claim saying at least 50 civilians were injured, 16 of them grievously, after forces fired pellets and lobbed tear smoke shells on the people protesting against arrests and ransacking of houses. The police, CRPF and Army without any provocation raided the area in the early hours and barged into houses, vandalised property. The forces also mercilessly thrashed the inmates, said a local. He added that even women and children were not spared. Later, in the morning, they said, people hit the streets and protested against atrocities of forces. Protests and clashes continued in the area throughout the day, reports said. At least four militants were killed as the Army foiled multiple infiltration attempts by ultras on the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday. Sources said the Army intercepted a group of heavily armed militants near Aatma post on the LoC in Naugam sector of Kupwara, 110 km from here, during the early hours on Sunday. The infiltrating militants, after being challenged by the Army, opened fire triggering an encounter, they said. Four unidentified militants were killed in the gunbattle, they added. Srinagar-based Army spokesman Colonel Manish Kumar confirmed that four militants were killed in the encounter. It was an infiltration bid, which was foiled. Four AK-47 rifles and warlike stores have been recovered so far. The operation is on, he said. Sources said that additional reinforcement has been rushed to the spot as the area (where the encounter is on) has dense bushes all around it. The Army has cordoned off the area and blocked all exit points to ensure that if there are some more militants, they dont manage to escape, sources added. The Army foiled the second infiltration bid in Gurez sector of north Kashmirs Bandipora district. A police officer said that the Army foiled the bid in Bagtoor area of Gurez at around 4 am. However, he said, there was no report of any casualties, adding the infiltrators were pushed back to Pakistani side by the Army. The third infiltration bid by the militants in Thangdhar sector of Kupwara was also foiled by the Army, reports said. With security forces grappling to control stone- pelting youths in the Kashmir Valley for over two months, militant groups across the LoC are taking advantage of it and trying to make infiltration attempts in different sectors along the border, sources said. The Indian Army is set to have back-to-back war games with the US and Russia, signifying yet another evidence of its acceptability as a partner to international military powers. While the two-week mock drill with the US Army, named Exercise Yudh Abhyas, is set to commence at Chaubatia military station in Ranikhet on September 14, another Indian contingent is ready to fly out to Russia a week later for exercising with the Russian Army in cold climate. A month after war gaming with the US and Russian armies, troops from Chinas Peoples Liberation Army will land in Pune for the Hand-in-Hand exercise, which is considered one of the confidence-building measures between two of the worlds largest armies that fought a bitter war in 1962. Counter-terrorism Exercise Yudh Abhyas-2016 will simulate a scenario where both nations are working together in counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism environment in mountainous terrain. It will witness participation of about 225 personnel of the US Army and similar strength of Congo Brigade of the Indian Army, said a statement from the armys central command. The exercise with the US would be the first bilateral engagement under the Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA)the new logistics pact inked by the US and India to facilitate military operations in each others territories. The increased complexity of the Yudh Abhyas series of military exercises featured in the talks between Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar and his US counterpart Ashton Carter last month. Earlier this year, navies and air forces from Russia and the US carried out war gaming with the Indian Navy and Indian Air Force. The engagement with the Chinese will take place from November 15-27 in which both sides will sharpen their skills on a simulated counter-terrorism operation against an international terror outfit. Fingerprints might have landed many criminals behind bars but around half of the posts in the Central and state bureaux dealing with such expert jobs lie vacant. According to statistics, 896 (47.18%) out of the 1,899 posts sanctioned in the Central and state fingerprint bureaux remain vacant. At the Central bureau, only 35 people are working, while the sanctioned strength is 114. There is only one subinspector in place of the 42 sanctioned in the Central bureau, while there are only 16 inspectors in place of 32 needed. The situation is worst in Tamil Nadu where the state unit has just 47 officials in place of a sanctioned strength of 309, while Delhi has an excess of three officers75 in place of 72 sanctioned. Maharashtra (203 in place of 307), Karnataka (113 in place of 201) and Kerala (84 in place of 106) have better records. Apart from the Central bureau, there are 29 fingerprint bureaux functioning in states and Union Territories. The Central Finger Print Bureau (CFPB), which functions under the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), maintains the fingerprint records of arrested or convicted interstate and international criminals. A senior official said fingerprint experts provide a huge fillip to the detection of criminals and the vacancies in bureaux would hamper the probe. Fingerprint provides the most reliable and infallible scientific clue, which not only identifies a person but also excludes him from the rest of the world. For more than over a century, fingerprint science is one of the most important tools used by various investigating and law enforcing agencies across the globe, said the Finger Print in India2015 released recently. Many a time, it is established, when all other leads fail, it is the fraction of a finger impression recovered from the scene of crime that helps link the crime to the criminal, the report prepared by the NCRB said. The citys flourishing performance poetry community is eagerly awaiting September 17 when the first National Youth Poetry Slam (NYPS) will be held in Bengaluru. Organised by Airplane Poetry Movement and Campus Diaries, the two-day event at Lotus Convention Centre will witness performances by celebrated slam poets from the country and young talents from schools and colleges. To the excitement of ardent followers of performance poetry, legendary American poet Sarah Kay and artiste Kalki Koechlin will perform at NYPS 2016. Performance poetry is an art form in which individuals perform original compositions, often in a dramatised form or as a monologue, at competitions which are known as slams. For this national-level slam, auditions started three months ago. Students from over 100 colleges took part and 25 teams of three participants each were selected from colleges in several cities such as Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Kolkata and Chennai. Ten teams from several schools will also be competing at the slam. Besides the competition, participants have a rewarding lineup of sessions to look forward to. Slam Out Loud, an initiative to empower youth from marginalised communities with poetry, will bring 12 children from Delhi to perform their pieces. Professors from colleges in the city and the University of Illinois will discuss the benefits of spoken word poetry and how it makes young students more creative and opinionated. To bring the focus on slam poetry in regional languages, there will be dedicated sessions for Kannada and Hindi poems and one for Indian sign language too! Popular comedian Biswa Kalyan Rath will be performing a stand-up act as well. Shantanu Naik, founder of Airplane Poetry Movement, said, Just two years ago, hardly anyone knew what performance poetry was and now there are at least three poetry slams happening every month in the city. Excited by the exponential increase in the level of awareness, he pointed out that spoken word poetry is breaking barriers with youngsters from different fields actively taking part. The event already has close to 900 registrations and more people are expected to purchase tickets. Sumit Saurav, the CEO of Campus Diaries, is overwhelmed by the response the event has received from all over the country. The response is way beyond what I expected. I am not a poet myself, so I am taken aback by how active the community is and their love for slam poetry. he said. Property worth Rs 3 crore was gutted after a major fire broke out in a factory, that manufactures diesel oil filter paper, on Jambgi Road in the town in the early hours of Sunday. The fire is said to have caused by electrical short circuit. No casualty was reported in the incident as the factory was closed in view of Ganesha festival. The factory belongs to SRS Papers and Boards Private Ltd. The watchman, who spotted the smoke in the wee hours of Sunday, soon informed the director Sanjeev Basappa Teli who in turn informed the same to Fire and Emergencies Service personnel. Before the firemen could reach the spot, the manufacturing unit was completely gutted in the fire. Machinery, raw materials, oil filter papers and furniture were completely destroyed in the mishap. The manufacturing unit used to import raw materials from the United States. It is said, the unit had imported raw materials worth Rs 40 lakh from the US. The factory, one of its kind in the state, used to supply diesel oil filter papers used in lorries, tractors and other vehicles, to Bengaluru, Andhra Pradesh, Delhi and other states. Police Inspector Sunilkumar Nandeeshwar and staff visited the spot and took stock of the situation. Jamakhandi Rural police have registered a case and investigations are on. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Sunday is learnt to have spoken to JD(S) chief H D Deve Gowda over phone and sought his partys support to the Congress in the elections to the post of Bengaluru city mayor. Sources in the chief ministers office said Siddaramaiah had called Gowda to discuss about the Cauvery river water issue. The chief minister mentioned about the mayoral election during the conversation and sought the JD (S) support to the Congress. Support of the JD(S) is a must for the ruling party to retain the post of mayor. The term of Manjunath Reddy as Bengaluru city mayor ended on August 11. Reddy, who is a Congress corporator, was elected mayor with JD(S) support in the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) council. But now, the JD(S) has kept the Congress on tenterhooks on its support in the BBMP council. Sources said Gowda did not assure anything to Siddaramaiah. The JD(S) national president told the chief minister that he would discuss with JD(S) state president H D Kumaraswamy on whether to support the Congress in the BBMP. After week-long protests over Cauvery issue, normalcy returned the borders of Tamil Nadu with Karnataka. The sate-owned transport's full fleet resumed its bus services to Karnataka with passengers heaving a sigh of relief. People, especially young IT employees in Bengaluru, who got stuck after they came for vacation, came in large numbers to the Chennai bus terminus and took their respective buses to reach Karnataka. We will operate all 49 buses bound for Karnataka, a senior official from Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation told DH on Sunday. Ticket reservation services also resumed, he added.Likewise, the services of Karnataka buses to Chennai were not affected, the official said. Apart from the bus services, trucks and private vehicles which were stranded in border areas of Hosur in Krishnagiri district and Sathyamangalam in Erode district, were allowed to enter Karnataka since Sunday morning. Kesavan, an office-bearer of Tamil Nadu Truck Operators Association, said transport business to the tune of several hundred crores were affected during the last five days since lorries, tempos and even private vehicles which were transporting essential commodities to Karnataka got stuck in the border areas. However, extra security, which was deployed near banks and other organisations belonging to Karnataka here, was not withdrawn due to precautionary measures. With the Cauvery Supervisory Committee meeting in the national capital on Monday to decide on the quantum of the Cauvery water to be released to Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, labourers from the border areas of Tamil Nadu who are working in Karnataka still remain cautious. BJP leader Basavaraj Bommai on Sunday accused the state government of delaying filing of a petition before the Supreme Court seeking modification in its order to release Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu. The Supreme Court order to release 15,000 cusecs water per day was issued on September 5. The government could have filed the petition seeking modification of its order the very next day. Instead, the government chose to release water to Tamil Nadu. On many occasions in the past, the Supreme Court has modified its orders on releasing water. Karnataka missed an opportunity to convince the court and get the order modified, he told reporters. Besides, the government has not been consistent in its stand on the issue. Though the government had been claiming that it will not be able to release water to Tamil Nadu, it made a submission before the court that it can release up to 10,000 cusecs per day. After releasing water to the neighbouring state, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying that the state cannot release water and sought his intervention to resolve the issue, Bommai added. The meeting of the Cauvery supervisory committee scheduled on September 12 is crucial for Karnataka. The panel is meeting as per the direction of the Supreme Court to take a call on the release of water to Tamil Nadu. The state government should place all facts before the panel and get justice, he said. The Cauvery Supervisory Committee headed by the Union Water Resources Secretary Shashi Shekhar, will meet here on Monday, to decide on the quantum of Cauvery water to be released to Tamil Nadu from Karnataka. The committee is expected to go by the final order of Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal (CWDT) while deciding on the quantum of the river's water to be released from the upper riparian state to lower riparian state as directed by the Supreme Court, a senior official in the ministry said. Karnataka Chief Secretary Arvind Jadhav, Tamil Nadu Chief Secretary P Ramamohana Rao and officials from the Kerala and Puducherry, besides officials of the Central Water Commission will attend the meeting of the committee. Earlier, the Supreme Court had directed Tamil Nadu to approach the Supervisory Committee, set up to implement award of CWDT, for the release of Cauvery water as per the final award of the tribunal. It is yet to be seen whether the Supervisory Committee, while deciding the release of quantum of water from Karnataka to Tamil Nadu, will go by the apex court's earlier direction or wait for the courts verdict on the fresh petition filed by Karnataka, which is expected to come up for hearing on Monday. Tamil Nadu, in its letter written to the Cauvery Supervisory Committee on September 7, has also sought a direction to Karnataka to release 64.75 tmcft of water. Tamil Nadu also said that from June to September 5, Karnataka released only 35.91 tmcft of water against the tribunals order to release 100.67 tmcft. Countering Tamil Nadu claim, Karnataka, in its reply to the panel, said the farmers under four reservoirs in Karnataka require about 40 tmcft of water by the end of October but the storage as of now was only 39 tmcft. Due to low storage of water in reservoirs owing to shortfall of monsoon, if any more water is released to Tamil Nadu, drinking water needs are likely to be "jeopardised in many cities including Bengaluru and Mysuru, Karnataka said. The state drew the attention of the panel to the fact that Tamil Nadu has advantage of getting water from northeast monsoon which is expected to hit the state next month. Separately, Karnataka Water Resources Minister M B Patil and Chief Secretary Arvind Jadhav, who have been camping here, held a series of meeting with officials from state water resources department to prepare for Mondays meeting. The team of advocates representing Karnataka in water dispute issues also attended the meeting. The minister also held a meeting with senior counsel Fali S Nariman, who is heading the Karnataka legal team. Carry currencies gave back part of their recent gains as somewhat hawkish rhetoric form two Fed officials sufficed to eat into their yield advantage. Speaking on Friday afternoon, Boston Fed President Eric Rosengren said the risks to the economic outlook were incresaingly "two-edged". His remarks, and those from Dallas Fed president Robert Kaplan pushed the US dollar index higher by 0.38% to 95.35, hitting an intra-session high at 95.58. Against Brazils real the greenback gained 1.86% to 3.2741, with the Aussie trading down by 1.33% to 0.7541 versus the US currency unit. Later in the day, Kaplan added that "long-term economic headwinds meant the Federal Reserve could afford to be "patient and deliberate in its actions". "The likely path of rates is going to be flatter, much flatter than weve ever experienced historically," Kaplan said. "I think the markets have gotten plenty of notice that we are looking for opportunities to remove accommodation," he said. Trading in the major currency pairs was considerably more staid, with the European single currency off by 0.24% to 1.1233 and the US dollar 0.20% stronger against the Japanese yen at 102.69. Cable was in fact higher, riisng 0.21% to 1.3267. The market is now looking ahead to a speech scheduled for Monday by the Feds Lael Brainard, a leading 'dove', for any signs of a change in her stance. Fed funds futures were left pricing in 30% odds of a September rate hike by the close of trading on Friday, after having indicated as much as a 38% probability of such a scenario at one point in Fridays session. Buy shares in Dunelm Group , said the Sunday Times' Inside the City column. On Wednesday the home furnishings retailer is due to publish its first annual results under new chief executive John Browett. In the final three months of the year the FSTE 250 company - a sort of cut-price John Lewis that should do well if the economy suffers a slowdown post-Brexit - saw like-for-like sales fall 0.6%, not helped by an earlier Easter and a extra week the year before, with total sales up 2.5%. It has a good dividend history. Dunelm's share have not recovered all their losses since the EU referendum vote and CEO Browett also has a shot at redemption with the company. After a premature exit from his roles as Apple's retail chief and a short stint heading Monsoon Accessorise, following a senior role at Tesco and as CEO of Dixons Retail, Browett was brought in by the founding Adderly family to fine-tune the business not for a total overhaul. For Browett, who has looked at managing stock levels and expanding store numbers into London, this will be a big week. Shares in Green REIT are worth holding, according to Questor in the Sunday Telegraph. The real estate investment trust, which has final results due on Monday, is focused on developing office space and industrial parks in Ireland, where the property market is seeing green shoots after a tough few years. What may boost the Irish market further is the opportunity from Brexit, with finance sector companies looking to move to a nearby EU country - and Dublin offers the same language and a supportive tax regime. As well as weak levels of consumer confidence, the Apple tax wrangle remains a major sword above the head of the Ireland's tax haven - though it should not put too many companies off. Green REIT has been improving its debt levels recently by selling off some non-core parts of the portfolio, which has helped the stock outdo the sector benchmark. If Monday's results are positive that should also provide a extra fillip, with some brokers seeing potential for the 1.46 shares to add another 40 cents in the medium-term. Red Pharma is a bargain for the long-term, said Midas in the Mail on Sunday, but be warned - founder chief executive Neil Murray is likely to need to raise further funds before the end of next year. Shares in RedX have sunk to below 27p since they were floated at more than three times that level in March last year. The strategy is to improve existing or close-to-market cancer, infectious diseases and immunology drugs to make them more effective. To be chosen for further development by Redx, drug compounds must have already been tested to some degree, there must be limited competition and the resulting Redx drug must be the best in the market. For example, Murray expects to move into clinical trials late next year on a version of a leukaemia drug that is designed to be more effective for longer than a similar drug produced by Johnson & Johnson and AbbVie. Elsewhere, trials earlier next year are planned for a treatment for pancreatic, breast and head and neck cancers that will target cancer stem cells in these areas of the body - a variation of a treatment first developed by Swiss giant Novartis. There's also a joint venture with the NHS focusing on hospital superbug MRSA and a collaboration with AstraZeneca on certain treatments. There was 14m cash in the bank at last look and the company will be back for more before long. Please note: Digital Look provides a round-up of news, tips and information that is impacting share prices and the market. Digital Look cannot take any responsibility for information provided by third parties. This is for your general information only and not intended to be relied upon by users in making an investment decision or any other decision. Please obtain a copy of the relevant publication and carry out your own research before considering acting on any of this information. Bottom line: How did the Buckeyes grade vs. Penn State? Grading Ryan Day and the rest of the Buckeyes after Ohio State's win over Penn State. At least 151 people have been killed and 82 others injured in a deadly stampede in Seoul's Itaewon district as huge crowds of partygoers, many in their late teens and 20s, converge... October is National Bullying Prevention month. We have all heard the phrase bullying, but what does it actually mean? Bullying is defined as unwanted aggressive behavior; observed or perceived power imbalance; repetition of behaviors or high likelihood of repetition. Bullying is unfortunately a reality for far too many in our communities both young and old. Much like any other form of violence, bullying is not isolated to any particular age group, gender or demography. Just about everyone of us can look back in our lives and recall a time where either we were personally bullied or witnessed one of our friends or schoolmates being bullied. Its hard to believe that with all of the advancements and awareness, this type of behavior still exists, but it does and with the advent of social media, it had actually gotten much worse. This is because unlike in the past, the bully not only impacts your life on the playground or classroom; they now are able to follow you into your personal life due to the constant presence of social media. There is good news in that we have learned a great deal about what creates these bullies and how to neutralize their ability to isolate and intimidate. The key is for those in authority to respond to reports of bullying immediately to show without question that bullying will not be acceptable. That message needs to follow to our homes with the messages we send our children not only by what we say but by our own actions in how we treat fellow adults. Bullying is without question a learned behavior. It is learned on the playground, in the classroom and follows through to the workplace and social interactions as adults. We need to send a strong message to our own children, a message of empathy and compassion not of ridicule and rumor. Who are at risk of bullying the most? Typically those who are bullied have one or more of the following risks: Are perceived as different from their peers, such as being overweight or underweight, wearing glasses or different clothing, being new to a school, or being unable to afford what kids consider cool Are perceived as weak or unable to defend themselves Are depressed, anxious, or have low self esteem Are less popular than others and have few friends Do not get along well with others, seen as annoying or provoking, or antagonize others for attention However, even if a child has these risk factors, it doesnt mean that they will be bullied. The important lesson is that we as adults set the tone for how the next generation will interact with each other. Chances are if we show acceptance of others, our children will show acceptance of others. If we engage in demeaning others or spreading rumors, our children will follow suit. So often we as adults underestimate the influence, we have not only on our own children but even those who dont know us but witness our behavior. While school or workplace policies are an important component, the only way to truly decrease bullying is by denying the bully their victim. We do this by raising strong, confident, resilient children, and speaking out and supporting those who find themselves on the receiving end of this type of behavior. We are all teachers in life lessons and we teach by our actions. Lets all be aware of what we teach. By Emily J. Gertz For decades, coal-fired power dominated the U.S. energy supplyand was a leading source of greenhouse gas emissions. But a combination of factors including cheap natural gas, stronger pollution controls, increasing investment in renewable power and improved energy efficiency have pushed coals share of the energy market down to 33 percent and with it the carbon-intensive fuels share of the nations greenhouse pollution. Natural-gas-fired power equaled coals 1.5 billion metric tons of carbon pollution in 2015, according to the report, while natural gas use was 81 percent higher than coals. As a result, this year will be the first when CO2 emissions from coal-fired power plants drop below those from natural gas, according to a new analysis from the federal Energy Information Agency (EIA). Natural-gas-fired power equaled coals 1.5 billion metric tons of carbon pollution in 2015, according to the report, while natural gas use was 81 percent higher than coals. The EIA estimates that natural gas share of energy-related CO2 will exceed that of still-declining coal by about 10 percent this year. CO2 emissions are the leading driver of global warming and make up 81 percent of the nations known 6.8 billion metric tons of annual greenhouse gas pollution, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). About 50 percent of those emissions come from burning fossil fuels to generate electricity and power industrial facilities. Coal has been declining fairly steadily since around 2007, said Doug Vine, senior energy fellow at the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions, a climate and energy think tank. Some of the initial declines were a result of the Great Recession. But in the middle of the recession was when we began to experience the large natural gas boom. Natural Gas Emissions to Surpass Coal for First Time in 44 Years via @EcoWatch https://t.co/9AjKtps98t #fracking Green Bean (@iamgreenbean) August 19, 2016 A 2012 EPA regulation sharply reducing legal levels of mercury, arsenic and other toxic pollutants from smokestacks has also pushed utilities to invest in alternatives to coal-fired power, Vine said. While environmentalists have long advocated an end to coal-fired power for the sake of both the climate and public health, some say that increasing reliance on natural gas is the wrong energy strategy. The report is a reminder that, as I say, theres good news and bad news about natural gas, said David Hawkins, the director of the climate program at the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC). The good news is gas has half the carbon of coal and the bad news is gas has half the carbon of coal. To avoid catastrophic climate change, we have to move our society to a zero-emission economy, in a period of time that is less than the eligibility date for Social Security of kids being born today, he added. It makes sense to keep using the existing natural gas power plants to keep backing out of coal, but we have to invest in new zero-emissions energy sources like wind, solar and efficiency rather than continuing to spend billions of dollars on new natural gas infrastructure. The primary ingredient of natural gas is methane, a greenhouse gas about four times more powerful at trapping heat than CO2. Methane accounts for 11 percent of known U.S. greenhouse emissions, according to the EPA. But leaks from natural gas and oil production infrastructure, leading sources of methane pollution, are not included in that figure. Just one recent incident, the massive natural gas leak at Californias Aliso Canyon storage field between October 2015 and February 2016, added the equivalent of around 4 million metric tons of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere. A recent NASA study determined that around 250 methane leaks from natural gas and oil facilities, spread across 1,200-square-miles of the Four Corners area, where Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and Utah meet, were the sources of a 2,500-square-mile cloud of methane hanging over the region. There is a lot of uncertainty about how much methane is leaking and from where. Ive seen estimates from 1 to 9 percent of total production escaping, said Jeff Deyette, a senior energy analyst with the Union of Concerned Scientists. It doesnt take much methane to leak before it becomes on par worse than coal from a total emissions standpoint. Thats another risk factor of utilities continuing to switch from coal to natural gas and policy makers pushing for more use of natural gas. Both NRDC and Union of Concerned Scientists advocate stronger regulations to control methane leaks. But gas prices are so cheap right now, that the industry isnt investing in the technologies to capture and close up those leaks, Deyette said. Vine agreed that given the importance of keeping global temperature increases under 3.6 degrees Fahrenheitthe goal set by the Paris climate agreementreliance on natural gas for energy would not be a good long-term strategy for the U.S. Natural gas can be thought of as a complementary component to wind and solar while those resources continue to expand, because most of the natural gas electricity-generating technologies can be ramped up and down flexibly. He also saw a role for U.S. sales of natural gas to industrializing economies seeking to lower their own greenhouse gas emissions. It allows us to export a lower-emitting fuel to places like China and India, Vine said. It can help some developing countries by offering them alternatives to coal, a higher-emitting fossil fuel. Developing countries have plenty of renewable energy potential, Deyette countered. Were not trying to put landlines through all of Africa, right? Were using cell phone technology. In the same vein, we dont want to swap one fossil fuel out for another when we have the capacity to leapfrog to totally renewable technologies in those countries. We should be exporting renewable energy, grid integration and battery technologies as a country, he said. That should be our priority. This article was reposted with permission from our media associate TakePart. NEWPORT BEACH, CALIF. As the spread of Zika virus continues to garner attention in the national spotlight, two other mosquito-borne viral infections pose a potential threat to the United States: dengue fever and chikungunya. At the annual meeting of the Pacific Dermatologic Association, Iris Z. Ahronowitz, MD, shared tips on how to spot and diagnose patients with these viral infections. Dr. Iris Z. Ahronowitz You really need to use all the data at your disposal, including a thorough symptom history, a thorough exposure history, and of course, our most important tool in all of this: our eyes, said Dr. Ahronowitz, a dermatologist at the University of Southern California, Los Angeles. Reaching a diagnosis involves asking about epidemiologic exposure, symptoms, morphology, and performing confirmatory testing by PCR and/or ELISA. Unfortunately we are not getting these results very quickly, she said. Sometimes the turn-around time can be 3 weeks or longer. She discussed the case of a 32-year-old woman who had returned from travel to Central Mexico (J Am Acad Dermatol. 2008;58[2]:308-16). Two days later, she developed fever, fatigue, and retro-orbital headache, as well as flushing macular erythema over the chest. Three days later, she developed a generalized morbilliform eruption. Her white blood cell count was 1.5, platelets were 37, aspartate aminotransferase was 124 and alanine aminotransferase was 87. The differential diagnosis for morbilliform eruption plus fever in a returning traveler is extensive, Dr. Ahronowitz said, including measles, chikungunya, West Nile virus, Onyong-nyong fever, Mayaro virus, Sindbis virus, Ross river disease, Ebola/Marburg, dengue, and Zika. Bacterial/rickettsial possibilities include typhoid fever, typhus, and leptospirosis. World Health Organization This photomicrograph depicts changes found in a liver tissue specimen extracted from a dengue hemorrhagic fever patient in Thailand. The patient was ultimately diagnosed with dengue virus, a mosquito-borne flavivirus. Five serotypes have been identified, the most recent in 2013. According to Dr. Ahronowitz, dengue ranks as the most common febrile illness in travelers returning from the Caribbean, South American, and Southeast Asia. There are up to 100 million cases every year, 40% of the world population is at risk, and an estimated 80% of people are asymptomatic carriers, which is facilitating the spread of this disease, she said. The most common vector is Aedes aegypti, a daytime biting mosquito that is endemic to the tropics and subtropics. But a new vector is emerging, A. albopictus, which is common in temperate areas. Both types of mosquitoes are in the United States, and theyre spreading rapidly, she said. This is probably due to a combination of climate change and international travel. Dengue classically presents with sudden onset of fevers, headaches, and particularly retro-orbital pain, severe myalgia; 50%-82% of cases develop a distinctive rash. While most viruses have nonspecific lab abnormalities, one that can be very helpful to you with suspected dengue is thrombocytopenia, she said. The incubation period ranges from 3 to 14 days. Rashes associated with dengue are classically biphasic and sequential. The initial rash occurs within 24-48 hours of symptom onset and is often mistaken for sunburn, with a flushing erythema of the face, neck, and chest. Three to five days later, a subsequent rash develops that starts out as a generalized morbilliform eruption but becomes confluent with petechiae and islands of sparing. Its been described as white islands in a sea of red, Dr. Ahronowitz said. A more severe form of the disease, dengue hemorrhagic fever, is characterized by extensive purpura and bleeding from mucosa, GI tract, and injection sites. The patients who get this have prior immunity to a different serotype, she said. This is thought to be due to a phenomenon called antibody-dependent enhancement whereby the presence of preexisting antibodies facilitates entry of the virus and produces a more robust inflammatory response. Most of these patients, even the ones with severe dengue, recover fully. The most common long-term sequela were seeing is chronic fatigue. The diagnosis is made with viral PCR from serum less than 7 days from onset of symptoms, or IgM ELISA more than 4 days from onset of symptoms. The treatment is supportive care with fluid resuscitation and analgesia; theres no specific treatment. Do not give NSAIDs, which can potentiate hemorrhage; give acetaminophen for pain and fevers, she advised. A tetravalent vaccine is now available for dengue. Prevention is so important because there is no treatment. Next, Dr. Ahronowitz discussed the case of a 38-year-old man who returned from travel to Bangladesh (Int J Dermatol. 2008;47[1]:1148-52). Two days after returning he developed fever to 104 degrees, headaches, and cervical lymphadenopathy. Three days after returning, he developed severe pain in the wrist, knees, and ankles, and a rash. This rash was not specific, it was a morbilliform eruption primarily on the chest, she said. How will pursuing a postgraduate degree abroad help me? The appeal of studying in a new country and culture attracts many Indian students abroad, but the specific academic benefits of studying at a university in a different culture can be pleasantly surprising as well. For instance, an international education offers an opportunity to study with leading academics in your field alongside a motivated group of peers from different cultures around the globe. For postgraduate students, well-known universities offer the chance to take advantage of a variety of Masters courses, contribute to groundbreaking research, explore a subject in depth, and learn new perspectives from fellow students. Contrary to what the papers say about the UK, Indian students are as welcome as ever at British universities. In the UK, there are universities which provide more flexibility in developing independent research projects than students might find at home. In addition, students receive an array of support beyond their course, including scholarships, careers advice and alumni networking groups. Thus, whether you are looking for a unique preparation for returning to life in India or a first step to an international career, graduate study abroad can be a springboard if you are willing to make the most of it. Nadia Pollini, director of graduate admissions, University of Oxford, UK What do I need to keep in mind while selecting a college/location? Will a PG degree from another country open global employment opportunities for me? Indian students interested in studying for a postgraduate degree overseas should not go by university rankings blindly. I would recommend considering the following three elements in the decision-making process: 1. Career goals: Ask yourself what do you see yourself doing in the future, what makes you happy and which course can lead you towards your career ambition. 2. Geography: Incorporate the geography into your decision-making process. More often than not, your career opportunities will depend on the place you study in. For instance, it would be difficult to find a job in the UK if you complete your degree in the US and vice versa. 3. School fit: The schools personality should match yours. Think about what attracts you and whether you will be a good fit for the school. You would be surprised to know how different even the best of schools can be. For example, while one school might be reputed for finance degrees, another may be known for technology and entrepreneurship. Schools may also differ in their student personalities. Studying in different countries such as the US, Germany and Singapore has been an enriching experience; it has changed my personality and outlook, strengthened my business acumen and provided me exposure to the economic, cultural and political environment around the world. Pursuing a degree overseas helps you develop your soft and hard skills. Regardless of whether you wish to work in the public, private or not-for-profit sector, to be a world-class leader, you are expected to move with relative ease from one industry and country to another. And studying abroad enhances your skills on personal, professional and academic fronts, enabling you to succeed in any environment globally. Dilparinder Singh, MBA student, Ross School of Business, University of Michigan, US How do I fund my studies and when do I begin the application process? International institutions are now easier to access. Location preferences are no longer limited to the US, Australia and the UK. Students and parents make choices based on courses, career outcomes and return on investments. Parents realise that education overseas is becoming increasingly affordable not cheaper, but certainly affordable. There are emerging and speciality destinations which can be less expensive; there are various education loan schemes by reputable private providers, minority incentives, such as those for girls and religious and caste minorities, as well as merit- and need-based scholarships. Decisions are now based on academic streams rather than destinations. Some popular choices among upcoming destinations include Singapore and Dubai for management courses; Ireland and New Zealand for science and technology; Canada for animation and media courses and Europe for luxury brand management and hospitality programmes. Parents and students who intend to study overseas need to start the active process at least a year in advance and the information-gathering exercise about two years earlier. Usually, starting early allows you to invest in the right instruments to show the necessary funding for the visa. However, if that does not happen, there are education loan options which students can consider. Shireen Ardeshir, International education counsellor What is the range of options and average costs? US Technology and management (tuition fee: US$25,000-30,000 a year; living expenses on campus: US$800, off campus US$500 a month) UK Economics and management (tuition fee: GBP 18,000 a year; living expenses: on campus GBP 1,000, off campus GBP 900 a month) Singapore Technology and management (tuition fee: S$30,000 a year; living expenses: on campus S$1,400, off campus S$1,200 a month) Italy Design, art and management (tuition fee: 20,000 euros a year; living expenses: on campus 1,000 euros, off campus 800 euros a month) Germany Technology and biological sciences (tuition fee: 20,000 euros per year; living expenses: on campus 1,000 euros, off campus 900 euros a month) Note: PhD programmes are largely fully funded by universities in all countries, except perhaps the UK where not all are funded. Shekhar Niyogi, Overseas education counsellor Indicative Listing What are the recent changes you have introduced at the school? There are several developments at the school. This year, we launched a campus in the Washington DC area, not far from our main campus, for our MBA for executives programme. We have expanded our global offerings via global consulting projects and immersion courses to enable our students to have opportunities in nearly 28 countries. Second, we have increased scholarship support and now provide full financial aid (including tuition, room and board) for international students. Many Indian scholars from the IITs win full or partial tuition scholarships. Our class composition is diverse, with almost 40% women and one-third international students. We have also made several enhancements to our residential MBA programme. They include the introduction of a required experiential course, courses taught in Silicon Valley and additional opportunities to enrich and customise learning. In response to the changing landscape of skills required to be a successful leaders, we introduced a live field project called Innovation, Design and Entrepreneurship in Action or IDEA. The course enables students to work on real-world, global projects of consequence, which have a high degree of ambiguity and uncertainty. Students are organised in teams to tackle live field projects over seven weeks. The challenges are sponsored by corporations, government agencies or nonprofit organisations. We also introduced the Darden Academy to the first year experience, which began last fall. This is a cross-curricular programme scheduled every Tuesday to enrich the learning experience for first year students. It provides opportunities for students to strengthen core skills, explore the connections between classroom topics and current global challenges, reflect on their goals as leaders, connect class learning to practise, engage in meaningful discussions that strengthen our community and build confidence so they can engage more effectively in class. What brings you to India? India is an important part of the global economy and the business landscape. Our school has many partners and alumni in India, which is an important market for us to recruit future business leaders. We have faculty from India and our students study here during one of the four global residencies, which our Global MBA for executives take. Specifically, over the course of my visit, we held three alumni and prospective student events, which I attended, in Delhi, Bangalore and Mumbai. What are the key trends in business education ? The need for business education and credibility-building is rising, but the delivery mechanisms are increasingly fragmented. We are seeing increased interest in experiential learning, an emphasis on entrepreneurship and innovation, and a surge in technology as a platform for learning, among other trends. The business education space is becoming more global. Customised executive education is trending now. Students today want active learning that prepares them to meet real-world challenges. They also want to customise their programme. More students are pursuing entrepreneurial careers, whether they start their venture or spearhead innovation within a company. Students can incubate, launch or accelerate their company at Darden while doing their MBA. A new option in our EMBA programme allows students to build their company full-time while studying. Over the last 10 years, we have seen a gradual increase in the number of our residential MBA students listing entrepreneurship as their career after completing their MBA. Technology is changing at a rapid clip and creating educational opportunities. Not only do many students pursue jobs in technology, more than 1.5 million people have taken courses online, the majority from abroad. Additionally, among the top schools, the trend is to become even more global. Not only are strong, competitive MBA programmes emerging all over the world, at the top business schools, the focus is on developing managers ready to operate in a more complex, global and interconnected world. Companies are also demanding more customised executive education programmes. This translates into a global war for talent at the student, faculty and administration level. What are your views on the future of business education? The business model for MBA education (like most education, services and even products) is being unbundled. There is a proliferation of certificates, competencies, credentialling and alternative degree programmes. If you want a specific skill, you can get that. If you want a transformational experience, you can get that. However, the importance of a business education, an MBA, remains significant. Millennials have 40- or even 45-year careers ahead of them and they are going to need to have a changing skill set across that time. The generation needs to know how to learn. Traits such as generating trust and ethical leadership are at the core, but the need be able to work in teams and virtually is essential. Many aspects of our functional knowledge are going to need to be refreshed throughout our careers in a rapidly changing world. What is becoming commoditised is generic functional knowledge, but how to apply that across functions is becoming more valuable. To do that, student need to learn how to learn and retool themselves, and know how to get things done in an increasingly complex world across boundaries. Universities must focus on creating the skills needed to be a CEO. The companies that we talk to state that they need people who know how to collaborate and work as a team. That advice is what we teach students. Cartagena, Colombia, Sep 11 (EFE).- San Pedro Claver, the Spanish Jesuit who devoted his life to the service of the slaves who arrived at Cartagena in the 17th century, will have a role in Colombia's signing of the peace pact with the FARC guerrillas for being a pioneer in the defense of human rights. Upon announcing Cartagena as the site for the signing of the peace pact on Sept. 26, Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos linked the date with San Pedro Claver, also known as St. Peter Claver, a "great defender of human rights," a happy coincidence if one keeps in mind that the victims of the lengthy internal conflict were the focus of the negotiations between the government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, rebels. Pedro Claver Corbero was born in Verdu, Catalonia, in northeastern Spain, in June 1580 and was ordained a priest on March 19, 1616, in Cartagena, where he worked with slaves brought from Africa during the Spanish colonial era and died in September 1654. His church, where his remains rest within the main altar, is located in the city's historic center, to the side of the convent where he spent the greater part of his life and which is now a museum. "Scarcely had the ships with the slaves arrived, when he looked from the little window of his room and said, 'It's Christ who is coming to me,' and then he went with his translators and assistants and took them food, medicine, first aid, aided the dying ones in passing away, showed them a little mercy," Father Jorge Camacho, the parish priest of the Church of San Pedro, told EFE. Father Camacho said that one of the most telling scenes in the life of San Pedro Claver was when he visited the large "haciendas" or farms, "because he never went into the homes of the hacienda owners" and was welcomed "in the ... shacks of the ... slaves, even the most humble among them." According to Father Camacho, San Pedro Claver "is the precursor of the right to life, the right to nourishment, the right to health," and his example as a model of peace is today more relevant than ever. He said that on Sunday, just two weeks before the signing of the peace accord that will put an end to 52 years of armed internal conflict in Colombia, one must "think about the fact that peace is something that should unite us as Colombians and not put us at odds whether the 'yes' or the 'no' wins" in the Oct. 2 plebiscite in which the public will decide whether or not to approve the peace agreement with the FARC. "It seems incredible to me that in this country we have to explain that peace is better than war ... but ... we're blind as in the epoch of San Pedro Claver, and it's not our fault. In (his) time, we thought that slavery was ... normal," he said. The Colombian government has not yet confirmed that Cartagena will be the site for the signing of the peace pact, but some feel that the little plaza in front of the baroque Church of San Pedro Claver designed by German and Dutch architects, would be the ideal site for the historic encounter. Jerry Coyne and I have been debating (on the Internet) several issues as of late. These debates tend to center on philosophical issues the merits of materialism, the existence of free will, the existence of God, and the like. Coynes basic understanding of philosophy and theology, let alone the actual positions he takes, leave a lot to be desired, in my view. Coynes response to criticisms of his philosophical and theological naivete is to complain about sophisticated theology, in which he mocks classical philosophy and theology as pretentious jargon without meaningful substance. He posts a cartoon titled sophisticated medicine that shows a medical professor lecturing to students about Hippocratic medical therapies rephrased in modern terminology. His implication is that we should jettison traditional philosophy because it is irrelevant to modern science. He gets the analogy wrong. Medicine is an empirical natural science and its relation to ancient medicine is mostly historical. Philosophy is a quite different discipline that depends critically on logic and on metaphysics. Unlike medicine, logic and metaphysics dont have an expiration date. A better analogy to the importance of classical philosophy to modern thought would be a mathematics professor lecturing about geometry. Modern geometry depends critically on ancient geometry. The Pythagorean theorem remains central to plane geometry, and most of modern geometry is Euclidean. A professor who lectured on geometry and ignored Euclidean geometry would be committing educational malpractice. A commentator who opines on nature or free will or Gods existence and who is ignorant of classical philosophy is committing intellectual malpractice. Everyone has a metaphysical perspective. Metaphysics is the predicate for thought. The question is: Does a person understand his own metaphysical perspective, and is it coherent and logical metaphysics? Metaphysics is an ancient discipline, and most of the basic theories date to the classical Greeks. Coynes materialist perspective is a dumbed-down version of Democritus and Epicurus (and the Roman Lucretius). The scandal is that Coyne doesnt know what he doesnt know, and he boasts of his ignorance. In this sense he is an archetypal New Atheist. Photo: Expiration date, by Mattes (own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons. of Hi Jessica, and welcome to the forum. Just a word about what you're asking for - limiting yourself to "English speaking" doctors may not be such a good idea. Though the situation for finding English speaking doctors has changed in the 4 or 5 years since this thread was last active. Probably the easiest way to find a doctor (or OB-GYN) will be to check the medical listing services online - like Doctolib, or Maiia or whatever is used in the area to which you are headed. These generally give lots of information about the doctors who are listed, including what languages they speak. Another good source for this is the Annuaire sante listing on Ameli.fr. Ameli is the French health service's portal for information and assistance for the public health program. The doctor listings in Ameli often include language spoken. Though to be honest, just because a practitioner admits to speaking English doesn't mean they are eager to do so with a new patient. And some doctors are much more receptive to trying to speak English to you once you have shown that you're at least trying to speak some French with them. (Being in any medical profession here is stressful at the best of times, due to a severe shortage of doctors and other practitioners in some areas, exacerbated by an unusually large proportion of doctors arriving at or nearing retirement age in the next few years.) Midwives (sage-femmes) are also listed on Doctolib (and probably also on other appointment services). Probably not a bad idea to start learning how to use the online reference sites now. They're in French, but can usually be translated using a translation app or a browser like Chrome. Do try to learn a few of the key terms in French, though, just in case you can't find someone entirely fluent in English. Or, do like I used to do before medical appointments and look up the terms you need to explain your situation and write them down. If you get nervous or flustered or something, you can always pull out your list and point. Showing that you've taken a bit of effort on your part often serves as a major ice breaker with medical people. But maternity care in France is usually top notch anyhow, so you're in good hands. Hi, I lost my last account on here, but I am curious to ask your guys' opinion on my current situation. I'm an American in Osaka, Japan at the moment, until Novermer-ish, and I don't want to leave Asia. I want to end up in Thailand in the long run but I figured I might be better off in the phils for a few months prior. I only get about 35k peso/mo and would probably be in the tarlac or tagaytay area. Also, how is the visa situation over there? As an American I'm pretty sure I have an initial 30+ day stay, but how would I go about extending that or turning it into a longer term visa? Thanks I submitted mine through the Edinburgh VFS office on August 19th. I was quoted a minimum of 32 working days processing time. I received a call from the VFS London office a day later, asking me to send in a letter of undertaking for repatriation and also undertaking to maintain a valid passport. The more evidence you can show of commitment to SA, the better. Drop me a PM and I'll be happy to share more info. Saturday, September 10, 2016 The Presidential nominee of the party whose convention featured a fat naked guy running around on stage found himself being the focus of the news this week, and not in a good way. On MSNBCs Morning Joeyou know, that astute, objective news commentary show with a co-host who says Hillary Clinton is, like awesome! there was this exchange between Libertarian Party candidate, Gov. Gary Johnson and one of the shows panelists, Mike Barnicle: Barnicle: What would you do if you were elected about Aleppo? Johnson: About? Barnicle: Aleppo Johnson: And what is Aleppo? Barnicle: Youre kidding. Johnson: No. Barnicle explained that Aleppo is a once thriving city in Syria that is ground zero for the countrys civil war. Johnson replied, Got it, and provided the wisdom that With regard to Syria I do think its a mess. He elaborated, but as CNNs Frida Ghitis wrote, Who cares what Johnson thinks about Syria now? He knows nothing about it. His opinion is meaningless. Well, not exactly meaningless. What his failure to have an informed opinion on a major foreign policy crisis like Syria means is that Gary Johnson is lazy, lacks seriousness, and is failing his duty to he party and the nation, which is to provide a realistic, responsible, genuine alternative to the candidates of the two major parties, both of whom are spectacularly unfit to serve, unfit for office, and embarrassments to the democratic process who call into serious question the long term viability of both our form of government and the nation itself. Did I sugar-coat that too much? A majority of voters dont like or trust either candidate, even with the news media abandoning all fairness and professionalism to portray Donald Trump as Hitler and Hillary as a poor, maligned, misunderstood leader despite all evidence to the contrary. A third party candidate with charisma, competence, energy and skill could, conceivably, provide the public with an option that would allow them to vote in November without wanting to keep paper bags over their heads forever more. This is not just an opportunity to become a significant historical figure, but a heroic one. When this horrible national ethics train wreck began to define itself in July, Johnson knew the challenge that faced him. In just a few months, he had to dazzle nauseated Democrats and humiliated Republican alike. This meant around the clock study and thought. And Johnsons response to this challenge? ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ. He snoozed. He knows hes just running a symbolic campaign, so why sweat it? This is a self-fulfilling prophecy. Act like a third-rate candidate, and everyone will see you as a third-rate candidate, even though the effort to be just a second-rate candidate might give the electorate hope. Johnsons spinners-yes, even third-party candidates have spinnersargued that Johnson showed character, a feature that has been nearly completely absent from Campaign 2016 so far, in his exchange with Barnicle. He didnt fake it, like Trump would. He didnt lie, like Hillary wouldOh, you mean Aleppo the city! Im sorry, I thought you were talking about one of Marx Brothers I had never heard of! Thats certainly faint praise. Okay, Johnsons not a faker or a liarnor, like Jill Stein, his Green Party counterpart, an anti-vaxxer and a Truther. Hes also not trying very hard. To know what Aleppo is didnt require arcane foreign studies. (We know how unimportant libertarians think foreign policy is.) It required paying attention. It required reading newspapers and watching TV. It required that Johnson work to be qualified for the job he was seeking, so those rejecting the two major parties candidates as the dreck that they are could see that he was a real candidate for the office, not just a none of the above choice, like Harambe the Gorilla. He couldnt be bothered. At this moment of leadership vacuum and despair, Gary Johnson didnt care enough to to the grunt work necessary to be electable. Sunday, September 11, 2016 Yes, as long as the written agreement between the Host and Tenant provides for this situation. The key factors that the TTB will consider in evaluating the relationship include: Authority of the independent contractor and the degree of central/decision-making exercised by independent contractor The proprietor whose product is being manufactured must exercise its own decision-making authority. The Hosts employees may be consultants to the proprietor, but may not be the ultimate decision-maker. This is especially the case for day to day operational matters such as bottles, storage and management of the operations. To be compliant, the tenant producer must issue written work orders and operational guidelines. It is acceptable for the proprietor to give limited discretion and authority to the consultant, but it must retain ultimate decision-making control for itself. Similarly, auditors and inspectors should be able to discuss all records and reports with the principals of the Tenant business. The Tenant proprietor cannot abdicate its responsibility to an independent contractors employees or consultants. Doing so will be a violation for inadequate control. It is important that the Tenant producer have separate records. A subaccount of the hosts records will not be adequate. The Tenant must independently have access and control of its separate records, without going through the account or records of another business. (Yes, a separate user ID is needed and will have to be purchased) Cooperation is a core value and practice within the craft beverage industry. However; the road ends here at record keeping. These duties are required of each business separately. Failure to comply is completely at the liability and responsibility of the tenant for its operations at the altering premises. Owning and Operating a Brewery, Cidery, Distillery & Winery has become an Increasingly Nuanced Profession Regulations, licensure and legal risks are always evolving, and working with an attorney who is up to date on the latest strategies is essential for advising you how to minimize and maximize opportunities. Schedule your Business Strategy Session with by emailing our office at team@tracyjonglawfirm.com today About Tracy Jong Tracy Jong has been an attorney for more than 20 years, representing restaurants, bars, and craft beverage manufacturers in a wide array of legal matters. She is also a licensed patent attorney. Her book Everything You Need To Know About Obtaining and Maintaining a New York Retail Liquor License: The Definitive Guide to Navigating the State Liquor Authority will be available next month on Amazon.com as a softcover and Kindle e-book. Her legal column is available in The Equipped Brewer, a publication giving business advice, trends, and vendor reviews to help craft breweries, cideries, distilleries and wineries build brands and succeed financially. She also maintains a website and blog with practical information on legal and business issues affecting the industry. Follow her, sign up for her free firm app or monthly newsletter. www.TracyJongLawFirm.com TJong@TracyJongLawFirm.com Facebook: Tracy Jong Law Firm Twitter: @TJLawFirm LinkedIn: Tracy Jong Tracy Jong Law Firm Sunday, September 11, 2016 Its no wonder that Sully is having a boffo opening weekend. Directed by Clint Eastwood, this Hollywood version of the emergency water landing of a large jet with 150 passengers and 5 crew members tells a tale of calm under pressure and incredible bravery. You may have watched the unbelievable January 15, 2009 real-time footage that showed people standing on the wings of the damaged plane as it sank into the icy Hudson River. Perhaps you clapped as New York City boat operators and helicopter pilots pulled everyone to safety with lightning speed. Surely it was a great day in the Big Apple. Everyone was chatting about the Miracle of the Hudson. While the film (based on the bestselling book) spins a riveting tale of a disaster averted and the investigation that followed, it also reinforces important concepts that apply to the world of risk management Experience, Team Work and Decisiveness. During an inquiry by the National Transportation Safety Board, the point was made, based on flight simulation results, that Captain Chesley Sully Sullenberg and First Officer Jeffrey Skiles had sufficient time to return to LaGuardia Airport. As the movie progresses, the Sully character (played wonderfully by Tom Hanks) explains why it is inappropriate to assume that he and his colleague would have been able to instantaneously assess the situation and immediately return to the departure gate. When the simulations are repeated, this time adding thirty-five seconds to allow for the reality that humans are not robots, faux crashes occur. The implication is that the Hudson landing was the right thing to do. During an interview with actress Laura Linney about her role as Sullys wife, she affirms this message that Experience counts more than a computer simulation, more than an algorithm. Actual human experience is a valuable thing I heartily agree with her. Notably, Mr. Eastwood is still working his inspirational magic at the age of eighty six, sharing his experience with moviegoers around the world. Throughout my career, Ive seen upfront and close how certain markets dont behave as expected or models may falter when surprise exogenous shocks occur. Seasoned and knowledgeable professionals who understand the limits of an auto approach and use their judgment should be commended, not impugned. I have often said that risk managers need to spend serious time in the field and not rely on textbooks alone. Unanticipated stuff happens. The true account and its celluloid depiction likewise lend credence to the importance of working together as a team and avoiding paralysis by analysis. The real life Sully has always credited his colleagues, including three well-trained flight attendants and of course the co-pilot (played with panache by Aaron Eckhart). During his sit-down for CBS, Captain Sullenberger said of the first responders, Thank you seems totally inadequate. I have a debt of gratitude that I fear I may never be able to repay. To anyone who enjoys popcorn and drama, Sully is a must-see but go too for the poignant reminder that kindness counts. I dont know if its release this weekend was by design but the film debuts when millions around the world mark the fifteenth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks on U.S. soil. Shortly after those horrific events, I visited the Wall Street areas where I had gone to graduate school and worked. The devastation was heartbreaking. Going in and out of Grand Central, it was no less sad to see photographs of missing persons, posted by worried family members and friends. I agree with The Wrap reporter Beatrice Verhoeven who describes Sully as a joyful story one that evokes 9/11 without its tragedy and celebrates the heroism of first responders without forcing viewers to re-live the agony. Lets remember them all. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate I shouldnt have been surprised by Leticia Van de Puttes endorsement of Ivy Taylor. After all, in a world where Axl and Slash can put aside their differences, where Kevin Durant gives up trying to beat the Golden State Warriors and decides to join them, no public conflict qualifies as insurmountable. But I had a front-row seat for the non-handshake heard round the 410 Loop, and thats why Im surprised. When Taylor refused to shake Van de Puttes hand at the end of a June 1, 2015 debate on Texas Public Radio, it wasnt a calculated bit of political theater. This was real resentment bubbling up, unconstrained by the laws of political decorum. Van de Putte angered Taylor during their runoff race by dredging up a 2014 drive-by shooting outside the bail-bond office of Taylors husband, Rodney. Taylors husband declined to file a complaint with the San Antonio Police Department, a decision that Van de Putte framed as a failure to help law enforcement get criminals off the streets. Most politicians recognize that character assassination is an occupational hazard of their job, but when family members start getting maligned, emotional boundary lines are crossed. Thats why Edmund Muskie melted down during the 1972 New Hampshire primary campaign, after the Manchester Union Leader accused his wife of making drunken, off-color jokes. Its why Ted Cruz couldnt forgive Donald Trumps attacks on his wife and father, but Marco Rubio got over Trump calling him Little Marco. When Taylor rejected Van de Puttes handshake, Van de Putte seemed amazed that her opponent had taken the attacks so personally. Minutes after the debate ended, Van de Putte walked around the TPR studio, greeting everyone with a look that seemed to say, Do you believe what just happened? On one level, the former state senators recent about-face is easy to understand. Van de Putte has no intention of running for office again, and, in her new occupation as a lobbyist, it makes sense to foster good relations with the mayor of San Antonio. But Van de Putte didnt merely endorse Taylor in a 2017 race whose contours have yet to be defined. She took the remarkable step of saying, at a Wednesday fundraiser in Terrell Hills, The voters got it right (in 2015). Regardless of your opinion of Van de Putte, theres no denying that shes a proud political fighter, and its rare to hear an alpha-competitor commend voters for choosing someone else. Van de Putte would never concede this point, but the endorsement confirms my hunch that her heart was never fully in the mayors race; that she jumped into the contest on the rebound after losing her 2014 bid for lieutenant governor because she couldnt resist the pleas from her local friends. The 2015 mayors race was the only example in Van de Puttes quarter-century political career when her commitment came into question, when her competitive fire seemed to be on low-burn. Van de Putte ran in 2015 with the backing of the San Antonio Police Officers Association, which joined her in attacking Taylors husband. Much like Van de Putte, the unions leadership subsequently has reversed itself on Taylor, with SAPOA President Mike Helle praising the mayor for brokering an end to the two-year collective bargaining process between SAPOA and the city. Taylors relationships with her council colleagues have been thorny at times (particularly with her potential 2017 rivals, Ron Nirenberg and Rey Saldana), but its telling that she has formed friendships with all three of the major opponents she faced last year: Van de Putte, Mike Villarreal and Tommy Adkisson. So, we already know enough to conclude that Taylors 2017 campaign will assume a different feel than it did in 2015. This time, shell be running with, and not against, the police union. This time, shell be running with, and not against, political consultant Christian Anderson, who worked with Van de Putte last year. Once again, however, Taylor will be targeted by progressives who cant forgive her 2013 vote against the citys nondiscrimination ordinance. Many of those progressives have expressed social-media disgust with Van de Puttes recent endorsement. But Taylors unique coalition of North Side Republicans and East Side Democrats was too much for Van de Putte to overcome last year, and itll be formidable for any challengers next year. ggarcia@express-news.net Twitter: @gilgamesh470 Something revealing happens if you criticize Donald Trump. His supporters mostly respond not by defending him but by attacking Hillary Clinton. It is, of course, partly about this whole lesser-of-evils thing that has saturated the election. Both candidates have deplorable unfavorability ratings, though Trump wins that particular race at the moment, particularly with certain demographic groups. Yes, there are clearly those who dont think what Trump has said is at all racist, misogynist, nativist, xenophobic or ignorant. They know, however, that there is a good measure of consensus evidenced by those politicos who endorse him but cant quite embrace him that his comments have been precisely that. But theyre not offended and believe the rest of us are being just so darn politically correct. And then there are those who are indeed racist, nativist, etc., and favor Trump precisely because he sounds like he is, too. Lets focus on the cant-vote-for-Hillary-to-save-my-life folks. You know, shes crooked and corrupt. And a liar. OK, but being crooked and corrupt would surely after a quarter-century of intense scrutiny, investigation and hearings result in an arrest, indictment, conviction or hefty civil sanction. There are none of which Im aware. Not even violations of ethics regulations in her latest scandals private server emails and the Clinton Foundation. Investigations that are arguably politically motivated Benghazi, the prime example are not proof of guilt. The likely retort: Big whoop, this doesnt mean she isnt crooked or corrupt. In other words, arrests, etc., havent happened because the system is rigged for her. Which reminds me of that joke about the two conspiracy theorists being chastised in heaven by St. Peter for their reckless utterances on everything from JFKs assassination to President Barack Obamas birthplace to the moon landing and 9/11. He sets them straight. Midlecture, one turns and whispers in the others ear, See, what did I tell you? It goes all the way to the top. So, the FBIs failure to recommend prosecution for the private email servers and the continuing seepage of emails are allegedly corruption all the way to the top. Not even an ethical violation for access for Clinton Foundation donors to Secretary of State Clinton or her office? It doesnt make it right, but if favored access were a crime, all of the Beltway would be in jail. Ask someone to produce evidence of something gained aside from access and the answer is, Well, none that we know of , the sentence trailing off ominously. No evidence is evidence. Benghazi? How many investigations that dont lay a glove on her do there have to be? But Id feel more sympathetic about this if people had held Ronald Reagan to the same standard for the more than 200 Marines killed in Beirut in 1983 and for Iran-Contra. Lying under oath to Congress? So, where is the contempt of Congress citation? Lying? Lets see how the respected PolitiFact ranks the two. Clintons statements have been rated true, mostly true or half true 179 times, and 69 times mostly false, false or pants on fire, the flaming-trousers rating happening six times. Trump has 62 instances of true, mostly true or half true statements, and 173 mostly false, false and pants on fire 44 of the latter. The media are biased? Facts arent. There are plenty of people who are going to vote for Clinton who wish they had other viable options that dont help Trump. Her vote in the U.S. Senate for the Iraq War is reason enough for many. But elections are about comparisons, and Trump, of course, supported the war before he was running and then he was against it. If truth-telling is the gauge, there is no comparison. Trump wont even release his tax returns. If ethics is the measure, Trump wins only if you believe its just business excuses a host of sins. There may well be an October surprise that even those holding their noses for Clinton cant abide. But, absent that, all we have is the current comparison. And many of Trumps remarks dont even rise to the level of comic Stephen Colberts truthiness, things people think sound true but arent necessarily so. o.ricardo.pimentel@express-news.net Twitter: @oricardopimente An agricultural company has confirmed it will be closing one of its depots in Pembrokeshire, which has been trading for more than 50 years. Riverlea, in Crymych, will offer up to 20 staff posts in Whitland. Riverlea has other depots in Whitland, Carmarthenshire and Llandow in Vale of Glamorgan. News that the Riverlea depot in Crymych will be closing due to difficulties in the rural economy, has been described as sad news but a sign of the times by the Farmers Union of Wales. The agricultural machinery company has been based in the North Pembrokeshire village for over 50 years and employs up to 20 people there. The business was established during the early 1960s and in a video published on the companys website, owner David Hill explains that workers will be offered posts at the companys other branch in Whitland around 17 miles away. Commenting on the news, FUW Managing Director Alan Davies, said: "This is a huge loss for the rural economy in North Pembrokeshire. "Unfortunately it is a sign of the times and reinforces just how dependant these second and third sector businesses are on farming. "20 jobs in Crymych are as important as hundreds in other parts of Wales. Its time for the WG to recognise that rural Wales needs support. "We know that the Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Infrastructure Ken Skates is consulting on business support, and we will be responding accordingly, highlighting the need for more rural focus and less interest on attracting foreign investment." A farmer has been fined 1000 for transporting a cow in a way that caused or was likely to cause inury or unnecessary suffering. Robert McFarland, from Newtownstewart, Co Tyrone, was convicted at Strabane Magistrates Court on 31 August 2016. Mr McFarland was convicted and fined 1,000 plus 15 offender levy. Mr McFarland presented a bovine animal for slaughter at an abattoir in Northern Ireland. The official Veterinary Surgeon at the abattoir noticed that the animal had an injured right foreleg and in their opinion caused the cow unnecessary pain and suffering. Mr McFarland was convicted of one charge of transporting a bovine animal to Foyle Omagh in a way that caused or was likely to cause injury or unnecessary suffering to that animal. The UK government gives high priority to the welfare of animals and operates a vigorous enforcement policy to ensure full compliance of regulatory requirements. Any breaches are investigated thoroughly and offenders prosecuted as necessary. The RPA must iron out a number of problems that still exist with 2015 BPS payments, the NFU said today, with less than three months until the 2016 window opens. Farmers said they were concerned and did not have the confidence that the RPA would sort out remaining issues with 2015 applications, such as for remaining payments, mapping and dealing with any appeals - unless it acted quickly and efficiently. NFU Vice President Guy Smith said that this continued delay in resolving 2015 claims was adding pressure on the validation for 2016. "Travelling round the country talking to farmers and agents, it is staggering just how many feel that BPS 2015 is far from complete or resolved, he added. "Cash-flow problems are becoming compounded and the impact of delayed BPS or HLS/ELS payments becomes more pronounced" "15 months on from when these claims were submitted and just three months away from the opening of the 2016 payment window, the atmosphere is best described as fraught. "As we enter a third year of low commodity prices, cash-flow problems are becoming compounded and the impact of delayed BPS or HLS/ELS payments becomes more pronounced. This is causing real stress and serious hardship. "We already gather the annual cross check between BPS and agri-environmental schemes is running later than it has historically taken place. "Of particular concern are those livestock producers in the uplands and with common land who need to restock their sheep flocks in the current round of autumn sales and are waiting for BPS monies. Cash needs to flow from the RPA to farmers." Farmers need to know 'basic information' Mr Smith also said that the NFU had always doubted there were only 13,500 underpayment cases to be resolved and feared there were many more the system had not picked up. I would urge the RPA to issue entitlement statements for the first year of BPS to help farmers understand and confirm their entitlements starting point. "This is critical if entitlements have been added from the national reserve or taken away due to the rules in place. "Farmers need to know this basic information before their BPS 2016 payments arrive," he added. "And the RPA needs to provide commoners the breakdown of the common land element of their claims to help them understand the impact of the new approach to common land allocation. "Ultimately, there are a lot of questions," Mr Smith said, "the RPA needs to up its game on communicating to farmers on the outcomes of 2015 land-based inspections and payment reconciliation work and support if farmers wish to challenge the RPAs confirmed position, so they can at least know the status of their previous claims. "We will continue to meet with the RPA to raise the concerns of our members and we hope these issues can be resolved sooner rather than later. "Despite our doubts over the promise that 90% of 2016 payments will be made by the end of December we are determined to hold the RPA to it. "If between now and the opening of the payment window in December we see any backtracking on that promise then we will call on Defra to issue bridging payments instead," Mr Smith concluded. British Food Fortnight, coming up next weekend, is the biggest national celebration of the diverse range of food that Britain produces, and the farmers who make it all happen. Running from 17th September to 2nd October and now in its fifteenth year, hundreds of shops, pubs, restaurants, markets and visitor attractions are embracing the challenge of going British for two weeks. In some parts of the country, entire towns are taking part. There is a special focus on showcasing the benefits and opportunities of serving British food in schools and hospitals. Alexia Robinson, founder of British Food Fortnight, said Britains food production is one of the areas "most affected" by Brexit. Love British Food is a small independent organisation that educates about the benefits of buying British "This is a watershed moment for British food," Miss Robinson said. "Subsidised and regulated for 40 years by Europe, our farmers will now be competing in a global market place. "British food is produced to the highest standards; it really is some of the very best in the world, and the opportunities to trade on this in the global market are immense. "But building the brand British food starts at home and it is more important than ever that we excite the British public to buy it. Investing in innovation Miss Robinson said British people need to give farmers the "confidence" to continue to invest in innovation and quality. "We need to ensure we have well-thought out food security plan and a robust supply of quality domestic food," she said. "British Food Fortnight has been flying the flag for British food for 15 years, we now ask the Government to join us in promoting the qualities of British food to the consumer. "As part of their Brexit planning the Government must make it a priority that schools, hospitals and all Government organisations lead the way by sourcing British food," Miss Robinson concluded. 'Quality, nutritious affordable' NUF Deputy President Minette Batters said the farming sector are delighted that British Food Fortnight is working with the industry for its autumn campaign Celebrate Great British Food. "It's a perfect time to highlight the quality, nutritious affordable food that we as farmers and growers produce for feeding the nation and playing our part in feeding the world," Miss Batters said. "But its also a chance to promote the fact that we dont just produce food our industry provides much more to Britain. "The food and farming industry is worth 108billion to the UK economy and employs 3.9million people. As farmers we manage our vibrant landscape, caring for 71% of the U.K." A charitable campaign that has seen farms around the country displaying bright pink silage bales in aid of breast cancer research has been hailed a huge success. According to Jackie Bradley of organising company Volac, the campaign, which raises money from sales of a specially-produced pink version of the film used to wrap the bales, has already raised over 18,500 for the charity, Breast Cancer Now. This has smashed the previous sum of over 10,000 raised in a similar campaign last year, says Jackie, as well as attracting a huge amount of support. The response weve had to the campaign has been nothing short of amazing, Jackie explains. There have been bright pink bales in fields up and down the country. The campaign has also been all over social media as well as traditional media. "And there have been some really creative things done with the bales to make them stand out even more such as making pink bales with faces on them. The aim was to help raise awareness of the disease while all the time raising money for a fantastic cause. Money was donated to the campaign from each roll of the pink Topwrap film that farmers purchased with contributions coming from Volac, as well as Trioplast, the films manufacturer, and from the merchant supplying the roll. Special bright pink stickers were also available for farmers making more traditionally-coloured green or black bales, who also wanted to donate and demonstrate their support. Jackie Bradley added: We want to extend our wholehearted thanks to everyone who has taken part. Passengers were terrified on the two-hour flight by the handcuffed man The Home Office is using budget airlines to deport illegal immigrants Lucy O'Sullivan, who was on the flight, said travellers did not know if they would get off the flight safely The screaming man was being deported to Venice Holidaymakers were forced to endure a terrifying two-hour flight alongside a migrant who repeatedly screamed Allahu Akbar and death is coming as it emerged the Home Office is using budget airlines to deport illegal immigrants. Children were reduced to tears and travellers feared a terror attack until it became clear that the handcuffed man was being guarded by Home Office officials. But there was no official explanation from the captain or crew as he kicked, thrashed about and threatened passengers and crew in an expletive-strewn tirade. Click below to listen to the audio Migrant repeatedly screams Allahu Akbar onboard easyJet flight Loaded: 0% Progress: 0% 0:00 Previous Play Skip Mute Current Time 0:00 / Duration Time 0:42 Fullscreen Need Text +3 It has emerged that budget airlines are being used by officials to deport illegal immigrants from Britain In an extraordinary 11-minute audio recording made by a passenger sitting just yards away and obtained by The Mail on Sunday, the man screamed Allahu Akbar 29 times, death is coming 17 times, and we will die 9 times. The unidentified migrant, who was being deported to Venice, kept up the crude and threatening behaviour for nearly the entire length of the budget flight, according to those on board. The presence of the disturbed man on easyJet flight EZY5263 from Gatwick to Venice on August 23 turned what should have been a routine trip into a nightmare. Ironically, rather than calming worried passengers, easyJet cabin crew ordered passengers to delete videos and pictures of the man they had taken on mobile phones. +3 Passengers were left terrified by the threats made by the handcuffed man on the plane In a bid to control the deportee, one Home Office official crouched on his knees facing the man, with an arm on his shoulders, for much of the flight. The man is thought to be a failed asylum seeker who had spent a year in a UK detention centre. He was being deported to Italy under the Dublin Regulation, which dictates that people must claim asylum in the first safe country they reach. It is the first time a deportee has been reported to have disrupted a budget commercial flight to Europe. The Home Office spends about 30 million a year on returning illegal immigrants and foreign criminals to their home countries. It charters private jets and pays for individual seats on commercial flights. Last night, a couple who were travelling on the flight on the way to their honeymoon destination revealed how they feared for their lives. Lucy and Terence OSullivan, from Detling, Kent, were sitting only five rows in front of the man, who was positioned at the back of the plane, with officials either side of him . Mrs OSullivan, 33, a carer, said: It was really scary. I felt threatened. I was tearful. The worst-case scenario was that we werent going to get off that plane alive because we didnt know who the person was, what the circumstances were or anything. There was nothing explained to us. It was very daunting. When we got on board, the seats were moving so he was obviously kicking or thrashing out. I thought someone was having a fit. But when we got up close we could see people were restraining him. As events unfolded without any official explanation, Mrs OSullivan even feared they could be victims of a terror attack. We didnt know whether he came from a group of terrorists, or anything along those lines, she said. We didnt know if there would be people on the plane who knew he was going to be deported that were on his side and whether they were going to mount a terrorist attack to free this person. She said she thought to herself: Weve just got married is this the last time were going to be together? Mr OSullivan, 34, a site auditor, added: It was pretty terrifying. I was thinking hes somehow got explosives on to the plane and he doesnt want to go through with it. I absolutely feared for my life. It was only later during the flight that fellow passengers explained the situation to the couple. I was thinking hes somehow got explosives on to the plane and he doesnt want to go through with it. I absolutely feared for my life. Terence O'Sullivan The migrant, believed to be of African origin, shouted and screamed constantly for the first half an hour of the flight and then sporadically thereafter. Passengers were not allowed to use the lavatory towards the rear of the plane where the deportee was seated in the back row. Italian police boarded the flight when it landed in Venice before anyone was allowed off and took the migrant away. After complaining about the incident, easyJet told the couple, who had paid 348.68 for their return flights, that they were not eligible for a refund. Another passenger on the flight, who was with his wife, their two children, and his brother and sister-in-law and their three children, said his family had to endure the mans crude and threatening language. Last night easyJet apologised for the distressing incident and announced it was reviewing the circumstances with the Home Office. The company said: We acknowledge that on this occasion the situation onboard could have been distressing for other passengers and apologise for that. However, the safety of the flight was never compromised. We would not have carried the passenger had he displayed threatening behaviour prior to the flight, the captain would have diverted if any threat was made to the safety of the flight or passengers on board, and he was in the care of two officers escorting him on behalf of the Home Office for the duration of the flight. We are reviewing this case with the Home Office to see if lessons can be learned. EasyJet only received three complaints from customers on board this flight. Last night Home Office officials refused to reveal details on the individual who was being deported. A spokesman said: We do not comment on individual cases . What was it like to be an Oath Keeper? John Zimmerman can tell you John Zimmerman said he was active with the Oath Keepers from September to November 2020, then left after a falling out with founder Stewart Rhodes. Katie Price thought about committing suicide over her husband's affair with her best friend. Katie Price The 38-year-old TV personality has revealed she considered crashing a car into a wall or drowning herself at sea after learning her about Kieran Hayler's ten-month affair with Jane Pountney in 2014. She shared: "It was the ultimate betrayal. If I hadn't been pregnant with Bunny and had my children, I would have 100 per cent tried to kill myself." What's more, the mother-of-five - who has been married to Kieran since 2013 - revealed she wishes her former best friend dead every day. She told The Sun on Sunday newspaper: "Jane is a cold, calculating, evil, manipulative b***h who I hope dies in a car crash or in a very painful way. "If she was on fire in front of me I wouldn't even spit on her. "I hope she rots in hell. Her mum is already in her grave but Jane won't be going to heaven to be with her mum. "That woman is only going in one direction - to hell. "I hope everything bad that could happen to her in life does happen. "I was a wonderful friend to her, welcomed her into my family. "But she didn't care about me or that I was pregnant, she just wanted my life, my husband." Katie was expecting her second child with Kieran when she discovered he was having an affair during a family holiday to Cape Verde in April 2014. She now thinks Jane was desperately trying to steal her life. Katie shared: "It was like the film 'Single White Female'. She went to the gym to have a body like me - tried to look like me. "She suddenly started to wear frilly g-strings. I remember how odd it was at the time. "My husband had a sex addiction - easy prey. "To cope with that is enough but your friend, your best friend, sleeping with your husband ... just imagine how that feels. "She had an absolute, complete obsession with me. "One of my friends saw her yesterday and said she doesn't look like me any more - she has a fat belly! "She's no longer the clone that tried to look like me. She's the Jane that I remember. "She has never apologised to me. Never tried to make contact. "She is a coward. She had the balls to do that behind my back, but never had the balls to say sorry. "Obviously I want to know, 'Why?'. But really there is no excuse, is there? "Kieran sent her text messages that she should have ignored or told me about. "She confided in mutual friends about his messages. They told her to tell me Kieran was doing this. "But she didn't. She decided to f*** him instead." BENNY S. BUTARBUTAR VP Corporate Communications benny@garuda-indonesia.com corpcomm@garuda-indonesia.com CENGKARENG, INDONESIA, CENGKARENG, INDONESIA, CENGKARENG, INDONESIA, Sept 11, 2016 - (ACN Newswire) - Indonesian flag carrier Garuda Indonesia plans to re-operate its flight service to the United States (US) from next year. This plan follows the announcement from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) last month that Indonesia complies with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) safety standards and has been granted a Category 1 rating. With the International Aviation Safety Assessment (IASA) Category 1 rating, Garuda Indonesia is now able to establish service to the US.Vice President of Corporate Communications Garuda Indonesia, Benny S. Butarbutar, stated that the re-operation of the US flight service is a strategic response upon the FAA announcement, and indeed was one of the airline strategic plans."Our plan to re-operate the US flight service is expected to strengthen Garuda's position as one of global aviation player. With the upgraded rating from FAA which recognizes the Indonesia aviation safety and security standard, we are trying to make plan realization even sooner," Benny said.Benny added, that in regard to plan, Garuda Indonesia has now already started to work on preparation, including feasibility study upon the market potency, profitable route, high-utilized aircraft, as well as transit permit from Japan aviation authority."Due to the initial preparation, we are planning to operate our wide body Boeing 777-300ER to serve the US flight. With some consideration especially on commercial aspect, the flight will transit at Tokyo Narita prior flying to the US from Jakarta. Up until now, Japan still grants the 'Fifth Freedom Right' to Indonesian carriers, which allows Garuda Indonesia to fill up the seats - and further increase the passenger load factor - for our flights to the US," he explained.The Indonesia potential market to the US is quite remarkable, reaching up to 400,000 passengers every year. Capturing the potential, Garuda Indonesia targeting its US flight to Los Angeles or New York, as two cities with highest potential market.In 2014, Garuda Indonesia announced its codeshare partnership with Delta Airlines - as the same member of SkyTeam alliance - for flight service to Los Angeles and Seattle via Tokyo Haneda."We are trying our best to realize the plan earlier, as well as ensuring that all preparations running comply with all procedures and regulations," Benny concluded.About PT Garuda Indonesia (Persero) TbkGaruda Indonesia currently operates over 90 weekly direct flights from Singapore to three Indonesian destinations including Bali, Jakarta and Surabaya and 2 European destinations, Amsterdam and London. In 2016, the Group will receive 17 new aircraft consisting of 1 Boeing 777-300 ER, 4 Airbus A330-300, 4 ATR72-600, and 8 Airbus A320 for Citilink, an LCC subsidiary. By the end of this year, the Group will operate a total of 197 aricraft; 144 by Garuda Indonesia and 53 by Citilink.Garuda carries a five-star rating by Skytrax, making it the seventh airline to earn the prestigious award. After being named 'World's Best Regional Airline' in 2012, and 'World's Best Economy Class' in 2013, it ws awarded as 'World's Best Airline Cabin Crew' by Skytrax in 2014, 2015 and 2016, for the third year running. In 2016, Skytrax recognized Garuda Indonesia as 'the most loved airline in the world'.Garuda Indonesia officially became the 20th member of the SkyTeam alliance in March 2014. The Company is listed on the Indonesian Stock Exchange [IDX:GIAA]. For further information, please log on to www.garuda-indonesia.com, follow @IndonesiaGaruda on Twitter, like our Facebook page at PT.GarudaIndonesia, or subscribe to youtube.com/GarudaIndonesia1949.Source: PT Garuda Indonesia (Persero) TbkContact:Copyright 2016 ACN Newswire . All rights reserved. "JNU laal hai!" (JNU is red!) a message writ large and shouted with great zest, filed the air of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) campus on Saturday evening, after the alliance of the left parties in the campus swept all four seats in its students union (JNUSU) elections. In a move that was seen as an ideological compromise, Communist Party of India (Marxist) affiliated Students' Federation of India (SFI) and All India Students' Association (AISA), the student wing of the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist), decided to form a united front to fight the JNUSU elections. The alliance won all the four posts that includes president, vice president, general secretary and joint secretary of JNUSU. The winners were Mohit K Pandey (president), Amal Pullarkkat (vice president), Satarupa Chakraborty (general secretary) and Tabrez Hasan (joint secretary). Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) which after the gap of 14 years, in 2015, managed to win one out the four posts, was completely decimated this year. It even lost all seats of councillors, barring the one at Sanskrit centre. The contours of the electoral battle in the JNU student union elections became evident after 9 February incident which led to the arrest of former JNU student union president Kanhaiya Kumar on sedition charges. What followed was a month long protest that rocked the campus. JNU hit the headlines and a fierce debate on nationalism and sedition law ensued. Following the 9 February incident when allegedly anti-national slogans were raised by some students in the JNU campus, two hashtags evidently polarised the political discourse in the campus. The divide however was not limited to the campus. Entire nation seems to have jumped on the political bandwagon. From autorickshaw drivers to 'newsrooms intellectuals' were seen, sharing and supporting, one of the two hashtags that was: #StandWithJNU or #ShutDownJNU. While the entire JNU faculty, which includes world acclaimed authors and scholars like professor Nivedita Menon, Mridula Mukherjee and Gopal Guru, saw the arrest of Kumar and slapping of sedition charges on other students as malicious attempt to malign the institution, there were few like Makarand Paranjape, professor at the Centre of English Studies (CES) who emerged as an alternative voice on the JNU row when he asked if the institution was a 'democratic space' or a 'Left hegemonic space', and why Leftists had trouble accepting the 'legitimacy of the Indian State'. Speaking to Firstpost he had remarked, One shouldnt pinpoint anyone without concrete evidence. Thats why I don't want to think it as a conspiracy", but it does seem the case that there are sections of our own intelligentsia and academia whom you may call "brokers of backwardness". These people seem to benefit from creating bipolar opposites and divisions in society, then positioning themselves as the vanguard or forefront of such oppositional politics. Surely some are beneficiaries of this strategy The divide was clear like never before. As expected, ABVP which was instrumental in exposing the anti-national activities in the campus, went to the polls with their save the JNU from anti-nationals rhetoric. Their appeal was to 'defeat the anti-national, secessionist cartel'. On the other hand, Left went with their appeal to preserve the ethos and culture of the JNU which is to 'debate and dissent. On 9 September, students of JNU clearly rejected the appeal of ABVP and opted for the Left. (But there's a clear message for the Left too as Said Bilawal argues here). Sucheta De of AISA in her Facebook post wrote , You don't know what happened in JNU today. It was a carnival, a carnival of throwing out fascists from the body of the students. United left panel won all central panel. All councillors are Left and non-ABVP, barring one from Sanskrit centre. ABVP reduced to 1 councillor from Sanskrit centre. Yes, it was an alliance of AISA and SFI, but collectively it was the thousands of students of JNU who poured out anger and rejected ABVP. Our salute to all of them. The landslide victory of the left parties came after their defeat in Delhi University Student Union (DUSU) elections which has been for years a stronghold of ABVP and congress backed National Students' Union of India (NSUI). While the left parties could not win a seat in the DUSU elections, it was able to register its presence. Kawalpreet Kaur, the AISA presidential candidate for DUSU elections secured more than 6000 votes. Following the victory of Left parties in JNU, numerous Facebook posts make it clear that students voted against the clampdown on their campus, against the sedition law and, as remarked by a student of school of social sciences (SSS), "against a perceived threat to dismantle the long nurtured ethos of democracy, debate and dissent. Sedition ...ABVP (One answer to sedition... the defeat of ABVP), commented a student while another research scholar of JNU wrote in a Facebook post, "Anti-national weapon became the Waterloo of RSS-ABVP as I said earlier." And then there was an adage that was repeated by many: Now let we say again as we say always "We argue, we debate, we dissent We Are JNU". Kanhaiya Kumar also shared his views in a Facebook page and wrote, ABVP said #ShutDownJNU....JNU replied #ShutDownABVP.... Now waiting for 'Digital' ABVP's Thank You message for neither VOTING nor SUPPORTING them and Saving JNU". Shehla Rashid, former vice president of JNUSU who spearheaded the protest movement following Kumars arrest wrote in her Facebook post, A resounding reply to ABVP's nefarious plans of #ShutDownJNU ! Duggirala, Faisal, Salonee, Shashi & Pushpika belonging to the AISA & SFI and DSF respectively have won in the School of International Studies(SIS)! In the SLL&CS the ABVP has been reduced to double digits in the 650 votes counted. While in the SSS all the United Panel (AISA & SFI) Candidates are leading in the 550 votes counted as of yet! Going in for counting for SLL&CS Central Panel. Saurabh Kumar, ABVP member and former joint secretary of JNUSU, dwelling on the reason of Left victory, said, "They were unsure about their victory. And the two left parties, AISA and SFI, who been so critical of each other for all these years came together just to win elections. And it paid them well. But they cannot deflect this fact that they compromised with their ideology." While coming together of all the left parties in the campus surely helped the left prospects, the complete washout of ABVP makes it amply clear that JNU students rejected the binary of national and anti-national that 9 February incident created. Ten years after a case was registered against him under a colonial-era law governing 'obscenity', Urdu writer Rahman Abbas can finally breathe free. On 19 August 2016, a Mumbai court ruled that the charges filed against Abbas under Section 292 of the Indian Penal Code, for allegedly obscene content in his 2004 novel Nakhlistan Ki Talash, were unwarranted. These 10 years have been an uphill struggle for Mumbai-based Abbas, who lost his job as a lecturer at a city college when the controversy erupted in 2004-05. In an interview with Firstpost, Abbas who now works as a researcher with the think-tank Strategic Foresight Group and has published three other novels in the time since Nakhlistan Ki Talash spoke about the vindication that was such a long time coming. The saga with Nakhlistan Ki Talash that began back in 2004, finally reached its resolution this August. What were your first thoughts when the court pronounced its ruling acquitting you of all charges? It was one of the most important days of my life. I was acquitted after 10 years, 11 months and five days... Over this decade, a sort of heavy burden of being accused was on my chest. On 19 August, my freedom was returned to me and the tag of being an 'accused' was dropped. The joy of such moments can only be felt or witnessed by looking at the face which experiences it. Certainly, it cannot be described by words alone. Section 292, an 'obscenity' law that goes back to the 1800s, was used against you. Youve been an outspoken critic of this law. What other outdated/Colonial-era laws would you like to see repealed or at least debated by society? On the day I was acquitted, I made it clear that I wish to struggle to abolish Section 292 of the IPC, which was in fact an awful leftover of British colonialism. This law was formulated in the year1860 under the influence of Christianity and outcome of European and Middle Eastern societies of the past but it is against our cultural history and civilization. Our ancestors had gave the world Kama Sutra, Khajuraho, and Sanskrit liberal poetic traditions where kama is a core aspect of human life and eroticism a sacred experience. Across India we can witness nude deities and sculptures celebrating love making as an eternal experience of being and living in this form. I wish this law repealed also because in the past it was misused by religious fundamentalists, opportunists, anti-Art folks and intellectually handicapped people to torture and harass writers and artists like Sadat Hasan Manto, Ismat Chughtai, MF Husain and recently Arundhati Roy. In addition, I wish Section 377 and sedition charges to be repealed, or amended. Section 377 is discriminatory whereas sedition charges were designed by imperialist forces to subjugate occupied countries. Very often we hear the phrase, against Indian culture being used against things that are deemed objectionable. But you actually pointed out in one of your interviews that the idea of obscenity itself is not part of Indian culture. How did we come to adopt Victorian morals and norms as our own? The concept of obscenity introduced by colonial law makers in India was already repealed in the UK under Theatres Act 1968. Those living under the influence of Christianity and a narrow version of Islam or in false notion of Hinduism want to stick to this and such other anti-creativity laws. By favouring it, we are proving that we have not come out of our mental slavery of Victorian morals or have converted to Talibani version of Islam. We are proving that we have no idea how Indian civilisation is different from those who ruled over us and how they affected our sensibilities to suit theirs. On the other hand our civilization does celebrate kama, i.e. love and love making. In our literature, arts and sculptures we can find sexuality as a sublime medium to feel the truth of our existence. Let me add that ours is the cultural history where lingam and yoni are being worshiped by inhabitants for centuries and is continued till today. In addition, if you go as far back as the Indus Valley civilisation,you will see that fertility rituals were practiced in the Indus Valley. We are and been always open towards eroticism and depiction of sexuality. Your case was pending in Mumbais Andheri Metropolitan Court for 10 years, as your hearing kept getting deferred. What were these years for you like? It made me humble and strong simultaneously. It changed me from a modernist self-indulged writer to a humanist and activist who try to speak on every topic including domestic violence, gender discrimination or against politically motivated hate in the name of religion and culture. It made me more Indian after my encounter with the journey of Indian civilisation, understanding the history of cultural diversity and significance of coexistence. It gave me courage to speak up against every Taliban be it Muslim, Hindu or belonging to any other religion. Yes, I suffered as my job was snatched away, but that is a price one should ready to pay for speaking his mind and living for the sake of the arts. The controversy over Nakhlistan Ki Talash led to your being removed from your position as a lecturer. Do you miss teaching? Now that the court has dismissed the case against you, would you consider returning to the field of education? In 2004, I was an Urdu language lecturer in a junior college in the heart of the city. After the publication of my novel, the institution had come under tremendous pressure from hardliners and hence I was asked to go. The principal of the college had spoken in my support but she was also silenced. I didnt give up. Very soon I had joined a private junior college of education. Luckily, within a year, I was elevated to the post of principal. I performed my duties for over seven years in the field of education. But now, I am fed up and there are reasons for that. However, I am content with my work now as a researcher with one of the best think tanks in Asia. In Nakhlistan Ki Talash, you wrote of Muslim youth being radicalised in the name of Kashmir, after communal riots (in Mumbai) Seeing the condition in the Valley at the moment, does that concern seem more pressing than ever? The demolition of Babri Mosque at Ayodhya and prearranged riots by Hindutwadi forces against the minority right under the nose of the state machinery had made many youths of my generation radical. Then, we were pushed to the wall. We had fallen into the abyss of identity crisis. This novel is also a memory of that radicalization and identity crisis. In the early and late 90s the radicalisation of Muslim youths was carried out by Jamat-e-Islami and SIMI in the name of injustices meted out to Muslims in Palestine and Kashmir. However, now there are more places which could be used for radicalisation like Iraq, Afghanistan, Egypt, Burma, Libya or Syria but luckily, there are no such organisations anymore in the Muslim community which promote Kashmir as an Islamist agenda. Even Jamat-e-Islami is changed and trying to merge into mainstream discourse. Moreover, Kashmir is a human rights violation issue to Indian Muslims as much as it to other concerned Indians. You said in an interview that after Nakhlistan Ki Talash and the obscenity charges against you you have been very conscious of what you write. And you were waiting for the court case to end so you could write the way you wanted toDo you feel free to write the way you want now? Yeah, once you are an accused, you cannot repeat the same crime. I had to be careful and conscious. Now, Im free to write but I have also understood my responsibilities. Despite the legal and personal struggles you had already faced because of your court case you didnt hesitate from returning in 2015, the Maharashtra State Urdu Sahitya Akademi Award you won for Khuda Ke Saaye Mein Ankho Micholi. Did you never feel apprehensive of adding perhaps adding a sedition charge to the obscenity one you were already battling? No, I hadnt thought about it. I was convinced by my conscience that it was my duty as Indian citizen to speak against politically motivated hate and against the silence of the regime over the murders of our rationalist and humanitarian intellectuals. The continued pressure from writers and artists has forced the state to show some action and now as you know the CBI has filed a charge sheet in the Dabholkar murder case in which Hindu Janajagruti Samiti member Tawde who had links with Sanstha (has been named). Rohzin, your fourth novel, was published in February 2016. What has reception to it been like, and what will you be writing next? Almost all the writers, critics and readers who have read the novel have praised it. I am thankful to all of them. My next novel An Islamist in the Stone Age will published in June 2017. Editor's note: Given the recent news of filmmaker and producer Karan Johar becoming a father to twins via surrogacy, we are republishing this interview with Pinki Virani. After Bitter Chocolate and Aruna's Story, noted author and journalist Pinki Virani is back with a new book. Politics Of The Womb, published by Penguin Randomhouse, draws on wide-ranging investigation and research to present what is being called the first-ever expose of the workings of the reproduction industry. Excerpts from Firstpost's interview with Pinki Virani: Politics of the Womb The Perils Of Ivf, Surrogacy & Modified Babies is being lauded for bringing up, for the first time, uncomfortable issues surrounding IVF and commercial surrogacy along with other assisted reproduction dangers. Your research was triggered by a news item on Americas National Centre for Disease Control receiving reports about broken IVF babies. Was that the most compelling factor in prompting you to write this book? The baby and its mother, both. Every step of the way thereafter became as if an outside force was compelling me. I had no choice but to follow through as each disquiet upon being investigated, led to other sets of unease. What made it most problematic was what was being done to a womans body in the name of an unborn and frighteningly, she simply wasnt there she was not being considered at all, it was as if her very being had been medically erased. When I finally sat down to write, my concern was that there was so much jargon pretending to be in patient interest but it still wasnt about the real well being of a woman and a child. So I went back, down all those tangled lines to unravel threads which would put the woman as a human being right up front. And thanks to all those experts who patiently answered from Australia, Canada, China, Denmark, Europe, India, Israel, Sweden, United Kingdom, United States I was able to write a book that is being read universally by all ages, regardless of gender. It was heartening when I was told by a translator, This is a very big book [more than 1,10,000 words] but it is easily understandable. Politics of the Womb The Perils Of Ivf, Surrogacy & Modified Babies (POW) is being translated into Malayalam by Current Books and into Marathi by Mehta Publishing. What was the time frame you invested in the research and writing for POW? When I was sorting out the material I realised I had notes dating from 2007. POW is updated till almost the last-minute before it went to the printing press for its release on 1 September. The main chapters had closed so I created another to put in the most updated information on the broken babies and their breaking mothers. This includes a heightened cancer risk for the woman. Plus a study that when a hole is made, by the lab, in the embryo (which is what forms when sperm and egg successfully unite) for better hatching post-implantation in the uterus, it does not really help the outcome. If anything, the risks of deformities increase in the baby. At the very start of POW, you point out the differences in the terms commonly used to describe male and female infertility: sterile for men but barren for women. The words we use seem to be symbolic of the difference in attitudes towards men and women when it comes to human reproduction. Too true. What further compounds it thereby leading even more to the woman carrying the entire burden of ostensible infertility is the ridiculous notion that the man should not be made to feel even more upset than he is societally expected to be for not having progeny, since his manhood is inextricably tied to his sperm-count. This is a stone-age way of perceiving reproduction, there happens to be much more in this moving-along world other than the black-white of infertile-fertile. Which is why POW also brings up fatherhood-by-choice and suggests that women support it, just as they do motherhood-by-choice. There is absolutely no reason why a man should be made to feel impotent just because he is involuntarily, or voluntarily, child-free. Its archaic to assume that he must feel apologetic about not being a parent and thereby necessarily prevent himself from being a thinking, living, breathing human being, a good man and a good husband. By most reports the surrogacy industry in India has been booming. This means the generating of a lot of money and a fair amount of attention. Yet, it escaped the scrutiny which it should have received. Agreed, there were no laws nor were there clear-cut regulations but there were guidelines and these have, clearly, not been followed by a section of the 'repro tech' industry... Everywhere, not just in India, where there are no proper laws which are strictly enforceable, medicos in it only for the money do not feel obliged to voluntarily do that which is right by the woman-patient. They make money in the name of the baby, many babies. And they keep it a secret that the real IVF failure rate is very, very high. Meanwhile they charge per IVF-cycle or, as in some cases, per embryo insertion neither of which necessarily leads to the take-home baby. The hype of the baby has been so high, the hope around it so exaggerated, that the repro tech lobby has escaped all scrutiny to date. Apart from the Surrogacy Bill, there also needs to urgently be an updated ART Act to regulate the several mom-pop type fertility-shops that have sprung up all over the country. They run a brisk business pretending to perform assisted reproduction and harvesting large quantities of oocytes from womens bodies. Artificial reproduction has much larger implications, both cultural and ethical, than those who buy into it perceive. Repro tech has socio-political ramifications not only on women and children but also men, their families, societies, countries. Effective national laws need to encompass this. Have celebrity cases Aamir Khan, Shah Rukh Khan, Tusshar Kapoor helped in generating a dialogue around the medico-socio-legal issues surrounding IVF and surrogacy? Or have they had the opposite effect? Ah, certain sections of permanently-patriarchal Bollywood even as it wears the mask of modernity. Selectively setting up half-truths and untruths as villains only so that they can be vanquished by their own hero-avatars. And in the process romanticising violence. In the case of third-party reproduction it is acute hormonal violence, an onslaught on another womans womb, hyper-medicalised, to produce a son. You say that this is a book about an individuals right to informed choice. What are the choices and rights which were simply not being talked about (with respect to surrogacy/IVF)? The babys right to be breastfed, starting with the first-hour all-important base-feed called colostrum, all of which is denied to it in commercial surrogacy. The biological mothers right to bond immediately after the babys birth and breastfeed it, denied to her when she is turned into the IVF-package of elective caesarean surgeries. The false pressure on all young people that parenthood is the only way to responsible adulthood. The inexplicable comment that women, even when single by choice and content in their lifestyles, can only feel complete when there is reproduction, either natural or artificial. The surreal insistence by supposedly single men to bring a defenceless, very vulnerable and instinctively-needing-its-mother baby into this world without a mother. Make that two mothers in the case of single men who are paying to assert phallic privilege via in vitro. A biological mother, as almost all humans have, combines both: the genetic (egg or oocyte-giving) mother and the all-important act of carrying the foetus for nine months, safely and securely, in her own body while helping it breathe and grow and priming it with gentle maternal-hormonal showers, and then delivering it as a birth-mother. That poor mite forced to come into this world through repro tech and commercial surrogacy has two mothers: the oocyte-seller and the surrogate who is its birth-mother. Likely it will not be allowed to know neither. Poor, rich baby; paid to be brought into existence as an intentional fifty-percent orphan. POW raises a very important point that hasnt been talked about before how commercial surrogacy leads to commodifying the girl child. It also weaves in the social ramification that stories of surrogacy do not say, such as what the children from families where the mother is a commercial surrogate, feel about the circumstances... What are some of the other social questions overlooked when talking of commercial surrogacy? Hopefully Indias political parties will come together in the next few months to pass the Surrogacy Bill into an Act. Hopefully, they will understand that there can be no more commercial surrogates for they are someones biological mothers, and harm cannot be wilfully done to mothers. POW lists all the downsides to the surrogate, her physical body and her mental health; these dangers will not go away even if they are paid the real market rate (around US $ 40 to 50 thousand) as charged in those few American states which have not yet banned commercial surrogacy. Hopefully the political parties will understand that to not outlaw commercial surrogacy is to allow Indian daughters and not just from the poor class to be streamlined into the system as future commercial surrogates. And above all, hopefully all of Indias political parties will come together to understand, once and for all, that to allow the placement of a womans body parts in the marketplace sub-divided as uterus, ova only for the revenue it can generate is the worst kind of patriarchy posturing as pro-woman choice. Even as Delhi Deputy CM Manish Sisodia rejected the resignation of AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan who has been charged with sexual harassment, he referred to Gujarat's snooping incident, calling it 'India's Monika Lewinsky' scandal. The senior AAP leader claimed the party's internal probe found "no wrongdoing" on part of Khan and said the latter is being targeted as he is unearthing land scams in Waqf board involving "influential" people. Hitting out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Sisodia compared allegations of snooping with America's infamous Monica Lewinsky incident and challenged the Indian media to debate on it too. Addressing the media, Sisodia said, "Furthermore, I want to bring to your attention a case of India's Monica Lewinsky which Kapil Mishra had brought it up in Vidhan Sabha. If you recall, US media exposed the Monica Lewinsky scandal which threw open a lot of debates despite Bill Clinton being the then US President. Similarly, Mishra brought to our attention how this snooping row which involves the leaders of the ruling party." Can BJP act the way @ArvindKejriwal has acted on such cases? Exposing biggest open secret of Saheb? My speech todayhttps://t.co/ZjDRMbHHNL Kapil Mishra (@KapilMishraAAP) September 9, 2016 "There is no discussion over this incident as if it never happened. The media should highlight this incident, there should be a debate on this. If there is so much debate and uproar over Amanatullah Khan, there should be a debate on this 'Indian Monica Lewinsky' scandal issue too," Sisodia said. Sisodia further claimed that a senior IAS officer, who used to work then with Modi, had filed an affidavit in the Supreme Court accepting that a woman used to secretly visit Modi the then Chief Minister of Gujarat and used to stay in the room adjacent to Modi's. "When she once fell ill they didn't even call the doctor in order to guard the secret. The IAS officer has given a detailed account of how the then Home Minister of Gujarat, Amit Shah, had deployed the IB, ATS and police force for keeping an eye on the woman illegally," Sisodia said. "We are not afraid of all the allegations being levelled on AAP. This will not deter us from our path. We are determined to fight." The snooping controversy erupted after claims by two investigative portals in 2013 that former Gujarat Home Minister Amit Shah had ordered illegal surveillance of a woman at the behest of one "Saheb", alleged to be Modi. The BJP had trashed the allegations, calling it a handiwork of "dirty tricks" department of rivals. On Thursday, AAP leader Ashutosh had spoken over the 2009 Gujarat snooping row after being summoned by NCW demanding that the rights body should first probe the alleged role of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah. He submitted a written complaint to the Chairperson about the alleged snooping incident in 2009, which he later shared on Twitter. "If you want to hang me, hang me. But let me bring to your attention a far serious allegation." "...A woman was harassed by men occupying constitutional posts. If it goes without being investigated and persons being unpunished, if found guilty, then the women of this country will lose faith in NCW in particular and injustice in general," he said. "...The demand of justice is that NCW under your august leadership should take cognisance of this matter seriously, send notice to both- Amit Shah and Modi- summon them to the NCW office for an explanation and further investigation just as you have sent a notice to me," Ashutosh wrote in his letter. With inputs from PTI Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday launched a scathing attack on the SAD-BJP government and the Congress in Punjab as he addressed a rally in Moga where the AAP launched its 31-point manifesto for farmers. "If the condition of farmers does not improve, they will again be ruined by debt," said Kejriwal as he stressed the importance of providing aid to farmers. One of the most important promises made in the manifesto was that AAP will ensure that debts of farmers, where a sum twice the amount of the principal is paid, will be considered to be paid in full. It also promised that farmers who have taken loans will not lose their land. Kejriwal also promised that AAP, if it came to power in Punjab, will launch a loan waiver plan for farmers. 10. Loans for poor farmers, farm labourers to be waived off. AAP Govt will create opportunities, removing debt burden. Punjab AAP De Naal Aam Aadmi Party- AAP (@AamAadmiParty) September 11, 2016 11. Loans for SCs and BCs will be waived off. Special attention to uplift the lives of backward classes in Punjab. Punjab AAP De Naal Aam Aadmi Party- AAP (@AamAadmiParty) September 11, 2016 12. Interest of all other farmers will be waived off. It's time we get the farmers debt free. Punjab AAP De Naal Aam Aadmi Party- AAP (@AamAadmiParty) September 11, 2016 "No coercive recovery proceedings will take place against farmers. They will be debt free by December 2018," Kejriwal further said at the rally. "AAP government will give Rs 20,000 per acre as compensation for crop loss to farmers," he said. Kejriwal also launched a scathing attack on the current government and said some of the leaders would be arrested on charges of corruption if AAP came to power in the state. He asked why Congress' Captain Amarinder Singh was getting agitated when he was talking about SAD leaders being sent to jail. Maine kaha Badal aur Majithia Jail jayenge to Captain ko Kyu Mirchi Lagi - @ArvindKejriwal Aam Aadmi Party- AAP (@AamAadmiParty) September 11, 2016 , 4 4 : @ArvindKejriwal AAP Punjab (@AAPPunjab2017) September 11, 2016 "In the last 10 to 15 years, SAD, BJP, and Congress have made the farmers cry. We will not leave them," Kejriwal said. "False allegations are being made against AAP leaders. AAP is the only party to punish its own ministers if found corrupt," he said. "Mar jaaenge, mit jaaenga lekin bhrashtachaar nahi sahenge (We will die but will not tolerate corruption)," he added. "I want to ask Congress: Why hasn't it thrown people like Jagdish Tytler out of the party?" he said. Kejriwal also claimed that there will be attacks on AAP leaders in the times to come. "In the times to come, there will be attacks on AAP leaders. But we are not scared of them. We will risk our lives to save Punjab," he said. "AAP will put an end to the misrule of Badals. Corruption will be a thing of the past," said the Delhi CM. Arvind Kejriwal's visit to Punjab comes at a time when various AAP leaders are facing allegations. On Sunday, a FIR was filed against AAP MLA Somnath Bharti and his supporters for allegedly misbehaving with security guards of Aiims. On Friday, sacked Delhi Minister and AAP MLA Sandeep Kumar, arrested on rape charges on the complaint of a woman, was sent to 14-day judicial custody by a court. Kumar was arrested on 3 September after a woman had approached Sultanpuri police station in North Delhi complaining of sexual harassment against the former Social Welfare and Women and Child Development minister, following which a case was filed. The woman had figured in an objectionable video with him. He was removed from AAP government on 31 August by Kejriwal. Vadodara: CBI may probe the $208 million aircraft deal if any criminality is indicated in the internal probe already ordered, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar said on Sunday. He said he has sought a report from DRDO by tomorrow and only after that he could make a proper statement on the issue. "We are investigating the matter. The investigation is going on... I am not going to give a knee-jerk reaction," Parrikar told reporters here while responding to questions over the deal that has run into a controversy. "If there is a criminal angle, then we can give it (probe) to CBI. The Defence Ministry cannot investigate criminal angle," he said when asked whether the probe would be handed over to CBI. He said if only procedural issues are involved, then the Defence Ministry can do an internal investigation. The deal for purchase of three Brazilian aircraft Embraer in 2008 during the UPA regime has kicked up dust with US authorities going into alleged payment of kickbacks. The deal has come under the scanner of the US Justice Department which has been probing Embraer for alleged payment of bribes to secure contracts. "DRDO has sought information from manufacture of Embraer aircraft within 15 days on media reports on aircraft deal signed in 2008," Defence Ministry sources have said, adding "On receipt of information by the DRDO, further steps may be initiated." The deal was signed in 2008 between Embraer and the DRDO for three aircraft equipped with indigenous radars for AEW&C (airborne early warning and control systems). Srinagar: A considerable number of Kashmiri youths, especially from south Kashmir, have been missing and are believed to have joined the ranks of militant groups after the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen militant Burhan Wani in July this year. A conglomerate of four districts -- Pulwama, Kulgam, Shopian and Anantnag, which has seen an uprising since Wani was killed in an encounter with security forces on 8 July, is believed to have accounted for the disappearance of nearly 80 youths in past two months with majority from Pulwama district, sources in the know said. According to the intercepts of militants groups and some sketchy intelligence inputs gathered from the ground in south Kashmir, youths were mainly moving towards Hizbul Mujahideen militant group with a few attracted to banned Lashker-e-Taiba, they said. Senior officials in the security establishment agreed that there was no clear picture of situation in South Kashmir's rural areas and with army and security forces being pushed into these places, a clear picture will emerge. Police has been forced to concentrate more on law and order than on counter-insurgency operation in the last two months there has been little intelligence that has been generated during the period, they said. Simultaneously, the security forces including army is moving quietly into South Kashmir, which has been the most politically sensitive area of the Valley and centre point of 2-month-old agitation, to 're-claim' the lost ground from the agitators and bring some semblance of rule of law. During a recent meeting, army top officials suggested that there was a need for "re-claiming the areas which had been under occupation of protesters" after which troops have been moved in for area domination. Traffic on the national highway was being regulated and allowed to move only in a convoy, the officials said. This has been happening because of protests post killing of Burhan Wani in an encounter on 8 July. Over 70 people have been killed so far in these protests. South Kashmir, a traditional bastion of ruling PDP which is having an alliance government with the BJP, has become into a virtual breeding ground for militants with many youths joining their rank and file or becoming their sympathisers. Better intelligence network of terrorists, assistance of people to local terrorists, heavy turnouts at the funerals of militants and stone-pelting on security forces even during encounters has virtually become a routine affair in the region. Small boys armed with stones, lathis have laid a virtual seize of arterial roads leading to the national highway thereby restricting the movement. Constant engagement of protesters with security forces show little signs of things returning to normalcy anytime soon. Pictures emerging from lanes and by lanes show written slogans favouring 'independence', support to terror groups and glorification of militants killed in encounters with the security forces. The sources said that the figure of youth joining various militant groups could easily cross 100 mark once a detailed district wise analysis was carried out. Last year, out of the 90 youths, who had joined militant groups, 80 per cent of them hailed from various districts of south Kashmir alone. The worst-hit areas are Heff-Shrimal in Shopian district, Samboora, Lillahar, Pulwama town and Tral of Pulwama district, Qaimooh and Redhwani in Kulgam district and Redhwani in Anantnag district. These are the areas which are dotted with apple orchards and lead to dense forests where militants are holed up, the officials said, adding that in case the army mounts pressure on one side, they escape and mingle with the local population on the other. The intelligence network of the militant groups, which had ended in mid-1990s, has revived again and the terrorists come to know about the advancement of security forces, giving them an advantage to flee the area, the officials said. The adjoining jungles which are dotted with Poplar and Pine trees provide a platform for terrorists to train new recruits, the officials said, adding there have been information that militants were being trained in Kamla forest of Shopian district but when raids were conducted, no one could be found. Having a population of over 23 lakh, South Kashmir, which has been political quite active, is also considered the bastion of Jamaat-e-Islamia group and have been traditionally voting for PDP. The defunct Muslim United Front (MUF) of late 1980's, many of whose sympathisers had picked up guns in 1990s following alleged rigging in 1987 elections, was born in south Kashmir and so was PDP, which had formed an alliance government with the BJP in March last year. Azamgarh: Launching a fresh attack against BSP and the ruling SP in poll-bound Uttar Pradesh, Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi on Sunday said while the "elephant" has eaten all the money, the "cycle" is standing "punctured" in the state. "Haathi saara paisa kha gaya. Hathi ko apne maar ke bhaga diya (elephant the election symbol of BSP ate all the money and then you chased it out)," Gandhi said while addressing a public meeting on the sixth day of his yatra. "Phir aap cycle (SP's election symbol) laaye. Ye paanch saal se phansi hui hai, hil nahi rahi hai. Uska tyre puncture hai aur apko ration card nahi dila pa rahi hai (Then you voted for SP's cycle which has been stranded for past five years. It's tyre is punctured and is not moving. The party could not provide ration cards to you)," he said, attacking SP. Appealing to people to vote for Congress in the upcoming elections, Rahul said, "Now you should think about the hand (Congress's election symbol) and then see what we do about ration (cards) and farmers," he said. The Gandhi scion, who is on his 2500 km 'Deoria to Dilli yatra' to connect with the masses in the run-up to the 2017 state Assembly polls, resumed his yatra from Azamgarh and after holding series of meeting in Mau he will reach Ghazipur. Azamgarh is parliamentary constituency of SP supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav. Rahul had on Saturday targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his "frequent" foreign visits. "Modiji apni duniya mein mast rehte hain...jaisa mainey kaha tha 'janata trast, Modiji mast' (Modiji is happy in his own world. As I had said earlier, the public is in trouble but Modiji is happy)...his attention is either in America or Japan." "He made tall promises that everyone will get Rs 15 lakh in their bank accounts, the youth will get employment and bullet trains will be run. When will they get Rs 15 lakh? When will the youth get employment and bullet trains? Even the regular train fares have been hiked," he had said. Rahul had on Saturday taken a jibe at SP, saying "the cycle (SP's poll symbol), voted to power by the people (in the last Uttar Pradesh Assembly election), was not moving". "You removed the elephant (BSP's poll symbol) and brought the cycle...but the cycle is stationary," he told a gathering at Khetasaria in Azamgarh. "Do not know if it (the cycle) has a puncture or is tied from behind or broken, but it is not moving," he added. Later, at another meeting in Azamgarh, Rahul continued his attack on Modi. "He (Modi) does not go to the farmers so that his suit does not get dirty. He is a leader who loves to travel US and China," Rahul said. Earlier, Rahul started his yatra from the circuit house and addressed meetings at Belisa mandi, Pahelwan Murti, Sidhari crossing, Shahgarh, Satihav and Mubarakpur. Enroute Mau, he had 'chai' (tea) and 'samosa' at a local shop and later paid visit to a Dalit family's home and had lunch there. A visual spectacle like the 11 September, 2001 attacks on the World Trade Centre was grandly shocking and left an indelible mark, not just on US citizens, but citizens across the world. Post-9/11, if there has been one constant in most foreign policy rhetoric, it has been about counter-terrorism measures. Even talking points from the candidates for US presidential elections have significantly circled around terrorism and how the nation must unite together to tackle it. But terrorism, as it was understood immediately after 9/11, is not how we can understand it now. While the enemy was initially understood as someone from the outside, the threat is now from within the nation/State with homegrown violent extremists. According to Homeland Securitys Create Research Archives paper: Assessing the Evolving Threat of Terrorism, domestic terrorism in the US is a growing threat compared to transnational terrorism. Domestic terrorist groups often graduate to attacking foreign targets at home and abroad as a way of gaining attention, write the authors, Khusrav Gaibulloev, Todd Sandler and Charlinda Santifort. Technological advancement has both helped terrorists and deterred them. Data encryption, smartphones, and newer applications have provided terrorists with more ways of communicating with each other. Al-Qaeda used to issue the rare video; now there are YouTube channels full of propaganda videos and Islamic State beheadings and warnings. Sympathisers and radicals, unfortunately, dont have to be in the physical proximity to the terror groups. The Islamic State and other terror groups are also active on social media such as Twitter and Telegram (an alternative to Whatsapp). As argued in an earlier article on Firstpost, the terror outfits are not old dirty men hiding in caves, but in fact those who are creating a high-brow, coherent and intelligent discourse dealing with deep interpretations of Islam. Islamic States chosen method of pushing propaganda in addition to their slick videos online is a magazine called Dabiq, a sophisticated publication (available even in English) that could compete with mainstream magazines in terms of production quality. In addition to planning attacks that have an impact, terror outfits are riding the social media wave to gather recruits for their cause. In fact, recruitment has become easier to achieve since the aggressive War on Terror narratives that have alienated Muslims, causing deep resentment even within the second generation Muslims in the UK and US. Consider this, even a 16-year-old from Pune was convinced by various Islamic State sympathisers to work for the organisation. It is improbable that a spectacle like 9/11 might repeat it needs great coordination, planning and stealth, all of which have a greater chance of being intercepted by counter-terrorism agencies in this day and age. But this also means that online radicalisation has made terror activities smaller and localised, yet it has a similar impact in terms of creating fear. (Take, for example, the Mumbai terror attacks of 2009 and the attacks in Nice, Brussels, Istanbul, Dhaka this year.) Fifteen years ago, the annihilation of the World Trade Centres twin towers shook the world into taking cognisance of the global threat that had always existed terrorism. As a result of the first worlds awakening, new sets of meanings have been ascribed to this word that was coined during the French revolution. Terrorism, as we have come to understand today, is warfare against a nation by a group with particular religious alignment. But terrorism is like a mutating virus with little to no cure; it is constantly evolving and only its symptoms can be managed. To fully understand the change thats taken place since 2001, one must go back even further, to the formation of the Al-Qaeda in the early 1980s. Developed by Osama bin Laden, the purpose of this outfit comprising US-trained Mujahideen fighters was to drive the Soviets out of Afghanistan. And once the Red Army had been driven out of Afghanistan, the movement of jihad was born, as this FBI report points out. Al-Qaeda fighters returned to their home countries whether in West Asia or North Africa and took the fight further; from targeting governments that werent Islamic in nature to attacking US forces and those of its allies. Its during this post-Cold War era that the scope of this jihad began to take on a more global scale. Lets start with the Islamic State. In 2003 and after the US and its allies had successfully dismantled Saddam Husseins army, a lot of Sunni men were left without jobs and for the first time in a long time, vulnerable and unprotected in a Shia-majority country. It was around a year later that Abu Musab al-Zarqawi would recruit a number of these ex-armymen to his group of insurgents known as Al-Qaeda in Iraq (AQI) a group that had pledged its loyalty to the Al-Qaeda. And for a while, all was well between the Al-Qaeda and its junior partner in Iraq. But AQIs violent methods and perhaps even motives began to rub the Al-Qaeda and its leader Ayman al-Zawahiri the wrong way. Zawahiri would write to Zarqawi telling him to dial down the brutality, particularly the savage slaughter of hostages. Zarqawi was killed in an airstrike in 2006 and by the end of the decade, the AQI had become rudderless and a shell of its former self with most of its members behind bars. The year 2010 would see the crowning of a new leader with a far more hardline agenda that his predecessor: Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. A year later, the civil war that resulted from the so-called Arab Spring in Syria would give the AQI an opportunity to expand its base of operations. And a Baghdadi lieutenant by the name of Abu Mohammad al-Joulani would head operations in Syria. As the AQI (and its Syrian branch) began to grow more powerful, there was one major change underway: Financing. Traditionally, it would either be sympathetic governments or the Al-Qaeda that would send finances to fledgeling terrorist groups. Now, it was private individuals sending money to Baghdadi and co. These private individuals mostly wanted to see Syrias Bashar al-Assad fall. Finally, in April 2013, Baghdadi united his groups operations in Iraq and Syria under the banner of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria. To say Zawahiri was displeased is an understatement and in February the following year, the then ISIS had been exiled by the Al-Qaeda. Civil war that resulted from the so-called Arab Spring in Syria gave the AQI an opportunity to expand its base of operations In the years since, numerous groups have pledged loyalty to the Islamic State, some have remained loyal to the Al-Qaeda. A useful graphic in The Telegraph explains this web of allegiance and enmity a little better. Lets take a look at two specific examples: Starting in East Asia, and the Philippines to be specific. The Moro National Liberation Front, the main separatist group which is no longer classified a terrorist organisation following numerous rounds of peace talks with Manila active in the southern parts of the country since the early 1970s, sent fighters to Afghanistan during the standoff with the Soviets. Among them was Abdurajak Abubakar Janjalani, who is believed to have met bin Laden in Pakistan and secured funds from the Al-Qaeda leader for the formation of Janjalanis own group, the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG). Right from inception, the ASG was more violent and brutal than the MNLF or the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) in resisting the Philippine government and military in its efforts to secure an independent Moro State. Over the years, Al-Qaeda support to the ASG would endure with arms, training and funds being provided. But after 9/11 and the death of Janjalani a few years later, an irretrievable strain in relations had set in. In 2015, the ASG swore an oath to Baghdadi and in the months that followed, ASG had begun undertaking kidnappings in the IS name. That brings us to Nigeria and the Boko Haram. Founded in 2002 by Mohammed Yusuf, the group endeavoured to exploit the Muslim-Christian equations in the country. He was able to capture the imagination of unemployed youths by establishing some sort of link between their plight and the western-influenced governments that had been governing Nigeria. It was in 2009, however, that Boko Haram experienced its rebirth. The death of Yusuf, the prison break that freed 700 or so men and the adoption of a more Salafist-jihadi ideology saw the group now led by Abubakar Shekau also turn increasingly violent and vicious. According to the Congressional Research Service: The group built ties with transnational extremist groups in the region, notably Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), which reportedly provided training and access to increasingly sophisticated weaponry. Boko Haram attacks since 2011 have featured improvised explosive devices (IEDs), car bombs, and suicide attacks, but fighters also continue to inflict a heavy toll using small arms and arson. However, in a couple of years, Shekaus interpretation of Islamic law began to drift away from that of the Al-Qaeda. And in March 2015, Shekau pledged loyalty to Baghdadi and the Islamic State. Whether Boko Haram or the ASG or any of the other jihadi groups, a certain pattern has emerged in the years since 9/11. The Al-Qaeda is very much seen as outdated and more rigid than the more exciting and modern Islamic State. Here are some key differences in perception: Recruitment and joining: Al-Qaeda is still viewed as difficult to join. Training must be undertaken. The Al-Qaeda ideology must be understood and accepted. Membership of the group requires changing ones way of life (Think of it as the ivy league of jihadi organisations). The Islamic State, on the other hand, is always looking for new recruits who are willing to do as they are commanded. Ideology seems less important than obedience. Careful planning versus shock-and-awe: In 2005, the Al-Qaeda unveiled its blueprint for world domination that would be split into seven distinct phases that would culminate in 2020. The Islamic State, on the other hand, was quick to try and establish a caliphate with what seemed like little planning. The Al-Qaeda had cadres dedicated to the development of new techniques and programmes to carry out attacks. The Islamic State-type groups appear to embrace the concept of instant violence instead. Training and indoctrination: The concept of self-radicalised or being radicalised through YouTube videos was clearly unheard of at the start of the century, and its not just because there was no YouTube back then. Organisations like the Al-Qaeda have always been particular about their training and their recruits. With todays groups, it seems to be a case of the more the merrier. Minds vs territory: Land before learning or the other way around? Linked to the second point is the difference in both groups perception. The Al-Qaeda believes in occupying minds before territory, while it seems to be the opposite in the case of the Islamic State. It also probably explains why the Al-Qaeda had a 15-year-plan for world domination, while the Islamic State probably had no plan at all apart from occupation and expansion. All publicity is good publicity: The Al-Qaedas public messaging was limited to videos from its leader and articles/press releases in select publications. With the advent of social media, the monopoly on communication is no longer in a few select hands. Instead, anyone and everyone can send out communiques on behalf of the group as the thousands of social media accounts by group affiliates and sympathisers demonstrate. Ownership and credit: The Al-Qaeda has always been particular about the sort of attacks for which it would take credit. The Islamic State on the other hand, appears happy to take credit for any attack, whether by a member of the group or by an unrelated lone wolf. All of these factors contribute to the very different face of jihadi terror today compared to back in 2001. And given the sort of security levels we have accepted as part of our daily lives, the risk of a group of people you have never met, hijacking an aircraft and flying it into a building is shrinking. However, the risk posed by people youve known for years, picking up a gun and going on a shooting spree inspired by something theyve seen online is growing. Washington: The woman in an iconic photo shown kissing an ecstatic sailor in Times Square celebrating the end of World War II has died. Greta Zimmer Friedman was 92. Friedman, who fled Austria during the war as a 15-year-old, died Thursday at a hospital in Richmond, Virginia, from complications of old age, her son, Joshua Friedman, said. Greta Friedman was a 21-year-old dental assistant in a nurse's uniform when she became part of one of the most famous photographs of the 20th century. The black-and-white photograph of Friedman, dressed in a white uniform, being grabbed and kissed by a sailor to celebrate the end of the war became an enduring image. On 14 August, 1945, known as V-J Day, the day Japan surrendered to the United States, people spilled into the New York City streets from restaurants, bars and movie theaters, celebrating the news. That's when George Mendonsa spotted Friedman, spun her around and planted a kiss. The two had never met. In fact, Mendonsa was on a date with an actual nurse, Rita Petry, who would later become his wife. The photo by Alfred Eisenstaedt is called "V-J Day in Times Square," but is known to most simply as "The Kiss." Mendonsa said that in some photos of the scene, Petry could be seen smiling in the background. The photo was first published in Life magazine, buried deep within its pages. Over the years, the photo gained recognition, and several people claimed to be the kissing couple. In an August 1980 issue of Life, 11 men and three women said they were the subjects. It was years before Mendonsa and Friedman were confirmed to be the couple. Joshua Friedman said his mother recalled the events happening in an instant. "It wasn't that much of a kiss," Friedman said in an interview with the Veterans History Project in 2005. "It was just somebody celebrating. It wasn't a romantic event." Both of Friedman's parents died in the Holocaust, according to Lawrence Verria, co-author of "The Kissing Sailor: The Mystery Behind the Photo that Ended World War II." Friedman will be buried in Arlington National Cemetery, next to her late husband, Dr. Misha Friedman. "My mom had so many stories and so many experiences; this was just one of many," Friedman said about the iconic photo. India will complete 25 years of dialogue partnership with the Association of South East Asian Nations (Asean), a thriving economic bloc, next year. Trade with Asean nations is gathering momentum at over 76 billion annually and is expected to gather steam in the coming year. Asean is however, not just trading group, regional security is also an important aspect of the partnership. It is here that India needs to do so much more. Asean is looking for greater Indian maritime presence in the region. Here, India has been somewhat lax but under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India is ready to do its part. The Indian Navy is now preparing to project its presence not just in the Indian Ocean, but beyond to the Pacific and the Gulf of Aden. The Navy is in the process of modernising and adding to its fleet. Asean nations gain from trade with China but worried about its aggressive claims Though Asean has gained tremendously by trading with China, the smaller nations are increasingly worried about Chinas overpowering presence in the region. China is not just an economic power but also a formidable military power now. Beijing has territorial disputes with Vietnam, Taiwan, Phillipines, Malaysia and Brunei, and is ready to use its muscle power to get its way. This is making much of Asia nervous. Even countries that have no territorial disputes with China, are wary of conflicts which could disturb the free flow of goods in the Pacific. Trade flowing through the Asia Pacific sea lanes amounts to over five trillion dollars annually and is likely to increase in future. India and Asean security Asean nations have been privately urging New Delhi to do so for several years. Delhi under the UPA did take a few steps, especially with Vietnam, but backed off from doing more. Moreover, the second term of the UPA government was spent on domestic firefighting with little time for anything else. Now, as India is in the process of building up its naval capabilities, it is also willing to play a much larger role in the region, nor is the NDA shy of having closer defence ties with the US. The signing of the logistics agreement is the first step towards a closer relationship. And more are in the works. In fact, it was during President George Bushs tenure that Washington began thinking of promoting India to balance out China in the Asia-Pacific region. The Obama administration followed Bush in this. The Indian Navy today is much more active. Indias maritime diplomacy has taken off in a major way. Since last September, naval ships have visited 50 ports across Europe, Asia and Africa. Among the countries in Europe were UK, France, Italy, Spain, in West Asia and North Africa, it was Turkey, Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia, Kenya, Seychelles as well as Iran in the Persian Gulf and Saudi Arabia, UAE, China, Japan, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, Mauritius, Vietnam, Cambodia. India has also held bilateral exercises with 10 countries in the last year. What worries China most is Indias maritime cooperation with the US. India-US-Japan now conduct joint naval exercises. Japan. which was kept out after Chinese protests, will now be a permanent invitee. New Delhi is also keen to build defence ties with its ocean neighbours. The Prime Ministers visit to Seychelles, Mauritius and Sri Lanka in July 2015 was part of that effort. India also sold a war ship, Barracudda, to Seychelles in 2014. While the UPA government was over cautious in asserting Indias maritime presence, the Modi government is ready to take on a greater responsibility for itself in the neighbourhood. Asian nations have privately been asking India to be a part of the future defence architecture of the Asia-Pacific region. While agreeing in principle, the UPA had not got down to acting on its commitments. With Modi it is clear that India will want to play a larger role, not just in its vicinity but beyond. China uneasy about India-US defence cooperation Chinas concern is that India is closing ranks with not just Japan but the US, which under President Barack Obama had already announced its pivot to Asia policy. When Barack Obama visited India in 2015, India and US had put out a joint statement on the freedom of navigation and the need to resolve disputes in the South China Sea by talks, keeping in mind the UN convention on the freedom of navigation. Since then, India has been regularly speaking out on the need for all nations to abide by international conventions. The security situation has also changed in Indias neighbourhood. Ties between India and Pakistan has dipped to a new low since the Pathankot attack brought peace moves to a halt. China, which for a brief period, adopted a neutral position on India-Pakistan issues, has now gone back to the old days. Beijings refusal to endorse Indias membership to the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), its refusal to have sanctions against the Jaish leader, and promotion of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, has irked New Delhi. Complaining about infrastructure projects in POK is not just taking on Pakistan, but ally China as well. In such circumstances India will not hesitate to circle the Chinese periphery, much as China is doing across South Asia. India sewing up defence cooperation in the region Modi further cemented Indias ties with Vietnam during his recent visit. He announced an additional defence package of $500 million, besides the earlier $100 million. With an Indian company building patrol boats for Vietnam, India in also involved in oil and gas exploration in that country. Delhi is now planning to set up a satellite tracking and imaging centre in southern Vietnam that will give Hanoi access to pictures from Indian earth observation satellites. The project will take some years to build but the process has begun.While this will give vital inputs for Vietnam's agriculture, it can also help track Chinese movement in the South China Sea. Indias maritime diplomacy has taken off in a major way. Since last September, naval ships have visited 50 ports across Europe, Asia and Africa. Americas pivot to Asia was in response to Chinas looming presence in the Pacific. The Americans are eager for India to pull its weight in the region. When Hillary Clinton was last in India as secretary of state, she said at a lecture in Chennai that India needs to also take in more responsibility for peace and stability in the Asian region. Admiral Harris Commander of the US Pacific Command at the Raisina Dialogue in March 2016 spoke about joint patrolling with India. "As India takes a leading role as a world power, military operations with other nations will undoubtedly become routine In the not too distant future, American and Indian Navy vessels steaming together will become a common and welcome sight throughout Indo-Asia-Pacific waters, as we work together to maintain freedom of the seas for all nations. India's defence ministry immediately denied such a move. During John Kerrys recent visit, he made the same point of a future where the Indian and US navies patrol the sea lanes "side by side". He said it during an interaction with IIT students. But now the possibility of such a role in the future does not seem far fetched. New Delhi: Ratcheting up pressure on Pakistan, Home Minister Rajnath Singh will visit Russia and the United States next week to highlight the issue of the neighbouring country sponsoring terrorism in India and discuss efforts to counter Islamic State activities in the region. Singh will visit Russia for five days beginning 18 September where he will have bilateral talks with Russian Minister for Internal Affairs Vladimir Kolokoltsev and discuss issues related to Indo-Russia joint anti-terror cooperation. They will also discuss cross border terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir and growing activities of IS in the country and its neighbourhood. The Home Minister will travel to Washington on September 26 for a seven-day visit for the Indo-US Homeland Security Dialogue with his American counterpart Jeh Charles Johnson. Singh will raise the issue of Pakistan-sponsored terrorism and activities of ISIS in India and other South Asian countries. "In both the bilateral visits to Russia and the US, the Home Minister will highlight Pakistan's direct involvement in cross border terrorism and growing activities of the Middle East terror group in India and its neighbourhood," a Home Ministry official said. The Home Minister will have threadbare discussions with his Russian and the US counterparts on how to enhance anti-terror cooperation, especially checking the growing activities of ISIS and sharing of intelligence inputs. Other issues to be discussed in the two visits include extradition of each other's wanted criminals, liberalisation of visas etc. The visit by Singh, one of the top leaders of the Modi government, to the two global powers within a week is considered significant as India has raised the pitch on the issue of "terror export" from Pakistan. Prime Minister Narendra Modi raised the issue at the G20, BRICS meet and East Asia Summit, where he called on the international community to isolate and sanction this instigator of terrorism. Modi urged the nations to intensify joint efforts to combat terrorism and sought "coordinated actions" by the grouping to "isolate supporters and sponsors of terror". The government's tough stance comes amid heightened tension with Pakistan, which is openly backing militancy in Jammu and Kashmir which has been hit by unrest for over two months now. "The bilateral visits of the Home Minister are part of India's efforts to create global opinion against Pakistan sponsored terrorism in India," the official said. Further cementing anti-terror cooperation, real-time sharing of intelligence inputs, cyber security and critical infrastructure protection, countering illicit finance, global supply chain security, megacity policing and science and technology are some of the key issues to be discussed at the meetings to be held in Moscow and Washington. In the US, the Home Minister and his delegation will discuss two key recently-signed agreements. The Global Entry, a US Customs and Border Protection programme, permits speedy clearance for pre-approved, low-risk travellers upon arrival in America. The Homeland Security Presidential Directive-6 (HSPD-6) allows access to information on terrorists. The US has been pressing for India's inclusion in the Global Entry so that high dignitaries like former presidents, former prime ministers, former Union ministers, film stars, top industrialists and frequent flyers could visit America without any hassle. There will be extensive discussion on the Global Entry during the dialogue, sources said. Initially, names of around 2,000 prominent Indians could figure in the coveted list, which would be expanded gradually after proper background checks of each individual. Incidents like brief detention of Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan recently at the Los Angeles airport could be avoided if the Global Entry is implemented. "The horror! The horror!" Joseph Conrads Heart of Darkness may have been about imperialism, but this timeless quote aptly describes the expression of shock, tears of grief and feeling of helplessness that must have crippled thousands of Americans on 11 September, 2001. At the quindecennial anniversary of the infamous attacks on the World Trade Center in New York and the Pentagon just outside Washington, Americans on Sunday would be forced to revisit and relive the horror that they witnessed. Then President George W Bush was informed by his Chief of Staff Andrew Card that the nation is under attack just after the first explosion. Michael Moore shows in his hugely popular documentary Fahrenheit 9/11 that Bush failed to read the security briefing given to him on 6 August, 2001, which would have informed him that Osama bin Laden was planning to attack America by hijacking airplanes. National security advisor Condoleezza Rice clearly said that the title of the report was Bin Laden Determined To Strike in US. Most of the people are livid at the Saudis and Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden for carrying out the attacks and killing thousands of people. President Barack Obama announced in his address to the nation after killing Laden that We quickly learned that the 9/11 attacks were carried out by Al-Qaeda an organisation headed by Osama bin Laden And so we went to war against Al-Qaeda to protect our citizens, our friends, and our allies." However, some people could not believe the simple explanation of the deadly attacks. They whacked their brains out, scampered for facts, opened up their school textbooks to recollect some physics and came up with alternate theories of what might have happened on that sad day. And well, some avoided going through this much trouble and just hypothesised and assumed some sane (and not so sane) theories. Insider trading Some people suggest that right before the attacks, some bizarre business was carried out within the stock market. According to 9-11 Research, financial transactions right before the attack suggest that certain individuals used foreknowledge of the attack to make profits. An extraordinary number of trades were betting that American Airlines' stock price would fall. It was the same airlines that was hijacked during the attacks, CBSNews reported. The Securities and Exchange Commission launched an insider trading investigation. It makes us wonder if this might be the possible reason why President Bush chose not to look at the security briefing and completely ignore an imminent attack. Controlled demolition The 9/11 was actually a controlled explosion, according to notable theologian David Ray Griffin. Griffin gave a presentation entitled The Destruction of the Trade Towers: A Christian Theologian Speaks Out and included excerpts from firemens tapes, which were made public after the protracted court battle by victims families, according to an article by GlobalResearch. They corroborate his theory because they give evidence of explosions going off inside the building premises. A feature article published by Europhysics News by Steven Jones, Robert Korol, Anthony Szamboti and Ted Walter argues that neither before nor since 9/11 have fires caused the total collapse of a steel-framed high-rise nor has any other natural event. They contend that the only phenomenon capable of collapsing such buildings completely has been by way of a procedure known as controlled demolition. This theory was further strengthened by a YouTube video which compares the buildings that collapse under a controlled explosion and those that dont. Watch the video here and decide for yourself. US puts its guards down Some of the theorists ask how the world's most powerful air force failed to intercept any of the four hijacked planes. William Kelly argues in The Ratville Times that none of the hijacked planes were intercepted even though one of them (UA#93) had been hijacked for at least an hour before it crashed. The theory started developing after it was known that North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) was unusually prepared on 9/11, because it was conducting a week-long semiannual exercise called Vigilant Guardian. Also, on 9/11, the NORAD was fully staffed. NewsOne also reported that in the event that an airplane is hijacked, NORAD is prepared to send out fighter jets, which can debilitate or shoot down the aircraft. On 9/11, some NORAD generals said they learned of the hijackings in time to scramble fighter jets. The Pentagon puzzle NewsOne argues that the Pentagon crash just "doesn't hold up". Some theorists say that the impact holes in the Pentagon were much smaller than a commercial American Airlines plane. It is still unclear if American Airlines Flight 77 actually hit the Pentagon because of a lack of evidence. According to 9-11 review.com, some researchers have proposed that the Pentagon was actually hit by a missile. Dick Eastman's two plane theory suggests that a Boeing 757 did come down towards the Pentagon but disappeared somehow making it appear that it had crashed into the building. At the same time, a smaller jet approached from a different direction and crashed into the wall. According to 911review.com, some theorists even say that events were engineered to fool people into believing that flight 77 had crashed. The miracle passport Mohammed Atta's passport braved explosion, swayed in the air for about a week and, apparently, finally landed at just the perfect spot for US intelligence to find it. It might seem incredulous, but according to The Guardian report, in less than a week, the FBI found Atta's passport just two blocks away from the twin towers. The documentary Loose Change by Dylan Avery suggests that all the hijackers are actually alive. (If Bush can transport Laden's family to safety, why not the hijackers) Watch this video to know more: Terming the 9/11 attacks as Al-Qaeda chief Osama Bin Laden's biggest strategic blunder, Peter Bergen, CNN National Security Analyst, pointed out that Laden's assumptions that the attacks would force the US to withdraw from the Middle East was a major miscalculation. According to Bergen, the 9/11 was a short-term tactical victory for Al-Qaeda but it turned out to be the terror group's undoing in the long-run. "bin Laden disastrously misjudged the likely American response to the 9/11 attacks because he labored under the delusion that the United States was weak," Bergen wrote. The objectives of the attacks were much more than claiming American lives: Laden hoped that the Islamic regimes in the Middle East would crumble in the wake of the American withdrawal, thus paving the way for Al-Qaeda to establish an Islamic Caliphate in the region, an article in the Time magazine said. Ironically, the US presence in the Middle East and Afghanistan has only strengthened post-9/11. Since the fateful day in September 2001, the US has been leading the wars against jihadist groups in the region. Sunday would mark the 15th anniversary of the mostly deadly attack on the American soil even as the world grapples with the growing threat of religious extremism. Laden was killed on 2 May, 2011 in Abbottabad, Pakistan by a US special forces team. Tehran: Iran on Sunday welcomed the proposed ceasefire in Syria brokered by Russia and the US, but said a monitoring system was needed to stop it being exploited by "terrorists". "Iran welcomes any establishment of a ceasefire in Syria and facilitating of access of all people of this country to humanitarian aid," said foreign ministry spokesman Bahram Ghasemi. "Given the experience of a few months ago, the ceasefire must be sustainable... and must not be exploited as an opportunity for terrorist groups to revive their power and transfer fighters and weapons," he added, referring to a truce that collapsed earlier this year. "The continuation and sustainability of a ceasefire relies on the creation of a comprehensive monitoring mechanism, in particular control of borders in order to stop the dispatch of fresh terrorists, as well as weapons and financial resources for the terrorists," said Ghasemi. He said Iran, a principle backer of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, has always called for a political solution to the crisis. Ghasemi also called for humanitarian aid to reach all parts of Syria "without discrimination... in particular those areas under the control or siege of terrorist groups where less attention has been paid." The new ceasefire, agreed as part of a landmark deal brokered by Russia and the US, was set to begin on Monday. A barrage of air strikes on rebel-held areas in Syria killed scores of people just hours after Assad's government approved the truce deal on Saturday. Seoul: A defiant North Korea on Sunday restated its demand for recognition as a "legitimate" nuclear-armed state, as world powers pondered ways to punish Pyongyang for its latest and largest atomic test. The North also vowed to increase its nuclear strike force "in quality and in quantity", two days after its fifth test in a decade sparked international condemnation and moves for tougher UN sanctions. In Japan, a visiting senior US envoy said Washington and Tokyo were seeking "the strongest possible" measures in response. North Korea insists that its missile and nuclear tests are necessary to counter what it says is a US nuclear threat to its independence. A statement on Sunday from a foreign ministry spokesman in Pyongyang mocked President Barack Obama's "totally bankrupt" policy on the country. "Obama is trying hard to deny the DPRK's (North Korea's) strategic position as a legitimate nuclear weapons state but it is as foolish an act as trying to eclipse the sun with a palm," said the statement quoted by the official KCNA news agency. Friday's test came only eight months after the previous one and was almost twice as powerful, at an estimated 10 kilotons. Most worryingly for the international community, the North claimed it had been a miniaturised warhead that could be mounted on a missile. The UN Security Council agreed Friday to start work on new measures even though five sets of UN sanctions since the first nuclear test in 2006 have failed to halt the North's nuclear drive. Sung Kim, the US State Department's special representative for North Korea policy, said Washington and Tokyo would work closely in the Security Council and beyond "to come up with the strongest possible measure against North Korea's latest action". He also suggested the US may launch its own unilateral sanctions in response to "the provocative and unacceptable behaviour by the North Koreans". Retaliation KCNA insisted on Sunday that North Koreans were delighted by Friday's detonation. "The test demonstrated the dignity of the country guided by the iron-willed commander as well as the strength of the Korean people," scientist Choe Kwang-Ho was quoted as saying. The government in Seoul will take "all diplomatic and military efforts to counter North Korea's continued provocation", senior presidential secretary for foreign affairs Kim Kyou-Hyun told reporters on Sunday. Referring to Friday's phone conversation between President Park Geun-Hye and Obama, he said the United States had vowed to defend Seoul using "all means available" including the nuclear umbrella and conventional forces. The South's military has said it would launch a retaliatory strike at Pyongyang's military leadership if it deemed the country was under nuclear threat. Dubbed the Korea Massive Punishment and Retaliation system, the countermeasure would "directly target" key North Korean sites including its war command post if any sign of a nuclear attack was detected. "We will deploy strike forces with precision-guided missiles and elite special forces," Leem Ho-Young, chief director of strategic planning at Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff, told reporters on Friday. The South has no atomic weapons of its own and shelters under the nuclear "umbrella" of its US ally, which stations 28,500 troops in South Korea. But there are growing voices calling for the South to have its own nuclear weapons, despite government opposition. A group of ruling Saenuri Party lawmakers, whose membership is now 24 and growing, was launched last month to push for the country to start preparations for its own nuclear development. 2000 - 2022 24 .- . focus-news.net, () . 24 . 24 . . 24 . While China's economic growth has been slowing, the world's most populous country is still experiencing much stronger growth relative to more developed countries. China's gross domestic product, or GDP, reportedly grew 6.9% in 2015. Waves of consumers from China's population of 1.4 billion continue to pour into the middle class, including the upper-middle class, which is largely considered the "consuming class" that's responsible for much of any country's economic growth. Two companies poised to significantly grow their empires thanks to this long-term trend are Walt Disney Co. (DIS 1.45%) and A.O. Smith (AOS 5.39%). Shanghai Disney as a "gateway experience" Disney opened its first theme park in mainland China -- the massive Shanghai Disney -- on June 17. CEO Bob Iger's characterized the grand opening as "spectacular," and by all accounts, the opening went off without a major hitch. The pent-up demand among Chinese consumers to experience the one-of-kind experience that only a Disney theme park can provide was evident early on. Opening-day tickets were snatched up within a few hours of their availability in March, and the on-site hotels were quickly fully booked for the first two weeks of the park's opening. Shanghai Disney's early results have lived up to the pre-opening hype. Iger said on the company's fiscal Q3 analyst conference call that "well over 1 million" guests have visited the park and that the overall hotel occupancy rate was holding steady at 95%. Those numbers were as of Aug. 9, so we're talking about less than a two-month period. Moreover, Disney's research indicates that more than 70% of the people of Shanghai -- or nearly 17 million -- intend to visit the park. The attraction isn't only drawing visitors from the Shanghai area, but throughout China and internationally. Shanghai ranked No. 20 on Euromonitor's top international tourist destinations in 2014, drawing 6.4 million visitors from outside China. Disney Shanghai should contribute nicely to Disney's future financial results in its parks and resorts business, which accounted for nearly 30% and 21%, respectively, of the company's revenue and segment operating income for the first nine months of fiscal 2016. Disney Shanghai, however, is much more than a magnificent park that is poised to be very successful. It should act as a gateway experience into the wonderful world of Disney, since it will be many Chinese consumers' first (or at least most intimate) experience with a Disney product or service. If these newbie Disneyites are delighted by their visits, they're not only likely to come back again, but to also be primed to devour other Disney offerings. Bringing hot running water and cleaner water to China A.O. Smith's primary business is manufacturing water heaters and boilers for the residential and commercial markets. It's the market share leader in the U.S. for both residential and commercial water heaters. The innovative Wisconsin-based company also has a small -- but growing -- consumer water-treatment business that it started in China but has expanded into the United States. A.O. Smith had the foresight to enter the Chinese premium water heater market in 1995, making it an early foreign entrant into the world's most populous country. The company's investments in its China business have earned it a strong brand name and a rising market share. A.O. Smith's China business has grown at a 25% average annual rate over the past 10 years and currently accounts for about 30% of its total revenue. In the second quarter, A.O. Smith's sales in China continued to power its revenue growth, rising 10%, or nearly 16% in local currency, whereas total revenue grew 3% in constant currency. Earnings per share jumped 24%, in part due to the company's pricing power. A.O. Smith expects 2016 EPS to grow between 13.3% and 15.2% year over year. This is great growth considering the company continues to invest heavily in its China business -- it's been expanding into tier 2 and tier 3 cities -- and is in the early stages of establishing a business in India, the world's second most populous country. Wall Street analysts project that A.O. Smith will grow EPS at an average annual rate of 11.5% over the next five years. However, there's reason to believe that this estimate will prove too conservative. A.O. Smith continues to beat analysts' expectations, cruising by both first- and second-quarter estimates by about 9%. "Ah, this is Dulles approach control. We're tracking a fast moving primary headed toward the White House. White House has been advised." Minutes later: "Looks like it went into the Pentagon." -- FAA and emergency responder tapes The building was still on fire when Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld called a news conference inside the Pentagon on Sept. 11, 2001, to tell the nation that the military would deal with those responsible for the terror attacks. The rumors and leaks already had it that Osama bin Laden and al-Qaida were behind the attacks, but Rumsfeld brushed off questions on whether Afghanistan would be targeted. "We're still taking bodies out of this building," he said. Army Gen. Hugh Shelton, then-chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, also would not speak to the U.S. response but made clear that there would be one. "Up front, I have no intention of saying what's next, but make no mistake, your armed forces are ready," he said. As part of the ceremonies marking the 15th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, Pentagon press officials played the videotape Friday of the news conference Rumsfeld held on the evening of Sept. 11 in the effort by the Defense Department to show the federal government was in control and responding to the crisis. Later that night, President George W. Bush would address the nation from the White House. "These acts of mass murder were intended to frighten our nation into chaos and retreat. But they have failed. Our country is strong. A great people has been moved to defend a great nation," he said. Bush sought to calm Americans still reeling from the series of attacks that began at 8:46 a.m. that morning when American Airlines Flight 11 smashed into the north side of the north tower of the World Trade Center in lower Manhattan. At 9:02 a.m., United Airlines Flight 175 hit the south side of the south tower. American Airlines Flight 77 hit at a 40-degree angle on the west side of the Pentagon at 9:37 a.m., spreading burning jet fuel through the "E," "D," and "C" wings. As one survivor put it in a PBS documentary aired earlier this week, "11,000 square feet of the Pentagon just turned into flames." At 10:03 a.m., United Flight 93 crashed in a field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. The aircraft, believed to be headed toward Congress or the White House, went down after passengers and crew sought to retake control. During the hastily called 9/11 Pentagon news conference, Rumsfeld said he could give no assurances that there would not be more attacks. "The government is certainly aware that it's difficult to know when attacks are concluded," he said. "It is not possible to give guarantees." The Pentagon, where the response to the attacks would be planned and directed, had not closed when the airliner hit and would not close, Rumsfeld said. "It will be in business tomorrow." Sen. John Warner, a Virginia Republican and then the ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, joined Rumsfeld and Shelton at the news conference. He called the attacks "the most tragic hour in our nation's history," but "it can be our finest hour." "We call upon the entire world to step up and help," Warner said. "We're in this thing together." On Oct. 7, 2001, the U.S. began bombing targets in Afghanistan with support from Great Britain, France, Germany, Australia and Canada in an expanding coalition for the "war on terrorism" that continues today, primarily against the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, or ISIS. Earlier Friday, Air Force Gen. Paul Selva, the vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Deputy Defense Secretary Bob Work presided at a 9/11 commemoration in the Pentagon's courtyard to honor the 184 victims of the Pentagon attack -- 59 aboard Flight 77 and 125 inside the building. "It is difficult to remember the tragedy that befell our nation" on Sept. 11, Selva said in the Pentagon's courtyard, but that day "is also a symbol of our national strength. That moment united our nation" in defiance and resolve. "Our very way of life came under attack," Work said. "We must never allow, never allow, those who lost their lives to fade from our memories." In the years since the attacks, nearly 6,900 service members have been killed in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and more than 52,000 have been wounded, Work said. "Yet, still they come, knowing the dangers they face" to join the all-volunteer force, Work said. "They are, without question, the best we can offer." Prior to showing the tape of the Rumsfeld news conference, Navy Capt. Jeff Davis, a Pentagon spokesman, noted the changes that have taken place to strengthen the nation's defenses against a terror attack. However, the overall message Rumsfeld and Shelton meant to convey on the night of Sept. 11 was that, "We are ready to go to war," Davis said. The Defense Department now has a full-time assistant defense secretary for homeland defense -- a job that had been part-time within the office of the Secretary of the Army, Davis said. The Pentagon also created a new combatant command -- Northern Command -- for homeland defense and began the Noble Eagle overflights with Canada to deter attacks. In addition, the White House and Congress created the Department of Homeland Security. The tightened security meant that the nation is relatively secure against a replay of the 9/11 attacks, Davis said. "This is something that really couldn't happen again today, given the measures we have in place," he said. On Sunday, the 15th anniversary of 9/11, President Barack Obama will join Defense Secretary Ashton Carter and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Joseph Dunford at a private ceremony at the Pentagon with families of the 184 victims of the Pentagon attack. -- Richard Sisk can be reached at Richard.Sisk@Military.com. Related Video: Related Keywords : Terrorism , Headlines , Military Memorials , Pentagon , Richard Sisk , Featured , September 11 , Department of Defense NEW YORK (Reuters) - Americans commemorated the 15th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks on Sunday with the recital of the names of the dead, tolling church bells and a tribute in lights at the site where New York City's massive twin towers collapsed. The names of the 2,983 victims were read slowly by relatives as classical music played during a ceremony at the 9/11 Memorial plaza in lower Manhattan with pauses for six moments of silence. Four of those mark the exact times four hijacked planes were crashed into the World Trade Center, the Pentagon near Washington D.C., and a Pennsylvania field. The last two record when the North and South towers of the Trade Center crumpled. The ceremony was held by two reflecting pools with waterfalls that now stand in the towers' former footprints, and watched over by an honor guard of police and firefighters. More than 340 firefighters and 60 police were killed on the that sunny Tuesday morning in 2001, in the worst attack on U.S. soil since Pearl Harbor was bombed in 1941. Many of the first responders died while running up stairs in the hope of reaching victims trapped on the towers' higher floors. Tom Acquarviva lost his 29-year-old son Paul, who worked at financial services firm Canter Fitzgerald on the 101st to 105th floors of the North Tower, just above where the first plane struck. Acquarviva was one of 658 Cantor Fitzgerald employees killed in the attack. "We miss him terribly. Terribly, terribly, terribly. Not a day goes by that we don't remember him," Acquarviva told the ceremony. But he said he felt a sense of hope: "There are more people here today than there ever have been." No public officials will speak at the New York ceremony, in keeping with a tradition that began in 2012. But many dignitaries attended, including Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump and his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton. "We'll never forget the horror of Sept. 11, 2001," Clinton said in a brief statement. "Let's honor the lives and tremendous spirit of the victims and responders." Trump said in a statement that it was a day of sadness and remembrance, but also of resolve. "Our solemn duty on behalf of all those who perished ... is to work together as one nation to keep all of our people safe from an enemy that seeks nothing less than to destroy our way of life," Trump said. Houses of worship throughout the city tolled their bells at 8:46 a.m. EDT (1246 GMT), the time American Airlines Flight 11 slammed into the North Tower. A second pause came at 9:03 a.m. (1303 GMT), when United Airlines Flight 175 struck the South Tower. American Airlines Flight 77 hit the Pentagon at 9:37 a.m. (1337 GMT), then the South Tower collapsed at 9:59 a.m. (1359 GMT). At 10:03 a.m. (1403 GMT) United Flight 93 crashed near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, and the final moment of silence will be observed at 10:28 a.m. (1428 GMT) when the North Tower fell. As evening falls across the city on Sunday, spotlights will project two giant beams of light into the night sky to represent the fallen twin towers, fading away at dawn. Nineteen hijackers died in the attack, later claimed by Osama bin Laden and al Qaeda, which led directly to the U.S. war in Afghanistan and indirectly to the invasion of Iraq. In Kabul, the top American commander in Afghanistan, General John Nicholson, paid tribute to members of the NATO-led coalition and Afghan security forces who had been killed since the Taliban regime fell. But in an address which touched on his own experience as an officer in Afghanistan, stretching back a decade, he also underlined how far from peace the country remains. "As we know, sadly, the number of terrorist groups has only grown since 9/11," he said. "Of the 98 groups now designated globally, 20 are in this region, the Afpak region." (Reporting by Melissa Fares; Additional reporting by James Mackenzie in Kabul; Writing by Daniel Wallis; Editing by Mary Milliken and Jeffrey Benkoe) What if I told you that a simple decision you make could put more than $1 million extra in your pocket over the course of your lifetime? Sounds intriguing, right? But it's the truth, according to data culled by the U.S. Census Bureau in 2011. Your million-dollar decision In the Census Bureau's four-page report entitled Work-Life Earnings by Field of Degree and Occupation for People With a Bachelor's Degree: 2011, author Tiffany Julian looked at the dynamics of how higher education affects lifetime earning potential. Although Census data is backward-looking, and this is no different with the average earnings of full-time workers being explored from the 2011 American Community Survey, there is a discernible trend apparent based on the level of education a person attains. Based on the assumption of a 40-year work history (from age 25 to 64) and using 2011 dollars for its example, the Census Bureau finds that full-time workers' lifetime earnings capacity soars as their education level rises. Non-high school graduates with a ninth through 12th grade education level and high school graduates in its example bring home $936,000 and $1.1 million in earnings over their lifetimes. Individuals with at least some college experience netted an average of $1.6 million, while those with an associate's degree brought home $1.8 million over their lifetime. Now here's where things get interesting. The data showed that people graduating with a four-year bachelor's degree earned an average of $2.4 million over their lifetime in 2011 dollars, with people attaining a master's degree bringing home $2.8 million. More specialized degrees, such as a doctoral or professional degree (for example, law or engineering), led to lifetime earnings of $3.5 million and $4.2 million, respectively. Image source: Getty Images. It's important to keep in mind that we're talking about dollar figures from five years ago, so the difference in lifetime earnings between going to college and not going to college could be magnified even more in present-day terms. The data is pretty clear that if you get a bachelor's degree or higher, your chance of doubling your lifetime earning potential increases by a lot. Furthermore, your socioeconomic mobility is also improved by going to college, which can in turn help your ability to save more money for retirement and allow you to invest for your future. When all is said and done, a college degree could allow you to earn well over double what you would have earned if you hadn't gone to college. Three considerations to keep in mind However, students shouldn't simply enter college with the expectation that they'll be a success. Three additional factors could be vital to your financial success. First, it pays to do your homework on higher institution returns on investment (ROI). It may be the belief that higher-priced colleges yield better paying jobs once you graduate, but this isn't necessarily the case. More importantly, if you have to pay an arm and a leg to get a post-secondary education, then your student loans can act as a concrete weight that drags down your ability to succeed financially. This is where consulting PayScale's College ROI Report can come in handy. Image source: Getty Images. PayScale's College ROI Report is an annual release that analyzes the median annual income of college graduates over a 20-year period and compares this income to the four-year cost of attending a college in question. Those colleges which yield high-paying jobs with a minimal four-year cost have the best ROI, and should therefore be at the top of your list. What you'll find with PayScale's ROI rankings is that the nation's most prestigious schools may not be the best value for you. Instead, looking at in-state institutions and saving yourself from a mountain of student debt could be a smart move. Second, it's important to focus on a field where demand and pay are high. There are obvious occupations, such as management, doctors, and engineers, where pay is naturally high to begin with. But we don't all want to be doctors or engineers, so it's important to pick out a profession that gives you an opportunity for socioeconomic advancement. Based on data from ThinkAdvisor, which recently ranked the 30 best-paying college majors, jobs that involve science tend to lead to some of the highest salaries right out of college. A separate report from CareerBuilder.com last year points out that majoring in broader topics like communications or liberal arts may not be all bad, as it makes you hirable across a number of industries. Of course, focusing on business or math will likely result in a better paycheck right out of college. Image source: Getty Images. Finally, and this goes for everyone regardless of their education level, using a monthly budget is a must if you want to be financially successful. If you don't understand how your cash inflows become an outflow, then it becomes almost impossible to adjust your saving and spending habits to optimize them. Yet, discouragingly, a 2013 Gallup poll found that only a third of Americans kept a detailed monthly budget. Formulating a budget is thankfully pretty simple with the tools needed being found online these days. In a matter of 30 minutes you can have a detailed monthly budget ready to roll, with the intent being to save and invest as much as possible for retirement. The bigger challenge is probably going to be in ensuring that you stick to your budget. This may require the assistance of everyone in your household, moving money to separate accounts to reduce your desire to spend, and even setting up an automatic weekly or monthly withdrawal plan to hold yourself accountable. With a little planning, your decision to go to college could be worth more than $1 million! The $15,834 Social Security bonus most retirees completely overlook If you're like most Americans, you're a few years (or more) behind on your retirement savings. But a handful of little-known "Social Security secrets" could help ensure a boost in your retirement income. For example: one easy trick could pay you as much as $15,834 more... each year! Once you learn how to maximize your Social Security benefits, we think you could retire confidently with the peace of mind we're all after.Simply click here to discover how to learn more about these strategies. Sean Williamshas no material interest in any companies mentioned in this article. You can follow him on CAPS under the screen nameTMFUltraLong, and check him out on Twitter, where he goes by the handle@TMFUltraLong. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. Try any of our Foolish newsletter servicesfree for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe thatconsidering a diverse range of insightsmakes us better investors. The Motley Fool has adisclosure policy. Get ready to lift off with our annual round-up of the top 10 best-selling military helicopters in the world. Image source: Defenseimagery.mil. Remember our top 10 fighter jet report that ran a couple months back? In it, we looked at the 10 best-selling fighter jets in the world, complete with pretty pictures, fascinating facts, and some deep thoughts about the companies that make the fighter jets themselves. Our follow-up review of the top 10 most popular military transport aircraft came out last week. Today, we'll complete the trifecta and run down the top 10 combat helicopters, as reported in Flightglobal Insight's latest "World Air Forces" report. Why jump from fixed-wings to whirlybirds? Simple. While American-made fighter jets and cargo planes are in high demand around the world, it turns out American-made military helicopters are even more popular. Around the world, four of the top 10 fighter jets are made here in America, and four of the top 10 transports as well. But seven of the world's best-selling military helicopters are made in the USA. Together, they command an astonishing 45% market share around the globe. Which helos are these, who makes them, and what does this all mean for investors? Read on and find out. 10. Aerospatiale SA341 Gazelle -- List price: $220,000on the resale market British Royal Air Force Gazelle. Image source: Mike Freer via Wikimedia Commons. First introduced in 1973, the French Gazelle hasn't been in production since 1992 -- but there are still a lot of the old birds whirling around. According to Flightglobal's data, 501 Gazelles remain in service around the globe today, making up 3% of the global market for military helicopters. 9. Textron Bell AH-1 Cobra -- List price: $29.9 million Cobras, Vipers, and Venoms -- oh my! What is it with Marines and snakes? Image source: LCpl. Jeff Sisto for the U.S. Marine Corps. Rising one slot on Flightglobal's top 10 list this year is Textron's (NYSE: TXT) AH-1 Cobra. Including both older models of the attack helicopter and the Marines' latest take -- dubbed the "AH-1Z" Viper -- 566 units are in service around the world today. That's equivalent to a 3% market share worldwide. 8. Textron Bell OH-58 Kiowa -- List price: $13 million Danger in a small package -- the Bell Kiowa. Image source: SSgt Shane A. Cuomo for the U.S. Army. Once one of the U.S. Army's most popular attack helicopters, the ranks of OH-58 Kiowas are thinning, with 18% fewer units (582) flying this year than last. Global market share has dropped to 3%, and that's just the start. The Army's plans to retire its entire Kiowa fleet are now well under way. Soon, the Kiowa's light attack helicopter mission will be entirely taken over by the Apache (see below). Don't be surprised if next year, the Kiowa falls entirely off the top 10 list. 7. MD Helicopters MD500 -- List price: $3.5 million MD 500 buyers can do a lot with this little bird. Image source: MD Helicopters. S&P Global Market Intelligence reports that MD Helicopters is privately held -- not publicly traded. The company's versatile MD500 light helicopter serves multiple transport and combat roles in the U.S. (and other) armed forces. Around the world, 675 are in use -- flat against last year -- allowing the MD500 to retain a 3% market share. 6. Boeing CH-47 Chinook -- List price: $29.8 million Just how big is Boeing's Chinook? Just this big. Image source: Spc. Russell J. Good for the U.S. Army. After dropping briefly in the rankings last year, Boeing's (NYSE: BA) famed CH-47 Chinook caught an updraft in 2016. The number of Chinooks in service inched up 2.5% to 898 this year, growing the Chinook's global market share to 5%. 5. Mil Mi-24 Hind -- List price: $12.5 million During the Soviet occupation, the Afghans had a saying: "We don't fear the Russians,but we fear their helicopters." The Mi-24 Hind was one reason why. Image source: Jakub Halun via Wikimedia Commons. Russia's most famous helicopter (albeit not its best-selling -- see below) is growing as well. Owing in part to Russia's recent military buildup, 918 Mi-24 Hinds are in service globally today, up 21 from last year. The Hind still commands 5% global market share. 4. Boeing AH-64 Apache -- List price: $35.5 million Boeing's AH-64 Apache just might be the most feared attack helicopter in the world. Image source: Petty Officer 3rd Class Shawn Hussong for the U.S. Navy. Retaining its fourth-place position for the third year running is Boeing's ever-popular Apache attack helicopter. In service globally today are 1,116 of them, up 33 from last year, and the helicopter has 6% market share. Adding to Boeing's revenue stream is the continuing need to refurbish, upgrade, and remanufacture this huge existing fleet of aircraft. 3. Textron Bell UH-1 Huey -- List price: $25.4 million The Bell "Huey" has been a staple of the U.S. military since Vietnam. Image source: U.S. Army. Placing third in this race is Textron's venerable UH-1 Huey utility helicopter. A certified Vietnam Vet, Textron has produced more than 16,000 copies of the Huey and its successor aircraft, including the latest model UH-1Y Venom (price indicated above). Four dozen have been retired since Flightglobal's last report came out, leaving just 1,404 in service today. That's still enough to give the Huey 7% market share. 2. Mil Mi-8 Hip -- List price: $3.2 million Russia's Mil Mi-8 sells well all around the world. For example, this one made it all the way to Mexico. Image source: Photographer's Mate Airman Jeremy L. Grisham for the U.S. Navy. First introduced in 1961, the Mi-8 Hip remains popular to this day. With 2,555 units in service (up nearly 5% from last year), the Hip commands a 13% global market share. That's still 1,027 helicopters behind the market leader, however. Without further ado, then, we bring you the No. 1 best-selling military helicopter in the world... 1. Lockheed Martin Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk -- List price: $17 million Lockheed Martin's Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk (and its cousins, like this Pave Hawk pictured here) are the best-selling military helicopters in the world. Image source: Staff Sergeant Aaron Allmon II for the U.S. Air Force. For the umpteenth time running, the most popular military helicopter on the planet remains the Sikorsky Black Hawk (and its derivatives). With 3,582 units in service around the world (down slightly from an even 3,600 last year), the Black Hawk and its cousins dominate the world with 18% global market share -- and that share could even grow over time. You see, when Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) acquired Sikorsky from United Technologies (NYSE: UTX) last year, it also acquired Sikorsky's backlog of $15.6 billion in signed deals to acquire new Black Hawks. At an average purchase price of $17 million per chopper, that works out to another 900-plus Black Hawks still waiting to be assembled. If I were a betting man, I think I'd happily place a bet on Lockheed Martin, and Sikorsky, continuing to dominate the global market for military helicopters for years to come. Why investors care about military helicopters So, why is all of this important to investors in the defense industry? It works like this: The more helicopters a company sells, the broader the base over which it can spread research and development costs, and the less it can charge per helo. The lower the cost, the cheaper the helicopter. And the cheaper the helicopter, the easier it is to sell more helicopters, growing market share further, and expanding profit margins. Sikorsky, now owned by Lockheed, has sold more than 4,700 Black Hawk-family helicopters over its history, and amazingly, 76% of these helicopters are still flying today. Flying, and therefore continuing to generate revenue for Lockheed Martin from maintenance, parts, and upgrades. As part of Lockheed Martin's Aeronautics business, it's generating 10.9% operating profit margins, outclassing the 10.1% margin at Textron's Bell unit, and the 7.7% margin at Boeing Military Aircraft as well (all data from S&P Global). It's also worth pointing out that, with Sikorsky now in hand, Lockheed Martin owns the top brand of military helicopter (Black Hawk), the top-selling military transport aircraft (C-130 Hercules), and the best-selling fighter jet (F-16 Falcon) as well. All under one corporate roof. The moral of this story: If you're looking for a pure-play way to invest in the defense industry, you don't have to look any further than Lockheed Martin stock. A secret billion-dollar stock opportunity The world's biggest tech company forgot to show you something, but a few Wall Street analysts and the Fool didn't miss a beat: There's a small company that's powering their brand-new gadgets and the coming revolution in technology. And we think its stock price has nearly unlimited room to run for early, in-the-know investors! To be one of them, just click here. Did I mention that Sikorsky has won the contract to build the next "Marine One?" If Sikorsky is good enough for the U.S. President, shouldn't it be good for you, too? Image source: United Technologies. Fool contributorRich Smithdoes not own shares of, nor is he short, any company named above. You can find him on CAPS, publicly pontificating under the handleTMFDitty, where he's currently ranked No. 295 out of more than 75,000 rated members. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Image source: Getty Images. Planning for retirement is arguably one of the toughest challenges Americans face. According to the recently released National Financial Capability Study from the FINRA Investor Education Foundation, 56% of all Americans worry about running out of money during retirement, just 39% of Americans have attempted to figure out their retirement number, and a mere 37% were able to pass a basic financial literacy quiz. The data would suggest that the odds are stacked against Americans retiring comfortably and on their own terms. If you're self-employed, you should know about these retirement options But self-employed persons have things even tougher. Because they represent a minority of the labor force -- 10.1% to be exact, or approximately 15 million people in 2015 -- the self-employed are often overlooked when discussing retirement plan options. Today we're going to change that by looking at the four smartest retirement plan options (in no particular order) that the nation's 15 million self-employed people may be able to take advantage of. Image source: Getty Images. Solo-401(k) Also known as an "individual 401(k)" or a "uni-401(k)," a solo-401(k) plan shares a lot of similarities with a traditional 401(k) plan available through an employer. Both an employer-sponsored 401(k) and a solo-401(k) had $18,000 contribution limits in 2016 for workers ages 49 and under, and an additional catch-up contribution of $6,000 available to workers aged 50 and over. The combined contribution works out to a max of $24,000. The two plans are also funded with pre-tax dollars, meaning they can reduce your current-year tax liabilities. Finally, a traditional 401(k) and solo-401(k) are both tax-deferred plans, meaning you'll begin paying tax once you start making withdrawals during retirement. The big difference for self-employed people is that you can also contribute up to 25% of your business' total earnings (or 20% for a sole-proprietor or single-member LLC) on top of your employee contribution to a solo-401(k). The maximum combined contribution in 2016 is therefore $53,000 for workers aged 49 and under and $59,000 for those aged 50 and up. Furthermore, a solo-401(k) gives you the option of hiring your spouse, which can double your saving potential. Your spouse will be eligible to contribute up to $53,000 in 2016, or up to $59,000 if they are eligible for the catch-up contribution. Whether you're running your business alone or with your spouse, a solo-401(k) can be a smart retirement option. Image source: Flickr user Sebastiaan ter Burg. SIMPLE IRA The Savings Incentive Match Plan for Employees, or SIMPLE IRA plan, is a retirement option that can be particularly attractive for businesses with a lot of (but still fewer than 100) employees. As of 2016, you can contribute up to $12,500 annually if you're 49 or under, with a catch-up contribution of $3,000 for those aged 50 and up for a grand total of up to $15,500. Like a 401(k), the SIMPLE IRA allows your investments to grow on a tax-deferred based. Furthermore, if you decide to make matching contributions, those contributions are deductible for the employer as a business expense. On the flipside, keep in mind that if all employees choose to max out their matching contribution of 3%, it could get quite expensive for the self-employed business owner. Even if an employer chooses not to contribute, he or she will still be responsible for a 2% fixed contribution for all eligible employees.Also, you'll note, the $12,500/$15,500 annual limit is substantially lower than what you can contribute to a solo-401(k) or any of the options we're going to explore below. Despite these drawbacks, the SIMPLE IRA can be quite popular for small businesses, and it's really easy to set up. Image source: Flickr user Sebastiaan ter Burg. SEP IRA The Simplified Employee Pension, or SEP IRA as it's known, is similar to the SIMPLE IRA, but it's generally going to benefit businesses that have relatively few employees (we'll get to why in a moment). As of 2016, SEP IRAs allow a self-employed individual to contribute up to 25% of their self-employment earnings to the plan. Just like a solo-401(k), the maximum contribution caps out at $53,000. What makes a SEP IRA so attractive is that you have full flexibility on how much you contribute annually, with your contribution able to grow in-step with your business' earning power. Just as you'd find with a Traditional IRA, money in a SEP IRA grows on a tax-deferred basis and becomes withdrawable as early as age 59 1/2 or as late as age 70 1/2. Also like a Traditional IRA, you'll pay ordinary income tax on the money once you begin making withdrawals. The one downside to consider is that if you offer a SEP IRA as a business owner to your employees you have to contribute the same amount to their account as you do to your own. That can be an expensive venture, which is why these plans work best for relatively small businesses. Image source: Getty Images. Defined-benefit plans Finally, the self-employed can contribute to a defined-benefit plan, which is akin to setting up a pension plan. These are particularly attractive options for higher-income self-employed persons with few or no employees. According to the IRS, maximum annual benefits can be up to $215,000 in 2016, meaning a defined-benefit plan offers the juiciest contribution of them all. Like the other plans discussed above, your investments are considered tax-deferred. Other attractive aspects of defined-benefit plans highlighted by NerdWallet include the ability to reduce your taxable income by writing off the contributions as a business expense, and being able to combine a defined-benefit plan contribution with contributions to other plans, such as a solo-401(k). The downside is that you have to make contributions on your employees' behalf, which can get expensive if you have a lot of employees. Among the four aforementioned plans, a defined-benefit plan could also be the costliest to run. But if you're a high-income self-employed individual, chances are that a defined-benefit plan could be your best bang for the buck. The $15,834 Social Security bonus most retirees completely overlook If you're like most Americans, you're a few years (or more) behind on your retirement savings. But a handful of little-known "Social Security secrets" could help ensure a boost in your retirement income. For example: one easy trick could pay you as much as $15,834 more... each year! Once you learn how to maximize your Social Security benefits, we think you could retire confidently with the peace of mind we're all after.Simply click here to discover how to learn more about these strategies. Sean Williamshas no material interest in any companies mentioned in this article. You can follow him on CAPS under the screen nameTMFUltraLong, and check him out on Twitter, where he goes by the handle@TMFUltraLong. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. Try any of our Foolish newsletter servicesfree for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe thatconsidering a diverse range of insightsmakes us better investors. The Motley Fool has adisclosure policy. Take a look at the data out there on the investing habits of men versus women, and you'll notice a similar trend: Men tend to be more confident investors than their female counterparts. But being confident doesn't necessarily equate to being more successful. A team out of Berkeley's Haas School of Business studied male versus female investing trends over a six-year period and found that women's investments outperformed men's. This research is consistent with findings from Fidelity Investments, which confirm that women are less likely to take on unnecessary investment risk than men, and do a better job of diversifying their portfolios. IMAGE SOURCE: GETTY IMAGES. Of course, this doesn't necessarily mean that female investors, on a whole, have more money than men. Quite the contrary: Females tend to have less retirement savings than men despite their good habits, and a lot of it boils down to income inequality. Making up for lost wages While there are always exceptions, generally speaking, men continue to outearn women across a wide range of industries. And the wage gap is still pretty significant, with women bringing in only $0.76 to $0.79 for every $1.00 their male counterparts take home. What this means is that, if a man earns a $50,000-a-year salary, a comparably qualified female in the same industry might bring home as little as $38,000. Not only does this disparity make a huge difference with regard to spending power, but it also limits the amount women are able to save. This is why it's even more important for women to maintain wise investment practices, like avoiding overexposure to risk, and limiting trading volume. According to that same set of Berkeley data, men engaged in 45% more trading activity than women, which, in turn, reduced their net returns by 2.65 percentage points a year as opposed to just 1.72 percentage points for women. The fact that women seem to make smart investment decisions therefore plays a critical role in helping them bridge that persistent income gap. Women also have their priorities straight While men might be more confident investors, women tend to do a better job at saving. According to Fidelity, women save an average of 8.3% of their incomes, whereas men only save 7.9%. This data is consistent with research from Vanguard, which finds that women save anywhere from 7% to 16% more than men and are 14% more likely than men to sign up for an employer's 401(k) plan. Still, women have a fair amount of catching up to do. Whether you're behind on retirement savings or want to take steps to get ahead, your best bet is to contribute as much of your salary as you can, as early as you can. The sooner you begin saving, the more time you give your money to grow. Saving $500 a month over 25 years will give you an ending balance of $438,000 if your investments generate an average annual return of 8%. Saving that same amount over 35 years, however, will give you a much more impressive $1.03 million. Saving more money over less time can have a similar effect. If you save $1,000 a month over 25 years instead of just $500, you'll have $877,000 for retirement assuming that same 8% average annual return. Now let's talk about that return. If you want to achieve anything in the neighborhood of 8%, you'll need to invest heavily in stocks, which have historically outperformed safer investments like bonds. Because so many women lack confidence in their financial knowledge and investing skills, they're more likely to shy away from the stock market. But rather than give into that fear, you could do some research, or enlist the help of a trustworthy financial advisor who can help you navigate your investing options. No matter how much or how little you earn, you have the power to make smart investment decisions that could set the stage for long-term financial success. The key is to play an active role in your financial future, especially if you still have plenty of working years ahead of you. The $15,834 Social Security bonus most retirees completely overlook If you're like most Americans, you're a few years (or more) behind on your retirement savings. But a handful of little-known "Social Security secrets" could help ensure a boost in your retirement income. For example: one easy trick could pay you as much as $15,834 more... each year! Once you learn how to maximize your Social Security benefits, we think you could retire confidently with the peace of mind we're all after.Simply click here to discover how to learn more about these strategies. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. As a whole, the marijuana industry has come a long way in a short amount of time. When medical cannabis was first legalized in California in 1996 for compassionate use, support for nationwide legalization of the drug was only around 25%, per Gallup. A decade ago, just a third of Americans polled supported full legalization efforts. Yet in Gallup's most recent poll, 58% of respondents favored legalizing marijuana for medical and recreational use. In separate polls on the legalization of medical cannabis alone, favorability often exceeds 80%. With public opinion on marijuana rapidly shifting, we've witnessed a recent surge in state approvals. Today, half of all U.S. states have legalized medical cannabis, and four states (along with Washington, D.C.) have allowed adults over the age of 21 to purchaserecreational marijuana. In the upcoming elections this November, five more states will vote on recreational marijuana, and four will decide whether to legalize medical cannabis. Colorado, which was one of the first two states to legalize recreational marijuana in 2012 (along with Washington), illustrates the upside of legalization. On a trailing 12-month basis, legal marijuana sales, including medical and recreational marijuana, have topped $1 billion, netting the state $135 million in tax and licensing revenue in the last year. A good chunk of this revenue will go toward Colorado schools, along with law enforcement and drug abuse programs. Marijuana prices are plunging, but for a surprising reason More recently, though, a report from marijuana distribution platform Tradiv highlights an even more encouraging trend for consumers in Colorado. Namely, legal marijuana prices are getting much more competitive with black market prices. Remember: Black market marijuana has minimal overhead costs, as there are none of the costs associated with taxes, regulation, and storefront maintenance, which typically gives it a big pricing advantage over the legal marijuana market. However, according to Tradiv, wholesale marijuana costs in Colorado have fallen from between $2,400 and $2,600 per pound in October 2015 to just $1,400 to $1,600 per wholesale pound in August 2016. Prices are substantially more competitive for the consumer, and it could result in more revenue than expected for Colorado's government as more consumers presumably purchase the product through legal channels. Yet what's really interesting is the reason behind the falling prices. The typical assumption would be that growing competition is driving down prices as small marijuana dispensaries fight for customers. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency recently chose to keep cannabis categorized as a schedule 1 (and therefore illicit) substance, which should, in theory, keep big business out. You see, businesses involved in the sale of marijuana often face very high tax rates, as they're unable to take normal business deductions, and most have little or no access to basic financial services such as checking accounts or lines of credit. The industry doesn't seem very conducive to big business. Yet that's the exact opposite of what's happening in Colorado. In May, the state extended a moratorium on the issuance of new cannabis licenses, allowing big cannabis players in the state to purchase the majority of licenses available. Furthermore, there are no limits on the number of plants a facility can grow in Colorado, which has allowed these bigger businesses to boost production and essentially flood the market with marijuana, even if demand for the product isn't there. In other words, we're not seeing demand driving competition in Colorado. Instead, an oligopoly-driven oversupply is pushing prices down. While this could be good news for the consumer for the time being, in the long term it could keep smaller marijuana players out of the market by keeping margins low, ensuring that just a few larger players remain. That's a recipe, in my mind, for higher prices down the line. Is this how marijuana becomes investable? On one hand, it appears that Colorado plans to increase the number of grow licenses it issues, which could spur more competition within the state. But if margins keep getting pushed lower by excess supply, it could lower the appeal of entering the industry. While that's a temporary win for the consumer, the real victory here could be for investors waiting patiently on the sidelines for an opportunity to get involved in legal marijuana's rapid growth. Admittedly, investors have few viable investment options at the moment. Though there are dozens of publicly traded cannabis stocks for investors to choose from, all but a very, very few are penny stocks that are losing money. Penny stocks usually trade on the over-the-counter exchanges where reporting standards can be a bit more lax -- finding accurate financial information can therefore be a challenge. That could change if license consolidation continues in Colorado and extends into other states. This is obviously no guarantee, but it's the first viable path that I view toward marijuana being investable and somewhat transparent as an industry. For now, my suggestion remains unchanged: Stick to the sidelines and monitor the progression of marijuana. Remember that there are nine important votes on the docket in less than two months that could have a major influence on where the industry heads next. A secret billion-dollar stock opportunity The world's biggest tech company forgot to show you something, but a few Wall Street analysts and the Fool didn't miss a beat: There's a small company that's powering their brand-new gadgets and the coming revolution in technology. And we think its stock price has nearly unlimited room to run for early in-the-know investors! To be one of them, just click here. Sean Williamshas no material interest in any companies mentioned in this article. You can follow him on CAPS under the screen nameTMFUltraLong, and check him out on Twitter, where he goes by the handle@TMFUltraLong. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. Try any of our Foolish newsletter servicesfree for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe thatconsidering a diverse range of insightsmakes us better investors. The Motley Fool has adisclosure policy. Last month, I retired from the State Department after 25 years of public service as a Foreign Service officer. As the Deputy Chief of Mission for Libya, I was the last person in Tripoli to speak with Ambassador Chris Stevens before he was murdered in the Sept. 11, 2012 attack on our Benghazi post. On this, the fourth anniversary of the Benghazi tragedy, I would like to offer a different explanation for Benghazis relevance to the presidential election than is usually found in the press. Just as the Constitution makes national security the Presidents highest priority, U.S. law mandates the secretary of state to develop and implement policies and programs "to provide for the security of all United States personnel on official duty abroad. This includes not only the State Department employees, but also the CIA officers in Benghazi on Sept. 11, 2012. And the Benghazi record is clear: Secretary Clinton failed to provide adequate security for U.S. government personnel assigned to Benghazi and Tripoli. The Benghazi Committees report graphically illustrates the magnitude of her failure. It states that during August 2012, the State Department reduced the number of U.S. security personnel assigned to the Embassy in Tripoli from 34 (1.5 security officers per diplomat) to 6 (1 security officer per 4.5 diplomats), despite a rapidly deteriorating security situation in both Tripoli and Benghazi. Thus, according to the Report, there were no surplus security agents to travel to Benghazi with Amb. Stevens without leaving the Embassy in Tripoli at severe risk. Had Ambassador Stevens July 2012 request for 13 additional American security personnel (either military or State Department) been approved rather than rejected by Clinton appointee Under Secretary of State for Management Pat Kennedy, they would have traveled to Benghazi with the ambassador, and the Sept. 11 attack might have been thwarted. U.S. law also requires the secretary of state to ensure that all U.S. government personnel assigned to a diplomatic post abroad be located at one site. If not, the secretary and only the secretary with the concurrence of the agency head whose personnel will be located at a different location, must issue a waiver. The law, which states specifically that the waiver decision cannot be delegated, was passed after the 1998 bombing of two U.S. embassies in Africa, when deficient security was blamed for that debacle under Bill Clinton's presidency. When asked about security at Benghazi on Sept. 11, Mrs. Clinton has repeatedly asserted her lack of responsibility. Initially, she said that she never read any of the reporting on security conditions or any of the requests for additional security, claiming that she delegated security to the professionals. More recently, she stated that [I]t was not my ball to carry. But the law says otherwise. Sound familiar? Her decision to allow the Benghazi consulate to be separate from the CIA annex divided scarce resources in a progressively deteriorating security environment. U.S. personnel assigned to Benghazi tried to overcome this severe disadvantage through an agreement that the security personal from each facility would rush to the other facilitys aid in the event it was attacked. The division of our security resources in Benghazi is the root cause of the stand down order controversy so vividly portrayed in the movie 13 Hours. Notably, one of the primary goals of Ambassador Stevens fatal visit was to begin consolidating our Benghazi personnel into one facility, which would have concentrated our security posture in Benghazis volatile and violent environment. There are no punitive measures for breaching these two laws. Mrs. Clinton will not have to appear before judge and jury to account for her failures. Is this why she felt these laws could be ignored? Because she is now the Democratic presidential candidate, only the American electorate will have the opportunity to hold her accountable. Candidate Clinton and her campaign point to her record as secretary of state as a positive qualification for the presidency. However, the record shows that Secretary Clinton persuaded the president to overthrow Qaddafi and advocated maintaining a diplomatic presence in Benghazi after the Libyan revolution. And then she abandoned her diplomats by ignoring her security obligations. She sent Ambassador Stevens to Benghazi during the 2011 revolution and then induced him to return in the first few months of his tenure, which accounted for his September visit there. Despite the fact that Sidney Blumenthal had alerted her to the increasing danger for Americans in Benghazi and Libya, Mrs. Clinton apparently never asked security professionals for an updated briefing on the situation in Libya. Either she could not correlate the increased tempo of attacks in Libya with the safety of our diplomats, demonstrating fatal incompetence, or she was grossly negligent. If Mrs. Clinton was unable to fulfill her security obligations to the federal employees she was legally obligated to protect as secretary of state, how can we trust her with the security of our entire country? I wont. Editor's note: The opinions and characterizations in this piece are those of the author, and do not necessarily represent official positions of the United States Government. Exclusive - New emails obtained by Fox News show that in March 2011, at the height of the Arab Spring revolution inside Libya, dictator Muammar Qaddafis son Saif was willing to talk peace from the ground in Libya but a source told Fox News the offer was rejected by then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. In the years since Qaddafi was forced from power, Libya's government has collapsed, and extremist groups including ISIS have exploited the power vacuum. While the Obama administration has promoted the use of "soft power" and diplomacy, the documents suggest the option was not vigorously pursued here. One key email describing the offer of talks was dated March 18, 2011 and sent at 7:27 a.m. EST to three members of The Joint Staff. It states, "Our contact will arrange a face-to-face meeting with Saif [Qaddafi], or a Skype/video-telecon [teleconference] to open communications if time does not permit ... A peaceful resolution is still possible that keeps Saif on our side without bloodshed in Benghazi." The response from a senior policy adviser, on her government email account, was sent to 11 staff members at 7:57 a.m. The adviser writes, "Sirs, the JCSWG's [the Joint Chiefs of Staff's Working Group] contact is ready to arrange a meeting with Saif on a skype/video-telecon. Might be worth passing to folks who do this stuff routinely." These "working groups" are stood up to deal with specific issues or challenges. Copied on that same email is then-Lt. Gen. Charles Jacoby. During March 2011, Jacoby served as director of strategy, plans and policy for The Joint Staff and was responsible for planning coalition and NATO operations in Libya. CLICK HERE TO READ THE EMAIL As explained to Fox News, what happened next was a high-stakes drama which played out at the Pentagon, the State Department, and the White House. The source told Fox News that a staffer was sent to look for Jacoby at the Pentagon, and somewhere between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m., Clinton instructed Jacoby "to not take the call from Saif and that Ambassador Gene Cretz was the only one she authorized to talk to Saif." At the time, Cretz was the U.S. ambassador to Libya. Clintons instructions effectively meant no high-level administration official took the call. The following day, on March 19, the U.S. began participating in airstrikes over Libya Muammar Qaddafi himself would be killed seven months later. While it is not possible to independently assess the credibility of Saif's offer, his father did follow through on a 2003 pledge to come clean on Libya's weapons of mass destruction program, after the U.S. invaded Iraq, and Qaddafi met with then-deputy director of the CIA Steve Kappes. A review of Clinton's public schedule shows March 18, 2011, was indeed a pivotal day during her tenure as secretary of state. Clinton was in Washington, D.C., that day and made three trips to the White House. Brad Blakeman, former adviser to President George W. Bush, said the number of trips was unusual, and most likely reflected sensitive foreign policy deliberations. "This is a crisis. It's a high-level decision that is being made and for there to be shuttle diplomacy to be made between the White House and the State Department tells me it is so highly compartmentalized that there's no use of phones," Blakeman explained. "It's all personal communication between the president or the senior staff at the White House and the Secretary." While the offer to engage directly with the U.S. government, and its apparent rejection, were first reported by the late journalist Michael Hastings for Rolling Stone in October 2011, the new emails document that the offer was real and show it was known at senior levels of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who advise the president. The Washington Times in January 2015 reported a five-part series called "Hillary's war" that concluded the Pentagon did not trust Clinton's strategy on Libya. The series included taped conversations between then-Democratic Rep. Dennis Kucinich, a critic of the war, and Saif Qaddafi sometime later in May 2011. Jacoby received Fox News request for comment, but did not respond over a two-day period. A similar request was put to the press office for The Joint Staff seeking comment from others copied on the emails. The use of military sources to identify opportunities in highly volatile environments, such as discussions with Saif during the Arab Spring, is in line with the groups mandate. Clinton's team did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The account appears to stand in contrast with Clinton's autobiography "Hard Choices," which does not mention the March 18 episode. Rather, on page 371, the Democratic presidential candidate notes that the day before, on March 17 while she was in Tunisia, she called Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov about the deteriorating situation in Libya. "We don't want another war," she wrote. In addition, a redacted account of Clinton's schedule that week in March from top aides Jake Sullivan and Cheryl Mills, called "tick tock on Libya," was among the emails released in May. The content is marked "B-5" which refers to the deliberative process and can be withheld from the public and Congress. However, it does state: "March 14-16-"HRC participates in a high-level of video- and teleconferences Seventeen months later, the US mission in Benghazi would be attacked and four Americans would be killed, including Foreign Service Officer Sean Smith, former Navy Seals Ty Woods, Glen Doherty as well as Ambassador Chris Stevens. Saif Qadaffi was sentenced to death in July, and is jailed in Libya. Hillary Clinton appeared to stagger and faint in footage showing her early exit from a 9/11 commemoration ceremony on Sunday, though Clinton's doctor said the episode was a result of heat and dehydration -- and revealed she had been diagnosed with pneumonia two days prior. The Democratic presidential nominee fell on her way into her van and had to be helped by her security, according to witnesses and video of her leaving. She was clearly having some type of medical episode," a law enforcement source told Fox News. After more than an hour of radio silence, Clinton's campaign issued a statement saying the former Secretary of State "felt overheated," and later Sunday issued another release blaming the episode on pneumonia and dehydration. "Secretary Clinton has been experiencing a cough related to allergies," Dr. Lisa R. Bardack said in the statement. "On Friday, during follow up evaluation of her prolonged cough, she was diagnosed with pneumonia. She was put on antibiotics, and advised to rest and modify her schedule. While at this morning's event, she became overheated and dehydrated. I have just examined her and she is now re-hydrated and recovering nicely." But a witness told Fox News that Clinton stumbled off the curb, her "knees buckled" and she lost a shoe as she was helped into a van during her "unexpected early departure." MORE ON #HILLARY per witness: "unexpected early departure"; she stumbled off curb, "knees buckled", lost a shoe as she was helped into van RickLeventhalFoxNews (@RickLeventhal) September 11, 2016 The NYPD was sent to retrieve Clinton's shoe, NBC reported. An unverified video of the episode appeared to show Clinton collapsing as she was helped into the van. The New Jersey resident who took the video, Zdenek Gazda, told Foxnews.com he had been a fireman in the Czech Republic and came to the 9/11 ceremony to pay his respects. "Everything was fine, everything was good before," said Gazda, who snapped several shots of Clinton before taking the video. "I take a lot of pictures of her. She looked very nice and everything, and I dont know what happened to her." After Clinton left the ceremony, the reporters following her on the campaign trail were prevented from leaving the media area for a period of time. FACT CHECK: At no time did @SecretService personnel violate security protocols during the early departure of one of our protectees. U.S. Secret Service (@SecretService) September 11, 2016 Clinton emerged from Chelsea Clinton's apartment just before noon and said she was "feeling great." "It's a beautiful day in New York," Clinton yelled to press waiting across the street. She bent down to take a photo with a young girl and said "thanks everybody" to a nearby crowd cheering her. Asked again about her health, Clinton said she was "great, feeling great" and then got into her van. A spokesperson said she was headed to her house in Chappaqua, where former President Bill Clinton, who did not attend the 9/11 ceremony, was waiting. She was examined by her doctor after arriving in Chappaqua. "I am glad to learn that Secretary Clinton is already feeling better and I wish her a speedy recovery," said DNC Interim Chair Donna Brazile in a statement. "I look forward to seeing her back out on the campaign trail and continuing on the path to victory." Clinton campaign spokesman Nick Merrill said late Sunday that Clinton will not be making the trip to California Monday or Tuesday and will instead be resting in Chappaqua. Asked about Clinton's early exit, Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump said he didn't know anything about it. But Rep. Peter King told The Washington Post that during the ceremony it was Trump who informed King of Clinton's health issue. It was actually Trump who told me what was going on," King told a Washington Post reporter. "He leaned over and told me that 'Hillary wasnt feeling well.' I said, 'Really?'" Clinton was in New York for Sundays ceremony commemorating 15 years since the 9/11 terror attacks. Clinton and Trump earlier greeted supporters as they entered the downtown Manhattan 9/11 memorial. Both had promised to suspend campaign activities to mark the 15th anniversary of the attacks. Questions surrounding Clinton's health have emerged in recent weeks, and calls for the candidate to release her full medical records may intensify after Sunday's incident. Clinton previously sustained a concussion in December 2012 after fainting, an episode her doctor attributed to a stomach virus and dehydration. Clinton's doctor reported she is fully recovered from the concussion, which led to temporary double vision and discovery of a blood clot in a vein in the space between her brain and skull. Clinton also has experienced deep vein thrombosis, a clot usually in the leg, and takes the blood thinner Coumadin to prevent new clots. Fox News Rick Leventhal and The Associated Press contributed to this report. Democratic vice presidential nominee Tim Kaine is predicting that the Roman Catholic Church may eventually change its opposition to gay marriage. Kaine is a Roman Catholic as well as a U.S. senator from Virginia and a former governor of that state. He told the Human Rights Campaign during its national dinner Saturday in Washington that he had changed his mind about gay marriage and that his church may follow suit one day. "I think it's going to change because my church also teaches me about a creator who, in the first chapter of Genesis, surveyed the entire world, including mankind, and said, 'It is very good,'" Kaine said. He then recalled Pope Francis' remark that "who am I to judge?" in reference to gay priests. "I want to add: Who am I to challenge God for the beautiful diversity of the human family? I think we're supposed to celebrate it, not challenge it," Kaine said. While he pledged to fight for increased rights for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer Americans, Kaine admitted that he had opposed gay marriage until 2005. "For a long time while I was battling for LGBT equality, I believed that marriage was something different," he said. Virginia's lieutenant governor when state lawmakers pushed for a constitutional amendment to keep marriage between one man and one woman, he recalled speaking to amendment supporters who said they hoped LGBT people would feel so unwelcome that they would move out of Virginia. "When I heard the proponents describe their motivations, it became clearer to me where I should stand on this," he said. Voters approved the amendment in 2006. The U.S. Supreme Court legalized gay marriage in all states in June 2015. Before introducing Kaine, Human Rights Campaign President Chad Griffin called Republican nominee Donald Trump the "gravest threat" the LGBT community has faced in a presidential election. Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson said Sunday, on the 15th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terror attacks, that the country is now safer against another such large-scale terror attack but acknowledged being challenged by lone radical Islamic terrorists -- with active FBI cases in all 50 states. Our governments become pretty good at detecting and preventing something hatched from overseas, Johnson told Fox News Sunday from the World Trade Center memorial in New York City. Were better than we were 15 years ago. Where were challenged, however, is the lone wolf-style attack. Nearly 3,000 people were killed on Sept. 11, 2001, when Al Qaeda hijackers took down four U.S. passenger jets, including two flown into the World Trade Center towers in lower Manhattan. Johnson acknowledged the persistent threat of the Islamic State terror group, including the FBI having active investigations in all 50 states and FBI Director James Comey saying last year that law-enforcement agencies have more than 900 active investigations against individuals suspected of supporting the group. Youre right, said Johnson, while arguing that the U.S. military and its allies have taken back ISIS-controlled territory in Iraq and Syria and have taken out several of the terror groups leaders. He also said he has instructed officials along the United States southwest border to increase their focus on people from other parts of the globe to prevent domestic terror attacks. Were seeing illegal migrants coming from Africa, coming from the Middle East, Johnson told Fox News. And were doubling down on preventing that from happening before they even reach the southwest border. Florida Republican Sen. Marco Rubio is accusing the Obama administration of trying to "deceive" Congress and the American people about roughly $1.7 billion in payments to Iran -- suggesting at least some of the money was a "ransom" for American hostages and demanding official documents for the related transactions. Each day brings new revelations about your administrations efforts to deceive Congress and the American people regarding payments of billions of dollars to the worlds foremost state sponsor of terrorism, Rubio wrote Saturday in a letter to President Obama. The America people do not believe the story that your administration did not provide Iran an illicit and potentially illegal ransom payment. The administration in January announced an agreement between the U.S. and Iran to settle a failed, decades-old arms deal that included Washington returning to Tehran $400 million and an additional $1.3 billion in interest. However, reports in early August revealed the initial $400 million was delivered on Jan. 17 -- the same day Tehran agreed to release four American prisoners. And Republicans are calling it a ransom. At least some of the money was in foreign currency, and a video originating on Iranian TV purports to show bundles of the cash on pallets. The letter from Rubio -- a failed 2016 presidential candidate now in a tough race for a second Senate term -- came two days after administration officials told House Republicans that Iran wanted "immediate access" to the $1.7 billion paid by the United States in cash. Rubio submitted a list of nine demands in the letter, including a request for a copy of a waiver allowing the use of cash, instead of complying with a U.S. code that states all federal payments made by an agency shall be made by electronic transfer. Rubio also wants to know why the administration didnt issue a check, which he says is the required method when a transfer is inappropriate, according to another U.S. code. Iran has pocketed this money and continued to hold and take more American hostages, Rubio also wrote. It has likely used this foreign currency to fund its military including its ballistic missile programs and to support Iran's terrorist proxies throughout the Middle East. Though the administration has claimed the payment and the prisoner release were separate incidents, it recently acknowledged the cash was used as leverage until the Americans were allowed to leave Iran. State and Justice officials at the hearing Thursday defended the payment and its cash delivery. Christopher Backemeyer, a deputy assistant secretary of state, said Iran wanted immediate access to the money, but he said he wasn't aware whether Iran had asked for cash. He said it was his understanding that the money was going to "critical economic needs" in Iran. The Associated Press contributed to this report. NASA has released new color images taken by the Curiosity Mars rover, which it says will help increase understanding of the red planet's landscape. The pictures, taken on Thursday, were taken in the "Murray Buttes" region of lower Mount Sharp, an 18,000ft mountain, where the Rover has been based since 2014. Curiosity is looking into how and when habitable conditions on Mars that were once present evolved into drier conditions less favourable for life on the planet. Curiosity Project scientist Ashwin Vasavada said the team was "thrilled" to undertake the expedition, describing the landscape as "a bit of American desert Southwest on Mars". The striking rock formations captured by the rover's Mast Camera, are the remnants of ancient sandstone which were formed when winds deposited sand on the lower regions of the mountain. Mr Vasavada said: "Studying these buttes up close has given us a better understanding of ancient sand dunes that formed and were buried, chemically changed by groundwater, exhumed and eroded to form the landscape that we see today." Since the images were taken, the rover has left the buttes and is set to continue its journey higher up Mount Sharp. The Curiosity team plan to create several mosaics from the images, with NASA saying they compare to photos taken in American national parks. Click for more from Sky News. TechCrunch Twitter's stock will be delisted from the New York Stock Exchange on November 8, according to a new filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. This comes a day after Elon Musk completed the company's takeover after a lengthy ordeal late Thursday. "The New York Stock Exchange hereby notifies the SEC of its intention to remove the entire class of the stated securities from listing and registration on the Exchange at the opening of business on November 08, 2022, pursuant to the provisions of Rule 12d2-2 (a)," the filing reads. Authorities say at least five people were hurt after shots were fired into a crowd at a party near Saginaw Valley State University in central Michigan. Saginaw County sheriff's officials say the people were treated at hospitals and that their injuries aren't considered life-threatening. They say the victims attending the large party early Sunday in a Kochville Township apartment and town house complex were not university students. Investigators are searching for two suspects. The campus was placed on lockdown for a short time and students were urged to stay in their residences. The lockdown was later lifted. Ask an American where he or she was when the Towers fell, and youll most likely get a reply with no hesitation. For people who were part of one of Americas darkest days, the answers follow somber reflection. Words are chosen carefully, and the anguish of 15 years ago comes through in quiet and sometimes cracking voices. Their stories are of survival, heroism, loss and pain that remain a decade and a half on. FoxNews.com talked to several who were there, and others familiar with the evil men who plotted the attack and live on to this day. Here are their stories: The Governor Gov. George Pataki was in his second of three terms when the biggest test of his career came. Fifteen years later, Pataki, now 71, said 9/11 feels like it was yesterday. But it is the heroism he witnessed, and not the horror, that has stayed with him. I will always remember that bright clear morning, the friends that I lost and the people not running away from the towers, but rushing toward them to help, Pataki recalled. And I'll always remember the people standing in line to give blood, waiting hoping for the injured and wounded who would never come that day. The former governor, who sought the Republican presidential nomination earlier this year, said 9/11 proved that America must stand strong against all those who would do her harm. Whether it's Al Qaeda, ISIS or any other radical Islamic terrorist group, we must remain committed to denying them safe haven both on land and online, he said. We must not allow them a base of operations to train, recruit and organize attacks against Americans at home or abroad. ***** The Healers Dr. Antonio Dajer, now 57 and director of New York-Presbyterian/Lower Manhattan Hospitals emergency department, recalls being in the restroom on the second-floor conference room windows of the hospital when every intern and resident looked out the window to see the first tower ignite. Respiratory stat to the emergency room! came a voice over the intercom, as the charge nurse shouted that an American Airlines plane hit the World Trade Center! The first patient was so badly mutilated it was unimaginable, Dajer recalled. The air was gray outside. Inside, patients had been moved upstairs or to the operating rooms. We were transferring out the burns, the head traumas, and the bad fractures to clear the decks for another hundred patients But instead there was only a trickle. The street suddenly fell quiet. A half hour later, Dajer walked to City Hall Park, three blocks away. The smoke funneling up Broadway was black and endless, he continued. Discarded shoes were everywhere. A crust of papers and thick gray dust blanketed the park, the streets. He remembers a young man dying, his lungs slowly and inexorably giving out and a trembling resident having to tell the patients wife her husband is dead. She dropped to the ground, Dajer observed. And when the resident tried to help her up, she punched him with brutal force. John Episcopo, a 38-year-old New York-Presbyterian Emergency Medical Services Technician, went to breakfast that morning with two co-workers Keith Fairben and Mario Santoro. Both would die on the fateful morning, killed by the rubble of a falling building as they tended the wounded. Episcopo wasnt scheduled to work, but had subbed for a co-worker and came close to losing his own life by the World Trade Center. Someone yelled, Run for your life! and I looked up and it was gray, there was this static sound and we all just ran in different directions, he said. I was thrown about 30 feet, landed in a walkway and just curled up and prayed. With a broken wrist and cuts and bruises all over his body, Episcopo dragged himself back the hospital where he continued the grim and grueling work of treating broken strangers. We continued to work day and night in the days following, Episcopo said. All the while, mourning the loss of our colleagues. Dr. JoAnn Difede, director of the Program for Anxiety and Traumatic Stress Studies at New York-Presbyterian and Weill Cornell Medicine, had just taken her son to his second day of pre-school when the first plane hit the North Tower. Her beeper immediately started going off and didnt stop. To this day, Difede is haunted by the faces of young victims and their families. I remember walking through the emergency room and it was completely empty, she recalled. There was medical staff all geared up waiting to receive survivors. And there just werent any. Many were being treated at makeshift hospitals nearer the scene, but in the coming hours and days, the emergency room would swell with patients, and their loved ones. A few days later, Difede brought in renowned yoga expert Beryl Bender-Burch to teach breathing exercises to the many tired and terrified family members jamming the waiting rooms. They needed a respite, she said. But there was no changing the horror. ***** The Fire Commissioner As head of the storied FDNY, Thomas Von Essen led a department through what would be both its finest and its darkest hour. Now 71, Von Essen had been appointed five years earlier by Mayor Rudy Giuliani. I think about it, unwillingly, every day. It just pops into my head, Von Essen said. The activity of that day was so incomprehensible that you just go through it doing the best you can, trying to make sense out of it. One of the most haunting images for the Commissioner was that morning, watching Father Mychal Judge the FDNY chaplain standing in the lobby of the North Tower. Judge was one of 343 FDNY members to die that day. I was watching his lips moving and I guess he was praying and he watched the firefighters run up the stairs, really not knowing what they would find up there, he said. We say that he was the first person from the fire department to die that day. That will always be the folklore, him being the first one in heaven welcoming all the heroes that had fallen that day. In a 2002 memoir entitled Strong Heart: Life and Death in the Fire Department of New York, Von Essen would chronicle 9/11, as well as many other dark and dangerous days that preceded it. He kept no mementos from 9/11, but regularly visits the Ground Zero memorial site. Its always painful, he added. But the memorial is spectacular a national remembrance of a horrific event and it is well done and appreciated. ***** The Police Commissioner Bernard Kerik had been running the NYPD for just over a year when the World Trade Center was attacked. By the end of the first exhausting day, his department would have lost 23 cops. He watched from the street as workers trapped on the upper floors of the towers joined hands and jumped to their deaths. The images from that day, and the loss, pain and hard work that would follow has never left him. Those memories will remain with us until the day we die, Kerik said. I watched innocent civilians jump one, two, and three at a time. With each generation after the attacks, our citizens become less vigilant. It is imperative every American knows what happened that day and realizes the overall threat against us. That evening, Kerik met with the families of police officers and firefighters who were missing. He spoke to John Vigiano, a retired firefighter whose sons were, at that point, unaccounted for. His courage and strength was an inspiration for not only me, but everyone in that room, he recalled. It would later be learned that John Vigiano Jr. a New York City firefighter, and his younger brother, Joe, an NYPD detective, both perished in the World Trade Center. Kerik would later serve as interim interior minister in Iraq under President George W. Bush, who nominated him to be the second Secretary of Homeland Security in late 2004. The nomination was rescinded after reports emerged that Kerik hired illegal immigrants in his house. Kerik would later serve time in a federal prison for charges that included tax fraud, and was released in May, 2013. In 2014 Kerik published the book From Jailer to Jailed: My Journey from Correction and Police Commissioner to Inmate. He has since become an advocate of criminal justice reform and the need to avoid over-criminalization in the U.S prison system, as well as advocating for new strategies to defeat radical Islamic terrorism. The events of 9/11 taught me never to take life for granted, he said. That there is an enemy that we will be fighting for decades and that real leadership is the key to our success and survival. ***** The Major General On Sept. 11, 2001, Maj. Gen. Larry Arnold was Commander of 1st Air Force and of the Continental U.S North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD). During and after the attacks, it was the Vietnam veterans responsibility to organize, equip and command hundreds of fighter, tanker and AWACS aircraft to circumvent potential attacks. My memories of that morning remain well ingrained in my consciousness not only for the tragic events, loss of life and our Air Force response, but for the emotions my team of airmen and I felt as we helplessly tried to thwart additional attacks, said Arnold, now 73. According to Arnold, just as the attack on Pearl Harbor remained instilled in the minds of the Greatest Generation, which was inspired to fight and win World War II, we need to unceasingly to remember the 9/11 attack. Our enemy this time, Islamic extremist or Jihadist the enemy has a name is of a different sort as we all know and shouldn't forget, he said. They rely on terror and the mindlessly ruthless and indiscriminant killing of all people who they consider infidels - non-Muslims and Muslims of a different sect equally. Prior to his retirement in 2002, Arnold was also the commander of all military aircraft for Operation Noble Eagle the U.S. military response to Sept. 11. These days, he is a consultant in the defense industry and President of the Arnold Group, aiding and supporting numerous government agencies and defense industry leaders in various areas from aircraft sales and strategic planning to Army and Air Force Missile systems and corrosion protection programs. I just hope we never forget those who died on that fateful day and continue to have the resolve to defeat those who hate us and our way of life, he said. ***** The Survivors It started as an ordinary Manhattan morning for businessman Edward Fine, who worked at Intercapital Planning, but when the towers were hit he was thrust into the international spotlight. He became known across the world as The Dustman, after a photo of him covered head-to-toe in dust walking through the debris circulated around the world, and appeared on the cover of Fortune magazine a few days later. I dont have any particular feelings with regard to that photo, but it does serve as a constant reminder to me of that day as if the days events were not enough of a reminder in and of themselves, he said. Fine noted that his memories of that day remain raw and real, but amid the chaos, he came across several people he now credits with saving his life. The woman who gave me the wet paper towel as we descended the stairs and which I later used to breathe through; the firefighters who were ascending the stairs as we were descending; the Catholic priest who put his hand on my shoulder and prayed for us as we lay on the street being covered by dust and debris, he said. Then there was the bus driver who took us uptown those people all come to my mind. Today, Fine continues to work as a business consultant and views his mission in life to help narrow the income gap between the rich and poor. He and his son are developing the website www.Vc4all.com as an opportunity for all Americans to invest in companies that up to now have usually been reserved for the ultra-wealthy and well-connected investors. Since 9/11, I have watched Americans miss out on some of the best investment opportunities because they didnt have enough money, he said. It has been my mission to help America since this tragedy, and I believe I have found the best way. Sept. 11 marked Rebecca Lazingers one-year anniversary at Morgan Stanley. Now 38, she remembers rushing excitedly through the revolving doors to be at her office on the 74th floor of World Trade 2 before 9 a.m. I didnt make it up to my office, she recalled. There was that impact moment and it was the loudest thing I had ever heard in my life. And everything went silent, followed by chaos and confusion. Lazinger remembers a man to her right screaming in the moments before he was killed by falling debris. I still had a coffee in my hand, she said. Then I ran in the opposite direction, haphazardly through the courtyard. I wasnt thinking. I just started running. I collapsed on the floor and people started running to get out of the building. Somebody pulled me off the floor and dragged me out the door. That was the same time that the second plane hit. Then it became running for your life. Lazinger would continue to work for Morgan Stanley for a couple of years following the tragedy, shuffling around to different offices attempting to get the companys database back in order. The temporary office we had was right across from St. Patricks Cathedral on Fifth Avenue and there were funerals every day for the longest time, she said. That music the bagpipes. Still when I hear bagpipes, it just sends me into a weird place. Some particular smells and sights and sounds are alive. A garbage truck. The subway. Its a live memory. I still have nightmares three times a week. Lazinger kept the thin, patterned Chinese slippers she got from a nearby deli after fleeing that morning. Last year, she gave them to her father. My grandparents were Holocaust survivors. He lived as the son of survivors, she explained. He is the common thread. New Jersey native Brian Branco was in his mid-thirties and owned his own small computer business on the 78th floor of the south tower on Sept. 11. I felt a little vibration, and thought something was happening above us, he recalled. The plan was to go downstairs, see what was going on, and go back up. That was the plan I had with another guy, Stephen. We left, and he said he forgot something in his office... He didnt make it. Branco doesnt remember leaving the building but the vision of the war zone outside rings clear. I was a block away, walking up Church Street and to the left, there was a movie theater. As soon as I turned, I felt the hit, he continued. I felt pressure from it; I felt heat from it. The federal building I was by rippled like in a movie. Branco has kept several tokens from that ominous day his building identification, ferry pass and a bank receipt and has since gotten two 9/11 tattoos in honor of his friends who died. He still owns a small computer business, BNC Consulting, and does volunteer work along with his wife and then eight-year-old daughter at the museum. One thing I have learned is, dont sweat the small stuff, Branco said. Enjoy every day because you dont know what will happen tomorrow. Appreciate your loved ones. ***** The Masterminds He was once one of Usama bin Ladens top deputies and is believed to have been the key mastermind behind the 9/11 attacks. Years earlier, the U.S.-educated, plane-crazed Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, 52, was a wanted man by U.S intelligence officials due to outspoken efforts to plot attacks against Americans. He was finally captured in March, 2003 in Pakistan outed by an informant and transferred to Guantanamo Bay detention camp in Cuba, where he has been held ever since on charges including murder in violation of the law of war, attacking civilians, conspiracy and intentionally causing serious bodily injury. In 2007, he confessed to being responsible for the operation, in addition to 29 others including the 1993 World Trade Center car bombing. Mohammed remains at Gitmo awaiting trial for war crimes. One of several players sometimes referred to as the 20th hijacker, Yemen-born Ramzi Bin al-Shibh is alleged to have wired money and passed pertinent information between Al Qaeda and the hijackers. The now 44-year-old was slated to take part in the Sept. 11 operation, but was denied a U.S. entry visa. Shibh was captured on Sept. 11, 2002, and was held at a CIA black site in Morocco before being moved to Gitmo in 2006, where he remains. His trial has been delayed multiple times, and as of 2014 military psychiatrists were said to be determining if he was fit to take the stand. Anna Nelson, spokeswoman for the International Committee of the Red Cross, declined to comment on individuals, but told FoxNews.com that the ICRC visits the detainees on regular basis four routine visits annually, each lasting two to three weeks, plus ad-hoc visits as necessary. During the visits, we are able to meet with the detainees on an individual basis and in-private. Each individual is free to agree or decline to meet with us, Nelson said. We facilitate contact between the detainees and their relatives through written messages as well as phone calls and Skype-like video calls. Communications between the detainees and their relatives are monitored and censored by authorities. Our role is strictly to facilitate the contact. And while the Gitmo detention facility has repeatedly come under the scrutiny of defense lawyers, human rights groups and much of the mainstream media, retired Army Colonel Gordon Cucullu argues that the likes of Mohammed and Shibh who are held at the ever secretive Camp 7 are treated not only humanely but with an almost groveling understanding of their culture. Infidel Americans were not allowed to touch the Koran, for example. By giving in to this we simply validated the concept that we are lesser people and not good enough to meet their standards, he told FoxNews.com. We went to extremes to furnish them halal food. Detainee meals were prepared with far more expensive and nutritious ingredients than the food provided to the Americans stationed at Gitmo and their meals varied more than the U.S menus. Cucullu also observed that at the outset, there were probably detainees transported there who didnt need to be there and were sufficiently weeded out but those remaining like Mohammed and Shibh are all hardcore, committed terrorists. They will not change, he said. Also known as the 20th Hijacker, French-born Zacarias Moussaoui, 48, is the only 9/11 suspected terrorist to have been tried in the United States. He took flying lessons at the same Oklahoma school hijackers Mohamed Atta and Marwan al-Shehhi attended, but his odd behavior prompted his flight instructor to notify the FBI. Moussaoui was arrested a month before the 9/11 attacks for an immigration violation, and months later, a slew of other charges including conspiracy to commit terrorism and to use weapons of mass destructions were added. Having pled guilty, Moussaoui is currently serving six life sentences without parole at the Federal ADX Supermax Prison in Florence, Colo. The facility is home to the male inmates characterized as the most dangerous and in need of the tightest security. Moussaoui, along with other high-risk inmates, is said to be locked in his cell for 23 hours a day one hour spared for recreational activity in an outdoor enclosure while flanked by armed guards and donning handcuffs, stomach chains and leg irons. The Federal Bureau of Prisons was not able to comment on Moussaouis current condition, citing privacy laws. However, each 7-by-12 foot concrete cell has an immovable desk, stool, toilet and shower and walls are in place to stop prisoners from even seeing other prisoners. Even contact with security personnel is severely limited, with meals delivered through small cavities in the door. Inside Moussaouis cement box, just a slither of the sky can be seen from below. Jamie Brennan contributed to this report Across the country, millions of Americans will pause Sunday to mark and reflect upon the 15th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001 terror attacks. Nearly 3,000 people died that day when Al Qaeda terrorists slammed hijacked planes into the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and a field near Shanksville, Pa. It was the deadliest terror attack on American soil. The 15th anniversary arrives in a country caught up in a combustible political campaign and keenly focused on political, economic and social fissures. But the nation tries to put partisan politics on hold on the anniversary. Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton and Republican rival Donald Trump plan to attend the anniversary ceremony at the World Trade Center. Neither candidate is expected to make public remarks. Politicians may attend, but haven't been allowed to read names or deliver remarks since 2011. Clinton and Trump are following a custom of halting television ads that day. At the White House, President Barack Obama will observe a moment of silence at 8:46 a.m. ET, the time when the first airplane slammed into the World Trade Center's North Tower. Afterward, Obama will address a memorial service at the Pentagon. Hundreds of people also are expected at a ceremony at the Flight 93 National Memorial in Shanksville. In Lower Manhattan, organizers of the memorial ceremony at the former Ground Zero now the site of the rebuilt World Trade Center have added music and readings to mark the milestone year. But they are keeping close to what are now traditions: moments of silence and tolling bells, an apolitical atmosphere and the hourslong reading of the names of the dead. "This idea of physical transformation is so real here," Sept. 11 memorial President Joe Daniels said. But on this Sept. 11 itself, "bringing the focus back to why we did all this which is to honor those that were lost is something very intentional." The simple, reverential observance may be the norm now, but city officials fielded about 4,500 suggestions including a Broadway parade honoring rescue workers and a one-minute blackout of all of Manhattan while planning the first ceremony in 2002. Financial and other hurdles delayed the redevelopment of the Trade Center site early on, but now the 9/11 museum, three of four currently planned skyscrapers, an architecturally adventuresome transportation hub and shopping concourse and other features stand at the site. A design for a long-stalled, $250 million performing arts center was unveiled Thursday. Around the Trade Center, lower Manhattan now has dozens of new hotels and eateries, 60,000 more residents and ever-more visitors than before 9/11. Meanwhile, the crowd has thinned somewhat at the anniversary ceremony in recent years, although over 1,000 survivors, recovery workers, victims' relatives and dignitaries attended last year. But there's been no sustained talk of curtailing the ceremony. Organizers evaluate every year whether to make changes, Daniels said, "and every time the answer, thus far, has been it's so special for family members, and it's important for the nation." The Associated Press contributed to this report. About 30 people were injured late Saturday after two decks collapsed on top of a third during a house party near Trinity College in Hartford, Conn. No serious injuries were reported in the collapse, which happened at around 11 p.m. local time. Yup. That's a 3 story beer bong. pic.twitter.com/Bg7qXeZQqE D/C Foley (@LtFoley) September 11, 2016 Hartford Police Department Deputy Chief Brian Foley posted on his Twitter feed that a third-floor deck of a house about two-tenths of a mile from the Trinity campus collapsed onto a second-floor deck, which subsequently fell onto a first-floor deck. The injured were sent to five area hospitals, Foley said, with the most serious reported injuries being a broken arm and a head injury. He described those hurt as "walking wounded" and said most were students. "That's some pretty weighty decks that fell down," Foley said. "We're very lucky there weren't worse injuries." Foley said the third-floor deck that fell showed signs of deterioration. He added that the building was owned, but not managed, by the college. "At this point, the third floor, you look and see the wood was very rotted and very old and structurally not very sound," he said. "Then you get 50 or 60 kids partying out there and it's obviously a dangerous situation." Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin said in a statement that "we are very lucky that there were no fatalities ... from what could have been a truly tragic incident." The mayor said police and firefighters were on the scene within minutes of the accident and that first responders worked quickly to get the injured transported to hospitals. Trinity College is a liberal arts school in Hartford with about 2,200 students. Founded in 1823, it's the second-oldest college in Connecticut after Yale. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Kansas City police have asked the public for help locating a missing woman after her burned-out car was found Saturday. Jessica Runions, 21, of Raymore, Mo., was last seen at a house party Thursday evening. KSHB reported that she attended the party with her boyfriend. At around 2 a.m. Saturday, authorities discovered Runions' black 2012 Chevy Equinox near an overpass in south Kansas City. Search teams canvassed the area near where the car was found for several hours before halting due to darkness. "We are very concerned for her safety. It's suspicious circumstances, her vehicle unoccupied, burned in a remote area ... [we are] just asking anyone who has had contact with her to call the police," police spokeswoman Capt. Stacey Graves said. Jessica's aunt, Michelle Runions, told the station that the missing woman left the party with her boyfriend's childhood friend, Kylr Yust. Local media reported that Yust's ex-girlfriend, Kara Kopetsky, disappeared in May 2007, a week after filing a protection order against him. Kopetsky has never been found. KSHB also reported that Yust has been convicted of assault, theft and animal cruelty. So far, police have not named any suspects or persons of interest in Runions' case. "They are aware of those leads and will continue to investigate them," Graves said of the possible connection between Runions and Yust. Fox4KC reported that police officers would be stationed in the area overnight Saturday before the search resumed Sunday. Anyone with information about Runions' whereabouts is asked to call the Kansas City Police Department's Missing Persons hotline at (816) 234-5136, or the TIPS hotline at (816) 474-TIPS. The jury in a criminal case has rejected a retired civil servants claim that she was a law-abiding gun owner who shouldnt be held responsible for her sons shootout with cops that left him dead. The jury in Seattle Federal Court found Jeanne Tinker-Smith, 64, guilty Friday of helping her son possess firearms despite a felony conviction, the Seattle Post-Intelligencer reported. Cecil Chancy Tinker-Smith was killed after a four-hour standoff with sheriffs deputies in 2014 in his mothers home in Deming, Washington, near the Canadian border. The jury heard evidence that he exchanged gunfire with the deputies with a shotgun purchased by his mother. One deputy was injured when he was hit by shrapnel. Defense attorney Alexander Ransom told the jury there was no evidence Tinker-Smith conspired to arm her son, according to the paper. She had a growing gun hobby, he was quoted as saying by the paper. She had a coyote problem. Shed been robbed before. Shes the gun owner here, he added, according to the paper. Thats not a bad thing. The jury heard three days of testimony and reached a verdict after two days of deliberations, according to the Bellingham Herald. Tinker-Smith was an accounting coordinator with the City of Bellingham until her retirement, the paper reported. She faces sentencing on Dec. 9. A Washington police officer shot and killed a motorcyclist who rammed the passenger-side door of a police car after a traffic stop, police said Sunday. The shooting occurred around 4:20 a.m. Sunday at 3rd and M streets, Northwest, about four blocks from the Washington Convention Center. Acting police chief Peter Newsham said in a video posted on Twitter that police had gotten reports about a motorcycle driving erratically and caught up with it downtown. After officers stopped the motorcycle, Newsham said the motorcyclist tried to flee. Police said in a news release that the motorcyclist intentionally drove into the passenger door as the officer was getting out of the passenger side of the police car. The officer opened fire, and the motorcyclist was shot. He was taken to a hospital, where he died. Police identified the motorcyclist as Terrence Sterling, 31, of Fort Washington, Maryland. The circumstances surrounding the shooting are under investigation, and witnesses were cooperative with officers on the scene, Newsham said. A police spokesman said she did not know the race of Sterling or the officer who shot him. A suburban Dallas firefighter was found shot to death and police have charged his wife with conspiring to kill him. Bob Poynter, 47, was found dead in his truck Friday night after officers responded to a report of a woman trying to flag down cars on a county road, Fox 4 Dallas reports. He was a fire captain with the University Park Fire Department. Police in Royse City, Texas, said the woman was Chacey Poynter, 29, and that she told the officers that her husband had been shot and was in the vehicle. Cops said he died of a single gunshot wound. Poynter was arrested Saturday after police said she gave conflicting information during questioning, the station reported. She was being held in Hunt County Jail. Police were also looking for another person who witnesses had seen with Poynter when she was trying to flag down cars, according to the station. The murder and the arrest shocked neighbors. Im beside myself. I cant believe it because they were both a sweet and nice couple as far as we could see, neighbor Judy Dixon told the station. She said the couple had just returned from a Mexico vacation and have a daughter who had just started the first grade. An Australian man accused of attempted murder after stabbing another man outside Sydney was "inspired by ISIS", authorities said Sunday. Ihsas Khan, 22, was ordered held without bail after he allegedly attacked the 59-year-old victim while he was walking through a park in one of Sydney's western suburbs Saturday. The unidentified victim was airlifted to a local hospital and listed in critical condition. Police said Khan also attempted to stab an officer before his arrest. He faces a life sentence if convicted. New South Wales Deputy Police Commissioner Catherine Burn told reporters Sunday that initial investigations showed there was 'clearly some planning' involved prior to the attack. "This was clearly a very volatile, a very violent situation that police and the members of the community were confronted with," Burn told reporters. Khan shouted words at the scene, which led police to believe he was inspired by ISIS, Burn said. "We know that this person has strong religious beliefs inspired by ISIS. What made him act yesterday we don't know," she said. Khan had previously been charged with a property-related offence, she said. "He has had a couple of interactions with local police over matters where we might say his behavior was odd or unusual," Burn said. "He is a person of concern." Despite his unusual behavior, he was not known to be connected with any terrorist group, she said. "This really highlights the challenge that this is the new face of terrorism," she added. Federal Attorney General George Brandis said bystanders had put their own lives at risk by intervening in the attack. "It may very well be but for the bravery of those citizens to intervene, the victim's life would have been lost," Brandis told reporters. "They are an inspiration to us all. They acted heroically and we should all be in their debt." An 18-year-old man was arrested on Thursday outside the Sydney Opera House after allegedly telling security guards he was under instructions to carry out an attack by ISIS. Counterterrorism investigators charged the teen with threatening to destroy property. Police said he was was carrying two canisters of automotive fluid. His arrest came days after ISIS urged followers to stab, shoot, poison and run over Australians at iconic locations including the Opera House. The teen appeared in a Sydney court on Friday, where the judge ordered him to undergo a psychiatric assessment. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Click for more from Sky News Australia. Click for more from News.com.au. Defense lawyers say an Egyptian court has released from detention a rights activist who had worked as a legal consultant to the family of Italian student Giulio Regeni who was tortured to death in Cairo this year. Ahmed Abdullah, head of the Egyptian Commission for Rights and Freedoms, an NGO, was arrested in April as part of a government crackdown on protesters campaigning against Egypt's intention to turn over two Red Sea islands to Saudi Arabia. Speaking Sunday, the lawyers said the court released Abdullah Saturday. Charges against Abdullah, including inciting violence and attempting to overthrow the government, have not been dropped. His release came one day after Egypt's top prosecutor acknowledged for the first time that Regeni was investigated by police just weeks before he disappeared on Jan. 25. By Lamine Chikhi ALGIERS (Reuters) - Algeria's energy minister has said there is a consensus among OPEC and non-OPEC members about the need to stabilise the oil market to support prices, state news agency APS reported on Saturday. Noureddine Bouterfa was speaking after meeting his Saudi counterpart Khalid al-Falih and OPEC Secretary-General Mohammed Barkindo in Paris late on Friday. Bouterfa has travelled to Qatar, Iran and Russia this week to push for the oil price to be stabilised between $50 and $60, and said he was "confident" about the outcome of an OPEC meeting to be held in Algiers on Sept. 26-28. Bouterfa said Algeria would submit a proposal to steady prices at the meeting. "Our discussions with our partners show that there is a consensus around the necessity of stabilising the market. That is already something positive," Bouterfa said. "We are in contact with the members and the secretary-general of OPEC and that is part of this work of achieving a consensus and I am optimistic." "There is support from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Iran, Venezuela, Kuwait, and from non-OPEC countries, notably Russia." Barkindo told APS, in remarks published later, that OPEC was not seeking a definite price range for oil but rather "sustainable stability" for the market. Asked after the Friday meeting what reasonable price OPEC was targeting, he said: "This is not what we are seeking at the moment." Algeria is hosting a meeting of the International Energy Forum alongside the OPEC meeting later this month, and Bouterfa said he had discussed both sessions with Falih and Barkindo in Paris. Algeria is among the oil producers to have taken a heavy hit from the halving of oil prices over the past two years. Moves towards clinching a global deal on stabilising crude output come five months after talks for such a deal failed when Saudi Arabia insisted Iran join the pact. Tehran says it supports any measures to stabilise the market, but has stopped short of indicating whether it would join a global deal before its production reaches 4 million barrels per day, the level at which it says it was pumping before the imposition of Western sanctions in 2012. (Additional reporting by Hamid Ould Ahmed; writing by Aidan Lewis; Editing by Kevin Liffey) Weeks before Islamic State militant Abdelhamid Abaaoud led the Nov. 13 terror attacks in Paris, French authorities thought he was holed up in northern Syria. Western Intelligence agencies pursuing Abaaoud had tracked him there using cell-phone location data and other electronic footprints. The Paris attacks, which killed 130 people, showed how badly they were fooled. Abaaoud had slipped past the dragnet and entered the city unnoticed. Drawing from a growing bag of tricks, Islamic State accomplices located in Syria likely used phones and WhatsApp accounts belonging to Abaaoud and other attackers to mask the groups travel to Europe, said a Western security official: We relied too much on technology. And we lost track. Terror attacks in Europe, which have killed more than 200 people in the past 20 months, reflect new operational discipline and technical savvy by the Islamic State terrorists who carried them out, security officials said. The extremist groups communications, once commonly conducted on phones and social media accounts easily tracked by authorities, have evolved into a mix of encrypted chat-app messages over WhatsApp and Telegram, face-to-face meetings, written notes, stretches of silence and misdirection. These techniques helped protect attackers from Western intelligence agencies by leaving few electronic clues in a sea of intercepted data. In recent months, Europe has been convulsed by a string of simple yet lethal attacks. Some were committed by people who appear to have received little direct training from Islamic State. The suspects in a failed plot in France last week were remotely controlled from Syria by the group, prosecutors said Friday. Officials worry such attacks could be a way to distract intelligence services while militants prepare more complex plots. Click for more from The Wall Street Journal. Authorities foiled an ISIS-linked attack in Paris on Saturday, arresting a 15-year-old boy suspected of preparing an imminent violent action, two judicial sources told Reuters. The boy, who was not identified, had been under house arrest since the coordinated Nov. 13 Paris attacks that killed 130 people. After that deadly episode, France declared a state of emergency. It was not immediately clear why the teen was under house arrest. The boy was allegedly planning an attack on a public place, a source told Reuters. Another source said that the teen was in contact with a known Islamic extremist, Rashid Kassim. Kassim, a Syrian-based jihadist, is suspected of being behind a plot to attack a Paris train station this week. Authorities thwarted that scheme, however, arresting seven people, including four women. The train station plan was uncovered after an abandoned car filled with gas cylinders was found outside of Notre Dame Cathedral last Sunday. By Huw Jones LONDON (Reuters) - Regulators are heading in the right direction in reforming the way banks calculate how much capital they must hold to stay solvent, a group of central bankers said on Sunday. The reforms have been heavily criticised by lenders who say they will lead to hefty increases in capital requirements, an outcome the central bankers said should be avoided. The world's top central bankers said on Sunday that completion of remaining post financial crisis reforms to bank capital was going in the right direction and the focus should be on avoiding large increases in requirements. The Basel Committee of banking supervisors is finalising rules on how much capital lenders should hold to withstand shocks without needing the taxpayer handouts that many were given during the 2007-09 financial crisis. The committee is facing hefty pushback from banks and some governments, especially in Europe. The Group of Central Bank Governors and Heads of Supervision, or GHOS, met on Sunday to scrutinise progress so far on finalising the Basel III reforms ushered in by the financial crisis. Its members include the Federal Reserve, the Bank of England, and the European Central Bank (ECB). "The GHOS endorsed the broad direction of the Committee's reforms," it said in a statement. "The GHOS discussed the Basel Committee's ongoing cumulative impact assessment and reaffirmed that, as a result of this assessment, the committee should focus on not significantly increasing overall capital requirements." Banks have dubbed the remaining reforms Basel IV, meaning a step change in requirements that they say will make it harder to increase lending to the economy. The final reforms cover capital requirements for credit and operational rules, and stricter parameters for assessing the riskiness of assets. They also include a new "floor" below which capital requirements cannot go, irrespective of the amount needed according to a bank's own modelling. Story continues European banks in particular say this would penalise large holdings of low risk loans on their books, and give too much emphasis to the volume of assets rather than their riskiness. Earlier this month, the European Union urged the Basel Committee to ensure that capital requirements were "not significantly increased in any of the major regions of the world". Basel members like Japan have said the benefits of modelling should be preserved, while other members like the Fed are more sceptical about capital calculation models. The GHOS statement on Sunday, which reinforces a similar statement at the start of the year, will buttress Basel, though banks expect some watering down when the final rules are published given concerns among some of its members. "Finalising the committee's post-crisis reforms will complete Basel III and help restore confidence in banks risk-weighted capital ratios," said Mario Draghi, who heads the ECB and chairs GHOS. Stefan Ingves, chairman of the Basel Committee and Governor of Sweden's central bank, said: "The Committee has taken significant steps over the past few months towards finalising the post-crisis reforms by the end of the year." Most banks across the world already meet or exceed the capital and liquidity requirements that Basel III sets out for full compliance by 2019. (Reporting by Huw Jones; Editing by Ruth Pitchford) Two Virginia Commonwealth University students are hoping that more than 100 undergraduate and graduate students will work together to solve some of health cares most pervasive problemsin 24 hours. Simone Gregor, a senior biomedical engineering student, and Sina Mostaghimi, a fourth-year VCU School of Medicine student, have co-founded VCUs first medical hackathon called HealthHacks. The 24-hour event will take place Oct. 12 at VCUs School of Engineering East Hall at 401 W. Main St. The goal of HealthHacks is to bring several disciplines together to solve problems in health care, Mostaghimi said. The idea started in the spring of this year, he said. My background is biomedical engineering and Im in medical school right now. I always wanted to bring these areas together because a lot of times engineers dont know a lot about medicine, and doctors dont know about engineering. After Mostaghimi connected with Gregor, she had the idea to do a hackathon. She has competed in several hackathons herself and said they are great opportunities to not just tackle a challenge with a group of people, but to meet others and learn more about work taking place in other disciplines. Hackathons are designed to be kept to short periods of time24 hours in this caseduring which teams work together to solve computer science-related problems. In the case of a medical hackathon, though, the teams attempt to solve health care challenges. That environment just creates an excellent opportunity for students to make something, Gregor said. So far, more than 100 students from all over the countrysome from Canada, Mostaghimi saidhave signed up for HealthHacks. Thats without marketing to VCU undergrads, Mostaghimi added. Thats where we think well get the majority of our students from. Its kind of mind blowing that 100 have signed up already and very few of them are from the undergraduate campus. We could have between 200 and 300 [total participants] easily. He and Gregor have already been able to attract a variety of mentorsranging from clinicians and physicians to biomedical engineers and professorsthat will not only develop problems for the students to solve, but will offer advice to the teams during the event itself. Gregor added that HealthHacks is currently looking for corporate sponsors who also could be mentors to students during the event. Richmond is such a great location for this type of event because we know theres so much community support for innovation and entrepreneurship, she said. HealthHacks will feature three categories of problems for students to solve: product design and improvement; the flow of patients through a hospital; and patient experience. Mostaghimi said an example of a product design and improvement problem would be the current opioid epidemic that is causing thousands to overdose on pain killer drugs. One solution that could be super beneficial would be to redesign the pill bottle to make it more difficult to overdose on pills, by however mechanism you choose, Mostaghimi said. But he added that he and Gregor went with three problem categories in order to attract a broader range of students. Business students could have ideas to improve hospital patient flow, and art students could develop ways in which to improve the patient experience, for example. The two are hoping that this is just the first of what becomes an annual event for VCU. Its a great experience overall, said Gregor of hackathons. Students can sign up for HealthHacks at healthhacks.vcu.edu. Like many Americans, Scott Belako, the principal of Ni River Middle School in Spotsylvania County, can remember exactly where he was on Sept. 11, 2001: teaching fourth grade at Ferry Farm Elementary School in Stafford County. At that point in time, especially at the elementary schools, they didnt want word to get out to the kids quite yet, just in the fact that we had so many family members that might be affected, he said. Those fourth-graders are now in their 20s, and many also likely remember that day. But the students in his school now, born since 2001, have no such connection. Just as the generation before them heard of John F. Kennedys assassination from their parents, for these students, the terrorist attacks always will be history to be studied, rather than an event they lived. Mary Amstone and Sharon Twiford, who both were teaching at Ni River that day in 2001, now co-teach a seventh-grade civics class. On Friday morning, they led a discussion about the events of 9/11 as the clocks on the wall hit the marks on the historic timeline they discussed. Students shared what they knew about the attacks aloud and on paper. One student talked about how Flight 93 was brought down in Pennsylvania, short of its target, by some of its passengers. Another had the impression that ISIS, which did not yet exist in 2001, had led the attack. Several students gasped as they watched news footage from the moments leading up to the second airliner hitting the World Trade Center, hearing the shock and chaos from the newscasters. Upset. In shock. Angry. Overwhelmed, one student wrote on a worksheet, in response to a question about how they felt as they watched the video. Surprised. Sad. Scared, wrote another. When she first heard what happened, Amstone told the class, all anyone knew was that there had been an attack in New York. I just remember that we were in between class changes and one teacher was walking down the hall and she kind of had tears in her eyes, Amstone said. I asked her, I said, Whats wrong? And then she said, I think were under attack. The teachers didnt find out more until their planning period, and didnt discuss anything with their students that day. The next day was somber, they said, with many students having a connection to someone affected by the attack at the Pentagon. In the years since the attacks, class conversations have become more general, Amstone said. With the few years right after, there were a lot more details being discussed, whereas now its more of a general topic of patriotism, Amstone said. Across the hall, Daniel Wagoner, a sixth-grade social studies teacher and the schools most recent Teacher of the Year, spoke to his students about the same theme. There was a huge, huge surge in patriotism, he told them. On Route 3, I remember on a Friday evening there were a couple of fire engines with ladders strung up in the air and there was a huge American flag draped down. And you know the traffic there were people going by and seeing these big flags and people were cheering. The surge in patriotism was a huge consequence of the attacks, he said. After their class, Twiford and Amstone agreed. Twiford said, After we viewed all this, we talked about what [its] like today that our country started to unite and that people were helping each other, people were going to church, there was just a lot of bringing together, [being] more patriotic. She thinks theres still a stronger sense of patriotism than before the attacks, and that stories from parents and grandparents about the events of 9/11 maintain a sense of connection to the day. I still think its an important thing to teach the kids, even this many years afterwards, Amstone said. Lance Cpl. Justin LeHew squeezed into the back of an amphibious assault vehicle with 17 Iraqi prisoners of war. He took stock of his weapons: a knife strapped to his shoulder and a rifle too big to use in such close quarters if the POWs decided to take on their captors. It was February 1991. The young Marine studied their faces. Most were young and jovial despite their defeat, relieved that a war started six months earlier when Iraq invaded Kuwait was over so quickly. But across from him sat a much older soldier, a commander whod spent much of his life at war. On his face, LeHew thought, was the look of sheer hatred. He would recount the scene 25 years later in American Warfighter: Brotherhood, Survival and Uncommon Valor in Iraq, a collection of firsthand accounts from service members who found themselves in the Middle East a dozen years after Desert Storm. I could sense, even as a young Marine, that the fight wasnt finished, LeHew wrote. When I came into the Marines, I never thought wed be in that region. We had grown up to fight the Soviet Union, he said recently in his home in Artillery Ridge in Fredericksburg. By the end of 1991, the Soviet Union would no longer exist. The world was fast-changing. LeHews prediction, made at age 21 in the midst of an astonishing American victory, would come true sooner than he imagined. DUTY AND HONOR LeHew grew up in the small town of Oak Grove, Ohio, the son of a World War II veteran who was part of the invasion of Normandy and went on to join the newly independent U.S. Air Force. Uncles and neighbors had done their part in Europe or the Pacific or Korea. I was always around the military, LeHew said. The veterans did not talk about their experiences. But he was keenly aware of their sacrifices, of the lives theyd built after war, and it instilled in him a sense of duty and honor. He always knew hed follow their path. When the Air Force did not work outhe qualified for only two jobs out of hundredsa dejected LeHew ran into a Marine recruiter who changed the course of his life. They are the first in battle and the last to leave. That solidified more and more that I wanted to be there, LeHew said. And so in July 1988, at age 17, he headed to the Marine Corps Recruit Depot in Parris Island, S.C. One night before graduating basic training, he received his assignment: AmTrac crewman, which he soon learned had nothing to do with trains. An AmTrac, he explained in American Warfighter, is a 26-ton floating tank armed with a grenade launcher and a machine gun that can carry 21 combat-loaded troops from ship to shore. Two years later, Iraq invaded Kuwait. War was soon imminent. News reached LeHew while he was aboard a once-in-a-lifetime Marine expeditionary cruise that would take him through the Caribbean and around South America. But as a U.S.-led coalition mobilized in the Middle East, LeHew and his comrades dwelled on the possibility that the war would be fought without them. The cruise ended just before Christmas 1990less than one month before Operation Desert Storm. Upon their return, our commanding officer met us in a big maintenance hangar, LeHew said. He told the 40 Marines he would be taking the last group to the Middle East just after the New Year. If you want to volunteer, the officer said, meet me back in this hangar on Jan. 3. Just seven showed up. LeHew was among them. Next thing I knew, I was on an airplane flying over to Saudi Arabia. AN OVERWHELMING VICTORY As one of the last arrivals, LeHew found himself with the combat reservesand about as far away as he could get from the impending action. Then came a call for volunteers to move forward. Thats my way in, LeHew thought. He would be joining the 2nd Assault Amphibian Battalion, assigned to a unit primarily responsible for communication vehicles rolling into combat. Only after he raised his hand was he told that the expected casualty rate for the job hed just volunteered stood at 80 percent. Im glad it didnt turn out that way, LeHew said. The coalition began a bombing campaign on Jan. 17, 1991. The war ended five weeks lateran overwhelming and unexpected quick success. Fewer than 300 of the more than 600,000 U.S. service members who deployed to the Middle East in support of the war did not come home. For the most part, the Iraqis simply threw up their arms and were like, Hey, man, we dont want this. Hundreds of thousands of them. Stacks and stacks of them in our vehicles. There were so many surrendering that you would point in the southerly direction to say, Just keep walking that way, because you couldnt fit them all in your vehicles, he recalled in American Warfighter. The troop strength and superior military power of the U.S. had left them demoralized. But LeHew, then 21, already understood it was one thing to drive invaders back across the borders from which theyd come. It would be quite another to face the Iraqis in their own country. LIKE PEARL HARBOR A Marine was laughing. It was the morning of Sept. 11, 2001. LeHew, a gunnery sergeant stationed at Camp Lejeune, N.C., had just left a morning meeting when he heard the news: Some foolhardy pilot, probably flying a Cessna or Piper, had struck the World Trade Center. That a second plane would hit, that before the day was over those indomitable towers would crumble and smoke would rise from the Pentagon and a Pennsylvania field and nearly 3,000 people would be dead, was unfathomable. But here came another Marine a few minutes later, nearly manic and screaming the truth: War had come to America. It was like Pearl Harbor, LeHew said, because you didnt know where another attack was coming from. He did not go home for four days. This time, there would be no need to ask for volunteers. Everybody in a uniform wanted to go somewhere to stop what just happened. A ROUGH GO OF IT Within a month, the U.S. invaded Afghanistan. The invasion of Iraq followed in March 2003. LeHew, a platoon sergeant, assigned to Alpha Company, First Battalion, Second Marines, would be on the front lines, responsible for 12 AmTracs and 40 well-prepared Marines and a Navy corpsman. On March 21, they began rolling into Iraq, where they would play a key role in the battle of Nasiriyah, a city nestled along the banks of the Euphrates River that, according to the Marine Corps Association, guarded key supply routes north. This was not 1991. This time, the Iraqis were fighting for their own country. Theyve got nowhere to go. This time, the entire weight of the world is coming into your backyard. That comes with a different mentality for the Iraqi soldier, he said. I knew wed have a rough go of it. The battle officially lasted six days. LeHew would be awarded the Navy Cross for actions in that city, second only to the Medal of Honor in military decorations for valor. Less than a year and a half later, he would take part in another major battle in the central Iraqi city of Najaf. The military would again recognize him for his heroics with a Bronze Star with Valor. He deployed to the Middle East a final time in 2008. The U.S. would formally declare an end to the war in Iraq in December 2011more than eight years after it had begun. The number of U.S. service members killed in Iraq stands at 4,504, 19 of them killed in the last four years. At least 163,000 Iraqi civilians have died in the conflict, according to estimates. And American involvement continues. In July, the U.S. announced it was deploying 560 additional troops to Iraq to help fight the Islamic State. BRAVERY AND BROTHERHOOD In August 2013, LeHew was named sergeant major of Training and Education Command at Marine Corps Base Quantico and moved with his family to Fredericksburg. The city reminds him of the place he grew up more than any other place hes ever lived. A year later, LeHew got a phone call from J. Pepper Bryars, an author who wanted to capture in LeHews own words his experiences in Iraq. Two chapters would end up devoted to the Marines firsthand accounts of the battles of Nasiriyah and Najaf. He was one of 10 service members interviewed for American Warfighter, which was published in May. Bryars was a fellow veteran, LeHew said. He wasnt pushy. He wasnt asking anything of me other than my story. I just got a good feeling. Recalling the most harrowing details of battle proved physically exhausting. Not that the memories arent always there: the bravery and brotherhood and loss now captured in words. There are journals, too, dozens of them handwritten over the decades that he occasionally calls upon when, in his dealings with a new generation of Marines, he needs a reminder of who he once was. And there is the perspective of historyof his fathers own generation drafted into a war that would claim thousands of lives in a single battle. The survivors, in spite of their trauma, had come home and built America. Im very proud that I was cut from that generation, LeHew said. This generation will never let America down, either. As a Navy SEAL and then a professional wrestler, Jesse Ventura has developed a reputation as a fighter. Now he's taking on a new battle, the U.S.'s "War on Drugs" that has sought to outlaw illegal substance abuse, but led to a number of spillover effects. In his new book, "Jesse Ventura's Marijuana Manifesto", the former Governor of Minnesota argues for the legalization of pot. He makes no distinction, however, between medical and recreational. "I'm in favor of all. There is no difference. The entire plant is a medical plant," Ventura told CNBC's On the Money in an interview. He said he took on the cause for a personal reason. "Someone very, very close to me developedepileptic seizures and was seizing four times a week," said the former governor. Ventura said the person, who he declined to name for privacy reasons, took four types of pharmaceutical medicines. "None of them worked. They all had horrible side effects," he added. "Finally in desperation," Ventura took the person to Colorado, where weed has been legalized. After taking medical marijuana the person has been "completely seizure-free and is completely off all of the pharmaceutical medicine," for at least two years. "So marijuana cured the seizures," he added. Including Colorado, at least 25 states and the District of Columbia have legalized some form of marijuana for either medical or recreational use, or both. Contrary to what some skeptics say, however, Ventura argued the legalization movement has had a virtuous effect. "In every state that's legalized marijuana, heroin use has gone down. The exact opposite of the propaganda they've been pumping into us for years." Meanwhile, the movement has boosted state coffers somewhat. The Colorado Department of Revenue has seen tax revenue on marijuana sales increase from $56 million in 2014 to $113 million last year, to an estimated $140 million this year. Ventura added that the Rocky Mountain state now has millions more "to spend on schools and on infrastructure and all that." Story continues At one point, Ventura was mooted as a potential independent presidential candidate. He told CNBC there was no love lost for either Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton, both of whom have struggled under the weight of being polarizing. "I would love to see Hillary and Donald both lose. You have two candidates here where their negatives are record high," Ventura said. They're both hated by the majority of the people. Well, vote for someone," Ventura tells CNBC. The former Minnesota governor is supporting Gary Johnson, the Libertarian former New Mexico governor, for president. "I'm for Governor Johnson for two reasons," Ventura said, citing armed conflict abroad and drugs. "I want out of the wars in the Middle East. Gary Johnson said he'll do that. I want an end to 'the war on drugs.'" He did express some surprise at Trump success, who he said has "rattled his sword for years. I was surprised he finally did it." In 1998, Trump backed Ventura's independent bid for governor. "My disappointment was he did it as a Republican. That's why I can't support him and won't support him," Ventura added. "I don't support Democrats and Republicans because they've been in charge for 150 years and look at the mess we're in." On the Money airs on CNBC Saturday at 5:30 am ET, or check listings for air times in local markets. from staff reports The Rappahannock Area Community Service Board will host its fifth annual plant sale starting Monday and running through Friday at the farmers market in Hurkamp Park at the intersection of William and Prince Edward streets. The flowers will be sold between 9:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. The sale will benefit Rappahannock Adult Activities Inc., a nonprofit agency that serves and provides a daytime program for adults with intellectual disabilities, according to a news release from the Rappahannock Area Community Service Board. RAAI began in 1976 and has operated for more than 35 years. It currently serves more than 160 participants at its seven locations within the city of Fredericksburg, Caroline, King George, Spotsylvania and Stafford. Four of the seven locations are in Stafford and Spotsylvania counties. The proceeds from the sale allow community members who do not have the funds for admission to attend the program. The sale will include chrysanthemums that were grown by RAAIs participants. RAAI members will sell the plants and help customers load plants into their vehicles. Melessa Suder, horticulture specialist, said in a statement that the sale creates awareness for the organization and allows members of RAAI to be more involved in the Fredericksburg area. We appreciate the communitys support for our plant sales, Suder said. The participants enjoy caring for the plants and meeting customers during the sale. For more information, contact RAAI at 540/373-7643, or visit RACSBs website at racsb.state.va.us. When an armchair Civil War historian in Fredericksburg decides to purchase a metal detector and finds an old-looking projectile in his backyard, whos he gonna call? Probably the local police first, but the local police will call the Marine Corps Base Quantico Provost Marshal Office who will call Quanticos Explosive Ordnance Disposal technicians. The base ordnance disposal section has Memorandums of Understanding with communities as far south as Richmond to respond to the discovery of ordnance. Our section supports civilian authorities at the discretion of the installation commander, said Capt. Matthew Anderson, Explosive Ordnance Disposal officer at Quantico. Farmers plowing fields, any kind of construction work that turns up suspected military or Civil War ordnance. This June, the section responded to a call from Fredericksburg, where an excavation had uncovered a three-inch projectile from a Parrott rifle used by the Union Army during the Civil War. Technicians will preserve the projectile and then turn it over to the University of Mary Washington or another historical organization for display. We get a good amount of that kind of call, Anderson said. Weve responded to probably three this year. Since the City of Fredericksburg and Stafford and Spotsylvania counties were all sites of major Civil War battles, Civil War ordnance is everywhere. Quantico technicians have identified a mix of Union and Confederate artillery projectiles, musket balls and black powder bullets. Typical practice is to remove the hazards, often by flushing out the black powder, and then preserve it. At that point, they prefer to either pass the item along to a museum, college or university or keep it for their own library. He said their library contains about two dozen Civil War pieces and an estimated 700 other items. Members of the public can visit the library by appointment. We like to keep examples of everything we can, he said. Bombs, mortars, rockets, old, new, U.S., foreign. They also help museums and historical organizations ensure that the firearms in their collections are safe. This summer, they X-rayed a World War II M1 Garand rifle recovered from the grave of a Marine Raider on Makin Island, now in the collection of the National Museum of the Marine Corps. And last year, they conducted similar work on the ordnance collection at the Navy Yard. They also assist in the protection of the president, vice president, secretary of defense and others. In June, two Marines from the Quantico section accompanied President Obama when he visited Orlando following the June 12 shooting at the Pulse nightclub. They also spend time on security detail at the White House and at Marine Barracks in Washington, D.C., for the Friday evening parades. All of this is in addition to their work on Quantico, clearing ranges after training exercises and identifying unexploded ordnance elsewhere on base. Were super busy, Anderson said. If I could double my section, that would be awesome! WASHINGTONYear after year, more Americans attempt to board planes with concealed firearms in their carry-ons. They also come with hidden swords, hatchets, sharpened ninja stars and even gunpowder. Invariably, the response from passengers when officers from the Transportation Security Administration seize the weapons is: Oops, I forgot I had it. Its always astonishing to me that people can forget they have a weapon in their carry-on, said TSA Administrator Peter V. Neffenger. Im not sure why people continue to do this. Not everyone buys the excuse of forgetfulness. They didnt forget their pants. Its beyond me, said David Borer, general counsel of the American Federation of Government Employees, a union that represents the nations 42,000 or so transportation security officers. Whether the reason is memory lapse or a desire to be prepared should armed terrorists once again try to commandeer an aircraft, the seizure of a record 2,653 firearms last year at airport checkpoints is but one aspect of an evolving security panorama as the nation passes the 15-year anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks. The security ritual now has a familiar rhythm: Shoes off. Laptops out. Everything through the X-ray machine. Nearly 2 million passengers endure the drill each day. Many hate it. A few get unruly. The technology used by the security agentsincluding full-body scanners get ever more sophisticated while the most basic of questions go without a satisfying answer: Do all the security measures work? Are terrorists truly deterred? Are we safe? Experts agree on only one thing. Heightened airport security is here to stay. Its going to take a long time before we stop taking our shoes off, said Bruce Schneier, a security technologist and fierce critic of the TSA. Its hard to pick apart the security procedures the federal government has adopted and not arrive at the conclusion, as Schneier has, that much of it is security theater. Seeming failures abound. An audit last year found that TSA officers found weapons only three times when undercover investigators passed through airport security checkpoints 70 times with weapons or mock explosives, a failure rate of 95 percent. The then-administrator lost his job. We are not safer than before 9/11, regardless of the money and energies spent to change airport security, said Michael Boyd, an aviation consultant and longtime former airline executive based out of Evergreen, Colo. The TSA approach is a dud. It is a giant bureaucracy with zero accountability for failure. Events in the past month underscore how TSA officers, who are unarmed, behave in the face of potential terror. On the night of Aug. 14, when false reports circulated of gunshots at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, TSA officers and civilian security guards abandoned their posts and joined a stampede of hundreds of travelers. It raised questions about readiness in the event of a real terrorist attack. Two weeks later, panic broke out at Los Angeles International Airport when loud noises led to rumors of an active shooter. Several terminals were evacuated, and passengers and TSA officers alike breached security doors to flee to the airport tarmac. Panicked people, Boyd said, were chasing off in all directions like a herd of gazelles running from thunder. TSA has no plan in the event of an incident, except to tell people to run away from the noise, or dump them into the street in a nice tight crowd for a terrorist target. Rating the effectiveness of security procedures is a divisive endeavor. Experts disagree. The two things that have improved security since 9/11and there are only twois one, reinforcing the cockpit doors, and two, teaching passengers that they have to fight back, Schneier said. Some airline pilots, protected by the reinforced locked cockpit doors, now maintain handguns at arms reach in case of intruders. Awareness among passengers of their own potential roles in thwarting terrorism soared after Sept. 11, 2001, when courageous passengers aboard United Flight 93, bound from Newark, N.J., to San Francisco, took on the four hijackers. The passengers and crew tried to regain control of the flight, leading to its crash in a field in Pennsylvania but preventing the hijackers from slamming the airliner into a still-unknown target, perhaps the White House or the U.S. Capitol. Fighting back now seems ingrained in some passengers. Go to an airport and pick 10 random people, and theyll tell you, We know we have to do this, 100 percent, Schneier said. W E KNOW what the Republicans and Democrats think about race and poverty in America. Now its time to see what they actually plan to do about these persistent and potentially catastrophic societal problems. Following the two national conventions, there were some significant takeaways related to how each party views race, exemplified by the images themselves. The RNC reflected the monochromatic early days of television where nonwhites were rarely seen on the TV screen, while that of the DNC more closely reflects the multicultural mosaic of 21st-century America. These demographic selfies of each party are not likely to surprise most observers, given their recent political history and agendas. However, given the volatile racial tensions in America, looking like America is no longer enough. Real action is needed. The continued problem of race in the United States is exemplified by two persistent issues: the combustible relations between blacks and police, and the vast economic inequalities that persist in America. The troubled and all-too-often deadly encounters between blacks and the police are indicative of the racial disparities that permeate the criminal justice systema system that is a result of inequities in the formulation and administration of public policies, of which the police are the front-line public servants charged with carrying out. A highly conspicuous example of this is the nations response to the crack epidemic of the 1980s to the 2000s and that to the current heroin epidemic. The War on Drugs, as the nations response to the crack epidemic was referred, was primarily waged in inner-city black and Hispanic communities, criminalized drug addiction and disproportionately led to the incarceration of members of these communities, although they were no more likely to be involved with drugs than were their white counterparts. Conversely, under the current heroin epidemic, which is overwhelmingly affecting suburban and rural white communities, the public policy response has been a more sympathetic and humane approach aligned with the disease-model of addiction and emphasizing treatment in lieu of incarceration. Even the most conservative observer should recognize the devastating effects these failed policies have left in their wake in urban communities of color and the need to remediate the damage. What is needed is a Marshall Plansuch as that which helped rebuild Europe after World War IIin order to revitalize the social fabric, institutional infrastructure and lives of those living in inner-city, urban America. While the Second Chance Act passed by Congress in 2007 is a positive step in this regard, the leaders of both political parties would be wise to double-down on efforts to help effectively reintegrate those returning to our communities after having served time in our nations correctional institutions and in theory paid their debt to society. As we all know, a felony drug offense virtually relegates a person unemployable in the mainstream economy and can make them ineligible for various public benefits and rights ranging from a drivers license, public housing assistance and college financial aid, to the right to vote in some states. This also has deleterious social and economic effects on the family and the community. The negative effects of the absence of a parent from the life of a child, irrespective of the cause, has been well established in the research literature on child development. The incarceration of a parent, regardless of the race/ethnicity, deprives the child of the emotional and financial support of that parent, and perpetuates single-parent and kinship care households, which are overwhelmingly headed by females, given the predominantly male prison population. This brings into sharp relief the significance of the economic inequality that permeates much of inner-city as well as rural America. In fact, an astonishing 80 percent of all families headed by a single female live in poverty. This is further exacerbated by the wage gap between women and men, where women earn 79 cents for every dollar earned by a man. These conditions coalesce to further destabilize the communities that have been disproportionately and negatively affected by our nations failed War of Drugs. And while some aspects of our nations approach to the current drug scourge have changed, what has not changedat least not in any real tangible wayis the manner in which inner-city neighborhoods are policed. These are the challenges that we as a nation need the next president of the United States to be capable of providing the leadership to address. It is incumbent on both of our political parties to make racial and economic policy a priority, while it is equally imperative that the American public choose wisely in selecting our next president. Nothing less than our very democracy is at stake. Ronnie Dunn is an associate professor of urban studies at the Maxine GoodmanLevin College of Urban Affairs at Cleveland State University. He is also the author of Racial Profiling: Causes and Consequences. He wrote this for InsideSources.com. THAT THING In your hand, that glittering screen. Its dangerous, and you know it. You feel what it has done to you and what it will; you feel bound, less human. That amazing embryonic thing: a cellphone that has become you in just a matter of years, in an eerie post-human birth. Gabriel Marcel writing more than 50 years ago: In our contemporary world it may be said that the more a man becomes dependent on the gadgets whose smooth functioning assures him a tolerable life at the material level, the more estranged he becomes from an awareness of his inner reality. It reads like prophecy now, the obscure warnings of a minor philosopher. He was talking about the radio, and now his words better fit your phone or whatever screens you cant do without. Materially were still in awe, but spiritually we know somethings changed. We all sense it, each of us discomfited, even if we cant find the words for it. Martin Heidegger, that odd rustic, said, we remain unfree and chained to technology, whether we know it or not and were simply blind if we dont see that technology has changed us, changed our world and even being itself. Although ultimately hopeful, he was sober in his warning that technology is both dangerous and challenging. He said we should watch over it and question it, instead of merely gaping at the technological. But which is it, good or evil? Utopia or dystopia? Kevin Kelly, the founding executive editor of Wired magazine, called it the technium, the gathering together of living minds into a technological transcendence, a new metaphysics, a new consciousness that will reroute our sense of a soul, our inklings of God. We are, he suggests, at the dawn of a new Axial Age in which our sense of absolutely everything will change, brought about by technology we may have invented but will not control, like an unbound Prometheus. Good or evil is beside the point. Try to disconnect; you cant. There will be no restoration, no renaissance, no return to whatever way it was. All questions now can only be about the future, about a dialectic paradise promised by the progress we ourselves set in motion, by technology we ironically dreamed would make our lives easier and empower us but has done the opposite. That addiction, that tick, that nudge to check your phone every few minutes: Its the beginning of a new sort of servitude, a more perfect incarceration. For some of us, this is frightening, the dissolution of the organic, dissolution of the human. Talk of all things technological: the cloud, augmented reality, meatspace, even Pokemon Goall of it foreboding of a divorce of soul from body, of humanity from the earth. Frightening for some us of us. At least for those of us who liked being human. Which is why the most important thing is to remember that were human and to remain so. Fools and presidents will not be the ones to enslave; rather, our masters are the screens we hold in our hands, which weve allowed to whither us like a billion privileged Gollums. Its our predicament as well as our test: whether were still human enough to renounce the tyranny of all those glittering screens. The Rev. Joshua J. Whitfield is the parochial vicar and director of faith formation and education at St. Rita Catholic Church in Dallas. Email him at jwhitfield@stritaparish.net. Free Freightnet Membership List your company in the Freightnet directory. It's Free, it's Easy and your company can be displayed in front of potential freight buyers within 24 hours. Kmart (39) Sears and Kmart, once America's leading retailers, are bleeding cash and shutting down stores, as once loyal shoppers abandon them in droves. Sears' sales have dropped from $41 billion in 2000 to $15 billion in 2015. Kmart, which merged with Sears in 2005, has seen its sales plunge from $37 billion to $10 billion in the same period. In interviews with more than a dozen long-time customers of the two stores, people repeatedly cited the same reasons for taking their business elsewhere: lack of customer service, poor-quality products, a lengthy checkout process, and messy, "depressing" stores. Here's what they told us. 'I have to beg them' to take my money Several people claimed that they were unable to find any cashiers when trying to check out. Robert Hoke, 69, of Baltimore, Maryland, said he has been a loyal Sears customer for life. "Sears was my go-to store for just about everything," he said. "Now I do my best to avoid going into the local store." He said he's visited the store about six times in the last two years and only once made a purchase. "It is really bad when you have to go through a frustrating ordeal just to get them to take your money," he said. "It's like I have to beg them to take it!" Hoke said he went to Sears a couple months ago to buy a new lawn mower, but left and went to Home Depot when he couldn't find anyone to help him. IMG_7090.JPG "It's not a mystery as to why Sears is bleeding cash," he said. "Actually the 'cash' is walking out the door unspent, or even worse, it has just stopped entering altogether. No bogus rewards program or selling cheap stuff for cheap pricing will stop that from happening." Hoke isn't the only customer who has complained about understaffing. "I have been in the store several times and there is no presence of sales associates, only a cashier," said Gary Herndon, who said he was a Sears employee of 40 years and a long-time shopper. "If someone needed help with a tractor or mower, they would mostly likely walk out and go to Lowe's because the store was so inadequately staffed." Story continues Steve Hall of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, recently tried to buy a weed eater at Sears and said, "What I thought would take 15 minutes max turned into a 30-plus-minute ordeal." "I could not find an available cashier," he said. "When someone showed up after 10 minutes, he had problems scanning the UPC code. He also had problems entering my gift cards ... They didn't care whether or not I bought it. I will not go again." Kmart Rick Arnold of Salt Lake City Utah also complained about the lack of available cashiers, as well as "outdated technology" and empty shelves. "Sears was an icon. It was the place to go to buy just about anything," Arnold said. Now if you're "lucky enough to find what you are looking for and then want a speedy checkout process you are faced with long checkout lines." Arnold thinks Sears won't last much longer. "The end is near," he said. "The store I grew up with will be just a memory. So sad." 'They are committing suicide' Some customers claimed that the quality of Sears' products has declined over the years. "When I walked into a Sears store 10 to 15 years ago I knew automatically that I would pay more for whatever I bought, but I was confident that it would be top quality," said Tilmon Strickland of Ada, Oklahoma. "But today, I don't buy anything from Sears. The appliances are very cheaply made and won't last." IMG_7079.JPG Charles Tucker of Exeter, New Hampshire, said he and his father were lifetime Sears customers. He said he still has some of his Sears Craftsman tools from the 1960s, but newer tools don't last. When Sears sent him a new credit card in the mail recently, he said, "I just cut it up. Sears put a lot of small retailers out of business 100-plus years ago. Now they are committing suicide." In response to the customer complaints described in this story, Sears spokesman Brian Hanover said the company is constantly getting feedback from customers and that most of it is positive. "We constantly solicit feedback from our tens of millions of members and customers, as well as provide a variety of ways for them to provide it unsolicited and authentically back to us," he said. "The feedback you described is not reflective of the vast majority of comments and scores we receive and does not depict a typical member experience." He said customer satisfaction scores have improved for both Sears and Kmart year-over-year. "Regardless, we appreciate this additional feedback and know there are instances when we can do better," he said. "We will continue to enhance our operations and provide our members with superior service while they shop their way." 'Heaven help you if somebody needs a price check' Employee incentives to get customers signed up for the company's Shop Your Way rewards program and credit cards have also been a headache for customers. "They have so many questions that the checkout person needs to ask each and every customer to try and sway them into some sort of loyalty program," shopper Samuel J. Ely said. "They want my phone number, address, email, etc. Even the card swiper wants all kinds of things." He compared checking out at Sears to a crossing point for the Berlin Wall. "The annoyance really starts the moment you get in the long line and have to wait for the other customers in front of you to go through Checkpoint Charlie," he said. "Heaven help you if somebody needs a price check." Kmart The loyalty program also makes things confusing when trying to get a price on something, Ely claimed. After purchasing a house, Ely said he went to Sears to buy all new appliances. He ended up leaving without buying anything, however, because he said it was too confusing to get a bottom-line price on the appliances with all the possible combinations of discounts and loyalty rewards that a salesperson was pitching to him. Ely left the Sears store and went to Lowe's instead, and said he spent $8,000 on his appliances there. "Ever since then, I avoid Kmart like the plague and I don't shop at Sears at all," he said. Herndon, the 40-year Sears employee, agreed that the Shop Your Way program is "a misery for both employees and customers." "When a customer came to get checked out they were presented with: Sign up for Shop Your Way rewards, get their email address, sell a maintenance agreement ... or a repair agreement on smaller items, try to get them to open a charge account, ask them to call in a customer-service survey and by the time all of this was presented, many customers were angry and just wanted to pay for their purchase and get out." 'It was a ghost town' Customers also complained that the stores are in total disarray. "The Tinley Park, Illinois, Kmart is sad and depressing," said Gary Hayslett, of Tinley Park, Illinois. During a recent trip, he said he saw two cashiers in the store and only one other shopper. He said Kmart stores have been using sheets and shower curtains for years to hide empty shelves and closed departments, and that many of the registers are broken and covered with cardboard. Kmart He also noted that the Tinley Park store appears to be renting out part of its parking lot to a local car dealer for car storage. "Kmart made a huge impression on me as a child. At one point I had hoped to work there," Hayslett said. "I watched as Kmart overtook Sears as the nations No. 1 retailer in sales. And Ive watched with dismay as Kmart has fallen from grace to irrelevancy." Shopper Jeff Magnet of Newton, Massachusetts, said he visited the Kmart store in Tulsa, Oklahoma, a couple weeks ago and found a similarly depressing scene. "It was like a haunted house," he said. "A real mess." Another customer, Paul Martin, compared his local Sears where he said he and his wife worked in the 1990s to a "ghost town." "Last time I was in the store where we once proudly worked, it was a ghost town," Martin said. "Very sad to see a once great retail giant at its end." NOW WATCH: Find out if you live near one of the Sears or Kmart stores closing this year More From Business Insider On July 25, 2016, Verizon Communications (VZ) announced it entered an agreement to buy the operating businesses of Yahoo (YHOO) for $4.8 billion. However, this deal didnt just happen overnight. (Although there were many late nights as you will read.) Back on December 9, 2015, Yahoo announced that it would suspend work on what couldve been the spin-off of its stake in Alibaba (BABA). A few weeks later on January 15, Yahoos board had a conference call with advisors at Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan, Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Skadden Arps and Wilson Sonsini to discuss what the company could do next. That call focused on the potential spin-off and sale of Yahoos operating businesses. With its quarterly earnings announcement on February 2, Yahoo announced it was considering strategic alternatives. A new proxy statement filed with the SEC offers some color on what followed: Over the next several weeks, the Financial Advisors communicated with a total of 51 parties to evaluate their interest in a potential transaction. Between February 19 and April 6, 2016, a total of 32 parties signed confidentiality agreements with Yahoo, including 10 strategic parties and 22 financial sponsors. All of these potential bidders received access to a virtual data room The five-month long process involved a variety of deal structures proposed and many of back-and-forths. The number of bids gradually fell, and in the final days it was either going to be Verizon or a party referred to as Sponsor B. But as time went on, the board also acknowledged the risks associated with the process going on for too long. From the evening of July 22 according to the proxy: The Board concluded that the risks of delaying signing a transaction with Verizon for an inferior offer from Sponsor B outweighed any potential benefit of pursuing further negotiations and noted that, in the proposed transaction with Verizon, the Board retained a customary fiduciary out to pursue an unsolicited potentially superior proposal that emerged after signing the transaction agreements. Story continues From the late night hours of July 22 to the crack of dawn July 23, lawyers finalized the paperwork. And on the morning of July 23, Yahoo and Verizon signed the deal. In a 6-page section of Yahoos new proxy filing with the SEC, Yahoo lays out a detailed timeline of how the deal went down. See it below. Disclaimer: Yahoo is the corporate parent of Yahoo Finance. Yahoo Finance covers Yahoo as it does any other large public company. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Strategic Alternatives Process Following the December 9, 2015 announcement, Yahoos management and advisors continued to evaluate alternative transactions that would separate Yahoos stakes in Alibaba and Yahoo Japan from its operating business. On January 15, 2016, the Board held a telephonic meeting with members of management and representatives of Goldman Sachs, J.P. Morgan, BofA Merrill Lynch, Skadden, and Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati (Wilson Sonsini), legal counsel to the Board, participating for portions of the meeting. Prior to these advisors joining the meeting, members of management presented and the Board approved a strategic operating plan, an earlier version of which had been discussed at the Boards December 2, 3, and 17, 2015 meetings, designed to simplify Yahoos operating business, narrowing its focus on areas of strength to better fuel growth, drive revenue, and increase efficiency. In addition, representatives of Yahoos financial advisors and Skadden presented the Board with potential strategic alternatives intended to achieve Yahoos objectives of maximizing stockholder value and execution certainty while minimizing time to execution and transaction complexity. The Board and Yahoos advisors discussed, among other factors, the feasibility, potential tax implications, and likely timing of these potential alternatives, focusing primarily on a reverse spin-off of Yahoos operating business and a sale of that business to a third party, including certain variations of these primary alternatives. Following the January 15 Board meeting and prior to the engagement of the Financial Advisors by the Strategic Review Committee, BofA Merrill Lynch was not requested to, and did not, provide any further financial advice to Yahoo or the Board and its engagement by Yahoo subsequently expired. BofA Merrill Lynch was engaged by Verizon in March 2016 in connection with Verizons participation in the strategic alternatives process described below. On January 31, 2016, the Board met telephonically, with members of management and representatives of Goldman Sachs, J.P. Morgan, Skadden, and Wilson Sonsini participating. At the meeting, the Board, members of management and the advisors present at the meeting discussed the strategic alternatives of the reverse spin-off and a sale of Yahoos operating business. The Board also authorized the formation of a special committee of the Board, named the Strategic Review Committee, to be composed of certain independent members of the Board, to consider and evaluate possible strategic transactions involving Yahoos operating business and all matters pertaining thereto on Yahoos behalf. The Strategic Review Committee was initially composed of Maynard G. Webb, Jr., who served as Chairman, H. Lee Scott, Jr., and Thomas J. McInerney. The Board resolved that it would not approve or recommend to Yahoos stockholders for approval any strategic transaction related to Yahoos operating business without a prior favorable recommendation of such transaction by the Strategic Review Committee. The Strategic Review Committee was further authorized to retain, at Yahoos expense, such outside counsel, financial advisors, and other outside advisors as the Strategic Review Committee deemed appropriate to assist in its prescribed duties. Following the Board meeting, the Strategic Review Committee retained Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP (Cravath) as its legal counsel. On February 2, 2016, concurrently with its announcement of its quarterly and annual financial results for the periods ended December 31, 2015, Yahoo issued a press release announcing its strategic operating plan, which included exploring certain non-strategic asset divestitures. In that press release, Yahoo also indicated that, in addition to continuing to work on a reverse spin-off transaction, the Board would also explore other strategic alternatives for separating Yahoos operating business from its Alibaba Shares. In the days following the February 2, 2016 announcement, Goldman Sachs and J.P. Morgan, as well as members of the Board and Yahoos management team, received general indications of interest in investments in or acquisitions of all or part of Yahoos operating business from numerous parties, including a senior executive of Verizon approaching Mr. Webb to express Verizons interest in a potential transaction with Yahoo. In addition, after Marissa A. Mayer, Yahoos Chief Executive Officer and President, acting with approval of the Strategic Review Committee, had contacted representatives of both Yahoo Japan and SoftBank, the controlling shareholder of Yahoo Japan, to inform them that Yahoo was exploring strategic alternatives, a senior executive of SoftBank approached Ms. Mayer to request a meeting to discuss a potential transaction involving Yahoo and Yahoo Japan, subject to Yahoo committing to a 30-day exclusivity period. The Strategic Review Committee was kept informed of each of these indications of interest. On February 4, 2016, the Strategic Review Committee held a telephonic meeting. Representatives of Cravath reviewed with the members of the Strategic Review Committee their fiduciary duties and other relevant legal considerations, as well as the scope of the authority delegated to the Strategic Review Committee by the Board. The Strategic Review Committee identified a number of investment banks as potential financial advisors to assist it in carrying out its responsibilities. Because the parties potentially interested in acquiring Yahoos operating business included financial sponsors, the Strategic Review Committee also advised members of management not to engage in any discussions with interested parties about terms of employment, co-investment, or rollover of equity unless first discussed and authorized by the Strategic Review Committee. On February 10, February 11, February 12, and February 15, 2016, the Strategic Review Committee held telephonic meetings, with representatives of Cravath participating, during which the Strategic Review Committee considered whether to engage one or more of the investment banks (including Goldman Sachs and J.P. Morgan) that the Strategic Review Committee had identified as potential financial advisors at its February 4, 2016 meeting and subsequently interviewed. The Strategic Review Committee considered the capabilities and experience of the various candidates that it met and reviewed the disclosures provided by the investment banks regarding certain relationships they had with potential bidders for Yahoo or its assets, Yahoo and other parties with whom Yahoo had significant relationships. After considering the information provided by the investment banks in their disclosures and during their interviews, the Strategic Review Committee decided to engage Goldman Sachs and J.P. Morgan, each of which was familiar with Yahoo based on its prior work for Yahoo, including with respect to the suspended Aabaco spin-off and the potential reverse spin-off, and PJT Partners LP (PJT Partners), which had not previously worked with Yahoo, as its financial advisors. Goldman Sachs, J.P. Morgan, and PJT Partners are referred to as the Financial Advisors. On February 12, 2016, the Board met and discussed the progress of the Strategic Review Committee, including its selection of financial and legal advisors. Outreach to Potential Bidders After engaging each of the Financial Advisors, the Strategic Review Committee directed the Financial Advisors to begin reaching out to potential interested parties, including those parties that had contacted representatives of Yahoo, Goldman Sachs, and J.P. Morgan about a potential transaction following the February 2, 2016 earnings announcement, to evaluate their interest in a potential transaction involving Yahoo or its assets. On February 19, 2016, the Strategic Review Committee updated the Board on its progress. Mr. Webb informed the Board that the Strategic Review Committee had met numerous times and explained its recent activities, including the engagement of, and commencement of work with, the Financial Advisors. He also outlined the outreach process, including work underway by management to prepare a management presentation and potential timing for meetings with interested parties. Also on February 19, 2016, Yahoo issued a press release announcing the formation of the Strategic Review Committee and that the Strategic Review Committee had engaged the Financial Advisors and Cravath as the Strategic Review Committees financial advisors and legal counsel, respectively. Over the next several weeks, the Financial Advisors communicated with a total of 51 parties to evaluate their interest in a potential transaction. Between February 19 and April 6, 2016, a total of 32 parties signed confidentiality agreements with Yahoo, including 10 strategic parties and 22 financial sponsors. All of these potential bidders received access to a virtual data room, which initially included a management presentation (which included three years of forecasted financial information for Yahoo which had previously been reviewed by the Board) and publicly available documents but was later updated with customary due diligence materials and was further updated regularly throughout the strategic alternatives process in response to due diligence questions and requests from potential bidders. The Strategic Review Committee discussed the ongoing outreach process with representatives of the Financial Advisors and Cravath at telephonic meetings held on February 25 and March 3, 2016. On February 25, 2016, Mr. Webb and Ms. Mayer met with representatives of SoftBank. At the February 25 meeting, Mr. Webb and Ms. Mayer received a letter from Yahoo Japan to the Board, dated February 25, 2016, setting forth the material terms of a non-binding proposal for a merger of equals transaction between Yahoo and Yahoo Japan. Yahoo Japans proposal, which was subject to due diligence, negotiation of final documentation, and approval by Yahoo Japans board of directors, contemplated that Yahoos existing stockholders would receive a 50 percent stake in the combined entity and approximately $14.0 billion in cash, reflecting an equity value for Yahoo of $29.05 per fully diluted Yahoo share. Yahoo Japans proposal also contemplated a commitment by Alibaba to purchase approximately 50 percent of Yahoos stake in Alibaba in six equal annual installments over a six-year period commencing one year after the closing of the transaction. The letter was not signed or acknowledged in writing by Alibaba. The letter conditioned further discussions regarding the proposal on Yahoos entry into a 30-day exclusivity agreement on or before March 1, 2016. On February 26 and February 29, 2016, the Strategic Review Committee held telephonic meetings, with representatives of Cravath and, for certain portions, certain representatives of one of the Financial Advisors and Ms. Mayer participating, to discuss the non-binding proposal set forth in Yahoo Japans letter. The Strategic Review Committee subsequently received advice with respect to the Yahoo Japan proposal from each of the Financial Advisors. The Strategic Review Committee considered, among other things, the fact that Yahoo Japans proposal offered no premium for Yahoos shares and that the contemplated repurchase by Alibaba of a portion of its shares would be fully taxable. Members of the Strategic Review Committee also discussed Yahoo Japans proposal, and the Strategic Review Committees views with respect to such proposal, with each other member of the Board. After careful consideration, the Strategic Review Committee concluded that the terms described in Yahoo Japans letter were not compelling and that Yahoo should not enter into the proposed exclusivity agreement, but the Strategic Review Committee would be open to continuing a dialogue with SoftBank and Yahoo Japan about a potential transaction on more attractive terms. After the Strategic Review Committees position was communicated orally to SoftBank by a representative of one of the Financial Advisors, SoftBank and Yahoo Japan each declined to enter into a confidentiality agreement in connection with the strategic alternatives process and did not thereafter participate in such process. On March 8, 2016, Mr. Scott resigned from the Strategic Review Committee given his other responsibilities, including as Chairman of Yahoos Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee. At a Board meeting on the same day, Catherine J. Friedman and Eric K. Brandt were appointed as independent directors of Yahoo to fill vacancies created by the recent resignations of two independent directors. The Board also appointed Mr. Brandt to replace Mr. Scott on the Strategic Review Committee. On March 9 and March 14, 2016, the Strategic Review Committee held telephonic meetings and discussed with its advisors the status of the strategic alternatives process. At the March 14 meeting, the Strategic Review Committee also discussed potential approaches to the Excalibur IP Assets in relation to the strategic alternatives process with a view to most effectively monetizing those assets. The Strategic Review Committee subsequently decided to pursue a separate sale process for the Excalibur IP Assets and to permit bidders for Yahoos operating business to participate in the Excalibur IP Assets process as well. On March 14, 2016, the Board met telephonically, with members of management and representatives of Wilson Sonsini and Cravath participating, to discuss with members of the Strategic Review Committee the proposed management presentation and forecasted financial information to be included in the presentation. Between March 18 and April 1, 2016, seven potential interested parties, including Verizon, each attended separate half-day in-person management presentations at Skaddens Palo Alto offices. These potential interested parties were previously selected by the Strategic Review Committee and its advisors as the initial group to receive management presentations based on, among other things, the level of interest they had shown in the process and their perceived viability as potential buyers. The presentations were given by Yahoos management team, including, among others, Ms. Mayer, Ken Goldman (Chief Financial Officer), Ronald S. Bell (General Counsel and Secretary), and Ian Weingarten (Senior Vice President, Corporate Development and Partnerships). On March 22, 2016, the Strategic Review Committee held a telephonic meeting and reviewed with representatives of Cravath drafts of the engagement letters negotiated with each of the Financial Advisors. Each of the Financial Advisors executed engagement letters with Yahoo, dated March 23, 2016, with respect to its role as a financial advisor to the Strategic Review Committee. On March 22, 2016, the Board met telephonically, with members of management and a representative of Wilson Sonsini participating, to discuss with members of the Strategic Review Committee the management presentations that were recently made to potential bidders. During the period from March 23 through April 6, 2016, at the direction of the Strategic Review Committee, the Financial Advisors sent process letters to potential bidders that had executed confidentiality agreements. These process letters set forth guidelines for the submission of a preliminary non-binding indication of interest in the acquisition of or strategic investment in one or more of Yahoos assets and established April 11, 2016 as the deadline to submit such preliminary non-binding indications of interest. The process letters noted, among other things, that Yahoo was open to considering proposals for Yahoos operating business or its principal non-operating assets, as well as for the whole company. On March 24 and March 31, 2016, the Strategic Review Committee held telephonic meetings, with representatives of the Financial Advisors and Cravath participating, to discuss, among other things, the in-person management presentations to date and the response of the initial group of potential bidders that attended such presentations. The Strategic Review Committee subsequently decided, in consultation with Yahoos management, that, given the number of additional interested parties and taking into account managements time, an audio recording of the management presentation would be made available to the interested parties that were not invited to attend in-person management presentations. On March 24, 2016, Yahoo received notice from Starboard of its intention to nominate nine persons, including Tor R. Braham, Eddy W. Hartenstein, Richard S. Hill, and Jeffrey C. Smith, for election to Yahoos Board at its 2016 annual meeting of stockholders and to solicit proxies from stockholders in support of its nominees. Indications of Interest From April 1 through April 8, 2016, a total of 19 interested parties that had signed confidentiality agreements with Yahoo attended audio recorded management presentations at the offices of Cravath, in New York, Skadden, in New York or Palo Alto, or certain of the Financial Advisors offices. All potential bidders who attended either an in-person or audio recorded management presentation were invited to participate in individualized follow-up question-and-answer sessions with Yahoos management team, including Ms. Mayer and Mr. Goldman. Beginning on April 4, 2016, and on most weekdays thereafter until Yahoo and Verizon entered into the Stock Purchase Agreement, the Strategic Review Committee held a standing daily call with members of Yahoos management team, including Ms. Mayer, Mr. Goldman, Mr. Bell, and Mr. Weingarten, and with representatives of the Financial Advisors, Cravath, Skadden, and Wilson Sonsini. On April 5 and April 7, 2016, the Strategic Review Committee held telephonic meetings, with representatives of the Financial Advisors and Cravath, and, for the April 7 meeting, Skadden participating, and discussed, among other things, feedback from potential bidders and the process for the Strategic Review Committees review of the initial indications of interest. The Strategic Review Committee decided to extend the due date for preliminary indications of interest to April 18, 2016. At the April 7 meeting, a representative of Skadden also presented potential structures for separating Yahoos operating business from its other assets in connection with a potential transaction. Although the Strategic Review Committee was primarily focusing on the auction process at this time, it was noted that much of the work relating to the potential separation structures would also apply to a reverse spin-off if the Board chose to pursue such a transaction. Throughout April until April 18, 2016, the potential bidders continued to engage in extensive due diligence discussions with Yahoos management team, with the assistance of the Financial Advisors, and to request and receive due diligence updates to the virtual data room. On April 11, 2016, a strategic party referred to as Strategic Party A submitted a preliminary non-binding proposal providing for a $1.0 billion to $2.0 billion strategic investment in Yahoo, after which Yahoos operating business would be spun off. After consideration of the proposal and discussion with its advisors, the Strategic Review Committee determined not to pursue it at that time, pending completion of the sale process. At a Board meeting held at Yahoos Sunnyvale headquarters on April 13 and April 14, 2016, members of the Strategic Review Committee and representatives of the Financial Advisors updated the Board on the status of the strategic alternatives process. The Board also discussed with Skadden and Cravath the proposed transaction structure of a sale of Yahoos operating business. On April 18, 2016, 14 parties (in addition to Strategic Party A), including three strategic bidders and 11 financial sponsor bidders, submitted preliminary non-binding indications of interest with respect to a transaction with Yahoo. Ten of these proposals contemplated an acquisition of Yahoos operating business on a cash-free, debt-free basis (alone or in conjunction with certain of Yahoos other assets) for enterprise values as follows: proposals that assumed that both the Excalibur IP Assets and a parcel of owned real estate located in Santa Clara, California (the Excluded Real Estate) would be included in the transaction from a financial sponsor referred to as Sponsor A ($7.5 to $8.0 billion) and from Verizon ($3.75 billion); proposals that assumed that the Excalibur IP Assets (but not the Excluded Real Estate) would be included in the transaction from a strategic party referred to as Strategic Party B ($4.5 billion), and a financial party that owns a strategic asset referred to as Sponsor B ($5.0 to $5.5 billion); and proposals that assumed that neither the Excalibur IP Assets nor the Excluded Real Estate would be included in the transaction from financial sponsors referred to as Sponsor C and Sponsor D, which were working together with the prior consent of the Strategic Review Committee ($5.5 billion), and five other financial sponsors, which are referred to as Sponsor E, Sponsor F, Sponsor G, Sponsor H, and Sponsor I, respectively ($6.0 billion, $5.0 billion, $5.7 billion, $5.0 to $6.0 billion, and $4.51 billion, respectively). The remaining four indications of interest included: a proposal from a financial sponsor that owned a controlling interest in an Internet company for a Reverse Morris Trust transaction in which Yahoos operating business would be spun off and then merged with the smaller Internet company owned by the financial sponsor, the terms of which were based on an indicated enterprise value of $4.379 billion for Yahoos operating business; an oral offer from a bidding group consisting of two financial sponsors to acquire Yahoos operating business for $2.0 billion; a proposal to acquire Yahoos operating business for $3.0 to $4.0 billion from a group of private equity bidders that had declined to enter into a confidentiality agreement and therefore had not participated in the first-round due diligence process; and an indication of interest from a financial sponsor that did not specify an enterprise value or value range and offered to support a third-party transaction. None of the initial indications of interest received in the process contemplated an acquisition of Yahoo in its entirety. Between April 18 and April 21, 2016, at the direction of the Strategic Review Committee, representatives of the Financial Advisors contacted the potential bidders, including Verizon, that had submitted proposals contemplating an acquisition of Yahoos operating business on a cash-free, debt-free basis to clarify the terms of, and to obtain additional information with respect to, their proposals. Between April 19 and April 21, 2016, each of the Financial Advisors provided the Strategic Review Committee with updated disclosures regarding certain of its relationships with the potential bidders. On April 20 and April 21, 2016, the Strategic Review Committee held telephonic meetings, with representatives of the Financial Advisors and Cravath participating, to review and evaluate the first-round proposals and to discuss which bidders would be invited to the next round of the strategic alternatives process. Representatives of Cravath reviewed with members of the Strategic Review Committee their fiduciary duties and other relevant legal considerations. Representatives of the Financial Advisors presented to the Strategic Review Committee their preliminary financial analyses of the initial indications of interest and described their discussions with each potential bidder, including their views on each bidders financial capacity to close a transaction, industry experience, level of engagement in the process, and other factors affecting whether to invite such bidder into the next round of the process. The Strategic Review Committee also determined not to pursue any of the initial indications of interest contemplating alternative transaction structures, which involved additional complexities and contingencies, concluding that pursuing a sale of Yahoos entire operating business through a competitive auction process offered a better chance of maximizing value for Yahoo stockholders and noting the potential to revisit such proposed alternative structures in the future. Following the Strategic Review Committee meeting on April 20, 2016, the Strategic Review Committee and representatives of the Financial Advisors and Cravath participated in a call with members of Yahoos management team to discuss the first-round proposals and the Strategic Review Committees analysis of these proposals and to obtain managements input. On April 21, 2016, Yahoo entered into a purchase agreement to sell the Excluded Real Estate. Yahoo completed the sale of the Excluded Real Estate for total proceeds of $246 million, net of closing costs of $4 million, on June 16, 2016. On April 22, 2016, the Board held a telephonic meeting, with members of management and representatives of the Financial Advisors, Cravath, Skadden, and Wilson Sonsini participating, during which members of the Strategic Review Committee and representatives of its advisors discussed with the other directors the first-round proposals and the Financial Advisors presented preliminary financial analyses of Yahoo and its assets. Later on April 22, 2016, the Strategic Review Committee had a meeting, with representatives of the Financial Advisors, Cravath, and Skadden participating. The Strategic Review Committee decided to invite into the next round of the process nine bidders that had submitted initial indications of interest: Verizon, Strategic Party B, the Sponsor C / Sponsor D bidding group, Sponsor A, Sponsor B, a bidding group consisting of Sponsor E and Sponsor F, which, at the recommendation of the Strategic Review Committee to enable them to submit a more competitive bid, were working together, Sponsor G, Sponsor H, and Sponsor I. On behalf of the Strategic Review Committee, the Financial Advisors invited these bidders into the next round of the strategic alternatives process. From April 23 until July 18, 2016, numerous due diligence meetings and calls were held among representatives of Yahoo and its advisors, the potential bidders, including Verizon, and their advisors, and the Strategic Review Committees advisors. During this period, additional documents were posted to the virtual data room, including in response to potential bidders due diligence requests. On April 26, 2016, Yahoo entered into the Starboard Settlement Agreement with Starboard and certain of Starboards affiliates to settle the proxy contest pertaining to the election of directors at Yahoos 2016 annual meeting. Pursuant to the Starboard Settlement Agreement, the Board appointed Messrs. Braham, Hartenstein, Hill, and Smith to the Board effective April 26, 2016, and Yahoo agreed to nominate the Starboard designees for election to the Board at the 2016 annual meeting. Also pursuant to the Starboard Settlement Agreement, Mr. Smith was appointed to the Strategic Review Committee in place of Mr. Webb, and Mr. McInerney became chair of the Strategic Review Committee. However, as provided by the Starboard Settlement Agreement, Mr. Webb was invited to continue to attend, and participate in, all Strategic Review Committee meetings. Thereafter, Mr. Webb attended most meetings of the Strategic Review Committee. The Starboard Settlement Agreement also required Yahoo to submit to a stockholder vote any decision recommended by the Strategic Review Committee and approved by the Board to sell Yahoos operating business or any similar transaction. Between April 28 and May 17, 2016, representatives of each of the remaining potential bidders, including Verizon, and their advisors participated in meetings with Yahoos management, including Ms. Mayer, Mr. Goldman, Mr. Bell, Lisa Utzschneider (Chief Revenue Officer), and Mr. Weingarten, at its Sunnyvale headquarters as part of their due diligence. Also during this period, certain bidders, including Verizon, requested and subsequently participated in calls and meetings with representatives of Yahoo, Skadden, and Cravath to discuss issues related to legal and financial considerations with respect to the transaction, including considerations relating to Yahoos capitalization structure. On May 2, 2016, at Verizons request, Mr. Webb met with Lowell McAdam, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Verizon. During the meeting Mr. McAdam discussed Verizons interest in a potential transaction involving Yahoos operating business. Mr. Webb suggested that Verizon raise any specific issues with the Strategic Review Committee and its advisors. On May 5, 2016, the Strategic Review Committee held a telephonic meeting, with representatives of the Financial Advisors, Cravath, and Skadden participating, during which the representatives of Skadden and Cravath reviewed with the Strategic Review Committee the key proposed terms of the initial drafts of the purchase agreement and reorganization agreement prepared by Skadden in consultation with Cravath. On May 11, 2016, the Strategic Review Committee held a telephonic meeting, with representatives of the Financial Advisors and Cravath participating, during which the representatives of Cravath reviewed with the Strategic Review Committee revised drafts of the purchase agreement and reorganization agreement prepared by Skadden, and the Strategic Review Committee discussed the timeline for the next round of the process, including a potential interim bid date of June 6, 2016. On May 12, 2016, after the Strategic Review Committee interviewed several prospective intellectual property advisors and discussed them with members of Yahoos intellectual property team and Mr. Bell. Yahoo, on behalf of the Strategic Review Committee, entered into an engagement letter with Black Stone IP, LLC as an advisor in connection with a possible transaction to monetize the Excalibur IP Assets, either with a buyer of Yahoos operating business or another third party. Also on May 12, 2016, initial drafts of the purchase agreement and the reorganization agreement were made available to potential bidders through the virtual data room. To minimize the liabilities that would be retained by Yahoo post-closing, the initial draft purchase agreement was structured similar to a typical purchase agreement in a public company acquisition, with no post-closing indemnity by Yahoo and limited closing conditions. In addition, the initial draft purchase agreement provided, in the case of a strategic buyer, that Yahoos unvested employee equity awards would be assumed or substituted for comparable buyer equity awards, and, in the case of a financial sponsor buyer, that these awards would be accelerated at closing. The draft purchase agreement also provided that Yahoo would be required to pay the buyer a termination fee equal to 2.5 percent of the base purchase price if, among other reasons, the purchase agreement was terminated by the purchaser after the Board changed its recommendation for the transaction or by Yahoo to accept a superior proposal (the Yahoo termination fee), and, in the case of a financial sponsor buyer, that Yahoo would be entitled to a reverse termination fee equal to 7.5 percent of the base purchase price if the buyer did not consummate the transaction as a result of its debt financing not being available (the reverse termination fee), and to specific performance if the buyers debt financing was available. Interim Proposals On May 13, 2016, the Financial Advisors provided each of the nine remaining bidders with a process letter setting forth the process and guidelines for the submission of interim non-binding proposals for the acquisition of Yahoos operating business and establishing June 6, 2016 as the due date for interim proposals. The process letter instructed bidders to submit as part of their interim proposals a list of the key issues they had identified in the draft transaction agreements. Bidders were instructed to assume that the transaction would exclude the Excalibur IP Assets and that any sale of the Excalibur IP Assets would be subject to a royalty-free license to the Excalibur IP Assets solely for the benefit of Yahoos operating business. On May 19, 2016, the Strategic Review Committee held a telephonic meeting, with representatives of the Financial Advisors and Cravath participating, to discuss the feedback received from bidders and to receive an update on the ongoing due diligence process. Between May 20 and May 30, 2016, representatives of Cravath, Skadden, and the Financial Advisors participated in calls with representatives of certain of the remaining bidders, including Verizon, and their respective legal counsel, to discuss their approach to the ongoing strategic alternatives process and the transaction agreements. The representatives of the Strategic Review Committees advisors and Skadden stressed that, in addition to focusing on value, the Strategic Review Committee was seeking proposals that would provide high certainty of closing and leave the post-closing entity with limited liabilities unrelated to the assets retained by Yahoo. During the week of May 23, 2016, with the approval of the Strategic Review Committee, representatives of each of Verizon and Strategic Party B met separately with Yahoos management team, including Ms. Mayer, Mr. Goldman, Mr. Bell, and Mr. Weingarten, at its Sunnyvale headquarters to discuss potential revenue and cost synergies as part of their due diligence investigation. On May 24, May 26, and May 27, 2016, the Strategic Review Committee held telephonic meetings, with representatives of the Financial Advisors and Cravath participating, to discuss the progress of the strategic alternatives process and feedback received from the bidders. On May 31, 2016, the Board held a meeting, with members of management and representatives of the Financial Advisors, Cravath, Skadden, and Wilson Sonsini participating, at which the Board received an update on the strategic alternatives process, including the key terms of the initial drafts of the purchase agreement and reorganization agreement, the status of the bidders due diligence, and the proposed schedule for the remainder of the strategic alternatives process. They also described the status of a process to potentially sell the Excalibur IP Assets. Also on May 31, 2016, Yahoo and Excalibur entered into a patent assignment, pursuant to which, among other things, Yahoo assigned to Excalibur all right, title, and interest to the Excalibur IP Assets. Concurrently, Yahoo and Excalibur entered into a patent license agreement, pursuant to which, among other things, Excalibur granted to Yahoo and certain affiliates a non-exclusive license under the Excalibur IP Assets solely for the Yahoo operating business. Between May 23, 2016 and June 2, 2016, representatives of Sponsor G, Sponsor H, and Sponsor I communicated to representatives of the Financial Advisors that they were withdrawing from the process. On June 2, 2016, the Strategic Review Committee held a telephonic meeting, with representatives of the Financial Advisors and Cravath participating, to discuss the process for review of the second-round bids due on June 6, 2016. On June 3, at Sponsor Bs request, Mr. Webb met with representatives of Sponsor B. During the meeting the representatives of Sponsor B discussed Sponsor Bs interest in a potential transaction involving Yahoos operating business. Mr. Webb suggested that Sponsor B raise any specific issues with the Strategic Review Committee and its advisors. On June 6, 2016, Yahoo received non-binding interim proposals to acquire Yahoos operating business, including lists of the key issues identified in the draft transaction agreements, from each of Verizon, Strategic Party B, the Sponsor C / Sponsor D bidding group, Sponsor A, Sponsor B, and the Sponsor E / Sponsor F bidding group. The six interim proposals included the following base purchase prices and key terms, among others: Verizon proposed a $3.85 billion base purchase price. Its proposal contemplated that (i) the Excalibur IP Assets would be excluded from the acquired assets, but a royalty-free license to the Excalibur IP Assets would be granted for the benefit of Verizon and its current and future affiliates, (ii) Verizon would substitute cash-settled restricted stock units having equivalent value for unvested Yahoo RSU awards, but Yahoo would bear 50 percent of the cost of the Yahoo RSU awards and Verizon would not assume or grant options in substitution for any Yahoo options, (iii) Yahoo would indemnify Verizon for breaches of representations and warranties under the purchase agreement, and (iv) the Yahoo termination fee would be 4 percent of the base purchase price. Strategic Party B proposed a $3.75 billion base purchase price. Its proposal contemplated that (i) the Excalibur IP Assets would be included in the acquired assets, (ii) Strategic Party B would issue Strategic Party B restricted stock units and options having equivalent value for unvested Yahoo RSU awards and unvested Yahoo options, respectively, (iii) Yahoo would indemnify the buyer for breaches of representations and warranties under the purchase agreement, and (iv) the Yahoo termination fee would be five percent of the base purchase price. Sponsor A proposed a $5.0 billion base purchase price if the Excalibur IP Assets and certain minority investments were included in the acquired assets or a $4.7 billion base purchase price if the Excalibur IP Assets and certain minority investments were excluded from the acquired assets. Its proposal contemplated that (i) the cost of Yahoo equity awards would generally be retained by Yahoo, (ii) there would be no indemnification for breaches of representations and warranties under the purchase agreement, (iii) the Yahoo termination fee would be 3.5 percent of the base purchase price, and (iv) the reverse termination fee would be 5 percent of the base purchase price, with Yahoo being entitled to specific performance if the debt financing was available. Sponsor B proposed a base purchase price of $4.0 billion to $4.5 billion. Its proposal contemplated that (i) the Excalibur IP Assets would be included in the acquired assets, (ii) the cost of Yahoo equity awards would generally be retained by Yahoo, (iii) there would be no indemnification for breaches of representations and warranties under the purchase agreement, and (iv) the sole termination remedies would be liquidated damages in amounts to be negotiated, with no provision for specific performance. The Sponsor C / Sponsor D bidding group proposed a $2.75 billion base purchase price. This proposal contemplated that (i) the Excalibur IP Assets would be excluded from the acquired assets and (ii) Yahoo would retain the cost of equity awards. The Sponsor C / Sponsor D bidding group did not submit a list of key issues identified in the draft transaction agreements. The Sponsor E / Sponsor F bidding group proposed a $5.25 billion base purchase price. This proposal contemplated that (i) the Excalibur IP Assets would be excluded from the acquired assets, (ii) the cost of Yahoo equity awards would generally be retained by Yahoo, (iii) there would be no indemnification for breaches of representations and warranties under the purchase agreement, but the buyer would purchase representation and warranty insurance at Yahoos cost, and (iv) Yahoo would be entitled to specific performance if the debt financing was available and the buyer failed to consummate the closing when required; otherwise, a reverse termination fee of an unspecified amount would be the remedy. Between June 6 and June 8, 2016, representatives of the Financial Advisors had numerous discussions with the six bidders who submitted second-round proposals to clarify the terms of and obtain additional information with respect to their proposals, including the reasons for any significant changes from the valuations they had provided in their initial indications of interest. On June 8, 2016, the Strategic Review Committee met, with representatives of the Financial Advisors and Cravath participating, to review the interim proposals, including the bidders issues lists and the additional feedback received from the bidders, and to discuss next steps. Representatives of the Financial Advisors provided an overview of the second round of the strategic alternatives process and provided their preliminary financial analyses of the interim proposals. Representatives of Cravath reviewed with the Strategic Review Committee the transaction agreement issues lists submitted by the bidders. The Strategic Review Committee preliminarily decided that, because the price offered by the Sponsor C / Sponsor D bidding group was significantly lower than the prices indicated in the other bidders proposals, and representatives of the Sponsor C / Sponsor D bidding group had indicated that they did not expect further due diligence or partnering opportunities would meaningfully change their valuation, the Sponsor C / Sponsor D bidding group would not be invited to the next round of the strategic alternatives process. On June 9, 2016, the Strategic Review Committee and representatives of the Financial Advisors and Cravath participated in a conference call with Mr. Webb, certain members of Yahoo management, including Ms. Mayer and Mr. Bell, and representatives of Skadden and Wilson Sonsini to review the interim proposals. On June 10, 2016, the Board held a telephonic meeting, including certain members of management, to discuss the interim proposals and other matters discussed at the Strategic Review Committees June 8, 2016 meeting. Representatives of the Financial Advisors, Cravath, and Skadden provided the Board with an overview of the interim proposals and the Financial Advisors presented their analyses of each of the bids. Following the Board meeting, and taking into account the Boards discussion and direction, the Strategic Review Committee decided to invite to the next round of the strategic alternatives process each of the remaining five bidders: Verizon, Strategic Party B, Sponsor A, Sponsor B, and the Sponsor E / Sponsor F bidding group. At the Strategic Review Committees direction, the Financial Advisors communicated the Strategic Review Committees decision to the bidders and began to arrange calls to provide the bidders and their advisors with feedback on their transaction agreements issues lists. On June 12 and 13, 2016, Yahoo uploaded revised transaction agreements and draft disclosure schedules, respectively, to the virtual data room, reflecting the corporate structure of Yahoo Holdings. On June 13, 2016, the Strategic Review Committee held a telephonic meeting, with representatives of the Financial Advisors and Cravath participating, to discuss the bidders ongoing due diligence requests and discuss certain issues relating to the transaction agreements. Between June 13 and June 19, 2016, representatives of Skadden and Cravath held conference calls with representatives of each of the remaining bidders, including their legal advisors, during which the representatives of Skadden and Cravath provided feedback to each of the bidders on the transaction agreement issues lists they had submitted with their interim bids. The Strategic Review Committees advisors also advised the bidders that mark-ups of the transaction agreements would be due on June 20, 2016, and, for financial bidders, near-final drafts of debt commitment letters would be due on June 30, 2016. On June 16, 2016, the Strategic Review Committee held a telephonic meeting, with representatives of the Financial Advisors and Cravath participating, at which the Financial Advisors updated the Strategic Review Committee on, among other things, the feedback received from each of the bidders regarding remaining due diligence items and their expected timing for completion of their due diligence review. The Strategic Review Committee expressed a desire for bidders to be guided to submit final mark-ups of the transaction agreements that would enable Yahoo to be in a position to enter into definitive transaction agreements with the winning bidder as soon as possible after final bids were received. Initial Mark-Ups Between June 20 and June 24, 2016, each of the remaining five bidders submitted initial mark-ups of the transaction agreements. Verizons mark-up of the purchase agreement improved certain of the terms previously indicated in the issues list it submitted on June 6, 2016. In particular, Verizons mark-ups did not contemplate indemnification for breaches of representations, warranties, and pre-closing covenants under the purchase agreement (although it did include indemnification for pre-closing taxes) and provided that Verizon would assume the full cost of unvested Yahoo RSU awards. The mark-ups submitted by Strategic Party B, Sponsor A, Sponsor B, and Sponsor F were generally consistent with the key issues lists previously submitted by those bidders. On June 24, 2016, the Strategic Review Committee held a telephonic meeting, with representatives of the Financial Advisors, Cravath, and Skadden participating, to discuss issues raised by the transaction agreement mark-ups the bidders had submitted. The Strategic Review Committee also discussed the timeline for the remainder of the sale process. Interim Mark-Ups and Final Proposals On June 21, 2016, principals of Sponsor E and Sponsor F informed Mr. McInerney and representatives of one of the Financial Advisors that Sponsor E intended to withdraw from the auction process, but that Sponsor F continued to be interested in acquiring Yahoos operating business and wished to remain in the process. In the following days, members of the Strategic Review Committee and representatives of the Financial Advisors had numerous discussions with principals of Sponsor F to discuss whether it was feasible for Sponsor F to obtain equity financing without Sponsor Es participation. Based on these discussions, the Strategic Review Committee ultimately determined to permit Sponsor F to remain in the process. Between June 26 and July 1, 2016, representatives of Skadden, Cravath, and the Financial Advisors participated in conference calls with representatives of each of the five remaining bidders to provide them with initial feedback on their mark-ups of the transaction agreements submitted the previous week, as well as to obtain clarification from the bidders with respect to certain of their changes to the initial drafts. On June 27, 2016, at the direction of the Strategic Review Committee, representatives of the Financial Advisors distributed to the five remaining bidders a process letter setting out the process and guidelines for the submission of final acquisition proposals and establishing July 18, 2016 as the final bid deadline. The process letter provided for submission of interim mark-ups of the transaction agreements on July 6, 2016, and, based on feedback to be provided by Skadden and Cravath on such interim mark-ups, the submission of final mark-ups of the transaction agreements on July 14, 2016. The process letter further requested that the bidders submit executed debt and equity financing commitment letters (if applicable) with their final proposals, and noted that the Strategic Review Committee would attach considerable importance to the certainty of the financing commitments in its evaluation of the final proposals. On June 27, 2016, at Verizons request, members of the Strategic Review Committee, together with a representative of one of the Financial Advisors, met with Mr. McAdam and other members of Verizons management team to discuss Verizons participation in the sale process and Verizons interest in a potential transaction involving Yahoos operating business. On June 29, 2016, the Board held a meeting at Yahoos Sunnyvale headquarters, with members of management and representatives of the Financial Advisors, Cravath, Skadden, and Wilson Sonsini present, to discuss, among other things, the strategic alternatives process. At the meeting, members of the Strategic Review Committee reviewed the interim proposals received from the five continuing bidders, and the Financial Advisors presented the Board with a comparison of the financial aspects of the bids, as well as their preliminary financial analysis with respect to Yahoos operating business, including the relative advantages and disadvantages, as well as the expected timing, of a reverse spin-off compared to a sale of Yahoos operating business. The representatives of Cravath and Skadden reviewed with the Board potential issues raised by the bidders mark-ups of the transaction agreements. A representative of Wilson Sonsini reviewed the Boards fiduciary duties and other legal considerations. The Board also expanded the Strategic Review Committees authority, by authorizing it to consider, evaluate, and make recommendations to the Board regarding the potential monetization of the Excalibur IP Assets, consideration of a reverse spin-off, capitalization and initial investment objectives of Yahoo following a sale of its operating business or a reverse spin-off, the disposition of the Alibaba Shares and the Yahoo Japan Shares, and the repatriation of cash to Yahoos stockholders. Yahoo held its annual stockholders meeting on June 30, 2016. At the annual meeting, Yahoos stockholders elected each of Yahoos director nominees to the Board. On July 1, 2016, the Strategic Review Committee held a telephonic meeting, with representatives of its advisors and Skadden participating, to review the discussions held with the bidders regarding their initial transaction agreement mark-ups, as well as the status of the bidders due diligence review and the financial sponsor bidders progress in securing equity and debt financing commitments. On July 6, 2016, Yahoo received interim mark-ups of the transaction agreements from Verizon, Strategic Party B, Sponsor A, and Sponsor F. In its interim transaction agreement mark-ups, Verizon further improved the terms of its bid by, among other things, eliminating the pre-closing tax indemnity (with certain exceptions) and lowering the Yahoo termination fee from 4.0 percent to 3.5 percent. The transaction agreement mark-ups from Strategic Party B, Sponsor A, and Sponsor F that submitted interim mark-ups at that time were generally less favorable to Yahoo than Verizons mark-ups on non-price terms, including indemnification, closing conditions, the Yahoo termination fee, and, where applicable, the reverse termination fee. On July 7 and July 11, 2016, representatives of Skadden and Cravath held telephonic meetings with representatives of each of the four bidders that had submitted interim mark-ups on July 6, 2016 to clarify certain terms of, and provide feedback on, their interim mark-ups, consistent with the guidance provided by the Strategic Review Committee. On July 7, 2016, the Strategic Review Committee held a telephonic meeting, with representatives of its advisors participating, to discuss the status of the sale process and the discussions with each of the five remaining bidders and to receive an update from Cravath on the most significant issues raised by the interim mark-ups of the transaction agreements received so far. At the meeting, the Strategic Review Committee discussed Sponsor Fs request to have discussions with David Filo, a director and co-founder of Yahoo, its Chief Yahoo, and its largest individual stockholder, regarding the possibility of Mr. Filo providing equity financing in a bid by Sponsor F. Following discussion, in order to enable Sponsor F to present the best possible bid, the Strategic Review Committee decided that it would permit the bidder to have discussions with Mr. Filo regarding his potential participation in a bid by Sponsor F, so long as Mr. Filo was willing to enter into such discussion and, if so, that he recuse himself from all further Board discussions regarding the sale process and not receive any further information about the bidding process for as long as Mr. Filo contemplated such participation. On behalf of the Strategic Review Committee, a representative of Wilson Sonsini discussed with Mr. Filo whether he would be willing to have discussions with Sponsor F on these terms. Mr. Filo indicated that he would be willing to discuss a potential equity participation in a bid by Sponsor F or, if requested, by another financial sponsor bidder if it would help to facilitate maximizing stockholder value in the strategic alternatives process. The Strategic Review Committee also determined that if any other bidders requested to have discussions with Mr. Filo going forward, the Strategic Review Committee would evaluate those requests on a case-by-case basis. Throughout the week of July 11, 2016, the Strategic Review Committee had numerous discussions with representatives of Cravath, Wilson Sonsini, and the Financial Advisors regarding Mr. Filos potential equity participation in a bid by Sponsor F. Mr. Filo agreed to the restrictions on his access to discussions and information proposed by the Strategic Review Committee. On July 10, 2016, the Strategic Review Committee had a conference call with representatives of the Financial Advisors, Cravath, and Skadden to review issues raised by the interim mark-ups of the transaction agreements submitted by the bidders. At the meeting, the Strategic Review Committee provided Skadden and Cravath with guidance with respect to the feedback they would deliver to the bidders in accordance with the process outlined in the process letter. On July 11, 2016, Sponsor B submitted its interim mark-ups of the transaction agreements, which did not contain significant improvements compared to Sponsor Bs prior mark-ups. The next day, principals of Sponsor B met with Mr. Webb to discuss its interest in pursuing a potential acquisition of Yahoos operating business. On July 14, 2016, representatives of Skadden and Cravath held a conference call with representatives of Sponsor B to provide them with feedback on their interim mark-ups of the transaction agreements. Also on July 14, 2016, Verizon, Strategic Party B, Sponsor A, and Sponsor F submitted revised, final mark-ups of the transaction agreements. On July 18 and 19, 2016, all five bidders submitted to the Strategic Review Committee their final acquisition proposals, and Sponsor B also provided revised mark-ups of the transaction agreements and executed equity and debt financing commitment letters. Sponsor A and Sponsor F did not submit executed financing commitments. The final proposals included the following terms, among others: Verizon increased its base purchase price to $4.8258 billion. Its final proposal (i) continued to exclude the Excalibur IP Assets from the acquired assets and narrowed the scope of the royalty-free license to the Excalibur IP Assets that would be granted for the benefit of Verizon and its current and certain future affiliates, (ii) continued to provide generally for the substitution of cash-settled Verizon restricted stock units for unvested Yahoo RSU awards and no assumption or substitution of any Yahoo options, (iii) continued to provide for no indemnification for breaches of representations and warranties under the purchase agreement, and (iv) lowered the Yahoo termination fee to 3.0 percent of the base purchase price. Strategic Party B lowered its base purchase price to $2.9 billion. Its proposal (i) excluded the Excalibur IP Assets from the acquired assets, but provided that Strategic Party B and its controlled affiliates would be granted a full license to the Excalibur IP Assets, (ii) continued to provide for the substitution of Strategic Party B restricted stock units and options for unvested Yahoo RSU awards and unvested Yahoo options, (iii) continued to provide that Yahoo would indemnify the buyer for, among other things, breaches of representations and warranties, and (iv) revised the Yahoo termination fee to 3 percent of the base purchase price, subject to escalation by 1/30 of 0.5 percent each day (i.e., 0.5 percent per month) if the stockholder meeting was not held within six months following the announcement of a transaction. Sponsor A reduced its base purchase price to $4.0 billion. Its proposal provided (i) that the Excalibur IP Assets would be excluded from the acquired assets, (ii) that the cost of equity awards would generally be retained by Yahoo, (iii) that Yahoo would bear severance costs of terminating a certain number of employees (which Sponsor A estimated to be $200 million to $300 million), (iv) for indemnification for breaches of representations and warranties under the purchase agreement regarding the business in the reorganization agreement, and (v) a Yahoo termination fee and a reverse termination fee of 3.25 percent and 5.5 percent, respectively, of the base purchase price. Sponsor A also proposed an alternative transaction, pursuant to which the majority of the assets of Yahoos operating business would be separated from a liquidating trust holding the remainder of the operating assets, including all of Yahoos physical assets, as well as certain legacy liabilities, and the liquidating trust would be acquired by Sponsor A through a combination of equity and vendor financing provided by Yahoo, though no purchase price for the liquidating trust was specified. Sponsor B proposed a $4.05 billion base purchase price. Its proposal provided (i) that the Excalibur IP Assets would be included in acquired assets, (ii) that the cost of equity awards would generally be retained by Yahoo, (iii) that Yahoo would implement an employee reduction plan prior to the closing and a portion of the related severance would be borne by Yahoo, (iv) for no indemnification for breaches of representations and warranties under the purchase agreement, (v) a Yahoo termination fee and a reverse termination fee each equal to 4.0 percent of the base purchase price, and (vi) that a reverse termination fee would be the exclusive termination remedy of Yahoo, meaning that Yahoo would not have the right to cause the buyer to close if its debt financing was available. Sponsor F reduced its base purchase price to $4.35 billion. Its proposal provided (i) that the Excalibur IP Assets would be excluded from the acquired assets, (ii) that the cost of equity awards would generally be retained by Yahoo, (iii) for no indemnification for breaches of representations and warranties under the purchase agreement, and (iv) a Yahoo termination fee and a reverse termination fee equal to 3.75 percent and 7.5 percent, respectively, of the base purchase price. On July 18 and July 19, 2016, the Strategic Review Committee had multiple conference calls with its advisors to discuss the final proposals. The Strategic Review Committee considered that (i) Verizons bid offered the highest base purchase price, (ii) Verizon had submitted the transaction agreement mark-ups that were most responsive to the Strategic Review Committees concerns regarding value, certainty of closing, and leaving the post-closing entity with limited liabilities unrelated to the assets retained by Yahoo, (iii) Verizon had sufficient funds to finance the transaction, whereas the financing of the financial sponsor bidders was less certain, and (iv) Verizon had substantially completed its due diligence review, whereas the financial sponsors needed additional time to complete their due diligence review. In light of these and other factors, the Strategic Review Committee recommended that Yahoo should proceed to negotiate definitive transaction agreements with Verizon on an expedited basis. The Strategic Review Committee also determined, after reviewing proposals received to date for the Excalibur IP Assets, to recommend to the Board that Yahoo should retain the Excalibur IP Assets at that time. Also on July 18 and July 19, 2016, the Financial Advisors contacted each of the other four bidders to obtain additional information with respect to their proposals, and to discuss whether they could enhance their prices for Yahoos operating business. Later in the evening on July 19, 2016, the Board, with members of management, representatives of the Strategic Review Committees advisors, Skadden, and Wilson Sonsini present, convened to discuss the final proposals received by the Strategic Review Committee. As previously arranged, Mr. Filo did not participate in this Board meeting or any other subsequent Board meetings relating to the proposed transaction and was not given access to materials for the meeting, including the final proposals. At the meeting, representatives of the Financial Advisors reviewed with the Board each of the final proposals. Representatives of Skadden and Cravath then reviewed with the Board the key issues raised by the final mark-ups of the transaction agreements submitted by the bidders. After discussion, considering the factors differentiating Verizons bid described above, the Board determined that Yahoo should proceed to negotiate definitive transaction agreements with Verizon on an expedited basis. Skadden distributed revised versions of the transaction agreements to Verizon and Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz (Wachtell), Verizons legal counsel, early on the morning of July 20, 2016. Yahoo Holdings was also formed on July 20, 2016. Beginning later on July 20, 2016, and through the evening of July 22, 2016, Skadden and Wachtell exchanged revised drafts of the transaction agreements, and representatives of Skadden, in consultation with representatives of Cravath, and representatives of Wachtell negotiated the terms of the transaction agreements. Also during this time, the parties negotiated the terms of the Excalibur License Agreement. In the evening of July 20, 2016, members of the Board, with members of management and representatives of the Strategic Review Committees advisors, Skadden, and Wilson Sonsini present, received a telephonic update on the status of the negotiations with Verizon and its advisors. Also on July 21, 2016, the Strategic Review Committee held a telephonic meeting, with representatives of the Strategic Review Committees advisors participating, to discuss the status of discussions with Verizon. Representatives of Cravath reviewed with the Strategic Review Committee the material open items in the transaction agreements and the Strategic Review Committee provided feedback on certain of those matters. In the afternoon on July 22, 2016, the Strategic Review Committee, together with representatives of its advisors, held a telephonic meeting. Representatives of Cravath reviewed with the Strategic Review Committee its fiduciary duties and other relevant legal considerations in connection with recommending a potential transaction to the Board. The representatives of Cravath also reviewed with the Strategic Review Committee the terms of the proposed transaction agreements to be entered into with Verizon and provided the Strategic Review Committee with an update on the status of negotiations. Representatives of the Financial Advisors then each reviewed with the Strategic Review Committee their financial analyses of Yahoo and its operating business. The Strategic Review Committee also discussed with its advisors a communication received by Mr. Webb from the principal of Sponsor B reiterating Sponsor Bs interest in an acquisition. After the Strategic Review Committees meeting, on July 22, 2016, members of the Strategic Review Committee had a call with a principal of Sponsor B, during which the principal indicated that the Strategic Review Committee should expect to receive the revised proposal within the next few hours, but did not disclose any specific monetary terms of the revised proposal. Later that evening, just prior to the scheduled start of a Board meeting, the Strategic Review Committee received from Sponsor B a revised proposal to acquire Yahoos operating business for an enterprise value of $4.8 billion contingent on, among other things, Yahoo retaining the cost of its equity awards and Yahoo and Sponsor B agreeing on a key employee reduction plan to be executed prior to closing, on the allocation between Yahoo and Sponsor B of the severance costs related to the reduction plan, as well as several other contract concessions. In the evening of July 22, 2016, the Board held a telephonic meeting, with members of management and representatives of the Strategic Review Committees advisors, Skadden, and Wilson Sonsini participating. All of the members of the Board were in attendance, except for Mr. Filo. A representative of Wilson Sonsini reviewed with the directors their fiduciary duties, as well as the scope of the authority delegated by the Board to the Strategic Review Committee. A representative of Skadden then reviewed with the Board the terms and conditions of the proposed transaction with Verizon contained in the purchase agreement and related transaction agreements. Representatives of Skadden and Cravath also updated the Board on the status of the negotiations. The Board then discussed with the Strategic Review Committees advisors, Skadden, and Wilson Sonsini Sponsor Bs revised proposal. The Board considered, among other things, that the price offered in Sponsor Bs revised proposal was lower than the price offered by Verizon and that Sponsor Bs proposal did not assume the Yahoo RSU awards, the certainty of the Verizon bid, the risk of losing the Verizon bid if Yahoo were to delay signing and pursue further discussions with Sponsor B, and the fact that Sponsor Bs offer was subject to confirmatory due diligence and the negotiation of definitive transaction agreements. The Board concluded that the risks of delaying signing a transaction with Verizon for an inferior offer from Sponsor B outweighed any potential benefit of pursuing further negotiations and noted that, in the proposed transaction with Verizon, the Board retained a customary fiduciary out to pursue an unsolicited potentially superior proposal that emerged after signing the transaction agreements. Representatives of J.P. Morgan and Goldman Sachs then described certain hedge and warrant transactions relating to the Convertible Notes, with respect to which J.P. Morgan and Goldman Sachs are counterparties to the Company, noting that these interests had been disclosed to, discussed with, and considered by the Strategic Review Committee and the Board in connection with their respective engagements as financial advisors to the Strategic Review Committee. They also discussed with the Board the potential impact of the proposed Sale Transaction on the hedge and warrant transactions, including the value that Goldman Sachs and J.P. Morgan could potentially receive under various assumptions as a result of their interest in the hedge and warrant transactions, based on theoretical models. Representatives of the Financial Advisors then jointly reviewed with the Board their joint financial analysis of the purchase price to be paid by Verizon to Yahoo in connection with the Sale Transaction (the Cash Consideration), which is $4,825,800,000 in cash, subject to adjustments as provided for in the purchase agreement, together with the general substitution of cash-settled Verizon RSU awards for unvested Yahoo RSU awards held by employees of Yahoo Holdings immediately prior to the closing of the Sale Transaction (the RSU Substitution). At this meeting, each of the Financial Advisors then rendered its oral opinion to the Strategic Review Committee and the Board, each of which were subsequently confirmed by delivery of a written opinion, to the effect that, as of the date of such opinion, and based upon and subject to the factors and assumptions set forth in such Financial Advisors written opinion, the Cash Consideration to be paid in the Sale Transaction, together with the RSU Substitution, pursuant to the purchase agreement, was fair, from a financial point of view, to Yahoo. The Board meeting was then recessed and the Strategic Review Committee held an executive session, during which the Strategic Review Committee unanimously recommended to the Board that the Board approve the purchase agreement and the reorganization agreement negotiated with Verizon and the transactions contemplated by those agreements. The Board meeting was reconvened immediately thereafter and, after receiving the recommendation of the Strategic Review Committee, the Board, by unanimous vote of all directors present at the meeting (which excluded Mr. Filo), (i) determined that the Sale Transaction Agreements and the Sale Transaction are expedient and for the best interests of Yahoo and its stockholders, (ii) approved the Sale Transaction Agreements and the Sale Transaction, (iii) recommended, subject to the terms of the Stock Purchase Agreement, that the Yahoo stockholders adopt a resolution authorizing the Sale Transaction, and (iv) directed that the Sale Transaction be submitted for consideration by the stockholders at the special meeting. Following the meeting, until early morning on July 23, 2016, representatives of Skadden, in consultation with Cravath, Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP (which acted as intellectual property counsel to Yahoo), and Wachtell finalized the terms of the Sale Transaction Agreements, and on the morning of July 23, 2016, Yahoo and Verizon executed the Stock Purchase Agreement, Yahoo and Yahoo Holdings executed the Reorganization Agreement, and Yahoo and Excalibur executed the Excalibur License Agreement. On July 25, 2016, Yahoo and Verizon issued a joint press release announcing the transaction and the execution of the Sale Transaction Agreements. OnePlus Release Date, News & Update: Oxygen OS, Hydrogen OS Merge Avenue For Faster Updates; iOS, Android Marshmallow Inspiration Sure To Scare ? Oxygen OS and Hyrdrogen OS, the two Android software builds, are being merged to make way for faster updates and a slew of chemistry jokes, Oneplus said in a recent announcement. OnePlus has been received well by the market since it was released, but the OS update is expected to improve; hence, company has been working on offering faster updates. It should be noted that One Plus's Oxygen operating system was originally an Android Open Source Project (AOSP), with its first contributors the ex-members of the Paranoid Android team. The Hydrogen OS of OnePlus, on the other hand, had been the Chinese version of the ROM crafted to appeal to the taste of the general public, Times of India reported. OnePlus' Hydrogen OS may be seen as an attempt to listen to users when designing a new UI but have also been pointed out as an iOS clone due to its graphic appearance. The OnePlus operating systems are available on Android phones manufactured by Xiaomi, Meizu, and Lenovo. The XDA blog discussed OnePlus about its intention to merge the two development teams, which could lead to updates landing faster on both ROMs. Additionally, a single official software package may be an advantage as it may enhance support to users all over the world. OnePlus's Oxygen OS 3.5 has been built with a few leaves out of Android Marshmallow's book, which have shown the benefits of the merge, especially with the new look of the OS. OnePlus has promised that all feedback received from users will be heard, which may lead to Oxygen UI modifications. It should also be noted that XDA has pointed out that users of the AOSP purist can easily appeal to community alternatives like CyanogenMod and stock ROMs which are easy to install and customize with the unlocked bootloader. OnePlus users may be willing to stick with the Google-like experience or they may opt for faster updates to ensure a safer mobile environment. Watch the OnePlus 2 Hydrogen OS Review here: Microsoft Windows 10 Anniversary Update Release Date, News & Update: One Update After Another To Resolve Untargeted Bugs, Users Complaints; Perfection Coming Soon? Microsoft Windows 10 Anniversary Update in August reportedly came with bugs, hitting the users' systems with problems like webcams becoming disabled and some login freeze problems. The company has since assured the customers of another update to resolve these issues. The August Windows 10 Anniversary Update brought features and improvements focusing on business clients and everyday users. The features include Windows Ink, Edge browser, enhanced gaming experiences, Cortana improvements, security upgrades and a lot more, Computer World reported. The digital assistant Cortana as well as the digital stylus with the Microsoft Surface Pro tablet were expected to receive enhanced functionality and additional features in the Windows 10 Anniversary Update. According to reports, the update delivered some unexpected presents, the strange tendency to freeze systems and the mysterious capability to randomly disable webcams. Microsoft assured the public that they are aware of these issues, and that they are taking necessary measures to resolve each. The Windows developer also noted that several that used the compressed MJPG as well as the H.264 streams for webcams were not compatible with the Windows 10 Anniversary Update. While it failed to target each bug that was reported by the users, reports indicate that the Update looks into the critical issue of freezing during login. With that, the Windows 10 users are advised to visit the Microsoft site to update to the new version. However, other reports also show that although the company was able to fix the login freeze problem, a large number of users are still complaining about their disabled webcams. To address all these, Microsoft provides a detailed walkthrough on its tech support forum to users who still experience login problems. Prior to this, the best way for the users was to go back to a previous instalment of Windows 10. Microsoft Windows 10 Anniversary Update also created other hardware issues such the one complained by Amazon Kindle users. According to them, their PCs crashed when they try to plug in their e-readers through USB,Beta News reported. Watch a Windows 10 Anniversary Update review here: American Horror Story Season 6 Air Date, Spoilers, News & Update: Lady Gagas Perfect Illusion Perfect Intro To Sept. 14 Premiere; Cuba Gooding Jr. Still Unconfirmed? [TEASER COMPILATION] "American Horror Story" Season 6 will be back next week, and FX has already released a new promo. The 30-second teaser contains scenes from the previous promos, which is set to the music of Lady Gaga's "Perfect Illusion." Based on the "American Horror Story" Season 6 promo, Lady Gaga returns for upcoming season, however, the details are being kept as a mystery by FX CEO John Landgraf and the show creator Ryan Murphy. Although the final subtitle remains to be released yet, some hints have recently emerged, which suggests that the "American Horror Story" Season 6 will be subtitled as "The Mist," IGN "American Horror Story" Season 6 show had previously released 25 mini-trailers, showing just about every possible theme one can imagine, such as maniac doctors, scary houses, wicker men, mummies, aliens and even supernatural beasts. According to Landgraf, the marketing team of the network has made several more trailers that have actually been seen with different places and different genres. He stated that while a lot of these are accurate, the others are misdirects. "American Horror Story" Season 6 is said to have a lot of the other regulars, but they have yet to confirm their comeback, despite the fact that Murphy has extended the invitation to Sarah, Paulson, Finn Wittrock, Angela Bassett, Cheyenne Jackson, Wes Bentley, Kathy Bates, Matt Bomer and Denis O'Hare. In a previous interview, O'Hare said that he was due to return to the set at the end of summer and that he was ordered to remain silent about it, Variety reported. The actor further said that he was not even sure if he is allowed to tell the public about his part in the next season. There are also rumors that Cuba Gooding Jr., who got the public's attention in the new "American Crime Story," may possibly join the cast. "American Horror Story" Season 6 will premiere on FX on Wednesday, Sept. 14, Yahoo reported. Watch the "American Horror Story" Season 6 teasers compilation here: 'Luke Cage' Air Date, Spoilers, News & Update: SLU Physics Professor Proves Luke Cage is Superhuman Luke Cage's suggested mass has been calculated by an Associate Professor of Physics at Southeastern Louisiana University Rhett Allain. Cage is the superhero Power Man who has unbreakable skin and superhuman strength who will star in Netflix's new show, "Luke Cage." The professor explained how to get the mass of a Power Man first. He elaborated on the idea of equilibrium and said that if an object is at rest and not rotating, then the net force of the object must be zero and the net torque about any point must also be zero. Then the professor explained what torque is. He said that torque is a rotational force and explained that torque can change the angular momentum of an object. He added that torque depends on the magnitude of the force and the distance from the point of rotation called the torque arm and also depends on the angle the force makes with torque arm, Wired reported. So, what are the importance of these in getting the mass of Luke Cage? The professor used an analysis where he used the height of Mike Colter, the actor who will play Luke in the upcoming Netflix show, with a value of 1.91 meters. Then, he estimated the mass of a man at 75 kg. For him to get values for the locations of the center of mass of both Luke and the man, he loaded the image into Tracker Video Analysis. Then, he put the center of mass at the ball of Luke's front foot. His findings resulted to the man having a torque arm of 0.294 meters while Luke's is at 0.123 meters. Luke Cage's mass is then solved by the professor given the details. It is found out that his mass is at 179 kg which is about 400 pounds using the assumed mass of the man. The result is pretty massive and somehow proves that Luke Cage is more than just a normal human, Slash Film reported. Watch "Luke Cage" trailer here. Rogue One: A Star Wars Story Release Date, Trailer, News & Update: Why Is The Upcoming Movie Titled Rogue One? "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story" release date will arrive in a new months. Naturally, the hype of the upcoming movie is going full gear teasing fans on the what to expect from the movie. 'Rogue One: A Star Wars Story' Trailer - Cast Member Felicity Jones Says It's Going To Be Different A "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story" trailer shows just how exciting the movie will be. The brief promo shows the rebels clash with imperial troops on land, air and even in space. By the looks of it, it will be one action-packed movie which, coupled with Star Wars' engaging storyline, fans can reasonably expect to be a highly enjoyable addition to the franchise. Aside from the "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story" trailer, cast member Felicity Jones even confirms what fans have always suspected about the upcoming movie. The new movie will be different from previous Star Wars films, assures Jones in an interview with We Got This Covered. It will be more realistic and will offer a fresh and unique perspective on the Star Wars story. Felicity Jones joins the "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story" cast as Jyn Erso. She will be leading a handful of rebels who will be responsible for stealing the blueprint of the devastating Death Star before it becomes operational. Why It Is Called 'Rogue One: A Star Wars Story' Fans must have wondered at one point on why the upcoming film was titled "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story." Apparently, the title is apt for the movie in multiple ways, as explained by HNGN. For instance, it could explained as the first Star Wars film that is outside the Anakin Skywalker storyline. Hence, the title "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story" is indeed a fitting description in that respect. Another way to look at it is that the title "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story" could be descriptive of the movie's main character. Felicity Jones' Jyn Erso is said to have a rogue streak in her, a necessary element as she leads a rebel team tasked with obtaining the Death Star's blueprint. 'Rogue One: A Star Wars Story' Release Date Fans will have to wait a few months more to see the latest installment of the long-running franchise. "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story" release date is slated this coming December 16, 2016. Be sure to stay locked to GamenGuide for Rogue One cast news and updates. 'The Flash' Film Release Date, News & Update: 'Watchmen' Star Billy Crudup in Negotiations to Play Ezra Miller's On-Screen Dad DC's "The Flash" has been on TV for quite some time now, but will make a big screen debut two years from now. Fans may remember the introduction of Ezra Miller in next year's "Justice League," and he will reprise his role in the standalone film in 2018. The latest addition to the cast may come in the form of Billy Crudup, who according to IGN is in negotiations to play Ezra Miller's on-screen dad in "The Flash." Crudup isn't a stranger to Warner Bros., as he played Jon Osterman A.K.A. Dr. Manhattan in Zack Snyder's 2009 film, "Watchmen." The 48-year old actor is also known for his roles in "Mission: Impossible III" (2006), "The Stanford Prison Experiment" (2015), and Oscar Award winning film, "Spotlight," where he played Dr. Philip Zimbardo. He's also appearing in next year's "Alien: Covenant" from director Ridley Scott and starring Michael Fassbender. Meanwhile, Crudup isn't the only possible new addition to "The Flash," as Variety reported back in July that Kiersey Clemons has come on board as Miller's on-screen love interest, Iris West. Clemons is the third actress to play the character, as Paula Marshall filled the role in a two-hour pilot episode of "The Flash" TV series back in 1990, which starred John Wesley Shipp as the titular character. Viewers and audiences today may also be more familiar with Candice Patton as the Iris West on The CW's "The Flash," which returns with its third season on October 4. "The Flash" film is Clemon's first major movie following her appearance in "Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising" and "Dope." She also appeared in Steven Spielberg's "Extant," which aired on CBS. Her other acting stints were in music videos for Lady Gaga, DJ Snake, and Trey Songz. Meanwhile, "The Flash" is also returning to The CW for its third season, which will feature the Flashpoint storyline. The third season will premiere on October 4. As for the big screen, "The Flash" will arrive on March 16, 2018, to be written by "21 Jump Street" masterminds Phil Lord and Chris Miller. Paul Kopperman, professror of history at Oregon State University, will review "Dead Wake: The Last Crossing of the Lusitania" at noon Wednesday at the Corvallis-Benton County Public Library in the first Random Review program of the fall. Last year was the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Cunard luxury liner Lusitania, which prodded the U.S. to enter World War I. In Dead Wake award-winning author Erik Larson draws readers into the stories of the captain and passengers aboard the ill-fated vessel. But his writing is most gripping as he delves into the claustrophobic and unhygienic innards of its German submarine predator. Larson speculates dramatically about the thought process of its captain as he decides to torpedo the civilian passenger ship. Larson has said he writes narrative history to create a historical experience for the reader and in Dead Wake he succeeds in doing just that. Kopperman has been a member of the OSU history faculty since 1978. Born in Colombia, Kopperman grew up in New York City. He received his Ph.D. in history from the University of Illinois-Urbana and has taught at Macquarie University in Sidney, Australia, and the University of Illinois. Currently Kopperman focuses on three baccalaureate-core courses which he has introduced: Why War? A Historical Perspective, The Holocaust in Its History and The History of Medicine to 1800. He is deeply involved with the OSU Holocaust Memorial Program. Most of his published articles and papers are about medical or military history in the 18th century. Up next: Next month's program, on Oct. 12, will feature Ivan Doig's final novel Last Bus to Wisdom. It will be reviewed by Carol Mason The next day I was exhausted. True, I only slept a couple of hours that Sunday night. I was up at 4 a.m. Monday morning, Labor Day, to check-in at the Hood River Chamber of Commerce wrapped in blankets to fend off the early morning gorge wind. At 5:30 a.m., we checked in and were assigned to the fourth of 50 flights, Each flight consisting of 10 swimmers. A shuttle dropped us off at the sternwheeler that would take us to the Washington side at 7:15 a.m. I was shivering, dressed in a black plastic garbage bag over my swim suit. The first flight was called at 7:30 a.m., the second flight lined up behind them, with the third and fourth flights close by. When the fourth flight was on the bow, Jen Bouton and I looked at each other, smiled, bumped knuckles, and, at the signal, we jumped in the Columbia River. In about 45 minutes we landed in Oregon. But, I dont think all that is why I wound up so tired. I was tired because, over the past nine years I have nursed a fear. I have mentally rehearsed jumping into cold water hundreds of times and most of my swims at Osborn Aquatic Center included facing my fear of open water. Visions of swallowing river water and drowning fueled the speed at which I swam. I was exhausted because I fought my fear and won. More than that, I had fun, as did the other 460 swimmers. We were a diverse lot. The oldest was a man who was 87. The oldest woman was 78. The youngest were two 10-year-olds. Someone came from Florida. One woman was missing a leg. She had a wide flipper on her foot and a matching one on the thigh that had no foot. We came in all shades. Many said this was their 44th, 38th, or 20th swim. Old and young, slim or hefty, dark or light, newcomers or veterans, we all had smiles on our faces. A big thank you to Tom, a swimmer I met at Osborn the Friday before the swim, who calmed my fears, told me about the plastic garbage bag dress, and assured me I would have fun. I did! My love to my Bones and Balance class for changing the aging paradigm and giving me exquisite words to swim by. My deepest love and gratitude to Jen Bouton, my courageous swim partner. Thank you for the being there and making it so much fun! Oh, and for the bling! Next year is the 75th annual Roy Webster Cross-Channel Swim. Let me know if you want to join the team! Trust me, its fun! Welcome to my genealogy blog. Genea-Musings features genealogy research tips and techniques, genealogy news items and commentary, genealogy humor, San Diego genealogy society news, family history research and some family history stories from the keyboard of Randy Seaver (of Chula Vista CA), who thinks that Genealogy Research Is really FUN! Copyright (c) Randall J. Seaver, 2006-2021. Cologne/Bonn Airport : Policewoman receives fine for causing security alarm Cologne A young policewoman who breached security at Cologne/Bonn Airport in March will be punished with a fine. Teilen Teilen Weiterleiten Weiterleiten Tweeten Tweeten Weiterleiten Weiterleiten Drucken In March, a young policewoman caused a major security alarm at Cologne/Bonn Airport when she went through security without being checked. Following the incident, there was speculation about the possible consequences for the woman and she faced losing her job with the police department. The 23-year-old policewoman had pulled out her badge to avoid being checked and she hurried through the security checkpoint without being controlled. Terminal 2 had to be closed off and hundreds of passengers had to leave the security area. Two flights had to be cancelled. The policewoman was not working at the time, she was simply in a hurry. Police spokesman Norbert Hardt responded to an inquiry from General Anzeiger about the outcome of the subsequent investigation, saying the punishment for the policewoman would be a fine of 250 euros. If she accepts that, then the case will be closed for police. The spokesperson said the incident was not a criminal offense but a case of misconduct outside of the job. The airport has also decided not to pursue the matter any further after their investigations found no legal grounds for charges. In a civil court, affected airlines who had to pay refunds to customers, could still be allowed to sue the policewoman for damages. bohlah at 11-09-2016 06:30 AM (6 years ago) (m) Former Prelate of the Methodist Church and one time President of the Christian Association of Nigeria CAND, Prelate Sunday Mbang, has said that the wrath of God will visit the children and grand children of corrupt politicians who steal from the treasury just to benefit themselves and their families. The clergy man who recently turned 80 years old, said this in a recent interview with Tribune. Former Prelate of the Methodist Church and one time President of the Christian Association of Nigeria CAND, Prelate Sunday Mbang, has said that the wrath of God will visit the children and grand children of corrupt politicians who steal from the treasury just to benefit themselves and their families. The clergy man who recently turned 80 years old, said this in a recent interview with Tribune. Quote In Christianity, the Bible makes it clear that when you commit a crime, it is to the third and fourth generations. The belief with us is that they have allowed the grace of God in the New Testament to seem to have covered what is in the Old Testament the wrath and love of God which is also reflected in the New Testament. If you dont repent of your sin, the wrath of God will fall upon you. People suffer in this country and what they would do is to explain it scientifically. I said it earlier that I made a prayer and someone died. That death would be explained scientifically and so the main point would be clear to the people. The fact is that once you commit sin; once you loot public treasury; once you convert money belonging to the people for yourself and family, you will suffer, your children will suffer to the third and fourth generations. When these things happen, people explain them scientifically. Nowadays if anything happens to someone, it would be blamed on either the brother, father or the mother, not knowing that Gods wrath might have fallen on the person. Every sin has punishment. What I can tell our politicians is that all the sins they have committed corruption, hatred, killings, kidnapping, false accusations the wrath of the God will visit them one after the other to the third and fourth generations. My prayer is that all those seeking political appointments, because the earth is the Lords and the fullness thereof, God is the owner of the earth. He is not an absentee landlord. He is interested in this world. So when you come and do whatever you feel like, dont think God does not see it. He sees everything we do and He gives us the grace for what we have done right and punishment, for our wrongs. My advice to the politicians is for them to remember that whatsoever they sow, they shall reap. If they escape it, their children will not. If they do, their grandchildren will bear the punishment, whether they like it or not. You can go to prayer houses to pray, unless you repent. When Zacchaeus, the tax collector in the Bible wanted to repent, he said he would return ten times all that he had taken unlawfully. Can any politician do that? If they can do so, God can show mercy because some of them might have ignorantly stolen. Even if Buhari decides to leave them unpunished, they cant escape from God. That is my advice to all the Christians who venture into politics. God is watching them and their family every day. Every sin they commit against that person who has gotten food to eat in his house, God will not allow them to go scot-free he said. For more scintillating and juicy stories, follow the official Naijapals accounts On Twitter - @Naijapals and Facebook - www.facebook.com/naijapals he said. Post Reply I have been reporting on latest news from Nigeria for almost 10 years now. I report on every possible news area I come across, but always ensure my reports are compiled with dignity and fact to uphold my personal values and duty as a journalist Posted: at 11-09-2016 06:30 AM (6 years ago) | Addicted Hero Military Strikes Continue Against ISIL Terrorists in Syria, Iraq From a Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve News Release SOUTHWEST ASIA, Sept. 10, 2016 U.S. and coalition military forces continued to attack Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists in Syria and Iraq yesterday, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today. Officials reported details of the latest strikes, noting that assessments of results are based on initial reports. Strikes in Syria Bomber, fighter and remotely piloted aircraft conducted 10 strikes in Syria: -- Near Shadadi, a strike engaged an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed three fighting positions. -- Near Raqqah, four strikes engaged an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed 16 oil tanker trucks, four tanker trailers, seven pump jacks, an oil workover rig and a wellhead. -- Near Dayz Az Zawr, four strikes engaged four ISIL supply routes. -- Near Mara, a strike engaged an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed a fighting position and a mortar system. Strikes in Iraq Fighter and remotely piloted aircraft conducted six strikes in Iraq, coordinated with and in support of Iraq's government: -- Near Qaim, a strike engaged an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed three vehicles, two buildings, a cargo container and a tractor-trailer. -- Near Hit, a strike destroyed an ISIL vehicle. -- Near Mosul, a strike engaged an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an assembly area, a vehicle, two mortar systems, a weapons cache, a tunnel entrance, six rocket rails and suppressed a mortar system. -- Near Ramadi, a strike destroyed three ISIL vehicles and an anti-air artillery system and suppressed two mortar systems. -- Near Sinjar, two strikes engaged two ISIL tactical units; destroyed a tunnel, two assembly areas, a mortar system, a fighting position and suppressed a mortar position. Task force officials define a strike as one or more kinetic events that occur in roughly the same geographic location to produce a single, sometimes cumulative, effect. Therefore, officials explained, a single aircraft delivering a single weapon against a lone ISIL vehicle is one strike, but so is multiple aircraft delivering dozens of weapons against buildings, vehicles and weapon systems in a compound, for example, having the cumulative effect of making those targets harder or impossible for ISIL to use. Accordingly, officials said, they do not report the number or type of aircraft employed in a strike, the number of munitions dropped in each strike, or the number of individual munition impact points against a target. Ground-based artillery fired in counterfire or in fire support to maneuver roles is not classified as a strike. Part of Operation Inherent Resolve The strikes were conducted as part of Operation Inherent Resolve, the operation to eliminate the ISIL terrorist group and the threat they pose to Iraq, Syria, and the wider international community. The destruction of ISIL targets in Syria and Iraq further limits the terrorist group's ability to project terror and conduct operations, officials said. Coalition nations that have conducted strikes in Iraq include the United States, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Jordan, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. Coalition nations that have conducted strikes in Syria include the United States, Australia, Bahrain, Canada, Denmark, France, Jordan, the Netherlands, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address France, Germany to launch joint military headquarters: Report Iran Press TV Sat Sep 10, 2016 9:29PM France and Germany are reportedly planning to launch a joint military headquarters aimed at the eventual unification of all the European Union's armies. According to a report recently published by the German newspaper Sueddeutsche Zeitung, French Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian and his German counterpart, Ursula von der Leyen, have prepared a six-page document on the subject, which will probably be presented at an upcoming EU summit in Bratislava, RT reported on Saturday. The document proposes the establishment of a "joint and permanent EU military headquarters" tasked with the overseas deployment of EU troops. It also outlines the establishment of EU logistics and medical commands and setting up a common satellite surveillance system. The proposal also refers to the establishment of a "a tighter circle" within EU countries for certain military operations when achieving unanimous agreement from all members is not possible. A European officer school or at least forming a unified European military curriculum to boost "corporate spirit" is also proposed. The document is also aimed at laying the ground work for "a relaunch of European defense," said a French Defense Ministry source. Its primary objective is making EU military policy "more active and more useful without substituting it for national defense bodies which remain, by definition, the key to the security of EU member states," he added. He stressed that the document is not just "grand ideas" and holds "concrete" proposals. "What we are looking for is to trigger EU operations more easily." In June, the EU released a strategy document that suggests the bloc can no more rely on NATO for the provision of security, stressing the need for a "more credible European defense." The 60-page document, titled "Shared Vision, Common Action: A Stronger Europe," was reportedly drafted by Federica Mogherini, the EU's security and foreign policy chief, and seeks to lay out a new global strategy for the bloc at a time when the "purpose, even existence" of the EU "is being questioned." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Israel launches new airstrikes on Syria's Golan Iran Press TV Sat Sep 10, 2016 4:8PM Israeli military aircraft have launched yet more strikes on the Golan Heights in southwest Syria. The Israeli military said Saturday that "artillery positions" were hit in Golan after "a projectile" coming from Syria hit the Israeli-occupied part of the territory. The projectile caused no injuries or damage, the Israeli military said. Similar attacks had been carried out against Syrian military positions on Thursday under the same pretext. Attacks had also been carried out in July and before. An Israeli military spokeswoman said the firing of projectile from Syrian-controlled Golan was most likely unintentional, calling it "spillover" from the fighting in the Arab country. Golan belongs to Syria, and Israel's occupation of around 1,200 square kilometers (460 square miles) of the territory during the 1967 Six-Day War and its later annexation have never been recognized by the international community. Tens of illegal settlements have been built in the area over the years while the regime in Tel Aviv has used the area to launch attacks against the Syrian government and its allies. Such attacks have intensified over the past years as groups like Lebanese resistance movement Hezbollah, which have a history of fighting against Israel, have become more active in Syria to assist Damascus in the fight against terrorists. Despite official statements claiming that Israel has remained on the sidelines of the war in Syria, there have been numerous reports that Israel is offering weapons and medical care to militants through Golan. Reports say most of these arms and assistance are delivered to groups like Nusra Front, an offshoot of al-Qaeda which recently changed its name to Jabhat Fateh al-Sham. Syria's state television said later that an army outpost was targeted in the Israeli raid on Saturday. A Syrian military source said the attack was meant to help the militants in their offensive against the government near Golan. The source elaborated by saying that militant groups recently launched an operation against Syrian troops in the southern province of Quneitra and Israeli airstrikes on the army post were aimed at facilitating the militants' push. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Trump threatens to shoot Iranian ships in Persian Gulf Iran Press TV Sat Sep 10, 2016 2:39PM Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump has threatened that he would order the US Navy to open fire on Iranian boats, if they approach US warships in the Persian Gulf. "And by the way, with Iran, when they circle our beautiful destroyers with their little boats, and they make gestures at our people that they shouldn't be allowed to make, they will be shot out of the water," Trump said on Friday. The real estate mogul made the remarks at a speech in Florida, two days after the US military said that a speedboat operated by Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) came within 100 yards (91 meters) of an American warship that was patrolling in the central Persian Gulf. The warship then had to change its course, according to the military, which described the interaction as "unsafe." The Islamic Republic has vowed that it would confront any vessel intruding into its territorial waters. In a similar incident in August, Pentagon officials said Iranian speedboats had "harassed" US warships in the Strait of Hormuz. They claimed that Iranian boats sped close to two US Navy destroyers with their weapons uncovered in the strait in an "unsafe and unprofessional" encounter. Based on the United Nations Convention on Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), 1982, Iran has the right to "decisively confront" any menacing passage through the Strait of Hormuz, according to IRGC second-in-command, Brigadier General Hossein Salami. Back in January, Iran's Navy arrested the crews of two US patrol boats that had trespassed into Iranian territorial waters. Iran, however, released them after deciding they had done so by mistake. Trump, however, has taken an aggressive posture on Iran from the very beginning of his controversial campaign, repeatedly denouncing the Barack Obama administration for having negotiated "a bad deal" with Iran which he said would "lead to a nuclear holocaust." He also accused Obama of having been too "weak" on the world stage and vowed a more aggressive posture, including threatening more serious military action, leaving open the possibility of using nuclear weapons as president. Earlier this week, he vowed to spend many billions of dollars on strengthening the US military in an effort to project American power and bolster the United States as the leader of the world. "We're going to put us in a position of leadership of the world again so we can negotiate from a position of great, great strength. But more important than negotiating, we will be secure again," he said. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Philippines prefers dialog, not confrontation with China in dispute Iran Press TV Sat Sep 10, 2016 1:11PM Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has vowed to lead a "soft" and independent course in dealing with its territorial dispute with China, saying he is "not fan" of the United states and its regional policies. "I am not a fan of the Americans," Duterte said on Saturday, adding, "Filipinos should be first before everybody else." He was speaking to reporters on arrival in his hometown of Davao, after returning from the 29th Summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), which was held in Vientiane, Laos. "In our relations to the world, the Philippines will pursue an independent foreign policy. I repeat: The Philippines will pursue an independent foreign policy," the Philippine president emphasized. The Philippines is involved in a territorial dispute with China in the South China Sea. Realpolitik The Hague-based Permanent Court of Arbitration in July ruled in a case brought by Manila that China's claims to sovereignty over the disputed areas in the South China Sea or its resources "had no legal basis." The tribunal also accused Beijing of violating the Philippines' economic and sovereign rights. China, however, rejected the ruling, saying the court had no jurisdiction over the issue. Duterte's latest remarks were of a more pragmatic nature than a conciliatory one, as he justified his soft stance on the dispute with China by highlighting his country's weak military power. "I assured everybody that there are only two options there: We go to fight, which we cannot afford at all, or talk," he said, apparently referring to assurances he made during the ASEAN summit. His remarks also mark a divergence from the more hostile position held by the US. Washington routinely pops in the regional dispute to take sides with China's rival claimants. Obama, whose government wants to ensure "freedom of navigation" in the waterway, is highly supportive of the verdict and brought up the contentious issue at the Laos forum, stressing that the tribunal's ruling was "binding." An independent ally? On the first day of the summit, the outspoken Duterte had said he was "no American puppet." "I am the president of a sovereign country and I am not answerable to anyone except the Filipino people," he had said. Duterte's trip to Laos was also overshadowed by a tirade he launched against US President Barack Obama, in which he said he would swear at Obama if the American president raised the controversial issue of the fight on drugs in the Philippines in a planned meeting between the two leaders. The affront made Obama cancel an initial meeting, but, after Duterte expressed regret, they briefly met under another schedule. The US, the Philippines' colonial ruler until 1946, currently serves as the South Asian country's main military ally but has also been highly critical of Duterte's brutal crackdown on crime, particularly drug criminals, which has killed some 3,000 people since he came to power in July. During an overnight visit to Indonesia and a meeting with his Indonesian counterpart Joko Widodo on Friday, Duterte also announced that China had promised to help manila build drug rehabilitation centers to treat Filipino users of crystal meth, a highly addictive stimulant. "Only China has offered to help us," Duterte said during his brief stay in Jakarta. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address 18 dead as Saudi jets hit northern Yemen residential area Iran Press TV Sat Sep 10, 2016 9:52AM At least 18 people have been killed and several others injured when Saudi warplanes carried out an airstrike against a residential area in Yemen's northern province of Sana'a. Saudi jets fired a number of missiles at a water well drilling machine in Bani Atban village of Arhab district on Saturday morning, leaving several people dead and injured, Arabic-language Saba news agency reported. Separately, Saudi warplanes conducted six airstrikes against Sana'a International Airport, also known as El Rahaba Airport, causing substantial damage. There were no immediate reports about possible casualties. Saudi aircraft also struck Sahar and Ghamr districts in the mountainous northwestern province of Sa'ada, located about 240 kilometers (150 miles) north of the capital Sana'a, though no reports about casualties and the extent of damage caused were available. Elsewhere in al-Ghayl district of the northern province of Jawf, Saudi jets carried out a number of aerial attacks, but no casualties were reported. On Saturday, Saudi-backed Yemeni militants loyal to Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi, Yemen's president who has resigned and fled the capital, lobbed a number of rockets and mortar shells at the positions of Yemeni army soldiers and their allied Popular Committees in al-Wazi'iyah district of the southwestern province of Ta'izz. Yemeni troops and Popular Committees fighters also launched tactical and ballistic Scud missiles at a power station as well as a water desalination plant in Shaqiq district of Saudi Arabia's southwestern border region of Jizan. Saudi Arabia has been pounding Yemen since March 2015, with the UN putting the death toll from the military aggression at about 10,000. The offensive was launched to crush the Houthi Ansarullah movement and their allies and reinstate Hadi. Houthi fighters took state matters into their own hands in the wake of Hadi's resignation and escape, which threw Yemen into a state of uncertainty and threatened a total security breakdown in the country, where an al-Qaeda affiliate is present. UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Yemen Jamie McGoldrick said last month the death toll from the Saudi military aggression could rise even further as some areas had no medical facilities, and that people were often buried without any official record being made. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address 2 killed, 25 injured in fresh clashes in Indian Kashmir Iran Press TV Sat Sep 10, 2016 9:22AM Renewed scuffles have broken out between government forces and pro-independence protesters in Indian-controlled Kashmir, leaving two people dead and at least 25 others wounded. Police said the casualties came in Saturday's clashes, during which police fired tear gas to disperse the demonstrators. An unnamed local police officer said a young man was killed as police and paramilitary soldiers tried to prevent the protesters from marching to a village in Shopian Hill district. A 25-year-old man also succumbed to his pellet injuries in Anantnag district. Indian-controlled Kashmir has witnessed violence since July, when Burhan Wani, a top figure in the pro-independence Hizb-ul-Mujahideen group, was killed in a shootout with Indian troops, acting on a tip, in Kokernag area. At least 75 people have lost their lives and several thousand have been wounded in fresh Kashmir clashes. Kashmir lies at the heart of a bitter territorial dispute since India and Pakistan became independent in 1947. New Delhi and Islamabad both claim the Himalayan region in full, but rule parts of it. The two countries have fought two wars over the disputed territory. India and Pakistan agreed to a ceasefire in Kashmir on November 26, 2003, and launched a peace process the following year. Since then, there have been sporadic clashes, with the two sides trading accusations of violating the ceasefire along their de facto border dividing the disputed region. Overall violence in Kashmir has declined during the last decade, but clashes between government forces and militants erupt regularly. Curfew, communication blackouts and a tightening crackdown have failed to halt the protests against the Indian rule in Kashmir in recent years. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Bahrainis hold demonstrations in solidarity with Sheikh Qassim Iran Press TV Sat Sep 10, 2016 7:54AM Bahraini people have staged anti-regime demonstrations across the tiny Persian Gulf kingdom in support of distinguished Shia Muslim cleric Sheikh Issa Qassim, who recently had his citizenship removed by the Al Khalifah regime. On Friday evening, protesters marched along streets in the northern villages of Barbar, Karbabad, Maqaba, Abu Saiba, al-Maqsha, the north-central Shakhura village, the western village of Shahrakan and elsewhere in the country, holding portraits of Sheikh Qassim and emphasizing that the 79-year-old clergyman is their "red line," Arabic-language Lualua television network reported. The protesters also censured the Bahraini regime over collaboration with Saudi Arabia, and demanded an end to the heavy-handed crackdown and persecution of Shia Muslims in Bahrain. Bahraini authorities stripped Sheikh Qassim of his citizenship on June 20. The decision came a week after they suspended Bahrain's main opposition bloc, al-Wefaq National Islamic Society, whose secretary general, Sheikh Ali Salman, himself a prominent Shia cleric, has been in prison since December 2014. Regime officials also dissolved opposition al-Risala Islamic Association and Islamic Enlightenment Institution, founded by Sheikh Qassim. Anti-regime protesters have staged numerous demonstrations in Bahrain on an almost daily basis since February 14, 2011, calling on the Al Khalifah regime to relinquish power. Troops from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates were deployed to the country in March that year to assist Manama in its crackdown on peaceful and pro-democracy rallies. Scores of people have been killed and hundreds of others injured or arrested in Manama's crackdown on anti-regime activists. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address UN says evacuated 300 S Sudan opposition members to DR Congo Iran Press TV Sat Sep 10, 2016 7:27AM The United Nations has announced that its peacekeeping force in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has evacuated nearly 300 supporters of South Sudan's opposition leader Riek Machar, many of them wounded or malnourished. UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric stated on Friday that the armed militants and civilians crossed into DR Congo from South Sudan with Machar, who was evacuated from Garamba National Park with his wife, son and 10 aides on August 17, AFP reported. According to Dujarric, the UN mission evacuated some 300 of Machar's followers from Garamba Park in northeast Congo near the border with South Sudan between August 24 and September 5 on humanitarian grounds since many of them were either injured, acutely malnourished or in life-threatening conditions. He further added that the UN peacekeepers, known as MONUSCO, handed 117 individuals including Machar, his spouse and son to Congolese authorities. The UN spokesman then noted that as of Thursday there were an additional 183 individuals in two MONUSCO-run facilities, where they are getting medical treatment or recovering while the Congolese and South Sudanese work on a longer-term solution to the persisting conflict. Dujarric also stated the UN is making efforts to promote a solution between authorities in both African nations and "regional actors" regarding the presence of South Sudanese opposition fighters in Congo. South Sudan gained independence from Sudan in 2011, but it was soon hit by a major civil war that began in December 2013 when government forces loyal to President Salva Kiir, an ethnic Dinka, battled rebels led by Machar, his former deputy who is a Nuer. At least 50,000 people have been killed in the fighting and over two million people have been displaced. Even after a peace deal reached in August 2015 established a unity government, it has been violated regularly by continued fighting. South Sudan civil war: A timeline of events December 2013: Fighting erupts after Kiir accuses Machar of plotting to overthrow him. January 2014: A ceasefire is signed between the government and the opposition. August 2014: The first round of talks begins in Ethiopia's capital, Addis Ababa, as fighting continues in violation of the peace deal. February 2015: The government calls off general elections due in a few months because of the ongoing conflict. August 2015: The president signs an internationally-mediated peace deal under which, Machar would return as vice-president. April 2016: Machar returns to Juba and is sworn in as first vice-president in a new unity government. July 2016: Kiir sacks Machar after a new wave of fighting erupts. Machar leaves Juba with his troops, saying he would return only if an international peacekeeping force guarantees his safety. August 2016: The opposition figure flees the country. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address French Defense Minister Pledges To Help Tbilisi During Georgia Visit September 10, 2016 French Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian has begun an official visit to Georgia for talks focusing on boosting Tbilisi's military defenses. Speaking in Tbilisi on September 10 at the start of his three-day visit, Le Drian said France would "soon make a proposal for action so that Georgia is able to develop effective means of [ensuring] its air defense, which is central to its sovereignty." Tbilisi last year signed a $10 million deal with Paris on the acquisition of air defenses. Most of Georgia's air-defense systems were destroyed in August 2008 during a brief war with Russia. Le Drian met with Georgia's Defense Minister Levan Izoria on September 10. France's embassy in Tbilisi said Le Drian was scheduled to meet with Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirkashvili on September 11 and with President Giorgi Margvelashvili on September 12. NATO leaders agreed in 2008 that Georgia will one day become a member of the alliance but has refused so far to put the former Soviet republic on a formal membership path amid concerns about Russia's reaction to the move. Based on reporting by AFP and civil.ge Source: http://www.rferl.org/content/france-georgia- military-defenses-/27979437.html Copyright (c) 2016. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Starbucks will go down in history books as the brand that made it OK to charge more than $2 for a cup of coffee. But its reputation as a higher-end coffee shop has faded and that has the company worried. The chain was founded with the mission of providing premium coffee to the masses, with CEO Howard Schultz modeling locations after Italian espresso bars. Starbucks sought to become the third place in your life after your home and your office where you would go to simply hang out and socialize. And it arguably did just that. Since it opened its first shop in Seattle in 1971, Starbucks has become ubiquitous, with more than 24,000 stores around the world. But that ubiquity has started to threaten its upscale reputation. Starbucks is now competing with chains like Dunkin Donuts and McDonalds. It has gotten, in a sense, too basic. Urban Dictionary defines basic as an adjective used to describe any person, place, activity involving obscenely obvious behavior, dress, action. Unsophisticated. Transparent motives. Describing someone as basic has come to mean liking the things everyone else likes, Fashionista writes. And thats not necessarily a good thing. Fashionista describes Starbucks as a core basic brand, along with The North Face, Lululemon, and Michael Kors. Sweet Starbucks beverages, especially the Pumpkin Spice Latte, are most closely associated with the pejorative term. This is just one of countless Pumpkin Spice Latte posts on social media sporting the hashtag basic: When youre the epitome of #basic on a Thursday! Snap Chat filters AND a Pumpkin Spice Latte- hold me back folks! Its getting real! #EFLRealChicks #weightlossjourney #weightloss #weighttraining #weightlossmotivation #weightlifting #instagram #fitnessaddict #fitspo #girlswithmuscles #girlswholift A photo posted by Erica Lugo 150 Lbs (@ericafitlove) on Sep 8, 2016 at 7:31am PDT on Sep 8, 2016 at 7:31am PDT Widespread popularity is the kiss of death for trendy brands, particularly those positioned in the up-market younger consumer sectors, industry expert Robin Lewis wrote in his blog in 2014. Story continues Lewis was discussing fashion, but the same idea applies to Starbucks. To continue to grow and maintain its coffee-snob approved status, the chain needs to make an active effort to retain its premium reputation. Starbucks is investing millions of dollars into fixing the problem by building Roasteries, introducing new menu items, and even creating original content. (Starbucks Roastery showcases new recipes and different coffee-preparation methods, like siphoning.Matt Weinberger/Business Insider) Starbucks has said the chains 15,000-square-foot Roastery in Seattle is a window into the future of the brand. Serving up drinks like the $10 Nitro Cold Brew Float, made with coffee roasted on location, the location is a testament to the coffee giants willingness to innovate in a constantly changing coffee culture. Now, the company is opening two new Roasteries in New York and Shanghai, with plans to open as many as 10 of the super-premium locations. The premium coffee experience of the Roasteries is intended to have the trickle-down effect. The chain plans to open roughly 500 Reserve stores, which offers premium Roastery beverages and artisanal Princi food, and 1,500 stores with Reserve bars, which will serve drinks made in a wider variety of styles such as pour-over and siphoning. (A slide from Starbucks presentation at the Goldman Sachs Global Retailing Conference.Starbucks) Schultz acknowledged customers concerns at a conference in New York City on Thursday. This is our response to the challenges that sometimes come with ubiquity and sometimes come with people saying, because I see a lot of Starbucks around the world, maybe the coffee is not quite the same level, he said. Our coffee is every bit as good as it was when we had five stores many, many years ago. While the Roasteries represent the most premium experience, Starbucks is promoting its more upscale, craft-inspired coffee drinks at stores across the US. This summer, the chain launched a Cold Bar, which included the gourmet Nitro Cold Brew, as a way to boost the chains coffee credibility when it comes to chilled beverages. (The Nitro Cold Brew launched at 500 Starbucks locations this summer.Kate Taylor) The drink followed in the footsteps of beverages such as the Flat White and the Latte Macchiato that similarly draw from what Starbucks calls coffee-forward beverages, with roots in craft coffee shop culture. Increasingly, the chain has alternated between sweeter, seasonal beverages and drinks often developed at the Roastery that are more clearly intended to keep coffee snobs visiting the chain. This fall, Starbucks balanced out the start of Pumpkin Spice Latte season in an unprecedented manner. On Wednesday, one day after the official launch of the PSL, Starbucks unveiled an original content series called Upstanders. The series, which highlights 10 individuals across the US working to make a difference in their communities, could bolster Starbucks image as a values-based organization and help distance it from any basic stereotypes. While there is no Starbucks branding on the series, which cost millions of dollars to create and promote, it is clear that Schultz is taking his inspiration from the intellectual Italian espresso bars that guided the coffee giants early days. I always feel strongly, and I have for almost 40 years, that anything we do that makes our own people proud is good for Starbucks, Schultz told Business Insider. And I think with almost 200,000 Starbucks people working in the US, I feel very strongly theyll feel very proud of these stories and the fact that weve taken the time to invest, to share this. NOW WATCH: Starbucks is hoping this new fall drink will be their next Pumpkin Spice Latte More From Business Insider Trump Vows To Destroy Iranian Boats That Harass U.S. Navy Ships September 10, 2016 U.S. Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump vowed to "shoot out of the water" any Iranian vessels that harass the U.S. Navy, if he is elected. At a rally in Florida on September 9, Trump said he would make the U.S. military "so strong that nobody's going to mess with us," and cited recent incidents where the Pentagon said Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps boats acted aggressively toward U.S. ships. "When they circle our beautiful destroyers with their little boats, and they make gestures at our people that they shouldn't be allowed to make, they will be shot out of the water," Trump said. "We're going to put us in a position of leadership of the world again so we can negotiate from a position of great, great strength," he said. Trump also mentioned an incident this week in which a Russian fighter jet came within 3 meters of a U.S. plane over the Black Sea. Russian President Vladimir "Putin laughs, believe me, he laughs at our leaders. Yesterday, he had a plane [3 meters] away, taunting us, toying with us, just like Iran," Trump said. Based on reporting by AP and Reuters Source: http://www.rferl.org/content/donald-trump- vows-blast-away-iranian-boats-harass- us-navy-ships/27978718.html Copyright (c) 2016. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Afghanistan, Hekmatyar on Verge of Signing Long-delayed Peace Deal By Ayaz Gul September 10, 2016 Top Afghan officials and representatives of an anti-government armed group, led by former warlord Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, have reported major progress in their protracted peace negotiations and both sides are expected to sign a deal, possibly sometime on Saturday. President Ashraf Ghani's national unity government for months has been engaged in talks with Hekmatyar's Hezb-i-Islami (HIA) faction, with disagreements repeatedly stalling the much-touted peace process. Renewed hopes for the long-delayed agreement stem from late Friday's announcement made by the fugitive warlord's son, Habibur Rehman Hekmatyar, on his official Facebook page. He said that HIA and the Afghan government have agreed on all the articles of the draft peace document "and God willing, it will be announced on Saturday." "I congratulate the (Afghan) nation, and all Muslims as well as Hezb-i-Islami members on the peace deal. I hope it will go a long way in ending the war, bringing peace and blocking foreign interference (in Afghanistan),'' said Hekmtayar's son who is not part of HIA's negotiating team. 'Good progress' A presidential spokesman Shah Hussain Murtazavi told VOA there has been considerable progress in talks with the HIA negotiating team and promised more in course of the day. "We have made good progress and hope to achieve more later today," he said without discussing further details. The groundbreaking development comes at a time when the largest insurgent group, the Taliban, has intensified attacks across Afghanistan, and has made territorial gains in parts of the country. A peace deal with Hekmatyar's group, which has fought alongside the Taliban against the U.S.-backed Afghan government, could put pressure on the Islamist insurgency to come to the table for peace talks. Unlike the Taliban, the Hekmatyar group's influence is limited to very few Afghan provinces. Hekmatyar is a longtime guerilla commander whose forces fought against the Soviet Union in the 1980s, using equipment supplied by the CIA. Later, his militias battled the Taliban for control of Afghanistan during the brutal civil war of the 1990s. Hekmatyar was designated a "global terrorist" by the United States in 2003 for allegedly participating in and supporting attacks by al-Qaida and Taliban forces. Possible boost for Ghani Analysts believe a peace deal with HIA might serve as a political boost to beleaguered Afghan President Ashraf Ghani who is under intense criticism for the worsening nationwide security. It would also come ahead of next month's key summit on Afghanistan in Brussels where donors will review progress the Afghan national unity government has mad in terms of promoting political and economic reforms in the country. Hekmatyar and his commanders are allegedly sheltering in neighboring Pakistan, where Taliban leaders also have their sanctuaries, charges Islamabad rejects. Meanwhile, in a statement issued on the eve of the annual Eid festival, Taliban chief Mawlavi Hibatullah Akhundzada has urged Afghans security forces and government employees to abandon their jobs and join the group's "legitimate jihad" against foreign invading forces. "They should ponder deeply over their jeopardizing position of their being in the ranks of the invaders. Their support to the invading non-believers is undoubtedly in contradiction with the command of the Almighty Allah and His prophet," asserted the Taliban leader. But in a nationally televised speech Saturday, President Ghani dismissed those assertions, saying armed opposition groups fighting in Afghanistan "are not jihadis but they are terrorists." He said their actions such as killing innocent Afghans in bomb and other terrorist attacks have nothing to do with Islam. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Kenyan President Launches New Political Party By Mohammed Yusuf September 10, 2016 Kenya's president on Saturday launched a new political party that he intends to use for a second and last term in office in the 2017 election. The launch of the Jubilee Party followed days of political haggling in Nairobi as 12 parties dissolved and united under the new organization. Tens of thousands of people dressed in party colors thronged to a stadium in Kasarani, a residential area of Nairobi, to witness the launch of the Jubilee Party. The ruling party and the current government took the opportunity to show how people had benefited under their rule. President Uhuru Kenyatta told the crowd that the new party affirmed togetherness and peace. "We are here as a Jubilee family to proclaim the meaning of our party," he said. "The party we launch here today is an expression of our unity. ... In launching it, we renew and strengthen our ties that bind Kenyans together. We rise from the ashes of conflict to express the beauty of reconciliation and collective purpose." Party merger In 1966, three years after Kenya gained independence, the biggest two political parties, the Kenya African National Union and the Kenya African Democratic Union, merged. The unity, political commentators said, followed years of ethnic nationalization. Twenty-five years after that agreement, some politicians and activists took to the streets, demanding multiparty democracy. Then in late 2007, political violence erupted after incumbent President Mwai Kibaki won elections and was sworn into office. A power-sharing agreement in early 2008 ended the crisis. On Friday, Deputy President William Ruto told party delegates that multiparty democracy had contributed to intercommunal fighting in Kenya during elections. He said he was confident the new party would bring some normalcy to the country. "We are laying a firm new foundation for the politics and leadership and the management of public affairs of our country going forward, because for much of the multiparty era, our practice of politics has given democracy a very bad name," he said. "To many people, much of the time, multiparty democracy is a tower of burden. Democracy is seen to be chaotic, noisy, unreliable, dangerous and sometimes very divisive." Ethnic violence Kenyatta and Ruto were accused of being behind the 2007-08 violence and were charged at the International Criminal Court at The Hague. In the ethnic fighting, more than 1,000 people were killed, and at least 250,000 were uprooted from their homes. Ruto said he and the president had a desire to bring different parties together and form one party with a national agenda. Kenyatta said the new party would respect the different views of its members. "We know the unity of the past, the unity of our fathers and mothers, was lost because we succumbed to personality cults and because we did not protect internal democracy in our parties," the president said. "Jubilee will not make the mistakes of the party that came before us. Every shred of opinion will have its say in this party, every member will get a fair hearing, and we will embrace internal party democracy." Hundreds of kilometers away from Nairobi in the coastal city of Mombasa, the biggest opposition party, the Orange Democratic Movement, was celebrating 10 years since its formation. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Uighurs, Wary of China's Response to Kyrgyzstan Attack, Trying to Stop Militancy By Michael Lipin September 09, 2016 A prominent ethnic Uighur rights group says it fears China will exploit a Uighur militant's suicide attack on its embassy in Kyrgyzstan last week to repress minority Uighurs in the neighboring Chinese region of Xinjiang. In its first detailed public response to the August 30 suicide car bombing that killed only the attacker and wounded several Kyrgyz security guards at the Chinese embassy in Bishkek, a World Uyghur Congress representative told VOA that his group condemns the Bishkek blast and "all kinds of terrorism", including what he referred to as "Chinese state terrorism" against its own people. WUC's Washington-based vice president, Omer Kanat, was referring to the Chinese government's crackdown on Uighur militants whom Beijing blames for several deadly attacks on civilians around the country and for sectarian violence between minority Uighurs and majority Han Chinese in Xinjiang in recent years. Kanat said he expects Beijing to use the Bishkek attack as a pretext to intensify what he called its ongoing crackdown against the Uighur people mostly Muslim Turkic-speakers living primarily in Xinjiang and to "further restrict their religious and cultural rights." Many Uighurs accuse Chinese authorities of persecution and turning them into a minority in their homeland by flooding it with Han Chinese settlers. China has said it grants Uighurs wide-ranging freedoms. Identifying culprits Kyrgyzstan named the embassy bomber as Zoir Khalimov, a 33-year-old Uighur with a Tajik passport and a member of the East Turkestan Islamic Movement, or ETIM a separatist group seeking to split Xinjiang from China. Bishkek also said it believes the attack was masterminded by Uighur militants fighting alongside other Islamists in Syria. Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said Wednesday Beijing will be "firm" in fighting what she called ETIM's "bloody crimes" and in cooperating with Kyrgyzstan and other nations to combat terrorism. Kanat said his rights group believes Beijing will use its economic influence in neighboring Central Asian states such as Kyrgyzstan to pressure them into suppressing dissent within their Uighur communities as well. A 2012 Canadian government report said at least 50,000 Uighurs were living in Kyrgyzstan, accounting for almost one per cent of its population. Uighur militants rarely have targeted Chinese people or diplomatic missions abroad. But the risk of further attacks is "substantial," according to Raffaello Pantucci, director of International Security Studies at London's Royal United Services Institute. Syria connection In an interview with VOA's China 360 podcast, Pantucci said videos, photos and messages from recent battles in Syria and Iraq show that several hundred Uighurs have traveled to those countries to fight on behalf of Islamist groups Jabhat al-Nusra and Ahrar al-Sham. "We also have seen through various leaks of documents of the Islamic State militant group that it has at least 100 or 200 fighters from the Uighur community," he said. Pantucci said Uighur militancy is becoming an international problem. "We are seeing an interesting situation in which a terrorism problem that China used to face within the country is starting to export itself in a very violent way." Sean Roberts, a professor of international affairs at George Washington University in the U.S. capital, told VOA China 360 that jihadists have been recruiting Uighurs from among refugees fleeing the Chinese government's security crackdown in Xinjiang. "The Uighurs are not necessarily militants when they leave China, but as they move through Southeast Asia with the help of human trafficking networks, more and more of them are being recruited by various radical groups," Roberts said. Many Uighur refugees have been transiting Southeast Asia en route to Turkey, which has strong cultural links to Uighur communities. Roberts said people who spoke to radicalized Uighurs in Syria told him the militants hoped to get combat experience to someday liberate what they perceive as their homeland inside China. But he said many of them likely will die fighting before they can try to carry out attacks like the one in Bishkek. "The greater threat to China from terrorism is that militants besides the Uighurs also begin identifying China as an enemy of Islam," said Roberts. Exploiting refugees World Uighur Congress' Kanat said he is aware of the problem of Uighur radicalization. He said some Uighur refugees have told him that Islamist radicals approached them in Thailand and Turkey, promising housing and money if they went to Islamist-controlled parts of Syria and Iraq, countries that he said the refugees know little about. "Some of those refugees had no house and no food in Turkey - they were helpless, so they said, 'we chose to go to Syria,'" Kanat told VOA. "But they found war and killing not what they wanted, so they escaped back to Turkey." Kanat said his group has been working with Ankara to resettle Uighur refugees in the central Turkish province of Kayseri. "We have been approaching the refugees to explain the situation in Syria and Iraq and how Islamist extremism is harmful for the Uighur cause," he said. "Some Uighurs are brainwashed [by jihadists], but we are trying to rescue those who are not brainwashed, and have convinced many of them not to go to Syria." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Chinese Army Equips All Ground Troops With Advanced WZ-10 Attack Helicopters Sputnik News 03:13 10.09.2016(updated 08:09 10.09.2016) An updated version of China's WZ-10 combat helicopters will soon be assigned to all ground force aviation units, according to the China Daily. In service since 2012, the WZ-10 is designed for anti-tank warfare. It can be outfitted with cannons and machine guns, as well as guided missiles. Upgraded versions of the WZ-10, however, have also been equipped for air-to-air combat. These state-of-the-art choppers will now be given to every aviation unit of China's People's Liberation Army. "Several WZ-10s have been delivered to an aviation brigade of the PLA's 13th Group Army under the Western Theater Command, meaning that all of the army's aviation units now have the aircraft," IHS Jane's reports. Combined with the Chinese military's WZ-9 and WZ-19, the PLA Army now has a strong combat helicopter force, according to Wu Peixin, an aviation specialist in Beijing. "The Army now needs more medium-lift, multipurpose helicopters such as the US Army's Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk," he added. "This helicopter is capable of performing both combat operations and transport tasks." Current estimates suggest that the PLA Army has 1,000 helicopters in its fleet. Gao Zhuo, a military observer in Shanghai, said the government would like to see that number to increase to 3,000. China has also been testing its J-20 stealth fighter, which will soon participate in patrols in the Pacific. "There are a lot of specifics to operating technical equipment at high altitude," military expert Vasiliy Kashin told Sputnik. "A lot of systems may not work properly in conditions of thin air and low temperature. Above all, this concerns equipment used for the technical maintenance of military equipment the military equipment itself is usually better adapted to extreme conditions." As part of its growing military prowess, China has already built two J-20s, with six more known to be in development. Beijing may have as many as 36 stealth fighters by early 2018. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address KCNA Commentary Accuses U.S. of Spreading Fresh False Story Korean Central News Agency of DPRK via Korea News Service (KNS) Pyongyang, September 10 (KCNA) -- These days the U.S. is busy spreading new false stories such as "story of abduction of American university student" as part of its smear campaign against the DPRK. The U.S. let riff-raffs of plot-breeding organizations including the "North Korea Freedom Coalition" of the U.S. and the "meeting of families of north's abductees" to say that an American university student who disappeared in China 12 years ago might have been abducted by north Korea. The U.S. calls for "signature campaign" through internet in demand of passing a "draft resolution" on the incident through Congress. Furthermore, the U.S. prodded Western media into floating the story that "hundreds of Americans reported missing were in prison of north Korea," claiming this was secret information obtained from data base of the CIA. The fact that the CIA and many anti-DPRK plot-breeding organizations, its tools, were involved in spreading the above-said false propaganda suffices to guess the purpose and the whole aspect of the charade. This is another politically-motivated provocation aimed at impairing the ever-rising prestige of the DPRK in the international arena as it is nothing but a psychological warfare putting into the shade the Hitler fascist clique in the light of its style and method. The U.S. tried to use the doctrine of the fascist maniac that "telling a lie hundred times makes people believe it" and experience of the anti-Soviet propaganda that "radios and publications brought 'victory' which could not be achieved by nuclear blackmail." However, the above-said chicanery proved to be false from the beginning. The American media, expressing suspicion about the case, terming it "shocking news," conveyed the fact that the Chinese authorities drew the conclusion that the American university student might have drowned at that time. Contrary to assertions of tricksters that a "defector from the north" saw the American university student in Pyongyang, the mother of "missing student" said she did not believe blindly press reports and the U.S. Department of State said at the beginning that there was no evidence proving it and it was under discussion with the Chinese authorities. Against this backdrop, the "North Korea Freedom Coalition" is claiming that the U.S. Department of State and intelligence authorities are coordinating the investigation into the incident with Japan, south Korea and others. This makes clear in to what direction the "investigation" would be conducted. As seen above, the recent false propaganda is a continuation of the anti-DPRK moves pursuant to the U.S. policy and a prelude to a new war. Such false propaganda is little short of a preemptive attack heralding an actual physical war tomorrow as it is a common practice in modern wars for a psychological warfare to reach the height before the full involvement of means for physical war. The Korean peninsula is technically at war as the world's biggest nuclear strike means are massively deployed for actions and there is neither judicial nor institutional mechanism on the peninsula to avert a war. The false propaganda launched by the U.S. under the touch-and-go-situation is designed to secure a pretext for igniting a war of aggression. The U.S., however, is seriously mistaken. The DPRK has its own mode of counteraction to foil any provocation of the enemies at one stroke. The successful nuclear warhead explosive test of the DPRK is part of practical counteraction against the threats and sanctions of the U.S. and other hostile forces pulling up the DPRK over the exercise of its right to self-defence in persistent denial of the strategic position of the DPRK, a full-fledged nuclear weapons state. The DPRK is always ready to beat back any enemy attack. Steadfast is the will of the service personnel and people of the DPRK to take the toughest counteraction against the enemies. -0- NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Backgrounder: DPRK's five nuclear tests People's Daily Online (Xinhua) 09:30, September 10, 2016 The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) announced Friday that that it has carried out a nuclear warhead explosion, according to state-run television. It is the country's fifth nuclear test. The following is a review of the country's previous nuclear tests. Oct. 9, 2006 -- The official KCNA news agency reports that the DPRK conducted a successful nuclear test in North Hamgyong province in the country's northeast. The UN Security Council on Oct. 14 passes Resolution 1718 to condemn the test. May 25, 2009 -- The DPRK conducts its second nuclear test. The KCNA says that DPRK scientists have been able to increase the explosive power and control level of the bomb compared with the first test. The test prompts UN Security Council Resolution 1874, which voices "the strongest condemnation" against DPRK authorities and demands the country stop further nuclear weapons-related activities. Feb. 12, 2013 -- The DPRK carries out a third nuclear test, which the KCNA describes as "high level, safe and perfect." South Korea estimates the bomb has a power equal to 6,000-7,000 tons of TNT. The UN Security Council unanimously passes Resolution 2094 on March 7, demanding the DPRK give up its nuclear weapons project and return to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. Jan. 6, 2016 -- The DPRK carried out its fourth nuclear test, alleged to be a successful test of its first hydrogen bomb. The test means that the DPRK has "proudly joined the advanced ranks of nuclear weapons states possessing the H-bomb," said the state news agency KCNA. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address UN Security Council slams DPRK's nuke test People's Daily Online (Xinhua) 09:25, September 10, 2016 The UN Security Council on Friday condemned the latest nuclear test conducted by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), saying it is a clear violation of Security Council resolutions. "The members of the Security Council will begin to work immediately on appropriate measures under Article 41 (of the UN Charter) and a Security Council resolution," Ambassador Gerard Jacobus van Bohemen of New Zealand, the council's president for this month, told reporters here. The DPRK's state-run television reported early Friday that the country had conducted a nuclear warhead explosion test. It was Pyongyang's fifth nuclear test, which followed the previous one by eight months. After a closed-door meeting on this matter, the 15-nation council said in a press statement that the nuclear test is a flagrant disregard of the nuclear non-proliferation regime, and "therefore a clear threat to international peace and security continues to exist." "The members of the Security Council also recalled that they have previously expressed their determination to take further significant measures in the event of another nuclear test by the DPRK," it added. In January, the DPRK carried out a test of what it called its first H-bomb. It also conducted underground nuclear tests respectively in 2006, 2009 and 2013. The Security Council has adopted five resolutions to curb the DPRK's nuclear and missile programs. The latest one adopted in March imposes the most severe sanctions yet on the country, including an export ban and asset freeze. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address UN chief strongly condemns DPRK nuclear test People's Daily Online (Xinhua) 14:32, September 10, 2016 UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Friday condemned the latest nuclear test conducted by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) "in the strongest possible terms." The DPRK's state-run television reported early Friday that the country had conducted a nuclear warhead explosion test, the country's fifth one. "This is yet another brazen breach of the resolutions of the Security Council," Ban told reporters here. "This unacceptable act endangers peace and security in the region and is another vivid reminder of the urgent need to strengthen the global nuclear test ban regime," he added. Ban called on the DPRK "to reverse its course and commit to a path of denuclearization." "Rather than pursuing nuclear weapons and ballistic missile technology, the DPRK should be promoting the well-being of the country's people," he said. In January, the DPRK carried out a test of what it called its first H-bomb. It also conducted underground nuclear tests respectively in 2006, 2009 and 2013. The UN Security Council will hold a closed-door meeting on Friday afternoon on the DPRK's latest nuclear test. The 15-nation council has adopted five resolutions to curb the DPRK's nuclear and missile programs. The latest one adopted in March imposes the most severe sanctions yet on the country, including an export ban and asset freeze. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russia strongly condemns DPRK's nuclear test People's Daily Online (Xinhua) 09:44, September 10, 2016 The Russian Foreign Ministry on Friday strongly condemned the latest nuclear warhead explosion test executed by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK). "Such demonstrative disregard for international law and opinion of the international community deserves the strongest condemnation," the ministry said in a statement. The DPRK's state-run television reported early Friday that the country had conducted a nuclear warhead explosion test. It was Pyongyang's fifth nuclear test, which followed the previous one by eight months. The action undermined the global non-proliferation regime, and poses a serious threat to peace and security on the Korean Peninsula and in the Asia-Pacific region, the statement added. The ministry warned that the nuclear test, executed in violation of UN Security Council resolutions, will have negative consequences primarily for the DPRK itself. It called on Pyongyang to stop dangerous adventures, strictly obey all requirements of the UN Security Council, abandon its missile and nuclear programs, and return to the regime of the Non-Proliferation Treaty of nuclear weapons. Moscow urged all parties concerned to refrain from steps that could lead to further escalation of tension, and confirmed its readiness for a "very tight coordination of steps aiming to elaborate an international response to Pyongyang's provocative actions," said the statement. The Russian side remains firmly committed to a political and diplomatic settlement of the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula through appropriate negotiations, it added. In January, the DPRK carried out a test of what it called its first H-bomb. It also conducted underground nuclear tests respectively in 2006, 2009 and 2013. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Indonesia deplores DPRK nuclear test People's Daily Online (Xinhua) 14:02, September 10, 2016 Indonesian government deplored on Saturday the latest nuclear test conducted by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), saying it was not in line with the world peace and stability. "The test contradicted with Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) and spirit contained in the treaty. It also a violation of the United Nations (UN) resolutions," the Indonesian foreign affairs ministry said in a statement released on Saturday. DPRK conducted the nuclear test on Friday, its fifth nuclear test and eight months following the previous one. Indonesia strongly urged DPRK to obey all the requirements of the UN Security Council. Indonesia also called on all parties concerned to refrain from steps that could lead to further escalation of tension and committed to political and diplomatic settlement of the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula through appropriate negotiations for promoting peace and stability in the region. The Pyongyang's test was aimed to judge the power of a nuclear warhead newly made by the scientists and technicians, said a statement issued by the DPRK Nuclear Weapons Institute and carried by the official news agency KCNA. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Pakistan condemns nuclear test by DPRK People's Daily Online (Xinhua) 14:51, September 10, 2016 Pakistan on Friday condemned the nuclear test conducted by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), which "constitutes a violation of the United Nation Security Council Resolutions and is against the objective of a nuclear weapons free Korean peninsula." The DPRK confirmed it has carried out its fifth nuclear test Friday and that it is now capable of mounting nuclear warheads on ballistic rockets. "Pakistan has consistently maintained that all countries should comply with their international obligations and refrain from all action which could undermine peace and stability in the region," the Foreign Ministry said in Islamabad. "We urge all parties to work towards the establishment of nuclear weapons free Korean peninsula within the framework of the Six Party Talks," a statement said. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address No capitulation to US nuclear blackmail: N Korea Iran Press TV Sat Sep 10, 2016 8:15AM North Korea has stressed that it would not give in to US nuclear "blackmail" after pressure mounted on Pyongyang following its latest nuclear test. "Gone are the days never to return when the US could make a unilateral nuclear blackmail against the DPRK (the Democratic People's Republic of Korea)," the state-run Rodong Sinmun newspaper said in a Saturday commentary. Washington "is exasperated by the strong military steps being taken by the DPRK in a phased way," added the commentary, which was also carried by North Korea's official KCNA news agency. The criticism came one day after North Korea conducted its fifth and reportedly biggest nuclear test and said it had mastered the ability to fit a miniaturized warhead on a rocket. The first indications of the test came when South Korea's meteorological agency detected a 5.3-magnitude "artificial earthquake" near the North's Punggye-ri nuclear site. The development drew a fresh wave of global condemnation. US President Barack Obama said that he had agreed with South Korea and Japan to work with the United Nations Security Council and other powers "to vigorously implement existing measures" against North Korea and to take "additional significant steps, including new sanctions." North Korea has been the target of toughest-ever sanctions since it conducted its fourth nuclear test in January this year. South Korean President Park Geun-hye also said the nuclear test proved North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's "maniacal recklessness" in ignoring calls to abandon his pursuit of nuclear weapons. In response, the Rodong Sinmun commentary accused Park of serving the US and "groundlessly taking issue with the DPRK over its just measures for bolstering nuclear deterrence for self-defense." During a closed-door meeting on Friday, the UN Security Council denounced North Korea's nuclear test and agreed to start work on a new bans targeting the Asian country. "The members of the Security Council will begin to work immediately on appropriate measures under article 41 in a Security Council resolution," said New Zealand's UN Ambassador Gerard van Bohemen, who holds the council's rotating presidency. North Korea has pledged to develop a nuclear arsenal in a bid to protect itself from the US military, which occasionally deploys nuclear-powered warships and aircraft capable of carrying atomic weapons in the region. Washington also holds joint military maneuvers with Seoul, which Pyongyang views as preparations for war and a direct threat against its security. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address US, South Korea Test Water, Air Samples Following North's Nuclear Test By VOA News September 10, 2016 South Korea and the United States began their search for radioactive materials Saturday, following North Korea's fifth and largest nuclear test the day before, according to the South's Yonhap news agency. The investigation team will collect air and water samples to test for radioactive material such as xenon, Yonhap reported. South Korea said Saturday that the North's capabilities were rapidly expanding, echoing concerns from world leaders about the latest nuclear test. "It is believed that the North's nuclear capability is becoming more advanced to a considerable level, and at a faster pace," South Korean Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se told senior ministry officials in a meeting Saturday, calling for "more and stronger sanctions." China also spoke out against North Korea's nuclear tests, saying they were "not conducive to the peace and stability of the Korean Peninsula." "China urges North Korea not to take any more actions that could exacerbate tensions, and return as soon as possible to the correct direction of denuclearization," Vice Foreign Minister Zhang Yesui told North Korea's ambassador to China. The latest and possibly strongest North Korean nuclear test ever occurred as U.S. President Barack Obama was returning to Washington from his trip to Asia. Obama condemned the attacks Friday. The U.N. Security Council met in a closed session Friday afternoon in New York. The council president, New Zealand Ambassador Gerard van Bohemen, told reporters that the 15 members strongly condemned the underground nuclear test and agreed to "work immediately on appropriate measures." The explosive yield of Friday's test, a magnitude 5.3 seismic event, was estimated at 10 kilotons. The last serious talks with North Korea on denuclearization, the six-party talks, ended in 2009. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Salehi: JCPOA bears fruit, Iran takes over administration of Bushehr plant IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Bushehr, Sept 10, IRNA -- Thank God the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action bears fruit and Iran takes over administration of the first unit of Bushehr power plant. Head of Atomic Energy Organization Ali Akbar Salehi said that administration of the first unit of Bushehr Power Plant was fully ceded to Iranian experts. He made the remarks in a ceremony to begin construction of the second and the third units of the power plant. Salehi thanked the Supreme Leader for His Eminency's guidelines for diplomatic settlement of the 12-year dispute with Washington over the nuclear program and the hard works of Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif in the diplomatic campaign to neutralize the US conspiracy over the nuclear dispute. Salehi thanked the Management and Planning Organization (MPO) as well as Central Bank officials for contribution to build two new power plants. Salehi said that three contracts, protocol and MoU was signed between Iran and Russia in year 2014 to build two new power plants in Bushehr. He said joint fuel and sustainable isotopes production in Iran is among other joint programs of Iran and Russia and that construction of new power plants with the highest security level would serve to produce safe energy and protect natural resources and the environment. He said that construction of the two new power plants would help save oil resources of the country equal to 22 million barrels of crude oil and prevention of 14 million tons pollution in environment. In addition, he said that necessary planning for construction of water desalination installation with capacity of 200,000 cubic meters a day has been done in cooperation with Energy Ministry. Salehi said that construction of the two new units will take 10 years. He also praised former heads of AEOI for their contribution to the projects. Vice-president Salehi said that Iran is the first country in west Asia that has undertaken to build a nuclear power plant independent of the other states. Construction operation for second and third units of Bushehr nuclear power plant kicked off on Saturday in presence of First Vice-President Es'haq Jahangiri. 1391**1416 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Salehi: Bushehr new N. reactors to be accomplished in 10 years ISNA - Iranian Students' News Agency Sat / 10 September 2016 / 11:28 TEHRAN (ISNA)- Head of Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) Ali Akbar Salehi said that new nuclear reactors of Bushehr nuclear power plant would be accomplished in 10 years. He said that implementing the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) paved the way for building two new power plant units in Bushehr. The two units take 10 years to be built in line with regulations of safety system of Iran, he said, adding, that Iran is in talks with other countries for nuclear cooperation. According to Salehi, the two units would be built in line with the safeguard agreement with the IAEA and in line with the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). The agreement was signed based on three documents named agreement, protocol and the MoU in 2014 in Moscow which suggests Iran is entering into a new phase and is working with Russia on peaceful nuclear energy. He said that Iran would work with Russians on making joint fuel and stable isotopes. The Iranian official said that the two units would be built based on the highest safety standards and modern technology to preserve natural resources. He said that the two units would save 22 million barrels of Iranian crude and prevent release of 14 million tons of polluting gases. End Item NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Last remnants of anti-Iran MKO terrorists relocated from Iraq to Albania Iran Press TV Sat Sep 10, 2016 1:55AM The last remaining members of the anti-Iran Mujahedin-e Khalq Organization (MKO) have been relocated from a camp in Iraq to Albania. According to a Friday statement released by the terror group, the last 280 MKO terrorists were all flown to Albania after leaving Camp Liberty (Hurriya), a former US military base in the Iraqi capital Baghdad. "This final round of departures marks the successful conclusion to the process of relocating members of Mujahedin-e Khalq Organization (MKO) outside of Iraq," it said. The UN refugee agency also confirmed that all the remnants of the group had left the Arab country. "The international community has now successfully achieved the relocation of all Camp Hurriya residents from Iraq to third countries," said William Spindler, the spokesman for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), on Friday. Back on August 25, another 155 members of the group, including a number of its senior leaders, had fled Iraq for Albania. Iraqi leaders had long urged MKO remnants to leave the Arab country, but a complete eviction of the terrorists had been hampered by the US and European support for the group. The MKO, the most hated terrorist group among the Iranians, has carried out numerous terrorist attacks against Iranian civilians and government officials over the past three decades. Out of the nearly 17,000 Iranians killed in terrorist assaults since the victory of Iran's 1979 Islamic Revolution, about 12,000, including many top officials, have fallen victim to MKO's acts of terror. The terror group fled Iran for Iraq shortly after the Islamic Revolution and began receiving support from Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein, while siding with him in his eight-year bloody war against Iran in the 1980s. In December 2011, the UN and Baghdad agreed to relocate some 3,000 MKO members from Camp Ashraf in Iraq's Diyala province to Camp Liberty. Another group of the MKO terrorists was evicted by the Iraqi government in September 2013 and relocated to the camp to await potential relocation to third countries. On August 4, Iran's Ambassador to Baghdad Hassan Danaeifar said that the Iraqi government with the cooperation of the UN had expelled 65 percent of the MKO terrorists and the rest would be deported in the next 45 days. There has also been a deep-seated resentment toward the group in Iraq both for its criminal past and its full support for Saddam in the brutal crackdown on his opponents. The terrorist group, which has built a cult-like following, is also known for the brutal elimination of its own members over dissent. The MKO is listed as a terrorist organization by much of the international community. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Relocation Of Iranian Opposition Group From Iraq To Albania Completed September 10, 2016 A camp housing members of an Iranian opposition group in Iraq was officially closed on September 9 after the last 280 residents were flown to Albania, the United Nations and residents said. The Mujahedeen-e-Khalq, or People's Mujahedeen Organization, which vehemently opposes the clerical regime in Tehran, has been based in Iraq since the 1980s, when they received arms and support from Saddam Hussein during the Iran-Iraq war. U.S.-led forces disarmed the group after the 2003 invasion and settled them at a base north of Baghdad. U.S. State Department spokeswoman Elizabeth Trudeau thanked Albania and Iraq for helping to relocate the group and provide it with international protection. Armed groups, including Iranian-backed Iraqi government forces at times, attacked the group after Hussein's ouster, killing scores of its members. The group said last year that more than 20 members were killed in a missile attack on their camp, but the figure could not be independently verified. Despite having trouble verifying the casualty figures, the UN had repeatedly expressed concern about the safety of camp residents and helped arrange their relocation. Based on reporting by AP and AFP Source: http://www.rferl.org/content/relocation- iranian-opposition-group-peoples-mujahedeen- iraq-baghdad-albania-complete/27978663.html Copyright (c) 2016. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Thousands In Iran Protest Against Saudis As Hajj Begins September 10, 2016 by RFE/RL Thousands of Iranians have marched through the streets of Tehran to protest against Saudi Arabia for failing to accommodate Iranians on the hajj pilgrimage, which starts on September 10. Though Saudi authorities allocated around 64,000 places for Iranians, none are taking part this year because of a breakdown in negotiations last May over arrangements, including safety measures needed to avoid a repeat of a September 2015 stampede that killed over 2,300 pilgrims. Iranian and Saudi leaders escalated a war of words this week over Iran's absence from the hajj, which all able-bodied Muslims are expected to complete at least once in their lives. Demonstrators in Tehran on September 9 waved signs depicting Saudi King Salman holding a bloody sword, his head wrapped in an American flag, and his shirt bearing a blue Star of David similar to that on the Israeli flag. "Death to Al-Saud and the traitors!" protesters in Tehran shouted. State media reported similar protests across the country. Demonstrators also shouted slogans against the United States and Britain but saved their harshest criticism for Saudi Arabia. The Saudis have "blocked the path to Allah. It's a crime and they must be tried," said Javad Zolfaghari, a cleric who joined the protests. "We don't have any problems with the people of Saudi Arabia. They are Sunnis and are our brothers," protester Habibullah Abulfazli told AP. "But the Al-Saud family are puppets of Britain and America. They are fighting proxy wars against Shi'ites and against all Muslims." Iranian officials have called on Muslims flocking to Mecca from around the world to punish the Saudis for allowing the September 24 stampede and crush of pilgrims last year that killed at least 2,300 people, including 464 Iranians. The official Saudi toll of 769 people killed and 934 injured has not changed since September 26. The kingdom has never addressed the discrepancy, nor released results of an investigation authorities promised over the disaster. This year's monumental rhetorical battle between the two regional rivals is not their first clash over the hajj. In 1987, Iranian pilgrims on the hajj battled Saudi riot police in clashes that killed at least 402 people. Iran claimed 600 of its pilgrims were killed and did not send pilgrims to the hajj in 1988 and 1989, while Saudi Arabia severed diplomatic ties over the violence. Iran has called for an independent body to take over administering the five-day hajj, something the Al-Saud family has refused. The kingdom's stewardship over Islamic holy sites gives it major influence in the Muslim world. Said Ohadi, the head of Iran's Hajj Organization, told AFP that the Saudis' failure to provide adequate security and make other accommodations for the Iranian faithful was "unacceptable," especially given the 15 to 20 year waiting list to participate. The Saudis "believe they are the owners -- that Mecca and Medina are their properties," he said. "No, they are the properties of Islam." With reporting by AP and AFP Source: http://www.rferl.org/content/thousands- protest-iran-against-saudi-arabia- hajj-begins/27978664.html Copyright (c) 2016. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iran Begins Construction of 2nd Nuclear Power Plant By VOA News September 10, 2016 Iran has begun building its second nuclear power plant. Russia is helping Iran with the construction of the facility near the southern port city of Bushehr, the site of Iran's other operational nuclear plant. Construction of the site is expected to take about 10 years and cost up to $10 billion. The facility is Iran's first nuclear power plant to be built since signing a deal with world powers last year restricting Iran's nuclear capacity. U.S. President Barack Obama has called the pact a success, saying, "All of Iran's pathways to a nuclear weapon remain closed." He said the deal, implemented in January, has pushed the time-frame for Iran to develop a nuclear weapon if it violated the agreement from two or three months to "about a year." U.S. opponents of the deal have not changed their view that the agreement would not force Iran to end its military activities in the Middle East or ultimately block it from developing a nuclear weapon. Iran has removed thousands of centrifuges that had been used to enrich uranium and shipped out the majority of its existing stockpile. World powers lifted their sanctions, unlocking billions of dollars for Iran and clearing the way for new business opportunities there. Iran has complained that despite the lifting of sanctions that once barred financial institutions from doing business with the country, foreign banks remain reluctant to be involved in transactions. The agreement spells out a 10-year limit on Iran's centrifuges, a 15-year limit on how much it can enrich uranium and a 25-year period for U.N. inspectors to have access to Tehran's nuclear facilities, all pushing the deal's major effects beyond certain changes in leadership among the nations involved in the negotiations. The United States and nuclear experts point to the main result, extending the timeline under which Iran could rush to build a nuclear bomb. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address 35 killed, 40 wounded in twin car bomb attacks in Baghdad Iran Press TV Sat Sep 10, 2016 4:5AM Nearly three dozen people have been killed and tens of others injured in two car bomb attacks that struck a busy mall in the violence-plagued Iraqi capital city of Baghdad. A security official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said just before Friday midnight a car rigged with explosives was detonated at the car park of al-Nakheel Mall in Palestine Street in eastern Baghdad. An assailant blew up his explosive-laden car at the busy street outside the mall building shortly afterwards. The explosions set ablaze a number of cars parked at the parking lot and outside the mall, and damaged many others. An unnamed source at Baghdad Health Directorate told Arabic-language al-Forat news agency that 35 people have been killed and 40 others injured in both acts of terror. No individual or group has claimed responsibility for the assaults yet, but such incidents are usually blamed on the Takfiri Daesh terrorist group. The United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq says a total of 691 Iraqis were killed and another 1,016 wounded in acts of terror and armed conflict in August. According to the UN mission, the number of civilian fatalities stood at 473. Violence also claimed the lives of 218 members of Iraqi security forces. A great portion of last month's fatalities was recorded in Baghdad, where 231 civilians were killed. The northern and western parts of Iraq have been plagued by violence ever since Daesh terrorists mounted an offensive there more than two years ago. The militants have been committing vicious crimes against all ethnic and religious communities in the country, including Shias, Sunnis, Kurds and Christians. The Iraqi army and volunteer fighters from the Popular Mobilization Units have been engaged in joint operations to retake militant-held regions. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Samara Governor Offers A Stark Choice: United Russia Or The CIA September 10, 2016 by Yelena Plotnikova and Robert Coalson SAMARA, Russia -- The CIA has Russia's Samara Oblast in its crosshairs. At least that is what the governor, Nikolai Merkushkin, wants voters to think. In the run-up to September 18 elections to the State Duma, Merkushkin has been working hard to portray the vote as a stark choice between the ruling United Russia party and a U.S. intelligence agency that is bent on tearing Russia apart. "In April, the U.S. ambassador to Russia -- he's the main specialist in organizing Orange Revolutions came here and he studied the situation," Merkushkin told voters on August 10. "And they have one goal -- to undermine confidence in the authorities. In this regard, we must all take the elections with the utmost seriousness." Two days later, Merkushkin targeted U.S. Ambassador John Tefft again, claiming that the envoy examined Tolyatti, an industrial city in the region, but "saw that no sparks could come from here in order to spread the conflagration to the whole country." "That is why the CIA decided to go after all of Samara Oblast," he concluded. But Merkushkin's electioneering assertions come at a time of particularly strained relations between Moscow and Washington, with tensions mounting since Russia's seizure of Crimea in March 2014 and the start of its active military support for separatists in eastern Ukraine. On August 30, the governor said opposition politician and anticorruption activist Aleksei Navalny "was trained in the United States" and is "devoted to Uncle Sam" -- something Russian officials and pro-Kremlin pundits have been telling the people for years. Merkushkin took it a step further by saying that Navalny is attempting to carry out the "Dulles Plan," apparently a reference to a 1993 book ascribing to Cold War-era CIA chief Allen Dulles an alleged scheme to use agents within the Soviet Union to break it up into many small nations. That fictional plot has been presented as reality by numerous Russian politicians and public figures in recent years, including Liberal Democratic Party of Russia leader Vladimir Zhirinovsky, leftist presidential economic adviser Sergei Glazyev, and filmmaker Nikita Mikhalkov. On August 17, Merkushkin made the most detailed presentation of his claims so far, asserting that the CIA had hacked Samara Oblast's e-mail system in order to distribute false information to voters and undermine their confidence in the authorities. He also claimed that the CIA is keeping global energy prices low so that the Russian government will not have enough money to pay pensions. "Why did they come to us?" Merkushkin asked, referring to the region on the Volga River. "Why not Moscow or St. Petersburg or Kazan or Yekaterinburg? We believe the main reason is that for many years we have been the main testing ground for Western experiments. The main testing ground." Merkushkin, 61, previously served five terms as the authoritarian leader of the nearby Mordovia region. In the early 2000s, he made the mistake of developing ties with oil tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky. After Khodorkovsky was arrested, imprisoned, and dispossessed, Merkushkin had to work hard to demonstrate his loyalty to President Vladimir Putin's Kremlin. In a way, Merkushkin's claims make him Putin writ small. In power as president or prime minister since 2000, Putin has persistently sought to boost his popularity and consolidate power by portraying Russia as a defiant country resisting U.S. efforts to bring it to its knees. Merkushkin is renowned within Russia for his endurance-testing appearances before the press, often lecturing journalists for as long as five hours. His gruff style came out during a meeting with voters earlier this month in which a woman complained that she hadn't received wages in more than a year and asked when the money would come. "Well, I want to tell you," Merkushkin said abruptly. "If you are going to speak in such a tone, [the answer is] never. Never! Go ask the people who are inciting you." In 2012, Putin moved Merkushkin to Samara following United Russia's poor performance in the region in the 2011 elections to the Duma, Russia's lower parliament house. In that race, turnout in Samara was just 52.9 percent and only 39.1 percent voted for United Russia. (Nationally, turnout was officially 60 percent and United Russia was credited with 49.3 percent of the vote.) Meanwhile, the Communist Party made one of its strongest showings in Samara Oblast, winning over 23 percent of the vote in 2011. By comparison, in Merkushkin's Mordovia, official turnout was 94.2 percent, with 91.6 percent endorsing the ruling party. Only Chechnya produced more Kremlin-friendly results. Merkushkin seems to have brought his election magic -- or methods -- to Samara. In 2014, he ran for election as governor and managed to poll 91.4 percent. Samara regional legislator Mikhail Matveyev ran against Merkushkin in 2014 and has bitter memories of the experience. "The last election campaign showed that you can't consider Merkushkin a sincere person," Matveyev told RFE/RL. "When the voting came and they began stealing votes from the other candidates, it was clear that the governor had set himself the goal of getting 90 percent, even though his polling was about 70 percent. I would guess that he converted that 70 percent into 90 percent just out of pure egotism." But there is evidence that Merkushkin is under pressure from the Kremlin to produce the right result without outright violations. Vyacheslav Volodin, a powerful first deputy chief of staff to Putin, and Central Election Commission (CEC) head Ella Pamfilova have both repeatedly promised a fair and transparent vote. Pamfilova told a Moscow press conference that about one-seventh of all the election complaints received by the CEC to date have come from Samara Oblast, including many from United Russia candidates who allege Merkushkin promoted "his" people during the party's primary. "I see this as the clash of two different points of view at the top," Anton Rubin, who is running for the Duma from the liberal Yabloko party, told RFE/RL. "Pamfilova is fighting for fair elections and [Merkushkin] is absolutely ignoring her. The human rights commission and the CEC have sent delegation after delegation down here, but they have had no effect. Merkushkin still appears five times a day at state enterprises. He still uses Samara state television like his personal channel, despite all the election laws. It is an interesting case to see who will beat whom, but for now it is clear that [Merkushkin] is winning." And if the stick of alleged CIA plots is not enough to bring out the vote, Merkushkin has been trying a carrot, as well. He frequently tells voters that "in the near future we will have to fight for every ruble from the federal budget and that will be very difficult without convincing arguments." If the region gives "97 percent" to United Russia, he said on August 24, the Kremlin will listen to him. And if not? "I will be justified for not doing anything for the people," he said. "You yourselves will have made it so that we aren't doing anything for the people." Source: http://www.rferl.org/content/russia-samara-governor- merkushkin-united-russia-cia/27978955.html Copyright (c) 2016. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Putin Orders to Ensure Long-Term Government Support for Civil Shipbuilding Sputnik News 20:50 10.09.2016(updated 20:58 10.09.2016) Russian President Vladimir Putin has asked the government to ensure a long-lasting state support for civil shipbuilding, the Kremlin press service said Saturday. MOSCOW (Sputnik) Putin ordered to extend the term of giving subsidies to Russian companies to compensate part of their expenses on paying interests on loans for buying ships as well as lease payments, the press service specified. The government was also tasked with compensating companies' expenses on buying new ships instead of those utilized. The Cabinet should prepare a report on the issue until January 15, 2017. Putin has also tasked the Russian government to elaborate a plan on installation of satellite navigation equipment based on Glonass system on Russian vessels, a document published on the Kremlin website on Saturday said. "With a view to ensuring the safety of navigation, to develop a comprehensive plan for promotion of the use of electronic navigation charts for inland waters and installation of satellite navigation equipment based on Glonass system for inland and mixed (river sea) navigation vessels," the list of instructions issued by the president following the State Council meeting devoted to development of inland waterways said. The Glonass project, which was launched in 1993, is considered to be Russia's answer to the United States' GPS (Global Positioning System). The Glonass network operated by the Russian Aerospace Forces, consists of 27 satellites, 24 of which are operational. The system allows real-time positioning and speed data for surface, sea and airborne objects around the world. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russian General Uses Fake Romney Quote About Alleged Plans to 'Destroy Russia' By Danila Galperovich September 10, 2016 A senior Russian general, Sergei Kuralenko, this week quoted Mitt Romney, the U.S. Republican presidential candidate in 2012, as saying at the time, "We destroyed the Soviet Union, and we will destroy Russia." The problem is that Romney said no such thing. The remarks by Kuralenko, head of the academy of the general staff of Russia's armed forces and deputy commander of Russia's Western Military District, came weeks after Russian media outlets quoted U.S. Republican Party presidential candidate Donald Trump as harshly criticizing the International Paralympic Committee's decision to ban Russian athletes from the 2016 Paralympics. The comments attributed to Trump turned out to be made up. Kuralenko's comments came during a forum in Moscow sponsored by the Russian Defense Ministry. According to a tape of the general's remarks made by a conference participant, Kuralenko said, "I remind you that in 2012, U.S. presidential candidate Mitt Romney said, 'Our target is Russia. Russia is a threat to the whole human race. Our goal is to force Russia to devour itself from the inside, bringing turmoil and division to its society. ... If the series of measures listed above don't work, we will have no other choice but to declare a quick and victorious war against this country. We destroyed the Soviet Union, and we will destroy Russia.' I want to note that nearly 50 percent of Americans voted for Romney." Anti-Russian 'measures' As Kuralenko was speaking, the full text of the alleged Romney quote was projected on a screen behind him. That text quoted Romney as detailing the "series of measures" to be taken against Russia. "We will set the Chechens, Tatars, Bashkirs [and] Dagestanis against the Russians," it said. "We must make them fight against one other. We must multiply actions aimed at discrediting the Russian Orthodox Church." In fact, the comments attributed to Romney were originally published in September 2012 by the satirical website Fognews, which at that time specialized in fake news. Fognews itself stated at the time that this and other "news" reports had been created in order to "ridicule stupidity and absurdity." In a March 2012 television interview, Romney called Russia the "No. 1 geopolitical foe" of the United States. Little concern for truth Independent military experts contacted by VOA's Russian service said Russian military and civilian officials alike care little about the veracity of quotes they use, and are much more concerned about the effect they are trying to achieve by using such quotes. One such analyst, Alexander Golts, told VOA that many top Russian officials, from the president on down, have used false quotes. "This is a disease not only of Russian generals," he said. "The commander in chief of the Russian armed forces, Vladimir Putin, has made statements indirectly referring to a quote falsely attributed to former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright that is floating around the Russian media, as has Nikolai Patrushev, secretary of the Russian Security Council. This is typical for the Russian leadership in general, which accepts totally uncritically any information seeming to demonstrate the evil plans of the West. "The irresponsible game of fake quotes demonstrates their state of mind: The generals and the top leadership of Russia consider themselves as participants in a propaganda war," Golts said. "They play a propaganda game aimed, first of all, at the Russian population, and secondly, at the international community. ... They think one quote or another fits with their worldview, which they want to spread, and they don't care whether it is true or false. This is an Orwellian world, where truth does not exist." War seen as inevitable Another Moscow-based independent military analyst, Pavel Felgenhauer, said Russian generals believe a war with the United States is inevitable. "You simply have to understand that in Russia presently, any decision domestic, foreign, fiscal, economic is dictated by the military brass, by militarism, which, in short, has seized power," he told VOA's Russian service. "In fact, what is happening now is what happened during the Cold War: Nonexistent threats are created; they are presented to the Kremlin leadership by military officials who rely on false data that is seemingly intelligence data," said Felgenhauer. "Both Putin and [Russian Defense Minister Sergei] Shoigu, by and large, are puppets in the hands of the general staff, which has completely seized control of the threat assessment system. It conjures up every imaginable threat, as was the case in the '70's and '80's, when the Soviet general staff simply lied to the Politburo." Felgenhauer noted that in a speech to military officials in late August, Shoigu detailed how work to create a "Pacific line of defense" extending from Chukotka, a region in Russia's Far East due west of Alaska, southward to Vladivostok, due west of northern Japan is moving ahead at full speed. "An entire division of coastal defense [troops] will be deployed in Chukotka," Felgenhauer said. "And the purpose of this division is to block the Bering Strait to any American shipping, to close off the Arctic to America. And this is only part of the major, very expensive work currently going on in preparation for the inevitable, in their opinion, future world war." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Syria Cease-fire Deal Greeted With Support, Skepticism By Steve Herman September 10, 2016 Syria's government has accepted the cease-fire deal brokered by its Russian ally and the United States, state news agency SANA reported Saturday. "A cessation of hostilities will begin in Aleppo for humanitarian reasons," the agency said. It has been reported, however, that Syrian government warplanes bombarded rebel-held areas around the country, while insurgents shelled government-held neighborhoods Saturday, leaving dozens killed or wounded only hours after a new U.S.-Russia agreement aimed at reducing violence in the war-torn country was announced. Earlier, Turkey and a key Syrian opposition group pledged on Saturday to support the complicated and partly-secret U.S.-Russia cease-fire deal. Under its terms, a nationwide truce in Syria is set to begin at sundown on Monday to allow wider humanitarian aid access. The foreign ministry of Turkey, which sent its military into Syria late last month, announced support for the truce and the agreement announced in Geneva early Saturday as a prelude to a long-term political solution to end five years of war. Syrian opposition forces are welcoming the deal while expressing skepticism a cease-fire can hold, noting Russia and the Syrian military did not adhere to a previous agreement. Moscow's influence on Damascus "is the only way to get the regime to comply," said a statement issued by Bassma Kodmani of the High Negotiations Committee of the Syrian Opposition. News of the Geneva accord brought no immediate relief to Aleppo, where the army continued its attack on rebel-held territory, apparently hoping to maximize its gains before the cease-fire deadline. If there is "reduced violence" for seven consecutive days in the country and sufficient humanitarian aid is allowed into Aleppo "the two main events of this agreement start to take effect," said a senior State Department official. The official, noting that analysis and criticism of the conditions was quickly "going a little bit sideways" on social media, emphasized "you're not going to see calm in Syria anytime soon." The official said the deal calls for a week of "reduced violence" starting from sunset on September 12, the beginning of the Muslim Eid holiday. If that occurs, then the U.S. and Russia would begin coordinating airstrikes against the jihadist Nusra Front, as well as the so-called Islamic State group. After those initial strikes get underway, the agreement calls for the Syrian air force to then cease its attacks. The deal, made after weeks of shuttle diplomacy, was announced at a joint news conference in Geneva by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. Changing 'the nature of the conflict' Syrian government "air attacks have been the main driver of civilian casualties and migration flows and the most frequent violations of the hostilities," said Kerry. "Halting all of the regime's military air activities in key areas - key areas that are defined - should put an end to barrel bombs and indiscriminate bombing of civilian neighborhoods." Kerry said this would "change the nature of the conflict." Lavrov told reporters that Moscow had informed the Syrian government about the arrangements "and it is ready to fulfill them." The United Nations' Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura briefly joined Kerry and Lavrov on the podium in Geneva to welcome the U.S.-Russian agreement, saying it creates a "real window of opportunity which all relevant actors in the region and beyond should seize to put the crisis in Syria on a different path and reduce the violence and suffering of the Syrian people." Lavrov noted there are those who would like to undermine the agreement thus "no one can give a 100 percent guarantee." Russia wants to see Syria's president, Bashar al-Assad, stay in power, while moderate opposition forces and Turkey insist no transition deal can allow him to retain power for any period of time. The United States has also long held that the Syrian leader cannot lead any future government, due to the brutal repression of his opponents. If the just-announced plans hold, Kerry said, it could lead to political transition and reverse the current trend of "simply creating more terrorists, more extremists and destroying the country in the process." The Obama administration has repeatedly stated there is no military solution to the prolonged Syrian crisis, which has killed hundreds of thousands of Syrians and displaced 12 million people from their homes, according to U.N. estimates. Opposition to the Assad family's four decades of rule over Syria broke into the open in early 2011, and the situation soon deteriorated into a complex civil war which continues to rage. "Out of all this complexity is emerging now a simple choice between war and peace, between human agony and humanitarian relief, between the continued disintegration of an ancient society and the rebirth of a united and modern nation," Kerry told reporters before flying back home. He and other stakeholders will be anxiously watching starting Monday to see if the various client forces of questionable allegiance and discipline pitted against each other will indeed stop fighting. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Turkey thwarts graveside bomb plot against top AKP official Iran Press TV Sat Sep 10, 2016 5:53PM Turkish officials say they have thwarted an assassination attempt against the deputy chairman of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) party. The governorate in the southeastern city of Diyarbakir said on Saturday that security forces had foiled a terror plot to blow up the AKP senior official, Mehdi Eker, with 640 kilos (1,410 pounds) of explosives. The governorate added that the explosives had been buried and discovered at five different locations in a graveyard in Bismil district close to the resting place of Eker's mother. Eker, who is from the Diyarbakir region and one of the most prominent members of Turkey's Kurdish minority in the AKP party, was reportedly planning to pay an annual visit to the cemetery on Sunday. He told Turkish TV channel NTV that he had been making the cemetery visit for 30 years and that at least 100 people were planning to accompany him. There were no immediate official reports on who or what group may have been behind the plot. However, Turkish media accused the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) of planning the attack. Diyarbakir is a flashpoint for attacks by the PKK, which has been fighting for an autonomous Kurdish region in the country's southeast since 1984. Ankara has been engaged in a large-scale anti-PKK campaign in its southern border region over the past few months. The Turkish military has also been pounding the group's positions in northern Iraq as well in breach of the Arab country's sovereignty. A shaky ceasefire between Ankara and the PKK that had stood since 2013 was declared null and void by the militants following the Turkish strikes against the group. More than 600 Turkish security forces and over 7,000 PKK militants have been killed since the collapse of the truce, according to the latest toll provided by Anadolu news agency in July. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Turkish police clash with protesters over sacking 11,500 teachers Iran Press TV Sat Sep 10, 2016 5:19AM Turkish police have clashed with demonstrators protesting the dismissal of 11,500 teachers suspected of links with the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) militant group in the southeast of the country. Police used tear gas and water cannon on Friday to disperse hundreds of protesters, including suspended teachers, who took part in the rally in front of the education directorate in city of Diyarbakir while whistling and shouting slogans against the dismissals mostly targeting educators from the Kurdish-majority region of the country. Among the slogans shouted by the protesters were "We will win by resisting!" and "Shoulder to shoulder against fascism!" as cited in an AFP report. At least 30 protesters were arrested. The protest rally came following the suspension of teachers by Turkish authorities over alleged PKK links in the predominantly Kurdish province of Tunjeli in eastern Turkey in which nearly 420 educators were sacked. PKK has long been listed by Ankara, its Western allies as well as other countries as a terrorist organization. The large-scale sacking of teachers in southeastern Turkey came just over a week prior to the opening of the school year across the embattled nation following a failed coup in July. According to local report, the number of sacked educators was expected to climb to 14,000 -- a figure first pronounced by Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim during a key visit to Diyarbakir last weekend. Turkey has suspended or sacked at least 93,000 people from their jobs and detained 35,000 more on suspicion of involvement in the failed coup. Ankara has blamed the coup on US-based opposition figure Fethullah Gulen and demanded his extradition. The scope of such massive crackdown has raised concern among rights groups and even Turkey's Western allies, fearing that President Tayyip Erdogan is using the failed coup as a pretext to curb dissent. The anti-PKK campaign is Turkey's largest ever against the militant group, and the removal of civil servants linked to the PKK is a key part of the fight, Erdogan declared on Thursday. Turkey will remove municipal managers who support the PKK and appoint new administrators to more than two dozen municipalities, the country's Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu said in a broadcast interview with a local news outlet. "The management of 28 municipalities will be removed from under the instructions of Qandil and will be transformed to the will of the sons of this nation," he said, referring to the Qandil mountains in northern Iraq where the PKK's senior leadership is based. Protest rallies have been banned across Diyarbakir province since mid-August during the state of emergency declared after the failed coup. On Friday, the Diyarbakir governor's office also imposed a curfew in more than a dozen neighborhoods across three districts, as security operations were planned against Kurdish militants in the region. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address With less than two months before the 2016 election, factors like voter turnout, campaign spending and national political party interest will determine how competitive the 5th District race will be, according to Virginia political analysts and commentators. With the retirement of Congressman Robert Hurt of Chatham, the sprawling 5th District is wide open this year. I think its a situation where based on the limited information we have, we think it could be, said Geoffrey Skelley, assistant editor of Larry Sabatos Crystal Ball the University of Virginia Center for Politics election analysis website. Skelley and Virginia Tech professor Robert Denton said the district leans slightly in the favor of GOP candidate Tom Garrett the district was won by 2012 candidate Mitt Romney 54-36 percent. The 5th leans Republican: theres no question about it, Denton said. However, several factors could tip the district in favor of Democratic challenger Jane Dittmar just as former Rep. Tom Perriello was able to squeeze out a victory in 2010. Skelley said money could play a major role in the race. During the April 1 through June 30 period, Dittmar outraised Garrett $300,929 to $105,306. For the year, she has outraised Garrett $557,121 to $152,127. If that pattern continues at all, that would suggest Dittmar would have more resources, Skelley said. Additionally, attention from the national Democratic and Republican campaign committees could increase the resources available to either campaign, Skelley said. The Democratic Congressional Campaign already designated the battle as an emerging race worthy of national attention in July. The national Democrats are aware of it, Skelley said. Turnout also would play a major factor in the race, Denton said. Because both Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump are among the most unpopular presidential candidates in history, Denton said they could potentially affect down-ballot races. I would be very surprised if turnout reaches the numbers in 2008, Denton said. For Clinton, Denton said the youth vote and minority vote would be key, while Trump would need to perform well with women. Danville Registrar Peggy Petty said her office was receiving voter information change forms at about the levels of 2008, which indicated a similar predicted turnout of about 70 percent. It was an off-the-chart time, Petty said about 2008. We didnt realize the volume we were going to see. Still, Skelley said the district, like many congressional races, would be won locally. Its a situation where the demographics of the district matter a fair amount, he said. Denton said a strong ground game mobilizing the base would be critical to both campaigns. Both Dittmar and Garrett have visited Danville to promote get-out-the-vote efforts in recent weeks. Its not so much targeting independents into getting the core constituency in the race, Denton said. Skelley said Dittmar would need a strong turnout in her residence of Albemarle County and Charlottesville. For a Democrat to win in the 5th District, you have to hold up your numbers in a democratic stronghold, Skelley said. Perriello, when he won, won by a very small margin, but he won 63 percent in Albemarle. I think she needs to outperform or hit that marker. There are some small signs of recovery emerging in the oil and gas industry. For the first time in 19 months, upstream oil and gas employment ticked up slightly in July. The layoff trend, which began in early 2015, has begun to reverse albeit slowly. Though industry employment is only one marker used to measure the health of the industry, it's a significant one. The Texas Petro Index showed current upstream oil and gas employment at an estimated 203,425 Texans in July of 2016. That number is up by 100 from the previous month. "The reversal of the employment-loss trend is an encouraging sign that the deep contraction in the Texas upstream oil and gas economy is in the process of coming to an end," said Karr Ingham, the economist who created and maintains the TPI. "However, a reversal of the TPI, itself which has not yet occurred will truly pinpoint the end of the cycle of decline." Among other TPI indicators in July, the number of original drilling permits issued was 631 35.5 percent fewer than the 979 permits issued in July 2015; the number of permits issued this year through July is 4,170 down 36.3 percent compared to the first seven months of 2015; the posted price for crude oil averaged $41.55 per barrel, staying above $40/bbl after a four-month-long rally that lifted prices to $45.19/bbl in June from $28.07/bbl in February. But the positive trends were more than offset by the completion of fewer wells, and continuing declines of both crude oil and natural gas production. "As long as the TPI continues to decline, the upstream oil and gas industry in Texas will not begin to transition to an expansionary mode," Ingham said. "However, it appears the rebound of posted oil prices in Texas has turned the rig count around and stopped the decline of industry job losses." For reference, the Texas Petro Index, which is a composite index based upon a comprehensive group of upstream economic indicators, is 152.2 this July 37.5 percent less than in July 2015. Before the current economic downturn, the TPI peaked at a record 313.5 in November 2014, which marked the zenith of an economic expansion that began in December 2009, when the TPI stood at 187.4. Production continues to decline. Texas crude oil production totaled an estimated 98.7 million barrels, 7.8 percent less than in July 2015. Texas natural gas production was more than 708.9 billion cubic feet, a year-over-year monthly decline of about 5.2 percent. The total value of Texas-produced crude oil totaled about $4.1 billion, 20 percent less than in July 2015. The total value of Texas-produced natural gas declined 9.3 percent to nearly $1.9 billion. According to Baker Hughes, Texas added four rigs this week, raising the statewide total to 241. The Permian Basin has topped the 200-rig mark for the first time since the week ending Jan. 15, the Eagle Ford Shale in South Texas was up three to 38, and the Barnett Shale in North Texas dropped by one rig, bringing its total to three. Midland County continued to lead the nation in rig count after adding one rig, bringing its total to 37 rigs this week. Alex Mills is President of the Texas Alliance of Energy Producers. The opinions expressed are solely of the author. A child sleeping in a bed at an early time. (Fotolia/TNS) SHARE By Allie Shah Star Tribune (Minneapolis) (TNS) Benjamin Franklin may have been on to something when he prescribed early to bed for better health. This could be especially true in the ongoing fight against childhood obesity. A recent study found that preschoolers who went to bed after 8 p.m. had a significantly higher risk of becoming obese teenagers than those with earlier bedtimes. Led by researchers at Ohio State University, the study, published in the Journal of Pediatrics, followed 977 children from ages 4.5 to 15 years, asking their parents what time they typically were put to bed on the weekdays. Bedtimes ranged from 6:45 p.m. to 1:30 a.m., with the most common times being 8 p.m., 8:30 p.m., and 9 p.m. The scientists also examined the childrens height, weight and body mass index as teenagers. Pre-school-aged children with early weekday bedtimes were half as likely as those with late bedtimes to become obese as adolescents, the researchers wrote. In fact, only 10 percent of the children who were put to bed by 8 p.m. were obese later, the study said. But 23 percent of the late-nighters (those who went to bed after 9 p.m.) became obese teenagers. While its unclear exactly how childrens bedtimes affect body weight, other studies have found that a lack of sleep is linked to hormones that regulate appetite and metabolism. Staying up late also increases opportunities to snack after dinner. As work and school schedules get busier, its a bigger challenge to establish early bedtimes, the study noted. For young children, parents create the routines that allow children to obtain sufficient sleep to meet their physiologic needs. However, in establishing young childrens bedtimes, like other household routines, parents must often make compromises as they face competing time demands, the authors wrote. For example, some parents work schedules do not allow them to arrive home early enough in the evening to spend time with their child and also maintain an early bedtime. This may push childrens bedtimes later. At the same time, early bedtimes are required for adequate night sleep if children must wake to accommodate their parents work or siblings school start times. SHARE By Ngan Ho of the San Angelo Standard-Times Justin Lane Slatton Jr., 20, was arrested by the San Angelo Police Department Sunday at 5:38 a.m. He was booked into the Tom Green County Jail on charges of two counts of murder, burglary of a building, possession of marijuana, failure to identify and giving false information. Slatton and another San Angelo teen was wanted in connection with an April 13 double shooting homicide in Temple. Bond was set at $2,001,500. Police were dispatched to the 300 block of West Avenue D around 4 a.m. in response to an unwanted subject call, according to SAPD. Officers found a man attempting to leaving a resident in the area when they arrived, according to SAPD. The man provided SAPD with false identification but was later identified as Slatton. He was arrested without incident, according to SAPD. This is a developing story. Check back for updates. DPS Most Wanted The Texas Department of Public Safety is offered $12, 500 for information leading to the arrest of Justin Lane Slatton Jr., 20, of San Angelo. Slatton was added to the state's 10 Most Wanted Fugitives list in June, and was DPS's featured fugitive for September. DPS previously offered $7,500 for tips leading to his capture. Slatton and another San Angelo teen are wanted in connection with an April 13 double homicide in Temple. Slatton who has gang-related ties is considered armed and dangerous, DPS said. The Temple Police Department, San Angelo Police Department, Texas Rangers and DPS have sought Slatton since early May. A joint apprehension team arrested the other suspect, Lupe Martinez Chappa III, 18, on May 9 at a residence in the 2400 block of Culver Avenue in San Angelo. Chappa was released from the Tom Green County Jail to the Bell County Sheriff's Office on May 11. He is being held in lieu of $2 million bail and charged with two counts of murder, a first-degree felony punishable by five to 99 years in prison and a fines up to $10,000. A Bell County grand jury indicted Chappa on murder charges in late July. Chappa and Slatton are suspected in a shooting incident that resulted in the death of two men, Johnathan Hess, 26, of Temple, and Vicente Hernandez, 36, of Killeen, according to an affidavit. A woman who witnessed the deaths told authorities she was at home with Hess and Hernandez when the three "walked outside and two unknown suspects walked up to her residence and shot Jonathan Hess and Vicente Hernandez inside the residence." The witness said one of the suspects also demanded money from her. The witness later identified Chappa and Slatton in a photo lineup as suspects after describing them to a sketch artist, according to the affidavit. Slatton has been convicted of theft of a firearm, burglary of a building, theft and evading arrest, according DPS . Chappa does not have any criminal history listed in Tom Green County's jail records. To submit a tip to DPS, call the Texas Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-252-8477; text the letters "DPS" followed by a tip to 274637; use the web tip information system on the Texas 10 Most Wanted website or Facebook page; or use the DPS mobile app. The Bell County Crime Stoppers and San Angelo Crime Stoppers are also offering rewards for information leading to Slatton's arrest. Temple PD is offering a $1,000 reward for information called in to 254-298-5500, and San Angelo Crime Stoppers is offering a $250 reward for information leading to an arrest. Tips can be made by calling the anonymous tip hotline at 325-658-4357 or 800-756-3434, visiting sanangelocrimestoppers.com or downloading the free mobile app, P3 Tips. One offender from the Texas 10 Most Wanted Program is featured each month in hopes that the higher reward from the Governor's Criminal Justice Division will generate additional tips, DPS said. SHARE Trust your gut, do research to avoid being preyed upon By Ngan Ho of the San Angelo Standard-Times Susie Roberts heard an unusual and unpleasant voice message at Be Theatre this summer. Someone who claimed to be from the Internal Revenue Service had left an "urgent" message requesting a callback. "I work for Be Theatre, and so I was checking the answering machine one day," Roberts said. "And I got a message that the IRS was going to sue us, and so I freaked out." Roberts said she immediately called to inform one of the theater's board of directors but learned the message was bogus. People impersonating IRS agents over the phone aggressively demanding money for supposedly unpaid taxes and threatening legal action or arrest is the most common scam affecting San Angelo residents, according to the Better Business Bureau. "IRS scam is the most severe one we deal with," said Glenna Friedrich, president of the San Angelo BBB. "We get more calls on that particular scam than we do all the others, probably combined." Friedrich said the BBB is experiencing a surge in reports of IRS scam incidents, and another surge occurs when tax season rolls around particularly in early January and mid-April. Her office recently received almost 50 reports from locals in one day, Friedrich said, with some people phoning in crying and asking about the legitimacy of the calls. Texas ranks third in the nation in the number of scam victims and loses, according to a cumulative report from the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration. IRS impersonators took more than $3.5 million from 742 Texas residents between October 2013 and August, slightly behind New York's $3.9 million loss from more than 807 victims. California ranks first with about $8.5 million in losses from more than 1,308 people, according to the TIGTA. TIGTA also announced this year that more than 5,000 consumers have collectively paid over $26.5 million as a result of roughly 896,000 contacts since October 2013. And those numbers are just from the victims who have reported being scammed. Friedrich said some people won't talk because they're too embarrassed to admit they were tricked. Records from the Texas Attorney General's office show that 97 people reported IRS phone scams to the attorney general's office either online or by certified mail from January to July. Nine people reported being scammed a total of $30,903. The vast majority of the 97 people indicated that they were 65 or older or in their 50s and 60s. Clay Sanford, IRS spokesman in Dallas, said the IRS has seen a surge in IRS phone scam calls over the past three to four years, which is why this issue remains on the IRS' "Dirty Dozen" list of tax scams for the 2016 filing period. "It is not out of the realm of possibly to get a call from the IRS because if notices go ignored, you may eventually get a real call," Sanford said. "But if you do owe taxes, you're going to get a letter in the mail first." Sanford said impersonators typically call and demand immediate payment in a particular form such as through an iTunes or prepared debit card, Western Union, MoneyGram, bank wire transfers or bank deposits made into someone's account and threaten such things as deportation, license revocation and arrest. "What it amounts to is they catch people off guard. They catch people during tax season," Sanford said. "They're using technology, and they're also using the fear factor. Since taxes touches everyone, that's why they use the IRS as a lure." Tom Green County Sheriff David Jones said the Sheriff's Office does not serve warrants for the IRS but will assist if requested. Jones said his office also receives reports related to IRS scams. "It is a popular scam, and our community is like all other communities that are getting hit with the scam," Jones said. "I don't believe we have any higher number of victims than other communities." The San Angelo Police Department reported receiving on average 14 calls a year since 2010 related to fraudulent IRS calls. SAPD recorded 41 reports in 2015, which is the highest. "I think there is some fear of the IRS, the legitimate IRS," since it's never a good thing when the IRS contacts you, Friedrich said. "So I think because of that (people) get worried or scared when they get a call ... (but) it's a whole procedure. There's no picking up the phone and saying, 'Well, you have an hour to wire us the money or we're going to arrest you, and the sheriff is outside of your house right now.' " Jones said while attempts are made to catch the perpetrators, "these are very difficult cases to investigate. A lot of the time the perpetrators are located out of country and we are not able to make an arrest. Most of the time the money has already been picked up prior to us receiving a report. Once they send money, it becomes very difficult to make a case and retrieve the money." Sanford said as technology grows, scammers use it to spoof the caller ID and make it appear as if it's the IRS calling or that the number is an area code within the United States. "You (can't prosecute) because these guys are in India," Friedrich said. "Once it goes out of the country our laws do not apply. We have no law enforcement in India to be able to track them down. "We tell them (residents) it's out of the country, so there's no one that can touch them, so the chances of you getting restitution is next to zero," she said. "You can call the FBI, but they're also very concerned with terrorism. That's much higher priority than consumer rip-offs. So the sad truth is, there's not really much of any way to prosecute these guys. Once they wire the money it's almost impossible to get it back for them." Sanford said scams are nothing new and have been around for ages. The only difference is that the form of scams changes as technology advances. "I don't think that scammers would ever go away, not just in cases with the IRS," Sanford said. "And the best thing that people can do is just be savvy when it comes to your personal information." Jones advised people to do the research to make sure the agency is legitimate before sending money. Friedrich said educating consumers is the best solution to deter scammers. "Let me tell you, when they drop the scam it's when they're not making any money," Friedrich said. People should trust their gut, Friedrich said, encouraging residents to call her office if they are uncertain. "Scam artists by their very nature are fast and very clever and know all the right things to say and do to punch your buttons to make you afraid," Friedrich said. The first red flag, regardless of what the person on the other says, she said, is to understand that they calling you and telling you wire money or to get a refillable credit card is not how a legitimate business works. "They're very determined to get as much money as they can out of you," Friedrich said. "A lot of consumers who don't deal much with the IRS won't know this. It's not a function of intelligence; it's a function of knowing how the world works." SHARE More licensed caretakers needed, but system has its hurdles By Michelle Gaitan of the San Angelo Standard-Times As the state works through the issues of its foster care system, the call for licensed foster parents is growing. Unfortunately, the call is answered by only a few. As of June, Tom Green County had 36 licensed foster homes, compared to 300 children in the foster care system from the San Angelo-Grape Creek area and about 1,000 children total from within Region 9, said Angie Voss, Region 9 program administrator for Child Protective Services. Region 9 covers 30 counties including Tom Green, Midland, Pecos and Kimble. Because of the lack of licensed foster care homes, Voss said children have at times slept in state offices. "It's happens," she said. "At least two to three times a month a kid sleeps in an office." Every effort is made to have them stay in a more suitable environment if a foster home is not available, but local children's shelters often are at capacity and can't take in more children, she said. The length of time a child has to sleep in an office varies, which is difficult on the children who don't know where they might end up going, Voss said. When the state takes temporary legal possession of a child, CPS is responsible for finding a home in a foster care setting family homes, family group homes, residential group care facilities or facilities overseen by another state agency. In fiscal year 2015 the Department of Family and Protective Services reported 109 children were removed from their homes in Tom Green County after investigations into child abuse and neglect. There were 447 confirmed cases of child abuse or neglect, or 16.4 cases per 1,000 children. The county had a child population of 27,329, according to DFPS. The fiscal year ran Sept. 1, 2014, through Aug. 31, 2015. Placement with relatives is always sought first, but if that's not possible foster placements are the next step. Unfortunately, because of the shortage of licensed homes oftentimes children have to be sent out of San Angelo, which means they lose contact with their school, relatives and friends. That's especially rough on the children because things that are familiar to them that can offer stability, Voss said. Region 9 has about 988 children in the foster care system now; of those, 398 had to be placed outside the region. The lack of foster parents stems in part from the stigma surrounding the system and children in foster care, and communities often are unfamiliar with what it means to take on the role of a foster parent. Tim Dickson, president of the Concho Valley Foster Parent Association, added a new member to his family with the adoption of his oldest daughter in November. "It's not easy, but it is worth it," he said. "Yes there's difficulties, but yes, they can be solved. I do see hope, but we need more parents to get there." About three years ago, after getting a visit from a state employee urging members of his church to consider becoming adoptive parents, Dickson said he felt compelled to open his home to a child. To become a licensed foster parent, Dickson had to take part in a four-month process that included extensive background checks, home fire and health inspections, home visits and PRIDE pre-service training. PRIDE, which stands for Parent Resource for Information, Development, and Education, is a competency-based program co-trained by the Department of Family Protective Services staff and a foster or adoptive parent. The training covers topics such as child attachment issues, loss and grief, discipline, behavior intervention, the effects of abuse and neglect, sexual abuse, working with the child welfare system, and the effects of fostering and adopting on the family. The process "wasn't complicated; it was just more tedious," he said. Patrick Dierschke, former president of CVFPA, said his family has had a different experience trying to navigate the foster care system. "We do have a shortage of foster families, and it is not due to people not wanting to step up," he said. "It is how we are treated once we step up that causes so many to quit." Dierschke said he no longer has any foster children under his care and has taken on more of a consulting role for prospective foster parents. Part of the problem Dierschke said he faced as a foster parent was not having a voice. He ran into roadblocks from child placement agencies and switched from one to another after he said he was labeled a troublemaker for asking too many questions and trying to stay actively involved in his foster children's case. A common problem for foster parents is cost, both Dierschke and Dickson said. "There are financial hurdles (child placement agencies) and foster families do have to overcome," Dierschke said. "One of the issues we faced when fostering, we learned it takes anywhere from 10 to 20 days for the state to start paying for day care, and it does not reimburse for those days. That amounts to about $200 per week per child. Also, the state will not pay for day care if the child is designated 'moderate' or 'severe,' only "basic.' " According to the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services website, a child who needs basic services "is capable of responding to limit-setting or other interventions." Meanwhile, "a child needing moderate services has problems in one or more areas of functioning" and "a child needing specialized services has severe problems in one or more areas of functioning." "We had two children who were moved from 'basic' to 'moderate' after three months in our care, and the state immediately stopped paying for day care, with no notice," he said. "Foster families have to ask the CPA to pay, or stay home those first few weeks, until payment is approved." Dickson said difficulties vary on a case-by-case basis, but reimbursement of child care is one difficulty shared by many people. "It's a difficult system to work with," he said. "It takes a lot of patience. There's been a lot of history of hurt from the system and a lack of communication and a lack of good publicity. Automatically there is a negative outlook with CPS; there's a negative outlook on foster parents as a whole system." Despite all the negatives, Dickson believes the underlying focus remains with the children and change is possible. People may lose sight of how much foster children need stability and how much of a lack of stability they find within the system, he said, but having more good foster parents step up would make the job of foster parents and the system as a whole easier. SHARE 3 veterans show support for legal battle By W.J. Hennigan, Tribune Washington Bureau (TNS) WASHINGTON Three military veterans once involved in the U.S. drone program have thrown their support behind a Yemeni mans legal fight to obtain details about why his family members were killed in a 2012 strike. The former soldiers unusual decision to publicly endorse the lawsuit against President Barack Obama and other U.S. officials adds another twist to Faisal bin Ali Jabers four-year quest for accountability in the deaths of his brother-in-law and nephew, who he believes needlessly fell victim to one of the most lethal covert programs in U.S. history. The former enlisted service members told the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit in a recent filing that they believe the 2012 drone strike serves as a case study of how mistakes frequently occur in the nations targeted-killing program, where life-or-death decisions are based upon top-secret evidence. The veterans say they witnessed a secret, global system without regard for borders, conducting widespread surveillance with the ability to conduct deadly targeted killing operations. Though the veterans did not disclose any personal knowledge of the strike that is alleged to have killed Jabers relatives, they say the military frequently labels the deaths of unknown victims as enemy kills. Separately, a 24-page report released Thursday by the Santa Monica-based RAND Corp. found that despite recent information released by the Obama administration on U.S. policies about targeted drone killings, the process still involves ambiguities in interpretations of international law and too many generalities. Im a believer that transparency is essential in public debate in order to make the right decisions, said Lynn Davis, the studys lead author and former State Department undersecretary for arms control and international security affairs. The need for transparency is all the more important in an election year with the knowledge that this program will be handed to a new administration, she said. The veterans 17-page filing urges the court to overturn a previous decision to throw out Jabers case. The filing is signed by Cian Westmoreland, a former Air Force technician who worked on communications equipment that enables drones to fly by remote control; Lisa Ling, an Air National Guard technician who worked on intelligence equipment; and Brandon Bryant, an Air Force sensor operator who controlled cameras on drones. In an interview, Westmoreland said the American public and relatives of innocent victims of the drone program deserve to know how decisions are made. People have the right to know how a screw-up can lead to the death of their family members, Westmoreland said. This is about accountability, transparency and how we, as a military, can learn from our mistakes. Ling said that as a veteran, she has an interest in promoting transparency for any U.S. drone strikes that may have been carried out in violation of domestic or international law. Faisal deserves the truth, she said in an interview. The filing, called an amicus curiae, or friend of the court brief, comes as the Obama administration has promised greater transparency and oversight on the counter-terrorism strikes that have targeted thousands of Islamic militants in remote corners of the globe. The shadow campaigns are being carried out in many countries where the U.S. has not declared war, including Yemen, Pakistan, Libya and Somalia. The drone program in those countries is run by the CIA and the U.S. militarys secretive Joint Special Operations Command. The White House, Air Force and Justice Department declined to comment, citing the ongoing litigation. Jaber, a 58-year-old engineer from Sanaa, Yemen, who now lives in Montreal, has visited Washington and met with members of Congress and the Obama administration to describe why he thinks his brother-in-law, Salem bin Ali Jaber, an imam, and his nephew, Waleed bin Ali Jaber, a police officer, were mistakenly targeted. Jaber said his brother-in-law had given a sermon in Khashamir to denounce al-Qaidas ideology. Days later, on Aug. 29, 2012, Salem met several men who came to the village in central Yemen, and brought Waleed in case anything went wrong. That summer evening, as villagers watched near the local mosque, four missiles exploded while the men spoke under a palm tree. Jaber believes the visitors were al-Qaida members, and his relatives were collateral damage. He said he was later handed a plastic bag by Yemeni government officials with $100,000 in freshly minted, sequentially marked $100 bills wrapped in rubber bands. Reprieve, an international humanitarian group, sued the U.S. government for wrongful death on June 7, 2015, alleging the drone strike constituted an extrajudicial killing in violation of customary international law. The lawsuit was dismissed in February on the grounds that ruling on the case would require the court to second-guess the executives policy determinations in matters that fall outside of judicial capabilities. Jaber, who appealed the lower court ruling on Aug. 22, said in an interview he has not spent the $100,000 and does not want more money from the U.S. government. He wants an apology. In July, the White House revealed that 64 to 116 civilians had been wrongly killed in 473 strikes launched between the time Obama was inaugurated and the end of last year. The president also issued an executive order promising to acknowledge U.S. government responsibility for civilian casualties. Jaber said his case offers the first chance for Obama to make good on his executive order. SHARE The following editorial appeared in the Sept. 3 Chicago Tribune: Let's play a quick game of word association. When we say: "U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs," you say Many Americans would blurt: "scandal." Not wrong. Egregious example: revelations in 2014 of dangerously long wait times for veterans in need of medical care, some of whom died while on ever-lengthening waitlists. VA officials lied about and attempted to cover up those lists. More than 120 medical centers and clinics were flagged for a more extensive investigation into patient access and scheduling practices. VA Secretary Eric Shinseki took the fall. But flash forward. Now, after major investigations and billions more spent, is the VA health system better? President Barack Obama says yes. "We've hired thousands more doctors, nurses, staff," he told a recent conference of the Disabled American Veterans. "When we really put our sweat and tears and put our shoulder to the wheel, we can make things better." But for too many vets, Obama's "better" is no good. Serious problems persist at the Veterans Health Administration, the VA's medical wing. And they'll continue to persist until Congress and the White House feverishly commit to three goals: Allow more veterans to seek medical care with private doctors. The more flexibility in choosing providers, the better chance that veterans will get the excellent care they deserve. Streamline and downsize the rest of the system to focus on specialized care for battle-related injuries that private docs can't perform as well as VA staffers. Fire workers who resist change or don't perform. A massive new report from the Commission on Care, created by Congress after the 2014 scandal, concludes: "Although VHA provides care that is in many ways comparable or better in clinical quality to that generally available in the private sector, it is inconsistent from facility to facility, and can be substantially compromised by problems with access, service, and poorly functioning operational systems and processes." Among the commission's 18 recommendations for a sweeping overhaul: Create a more comprehensive and flexible "VHA care system." That's envisioned as a less rigid network of providers including doctors from the VA, military hospitals, other federally funded providers and facilities, and VA-credentialed private doctors and clinics. The commission also suggests that the current Veterans Choice program be expanded so that all vets can consult private physicians. Good idea: It doesn't take a specialist in battlefield wounds to prescribe blood pressure meds. In 2014, Congress passed Veterans Choice, which already allows many vets to choose a private doc outside the system if they live more than 40 miles from a VA facility or have to wait more than 30 days for an appointment. Yet that law has led to billions of dollars in expenses, millions of square feet of new medical space and even longer wait times at many VA facilities. One reason: The law not only mandated a complex new health system, but ordered the VA to set it up in 90 days. Predictable result: bureaucratic chaos. Predictable congressional solution: Let's throw more money at the VA! In the decade since 2006, the VA's budget has soared from $73 billion to $167 billion, with much of the growth in the health system. Staff, too, has ballooned. None of that has significantly dented the VA's entrenched culture that disdains accountability. For instance: The 2014 law streamlined the process to fire VA executives who concealed the waiting-list scandal. Since then, however, only nine people have been fired for manipulating wait times, The New York Times reports. And some of them could still get their jobs back after appeals. Maddening. "If you don't have accountability, and you know your job is safe whether you perform or not, it's hard to make any progress, " Republican Sen. Johnny Isakson of Georgia tells the newspaper. "Right now, that is what we have at the VA." The Care Commission recommends a new board of directors accountable to the president. That could sharpen oversight or just provide more political theater and VA blamesmanship. The bottom line: No plan to revive the VA will succeed until superior performance is rewarded and poor performance is punished. Until then, count on more VA scandals, more excuses and more American veterans cheated of the care they deserve. CHARLOTTE The owners of three bull terriers that attacked and seriously injured a 7-year-old boy week after he walked off a school bus have been charged with violating city animal control codes. Local media outlets report Jose Banegas and Clarisa Guerrero have been cited for allowing their dogs to attack another human and for not keeping the dogs properly restrained. It wasn't known if they had attorneys. Elizabeth Bertrand told news outlets that her son, Noah, had just stepped off the school bus Sept. 2 when the dogs jumped on him. Eventually, the dogs ran off and returned to their owners' home. Noah Bertrand required dozens of stiches in his forehead and underwent cosmetic surgery. The dogs were euthanized Sept. 4. ___ Information from: The Charlotte Observer, http://www.charlotteobserver.com This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate In a basement room below Olivine Gabbros Greenwich Avenue storefront, Grace Kang hand cut the sleeve for a cream-colored gown while describing her dream that began forming in February. Months of work among massive rolls of fabric and stacks of scrawled design ideas helped transform that dream into one of Kangs most remarkable career accomplishments Friday as she joined fashions elite and shared her designs with the industrys most notable audience at New York Fashion Week. There are so many aspects that all have to come together for this to happen, Kang said. And then it all happened so naturally. It felt like someone knew our plan. Designers participate in New York Fashion Week after being invited once their collections are reviewed and selected, according to Rosalynn Basford, director of public relations and special events for Olivine Gabbro. Grace has just joined the major leagues of fashion, she said. Its every designers dream to make it here. Kang joins household name designers like Rachel Zoe and Vera Wang for this New York Fashion Week that began Sept. 8 and runs through Thursday. The event evokes flashy images of extravagant outfits, but Kangs debut fashion week collection doesnt stray from her brands refined namesake: gabbro, a dark-colored igneous rock that often includes the mineral olivine. I didnt want it to be too loud and colorful, Kang sad. I wanted to stay subtle in the details and colors. Surprise elements Subtlety is exactly what customers find at Olivine Gabbros Greenwich store, where sparsely filled clothing racks line both sidewalls showcasing simple pieces in muted tones. Thats what Kang wanted fashion week audiences to discover from her designs, too. Her show included a few surprise elements that played on extreme lengths and fabrics, which arent severe statements compared with many designers, Kang said. But she wasnt looking to be radical. Kang just wanted the audience to share her vision. That requires perspective, she said, and the collection of spring clothes with some tweaks for the runway relied on one perspective to inspire her vision. The show is themed heavens and earth, Kang said, so all the pieces are from the perspective of looking down on the contour of a mountain. From that perspective, everything becomes one dimension. She translated the shaping of a mountains outline to the silhouette of her models. One of the pieces has a line on the side coming off the shoulder, Kang said, tracing her finger from her shoulder down her side, and we wanted it to follow the curve of the body. Her collections oyster, mauve and stormy color palette furthered the earthy theme. Kang ensured Olivine Gabbro kept its identity of simple elegance for the fashion show, but she kept up another signature of her brand, too. Past local runway shows included technical elements from Kangs partnership with Samsung, and her Friday show took that tech three levels higher. Kang opted against a typical New York Fashion Week venue and instead decided on Samsungs new art and technology space, Samsung 837 in the Meatpacking District, where her show was broadcast on its three-story screen to anyone who stopped by. Samsung also filmed the show using a 360-degree camera, so Kang can share the full experience with clients later. Just seeing a video of the show doesnt give you an accurate feeling, she said. Seeing 360 degrees helps you feel the energy and depths of the models and audience. Kang worked with Greenwich music and video producers to make customized elements for the runway show to make sure every piece of the event helped the audience share her vision. I want the audience to feel like theyre part of my journey, she said. Getting there Kangs journey to the New York runway began by splitting her time growing up between homes in Seoul, South Korea, and the United States. She graduated from Parsons The New School for Design, worked for Donna Karan and Dolce & Gabanna then opened a shop in the basement of Olivine Gabbro President Sue Neumanns house. From the basement, Olivine Gabbro moved to East Elm Street before making it Greenwich Avenue in 2014. Kang said its uncommon for New York Fashion Week designers to begin somewhere like Greenwich, but she always planned to make it this way. We started here because of the people, Kang said. Our philosophy was to focus on women here and build our image. We feel now our product has been proven. For clients who couldnt attend Kangs show Friday, Olivine Gabbro will partner with Samsung to host a viewing party next week where guests will use Virtual Reality goggle sets to experience the runway show using Samsungs 360 degree video. MBennett@hearstmediact.com, 203-625-4411. 9/11 was like nothing else, ever. Pop culture is like everything else, ever. Familiarity is comforting: that's why movies get remade, and Billboard hits sound like other Billboard hits. It's only natural that pop culture, for the last 15 years, has tried to comfort us about 9/11 in the best way it knows how: by taming it, domesticating it, making it fit into familiar tropes and uplifting formulas. Nor is this, necessarily, bad. When people or cultures undergo a shock, they search above all else for a way to process it. "You take it, and you try to cut it down to size, something that will make sense," says Dr. Harvey Greenberg, a New York psychoanalyst and pop culture writer ("The Movies on Your Mind"). Those of us lucky enough to live through that day in 2001 still remember the sense of utter chaos, blind panic, as unimaginable things began happening, one after another: skyscrapers collapsed, airplanes plummeted, tsunamis of smoke barreled up Manhattan streets, traffic became paralyzed for 100 miles in each direction. Fear and disorientation overwhelmed us. Anything, it seemed, might happen next. In moments of panic _ psychologists say we tend to blindly, feverishly search for parallels, analogies. Our minds rifle through our store of memory, looking for any clue that will give us a context, an explanation, a guide to surviving the crisis. What our minds do in seconds, pop culture has been doing for a decade and a half. It's been searching its storehouse for familiar ways to frame the narrative. Former Record photographer Tom Franklin didn't seek to create an icon of pop culture when he happened to shoot, on the afternoon of Sept. 11, three firefighters hoisting an American flag amid the World Trade Center ruins. But that image quickly took on a life of its own: reproduced in murals, coins, statues, figurines, postage stamps. Of all the eloquent pictures that emerged from that day, why this one in particular? Almost certainly, because it bore a phantom resemblance to another image: the famous "Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima" photo from World War II. Never mind that the situations were hugely dissimilar. The Iwo Jima picture captured a moment of triumph. Franklin's image conveyed _ what? Pathos? Resilience? Defiance? No matter. It seemed familiar _ and that above all was what was needed in the months immediately following 9/11. The unspoken message: We've been through this before, and survived. A year later, in his album "The Rising," Bruce Springsteen framed 9/11 in familiar Springsteenian terms: working-man heroes saying goodbye to their girls, as they do what a man's gotta do. "I need your kiss, but love and duty called you someplace higher," sings a firefighter's lady in "Into the Fire." "Somewhere up the stairs, into the fire." It's said that Springsteen was inspired to create his album a few days after the attacks: a stranger rolled down his car window and said "we need you now." Of all the people one might need after a national catastrophe, why Bruce Springsteen? Was it, perhaps, because ruined cities are old news to him ("My Hometown," "Jungleland")? Not to mention tough but sensitive guys in a tight place, and the girls who have their back? If we "needed" Springsteen after 9/11, maybe it was because of the special brand of first aid he offered: continuity. "People wanted someone who could speak for them, who could give them some hope, some resilience," says Eileen Chapman, director of the Bruce Springsteen special collection at Monmouth University. "Who better than Bruce Springsteen, whose songs have been anthems to his fans?" It took five years for Hollywood to tackle 9/11 head on. The two big films that came out in 2006 were both hero narratives one of the things Hollywood does best. There were, of course, 9/11 heroes _ even if more of us experienced the day as stunned bystanders or, more tragically, as victims or grieving relatives. But if you want your movie "World Trade Center" to star Nicolas Cage, and attract a mainstream audience, you will choose a fact-based story about two firefighters who heroically kept each other alive in the rubble for more than 12 hours. And if you're director Oliver Stone, you will have characters say things like "We're gonna need some good men out there to avenge this!" and "He's alive! They couldn't kill him!" The year's other 9/11 film, the well-made "United 93," about the 40 people who deliberately brought a hijacked airliner down over Shanksville, Pa. (there were also several TV movies on this subject), was less histrionic. But both films ultimately did the familiar Hollywood pivot: crafting a feel-good movie out of a feel-bad subject. The same thing could be said about another, weirder 9/11 movie. "Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close" (2011) based on the novel by Jonathan Safran Foer, tried to mix 9/11 and cute another reliable Hollywood commodity. A 9-year-old kid with Asperger's syndrome (Thomas Horn) mourns for his father, a 9/11 casualty, by roaming the city having wistful interactions with different New Yorkers in what one critic called "a quest for emotional blackmail, cheap thrills, and a naked ploy for an Oscar." Some less pretentious Hollywood films that indirectly referenced 9/11 may have come closer to capturing the way the day actually felt for many of us. "Cloverfield" (2008) was a low-budget horror movie in which some kind of gigantic monster _ we see it only in glimpses _ attacks New York. "War of the Worlds" (2005), Steven Spielberg's update of the old H.G. Wells alien-invasion thriller, included a resonant scene (which some critics thought was in bad taste) of survivors poring over a fence posted top to bottom with "missing persons" fliers and photos. Both films relied on 9/11 associations for part of their impact. Both films achieved dread by keeping the action at ground-level, with the characters experiencing the catastrophe as most of us experienced 9/11 as a series of bewildering, disconnected flashes. And both films gave viewers a way to exorcise their memories of the 2001 attacks: by recasting them in the familiar form of a horror movie. Unlike a theater screen, TV can't overwhelm with size. The crushing horror of the World Trade Center attack doesn't necessarily come through in TV movies and documentaries (of which there have been many). But what TV can address, especially in the new "long-form" arrangement that has become popular in the last 15 years, is time. The excellent "Homeland" (2011-present), partly by virtue of its drawn-out, episodic format, captures some of the low-level trauma we've suffered in the 15 years since 9/11. "Homeland" is about our abiding fear of attack at home _ and the dread that our ever-morphing, never-ending Middle East wars, like the twists and turns in the story of turncoat soldier Nicholas Brody (Damian Lewis) and suspicious CIA officer Carrie Mathison (Claire Danes), might just go on and on and on. Comedy, another TV staple, was thought to be forever off the table when the first plane hit the first building. Actually, it didn't take too long for the wisenheimers to weigh in on 9/11 with varying degrees of taste. "Osama bin Laden Has Farty Pants" was the first new "South Park" episode to air after the attacks (Nov. 7, 2001). In a 2004 "Arrested Development" episode, Tobias (David Cross) talks of his failed marriage is these terms: "Well, I don't want to blame it all on 9/11, but it certainly didn't help." Seth MacFarlane (who himself narrowly escaped being on one of the hijacked 9/11 planes) has especially pushed the envelope. When the diabolical baby Stewie, in a 2010 "Family Guy" episode, is asked his favorite holiday, he promptly replies "9/11." When Norah Jones tells Ted the talking Teddy Bear (MacFarlane) her nationality in "Ted" (2012) he responds, "Whatever. Thanks for 9/11." Inappropriate? Maybe so. But humor, too, is a coping mechanism. And yet another way that pop culture does what it does best _ by cutting the worst cataclysm most of us have ever known down to familiar, manageable size. "Humor helps us," Greenberg says. "It's like turning a telescope to look through the wrong end. Sick jokes are a way of distancing ourselves. It's a way of saying: if I can laugh at it, I've mastered it." On this 15th anniversary of the deadliest terrorist attack in history, we honor the memory of nearly 3,000 victims. Inevitably, we also reflect upon the consequences of this attack, the forces unleashed, and its ongoing impact. In the attacks immediate aftermath, American flags sprouted up everywhere. It was a spontaneous expression of defiance against the terrorists, the flag a source of shared pride and national strength, at once inspiring and comforting. Surrounded by protective flags, we mourned the victims in a spirit of compassion and caring. And in those weeks the whole world stood with us in sympathy and solidarity. On the evening of Sept. 13, 2001, Peter Tesei, then my BET colleague, now Greenwichs first selectman, offered me an American flag sticker from a roll of peel-off stickers he had in his car. We were standing in the parking lot at the side entrance to Town Hall following a meeting of a BET committee. I gladly accepted the sticker, display of the flag an appropriate way to express myself as an American in the wake of that despicable attack, to push back against the perpetrators. Regardless of political persuasion, economic circumstance, ethnicity, race, sexual orientation, or religion, we were united as Americans a diverse, immigrant people united in the face of this assault upon our very being. As I drove home, I affixed the sticker to my cars dashboard. Over the next few weeks, I drew strength from this flag. One among millions of flags seen everywhere, it signified that I belonged to something larger than myself, larger than any one of us. The flag sticker remained on the dashboard until I peeled it away in protest, crumpling it. That was Wednesday, March 26, 2003, at noon, to be precise, during the week after we invaded Iraq. My destruction of the flag was the frustrated expression of a helpless person who was vehemently opposed to the invasion of Iraq at a time when few were questioning that wrong turn our country was taking. With this invasion, our country squandered the worlds goodwill, and much worse. The costs would prove astronomical, without positive outcome. Theres an overwhelming dollar cost, a potential $6 trillion in Afghanistan and Iraq, the costliest wars in U.S. history, not including the cost of maintaining the current U.S. presence in these countries (Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, 2013 Report). Theres the staggering human cost: More than 6,800 U.S. soldiers dead, a million wounded; more than 370,000 people killed in total through direct war violence, including 210,000 civilians, not counting the multitude of indirect deaths; 7.6 million war refugees and displaced persons (Watson Institute for International Studies, Brown University, Report updated 2015). And theres the incalculable cost of the geopolitical catastrophe that the Iraq invasion has brought to the region, which has led to the rise of ISIL and a global refugee crisis that includes 4.8 million Syrian refugees and another 6.6 million internally displaced within Syria. Viewing 9/11 in retrospect, we realize how much that fateful day is still with us and will be for decades to come, the true costs and real outcome as yet unknown. The world currently faces the worst refugee crisis since the end of World War II. Theres a strong argument to be made that the U.S. invasion of Iraq created the conditions for this crisis. The majority of Syrian refugees have fled to Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq, and Egypt, while Europe has taken in 1.1 million, most in Germany. As a result, theres an anti-refugee, racist backlash in Europe, coupled with increased nationalist, anti-global thinking. The United States accepted only 1,800 Syrian refugees, total, between 2011 and 2015. President Barack Obamas 2016 target is 10,000. Hillary Clintons future target is 65,000. Donald Trumps is zero. My thoughts return to the flag, with worries about its fate in the November election. Will our flag become the symbol of narrow, nativist nationalism? Or can we guard our nation against a bigoted, anti-immigrant, Trumpian attack and protect our cherished flag as symbol of our immigrant strength and an America committed to a more free and equitable world? Alma Rutgers served in Greenwich town government for 25 years. Her blog is at blog.ctnews.com/rutgers/. To help your business grow, you should always start with a simple question: How can I get better? Customer feedback is incredibly important: It will help you understand and answer that question because of powerful insights your customers have about you and your competitors. Feedback provides a window into the experience youre really delivering and uncovers valuable details about your business from a perspective you may not see -- the perspective that is most important. Whether it is a comment card, online survey, follow up email, phone call or just a simple inquiry How am I doing, gathering evaluations is a great first step. But it cant stop there. In order to show customers you truly appreciate them, you must take that feedback seriously, show them you hear them and act on it. Taking the time to prove to your customers that their assessments are taken seriously makes them feel more appreciated, and in turn, more likely to become happy customers and refer you new business. So how can you show your customers that you care? Here are three ways to make your customers feel heard. 1. Make it personal. In Setting the Table, restaurateur Danny Meyer, who is known for personally responding to customer feedback in his early days, said, The customer is not always right. But they must always feel heard. One way to keep customers happy is to respond to their complaints, critiques and praise with personal, unique replies. Its easy to detect a canned response from one that actually addresses the customers unique situation and concerns, so make sure each response is personalized. To make a customer feel heard, talk to them the way you would to someone in person, not the way you would in a press release. Address them by name and make sure they know who you are and who theyre talking to -- nothing is more impersonal than a faceless business. One company that excels at this is American Express, who responds to concerns addressed on Twitter promptly and in a friendly manner, signing the tweet with the name of the employee who is responding. Communicate what youre doing as a company to address their issue and any changes that will take place as a result. Related: This Agency Sends Its Clients Lemon Bars and Handwritten Thank You Notes 2. Get management involved. Especially if theres a negative review or customer concern, feel free to involve management to show how seriously you take complaints. Findings from a survey published in Hospitality Technology revealed that almost all respondents (90 percent) say they would likely return to a restaurant where they had a bad experience with food or service if they had the ability to communicate directly with management and felt their concerns were taken seriously and there was an effort to make it better. Showing that those even at the top care about their customers concerns -- enough to roll up their sleeves and get involved in resolving any issues -- creates goodwill among your most vocal customers, and can turn them into some of your most ardent fans. Related: Hey, You! Here's How You Can Be a Better Listener. 3. Show them you care. Go above and beyond to show your customers that you care and youre sorry for any shortcomings in their experience with your business by providing them with a tangible thank you. For restaurants, giving a free appetizer or extra dessert on the house is a common and effective way to show them you care and want them to have a better experience. Whatever is appropriate and complements the service you offer, a voucher, gift or a coupon can go a long way in showing how much your value your customers and can be a great way to get them back in the door. Related: How to Win Back Lost Customers While soliciting feedback and reading what customers have to say is a great first step, its not enough just to stand idly by. Listening to customer feedback and following through will help you create a better customer experience and lifelong customers. Related: The 3 Ways You Can be Certain Your Customers Feel Appreciated Pleasant Surprises Are the Best Customer Service Digital CRM Solutions For Real Estate Entrepreneurs Copyright 2016 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved Published on 2016/09/11 | Source The government is urging employers to give workers two extra days off during the Chuseok or Korean Thanksgiving in an increasingly desperate bid to boost private consumption. Advertisement The Ministry of Employment and Labor said Monday it sent out notices seeking the help of major business lobbies like the Federation of Korean Industries, Korean Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Korea Employers Federation, and Small and Medium Business Administration. Chuseok this year lasts from Sept. 14-18 or Wednesday to Sunday, so if workers take the previous Monday and Tuesday off, their vacation can last nine days. A KEF spokesman said, "If workers can get nine days off over Chuseok, they will be well rested, which could improve not just domestic consumption but productivity as well". By William Schwartz | Published on 2016/09/10 Jeongdongjin is the terminus of a rural railroad line that stretches to, among other places, Jecheon in the north-center part of the country, which as it happens was the next film festival I needed to go to. Sadly, there aren't a lot of places along the way. Or so I thought. From the very beginning Yeongwol was a very distinctive location. Observe the giant spooky bridge at three in the morning. Not that it's much more crowded during the daytime. The waterfall was pretty cool, too. I'm reasonably certain this is an artificial installation. They tend to pop up all over the place. These, by way of contrast, are filial monuments. All were erected in the nineteenth century, although they appear to be related to completely different deaths, none of which involved anyone especially famous. They're just, you know, normal everyday stories about rising above illness, displaying compassion, grief, and determination at the sickness of loved ones. A pity there's more information about the technical construction of these monuments rather than the events that inspired them. This is more of the usual. Most reasonably sized towns in South Korea have some form of traditional market with a similarly imposing traditional entrance to match. And don't forget to look at the ceiling, should you ever go to a traditional market. There's almost always some sort of elaborate work staring down at you from the ceiling. Back to unique, the Jagyu Pavilion () was built during the reign of King Sejong, briefly became famous because King Danjong recited a poem here, got destroyed by floods, and was eventually rebuilt in the late eighteen century. Yes not...exactly the most exciting of stories, which is probably why the grounds aren't that well-maintained. Ah, but King Danjong isn't the only famous person to have done something famous in Yeongwol- "Radio Star" was filmed here, and odd portraits like this to Park Joong-hoon and Ahn Sung-ki are all over the place. There's also a museum, which is of limited value to foreign tourists since "Radio Star" is a bit of a local cult film. Inside a tunnel around town is the Wessie Vision Gallery ( ), which is an elaborate collage of various panels, each of which was submitted by a different person. It's supposed to be symbolic of the bright life possible even in a dark tunnel. This theme hasn't caught on in South Korean civic planning just yet. Which is a shame, really, since it's awfully pretty. Yeongwol also boasts a rare independent movie theater. Through some form of black magic they have access to first run movies at half the price expected in Seoul. Cool beans. This collage is dedicated to sixties South Korean films- other collages are present for other decades. Ah, the classics- A Student Boarder, Descendants of Cain, The Star in my Heart, and...oh I give up, the Chinese writing on the fourth one is just plain insufferable, even if that's definitely a famous poster. I don't have a clue how Korean people are able to figure out what the names of these old movies are when half of them are written in Chinese. Then again, most of them just don't bother. Lastly, a trip to the art gallery. It's rather appropriate for a small, rural town like Yeongwol to have an exhibition honoring the people behind increasingly rare traditional markets. Not the big traditional markets that at this point are largely directed toward tourists, but the personal ones, with shopkeepers who sell you the meat and vegetables used for making dinner. It truly baffles me why anyone would choose to go to a large corporate store when so many of these markets are (or were) in walking distance of residential areas. There is, of course, also normal art if that's what you're into. That's a lot of what makes a place like Yeongwol so appealing for walking tours. It's astonishing the sheer amount of interesting stuff you'll run into by complete accident. Article by William Schwartz Advertisement Published on 2016/09/11 | Source President Park Geun-hye looks at a scroll given to her by Russian leader Vladimir Putin in Vladivostok, Russia on Saturday. /Courtesy of Cheong Wa Dae Advertisement President Park Geun-hye received an unexpected gift from her Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on Saturday. Meeting her in Vladivostok, the Russian leader presented Park with a scroll by her father, strongman Park Chung-hee, with his New Year's wish for 1979, the year of his assassination. Cheong Wa Dae on Sunday said that it was a "personal gift" by Putin. The scroll translates as "with strong teamwork, let's move forward together", according to a mounted plaque at the bottom of the frame, and is attributed to "South Korea's great leader Park Chung-hee". Putin said he heard that Park painted a New Year's scroll every year and obtained her father's last work. It came from a Korean who moved to the U.S. after Park's assassination and sold it there, he said. Cheong Wa Dae said that it has no idea how the Russians got hold of the scroll. A web search reveals that an American with the initials GLW tried to sell a scroll attributed to Park Chung-hee online. He claimed his parents became close to a Korean family who moved into the same building in Colorado in 1979 and gave them the scroll when the American couple moved to New Mexico around 1982 and 1983. GLW said his father asked him to inquire about the work before he died in late 2006. The Korean family did not associate with other Koreans and told his parents they fled their country after Park's assassination in 1979 due to "political circumstances". It is unclear whether this is the same scroll. Putin also thanked Park for sending a New Year's gift to his daughter Yekaterina. A government official said, "It was not a New Year's gift but a present for her birthday in January". Another government official said Park sends gifts to all the first ladies of major countries, and since Putin is divorced the role fell to his daughter. The gift was a cosmetics gift set. Meanwhile, Putin was about an hour late to the Eastern Economic Forum on Saturday, and the summit with Park was delayed for an hour and 45 minutes. He was apparently busy opening an aquarium in Siberia. Putin is notorious for being late and has previously kept Park as well as U.S. President Barack Obama waiting. Published on 2016/09/11 | Source Young Koreans looking for work as airline cabin staff increasingly set their sights on Persian Gulf airlines. Advertisement Qatar Airways has hired around 200 Korean flight attendants over the last two years, who now make up the third-largest group of foreign flight attendants at the carrier after Britons and Australians. Emirates and Etihad Airways have also hired around 200 Korean flight attendants between them over the last two years. The main reason is that the Gulf carriers have hugely boosted flights to Asia and Europe in recent years. Given the sparseness of their own population and the Islamic restrictions in force in their own countries, the carriers have had to hire mostly foreign crew if they want to run modern airlines. Stewardesses typically wear a little token veil attached to their hats, but it is hardly full niqab, and the uniforms are figure-hugging. An Etihad Airways staffer said, "Korean staff are efficient and punctual, so they're highly sought after by carriers". Job satisfaction is high as well due to the good pay and comfortable working conditions. Starting pay for flight attendants at Gulf carriers is W50-60 million a year and workers can stay employed anywhere between six to 16 years depending on performance (US$1=W1,108). Yoo Yeo-keun at Korea Aviation College said, "Gulf carriers tend to respect the life-work balance more than domestic airlines, and young Koreans who work for them have been very satisfied with their working conditions, including provision of their own living quarters". Getting people to work would be so important not only because of the need to kick-start the economy, but also because of human dignity and social necessity. All possible means should be explored to boost employment, he said in an interview on YLE TV1 on Saturday. The Finnish Government should resort to all means at its disposal to improve the employment situation in Finland, says Casper von Koskull, the chief executive of Nordea. Von Koskull pointed out that the rate of unemployment is higher in Finland than in Sweden partly due to an improved environment for entrepreneurs and the fact that the reforms that are only being discussed in Finland have already been implemented in Sweden. You mustn't forget that the labour force is growing and that the population structure is different in Sweden. Immigration has also an effect on employment, he reminded. Sweden also has the upper hand over its eastern neighbour in terms of competitiveness because it carried out measures similar to those laid out in the so-called competitiveness pact years ago, added von Koskull. Aleksi Teivainen HT Photo: Nordea / Handout Source: Uusi Suomi Hanna Sarkkinen (Left Alliance) reminded that everyone should be treated equally under the law and pointed out that the legislative amendment will have no effect whatsoever on the lives of those who oppose it. The amendment, she added, has not even had an impact on the practices of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland. A citizens' initiative to repeal the upcoming legislative amendment granting marriage rights to same-sex couples was discussed at the Finnish Parliament on Thursday. The Bishops' Conference of the Evangelical Lutheran Church ruled at the end of last month that irrespective of the upcoming amendment its pastors should not officiate the weddings of same-sex couples. YLE reported a couple of days later that two pastors from Helsinki Toni Fagerholm and Liinamaria Roos have declared their intention not to comply with the guidelines provided by the Bishops' Conference. They should be relieved of their duties, said Pentti Oinonen (PS). One of his fellow members of the Finns Party, Leena Meri, pointed out that the over 100,000 signatories of the citizens' initiative consider it important that the issue is re-considered by the Parliament. Mika Niikko (PS), in turn, argued that the debate over the issue of gender-neutral marriage has focused excessively on the rights of adults, not those of children. Emma Kari (Greens) contrastively estimated that it is frustrating and insulting for sexual minorities that marriage rights are yet again on the agenda regardless of the fact that the amendment has already received the blessing of the Parliament. Her party comrade, Jani Toivola, reminded that revisions to the regulations concerning fertility treatments already effectively recognise the fact that there are various ways to form and start a family. It has opened the door for a process that should result in law-makers recognising the position of all such families, he said. The amendment granting same-sex couples the right to marry is to be implemented on 1 March, 2017. Aleksi Teivainen HT Photo: Heikki Saukkomaa Lehtikuva Source: Uusi Suomi BRISTOL, Va. The Crisis Center, Inc. announces the program for its TLC Special Needs Awareness Support Group. September can be a trying time for families as the regular school schedule begins. Families with special needs children may find useful information in the Project Lifesaver group of Bristol, Virginia. The meeting will be held on Sept. 20 at 10:30 a.m. at State Street United Methodist Church. Light snacks will be provided. Project Lifesaver can be found in both Sullivan County, Tennessee, and Washington County, Virginia, including both cities of Bristol. Project Lifesaver International is a 501c3 nonprofit organization, the first pioneer to apply tracking technology for the search and rescue of individuals with cognitive disorders, and have remained the leader, the Gold Standard, in this field for the over 17 years. What makes the groups approach unique is that it has created an en-tire education and training program that includes; tracking techniques and technology. The primary mission of Project Lifesaver is to provide timely response to save lives and reduce potential injury for adults and children who wander due to Alzheimers, autism and other related conditions or disorders. For more information or to RSVP, call James Almaroad at the Crisis Center, 276-466-2218. For 24-Hour Crisis Hotline, 276-466-2312. ESPN gave the Bristol Herald Courier an all-access look at what makes College GameDay tick, from making sure every camera is set off the top to the final seconds of the show. For the second year in a row, the Port of Virginia which state officials were considering privatizing little more than three years ago turned a profit, according to preliminary, unaudited reports for the fiscal year that ended in June. In a statement Thursday, Gov. Terry McAuliffe said the port will post an operating income of $4.76 million. McAuliffe said last year that the port had lost $120 million over the prior five years. The Port of Virginias performance is meeting and exceeding the expectations of my administration, McAuliffe said. This financial turnaround is proof that the ports wise investments in capital projects and people, which are being made in support of a plan for sustainable growth, are yielding very positive results, in terms of reputation abroad, delivery of service, performance at the piers and an increasingly stable financial picture. The port had budgeted for operating income of nearly $2.7 million for the past fiscal year and appears to have exceeded that figure by $2 million, modest compared with the prior years $13.6 million operating profit. This year we had an aggressive plan for reinvestment, we solidified our volumes, we showed growth in a challenging market and we have a solid financial result to show for the effort, said Virginia Secretary of Transportation Aubrey Layne. The port handled a record 2.6 million 20-foot-equivalent units (TEUs), up 2.5 percent from the year before, and increased its volume of container units, rail containers, Virginia Inland Port containers and barge containers at the Richmond Marine Terminal, which the state now operates under a long-term lease inked earlier this year. The state has pledged to invest hundreds of millions of dollars into the port, mainly in the form of a $350 million appropriation to expand capacity at Norfolk Marine Terminal. Now, the effort will be to continue this momentum, strategically reinvest in all of our facilities and prepare for the future, said Port of Virginia CEO and Executive Director John Reinhart. We still have our challenges to address, but we have a plan and the right team in place to execute. Its up to us to continue to work together with our partners, our customers and our colleagues to ensure the vision becomes a reality. A port spokesman said it was too early to tell how the announcement last month that Hanjin, South Koreas largest ocean container shipper, will file for bankruptcy, will affect the ports performance this year. I can tell you weve had very long relationship with Hanjin, said spokesman Joe Harris, though he said the port does not release rankings of its major shippers by volume. I think we have to let it unfold to its fullest before we make that judgment. ... There are a lot of things at play that will factor into next years bottom line. However, Layne said the expectation is that Hanjins freight will be moved by other carriers. We dont see a significant impact on the Port of Virginia, Layne said. It could cause some short-term stuff as we work through bankruptcy, but from our perspective those goods are still going to move. We value your privacy. Focus Taiwan (CNA) uses tracking technologies to provide better reading experiences, but it also respects readers' privacy. Click here to find out more about Focus Taiwan's privacy policy. When you close this window, it means you agree with this policy. In November, Shivraj Singh Chouhan will complete 11 years as chief minister of Madhya Pradesh. Hindustan Times spoke to him at his official residence on Saturday. Excerpts: What are your major achievements? We have focussed on inclusive growth of Madhya Pradesh. Being an agriculture economy-based state, there has been emphasis on significant growth in agriculture. But at the same time, industrial growth too has been our priority. This is why if we have achieved tremendous growth rate in agriculture sector, the state has attracted good investment in industrial sector too. We have been winning Krishi Karman award for years even from UPA government time. Back from the US, are you optimistic about investment in MP? I had already made it clear that I was not going to the US for any investment. However, since I was there, I took the opportunity to meet industrialists and showcase what MP can offer. Why is FDI so important for Madhya Pradesh? Only agriculture cannot meet the requirement of the growing population and the society. Hence, investment is required for inclusive growth of the state and providing jobs to people. Which sectors are your priorities? Our priorities are areas such as food processing, IT, textiles, which not only contribute to the growth of the state, but also could ensure jobs to people. We are looking at maximum utilisation of resources. We are working on this and see a great success in it as far as providing employment to the jobless is concerned. A power plant worth Rs 6,000 crore provides jobs to about 200 people only. Since we are power surplus state now, we dont need any more power plants. Rather, we will prefer industries which provide more employment with less investment and with less land while raising their structures vertically on the land. Which is more important for the stateagriculture or industry? For us, both are important. Sixty five per cent of our people are involved in farming. But as I said, agriculture alone cannot fulfill the requirement of people and the state. Industrial growth is as necessary as agricultural growth. Does Madhya Pradesh have enough infrastructure to attract investments by MNCs? Madhya Pradesh is the best destination for investment by anyone. As far as overall investment in the state is concerned, we have got Rs 2.5 lakh crore in the past about a year against promises of `5 lakh crore. Every promise may not translate into investment. Even if 20% of the investment proposals materialise, it is good for any state. But we have achieved much more. There are certain formalities that need to be done after every proposal and it takes time. There are certain investors who make announcements but later back out due to certain circumstances as it happened in the case of Jaypee. But it doesnt mean that we stop making efforts in this direction. The recent report by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) portrays Madhya Pradesh in poor light. What is wrong with the state? Nothing is wrong with us. There was a time when several dreaded dacoits gangs operated in certain parts of the state and later they changed their methods by indulging more and more in kidnappings. People were scared to move out after 5 pm. But we have eliminated all these gangs. Naxalism is confined to a small part of Balaghat district only while SIMI network has been destroyed. As far as general crime is concerned, there is another way to decrease the number i.e. not reporting them. But we dont believe in such malpractices and (fudging) numbers. My stern instruction (to officials) is to ensure reporting of every crime. This has helped us have impressive 60% conviction rate vis-a-vis sensitive crimes. We will improve it further. If you compare Madhya Pradesh with Uttar Pradesh, you may find the number of crimes here more, but the fact remains that we have a better law and order situation here. In the past few years, a new phenomenon has come to light. Students from other states are coming to Madhya Pradesh for higher studies. About 1-1.5 lakh such students stay in Bhopal alone. I dont blame the students in general, but sometimes a few of them indulge in (petty) crimes such as chain snatching. But this is being effectively controlled. The state assembly election is scheduled in 2018. What are your top priorities for the next two years? We have got our vision document and policies in place. We are going ahead and taking decisions as per the vision document and policies. Development in the state is our only focus and concern. Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan is leading a delegation to the UK to find partners for Smart City projects and improve the states ranking in Ease of Doing Business. The delegation is leaving on September 25. In an exclusive interview with Hindustan Times, Chouhan said on Saturday afternoon that his visit to the UK has nothing to do with wooing investment. He returned from the US on September 3, and claimed to have got investment promises of over Rs 1,000 crore, which would guarantee 10,000 jobs in the IT sector. I am going to the UK because I have been invited by the British government, Chouhan said, adding that he also visited China in June this year at the invitation of the Communist Party of China. My visit to China was also not aimed at wooing investments, he said. Chouhan said he was invited by Priti Patel, UKs Secretary of State for International Development to visit the developed European country, and explore the possibilities of finding partners in implementation of the smart city projects in Madhya Pradesh. Patel was in Bhopal on August 14 to meet Chouhan, and had offered GBP 0.5 million (Rs 4.32 crore) assistance and technical expertise for the proposed smart cities. Consultants based in the UK are now offering highly innovative urban solutions and services like urban green infrastructure design and innovative financing mechanisms to support urban regeneration. The chief minister is also planning to seek the UKs help in improving the states ranking in ease of doing business. At present, a fierce competition is on amongst the states on the ease of doing business rankings. Some of the states have already engaged consultants like the PwC, EY and KPMG to fine tune their business reforms. According to a report on ease of doing business by the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP), Bihar is leading the list with a score of 8.53%. Telangana is second, while Jharkhand is on the third position. Chouhan is now keen to improve Madhya Pradeshs ranking (4th in the list of 16 states). We are planning to learn lessons on ease of doing business in the UK, Chouhan said. The UK is ranked fourth in the world in respect of the ease of doing business, and has been assisting several countries across the globe in regulatory reforms. The UK is now assisting Maharashtra in improving its ranking in the Ease of Doing Business Index. Last year, the UK-India Business Council (UKIBC) and Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) had signed an agreement for bring about regulatory reforms. Conceived under the Make in India campaign, a 98-point action plan for improving the regulatory framework for business at the state level was prepared by the DIPP in December 2014. Subsequently, a wider action plan was released in September 2015 covering 340 points. Indias ranking in the Ease of Doing Business index 2015 slipped by two notches, to 142 from 140 in 2014 of 189 countries covered. Prime Minister Narendra Modi wants India to break into the top 50 in three years. Actress Sunny Leone has become one of the most famous Indo-Canadians after her success in Bollywood but she remains a deeply divisive figure in her hometown, where many refused to even talk about her for a new documentary film on her life. Born as Karenjit Kaur Vohra in the small town of Sarnia in the Canadian province of Ontario 35 years ago, Leone finds the community in her hometown unwilling to welcome her back. Thats because the girl who was sent to a Khalsa summer camp by her parents went on to gain prominence as a Penthouse Pet and then as a porn star. This is made clear in the documentary Mostly Sunny, directed by noted Toronto-based filmmaker Dilip Mehta, which had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF). While Leone may have found acceptance among many Indians, like those who invite her to perform at weddings, she remains ostracised by Sarnias Indo-Canadian community, Mehta told Hindustan Times. A still from the documentary, Mostly Sunny, that premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival. (Courtesy TIFF) When Mehta sent a camera unit to the gurdwara she worshipped at when young, its management called the police. And friends and relatives of her parents refused to discuss her, especially her choice of entering the adult film industry. Mehta was first offered the project in 2013. But he felt uncomfortable about the project in the wake of the gruesome gang-rape in Delhi and almost dropped it. Curiously enough, his elder sister, Deepa Mehtas latest feature, Anatomy Of Violence, a dramatisation of that brutal gang-rape and murder is also premiering at TIFF. Later, Mehta met Leone in Mumbai and decided to proceed. Filming wrapped late last year and the final shoot was in Sarnia, as Leone acted as a guide to landmarks of her childhood, without interacting with anyone from that period. Mehta shot in the places Leone and her husband made their homes Mumbai and Los Angeles. What Mehta discovered in the actress was a smart person in the sense of managing her career and unapologetic about the choices shes made. That savvy comes across in her saying her legacy would be to be remembered as someone who was good at turning a dime into a dollar. Also featured is the controversy over whether giving a former porn actor star status in India was feeding into the countrys rape culture. While Leone lives up to the title of the film through the majority of its running time, this is the only point at which she loses her cool, while denying those charges. The documentary has already found an international distributor and is likely to be released this winter, though Mehta said an earlier screening in India is being planned. E-commerce major Flipkart expects to hire over 10,000 temporary staff to ramp up its delivery and logistics service to meet the festive demand. The move comes as part of the preparations being made by e-commerce companies as they launch offers to boost sales during the upcoming festive period. With the festive season coming in, we are confident that Big Billion Days (sale) will be bigger and better than before this year. In addition to having the new capability of alternate delivery model, we are looking at hiring more than 10,000 temporary staff in logistics and last mile across the country, Flipkart chief administrative officer Nitin Seth said. This will be done to meet the massive demand that Flipkart expects during the festive season, he added. Flipkarts rival Snapdeal also expects to fill about 10,000 temporary jobs at its company between September 15 to November 15, with the positions mostly being in logistics to ensure smooth deliveries. Asked about reports of the company laying off 800 people, Seth answered in the negative. We completely and unequivocally deny any layoffs at Flipkart in the coming months... This is completely false and baseless. There are no plans for layoffs in any team in the coming months, he said. He added that the companys hiring plans are in line with its business goals and that it continues to hire talent in key strategic areas. In July, Flipkart had sacked some of its underperforming employees. While the company had refused to comment on the number of layoffs, sources said as many as 1,000 lost their jobs. Leaders from business, government and academia will debate on ways to enhance bilateral trade and investments between India and the US during a two-day summit in New Delhi. Starting from September 14, the Indo-US Economic Summit will deliberate on augmenting the existing two-way trade to $ 500 billion and will focus on sectors that foster growth, Indo-American Chamber of Commerce said in a statement. The chambers North India council is hosting the function. It will be will be inaugurated by US Ambassador to India Richard Verma and will be addressed by Union Ministers, including Information & Broadcasting Minister Venkaiah Naidu and Food Processing Industries Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal along with global CEOs and top executives. The summit will bring together more than 250 people, who are thought leaders from business, government, civil society and academia. As the Indian economy further globalises and expands, the Summit will provide a valuable opportunity to assess developments across India-US trade relationship, economy and society, Lalit Bhasin, Summit Chair and Regional President, IACC-NIC said. Deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia on Sunday defended Aam Aadmi Party MLA Amanatullah Khan, booked in a case of sexual harassment and dowry, saying the party will not accept his resignation. The Okhla legislator resigned as the Waqf board chief and from other posts on Saturday. The same day, police registered an FIR against him at the Jamia Nagar station after a woman claiming to be his relative accused him of harassing her for dowry and sexual favours. Whenever there is any complaint against our party members, we conduct an internal inquiry. We have taken action against ministers after inquiries. In case of Khan also, an inquiry was conducted and we found that it is a case of family dispute. Khan had no relation with the woman, said Sisodia. The deputy CM further said Khan was being dragged into the case for exposing corruption in the Waqf board. Sisodia also accused the Delhi Police of becoming extra active whenever the AAPs name came up. The familys internal matter is being given political colour. Those who understand Waqf issues are aware of how influential people have grabbed Waqf lands. Khan is stopping these scams and is being targeted, said Sisodia. He had given his resignation in pain He sent out a very emotional letter to us. But our probe has not found anything. I spoke to the chief minister (Arvind Kejriwal) and also other leaders and we have decided to not accept his resignation, Sisodia said. Police are yet to arrest Khan in the case. In July, he was sent to 14-day judicial custody after being arrested in a molestation case. Khan is presently out on bail in the case. The Delhi governments Anti-Corruption Branch raided the Delhi Waqf Board office last week in connection with an alleged recruitment scam involving Khan, following a complaint. In his letter, Khan said he was out of patience issuing clarifications and pleading innocence over allegations against him and his family. Investigating officers said they will probe the womans allegations. They recorded her statement before a magistrate. We will ask the MLA to join investigation on Monday. Shaming is an arrogant word. It is effort masquerading as feat. The fact is that the consequence of shaming is not always shame. To be shamed you have to first give the world the right to shame you, which some do not grant because they wish to persist with what they believe is right. Others, many Indian politicians especially, have the gift of shamelessness, the reason why they are successful politicians in the first place. Long before Trump, they were Trump. Indian journalists know the feeble relationship between shaming and shame very well because they are, among other things, in the business of shaming. Journalism is also a complaint to the people about rogue public figures, chiefly politicians. In this aspect, too, the profession appears to have very little impact. For decades, journalism has exposed political crime, corruption and other forms of immorality. For decades, the same politicians or their types, have thrived. Why is it that in a functional electoral democracy, the average voter, who has moral expectations from society, cinema, family and bureaucracy, does not reject flawed politicians? Read | Kapil Sharma saga: BJP MLA asks cyber police to bring bribe-seekers to book As another election season begins there might be more video clips of sex scandals and many revelations of corruption. But the shaming would have little effect at the polls. As to why this is so, the middle class often whisper in private that the average Indian voter is a fool. People who do not even whisper honestly would say that the poor elect the rogues because there are no better options in the fray. But there could be a deeper reason why our politicians survive revelations and shame, and why there is no such thing in Indian politics as a career-ending scandal. The elite presumption that a typical voter wants his politician to be a representation of the common man is fundamentally wrong. He may even say things to that effect parroting respectable views, but he appears to condone, and even admire, the politician who is uncommon. In an unequal nation, an equal man is probably an unremarkable man. For long, the voter has granted a status to politicians that is similar to a concession he has made for actors that they are a special class of human beings who need not be like regular people, or even ideal people, who are generally useless. As a result, the voters real reasons for rejecting a politician are seldom moral. Read | Bail granted to suspended BJP MP Kirti Azad in defamation case The mass perception of a politician as a human anomaly is in the heart of many qualities of Indian politics that the sophisticated find confusing. This is the reason why in one of the most hostile places on earth for women, some of the most powerful politicians have been women; why in a land where marriage is a symbol of respectability, especially for women, several single women have risen to immense power; why polygamous men have nothing much to fear; why in the 2014 general elections the contest was, among other issues, between two unmarried men. In Chennai, where I was raised, the media never spoke about the nature of the relationship between J Jayalalitha and her mentor MG Ramachandran, but the voters the autorickshaw drivers and maids and bus conductors openly admired her for her unusual social status. The media, at least then, never used to mention the fact that her rival M Karunanidhi had two wives, but his marital status never bothered his followers even though they themselves did subscribe to popular notions of morality. In the near future, overt homosexuals and eunuchs, too, may fare well in Indian politics. Read | Want to fight corruption? Work on campaign finance reforms The acceptance of the anomalous politician is also why politicians routinely land in an impoverished village in a chopper, exhibit inexplicable wealth but still manage to find success; and why criminals, too, do well. The voter, of course, does not elect a politician for his or her deviations. Just that the deviations do not form the grounds for rejection as long as the politician in question appears to be very street-smart, hence useful in the short term. This aspect of the voter has also been explained by the former governor of the Reserve Bank of India, who said, in a speech, that the voter elects the crooked but savvy politician because he can work the system and bring a host of services to the voter, services that the voter is entitled to but never reaches him without the help of a smart powerful man. Read | AAPs broom has scattered in Punjab: SADs Chandumajra This is also the reason why the pious idealistic activists have historically fared poorly in the elections even though they are respected and are popular. The voter does not believe they know how to game India. They are good for protests. Anna Hazare has said several times, even after his national fame, that he would lose his deposit if he contests an election. His reason is that the political system is run by money and muscle power. But, if his analysis is true how did Arvind Kejriwals AAP fare so well twice in Delhi? The more convincing reason why Hazare would lose an election is that the typical voter does not perceive him as a street-smart man who can beat the system. Kejriwal, on the other hand, despite his high moral pedestal, has successfully portrayed himself as a shrewd man, which he is. Read | CM orders ACB probe into misappropriation of MGNREGS funds in Hingoli district Apart from small material benefits, the voter also expects his politicians to be strong enough to protect him from caste and religious violence. Such a capacity, again, is widely perceived as something that the street-smart possess more than the righteous. The upper classes, who are not vulnerable to communal violence, would claim that the Right-wing is a lesser evil than the corrupt. Those who are easier to hack into pieces would have the contrary view. In either case, there is too much at stake for the average Indian voter to reject a politician just because he has been shamed on moral grounds. Manu Joseph is a journalist and the author of the novel, The Illicit Happiness of Other People The author tweets as: @manujosephsan. The views expressed are personal. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON NEW DELHI: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Amanatullah Khan on Saturday resigned from all the posts he held in the Delhi government, hours before a sexual harassment case was filed against him by a relative. The Okhla legislator, who was the Delhi Waqf Board chairman and a member of the State Haj Committee, said in his resignation letter he was being framed in false cases. His resignation came amid the controversy surrounding his arrest and the alleged Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) raid at the Waqf board office. Later on Saturday, an FIR alleging molestation, sexual harassment, dowry harassment and threat was registered against him and his relatives at the Jamia Nagar police station by a member of his extended family. Maandeep Singh Randhawa, deputy commissioner of police (south-east), confirmed that the FIR was registered against Khan after they received a complaint on Friday. Sources said Khan would be asked to join the investigation. If required, the MLA could be arrested, they said. According to police, the complainant alleged she was being tortured and harassed for dowry, allegedly by her husband and her inlaws. The woman claimed the MLA demanded sexual favours from her. She accused her husband of allegedly pressuring her to do as the MLA said. Khan told reporters that the woman had no relations with him or his family and that she had given it in writing four years ago. Without investigating, the police are registering cases on random complaints against me. I am being targeted for exposing corruption, Khan said. The ACB had raided the Waqf office in connection with an alleged recruitment scam involving Khan. In his resignation letter, Khan said he had run out of patience of issuing clarifications to the public, pleading his innocence over a number of allegations levelled against him and his family members. Some people dislike my honesty and service and false allegations are being levelled against me and my family to frame us, Khan said. I want to be free from all the responsibilities given to me by the government and therefore I tender my resignation from all the posts, he added. Khan was appointed the Waqf Board chair man in March this year. Last week, he accused Delhis Lieutenant-Governor Najeeb Jung of witch-hunt. Khan said the ACB was targeting him because he was fighting against politicians who usurped Waqf property. NEW DELHI: The Left Unity (AISASFI alliance) made a clean sweep on all the four posts of the Jawaharlal Nehru University Students Union (JNUSU) on Saturday. The two parties All India Students Association (AISA) and Students Federation of India (SFI) came together in an alliance this year bagging the posts of president, vice-president, general secretary and joint secretary. The Left alliance won despite tough competition from the two-year-old Birsa Ambedkar Phule Students Association (BAPSA) on the presidents post. Also, the ABVP which secured a seat in the central panel last year, could not make a comeback this year. ABVP trailed behind the Left Unity on the posts of vice-president and general secretary by a huge margin. Yet again, the Congress-backed National Students Union of India (NSUI) did not make a mark in the JNUSU polls. Mohit Kumar Pandey of the Left Unity won the presidents post securing 1,954 votes defeating his rival Rahul Sonpimple of BAPSA by a close margin of 409 votes. The other seats went to alliances Amal PP (vice-president), Satarupa Chakrabarty (general secretary) and Tabrez Hasan (Joint secretary). Amal with 2,461 votes emerged as the strongest with only ABVPs Rajiv Ranjan Choudhary trailing him with 1,157 votes. Satarupa secured 2,424 votes and Tabrez won 1,670 votes. T he All India Students Federation (AISF), to which former JNU S Up resident Kanhaiya Kumar belongs, offered outside support to the AISA-SFI alliance without contesting the polls. Even as ABVP student leaders claimed that their vote share increased this year, they also lost crucial councillor seats previously held in the School of Sciences, among others. A total of 5,297 votes were polled on Friday on the campus. The voter turnout was 59.6%, a six percent high from last year. The university has an electorate of around 9,000. JNU has always been politically charged. ABVP has been rejected by a major lot of students after their anti-JNU campaign and the entire February 9 sedition episode. The RSSs high-handedness was clear even in the Rohit Vemula case, said, Mohit Pandey of Left Unity. BAPSAs Rahul Sonpimple, however, said, JNU has been a Left bastion for the last 40 years and if a two-year-old party can give them a good chase, I believe it is an achievement for us. The SFI is affiliated to the Communist Party of IndiaMarxist (CPI-M). AISA is the student wing of the Communist Party of India-Marxist-Leninist (CPI-ML). Students Front for Swaraj the student wing of Swaraj Abhiyan, AAPs splinter group for the first time fielded one candidate for the presidents post. The party netted 257 votes, higher than the 143 votes that the much older NSUI won. NEW DELHI: A day after three members of a family committed suicide over the loss of their 23-year-old son who was pursuing MBBS in Russia, Delhi Police on Saturday issued a notice to Alok Sinha. Sinha has been accused of taking money from the family for admission of the youth in a private medical college in India. He has been asked to join the probe. Police said Bhagwan Dass Yadav (50), his wife Sharda (48) and their daughter Sunita (20) consumed sulphas at their house at Khera Dabar in Jaffarpur Kalan area on Friday. They were in depression after Kuldeep (23), a first-year MBBS student in Russia, committed suicide on August 19 while he had come to India on a vacation. In the suicide note, Bhagwan had accused two men Alok Sinha and Nasim of cheating him of Rs 35 lakh after promising admission of his son in a private medical college in India, which did not materialise. A case of abetment to suicide and cheating was registered against Alok and Naseem on the basis of the suicide note. A police team visited Aloks residence in Ghaziabad but he was not at home, a senior police officer said. His wife told police that he was out of town for some work and claimed that her husband had returned Rs 12.5 lakh to Bhagwan and promised to pay the remaining balance by September 15, the officer said. Police are trying to trace Nasim but there did not have enough information available on him, said the officer. Bhagwan had also in his suicide note mentioned that his son Kuldeep was worried as the duo had failed to return the money despite repeated assurances. The bodies of Bhagwan, his wife Sharda and daughter Sunita were handed to their relatives after post-mortem examination on Saturday, the officer said. To activate the text-to-speech service, please first agree to the privacy policy below. Taipei, Sept. 11 (CNA) Taiwan's state-run Chunghwa Post Co. said Sunday two of the applicants in its annual recruitment this year for mail carriers were holders of doctorate degrees and that it could still be a challenge for them to pass the entrance examination despite their high educational background. NEW DELHI: Buoyed by the success of the food court and its commercial complex at the Nehru Place Metro station, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) plans to build another one in the vicinity. According to DMRC sources, the existing parking site will be removed and a multi-storey complex with parking facility will be developed to generate more revenue. Next year, we have planned to develop many properties in south Delhi. We have decent space at Nehru Place Metro station and the existing space was in huge demand. Keeping in mind the heavy demand, we will build a similar complex there, said a DMRC official. Sources said that before the construction, the DMRC will come out with a brochure asking interested parties to book space in advance. Another multi-storey commercial hub will come up in south Delhis Bhikaji Cama place Metro station, which is part of the 58.38 km-long Mukundpur-Shiv Vihar corridor. The station will be underground and the floors above will be sublet for food court and offices. The station has a perfect location with so many offices and markets like Lajpat Nagar, Sarojini Nagar, South Extension and Moti Bagh near it. We are expecting a huge demand for the space and planning to rent out the space has already started, said a DMRC official. The DMRC sources said that there will be four floors above the ground. Each floor will have around 2,700 square metre area. Since the line is expected to be made operational by December 2016, we will start the marketing for the space in next 2-3 months, the official added. The DMRC is also coming up with a commercial complex near Jantar Mantar . An internal analysis by the DMRC has revealed that almost one lakh square metre space, good enough to construct 1,000 shops, is lying unused at Metro stations across Delhi-NCR. We have conducted analysis of 165 stations and a majority of space is lying vacant on the stations in Faridabad, Dwarka and on the Red Line towards Seelampur, said an official. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON NEW DELHI: The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), the student wing of the right-wing Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, swept the Delhi University Students Union (DUSU) elections, winning three of the four top posts. The results of the Delhi University polls, considered a stepping stone to national politics, were declared on Saturday. ABVPs Amit Tanwar was elected president, Priyanka vice-president and Ankit Kumar Sangwan, the secretary. The National Students Union of Indias (NSUI) Mohit Garid won the joint secretarys post. The Congress-backed group won a seat for the first time since 2013. The ABVP enjoyed a clean sweep in both those years. This ABVP win is a comment against anti-national activities happening across the country, said Tanwar, whose party fought on the agenda of nation first. The vote shares were ABVP 34.5%, NSUI 24.7 % and AISA 11.8%. The voter turnout this year was 36.9% the least since 2010. A total of 45,476 students cast 1,78,216 votes for the four posts. Further, the winning margins between the candidates were lower compared to last year. Tanwar won 16,547 votes, beating NSUIs Nikhil Yadav by 4,690 votes. It was the highest margin among all posts. Priyanka won 15,592 votes to beat NSUIs Arjun Chaprana by 2,455 votes to the vice-presidents post. Sangwan won 15,518 votes to beat NSUIs Vinita Dhaka by 1,685 votes. Similarly, NSUIs Garid won 16,526 votes to beat ABVPs Vishal Yadav by 2,466 votes. Last years highest margin was 7,570 votes when ABVPs Sunny Dedha beat Garima Rana, the vice-presidential candidate of Aam Aadmi Partys student wing Chatra Yuva Sangarsh Sansthan (CYSS). This year, CYSS did not contest. The left-leaning All India Students Association (AISA), the youth wing of Communist Party of India-Marxist Leninist (CPI-ML) came third in all posts. Senior BJP leader and cabinet minister Arun Jaitley congratulated the ABVP candidates. Congrats to ABVP. #DUSU verdict is triumph of Nationalism. Youth have reposed their faith in constructive politics (sic), tweeted BJP president, Amit Shah. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON NEW DELHI: Vaibhav Agarwal loves to talk about cows. He proudly says he can identify the breed of a cow, its age and lactation cycle from a distance. Agarwal is not a cowboy, or a cow vigilante. He is a management graduate who co-founded a dairy farm with his brother Chirag, a software engineer educated in the US. The Agarwal brothers belong to a new breed of milkmen mostly management professionals and engineers leading a new milk revolution in India. At their nine-acre farm, OLeche, in Kuchesar, Uttar Pradesh, about an hour drive from Delhi, the brothers are often seen pampering their cows about 200 of the Holstein Friesian breed. Vaibhav says he supplies milk as pure as organic to 2,000 families in Delhi and its adjoining towns. Delhi-NCR, which consumes 18 lakh litres of milk every day, is becoming a hub of modern, integrated dairy farms with their own cows, modern cowsheds with fans and sprinklers, milk parlours, vet clinic and milk-processing facilities. There is adulterated milk in the market. We wanted to provide people pure, farm-fresh milk. Besides, I get to spend time in a rural area, away from Delhis pollution, says Vaibhav, 32, sitting at his farm. The region has many other dairy farms run by engineers and management professionals, many of whom quit their plush jobs to become milkmen. Sixty per cent of people who approach me for setting up dairy farms are engineers and management professionals in their early and mid-thirties, says Kuldeep Sharma, who runs Suruchi Consultants, one of the oldest dairy farm consulting firms. He organises dairy entrepreneurship development programmes across the country. Delhi-based IIM graduate Chakradhar Gade gave up his investment banking job in 2013 to start a dairy farm at Sabrana near Sultanpur with 50 cows. Two years ago, he tied up with local dairy farms in Bhiwani, Rajasthan, and installed cold chains, milk-testing machines and chilling equipment. I felt there was a big opportunity in this sector. I went door-to-door in Gurgaon to conduct a survey, and found a lot of residents complaining of adulterated or diluted milk. They were willing to pay more for premium milk, says Gade, 32. His brand Country Delight caters to 3,500 families. Most of our customers are young professionals. He sees a great future and rapid growth for his brand as peoples quest for pure milk is rising. According to a Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) survey, 68% of milk in India is adulterated. And 70% of the Capitals milk samples were contaminated. Water was the most common adulterant. Pankaj Navani, a computer engineer, set up Binsar farm in Janti Khurd village in Haryanas Sonepat with his two engineer friends Deepak and Sukhinder. We knew next to nothing about dairy farming. We had to learn about nutrition, how fodder and animal behaviour change through seasons. We started with 50 heifers instead of milk cow so that we could understand as much as possible about the animals growth, says Deepak. He quit his job as an engineer with a multinational computer technology company. We learnt from our co-founder from New Zealand that green fodder is key to the good health of animals. Binsar harvests around 80 acres of land with fodder crops of maize, rye, grass, etc. We wanted to feed more natural greens to our cattle, says Deepak. The Binsar farm, spread over 10.5 acres, has over 300 cows in sheds that have huge fans and sprinklers to wash them. There is a milk-processing unit. The farm produces 3,500 litres supplied in areas such as Rohini, Pitampura, Patparganj and Indirapuram. The milk of these new integrated farms costs Rs 65 per litre, while branded pouched full cream milk costs Rs 49 a litre. Country Fresh, for example, has an app to schedule delivery of milk and make payment. Fifty percent of Country Freshs orders come through the app and the age-group of its customers is 25 to 40 years. The app makes managing your subscription quite convenient as an order can be placed, cancelled, and changed at the tap of your finger, says Gade. Those buying milk from these dairies say they do not know if the packaged milk they consumed earlier was of cow, buffalo, goat or mixed. I prefer cow milk for my children. It is easy to digest and has more nutritive value. Packaged milk does not provide me that option, says Aditya Gupta, who recently subscribed to one of the many new-age dairy farms. Rekha Sharma, former chief nutritionist, AIIMS, says adulterated milk can lead to a host of health problems depending on the nature of impurities. If milk is adulterated with contaminated water it can lead to many water-borne diseases... Water also reduces milks nutritional value. The government should spread awareness about adulteration. It is not enough to do so only during Diwali. It should strictly implement food adulteration laws, she says. Many farm-to-table integrated dairy farms have come up in Delhi-NCR with their own cows, milk parlours, processing units and farmland to grow fodder for animals lakh litres of milk Delhi-NCR consumes every day, making it the biggest milk market Many of them are being set up by engineers and management professionals Delhi-NCR witness several dairy-related exhibitions and dairy entrepreneurship programmes Amul set up Indias largest dairy in NCR with a capacity of 30 lakh litres per day in Dharuhera near Gurgaon SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON NEW DELHI: A fake placement agency that cheated job aspirants has been busted by Delhi Police. The 35-year-old director of the agency, Rohit Kumar Verma, was arrested on Monday. His wife is on the run, police said on Saturday. The couple, police said, had opened another fake recruitment company in central Delhis Barakhamba Road and more than 100 job aspirants had already approached them. The couple claimed they owned a software company and employed network and security engineers. They opened a fake institute in South Extension-2, named CPNET, where they sent job aspirants to undergo a CCSA (checkpoint certificate security administration) course. They used to charge Rs 23,000 from each candidate for the course. After completion, students were certificates which would be fake. After completing all formalities, students were never employed, said Mandeep Singh Randhawa, deputy commissioner of police (south-east). Once they cheated job seekers in one place, they would close office, deactivate all their phone numbers and open another office in a different place with a different name. Victims included students, job aspirants and people they employed as trainers, receptionists, office boys and security guards. They spared no one. The candidates were cheated in the name of job and training. Employees were never given salaries, Randhawa said. The conman, he added, was arrested by a team of the Okhla police station led by SHO Atul Kumar following probe into a cheating case filed by six youngsters. The six told police that in January this year they had appeared for interview for the post of Network & Security Engineer in Secure Plus company. The companys director Rohit Kumar Verma gave them offer letters. Rs 23,000 per month was their salary. They were told that their profiles were incomplete and they had to complete the CCSA course from CPNET institute. The six paid Rs 23,000 each and got a weeks training by their trainer, Umesh and received certificates. The candidates approached Rohit but he did not provide them jobs. He closed his office and went underground, said a police officer. Investigators questioned Rohits employees, who claimed that they too were cheated. Probe revealed Rohit had opened another fake company named RENK IT in central Delhi. A raid was conducted and he was arrested. He duped more than 100 youths We are looking for his wife, Chandrakanta, the officer added. NEW DELHI: A four-year-old girl on Saturday triggered chaos at Delhis Indira Gandhi International Airport by climbing on to the conveyor belt near a check-in counter. The child was rescued without any injuries. The girl crossed one level of the belt before security officers could rescue her. The inline baggage system at Delhi airport has five levels and bags go through several screeners before being loaded on to a plane. Around 7pm, the girls parents were waiting at the Go Air check-in counter, when the girl managed to climb on to the belt. Her mother tried to stop her but the moving conveyor belt took her to level two. The belt was then stopped and the child rescued, said an airport source. The girl was rushed to the Medanta clinic at the airport where doctors told the parents she was unhurt. They were scheduled to travel to Mumbai by G8 342 at 8:50pm. The doctors declared the girl fit to travel, the source added. Eyewitnesses said the event led to chaos and the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) had to rush in to save the girl. Airport officials said they keep sensitizing passengers to not leave their children unattended, especially near check-in counters NEW DELHI: Two gangs of thieves on Wednesday morning stole the rear view mirrors of seven luxury cars Jaguar, Audi and BMW from south Delhis posh South Extension Part-1. The thefts, police said, took place in less than 10 minutes and were captured on CCTV cameras installed by local residents at their homes. One of the CCTV footage shows a thief removing the rear view mirrors from both sides of an Audi A6 in just 25 seconds by simply pressing them down. Police suspect the crimes were the handiwork of the infamous kaan tod gang that operates in South Delhi neighbourhoods such as Defence Colony, South Extension and Lodhi Colony, among others. Five separate FIRs have been registered in connection with the thefts carried out from one Jaguar, two Audis, three BMWs, and one Honda Civic cars. Chandra Kant Govil, owner of one of the Audi cars, told HT that on Wednesday around 6am, he was going out for a morning walk when he noticed that the rear view mirrors of his car were missing. I returned home after the morning walk, called the police control room and reported the matter, said Govil. Govil checked footage of the cameras installed at his house. The footage showed an auto-rickshaw entering the lane outside his house and passing by his car at 5.24am. At 5.26 am, the auto-rickshaw returns and is parked close to his car. One of the occupants approaches Govils Audi car and takes a round of it before going back to the auto. The man returns 10 seconds later, removes the driver sides rear view mirror by pressing it down with his hand and cutting its wire with a sharp object. He keeps it on the cars bonnet and then removes the left side mirror using the same trick. T he thief leaves in the auto with his two other accomplices. I later called up Audis official showroom and asked them about the cost of new side view mirrors from. They said the cost of two mirrors would come up to around Rs 2.5 lakh, he added. According to Manjeet Singh Chug, vice-president of South Extension-1 RWA, six other cars, apart from Govils, were targeted by six men in two autos. Chugh said two, of the seven targeted cars, lost both their rear-view mirrors. POOR CCTV COVERAGE, LACK OF POLICE PATROLS Residents said South Extension Part-1 residential colony was covered by 70 CCTV cameras installed by the Delhi Police,. But almost all the cameras were lying defunct. Repeated requests to the local Kotla Mubarakpur police station and to the office of DCP (south), Ishwar Singh, to rectify the problems have gone unheeded, residents alleged. Out of 70 cameras installed by Delhi Police, only four are currently functional. No efforts have been made to repair the others so far, claimed Chug. Residents said the lax attitude of the police had led to a rise in such crimes. They said police patrolling in their areas, especially at nights, was negligible. Our colony has multiple entry and exit gates. There is no restriction on entry for outsiders and they park their vehicles in our lanes. Illegal encroachments are rampant, said Chug. He said a new Hyundai Creta belonging to the nephew of a local MLA too had been stolen from the locality a week ago. We have registered multiple FIRs and have launched an investigation in the cases, a police officer said. DCP Ishwar Singh could not be contacted for a comment. GURGAON: A 30-year-old electrician was arrested from Delhi for allegedly raping and killing his employers three-year-old daughter, whom he kidnapped a few days ago from Gurgaon. The accused, identified by police as Mohammad Anwar, was arrested by Gurgaon police from New Delhi railway station late on Friday night. He allegedly dumped the girl in the deserted fields of Shikarpur village in Delhis Chhawla after strangulating her. Police recovered the decomposed body of the victim after the accused identified the spot. Anwar was produced before a court on Saturday where he was sent to five-day police remand, a police spokesperson said. The victims family hails from Bihar, and lives in a rented accommodation in Gurgaons Patel Nagar. The accused Anwar, also from Bihar, worked at the electrical shop of the victim girls father since two weeks, police said. The girls father lodged a police complaint alleging that Anwar had kidnapped her from her residence on Tuesday. Based on the complaint, an FIR was registered at the Civil Lines police station. NEW DELHI: Bunking school will soon become difficult for students as the parents will be able to track online whether their kids have attended classes or not. Officials said the move is part of the Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathans efforts to help parents to keep abreast of their wards activities from attendance, homework, class test results, and health records, examination schedule, among others. Across the country, more than 12 lakh students study in 1,100-odd KVs run by the central government. The KV Sangathan has already started sending out login and password information to parents to access the online platform named Shaala Darpan and can be accessed at https://darpan.kvs.gov.in/shaaladarpan/. The SMS information is likely to roll out next month across all KVs, sources said. Bunking classes by students, especially those in the higher classes, is a major problem faced by most educational institutions though there is no data available on the number of youngsters who leave home but skip classes. There were a few complaints that children used to bunk school on some pretext or the other. Parents in many cases were clueless and many used to get information (only) during their interaction with teachers. This platform will provide greater transparency, said a senior official of the KV Sangathan. The official said parents will also get an SMS in the morning if the student fails to attend school that day soon. The KVs are among the better-managed government schools and have been faring better than private schools in Class 12 examinations over the past few years. Though the scheme was announced last year, it is being implemented now, the official said, adding the scheme is for students of Class 1 to 12. Officials said they are also making efforts to provide e-tutorials to students using the website. Data digitisation of both students and teachers has already been completed. Officials said the initiative will encourage parents to opt for government-run schools rather than private schools as all the activities of the institution will be on the public domain. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON NEW DELHI: Three minor boys, between 11 years and 14 years, drowned in the Yamuna near south Delhis Okhla on Saturday afternoon. Their bodies were found after a two-hour operation by teams of the fire department and the local police. The three are Danish (14), Faizal (11) and Varish (13) all residents of Batla House in Jamia Nagar. Police said the three had gone to swim in the river along with some other friends. A police officer said the boys jumped over the fenced barriers enacted at the river bank. As they jumped, a strong current swept them away and within seconds they drowned. Their friends raised an alarm and alerted locals. A local resident called the police control room and informed the police. The fire department was alerted. Soon, fire department rescue teams arrived and launched their operation. The bodies were taken to Holy Family hospital where doctors confirmed their death. The fathers of Varish and Faizal are painters while Danishs father is a labourer, said police. NEW DELHI: In the wake of the rape of a 16-year-old domestic help at a government accommodation on Tughlaq Road on Monday, child rights NGOs have demanded a placement agency bill in Delhi to regulate trafficking. Investigation showed the girl was trafficked two months ago from a Jharkhand village and sold by an illegal placement agency based out of a Tughlaq road flat. The girl was raped by her employer, a 59-year-old executive engineer from the Rajasthan government posted at Jodhpur House in New Delhi. The police said the crime took place when the engineers wife was away. This happened due to the non-implementation of the September 2014 executive order by the Lt. Governor on the regulation of placement agencies, said Rakesh Senger, director of Bachpan Bachao Andolan (BBA), an NGO run by Nobel Laureate Kailash Satyarthi. Most of the placement agencies are not registered under the law and are a serious cause of child trafficking in Delhi, Senger said. Police are looking for the owner of the placement agency. A case under sections 376 (rape) of IPC and other relevant sections of Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act was registered at the Tughlaq Road police station. The incident, an officer said, came to light on Tuesday morning after the girl approached the police and said she had been raped on Monday night by her employer. A local NGO was roped in for her counselling. She was later sent to a government hospital where her medical examination confirmed rape. Accordingly, the FIR was registered, the officer said. It is shocking that even in high-profile areas, trafficked girls are working as domestic helps. Servant verification is not done, which means illegal placement agencies have managed to thrive even in posh and VIP areas, said Rishikant, an activist with NGO Shakti Vahini. The girl is from a Naxal affected area and her family is yet to be contacted. The traffickers are exploiting girls from rural areas and this nexus has remained unchecked in Delhi. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON JAIPUR: The wife of Rajasthans chief secretary OP Me en a accused him on Saturday of sexually abusing their daughter when she was a teenager, but the top civil servant denied the charge as baseless. Geeta Singh Deo told a press conference that their daughter, who is now 31 and lives abroad, sent an email about this to the Rajasthan High Court in April, urging action against her father. She distributed copies of the purported email at the press conference. HT has a copy of it. HT sent an email to Deos daughter to confirm the veracity of her mothers statement but had not heard back from her till the time of going to press. Asked about the allegations, Meena dismissed them as baseless, saying he did not remember when he had last met his daughter. I am not aware of any such matter. Anybody can say anything, he said. The couple is estranged and has been living separately for three years. Deo filed a case of domestic violence against her husband in September last year, triggering a police investigation. My husband sexually abused my daughter when she was studying in school but at that time I didnt report the incidents after thinking of the repercussions that she might face, Deo told HT. She said the alleged abuse started when their daughter was 13. She said when she threatened to report him, her husband tried to buy their daughters silence by giving her credit cards. Deo did not clarify why she or her daughter had not reported the matter earlier. Deo, an officer of the state administrative service, quoted her daughters purported email as saying Meena would go into her room and touch her at wrong places. The alleged molestation stopped when her daughter told her about it, Deo said. Deo also accused the police of dragging their feet on her domestic violence complaint under pressure from her husbands family. Meenas brothers are powerful politicians. But Kavita Sharma, the investigating officer in the case, denied any political pressure and expressed surprise with Deos allegations of sexual abuse of her daughter. I had taken the statement of her daughter in March this year and she didnt mention a single thing about sexual harassment , said Sharma .It is surprising that she would write the letter to the court the very next month saying that she was molested. Days after Hardik Patel-led Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) created a ruckus at BJP chief Amit Shahs event in Surat, members of the same outfit tried on Sunday to disrupt two separate events, Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani and state BJP chief Jitu Vaghani were present. While police detained as many as 26 PAAS members for trying to raise slogans at Rupanis event in Jasdan taluka in Rajkot district, they took into custody 11 other members at Vaghanis event in Bhavnagar city. Rupani was in Atkot village in Jasdan taluka on Sunday for ground-breaking ceremony of a private hospital and medical college. However, the Patidar community members tried to disrupt his speech by raising slogans. We detained 26 members of PAAS when they tried to shout slogans like Jai Sardar, Jai Patidar at chief ministers programme. They were trying to disrupt the CMs speech. They were kept at Jasdan police station for nearly five hours, a police official said. In Bhavnagar, 11 members of the outfit were detained for attempts to disrupt the event where Vaghani was present, Bhavnagar B-division police official said. While two persons were detained when they tried to shout slogans and disrupt the programme, nine others had been taken into preventive custody before the event, the official said. Last Thursday, BJP president Amit Shah along with chief minister Vijay Rupani and other party leaders were booed off stage as the members of Hardiks organisation created ruckus and vandalised furniture at a programme to felicitate Patel leaders in Surat. That event was meant to felicitate Patidar leaders, like newly-appointed state BJP chief Jitu Vaghani, deputy chief minister Nitin Patel, central BJP ministers Purshottam Rupala and Manshukh Mandaviya. Former Gujarat CM Anandiben Patel was also present on the dais. There were reports that Prime Minister Narendra Modi summoned Anandiben to Delhi over the chaos at the Surat event, although the state party unit said it was not aware of it and that there was no official communication regarding the development. The Patidars, under the banners of PAAS and Sardar Patel Group (SPG), have been demanding reservation under OBC quota for the community. A 47-feet-long blue whale, the largest mammal in the world, was rescued after it was beached near village Madban, close to Jaitapur nuclear power plant in Ratnagiri district on Sunday morning. Estimated to weigh around 20 tonnes, the whale was beached for over two days. Local fishermen spotted the mammal on Saturday evening and informed forest officers. On Sunday morning, two boats with 50 personnel carried out the rescue operation over eight hours by pulling the mammal into the sea with the help of ropes during high tide. Four forest officials led the rescue operation along with local NGOs and fishermen, and the whale was pulled into deep sea by Sunday afternoon, said N Vasudevan, chief conservator of forest, state mangrove cell. The whale was stranded along the shoreline during low tide on Thursday or Friday. We can only assume this because the animal was out of the water when it was found and its ribs were visible. The whale could have suffered an injury or an internal infection due to which it lost its navigation. (HT Photo) BR Patil, range forest officer, Ratnagiri said, The animal could have suffered an injury or an internal parasitic infection due to which it lost its navigation abilities and moved closer to the shore. However, after the massive rescue operation, we saw the whale speed its way back into the deep sea. Vasudevan added that this was one of the biggest rescues in India. After the beaching and death of a whale at Juhu, Mumbai and the safe rescue earlier this year from Ratnagiri itself, the sheer size of the mammal makes this the biggest rescue of beached mammal in history. The blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus) falls under the red list of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and schedule 1 of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1986. Being marine mammals, large whales are not designed to support their weight on land and the body crushes itself under its own weight, said Mihir Sule, member of Konkan Cetacean Research Team. Previous whale rescues in Maharashtra In February this year, a 40-foot-long blue whale was rescued with the help of two boats in a nine-hour long rescue operation near Daboli, Ratnagiri, which was the first ever successful rescue operation carried out along the coast of Maharashtra for the largest mammal in the world. A 20 member team had rescued the mammal with the help of two boats. The carcass of a 40-foot-long male Brydes whale washed up at Juhu beach, near Juhu Tara Road, on January 29. The whale was beached for 17 hours and could not be rescued. The carcass of the whale was burnt and buried at Juhu beach after the rescue operation failed. In August last year, a 42-foot-long live blue whale had washed ashore and beached at Alibaug. Several attempts made by the forest department and local fishermen from the area to push the whale back into the sea went in vain and the whale died after collapsing on its own body weight a few hours after beaching. The rescue operation went on for 18 hours. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON On the picturesque Foreshore road surrounding the Dal Lake in Srinagar stands Arshid, a sheep trader with his herd of twenty. The plump sheep are ready to be sold to families for Qurbani, the ritualistic animal sacrifice on the occasion of Eid al-Adha, but Arshid isnt optimistic about business. Families, who used to buy three sheep, are now buying only one. Our rates have not decreased but we will end up selling less number of animals, says Arshid as he whistles to the herd to not go astray. The fattest in the herd is up for sale at Rs 15,000. Another sheep trader, Sahil Safiq, from the Barbar Shah area of Srinagar, said, Because of the situation, the spirit to celebrate Eid has been dampened. And, hence, business is completely down. The situation he is talking of is a two-month-long streak of violence that has enveloped the Valley following the killing of insurgent leader Burhan Wani. Clashes with security forces has killed 75 people by unofficial estimates and left 10,000 injured. In the middle of the turmoil, Kashmiris feel this years Eid al-Adha celebrations on Tuesday in Muslim-majority Valley will be lacklustre, without the usual liveliness and exuberance. Families that HT spoke to explained the reasons behind why Eid will be no Eid at all for Kashmir. A sheep trader vendor with his flock walks ahead of Eid on the banks of Dal Lake in Srinagar. Firstly, they say the violence which has killed and injured people over the past two months left a deep impact on the psyche of the larger population. Cop killed, civilian among 2 injured as militant encounter rages in Poonch As this resident of the old city Srinagar explains, I bought three sheep for my extended family on Saturday only to come home and hear thdat two young men have been killed by security forces. I became sad and asked myself how can Kashmir celebrate Eid in such times? My family has decided to purchase only one sheep and give the rest of the budgeted money to charity, probably to the injured at Srinagars SMHS hospital where victims of state-sponsored violence are being treated, said a woman from the old city. Secondly, state-imposed curfew and the separatists shutdown call have resulted in a clampdown on markets and festival shopping is taking place with much difficulty, if at all. Usually, the shopping starts four-five days before Eid. But look at whats happening now? Markets are shut, there are restrictions, people cant move and children are asking their parents why we arent getting new dresses? says Shuja Ahmad, a Srinagar resident and a bank employee. We do not even know what will be the situation on the day of the Eid. There can be very strict curfew. This is the first time in my lifetime that I am seeing such a situation, says Ahmad. At 6pm in the evening, as the 12-hour-long relaxation of the shutdown begins, Srinagar lights up. Traffic snarls occur on most roads, people throng shops and buy the essentials for Eid. But on Saturday evening, even with the relaxation, most shops did not open in protest against the killing of two men earlier in the day. A man weighs a goat in a Srinagar market ahead of Eid. (Waseem Andrabi/ HT photo) Shopkeepers say that the crowd during relaxation period has increased in the last four days as Eid was approaching. But the shopping trends are far less than those of other years. Eid is an occasion of khushi (happiness), but how can we celebrate when there is no khushi at all in the region. Yes, businesses have suffered, but as we have been saying, all that takes a back seat in view of the civilian killings, blinding and maiming, says Mushatq Ahmad Wani, president of the Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI). Two protesters killed in Kashmir clashes, death toll rises to 77 Thirdly, people say the Qurbani meat is supposed to be distributed to relatives but thats not possible because most areas in Kashmir cant be accessed in the current situation. People will distribute the meat to the relatives who live nearby and not to those in far off areas of the Valley. Meanwhile, the joint separatist leadership of Kashmir has called for shutdown on the day of Eid, with 12-hour relaxation from 6pm. It has also called for an Azadi March towards local Eidgahs at every area and a march towards the United Nations office for submitting a memorandum. Celebrate Eid-ul-Azha with austerity; jointly offer Qurbani and have joint community lunch, the protest calendar said, adding: Imams and Khateebs before Namaz will read Lets pledge Message to continue our struggle for freedom. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Union minister of state for health and family welfare Anupriya Patel was allegedly misbehaved with at Pratapgarh by supporters of a local leader on Sunday when she was participating in an Apna Dal party roadshow. The incident took place this afternoon when Apa Dal workers were out on a roadshow with party MLA RK Verma. Police said the procession encountered supporters of a local leader Vinod Dubey, who is planning to contest UP Assembly polls as an independent candidate, leading to an argument. The Union minister said the incident was a conspiracy to disturb her partys procession. Apna Dal leaders staging a sit-in near Raniganj powerhouse in Pratapgarh on Sunday. (HT Photo) I think it was a conspiracy (of ruling SP). I was not provided with security and even after complaining, the district magistrate and the superintendent of police did not reach the spot immediately, she said. She said if such was the efficacy of the law enforcement agencies, then one could easily understand the plight of common people regarding law and order matters. Alleging misbehaviour with their leaders, Apna Dal workers created a traffic jam on the Raebareli-Varanasi highway and later, when union minister left, they sat on a dharna. Apna Dal supporters alleged that Verma was manhandled although the police has not confirmed the incident. Neem is the tree of health. And in an eastern Rajasthan town, hard-pressed medical staff have turned to two neem trees on the campus to nurse back to health a flood of fever-stricken patients. At the Saipau community health centre in Dholpur district, bottles of intravenous (IV) fluid hang from nails hammered into the tree trunks. Patients and their family members sit on the cemented platform around the trees and keep a watch on the fluid flow. We have admitted patients beyond our capacity. We cant turn them away, centre incharge Dr Charanjeet Singh Chauhan said. The health centre, which has just 15 beds, is overwhelmed as there has been a spike in the cases of viral fever brought in by monsoon rains. The two trees have virtually turned into hospital wards. On Saturday, 15-20 patients were lying under each of them. The indoor patient count for the day was 200. There were people everywhere -- on the floor, in the corridor and when the staff ran out of place, they thought of the trees. At sunset, patients scrambled to find a corner in the centre building to spend the night. Patients being treated under the tree at the Community health centre in Sempau. (HT Photo) Space in not the only concern. Dr Chauhan said the centre had just three doctors and they had run out of medicines as well. Some patients left after initial treatment because of lack of facilities. Sanitation is another casualty. Patients and their attendants are forced to defecate in the open as the health centre is not equipped to handle the huge number of people. They were trying their best but it was the governments responsibility to ensure there were enough doctors, beds and medicines, block chief medical and health officer Dr Virendra Bhaskar said. Community health centres are a crucial link in rural health care and are meant to provide services to areas that do not have big hospitals. The idea is to provide modern facilities to rural population and ease overcrowding in district hospitals but equipment and staff continue to pose a challenge. Dalits protesting against the Una flogging incident have decided to launch a postcard campaign called Badbu Gujarat Ki (stink of Gujarat), in response to the tourism departments Khushbu Gujarat Ki (scent of Gujarat) initiative spearheaded by Amitabh Bachchan. The Una Dalit Atyachar Ladat Samiti will launch the campaign from Kalol near Ahmedabad on Tuesday, when thousands of postcards bearing the tagline Badbu Gujarat Ki will be mailed to Bachchans residential address in Mumbai, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi inviting them to the state. The postcards will invite them to visit Gujarat and get a taste of stink left by cow carcases which have not been disposed by protesting Dalits ever since they pledged against it following the Una atrocity incident, Una Dalit Atyachar Ladat Samiti convener Jignesh Mevani said today. Read | Academic and activist: Dalit leader Jignesh Mevani rises in Gujarat Mevani alleged that Bachchan created a fake image of Gujarat to propagate Modis agenda. Amitabh Bachchan came to Gujarat upon invitation from then Chief Minister Narendra Modi, and talked only about Gujarat having good things like greenery, scent, progressive culture, he said. We have given up disposing carcasses. Hundreds of cows are lying dead and stinking all over the place. Dalits continue to die in gutter, caste division and untouchability have made them suffer, he said. Now that we have given up disposing dead cows, we will invite Bachchan and Modi to come to Gujarat, spend some time and enjoy badbu Gujarat ki, Mevani said. Following the Una case in which Dalits from Mota Samadhiyala village were brutally beaten up by self-styled cow vigilantes, the community members from the state pledged en masse to give up their traditional profession of disposing cow carcasses as a way of protest. This is about the conscience of Dalits to quit caste-based occupation that caste system imposes upon them. In response, thousands of Dalits have pledged not to pick up cow carcass, and in hundreds of villages it has been given up. This has also broken the myth that Dalits are solely dependent on this profession, Mevani claimed. The Dalits were even attacked by upper caste members in many villages for not disposing cow carcasses, he alleged. Read | Ahmedabad to Una: The great Gujarat Dalit march for freedom begins Friday An armyman, accused of raping his colleagues ex-wife, has been discharged by a Delhi court which said it was an act of promiscuity on the womans part and not any misconception. The court said the 22-year-old woman, mother of a nine- year-old boy, was well educated and it cannot be said that she was incapable of understanding the nature and implications of the acts which she consented to. Her consent to physical relations, if any, was an act of conscious reason. Where was the compulsion for her to establish physical relations first without ensuring that the accused was willing to perform marriage with her after getting divorce from his wife? Even she was not legally divorced in October 2014. She was mature enough to fully understand as to what was happening between the two. In the facts and circumstances of this case, it was an act of promiscuity on the part of the prosecutrix and not an act induced by misconception of fact, additional sessions judge Praveen Kumar said. The court discharged the man, saying the material placed before it do not disclose the grave suspicion against the accused for framing a charge against him for the alleged offences of rape and criminal intimidation under the IPC. The judge said court cannot act merely as a post office or mouthpiece of the prosecution but has to consider the broad probabilities of the case. According to the prosecution, the woman had said she got married in 2003 and got divorced in 2014 and while the divorce proceedings were going on, she met the accused, a colleague of her former husband. She alleged that he lured her for marriage and pretended to be extra concerned about her. She further alleged that initially he established physical relations with her forcibly and in January this year, he suddenly disappeared after which the woman lodged a complaint against the man at Dwarka south police station. The court, in its order, said their relationship continued for sufficient duration and at no stage, she raised alarm or hue and cry or lodged report with the police against alleged forcible sex. His memorial in the small town of Paramakudi sees hundreds of visitors every year on September 11. For the Dalits in Tamil Nadu, the man who fought for their rights and respect, is their most important symbol. But the name Immanuel Sekaran Devendrar, freedom fighter, Dalit leader, and a hero in his village of Sellur, rings few bells in a state whose history has been heavily influenced by the Dravidian movement. September 11 is the day when the Dalits in Tamil Nadu honour Sekaran who was murdered by a group of Thevars in 1957 following his demands for equal representation and rights for the Dalits in Ramanathapuram. But his legacy has been relegated to a footnote in the official history of Tamil Nadu, despite still being a potent symbol of Dalit resistance. Freedom fighter, Dalit icon You should understand that there were two Sekarans, says Stalin Rajangam, writer and historian. There was the man, who was murdered at the age of 33, and what he did. And then there is his image, and how it has re-emerged in Dalit politics in this state. Born on October 9, 1924 in the Sellur village, Immanuel Sekaran participated in the Quit India movement at the age of 18 and was imprisoned by the British for 3 months. He joined the Army as a havildar major in 1945, before returning to his home district of Ramanathapuram as a youth Congress leader. He came back wearing his new boots and sporting his new ideas of equality for all, says P Chandrabose, founder of the Thiagi Immanuel Sekaran Peravai, one of the several political groups in the late freedom fighters home district which lays claim to his legacy. His importance is that he taught us Devendrars how to fight for our rights then, back when Ramanthapuram was in the grip of terrible caste violence and oppression, Chandrabose says. We werent allowed to wear sandals while walking, we werent allowed to drink water out of the same glasses as the other castes, and we were told not to open our mouths and complain. A poster of Immanuel Sekaran in his home village, dressed in military gear. Sekaran developed his ideology during his stint in the Army. Caste politics and violence in Tamil Nadu is different than that in north India, thanks to the Tamil nationalism of Periyar and his self respect movement. A lot of people have mistakenly assumed because he was anti-Brahmin he was anti-caste, says Rajangam. In fact, the opposite happened: the non-Brahmins became heavily politicised and divided over caste lines. This means that inter-caste violence in Tamil Nadu is rarely between upper and lower castes, but instead between Dalits and OBCs. For Sekarans community, the Pallars or Devendrar Kullars, that meant that their fight was with the Thevars, an OBC group who, along with the Gounders and Vanniyars, have a history of committing violence against Dalits and floating powerful casteist political parties by fostering strong anti-Dalit sentiments to this day. In the 1940s and 50s there was a great deal of societal change in these traditional communities, says Rajangam. People were starting to buy into the idea that, under the Constitution, the shackles of their caste would fall away and they would be equal. Incidents of caste violence in Tamil Nadu: It was in this period that Immanuel Sekaran emerged as a symbol of modernity and a leader for the Dalits of his district. Pasumpon Mutharamalingam Thevar had abandoned the Congress and joined the Forward Block, says Chandrabose, So the Kamaraj government saw in Sekaran a powerful counter. On paper, it was a good match. Both men were fluent in Tamil, Hindi and English, possessed powerful oratorical skills and had strong support in the state. When tensions flared between the two communities in 1957 after a closely fought by-election, a peace meeting was called. Sekaran refused to stand up when Mutharamalingam Thevar entered the room, and said that this man wants to destroy my community, says Chandrabose. Angered, the powerful OBC leader left the peace talks vowing revenge. Thevar was a traditional symbol of caste, says Rajangam, The opposite to Sekaran. Thevar would talk in those terms: caste, warrior, God. But Immanuel countered that by breaking all the norms. On September 11, 1957, a group of Thevar men ambushed the Pallar leader as he was returning to his village from a lecture and murdered him. He was just 33. Sowing the seeds of peace I was very young when my father was killed, says Sundari Prabharani, sitting in a modest house in Paramakudi, a small town 80 km away from Madurai. Now 64, she is the only one of Sekarans four daughters who still lives in the district he helped change forever. My father was a good and genuine man, she continues, in between sips of black coffee. He was utterly fearless. He knew he was going to die, that he wasnt going to live through the caste violence of that period. But he refused to budge. Sundari Prabharani (L), Sekarans daughter, and her son, Chakravarthy (R) outside their house in Paramakudi. Ramanthapuram in the years immediately preceding and following Independence saw some of the most brutal caste atrocities in the entire subcontinent that stymied the Kamaraj governments efforts to try and ensure peace in the district. My father said that his sacrifice was worth it because one man can do a great many things, Prabharani says. Just as sowing a mustard seed can cause a bountiful harvest, he believed his sacrifice would allow other Immanuels to thrive. When Sekaran was murdered, there was an outcry across the state. Periyar condemned it, and called for the arrest of those responsible, including Pasumpon Mutharamalingam Thevar. He was released later by the Annadurai government, says Chandrabose. By then, the importance of the vote bank was too great. Chandrabose believes that Sekaran showed the Dalits across the state a way to mobilise themselves, to fight under a united cause. He had also mobilised the Pallars to demand education, equal representation, and equal rights. The Dravidian movement is a shame, Chandrabose says bitterly. Caste comes first for them, then the idea of being a Tamil. Caste vote banks, and the domination of the Thevars at all political levels, allows them to pretend they are following Periyars legacy. A grassroots level movement Sellur seems like any other village in Tamil Nadu. What makes it different are the posters of a man in military uniform, standing at attention and sternly glaring down. Underneath, written in crisp Tamil, are two words. Immanuel Sekaran. The development and status you see here today is a result of what he did, says Duraikanth, a self-described social worker in the village. All of us Pallars have learnt respect, strength, and to fight for what is ours from him. This almost militant attitude is what sets the Pallars apart from their fellow Dalits in Tamil Nadu. If you hit us, we will hit you, Duraikanth says. If you kill us, we will kill you. The site of where Immanuel Sekarans house used to be in Sellur, Ramanathapuram district, Tamil Nadu. After his murder, Sekaran has been routinely ignored by both the AIADMK and DMK, who heap praise on his bitter foe, Mutharalingam Thevar, instead. They didnt even tell me when the Centre issued stamps in my fathers honour, says Prabharani bitterly. I had to find out from a friend. The only politician who cares is GK Vasan. He has reemerged as a powerful symbol for the Dalits in this state after the rise of their political parties in the late 80s and early 90s, says Rajangam, referring to the Puthiya Tamizhagam and Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi. They hope to use him to unite the Dalits in the state under one banner. My father died to ensure his people would be treated the same as everyone else, says Prabharani. And the fact he achieved it brings me great happiness. At a time when the rest of the country is witnessing Dalit unrest and demands for equality, the legacy of men like Sekaran who helped their communities develop deserves more attention. Home minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday reviewed the situation in Jammu and Kashmir and asked the security forces to go after troublemakers as the death toll in the ongoing unrest climbed to 78. Singh asked the security establishment to take steps so that schools and markets, shut for more than two months with occasional breaks for shops, opened at the earliest, sources said. National security adviser Ajit Doval, home secretary Rajiv Mehrishi and Intelligence Bureau chief Dineshwar Sharma were among those present in the meeting that comes within days of the government asking the army to step up deployment in south Kashmir. On Sunday only one serious incident of stone-pelting was reported from Pulwama. We hope the situation will improve as Eid will be celebrated next week, said an official who attended the meeting. Eid al-Adha is on Tuesday. South Kashmir has seen the worst of the violence in the Valley, which erupted after a militant leader was killed in a gunfight with security forces on July 8. the government is determined to re-establish the writ of state in these areas so that the citizens who are not with radicals or militants should not remain terrorised, the official said. A 23-year-old man allegedly injured in firing by security forces on August 5 died in a Srinagar hospital on Sunday. Javaid Ahmad was brought in with a bullet injury to the leg, which was amputated to save his life but he died of renal failure, doctors said. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The army claimed on Sunday to have foiled an infiltration bid by killing three militants near the Line of Control in north Kashmirs Handwara, some 200 km from the capital Srinagar. An army official said war-like stores were recovered from the dead men in the Nowgan sector of Handwara in Kupwara district. Police said gun battle erupted near the Aatma post on the Line of Control during the night. The exchange of fire continued in the morning as well, police control room Handwara informed. Superintendent of police, Handwara, Ghulam Jeelani said that the operation was still in progress. The militants have been cordoned and we are yet to recover the dead bodies of the militants, he said. There were reports of gun shots in Gurez area of Bandipora and Tangdhar in Kupwara as well. However police did not confirm the incidents as yet. The suspected infiltration attempt comes amid simmering tensions in Kashmir, where a two-month-long spell of violence has killed 62 people and injured thousands. Protests broke out following the July 8 killing of insurgent leader Burhan Wani but India blames Pakistani militants for fanning the unrest. Read | Two protesters killed in Kashmir clashes, death toll rises to 77 Security forces are also battling militants in Jammus Poonch where one policeman was killed and a superintendent and civilian were injured. Also read | J-K: Cop killed, civilian among 2 injured as militant encounter rages in Poonch Terming as totally absurd the allegations levelled by controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naik against the government, Union Minister M Venkaiah Naidu today accused him of hiding behind religion and wondered if he is the boss of all Indian Muslims. Is Zakir Naik the boss of all Indian Muslims? What nonsense he is talking. He has to answer the criticism about himself. What is that Muslims have got to do with him, the Information and Broadcasting Minister said here. In a four-page open letter released in Mumbai yesterday, Naik had asked the government what exactly has he done to earn the tag of Dr Terror and sought logical answers to charges levelled against him. Naidu termed as totally absurd the allegations by the Islamic televangelist that it is not just an attack on him, but an attack against Indian Muslims. He does something wrong...and then government wants to take some action, if at all and you try to take shelter under religion, the Minister said. Taking strong exception to Naiks allegations, the senior BJP leader said, This is the way..the new technique. People commit crimes or commit mistakes and then they try to take cover under religion or caste, or the region or the language so that they get some support for the mistakes they have committed. The founder of Peace TV, run by his Mumbai-based IRF, Naik has come under the scanner of security agencies after a Bangladeshi newspaper had reported that one of the attackers of the July 1, 2016, terror strike in Dhaka was inspired by his speeches. Read | Rs 50L donation from Zakir Naiks NGO to Rajiv Gandhi trust as per norms: Govt A policeman and three militants were killed as security forces battled twin attacks close to an army base in Jammus Poonch on Sunday, which also saw soldiers kill four infiltrators in north Kashmir. The gunfights close to the line of control (LoC) came on the day home minister Rajnath Singh reviewed the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir where the death toll in more than two months of street protests climbed to 78. In Poonch, havildar Rajinder Kumar was killed when a group of militants fired at a police patrol near the armys 93 Brigade headquarters at around 7am, deputy inspector general Rajouri-Poonch range Johny Williams said. Three fidayeens (suicide attackers) have been gunned down... security forces are sanitising the areas. The ultras were heavily armed and carried grenades also, the police officer said, adding the militants were trained in Pakistan. Read | Kashmir to have a silent and sullen Eid after weeks of strife, violence The army, which used drones to keep an eye on the militants and sent in commandos for the final assault, said combing operations would continue Monday morning. The militants, whose exact numbers were not known, split into two groups after exchange of fire with the police patrol, William said. Special Operation Group (SoG) of Jammu and Kashmir Police personnel take positions near a building where terrorists were hiding during an encounter in Poonch, Jammu. (HT Photo) One team entered an under-construction mini-secretariat building and the other barged into the house of Mohammed Nazir Mir in the neighbouring Allah Peer locality. They took Mir and his wife hostage who were rescued by the commandos called in from neighbouring Udhampur, army sources said. Their domestic help was injured in the firing. Two policemen, an equal number of soldiers and a civilian were also wounded in Poonch. In north Kashmir, four militants were killed in an overnight gunfight as three infiltration bids were foiled along the LoC, the army said Sunday. Read | Go after instigators of violence in Kashmir, restore normalcy: Rajnath to forces While infiltrators were beaten back in Tangdhar and Gurez sectors, a group managed to sneak through the LoC in Nowgam, where a gunfight broke out near Aatma post on Saturday night and continued in the morning, army spokesman NN Joshi said. The infiltration bids come just two days after Indian Army chief general Dalbir Singh visited the LoC and north and south Kashmir. A veiled Kashmiri woman walks past a graffiti on a closed shop at a deserted market during a strike in Srinagar. (AP Photo) The Centre has asked the army to step up presence in the southern parts, which have seen the worst of the street protests that are in its third month now. The death toll in violence-hit Valley touched 78 on Sunday when a 23-year-old man allegedly injured in firing by security forces in August died in a Srinagar hospital. Read | Army to deploy additional troops in sensitive areas of South Kashmir An Indian mechanic-turned-businessman owns 22 apartments in the popular Burj Khalifa, a media report said on Sunday. George V Nereaparambil says he is not stopping at 22 and will continue to buy more if he gets a good deal. If I get a good deal, Ill buy more. I am a dreamer and I never stop dreaming, he told Khaleej Times. The Kerala-born is believed to be one of the largest private owners within the Burj Khalifa, the worlds tallest structure. His stake in the property came about when a relative teased him about the 828-metre building. A relative of mine jokingly told me: See this Burj Khalifa, you cannot enter it, he said. After seeing an advertisement in a newspaper about an apartment for rent in the building in 2010, Nereaparambil rented the apartment the same day and started living in it from the next day. Now, six years on with 22 of the 900 apartments at perhaps the Gulfs poshest address under his belt, he said five are rented, and as for the rest, hes waiting for the right tenant, the report quoted him as saying. In an incredible sounding rags-to-riches story, Nereaparambil realised there was huge scope for an air conditioning business in the hot climate of the desert after he came to Sharjah back in 1976. Nereaparambil, who helped his father trade cash crops and made money from waste at the age of 11, then went about setting up the beginnings of his now mini empire, GEO Group of Companies. People in my home town used to trade cotton, but theyd throw away the cotton seeds. Not many people knew at that time that you could make gum from those seeds, he said. Sifting through the dirt and sand to gather up the disregarded seeds, he said he would often make a 90% profit selling them on. Id do the same with tamarind seeds too. Id sell the empty shells on as cattle feed, he added. Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi, in an address to the farmers in the Uttar Pradesh sugar belt on Sunday, reiterated his demand to the government to waive off the farmers loans. Speaking at public meetings in Sathiyaon (Azamgarh) and Bhadsar (Ghazipur), Gandhi said he would submit the farmers demand letters to Prime Minister Narendra Modi soon. Continuing his attack on PM Modi, he raised the selfie issue, saying: Modi takes selfies. He enjoys foreign trips. Inki masti kam karni hai. He will have to pay attention to farmers. Modi ji goes to the US, meets his friend Obama and takes selfie with him, then he moves to China where he takes selfie, then he goes to Japan and takes selfie, Gandhi said. Gandhi also attacked other opposition parties, saying that when the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) was in power in UP, the elephant (BSPs symbol) ate up funds. People replaced it with SP (Samajwadi Party), which constructed roads that are not worth even for a cycle (SP symbol) to run on them as it gets punctured. I thought Akhilesh Yadav would carry out development in UP but that did not happen, the Congress vice-president said, attacking the UP chief minister, on the sixth day of his yatra. The Gandhi scion, who is on a 2500-km Deoria to Delhi yatra to connect with the masses in the run-up to the 2017 state assembly polls, resumed his campaign from Azamgarh and after holding a series of meetings in Mau, he will reach Ghazipur. Azamgarh is the parliamentary constituency of SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav. Later at a khat sabha, Rahul blamed RSS and BJP for creating rift in the society as they were experts in creating trouble. He said the Congress, however, always talks of peace and harmony. After the Congress leader left, some people again took away a few khats or cots. Gandhi also called on some anganwadi workers and reminded them that the previous Congress-led UPA government had increased their remuneration. The Congress vice-president also gave a brief speech in Muslim-dominated area of Mubarakpur. Nepals newly elected Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda has said his priority would be to build the foundation of trust with India during his upcoming visit to New Delhi from September 15, his first foreign trip after taking office. Admitting that the past year has not been good for Nepal-India ties, the veteran Maoist leader said the Nepali people and he personally trust Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and he will seek to build on that. In an exclusive interview to Hindustan, HTs sister publication his first after taking office Prachanda opened up about his evolution as a leader, constitutional grievances of Madhesis and plans to address them, hopes and expectations from the India visit, and the role of China. Comparing his first visit as prime minister back in 2008 to now, Prachanda said, At that point, the impact of the revolution and war was very strong on my mind. I needed more time to understand the nuances of politics. After the ups and downs of the past decade, I think I will be able to strengthen relations between the two countries with more maturity. Looking back at the past year, he said mutual suspicion and doubts had increased because of differences on the Constitution writing process which had drawn severe opposition from Madhesi parties of the plains bordering India. He argued that they had tried to take everyone along, but it is often not possible to get 100% consensus on the Constitution. By the time India asked Nepali leaders to pause the process, it was too late since the date of the Constitutions promulgation had been decided. People had to face major difficulties because of the blockade during Constitution promulgation, he said, referring to the closure of border trade points with India last year that resulted in a crippling shortage of essential goods such as fuel and medicines. But he said relations were now headed back to normal. Modiji and I think in similar ways, and we have chemistry. There is a difference in circumstances and our ideology, but that is a different issue. He is a strong Prime Minister, elected with a majority, of a country as big as IndiaBoth Nepali people and I trust Modiji. Now we have to pay attention and strengthen this trust, he said. Prachanda said Modi also wanted to take some risks and depart from tradition, and so did he. He said he would invite Modi to visit religious pilgrimage spots, including Janakpur, Lumbini and Muktinath. Modi was scheduled to visit these sites back in November 2014, but it got cancelled. China, he said, was not a factor in India-Nepal ties. When asked if he was ideologically closer to China, Prachanda said, I dont think it is carrying any ideology. For them, business and economy are important. When asked about the grievances of the Madhesi people over the Constitution, Prachanda said he was personally very sad that a movement took place last year, and many people died. Very few people know that I have registered a note of dissent in the Constitution. I have a natural sympathy for the Madhesi movement. Earlier, I was the coordinator of this very movement. So I believe that the demands of the Madhesis, Tharus, Janjatis must be fulfilled. Prachanda said he wished to register a constitutional amendment before his visit to India. Its a dream come true for a tribal 16-year-old girl who will set off for UK to study English language in an Oxford school in the next one or two months, translating the famous saying -- where there is a will, there is a way into a reality. The only condition is that her passport formalities are done on time. Asha Gond, who hails from Janwaar village in states Panna district, was introduced to English language recently and she soon developed a penchant for this language after getting all kinds of support and encouragement from a German woman, Ulrike Reinhard, who has created a skatepark in Janwaar and trains school-going tribal children in skating and English language. I am very excited. I dont know what UK is like but I will definitely make the most of it. I am not at all scared and will give my best, said an enthusiastic Asha while talking to HT over phone on Thursday. Asha, who has just finished her class 10 from Manohar Kanya High School in Janwaar, did very well in the English course during our summer camp in June last year. So I promised her to take her to UK to learn English. Initially her parents Dharmraj and Kamala Gond were reluctant in allowing her to go abroad and it took me eight months to convince them to let her go. I went to their house many times. I spoke with her mother Kamala while she was working in the fields in the scorching heat. Ashas family is entirely dependent upon farming. These villagers are very simple and usually marry off their daughters once they attain the age of 18 years. They dont understand the significance of studying English language and that too abroad, said Reinhard. It was a tough task for Ulrike when she was trying to persuade Ashas parents. She even had to bring in Lokendra Pratap Singh, MLA of Panna constituency, and her school teacher Awadh Bihari to convince her parents. Singh explained to her parents that she will be safe and fine and that it is a lifetime opportunity for her, said the German woman. Talking to HT, the Panna MLA said, I told Ashas parents that she can be an example for other children in village. She will be the first person to go abroad to study a foreign language. I can understand her parents concern but this was important and we managed to convince them. I thought it would never happen. But Asha never gave up and kept telling her parents that she wanted to go. Finally her parents agreed and I remember Asha had tears in her eyes. So had mine, said Ulrike. When asked about her future plans after coming back from UK, Asha said, I will keep reading and will try to make other children read too. Her parents have promised Ulrike that they wont marry her off when she comes back. Shed rather will have a job at Janwaar Castle and translate my words into that villages language, added Ulrike. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Nepals newly elected Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda has said his priority would be to build the foundation of trust with India during his upcoming visit to New Delhi from September 15, his first foreign trip after taking office. Admitting that the past year has not been good for Nepal-India ties, the veteran Maoist leader said the Nepali people and he personally trust Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and he will seek to build on that. In an exclusive interview to Hindustan, HTs sister publication his first after taking office Prachanda opened up about his evolution as a leader, constitutional grievances of Madhesis and plans to address them, hopes and expectations from the India visit, and the role of China. You are among those who brought democracy to Nepal. But in the last 25 years, Nepal saw 18 governments. There have been eight Prime Ministers in nine years after end of monarchy. Is your democracy on the right track? Nepal is going through a political transition. We embarked on a major political transformation after the peace agreement. To stabilise this change requires a lot of work. The most important issue in the peace process was the integration of those who participated in the war, the management of the weapons. This was a major task, and we have completed it successfully. After this, it is not a big issue if we have had eight or nine governments. We also declared a constitution in the midst of many challenges. A lot remains to be done, but the situation is not as disappointing as your question reflects. After the revolution, some people thought you will be the Mandela of this region, but this did not happen. What went wrong? Our peace process is unique. There are both similarities and differences in our movement, and Mandelas struggle. There is also a difference in time, in fundamental principles. When we moved ahead with the peace process, it was a big thing in the international communist movement. To bring the Maoist movement to power was filled with risks. There seems to be a fragmentation in the Communist Party today. What should be done to keep it united? This is a big experiment, so it is natural that there are debates within. It was necessary to keep it united, but we were not successful. There is a fragmentation in the party. We have seen a series of splits. We have now brought back some of the splinter groups and created a party called the Maoist-Centre, and this was possible because of a convergence in thinking. The Peoples War started under my leadership. This continued for ten years. Then the peace process was also concluded under my leadership. In the first Constituent Assembly election, our party emerged as the single largest force and I got an opportunity to work as the Prime Minister. The splits also happened under my leadership and now, there is a process of unification underway, and I am back as prime minister. It is rare to see such major political changes, ups and downs, in a period of 20-25 years. You are visiting India soon. What are your expectations? There is a need to create a strong foundation of trust with India. The past year has not been good from the perspective of Nepal-India ties. Mutual suspicion and doubts increased in this period. People had to face major difficulties because of the blockade during the constitution promulgation. Now I think that relations are headed back to normal. The primary aim of my India visit is to build new trust, and so it will be in the nature of a goodwill visit. I went earlier as Prime Minister (in 2008), but there is a big difference in the national situation as well as the dynamics of my party then and now. At that point, the impact of the revolution and war was very strong on my mind. I needed more time to understand the nuances of politics. After the ups and downs of the past decade, I think I will be able to strengthen relations between the two countries with more maturity. How do you assess Prime Minister Modi as a leader? A. Modiji and I think in similar ways, and we have chemistry. There is a difference in circumstances and our ideology, but that is a different issue. He is a strong Prime Minister, elected with a majority, of a country as big as India. We spoke when Modiji came for the first time and addressed our Constituent Assembly. It was a rare moment in Nepali history when the visit of the leader of a neighbouring country generated so much enthusiasm. Our first meeting was very good. In the second meeting too, we spoke at length. Both Nepali people and I trust Modiji. Now we have to pay attention and strengthen this trust. You understand both countries well. What do you think is the primary reason for the diplomatic difficulties that crop up periodically? We should both have tried to sustain the hopes and enthusiasm generated by Modijis visit here. What happened later was unfortunate. We all have to learn lessons from it. We were in the middle of the constitution-writing process; we were trying to take everyone along. Modiji had also said this repeatedly. But it is not easy to get 100% agreement on the Constitution. When the constitution was final, some parties particularly the Madhesi forces did not agree. The programme for the promulgation of the constitution by the President was already decided. Then India advised us to stop the process. That is when the problems started. When Indian advice to stop the announcement came, I said that the timing is wrong. You should have come earlier. It is not possible now. Madhesis are not satisfied. Do you think some provisions of the constitution can be amended? A movement took place, many people died. This was a matter of great sadness for me. Very few people know that I have registered a note of dissent in the Constitution. I have a natural sympathy for the Madhes movement. Earlier, I was the coordinator of this very movement. So I believe that the demands of the Madhesis, Tharus, Janjatis must be fulfilled. I want to register a constitutional amendment before my India visit. We are trying, let us see if we can finalise it till then. We read in the newspapers that you have clearly told your diplomats and other that there must be no suspicion about your India visit. Why do doubts crop up? Whenever a prime minister is planning to visit India, it generates a lot of interest, hopes and suspicions. We are very close this leads to both trust and doubts. That is why I told people there is no reason for any doubts. I am going with full confidence. The results will be positive. Ideologically, Modi and you are different. Your principles are more similar to China. Is China a factor in India-Nepal ties? A. I dont think so. Ideology will not be an obstacle in the way we are working. We have to strengthen ties between both countries. There can be no second opinion about the fact that neighbours should have good ties. Modiji also wants to take some risks, depart from tradition, and so do I. I am apprehensive that some forces in both countries do not understand this outlook. When we will try to move ahead, they may try to pull us back. As far as China is concerned, I dont think it is carrying any ideology. For them, business and economy are important. It is all a question of ones national interest. There are reports that Pakistans Inter-Services Intelligence has a major presence here, especially in the Terai. We have an open border. Do you have any plan to control anti-India activities? We will not allow any anti-Indian activity here. It was not there in the past either. We should not allow Nepals territory to be used for activities against any country. On this issue, ordinary Nepalis, political parties and the government are all very clear. Nepals growth rate is very low. What are your plans to make people feel that their livelihoods will improve? It is important to utilise our natural resources well. Everyone knows there are possibilities for hydropower in Nepal. Our biggest priority is using water well to produce energy. I will speak about this in India too. There are also possibilities for tourism. Janakpur, Lumbini, Pashupati, and Muktinath we have it all here. Modiji also has enormous faith in them. I will invite him to come to Janakpur, Lumbini and Muktinath. If Modiji comes here for his pilgrimage, it will help both Nepal-India ties and our tourism. We also have to work for agriculture and infrastructure. Indian businesses may have a role in this. Will you meet them? I will meet them, and appeal to them to invest here. I will tell them that the situation is now conducive, come and invest freely. India is the biggest market for the electricity we produce. We already have an agreement on power trade. We have to remove the difficulties in implementing it. Beyond Prachanda the politician: How do you keep fit? Exercise every morning. Do you go to the gym or walk? I do some yoga, and then play table-tennis. Favourite food? I like Nepali dal-bhaat, rice-lentils. Vegetarian or non-vegetarian? Non-vegetarian. Your favoured outfit? What I am wearing now. (Shirt, pant, and Nepali topi) How do you take time out for your family? I get very little time. Favourite mode of entertainment? Watched movies during student life. Who is your favourite actor? Amitabh Bachchan. And favourite actress? Never paid attention to it. Noted lawyer and activist Prashant Bhushan said on Sunday he will move the Supreme Court for cancellation of bail given to former Rashtriya Janata Dal MP and Bihar strongman Mohammad Shahabuddin who walked out of Bhagalpur jail on Saturday after a decade. As soon as I get the papersthe Patna high courts bail order and the related material, we will file our petition, Bhushan, who has fought many a legal battle including 2G scam and coal scam cases, told HT. He said: I have been approached by the father of one of the victims of Shahabuddins crime and the filing should happen by Wednesday. Shahabuddin, who had been in jail for more than 10 years in connection with multiple cases, was granted bail by the Patna high court on September 7 in connection with the murder of a man who witnessed the killing of two brothers in Siwan. According to sources, of the cases he faces, Shahabuddin received judgment in 12, four of which have been acquittals, while he has nearly completed his sentence in eight cases. He has been convicted in 10 other cases, while in some, trial is incomplete. In some cases, the fact sheet is in compilation stage, while in some part judgments have granted temporarily bail as the cases continue. Shameful that HC granted bail to notorious Gangster/politico(RJD) Shahabuddin.Hv agreed to seek cancellation of Bail in SC on victims behalf Prashant Bhushan (@pbhushan1) September 11, 2016 The criminal-turned-politician was elected for four successive terms to the Lok Sabha from Siwan between 1996 and 2008. But he was debarred from contesting polls in 2009 following his conviction in one of the many criminal cases he faces. After being released from Bhagalpur prison on Saturday morning, he was accorded a grand welcome by his supporters who accompanied him in hundreds of SUVs and bikes to his village Pratappur in Siwan. But his release from jail has already forced many complainants and witnesses in cases against Shahabuddin to seek police security. Since 1990, Siwan has seen blood on the streets because of a brutal battle for supremacy between Shahabuddin and the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) Liberation. Soon after his release on Saturday, Shahabuddin called chief minister Nitish Kumar a chief minister of circumstances, triggering political slugfest between RJD and alliance partner JD(U) in Bihar. As protests against the release of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu showed signs of abating in Mandya, the epicentre of agitation, and other districts in the basin, no major blockade was reported on the Bengaluru-Mysuru highway on Sunday, police said. Bengaluru-Mysuru highway was clear and other routes were open now, Mandy Police officials said, adding that, buses were running as usual. Road traffic between Bengaluru and Mysuru had seen regular disruptions and blockade following the September 5 Supreme Courts directive to Karnataka for release of water to Tamil Nadu. However, some protests by farmers and pro-Kannada outfits were reported in Mandya, Hassan and nearby places on Sunday. In Mandya, Cauvery Hitarakshana Samithi (Cauvery Welfare Committee) under the leadership of its president G Madegowda met to discuss further strategy. They have demanded for immediate stopping of water being released to Tamil Nadu, compensation for farmers and withdrawal of cases against Cauvery protesters. They have also decided to hold meeting of legislators from Cauvery belt on September 14. BJP state president and former chief minister BS Yeddyurappa joined protest in Mandya on Sunday, while JD(S) Supremo and former prime minister HD Deve Gowda conducted aerial survey of the water levels at dams in Cauvery basin region. Speaking to reporters, Gowda supported governments decision to release water to Tamil Nadu as per Supreme Courts directive, keeping in mind the main petition that will come up in the Supreme Court on October 18 in which the state is challenging the final award of the tribunal. I had asked to release water, because if we disobey today, we may not get any benefit from the main petition which is coming up on October 18. If we dont get any benefit from it, Karnatakas fate will be sealed, he said. Deve Gowdas remarks, supporting the governments decision to release water to Tamil Nadu, was criticised as it is contrary to the partys stand as they have been staging protests in Mandya and Hassan against the release of water. On September 5, the apex court had directed Karnataka government to release 15,000 cusecs to Tamil Nadu for the next 10 days to meet the irrigation requirement for Samba paddy crop. The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) has angered its political opponents in Kerala by challenging the legend behind Onam, the states main Hindu festival which will be celebrated on September 14 this year. The RSS argued in its mouthpiece Kesari that Onam marks the birth of Vamana, who is an incarnation of Lord Vishnu, and not the homecoming of Mahabali, a mythical demon king associated with Dalit identity. It said there was no reference in scriptures which supports the popular legend that Vamana had sent Mahabali to the netherworld through deceit. According to popular belief, Mahabali comes home in the Malayalam month of Chingam to visit his subjects and the occasion is celebrated as Thiru Onam. However, the RSS article written by K Unnikrishnan Namboothiri argued that Onam was originally celebrated as Vamanas birthday and not as a festivity to mark Mahabalis homecoming. There is no such reference or explanation anywhere in mythology or epics to support the story that Mahabali was pushed to the netherworld by Vamana and he visits the land every year to meet his subjects. Then, how did such a false story become prevalent in Kerala? it said. The writer also criticised the general picturisation of Mahabali as a man with moustache, pot belly and holding an olakkuda (traditional palm leaf umbrella). It is an attempt by some vested interest to distort the mythical stories and paint in poor light the characters of Hindu Puranas, said Namboothiri, adding that such attempts to destroy Hinduism should be checked. Kerala minister Shylaja rejected the RSSs argument. Perhaps, lower caste or Dalit people were portrayed as demons in our mythical stories. Mahabali is considered to be a demon king. So, he represented the downtrodden, said Shylaja. The present RSS move is to eliminate the achievements of a Dalit ruler and picturise that the upper class is the supreme, she said. Historian M G S Narayanan, a former chairman of Historical Research Council, said there are records that Onam was celebrated as Vamana Jayanthi (birthday of Vamana) centuries ago in the state. Mahabali is a mythical character and his story has nothing to do with the history. But, there are historical references that Onam was celebrated as Vamana Jayanthi in the state during early periods, especially during 9-11 century AD, he said. After a 60 km drive from Kozhikode, one of the first things you see in Nadapuram is a poster of Keralas new icon of love, Kanjanamala, whose love for a Muslim man, has become a household story with the release of the biopic film, Ennu Ninte Moideen starring Prithviraj and Parvathy. The poster announced her as the chief guest at a local school function. This was a reassuring non-violent note in a place otherwise known for a series of political and communal violence. There were police forces deployed at various points with khaki disrupting the lush greenery of this village in north Kerala. As we travelled to the interiors of Nadapuram, the Kanjanamala posters were replaced by a new set portraying a young man that read, With Prayers... Mohammed Aslam, who was brutally killed by CPI(M) gundas. On August 12, Mohammed Aslam, a 22-year old Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) worker, was brutally murdered in broad daylight. Aslams hands were chopped off and his body had 67 stab marks. The murder was allegedly committed by CPI(M) workers to avenge the killing of 19-year-old Shibin CK, a member of CPI(M)s youth wing Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI), on January 22, 2015. Aslam was an accused in the Shibin murder case although he, along with others, had been acquitted by a special court on June 15, 2016. North Kerala has been witness to increasing bouts of politically motivated violence. Many party workers keep a scoreboard of how many workers have been killed in each respective party. According to police, nearly 600 rioting cases have been registered here since 2000, while five political killings have been officially recorded in this small area since 2001. Last year, the area witnessed massive violence with 80 Muslim houses attacked immediately after Shibins murder. Since the assembly elections were declared in March, 178 cases in connection with political rivalries have been booked in nearby Thanur station. Nadapuram is on the border of Kannur, a well-known political battleground in Kerala where violence and murders occur frequently between CPI(M) and RSS cadres. Nadapuram was already infamous for the cycle of violence between CPI(M) and IUML and Aslams murder has raised political tensions again here. The political rift between these two parties first became significant after the murder of IUMLs Ariyil Shukkoor in Kannur in February, 2012. More recently, there have been reports of violence between IUML and CPI(M) workers in Thanur area as well in neighbouring Malappuram district. Shibin CKs family. Shibins father has questioned the special courts acquittal of all the accused in his sons murder case, calling it an injustice. (MS Anas) Shibins father Bhaskaran CK remembers how both Shibin and Aslam studied in the same school. They used to play together when they were children, he says. On the night of January 22, 2015, two IUML workers had a quarrel with some CPI(M) workers, including Shibin. The quarrel began when the IUML folk were accused of spreading dust with their bike, leading to violence. More IUML workers were called as reinforcements, and they arrived with weapons such as axe, sword, iron rod and knife. Shibin was killed in the fight. Bhaskaran returned from Dubai after his sons murder. Aslams mother Subaida, 45, says her son was the sole breadwinner of the family after her husbands death. My son had left for the Gulf to earn a living at the age of 18. He was home on vacation. On the night of Shibins murder, his friends called him saying there was a quarrel going on. He later told me that the quarrel was over by the time he reached there. Subaidas house was subsequently attacked and looted during the violence that broke out in Nadapuram after Shibins murder. Nearly 80 Muslim houses were attacked. My two daughters and I ran away from the house. The mob screamed and warned us to leave for Pakistan, says Subaida, who now lives in a rented house along with her daughters. She says that some CPI(M) workers had openly made threats to kill her son after he was acquitted by the special court. We wont spare him even if the court spares him, they had told me, she says. On August 12, Aslam was riding a two-wheeler with two friends as pillion riders. They were stopped by a car, and a gang came out with sharp weapons which targeted Aslam while his friends escaped. His murder created shockwaves with its brutality in the way that CPI(M) rebel TP Chandrashekharans 2012 assassination at Onchiyam, Kozhikode had. Chandrashekharans body had been found with 51 wounds. Mhd Aslams mother and sisters. An IUML worker, Aslam, was murdered to avenge the killing of Shibin CK. (MS Anas) The communal angle of violence While Kannur often evokes images of bloodshed and country-made bombs in the general Malayali psyche, political violence in Nadapuram has seen a somewhat different trajectory. The secret documents of station crime history (SCH) at Nadapuram police station state that the violence here between CPI(M) and IUML has been actually communal in nature. The area is supposed to have witnessed conversion of upper caste Nairs and Nambiars into Islam in the 16th century. With Tippu Sultans invasion in 18th century, the Muslims here became landowners. Historically, the clash here has been between the Muslim landlords (who later became richer with the Gulf boom) and the Thiyya caste (an OBC community). Over the years, Muslims have been represented by the IUML and the Thiyyas by the CPI(M). For example, Thiyyas used to be disrespectfully called chekkan (boy) and pennu (girl) by Muslims, and CPI(M) leader A Kanaran led a famous protest against this practice in the late 1980s. Similarly, former Kerala chief minister and IUML leader CH Muhammed Koya once famously said, Defeat CPI(M) to save human heads and coconut bunches. Read | CPI(M), RSS workers hacked to death in Keralas Kannur A senior political leader in Kerala said on the condition of anonymity that Nadapuram is now central for both major political alliances in the state the United Democratic Front (UDF, which IUML is a part of) and the CPI (M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF). Though Kerala is largely perceived as a secular state with no communal tensions, vote bank politics here are increasingly becoming dependent on violence, the senior politician says. While Nadapuram helps CPI(M) to hold its largest vote bank of Thiyya/Ezhava community, it also helps the IUML and UDF to project themselves as the saviors of the Muslims. Meanwhile, Nadapuram residents say that the police are inclined to act on behalf of whichever is the ruling party. Thus, its not surprising that Aslams brother-in-law Namshid claims that he is doubtful of a fair inquiry into the case by the police under the CPI(M) rule. The recent transfer of Nadapuram ASP Karuppasamy after Aslams murder is questionable in this regard, he says. The police have not yet arrested the murderers. Witnesses are scared to testify as they do not want to go against the ruling party [the CPI(M)]. Neither side is happy. Shibins father questions the special courts acquittal of all the accused in his sons murder case, calling it an injustice. Aslams mother, too, says the police didnt do anything despite the previous threats against her son. Shibin CKs friends were also injured in the fight between CPM and IUML workers. (MS Anas) CK Subair, State General Secretary of IUMLs youth wing, Muslim Youth League, also hails from Nadapuram. He too accuses the police for the violence in the area. The police failed to act according to the intelligence reports (on Aslams murder). They failed to provide adequate security in the region, he says. On the tensions in Nadapuram, he says the issue has an economic angle as the tensions are also between the rich and the poor. The IUML has helped the Muslim community grow socially and economically. However, the CPI(M) has failed to bring in a similar growth among its constituents, he adds. However, KP Abhilash, sub inspector at Nadapuram, claims that the police have taken a number of measures to curb violence in the area. The police have opened a new control room in Nadapuram. It has been made a sub division. Also, the Nadapuram station, which used to have a large jurisdiction, has been divided into two smaller ones [for better policing], he says. CPI(M) Kozhikode district secretary P Mohanan, who was himself an accused (and later acquitted) in local politician TP Chandrasekharans murder case, says that the IUML has been trying to project CPI(M) as an anti-Muslim party in Nadapuram. The IUML represents the upper class Muslims, while the CPI(M) has always stood with the poor and the working class irrespective of caste and religion, he says. Some of these animosities go back decades and these skirmishes have also been depicted in popular cinema and literature. A popular 2009 film starring Mammootti, Paleri Manikyam: Oru Pathira Kolapathakathinde Katha (Manikyam of Paleri: The Story of A Midnight Murder) earlier a popular novel by TP Rajeevan set in the 1950s portrays the tension in this area as the friction between the Thiyya caste and Muslim landlords. Also, a short story called Nadapuram by the famous Malayalam writer Akbar Kakkattil portrays a man visiting the area to meet his childhood friend. He finds a quiet, serene place with lovable people who turn violent and vengeful overnight. Arsha V Sathyan, a research student from Nadapuram studying at Ambedkar University in Delhi, says that the conflict here is turning more communal rather than less. The sad part is that, unlike in the past, nowadays such feelings are even visible in children, she says. I was shocked to see a Facebook post by a class 9 boy from the village after Aslams murder who said Pavanayi Shavamayi, which is a famous film dialogue meaning Pavanyi became a corpse. And a comment under the post read, This will be your fate if you play with us, she says. Villagers in Nadapuram agree after the acquittal of all the accused in the Shibin murder case, young boys had publicly celebrated on the streets. Dr Yasser Arafath, Assistant Professor in the Department of History, University of Delhi, who also hails from Nadapuram and has researched the violence in the area, is apprehensive that the violence is only going to increase unless there is consistent social and civic engagement between the different communities. Such conflict is likely to increase not only in Nadapuram but also in other parts of Malabar due to factors like the assertion of hyper identity politics, changing class positions, emergence of groups trying to hold the same demographic constituency, and new social mobility in the subaltern social segment, he says. One such new emerging group has been the Popular Front of India (PFI), a right-wing Muslim organisation in Kerala that was the successor of the National Development Front (NDF). One of the political murders in Nadapuram the murder of CPI(M) activist Binu in 2001 for alleged rape attempt of a Muslim woman was committed by the NDF, while the PFI was behind the chopping of a professors hand in 2010 for allegedly insulting the prophet. Malayalam writer PK Parakkadavu, who is an editor at Madhyamam in the Nadapuram area, says that it is this us vs. them narrative that drives the day-to-day life here. Social media plays a key role in propagating vengeance. The political leadership should take efforts to curb the violence instead of protecting the culprits, he says. Violence spreading across district lines Dr Arafaths apprehensions look like they are coming true. There has also been recent violence between CPI(M) and IUML workers in Thanur in Malappuram district. In the last few months, dozens of houses have been looted and destroyed in coastal Thanur. 178 cases were booked in Thanur station in connection with political rivalry since the assembly elections were declared in March, says Sumesh Sudhakaran, sub-inspector at Thanur. Both CPI(M) and IUML workers were recently targeted on the evening of August 21. Sudhakaran was also injured in one of these clashes. Syed Mon, a 55-year-old fisherman and IUML worker, was also one of the victims. When the mob came to my house, I tried to push the door against them. When they succeeded to smash it open, a sword just sparked before my eyes. I thought it would cut my neck, says Mon. Syed Mons wife at her damaged house in Thanur. (Photo credit: By special arrangement) When we visited the place a week after the incident, these houses remained as they had been left by the mob, even though the families still lived there. In most households, the mob destroyed drinking water facilities, any means of livelihood, food grains and kitchen utensils. Nafeesakkutti, a 45-year-old widow, says, They cut the water pipes, looted my tailoring machine and destroyed all the utensils in the kitchen as if to force me and my family to starve and remain thirsty. Violence in Thanur is not as bloodthirsty as in Nadapuram, and it is not communal in nature as both the sides are predominantly Muslim, explains Dr Adeela Abdulla, sub-collector, Thirur (under which Thanur falls). There is no class difference either as both sides are poor people. Thanur residents told us that that they see politics everywhere in their daily life. Fishermen colour their boats red [for CPI(M)] or green [for IUML] as per their political allegiance. One resident said that they even colour the meezan stone on their family graves accordingly. Sometimes the clash between Sunni factions like AP and EK (named after the leaders Kanthapuram AP Aboobakkar Musliyar and EK Aboobakkar Musliyar) also take on a political colour, since the AP faction supports the CPI(M) while the EK faction supports the IUML. Thanur may not be as violent as Kannur and Nadapuram but unlike them, Thanur faces massive law and order problems, says sub-inspector Sudhakaran. Several villagers showed us pictures on their mobile phones of vehicles burnt or left in fields and canals. They said such incidents happen frequently. People are so suspicious of their political rivals that they even approach the police to do a postmortem of their chicken when it dies, adds Sudhakaran with some sarcasm. Many Thanur residents claim that the police sides with the ruling party, and that the recent increase in violence here is due to the shift of power in the constituency. After holding it for 60 years, IUML lost Thanur to a CPI(M)-backed independent candidate in the assembly elections in May. Both parties are now trying to whip up passions among cadres to hold their vote banks. Unlike Muslims in West Bengal, all Kerala Muslims are not disenchanted with the Left. Instead, they are inclined to believe that the Left is more proactive than the Congress and UDF in resisting the growth of the RSS and BJP in the state. This was visible in the May assembly elections where a large number of Muslims are believed to have voted for the Left. A viral WhatsApp meme in the run-up to the May elections discussed how Pinarayi Vijayan, now the Chief Minister of Kerala, had heroically saved Muslims from RSS men during a riot in Kannur in 1971. MN Karassery, a social commentator, says that generally, Muslims in Kerala believe that CPI(M) and its youth wing DYFI are instrumental in stopping RSS violence against Muslims since the 1971 Thalassery riot. However, there is speculation that the BJPs entry into the state assembly with one seat, its first ever in Kerala, and its high-voltage campaigns may change this narrative. Both the CPI(M) and the BJP target the Thiyya (Ezhavas in south Kerala) caste, who form the largest community in Kerala and the largest support base for the CPI(M). The social organization Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana (SNDP) Yogam, which represents the Ezhava community, formed a new political outfit under the leadership of Vellappalli Nateshan in the in the May assembly elections called the Bharat Dharma Jana Sena (BDJS) and had allied with the NDA. However, the outfit failed to make any political gains with the Ezhavas standing firmly with the CPI(M). Also, it is understood that the increase in BJPs vote share affected the UDF more than the LDF in terms of the number of seats. Nonetheless, the CPI(M) is still worried that the rise of BJP will hit them badly in the long run. The party is now making careful new moves with its constituents; for example, it has now begun celebrating Krishna Jayanthi to counter the BJPs cultural campaigns among the Hindus. This changing narrative could have terrifying consequences in Nadapuram. Some residents here say that after Shibins murder, the BJP had openly challenged the CPI(M) local unit to take revenge against the IUML. In Thanur, you hear a different story. A local CPI(M) worker alleged that the IUML and BJP are hand in glove here to fight against the CPI(M). The BJP is the main opposition in Thanur municipality where the IUML is the ruling party. This may be one of the most unlikely, but not the last, strange alliance to form in this storm of violence in north Kerala. Read | We wont sit quietly: BJP warns Left over workers murder in Kerala Published in arrangement with GRIST Media Assembly elections in Andhra Pradesh are still two and a half years away, but the states main opposition the YSR Congress party is all set to engage political strategist Prashant Kishor to work out a plan to capture power in the 2019 elections. Strategist-for-hire Kishor played a major role in designing the campaign strategies of Narendra Modi-led NDA in the 2014 general elections and Nitish Kumars JD(U) in Bihar a year later, before taking up the assignment to resurrect the Congress in UP and Punjab in the assembly polls next year. Read | Prashant Kishor: The man with the Midas touch Sources in YSR Congress said party president Y S Jaganmohan Reddy has reached an agreement with Kishor. At present, Prashant is busy helping the Congress party in the forthcoming elections in Uttar Pradesh. Once he completes the UP mission, he, along with his team, will concentrate on Andhra Pradesh with a view to chalk out a political strategy for YSR Congress in the next assembly elections to be held in 2019,a party source said. Officially, however, the party leaders are tight-lipped about engaging Kishors services for the next elections. When contacted, YSR Congress MP V Vijay Sai Reddy, who is a key advisor to Jagan, neither confirmed nor denied the report. I dont want to say anything right now but we will disclose our plans at an appropriate time, Reddy told HT. He, however, said the party would take help of various agencies, including Prashant Kishor, to study the current political situation and work out how to benefit from it. Read | Why UP is Prashant Kishors biggest challenge Another party MP Mekapati Rajamohan Reddy said the party president had recently discussed the issue of engaging the services of a political strategist, presently working in Uttar Pradesh, to draft the action plan for YSRC in the next elections. Our leader, however, did not disclose his name then, he said. The YSR Congress leaders believe there is a strong anti-incumbency building against ruling Telugu Desam Party in Andhra Pradesh. The TDP won 102 seats in the 2014 assembly polls while the YSRC bagged 67 seats in the 176-member assembly. The failure of the Chandrababu Naidu government on various fronts, especially with regard to tackling drought in Rayalaseema, failure in implementing crop loan waiver scheme, growing unemployment in the state, lack of industrialisation and rampant corruption in the construction of the new capital city of Amaravati. Naidus failure to secure special category status to Andhra Pradesh is the last nail in the coffin of the TDP, a senior YSRC leader said. Read | Cong ropes in Prashant Kishor, man who managed wins for Modi, Nitish The YSR Congress has already started its preparations for the next elections by launching a door-to-door campaign to expose the alleged failures of the Chandrababu Naidu government. Sources said Prashant Kishor has already suggested some steps to the YSRC to prepare the ground for the campaign strategy. These include building up a 10,000-member strong youth brigade for a ground-level study to pick up winning candidates, identifying issues that would prove negative for the Naidu government in the coming days, taking up issues into the people in an effective manner and above all, effective media management. A Kashmir-based mastermind is under the scanner of the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) for running a hashish racket in the city in which women are used as carriers. The racket was busted when the NCB, acting on a tip-off, arrested two Kashmiri women commuters, who were seated in a Mumbai Central-bound long-distance train, at Borivli railway station last month. The NCB seized good-quality hashish weighing 43.7kg from the women, who are from Srinagar. The accused Mehbooba, 35, and Mehroon, 65, were to hand over the drug consignment to local distributor Sajad, 35, who has also been arrested in the case. Sustained interrogation of the trio led the NCB to the mastermind. Mehbooba is the wife of the Kashmir-based mastermind, who is also wanted in cases in Jammu. We are looking for five of his accomplices in the city, including a couple. All of them are absconding, said an NCB officer. At times, drugs were brought to the city in trucks, while women were bringing them into the city on trains, said the officer. To dodge enforcement agencies, drug peddlers in the city visit places close to Mumbai such as Jalgaon and Nashik. At times, the exchange occurs at these places where carriers from Kashmir meet local drug peddlers, said the officer. Kashmiri hashish is much in demand in the city because of its purity. Investigations revealed the seized hashish in the recent arrests is of a good quality that would cost Rs3,000 to Rs4,000 for every 10 grams. The street value is much higher because it is sold after adulteration, said the officer. Kumar Sanjay Jha, NCB zonal director, Mumbai and Goa region, said the operation is part of the ongoing process to clamp down on hashish. Around 90kg of hashish has been seized so far this year. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Muslim groups have criticised Islamic preacher Zakir Naiks open letter, in which he said that targeting him is attacking Indias Muslims. Javed Anand, general secretary of Muslims for Secular Democracy (MSD), issued a press statement criticising Nails letter. His claim of spreading the message of peace for the last 25 years is nothing but a lie through and through. What he has actually been spreading in the name of Islam and peace are prejudice, intolerance, contempt for other religions and its followers, if not outright hatred, the statement read. Naik, a so-called TV evangelist whose speeches are aired on his channel, Peace TV, runs Islamic Research Foundation (IRF). He is accused of giving provocative hate speeches and dodging the police after it was reported that one of the terrorists who attacked Dhaka in July said he was inspired by Naiks speeches. Anand asked Naik a question. Since his open letter to Indians comes in the middle of Ganeshotsav, I would like to (ask) him a simple question: Would he consider wishing millions of Ganesh bhakts with Happy Ganeshotsav? Or does he consider that to be a great sin? he said in the statement. Anand told HT, He considers taking Shivas or Ganeshas name a sin. He considers eating prasad a sin, and he is writing a letter to Indians. What world is he living in and which Indian is he addressing? Feroz Mithiborwala, also from MSD, said, Naik speaking on democracy and peace itself is hypocrisy of the highest order. He is on record saying that since Islam is the only true religion, people of other religions have no right to preach and convert, and they can only practise it at home because they will not be allowed to build their temples and churches, which is in clear violation of Article 25 of our constitution (Constitution of India), both in letter and in spirit. Mithiborwala also took a jibe at Naik. Had India been a Muslim-majority country, would he and his followers have continued to remain in the secular state or would they impose their own laws? In a move that is likely to irk the BJP and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena on Sunday extended an olive branch to sacked RSS Goa chief Subhash Velingkar. In a two-hour meeting with Velingkar in Panjim, Sena MP Sanjay Raut declared full support to the former RSS Goa chief and even offered to form an alliance with his newly formed outfit to contest the upcoming Goa Assembly polls against the BJP. Velingkar was sacked by the RSS for running a campaign against the BJP in Goa for continuing grants to around 140 church-run English medium schools recently. He is now making efforts to form an alliance with local parties to pull down the current BJP government in the state Assembly elections scheduled next year. Sena, which is one of the BJPs oldest allies, has supported Velingkar because the party claimed it wanted to protect the mother tongue of Goa Konkani. The party has already declared it will contest 20 seats, half the total strength of the Goa assembly. Raut said the party doesnt want to interfere in the RSSs internal problem, but it certainly feels Velingkar is fighting to protect Goas mother tongue and thus they are share a common cause. We need to protect our mother tongues, be it Hindi, Marathi, Konkani or Bengali. Hence we have decided to support Velingkar in his movement, Raut told HT. He then charged former chief minister and Union defence minister Manohar Parrikar for betraying his campaign promise of discontinuing grants to schools run by missionary organisations. By giving grants to these schools, they [BJP government] is eradicating regional language schools, Raut said. The BJP and the Sena do not share a cordial relationship after the former refused to accept its demand for a certain number of berths in the Narendra Modi cabinet. With several upcoming elections, including the BMC polls, both the allies are taking every opportunity to target each other. When asked if the BJP may get upset with their move, Raut replied they would have considered it if the matter was related to Maharashtra. Outside Maharashtra we have no alliance with anyone, he said. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Aam Aadmi Party released farmers manifesto in Moga on Sunday. Here are the main points of the manifesto that party leader Kanwar Singh Sandhu announced during the rally in Moga: 1. Bank farm loans to poor farmers, farm labourers, SCs and BCs to be waived 2. Arthiya (money lender) farm debts, where farmer has paid twice the amount of the principal, to be deemed discharged 3. Compensation of Rs 20,000 per acre for crop loss due to natural causes and Rs 10,000 per acre for crop failure 4. Minimum support price will be cost plus 50 per cent 5. Return of land acquired for the SYL canal to original owners 6. Lifting of farm produce within 24 hours and full payment in 72 hours 7. 12 hours of free electricity to farmers; no electricity bills on motors 8. Shagun of Rs 51,000 within one week of wedding of daughter of a farmer 9. Shagun deposit of Rs 21,000 on the birth of a farmers daughter 10. Rs 5 lakh and a government job for adult member of families affected by farmers suicides in past ten years 11. Old age pension to be increased from Rs 500 to Rs 2000 per month 12. Additional 10 lakh families to be covered under Atta dal scheme 13. Time bound inquiry against cabinet ministers Tota Singh, Adaish Pratap Singh Kairon, Bikram Singh Majithia and Sikander Singh Maluka 14. Fast track courts to dispose all pending land related litigations of farmers within 2 years 15. Compensation of Rs 10,000 per acre for land beyond the international border fence 16. Collateral free loan of Rs 2 lakh for landless labourers to start business 17. Collateral free education loan of Rs 10 lakh for children of farmers and farm labourers Despite the government efforts to ban school buses for ferrying crowds to the Aam Aadmi Partys (AAP) rally at Baghapurana in Moga where party chief Arvind Kejriwal was to release a poll manifesto for farmers, majority of crowd was being carried in the school buses. The venue flooded with more than 50,000 people, one hour before the given time of arrival of the Arvind Kejriwal. On Saturday, district authorities of Moga and neighbouring Muktsar had called for all school buses to be off roads. The move was decried by AAP leaders, including Kejriwal, who saw in it a ploy to reduce the number of transport vehicles available to ferry people to the rally. Read: School buses ordered off roads, AAP sees Badal trick to cut rally attendance In a written order to private and unaided schools, Muktsar district education officer (DEO) Davinder Kumar Rajoria had directed their managements to keep school buses off road at any cost on Sunday, so as to avoid any strict action. Sources told HT that the Moga district education department had issued similar orders orally, to attend a safety awareness seminar at a private school at 10am. Congress shows its strength, holds massive bike rally Congress holds bike rally on Sunday. (HT Photo) Parallel to the AAP rally, Baghapurana Congress leadership led by former MLA Darshan Brar and his son Kamaljit Singh Brar organised a massive bike rally to show its strength in the constituency. Youths on about hundred bikes, carrying placards in their hands, chanted slogans against the AAP and appealed public to bring congress government. Mahila Congress hold protest Mahila Congress unit of Baghapurana led by Congress leader Veerpal Kaur also held a protest against the Arvind Kejriwal at Shaheed Bhagat Singh Chowk here on Sunday. Mahila workers are protesting against the alleged sexual exploitation of women by the AAP leaders. Read | Live: AAP to release farmers manifesto in Moga today SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Upping the ante on the corruption plank to an unprecedented level, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) farmers manifesto for the assembly polls carries the names of four Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) ministers in Punjabs SAD-BJP government and promises to jail them, if it comes to power. The manifesto was released at a well-attended rally here on Sunday by AAP convener and Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, who reiterated corruption charges against Tota Singh (agriculture), Adaish Partap Singh Kairon (food and civil supplies), Bikram Singh Majithia (revenue) and Sikander Singh Maluka (rural development). Significantly, two of them are part of the larger Badal clan Kairon is the son-in-law of chief minister Parkash Singh Badal, and Majithia is the brother of Union minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal, who is the wife of the CMs son and deputy, Sukhbir Singh Badal. Also read | AAP, SAD declare Twitter war on each other This is arguably the first time that a party has named rivals and given it in writing that it will jail them. It gains significance as the AAP has been stressing that it considers its manifesto sacrosanct and will implement it in toto. Former journalist Kanwar Sandhu, who read out some points of the manifesto, has led a team in preparing the document. Dont miss | Ban not affected, school buses used for ferrying crowd to AAP rally Kejriwal did not touch upon any of the recent controversies dogging the party, be it the sacking of Sucha Singh Chhotepur as state AAP convener over allegations of accepting unaccounted cash in a sting operation, or former BJP MP Navjot Singh Sidhu forming his own political forum after talks to his joining the AAP failed. The only time he got close to the Chhotepur issue was when he said the AAP has no compromise on corruption, and underlined how AAP is the first party since Independence to have sacked three ministers (in Delhi) on the charges of corruption. Reiterating other key points that he has made repeatedly in his four-day trip that concludes on Monday, Kejriwal kept the focus firmly on farmers and corruption. He started his speech by reiterating the promise to give holy city status to Amritsar and Anandpur Sahib in two months of coming to power, and then went on to blame the Amarinder and Badal-led governments of the Congress and SAD-BJP over the last 10-15 years for snatching the joy out of farmers lives and giving them tears. Must read | Arvind Kejriwal promises holy cities what they already have He named Tota Singh in the supply of spurious pesticide to cotton farmers that had hit the crop last year; Kairon for Rs 12,000 crore worth of grains gone missing; Majithia for running the business of narcotics; and also named Sukhbir, though he did not talk of a specific scam. They will be jailed, and their property will be confiscated and used for building schools, hospitals and roads, he said. He even declared that buses of Badal-owned transport firms will be seized and given to unemployed youth to ply to make a living. Our government will take the buses in its custody, he said. From the manifesto, he made specific mention of the plan to re-enact the Sir Chhotu Ram Act of 1934 to ease debt taken from non-institutional moneylenders. Under no circumstances will the interest exceed the principal amount, he underlined. It also ambitiously plans to register all private lenders and give passbooks to borrowers. Another key promise is the waiver of bank loans for poor farmers, labourers, SCs and BCs, and a stop till December 2018 on coercive action by banks against defaulters. By December 2018, all farmers of Punjab will be debt-free, he quoted the manifesto. This manifesto follows a youth manifesto released in July, and the party plans to next launch a Dalit manifesto besides other such parts. AAP supporters from Canada with AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal Bagha Purana village in Punjabs Moga district on Sunday. (Ravi Kumar/HT) SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Chief minister Raghubar Das will lead a team to Silicon Valley, worlds largest information technology hub, in the US this month to woo IT giants to invest in Jharkhand. Sanjay Kumar, principal secretary to the CM, said IT majors such as Sysco, Hewlett Packard and Oracle would be invited to invest in the state. The CM will also attend a mining expo in Las Vegas to lure investments by mining companies and get the latest world-class mining technologies, Kumar told Hindustan Times on Saturday. Mining companies from across the globe participate in the Las Vegas expo, held once in four years, he said. Silicon Valley, located in the southern part of the San Francisco Bay Area in Northern California, is home to many of the worlds largest high-tech corporations, multinational IT giants and thousands of startup companies. A team from Jharkhand is likely to visit South Korea and Japan in October and November to lure investments in the automobile sector, Kumar said. The state finalised a policy for investment in the automobile sector recently. Jharkhand is set to hold roadshows and seminars in Australia, Singapore and New Zealand by November under Momentum Jharkhand, states campaign to lure investors to its maiden Vibrant Gujarat-like global investors summit scheduled in February next year. State industry department officials said roadshows would be held in the US from September 25 to 30, in Singapore in early November, and in Australia and New Zealand by November-end. The global investors summit in Jharkhand is scheduled to be held in February 2017. Through the roadshows in foreign countries, we will spread awareness about the investment potential in the state and invite investors to the summit, said state industry secretary K Ravi Kumar. Das met ambassadors of at least 40 countries -- including Germany, Japan, China and Singapore -- in Delhi during similar roadshows in August. Events were also held in Mumbai, Hyderabad and Bengaluru during which 45 companies showed interest in investing in Jharkhand, industry officials said. The state framed a new industry policy and launched a single-window system to ease the process of starting a business. Jharkhand is, however, facing protests against land acquisitions. Last month, opposition parties joined hands to protest against land acquisition by the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) in Hazaribaghs Barkagaon leading to detention of many leaders, including a former chief minister and sitting legislators. Two villagers were killed on August 29 in Ramgarhs Gola block during a protest against non-granting of displacement benefits by a private power plant. The state recently signed MoUs worth `62,000 crore during the Make in India Mumbai conclave. Jharkhand has formed a Jharkhand Investment Promotion Board (JIPB), which met for the first time in Mumbai on July 8. The JIPB includes businessmen and experts such as Kumar Mangalam Birla, Gautam Adani, TV Narendran, Sajjan Jindal, OP Mittal and Rajiv Jhawar. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Actress Mandira Bedi will return to Tamil film after 12 years when she plays a police officer in the Tamil actioner Adangathey. She last appeared in the 2004 Tamil romantic-thriller Manmadhan. Mandira was approached and signed on because this character is of a north Indian. She plays a cop, and the director couldnt think of anyone else apart from her. Even Mandira was surprised when she was offered the role, said a source from the films unit. To be helmed by debutant Shanmugam Muthusamy, the project stars GV Prakash Kumar and veteran actor Sarath Kumar in the lead, apart from Surbhi as the female lead. The source also clarified that Mandira wont be paired with Sarath in the film. The principal shooting stars from October. ott:10:ht-entertainment_listing-desktop The mother of Mohammed Atta, one of the kamikaze hijackers who destroyed the World Trade Center, says she believes her son is alive at the US prison in Guantanamo Bay, in an interview published Sunday in Spain. Bozaina Mohamed Mustafa Sheraqi told daily newspaper El Mundo that Atta -- one of the masterminds behind the September 11, 2001 attacks -- was the victim of an elaborate US plot and had done nothing wrong. He is alive and this is the message I send my son. I think he is in Guantanamo. Son, I want to see you before I die. I am 74 and I live with the hope that you have survived. I know you never did anything wrong and you never could have done what they say you did, she told the newspaper by telephone from Cairo where she lives with her two daughters. The United States is hiding the truth. They are the ones who designed this attack to spread the idea that Islam is terrorism. They selected people with Arab passports to blame them and, at the same time, our nations and divide us, she added. The newspaper said it was the first interview which Bozaina has granted since 9/11. Attas family has long claimed they believe he had nothing to with the attacks and was alive. After Mohammed Atta was first identified as one of the 19 hijackers of 9/11, his late father --- a lawyer also named Mohammed who died in 2008 -- flatly denied it, even claiming his son had phoned him from an undisclosed location the day after the attack. But after the 2005 bombings of three London subway trains and a bus, the elder Atta appeared to have accepted the loss of his son. When a CNN producer talked to him shortly after the London bombings, he boasted that his sons heroism had marked the advent of a 50-year religious war and demanded $5,000 (5,600 euros) for a televised interview. He said the money would go towards funding another attack in London. CNN declined the interview but reported the conversation on its website. Sunday marks the 15th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks on the United States that left nearly 3,000 people dead. The Al-Qaeda plane hijackings of September 11, 2001 -- the first foreign attack on the US mainland in nearly two centuries -- ruptured a sense of safety and plunged the West into wars still being fought today. Two planes smashed into New Yorks World Trade Center, leaving 2,753 dead. A third hit the Pentagon in Washington, killing 184, and 40 more died after a fourth plane headed for Washington crashed into a field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania after a passenger revolt. Here is the timeline of the events that fateful morning, which reshaped the course of US history: 8:46 am - The first strike An American Airlines Boeing 767 making a Boston-Los Angeles connection with 92 people on board -- including five hijackers -- smashes into the North Tower of the World Trade Center, leaving a giant hole in the buildings facade. Thick smoke trails into the sky from the towers upper floors. 9:03 am - Second tower hit A United Airlines Boeing 767 making a Boston-Los Angeles connection with 65 people on board -- including five hijackers -- hits the South Tower of the WTC, sparking a massive explosion. (AFP) 9:30 am - Bush speaks Then US president George W. Bush, in Sarasota, Florida, calls the blasts an apparent terrorist attack. He orders a full-scale investigation to hunt down and to find those folks who committed these acts and says he will immediately return to Washington. In this photo released by The White House 16 September, 2001, US President George W Bush speaks by phone from Air Force One with US vice-president Dick Cheney after departing Air Force Base in Nebraska, 11 September, 2001. (AFP) 9:37 am - Pentagon hit An American Airlines Boeing 757 making a Washington Dulles-Los Angeles connection with 64 people on board -- including five hijackers -- smashes into the Pentagon in suburban Washington, setting off two explosions. Fishermen on a boat watch smoke rising from the Pentagon in Washington 11 September 2001. (AFP) 9:42 am - Planes grounded The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) orders the cancellation of all commercial flights in the United States. A Luftansa flight from Frankfurt Germany destined for Atlanta, GA lands in Toronto, Canada after being diverted due to American airport closures, resulting from the highjacking of two aircraft that were crashed into the World Trade Center in New York City 11 September 2001. (AFP) 9:59 am - South Tower collapses The WTCs South Tower, hit 56 minutes earlier, collapses in a huge cloud of smoke and dust. The south tower of the World Trade Center collapses sending dust and smoke into the streets 11 September, 2001, in New York. (AFP) 10:03 am - Crash in Pennsylvania A United Airlines Boeing 757 traveling from Newark to San Francisco with 44 people on board -- including four hijackers -- crashes into a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, after passengers and crew apparently fought with the hijackers. 10:28 am - North Tower collapses The north tower of the WTC collapses, an hour and 42 minutes after it was struck. A huge cloud of dust blankets lower Manhattan. This 11 September 2001 file photo shows Marcy Borders covered in dust as she takes refuge in an office building after one of the World Trade Center towers collapsed in New York. Borders was caught outside on the street as the cloud of smoke and dust enveloped the area. The woman was caught outside on the street as the cloud of smoke and dust enveloped the area. (AFP) The following day A man inspired by the Islamic state group was on Sunday charged with committing an act of terror for a stabbing attack that Australian police called the new face of terrorism. The alleged stabbing by the 22-year-old in Sydney came two days after a teenage boy was charged with making threats at the Sydney Opera House, and both incidents followed an IS call to target high-profile Australian sites. The man, named in local media as Ihsas Khan, was charged with committing a terrorist act and attempted murder after the alleged attack on a 59-year-old man in the southwest Sydney suburb of Minto Saturday. We know that this person has strong extremist beliefs inspired by ISIS (Islamic State), New South Wales state police Deputy Commissioner Catherine Burn told reporters in Sydney, adding that investigators had seized a large knife. Federal Attorney-General George Brandis said investigators established the alleged IS link after seizing material related to the militant group, without giving further details. The stabbing left the victim, who police believe did not know his attacker, with serious wounds to his hands and body. He remains in hospital in a serious condition. Burn said that when police were called to a road in Minto where the victim was, the young man allegedly tried to stab officers through a window. What made him actually act yesterday, we dont know. But hopefully, our further investigations will uncover that. It was deliberate. It was violent, she added. There was clearly some planning and preparation... we will allege down the track that he was going to attack (police) also, she said. Brandis told reporters in Brisbane Sunday that the victim could have died if locals had not rushed to helped him after he was stabbed, saying they acted heroically. Real threat The attacker -- who was refused bail after a court appearance Sunday -- was not believed to be connected to any terrorist groups known to police, Burn said, but stressed that the type of threat he posed was a new challenge to authorities. This is the new face of terrorism. This is the new face of what we deal with, Burn said. There is an individual who, known to police for some matters, decides or for whatever reason, becomes inspired to act; they are able to get some basic capability and act. The case is due to be heard again in a Sydney court Wednesday. Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull last week said the threat of a terror attack in the nation was real after IS call to followers to target prominent Australian locations. He added Sunday it was not yet known if the Minto incident had been inspired by the IS call, but said there were no plans at this stage to raise the terror threat level, which is currently at probable. Officials had said they have stopped 10 terror attacks in Australia in the past two years. Canberra is set to table two new counter-terrorism bills in parliament this week. They involve the options of keeping high-risk jihadists in detention beyond the completion of their sentences, and lowering the age threshold to 14 for control orders that aim to prevent an attack by limiting a persons activities. Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton on Sunday left a ceremony to mark the 15th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks early after feeling unwell. Clintons early exit from the memorial service in New York because she felt overheated is likely to be used by Republicans to raise more questions about her health. A Clinton campaign spokesperson said in a statement the nominee felt overheated so departed to go to her daughters apartment, and is feeling much better. Clinton later told reporters she was feeling great. Both Clinton and Donald Trump were at the event held every year at Ground Zero, where the twin towers of the World Trade Center stood before being struck on September 11, 2001. Clinton left the event 30 minutes before it was scheduled to end, setting off speculation of a medical event, noted and repeated on social media eagerly by Republicans and conservatives. They have already tried to raise questions about her health using rightwing conspiracy theories, without any evidence, to argue she is not healthy for running the White House. Remember the iconic black and white picture of a sailor kissing a nurse that became the defining image of the end of World War II? Greta Friedman, one of the three women who later claimed to be that nurse, died on Thursday. She was 92. Friedmans claim was never settled indisputably over the others. The photographer, Alfred Eisenstaedt, kept no records, but he did meet one of the other two women. He died in 1995. The man in the picture remains an unresolved dispute among 11 claims, though George Mendonsa, a veteran and retired fisherman, has had a leading claim for a while. Friedman and Mendonsa were invited to a 1980 re-enactment of the iconic picture, but they did not kiss again. They remained in touch though, exchanging Christmas cards. Eisenstaedt took that picture on August 14, 1945, during V-J Day celebrations in Times Square, New York after Japans surrender ending the war that started in 1939 with the German invasion of Poland and claimed upwards of 50 million lives. The picture ran full-page in Life. In this August 14, 1945 photo provided by the US Navy, a sailor and a nurse kiss in Manhattan's Times Square, as New York City celebrates the end of World War II. The woman, Greta Zimmer Friedman, died on September 8, 2016, at the age of 92. (AP File ) Life magazine photographer Alfred Eisenstaedts famous shot of the same kiss is from a slightly different angle, and captured the euphoric mood of the celebrations on Victory over Japan Day in New York City on August 14, 1945. (Getty Image) Friedman didnt know of it until the 1960s, when she saw it in a book of Eisenstaedts pictures. When she called Life to say it was her, she was told about an earlier claim. Friedman said in an interview archived with Veterans History Project: Suddenly, I was grabbed by a sailor. It wasnt that much of a kiss. It was more of a jubilant act that he didnt have to go back. I found out later he was so happy that he didnt have to go back to the Pacific where they had already been through the war. The reason he grabbed somebody dressed like a nurse, that he felt so very grateful to the nurses who took care of the wounded. Friedman, who was 21 then, was not a nurse, but a dental assistant. In a report on Friedmans death, The New York Times said Saturday, the picture took on darker undertones in later years as an instance of sexual assault, based on how Friedman described it: I felt that he was very strong. He was just holding me tight. Im not sure about the kiss... it was just somebody celebrating. It wasnt a romantic event. US President Barack Obama on Sunday marked the 15th anniversary of the September 11 attacks by calling on Americans to embrace the nations character as a people drawn from every corner of the world, from every religion and from every background. He said extremist groups will never be able to defeat the United States. Obama spoke to hundreds of service members, and relatives and survivors of the attack that occurred at the Pentagon when American Airlines Flight 77 slammed into the Defense Departments headquarters, killing 184 people. The youngest victim was only 3 years old. In all, about 3,000 people lost their lives that day as a result of the planes that crashed into New York Citys World Trade Center and in a Pennsylvania field. The president said extremist groups such as the Islamic State group and al Qaeda know they can never drive down the US, so they focus on trying to instil fear in hopes of trying to get Americans to change how they live. We know that our diversity, our patchwork heritage is not a weakness, it is still and always will be one of our greatest strengths, Obama said. This is the America that was attacked that September morning. This is the America that we must remain true to. Obama spoke on warm, sunny morning, noting that the threat that became so evident on September 11 has evolved greatly over the past 15 years. Terrorists, he said, often attempt attacks on a smaller, but still deadly scale, specifically citing attacks in Boston, San Bernardino and Orlando as examples. In the end, he said, the enduring memorial to those who lost their lives that day is ensuring that we stay true to ourselves, that we stay true to whats best in us, that we do not let others divide us. An American flag is draped over the Pentagon where it was hit by an airliner 15 years ago, in Arlington, Virginia. (AFP Photo) How we conduct ourselves as individuals and as a nation, we have the opportunity each and every day to live up to the sacrifice of those heroes that we lost, Obama said. Obama began and ended his remarks by quoting from the Book of Proverbs: Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you. Bind them around your neck. Write them on the table of your heart. Obama also marked his final September 11 observance as president with a moment of silence inside the White House to coincide with when the first plane hit the Twin Towers. Atop the White House, the American flag flew at half-staff. Obama invited governors, interested organisations and individuals to follow suit. A decade after the attacks, al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden was killed by US forces in a raid in Pakistan that Obama authorized. Obama noted that event as he spoke about how the nation has responded since 9/11 by delivering justice to bin Laden, by strengthening homeland security and by preventing attacks. We resolve to continue doing everything in our power to protect this country that we love, he said, facing the crowd and the benches that are a hallmark of the Pentagon Memorial. The Warwickshire police said on Sunday that several arrests were made following a standoff provoked by a group of 30 armed men entering the Gurdwara Sahib Leamington Spa and Warwick, ostensibly to prevent an interfaith marriage. A number of arrests made on suspicion of aggravated trespass following incident at Gurdwara Leamington Temple, the police said, after reporting that armed officers had cordoned off the gurdwara to deal with the group that was carrying swords. The gurdwara, located 95 miles northwest of London, is reputed to be among the largest outside India. Local reports suggested that mixed marriages had generated tensions in the Sikh community. The Sunday incident was said to be linked to another interfaith marriage in the gurdwara. The Warwickshire police said the incident was not being treated as a terrorist incident. It said: Officers are responding to an ongoing incident at the Gurdwara Temple on Tachbrook Drive, Leamington Spa...This is currently being treated as aggravated trespass and at this time we believe that it is an escalation of an ongoing local dispute. We believe that some of the men are in possession of bladed items and as such armed officers have been deployed to the scene. Officers are inside the Temple to negotiate a peaceful resolution. We would like to reassure people that this is not being treated as a terrorist incident. There are also religious leaders in the Temple working with officers to negotiate a peaceful resolution. There are police cordons in place around the Temple and we would ask that people avoid the immediate area while the incident is resolved. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The US marked the 15th anniversary of 9/11 on Sunday, with victims relatives reading their names and reflecting on a loss that still felt as immediate to them as it was indelible for the nation. Hundreds of victims family members, survivors and dignitaries gathered at ground zero under an overcast sky that shrouded the 1,776-foot-tall top of One World Trade Center, the centrepiece of the rebuilt site. It doesnt get easier. The grief never goes away. You dont move forward it always stays with you, said Tom Acquaviva, of Wayne, New Jersey, who lost his son Paul Acquaviva. Read | 9/11 revisited: The 102 minutes that changed America in pics, news clippings James Johnson, a retired New York City police sergeant who is now police chief in Forest City, Pennsylvania, came to ground zero for the first time since he last worked on the rescue and recovery efforts in early 2002. A member of the New York Police Department's (NYPD) Emerald Society Pipe & Drum Band looks at memorial before the start of the ceremony, marking the 15th anniversary of the attacks. (Reuters Photo) Ive got mixed emotions, but Im still kind of numb, he said. I think everyone needs closure, and this is my time to have closure. President Barack Obama was scheduled to speak at an observance at the Pentagon. Hundreds of people also were expected at a ceremony at the Flight 93 National Memorial in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. Nearly 3,000 people died when hijacked planes slammed into the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and a field near Shanksville on September 11, 2001. It was the deadliest terror attack on American soil. The setting sun is reflected off One World Trade Center and the World Trade Center PATH station at Ground Zero, the night before the 15th anniversary of the September 11, 2011 terrorist attacks. (AFP Photo) The 15th anniversary arrives in a country caught up in a combustible political campaign, and keenly focused on political, economic and social fissures. But some at the ceremony pleaded for the nation to look past its differences. A guest sits near the memorial before the start of the ceremony marking the 15th anniversary of the attacks on the World Trade Center, in Lower Manhattan in New York City. (Reuters Photo) The things we think separate us really dont. Were all part of this one Earth in this vast universe, said Granvilette Kestenbaum, who lost her astrophysicist husband, Howard Kestenbaum. Were all ordinary, and were all special, were all connected. We waste precious time by thinking otherwise. The nation tries to put partisan politics on hold on the anniversary, and both Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton and Republican rival Donald Trump were at the anniversary ceremony at the World Trade Center. Neither candidate was expected to make public remarks at a ceremony where politicians have been allowed to attend, but not speak, since 2011. Clinton and Trump also followed a custom of halting television ads for the day. Mourners hold photos of their loved ones during the 15th anniversary celebration of the attacks of the World Trade Center at the National September 11 Memorial in New York. (AP Photo) While ground zero and the nation around it are forever marked but greatly changed since 9/11, the anniversary ceremony itself has become one of the constants in how America remembers the attacks after 15 years. Organizers included some additional music and readings Sunday to mark the milestone year. But they were keeping close to what are now traditions: moments of silence and tolling bells, an apolitical atmosphere and the hours-long reading of the names of the dead. Read | Were at war: These handwritten notes reveal how Bush reacted to 9/11 This idea of physical transformation is so real here, September 11 memorial president Joe Daniels said this week. But on this September 11 itself, bringing the focus back to why we did all this which is to honour those that were lost is something very intentional. The second tower of the World Trade Center bursts into flames after being hit by a hijacked air plane in New York. (Reuters File Photo) The simple, reverential observance may be the norm now, but city officials fielded about 4,500 suggestions including a Broadway parade honouring rescue workers and a one-minute blackout of all of Manhattan while planning the first ceremony in 2002. Financial and other hurdles delayed the redevelopment of the trade centre site early on, but now the 9/11 museum, three of four currently planned skyscrapers, an architecturally adventuresome transportation hub and shopping concourse and other features stand at the site. A design for a long-stalled, $250 million performing arts centre was unveiled Thursday. A man grieves outside the World Trade Center site in New York. (Reuters Photo) Around the trade centre, lower Manhattan now has dozens of new hotels and eateries, 60,000 more residents and ever-more visitors than before 9/11. Meanwhile, the crowd has thinned somewhat at the anniversary ceremony in recent years. But theres been no sustained talk of curtailing the ceremony. American flags are placed on the south pool of the National September 11 Memorial. (AP Photo) US President Barack Obama, first lady Michelle Obama, pause on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington as they observe a moment of silence to mark the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks last year. (AP File Photo) US soldiers roll their flag during a ceremony to commemorate the Sept 11, 2001 terrorist attack on the World Trade Center in New York, in Resolute Support headquarters, in Kabul, Afghanistan. (AP Photo) Cathy Cava, who lost her sister, Grace Susca Galante, has attended all 15 years. I will keep coming as long as I am walking and breathing, Cava said, wearing a T-shirt with her sisters photo. I believe most of her spirit, or at least some of her spirit, is here. I have to think that way. Read | US House votes to allow 9/11 victims to sue Saudi Arabia, bill heads to Obama Thousands of people marched throughout Mexico Saturday to protest President Enrique Pena Nietos initiative to legalize gay marriage. The National Front for the Family -- a coalition of conservative religious groups -- called for the protests, and is also planning a mass march for September 24 in Mexico City. Long live the family, in the image of the Virgin Mary, the baby Jesus and Saint Joseph, read one sign at the protest in the city of Puebla, the capital of a central Mexican state with a strong Catholic presence. Papa + Mama = Happy Family, read another sign at that protest, where many of the protesters dressed in white and carried pink, blue and white-colored balloons. Some 5,000 people marched in Veracruz, where some engaged in verbal clashes with gay rights counter-protestors. Thousands of people of various religious denominations also turned out to protest in the streets of the northern border city Ciudad Juarez. In May Pena Nieto announced a constitutional reform that would legalize same-sex marriage across Mexico. Several other Latin American countries already allow such unions. The announcement followed a Supreme Court ruling last year declaring that a ban on same-sex marriage is unconstitutional. Currently only a handful of the countrys 31 states and Mexico City allow such weddings. The National Front for the Family group strongly opposes same-sex couples adopting children, and also opposes teaching about homosexuality and transsexuality in school sex education classes. A gay rights advocacy group said that homophobia has surged in Mexico since Pena Nietos proposal. The Citizen Commission against Homophobic Hate Crimes said at least 26 people from the LGBT community were killed so far this year. The group reported 44 anti-gay murders in 2015, down from 72 in 2014. Americas response to the 9/11 attacks augmented rather than defeated the jihadist threat, with the consequences of the Iraq war now being felt in terror-scarred France, President Francois Hollande said Sunday. In a Facebook post commemorating the victims of the attacks Hollande echoed a famous front-page headline from Le Monde newspaper on the day after the suicide plane strikes. Yes, on that day, we were all Americans, he wrote. But the Socialist leader, whose country has been rocked by a string of extremist attacks in the past year-and-a-half, was also fiercely critical of the US riposte. The response that the American administration gave to these attacks... far from eradicating the threat, expanded it over a wider area. Namely to Iraq, he wrote. And even though France, through (ex-president) Jacques Chirac, rightly refused to join the intervention (in Iraq) which it condemned, it has nonetheless been a victim of the consequences of the chaos it caused. Hollandes remarks were seen as a reference to the rise of the Islamic State group (IS) which was formed out of al Qaeda in Iraq. IS, which later expanded to Syria, has ordered or claimed several attacks in the West in the past year, particularly in France that it has declared a top target. The group ordered the November 2015 attacks in Paris which killed 130 people. It also claimed the truck massacre in Nice in July that claimed 86 lives as the work of one of its soldiers. Hollande said every terror attack was like a re-enactment of 9/11, with its lot of buried lives, broken destinies and grieving families. Declaring that democracy would triumph in the end, he called on people to never give in to fear. Ahead of his four-day India visit beginning September 15, Nepal Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda is under pressure from various quarters not to sign any agreement that will have long-term consequences. For his part, Prachanda said on Sunday that he understood the nerve and pulse of the nation and would not take risks at the cost of national interest. Therefore, he said, there was no need to tie his legs from any side regarding the visit. Prachanda is under scrutiny from civil society to political parties and media, with main opposition CPN-UML on Sunday submitting a six- point memorandum asking him to take concrete steps on the 1950 Peace and Friendship Treaty. The party asked him to take a strong position when completing negotiations on extradition treaty and mutual legal assistance, as also to seek a fair share in implementation of the treaty on integrated development of the Mahakali river. The opposition insisted that the Kathmandu-Tarai Track road be built on Nepals own resources and not using Indian assistance. Prachanda told the parliament committee on international relations and labour that the visit was a challenging opportunity for him, and expressed hope it would add a new chapter to bilateral relations. I'm confident that the visit would not only normalise the relations that experienced some bitterness in the past, but also build a strong foundation for mutual trust, he said. He made it clear to the panel that he would not be signing any new pacts but will review agreements and projects signed in the past with India. The prime minister informed the lawmakers he would seek additional financial support for earthquake victims as well as expedite agreements on power purchase, postal roads and open skies. Dahal said he was scheduled to meet Nepalis in India, attend a reception at Nepali Embassy in India and hold an interaction with foreign dignitaries on September 15. He will visit a hydropower project in Himachal Pradesh and hold interactions with intellectuals in New Delhi. He is also scheduled to visit a factory of Patanjali Yogpeeth run by Baba Ramdev on September 18. Lawmakers suggested Dahal to raise issues like controlling criminal activities in the border areas, addressing problems caused to Nepalis by Indian border security forces, as well as controlling smuggling of Nepali migrant workers to third countries via India. Donald Trump tried on Friday night to dial down his apparent admiration for Vladimir Putin that has made critics and rivals ask if the Republican nominee harbours some of the same traits as the Russian president. I dont know the gentleman. Hes nice to me, the Republican nominee told supporters at a rally in Florida, days after calling Putin a better leader than President Barack Obama. But if hes nice to me it doesnt mean anything unless we make some great deals for our country. That wasnt the first time Trump had said nice things about Putin, compared to Obama. He continues to praise Putin, saying he is merely returning the favour for the Russian leader calling him brilliant in an interview in December 2015. Putin has denied ever using that word for Trump, telling CNN in June, he only called him a bright person. Thats it. Isnt he bright? He is. I did not say anything else about him. But thats not what Trump believes. Whatever Trumps reasons, his admiration for Putin goes beyond just that. During the alleged hacking of Democratic partys servers by Russian entities earlier this year, which outraged even Republicans, Trump gleefully asked for more of it to determine the content of the Hillary Clintons deleted emails. Speaker Paul Ryan, the senior-most elected Republican in the country, called Putin an aggressor, and said, It certainly appears that he is conducting state-sponsored cyber-attacks on what appears to be our political system. But he said nothing about Trump. Putin is generally held in low regard by Americans, polls show. Only 21% of Americans polled by PEW in 2015 said they had confidence in his handling of world affairs. The agency did not poll Americans on Obama for the same survey, but Gallup, another polling body, found the presidents numbers at 39% for his handling of world affairs in February, up from 36% in 2015. Obamas doing much better against Putin, for most Americans except for Trump, who, incidentally, trails Putin in favourability. Clad in dark formal suit with temperature around 28C and 46 percent humidity, presidential candidate Hillary Clinton departed from the 9/11 memorial event in downtown Manhattan after feeling "overheated." According to one of his campaign spokesmen, Nick Merril, the Democratic contender attended the "September 11th Commemoration Ceremony for just an hour and 30 minutes." On Twitter, Merril said: Just in: Stmt from Clinton spox @NickMerrill: Clinton felt "overheated" and left 9/11 memorial for Chelsea's apt. pic.twitter.com/cV8cG5zgEN Alex Seitz-Wald (@aseitzwald) September 11, 2016 Joining the thousands of New Yorkers in paying respect to the fallen of the September 11 terrorist attack, Secretary Clinton was rushed to her vehicle and brought to the apartment of her daughter Chelsea. But the incident caught the eyes of many, while others posted their observations at the social media. BREAKING: law enf source: Hillary Clinton just left 9/11 ceremony w/medical episode, appeared to faint on way into van, helped by security RickLeventhalFoxNews (@RickLeventhal) September 11, 2016 Hillary Clinton staggered and appeared to faint as she left early from today's 9/11 memorial pic.twitter.com/0ZlbyXNyFy The Telegraph (@Telegraph) September 11, 2016 After more than two hours, Clinton left her daughters apartment, waving and smiling at the crowd, saying: "Im feeling great, its a beautiful day in New York." When Hillary emerged from Chelsea's apt., a little girl ran up to her & asked her to pose for a photo. HRC obliged. pic.twitter.com/kyxwMEbiJZ Kenneth P. Vogel (@kenvogel) September 11, 2016 Meanwhile, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump also attended the ceremony. In another report, The Guardian said the Democratic and Republican nominees were to keep a rare silence. Politicians may have been prevented to give speeches during the event, but none could stopTrump on commenting Clinton's medical episode when he tweeted: USA needs STRONG leadership. Not someone who has one medical episode after another. Hillary likely had stroke today. https://t.co/d0SDdn1fZ0 Donald J. Trump (@P0TUSTrump) September 11, 2016 @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. A couple of days ago, Ab-Soul called out the new generation of lil rappers, seemingly implicating Lil Uzi Vert, as he then tweeted, We dont pass on PRIMO beats in this sport kids! He was likely referring to Uzis refusal to rap over the beat to Gang Starrs Mass Appeal when asked to freestyle during a HOT 97 interview earlier this year. After the TDE rappers incendiary tweet, it seems that Uzi reached out to Premier in order to relay that he meant no offense by passing on his beat. Primo confirmed the conciliatory conversation on Twitter, writing, dope things were said and I respect that. As for Soulo, he hasnt retracted his shade despite Primo and Uzi being on good terms. Uzi, however, has indirectly tried to contact Soulo, tweeting, Hey Ab-soul, along with an emoji that, according to my Googles, represents a man bowing deeply. Though it would seem that Uzi intended to pay homage to Ab-Soul, one of his followers believed the tweet was his way of stirring the pot. The same user urged him to back off from Soulo, which prompted Uzi to agrees that the Black Hippy emcee is not to be messed with. He even goes on to regard Soulo as one of the best rappers, complimenting his wordplay and revealing that he listens to his music. Lil Uzi Vert In the realm of instrumental hip-hop, and in electronic music as well, Prefuse 73 is regarded as a legend, known for classic albums like One Word Extinguisher and Vocal Studies + Uprock Narratives. If theres anything Prefuse hasnt done enough of, its producing for hip-hop artists, which is why it was so exciting to hear him collaborate with the young adventurous Boston emcee known as Michael Christmas on Julys In My Shoes. Together, Christmas and Prefuse call themselves Fudge, and theyve now released a full project: Lady Parts. Containing 15 tracks, Lady Parts includes features from Alex Mali, Pervana, and D.R.A.M., the latter whom appears on the standout track All Points South. File this under: something completely different but also faintly familiar. The off-the-cuff lyrics are zany but relatable, and though the sounds are often otherworldly, theres a producer/emcee chemistry that can be readily appreciated by classic hip-hop heads. Stream Lady Parts below, via Lex Records, and purchase the album here. Michael Christmas Student leaders asked to step down over offensive contestAedan HelmerFirst posted: Friday, September 09, 2016 07:24 PM EDT | Updated: Friday, September 09, 2016 08:33 PM EDTKiss a girl one point.Snap a picture of an exposed bra one point.Two points for a picture of a bare breast.Three points for downing a shot from a girls cleavage.These were just a few of the tasks students were told to complete at a Universite du Quebec en Outaouais club party at student bar Le Tonik on Thursday, before student leaders stepped in and quashed the event, condemning it as a reprehensible example of rape culture on campus.But that action may not be enough to satisfy authorities at Quebecs province-wide Communications Games, a competitive event held each spring between eight universities, including UQO.Authorities are demanding the UQO student leaders responsible for organizing the offending event which was run by the UQO delegation to the Communications Games immediately step down.UQO participation in the Games, which have been running for 20 years in the province, is on hold until changes are made, according to Games president Stephanie Boucher.The controversy came to light after students circulated a poster on social media outlining the various tasks required of participants in order to be awarded points. The activity was billed by organizers as a variation on the mythological 12 labours of Hercules, and though participation was open to everyone, the tasks were primarily geared toward male students.Kissing girls, taking photos of bras or exposed breasts, taking photos of male students wearing panties, participating in a wet T-shirt contest, drinking a shot from a girls cleavage and getting a girl to sign her name on buttocks were listed among the tasks on a scorecard, with each task earning points for the participants.Students immediately complained to the schools student union (AGE-UQO) and the activity was quickly aborted.Students didnt want anything to do with it, said AGE-UQO president Philippe Boily. But the fact that it was planned in the first place is not OK at all. Its a good thing that the event was dismissed so quickly, but I still think (its) a major problem that some people think organizing those types of events is OK. We have to put a stop to it.Boily said hes spoken with the organizers, and suspended all funding for the competition club.He also spoke with university administration about implementing a strategy to educate students about rape culture.Ive been aware of different events (in the past) that have been questionable, but this is one of the worst Ive seen in my time here, Boily said. Its the wrong culture to have in university. I hope this will shine a light on these activities and I hope this is the last we hear of it.Organizers of the provincial Communications Games said the UQO organizers should have known better.At last months meeting between Games administrators and delegates from all eight participating schools, We made sure we shared the values and the spirit of the Games, so they were aware of that, said Boucher.We wont allow them to participate if the three people (responsible for the controversial event) are still in charge.One of the three UQO organizers, Erik Colto, is identified in the offending scorecard participants would have earned two points for kissing him.Colto declined comment when reached via social media, and referred to an apology the club issued on its Facebook page.In the statement, the group stressed the event was cancelled, and no one has been forced to follow the instructions on the (pamphlet) We bitterly regret having written this joke intended to remain in our hands The damage that this story caused greatly exceeded our expectations. We hope you will forgive us of this lack of judgement.List of tasks students were told to complete at a Universite du Quebec en Outaouais club party. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Marianne Ivany picked up the sliver of darkened terra cotta and held it out in front of her. "This fell off of the building one day and almost hit my husband on the head," she said of this exterior piece from the Link-Lee Mansion, which is showing its age some 104 years after it was built. Ivany's husband, Robert Ivany, is the eighth president of the University of St. Thomas. Less than a year from his retirement, this first lady is deep into what will likely be her final project here. The grand mansion at Montrose and West Alabama needs serious work. Marianne Ivany is chairing the committee that will raise money and execute the restoration and renovation project. On the exterior, you can swipe a finger and watch mortar sprinkle out from between the yellow brick. Glazed terra cotta ornamentation, too, is crumbling away in some places. Evidence of water damage is everywhere - ceilings, roofs, walls, windows and pillars. It's caused by a leaky roof but also by one of the mansion's unique features: a hidden gutter system that pipes water through its decorative pillars. Those pipes have eroded to nearly nothing, and water seeps out through any crack it can find or create. In addition to moss and mildew on every surface, some brickwork and terra cotta are so moist that tiny ferns grow from it. At a glance, the ferns add to the building's charm, but they're actually a visual cue that something is very wrong. This building gave the university its start in 1947, when it had 40 students and 10 staff members. Everyone worked and learned together. "It was the cafnegymnatorium," joked Howard A. Rose, who as associate vice president for capital projects and facilities at St. Thomas is deeply involved in assessing and addressing the structural problems. "It was everything, the president's office, the cafeteria, the classrooms. It's been a remarkable achievement when you think of what the fathers have done." Since then, the campus has grown to include many buildings, where 475 full-time faculty and staff teach, and 3,411 students learn. The Ivanys are asking former students and others to give back, to help the Link-Lee Mansion begin again. The Links and Lees By the early 1900s, a hurricane had left Galveston in shambles, Houston's port was thriving, and the city was flush from the booming oil industry. From 1900 to 1910, the city's population nearly doubled to more than 78,000. John W. Link was one of the many drawn to the opportunities here. He'd already worked as a lawyer and prospered in the lumber industry in Orange. But the masses moving to Houston meant one thing: The city would need more housing. Link connected with established businessmen, including John Henry Kirby, H.B. Jackson, R.E. Brooks, W.T. Carter, Niels Esperson and C.L. Neuhaus. With their backing, he launched the city's first large-scale subdivision: Montrose. Lots of various sizes were plotted, and the first home built would be Link's, a $60,000 mansion to be used in advertising for home sales. The Neoclassical-style home was finished in 1912 and had nearly 10,000 square feet, with a massive living room, a second floor filled with bedroom suites and a ballroom on the third floor, where Link's daughters held dances. Made of yellow brick with a striking green, glazed-tile roof, it had steam heat, built-in fire extinguishers and an in-wall vacuum system. In 1916, Link sold it to T.P. Lee, an oil-industry executive, for $90,000 - making it the most expensive home in Houston at the time. As large as the home was, Lee and his wife had six children, so they enclosed the porch to create one more bedroom. For 30 years, the Lees lived there, until they sold it to the Basilian Fathers of Toronto to launch the first Basilian university in the U.S. In fact, the $120,000 for the purchase was borrowed from Rice University, Marianne Ivany and Rose said. The project In 2014, the university's board agreed to create a committee to assess the building's needs and begin fundraising. Barry Moore of the Gensler architectural firm was hired as lead architect for his vast experience in historic preservation projects. His many works include the 2011 restoration of the Julia Ideson Library downtown. Ivany described the plan as an effort to return the building, inside and out, to its original beauty and, to a large degree, its original purpose. Already, the Link-Lee Mansion is on the National Register of Historic Places and is a Texas Historic Landmark. "We're very proud of the efforts underway to bring back its elegance and at the same time make it very functional," Robert Ivany said. "The fathers have kept it up inside, and now we've got to do some things on the outside." Once a home to the Link and Lee families, the building will become the home of a future university president and his family. The first floor will be used for president-level functions and entertaining, with the second and third floors used for living space. Ivany's team has already raised $1 million and done some work to show before-and-after examples of what can be accomplished. Their goal is to raise $7 million, starting work once they've raised at least $2.5 million. The project would take at least a year, Ivany and Rose said. Construction would include an addition to the back of the house for a two-story elevator and an improved staircase. Some parking space will return to lawn space, where tents could be erected for outdoor functions. In addition to new plumbing and wiring, the building will get a new roof. Perhaps the most overlooked element of the mansion is air conditioning: They'll toss out all of its window units, and central air will finally be installed. Not her first rodeo Marianne Ivany brings experience to this role. Her husband came to St. Thomas in 2004 with a resume of military service dating to the Vietnam War, where he was wounded in action and decorated for valor. A West Point graduate, Ivany was commandant, or president, of the U.S. Army War College in Carlisle, Penn., and was a major general when he retired. His high-level experience gave Marianne Ivany experience championing similar restoration projects elsewhere: one at the war college and another at Fort McPherson in Atlanta. "I've had this experience," she said. "I get here and think, 'Wow, this is what the university needs.' " Now, she said, there isn't a great place to host large groups for presidential functions. "It's beneficial to the image of the university to have breakfasts, lunches and dinners in a place that can showcase the university." This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Two years ago, Mexican-American educators, activists and officials persuaded the State Board of Education to seek submissions for a textbook on Mexican-American history. They couldn't have imagined they would be traveling to Austin for a hearing Tuesday on the sole submission, a 507-page tome titled, "Mexican American Heritage." Or that they would be asking the state board to toss it in the trash bin. Nor could they have imagined that the person publishing the book and writing part of it would be a former member of that education board, whose appointee to an "expert" review panel recommended removing Cesar Chavez from an American history curriculum. Cynthia Dunbar was a Houston-area member of the SBOE from 2007 to 2011. She stirred controversy beyond her attempts to change curricula in conformity with her belief that God wants, and the founders intended, for the United States to be a Christian nation. In 2008, Dunbar wrote that if Barack Obama was elected, a massive terrorist attack within six months would be planned "by those with whom Obama truly sympathizes to take down the America that is a threat to tyranny." She added that Obama would use the attack as an excuse to declare martial law. Last week, a committee of eight Hispanic scholars and educators issued a 54-page critique of the book submitted by Dunbar. It alleges many errors of fact and omission. It also, they say, is infused with considerable bias. They cite multiple examples, but one stands out. It is worth quoting at some length: "Stereotypically, Mexicans were viewed as lazy compared to European or American workers. Industrialists were very driven, competitive men who were always on the clock and continually concerned about efficiency. They were used to their workers putting in a full day's work, quietly and obediently, and respecting rules, authority, and property. In contrast, Mexican laborers were not reared to put in a full day's work so vigorously. There was a cultural attitude of 'manana,' or 'tomorrow,' when it came to high-gear production. It was also traditional to skip work on Mondays, and drinking on the job could be a problem. The result was that Mexican laborers were seen as inferior and kept in low-paying, unskilled jobs that did not provide a pathway upward." I don't know what would be worse: Hispanic students reading that passage, or Anglo students. Dunbar has objected, saying that the passage was intended to portray the prejudices Mexican-Americans had to overcome. But the first sentence doesn't identify as false the way Mexicans were viewed, and the rest of the paragraph presents those stereotypes as fact. Dunbar says that passage and others have been changed. The textbook also includes a passage describing the Chicano civil rights movement as adopting "a revolutionary narrative that opposed Western civilization and wanted to destroy this society." Dunbar considers the widespread criticism she and the book have received as unfair and not constructive. "It would seem like the logical thing would be to call and talk to people calmly and work together instead of doing this horrible hit piece, character assassination," she told the Austin American-Statesman last week. But if they were open to talking with her before, a YouTube clip might explain why Hispanic scholars wouldn't collaborate with her now. You can watch it by searching for "Cynthia Dunbar and Trump." That's right: Having moved to Virginia and served as state co-chair for Ted Cruz's presidential campaign, Dunbar is now a national Republican committee woman pumping for the candidate who called Mexicans rapists and said a Mexican-American judge could not be fair. In the clip, Dunbar begins by angrily telling the crowd at a Trump rally, "We are all here for the same reason. We want our country back!" It's not a message that is hard for first-, second- and third-generation Mexican-Americans to decode. Casey is a former Houston Chronicle metro columnist. This column originally appeared as "Rick Casey's Last Word" on KLRN-TV's "Texas Week with Rick Casey." Subscribing to our services is a three step process. First you have to create an account and then you have to pick if you want to subscribe to digital and or print. Some people only want to be a digital subscriber to get access online and others want to also receive the print edition. If you are already a print subscriber and want online access, it is free, you simply have to create an online account and then attach your print subscription account number to the online account you create. Woman in iconic WWII Times Square kiss photograph dies at 92THE ASSOCIATED PRESSFirst posted: Saturday, September 10, 2016 03:21 PM EDT | Updated: Sunday, September 11, 2016 09:40 AM EDTNEW YORK The woman in an iconic photo shown kissing an ecstatic sailor in Times Square celebrating the end of World War II has died. Greta Zimmer Friedman was 92.Friedman, who fled Austria during the war as a 15-year-old, died Thursday at a hospital in Richmond, Virginia, from complications of old age, her son, Joshua Friedman, said.Greta Friedman was a 21-year-old dental assistant in a nurses uniform when she became part of one of the most famous photographs of the 20th century.On Aug. 14, 1945, known as V-J Day, the day Japan surrendered to the United States, people spilled into the New York City streets from restaurants, bars and movie theatres, celebrating the news.Thats when George Mendonsa spotted Friedman, spun her around and planted a kiss. The two had never met. In fact, Mendonsa was on a date with an actual nurse, Rita Petry, who would later become his wife.The photo by Alfred Eisenstaedt is called V-J Day in Times Square, but is known to most simply as The Kiss. Mendonsa said that in some photos of the scene, Petry could be seen smiling in the background.Another image from a different angle was taken by U.S. Navy photographer Victor Jorgensen but it was Eisenstaedts photo that became seared in peoples minds. His photo was first published in Life magazine, buried deep within its pages. Over the years, the photo gained recognition, and several people claimed to be the kissing couple.In an August 1980 issue of Life, 11 men and three women said they were the subjects. It was years before Mendonsa and Friedman were confirmed to be the couple.Joshua Friedman said his mother recalled the events happening in an instant.It wasnt that much of a kiss, Friedman said in an interview with the Veterans History Project in 2005. It was just somebody celebrating. It wasnt a romantic event.Both of Friedmans parents died in the Holocaust, according to Lawrence Verria, co-author of The Kissing Sailor: The Mystery Behind the Photo that Ended World War II.Friedman will be buried in Arlington National Cemetery, next to her late husband, Dr. Misha Friedman.In this photograph released by the United States Navy, a sailor and nurse embrace in New York's Times Square in a file photo from Aug. 14, 1945. The woman kissed by an ecstatic sailor in Times Square celebrating the end of World War II, in a photo made famous by Life photographer Alfred Eisenstaedt, has died. (AP Photo/United States Navy, Victor Jorgensen) As an existing print subscriber it is easy to get FREE access to all our online content. When you click get started below it will walk you through creating an online account to attach your print subscription number to. After your account is created it will ask you to either add a subscription for online access or click on the print subscriber button. Click the print subscriber button header and it will open a dropdown, now click on get started. The page will reload and you will be prompted to enter an account number and a zip code. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO USE THE NUMBER OFF OF THE MOST RECENT ISSUE OR ANYTHING AFTER JANUARY 28, 2019 TO GAIN ACCESS! OLD ACCOUNT NUMBERS WILL NOT WORK The account number and zip code are easily available on your most recent issue of the High Plains Journal or Midwest Ag Journal in the address fields as is shown here. Sometimes the account number has extra zero's in front of it, just ignore those. A Quebec university student club may face sanctions after promoting a scavenger hunt that awarded points for getting a kiss from a girl or taking a photo of her breasts. Critics said the "game" perpetuates rape culture on campus. As part of a social event for journalism and communications students at an on-campus bar at the Universite du Quebec en Outaouais (UQO), a written list outlines a scoring system. Advertisement Kiss a girl for one point, drink a shooter from a girl's cleavage for three points, reads the French list titled The 12 works of Hercules." In blue, someone wrote "culture de viol," which translates to "culture of rape." Nicholas Lucas-Rancourt, the UQO student who took the picture at Le Tonik student bar and shared it on Facebook, told The Huffington Post Canada that his background and upbringing prompted him to do something. As a future teacher, as an indigenous person, as a child raised by a single mother, and as a human being, oppression against women is a really important issue for me, he said. Advertisement The university's women's committee president Valerie La France told CBC News: "This is the worst example of rape culture I've ever seen. It's the most vulgar one, too." Commenters called the list ridiculous and shameful. After complaints to the student union, organizers from Jeux de la Communication cancelled the event to respond to the values of the university. Student group apologizes In a statement on Friday, JDLC UQO the campus club associated with the list apologized to anyone who was offended it. The document in question is not official, read a note from the club, which went on to say the list was meant to be an inside joke and underscored that the bar was not involved in it. The statement ended with asking forgiveness for "this lack of judgment." UQO officials said that an investigation has been launched into the matter and that disciplinary measures will be taken where appropriate. Advertisement University taking situation very seriously Denis Harrisson, the schools rector, issued a statement saying the university is taking the incident seriously. He acknowledged that sexual violence exists at the UQO and that cases are not always reported. Several events and incidents have occurred on several Canadian campuses in recent years. UQO is no exception, since an unfortunate event occurred last night at our Gatineau campus, he said. Canadian universities have been criticized in recent years for indirectly promoting a culture of sexual violence through lax and ineffective policies to address reports of on-campus assault and harassment. Bilan Arte, national chairwoman of the Canadian Federation of Students, told The Canadian Press earlier this year that of the more than 100 colleges and universities across the country, only approximately two dozen schools have policies in place to address reports of sexual violence. Administrations have made it very clear to us as students that they're more interested in protecting their bottom line and their reputation than they are in actually protecting the campus community. Advertisement Americans worried refugees in Canada will sneak across border HAVRE, Mont. - Standing two feet from Canada on windswept Montana prairie land, U.S. Border Patrol agent Andrew Herdina looks out over a line of crooked old fence posts with no wire between them -- the international border."If somebody is set on doing it, there are plenty of opportunities to cross this border," said Herdina, surrounded by a vast expanse of prairie grass where there were no border posts, or checkpoints, or any visible signs of security.With U.S. security concerns heightened following the attacks in Paris claimed by Islamic State, the relatively porous state of America's northern border has attracted little attention as politicians, mostly Republicans, have attacked U.S. President Barack Obama's plans to allow in 10,000 Syrian refugees.But in Montana, which shares a 500-mile (800-km) border with Canada, border agents and some residents say they are concerned about Ottawa's plan to bring in 25,000 Syrians by year-end, even though the government there insists its screening will be thorough and there are limited indications that militants may be seeking to use refugee status to cross borders.The world's longest shared land border attracts a fraction of the U.S. attention and security resources taken up by the much shorter southern border with Mexico, which is patrolled by 18,000 U.S. border agents compared to 2,200 in the north.The National Border Patrol Council, the border patrol union, says at least another 2,000 agents are needed on the Canadian border, which runs 5,500 miles from Alaska to Washington State and Maine. Herdina says the most effective tool in tracking illegal border crossers is not the border agents or surveillance airplanes; it's the roughly 100 ranchers who span Montana's border with Canada."They are our best asset," said Herdina, who is vice-president of the Montana branch of the union.Last year, one rancher called the border patrol to report two strangers on his land, Herdina said. They were two Guatemalans who had crossed the border illegally.Janas Strauser, owner of 66 Ranch on the border, said: "The people up here will report people who cross the border. The ranchers and farmers call them in."While the border patrol union has a stake in securing more jobs and funding, its view was supported by a 2011 report by the Government Accountability Office, a non-partisan congressional watchdog, which found that only 32 miles of the border was properly secure and that the security risks were genuine."The terrorist threat on the northern border is higher (than on the Mexican border), given the large expanse of area with limited law enforcement coverage," the report said.The White House referred questions about the security of the northern border to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).The DHS referred Reuters to its website, which notes that the number of U.S. agents on the northern border has jumped from just 340 in 2001 and that its technological capabilities have "greatly improved." The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) says it now deploys fixed and rotary-wing aircraft equipped with sensors, thermal camera systems, remote videos and drones to help secure the border."There is no way you can make it totally secure," said Andrew Finn, program associate with the Canada Institute at the Wilson Center, a Washington DC-based think tank. "You always have to think about the terrorist threat, although the vetting process for refugees into Canada is quite thorough."'HYSTERIA AND EXAGGERATION'Obama has denounced the "hysteria and exaggeration of risk" over Syrian refugees, who already face a rigorous U.S. vetting process. Most of the attackers in Paris are believed to be have been European residents rather than new immigrants, though authorities are investigating if one travelled as a refugee.Newly elected Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is standing by his pledge to allow 25,000 Syrian refugees into Canada by Jan. 1. Current and former Canadian security sources told Reuters last week that corners would have to be cut on security screening due to the accelerated process.Canada experienced two attacks by radical Muslims in 2014, and reluctance in provinces such as Quebec to accept Syrian refugees is raising concern of a growing social rift with Muslim minorities.In 1999, Algerian national Ahmed Ressam was apprehended crossing from Canada into the United States and convicted in 2001 for plotting to bomb Los Angeles airport.Alan Bersin, then head of the Customs and Border Protection Commission, told a Senate committee in 2011 that more people with ties to terrorist organizations have crossed into the U.S. from Canada than from Mexico. He did not give any specific details.Herdina says he has apprehended Mexicans, Cubans, Guatemalans and Canadians crossing remote parts of the border."We have no idea how these Syrians will be vetted by the Canadians. We need a lot more agents here," he said.Jonathan Perkins, a border patrol agent who is an advisor to the national union and who used to work on the Canada border, said: "It is a very porous border. We are greatly understaffed there."According to the CBP, 3,338 people were arrested trying to cross the Canadian border in 2014. Of those, 1,673 were from countries other than Mexico.Last week, a bipartisan bill passed the U.S. House of Representatives requiring an analysis of terrorism threats posed by people trying to enter America through the Canadian border. A similar bipartisan Senate bill awaits a vote.Over 3,000 of the refugees entering Canada are slated to settle in Alberta province, north of Montana.In Havre, Mont., 40 miles south of Canada, Jenny Van Cleve, a waitress, says she is scared about the arrival of the Syrian refugees into Canada."The border is so easy to cross, pretty much anywhere. And there are abandoned houses all over the place to hide out in. We have farmer friends who find people in their buildings all the time. It's scary."source: Americans worried refugees in Canada will sneak across border | Canada | News | ..................................... Don't fear turning back the clocks an hour on Sunday, Nov. 6. There are a few things you can do to help your baby or toddler make this sleep transition. The Constitution's foreign policy of invincible self-defense (with no "indispensable nation" braggadocio) should inform our strategy to cut the Gordian knot to ending North Korea's nuclear adventurism. We should play the China card. China would agree to annex North Korea, remove Kim Jong-un from power, and to shutter its nuclear and missile programs. In exchange, we would agree to cease our military opposition to China in the South China Sea and within its traditional spheres of influence. That would include terminating our defense treaties with South Korea, Japan, and the Philippines; and, returning the tens of thousands of American troops now stationed or training in these countries back to the United States with pay raises to protect our citizens from aggression. (In 1980, the United States terminated the 1955 Taiwan Defense Treaty. China has not attacked Taiwan in the ensuing 36 years despite its de facto independence). The United States policy of invincible self-defense means no more courageous Captain Humayun Khans sent abroad to die for self-interested strangers without a crumb of allegiance to the United States. Our soldiers' lives are too precious to risk crucifixion on a multi-trillion dollar military-industrial-counterterrorism complex craving the adolescent thrill of world domination. Advertisement At present, China props up North Korea despite its nuclear and missile programs because it deflects the United States military away from itself. China's fears of United States aggression are not contrived. During the Korean War, we flirted with crossing the Yalu River and dropping nuclear bombs on the Chinese mainland. China dispatched three million military personnel to Korea in response. At present, we are challenging China in the air and on the sea over the Spratly and Paracel Islands. We are building an advanced THADD ballistic missile defense system in South Korea. Our Secretary of Defense, Ash Carter, has touted the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) as worth an aircraft carrier against China. China has no more inherent interest in North Korea's possession of nuclear weapons than we have in a nuclear-armed Mexico or Canada. But China needs security incentives to justify annexing North Korea to end its nuclear ambitions and threat to the United States. Those incentives include terminating our defense commitments to China's neighbors and removing tens of thousands of American soldiers stationed there. That would not be unreasonable. Contemplate how we would react if China negotiated a defense treaty with Mexico featuring 30,000 Chinese troops stationed near our border. When a similar alliance between German and Mexico was proposed in the famous "Zimmerman" telegram during World War I, we erupted in fury. South Korea and Japan might withdraw from the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (as North Korea did in 2003) and develop nuclear arsenals if we ended our defense commitments to them. The two nations might conclude that nuclear weapons would be necessary to deter Chinese aggression, and, in the case of South Korea, a second edition of Japan's 1910-1945 colonization. Expanding the number of nuclear weapons states by adding Japan and South Korea but subtracting North Korea would be worrisome but justifiable. Nuclear weapons are inherently risky. But the status quo alternative would leave North Korea's growing nuclear arsenal undemolished and undisturbed. Advertisement Our longstanding policy of escalating economic or diplomatic sanctions against North Korea for its nuclear recklessness has been an "incomplete success," to borrow President Jimmy Carter's euphemism for his failed rescue mission for American hostages in Iran. Last week, North Korea conducted its fifth and most powerful nuclear test--ending any doubt that it has mastered the fundamentals of detonating nuclear weapons. Military experts opine that by 2020, North Korea will probably have acquired the skills for a reliable intercontinental ballistic missile topped by a nuclear warhead; and, have accumulated enough nuclear material to build up to 100 warheads. We would obviously be safer with nuclear weapons in the hands of friendly nations like South Korea or Japan as opposed to enemy nations like North Korea. Moreover, we have acquiesced in the nuclear weapons arsenals of Pakistan and India whose interests are more divergent from ours than are South Korea's or Japan's. (Here are some cool looking equations submitted to the FCC by CenturyLink. It's a shame they are not useful.) Summary (Most of this article was originally published on Seeking Alpha.) Over the last few years the FCC has been conducting a series of proceedings to fix "special access" services, now called "business data services" (BDS) and the agency is supposed to be making some announcements and changes over the next few months. As we pointed out in previous articles, special access services are NOT special; they are just the state-based utility, regular phone lines (which can be copper or fiber) used for data services, like ATM machines or alarm services, or wholesale services to wireless carriers, such as Sprint. And, almost all cell services are a wired service with an invisible extension cord because all calls, etc. go to a cell site and then travel over a wire, a BDS service. Advertisement And there is an irony to all of this. The common wisdom is that no one is using the wires and everyone is wireless. Truth be told, the FCC's 2016 analysis found $45 billion in business data services revenues in 2013. But, most surprising, $25 billion of these revenues, the majority, are still mostly copper wires that could have been installed over the past 20-70 years. Just three companies - Verizon, AT&T and CenturyLink - control most of the state-based telecommunications utilities in the US, such as Verizon New York or AT&T California, (with the exception of the state utilities or territories that were sold off to Frontier or FairPoint). And since no other large phone company came in to put in more copper, (and customers paid for upgrades to fiber optic wires), all of these wires are still mostly monopoly controlled, regardless of what the companies say about competition. Currently, in order to move the process along, INCOMPAS, (the association of telecom competitors) has proposed a BDS deal with Verizon to lower the current rates about 15% with some other items thrown in. The other large incumbents, AT&T and CenturyLink, don't agree. To paraphrase-- There is plenty of competition and there is no need to change the rates. Everything is fine. The graphic above are some calculations used to embrace this conclusion. Advertisement Unfortunately, neither the FCC or the INCOMPAS-Verizon deal, or the 'mathematical' formulas being applied will fix special access. Billions in Cross-Subsidies and Financial Games Must be Dealt with--Now. We found billions of dollars in cross-subsidies, annually, between and among the state local phone networks and Verizon's subsidiaries and various lines of business, including Verizon Wireless and special access. Verizon Wireless was able to charge the wireline business for the build out of wires to the cell sites, while the special access line of business pays a fraction of the actual expenses incurred. At the same time, Verizon Wireless appears to be paying a fraction of what other competitors pay, like Sprint, for the use of these special access networks. Sprint could be paying close to $1 billion extra per year in access fees nationwide, as compared to Verizon Wireless. In fact, all competitors, as well as all users of special access, are paying inflated rates. And the special access excess, then, is coming from multiple issues, but at the end of the day, it impacts customers and the economy. Consumer Federation of America (CFA) found that the market concentration of the BDS market cost consumers & U.S. economy $150 billion since 2010. The cross-subsidies and lack of market priced payments by the incumbent's subsidiaries helped to create this economic harm. None of the analyses by INCOMPAS or the FCC or CenturyLink examine the fundamental issue--that the 'models' discussed are not based on actual costs and they do not account for the massive cross-subsidies. The models don't account for the fact that a large portion of the special access expenses has been disproportionately charged to local phone customers, for example. Advertisement And unfortunately, we don't believe that the FCC can or will get this right. The FCC has no plans to do audits to stop the massive overcharging of customers or the economic harms built into the system. From an Investor Perspective If business data services are really the underlying newly-renamed wired infrastructure, then all companies and services that interconnect or rely on these local networks will be impacted by the FCC's decision. This includes the end user services such as the alarm and security systems or the banking networks or healthcare networks. If wireless is really a wired service with an invisible cord, then all wireless and broadband services offered by AT&T, Verizon or the competitors like Sprint or T-Mobile will be impacted if the FCC doesn't get this right. From a Municipality and Customer Perspective But it is more than that. Since BDS is really the state utility wired infrastructure, it is also a matter of which areas (or municipalities) will even be maintained, which areas will get shut off, or which areas will get faster broadband or have competition. And it is even about the costs of using the wireless phone for watching videos or the price competitors, like Sprint, have to pay to offer services. Also, companies that are selling video like Netflix or social media services must also be concerned as their offerings are constrained by what their customers can get and the price they pay for it, especially if there are data caps imposed by the provider. Wireline Is Subsidizing Wireless Let me be very specific. In 2010-2011, Verizon changed management and made Lowell McAdam, former CEO of Verizon Wireless, the new CEO of Verizon Communications, the holding company. And in 2010, Verizon decided to cross-subsidize the building of the fiber wires to the cell towers and diverted massive amounts of the capex that was supposed to be used for maintaining and upgrading the wired networks for business and residential services. Verizon's CFO Fran Shammo stated in a 2012 investor meeting that the wireline networks were funding the wireless deployments. Advertisement "The fact of the matter is Wireline capital - and I won't get (did he say get or did he say give?) the number but it's pretty substantial - is being spent on the Wireline side of the house to support the Wireless growth. So the IP backbone, the data transmission, fiber to the cell, that is all on the Wireline books but it's all being built for the Wireless Company." And even the Verizon press releases makes it clear that the wireless build out is part of the wireline construction expenditures. Verizon NY's press release pertaining to the capex states: "Verizon Spent More Than $1.4 Billion in New York's Landline Telecommunications Infrastructure in 2010." This release clearly establishes that for the year 2010 Verizon spent $1.4 billion on wireline ("landline") construction in New York State, and part of the focus was FiOS TV. But there were also 2,800 cell sites being put up as part of the wireline network. "Deployment of fiber-optic links to wireless providers' cell sites throughout New York as these carriers expand their infrastructure to meet ever-growing demand for wireless broadband and advanced 4G services. In 2010, Verizon deployed fiber optics to connect more than 2,800 of these sites." New Info: Massive Cross-Subsidy of Wireless Capex by Wireline Phone Customers Going through multiple sources, we uncovered that over a three-year period, Verizon New York built or upgraded 5,515 sites (taken directly from Verizon as the source). We estimate that $2.8 billion was charged to Verizon NY for this construction, which is a whopping 81% of the entire utility capex, it would appear. And similar, if not identical, actions occurred in every Verizon territory. In a mathematical model, while the costs of special access may be forward-looking, there is has no way of knowing whether the line of business has paid the money or it has been cross-subsidized by, in this case, the local utility networks. Underpaying on Special Access and Overcharging Competitors, including Sprint. But it gets stranger. If Verizon Wireless paid for the construction it would show up in the financials as an 'affiliate transaction' payment. Verizon New York's 2010 consolidated statements showed that Verizon Wireless paid Verizon New York only $78 million in 2009 for "billing and collections" and "access fees" - $95 million in 2010. The financial statements also detailed that Sprint, for the exact same timeframe, and what appears to be the same class of expenses, was charged $119 million in 2009 and $104 million in 2010. Caveats abound, but considering that the data was taken from Verizon's own SEC-state-based consolidated statements - why is there such a large difference in payments to Verizon NY, would be a good question to ask. (Note: Verizon stopped publishing the financial information about Sprint in 2010.) At the time, Sprint had about half the number of subscribers nationwide, and we would assume Verizon had a much larger number of subs in their own territories. Advertisement Running the numbers in multiple states, we found that Sprint was probably paying 275%+ or more than Verizon Wireless for access fees. Nationwide Overcharging: In 2015, assuming that AT&T and CenturyLink are giving their own wireless affiliates financial perks, Sprint could be overcharged close to $1 billion annually. And the other unaffiliated competitors that rely on the incumbent wired networks are in the same situation as Sprint. Mathematical Models Fail to Capture Underpayments and Overcharging of the Companies. Simply put: The underpayment of access fees to the wireline networks or the overcharging of competitors - none of this would show up in a mathematical model as it is not based on a single rate paid for a service. Local Phone Customers Were Overcharged for Cross-Subsidies to Fund Special Access. This is an excerpt from the 2015 Verizon New York annual report filed with the NY State Public Service Commission. Neither the FCC or any consultant or expert has bothered to examine the actual financial books, but instead they rely on mathematical mumbo jumbo. According to Verizon NY's 2015 annual report, local service brought in $1.3 billion and had an EBITDA of -132%. This is in contrast to access fees, which were $2.5 billion in revenue and had and EBITDA of 66%. (Special access was $2 billion and represents 80%+ of the total.) Advertisement One would say that 'local service' was losing money until one examines the network costs ("plant specific and non-plant specific") and notices that local service paid $1.47 billion, which is in contrast to access services only paying $716 million, literally half of what local service paid. i.e., local service paid 117% of revenue while access paid 29% of revenue. The 'Local Service' revenues are mostly from the copper-based "POTS", "Plain Old Telephone Service", lines. Verizon has stated it is no longer upgrading and maintaining these lines, the retail copper lines. How can local service be paying the majority of network expenses? And how can access services have a 66% EBITDA for mostly copper-based services while the same exact wires have massive losses? NOTE: This financial data represents the "$25 billion" of special access revenues. There is an additional $20 billion not on these financial books, but the majority of expenses appears to be embedded in these financial books. The "$200 Million Dollar" Kicker In September 2015, the CWA filed letters in multiple states to investigate Verizon's claims that it spent just $200 million in the last 7 years on the copper networks. Advertisement "The Communications Workers of America (CWA) today announced it is filing letters with telephone regulators in six states and Washington, DC calling on them to open investigations into the deterioration of Verizon's copper landline networks. In July, Verizon admitted in a letter to the FCC that it had only spent $200 million over the last seven years to maintain its copper landline network in eleven states and the District of Columbia." While Verizon claims that their statement was taken out of context, it is clear that the network expenses paid by 'local service' have little, if anything to do with offering 'local service', and most of the $1.47 billion in network costs must be funding other Verizon lines of business. Punchline The INCOMPAS-Verizon agreement doesn't examine the actual costs, thus it has set the bar so low that none of the competitors, much less customers, will ever feel the 15% bump. Most importantly, it does not fix the cross-subsidies of the wireline-wireless affiliates or the cross-subsidies of special access and local service. Any investor in any company that is going to be impacted if this deal goes through might want to read this post again...slowly... and ask the FCC (and companies) to examine the cross-subsidies and why they are using hypothetical mathematical models vs. examining actual financial reports and calling for audits. This year commemorates the crystal anniversary of the coordinated terrorist attacks known colloquially as 9/11. Sept. 11, 2001 made an unwarranted intrusion into the annals of American history alongside Dec. 7, 1941 and Nov. 22, 1963 as dates representative of incomprehensible evil. Like the attack on Pearl Harbor and the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, the terrorist attacks on New York and Washington and the plane that crashed in Pennsylvania have forever removed this generation from the perceived Teflon coating of immunity against such absurdity. In the aftermath of the 9/11 tragedies, we also bore witness to America at its best. For a brief moment, there was a unity of spirit that dominated the American ethos. Advertisement Petty politics were put to the side for something larger. Our myopic lens widened, allowing us see the humanity in others more clearly. We learned of unsung heroes, some making the ultimate sacrifice. This feeling reached its apex in Yankee Stadium, when, on Oct. 30, 2001, before Game 3 of the World Series, President George W. Bush, standing 60 feet 6 inches from home plate, hurled a strike to the catcher, transforming the ceremonial first pitch into a symbolism for American resolve. We vowed never to forget 9/11, and in many respects we have not. But the underlying fear, resulting from that ill-fated day, rendered America vulnerable in a manner perhaps not duplicated in its history. Unlike Pearl Harbor, when some Americans witnessed newsreels in the aftermath or the JFK assassination footage taken by Abraham Zapruder, which was not made public until 1975, America saw the second jet go into World Trade Center tower live. Advertisement The power of that image allowed us to conveniently place an asterisk on Sept. 11, 2001, denoting the date where we would be willing to make an exception to the constitutional values that had held the nation together for 213 years. It was a time when the Patriot Act made sense to majorities in Congress and the nation at-large, in spite of protestations of its dangers. The downside was rationalized in that only those with something to hide should worry about the unprecedented invasion of privacy that was shielded by the Fourth Amendment's protection of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures. The fear of another terrorist attack made the risk of any potential government overreach a Faustian bargain worth taking. The understandable need to return to safety permitted our collective actions to utter the unthinkable: "Yes, our constitutional values are important, but..." Since the nation decided to embark on this ill-advised adventure, it has taken us down a rabbit hole of which we're still seeking to climb our way out. Illegal immigration became transmuted into a problem somehow linked to 9/11. Despite having nothing do with the terrorist attacks, individuals from Mexico and Latin America were viewed as a visceral threat to American safety, even though the culprits came here legally. Advertisement And then there was Iraq, the foreign-policy misadventure that placed "weapons of mass destruction" into the lexicon of a country already drowning in fear. This represented a dark chapter in our history where certainty was the coin of the realm and questions to the contrary were bordering on treason. The majority saw the minority opinion as an irritant unworthy of acknowledgement rather than a combative ally, if nothing else, serving as the best opportunity against succumbing to the toxins of megalomania. Our elected leadership and their surrogates failed us. Many Democrats in Congress, more concerned with re-election, retreated into the cowardice of self-preservation. The run-up to the war in Iraq was marred by a Congress that spent more hours on trivialities than deliberating if Iraq presented the type of threat that warranted a preemptive strike. With high approval ratings, under the backdrop of the 9/11 tragedies, America took its eye off the war on terror in Afghanistan and the perpetrators harboring refuges there. Instead, the Bush administration turned to Iraq on evidence that has been proved wrong. The result was a destabilization of the region and a world that is less safe today. Advertisement On this 15th anniversary of 9/11, let us never forget the innocent lives that were lost that day, the families whose lives were permanently altered and the valor that service units displayed, willing to risk their lives to save others. But let also us remember it was a moment when fear trumped our values. And to the latter point let us be resolved to say: Never again. As thousands of conservationists gathered in Honolulu for the IUCN World Conservation Congress this week, it was more than clear that IUCN members needed to take a strong stand if Africa's elephants were to have a chance at survival. By the close of the congress, the global conservation community had stepped up to say: No more domestic ivory sales. Elephants have had enough of the ivory trade and so has the world. The final vote overwhelmingly approving Motion 007 calling for closure of domestic elephant ivory markets across the globe was vital, for the news about Africa's elephants is as bad as bad news gets. The 2016 IUCN World Conservation Congress passed a strong measure in Hawaii calling for the closure of global domestic ivory markets. Image: Cristian Samper/WCS. Advertisement At the start of the meeting in Hawaii, WCS's Andrea Turkalo issued a scientific paper for which she served as lead author showing that it will take almost a century for Africa's forest elephants to recover from the intense poaching they have suffered since 2002. At the same time, the results of the Great Elephant Census, funded by Microsoft founder Paul Allen, were released. Undertaken by a team of scientists and conservationists -- including WCS's Dr. Paul Elkan, Falk Grossmann and other WCS field staff, working in cooperation with government wildlife departments -- the census has documented that savanna elephants have declined at a rate of 27,000 -- or 8 percent -- per year, with a total of 144,000 lost in less than a decade. The surveys also revealed that several populations, particularly in West and Central Africa, are at dangerously low levels -- risking local extinction. The shutting down of domestic ivory markets would send a clear signal to traffickers and organized criminal syndicates that ivory is worthless and will no longer support their criminal activities. In addition to the threat those activities pose to wildlife, they have been responsible for widespread security problems in local communities. Cristian Samper at the Dzanga Bai research station of WCS's Andrea Turkalo, the site of recent research indicating that African forest elephants could take close to a century to recover from recent poaching. Image: Elizabeth Bennett/WCS. Advertisement The close of domestic markets would play a critical role in preventing the sale of illegal ivory under the cover of a legal trade, making it much easier for law enforcement agencies to do their jobs and much harder for the syndicates to profit from their nefarious trade. As we leave Hawai'i, many in the conservation community, including government representatives, will now head to a major meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) in Johannesburg. There, we remain hopeful the delegates will be emboldened by the IUCN vote to adopt a resolution submitted by African governments that also calls for closure of domestic ivory markets. Through our policy advocacy and 96 Elephants campaign, WCS has fought to protect elephants on several levels - local, national, and international. We have been encouraged by efforts of several U.S. states -- including Hawaii, New York, and California -- to ban ivory sales even as the United States and France have closed their markets and China and Hong Kong SAR have promised to do the same. WCS Vice President for Field Conservation Programs Joe Walston loads a piece of carved ivory on a conveyor belt to be crushed in Times Square. Image: Julie Larsen Maher/WCS. Other key steps have included reinforcement of site-based anti-poaching and protected area management actions. At the same time, a growing number of countries across Africa are taking more effective law enforcement actions against poachers and in their ports, while more than a dozen countries across the world have burned or crushed their stockpiles of confiscated ivory. Advertisement All these actions have kept momentum behind shutting down the ivory markets that have devastated elephant populations. In September 2015, US President Obama and Chinese President Xi committed to "enact nearly complete bans on ivory imports and exports." While China has not taken the final step needed to shut down its domestic ivory market, it has committed to close its market soon - an action likely to inflict a grave blow to ivory criminals. Through a series of social media mini-campaigns developed in China, thousands of Chinese travelers have taken pictures documenting their pledge to "Bring No Ivory Home" on shouhudaxiang.org. Graphic courtesy WCS China Program. It is important to note that the IUCN ivory motion highlighted the leadership of African nations behind the movement to save elephants, including African-led efforts such as the Cotonou Declaration of 2015; the African Elephant Action Plan and associated African Elephant Fund; and the Elephant Protection Initiative. Africa's leadership has been inspiring to all. Their elephants and their communities are suffering and the world must heed the call to put an end to the ivory trade, once and for all. They came from all over New York and even Texas and Boston for what widows and colleagues call "our family" for ceremonies, a reunion and conversation at Engine 40, Ladder 35 on Amsterdam Avenue and 66th Street near Lincoln Center. The 15th anniversary drew at least 200 participants spilling onto the sidewalk to honor 12 of the 13 firefighters who were fatally trapped during their rescue operation at the South Tower of the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001. The sole survivor, Kevin Shea, buried alive under the rubble, attended with his girlfriend and said they spend much of the year in Nicaragua. Looking fit and handsome in his uniform, Shea, a college graduate, officially retired in 2004 after answering phones and doing other chores as he was recovering. Advertisement His injuries were multiple, a fractured neck, a severed thumb -- and he said the operations had left him infertile. He said his neck was no longer painful. "I live in the moment," he said happily chatting with those visitors who knew who he was. "Bigger this year" Captain John Carbone read out the names of the deceased in four separate ceremonies with a roll call formation among the firehouse's members: 8:46 when the first aircraft crashed into the North Tower; 9:03 when another aircraft hit the South Tower; 9:59 when the South Tower collapsed; 10:28 when the North Tower collapsed. "We do this every year but it is bigger this year," said Carbone, who was a fire marshal 15 years go. "A lot of companies have people in certain neighborhoods in Manhattan who feel close to it." Some 343 firefighters died on 9/11 and another 127 died of related cancers in the ensuing 15 years. The Lincoln Center station was among the hardest it. Advertisement "Come and see my guys" Angela Callaghan, widow of Captain Frank Callaghan, the ranking officer killed in the South Tower, was a math teacher and now lives in Ulster County. She has attended the ceremonies every year since 2001. "I have to come and see my guys. I love these guys. It's like one big family. Some are promoted but they come back. We all feel better when we see each other," she said. "I feel this is my place." She has not remarried as several of the widows have done but she admits to having a boyfriend. Her children are all grown and she has a grandchild. She recalls that her son, who was in high school 15 years ago, then completed college and spent 10 years in the Marine Corps. "He was a kid and now he is a man." When I spoke to her 10 years ago, she described her pain because many bodies could not be recovered. "We just never got them back. And that was hard for the men. The one thing that they kept saying to me over and over again was 'Ang, we are looking for them, we are looking for them.'" Advertisement "They had never before not been able to recover their men. They had buildings collapsing. They always go and bring them out. They wanted to do that and they couldn't and that was one of the hardest things for the guys," she said I live three blocks away and 15 years ago I visited the firehouse after our building had put up a notice of the tragedy and some of us donated money to the families. My neighbor, the late Pulitzer Prize-winning author, David Halberstam, recorded the bravery on a human scale in his best-selling 2002 book, Firehouse. He wrote: The aftershocks of the tragedy have persisted not just in the grief for the men who were lost, but also in the guilt among the survivors, who have continued to wonder not just why they lived, but whether it was wrong to have done so. There have been acceptable days, and there have been bad days, when the pain was almost unbearable. The first responders who did not make it: A lone flag sits at the North Pool of the National September 11 Memorial, ahead of the 15th anniversary of the attacks in Manhattan, New York, September 10, 2016. REUTERS/Mark Kauzlarich As we remember the more than 3,000 casualties from September 11 now fifteen years ago today, and reflect on whether their deaths were avoidable, it is necessary to recall the warnings of terrorist attacks on American soil issued as early as 1999 and repeated on January 31, 2001, by the United States Commission on National Security/21st Century of which one of these authors, General Charles Boyd, was Executive Director and the other author, Senator Gary Hart, was, with his late colleague, Senator Warren Rudman, co-chair. That commission was mandated to provide the most comprehensive review of U.S. national security since the passage of the National Security Act of 1947 and to make recommendations to the next President of the United States on countering new indications and warnings of threats in a dramatically changing world. Advertisement A bipartisan panel of distinguished Democratic and Republican national security experts oversaw a staff of highly experienced military, Foreign Service, and intelligence scholars. Commissioners and staff traveled to 28 foreign countries, convened 33 major conferences, collecting information and ideas from hundreds of expert witnesses on a comprehensive range of security threats, but also security opportunities. Our focus was consistently on the differences the world of the early 21st century would represent from the 20th. Very early in our deliberations we became convinced that the new era of terrorism would visit the American homeland sooner rather than later and with potential catastrophic consequences. Early on, in interim public reports, we warned that, "Terrorists will likely attack the United States and Americans will die on American soil, possibly in large numbers." In our final report to the new George W. Bush administration eleven days after its inauguration, we repeated that stark warning in print to the President and in person to the Secretaries of State and Defense and to the new National Security Adviser. We were specifically and deeply concerned that the three principal agencies with responsibility for border protection, the Coast Guard, Customs Service and Border Patrol, were accountable to three separate Cabinet officers in separate Departments and did not possess a common communications system or data base. Watch lists were haphazard and often not shared. Thus, our first recommendation was to create a U.S. Department of Homeland Security responsible to one Cabinet officer who would be accountable to the President, Congress and the American people. The new administration did not undertake that effort until more than nine months after the tragedy of 9/11, and it is still attempting to achieve full effectiveness. Nonetheless, the great government of the United States, in the eight months between our urgent recommendation and 9/11, could, at the very least, have created that communication system and data base among the border agencies and vastly increased the chances of identifying the terrorist plotters. Advertisement We Americans are steadfast, even courageous, in responding to attacks on our nation. We are less than steadfast at anticipating, preparing for, and preventing those attacks. We who write these words believe that future terrorist attacks are virtually inevitable. They may or may not utilize commercial aircraft in their purposes. But a cyber shutdown of our air traffic control system might cost multiple numbers of casualties beyond 9/11, a similar cyber attack on our highly computerized financial systems would wreck our economy, and much of the rest of the world, until repaired. And who is to determine whether a highly contagious viral pandemic was the work of nature or biological terrorists. A great nation such as ours cannot function on perpetual high alert, nor will we become a frightened people. But eternal vigilance requires informed, serious and concerned citizens. We owe it to those who perished to do nothing less. Given our experience, as vivid in our memories today as it was watching thousands of our fellow citizens perish on television fifteen years ago, one should not wonder why these thoughts are still on our minds. Convinced of peril yet unable to generate administrative or legislative action, against the backdrop of that intense experience, we cannot help but ponder whether, possibly for the remainder of a lifetime, we could have and should have done more. Plume of smoke from the burning World Trade Center on September 11, 2001, as seen from the International Space Station. Image Credit: NASA Something Else Died on 9/11 On this fifteenth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, we remember the innocents murdered that day, the courage of police and firefighters, the deliberately shocking brutality of the act, and the wounded lives left in its wake. Osama bin Laden is dead, but Islamist terrorism lives on, the Middle East has descended into seemingly unending war and chaos, and a toxic mix of religion and tribalism fans the flames. We feel the heat even in America, where religious and racial xenophobia fuel the candidacy of an authoritarian demagogue. We have plenty to mourn, but this eulogy is for something else that died on 9/11. It may seem trivial at first, especially against the backdrop of the lives lost on that day, but this is a different kind of loss. It was an alternate version of the year 2001, and a piece of our American spirit, of our genius and hope, died with it on 9/11. For me it lives on in a memory of another fifteenth anniversary. Advertisement I was fifteen years old when I first saw Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey in 1968 -- old enough to be awestruck, smart enough to appreciate its stunning technical realism, and socially inept enough to tolerate the less-than-stellar dialog. I knew I didn't fully understand this movie, but I loved it. I saw it several times that year and bought a copy of the soundtrack album. I even bought one of the thin but expensive souvenir booklets they sold in the theater lobby, which I mistakenly thought would explain the mysterious ending. A Time of Hope The energy and optimism of that time were palpable. America was still surfing a wave of postwar prosperity. The race to the moon was nearing its climax, and we were winning. Within my living memory, which back then spanned little more than a decade, we had gone from humbling explosions on the launch pad to the majestic Saturn V. The robotic Mariner 4 spacecraft had returned the first flyby images of Mars three years earlier. Eight months after 2001 was released, Apollo 8 would orbit the moon. Seven months after that, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin would walk on it. Our progress in robotic and human space exploration was stunning. Image credit: MGM/Kubrick Kubrick and Clarke's extrapolation of this trend thirty three years into the future seemed completely plausible. Of course we would have lunar colonies in 2001. Of course we would have Hilton hotels and Howard Johnson's restaurants in giant, wheel-shaped space stations. Of course we could just book a flight to the moon on Pan Am. And the film's optimism was not merely technical. In 2001 we would share the space station with the Soviets, who would also have lunar colonies, and only a hint of cold-war suspicion would persist. Humanity would have mostly conquered its inner demons, and now we would cooperate to explore the cosmos. The collision with reality began well before the real 2001 arrived. The Soviet Union disintegrated, only to be replaced by an equally dysfunctional oligarchy. Our postwar economic boom ended, and wrenching economic changes obliterated whole industries while creating new ones. Our expansive vision of human space exploration was choked off by budget constraints and confined to low earth orbit. Artificial intelligence lagged far behind that of HAL 9000, but the exponential growth of computer power fueled the technology boom of the 1990s. That and irrational exuberance fueled the crash that followed. Advertisement Pan Am Flight 103. Image credit: AAIB And in the Middle East, a cult of Islamist holy warriors festered, spawned mainly by Saudi Wahhabism and the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. Pan Am went bankrupt, weakened by the bombing of Flight 103 and finished off by high oil prices following the first Persian Gulf War. Kubrick and Clarke's hopeful vision was on its deathbed by the turn of the millennium, and the 9/11 attacks finally killed it. The real 2001 would be remembered, not for lunar colonies and contact with extraterrestrials, but for a barbaric act of primitive religious hatred. What went wrong? Part of the problem was the extrapolation of postwar American economic growth, which turned out to be a transient anomaly. But most of it had to do with those inner demons, which in some parts of the world were being conjured, not exorcised, during the pre-millennial decades. The Wahhabi doctrine of violent jihad is now the most toxic of Saudi exports. Fifteen of the nineteen hijackers on 9/11 were Saudi citizens. Of course tribalism and violence have always been part of human nature -- a central theme, ironically enough, in the opening prehistoric sequence of Kubrick's movie. Violence also characterized the year of its release: the Tet offensive, the assassinations of Martin Luther King and Robert Kennedy, race riots, and the blood-stained protests at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. But we are flexible animals, and another of our evolutionary endowments is a propensity, during childhood, to accept on faith whatever our parents teach us. This is a big part of what makes human cultural evolution possible. We can teach our children kindness and tolerance for all of humanity, or we can teach them bigotry and religious fundamentalism. Indoctrination of either kind tends to last a lifetime. We are probably stuck with Islamist violence and turmoil in the Middle East for at least another generation. A repeat of 9/11 seems unlikely, but other kinds of terrorist attacks seem inevitable. Our best hope is educational reform in the Muslim world -- reform that emphasizes tolerance, freedom of expression, religious pluralism, and real education in the arts and sciences. There is a small but growing movement for this in Muslim countries, mainly among a tiny and often persecuted secular minority. It will take decades, and the process has barely begun. We should do all we can to nurture it. We must also show the theocratic Muslim world, by our own example, that pluralistic secular democracies lead to more peaceful and economically successful societies. Embracing xenophobia and authoritarianism won't help. Advertisement The Real Future And what of humanity's future in space? I've learned enough science since 1968 to know that direct contact with extraterrestrials, of the kind depicted in 2001: A Space Odyssey, is extremely unlikely. Colonies on the moon might never be practical but are at least within the realm of the possible. Robotic space exploration, however, is relatively cheap and abundantly productive. Only three days ago a sample-return mission was launched to asteroid Bennu. A year ago the New Horizons spacecraft gave us our first close-ups of Pluto, taking us much deeper into space than even Kubrick's fictional Discovery One spacecraft went (not counting the hallucinogenic trip through the Stargate). Proxima Centauri as seen by the Hubble Space Telescope. Image credit: NASA/ESA An earthlike planet has recently been detected in orbit around our nearest neighboring star, Proxima Centauri. "Nearest" is a relative term, of course. At four light-years away, it would take a spacecraft like New Horizons tens of thousands of years to get there. But it beckons, and we may someday find a faster way to send robotic starships there. Or maybe an array of giant telescopes on the far side of the moon could do better, in which case the lunar colony suddenly becomes promising. But first we must get our economic affairs in order, end our population growth, learn to live within our means, keep our Earth habitable, and find a way to tame those demons. John C. Wathey is a computational biologist whose research interests include protein folding, evolutionary algorithms, and the biological forces behind religion. Learn more at www.watheyresearch.com. Former NASA astronaut Frank Culbertson Jr describes his experience of the 9/11 attacks from space: Advertisement Earlier this year at a conference of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, Saudi King Salman bin Abdel Aziz made a series of noteworthy remarks about the widespread phenomenon of terrorist recruitment and incitement on the Internet. He called on Saudi youth to take the initiative to counter extremists' online activity with their own responses, by arguing against strident interpretations of Islam and advancing their own, tolerant understanding of the religion in its stead. He also called on people of good conscience throughout the world -- including state and non-state elements -- to play their part in fighting extremism on the Internet and social media. The king's comments have raised numerous issues of interest to peoples and leaderships of Western democratic societies who are themselves grappling with similar problems. The statements have also laid bare the stark contrasts among countries in North America and Europe -- and vis a vis their Arab allies -- with respect to their differing approaches to this common scourge. Advertisement Perhaps it was no accident that shortly before the OIC conference, French President Francois Hollande, a staunch Saudi ally, made statements about terrorism and the Internet strikingly similar in nature to those of the king. It was in January, a few short weeks after a series of bloody attacks in Paris, that he told 2,000 assembled business leaders at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland to unite in a global campaign against terrorism. The initial statement was familiar and anodyne: "The response needs to be global, international, shared between those states that are on the front line [against terror]." But he went on to go beyond the realm of state policy: "This effort must also include businesses, especially the biggest ones, who have a duty to act." Calling on the private sector to play its part is of course significant because most terrorism incitement carried online uses commercial platforms controlled not by government but by corporations -- ranging from the most powerful international social media companies (Twitter, Facebook, and so on) on the one hand, to the national and local Internet service providers on the other. Hollande noted that governments simply cannot fight terrorism on their own. Similar observations had also been previously made in the United States by Jeff Rosen, a prominent member of the American Bar Association (the country's national lawyers' guild): "Today, lawyers at Google, YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter have more power over who can speak and who can be heard than any president, judge, or monarch." But where Hollande and various Americans agree in diagnosing the problem, France and much of Western Europe respond to it differently than the United States. As Rosen observed, French law criminalizes the denigration of communities and religion, whereas American law does not ban the slandering of a "communal identity" -- only the slandering of an individual. Thus with respect to domestic Internet service providers, the French government can readily and easily demand that a provider within its borders shut down a Web site controlled by extremists, whereas the United States government almost never does so. Meanwhile, the largest, multinational social media companies claim to abide by the laws of the countries in which they operate. In practice, however, they rarely do. Even during the heat of the 2012 Benghazi riots against the American-produced YouTube film, "The Innocence of Muslims," Google refused to block access to the film via its search engine. The company eventually made a brief, partial exception -- but only in Egypt and Libya, where the risk that the film would inspire violence was seen to be the greatest. This month, amid the violence in Israel, American Jewish activists attempted to persuade Facebook to take down a page called "Stab a Jew," which seeks to persuade people to kill Jews wherever they find them. As of this writing, Facebook still refuses to take down the page -- and, for that matter, thousands of others like it denigrating and inciting against people of many different religions and nationalities. Advertisement Given the vast size of the United States and the impunity with which extremists exploit its freedoms to spread hate online, the question of how to mitigate the problem has inspired a range of proposed strategies. Over time, citizen activists have persuaded numerous American Internet Service Providers to adopt the principle of voluntarily policing themselves. Though it may not be illegal to spread hate, a company can establish "terms of service" to which all customers must agree, stipulating that they may not use the platform to promulgate hate speech. In the United States today, the majority of Internet Service Providers require that all users accept such terms. Though enforcement has been spotty, determined activism and popular pressure has sometimes shown itself to be effective in holding the Internet companies to their own standards. Meanwhile, some legal affairs activist groups have been working tirelessly to seek out rare legal precedents in the United States that could potentially be effective against hate speech. For example, the organization "Partners Against Hate" points significantly to a landmark court case in 1999: A coalition of extremist groups opposed to the abortion of unborn fetuses was ordered to pay over $100 million in damages for providing information to a Web site which posed a threat to the safety of a number of doctors and clinic workers who perform abortions. The site posted photos of abortion providers, their home addresses, license plate numbers, and the names of their spouses and children. In three instances, after a doctor listed on the site was murdered, a line was drawn through his name. Although the site fell short of explicitly calling for an assault on doctors, the jury in the court case found that the information it contained amounted to a real threat of bodily harm. The analogy between the 1999 case and terrorism incitement is quite obvious, and a new wave of court cases are expected in the United States that will attempt to use it against terror groups. It seems possible that new forms of international cooperation and coordination between American anti-terror lawyers and Arab governments such as Saudi Arabia and the Gulf states may prove helpful in enhancing the success of these legal efforts, given the inherently international nature of the cases. There is also an interesting parallel, which this researcher found to be worthy of note, between King Salman's clarion call to Saudi youth to counter hate speech on the one hand, and sentiments espoused by some American anti-hate activists on the other. The American "Anti-Defamation League" has published a pamphlet titled "Responding to Cyberhate: Toolkit for Action." It presents an action plan for the role of differing segments of American society in countering the ugly phenomenon. Sections of the brochure include, "What Internet Providers Can Do," "What Government Can Do," "What Parents Can Do," and "What Users Can Do." This thoughtful document stresses the important role of the family in modeling respect for peoples of other ethnicities and religions. It also calls on Internet users to respond proactively to haters online with their own, positive messages. Internet users are warned not to allow themselves to be dragged "down into the mud" with cyberhaters, but rather to appeal to the Internet browsers, through respectful communication, to see the ugliness of the purveyors of hate for what it is. Advertisement However different the legal systems, social norms, and principles that underpin various countries of the world, the closer one observes public responses to hate speech, the more obvious it is that civilized peoples everywhere are united in opposition to it. It seems to me that it is only a matter of forging closer ties for partnership across borders to fix the problem -- a transnational response to what is after all a transnational scourge. Ripe Aglianico grapes in the vineyard. Picture courtesy Elena Fucci According to the Wine Economics Research Centre at the University of Adelaide, the wine industry produced over 7.7 billion gallons of wine in 2014. That's enough for a little over a gallon of wine for every single person on earth. Remarkably, although there are over a thousand grape varieties suitable for making wine, two-dozen varieties accounted for roughly 85 percent of the world's wine production. Italy is a welcome exception to the increasing uniformity of the wine world. There may be over 2,000 varieties of wine grapes currently cultivated in Italy - no one is really sure. At least 350 specific varieties have been identified and studied to varying degrees. Many of these unique wines never make it far from their immediate environs. Those that do make it to North America are often lost in the veritable sea of Cabernets and Chardonnays that crowd the typical wine store. Among Italy's most remarkable wine offerings is a little known grape called Aglianico (pronounced ah-l'yee-an-nee-koh). This is an ancient grape whose origins are still buried in the recesses of antiquity. First cultivated in Greece, it was brought by Greek settlers to ancient Cumae in southern Italy around 800 BC. Its name is likely a corruption of the Latin term Vitis hellenica or "Greek vine." Until the 15th century it was referred to as Ellenico - the local term for Greek. Advertisement Aglianico was possibly the principal grape variety in the Roman world's most expensive wine, Falernian. The Roman author and naturalist Pliny the Elder described wines made from Aglianico as among the greatest in antiquity. Dennis Dubourdieu, a Bordeaux winemaker and a professor of oenology at the University of Bordeaux, has described Aglianico as "probably the grape with the longest consumer history of all." Aglianico di Vultura zone in the province of Potenza, Basilicata, Italy Map courtesy Mario Nenno The grape buds early and is late ripening. It thrives in hot, dry climates. Today, it is cultivated in such disparate places as the Murray Darling region of Australia, as well as Texas, Arizona and California. Remarkably, the grape is also grown at Vieni Estates in the rolling hills of the Vinemount Ridge of the Niagara Peninsula in Ontario. It is in southern Italy, however, in the regions of Basilicata and Campania, that the grape reaches its apex. In Basilicata, Aglianico has the distinction of being the region's only DOCG wine (Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita), Italy's highest wine classification. The Aglianico di Vultura, produced on the steep slopes of Mt. Vulture, an ancient volcano in the northern area of the province of Potenza, is widely considered to be one of southern Italy's greatest wines. The free draining, rich, dark soils of decomposed volcanics, combined with the higher altitude, allow the Mt. Vulture zone to produce particularly rich, concentrated wines. The best performing sites are between 1,000 and 1,600 feet. The temperatures are slightly cooler there, with a notable diurnal swing in temperatures. The altitude helps to preserve acidity, while at the same time slowing the accumulation of sugars, prolonging the ripening or "hang time" of the grapes. This area is among the sunniest in Italy. Vineyards here receive more hours of sunshine than just about any other grapes in the world. Advertisement Elena Fucci with a bottle of her signature wine, Titolo Picture courtesy Elena Fucci One of the most highly rated Aglianico del Vulture wines, is the Elena Fucci, Titolo. This wine is produced from vineyards over 1,800 feet above sea level, among the highest in Vulture. This is a powerful wine with a complex nose offering aromas of ripe, almost jammy, black fruit, followed by dried herbal notes of fragrant rosemary, as well as tobacco and wood spice. There are traces of cinnamon and slight hints of vanilla, underscored by smoke and a crushed stone minerality. On the palate the wine is dry. It's full-bodied with a notable weight and plenty of ripe black fruit. It's nicely balanced with fine and firm tannins, neatly contrasted to the fruit, and underscored by a notable acidity. The finish is long, with a complex array of ripe dark fruits and dried Mediterranean herbs. This review is for the 2012 wine, a slightly warmer than average year in southern Italy, but is indicative of the Fucci style of Aglianico offerings. Monte Vulture an extinct volcano famous for the quality of the wine from its Aglianico vineyards The only other DOCG designated production zones for Aglianico are in and around the villages of Taurasi and Taburno in Campania . Today there are over 300 producers of Aglianico in Campania, but only a handful export their wines to the United States. Here too, the best wines are produced at higher altitudes, typically 1,000 to 1,500 feet above sea level. Unlike Mt. Vulture, the soils here are mostly layers of marls and limestones broken up with sand and clays from decomposed volcanics. Mastroberardino's Radici Taurasi In Campania, Aglianico has long been associated with the Mastroberardino family. The late Antonio Mastroberardino is widely given credit for identifying and preserving many of the ancient grape varieties of the region, and in particular Aglianico. Until the resurgence of the grape variety, the Mastroberardino family was responsible for 90 percent of the Aglianico produced in Campania. The powerful tannins and classic aromas of tar and earth that characterize these wines have led them to be called the "Barolo's of the South." The Mastroberardino Radici Taurasi is made from 100 percent Aglianico grapes. With bottle aging, this is a smooth, rich, silky wine with fine, well-integrated, tannins. This is a dense wine with notable mouth feel and texture, but still balanced. On the nose, it exhibits the dry, herbal, aromatic notes of the Mediterranean's wild mountain brush and the dense concentrated fruit that is the signature trademark of Aglianico. Advertisement On the palate there are distinctive notes of smoked, dried meat and intense tropical spice, featuring cloves and a hint of cinnamon, as well as concentrated fruit. The finish is long and complex, with a mixture of dried aromatic herbal notes and dried meat and mushroom flavors against a backdrop of dried, at times jammy, black fruit. This review is for the 2009 wine, but it is indicative of the Mastroberardino style. The classic Aglianico style is a deep garnet color with notable intensity and weight. These are full-bodied wines whose powerful tannins, high acidity and concentration of fruit endow them with significant aging potential. Highly tannic in their youth, the wines typically need three to five years of bottle aging before they are drinkable. Its attractive price has earned it the nickname of "the poor man's Barolo." Artika, Russia's latest nuclear-powered icebreaker At the height of the cold war, the polar region was one of the centers of the superpower's shadow war. Ballistic missile carrying submarines were virtually undetectable in the cold waters below the Arctic icecap, while the air above represented the shortest routes for intercontinental bombers. Today, a rapidly melting polar ice cap is once again making the Arctic the nexus of a modern great power rivalry. To date three countries, Russia, Canada and Denmark, have extended claims to the arctic seabed that encompasses large portions of the Arctic, including the geographic North Pole. China too, although not an arctic nation, has set its sights on a broader role in Arctic affairs. While the U.S. has not yet extended any broad territorial claims to the arctic seabed, the U.S. Navy is gearing up to deal with the challenge of naval surface warfare in an ice-free Arctic. On June 16, 2016, Russia unveiled the lead ship in the LC-60YA class of nuclear powered icebreakers. Aptly named Arktika, the new behemoth measures 569 feet long and 112 feet wide at the beam, and it cost approximately $1.9 billion to construct. Advertisement The ship displaces 33,540 metric tons, about three-quarters of a World War II era Iowa class battleship. Powered by two nuclear reactors, it can cut through ice ten feet thick and has a top speed of 22 knots. It is described by Russian officials as "the largest and most powerful" icebreaker in the world. On average, Arctic sea ice is between six and ten feet thick, which means the Arktika can travel almost anywhere in the polar region on a year around basis. There are a few regions where sea ice can measure up to fifteen thick, but these are increasingly rare. The name harkens back to the original class of Soviet built nuclear powered icebreakers, which began in 1971. The original Arktika was the first surface ship to reach the North Pole on August 17, 1977. It was decommissioned in 2008. A total of five additional icebreakers were built between 1977 and 2007. The new Arktika is about 30 percent bigger than its original namesake. The ship is scheduled to begin service in 2018, when it will begin to escort oil tankers and LNG carriers from northern Russia to ports in the Asia-Pacific region. Advertisement Russia has more icebreakers than any other country in the world. In fact, it has more icebreakers than all of the other countries of the world combined. While Russia's long Arctic coastline is clearly a factor in Russia's nuclear icebreaker program, the Kremlin has made no secret that it has broader ambitions in the Arctic.Russia resumed intercontinental bomber flights over the Arctic in 2007. That same year, it also planted a Russian flag, constructed from virtually indestructible titanium, on the sea floor directly over the geographic North Pole. Lomonsov and Mendeleev Ridges on the Arctic sea floor Moreover, of the four million people that inhabit the region surrounding the Arctic Ocean, between the North Pole and the Arctic Circle, roughly two million are Russian. The other two million are divided between the United States, Canada, Greenland (an autonomous Danish territory) and Norway. Iceland, though technically an Arctic nation, does not actually border the Arctic Ocean. The Arctic seabed is believed to hold some 15 percent of the world's petroleum reserves and 30 percent of its natural gas reserves. Conflicting claims to the high arctic date back to at least 1925, when Canada extended its maritime boundary from 60 degrees west to 141 degrees west northward, all the way to the North Pole. The distance between Canada's northernmost point of land and the geographic North Pole is 415 nautical miles (478 statutory miles). The next year the Soviet Union followed suit claiming a vast area from 32 degrees east (west of Murmansk) to 168 degrees west (eastern Chukchi Sea) to the North Pole. Norway extended a similar claim from 5 degrees east to 35 degrees east to the North Pole and the U.S. extended a claim from 170 degrees west to 141 degrees west to the North Pole. Denmark, by virtue of its sovereignty over of Greenland, could have claimed an area from 60 degrees west to 10 degrees west to the North Pole, but never did so. In 2001, Russia asserted that the Lomonosov and Mendeleev Ridges, which extend along the Arctic seabed, are an extension of the Eurasian continent and the territory surrounding them should therefore be included as part of the Russian continental shelf. The Lomonosov Ridge runs some 1,100 miles, and spans the Arctic Ocean almost all the way to Canada's Ellesmere Island. The Mendeleev Ridge is shorter, but covers the central area of the Arctic Ocean, including the geographic North Pole. In total the Russian claim covers 460,000 square miles. Advertisement The United Nations (UN) Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf has declined to rule on Russia's claim for an extended Russian continental shelf and has asked for additional documentation and research. Should the UN uphold Russian claims, both the geographic North Pole and a large portion of the Arctic Ocean would come under Russian control. Danish scientists, in the meantime, have contended that the Lomonosov Ridge is actually an extension of the Greenland continental shelf. In 2014, Denmark filed a claim, under the provisions of the UN Conference on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), covering an area of 346,000 square miles (sqm) around the Lomonosov ridge, extending from Greenland all the way to the Russian continental shelf and including the North Pole. By comparison, Greenland's total surface area is about 836,000 sqm. Norway also filed a claim with the UN Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf as set out in the UNCLOS treaty. Oslo claimed three areas of the Arctic and northeastern Atlantic based on an extension of the Norwegian continental shelf. Canadian Northwest Passage Ottawa, on the other hand, has asserted that the two ridges are part of the Canadian continental shelf and that its arctic region also extends to the Russian continental shelf and includes the North Pole as well. Canada's claims are particularly important because they also extend to Canadian claims over the Northwest Passage. While the other polar countries have recognized Canadian sovereignty over its northern territories and islands, Ottawa's claims that the various channels and straits that comprise the Northwest Passage are also part of Canada's internal waters are not universally accepted. Advertisement Both the United States and various European countries have argued that the Northwest Passage is an international waterway allowing free and unencumbered passage. The Arctic offers a sea route from East Asia to Europe that is some 4,000 miles shorter than current routes. Despite announcing ambitious plans to enforce its arctic claims, Canada has done little beyond organizing a royal tour of the Canadian Arctic by Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip I in 1970. In 2009, the Canadian Parliament officially renamed the northwest passage the Canadian Northwest Passage. Beyond that, successive Canadian governments, both Liberal and Conservative have failed to follow through on their announced plans. Russia too has an arctic passage, dubbed the Northern Sea Route or Northeast Passage, it runs along the Russian northern coast from the Kara Sea to the Bearing strait. The entire route is within Russia's exclusive economic zone. This route has already been used to ship Russian fertilizer between Murmansk and Churchill Manitoba. Currently, this route is only ice free for about two to four months of the year. The arctic pack ice is thinner here, however, as a result of the warming effects of the Gulf Stream. In short, the first transarctic shipping route between Asia and Europe will likely be the Russian route. All of the claims filed to date have been under the provisions of the UNCLOS treaty. The United States has signed but not yet ratified the UNCLOS treaty. According to the treaty, a country has 10 years from the ratification of the agreement in which to file a claim for an extended continental shelf. To date the U.S. has not made any formal claims to the arctic seabed. The continental shelf of Alaska has been extensively, but not completely mapped by the United States. Sea ice accumulation around Russia's Northeast Passage China is not an Arctic nation, but that has not stopped it from seeking a larger role in the Arctic's geopolitics. China has held observer status on the Arctic Council since May 2013. The Arctic Council in an intergovernmental forum made up of representatives of the United States, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Russia and Sweden. The Council addresses issues that pertain to the indigenous peoples of the Arctic and to Arctic nations. Advertisement China established an arctic research station, the Arctic Yellow River Station, on Svalbard in 2003, and despite not being an Arctic nation spends more money on Arctic research than the U.S. In August 2012, the Chinese ice breaker, Xue Long, operated by the Polar Research Institute of China, successfully traversed the Northwest Passage. A second Chinese "research" icebreaker is currently being built. In addition, the People's Liberation Army Navy operates five smaller icebreakers assigned to the North Sea Fleet stationed in Qingdao and Lushunkou (Port Arthur). A number of Chinese commercial shipping companies have announced ambitious plans to begin using the Northwest Passage route between Asia and Europe. China's most ambitious Arctic venture, however, has been China's rapidly growing investment interest in Greenland. In 2013, a consortium of Chinese steelmakers proposed a $2.35 billion iron ore-mining project. The mine would ship about 15 million tons of iron ore annually to China. The revenues it would generate would exceed Greenland's current GDP. It would also see the arrival of up to 5,000 Chinese workers, boosting Greenland's population by about eight percent. The mining venture has not yet been approved. The Northeast and Northwest Passages across the Arctic. Greenland is also believed to be rich in rare earths. These strategic metals are indispensable in a broad range of modern electronic devices, from cell phones to MRIs. Currently, China controls the mining of over 90 percent of the world's rare earths. Should Greenland become fully autonomous from Denmark, Chinese investment and influence there could give Beijing a far more influential role in Arctic matters. Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who enjoys the final say on Iran's domestic and foreign policies, has repeatedly labeled any opposition to his rule and policies (including those by Iran's reformists and supporters of the Green movement) as "Fitna" or "Monafeghin". The term "Fitna" comes from an Arabic verb that means to "seduce, tempt, or lure." Khamenei uses these words to describe those who divide Muslims, endanger Islam, prioritize their own interests over Islamic duties, or those who desire to change the political establishment of the Islamic Republic. "Fitna" is Khamenei's "red line" that no individual should cross. But if pursuing policies and rhetoric that divide, rather than unify, Muslims is "Fitna" for Khamenei, doesn't his own recent actions, incendiary rhetoric, and remarks make him a "Fitna" and "monafegh" as well? Advertisement For example, Khamenei decided to prevent Iranians from performing the Hajj and he seems to be inciting the Muslims to back him to achieve his political ambitions. The he Hajj is supposed to be a symbol of unity between all Muslims. But why has Khamenei felt the urge to issue such provocative remarks? Geopolitically speaking, Khamenei's actions fall right in his and IRGC's regional hegemonic ambitions as well as their attempts to tip the regional balance of power in their favor. This also suggests that Khamenei gives priority to his political interests over Muslims' holy duties. On the other hand, religiously speaking, Khamenei does not consider himself to be only the Imam (leader) of the Iranian people or the Shiite community. From his perspective and the modern theory of Shiite theology (velayate faqih), Khamenei views himself as the leader of the Umma (all Muslims). Many Shiite theologians still oppose Khomeini's and Khamenei's perception. Finally, Khamenei's incendiary remarks also suggest that Iran's increasing application of hard power and bullying is ratcheting up rather than being moderated, most significantly since the United States reached an agreement with Iran on the nuclear program. Advertisement _______________________ For more details and nuances you can read full versionon Here. Dr. Majid Rafizadeh is an American political scientist, business advisor, best-selling author, and the president of the International American Council on the Middle East. Harvard-educated, Rafizadeh serves on the advisory board of Harvard International Review. An American citizen, he is originally from Iran and Syria, lived most of his life in Iran and Syria till recently. He is a board member of several significant and influential international and governmental institutions, and he is native speaker of couple of languages including Arabic and Persian. He also speaks English and Dari, and can converse in French, Hebrew. You can sign up for Dr. Rafizadeh's newsletter for the latest news and analyses on HERE. You can also order his books on HERE. You can learn more about Dr. Rafizadeh on HERE. For my 23rd birthday, I was lucky to be able to take a trip to the pristine Khuvsgul Lake in Mongolia. Khuvsgul Lake is the second largest freshwater lake in the world, the next best thing to Lake Baikal in Siberia. Khuvsgul is 700km north of Ulaanbaatar. To visit, one can opt for a two-day drive or a short 1.5-hour flight. For those of you interested in traveling to Mongolia, the sights are plenty. In the south is the incredible Gobi desert home to the double humped camels. In the west are the majestic Altai Mountains, where the Kazakh eagle hunters reside. In the east lies the steppe of Mongolia with vast untouched rolling hills for miles on end. Finally, the north is home to the majestic Khuvsgul Lake and the Tsaatan reindeer herders of Mongolia. The time to visit Mongolia is anytime, but be warned, the winter is fierce and the capital city is intolerable during the winter due to air pollution. The less time you spend in the capital city, the happier you will probably be. The allure of Mongolia for many is the vast emptiness of the land dotted with what remains one the few true nomadic people of the world. In the emptiness, nomadic families live quietly in gers dotting the land with their animals grazing freely. For those confused, a ger is pronounced "gher" and refers to a portable dwelling used by Central Asian nomads. If you can't imagine it, watch this video to see a it being built. I cannot stress how incredibly powerful it is to see such places of pristine natural wildlife. Some do say, Mongolia is the "last frontier." Advertisement When you do visit Mongolia, here are 10 tips to make the most out of your time in Mongolia: 1. Trust your driver. Although there are no maps/gps/road signs/roads available, rest assured, Mongolian drivers are incredibly skilled at navigating. Let yourself go in the incredible scenery and lose any worry about how and where you might be lost. However, if you feel the driver is speeding, do not hesitate to ask to slow down. 2. MST: Mongolian Standard Time. Synonymous to "Island Time". People are much less aware of time here and locals have a very relaxed attitude about it. If you need something urgently, be sure to stress a little otherwise whatever you need could be a few more minutes/hours than expected. Just a note, if your driver says your destination is just over that next hill, be dubious but forgiving. 3. Hang out and play with the local kids! Mongolian children are extremely friendly and so darn cute. They are most famous for their big rosy red cheeks, covering much of their face. If you would like to take pictures, it is polite to ask the family first. 4. Visit a nomadic family. If you have the opportunity, or pass a ger on your way, be sure to make a stop. Mongolians enjoy visitors and are happy to share a few minutes of their time with the weary wanderer. It is customary that any visitor who visits a ger is offered a seat and some milk tea. It is polite to take a sip at minimum. Gift giving is customary for visitors, so if you do intend to visit a nomadic family, bring with you a small gift. My advice would be to bring them something they don't have such as a frisbee, puzzles, but candies and small toys are just as fine. Advertisement 5. Long (bumpy) car rides: Be prepared for some epic long car rides in some old school rides (russian vans and jeeps). Most of these vans have stereo systems that work with CASSETTE tapes. If you've got some old favorites lying around the house, bring them with you on your travels. Otherwise, charge your mp3 or bring portable speakers. Lastly, if you get car-sick, bring meds. Side note: Our crew for my birthday trip brought portable speakers and they were literally a BLAST. Listening to Johnny Cash under the summer solstice moon with a bon-fire was ideal. 6. Free love! The French hippies, the Israeli solo traveler, the re-pat traveling the homeland... You will be most likely surprised and bewildered by how far some have come to see Mongolia, and how long some have been traveling here. Be friendly and you can make some long-lasting friends. 7. Quality camera: As fun as disposable cameras are and as easy to use your phone camera is, if you really want to capture the EPICNESS of this country, bring with you a decent camera. I promise you, it is worth it. Plus, you can make your friends even MORE jealous of your epic adventures. 8. Shower? In your dreams. Dry shampoo I hear is the new rage, if you are fussy, bring a bottle of that. In some luxury ger camps, you will find some solar and heated showers. Otherwise, let your hair loose, mount that horse, and ride away into the oblivion that is not having any mirrors around. Oh, and bring wetwipes... Once out of the city, its out-houses only or natures doorstep. 9. Ger tourist camps: are plentiful in the most popular destinations and I recommend even just a night. Even if you are camping with your own tent, be sure to fandangle your way into at least 1 night in a ger. The sound of rain pitter-pattering whilst in your ger is incredibly serene. Just a note, if you think the ger is small and you are curious about where the nomads put all of their belongings, one hint are the rungs of the ger on the top. Small necessities such as toothbrushes and towels are stuck in the top. By the way, the mile high club is overrated... how many people are in the "dare in the ger" club? Advertisement 10. LOOT: Make sure you make room for some hefty loot. My advice on le cashmere: shop till ya drop. I understand if you visit during the summer, it is difficult shopping for cashmere in the heat, but I guarantee you, you won't find anything softer than camel hair, or those warm warm cashmere blankets and sweaters anywhere else. To note: There are many unmentioned things in this article like Mongolian traditional music, yummy mutton, the how-to on how to hold a baby goat properly, the crazy black market in UB and the probabilities of finding a dinosaur or dinosaur egg during your trip. I couldn't fit all of the fun into this list, so watch out for the next one. In the meantime, if you've got comments and suggestions, please contribute below. Saturday night saw 3,600 members of the LGBTQ community and their allies gather at the DC Convention Center for the Human Rights Campaign's (HRC) annual National Dinner. This year the chairs of the dinner were Bruce Rohr and June Crenshaw. June has now served in this capacity three times and has shown again what an amazing person she is. Things got started a little late but then it is a gay event so no one really complained. The press has a small seating section in the hall and one of the benefits of being there was the chance to chat with Sarah McBride who is a member of the communications team at HRC. Sarah was the first transgender person to ever address a national convention of a political party when she spoke at the Democratic National Convention. The HRC is officially a bi-partisan organization but it was clear from the thousands in the room they were in agreement with HRC's endorsement of Hillary Rodham Clinton for President. Any Donald Trump supporters would have felt very out of place in the room. Some HRC supporters walked the red-carpet, some I knew and most I didn't which may have been a generational thing. There was the incredibly talented Sharon Gless who has been an outspoken supporter of the LGBTQ community for years. I felt lucky to be able to thank her personally for all she has done. One of the biggest cheers came for Nyle DiMarco, winner of Top Model and Dancing with the Stars. Nyle is more than a sexy hunk. He is an eloquent spokesperson/activist for the deaf community. Then HRC President Chad Griffin posed for a picture with the amazing Congressman John Lewis who has been a civil rights activist since working with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. but has also stood arm-in-arm with the LGBTQ community and we honor and thank him for a career fighting for social justice and equality. Advertisement The first major speaker of the evening was Chad Griffin. Over the years he has become a great speaker. He began by thanking attendees for being there and said "because of all the progress you've helped make possible these last many years, countless Americans all across this country today are able to live fuller and more equal lives than they were just a short decade ago." He spoke of lifting the ban on gay and transgender individuals serving in the military and the Supreme Court's decision making same-sex marriage legal in the country. He also reminded everyone "despite all that we've accomplished, we are surrounded by constant reminders of just how far we still have to go in our fight for full equality. From Houston to North Carolina, from Orlando to Trump Tower, the roots of hatred and bigotry stretch far and wide. And this past year we've had to fight harder and dig deeper to push forward through some of the darkest times we have ever faced." He spoke of the tragedy in Orlando at Pulse Nightclub and Christopher Drew Leinonen who with his boyfriend, Juan, both lost their lives at Pulse. He recognized and thanked Christopher's mother, Christine Leinonen, who was at the dinner. Christine is a beautiful person and has turned her grief into a positive thing joining the Board of the Pride Fund to help fight for sensible gun laws. Advertisement Griffin then introduced the keynote speaker, Vice Presidential candidate Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA). What came through in Senator Kaine's speech is what all who know him already knew. Senator Kaine is a smart, decent man and one the country will be proud to call Vice-President. Senator Kaine always manages to speak to issues relating them to his life in a way people can easily understand and identify with. He spoke of how as a Catholic, despite some of the church's positions, he has come to understand and support what the full scope of equality means; whether it is civil rights, women's rights, the rights of immigrants or LGBTQ rights. Today he is a proud catholic who supports marriage-equality and is a sponsor of the Equality Act. He spoke of his support for sensible gun control and how his experience with the Virginia Tech shootings made such an indelible impression on him. He is married to Anne Holton, a successful person in her own right and the former Virginia Secretary of Education, and the daughter of A. Linwood Holton, Jr. a Republican Virginia Governor who fought to desegregate Virginia schools. Senator Kaine spoke of the opening of the military to gay and transgender persons and recognized Eric Fanning, the Secretary of the Army who was at the dinner, reminding all how far we have come when an incredibly qualified man who happens to be gay can be confirmed by the Senate. All-in-all this was another great event for the Human Rights Campaign. HRC has its supporters and detractors but few can question we will need this organization to stay strong for many years to come as we work to both change the law and fight for cultural acceptance, which will be harder to achieve. I should say at the outset that much of what follows flows not from my own scholarship but from conversations with learned friends, Wikipedia and Islamic journals. I like to think that I'm a practitioner of penmanship, and not of plagiarism. (Nevertheless, you will find that I have dispensed with footnotes in the interest of ensuring smoother textual flow.) I am not a Muslim. I was born into a Hindu family in Bombay (now known as Mumbai); I went to a high school run by tough Jesuits; and I attended secular colleges and universities in Boston and New York. I am by no means a theologian, but I am drawn to the spiritual life. Islam, in particular, fascinates me: along with Christianity and Hinduism it is one of the world's great religions -- not only on account of its teachings but its massive demographics. (According to an authoritative Pew Forum report, Christianity was by far the world's largest religion, with an estimated 2.2 billion adherents, nearly a third -- 31 percent -- of more than 7.4 billion people on Earth. Islam was second, with 1.6 billion adherents, or 23 percent of the global population in September 2016.) Advertisement That's why I have always enjoyed religions that lend themselves to enjoyment by all. And Eid is a universal celebration. My fervent wish is that all my friends of every faith join in this great fest and feast of prayer and amity! In the United Arab Emirates, where I've lived for the last decade, Eid al-Adha formally starts this year on Monday, September 12. (Islamic scholars wisely stayed away from designating 9/11 as the beginning of the Eid -- the metaphor would have been much too painful and would have invited opprobrium from most everywhere.) Some fundamentals first: The Muslim calendar holds two Eid festivals. The first, Eid al-Fitr, lasts several days and marks the end of Ramadan, the holy month of fasting. The second, known as the Greater Eid or Eid al-Adha, commemorates the willingness of Abrahim to sacrifice his son Ishmael as an act of obedience to Allah. Eid al-Adha or the Feast of Sacrifice, is celebrated by Muslims all over the world as a major holiday for a period of three to four days. Muslims attend special prayers held at different major mosques and Islamic centers all over the world. In some Islamic countries, Eid holidays are lengthened to a week or more. The idea is to encourage piety and prayer, not to promote sloth. When asked about the origin of Eid al-Adha, The Prophet of Islam, Muhammad (PBUH) is reported to have said, "It is a tradition that has come down to us from Abraham." Advertisement The Feast of Sacrifice dates from the historic event when the Prophet Abraham was commanded by God, in a form of a dream vision, to sacrifice his son, Ishmail. But while he was in the act of sacrificing his son, God sent the Angel Gabriel with a huge ram. Gabriel informed Abraham that his dream vision was fulfilled and instructed him to sacrifice the ram as a ransom for his son. The story is mentioned in Chapter #37 of the Holy Qur'an. Eid al-Adha enjoys special significance because the Day of Sacrifice marks the climax of Hajj or Pilgrimage, the fifth pillar of Islam. This annual pilgrimage to Makkah and Madinah in Saudi Arabia is an obligation only for those men and women who are physically and financially able to perform it once in their lifetime. The five pillars of Islam constitute the foundation of Muslim life: (1) Faith or belief in the Oneness of God and the finality of the Prophethood of Muhammad (PBUH); (2) Establishment of the five daily prayers; (3) Concern for and almsgiving to the needy; (4) Self-purification through fasting; and (5) The pilgrimage to Makkah. Remembering 9/11 is important for several reasons. Chief among them is to pay tribute to the immense loss of life. Not only the nearly 3,000 killed and more than 6,000 injured in New York, Washington, and Shanksville, but also the thousands killed in the Near East wars that began as a result. Since the start of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, 6,895 Americans have been killed, with an additional 52,473 wounded. These numbers include Operations Iraqi Freedom, New Dawn, Enduring Freedom, Inherent Resolve (ISIS), and Freedom's Sentinel. The Costs of War project at Brown University estimates that 165,000 civilians in Iraq and 31,000 in Afghanistan have been killed since the start of U.S. military operations. Several hundred thousand more have died as an indirect result of those combat operations. In addition, drone strikes have killed as many as 3,800 people in Pakistan, many of them civilians. The same can be said for drone strikes in Yemen and Somalia. The figures above suggest another reason remembering 9/11 is important: to serve as a humble reminder of how fear pushed a nation to action with consequences we will live with for decades to come. Many remember the ease with which the Authorization for the Use of Force in Iraq Resolution of 2002 passed both houses of Congress; the final votes were 296-133-3 in favor in the House and 77-23 in favor in the Senate. Around 70 percent of Congress voted in favor of the war in Iraq. Notable "yea" votes on the Democratic side include Sec. John Kerry, Sen. Chuck Schumer, and Democratic nominee for President Hillary Clinton. Public opinion was not much better. A January 2003 poll indicated that while 63 percent of Americans favored finding a diplomatic solution, 64 percent also favored removing Saddam Hussein from power in that failed. Advertisement Was everyone duped? Clearly not. Enormous protests, like the one in New York City in February 2003, numerous warnings from experts (see here), and global criticism indicate otherwise. Despite these calls to slow down and consider the ramifications of invasion, the resolution passed handily. This was effectively accomplished via the "patriotism card"; anyone who questioned the facts feared being labeled unpatriotic or faced retribution in other ways. This is a very real possibility in the future. Today we face similar circumstances. Not because we face the prospect of two wars, but because fear has once again reached similar levels. Globalization and free trade have made people fearful of losing their jobs. Immigration has made people fearful of losing their way of life. Systemic injustice has made people of color fearful of violence, imprisonment, and hatred. Silencing of free speech has made people fearful of saying the wrong thing at the wrong time to the wrong person. Terrorist attacks in Paris, San Bernardino, and Orlando have brought fear of terrorism back to the forefront of the national psyche. Fear is dangerous because it can be exploited and it has time and again throughout this election. You may have heard these arguments before, but aren't they worth repeating? Especially in remembrance of the day that sparked us to action with generational consequences? Especially in light of the current political climate and the military stances of our two presidential candidates? A Donald Trump presidency is too frightening to contemplate and will undoubtedly make us less safe. It is unclear whether he wants to force Middle Eastern allies to solve every problem or "bomb the *#%$ out of them." His unpredictability mixed with his numerous gaffes (see Quds/Kurds mix-up and "I know more than the Generals") make him the more dangerous candidate by far. But what about a Hillary Clinton presidency? Sec. Clinton claims she regrets her vote in favor of military action in Iraq. Okay, but have her opinions toward military intervention changed? Her recommendation to intervene in Libya during the Arab Spring suggests otherwise. What about her plan for Syria? In the past, she has hinted at an increase in ground forces to fight ISIS, in addition to ratcheting up the air campaign. Sec. Clinton has also been a long proponent of a no-fly zone; there are valid reasons why that is a bad idea. Advertisement On the ideological spectrum (foreign-policy wise) from isolationism on the one end and imperialism on the other, the two major political parties are quite close. While many, including myself for a time, hoped for a legitimate alternative in Gary Johnson and the Libertarian Party, his recent "What is Aleppo?" gaffe takes "uninterested in global affairs" to another level entirely. Noninterventionism, while it no doubt has its limits and drawbacks, has yet to find its place in the political arena. President Obama's foreign policy can rightfully be criticized in some respects, but he has at least prevented catastrophe. That being said, his expansion of the drone wars, a trigger-happy next president, and a prolonged crisis in Syria that the world is itching to see an end to does not inspire confidence in the continuation of that trend. Buhler stopped the run but often got beat deep as Ark City wins 32-13 local St. Elizabeth's Church and public safety officials held a 9/11 memorial with Our Lady of Fatima. PreviousNext Prayers, Remembrance at North Adams 9/11 Memorial NORTH ADAMS, Mass. A vigil at St. Elizabeth's Church ended Sunday with a joint memorial with members of the public safety community to the victims of the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. Sunday marked the 15th anniversary of the attacks that killed nearly 3,000 people, including close to 500 first-responders. Parishioners at St. Elizabeth ended morning Mass with a procession carrying Our Lady of Fatima to the Veterans Memorial, where firefighters and police officers from several communities were standing at attention. Police Director Michael Cozzaglio, standing before the wall listing the city's military casualties, spoke of what had happened that Tuesday morning as two passenger jets were purposefully crashed into the World Trade Center towers and how a third over Washington, D.C., flew low enough to topple utility poles as "it was screaming into the Pentagon at over 500 mph." Terrorists who had taken control of the fourth plane, United Airlines Flight 93 out of Newark, N.J., were able to stop could have been a second attack on Washington. "It has been told that passengers and the flight attendants fought these terrorists valiantly," he said, choking up. "These people were using boiling water and fire extinguishers to fight these terrorists, to stop this planes ... these brave passengers and flight attendants caused this plane to flip and crash into Shanksville, Pa." In New York, member of the Fire Department and Police Department, along with Port Authority and emergency medical services personnel, were attempting to save as many as they could. "As people were running away from this tragedy that was unfolding, these brave people were running toward this tragedy trying to help people," Cozzaglio said. "Civilians were rallying around each other as they were escaping the World Trade Center, helping each other." The Rev. William F. Cyr, the priest at St. Elizabeth's, who had been at Sts. Patrick and Raphael Parish in Williamstown at the time of the attacks, reminded the gathering that "we in this area have a very direct connection with what happened on that day." Peter Goodrich, who was raised in Williamstown, was on United Flight 175, which struck Tower Two at 9:03 a.m. Across the aisle from him, said Cyr, was the Rev. Francis E. Grogan, a superior of the Holy Cross residence in North Dartmouth and a Pittsfield native who had cousins in Williamstown. A number of the victims of the attacks had connections to the area, particularly to Williams College. The response to the attacks the invasion of Afghanistan also led to North County's first combat casualties since the Vietnam War. Army Sgt. First Class Daniel H. Petithory, 32, of Cheshire, was killed in December 2001 and Spc. Michael DeMarsico III in 2012. "Most merciful Savior, bring much-needed peace to all the troubled parts of our world where hatred and violence rage and the fear of war spurs despair among humankind," Cyr said in leading the prayer and calling for dialogue, healing and mercy. "May leaders of nations, particularly our own, make wise choices based on the common good of humanity rather than decisions based on prideful and political displays of power ... "Please protect all of those in harm's way and allow justice and peace to reign together." "One of her titles given by Pope Benedict XV was 'Queen of Peace,' so the committee decided to tie this in with 9/11 as we search for peace and try to bring about less discordant hatred and everything else," Cyr said. "Deacon George Galli and Laureen Richards started the ball rolling. The group that takes care of the statue decided they would do this for us because of the extra work they put into it and the fact of this very special weekend." The memorial included the ringing the "Last Alarm," sounded for fallen firefighters, and the lowering of the American flag to half-staff. Fire Director Stephen Meranti, Police Sgt. James Burdick and North Adams Ambulance Service General Manager John Meaney Jr. each read the traditional prayer for their services. The gathering also sang "God Bless, America" before the procession of Our Lady of Fatima resumed, moving down Eagle and Main streets and back to St. Elizabeth's Parish Center for a reception. Before the service ended, the Rev. David Anderson of First Baptist Church, the Fire Department's chaplain, noted that today's high school freshman class was born after the events of Sept. 11. "Most of us gathered here not only remember the day, we remember where we were when we first heard the news. We remember how we felt. We know where we were for much of that day," he said. "Much like Pearl Harbor and the assassination of JFK, 9/11 is becoming an event to discuss as history." Crowds at memorial events have dwindled over the years, so it was incumbent on everyone to continue to remind the next generation of what had happened. When his daughter asked him what Sept. 11 was, he described it as "a day when evil met us in the still early hours of the day. ... "It was one of our darkest days but it became one of our most remarkable moments as a people because it was a day when heroes rose up ... it was a day in which heroes ran toward fire and destruction and not away from it. Nine-eleven was a day when heroes did what needed to be done." Saudi Arabia has launched a Persian-language satellite television channel broadcasting the hajj, following tensions with Iran over the annual pilgrimage. The 24-hour satellite channel will cover hajj rituals and prayers from the Grand Mosque in Mecca. Minister of Information and Culture Adel al-Turaifi said the channel targets Persian-language speakers, whose number is estimated at 130 million all over the world. Though Saudi authorities allocated around 64,000 places for Iranians, none are taking part this year because of a breakdown in negotiations last May over arrangements, including safety measures needed to avoid a repeat of a September 2015 stampede that killed over 2,300 pilgrims. The channel is also being broadcast by radio to Iran, Iraq, and Afghanistan, as well as through mobile phone applications and the Internet. The hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam that every capable Muslim must perform at least once in their life. Based on reporting by AFP and AP Imperial Valley News Center U.S. Engagement in the Pacific Washington, DC - The United States deeply values our relationship with the countries of the Pacific region, with which we share common history, values, and goals. The Pacific Island Countries (PICs) are close partners of the United States on many global issues, and their challenges are our prioritiestackling climate change, preserving our oceans, increasing the use of renewable energy, advancing sustainable and inclusive economic development, and improving health and education. Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Daniel R. Russels participation as head of the United States delegation at this years Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) Post Forum Dialogue (PFD) on September 11 in Pohnpei, Federated States of Micronesia demonstrates our commitment to the Pacific Islands region. Climate Change and Disaster Risk Reduction Before the United States joined the Paris Agreement on September 3, President Obama, speaking to the Pacific Islands Conference of Leaders on August 31, said Few people understand, I think, the stakes better than our Pacific Island leaders, because theyre seeing already the impact. From rising sea levels to increasing air and ocean temperatures to shifting rainfall patterns, PICs are among the most vulnerable in the world to the impacts of climate change. The U.S. prioritizes its support for climate change adaptation to the most vulnerable developing countries like the Pacific Small Island Developing States (PSIDS). The United States has pledged $3 billion to the Green Climate Fund (GCF) and has supported decisions taken by the GCF Board that will aim to improve access to funding for particularly vulnerable countries including PSIDS. In addition, the U.S. has announced nearly $90 million to support climate adaptation activities in the Pacific Islands. This figure includes President Obamas announcement on August 31 of nearly $40 million in new programming to enhance resilience to climate change and advance clean-energy development by building regional, national, and local capacity in the Pacific Islands to prepare for and help mitigate the negative impacts of climate change. Under the new announcement, the United States hopes to help build regional capacity through the Institutional Strengthening in Pacific Island Countries to Adapt to Climate Change (ISACC) Program, where the United States will invest up to $5 million to support regional organizations, the Pacific Community (SPC), the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Program (SPREP), and the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat. In order to build national capacity, the United States is announcing $ 9 million for a major USAID climate adaptation program called Climate Ready, which will enhance the Pacific Islands ability to access climate finance. To enhance the local capacity for climate change adaptation, the United States is announcing $15 million in disaster risk reduction programs next year, as well as continuing ongoing community-based initiatives. Finally, the United States is contributing $8 million into the Pacific Catastrophe Risk Assessment and Financing Facility, a World Bank multi-donor trust fund to support the creation of a disaster and climate risk insurance facility for Pacific Islands. Oceans The ocean is a vital part of the Pacific economy and society, but today, the ocean is under tremendous pressure from human activity. Secretary Kerry will host the third Our Ocean conference in Washington D.C. on September 15-16, to focus the worlds attention on the key ocean issues of our time and encourage participants to undertake new commitments for significant and meaningful action to protect the ocean. These commitments will not only support the implementation of the new Sustainable Development Goal 14 on the ocean, but will help us begin to improve the health of a resource we can depend on. Enhancing maritime security and maritime domain awareness is critical to combating piracy, illegal fishing, and transnational crime in the Pacific. Illegal fishing activities result in an estimated $400 million revenue loss for the Pacific region each yeara figure that is greater than the GDP of a number of the countries in the regionand the inability of PICs to adequately patrol their waters leaves them vulnerable to external non-state actors and other non-traditional threats. The United States has been a strong partner with PICs in our shared effort to sustainably manage Pacific fisheries resources and combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing. The U.S. shiprider agreements with nine PICs provide a critical mechanism to cooperate on reducing IUU fishing and enhance maritime law enforcement. In addition, over the past several years, the United States has worked closely with the Republic of Palau and the Federated States of Micronesia on maritime surveillance through the use of pilot surveillance projects and developing Maritime Domain Awareness strategies. We also launched Safe Ocean Network, which seeks to build a global community to strengthen all aspects of the fight against illegal fishing including detection, enforcement, and prosecution. This initiative has focused on increasing collaboration between countries and organizations combatting illegal fishing around the world, and includes several partners and projects in the Pacific Islands. Sustainable Fisheries and Economic Development The United States also supports sustainable fisheries and economic development in the Pacific Islands. The United States deeply values its nearly 30-year old partnership with the Pacific Islands under the 1987 Multilateral Treaty on Fisheries. We are encouraged that we reached agreement in principle on the general terms of fishing access under the Treaty for at least the next six years. Through the associated Economic Assistance Agreement, the United States provides the Pacific Island parties with $21 million in economic support funds annually to support economic development. U.S. vessels operate according to the highest standards and commercial best practices, are subject to strict enforcement by U.S. authorities, and support U.S. contributions to sound sustainable fishery management and efforts to combat IUU fishing. The United States is confident that our partnership with the Pacific Islands on fisheries has not only helped preserve this important resource for the region, but also has resulted in increased economic returns for Pacific Islanders through transparent arrangements. The United States is supporting the Pacific Islands to develop their own sustainable fisheries industries through direct support for the private sector. The United States will invest $178,000 to bring the Fish 2.0 sustainable seafood business competition for 2017 back to the Pacific Islands region, in partnership with the Forum Fisheries Agency and Pacific Islands Trade and Invest. In 2015, the United States, through an initial $250,000 grant, brought the Fish 2.0 sustainable seafood business competition to the Pacific Islands region. This unique and innovative program enabled sustainable fisheries and seafood companies from the Pacific to receive mentoring and connect with investors in the United States interested in supporting sustainable companies in this sector. Over 40 participants attended two regional workshops providing business training in Pohnpei, Federated States of Micronesia and Nadi, Republic of Fiji, and over 30 businesses participated in the Fish 2.0 competition. Five Pacific businesses advanced to the global competition finals in Palo Alto, California, where they networked with investors, pitched their ideas to investors interested in sustainable fisheries, developed new trade partnerships, and received significant media exposure. One Pacific business from the Republic of Vanuatu, Alfa Fishing, won a grand prize, while three others from the Republic of Fiji received prizes, including a meeting with Costco, a major wholesaler in the United States, training from Pentair, a US based global leader in aquaculture systems, and consulting support from leaders in the industry. Peace and Security The U.S. Department of State has provided assistance for the removal of World War II-era unexploded ordnance (UXO) and other legacies of war through conventional weapons destruction (CWD) programs in the Pacific since 2009. In 2012 at the PIF PFD, then-Secretary Clinton announced an additional $3.5 million commitment to UXO clearance in the Pacific over the coming years. Since that time, we have funded over $5 million in unexploded ordnance removal in the Pacific Islands, and we hope to push this contribution to more than $6.5 million. This funding supports ongoing programs in the Republic of Marshall Islands, the Solomon Islands, and Republic of Palau and allows us to respond effectively and quickly when new needs arise. When UXO was uncovered in Tuvalu in the aftermath of Cyclone Pam, the United States deployed Golden West Humanitarian Foundations Quick Reaction Force (QRF) to assist. Similarly, when the QRF was deployed to the Federated States of Micronesia, they performed an assessment of the UXO issue in Kolonia, Ulithi, and Yap. Using the QRFs assessment, the United States is exploring plans to fund a capacity building program to provide the FSM with skills to perform a follow-on clearance mission to mitigate risks of leftover ordnance from World War II. Health The United States supports the PIFs decision to make cervical cancera very preventable but common cancer for womena focus of its discussion. The United States is taking action to support crucial cervical cancer screening in the Pacific. Our Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) provides funding and technical assistance to the U.S. Pacific territories and the Freely Associated States, Federated States of Micronesia, Republic of the Marshall Islands, and Republic of Palau, to support their cervical cancer screening programs. HHS supports access to the Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine which could prevent much of the burden of cervical cancer as well as head and neck cancers caused by HPV. The United States also applauds the focus that the Pacific Islands have placed on combatting non-communicable diseases (NCDs) of all types. The United States was pleased to have high level representation from HHS at the Pacific Community (SPC) Summit on NCDs in the Kingdom of Tonga last June. Later this year, the United States will sponsor ten health experts from across the Pacific to come to the United States to learn more about how we tackle problems relating to obesity and NCDs. People-to-People Ties Promoting people-to-people ties in education, sports, culture, health, climate, oceans, and the environment allows the United States to reach out to the people of the Pacific Islands in direct, personal and lasting ways. In 2016, we are announcing about $5 million in funding for these people-to-people programs, including scholarship and fellowship programs with Pacific Islanders on issues like climate change, food security, and human rights. For example, the United States is sponsoring two young ocean conservation advocates representing the Republic of Fiji and the Republic of Palau to travel to the United States and attend the Our Ocean, One Future Leadership Summit on the margins of the Our Ocean Conference. The United States recognizes the importance of creating networks of young Pacific leaders, in particular women, to be better prepared to address future challenges. On the margins of the Pacific Islands Conference of Leaders and the World Conservation Congress in Honolulu, the United States hosted the Future Leaders of the Pacific conference for the fourth year. This years program brought over 20 youth from the Pacific Islands together with Native Hawaiian Islanders to build leadership skills to advance conservation. In October the United States will host the Indigenous Women Leadership Conference to mentor the next generation of indigenous women in Maori and Pasifika communities. The U.S.-South Pacific Scholarship Program (USSP) was established by the United States Congress in 1994 to provide opportunities for undergraduate and graduate degree study in the United States to students from Pacific Island Countries in fields important for the regions future development such as agriculture, business, communication, education, environmental studies, gender studies, journalism, NGO management, political science, public administration, public health, STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics), and other related fields. Through an open competition, the East-West Center, which receives U.S. government support, has administered the USSP program since its inception. Six Pacific heads of state have participated in East-West Center and other U.S. government-supported exchange programs. U.S. embassies in Port Moresby, Samoa and Suva regularly recruit Fulbright candidates from the Pacific Islands for graduate study in the United States, under the Fulbright Foreign Student Program, and several U.S. students annually conduct research in the region under the Fulbright U.S. Student Program. Eight Pacific Island nations are eligible for the Humphrey Fellowship Program, which provides a year of professional development in the United States. The Fulbright-National Geographic Digital Storytelling Fellowship launched in partnership with the National Geographic Society in 2013, is also part of the Fulbright U.S. Student Program. It grants nine month fellowships to travel to one, two, or three countries to report stories, with the support of National Geographics editorial staff, on National Geographics blog, including a grant to the Republic of Fiji and the Republic of Kiribati focused on climate change and sea level rise. The Fulbright-Clinton Public Policy Fellowship provides U.S. early career professionals with an opportunity to be involved in policy implementation within partner government ministries during ten-month grants in which they serve as special assistants to senor level officials within the host government. In Samoa, ten Fellows have been placed in ministries since 2013, three of whom have supported climate change initiatives at the Ministry of Environment, including support of the development of the National Climate Change Strategy and participation with the Samoan delegation at the 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP-21). The State Departments International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) is a two-day to three-week professional exchange program targeted to current and emerging foreign leaders. IVLP supports key U.S. foreign policy goals by engaging participants in meetings, site visits, and cultural activities with professional U.S. counterparts and other Americans. In FY15, 24 participants from the Pacific Islands participated in projects focused on accountability in government, water and natural resource management, womens issues including health, cultural preservation, tourism development, civic engagement, anti-trafficking, refugee issues, human rights, the Trans-Pacific Partnership and promoting social good through the arts. The United States Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation has awarded more than $800,000 in grants since 2001 to support 24 cultural preservation projects in the Pacific Islands, including a $65,000 grant in 2015 for the documentation of Samoan cultural sites and associated oral traditions, and in 2016 the Fund continued support for the Conservation of the 12th-Century Royal Tombs of Tonga. More than half the projects involved the preservation of traditional music, crafts, or other form of intangible cultural heritage. The privately-funded J-1 Exchange Visitor Program (EVP) also offers people-to-people ties and public diplomacy opportunities with youth and professionals from the Pacific Islands. In 2015, a total of 156 exchange visitors from the Pacific Islands came to the United States in 9 of the 13 educational and cultural exchange categories of the EVP. Overall, the program annually attracts nearly 300,000 individuals to the United States from around 200 countries and territories to study in U.S. high schools, universities, and research institutions; build professional, English language, and intercultural skills; and teach in U.S. schools, colleges and universities. Imperial Valley News Center Rural America Is Back In Business Washington, DC - We know when rural communities do well, America does well. Rural America provides us with the food we eat, the water we drink and the energy we use, not to mention a disproportionate percentage of the Nation's military that keeps us safe from threat. That's why it's good news that in all corners of rural America, we're seeing real, positive change take hold for the first time in the years since the Great Recession. Today, rural populations have stabilized, meaning more and more peopleespecially young familiesare electing to stay in rural America rather than leave for the city. Better job prospects are helping that trend. Rural counties added over 125,000 jobs in both 2014 and 2015, after job losses averaging 200,000 per year during 2008-2013. As a result, the rural unemployment rate has dropped below 6 percent for the first time since 2007, which is impacting falling poverty rates. From 2012-2014, we saw rural child poverty fall by 3 percentage points. And new data indicates that 7.9 million fewer people are struggling to provide adequate food for themselves or household members than when President Obama took office. In fact, food insecurity for children is at the lowest level on recordmeaning our children are able to access nutritious food in higher numbers than in the past. Taken together, these benchmarks of progress should give us great hope for the future. Over the past eight years, the Obama Administration, led by USDA, has vigorously invested in the rural way of life, strengthening the small towns and rural communities that so many call home. We've supported the heart of the American dream, helping more than 1.2 million families buy, repair or refinance a home in rural America, creating more homeownership opportunities than any other previous seven-year period in USDA's single-family housing program's history. We've invested in 8,350 critical community facilities like schools, libraries, hospitals and public spaces that improve the rural quality of life. We've facilitated the 21st century basic infrastructure of broadband in areas that desperately needed it, enabling access to new or improved high-speed internet service for six million Americans who live and work in rural areas. We've also set up the next generation of rural Americans by investing in a new economy focused on biobased products and manufacturing; lifting the potential of conservation and natural resources to expand recreation and business opportunities; building a local and regional food system that supports millions of new jobs; and supporting the world's greatest production agriculture system which has produced record exports and record profits for our nation's farming families. We've proven time and time again that an investment in rural America is a good bet. And to that point, we've helped unlock billions of dollars in private capital that is now flowing into rural businesses across the country. I've always believed that the potential of rural America is limitless, but in these eight years, I've seen the proof. With the steadfast support of our partners across the nation, and historic investments from President Obama and his entire Administration, I'm proud to say that change has come to our rural communities. ~ Thomas J. Vilsack is the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Imperial Valley News Center American Red Cross and Disney Help Half a Million Kids and Families Prepare for Disasters Washington, DC - During National Preparedness Month in September, the American Red Cross is celebrating the significant impact of its signature disaster preparedness program for youth The Pillowcase Project which has reached more than 500,000 students nationwide, resulting in six lives saved. The program, which is taught to 3rd 5th graders in schools, after-school programs and summer camps, teaches students how to create their own emergency supply kit by packing essential items in a pillowcase for easy transport during an emergency. Students also have the opportunity to decorate and personalize their pillowcases. The program is sponsored by The Walt Disney Company. Understanding the unique needs of children is an important part of disaster preparedness planning, said Gail McGovern, president and CEO of the American Red Cross. Thanks to tremendous support from The Walt Disney Company over the past three years, The Pillowcase Project has grown significantly, enabling us to provide children nationwide with the necessary tools to remain safe during an emergency. We are extremely grateful for Disneys commitment to this vital effort. The Pillowcase Project curriculum is structured by three core principles: Learn, Practice and Share. Students learn about hazards, how to prepare for emergencies, enhance coping skills, practice what they have learned and share their knowledge with friends and family. The program emphasizes the importance of developing an emergency communications plan, fire evacuation plan and emergency contact cards. It is vital to provide kids, families and communities with tools that make it simple to plan ahead for the unexpected, said Kevin Callahan, vice president of community and engagement, Corporate Citizenship at Disney. We are proud to work with the American Red Cross to inspire youth nationwide to take family preparedness action and help ease kids fears about emergencies. The Pillowcase Project was created in New Orleans, and was inspired by the story of local university students carrying their belongings in pillowcases during the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Disney has helped the Red Cross expand the program nationwide by sponsoring The Pillowcase Project since 2013. The Red Cross and The Walt Disney Company Encourage Disaster Preparedness: In addition to The Pillowcase Project, the Red Cross worked with Disney to develop the Mickey and Friends Disaster Preparedness Activity Book, which has been distributed to more than 300,000 youth nationwide. The book teaches kids and families how to prepare for and respond to a wide range of disasters and emergencies through interactive games and activities. The book is available to download in English and Spanish. Disney also sponsored the creation of Monster Guard - the first mobile app created by the Red Cross designed specifically for kids. The app complements The Pillowcase Project, and is a game where children role-play as various monster characters and engage in interactive training episodes for hazards such as home fires, floods and hurricanes. Since the launch of the app in October 2014, there have been more than 50,000 downloads. Other Disney contributions to the Red Cross include the donation of over 300,000 Mickey Mouse plush dolls distributed to kids during disaster-relief operations and hundreds of hours of volunteer service through the Disney VoluntEARS program. Disney is also part of a group of leading companies that are members of the Annual Disaster Giving Program (ADGP). As an ADGP member, Disney helps to ensure the Red Cross is ready to immediately respond when a disaster strikes. For information about The Pillowcase Project in your area, contact your local Red Cross chapter. CDPH Urges Health Care Providers to Adopt New National Tuberculosis Screening Recommendations Sacramento, California - California Department of Public Health (CDPH) Director and State Health Officer Dr. Karen Smith urged health care providers to adopt new recommendations recently announced by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force calling for adults 18 years of age or older who are at increased risk of tuberculosis (TB) to be screened for the disease. Those considered to be at increased risk of TB include individuals born in countries with elevated rates of the disease and individuals who live in settings with a large number of people, like group homes or homeless shelters. I urge health care providers in the state to adopt these new screening recommendations as quickly as possible, said Dr. Smith. Local health departments should work with providers to ensure that todays new recommendations are implemented. Todays recommendations, if universally adopted, can help us eliminate TB in California in the next few decades. Evidence shows that screening of individuals at increased risk for TB is an effective method for preventing the development of TB disease. TB is a disease caused by bacteria called Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The bacteria usually attack the lungs but can also attack any part of the body such as the kidney, spine and brain. It can be spread through the air from one person to another by coughing, sneezing or speaking. When TB bacteria actively grow in people and cause symptoms, the condition is known as TB disease and can be deadly. People with TB disease can infect others. The bacteria can also be inactive, causing no symptoms and held in check by the immune system. This condition is known as latent TB. Elimination of TB in California is possible by detecting and treating latent TB infection before it progresses to infectious TB disease. In California, an estimated 2.4 million people have latent TB infection. In 2015, 2,137 people were diagnosed with TB disease in the state. Health care providers can consult with their local health departments to develop specific plans for screening their patient populations. The CDPH Tuberculosis Control Branch provides technical assistance to local health departments and health plans to implement tuberculosis prevention efforts. Attorney General Loretta E. Lynch Delivers Remarks at September 11, 2001 Remembrance Service at First Presbyterian Church of Brooklyn Brooklyn, New York - Attorney General Loretta E. Lynch Delivers Remarks at September 11, 2001 Remembrance Service at First Presbyterian Church of Brooklyn: "Good morning, everyone. My thanks to Jim Johnson for that kind introduction, and for his friendship and support over the years. Jim and I were in college and law school together, and we were young prosecutors together, albeit in different offices, so I know that his commitment to public service and to this city runs deep. I also want to thank Pastor Adriene Thorne for her kind invitation to me and my team as well as her gracious hospitality throughout the planning for this visit. Thank you also for your outstanding stewardship of this storied church and your tremendous leadership of this inspiring community of faith. "Let me also acknowledge and thank the members of the New York Police and Fire Departments who are with us here today. We are grateful for all that you do each and every day to keep us safe, and we pray for the members of your community who sacrificed their lives in the line of duty on September 11th. And for you and your colleagues who continue in their path of service. And finally, let me thank all of you for welcoming me to First Presbyterian on this beautiful morning. What a pleasure and a blessing it is to be back in First Church. Being here on this special day special for so many reasons makes it even more significant to me. When I was considering how to commemorate this solemn anniversary, which fell on a Sunday, I knew I wanted to be in church, with a community of faith. I knew I wanted to be here. I began attending First Church shortly after 9/11. I certainly knew of First Church prior to that. I worked with Reverend Paul [Smith] on a committee. My friends Jim Johnson and Tanya Hill both attended and spoke highly of the warmth to be found here. I began attending after 9/11 because I was looking for the comfort and support of a community of faith. "Where were you on 9/11? That has become the question of our generation much as our parents asked, Where were you when President Kennedy was shot? On that fateful day, time stood still as we watched the tragedy unfold, as if it were frozen. But time never really does stand still. In fact, the events of 9/11, the meaning of 9/11, is best characterized by the actions we took. We need look no further than the actions of our first responders our police department and our fire department to see the essence of service, bravery and sacrifice. We saw ranks of brave police officers and firefighters run towards burning buildings living examples of Scriptures teaching that There is no greater love than to lay down ones life for ones friends. I am so grateful that the commemorations of this weekend and of today give me the opportunity to say what has been in my heart every day since 9/11, as a New Yorker, as an American, as the Attorney General of the United States: Thank you. "9/11 spurred other actions as well. We saw sympathy and support flow to the United States from around the country and around the world in food drives, at blood banks, in caravans of volunteers coming from all over to lend their hearts and hands to a broken city. And we saw this church open its doors to the crowds streaming across the Brooklyn Bridge, giving them a place to mourn, to pray, to weep, and to rest. In these and in so many other ways, we were reminded that while weeping may endure for a night and we had so many dark and painful nights joy cometh in the morning. Even in the midst of sorrow, there is hope. "And so it is today. This morning, we gather to remember and to reflect. We call to mind all those who were taken from us on 9/11. We mourn their loss, and we pray for their redemption. But at the same time, we must also look forward in hope and in joy to the legacy of those we lost. Yesterday I was privileged to attend the memorial Mass at St. Patricks Cathedral for the firefighters lost on 9/11 and to illness thereafter. As you would imagine, it was a tremendously moving service, especially when the family members of the fallen spoke. One of the clergy recounted a particularly moving story, however, about a young firefighter who had written a will, never expecting it would be read so soon. His possessions were few, and so he wrote, To my family and friends, all I ask is that you use my years. What a bequest. What a gift. What a legacy. And when we look around we see how we have indeed used a portion of his years. We have rebuilt Ground Zero and this city. We have used this tragedy to strengthen ourselves, both our defenses and our resolve. And we have committed ourselves to hold fast to the ideals that define us ideals of justice and equality, of compassion and love. There is of course more to do to create the beloved community that was envisioned by Dr. King, and that would truly honor our fallen heroes. And even though that community may seem far away at times, it is being created. It is being created when we gather for days of service. It is being created when we act to protect the weak from the strong. And it is being created when we reach out to the vulnerable, the lost and the disillusioned. "But if you need proof of the brighter future that is coming into view, then look no further than this sacred space. Look at the students we bless today, who approach that future with excitement and imagination. Look at their teachers, whom we also bless, and who will inspire our children to make contributions that we can only dream of. And look at the newest member of this vibrant community, baby Rowan, whose instinctive joy and unconditional love remind us that life is always being created anew. "My friends, these children inspire us with hope. But more importantly, they call us to action, reminding us of our responsibility to leave them a world that is more peaceful, more prosperous, and more just than the one we inherited. all I ask is that you use my years. So as we honor our loss let us also look forward and use the years bequeathed to us by our fallen heroes and gifted to us by a loving God to continue to create the better world our children deserve. Let us leave them the example not only of our words, but of our deeds not just of our faith, but of our works. And let us urge them to seek truth, to love justice, and to work for peace. "Where were you on 9/11? Our hearts will always answer that question. So let me pose another where are you today? How have you used your years? First Church, thank you for your time today as well as for opening your arms to me and so many others 15 years ago. And thank you not just for sheltering us all during the nights of our weeping but also for standing with us in the morning of our joy. "May God bless those we lost on September 11, 2001. May He give us the strength and wisdom to use their years to continue their legacy of love and sacrifice. And may He continue to bless the United States of America." Obama Administration Releases Resources for Schools, Colleges to Ensure Appropriate Use of School Resource Officers and Campus Police Washington, DC - The U.S. Departments of Education and Justice released today new tools to improve school climates, ensure safety, and support student achievement in our nation's schools. To the extent a local decision is made to use school resource officers (SROs) in community schools, these resources will help state and local education and law enforcement agencies responsibly incorporate SROs in the learning environment. Additionally, the Departments have highlighted tools available for law enforcement agencies that also apply to campus law enforcement agencies. "As educators, we are all bound by a sacred trust to protect the well-being, safety, and extraordinary potential of the children, youth and the young adults within the communities we serve," U.S. Secretary of Education John B. King Jr. said. "School resource officers can be valuable assets in creating a positive school environment and keeping kids safe. But we must ensure that school discipline is being handled by trained educators, not by law enforcement officers. At the college level, the President's Task Force on 21st Century Policing has important recommendations that can help campus and local law enforcement both keep students safe and safeguard students' civil rights." "With the release of these vital resources, the Obama Administration is furthering its commitment to ensuring that schools and SROs follow best practices, ensuring a positive and supportive classroom environment," said Attorney General Loretta E. Lynch. " By fostering relationships of trust and respect between students and school resource officers, we can continue to build safer schools where our young people can learn and thrivea vital effort that the Department of Justice will continue to advance with our partners at the federal, state, and local levels in the months to come." To assist states, schools, and their law enforcement partners in assessing the proper role of SROs and campus law enforcement professionals, both the Education Department and the Justice Department's Office of Community Oriented Policing Services released letters to states and districts emphasizing the importance of well-designed SRO programs and calling on leaders of institutions of higher education to commit to implementing recommendations from the President's Task Force on 21st Century Policing in the campus policing context. To assist in the K-12 context, the Departments also jointly released the Safe, School-based Enforcement through Collaboration, Understanding, and Respect (SECURe) Rubrics. These new resources can help education and law enforcement agencies that use SROs to review and, if necessary, revise SRO-related policies in alignment with common-sense action steps that can lead to improved school safety and better outcomes for students while safeguarding their civil rights. The release of these materials builds on the Obama Administration's work with states and districts to improve discipline practices and climate in the nation's schools. The Departments have worked collaboratively to recognize states and districts leading the way on these issues as well as to provide states and districts with effective alternatives to exclusionary discipline practices and continue to call upon a broad array of stakeholders to rethink approaches to school discipline in order to keep kids in school and out of the justice system. Highlights from the Administration's supportive school discipline efforts include: Joint Federal Policy and Legal Guidance: Education and Justice jointly released a School Climate and Discipline Guidance Package in 2014 to provide schools with a roadmap to reduce the usage of exclusionary discipline practices and clarify schools' civil rights obligation to not discriminate on the basis of race, color, or national origin in the administration of school discipline. #RethinkDiscipline Convening and Public Awareness Campaign: Education and Justice launched Rethink Discipline at the White House in July of 2015, convening school district teams, including some law enforcement practitioners and justice officials from across the country and sparking a national dialogue around punitive school discipline policies and practices that exclude students from classroom instruction and targeted supports. Rethink School Discipline: Resource Guide for Superintendent Action: As a part of Rethink Discipline, the Department of Education developed a resource guide with a set of potential action items to help school leaders implement safe, supportive school climate and discipline by engaging stakeholders, assessing the results and history of existing school climate and discipline systems and practices; implementing reform; and monitoring progress. Support for State and Local Educational Leaders and Partners from Other Systems: In 2015, the Department of Justice launched the National Resource Center for School Justice Partnerships to advance school discipline reform efforts and serve as a dynamic resource hub for schools, law enforcement agencies, and others to support school discipline reform efforts at the local level. Fostering Safe and Supportive Learning Environments: In 2016, the Department of Education released the ED School Climate Surveys and the Quick Guide on Making School Climate Improvements to help foster and sustain safe and more nurturing environments that are conducive to learning for all students. Addressing Implicit Bias and Discipline Disparities in Early Childhood Settings: In 2016, the Departments of Education and Health and Human Services recently announced a new investment of $1 million in the Pyramid Equity Projectto establish national models for addressing issues of implicit bias, and uneven implementation of discipline, including expulsions and suspensions, in early learning programs. Providing Guidance to Schools on Ensuring Equity and Providing Behavioral Supports to Students with Disabilities: In 2016, the Department of Education announced the release of a significant guidance document in the form of a Dear Colleague Letter, which emphasized the requirement that schools provide positive behavioral supports to students with disabilities who need them. It also clarified that the repeated use of disciplinary actions may suggest that many children with disabilities may not be receiving appropriate behavioral interventions and supports. Also included was a Summary for Stakeholders. The new resources and letters released today build on the work of the My Brother's Keeper Initiative and the Council on Women and Girls, and respond to recommendations put forth by the President's Task Force on 21st Century Policing to support schools in developing more positive school climates and strengthening the relationship between law enforcement and the communities they serve. These efforts help districts, schools, and communities build credible and sustainable systems, structures, and partnerships that provide safe, supportive learning environments that uplift students and nurture them when they do well and when they need support to do better. For more information about the Administration's work on school climate and discipline go to www.ed.gov/rethinkdiscipline. USDA Awards Grants to Preserve Affordable Rural Housing Washington, DC - USDA Rural Development Under Secretary Lisa Mensah announced grants to preserve and repair affordable housing for very-low- and low-income families living in rural areas. "Housing Preservation Grants are an excellent source of funding to help folks keep up a safe and energy-efficient home that is in good repair," Mensah said. "This funding will go a long way toward helping maintain the value of rural residents' homes and preserve the supply of safe, affordable housing in rural America." USDA is awarding $3.9 million in Housing Preservation Grant to 107 organizations in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and in every state except Montana and Washington. The grants will renovate 966 rural housing units. They can be used to remove health and safety hazards, make homes more energy efficient, and modernize the units. Eligible recipients include local governments, public agencies, federally recognized Indian Tribes, nonprofit organizations and faith-based and community groups. They distribute the grants to homeowners and owners of multi-family rental properties or cooperative dwellings who rent to low- and very-low-income residents. The organizations receiving the grants determine which local projects to support. In Pennsylvania, the United Way of Western Crawford County is receiving a $22,900 grant to renovate six units. It will help low- to very-low-income homeowners repair or replace major systems such as heating, electrical, or make exterior repairs. The United Way also will make accessibility modifications. The City of Okolona, Miss., is receiving a $24,663 grant to renovate up to 10 homes. In addition to general repairs, the city hopes to reduce overcrowding by making interior alterations and/or building room additions. Also in Mississippi, the Warren-Washington-Issaquena-Sharkey Community Action Agency is receiving a $40,000 grant to rehabilitate homes by removing lead-based paint and making weatherization and energy-efficiency improvements. Rebuilding Together of Litchfield County, Inc. in Connecticut will continue the work it has done with prior Housing Preservation Grants. It is receiving a $46,021 grant. The organization repaired 19 homes in 2015 with a 50,000 USDA grant. It leveraged a network of volunteers and partners to replace flooring, failing windows, siding, and make 28 health, safety and accessibility improvements. The repairs allowed very-low-income, elderly homeowners to remain in their homes. Funding for all awards is contingent upon the recipients meeting the terms of their grant agreement. USDA has provided $51 million in Housing Preservation Grants since the start of the Obama Administration. These grants have leveraged more than $184 million to repair and rehabilitate nearly 13,000 homes and apartments in rural communities. Since 2009, USDA Rural Development has invested nearly $13 billion to start or expand nearly 112,000 rural businesses; helped 1.1 million rural residents buy homes; funded nearly 9,200 community facilities such as schools, public safety and health care facilities; and helped bring high-speed Internet access to nearly 6 million rural residents and businesses. USDA also has invested $31.3 billion in 963 electric projects that have financed more than 185,000 miles of transmission and distribution lines serving 4.6 million rural residents. For more information, visit www.usda.gov/results . Concerns Regarding Intimidation of Civil Society Members in South Sudan Washington, DC - The United States is deeply concerned by the South Sudanese governments increasing efforts to silence South Sudanese civil society actors. We have consistently expressed our longstanding concern about the intimidation of civil society representatives to senior South Sudanese officials and have demanded an end to these acts, which have included violence, intimidation, and threats to shut down civil society groups and to seize their assets. Recently, these actions have been taken under the guise of the recently passed Non-Governmental Organizations Act and the Relief and Rehabilitation Commission Act. Together, these Acts are being used to severely limit the ability of civil society and humanitarian organizations to function effectively in South Sudan. The Transitional Constitution of South Sudan (2011) protects the rights of freedom of expression, assembly, and association. The United States urges the Government of South Sudan to respect these inalienable rights and to allow unhindered political and civic engagement, as these are vital elements for an environment conducive to the stabilization of South Sudan. A free and vibrant civil society is the cornerstone of any democracy. As South Sudan seeks an end to the conflict, organizations must have the freedom to operate unhindered by government intimidation, and the South Sudanese people need to be free to voice their opinions in order for there to be a lasting return to peace. Watch: Man's Fire Stunt Goes Horribly Wrong, Beard Up in Flames Get our free weekly email for all the latest cinematic news from our film critic Clarisse Loughrey Get our The Life Cinematic email for free Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the The Life Cinematic email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} At the Toronto Film Festival, Michael Fassbender put himself through something most actors never do; he watched clips of his own films back with an audience present, candidly speaking about each role (all for charity). Notably, Vulture reports how the actor spoke of his displeasure with his performance as Magneto in X-Men: Days of Future Past, saying of one scene: "I dont actually like that performance there, to be honest. I just think its me shouting. Its just some dude shouting." Another highlight came as he watched a scene from Prometheus with Charlize Theron, saying his performance as the android was inspired by both David Bowie and Olympic diver Greg Louganis (I just remember watching the Olympics thinking his walk was so funny and mesmerising). However, one of the most revealing snippets from the event came when an audience member asked about playing Steve Jobs in the Danny Boyle-directed biopic. When asked which film was the most difficult to make, Fassbender replied Steve Jobs, reportedly without hesitation, blaming screenwriter Aaron Sorkin. Steve Jobs cast get geeky "He wrote all that stuff!" he told the audience. "It was so dense! It was such a mountain, and Im a slow learner, so when the script arrived for me and the opportunity came to play the part, I really thought, 'This is not me. This should be somebody else. Its a miscast scenario.' Only after his father and agent pushed him did he take the job. "But in rehearsals, I was trying to find a way to get out of the job," he continued. "I remember telling my driver, 'If I put my arm in the door, you should slam it. It should cause a break and it should get me out of this gig. As we all know, the driver didnt end up breaking Fassbenders arm; instead, the actor went back to his apartment to learn his lines and he ended up getting nominated for an Oscar. Early Oscars 2017 contenders Show all 19 1 /19 Early Oscars 2017 contenders Early Oscars 2017 contenders La La Land Whiplash director Damien Chapelle opens this years Venice Film Festival with this original musical starring Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling as a couple of dreamers trying to make it big in Hollywood: she, a lonely aspiring actress; he, a cocky jazz pianist. The trailer promises a neon-soaked, dreamy take on the classic Golden Age musical, all big-hearted romance and wholesome glamour. Expect La La Land to explore some darker emotional territory alongside all the toe-tapping, too. In cinemas here on 13 January. Early Oscars 2017 contenders Silence Martin Scorseses passion project since 1991 is yet to receive a release date but rumours abound that it will be out in time for the Oscars. Based on a novel of the same name by Japanese author Shusaku Endo, the story centres on two Jesuit missionaries sent to 17th century Japan to spread Christianity and find their mentor Once there, they endure brutal persecution at the time of Kakura Kirishitan (Hidden Christians) following the defeat of the Shimabara Rebellion. Silence sounds weighty, intense and full of hard-hitting promise. Early Oscars 2017 contenders Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk Brokeback Mountain and Life of Pi director Ang Lee has narrowly missed out on a Best Picture win twice now but this adaptation of Ben Fountains acclaimed novel could be the film that finally wins him some overdue glory. The cast includes Kristen Stewart and Vin Diesel with newcomer Joe Alwyn in the lead as 19-year-old soldier Billy, who is brought home for a victory tour after serving in Iraq. Told in flashbacks, the drama reveals the horror of what really happened to his squad in contrast to Americas flashy, patriotic perceptions. Out here 6 January. Early Oscars 2017 contenders A United Kingdom Oyelowo plays Prince Seretse Khama, inaugural Botswana president from 1966 to 1980, in this follow-up to 2015s Belle. Films about real life people often hold clout with the Academy when done well and with Gone Girls Rosamund Pike playing Khamas eventual wife Ruth Williams, A United Kingdom should pull in cinemagoers. Khama sparked a global stir when he married the white Londoner in the late Forties and the first pictures from the movie promise beautiful costumes and cinematography. A United Kingdom will open the London Film Festival before its general release on 25 November. Early Oscars 2017 contenders Loving Ruth Negga and Joel Edgerton star as Mildred and Richard Loving in this historical drama about an interracial couple sentenced to prison in Virginia in 1958 for the crime of getting married. Out here just in time for the Oscars on 3 February. Written and directed by Jeff Nichols, Loving earned positive reviews from critics when it competed for the Palme dOr at Cannes and received a standing ovation for understated, strong performances. Early Oscars 2017 contenders Manchester by the Sea One of the best scripts co-producer Matt Damon had ever read, this tragedy about an uncle who is forced to take care of his teenage nephew after the boys father dies while trying to reconcile with his ex-wife stars Casey Affleck, Michelle Williams and newcomer Lucas Hedges. It was bought at Sundance by Amazon for $10 million and arrives in the UK on 13 January. Early Oscars 2017 contenders Nocturnal Animals Designer Tom Ford has cinematic strings to his bow, as proved with 2009s Venice premiere The Single Man. Hes back in the chair for this drama-thriller starring Amy Adams as a remarried art gallery owner whose ex-husbands violent new book begins to haunt her. Jake Gyllenhaal, Isla Fisher and Armie Hammer also star. Due in UK cinemas on 4 November. Early Oscars 2017 contenders The Light Between Oceans Michael Fassbender stars alongside last years Best Supporting Actress winner Alicia Vikander in the big screen adaptation of ML Stedmans 2012 novel of the same name. Derek Cianfrance is the man behind the camera for this story about a lighthouse keeper war veteran who rescues a baby girl with his wife after she washes up on an adrift rowboat. Then, in steps another Oscar winner, Rachel Weisz, as the woman who threatens to break their happy family apart. Out in the UK on 4 November - bring tissues. Early Oscars 2017 contenders American Pastoral Ewan McGregor makes his directorial debut with this period adaptation of Philip Roths novel American Pastoral. The drama - set in the 60s - centres on a successful businessman (McGregor) whose missing daughter (Dakota Fanning) is accused of a violent bombing in post-war America. Out in the UK on 11 November. Early Oscars 2017 contenders Queen of Katwe Indian-American filmmaker Mira Nair (Monsoon Wedding) is the director behind this long-awaited biopic of Ugandan chess prodigy Phiona Mutesi. That Mutesi is played by 12 Years a Slave Oscar-winner Lupita Nyongo is reason enough to anticipate this Disney-produced film, out here 21 October. Disney Early Oscars 2017 contenders Free Fire Ben Wheatleys new action thriller will close the London Film Festival. Set in Massachusetts in the late Seventies, Free Fire stars Oscar-winning Room actress Brie Larson in the lead alongside Cillian Murphy. It follows the heart-stopping game of survival after shots are fired during a meeting between Justine, two Irishmen and two arms dealers who are selling them a stash of guns. Expect blood, sweat and irony with bravura filmmaking from the High-Rise director. Reaches UK cinemas sometime in 2017. Early Oscars 2017 contenders Paterson Jim Jarmuschs Palme dOr contender sees Adam Driver take the lead as a bus driver poet from Paterson, New Jersey. Each night after work, he has dinner with his wife Laura before walking his dog (2016s Palm Dog winner) to the bar for one beer. Then one day, a small disaster strikes. Early Oscars 2017 contenders The Founder Michael Keaton has starred in the last two Best Picture winners Spotlight and Birdman. Here, he takes on the role of ruthless McDonalds founder Ray Kroc, with the film telling the story of the fast food empires origins. The ambitious entrepreneur on a journey to theme didnt end so well for last years Joy, so it remains to be seen whether The Founder can live up to expectations as an Oscars contender. Out here 30 September. The Weinstein Company Early Oscars 2017 contenders Sully Clint Eastwood returns with Sully: Miracle on the Hudson, about the hero pilot who, in 2009, successfully landed his plane along the Hudson River after it was disabled by a flock of geese, saving all 155 crew and passengers. Tom Hanks takes the lead as Chesley Sullenberger in a biopic that sounds like it could tick a lot of Oscars boxes. Based on the autobiography Highest Duty, the thriller marks Eastwoods first directorial effort since 2014s American Sniper. Out 2 December. Early Oscars 2017 contenders Jackie Pablo Larrain directs Oscar winner Natalie Portman as late first lady and fashion icon Jacqueline Kennedy in what he has promised will not be another classic biopic. Set in the days immediately after John F Kennedys 1963 assassination, the film sparked great excitement among distributors after a seven-minute promo screened at Cannes. Release date unknown at this stage. Early Oscars 2017 contenders The Girl on the Train The Helps Tate Taylor is in the directors chair for this years Gone Girl about a troubled woman who becomes embroiled in a murder case after developing a fixation on a beautiful couple from her commuter train. Expect a film pulsating with creepy, voyeur vibes, a la Rear Window, based on Paula Hawkins bestselling thriller. Out in the UK on 7 October. Early Oscars 2017 contenders Florence Foster Jenkins Meryl Streep has been widely praised for her turn as the 1940s New York heiress who couldnt sing (and we mean really couldnt sing) yet somehow became an opera singer with the help of her patient husband St Clair Bayfield (Hugh Grant) and pianist Cosme McMoon (Simon Helberg). Directed by two-time Academy nominee Stephen Frears, the film proved heartwarming and inspiring upon its release earlier this year and was embraced by both film lovers and critics. Early Oscars 2017 contenders Christine Rebecca Hall set Sundance ablaze in January, earning five-star reviews for the performance of her career in Christine, about the news anchor who killed herself live on air in 1974 after suffering from depression. Yet to receive a UK release date, Christine arrives in US cinemas in October, with Antonio Campos also one to watch for directorial accolades come awards season. Courtesy of Sundance Institute Early Oscars 2017 contenders Arrival Paramount Pictures Meanwhile, you can watch Fassbender in Cinemas from the 4 November alongside Alicia Vikander in The Light Between Oceans. Get our free weekly email for all the latest cinematic news from our film critic Clarisse Loughrey Get our The Life Cinematic email for free Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the The Life Cinematic email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Opening the Toronto International Film Festival was the newly rebooted The Magnificent Seven, starring Denzel Washington, Chris Pratt and Ethan Hawke. Speaking candidly about the choice to diversify the cast, director Antoine Fuqua said it wasnt to make a statement. According to Radio Times, he said: "I just wanted to see Denzel Washington on a horse. Everyone else fell in place around that idea. The other four gunslingers are Daredevils Vincent D'Onofrio, Native American actor Martin Sensmeier, South Korean actor Byung-Hun Lee, and Mexico's Manuel Garcia-Rulfo. Fuqua continued: We don't talk about [diversity] because [the media] talk about it. My idea was: Denzel Washington walks into a room and the room stops, Clint Eastwood walks into a room and the room stops. Is it because of the gunslinger or because of the colour of his skin? So we let the audience decide. The best films of 2016 (so far) Show all 22 1 /22 The best films of 2016 (so far) The best films of 2016 (so far) Creed This empowering spin-off sequel to the Rocky franchise sees Sylvester Stallone return as the personal trainer to Odonis Creed (Michael B. Jordan), the son of his old rival-turned-compadre Apollo (Carl Weathers). Barry Wetcher The best films of 2016 (so far) Room A grandstanding adaptation of the Emma Donoghue novel. At Room's heart is two towering performances from Brie Larson and Jacob Tremblay as a mother and son who find freedom after being locked away by in a boxed building for years. The best films of 2016 (so far) The Big Short Plenty of The Big Short's charm is manifested in the way that it takes a clunky story (the 2007-8 financial crisis) and transforms it into a cinematic experience. The best films of 2016 (so far) Spotlight The facts speak for themselves in this Oscar-winning biographical film about four investigative journalists who uncover a scandal of child molestation in the Catholic church. Strong performances and a firm directorial presence in Tom McCarthy make Spotlight a worthy recipient of this year's Best Picture Oscar. The best films of 2016 (so far) Bone Tomahawk The best films of 2016 (so far) Anomalisa Paramount Pictures The best films of 2016 (so far) The Witch Take any shot from Robert Eggers' assured debut - based on a New England folktale - and your spine will tingle. A masterclass in understatedness. The best films of 2016 (so far) 10 Cloverfield Lane If you're going to unveil a secret sequel-of-sorts to 2008 hit Cloverfield, this is how you do it. Essentially a chamber piece set in the same world of Matt Reeves' original, 10 Cloverfield Lane will hold you in a vicelike grip until its closing frame. The best films of 2016 (so far) High-Rise Ben Wheatley's fifth feature as director may not be to everyone's tastes but, should you be up to it, there's a lot to take away from this adaptation of J.G. Ballard's dystopian tale. The best films of 2016 (so far) Zootropolis Despite strong competition in the form of Finding Dory and Kubo and the Two Strings, Zootropolis - named Zootopia in the US - takes the trophy of 2016's greatest animated film. The best films of 2016 (so far) Victoria The best films of 2016 (so far) Captain America: Civil War Even those who aren't invested in superhero films will have a hard time keeping their breath in several of Civil War's action sequences. The best films of 2016 (so far) Son of Saul The haunting winner of the Best Foreign Language Oscar, Son of Saul's technical mastery (courtesy of first-time director Laszlo Nemes) is backed up by a harrowingly real portrayal of life within a Nazi concentration camp. Sony Pictures Entertainment The best films of 2016 (so far) Everybody Wants Some!! Richard Linklater followed Boyhood with this charming coming-of-age story that bears similarity with 1993's Dazed and Confused. This time, our ensemble are a group of baseball-playing college freshmen. In the upper echelons of the year's best. The best films of 2016 (so far) Green Room The best films of 2016 (so far) Sing Street The best films of 2016 (so far) Love and Friendship The best films of 2016 (so far) Suburra The best films of 2016 (so far) The Neon Demon The best films of 2016 (so far) Hell or High Water The best films of 2016 (so far) Kubo and the Two Strings The best films of 2016 (so far) Hunt for the Wilderpeople The director, who worked with Washington on Training Day and The Equalizer, explained how Westerns have always changed with the times: "You can't do the same thing every era. If we were sticking to just one way of doing something then all westerns would be all white guys looking like John Wayne. Westerns change with the time we're in, so we made our film based on the world we are living in. Washington also spoke to the press at the premiere, revealing how he never watched the 1960s classic: "I didn't keep away from it, I just didn't know how it would help me. I'd never seen it as a kid. Fuqua also spoke about the difficulty in casting Steve McQueens character. The Magnificent Seven is released on 23 September. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Mo Farah was left "humiliated" when he was forced to go to the back of the queue while boarding his flight home from the Rio Olympics, his wife has claimed. The four-time Olympic champions wife, Tania Farah, said he was shouted at by a flight attendant who refused to acknowledge he had a business class ticket for the journey. She claimed Farah was treated like a piece of s*** by the airline attendant until other passengers came forward and explained who he was. Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Show all 74 1 /74 Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Day Eight Andy Murray celebrates his victory over Kai Nishikori to reach the men's Olympic final. Getty Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Day Eight Jessica Ennis-Hill continues her bid for gold in heptathlon. Getty Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Day Eight Usain Bolt breezed through his 100m heat. Getty Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Day Eight Team GB took silver in the women's eight. Getty Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Day Eight The men's eight gold took Great Britain top of the rowing medal table. Getty Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Day Seven Britain's Jazz Carlin secured her second silver of the Games in the women's 800m freestyle, as American Katie Ledecky surged to her fourth Rio gold. Getty Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Day Seven Singapore's Joseph Schooling won his nation's first gold medal with victory in the 100m butterfly as Michael Phelps was denied a 23rd Olympic title. Getty Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Day Seven Sir Bradley Wiggins becomes Britain's greatest Olympian ever as Team GB win gold in the men's Team Pursuit at the Velodrome. AFP Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Day Seven Bryony Page on her way to a silver in gymnastics trampoline. EPA Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Day Seven Heather Stanning and Helen Glover win gold in the women's rowing pairs. Getty Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Day Seven Alex Gregory, Mohamed Sbihi, George Nash and Constantine Louloudis celebrate their success in the mens coxless four. Getty Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Day Seven Defending champions Great Britain won silver in the Olympic team dressage, as world champions Germany claimed gold. The British quartet - Spencer Wilton, Fiona Bigwood, Carl Hester and Charlotte Dujardin - were beaten into second by 3.334 points. Getty Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Day Six American Simone Manuel became the first black female swimmer to win an Olympic title as she shared the women's 100m freestyle gold with Canada's Penny Oleksiak, 16, after a dead heat. Getty Images Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Day Six Swimming legend Michael Phelps demolished the field in the 200m individual medley to claim his 22nd Olympic gold. Getty Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Day Six Simone Biles takes gold in the Womens individual all-around artistic gymnastics. Getty Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Day Six Fiji's Vatemo Ravouvou breaks through to score during the Men's Rugby Sevens Gold medal final match against Great Britain. Team GB settled for silver as Fiji romped to gold. David Rogers/Getty Images Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Day Six Callum Skinner, Jason Kenny and Philip Hindes of Great Britain celebrate after winning gold in the men's team sprint. AFP Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Day Six Double act David Florence and Richard Hounslow won their second joint Olympic silver in the canoeing slalom. Getty Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Day Six Victoria Thornley and Katherine Grainger show off their silver medals after the women's double sculls final Getty Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Day Five Max Whitlock poses with his bronze medal Getty Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Day Five Joe Clarke reacts to winning Britain's second gold of thee Games Reuters Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Day Five Jack Laugher and Chris Mears celebrate with their gold medals Getty Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Day Four David Florence suffered heartbreak in the canoe single C1 men's semi-final Getty Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Day Four Andy Murray celebrates his straight sets victory against Juan Monaco Getty Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Day Three Lilly King shows off her gold medal as Yulia Efimova parades her silver AFP Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Day Three Russia's Yulia Efimova (left) looks on as the US's Lilly King (right) celebrates winning the Women's 100m Breaststroke Final earlier this morning Getty Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Day Three Lilly King celebrates after beating her Russian rival Yulia Efimova Getty Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Day Three Michael Phelps takes on Chad Le Clos in the men's 200m butterfly final Getty Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Day Three Michael Phelps says it 'breaks my heart' to see drug cheats at the Olympics Getty Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Day Three James Guy missed out on bronze on Monday night Getty Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Day Three Louis Smith reacts to his pommel stumble which may have cost Team GB a medal Getty Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Day Three Dan Goodfellow (right) and Tom Daley celebrate with their bronze medals Getty Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Day Three Tom Daley and Dan Goodfellow dive into the pool in delight after winning bronze Getty Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Day Three Tom Daley (left) and Daniel Goodfellow performing in the men's synchronised 10m platform final PA Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Day Three Canada celebrate their victory against Team GB on day three Getty Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Day Three Heather Watson leaves the court yesterday after losing her second round match against Elina Svitolina of Ukraine Reuters Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Day Two Carlin proudly shows off her silver medal Getty Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Day Two Carlin reacts after learning that she has won the silver medal Getty Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Day Two Peaty shows off his gold medal with pride Getty Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Day Two Adam Peaty celebrates his gold Getty Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Day Two Andy Murray and Jamie Murray were knocked out of the men's doubles by Thomaz Bellucci and Andre Sa AFP Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Day Two Venus and Serena Williams suffered their first ever Olympic defeat playing together Getty Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Day Two Richard Kruse battling the Russian Timur Safin GETTY Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Day Two Lizzie Armitstead finished fifth in the women's road race PA Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Day Two Anna van der Breggen celebrates winning gold in the women's road race Reuters Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Day Two Annemiek van Vleuten suffered a horrific accident in the women's road race Reuters Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Day Two The women's road race passes along the beach in Rio de Janeiro Getty Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Day Two Andy Murray beat Viktor Troicki 6-3, 6-2 to win his men's singles first round match Getty Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Day Two Serena Williams is through to the second round of the women's singles after defeating Daria Gavrilova Getty Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Day Two Gold medal winner, Hoang Xuan Vinh of Vietnam, center, silver medal winner, Felipe Almeida Wu of Brazil, left, and bronze medalist Pang Wei of China, at the victory ceremony for the men's 10-meter air pistol event AP Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Day Two Rowing was cancelled on day two over fears of sinking and capsizing due to strong winds Getty Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Day One Yusra Mardini has won her heat of the Women's 100m Butterfly but she will not be able to go forward to the semi-final Getty Images Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Day One Britain's James Guy chops through the water Getty Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Day One Kantinka Hosszu of Hungary set a new world record in winning gold in the Women's 100m Individual Medley final Getty Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Day One Samir Ait Said receiving medical help after suffering a badly broken leg Getty Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Day One Yusra Mardini leads the race in the 100m Butterfly heat at Olympic Aquatics Stadium in Rio EPA Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Day One Natasha Hunt scored two tries to inspire Britain to victory against Brazil Getty Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Day One Joanne Watmore scored Britain's first try in Olympic rugby sevens history Getty Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Day One Adam Peaty celebrates after breaking the 100m breaststroke world record Getty Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Day One Adam Peaty broke his own world record in the 100m breaststroke heats and is favourite to win gold on Sunday Getty Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Day One Adam Peaty broke his own world record in the 100m breaststroke heats Getty Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Day One Chris Froome speaks with a bruised Geraint Thomas after the men's road race PA Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Day One Greg van Avermaet celebrates winning gold in the men's road race Getty Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Day One Rafal Majka was caught with just two kilometres to go Getty Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Day One Greg van Avermaet won a sprint finish to clinch Olympic road race gold EPA Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Day One A bullet is marked by Brazilian police in the equestrian media centre Getty Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Day One The peloton make their way along the beach during the road race Getty Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Day One Chris Froome leads away the men's road race along with the rest of Team GB Getty Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Day One The field make their way along the opening stages of the road race Eric Gaillard/Reuters Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Day One Mahe Drysdale of New Zealand had no trouble in qualifying for the men's single skulls quarter-finals Getty Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Day One Rowers warm up under the watchful gaze of the Christ the Redeemer statue Getty Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Opening Ceremony A huge fireworks display signals the end of the Rio 2016 Opening Ceremony. Felipe Dana/AP Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Opening Ceremony Andy Murray leads out Team GB at the Rio Olympics opening ceremony Getty Rio 2016 Olympics - in pictures Opening Ceremony Gisele Bundchen turns the stage into a catwalk during the opening ceremony AP "This woman basically humiliated him until people came forward and said: Thats Mo Farah, the Olympic champion," his wife told The Sunday Telegraph. "She was mortified afterwards, but had basically yelled at him like he was a piece of sh*t to get back into line. Were Brazils Rio Olympics worth it? He was the only black person and hadnt done anything to warrant it. The incident is alleged to have taken place on 22 August, while Farah, who retained his 5,000m and 10,000m titles at the Rio Olympics in August, his wife and their four children were waiting to board a connecting flight from Atlanta, Georgia to their home in Portland, Oregon. Delta Air Lines spokesperson said it was investigating the situation and would be "working directly with the Farah family. The Independent has contacted Delta Air Lines for comment. MASON CITY A live birds of prey program will be held at 4:30 p.m. Monday, Sept. 19, at the Lime Creek Nature Center. This special presentation by Wildlife Care Clinic staff from Iowa State University will feature a great horned owl, red-tailed hawk and turkey vulture. Participants will learn about these birds of prey and how they survive in Iowa. In addition to meeting these aerial predators, participants will learn about all of the good work the WCC is doing in Iowa. There is no charge, but call 423-5309 to register or for more information. This free program is sponsored by the Clear Lake Jaycees. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Sadiq Khan has weighed in on the row over Air Chinas "racist" tour guide to London and insisted the capital is one of the safest in the world and its multicultural composition is one of its greatest strengths. Air China, the countrys national airline, prompted outrage after warning travellers to avoid visiting areas of London populated by Indians, Pakistanis and black people in its in-flight magazine Wings of China. The guide also said: We advise tourists not to go out alone at night, and females always to be accompanied by another person when travelling. People news in pictures Show all 18 1 /18 People news in pictures People news in pictures 7 October 2015 Russian President Vladimir Putin takes part in an ice hockey match between former NHL stars and officials at the Shayba Arena in the Black Sea resort of Sochi. Vladimir Putin spent his 63rd birthday on the ice, playing hockey with NHL stars against Russian officials and tycoons EPA People news in pictures 6 October 2015 German designer Karl Lagerfeld (R) and model Cara Delevingne (C) appear at the end of his Spring/Summer 2016 women's ready-to-wear collection for fashion house Chanel at the Grand Palais which is transformed into a Chanel airport during the Fashion Week in Paris, France Reuters People news in pictures 5 October 2015 Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne addresses the Conservative party conference in Manchester. The Chancellor argued that reducing the payments to people in low paid jobs would give them economic security by reducing the Governments spending deficit Getty Images People news in pictures 4 October 2015 Cowboys captain Johnathan Thurston takes a moment in the centre of the field with his daughter Frankie Thurston, holding dark-skinned doll, after winning the 2015 NRL Grand Final match between the Brisbane Broncos and the North Queensland Cowboys at ANZ Stadium in Sydney. The image quickly became the talking point of Australias National Rugby League Final and provoked a strong reaction on social media, with many praising Thurston for giving his child a toy that promotes inclusiveness and diversity Getty Images People news in pictures 3 October 2015 Pope Francis gives a thumbs-up as he greets people at the end of an audience to the participants of a meeting organized by the "Food Bank" at the Paul VI audience hall in Vatican Getty Images People news in pictures 2 October 2015 Britain's Finance Minister George Osborne (L) throws an American football as he meets with former American football players Dan Marino (2nd R) and Curtis Martin (not pictured) at 11 Downing Street in London, ahead of the New York Jets playing against the Miami Dolphins at London's Wembley Stadium on 4 October Getty Images People news in pictures 1 October 2015 An honor guard opens the door as Russian President Vladimir Putin enters a hall to attend a meeting with members of the Presidential Council for Civil Society and Human Rights at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia People news in pictures 30 September 2015 Former Mrs America Lisa Christie, who alleges misconduct by Bill Cosby, holds up photos of her younger self during a news conference at the law office of attorney Gloria Allred in Los Angeles People news in pictures 29 September 2015 Matt Damon has defended himself against claims that he instructed gay actors to remain in the closet. He had said I think youre a better actor the less people know about you and sexuality is a huge part of that. Whether youre straight or gay, people shouldnt know anything about your sexuality but an appearance on the Ellen DeGeneres show said, I was just trying to say actors are more effective when theyre a mystery. Right? Getty People news in pictures 29 September 2015 Actor Marion Cotillard has said that there is no place for feminism in Hollywood. Speaking to Porter magazine, she saidFilm-making is not about gender/ You cannot ask a president in a festival like Cannes to have, like, five movies directed by women and five by men. For me it doesnt create equality, it creates separation. I mean, I dont qualify myself as a feminist." Getty People news in pictures 29 September 2015 Actor Paul Walkers daughter, Meadow, is suing Porsche over her fathers death in a lawsuit that claims he was trapped in the burning car because of design flaws and the seat belt. The Fast and Furious star was killed when the Porsche Carrera GT he was a passenger in hit a pole in California in 2013. The driver, his friend Roger Rodas, also died when the vehicle burst into flames. AP People news in pictures 28 September 2015 Robert Mugabe waits to address the United Nations General Assembly. The leader of Zimbabwe reportedly exclaimed 'We are not gay!' as he criticised Western nation's "double standards and attempts to prescribe new rights that are contrary to our values, norms, traditions and beliefs. In 2013 he described homosexuals as worse than pigs, goats and birds. Reuters People news in pictures 28 September 2015 South African comedian Trevor Noah hosts the first 'Daily Show' since taking over from Jon Stewart as host. Stewart had presented the US satirical news show since 1999 and was described by Noah during the show as a 'Political father' 2015 Getty Images People news in pictures 25 September 2015 Sir Elton John may have received a phone call from the real Vladimir Putin. Mr Putin's spokesman announced he had made contact weeks after the singer was duped by pranksters pretending to be the Russian President. Getty People news in pictures 25 September 2015 Actor Leonardo DiCaprio was mistakenly declared as the artist who produced the Mona Lisa by Fox News anchor Shepard Smith. It was in fact Leonardo da Vinci. People news in pictures 24 September 2015 A new biography claims Donald Trump expected to be dead by 40 and never marry. The Guardian says the a new book also claims that in 1980, Mr Trump manufactured a fake vice-president of his real estate conglomerate, whom he called John Baron. People news in pictures 24 September 2015 The Dalai Lama has said that Britain's policy towards China is just about 'Money, money, money.' And asked 'Where is morality?' People news in pictures 24 September 2015 Puff Daddy secured the number-one spot on the Forbes Hip Hop Cash Kings list, with the publication calculating he made an estimated $60million (39m) between June 2014 and June 2015. The row emerged on Wednesday after Haze Fan, a Beijing-based producer for CNBC, noticed the advice while travelling to the UK. She took a photograph of the guide and shared it on Twitter asking Khan, the Mayor of London, what he thought of it. Khan has now spoken out in defence of London and said Londons mix is one of its strongest assets. London is one of the safest cities in the world and Londoners from different backgrounds living side by side is one of our greatest strengths, said a spokesman for Khan. The mayor is pleased that the magazine has now been withdrawn. Air China released an apology and withdrew the controversial edition after outrage emerged. After the indignation emerged, Virendra Sharma, the Labour MP for Ealing Southall in west London, where almost 40 per cent of the population is Asian, said Air China's advice was blatant racism, and invited the airline to visit the area. I am shocked and appalled that even today some people would see it as acceptable to write such blatantly untrue and racist statements," he said. I have raised this issue with the Chinese ambassador, and requested that he ensures an apology is swiftly forthcoming from Air China, and the magazine is removed from circulation immediately. I have invited representatives of Air China to visit my constituency of Ealing Southall to see that a very multicultural area is safe, and would be of great value for those visiting London to see. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Some 55 people have been arrested after dozens of masked men occupied the entrance to a Sikh temple in Leamington Spa in what appeared to be a protest against an interfaith marriage between a Sikh and a Muslim. Warwickshire Police said the people had been arrested on suspicion of aggravated trespass after men, described as carrying bladed items" entered the the gurdwara on Tachbrook Drive. Police were called to the Temple at 6:47am on Sunday morning and set up a cordon of armed police around the entrance. The force said a "significant number" of bladed weapons had been confiscated from the scene. The men were believed to be carrying the items in reference to the ceremonial daggers carried by Sikh men. A group identifying itself as Sikh Youth Birmingham posted a video on Facebook apparently from inside the temple, showing men sat on the floor, many with hoods up, chanting and raising placards. Another video showed wedding guests waiting outside the temple, where more protesters had also assembled. Protest outside temple at sikh wedding in Leamington Jatinder Singh Birdi, a former treasurer at the temple, confirmed a marriage had been due to take place in the temple on Sunday morning between a Sikh and non-Sikh. He told the BBC: "There have been tensions that have been going on for a couple of years with some people objecting to mixed marriages taking place in the gurdwara." The incident is understood to be isolated with police describing the situation as "an escalation of a local dispute". Sikh Youth Birmingham claimed to have up to 100 people involved in the protest, both inside and outside the gurdwara. One protester broadcast a Facebook Live video from among the wedding guests at the gate, where tensions were clearly high. Religious leaders were reportedly involved in negotiations to end the standoff. Some on social media questioned the use of armed officers in response to a peaceful protest. UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 28 October 2022 A cosplayer attends the MCM Comic Con London 2022 at the ExCel Centre in London Reuters UK news in pictures 27 October 2022 98-year-old D-Day Veteran Bernard Morgan, whose story is among those featured on the giant poppy wall, during the launch of The Royal British Legion 2022 Poppy Appeal, at Hay's Galleria in central London PA UK news in pictures 26 October 2022 A meerkat explores a pumpkin in the enclosure at Wild Place, Bristol, where some of the animals are having pumpkin treats as part of their environmental enrichment PA UK news in pictures 25 October 2022 King Charles III welcomes Rishi Sunak during an audience at Buckingham Palace, where he invited the newly elected leader of the Conservative Party to become Prime Minister and form a new government PA UK news in pictures 24 October 2022 Rishi Sunak celebrates with Tory MPs outside the Conservative Campaign Headquarters after becoming the new leader of the Conservative Party Reuters UK news in pictures 23 October 2022 The Green Man at October Plenty, Borough Market's annual Autumn Harvest festival, in London, which returns for the first time post pandemic PA UK news in pictures 21 October 2022 Sculptor Peter McKenna puts the finishing touches to a pumpkin that will form part of the Planet A Hebden Bridge Pumpkin Trail in the West Yorkshire town PA UK news in pictures 20 October 2022 Britains Prime Minister Liz Truss delivers a speech outside of 10 Downing Street in central London to announce her resignation AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 19 October 2022 Salmon leap up Stainforth Force on the River Ribble in the Yorkshire Dales as they swim upriver to their spawning grounds during the annual Salmon migration PA UK news in pictures 18 October 2022 Just Stop Oil protesters continue their protest for a second day on the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge, which links Kent and Essex and which remains closed for traffic, after it was scaled by two climbers from the group PA UK news in pictures 17 October 2022 Hundreds of students take part in the traditional Raisin Monday foam fight on St Salvator's Lower College Lawn at the University of St Andrews in Fife PA UK news in pictures 16 October 2022 A protester holds a placard during a march into central London at a demonstration by the climate change protest group Extinction Rebellion AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 15 October 2022 A member of the public drags an activist who is blocking the road during a "Just Stop Oil" protest, in London, Britain REUTERS UK news in pictures 14 October 2022 Germanys Womens double skulls during day one of the World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals at Saundersfoot beach, Pembrokeshire PA UK news in pictures 13 October 2022 Family and mourners arrive at St Michael's Church, in Creeslough, for the funeral mass of 49-year-old mother of four Martina Martin, who died following an explosion at the Applegreen service station in the village of Creeslough in Co Donegal on Friday PA UK news in pictures 12 October 2022 Motorists in Coventry pass trees showing autumnal colour PA UK news in pictures 11 October 2022 A woman and her dog in the the North Sea at Tynemouth Longsands beach before sunrise PA UK news in pictures 10 October 2022 Police officers remove a campaigner from a Just Stop Oil protest on The Mall, near Buckingham Palace, London PA UK news in pictures 9 October 2022 A drummer plays during the Diwali on the Square celebration, in Trafalgar Square, London PA UK news in pictures 8 October 2022 Timothee Chalamet attending the UK premiere of Bones and All during the BFI London Film Festival 2022 at the Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre, London PA UK news in pictures 7 October 2022 Two young male fallow deer lock antlers in Dublins Phoenix park as rutting season begins PA UK news in pictures 6 October 2022 The Princess of Wales during a cocktail making competition during a visit to Trademarket, a new outdoor street-food and retail market situated in Belfast city centre, as part of the royal visit to Northern Ireland PA UK news in pictures 5 October 2022 Greenpeace protesters interrupt Prime Minister Liz Truss as she delivers her keynote speech to the Conservative Party annual conference PA UK news in pictures 4 October 2022 Prime Minister Liz Truss and Britains Chancellor of the Exchequer Kwasi Kwarteng wearing hard hats and hi-vis jackets, visit a construction site for a medical innovation campus in Birmingham AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 3 October 2022 British artist Sam Cox, aka Mr Doodle, reveals the Doodle House, a twelve-room mansion at Tenterden, in Kent, which has been covered, inside and out in the artist's trademark monochrome, cartoonish hand-drawn doodles PA UK news in pictures 2 October 2022 Erling Haaland celebrates after scoring Manchester City's second goal against Manchester United at Etihad Stadium. Haaland went on to score a hattrick, his third of the season in the Premier League. City beat United 6-3. Manchester City FC/Getty UK news in pictures 1 October 2022 Protesters hold up flags and placards at a protest in London. A variety of protest groups including Enough is Enough, Don't Pay and Just Stop Oil all demonstrated on the day AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 30 September 2022 British Prime Minister Liz Truss, who has not been seen in days, leaves the back of Downing Street after a meeting with Office For Budget Responsibility following the release of her governments mini-budget Getty UK news in pictures 29 September 2022 The Virginia creeper foliage on the Tu Hwnt i'r Bont (Beyond the Bridge) Llanwrst, Conwy North Wales, has changed colour from green to red in at the start of Autumn. The building was built in 1480 as a residential dwelling but has been a tearoom for over 50 years PA UK news in pictures 28 September 2022 Criminal barristers from the Criminal Bar Association (CBA), demonstrates outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London, as part of their ongoing pay row with the Government PA UK news in pictures 27 September 2022 David White, Garter King of Arms, poses with an envelope franked with the new cypher of King Charles III 'CIIIR', after it was printed in the Court Post Office at Buckingham Palace in central London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 26 September 2022 A gallery staff member poses next to a painting by Lucian Freud - Self-portrait (Fragment), 1956 - on show at a photocall for the Credit Suisse exhibition - Lucian Freud: New Perspectives at the National Gallery in London PA UK news in pictures 25 September 2022 Labour leader, Sir Keir Starmer is interviewed by Laura Kuenssberg in Liverpool before the start of the Labour Party annual Conference which he opened with a tribute to Queen Elizabeth II and sang the national anthem PA UK news in pictures 24 September 2022 Handout photo issued by Buckingham Palace of the ledger stone at the King George VI Memorial Chapel, St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle PA UK news in pictures 23 September 2022 A climate change activist protests against UK private jets while lighting his right arm on fire during the Laver Cup tennis tournament at the O2 Arena in London EPA UK news in pictures 22 September 2022 Woody Woodmansey, Lee Bennett, Kevin Armstrong, Nick Moran and Clifford Slapper attend the unveiling of a stone for David Bowie on the Music Walk of Fame at Camden, north London PA UK news in pictures 21 September 2022 A flock of birds in the sky as the sun rises over Dungeness in Kent PA UK news in pictures 20 September 2022 Flowers which were laid by members of the public in tribute to Queen Elizabeth II at Hillsborough Castle in Northern Ireland are collected by the Hillsborough Gardening Team and volunteers to be replanted for those that can be saved or composted PA UK news in pictures 19 September 2022 The ceremonial procession of the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II travels down the long walk as it arrives at Windsor Castle for the committal service at St Georges Chapel AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 18 September 2022 A man stands among campers on The Mall ahead of the Queens funeral Reuters UK news in pictures 17 September 2022 Wolverhampton Wanderers Nathan Collins fouls Manchester Citys Jack Grealish leading to a red card. City went on to win the match at Molineux Stadium three goals to nil. Action Images/Reuters UK news in pictures 16 September 2022 Members of the public stand in the queue near Tower Bridge, and opposite the Tower of London, as they wait in line to pay their respects to the late Queen Elizabeth II, in London AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 15 September 2022 Members of the public in the queue on in Potters Fields Park, central London, as they wait to view Queen Elizabeth II lying in state ahead of her funeral on Monday PA UK news in pictures 14 September 2022 The first members of the public pay their respects as the vigil begins around the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II in Westminster Hall, London, where it will lie in state ahead of her funeral on Monday PA UK news in pictures 13 September 2022 Crowds cheer as King Charles III and Camilla, Queen Consort arrive for a visit to Hillsborough Castle Getty UK news in pictures 12 September 2022 Crowds line the Royal Mile, Edinburgh, as King Charles III joins a procession from the Palace of Holyroodhouse to St Giles Cathedral following the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II Katielee Arrowsmith/SWNS UK news in pictures 11 September 2022 Members of the Public pay their respects as the hearse carrying the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II, draped in the Royal Standard of Scotland, is driven through Ballater AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 10 September 2022 Britain's Prince William, Prince of Wales, Britain's Catherine, Princess of Wales, Britain's Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, Britain's Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, wave at well-wishers on the Long walk at Windsor Castle AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 9 September 2022 King Charles III and Camilla, Queen Consort wave after viewing floral tributes to the late Queen Elizabeth II outside Buckingham Palace Getty UK news in pictures 8 September 2022 A screen commemorating Britain's Queen Elizabeth II in Piccadilly Circus, London Britain EPA Superintendent David Gardner said: "We would like to reassure people that this was a contained incident that we believe was an escalation of a local dispute. "A significant number of bladed weapons were seized from the scene. As a result of reports that the men were in possession of these weapons we deployed armed officers as a precaution. Nobody was injured in the incident. "Over the coming days we will be working with local the Sikh community to address some of the ongoing issues that have culminated in today's events. "We would like to thank local people for their patience while we dealt with this incident." For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Detectives investigating the murder of Stephen Lawrence have found a new clue in the hunt for his attackers with the discovery of a womans DNA near the scene of the killing. It is the first time a female has been linked to the scene of the murder of the 18-year-old A-level student 23 years ago and Scotland Yard is hoping it could provide a crucial witness to the notorious crime in 1993. Recommended Read more Police release new CCTV images in Stephen Lawrence investigation The fresh DNA clue was recovered from a dark leather strap found yards from Stephen Lawrences bag near a bus stop in Eltham, southeast London, where he was stabbed to death, according to a report in the Sunday Times. The strap was inside one of 540 crates of material being re-examined as part of a fresh investigation into evidence taken from the scene, taking advantage of advances in forensic science. Officers are hoping an appeal on the BBCs Crimewatch programme on Monday will provide them with a new key witness in the case. A source close to the Lawrence family told the Sunday Times: I hope and pray this could be a breakthrough for the family. Lawrence was stabbed to death by a gang of white youths in a racially motivated attack in April 1993 as he waited at the bus stop in Eltham with his best friend Duwaye Brooks. It was an unprovoked attack on the student, who had ambitions of becoming an architect. Neil and Jamie Acourt, David Norris, Gary Dobson and Luke Knight were arrested in connection with the murder in 1993, but only Neil Acourt and Luke Knight were charged with murder. The case was dropped the same year due to questions over the reliability of witness evidence; a subsequent private prosecution by the family of the murdered teen also failed. A public inquiry by Sir William Macpherson in 1998-99 into the Met Polices handling of the initial investigation into the murder found the force to be institutionally racist. A new inquiry into evidence gathered by officers at the scene, led by Detective Chief Inspector Clive Driscoll and a team of officers, began in 2007, eight years after the Macpherson Report. And in 2012, Gary Dobson and David Norris were convicted of the murder of Stephen Lawrence, after the Government dropped the principle of suspects being tried more than once for the same crime. The following year Met Commissioner Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe said he had no plans to close the investigation and warned the remaining suspects, We are after you. This latest breakthrough in the investigation will feature in Mondays Crimewatch programme, along with an appeal to identify another mystery witness known as V man, due to a distinctive pattern on the back of his jacket. He was spotted on CCTV footage at a nearby off-licence two hours before the murder and officers want to establish if its the same man described by a witness near the crime scene in a green jacket with a V-shape on the back. Detective Chief Inspector Chris le Pere, who is leading the investigation, will make the television appeal. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Morning Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Concertgoers have waved blue and yellow-starred EU flags alongside Union Jacks at the Last Night Of The Proms in a show of solidarity with the European Union. Union Jack flags are traditionally waved on the last night of the BBCs eight-week concert season to well-known anthems, such as Rule Britannia, Jerusalem and Land of Hope and Glory. But this year, pro-Remain volunteers gathered outside the Royal Albert Hall before the event to distribute 2,500 EU flags to attendees, following a successful online crowdfunding campaign. The campaign raised 1,175 with 60 people donating to the cause over 28 days. Excess funds went towards larger individual flags to give to any very enthusiastic prommers. When the concert aired on Saturday evening, viewers could see the EU flag making appearances in the stalls of the Royal Albert Hall and one was also placed prominently placed on the conductor's stand, which was decorated with flags from across the globe. Recommended Read more EU flag protest planned for Last Night of the Proms As music is such an international activity that benefits greatly from our membership of the EU this event feels an appropriate venue to show UK solidarity with the EU, wrote an organiser on the campaign page. The event is televised and has a very high profile. Concert goers waving EU flags along with the Union Jack would send a message to the world and our own people about how much music lovers value the EU. Pictures posted to a Twitter account in conjunction with the initiative showed people arriving in the early hours of Saturday morning at the west London concert venue to give out the flags, which the group says were made in England and have been handed out by musicians and prom-goers wearing Union flags. The group, who have wished to remain anonymous, said on Twitter: Remain party goers bring union and EU flags for the proms. We're British, but EU too. Proud of both, a further Tweet said. Brexit protest: Thousands march in London Show all 12 1 /12 Brexit protest: Thousands march in London Brexit protest: Thousands march in London A woman poses with a home-made European Union flag as Remain supporters gather on Park Lane in London to show their support for the EU in the wake of Brexit PA Brexit protest: Thousands march in London Remain supporters demonstrate in Parliament Square PA Brexit protest: Thousands march in London Tens of thousands of people gathered to protest the result of the EU referendum PA Brexit protest: Thousands march in London A majority of people in the capital voted to remain in the European Union Reuters Brexit protest: Thousands march in London Protesters chanted: What do we want to do? Stay in the EU PA Brexit protest: Thousands march in London The march follows a similar rally in Trafalgar Square that was cancelled due to heavy rain but which tens of thousands of people turned up to anyway Reuters Brexit protest: Thousands march in London Britain voted to leave the European Union in a referendum by 52 per cent to 48 per cent Reuters Brexit protest: Thousands march in London But support for the Leave campaign in urban areas and among young people was significantly lower Rex features Brexit protest: Thousands march in London Marchers gathered at Park Lane at 11am and marched towards Parliament Square PA Brexit protest: Thousands march in London Some protesters held up baguettes in a display of affection for our continental neighbours PA Brexit protest: Thousands march in London The disparity between different parts of the country has promoted a four million signature petition calling for a second referendum and even a renewed push for Scotland to cede from the UK PA Brexit protest: Thousands march in London The events organiser, Kings College graduate Kieran MacDermott, wrote: We can prevent Brexit by refusing to accept the referendum as the final say and take our finger off the self-destruct button" Reuters The group have stressed the initiative is not a protest but a celebration of the EU in music. Despite this, the move has received backlash from the Leave.EU co-founder Aaron Banks, who said he has paid 5,000 for 10,000 Union flags to be handed to prom-goers. He told the Telegraph: It is a British event and nothing to do with the EU - this is a pathetic attempt by the desperate 'Remoaners' to hijack a celebration of Britain. The EU flag initiative has been backed by the Musicians Union, who said over Twitter: We support musicians & prom-goers pro-EU show of solidarity at the Last Night of the Proms. Organisers told the Guardian in a statement: Music doesnt recognise borders, religion, gender, age, status or creed and most orchestras, shows and music schools rely heavily on talented musicians from inside and outside the EU. Additional reporting by Press Association Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Morning Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The boss of the UK's controversial high speed rail link network has quit just weeks before a key decision on the projects future. Simon Kirby has left his position as chief executive to take up the role as chief operating officer at Rolls-Royce. His departure comes just a matter of weeks before Transport Secretary Chris Grayling is expected to decide on phase two of the route from Birmingham to Leeds and Manchester this autumn. The 55bn scheme is the largest infrastructure project in Europe and, with a salary of 750,000 a year, Mr Kirby was the UKs highest paid civil servant. David Higgins, chairman of HS2, told the FT: Simon Kirby used his vast experience to recruit and shape a world-class team which over the coming years and decades will turn HS2 into a reality that will be of lasting benefit to this country. Mr Higgins added that the search for a new chief executive would be carried out at the same time as they recruit for the newly-created position of chief operating officer. But Mr Kirbys departure has been heavily criticised by campaigners opposed to the high-speed rail link, who claim he has made little progress since his appointment in 2014. Joe Rukin, campaign manager for Stop HS2, said: When Simon Kirby was at Network Rail, he presided over failing projects with inflating costs and delays, but got out before anyone noticed how bad it really was. With HS2 deadlines constantly put back, spiralling costs, secret reports and devastating analyses of the project from every independent body which has investigated it, you cant help think he is doing the same thing again, getting out before the true scale of the mess he has presided over is realised. The departure of Simon Kirby will be a serious blow to those who champion HS2, though many of us are at a complete loss to see just exactly what it is he has done to justify his three-quarter of a million pay packet. Mr Kirby joined the HS2 project in May 2014, after leaving the board of Network Rail, to steer one of the UKs most controversial infrastructure projects. Phase one of the high speed rail link, due to be completed in 2026, will run from London to Birmingham. While the second phase, which would connect the Midlands with the North of England, was expected to be given royal assent in December this year with work beginning in 2017. But the project has been beset by delays and problems since the start with those opposing it claiming its environmental impact and cost far outweighs any advantages it may bring. HS2 Ltd chief executive Simon Kirby is the UKs highest paid civil servant, on an annual salary of 750,000 In May this year, the head of the civil service Sir Jeremy Heywood began investigating HS2 amid fears it could not be built within its 55bn budget and the following month the National Audit Office warned it could be delayed by a year. Speaking about his move to engineering firm Rolls-Royce, Mr Kirby said: The ability to deliver major programmes on time and to budget is essential, and I am looking forward to bringing my experience to bear on these complex challenges and to leading the current programme of industrial transformation. Mr Kirby will now oversee a restructuring programme at Rolls-Royce designed to reduce costs and cut out bureaucracy. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Morning Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A mother who was captured by Isis has told how her son was brainwashed to kill for the terror group from the age of three. The woman, who has since escaped, recounted being sold along with her child to a senior Saudi figure within the organisation at a market in Syria Children are suspected to have been used in attacks in Iraq and Turkey, where a teenager was initially suspected of being behind a suicide blast at a wedding party, killing at least 54. And the woman, identified only as Maryam, described to the Sunday Times how the Saudi emir manipulated her son, Hassan, Every day the emir would take Hassan with him," she said. He would teach Hassan to hit me and other people. Once, he took a dagger and tried to stab me in the back. Whatever the emir did, he copied. He would shout at me to go away and make signs with his fingers like he was shooting me. Maryam and Hassan, now five, said she escaped in late 2014 when a militants wife took pity on the, but she said she still had two daughters and a 13-year-old son in the clutches of Isis. She said the pair, from northern Iraq, spent four months living in a room packed with guns and suicide vests with the emir in Syria. She told the newspaper: Isis are always buying people and selling them at a higher price. But I just dont have the money. Two of my daughters have been taken by Isis, too. I havent heard from them. I dont know where they are. I think about my children all the time and I want them to come back, but I cant do it. Children are suspected of being used in at least two suicide bomb attempts and Isis has issued propaganda footage showing them commiting atrocities. In pictures: Turkey launches operation in Syria Show all 9 1 /9 In pictures: Turkey launches operation in Syria In pictures: Turkey launches operation in Syria Turkish tanks driving to the Syrian-Turkish border town of Jarabulus yesterday AFP/Getty In pictures: Turkey launches operation in Syria Turkish-backed gather on the outskirts of Jarabulus, Syria, ahead of an offensive on 24 August 2016 Reuters In pictures: Turkey launches operation in Syria Turkish army tanks make their way towards the Syrian border town of Jarabulus, Syria August 24, 2016 Reuters In pictures: Turkey launches operation in Syria Turkish soldiers return from Syria to Turkey with tanks after a military operation at the Syrian border as part of their offensive against the Islamic State (IS) militant group in Syria, Karkamis district of Gaziantep, Turkey, 25 August 2016 EPA In pictures: Turkey launches operation in Syria Turkish army tanks and Turkey-backed Syrian opposition forces move toward the Syrian border as pictured from Karkamis, Turkey, AP In pictures: Turkey launches operation in Syria Turkish tanks on their way to the Turkish-Syria border during an operation against Isis on 24 August 2016 EPA In pictures: Turkey launches operation in Syria Syrian opposition fighters being transported during preparations to enter Jarabulus in Karkamis, Turkey, on 24 August 2016. EPA In pictures: Turkey launches operation in Syria An air strike hitting Isis-controlled territory near Jarabulus, near the Turkish border, on 24 August 2016. EPA In pictures: Turkey launches operation in Syria A Turkish army tank and an armoured vehicle stationed near the border with Syria. Turkish media reports say Turkish artillery has launched new strikes at Isis targets across the border AP Turkeys President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the suicide bomber who killed at least 54 people at a wedding the city of Gaziantep on August 20 was aged between 12 and 14 and was acting on behalf of Isis. However, Turkeys Prime Minister Binali Yildirim later backtracked and said officials were still trying to determine whether it was a child or a grown-up who detonated the explosive vest. Iraqi security forces also wrestled a suicide vest from a boy as young as 12 when they believed he was going to carry out an attack in Kirkuk on August 21. And Europol, Europes law enforcement agency, warned in July that the children of foreign fighters in Isis territory in Syria and Iraq were being trained to be the next wave of terrorists. Some returnees will perpetuate the terrorist threat to the EU via facilitation, fundraising, recruitment and radicalisation activities. They may also serve as role models for future would-be violent jihadists, Europol wrote in its annual report on terrorism. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Morning Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Up to 55 masked men occupied the entrance to a Sikh temple in Leamington Spa in what appears to have been a protest against an interfaith marriage between a Sikh and a Muslim. Warwickshire Police said those involved were arrested after an eight-hour standoff, and a "significant number" of bladed weapons were confiscated from the scene. The incident began at around 6.45am on Sunday morning, when a group of young men - intially reported to number between 20 and 30 - entered the gurdwara on Tachbrook Drive and sat down, refusing to leave. Police described the men as having bladed items, in what is believed to be a reference to the ceremonial daggers carried by Sikh men, and later said a "significant number" of such items were confiscated during the arrests. On social media, some protesters objected to media descriptions of the group as "armed" based on the fact they were carrying the ceremonial items. But in a statement after the protest had been cleared, police said at least one "non-ceremonial weapon" was also seized. "This is an ongoing investigation and we will be investigating the initial report that other weapons were involved," a spokesman said. Around three hours into the standoff, a group identifying itself as Sikh Youth Birmingham posted a video on Facebook apparently from inside the temple, showing men sat on the floor, many with hoods up, chanting and raising placards. Another video showed wedding guests waiting outside the temple, where more protesters had also assembled. Jatinder Singh Birdi, a former treasurer at the temple, confirmed a marriage had been due to take place in the temple on Sunday morning between a Sikh and non-Sikh. He told the BBC: "There have been tensions that have been going on for a couple of years with some people objecting to mixed marriages taking place in the gurdwara," he said. "The general consensus is people are respectful of mixed marriages if the traditions are respected. "Nothing has happened on this level before. UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 26 October 2022 A meerkat explores a pumpkin in the enclosure at Wild Place, Bristol, where some of the animals are having pumpkin treats as part of their environmental enrichment PA UK news in pictures 25 October 2022 King Charles III welcomes Rishi Sunak during an audience at Buckingham Palace, where he invited the newly elected leader of the Conservative Party to become Prime Minister and form a new government PA UK news in pictures 24 October 2022 Rishi Sunak celebrates with Tory MPs outside the Conservative Campaign Headquarters after becoming the new leader of the Conservative Party Reuters UK news in pictures 23 October 2022 The Green Man at October Plenty, Borough Market's annual Autumn Harvest festival, in London, which returns for the first time post pandemic PA UK news in pictures 21 October 2022 Sculptor Peter McKenna puts the finishing touches to a pumpkin that will form part of the Planet A Hebden Bridge Pumpkin Trail in the West Yorkshire town PA UK news in pictures 20 October 2022 Britains Prime Minister Liz Truss delivers a speech outside of 10 Downing Street in central London to announce her resignation AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 19 October 2022 Salmon leap up Stainforth Force on the River Ribble in the Yorkshire Dales as they swim upriver to their spawning grounds during the annual Salmon migration PA UK news in pictures 18 October 2022 Just Stop Oil protesters continue their protest for a second day on the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge, which links Kent and Essex and which remains closed for traffic, after it was scaled by two climbers from the group PA UK news in pictures 17 October 2022 Hundreds of students take part in the traditional Raisin Monday foam fight on St Salvator's Lower College Lawn at the University of St Andrews in Fife PA UK news in pictures 16 October 2022 A protester holds a placard during a march into central London at a demonstration by the climate change protest group Extinction Rebellion AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 15 October 2022 A member of the public drags an activist who is blocking the road during a "Just Stop Oil" protest, in London, Britain REUTERS UK news in pictures 14 October 2022 Germanys Womens double skulls during day one of the World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals at Saundersfoot beach, Pembrokeshire PA UK news in pictures 13 October 2022 Family and mourners arrive at St Michael's Church, in Creeslough, for the funeral mass of 49-year-old mother of four Martina Martin, who died following an explosion at the Applegreen service station in the village of Creeslough in Co Donegal on Friday PA UK news in pictures 12 October 2022 Motorists in Coventry pass trees showing autumnal colour PA UK news in pictures 11 October 2022 A woman and her dog in the the North Sea at Tynemouth Longsands beach before sunrise PA UK news in pictures 10 October 2022 Police officers remove a campaigner from a Just Stop Oil protest on The Mall, near Buckingham Palace, London PA UK news in pictures 9 October 2022 A drummer plays during the Diwali on the Square celebration, in Trafalgar Square, London PA UK news in pictures 8 October 2022 Timothee Chalamet attending the UK premiere of Bones and All during the BFI London Film Festival 2022 at the Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre, London PA UK news in pictures 7 October 2022 Two young male fallow deer lock antlers in Dublins Phoenix park as rutting season begins PA UK news in pictures 6 October 2022 The Princess of Wales during a cocktail making competition during a visit to Trademarket, a new outdoor street-food and retail market situated in Belfast city centre, as part of the royal visit to Northern Ireland PA UK news in pictures 5 October 2022 Greenpeace protesters interrupt Prime Minister Liz Truss as she delivers her keynote speech to the Conservative Party annual conference PA UK news in pictures 4 October 2022 Prime Minister Liz Truss and Britains Chancellor of the Exchequer Kwasi Kwarteng wearing hard hats and hi-vis jackets, visit a construction site for a medical innovation campus in Birmingham AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 3 October 2022 British artist Sam Cox, aka Mr Doodle, reveals the Doodle House, a twelve-room mansion at Tenterden, in Kent, which has been covered, inside and out in the artist's trademark monochrome, cartoonish hand-drawn doodles PA UK news in pictures 2 October 2022 Erling Haaland celebrates after scoring Manchester City's second goal against Manchester United at Etihad Stadium. Haaland went on to score a hattrick, his third of the season in the Premier League. City beat United 6-3. Manchester City FC/Getty UK news in pictures 1 October 2022 Protesters hold up flags and placards at a protest in London. A variety of protest groups including Enough is Enough, Don't Pay and Just Stop Oil all demonstrated on the day AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 30 September 2022 British Prime Minister Liz Truss, who has not been seen in days, leaves the back of Downing Street after a meeting with Office For Budget Responsibility following the release of her governments mini-budget Getty UK news in pictures 29 September 2022 The Virginia creeper foliage on the Tu Hwnt i'r Bont (Beyond the Bridge) Llanwrst, Conwy North Wales, has changed colour from green to red in at the start of Autumn. The building was built in 1480 as a residential dwelling but has been a tearoom for over 50 years PA UK news in pictures 28 September 2022 Criminal barristers from the Criminal Bar Association (CBA), demonstrates outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London, as part of their ongoing pay row with the Government PA UK news in pictures 27 September 2022 David White, Garter King of Arms, poses with an envelope franked with the new cypher of King Charles III 'CIIIR', after it was printed in the Court Post Office at Buckingham Palace in central London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 26 September 2022 A gallery staff member poses next to a painting by Lucian Freud - Self-portrait (Fragment), 1956 - on show at a photocall for the Credit Suisse exhibition - Lucian Freud: New Perspectives at the National Gallery in London PA UK news in pictures 25 September 2022 Labour leader, Sir Keir Starmer is interviewed by Laura Kuenssberg in Liverpool before the start of the Labour Party annual Conference which he opened with a tribute to Queen Elizabeth II and sang the national anthem PA UK news in pictures 24 September 2022 Handout photo issued by Buckingham Palace of the ledger stone at the King George VI Memorial Chapel, St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle PA UK news in pictures 23 September 2022 A climate change activist protests against UK private jets while lighting his right arm on fire during the Laver Cup tennis tournament at the O2 Arena in London EPA UK news in pictures 22 September 2022 Woody Woodmansey, Lee Bennett, Kevin Armstrong, Nick Moran and Clifford Slapper attend the unveiling of a stone for David Bowie on the Music Walk of Fame at Camden, north London PA UK news in pictures 21 September 2022 A flock of birds in the sky as the sun rises over Dungeness in Kent PA UK news in pictures 20 September 2022 Flowers which were laid by members of the public in tribute to Queen Elizabeth II at Hillsborough Castle in Northern Ireland are collected by the Hillsborough Gardening Team and volunteers to be replanted for those that can be saved or composted PA UK news in pictures 19 September 2022 The ceremonial procession of the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II travels down the long walk as it arrives at Windsor Castle for the committal service at St Georges Chapel AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 18 September 2022 A man stands among campers on The Mall ahead of the Queens funeral Reuters UK news in pictures 17 September 2022 Wolverhampton Wanderers Nathan Collins fouls Manchester Citys Jack Grealish leading to a red card. City went on to win the match at Molineux Stadium three goals to nil. Action Images/Reuters UK news in pictures 16 September 2022 Members of the public stand in the queue near Tower Bridge, and opposite the Tower of London, as they wait in line to pay their respects to the late Queen Elizabeth II, in London AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 15 September 2022 Members of the public in the queue on in Potters Fields Park, central London, as they wait to view Queen Elizabeth II lying in state ahead of her funeral on Monday PA UK news in pictures 14 September 2022 The first members of the public pay their respects as the vigil begins around the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II in Westminster Hall, London, where it will lie in state ahead of her funeral on Monday PA UK news in pictures 13 September 2022 Crowds cheer as King Charles III and Camilla, Queen Consort arrive for a visit to Hillsborough Castle Getty UK news in pictures 12 September 2022 Crowds line the Royal Mile, Edinburgh, as King Charles III joins a procession from the Palace of Holyroodhouse to St Giles Cathedral following the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II Katielee Arrowsmith/SWNS UK news in pictures 11 September 2022 Members of the Public pay their respects as the hearse carrying the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II, draped in the Royal Standard of Scotland, is driven through Ballater AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 10 September 2022 Britain's Prince William, Prince of Wales, Britain's Catherine, Princess of Wales, Britain's Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, Britain's Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, wave at well-wishers on the Long walk at Windsor Castle AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 9 September 2022 King Charles III and Camilla, Queen Consort wave after viewing floral tributes to the late Queen Elizabeth II outside Buckingham Palace Getty UK news in pictures 8 September 2022 A screen commemorating Britain's Queen Elizabeth II in Piccadilly Circus, London Britain EPA UK news in pictures 7 September 2022 Police officers stand guard after Animal Rebellion activists threw paint on the walls and road outside the Houses of Parliament in protest, in London, Britain Reuters UK news in pictures 6 September 2022 Queen Elizabeth II welcomes Liz Truss during an audience at Balmoral, Scotland, where she invited the newly elected leader of the Conservative party to become Prime Minister and form a new government PA "This is meant to be one of the happiest moments of somebody's life - it shows a lack of respect. Sikh Youth Birmingham claimed to have up to 100 people involved in the protest, both inside and outside the gurdwara. One protester broadcast a Facebook Live video from among the wedding guests at the gate, where tensions were clearly high. At one point, the man filming can be heard saying: These lot dont even know that Im against them, and at another he points the camera towards the temple, saying: Leamington Gurdwara, allowing interfaith marriages. Sikhs and Muslims, its messed up. Some on social media questioned the use of armed officers in response to a peaceful protest. Warwickshire Police said officers "assessed the situation and responded accordingly". Superintendent David Gardner said: "We would like to reassure people that this was a contained incident that we believe was an escalation of a local dispute. "A significant number of bladed weapons were seized from the scene. As a result of reports that the men were in possession of these weapons we deployed armed officers as a precaution. Nobody was injured in the incident. "Over the coming days we will be working with local the Sikh community to address some of the ongoing issues that have culminated in today's events. "We would like to thank local people for their patience while we dealt with this incident." Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Morning Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Misogyny could be treated as a hate crime by police forces across England and Wales in a bid to tackle sexist abuse. The move comes after Nottinghamshire Police reportedly launched 20 investigations in the first two months of its pioneering scheme to tackle misogyny. The Fawcett Society, which campaigns for womens rights, praised the development but called for the policy to be entereed in to the law. Treating abuse targeting women as a hate crime would bring it in line with attacks motivated by hostility and prejudice towards race, religion and sexuality. Police in Devon and Cornwall are among those interested in the reclassification as are those in Durham and Lincolnshire, according to The Observer, which reported that specially-trained officers investigated misogyny every three days in July and August. Dave Alton, Nottingham Polices hate crime manager, told the newspaper: The number of reports we are receiving is comparable with other, more established, categories of hate crime. "We have received numerous reports and have been able to provide a service to women in Nottinghamshire who perhaps wouldnt have approached us six months ago. The reality is that all of the reports so far have required some form of police action. There has been quite a lot of interest in the action we have taken. Both our chief constable and our commissioner have been contacted by forces and commissioners nationally to discuss how we have made the changes and what the impact has been so far. So far, officers in Nottinghamshire say they have received reports ranging from verbal harassment to sexual abuse, while two men have been arrested for public order offences and actual bodily harm, which were recorded as misogynistic. Sam Smethers, chief executive of the Fawcett Society, told The Independent: "This is what the Fawcett Society has been calling for. It is good to see other police forces now looking to follow Nottinghamshire's lead. But we need a change in the law. Sexism debates during the Olympics Show all 5 1 /5 Sexism debates during the Olympics Sexism debates during the Olympics Helen Skelton Viewers were forced to defend Skelton after scrutiny over her outfit. BBC Sexism debates during the Olympics John Inverdale/Andy Murray Andy Murray was praised on social media for reminding the presenter about the "existence of women". This came after Inverdale called Murray 'the first person ever to win two Olympic tennis gold medals', forgetting Venus and Serena Williams have won four each. Getty Sexism debates during the Olympics Chicago Tribune This tweet from the Chicago Tribune was roundly mocked after referring to the newly crowned trap shooting bronze medallist Corey Cogdell-Unrein as 'wife of Bears lineman'. Screengrab/Twitter Sexism debates during the Olympics Katinka Hosszu After Hungarian swimmer Hosszu won the 400m individual medley, NBC were criticised for calling her husband/coach "the person responsible" for her accomplishments. Getty Sexism debates during the Olympics Alexa Moreno Viewers rallied around Mexican gymnast Alexa Moreno after she was body shamed while competing in the gymnastics. Getty We need to call out misogyny for what it is - a hate crime. Women and girls face a tidal wave of abuse and harassment every day. Our law has to send a clear signal that this is not acceptable. It is a crime. Recording the abuse of women as a hate crime will allow charities and policymakers to analyse the scale of incidents. It also means victims can report incidents that might not be considered a crime and officers will investigate. Officers will then consider how a victim can be supported and how repeat abuse can be prevented. Nottinghamshire Police defines misogyny hate crime as incidents against women that are motivated by an attitude of a man towards a woman and includes behaviour targeted towards a woman by men simply because they are a woman. The forces chief constable, Sue Fish, said the move would make the county a safer place when it was announced in July. What women face, often on a daily basis, is absolutely unacceptable and can be extremely distressing, she said. Its a very important aspect of the overall hate crime work being conducted and one that will make Nottinghamshire a safer place for all women. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Morning Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A passenger cruiser has crashed in the Thames bank after its engine caught fire. Footage of the incident posted to social media showed smoke billowing from the Thames pleasure cruiser as it ploughed into a pier in Canary Wharf on Sunday. Police said they were called to a reports of a fire on board the vessel at Canary Wharf pier near Rotherhide Street at 3:40pm. All passengers and the majority of the crew on board were evacuated to shore and there were no significant injuries, police said. London Fire Brigade said a fire in the cruiser's engine room had been extinguished before firefighters arrived at the scene. The Brigade confirmed 142 passengers and six crew members had been evacuated from the vessel via two separate boats. Three crew remained on board. Dan Hine, 38, from Limehouse saw the incident while walking along the river with his wife. He told the Evening Standard: We saw the smoke coming from the back of the boat and thought it may be pretty serious. "The ferry hit the wall with quite an impact and after that people started scrambling around and the sirens went off. There was quite a lot of black smoke at this point." Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Morning Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A woman was found hanging from a tree by a 12-year-old in Surrey. Charlie Hollands and his friends were returning from a funfair next to the Spectrum leisure complex in Guilford at around 9.20pm on Friday night when he saw the woman. Layla Hollands, 38, from Wood Street Village, said her 12-year-old son was walking down Parkway, a major road in the north of the town, with some friends and their elder brothers. Charlie looked to the right and saw the body, Ms Hollands said, adding that her son was with a group of around 12 people, the oldest being 19. He called her shortly after 9.30pm sounding a bit shocked, and said there was a body hanging from the tree". "The older boys pulled him away and went and looked. Someone phoned the police, Ms Hollands told Get Surrey. She added that Charlie seemed fine, saying she asked if he wanted to be taken him home but he said no. "He's staying at his friend's house, they've said he's fine and alright," she said. Video footage shows a huge emergency services presence at the scene. A spokesman for Surrey Police said: The area was cordoned off and road closures were put in place while emergency services dealt with the incident. "Ambulance crews were also in attendance but the woman was sadly pronounced dead at the scene shortly afterwards. An investigation into the death, which is being treated as unexplained, remains ongoing but it is not believed there is any third party involvement or any suspicious circumstances at this time.' Flowers have been left at the scene, and messages of sympathy have been posted on the local paper's Facebook page. Some people who said they know witnesses to the incident suggested the victim was a 'young girl', perhaps a teenager of around 15-years-old. Mental Health Awareness: Facts and figures Show all 10 1 /10 Mental Health Awareness: Facts and figures Mental Health Awareness: Facts and figures Mental Health Foundation: Living With Anxiety report 30 per cent of people deal with anxiety by talking to a friend or relative, or by going for a walk. Getty Mental Health Awareness: Facts and figures Mental Health Foundation: Living With Anxiety report Almost one in five people feel anxious all or a lot of the time. PA Mental Health Awareness: Facts and figures Mental Health Foundation: Living With Anxiety report 22 per cent of women feel anxious a lot or all of the time, compared to 15 per cent of men. Roman Levin/Flickr Creative Commons Mental Health Awareness: Facts and figures Mental Health Foundation: Living With Anxiety report 45 per cent of people who feel anxious in everyday life cite financial issues as their biggest cause of worry. Getty Mental Health Awareness: Facts and figures Mental Health Foundation: Living With Anxiety report And 26 per cent of people who feel anxious say fearing for the welfare of their children and loved ones leaves them burdened with worry. And 26 per cent of people say fearing for the welfare of their children and loved ones leaves them burdened with anxiety. Mental Health Awareness: Facts and figures Mental Health Foundation: Living With Anxiety report 27 per cent of people who suffer from anxiety say work issues, such as long hours, are the source of the problem. Getty Mental Health Awareness: Facts and figures Mental Health Foundation: Living With Anxiety report But 16 per cent use alcohol to cope, while 10 per cent turn to cigarettes in the face of anxiety. Unemployed people are more likely to resort to these harmful strategies: 27 per cent use alcohol and 23 per cent use cigarettes. AFP/Getty Mental Health Awareness: Facts and figures Mental Health Foundation: Living With Anxiety report Only seven per cent of people who say they suffer from anxiety seek help from their GP. Getty Mental Health Awareness: Facts and figures Mental Health Foundation: Living With Anxiety report People are thought to be more anxious than they were five years ago. Alessandra/Flickr Creative Commons Mental Health Awareness: Facts and figures Mental Health Foundation: Living With Anxiety report The stresses of modern life are thought to have created "The Age of Anxiety". Getty My heart goes out to this poor girls family, but I can't help but think for her to be on such a busy place ( when there is a more secluded woodland area a few feet away) at a still fairly busy time that it was perhaps a cry for help that went too far! And the poor boys who found her, one woman wrote on Facebook. Another sad loss of life for someone obviously struggling with something. I have been there but with a lot of help and support I am back in a good place. Mental health needs more attention! another person posted. Anyone affected by any of these issues should contact the Samaritans DES MOINES | Voters in large numbers do not approve of the presidential candidates presented to them by the Democratic and Republican political parties. That has given third-party candidates an opportunity to make more of an impact on this election than any since the 1990s. Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Hillary Clinton are viewed less favorably by voters than any major-party presidential candidate since pollsters first asked the question in the 1960s. In a recent NBC News poll, Trump was viewed favorably by 36 percent of voters and unfavorably by 62 percent, and Clinton was viewed favorably by 38 percent unfavorably by 60 percent. That appears to have created an opening for candidates from outside the two major political parties, including Libertarian Gary Johnson, Jill Stein of the Green Party and independent Evan McMullin. Its a race like no other, in a sense that these are the two most disliked candidates that have run for president in recent memory, and some people are searching for some out, for some kind of third option, said Kedron Bardwell, chair of the political science department at Simpson College in Indianola. Johnson thus far has had the most success in polling on the presidential race. He has reached double digits in many polls and has the best chance of the third-party candidates to qualify for the presidential debates. In order to participate in the debates, Johnson must average 15 percent in polls approved by the debate commission. Johnson is averaging 9 percent in Real Clear Politics polling average. Third-party candidates have faced long odds in U.S. presidential elections ever since the Democratic and Republican parties took command in the late 1800s. No state has gone to a third-party candidate since 1968, when George Wallace won five states in the South, and no third-party candidate has cracked the top two in an election since Theodore Roosevelt, as a Progressive in 1912, finished a distant second to Democrat Woodrow Wilson but won six states and beat incumbent Republican President William H. Taft. Third-party candidates most recently made tangible impacts in the 1992, 1996 and 2000 elections. In 1992, Ross Perot qualified for the debates as an independent and earned 17.4 percent of the vote in Iowa. He tried again in 1996 with the Reform Party that he created and got 8.5 percent of the Iowa vote. In 2000, Ralph Nader of the Green Party got 2 percent of the vote. No third-party candidate has earned as much as 1 percent of the vote since. Johnson and Stein, the two most prominent third-party candidates in the polls this year, were on the ballot in 2012 as well. Johnson secured just 0.8 percent of the vote in Iowa and Stein just 0.2 percent. Theres a very low bar for how well these candidates have done in the last few elections, Bardwell said. I dont think a lot of people have that distinct memory of Perot, so theyre used to these elections where a certain number of people say theyre going to vote for third party and then a week before the race comes, all of a sudden they say, Oh, gosh, but that would waste my vote. So they change. It appears unlikely a third-party candidate this year will succeed in winning a state. If he continues to move up in the polls, Johnson could reach the level of support Perot reached in the 1990s. But Johnson or Stein could affect the election by siphoning support from Trump or Clinton, tilting the scales of the presidential race. Polling experts have said it is too early to tell whether Trump or Clinton are losing more voters to third-party candidates. Whats more, those experts say its not clear voters who say now that they plan to vote for a third-party candidate will do so when they cast their ballots. I havent seen (the polling impact of third-party candidates) shift a whole lot, and when I have seen it shift, Ive seen it shift both ways, said Chris Larimer, a political science professor at the University of Northern Iowa. I think its still a little bit of an unknown. The third-party candidates also remain largely unknown. On average, more than half of voters surveyed do not know enough about Johnson or Stein to form an opinion, according to the Huffington Posts poll tracker. Steins major play has been to supporters of former Democratic candidate Bernie Sanders who have not transferred their support to Clinton. Stein, who plans to hold a campaign rally in Des Moines on Sunday, supports single-payer Medicare for all health care, tuition-free college, a $15-per-hour minimum wage, a 100 percent renewable energy grid by 2030 and enhanced environmental and anti-climate change efforts. Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Brexit and beyond email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Families were warned of a possible 40 holiday tax to travel to the EU as the price of Brexit, after a bombshell Government admission. Home Secretary Amber Rudd revealed that a Brussels scheme that would require permission to be granted - and a fee paid - before departure could be adopted, saying We dont rule it out. The scheme is likely to be modelled on the visa waiver system introduced by the United States, which imposes a $14 charge (about 10.50) on every adult and child. Condemning the holiday tax, Andy Burnham, Labours Shadow Home Secretary said: Tory ministers might think nothing of that, but it would make it even harder for ordinary families to afford a holiday. The warning came after Ms Rudd was asked about a Brussels plan for a US-style visa waiver system and its impact on the UK after it leaves the European Union. Ms Rudd admitted British people would be surprised to learn the free-and-easy travel to the EU they have enjoyed for decades is now in peril. But speaking to the BBCs Andrew Marr Show, she said: Its a reminder that this is a two-way negotiation. The EU and the commissioners may be considering alternatives they will be considering their negotiations with us, just as we are considering it with them. But I am going to make sure that what we do get is in the best interests of the UK. Asked about the publics reaction, the Home Secretary added: I think they would be surprised. I dont think its particularly desirable, but we dont rule it out because we have to be allowed a free hand to get the best negotiation. The pay-to-visit plan emerged yesterday and is expected to be compulsory for all visitors to the 26-nation Schengen zone which excludes Britain from any countries that do not need a visa. The European Commission is due to reveal draft legislation for the so-called EU Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) later this year as part of its response to the terror threat. France and Germany back a system based on the US's Electronic System for Travel Authorisation (ESTA), the Guardian reported. That requires visitors to the US from countries that do not require full visas to apply online for permission to travel, preferably 72 hours before they leave and pay $14 (10.50). Introduced in 2009, in the wake of the 9/11 attacks, US immigration authorities assess whether a visitor is eligible to enter the country under its visa waiver programme, before they arrive at the border. At present, UK nationals as citizens of an EU but non-Schengen country must show a valid passport to enter the zone, but can then travel freely within it. After Brexit, however, Britons would have to apply through a future ETIAS scheme and pay to visit the continent, legal experts suggested something Ms Rudd has now confirmed is a real possibility. Brexit racism and the fightback Show all 9 1 /9 Brexit racism and the fightback Brexit racism and the fightback Demonstrators protest against an increase in post-ref racism at London's March for Europe in July 2016 PA Brexit racism and the fightback These cards were found near a school in Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, the day after the EU referendum Twitter/@howgilb Brexit racism and the fightback Getty Brexit racism and the fightback Romford, Essex, June 25 @diamondgeezer Brexit racism and the fightback A worker at this Romanian food shop was asleep upstairs at the time of this arson attack in Norwich on July 8, but escaped unharmed. Hundreds later participated in a love bombing rally outside the shop to express their opposition to racism and their support of the shop owners. JustGiving/Helen Linehan Brexit racism and the fightback This neo-Nazi sticker was spotted in Glasgow on June 26 Courtesy of Eoin Palmer Brexit racism and the fightback But after news emerged of neo-Nazi stickers appearing in Glasgow, some in the city struck back with slogans of their own. Courtesy of Eoin Palmer Brexit racism and the fightback Getty Brexit racism and the fightback More signs began to appear in some parts of the UK, created by people who wanted to show their opposition to post-referendum racism Courtesy of Bernadette Russell It is thought the only guaranteed way for British citizens to avoid the system would be to accept a Norway-style deal allowing free movement, something Theresa May has rejected. British residents made more than 30 million holiday trips to EU countries last year, with Spain (13 million visits) and France (8.8 million) the most popular destinations, according to official statistics. The EU plan is part of a series of measures planned after the Charlie Hebdo and Paris attacks in January and November last year, and the Brussels airport and metro bombings in March this year. They were viewed as having exposed serious failings in the EU's external and internal border security systems. In todays interview, Ms Rudd said she now accepted the target to get net annual immigration down to the tens of thousands, having initially cast doubt on it. And she hinted that some academics, scientists and health staff people who really add value could, like top bankers, be exempt from migration curbs after Brexit. Sign up to the Inside Politics email for your free daily briefing on the biggest stories in UK politics Get our free Inside Politics email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Politics email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} MPs and parliamentary staff face the prospect of an extraordinary trawl of their emails by private investigators, as anger grows over a leak of a report into Britains arms sales to Saudi Arabia. The Independent has learnt that a Commons committee is poised to debate taking the unprecedented step and that its chairman believes a demand for a probe must be taken seriously.The move would be a backlash against the BBCs Newsnight being handed extensive details about a forthcoming report into whether weapons sales to the Saudis should be banned. The leak revealed a draft report by the parliamentary committee charged with scrutinising arms exports, and found it was likely that British weapons had been used to commit war crimes in Yemen. The Saudis stand accused of bombing international hospitals run by the charity Medecins Sans Frontieres, as well as schools, wedding parties and food factories, in a military blitz against rebels. However, it then became clear that an effort was underway to dilute the call to halt arms sales suggesting a battle between rivals on the committee. Crispin Blunt, the Conservative chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, condemned the initial leak as a deliberate campaign to influence a select committee on life and death issues, and he urged the Commons Speaker John Bercow to call in private investigators to find the culprit responsible for in-confidence information provided by a member of this House or their staff. That decision would have to be taken by the Liaison Committee, the body comprising the heads of every parliamentary select committee. The Independent has now learnt that Andrew Tyrie, the Liaison Committees Tory chairman, believes the leak is among the most serious and disruptive Westminster has seen. The investigators should, Mr Blunt argued, have the power to interrogate the electronic records, including deleted emails of MPs and staff. UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 28 October 2022 A cosplayer attends the MCM Comic Con London 2022 at the ExCel Centre in London Reuters UK news in pictures 27 October 2022 98-year-old D-Day Veteran Bernard Morgan, whose story is among those featured on the giant poppy wall, during the launch of The Royal British Legion 2022 Poppy Appeal, at Hay's Galleria in central London PA UK news in pictures 26 October 2022 A meerkat explores a pumpkin in the enclosure at Wild Place, Bristol, where some of the animals are having pumpkin treats as part of their environmental enrichment PA UK news in pictures 25 October 2022 King Charles III welcomes Rishi Sunak during an audience at Buckingham Palace, where he invited the newly elected leader of the Conservative Party to become Prime Minister and form a new government PA UK news in pictures 24 October 2022 Rishi Sunak celebrates with Tory MPs outside the Conservative Campaign Headquarters after becoming the new leader of the Conservative Party Reuters UK news in pictures 23 October 2022 The Green Man at October Plenty, Borough Market's annual Autumn Harvest festival, in London, which returns for the first time post pandemic PA UK news in pictures 21 October 2022 Sculptor Peter McKenna puts the finishing touches to a pumpkin that will form part of the Planet A Hebden Bridge Pumpkin Trail in the West Yorkshire town PA UK news in pictures 20 October 2022 Britains Prime Minister Liz Truss delivers a speech outside of 10 Downing Street in central London to announce her resignation AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 19 October 2022 Salmon leap up Stainforth Force on the River Ribble in the Yorkshire Dales as they swim upriver to their spawning grounds during the annual Salmon migration PA UK news in pictures 18 October 2022 Just Stop Oil protesters continue their protest for a second day on the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge, which links Kent and Essex and which remains closed for traffic, after it was scaled by two climbers from the group PA UK news in pictures 17 October 2022 Hundreds of students take part in the traditional Raisin Monday foam fight on St Salvator's Lower College Lawn at the University of St Andrews in Fife PA UK news in pictures 16 October 2022 A protester holds a placard during a march into central London at a demonstration by the climate change protest group Extinction Rebellion AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 15 October 2022 A member of the public drags an activist who is blocking the road during a "Just Stop Oil" protest, in London, Britain REUTERS UK news in pictures 14 October 2022 Germanys Womens double skulls during day one of the World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals at Saundersfoot beach, Pembrokeshire PA UK news in pictures 13 October 2022 Family and mourners arrive at St Michael's Church, in Creeslough, for the funeral mass of 49-year-old mother of four Martina Martin, who died following an explosion at the Applegreen service station in the village of Creeslough in Co Donegal on Friday PA UK news in pictures 12 October 2022 Motorists in Coventry pass trees showing autumnal colour PA UK news in pictures 11 October 2022 A woman and her dog in the the North Sea at Tynemouth Longsands beach before sunrise PA UK news in pictures 10 October 2022 Police officers remove a campaigner from a Just Stop Oil protest on The Mall, near Buckingham Palace, London PA UK news in pictures 9 October 2022 A drummer plays during the Diwali on the Square celebration, in Trafalgar Square, London PA UK news in pictures 8 October 2022 Timothee Chalamet attending the UK premiere of Bones and All during the BFI London Film Festival 2022 at the Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre, London PA UK news in pictures 7 October 2022 Two young male fallow deer lock antlers in Dublins Phoenix park as rutting season begins PA UK news in pictures 6 October 2022 The Princess of Wales during a cocktail making competition during a visit to Trademarket, a new outdoor street-food and retail market situated in Belfast city centre, as part of the royal visit to Northern Ireland PA UK news in pictures 5 October 2022 Greenpeace protesters interrupt Prime Minister Liz Truss as she delivers her keynote speech to the Conservative Party annual conference PA UK news in pictures 4 October 2022 Prime Minister Liz Truss and Britains Chancellor of the Exchequer Kwasi Kwarteng wearing hard hats and hi-vis jackets, visit a construction site for a medical innovation campus in Birmingham AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 3 October 2022 British artist Sam Cox, aka Mr Doodle, reveals the Doodle House, a twelve-room mansion at Tenterden, in Kent, which has been covered, inside and out in the artist's trademark monochrome, cartoonish hand-drawn doodles PA UK news in pictures 2 October 2022 Erling Haaland celebrates after scoring Manchester City's second goal against Manchester United at Etihad Stadium. Haaland went on to score a hattrick, his third of the season in the Premier League. City beat United 6-3. Manchester City FC/Getty UK news in pictures 1 October 2022 Protesters hold up flags and placards at a protest in London. A variety of protest groups including Enough is Enough, Don't Pay and Just Stop Oil all demonstrated on the day AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 30 September 2022 British Prime Minister Liz Truss, who has not been seen in days, leaves the back of Downing Street after a meeting with Office For Budget Responsibility following the release of her governments mini-budget Getty UK news in pictures 29 September 2022 The Virginia creeper foliage on the Tu Hwnt i'r Bont (Beyond the Bridge) Llanwrst, Conwy North Wales, has changed colour from green to red in at the start of Autumn. The building was built in 1480 as a residential dwelling but has been a tearoom for over 50 years PA UK news in pictures 28 September 2022 Criminal barristers from the Criminal Bar Association (CBA), demonstrates outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London, as part of their ongoing pay row with the Government PA UK news in pictures 27 September 2022 David White, Garter King of Arms, poses with an envelope franked with the new cypher of King Charles III 'CIIIR', after it was printed in the Court Post Office at Buckingham Palace in central London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 26 September 2022 A gallery staff member poses next to a painting by Lucian Freud - Self-portrait (Fragment), 1956 - on show at a photocall for the Credit Suisse exhibition - Lucian Freud: New Perspectives at the National Gallery in London PA UK news in pictures 25 September 2022 Labour leader, Sir Keir Starmer is interviewed by Laura Kuenssberg in Liverpool before the start of the Labour Party annual Conference which he opened with a tribute to Queen Elizabeth II and sang the national anthem PA UK news in pictures 24 September 2022 Handout photo issued by Buckingham Palace of the ledger stone at the King George VI Memorial Chapel, St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle PA UK news in pictures 23 September 2022 A climate change activist protests against UK private jets while lighting his right arm on fire during the Laver Cup tennis tournament at the O2 Arena in London EPA UK news in pictures 22 September 2022 Woody Woodmansey, Lee Bennett, Kevin Armstrong, Nick Moran and Clifford Slapper attend the unveiling of a stone for David Bowie on the Music Walk of Fame at Camden, north London PA UK news in pictures 21 September 2022 A flock of birds in the sky as the sun rises over Dungeness in Kent PA UK news in pictures 20 September 2022 Flowers which were laid by members of the public in tribute to Queen Elizabeth II at Hillsborough Castle in Northern Ireland are collected by the Hillsborough Gardening Team and volunteers to be replanted for those that can be saved or composted PA UK news in pictures 19 September 2022 The ceremonial procession of the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II travels down the long walk as it arrives at Windsor Castle for the committal service at St Georges Chapel AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 18 September 2022 A man stands among campers on The Mall ahead of the Queens funeral Reuters UK news in pictures 17 September 2022 Wolverhampton Wanderers Nathan Collins fouls Manchester Citys Jack Grealish leading to a red card. City went on to win the match at Molineux Stadium three goals to nil. Action Images/Reuters UK news in pictures 16 September 2022 Members of the public stand in the queue near Tower Bridge, and opposite the Tower of London, as they wait in line to pay their respects to the late Queen Elizabeth II, in London AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 15 September 2022 Members of the public in the queue on in Potters Fields Park, central London, as they wait to view Queen Elizabeth II lying in state ahead of her funeral on Monday PA UK news in pictures 14 September 2022 The first members of the public pay their respects as the vigil begins around the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II in Westminster Hall, London, where it will lie in state ahead of her funeral on Monday PA UK news in pictures 13 September 2022 Crowds cheer as King Charles III and Camilla, Queen Consort arrive for a visit to Hillsborough Castle Getty UK news in pictures 12 September 2022 Crowds line the Royal Mile, Edinburgh, as King Charles III joins a procession from the Palace of Holyroodhouse to St Giles Cathedral following the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II Katielee Arrowsmith/SWNS UK news in pictures 11 September 2022 Members of the Public pay their respects as the hearse carrying the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II, draped in the Royal Standard of Scotland, is driven through Ballater AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 10 September 2022 Britain's Prince William, Prince of Wales, Britain's Catherine, Princess of Wales, Britain's Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, Britain's Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, wave at well-wishers on the Long walk at Windsor Castle AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 9 September 2022 King Charles III and Camilla, Queen Consort wave after viewing floral tributes to the late Queen Elizabeth II outside Buckingham Palace Getty UK news in pictures 8 September 2022 A screen commemorating Britain's Queen Elizabeth II in Piccadilly Circus, London Britain EPA Last week, the Speaker also agreed it was a serious matter that threatened the effective working of the committee system. Mr Bercow told MPs: If the committees of this House are to work effectively, we cannot have a situation in which individual members of a committee leak information, in advance, to advance a particular point of view or to retard the progress of another. Mr Tyrie told The Independent: I will discuss this in the first instance with the deputy chairman of the Liaison Committee and then, if appropriate, with the whole committee. A police investigation into the affair is not possible, because the leaks would not be a criminal offence. The draft report by the cross-party Committees on Arms Export Controls, made up of 16 MPs from four select committees, said it was inevitable that arms supplied by the UK had been used in breaches of international law. On Newsnight, Mr Blunt refused to say whether he had deliberately walked out of a meeting of committee members, to make the meeting inquorate and impossible for the report to be approved. Sign up to the Inside Politics email for your free daily briefing on the biggest stories in UK politics Get our free Inside Politics email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Politics email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Owen Smith has said the UK could apply to rejoin the EU if Labour wins power under his leadership even if it means signing up to the euro and fully open borders. The leadership hopeful said it would be sensible and responsible for the party to adopt the policy if the price of Brexit became a further recession, more harsh cuts and the ripping up of workers rights. Mr Smith has previously called for a second referendum before leaving the EU, arguing that most voters were lied to in the campaign that narrowly backed withdrawal. But today he went further, suggesting Labour should continue to back EU membership, even if the country has left by the next general election in 2020 and even if euro-membership was then compulsory. Mr Smith told the BBCs Andrew Marr programme that whether Labour, under his leadership, would try to rejoin the EU after Brexit was a hypothetical question. However, he went on: If we had gone into a further recession, if we had the prospect of another 10 years of Tory austerity, if they were saying that the price of our staying out is opening up the NHS to private sector competition, it is worse terms and conditions - more flexibility and less red tape as the Tories would no doubt dub it - then I think the sensible and responsible thing for a Labour government to do is to say we are better off in the European Union. Asked whether, as a new member, the UK could be obliged to sign up to the single currency and the Schengen Area open border zone, Mr Smith said: Potentially, but again we are getting into hypotheticals built on hypotheticals. Mr Smith said he was an internationalist and a collaborator and a co-operator adding: I want us to be part of the European Union. Many of Labour's former industrial heartlands in the North and Midlands voted enthusiastically for Brexit, but Mr Smith insisted that they could be persuaded to think again. I think people in those Northern cities don't want more reductions in their livelihoods, they want to see investment in their communities and Labour at that point - at some point in the future - would make a really strong case for us to stay within the EU. Some pro-EU commentators have argued that the logical point for a second referendum is towards the end of the two-year Article 50 withdrawal process, when the deal on offer becomes clear. But Mr Smith argued triggering Article 50 would be the endgame, saying: At which point its finished isnt it? At which point were leaving. Asked if he would apply to rejoin if the UK had already left, he replied: Depending on what it looks like, yes. Jeremy Corbyn remains the clear favourite to win the leadership contest when the result is announced on 24 September, but Mr Smith said: You can't mistake mass rallies for a mass movement. Mr Corbyn has got mass appeal to a small section of the electorate, he said. Asked how confident of success he was on a scale of one to 10, Mr Smith said: Ten, absolutely. Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Brexit and beyond email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A prominent Conservative has been sharply criticised after rejecting strong evidence that the EU referendum campaign fuelled a surge in hate crimes. Daniel Hannan, an MEP and a leading Leave campaigner, accused the media of jumping on cases of people who have been attacked or abused which had nothing to do with Brexit. And he said it was an insult to the majority of the British public who voted to leave the EU to draw any connection with hate crimes. Tim Farron, the Liberal Democrat leader, immediately accused the South East MEP of being blind to the simple truth that the nasty, divisive campaign stirred up by Leave has had terrible consequences. Immediately following the June referendum, police figures recorded a huge increase in hate crimes across England and Wales, with the number of incidents still up year-on-year. And the United Nations UNs Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination pinned the blame on the divisive, anti-immigrant and xenophobic rhetoric of some British politicians. But, asked by Sky News about the increase in hate crime, Mr Hannan said: I don't accept that and I think it's a tendentious thing to put the question in the way that you do. There has been for a long period a rise in the reporting of hate crime incidents because of the way in which the police have their websites and treat every report as an incident. There hasn't been any increase in the number of cases referred for prosecution and some of the cases that the media have jumped on have turned out to have nothing to do with Brexit at all. Mr Hannan said any kind of intolerance, any kind of hateful incident should be condemned. But he added: To insult 52% of the British electorate by suggesting that there is some connection between voting to take back our laws and being unpleasant to people who have made their lives here, I think that's an extremely dangerous way of going. Mr Farron said: What I think is dangerous is Dan Hannan's outright rejection of facts. Figures released by the National Police Chiefs Council show that in the week following the vote to leave the EU the number of incidents rose by 58 per cent. It is quite clear but Dan's EU hatred seems to blind him to the simple truth that the nasty, divisive campaign stirred up by Leave has had terrible consequences. Fear and Loathing in Great Britain Many areas that voted strongly for Leave posted even higher increases, police figures obtained by The Independent showed. Towards the close of the campaign, Ukip leader Nigel Farage was widely criticised for unveiling a poster with pictures of Syrian refugees alongside the caption the breaking point. Brexit protest: Thousands march in London Show all 12 1 /12 Brexit protest: Thousands march in London Brexit protest: Thousands march in London A woman poses with a home-made European Union flag as Remain supporters gather on Park Lane in London to show their support for the EU in the wake of Brexit PA Brexit protest: Thousands march in London Remain supporters demonstrate in Parliament Square PA Brexit protest: Thousands march in London Tens of thousands of people gathered to protest the result of the EU referendum PA Brexit protest: Thousands march in London A majority of people in the capital voted to remain in the European Union Reuters Brexit protest: Thousands march in London Protesters chanted: What do we want to do? Stay in the EU PA Brexit protest: Thousands march in London The march follows a similar rally in Trafalgar Square that was cancelled due to heavy rain but which tens of thousands of people turned up to anyway Reuters Brexit protest: Thousands march in London Britain voted to leave the European Union in a referendum by 52 per cent to 48 per cent Reuters Brexit protest: Thousands march in London But support for the Leave campaign in urban areas and among young people was significantly lower Rex features Brexit protest: Thousands march in London Marchers gathered at Park Lane at 11am and marched towards Parliament Square PA Brexit protest: Thousands march in London Some protesters held up baguettes in a display of affection for our continental neighbours PA Brexit protest: Thousands march in London The disparity between different parts of the country has promoted a four million signature petition calling for a second referendum and even a renewed push for Scotland to cede from the UK PA Brexit protest: Thousands march in London The events organiser, Kings College graduate Kieran MacDermott, wrote: We can prevent Brexit by refusing to accept the referendum as the final say and take our finger off the self-destruct button" Reuters He was also criticised for saying the referendum campaign had been won without a shot being fired despite the fatal shooting of Labour MP Jo Cox. Just two weeks ago, Poland's Ambassador to the UK said his staff had deal with 15 or 16 such situations since the referendum result. He spoke as he visited Harlow, where Polish man Arkadiusz Jozwik was attacked and killed in a suspected hate crime by six teenagers. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A major earthquake has struck the border area between Tanzania and Uganda, causing widespread damage and killing at least 13 people. Local authorities in northwestern Tanzania say more than 200 people have been injured and there is "a lot of damage" to the worst-hit city of Bukoba, which has a population of 70,000. The USGS initially recorded the quake at magnitude 5.9, though that has since been downgraded to 5.7, at a depth of just 10km. It struck near the shore of Lake Victoria at 3.27pm local time on Saturday afternoon, and tremors could be felt as far away as western Kenya, though not in the capital Nairobi. An AFP correspondent with family in Bukoba said 10 family houses had collapsed. "My brother was driving around town, suddenly he heard the ground shaking and people starting running around and buildings collapsing," he said. Another correspondent for the news agency said "the walls of my home shook" in the Ugandan capital, Kampala. And journalists in Democratic Republic of Congo said it was felt, though faintly, in Bukavu in the east, but not in nearby Goma or Lubumbashi. "This incident has caused a lot of damage," Deodatus Kinawila, the district commissioner of Bukoba, told the BBC. Later on Saturday, he said he did not expect the death toll to rise much further from 13. "For now, the situation is calm and under control," he said. Images posted to social media showed the extent of the damage in Bukoba, and videos showed panic as people ran for safety. World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty All those who died are understood to have been inside brick structures in the city at the time, said Augustine Olomi, regional police commander for the Kagera region A statement from the Tanzanian president's office said that he was "shocked by reports of the earthquake that caused the death of many people, injury to others and destruction of property." Though major earthquakes there are rare, northwestern Tanzania and Lake Victoria sit along the East African Rift, an area of seismic activity where the continental tectonic plate that makes up Africa is gradually splitting in two. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Three women dressed in burqas have been shot dead by police after launching a stabbing attack at a police station on the Kenyan coast. No group has yet claimed responsibility for the attack, in which two Mombasa policemen were wounded. But Kenya is one of the leading countries in a coalition fighting against the Al-Shabaab Islamist group in neighbouring Somalia and faces a constant threat of retaliatory attacks. Speaking at the scene, Mombasa County Police Commander Patterson Maelo told reporters the women had walked into the station on the pretence of reporting a stolen mobile phone. "While being questioned by officers, one drew a knife and the other threw a petrol bomb at the officers. The station caught fire," he said. "Police shot the three and killed them. Two officers are in hospital with wounds. Presumably it is a terror attack." Salma Mohamed, a witness who was at the station to see a relative in custody, said one attacker had jumped onto a counter and stabbed an officer in the thigh before being shot. Mombasa on the coast of Kenya, a city which has a large Muslim population, has been targeted by Islamist militants in recent years, although the frequency of attacks have subsided. World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty Al-Shabaab was behind an attack on Nairobi's Westgate shopping mall, in which 67 people died, and a raid on Garissa University in the northeast, in which 148 were killed. The militants also launched several attacks in 2014 that left more than 100 dead in Lamu County region. Additional reporting by agencies Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Presidential candidate Donald Trump allegedly used $150,000 (113,000) of government funds after the September 11 attacks for cleaning and repair costs rather than helping local small businesses. The Republican said several times during the presidential campaign trail that he was awarded the sum for helping others after terrorists took down the Twin Towers in Manhattan, but according to an investigation by the New York Post, he claimed the taxpayers' money for rent loss, clean-up and repair costs for his nearby skyscraper on Wall Street. The discovery was made through documents obtained from the Empire State Development Corporation, which carried out the recovery programme after 9/11. Officials told the newspaper that if Mr Trump had asked for the cash to be reimbursed for his charity work with small businesses, the claim would have been rejected. Hes clearly wrong. I saw him say that and hes obviously wrong, said David Catalfamo, a senior adviser to former New York City governor George Pataki. The accusations come as Mr Trump has also been accused of using his own charitable foundation to take other peoples money and give it to charity, while taking credit for himself, as reported by The Washington Post. The Trump campaign could not be immediately reached for comment. Ten of the most controversial things Donald Trump has ever said Mr Trump told TIME magazine in April that the money was probably a reimbursement for allowing people to stay in his skyscraper at 40 Wall Street for several months and to store items in the building. He did not specify who these people were. I was happy to do it, and to this day I am still being thanked for the many people I helped. The value of what I did was far greater than the money talked about, much of which was sent automatically to building owners in the area. He also told the New York Times a month later that he had done "great work" after the attacks, in the city where he has lived and worked all his life. Mr Trumps organisation, along with Morgan Stanley and the Bank of China, were among the small businesses, as defined by the New York state government, to receive money in the aftermath of 9/11. Hours after the attacks, Mr Trump, a registered Democrat, agreed to do a live phone interview. He boasted that his building at 40 Wall Street was now the tallest building in Manhattan, as reported by Politico. He has since claimed that he saw hundreds of Muslims cheering and clapping in the street as they watched the Twin Towers fall, yet during the attack he was reportedly watching the news in his Trump Tower on Fifth Avenue. Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A British 9/11 survivor has spoken of the moment a "roar of crashing cement" plummeted towards him as he stood at the foot of the World Trade Centre 15 years ago. Paul Berriff, a filmmaker from Yorkshire, fled the tsunami of debris as the South Tower collapsed, capturing the moment on camera before being knocked to the ground unconscious. Mr Berriff, now 70, had been living in New York with his wife for five months to shoot a TV series in the city, and was enjoying the job and all that Manhattan had to offer. But little did he know the city would be rocked by one of the world's most devastating terrorist atrocities, and that he would be caught in the middle of it. Fifteen years on, Mr Berriff tells The Independent what happened on that fateful September morning. I got out of bed at around 6:15 ad had breakfast as usual, recalls Mr Berriff. At around 8am I walked out to the car with two members of the crew. Already the streets were busy with workers on their way to the World Trade Center and the other skyscraper blocks around us. It was a lovely warm morning with a blue sky that could match any seen in the tropics. We talked about what a great day for all of us to be viewing the city from the World Trade Centre, which we had originally planned to do that morning. Little did we know the change in the itinerary would save our lives. The crew arrived at the office at 8:15. Around half an hour later, someone said a plane had hit one of the twin towers at the World Trade Center. Unaware of the gravity of the situation, Mr Berriff's journalistic instinct kicked in. "I couldnt bear to be missing out on something interesting," he says. "I decided that we should drive down to Lower Manhattan and find out what was going on. It was 9am when Mr Berriff got into the car with his sound assistant, Lou Lou, and drove towards the World Trade Centre. "We could now see black objects falling from the blazing buildings," he says. "They were people. We fell silent in the Jeep. As they neared the World Trade Centre hoards of people were swarming towards them, many distressed and crying. Mr Berriff was unable to drive through the crowds. He decided to abandon the Jeep and continue with Lou Lou towards the towers on foot. "Thats when both the blazing towers came into full view," he recalls. "We stopped in a deserted West Street almost directly below the South Tower - deserted except for scores of firefighters, medic staff and arriving ambulances. "A silence had descended around the place punctuated only by sirens and the occasional thud as the jumpers hit the ground. You could hear the roar of the fire as it consumed floor after floor just above us. In front of me - in the middle of the street - was something that looked like a bloody rag - it was the remains of what had once been a passenger in one of the doomed aircraft. Still following his journalistic instinct, Mr Berriff began filming the teams of firefighters as they came from all directions to take instructions from a fire chief with a white helmet and a clipboard, before setting off into the lobbies of both towers. Then all of a sudden, without warning, it happened. I swung my camera off the fire crews and pointed it to where I had heard the explosion," recalls Mr Berriff. "I was now looking through the viewfinder towards the top of the South Tower. I leant backwards as far as I could go to look up the 1,300 foot high building in front of us. "The floors were starting to collapse. Debris started to peel away and fan out like an umbrella. In its slipstream great clouds of dust spurted out like a severed artery. Because the towers were so high it was taking time for the debris to make its way to the ground giving me a false perspective. But then the realisation hit me - this stuff was coming our way fast, very fast. I swung round with the camera still turning and screamed at Lou Lou to run. "I started to leg it down the street. The roar of crashing cement and girders above and behind me got louder and louder it was gaining on us. The tsunami wave of debris finally caught us. The camera left my hand in slow motion as I was pushed to the ground with a great force as though a giant fly swat had hit me. Everything went jet black. In the blackness I could see strobe lights and firemen moving in slow-motion. The next thing Mr Berriff remembers is crawling through a thick smog of cement and burning debris. He thought it had all happened in an instant, but he had been lying face down unconscious for around 25 minutes during which the second tower had come down around him. "My mouth, eyes, nose and ears were full of gunge," he says. "It was like a cement paste. I was flailing my arms around trying to find something to give me a sense of what was going on and where I was. Suddenly I felt something. It was a firefighter. I yelled out asking if I could use his air bottle but there was no reply. I think he was dead." Mr Berriff continued crawling down the street, unable to hear and only able to see a few feet in front of him. He noticed sheets of paper were falling around him, still floating downwards after the skyscraper offices where they had belonged had been obliterated to the ground. His vision started to clear and he stood up, realising he must go back to find his colleague Lou Lou. It was then, as he was wading back through the field of wreckage, that Mr Berriff recovered his camera. The footage from it (below) shows the moment the South tower began its sudden collapse. "How I found it in this hell that had once been the World Trade Center I still dont know to this day," he says. With no sign of Lou Lou, Mr Berriff, his vision now clearer, observed the devastation around him. "To my right a thirty story building was completely on fire from the ground to the top floors," he remembers. "I could see the skeletal frame of a section of the building embedded in the road. There was no one else around. It was completely silent apart from the noise of burning emergency vehicles. "I must have been the first person alive to be standing so close and so soon after the collapses. It was a pure unadulterated hell hole and I was shaking and feeling cold." Mr Berriff soon found Ocean apartments, where he and his wife had been living, and discovered that Lou Lou was there. She had been pulled out of the rubble by an officer soon after the collapse. "Lou Lou gave me a bottle of water. My mouth had bits of debris in it. The drink was like heaven. I must have been very dehydrated," he says. "It was then she told me both towers had completely collapsed. I was still in a daze and couldnt quite comprehend what she had just said." Mr Berriff discovered he had a head wound and was stretchered into an ambulance. The only way to the hospital was by ferry. "I was strapped down on the stretcher and staring up at the sky which - by now - had lost its magnificent blue and been replaced by a dirty brown smog still drifting away from the downed towers," Mr Berriff remembers. "There was also a strong stench of burning plastic in the air. Every major disaster has a distinctive smell. And its these smells which always takes those involved back to that moment." The voices of 9/11: The ripples still being felt around the world Show all 4 1 /4 The voices of 9/11: The ripples still being felt around the world The voices of 9/11: The ripples still being felt around the world 644536.bin The voices of 9/11: The ripples still being felt around the world 644604.bin The voices of 9/11: The ripples still being felt around the world 644534.bin REUTERS The voices of 9/11: The ripples still being felt around the world 644535.bin REUTERS Mr Berriff was relieved to be reunited with his wife at the hospital. Soon after being treated a police officer came in and took a statement and took away his wallet containing his US driving licence, credit and bank cards and his ID, as well as his mobile phone. "Apparently, the FBI were confiscating all documentation and IDs from anyone brought into the hospital, believing at this stage of the incident, that there may be terrorists amongst the injured," explains Mr Berriff. "My wife turned to me and asked what are we going to do now especially with no ID, money or communications. I said: 'But we are alive'. Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Donald Trump has allegedly used his own charitable foundation to accept other peoples money and pay it to different charities while taking the credit for himself. According to a Washington Post investigation, the Republicans Donald J Trump Foundation, which was set up in 1987, last received a donation from the man himself in 2008. In 2010, Mr Trump was honoured at his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida for his selfless support and a $150,000 donation to the Palm Beach Police Foundation. Yet the money came from the Charles Evans Foundation, named after a late businessman, after Mr Trump had asked them for a donation. The Palm Beach Police Foundation that honoured his donation reportedly paid to use Mr Trumps beach resort to hold the gala. It was unclear how much they paid, but the Washington Post discovered the foundation rented Mar-a-Lago in 2014 for $276,463. The Post analysed 17 years of tax filings and interviewed more than 200 individuals or groups listed as donors or beneficiaries, and discovered that most donations to the family foundation did not come from the Trump family. As well as middleman fundraising and failing to submit accurate paperwork to the Internal Revenue Service, Mr Trump also allegedly used $20,000 of charitable money to buy a six-foot-tall painting of himself. The investigation comes shortly after the nominee was discovered to have paid $25,000 of charitable money to a campaign group affiliated with Florida attorney general Pamela Bondi called And Justice For All. The Trump campaign could not be immediately reached for comment. Donald Trump's latest six Hillary Clinton insults His charity was set up to donate some of the proceeds from his book Trump: The Art of the Deal. It is managed by Mr Trump and his children Ivanka, Eric and Donald Junior, who spend half an hour per week on the foundation, according to the latest report in 2014. The most money the foundation ever had was $3.2 million at the end of 2009. In comparison, Hillary Clintons family foundation, which has received both heavy praise and criticism for its charitable work and foreign donors, had $440 million in the bank at the end of 2014. The Republican nominee gave $5.4 million from his own pocket between 1987 and 2006. He reportedly gave that money away as fast as he put it in, ensuring the foundation remained a skeletal operation. Donors include NBC Universal, which gave $500,000 in 2012. Some of the money would have been used to donate to charities that Mr Trump had promised to pay out of his own wallet whilst filming his reality television show Celebrity Apprentice. In late May, Mr Trump called out the "shameful and dishonest" press for reporting that he had delayed in giving close to $6 million to charities which help military veterans, which was raised at an event in January. I wanted to keep it private, if we could, as I dont think its anybodys business if I give money to the vets, he said at the Trump Tower in Manhattan. I send people cheques for a lot of money and instead of being like 'thank you very much, Mr Trump, nice job', they say 'who got it, who got it, he added. Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Hillary Clintons stumble at the 9/11 memorial service in New York City has been taken as proof by some of her opponents that she is unfit to be president, while others have simply said she had a normal reaction in humid weather. In temperatures close to 30 degrees celsius, Ms Clinton stood for hours as the family members of 9/11 victims reeled off close to 3,000 names of the people who perished on 11 September 2001. Ms Clinton left the service early, accompanied by her entourage and security guards, and reportedly stumbled as she was carried into a van waiting by the pavement. Pharmaceutical entrepreneur Martin Shkreli, once described as the most hated man in America, stood outside her daughters apartment shortly afterwards and waited for her to come outside. Why are you so sick! he shouted as she emerged, waving and smiling to the cameras. In pictures: Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential bid Show all 30 1 /30 In pictures: Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential bid In pictures: Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential bid Clinton campaign 11/09/2016: Hillary Clinton waves to the press as she leaves her daughter's apartment building after resting in New York. Clinton departed from a remembrance ceremony on the 15th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks after feeling "overheated," but was later doing "much better," her campaign said AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential bid Clinton campaign 25/08/2016: Hillary Clinton speaks at a campaign event in Reno, Nevada AFP In pictures: Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential bid Clinton campaign 27/07/2016: US President Barack Obama and Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton embrace on stage during Day 3 of the Democratic National Convention at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential bid Clinton campaign 11/07/2016: Bernie Sanders officially endorsed Hillary Clinton, saying his progressive vision for a transformed America would be best served by the defeat of Donald Trump Reuters In pictures: Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential bid Clinton campaign 26/06/2016: New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, former Secretary of State and Democratic Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, Al Sharpton and New York mayor Bill de Blasio march during the New York City Pride March in New York City Getty Images In pictures: Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential bid Clinton campaign 7/06/2016: Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton gestures as she greets supporters at a presidential primary election night rally in New York AP In pictures: Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential bid Clinton campaign 26/05/2016: A supporter of democratic presidential candidate former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton holds up a shirt during a campaign event in San Francisco, California Getty Images In pictures: Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential bid Clinton campaign 26/04/2016: Hillary Clinton embraces her husband, former President Bill Clinton, at a primary night campaign event in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Early results indicated Clinton would win Pennsylvania's presidential primary Getty Images In pictures: Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential bid Clinton campaign 8/03/2016: Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders during of the CNN Democratic Presidential candidates' debate, at the Whiting Auditorium in Flint, Michigan EPA In pictures: Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential bid Clinton campaign 3/03/2016: Singer Katy Perry raises arms with U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton at the end of the Hillary Victory Fund "I'm With Her" benefit concert at Radio City Music Hall in the Manhattan borough of New York City REUTERS In pictures: Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential bid Clinton campaign 28/02/2016: Hillary Clinton delivered a victory speech in Columbia AP In pictures: Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential bid Clinton campaign 16/02/2016: Hillary Clinton speaks at a rally at Truckee Meadows Community College in Reno, Nevada AP In pictures: Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential bid Clinton campaign 9/02/2016 (L-R) Priyadharshini Shanthakumar, Hattie Hughes and Claudia Blair with Hillary Clinton campaigning in Derry, New Hampshire Hattie Hughes In pictures: Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential bid Clinton campaign 30/01/2016: Hillary Clinton is introduced by her daughter Chelsea while the two campaigned together at a 'Get Out The Vote" caucus' event at the Carrollton Inn in Carroll, Iowa Getty Images In pictures: Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential bid Clinton campaign 14/12/2015: Hillary Clinton speaks during the National Immigrant Integration Conference in New York City. During the speech Clinton announced her immigration proposals if elected president Getty Images In pictures: Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential bid Clinton campaign 9/11/2015: Hillary Clinton speaks on stage during a rally after filing paperwork for the New Hampshire primary at the State House in Concord, New Hampshire. Each candidate must file paperwork to be on the New Hampshire primary ballot, which will be held on 9 February 2016 Getty Images In pictures: Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential bid Clinton campaign 22/10/2015: Hillary Clinton avoided major damage to her presidential campaign during a nearly 11-hour congressional hearing dominated by Republican criticism of her response to the Benghazi attacks AFP In pictures: Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential bid Clinton campaign 9/09/2015: Hillary Clinton takes part in a discussion after speaking about the Iran nuclear deal at the Brookings Institution in Washington. Clinton expressed firm support for the nuclear accord with Iran, calling it flawed but still strong. Clinton added that the agreement must be strictly enforced and said that if elected president next year, she would not hesitate to use military force if Iran fails to live up to its word and tries to develop a bomb AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential bid Clinton campaign 8/09/2015: Hillary Clinton does the "Nae Nae" dance move with DJ Stephen "Twitch" Boss (L) and television host Ellen DeGeneres (R) during a taping of "The Ellen DeGeneres show" in New York In pictures: Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential bid Clinton campaign 26/08/2015: Hillary Clinton greets guests during a campaign event at Tabor Home Vineyards and Winery in Baldwin, Iowa. A recent poll has Clinton leading all other Democratic contenders in Iowa by about 30 percentage points Getty Images In pictures: Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential bid Clinton campaign 13/07/2015: Hillary Clinton poses for a selfie with a student outside the New School after speaking to outline economic vision in New York. Clinton promised to raise incomes of hardworking Americans and rein in excesses on Wall Street in the first major economic policy address of her 2016 campaign AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential bid Clinton campaign 15/06/2015: Hillary Clinton speaks during a forum on early childhood education at the YMCA of Strafford County in Rochester, New Hampshire. Clinton held a formal launch event in New York City, and is hitting the first in the nation primary state for the third time since announcing her candidacy in April Getty Images In pictures: Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential bid Clinton campaign 22/05/2015: Hillary Clinton tours the Smuttynose Brewery in Hampton, New Hampshire Getty Images In pictures: Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential bid Clinton campaign 23/04/15: Hillary Clinton addresses the Women in the World Conference in New York City Getty In pictures: Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential bid Clinton campaign 22/04/15: Hillary Clinton waves to college students as she leaves after speaking during the Hillary Rodham Clinton Award for Advancing Women in Peace and Security at Georgetown University in Washington AFP/Getty In pictures: Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential bid Clinton campaign 21/04/15: Hillary Clinton meets with audience members after speaking with students and faculty of New Hampshire Technical Institute in Concord, New Hampshire. The conversation revolved around higher education, manufacturing and women in the work force Getty In pictures: Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential bid Clinton campaign 13/04/15: Loaded the van & set off for IA. Met a great family when we stopped this afternoon. Many more to come. A picture of one family Hillary Clinton met on her road trip, which she tweeted In pictures: Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential bid Clinton campaign 12/04/15: The building that will house Hillary Clinton's campaign headquarters, on the corner of Pierrepont and Clinton Streets in historic Brooklyn Heights, NY Corbis In pictures: Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential bid Clinton campaign 12/04/15: Some expect Hillary Clintons campaign to cost more than Barack Obamas $1bn in 2012 EPA In pictures: Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential bid Clinton campaign 12/04/15: Hillary Clinton formally declares in a video that she will seek the Democratic Partys presidential nomination for 2016, and says she wants to bring the benefits of the economic recovery to all Americans AP Chat show host Piers Morgan described the video of her collapse as very worrying. Reporters approached Donald Trump after the memorial service and asked what he thought about the incident. He replied that he didnt hear anything about it. A law enforcement source told the Daily Beast that Ms Clinton left behind a shoe during the ordeal and was thrown into the van "like a sack of meat". Other people said the claims that Ms Clinton fainted were a cover-up, and that the presidential candidate simply had a natural reaction to the hot weather. Ms Clinton's spokesman, Nick Merrill, quickly released a statement after the incident, saying she attended the ceremony for an hour and a half and left because she felt "overheated". She is now "feeling much better", he said, and has been taken home to Chappaqua in New York state. MASON CITY Dean Genth and Gary Swenson used their living room as an early campaign stop for Hillary Clinton in 2015. The couple moved into their home at 145 Pebble Creek Drive in April 2012. It was built in 2007. The exterior of the home has a two-story natural stone archway. Past its grand foyer, the living room has a 20-foot high window, cherry bookcases surrounded by columns and an upper-level balcony walkway. Their kitchen has a hidden pantry behind its cherry cabinets, granite island and wet bar. Their basement contains two bedrooms and a home theater, fitness area, kitchen and bar. The homes master bedroom has a walk-in closet, walk-in shower and an extra dressing space with heated flooring. The homes upper level has a 1911 NCR four-drawer cash register, a large guest bedroom with an adjoining bathroom and double walk-in closets. The home is one of three the Globe Gazette will feature as part of the Mason City Womans Club annual Tour of Homes, 1 to 3 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 13. Club membership is required and is open to all women. Memberships are $20 and may be purchased at the homes the day of the tour. Tea will follow the tour from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Knights of Columbus, 551 S. Taft Ave. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Washington email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The US presidential campaign has received a huge jolt of drama after Hillary Clinton left early from a 9/11 memorial event after becoming unwell - triggering fresh speculation about her health. Video footage showed the former secretary of state apparenty sagging and buckling as she waited for her vehicle and had to be helped inside. In a move that was quickly seized on by opponents of Ms Clinton who have sought to try question her health, the Democratic candidate left the event at Ground Zero in New York after 90 minutes and went to her daughters apartment to recover. As she waited, propped against a cement pillar, she appeared to wobble and stagger. Many people rushed to help her into the black van and was then driven away. Her spokesman, Nick Merrill, said that she left after feeling overheated at the event to mark the 15th anniversary of the attacks on New York and Washington, where she had gone to pay her respect to some of the families who lost loved ones. Almost 3,000 people died in the Al-Qaeda operation. Clinton leaves apartment after 'episode' at 9/11 memorial It was hot and humid in the city and Ms Clinton was dressed in a dark jacket and trousers and she was standing for much of the event. During the ceremony, she felt overheated so departed to go to her daughter's apartment, and is feeling much better, Mr Merrill said in a statement. US media said that Ms Clinton, 68, was taken to Chelsea Clintons apartment in the Flatiron neighborhood. Shortly before noon, Ms Clinton was seen leaving the flat and waving to the crowd. She briefly posed for a photograph with a young girl. To a shouted question from a reporter as to whether she felt better, she said: Yes, thank you. She added: Its a beautiful day in New York. Her campaign said she was heading to her home to Chappaqua, in upstate New York. The news was first reported by Fox News, one of the outlets that has been a platform for claims by 70-year-old Donald Trump that Ms Clinton has been hiding a medical condition from the public. One anchor, Sean Hannity, has interviewed various doctors, none neurologists, who have suggested Ms Clinton could be suffering from any of number of issues. The Clinton campaign has repeatedly denied the suggestions. Fox News said that Ms Clinton had left the memorial and lost a shoe as she entered her Secret Service vehicle. It said that a police source at the scene, said a member of her security detail had to recover the shoe. The Associated Press said a senior law enforcement official who was briefed on the matter said that after leaving the memorial plaza, Clinton was observed fainting in a departure area. Ms Clinton's campaign did not refer to this in its statement, though video of her at the scene showed Ms Clinton looking unsteady. Ms Clinton has insisted she is in fine health and ready to assume duties in the White House. Her campaign has played down health scares, including an incident in December 2012 when she suffered a concussion and shortly afterward developed a blood clot. In a letter released by her doctor in July, Ms Clinton was described as being in excellent health and fit to serve in the White House. Reuters said that Ms Clinton's speech at a campaign rally earlier this month in Cleveland was interrupted by a coughing spell. During the speech, she quipped, Every time I think about Trump I get allergic. She then resumed her speech. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Washington email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The issue of Hillary Clintons health has moved front and centre to the presidential election campaign after her doctor said she was being treated for pneumonia - hours after she stumbled and felt unwell at a 9/11 memorial service. Dr Lisa Bardack said Ms Clinton was recovering nicely after attending the event in lower Manhattan on Sunday morning. Ms Clinton was seen on video struggling to stay on her feet, and had to be helped by Secret Service staff as she got into a vehicle to leave the event early. Ms Clinton, 68, was due to fly to San Francisco and Los Angeles on Monday, but a campaign official said she had cancelled the two-day California trip that was to include a key speech on the economy and fundraising events. Ms Clinton appeared to stumble as she got into her vehicle (YouTube) The huge injection of drama into the campaign came as Ms Clintons lead over rival Donald Trump had been slipping, both nationally and in some of the crucial swing states that will likely decide the race. Her campaign has also been fighting allegations from Mr Trump and his supporters that she is seriously unwell and trying to conceal something from the public. In pictures: Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential bid Show all 30 1 /30 In pictures: Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential bid In pictures: Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential bid Clinton campaign 11/09/2016: Hillary Clinton waves to the press as she leaves her daughter's apartment building after resting in New York. Clinton departed from a remembrance ceremony on the 15th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks after feeling "overheated," but was later doing "much better," her campaign said AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential bid Clinton campaign 25/08/2016: Hillary Clinton speaks at a campaign event in Reno, Nevada AFP In pictures: Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential bid Clinton campaign 27/07/2016: US President Barack Obama and Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton embrace on stage during Day 3 of the Democratic National Convention at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential bid Clinton campaign 11/07/2016: Bernie Sanders officially endorsed Hillary Clinton, saying his progressive vision for a transformed America would be best served by the defeat of Donald Trump Reuters In pictures: Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential bid Clinton campaign 26/06/2016: New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, former Secretary of State and Democratic Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, Al Sharpton and New York mayor Bill de Blasio march during the New York City Pride March in New York City Getty Images In pictures: Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential bid Clinton campaign 7/06/2016: Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton gestures as she greets supporters at a presidential primary election night rally in New York AP In pictures: Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential bid Clinton campaign 26/05/2016: A supporter of democratic presidential candidate former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton holds up a shirt during a campaign event in San Francisco, California Getty Images In pictures: Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential bid Clinton campaign 26/04/2016: Hillary Clinton embraces her husband, former President Bill Clinton, at a primary night campaign event in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Early results indicated Clinton would win Pennsylvania's presidential primary Getty Images In pictures: Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential bid Clinton campaign 8/03/2016: Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders during of the CNN Democratic Presidential candidates' debate, at the Whiting Auditorium in Flint, Michigan EPA In pictures: Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential bid Clinton campaign 3/03/2016: Singer Katy Perry raises arms with U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton at the end of the Hillary Victory Fund "I'm With Her" benefit concert at Radio City Music Hall in the Manhattan borough of New York City REUTERS In pictures: Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential bid Clinton campaign 28/02/2016: Hillary Clinton delivered a victory speech in Columbia AP In pictures: Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential bid Clinton campaign 16/02/2016: Hillary Clinton speaks at a rally at Truckee Meadows Community College in Reno, Nevada AP In pictures: Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential bid Clinton campaign 9/02/2016 (L-R) Priyadharshini Shanthakumar, Hattie Hughes and Claudia Blair with Hillary Clinton campaigning in Derry, New Hampshire Hattie Hughes In pictures: Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential bid Clinton campaign 30/01/2016: Hillary Clinton is introduced by her daughter Chelsea while the two campaigned together at a 'Get Out The Vote" caucus' event at the Carrollton Inn in Carroll, Iowa Getty Images In pictures: Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential bid Clinton campaign 14/12/2015: Hillary Clinton speaks during the National Immigrant Integration Conference in New York City. During the speech Clinton announced her immigration proposals if elected president Getty Images In pictures: Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential bid Clinton campaign 9/11/2015: Hillary Clinton speaks on stage during a rally after filing paperwork for the New Hampshire primary at the State House in Concord, New Hampshire. Each candidate must file paperwork to be on the New Hampshire primary ballot, which will be held on 9 February 2016 Getty Images In pictures: Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential bid Clinton campaign 22/10/2015: Hillary Clinton avoided major damage to her presidential campaign during a nearly 11-hour congressional hearing dominated by Republican criticism of her response to the Benghazi attacks AFP In pictures: Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential bid Clinton campaign 9/09/2015: Hillary Clinton takes part in a discussion after speaking about the Iran nuclear deal at the Brookings Institution in Washington. Clinton expressed firm support for the nuclear accord with Iran, calling it flawed but still strong. Clinton added that the agreement must be strictly enforced and said that if elected president next year, she would not hesitate to use military force if Iran fails to live up to its word and tries to develop a bomb AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential bid Clinton campaign 8/09/2015: Hillary Clinton does the "Nae Nae" dance move with DJ Stephen "Twitch" Boss (L) and television host Ellen DeGeneres (R) during a taping of "The Ellen DeGeneres show" in New York In pictures: Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential bid Clinton campaign 26/08/2015: Hillary Clinton greets guests during a campaign event at Tabor Home Vineyards and Winery in Baldwin, Iowa. A recent poll has Clinton leading all other Democratic contenders in Iowa by about 30 percentage points Getty Images In pictures: Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential bid Clinton campaign 13/07/2015: Hillary Clinton poses for a selfie with a student outside the New School after speaking to outline economic vision in New York. Clinton promised to raise incomes of hardworking Americans and rein in excesses on Wall Street in the first major economic policy address of her 2016 campaign AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential bid Clinton campaign 15/06/2015: Hillary Clinton speaks during a forum on early childhood education at the YMCA of Strafford County in Rochester, New Hampshire. Clinton held a formal launch event in New York City, and is hitting the first in the nation primary state for the third time since announcing her candidacy in April Getty Images In pictures: Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential bid Clinton campaign 22/05/2015: Hillary Clinton tours the Smuttynose Brewery in Hampton, New Hampshire Getty Images In pictures: Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential bid Clinton campaign 23/04/15: Hillary Clinton addresses the Women in the World Conference in New York City Getty In pictures: Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential bid Clinton campaign 22/04/15: Hillary Clinton waves to college students as she leaves after speaking during the Hillary Rodham Clinton Award for Advancing Women in Peace and Security at Georgetown University in Washington AFP/Getty In pictures: Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential bid Clinton campaign 21/04/15: Hillary Clinton meets with audience members after speaking with students and faculty of New Hampshire Technical Institute in Concord, New Hampshire. The conversation revolved around higher education, manufacturing and women in the work force Getty In pictures: Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential bid Clinton campaign 13/04/15: Loaded the van & set off for IA. Met a great family when we stopped this afternoon. Many more to come. A picture of one family Hillary Clinton met on her road trip, which she tweeted In pictures: Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential bid Clinton campaign 12/04/15: The building that will house Hillary Clinton's campaign headquarters, on the corner of Pierrepont and Clinton Streets in historic Brooklyn Heights, NY Corbis In pictures: Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential bid Clinton campaign 12/04/15: Some expect Hillary Clintons campaign to cost more than Barack Obamas $1bn in 2012 EPA In pictures: Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential bid Clinton campaign 12/04/15: Hillary Clinton formally declares in a video that she will seek the Democratic Partys presidential nomination for 2016, and says she wants to bring the benefits of the economic recovery to all Americans AP On Sunday evening, US media were quick to ask why, given that Ms Clinton was apparently diagnosed with pneumonia on Friday, her campaign failed to disclose this until it was effectively forced to do so. Mr Trump, who also attended the same event as Ms Clinton, was conspicuously silent about the development, his only comment on the 15th anniversary of the attacks on New York and Washington, being a statement calling on people to pray for those lost in the Al-Qaeda assault that left almost 3,000 people dead. Asked by a reporter about the incident, Mr Trump said: I don't know anything. News that Ms Clinton had stumbled and left early from the event was first reported by Fox News, one of the channels which has been providing a platform for opponents of the candidate to make allegations about her health. It said she had left early after standing for 90 minutes in the humidity at Ground Zero. She walked away from the ceremony but was seen to trip and stumble as she climbed into a waiting van. For an hour-and-a-half, the media pool traveling with her had no idea where she was, and the candidates campaign declined to provide details. It then transpired that Ms Clinton had been driven to her daughters apartment in the Flatiron neighbourhood of the city. Around noon, she emerged, walking by herself, and waving to the media and waiting crowds. She briefly posed for a photograph with a young girl. To a shouted question from a reporter as to whether she felt better, she said: Yes, thank you. Im feeling great, Ms Clinton said. Its a beautiful day in New York. Her campaign spokesman said that Ms Clinton had left the event because she had overheated. During the ceremony, she felt overheated so departed to go to her daughter's apartment, and is feeling much better, spokesman Nick Merrill said in a statement. Clinton leaves apartment after 'episode' at 9/11 memorial Ms Clinton was then taken to her home in upstate New York where the media gathered in a nearby hotel. It was then that Ms Clintons doctor issued the details about her diagnosis. Ms Bardack said that Ms Clinton had had an allergy-related cough, and that during a follow-up examination Friday, the candidate was diagnosed with pneumonia, put on antibiotics, advised to rest and modify her schedule. I have just examined her and she is now rehydrated and recovering nicely, she said, according to the Associated Press. It remains unclear how serious Ms Clintons condition is, and how much it will impact her campaign. What is clear is that the episode looked serious, and was being used by her critics as evidence of her unsuitability for the White House. With many polls showing Ms Clintons lead over Mr Trump narrowing, she created controversy last Friday by claiming that half of Mr Trumps supporters were a basket of deplorables - a comment that drew sharp criticism from Republicans. Ms Clinton later said she regretted applying that description to half" of Mr Trumps backers, but stuck by her assertion that the Republican nominee has given a platform to hateful views and voices. Mr Trump and Ms Clinton are among the oldest candidates to contest for the White House in US political history. Mr Trump has sought to question Ms Clintons physical and mental ability to do the job. Ms Clinton and her supporters have repeatedly questioned the New York tycoons temperament. Ms Clinton suffered concussion in December 2012 after fainting. Her doctor attributed that episode to a stomach virus and dehydration. Ms Clintons doctor reported she is fully recovered from the concussion, which led to temporary double vision and discovery of a blood clot in a vein in the space between her brain and skull. Ms Clinton also has experienced deep vein thrombosis, a clot usually in the leg, and takes the blood thinner Coumadin to prevent new clots. In July 2015, Ms Clinton issued a detailed two-page letter from her physician that included the concussion. Mr Trumps personal physician has said the Republican presidential nominee is in excellent health both physically and mentally. But the former reality television star has refused to release his own health records. Dr Harold Bornsteins report last December remains the only medical information released so far by the Mr Trump campaign. Mr Bornstein told NBC News he needed just five minutes to write a glowing public assessment of Mr Trump's health as a limousine waited to carry the letter back to the tycoon. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} South Korea has a secret plan to "annihilate" Pyongyang if the North Korean regime shows any sign of mounting a nuclear attack, the country's largest news agency has reported. An unnamed military source told Yonhap that every part of the North Korean capital will be "completely destroyed by ballistic missiles and high-explosive shells". Those districts which are thought to be hiding the leadership would be particularly targeted and the city "will be reduced to ashes and removed from the map". Yonhap has close ties to the South Korean government and is publicly funded. It came just days after North Korea launched what it said was its fifth nuclear test on Friday. The international community is said to be considering its response with the US saying it is considering imposing sanctions alongside those imposed by the UN Security Council, Japan and South Korea. The US special envoy for North Korea, Sung Kim, said: "In addition to action in the Security Council, both the US and Japan, together with the Republic of Korea, will be looking at unilateral measures, as well as bilateral measures, as well as possible trilateral cooperation. "We will be working very closely in the Security Council and beyond to come up with the strongest possible measure against North Korea's latest actions". In pictures: North Korea hydrogen bomb test Show all 15 1 /15 In pictures: North Korea hydrogen bomb test In pictures: North Korea hydrogen bomb test In pictures: North Korea hydrogen bomb test In pictures: North Korea hydrogen bomb test A lab employee from the Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety's regional office in Gangneung, east of Seoul, checks for radioactive traces in the air, in Gangneung, soon after North Korea announced it successfully conducted a hydrogen bomb test. The office in Gangneung is the closest one to the site of the North's claimed test. Officials said it will take three to four days to analyze air samples in detail for any traces of radioactivity, the Yonhap news agency reported EPA In pictures: North Korea hydrogen bomb test In pictures: North Korea hydrogen bomb test In pictures: North Korea hydrogen bomb test North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un signing a document of a hydrogen bomb test in Pyongyang In pictures: North Korea hydrogen bomb test People watch a TV news program showing North Korea's special announcement at the Seoul Railway Station in Seoul, South Korea AP In pictures: North Korea hydrogen bomb test Getty Images In pictures: North Korea hydrogen bomb test Getty Images In pictures: North Korea hydrogen bomb test In pictures: North Korea hydrogen bomb test In pictures: North Korea hydrogen bomb test South Korean people watch TV news at Seoul station EPA In pictures: North Korea hydrogen bomb test Japan's meteorological agency officer Yohei Hasegawa displays a chart showing seismic activity, after a North Korean nuclear test, at the agency in Tokyo Getty Images In pictures: North Korea hydrogen bomb test Ko Yun-Hwa, administrator of Korea Meteorological Administration, briefs reporters showing seismic waves from the site of North Korea's hydrogen bomb test, at his office in Seoul Getty Images In pictures: North Korea hydrogen bomb test North Korea's border county of Kaepoong is seen from a South Korean observation post in Paju near the Demilitarized zone dividing the two Koreas as North Korea announced it had successfully carried out its first hydrogen bomb test Getty Images But Pyongyang responded to the US warning by saying the threat of "meaningless sanctions" was "laughable". On Saturday, South Korean's foreign minister, Yun Byung-se, said the North's nuclear capability appeared to be developing fast. Mr Yun said the latest tests showed North Korean leader Kim Jong-un was unlikely to change course and tougher sanctions were needed to apply "unbearable pain on the North to leave no choice but to change". Under the 32-year-old, who took over control of the isolated state after the death of his father Kim Jong Il in 2011, North Korea has sped up its nuclear weapons programme despite the UN's economics sanctions against it being tightened in March. South Korea's President Park Geun-hye said Kim was "mentally out of control", blind to all the warnings of foreign powers and "the patience of the international community has come to the limit". Under Kim's leadership it is believed there has been a wide ranging purge of senior officials who have been executed for falling out with him. He denounced his own uncle Jang Song-thaek as "despicable human scum" when he announced his execution in December 2013. Additional reporting by agencies For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The United States has threatened to place new unilateral sanctions on North Korea, following the east Asian countrys fifth and largest nuclear test on Friday. A US special envoy met with Japanese officials on Sunday and said afterwards the United States may add to existing sanctions against North Korea, Reuters reported. US President Barack Obama made similar comments immediately after Friday's explosion. North Korea called the threat of further sanctions laughable, and vowed to continue increasing it's nuclear capacity. The pariah country detonated its most powerful nuclear explosion to date on Friday. State media claimed the nation had mastered the ability to mount a warhead on a ballistic missile, significantly increasing the threat it poses to enemy nations. Global leaders were united in their condemnation of the provocative move, with the United Nations Security council calling an immediate emergency meeting to discuss a coherent international response. The United States, Britain and France pushed for the 15-member body to impose new sanctions. After speaking to South Korean President Park Geun-hye and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Friday, Mr Obama said they had agreed to work with the Security Council and other powers to vigorously enforce existing measures and to take additional significant steps, including new sanctions. The United States representative for North Korea policy, Sung Kim, said: In addition to action in the Security Council, both the US and Japan, together with the Republic of Korea [South Korea], will be looking at unilateral measures, as well as bilateral measures, as well as possible trilateral cooperation." Specific details of the US unilateral sanctions have yet to be decided, Kim said, speaking to reporters in Tokyo. He said both the US and Japan were looking at a full range of possibilities, in terms of additional unilateral sanctions that can be implemented." But North Korea responded with derision. The group of Obama's running around and talking about meaningless sanctions until today is highly laughable, when their 'strategic patience' policy is completely worn out and they are close to packing up to move out," said a North Korean foreign ministry spokesman in a statement, according to state media. As we've made clear, measures to strengthen the national nuclear power in quality and quantity will continue to protect our dignity and right to live from augmented threats of nuclear war from the United States," the spokesman added. Sanctions placed on North Korea were increased following the country's fourth nuclear test in March, but apparently had no impact as a deterrent to the state's nuclear policy. South Korea also emphasised the need for fresh countermeasures including a new UN security council resolution, the South Korean foreign ministry said in a statement. South Korea said on Saturday that the latest test showed North Korea's nuclear capability was expanding fast and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un was unwilling to alter course. North Korean state media reported on Sunday that people in the country were delighted by the nuclear test. The enemies can no longer deny the strategic position of our country as a nuclear weapons state, the report said. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A worried pet owner spent $500 on veterinary procedures to save her goldfish after it swallowed a pebble in Brisbane, Australia. Emma Marsh bought her goldfish Conquer one year ago for just $12. But when she noticed he was struggling after choking on a piece of shingle in his tank, money became no object in her bid to save his life. The 21-year-old from Kuraby, Australia rushed Conquer to the Brisbane Bird and Exotics Veterinary Service in Greenslopes. Vet Emma McMillan and her team had to drip anaesthetic into Conquers water until the fish fell asleep. Then they tilted his mouth out of the water to use forceps to extract the lodged stone. Dr McMillan told Brisbane's Courier Mail: He is 13g and only 5cm long. Kitten saved from drowning by Italian Coastguard The pebble was about eight or nine millimetres long and was stuck lengthways across the side of his mouth, which is why he couldnt spit it out. He was making excessive mouth movements trying to dislodge it if we did nothing he would have starved to death. The entire procedure saved Conquers life but it Ms Marsh with a $100 bill for the emergency consultation plus $400 for the anaesthetic and an overnight stay in hospital. Famous animals whose deaths caused outpourings of human grief Show all 10 1 /10 Famous animals whose deaths caused outpourings of human grief Famous animals whose deaths caused outpourings of human grief 16741.bin AFP/Getty Famous animals whose deaths caused outpourings of human grief 582243.bin Famous animals whose deaths caused outpourings of human grief earless-bunny.jpg AP Famous animals whose deaths caused outpourings of human grief 117248706.jpg GETTY IMAGES Famous animals whose deaths caused outpourings of human grief 522440.bin Getty Images Famous animals whose deaths caused outpourings of human grief Pg-08-blue-peter-pa.jpg PA Famous animals whose deaths caused outpourings of human grief 563101.bin Famous animals whose deaths caused outpourings of human grief 1150491.jpg Getty Images Famous animals whose deaths caused outpourings of human grief 3426699.jpg Getty Images Famous animals whose deaths caused outpourings of human grief pg-60-taaffe-2-getty.jpg Getty Images At a total of $500 (284.00), that's around the same cost as 13g in 18-carat gold. A fully recovered Conquer is now back at home in his tank, where his owner can claim he is literally worth his weight in gold. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} An Australian man has been charged with terrorism offences after allegedly stabbing a man in a Sydney park in what police say was an Isis inspired attack. Ihsas Khan has been charged with committing a terrorist act and attempted murder after allegedly stabbing Wayne Greenhalgh repeatedly as he walked through a park in the suburban Minto district of the city on Saturday afternoon. The 59-year-old remains in a critical condition in hospital. Khan also attempted to stab a police officer before he was arrested, police said. The 22-year-old appeared at Parramatta Bail Court where he was refused bail. He did not enter a plea and the case was adjourned until Wednesday. He faces life behind bars if convicted. New South Wales Deputy Police Commissioner Catherine Burn said Khan and Mr Greenhalgh did not know each and said the attack was deliberate. She said: "This was clearly a very volatile, a very violent situation that police and the members of the community were confronted with. Terrorism in 2016: Terror attacks in Europe claimed by Isis Show all 9 1 /9 Terrorism in 2016: Terror attacks in Europe claimed by Isis Terrorism in 2016: Terror attacks in Europe claimed by Isis Policemen outside Rouen's cathedral during the funeral of Jacques Hamel, the priest who was killed in a church in Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray in Normandy on 26 July during a hostage-taking claimed by Islamic State group Joel Saget/AFP/Getty Images Terrorism in 2016: Terror attacks in Europe claimed by Isis Two jihadists, both 19, slit Hamel's throat while he was celebrating mass in an attack that shocked France as well as the Catholic Church Joel Saget/AFP/Getty Images Terrorism in 2016: Terror attacks in Europe claimed by Isis Muslims place flowers and hold a minute of silence in front of the church if Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray, western France, where French priest Jacques Hamel was killed on 26 July Charly Triballeau/AFP/Getty Images Terrorism in 2016: Terror attacks in Europe claimed by Isis Two people hold each other by the new makeshift memorial in Nice, in tribute to the victims of the deadly Bastille Day attack at the Promenade des Anglais Valery Hache/AFP/Getty Images Terrorism in 2016: Terror attacks in Europe claimed by Isis The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the truck attack that killed 84 people in Nice on France's national holiday. Mohamed Lahouaiej-Bouhlel, 31, smashed a 19-tonne truck into a packed crowd of people in the Riviera city celebrating Bastille Day Valery Hache/AFP/Getty Images Terrorism in 2016: Terror attacks in Europe claimed by Isis Police work at a site where a Syrian migrant set off an explosive device in Ansbach, southern Germany, on 25 July, killing himself and wounding a dozen others Daniel Roland/AFP/Getty Images Terrorism in 2016: Terror attacks in Europe claimed by Isis A Syrian migrant set off an explosion at a bar in southern Germany that killed himself and wounded a dozen others in the third attack to hit Bavaria in a week. The 27-year-old, who had spent a stint in a psychiatric facility, had intended to target a music festival in the city of Ansbach but was turned away because he did not have a ticket Friebe/AFP/Getty Images Terrorism in 2016: Terror attacks in Europe claimed by Isis Police officers walk along train tracks in Wuerzburg southern Germany on 19 July, a day after a man attacked train passengers with an axe. German authorities said they had found a hand-painted IS flag among the belongings of the man, an asylum seeker from Afghanistan, who seriously injured four members of a family of tourists from Hong Kong in his rampage Daniel Roland/AFP/Getty Images Terrorism in 2016: Terror attacks in Europe claimed by Isis German police killed a teenage assailant after he attacked passengers on a train in Wuerzburg, southerg Germany with an axe and a knife on 18 July, seriously wounding three people Karl-Josef Hildenbrand/AFP/Getty Images "We know that this person has strong religious beliefs inspired by Isis. What made him act yesterday we don't know. "This is the new face of terrorism. This is the new face of what we deal with". She said Khan had shouted some words at the scene that made them suspect he was connected to the terror group. Mr Greenhalghs wife Bronwyn, who witnessed the attack, said her husband had suffered a punctured lung and lost several fingers. She told Australian news channel Ten Network: "He just came toward him and got a machete out of his backpack and started going at Wayne". Commenting on the case, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull noted that the attack occurred the day before the 15th anniversary of the 9/11 terror attacks on the World Trade Center in New York. He told reporters: "Connecting them both is a violent Islamist ideology". It came after an 18-year-old was arrested outside the Sydney Opera House after allegedly telling security guards Isis had told him to carry out an attack there. Counter-terrorism investigators charged the teenager with threatening to destroy property. Police said he was was carrying two canisters of automotive fluid. Additional reporting by AP For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Thousands of people have taken to the streets of Spain to demand an end to bullfighting. The demonstration comes amid growing support for animal rights which has seen calls for the traditional sport to be banned. Protesters holding banners declaring Bullfighting, a national shame and Bullfighting, the school of cruelty marched through the streets of Madrid on Saturday. Animal rights political party Pacma said the rally was the biggest anti-bullfighting protest to date. One demonstrator Mari Paz Rojo, a 42-year-old administrative assistant, told Reuters: It makes me sad that some people want to have fun at the expense of another living being. There are other ways to pass the time. We dont want Spaniards to be identified with bullfighting, this is not our national fiesta. The backlash against bullfighting, a centuries-old tradition in Spain, is partly due to the countrys economic crisis which has seen a decline in the number of people attending corridas, the spectacle of a matador baiting and fighting with a bull using a red cape and sword. Catalonia votes to ban all forms of bullfighting in nationalist move Show all 3 1 /3 Catalonia votes to ban all forms of bullfighting in nationalist move Catalonia votes to ban all forms of bullfighting in nationalist move 421993.bin AP Catalonia votes to ban all forms of bullfighting in nationalist move 421992.bin EPA Catalonia votes to ban all forms of bullfighting in nationalist move 421991.bin AFP/ GETTY IMAGES Recent surveys also show a growing public distaste for the sport. An Ipsos Moris poll from January this year, on behalf of animal welfare group World Animal Protection, found only 19 per cent of adults in Spain supported bullfighting while 58 per cent opposed it. But aficionados claim bullfighting is an ancient art rooted in the history of Spain and fans have organised their own marches in support of the tradition. The issue has become a political hot potato, with Pacma gaining increasing support in recent general elections and the Catalonia region of Spain banning bullfighting completely in 2011. However, Spains centre-right government in 2013 declared bullfighting a cultural asset enabling it to draw on public funds. A move then reversed for the capital by the mayor of Madrid when he took over the city council last year withdrawing subsidies for bullfighting schools. In July this year, a bullfighter was gored to death during a festival in eastern Spain. Victor Barrio, 29, became the first bullfighter to be killed in the ring for 30 years. Now for the first time, participants in one of Spains most controversial festivals Toro de la Vega (Bull of the Plain) will not be allowed to kill the bull. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} French Prime Minister Manuel Valls has warned there would be new attacks in France but that a plan by former president Nicolas Sarkozy to boost security was not the right way to deal with threats. The French capital was put on high alert last week when French officials said they dismantled a "terrorist cell" that planned to attack a Paris railway station under the direction of the so-called Islamic State. "This week at least two attacks were foiled," Manuel Valls said in an interview with Europe 1 radio and Itele television on Sunday. Valls said there were 15,000 people on the radar of police and intelligent services who were in the process of being radicalised. "There will be new attacks, there will be innocent victims...this is also my role to tell this truth to the French people," Valls said. In an interview newspaper Le Journal du Dimanche (JDD), Sarkozy said France needed to get tough on militants by creating special courts and detention facilities to boost security. "He is wrong about trying to wring the neck of the rule of law," Valls said. Sarkozy proposed to systematically place French citizens suspected of having militant links in special detention facilities. "And don't tell me it would be Guantanamo," Sarkozy said in the interview. "In France, any administrative confinement is subject to subsequent control by a judge." Guantanamo, opened by former President George W Bush, was used to hold prisoners rounded up overseas when the United States became embroiled in wars in Afghanistan and Iraq following the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on New York and Washington. Reuters For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A judge handed preliminary charges to a 29-year-old woman who authorities suspect is part of a female "terrorist commando" in the service of Isis one of five suspects in an aborted attack near Notre Dame Cathedral and another possible attack thwarted by police. The discovery of an abandoned car last Sunday led investigators to the arrests of three more women and a man that revealed links to two attacks this year in France claimed by the so-called Islamic State group and underscored the overlapping nature of the terrorist web. France, which is in a state of emergency, has been on tenterhooks with three attacks this year, including a truck attack in Nice on Bastille Day. An abandoned car found Sunday with its license plates removed, its hazard lights mysteriously flashing and loaded with gas canisters set a frantic search in motion. A woman identified by authorities as Ornella G, was the first to be arrested on Tuesday with a companion at a highway stop near the southern city of Orange. Her companion was freed, the prosecutor's office said on Saturday. But Paris prosecutor Francois Molins said on Friday that Ornella G's fingerprints were found inside the car. She was known to intelligence agents as someone who was looking to go to Syria. The judge charged Ornella G on Saturday with association with terrorists to commit attacks and attempted murder in an organized group linked to a terrorist enterprise and ordered her jailed, the prosecutor's office said. On the heels of Ornella G's arrest, police traced the person linked to the car to a house in the Essonne region south of Paris and descended on Thursday evening. A confrontation with three women outside ensued, including the 19-year-old daughter of the car's owner, Ines Madani. She was shot in the leg as she lunged at a police officer with a knife - after another woman, Sarah H, 23, attacked and wounded a plain clothes officer with a kitchen knife through the open window of his car, Mr Molins said on Friday. The third woman, Amel S, 39, who lived at the house, also was arrested along with her daughter, about to turn 16 but potentially implicated in the "terrorist project," according to the prosecutor. She was found in another Paris suburb. Terrorism in 2016: Terror attacks in Europe claimed by Isis Show all 9 1 /9 Terrorism in 2016: Terror attacks in Europe claimed by Isis Terrorism in 2016: Terror attacks in Europe claimed by Isis Policemen outside Rouen's cathedral during the funeral of Jacques Hamel, the priest who was killed in a church in Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray in Normandy on 26 July during a hostage-taking claimed by Islamic State group Joel Saget/AFP/Getty Images Terrorism in 2016: Terror attacks in Europe claimed by Isis Two jihadists, both 19, slit Hamel's throat while he was celebrating mass in an attack that shocked France as well as the Catholic Church Joel Saget/AFP/Getty Images Terrorism in 2016: Terror attacks in Europe claimed by Isis Muslims place flowers and hold a minute of silence in front of the church if Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray, western France, where French priest Jacques Hamel was killed on 26 July Charly Triballeau/AFP/Getty Images Terrorism in 2016: Terror attacks in Europe claimed by Isis Two people hold each other by the new makeshift memorial in Nice, in tribute to the victims of the deadly Bastille Day attack at the Promenade des Anglais Valery Hache/AFP/Getty Images Terrorism in 2016: Terror attacks in Europe claimed by Isis The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the truck attack that killed 84 people in Nice on France's national holiday. Mohamed Lahouaiej-Bouhlel, 31, smashed a 19-tonne truck into a packed crowd of people in the Riviera city celebrating Bastille Day Valery Hache/AFP/Getty Images Terrorism in 2016: Terror attacks in Europe claimed by Isis Police work at a site where a Syrian migrant set off an explosive device in Ansbach, southern Germany, on 25 July, killing himself and wounding a dozen others Daniel Roland/AFP/Getty Images Terrorism in 2016: Terror attacks in Europe claimed by Isis A Syrian migrant set off an explosion at a bar in southern Germany that killed himself and wounded a dozen others in the third attack to hit Bavaria in a week. The 27-year-old, who had spent a stint in a psychiatric facility, had intended to target a music festival in the city of Ansbach but was turned away because he did not have a ticket Friebe/AFP/Getty Images Terrorism in 2016: Terror attacks in Europe claimed by Isis Police officers walk along train tracks in Wuerzburg southern Germany on 19 July, a day after a man attacked train passengers with an axe. German authorities said they had found a hand-painted IS flag among the belongings of the man, an asylum seeker from Afghanistan, who seriously injured four members of a family of tourists from Hong Kong in his rampage Daniel Roland/AFP/Getty Images Terrorism in 2016: Terror attacks in Europe claimed by Isis German police killed a teenage assailant after he attacked passengers on a train in Wuerzburg, southerg Germany with an axe and a knife on 18 July, seriously wounding three people Karl-Josef Hildenbrand/AFP/Getty Images Mr Molins said the investigation has led to the dismantling of a "terrorist commando of young women" aligned with Isis. "In the last few days and hours, a terrorist cell was dismantled, composed of young women totally receptive to the deadly Daesh ideology," said Mr Molins, using an Arabic acronym for the extremist group. The prosecutor contended that the women were guided in their actions by Isis members in Syria, "which shows this organization intends to make women combattants." Police found a handwritten pledge of allegiance to Isis leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi inside the purse of Ines Madani. The note also stated that in answer to the call of the No2 Isis leader, killed in August, Abu Mohammed al-Adnani, "I attack you in your lands to mark your minds and terrorize you," Mr Molins said in an account of the arrests. The probe took on a wider scope with the arrest of Sarah H. Investigators discovered she was to marry Larossi Abballa, the man who killed a police couple in June in their home in Magnanville, outside Paris, before being killed in a police raid. She then was to marry Adel Kermiche, who slit the throat of the Rev Jacques Hamel, 85, during morning Mass in July in the Normandy town of Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray, Mr Molins said. Kermiche and another attacker were shot to death by police. Sarah H. was subsequently to marry Mohamed Lamine A, known to be radicalised and the brother of a man jailed in the Magnanville murders. Those detained can be held for four days of questioning before going before a judge who will charge or free them. Associated Press For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} French police have arrested a 15-year-old boy suspected of planning an imminent terror attack. The teenager was arrested in eastern Paris on Saturday and had been under house arrest since April for suspected links to Isis. His arrest came as he was planning an attack in a public place in the French capital, a source told AFP. Police suspect him of plotting "in response to calls from Syria to attack France", the source added. Recommended Read more France charges woman over failed Paris terror attack plot A second source said the boy had been in contact with suspected French militant Rashid Kassim over the encrypted messaging system Telegram. Last Sunday, a car loaded with gas cylinders was found near Notre Dame cathedral, leading to the discovery of a plot to attack a Paris railway station under direction of the so-called Islamic State. Following the incident, seven people, including four women, were arrested. One of the women arrested was also thought to have been guided by Kassim. French newspaper Le Monde quoted a message from Kassim on Telegram saying: Women, sisters, go on, attack. Where are the brothers?...She brandished a knife and she hit a policeman...Where are the men?", referring to the arrest of a group of women on Thursday in relation to the railway station plot. The women were arrested after police linked the car at the scene to a house in the Essonne region south of Paris. Terrorism in 2016: Terror attacks in Europe claimed by Isis Show all 9 1 /9 Terrorism in 2016: Terror attacks in Europe claimed by Isis Terrorism in 2016: Terror attacks in Europe claimed by Isis Policemen outside Rouen's cathedral during the funeral of Jacques Hamel, the priest who was killed in a church in Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray in Normandy on 26 July during a hostage-taking claimed by Islamic State group Joel Saget/AFP/Getty Images Terrorism in 2016: Terror attacks in Europe claimed by Isis Two jihadists, both 19, slit Hamel's throat while he was celebrating mass in an attack that shocked France as well as the Catholic Church Joel Saget/AFP/Getty Images Terrorism in 2016: Terror attacks in Europe claimed by Isis Muslims place flowers and hold a minute of silence in front of the church if Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray, western France, where French priest Jacques Hamel was killed on 26 July Charly Triballeau/AFP/Getty Images Terrorism in 2016: Terror attacks in Europe claimed by Isis Two people hold each other by the new makeshift memorial in Nice, in tribute to the victims of the deadly Bastille Day attack at the Promenade des Anglais Valery Hache/AFP/Getty Images Terrorism in 2016: Terror attacks in Europe claimed by Isis The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the truck attack that killed 84 people in Nice on France's national holiday. Mohamed Lahouaiej-Bouhlel, 31, smashed a 19-tonne truck into a packed crowd of people in the Riviera city celebrating Bastille Day Valery Hache/AFP/Getty Images Terrorism in 2016: Terror attacks in Europe claimed by Isis Police work at a site where a Syrian migrant set off an explosive device in Ansbach, southern Germany, on 25 July, killing himself and wounding a dozen others Daniel Roland/AFP/Getty Images Terrorism in 2016: Terror attacks in Europe claimed by Isis A Syrian migrant set off an explosion at a bar in southern Germany that killed himself and wounded a dozen others in the third attack to hit Bavaria in a week. The 27-year-old, who had spent a stint in a psychiatric facility, had intended to target a music festival in the city of Ansbach but was turned away because he did not have a ticket Friebe/AFP/Getty Images Terrorism in 2016: Terror attacks in Europe claimed by Isis Police officers walk along train tracks in Wuerzburg southern Germany on 19 July, a day after a man attacked train passengers with an axe. German authorities said they had found a hand-painted IS flag among the belongings of the man, an asylum seeker from Afghanistan, who seriously injured four members of a family of tourists from Hong Kong in his rampage Daniel Roland/AFP/Getty Images Terrorism in 2016: Terror attacks in Europe claimed by Isis German police killed a teenage assailant after he attacked passengers on a train in Wuerzburg, southerg Germany with an axe and a knife on 18 July, seriously wounding three people Karl-Josef Hildenbrand/AFP/Getty Images During the arrest, the 19-year-old daughter of the car's owner, Ines Madani was shot in the leg when she lunged at a police officer with a knife. Another woman, Sarah H, 23, attacked and wounded a plain clothes officer with a kitchen knife through the open window of his car. A third woman, Amel S, 39, who lived at the house, also was arrested along with her daughter, who was about to turn 16 and was potentially implicated in the "terrorist project," according to the prosecutor. Another woman, Ornella G, arrested on Tuesday, was charged by a French judge on Saturday in connection with the car found near Notre Dame cathedral. Authorities suspect the woman is part of a female "terrorist commando" in the service of Isis. Kassim, 29, who is thought to be in Syria, is also believed to have inspired the two men who executed an elderly priest in a Normandy church in July. The attack shocked France, coming less than two weeks after another Isis militant drove a truck into crowds celebrating Bastille Day in Nice. On Sunday, Prime Minister Manuel Valls said that around 15,000 people were known to police in France as having been radicalised, up from a previous estimate of 10,000. He said around 700 jihadists from France were fighting in Syria and Iraq. Additional reporting by Reuters Alvin Hofbauer BUFFALO CENTER Alvin Hofbauer, 87, of Buffalo Center, died Friday at Mercy Medical Center-North Iowa in Mason City. A memorial service will be held 11 a.m. Friday, Sept. 30, at Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Buffalo Center. Inurnment will be in Olena Mound Cemetery, Buffalo Center. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at the church on Sept. 30. Additional arrangements are pending at this time at Winter Funeral Home in Buffalo Center. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The far-right candidate in Austria's presidential election has backtracked on a plan to confine asylum seekers to islands. Norbert Hofer told a German magazine he had changed his mind about the proposal made by Austrian Foreign Minister Sebastian Kurz to send refugees to designated islands off mainland Europe while their asylum applications were processed. Mr Kurz is believed to have copied the plan from Mr Hofer's Freedom Party after seeing how popular the far-right politician had become, but Mr Hofer now says the idea went too far and was excessive, to put it diplomatically. Mr Kurz responded by framing the issue as a matter of either stopping refugees from leaving islands like Lesbos in Greece, where they often arrive from outside the EU, or letting them travel on into mainland Europe. A spokesman for the politician told local media: If you are honest about the issue, then you have to openly address the current situation in Italy. "The migrants come to the hotspots on the islands and from there are carried to the mainland rather than being stopped and transported back." Mr Kurzs spokesman challenged Mr Hofer to admit his policy reversal actually amounted to "waving on" refugees, into the mainland. Imprisoning refugees on islands is a popular policy among far-right politicians, with Mr Hofer's German and Dutch equivalents sticking by similar proposals. Refugees march from Hungary to Austria Show all 10 1 /10 Refugees march from Hungary to Austria Refugees march from Hungary to Austria Refugees march from Hungary to Austria Migrants walk in a long line along the highway near Budapest, Hungary, Friday, Sept. 4, 2015 AP Refugees march from Hungary to Austria Refugees march from Hungary to Austria Migrants walk on the railway tracks between Bicske and Szar, some 40 km west of Budapest, Hungary, 04 September 2015 EPA Refugees march from Hungary to Austria Refugees march from Hungary to Austria The destination for most of those walking is reportedly Austria AP Refugees march from Hungary to Austria Refugees march from Hungary to Austria Most refugees have come to Hungary through the southern border with Serbia AP Refugees march from Hungary to Austria Refugees march from Hungary to Austria People walk in a long line along the highway near Budapest, Hungary AP Refugees march from Hungary to Austria Refugees march from Hungary to Austria Over 150,000 people seeking to enter Europe have reached Hungary this year AP Refugees march from Hungary to Austria Refugees march from Hungary to Austria Refugees walk along Budaorsi Street on their way out of Budapest EPA Refugees march from Hungary to Austria Refugees march from Hungary to Austria Refugees hold up an EU flag as they on the highway out of Budpest AP Refugees march from Hungary to Austria Refugees march from Hungary to Austria Refugees exit Budapest AP Refugees march from Hungary to Austria Refugees march from Hungary to Austria Hundreds of migrants walk after leaving the transit zone of the Budapest main train station AFP The plans are inspired by Australia, which confines migrants to offshore facilities such as those on Nauru and Papua New Guinea, both independent foreign territories. Human rights groups have criticised the practice as inhumane and a breach of international law. Several detainees in Nauru have attempted suicide by setting themselves on fire. Austrian media speculated Mr Hofer had backed away from his initial policy in order to soften his image in the run-up to the presidential elections. However he said in the same interview that he is still in favour of returning migrants who are rescued in the Mediterranean to their country of origin. He also criticised the EU deal with Turkey and said Turkish citizens must not be allowed visa-free travel within the EU as this would let too many Syrians in. The result of the Austrian presidential election on 1 July was overturned by the country's Supreme Court after an investigation revealed irregularities in the vote count in several constituencies. Green Party-backed independent candidate Alexander Van der Bellen narrowly beat Mr Hofer in the nullified election. The two politicians will face each other again in a revote on 2 October. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Russia could be poised to beome a super power again after agreeing with the US to launch what amounts to a joint air campaign against the two main extreme Islamist groups in Syria. If the ceasefire that starts at sunset on Monday holds for seven consecutive days and the UN is able to deliver aid to besieged people in Aleppo, then the US and Russia will establish a joint implementation centre that will organise joint military targeting by American and Russian aircraft directed against Isis and Jabhat al-Nusra, the Syrian branch of al-Qaeda which has relabelled itself with al-Qaeda publicly assenting to a break with its affiliate as Jabhat Fateh al-Sham. For the US and Russia to plan and implement what may be a lengthy air campaign in Syria is perhaps the most striking aspect of the deal announced in Geneva early on Saturday morning. If the plan goes ahead, it goes a long way towards elevating Russia back to the status of a superpower at least in the Middle East that it lost with fall of the Soviet Union in 1991. Military partnership with the US, though in pursuit of the single objective of attacking Isis and al-Nusra, is a powerful incentive for Moscow to insist that the Syrian air force stop combat missions over all opposition areas, aside from those held by Isis. The US and Russian aim is combat both terrorist movements, but it is difficult to see how the campaign will work. The plan is for moderate anti-Assad armed groups to decouple themselves from al-Nusra, which will then be targeted by air strikes. But, it is generally agreed that such moderate groups are thin on the ground in Syria and those that turn against their former allies in al-Nusra too abruptly may not live long enough to enjoy the protection of a US-Russian air umbrella. Nusra is not only well armed, organised and present in many parts of Syria, but it enjoys substantial political support from the Sunni Arab population. It will not be easy to weaken or eliminate. Syrias civil war: More than 100 killed in air raids. There is a mysterious element in the US-Russian air campaign. Air strikes by both countries have been effective against Isis and al-Nusra, but they require ground troops to call in the air attacks against identifiable targets. For all their fanaticism, the extreme jihadis have not been able to withstand this type of bombardment and have suffered heavy casualties whenever they tried to do so, such as during the four-and-half month long siege of the Syrian Kurdish city of Kobani in 2014/15 and in Ramadi and Fallujah. But in the new phase of the air war in Syria it is not clear who is going to provide the ground troops to cooperate with the massive air power overhead and occupy territory from which Isis has been driven. In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria Show all 19 1 /19 In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria Syrian boys cry following Russian air strikes on the rebel-held Fardous neighbourhood of the northern embattled Syrian city of Aleppo Getty In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria Russian defense ministry spokesman Major General Igor Konashenkov speaks to the media in Moscow, Russia. Konashenkov strongly warned the United States against striking Syrian government forces and issued a thinly-veiled threat to use Russian air defense assets to protect them AP In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria Syrians wait to receive treatment at a hospital following Russian air strikes on the rebel-held Fardous neighbourhood of the northern embattled Syrian city of Alepp Getty In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria Russian Deputy Defense Minister Anatoly Antonov speaks at a briefing in the Defense Ministry in Moscow, Russia. Antonov said the Russian air strikes in Syria have killed about 35,000 militants, including about 2,700 residents of Russia AP In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria Jameel Mustafa Habboush, receives oxygen from civil defence volunteers, known as the white helmets, as they rescue him from under the rubble of a building following Russian air strikes on the rebel-held Fardous neighbourhood of the northern embattled Syrian city of Aleppo Getty In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria Civil defence members rest amidst rubble in a site hit by what activists said were airstrikes carried out by the Russian air force in the town of Douma, eastern Ghouta in Damascus, Syria Reuters In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria A girl carrying a baby inspects damage in a site hit by what activists said were airstrikes carried out by the Russian air force in the town of Douma, eastern Ghouta in Damascus, Syria Reuters In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria Civilians and civil defence members look for survivors at a site damaged after Russian air strikes on the Syrian rebel-held city of Idlib, Syria Reuters In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria Civilians and civil defence members carry an injured woman on a stretcher at a site damaged after Russian air strikes on the Syrian rebel-held city of Idlib, Syria Reuters In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria Volunteers from Syria Civil Defence, also known as the White Helmets, help civilians after Russia carried out its first airstrikes in Syria In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria The aftermath of Russian airstrike in Talbiseh, Syria In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria Smoke billows from buildings in Talbiseh, in Homs province, western Syria, after airstrikes by Russian warplanes AP In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria Russian Air Forces carry out an air strike in the ISIS controlled Al-Raqqah Governorate. Russia's KAB-500s bombs completely destroy the Liwa al-Haqq command unit In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria Caspian Flotilla of the Russian Navy firing Kalibr cruise missiles against remote Isis targets in Syria A TASS/ITAR-TASS Photo/Corbis In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria Russia claimed it hit eight Isis targets, including a "terrorist HQ and co-ordination centre" that was completely destroyed In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria A video grab taken from the footage made available on the Russian Defence Ministry's official website, purporting to show an airstrike in Syria In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria A release from the Russian defence ministry purportedly showing targets in Syria being hit In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria Russia launched air strikes in war-torn Syria, its first military engagement outside the former Soviet Union since the occupation of Afghanistan in 1979. Russian warplanes carried out strikes in three Syrian provinces along with regime aircraft as Putin seeks to steal US President Barack Obama's thunder by pushing a rival plan to defeat Isis militants in Syria In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria Caspian Flotilla of the Russian Navy firing Kalibr cruise missiles against remote Isis targets in Syria, a thousand kilometres away. The targets include ammunition factories, ammunition and fuel depots, command centres, and training camps A TASS/ITAR-TASS Photo/Corbis Isis has become weaker over the past year. It won its last big victories in capturing Palmyra in Syria and Ramadi in Iraq in May 2015, and has since lost them both. More recently, it was drive out of Fallujah, which it had held for two-and-a-half years, by the Iraqi army backed by US-led air strikes. Last month, it lost its access to the outside world when the Turkish army sealed off the last strip of the Syrian-Turkish border open to it. But, though Isis is badly battered, it has not yet been decisively defeated. It has thousands of experienced fighters and can impact on the political agenda of the world by its terrorist attacks abroad. Isis, despite its territorial losses in Syria, still holds Raqqa and a large part of the Euphrates valley. But the heart of the movement has always been in Iraq. It was its capture of Mosul in the summer of 2014 that enabled it to declare a caliphate and become a demonic new player on the world stage. Kurdish and Iraqi army forces are now gearing up for an attempt to recapture Mosul, by far the biggest population centre still held by Isis. If the movement cannot hold the city, then it overall power and influence in Syria and Iraq will be much reduced. To assess the current mood in Mosul and discover how Isis is responding to the threat of attack, The Independent interviewed by email a local observer in the city, whose pseudonym is Hammad Abu Jasim. Given that Isis had just executed a woman and her daughter for talking by mobile phone from a high building in Mosul to relatives in Erbil, his discretion about his identity is understandable. It is worth quoting Abu Jasim at some length to give the flavour of what may the last days of Isis in Mosul. There are signs of Isis moving its personnel within Mosul and out of the city. Abu Jasim says, I saw a long queue of big vehicles carrying away the furniture, equipment and facilities of Mosul University colleges to other parts of the city and outside it. Daesh [Isis] intends to empty the public institutions in Mosul. In addition, it has launched a campaign against internet cafes in the last two days, and closed them if the owners have relatives outside Mosul. These are signs of nervousness by Isis. It is closing many of its military and security bases, presumably suspecting that their function is well known and they will be targeted by US-led air strikes. But more significant are signs that the financial resources of Isis are much reduced. Abu Jasim reports that until last week, the families of Isis militants killed in the fighting were still receiving lump sums and salaries, but last week none were given. The families were told that their numbers were increasing and the caliphate's resources decreasing, so they had to support it at this critical time. Several Isis fighters manning checkpoints have been shot by snipers, though the identity of their killers is unknown. Abu Jassim says that he knew one of those who was shot at midday near his house. Another officer was found dead in his office, leading to many civilians being arrested and Isis militants moved to more secure neighbourhoods defended by dozens of concrete checkpoints and barriers. Some locals, particularly traders who worked with Isis, are being given weapons, though Ahu Jasim says they are not loyal to Isis whom they secretly betray. But up to the end, Isis is enforcing its regulations with savage punishments. He says that last week I witnesses a public whipping of people who were caught watching satellite television. Isis is evidently, taking such steps as it can to meet the coming assault on Mosul, but there are limits to what it can do against enemies enjoying overwhelming military superiority. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Is the agreement important? It is very significant inside and outside Syria because it is between the US and Russia, the most powerful players in the Syrian conflict, who can put pressure on their allies and proxies to comply. It is important too because it is the sign of a change in the international political landscape: Russia is back as a superpower certainly in the Middle East and perhaps globally for the first time since the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991. The intention of US and Russia to closely cooperate in a joint air campaign against Isis and Jabhat al-Nusra, the Syrian branch of al-Qaeda now relabelled as Jabhat Fateh al-Sham, is unprecedented. Will the Syrian government of President Bashar al-Assad keep the ceasefire? Yes, because it has said it will and is dependent on Russian air support and weapons supply. But, equally important, it is in its interests to do so because the US and Russia will be targeting al-Nusra, the Salafi-jihadi movement which is the main fighting arm of the non-Isis rebel movement. It has been in the forefront of all successful rebel offensives. If the armed opposition no longer contains al-Nusra and Isis, then it will be substantially neutered when it comes to fighting the Syrian Army and its allies. This is a big gain for Assad. More immediately, a ceasefire which freezes the present battle lines in place is also in his interests because his forces have once again encircled rebel-held east Aleppo, taken over the rebel stronghold of Daraya in Damascus and are advancing on other fronts. The Syrian Army probably feels that it can do with a period of consolidation and will be able to focus its forces against a weakening Isis and make territorial gains in east Aleppo. Could Iran, Hezbollah and the Shia axis play a spoiling role? The Iranians have welcomed the agreement and, since their main aim is to keep Assad in power, it is in their interests, as it is in his, to go along with the agreement. So who loses out in this agreement and is there anything they can do about it? It is bad news for Isis because the coalition against it will get even bigger. But already there are more planes and drones in the sky in Syria and Iraq than there are targets to attack. The military onslaught from the air against Isis may not be that much heavier, but the Syrian army will be freer to attack it east of Aleppo and elsewhere. There is not much Isis can do about this. How will al-Nusra react to being targeted along with Isis? Here is one the weaknesses of the agreement. The non-Isis armed opposition in Syria has long been dominated by Islamists, but the Islamists fighting groups are dominated by Nusra. Its discipline, high morale, experience, popularity and, perhaps most important, ability to deploy suicide bombers in large numbers, make it the backbone of armed opposition. But the US and Russia envisage the moderate opposition distancing itself geographically from al-Nusra which will then be bombed by the US and Russians. But why should al-Nusra wait for this to happen? For them, the peace plan agreed in Geneva is a war plan directed against themselves. In other words, they have no incentive to cease firing and, even when backed by US and Russian airstrikes, there is no moderate opposition fighting force strong enough to replace them. Some al-Nusra leaders may well feel that if they are going to be treated like Isis, they might as well think about establishing better links with that organisation though it will be difficult for them to forget the inter-jihadi civil war of 2013-14. Will the UN aid convoys get through to besieged cities? Yes, this is an essential part of the agreement particularly aid for rebel-held east Aleppo. In the murky whirlpool of competing crises that make up the Syrian crisis, one aspect that has made an impression on the outside world is people starving while encircled by their enemies. This is certainly happening, but not on the scale that people imagine. The 250,000 to 275,000 people in east Aleppo have not run out of food yet though it is expensive because the UN has prepositioned supplies there that are being run down, but they need to be topped up. The other big rebel enclave, Eastern Ghouta east of Damascus, has many shortages such as seeds and agricultural machinery, but it is a fertile area that grows much of its food. But there are rebel areas where people are literally starving such as Madaya and Moadamiya. All these are likely to be relieved, but there may be difficulties over Kefraya and Foua, two pro-government Shia villages west of Aleppo whose fate is linked to the rebel-held Madaya and Zabadani west of Damascus. In pictures: Turkey launches operation in Syria Show all 9 1 /9 In pictures: Turkey launches operation in Syria In pictures: Turkey launches operation in Syria Turkish tanks driving to the Syrian-Turkish border town of Jarabulus yesterday AFP/Getty In pictures: Turkey launches operation in Syria Turkish-backed gather on the outskirts of Jarabulus, Syria, ahead of an offensive on 24 August 2016 Reuters In pictures: Turkey launches operation in Syria Turkish army tanks make their way towards the Syrian border town of Jarabulus, Syria August 24, 2016 Reuters In pictures: Turkey launches operation in Syria Turkish soldiers return from Syria to Turkey with tanks after a military operation at the Syrian border as part of their offensive against the Islamic State (IS) militant group in Syria, Karkamis district of Gaziantep, Turkey, 25 August 2016 EPA In pictures: Turkey launches operation in Syria Turkish army tanks and Turkey-backed Syrian opposition forces move toward the Syrian border as pictured from Karkamis, Turkey, AP In pictures: Turkey launches operation in Syria Turkish tanks on their way to the Turkish-Syria border during an operation against Isis on 24 August 2016 EPA In pictures: Turkey launches operation in Syria Syrian opposition fighters being transported during preparations to enter Jarabulus in Karkamis, Turkey, on 24 August 2016. EPA In pictures: Turkey launches operation in Syria An air strike hitting Isis-controlled territory near Jarabulus, near the Turkish border, on 24 August 2016. EPA In pictures: Turkey launches operation in Syria A Turkish army tank and an armoured vehicle stationed near the border with Syria. Turkish media reports say Turkish artillery has launched new strikes at Isis targets across the border AP Will the bombing of civilian areas by the Syrian air force stop? Yes, because public opinion abroad is very conscious of this and the Syrian air force will not be allowed to operate over these areas. In any case, the barrel bombing of civilian areas never did the Damascus government much good militarily. Its main purpose was to force a mass exodus of people from any area held by the opposition. Will the war end? No, because the US-Russian agreement contains a peace plan and a war plan. The war is to be waged against Isis and Nusra, but it is not clear where the ground troops to do will come from. Could the whole agreement come unstuck? Yes, because not everybody acts in their own interests this is a good deal for Russia, Iran and the Syrian government but a damaging one for the opposition. Put simply, it does not have a credible military force capable of replacing al-Nusra and Isis as opponents of the Syrian government. Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the View from Westminster email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Memo to Hillary Clinton: if there is anything we dont know about your state of health, including what happened exactly on Sunday morning, do not obfuscate or dissemble. Get it all out now. We know where slipping and sliding and pretending nothing is awry gets you. The mess over the private email server you used while Secretary of State wouldnt still be the number one preoccupation of your political enemies if only you hadnt been so reluctant to admit your errors at the outset. It seemed awfully like you might be doing something similar when you emerged from your daughters apartment building at noon on Sunday and declared breezily that it was a beautiful day in New York. Trying to distract the media from the issue at hand with comments about the weather wont work. We dont need any October surprises in this already abnormal US presidential election (or a September one), and hopefully Ms Clinton really is as right as rain. Her schedule has of course been relentless and anyone might come over wobbly after standing in that heat and sun at the 9/11 remembrance service. Clinton cant afford another bout of protracted speculation about her medical well-being. The video already up on social media that seems to show her sagging into the arms of secret service agents as she tried to board a van to leave the 9/11 event will be played over and over and over. In pictures: Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential bid Show all 30 1 /30 In pictures: Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential bid In pictures: Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential bid Clinton campaign 11/09/2016: Hillary Clinton waves to the press as she leaves her daughter's apartment building after resting in New York. Clinton departed from a remembrance ceremony on the 15th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks after feeling "overheated," but was later doing "much better," her campaign said AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential bid Clinton campaign 25/08/2016: Hillary Clinton speaks at a campaign event in Reno, Nevada AFP In pictures: Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential bid Clinton campaign 27/07/2016: US President Barack Obama and Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton embrace on stage during Day 3 of the Democratic National Convention at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential bid Clinton campaign 11/07/2016: Bernie Sanders officially endorsed Hillary Clinton, saying his progressive vision for a transformed America would be best served by the defeat of Donald Trump Reuters In pictures: Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential bid Clinton campaign 26/06/2016: New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, former Secretary of State and Democratic Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, Al Sharpton and New York mayor Bill de Blasio march during the New York City Pride March in New York City Getty Images In pictures: Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential bid Clinton campaign 7/06/2016: Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton gestures as she greets supporters at a presidential primary election night rally in New York AP In pictures: Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential bid Clinton campaign 26/05/2016: A supporter of democratic presidential candidate former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton holds up a shirt during a campaign event in San Francisco, California Getty Images In pictures: Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential bid Clinton campaign 26/04/2016: Hillary Clinton embraces her husband, former President Bill Clinton, at a primary night campaign event in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Early results indicated Clinton would win Pennsylvania's presidential primary Getty Images In pictures: Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential bid Clinton campaign 8/03/2016: Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders during of the CNN Democratic Presidential candidates' debate, at the Whiting Auditorium in Flint, Michigan EPA In pictures: Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential bid Clinton campaign 3/03/2016: Singer Katy Perry raises arms with U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton at the end of the Hillary Victory Fund "I'm With Her" benefit concert at Radio City Music Hall in the Manhattan borough of New York City REUTERS In pictures: Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential bid Clinton campaign 28/02/2016: Hillary Clinton delivered a victory speech in Columbia AP In pictures: Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential bid Clinton campaign 16/02/2016: Hillary Clinton speaks at a rally at Truckee Meadows Community College in Reno, Nevada AP In pictures: Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential bid Clinton campaign 9/02/2016 (L-R) Priyadharshini Shanthakumar, Hattie Hughes and Claudia Blair with Hillary Clinton campaigning in Derry, New Hampshire Hattie Hughes In pictures: Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential bid Clinton campaign 30/01/2016: Hillary Clinton is introduced by her daughter Chelsea while the two campaigned together at a 'Get Out The Vote" caucus' event at the Carrollton Inn in Carroll, Iowa Getty Images In pictures: Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential bid Clinton campaign 14/12/2015: Hillary Clinton speaks during the National Immigrant Integration Conference in New York City. During the speech Clinton announced her immigration proposals if elected president Getty Images In pictures: Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential bid Clinton campaign 9/11/2015: Hillary Clinton speaks on stage during a rally after filing paperwork for the New Hampshire primary at the State House in Concord, New Hampshire. Each candidate must file paperwork to be on the New Hampshire primary ballot, which will be held on 9 February 2016 Getty Images In pictures: Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential bid Clinton campaign 22/10/2015: Hillary Clinton avoided major damage to her presidential campaign during a nearly 11-hour congressional hearing dominated by Republican criticism of her response to the Benghazi attacks AFP In pictures: Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential bid Clinton campaign 9/09/2015: Hillary Clinton takes part in a discussion after speaking about the Iran nuclear deal at the Brookings Institution in Washington. Clinton expressed firm support for the nuclear accord with Iran, calling it flawed but still strong. Clinton added that the agreement must be strictly enforced and said that if elected president next year, she would not hesitate to use military force if Iran fails to live up to its word and tries to develop a bomb AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential bid Clinton campaign 8/09/2015: Hillary Clinton does the "Nae Nae" dance move with DJ Stephen "Twitch" Boss (L) and television host Ellen DeGeneres (R) during a taping of "The Ellen DeGeneres show" in New York In pictures: Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential bid Clinton campaign 26/08/2015: Hillary Clinton greets guests during a campaign event at Tabor Home Vineyards and Winery in Baldwin, Iowa. A recent poll has Clinton leading all other Democratic contenders in Iowa by about 30 percentage points Getty Images In pictures: Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential bid Clinton campaign 13/07/2015: Hillary Clinton poses for a selfie with a student outside the New School after speaking to outline economic vision in New York. Clinton promised to raise incomes of hardworking Americans and rein in excesses on Wall Street in the first major economic policy address of her 2016 campaign AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential bid Clinton campaign 15/06/2015: Hillary Clinton speaks during a forum on early childhood education at the YMCA of Strafford County in Rochester, New Hampshire. Clinton held a formal launch event in New York City, and is hitting the first in the nation primary state for the third time since announcing her candidacy in April Getty Images In pictures: Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential bid Clinton campaign 22/05/2015: Hillary Clinton tours the Smuttynose Brewery in Hampton, New Hampshire Getty Images In pictures: Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential bid Clinton campaign 23/04/15: Hillary Clinton addresses the Women in the World Conference in New York City Getty In pictures: Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential bid Clinton campaign 22/04/15: Hillary Clinton waves to college students as she leaves after speaking during the Hillary Rodham Clinton Award for Advancing Women in Peace and Security at Georgetown University in Washington AFP/Getty In pictures: Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential bid Clinton campaign 21/04/15: Hillary Clinton meets with audience members after speaking with students and faculty of New Hampshire Technical Institute in Concord, New Hampshire. The conversation revolved around higher education, manufacturing and women in the work force Getty In pictures: Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential bid Clinton campaign 13/04/15: Loaded the van & set off for IA. Met a great family when we stopped this afternoon. Many more to come. A picture of one family Hillary Clinton met on her road trip, which she tweeted In pictures: Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential bid Clinton campaign 12/04/15: The building that will house Hillary Clinton's campaign headquarters, on the corner of Pierrepont and Clinton Streets in historic Brooklyn Heights, NY Corbis In pictures: Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential bid Clinton campaign 12/04/15: Some expect Hillary Clintons campaign to cost more than Barack Obamas $1bn in 2012 EPA In pictures: Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential bid Clinton campaign 12/04/15: Hillary Clinton formally declares in a video that she will seek the Democratic Partys presidential nomination for 2016, and says she wants to bring the benefits of the economic recovery to all Americans AP It was her misfortune that it happened at an event the whole country was tuned into. Which of course, immediately makes you wonder. How many other episodes of this kind might she have suffered away from the eyes of the public? And the Republicans will not hesitate one second to take advantage and encourage a new whispering campaign on whether or not she is up to the job of running the nation. Even before Sunday Donald Trump had been deliberately posing questions about his rivals health and stamina, most recently when she was seen having a coughing fit while trying to talk to reporters on her plane. Mainstream media never covered Hillarys massive hacking or coughing attack, yet it is #1 trending, Mr Trump tweeted Tuesday. Whats up? The email affair is serious, of course, because it is about whether Clinton, who is 68, might have given the countrys enemies easy access to classified information, possibly jeopardising national security. But questions about a presidential candidates health are too. It was problems with mental health that forced Thomas Eagleton to abandon his quest for the White House more than four decades ago. Paul Tsongas, a former US Senator, insisted he was clear of cancer when he ran for the Democratic nomination in 1992. He didnt win, but the disease was to claim his life in January 1997. By some accounts, Ronald Reagan, who was 70 at his inauguration, was afflicted with Alzheimers Disease long before he ended his second term in office. A recent Rasmussen Poll said that almost 60 per cent of American voters think that presidential candidates should release their most recent medical records before the country goes to the polls. That is a much higher proportion than even four years ago and may reflect the anxiety that Clintons health has been stirring for some time. Clinton, we know, suffered a concussion after fainting at the end of 2012, an event that was included in medical records that were released by her physician, Dr. Lisa Bardack, at the beginning of the campaign in July 2015. She said the former Secretary of State is in excellent physical condition and fit to serve as President of the United States. Trump has hardly been a model of transparency when it comes to his medical fitness, so far releasing nothing more than a brief letter from his doctor saying he is in fine health all round. If he is going to continue to make an issue of Clintons physical fitness, he should be obliged to be more forthcoming too. (We will leave his refusal to release his tax returns for another day.) But Clinton: if it really was merely the heat and fatigue getting to you on Sunday morning, then make sure you give us all the details you can before the conspiracy theorists get busy and convince the nation that you are in fact suffering from something much worse. Of course, if the opposite is the case and you are suffering from a thus-far undisclosed condition, then the country is in for another election-race upheaval with consequences that for now we cant predict. But good for the Democrats that clearly would not be. Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Brexit and beyond email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Are the economic trade-offs involved in Brexit finally being acknowledged? In one limited sense, the answer is yes. Politicians and commentators seem to be facing up to the reality that the UK will not be able to both impose curbs on the free movement of European citizens into Britain, and also enjoy continued membership of the single market. The rest of Europe (for reasons of self-preservation) simply will not allow it. There will have to be a choice made by the UK. Yet other trade-offs and the serious economic consequences arising from certain policy choices are still not being recognised. Ministers and senior pro-Brexit figures have mooted and recommended various positions and courses of action in recent weeks. Yet they are not being required to defend the economic implications that would almost certainly flow from them. In short - theyre getting away with it. Here are some examples. Leave the single market David Davis, the Brexit secretary, told the House of Commons last week that it was very improbable the UK will remain a member of the single market. Lets spell out the consequences: Leaving the single market would very likely end the rights of all UK-based services firms to sell into European markets without discrimination or having to face local regulatory barriers. Donald Tusk asks Theresa May to start Brexit process 'as soon as possible' In particular it would mean financial firms based in London would lose their passport to sell services across the bloc. Many have made it clear they will move their European headquarters out of the UK capital if this happens, taking jobs with them. Leaving the single market will also almost certainly mean that the euro-denominated derivatives clearing trade will be forced to move from London into a location in the EU, again costing jobs in the City. This matters for our balance of payments too. Financial services accounted for around a third of the UKs 90bn of services exports to the EU in 2015. And our surplus on EU financial services trade accounted for a quarter of our entire services export surplus last year. If Britains traditional services surplus gets eroded our already ominously large current account deficit threatens to yawn even wider. If Davis thinks single market membership is improbable it means these negative economic outcomes for the UK are all probable. Quit the EUs Customs Union This was recommended by the International Trade Secretary Liam Fox in July, when he realised that remaining in the single market customs union would prevent him from striking new bilateral trade deals with other states such as Australia and Canada. But, again, lets be very clear about the consequences. Even if the UK negotiated a comprehensive free trade deal with the rest of the EU that dismantled all goods tariffs, leaving the customs union would still necessitate costly customs checks on all British goods entering the single market. Moreover, Dublin would need to impose customs checks on goods entering its territory from Northern Ireland something that would seriously risk unpicking the peace process. The UK and Ireland might both be willing to forgo customs checks and they might even be able to agree a free travel agreement, but this isnt just about our two governments. The rest of Europe could not allow Ireland to compromise the integrity of the single market by allowing goods imports into Ireland from Britain unchecked. Depart the EU with no negotiations This is something that Tory backbenchers such as John Redwood have been pressing for, arguing that the Government should simply ignore the Article 50 exit procedure. Rather than getting bogged down talking to other European governments, they say, Britain should unilaterally withdraw and only after that offer to begin discussions with the EU about a trade deal. But lets think through the consequences. Brexit racism and the fightback Show all 9 1 /9 Brexit racism and the fightback Brexit racism and the fightback Demonstrators protest against an increase in post-ref racism at London's March for Europe in July 2016 PA Brexit racism and the fightback These cards were found near a school in Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, the day after the EU referendum Twitter/@howgilb Brexit racism and the fightback Getty Brexit racism and the fightback Romford, Essex, June 25 @diamondgeezer Brexit racism and the fightback A worker at this Romanian food shop was asleep upstairs at the time of this arson attack in Norwich on July 8, but escaped unharmed. Hundreds later participated in a love bombing rally outside the shop to express their opposition to racism and their support of the shop owners. JustGiving/Helen Linehan Brexit racism and the fightback This neo-Nazi sticker was spotted in Glasgow on June 26 Courtesy of Eoin Palmer Brexit racism and the fightback But after news emerged of neo-Nazi stickers appearing in Glasgow, some in the city struck back with slogans of their own. Courtesy of Eoin Palmer Brexit racism and the fightback Getty Brexit racism and the fightback More signs began to appear in some parts of the UK, created by people who wanted to show their opposition to post-referendum racism Courtesy of Bernadette Russell Unilateral withdrawal would take British exporters over a cliff. They would have no idea of the potential future costs of doing trade with the EU, our biggest single trading partner. On top of this, the UK would also instantly fall out of the coverage of the 60 or so free trade agreements between the EU and the rest of the world. Such a leap into the dark would result in a major hit to domestic investment and pre-emptive action by foreign firms to shift operations out of the UK. Unilaterally lift all UK tariff barriers The former Chancellor Nigel Lawson, the Economists for Brexit group and even the JD Wetherspoons pub chain founder Tim Martin have been pushing for this, arguing that the Government should not even bother trying to strike a special trade deal with Europe. They argue instead that the UK should simply scrap all tariffs on goods and services imports from anywhere else in the world and export to others under the basic World Trade Organisation rules. The economic implications of this would be enormous. British car exporters to Europe would instantly face the EUs 10 per cent import tariff on motor vehicles. And UK manufacturing firms would be engulfed in a tidal wave of ultra-cheap competing imports from the developing world, not least Chinese state-subsidised steel. The consequences for UK manufacturing would be devastating. So, as a simple rule of thumb, when you hear leave the single market think about the hollowing out of the UKs financial services industry and our services balance of payments surplus. When you hear leave the customs union think Northern Irish customs checks. When you hear no negotiations think of business panic. And when you hear unilateral free trade think of the total collapse of what is left of the steel industry and a 10 per cent tariff on car exports. If such consequences are a price that Brexit ministers and leading figures in the movement believe are worth paying for the benefits they see let them argue that or let them tell us how the pain would be mitigated. But at the moment they are getting a free pass. We are force fed the tautology Brexit means Brexit by Theresa May whenever the Prime Minister is asked what Britains future relations with the rest of Europe will look like. It is difficult to blame her. This isnt a hand she wanted to play and she wants to keep her options as open as possible and for as long as possible. Yet we shouldnt be tolerant with the dyed-in-the-wool Brexiteers. They (or at least some of them) have real power and influence now. Its time for them to face some real accountability too. Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the View from Westminster email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} On the sidelines of the G20 meeting in China, the UK Prime Minister Theresa May met with her Australian counterpart Malcolm Turnbull in relation to a post-Brexit fast-tracked bilateral free-trade agreement. The discussion was interesting as the countries have limited trade links, although the UK is an important foreign investor in its former colony. Australia is barely among the top 20 of UK trading partners. The UK is Australias seventh biggest trade partner; an agreement would not be a game-changer for either party. But the overture, tinged with nostalgia, comes at a time when there are questions about Australias professed policy of engagement with Asia, especially China as the regional dominant power. In August 2016, the Australian government, on the unanimous recommendation of the Foreign Investment Review Board, rejected separate offers from government-owned State Grid Corporation of China and Hong Kongs Cheung Kong Infrastructure (CKI) to purchase major electricity assets in New South Wales. The offer of US$7.7bn (A$10bn) was apparently significantly higher than competing bids. This follows an earlier decision rejecting a Chinese firms purchase of S Kidman & Co, a large agricultural holding. Scrutiny of Chinese purchases of real estate in Australia has increased. Recommended Read more Five things for look out for in the world economy this week The bids for the electricity assets were rejected on national security grounds, which could not be disclosed in detail. The decision is puzzling as China State Grid is a major owner of energy assets globally, including interests in the South Australian, Victorian and Western Australian power networks. China is also an investor in the strategically important Port of Darwin. The rejection of the CKI offer is also curious as it is privately owned and already has extensive investments in Australia. The real reasons may be political. The new conservative Australian government, which has a slim majority in the lower house and does not control the upper house, faced significant opposition to the sale from a number of minor parties, whose support may be necessary to govern. Chinas assertive policies in relation to its territorial claims in the South China Sea may have been a factor. Following the American lead, Australia has called upon China to abide by the determination of international tribunals and asserted its rights to freedom of overflight and navigation in the disputed areas. Whatever the rationale, the decision highlights persistent contradictions in Australias relationship to Asia and China. The first area is economic. Australia is dependent on foreign capital. The proceeds of the sale of electricity assets were intended to finance new infrastructure. The Federal government has a budget deficit, currently forecast to be around 2.2 per cent of GDP. Australias current account deficit is over 4 per cent of GDP. The decision to restrict foreign investment is inconsistent with these funding needs. Asia is the destination for around half of Australian exports. China, Japan, India and ASEAN countries are major trading partners. Australia is aiming to tap into the regions growth and its rising number of middle-class consumers. With commodity prices low and demand slowing, the focus is on increasing exports of agricultural products, services (education, healthcare and financial services) and inbound tourism as a source of income. Australian universities are heavily reliant on foreign fee-paying, many of them from Asia, to subsidise the cost of training for Australian students. Decisions restricting foreign investment may affect these trading relationships, which are already plagued by concerns about the quality of some educational courses and the treatment of some foreign students. The second concern is policy differences. One area is illegal immigration from the Middle East and Afghanistan in the aftermath of the US war on terror in which Australia participated. In an effort to stem the flow of asylum seekers, Australia has a policy of turning back the boats at sea, usually to their origin in Indonesia. Successive Indonesian governments have publicly opposed the measure, which has included buying fishing boats from Indonesian villages to prevent them being used to transport refugees and paying Indonesians to inform on people smugglers. Recommended Read more This is what would actually happen if we left the single market Australia processes refugees offshore in leased camps in countries such as Nauru and Papua New Guinea. If they qualify, the Australian government pays for resettlement in Asian and Melanesian countries, but not in Australia. These policies, sometimes in contravention of international obligations, are resented by many Asian neighbours. Australia's role in the independence of East Timor remains a sensitive issue in relations with Indonesia. East Timor itself is in dispute with Australia over a permanent sea border in the oil and gas-rich Timor Sea, which may result in arbitration proceedings under the UN's Convention of the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). Australian criticism over human rights and capital punishment is viewed in Asia as interference in domestic affairs. Asians are critical of Australias hypocrisy, pointing to the history of its treatment of its indigenous population and recent treatment of asylum seekers. The third concern is lingering doubt about Australias willingness to engage as an equal partner in Asia, despite its espoused multiculturalism. In part, this reflects Australias long-standing and close defence and political relationship with America, which is seen as inconsistent with its economic dependence on Asia. President George Bush in 2004 endorsed Australia and its then Prime Minister John Howard as Washingtons Deputy Sherriff for Asia. There are also deep-seated historical and cultural issues. At the 1919 Paris Peace Conference, Prime Minister William Hughes voted against an amendment to the League of Nations Covenant that would assert the equality of the worlds races. Former Australian Prime Minister Robert Menzies allegedly was reluctant to admit black countries into the British Commonwealth after the Second World War. Australias Whites Only immigration policy ended in the 1960s. Australians working in Asia are referred to unkindly by some Asians as the Filipinos of the higher-end services in Asia. Their employment as pilots, lawyers, bankers, etc, is seen as paralleling the export by the Philippines of nurses, hotel staff and domestic workers. Until the fundamental contradictions in its relationship to Asia and China are addressed, Australia will continue to be regarded as a nation of carpetbaggers people who want to ally themselves with a region with which they have no real connection in order to gain economically. In 2002, Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad argued that "Australia has to choose whether it's an Asian country or a Western country", adding that "if you take the position of being a 'deputy sheriff to America', you cannot very well be accepted by the countries of this region." It is a choice that Australia has still not made. There are broader lessons from Australias dilemma. All nations are finding it increasingly challenging to balance economic, political, security, cultural and historical interests. Satyajit Das is a former banker and author of A Banquet of Consequences (published in North America as The Age of Stagnation). He is also the author of Extreme Money and Traders, Guns & Money. Currency pressures could translate to losses of more than 700 million euros in food exports, bosses warned More than 7,000 jobs are at risk in Ireland following the UK's Brexit vote, business leaders warned. Britain is one of the Republic's biggest trading partner and a fall in the value of the pound makes Irish products more expensive for British consumers. An Ibec report warned if sterling was to weaken further towards the 0.90 mark, this would translate to losses of more than 700 million euros in food exports and about 7,500 Irish jobs. The organisation's food and drink industry director Paul Kelly said: "Urgent action is now required to protect our vital exports to the UK market, limit damage in the domestic market from imports, and address competitive pressures caused by the fall in sterling. "A failure to act will compound the pressure on exporters, undermine Ireland's long-term position in the market and threaten jobs." Ibec called for a review of the agri-food strategy, tax reform in the budget to improve competitiveness and an employment subsidy scheme. Mr Kelly added: "In addition to an immediate response to the currency shock, we need to work towards a positive outcome in formal exit negotiations. "The main objective must be to maintain full unfettered access to the UK market for Irish exporters. UK access to the EU single market is much more preferable to UK bilateral agreements with third countries." He warned a structural shift in exchange rate relationship combined with Brexit-related trade risks meant UK buyers were planning significant supply chain restructuring following the June 23 British vote to leave the EU. "The real threat is a loss of confidence in Ireland as a competitive supply base resulting in loss of markets and exports." Mr Kelly said t he Government's short-term objective must be to support companies as they repositioned their businesses during this period of uncertainty. "The focus must be on maintaining markets in the UK, developing other markets as well as ensuring that, in the domestic market, companies remain competitive against imports and the threat of cross-border shopping." The report recommended a review of the national agri-food strategy FoodWise 2025; budget tax reform to improve Ireland's competitive position; and the re-introduction of the Employment Subsidy Scheme and the Enterprise Stabilisation measures that were last applied in 2009-11. The document, entitled Brexit: The challenge for the food and drink sector, also included a survey of food and drink companies: 64% said exchange rate movements would have a negative impact, 42% expected negative impact on the value of export sales, 42% identified exchange rate volatility as the biggest problem and 51.5% have hedging or pricing arrangements in place. An economic analysis highlighted the intense pressures on margins and pricing strategies. A review of the historical exchange rate and agri-food export relationship showed that a 1% drop in the value of sterling results in a 0.7% drop in Irish exports to the UK. The Central Bank's HR unit - the department tasked with solving the regulator's long-running employee retention problem - had the highest rate of staff turnover in 2015. Following reports that Central Bank bosses are concerned at a rapid turnover of staff, new Central Bank figures reveal that the banking watchdog's human resources department had the highest rate of turnover - 17pc - with approximately 14 staff quitting last year. However, this turnover rate rises to 26.2pc when adjustments are made for internal churn, whereby vacant roles in other sections of the bank are filled by internal candidates. The 26.2pc rate is more than three times higher than the overall annual staff turnover rate at the Central Bank, which is running at almost 8pc. The majority of those resigning from the banking regulator cited low remuneration levels as a principal reason for quitting, according to 'exit interview' questionnaires conducted by bank chiefs. A Central Bank spokeswoman said: "There are a variety of reasons for turnover figures, including demand for those skills in the market at a particular time; the size of the gap in remuneration for equivalent roles in the market, for example, the stage of career development the individual is at and individual career aspirations." "The exit interview analysis shows that staff are leaving for reasons primarily related to remuneration and career development," she added. Internal Central Bank documents released under Freedom of Information suggest that as many as 55 staff may have been lost to secondment to the Single Supervisory Mechanism in Frankfurt since 2014. "Notwithstanding the benefits of such a move, this can create pressures at a local level," states Liz Graham, the bank's human resources manager in a report on staff turnover. It was revealed last week that the Central Bank has ramped up its spend on recruitment in the past 18 months. However, despite spending nearly 2m on a hiring drive in 2015, "recruitment remained a challenge" for the regulator, according to internal bank documents. Although the Central Bank has targeted a staffing increase of 20pc, or 300 jobs, over a three-year period - bringing its total headcount to 1,829 - "resourcing remained a key focus and challenge", according to the Central Bank Commission, an internal oversight body. RTE is facing mounting losses for the current year, with the impact of Brexit delivering a significant blow to its autumn revenue targets. The organisation is now projecting losses of up 20m in the current year, with advertising agency executives suggesting that TV advertising will be down 20pc in October due to Brexit uncertainty. This week, new director general of Dee Forbes met with Minister for Communications Denis Naughten to impress upon him the seriousness of the financial difficulties facing the organisation. And in the last few days, senior managers have been briefing staff about the broadcaster's worsening financial position. Workers across RTE are now bracing themselves for a new round of cuts and cost-saving measures. A recent agreement to restore pay cuts made during the recession could be reviewed, while a new round of voluntary redundancies is also on the table. Reductions in output are also under consideration. In addition to the losses for 2016, RTE now expects it will not be able to deliver on an earlier commitment to break even in 2017. At the start of the year, RTE had forecast a one-off deficit for the current year due to a large number of public service coverage commitments, including the general election, the 1916 celebrations, the Olympics and the Euros. However, the commercial environment has been more challenging than expected. RTE Radio has found advertising to be weak throughout the year. RTE television has enjoyed growth in the early months of 2016. However, in recent days staff have been told that there are serious concerns about advertising levels for the last quarter of the year, traditionally the busiest time for ad revenue. Most of the larger advertisers manage their budgets from London. The fall in sterling, combined with caution about spending it, is squeezing spending. A spokesman for RTE said the organisation had expected 2016 to be a difficult year due to the Olympics and other events. "These factors, coupled with growing licence fee evasion levels and declines in public funding over a five- year period, along with Brexit, mean that 2016 has been an extraordinarily challenging year for RTE. While RTE continues to maintain an acute focus on cost management, the funding of public service media, and in turn investment levels in the independent production sector, remain critical issues." Bill Kinlay, chief executive of Group M, one of the country's largest media buying agencies, said: "With TV's buying system you get a lot more visibility about what is going to happen. I think it's going to be close to 20pc down in October, year on year." "It's Brexit driven, it's become the norm for clients to become ultra-cautious about the autumn." "It's not a particular sector, not a particular genre, it's right across the board. It affected September, and October will be worse than September on TV." However, he said that TV advertising will be up overall for the year at around 4pc/5pc due to a good performance in the earlier months. RTE broke even in 2013 after significantly reducing costs. Prior to that, RTE endured five years of losses, peaking in 2012 with a 65m deficit. Last year it delivered a small deficit. RTE had been seeking the introduction of a new broadcasting charge to bolster its coffers. However, Minister Naughten has ruled that out. RTE's biggest hope for a funding boost now lies in licence fee collection. High evasion levels are costing around 30m a year, and RTE wants the contract, currently held by An Post, put out to tender. Ralph J. Thome OSAGE Ralph John Thome, 95, of Osage, died Saturday, Sept. 10, 2016, at the Osage Rehabilitation and Health Care Center in Osage. A funeral Mass will be held at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 20, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Osage with Father Raymond Burkle officiating. Burial will be in Sacred Heart Cemetery. Visitation will be from 4:30 to 7 p.m. Monday at Champion-Bucheit Funeral Home in Osage with a vigil service at 6 p.m. A Knights of Columbus rosary will follow the vigil service. Champion-Bucheit Funeral Home, Osage, is in charge of arrangements. The Intel deal announced this week - estimated to be worth in excess of 300m - represents a dramatic turnaround for the Irish chipmaker, which had to secure rescue funding in 2013 Photo: PA Serial tech investor Brian Caulfield's winning streak continues with his VC firm on course to net a 23.4m profit from the sale of Irish start-up Movidius to Intel. Caulfield, who heads the Irish office of Draper Esprit - one of Europe's largest venture capital firms - will see his stake valued at 27m, after investing 3.6m just three years ago. The Trinity graduate says Draper Esprit will use the cash pile to invest in Irish tech start-ups - and Caulfield is already on the hunt for the next big thing here. The Intel deal announced this week - estimated to be worth in excess of 300m - represents a dramatic turnaround for the Irish chipmaker, which had to secure rescue funding in 2013. At the time Draper Esprit, Atlantic Bridge and Bosch came on board with 16m in a crucial funding round. "We invested in March 2013 when Movidius was in a tough spot," recalls Caulfield. "A number of their original investors had run out of road and they needed a rescue round." In another funding round last year, 38m in cash was raised from investors that included Summit Bridge Capital, the China-Ireland Growth Technology Fund co-managed by Atlantic Bridge Capital and WestSummit Capital, ARCH Venture Partners and Caulfield's firm. Caulfield says the 300m price tag for Movidius is easy to justify. "It is probably one of the most important technology companies ever to come out of Ireland," he said. "It will underpin the future of artificial reality and virtual reality. Artificial reality will be the next big computer platform, and Movidius technology is a key enabler of that." Movidius was founded in 2006 by David Moloney and Sean Mitchell. Its main activity is making chips that let machines 'see' and 'think'. They are in huge demand for use in unmanned drones. The State holds a stake of roughly 8pc in the company, held through a number of investment managers backed by the National Treasury Management Agency. Having signed deals with Google and Lenovo, the Dublin-based company has secured a lucrative position in the 'internet of things' sector. Google plans to use Movidius chips in its own 3D-mapping platform. When former Nama official Enda Farrell pleaded guilty before Dublin Circuit Criminal Court last May to eight counts of unlawfully disclosing information in breach of the 2009 Nama Act, it provided for a neat conclusion to the oft-repeated story of a 'lone wolf', who, left unchecked, had gone rogue and betrayed the trust of his masters. In putting up his hands and throwing himself upon the mercy of the courts, however, Farrell received a suspended sentence and walked free, taking the potentially explosive allegations he had made to the Garda Bureau of Fraud Investigation with him. The former Nama man could be forgiven for wanting to get his life back after three years of living in limbo - but there can be little doubt that he and those closest to him feel that he was, and continues to be, singled out as the proverbial 'bad apple' in the Nama barrel. But if the statements made by Enda Farrell to detectives who investigated him for his leaking in 2012 of confidential information relating to the financial affairs of numerous of Nama's biggest borrowers are to be believed, the media's shorthand description of Nama as a 'toxic' loan agency takes on an altogether different meaning. While Farrell's guilty plea prevented the allegations he made to gardai from being ventilated and interrogated in open court, the Sunday Independent understands that they include numerous claims, which if true, suggest that the leaking of confidential information from the agency was far more widespread than Nama chiefs would wish to countenance, let alone concede. Claim 1 Among the claims made by Farrell to gardai in the course of being interviewed were that in July 2012, a full two months after he had left his job at Nama, another Nama employee delivered confidential information relating to a Nama borrower's business plan to him outside the agency's Treasury Building headquarters. This meeting, Farrell told gardai, was witnessed by another Nama employee. Asked about this claim and whether or not the first individual identified by Farrell had been subjected to any form of investigation, a spokesman for Nama declined to comment. Claim 2 The Sunday Independent also understands that Farrell provided detectives with the name of a second Nama employee, who he says approached him while he was still working at the agency to ask him if he had taken any information from Nama. Having confirmed to his then colleague that he had sent documents to his wife, Farrell claims the Nama official in question told him he had sent out a spreadsheet containing confidential financial information relating to borrowers' loans. Claim 3 Farrell is understood to have informed gardai of a separate instance where a third named Nama employee provided him with confidential information relating to the financial affairs of a major Nama borrower. Claim 4 He is also said to have provided gardai with the detail of an episode in which a fourth Nama employee sent him an email containing confidential information to his email address at Forum, the company where he was employed briefly following his departure from the State agency. Asked by gardai how that email could have bypassed Nama's firewall, Farrell is understood to have responded that the firewall was, at that time, only equipped to stop emails being sent from private email accounts, such as Gmail, as opposed to those sent from official Nama addresses. Claim 5 Elsewhere in the course of being interviewed by gardai, it is believed Farrell alleged that he had told lawyers from a prominent law firm engaged by Nama to conduct an internal investigation into his misconduct that he had shared confidential information relating to Nama's entire US portfolio with a senior executive employed by a US investment firm. A spokesman for Nama declined to comment on this claim and would not say if the agency would provide the findings of the internal investigation conducted by the prominent law firm on its behalf into Enda Farrell's misconduct to the members of the Dail's Public Accounts Committee or Finance Committee. Claim 6 It is also believed Farrell told gardai that he provided a major US property fund with a confidential valuation report on a significant US asset, which was then under Nama's control. Asked if the developer or entity behind the property had been notified of this unlawful disclosure of that valuation report, a spokesman for Nama declined to comment. What Nama said In a general response to the issues raised in this article, a spokesman for Nama said: "Any statements made by Mr Farrell to the gardai have been, or are, subject to garda investigation and it would be inappropriate for Nama to comment on any past or current garda investigation." We need to talk about Nama. The toxic loans agency, designed to clean up the banks' balance sheets and get them lending again, has been battling a series of wildfires that could yet engulf its critically important work. Last week saw the airing, on BBC Northern Ireland's ground-breaking Spotlight programme, of a 'secret recording' of Nama's former Northern Ireland adviser Frank Cushnahan accepting a 40,000 (48,000) cash payment from developer and Nama borrower John Miskelly. The recording was allegedly made in a hospital car park in 2012, when Cushnahan, who has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing while a member of Nama's Northern Ireland Advisory Committee (Niac), was still working as an adviser to Nama. The latest 'Spotlight' programme caused convulsions in the North, which is already reeling from the socio-economic fallout of the property crash and controversies surrounding the biggest property deal in Irish history. That was the purchase, two years ago, of Northern Ireland's Nama loans for some 1.6bn by Cerberus Capital, the mammoth US vulture fund. Given the disproportionate effect of the collapse of the Republic's property bubble on our brethren in the North, Project Eagle (as the sale of the northern loans was known) should have well and truly soared. Instead, it is mired in controversy and separate investigations by the UK's National Crime Agency and America's powerful Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) after claims that some 7m was to be paid to Cushnahan by Pimco - a separate US equity fund - if it [Pimco] won the bidding war for the loan book. Nama has previously said that Pimco, one of nine global funds invited to express an interest in the Project Eagle loan package, told it about the "success fee" plan in March 2014, during the final days of bidding for Project Eagle. This side of the border, Nama has in recent years faced claims that the extraordinary secrecy surrounding its internal operations, ostensibly required to protect commercially sensitive information, is not worth the paper it is written on. When it was established at the height of the financial crisis in 2009, the legislation underpinning Nama granted it Special Powers- style confidentiality, with dedicated criminal sanctions for those who shared its secrets. The secrecy provision (it is an offence under Section 202 of the 2009 Nama Act to disclose confidential information) was primarily aimed at disgruntled developers who fell under Nama's compulsory grip. However, the biggest threat to Fortress Nama, it seems, has come from within. Already, one former employee, Enda Farrell, has been convicted of sending confidential information about the Nama valuation of hundreds of properties. It has now emerged that Farrell told gardai, in the course of their investigations, that he told internal investigators appointed by Nama that he gave Nama's entire US portfolio to a senior executive employed by a US investment firm. He also told gardai that he received confidential information from a former colleague after he [Farrell] left the agency in 2012 and that, during his time at Nama, other colleagues either assisted him or engaged in the unauthorised disclosure of confidential information. The employees named by Farrell to gardai and internal investigators appointed by Nama do not include Paul Pugh, another former Nama employee charged last June for allegedly intentionally disclosing confidential information. For its part, Nama says that it is not appropriate for it to comment on any past or current garda investigation, including the claims made by Farrell. But can Nama really draw a veil of silence over the potential import of what Farrell (not only convicted but sentenced) told gardai? If it was the case that confidential information, including internal valuations - together with prices below these valuations which Nama was prepared to accept - was disclosed to national and international investors, the market for the sale of those assets may have been distorted - or worse. How would a developer feel if that material was in the hands of his buyers? How would an underbidder feel if their rivals held a market advantage? How would you, as a taxpayer, feel if Nama's loan book was leaked in part or, as many suspect, in whole? The State, already fighting an uphill battle to restore its international reputation in the wake of the Apple tax ruling and the paltry tax paid by so-called vulture funds on the back of distressed property assets, would face an appalling vista if it emerged that the Nama process was undermined in this way. The stakes are incredibly high, which makes the Government's refusal to even contemplate a commission of investigation into Nama more than a little curious. The Treasury Building on Grand Canal Street Lower where NAMA is based. Photo: Tom Burke The Government will this week publish its report on Namas 1.6bn sale of its Northern Ireland loan book. Minister for Finance Michael Noonan said last Wednesday he had been in possession of the report since the middle of August. Government Chief Whip Regina Doherty said that the report will be published late Wednesday evening or Thursday morning. Speaking on RTEs The Week in Politics, she said if an inquiry was needed, the Cabinet would make a decision in a prudent manner. Namas northern loans, more commonly known as Project Eagle, were sold to US Investment company Cerberus Capital Management in 2014. The sale has been ensnared in controversy as it had a book value of 4.5bn. Nama did not disclose the purchase price at the time but maintained it was the biggest single transaction in the agencys history. The Comptroller and Auditor General report has allegedly found shortcomings and irregularities which could have resulted in hundreds of millions of euro being lost. Labour deputy leader Alan Kelly, Public Accounts Committee vice-chairman, called for a cross-border inquiry. Speaking on RTE Radio Ones This Week, he said he was contacted privately by a Nama executive to meet prior to the forthcoming publication of the report Already available in the UK and US, Google Shopping allows advertisers display product images and pricing in Google's search results (Stock picture) One of the most famous 20th-century advertising quotes came from John Wanamaker: "Half the money I spend on advertising is wasted; the trouble is I don't know which half." Today, in the age of big data, the opposite is true. Digital marketers are now drowning in data, with limited time to properly analyse and interpret it. Over 12 months, Wolfgang Digital sifted through 87 million website sessions and 230m in online revenue to uncover highly sought-after data, which is often too sensitive to share. Participating websites included Harvey Norman, Littlewoods Ireland, Lifestyle Sports, Kilkenny Shop and Guinness Storehouse, to name a few. We wanted to find out what turns a browser into a buyer on a website? What platforms are being over-hyped and what should you zero in on to improve your bottom line? Are your own website metrics underperforming? We went deep to answer these questions and more, culminating in a comprehensive new study entitled Wolfgang Digital E-commerce Benchmarks 2016. Here, we share four of the key takeaways, coupled with some advice on how you can capitalise. 1 Google AdWords is the King of Conversion Increasing your Google AdWords activity is the surefire way to increase your conversion rates. Our analysis showed that websites that had the highest proportion of Google AdWords traffic had the highest overall conversion rates to boot. And just last week, Google quietly announced that Google Shopping will be launched in Ireland soon. Already available in the UK and US, Google Shopping allows advertisers display product images and pricing in Google's search results. This is a real game-changer for online retail. Those who successfully adopt it can expect to see online revenue to ramp up at the cost of those who don't. Because it is technically complex to implement, there is a large opportunity for "first-mover advantage" here. So Google continues to make the worldwide web go around. 2 Get on board with Facebook advertising Facebook was the study's rising star, quadrupling traffic since 2014. To dip your toe in Facebook advertising, try a Facebook remarketing campaign. Pop the Facebook pixel on your website and create a Facebook-friendly ad to target your previous website visitors. What I mean by Facebook-friendly is more helpful than commercial. Remember, this sits between updates from people's friends and family, so pop in a nice image or if you have a video, that's even better and watch the engagements clock up. 3 Optimise for site speed We found every two-tenths of a second you shave off your server response time will increase your conversion rate by 8pc. On top of the conversion boost, site speed is a Google ranking factor. So by speeding up your website, you benefit from the "multiplier effect" of more traffic, combined with higher conversion rates, which will dramatically shift your bottom line. Here are three tools to check out to optimise your site speed. First up, try Google's page speed tool. This gives the search giants visibility into your site speed. As a rule of thumb, if Google is building you free tools to measure your website, those metrics matter. Improve them and you will see your search ranking rise accordingly. GT Metrix is a favourite of the Wolfgang crew. It gives detailed insights with waterflow charts to illustrate exactly which files are affecting speed, and it's free. Pingdom is an industry favourite. It allows you to test your speed from different locations. 4 Don't ignore the old-fashioned email We found email to deliver more traffic than all the social channels combined and only Google beats email as a medium for generating revenue. Are you sending regular communications to your clients, pipeline and community? The value in maintaining a database of email addresses goes far beyond sending the email itself. Google and Facebook both allow you to upload email addresses and target those people on Google and Facebook. I love Mailchimp as an email service provider - not only is it easy but it's actually fun to use. We've touched on some of the key takeaways but to view the study in full and delve a little deeper you can download it for free from the Wolfgang Digital blog. Adopt this industry insider advice and reap the rewards. Alan Coleman is CEO of Wolfgang Digital and author of the study Wolfgang Digital E-commerce Benchmarks Study 2016. Landlords will be offered five years' rent up front or as much as 30,000 for vacant properties as part of a new Government initiative aimed at resolving the housing crisis. Housing Minister Simon Coveney is developing a scheme which will see local authorities approach owners of vacant properties and offer them cash lump sums in return for leasing the properties. Council officials will offer landlords grants for vacant houses under a 'repair to lease' scheme. It is hoped the project will incentivise people to renovate old houses which have sat idle for a number of years, before renting them to tenants through local authorities. Approved housing agencies will also be able to avail of the scheme and organisations will be encouraged to identify vacant properties which could be leased. Pilot projects of the scheme are to be rolled out in Waterford and Carlow before it goes nationwide. The Housing Agency has also been given 70m to purchase and renovate vacant properties for rent. There are an estimated 250,000 empty properties around the country. Speaking to the Sunday Independent, Mr Coveney said: "This idea that we are doing nothing to get vacant properties back in use is nonsense. We are actually doing a lot." The Housing Minister is expected to give details of his plans to make use of vacant properties at Fine Gael's annual two-day 'think in' at Keadeen Hotel in Newbridge, Kildare. Meanwhile, Public Expenditure and Reform Minister Paschal Donohoe has insisted that October's Budget will pass, despite tensions between Fine Gael and the Independent Alliance. Mr Donohoe, who will also address colleagues in Kildare, said he is ready for the "drama" and "tension" during budget negotiations. "I know that will happened but at the end of all that we will pass a budget and we will pass an effective budget to respond back to where the country is at the moment," he told the Sunday Independent. Last Thursday, Mr Donohoe warned Cabinet colleagues that he will not be able to meet all their demands. He told them that while the State's coffers are in a healthy position, much of the funding is needed to address demographic challenges, such as increasing number of children going to school and people living longer. Friday was the deadline for budget estimate submissions from Cabinet ministers and bilaterals will begin next week. Speaking at the Kennedy Summer School in Wexford yesterday afternoon, Mr Donohoe said the county must brace itself for all potential consequences from Brexit. "We cannot assume that the future European Union is the current Union minus the UK with the only change consisting of the British departure. What remains will change. The centre of gravity will shift, in form and function," he said. Independent TD Mick Wallace has written to the European Commission, seeking an investigation into the tax exemptions granted to non-residents and foreign investors in Real Estate Investment Trusts (Reits), to establish if they are in breach of Europe's rules on state aid. The Wexford politician, who has been to the fore in pursuing allegations of wrongdoing at Nama and the circumstances surrounding the sale of its 5.6bn par value Northern Ireland loan book, wrote to the commission's director general of competition, Johannes Laitenberger, last week. News of Wallace's contact with the commission comes in the wake of the hugely controversial Apple ruling, in which its competition commissioner Margrethe Vestager ruled that the US technology giant had been the beneficiary of some 13bn in illegal state aid as a result of the "selective treatment" it had received from Ireland in relation to its tax affairs. In his letter to the commission's competition directorate, the Independent TD expressed his concern over the potential loss to the exchequer arising from the exemption granted to non-resident investors from any Irish tax, including dividend withholding tax (DWT) on profits distributed to them annually by the Reits in which they hold investments. While he noted in his letter to the commission that it had already approved tax exemptions for Finnish Reits in a case it considered in 2010, he has pressed its competition directorate to initiate a new inquiry into the specific manner in which the Irish model operates. And while Wallace also acknowledged that Ireland's REIT legislation is similar to Finland's, in that it requires that 85pc of all property income profits be distributed annually to shareholders, making it compliant "in theory" with the commission's 2010 state aid ruling, he has asked the commission to examine the legislation underpinning the investment vehicles' operations here. Citing Section 41 of the Finance Act 2013, under which Reits were introduced to the Irish market, he expresses his concern that Reits are not chargeable to either corporation tax in respect of income from their property rental business or chargeable gains accruing on disposal of assets of their property rental business. Wallace notes in his letter, that in general, the trading profits of companies in Ireland are subject to corporation tax at 12.5pc, while the rental profits of companies are subject to corporation tax at the higher rate of 25pc. In the case of Reits, the politician informed the European Commission that their rental profits were exempt from corporation tax. In his letter, a copy of which has been seen by the Sunday Independent, he said: "What concerns me is the benefit accrued by Non Resident Investors in REITS, who may be exempt from any Irish tax, including dividend withholding tax (DWT), on annual profits distributed by a Reit, and the potential loss in tax to the Irish Exchequer." "In my opinion, this would constitute a breach of the State Aid Guidelines." Quite apart from the Wexford TD's call for an investigation, the European Commission is already in the process of considering the state aid complaint submitted by a a number of property developers in relation to Nama. Last December, the group consisting of Michael O'Flynn, Paddy McKillen, David Daly, New Generation Homes CEO Patrick Crean and MKN Group director Brian McKeown made a formal submission to Europe's competition directorate in which they asserted that Nama had not only gone beyond the original remit for which it had been given the Commission's approval, but was now giving Nama-supported developers a significant financial advantage over non-Nama developers through the provision of loans at preferential rates. While the Department of Finance and Nama have not engaged in public comment on the issue, they are co-operating with the investigation, which is still ongoing. The strong relationship between Ireland and Mexico goes back a long way - so much so that the term Hibernomexicano is still used to signify a Mexican of Irish descent. Many Irish-born people, or those of Irish lineage, have influenced the development of Mexico militarily, politically and culturally. The last Viceroy of New Spain (which included Mexico), was one Juan O'Donoju, who negotiated the withdrawal of Spanish troops from the colony and was signatory to the subsequent Act of Independence. The Governor of Yucatan and Texas (pre-secession) was a certain Hugo Oconor; while the adventurer and revolutionary Don Guillen de Lampart - the inspiration for Zorro - was known back in Wexford as William Lamport. Irish heritage is still well recognised in Mexico thanks in no small part to the Batallon de San Patricio led by Connemara man John Riley. The battalion's heroic fight for Mexican independence has been celebrated by presidents as recent as Ernesto Zedillo and Vicente Fox. Irish ancestry is also evident in business. The late media magnate Romulo Antonio O'Farrill, traced his ancestors to Co Longford, and his family still own the Novedades newspaper today. Analysts see Mexico as one of the strongest of the emerging markets. It is predicted to become the tenth largest economy in the world and one of the top 10 global recipients of foreign direct investment (FDI) in the next decade. Already, FDI is the most powerful driving force in Mexico's economy and along with its relationship and proximity to the US has created enormous opportunities for Irish investment and sub-supply. In recent years, Mexico has embarked on an ambitious reform programme, opening up the energy, financial services, broadcasting, telecommunications and education sectors to foreign investment and increased competition. Agribusiness, aerospace, pharmaceuticals, creative industries, IT for travel, oil and gas, mining, metalworking, engineering, automotive, and food and beverage also offer significant export potential for Irish business. Activity among Irish companies has been rising over the past two years. Smurfit Kappa, Irelandia, the Kerry Group, Glanbia, Kentech and Kingspan already have significant investments. Mexico is an open, stable economy, with a population touching 120 million people, including an expanding middle- and high-income cohort, creating a market comparable to an industrialised country of nearly 55 million people. And like many emerging economies, there is great enthusiasm for products and technology of European standard. It has signed a Free Trade Agreement with the EU, reducing or eliminating many trade barriers. Mexico is also part of the wealthiest trade bloc in the world, the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). It offers modern, world-class infrastructure with 30 technology parks, 30 clusters of over 1,000 companies and a robust banking system. It is ranked ninth among the most attractive national destinations in which to invest. Doing business here requires a subtle understanding of the formalities and informalities of Mexican culture. Hierarchy and status are important so acknowledge the senior person throughout any presentations. Smart dress is a must and an executive car for attending business meetings is expected even if you are only visiting. Mexicans are a good-humoured people and business discussions will not be exclusively serious. Some light-hearted chat over long lunches is often a precursor to a short discussion about business over coffee and dessert. An invite to the family home is a sure sign things are going well. Be ready to talk about Ireland in these situations. Mexicans identify with us in ways that go beyond our linked heritage. They can relate to having a far more powerful neighbour that is their most important trading partner. They share Ireland's family-centred tradition with a strong cultural influence of Catholicism. And, like the Irish, they love a party with plenty of music and a bit of what you fancy. Perhaps that's what inspired the world's oldest tequila brand, Jose Cuervo, to buy the world oldest whiskey brand, Bushmills? Another Hibernomexicano link we can all raise a glass to. Conor Fahy is Enterprise Ireland Reginal Director for Latin America Racism. Bigotry. Xenophobia. These words describe ugly conditions that are part of this countrys history and still exist. In Mason City, racism was blamed in part for opposition to a major economic development project that had the potential to bring in a large number of Hispanic and other immigrant workers. The evidence, however, shows those sentiments played a minor part at most. After the Prestage Foods hog processing plant proposal was voted down by the Mason City Council, Ron Prestage, a company leader, was quoted in a farm publication as saying that racism played a role in the opposition to the plant. Being a Southerner, Im used to the fact that people think that racism resides in the South, Prestage told Brownfield Ag News. It was very apparent among some that racism is alive and well in Mason City and northern Iowa as well, he said. A Mason City Council member said she agreed. Racism was a huge factor. There is no doubt in my mind, Janet Solberg told the Des Moines Register. Most of my phone calls and emails were, We dont want those people in our community. It played a very large factor in all of this, sad to say. Im so disappointed in our citizens. Many of those who opposed the plant in Mason City quickly disputed those claims, saying their concerns had to deal with the possible environmental impact, the wages that would be paid to employees and the potential to attract more hog confinement operations to the area. Others were opposed to large corporate agriculture in general. The Globe Gazette requested copies of all the email that had been sent to and between Mason City Council members and officials regarding the Prestage proposal. Such communication falls under the Iowa Open Records Act. Once it became known that Prestage was shifting its plant proposal to Wright County and it was before the Wright County Board of Supervisors, we also requested copies of emails about the project sent to Wright County supervisors and other officials. We received copies of thousands of emails from Mason City and hundreds from Wright County. Given the strong words by Prestage and Solberg, we expected to read the worst. Instead, its clear two leaders one from outside Mason City, one on the City Council were being too lazy with words. Some emails to Mason City council members had racial overtones, suggesting possible increases in crime and violence might accompany a large influx of new people into the community, but none of them had specific racial slurs or insults related to race or ethnicity. Examining Solbergs messages in particular, we found no evidence that racism was a huge factor. Her statement that most of her emails were we dont want those people in our community was demonstrably incorrect. Asked about this, Solberg said, It was a very, very difficult time, and she said the Des Moines reporter wrote the story in a way that made me look bad. Solberg said she received racist comments in many different forms during the Prestage deliberations from phone calls to texts to Facebook to on-the-street comments. It was just crazy. Although we didnt have access to Solbergs phone messages or in-person communications, our examination of the remarks made in emails and in person at hour after hour of public hearings shows scant evidence race was an issue for most constituents. That makes Solbergs comments reckless. Instead of sending the message, Were racist, the more accurate takeaway is, We have an engaged community that cares about its future. There were some examples of actual racism and bigotry expressed in the email copies we received. A few emails addressed to the Wright County supervisors included comments about illegal Mexicans, low-income families, our schools flooded with kids/parents who cannot speak English as well as asking, Who do you want your kids to go to school with? and warning The whites will move out, the Latinos will move in. But those were a tiny minority. Our research shows that the majority of the opposition to the Prestage proposal in Mason City and in Wright County, where it was eventually approved, was along environmental and economic lines. Make no mistake. Racism and bigotry are vile and immoral, and race-based arguments are cowardly. They should be identified where they exist and resisted vigorously. But because these charges carry such emotional weight, they shouldnt be bandied about loosely. Sometimes the label of racist becomes a generic invective any time the topic of race or nationality is part of the discussion. Its one thing for a private businessman such as Ron Prestage to lash out after the defeat of a quarter-billion-dollar project. Its another for an elected community representative such as Solberg to make brash and unsubstantiated statements. Economic development is hard enough without someone on your team scoring hits for the competition. Mason City deserved better from one of its own. At the beginning of this novel of political disappearances and compulsory subterfuge, a North Korean called Yongju describes his mother and father dancing at a party in Pyongyang. Everyone wears "the same smiles, the same fur coats and Rolex watches engraved with the name of the Dear Leader, the Great General, the man with dozens of honorific titles". Suddenly, "Dear Leader" produces a gun and shoots the narrator's father dead: "Dark liquid seeped from him, his scalp dampened against my eomeoni's (mother's) hands that were now in his hair. 'Won't someone help?' she cried." It is an uncomfortable scene, but also redolent of the opening slaughter of a Hollywood action flick, or a detective novel. Is this the point - that such violence is both savage and mundane, and, as the opening to a narrative, almost a cliche? Krys Lee is the author of an acclaimed collection of short stories, Drifting House. This, her first novel, is a dark and moving triptych, in which Lee relays the lives of three young North Koreans. After his father is murdered, Yongju flees to the Tumen River on the Chinese border. He wanders alone through a dreamlike hinterland, in deep grief. Jangmi is 16 and pregnant with the child of a powerful local man "who protected my growing smuggling business". She was eight when "famine changed everything". "Everyone who had followed the rules died the government devalued our money and made our savings worthless." All she can do is cross the Tumen River, too, and be sold into marriage with a Joseon-jok (a Korean living in China). Then there's Danny, also 16, a Chinese-American of North Korean descent who lives with his father in California. Bullied at school, Danny becomes erratic, so his father sends the boy to visit his mother, who is a missionary in "a forgotten corner of China". At first, Danny feels the "thrill of being out of my time line, in China, a body returning to the past". But he arrives at his mother's apartment to find the local deacon hiding in her wardrobe: "A man not my dad, but a man who had somehow become closer to my mom than my dad." In shock, Danny runs away, towards North Korea. We follow the three through this "unfriendly land" as their narratives merge and their voices become interchangeable. Yongju hides in a cave: "The drip of water during rain, the scratchy music of the trees outside. A bed of stones and paper to keep the cave dry. Blankets, clothes from the city dump." Jangmi's marriage collapses and she is cast out into the treacherous wilds. Danny is robbed and, when he finds Yongju's cave, invents a traumatic backstory. It's a jarring meta-element: Danny's suffering is partly feigned, while the others are in mortal danger. Lee captures how subjects of totalitarian regimes are forced to doubt their own impressions of the world. Reality is tenuous and may at any moment be altered by an edict from above. Lee's characters fabricate lies, simply to survive. Yongju explains: "I tried to form a coherent narrative of who I was, where I came from (but) my speech circled back on itself as I wondered if this was how it had actually happened and, especially, how much to reveal, whether I should change dates and places to protect myself." This is a promising first novel, full of fervour and compassion. There is a strong tradition of horses in Irish children's literature - from The Turfcutter's Donkey by Patricia Lynch and The Island of Horses by Eilis Dillon, to, more recently, Annan Water by Kate Thompson. Sarah Moore Fitzgerald's A Very Good Chance is a welcome addition to the canon. Moore Fitzgerald is a professor at the University of Limerick and her previous children's books, Back to Blackbrick and The Apple Tart of Hope, have been shortlisted for many awards, including the Waterstones Children's Book Prize. Set in contemporary Dublin, A Very Good Chance features 14-year-old Minty, who finds distraction and solace from her warring parents on the banks of the river at the end of Nettlebog Lane, which "feels like being in the middle of a secret", "risky and wrong". She discovers a caravan and stable hidden in the trees, home to her classmate Ned Buckley, his gran, and his horses, Dagger and Phoebe. It is clear to an adult reader that Ned is a Traveller but the word is not used in the book, allowing young readers make up their own mind about his lifestyle and who he is. To Minty, Ned is an enigma, a boy who lights midnight bonfires, who swings over the river on a tyre, "bellowing loud, unfathomable things". He's also a boy who everyone says is "no good". But Minty sees past their preconceptions and assumptions and sets out to befriend him, an action which ultimately changes her life. The only other person who truly sees Ned is their wonderfully colourful Italian history teacher, Serena Serralunga. Ned's great passion is horse racing and he teaches Minty to ride bare back. Together they enter the Ballyross Race, a notorious local horse race. On a deeper level, he also teaches her about a different way of living, a different way of navigating the world. His words are full of gentle wisdom. "Ned taught me a lot of things," Minty tells the reader. "And one of the things is that you get to decide how to look at the world. You get to decide your version." Moore Fitzgerald's prose sparkles and I often found myself stopping to savour her sentences. Her descriptions of nature are particularly lyrical: "A breeze often shivered through the bushes as if there were nervous, sneaky animals hiding there." Her descriptions of Minty's estranged parents are also striking: "Both of them walking in and very quietly out of different rooms in our house as if we were in the middle of a bad play." The wonder and magic of Minty and Ned's burgeoning relationship is beautifully handled. The book inhabits the space between middle grade (age 9+) and YA (young adult) fiction and its short length will encourage even the more reluctant reader to pick it up. It will also encourage them to think about what makes a hero and what makes a true friend. There is a problem with the book's timeline, which is unclear. The story is set between autumn and the following summer (nine months or so) and during this time, Minty's parents separate and her dad remarries. Any young Irish person with parents, or aunts or uncles, who separate and eventually divorce will know that it's not as simple in real life (under Irish law, a couple must live apart for four years before they can divorce). I also found the 'fairy tale' ending unnecessary; the book is strong enough to withstand a less fanciful conclusion. However, overlooking these quibbles, A Very Good Chance is a brave and thoughtful with cracking characters. It deserves a wide readership and confirms Moore Fitzgerald's place as one of Ireland's most interesting new children's writers. Sarah Webb is the new Writer in Residence for Dun Laoghaire/Rathdown A suspected member of the Irish nationalist party Sinn Fein is searched at gunpoint by temporary constables of the British Black and Tans, during the Irish War of Independence in November 1920 The past 100 years in Ireland started with a bang, 50 years of hard slog followed and later years of enlightenment. Plenty of material, then, for an autobiography of our nation, says our reviewer, but it's not exactly an easy read In the introductory essay to this mammoth collection, editor John Bowman writes that the role of the anthologist is different from that of the historian. He adds: "The anthologist offers glimpses of history." That, I would say, is an apt summation of both role and book. And on another level, it encapsulates both what is great about Ireland: The Autobiography, and why it doesn't always work (and, quite possibly, can't work). In a nutshell, there'll always be something to hold your interest; but on the other hand, and inevitably, you won't like everything. There are, on a rough count, 166 pieces in this collection, subtitled "One hundred years in the life of the nation, told by its people". So, fittingly, we have a wide range of backgrounds and traditions represented in a wide range of literary formats: excerpts from newspaper articles, books, old journals, public speeches, personal letters, parliamentary debates, diaries, even a few advertisements. Much of this material, Bowman attests, has never before been published. Ireland: The Autobiography really is a treasure trove for historians, be they professionals in the field or amateur enthusiasts (which, in this year of 1916 centenary, seems to be 99pc of the Irish population). A collection of this nature is probably meant to be dipped in and out of: pieces picked at random, the reader hopping back and forth through time, revisiting the 1980s here, learning sometimes about the 1920s there, zipping back to 2014 for some contrast. However, being a nerdy, mildly obsessive-compulsive sort, I read it chronologically, first page to last. Which means, since the book moves forward in a linear motion from 1916 to this year, I more or less read my way through the last century, up to today. The editor chooses to start with a welter of material on the Rising and subsequent War of Independence and Civil War. Too much of it, in my opinion - we've gone past 100 pages and timewise we're still in 1923, as Meath farmer John Sweetman urges his son not to join the anti-Treaty side. But Bowman, in the intro, makes a convincing argument for why he concentrates so much on that brief period, saying they "were formative - of the independent Irish state, of Northern Ireland, and of the political and social dynamics that have defined them - and so are represented with a disproportionately generous selection here". 1916-22 doesn't really excite my interest, I must confess; probably suffering from some form of post-commemoration overload, and a lot of it feels very samey, historically. But those were exciting times, all the same: real all-or-nothing, destiny-in-your-hands stuff. A shame, then, that the spirit of adventure, courage, daring and cheerful 'all in this together' optimism was crushed, almost to death, over the following half-century. God, Ireland was a depressing place in many ways, wasn't it? Here we have a report, from this newspaper, on the dangers of dancehalls. A Danish ex-pat describes how Ireland is engaged in "a battle over short skirts". Both Dev and Sinn Fein, in different pieces, are wooing the Catholic Church/Vatican. Video of the Day Ireland's first film censor explains why he cuts the bejesus out of just about every film within reach of his scissor-hands. Jazz music, for some reason, gets it in the neck from a Leitrim PP on a cultural jihad against "imported slush". (That hardly includes Miles Davis, I presume.) Sean O Faolain decries nationalism; one Alice Curtayne rhapsodies about the Eucharistic Congress. Letterfrack, more censorship, emigration, internecine struggles over the proper direction of the Irish language, yet more censorship, the Mother and Child scheme, "godless agitators", communism at the cinema, the threat to Irish souls of British telly, Dev again - this time moaning about Churchill - and yes, some more censorship. As Harvard academic John V Kelleher puts it in a 1957 article for an American journal, Ireland truly was "a duller and deader place" than the republic founded in 1922. It's not until the late 1960s - kicked off here by Suzanne Breen reminiscing on a 1968 Civil Rights march in Derry - that the country began to slough off all that deadweight. From that point (roughly the final third), Ireland: The Autobiography takes us on a whistle-stop tour of the seismic, seminal and explosive (sometimes literally) events which shaped the nation as we now know it. Colm Toibin waxing nostalgic about watching the Late Late as a child; June Levine on the Contraceptive Train; a fascinating interview with 21-year-old IRA commander Martin McGuinness; Des O'Malley's legendary "I stand by the Republic" speech; Nuala O'Faolain on a very Irish approach to religious faith It's all here, really, right up to John Waters' 2013 essay on shifting more in language, and Brenda Power's affectionate critique of/homage to the Rose of Tralee. The contest is, she wrote in 2014, "bonkers, eccentric, anachronistic Like the Angelus, there's little reason for keeping it on the air these days, if it weren't for the sense that we'd be somehow poorer and more generic Europeans, and a little less eccentric and Irish, if we dumped it". All of which could sort of do as an overall description of Ireland in the last 100 years. Yes, there were (still are) a lot of things wrong with this country; but on the flipside, there's a lot of great things, too, and always have been. So while Kelleher was correct in his "deader and duller" summation, that's not the full picture. I didn't give the full picture either, in that long list, six paragraphs back, describing the gloomy, doomy country of roughly 1920-1970. Ireland of the last 100 years was a pretty ok place. It wasn't Shangri-La, but it wasn't the seventh circle of hell either. For everything bad of that era, there was at least one thing that was good. Only an ideologue, or someone (perhaps understandably) embittered by experience, would argue that. Like the Rose, we're bonkers, eccentric, anachronistic. We probably don't make that much sense to our neighbours. Self-styled sophisticates would probably prefer if we did away with all the quirks and tics of Irishness, and were more like the Danes or Swedes or whoever is the national benchmark. But then, of coursewe wouldn't be Irish, would we? Darragh McManus's novels include Shiver the Whole Night Through and The Polka Dot Girl John Field, Michael Balfe, Charles Villiers Stanford - three names plucked at random from a range of Irish composers who made their mark in the field of classical music. Harty and Larchet, Potter and May, Fleischmann and Kelly, and of course O Riada, too - strains of Ireland echo right across the ages, and across the past century as well, as is highlighted by a festival that's running this month, jointly promoted by the National Concert Hall and RTE with the support of Bord na Mona. Composing The Island celebrates music in Ireland in the 100 years since 1916. It opened on Wednesday night and continues with daily performances for three full weeks. Field and Balfe fall outside the scope of the programme, but all the others feature, and in there as well is a man who was a seminal influence on whatever was to become of me in the sphere of music. Havelock Nelson was born in Cork the year after the Easter Rising and went to Dublin to study both medicine at Trinity and music at the Royal Irish Academy. He was just 22 when he helped set up the Dublin Orchestral Players, an amateur orchestra that encouraged young talent. But World War II intervened, and medicine took over. He worked as a bacteriologist in Britain's Royal Air Force. Music became his life when he joined the BBC in Belfast in 1947. He was in charge for 30 years until his retirement. Havelock's daughter Romilly was in my class at school, and his son Graham was a year or two ahead. That's how I got to know him, and how that seminal influence came about. I was never going to be a performer like others he encouraged - James Galway, Barry Douglas, and Heather Harper are among those whose careers benefited from his guidance early on - but the infectious enthusiasm he brought to music-making made sure there was joy to be had at whatever level you were engaging. All the while, he was writing as well - for orchestras, chamber groups, choirs, even incidental music for radio and TV. It's entirely appropriate that RTE Cor na nOg should be performing the Havelock Nelson piece that features in Composing The Island. 'The Girl with the Buckles on Her Shoes' - a setting of an Irish folk song - is a wonderful example of what he was particularly good at, taking something indigenous and turning it into a stunning vehicle for young voices that they get a great deal of pleasure out of singing. That particular concert - Voices of the Future - is part of the programme on the final day of the festival, Sunday, September 25. By the event's conclusion, almost 200 works by some 90 different Irish composers will have been presented - proof positive that the scene here was alive and well right through the formative years of the State and beyond, and is still going strong. Video of the Day There are orchestral concerts, chamber music, choral events and recitals as well, one of those, at lunchtime on Friday, September 16, by the pianist Michael McHale. It features world premieres of two works, a piece by the jazz bassist Ronan Guilfoyle and a composition by the Dublin musician Benedict Schlepper-Connolly, whose Ergodos record label recently released Michael's latest CD of four Schubert Impromptus. Composing the Island is a hugely significant cultural contribution to this centenary year, an ambitious programme offering something for just about every musical taste. Full details are on www.nch.ie/Online/Composing-the-Island Red Rock will return on Monday night to reveal Brian McGonigles killer. The highly anticipated episode will run for a full hour, showing which of the seven suspects murdered the corrupt copper. Detective Inspector Nikki Grogan finally has the evidence needed to identify the culprit, although it may not be who you expect. A flashback will go back in time to the night of Brians murder, leaving no question to who sought their vengeance. Expand Close Rachel Reid (played by Ann Skelly) & Brian McGonigle (played by Sean Mahon) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Rachel Reid (played by Ann Skelly) & Brian McGonigle (played by Sean Mahon) All seven suspects each have a motive and are ready to strike, but will it be Jules McGonigle, Brians wife who learned he was having an affair, his lover Rachel Reid or her father Liam? Or will it be Rachels ex-boyfriend Conor Tyrell, who exposed the affair? Conors father Tommy is a further suspect, as is Mick Moran, whos seeking revenge on Brian for landing his brother in jail. Lastly, will it be Sharon Cleere, the only person to have ever brought down Brian before? Red Rock returns on Monday 12 September on TV3 at 9:30pm. Ireland found little sympathy in Europe this weekend as Britain backed the European Commission ruling that Apple owes the Revenue Commissioners 13bn in unpaid tax. Chancellor Philip Hammond said the EU was keen "to make sure that international corporations pay the right tax at the right place . "That's the fair way to do it, and we are going to make sure it happens," he said. Dutch Finance Minister Jeroen Dijsselbloem urged Apple to pay a bill that analysts say could reach 19bn, with interest. He said the US tech giant will have to pay back taxes both in the US and Europe, "so get ready to do that". The EU finance ministers met this weekend to discuss ways to harmonise tax rules for international companies. Several EU countries, led by Spain, are vying for a share of Apple's 13bn Irish tax bill. Germany and Austria are also looking into the issue, it was revealed at the meeting. The move follows EU Competition Chief Margrethe Vestager's invitation to governments to check if Apple should have recorded its sales, and paid more tax, in their countries. Finance Minister Michael Noonan said the move could jeopardise the recovery of back taxes from Apple, which will be kept in trust, pending Ireland's appeal against the EU decision. "I just think it was an extraordinarily bizarre thing to say, in the documents accompanying the decision, that this may be spread all around Europe, because the essence of the case is that Ireland should have collected this tax from Apple. And now the suggestion, from the same commissioner, is that this money may not be Ireland's at all," Mr Noonan told RTE News after the meeting. The commission said on August 30 that Apple enjoyed illegal tax breaks in Ireland, enabling it to pay as little as 0.005pc tax some years, largely by funnelling profits through Irish shell companies. Spain wants to use the commission's evidence to check if it is due a slice of the Apple pie. The cash-strapped country narrowly escaped EU fines this summer for breaching the bloc's budget rules, and is in the middle of a wide-ranging corporate tax overhaul. "We want to know what the impact is, we want to analyse it, we want to see it, because at a time when we are making major efforts from the point of view of reducing our public deficit, it's fundamental that we don't lose out on revenue," said Spanish Finance Minister Luis De Guindos. Spain is also keen to talk to other countries - such as the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg - that use "tax rulings", or clarifications, for companies on their national tax bills. Tax rulings themselves are not illegal, the EU says, as long as they are not used to offer one company a "selective" advantage over another. Germany and Austrian finance ministers, Wolfgang Schauble and Hans-Jorg Schelling, confirmed their tax authorities are investigating the Apple case, but Mr Schauble expressed scepticism that any money would flow back to Germany and said Ms Vestager's invitation to other countries was "mysterious". Eamon Dunphy (right) with best man Shane Ross on Dunphys wedding day in 2009. Photo: Collins Is this the end of a beautiful political friendship? Well, it appeared so yesterday when pundit Eamon Dunphy launched a scathing attack on Transport Minister Shane Ross, his long-time friend who served as 'best man' at his wedding. Dunphy, who along with Ross was involved in the formation of the Independent Alliance, hit out at the Dublin Rathdown TD's handing of the bus strike. Now referring to his old buddy as "Mr Ross", he said the Dublin Bus drivers are being treated in a "scandalous" fashion and deserved their pay rise. "I didn't campaign for the Independent Alliance...including Shane Ross, to watch him behave like this as Minister for Transport," Dunphy said. "These people have a real case. They haven't had a rise in eight years," he added. When it was pointed out by RTE presenter Sean O'Rourke that the two men are friends, Dunphy said the Independent Alliance allows for differing views to be expressed. "I did campaign around the country - in Waterford, Sligo, Athlone and places like that - for the Independent Alliance," Dunphy said. "People can differ on certain matters and there is no consequence. We will see what the minister makes of my observations." An Independent Alliance spokesperson said it has "no views" on Dunphy's comments. Warning: Senator Ivana Bacik said evidence may yet emerge of the offence of 'reckless endangerment' Photo: Bernard Walsh A high-level garda investigation into allegations that the health service was criminally negligent in the Grace foster home abuse case will be slow and will take considerable time to complete, according to informed sources. The garda investigation was launched after a whistleblower made a formal complaint last January against health service staff involved in decisions around Grace's care. Grace, who has a severe intellectual disability, was allowed to remain with a foster family for nearly 20 years after other children in the home had been removed over allegations of sexual abuse. The employees allegedly named in the whistleblower's statement have not been interviewed and sources said that gardai are still examining her allegations to identify whether an offence has been committed. "At this stage, gardai are assessing the statement of witnesses to assess what breaches, if any, occurred," said the source. Speaking about the Grace case in the Seanad earlier this year, Senator Ivana Bacik, a constitutional lawyer, said evidence may emerge of the offence "reckless endangerment". The Government will launch a Commission of Investigation into the mishandling of the Grace case by the South Eastern Health Board, which was later subsumed into the Health Service Executive. However sources said there could be "issues" with a Commission of Inquiry running parallel with a criminal garda investigation into alleged negligence. A criminal investigation into the actual sexual abuse concluded last year with a decision by the Director of Public Prosecutions that no one should be prosecuted. Gardai sent files on five people to the Director of Public Prosecutions but the DPP decided not to press any charges. Grace, who cannot speak, was allowed to remain in the foster home despite suspicions of sexual and physical abuse. She was first placed in the home in 1989 and remained there until 2009. It has since emerged that in 1995, a former resident of the foster home raised allegations of abuse. At the time, the local health board stopped placing children with the foster family and social workers decided to remove Grace. However the foster family appealed that decision. The appeal panel upheld the decision but later, a three-person panel of health board employees decided that Grace should remain with the family. Over the next 13 years, Grace had little or no contact with social workers despite the credible allegations of abuse raised. In 2007, a new social worker came upon Grace's file and intervened. She raised her concerns with the authorities but another two years passed before Grace was removed from the foster home. The social worker was one of three professionals to make protected disclosures in relation to the case under whistleblower legislation. She later asked the Dail's Public Accounts Committee to take up Grace's case. At a public meeting of the PAC earlier this year, it emerged that some staff involved in decisions around Grace's care were now working for Tusla, the Child and Family Agency. Tusla has since requested the names of any of its staff members who were involved in the Grace case but the names have not been disclosed to the agency. In a statement this weekend, Tusla said it "can confirm that we have regular communication with the HSE in relation to a range of matters, including the 'Grace' case. "Tusla has requested information on staff members who may have been involved from both the HSE and an Garda Siochana. "We have been advised that it is not possible to release this information to us." The Health Service Executive commissioned two reports in to the case, neither of which were published because of the garda investigation into sexual abuse at the foster home. The second, which was commissioned in 2012, focused on 46 other residents of the foster home. A third report, by barrister Conor Dignam, was given to the Minister of State, Finian McGrath, last week. The report examined the possible terms of reference for the Commission of Inquiry. According to leaked details, Mr Dignam found that an investigation commissioned by the HSE was "inadequate", and that the Devine report should have examined allegations of an attempt to cover up the failings in Grace's care. Mr McGrath, the Minister of State for Disabilitiy Issues, said last week that the "absolute priority" will be to ascertain how a vulnerable young woman known as "Grace" was failed by the HSE. The HSE has apologised to Grace and the other 47 people who passed through the foster service. In a statement this weekend, the HSE said it "continues to liaise and co-operate with all enquiries being undertaken by An Garda Siochana in relation to this matter". An Irish naval vessel yesterday rescued more than 400 migrants as part of its operations in the Mediterranean. The LE James Joyce and her crew were part of a mission co-ordinated by Italian Maritime Rescue to save almost 2,000 people at risk in 18 separate boats off the coast of Libya. The refugees were trying to enter Europe. During a five-hour operation, Irish maritime forces pulled 423 migrants on board before offering them food, water and medical attention. The rescue happened about 40 nautical miles northwest of the Libyan capital, Tripoli. All of the migrants were later transferred to another vessel to free up the LE James Joyce for other rescue operations. The complex rescues began at 8.40am yesterday, with the final migrant helped on board just before 2pm. The crew was working alongside five other NGO vessels. The LE James Joyce has now rescued more than 2,300 people since departing the Naval Service headquarters in Cork in July to assist the Italian authorities with humanitarian search and rescue operations for migrants in the Mediterranean. European nations failing to respond to their humanitarian obligations to refugees should learn the lessons of the Irish Famine, President Michael D Higgins said. He claimed some of the rhetoric used today about those crossing the Mediterranean "marine grave" was similar to the British media's during the worst period of Ireland's 19th century catastrophe. The leader unveiled in Dublin a Celtic cross memorial to Ireland's one million Famine dead following the failure of the potato crop. He said: "As we pray for the souls of all of those lost to famine, and in particular those lost in our own Great Famine, we must pray, too, that we not be condemned to repeat the mistakes of the past as we deal with the challenges of feeding the hungry in our own times." Ireland's Great Hunger between 1845 and 1849 saw skeletal peasants selling their only clothing in an attempt to survive. Over a million Irish died of hunger and related diseases, and two million fled a country "with no hope". Many who emigrated faced fresh marginalisation on arrival on foreign shores. President Higgins asked: "Is there not a lesson for all of us, as we are faced in our own time with the largest number of displaced people since World War II, as the Mediterranean becomes, for many, a marine grave, as European nations fail to respond to their humanitarian obligations? "Isn't some of the rhetoric invoked today similar to what in the worst periods were the opinions of the London Times? "We now have the capacity to anticipate the threat of famine. We have the capacity to take measures to avoid it; and yet we allow nearly a billion people across our world to live in conditions of extreme but avoidable hunger. "The moral principle - the moral challenge of our humanity- remains the same: should we adjust our populations to an abstracted economic ideology, or should we, rather, use the best of our reason to craft economic and social models that can anticipate the needs and care for the peoples who share this fragile planet?" It was concluded by British administrators in the 1840s that the giving of relief directly to those dying would constitute a "moral hazard". President Higgins noted it was important, in the minds of those who sought to respond to the Famine, to continue the project of moral reform even amidst the greatest loss of life. "Avoiding the creation of dependency, as imperial elites saw it, was a target that could not be allowed to slip." The president inaugurated a Celtic Cross memorial to the victims in their single largest burial ground at Glasnevin Cemetery in Dublin. At the height of the Famine more than 60 funerals a day were taking place there. President Higgins added: "Surrounded by the remains of victims from all corners of the country, we should embrace the common bond that connects us to those who have gone before throughout the history of this island." The charge d'affaire of the British embassy in Dublin Neil Holland was among foreign ambassadors who laid wreaths at the memorial. RENO, Nev., Sept. 11, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Ormat Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:ORA) is pleased to announce that it has concluded an auction tender and accepted subscriptions for US$204 million aggregate principal amount of two tranches (Series 2 approximately $67 million and Series 3 approximately $137 million) of senior unsecured bonds (the "Series 1 Bonds", the "Series 2 Bonds" and, collectively, the "Bonds"). Ormat will issue the Bonds in an unregistered offering outside the United States to investors who are not "U.S. persons", as such term is defined in Regulation S under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), and otherwise subject to the requirements of Regulation S. The Series 2 Bonds will mature in September 2020 and bear interest at a fixed rate of 3.7% per annum, payable semi-annually. The Series 3 Bonds will mature in September 2022 and bear interest at a fixed rate of 4.45% per annum, payable semi-annually. The Bonds will be repaid at maturity in a single bullet payment, unless earlier prepaid by Ormat pursuant to the terms and conditions of the trust instrument that will govern the Bonds. Both tranches received a rating of ilA+ from Maloot S&P in Israel with a stable outlook. Ormat intends to use the proceeds from the offering and sale of the Bonds to prepay existing indebtedness, including prepayment fees of approximately $5 million. Ormat expects its annual interest expense to decrease as a result of this refinancing. The Bonds will be listed on the TACT-Institutional System maintained by The Tel Aviv Stock Exchange Ltd. The Bonds will not be resold in the United States or to any "U.S. person" absent registration under the Securities Act or the availability of an applicable exemption from the registration requirements under the Securities Act. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy the Bonds, nor shall there be any offering or sale of Bonds in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. About Ormat Technologies With over five decades of experience, Ormat Technologies, Inc. is a leading geothermal company and the only vertically integrated company engaged in geothermal and recovered energy generation (REG), with the objective of becoming a leading global provider of renewable energy. The company owns, operates, designs, manufactures and sells geothermal and REG power plants primarily based on the Ormat Energy Converter - a power generation unit that converts low-, medium- and high-temperature heat into electricity. With 72 U.S. patents, Ormats power solutions have been refined and perfected under the most grueling environmental conditions. Ormat has 450 employees in the U.S. and over 600 employees overseas. Ormats flexible, modular solutions for geothermal power and REG are ideal for the vast range of resource characteristics. The company has engineered, manufactured and constructed power plants, which it currently owns or has installed for utilities and developers worldwide, totaling over 2,000 MW of gross capacity. Ormats current 707 MW generating portfolio is spread globally across the U.S., Guatemala, Guadeloupe and Kenya. Ormats Safe Harbor Statement Information provided in this press release may contain statements relating to current expectations, estimates, forecasts and projections about future events that are "forward-looking statements" as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements generally relate to Ormat's plans, objectives and expectations for future operations and are based upon its management's current estimates and projections of future results or trends. Actual future results may differ materially from those projected, including Ormats expectation that its annual interest expense will decrease, as a result of certain risks and uncertainties. For a discussion of such risks and uncertainties, see "Risk Factors" as described in Ormat Technologies, Inc.'s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on February 26, 2016. These forward-looking statements are made only as of the date hereof, and we undertake no obligation to update or revise the forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Publisher and broadcaster Norah Casey is recovering this week after working through a ruptured appendix - which forced her to undergo emergency surgery. The publishing boss only sought medical attention at the behest of a family member. Ms Casey was subsequently diagnosed with a gangrene appendix - and doctors told her that most people who are in her position "end up in the morgue". Speaking at home this weekend, the Harmonia chairperson and champion of women in the workplace, described how for five days, she continued to push through chronic pain to meet her hectic work commitments. "It started on the Monday three weeks ago and I was doubled over with pain. I was pretending it wasn't there. "By the Thursday and Friday of that week, I had massive pain ripping across my tummy. I had to pull the car in four or five times on the way to work." On the Friday, her appendix had ruptured, and by the Saturday, she was on the way to a lunch at a friend's home in Co Wicklow when her 17-year-old son Darragh demanded she go to hospital. After surgeons rushed her to emergency theatre in Dublin's Blackrock Clinic, they told her that most people in her situation, "if they don't get help, are in the morgue". Now recovering at home, she says: "I do think I had a near-death experience. I definitely feel that I had a lucky escape and I know that my surgeon is at pains to tell me that all the time." She says: "It is not good that your 17-year-old son is the one who encourages you to go to see a doctor. "If he hadn't done that, I think I would have ploughed on and this particular lunch was in middle of nowhere. All of my friends say that if I had collapsed at that lunch, there is every chance I wouldn't have had the medical attention I needed." Commenting on why she continued to work through the pain, she says: "I think I thought the world would stop if I didn't continue working. "The difficulty for someone who is made the way I am is that I don't actually think I can ever be sick. "I am in denial most of the time. And this time, I was incredibly unwell and I knew it, but there was this big thing in my subconscious that kept saying, 'You are grand, just get on with it and it will all go away eventually', but it was way beyond human endurance," she said. Speaking about her work ethic, she said: "I don't see days as divided into 'work versus chilling out'. Some days I don't get up from the computer screen until 10pm at night and I generally work through weekends. "Everyone in my life has told me I have to take a break and I haven't done that. I definitely think the last while took its toll. "When your appendix ruptures, and you don't seek help, it is 50/50 death versus life, and I didn't even see it," she says. Ms Casey has rescheduled her highly anticipated inaugural Festival of Women and Women's Academy event for early next year. Cabinet upheaval is distracting Transport Minister Shane Ross and preventing him from resolving the Dublin Bus pay dispute, according to the National Bus and Railway Union (NBRU). The union criticised junior minister John Halligan for using up his Independent Alliance colleague's time to push a personal agenda and distract Mr Ross. NBRU general secretary Dermot O'Leary said it is "farcical" that Mr Ross spent a large portion of last week trying to convince Mr Halligan to stay in government while more than 400,000 commuters faced chaos in the capital. Unions are not expecting a resolution in the pay dispute before further strike action is taken next Thursday and Friday, with communication channels closed between unions, Dublin Bus and the Government. "Nobody has been talking to us directly or through backchannels," said Mr O'Leary. "The silence is deafening. "My understanding is that the minister spent many hours talking to John Halligan this week, who is having his own difficulties in government at the moment. "The public will look at a situation where Shane Ross, an Independent minister, spent hours trying to convince another Independent to stay in government and support Fine Gael. "I would have thought if he had spent a fraction of that time used trying to persuade a colleague to stay in government on the bus dispute, we might be further down the road in trying to resolve it." The transport chaos of Thursday and Friday, when bus commuters were forced to find alternative travel arrangements, is likely to be repeated this week. Drivers went on strike in pursuit of a 15pc pay increase. Workers at the company previously rejected an 8.25pc pay rise suggested by the Labour Court. Further strike action is scheduled to take place on Thursday and Friday this week, with two further strikes planned for the following Friday and Saturday. Siptu organiser John Murphy said the unions will meet on Thursday to discuss the possibility of an all-out strike. "If the first efforts don't work out it is likely we will have an all-out strike. We don't know yet but it will be discussed on Thursday," he said. "The likelihood is that if there is no movement by Thursday we will see where we are. People seem to be rowing in behind the dispute so it is likely that the route we will take will be spoken about then." Mr O'Leary said all-out strike action was an option after these planned disputes but it was not something he would like to see: "We take our lead from the lads on the picket line. The (Transport) Minister, coming from South Dublin, is in a constituency that has various options around public transport in terms of the Luas, Dart and the bus. "There are people living in the greater Dublin area, North County Dublin in particular, who are terribly affected. Other politicians out there who are in government need to take a good hard look at themselves," he added. The resignation of Minister of State John Halligan appeared inevitable last night after he rounded on Fine Gael in an explosive interview with the Sunday Independent. In a dramatic intervention that will throw the Government into its biggest crisis since it was formed four months ago, Mr Halligan has accused Fine Gael of a "stitch-up" and three Fine Gael ministers of "dirty politics". The Training and Skills Minister challenged Taoiseach Enda Kenny to sack him, but also threatened to "walk away" if a second catheterisation laboratory was not provided at University Hospital Waterford. A 'cath lab' is a specialist facility where heart problems can be diagnosed. Mr Halligan warned: "I will bring all hell down on top of them if they don't deliver this." The Independent Alliance TD told RTE News on Sunday morning that he does not want to resign from the coalition Government but warned that promises made to him over University Hospital Waterford have to be delivered. "I really do not want to leave Government" but added "I will step down if I have to." "I regret that it has come to this", he said, adding that he could not "sully" his principles. This weekend, there had been some hope in Government circles that a deal could be reached to avoid Mr Halligan's resignation, but that hope receded last night after Mr Halligan's interview. Read More In hard-hitting comments that will further strain already difficult relations with Fine Gael, the junior minister said: "I am angry with Fine Gael in total. I am really angry. I am angry with the people I negotiated with - Michael Noonan, Simon Coveney and Leo Varadkar." But he also said: "I am steadfast in my refusal to be intimidated by Fine Gael. I will not back down." He added: "I don't want to bring down the Government. But if it takes that, I will have to." The junior minister said: "I am not going to be f***ed over by anybody. I don't care if it is the man on the street or some guy threatening me. And you can print that. "Somebody said to me during the week: 'Sometimes you have got to bite down and suck up.' Read More "Well, John Halligan does not bite down and suck up for anybody. And you can print that. And I don't give a damn. I'll face down anybody." Mr Halligan turned on Finance Minister Mr Noonan, Housing Minister Mr Coveney, and also Health Minister Simon Harris with whom he is still in negotiations. He said his Independent Alliance colleague Shane Ross had witnessed the agreement with Mr Noonan to provide a second cath lab in Waterford. He added that the Transport Minister "will back" his version of events. If Mr Noonan denied this, he said, then "he is telling lies". Mr Halligan also rounded on Independent Alliance colleague Kevin 'Boxer' Moran, accusing him of being an "idiot" for suggesting that he should accept a watered-down deal on offer for Waterford hospital. Read More There were indications this weekend that Mr Harris might offer Mr Halligan a second review of the Waterford hospital decision next year. But it will be difficult for Fine Gael to move on after the Independent Alliance minister's interview with the Sunday Independent this weekend. In that interview, Mr Halligan said: "What they should do now, if they believe I am destabilising the Government, is put me out. F*** 'em. Put me out. I don't care. If that's what they want to do, put me out. But I know what I am doing is right and honourable." If Mr Halligan resigns, the Government will be dependent on the support of former Fine Gael minister Michael Lowry to survive. The arrangement between Fine Gael and Fianna Fail is based on the Fine Gael-led minority Government having the support of 58 Dail members. Mr Lowry also supports the Government, bringing its current maximum number of votes to 59. Read More Mr Halligan also made a serious charge of "interference" from other hospitals to deny the second laboratory at Waterford. "I haven't said this to anyone else, but you can print it: I feel there was interference. And that's what it comes down to. It comes down to interference." Last night, there was a clear view in Fine Gael that the party had come to the end of the road with Mr Halligan. Minister of State at the Department of Finance Eoghan Murphy told the Sunday Independent that Mr Halligan's recent comments relating to Mr Noonan were "unacceptable". He said: "Michael Noonan is in Europe fighting to protect Ireland's reputation and to have any member of our own Government attack his credibility at this time is unacceptable." In his Sunday Independent interview, Mr Halligan also describes Mr Noonan as a good man, but says the Finance Minister "has to live with his own conscience" if he denies there was an agreement to provide a second cath lab in Waterford. He also says he will be "bitterly disappointed" with Simon Coveney "as a human being" if he continues to deny the deal. Read More In relation to Mr Harris, he says: "I am bitterly disappointed with Simon." It also emerged last night that Mr Halligan was told by Mr Harris in August that a review of the Waterford cath lab plan did not recommend a second laboratory for the hospital. This has been confirmed by the Independent minister. However, in his Sunday Independent interview, Mr Halligan claims the HSE pre-warned, in writing, the independent expert who carried out the review that "the service would be a waste of very limited resources". He said: "It has to be a stitch-up I feel set up because they broke their promise that they had no intention of delivering it in the first place." In relation to Mr Harris's current insistence that the second cath lab could not be provided in the face of an independent review, Mr Halligan said: "If Harris still stands his ground on it, well then it's giddy-up time with me. And that's it." Read the full interview in today's Sunday Independent Last week, coveted Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) status was awarded to two Irish food products made by the Oriel Sea Salt Company in Clogherhead, Co Louth: its Mineral Sea Salt and Sea Mineral Extract. Oriel is the first Irish company since 1999 to receive PDO status (akin to champagne) from the EU. PDO covers agricultural products and foodstuffs which are produced, processed and prepared in a given geographical area using recognised know-how. The last Irish company to receive this designation was Imokilly for its Regato cheese. Oriel Mineral Sea Salt is harvested from the bay of Port Oriel in Co Louth. It is powder-like to the touch and naturally crystal white so does not need to be washed or rinsed. The quality of the salt results from a combination of deep water currents, the mineral content and purity of the water, and from the process used to make, preserve and refine these characteristics. Harvesting of sea salt in Port Oriel dates back centuries to when salt was a vital ingredient in preserving fish landed at the harbour for consumption, storage and subsequent transport to market. The salt is lower in sodium and has a higher mineral content than other sea salts, meaning that less salt is required to impart flavour. Oriel Sea Minerals are concentrated sea mineral salts in liquid form, and these too have also been accorded PDO status. They are marketed as a food supplement providing magnesium and minerals and used as an active ingredient in cosmetics and other products. With the addition of these two names, Ireland now has seven food names protected in the EU quality register as four products - the Waterford Blaa, Connemara Hill Lamb, Timoleague Brown Pudding and Clare Island Salmon - hold the Protected Geographical Indicator (PGI) status. Oriel has also teamed up with Teelings Whiskey to make a Teeling Whiskey Smoked Sea Salt, which has become a successful export to the US in partnership with the San Francisco Sea Salt Company. Irish chefs such as Ross Lewis, Ed Cooney, Noel McMeel and Domini Kemp use Oriel sea salt, as do Irish brands including O'Donnell's Crisps, Improper Butter, and Glastry Ice Cream. Bites.. DIANA HENRY: SIMPLE Expand Close Diana Henry book / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Diana Henry book Diana Henry is based in London but grew up in the North, so I'm claiming her as Ireland's most eloquent food writer, with recipe after recipe that cry out to be tried. Her new book is Simple: Effortless Food, Big Flavours and it's even lovelier than its predecessors. Mitchell Beazley, 25. RHODA COCOA Expand Close Rhoda Cocoa / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Rhoda Cocoa Rhoda Kirwan's exquisite hand-crafted chocolate fusions - single origin dark chocolate with caramel sprinkles and sea salt is one - are available in Wicklow at Holland's of Bray, SuperValu Greystones and, until September 18, at the Pop-Up shop in Dun Laoghaire, Dublin beside the People's Park. Divine. NICOYA Expand Close Nicoya Salad / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Nicoya Salad Nicoya Enrichment makes dishes inspired by indigenous tribes. Its nourishing salads are produced in Dublin and are a cut above what's on offer in the pre-packaged salad sector; we particularly like the asparagus, quinoa and kimchi version, which is available at Donnybrook Fair and other outlets. Holy show: A nun at the canonisation of the first Native American saint Caterina Tekakwitha (known as Lily of the Mohawks) held by Pope Benedict XVI in 2012 As up to 100,000 people gathered in St Peter's Square last Sunday for the canonisation of Mother Teresa of Calcutta, many of those present will have interpreted the event as a kind of honours ceremony: she was being 'made' a saint; sainthood was being bestowed upon her by the Pope in much the same way as the Queen of England might honour an exceptional individual with an OBE. For others present, however, Mother Teresa was long regarded as a living saint and no declaration of a pope could add or detract from that reality. More observers still will have approached the event with bemusement, while nevertheless allowing themselves to enjoy it as an anachronistic piece of religious theatre. The concept of sainthood has changed frequently over the centuries. In Paul's first-century letter to the Romans, he refers to the early Christian community as "called to be saints" (Rom 1:17). And yet, it would not be long before the category of 'saint' would adopt a narrower meaning. The earliest evidence of a cult of the saints is connected with the honour paid to Christian martyrs, the anniversaries of their deaths being commemorated as a dies natalis (literally, the day of their "birth" into heaven). In the fourth century, after the period of persecutions when martyrdom became less achievable for Christians, new holy figures emerged. These were the hermits and ascetics, both women and men, who retreated from the world to dedicate themselves to lives of virginity, prayer, fasting, and penance. In a way, they went one step further than the earlier martyrs, for they were understood to have chosen daily martyrdom, putting their own desires to death day after day. A new saintly elite had been born, and this strand within the Christian tradition would evolve into various shades of monasticism. Unfortunately, one of its effects was to situate 'holiness' at a remove from the majority of the Christian population, leaving the impression that few 'ordinary' men and women could hope to achieve real sanctity. For the first millennium of Christian history, those who were recognised to be 'saints' achieved this status by popular acclamation at local level, often aided by reports of miracles and wonder-working. Indeed, this was a crucial element in the recognition of a saint, localities often wishing to one-up each other in the proliferation of their own candidate's miracles. Augustine recounts how favours received from saints were publicly read out in church as early as the fifth century, foreshadowing the 'publication' of saintly favours in newspapers and religious magazines through the 20th century, a practice which continues in some quarters to this day. Over time, however, declarations of sainthood became more centralised. The first evidence we have for a pope canonising an individual dates from as late as 993, but it is not until 1234 that popes reserved to themselves the exclusive right to canonise. This put in train increasing layers of bureaucracy, the requirement of attested miracles and the introduction of the 'Devil's Advocate', witness for the prosecution, as it were, whose job it was to unmask the would-be saint as, in reality, a scoundrel. Although the presence of a local cult of a saint remained important, having a say in declaring who was a saint was largely removed from the grass-roots. Certain patterns of sainthood soon emerged. Men outnumbered women (usually aristocrats or religious, or both) four to one. Few were lay people and even fewer peasants, with the exception of one Isidore the Farmer (who died in 1130) to whom King Philip III of Spain had a special devotion. Very occasionally there were fast-track canonisations (Francis of Assisi was one), but others had long periods of time to wait. Joan of Arc's canonisation in 1920 has often been regarded as a political move by Pope Benedict XV, who wished to bring about some form of reconciliation between Rome and an anti-clerical Republican government in France after some 15 years of broken diplomatic relations. In more recent times, Pope John Paul II was very anxious to widen the pool of canonised saints, achieving a greater gender and geographical balance, not to mention re-emphasising what Vatican II termed the "universal call to holiness". This trend continued when, in October 2012, his successor, Benedict XVI, canonised the first Native American saint from North America, Kateri Tekakwitha. Declaring a person to be a saint is not the equivalent of declaring a person to have been perfect or to have always got things right. Rather, it is the public recognition that, in the midst of human brokenness and frailty, an individual can nevertheless reflect something of God's presence in the world to a significant degree and in a manner which inspires others to do the same. What's a pity, however, is when the public nature of canonisation is allowed to obscure the reality of the no-less-genuine sanctity of so many individuals whose names will never be read out in St Peter's Square, 'saints' whom many of us have known and loved and whose example has impressed itself upon us in how we try to live our lives. Moreover, these everyday saints may even have been easier to live with. After the death of Mother Teresa in 1997, one of her fellow sisters is reported to have expressed a wish for a less dynamic successor: "I've lived with one saint already and I don't want to have to live with another" Salvador Ryan is Professor of Ecclesiastical History at St Patrick's College, Maynooth Pain relief: Tom Curran with his wife Marie Fleming, who died in 2013 after being diagnosed with MS. 'Her whole body would relax completely,' says Tom about Marie using medical cannabis I have been pushed to the very limits of my mental strength and, at times, cannabis provided me a moment of relief: Ben Morgan (centre) pictured with his brothers Don and Rob In 1839, Limerick-born physicist William O'Shaughnessy was credited as the first expert to introduce cannabis to Western medicine after researching its benefits in Calcutta. His second trip to India saw him knighted by Queen Victoria and dubbed the "grandfather of cannabis research". Almost 175 years later, a promising comedian by the name of Aodhrua Fitzgerald was diagnosed with a rare bone cancer at the age of 19. Before his death at the age of 21, Fitzgerald was open about his use of medical cannabis to alleviate his symptoms. "It didn't cure him but it gave him a sense of grounding, and acceptance," says his friend Graham De Barra. "No one else in Ireland was standing up publicly and defending medical cannabis." In the years since his friend's death, De Barra founded the non-profit organisation Help Not Harm, and has co-organised the inaugural Global Medical Cannabis Summit, to be held in Dublin later this week. The event, which De Barra is calling "the Web Summit for medical cannabis", will see experts in science, policy and campaigning convene to discuss innovations in the field. There is a sense that Ireland has some catching up to do in terms of awareness and education, and that policy-makers here could learn from the models in Germany and Croatia (policy experts from both countries will attend the summit). The recent success of American states California and Colorado, which were this week joined by Ohio, in taking the drug out of the hands of criminal gangs has led to a revival of campaigns to overturn laws banning cannabis. Some are campaigning for outright decriminalisation; an outcome that might prove less acceptable to the general public as it would provide access to recreational users. The 'pharmacy' model is problematic, too, as drug companies are likely to price the drug out of people's reach. "Germany decided it would reform its medical law to allow for prescription medicines to be made available for free," says De Barra. "We would like to see a prescription-based model under the Drugs Payment Scheme, which would be subsidised through tax. "I'd love to see it available in a tincture, capsule or rubbing cream, not in a joint, not smoking, not inhaling anything that's toxic," he adds. Legislation around medical cannabis is back on Ireland's political agenda. In July, Brid Smith, deputy of the Anti-Austerity Alliance/People Before Profit, introduced a bill (put forward by Gino Kenny TD) in the Dail that would see cannabis legalised for medicinal use. Smith is proposing to establish a Cannabis Regulation Authority and "that authority would be bearing the costs that may occur to the State as a result". Smith added that distributors would have to be licensed, with restrictions on selling and holding it. Yet the fate of the bill, which could be passed as late as next year, if at all, is unclear; in 2013, the Government shot down a bill to legalise cannabis. When contacted for comment, the Department of Health issued the following statement: "The Department of Health is aware that cannabis for medical use has been legalised in countries such as the Netherlands and Israel. We continue to monitor developments in this regard. The issue of cannabis for medical purposes is likely to be considered in the context of the new National Drugs Strategy. We are also aware of a recently published Private Member's Bill on cannabis for medicinal use and officials are examining its content." De Barra is not optimistic. "I'm not a betting man but I'd give it a 50-50 chance of passing." For now, Irish people with MS, epilepsy, diabetes, cancer and other conditions find themselves in a limbo, and there are still no approved drugs on the market. "It's hard to quantify how many people are using medical cannabis in Ireland (although it is thought that there are one million medical cannabis-users in Britain), but given the numbers of people who have epilepsy, cancer, MS, MND or other muscle or brain-related conditions, you could take a guess at how many potential cases there could be," says De Barra. It's a swiftly-growing global industry, worth around $2.6bn (2.3bn), according to ArcView, a financial network in San Francisco. The options here for those who want to take cannabis for medical reasons are limited: grow it themselves, or procure it as recreational users might - on the black market, through a dealer, friend or 'down the pub'. It goes without saying that the buyer has no way of knowing what quality of product he might end up with. Where most cannabis used to be sold in the form of hash, nowadays it is more likely to be found in the potent form of skunk. King's College London linked it to 24pc of new psychosis cases. And if users are caught, medical reasons or not, they face a fine of up to 2,750 and 12 months in prison for a third offence. It's a risk that Tom Curran was certainly mindful of when his wife, the activist Marie Fleming, began to feel the devastating effects of multiple sclerosis. When Fleming passed away in 2013, Curran revealed that she had been using cannabis to ease the pain and spasms she experienced. "It wasn't just physical pain, it was neurological," recalls Tom. "It was like she had a burning pain all over her body, and when we increased the pain medication, she was almost comatose. Pretty soon she was taking the maximum dose and it wasn't controlling her pain completely." Within the MS community, word is generally out about the effects of medicinal cannabis. "In that situation, we'd try anything," says Tom. "We got it as a (resin) soapbar, although you don't know what you will get, and I was frightened putting stuff into Marie's body that might do more harm than good." As it happened, the effects were immediate. "Her whole body would relax completely," recalls Curran. "You'd have to see the effect to believe it. It eased to the extent that we started to have a good life together. And with using full cannabis, it really lifted her spirit and made her feel alive again." In time, Curran procured seeds from the internet and began to grow his own cannabis at their home. "I never made any noise about what I was doing, but I remember a few people giving me quizzical looks down the pub once they found out," he laughs. "Some might have said, 'you're part of the drugs scene now', but once you explain how well it worked, they seemed to understand. But I know lots of people in the MS world who grow and process their own cannabis and are fearful of going public about it. They have something that works and they don't want to risk losing that." "Patients shouldn't have to grow their own cannabis for medical reasons," says De Barra. "It needs to go through quality assurance and certain standards. When patients rely on criminal gangs to sell them a substance, you run the risk of being robbed or getting something really low-grade." Daniel Kirby, chairman of the DCU branch of Students for Sensible Drug Policy Ireland, says: "The big problem that many have with the illegality of cannabis is that it funds criminal gangs. At the moment, the money goes to people growing it themselves or towards organised crime, when it should be regulated or grown by the State." Cannabis's counter-cultural or anti-social reputation has weighed on the minds of many. "When it comes to the parents of children with epilepsy, I've yet to find a parent willing to break the law," says De Barra. "They're not prepared to take the risk of giving their child an unknown substance. There is a lot of stigma: Child Protection services could get involved, and some doctors will simply walk away from you." Sativex, an oral spray that contains extracts from the cannabis plant, is credited with easing MS symptoms. It was cleared for use here in 2014, but the drug, which can cost users up to 800 (947.50) a month in Britain, still cannot be bought or sold in Ireland because the Department of Health and the drug's Irish distributor have not yet agreed on a price. The National Centre for Pharmacoeconomics has estimated that the cost to the State would be between 4,500 and 5,000 for every MS patient. Ava Battles, MS Ireland Chief Executive, says they would support the drug becoming available here. "MS Ireland is disappointed that Sativex (licensed product) remains inaccessible to those with MS that need it. Ongoing research into the benefits of medicinal cannabis and cannabis-based medication extract for the symptoms of MS has shown the efficacy of such treatments to reduce spasticity, pain, sleep disturbances and other symptoms associated with MS. "MS Ireland believes people with MS should have access to all and any appropriate and licensed treatments that would improve or assist in the management of their condition." Some 38pc of Irish adults support the abolition of laws banning cannabis, according to a 2014 Red C poll - up from just 24pc in 1998. And a recent RTE poll found that 79pc of the Irish public support the legal access of medical cannabis. Yet many people still don't make a distinction between recreational and medical cannabis use, and that's not surprising, given how it is procured in both instances in exactly the same way. Barnes explains the distinction between cannabis used in recreational and medical contexts: "There are two main components in cannabis. The psychoactive element, THC (the tetrahydrocannabino molecule), is the one that gets you stoned. "If you put it together with CBD (the non-psychoactive Cannabidiol chemical), you don't get stoned. It's quite unlikely that you can get stoned with the medical dosage we suggest." The future of legislation still hangs in the balance, but those lobbying for change are keen to put the human face of medical cannabis - those willing to talk out about their cannabis use - front and centre. Comedian Ben Morgan (son of Father Ted star Dermot) was diagnosed with cancer - Nodular Sclerosing Hodgkin's Lymphoma - earlier this year at the age of 22. On his popular blog Stage Four Chancer (stagefourchancer.tumblr.com), he wrote with candour of his decision to use medical cannabis: "Cancer completely destroyed my appetite and, at many times, self-medicating was the only viable option for me to be able to eat and survive. "I have been pushed to the very limits of my mental strength over the past month or so and, at times, cannabis provided me a moment of relief, which allowed me to relax and consider my situation in an objective and calm manner. "These little moments of calm meant the absolute world to me and I have no doubt that, without them, my attitude towards my situation would not be so positive." Medical Marijuana in numbers 5,000 The amount in euro that The National Centre for Pharmacoeconomics has estimated that the cost to the State could be for every MS patient. 76 million The amount in dollars that Colorado made from taxes on medical sales and fees levied on the cannabis industry in 2014. 38 Percentage of Irish adults who support the abolition of laws banning cannabis, according to a 2014 Red C poll. 2,750 The maximum fine in euro that people who are caught buying cannabis can face. 2.6 billion The worth in dollars of the global medical cannabis industry, according to ArcView, a financial network in San Francisco. 2,604,079 An estimate of legal medical cannabis users in the US. The Global Medical Cannabis Summit takes place at the Smock Alley Theatre in Dublin on September 14. For more details see www.globalmedicalcannabis.org/ There are some signs that the student starting in first year now will have much greater choice of purpose-built student accommodation by the time they enter their final year. Two years ago, I authored a piece for Prime Time entitled 'The Mystery of the Missing Cranes'. Looking across Dublin from the Guinness Storehouse, there was not a crane to be seen. This was the starting point for a piece on why there were so few new homes being built at the time. If you do the same exercise today, you will see lots of cranes dotted across the Dublin skyline. On the face of it, this seems like the problem has been solved. However, almost all the cranes you see in the Dublin skyline currently are not building new residential space, they are building new commercial space - in particular, new office space. In fact, so much new office space is currently being built in Dublin that experts predict when it all comes on stream, prime rents per square metre will fall. This is likely to be in 2018 or maybe 2019, but it is a clear indication from Ireland's commercial real estate sector that accessing finance is not the issue. Once you move beyond the office sector, however, the picture is far less rosy. Ireland - and Dublin, in particular - faces an ongoing and worsening shortage of all forms of residential accommodation: from hotel rooms to hospital beds, from studio apartments to family homes, simply not enough are being built. In the first half of 2016, roughly 5,000 new homes were started nationwide - many of those rural one-offs that will never come onto the market. During the same six months, Ireland needed to build somewhere between 15,000 and 20,000 new homes. So for every three new households being formed, just one new dwelling was started. And in Dublin, the ratio is closer to 5:1. Last week's column discussed the latest figures from the rental market and, given the time of year, the implications they have for students. Yet another year of double-digit increases in rents means even more students will have to commute longer distances, or stay at home with their parents, or even choose a different college because they can't afford rents close to their first preference. Thus, the picture for 2016/17 students who have not yet got somewhere to live is bleak. However, there are some signs that the student starting in first year now will have much greater choice of purpose-built student accommodation by the time they enter their final year. Over the last 12 months, a number of planning applications have been lodged and, together with projects earlier in the pipeline, these may mean a significantly more professional student accommodation market by 2020. Currently, the greater Dublin area is home to less than 10,000 purpose-built student homes. Roughly two-thirds of these are on-campus or official university units. And as of this academic year just starting, there are a little over 3,000 privately supplied purpose-built student units in the greater Dublin area. Within the next 18 months, projects already under construction should add an additional 1,500 student units across a number of city centre locations. There are a number of other planning applications - including the Point Village and two private schemes in Grangegorman - which may add another 3,500 student units between 2018 and 2020. Together with other possible developments, including by Ziggurat, this suggests a potential trebling of privately supplied purpose-built student accommodation over the coming five years. How do we marry this hive of activity in the private student accommodation sector with the overall problem dogging Irish residential real estate of high costs relative to income and affordability? It is true that the vast majority of students spend less than 150 per week on accommodation. However, the supply of student accommodation is so scarce that the new accommodation can target the top 10-20pc of students, in terms of weekly budget, and not worry about the average student. This is why we're seeing private student accommodation being built in the greater Dublin area. Dublin's higher education institutions do not have the luxury of only catering to high-income students, however. They need to worry about the average student and thus, they also plan to add new on-campus units over the coming five years. The challenge for these organisations, though, is squaring the circle: if new student beds can't be built for less than 200 per week, but the average student can only afford 150, who will fill the gap? So while there is likely to be good news over the coming years, in terms of student accommodation, the case of Irish universities' own accommodation will show that the underlying problem hasn't gone away. All these new units will ease pressure on the rental market, and for that they're welcome, but that's no excuse for inaction when it comes to high construction cost here. Ronan Lyons is assistant professor of economics at Trinity College Dublin and author of the Daft.ie Reports Renault, the French car maker, expects diesel engines to gradually disappear from most of its European cars, according to the news agency Reuters. There has been no official announcement to this effect from the company, but the move is believed to be a response to the implications of the Volkswagen emissions scandal. Almost a year to the date since VW admitted engineering software to cheat US diesel emissions tests, more stringent EU standards, due in 2020, are forcing major European car-makers to revise their strategic plans. Earlier this year, Renault's head office was raided by French government officials as a part of a probe, into vehicle emissions, investigating claims that these actually were higher than the legal limits. Europe is a major market for diesel cars and many companies have heavily invested in them despite plans for much stricter EU emissions standards. The Reuters report says that at a recent internal company meeting Renault's Chief Competitiveness Officer, Thierry Bollore, was reported to have expressed doubt that diesel would survive as a viable part of their small/medium passenger car offering due to tougher standards and testing methods that will increase the overall technology costs. Renault no longer offers a diesel engine on its A Segment models such as the Twingo, and it could potentially stop producing diesel engines for their B and C segment models such as the Clio or Megane by 2020. The A, B and C segments accounted for a large slice of the group's 1.6 million cars sold last year and more than 60pc of them were diesels. Commenting on the Reuters report, Renault Ireland spokesman said: "There is nothing new, Renault has always said that it will adapt its offer according to the local market demand." But it is not just concerns about the financial feasibility of producing cleaner engines that point to a bleak future for diesel - the large number of diesel cars on urban roads gives rise to health concerns from the gases they produce including NOX (nitric oxide and nitrogen dioxide), sulphur oxide and particle matter emissions. The World Health Organisation estimates that traffic-generated air pollution causes seven million premature deaths annually as well as impacting negatively on the lives of many more. To tackle this serious health risk, a number of cities including London, Paris and several German cities, are moving to restrict or even ban diesel-engine vehicles from within their boundaries. In many European countries, the proliferation of diesel-powered cars has been encouraged by environmentally inspired tax incentives to tackle CO2 emissions. In Ireland, diesel has been the fuel of choice for most drivers over the past number of years. Sold on the environmental benefits of low levels of CO2 as well as the consequent improvement in fuel economy, such is their appeal that they now make up more than 75pc of cars on our roads. According to the Central Statistics Office, 70pc of the 119,952 new cars taxed between January and July had diesel engines. But our love affair with diesel didn't start by chance. The current situation is the result of changes made to the motor tax system that was intended to lower carbon emissions by pushing people towards diesel. In 2008, the Fianna Fail-Green Party coalition changed the VRT and motor tax system from one based on engine capacity to the current one based on CO2 emissions. As a result of this change and improvements in the performance of diesel cars, sales dramatically shifted in favour of diesel, and the percentage of new petrol cars fell from 70pc in 2007 to 32pc by the end of 2009. Given the immediate health concerns of diesel emissions, the decision to prioritise reduced carbon emissions by incentivising diesel would seem to be a misguided one. The Government is now considering increasing the excise duty charged on diesel in the Budget next month to be equal to the rate applied on petrol. Currently the excise duty paid on petrol is 22pc (11 cent) higher than diesel. The plan, if implemented, would see the price of a litre of diesel brought into line with the price of a litre of petrol over a five-year period. The UK has already has equalised excise rates on petrol and diesel and a number of countries, notably France and Belgium, have also moved to equalise the excise rate. Meanwhile in Ireland, a recent sitting of Castlebar District Court represented the latest instalment of the "dieselgate" saga where Roscommon nurse Eithne Higgins is suing VW Ireland for losses claimed in relation to her 2010 Seat Leon as a result of the scandal. The car company's legal team walked out last week claiming that the district court has no jurisdiction to hear the case; however, proceedings continued without them. MERIDIAN, Miss., Sept. 11, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Opternative, a vision test app, entered the market without the necessary approval to guarantee its use as a safe and effective tool to diagnose vision problems, reports Primary Eyecare and Optical of Meridian. The American Optometric Association has recently filed a complaint against the marketing and use of Opternative. Patients who want to maintain their eye health should continue the practice of annual in-person eye exams. The American Optometric Association (AOA) has lodged an FDA complaint against Opternative. Without any FDA review of the vision test app from Opternative, there may be significant health risks to the general public. The complaint was submitted as of April 4th with the argument that marketing of Opternative without the support of federal approval violates the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act (FDCA). Inventors filed a patent application but the product has not received needed premarket approval before being marketed to the public. The AOA requests that the device be properly reviewed by the FDA before potentially reentering the market. Eye doctors are worried about the potential negative impact of unproven products that can place patients at risk. Dr. Steven A. Loomis, O.D., AOA president stated: Instead of apps or device of the moment that promise everything but deliver inadequate or incomplete information, Americans want new health care technologies, like those incorporated into my practice and optometry practices across the country, that strengthen the doctor-patient relationship and help make people healthier. In this era of rapid health care change, our AOA and state associations are on the leading edge of the fight for very basic health and safety standards, and a future in which health care efficiency is based on gains in quality and improved patient outcomes. Dr. Minh Duong, an optometrist at Primary Eyecare and Optical of Meridian says that, My team and I support the initiative of the AOA and warn our patients of using Opternative, an unproven technology that could potentially cause risks to users. This vision app technology requires individuals to competently use a number of self-administered tests that in some instances do not follow customary vision practices. Patients should see their eye doctor for accurate vision exams using proven, approved and standardized technologies to maintain their vision and identify any problems. Dr. Minh Duong offers vision services at Primary Eyecare and Optical of Meridian to the residents of Meridian and the surrounding communities in Mississippi and Alabama. This family practice helps children and adults with eye care and vision needs. Services include eye exams, Optomap retinal imaging, eye disease care, vision testing, contact lens exams, and pre-operative and post-operative care. Call (601) 485-2020 to learn about in-person vision exams or visit http://primaryeyecarems.com/ for more details on their optometry services. Premium Brendan OConnor Opinion The jig is up as Feis fixing has former winners like me reeling As the holder of the Marie Cranny Perpetual cup for Extempore and Public Speaking (Under 15s) in Feis Maitiu in, of all years, 1984, I would like to use this platform to say this feis-fixing scandal has sullied my legacy, and that of all other holders of the cup down the years (you had to give it back at the end of the year). Premium Dan O'Brien Opinion While we catastrophise about Covid, we ignore risk of running out of cash We Irish view the world in an increasingly strange and unhealthy way. We catastrophise about Covid in a way other European countries do not. We focus on how bad the effects of the virus could get, on how many more restrictions might be imposed by Government and how helpless we are in the face of the virus. If anybody doubts the Government is built on a foundation of sand, they should cast their minds back a while to the wheeling and dealing surrounding the formation of this administration and have real cause for concern as to whether effective governing decisions will ever be taken between now and the next election. Perhaps this headline from the Sunday Independent of April 17 last will serve to remind: "Independents hold nation to 13bn ransom." That headline led to howls of protest from Independents, and some in Fine Gael, who were appalled at the very suggestion. As it happens, the 13bn ransom is equal to the amount said to be available to Ireland in back tax from the Apple Corporation. Perhaps this further headline from April will also help: "Astonishing 'pork-barrel' list of demands exposed." This is what a Fine Gael minister told me at the time, when the 13bn figure was put to him for confirmation: "I don't have the breakdown but that sounds about right." He also said that one (named) Independent TD had asked that the full list of demands be circulated among them at a "plenary round-table meeting" to form the government. But somebody on the Fine Gael side - he could not remember who, but suggested it to be a current government minister - advised against it "in case it would cause embarrassment all round". Now, let us consider what the Independent Alliance minister John Halligan had to say last week, on being told that a review had found there was no need for his pet project, a second catheterisation laboratory at University Hospital Waterford: "I'm being quite blunt with you on this, and they can deny it if they like, but I had witnesses with me - I had a barrister with me, going through the review - that Minister Noonan told me it was a formality, [but] that they couldn't be seen to be doing a special deal with a politician." He also said that Simon Coveney had told him that if he did not sign up to support a Fine Gael-led government, that the Government would "deliver the cath-lab anyway". So, according to Halligan, he signed up in good faith. "I was honourable in signing up and I've been honourable with the Government up to now. They've been dishonourable with me." It is a moot point whether such a backroom deal could remotely be described as honourable, with "embarrassment all round" to be avoided, and with these latest claims that Fine Gael was prepared to do such a deal, but aware that it "couldn't be seen to be doing such a special deal with a politician". Fine Gael, it must be said, denies that any such deal was offered.Which should lead to a certain outcome: that the list of Independent TDs' demands and deals now be published. One among them wanted it to be circulated, but was persuaded otherwise because it could "cause embarrassment all round" - that is, to both Fine Gael and the Independent Alliance. The list should now be published in full so that voters can be informed as to the type of pork-barrel politics underpinning this administration, and in order to form a judgement as to whether such a Government is what is really required at the moment - or ever - and to inform views when voters next come to decide. That will not happen, of course - the publication of the pork-barrel list - unless there is a sustained demand for it to be published, because it is neither in the interests of Fine Gael or the Independents for it to happen; nor, truth be told, in the interests of any other political party or TD in the Dail, because nobody among them actually wants an election at the moment. But here is the question: aside from in Waterford, how many pork-barrel deals have been done that we have not and will never be told about - but which, if they were subjected to the same review as was the Waterford cat-lab deal, would not stand up to scrutiny? Scores, if not hundreds, is a good guess. What are behind the scenes deals which could cause "embarrassment all round" if they came to light? In effect, the equivalent of the Apple back tax bartered over by a handful of politicians so that a Government could be formed. It is my bet that if that list came to light, it would cause such a public outcry that an election would inevitably follow. Now, here is why the list will not come to light; that is, why nobody in the Dail wants another election to be held at this stage. Fine Gael remains stuck with Enda Kenny and the party do not want to go into another election with him as leader. And in case you're wondering, he has no intention of going. This is what he is reported to have "quipped" to Brendan Griffin at a meeting of Fine Gael chairs of Oireachtas committees last week to outline a work programme until July, the Kerry TD having earlier this year called on him to step down as Fine Gael leader: Griffin, Enda said, "would be glad to hear, I'm going nowhere". So, as far as Enda Kenny is concerned, Fine Gael is stuck with him until at least July, therefore, until the summer recess next year. This is as good as saying until the Budget next year, after which, well who knows? Maybe Enda will decide he quite fancies a further year, during which various pork-barrel deals will be implemented. The Independent Alliance, meanwhile, or those most prominent among them, are enjoying their moment in the sun - "like the cats who got the cream," as an Independent TD told me last week. More worrying for them, however, is that opinion polls have shown the tide to be going out on Independents, and if the pork-barrel list were to be published, they would be found by many to be caught with their trousers down. Fianna Fail, at the moment, is a little like St Augustine: give us an election, Lord, but not yet. Micheal Martin is in a good position to be the next Taoiseach, but would like his party to first rise further in the polls, so it could return with 60 seats or more. Furthermore, he may find himself also stuck with a minority administration afterwards, so he needs new politics to work, or to at least appear to work. Also, having signed up for three years, he would like to be a man of his word. So as of now, three years it is. Like Fine Gael, Sinn Fein is also stuck with a leader it does not want. And like the smaller far-left parties, and Independents in that space, the public's appetite for protest has waned now that water charges are off the agenda, although fulminations over the Apple back tax has the potential to channel that anger. So, all things considered, a budget will be cobbled together, the Government will struggle on from potential crisis to crisis, but little in terms of effective governance will take place over the next year or two. Maybe it's just as well. Waiting lists in public hospitals are at an all-time high. We now have 530,000 people waiting, often unacceptable lengths of time, for critical diagnostics and treatments. The system is creaking - and that's before winter has even begun. The challenges facing our public hospital system are compounded by many issues. Not least the obstacles to recruiting and retaining consultants, and the underuse of available capacity in private hospitals. As a former CEO of one of Ireland's largest and leading acute adult hospitals, St James's, and the current Deputy CEO in Beacon Hospital, I have seen the system from both sides. Public and private should not work in isolation from each other, and any ideological notion that they should is misplaced and at the root of many of our current, systematic failings. The best example of this is the new consultant contract which was introduced in 2008. Under this new contract, consultants are prohibited from taking up private-practice work outside of their hospital of employment - even after they have completed their 37-hour public commitment. This severely limits their earning capacity and is the reason why most new consultants are leaving these shores, with no plans to return. And why would they, when countries like the UK, USA, Australia and many in mainland Europe have no such restrictions in place. A decade ago, we routinely saw up to 10 top-class candidates for a consultant position - now, too often, there are none. Some of those who have moved abroad are looking to return, but the question of contract reform is foremost to their mind. This is an illogical restriction, based on miscounted ideology. And meanwhile, waiting lists grow. Dated hospital infrastructure and severe hikes in medical indemnity do not help matters either, with medical indemnity costs for surgeons having increased from approximately 20,000 per annum five years ago to 70,000 per annum now, for example. These hikes are a result of the legal cost structure, increased insurance claims and insurers leaving the market. Again, a system-wide approach is what's required to address this - a clinical indemnity insurance scheme that's utilised by those in the public and private system. Private hospitals have the capacity - and the desire - to work in tandem with the public hospitals in addressing the mounting waiting lists. The National Treatment Purchase Fund was one of the most successful approaches for facilitating this collaboration and its reintroduction from next year by Minister Harris is to be welcomed. Just this week, Minister Harris visited Beacon Hospital to officially open our newly expanded endoscopy facility. We have invested 7m in this unit, which enables us to conduct 12,000 scopes in the next year - double what we did in 2015. Endoscopy, cardiology, orthopaedics, vascular, neurology - these are just some of the areas that we are currently collaborating with public hospitals in, but not to the degree that we can because of the recurrent ideological barriers. At Beacon Hospital, we have just invested almost 35m in new diagnostic equipment and the expansion of our oncology, urology and endoscopy facilities. Contrast this with the HSE capital budget of 344m this year, of which 75pc is ring-fenced for specific projects. Therefore, only 86m is available for infrastructure replacement for the whole public health system. There are 19 private hospitals in Ireland. We have the facilities, equipment, expertise and capacity to work with our counterparts in the public system in the best interests of patients. We must bring down the ideology barriers and let the best management and healthcare professionals collaborate in a more streamlined and transparent way to guarantee our citizens access to the services they deserve. Brian Fitzgerald is Deputy CEO, Beacon Hospital Matthew McConaughey has said he did not have to work hard on his new animation Sing, as he joined fellow Oscar winner Reese Witherspoon and Scarlett Johansson at the film's premiere in Toronto. McConaughey provides the voice of Buster Moon, a koala bear who owns a struggling theatre and stages a singing contest for an array of animals in a bid to raise money. The actor, who won an Academy Award for his role in Dallas Buyers Club, said working on the animated comedy made him feel like a child again. "It's really not hard work, to be honest," he said. "I found the first time I went in the booth, I had an idea for the voice, the director liked where I was going with it, we were off and from there it's just playing. "I got to use my imagination a lot quicker in this than probably anything else I've done. I feel like an eight-year-old again which is good." Witherspoon, who won a Best Actress Oscar for Walk The Line, voices Rosita, a domestic pig who gave up her teenage music dreams to become a devoted wife and mother. Speaking at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), she said: "I play a mum who has 25 kids and I think a lot of parents can relate to the idea that you give up a lot of your dreams for your children. "I've only ever been to TIFF with serious dramas so this is really fun." Johannson, who voices Ash, a singing porcupine, said she enjoyed answering questions about a family film in contrast to her recent role as a computer operating system in the 2013 film Her. "It's great to be at any festival with a film you believe in," she said. "Of course it's easy to answer questions about being a punk rock porcupine than, 'what's it like turning into a computer?'" Sing is due to be released in UK cinemas in January. Over it: viral wedding videos have had their day in the sun. Photo: Getty I know you're truly, madly, deeply head-over-heels in love. And your relationship is so fairy-tale dreamy it would have caused the late great Nora Ephron to sit up and pay attention. I'm sure yours is a love that will be immortalised in the romantic canons; on a par with Lancelot and Queen Guinevere, or at least comparable to Chris de Burgh's devotion to blouson leather jackets. But your wedding proposal does not need to go viral. Neither does your first dance. Or the groom's speech. Or the bridal party's late night dance routine to Sir Mix-A-Lot. At first these videos were novel but I think we can all agree they've had their day in the sun. Each week, another elaborate video does the rounds. We've seen chat show proposals, sky diving proposals, Crossfit proposals, and Rose of Tralee proposals. Worse yet is the long-form proposal pieced together over several months. So cloyingly sweet it makes you want to go home and stick your head in a bucket of gin. Then there are the wedding dance-offs to Beyonce/Vanilla Ice/Richie Kavanagh. Spoiler: no one finds these funny. I know everyone laughed at the wedding but that's because they were drunk. Very, very drunk. I love an old-fashioned romance but this intense viral one-upmanship grates on me. It's dated, self-congratulatory and clickbait-y. Do we really need Facebook 'likes' to copper-fasten and validate our love? I long for a return to a simpler time, when a proposal involved uttering those simple but special words - "You're wha?!" Trooper Panti breaks a leg but show must go on As if we needed more proof that Dr Panti Bliss is an old school stage trooper. The gender discombobulist broke her foot this week while playing a very intense game of Snatch the Bacon. And no, that's not a euphemism - shame on you. Panti was in the middle of rehearsals for Tiger Dublin Fringe show RIOT when the accident occurred. Video of the Day "We were playing a game and I went over my ankle. But the show will go on," she said. Unfortunately, the injury means Panti will now have to perform in a rather clunky orthopaedic boot rather than her trademark heels. "It's not that glamorous," she said. "But we're going to try and 'Pantify it' and throw lots of glitter at the situation." Produced by Thisispopbaby, RIOT will play at the Spiegeltent in Merrion Square and will be filled with jigs, acrobatics and circus skits. Panti will lip sync extracts from Coronation Street and 1969 film The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie. Meanwhile, dance duo The Lords of Strut will perform flash raves. Sound the red-carpet death knell: glamour gone but ruckus on horizon Sound the red carpet klaxon. The 'naked dress' - favoured by the likes of Rihanna and JLo - is no longer naked enough. It has been replaced by the crotch-bearing floor-length gown. This week Italian models Giulia Salemi and Dayane Mello sauntered up the red carpet at the Venice Film Festival in dresses so revealing they made Liz Hurley's 1994 safety pin frock look like something a Quaker might wear. No one knew exactly what these women were doing on the red carpet but one thing was certain: they had no knickers on. Later in the week, there were more beautiful women in more revealing outfits on more red carpets. Those crimson carpets have become ubiquitous and, as a result, they've lost some of their lustre. "Its just models in borrowed dresses and bored actors," designer Peter O'Brien noted. "They possess all the glamour of a wet Tuesday afternoon in a Little Chef on the M41." While I agree that the red carpet has lost its glamour, I think the sense of drama has increased. That's because the carpet has now split into two rival camps. In one corner, you have the very earnest and somewhat jaded "creatives", individuals who are contractually obliged to be there, but are on a mission to prove just how tedious and vacuous they find the whole rigmarole. Last week, two members of this camp, Cillian Murphy and Jamie Dornan, attended the Dublin premiere of Anthropoid. Before they arrived journalists were told to treat "the talent" with respect. There were to be "no shout-outs and no selfies". But all the preliminary Dos and Don'ts were redundant when the two men darted past the crowds and into the cinema. In the other camp you have the "desperate upstagers", a sort of adult equivalent of the Billy Barrys - without the charm. These people have modest talent but want everyone to notice them. Last year, I saw one Irish TV presenter walk the red carpet at a black tie event four times to ensure their picture was taken. I'm pretty sure Giulia and Dayane would fall into this camp. So far, these two sides have managed to peacefully co-exist, but tensions are rising. Eventually they will clash and have some sort of spectacular red carpet showdown. And we will be there, with our buttered popcorn, ready to watch the action unfold. Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan said his government remains commitment to eliminating IS Turkey's military has said that its war planes killed 20 Islamic State group fighters in an attack on targets in northern Syria, while Turkey's president renewed a pledge to destroy the group. War planes had struck three buildings identified as belonging to IS, the Chief of General Staff's office said in a statement. A vehicle and motorcycle also were destroyed in the air strike on Saturday evening that came less than two days before a US-Russia agreement on a ceasefire in Syria takes effect. In a separate air strike on Sunday, Turkish jets struck Kurdish rebel targets in northern Iraq, killing 13 militants. The state-run Anadolu news agency cited a statement from the Chief of General Staff's office saying the militants were killed in three air strikes that also took out weapons emplacements in Iraq's Qandil mountains and the Bazian and Avasheen regions. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan reiterated his government's commitment to eliminating IS in Syria and the threat the group poses to Turkey. Mr Erdogan said in a televised message marking the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha that Turkey has a "primary duty" to its people to destroy IS and prevent it from staging attacks in Turkey. He added that the Turkish government is determined to end the "scourge" of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which renewed its 30-year insurgency for autonomy within Turkey after peace talks failed last year. Last month, Turkey sent tanks across the Syrian border to help rebels retake Jarablus, a key IS-held border town, and to contain the expansion of a Syrian Kurdish militia. Turkish jets have carried out several strikes against IS targets in Syria since the operation began. But clashes have also reportedly broken out between Turkish and Kurdish forces in the area. AP No group has claimed responsibility for the attack Three women have been shot dead after they attacked a police station at the Kenyan coast. Mombasa police boss Parterson Maelo said two policemen were wounded in the stabbing attack. The women, who were dressed in burkhas, were then shot by police. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack. Kenya faces a constant danger of being attacked by supporters of the Somali militant group al-Shabab, which has vowed retribution for Kenyan troop presence in Somalia. Al-Shabab is al Qaida's affiliate in the region. It has recruited hundreds of Kenyans and used them in numerous attacks on the country since 2011 when the Kenyan government deployed troops to Somalia to fight the militants. EL SEGUNDO, Calif., Sept. 11, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Optometry clinic Advanced Eyecare Center is pleased to announce the addition of the Barton Perreira line of eyewear at their Manhattan Beach location. The California optometrist has two South Bay locations: one in El Segundo (Manhattan Beach), and one in Redondo Beach, California. With eyewear becoming more a part of fashion and image than ever before, Advanced Eyecare Center strives to provide eyewear that is superior in both quality and design. The Barton Perreira line of eyewear has been described as dedicated to pure luxury. The brand places an emphasis on both quality and style. Artist Patty Perreira draws her inspiration from elegance in design and a focus on the evolutionary process of eyewear. The Barton Perreira ethos is known for challenging the industry to new heights of creativity. They are trend-setters and style makers, continually bringing whats possible in eyewear design to new levels. Barton Perreira designs are simultaneously bold and elegant, classic and forward-thinking. Stylish celebrities such as Matt Damon, Brad Pitt, Jim Carrey and John Mayer have been spotted wearing Barton Perreira eyewear. From daily optics to sunglasses to clip-ons to collaborative efforts with Christian Roth and Chloe Sevigny, Barton Perreira designs cover the full gamut of style. South Bay optometrist Advanced Eyecare Center is dedicated to providing a relaxed, high quality eye care experience to its clients. They are on the cutting edge of the latest technical advances in vision and eye care and provide patients with the latest in optometric products and techniques. The optometrists and staff attend conferences regularly to ensure awareness of the latest techniques in diagnosis and treatment. All of these components help to ensure Advanced Eyecare Center provides the very best in vision and eye care to clients of all ages. Their South Bay optometry offices provide comprehensive eye exams and tests that reveal conditions including macular degeneration, glaucoma, dry eye, astigmatism and cataracts. They offer a range of corrective solutions, contact lenses and premier eyeglass frames and brands. Dr. Michael Hansen explains, We strive to bring a premier experience to each client, from the exam process to treatments to their corrective solution. The Barton Perreira brand features unprecedented style that will expand our in-store frame collection in very appealing ways. Advanced Eyecare Center has California locations in El Segundo (Manhattan Beach) and Redondo Beach. Those in the public who would like to learn more about their eye care services and eyewear brands or book a vision exam may do so by calling (310) 321-6990. Additional information about both the Manhattan Beach and Redondo Beach optometry clinics is available on their website at http://advancedeyecarecenter.net/. Hillary Clinton (second from right) leaving the ceremony in New York US DEMOCRATIC candidate Hillary Clinton, diagnosed with pneumonia, became overheated and fell ill at a Sept. 11 memorial ceremony in an episode that renewed focus on her health less than two months before U.S. voters to elect their next president. Clinton had a medical examination when she got back to her home in Chappaqua, New York, according to a campaign aide. Her doctor, Lisa Bardack, said in a statement that she has been experiencing a cough related to allergies and that an examination on Friday showed that she was suffering from pneumonia. "She was put on antibiotics and advised to rest and modify her schedule. While at this morning's event, she became overheated and dehydrated. I have just examined her and she is now re-hydrated and recovering nicely," Bardack said. The 68-year-old Clinton abruptly departed the high-profile, televised event in New York City earlier Sunday and a video on social media appears to show her swaying and her knees buckling before she is helped into a motorcade event. She was taken to her daughter Chelsea's home in Manhattan and emerged around two hours later on a warm and muggy morning, wearing sunglasses and telling reporters that she was "feeling great." The video came from an unverified Twitter account under the name Zdenek Gazda, who did not respond to a request for comment. Expand Expand Previous Next Close Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton waves after leaving an apartment building Sunday, Sept. 11, 2016, in New York. Clinton's campaign said the Democratic presidential nominee left the 9/11 anniversary ceremony in New York early after feeling "overheated." (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton (AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton waves after leaving an apartment building Sunday, Sept. 11, 2016, in New York. Clinton's campaign said the Democratic presidential nominee left the 9/11 anniversary ceremony in New York early after feeling "overheated." (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) The Clinton campaign did not respond to repeated requests for comment about the authenticity of the video. Political strategists said the campaign should confront the health issue head-on to tamp down any concerns, particularly as Republican rival Donald Trump and some of his high-profile supporters have repeatedly argued that she lacked the "stamina" to battle adversaries abroad. "The bottom line is the Clinton campaign is going to have to be completely forthright about Clinton's health," said Bud Jackson, a Virginia-based Democratic strategist. Jackson suggested that "it would not be a bad move" if the campaign released more information in a crucial time of the race in which conservatives have touted conspiracies about Clinton's health. They have implied in recent weeks that Clinton's coughing spells on the campaign trail were a sign of deeper problems. PRESIDENTIAL PRECEDENTS Past presidential candidates have released much more detailed information about their health than either Trump, 70, or Clinton. For example, John McCain, the failed 2008 Republican presidential nominee, allowed reporters to see 1,173 pages of medical records after concerns were raised about a cancer scare. Republican strategist Art Hackney of Alaska, who chaired former President George W. Bush's campaigns there, doubted Sunday's health scare will fade away quickly, saying that the Trump campaign "will milk it." "These things tend to be fanned; the flames fanned like crazy by those who will use it to make one story take attention away from other stories," he said. He added, however, "I just can't for the life of me think this impacts any American who isn't already on one side or the other" in the Clinton-Trump race for the White House. Clinton had no more events on her schedule for Sunday and went, as previously planned, to her home in Chappaqua, 30 miles (50 km) north of New York City. She is scheduled to begin a trip to California and Nevada on Monday. As the solemn ceremony began at the site of the World Trade Center that was attacked by two hijacked airliners 15 years ago, there was patchy sunlight, with temperatures at about 80 degrees Fahrenheit (26.6 Celsius). But the high humidity early into the ceremony caused it to feel much hotter in the crowd at times. Clinton wore a high-collared shirt and a dark pant suit and donned sunglasses for the morning event. Democratic Representative Joe Crowley of New York, a Clinton supporter who attended the event, told Reuters that it was "incredibly, stiflingly hot" during the ceremony. CAPPING DIFFICULT DAYS Clinton has been in the news before for serious health issues. In December 2012, she suffered a concussion and shortly afterward developed a blood clot. In a letter released by her doctor in July 2015, Clinton was described as being in "excellent health" and "fit to serve" in the White House. It noted that her current medical conditions include hyperthyroidism and seasonal pollen allergies. However brief her illness was on Sunday, it comes in the wake of some tough days for Clinton, as national polls showed her lead over Trump diminishing. A Reuters/Ipsos poll of likely voters showed an 8-point lead for Clinton had vanished by the last week of August. On Saturday, Clinton came under fire from Republicans and on social media for saying Friday night that "half" of Trump's supporters belonged in a "basket of deplorables." She later said she regretted using the word "half." Clinton's speech at a campaign rally earlier this month in Cleveland was interrupted by a coughing spell. During the speech, she quipped, "Every time I think about Trump I get allergic." She then resumed her speech. That episode fueled speculation from conservative political quarters about her health. Trump supporters have been tweeting unsubstantiated theories regarding Clinton's health under the hashtag #HillarysHealth. Trump has also been under pressure to release detailed information on his health and medical history. Instead, in December, Trump's doctor wrote in a short letter that was made public that his blood pressure and laboratory results "were astonishingly excellent" and that he would be "the healthiest individual ever elected to the presidency." The car dangles from the side of the building (Screengrab/PA) Bystanders have helped rescue a driver after a vehicle plunged off the ninth floor of a Texas parking garage and dangled from the side. Austin Fire Department chief Palmer Buck said the driver later described how the vehicle did not stop as he slowly pulled into a parking spot on Friday. The vehicle rolled through garage safety wire and flipped, then got caught and was left hanging. Authorities said the safety wire became tangled in a wheel, preventing the car from falling several stories to the ground. Bystanders helped the man unbuckle his seat belt and slipped him out the vehicle's window - into the garage. Austin firefighters safely lowered the car to the ground later on Friday. Zoran Milanovic, leader of the centre-left coalition, greets supporters at a rally in Zagreb ahead of the election An initial exit poll in Croatia's early parliamentary election indicates there will be no clear winner, paving the way for more political uncertainty in the European Union's newest member state. The left-wing Peoples' Coalition won 58 seats in Croatia's 151-seat parliament, according to the poll conducted by Croatia's independent Ipsos Puls agency, carried by state TV. The conservative Croatian Democratic Union had 57 seats, while possible power-sharing party Most, or Bridge, won 11 seats. The second vote in less than a year was called when a previous, right-wing government collapsed in June after less than six months in power, paralysed by bickering within the ruling coalition. AP Political deadlock has delayed reforms that are necessary for Croatia to catch up with the rest of the EU. It has also fuelled nationalist rhetoric amid heightened tensions with Serbia - its wartime foe in the 1990s, raising fears of renewed tensions in the Balkans. Some analysts have predicted that Croatia's next government could take months to form, and end up as weak as the previous one. Croatia had tilted to the right under the HDZ-led government that took over following the inconclusive vote last November. However, in the past few weeks it has sought to remake its image as a centrist party under new leader Andrej Plenkovic. The more moderate leader, who took over from right-leaning Tomislav Karamarko earlier this summer, said that he expected high turnout among Croatia's nearly 3.8 million voters. "We are happy," Mr Plenkovic said upon casting his ballot. "It's a beautiful day, so I expect the turnout to be bigger than if it was rainy." Hours before the polls closed, the turnout was nearly 10% less than in November. President Kolinda Grabar Kitarovic urged more Croats to come out and vote, saying the country's future is in their hands. HDZ and the Social Democrats have been the two dominant parties in Croatia since the country split from former Yugoslavia in 1991. The Social Democrats, led by former prime minister Zoran Milanovic, were in power for four years until last November. "We have shown that we are competent and that we have more heart," Mr Milanovic said as he cast his vote. "The rest is up to the people." Although more advanced than other Balkan countries, Croatia has one of the weakest economies in the EU following years of crisis after the 1991-95 war. AP Passengers on board an EasyJet flight to Venice were left terrified after a man started screaming death is coming, Allahu Akbar, and today we will die. The man was an illegal immigrant of African origin who was being deported from the UK to Italy. The Mail on Sunday reported that he screamed we will die 9 times, death is coming 17 times and Allahu Akbar 29 times. Allahu Akbar translates as God is greater and has been shouted by Islamic extremists before carrying out a terrorist attack. Passengers feared it to be a terror attack but the man was in handcuffs and guarded by officials of the Home Office the Government department responsible for immigration and counter-terrorism. A spokesman for easyJet said: We acknowledge that on this occasion the situation on board could have been distressing for other passengers and apologise for that. Johnny Adair moved to Scotland after being released from prison as part of the Good Friday Agreement THE son of former loyalist leader Johnny "Mad Dog'' Adair has been found dead at a house in Ayrshire. Police Scotland said officers were called to reports of a body found in a property in Templehill, Troon, at around 5.15pm on Saturday. The death of Jonathan Adair junior, 32 - who had reportedly been released from prison recently - is currently being treated as unexplained. A force spokesman said a post-mortem will be carried out and a report is to be sent to the procurator fiscal. Adair snr was a leading figure in the Ulster Defence Association during the Troubles in Northern Ireland. He moved to Scotland with his family after being released from prison as part of the Good Friday Agreement and has lived in Ayrshire for a number of years Hillary Clinton (second from right) leaving the ceremony in New York Hillary Clinton was diagnosed with pneumonia on Friday, her doctor has revealed, after the Democratic presidential nominee abruptly left a September 11 anniversary ceremony feeling "overheated". A video showed Ms Clinton slumping and being held up by three people as she was helped into a van after the event, and her doctor said in a statement that she had become overheated and dehydrated. "I have just examined her and she is now rehydrated and recovering nicely," Lisa R Bardack said in a statement. The physician said Ms Clinton has had an allergy-related cough, and during a follow-up examination on Friday she was diagnosed with pneumonia, put on antibiotics and advised to rest and modify her schedule. Less than two months from election day, it was an unwanted image for Ms Clinton as she tries to project the strength and vigour needed for one of the world's most demanding jobs. Republican rival Donald Trump has spent months questioning her health, saying she does not have the stamina to be president. Ms Clinton's departure from the event was not witnessed by the reporters who travel with her campaign and aides provided no information about why she left or her whereabouts for nearly two hours. Spokesman Nick Merrill eventually said she had gone to her daughter's nearby apartment, but refused to say whether the former secretary of state had required medical attention. Ms Clinton left the apartment on her own shortly before noon. She waved to reporters and said: "I'm feeling great. It's a beautiful day in New York." The video of Ms Clinton posted to social media shows her being held up by aides as a black van pulls up. She stumbles and appears to fall off the curb as she is helped to the vehicle. After leaving her daughter's, Ms Clinton was driven to her home in Chappaqua, New York, and made no public appearances. She is scheduled to fly to California for fundraising and it is unclear if her schedule will change. Mr Trump, who attended the same event marking the 15th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, was noticeably restrained. Asked by a reporter about Ms Clinton's health incident, he said: "I don't know anything." The incident compounds an already difficult stretch for Ms Clinton as the presidential race enters its final stretch. Despite Mr Trump's numerous missteps, the race remains close and many Americans view Ms Clinton as dishonest and untrustworthy. On Friday, she told donors that "half" of Mr Trump's supporters are in a "basket of deplorables" - a comment that drew sharp criticism from Republicans. She later said she regretted applying that description to "half" of Mr Trump's backers, but stuck by her assertion that he has given a platform to "hateful views and voices." Now Ms Clinton is sure to face new questions about whether she is physically fit for the presidency. Mr Trump and his supporters have been hinting at potential health issues for months, questioning her stamina when she takes routine days off the campaign trail and reviving questions about a concussion she sustained in December 2012 after fainting. Her doctor attributed that episode to a stomach virus and dehydration. Ms Clinton's doctor reported she is fully recovered from the concussion, which led to temporary double vision and discovery of a blood clot in a vein in the space between her brain and skull. She also has experienced deep vein thrombosis, a clot usually in the leg, and takes a blood thinner to prevent new clots. Ms Clinton spent about 90 minutes at the 9/11 event on Sunday, standing alongside numerous other dignitaries, including New York's Democratic senators Chuck Schumer and Kirstin Gillibrand. The weather was warm and humid in New York, and there was a breeze at the crowded memorial plaza during the ceremony. AP The proposed ceasefire in Syria is the outcome of a new balance of power in that country that has developed over the last two years. During this period, the US and Russia became militarily involved in the civil war in Syria and Iraq, providing devastating fire power to their chosen allies on the ground. As main players in the conflict part rivals and part allies they should have enough influence on their local proxies and regional friends to bring the war to an end or, at least, to limit and de-escalate the violence. As US Secretary of State John Kerry and the Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov announced the historic deal, they were still sounding more than a little uncertain as to whether they could deliver the desired outcome. Mr Kerry said the bedrock of the agreement, spelled out in detail in five unpublished documents, will be Russias ability to put pressure on President Bashar al-Assad to stop using his air force to fly combat missions against the opposition. He said that Syrian air force bombing was the main cause of civilian casualties and the ceasefire should put an end to the barrel bombs, an end to the indiscriminate bombing of civilian neighbourhoods. This may well be true of Russian pressure on Assad, but equally significant will the ability of the US to put pressure on Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Qatar not to supply Jabhat al-Nusra, the al-Qaeda Syrian affiliate recently relabelled as Jabhat Fateh al-Sham, and other Salafi-jihadi armed groups, with the weapons and money necessary to launch another offensive. Turkey welcomed the ceasefire, but is unlikely permanently to weaken the very groups through which it exercise its power in northern Syria. The hours prior to any ceasefire, which in this case begins at sunset on Monday, are usually peculiarly dangerous. The temptation for all sides is to indulge in one last spasm of violence or gain some essential piece of ground while this is still possible. The Syrian ceasefire is unfortunately proving to be no exception to this rule: within hours of Mr Kerry speaking in Geneva, Russian or Syrian jets hit a crowded market place in the rebel-held city of Idlib, killing 25 people and turning buildings into heaps of shattered masonry. One of the problems in implementing the ceasefire is that it is meant to usher in a seven-day truce at the end of which Russia and the US will conduct a joint air war against Isis and Nusra, which are together far the most powerful organisations in the armed opposition. The moderate armed opposition is supposed to separate itself from Nusra during this period and seek shelter under a US-Russian air umbrella. A Nusra official said that, if its forces were attacked by the US and Russia, then we have holy warriors who will burn the ground. He said that Nusra looked forward to fighting the coalition of the Crusaders using a large number of suicide bombers who were available. This threat is unlikely to be mere bravado. Expand Close Displaced Iraqis, who had fled to Syria to escape the violence in Mosul, transfer to a refugee camp in Kirkuk as they return to Iraq September 10, 2016. REUTERS/Ako Rasheed / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Displaced Iraqis, who had fled to Syria to escape the violence in Mosul, transfer to a refugee camp in Kirkuk as they return to Iraq September 10, 2016. REUTERS/Ako Rasheed The ceasefire is meant to open the way to negotiations by Syrias moderate mainstream but largely unarmed opposition to talk about Assad leaving power. But the lowly status and lack of influence of the Riyadh-based High Negotiations Committee, the main opposition body, was underlined when the group admitted that it had not even received a copy of the US-Russian peace deal and could only react when it had done so. It did say, however, that it welcomed an accord which would spare lives that would otherwise be lost to Syrian and Russian bombs. In addition to an end to the fighting, the first priority of the truce will be to allow UN aid convoys to reach besieged areas, notably in Aleppo. The Syrian army is to withdraw from the Castello Road north of the city, which will be used to supply the estimated 250,000 to 275,000 people in rebel-held east Aleppo. Though the case of Aleppo is highly publicised, it is by no means the worst case and people in the east of the city are not starving, though they are living off pre-positioned UN supplies that are being run down and would eventually give out. There are a further 485,000 people in government-held west Aleppo, with a total population of about 1,550,000, who are also receiving food aid. UN supplies to east Aleppo have been held up because the rebels had wanted the aid to come through the Ramouseh Road in the south of the city which they lost control of in fighting last week. The politics of aid supply in Syria is complex and usually involves one side wanting to use the aid issue to their own political or military advantage with scant concern for those who are not getting enough to eat. Opposition military forces in Syria and Iraq are well aware of the utility of human shields against air attack so that in an apartment block of six floors, the top two and lower two will be home to civilian families, but the middle two will provide living quarters for fighters. In many cases, the defenders will not allow the civilians population to depart and thereby rob them of a human shield and leave them vulnerable to unrestrained air attack. In Raqqa and Mosul, Isis has executed civilians who left the cities without permission and many have paid large bribes to escape. There are some 590,200 Syrians besieged to a greater or lesser degree in different parts of the country who will now be looking forward to receiving relief aid. But each siege is different, with about a third of the total in dire need, including some 43,000 people in Madaya completely isolated and with no vegetables or fruit available in the town even for those who have money to buy them. Surprisingly, there is mutton for sale because butchers are killing sheep which have no fodder to eat. Eastern Ghouta is the one remaining large opposition enclave in greater Damascus with a population of 282,000 but it includes fertile agricultural land that produces potatoes, cucumbers, lettuces, onions, fava beans and cauliflowers. There is no malnutrition but there is a shortage of seeds and agricultural machinery as well items like surgical kits and school textbooks. By way of contrast, people in Madaya are not only starving, but medical attention is provided by a single dentist. The success of the ceasefire will depend on just how much pressure the US and Russia are prepared to put on their regional and local allies. Some of these will applaud the deal publicly, but look forward to it failing or do their utmost to sabotage it. But it is easy to be too cynical and pessimistic: the Geneva accord between Russia and the US means that ceasefires, aid convoys and negotiations are now at the top of the international agenda when it comes the Syrian crisis. The turning point announced by Mr Kerry will not be easy, but that does not mean that it will not be real. 'In his account of his life in Isil, Faraj makes it plain that only a year after the caliphate was declared in the wake of the capture of Mosul in 2014, its leaders could foresee that it might be overrun militarily' ISIL will flourish and survive even if it is defeated in the present battle for Syria and Iraq, an Isil militant has claimed. In an exclusive interview, Faraj, a 30-year-old veteran fighter from north east Syria, says that "when we say that the Islamic State [Isil] is everlasting and expanding, it is not a mere poetic or propaganda phrase." He says the group intends to rebuild its strength in Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Libya and Tunisia, adding that "Isil has sleeper agents all over the world and their numbers are increasing." In his account of his life in Isil, Faraj makes it plain that only a year after the caliphate was declared in the wake of the capture of Mosul in 2014, its leaders could foresee that it might be overrun militarily. He reveals hitherto unknown details of the apparent close co-operation between Isil and Turkey and the degree to which foreign fighters who flooded into Syria to fight for Isil alienated local people from the movement by ordering them about and interfering in their lives. Speaking through WhatsApp from outside Syria and asking for his real name to be concealed, Faraj says that when he first heard "from my emirs [commanders] that Isil would win even if it had been defeated militarily in Iraq and Syria, I thought they were just energising and encouraging us or they were just hiding their defeats". But he soon found out that Isil leaders were taking practical measures early on to set up bases elsewhere in the world. A Libyan commander told him over a year ago that he was returning to Libya "for a certain mission and would be back in two months." It is significant that as early as August 2015, when Isil was close to its maximum territorial expansion, after capturing Ramadi in Iraq and Palmyra in Syria in May, it was already preparing for defeat. Faraj says that the world powers underestimate its resilience because they do not understand the attractiveness of Isil and its ideology to those who find the status quo unacceptable. He says: "I, like my commanders and comrades, fight in reaction to the tyranny and injustice I had experienced before." Faraj comes originally from a Sunni Arab village between the cities of Hasakah and Qamishli in the predominantly Kurdish north east corner of Syria. He is better educated than most Isil members, having graduated from the Faculty of Education at Hasakah University. He joined Jabhat al-Nusra along with his extended family in 2012. Known as the Syrian branch of al-Qaeda, Jabhat al-Nusra recently claimed to have cut any ties with al-Qaeda and rebranded as Jabhat Fateh al-Sham. However, when Isil fighters entered Faraj's village and offered the young men a choice of leaving or joining them, he opted to join Isil. His eyewitness account of developments within Isil and, in particular, its relationship to Turkey are revealing because they do not come from an embittered former Isil member trying to distance himself from his past. He says he is no longer a fighter, after differences with Isil that he does not explain, but "I am still an Isil supporter because I strongly believe in the wisdom or purpose behind its existence." Interestingly, he finds Isil attractive not so much because of its extreme religious ideology but as an effective and well-organised vehicle for protest. He says: "Isil is the best solution to correct the wrongdoings of the authoritarian regimes in the region." Speaking of the Turkish military intervention in Syria which began on August 24, Faraj helps explain a mysterious development which took place at the time. As Turkish tanks and anti-Isil rebel Syrian units moved into the border town of Jarabulus on the Euphrates River, Isil appeared to know they were coming and made no attempt to resist them. This was in sharp contrast to the ferocious resistance put up by Isil fighters to defend the Isil-held town of Manbij, a little further south, from attack by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) whose fighting muscle comes from the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG). Isil may have lost as many as 1,000 dead in ground fighting and US bombardment from the air. It was reported at the time that Isil fighters had fallen back from Jarabulus towards their other stronghold in the area at al-Bab, but Faraj has another explanation. He says: "When the Turkish army entered Jarabulus, I talked to my friends who were there. Actually, Isil didn't leave Jarabulus; they just shaved off their beards." He has compelling claims about the degree of complicity between Isil and Turkey a year earlier relating to the defence of Tal Abyad, another Isil-held crossing point between Turkey and Syria, which was a particularly important supply route for Isil because it is 60 miles north of the Isil Syrian capital Raqqa. In the summer of 2015, the YPG forces advancing from the east and west with strong US air support caught Tal Abyad in a pincer movement, which made it difficult for Isil to defend the town. Faraj was part of a 150-strong Isil force resisting the YPG attack. "Turkey supported Isil a lot," he recalls. "When I was in Tal Abyad in May 2015, we received a lot of weapons and ammunition without any obstacles from the border guards." This has long been an accusation by the Kurds, but this may be the first time that allegations of Turkish complicity with Isil during a battle has been confirmed by an Isil fighter taking part in it. Turkish government officials have repeatedly denied any accusations of complicity in the actions of Isil, or that weapons are getting into the hands of the group via Turkey. Faraj, as a Syrian Sunni Arab, is critical of both Turks and Syrian Kurds. He expresses dislike for the Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, but adds "he is much better than the Arab dictators". At the same time, he holds Mr Erdogan "responsible for destroying Syria" by pursuing a conflict with the Kurds in Turkey that spread across the border into Syria and by "supporting Isil and pushing them into Syria". Defenders of Turkish actions argue that whatever tolerance for Isil by Turkey there may have been previously, the two have been at war over the last year. There have been repeated Isil attacks in Turkey, including one on Istanbul International Airport that left 42 dead and culminating in a suicide bombing of Kurdish wedding in Gaziantep on August 20 that killed 54, of whom 21 were children. But despite Mr Erdogan's anti-Isil rhetoric, the restrained reaction by Isil to the Turk invasion, of which it is the nominal target, suggests that the understanding between Isil and Turkey, so blatant in the past, may not be entirely dead. Paradoxically, although Faraj has enthusiasm for the spread of Isil and its beliefs to foreign countries, he is very critical of the foreigner volunteers who came to Syria to fight for the self-declared caliphate. He found these foreigners, including British, French and Turkish volunteers, surprisingly ignorant of Islam and local customs, often impelled by unhappy home lives or boredom, and only useful for propaganda and suicide attacks. Worse, their failings alienated Syrians who had previously supported Isil. He says: "When Isil came, locals were happy and welcomed it. People believed that Isil will be their saviour, but psychologically and socially, they couldn't accept foreign commanders in charge of their day-to-day lives. For instance, people in Raqqa complained when a Saudi emir used physical force to get a woman to wear a niqab. Any local will be annoyed when a stranger interferes in their life, not as a guest, but as a ruler who tells people to obey his orders. I was angry when a Tunisian man ordered me to go to the mosque and hit me on the back with a stick." Faraj finds some consolation in the thought that the behaviour of skilled but tough Turkish Kurd guerrilla commanders brought in by the YPG to give military advice to the Syrian Kurds in 2012-13 caused similar offence among local Syrian Kurds. The Turkish Kurd officers in charge of training had lived all their lives in military camps and "were harsh and had never experienced civilian life". He suspects that Syrians supporting the government in Damascus react with similar hostility to being ordered about by their Russian and Iranian allies. The war in northern Syria is very distinct from that in the rest of the country. Its main protagonists are Kurds, Arabs, Isil, the YPG and Turkey with only limited involvement by the government in Damascus. Faraj says that many Arabs in the area have joined Isil simply because they have been persecuted by the YPG. He cites as an example two cousins of his from the town of Tal Hamis on the Khabur river west of Hasakah who were killed fighting the YPG. Their houses in Tal Hamis were then confiscated by the YPG and the widows of the dead fighters were left with nothing "so their children join Isil to get revenge for their parents". This is the pattern all over Syria and Iraq. Protagonists may not love the side they are on, but at least it enables them to fight an enemy they fear and hate. He cites as an example one of his earlier commanders, a Kurdish emir named Abu Abbas al-Kurdistani, subsequently killed in battle, who had been imprisoned without trial and tortured in Iraqi Kurdistan for four years. Kurdistani said that Isil was ideal for himself because it was "the best option for oppressed people" and gave him "the opportunity to take revenge." Nowhere in the interview does Faraj acknowledge the role that Isil atrocities have played, not just in Syria and Iraq but across the world, in creating a host of enemies for the movement - who now encircle it and are threatening to overwhelm it. Independent LEWISTOWN, Pa., Sept. 11, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Friendly staff at this veterinary clinic offer quality veterinary care to animals and their owners and welcome the addition of Sol Allen Sath, new associate veterinarian, to better meet the needs of new and current patients at the clinics and on the farm. Both veterinary clinics serve animals in Lewistown and Mifflintown and area animal owners appreciate the assistance and compassion offered by Sol Allen Sath. Dr. Sath shared, I like being able to be on a farm looking at a cow in the morning, then being in the clinic in the afternoon looking at dogs and cats, as being one of his favorite parts about working at the practice. Dr. Sath has started serving pet owners and pet patients at Pleasant View and Juniata Veterinary Clinic this past June. Dr. Sath grew up in Juniata County and currently makes his home in this vibrant community. He began his education and graduated from Shippensburg University in 2010, Drexel University in 2012, and Ontario Veterinary College at Guelph this past June. He has a Masters in laboratory animal science and enjoys variety in working with both small and larger animals. He is currently rehabilitating, Aengus, a one-and-a-half year old black lab with two other staff members. We enjoy the new addition of Dr. Sath at our busy practice, said Dr. Michaela Fry. With an in-demand Lewistown and Mifflintown veterinarian, Dr. Sath has already helped us to meet the many diverse needs of animals large and small at our veterinary clinics. Pet and animal owners can feel secure that they are receiving experienced and compassionate care. Rest assured that any animal is receiving the care and attention needed for any veterinary concern. Dr. Michaela Fry, Owner and practicing veterinarian at Pleasant View and Juniata Veterinary Clinics, serves residents and pets in Mifflin, Juniata and the surrounding areas. Animal owners can choose from two convenient clinics, Pleasant View and Juniata. Staff offer excellence in veterinary care for animals large and small and offer a range of services that can be delivered at the clinics or on the farm. Services include wellness checkups, vaccinations, dental care, and surgery to keep companion and farm animals healthy. Call (717) 248-4703 for their Pleasant View clinic in Lewistown, or (717) 436-9790 for their Juniata clinic in Mifflintown to speak with a knowledgeable associate or to schedule an appointment. Further details on their veterinary services and hours can be found on their website at http://pleasantviewveterinaryclinic.com/. On Monday, September 10, 2001, I arrived back in New York after a couple of weeks in Ireland. I'd been home to celebrate the wedding of my good friend Fiona McHugh (now one of the proprietors of Fallon & Byrne). The following morning, with a combination of jetlag and anxiety about the amount of work that would be awaiting me, I was up at 5am and at my desk in the Emerald Isle Immigration Centre (EIIC) in Woodside, Queens (where I was Deputy Executive Director), by 7am. My first floor office in the EIIC overlooked the junction of two major roads and was level with the elevated tracks of the subway, which was so close to my window that passengers on the Number 7 train could see what I was wearing. Woodside is right at the centre of New York and our office was relatively close to two airports - JFK and La Guardia. We appeared to be under several flight paths as low-flying craft regularly passed above us. I called it 'Trains, Planes and Automobiles' after the film because sometimes the noise from the various forms of transport was so intense I'd have to suspend phone conversations. When the first news came in about the events at the World Trade Centre (WTC), we thought it was a small plane. And an accident. It quickly became apparent it was no accident. Our Employment Consultant Eileen had a radio in her office and we all huddled around it desperate for information. When the first tower fell, just before 10am, we quite simply could not believe it. That something so large, so part of the physical and cultural landscape could simply disappear. It was just beyond comprehension. I loved the Twin Towers, they were a place I always took visitors. The first time I set foot in them, I was 12 years old. For a little girl who had grown up in Dublin, where the tallest structure was Liberty Hall, they were breathtaking. My mum and I were sightseeing and went to Windows On The World restaurant where she ordered a Tom Collins. The drink came in a glass that was like the tower, tall and slim. It was also packed with ice and Mum had to wait an age for the waiter to be distracted so she could dig out some of the cubes. We giggled about it that day and several times in the years since. During that trip, my first to the States, we stayed with my mother's cousin in Long Island. Her husband was an electrician and told me about working on the buildings and looking over the side to see clouds beneath him. When I first moved to New York in 1994, my best friend from primary school, Paula Rice, worked in finance in the WTC and we spent many hours and far too many dollars in the underground shopping mall that linked the Towers and Century 21 facing them. I was also in finance, and although my firm had offices in the WTC, I worked in Midtown. I'd started at the same time as Tai, a young college graduate, who was consistently upbeat and insisted on calling me Annie. We both had to sit exams to get our licences to trade commodities and futures. I got better marks but when the coveted job with the biggest broker opened up, Tai got it and I was mightily pissed off. The (perceived) snub, and the fact that while I was good at the work, I actually hated it, prompted me to move on. I left the financial sector, something I have never regretted. The Midtown office closed and everyone relocated to the WTC, where Taimour 'Tai' Khan died on September 11, 2001, aged 29. When the first tower fell, I left the office and went straight to the nearest bar - not for a drink, but to find a television. The barmaid and I were the only people there. While I stood transfixed, staring at the screen, she polished and repolished the bar. Watching the images that have since become ingrained in our collective consciousness, my brain still refused to believe the evidence of my eyes. At that point, I'd seen several 'disaster movies' where some iconic New York building is blown to bits, but that sort of thing just didn't happen in real life. There was no real fear that day, we were far too baffled and confused and in such a state of disbelief. Woodside, usually noisy and busy, was silent. The trains were all stopped at the station, the planes weren't flying and there were few people on the street - most were probably glued to the TV, unable to make sense of what they were seeing. I didn't know it then but Father Mychal Judge, a Franciscan friar and chaplain to the New York Fire Department was the first casualty. The Pieta-like image of his body being carried by two firefighters has become one of the iconic symbols of that terrible day. I'd met Fr Judge the previous year when we'd marched side by side in the first 'St Pats For All' parade (aka the Gay Parade). The route was lined with protesters and when one of them shouted in a thick Queens' accent, "You're a disgrace to your uniform, Fadder", I bristled. "What kind of Catholic is he if he doesn't know it's called a habit?" I demanded of the poor priest. "You should tell him it's a habit." He just smiled. He was such a calm and serene person. It was a bitterly cold day, and I asked him if his feet were frozen in sandals - he smiled and said, "you get used to it". For a long time, I thought Fr Judge and Tai were the only two people I knew who died in the Twin Towers. On the fifth anniversary, I was six months pregnant with my son and opened a newspaper to read the deeply upsetting report about the seven-months-pregnant woman who had died along with her husband. Suddenly their names jumped out at me - John and Sylvia Resta; we had all worked for the same company, Sylvia in my office, and John downtown in the WTC. I'd been in the bar the night they got together for the first time. It might seem odd that it took me so long to find out, but in the immediate aftermath of 9/11, I imposed a news blackout. It was just too upsetting and too much to take in. The fear set in the next day and, to be honest, has never really left me. I refused to get on a subway for six months and I'm still not comfortable in any sort of confined space. The thing that I remember most about 9/11 isn't the planes or the towers - it is the sky outside my office, clear, blue and empty, and the strange unfamiliar silence as life stopped. A sailor and a nurse kiss passionately in Manhattan's Times Square as New York City celebrates the end of the Second World War (US Navy/AP) The woman pictured in a famous photo kissing an ecstatic sailor in Times Square while celebrating the end of the Second World War has died at the age of 92. Greta Zimmer Friedman, who fled Austria during the war as a 15-year-old, died at a hospital in Richmond, Virginia, from complications of old age, her son Joshua Friedman said. Ms Friedman was a 21-year-old dental assistant in a nurse's uniform when she became part of one of the most famous photographs of the 20th century. On August 14 1945 - known as VJ Day, the day Japan surrendered to the United States - people spilled into the New York City streets from restaurants, bars and cinemas, celebrating the news. That is when George Mendonsa spotted Ms Friedman, spun her around and planted a kiss. The two had never met. In fact, Mr Mendonsa was on a date with a nurse, Rita Petry, who would later become his wife. The photo by Alfred Eisenstaedt is called VJ Day in Times Square, but is known to most simply as The Kiss. Mr Mendonsa said that in some photos of the scene, Ms Petry could be seen smiling in the background. The photo was first published in Life magazine, buried deep within its pages. Over the years, it gained recognition, and several people claimed to be the kissing couple. In an August 1980 issue of Life, 11 men and three women said they were the subjects. It was years before Mr Mendonsa and Ms Friedman were confirmed to be the couple. Mr Friedman said his mother recalled the events happening in an instant. Both of her parents died in the Holocaust, according to Lawrence Verria, co-author of The Kissing Sailor: The Mystery Behind The Photo That Ended World War II. Ms Friedman will be buried in Arlington National Cemetery, next to her late husband Misha Friedman. AP NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 11, 2001: Smoke pours from the twin towers of the World Trade Center after they were hit by two hijacked airliners in a terrorist attack September 11, 2001 in New York City. (Photo by Robert Giroux/Getty Images) A British stag party has left New York people appalled after they were photographed taking selfies with a blow-up doll at Ground Zero. The group of men, alleged to be from London, were asked to leave the area after police officers received a number of complaints. The Daily Mail UK reported that when the stag party were asked what they were doing, a man believed to be the groom said 'it's just a bachelor party', before answering other questions with 'no comment'. A woman who lost her husband during 9/11 was left speechless by the actions of the men on the 15th anniversary of the terrorist attack on the Twin Towers. British stag do take selfies with naked blowup doll.... AT ground zero? FFS. Idiots. James York (@JamesJWYork) September 10, 2016 What utter twats British stag party 'take selfies with blowup sex doll at Ground Zero'https://t.co/rY3BWVN6w2 Mark (@scribble75) September 10, 2016 I felt weird taking photos at ground zero/9/11 memorial. People were posing for selfies near the waterfalls and saying cheese. I prefer to focus on what's blossoming. A photo posted by Leena (@leenavand) on Apr 10, 2016 at 11:12am PDT Rosanne Hughes, a member of the New Jersey 9/11 Memorial Foundation, said: That is sacred ground, I lost my husband and I dont even know what to say its disgusting. Other visitors to the memorial looked on as the British stag do wandered around taking pictures with the doll, smiling and laughing. New Yorkers have been complaining about the lack of respect being shown at the memorial in general, as thousands of tourists pose for smiling selfies at the location where almost 3,000 people lost their lives in 2001. Samsung plans to provide Galaxy Note 7 devices with new batteries in South Korea from September 19, but schedules for other countries vary Samsung is urging consumers worldwide to stop using Galaxy Note 7 smartphones immediately and exchange them as soon as possible, as more reports of the phones catching fire emerged even after the company's global recall. The call from the South Korean company, the world's largest smartphone maker, comes after US authorities urged users to switch the Galaxy Note 7 off and not to use or charge it during a flight. Several airlines around the world asked travellers not to switch on the jumbo smartphone or put it in checked baggage, with some carriers banning the phone on flights. In a statement posted on its website, Samsung asked users around the world to "immediately" return their Galaxy Note 7 and get a replacement. "We are asking users to power down their Galaxy Note 7s and exchange them as soon as possible," said Koh Dong-jin, Samsung's mobile president. "We are expediting replacement devices so that they can be provided through the exchange programme as conveniently as possible." Consumers can visit Samsung's service centres to receive rental phones for temporary use. Samsung plans to provide Galaxy Note 7 devices with new batteries in South Korea starting on September 19, but schedules for other countries vary. Earlier this month, Samsung announced an unprecedented recall of 2.5 million Galaxy Note 7s worldwide just two weeks after the phone was launched. That move came after Samsung's investigation into reports of fires found that rechargeable lithium batteries manufactured by one of its suppliers were at fault. The US was among the first countries to take a step following the recall. Late on Friday, the US Consumer Product Safety Commission urged owners of the phones to turn them off and leave them off. It also said it was working with Samsung and hoped to have an official recall "as soon as possible". The recall by the safety commission will allow the US Federal Aviation Administration to ban passengers from carrying the phones on planes. The FAA had already warned airline passengers late on Thursday not to turn on or charge the Galaxy Note 7 during flights and not to put the smartphone in their checked bags. Scandinavian Airlines said on Saturday that it had prohibited passengers from using the Galaxy Note 7 on its flights because of concerns about fires. Singapore Airlines also banned the use or charging of the device during flights. Samsung said it had confirmed 35 cases of the Galaxy Note 7 catching fire as of September 1, most of them occurring while the battery was being charged. There are at least two more cases that Samsung said it is aware of - one at a hotel in Perth, Australia, and another in St Petersburg, Florida, where a family reported that a Galaxy Note 7 left charging in a car had caught fire, destroying the vehicle. Samsung released the Galaxy Note 7 on August 19. The Galaxy Note series is one of the most expensive line-ups made by Samsung. AP A pair of crowded decks collapsed during a party at an off-campus house near Trinity College in Connecticut, injuring about 30 people, Hartford police said. Deputy Chief Brian Foley, of the Hartford police, said no major injuries were reported. College spokeswoman Kathy Andrews said later that 28 students were taken to hospitals and most of them had been treated and released. "While this event is upsetting, we are grateful that none of the injuries are life-threatening," she said. She said college health, counselling and chaplain services are available to students. Mr Foley said authorities received numerous calls on Saturday of multiple people hurt at an off-campus house. He said a third-floor deck of a house collapsed on to a second-floor deck, which subsequently fell on to a first-floor deck. He said each deck was crowded with party-goers. The injured were sent to five area hospitals, Mr Foley said, with the most serious reported injuries being a broken arm and a head injury. He described those hurt as "walking wounded" and said most were students. "That's some pretty weighty decks that fell down," Mr Foley said. "We're very lucky there weren't worse injuries." Mr Foley said the third-floor deck that fell showed signs of deterioration. "At this point, the third floor, you look and see the wood was very rotted and very old and structurally not very sound," he said. "Then you get 50 or 60 kids partying out there and it's obviously a dangerous situation." Mr Foley posted a picture from the scene of the collapse on his Twitter feed that he identified as white tubing from a "3 story beer bong." He says the building, located about two-tenths of a mile from the Trinity campus, was owned, but not managed, by the college. Hartford mayor Luke Bronin said in a statement that it was lucky there were no fatalities. "There are dozens of injuries, but we are very lucky that there were no fatalities and no known critical injuries from what could have been a truly tragic incident," Mr Bronin said. The mayor said police and firefighters were on the scene within minutes of the accident and that first responders worked quickly to get the injured transported to hospitals. Trinity College is a liberal arts school in Hartford with about 2,200 students. It is the second-oldest college in Connecticut after Yale. The US marked the 15th anniversary of 9/11 with the solemn roll call of the dead on Sunday but could not keep the presidential campaign from intruding on what is traditionally a politics-free moment of remembrance. Hillary Clinton left about 90 minutes into the ground zero ceremony after feeling "overheated", her campaign said. Video showed her knees buckling as three people helped the 68-year-old Democrat into a van in the muggy heat. Later in the day, she said she was "feeling great" as she walked to a vehicle. Donald Trump, who has repeatedly questioned whether Mrs Clinton is physically fit to be president, was also at the ceremony for a time and left after she did. Asked about the incident, the Republican nominee said only: "I don't know anything about it." The episode cast a political shadow over an event that has tried to keep the focus on remembrance by inviting politicians but barring them from speaking. The two candidates had followed the custom of suspending all TV ads for the day. The politics of the moment weren't entirely absent from the ceremony, where some victims' relatives pleaded for the nation to look past its differences, expressed hopes for peace or called on the next commander-in-chief to ensure the country's safety. Joseph Quinn, who lost his brother, Jimmy, appealed to Americans to regain the sense of unity that welled up after the terror attacks. "I know, in our current political environment, it may feel we're divided. Don't believe it," said Mr Quinn, who added that he served in the military in Iraq after September 11. "Engage with your community. ... Be the connection we all desperately need." Nearly 3,000 people died when terrorists slammed hijacked planes into the World Trade Centre, the Pentagon and a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, on September 11 2001. Organisers estimated 8,000 people gathered on Sunday at the lower Manhattan spot where the twin towers once stood. They listened to the nearly four-hour recitation of the names of those killed. "It doesn't get easier. The grief never goes away. You don't move forward - it always stays with you," said Tom Acquaviva, who lost his son, Paul. For Dorothy Esposito, the passage of 15 years feels "like 15 seconds". Her son, Frankie, was killed. About 1,000 people gathered for a name-reading observance in Shanksville. At a Pentagon ceremony, President Barack Obama praised military members and others who have helped the US fight terrorism, urged Americans not to let their enemies divide them and called the country's diversity one of its greatest strengths. "We stay true to the spirit of this day by defending not only our country, but also our ideals," he told hundreds of service members, survivors and victims' relatives. In New York, some victims' relatives said their loss had inspired them to help others. Jerry D'Amadeo said he worked this summer with children at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, where 26 children and adults were massacred in 2012. "Sometimes the bad things in our lives put us on a path to where we should be," said Mr D'Amadeo, who was 10 when he lost his father, Vincent. James Johnson was at ground zero for the first time since he last worked on the rescue and recovery efforts in early 2002, when he was a New York police officer. The 9/11 museum and memorial plaza, three skyscrapers and an architecturally audacious transit hub have been built on land that was a disaster zone when he last saw it. "I've got mixed emotions, but I'm still kind of numb," said Mr Johnson, now a police chief in Forest City, Pennsylvania. "I think everyone needs closure, and this is my time to have closure." Cathy Cava, on the other hand, has attended all 15 anniversary ceremonies since she lost her sister, Grace Susca Galante. "I believe most of her spirit, or at least some of her spirit, is here," Ms Cava said. "I have to think that way." AP with speeds much higher than is Error Analysis POE Choice A: Incorrect Choice B: Incorrect. Choice C: Incorrect. Choice D: Incorrect. Choice E: Correct. eybrj2 wrote: So if "that" in D were "those", could D be an answer? (at much higher speeds than those currently possible.) If it could, which one is better between the modified D and E as an answer? Also, I have a question regarding E. Is it ok to say that "speeds" are omitted before "are" in E? ( at speeds much higher than (speeds) are currently possible.) Thanks. Hi there,According to analysts, an alliance between three major personal computer companies and most of the nations largest local telephone companies would enable customers to receive internet data over regular telephone linescurrently possible.1. Use of with is not correct here. This gives the sense of in addition with. The correct idiom to use here is at speeds.2. Singular verb is does not agree in number with plural subject speeds.with speeds much higher than is:for the reasons stated above.with speeds that are much higher than are:1. This choice repeats the idiom error of Choice A. 2. that are is not needed in the sentence.at much higher speeds as are:The correct idiom is X much higher than Y, and not much higher as Y.at much higher speeds than that:Singular that does not agree in number with plural speeds.at speeds much higher than are:Even if Choice D had those instead of that, Choice E still would have been a better choice because are after than clarifies the comparison in the sentence.The sentence says that the alliance would make the internet speed much higher than the speeds currently are. The presence of are makes the comparison clear between the current speeds and the speeds that will be in the future.And yes, you are correct in saying that "speeds" is understood after "are".Hope this helps.Thanks.Shraddha_________________ When one of our readers pointed out that Neerja Bhanot and Mother Teresa left us on the same date, it intrigued us to find more such celebs who passed away on the same date. The unfortunate coincidences surprised us as we found many big names who rested in peace on the same date. P.S - Do let us know if we have missed other celebs in this list. 1. Beant Singh - Princess Diana Former Punjab CM Beant Singh was assassinated in a car bombing for the alleged human rights violations during the anti-insurgency operations in Punjab on August 31, 1995. Two years later, on the same day, Princess Diana was fatally injured and died in a car crash in the Pont de l'Alma road tunnel in Paris. 2. Paul Walker - Oscar Wilde Isnt it surprising that a terrific actor and a prolific writer breathed their last on the same date? Paul Walker died in a single-vehicle collision on Oscar Wildes 113th death anniversary. It is on November 30th of 2013 and 1900, that the actor and the writer respectively bid the world adieu. While Walker died in a car accident, Wilde died of cerebral meningitis. 3. Mother Teresa - Neerja Bhanot - Aadesh Srivastava A saint, a hero and a musician departed the world on September 5th. Saint Teresa breathed her last on September 5th, 1997. It was eleven years before (September 5th, 1986) that courageous flight attendant Neerja Bhanot lost her life while battling a terrorist hijack. Music director Aadesh Srivastav lost his battle against cancer on the same date. 4. Divya Bharti - Kurt Cobain Actress Divya Bharti and rockstar Kurt Cobain died on April 5th 1993 and 1994 respectively. Bharti fell from a five storied building, whereas Cobain died of drug overdose. 5. Vincent Van Gogh - Gayatri Devi Renowned painter Vincent Van Gogh and the beautiful rajmata of Jaipur, Maharani Gayatri Devi, left the earthly realms on the same date. Van Gogh passed away on July 29, 1890, when he killed himself with a revolver. The gorgeous Gayatri Devi died of paralytic ileus and lung infection. 6. Michael Jackson - Farrah Fawcett It is said that the death of the 80s sensation, Farrah Fawcett, was overshadowed by the death of King of Pop Michael Jackson. Both died on the same day, that is on June 25th, 2009. 7. Sunanda Pushkar - Suchitra Sen Wife of MP Shashi Tharoor, Sunanda Pushkar, was found dead in a hotel room on January 17th, 2014. The same day saw the end of another pretty lady, Bengali cinema actress Suchitra Sen. She passed away due to a heart attack. 8. Zohra Sehgal - Omar Sherif The evergreen Zohra Sehgal passed away on July 10, 2014, whereas, the Lawrence Of Arabia star Omar Sharif passed away on the same date next year. 9. Soundarya - Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan Telugu actress Saundarya died in a cruel aircraft crash on April 17th, 2004. The same date has also been observed as the death anniversary of Indias first Vice President, Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan. Kangana Ranaut's personal life has often made headlines and not always for the right reasons. A few months ago, she spoke about her sister's bravery and how she gave a second chance to life after an acid-attack. Speaking her mind on the recent landmark judgement where the special Mumbai court sentenced 25-year old Ankur Panwar to death on Thursday, for throwing acid at 23-year-old nurse Preeti Rathi, for rejecting his marriage proposal three years ago. Talking about the judgement, Kangana told TOI incolors.club "I feel that this judgement is a good sign and an example for everyone who would even think of a heinous act like this. But I still think that this is not the answer, and hanging people is not enough. Our society is responsible for cultivating such a mindset. For men, rejection is a very big deal. Also, boys in our country need to be taught to respect women from the beginning. The learning and upbringing begins at home. We need to uphold real men with right values, and not cowards, as role models for society. Men like my brother-in-law (Ajay Chandel, Rangoli's husband) are real men, and in my eyes, heroes. We shouldn't glorify men who bully or use other forms of mental abuse to push women to extremes like suicide. These bullies have to be called out." Recalling the traumatic phase of life and how difficult life is for acid-attack survivors, she added Twitter "I was in the gym on the treadmill when I saw the news flash on television. I couldn't believe what I was watching. Rangoli was just 23 and in the university. She is a microbiologist and a topper. The man who attacked her had poured almost one litre of acid on her, it was ghastly and shocking. At that point in my career, I was struggling and going through a tough time in Mumbai, but at least I could afford treatment. There are so many women who can't afford to do this and lose hope. Right after this incident I insisted that Rangoli should come to Mumbai to get treated. My family was reluctant because back then, I didn't share a great relationship with them. But I insisted and brought her here. This tragedy didn't make Rangoli and me look good as we were judged for it. Like what happens with rape survivors, there is a lot of stigma attached to survivors of an acid attack. Pointing out the hypocrisy of Indian society and their 'Beti ko itna padhaoge toh aisa hi hoga' mentality, she said Twitter "Forget the physical trauma, you can't imagine the mental scar it can leave on a girl. Some people told my father, 'Beti ko itna padhaoge toh aisa hi hoga.' While all this was happening, there was no time to cry or react. One day after six months, I buried my face in Rangoli's lap and cried. Fortunately, my brother-in-law came along and supported her like a rock. They knew each other since first grade and he always liked her. Rangoli has been happily married for four years now. But I know that not every story turns out this way and the pain and hurt is too deep to ever forget." If the tampon shaped earbuds (Airpods) weren't weird enough, China has another reason to mock the Apple launch. Lost in translation When Hong Kong saw the new Apple slogan advertising the iPhone 7, they must have laughed quite a bit. Because the slogan "This is 7" translates to Hong Kong Cantonese slang for "This is penis". @fion_li would you like to touch my iphone 7? UpshotFund (@upshotfund) September 9, 2016 Which might be subliminal advertising for some - certainly might encourage women and gay dudes to play with the phone all the damn time. Still, sales were pretty awesome. The new iPhone 7 Plus models in Hong Kong sold out in a mere 10 minutes after pre-ordering was made available to the public at 3:08 PM THNKRTM (@Cedric_Nzaka) September 10, 2016 The translation issue comes from the word "seven," or in Cantonese, which is 'tsat' also slang for "penis." This is supposedly a gentle way of mocking in the region, and not an insult here. "Without a 3.5mm earbud jack, this is exactly penis," a Hong Konger, commented on Facebook. Samsung had a similar snafu with the Galaxy Note 7, which translated to 'stick of penis' in Hong Kong. At least four terrorists have been killed in an ongoing encounter between the security forces and terrorists in Nowgam sector of Jammu and Kashmir's Handwara. Search underway J&K: Police personnel killed in an ongoing encounter b/w security forces & terrorists in Poonch (Visuals deferred) pic.twitter.com/On1Ac93OlY ANI (@ANI_news) September 11, 2016 Four weapons have been recovered from the slain terrorists, while search operation is currently underway. Earlier today, a policeman was killed in the ongoing gunfight. The offensive comes a day after a youth was killed in clashes between the protesters and security forces in south Kashmir's Shopian district. According to reports, at least 50 protesters were injured in clashes with the police and CRPF in different areas of the valley. J&K: Police personnel killed in an ongoing encounter b/w security forces & terrorists in Poonch (Visuals deferred) pic.twitter.com/VcydiYv9dT ANI (@ANI_news) September 11, 2016 Shops and business establishments are closed, even as preparations are underway for the Eid-ul-Azha which falls on Tuesday. Clashes erupted in Srinagar following the death of a government driver, Abdul Qayoom of Alikadal area, in a hospital on Friday night. While the family claims he had been beaten to death by the CRPF on Friday, the police claimed that he was injured in a road accident. The encounter began after a police tip-off about heavily armed terrorists in an under-construction government building. The building is located near an army camp. Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh said that, in Poonch, the area had been cordoned off. "These are highly condemnable actions of Pakistan, it's being done by them. They are creating trouble in Kashmir," Singh said, adding, " Pakistan has become a failed state, see what's happening in Balochistan, PoK, Gilgit Baltistan and other areas," In shocking instances of laxity on part of the police, a special Protection of Children against Sexual Offences Act (POCSOA) court was recently forced to grant bail to accused in four separate cases as the charge-sheets were not filed within the mandatory period. In cases where the accused could be sentenced to more than 10 years, the charge-sheet has to be filed within 90 days; in those that attract a lesser sentence, the document has to be filed within 60 days. nationtrendz.com In the latest case, the investigating officer even cited his son's wedding as one of the reasons for the delay in filing the document. While he first told the court that he had spent a month preparing for his son's wedding, he later cited wait for Chemical Analysis reports for the delay. In this case of alleged sodomy, where the court had to grant bail to the accused, Arun Pawar, Special Judge Srishty Neelkanth said: "It is observed that the investigating officer has not given any substantial reason for the delay in filing the charge-sheet. Admittedly, there appears to be some amount of laxity on behalf of the investigating officer." The judge further said in August, the court had rejected Pawar's bail plea considering the gravity of the offences allegedly committed. "So, indeed, this is not a case where under normal circumstances bail would have been given to the accused by this court," the judge said. The charge-sheet was not filed with the 90-day period. doctorinsta.com In another case, bail was granted on August 28 to the accused, Jameer Khan, on similar grounds. Khan was arrested on April 25, 2016, in a molestation case. He completed 60 days in custody on June 25, following which his advocate sought bail on the ground of non-filing of charge-sheet. In May, a 57-year-old tea vendor was arrested after being accused of molesting his granddaughter's friend. The two children who were neighbours were playing outside their homes when the victim was assaulted. The child rushed into her home and complained to her mother. When confronted by the family, the accused denied the allegations and said that the children were playing with him and the victim had misunderstood. mcclellandinstitute.arizona.edu The child's mother registered a complaint with the police, following which the accused was arrested on May 30. On August 1, the accused who was earlier denied bail in June was granted it on a bond of Rs 25,000 as the chargesheet was not filed. In July, the court granted bail to another accused arrested by the Dharavi police station in April. He was booked under the serious charge of rape that is committed by a person in a position of authority. The maximum sentence for the crime is life imprisonent. Ecstatic 40-year-old Anwar Ahmed is thankful to Vinod Mehra for bringing joy to his home just before Eid-ul-Azha while Mehra himself is grateful for Ahmed's return gift. Stepping beyond religious boundaries, Mehra and Ahmed donated their kidneys to each other's wives in a private hospital in Jaipur. squarespace.com "I will celebrate this Eid-ul-Azha with more fervour, all thanks to Vinod. He has given his kidney to my wife. My wife is doing well now and recovering. She will be discharged from the hospital a day before Eid-ul-Azha. I have a respect to Vinod bhai as he has given his kidney to my wife," Ahmed said. Mehra too was overjoyed. "If it is Eid-Ul-Azha for Ahmed, it is not less than Diwali for me as it will bring home happiness soon when my wife will be discharged from the hospital. She got Ahmed bhai's kidney in a kidney transplant surgery. For me Hindu-Muslims are bhai-bhai. I never thought any discrimination in my life and I will never do it in my life. But, after transplant, we (the two families) share special bonding," Mehra said. TOI Mehra and Ahmed (donors) were discharged from the hospital while their wives will be discharged on Monday. Doctors termed the surgery as rare in the sense that it was a swap kidney transplant breaking religious boundaries while both the recipients were females. "In 90% of the cases, females are donors but here males are donors," private hospital's chief nephrologist, Dr Ashutosh Soni, who conducted the transplant said. huffpost.com Dr Soni said, "Wife of Vinod, Anita was suffering from glomerular disease for the past few years leading to kidney failure. Her blood group is B positive. Vinod's blood group was A positive. Besides, Ahmed's wife Tasleem Jahan's kidney failed due to excessive use of pain killers. Her blood group was A positive and Ahmed's blood group is B positive. According to Human Organ Transplant Act only near relatives can donate kidneys. But, it permits swap kidney transplant. In the case of these two couples, they were perfect for swap kidney transplant. Ahmed's blood group was matching with Anita's and Tasleem's blood group was found matching with Vinod. The transplant was successfully conducted on September 2." Hindu Sena has filed a complaint against Delhi Belly's director Akshat Verma for hurting Hindu sentiments in his 16 minute satirical film titled Mama's Boys. The complaint was filed by the Hindu Sena chief, who asked the police to act against the filmmaker for showing characters in the Mahabharata as homosexuals. Aditi Rao Hydari And Neena Gupta Give A Modern Twist To Mahabharat In This Short Film The film is a satire on Draupadi's wedding to the Pandavas, and uses innuendo to depict the incident. YouTube Screenshot Actress Aditi Rao Hydari plays Draupadi, and and Neena Gupta plays Kunti. They have received massive acclaim and attention for their role on social media. YouTube ScreenGrab "Akshat Verma and the team of Mama's Boy have deliberately and maliciously acted intending to outrage religious feelings of Hindus by insulting its religion and religious beliefs by making fun of its religious book. The content of the film may also be made objectionable under article 19(2) of Constitution of India," read the complaint. The Hindu Sena Chief has asked the movie to be removed from YouTube. "We have received the complaint and are going through the contents of the letter. We will soon take the appropriate action as per the law," a police officer told Daily Mail. It's almost that time of the year when a goldmine of backdrops wait for selfie buffs - the pose before the Durga idol or the pandal winning all those brownie points among friends and peers. But Kolkata police is all set to foil the plan with the cops telling organizers that they need to stop pandal hoppers from taking selfies. If - like last year - a few of them do set up selfie zones, they need to set it up at a place where it does infringe on the free movement of the crowd. AFP According to cops, selfies have emerged as a major stumbling block last year with the young pandal hoppers insisting on clicking pictures from vantage points. "Not only did it block the entry and exit, it was also a security dilemma. Organizers have been asked to put up boards warning against such activity. Our men present near the pandal will be instructed to appeal to revellers not to block movement by trying to click selfies," a top Lalbazar officer said. But Lalbazar has decided to refrain from banning selfies all together. "It is fact that people taking selfies and photographs cause disruptions in the lines towards the Puja pandal. But it is not an easy decision to take. We cannot take this decision unilaterally - we need the support of all stakeholders. A lot of discussion and consensus would be required before taking this decision," said one of the top cops of Kolkata police. motivateme.in The puja organizers agree with the police. "We think that there is nothing wrong in the police analogy. We ourselves have faced the menace last year with some even damaging our pandal. But then it is Bengali's biggest festival. We can ask visitors to co-operate, not dictate terms," said an organizer of a top puja at Rashbehari Avenue." The police is planning teaser campaigns in the next couple of days warning against the "mindless selfie culture." "We will appeal not to click photographs and selfies while entering the premises of Puja pandal," an officer said. Police said they are mulling all legal options. "We are consulting lawyers if we can introduce a fine system," said an IPS officer. rediff.com Clicking selfies with the deity has acquired such endemic proportion last Durga Puja that Babubagan, a big ticket puja in Dhakuria, had to put up signboards at the entrance of the pandal barring visitors from click selfies. Mohammed Ali Park, another famous puja in central Kolkata, had created a separate selfie zone to divert the selfie snapping brigade from the pandal and prevent congestion inside. The Chambal needs no introduction. Famous for its alliance with the 'Bandit Queen' Phoolan Devi and as a setting for many Bollywood movies of the 70s and 80s. Swati Jani Last year when I got the opportunity to explore the Chambal valley, I could not resist and this only drew me closer to this tainted land. But the reason it grabbed my attention as the fact that it's yet unexplored. Swati Jain I was thrilled to see what resides inside this otherwise disconnected area. That it's called the land of Bandits was the only thing I knew about the valley, but what I saw left me mesmerised. An 80 km drive from Agra takes you to Chambal Valley which is located at the convergence of three states - Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. Swati Jain The first look at the place will surely send your imagination running wild thanks to deep ravines and scrub forests which have been a safe haven for generations of outlaws for years. With a rich heritage stretching back many centuries, the Chambal valley has much to offer from its stunning landscapes, the splendid wildlife, crumbling ruins, its history, mythology, resilient people and their legendary exploits. Swati Jain Chambal valley is home to the National Bird and Wildlife sanctuary which is a habitat for rare and endangered species. The National Chambal Sanctuary is home to the gharial - a rare species of Crocodiles which once was said to be endangered. Rare spotted Gangetic Dolphin, Marsh Crocodiles (muggers), eight species of Turtles, Indian Striped Hyenas, Golden Jackals amongst others. Swati Jain An absolute paradise for the bird lovers, the sanctuary boasts the rapidly increasing and impressive list of birds with over 330 species of resident and migratory birds. In fact Chambal is one of the most reliable places to see the Indian Skimmer, which are categorised as threatened. Swati Jain This small town is nestled on the banks of Chambal River, which is probably the cleanest river in India. According to ancient Indian texts, the river is considered to be cursed. It is believed that the river originated from the blood of thousands of cows sacrificed by the Aryan King Rantideva. Another legend states that it was cursed by Drapaudi for reasons unknown. Swati Jain Maybe its unholy origins have helped Chambal survive and thrive untouched and unpolluted. It remains one of Indias most pristine rivers till date. Chambal River is a tributary of Yamuna which flows through Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh. Swati Jain The boat ride on the calm blue waters of Chambal, combined with troupe of intertwining mud cliffs, is something that one must definitely do when visiting Chambal. The splendid landscapes and close-up views of the abundant wildlife are some of the highlights. Certainly a magical land far removed from the chaotic madness of modern cities. Rajasthan might soon have a 'Tantra-Mantra' academy. Chief minister Vasundhara Raje on Friday said that people wrongly associate tantra-mantra with black magic while it is an ancient ritual. BCCL "There is a school teaching these in Kochi, which I will visit soon and get information about. We are looking forward to have a similar academy in Rajasthan,'' she said at the conference. She also announced that the government will soon begin a regular monitoring the development and growth of Sanskrit University, which is not performing well. BCCL http://www.vantagepointadmissions.com MBA Admissions Consulting: Reimagined Contact us for a Free Consultation! Vantage Point MBA Admissions ConsultingMBA Admissions Consulting: ReimaginedContact us for a Free Consultation! Signature Read More Hi there -Thanks for reaching out. Great to see you are already thinking about your school selection and considering both target and reach schools - that's a great way to hedge.Focusing on the main issue here, your GMAT, have you looked into the GRE? Ive seen cases where applicants who have struggled with the GMAT have done better on the GRE. While this isnt the ideal (some adcoms have a preference for the GMAT), almost all of the top schools are taking the GRE and translating the score to an equivalent GMAT score. Given that youve taken the GMAT twice already, I know this isnt what you want to hear, but with your current scores youre at the low end for your targets. In particular, given your current GMAT Id consider Ross and Darden stretch. To give you some hope, I'm working with someone right now who was never able to break 700 on the GMAT but her GRE translates to a 730....so it's worth a try.The strongest part of your application is likely going to be your work experience. Its great to hear that youre up for a second promotion, and having direct people management will help you stand out. Most importantly, linking your current experience in IT (Im assuming with some implementation and ops experience) fits very well with your goal of focusing on ops and process improvement. Given your background and goals, Tepper would be a great fit for you.Your GPA and school are good. Theyre not going to hurt you, but likely wont be a big help either.Regarding your reach schools, I have worked with clients who have gotten into that level of school with similar GMATs, but they have something else going for them. A very unique background, a killer career, something. Your challenge is going to be in crafting your story and presenting yourself in such a way that you come across as unique and different enough to compensate for other weaknesses.Hope this helps. Im happy to chat if you want to discuss your application further._________________ The Supreme Court on Wednesday directed that all FIRs involving cognizable offences must be uploaded on state police web sites within 24 hours of their registration. The court, however, exempted FIRs related to sensitive cases involving sexual offences or insurgency and terrorism from the order. teluguone.com The court said that in the absence of an official web site of the state police, the FIRs would be uploaded on the web site of state governments. A bench of Justice Dipak Misra and Justice C. Nagappan said that if net connectivity was not available, the FIRs could be uploaded within 48 hours of their registration. The directions, following a plea by the Youth Bar Association of India, are largely on the lines of the directions passed by the Delhi High Court earlier with some modifications. However, the time period was extended to 72 hours in the geographical location where net availability is weak. Reuters The bench said this as counsel for Sikkin, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Uttarakhand and Jammu and Kashmir sought relaxation in terms of time. The counsel for Odisha told the court that such uploading of FIRs would be taken advantage of by the accused and they would flee the jurisdiction of the police where they have been booked. At this Justice Nagappan said: "You don't want the accused to know about the FIR. You want to hide it from him. Always your police machinery is colluding." In case the police decide to hold back the uploading of the FIR, the decision would be taken at the level of Superintendent of Police or police officer of equivalent rank recording the reasons. imgix.net The court said the list of sensitive cases was illustrative and not exhaustive. The court clarified that any delay in the uploading of the FIRs could not be taken advantage of by the accused before the trial court. Spent with tears, the septuagenarian mother of Rupesh Bagkar turned her anger, at a recent press conference, on the members of the jat panchayat of Tamastirtha village, Dapoli taluka in Konkan. Her son had jumped into a well on September 2. "My son has not committed suicide. They (jat panchayat) killed him. They boycotted our family after a small tiff and my son was humiliated. They (panchayat members) asked the community not to sit in my son's rickshaw. He was pushed to the brink. This is murder..." she said in agony. outlookindia.com The members had boycotted him for a year after an argument. He paid Rs 8,500 as fine, but the members insisted he ask for forgiveness from every household of the community. He refused. The Bhandari Jat Panchayat member and former sarpanch of the village Shrirang Bagkar said the panchayat had done nothing wrong."The panchayat doesn't discriminate," he told some members of the media. A jat panchayat is a traditional dispute resolution institution which usually decides matrimonial, property or the caste-related disputes regarding customs and rituals. Those guilty of violation of rules, traditions or customs or for marrying an outsider are fined heavily , excommunicated, boycotted or expelled. Such ostracism leads to dire steps__ Arun Naikunji, a member of the Lingayat Gawli community , commit ted suicide in Pune last month after his family was boycotted for two years by the jat panchayat for suppor ting an inter-caste marriage. The social boycott can al so get bizarre. In June, a man from Nashik divorced his wi fe immediately after marria ge. The couple belong to the Kanjarbhat community. Its panchayat members wait outside after a wedding, whi le the couple has intercourse on a plain white cloth which is then displayed to prove that the bride is a virgin, fai ling which the marriage is summarily invalidated. It can also get ugly. Early this year, members of the Gondhali jat panchayat in Parbhani told a villager that they would rape his wife if he failed to repay a loan to the panchayat. The couple fled to Nashik. newsgram.com While the Maharashtra Protection of People from Social Boycott (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2016, awaits the Presi dent's nod, cases of atrocities by traditional jat panchay at continue across the state. Activists want the state government and politicians to earnestly pursue the matter. The state assembly in April unanimously approved the bill, which proposes action against extra-judicial bodies like caste and community panchayats, and prescribes a maximum punishment of three years in jail. As per the bill, the offence of imposing social boycott will attract maximum punishment of three years in prison or a fine of up to Rs 1 lakh, or both. Abetment also draws the same punishment and fine. "The state government has forwarded the bill to the Centre on May 7, 2016. It will need clearance from six central ministries and only then will the President will give his final nod and the gazette will be published. We are continuously following it up," Avinash Patil, executive president of Maharashtra Andhashraddha Nirmoolan Samiti (MANS), told TOI. economictimes The samiti has been following the matter for years and its founder late Narendra Dabholkar was at the forefront of the battle against jat panchayats. Patil said after the state approved the bill, people have been more open about complaining against jat panchayats. "There are many waiting for the bill to be approved. Once the law comes into existence, hundreds of complaints will be filed by those who have faced harassment from jat panchayats," Patil said. The samiti in its study has observed that when police cases are filed against jat panchayats, the victims' family withdraws them as they have to live within the caste and community. In a majority of cases, including Nai kunji's suicide in Pune last month, the families of the victims later said they had no complaints against the jat panchayat. Krishna Chandugade, coordinator of Jat Panchayat Muthmati Abhiyan, said as of now police are authorized to register complaints against caste panchayats but only after permission from the home ministry . The effort is time-consuming. leadersspeak.in The poor and vulnerable communities, and women are usually the victims of jat panchayats. "This so-called judiciary system, which runs a parallel government, exploits the poor and women in their respective communities. In the name of a panchayat, this oppressive system has destroyed thousands of lives," Kiran Moghe of Janwadi Mahila Sanghatna said. Activist Arun Khore said scheduled castes and tribes are mired in the jat panchayat system. "As a modern society we have failed to curb these inhuman practices. The movement against jat panchayat started in Maharashtra in the 1970s but till date we have not been able to stop this extra-judicial system." Advocate Varsha Despande of Dalit Mahila Vikas Mandal said jat panchayats were needed. "Not all are discriminatory . Some are pro-women and give speedy justice to them. Jat panchayats have a long tradition and this system is more efficient in meting out justice. Its system must be reformed within the constitutional framework instead of being completely discarded," Deshpande added. Matthew Harvey was banned from the United States for one reason - he smoked weed and was honest about it. He was planning to cross the border to take his 3-year-old Lika to California's Disneyland. Freedomoutpost His honest 'Yes' to what sounds like a harmless question, asked by the US Customs and Border Protection service will send shock waves through those who have got a little high. "They said that I was inadmissible because I admitted to smoking marijuana after the age of 18 and before I'd received my medical marijuana licence," he said. "I smoked marijuana recreationally. I guess I should have basically lied because now I am inadmissible apparently." AP He was detained for six hours, despite being a legal medical marijuana user in Canada. Now, he'll have to apply for advance permission to enter the U.S, instead of just driving through across the US Canada border. We obviously need to intensify our discussions with our border authorities in the United States, including the Department of Homeland Security, the public safety minister, Ralph Goodale, said in an interview with the Canadian Broadcasting Corp late on Thursday. This does seem to be a ludicrous situation, he said, noting that marijuana is legal in Washington state as well as three or four other jurisdictions in the United States. The Liberal prime minister, Justin Trudeau, campaigned on a promise to legalize recreational marijuana and the government has said it would introduce legislation by the spring of 2017. Twenty-five US states have sanctioned some forms of marijuana use for medical purposes, while four allow recreational use. Nine other states have recreational or medical marijuana proposals headed for their ballots in the November election. Also read: Freedom To Roll A Joint And Enjoy It Out In The Open This Week, A 100 Indian Doctors Met To Discuss Why Marijuana Is Damn Good Pain Medicine The owner of a bookshop in Auckland, England went to great lengths in reaching out a young woman, so he could return the letter that her dying mother wrote. Gordon Draper, the owner of Bondgate Books in Bishop was going through a stack of books in his store when he stumbled upon a letter along with a photograph, pressed carefully in an envelope. As Gordon began to read, it didnt take him long to realise its importance. The letter was folded with an old photo of a woman with short hair and glasses, a young girl circled in her embrace. myfox8 "I don't think there's anybody out there that won't be moved from reading the letter," Draper told CNN. It was a significant find and he just knew in that moment that he had to find the daughter so he could return the letter, he continued. Upon finding the letter, Bethany was beyond surprise. I havent seen this letter for about 15 years. For it to be returned to me in such good condition is absolutely amazing the lengths that they went to find me, she said. After her mothers demise, her father had read the letter to Bethany but sadly they lost it. elitedaily I think it was possibly put in a book for safe keeping but it [was] discarded when we moved. I didnt think there would be a chance of ever seeing it again, said Bethany. Bethany was extremely moved by the gesture and couldnt thank Draper enough for what he had done. I can look back at it at any time I want and the words in it are so close to us, she said. This is the last piece of my mum that I have. Truth About 9/11 By Eric Margolis Americas strategic and economic interests in the Mideast and Muslim world are being threatened by the agony in Palestine, which inevitably invites terrorist attacks against US citizens and property. - Eric Margolis, Sun Media, Sept 2, 2001 (nine days before the Sept 11 attacks against New York and Washington DC.) September 11, 2016 " Information Clearing House " - As Americans enter the 15th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks on their nation, they still have not understood the true cause of these dreadful attacks. Who can blame them? Our politicians and media have totally obscured the truth behind these and subsequent attacks that we call terrorism. While we mourn 9/11, US B-52 heavy bombers are raining bombs on whats left of Afghanistan in a futile attempt to crush tribal forces (aka Taliban) fighting western occupation. We did the same thing in Laos in the 1980s, as President Barack Obama properly noted during his visit there last week. Laos has never recovered and Afghanistan wont either. Since 2015, the US has dropped at least 32,000 1,000-2,000 lb. bombs on Iraq, Syria, Libya, Yemen, Somalia, Pakistan and Afghanistan all Muslim nations. US bomb inventories are running critically low as arms makers work overtime. 9/11 was a revenge attack conducted by mostly Saudi nationals who claimed they wanted to punish the United States for supporting Israeli oppression of Palestine, and for what they claimed was the US occupation of Saudi Arabia. Thats as much as we really know. We have never gotten the full story about 9/11. The best we can do is ask qui bono, who really benefitted from the attacks? The 9/11 narrative was immediately twisted by President George Bush into a spurious claim that America had been attacked by Muslims because of its freedoms and her way of life. This deceit opened the Pandoras box from which issued the rising wave of Islamophobia and Crusading fever sweeping over the US and Europe. America was attacked for what it had been doing all over the Muslim world, not for what it was. Most Americans dont know that the first CIA regime change in the Mideast occurred in Syria, way back in 1948. Were still at it today. Ever since, the US, Britain and France the imperial three musketeers have been breaking and making regimes across the Mideast and Africa, and installing vicious dictators to do our bidding, earning enemies from West Africa to Tajikistan. Hillary Clinton said this week that if elected president she would advance American exceptionalism and assure the new world order. These are code terms for imperialism and hegemony. If Clinton wins, look forward to foreign and military policy directed by Goldman Sachs and the neoconservatives. Donald Trump vows a major increase military spending at a time when Americas infrastructure is rusting or collapsing and its debt soaring. Both Trump and Clinton warn of growing security threats to America from ISIS and North Korea. In reality, the greatest internal threat is the type of Saturday night gang shoot-outs in Chicago that have killed 500 people so far this year. ISIS is a military pipsqueak a bunch of 20-something hooligans. North Korea only wants to be left alone to its misery. Washington, Paris, and London need the ISIS bogeyman today, just as they needed al-Qaida and the Soviet Union before, to justify budget-busting new arms spending and keeping the population whipped up with bogus war fever. Internationally, the greatest threat to Americas security is, of course, nuclear armed Russia which has enough intercontinental and sea-launched missiles to wipe the United States off the map. Accordingly, Washingtons most important foreign and national security priority is maintaining calm, well-mannered relations with Russia and its leadership. Instead, we have Hillary Clinton and her frantic war party neocons trying to provoke Russia at every turn and giving Moscow the impression that she will start a war with Russia. It was precisely such war talk and sabre rattling that in 1983 during the Able Archer crisis brought the US and USSR to within minutes of a full-scale nuclear war. For all Trumps bluster and Islamophobia, he is absolutely right about seeking good relations with Moscow. The schoolyard demonization of Russian President Vladimir Putin by the Clinton camp and its tame US media is childish, shameful and unworthy of a great power. Eric S. Margolis is an American-born journalist and writer. For 27 years, ending in 2010, he was a contributing editor to the Toronto Sun chain of newspapers, writing mainly about the Middle East, South Asia and Islam. http://ericmargolis.com/ 2016 Eric Margolis Fifteen Years After 9/11, Neverending War By Alex Emmons September 11, 2016 " Information Clearing House " - " The Intercept " - In the days after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, when Congress voted to authorize military force against the people who planned, authorized, committed, or aided the hijackings, few Americans could have imagined the resulting manhunt would span from West Africa all the way to the Philippines, and would outlast two two-term presidents. Today, U.S. military engagement in the Middle East looks increasingly permanent. Despite the White House having formally ended the wars Iraq and Afghanistan, thousands of U.S. troops and contractors remain in both countries. The U.S. is dropping bombs on Iraq and Syria faster than it can make them, and according to the Pentagon, its bombing campaign in Libya has no end point at this particular moment. The U.S. is also helping Saudi Arabia wage war in Yemen, in addition to conducting occasional airstrikes in Yemen and Somalia. Fifteen years after the September 11 attacks, it looks like the War on Terror is still in its opening act. The drawdown of U.S. forces in Iraq and Afghanistan only revealed how little war has achieved and how much damage it has inflicted. In Afghanistan, the Taliban now holds more territory than it has at any point since 2001. One poll from 2016 found that more than 90 percent of young people in Iraq now consider the United States an enemy of their country. The Islamic State, which was largely created by the U.S. invasion of Iraq, controls vast swaths of territory in Iraq, Syria, and Libya, and has demonstrated an emboldened capability to orchestrate attacks in Europe. In June, CIA Director John Brennan told Congress that despite all our progress against ISIL on the battlefield and in the financial realm, our efforts have not reduced the groups terrorism capability and global reach. Al Qaeda, the original enemy, today controls territory in Yemen and Somalia, but it is no longer considered a priority. In the span of one year, for example, the U.S.-backed war in Yemen quadrupled the size of al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula the terror groups most dangerous offshoot. The CIA has continued to arm Syrian rebels, despite the fact that those weapons have found their way to a former al Qaeda affiliate. Retired General David Petraeus, formerly the commander of U.S. forces in Iraq and Afghanistan, actually suggested arming al Qaeda directly to help fight ISIS. Despite the lack of progress, the last 15 years of war have come at a horrific cost. The U.S. lost nearly 2,300 service members in Afghanistan, and nearly 4,500 in Iraq. Hundreds of thousands were forever damaged. Those figures do not include at least 6,900 U.S. contractors and at least 43,000 Afghan and Iraqi troops who lost their lives. The death toll in the countries the U.S. attacked remains untallied, but conservative estimates range from the hundreds of thousands to well over a million. Add to that the hundreds of people tortured in U.S. custody, and thousands killed by U.S. drones in Yemen, Pakistan, and Somalia. The financial cost of the War on Terror is incalculable. The Iraq and Afghan wars, including the medical costs for veterans, are estimated to end up costing the U.S. at least $4 trillion dollars. Intelligence budgets have doubled, on top of more than $800 billion spent on homeland security. Billions of dollars have been wasted on fruitless projects like a failed plan to install radiation detectors at airports, which cost the government $230 million. The Department of Homeland Security wasted $1.1 billion on a virtual fence of sensors along the Mexican border before scrapping the program. The examples go on and on. The CIA paid one contractor $20 million to build a program that could discover encoded terrorist messages in Al Jazeera news broadcasts. Just last year, the Pentagon spent $43 million on one gas station in Afghanistan. Two contract psychologists were paid $80 million for designing the CIAs torture program. After 15 years, the only winners in the War on Terror have been the contractors. At home, the War on Terror has become a Constitutional nightmare. The U.S. has adopted a practice of indefinitely detaining terror suspects. Police departments across the country secretly import military grade spy equipment. Courts have ruled that families cannot sue to get their children off government kill lists. NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden revealed that the U.S. has become the largest surveillance state in history. In the 2016 presidential campaigns, torture has become one partys applause line, in no small part due to President Obamas failure to prosecute the architects of the Bush-era torture program. Bombing multiple countries in the Middle East has become business as usual, and often goes unreported. On August 1, for example, the day the Obama administration announced a new bombing campaign against ISIS in Libya, American journalists were far more occupied with post-convention election polls than they were with the new war. All of this foreshadows a war that could stretch 10, 20, or 50 more years. As the U.S. shifts its strategy towards bombing and away from ground troops, media engagement with the wars diminishes, and it is all too easy to forget about our permanent state of war. But the victims of U.S. violence are unlikely to forget, creating a potentially endless supply of new enemies. Reported Death Of TTIP - An Abhorrent Political Deception By Graham Vanbergen September 11, 2016 " Information Clearing House " - " TruePublica " - The global mainstream media have loudly hailed the stunning success of the peoples uprising against the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership or TTIP in the light of its demise. In the last few years protests broke out all over Europe as the unelected bureaucrats steamed ahead with this unpopular trade deal, even after the results of the largest ever consultation study in the EU Commissions history resulted in a 97% negative response of 150,000 people. The emerging movement spawned enormous online activism never seen before, culminating in the largest petition in Europes history with a staggering collective of over 3.2 million signatures delivered by passionate foot-soldiers right to the epicentre of where the political elite inhabit in the EU. The beating heart of TTIP activism was Berlin, Paris and London. This is not to forget the huge protest effort made by citizens across almost all of the EUs major cities. When preparing for TTIP negotiations, 560 meetings took place between 2012 and 2013. Just 4% were represented by public interest and civil society. Unashamedly, the Commission allowed 92% of all TTIP meetings to be dominated by lobbyists and corporate trade associations Today, these shadowy agitators amount to over 30,000 grey suits stalking the halls of the Commission HQ in the de facto capital of the European Union in Brussels. In May of this year Wikileaks confirmed that TTIP amounted to a huge transfer of power from people to big business. Greenpeace Netherlands then leaked 248 secret pages of the controversial trade deal between the U.S. and EU, exposing how environmental regulations, climate protections and consumer rights were effectively being bartered away behind closed doors. Tensions amongst civil society rose to fever pitch with the devastating news. Der Spiegel Germany wrote Protests Threaten Trans-Atlantic Trade Deal as the leaks became public. With concerted effort activists seemingly brought the trade agreement to the brink of collapse within days. At the same time, Merkels grandly staged meeting with US President Barack Obama in Hanover was nothing more than showmanship. It aimed to show the strain of negotiations, as if somehow Germany (and therefore the EU) was going to get a better deal from TTIP and pacify the building rage of her citizens. As if to rub salt into the wounds a report by TruePublica, published in The European Financial Review confirmed that corruption in the EU trading bloc had now reached 14 per cent of GDP a staggering 1 trillion. By now 70 per cent of all European citizens believe corruption to be at the heart of their respective governments and the EU Commission itself, and that a corporate coup dtat is taking the place of democratic principles that Europe fought so hard for over generations. Then, out of the blue, an unexpected announcement is made last week. The media on all sides of the spectrum is broadly going along with the story that French Prime Minister Manuel Valls and German Vice Chancellor and Economy Minister Sigmar Gabriel have agreed that negotiations between the EU and the US on TTIP, have essentially failed. Thats it the deal is dead. Hoorah! The Telegraph EUs TTIP trade deal with the US has collapsed, says Germany The Independent TTIP negotiations should stop, French government says ZeroHedge The Americans Give Us Nothing: France Effectively Kills TTIP RT TTIP negotiations between EU and US have de facto failed German economy minister Not so fast. You dont think that the Americans are going to let the biggest trade deal in human history fail just because 97% of citizens reject it do you? No, France and Germany just need a plan. After Brexit, Britain can stay out of the firing line of the protest movement for a while. So, they looked to Japan. It had the same problem with its version of the trade deal similarly called TPP. Mass protests broke out as the same secret meetings gripped the political foreground. Its Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, instructed the coalition early in the year not to forcibly proceed with the TPP negotiations until after elections, Kyodo News reported. Abe genuinely feared a voter backlash in the Upper House elections amid the growing scandal of a 242 page leaked document laying bare the bones of the deal. Having been elected June 11th, Abe now intends to force the deal through this fall. I made enquiries with sources close to the ground on the EU/US TTIP deal along the same lines; was this simply a delaying tactic until after elections in 2017 for Frances Hollande and Germanys Merkel? The response was not wholly unexpected. The seemingly early celebration of the end of TTIP has also surprised us a bit. Despite last weeks statements by the German and French trade ministers and the way these have been portrayed, we are continuing to campaign against the deal. In another exchange: The declarations of French and German leaders aim to: divert attention away from CETA, reduce the numbers in the streets of Germany on 17th September, put TTIP on hold while elections take place in France, Germany and the USA. The fifteenth round of TTIP negotiations will happen in the first week of OctoberThis has been confirmed by our US friends. I then contacted Corporate Europe Observatory (CEO). It is a research and campaign group working to expose and challenge the privileged access and influence enjoyed by corporations and their lobby groups in EU policy making. They have been exposing the misinformation and propaganda of the EU Commission for years. The CEO response to my same question was emphatic and quite clear: Public opposition to CETA and TTIP has led French and German leaders to please voters with words against TTIP. Unfortunately, the next round of TTIP negotiations is scheduled for early October and no EU leader has publicly said he or she will vote against CETA in the EU Council in October. This is clearly not the end of TTIP and CETA, just the beginning of electoral campaigns in France and Germany. Germany and France have taken the same stance as Japan on these trade agreements, they are not dead at all they are lying. I then spoke to Peter Koenig, an economist and geopolitical analyst. He is also former World Bank staff and worked extensively around the world in the fields of environment and water resources and posed the same question. He said: Following a debate on PressTV Edition Francaise, where I was one of the interviewees, the focus was on the German and French Ministers expressed conclusion that TTIP negotiations failed. I wrote an article The TTIP is Dead, hoping that spreading of this promise by the highest authorities of the two key countries in the EU would make sure among the European populace that any deviation from this promise would be perceived as a lie and receive strongest public expressions of protest. In the meantime, it has become clear that the TTIP and TISA deals are not at all dead. In fact, shortly after the German and French announcements, Jean-Claude Juncker, the unelected President of the European Commission, declared majestically that for him the negotiations are not dead. Koenig continues -There are other means to infiltrate the TTIP into the EU, i.e. through CETA and according to Juncker, doesnt need ratification of each EU members parliament. Then there is TISA, the even more secret trade agreement between 50 countries around the globe. TISA could easily be used to clandestinely impose TTIP rules on Europe. Nick Dearden, Director of Global Justice Now confirmed what Peter Koenig is saying in a Guardian piece Think TTIP is a threat to democracy? Theres another trade deal thats already signed. TTIP is not alone. Its smaller sister deal between the EU and Canada is called CETA (the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement). CETA is just as dangerous as TTIP; indeed its in the vanguard of TTIP-style deals, because its already been signed by the European commission and the Canadian government. It now awaits ratification over the next 12 months. The one positive thing about CETA is that it has already been signed and that means that were allowed to see it. Its 1,500 pages show us that its a threat to not only our food standards, but also the battle against climate change, our ability to regulate big banks to prevent another crash and our power to renationalise industries. CETA contains a new legal system, open only to foreign corporations and investors. Should the British government make a decision, say, to outlaw dangerous chemicals, improve food safety or put cigarettes in plain packaging, a Canadian company can sue the British government for unfairness. And by unfairness this simply means they cant make as much profit as they expected. The trial would be held as a special tribunal, overseen by corporate lawyers. What is missing from this statement is that any American corporation headquartered in Canada can sue any nation in the EU via CETA for the same reasons namely, loss of expected profits. They dont actually have to be Canadian corporations. As Global Justice also confirms, Canada has itself fought and lost a plentiful and diverse range of legal cases brought by US corporations under the North American Free Trade Agreement (Nafta) for outlawing carcinogenic chemicals in petrol, reinvesting in local communities and halting the devastation of quarries. If TTIP doesnt bring this horrific erosion of democratic power to the shores of Europe, CETA will. Brexit will mean for nothing. It will be sold to the British people as a global trade agreement which will be heralded as a great success and supported by much of the media who themselves have a vested interest in such deals. In the end, does it matter if its called TTIP, CETA, TISA and the like, they are all shadowy unaccountable acronyms designed to enrich the few via extreme neoliberal capitalism under the guise of free trade. The Media Elites Feel That Shiver Up The Spine And It's Not Victory By Kenneth R. Timmerman September 11, 2016 " Information Clearing House " - " The Hill " - You know a candidate is in trouble when she deflects softball questions about her policies to talk about her opponents character. Hillary Clinton 's phony "press conference," where she took six questions from friendly reporters and filibustered nearly half of the time to trash-talk Donald Trump, shows a candidate and a campaign that is disintegrating in broad daylight. Even The Washington Post noted there were "no questions about her emails," Topic A of the news cycle. Clinton's reckless mishandling of classified material reinforced by her 39 memory "lapses" in her FBI interview should disqualify her from office. And Americans get it. The media elites are in a panic. They witnessed the meltdown of their candidate in broad daylight and can feel that shiver up their spine except that this time, it is not the delight of victory they are feeling, but the dread of defeat. They watched her spar unsuccessfully over this issue with Clinton Global Initiative member and NBC morning news anchor Matt Lauer during Wednesday night's national security forum, and blamed her poor performance on Matt Lauer. The Washington Post is now essentially an arm of the Democratic National Committee. It has done this with deep investigative dive into the penetralia of the Trump empire and no equivalent reporting about the Clinton emails, the Clinton Foundation's corrupt pay-to-play scheme or the nonstop lies from Clinton herself. NBC and CBS have jumped on the bandwagon, highlighting Clinton's latest desperate claim that Trump is the favored candidate of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) American voters just aren't that stupid, but these news organizations wouldn't know anything about that. That's why they are called the media elites. On Thursday, The Washington Post editorial board took the occasion of Libertarian spoiler Gary Johnson's ignorance on the Syrian civil war as an opportunity to trash Trump. "Gary Johnsons Aleppo gaffe was bad. But Trump's consistent ignorance is worse," a lead editorial trumpeted. The Post found Johnson, whom they called "clueless," nevertheless to be "refreshing" when compared to Trump, "who in a televised national security forum Wednesday offered a staggering array of ignorant and mendacious assertions and acknowledged no regrets about them." Let's see. According to the Post, Trump repeated "his false claims to have opposed the U.S. interventions in Iraq and Libya." Really? The only time Trump ever said he might support a U.S. war in Iraq was with radio shock-jock Howard Stern in 2002. Here is how that exchange went: "Are you for invading Iraq?" Stern asked. "Yeah [pause] ... I guess so," Trump replied. Anyone who listens to the audio of that exchange will not recognize the bold colors of the Trump they know. Instead, they heard a man who clearly hadn't given the Iraq war that much thought (after all, he was a private businessman at the time). Trump added, "You know, I wish the first time it was done correctly." Even so, that was enough for the Post, NBC News, and other media elites to say Trump "lied" when he said he opposed the 2003 Iraq War. Not exactly a "gotcha" moment. Then there's this. Trump once again asserted in Wednesday night's forum that the Bush administration should have left local Iraqis in charge of the country but kept control of "various sections where they have the oil." The Post sneered at "the jaw-dropping imbecility of this idea." I guess they have forgotten the widespread media reporting in the run-up and aftermath of the 2003 Iraq war, claiming that President George W. Bush was waging a "war for oil." "No Blood for Oil," protesters shouted, bursting into congressional hearings. Post columnist Mary McGrory went further. "We're starting a war not just for oil or for Ariel Sharon, but because we can win it." Of course, in Europe and the Arab world, "everyone knew" Iraq was a war for oil, Post columnist David Ignatius reminded readers at the time. I can recall being invited to a French television debate in Paris on Oct. 25, 2004. I was the only Republican guest on a round table of Americans to discuss the 2004 presidential elections. Asked about the allegations that Iraq was a "war for oil," I said, "Of course, it was." I then added, "But it was a war for oil fought by [then French President Jacques] Chirac to preserve $100 billion in contracts for [French oil companies] Elf and Total." Trump went on to say that regardless of the decision over going to war, the United States should not have left Iraq precipitously, announcing that decision ahead of time so our enemies so hunker down and wait us out. "And the way they got out really caused ISIS, if you think about it," Trump told Larry King on Russia Today (RT). Predictably, the Post didn't put that comment in context of Trumps view of the 2003 war, but only reported it because he said it on RT. I have already "fact-checked" Trump's claim that Clinton and Obama were "founders of ISIS" and found it to be true not just because the precipitous U.S. withdrawal created a security vacuum for ISIS to exploit, but because it was the policy of the U.S. government at the time to reinforce and arm the groups that morphed into ISIS, as a now-declassified Defense Intelligence Agency report from August 2012 shows. Of course, The Washington Post and the media elites dismissed Trump's claim with a predictable sneer. The American people have understood the medias bold double-standard when it comes to the truth. Hillary Clintons pathological lying is okay, but anything they dont like spoken by Trump is not. Now the elite media is waking up to the fact that they no longer control the narrative, and they are in a panic. Kenneth Timmermans latest book is Deception: The Making of the YouTube Video Hillary and Obama Blamed for Benghazi. He is a Trump supporter. US Wants Respite, Not Ceasefire in Syria By Finian Cunningham ember 11, 2016 " Information Clearing House " - " Sputnik " - Tough negotiations between America and Russias top diplomats have managed to produce a tentative ceasefire plan for Syria. But Washington doesnt really want a ceasefire. More likely, a respite for its regime-change proxies. After more than 13 hours of intense discussions in Geneva this weekend, on top of months of back-and-forth talks, US Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov emerged in a joint press conference to announce that a cessation in fighting would begin this week. A previous attempt at implementing a truce back in February failed within days of that initiative because anti-government insurgents affiliated with the al-Qaeda terrorist network refused to abide by that earlier agreement. There is no reason why this second ceasefire attempt should otherwise succeed in holding. There may well be a temporary lull in violence simply because opposition militia will avail of the opportunity to regroup and repair. But the core of the insurgents are dominated by terrorist groups like Jabhat Fatah al Sham (formerly al-Nusra Front) and Daesh and numerous other affiliates. These proscribed terror groups have no interest in negotiating a political transition in Syria with the incumbent government of President Bashar Assad. Their whole purpose is to overthrow the state and turn it into a so-called caliphate ruled by fear. This gets to the kernel of why the ceasefire deal worked out by Kerry and Lavrov is fatally flawed. Arguably, the Russian side is negotiating in good faith with the genuine intention of achieving a peaceful resolution to the nearly six-year-old conflict, which has resulted in 400,000 dead and millions displaced from their homes. But not so the American side. We must always keep firmly in mind that the conflict in Syria was instigated in the first place by the US and other foreign powers for the objective of regime change against the Assad government a long-time ally of Russia and Iran. Recall that former French Foreign Minister Roland Dumas revealed in 2013 that the foreign conspiracy for regime change in Syria was hatched at least two years before the violence erupted in March 2011. This US-led criminal agenda for regime change has not changed. When John Kerry talks about getting Russia to sign up to a political transition he means a process which will culminate in the ouster of the Assad government. At the Geneva press conference this weekend, the US diplomat clearly said that he was coordinating his efforts with those of the exiled opposition group called the High Negotiations Committee. Days before, the Saudi-backed HNC unveiled yet another vision demanding transition and Assads departure. On the Geneva meeting this weekend, the Washington Post reported: Kerry acknowledged the truth of the Russian charge that some opposition groups are fighting in tandem with the [al-Nusra] Front and said it was incumbent on them to now make a choice. The paper also noted: Both Kerry and Lavrov emphasized that outside supporters of all non-terrorist [sic] belligerents would have to bring their allies in line. Without this putative separation of moderates and terrorists then there can be no feasible premise for a substantive cessation of violence. The proposal for US and Russian forces to subsequently cooperate in carrying out air strikes against terror groups is therefore a non-starter. The confidence for this assertion is because, as Kerry half-acknowledged, there is no distinction between moderate rebels and terrorists. They are all part of the same regime-change proxy army that the US and its NATO and regional allies orchestrated from the outset of this reprehensible conflict. Expecting these proxies to somehow sort themselves into good guys and bad guys is a ludicrous conception of how and why the war was instigated and prosecuted. Washington and the Western news media engage in euphemisms of how these groups are intermingled, overlap and marbled. But such attempts at differentiation are either deluded or deceitful. For virtually all the anti-government insurgents are integrated into the same terrorist front. Thats why months of Russian admonitions to the US to segregate its supposed moderates from the terrorists have resulted in no separation. For John Kerry to propose at this late stage for non-terrorist belligerents to get onboard with the ceasefire is nothing but a cynical ruse. So what is Washington really seeking? Part of the proposed deal involves Russian and Syrian forces calling off their offensive against eastern Aleppo the so-called lifting of the siege and supplying humanitarian aid to insurgent-held areas. Cynically, but realistically, those provisions are less about halting violence and humanitarian effort and more about giving the foreign-backed regime-change forces a much needed breathing space. Ever since Russia sent its forces into Syria at the end of last year, the US-led regime-change war has turned into a losing campaign. What Washington and its other foreign co-conspirators Britain, France, Turkey, Israel and Saudi Arabia badly need is to give their proxies a respite from the withering offensive of the Syrian army and its Russian, Iranian and Hezbollah allies. A reasonable conjecture is that the Pentagon and CIA war planners Kerrys ultimate bosses want a holding and reorganizing position until Hillary Clinton is elected as the new president. Lame-duck Obama has been too much of a ditherer and not sufficiently gung-ho about regime change in Syria. Clinton, on the other hand, has vowed to step up American military intervention in Syria. She has called for setting up of no-fly zones and a tougher stance towards Assad and Russia. But if Syrian and Russian forces continue their rate of attrition against the regime-change proxies, there may be little of these foreign assets left by the time Clinton takes office early next year. Hence, the insurgents must be salvaged from their precipitous defeat and this is what really pertains to the ceasefire that Kerry has appeared so keen to accomplish. The conjecture of a holding, reorganizing position also tallies with the recent invasion by Turkish military forces into northern Syria and the joint US-Turk annexation of territory. It suggests that a greater war effort for regime change is being anticipated for when Clinton takes office. (Assuming Donald Trumps candidacy can be wrecked by the relentless US media vilification he is being subjected to.) Which begs the question: why have Russia and the Syrian government apparently gone along with this latest ceasefire arrangement? If, that is, it is a cynical ruse for regime change? Why dont Syria and Russia just drive on with their very effective offensive to defeat the terrorist regime-change front? Perhaps, Syria and Russia have their own calculations for regrouping and refining tactics for resuming even greater offensive power. Or perhaps, Russia knows all too well, privately, that the Americans are full of claptrap. This latest ceasefire proposal has no chance of working because of the inherent flaws. But Russias international reputation has little to lose from giving peace a chance. So, let Washingtons proposal for separation of insurgents fail, fail, and fail again, and let the world come to see the utter fallacy and criminality of American policy. The trouble, however, is that more delay gives more leverage to a Clinton presidency and what promises to be a far more warmongering next White House administration. Finian Cunningham is a Masters graduate in Agricultural Chemistry and worked as a scientific editor for the Royal Society of Chemistry, Cambridge, England. For nearly 20 years, he worked as an editor and writer in major news media organisations, including The Mirror, Irish Times and Independent. A 55-year-old female pilgrim arrested at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja has excreted eighty-two wraps of cocaine, weighing nine hundred and thirty-one (931) programmes. The woman was arrested during the outward screening of passengers on an Emirate flight to Dubai en-route Medina. Mrs Binuyo Busari Iyabo, a native of Irepodun local government area of Kwara State, is married with three children and sells cosmetics at Dosumu market, Lagos. In her confessional statement, Iyabo owned up to the crime and also provided investigators with useful information. Chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Muhammad Mustapha Abdallah, who described Iyabos action as shameful, warned against trafficking in narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances. He said that drug traffickers shall be severely sanctioned in line with anti-narcotic laws of the land. It is a shameful and discreditable act for a 55 year old mother who is going on a holy pilgrimage to ingest narcotics. This is very shocking and a clear indication of her inability to effectively discharge parental responsibility. The Agency shall invoke the powers of the law against her and others caught indulging in production/trafficking in narcotic drugs, he said. Similarly, NDLEA commander at the Abuja airport, Hamisu Lawan confirmed the total number of wraps of cocaine ingested by the suspect while under observation. Mrs Binuyo Basari Iyabo while under observation expelled eighty-two wraps of cocaine weighing nine hundred and thirty-one (931) grammes. All arrangements have been concluded for her prosecution. Hamisu stated. In her statement the arrested woman said she wanted to expand my cosmetic business but I had no money. My sponsor offered to foot my expenses to Saudi on pilgrimage. This was how I got involved in the act. I was excited until the issue of drugs was introduced. I wanted to decline but it was late. Besides, I was offered a million naira which I accepted. I swallowed the drugs in Lagos and took a flight to Abuja on my way to Medina but I was caught in the process, she told investigators. Source: Dailypost Estimados amigos, Les doy cordialmente la bienvenida a este Blog informativo con articulos, analisis y comentarios de publicaciones especializadas y especialmente seleccionadas, principalmente sobre temas economicos, financieros y politicos de actualidad, que esperamos y deseamos, sean de su maximo interes, utilidad y conveniencia. Pensamos que solo comprendiendo cabalmente el presente, es que podemos proyectarnos acertadamente hacia el futuro. Las convicciones son mas peligrosos enemigos de la verdad que las mentiras. There are decades when nothing happens and there are weeks when decades happen. You only find out who is swimming naked when the tide goes out. No soy alguien que sabe, sino alguien que busca. Only Gold is money. Everything else is debt. Las grandes almas tienen voluntades; las debiles tan solo deseos. Quien no lo ha dado todo no ha dado nada. History repeats itself, first as tragedy, second as farce. If you know the other and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. We are travelers on a cosmic journey, stardust, swirling and dancing in the eddies and whirlpools of infinity. Life is eternal. We have stopped for a moment to encounter each other, to meet, to love, to share.This is a precious moment. It is a little parenthesis in eternity. The immediate past Governor of Sokoto State, Aliyu Wamakko, has called on Nigerians to seek divine intervention for a way out of the current economic recession facing the country. Mr. Wamakko, a member of the governing All Progressives Congress and a serving senator, made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Sokoto on Saturday. He specifically urged Muslims to take advantage of Eid el-Kabir period to pray for peace and unity as well as economic growth and development of the country. According to him, fervent prayers for Gods intervention will pave way for the restoration of vibrant economy in the country. Mr. Wamakko said seeking divine intervention will enable the country to overcome the present economic challenges. He said with genuine prayer to Almighty God, Nigeria would come out of the current socio-economic crises, militancy, cattle rustling and insurgency among others. The former governor of Sokoto State advised businessmen and women against rampant increase in prices of food items. He also called on Nigerians to support the present administration to enable it implement its programmes for the development of the country. Senator Wamakko expressed optimism that the nation will be great under the present administration and urged Nigerians to continue to be patient with the government. (NAN) Governor of Rivers State, Chief Nyesom Wike has denied allegations that he backed the Edo State governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, with a N2billion donation. The governor explained that all he gave was moral support. Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State had on Thursday claimed that Wike and Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State raised the sum of N2billion for the PDP candidate at a time the governors could not pay salaries in their states. Wike, however, denied the allegation just as he vowed to continue to support democratic forces, not just in the Niger Delta, but across Nigeria, to bring better life to people of the country. The governor spoke through the Rivers Commissioner for Information and Communications, Dr. Austin Tam-George. The commissioner also denied the allegation by Governor Oshiomhole that Wike and Okowa mobilized militants to rig the rescheduled governorship election of Edo for Pastor Ize-Iyamu. Tam-George said: Governor Wike has no links with militants in the region and anywhere else in the country. He (Wike) has only given moral support to the PDP candidate in Edo State to overcome the ineptitude and dysfunction the APC imposed on the people. The commissioner asked the people of Edo State to stand firm in defence of their sovereign right by voting for the PDP in the election. Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State has described as alarmist, the allegation credited to the Governor of Edo State, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, that him (Okowa) and Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State mobilized 8,000 militants to the state. Mr. Adams made the allegation when he received the Inspector General of Police, Idris Ibrahim, in his office last Friday. According to him, Messrs. Wike and Okowa mobilized the militants, not solely for the purpose of swelling votes for their party the Peoples Democratic Party and its candidate, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu but to unleash violence on voters during the September 28 governorship election in Edo State. In his reaction, Gov. Okowa, said Oshiomholes allegation is not only reckless but also childish and unfounded as he does not own or sponsor militants or thugs. Speaking through the Delta State Commissioner for Information, Mr. Patrick Ukah, the governor also denied the claim by his Edo counterpart that he sponsored the governorship campaign of the PDP candidate to the tune of N2billion. He said: We reject this accusation as alarmist in conception, reckless in delivery, puerile in content and false in facts, and so fit only for kindergartens tales by moonlight. The governor recalled a similar development in 2012, when Oshiomhole surprised the whole nation by raising an alarm on election day against the umpire, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) that it was about to rig the election in favour of the opposition, adding: It turned out to be hoax as he won his re-election bid. He was to later childishly explain his gaffe as just being proactive. Ordinarily, we are weary of joining issues with, not just a next door neighbor governor, but also of a state which together with Delta, has shared such a long and enviable social, political and economic history from the old days Mid-West Region to that of the now defunct Bendel State. Oshiomhole is known for making wide, unsubstantiated and curious allegations and this is something of a trademark peculiar to him. If a man is gifted with the power of oratory, he must be careful to avoid a descent into suffering from diarrhoea of the mouth. On the allegation that he, alongside Wike, donated the whopping sum of N2billion to the PDP candidate in Edo, Gov. Okowa described it as a product of Mr. Oshiomholes wild imagination. It beats one hollow that Oshiomhole would, in his wild imagination, come up with such a curious allegation that a state in this country will just dole out one billion Naira in cash and to imagine the other logistics of embarking on exporting militants to another state. Much as Governor Okowa, as a faithful party member, will support the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), he certainly has better things to channel One Billion Naira into. And just for the record, Governor Okowa does not owe salaries. We wish to warn that the good people of Edo and Delta have come a very long way. Oshiomhole should not in the name of politics sow a seed of discord, suspicion and bitterness in their minds before leaving office. He now has 18 more days to work for his candidate and party, we advise he faces it squarely and stop this impolitic of mudslinging and campaign of calumny. The National Caretaker Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday lampooned Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State for claiming that the party registered 8,000 militants for the purpose of manipulating the forthcoming governorship election in the state. The governor made the allegation when he received the Inspector General of Police, Idris Ibrahim in his office on Friday. According to Oshiomhole, the PDP registered the militants as part of plans to make peaceful election impossible. He further stated that Our opponent, unable to find local thugs to help them perpetrate violence which they have done between 1999 and 2007 when I took over, resorted to liaising with my brothers in the sub-region, Delta and Rivers, in particular, to export criminals and militants into Edo State in order to make peaceful election impossible. They are exporting militants to Edo State to register so that with the PVC in their hands, they will appear to have the lawful basis to be present at the designated polling units where they are expected to unleash violence on Election Day. The PDP described the governors allegation as wild and totally unreasonable. The spokesman for the PDP caretaker committee, Prince Dayo Adeyeye in a statement in Abuja on Saturday, posed the following questions to Oshiomhole: Where and when did the PDP register the so-called militants? Were they registered by INEC? If not which organisation registered them? Were they registered as voters or as observers? For what purpose? And when did Oshiomhole suddenly discover the registration of the alleged militants? Adeyeye hoped that the governors allegation would not be used to alter the voters register. He added: Nigerians will recall that it was the same Oshiomhole, who after returning from an official visit with President Buhari to the United States of America, said that one American official told them while they were in the United States that over six billion dollars was found in the account of a former Nigerian Minister. Neither the President nor any other member of the official delegation said they heard any such statement. Mr Oshiomhole kept on repeating this lie until an American embassy officials had to publicly repudiate him. Yet the Governor offered no public apology for misleading Nigerians, Mr. Adeyeye said. The national publicity secretary, however, warned against any attempt to tamper with the states voters register. He also cautioned against unwarranted arrest, harassment and intimidation of PDP members in Edo. The security agencies must recognise that their responsibilities are to the entire people of Nigeria and not only to one political party, he added. In a related development, the Edo PDP Chairman, Chief Dan Orbih, described the allegation by Gov. Oshiomhole as baseless and an indictment of the security agencies for 8,000 persons to move into the state without detection. He said, I find it disgusting that the governor could indict security agencies in the manner he has just done. I mean it is serious indictment on the security agencies to say that 8000 militants could quietly walk into Edo from Port Harcourt and Delta State without being detected. I see this allegation as a pointer to the fact that the governor is an incurable liar. He has gone further to accuse governors of Rivers and Delta states of providing N2 billion donation. He is talking as if he is talking to a gathering of illiterates. N2 billion is not N2 million nor N20, 000. Nobody can carry N2 billion in a briefcase. The only way to do that is through electronic transfer. As far as I know, our accounts are there for everyone to see. We have not received any contribution of even N2 million from any governor. I challenge him to show evidence of his claims because each time I accuse him of fraud, I always come out with government vouchers signed by him to substantiate whatever I said. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has quizzed erstwhile Chief of Staff to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, Brig.-Gen. Jones Oladehinde Arogbofa (rted), over a N585million gift. The N585million gift was in the form of a house, presented to him by some government officials led by a former Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Power. It was learnt that the public officers dipped their hands into the national purse and stole N27.2billion from which they purchased the house and presented to the former chief of staff. Investigations by the EFCC revealed that the money was benefits of deceased staff of the defunct Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN). Following the exposure of the source of the funds and his subsequently grilling, Mr. Arogbofa, who was appointed by then President Jonathan as his chief of staff in February 2014, has agreed to refund about N150million of the terminal benefits which was traced to the property purchased for him. It was learnt that the former Permanent Secretary, who played a key role in the diversion of the cash, has also been grilled by the EFCC. It was learnt that more heads may roll in government on the diversion of the funds. Informed sources said those who looted the dead workers benefits decided to involve top government officials in the deal to cover up their tracks. About 10 of such officials are currently under surveillance. The coordinators of the deal were said to have paid cash to or bought expensive gifts for the affected officials. One of the source said: The perpetrators of the fraud pretended they were doing Arogbofa a favour by virtue of his closeness to ex-President Jonathan. They told him that they had a gift for him which turned out to be the N585million house. Having trusted those who gave him the gift, the ex-Chief of Staff did not either ask for the source of funds for the property or how much it cost. It was at the EFCC that Arogbofa got to know that the property was bought from the looted the N27, 188,232,208.20 benefits of the deceased staff of the defunct Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN). When he met a former Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Power, who played some roles in the diversion of funds, and others, they started apologizing for roping him in. But it was too late for the former Chief of Staff and all those implicated in the dirty deals. The long arm of the law does not accommodate ignorance. Responding to a question, the source added: We have interrogated the ex-Permanent Secretary but investigation is still ongoing on his roles in the diversion of the funds. This is why we will not disclose his identity to prevent a cover up by other accomplices. Preliminary findings pointed to him as one of the arrowheads of the fraudulent diversion of the N27.18billion. We have already watch-listed a top official of Bestworth Insurance Brokers Limited that was used by the suspects under probe. This means, INTERPOL or any other international organisation can arrest him in any part of the world. The source said the former chief of staff has agreed to refund N150million traced to the property purchased for him. In fact, he has made partial payment to the EFCC and he promised to bring the balance next week. The Kano State Government on Sunday donated food items worth N2.5 million to enable prison inmates in the state celebrate Eid el-Kabir. The items comprised three cows, 14 rams, 40 bags of rice, 16 jerry- cans of vegetable oil and other food items. The Secretary to Kano State Government (SSG), Alhaji Usman Alhaji, told officials of Kano Central Prisons, Kurmawa, at the presentation ceremony, that the gesture was to assist the inmates celebrate Eid-el-Kabir with ease. It has been a tradition of Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje to assist the inmates during such special occasions, he said. He called on well to do individuals in the state to complement governments efforts by donating food items and other materials to support the inmates to celebrate. The state government welcomes and encourages people who are willing to support the inmates in whatever way possible provided they will follow the agreed channels, he said. The Deputy Controller of Prison, Mr Auwalu Diso, thanked the government for the kind gesture and gave an assurance that the items would be judiciously used for the benefit of the inmates. He commended Ganduje for donating rubber mats and mattresses in addition to awarding contract for the construction of drains in the prison recently. The SSG was accompanied by some members of the State Committee on Prerogative of Mercy during the visit. The state government had during the Ramadan secured the release of no fewer than 500 inmates from prisons in the state. Source: Vanguard Human rights activist and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, Femi Falana, has asked the Federal Government to reject the conditionality attached to the repatriation of late military dictator, General Sani Abachas loot in Switzerland. In a September 9 letter addressed to President Muhammadu Buhari, the senior lawyer described the Swiss governments conditions for returning $321m of Abachas loot to Nigeria as an insult. He recalled the disclosure by Swiss Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Eric Mayoraz that his countrys government has requested the World Bank to supervise the spending of the returned loot saying it was a violation of international laws. According to Falana: We believe that the conditionality imposed on Nigeria, which allows the World Bank to supervise the spending of returned assets by the Nigerian government breaches international law principles and standards. He also accused the World Bank of not demonstrating sufficient level of transparency and accountability in its supervision of spending of previously returned Abacha loot. He added that, should the Swiss government refuse to return the money without any conditionality, the federal government should initiate legal proceedings for the recovery of the funds. In the event that the government of Switzerland refuses to return the said sum of $321 million without any conditionality, the Federal Government should not hesitate to initiate legal proceedings for the recovery of the asset, he said. In the proposed suit. Nigeria should claim punitive and exemplary damages and interests from Switzerland for keeping the loot for over 20 years, Mr. Falana added. It would be recalled that in July, 2016 the Swiss government signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Nigerian government towards the return of the money looted by the late Abacha. A first tranche of the Abacha loot $722 million had been repatriated to Nigeria in 2005. Full text of Mr. Falanas letter to President Buhari below: President Mohammadu Buhari, The Presidential Villa, Aso Rock, Abuja, FCT. Your Excellency Re: Request to reject the conditionality attached to the return of $321m Abacha loot by Switzerland We are a firm of legal practitioners in Nigeria dedicated to the defence and promotion of human rights and democracy as well as public accountability and transparency. We are writing on behalf of our law firm to request the Federal Government to reject, without any further delay, the insulting conditionality including the supervision by the World Bank, attached to repatriation of the sum of $321m Abacha loot in Switzerland to Nigeria. We note that recently the Swiss Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Eric Mayoraz disclosed that the Swiss government would soon return $321m of Abacha loot to Nigeria. As part of the process of repatriation, the Ambassador claimed that the government of Switzerland has, unilaterally requested the World Bank to supervise the spending of the returned loot. We note that grand corruption, money laundering and return of stolen assets have long become major issues of concern to the international community. We further note that Switzerland has acceded to all the relevant international treaties such as the United Nations Convention against Corruption for the return of assets. We believe that the conditionality imposed on Nigeria, which allows the World Bank to supervise the spending of returned assets by the Nigerian government breaches international law principles and standards. In particular, Article 57 of the UN Convention against Corruption requires states parties to return assets on the basis of a final judgment in the requesting State Party. But in circumstances where there is no final judgment Article 57 allows for assets to be returned on the basis of agreements or mutually acceptable arrangements, on a case-by-case basis, for the final disposal of confiscated property. This provision suggests that Switzerland has no legal authority to impose conditions on Nigeria regarding the spending of recovered assets. While the UN Convention against Corruption contains provisions for special considerations when states parties are concluding agreements, this does not give the government of Switzerland the right to unilaterally impose conditions on Nigeria. In addition to breaching the clear provisions of Article 57, the imposition of any conditions on the Nigerian government is a flagrant violation of the principles of sovereignty and non-intervention founded in Article 2 of the United Nations Charter. Imposing conditions on Nigeria regarding the spending of returned assets is disproportionate and amounts to an unlawful intervention because Switzerland has no legal or moral right to the assets. Indeed, Switzerland is completely complicit for the stashing and depositing of stolen assets from Nigeria in its banks and other financial institutions. We are seriously concerned that the World Bank itself has not demonstrated sufficient level of transparency and accountability in its supervision of spending of previously returned Abacha loot. For example, the World Bank has so far refused to satisfactorily disclose information on the spending of recovered Abacha loot requested by Nigerian anticorruption NGO Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, (SERAP). The Bank has been unable or unwilling to consistently apply its own Access to Information Policy to disclose key information to civil society groups and other stakeholders. In the SERAP case, the World Bank failed and/or neglected to provide several portions of the information requested on the spending of recovered Abacha loot managed by the Bank. Although the Banks Access to Information Policy recognizes the right to an appeals process when a request for information in the World Banks possession is improperly or unreasonably denied, the appeal lodged by SERAP has been unreasonably and unduly delayed Having regard to the empty promises made so far by Switzerland and the United States to return forfeited assets worth over $800 million it is clear that the Western countries will continue to frustrate the repatriation of the looted wealth of the nation being warehoused by them, albeit illegally. We are therefore compelled to request the Federal Government to reject any conditionality including the supervision by the World Bank attached to the return of $231m of Abacha loot to Nigeria. In the event that the government of Switzerland refuses to return the said sum of $321 million without any conditionality the Federal Government should not hesitate to initiate legal proceedings for the recovery of the asset. In the proposed suit Nigeria should claim punitive and exemplary damages and interests from Switzerland for keeping the loot for over 20 years. Finally, the Federal Government is urged to collaborate with relevant civil society organizations to mount a campaign locally and internationally to ensure full compliance by Switzerland, the United States and other Western countries to international law principles of accountability, proportionality, sovereignty, equality, fairness and non-interference. Yours sincerely, Femi Falana, SAN, FCI Arb. Kwara State governor, Abdulfatah Ahmed, has kept his promise of releasing fund for LG workers salary augmentation as he approved the disbursement of the sum of N250m to the 16 Local Government Councils in the state. The State Commissioner of Finance, Mr Demola Banu, revealed this during a meeting with the Local Government Chairmen. The Commissioner urged the Chairmen to put all necessary machinery in place to ensure that workers are paid ahead of Sallah celebrations, noting that the state government has fulfilled its pledge to help LGs pay their workers for the month of August. Mr Banu stated that the Chairmen should notify him immediately if they face any challenges accessing the fund so he can intervene. The Yobe State Government has accused traders in the state of creating artificial scarcity of foods and commodity all in a despicable attempt to make huge profits. The government specifically accused the traders of blockading incoming trucks loaded with goods, mostly food and consumables, which could force down prices of those in the market. Abdullahi Bego, the spokesperson to Governor Ibrahim Gaidam, said in a statement on Saturday that the traders, through their union, only permit a certain number of trucks with specific nature of goods to enter the state, especially Damaturu, the state capital. Some of these activities include trying to stop anyone outside Damaturu or outside the state from bringing in wares to sell in the State capital, forcing traders to wait in regulated queues before they could offload and sell their wares in order to jerk up prices unreasonably and suffocating the market by forcing traders to not sell certain products at certain times, the statement said. One example of how pernicious this has become, according to reports reaching the government, was when a certain trader from Taraba State with a lorry-load of yam tubers on his way to Maiduguri had a flat tyre in Damaturu and therefore decided to start selling his yams there before he could fix his lorry, Bego said. According to him, the trader was reportedly forced to stop selling the yams by members of the traders association in Yobe, who threatened him on the illegal excuse that there are already yams in the market and so he would not be allowed to interfere with the regimes of availability and pricing that they had set up. The net effects of these practices are that small and medium businesses in the state capital are stopped from growing and free competition is sacrificed at the altar of interests that are demonstrably selfish and against the law. Consequently, the Yobe State Government will work with law enforcement to ensure that any trader found engaged in these practices is arrested and prosecuted, the statement said. The Yobe government said it will also work with the State House of Assembly to outlaw such practices. The states traders union is yet to react to the claim by the state government. Infighting between Abubakar Shekau, ex-leader of Boko Haram, and ISIS-linked Abu Musab al-Barnawi militants continued on Sunday and led to a series of fellow militants killings in Borno State. 10 people, described by locals as associate Boko Haram members were reported to have been killed near the Nigeria-Niger border, by insurgents for allegedly shifting their loyalty from Shekau to al-Barnawi. The insurgents crossed to the community from villages around Malam Fatori in Abadam local government area of Borno state to slit the throat of the 10 victims, who were accused of shifting their loyalty from Shekau to al-Barnawi. When the terrorists besieged Tumur in Borno, they told the locals, who were mostly Nigerians taking refuge there, not to panic but warned that so and so persons must be produced to face the wrath of their betrayal, said Ahmed Khalid, a resident of Abadam who is now taking refuge in Maiduguri. From my findings, the 10 were supplying foodstuff to the insurgents who lived in cluster of camps along the Nigerian border with Niger. But they suddenly stopped the supplies, leaving the terrorists in hunger and deprivation in the midst of constant offensive by the Nigerian security forces. This was why they were trailed and killed, he further mentioned. But another resident, Aisami Modu, said they were killed because they shifted their loyalty from the camp of Shekau to that of his archrival, al-Barnawi. The problem started shortly after the Boko Haram split, and those 10 people, who were traders and known to almost everyone in surrounding communities, were loyal to Boko Haram, which is why we called them associate members, he said. They used to supply food, fuel, medicine and cloths to the terrorists, even though they didnt fight for them. But the Shekau camp got angry when they shifted their loyalty to the other camp; that was why they were killed. In August, ISIS said its terror affiliate in Nigeria, Boko Haram, had appointed al-Barnawi as its new leader. Later, an apparently displeased Shekau said he was deposed because he opposed one of ISIS principles. But he said he was still around, and there was no going back in his war. Boko Haram is considered to be one of the deadliest terrorist groups in the world. According to the Global Terrorism Index, the terror group has actually killed more people than ISIS, murdering more than 6,000 people just last year. SEE ALSO: Borno State Begins Reconstruction Of Houses Destroyed By Boko Haram We rely on your support to make local news available to all Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2022. Donate today The Lagos state government is planning the enforcement of a taxi regulation which seems aimed at stifling Uber in the state. Uber has enjoyed commendable success in Lagos, replicating their easy to use taxi-hailing service in Nigerias megacity. Lagos state looks set to end Ubers fine run with the Transport Laws of Lagos passed in 2015. The Transport Laws of Lagos State 2015 states that Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority may: Grant franchise for the operation of scheduled bus services and other modes of transportation within the State; Shall impose and collect fees for the franchise granted under this Law; Shall make regulations as it may consider necessary for the grant and terms of franchise under this sector. Uber will now be required to pay N100,000 for every car within its system as well as N30,000 for renewal subsequently. By the estimation of the Lagos state government, Uber owes about N600 million in license payments. The government has insisted the regulation is to ensure safety but its hard to see how. It appears to be just another response by a regulation-crazed government to a scheme which bypasses the government. The latest audit report of government bodies (2009-2014) has revealed that the National Assembly management failed to account for a total expenditure of over N9.4 billion in 2014. The money included N9.39 billion for which no documentary evidence was provided and a N47 million to be returned to government coffers out of which only N360,000 was returned; bring the unaccounted sum to N9,440,844,572 (nine billion, four hundred and forty million, eight hundred and four thousand, five hundred and seventy two Naira). The audit report, which was submitted to the Clerk to the National Assembly in March 2016 as statutorily provided, was only recently publicly disclosed by the Office of the Auditor General of the Federation on its website. The report indicted several government bodies of illegal and profligate spending, and failing to remit over N3 trillion into governments treasury. Other key bodies indicted in the report aside the National Assembly include the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Ministry of Interior, the Presidency, Central Bank of Nigeria and some foreign missions. According to the report, between January and December, 2014 under the leadership of David Mark as Senate President and Salisu Maikasuwa as the Clerk, the Management Department of the National Assembly Commission transferred N9,392,995,515.00 (Nine billion, three hundred and ninety-two million, nine hundred and ninety-five thousand, five hundred and fifteen naira) from the general services account to other accounts in different banks. The purposes stated for the transfer include Senate General Services, Appropriation, Constitutional Review, House of Representatives Services, UNDP Projects and Research Office Services. The report, however, said no expenditure returns or documentary evidence were rendered to account for how these sums were expended. In another instance that raises questions of accountability, the report disclosed that the National Assembly management remitted only N360,000, out of a N47 million balance of total personnel vote release and actual expenditure for 2014. It was further observed that the total Personnel Vote release for the year 2014 was N1,856,510,517.00 (One billion, eight hundred and fifty-six million, five hundred and ten thousand, five hundred and seventeen naira), and the Actual Expenditure for the same period was N1,808,661,460.18 (One billion, eight hundred and eight million, six hundred and sixty-one thousand, four hundred and sixty naira, eighteen kobo), resulting in a balance of N47,849,057.00 (Forty-seven million, eight hundred and forty-nine thousand, fifty-seven naira). However, only an amount of N360,115.08 (Three hundred and sixty thousand, one hundred and fifteen naira, eight kobo) was paid back to treasury at the end of the year, it said. In May after the audit report had been submitted to the National Assembly, the Senate Committee on Public Accounts chaired by Senator Andy Uba (PDP/Anambra) held a public hearing during which a number of government bodies picked holes with findings of the audit report, particularly the disclosure that they didnt submit their internal audit reports between 2009 and 2014. Some of the bodies that challenged aspects of the report were CBN, the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND) and Nigeria Pension Commission. The National Assembly, however, has maintained a cursory silence on the findings of the audit report as it related to it. The Ekiti State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has described the move by President Muhammadu Buhari to seek emergency powers from the National Assembly to enable him tackle headlong, the nations economy, as an authoritarian demand that would further breed dictatorship in the country. The party noted that such a demand is an indication that the All Progressives Congress-led federal government is incapable of delivering on its promises, and seeking excuses for its poor performance and ways to hold the people of the country by the jugular, using state powers. The Ekiti PDP, in a statement by its Publicity Secretary, Mr. Jackson Adebayo, in Ado-Ekiti on Sunday, said President Buhari was also seeking a means of putting on a dictatorial garment in a democratic setting. Is it not dastardly for the president to say he is seeking emergency powers for his administration to handle the nations economy? Then, what are the duties of those in the Finance Ministry and other sectors involved in the day-to-day running and management of the economy? If they are unproductive, why not send them away? The National Assembly, a few months ago, urged the president to look beyond the APC in getting those to handle the economy, but he did not listen. With the emergency powers he is seeking, will he now begin to dip into peoples accounts and assets to get money to finance governments projects? the PDP asked. The statement pointed out that it was a strange development that a president would want to go outside the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to address any issue confronting the country instead of looking inward and bringing experts who would tackle the problem within the precinct of the rule of law as enshrined in the constitution. According to the PDP, the present situation was a replay of events in the Second Republic when most of the states then used to receive zero allocation from the Federal Government, yet the president then didnt throw away the constitution to solve the problem, but rather constituted proactive economic team that brought the situation under control before the then General Muhammadu Buhari, overthrew the government and dismantled the process to usher in more hardship on Nigerians. It would be recalled that the Executive had prepared a bill titled: Emergency Economic Stabilisation Bill 2016, which it will present to the National Assembly when the Senate and the House of Representatives resume from vacation on September 12. In the bill, the Executive will be asking the National Assembly to grant sweeping powers to the president to set aside some extant laws and use executive orders to roll out an economic recovery package within the next one year. Among others, President Buhari will be seeking powers to abridge the procurement process to support stimulus spending on critical sectors of the economy; make orders to favour local contractors/suppliers in contract awards; abridge the process of sale or lease of government assets to generate revenue; allow virement of budgetary allocation to projects that are urgent, without going back to the National Assembly; amend certain laws, such as the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) Act, so that states that cannot access their cash trapped in the accounts of the commission because they cannot meet the counterpart funding, can do so; and to embark on radical reforms in visa issuance at Nigerias consular offices and on arrival in the country and to compel some agencies of government like the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), the National Agency for Foods Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and others to improve on their turn around operation time for the benefit of business. No fewer than 30 buildings located in the densely populated Works Layout in Amakohia area, Owerri, were submerged by flood following a downpour on Friday evening. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the rain, which started at about 6 p.m. and lasted till about 8.30 p.m. on Friday, caused flooding that affected property worth millions of naira in some parts of the town. NAN reports that cloths, cooking pots, plates, bags, books, and tricycles were seen floating on the flood. Although no building collapsed, the flooding collapsed the fence of some buildings leading to water flowing into houses. The news agency also reports that the areas badly affected within the Works Layout area are Mgbeahuru Street, Road C, and Road B in Amakohia Housing Estate Owerri where almost all the upstairs buildings had the ground floors covered with water. Kelechi Uzohu, a resident of the area, blamed the flooding on poor road construction by contractors engaged to rehabilitate the road from the Standard Shoe Industry Amakohia to Imo State University Junction. The gutter constructed by the construction workers now is narrow and can no longer contain large water as the former one built by past government and because of this, we record serious flooding here, he said. Another resident, Emma Ugochukwu, said but for the prompt intervention of his neighbours, his two children and sister in-law would have drowned in the flood. I was still on my way back home when the rain started and I stopped somewhere for the rain to subside. Unknown to me that flood had already covered my flat with my two children trapped in my flat with my 12-year old sister in-law. It was my fellow tenants who noticed that I was not yet back that rushed and forced my door open to rescue them, he said. Also speaking, Vitus Nwadikwa, a resident of MCC/Uratta area of Owerri, said: I cannot count the number of buildings covered by water in the area where I reside this evening. The level of damage is enormous and people are running here and there in the rain to move their things out, he said. Other areas also affected by flood were Umunguma area, Akwakuma, Orji, Ikenegbu and some part of Ekeukwu Owerri Main Market on Douglas Road Owerri. NAN recalls that the National Emergency Management Agency office in Owerri had earlier warned people living in flood-prone areas to relocate to safer locations due to imminent flooding expected towards the end of the year. (NAN) An intending pilgrim, Binuyo Basari Iyabo, who was arrested over a week ago by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, for drugs ingestion, has excreted six more wraps of cocaine pellets, bringing the total to 82. When she was first arrested at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja during the outward screening of pilgrims, Mrs. Binuyo excreted 76 pellets of substances that tested positive for cocaine. In a statement Saturday, the anti-narcotic agency said the woman would be severely sanctioned in line with the anti-narcotics laws of the land. Hamisu Lawan, NDLEA commander at the Abuja airport, confirmed the total number of wraps of cocaine ingested by the suspect while under observation. RELATED POST: Female Pilgrim Arrested At Abuja Airport For Cocaine Ingestion Mrs Binuyo Basari Iyabo while under observation expelled eighty-two wraps of cocaine weighing nine hundred and thirty-one (931) grammes, Mr. Lawan said. All arrangements have been concluded for her prosecution. The 55-year-old mother of three who hails from Kwara State, confessed to smuggling drugs, adding that she need money to expand her business, according to the NDLEA. Binuyo, a trader at Dosumu market in Lagos, further confessed that her trip to Saudi Arabia for pilgrimage was sponsored by the person who gave her the drugs. My sponsor offered to foot my expenses to Saudi on pilgrimage, she said. This was how I got involved in the act. I was excited until the issue of drugs was introduced. I wanted to decline but it was late. Besides, I was offered a million naira which I accepted. I swallowed the drugs in Lagos and took a flight to Abuja on my way to Medina but I was caught in the process, she added. The NDLEA Chairman/CEO, Col. Muhammad Abdallah (retd.), said the agency would invoke the powers of the law against the suspect and others caught indulging in production and trafficking in narcotic drugs. It is a shameful and discreditable act for a 55 year old mother who is going on a holy pilgrimage to ingest narcotics, said Mr. Abdallah. This is very shocking and a clear indication of her inability to effectively discharge parental responsibility. The Agency shall invoke the powers of the law against her and others caught indulging in production/trafficking in narcotic drugs. Several people have been reportedly killed when an earthquake measuring 5.7 hit northwest Tanzania on Saturday. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the quake struck at 12:27 GMT, 43 km from Bukoba, a city on the western shore of Lake Victoria, at a depth of 10 km. The incident was confirmed by the office of the President John Magufuli, saying in a statement that several people had died, but gave no toll. Although a local newspaper said the quake had killed at least 10 people and injured at least 100 in Bukoba, quoting a local police commander. Tanzania is prone to earthquakes as it sits on a tectonic zone that stretches thousands of miles from the Middle East to southeastern Africa, and contains many dormant and active volcanoes. SEE ALSO: Landmark Ruling In Tanzania Outlaws Child Marriage In Germany a baby was delivered at 26 weeks after doctors feared she wasnt getting enough nutrition, and at 8 ounces, some experts believe shes the lightest premature ever born. A fetus in the 26th week of pregnancy typically weighs around 21 ounces, the girls doctor, Dr. Sven Schiermeier, said. Baby Emilia was born in a hospital in the western German city of Witten. Schiermeier and his team decided to deliver her by cesarean section because the placenta wasnt providing sufficient nutrition and they feared she would die in the womb. Even children with a birth weight of 14 ounces rarely survive, he said. We have to thank Emilia as well for her own survival. She is a little fighter. Emilias parents, Lukas and Sabine Grabarczyk, said there was no question they were going to give their child a chance, even if the odds for her survival were low. Because of her premature birth, Emilia has an increased risk of hyperactivity and learning difficulties, but so far she shows no signs of serious disability. She was initially fed with a tiny tube, and doctors used a cotton swap soaked in sugar water to soothe her and relieve pain, it was reported. When she was just 12 ounces, she underwent abdominal surgery. There were many difficult days and many tears, but she clearly wanted to survive, Sabine said. Now, at 9 months old, she weighs 106 ounces and is becoming more robust. The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has drawn the attention of the United Nations to what it said is the continuous harassment and intimidation of the #BringBackOurGirls (BBOG) advocacy group by the Nigerian authorities, and the impermissible restrictions on the rights of members to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly. The group, in an urgent appeal dated September 9, 2016 signed by its senior staff counsel, Timothy Adewale and addressed to Mr. Maina Kiai, the UN Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association, described as unjustifiable and in bad faith, the reported ban of protests in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) by the Inspector General of Police, Idris Ibrahim. Mr. Ibrahim, in a move targeted at the BBOG, which holds daily sit-outs at the Unity Fountain, Central Business District of the FCT, warned against illegal processions in the nations capital. The police chief specifically viewed with concern, the activities of the BBOG, led by a former Minister of Education, Oby Ezekwesili, saying it was capable of breaching the peace of the FCT. However, following criticisms that trailed his comment from a cross-section of Nigerians including Mrs. Ezekwesili and a human rights advocate, Femi Falana (SAN), IGP Idris backtracked, saying he never banned protests in the FCT or anywhere for that matter. The BBOG group has been at the fore-front of the campaign for the safe return of over 200 Chibok schoolgirls abducted since 2014 by the extremist group, Boko Haram. In the appeal signed by Mr. Adewale, SERAP pointed out that, No Nigerian law makes it a crime to demonstrate in any part of the country. Harassing the BBOG group and stopping its members from proceeding peacefully to the seat of government is overkill. The urgent appeal reads in part: Its the primary duty of the President Muhammadu Buhari government to protect all demonstrators, including the BBOG group and enable lawful demonstrations to proceed peacefully. Carrying out this obligation is about deeds, not words. SERAP considers restrictions placed on the right of the BBOG group to peaceful assembly by law enforcement agencies as unnecessary, disproportionate, unjustified in law, and in bad faith. SERAP is seriously concerned about the continuing indiscriminate and disproportionate restriction on the right of members of the BBOG group to protest. All Nigerians including members of the BBOG group have the rights to freedom of expression and to protest. There is absolutely no reason to view these members as anything other than committed peaceful demonstrators. The ability of the BBOG group to organize, mobilise and speak out on matters of the missing Chibok girls cannot be prohibited under any grounds whatsoever. SERAP considers the freedom of assembly and to take part in the conduct of public affairs as a means for public expression and the cornerstone of democracy and the rule of law. Every Nigerian has the right, without prior permission, to assemble peacefully and protest, even if the authorities disagree with the views of the protesters. There is in fact a positive obligation on the Nigerian government to take reasonable steps to protect members of the BBOG group from disruption by others. SERAP believes that peaceful protest is also a means to gather support from civil society on issues that affect those demonstrating, and is part of the exercise of an active and participatory democracy. The right to freedom of peaceful assembly protects Nigerians ability to come together for the common good, and serves as the vehicle for the exercise of many other human rights. When the right to peaceful assembly is suppressed, there is a higher risk for demonstrations to escalate and turn violent. SERAP, therefore, requested Mr. Kiai to put pressure on the Nigerian government to end continuing harassment and restrictions on the right of members of the BBOG group to protest and take measures to encourage, promote and facilitate the enjoyment of the right to peaceful assembly by this group and other group of Nigerians in any part of the country. It also urged the UN Special Rapporteur to among others, remind the government that the task of the police is to protect rights and facilitate, rather than frustrate demonstrations, as well as to promote criminal and disciplinary sanctions against those who interfere with public assemblies; appreciate and recognize the positive role of peaceful protests as a means of strengthening human rights and democracy in the country; remind the Nigerian authorities that the organization of a protest should not be subject to prior authorization, and that organizers of peaceful assemblies like members of the BBOG group should not be criminalized for not requesting an authorization. Former Niger Delta militants, under the umbrella of the Second Phase Presidential Amnesty Programme yesterday, denounced reports that they threatened to attack branches of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) over unpaid stipends. This is just as they pleaded with the Federal Government to pay their three months arrears of outstanding stipends. The former militants, in a statement issued on Saturday by chairman of the phase in Bayelsa State, Ebina Salvation, urged President Muhammadu Buhari to view the amnesty programme as a security programme due to the fact that it restored the fragile peace in the Niger Delta. While lamenting that the delay in the payment of stipends to ex-militants was heating up the region, the statement pleaded with the government to release adequate funds to the Amnesty Office for effective implementation of the programme. Mr. Salvation also called on the Federal Government to go back to the blueprint of the amnesty programme and implement its content by interfacing with the Coordinator, Brig.-Gen. Paul Boroh (retd.) and the ex-agitators. He distanced his group from a statement purportedly written by factional leader of the former militants under the second phase programme, Stephen Ebisintei, who allegedly threatened to shut down all CBN branches. Salvation maintained that the Amnesty Office under the leadership of Boroh was doing well and therefore should not be blamed for the delay in the payment of their stipends. He said: We, therefore, describe the allegations of the faction as false, baseless, mischievous and wicked. The allegations lack substance and should be thrown to the dustbin of history by all right thinking persons. We, therefore, urge members of the group to discountenance Stephen Ebisinteis display of falsehood which is a figment of his imagination and that of his co-travelers. He called on the security agents to be alert, urging them to find out from amnesty office the recognised leadership of the Phase to enable them stop people using the name to issue unnecessary threats and publications. That is the only way to hold people responsible if anything happens. Our leadership is enlightened, reasonable, law abiding and has respect for elders and the government, he stated. Fashion Week is here, so you may have noticed an increase in the amount of tall glowing people with perfectly symmetrical faces wandering around the city. Hoping to draw a few of them into their restaurantor failing that, settling for some of us normal slobsCarnegie Deli has debuted the Fashion Sandwich, a triple-decker monstrosity that a model can have for free if they finish it. The Fashion Sandwich is a large pile of Paparazzi Pastrami, Trendy Turkey, a Snapshot of Stylish Swiss, lettuce, tomato and onion (which don't get fun names), all on top of Runway Rye Bread. If a model manages to finish the thing, they can have it for free. Otherwise, they'll have to pay $29.99 for it according to amNewYork, who notes that the "choke down a comical amount of food to get it for free" deal only applies to people whose job it is to be professionally skinny. Of course, just looking at the sandwich makes me seize up (and also get hungry again for David's Brisket House), and I'm a semi-professional slob. So something tells me no models will be finishing this thing unless Joey Chesnut can sign a modeling contract before the month is over. Lemergenza surriscaldamento globale non si arresta. Lo rivela la Nasa (Ente Nazionale per le attivita Spaziali e Aeronautiche) lagenzia governativa civile responsabile del programma spaziale degli Stati Uniti dAmerica e della ricerca aerospaziale. Secondo lEnte statunitense, infatti, nel 2016 la temperatura globale si e attestata a 1,1 gradi centigradi in piu rispetto al XIX secolo, vale a dire rispetto ai livelli preindustriali (il periodo iniziato a partire dal Settecento in Gran Bretagna e diffusosi nell800 in buona parte del mondo). Nel 2015, evidenzia la Nasa, era gia stata raggiunta la soglia di 1 grado. Un colpo pesante per la comunita internazionale che, alla conferenza Onu di Parigi sul clima svoltasi nel dicembre 2015, si era impegnata a mantenere laumento del termometro al di sotto dei 2 gradi centigradi, e possibilmente entro un grado e mezzo, entro la fine del secolo. Ma, a inizio secolo, siamo gia a oltre un grado. Le brutte notizie non finiscono qui. Se dal globale passiamo al locale, di questo passo lItalia risentira (entro il 2100) di un aumento di temperatura ben al di sopra dei due gradi preventivati. Lo rivela il Wwf (World Wide Fund for Nature), lorganizzazione internazionale non governativa di protezione ambientale piu nota al mondo. Secondo lOng, i cambiamenti climatici in Italia saranno a dir poco preoccupanti. Le migliori e piu avanzate elaborazioni dellautorevole Centro Euromediteraneo per i Cambiamenti Climatici (Cmcc), indicano nello scenario ritenuto piu probabile un incremento della temperatura media in Italia pari a circa 3 gradi per la fine del secolo per lintero territorio nazionale. Se si considera lultimo trentennio del XXI secolo (2071-2100) scrive in un comunicato la ong ambientalista laumento di temperatura giunge anche a circa 4 gradi nel nord-ovest della penisola italiana nel periodo estivo. Nello scenario peggiore, inoltre, laumento della temperatura media in Italia sara invece di circa 6 gradi entro la fine del secolo. Lurgenza dellazione anche nel nostro Paese e ormai e un obbligo civile e morale, conclude il World Wide Fund for Nature. Emergenza caldo evidenziata anche dalla Coldiretti (Confederazione Nazionale Coltivatori Diretti), la maggiore associazione di rappresentanza e assistenza dellagricoltura italiana. Il 2016 evidenzia la confederazione sorta nel 44 si e classificato al quarto posto tra gli anni piu caldi di sempre, con una temperatura di 1,24 gradi superiore alla media del periodo. Per il calcolo, la Coldiretti si e basata sui dati del Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (Cnr) che rilevano le temperature dal 1800. Nella classifica degli anni piu caldi dallinizio dellindustrializzazione e percio dellinquinamento atmosferico su larga scala ci sono, nellordine, 2015, 2014, 2003 e 2016. Seguono il triste elenco: il 2007, 2012, 2001, 1994, 2009, 2011 e, infine, il 2000. Siamo di fronte agli effetti dei cambiamenti climatici scrive Coldiretti che si stanno manifestano con un pesante impatto sullagricoltura italiana, che negli ultimi dieci anni ha subito danni per 14 miliardi di euro. Si moltiplicano gli eventi estremi, sfasamenti stagionali e precipitazioni brevi, ma intense, e il repentino passaggio dal sereno al maltempo. Siccita e bombe dacqua con forti piogge a carattere alluvionale, ma anche gelate estreme e picchi di calore anomali si alternano lungo lanno e lungo tutta la Penisola. Anomalie che si evidenziano anche in questi giorni conclude Coldiretti con lItalia divisa in due, tra un nord dove e allarme incendi e siccita ed il centro sud che e seppellito dalla neve. The Police Ombudsman is facing calls to investigate why Martin McGuinness was not interviewed about Bloody Sunday. In his report into the 1972 killings by British soldiers in Derry Lord Saville said Mr McGuinness was "probably" carrying a Thompson sub-machine gun on the day. Mr McGuinness denies this. Eddie Antarbetter known as "Crazy Eddie," the founder of the now-bankrupt electronics chain known for their hyperactive TV commercialshas died. He was 68. Antar, who gained his moniker thanks to his aggressive sales techniques, started Crazy Eddie in 1971 with his father Sam M. Antar at their first location on Kings Highway in Brooklyn; Crazy Eddie turned into the largest electronics store in the metropolitan area, aided by their frantic TV and radio commercials, which featured radio announcer Jerry Carroll (people often didn't realize that "Crazy Eddie" wasn't the actual Eddie). At its peak, the company had 43 stores in four states, earning more than $300 million in sales; in 1984, the company held its initial public offering. Their advertising strategy was to encourage people to find the best prices you could for electronics, then go to Crazy Eddie's, which would beat it. During the '80s, more than 7,500 unique radio and television ads were broadcast in the tri-state area. "People still use Crazy Eddie as the gold standard of what a real deal is," Antar said years later, according to NJ Advance. "They say, 'I want a Crazy Eddie-type deal.'" But it came out that Antar and his associates had been engaged in various forms of fraud from the company's inception. NJ Advance writes: "He was skimming profits, cheating the IRS and scamming customers, in what was then the biggest retail financial fraud in U.S. history, by adding imaginary stock and falsifying accounts to make it look like sales were surging." Antar and other family members were charged with securities fraud, mail fraud and conspiracy to commit securities fraud; they were also charged with obstructing justice by destroying and hiding Crazy Eddie's business records. Eddie was additionally charged with skimming millions in cash from the sales of Crazy Eddie stores. The whole purpose of the business was to commit premeditated fraud, cousin Sam E. Antar, who was recruited to assist the company with its fraud, told mental_floss earlier this year. My family put me through college to help them commit more sophisticated fraud in the future. I was trained to be a criminal. People have a certain idea of Crazy Eddie. In reality, it was a dark criminal enterprise." Sam has spent the last couple years documenting the inside story of the rise and fall of Crazy Eddie and his role in one of the largest securities frauds ever uncovered. Eddie initially fled to Israel in 1990 as he was being investigated by the US Attorney's office, but eventually was caught, pleaded guilty to stock fraud, and served eight years in prison. He has lived out of the public eye in Brooklyn in the years since he was released. Sam and Eddie had a very uncomfortable family reunion on CNBC a few years ago: Pierre Moscovici, the economic, financial affairs, and taxation commissioner, said it does not have the same view as Ireland and would be making the case for the ordinary people, people who have been pressurised during the crisis in any appeal. Finance Minister Michael Noonan has faced opposition to the Governments decision to appeal the ruling that Apple must pay the State 13bn in back-tax. The ruling was high on the agenda at an Ecofin meeting, when European finance ministers came together for discussions in Bratislava over the weekend. Mr Moscovici yesterday defended the ruling, saying it was in the general interest of people, ordinary people, people who have been pressurised during the crisis, paid a lot of their money and who now dont understand how multinationals were allowed to take advantage of specific tax regimes or agreements in some countries. Its fighting tax evasion, its fighting tax fraud, its acting for the ordinary people in France, the Netherlands, in Germany, in Ireland who cannot stand that they pay their taxes and that multinationals dont pay their fair share of taxes. Speaking to RTEs This Week radio programme, Mr Moscovici said: We had a debate here and Michael Noonan intervened in the Ecofin saying that he is going, of course, to defend the Irish case in front of the court. We, of course, wont have the same position. But he is going to go on co-operating with the EU with the commission and with the framework of our common initiatives. Mr Moscovici also made the argument for a more open tax regime among member states and voiced support for increased tax harmonisation across Europe, an issue which was discussed over the weekend. Ireland would be likely to oppose any further harmonisation of tax, but Mr Moscovici added: I hope that the attitude of the Irish Government will be co-operative. I had a chance to discuss that with Michael Noonan and I trust it will be. Brothers Toby (Chris Pine) and Tanner Howard (Ben Foster) maraud through the Texas rust-belt in Hell or High Water (15A), robbing banks and raising hell, pursued by Marcus Hamilton (Jeff Bridges), an aging Texas Ranger relishing the idea of one final showdown to cap his career in style. It sounds like an old-fashioned Western, but director David Mackenzie (Starred Up) steers his latest offering into the kind of badlands previously charted by Nicholas Ray in They Live By Night (1949). From the first establishing shots of a fly-blown Texan town, with its anti- government graffiti daubed on the walls, we understand Toby and Tanner arent knocking off banks for fun: these are good boys gone bad because the other option is to be ground into the dust. Chris Pine puts in an affecting turn in the central role, the owner of a parched farm who is separated from his long-suffering wife and children and desperate to redeem what he believes has been a wasted life. His relationship with Ben Foster, playing the ex-con Tanner, provides the films emotional core, and both are excellent in teasing out the complications and contradictions of brotherly love-hate. Indeed, Taylor Sheridans script is a sophisticated exploration of grace under pressure as it cross-cuts between the brothers increasingly desperate attempts to stay ahead of the law and the implacable resolve of Ranger Hamilton to track them down, regardless of how much he might sympathise with their plight. Hell or High Water is one of the most gripping dramas of the year. Anthropoid (15A) stars Cillian Murphy and Jamie Dornan as Josef Gabcik and Jan Kubis, respectively, two Czechs sent from London to Prague in 1942 with a mission to assassinate SS General Reinhard Heydrich, one of the main architects of the Nazis Final Solution. Written by Anthony Frewin and Sean Ellis, with Ellis directing, Anthropoid is not a conventional war movie: Gabcik and Kubis find themselves in a complex political situation (the Czechs resent the British for Chamberlains appeasement of Hitler in 1938, which allowed Germany to annex Czechoslovakia) and depending for support on a suspicious Czech resistance that is in serious disarray. Set against a beautifully shot backdrop of wartime Prague in winter, the film is superb at creating a claustrophobic atmosphere of impending doom, as betrayal lurks around every corner and our assassins find themselves constantly on edge, unable to trust in their allies and doubting their own ability to carry out a mission of such enormity both are aware that success will mean not only their own death sentences, but result in horrendous reprisals against the Czech people. Murphy is hauntingly compelling in what is arguably his most mature performance to date, bringing the required gravitas to a character who is keenly aware of the weight of history, while Dornan provides strong support as a man who is terrified of failing his comrades at the moment of truth. The extended climax is both historically accurate and powerfully dramatised, and even those familiar with the story of Operation Anthropoid will likely find it heart-breaking. The latest remake of Ben Hur (12A) stars Jack Huston as Judah Ben-Hur, the Jewish prince sentenced to a living death as a galley-slave when accused of treason by his adopted brother, the Roman officer Messala Severus (Toby Kebbell). Timur Bekmambetovs film is a truncated version of the most famous Ben Hur, William Wylers 1959 epic, and while this movie begins promisingly the initial stages neatly outline Judahs laissez-faire approach to surviving under Roman rule it quickly becomes apparent the performances arent strong enough to bear up under the storys epic structure. Huston is charismatic enough to hold his own as Judah Ben-Hur, but Toby Kebbells Messala is little more than snarls and sneers, and its difficult to work out why Judah is so devoted to this representative of the overbearing Romans. The biggest issue, however, is Bekmambetov appears to have no instinct for the epic elements of the story, or the scope of the storytelling. The exceptions are the two main action sequences: the extended scene in which Judah and his fellow slaves row their warship into battle provides a glimpse of the 1959 versions power, and the iconic chariot race at the end is delivered with style and grit although even here, and unnecessarily, Bekmambetov overcooks the drama in order to provide something new. Jack Hustons performance offers enough to keep the uninitiated interested, but overall this Ben Hur is a flat and tinny reproduction of one of Hollywoods most masterful epics. No emission preventative has yet been found, although a Dutch company claim that preliminary tests of a cattle-feed additive reduces the front-and-rear exhalations of these useful ungulates by over 60% in cows and 35% in steers. Any solution would significantly add to Earths chances of surviving climate change. There are 1.5bn head of cattle world wide, 30m in Australia alone. Some years ago, Jarvis Good, an entomologist at University College Cork, told me that grassland areas of Australia would be knee-deep in cow pats but for the introduction of a cow-pat eating beetle. These beetles do more than act as disposal units: In their workings, they renew and revive the land. Therefore, their decreasing numbers worldwide has led to serious concern. Their useful role is illustrated in the history of Australian cattle-ranching. The first half-dozen cattle arrived in 1788, Indian Zebus, bought in South Africa by the First Fleet settlers. They were to be looked after by convicts, who either fecklessly, drunkenly, or vengefully let them escape into the wild. Thought to have been speared by aboriginals or eaten by wild dogs, a decade later, a 60-strong herd was discovered, looking after themselves. Various bovine strains thrived on the continent and, by 1860, 1m cattle grazed Australias grasslands. Today, there are 30m but, in the years between, a serious problem arose. On the vast continent, there was no insect present to digest cattle dung. The leavings of kangaroos and wallabies, yes beetles had evolved that dealt with these, but not with the cattle excreta, of which over half a million tons were deposited daily. I realise that readers of delicate sensibility may, by now, have read enough on this theme, but Im sure they will be gratified to know that, without the lowly dung beetles of the world, our planet would not only be literally but, also, ecologically in the mire. In Europe, we did not have this Australian problem. In Ireland, cow pat beetles came in various sizes: Small ones flew about on summer nights and arrived indoors attracted by lights. Girls shrieked, I recall, more to amuse one another and annoy or attract boys, than from actual beetle mania (or Entomophobia). Boys rushed to come to the rescue of a friends pretty sister. Meanwhile, far below them in Aussie, 30m cattle were dropping 300m cow pats a day, and not a beetle available to dispose of them. Each pat bred 3,000 flies, threatening the health of the herds and making rural Australian life almost unbearable in summer. Additionally, the unbiodegraded dung suffocated new growth and took 1m hectares of grazing land out of production annually. Also, cattle would not graze in the vicinty of their own leavings and grazed areas remained unproductive for two years. The story of the what happened next is legendary in the annals of sustainable agriculture. The dung carpeting the fields was noticed by a Hungarian entomologist, George Bornemissza, recently arrived in Australia. He initiated studies which, in the late 1950s, led to a global search to find coprophagous (dung-digesting) beetles to clean up Australia. Specific species were required to suit the various diverse habitats and climates. Between the 1960s and 1980s, 55 were imported and released. Many became established and proved much more valuable than simple disposal units. The modus operandi of dung beetles is to excavate tunnels beneath cow pats, lay eggs, and drag dung down to sustain the larvae. For every litre of dung buried, a litre of subsoil is brought to the surface. Meanwhile, less dung on the surface reduces the population of noxious flies. After the larvae leave, the holes allow rain to penetrate the soil. When the pat is exhausted and the beetles move on, earthworms colonise the tunnels, transforming the remaining manure into granular, nutrient-rich earth worm casts, obviating the need for fertiliser. The mature beetles feed the food chain. Here in coastal West Cork, I see choughs, rare elsewhere, exploit the beetle food source. Unfortunately, the widespread use of a new drug, Ivermectin, for worming cattle gives reason for concern. In An Teagasc laboratory trials, it has been found to remain active in the dung of treated cattle. It kills 80% of dung beetle larvae, while the larvae mortality rate in the dung of untreated animals is only 15%. We must carefully evaluate which human interventions deliver the best security for the land and our survival. Writing in the current edition of Nature, they claim that she fell from a tree and died from her injuries. If thats right, they will have helped answer an intriguing question; when did our ancestors come down from the trees? On the morning of November 24, 1974, Donald Johanson, the leader of a Franco-American research team, came upon scattered human-like bones in a gully close to the Awash River in Ethiopia. It took three weeks to gather up all of the fragments. The bones, it turned out, belonged to a single individual, 40% of whose skeleton was recovered. The pelvic bone suggested that the creature, just over a metre tall, had been female. She was nicknamed Lucy after Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds by the Beatles, which was popular at the time. The strata from which the remains came suggested that she had lived around 3.2m years ago. Lucys brain was only the size of a chimpanzees but she was no ordinary great ape. The leg bones showed that she stood upright and walked the way we do. The arm bone between the shoulder and the elbow is relatively short in humans; about 72% the length of the thigh bone. In the chimpanzee, our nearest relative, its virtually as long as the thigh. Lucys humerus, at 85% femur length, was intermediate between the two. There were other half-way traits. Although she may have been on the evolutionary line leading to us, Lucy could not be admitted to the human club. Her species was named Australopithecus afarensis, the southern ape from afar. The find made headlines all over the world. Lucys remains were taken on a controversial tour of the US before being deposited at the National Museum of Ethiopia in Addis Ababa, where they are today. She is not on public display there; a plaster-cast copy of the skeleton is exhibited. The Texas University scientists, having CT-scanned every one of Lucys bone fragments, claim to have identified fractures in multiple skeletal elements. Her upper right arm, shoulder, and knee were badly injured, showing that she had fallen from a considerable height, probably out of a tall tree. The accident would have damaged her internal organs. Together, these injuries are hypothesized to have caused her death. This offers unusual evidence for the presence of arborealism in this species , the researchers suggest. Todays great apes, the gorillas chimps and orangutans, remain forest-dwellers. Exiting the trees and moving out on the open savannah was a pivotal decision of our pre-human ancestors. They shed their hair, developed their sweat glands, and began walking upright, using the air to cool their bodies. Raised high above the scorching sun-baked earth, their energy-guzzling brains could grow larger without overheating. Vulnerable, slow-moving, without defensive claws or powerful teeth, Lucys kind relied on their wits to survive. Her fall from a tree suggests that the bond with the forest had not been severed 3m years ago. Perhaps, at that stage of their development, our ancestors climbed into trees to avoid large predators at night. Did Lucy fall because, increasingly adapted to living on the ground, her species could not longer climb safely? Are the Texan scientists reading too much into limited data? Some commentators think so. Elephant bones and hippo ribs appear to have the same kind of breakage, but its unlikely they fell out of a tree, Donald Johanson told the New York Times. Palaeontologist Marc Meyer, who examined her remains, says Lucys spine does not come close to the amount of damage we would expect to see in a fatal fall. Transitions: The violent relationship between humans and Nature showed with 4x5 camera by Helene Schmitz 9/11/2016 ISO 1200 Magazine 0 Comments Images Helene Schmitz Photographer and filmmaker Johan StahlbergI made this film about Helen Schmitz as a part of her exhibition at Fotografiska. About Author: Helene Schmitz (born 1960) holds a BA diploma from Stockholm University in Film and Art Theory. Schmitzs artistic practice focuses on the complicated and sometimes violent relationship between humans and Nature which has laid the foundation for several award winning books: Borderlands (2015), Ur regnskogens skugga (2011), System och passion (2007), Blow Up (2003). Let's Get Connected: Helene Schmitz (born 1960) holds a BA diploma from Stockholm University in Film and Art Theory. Schmitzs artistic practice focuses on the complicated and sometimes violent relationship between humans and Nature which has laid the foundation for several award winning books: Borderlands (2015), Ur regnskogens skugga (2011), System och passion (2007), Blow Up (2003).Let's Get Connected: Website Text, image and video via Johan Stahlberg SUBSCRIBE Get Latest Videos,Promotions & Exclusive Offers Via Email: We don't send spam! Helene Schmitz, one of Swedens most successful art photographers, has developed a unique artistic expression in which the significant features of her artistic practice are always present a kind of vibrating energy and dynamism, like something lurking beneath the surface another layer of that which, on the surface, is already frightening. Cover photo by Agnes Stuber Get unlimited access to all content and features at ivpressonline.com with our Full Online Access Subscription. Read our E-Edition, the digital replica of the print newspaper online, access content in exclusive sections including Family, Teen, Business, Databases, Farm and more. This option does not include daily home delivery of the Imperial Valley Press newspaper. For home delivery service, please select Premium or Premium Plus. A MAGNIFICENT display from Enfield & Haringey Athletic Club saw them pick up 26 gold medals at the Middlesex Championships held in Enfield on Saturday. Outstanding performances came from under-17 Mark Winship and under-20 lady Katie Morey who both set new meeting records. Winship won the 400m hurdles in 56.1sec while Morey won the pole vault with 2.30m. Gold winners for the senior men's team were Joel Hopkins in the 400m hurdles (54.4sec) and Anthony Zaidman in the shot put (14.65m). In the under-20 category, Vernon Small doubled up with wins in the 400m hurdles (57.0sec) and 400m (49.9sec). In the sprints, Mark Hanson won the 100m (11.2sec) and James Armoogun the 200m (24.3sec). Lohimar Pagkatipunan took gold in the 110m hurdles (15.9sec) and Nicholas Babic won the 800m (2min 08.6sec). Throwing events also proved successful for Enfield & Haringey as Robert Williams won the hammer with 39.63m and Felicie Miele the discus with 49.04m For the under-17s, Winship also won the 110m hurdles with 14.8sec. Darren St Clair broke the 2min barrier for the first time in the 800m to take gold with 1min 59.1sec. Kunal Kapadia won the javelin (53.08m) while Richard Greene scored a double with golds in the shot (13.06m) and the hammer (55.39m). Another double-winner was Jason Joseph in the under-15 boys category with wins in the shot (13.55m) and the hammer (44.59m), while Craig Springer won the pole vault with 2.60m. For the senior women, Gina Webb won the 3000m walk in 19min 49sec. Winners for the under-17s were Laura French in the hammer (24.50m), Michelle Magnamara in the triple jump (8.83m) and Eileen Griffiths in the 3000m. In the Under-15s Anastasia Morrisson won both the 100m (13.4sec) and 200m (27.4sec). Police have launched an investigation after discovering a body in the trunk of a burnt car in the parking lot of a Queens park Saturday night. According to the NYPD, police responded to a call about a burning car at 11:42 p.m. last night near the corner of 224th Street and 149th Avenue, which is the public parking area for Idlewild Park. When they arrived at the scene, police say they found firefighters extinguishing a burning Nisaan Sentra. After firefighters put out the fire, police say they found the charred remains of an unidentified man in the trunk. No suspects or motive have been named, and an investigation is ongoing. After the September 11th, 2001 attacks, when the smoke finally cleared and the last of the wreckage was removed, the long road to rebuilding the 16 acres of the World Trade Center began. It has been called one of the biggest infrastructure projects in the world. Here are some officialand unofficialmilestones so far, as construction continues on: November 2001: The Lower Manhattan Development Corporation was created "to help plan and coordinate the rebuilding and revitalization of Lower Manhattan, defined as everything south of Houston Street." July 2002: Proposed designs for the new World Trade Center site flop and so officials ask for more designs. Daniel Libeskind's Freedom Tower design (dbox) February 2003: After narrowing in on finalists, Daniel Libeskind's design for the World Trade Center site is selected by the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation. Governor Pataki calls the building "Freedom Tower." July 2003: Santiago Calatrava is selected as the designer of the new World Trade Center transit hub. December 2003: A revised design for the Freedom Tower, by Libeskind and David Childs, was released. Construction at the World Trade Center site in March 2003 (Getty Images) January 2004: After a public competition, a design for the 9/11 Memorial, by Housing Authority architect Michael Arad and landscape architect Peter Walker, was selected by the LMDC. July 2004: The cornerstone is placed at Ground Zero during Freedom Tower's official groundbreaking. Mayor Michael Bloomberg unveils a cornerstone's inscription as New York State Governor George Pataki and New Jersey Governor James McGreevey look on on July 4, 2014 (Getty Images) May 2005: The design for Freedom Tower gets scrapped over security concerns. Norwegian design firm Snohetta presents the design for the World Trade Center Culture Center, which ends up being the 9/11 Museum. Donald Trump suggests rebuilding the original World Trade Center. June 2005: Freedom Tower is redesigned by Childs into its current state (except for the cladding around the spire). Here's a good graphic showing the evolution of design. April 2006: Construction on Freedom Tower, now called simply 1 World Trade Center, begins. Developer Larry Silverstein and the Port Authority agree on a deal over control at the site. May 2006: Seven World Trade Center opens. There's also lots of cost-cutting overall. 7 World Trade Center is the only skyscraper completed as of January 2006 (Getty Images) September 2006: Plans for the three other buildings at the site, Towers 2, 3 and 4, are revealed, designed by a starry array of international architects. October 2006: Remains of 9/11 victims are found at Ground Zero, upsetting victims' families who think construction is being rushed by elected officials. May 2007: Silverstein gets a total of $4.55 billion in insurance payouts to complete/continue building at the site. September 2008: Downsized designs for the 9/11 Memorial and Museum are presented. June 2009: Construction workers at Ground Zero are spotted enjoying liquid lunches. (And seen again two years later.) February 2010: Silverstein threatens to dump plans to build Tower 2. Summer of 2010: Ground Zero Mosque becomes a thingand it's not even at Ground Zeroto test New Yorkers' tolerance. Thanks, Sarah Palin. August 2010: Trees are planted at the 9/11 Memorial site as Conde Nast is rumored to move to the future One World Trade Center. Crowds gather at Ground Zero after hearing that Osama bin Laden has been killed. May 2011: Crowds flock to Ground Zero to celebrate the death of Osama bin Laden. Also, testing on the 9/11 Memorial's waterfalls begins and Conde Nast officially signs a lease for 1 WTC. September 2011: The 9/11 Memorial opens on the 10th anniversary of the September 11 attacks. The South Pool, looking north towards the museum entrance. (Compare the difference from April 2010 and June 2011) (Jake Dobkin / Gothamist) January 2012: One World Trade Center has the dubious distinction of being the most expensive building in the world. April 2012: One World Trade Center is officially taller than the Empire State Building. September 2013: A trio of BASE jumpers dove from 1 World Trade Center; video of their escapade was widely viewed in March 2014 after their arrest. January 2013: Construction on Tower 3 gets caught in the quagmire that is the agreement between the Port Authority and Silverstein. After initially thinking that it would be complete by 2015, 3 World Trade Center, designed by Richard Rogers, is now on track to open in 2018. April 2013: Pieces of a plane that crashed into the World Trade Center were found wedged between buildings a few blocks northwest of the site. October 2013: During his month-long residency in NYC, British street artist Banksy created a Twin Towers tribute piece and, two weeks later, stated that One World Trade Center sucks and it should be replaced with better artwork. Nic Garcia / Gothamist November 2013: One World Trade Center is officially considered America's tallest building. Tower 4, a.k.a. Four World Trade Center, designed by Fumihiko Maki, opens. March 2014: A 16-year-old NJ boy managed to sneak through security to the top of One World Trade Center. The head of security soon resigns. May 2014: President Obama dedicated the 9/11 Museum. The day after, I got kicked out of the 9/11 Museum for asking a museum visitor a question. We also found out that the museum's gift shop was selling 9/11 cheese plates (the "commemorative plates" are removed a week later). Photograph by Scott Lynch/Gothamist November 2014: Office tenants move into 1 World Trade Center. Many of them work for Conde Nast. Window washers are saved after a scary scaffolding mishap outside the 67th floor. December 2014: The NY Times reports that the Calatrava-designed $4 billion transit hub is insanely over-budget and looks cheap. Thank God they have a selfie stick (Scott Lynch / Gothamist) May 2015: One World, the observatory atop 1 World Trade Center, opens to the public with breathtaking panoramas, perfect for the selfie-obsessed public. Of note: The gift shop has $200 pullovers. Also, it's pretty crazy when lightning strikes the spire. July 2015: It's revealed that Calatrava's bird winged oculus at the transit hub will in fact open: On each September 11, the wings will open for 102 minutes, which is the elapsed time from the first plane hitting the World Trade Center until the second tower collapsed. Bjarke Ingels' Two World Trade Center design Bjarke Ingels offers an intriguing design for Tower 2. News Corp and 21st Century Fox will be anchor tenants. Also: Plans for an ambitious arts center shrink. August 2015: The World Trade Center's slurry wall might be leaking. Pope Benedict at the 9/11 Memorial (Getty Images) September 2015: Pope Francis visited the 9/11 Memorial and Museum on September 25. November 2015: After the terror attacks in Paris, Governor Andrew Cuomo ordered the 1 World Trade Center spire to be lit in blue, white and red to stand in solidarity with France. January 2016: 21st Century Fox decided to pull out of 2 World Trade Center. As of September of 2016, there's still no anchor tenant. March 2016: The WTC Oculus finally reopened to the public. It's very popular for selfies. June 2016: Liberty Park, a $50 million new one-acre elevated park, opened, offering views of the World Trade Center, including the 9/11 Memorial. Oculus, open (Scott Heins / Gothamist) July 2016: Pokemon Go players could find Magikarp in the 9/11 Memorial's reflecting pools. The WTC Sphere, which used to be in the plaza of the Twin Towers, was returned to downtown. August 2016: The WTC Oculus' retail space opened; brands include Apple, Kate Spade and Aldo. NY Times reporter David Dunlap wrote, "As a reporter, I failed to pay enough attention to the role played by Westfield America in the redevelopment. That left me susceptible to the official line that the Oculus was a transportation center with shops appended. It is now clear that the Oculus is and was always intended to be a shopping mall with an ancillary transportation purpose." The rebirth continued with the opening of an Eataly at 3 World Trade Center. A piece of crane equipment struck a window at 3 World Trade Center, which remains under construction and is slated to open in 2018. September 2016: Reports suggested the Port Authority is interested in selling 1 World Trade Center. A long-lost American flag, seen being raised in an iconic 9/11 photograph, came back to the site and is being exhibited at the 9/11 Memorial and Museum. Finally, plans for a performing arts centerthe Ronald Perelman center, headed up by a board with chairwoman Barbra Streisandwere unveiled last week. It's expected to open in 2020. 1 World Trade Center from midtown (Tod Seelie / Gothamist) 1. Fill in your name or an alias. Do not leave blank or use the name 'guest' or 'anonymous'. 2. No Nivul Peh. Profanity will be deleted. Tobaccoville man arrested in robbery A Tobaccoville man was arrested by the Winston-Salem Police Department on Friday and charged with robbery with a dangerous weapon. Police Department responded to Long Drive around 10 p.m. Friday after two suspects had attempted to force entry into the home. Residents of the home heard the suspects and mistakenly thought the suspects were part of a construction team that was scheduled to complete repairs to the residence. The residents of the home allowed the suspects to enter, at which time the two suspects confronted the residents of the home with handguns. The suspects demanded money and property from the home and left with undisclosed proceeds of the robbery. During the robbery, one of the suspects discharged a firearm inside the home, but no one was injured by the gunfire. One resident of the home was physically hit by one of the suspects during the robbery and received minor injuries. Logan Scott Meredith Koch, 25, of Deerhunter Lane was charged with robbery with a dangerous weapon. His bond is set at $45,000. Police are still looking for the second suspect. Anyone with information regarding this incident or the identity of the second suspect wanted in this matter, contact the Winston-Salem Police Department at 336-773-7700 or CrimeStoppers at 336-727-2800. Jenny Drabble Warrant issued in bank robbery A robbery was reported at Wells Fargo Bank on Saturday. At approximately 9:20 a.m., the suspect entered the bank, at 5995 University Parkway, and told a teller that he was committing a robbery, demanding money. He had a handgun and fled with an undisclosed amount of currency. No one was injured. The investigation is ongoing, but authorities have obtained a warrant charging Michael Lawrence Hill, 22, with robbery with a dangerous weapon. Anyone with information regarding the whereabouts of Hill is asked to contact the Winston-Salem Police Department at 336-773-7700 or CrimeStoppers at 336-727-2800. Jenny Drabble Driver in bus crash charged with DWI A driver involved in Fridays bus crash has been charged. Ervin Uriel-Roblero Perez, 28, has been charged with driving while impaired, driving without an operators license and failure to reduce speed after rear-ending a bus carrying 22 East Forsyth Middle School students on their way to school. Bus 818 was stopped heading southbound on Cole Road near Troy Drive when Perezs 2005 Nissan Altima collided with the bus. No injuries were reported. This is the third accident involving a Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools bus this school year. An SUV clipped the front bumper of a bus last week. Earlier this week, a bus turned in front of a truck. The school bus driver was charged in that accident. Jenny Drabble City man charged with drug possession A Winston-Salem man was arrested for drug possession Saturday. Police say that Mark Dewayne Covington of Timlic Avenue was found in possession of 21.75 grams of cocaine, 2 grams of heroin and an unspecified amount of marijuana. He is being charged with possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of marijuana and possession of a firearm by a felon. The bond for Covington, 27, is set at $25,000. Jenny Drabble Officer shot while serving warrant SHELBY A N.C. police officer was been shot while serving a warrant. Local media outlets report that Shelby Officer Tim Brackeen was shot and wounded at around 12:20 a.m. Saturday. He was taken to the hospital, and police say his condition is critical. Authorities are still investigating the shooting and havent released other details. The State Bureau of Investigation is assisting local police with their investigation. Police said Brackeen is a 12-year department veteran and is currently assigned as a K9 officer. He was named officer of the year in 2012. The Associated Press 77-year-old charged in fatal hit and run MEBANE A 77-year-old woman has been charged in the hit and run death of a pedestrian in Mebane. Local outlets report Barbara Bigelow Wyatt of Greensboro turned herself in Friday night on charges of felony hit and run and misdemeanor death by motor vehicle. She was jailed under a $250,000 secured bond pending a court appearance on Monday. Authorities say Christopher Scott Askey, 23, was hit around 6:45 p.m. Sept. 4. He died at the hospital the next day. Police say Askey was crossing the street in the crosswalk when he was hit by a vehicle that fled the scene. The Associated Press Reddit Email 0 Shares By James Miller | ( RFE/RL) What a difference a month makes. At the start of August, the extremist group that calls itself Islamic State (IS) [group]controlled a large part of the border between Syria and Turkey, while the U.S.-backed Syrian Defense Forces (SDF), a multiethnic group made up primarily of Kurdish YPG fighters, raced to recapture as much of that territory as they could, as quickly as they could. On August 24, Turkish tanks and soldiers crossed the border near Jarablus and have since driven IS out of the entire border area. The Turkish military and the Syrian rebel groups it directly supports have advanced approximately 20 kilometers south and 50 kilometers west from Jarablus in just two weeks. On September 7, Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Nurettin Canikli told journalists that could push deeper into Syria. Turkeys Anadolu news agency reports: Canikli spoke to reporters after a cabinet meeting in Ankara and said: By the 15th day of the operation, unfortunately, we have four martyrs and 19 injured so far. "Sixteen from the Free Syrian Army (FSA) have been martyred and 27 others have been injured. Nearly 110 Daesh [a derogatory term for IS], PYD and YPG terrorists were killed and there are five injured as well", he added. The deputy PM said over 770 square kilometers of territory had been cleared of Daesh and was now under the control of the FSA. Several fascinating data points can be gleaned from Caniklis statements. The most glaring: In the eyes of the Turkish government, there is no difference between IS and the Kurdish groups which the United States has armed and supplied to fight IS. This could have serious consequences for the fight against IS moving forward since, again, the Kurdish SDF has been Washingtons main tool against IS in Syria. This also could lead to a wider conflict between Turkey and various Kurdish groups, which raises the second point: Canikli is signaling that Turkey is willing to push deeper into Syria, particularly into territory already either owned or adjacent to areas currently under the control of the SDF. In fact, on the same day Canikli spoke to the press, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan spoke with U.S. President Barack Obama at the G20 meeting and told journalists that the two leaders agreed to push together toward the IS hub of Raqqa: "Raqa is the most important center of Daesh," Erdogan told Turkish journalists aboard his plane as he returned from China, according to the daily Hurriyet. "Obama wants to do something together especially on the issue of Raqa," he said. "I said there would be no problem from our perspective." "I said 'our soldiers should come together and discuss, then what is necessary will be done'," Erdogan was quoted as saying without giving further details. This opens the possibility that Turkish ground troops will be spearheading the campaign against IS. The Turkish military is professional, well-equipped, and as a member of NATO is proficient at coordinating with the United States, which will likely provide Turkey air support. It also means that Erdogan means to hold the United States to its word that it will not support Kurdish groups that operate west of the Euphrates River. Assuming the SDF understands this, withdraws before the advancing Turkish military, and there is no significant widening of the war between Turkey and the Kurds, all of this could be very bad news for IS. Turkeys statements also belie another key fact the Turkish military has advanced extremely quickly, while suffering very few casualties. IS fighters have traditionally held their ground and fought to the death against the SDF in Syria and against the coalition in Iraq that is dominated by Iran-backed Shiite militias. Yet IS withdrew from Jarablus without firing a shot and has completely folded in the face of the advancing Turkish troops. Its hard to say why this is so. There have certainly always been whispers of deep ties between the Turkish military intelligence apparatus and IS. This could just as easily be chocked up to sectarianism IS, a highly sectarian organization, can perhaps more easily justify to their adherents fighting Kurds and Shiite militias to the death than they can defying their fellow Sunnis. Of course, Occam's razor would suggest that the simplest answer is the most likely that IS has never fought a force as strong as Turkey, and that it is doing so while it is in an extremely weakened state. In fact, the state of the Islamic State is weak, indeed. It has suffered a series of crushing defeats in Syria, but it has also lost battles in Iraq, and one of its most important leaders has been killed in an apparent U.S. air strike in Syria. ISs Amaq News Agency announced on August 30 that Abu Muhammad al-Adnani, the spokesman for IS, was killed while surveying the operations to repel the military campaigns against Aleppo. An unnamed U.S. defense official told Reuters that the U.S. coalition targeted Adnani in an air strike in the Syrian city of Al-Bab on August 30 but was unable to confirm his death. That day, journalist and Syria watcher Julian Ropcke noticed unusual air traffic above Aleppo Province, in the area between the IS stronghold of Al-Bab and Aleppo city. One of the aircraft continued to make tight turns, crisscrossing the airspace repeatedly. Its a solid bet that this was a U.S. spy plane, perhaps a remotely piloted aerial vehicle. On August 31, the Russian Ministry of Defense claimed that Russian forces had killed Adnani and 40 other IS fighters in an air strike conducted by an Su-34 bomber in Maarrat Umm Hawsh. U.S. defense officials quickly responded by telling Reuters that the Russian claim was a joke, a statement which could be read as almost a confirmation that the U.S. was responsible for killing Adnani. Pentagon spokesman Peter Cook confirmed that Russias claims are improbable since Russia has not targeted ISs leadership, has spent little time bombing IS in general, and generally does not use precision weapons in Syria all points that match what multiple analyses of Russias military campaign there have confirmed. Adnanis prominence inside the extremist group is hard to overstate. Officially, he was ISs spokesperson, the mouthpiece for some of its most important statements. It was Adnani, not Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the leader of the terror group, who first declared the creation of the caliphate in 2014. It was Adnani who also formulated one of the central tenants of ISs message, one that sets it apart from its counterparts like Al-Qaeda, that the self-declared Islamic State is not just a physical territory but also a state of spiritual being and a calling, and those who want to see the coming of an Islamic State should stay in their home countries and conduct terrorism there. He was second in charge of the entire outfit, and his titles indicate that he would have taken over IS if current leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi were to be killed. He is also one of ISs old guard, one of the few remaining members of IS who had ties to the founder of the organization, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi. But Adnani was important for another reason: Not only was he effectively the governor of Syria, he was also born there, one of the few high-ranking officers in IS who call Syria home. Adnani hailed from Binnish, one of the hotbeds of protest against the Assad government. His death means that not only is IS without a governor in Syria, and without a spokesperson, and without one of its important theological architects, but it has also lost some of its legitimacy in Syria. IS has always claimed that those Sunnis who live within its physical borders are now part of the founding of the Islamic caliphate. Yet as Turkish tanks roll in and liberate Syria from IS control from the north and west, and as the SDF continues to pressure IS from the north and east, it has become impossible to escape the images of Sunni Muslims, and indeed many others, celebrating in the streets after their oppressors have been pushed out. IS is losing many battles, but the moral defeat it is suffering might be the most important development of them all. Via RFE/RL Copyright (c) 2016. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave NW, Ste 400, Washington DC 20036. - Related video added by Juan Cole: Daily Mail: Syrian women burn their burqas in glee at liberation from ISIS AJ+ | (Video Report) | The Hajj: Its one of the biggest gatherings in the world, with millions of Muslims from everywhere making the pilgrimage to the city of Mecca but whats it about, anyway? [JURIST] The Aruban legislature [official website, in Dutch] on Friday voted to give official recognition to same-sex couples, giving them the right to register their unions and receive the benefits granted to other married people. Those benefits, such as the right to make medical decisions on behalf of a spouse or the right to a spouses pension in case of death, will be entered into the civil code [text, in Dutch] after the Aruba legislature voted to do so 11-5. Aruba is a constituent of the Netherlands [Netherlands government overview], which recognizes same-sex marriage. This dichotomy previously forced Arubans to travel to the Netherlands to be married then return to Aruba, where the marriage would be recognized. Now, although Aruba did not vote to recognize same-sex marriage, such couples will not have to leave the island to be afforded the benefits of marriage. The lesbian, gay, bi-sexual and transgender community (LGBT) continues to face legal challenges throughout the world. Last month, the Belize Supreme Court struck down [JURIST report] a law banning sodomy, declaring it unconstitutional and adversely impactful to the LGBT community. Last December voters in Slovenia rejected a law [JURIST report] that would allow same-sex couples to marry and adopt children. In November the Constitutional Court of Colombia ruled [JURIST report] that same-sex couples can legally adopt children. The UN has become increasingly focused on the rights of LGBT individuals. In September 2015 12 UN agencies released a joint statement [JURIST report] arguing that abuses toward the LGBT population are human rights abuses impacting society as a whole. In June 2015 the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights reported [JURIST report] that members of the LGBT community continue to face discrimination and human rights abuses. Chelsea Manning, a former US soldier imprisoned for leaking classified documents, has gone on a hunger strike to protest her mistreatment at the Fort Leavenworth [official website] facility in Kansas where she has been imprisoned since her conviction in military court in 2013. Manning was convicted of leaking 700,000 classified government documents to WikiLeaks [advocacy website] and has been serving a 35-year sentence. Manning stated that she started the hunger strike [AP report] because all her requests so far for better treatment have been ignored. An American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) [advocacy website] attorney representing Manning stated her intention to continue the hunger strike until minimum standards of dignity, respect and humanity are complied with. Manning has said she will not voluntarily consume anything except prescription medication and water, and that she is prepared for the possibility of dying. According to the ACLU, Manning was being investigated [JURIST report] in July for charges in relation to a suicide attempt at the facility. At the time, ACLU Staff Attorney Chase Strangio issued a statement in which he was deeply critical of the Armys handling of Manning, in particular the denial of medical care related to her gender transition despite the treatment [being] recognized as necessary. The report [press release] went on to say that the Army continued to deny necessary medical care to Manning, including medical treatment following her suicide attempt. Mannings trial [JURIST op-ed] in 2013 and the subsequent litigation that followed has garnered much debate. In May Manning appealed [JURIST report] her 35-year prison sentence. In 2013 Manning filed for a presidential pardon of the 35-year sentence [JURIST reports]. The sentence came a month after she was found guilty [JURIST report] of violating the Espionage Act, but was acquitted of the more serious charge of aiding the enemy. The judge had raised the burden of proof [JURIST report] in order to require the government to prove that Manning knowingly aided al Qaeda. Manning pleaded guilty [JURIST report] to 10 of the 22 charges against her for providing classified materials to Wikileaks. The US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit [official website] on Friday blocked [opinion, PDF] a proof of citizenship requirement imposed upon voters by the states of Alabama, Georgia and Kansas. The court found that the parties challenging the requirement have demonstrated irreparable harm, a likelihood of success on the merits, that the balance of equities tips in their favor, and that an injunction is in the public interest. The court ordered the US Election Assistance Commission (the Commission) [official website], and anyone acting on its behalf, to: take all actions necessary to restore the status quo ante, pending a determination on the merits, including promptly removing from the state-specific instructions those requirements directing voter registration applicants to submit proof of their United States citizenship, informing Kansas, Alabama, and Georgia that [National Mail Voter Registration] Form [Federal Form] applications filed since January 29, 2016 should be treated as if they did not contain the now-stricken state-specific instructions, and promptly posting on the Commissions website the modified version of the Federal Form. The case was brought by the League of Women Voters of the US (LWV) [advocacy website] against Brian Newby, executive director of the US Election Commission. Newby argued the requirement of a birth certificate or passport proving citizenship prevents voter fraud, while a spokesman for the LWV called the requirements an attempt at thinly veiled discrimination. Voting rights remain a controversial legal issue in the US. On Friday the Supreme Court [official website] rejected [JURIST report] Michigans appeal of an injunction [text, PDF] that prevented the state from ban straight-ticket voting. Last week the Supreme Court also denied a motion to reinstate [JURIST report] North Carolinas recently overturned law that limited early voting to 10 days and required voters to present approved identification cards. Last month the US Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit [official website] denied [JURIST report] an emergency petition for a rehearing regarding the Wisconsin voter ID law. Also last month the Illinois Supreme Court concluded [JURIST report] that placing a redistricting proposal on the ballot this fall would be unconstitutional. Earlier in August an Oklahoma court upheld [JURIST report] a controversial voter identification law allowing the law to be in place while early voting commenced for a primary run-off. In July voter restrictions were overturned not only in North Carolina, but in Kansas and Wisconsin [JURIST reports]. A court in Kiel, Germany, ruled Friday that a 92-year-old woman charged with Nazi crimes is unfit to stand trial. The woman was identified only as Helma M. due to German privacy laws and is reportedly partially deaf, blind and suffering from an internal illness. Helma was charged [AP/Reuters report] with being an accessory to the murder of 260,000 people while she worked as a radio operator at Auschwitz. According to prosecutors, Helma would receive [Times of Israel report] reports of people sent to the camp during the time she worked there from April to July 1944. German courts have recently seen an increase of war crime charges against former members of the Nazi party. Prior to 2011, German prosecutors often chose not to charge individuals they regarded as cogs in, rather than active members of, the Nazi war machine. The 2011 conviction [JURIST report] of former Nazi guard John Demjanjuk may have emboldened German prosecutors to pursue cases against all those who materially helped Nazi Germany function. In December a German court allowed [JURIST report] the trial of a 95-year-old Auschwitz paramedic accused of being an accessory to the murder of 3,681 people at Auschwitz. In September 2014 German authorities imprisoned Oskar Groening, known as the accountant of Auschwitz, who was charged [JURIST report] as an accessory to the murder of 300,000 people. Last year Groening was given a four-year jail sentence for his role at Auschwitz, a sentence he said he would appeal [JURIST reports]. [JURIST] Construction on the Dakota Access oil pipeline was paused on Friday by request of three federal agencies that urged pipeline owner Energy Transfer Partners [corporate website] to pause its lawful building after a federal judge ruled [opinion, PDF] in the companys favor. US District Judge James Boasberg denied injunctive relief to the Standing Rock Sioux tribe [tribe website], which had sought to prevent the Dakota Access pipeline from being built across sacred land. In his opinion, Boasberg stated, this Court does not lightly countenance any depredation of lands that hold significance to the Standing Rock Sioux and that, the Court scrutinizes the permitting process here with particular care. Having done so, the Court must nonetheless conclude that the Tribe has not demonstrated that an injunction is warranted here. Soon thereafter, the Departments of Justice, Interior and Army [official websites] released a joint statement [text] in which they pledged to reconsider any of its previous decisions on land around Lake Oahe, a sacred Sioux sight, and highlighted the need for a serious discussion on whether there should be nationwide reform with respect to considering tribes views on these types of infrastructure projects. Within this statement, the agencies requested that the Dallas-based pipeline owner voluntarily suspend building while they sort out policy issues. The rights of indigenous peoples have become a pressing international legal topic in the past decade. In this case, Boasberg issued [JURIST report] a temporary injunction to halt building earlier this week, with the caveat that it would be superseded by his Friday ruling. In other indigenous matters, a federal appeals court in July rejected [JURIST report] Alaskas challenge in a case determining the right of Alaskan tribes to place land in a federal trust. In May Canadas Minister of Indigenous and Northern Affairs Carolyn Bennett stated [JURIST report] it would drop its objector status against the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. In April JURIST Guest Columnist Dwight Newman of the University of Saskatchewan discussed [JURIST op-ed] what is happening with recent leave decisions related to Indigenous rights and Canadian energy regulation. In March Canadian indigenous people, including Inuits of Nunavut and the Chippewa, were granted [JURIST report] an appeal to the Supreme Court of Canada, challenging the use of seismic testing to find natural gas under the Davis Strait and Baffin Bay. In February experts from the UN and the Inter-American human rights systems urged [JURIST report] Canada to address the root causes of the extreme violence and discrimination against indigenous women and girls in that country. Tens of thousands of people marched in Mexico in protest of same-sex marriage Saturday, a controversial topic in the country exacerbated by a proposal from embattled President Enrique Pena Nieto [official website, Spanish] to recognize same-sex marriage. The marches [Reuters report] were organized by the National Front for the Family, an alliance of religious organizations and civil society groups, and spanned from Mexicos far north to the Yucatan peninsula. By the early afternoon, an estimated 40,000 people had come to protest in Queretaro, and 12,000 came to protest in Puebla, 7,000 more than city police had anticipated. Earlier this year the Mexico Supreme Court held [JURIST report] that a state law defining marriage as being between a man and a woman was unconstitutional, and several states in Mexico already permit same-sex marriage, including Mexico City. The lesbian, gay, bi-sexual and transgender community (LGBT) continues to face legal challenges throughout the world. Last month the Belize Supreme Court struck down [JURIST report] a law banning sodomy, declaring it unconstitutional and adversely impactful to the LGBT community. Last December voters in Slovenia rejected a law [JURIST report] that would allow same-sex couples to marry and adopt children. In November the Constitutional Court of Colombia ruled [JURIST report] that same-sex couples can legally adopt children. The UN has become increasingly focused on the rights of LGBT individuals. In September 2015 12 UN agencies released a joint statement [JURIST report] arguing that abuses toward the LGBT population are human rights abuses impacting society as a whole. In June 2015 the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights reported [JURIST report] that members of the LGBT community continue to face discrimination and human rights abuses. In a press release [UN press release] issued on Friday, UN Special Rapporteur on the human rights of internally displaced persons, Chaloka Beyan [official profile], called upon Ukrainian officials to develop a comprehensive plan to address internally displaced persons (IDP), and provide durable solutions to the issue. Beyani urged the government to intensify its efforts to protect the rights of IDPs from the conflict affected east of the country and the Autonomous Republic of Crimea. Despite commending the improvements the Ukraine has made, including adopting a law on internal displacement and creating a government agency whos sole function is to address this problem, the rights expert said that more needs to be done to effectively implement the law and harmonise the resolutions under the law, and coordinate efforts between national agencies and local and municipal authorities. In particular, Beyani expressed dissatisfaction with the current registration system, the inefficiency of which has led to depriving IDPs of their pension and social payments. Beyani also discussed the concern with overall freedom of movement hampered by the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Finally, the rights expert identified the need for durable housing, calling it a key element of solution[]. Russia and Ukraine have been in conflict since the annexation of Crimea [JURIST backgrounder] in March 2014. In July AI and HRW released the 56-page report detailing how Ukrainian government officials and Russia-backed separatists in the Ukraine have subjected citizen to prolonged, arbitrary detention, torture, or other forms of inhumane treatment, including refusing necessary medical attention [JURIST report]. In June the UN human rights office reported that the human rights situation in Ukraine remains troublesome [JURIST report] following two years of conflict with Russia. In February Russia filed suit [JURIST report] against Ukraine over Ukraines default on $3 billion in bonds. A Ukrainian official said in January that the nation plans to sue Russia [JURIST report] in the International Court of Justice on claims of financing terrorism. Last August a Russian military court sentenced [JURIST report] two Ukrainian activists to substantial jail time for the charge of conspiring to commit terror attacks. In March of last year the EU committed to stand by its policy of refusing to recognize Crimeas annexation [JURIST report]. A Volkswagen (VW) [corporate website] engineer pleaded guilty [plea agreement, PDF] in federal court on Friday to one count of conspiracy to defraud the US, commit wire fraud and violate the Clean Air Act [text, PDF] by implementing software in the manufacturers vehicles that could cheat US emissions tests. James Robert Liang was indicted [indictment, PDF] in the Eastern District of Michigan in June, but the record was just unsealed Friday. The Department of Justice (DOJ) [official website] stated that Liang and other employees designed [press release] the engine in 2006 after they were unable to design an engine that met US emissions standards. According to Liang, his co-conspirators lied to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the California Air Resources Board (CARB) [official websites] when they were seeking certifications required to sell vehicles in the US and continued to deceive the agencies for model years 2009 through 2016. During this time, Volkswagen advertised its cars to the public as environmentally-friendly and clean diesel. As part of the plea agreement, Liang has agreed to assist in further investigations. He faces a maximum sentence of five years imprisonment and/or three years of supervised release as well the possibility of a $250,000 fine, and restitution. VW is facing legal difficulty around the world over the emissions scandal. Earlier this month, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) sued [JURIST report] VW and its local subsidiary for misleading customers. In August a district court in Germany, ruled [JURIST report] that a collective complaint against VW may move forward. Like US-style class-action lawsuits, the collective complaint was launched on behalf of multiple investors who lost money following the diesel emissions cheating scandal. In July a judge for the US District Court for the Northern District of California gave preliminary approval [JURIST report] to a $15 billion settlement between VW and the US EPA, California officials and consumers. In June VW agreed [JURIST report] to spend up to $14.7 billion to settle allegations of cheating emissions tests and deceiving customers in a settlement with US regulators. In March the Federal Trade Commission filed suit [JURIST report] against VW for false advertising. Living amidst violence rapidly constricting hope for a safer, sustainable, more equitable, and happier community and nation, what is to be done?There's more to be done than I can envision or perhaps even imagine. People who suffer -- whether for being different, for trying to control their bodies, for randomly encountering some gun fetishist, from climate disruption, or simply for lacking cash -- need to be cared for. In some places and moments, some people have to raise a ruckus in the streets.But also, what experience with actual, existing U.S. political power has taught me: in the mid-term elections in the fall of 2022, there are some contests that are vital. Here is a useful list of articles to help you figure out which elections are most important.Or hit me up about volunteer and paid opportunities to join campaigns in Nevada, Arizona and Pennsylvania: jan.uhreno@gmail The premier destination for modern art in Northern Sweden. Open from 10 AM to 6 PM every day during the summer months. Works and Days August 1 December 1 Read More Theatre of Operations October 1 December 1 Read More The Life I Deserve August 1 December 1 Read More From Signac to Matisse October 1 December 1 Read More Cyborgs, as the philosopher Donna Haraway established, are not reverent. They do not remember the cosmos. With seven floors of striking architecture, UMoMA shows exhibitions of international contemporary art, sometimes along with art historical retrospectives. Existential, political and philosophical issues are intrinsic to our programme. As visitor you are invited to guided tours artist talks, lectures, film screenings and other events with free admission The exhibitions are produced by UMoMA in collaboration with artists and museums around the world and they often attract international attention. UMoMA has received a Special Commendation from the European Museum of the Year, and was among the top candidates for the Swedish Museum of the Year Award as well as for the Council of Europe Museum Prize. Become a Member and Get Exclusive Offers! Members get access to exclusive exhibits and sales. Our memberships cost $99.99 and are billed annually. Join the Club 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. For those interested in becoming members of this community, contact John at john@johnspiers.com. GRAND ISLAND -- Alex needs a service dog. A dog to keep him safe. A dog to watch over him. A dog to know when Alex is having silent seizures brought on by his chromosomal disorder and his Tourette's. A dog large enough to pull Alex back when the 7-year-old is trying to leave the house at night. A dog big enough to sit on Alex when he's trying to hurt others or himself, like when he pulled out two of his teeth just because he was mad. Alex has that dog. She's CoCo, a 1-year-old St. Bernard puppy, now at 80 pounds and growing to her full weight of 230. But CoCo needs two months of training in California before she can really help Alex. The training costs $7,000. Alex's parents, Robert and Kim Anderson of Grand Island, have $2,000. Their church, First Presbyterian, will hold a pancake feed from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Sunday to raise money for CoCo's training. "We've seen his struggles," the Rev. Caroline Price-Gibson said. "The dog is ready to go now. We've just got to help them come up with the money." Alex's doctors in Florida suggested that he have a service dog. They had hoped the dog would be trained by Alex's December 2012 medical appointment. The family had bought CoCo for $350 and brought her home to see if she would fit with the whole family -- Robert, Kim, Alex and five other Anderson children ages 12, 10, 8 and 6-year-old twins. "Everyone loves her," Kim said. "She is the best dog." In fact, CoCo already seems to know she has an extra job to do. When Alex lost focus over the holidays and started to run, CoCo instinctively held him by the back of the shirt. Running is an issue for Alex. It is the trait that actually led the Andersons to discover there was something not quite right with him. Kim had taken the then preschooler to a local cookie shop to buy treats. As she let go of his hand to tear the check from her checkbook, he bolted -- straight into the parking lot, where he was struck by a sport utility vehicle. The driver had heard Kim's screams and slowed, but still Alex was knocked over. His reaction? "He sat and laughed," his worried mother said. He laughed, too, as he got older and stuck keys in electrical outlets and felt the stinging jolts. "He doesn't feel pain," Kim said. "He has a tendency to not be safe." Alex doesn't understand boundaries either. He has walked through the family's Kennedy Drive neighborhood and into neighbors' houses, where he sits down. What was initially misdiagnosed as attention deficit disorder was discovered in the last two years to be pervasive development disorder, or PDD, Kim said. Genetic testing revealed that Alex has a duplication of the 16p 11.3 chromosome. Instead of the normal two, he has three. He falls on the autism spectrum, is mildly developmentally delayed, is blind in his left eye and has 25 percent hearing loss. While most kids his age are learning at the second-grade level, Alex is still working on preschool activities. He's verbal and functioning but has outbursts that pose challenges. He was kicked out of school for a time for aggression and now splits his academic day between his neighborhood school, Newell Elementary, and the Skills Academy at Dodge Elementary. Kim works during the day for her father, Mark Stelk, at General Collection, plus works from home in the evenings. Robert works nights at Americold Logistics, so the couple can tag team being with the children. Both work more than 40 hours a week in order to meet the family's financial needs. They are not on assistance. They have private insurance. Still, costs are high. "Whenever we think we have some money to save, here comes another medical bill," Kim said. In a good month -- with no extra illnesses and prescription coupons -- Alex's five meds cost $350. But extra illnesses are common. Children with degrees of autism are more susceptible to sinus issues, Kim said. Alex just spent three days in an Omaha hospital with a sinus problem. And more maladies are cropping up. "The doctor told us to expect that, every year he gets older, he will get something new," Kim said. Along with the PDD has come Tourette's. While most people with Tourette's have either muscle tics or verbal tics, Alex has both. He also has fragile X, which contributes to anxiety and aggression. He eats almost constantly but rarely finishes any food. "His body just can't slow down," Kim said. Most recently, Alex was diagnosed with neurofibromatosis, which causes skin pigmentations that may or may not form into tumors. While cures are not in the realm of Alex's maladies, dealing with symptoms is. And Kim said a service dog can do much to help him, according to his doctors. She has done bake sales and ran a Christmas store at the mall to help raise funds for CoCo's training. A savings account was set up at Five Points Bank in Alex's name. Alex's grandma, Wanda Stelk, is making dog biscuits that are sold at Family Pet Clinic, with proceeds going toward CoCo's training. And the church is stepping up to move the fundraising along more quickly. The hope is to have the money raised by the end of February so CoCo can be flown to the trainer outside San Diego in March. Alex would have to fly out at least twice, and the whole family will have to go at the end of training to learn how to respond to CoCo. Alex's next appointment with his specialists in Florida is in June. The doctor wants Alex and a trained CoCo at that time, Kim said. "I feel guilty, and I feel horrible as his mother that I can't do this for him right away," she said, casting her eyes down to the floor. "I feel like I'm at a standstill." We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton waves after leaving an apartment building Sunday, Sept. 11, 2016, in New York. Clinton's campaign said the Democratic presidential nominee left the 9/11 anniversary ceremony in New York early after feeling "overheated." (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) When looking for the cause of dysfunction in Washington D.C., perhaps we need to start by looking in the mirror. That was just one of a number of the thoughts shared at a Divisiveness in Democracy conference sponsored by the Burton K. Wheeler Center at the Radisson Colonial Hotel Saturday. Elected officials, former officials, students and citizens were among the 70 attendees. And while divisiveness is particularly in the spotlight in this presidential campaign, theres definitely a history of how we got here. Political arguments are part of our democracy, going back more than 200 years. The delegates to the U.S. Constitutional Convention had heated arguments, but still managed to draft and sign a constitution. The rhetoric seems particularly shrill, said Brad Snow, Wheeler Center board chair of why the conference is being held. We wanted to see what we could do to generate more light and less heat. Its not the first time American politics have gotten heated, said Snow, pointing out that the caning of Charles Sumner, an abolitionist, by a South Carolina representative in 1856 foreshadowed the Civil War. Does discourse have to continue to degenerate to bickering and name calling? Friday nights preconference speaker Ted Celeste, a former Ohio state representative, thinks not. He heads Next Generation, a project of the National Institute for Civil Discourse, which was founded after the shooting of Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords in May 2011. His group just held a training, Building Trust for Civil Discourse, with all of Idahos legislators. A follow-up event was done with Boise City Club, civic groups, media members and all elected officials in the area. It was quite powerful, said Celeste, of the positive reception in Idaho. We would definitely like to do it with the Montana Legislature. So far, the Civil Discourse workshops have been held with 400 legislators in 12 states, Celeste said, and are run by trained legislators who come in from a different state. There used to be a time of liberal Republicans and conservative Democrats, said panelist Nicol Rae, the dean of the Montana State University College of Letters and Science. And people used to split how they voted their ballot, electing perhaps a conservative president and liberal senator. Thats happening less and less. National elections are typically followed by gridlock, said Rae. The theater of government shutdowns is almost a Washington Kabuki, he said, referring to the traditional, highly stylized Japanese style of drama. Theres been a rise of single-issue groups, he said. Political Action Committees, Super PACs, as well as the Supreme Courts Citizens United decision have led to further polarization. Partisan news media, such as popular talk radio hosts like Rush Limbaugh add to the problem. Rae sees hope in Montana, he said, where the Republican Legislature is working with a Democratic governor and passing legislation. Montana has a distinct Montana culture, Rae said. This culture isnt true in other states, he said, referring to Florida where he lived for more than 20 years. Panelist Bob Brown, who served in the Montana Legislature for more than 20 years, blamed term limits for some of the loss of bipartisanship. Legislators had friendships on both sides of the aisle, he said, and veteran legislators mentored newcomers. Longtime statehouse reporter Chuck Johnson recalled when Montana politics took a bitter turn in 2007, when the Legislature adjourned without passing a budget and a Republican legislator publicly cursed out other members of the Legislature. The rise of Western Tradition Partnership and its scurrilous campaigns against moderate Republicans, the ascendance of the Tea Party and the 2010 Citizens United Supreme Court decision have further polarized politics. Vile anonymous attacks go back in American history, he added, including particularly nasty attacks against Thomas Jefferson and John Adams. The financial and readership decline of traditional newspapers that offered more broad-based news coverage of national and international politics and issues was also named by several speakers as a contributing factor to political polarization. Start talking and listening One way to stop the demonizing is to start talking to each other by getting to know people who are different than us, suggested several speakers. On panelist, former Billings mayor Chuck Tooley, recommended joining civic organizations that have membership that is quite different from you. In Billings, broad-based community engagement led to an urban revitalization of the downtown, he said. State Representative Jenny Eck (D-Helena) said listening is a good place to begin and to resist being self-righteous, which she labeled an addictive drug. A lot of things are working in Montana, she said. The last legislative session resulted in bipartisan cooperation leading to Medicaid expansion, better mental health services and the Disclose Act, requiring groups that make election contributions to disclose how the money is being spent and where it comes from. Eck said that she was mostly feeling positive and that shes encouraged that a record number of women and Native Americans have been getting elected to the Montana legislature. Reach out to youth Rachel Huff-Doria, executive director of Forward Montana, urged more face-to-face work with young people to get them registered to vote, so that voting is part of their culture. If they dont vote when theyre young, she said, its unlikely theyll vote when theyre older. Rep. Dan Zolnikov (Billings-R) said hes made friendships with Democrats and has worked on a variety of bills with them. Although he is a conservative legislator, much of his legislation has been supported by the American Civil Liberties Union. He's worked on everything from net metering legislation to the death penalty to freedom of the press. Former Congressman Pat Williams pointed out that some elected politicians demonize the very governmental bodies where theyve been elected to serve. He also said elected officials need to be leaders. He recalled former Montana senator and statesman Mike Mansfield saying, I was elected to use my head. If you dont like what Im doing -- bring me home. Mansfield followed his head and his conscience, said Williams. He was a leader in introducing gun control legislation. Numerous suggestions of how to move forward were offered by attendees. A few key ones were to encourage people to get more involved in their community and to reach out to women, minorities and young people to join community groups and to serve on their boards. For more information, visit www.wheelercenter.org and the Wheeler Centers facebook page, where video of the conference will be posted. It will also be broadcast by Television Montana (TVMT). A member of a bomb disposal team prepares the scene before checking the bodies of three women who were shot dead by police, outside the central police station in the coastal city of Mombasa, Kenya Sunday, Sept. 11, 2016. The three women were killed by police after they attacked the police station using petrol bombs and knives, a police official said Sunday. (AP Photo) I never really understood how people could truly be heartbroken, said Aaron Fossedal, a recent Helena High School graduate. I never understood that. But that changed the day he learned that his brother had committed suicide. My heart literally had pain, Fossedal said. Its something you think will never happen to you -- especially since he was a Marine. Just like the movies -- two Marines come to your door, letting you know your brother passed away. It was Aug. 23, 2015. I was very zombie-ized. It didnt hit until the first day of school, when I broke down and cried. Last fall, Fossedal and his friend, Rowan Rankin, threw themselves into suicide prevention efforts at HHS. They started a Facebook page for Saving HHS, getting 1,000 likes in the first 24 hours alone. The number had climbed to over 2,500 by this summer. They gave out hundreds of teal- and- purple-colored bracelets with the message "Saving HHS," printed with the national suicide prevention hotline number (1-800-273-8255 or 1-800-273-TALK). But in February, more heartbreak struck. A Helena High student died by suicide, the fifth student at HHS in four years -- leaving family, friends and staff devastated. Matt Kuntz, executive director of the National Alliance on Mental Illness, Montana, went into the school to meet with some of the students, including Fossedal. Mental health ... is just as important as physical illness, Fossedal told Kuntz. It needs to be treated. He and other students asked for hands-on tools and skills to aid in suicide prevention. The school district responded. This fall, Helena Public Schools is launching a new and innovative suicide prevention program, YAM (Youth Aware of Mental Health) that aims to fit that need. YAM has already proven highly effective with youth in Europe. A public meeting announcing the program is set for 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Monday, Sept. 19, at Helena Middle School auditorium. Both HHS and Capital High School will be part of a pilot project in Montana and Texas directed by Dr. Matt Byerly, a psychiatrist and director for the Center for Mental Health Research and Recovery at Montana State University in Bozeman. NAMI Montana and Kuntz were instrumental in bringing the research center and YAM to Montana. Suicide is not just a major concern at Helena High School, its a leading public health issue -- particularly in Montana. Butte has had at least five teen suicides in recent years; Livingston had two within one week in February; and Bozeman recently had one. Montana (counting both teens and adults) had the highest suicide rate in the country in 2014, the most recent year national data is available. And Montana has the dubious distinction of being in the top five states for suicide rates for nearly 40 years. Youth Aware of Mental Health Researchers in the European Union in 2009 collaborated on developing a suicide prevention mental health program for youth across the European Union, said Byerly. YAM (which is modeled on the European program) was designed from the beginning to be cross-cultural. In a study that included 11,000 freshmen students from 10 countries across the European Union, researchers reported that students in the program had a 59 percent reduction in suicide attempts and a 52 percent reduction in suicidal thoughts compared to students in a control group, said Byerly. These were youth who had not previously had suicide attempts, he emphasized. Those youth who have already attempted suicide would need intensive mental health treatments, not YAM. YAM is a primary prevention intervention, he said, meaning that it is meant to prevent an initial suicide attempt from happening. In the 2009 study, YAM proved much more successful than any other suicide prevention programs and interventions, according to the research published in the medical journal Lancet in 2015. What YAM does It uses trained facilitators, not school personnel, to work with the youths, said Byerly. All of the facilitators that will be working in the Helena schools have extensive experience working with youth around mental health topics. YAM promotes adolescents talking with each other about mental health issues and also learning hands-on skills in role-playing how to cope with crises. Youth are active in this intervention, Byerly said. Theyre challenged to think in different ways and tackle things they perhaps have not thought about. Theyre the ones who are actively doing it. In October, groups of 25 to 30 freshmen at both HHS and Capital High School will begin the first part of their multi-week training. When that group is done, facilitators will begin working with the next set of groups. All told -- approximately 400 HHS freshman and 330 at CHS will receive the training in the coming year. Some key YAM elements include: Outside facilitators who have significant background working with youth and an assistant facilitator deliver the program Two, one-hour discussion sessions A booklet on topics ranging from self-help to how to help a troubled friend Six educational posters that prominently display repeat themes covered in the training Three hours of role-playing so students build skills to deal with crises and stress Some of the protective factors it teaches are skills in problem-solving, conflict resolution and nonviolent ways of handling disputes, said Byerly. Mental health researchers are particularly impressed with how YAMs role-playing and discussions give youth probably for the first time an opportunity to think, verbalize and discuss ... a range of mental health related issues, especially suicidality, said Byerly. Role-playing details Each of the role-play sessions has a goal in mind. Students learn in Role Play 1 about choices they make in everyday life, Byerly said. The choices they make impact their lives. Its not that life just happens to them and they have no choices. Youth-at-risk often dont realize they can make a choice that would put them in a different situation, he said. They also dont realize there is more than one solution to a problem. In Role Play 2, students deal with stress and crisis topics, like coping with a break-up with a girlfriend or boyfriend. The idea is that students learn how to express their emotional struggles, he said, rather than an adult telling them what to do. Role Play 3 deals with handling tougher emotional topics, such as a youth experiencing depression or suicidal thoughts and how to obtain help. The trained facilitators make sure the exercises remain safe, said Byerly. The European trainers who trained the Montana facilitators noted they had one of the highest levels of engagement with youth, said Byerly, and ranked them extremely engaging and very comfortable with youth. Helena high schools are among approximately 11 in Montana and three to four in Texas participating in the YAM program. While it focuses on freshmen now, Byerly would like to expand YAM to include middle schoolers in the future. Intervening before a suicide attempt has occurred is more effective, he said. Therefore, the earlier we intervene the more successful well be. Byerly urged that youth, parents and community members attend the Sept. 19 meeting to hear about the program, which he will present, and ask questions. A large part of the programs success will be how well it is accepted in the community, he said. Suicide is potentially preventable. It is such an important and tragic problem that we must find solutions that work. We need to make an investment to study and identify interventions that truly work. YAM is funded by a Montana Research and Economic Development Initiative grant and is being offered free to the Helena school district. On the morning of Sept. 11, 2016, John Driscoll of Helena will begin his walk. Fifteen years ago Driscoll, now a retired Army colonel, was in the Pentagon working in the office of the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He gathered with coworkers to watch the second airplane hit the World Trade Center, calling his wife shortly after to tell her to stay away from the World Bank as another potential target. As the situation unfolded in New York, he was walking toward the oncoming aircraft at the other end of the same corridor when he felt his legs stagger, the building around him sounding like hundreds of doors slamming at the same time. Dust and debris followed in the chaos of the airplane striking about 100 feet away, people yelling and then realizing they needed to get out. Then they began to evacuate. "I felt like I was in an epic movie," Driscoll said. "The part that sticks with me is Washington, D.C,. was evacuating a half million people walking and driving, most of them back to Virginia. I feel like that's the forgotten story of 9/11 that nobody saw." Driscoll had to go the opposite direction into the city, through the crowds of people fleeing past the monuments and the plume of black smoke coming from the Pentagon. Driscoll's 9/11 tradition has been to go to his backyard for some quiet reflection. "9/11 is normally a big day for me with lots of emotions and different feelings," he said. "I go to my backyard, smoke a ceremonial peace pipe and pray for peace. It doesn't seem to be working." Driscoll has worn many public hats in his 70 years military man, smoke jumper, state legislator, Public Service Commissioner. He knows that other smoke jumpers have worked with many refugees, whether displaced by war or politics or natural disaster, and all facing the loss of home and the haven and challenges of a new place. Since 2001 the staggering increase of refugees worldwide has mashed with political rhetoric. Driscoll now considers himself far outside of the political fray and thinks of immigration in historical contexts. The refugee experience is something that can affect anyone, whether Cuban exiles, religious persecutees in Tibet or those fleeing the devastation of 9/11, he said. "We have immigration all over, yet no one ever thinks that way," Driscoll said. "The history of Montana is that we are a state of immigrants, meaning everybody was once a refugee." The recent loss of his friend and fellow smoke jumper Jim Phillips and plans to place plaques at Mann Gulch and the Beattie Street Trailhead in his memory, led Driscoll to ask if a trail connected the two. As he thought of making the roughly 70-mile round-trip hike, he also thought of the approaching 9/11 anniversary, and the chance to reflect on the walk he and many others displaced took that day. Driscoll decided to start the 9/11 Refugee Walk as chance for personal reflection and to encourage others to do the same. "I'm a real believer that education is drawn from self, based on your own life experiences to learn," he said. "A lot of us think of refugees not as immigrants because of all the political rhetoric, but when we walk in each other's shoes we do realize all that we have in common." From his experience working with fellow Montanans, Driscoll sees a desire to help people already living in our communities help themselves as critical for success. Self-reliance, while accepting some assistance or guidance from others, is the key to making hard adjustments. "When you talk about 65 million people, some are not going to make it and it's the wrong metric to look at this," he said. "It's how you incorporate one person, if you can help two people then great, but in the end it's that person that has to help himself or herself." Driscoll will embark from the Beattie Street Trailhead on Mount Ascension, making his way across the Helena Valley and north along the Missouri River through the Gates of the Mountain Wilderness Area to Mann Gulch. From there he plans to return to the South Hills and to the trailhead on Mount Ascension. Going and coming, he plans on scoping various routes along what he has coined the "Immigrant Trail." He will bring a fishing rod and enough food to last through an anticipated four-day backpack. Driscoll does not expect any company on his first trek but hopes by next year a few more folks will decide to make the journey. At 8:46 a.m. on Sept. 11, 2001, the world changed forever when 19 radical Islamic terrorists hijacked commercial jets and crashed them into the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and a field in Pennsylvania. These cowardly attacks killed 2,977 innocent civilians and hundreds of first responders. In the 15 years since the attacks, nearly 5,000 troops have made the ultimate sacrifice defending our nation in the Global War on Terror. While America suffered a great loss and was pushed to her limits, we came out stronger as a nation -- a nation whose spirit could not be broken, only made tougher, in the wake of tragedy. The world witnessed the best and worst of humanity that day. Fifteen years later, we remember the best: The 72 law enforcement officers and 343 firefighters who lost their lives running into the towers while everyone else was fleeing. We remember the 246 passengers and crew on the hijacked flights. And we remember the 2,606 in the World Trade Center, the 125 civilians, and 55 Pentagon personnel, all of whom were just going to work to earn a paycheck for their families. These are graphic and blunt memories, but to forget what happened on that day is dangerous. A free nation is a vulnerable nation, and as long as America is the beacon of hope, freedom, and liberty for people around the globe, we will always be the target of evil. The attacks in San Bernadino, Orlando, and Chattanooga the past year are stark reminders. But, being the enemy of evil is a burden we must bear because no one else can. In the words of President John F. Kennedy, Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe to assure the survival and the success of liberty. Radical Islamic terrorism and those who fund it remain a credible threat to America. I have led American troops to the corners of the world and the bowels of Hell in search of those responsible for the attacks and to prevent future attacks. Many of those individuals will never see the light of day again. I have seen Americas sons, daughters, fathers, and mothers fight valiantly for our freedom. Ive also seen too many fall. Thirty-eight Montanans have fallen in the line of duty protecting us in the war. We owe them our eternal gratitude. America has been at war for 15 years. Thats longer than at any other point in our nations history. As a War on Terror veteran myself, Im currently working in the House to pass legislation to authorize the construction of a national monument to honor those who served and fell defending our nation in in our time of need. This is not a red or a blue issue; its red, white, and blue. And its the right thing to do. The unity we felt after that tragic day is a unity that should prevail when we talk about funding our troops and keeping America safe. Everyone remembers where they were that day. I was serving as the Executive Officer of Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL Training at a Naval base in Coronado. I was looking out at my class, many of the guys barely old enough to shave every day. I looked at them and knew their careers would be very different than mine. I would go on to lead many of them in Iraq. My wife, Lola, remembers too. Lola was a military spouse getting ready to take our daughter Jennifer, the oldest of our three children, to college to start the school year. Lola turned on the TV as she was making breakfast and saw the news. She immediately postponed the trip, kept all three kids home from school, and we did what all military families did: we prayed. Lola didnt know it that day, but our daughter would soon be deployed to the Middle East as a Navy diver. At one point in the War on Terror, Lola was at home raising our two young boys while her husband, daughter, and son-in-law were all forward deployed. This story is not unique. We ask so much of our troops and their families. The sacrifice cannot be overlooked. I call upon all of you today to remember and honor the best of humanity. Honor those among us both in the flesh and in spirit who have heard the call to serve and their loved ones holding down the Homefront. Freedom isnt free, and today is a reminder of that. May God bless America, and God bless the men and women who defend her. Ryan Zinke is Montana's lone U.S. representative. By Huw Jones LONDON, Sept 11 (Reuters) - Regulators are heading in thethe right direction in reforming the way banks calculate howmuch capital they must hold to stay solvent, a group of centralbankers said on Sunday. The reforms have been heavily criticised by lenders who saythey will lead to hefty increases in capital requirements, anoutcome the central bankers said should be avoided. The world's top central bankers said on Sunday thatcompletion of remaining post financial crisis reforms to bankcapital was going in the right direction and the focus should beon avoiding large increases in requirements. The Basel Committee of banking supervisors is finalisingrules on how much capital lenders should hold to withstandshocks without needing the taxpayer handouts that many weregiven during the 2007-09 financial crisis. The committee is facing hefty pushback from banks and somegovernments, especially in Europe. The Group of Central Bank Governors and Heads ofSupervision, or GHOS, met on Sunday to scrutinise progress sofar on finalising the Basel III reforms ushered in by thefinancial crisis. Its members include the Federal Reserve, theBank of England, and the European Central Bank (ECB). "The GHOS endorsed the broad direction of the Committee'sreforms," it said in a statement. "The GHOS discussed the Basel Committee's ongoing cumulativeimpact assessment and reaffirmed that, as a result of thisassessment, the committee should focus on not significantlyincreasing overall capital requirements." Banks have dubbed the remaining reforms Basel IV, meaning astep change in requirements that they say will make it harder toincrease lending to the economy. The final reforms cover capital requirements for credit andoperational rules, and stricter parameters for assessing theriskiness of assets. They also include a new "floor" below which capitalrequirements cannot go, irrespective of the amount neededaccording to a bank's own modelling. European banks in particular say this would penalise largeholdings of low risk loans on their books, and give too muchemphasis to the volume of assets rather than their riskiness. Earlier this month, the European Union urged the BaselCommittee to ensure that capital requirements were "notsignificantly increased in any of the major regions of theworld". Basel members like Japan have said the benefits of modellingshould be preserved, while other members like the Fed are moresceptical about capital calculation models. The GHOS statement on Sunday, which reinforces a similarstatement at the start of the year, will buttress Basel, thoughbanks expect some watering down when the final rules arepublished given concerns among some of its members. "Finalising the committee's post-crisis reforms willcomplete Basel III and help restore confidence in banks'risk-weighted capital ratios," said Mario Draghi, who heads theECB and chairs GHOS. Stefan Ingves, chairman of the Basel Committee and Governorof Sweden's central bank, said: "The Committee has takensignificant steps over the past few months towards finalisingthe post-crisis reforms by the end of the year." Most banks across the world already meet or exceed thecapital and liquidity requirements that Basel III sets out forfull compliance by 2019. (Reporting by Huw Jones; Editing by Ruth Pitchford) * CEO Borgas stepping down after 4 years * Potash prices roughly halved during his term * Deals signed with China, India for $219 and $227 per tonne * COO Asher Brinbaum named as interim CEO (Recasts with appointment of interim CEO) By Steven Scheer JERUSALEM, Sept 11 (Reuters) - Israel Chemicals (ICL) on Sunday named Asher Grinbaum as interim chiefexecutive officer after Stefan Borgas stepped down as CEO lastweek. German-born Borgas, 52, said last Thursday he would resignafter four years as CEO but would stay available to the companyand Chairman Johanan Locker during the transition to find a newCEO. Grinbaum, currently ICL's executive vice president and chiefoperating officer, will fill the CEO role effective immediatelyuntil a permanent CEO is appointed. ICL is one of three major suppliers of potash toChina, India and Europe. Analysts said the eventual successor will struggle to reviveearnings given weak global prices for potash, its main export. "You can't expect higher profit when potash prices are $200a tonne," said Ilanit Scherf, an analyst at the Psagotbrokerage. Borgas had served as CEO of Swiss firm Lonza before joiningICL. Potash prices were then around $414 per tonne, ICL's shareprice was 46 shekels and it reported adjusted earnings per shareof $1.19 in 2011. But in recent months, ICL has signed potash supply dealswith China and Indian customers at $219 and $227 a tonne,respectively. Citi analyst Andrew Benson expects adjusted EPS in 2016 ofjust 30 cents. "ICL faces a tough road ahead although this is substantiallydiscounted in the share price," Benson, who rates ICL "neutral",wrote in a note to clients. The "fertiliser markets will remainintensely competitive over the medium term (and) ... higherroyalty levels will materially reduce cash flow availability forshareholders from 2017 onwards." Since the start of 2013, ICL's Tel Aviv-listed share pricehas slid 85 percent to 15.42 shekels. Borgas also battled Israel's government over plans tosharply increase taxes on mining companies. He tried to cutcosts, froze about $2 billion of investments in Israel andexpanded ICL's operations abroad. Analysts say Borgas' desire to reduce dependency on the DeadSea, where ICL has exclusive permits to mine minerals, wasunpopular with his bosses at holding company Israel Corp , which owns 46 percent of ICL . Citi's Benson said ICL's next CEO will need to improveindustrial relations after two recent strikes and establish abetter relationship with Israel's government. ICL competes with Russia's Uralkali and NorthAmerican trading group Canpotex Ltd, owned by Potash Corp ofSaskatchewan , Mosaic Co and Agrium Inc . (Reporting by Steven Scheer; editing by Susan Thomas/RuthPitchford) SHARE Some 60 years later and I am still ashamed of my behavior. Do you have memories that remain embarrassing to recall? I was on an exciting outing with my parents to the Oregon Zoo. I marveled at the collection of varied life forms. There were lions and turtles and otters and elephants and I scarce could take it all in! Then, just as I ran up a grassy knoll, I encountered a family of beings I had known existed but had never seen before. In my excitement I pointed toward them and exclaimed, "Look, n****s!" Yes, I used the N-word. This black family heard me speak that hurtful term. And so did my father, who grabbed me, swatted my young bottom with great force and told me to never, never say that word again. It was the early 1950s, before the Civil Rights Movement, before Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X, and way, way before Leonard Pitts. Before America had begun developing a social stigma against racial slurs and blatant discrimination. But my father was ahead of his time, at least in racist attitudes. He came from a Southern family who embraced traditional racial prejudices. Grandmother wrote notes in her Bible asserting that Noah's son Ham was the progenitor of the black race, whose descendants were put on earth to become slaves. Granddad Bristow worked for Bob Jones University in Florida, a Christian fundamentalist school noted for its discrimination toward blacks. When my parents adopted an orphan from Hong Kong, they worried that Dad's father would refuse to welcome her into the family, since he regarded all Asians as "Japs" and therefore enemies. (My parents were relieved when Granddad died before their adopted Chinese daughter arrived.) Given this racist background, how did Dad become so racially inclusive? I asked him this question (some decades after the Oregon Zoo incident), and he replied, "Well, I worked with this black man and I came to respect him. He was a good worker and he had even attended college." (My father never finished high school.) Although Dad did not mention it, his attitude may have been influenced by the transformation of Bob Jones University. The university's founder, Bob Jones, was a fundamentalist evangelist who believed that 20th century blacks should be grateful to whites for bringing their ancestors to this country as slaves. If this had not happened, Jones wrote in 1960, "they might still be over there in the jungles of Africa, unconverted." Integrationists, according to Jones, were wrongfully trying to eradicate natural boundaries that God himself had established. Under federal government pressure, Bob Jones University finally opened its doors to unmarried black students but forbade interracial dating. In 1976, this policy prompted the IRS to revoke the university's tax-exempt status, retroactive to 1970, and to demand $490,000 in back taxes (over three billion in today's dollars). The new Reagan Administration initially supported the position of the university but, after a public outcry, switched sides. In 1983 the Supreme Court ruled against the university in favor of the IRS by a vote of 8 to 1. Stephen Jones, great-grandson of the founder and the fourth president of Bob Jones University, has since apologized for the school's racist past. "For almost two centuries American Christianity, including BJU in its early stages," he wrote, "was characterized by the segregationist ethos of American culture. Consequently, for far too long, we allowed institutional policies regarding race to be shaped more directly by that ethos than by the principles and precepts of the Scriptures. We conformed to the culture rather than provide a clear Christian counterpoint to it. In so doing, we failed to accurately represent the Lord and to fulfill the commandment to love others as ourselves. For these failures we are profoundly sorry." Personally I commend Stephen Jones' thoughtful and contrite admission that racism is unchristian. I just wish everyone were fortunate enough to have had a dad like mine. SHARE By Christian Vosler, christian.vosler@kitsapsun.com POULSBO With tears in her eyes, Ardis Morrow addressed the large group of gathered Rotarians, city officials and community members. She made it clear that this was something she couldn't have done herself. "Because my name is out there, I get calls every day, probably two a week, and every call starts with 'Can you help me?' Morrow said. "I do what I can. And when I can't complete what they need, I go to you. Every one of you out there answers my call, nobody ever says no, and because of you this is going to happen." Morrow, a longtime advocate for victims of domestic violence, spoke Friday at the ceremonial groundbreaking for Morrow Manor, an eight-unit housing project for survivors of domestic abuse in Poulsbo that's named in her honor. Against the backdrop of deep green trees off Noll Road that will soon be cleared to make way for the development, Morrow expressed her gratitude. The $2.2 million project, a joint venture between the Poulsbo-North Kitsap Rotary Foundation and YWCA of Kitsap County, will provide affordable housing for families and individuals who have been victims of domestic violence, YWCA executive director Denise Frey said. "These houses will give them a safe space, where they will have space of their own in which to recover and get stronger to continue fighting the war, because it's not over for them," Frey said. The development was put into motion in 2014 with the anonymous donation of 2.4 acres just southeast of the intersection of Noll Road and Languanet Lane. Marrow Manor will consist of four duplexes that can house up to eight families. Meanwhile, the city will turn half of the property into a public park. Poulsbo Parks & Recreation director Mary McCluskey estimates the park will be finished in late 2017 or early 2018 and will cost around $500,000. While the Rotary has committed to the funding and development of the buildings, the operation of Morrow Manor will be under the purview of YWCA. Chad Solvie, chairman of Poulsbo Rotary Club's domestic violence prevention committee, said once the buildings are finished they will be given debt-free to the YWCA. "It's not just about good deeds, it's about making an impact on lives and the community," Solvie said. Solvie said initial construction and site work is expected to begin in October, and the units will be completed as funding becomes available. The development's capital campaign, "The Campaign to Build Brighter Tomorrows" has so far raised $1.1 million of the $2.1 million total cost of the development through a mix of private donations and grants, campaign director Elsa Watson said. Rent for the units will be a percentage of the tenants' income. Domestic violence is a leading cause of homelessness in the county, according to Frey. The YWCA currently operates only one emergency shelter in the county, which has 17 beds and limits stays to 90 days; two longer-term transitional housing units, Eli's House in Poulsbo and Tersha's House in Silverdale, can house two families each. Tenants can stay at Morrow Manor for up to six years if needed, and Frey said she hopes the building will allow the YWCA to be flexible in addressing each victim's situation. "(The YWCA wants to) meet them where they are and work with them individually on how to empower them to make decisions and choices that will lead them to an independent life," she said. At Friday's groundbreaking, Frey compared being in an abusive relationship to a war zone, except for the victims, she said, there is nowhere to come home to. Victims are presented the choice of living in their car or on the street with their children or returning to their abuser. "Where does she come home from war?" Frey said. "That's going to be Morrow Manor." Morrow became active in helping victims of domestic abuse decades ago when her great grandnephew Eli Creekmore was beaten to death by his father. She said she was "overwhelmed" by the response and she hopes she lives to see the first survivor take residence in the buildings. "I'm just hoping that we'll eventually have housing to help so many more people that need it," she said. Stuff reports: About 200 people have braved the elements to attend an anti-TPPA rally in Wellington this afternoon. Onlookers listened to representatives of the Council of Trade Unions and environmental organisations 350.org and Coal Action Network Aotearoa speak about the agreements possible effects. Representatives from The Green Party, Labour, New Zealand First and the Maori Party also attended. Stuff reports: Hillary Clinton verbally banished half of Donald Trumps backers to a basket of deplorables, and the Republican presidential nominee quickly pounced, saying on Saturday (Sunday NZ Time) she had smeared many Americans and would pay a heavy political price. Wow, Hillary Clinton was SO INSULTING to my supporters, millions of amazing, hard-working people. I think it will cost her at the polls! Trump said in a tweet. Clinton, who has said she is the candidate who can unify a divided country, made the comment at an LGBT fundraiser on Friday night (Saturday NZT) at a New York City restaurant, with about 1000 people in attendance. To just be grossly generalistic, you could put half of Trumps supporters into what I call the basket of deplorables. Right? The racist, sexist, homophobic, xenophobic, Islamaphobic you name it, she said. Tuku Morgan writes at the NZ Herald: To say that the Kiingitanga should be apolitical is to ignore the fact that the Kiingitanga was born of politics. Kiingi Mahuta, the third monarch, for example, accepted appointment to the Legislative Council and was instrumental in engineering Maui Pomares election to Parliament. Subsequent monarchs may have chosen different paths, but each was a product of their time. While Kiingi Tuheitias comments about withdrawing his support from Labour have been described as off-the-cuff, the truth is he has long deliberated on these matters. It is his belief the time for change is now. We are witnessing a fundamental shift within Maoridom. Traditional allegiances are being questioned, not just by the Maori King but throughout te ao Maori, the Maori world. We can no longer rely on Maori interests being advocated from within other political parties and be dependent on their electoral fortunes. Thats as clear a statement as you can get. Will Ratana follow suit? The Maori Party represents a chance to do what was not possible before the advent of MMP: the establishment of a Maori party as a permanent fixture of government. Not as a small part of one of the major parties, but independent and able to work with either. This is true, but was also true in 2005 and 2008 when they won a majority of the Maori seats. But then Hone split off, and they started to lose seats. How do they stop this happening again? We must use the time before next years election to work together to create a strong and united party. Our aim is to build significant partnerships with business and mainstream New Zealanders. We are, after all, the original green party that has always been committed to protecting our environment and resources, and creating meaningful employment for our young people. What is good for Maori is good for all New Zealanders. The Maori Party is the best vehicle by which Maori aspirations can be achieved, regardless of who is in power. It was the dream of our tupuna who created the Kiingitanga movement; that Maori and non-Maori work together to end conflict and create a better future. It is now up to us to deliver on what our ancestors dreamed of Maori united and sharing the reins of power for the benefit of all New Zealanders. A key issue will be what does Mana do. Share this: Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Reddit WhatsApp More Pinterest Print Tumblr Students at 130 ITT Tech locations are left in limbo after the school closed all campuses abruptly on Tuesday. (Virginia Carter) An undercover video inside of the New Iberia Research Center is giving animal rights groups a look at what 220 chimps went through for medical testing, but there's light at the end of the tunnel. The chimps recent endangered status is giving them a new lease on life. A 2009 undercover video, shot by the Humane Society, is painful to watch at the New Iberia Research Center. In the video, you can see workers yank terrified chimps from cages and restrain them for bio-medical testing. The facility maintains few of the chimps ever experienced invasive research. "Some of them have had not so great things happen to them," Jessica Hartel, a primatologist, said. Hartel leads a non-profit called "Project Chimp." "They've been used as a tool, a service for human beings, and it's completely unncessary," Hartel said. On Wednesday night, Hartel led the first truckload of chimps to leave from Louisiana, bound for North Georgia. Nine female chimps arrived in cages, the only habitat they have ever known. Their new home is a converted gorilla sanctuary. "We were all so excited for them. Our adrenaline is on high, they're living their life for the first time really," Hartel said. Eventually, all 220 of the Louisiana chimps may retire here. Sarah Baeckler-Davis is the CEO of Project Chimp. "This marks the end of privately funded research on Chimpanzes in the U.S., and that's a huge deal," Baeckler-Davis said. "This is the happy ending for them, they have 30 to 40 years here just to be chimps." All of the chips are between 10 and 13 years old, and have never touched grass or swung from a tree, but fortunately, they'll spent their retirement in that wooded habitat, which rescuers hope will feel more like a home. Oak Ridge Symphony launches its season Sept. 24. SHARE New music starts OR Symphony year The Oak Symphony will debut East Tennessee composer Mark Harrell's Pi to the Sky, a piece that celebrates the city, its scientists and immigrants and history, at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 24. The concert at the Oak Ridge High School Performing Arts Center is presented by the Oak Ridge Civic Music Association. The concert, entitled Pride of Place, also includes Peter Boyer's narrated work, "Ellis Island: The Dream of America." That work was created to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the National Park Service. The Oak Ridge High School String Quartet will perform in the lobby before the concert. Tickets for adults are $25. Tickets for young adults ages 19 to 29 are $10. Students ages 18 and younger are admitted free through the local Penny4Arts program. TCDE presents 'Children in the Arts' The Tennessee Children's Dance Ensemble presents "Children in the Arts" at 2:30 p.m. Sept. 25 at the Tennessee Amphitheater at World's Fair Park. Young performers will include dancers, actors and storytellers in a one-hour performance. Adult tickets are $7. Children coming to the show with an adult are admitted for one penny as part of the Penny4Arts program. Chamber Classics start Sept. 25 The Knoxville Symphony Orchestra's Chamber Classics series begins at 2:30 p.m. Sept. 25 with selections from Mozart and Haydn. The concert is at the Bijou Theatre, 803 S. Gay St. The Chamber Classics Series include five Sunday afternoon concerts. On Sept. 25, selections include Wolfgang Mozart's Overture to The Marriage of Figaro and Josef Haydn's Symphony No. 104. Tickets range from $15 to $35 at 865-291-3310 or www.knoxvillesymphony.com. KSO Q series includes six shows The Knoxville Symphony's Q Series includes six lunchtime performances at The Square Room, 4 Market Square. The concerts begin at noon Sept. 21 with a performance by the symphony's Principal Quartet and Woodwind Quintet. Each concert ticket is $18 in advance at 865-291-3310 or www.knoxvillesymphony.com. Tickets are the door are $20. Concerts include boxed lunches from Cafe 4. Other concert dates are Nov. 9, Dec. 14, Feb. 22, April 12 and May 10. CAITIE MCMEKIN/NEWS SENTINEL Aram Demirjian, the new music director of the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra, chats with guests in the lobby of the Tennessee Theater at a reception in May 2016. SHARE KSO Concertmaster Gabriel Lefkowitz announced this season will be his last in Knoxville. By Harold Duckett, Special to the News Sentinel As the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra opens its 2016-2017 concert season this week, the question on the minds of many who follow classical music in Knoxville is whether the announced departure of the KSO's popular concertmaster, Gabriel Lefkowitz, has anything to do with the arrival of the KSO's new, equally young, music director and conductor, Aram Demirjian. Short answer: Absolutely nothing. "It's exactly coincidence," Lefkowitz said last week when discussion why he is leaving at the end of this season. "The truth is classical musicians are always looking around, and five years sounds like a good amount of time to be in my first job right out of school," he said. "The reality is that we can't afford to have a set plan. We are sort of always on the audition circuit, and this just happened to be the time when the position as concertmaster of the Louisville Symphony opened up, and I was lucky enough to win the position." "It's a great next step for me. Louisville has a real tradition of recording a lot of new music. It's what Louisville is known for. They perform a high percentage of new music, compared to other orchestras around the country," he said. It's also a sort of a step up, for Lefkowitz, in relative terms. In the world of classical music, orchestras are rated on the size of their annual budget. The Knoxville Symphony has an annual budget currently at around $3.8 million. Louisville is currently around $5.5 million. One would think that, by that standard, the Louisville Symphony is a better orchestra that the KSO. But that isn't necessarily the case. Consider, for instance, that the annual budget for the Los Angeles Philharmonic is currently at $115 million, by far the highest orchestra budget in the world, but the orchestra isn't considered among the best American orchestras. On the other hand, the Berlin Philharmonic, widely considered the greatest orchestra in the world, has a budget of $53.8 million, less than half that of Los Angeles'. The Boston Symphony, probably the best American orchestra, has a budget of $84 million while the other top American orchestras Chicago ($76 million), San Francisco ($72 million), New York ($69 million), Philadelphia ($46 million) and Cleveland ($42 million) have budgets even smaller. So why, in the world of money-driven music performance, is the Knoxville Symphony such a respected place for a musician to make music? "I have really loved my time in Knoxville," Lefkowitz said. "Knoxville is just a great place to live. There are so many things to do here besides make music. And, as an orchestra, we love spending time together, both on the stage and just hanging out together. "Believe me, that doesn't happen everywhere. It's not always the case that you get to make music with people you like being around," he said. "Actually, I'm getting the best of both worlds this next year," he said. "I get to spend a year working with Aram and getting a sense of where he is going to take the orchestra next. And the schedule has worked out so I will be able to play the majority of the KSO's Masterworks concerts and the masterworks concerts in Louisville." On top of that, Lefkowitz also has his popular Concertmaster Series to perform this season. The culmination of Lefkowitz's exciting year will be in the spring when he is the soloist for Brahms' "Violin concerto," one of the greatest masterpieces for the instrument. "I wish I had more than just this season to work with Gabe," said new music director Aram Demirjian. "He is a fantastic musician." For his own part, though he was only appointed to the KSO position in the spring and orchestra concerts are planned well in advance, Demirjian has still had a hand in deciding this year's concert programs, along with keeping his own already-planned concert year. "Rachel (Ford, the KSO's executive director) and her staff had done a great job in planning and arranging the main works on this year's concerts and booking the guest performers. I got the opportunity to fill out the programs with music that would complete the concerts." Just like Lefkowitz, this year is going to be a year of jumping from one obligation to another for Demirjian. "When I was chosen for the KSO job, I already had conducting obligations in at least a dozen different cities already booked for the 2016-2017 season." Demirjian said. "We were very lucky that my commitments matched up very well with what I already had." "I'm really excited to be in Knoxville. The city already has a music tradition that goes well beyond classical music. I'm looking forward to doing things with the Knoxville Museum of Art, Clarence Brown Theatre and the great jazz and independent musicians that help make Knoxville a great place to be. "I really believe that the symphony is already a great orchestra. We now live in a time when there is a blurring of lines between music genres, and I'm excited to be a part of that. Big Ears has put Knoxville on the international music map. I want the Knoxville Symphony to be thought of in that same image," Demirjian said. Russian Passion What: KSO performance featuring pianist Orion Weiss for Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 3. When: 7:30 p.m. Thursday and Friday, Sept. 15-16 Where: Tennessee Theatre Tickets: http://www.knoxvillesymphony.com SHARE Mitchell Hunter Oakes (Photo: TBI) By News Sentinel staff A man accused of placing an explosive device inside an employee's vehicle at a Franklin, Tenn., nursing home Saturday has been taken into custody, authorities say. Tennessee Bureau of Investigation spokesman Josh Devine announced the arrest of Mitchell Hunter Oakes, 41, on Sunday afternoon. JUST IN: Wanted suspect in attempted bombing in Franklin on Saturday, Mitchell Oakes, is in law enforcement custody. Thanks for your help! Josh DeVine (@TBIJoshDeVine) September 11, 2016 TBI had added Oakes to its 10 Most Wanted list earlier in the day. Oakes was wanted by the Franklin Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the TBI to face a charge of attempted first-degree murder in connection with Saturday's alleged attempted bombing. Authorities subsequently diffused the device. The TBI had earlier described Oakes as a convicted felon with a violent history and extensive knowledge of bomb making and weapons. More details as they develop online and in Monday's News Sentinel. By Michael Collins of the Knoxville News Sentinel WASHINGTON U.S. Rep. Phil Roe knows exactly where he was at 8:46 a.m. on Sept. 11, 2001, the moment the first plane struck the World Trade Center in New York City. The future congressman was in the operating room, finishing up an abdominal procedure on a patient, when a nurse walked in and announced what had happened. Like most Americans, Roe assumed it was all a horrible accident. Later, in the doctor's lounge filling out paperwork, Roe glanced up and saw TV footage of the second plane exploding into the South Tower. "I realized something was terribly wrong," he said. Fifteen years have passed since that morning when death and destruction rained down on America from a clear-blue sky. Ten of Tennessee's 11 members of Congress hadn't yet won their seats when the terrorists struck that day. But they remember vividly where they were, what they were doing and the shock they felt knowing America was under attack. The world changed profoundly that day. The attacks plunged America into two wars, made security checkpoints ubiquitous, changed the way Americans look at one another and even altered the nation's political discourse. Before 9/11, "terrorism wasn't even on our minds," said U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Maryville. "Today, it's never out of our minds." Alexander was in Boston the morning of 9/11. Two years away from entering the Senate, the former Tennessee governor was on the board of an education firm and was chairing its quarterly meeting when someone walked in and announced a plane had hit the World Trade Center. Board members stopped the meeting and turned on the TV. Thinking it was a tragic accident, the group went back to work. When the second plane hit a few minutes later, they stopped again, adjourned and went home. "We were shocked," Alexander said. Hundreds of miles south, the carnage was spreading. A third plane hijacked by terrorists crashed into the Pentagon outside Washington. A fourth, reportedly headed for the U.S. Capitol, slammed into a field in rural Pennsylvania after passengers rushed the cockpit in a desperate bid to stop the hijackers. Rep. John J. Duncan Jr., the only current member of the Tennessee delegation who was in Congress at the time, was in his office in the Rayburn Office Building next to the Capitol. Someone poked their head into his office and told him what had happened in New York. He turned on the TV just in time to see the second plane slice through glass and steel. Within minutes, chaos and fear swept across Washington amid reports that a plane had hit the Pentagon and another was heading for the Capitol. Capitol police marched through office buildings and asked everyone to leave. Duncan, R-Knoxville, sent his staff home, but he stayed put. He was in the middle of a live radio interview when police came through a second time. He remained at his desk until police returned again with evacuation orders. As he pulled out of the parking garage, Duncan noticed dozens of government employees standing around, looking up at the sky. On his way home, he drove past the Pentagon, which was in flames. "There were all kinds of TV cameras and trucks on the side of the interstate, filming the smoke coming up from the Pentagon," Duncan said. "That was certainly a shocking sight to see." Rep. Steve Cohen, a state senator at the time, was at home in Memphis. His chief of staff called to let him know what was happening. He immediately turned on the TV and watched the events unfold with repairmen who were fixing his roof. "It totally consumed my mind," said Cohen, a Democrat. "I was riveted to the news, as most everybody was." Rep. Jim Cooper, D-Nashville, was attending a business meeting on the 90th floor of Sears Tower in Chicago when word started to spread about the attacks in New York. Suddenly, being in a glass high-rise in one of America's major cities seemed like a terrible idea. "We thought we were the next building in America to be attacked," he said. "Everybody started leaving. Secretaries picked up their bags. Businessmen got their briefcases. People got away from the building at the bottom of the sidewalk, too. They just scattered into the city of Chicago. "It was the most scared I've ever been in America." Sen. Bob Corker was mayor of Chattanooga at the time. Soon after the attacks, he traveled to the city-county emergency operations center for a previously scheduled tour and met with local emergency response officials, who had raised the security level in the wake of the attacks. Along with the county mayor and the fire and police chiefs, Corker held a news conference to reassure Chattanoogans and to offer condolences to those directly affected by the terrorist acts. "The attacks changed our nation," said Corker, a Republican who now chairs the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. "But what I remember most is the way Americans responded. "One of the darkest days in our history gave way to some of the most inspiring and heroic actions. People from all walks of life came together to rebuild, and the men and women who answered the call to defend our country continue to inspire us through their public service." The Tribute in Light rises above the lower Manhattan skyline, Saturday, Sept. 10, 2016, in New York. Sunday marks the fifteenth anniversary of the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001on the United States. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan) By Jessica Bliss, USA TODAY NETWORK - Tennessee The experience plays like a slow motion movie in Cindy New's head. Watching the fire in the first tower, the plane flying over her head and crashing into the second tower, walking the 55 blocks with her fiance back to their hotel, watching the news spread quickly as they went up the avenue. On Sept. 11, 2001, New was on vacation with her then-fiance, now husband, in New York City. They were walking in Battery Park on the southern tip of Manhattan, enjoying the day with nothing but blue skies overhead. Then the terror ensued. "I'm more aware of my surroundings every day since that day," says New, who is now retired and living in Fairview. On this anniversary, 5,479 days have passed since that day. Fifteen years gone by from the day we wondered: What just happened? What have we all lost? Even now, our lives are still not the same. They never will be. "Its one of those events that you remember," says Assistant Chief Deputy Mark Dunbar, a 35-year veteran of the Shelby County Sheriffs Office. "It's one of those things that sticks with you for life." We are changed. For the worse. And, yes, for the better. We regret our loss of freedoms at the airport, entering our capitol buildings and in our schools. We arrive earlier for flights, wear flip-flops to help hasten the hassle of taking off our shoes. We think twice before opening the front door of our homes. We feel the push to better protect our children, to educate them on the staggering and unpredictable dangers beyond our front steps. We worry and feel fear. But we also feel moved to be more kind and compassionate. We shake the hands of our military men and women and thank them for protecting our country. We change our career paths, looking for professions to serve. We work to better know and understand our neighbors, to hug our loved ones more often. "This day and time is so fragile," says 49-year-old Wendy Gibson as she stands outside the Southeast Community Center in Antioch. We feel it so close to home. On 9/11, Steve Sadler drove from his home in Dickson to the Red Cross where he worked drawing blood when the radio mentioned that a plane had just crashed into one of the twin towers. He incorrectly assumed it was a small passenger plane. "How unfortunate," he thought. "What a terrible accident. By the time he pulled into his employer's parking lot, the radio had announced a second plane had hit the other tower. He immediately surmised this was a horrible attack against our country. He went about his job, setting up a blood drive at Nashville's Meharry Medical College, expecting to see 20 or 30 blood donors. Occasionally, he caught a glimpse of the smoldering towers on the television in the lobby. What he saw that day reinforced his belief in America. Over the course of the next 18 hours, he saw hundreds of people pour into the blood drive and thousands upon thousands donate across the country. "On that day, we weren't black or white or Democrat or Republican," he says. "No one was classified into small subgroups. We were all Americans. Americans who patiently waited in line for hours upon hours to donate blood to be sent to New York. "The patriotism I saw over the next few months cemented my faith that even though we have our differences, when hit with a tragedy such as the Sept. 11 attack, Americans can and will come together as one." And we did come together. We held memorials, cultivated moments of silence. We read the name of every victim, every hero whose life was lost. We swore to never forget. "There was a sense of pride in this country that had not been seen since the attack on Pearl Harbor," says Wilson County Sheriff's Sgt. Don Witherspoon, 64, who was a captain with the airport police in Nashville the day the planes hit the twin towers. That day the FAA started landing planes wherever they could just to get them out of the air, and Nashville began taking aircraft from everywhere. "The flag became once again a semblance of this country and the freedoms that we enjoy." But over time the memory fades. Some say we have forgotten too soon. Slackened our patriotism and suppressed the threats. So many Americans believed our country was exempt before the terror attacks happened, and when the World Trade Center collapsed, that illusion shattered. Those who did live through the day believe it remains our job to remind those post-9/11 generations what it really was like. To make them aware that danger does exist. And also to help them understand what that danger looks like and what it means in their everyday lives. "You cant keep all your kids in a basket forever," says 31-year-old Arnetta Woods, who was a teenager working at KFC in Detroit when 9/11 happened. Now, as a mother raising children in Memphis, she takes what impacted her childhood and instills it in their lives. "I expose them to that," she says, so they know how to "keep each other safe." Jessica Lane-Russell, too, was just a teen, a freshman in college at the time. She remembers one of her roommates phone ringing from down the hall with the news. The girl's face changing as the reality of the chaos settled. It traveled like electricity down the hall. "I had just felt my innocence disappear," says the now 33-year-old Lane-Russell. "I didnt truly understand yet what freedom I truly had, but, at that moment, I knew it had been taken away." She felt that again two years ago, when the Dickson mom picked her kids up from school. Her little girl asked if her mom knew that bad men flew a plane into a building. At the same time her daughter's twin brother tried his best to talk over her, asking, if I knew that it took firefighters four days to put the fire out with big boats full of water. Then silence filled their car. Until that moment, Lane-Russell never thought how she would explain war, terror or evil to her kindergartners. "The only thing I did know to do was to be honest," she says. They spent several hours talking about the events of 9/11, the terrorists and the heroes. They looked up pictures and some videos. Then her daughter asked one more thing. She wanted to call the mother of a close friend a firefighter. Her daughter told a real-life hero "thank you." Even today, the innocence of our children "brings everything so close to home," says Damon Macklin III, a 24-year veteran of the Memphis Fire Department, who had just finished a hearty breakfast of pancakes, eggs, bacon, sausage and potatoes at a local Perkins restaurant when he stopped to discuss 9/11 and his role on the Tennessee Task Force, which was deployed to search the Pentagon. "Now, Ive got to educate my kids to be aware of everything thats going on around them," he said. Macklin was at the dentist's office when his pager went off that day. He took his son and daughter to their grandmother's. He arrived at the Pentagon 12 hours later to help the search and rescue efforts. That sense of duty carries on to today. Firefighters and police officers who respond to the call never stopping to think what they are running toward, only knowing it is their job to rescue and protect. And neighbors who, when really stopping to think what the next day might bring, act a little kinder toward each other. "I say 'I love you' a lot faster," says Janice Littrell, 64, of Mt. Juliet. "I give more hugs, more kisses than I ever have." Sept. 11, 2001, was a watershed moment. It changed forever the way we move within our community, our government. If we want to go to the statehouse in Tennessee, we cant just go in and knock on the door of our representative. That, author and historian Wayne Dowdy says, makes it "a major shift in American history." "We accept the fact that we cannot have unfettered access to our congressmen or our mayor or our city council members," says Dowdy, the history department manager with the Memphis Public Library and Information Center. "Youre going to have to go through a line, youre going to have to be checked for weapons, youre going to have to empty your pockets. You cant go and do business with your government in the way that you could before Sept. 11, it seems to me." So how should 9/11 be remembered? "It should be remembered as a loss of innocence," 66-year-old Janice Hines said, while visiting the Mt. Juliet-Wilson County Harvey Freeman Memorial Library. "It should be remembered that we cannot be too careful when it comes to scrutinizing people. Don't put them on a watch list for 15 years and then wait for something to happen. Take more action. "And it should be remembered as a time of coming together." In a post 9/11-world, 15 years removed from the terror but not from the memory of it, it comes down to this for mom Lane-Russell. "Anger simply isnt the answer," she says. "Only love is." Reach Jessica Bliss at 615-259-8253 and follow her on Twitter: @jlbliss. ABOUT THIS REPORT This story was reported by USA TODAY NETWORK Tennessee reporters Andy Humbles, Ariana Sawyer, Chris Gadd, Craig Thomas, Dessislava Yankova, Jen Todd, Josh Cross, Linda A. Moore, Melanie Balakit, Nancy Phillips Stephens, Nicole Young, Pranaav Jadhav, Tena Lee, Tim Adkins and Tony Centonze. It was written by Jessica Bliss. Tom Hanks lands a plane on the Hudson River in a movie out late last week, starring in "Sully," a biopic about Capt. Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger, who did it in real life in 2009. Hanks hits the big screen again next month as Robert Langdon, the Harvard symbologist of novelist Dan Brown's creation. "Inferno" opens in late October, so your humble columnist re-read the book recently, refreshing my memory of the Italian intellectual romp of the brilliant professor. Hopefully it won't give away too much of the plot to say I had forgotten there was a modern Malthusian madman involved. Robert Malthus, an 18th-century English cleric and writer, formulated a theory that lives today and affects public policy and private lives. In "An Essay on the Principle of Population," Malthus posited human population would grow exponentially while human ability to feed humankind would grow only mathematically. Increased food production, according to Malthus, would lead to overpopulation, which would lead to famine, disease, etc., creating a "Malthusian catastrophe." Malthus wrote, "The power of population is indefinitely greater than the power in the earth to produce subsistence for man." Population control groups from the United Nations to Planned Parenthood to Al Gore's climate change crowd are at least tangentially informed by Malthus. Books like "The Population Bomb" in 1968 and "Famine 1975! America's Decision: Who Will Survive?" came in close proximity to the Roe v. Wade decision by the U.S. Supreme Court that legalized abortion, the ultimate population control technique. To state the obvious, the Malthusian Catastrophe never happened. Yes, food insecurity still exists, but biological (including, yes, genetically modified crops) and technological innovation have enabled farmers to produce more food efficiently and economically, particularly here in the United States. "The U.S. is on track this year to post the longest stretch of falling food prices in more than 50 years, a streak that is cheering shoppers at the checkout line but putting a financial strain on farmers and grocery stores," the Wall Street Journal reported last month. "The trend is being fueled by an excess supply of dairy products, meat, grains and other staples and less demand for many of those same products from China and elsewhere due to the strong dollar." In fact, the Journal wrote, "The glut is so severe in some places that dairy farmers have been dumping millions of pounds of excess milk onto fields." The federal government recently bought $20 million worth of cheese to help out dairy farmers. Empirically, Malthus was wrong. The "settled science" of Malthus wasn't so settled, whether his followers will admit it not. The other side of the Malthusian equation is not happening either. Population growth in the developed world is barely at replacement levels. "By 2025, it is likely that deaths will exceed births in the developed countries, the first time this will have happened in history," according to the Population Reference Bureau. This unsettles "settled" public policy. "The number of retired workers is projected to double in about 50 years. People are also living longer, and the birth rate is low," the Social Security Administration writes in Social Security's Demographic Challenge. "As a result, the Trustees project that the ratio of 2.8 workers paying Social Security taxes to each person collecting benefits in 2015 will fall to 2.1 to 1 in 2037." The Economist magazine commissioned a survey in 19 countries and found attitudes in the developing world are increasingly aligning with the developed world. In Peru, Mexico, Indonesia, China and India, parents desire about the same number of children, a bit more than two, as parents in the U.S. Only in more agrarian Africa do parents want more kids than basic replacement levels. For a couple of centuries, the "informed elite" set public policy based, knowingly or not, on Malthus' formula. History and observable facts show us Malthusianism and Dan Brown's "Inferno" share a trait: Both are fiction. SHARE Polls consistently show that Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump are two of the most unpopular candidates ever to run for president. But it could be worse: They could be members of the media. It seems everybody's unhappy with journalism these days. Trump, before reversing course last week, had banned some publications, like the Washington Post, from his rallies, while Clinton supporters say reporters have unfairly blown stories about the Clinton Foundation and the former secretary of state's health out of proportion. Are the media doing anything right this cycle? Joel Mathis and Ben Boychuk, the RedBlueAmerica columnists, debate the issue. JOEL MATHIS For once, we've hit on a bipartisan topic. Republicans hate the media. Democrats hate the media. What's left to say? How about this: The media are doing fine. No, really. Are you mad because the media haven't done enough to report on Trump's unprecedented refusal to release his tax returns? Well, uh, how do you know about that in the first place? Are you mad because you think journalists haven't done enough to educate the public about Benghazi or emails or the Clinton Foundation or whatever scandal du jour is plaguing Clinton lately? Where do you think you learned the news? The honest truth is this: A lot of people are mad at the media these days for not reporting stuff they know about because somebody in the media reported it. In fact, this election has seen reporters evolve their craft in smart ways. Previously, "objective" journalists took great pains to present both sides of a story, even when there weren't always two sides to the truth. In the age of Trump, though, the media are more reluctant to give equal weight to cockamamie half-truths: More often than ever, you see stories that flat-out tell you when a candidate usually Trump is telling untruths. Some Clinton fans are mad because the media continue to scrutinize their candidate when Trump's sins are clearly worse than hers. And it's true: Trump is the worst presidential nominee in living memory. But it's also true that Clinton stands a better-than-even chance of becoming president and should be scrutinized closely. Don't like that? Tough. That's the price of the office. Truth is, any discussion of the media is a hopeless generalization. There are good parts legacy newspapers like the Washington Post and smart online outlets like BuzzFeed and bad parts, like pretty much anything that calls itself "cable news." But there are a lot of hard-working journalists doing an excellent job of bringing you the truth of this ugly, confounding presidential campaign season. The media are doing fine. BEN BOYCHUK No, the media aren't doing fine. To understand why, let's talk about Clinton's health. You may have heard Clinton had a four-minute coughing fit on the stump the other day, which she tried to laugh off as a result of being "allergic" to Trump. Look, people have coughing fits all the time. It's just that not everyone is a 68-year-old woman running for the most important office in the country. The Clinton campaign would prefer to consign any questions about the former secretary of state's physical and mental fitness to the realm of vast right-wing conspiracy theorists. On cue, the Atlantic Monthly declared questions about Clinton's health to be "The Birtherism of 2016." David Weigel of the Washington Post pushed a story dismissing Clinton health stories as the work of critics "armed with junk science and old photos." The Hill newspaper, meantime, published a story last week headlined "Clinton campaign warns media to tread carefully." No worries there! "Hillary Clinton's campaign is working the refs hard when it comes to reports about her health," the Hill reported. The real trouble is Trump recently gave a speech in which he declared flatly that Clinton isn't healthy enough to be president. And if Trump says it, the Clinton campaign wants you to know that it cannot possibly be true. "Clinton aides and supporters see the health care stories as a bunch of baloney, and they want the media to cover it as such," the Hill story noted. "The fact of the matter is there is no truth or factual evidence to debunk," a former Clinton aide told the paper. "She is perfectly healthy." The unnamed aide is peddling a line a line that some press people who ought to know better are all too willing to accept. Chris Cilizza, who writes a daily political blog for the Washington Post, last week called the health issue "totally ridiculous for lots of reasons." Three years ago, Cilizza wrote "Clinton will have to answer lots and lots of questions about her health if she decides to get into the next race for president." Why are those questions ridiculous now all of a sudden? That's easy. Just look at the polls. Joel Mathis (joelmmathis@gmail.com) is an award-winning writer in Kansas. Ben Boychuk (bboychuk3@att.net) is managing editor of American Greatness. DEER LODGE -- A science teacher at Powell County High School in Deer Lodge has received one of the nation's highest honors for math and science teachers in grades K-12. Jessica Anderson is the recipient of the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching, according to a news release. On Aug. 22, President Obama named 213 mathematics and science teachers -- including Anderson -- as recipients of the award recognizing their efforts and practices, innovation, and positive relationships in the science classroom. Anderson, as the 2016 Montana Teacher of the Year, was honored in April at the White House with other state honorees from across the country. For me, the Presidential Award illustrates my mission to empower and elevate my profession as an educator and science teacher,'' she said. "In addition, it means I can continue to use my teacher voice to be an influential ambassador for science education in my state and country. Anderson, an Anaconda native, started her teaching career nine years ago in a one-room schoolhouse in Gold Creek a classroom similar to the one her grandmother once taught in on the North Dakota plains. For the past eight years at Powell County High School, she has taught earth science, chemistry, physics and astronomy. She also teaches oceanography online through the Montana Digital Academy. She uses a teaching technique known as blended learning. The computer-assisted approach blends digital classrooms, connecting her students with scientists and students from around the world, with traditional face-to-face instruction. In the field, Andersons students have analyzed soils and stream quality of the Clark Fork River, planted vegetation along the banks of tributaries and helped discover new bacteriophages. In 2015, she was selected by BetterLesson as one of 11 Blended Learning Master Teachers in the U.S. for a $15,000 stipend to share her blended learning practices. Anderson received a B.A.E. in elementary education from Pacific Lutheran University and a M.S. in science education from Montana State University. She is on a sabbatical pursuing a Ph.D. in learning, instruction, and innovation from Walden University. A crane lifts a container from the Hanjin Greece container ship as unloading begins at the Port of Long Beach, Calif., Saturday, after being stranded at sea for more than a week for fear that it could be seized by creditors. / AFP-Yonhap By Kim Jae-kyoung Nearly 90 ships from insolvent Hanjin Shipping remain stranded in international waters as they are being denied access to ports over concerns they will not be able pay docking, unloading and other fees. The deadlocked situation shows little sign of improvement, although the world's seventh-largest shipping firm was given provisional court protection in the U.S., Friday, to unload cargo at some ports without fear of creditors seizing its vessels. Four Hanjin ships that had stuck off the coast of Long Beach, California, began unloading Saturday, following the bankruptcy protection. The cargo chaos started earlier this month after the Korean government refused to bail out the shipping unit of Hanjin Group as the financial support the latter offered fell short of major creditor banks' expectations. The government has come under fire for letting the shipping line go into court receivership without setting up programs to minimize the fallout of Hanjin's collapse. But global experts say the Korean government took a step in the right direction. They said that additional funding won't guarantee rehabilitation of the debt-ridden shipper and may expose banks to more losses, given the overcapacity of the global shipping industry. They called for owners of the firm, including group Chairman Cho Yang-ho, to shoulder more responsibility for mismanagement by putting more of their own money into the company to help ease its financial woes. This advice came at a time when the government is under growing pressure to save Hanjin Shipping with taxpayer money to contain adverse effects on the domestic and global economies. "I'm not sure that the government has the responsibility to control the bankruptcy process. I would say that Hanjin (Group) has the responsibility to ensure a smooth exit," independent economist Andy Xie said. "I guess that they used the potential mess to threaten either banks or the government to force a bailout. And it didn't work. This is where you should look for responsibility." Mauro Guillen, director at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, said that government bailouts are justifiable only when systemic risks or very large employment shocks can happen. "This is normally the case with financial institutions, and in some instances with industrial firms as with GM and Chrysler," he said. By Kim Tae-gyu Samsung Bioepis introduced SB2, a generic version of Janssen's rheumatoid arthritis treatment Remicade, in the United Kingdom last week, the biosimilar drug maker said Sunday. After obtaining final approval in Europe in May, Boston-based powerhouse Biogen took charge of selling the medicine under the brand name Flixabi. "The U.K. is not the first European country where SB2 commercially debuted. It also went on sales in other places in Europe," a Samsung official said. But she refused to disclose details. Janssen's Remicade has been a blockbuster as the U.S. company had a turnover of $4.5 billion in the United States and $9.9 billion in total last year from the autoimmune disorder drug. Earlier this year, Samsung Bioepis applied for approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to sell SB2 in the world's largest pharmaceutical market in an alliance with Merck. Celltrion might not be happy with the news as the cross-city rival of Samsung Bioepis is also betting its future on Remsima, its own biosimilar version of Remicade. Celltrion, the largest-capitalized corporation in Korea's tech-heavy KOSDAQ, introduced Remsima in Europe in 2013 and now has a 30 percent market share. The firm is seeking to raise this to more than 40 percent in the near future and is poised to market the drug in the U.S. in partnership with Pfizer after getting FDA approval in April. It sent the first batch of the drugs to the U.S. last month. Considering its potential, many global players have invested in the company. Some major investors are Singapore's sovereign wealth fund Temasek and One Equity Partners, an internal fund at JP Morgan. Samsung Bioepis also gained regulatory approval for another biosimilar medicine called SB4 in Europe in January and commercialized it under the trade name Benepali. It copies Enbrel from U.S. pharmaceutical company Amgen, and treats rheumatoid arthritis and plaque psoriasis. Samsung Bioepis was set up in 2012 as a joint venture between Samsung BioLogics and Biogen. The firm is responsible for developing and producing products as well as global clinical trials and regulatory registration. Marketing, distribution and sales are carried out by Biogen and Merck, with whom Samsung Bioepis signed commercialization deals. Merck is known as MSD in Korea. Samsung Group has shelled out big bucks on Samsung BioLogics as Korea's No. 1 conglomerate regards the bio segment as one of its main next-generation growth engines. Blairo Maggi, Brazil's minister of agriculture, livestock and food supply, speaks during an interview with The Korea Times at the Ritz-Carlton in Yeoksam-dong, southern Seoul, Wednesday. / Korea TImes photo by Choi Won-suk By Yi Whan-woo Brazil and Korea should widen their respective market for each other's top export items to vitalize economic cooperation, a top Brazilian government official said in Seoul last week. Blairo Maggi, Brazil's minister of agriculture, livestock and food supply, said the two countries can benefit from their respective major industries. Brazil is one of the world's largest exporters of agricultural and livestock products, including sugar, coffee, orange juice, soybeans, beef, chicken and maize. Korea leads in international sales of electronic goods, cars and other manufactured goods. "Their respective key industries are complementary and can benefit each country, and that's why opening markets will be important for both sides," Maggi said through an interpreter during an interview with The Korea Times in Yeoksam-dong, southern Seoul, Wednesday. Accompanied by other officials, he visited Korea as a part of an Asia trip to promote Brazil's agricultural and livestock and offer business opportunities in his country. The other destinations included China, Hong Kong and Vietnam. During his two-day stay from Tuesday, he met Lee Jun-won, Korea's vice minister of agriculture, food and rural affairs, to discuss sales of Brazilian pork, mangoes and beef. The negotiation concerning pork and mangoes are in their final stages, and wrapping up all relevant procedures will be a pre-condition to begin discussions on beef imports, according to Maggi. Brazil is the world's second- and fourth-largest producer of beef and pork, respectively. But Korea has been refusing to open the markets, citing sanitary reasons. By Yi Whan-woo The 194th anniversary of Brazil's Independence Day, which fell on Sept. 7, is expected to help bolster relations between Seoul and Brasilia, Brazilian Ambassador to Korea Luis Fernando Serra said last week. "Brazil and Korea have been cooperating consistently to underscore the strength we draw from our respective democracies, robust economies, regional engagement and global outreach," Serra said during an anniversary celebration event Friday. He also pointed out that President Park Geun-hye's visit to Brazil in 2015 as part of her South America trip was considered "a landmark in bilateral relations." The visit took place amid a fall in bilateral trade volume between the two countries. Park met then-Brazilian President Dilma Rousse to discuss ways to enhance cooperation in science, technology, energy, trade, investment and other sectors. "I would like to wish peace and prosperity to the Korean people and long lasting achievements for the Korea-Brazil partnership," he said. MISSOULA -- Suzy Hampton has pots and pans, six straight-back chairs and a recliner to give to the cause. Anna Tucker offered her pickup and four-horse trailer to haul the furniture and household goods. And my kids have a chest of drawers they want to get rid of, Tucker said Thursday night. We can have them outfitted in no time flat. Exactly where in Missoula, and when, their four-person volunteer mentor team will be setting up for the fifth refugee family later this month wasnt clear. A two-bedroom apartment had yet to be secured, though housing prospects are brightening, Molly Short Carr said. The executive director of the International Rescue Committee in Missoula said refugees from camps overseas get a break on airfare when theyre finally approved for placement in the United States, but if the plane is full they can be bumped. That appears to have been the case with Missoula family No. 5. Sometimes working with refugee resettlement is like herding cats, Carr told the 16 men and women who showed up for a two-hour family mentor training session at the IRC office in the Solstice building on Liberty Lane. Bear with me as I bear with the U.S. government and the international organizations that work with the refugee program. A Congolese family of seven landed in Missoula last weekend to join the first family of a father, mother and four children who arrived in August. The next three families will have five, four and three members bringing to 25 the total of new Missoulians by the end of the federal fiscal year Sept. 30. The first two families each has its own mentor team trained previously by Carr and assembled by Soft Landing Missoula, the volunteer group that formed a year ago this week to help ease a crisis of historic proportions. More than 65 million people had been displaced from their homes by war or persecution at the end of 2015, up 5 million from the year before. Its the largest population of displaced families in world history. That was the clarion call heard by Hampton, a retired educator, and Tucker, who retired from St. Patrick Hospital, when they joined Soft Landing. They met while serving on a Soft Landing committee six months ago and instantly hit it off. United States involvement has affected many of those 65 million, said Tucker, and I think probably we should do something when we have the opportunity to be of real help." Missoulas kind of a cool because (refugees) can come in here with an under-the-radar kind of thing, Tucker added. Of course, Missoula may be the most liberal town in the state but it also has the biggest ethnic mix too, and I think thats great. It makes us smarter, it makes us more exposed and more tolerant. In the early 1980s Hampton taught English to newly arrived Hmong refugees and continued teaching English as Second Language classes at Emma Dickinson School and the Lifelong Learning Center. She made annual trips to Chinese villages as a mentor in the Global Language Village program. Still, she said, she wont speak the primary language her refugee family speaks. I told my husband Im going off to translate English into English, which is part of it too, if they have any English (skills) at all, Hampton said. Tucker and Hampton quickly coronated Eamon Ormseth, a 23-year-old University of Montana graduate from Great Falls, as mentor team leader. Ormseth was eager to dive in. He just finished a summer on the staff of the Youth Homes InnerRoads Wilderness Program and has carved out time to aid the refugees in Missoula. I really enjoy volunteering, Im really excited to hear their story, and I love Missoula, too," Ormseth said. "So Im excited to show them my side of Missoula. Carr shared the training podium Thursday with another Molly -- Molly Cottrell, program director for Soft Landing Missoula. They explained to the volunteer mentors the shared but specific roles the IRC and Soft Landing play in resettling refugees. The latter, with a paid staff that for now consists of Carr and caseworker Jennifer Barile, makes sure government requirements and guidelines are followed and is especially hands-on in the first months of a family's arrival. With the help of volunteers -- interpreters, teachers mentor team members -- IRC staff greets new arrivals at the airport; assure they have a warm, culturally appropriate meal; conduct the first home visit within 24 hours, and marshal the first food shopping within the first two days. Soft Landing volunteers will gradually take over such duties as teaching their families how to use a washer, dryer or laundromat; how street signs and the Mountain Line bus system work, and helping select weather-appropriate second-hand clothes. The IRC stresses that adults learn how to fill out job applications and to shop frugally with the assistance of electronic benefits transfer (EBT) card and the Supplemental Nutrition Benefits Program (formerly food stamps). To get started, the IRC allots each family $1,125 of federal funds per family member to pay for housing and food for the 90 days. Theyre immediately eligible for Medicaid cards. One goal, Carr said, is to point the refugees toward applying for U.S. citizenship after the requisite five years of residency. Theres the reality that you are dealing with human beings, Carr cautioned. That means that they come with a full spectrum of humanity -- the spectrum of emotions, the spectrums of knowledge and capacity and ability. The only thing that they really share in common is that theyve all been persecuted in one way or another. The IRCs role, and thus that of the Soft Landing volunteers, is to make the families self-sufficient members of the community as quickly as possible. But it can be a steep learning curve, Carr said. You really have to help the refugees experience the world through new eyes, she told the mentor teams. We also want to make sure you are not experiencing second-hand trauma as you work with the refugees, so we are available at any time. The newcomers shouldnt be asked to tell their stories, Carr said, but we do want you to be prepared that they may come to you and share with you their experiences. If that happens, its important to listen and show respect for the persons reaction and the way he or she chooses to cope, and to hold back expectations and judgments. The refugees are dealing with a whole world of new, as well as a whole past of sometimes very painful things, Carrf said. So what they share with you and how they share it, its best to let them do it without expectations. Blairo Maggi, Brazil's minister of agriculture, livestock and food supply, speaks during an interview with The Korea Times at the Ritz-Carlton in Yeoksam-dong, southern Seoul, Wednesday. / Korea TImes photo by Choi Won-suk By Yi Whan-woo Brazil and Korea should widen their respective market for each other's top export items to vitalize economic cooperation, a top Brazilian government official said in Seoul last week. Blairo Maggi, Brazil's minister of agriculture, livestock and food supply, said the two countries can benefit from their respective major industries. Brazil is one of the world's largest exporters of agricultural and livestock products, including sugar, coffee, orange juice, soybeans, beef, chicken and maize. Korea leads in international sales of electronic goods, cars and other manufactured goods. "Their respective key industries are complementary and can benefit each country, and that's why opening markets will be important for both sides," Maggi said through an interpreter during an interview with The Korea Times in Yeoksam-dong, southern Seoul, Wednesday. Accompanied by other officials, he visited Korea as a part of an Asia trip to promote Brazil's agricultural and livestock and offer business opportunities in his country. The other destinations included China, Hong Kong and Vietnam. During his two-day stay from Tuesday, he met Lee Jun-won, Korea's vice minister of agriculture, food and rural affairs, to discuss sales of Brazilian pork, mangoes and beef. The negotiation concerning pork and mangoes are in their final stages, and wrapping up all relevant procedures will be a pre-condition to begin discussions on beef imports, according to Maggi. Brazil is the world's second- and fourth-largest producer of beef and pork, respectively. But Korea has been refusing to open the markets, citing sanitary reasons. Calling them "high-value products," Maggi said meat should be among the Brazilian products that Korea should buy to increase bilateral trade volume, which has been declining after reaching a peak at $18.16 million in 2011. "For instance, the meat producers in Brazil will see their income rise if Korea increases imports of Brazilian meat. And more income means they will have more purchasing power for cars, smartphones and televisions made in Korea." He said that it will be "worth betting" on the Brazilian market, citing that it has a large population with approximately 200 million people. Concerning Brazil's economic downturn and depreciation of its currency, Maggi said Korean investors can capitalize on the current situation as an opportunity to enter infrastructure and logistics projects there. "Our discussion with Korean business people ranged from highways to railroads to electricity production," he said. "The discussion included investment worth up to $200 million." Maggi claimed that the development projects will not pose a threat to the Amazon rainforest, which accounts for half of the Earth's remaining rainforests. The majority of the forest is contained within Brazil. Maggi, a soybean tycoon-turned official, was accused of deforesting large tracts of the rainforest when he was named agriculture minister this year. "It's true there were conflicts in the past when it came to development of agricultural lands and environmental protection but we then came up with tightened regulations to resolve the problem," he said. He said 61 percent of Brazilian territory is preserved as a forest under the law, while the other eight percent and 19.7 percent are used for farms and pastures, respectively. The farm and ranch owners nationwide are also required to preserve an average of 11 percent of their land. He said he views the agricultural industry as "a driving force for life" when asked about ways to encourage young Koreans to find jobs in the related sector. "I've considered myself as a son of soil and have been enjoying work in the field. I hope young Koreans find working in the agricultural industry as meaningful as I do," he said. Hanjin case has been mishandled with poor planning' By Kim Jae-kyoung The "Too big to fail" myth has been dominating Korea's business circles and government policy whenever a large company has been in trouble. Hanjin Shipping's fiasco is a classic case and its filing for court receivership has broken the myth. The Korea Times had interviews with market experts to listen to their views on the government's decision and how the Hanjin issue should be addressed. ED. Sonh Sung-won, professor of economics at California State University Alicia Garcia Herrero, chief economist at Natixis Asia-Pacific Andy Xie, independent economist Mauro Guillen, director at the Wharton School Emily Dabbs, economist at Moody's Analytics James Rooney, partner at Apogee Partners Han Sang-yun, director at S&P Global Ratings Q: What do you think of the government's decision to let Hanjin fall under court control? Do you think the government should bail out the debt-ridden firm? Sonh Sung-won: In principle, the government's decision was the correct one. This is a classic case of "too big to fail." In hindsight, the Korea Development Bank should have cut off funds much earlier, forcing the holding company to take preventive measures sooner. Before letting Hanjin file for bankruptcy, the government should have worked with or forced Hanjin's holding company, which included Korean Air, to make financial contributions to the shipping company. Alicia Garcia Herrero: I consider it a good decision. I think this should have happened earlier than now, avoiding the central bank setting a restructuring fund for the ailing shipping sector. This gave the market the impression the government would support this industry and it turns out it will not. If the process would have been clearer, the cost would have been lower. Mauro Guillen: Government bailouts are only justifiable when systemic risks or very large employment shocks can happen. This is normally the case with financial institutions, and in some instances with industrial firms as was the case with GM and Chrysler. Hanjin is a large company, and its reorganization will be disruptive. But I am not sure it rises to the level of a systemic risk. James Rooney: It is one thing to decide on undertaking a restructuring or a bankruptcy reorganization or liquidation, but it is quite another to execute it properly. Execution of these kinds of complex undertakings requires deep knowledge and experience, and when that undertaking has to be executed globally the depth and breadth of experience required are even greater by several orders of magnitude. For Hanjin Shipping I think it is already too late and this case has been mishandled with poor planning for the current outcome. Q: Do you think the Hanjin case can be the trigger that can put Korea's economy into another crisis? How do you think this episode will affect the Korean economy down the road? Han Sang-yun: The Hanjin fiasco may disrupt global supply chains and send a negative ripple effect through the economy in the short term. I think the noise could last several months, still Hanjin's global competitors are likely to absorb their shipping quickly, given the oversupply in global shipping. Also, both exporters and importers have already started diversifying their shipping sources, which might further normalize the situation after a few months. Given that logistics is different from finance, concerns over Hanjin and its ripple effects to the overall economy are exaggerated. A case in point is the limited financial damages especially for large exporters in Korea such as Samsung Electronics. An installation view of Taipei Bieenial 2016 at the Taipei Fine Arts Museum / Courtesy of Taipei Biennial By Kwon Mee-yoo TAIPEI The 10th edition of the Taipei Biennial shedding light on a pan-Asian vision in the international contemporary art scene opened Saturday at the Taipei Fine Arts Museum (TFAM) in Taipei, Taiwan. The history of the Taipei Biennial goes back to 1998, making it one of the oldest ones in Asia, following Korea's Gwangju Biennale. Ping Lin, director of TFAM, emphasized that the Taipei Biennial is organized by an art museum, not an independent body for a biennial. "We asked the question of what a biennial is and the role of museum as an organizer. It is not just a breakthrough, but an extension," Lin said. "This is the 10th edition of Taipei Biennial and in Chinese culture, 10 is an important number symbolizing roundness." Ham Kyung-ah's "Needling Whisper, Needle Country," "Big Smile" and "SMS Series in Camouflage" Among some 150 biennials across the globe, the Taipei Biennial seeks to position itself and establish a new lexicon and French curator Corinne Diserens collaborated with the biennial as a guest curator. This year's theme is "Gestures and Archives of the Present, Genealogies of the Future," as the biennial "explores the museum's catalytic role in navigating between knowledge systems and in the experience of trans-artistic practices and research in societal configurations that take into consideration cultural paradigm shifts." "I personally hope that (this biennial) will support Taiwanese contemporary art and become a platform for Taiwanese artists to be seen in the world," curator Diserens said. Diserens visited the country three times ahead of the biennial to organize the event. "(The visits) introduced me to the many different facets of this country. This rich experience is only the beginning," Diserens said. "Small but powerful works came out of residence at the Taipei Artist Village." A scene from Park Chan-kyong's "Citizen's Forest" / Courtesy of the artist and Kukje Gallery Inter-Korean relations in spotlight Among over 80 participants, four Korean artists have been invited to the 10th edition of the Taipei Biennial. Their works explore the subtlety of relationships between South and North Korea as well as its forgotten modern history. Ham Kyung-ah presents her signature embroidery projects weaving the two Koreas in an artistic way. Ham creates digital images reflecting modern capitalist society in the era of the internet and sends the design to textile workers in North Korea through brokers. The artist includes phrases taken from social media or popular songs in the design such as "Are you lonely, too?" or "Big smile." This conceptual art works as a means of communication across the physical border. Im Heung-soon, the winner of the Silver Lion award at 2015 Venice Biennale, screens two video pieces "Bukhansan (North Han Mountain)" and "Bukhangang (North Han River)" at the Taipei Biennial. The video captures a North Korean defector K's journey and life in the South, depicting how South Korea plays on fear politics with regard to North Korea. Lim Min-ouk's "The Promise of If Cave" consists of archives, performances, videos and installations. The namesake video work explores North-South division of Korea and the consequent issues of the dispersed families using footage from the 1983 live broadcast of "Finding Dispersed Families." Artist and filmmaker Park Chan-kyong reveals a long-awaited new work at the Taipei Biennial. Titled "Citizen's Forest," the 27-minute video sheds light on modern Korean history, especially colonial rule which is inextricable in Korean history. The video allegorically explores various episodes in Korean history such as the Donghak Peasant Revolution, the Gwangju Uprising and most recently the sinking of Sewol Ferry. The biennial runs through Feb. 5, 2017. For more information, visit www.taipeibiennial.org. By Kim Hyo-jin Opposition parties are losing their basis for protesting the deployment of a U.S. Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system, following North Korea's fifth nuclear test. Since Seoul agreed in July to the deployment of the anti-missile shield against Pyongyang's evolving nuclear and missile threats, the opposition has protested the plan citing a possible rift in ties with China and questions over its efficacy. However, following the nuclear test, estimated to be the most powerful of five tests to date, the ruling Saenuri Party adopted approval of the THAAD deployment as a party platform, stressing the need for it in the face of repeated provocations by the North that threaten national security. While confirming its nuclear explosion test, the Kim Jong-un regime claimed it had mastered the ability to mount a warhead on a ballistic missile, ratcheting up tension on the Korean Peninsula. "The test proved to our party that the country needs a THAAD battery as a means to protect the public," said Saenuri Party chief spokesman Yeom Dong-yeol. While seeking to prop up the government's push for THAAD deployment, the ruling party urged the opposition bloc to refrain from expressing disagreement with the plan, accusing it of causing national division. "The North's nuclear threat is evolving from being abstract to real," said Kim Hyun-a, a party spokeswoman. "We hope the political sector will stop dividing public opinion over the security matter. Now, THAAD deployment is not a matter of choice anymore." The Saenuri Party earlier adopted the deployment of the THAAD system as the party's official position and traded barbs with the opposition parties which were concerned about it harming diplomatic relations with China and Russia. President Park Geun-hye criticized the ongoing THAAD debate during an emergency meeting held after the North's nuclear test, Friday. "Politicians should stop raising a political offensive against THAAD without presenting an alternative. We should do the basic things we need to do in a situation where we cannot rule out the possibility of North Korean attacks," she said. The main opposition Minjoo Party of Korea (MPK) said they "could not accept" Park's criticism of their stance against THAAD and accused her of politicizing the issue. "It's hard to understand why Park made such remarks when we need to make bipartisan efforts in coming up with measures against the North's nuclear program," Youn Kwan-suk, the party's chief spokesman, told reporters. "We doubt if the government's hawkish policies toward the North have ever worked, seeing Pyongyang conduct a series of nuclear tests. The government should worry about its own failing policies." But the MPK remained ambiguous on the deployment, delaying a decision of whether to continue to oppose the battery as its official stance. Meanwhile, the second-largest opposition People's Party reiterated its opposition to the anti-missile system, claiming that "the THAAD debate does not have to be closed in the aftermath of the North's nuclear test." "It's not THAAD deployment that accelerated the North's nuclear test," said Lee Yong-ho, the floor spokesman of the party."We will stick to our opposition regardless of Pyongyang's nuclear test." By Kim Rahn A worker who fell to death after a company drinking session should be recognized as a victim of a work-related accident, a court said Sunday. The Seoul Administrative Court said that it recently ruled in favor of the son of the worker, surnamed Noh, who demanded the Korea Workers' Compensation and Welfare Service pay benefits to the bereaved family. Noh, who worked at a factory in Miryang, South Gyeongsang Province, took part in a drinking session hosted by the company's vice president in an evening on December 2014. After the session, he headed home via a van which the company operated for commuting workers, according to the court. The van driver dropped him off at a bus stop in Gimhae. But he went missing, and his colleagues found him dead days later at the bottom of a retaining wall near the bus stop. Police investigation found that Noh, drunk, was urinating on top of the 6.5-meter wall but lost his footing and fell. He lost consciousness and died from hypothermia, according to police. Noh's bereaved family requested the welfare agency to pay death benefits and funeral expenses to them. But the agency refused, saying the drinking session was an event about friendship, not an official event of the company, and the death was not related to his work. But the court ruled in favor of the family, saying the drinking session was related to his work. "All members of his team, led by company vice president, participated in the session to celebrate good performance, and the expenses were covered by the company," it said. Noh also used the company van and got off at the bus stop, his usual way of commuting, according to the court. "He was drunk in a session organized and managed by the company, and became incapable of moving or thinking properly. This led to the accident, so his death is a work-related accident," it said. South adopts new concept of pre-emptive strikes By Jun Ji-hye The South Korean military has developed a new operational concept to annihilate Pyongyang with a barrage of pre-emptive missile firings once signs of a North Korean nuclear attack are detected, defense sources said Sunday. A source said the plan, dubbed, Korea Massive Punishment and Retaliation (KMPR), is intended to launch pre-emptive attacks on North Korean leader Kim Jong-un as well as the regime's military leadership if signs of their impending use of nuclear weapons are detected or in the event of a war. Under the KMPR, the military would divide Pyongyang into several districts and completely destroy a certain section in which Kim and other military leadership are suspected to be hiding, before they use a nuclear weapon, the source noted. "In other words, the North's capital city will be reduced to ashes and removed from the map," the source told reporters on condition of anonymity. The disclosure of the detailed operation came after the isolated state conducted its fifth nuclear test, Friday, claiming to have detonated a nuclear warhead successfully. In the wake of the test, observers say the North is now apparently in the final stages of making a nuclear warhead small enough to fit on a ballistic missile. The Ministry of National Defense reported details about the KMPR to the National Assembly in response to the North's latest nuclear test. The source said that the South Korean military plans to mobilize its locally developed surface-to-surface ballistic and cruise missiles, the Hyunmoo, for the operational concept. The Hyunmoo 2A and 2B ballistic missiles have ranges of 300 and 500 kilometers, respectively, while the Hyunmoo 3 cruise missile has a range of 1,000 kilometers. The military earlier said it plans to increase the number of Hyunmoo 2As, 2Bs and 3s that can simultaneously strike missile bases all across North Korea in a time of war. The source noted that the military is also planning to complete tests of its newly developed ballistic missile with a range of 800 kilometers by next year for operational deployment. "The KMPR is the ultimate operation concept the military can have in the absence of its own nuclear weapons," the source noted. Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn, center, visits an artillery unit of the Marine Corps, stationed on Ganghwa Island off Incheon, Sunday, amid growing military tension following North Korea's fifth nuclear test, Friday. / Yonhap By Jun Ji-hye Following its fifth nuclear test, Friday, North Korea may move to test-fire an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) the KN-08 to show off its advanced technology that could threaten the United States, observers said Sunday. The latest nuclear test followed launches of short-, medium- and intermediate-range ballistic missiles and submarine-launched ballistic missiles in recent months. Observers noted that what now remains is the test-firing of the ICBM. The North's missile provocations and the nuclear test followed North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's instructions in March to conduct a nuclear test and more ballistic missile launches as soon as possible. The ICBM, with a range of more than 10,000 kilometers, is capable, in theory, of hitting targets on the U.S. mainland. If the reclusive state pushes ahead with the test-firing of the ICBM, the missile would be mounted with a mockup of a miniaturized nuclear warhead, observers said. While confirming its fifth nuclear test, Pyongyang said it successfully detonated a miniaturized nuclear warhead that can be placed on a ballistic missile. By Lee Kyung-min A U.N. special rapporteur on human rights and hazardous substances and wastes has recommended Oxy Reckitt Benckiser, the maker of a toxic humidifier disinfectant, offer a sincere apology and due compensation to victims. The recommendation by Baskut Tuncak, special rapporteur at the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), will be presented at the 33rd session of the U.N. Human Rights Council in Geneva, Sept. 13. He also called on the manufacturer to share its mistakes with the international community to prevent a recurrence of the biocide case. The recommendation comes amid the company's noncooperation with the ongoing investigation in Korea. At a National Assembly hearing last month, many top executives of the Reckitt Benckiser headquarters in Britain and the Korean unit failed to appear for questioning. The report by the special rapporteur called for actions by not only the Korean unit but also the British head office. "The special rapporteur recommends that Reckitt Benckiser ensure that all victims are identified and receive compensation; and implement measures that will prevent a recurrence of similar incidents, and share mistakes made and lessons learned with the global community so that other governments and businesses may avoid similar mistakes," the report said. It also said the company should "ensure that all victims receive a sincere apology, permanent commemoration at a location of significance, and other elements of an effective remedy, including substantiated assurance of non-repetition." The report also said there could be more victims who have not been confirmed, calling for more efforts to identify and compensate them. Tuncak visited Korea from Oct. 12 to 23 last year to investigate the case, talking with victims and civic groups as well as checking government responses and related regulations. In the report, he also said that the level of safety tests conducted by Reckitt Benckiser and other disinfectant manufacturers were insufficient and unreasonable, noting that they have not been held accountable for this failure. The report stressed that both governments and businesses should increase efforts to keep information about hazardous substances available at all occasions. It urged the Korean government to better amend related regulations on environmental damage and hazardous materials. Also, it added that businesses in Korea should respect recommendations by the National Human Rights Commission, in both their activities and their business relationships. In the nation's worst biocide scandal, Oxy Reckitt Benckiser, which is allegedly responsible for the most of the victims, made an official apology in May and suggested compensation plans. Most of the victims, however, snubbed the plan, saying the company was attempting to buy them off with money. According to the U.N. report, 221 people have been confirmed to be victims as of December, including 95 who died, adding that civic groups claim there are at least 1,848 victims including 266 dead. By Kim Hyo-jin President Park Geun-hye will meet leaders of the rival political parities, Monday, to discuss measures against North Korea's nuclear threats, officials said Sunday. The meeting was arranged at the request of the President following Pyongyang's fifth and largest nuclear test, Friday. It is the first meeting between the President and the parties' leaders since the launch of the 20th National Assembly. Rep. Choo Mi-ae, the newly-elected chairwoman of the main opposition Minjoo Party of Korea (MPK), Rep. Park Jie-won, the interim leader of the opposition People's Party, and ruling Saenuri Party Chairman Rep. Lee Jung-hyun will meet Park at Cheong Wa Dae at 2 p.m. the officials said. Park is expected to ask the party leaders to make bipartisan efforts in devising follow-up measures against the North's nuclear provocations. She will explain the result of the summits with her counterparts of the United States, China, Japan and Russia, according to a presidential official. During the summits Park asked for support in seeking measures to press the isolated country into giving up its nuclear ambitions during her week-long three-nation trip that included Russia, China, and Laos. She is also expected to seek opposition support in deploying a U.S. Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery. "The President plans to ask the party leaders to join hands in responding to the North's fifth nuclear test," said presidential spokesman Jung Youn-kuk. "It was also arranged following the President's pledge to meet party leaders quarterly." President Park agreed to hold talks with the three main ruling and opposition party leaders on a quarterly basis during a meeting with key members of the parties in May. The opposition leaders are expected to respond positively to the President's call for joint efforts in countering the North's threats but it remains to be seen whether they can agree over the planned deployment of a THAAD battery. The United States plans to dispatch a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier to South Korea next month in a show of force to deter further military provocations by North Korea following its latest nuclear test, a military official here said Sunday. The USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76), the flagship of the Yokosuka, Japan-based Carrier Strike Group Five of the U.S. Navy, will sail to South Korea's Yellow and South Seas to participate in a joint naval exercise with South Korea, slated for Oct. 10-15, the official said. "The USS Ronald Reagan will take part in the combined maritime exercise between the U.S. and South Korean militaries to be carried out in the western and southern seas," the official noted. The exercise will focus on training the allies' naval forces on joint precision attacks on North Korea's key military facilities and the regime's leadership that would be launched in the event of a war with the communist country. Nicknamed a floating air base, the vessel is capable of carrying some 80 combat fighters and aircraft, as well as about 5,400 crewmen. Powered by two nuclear reactors, the USS Ronald Reagan is part of powerful deterrence assets the U.S. maintains against North Korea's military threats. Other warships under the Carrier Strike Group Five will accompany the USS Ronald Reagan to the drills, the official said, including the USS Curtis Wilbur (DDG-54), USS John S. McCain (DDG-56), USS Fitzgerald (DDG-62), USS Stethem (DDG-63) and USS Barry (DDG-52) destroyers. The forthcoming deployment will serve as the U.S.' military warning against North Korea, which conducted its fifth nuclear test Friday in defiance of the allies' and the international community's calls for denuclearization. The official said the U.S. is also planning to deploy a slew of other strategic military assets to South Korea, including the B-2 stealth nuclear bomber, down the road in a show of military might against North Korea. "Both countries' militaries will further improve their capabilities to destroy North Korea's core military facilities in the event of an emergency as the fifth nuclear test made North Korean nuclear threats a reality," the military official said. (Yonhap) South Korea resumed its loudspeaker broadcast campaign on Jan. 8 after North Korea conducted its fourth nuclear test. / Yonhap By Lee Han-soo The South Korean army is considering adding an electronic display of K-pop girl bands to its loudspeaker broadcasts towards North Korea, in its latest psychological warfare bid. The move follows the North's fifth nuclear test Friday, as the South plans new sanctions and countermeasures against the hermit kingdom, according to TV Chosun. The electronic display, which was last used in 2004, will show K-pop girl bands and international and domestic news to the North. A mobile version of the display which can be seen up to 15 kilometers also is being considered. And the army will increase the number of loudspeakers fourfold. The army believes the measures will have a big impact on North Koreans living near the border. By Tong Kim Watching last week's multiple summits between the heads of the United States, China, South Korea, Japan and Russia, taking place on the sidelines of the G20 conference in China and the ASEAN+3 and East Asia Summit gatherings in Laos, we can only conclude that no new effort was sought to alleviate the increasingly perilous situation on the Korean Peninsula. The Obama administration will turn over to the next president who will be elected in November a list of unfinished business, including denuclearization in Korea, disputes in the South China Sea, rebalancing to Asia, and strengthening the economic order through the TPP (Trans-Pacific Partnership). The objective of Obama's last trip to Asia is said to set the tone for his successor to follow along the path of his pivot to Asia policy, which is strongly challenged by an assertive China that has started exercising its economic and strategic influence in the region. China believes the U.S. seeks to contain its rise in order to continue American dominance in Asia. Beijing has a good record of working with Washington on climate change, the Iranian nuclear program, North Korean nuclear threats and Ebola. China rejects U.S. intervention in the South China Sea or the human rights situation, which it sees as its internal matter. China regards deployment of a terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system to South Korea as a serious threat to its security. Xi Jinping made clear to Obama and Park Geun-hye respectively that China opposes the "U.S. plan" to deploy the THAAD system in the South. China refutes the argument that the missile defense system is "purely defensive" against North Korean missile threats. President Park's "conditional deployment" if the nuclear threats were resolved, there would be no need for THAAD was not persuasive to Xi, who sees a broader ramification of the issue in terms of U.S. strategy for Asia. In the meeting with Park in Hangzhou, Xi told Park, "Mishandling of the THAAD issue is not constructive to strategic stability in the region, and could intensify conflicts." On the other hand, Obama, after meeting with Park on Sept. 6, confirmed that the U.S. would proceed with its THAAD deployment, reaffirming the U.S. commitment to the defense of South Korea including "an extended deterrent against any North Korean threat." That said, the relevant countries are clearly divided over the THAAD issue: South Korea, the U.S. and Japan on one side and China, Russia and North Korea on the other. In the meantime, North Korea kept threatening provocations by firing three more ballistic missiles during the G20 summit. The U.N. Security Council issued another press statement, condemning the North Korean missile launches. Pyongyang immediately denounced it. The U.N. statement calls for stricter implementation of resolution 2270, the toughest ever, imposed last March. Yet, the sanctions did not slow down Pyongyang's missile launches or belligerent rhetoric. The North still finds the resources to support its continuing nuclear and missile tests. In the past, North Korea was accused of repeating a vicious cycle of provoke, negotiate, pocket rewards and then provoke again. A new cycle has emerged to provoke, sanction and provoke again. Public statements by bilateral or multinational venues against Pyongyang's weapons program have been unsuccessful in moderating its behavior. The North is believed to have enough missiles of various types, including submarine-launched ballistic missiles expected to deploy soon to penetrate through the allied missile defense even after deployment of the THAAD system and strike targets in the South. There is no question that the North will keep enhancing its nuclear and missile capabilities. Since the reinforcement of deterrent by THAAD would not resolve the fundamental issue of the peninsula, some critics still point to dialogue as a necessary attempt. Yet, President Park is firm in her view that North Korean collapse and a subsequent unification by absorption would be the only solution. In his meeting with Park, Xi reiterated China's three principles denuclearization, stability on the peninsula and dialogue. Obama in turn told Park, if North Korea is willing to fulfill its international obligations to denuclearization, "the opportunities for dialogue are there," but "their current behaviors are not conducive to the kinds of dialogue and diplomacy that the ROK and the United States would prefer." The legacies of the two-term Obama administration will likely be tarnished if Donald Trump is elected. The Republican candidate is racing neck and neck with Hillary Clinton two months before election day. He says Obama made America weak, with no respect from abroad. He opposes Obama's signature accomplishments: the Iran nuclear deal the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action and the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), which is also opposed by Clinton's campaign. Obama's successes include normalizing relations with Cuba, opening Burma, killing Osama bin Laden, improving ties with Vietnam and Laos, and strengthening strategic cooperation with ASEAN countries. His North Korea policy remains as a failure, an irony for Obama who said he would meet with the North Korean leader during his campaign and who was awarded the Nobel peace prize for pronouncing his goal for a world without nuclear weapons. Obama said he would campaign for Clinton, who is expected to continue the basic tone of Obama's policy; a pivot to Asia was initiated when she was secretary of state. She appears harsher on North Korea, an ill prospect for an early, peaceful solution to the Korean issue. We don't know what Trump might do on Korea or the region. However, he would respect and negotiate in good faith with foreign leaders, as demonstrated in his recent meeting with the Mexican president. He says he wants to make a "safe America" which is not possible to achieve in isolation from the rest of the world. Time will tell. What's your take? Tong Kim is a Washington correspondent and columnist for The Korea Times. He is also a fellow at the Institute of Korean-American Studies. He can be contacted at tong.kim8@yahoo.com. By Doug Bandow North Korea just conducted its fifth nuclear test. The North is likely to be one of the worst headaches, or maybe nightmares, for the next U.S. president. He or she "must find a way to neuter Mr. Kim's outlandish and frightening peril," intoned the Washington Post. Of course, four successive presidents have sought to do so. Yet nothing they tried worked. Experience suggests that "neutering" Pyongyang is beyond the power of the U.S. president, at least at a cost Americans are willing to bear. The U.S. should try a different approach. Washington should withdraw from the Korean vortex. Then the Democratic People's Republic of Korea would be primarily a problem for its neighbors, who have the most at stake. Washington was blissfully unconcerned about the Korean peninsula until the end of World War II. Although Korea did not directly figure in the conflict, that land could not be left Japan. America ended up joint occupier alongside the Soviet Union. Out of the Cold War came two separate, antagonistic countries, the Korean War, and an American security guarantee, backed by permanent troop deployments. Yet Washington's military presence is an anachronism. Today the Republic of Korea outmatches the DPRK on every measure of national power save military, and the latter deficiency is a matter of choice. With twice the population and around 40 times the GDP, the South could do whatever is necessary to deter and defeat its northern antagonist. Seoul doesn't do so because America continues to spend the resources and risk the lives of its citizens on the ROK's behalf. That made sense during the Cold War, but no longer. The U.S. is militarily stretched, economically embattled, and fiscally endangered. It no longer can afford to subsidize the defense of prosperous and populous friends. Absent its military commitment to the South America would of no concern to the latest Kim scion to rule over the impoverished land to the north. As it is, scarcely a week goes by without a new insult or threat emanating from Pyongyang directed at America. For instance, Kim Jong-un was recently quoted expressing his "great satisfaction" with the test of the mid-range Mudusan missile. As a result, he explained, "We have the sure capability to attack in an overall and practical way the Americans in the Pacific." Even more dramatic have been tests, most recently in April, on a long-range missile capable of hitting North America. work has no value for a conflict on the peninsula or even nearby. It is useful only for threatening the U.S. At the same time the DPRK is thought to be continuing to expand its nuclear capabilities. The Institute for Science and International Security recently estimated North Korea's arsenal at 13 to 21 weapons. It may be adding four to six weapons a year. Yet North Korea's threats do not occur in a vacuum. Pyongyang is targeting America with weapons as well as rhetoric because America is over there. In contrast, Kim does not spend his time denouncing Mexico or threatening to turn Toronto into a lake of fire. If Washington wasn't threatening his nation with war, backed by forces based only a few miles south of his country and around the region he wouldn't waste his breath on America. This doesn't mean Kim is a victim or innocent, of course. Nevertheless, in this case he is behaving rationally. The U.S., which enjoys an overwhelming military advantage and imposes regime change whenever convenient, does threaten his rule. Washington's attack on Moammar Khadafy's regime, which had negotiated away its missile and nuclear programs, demonstrated that American officials cannot be trusted. A nuclear deterrent is the most obvious and perhaps the only sure defense. Which raises the obvious question whether Pyongyang would behave so provocatively if America was not on the scene. No one should expect a kinder, gentler Kim to emerge. But his "byungjin" policy of pursuing both nuclear weapons and economic growth faces a severe challenge. With the U.S. far away he would have more reason to listen to China, which long has advised more reforms and fewer nukes. Since nothing else has worked, an American withdrawal would be a useful change in strategy. The justification for U.S. troops in Korea disappeared decades ago. Bringing them home and shrinking America's military accordingly would ease an increasingly unaffordable defense burden. Moreover, getting out of Korea would undercut Pyongyang's justification for its overwhelming military spending. It's rare to find such a win-win policy for the Korean peninsula. Doug Bandow is a Senior Fellow at the Cato Institute and a former special assistant to President Ronald Reagan. He is the author of "Tripwire: Korea and U.S. Foreign Policy in a Changed World." Change of approach to fix cold-war anomaly The international community has undergone a routine cycle of reactions to North Korea's fifth and latest nuclear test. This starts with an uncontrolled show of fear and indignation, crescendos to condemnation by individual countries and the United Nations and peaks with threats of tougher action, before dissolving into shenanigans. This rhetorical exercise illustrates the lack of tools to punish the rogue state, led by a 32-year-old, inexperienced, chubby despot. Or so we think. First of all, it is not a dearth of options but the absence of will or gravitas that has let the North Korean problem grow out of proportion. The irony is that the Friday test, the most successful so far, will force the world to realize the North's challenge indeed needs an immediate and coordinated effort. The test yielded the largest destructive power of firings so far, accounting for two-thirds of the bomb dropped on Hiroshima at the end of World War II, and came on the heels of successful missile tests from submarines and mobile units. It can only be a matter of time before the North becomes a nuclear weapons state equipped with the nuclear triad, with the exception of strategic bombers. With the world more united against the North, options that once looked unviable can gain new potency. First, dialogue can be employed as an alternative to the erstwhile confrontational approach. For about 15 years, the South under two conservative presidents Park Geun-hye and Lee Myung-bak and the United States under George W. Bush have tried to drive the North into the wall, without success. Now, a different approach is long overdue. First, it should start with China. So far, Beijing has been chided for failing to put pressure on Pyongyang. Now, its new mission would be to fulfill its claim for rekindling dialogue with the Kim regime. Late last year, the North tried to talk to Washington for a peace regime but was rejected. China touted itself as a broker, also without success. Also worthy of studying is the current policy of denying the North the status of nuclear weapons state. States involved feared granting such a status might embolden the North to threaten and extort its neighbors and encourage other aspirants to follow suit. This fear can be mitigated by adopting an NCND policy, or unofficially giving the North such a status. The main purpose lies in managing the bomb of North Korea in a way that it doesn't explode in our faces, inviting it to interact with the world and, hopefully, making it a less threatening neighbor. This process would lead the North to open up and in due time get subjected to the wear and tear given to an open society. The beauty of late former President Kim Dae-jung's "sunshine policy" of engaging the North was to wait patiently for it to come out in the open, forcing it to make a choice between changing and collapsing under its own weight. It was not properly executed and yanked off the shelf before it blossomed. Now, another chance for the resolution of the North Korean issue may be closer than it seems. It's time to gain a cool head with the North and engage them for a change. Just think about the Soviet Union that went down, not being able to use any if its nuclear arsenal that could destroy the world many times over. The North could be another Soviet Union. No. 1 priority of smartphone maker is safety By Yoon Sung-won Samsung Electronics recommended customers in Korea and the United States to stop using the Galaxy Note 7 until after they get a safety check on its battery, Saturday. As multiple U.S. public organizations releasing warnings on the possible "explosion" of the Note 7's battery, the world's largest smartphone maker urged Korean customers to "stop using (the device) and visit a Samsung service center to receive necessary measures." In an online posting on the company's official online customer communication channel "Newsroom," Samsung said Note 7s without a battery problem will be available from Sept. 19. It is also offering budget Galaxy handsets such as the Galaxy A and J series as rental phones at its service centers, electronics stores and mobile carrier outlets between Sept. 12 and 30. Earlier on Sept. 3, Samsung Electronics announced the recall of some 2.5 million Note 7s it had shipped after flaws in the handset's battery were discovered. At that time, it said 24 out of 1 million Note 7s turned out to have such a problem. However, only about 10 percent of Note 7 customers here have visited a service center to check their handsets as of Saturday, according to industry sources. Last week, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) released an official recommendation to the country's customers to immediately turn off their Note 7 and stop using it while the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said passengers cannot use a Note 7 or charge it even when it is turned off on an airplane. Following the CPSC recommendation, Samsung Electronics America also released the same announcement earlier on Saturday, emphasizing the importance of exchanging the product. "Our number one priority is the safety of our customers," Samsung Electronics Mobile Communications Business President Koh Dong-jin said on the company's global communication website. "We are asking users to power down their Galaxy Note7s and exchange them as soon as possible. We are expediting replacement devices so that they can be provided through the exchange program as conveniently as possible and in compliance with related regulations." Besides Korea and the United States, Samsung Electronics has rolled out Note 7s in 8 other countries Canada, Taiwan, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore and the United Arab Emirates. The European Aviation Safety Agency, Japan's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, India's Directorate General of Civil Aviation and Transport Canada also banned or advised suspension of Note 7 use in an aircraft. Airline companies including Cathay Pacific, Dragonair and Hong Kong Airlines took a hard line to ban Note 7s either inside the cabin or in checked luggage. "In light of the recent recommendations by various aviation authorities regarding the use of the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 smartphone on aircraft, we strongly advise our passengers that these devices should be powered off and not connected to any power source while onboard Cathay Pacific and Dragonair flights," Cathay Pacific said, Saturday. "Additionally, these devices must be kept out of checked baggage. The safety of our passengers and crew is our top priority." Other global airliners such as Thai Airways, Singapore Qantas, Jetstar Airways, Virgin Australia Airlines, TransAsia Airways, Tigerair, Scandinavian Airlines and Taiwan's China Air have prohibited using a Note 7 or charging it inside the cabin over concerns of explosion or fire. The company has not decided on whether to recommend its users in other countries suspend the use of their Note 7s. Samsung Electronics will sell Note 7s in the Chinese market without delay as devices shipped to the country have batteries without the problem. CLINTON Exelon Corp. is moving toward closing the Clinton nuclear power plant next year, but one lawmaker said the lack of recent public activity by those trying to save the plant doesn't mean the effort is dead. State Rep. Bill Mitchell, R-Forsyth, said that even though there have been no news conferences or news releases lately, work continues on legislation for a clean-energy subsidy and utility rate changes that Exelon has said it needs to keep Clinton Power Station economically viable. A lot of people are still working on it, including Exelon, Gov. (Bruce) Rauner, and the General Assembly, he said. It is in everyones best interest to come to an agreement. I dont want to be overly optimistic or overly pessimistic, but incremental progress is being made. Still, officials in Clinton say no news is not good news. I havent heard anything, Clinton City Administrator Tim Followell said. Its terrible, isnt it? said Marion Brisard, Clinton Chamber of Commerce executive director. To them, no news means the company, which already has notified the Nuclear Regulatory Commission of its closure plans, is moving toward the planned June 1, 2017, decommissioning and time to reverse the decision is running out. The legislature meets for a few days in November, Exelon spokesman Brett Nauman said. Hopefully, they could act before the end of the year, and Exelon could potentially reverse the decision; but as of now, we have to move forward with plans to close. Mitchell said he met with the governors office last week. Keeping the Clinton plant open is a topic of discussion wherever I go, he said. If I am having coffee with someone in Decatur or a town meeting in Monticello, people want to know and are concerned. "Central Illinois understands the importance of keeping the plant open. Those are 700 good-paying jobs. Exelon announced earlier this year that it would close the Clinton plant next year and the Quad-Cities plant a year later if the General Assembly did not pass the Next Generation Energy Plan in the spring legislative session. The bill, which did not come up for a vote, would extend to nuclear plants state subsidies given to wind and solar power suppliers for producing electricity without carbon emissions. Exelon said the plants have sustained operating losses totaling a combined $800 million over the past seven years and cannot continue without the financial breaks. Critics called the plan a bailout for a profitable company, and some environmentalists question treating nuclear power as clean energy. Last month, mayors and community leaders sent a letter to the governor and lawmakers in support of the legislation. In recent weeks, several employees have been transferred to other Exelon locations. Nauman couldnt say how many employees had transferred, but said the safety of the plant is not at risk. Operating the plant is still the highest priority, he said. Three women have been killed after trying to stage an attack at the main police station in the Kenyan port city of Mombasa, officials say. The women, wearing hijabs, entered the station saying they wanted to report a crime, police say. One of the women pulled a knife and another threw a petrol bomb, starting a fire. Two officers were injured. It is not clear who is behind the attack, but Islamist group al-Shabab has staged numerous attacks in Kenya. The Somali-based group has been targeting Kenya since 2011, when Kenyan troops were deployed to rid Somalia of the militants. Follow Us on Facebook @LadunLiadi; Instagram @LadunLiadi; Twitter @LadunLiadi; Youtube @LadunLiadiTV for updates Thailands 88-year-old King Bhumibol Adulyadej, the worlds longest reigning monarch, is recovering after a respiratory infection, the palace has disclosed in a statement today. The king has no fever and a blood test showed a decrease in inflammation, it said, adding that an x-ray of his lungs showed no sign of inflammation. It is the fourth health statement in over a week and follows a bulletin on Wednesday which said that the king had shown further improvement following a severe infection. Doctors have stopped administering antibiotics to the king and will closely monitor his kidneys, the palace statement added. The king has been treated for various ailments during a year-long hospitalization in the Thai capital. The king was last seen in public on January 11. Follow Us on Facebook @LadunLiadi; Instagram @LadunLiadi; Twitter @LadunLiadi; Youtube @LadunLiadiTV for updates NEW YORK Behind the barbed wire, the white minivan's broken windows and crumpled roof hint at its story. But forklifted to this windblown spot on the John F. Kennedy International Airport tarmac, between a decommissioned 727 and an aircraft hangar, it's doubtful passing drivers notice it at all. In the long struggle with the searing memories of 9/11, though, the van's solitary presence here marks a significant transition point. Tons of wreckage twisted steel beams weighing up to 40,000 pounds, chunks of concrete smelling of smoke, a crushed fire engine, a dust-covered airline slipper were salvaged from the World Trade Center site for preservation in the weeks after the 2001 terrorist attacks. Now, 15 years later, this van, part of a government agency motor pool likely sheltered from the impact in the parking garage beneath the complex, is the last artifact without a resting place. When the van is claimed, as soon as a few weeks from now, it will fulfill a pledge that, to move beyond 9/11 without losing sight of it, New York would share relics of that terror, along with the tales of sacrifice and fear that come with them. The decision by officials to give away pieces of Trade Center wreckage has had an undeniable impact. More than 2,600 artifacts have gone to 1,585 fire and police departments, schools and other nonprofit organizations in every state and at least eight other countries. Each recipient has pledged to use them in memorials or exhibits honoring those killed on 9/11. It is now possible to touch a piece of 9/11 while standing in the shadows of Colorado's San Juan mountains or in a park honoring animals in Meaford, Ontario. "They are the relics of the destruction and they have the same power in the same way as medieval relics that have the power of the saints," said Harriet Senie, a professor of art history at the City University of New York. "History is a vague concept, but if you have this tangible object that was a part of this historical event, it makes it very difficult to deny and it also makes it possible to experience it in a very visceral way." In the days immediately after the attacks, the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey, which owned the Trade Center, dispatched an architect to cull pieces that seemed distinctive. Investigators carted away others. Most of the wreckage from the site was scrapped or recycled. But the agency saved half of 1 percent of the total. It ended up going to JFK's Hangar 17, an 80,000-square-foot cavern of sheet metal. "It was piles and piles, probably my height or higher, of steel beams," said Amy Passiak, the archivist hired to catalog the artifacts and manage their distribution, recalling the first time she walked into the hangar in 2010. As word spread that the Port Authority was giving the material away, requests poured in. Through August, the Port Authority had distributed 2,629 artifacts. Many went to fire departments, local governments and organizations in the New York area with direct ties to the first responders and workers who perished when the towers fell. But for many of the people and groups that adopted artifacts from the Trade Center, the loss was more abstract. Heath Satow, a sculptor in Southern California hired to design a 9/11 memorial for the plaza fronting Rosemead's city offices, recalls awkwardly scanning a digital catalog showing beams available from the Trade Center. But hundreds of hours creating the memorial a 10-foot beam cradled by hands of chrome, the palms and fingers formed from 2,976 interlocking birds representing individual victims left a deep impression. At Flour Bluff Junior High School in Corpus Christi, Texas, a piece of Trade Center steel one of three received by the school district is housed in a case near the entrance to the cafeteria. In September, it is taken out and students from the school's officer training program stand guard. Bruce Chaney, the naval science instructor who applied for the artifacts, brings another, smaller piece to his classes. Artifacts let people grapple with pained memories. But 15 years after 9/11, the dispersal of artifacts from the Trade Center has not resolved the public's conflicted feelings about those events, now set against continued fears of terrorism. In the first years, there were so many artifacts that Passiak could easily match them with requesters. As the piles of material winnowed, though, it became more difficult. Most of the groups seeking artifacts wanted pieces they could build a narrative around. When the Port Authority shuttered the artifact program in August and padlocked Hangar 17, officials moved the only remaining artifact a Dodge Caravan with a ripped out red interior to the tarmac, uncertain of its fate. Someday, Passiak said, she'd like to take a road trip, stopping in cities and towns along the way to see where the artifacts she once cared for have found homes. She imagines she'll recognize some of them, and remember their stories. It will not matter that the steel, concrete and other relics are at rest far from lower Manhattan. The memories they hold, she is certain, will not soon fade. The same qualities that make libraries ideal for studying and reading unfettered public access, quiet corners and nooks, minimal interaction with other people also make them appealing places to shoot up heroin, librarians are finding. In Norfolk, Va., a 47-year-old man died after a patron found him in a library restroom. In Batesville, Ind., and New Brunswick, N.J., police revived others in library restrooms using a popular overdose antidote. The body of a homeless man who frequented the Oak Park Public Library in suburban Chicago might have been there for days, fully clothed and slumped on the toilet in a restroom on the quiet third floor, before a maintenance worker unlocked it on a Monday morning in April and discovered his inglorious demise. The empty syringe and lighter in his pockets and the cut soda can in the trash pointed to the cause, an accidental heroin overdose. "On both a personal and a professional level, we were all very shocked and of course worried about how this could happen in our spaces," said executive director David Seleb, who fired the security company responsible for clearing the library before closing. The country's heroin and painkiller problem has produced public overdoses in many places, including restaurants, gas stations, alleys and even hospitals, but the inherent attributes of public libraries leave them especially exposed. They're free and open for whoever walks in, and lingering is welcome, no transaction or interaction required. "People need to know that this is happening everywhere and that public libraries haven't done anything wrong to cause it to happen in public libraries," said Josie Parker, director of the Ann Arbor District Library in Michigan. Her library already had removed bathroom ceilings and toilet tanks where people could hide drugs and restroom entrances that could be locked changes more than a decade ago to curb cocaine trafficking, Parker said. She raised drug-abuse concerns again in 2014 when officials were discussing a proposed park next to the library. Though unpleasant, starting a public discussion about drug and alcohol abuse observed at the library spurred a beneficial community response, Parker said. These days, police routinely walk through the library, and social workers set up shop there, checking in with folks. All that, Parker said, strips away some anonymity. "Anonymity allows people to do things they wouldn't do otherwise in public places," she said, "and if you can take away anonymity, you can help change behavior." In Ohio, peace officers from Toledo's library system are being trained to help the sheriff's Drug Abuse Response Team. Boston's libraries have needle drop boxes and have offered overdose prevention training for employees and residents. At the Humboldt County Library in Eureka, Calif., a librarian turned life-saver when she realized a man apparently sleeping in a chair was actually unresponsive, his lips turning blue. Health officials had provided the overdose antidote naloxone often known by the brand name Narcan for the library, so librarian Kitty Yancheff injected it into the man's leg, then into a still-limp arm before he gurgled and fluttered his eyes. "I felt grateful that we had this Narcan on hand and that we were able to save his life, but it was kind of surreal," said Yancheff, the library's public services division manager. It was also a bit ironic, considering Yancheff had given a presentation titled "Librarians as First Responders" during a conference years earlier. She was talking about how libraries increasingly provide nontraditional services, such as job-search help and de facto daytime sheltering for the homeless; she hadn't figured on overdose rescue becoming part of the job. Many librarians don't go that far, turning instead to emergency responders or security staff. The American Library Association encourages librarians to get training on interacting with special populations, such as drug users and the homeless, but stresses the importance of partnering with groups such as police and social workers, said Julie Todaro, the association's president. "Clearly when you have the epidemic that we have and the issues with the patrons that we have, we need to organize assistance," she said. "That doesn't mean we ourselves provide it." Question: I am one of five board directors at our homeowners association. The problem is that one director thinks he knows it all and goes it alone. He decides what invoices to pay. He decides what contracts we need and signs them. He decides which security guard company, attorney and manager to hire and hires them. But he does not investigate these contractors; he just takes the managers word that theyre good. We learn after the fact that needed permits were never pulled on construction projects or that the work was shoddy. Now this director wants the association to enter into a multimillion-dollar loan for projects he and the manager decided we need. The association has its own attorney, but he meets constantly with another attorney he hired on behalf of the association without the rest of the board. The association pays the bills, but we dont have a clue what hes up to. He continues to make unilateral decisions binding the association without our knowledge. At the last meeting, one director said if he continues acting on his own he will not be covered by the business judgment rule if we are sued. The attorney this errant director consults says that is nonsense, he is covered by the business judgment rule. Is he, and are we, still covered by the business judgment rule? Advertisement Answer: Even though court decisions have recognized that the business judgment rule generally creates a presumption that directors decisions are protected against liability in the event of a lawsuit, your directors actions could be creating a liability for the association and other board members. Each titleholder and director can sue the errant director for a variety of actions, including breach of governing documents, failure to act in good faith and breach of fiduciary duty. Even worse, titleholders can file lawsuits against each individual director for failure to rein in this rogue director Generally, courts will refrain from reviewing or second-guessing a directors impartial decisions performed in good faith, even if those decisions ended up being wrong but not when the director acts negligently. And the description of your board directors actions appears to imply negligence. In California, there is a statutory business judgment rule in Corporations Code section 7231 that applies to nonprofit corporations. It provides that a director shall perform the duties of a director in good faith, in a manner that a director believes to be in the best interests of the corporation and with such care as an ordinarily prudent person in a like position would use under similar circumstances. The statute goes on to state that a person who performs the duties of a director in accordance with the law shall have no liability based upon any alleged failure to perform the duties of a director. However, the rule does not immunize a director from liability. The protection afforded by the rule is no more than a presumption that the director acted in accordance with the law. A plaintiff challenging the directors actions can present evidence that the actions were not impartial or made in good faith. The rule will not protect a director when the decision is unilateral or spurred by a personal interest. This year, the reckless and unilateral conduct you described was considered in Palm Springs Villas II Homeowners Assn vs. Erna Parth, in which the association sued the board president for breach of fiduciary duty. The trial court granted Parths motion for summary judgment, contending that the claim of breach of fiduciary duty was barred by the business judgment rule. The trial court said that directors are not liable for errors in judgment as long as the directors were: (1) disinterested and independent; (2) acting in good faith; and (3) reasonably diligent in informing themselves of the facts. However, the state Court of Appeals reversed the decision and sent the case back to the lower court for a trial. It held that this type of conduct created a question of fact concerning whether the presumption created by the business judgment rule could be rebutted at trial. In other words, the associations president could not avail herself of the protections afforded by the rule merely because she was a sitting board director making decisions. The appellate court decided that Parth failed to understand the scope of her authority and that the evidence suggested she made no effort to ascertain what authority she did possess. The justices continued by driving the point home that the business judgment rule would not extend to such willful ignorance. Your board director needs to be reminded that he is but one-fifth of the decision-making power on that board, and whether or not his actions would be immune from judicial review could be left up to a judge a risk your association owners might not be able to afford. Zachary Levine, a partner at Wolk & Levine, a business and intellectual property law firm, co-wrote this column. Vanitzian is an arbitrator and mediator. Send questions to Donie Vanitzian, JD, P.O. Box 10490, Marina del Rey, CA 90295 or noexit@mindspring.com ALSO How to avoid hiring a Madoff-like financial advisor Samsung warns customers to stop using Galaxy Note 7 immediately; more fires reported Teslas Autopilot shift to radar might have saved the life of driver in Model S crash, Elon Musk says There should be a special award for when one actor wins the Tony, but then another actor still finds a way to kill the role to act the heck out of it and to make it new. Id nominate Hugo Armstrong, who stars as Lyndon Baines Johnson in Robert Schenkkans Tony-winning All the Way at South Coast Repertory in Costa Mesa. Bryan Cranston played LBJ on Broadway, won the Tony and is nominated for an Emmy in the HBO movie adaptation. For rapturous critics and enthusiastic audiences, Cranston was LBJ. Not so fast, retorts Armstrong, walking around in his cowboy boots in director Marc Mastersons ambitious, if not entirely successful, All the Way revival. Advertisement SIGN UP for the free Essential Arts & Culture newsletter First, Armstrong looks a lot like Johnson. A slender man with human-sized features, hes been fitted with a prosthetic belly under his suit, along with a large prosthetic nose and even larger prosthetic ears. Im on the fence about the nose and ears. They seem a little condescending to the audience, as if without them, wed spend three hours whispering with bewilderment to one another, Whos he supposed to be? And yet that nose and those ears really do put the finishing touches on Armstrongs uncanny impersonation: Hes tall and gangly, larger than anybody else onstage. (The way he looms over the timid Hubert Humphrey, played by J.D. Cullum, is especially amusing.) Armstrongs LBJ stands and moves with the awkward, restless energy of an overgrown child still getting used to his size. Schenkkan was clearly determined to present all the shades and contradictions of a famously complex figure, and Armstrong inhabits them persuasively: Johnsons enthusiasm, bullying, bursts of wrath, off-color remarks, folksy Texan turns of speech and the conspiratorial twinkle in his eye. He owns the stage. The story begins in the hectic aftermath of John F. Kennedys assassination, shortly after Johnson has taken the oath of office. Nearing the end of a miserable vice-presidency, during which he was snubbed and sidelined by the upper-crusty Kennedy administration, he suddenly becomes the president. But the next presidential election is only 11 months away. Johnson has to take charge of the shocked and grieving country while campaigning to keep the job. In his first speech, Johnson promises to pass Kennedys Civil Rights Act, which has been languishing in Congress. Johnsons fellow Southern politicians, the Dixiecrats (amusingly lampooned by Bo Foxworth, Hal Landon Jr. and Larry John Meyers), who hang out together chomping on cigars and making racist remarks, cant fathom what hes up to. The liberals in the Cabinet consider Johnson well-intentioned but naive. Activists Martin Luther King Jr. (Larry Bates), Stokely Carmichael (Christian Henley) and Ralph Abernathy (Rosney Mauger) are impressed but distrustful. FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover (Robert Curtis Brown), evil incarnate, tries to undermine the whole thing by tape-recording Kings adulterous liaisons. The play moves quickly, in brief scenes of rapid-fire conversation that demonstrate Johnsons tactical skills as he flatters, bribes, confuses and browbeats competing factions in the distinctive persuasive assault that was known as the Johnson treatment. Armstrongs LBJ stands and moves with the awkward, restless energy of an overgrown child still getting used to his size. Most of the action takes place in the Oval Office, represented by a gigantic desk in the middle of Ralph Funicellos set, an amorphous space ringed with classical columns that hold up a balcony. When Johnson is making a call on the funny-looking green telephone carried around by his top aide, Walter (Darin Singleton), his interlocutor replies from between the columns or on the balcony. Sometimes, captions are projected on the set to identify the characters, but were mostly meant to sort out whos who through the dialogue, which is therefore loaded, often beyond capacity, with exposition. You talkin about Strom Thurmond? Johnson asks a friend who has just made a veiled allusion. I hear the good senator from South Carolinas been making noises about switchin parties and goin Republican. Such identifications are certainly useful when there are so many characters to identify. (All the actors besides Armstrong and Bates play multiple roles, impressively varying their suits, accents and the rates at which they chomp cigars.) But the dialogue can take on the stilted, didactic feel of a school play. We follow the Civil Rights Acts progress through Congress with scrupulous historical accuracy, as it gets bogged down in committees and weakened by compromise, but then oddly enough, the moment when it (apparently) passes is so confusing that I had to rely on my sketchy understanding of U.S. history to decide if it had happened or not. By the second act, the script has gotten overwhelmed by its commitment to reporting so many blips in Johnsons bid for election. He has to eliminate his Democratic competition, Gov. George Wallace (Jeff Marlow), as well as the Republican Barry Goldwater (who doesnt appear), and it should all be very exciting except that time slows down. The production that had us leaping from 11 Months to the Election to 7 Months to the Election, according to projected captions, starts trudging from 40 Days to the Election to 37 Days to the Election. And its nearing 11 p.m. in real life. On one of these final days, the president tells wife Lady Bird Johnson (Nike Doukas) that she will make history as the first first lady to campaign on her own! After she says she cant do speeches, the president simply replies, Well, its high time you learned, and, Go ahead, get packed! Problem solved. On another day, Johnson learns that his longtime aide, Walter, has been arrested in a mens room and accused of indecency. Johnson is stunned and heartbroken then cuts poor Walter loose. Whos going to hold the green phone now? We never find out. Its not that these events arent fascinating. Schenkkan just has included too many of them, and each gets little more than the most cursory treatment. Mastersons rigorous and thoughtful direction cant make up for the pacing problems. Choosing just one year of Johnsons presidency seems like an act of writerly restraint until you realize that each day contains enough suspense, emotion and character development for its own play. A narrower focus, even if that meant losing some details, could keep the audience engaged all the way to the end. ------------ All the Way Where: South Coast Repertory, Segerstrom Stage, 655 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa When: 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays and Wednesdays, 8 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays, 2:30 and 8 p.m. Saturdays, 2:30 and 7 p.m. Sundays (check for exceptions). Ends Oct. 2. Tickets: $30-$84 Info: (714) 708-5555 or www.scr.org Running time: 3 hours. Follow The Times arts team @culturemonster. ALSO The Troubies turn an ancient Roman comedy into a modern Haunted House Party Amelie, Big Daddy, Hedwig: Familiar names hit SoCal stages this fall Temptation of St. Antony mixes play, dance and avant-pop concert into a show that defies labels Hello! Im Mark Olsen, and welcome to your weekly field guide to a world of Only Good Movies. The fall movie season now feels in full swing. Im writing this weeks newsletter from Toronto, where Im covering the film festival with the rest of the Los Angeles Times team. To keep up with all our coverage, go to latimes.com/toronto. Weve got a few screenings booked for later in September, with Jocelyn Moorhouses The Dressmaker and the documentary Amanda Knox. Check events.latimes.com for more info about upcoming events. Advertisement Toronto International Film Festival The Toronto International Film Festival is one of the biggest events of the movie year, where Oscar hopefuls rub elbows with more commercial titles, independent movies and esoteric international films. The only drawback is that there is simply so much of it, so many films to see and possible interviews to do that you always have the feeling youre in the wrong place no matter where you are. Weve got a big team covering the festival this year, so hopefully we (and you) dont miss a thing. To get things starts Steve Zeitchik took a look at the influx of race-themed films in this years festival, including Moonlight, A United Kingdom, The Birth of a Nation, Loving and more, and what that means for the industry and audiences alike. Justin Chang gave his rundown of the top films to look out for, both at the festival itself and later on in the year. He also attended the world premiere of the festivals opening-night film, The Magnificent Seven. And I attended the Toronto premieres of both Ben Wheatleys Free Fire and Bertrand Bonellos Nocturama. I also spoke to Christopher Guest about his new comedy Mascots, which is premiering as part of the festival. Max Rose, featuring Jerry Lewis in his first starring role in over two decades, is a deeply moving drama about a retired jazz musician whose beloved wife has passed away. (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times ) Max Rose Written and directed by Daniel Noah, Max Rose features Jerry Lewis in his first leading role in more than 20 years. In the film he plays a retired jazz musician grieving over the death of his wife. I had the distinct pleasure of sitting down with Lewis for a revealing interview. His performance in Max Rose is an elegant grace note to the end of Lewis career. Just dont tell him that. I dont know that thats the case, Lewis said of how he would feel if Max Rose were his last leading role onscreen. I could start one tomorrow. And Ive got two in my typewriter now. Ive been writing for probably a year and a half on a screenplay that I love and that I will do. Im only 90, for Christs sake. What do you want? In his review for the L.A. Times, Gary Goldstein didnt quite see things the same way, finding the film to be such a maudlin, ham-fisted dud, it deserves little more than footnote status. In her review for the New York Times, Jeanette Catsoulis called the film a soggy, fragile feature about love, death, marriage and memories, while adding, moviegoers of a certain age will be unable to resist this unexpected glimpse of a true-blue legend. White Girl The feature debut for writer-director Elizabeth Wood, White Girl was one of the most talked-about and divisive titles at this years Sundance Film Festival. In the film Morgan Saylor plays a college student in New York City who gets in way over her head in the drug scene. Time and again her looks, naivete and simply being a young blond white woman alter the outcome of situations without her even realizing it, and the film becomes a startling look at race and class privilege. In his review for The Times, Justin Chang said White Girl isnt one of those upbeat ghetto fables where cleverness and ingenuity win the day and the plucky underdog beats the system at its own game ,,,, By the time the sensory rush dissipates and the hangover sets in, only Woods sharply observant social critique remains. For the Tribune News Service, Katie Walsh said, White Girl is specifically about race, and the way that it affects how these characters experience the world, their mobility on the street and in life. Bodies of color are judged, contained and restrained, while Leah enjoys the affordances granted her simply by the way that she looks, the way that people read her socially, her blond hair, nubile body and innocent, freckled visage. In the New York Times, Stephen Holden said, Were all familiar with the term contact high, but not with its antithesis. Because it is so believable, White Girl is a contact bummer thats hard to shake. I interviewed Wood recently when she was in Los Angeles for a screening of the film as part of Sundance Next Fest and will be publishing that soon. Email me if you have questions, comments or suggestions, and follow me on Twitter @IndieFocus. Two days into the official The Birth of a Nation Oscar tour, the elephant in the room was finally acknowledged, though it remained for the most part undisturbed. After a pair of Toronto International Film Festival screenings Friday that saw no mention of Nate Parkers past sexual assault trial and a press conference Sunday morning largely devoted to the themes of the film, Parker was finally asked about the subject. The first question involved his response to those filmgoers who said they wouldnt see Parkers Nat Turner slave-revolt film because of the resurfaced allegations stemming from the 1999 incident at Penn State. He replied by turning attention to his fellow actors, nearly 10 of whom sat on the podium with him. Advertisement I would say: You know Ive addressed it; Im sure in future forums I will address it more. Theres no one person who makes a film. he said to reporters, continuing a weekend posture in which the filmmaker has sought to turn attention to some degree away from himself. There are so many people away from their families, they spent time in post until this very momentEveryone who sweat and bled for their work should be rewarded. See the most-read stories in Entertainment this hour He continued, I would encourage everyone to remember, personal life aside, Im just one person. There was never one person [on the film]. We did our best to create atmosphere where everybody felt included. He wound down with, Nat Turner has healing qualities and progresses us all forward. The legacy of Nat Turner is important to us he healed all of us. Two more questions would follow for Parker, about separating art from artist and whether he feels there are Hollywood double standards in judging people for past sins. He declined to offer much elaboration on either. This is a forum for the film, for the other people sitting on this stage. Its not mine, Parker said to the first question. I dont want to hijack this for my personal life. I just want to honor this film and move it forward. He then thanked TIFF for including the film in its slate. The second inquiry yielded a similarly careful response. I dont pretend to be an expert on reactions of anyone. Im a filmmaker. I feel like this is my calling, Parker said to the question about double standards. Im going to stay in that lane. When were talking about injustice we all have jobs to do, referring to the journalists in the room as well as the filmmakers on stage, adding that he thought both jobs would progress us forward as a nation, progress us forward as a planet and put forth an effort that can raise all ships. The subject stayed largely out of sight for much of the hour, as cast members that included Colman Domingo, Gabrielle Union, Aunjanue Ellis and Jackie Earle Haley spoke movingly about the challenges of injustice and the struggle against racial inequality, prompted by questions about the film from moderator Cori Murray, from Essence magazine. As important as the issues were, though, another pressing matter was on the minds of (and the reason for) so many people in the room. The contrast between the passion on stage and the impatience of the reporters was palpable, providing one more bizarre turn in an Oscar campaign that has already been filled with them. On Friday night, two high-profile Toronto screenings had the celebratory and self-confirming air of many well-received Oscar contenders; despite a month of intense online conversation about the Parker allegations, the rooms greeted the films as if nothing had happened. See more coverage from the Toronto Film Festival The press conference was a similar attempt to forge ahead with the awards roll-out. But the rudiments of Oscar campaigning took on a strange and at times awkward feel when contrasted with the grave issue that hung above the film. Some reporters in the room were stirring at the line of reasoning in Parkers first response, which made the argument that, even if people couldnt forgive him, they shouldnt punish all the others who worked on the movie. The Parker allegations did come up once more during the course of the Sunday proceedings. Union had penned a potently worded op-ed in The Times earlier this month in which, while frankly describing her rape as a teenager, she also questioned Parkers actions in 1999. She was asked at the press conference about the Hollywood reaction to the piece. I heard from people I didnt know existed, she said. At a party in Toronto on Saturday night, she said that people were hugging me, high-fiving me. Universal chief Donna Langley had embraced her, she said, among many others. That reaction, she noted, was emblematic of 90% of people in Hollywood. Five percent thinks I threw Nate under the bus. The other 5% thinks Im a rape apologist. And those 5 percents should talk to each other. MORE: Nate Parkers The Birth of a Nation Oscar tour gets off to a surrealistically uneventful start in Toronto Young and dislocated, Devon Terrell on playing a young and dislocated Barack Obama On Twitter: @ZeitchikLAT Chiron, the lonely young black man we see growing up before our eyes in Moonlight, doesnt say much. Yet everything about him his sad, downcast eyes, his drooping posture, his visible discomfort in the presence of others seems to summon forth and express an entire world of feeling. This extraordinarily intimate movie, beautifully directed by Barry Jenkins (making his first feature since 2008s Medicine for Melancholy), works in much the same way. It observes Chirons silence, respects it and to some degree absorbs it. In Jenkins hands, the cold, mechanical apparatus of the camera becomes nothing less than a conduit for human empathy. Loosely adapted from Tarell McCraneys play Moonlight Black Boys Look Blue, Jenkins film is a character study in three acts that immerses us in Chirons tough upbringing on the sunny, crooked streets of Miami. Over the course of more than a decade, this quiet kid will be neglected, abused, chased, bullied and at one point incarcerated, but also blessed by gestures of kindness and generosity from unexpected sources. He will experience a powerful, forbidden moment of sexual awakening that will be suddenly, cruelly turned on its head and then revisited, years later, with infinite patience and tenderness. Chiron is played by a different actor in each of the films three acts (they are Alex R. Hibbert, Ashton Sanders and Trevante Rhodes), which makes the continuity of feeling all the more remarkable. The actors dont bear an especially close physical resemblance to one another partly due to a decisive physical transformation that the character experiences at one key juncture but theyre all of a soulful, taciturn piece nonetheless. Thats very much to Jenkins point. Hes made a film that urges the viewer to look past Chirons outward appearance and his superficial signifiers of identity, climbing inside familiar stereotypes in order to quietly dismantle them from within. Advertisement FULL COVERAGE: Toronto Film Festival Already warmly received at Telluride, Moonlight sent a palpable surge of emotion through the packed theater where it had its first Toronto International Film Festival screening Saturday night. (Its playing in the festivals Platform competition.) I expect that it will have a similar effect wherever it plays, and while I have yet to consult the latest dispatches, its clear that the busy, creaky machinery of Oscar season driven by journalists and frequently set in motion at festivals like Toronto and Telluride has already begun to grind in the movies favor. Over the next several months, the plaudits and trophies that are likely headed in the direction of Jenkins and his exceptional cast and crew will be attributed, in ways both complimentary and condescending, to the fact that Moonlight fills an obvious demographic void. Films about African American LGBT youth have never been the industrys stock in trade, and at a time of intense outcry against the systemic devaluation of black lives as well as the underrepresentation of minority artists, Jenkins film functions as a rare and important corrective. But to praise the film purely for its politically righteous subject matter or worse, to suggest that its playing the diversity card, as some vapidly contrarian think-piece is sure to argue down the line is to risk understating the aesthetic choices that make it not a sociopolitical tract, but a singular piece of cinema. Jenkins and his cinematographer, James Laxton, work in a key of lyrically heightened realism that feels no less deeply American for being so richly informed by various European and Asian art-film influences. (A long, gorgeous sequence set in a diner reminded me of nothing so much as Wong Kar-wais Happy Together, and Jenkins himself noted during a Q&A that the films triptych structure was partly inspired by Hou Hsiao-hsiens Three Times.) The film isnt diminished by these associations; its completed, fulfilled. Moonlight is thoughtful and harrowing, sensual and earthy, achingly romantic and uncommonly wise. It doesnt say much; it says everything. Jenkins isnt the only filmmaker in Toronto who understands the basic cinematic power of everyday human lives seen in warm, sympathetic closeup. Kelly Reichardts Certain Women, which screened here after its premiere earlier this year at Sundance, is a gorgeous triptych of stories (adapted from the work of Maile Meloy) concerning four remarkably unremarkable Montana women: a harried lawyer (Laura Dern), a brittle wife and mother (Michelle Williams), a mild-mannered teacher (Kristen Stewart) and her equally quiet student (superb newcomer Lily Gladstone). On paper, the movie sounds like an unusually complicated bit of storytelling business from a director well known in cinephile circles for her less-is-more approach (Old Joy, Wendy and Lucy). But unlike many writers and directors working with overlapping narratives, Reichardt doesnt treat her characters as pawns in a grandiose narrative scheme designed to illustrate how fatefully interconnected (or sadly isolated) we are. Absent the genre trappings of her two excellent previous films, Night Moves and Meeks Cutoff, Certain Women finds a piercing clarity in its characters anxious silences and their tentative, utterly believable attempts to forge connections. It could be Reichardts loveliest, most effortlessly absorbing movie to date. After the Storm, the latest family drama from the Japanese filmmaker Hirokazu Kore-eda, is cut from entirely different dramatic and stylistic cloth, and yet its warm observational style is no less perceptive. Set during an unusually active typhoon season, the film centers around Ryota (Hiroshi Abe), a divorced dad and onetime novelist whos now eking out a living as a private investigator a premise that initially sends out some intriguing noirish vibes. But Ryotas detective work ultimately draws him back toward the family hes long neglected, as he tries to bond with his young son (Taiyo Yoshizawa) and halfheartedly rekindle affections with his ex-wife (Yoko Maki). Nudging everyone gently from the sidelines is Ryotas mother (Kirin Kiki, who previously starred with Abe in Kore-edas Still Walking). After this film and his underrated I Wish (2011), its hard to think of another filmmaker who maps the emotional landscape of divorce-torn families as precisely as Kore-eda, who always steers his characters toward reconciliation and understanding without saccharine. Predicated on the revelatory power of shared meals and small talk, After the Storm builds to a scene of three people running around in a heavy downpour a wistful, funny and indelible vision of a family coming together to chase an impossibly happy dream. Jennifer Connelly, Dakota Fanning and Ewan McGregor star in American Pastoral. It may be cruelly unfair to compare a master of immersive realism like Kore-eda with a first-time filmmaker, but as portraits of shattered families go, American Pastoral, Ewan McGregors well-meaning, under-textured directing debut, never finds its way. Philip Roths Pulitzer Prize-winning 1997 novel was, of course, about far more than just one family; it was, like so much of the authors fiction, a seething collision of ideas, an expansive howl of despair at the erosion of traditional values and social unity in the wake of the traumas of the 1960s. The films strongest expression of that despair is Dakota Fannings fine, chilling performance as a dangerously radicalized teenager, in a subplot that takes on a shade more resonance in the age of ISIS and a new generation of parent-child alienation. The rest of the film is more hit-and-miss, and mostly miss hampered by a lumpy, undigested narrative, an overly faithful framing device and a hard-working but miscast McGregor in the central role of Swede Levov, the Newark, N.J., man who watches with mounting desperation and horror as his family slips away. Earlier this year, James Schamus well-received Indignation incidentally, another first feature directed by an industry veteran offered hopeful evidence that adapting Roth to the screen might not be the fools errand that past films (The Human Stain, Portnoys Complaint) have been. American Pastoral, well-meaning and under-realized, suggests that Schamus film may well have been the exception that proves the rule. justin.chang@latimes.com Raymond Lee Jennings wrote a desperate letter from prison. It was the spring of 2010 a few months into his 40-years-to-life murder sentence and he was writing to tell a judge the same thing hed been saying for years: I am innocent. Jennings begged the civil court judge to drop the proceedings in a wrongful death lawsuit filed against him by the family of the teenager he was convicted of killing. In a six-page letter filed with the court, he lambasted homicide detectives who helped put him behind bars, but reserved some of the strongest language for an unlikely character: a local attorney. This entire case, Jennings wrote, is built upon the false accusations proclaimed by civil attorney and mayor of Lancaster California, R. Rex Parris Parris has abused his power. Advertisement Jennings spent 11 years behind bars for the slaying of 18-year-old Michelle OKeefe, who was shot and killed in a Palmdale parking lot in February 2000. But he was set free recently at the request of prosecutors, who said they had discovered evidence that not only cast doubt on his guilt but showed that someone else could be responsible. Jennings release has renewed focus on the role Parris, well-known attorney and powerful political figure in the Antelope Valley, played in the original case. Jennings and his lawyers have long questioned Parris influence on the prosecution, saying he propelled a rush to judgment that ultimately led to his being charged and then convicted. But prosecutors have said they were influenced only by the evidence in the case, not by the lawyer. Parris, who has served as mayor of Lancaster since 2008, said he believes his role in the prosecution was negligible. A Times review of Los Angeles County court and Sheriffs Department records shows that the attorney got involved early on, as the homicide investigation stalled and the family grew desperate for answers. Months after the killing, Parris filed the civil suit on behalf of OKeefes family against Jennings, the security guard on duty in the parking lot the night of the slaying. Testy sworn interviews Parris conducted with Jennings were used in the murder trial Los Angeles prosecutors ultimately brought against him. Well before the murder charge was filed, Parris spoke to then-Dist. Atty. Steve Cooley about the case, and Cooley directed the head of his major crimes division to talk to Parris, according to the sheriffs records. But major crimes prosecutors never pursued a criminal charge. The case was eventually reassigned to the district attorneys Antelope Valley office, where the head prosecutor at the time filed a murder charge against Jennings in 2005. Parris firm had previously defended that prosecutor in a drunk driving case. The prosecutor said he never spoke to Parris about the case. Legal experts said Parris level of involvement was unusual for a civil attorney in a homicide case but that advocating for a prosecution is not improper. Parris said his singular goal was to get justice for Michelle OKeefe, adding that once he had what he believed to be mounting evidence of Jennings guilt, he considered it his duty to take action. If I couldve got a meeting with President Bush to get this guy prosecuted, I wouldve, he said in a recent interview with The Times. Parris said he believed his lobbying efforts and connections had little, if any, effect and that he was surprised when prosecutors did finally charge Jennings. If Mr. Jennings is innocent, Im sorry, Parris said. But I havent seen that he is yet. Attorney R. Rex Parris, now the mayor of Lancaster, represented the family of Michelle OKeefe in a civil lawsuit against the security guard who was later convicted of murder. (Lawrence K. Ho/Los Angeles Times ) Parris face, framed by a thick white beard, stares out from bus advertisements and billboards across the Antelope Valley. The legal heavyweight specializes in class-action, personal injury and malpractice cases. When the OKeefe family went to Parris asking for help with a lawsuit, Parris said he initially considered it a straightforward negligence case against the city of Palmdale focused on the lack of security cameras in the parking lot. But Parris said he slowly grew suspicious of Jennings he recalled thinking the security guard had too much information for someone who wasnt the killer and the attorney was eager to crack the case. He said he put $90,000 toward investigative costs, as well as offering a $50,000 reward for the gun used in the shooting. It was never found. Court records show that after a request from Parris, the Sheriffs Department gave him, as well as the other attorneys in the civil case, access to some evidence, including video interviews of Jennings, even though the homicide investigation was ongoing. Later, the department refused to provide Parris with additional documents. Sheriffs detectives had quickly zeroed in on Jennings, noting inconsistencies in the accounts he gave them in several interviews about the night of the shooting. Initially, he said no one else had been in the parking lot. Later, after prompting, he recalled another car leaving soon after the shooting. The time that he said he heard the first shot also shifted by several minutes each time he spoke to investigators. And he knew details about the killing that detectives had never shared publicly, including that only one gun was used. Parris investigators scoured Jennings history and the attorney sent him a request demanding he turn over any reports written about the night of OKeefes death, the murder weapon and other items. In response, Jennings invoked his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination, which stoked Parris suspicion. The attorney asked Jennings to come to his office for an interview. During the contentious August 2002 deposition the first of two Parris asked bluntly, Did you murder Michelle OKeefe? No, Jennings responded, I did not. The security guard repeatedly claimed his innocence and often struck a defiant tone. He spoke at one point of an attorney who he believed was trying to pin this murder on me. Parris asked Jennings who he was talking about. That would be you, Mr. Parris, he responded. After the depositions, Parris said he remembers feeling confident Jennings was guilty. Although Jennings told investigators that hed seen OKeefes hand twitch something some experts said showed hed been nearby right after the killing during the deposition he said he wasnt sure if hed seen a twitch. Parris said he believed the shifting story line was telling. Parris said the way Jennings interacted with OKeefes parents, who attended the depositions, also convinced him of the security guards guilt. During a court hearing, Parris said he planned to solve the killing during the civil trial. Yes, we do believe theres a substantial probability that Mr. Jennings murdered Miss OKeefe, Parris said at the hearing. He sexually assaulted her and then he murdered her. In late 2002, Parris told one of the homicide detectives on the OKeefe case that he had spoken to Cooley, who was then the district attorney, about the killing, according to sheriffs records. In a recent interview, Parris said he didnt recall talking to Cooley about the case, adding, But thats not to say it couldnt have happened. Parris and his wife have donated thousands of dollars to Cooleys political campaigns in recent years. Asked about the conversation recently, Cooley said, I may well have spoken to Rex. I have no recollection of that, adding that he considers Parris a longtime friend. Cooley said, however, that he had a hands-off role in the case and did nothing to move it along within the office. There is no real smoking gun here in terms of Rex talking to me, he said. A lot of people talk to me. In August 2003, the head of the district attorneys major crimes division told a sheriffs homicide detective that Cooley had ordered him to talk to Parris about the OKeefe killing, according to the sheriffs records. The records do not detail the nature of the conversation. After the case was moved to the Antelope Valley office, Robert Foltz, the offices supervisor, decided in February 2005 against filing charges, citing a lack of evidence. In December of that year, Foltz changed course, filing a murder charge against Jennings. The prosecutions theory was similar to the one Parris had publicly argued that Jennings killed OKeefe when she rebuffed his sexual advance in the parking lot. Court records show that Parris firm represented Foltz on a 2000 drunk driving charge and that Parris appeared in court for one hearing. But Foltz said it was Parris brother and another attorney in the office who did the rest of the legal work, saying Parris was much too important to handle the case personally. Foltz, who has retired from the district attorneys office, said the DUI case had no impact on his decision to prosecute Jennings. He told The Times that Jennings depositions in the civil case were a key reason he decided there was enough to bring a murder charge but he never spoke to Parris about the case. I wouldnt have contact with him because I thought it was inappropriate, he said. Jennings appellate attorney, Jeffrey Ehrlich, said he was shocked when he learned about Parris connection to Foltz. It looks terrible, it smells terrible, he said. A decision whether to file a murder case should be based on the state of the evidence, not on any prior relationship, not on a political connection or on a civil lawsuit. Asked if he believed his firms representation had any impact on Foltzs decision, Parris said, I do not. Unequivocally, do not. The district attorneys office declined to comment on Foltz. But the office said the prosecutor who took the case to trial, Michael Blake, created a professional distance with the Parris firm because Parris could have been called to testify about Jennings repeated inconsistent statements and odd demeanor during the depositions in the lawsuit. In the end, Parris did not testify. Legal experts said they saw nothing wrong with a civil attorney lobbying for criminal charges as long as prosecutors based their decision on evidence. People of influence talk to the DA all the time, and thats not per se a problem, said Loyola Law School professor Gary Williams. In the lawsuit brought by Parris, the city of Palmdale reached a $400,000 settlement with the OKeefe family and the complaint against Jennings was eventually dismissed. Jennings was in custody at that point, Parris said, and all that could be accomplished had been. Despite Jennings recent release from custody, which marked the first big move by a new district attorneys unit dedicated to overturning wrongful convictions, Parris said he still believes Jennings is probably guilty. I think, if hes innocent, he just lied his way into a jail cell for reasons that are really quite inexplicable, Parris said, adding that 32 of the 36 jurors who heard Jennings case during three trials believed him guilty and that a panel of appellate justices upheld the conviction in 2011. Jennings appellate attorney said his client may have said things that were inconsistent, but he didnt tell lies. Those were normal frailties of a human being, Ehrlich said. They convicted a witness to the murder instead of a murderer, and he lost 11 years of his life. No physical evidence ever linked Jennings to the crime. Although the murder case hasnt been dismissed, a judge ordered Jennings release from state prison in late June, after receiving a request from prosecutors who said credible new evidence casts doubt on Jennings guilt. The district attorneys office hasnt publicly named another suspect or detailed the evidence, but Ehrlich said there is proof showing that prosecutors and investigators knew there were other people at the crime scene the night of the killing, but focused solely on Jennings. At the June court hearing, the judge ordered Jennings to avoid contact with a few people. Among them was Parris. richard.winton@latimes.com marisa.gerber@latimes.com For more criminal justice news from Los Angeles, follow us on Twitter: @lacrimes and @marisagerber. ALSO New clues emerge in a cold-case killing possibly linked to Manson family murders After a summer of deaths and arrests at rave concerts, solutions are hard to find After mass shooting, San Bernardino endures a surge in deadly violence: 150 shootings, 47 slayings Southern California will mark the 15th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks with a variety of events, including the unveiling of a new memorial in Huntington Beach. Here are details for some events: Huntington Beach The city will premiere its Sept. 11 memorial during a ceremony from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday outside City Hall, 2000 Main St. Advertisement The $200,000 monument, whose centerpiece is two 9 1/2-foot-tall granite pillars paying tribute to the fallen World Trade Center towers in New York, features two pieces of steel from the towers. It sits atop a pentagon with the words We Will Never Forget and is accompanied by plaques listing donors and describing what happened that day. For more information, visit huntingtonbeachca.gov. Also in Huntington Beach, American Legion Post 133 will hold its Patriot Day memorial event at 6 p.m. at Pier Plaza, 325 Pacific Coast Hwy. The Huntington Beach police and fire departments will participate in the event, which will include a rifle salute, a flyover and guest speakers. For more information, call (714) 536-3855. Beverly Hills A ceremony at the fire department will include songs and a color guard presentation, starting at 5 p.m., at 445 N. Rexford Drive. Sherman Oaks A service is scheduled for the 9/11 Memorial Fountain in front of the Los Angeles Fire Department station at 6:30 p.m., at 885101 N. Sepulveda Blvd. Newport Beach A Tunnels to Towers 5K run/walk starts at 8 a.m. at Newport Dunes Waterfront Resort & Marina, 941 N. Bayside Drive. The event will benefit the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation, named after a New York firefighter who died while trying to rescue people from the Twin Towers. Funds raised will support first responders and wounded combat veterans. Costa Mesa Costa Mesa residents are invited to visit any of the citys fire stations between 8:45 and 9 a.m. Sunday to listen to a public safety radio broadcast to honor those who died in the attacks. Interested in the stories shaping California? Sign up for the free Essential California newsletter The Costa Mesa Fire & Rescue Department will join law enforcement and emergency response personnel from around Orange County to pay tribute to those who made the ultimate sacrifice and to those who put themselves in harms way so that others may live, according to a statement from the city. Costa Mesas fire stations are at 2803 Royal Palm Drive, 800 Baker St., 1865 Park Ave., 2300 Placentia Ave., 2450 Vanguard Way and 3350 Sakioka Drive. Crystal Cove State Park The 19th annual Kiwanis Pacific Coast Triathlon and Duathlon on Sunday at Crystal Cove State Park honors those who lost their lives on 9/11. Organizers Scott and Kari Davis will present two commemorative medals to the city of Newport Beach during the event to honor the work of local firefighters and the citys longstanding support of the race. The medals were a gift in 2011 from Washington, D.C., firefighters to the original race directors, Bill Leach and Bob Cuyler. The event, which kicked off at 7 a.m., consists of a triathlon a 750-meter swim, 20K bike ride and 5K run and a duathlon a 1.5K run, 20K bike ride and 5K run. Laguna Beach The public is invited to join members of Laguna Beachs police, fire and marine safety departments on Sunday at Heisler Park for a memorial service. The service, organized by the Orange County Fire Chiefs Assn., will begin at 8:46 a.m. the time when the first hijacked plane plowed into the World Trade Center at Lagunas Sept. 11 memorial sculpture, Semper Memento by artist Jorg Dubin, according to a news release. Laguna will join other public safety agencies in Orange County for a moment of silence and reflection. ALSO 15 years after 9/11, a visitor reminds us how travel has the power to transform Hillary Clinton leaves 9/11 event in New York after feeling unwell With prayers, tears and the ringing of bells, the nation pauses to remember Sept. 11 Los Angeles police fanned out across part of Eagle Rock early Sunday in search of a suspect whose gunfire struck a police SUV. The shooting prompted the closure of both sides the 134 Freeway for several hours as authorities conducted their investigation. About 8 a.m., westbound lanes had been reopened. Eastbound lanes were reopened about 10:45 a.m., a spokeswoman for the California Highway Patrol said. The incident unfolded about 3:15 a.m., when police received reports of shots fired in the Eagle Vista area, LAPD Lt. Chris Ramirez said. Two officers from LAPDs Northeast Division went to investigate in a marked, black-and-white SUV. Advertisement Sometime later, they heard gunshots and felt a thud on the vehicle, Ramirez said. The officers got out of their car, saw a bullet hole in the back door of their police cruiser, and called for more officers, he said. The eastbound 134 Freeway is closed as the LAPD conducts an investigation into the shooting of an LAPD vehicle on the freeway early Sunday morning. (Michael Owen Baker / For The Times ) Officer Norma Eisenman said the officers were near the corner of Figueroa Street and Eagle Vista Drive when the round struck their SUV. Neither of the officers were injured or returned fire, Eisenman said. Police set up a perimeter around the area to try to locate the shooter, calling in officers from SWAT and the elite Metropolitan Division to help with the search. A helicopter also circled overhead. Police say a shooting occurred. near the corner of Figueroa Street and Eagle Vista Drive. (Dan Watson / Los Angeles Times ) LAPD officials had no description of their suspect or information about where the gunfire came from. It was also unclear whether the shooter targeted police or whether the SUV had been hit by stray gunfire it was really hard to say so early in the investigation, Ramirez said. Earlier, Eisenman called the shooting brazen. Anytime a police vehicle gets shot at, its alarming, she said. About 10 a.m., the helicopter flew away as rifle-toting officers returned to the LAPDs Northeast Division, signs that the search was coming to an end. Ramirez said the police would scour the scene for potential evidence, using metal detectors to scan the ground for casings and looking for cameras that might have captured the gunfire. He asked anyone who might have seen or heard the shots to call police. MORE LOCAL NEWS 3-vehicle crash leaves 1 dead, closes eastbound 105 Freeway in South L.A. 12-year-old girl shot and wounded in South L.A., police say Father of 8-year-old killed in Culver City crash as teen driver flees cops, police say UPDATES: 11:09 a.m.: This story was updated with additional details about the shooting. 10:50 a.m.: This story was updated to reflect the the 134 Freeway was reopened. 10 a.m.: This story has been updated with additional reaction and details about the shooting. 9 a.m.: This post has been updated with reaction from police and new details. 6:50 a.m.: This story has been updated with additional details. This article was first posted at 6:40 a.m. At a Hollywood memorial to fallen firefighters, Los Angeles firefighters and recruits gathered early Sunday to remember the victims of the terrorist attacks that devastated the country a decade and a half ago, including hundreds of firefighters and other emergency personnel who rushed in as others fled. As scores of people clad in dark blue stood in silence at the Fallen Firefighters Memorial, bells were rung at the approximate times that the first and second towers of the World Trade Center collapsed. A flag was lowered to half-staff. Retired Asst. Chief Frank Borden, director of operations at the Los Angeles Fire Department Historical Society, recounted the indelible scenes of New York firefighters climbing stairways toward the flames. Advertisement You know, our firefighters, police officers, medics all over the country are doing things like that not on that scale every day, Borden said. Retired Asst. Chief Frank Borden speaks during the ceremony at the LAFD Historical Society Museum and Fallen Firefighters Memorial at Fire Station 27. (Michael Owen Baker / For The Times ) Several people spoke about seeing the destruction and recovery firsthand: Retired fire inspector Don Forrest, who was flown to New York to assist rescuers in the aftermath of the attacks, remembered Ground Zero as an overwhelming pile of smoking ash and rubble akin to a volcanic eruption. He quickly learned not to tell the New York firefighters that he was sorry for their loss, Forrest said, because they still held out hope that their friends and co-workers were merely missing. From time to time, the haunting sound of air horns and a siren would rise and the flurry of activity came to a halt, Forrest recalled. A body would be carried out, draped in a flag. It was something to behold, to watch that many people stop and honor one of the fallen comrades, Forrest said, his voice wavering as he addressed the Sunday morning crowd. It is burned in my memory, Forrest concluded. LAFD personnelsalute during a ringing of the bell at a 9/11 ceremony at the LAFD Historical Society Museum and Fallen Firefighters Memorial at Fire Station 27. (Michael Owen Baker / For The Times ) Forrest was among more than 100 people from the Los Angeles Fire Department who went to New York to assist after the attacks, including some who paid their own way, Borden said. Another was Asst. Chief Wade White, who remembered his shock that offices full of desks and computers had been almost completely pulverized. Why do we go up into something like that when we know it could possibly collapse? White said, ruminating on why some people are drawn to become firefighters. We all took an oath Ill risk my life to save yours, he said. The ceremony ended with remarks and a prayer by Fire Department Chaplain George Negrete, who described the kindness of a letter from a 12-year-old boy at a New York middle school. Negrete said had been handed that letter while assisting firefighters at Ground Zero, and its words of support had stayed with him for years. Those that dont wear a badge that are here today you matter. You matter a lot to us, Negrete said. You give us a way to express our calling to rescue. We do it for you and we couldnt do it without you. emily.alpert@latimes.com Twitter: @LATimesEmily One of the perks I miss about my old newspaper job, which I left two years ago, was sitting next to the food critic, Heather, who often invited me to test drive new restaurants. When you cook like I do, that is not an offer you pass up. So when Heather recently told me to check out a new restaurant for its authentic cuisine and decor Celebrity Chef Art Smiths Homecoming: Florida Kitchen & Southern Shine, in Lake Buena Vistas Disney Springs I was on it faster than you could say hushpuppies. Being a fan of architecture that reflects place, and also a fan of good food, I set out last week to talk to Smith, a two-time winner of the James Beard Foundation award and Oprahs personal chef for 10 years, and visit the restaurant myself. In the process, I learned something new about taste. To home designers, taste means one thing. To chefs, the word means something else. But when I talked to Smith, the two meanings of taste collided. Or rather, they fused like butter and flour in a good bechamel sauce. I see Florida, but I dont taste it, the chef told me was his reaction to an early set of plans for the new restaurant. Not sandy beaches and flamingos Florida, but the Florida that has meandering rivers and lakes, shacks on waterways, Spanish moss dripping from trees, barnlike buildings, fish camps, and deep porches. I could picture that, all right, but wasnt sure what that tasted like. A sixth-generation Floridian, Smith, 56, would know. And, because you really dont know a place until you leave it, Smith did his homework. After leaving his small, hometown of Jaspar, Fla., Smith opened a series of restaurants: The Blue Door, in Chicago; Art and Soul, in Washington DC; Southern Art, in Atlanta; LYFE Kitchen, in Palo Alto, Calif., and 1500 South, in Naples, Fla. Though each is distinctly different, a strong sense of place is their key ingredient. When designing spaces for food, you have to be concerned about everything from the flavors to the flatware, he said. All of that needs to stem from place. The surroundings are as important as the food, and they need to cohere. Of all Smiths restaurants, his aptly named Homecoming is perhaps the best example of that. Smith went back to his roots, and last year moved into an 1860 Northern Florida farmhouse. He now splits his time between there and another home in Chicago. I went for a taste-test after we hung up. Homecoming, a fish-camp like shack, wrapped in a deep covered porch overlooking a waterway, houses large lazy ceiling fans, and tabletops made of wood sliced from local bald cypress and camphor trees. The open kitchen dishes up boat-sized portions of fried catfish, fried chicken, deviled eggs, fried green tomatoes and a many-layered hummingbird cake. Just as I have never seen a line between home design and home life, I now see what Smith means about the merging of food and surroundings. Think of eating cookies right out of the oven, dining on fresh oysters by the sea, sipping a dry martini while overlooking downtown Chicago from a high rise. Place infuses taste. Of course, I was dying to know what Smiths home kitchen was like. So I asked a few more questions, and tried to glean some ways we might bring more taste into our home kitchens: Marni: Whats your kitchen like at home? Chef Smith: All gas, with a big center table for an island; old Chinese altars hold the counter up. I have heated wood floors, because I like to be barefoot in the kitchen, a collection of Le Creuset, and two giant refrigerators, because we do a lot of entertaining. (Besides Oprah, Smith has cooked for guests as diverse as the Obamas, the Royal Family, the Dalai Lama, Maya Angelou, and Lady Gaga.) Q: Some say that when youre entertaining, guests should not be able to see into the kitchen. Do you agree? A: The kitchen is the most important part of a home. We should see into it. Kitchen and dining spaces should flow together. My kitchens are open places where people gather. I dont want mystery food from a mystery kitchen. In restaurants where I have control, the kitchen is open to the dining room. In hotel restaurants, you dont see into the kitchen. That is more formal, but that is not who I am. Q: What should every kitchen have? A connection to place. Home kitchens should use materials that reflect the immediate surroundings, like native trees. I like to connect to the garden, and use locally grown, if not homegrown vegetables. We use pottery and handmade woven placemats made by local artisans. A great table. Im not big on tablecloths, but I do like a big, beautiful wooden table. A place to cook out. I like outdoor kitchens, especially for cooking smellier foods. Natural light. I like big giant windows to let in lots of natural light. I dont like curtains. Life. A house without animals and children is a sad house. (Smith and his husband have four adopted children ages 7, 8, 10 and 13, five cats, and three dogs.) Dont make it so precious. So what if it gets messed up? Self-service. Because we wanted to teach our kids at very young age to feed themselves, we installed a deli area in the kitchen easy for small hands. It has everything they need to build a sandwich or taco. (If you cant install a deli, devote one lower drawer in your refrigerator for healthy items kids can grab.) Comfort. No matter how pretty things are, if the space isnt inviting and comfortable, then its all just display. A great kitchen makes you want to stay where you are. Thats where everyone ends up anyway. Thousands of opponents of same-sex marriage, including Tijuanas new Roman Catholic archbishop, gathered for a rally in the city Saturday to protest Mexican President Enrique Pena Nietos proposed constitutional reform favoring the right of couples to marry regardless of gender identity or sexual orientation. The morning march to City Hall was one of dozens of such protests across Mexico that took place Saturday, drawing a combined hundreds of thousands of citizens. The demonstrations come on the heels of a series of legal victories scored by proponents of same-sex marriage in states across Mexico. Same-sex marriage is legal in Mexico City and nine of the countrys 31 states. The Mexican Supreme Court last year ruled that state bans on same-sex marriage are unconstitutional, but that decision doesnt automatically invalidate each states prohibition. Amid pending legal challenges to the remaining 22 bans, same-sex couples can marry by getting a personalized injunction from a federal judge. Advertisement In Tijuana, participants in Saturdays peaceful protest chanted Viva la familia natural long live the natural family as they walked in an unbroken stream that stretched for several blocks along Paseo de los Heroes through the citys Rio Zone. They were of all ages and came from all corners of the city, many of them members of Catholic parishes or evangelical Christian congregations. Marriage is between a man and woman for the purpose of procreation, said Ariadna Leon, 39, a Catholic and mother of two from Ampliacion Guaycura in eastern Tijuana. We are asking for the respect of the nucleus of society, which is the family. The rally was organized by the National Front for the Family coalition. Ricardo Cano Castro, a spokesman in Baja California for the coalition, said it has been supported by about 1,000 groups, including schools, orphanages and antiabortion organizations. The Roman Catholic Church has openly backed the cause and encouraged its faithful to join the protests Saturday, but its leaders have insisted that the church is not an organizer. The issue is a sensitive one, as advocates for same-sex marriage have accused the church hierarchy of violating Mexican laws that stipulate a separation of church and state. Its very clear how these civil society organizations are being used to promote the positions of churches, said Alex Ali Mendez, an attorney who has led the legal fight across Mexico on behalf of same-sex couples petitioning to marry. While freedom of expression exists in Mexico, the standards for that freedom of expression are different when exercised by religious groups and those involved in public worship, Mendez said. Andres Cruz, president of Comunidad Cultural de Tijuana LGBTI, a group that supports same-sex marriage, said the protesters are creating hate, and this leads to physical aggression against people in the gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and intersex communities. Quietly taking part in Saturdays demonstration was Tijuanas Roman Catholic archbishop, Francisco Moreno Barron, together with his predecessor, Rafael Romo Munoz, at his side. The Tijuana Archdiocese was named in a complaint submitted last week at Tijuana City Hall by Mendezs organization, Mexico Igualitario, and Comunidad Cultural de Tijuana LGBTI. The complaint to Mexicos Interior Ministry accused the archbishop of violating Mexicos Constitution when he publicly encouraged participation in the protests. We have the right to defend our values, Moreno said in a recent homily, as he spoke of his intention to join the march in Tijuana. Dibble writes for the San Diego Union-Tribune. To read the article in Spanish, click here. ALSO Alexis Arquette, transgender activist and actress, dies at 47 After a man convicted of murdering a woman goes free, questions linger over why he was charged in first place Clinton health incident at 9/11 commemoration caps a rough week and gives fuel to critics The Navy gave a first look inside the stealthy and futuristic Zumwalt destroyer during the ships first port stop at a Rhode Island naval station. The 610-foot-long warship has an angular shape to minimize its radar signature, and cost more than $4.4 billion. Its the most expensive destroyer built for the Navy. Its headed from Naval Station Newport to Baltimore, where it will be commissioned in October before going to its homeport in San Diego. It was built at Bath Iron Works in Maine. Advertisement During a tour Friday, the Navy showed off the ships bridge, weaponry and mission center. The $4.4-billion Zumwalt is the most expensive destroyer ever built for the U.S. Navy. (Robert F. Bukaty / Associated Press ) In the bridge, there are 180-degree windows and chairs for the ships captain and executive officer to command the vessel. They overlook two gun mounts that resemble cannon barrels. The Zumwalts powerful new gun system can unload 600 rocket-powered projectiles on targets more than 70 miles away. In the mission center, about two dozen people can sit at consoles with multiple computer screens to plan missions, including land attack and air defense as well as anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare and support for special operations forces. Theres a large flight deck and two small boats on board in a bay that special operation forces can use. It looks like a much smaller vessel on radar and its quieter than other ships, which makes it hard to detect, track and attack. Vice Adm. Tom Rowden mans, trains and equips the surface ships of the Pacific fleet, which will include the Zumwalt. He said Friday the Zumwalt will make a significant difference. Its advanced technology and capabilities allow it to do a range of defensive and offensive missions, and project power, wherever it is needed, and thats generating tremendous excitement within the Navy, Rowden said. He said the Zumwalt will be a very stabilizing sight for allies and partners, and perhaps a menacing sight for potential enemies. And the Zumwalts unique and significant capability to generate power could be used in ways perhaps not even envisioned yet, such as in the testing and use of laser and directed-energy weapons systems, Rowden said. We have the embodiment of the spirit of technological breakthroughs and the future of our Navy. Vice Adm. Tom Rowden We have the embodiment of the spirit of technological breakthroughs and the future of our Navy. I think we have the embodiment of Adm. Bud Zumwalt, Rowden said. And I think as you combine those, and many other things together, what you really see is tremendous, tremendous opportunity. The ship is named after the late Adm. Elmo Bud Zumwalt, who earned the Bronze Star in World War II and commanded small boats that patrolled the Mekong Delta in Vietnam. He became the youngest chief of naval operations and earned a reputation as a reformer who fought racism and sexism. Capt. James Kirk, the ships commanding officer, has pictures of Zumwalt and books about him in his office. Kirk said that the ships commissioning will bring the admirals legacy as a reformer back into the fleet. Kirk said the Zumwalts crew of 147 officers and sailors possess a high level of technical expertise, great teamwork and mental and physical toughness. When asked about the inevitable comparisons of the Zumwalt to Star Treks Starship Enterprise and the skipper to the fictional Captain Kirk, the real Capt. Kirk said it does come up every now and again, but noted that he was named after his grandfather and his parents werent Trekkies. But the first day I showed up at the Naval Academy, someone said, I cant wait till youre a captain, he said with a smile. Additional equipment will be installed on the ship in San Diego, systems will be tested and the crew will train. Rowden said training and testing will last through 2017 and into 2018. He didnt speculate when the first deployment will happen. McDermott writes for the Associated Press. ALSO Navy ship to be named for assassinated gay rights leader Harvey Milk U.S. missile defense system is simply unable to protect the public, report says Test of Americas homeland missile defense system found a problem. Why did the Pentagon call it a success? Clinton cancels California trip in aftermath of illness (Justin Sullivan / Getty Images) Hillary Clinton canceled her trip to California planned for Monday and Tuesday after she revealed she had pneumonia and had appeared unsteady on her feet Sunday. Secretary Clinton will not be traveling to California tomorrow or Tuesday, spokesman Nick Merrill said Sunday evening. Clinton had been scheduled to spend two days in the state for fundraisers and the taping of an appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show. The announcement came on the heels of a frantic day when the Democratic presidential nominee abruptly left a Sept. 11 remembrance ceremony in New York because she felt overheated. A bystanders video showed Clinton struggling to stand and needing help climbing into a van. Clintons personal physician examined her at her home and announced that she was recovering but had been diagnosed with pneumonia two days prior during an evaluation for a prolonged cough. Clintons health has been the subject of both questions and conspiracy theories at least since she fell at her home in late 2012 and suffered a concussion. Speculation has ramped up in recent weeks after Trump began discussing it at rallies. The U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, based in San Francisco, has long been the court conservatives love to hate. Rush Limbaugh calls it the Ninth Circus. Right-wing bloggers refer to the Nutty Ninth. Theres even an illustrated childrens book titled Help! Mom! The Ninth Circuit Nabbed the Nativity. The courts reputation for leftist judicial activism is so legendary that conservative groups mount perennial efforts to split up the 44-judge court, the largest in the nation. In 2011, Newt Gingrich called for abolishing the anti-American circuit outright. Advertisement The past eight years of appointments by President Barack Obama could have set the court up for another generation of dual-barreled progressivism and commensurate conservative loathing. But thats not how it seems to be turning out. Instead, the 9th Circuit seems to be growing more centrist. In the late 1970s, President Carter and a Democratic Congress nearly doubled the number of judges on the court. The court earned its flower-child reputation fairly. In the late 1970s, President Carter and a Democratic Congress nearly doubled the number of judges on the court. Carters appointees included liberal lion Stephen Reinhardt, who in recent years struck down Arizonas English-only constitutional provision and Californias Proposition 8 banning same-sex marriage. Harry Pregerson, another Carter appointee, held that the federal government cant interfere with state laws legalizing medical marijuana and informed the Senate during his confirmation hearing that between the law and his conscience, I would follow my conscience. By 1980, Carter had appointed 15 of the courts 23 judges. They included some of the most liberal judges ever, to any court, former Chief Judge Alex Kozinski once told the New York Times. During the next 30 years, the 9th Circuit would continually draw the rights enmity with high-profile, left-wing decisions. Among them: It ruled that the Pledge of Allegiance is unconstitutional for its use of the phrase under God, that individuals have no constitutional right to own guns and that state laws banning assisted suicide violate the 14th Amendment. The Supreme Court overturned each. Some of the 9th Circuits most controversial rulings have related to criminal law, especially the death penalty. In 1992, it waged an all-night duel with the Supreme Court over the execution of convicted murderer Robert Harris, issuing stay after stay, each one reversed by Supreme Court justices until they ordered the 9th Circuit to stop. Between 2006 and 2009, the 9th Circuit threw out the capital sentence of convicted murderer Fernando Belmontes three times, with each decision overturned by the Supreme Court. In 2011, when the Supreme Court once more reversed the 9th Circuit on a capital punishment case, it accused the appeals court of exhibiting judicial disregard for sound and established principles of law which is about as catty as it gets in the marbled hallways of the federal appellate judiciary. But all that is changing. The last of the Carter-appointed judges are now retiring, or at least taking partial retirement (so-called senior status). Pregerson, 92, went senior in 2015. Reinhardt, 85, is the only active Carter-appointed judge left on the court. At the same time, Obamas appointees have been less predictably left-leaning in their judgments, particularly on criminal matters. Nearly 60% of Obamas 9th Circuit appointees are former criminal prosecutors (a percentage that will increase if Lucy Koh, nominated in February, is confirmed). By contrast, about 30% of President Clintons appointees and 20% of Carters appointees served as criminal prosecutors. This shift is notable because lawyers who work for the governments enforcement wing, in particular criminal prosecutors, have a conceptually different approach to law than other lawyers. Many private litigators, public interest lawyers and some government lawyers (like public defenders) often further their clients interests by looking for holes in established law and ways to challenge legal precedents. Prosecutors, by contrast, generally focus on enforcing precedents and plugging holes: After all, their client is the government, the embodiment of established law. This conceptual distinction can extend to judicial philosophy. Many Carter judges see their judicial responsibility as fostering justice overall, especially for individuals even if that means working creatively around legal precedents. In contrast, many Obama appointees see a judges job as accurately applying established law as they understand it, even if doing so may lead to individual injustices. Whether attributable to their prosecutorial backgrounds or not, Obamas appointees are arriving at some conservative outcomes. Former prosecutor Jacqueline Nguyen, for example, wrote an opinion approving Royal Dutch Shells oil-drilling plan off the coast of Alaska against a challenge by environmental groups under the Endangered Species Act, and over a dissent from Carter appointee Dorothy Nelson. Nguyen also dissented in another case to say that a police officer might reasonably have used his Taser on the neighbor who was 40 feet away from an arrest taking place. Likewise, Mary Murguia, another former prosecutor, joined two Republican-appointed judges in holding that cancer-causing diesel exhaust doesnt qualify as the kind of health-endangering hazardous waste that would allow citizens to sue a polluting rail yard. Yet another former prosecutor, Paul Watford, who is frequently mentioned for a Supreme Court seat, dissented from a decision favoring a capital punishment prisoner. Even though he didnt like the result, he said, Watford concluded binding precedent meant the inmate filed his death penalty challenge too late. John Owens, also a former prosecutor, wrote the recent opinion holding that Jaycee Dugard, whod been kidnapped and sexually abused for almost 18 years, couldnt sue the U.S. government for failing to effectively monitor her kidnapper, who was on federal parole when he took her. Owens wrote that while our hearts are with Ms. Dugard, the law is not. Thats not to say Obamas appointees are conservatives, or that they have made the court a conservative one. They arent, and they havent. The 9th Circuit still has the second-highest percentage of Democratic appointees among the circuit courts and still issues decisions celebrated by the political left. It has, for example, ruled in recent years that the 2nd Amendment does not confer the right to carry a concealed weapon and that undocumented immigrants who are arrested have a constitutional right to a bond hearing. But whereas the Carter judges reliably took left-leaning positions, the Obama judges are less predictable. Thats a big difference given the 9th Circuits mythic liberality. Yes, it still has more of its rulings overturned by the Supreme Court than other circuit courts, but that isnt because of an extreme political bent; rather, its because of the large number of cases the court hears and the willingness of states within its jurisdiction to experiment with novel laws. The 9th isnt such an outlier any more either: The 11th Circuit, based in Georgia, is now more heavily Democratic. The 4th Circuit, based in Virginia, has further left-leaning Obama appointees. Ultimately, because the 9th Circuit has grown more centrist, its the next presidents picks that could have an outsized effect. A slew of strong conservative or liberal appointees could noticeably move the courts political median and renew existential battles over its future. But for now, the 9th Circuit can take a well-deserved breather from its three-ring reputation. Ben Feuer is the chairman of the California Appellate Law Group LLP, a business appellate law firm in San Francisco. He served as a law clerk on the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals. Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook Fifteen years ago, in the first fearful days after Sept. 11, 2001, the verdict was almost universal: This changes everything. Only it didnt. The American way of life hardly changed at all. The U.S. economy recovered within months of the attack. (The crash of 2008 was caused by bankers, not terrorists.) We got used to taking off our shoes at airports and being screened at ballparks. The biggest impact came from our wars against terrorism: thousands of dead and wounded. But our biggest fear that terrorists would use chemical, biological or nuclear weapons and pose an existential threat to the U.S. didnt come true. Advertisement Terrorism hasnt destroyed our economy, our government or our social fabric... And there is no sign that it will in the future. Within the United States, the total number of people killed by Islamic terrorists since 2001 comes to 94, an average of six a year. Statistically, youre in greater danger of being killed by lightning (about 46 deaths a year) or drowning in a bathtub (about 300). Terrorism hasnt destroyed our economy, our government or our social fabric, which is what existential threat means. And there is no sign that it will in the future. And yet Americans are still afraid. The worry that mass terrorism will reach our shores shot up after the attacks in 2001, and its never come down. In one poll this year, 51% of Americans said they worry that terrorism could harm someone in their family. I thought there would be an erosion, but there wasnt, said John Mueller of Ohio State University, a longtime scholar of public opinion. The terrorism we face now is on a much smaller scale than Sept. 11. It comes from homegrown extremists sporadic, individual attacks like the ones that killed 49 in Orlando in June, and 14 in San Bernardino last year. They are terrible and terrifying, but compared to what we feared 15 years ago, they are few and far between. Still, they are more than enough to keep the issue front and center in a high-decibel presidential election. Donald Trump has made Islamic terrorism a central theme of his campaign. This is a moment of crisis, Trump said at the Republican convention in July. The attacks on our police and the terrorism in our cities threaten our very way of life. Trump has suggested that terrorist incidents will help him win. Its probably why Im number one in the polls, he said after the Islamic State attack in Brussels in March. But that was during the primaries. The threat of terrorism doesnt seem to be driving many votes in the general election. We have had a real-time test of of this with the Orlando attack in June. Trump reacted with a memorable tweet: Appreciate the congrats for being right on radical Islamic terrorism. But his support didnt grow in the weeks that followed. Indeed, in the average of polls compiled by the Real Clear Politics website, Hillary Clinton actually inched up by about 1% right after the attack, perhaps because some voters found Trumps response unseemly. Like so many other things, fear of terrorism turns out to be partisan. A poll by the Public Religion Research Institute found that 62% of Republicans say they worry that their families could be harmed by terrorists, compared with only 44% of Democrats. If theres another attack, it might induce some waffling Republicans to vote for Trump, but it probably wont win him many Democrats, Mueller said. So while most Americans worry about terrorism, that doesnt mean theyre panicked by it. Were learning to think about homegrown terrorism as a serious, long term problem, but not the existential threat we thought we faced when the Sept. 11 attacks changed everything 15 years ago. Indeed, at a conference sponsored by the Atlantic last week, that was the message from two secretaries of Homeland Security, one a Republican, the other a Democrat. I want Americans to dial down some of the hyperbole, said Tom Ridge, who served under under President George W. Bush. [Terrorism] will probably happen again here. Accept the reality. You cant eliminate all risks, agreed Jeh Johnson, the current secretary. On Friday, Johnson noted, the federal government opened its first office in the rebuilt World Trade Center in New York. We are a remarkably resilient country in ways that we dont always appreciate, he said. doyle.mcmanus@latimes.com Twitter: @DoyleMcManus Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook To the editor: Zoltan Hajnal fails to address for me the reason why voter ID laws suppress minority votes. ( Strict voter ID laws hurt minorities, Opinion, Sept. 8) It is absurd that in a society where you cant cash a check, board an airplane and often need to validate your identity to use a credit card that ID proof to cast a vote is considered discriminating. Is it possible these folks legally dont qualify to vote ? Advertisement James Caterine, Rancho Mirage :: To the editor: Hajnal draws a correlation between minority voting and the states that have voter ID Laws. I cannot contest his data or statistics. However I believe that he is remiss in not examining his data more thoroughly. In those states that have strict ID laws, how many minority voters had proper IDs but just did not care to vote? Also, of those minorities that did not vote in those same states, what were the circumstances that prevented them from securing a proper ID? No birth certificate? Did not want to? Never votes anyway? Frank Deni, Lake Forest :: To the editor: I think everyone should carry an ID. The California DMV offers a reduced-fee ID card for people in public assistance programs, and there is no fee for a senior citizen ID card. If we bend over backward and allow illegal immigrants to get a drivers license, surely we can help our citizens get a photo ID in order to vote. Jan MacMichael, South Pasadena :: To the editor: I am always baffled by the arguments regarding ID and voting. I just cant make a logical connection why a qualified voter would be deterred. You cant get a job, open a bank account, write a check, rent an apartment, get insurance, obtain a credit or debit card, travel out of the country, or a hundred other things that we do daily without ID. So outside of a recluse completely off the grid, everyone has ID and uses it constantly. Every argument against IDs lauds the sanctity and importance of voting but doesnt seem to have much respect for the integrity. Do you refuse to produce ID when you write a check or charge purchases? Do you refuse a bartender when you want a drink? How about when asked by the police? Of course not. Why is this such a burden? It isnt. It sure looks like a made-up problem. It benefits someone. Ask yourself who and how. Michael Gorman, Glendale Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook To the editor: Karin Kleins opinion piece suggests mentoring to improve teaching skills. A good idea, but it doesnt address the core of the problem. First, define teacher ... Time is up! Whats the right answer? People talk of teaching as if means magically instill knowledge. It doesnt work that way; learning takes work. ( How to make a better teacher, Opinion, Sept. 5) Advertisement My definition: a teacher helps students learn. Students put forth needed effort. Teachers help. They guide and facilitate, making learning fun when they can, but hold students accountable. But teachers cant prepare students for class, or check that they complete homework before watching TV. Parents are supposed to do that. Want to improve teaching? Mentor parents about what their kids are expected to do. Jeff LaCoss, Los Angeles :: To the editor: Many of Kleins suggestions may very well result in an improvement in instruction, but she, like so many others, misses an elephant in the classroom. As a 30 -year decorated veteran teacher in a well- thought-of public school, it is my experience that school administrators dont necessarily gain their position because they were quality teachers or because they can identify quality teaching. Many of them are, unfortunately, looking to enhance their status and income by adopting the latest in educational jargon and by becoming change agents in order to ascend the occupational ladder. They havent the time to deal with the poor teachers. Average teachers who are sufficiently sycophantic rise are favored. The great teachers who challenge administrative-backed change with nothing but the students interests at heart are hassled and marginalized. Bill Fauver, Redondo Beach :: To the editor: I agree with Klein that the conversation about teacher quality is dominated by issues of firing and evaluation. I also agree with her that we cant fire our way to get better teachers. Klein doesnt mention, however, that the conversation about teacher quality is almost never about mindless and wrongheaded textbooks and curricula. When that happens, we can more easily make better teachers. Mara Casey, Laguna Niguel :: To the editor: I was a mentor teacher and taught all levels of secondary mathematics for 35 years including Advanced Placement Calculus. Consider this: It is much more likely that a student at an economically poor school will have a bad teacher. These are the students are most affected by bad teachers because they are more likely to have less support at home; that in elementary school, students have only one teacher most of the day and a bad teacher can devastate a student; and in subjects like mathematics where first-year algebra must be passed to take geometry, a bad teacher can turn off a student to mathematics. I agree that pretty great teachers can be made using master educators. The difficulty here is how to identify those master educators. Steve Murray, Huntington Beach :: To the editor: The foundations name The ART of Teaching says it all. Find the better teachers, support them in strengthening and expanding the creative skills they already possess and use them as mentors for newer, struggling teachers. No mandates, no finger pointing, no recriminations just great teachers gathered together feeding off the collaboration with each other building stronger educational structures that benefit their students and schools. I would go a step further: Base all college teacher preparation programs on this model. It would improve the sort of young teacher candidates being produced and also would draw the more creative, risk-taking teenagers created by our cyber-society into teaching as a profession. Bob Bruesch, Rosemead :: To the editor: I was extremely insulted by the opinion piece. Two claims were particularly appalling: most teachers [are] not terrible, not great and most students and parents cant count many more [than three] teachers who in their experience are shining stars of inspiration and knowledge. Not only does she imply that the majority of teachers are mediocre, but there is little indication as to where Klein obtained the data to support these indictments. A professional writer should not make damaging claims about a group of people without evidence. In 20 years of teaching in public schools, I have found that Kleins statements are not true for teachers. Perhaps, though, they are true in her profession: Most writers [are] not terrible, not great. Marguerita Drew, Glendale :: To the editor: What Finland realizes is that teaching is an honorable profession and honorable people choose the profession. What that means is that the vast majority of teachers are always looking to improve upon their practices. They dont need financial incentives to do so. They spend every day in the classroom with students who inspire them to find more solutions to their educational (and other) needs. Pam Sunderman, Newport Beach Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook Hillary Clintons abrupt departure from a Sept. 11 ceremony in New York after falling ill Sunday and the subsequent disclosure that she is suffering from pneumonia are likely to intensify scrutiny on the Democratic nominees health and potentially inject a new campaign issue into a race between two of the oldest candidates ever to seek the White House. Clinton supporters had long dismissed concerns about her health as baseless, insisting that she only suffered from allergies. But Sundays incident along with a video appearing to show Clinton having difficulty standing on her own will only amplify such questions just as the race enters its final weeks. The incident also could increase pressure on Clinton, 68, and Republican nominee Donald Trump, 70, to release more information about their health. Clinton has disclosed less than some previous candidates. Donald Trump has released almost nothing. Advertisement This is the kind of thing that voters have a right to understand before they cast a vote, said Katie Packer, a GOP strategist who says she does not support either Trump or Clinton. Both Trump and Hillary are elderly. They are obligated to release full medical records and full tax returns to the American people. And the media, party leaders and American people should settle for nothing less. The pneumonia diagnosis comes as the campaign enters its most grueling phase, weeks before the first presidential debate and as voters start heading to the polls in states with early voting. Her doctor, who made the diagnosis Friday, has advised Clinton to curtail her schedule. But the Democratic candidate did not appear to skip any planned events over the weekend, including a fundraiser in New York headlined by Barbra Streisand. After the incident, Clintons campaign said late Sunday it was canceling a planned trip to California on Monday and Tuesday for fundraisers and a taping of The Ellen DeGeneres Show. Clintons lung infection comes after a tough week for her campaign, with polls showing a tightening of the race against Trump. Then over the weekend, Clinton was forced to partially walk back comments she made referring to half of Trumps supporters as deplorables. The new scrutiny of her health will add to these problems. Forty-eight hours ago, this was something for the Flat Earth Society and the birth certificate deniers, Dan Schnur, director of USCs Jesse M. Unruh Institute of Politics, said of the speculation about Clintons health. Now its a topic of legitimate, mainstream political discussion. Although Clintons opponents will surely make an issue of her having pneumonia, her campaigns relatively quick release of the diagnosis marked a significant step toward transparency for a candidate who has often shied away from disclosing information she considers private. But some critics complained that Clinton did not reveal the potentially debilitating condition Friday when it was diagnosed. And after she fell ill Sunday morning, her campaign initially attributed it to overheating and waited nearly seven hours as rumors and speculation about her health swirled until disclosing the pneumonia. For Clinton, perhaps the most damaging part of the day was the 19-second video of her struggling to leave the event in New York City. The video, quickly circulated online and replayed on cable news channels, shows her standing uneasily, her knees appearing to buckle and needing help to get into her van. A spokesman said immediately afterward that Clinton left the ceremony at the site of the World Trade Center about 9:30 a.m. because she felt unwell. Reporters who were traveling with Clinton were not told about her condition or her whereabouts for 90 minutes after she left the ceremony. Secretary Clinton attended the Sept. 11th commemoration ceremony for just an hour and 30 minutes this morning to pay her respects and greet some of the families of the fallen, spokesman Nick Merrill said in the initial statement released by the campaign. During the ceremony, she felt overheated so departed to go to her daughters apartment, and is feeling much better. The weather was in the low 80s and humid. Clinton spent about two hours at Chelsea Clintons apartment and emerged shortly before noon wearing sunglasses, greeting a young girl and waved at diners at a nearby restaurant. Im feeling great. Its a beautiful day in New York, Clinton said before heading to her home in Chappaqua, N.Y. Her personal physician examined her at her house Sunday afternoon and said Clinton was recovering. While at this mornings event, she became overheated and dehydrated. I have just examined her and she is now re-hydrated and recovering nicely, said Dr. Lisa R. Bardack in a statement. Bardack said Clinton was put on antibiotics Friday. Clintons health has long been the speculation of conspiracy theorists. In 2014, a People magazine cover of Clinton in her backyard leaning on a chair prompted speculation that she was leaning on a walker. But innuendo about her health grew markedly during the presidential campaign as Trump and his surrogates, including former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, routinely questioned her strength and stamina on the campaign trail. Trump was uncharacteristically silent Sunday after news of Clintons illness emerged. Republicans have also pointed to coughing fits that Clinton has suffered while campaigning, and which she attributes to seasonal allergies. Her opponents have also raised questions about the effect of a concussion she sustained in 2012. The drumbeat got to the point that Clinton poked fun at it on late-night television. During an August appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live, she pretended to exert great effort as she opened a jar of pickles and asked the host to check her pulse. Clinton dismissed the attacks as wacky and noted that critics have claimed I would be dead in six months, she said. So with every breath I take I feel like I have a new lease on life. seema.mehta@latimes.com For the latest on national and California politics, follow @LATSeema on Twitter. ALSO Coasting is no longer an option for Hillary Clinton, given Donald Trumps resilience Californias record-setting 224-page voter guide is costing taxpayers nearly $15 million Red state or blue state? Check out our interactive Electoral College map UPDATES: 7:45 p.m..: This story was updated after the campaign announced the California trip was canceled. 4:40 p.m.: This story was updated with more reaction and analysis. This story was originally published at 12:40 p.m. The political mailers piled up at David Rowans Paso Robles home this spring as nine different candidates sought to escape the June primary for a shot at replacing retiring Democratic Rep. Lois Capps. One flier stood out to Rowan, a 69-year-old Republican and semi-retired private investigator. The shiny pamphlet was sent by an Austin, Texas, group called Citizen Super PAC in support of 28-year-old GOP candidate Justin Fareed. Rowan shot off a letter to the local paper in March upset with what he saw as the mailers overly broad promises. Advertisement But another question lingered in Rowans head as the primary went on and the groups spending rose $310,000 so far on mailers and a television ad to support Fareed. Who was behind Citizen Super PAC? Updates on California politics The answer requires digging into the $1.5 million that was spent by super PACs and nonprofit groups like the Texas organization to influence voters in the primary. It is an especially tough task in Californias 24th Congressional District due to the sheer magnitude of the spending: Only five Congressional races in the country so far this election cycle have seen more money from outside groups, according to rankings by the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics that tracks spending in federal races. Groups with ties to both parties were lured to the open House race and a slew of candidates competing in a somewhat unpredictable primary system where the two highest vote-getters regardless of party could advance to the general election. The names voters will see on the ballot this fall belong to the two people who benefited the most from outside spending: Fareed, a former Capitol Hill staffer, and Democratic Santa Barbara County Supervisor Salud Carbajal. Most of the outside money, about $828,000, was spent by two well-known Democratic groups the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and the House Majority PAC on Carbajals behalf. That the money flowed to Carbajal instead of the other prominent Democrat in the race, Santa Barbara Mayor Helene Schneider, is not surprising. Carbajal spent years climbing the ranks of local Democratic politics and had the backing of Capps along with House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi. There is a great deal at stake, Pelosi told The Times about the race earlier this spring. This is not a foregone-conclusion Democratic district. And we have to win that district. More surprising was that national Democrats stepped in so early to spend, a reflection of lessons learned since the top-two primary first started throwing political handicappers for a loop in 2012. That year political insiders were stunned when two Republicans knocked Redlands mayor and Democratic favorite Pete Aguilar out of the top-two primary in an Inland Empire House race. Democrats had a 5 percentage-point advantage among voters in that race but split the blue vote between four candidates. The party was not looking to be Aguilared again. It is clear that nobody is going to be caught napping in 2016, Carbajals political consultant Doug Herman, who also worked for Aguilar at the time, told The Times just before his candidate captured 31.9% of the vote in the primary. Fareed won 20.5% of the vote, besting Republican state Assemblyman K.H. Katcho Achadjian by just 2 percentage points, or 4,805 votes. While Carbajal counted on outside money from groups closely tied to the Democratic party that rely on liberal mega-donors like Chicago Businessman Fred Eychaner, the influx of money behind Fareed had murkier origins. The source of the funds Citizen Super PAC spent on behalf of Fareed is hard to trace because the group functions as a sort of shell for other donors. The group has accepted six-figure checks from nonprofit groups that do not disclose their donors, other political committees, one of the countrys largest coal companies and well-heeled individuals. The Texas group supported Republicans in House and U.S. Senate races around the country, including more than $370,000 to support the reelection bids of Alabama Sen. Richard Shelby and Texas Rep. Kevin Brady. Chris Gober, one of the groups founders and a former Republican National Committee staffer, described Citizen Super PAC as a plug-and-play committee for donors to fund the specific projects without having to set up a new group. He did not respond when asked which groups wanted their contributions spent on supporting Fareeds campaign. One group, a pro-Fareed political action committee in San Rafael, Calif. called New Generation, transferred $129,790 to Citizen Super PAC shortly before disbanding in January. New Generation received $100,000 from the coal mining giant Murray Energy Corp. in October of 2015, as well as $29,800 from two Los Angeles medical companies whose executives had already contributed the maximum allowed to Fareeds primary campaign coffers. Robert Murray, the coal companys chief executive, hit the limit for contributions to a federal campaign when he gave Fareeds primary campaign $2,700 in March 2015. His companys political action committee maxed out with $5,000 the same day. It is a textbook example of how you can use PACs and Super PACs, said Jessica Levinson, a Loyola Law School professor who specializes in election law. It is a great way to mask your donors or just raise money. You have to dive down a couple of levels to see who is really behind anything. Citizen Super PAC paid for a round of mailers supporting Fareed in the spring. Next the group launched a May TV and radio blitz shortly after receiving $150,000 from the Congressional Leadership Fund, a super PAC dedicated to strengthening the Republican Majority in Congress, and $40,000 from Murray Energy Corp. That was on May 24 and May 26. On May 25, right between those two contributions, the Fareed campaign YouTube account posted seven minutes of silent footage featuring the candidate speaking with people in a parking lot. Some of the shots appeared in an ad paid for by Citizen Super PAC shown on May 27. The group ended up spending $132,000 on the ad as well as a radio aired the same day. (Carbajals campaign appears to have done a similar thing: On April 8 the campaign posted to YouTube video footage with no audio. The next month the footage appeared in ads paid for by the House Majority PAC.) A spokeswoman for the Congressional Leadership Fund did not return a request for comment about the Fareed contribution. A spokesman for the coal company said the $40,000 donation was intended for multiple Republican candidates, including Fareed. Murray Energy was investigated by the Federal Elections Commission over allegations made by anonymous employees in The New Republic that Murrays company had coerced workers to contribute to candidates during the 2012 cycle. The commission decided not to pursue charges in May after it deadlocked on a vote. Murray met the candidate when Fareed worked at a staffer for Kentucky Rep. Ed Whitfield from 2012 to 2013, according to company spokesman Gary Broadbent. Whitfield, who resigned from Congress this month after the House Ethics Committee found he gave his lobbyist wife inappropriate access to his staff, also was beneficiary of $17,000 in contributions from Murray and his company in 2012, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. Mr. Murray is proud to support those candidates who work to protect and defend the United States coal industry, and the jobs and livelihoods that depend on it, and affordable and reliable electricity for all Americans, Broadbent said in a statement. Mr. Fareed is one such candidate and Mr. Murray is proud to support him. On his campaign website, Fareed uses broad generalities to laud Californias natural resources. He says he supports reducing dependence on foreign oil, and includes the standard Republican line he prefers an all of the above energy policy. He does not specifically mention coal or any other energy source, only that he supports a balanced approach, including the use of renewable resources and moving over time toward a more decarbonized future. On paper, Fareed has a tough road to victory in November: Democrats have a six-point voter registration advantage in the district and down-ballot Democrats tend to do well there in presidential election years. Fareed had $293,492 in the bank while Carbajal had $541,664 in cash on hand, according to FEC records filed in July. The National Republican Congressional Committee and a nonprofit group called the American Action Network spent a combined $377,000 to oppose Carbajal and Schneider. The money was used in part for ads linking Schneider to Vermont. Sen. Bernie Sanders that some local Democrats saw as an effort to dilute the Democratic vote. Rowan, the Republican voter in Paso Robles who got Citizen Super PACs mailer, did not end up voting for Fareed or Carbajal. He chose Republican candidate Matt Kokkonen, someone he said sounded like a real person. He said he was wary of Fareed and the role of outside groups in the race, which ultimately cost $5.5 million between campaign and outside group sending. It is the seventh most expensive in the country so far this cycle. I didnt realize it that he had such a machine behind him until later, Rowand said. Clearly he had a lot of money behind him. Who is trying to buy this guy, what do they want? People dont invest that kind of money without some kind of payback. javier.panzar@latimes.com Twitter: @jpanzar ALSO How does a 28-year-old raise more than $1 million for a congressional bid? New ad from millennial candidate says Santa Barbara congressional race is a question of stale vs. fresh A farmer and a former UCLA football player are running for Congress. Heres why you should pay attention Updates on California politics Any resident who spends a great amount of time walking, talking and meeting the community and our police officers will learn much just by listening. It is not a surprise to hear that repeat criminal offenders are being recycled and crime will increase. Calls for drug possession and sales, theft, domestic abuse and assault are keeping us busy night and day, and there is one big reason why. And that reason is Proposition 47. In November 2014, the voters of California passed Proposition 47, otherwise known as the Safe Neighborhoods and Schools Act, under the guise that it would ease prison overcrowding and allow those cost savings to go back to K-12 schools and drug-addiction reform programs. If there was ever a more misleading title for a proposition, I dont know what it could be. The law enforcement community quickly saw Proposition 47 for what it was. They warned it was bad policy, since it reduced many serious crimes to misdemeanors. Crimes such as stealing a handgun valued at less than $950 would no longer get you a felony conviction. In fact, any theft less than $950 is no longer considered commercial burglary but is now defined as shoplifting, which is a misdemeanor. Those who commit forgery also have that $950 threshold from which they can operate and not face a felony charge. If that werent bad enough, the measure allowed convicted felons who were already in prison to have their convictions reduced to misdemeanors and the chance to have their sentencing reduced as well. So what is the result? Crime is skyrocketing not only in Orange County but throughout the state as criminals who otherwise would be locked up are now almost immediately being sent back onto the streets to commit further crimes. In one particular instance in Costa Mesa, a repeat felon asked one of our officers to keep his backpack for three days until he was released. The number of defendants participating in drug court rehabilitation programs is dropping statewide as well, in some cases by more than 50%. The defendants now realize there is no reason to be reformed if you dont face legal consequences. Our state legislative majority is completely out of touch. Police officers say drug arrests are hardly worth the time anymore because the offenders will be right back on the streets. As someone who regularly walks the streets of our great city, I know there is no such thing as victimless crimes. Drug addicts toss their used needles in our city parks, and they steal from hard-working citizens to support their habits. Those who are victims of petty theft can rest assured they are not alone. Chances are the perpetrator has moved on to other victims as well. It is time we end this misleading experiment. I fully support our rank-and-file police officers and want them to have the tools they need to get criminals off the streets and keep our communities safe. To accomplish that, I call on elected leaders throughout California to join me and ask that Proposition 47 be repealed or dramatically altered. While I acknowledge the price to incarcerate low-level offenders is high and needs to be addressed in some way, the cost of letting those same offenders prey on our citizens is much higher and needs to stop. STEPHEN MENSINGER is the mayor of Costa Mesa. BEIJING (AP) They have been praised by the leader of al-Qaida and wooed by the head of the Islamic State group. They have distinguished themselves on battlefields in Syria and are accused of carrying out a devastating bombing in Thailand. In the past two years, militants belonging to the Uighur ethnic group native to the vast Xinjiang region in western China have shown signs of becoming a force in Islamic extremism globally, a development that is reshaping both the ground war in Syria and Chinese foreign policy. The predominantly Muslim, Turkic-speaking people ethnically distinct from China's Han majority have chafed for decades under Beijing's heavy-handed rule. Uighur separatists belonging to the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM), a militant group based in the rugged tribal areas of nearby Afghanistan and Pakistan and allied with al-Qaeda, have been blamed for attacks in Chinese cities, often using crude but effective weapons such as knives, Molotov cocktails and speeding vehicles. Their activities have taken on a transnational dimension in recent years as hundreds of Uighur fighters have flowed into Syria to participate in jihad. And instead of targeting China's cities, militants have struck less guarded overseas targets. The reach of ETIM, which seeks to establish an independent Islamic state called East Turkestan, was highlighted most recently when a man crashed a van packed with 100 kilograms (220 pounds) of TNT into the Chinese diplomatic compound in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, killing himself and wounding five people. Kyrgyz officials on Tuesday identified the bomber as Zoir Khalimov, an ethnic Uighur member of ETIM who carried out the attack with support from the Nusra Front, the al-Qaida affiliate in Syria. In Thailand, a trial began last month for two Uighur men charged with an August 2015 bombing that killed 20 people at a busy Bangkok shrine. The attack came weeks after Thailand forcibly repatriated scores of Uighurs to China, where they faced persecution. Chinese officials said the Uighurs were on their way to fight in Syria when they were arrested. Analysts see the broad outlines of metastasizing Uighur militancy that has prompted a response from China, which has traditionally abided by a foreign policy of non-interference. "China's calculus is shifting because the threat picture is shifting from one in which only the Americans and Europeans were targets," said Raffaello Pantucci, director of international security studies at the Royal United Services Institute, a British think tank. "That's why you're seeing Beijing push out. It's a combination of the new Chinese foreign policy assertiveness but also a real concern about what's happening on the ground." In mid-August, China dispatched a senior People's Liberation Army admiral, Guan Youfei, to meet with Syrian Defense Minister Fahad Jassim al-Freij and a senior Russian military official in Damascus to discuss expanding Chinese support for their war effort. China has made similar moves closer to home. This year, it pledged equipment and counterterrorism training for Afghan police with the aim of containing ETIM. It has also expanded its role as a mediator, welcoming both President Ashraf Ghani and Taliban representatives to China on visits and brokering low-level talks between the sides. In 2015, Uighur fighters from ETIM, also referred to as the Turkistan Islamic Party (TIP), began flowing from Central Asia into Syria, according to propaganda videos from the group's Islam Awazi media arm. They have won battles against loyalist forces in Idlib and Aleppo provinces, at times deploying suicide attackers to decisive effect. Although exact numbers are impossible to confirm, analysts believe there are hundreds, possibly more than a thousand, Uighurs fighting alongside the Nusra Front, said Beirut-based analyst Haytham Mouzahem. Separately, the Islamic State group, which competes with the Nusra Front for recruits, has at least a hundred Uighur fighters, most of whom came directly from Xinjiang to escape religious persecution in China, according to leaked IS documents analyzed by the New America Foundation think tank. Uighur groups in exile and international human rights monitors say China plays up the threat of Uighur militancy to justify abusive law-enforcement policies and religious restrictions in Xinjiang, which have fueled resentment among ordinary citizens. ETIM's organization may also be overestimated, experts warn, because it is unclear to what extent they offered training or support to perpetrators of attacks. "China should evaluate its own policies to find the source of Uighur discontent," overseas Uighur spokesman Dilxat Raxit said in a statement this week following the Kyrgyzstan investigation. "The Kyrgyzstan incident could supply China with more excuses to oppress and expand its influence in Central Asia for its political purposes." China has been sensitive to international criticism of its policies in Xinjiang while casting itself as a target of terrorism similar to Western countries. It has successfully lobbied the United States, the European Union, Russia, Britain and other governments to recognize the Turkistan Islamic Party as a terrorist organization. "I would to stress that East Turkestan terrorist forces headed by the ETIM have plotted and undertaken terrorist attacks many times inside and outside China," Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said Wednesday, while vowing to "strike back" at the group. Chinese anti-terrorism expert Li Wei said the extremist threats that China faces domestically and from abroad are now "inextricably linked, just like with other countries," leading China to expand its dealings in Syria and Afghanistan. "I think the international community would agree that Syria is a nexus of global jihad that does threaten the entire world," said Li, director of the anti-terrorism research center at the China Institute of Contemporary International Relations, a think tank under the Ministry of State Security, China's main intelligence agency. Despite its shifting posture, Chinese observers say the likelihood of the People's Liberation Army fighting directly in Syria and Afghanistan remains extremely low. Over the last decade, China has leaned on Pakistan to carry out drone strikes against TIP commanders in tribal Waziristan, pressured Central Asian allies for intelligence-gathering and sought help from Thailand but never deployed troops. Term limits are far from a new idea. They have roots in Ancient Greece and Rome. Members of the first United States Congress, under the Articles of Confederation, were subject to term limits. Concerned that some delegates were violating those restrictions, Congress convened a committee to determine whether any members were tarrying beyond their appointed terms. Term limits remain a continuing source of debate and controversy throughout the nation, and efforts to make them more widespread have been fitful. The issue of term limits is now a flashpoint in the Newport-Mesa Unified School District, where a trio of new candidates for three contested school board seats have joined in an effort to restrict trustees to three terms, for a total of 12 years. In 1990, voters in California, Colorado and Oklahoma passed ballot measures imposing term limits on their state representatives, followed two years later by 10 more states enacting similar restrictions. Since then, efforts to broaden their adoption have been inconsistent at best, and there have been some brakes put on their use. In the 1995 case U.S. Term Limits Inc. vs. Thornton, the U.S. Supreme Court held that states cannot set term limits for their congressional representatives. Now Newport-Mesa Unified school board candidates Amy Peters, Leslie Bubb and Michael Schwarzmann who are running for the seats currently held by Martha Fluor, Vicki Snell and board President Dana Black have called on the board to place a term-limit measure on the November ballot. At a meeting in July, the board decided to delay any discussion on the issue until after the election, when new terms begin in January. Despite their popularity with voters, when it comes to school boards, term limits are exceedingly rare. In an unusual move, Louisiana voters in 2012 approved such limits for all of that states school boards. Here in California, voters in Orange overwhelmingly passed school-board term limits in June, and this November Simi Valley residents will decide whether to adopt term limits for its school board trustees. Yet they remain in a small minority. Newport-Mesa neighbors, such as Irvine Unified, Laguna Beach Unified and Huntington City School District, have no such limits. As is usually the case with term-limits movements, the local push is a product of understandable frustration. It reflects a growing perception that the seven school board members currently serving some of whom have held office for decades and none that now have children in Newport-Mesa schools have grown complacent and out of touch. Board members are also routinely accused of maintaining a too-cozy relationship with the top district administrators they are elected to oversee and of rubber-stamping administrative initiatives. In a joint statement, Peters, Bubb and Schwarzmann contend that limiting service to three terms will mandate a regular change, guaranteeing new voices and perspectives move through the board. Our current board rarely questions the administration on any issue from curriculum design to fiscal accountability. This purported lack of vigorous oversight has opened the door, they believe, to a long list of scandals and controversies that have plagued the district in recent years. Its easy to sympathize with this view. Time and again, it has appeared as if the board has marched in lockstep with Supt. Fred Navarro as a host of troubling issues have called into question his leadership. Fresh, energetic faces on the board could prove to be a welcome antidote. Still, term limits work better in theory than they do in practice. Granted, the research thats been done on the subject so far has looked primarily at state legislatures, not school boards. That evidence suggests that term limits have done little to counter cronyism, increase diversity, or improve legislative outcomes. Meanwhile, a certain amount of experience and institutional knowledge is lost, and longer-term initiatives sometimes fail to gain traction as more short-term fixes are sought. A report by the Public Policy Institute of California found that term limits, while enticing to voters, have eroded legislative capacities in unhelpful ways. Even some former supporters of term limits have later expressed regret over their adoption. Thats not to say that the proposal by the new school board candidates wasnt a shrewd political move. Indeed, it calls attention to their campaigns, and to their compelling message that change is needed at the district. If nothing else, the challengers are underscoring the point that they represent an alternative to trustees who may well have tarried too long in their seats. PATRICE APODACA is a former Newport-Mesa public school parent and former Los Angeles Times staff writer. She lives in Newport Beach. The anniversary of 9/11 always reminds me of Americas terrible losses, but it also reminds me, in the wake of the grounding of aircraft, of what we gained: a renewed appreciation for our freedom to travel. Has the world become a more contentious place in the intervening years? Sometimes it seems that way, but without the benefit of a look back through times long tunnel, I cant know for certain. What I do know is that travel remains one of the ways that can help us back off from ascribing a national character to people. This happens whenever I look at old photos of my fathers German parents and think them dour, which doesnt take long to morph into thinking that this must be the Teutonic character. Advertisement But if I consider them as individuals, I imagine Id be dour too, having left a homeland I would never see again, having lost children to diseases that now can be cured, having endured the Great Depression in a country that may not have seemed so great at times. And probably most of all, I would probably look super-dour having to hold completely still for the camera. Reader Irene DeBlasio of Studio City created an even more vivid picture for me in a note she sent to the Los Angeles Times Travel section. I share it with you with her permission as a reminder of the power of those chance encounters. Here is her story: :: I recently returned from a one-week trip to London with my grown grandchildren (ages 22 and 24). My husband, Edward, and I had lived in a flat on Flood Street in Chelsea for one year in 1968. Edward worked as the head writer for a TV series called Strange Report with Sir Anthony Quayle at Pinewood Studios. Before Edward died in February 2015, I had promised him I would take our grandchildren abroad to visit Chelsea. I was able to fulfill the promise in mid-August. We had connecting rooms at the Rembrandt Hotel in Kensington, just a few blocks from Harrods. While my grandchildren visited Stonehenge, I wandered around Chelsea, my old neighborhood. I walked along Flood Street. (I hadnt realized how narrow it was.) I was amazed by the gentrification, including the pretty townhouses with green village squares. Now, nearly every street had a welcoming patch of green. I walked along historic Cheyne Walk and the lovely Chelsea Embankment as I recalled wonderful times. When I turned to walk along Kings Road, I saw a group of hijab-clad women taking tea at an outdoor cafe. How I wished I could take a photograph of the 10 lovely faces. I knew they would decline my request, but I stopped to chat with them. The older woman seated at the head of the table looked up at me and asked, Are you American? I nodded and said yes. She immediately followed with, You know, we love Americans. We love you. You are generous and kind. Its your government we hate. I chuckled a bit and explained that sometimes were not pleased with our government either. One of the other women spoke up and explained, Your government is bombing in Syria and killing children. To which I answered, Bashar al Assad has been killing his own people as well. The whole situation is tragic. The older woman pulled a huge bouquet of yellow roses from a shopping bag and handed it to me. We want you to have this. Please take it. I explained I would be returning home to Los Angeles the next day. Then, she yanked out one yellow rose, kissed it and gave it to me, Here take just one. I was so touched by this brief encounter that after we all hugged, I ran to catch my bus and began to cry. It was such a sweet moment. :: The transformation of hearts and minds is borne of just such moments. It reminds me that meeting the people who populate the earth is perhaps far more important than checking another monument off your must-see list. May your road lead you always in those directions. MORE With the 9/11 15th anniversary coming, this video shows whats up at Ground Zero, with a moments silence WWII Museum tour to mark 75th anniversary of attack on Pearl Harbor Cruise News: Terrorism has some travelers reconsidering European river cruises How does one expose the secret systematic slaughter of 23,000 dolphins? It helps to have a billionaire, plus a dedicated activist, a neophyte filmmaker, two of the worlds best free-divers, a former avionics specialist from the Canadian Air Force, a logistics whiz trained in transporting pop-music stars around the world, a maritime technician, a military infrared camera for night cinematography, unmanned aerial drones, a blimp and fake rocks specially designed by George Lucas Industrial Light & Magic to hold secret cameras. Also required? A willingness to risk arrest, police harassment and potentially much worse. Advertisement That was the Oceans Eleven"-style team assembled to make this years Sundance sensation The Cove, the unconventional true-life environmental thriller that brings to light the mass killings of dolphins, specifically those exterminated in the Japanese port village of Taiji, just south of Osaka. The footage in the film, which opened in L.A. theaters Friday, is shocking -- a tranquilly beautiful Japanese bay turned red with the blood of dolphins, as well as graphic images of fishermen spearing the gentle, highly intelligent sea mammals. Unlike their larger cetacean brethren whales, dolphins are not protected by the worldwide ban on commercial whaling that has been in effect since the 1980s. Taiji, a bucolic town filled with boats bearing the images of happy dolphins, is, as shown in the film, essentially a dolphin bazaar for marine theme parks hunting for their next attraction, and they are willing to pay $150,000 per dolphin. Unselected dolphins are herded into a heavily protected secret cove where theyre slaughtered for food, never mind the fact that, as the film makes clear, dolphin meat is chock-full of mercury -- or as one on-screen scientist states: The creatures are essentially swimming toxic waste dumps. The $2.5-million film, three years in the making, was born of the friendship between National Geographic photographer Louie Psihoyos and Netscape founder Jim Clark, old dive buddies who spent the last 10 years traveling the world searching for the best reefs, which they soon realized were dramatically deteriorating each time they returned. Psihoyos recalls being in the Galapagos Islands and watching long-line fisherman fishing in a marine sanctuary and seeing bombed out reefs in Indonesia. In response to the devastation, Clark launched the nonprofit environmental group the Oceanic Preservation Society, and Psihoyos began working on what initially was going to be four TV documentaries about the endangered oceans and their species. Psihoyos started attending mammal conferences and stumbled upon the hero of his documentary, Ric OBarry, in 2005. The 68-year old OBarry, an endearing and obsessed activist, was the original trainer of the five dolphins who played Flipper on TV and blames himself for the worldwide popularity of commercial sea parks with their live dolphin acts, a practice he now decries. A lot of the dolphins in the third world are in peoples swimming pools. Its a copycat syndrome, says OBarry, now a marine mammal specialist for the Earth Island Institute, and leader of the Save Japan Dolphins coalition. People go to Sea World, and say, Wow I can do that. Therere dolphins all over the Caribbean, and Mexico -- the whole area is like a dolphin theme park with deplorable conditions. When I see them there, I feel directly responsible. I know the TV series helped to contribute to this mess. There are $2 billion in profits that come from the captive dolphins. Filmmaking 101 At the time, OBarry was on his way to Taiji, where hes been going several times a year in an effort to stop the slaughter, often with journalists in tow, and he invited Psihoyos to join him. Seeing the filmic potential in the trip, Psihoyos signed on, although the acclaimed photographer first decided to take a three-day filmmaking course. Were all professionals, just not at this, says Psihoyos, with a laugh. I dont know if this movie could have been made by a professional crew. A professional crew would have turned around and ran. A producer would say This is nuts. How long is it going to take? How much is it going to cost? There were just too many unknowns. The risk of getting hurt or jailed was daily. It didnt take filmmakers to make this film. It took pirates. Indeed, the film depicts two commando missions into the cove, which is surrounded by razor-wire fences and policed by vigilant fisherman, desperate to keep their business out of the spotlight. There were actually 14 cloak-and-dagger operations into the protected cove to accumulate enough footage, and a dedicated runner who every day personally and craftily spirited the film out of town. The reality was a lot scarier than the film shows, Psihoyos says. We got ran out of town by the police twice. These days, when OBarry makes his still frequent pilgrimages to Taiji, he always goes in full-blown disguise. Clark brought in another diver buddy, actor-filmmaker Fisher Stevens (Short Circuit), to produce and comb through the nearly 600 hours of film. Stevens in turn brought in other professionals, including editor Geoffrey Richman (Murderball and Sicko) and writer Mark Monroe. Stevens insisted that Psihoyos actually become the on-screen narrator of the story, providing a charismatic and handsome figure through which to tell the story. He didnt want to do it at first, recalls Stevens, who eventually convinced him. The idea was this is not a just a documentary -- its more like a thriller. Psihoyos says that many of his stories for National Geographic had an activist bent, but he also had maintained the belief that a journalist is supposed to be a fly on the wall, hes not supposed to be part of the story. Still I realized if nobody gets active, then nothing would get resolved. I felt it was time to stand up. Psihoyos and OBarry hope the film will generate awareness and help bring change to the situation in Taiji. As a country, Japan has also opposed extending the international whaling ban to dolphins. Speaking before the films commercial release, OBarry noted, "[The Japanese] dont know this tsunami of bad publicity is coming their way. In Japan, they call it giatsu, which translates into external pressure. . . .[This] movie is giatsu on a massive scale. rachel.abramowitz @latimes.com As Americans cast ballots this fall, they might spare a thought for Spaniards preparing to do the same for the third time in a year, with little hope of actually electing a government. For nearly nine months, Spain has had only a caretaker, lame-duck government. Public infrastructure investment is on hold. Lawmakers have been unable to approve a new national budget. Some embassies are left with no ambassador. Its the longest Spain has gone without elected officials since it became a democracy in 1978, and its testing the countrys fortitude. (Belgium is believed to hold the world record for a democracy going without an elected government: 589 days in 2010-11.) Advertisement After a punishing economic crisis, two new national parties have emerged in Spain: Podemos, or We Can, on the left, and Ciudadanos, or Citizens, at the center-right. Both are led by fresh politicians in their 30s, challenging Spains 4-decade-old establishment of elites. The result? Absolute deadlock. Its like Groundhog Day. Were getting very good at voting, but our politicians are not as good at negotiating and forming governments. Gabriela Bustel, political columnist for Voz Populi Ever since the transition to democracy, Spanish politics were dominated by two large political parties on the right and left, which would alternate in power, said Federico Santi, an analyst at the Eurasia Group, a political risk consultancy in London. But now you have four, and you have to figure out complex coalitions. That takes time, especially in a country thats never had to do it before. Two Spanish elections, in December and June, failed to yield a clear winner with a mandate to govern. The result was nearly identical: The conservative Popular Party won the most votes but fell far short of a majority and could not govern alone. Twice, its leader, incumbent acting Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, was unable to woo enough parties into a coalition. e failed two confidence votes in parliament in the last two weeks. Its like Groundhog Day. Were getting very good at voting, but our politicians are not as good at negotiating and forming governments, said Gabriela Bustelo, a political columnist for Voz Populi, a Spanish online magazine. Its making people very upset, and columnists, well, were just going nuts. That was especially true when August vacations were disrupted by news that the date for a possible third election could fall on Dec. 25 Christmas Day. It was the biggest end-of-summer letdown of all, said a group of otherwise merry college students, who scowled when a foreign reporter asked about Spanish politics. No one will vote. Everyone travels to visit family on Christmas. You thought turnout was low for the last election, just wait for this one! exclaimed Mergelina Gomez, 21, sitting cross-legged in a circle of friends in Madrids Retiro park. People are fed up. We voted twice, and they cant reach a compromise and now we might have to vote again? Its ridiculous. In her family, Gomez said, only her grandparents would be able to vote on Christmas Day because theyre the only ones who remain in their voting district; the rest of the family travels to visit them. Nationally, older Spaniards tend to be more conservative, so a Christmas election could benefit Rajoy. Spains Constitution lays out a timeline for elections. After a failed confidence vote in parliament, lawmakers have 60 days to propose an alternative candidate for prime minister. Otherwise, the Spanish king dissolves parliament and calls fresh elections. Because the debate over Rajoys candidacy began Aug. 31, members of parliament have until the end of October to back another candidate. Otherwise a new election will take place Dec. 25. Many observers believe Rajoy scheduled his confidence debate with that election date in mind. Rajoy is playing this game. His strategy is to pressure the opposition Socialists with this bizarre election date, Bustelo said, so that the Socialist leader will be considered the culprit, the one to blame, for elections being held on Dec. 25 in this very Catholic country. But Rajoys opponents have called his bluff, refusing to endorse him. The center-right Ciudadanos agreed to a temporary alliance with the Popular Party, but it did not give Rajoy enough votes and has since expired. One possibility could be for the Socialist leader, Pedro Sanchez, to propose a so-called coalition of losers, comprising all parties that placed behind the Popular Party in previous elections. A similar Socialist-led coalition took power in neighboring Portugal last year. But in Spain, the electoral math would require rare alliances between smaller regional parties that disagree on a variety of issues, chief among them an independence drive by the northeastern region of Catalonia. Spains king so far has delayed asking rival parties to negotiate yet again. It seems everyone knows the foregone conclusion: Theyre unwilling to compromise. Theres real hatred between the right and left in Spain, and it goes back to the [1936-39] Spanish Civil War, Bustelo said. Instead of it getting better, it seems to get worse. Meanwhile, although no legislation has been passed in nearly a year, foreign tourist arrivals for the first half of 2016 were 11% higher than for all of last year. The unemployment rate has dipped below 20% for the first time in eight years, and the economy is growing by more than 3% a year faster than most other countries in Europe. All of this is proving to be fodder for Spanish satirists and cynics: This country may be better off, they say, if the politicians were to just stay home. Frayer is a special correspondent. ALSO Clinton health incident at 9/11 commemoration caps a rough week and gives fuel to critics U.S.-Russia deal on Syria will test influence of big powers, convictions of those on the ground An ocean of threats must be tackled to protect the worlds blue economy, U.S. undersecretary says All material is subject to strictly enforced copyright terms & conditions and cannot be repurposed or reproduced. 19882022 Latin American Financial Publications Inc. In about two weeks, Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump will face off in the first 2016 presidential debate at Hofstra University on Monday Sept. 26 beginning at 9 p.m. ET. The second clash will take place on Oct. 9, a showdown at Washington University. The final scheduled meeting between the major-party candidates is slated for Oct. 19, on the campus of the University of Nevada in Las Vegas. How will you watch the presidential debates 2016? Presidential Debates 2016 Details NBC News anchor Lester Holt will moderate the first presidential debate 2016 in New York. The second presidential debate 2016 moderators are ABC News co-anchor Martha Raddatz and CNN news anchor Anderson Cooper. The town hall-style debate will be held in Missouri on Sunday Oct. 9. The last presidential debate 2016 moderator is Fox News anchor Chris Wallace, being held on Wednesday Oct. 19. Watch Presidential Debates 2016 Tune into cable news channels CNN, Fox News and MSNBC for live coverage of the presidential debates 2016. The debates will be broadcast live on C-SPAN, ABC, CBS and FOX as well. Live Stream Presidential Debates 2016 Certain universities may have a live stream of the debates on their campus. Last debate 2012 was live streamed at a Hofstra theater while select students entered a lottery to watch the debate live in person. The same lottery is available for 2016 presidential debates. CNN News Live Stream is likely to have the 2016 presidential debates as it did in 2012. You can also watch the 2016 presidential debates LIVE STREAM here. Presidential Debates 2016 Topics Viewers are supposed to hear about moderator questions for presidential debate 2016 prior to the first debate on Sept. 26. At the last presidential debates in 2012, President Barack Obama went head on with former Gov. Mitt Romney and some of those same topics may be rolled over to the 2016 presidential debates. Moderator Jim Lehrer asked questions about the economy during the first presidential debates in 2012; a pressing topic in the 2016 presidential race. What are the major differences between the two of you about how you would go about creating new jobs? Lehrer asked. He also asked a second question on the economy, focusing on the federal deficit and the federal debt. Given recent terrorist attacks, the nation would be concerned about that topic and military powers. Moderator Bob Schieffer asked about the challenges of a changing Middle East and the new face of terrorism, at the last presidential debate in 2012. Immigration may be a major topic given the number of undocumented immigrants in America, a changing economy that should reflect that and the increasing number of refugees looking to enter the U.S. due to conflict in their native countries. The last presidential debate 2016 will be a town hall so we will not know what an audience member would ask but previous debates showed students asking questions regarding student debt. A Latino high school student in Idaho has finally seen his nightmare come to an end after the bus driver who tormented him about not speaking English was recently fired. Northside Bus Company, the company who hired the driver, confirmed the firing of the driver. Video recently emerged on social media of Jerome High School freshmen Miguel Martinez being doused with water and verbally attacked by elderly driver Mary Black "I don't understand Spanish," Black blares on the video after confronting Martinez. "I'm not going to learn it. I live in America and it's an English-speaking country. So if you want to speak to me, speak to me in English." Fellow Student Filmed Incident Brayan Alvarez, the student who captured the confrontation on his cellphone and passed it along to the parties who downloaded it to Facebook, told reporters the incident occurred after Black attempted to take away Martinez's phone. "She tried to take his phone away and when she didn't get to do that, she just grabbed the water bottle and started getting him wet," he said. Alvarez later added all the commotion commenced when Black wrongly accused Martinez of throwing a water bottle. Black Accused of Being Repeat Offender Meanwhile, some students claim this wasn't the first time Black has chastised a Hispanic student about speaking their native language. "He told me he was told by the bus driver that it was not allowed to speak in Spanish while riding the bus," Juan Espino said of his teenage son. According to Espino, he had previously contacted the Northside Bus Company about concerns regarding Black, but was always told there was no evidence found on the vehicle's surveillance system to corroborate any of it. "When I talked to one of the other kids, he told me that when that took place the driver would turn, when something like that happened, the driver would turn the cameras off," he said. New Braunfels, TX (78130) Today Sunny along with a few clouds. High 79F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight A few clouds from time to time. Low 53F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph. By Markar Melkonian and Hrant Gadarigian A Visit with Boris Kharatyan, Deputy Chairman of Confederation of Trade Unions of Armenia (HAMK) Ask a waitress or a supermarket clerk in Yerevan if she and her fellow workers are members of a labor union (arhmiutyun). Judging from our experience, she will either give you a blank stare or she will look alarmed, as if you had just asked if there were an epidemic of herpes in her workplace. Many wage earners in Armenia, especially young ones, do not know what a labor union is. This might sound strange to a casual observer who has been introduced to the facts of unemployment, low wages, forced overtime, and appalling workplace safety in the Republic of Armenia. HAMK: The Confederation of Trade Unions of Armenia On August 19, Boris Kharatyan, Deputy Chairman of the Confederation of Trade Unions of Armenia (HAMK), made time in his busy schedule to meet with us at the Confederation headquarters just off Sargsyan Street in Yerevan, to talk about prospects for union organization in Armenia. Kharatyan comes off as a competent, no-nonsense trade union official who is genuinely concerned about his constituents. He was also very patient with Markar Melkonians dismal Armenian language skills. The Confederation of Trade Unions of Armenia ( ) is the successor to the Soviet-era Council of Trade Unions of Armenia. Today, it is the only republic-level representative of unionized workers in Armenia, encompassing twenty affiliated branch unions that represent some 197,000 workers, out of an estimated total labor force of 1.194 million (2011 estimate). HAMK, then, represents about one-sixth of the total labor force in the country. Branch unions affiliated with HAMK include organizations of agro-industrial workers, healthcare workers, teachers, employees of banks and financial institutions, construction workers, transport and communication workers, and an oddly sorted Trade Union Organization of Miners, Metallurgists, and Jewelers. The largest union in the country that is not affiliated with HAMK is the ArmenTel workers union, a sweetheart union of the privately owned telecommunications company. Article 28 of The Constitution of the Republic of Armenia (the RA) guarantees that Everyone shall have the right to freedom of association with others, including the right to form and to join trade unions. Accordingly, the Labor Code of the RA (Article 23) states that rights and interests of workers may be represented by trade unions. Article 32 of the Constitution of the RA further guarantees that employees shall have the right to strike for the protection of their economic, social and employment interests On paper, then, workers in Armenia (with the exception of civil servants and those serving in the armed forces and law enforcement agencies) have the right to form and join independent trade unions of their choice. Moreover, they have a constitutional right to strike--at least against privately owned firms under unexceptional circumstances. In practice, though, most workers are unable to exercise the right to unionize and to engage in collective bargaining, due to vagaries of the labor code and the governments tolerance of high levels of employment in the informal sector. When it comes to the right to strike, the legal requirements for ratification of a strike vote by a general meeting and a two-thirds vote in favor of a strike poses a big impediment to the exercise of that right. Thats a very high [hurdle], Kharatyan noted, with reference to the strike vote requirements: We must lower it, lower it. According to figures published by the Central Bank of Armenia in June 2016, unemployment in the first quarter of 2016 was 18%. (As a point of reference, unemployment in the United States in 1933, at the height of the Great Depression, was 25%.) It is important to note, though, that the Central Banks unemployment figure purports to measure unemployment within the Republic; it does not take into account the hundreds of thousands of men and women who have permanently left the republic in search of jobs. The latter consideration makes a difference. The question of the population of Armenia is a highly charged topic, one that stokes a narrative of national diminishment. Between 1991 and1996, nearly 650,000 people left the country, and in the twenty years since then, hundreds of thousands of others have emigrated. Armstat, the National Statistical Service, recently (2016) put the current population of the republic at 2.9 million, although opposition leaderswithout offering much in the way of convincing evidence--have publicly claimed that the figure is closer to two million. Whether the truth is closer to the Armstat figure or the two million figure, one should keep in mind that Armenias population has registered a net decline from the 3.5 million figure in the final years of the Soviet period; that is to say, a decline in total population, even after the influx of tens of thousands of refugees from Azerbaijan and Nagorno Karabagh in the early 1990s. The number of Armenians in the larger Southern Caucasus region has dropped by perhaps one-third. The most common explanation for the demographic outflow is unemployment, as Armenians have left the RA in search of jobs. The main destination of the emigrants has been Russia, where nowadays almost as many ethnic Armenians reside as in the RA. The International Labor Organization: An Impartial Umpire? HAMK participates in the International Labor Organization (IKO). Founded in 1919 with the announced aim of raising labor standards internationally, the ILO became a specialized UN agency in 1946. Soon after the demise of the Soviet Union, the RA, along with the Republics of Georgia, Azerbaijan, and other former Soviet Republics, became member states of the ILO. From the ILO website, we learn that the organization brings together governments, employers, and workers representatives of 187 member states, to set labour standards, develop policies, and devise programmes promoting decent work for all women and men. Kharatyan observed that, the ILO in 1919 was to a certain extent an answer to 1918: it arose as a response to the rising waves of revolutionary activity in Europe after the October Revolution in Russia. (See, for example, Guy Standing, The ILO: An Agency for Globalization? in Development and Change 39(3), 2008, p. 356.) The message of the ILO was that, instead of class struggle and a contest for state power, representatives of capital and of labor should come together, to argue with each other and come to an agreement, as Kharatyan put it. Social Partnership or One-Sided Class Struggle? The ILO presents social partnership (sotsial kordzungerutyun) as an alternative to what Kharatyan described as the old Marxist idea of class struggle, which views the interests of workers and employers as 100% opposed. The Labor Code of the RA defines social partnership as a system of interrelations between the representatives of workers, the representatives of employers, and the Government of the Republic of Armenia, a system aimed at representing the interests of workers and employers, as equal parties in collective bargaining. The ideal of social partnership is embodied in the ILOs celebrated tripartite structure. HAMK is bound to abide by the mandate of the ILO, to give "an equal voice to workers, employers, and governments to ensure that the views of the social partners are closely reflected in labour standards and in shaping policies and programmes." HAMK does not have enforcement power. That power, rather, falls to the state, which is connected to this tripartite structure through the Ministries, notably the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs of the RA and the Ministry of Health. These ministries have the power to enforce the Labor Code of the RA and ILO directives. There is no specialized labor court system in the ROA: labor disputes, including collective bargaining disputes, are dealt with in the civil judiciary system. The idea of social partnership and the raft of assumptions upon which it floats fit into the official picture of the state as an impartial umpire, or a level playing field where various interest groups, including labor and capital, compete for their share of limited resources. One may search the HAMK website (hamk.am) in vain for a critical view of this official picture, and at no point in our conversation did Kharatyan express doubt about it, either. Accordingly, he put much emphasis on legality (orinakanutyun), as opposed to class struggle. When asked how the social partnership has been working out in the RA, the Deputy Chairman said, Its working to a certain extent, adding: Im not saying that its working at a high level. The statement could be taken as an expression of a long-lingering feeling of diminished aspirations for unionized workers, as if their representatives have their hands full just trying to stem the trend of falling living standards for their members. The State Labor Inspectorate of the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs is supposed to defend the rights of workers and to settle disputes between employers and employees. It is not entirely clear, however, that it lives up to its mandate. As one writer recently observed, the Inspectorate, rather than being created to defend employees rights under the law, is engaged in seeking loopholes to the law that can be conveniently used when necessary. (Sara Petrosyan, State Labor Inspectorate Fails to Protect Workers, Hetq.am Online, 21 Feb., 2016.) In any event, the same writer added, it is clear that inspections carried out by the agency are not motivated by any desire to defend workers rights. We discussed industrial safety and the high rate of industrial accidents in the country since 1995, notably in mining. We did not have time during our visit to discuss working conditions overall, nor the related problem of industrial pollution, which disproportionately affects workers. But we did briefly discuss prospectsor the lack of prospectsof building an institution to represent the large part of Armenias population that is unemployed or unemployed: could Armenia follow the example of the Irish National Organization of the Unemployed, the Australian Unemployed Workers Union, or the UR Union of the Unemployed (U-Cubed) in the United States? The idea is that workers, whether employed, unemployed, or underemployed, share a common interest in cutting the length of the work day, and on the basis of this common interest it may be possible to unite the large part of the population that is unemployed and underemployed. After a brief discussion, Kharatyan asserted that it is the states responsibility to provide support to the unemployed, and as for organizing that part of the population, that too is the states problem. The Fairy Tale of the Neutral State So social partnership within the ILO is supposed to involve joint agreement among business, labor, and a state that is imagined to be neutral as between the competing interests of labor and capital. As a participant in the ILO, HAMK is dedicated to this agreement, and its work takes place entirely within this tripartite structure. Business, by contrast, is not constrained by this structure. Employers have produced a profusion of organizations to determine and pursue their own interests, both particular and collective. In the first place there is, of course, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI) of the RA, a well-connected, well established, and well funded organization dedicated, according to their mission statement, to the improvement of the business environment, promotion of export and investments, support to small and medium enterprises The CCI describes its purpose as serving as a bridge between business organizations and state bodies. And then there is the Union of Manufacturers and Businessmen (Employers), an NGO founded in 1996 to protect the interest of local manufacturers, development of international business co-operation, creation of mutually beneficial relations for companies inside Armenia and abroad. (umba.info.am) There is also the Association for Foreign Investment and Cooperation (AFIC) and the Republican Union of Employers of Armenia (est. 2007), as well as many bilateral commercial, industrial, and import-export associations. And then of course there are many large NGOs in Armenia concerned with civil society developmenta phrase signaling devotion to the interest of employers, private firms, and corporations. Employers and manufacturers, then, have their own well-funded, well-connected and influential organizations, to determine their collective aims and to pursue them. Through their own institutions, and in consultation with the Ministries, the National Assembly, the executive branch, and the judiciary, capitalists collectively engage to determine policy, which is enforced by the police and courts. They work hand-in-hand with state institutions, outside of tripartite structures and social partnership, and they all line up against a mass of mostly unorganized workers with their backs to the abyss of unemployment. One-Sided Class Consciousness in Armenia The capitalist class in Armenia is quite evidently an organized and self-conscious class, a class for itself, with a near total monopoly on political power and influence within the state. Workers in Armenia, by contrast, are subject to constant discipline and repression emanating from labors supposed social partners, the state and private capital. There is little in the way of practical recognition among workers or from the Confederation that workers constitute a class in itself. Thus, the suggestion that workers should form themselves into a class for itself never arises. When it comes to capital and labor, then, there is an enormous asymmetry of class consciousness, resources, and power. Evidently, employers understand very well that they constitute a class; not so in the case of workers. The consequences of this asymmetry are obvious in Yerevan and throughout the RA, from unemployment rates and emigration, to industrial safety, mining pollution, and nonpayment of back wages. Just two randomly selected illustrations of this point, from the hundreds that could be cited: (1) In the RA, an average of two fatal mining accidents has taken place every year since1995, while hundreds of miners have been seriously injured and left with entirely insufficient compensation; (2) at the end of the second quarter of 2016, Armenia's monthly subsistence level (calculated according to the cost of a monthly per capita food basket) fell to 55,703 dramsa 6.5% decrease from the same period in 2015. (National Statistical Service) And yet only one-sixth of the working population is organized, and their union confederation, HAMK, denies the reality of class struggle. The Confederation Does Not See Workers as a Class HAMK is what it is - a confederation of labor unions trying under adverse conditions to increase income and improve working hours for its membership. Or at least to fight against further wage cuts and forced overtime. Men and women like Deputy Chairman Kharatyan pursue the interests of their members. Their perspective is an accommodation to conditions that are hostile to organized labor: high unemployment and emigration, and correspondingly low rates of unionization--as well as the continuing acceptance of neoliberal assumptions as the Gospel Truth. HAMK has an interest, of course, in increasing its membership. However, there does not appear to be any ambition on the part of the Confederation to represent workers as a class. Indeed, it was not clear from our conversation that there is a recognition, either on the conversational level or on the practical level, that workers in Armenia--both those who are employed and those who are unemployed or underemployedeven constitute a class in itself. And this lack or recognition is yet one more obstacle in the way to forging workers in the RA into a class for itself. Top Photo: Boris Kharatyan (@Markar Melkonian) Prynhawn da pawb. Good afternoon everyone. Thank you Colin, and many thanks to colleagues here at Cardiff University for hosting this event today. Its great to be here in the Postgraduate Teaching Centre, where professionals from industry and masters students mix and study in the same great location. It is a real state-of the art facility, one which reflects ambitions to engage strongly with the local and global economy. One of Cardiff Universitys main purposes is to contribute to the social, cultural and economic development of Wales. It says so in the university charter (so it must be true!) Such civic ambition, in common with our other universities, was the product of a national, political and educational awakening. As the Aberdare Committee of 1881 noted, there was a widespread desire for a better education system in Wales in the second half of the 19th century. The establishment of our own university colleges was central to the fulfilment of that desire. I know that ambitions for an even better education system in Wales are shared, and demanded, across the country even now. Our national mission is to ensure that all citizens benefit from an equal opportunity to reach the highest standards. I am ambitious, and optimistic, about our collective ability to shape a system that is modern, excellent and innovative. Universities are critical to that national mission. They should be open and outward-looking, connecting the civic, social and economic. I want to take the opportunity today to share some thoughts on the role of universities as civic institutions. The challenge and necessity of civic engagement following the EU referendum; The role of universities as stewards of community, city and country; And the importance of innovation, a start-up culture and international links. Just before I move on, Id like to congratulate the sector in Wales for achieving its highest-ever student satisfaction level in the National Student Survey last month outperforming England in fact. Although we dont take the narrow view of students as just a set of consumers, delivering the best possible student experience is a fundamental priority. BREXIT NEXT STEPS Im sure that all in this room would agree that UK withdrawal from the European Union brings significant challenges for our universities. The Vice Chancellor of this institution has himself described the current position as one of turbulence and uncertainty that many of us have not experienced in our lifetimes. It is difficult to argue with that analysis. But those challenges ahead are to be embraced, rather than avoided. There is no other option. Of course, we must be realistic and recognise that there will forces and powers beyond our control. But as a progressive, as an optimist, I believe in our collective ability to find the solutions, make the big calls and shape a post-Brexit higher education system that is open, confident and innovative. As Tom Kibasi, Director of the IPPR, recently wrote on the necessity of political optimism and responding to our environment: The crucial point is not is it good or bad? but how do we act together to make sure that our society benefits from all its potential rather than suffers from its possible risks? In that spirit, working with Universities Wales, HEFCW and Welsh Higher Education Brussels Board, my officials will this month hold the first meeting of a Welsh HE Brexit Working Group. It will actively co-ordinate intelligence and provide advice on both the impact and possibilities of UK withdrawal from the EU. In establishing the group, I also want to set a challenge to the sector and interested parties. The government wants to work with you on innovations in international engagement, to look at new models and markets, and how best to secure those partnerships, research and funding relationships with EU colleagues. Wales already punches above its weight compared to the rest of the UK in transnational education programmes with China for example, and working together through the Global Wales partnership we continue to increase promotion and opportunities in key markets. The First Minister is this week in the United States making the case for deeper and stronger engagement. As someone who spent part of my own degree in Missouri, Im delighted that the sector has identified untapped potential for Wales in the North American market. We will also be pressing the UK Government to think creatively for a genuine four-nations approach to successor funding arrangements, but also to offer to pilot new approaches within a reformed immigration system. I was disappointed that the recent post-study work visa pilot is limited to four universities in similarly prosperous English cities, decided without consultation with any of the non-English governments. I have made this point to the Home Office and am determined to engage on behalf of Wales ahead of any potential expansion. Im also looking to the sector, working with private sector, to come forward with proposals on encouraging more of our students to spend time studying and gaining work experience abroad, both in Europe and further afield. On that note, Im pleased to confirm that we are continuing to fund the Generation UK: China programme and will be looking for other models. But above all, I want to reiterate that staff and students from across the European Union are welcome at our universities. As a liberal, I continue to believe in an open and tolerant Wales, which has long benefited from immigration from across the world. Our higher education sector thrives because of the diversity and dynamism of all its people. Over a thousand students from the EU, and from across the world, will be joining us in Wales over the next month and I want them to know that their contribution to life here is, and will be, appreciated. Wales.Com will also be leading a global campaign during October to promote Wales a destination for international students. REFERENDUM CAMPAIGN I want now to reflect a little on the referendum result and the opportunities and responsibilities for universities. Writing in the Times Higher Education, Dr Claire Taylor of Glyndwr University has described the sectors feeling of shock that expert views from universities were roundly ignored by politicians and public. She argues that following a period of wound-licking, universities must re- capture a notion of community that connects campus, country and the global context. I welcome both the prescription for next steps, but also such constructive reflection on the sectors role within, and reaction to, the referendum. In fact, I would go further. At a UK level, the pro-EU campaign of universities was too easily dismissed as one of self- interest, almost exclusively focused on income. This is not to exempt politicians and government from criticism. Far from it. As Anthony Barnett has put it, we have an obligation, across our four nations, to regroup as a meaningful democracy, socially inclusive, internationally responsible, economically fair and institutionally inventive. But it is certainly incumbent on universities to reflect on the distance between campus and community exposed by the referendum. The urgency of now is to recapture a civic mission. It is a challenge that should engage hearts and minds. And universities are nothing if they are not the place for the challenge of minds! As a progressive, I have a nagging concern following the referendum result. The victories that help bend the arc of history towards progress feminism, opening up access to education, civility in our discourse and towards others, civil rights, even devolution may be far more fragile than we imagined. The vote showed that when people and communities think advancements are for the benefit of others rather than for them, their families or society at large they will think they have nothing to lose by standing against these. Are we confident that the communities that host our universities do not see those institutions as belonging to other people? How are Welsh universities owned, rooted and responsible to their region and nation? How will they help address issues of social cohesion, active citizenship and informed debate in the months and years to come? These are contemporary challenges but also a call to recapture the spirit of our national education mission. As I said at the start, our universities owe their first steps to an education revolution of civic, economic and academic ambition. It was the pence of the poor that funded those first steps, with the pounds of philanthropists and government a step behind. Even here in Cardiff, efforts at the turn of the century to fund a department of commerce failed with only 15 being raised from that sector! Of course, links with industry are much stronger now, but there is still more to do. Universities, much like the Mutual Improvement Societies and Miners Libraries, was of and for the people. Gareth Elwyn Jones described it as a culture of altruism. A coalition of miners, quarry workers, chapel goers, immigrants, workers from all sectors, funding scholarships and colleges, advancing individuals, communities and the nation. All driving towards what Raymond Williams would describe as the project for an engaged and participating democracy. These actions, and ambitions, came in lieu of distant, centralised state. And universities grew as autonomous institutions with academic freedom a principle that remains secure. The task now is a Welsh higher education system that is accessible and relevant to its home communities within a democratic, devolved nation. And to combine it with an openness to students, scholars, opportunities and intellectual developments in Europe and across the World. Our universities should be the source of robust thinking and free debate, taking their place in the public square rather than retrenching behind institutional walls. I want to see universities engaged in debate and ideas, built on evidence from research and careful thought. Arguments about institutional funding are important, but they must not the sole focus of intellectual and policy discussion. As part of that approach, our universities should look to the example of those founded in the United States as land grant universities. Those colleges, founded in the 19th century when public land was given over to higher education provision aimed at the working class, have recaptured their mission as stewards of place. This both reflects the mutually beneficial relationship with their host community, but an ongoing commitment to civic engagement and leadership. The referendum showed that our notions of togetherness and bonds between communities are perhaps weaker than we imagined. Welsh Universities, as civic and international institutions, have a responsibility as stewards of community, city and country. Accessibility and relevance to community and country can take different forms. There is much good work already, not least in the provision of part-time opportunities for study, which Im keen to see prosper. But there is more to do on connecting campus and higher education more widely with our communities. I do not see this as contradictory to the international ambitions of the sector. Done well, it should be complementary. Indeed, the study of Wales, our history, culture, politics, economy should be both for our own citizens and the wider world. The recent launch of the OU in Waless Hafan website is an innovative example in this area. The global outlook of our universities should bring benefits for student and graduate experience, region to region working, transnational industry links, research and development, and strengthened civic and people to people exchanges. But I am clear that our universities must be of their place and of their people as a first principle. It is from this stewardship that universities will fulfil their national, civic and international roles and responsibilities. LINKS WITH SCHOOLS The best of Wales is a tradition of self-improvement, democratising knowledge and education leadership. Our education reform at all levels takes inspiration from these values. Working together we will get the basics right, raise our standards and ambitions for excellence for all pupils, parents, students and teachers. It is not only schools and teachers that must deepen and extend collaboration and mutual improvement. Our universities must also deliver on that national mission, working with schools, industry and international partners. There have been positive developments in universities working with schools to share expertise in areas such as modern foreign languages and digital competency. Led by Cardiff, but including Swansea, Bangor and Aberystwyth, a pilot undergraduate mentoring scheme is helping inspire school pupils to study languages. We have a long way to go but the pilot is a collaborative and innovative approach to addressing the issue. Swanseas innovative use of computer science undergraduate students as teaching support in local schools, and running Technoclub sessions, is also a very welcome development. Those links between universities and schools are critical to a civic mission, as of course is universities outreach work that promotes aspiration and attainment in all our communities. I take great pride in being an education secretary that has responsibility for both sectors. We should welcome Englands recent conversion to our model of working, bringing higher education alongside schools in the Department for Education! Of course, universities have a direct role as teacher education centres, and John Furlongs report is critical in reforming our teacher training courses and developing the skills teachers want and need linked to a clear focus on leadership and standards. Professor Furlongs report also identifies that not a single academic from any teacher education centre in Wales was returned for the most recent Research Excellence Framework. Frankly, thats not good enough. To go further, only 1.5% of total UK submissions in specialised educational research was from Wales, and all from Cardiff. If researchers and academics in Wales arent engaging with education reform here, then we cant rely on universities elsewhere to do it. Im not asking for cheer-leaders, but a greater sense of inquiry and interest in our educational environment. START-UP CULTURE The New York University expert on the social and economic effects of technology, Clay Shirky, has said that the biggest threat to those of us working in colleges and universities isnt video lectures or online tests. It is the fact that that we live in institutions perfectly adapted to an environment that no longer exists. He was writing about elite American colleges inflexibility in widening access, demonstrating value as a public good and measuring graduate outcomes. Here in Wales we could have a debate about those matters, but more pressingly the sector needs to be ready for the post-Brexit environment. It will require collaboration, connecting the civic, social, academic and economic. As set out in my agreement with the First Minister, I am keen to promote a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship in our universities, in partnership with public and private sectors. The work of NESTA provides evidence on innovation driving prosperity in smaller, nimble countries. From Estonias development of technology across a range of public services, to Singapores encouragement of SME innovation, and the Basque Countrys commitment to collaborative innovation rooted in a sense of identity and ambition. These countries share virtues described by the American economist Tyler Cowen as start-up nations. Strong identities and vision, a commitment to innovation, an important national role for universities and a scale where the nation can act together. We had some of this optimism here in 1999 and its been a mixed record. However, although post-Brexit we will not be a new nation, our new environment does necessitate a start up mentality. The higher education sector was perhaps too slow to adapt in the first decade of devolution, too slow to recognise its new devolved, democratic environment. We need to work in partnership to embrace the challenges ahead, with the energy and enterprise of a start-up. Cardiff was recently recognised as the 45th most innovative university in Europe, which shows that we have the tools here in Wales. On my recent visit to Swanseas Bay Campus, the work of the Engineering Manufacturing Centre in particular also impressed me. I also want to see greater promotion of undergraduate opportunities for social innovation and entrepreneurship. Cardiff Metropolitans award-winning centre for entrepreneurship, alongside projects such as University of Wales Trinity Saint Davids Creative Bubble in Swansea and Bangors success in software licensing are to be welcomed. However, only two Welsh universities are currently involved in the Enactus programme. This is a global programme which provides social enterprise opportunities for student teams. Unfortunately neither of the Welsh teams has yet won the UK national competition for students. I want to see more Welsh students get the opportunity to undertake such entrepreneurial action at a university, national and international level. No Welsh university is yet recognised as a Change-maker Campus, a designation for leading institutions in social innovation education. There are fewer than 40 worldwide, but universities from England and Scotland are in there, alongside Brown, George Mason and Johns Hopkins universities. Id like to see some progress on this. The number of active university start-up businesses in Wales has increased by 29% this year. And were punching above our weight in the UK context, with 12% of the total UK graduate start- ups and 15% of UK staff start-ups. Graduates from this University have established more than 270 start-up companies in the last three years. These are the foundations for further encouraging enterprise amongst students, staff and graduates. OTHER PRIORITIES FROM THE AGREEMENT Before concluding, I will cover a couple of other priorities from my agreement with the First Minister. Ive talked a lot about civic responsibility and the relationship between the state, society, student and the sector. The funding of higher education, if it is to be sustainable and progressive, must also share those same characteristics of a social contract. Sir Ian Diamond will soon be presenting his independent, cross-party review of higher education funding and student finance. As set out in my agreement with the First Minister, the Government will consider those recommendations, with a view to early implementation where appropriate. When the report is published later this month, I will make a statement that afternoon to the Assembly on the strategic direction and principles of the recommendations. In responding to the review, I am clear that Wales needs a higher education funding settlement that supports students when they most need it, and enables our universities to compete internationally. Fear of living costs must not prevent higher education being available to all who can benefit. Sir Ian and his cross-party panel of experts have been diligent in their work. I am hopeful that we can be optimistic, ambitious and innovative in bringing forward a settlement that: Recently I was out with some Bishops Stortford Liberal Democrats, gathering signatures on a petition for citizens of other EU nations currently in the UK to be allowed to remain in the UK. In a few hours we gathered just over 250 signatures on a not-that-busy street. Some were delighted to sign. Some were relieved that we were not taking the opposite position. Some said their businesses would struggle without people from other parts of the EU. More worrying was the small minority who disagreed, loudly wanting foreigners to go home. A prize for confusion goes to the person who said that, and then added that she wanted to retire to France. Then came an apparently-xenophobic attack on two Poles in Harlow and Theresa Mays assertion that curbing immigration will take priority over access to the single market in Brexit talks. She must know this is unrealistic: freedom of movement is one of the pillars of the single market and Switzerlands access to EU programmes was curtailed after they sought to restrict migration. The sense of farce is heightened by a survey from British Future saying that only a third of people think the government will meet its immigration targets over the next five years and a claim from Boris Johnson that people didnt vote Leave because of immigration. Economic reality is that migration addresses skill shortages and builds connection that stabilises peace. In taking two million Syrian refugees, Angela Merkel was shrewdly addressing the problem, which we share, of an ageing population. Immigrants pay taxes and boost economic activity, creating jobs as well as taking them. Stoking peoples fears makes it harder to name and address our real problems. I had a chilling illustration canvassing in the General Election campaign when someone told me they were worried about the effects of austerity on their friends and family. Without pausing for breath, they blamed immigrants, so were going to vote for the Conservatives because they are tough on immigration, overlooking the fact that this meant they were voting for the party ideologically-committed to the austerity that was hurting them. The Tories and brilliantly exported the blame for the effects of their policies onto immigrants. This was in a constituency where 95% of the population are white British, so its hard to see that there were enough immigrants to have the effect attributed to them. Blaming immigrants has become a way to duck responsibility for under-investment in the NHS, failure to build housing and for the effects of austerity. Its grossly irresponsible, both for future relations with our European neighbours, and for the fabric of British society. Its not worked in the past, and there is no reason to believe it will work now. The people happy to sign a petition to help protect EU nationals working in the UK point in an open and positive direction. It might not be a coincidence that these people reacted well when I said I would be the Liberal Democrat candidate if there is a snap election, and standing on a pro-EU ticket. * Mark Argent was the Liberal Democrat candidate in Huntingdon Constituency in 2019 and blogs at markargent.com/blog. A LATVIAN national who is accused of using stolen cheques at a supermarket in Rathkeale was refused bail as he could not provide gardai with a home address. Tomasz Latek, aged 31, who has a number of different addresses in the city faces two charges under the provisions of Section 6 of the Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud Offences) Act 2001. It is alleged he presented a stolen cheque made out for 450 - when he bought 80 worth of groceries at Eurospar, Rathkeale on September 29, last. He is also accused of attempting to present another stolen cheque made out for 350 - at the same store two days later. After staff became concerned, gardai were alerted and the defendant subsequently arrested. Evidence of arrest and charge was submitted by way of certificate and Sergeant Donal Cronin told Limerick District Court gardai were requesting that a number of conditions be imposed as a condition of bail. He asked that Latek supply an address to gardai and that he surrender his passport pending the conclusion of the proceedings against him. Solicitor Tom Kiely said his client was living with a friend in the city centre but that he did not know the exact address or his phone number as his own phone was broken. Mr Kiely told the court that Lateks passport was in the apartment but that he did he not have a key to gain access. Judge Mary Larkin was told, last Thursday, that with the assistance of Garda Tom Flavin the location of the apartment was identified but that there was no answer when he called to the door. The defendant was remanded in custody overnight but on Friday, the court was told that Latek was still not in a position to over his passport or provide an address. Noting the defendants admission that his partner and child had returned to Poland a number of weeks, Sgt Cronin said it was not unreasonable for the State to seek certain conditions. In the circumstances, he said he was opposing bail. Latek was remanded in custody to appear before Newcastle West Court this Friday. Sep 11, 2016, 10 AM The Postiljonen auction firm in Malmo, Sweden, will offer stamps and postal history from Scandinavia and around the world on Sept. 30 and Oct. 1. This Danish cover was mailed in Copenhagen April 1, 1851, the first day of issue for the countrys first stam A rare intact cover from Iceland mailed to London in 1875 will be offered during the Sept. 30-Oct. 1 Postiljonen auction in Malmo. The cover is franked with two of Icelands earliest issues. By Michael Baadke On Sept. 30 and Oct. 1, the Postiljonen auction firm will conduct a series of public auctions offering Scandinavian and worldwide material. The sales are taking place at the firms offices in Malmo, Sweden, a short train ride from Copenhagen, Denmark. Featured in these sales are items from three important collections: the Wolfgang Weigel large gold medal collection of classic Denmark, the Gummesson grand prix dhonneur collection of Finland (part 1), and the Indridi Palsson large gold medal collection of classic Iceland (part 2). The auction begins Friday afternoon with worldwide stamps and postal history from non-Scandinavian countries (presented alphabetically). The countries represented include Brazil, with examples of all three denominations of the famed Bulls-Eyes, the nations first stamp issue; China, with postal history plus items from the Peoples Republic; German states and Germany; Great Britain and British colonies; Italian states and much more. Connect with Linns Stamp News: Sign up for our newsletter Like us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter Listed among the German material are Danish stamps on and off cover struck with cancels from towns that are now part of Germany, including Horst, a village that today is in the German state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, but which in 1851 was part of the southern reaches of the Danish kingdom. The 4-rigsbank skilling stamp (Denmarks first stamp, Scott 2) on piece has a perfect strike of the scarce 142 numeral postmark identifying Horst. The stamp is listed by Postiljonen with a starting price of E400 (approximately $450) against a value of $750 in the 2016 Scott Classic Specialized Catalogue of Stamps and Covers 1840-1940. There are also a few nice classic United States lots, including a top plate block of 12 of the countrys first airmail stamp, the 1918 24 carmine and blue Jenny airplane stamp (Scott C3) with two TOP inscriptions and arrow. The plate block is listed with a starting price of E250 (about $280). The Weigel collection of Denmark features quality classic material from 1851-64, including a first-day cover of the countrys 4rbs first stamp postmarked in Copenhagen on April 1, 1851. The folded lettersheet has full and dated contents, according to Postiljonen, and is certified by Moeller. The stamp is tied to the cover by the mute cancel of concentric rings stamped in blue that was used in Copenhagen only from April 1-6, 1851, in accordance with instructions in force on the day of issue (these instructions were later changed.) Formerly in the collections of Christian Andersen and Knud Mohr, the cover is listed with a E15,000 starting price (about $16,740). The first part of the Indridi Palsson collection of Iceland was offered by Postiljonen in March of this year, and all but one of the 207 lots were sold in the sale (and the one remaining item sold soon after). Part 2, in the upcoming auction, offers some 283 lots of stamps, proofs and postal history, including early stampless covers. A featured lot is described as the only recorded complete cover to a foreign destination (outside of Denmark). Mailed in Reykjavik May 8, 1875, and known as the Granton cover for its handwritten direction Via Granton at upper left, it is addressed to London, England, and franked with the 1873 2-skilling and 8sk stamp (Scott 1 and 3, respectively). These stamps individually are listed in the Scott Classic Specialized catalog at $50,000 for the 2sk stamp on cover, and $44,000 for the 8sk on cover. On the reverse of the cover are a May 13 transit postmark from Lerwick, and a May 20 London arrival postmark. The Granton cover is accompanied by a Moeller certificate, and is listed by Postiljonen with a E50,000 starting price (about $55,800). Additional treasures are found in the first in a series of sales by Postiljonen that will feature items from the Gummesson collection of Finland. The collection which starts with pre-philately encompasses all the classic issues and up to 1917, including the early postal stationery period, private local post and postal history with emphasis on the early postmarks, Postiljonen notes. For additional information about the auction, including online catalogs with lot descriptions, visit the Postiljonen website. Information is also available from Postiljonen AB, Box 537, SE-201 25 Malmo, Sweden. The auctions will take place at Hans Michelsensgatan 9 in Malmo. We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page. You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close In this photo taken Aug. 25, 2016, Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton speaks during at a campaign event in Reno, Nev. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster) MADISON / FOND DU LAC - Ann F. Hilton, age 91, died peacefully after a long and full life on Sept. 10, 2016. Ann was born in Longview, Texas on June 27, 1925, to John and Annie (Ansley) Fentress. She met her soulmate, Bob Hilton, when they worked together in an U.S. Army dental clinic in Texas during World War II. They married in 1945 and Bob brought her to his hometown of Madison, Wis., where they spent many happy years raising children and grandchildren, who were the light of her life. Although she lived in Wisconsin for more than 70 years, she never lost her Texas accent or her Texas spirit. But she did become a die-hard fan of the Brewers, Badgers and Packers. Ann had a compassion to care for others which over the years gave her the opportunity to care for numerous family and friends. Ann was committed member of her faith and an active member of Our Lady Queen of Peace parish. Ann spent countless hours volunteering for various activities and serving communion to those who were unable to get to church. Ann was a devoted member of the Daughters of the American Revolution and the family historian, spending many years tracing her family's genealogy. She also enjoyed bridge, square-dancing, cross-stitching, cooking, word search books, vacationing at her lake home, hosting numerous parties, and spending time with her many relatives and friends. Ann cherished her family dearly. She is survived by her children, Debra (Dennis) Heaney, Linda (Phil) Schumacher, and Bob (Jodi); grandchildren, Kathleen Heaney, Colleen (John) Steinbruecker, Patrick (Tracy) Heaney, Maureen Heaney, Michael (Melissa) Heaney, Lauri (Joel) Rollings, Chris Schumacher, Phil Schumacher, and Krystal (Travis) Wick; and nine great-grandsons. She was preceded in death by her husband and best friend, Bob. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11 a.m. on Thursday, Sept. 15, 2016, at OUR LADY QUEEN OF PEACE CATHOLIC CHURCH, 401 S. Owen Drive, Madison, with Monsignor Kenneth Fiedler presiding. A visitation will be held from 10 a.m. until time of Mass on Thursday at the church. Entombment will be at Resurrection Catholic Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Our Lady Queen of Peace. To view and sign this guestbook, please visit www.ryanfuneralservice.com. When Madison and its surrounding areas were being settled, many of these new communities were brought together by their places of worship so that the settlers often immigrants could gather together and celebrate their faith in their own language or tradition. Now, more than 150 years later in some cases, there are few remaining buildings still standing from that bygone era. The handful that are still standing represent the dedication, determination and dreams of those who erected them. One church building in particular, First Lutheran Church in Middleton, is celebrating its 150th anniversary this year and the modest white church still resides on its corner of Old Sauk and Pleasant View roads. Other religious organizations in the area have congregations that exceed 150 years in age, but the original buildings that housed them eventually met some demise or another. But four buildings in Madison and nearby Middleton stand out as spaces that defied the ravages of time and the wrecking ball to remain as artifacts of the areas history. First Lutheran Church In its early days, First Lutheran was known as the big white church on the hill, but those who speak of it now know it as the little white church on the hill. A lot has changed with the little church in 150 years and the dedication of a group of volunteers hope to keep positive changes coming. Services began in the homes of congregation members in 1852. A small log church was constructed for services in 1854, but it wasnt long before the congregation outgrew its original home. The First Lutheran Evangelical Church was erected in 1866 by the 31 German families associated with the congregation which was double the membership from the original 14 families. Families each had to contribute $82 for the new church, said Mae Hartwig whose grandparents were some of the builders. Each family had to go to Madison and pick up supplies in order to build the church, she said. Services at First Lutheran were done in German from the time the congregation began until services stopped at the church in 1947. Now the church is home to weddings, funerals, the occasional baptism and at least two services a year. Its the special events held at First Lutheran that, in part, keep the building funded and functional. The church hosts seven or nine weddings a year, but used to host 23, said Ann Walser, a trustee and the churchs wedding coordinator. One year we had 30 something, said Hartwig, a former trustee for more than 30 years. The church doesnt have heating or air conditioning and the wedding season is May through October. Despite generous donations, grants and rental income, maintaining a historical building is not without its financial pitfalls. The 150-year-old building is facing major repairs and the board of trustees have collected $75,000 of the $130,000 needed to complete all of the projects, said Alice Drake, a First Lutheran Board of Trustees member. The church community is marking their anniversary with a service at the First Lutheran at 2 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 11, followed by a sold-out buffet and music celebration at Kalscheur Park. Grace Episcopal Church In 1839, when a group of people came together to form the congregation that built Downtowns Grace Episcopal Church, Madison was a much different place. According to church reception desk volunteer Jane Henning, the population was 63 people. The original church was a quaint brick chapel built in 1850 that was replaced by the current building in 1858, Henning said. Unlike other churches of its time, however, Grace Episcopal was not founded by a particular group of immigrants. They werent connected with any particular country, said Henning, who has been a church member since 1967 and an active volunteer in several capacities for many years. We were diversified early on and we certainly are now. Henning said in 1858, when the Gothic-style sandstone church was erected, there were 80 families and 300 individuals in the congregation and today there are 231 families and 465 individuals. The towering steeple was added in 1870 and the bells arrived in 1874, according to Henning. In 1989, the congregation celebrated their 150th anniversary, which Henning helped to plan. Garrison Keillor came to town to do a benefit for the shelter and we ended with a church service with music that had been commissioned especially, Henning said. Our choir is absolutely magnificent, our organ is divine it was grand. Gates of Heaven Synagogue Madisons small Jewish community in 1856 founded the Ahavat Achim (Brotherly Love) congregation that was later renamed Shaare Shomaim (Gates of Heaven), according to Steven Morrison, executive director of the Jewish Federation of Madison from 1984 to 2010. These first Jewish immigrants to Madison were part of what was known then as German Reformers, Morrison said. Today its known as Reform Judaism, he said. Much like other congregations at the time, they began meeting in the homes of members before the synagogue was built in 1863. There were 17 Jewish families living here when the synagogue was built, said Gates of Heaven Preservation Fund volunteer Judy Sidran. The Victorian Romanesque building, originally located on the 200 block of West Washington Avenue, was designed by August Kutzbock who also designed the second capitol state building, Morrison said. By the 1870s, the Gates of Heaven Synagogue fell into disuse and the facilitys few remaining members rented it out to several groups including the Unitarian Society and the Christian Science Church. According to Morrison, the congregation dissolved in 1922. Gates of Heaven faced demolition in 1970 when the Fiore Coal and Oil Company the buildings owner at the time wanted to build a new office at the site. But citizens organized by Norton and Lois Stoler were able to successfully raise funds and place the building on the National Register of Historic Places, Morrison said The city of Madison and volunteers received federal money to help with the $60,000 moving costs, Morrison said. The building was successfully moved by jacking it up on 96 aircraft wheels and rolling it one mile through Downtown Madison streets to James Madison Park, he said. Now the building is maintained in a group effort between the City of Madison and community volunteers, according to Ann Shea, spokeswoman for the parks division. Holy Redeemer Catholic Church Before Holy Redeemer was built, the congregation at St. Raphaels was predominantly Irish and one-third German, so there was discontent within the church community about the language used. In the Catholic world, the mass and sacraments were celebrated in Latin at that time for 100 years more, said Msgr. Kevin Holmes. So, in that sense there was no language problem, but the sermon, of course, was in the language of the people. The German members of the congregation wanted to be able to hear the sermon, give confession and have their children educated in their own language, he said. Holy Redeemer parish was founded in 1857 and they built a little brick church which housed the congregation until the stone church was erected in 1866 and completed in 1869. Holmes said there may have been a small frame church before the brick church was built. German was the standard for Holy Redeemer until 1905 when the first English sermon was given and it is said that the Rev. Alois Zitterl wept at the milestone , according to Holmes. The 12th Roscommon Scout Troop 'Ballyboro' Scouts have made history, by becoming the first Scouting Troop in Ireland and the UK to be the custodians of a 'Heritage Barge'. The troop, a unit within the Lough Keel Scout County which also includes Ardagh, Longford, Kilglass, Ballinamore, Boyle, Mohill and Carrick-on-Shannon, was formed just over 12 years ago in Lanesboro/Ballyleague to cater for children with an interest in outdoor acitivities. Since then, it has flourished, with over 100 youth members, male and female, now taking part from the ages of 6 to 23. Water activities form a major part of the troop's programme, and the members are a familiar sight on the River Shannon, where they can be seen kayaking, canoeing or sailing their fleet of Laser Picos on the inner lake. Members of the troop have also participated in the Scouts Liffey Descent and Paddlefest and some even offer their services as safety canoeists on triathlons and swims throughout the region. The Heritage Barge, then, was the next step for the troop, who enjoyed the boat's maiden voyage from Lanesboro to Richmond Harbour in Clondra to participate in the recent Heritage Week celebrations. Giving a brief history of the boat, Group Leader Liam Kelly explained; The Barge, which measures over 62 long and weighs approximately 50 tonnes, was constructed in 1937 in McMullan's Dockyard in Dublin and was bought by Thomas Hughes & Sons from Athy for the princely sum of 1,200. This Barge, the 113B, was used for conveying goods to and from Dublin along the Grand Canal and River Barrow as far as New Ross in Co Wexford. According to Liam, with the canals no longer being used for commercial transport, a great number of barges were laid up in the late 1950s, and the troop's Fox-113B was purchased by CIE and converted into a maintenance barge that serviced the waterways structure from Lanesboro as far north as Lough Allen, Co Leitrim until its decommissioning a number of years ago. The Fox-113B was then tied up at the Waterways Depot in Rooskey for a number of years, becoming a familiar sight to passing motorists until it caught the eye of some of the Ballyboro Scout Leaders. A number of years previously, members of the Scout Troop had grasped at the opportunity of travelling from Lanesboro to Portrunny on a number of Heritage Barges that stopped off in the Shannonside Town as part of their annual rally, continued Assistant Group Leader and Quartermaster Tom Gill. The seed that was sown from this unique trip on the Shannon and the sighting of the Fox 113B in Rooskey spurred on negotiations with Waterways Ireland and a licence agreement was entered into with Scouting Ireland for the transfer of the Barge from Rooskey to its new home. After carrying out a detailed Marine Survey and ensuring that the appropriate insurance was put in place, the barge was towed up to Hanly's Marina in Ballyleague for major refurbishment works. A team of dedicated Scouters started on the mammoth task of refurbishing the barge, which would eventually be used by Scouts and Guides as a mothership on the navigable rivers and canals both North and South of the Country, Tom revealed, adding that funding for the project had been secured from the Irish Heritage Council and the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport. Giving an insight into just some of the work that had to be done, Tom said; As the barge was previously a working maintenance vessel, modifications that were previously done on the barge had to be undone, with the removal of the crane supports, and the total gutting out of the barge due to water contamination on most of the internal timberwork and furnishings. The centre section of the barge had previously been used as a holding area and workshop and this had to be totally re-roofed in 5mm steel plate and 6 old portholes were installed on the new section to blend in with the remaining structure. The wheelhouse had to be extended to suit our further needs and an extensive programme of re-glazing, engine and gearbox overhaul, insulation, internal flooring and retimbering of the internal roof and walls, rewiring for 24vDC, 12vDC and 220AC had to be undertaken for shore power and the installation and commissioning of an 8kva marine diesel generator, fire and smoke detection, emergency exit, toilet facilities to an internal holding tank, paint removal and repainting of the whole structure was undertaken. Owing to the reconfiguration of the barge, over 14 tonnes of 6 blocks had to be physically lifted on to, and placed into the barge as ballast by hand, but all the hard work was worth it, as the barge is already being factored into the troop's plans for the coming months and years. Plans are already underway to participate in the 200th anniversary of the Royal Canals use commercially next year as well as a trip to the Scouts International Centre in Castle Saunderson, Belturbert, Liam confirmed, before concluding; Waterways Ireland are undertaking work at present on the River Finn which will allow us and other vessels to reach same through the Shannon Erne Waterway upon completion. Looking to stay up to date about all of the news stories and local headlines that are important to Long Islanders? We've rounded up the top coverage for all of the important topics from multiple sources around Long Island, so you can be sure you've got the most recent update on the top stories for Long Island. Have an idea for a news story? Email us at news@longisland.com Columnists Press Releases Their partnership was set to expire in 1977, but Diane Bray and Kelly Vivian both agree that theyre still going strong. Bray was paired with Vivian 41 years ago in the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Dane County program, in which adults are matched with children to provide a positive role model. Bray was 24 years old then, and Vivian was 9. The commitment time for their partnership was one year, but their bond has withstood the tests of time and distance. For Vivians 50th birthday celebration Saturday she shares her birth year with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Dane County Bray flew out from her home in North Carolina to surprise her former Little. The pair havent seen each other in two years. With family and friends gathered outside Vivians home on Madisons Far East Side, Bray walked up the driveway carrying a gift of potted flowers. When Vivian recognized her, Bray sang Happy Birthday before the two hugged with tears in their eyes. Its that history with people thats part of my heart, Bray said. Thats why I came to show Kelly that shes special to me. Vivians father registered her in the program for her to have a female role model in her life. Vivians mother wasnt involved in her life at the time. Those are the things that I wish I would have had with my mom, Vivian said of her memories with Bray, but I have them with Diane. Big Brothers Big Sisters of Dane County helped coordinate the surprise with Bray and Vivians family. Events coordinator Sam Rosenbloom said their longstanding friendship is a testament to the positive impact of the pro- gram. Burr Oaks, on Madisons South Side, has the Mercado Marimar, where the handwritten signs are in Spanish and you can buy statuettes of the Virgen de Guadalupe. Dudgeon-Monroe, on the Near West Side, has the citys only Trader Joes. Look at a map of the Elvehjem Neighborhood and what you see is a near-perfect rectangle of residential development, with the neighborhoods communal anchors, Elvehjem Elementary and the Elvehjem Sanctuary, smack dab in the middle. Look at a map of the Sherman Neighborhood and youll see a dagger-shaped triangle, about five times as long as it is wide, with the Northside shopping center on the north and the soon-to-be shuttered Oscar Mayer plant to the south. Sometimes it seems the only thing Madisons neighborhoods have in common is how different they are from each other. That and a heavy shot of neighborhood pride. The story of Madisons neighborhoods especially at the turn of the 19th century is largely one of transportation. The arrival of street cars in the late 1890s, for example, opened up development of whats now known as the East Sides Schenk-Atwood-Starkweather-Yahara neighborhood, as well as neighborhoods around Forest Hill Cemetery on the West Side, according to Madison historian David Mollenhoff. Because cars werent common in the early 1900s, private buses provided by housing developers allowed neighborhood development several miles from the Downtown as well, according to Mollenhoffs Madison: A History of the Formative Years. Later, when more people had cars, location efficiency became less important location efficiency being just an academics way of measuring how close work, school, shopping and other day-to-day needs are to home, according to UW-Madison urban planning professor James LaGro Jr. Drive west on Mineral Point Road from the Near West Side and you see almost a chronology of land development, LaGro said, with denser, more efficient neighborhoods closer in and car-centric, residential subdivisions and shopping centers farther out. Madisons neighborhoods have also been shaped by the tendency of people to stick with their own or to refuse to live next to people who arent like them. The Triangle the area bordered by Park Street, Regent Street and West Washington Avenue and the Greenbush Neighborhood were historically home to Italian, Jewish, African-American and other ethnic enclaves. A 1916 census of sorts went so far as to break down the areas population by street and Italian region of origin, according to Stuart Levitans Madison: The Illustrated Sesquicentennial History. Apparently, Sicilians were clustered on Milton Street, the Lombardans on Proudfit. South Madison continues to have a large black population because for many years that was one of the few places Madison landlords would rent to nonwhites. In 1931, the Nakoma neighborhoods homeowners association adopted a covenant to exclude those of the Ethiopian race, according to Levitans book. Urban renewal of the Triangle neighborhood in the 1960s provided safer affordable housing, but according to Greenbush Neighborhood Association president John Perkins, it also annihilated the old ethnic enclaves. Levitan and Mollenhoff also pointed to the influence of UW-Madison in shaping neighborhoods, including how the growth in the student population in the 1960s turned central city neighborhoods into ones dominated by two- and three-flat student rentals. Today, theres a city effort to convert such rentals back to single-family homes. As in everything else about Madison, the UW is one of the most important, if not the most important, factors in affecting neighborhood development, Levitan said. And if youve ever wondered why older parts of Madisons East Side feel grittier and more blue collar than older parts of the West Side, theres a reason for that. According to Mollenhoffs book, city leaders struck the Madison Compromise in the early 1900s to direct industry to the east, away from the university folks and professionals on the west. More recently, Madison has felt the impact of new urbanism on neighborhood development, with Grandview Commons on Madisons Far East Side standing as one example. With smaller lots, alleys, front porches, its own grocery and plenty of space set aside for commercial development, Grandview is all about boosting a sense of community and returning to that location efficiency of old. People make the place But back to that neighborhood pride thing. Dolores Kester, co-chairwoman of the Sherman Neighborhood Association, is not shy about touting the amenities of the neighborhood shes called home for 34 years like its community art project last year and its work to protect the bee population with pollinator protection zones. Sherman residents are very interested in enhancing the great things about the North Side, she said. Al Jaloviar, a 78-year-old retired state worker, said hes stuck with his Lerdahl Park Neighborhood for 46 years because of the people. The thing that kept us here is the neighbors. Theyre all long-term, he said, while casually detailing whos lived in what house and for how long on his cul-de-sac. Its a stable neighborhood. Burr Oaks has a lot of lower-income rentals and some problems with crime, but also some 30 to 50 members of Sherry Xiongs extended family. I dont want to move too far away from them, Xiong, 19, said. Just two exits west on the Beltline will take you to what is perhaps Burr Oaks mirror opposite the leafy, residential enclave of Nakoma, where stately old houses can go for a cool half mil. Its an old historic neighborhood with beautiful old homes, 26-year resident Dee Kuech told me, and a neighborhood association, the Nakoma League, that puts on its own musical. But even here, Madisons diversity at least of thought was apparent: Next door to the home with the Black Lives Matter yard sign was a home with the We Support Our Madison Police yard sign. All appeared lost for Osama bin Laden and al Qaeda in December 2001. In the years leading up to the 9/11 hijackings, bin Laden believed that the US was a paper tiger and would retreat from the Muslim majority world if al Qaeda struck hard enough. The al Qaeda founder had good reasons to think this. American forces withdrew from Lebanon after a series of attacks in the early 1980s and from Somalia after the Black Hawk Down episode in 1993. The US also did not respond forcefully to al Qaedas August 1998 embassy bombings in Kenya and Tanzania, or the USS Cole bombing in October 2000. But bin Ladens strategy looked like a gross miscalculation in late 2001. An American-led invasion quickly overthrew the Talibans regime just weeks after 19 of bin Ladens men hijacked four airliners and crashed them into the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and a field in Pennsylvania. Some of al Qaedas most senior figures were killed in American airstrikes. With al Qaedas foes closing in, bin Laden ordered his men to retreat to the remote Tora Bora Mountains. Here, bin Laden must have thought, al Qaeda would make its last stand. The end was nigh. Except it wasnt. Bin Laden slithered away, eventually making his way to Abbottabad, Pakistan. When Navy SEALs came calling more than nine years later, in early May 2011, the world looked very different. Documents recovered in bin Ladens compound reveal that he and his lieutenants were managing a cohesive global network, with subordinates everywhere from West Africa to South Asia. Some US intelligence officials assumed that bin Laden was no longer really active. But Bin Ladens files demonstrated that this view was wrong. Writing in The Great War of Our Time: The CIAs Fight Against Terrorism From al Qaida to ISIS, former CIA official Mike Morell explains how the Abbottabad cache upended the US intelligence communitys assumptions regarding al Qaeda. The one thing that surprised me was that the analysts made clear that our pre-raid understanding of Bin Ladens role in the organization had been wrong, Morell writes. Before the raid wed thought that Bin Ladens deputy, Ayman al Zawahiri, was running the organization on a day-to-day basis, essentially the CEO of al Qaeda, while Bin Laden was the groups ideological leader, its chairman of the board. But the DOCEX showed something quite different. It showed that Bin Laden himself had not only been managing the organization from Abbottabad, he had been micromanaging it.* Consider some examples from the small set of documents released already. During the last year and a half of his life, Osama bin Laden: oversaw al Qaedas external work, that is, its operations targeting the West; directed negotiations with the Pakistani state over a proposed ceasefire between the jihadists and parts of the government; ordered his men to evacuate northern Pakistan for safe havens in Afghanistan; instructed Shabaab to keep its role as an al Qaeda branch secret and offered advice concerning how its nascent emirate in East Africa should be run; received status reports on his fighters operations in at least eight different Afghan provinces; discussed al Qaedas war strategy in Yemen with the head of Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula and other subordinates; received updates from Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, including details on a proposed truce with the government of Mauritania; authorized the relocation of veteran jihadists to Libya, where they could take advantage of the uprising against Muammar al Qaddafis regime; corresponded with the Talibans leadership; and generally made decisions that impacted al Qaedas operations everywhere around the globe. Again, this is just a handful of the examples culled from the publicly-available files recovered in bin Ladens compound. The overwhelming majority of these documents remain classified and, therefore, unavailable to the American public. Al Qaeda has grown under Zawahiris tenure The story of how bin Ladens role was missed should raise a large red flag. Al Qaeda is still not well-understood and has been consistently misjudged. Not long after bin Laden was killed, a meme spread about his successor: Ayman al Zawahiri. Many ran with the idea that Zawahiri is an ineffectual and unpopular leader who lacked bin Ladens charisma and was, therefore, incapable of guiding al Qaedas global network. This, too, was wrong. There is no question that the Islamic State, which disobeyed Zawahiris orders and was disowned by al Qaedas general command in 2014, has cut into al Qaedas share of the jihadist market and undermined the groups leadership position. But close observers will notice something interesting about al Qaedas response to the Islamic States challenge. Under Zawahiris stewardship, al Qaeda grew its largest paramilitary force ever. Brett McGurk, the Special Presidential Envoy for the Global Coalition to Counter ISIL, warned about the rise of Al Nusrah Front during testimony before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on June 28. With direct ties to Ayman al Zawahiri, Osama Bin Ladens successor, Nusra[h] is now al [Qaedas] largest formal affiliate in history, McGurk said. US officials previously contacted by The Long War Journal said Nusrah could easily have 10,000 or more fighters in its ranks. It is worth repeating that Nusrah grew in size and stature, while being openly loyal to Zawahiri, after the Islamic State became its own jihadist menace. Far from being irrelevant, Zawahiri ensured al Qaedas survival in the Levant and oversaw its growth. On July 28, Al Nusrah Front emir Abu Muhammad al Julani announced that his organization would henceforth be known as Jabhat Fath al Sham (JFS, or the Conquest of the Levant Front) and would have no no affiliation to any external [foreign] entity. This was widely interpreted as Al Nusrahs break from al Qaeda. But Julani never actually said that and al Qaeda itself isnt an external entity with respect to Syria as the group moved much of its leadership to the country long ago. Al Nusrahs rebranding was explicitly approved by Abu Khayr al Masri, one of Zawahiris top deputies, in an audio message released just hours prior to Julanis announcement. Masri was likely inside Syria at the time. Julani, who was dressed like Osama bin Laden during his appearance (as pictured above), heaped praise on bin Laden, Zawahiri and Masri. Their blessed leadership has, and shall continue to be, an exemplar of putting the needs of the community and their higher interests before the interest of any individual group, Julani said of Zawahiri and Masri. Most importantly, Al Nusrahs relaunch as JFS is entirely consistent with al Qaedas longstanding strategy in Syria and elsewhere. Al Qaeda never wanted to formally announce its role in the rebellion against Bashar al Assads regime, correctly calculating that clandestine influence is preferable to an overt presence for many reasons. This helps explain why Nusrah was never officially renamed as Al Qaeda in the Levant in the first place. However, fifteen years after the 9/11 attacks, there is such widespread ignorance of al Qaedas goals and strategy that Nusrahs name change is enough to fool many. Al Qaeda has grown in South Asia as well. In Sept. 2014, Zawahiri announced the formation of Al Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS), which brought together elements of several existing jihadist organizations. AQIS quickly got to work, attempting to execute an audacious plan that would have used Pakistani arms against American and Indian ships. The plot failed, but revealed that al Qaeda had infiltrated Pakistans military. Pakistani officials recently told the Washington Post that they suspect AQIS has a few thousand members in the city of Karachi alone. And al Qaeda remains closely allied with the Taliban while maintaining a significant presence inside Afghanistan. In October 2015, for instance, Afghan and American forces conducted a massive operation against two large al Qaeda training camps in the southern part of the country. One of the camps was approximately 30 square miles in size. Gen. John F. Campbell, who oversaw the war effort in Afghanistan, explained that the camp was run by AQIS and is probably the largest training camp-type facility that we have seen in 14 years of war. With Zawahiri as its emir, al Qaeda raised its largest formal affiliate in history in Syria and operated its largest training camp ever in Afghanistan. These two facts alone undermine the widely-held assumption that al Qaeda is on deaths door. Elsewhere, al Qaedas other regional branches remain openly loyal to Zawahiri. From April 2015 to April 2016, Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) controlled a large swath of territory along Yemens southern coast, including the key port city of Mukalla. An Arab-led coalition helped reclaim some of this turf earlier this year, but AQAPs forces simply melted away, living to fight another day. AQAP continues to wage a prolific insurgency in the country, as does Shabaab across the Gulf of Aden in Somalia. Shabaabs leaders announced their fealty to Zawahiri in February 2012 and remain faithful to him. They have taken a number of steps to stymie the growth of the Islamic State in Somalia and neighboring countries. Shabaab also exports terrorism throughout East Africa, executing a number of high-profile terrorist attacks in recent years. Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) continues to operate in West and North Africa, often working in conjunction with front groups. Like al Qaedas branches elsewhere, AQIM prefers to mask the extent of its influence, working through organizations such as Ansar al Sharia and Ansar Dine to achieve its goals. Late last year, Al Murabitoon rejoined AQIMs ranks. Al Murabitoon is led by Mohktar Belmokhtar, who has been reportedly killed on several occasions. Al Qaeda claims that Belmokhtar is still alive and has praised him for rejoining AQIM after his contentious relations with AQIMs hierarchy in the past. While Belmokhtars status cannot be confirmed, several statements have been released in his name in recent months. And Al Murabitoons merger with AQIM has led to an increase in high-profile attacks in West Africa. In sum, AQAP, AQIM, AQIS and Shabaab are formal branches of al Qaeda and have made their allegiance to Zawahiri clear. Jabhat Fath al Sham, formerly known as Al Nusrah, is an obvious al Qaeda project in Syria. Other organizations continue to serve al Qaedas agenda as well. Al Qaedas veterans and a new generation of jihadist leadership As the brief summary above shows, Al Qaedas geographic footprint has expanded greatly since the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. Some US officials argue that al Qaeda has been decimated because of the drone campaign and counterterrorism raids. They narrowly focus on the leadership layer of al Qaeda, while ignoring the bigger picture. But even their analysis of al Qaedas managers is misleading. Al Qaeda has lost dozens of key men, but there is no telling how many veterans remain active to this day. Experienced operatives continue to serve in key positions, often returning to the fight after being detained or only revealing their hidden hand when it becomes necessary. Moreover, al Qaeda knew it was going to lose personnel and took steps to groom a new generation of jihadists capable of filling in. From left to right: Saif al Adel, Abu Mohammed al Masri and Abu Khayr al Masri. These photos, first published by the FBI and US intelligence officials, show the al Qaeda leaders when they were younger. Last year, several veterans were reportedly released from Iran, where they were held under murky circumstances. One of them was Abu Khayr al Masri, who paved the way for Al Nusrahs rebranding in July. Another is Saif al Adel, who has long been wanted for his role in the 1998 US Embassy bombings in Kenya and Tanzania. At least two others freed by Iran, Abu Mohammed al Masri and Khalid al Aruri, returned to al Qaeda as well. Masri, Al Adel, and Aruri may all be based inside Syria, or move back and forth to the country from Turkey, where other senior members are based. Mohammed Islambouli is an important leader within al Qaeda. After leaving Iran several years ago, Islambouli returned to Egypt and eventually made his way to Turkey, where he lives today. Sitting to Julanis right during his much ballyhooed announcement was one of Islamboulis longtime compatriots, Ahmed Salama Mabrouk. The diminutive Mabrouk is another Zawahiri subordinate. He was freed from an Egyptian prison in the wake of the 2011 uprisings. Al Qaeda moved some of its senior leadership to Syria and several others from this cadre are easy to identify. But al Qaeda has also relied on personnel in Yemen to guide its global network. One of Zawahiris lieutenants, Hossam Abdul Raouf, confirmed this in an audio message last October. Raouf explained that the weight of al Qaeda has been shifted to Syria and Yemen, because that is where its efforts are most needed. The American drone campaign took out several key AQAP leaders in 2015, but they were quickly replaced. Qasim al Raymi, who was trained by al Qaeda in Afghanistan in the 1990s, succeeded Nasir al Wuhayshi as AQAPs emir last summer. Raymi quickly renewed his allegiance to Zawahiri, whom Raymi described as the the eminent sheikh and the beloved father. Another al Qaeda lifer, Ibrahim Abu Salih, emerged from the shadows last year. Salih was not a public figure beforehand, but he has been working towards al Qaedas goals in Yemen since the early 1990s. Ibrahim al Qosi (an ex-Guantanamo detainee) and Khalid al Batarfi have stepped forward to lead AQAP and are probably also part of al Qaedas management team. This old school talent has helped buttress al Qaedas leadership cadre. Theyve been joined by men who signed up for al Qaedas cause after the 9/11 attacks as well. In July, the US Treasury Department designated three jihadists who are based in Iran. One of them, known as Abu Hamza al Khalidi, was listed in bin Ladens files as part of a new generation of al Qaeda leaders. Today, he plays a crucial role as the head of al Qaedas military commission, meaning he is the equivalent of al Qaedas defense minister. Treasury has repeatedly identified other al Qaeda members based in Iran, Afghanistan and elsewhere. Some members of the new generation are more famous than others. Such is the case with Osamas son, Hamzah bin Laden, who is now regularly featured in propaganda. This brief survey of al Qaeda is not intended to be exhaustive, yet it is still sufficient to demonstrate that the organizations bench is far from empty. Moreover, many of the men who lead al Qaeda today are probably unknown to the public. The threat to the West Testifying before the Senate Armed Services Committee in February, Director of National Intelligence James Clapper warned that al Qaeda nodes in Syria, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Turkey are dedicating resources to planning attacks. His statement underscored how the threats have become more geographically dispersed over time. With great success, the US worked for years to limit al Qaedas ability to strike the West from northern Pakistan. But today, al Qaedas external operations work is carried out across several countries. During the past fifteen years, Al Qaeda has failed to execute another mass casualty attack in the US on the scale of the 9/11 hijackings. Its most recent attack in Europe came in January 2015, when a pair of brothers backed by AQAP conducted a military-style assault on the Charlie Hebdo office in Paris. AQAP made it clear that the Charlie Hebdo massacre was carried out according to Zawahiris orders. Thanks to vigilance and luck, al Qaeda hasnt been able to replicate a 9/11-style assault inside the US. Part of the reason is that Americas defenses, as well as those of its partner nations, have improved. Operations such as the 9/11 hijackings are also difficult to carry out in the first place. Even the 9/11 plan experienced interruptions despite a relatively lax security environment. (Most famously, for example, the would-be 20th hijacker was denied entry into the US at an Orlando airport in the summer of 2001.) But there is another aspect to evaluating the al Qaeda threat that is seldom appreciated. It is widely assumed that al Qaeda is only interested in attacking the West. This is flat false. Most of the organizations resources are devoted to waging insurgencies in Muslim majority countries. The story in Syria has been telling. Although al Qaeda may have more resources in Syria than anywhere else, Zawahiri did not order his men to carry out a strike in the West. Al Qaedas so-called Khorasan Group laid the groundwork for such operations, but Zawahiri did not give this cadre the green light to actually carry them out. Zawahiris stand down order is well known. In an interview that aired in May 2015, for instance, Julani explained that the directives that come to us from Dr. Ayman [al Zawahiri], may Allah protect him, are that Al Nusrah Fronts mission in Syria is to topple [Bashar al Assads] regime and defeat its allies. We have received guidance to not use Syria as a base for attacks against the West or Europe so that the real battle is not confused, Julani said. However, he conceded that maybe the mother al Qaeda organization is plotting against the West, just not from Syria. Julani emphasized that this directive came from Zawahiri himself. To date, al Qaeda has not lashed out at the West from inside Syria, even though it is certainly capable of doing so. Al Qaedas calculation has been that such an attack would be too costly for its strategic interests. It might get in the way of al Qaedas top priority in Syria, which is toppling the Assad regime. This calculation could easily change overnight and al Qaeda could use Syria as a launching pad against the West soon. But they havent thus far. It helps explain why there hasnt been another 9/11-style plot by al Qaeda against the US in recent years. It also partially explains why al Qaeda hasnt launched another large-scale operation in Europe for some time. Al Qaeda has more resources at its disposal today than ever, so the group doesnt lack the capability. If Zawahiri and his advisors decided to make anti-Western attack planning more of a priority, then the probability of another 9/11-style event would go up. Even in that scenario, al Qaeda would have to successfully evade the Wests defenses. But the point is that al Qaeda hasnt been attempting to hit the West nearly as much as some in the West assume. In the meantime, it is easy to see how the al Qaeda threat has become more diverse, just as Clapper testified. AQAP has launched several thwarted plots aimed at the US, including the failed Christmas Day 2009 bombing. In 2009, al Qaeda also plotted to strike trains in the New York City area. In 2010, a Mumbai-style assault in Europe was unraveled by security services. It is not hard to imagine al Qaeda trying something along those lines once again. Other organizations tied to al Qaeda, such as the Pakistani Taliban, have plotted against the US as well. Fifteen years after the 9/11 attacks, al Qaeda lives. Fortunately, Zawahiris men have not replicated the hijackings that killed nearly 3,000 Americans. But the al Qaeda threat looms. It would be a mistake to assume that al Qaeda wont try a large-scale operation again. *The spellings of al Qaeda and bin Laden are changed in this quote from Morell to make them consistent with the rest of the text. Thomas Joscelyn is a Senior Fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and the Senior Editor for FDD's Long War Journal. Are you a dedicated reader of FDD's Long War Journal? Has our research benefitted you or your team over the years? Support our independent reporting and analysis today by considering a one-time or monthly donation. Thanks for reading! You can make a tax-deductible donation here. A $1.2 billion state-run fund for large medical malpractice awards has seen a significant drop in payments to injured patients in recent years, contributing to a $813 million surplus that is more than twice what regulators recommend, a State Journal analysis shows. The reduction in the number and amount of payments by the Injured Patients and Families Compensation Fund illustrates how hard it has become to win lawsuits against doctors in Wisconsin, said Mike End, a malpractice attorney in Milwaukee and former president of the Wisconsin Association for Justice. I think the medical complex has won the day, End said. Theyve beaten the lawyers down to the point that now when people are injured or relatives die because of medical errors, they just cant find a lawyer. But the decline in large malpractice awards could stem from the states good medical care, said Mark Grapentine, lobbyist for the Wisconsin Medical Society. Wisconsin ranked third in health care quality this year by the federal Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality and fourth last year by the Commonwealth Fund. We have high quality of care, so perhaps there are fewer negligence issues happening, Grapentine said. The fund, which started in 1975, pays malpractice awards of more than $1 million. Doctors, hospitals and some other health care providers must carry their own malpractice insurance up to $1 million and pay into the fund. At least 13 states have such funds. Dan Rottier, a malpractice attorney in Madison, said the fund gives doctors and insurance companies less incentive to settle cases because they dont personally risk losing more than $1 million. A $750,000 cap on non-economic damages in the state also makes it difficult to pursue malpractice cases, which typically cost at least $100,000, he said. A case before the Wisconsin Court of Appeals, handled by Rottier, could lead to a ruling on the constitutionality of the cap. A jury awarded Ascaris Mayo, of Milwaukee, $16.5 million in non-economic damages after she lost all four limbs from an immune system reaction to an undetected infection. The award was reduced to $750,000 because of the cap. The cap punishes the people most seriously injured, Rottier said. The structure (of the fund) punishes the smaller cases that never get brought. According to a Legislative Audit Bureau report in March, the fund had a surplus of $783 million a year ago, $406.4 million more than the upper end of a range of $86.4 million to $376.6 million recommended by regulators last year. The surplus grew to $813 million by March, the Wisconsin Office of the Commissioner of Insurance said last week. The office has been reducing provider fees to the fund since 2013 to bring the surplus into the target range. Doctors now pay $606 to $3,998 a year, depending on their type of practice, 30 percent less than last year. Over the past 20 years, the number of payments made by the fund has declined, and the total amounts paid in the past five years are considerably less than the previous five-year intervals, according to a State Journal analysis of data from the insurance commissioners office. From fiscal years 1997 to 2001, the fund made 108 payments, or an average of 22 per year, worth a total of $138.5 million. In fiscal years 2012 to 2016, which ended in June, just 17 payments were made, or an average of three a year, for a total of $61.5 million. In fiscal 2016, just two payments were made, including $2.75 million to Donna Disch, widow of Travis Disch, a 37-year-old father of two who died after a routine endoscopy at St. Marys Hospital in 2013. Though the fund and a version of the $750,000 cap have been around for many years, their cumulative effect, along with juries who tend to favor doctors, has led malpractice attorneys to become more selective in accepting cases in recent years, End said. There are fewer lawyers willing to take that gamble, he said. Patients are left out in the cold. Wisconsin ranked 49th among states in malpractice payments per capita from 2004 to 2014, according to the National Practitioner Data Bank. However, a report this year by Zippia, a career guidance website, said Wisconsin ranked somewhat higher 38th in medical malpractice lawsuits filed per capita last year. The lawsuits are happening, Grapentine said. It just seems like theyre not winning in Wisconsin. Grapentine said that when doctors refuse to settle cases, its because they want to protect their reputations, not because of the fund. They dont want to have a stain on their record that is not justified, he said. Even though the number and total amount of fund payments has dipped in recent years, the average payment has gone up. In 2012 to 2016, it was $3.6 million. In 1997 to 2001, it was $1.2 million. That is likely because attorneys are turning down more cases that are unlikely to result in a large payment, Rottier said. This State Journal editorial ran on Sept. 6, 1946: Documents, charts, surveys, reports, letters and debates on the citys switchyards problem stand 3 feet high in the State Journals files. They date back through years and generations. But each document, each file, every pile boils down to the one identical conclusion: The switchyards must go. Time and again Madison has hired inside and outside experts to conduct surveys, chart studies, recommend a plan of progress. And every experts conclusion always has been the same: Move the switchyards out of the heart of the city. So now what do we (as a city) propose to do? ... We leap with joy at the Milwaukee railroads offer of half a million dollars to help finance a West Washington Avenue underpass that will solder a strangling chain about our own necks. ... Can anyone be blamed for sniffing at all our noble heart-burning over the model city? If the million-dollar hole in the ground is dug under the West Washington Avenue tracks, Madison might as well kiss its dream of the model city goodbye and resign itself to a grubby existence as just another blighted village, blessed by a bounteous nature but cursed by a blind humanity. ... If the Milwaukee railroad has half a million dollars for an underpass, it has half a million dollars to contribute to moving its yards entirely outside of Madison. I am Kerry Burgess. This is what I think. The Meaning of 911 Fifteen Years After What kind of an American are you? Will you mourn the dead or will you celebrate the government as protector of national security? For thoughtful and historically balanced realists the correct reaction is that the last remnants of the Republic collapsed with the twin towers and burned with the response from the Pentagon fire. Most docile and obedient subjects of the despotic regime that has morphed into outright tyranny still believe the official report from The National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States , provides the definitive details on the 911 investigation. Fifteen years later, fewer and fewer people reflect on what actually occurred and the profound significance that transformed the country into a permanent belligerent in international affairs and a domestic police state. With the passage of The Patriot Act and The National Defense Authorization Act, the fundamental principles of our constitutional republic were betrayed to the very core of the bone marrow and essence of the nation. Still, there is another reaction with the passage of the years. As the population becomes more detached to reality and people become immersed into a culture of trivia, self-absorption and detraction; the entire society moves even further into a fatal resignation that government is all powerful and cannot be challenged. The simple question begs a different answer. Is America safer since the War on Terror was invoked? Surely, no intelligent person could believe we are the Land of the Free. Lamenting the lack of outrage, replaced with a condition of surrender that the evidence found on 911 a saga of deceit and lies is not important, is the greatest legacy of the insidious and planned plot to transfer the United States into a globalist gulag of subjugation to the New World Order. Frankly, it gets old when the public keeps dismissing the dire state of the existential demise that America faces not from foreign threats, but from internal betrayal and treason coming out of the very officials and power elites that impose the ridiculous narrative spun straight out of the falsehoods that the establishment accepts as gospel articles of faith. In order to understand the nature of this alternative universe, go down memory lane and examine several of the BATR articles that cover the War OF Terror that came directly from the 911 and the dates when originally published. The initial essay comes on the heels of the vary day of horror, When Will America Learn? America will cease to exist when a public whose emotional naivete will scream for retribution will readily accept totalitarian measures! Folks, the enemy is us; for our involvement in the creation of hostilities that seeks to obliterate our symbols of 'Pax American'. A month after, The Harsh Economic Costs of 911 essay dealt with the economic consequences and even compared Donald trump to Gail Wynand in Fountainhead by Ayn Rand. The reality of this fiction was much different. The expansion of central authority and control over the economy is now on a pace that will rival the collapse of the Twin Towers. The direct causalities of the rebuilding process will be small business, the entrepreneur and the hired help. Corporate America will receive the major share of business, and in the process will sever their remaining higher paid employees. Loyal and experienced personnel will be pushed aside for youth that will work for half the cost. Functions formally considered as automatic, will fail. Services that were once rudimentary will become optional. Business practices that are essential for success will go undone. Problems that require solutions will be multiplied with new ones, stemming from incompetent staff. The products for growth will be ineptitude. At the second anniversary, 911 + 2 column covered the taboo topic that links the suicidal foreign policy that protects Israel, which ultimately destroys our own security. The Middle East is a drainpipe for perpetual blood and eternal death. The polemic that terrorists hate us because of our freedom is lunacy. The reality is evident for any honest person who has the courage to confront the betrayers. The partnership in crime with Israel is the root cause of regional turmoil. What benefit comes back to America from fighting a war of conquest for Zionist aspirations? As long as U.S. foreign policy serves Lukidnik zealots, our only reward will be piles of bloody body bags. The significant article, 911 has become the ultimate excuse, strips away the official bull shit and illustrates the absurdity that the main stream media maintains about the Building 7 implosion. Once again your government has been caught in a lie, but this time the vast majority has willingly accepted their blind, deaf and dumb condition. Without a judicious investigation into the Building 7 incident, no serious person can maintain credibility. Hiding from an unpleasant truth, while boasting a vindication for a government gone mad, is even more insane. You cant trust the crew that deals in treachery. Do your own research on what happened to Building 7, review the evidence provided from the cited sources and draw you own conclusion. But please stop using 911 as a categorical excuse to justify the destruction of America, by the elements that desire the ending of liberty. Most of these forces are the faces you see each day. Now who are you going to believe? When seasoned observers challenge the focus and direction of homeland security, the establishment elites desperately want to avoid The Real Threat to National Security. Is the threat from foreign terrorists the undertaking of homeland insecurity? The preoccupation since 911 with a self-serving War of Terror has been masked under the appearance of national security. Tracking down targeted Jihad terrorists and waging regional search and destroy missions has become the growth industry of the new millennium. The rationale and justification for such a protracted conflict rests upon a cowardly attack on American soil. If you listen to the official version of events anyone who questions the validity of blaming Islamic Fascists must be unpatriotic. Finally, the assessment a decade later in 911 Ten Years After, has only intensified at this latest water mark of globalization absolutism. Our economy is in meltdown. Exercising our freedoms are condemned as expressions of terrorism. Troops serving the transnational corporatist interests are used as, tools or targets, for butchery. The NeoCons and now the NeoLibs, betray every loyal American for their Talmud masters. Those who are unable to distinguish between Zionist rulers and expendable Jews or Israelis, share the same mental disease, as those who buy into the Al-Qaeda 911 myth of Islamic mastermind terrorism. The elites that further their global empires are quite eager to exterminate American, European, Jewish and Moslems in their quest for total supremacy. At what point in time and under the fable tale newspeak, which comes out of the politically correct culture will Americans grow up and face the harsh reality that the country is no longer a society that respects bill of right protections? The system of governance has become pure totalitarianism since 911. For a definite source on constitutional law and civil liberties the incomputable John W. Whitehead from The Rutherford Institute presents a memorable case on indentifying a list of frightful developments during the last fifteen years. The Tyranny of 9/11: The Building Blocks of the American Police State from A-Z Since the towers fell on 9/11, the American people have been treated like enemy combatants, to be spied on, tracked, scanned, frisked, searched, subjected to all manner of intrusions, intimidated, invaded, raided, manhandled, censored, silenced, shot at, locked up, and denied due process. In allowing ourselves to be distracted by terror drills, foreign wars, color-coded warnings, underwear bombers and other carefully constructed exercises in propaganda, sleight of hand, and obfuscation, we failed to recognize that the true enemy to freedom was lurking among us all the while. The U.S. government now poses a greater threat to our freedoms than any terrorist, extremist or foreign entity ever could. All this methodical repression rests upon the self-justification that 911 requires that citizens must relinquish their God given natural rights to an all imperial and authoritarian state. This is the final and lasting consequence of accepting scripted disinformation that conceals a false flag and treasonous plot, designed to enable the controllers and traitors to destroy the Republic. BREAKING ALL THE RULES is weary of the ignorance and complicity of the brain dead zombies that live a pathetic existence in a virtual mind controlled hellhole. The depths of American Denial have only intensified within the deceptive informational overload society, since 911. Facts, proof and immutable truth is condemned, whenever such data and empirical evidence contradicts with the storyline myths and illogical scenarios, needed to rationalize the continued World at War. There is no possible peace as long as the 911 fraud continues and idiots believe all the official lies over the last decade and a half. As more time passes into the memory hole of collective ignorance, the imperious despotism intensifies and expands into total tyranny. Source: http://www.batr.org/totalitariancollectivism/091116.html Discuss or comment about this essay on the BATR Forum http://www.batr.org "Many seek to become a Syndicated Columnist, while the few strive to be a Vindicated Publisher" 2016 Copyright BATR - All Rights Reserved Disclaimer: The above is a matter of opinion provided for general information purposes only and is not intended as investment advice. Information and analysis above are derived from sources and utilising methods believed to be reliable, but we cannot accept responsibility for any losses you may incur as a result of this analysis. Individuals should consult with their personal financial advisors 2005-2019 http://www.MarketOracle.co.uk - The Market Oracle is a FREE Daily Financial Markets Analysis & Forecasting online publication. BLACKSBURG Cloud computing pioneer Rackspace says its building some of its fastest growing products more than 2,000 miles from the Silicon Valley, in a pasture that was grazed by cows not so many years ago. The 99-person engineering center is known as Racksburg around town, but Rackspace co-founder Graham Weston refers to it internally as the companys secret weapon. The office stands alone on the outskirts of the Virginia Tech Corporate Research Center, past the rolling hills and a zig-zagging John Deere tractor that was mowing one day last week. The San Antonio, Texas-based company isnt the largest employer of coders in Blacksburg, a town with an elite engineering school and a nascent technology community that longs to grow into something more. It is, however, the only well-known, billion-dollar powerhouse with a physical presence in the region. The remote office is certainly out of the way, but the man who created the team before it belonged to Rackspace says thats exactly why it exists at all. It has a talent pool in Virginia Tech that works because of the proximity and Rackspaces unique niche in the market. Employees cost less and stay longer, according to Webmail.us co-founder Pat Matthews. Rackspace bought his company in 2007, inheriting the Blacksburg office along with it. Rackspaces recently announced $4.3 billion acquisition by New York City-based Apollo Global Management LLC immediately stirred fears that things may be about to change at the Blacksburg outpost, but Matthews who no longer works at Rackspace hopes the competitive advantages that have kept Rackspace here for nearly a decade will be the same reasons the company wont go anywhere now. Rackspace spokesman Brandon Brunson previously wrote in an email to The Roanoke Times that the Blacksburg office will continue to serve as a strategic hub. Meanwhile, in a letter sent to employees and later filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, the company answered a question about the possibility of layoffs by writing, The candid answer is that we do not know just yet. Weston visited the Blacksburg office last week to reassure employees. Robert McAden, the Blacksburg site leader, said Westons message was clear: Continue to do what youre good at, continue to focus and things will be OK. * * * Rackspace has been in Blacksburg ever since it acquired local email software company Webmail.us for 1.15 million shares of Rackspace stock, which became worth more than $10 million when the company went public in 2008. Today, that would be worth more than $30 million. Matthews, a Virginia Tech alum, said he always knew it would be challenging to run the company outside a major tech hub because Webmail couldnt compete with the lure of California, or the salaries offered by companies like Google and Microsoft. But Blacksburg was home. So the company developed a strategy to lean on the one competitive advantage it had over the tech behemoths: proximity to Virginia Tech. Matthews said Webmail began hiring about 30 part-time workers who stayed enrolled at Tech, but spent their time between classes earning a real-world paycheck at Webmail. Many of those engineers stuck around when summers came, and joined on full-time after graduation. Eventually, the program grew into a recruiting pipeline that fed directly from the university. Our talent strategy was one of the things that made us who we were. And a big part of that was because of where we were, Matthews said. My point of view was always, theres not a lot of competition in town so lets make sure we get every hard-working, entrepreneurial engineer thats at Virginia Tech. I think we did a really good job of that. The recruiting pipeline became stronger as Webmail grew, survived the dot-com crash of the early 2000s and became one of the regions first high-flying startups. By the time it was acquired, Matthews estimated 75 percent of his roughly 60 employees were Hokies. Today, McAden said that number is still about 66 percent. Ultimately, I think thats why Rackspace has continued to invest in Blacksburg, Matthews said. Really, because of that talent strategy we put in place years ago and theyve continued to build upon. Matthews stayed with Rackspace through 2013, eventually moving to the companys corporate office in Texas as a senior vice president. He said he was never worried about Rackspaces commitment to the Blacksburg site. Matthews saw the company invest in Webmail, growing the internet-based email business threefold in about 18 months though it eventually took on a new name. When we sold the company, we really believed Rackspace had a genuine intention of keeping everything we built, and even accelerating it, Matthews said. It all played out exactly how we thought it would. * * * Today, Rackspace is a substantial presence in Blacksburg having opened one of the largest free-standing facilities in the Tech Corporate Research Center. The company is never shy about showing off its trendy office, complete with everything employees expect from an international tech giant. Millennials abound, giant murals line the walls, dogs sit by coders feet, soda machines serve up cold beverages throughout the day and a keg is always tapped for those occasions when a Coca-Cola just wont do. The space doubles as a regular meeting area for hackers of all varieties. It sponsors more technology education events than it can count and has created wealth to be pumped back into the startup ecosystem through alums like former site lead Doug Juanarena. Even the companys office manager, Jarret Rhyner, spends his downtime organizing events to bring together Blacksburgs young professionals. Meanwhile, the office, which is the companys fourth largest behind San Antonio, London and Austin, now boasts the highest retention rate of any location. McAden said the average tenure for a Blacksburg employee is over five years, compared to less than three years in places like San Francisco. The offices most recent cohort of 15 interns featured at least a dozen Hokies, according to Rackspaces university recruiting lead Meghan Dembrosky. One of those software engineers, John Volk, stuck around this summer and is now working for Rackspace full time like so many others before him. This is kind of home, Volk said. This is where I go to school. Its a great area. I never really left, so to speak. MARTINSVILLE A judge denied on Friday the prosecutions request seeking a second opinion on whether a man charged with second-degree murder is mentally incompetent to stand trial following a finding by the psychologist for the defense that the man is mentally incompetent. A bit later during a hearing in Martinsville Circuit Court, Judge G. Carter Greer ruled that the defendant, Dennis Raymond Grant, is mentally incompetent to stand trial and committed him to the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services in an effort to restore him to competency. Grant, of 121 Belmont Street, is charged with fatally stabbing his girlfriend Marcey Lynn Penn, 47, also of Martinsville at a home at 20 High Street on Nov. 13, 2015. Lawyers have indicated that Dr. Jennifer Melerski, psychologist for the defense, found Grant to be mentally incompetent to stand trial and needing to be committed to an in-patient mental facility in an effort to restore him to competency. Under Virginia law, a defendant may be declared mentally incompetent to stand trial if he lacks substantial capacity to understand the proceedings against him or to assist his attorney in his own defense. In requesting that the prosecution be allowed to retain a psychologist, Martinsville Deputy Commonwealths Attorney Andy Hall argued Friday that state law allows for a competency evaluation by at least one psychiatrist or clinical psychologist. Hall argued that the commonwealth doesnt want to prosecute a mentally incompetent person, which wouldnt be right, but this is a murder case, not shoplifting or DUI case. We have to get it right, Hall said. He previously has said that Penn was brutally stabbed to death. Hall argued at Fridays hearing and a previous court hearing that if Grant is committed to a mental institution in an effort to restore him to competency, and it is determined at some point that he is irreversibly incompetent, he potentially might have to be released back into society. Under Virginia law, a defendant may be declared mentally incompetent to stand trial if he lacks substantial capacity to understand the proceedings against him or to assist his attorney in his own defense. According to a Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services website, a person sent to a hospital to restore his mental competency to stand trial may be held in the hospital for only up to six months before the court that issued the restoration order must review the defendants competency. However, the hospital notifies the court immediately when it is believed that a defendant has been restored to competency. The majority of individuals require far less than six months of treatment If the defendant still is incompetent to stand trial after six months, then the court may issue another order for restoration to competency. This may continue for up to five years from the date of arrest, or for the length of time of the maximum sentence the defendant would have received if he had been tried and found guilty, whichever is sooner. Then the charges must be dismissed, unless the defendant has been charged with a capital crime, in which case there is no time limit. If the doctors at the hospital determine that the defendant cannot be restored to competency in the foreseeable future, the court is immediately notified with a report that recommends whether the patient should be A.) released, B.) kept in the hospital for further treatment as a civil (non-forensic) patient C.) committed as a sexually violent predator or D.) certified as mentally retarded to a training center. A hearing is held at which it is decided first whether the defendant is still incompetent, and, if so, whether the defendant is unrestorably incompetent, and, if so, what the disposition will be. Very few incompetent defendants are found unrestorably incompetent. Hall argued Friday that he wants a level playing field with the defense. Hall said he can make arguments in a case but he is not a psychologist. Robert Deatherage, Grants lawyer, argued that he got a psychologist who a number of reputable lawyers retained to do mental evaluations (referring to Melerski), and that Melerski s evaluation report on Grant is very thorough. Deatherage said Melerski is optimistic that Grant can be restored to competency. Deatherage argued he believes it is not the intent of state law to allow the prosecution to ask for a second psychologist to be appointed if the prosecution doesnt like the report of the psychologist for the defense. Hall said the prosecution wasnt making the motion for a second psychologist because the prosecution didnt like Melerskis report. However, later in a hearing, Hall made a disparaging remark about Melerskis report. Deatherage argued that if the prosecution was going to raise issues involving Melerski, it should have done so months ago. Hall argued that before Melerski released her report, the prosecution didnt have probable cause to believe that Grant is mentally incompetent. Judge Greer said he disagreed with the prosecutions interpretation of the law in question. Greer said the law requires that at least one qualified psychiatrist or clinical psychologist do a mental competency evaluation, and that Melerski is qualified. Greer said in recent years he has been impressed with Melerskis thorough evaluations and that he said she writes good reports. Greer indicated that any assumption of unrestorable mental incompetence is unfounded at this point. He noted that recently in a different case, a defendant was restored to competency. Greer said he feels its not appropriate to base his decision on what might happen six months to a year from now. He denied the motion requesting a psychologist for the prosecution. Hall then asked Greer to hold a hearing on Grants mental competency, which Hall said the prosecution legally has a right to ask for. Hall said he would like Melerski to be on the witness stand to defend her report. Greer estimated that in 90 percent or more of cases, mental evaluation reports suffice, and rarely do evaluators testify. Greer also pointed out that another provision of the law in question is that after receiving a mental evaluation report, the court shall promptly determine whether the defendant is competent to stand trial. Greer pointed out that Melerski issued her report about two weeks ago. Moments later, Greer told Hall, Were going to have a hearing right now. Hall said he felt Greer already had made up his mind and asked him to recuse himself. Denied. Have a seat, Greer told Hall. Deatherage indicated he felt Melerskis report was sufficient for Grant to be committed to an in-patient mental facility in an effort to restore him to competency. Hall generally made no further arguments. Greer indicated he saw no need to delay the proceedings and ordered Grant to be committed to the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services in an effort to restore him to mental competency to stand trial. Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump and Democratic rival Hillary Clinton went head-to-head this week as they promoted their plans to enhance the U.S. military, help veterans and tackle conflicts overseas. Seeking to paint themselves as the best suited to address the needs of service members and veterans, the major party candidates announced respective lists of military endorsements, as well as highlighted their campaign platforms during a televised forum. Libertarian Party candidate Gary Johnson, who did not partake in the event, also drew attention over his own foreign policy plans this week, after a gaffe which raised questions over his knowledge on conflict in the Syrian city of Aleppo. Here's what happened in presidential politics this week: 88 retired military generals and admirals endorsed Trump's presidential bid. The military leaders, in a letter organized by Major General Sidney Shachnow and Rear Admiral Charles Williams, stressed that the 2016 presidential election will give voters the opportunity to make needed changes to the country's national security posture and policy. Such changes, they argued, "can only be made by someone who has not been deeply involved with, and substantially responsible for the hollowing out of our military and the burgeoning threats facing our country around the world" -- someone like Trump. Shachnow and Williams, who were joined by 86 others in signing the letter, contended that under the Obama Administration, U.S. armed forces have been subject to "ill-considered and debilitating budget cuts, policy choices and combat operations that have left the superb men and women in uniform less capable of performing their vital missions." Clinton hit Trump on his veterans record, touted new military leader endorsements. The former secretary of state, who announced endorsements from 95 retired generals and admirals, released a new ad Tuesday, contending that veterans "deserve better" than the GOP presidential nominee. The television spot questioned Trump's commitment to veterans by featuring controversial statements the Republican nominee has made, including those regarding U.S. Sen. John McCain's, R-Ariz., status as a prisoner of war and efforts to compare his sacrifices to those of Gold Star father Khizr Khan. Clinton's campaign further argued that the she has received "the backing of more senior military service members and former officials with command and management experience than any non-incumbent Democrat." "Donald Trump, on the other hand, lacks the knowledge, stability and values to be commander-in-chief," it said in a release. Trump's campaign, in turn, pointed to a recent NBC News/SurveyMonkey Weekly Election Tracking Poll, which gives the businessman a lead among military and veteran voters. Clinton was the first Democrat in 75 years to land presidential endorsement from Dallas Morning News. Contending that "there is only one serious candidate on the presidential ballot in November," the Dallas Morning News, which has not recommended a Democrat for president since before World War II, said Wednesday that it believes Clinton has the experience needed to take over the White House. Although the newspaper noted that it has previously been at odds with the former secretary of state, it took issue with Republican nominee Donald Trump's record, arguing that his values "are hostile to conservatism" and accusing the GOP nominee of playing on voters' fears. "We've been critical of Clinton's handling of certain issues in the past. But unlike Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton has experience in actual governance, a record of service and a willingness to delve into real policy," it wrote in its endorsement. "Resume vs. resume, judgment vs. judgment, this election is no contest." Although the Dallas Morning News chastised Clinton's use of a private email server as secretary of state and allegations of ties between the U.S. State Department and the Clinton Foundation, it lauded her efforts to work across the aisle in Congress, as well as her record in the Obama Administration. Trump and Clinton squared-off in an NBC town hall organized by the nonpartisan Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America. Trump says "the generals have been reduced to rubble" under the leadership of Obama and Clinton #NBCNewsForum https://t.co/sWJeNpkuQg NBC News (@NBCNews) September 8, 2016 The Democratic and Republican presidential nominees, who did not appear on stage together, answered questions for 30 minutes apiece on their experience and judgment to serve as commander in chief. While Clinton spent much of her time defending her use of a private email server as secretary of state and support for U.S. military intervention in Libya, Trump criticized the Obama administration's handling of conflict in the Middle East and stressed he had always been against the war in Iraq -- a claim which his opponent questioned. Trump further praised Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Wednesday night forum calling him a "leader" who has "great control over his country," the Associated Press reported. Johnson faced pushback after asking: "What is Aleppo?" WATCH: Libertarian presidential candidate Gary Johnson asks Mike Barnicle, "What is Aleppo?" https://t.co/BcG5hufHYf MSNBC (@MSNBC) September 8, 2016 The former New Mexico governor, during a Thursday appearance on MSNBC's Morning Joe, posed the question after being asked what he would do to address conflict in the Syrian city. Although Johnson later got his bearings, his "What is Aleppo?" gaffe went viral and raised questions about his fitness to serve as commander-in-chief. The Libertarian candidate, in a statement released following the appearance, stated that he was thinking about an acronym, not the Syrian conflict when he was asked the question. His running mate, former Massachusetts Gov. Bill Weld, said later Thursday that the gaffe was "not so bad." "We'll just see how it plays out," he said. "I'm not sure you're going sell the American public on the fact that somebody who can't remember the name of a town in Syria is the worst person. I think probably 85 percent of the people in the country couldn't put Aleppo on a map, so I'm not sure the consequence of the slip is going to be lasting at al...I think people understand that you can forget a detail." Clinton discussed double-standards and the perception that she's 'cold' in 'Humans of New York' posts. I was taking a law school admissions test in a big classroom at Harvard. My friend and I were some of the only women... Posted by Humans of New York on Thursday, September 8, 2016 Clinton, in an effort to provide insight into her perceived stony exterior, shared the story Thursday of taking her law school admission test while facing pushback from male colleagues. The former first lady contended that while at times she can appear unemotional, it's because she "had to learn as a young woman to control (her) emotions." Clinton added that while she doesn't view herself as being cold and unemotional, nor do her friends and family, she can't blame people for thinking that if she creates that perception. The former secretary of state, in a second post on "Humans of New York," offered that it's difficult for female candidates to work on this presentation, as they lack women role models to guide them. Further, Clinton argued, what works for male candidates doesn't necessarily work for women seeking office. Trump's campaign said his interview with Larry King, which aired on Russian TV, was a "favor" to the host. Trump, in a Thursday phone interview on King's "Politicking" show, expressed skepticism about allegations that Russia is trying to impact the presidential election, blasted the United States' interventions in the Middle East and contended that Clinton "doesn't have what it takes" to improve the country. Clinton's presidential campaign took issue with the interview, which came hours after Trump praised Putin's leadership during a NBC's Commander-in-Chief Forum. "After getting pounded for Putin praise all day, Trump currently being interviewed on...Putin's propaganda network," tweeted Jesse Lehrich, Clinton's foreign policy spokesman. Campaign Manager Kellyanne Conway said Trump conducted the interview as a personal favor to Larry King, who hosts a podcast, and didn't know where it was going to be broadcast. "As you know, former CNN superstar Larry King has a podcast and Mr. Trump went on his podcast. Nobody said it was going to be on Russian TV," she told CNN's "New Day." Clinton faced backlash after saying half of Trump's supporters fall into "basket of deplorables." The former secretary of state drew criticism Saturday after lumping backers of Republican rival Donald Trump into two what she called "grossly generalistic" categories: those in the "basket of deplorables" and those who feel the government has let them down. Clinton, whose remarks came during a Friday night LGBT fundraiser in New York, cast half of her GOP opponent's supporters as "racist, sexist, homophobic, xenophobic, Islamophobic -- you name it," Buzzfeed News reported. "You could put half of Trump's supporters into what I call the basket of deplorables. Right? The racist, sexist, homophobic, xenophobic, Islamophobic -- you name it. And unfortunately, there are people like that. And he has lifted them up," the Democratic White House hopeful reportedly said. Despite taking aim at some of the businessman's backers, Clinton painted the other half of his supporters as people let down by the government and economy who are "desperate for change," Buzzfeed reported. Trump slammed the Democratic White House hopeful's remarks as "insulting," saying they will cost her at the polls in an early Saturday tweet. His campaign, meanwhile, released a statement contending that Clinton's comments "revealed her true contempt for everyday Americans." Rich Hill Los Angeles Dodgers' Rich Hill delivers during the first inning against the Miami Marlins on Saturday, Sept. 10, 2016 in Miami. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee) TORONTO -- Red Sox manager John Farrell can empathize with Dodgers manager Dave Roberts who removed Rich Hill from a perfect game after seven innings at 89 pitches Saturday vs. the Marlins. After all, Hill has dealt with a blister issue this season. But he also likely would have made a different decision if he was in Roberts' shoes. Farrell was ready to send out Red Sox lefty Eduardo Rodriguez in the ninth inning last Sunday in Oakland before the no-hitter was broken up with two outs in the eighth. "If it's the example of Rodriguez, Rodriguez is going back out for the ninth inning regardless," Farrell said. "But you know what, Rich has missed six weeks because of a blister. And that's a heavy counterbalance to the decision. It's easy to sit here in Toronto when he's out on the West Coast making pitches. Hell, I probably would have run him out there at least for another inning and see where it goes from there." Farrell said he never has had to make the decision Roberts made to that extreme. "You've got a little bit of injury history," Farrell said. "You've got a guy flirting with history. The closest thing might have been six days ago where Eddie has got the potential of a no-hitter going into the ninth with a pitch count maybe at his highest ever. I can empathize with Dave. He's in a tough spot. And he's got to balance the bigger picture with the personal accomplishment. I know one thing: He's got a pitcher ready to go in another five days that's not injured. And I think that's probably the overriding thing from afar is just the blister issue that he's dealt with." Employers are hungry to hire, but they are looking for those that have come prepared. Gone are the days where job seekers could walk into a job fair unkempt and expect to report to work on Monday. Employers are more selective, but many companies that have refrained from hiring amid the downturn have a presence at todays Job Services North Dakota Job Fair held at the Grand Williston Hotel & Conference Center. By Melissa Krause [email protected] Full Story: http://www.willistonherald.com/plenty-of-jobs-for-those-who-are-prepared/article_251cb2ce-7495-11e6-9c64-aff481ffd479.html This year, National Geographic marked the centennial of the National Park Service by running several parks-related stories, culminating in an all-Yellowstone issue in May. Bozemans David Quammen, a contributing writer to the magazine and author of the award-winning book Spillover: Animal Infections and the Next Human Pandemic, was involved in early discussions on how to approach the issue. What Quammen didnt realize at the time was that he would become the first person in National Geographics 128-year history to write an entire issue single-handedly. Besides writing the epic May issue, Quammen crafted a new book, Yellowstone: A Journey through Americas Wild Heart, based on his two-year exploration of the park. For his upcoming reading in Missoula, the author spoke with the Indy about the place hes come to know so well. By Chris La Tray Full Story: http://missoulanews.bigskypress.com/missoula/wild-at-heart/Content?oid=3112071 Under fire from Hollywood and Big Cable, Tom Wheeler, the chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, lost his nerve. And many of us are going to lose out. By Troy Wolverton | [email protected] Full Story: http://www.mercurynews.com/2016/09/09/consumers-lose-as-fcc-retreats-on-set-top-box-proposal/ According to a large-scale survey examining public confidence in vaccines across the globe, Europe has been labeled as the most skeptical region regarding vaccine safety. Researchers indicate study findings could help policymakers recognize and address issues to increase public confidence in vaccines. Share on Pinterest Out of the 67 countries surveyed, the European region was the most skeptical regarding vaccine safety, with France the most skeptical country in Europe. Vaccines are considered by the scientific community and a majority of the public to be one of the greatest medical breakthroughs of the 20th century. Vaccines have been responsible for significantly reducing infections of many deadly diseases, and as a result, conditions such as diphtheria, polio, and tuberculosis are rarely thought about in developed countries today. However, not everyone is convinced that vaccines are a good thing, with varying attitudes toward their safety and effectiveness. Although people in this group are a minority, recent outbreaks of measles a disease preventable by vaccination demonstrates how negative attitudes toward vaccines can pose a problem for authorities. A new study led by researchers from the Vaccine Confidence Project at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), and published in EBioMedicine, aimed to provide insights into rates of skepticism about vaccines and determine peoples reasons for not trusting them. Around 66,000 people were surveyed across 67 countries. Most individuals surveyed had positive attitudes toward immunization, but there were significant differences in the attitudes of those who had negative views. Study noted varying vaccine attitudes worldwide The European region had the majority of vaccine-skeptical countries, with France topping the list at 41 percent of people disagreeing that vaccines were safe more than three times the global average of 12 percent. Other countries with high levels of individuals concerned about the safety of vaccines included Bosnia and Herzegovina (36 percent), Russia (28 percent), Mongolia (27 percent), with Greece, Japan, and Ukraine at 25 percent. The countries most confident in the safety of vaccines were found in the South East Asian region including Bangladesh (up to 1 percent of people with a negative view of vaccine safety), Saudi Arabia (1 percent), Argentina (1 percent), Indonesia (3 percent), and Thailand (6 percent). As a whole, the European region had the most people 15.8 percent who disagreed that vaccines are safe, compared with the South East Asian region, with 4.4 percent of people disagreeing on the safety of vaccines. In France, where the levels of people who disagreed on vaccine safety are especially high; researchers say this may be as a result of some controversies in the country over the last 20 years, including the suspected side effects of the Hepatitis B and HPV vaccines. In other countries, some religious groups were skeptical of vaccines; however, the team found that no single religious group worldwide was more skeptical than others overall. The investigation also found that older people 65 and above were generally more positive about vaccinations than people in other age groups. A new immunotherapy treatment has shown dramatic results in treating advanced pancreatic cancer, a deadly cancer that has seen little progress in treatment over the last 20 years. Patients in a trial who received the new treatment, IMM-101 with chemotherapy, showed a significant survival advantage over those receiving chemotherapy alone. Most importantly, the combination resulted in no added toxicity for the recipients, unlike many other cancer treatments. Immunotherapy treatments help to boost the immune system, enabling it to deal effectively with cancer cells. Chemotherapy is the only option for advanced pancreatic cancer since any tumours cannot be removed. Gemcitabine is the standard chemotherapy for this type of cancer. It can be combined with other chemotherapy drugs but the resulting toxicity is often high and side-effects can be debilitating for many patients. In the trial one group of patients received gemcitabine chemotherapy through a drip, as well as a course of IMM-101 injections. The other group received gemcitabine chemotherapy alone. Some patients given both treatments lived significantly longer (years) than expected, while the overall median survival increased by 59% (2.6 months). This is particularly notable because metastatic pancreatic cancer is one of the deadliest forms of cancer, and life expectancy following diagnosis is very short, with median survival about 6 to 11 months. The study was led by Professor Angus Dalgleish, Professor of Oncology at St George's, University of London, working with independent UK-based biopharma Immodulon, owner of IMM-101. The results have been published in the British Journal of Cancer. Professor Dalgleish explained: "In my experience of using IMM-101 to treat cancer patients, we see that using IMM-101 'wakes up' the immune system without any added toxicity. In my melanoma patients in particular, patients have shown greatly increased survival rates and enjoy a much better quality of life. In some patients I've actually seen the cancer disappearing altogether." IMM-101 is a naturally occurring mycobacterium called M. obuense. It works by harnessing the power of the immune system to recognise, respond to and control cancer in a way that is different to conventional immunotherapy treatments. IMM-101 is not currently licensed, but Professor Dalgliesh wants to see it available as soon as possible. He said: "I have seen first-hand that this is a hugely beneficial treatment for patients and I'd like to see it translated to every hospital in the country. I believe IMM-101 could revolutionise the way this cancer is treated globally." Charles Akle, Chairman of Immodulon, said: "The results from this study are remarkable and represent a significant breakthrough in the development of immunotherapy for the treatment of pancreatic cancer. The next phase of testing is imminent, after which, we hope to be able to bring IMM-101 to market for patients." The study was supported by the Institute for Cancer Vaccines and Immunotherapy from the earliest stages. Chair of Trustees, Harry Cotterell OBE, said: "These are exciting results and support our hope that immunotherapy will in future become a generally accepted treatment for a wide range of cancers, improving both survival rates and quality of life." The Ralph Bates Pancreatic Cancer Research Fund has also supported the investigation. Virginia Bates from the Fund said; "This is a significant milestone and an exciting development after so many years of dedicated research. We're so pleased that there is light at the end of the tunnel as it will bring hope to many people who are suffering from pancreatic cancer". Advertisement Yan-Jang Huang, Dana Vanlandingham and co-authors from the College of Veterinary Medicine and Biosecurity Research Institute, Kansas State University (Manhattan, KS), Rutgers University (New Brunswick, NJ), Mercer County Mosquito Control (Trenton, NJ), University of Florida (Vero Beach, FL), and Agriculture Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture (Manhattan, KS), showed thatquinquefasciatus, for example, a mosquito species from Vero Beach, FL, is refractory to infection with Zika virus.The information presented helps to target appropriate mosquito control. Non-target species such as bees can be affected without that focus.The authors recommend that mosquito control efforts in areas of Florida with non-travel-related cases of infection should continue to focus onspecies.A subsequent Brazilian study (Guedes DRD et al., biorxiv 2016, unpublished preprint) has shown the capacity for Brazilianquinquefasciatus to be infected and to transmit Zika virus.University of Aix-Marseille visiting Professor Ernest Gould commented, "Prior to its totally unexpected emergence, dispersion and subsequent association with microcephaly, Guillain Barre syndrome, materno-fetal, sexual, and post-transfusion transmission, Zika virus was a relatively neglected arbovirus with less than 20 recorded human infections globally. However, it is currently one of the most reported (in the media) arboviruses of all time. The emergence of Zika virus in this form has truly shocked the world. Moreover, since Zika virus is an arbovirus that no longer relies upon the natural sylvatic jungle reservoir, one of the many burning questions is, has it evolved the ability to exploit mosquito vectors such asspecies (the vectors of West Nile virus) in order to increase this amazing epidemiological success. The paper by Vanlandingham's group describes laboratory experiments to assess the transmission competence ofspecies and provides strong evidence to support the view thatspecies mosquitoes are highly unlikely to be important vectors of Zika virus. This report provides very helpful guidance for health agencies charged with the responsibility of controlling local mosquito populations in regions of North America where Zika virus presents a potential threat."Source: Eurekalert Please complete this form and we'll send you a personalised information that is requested You may use this for your own reference or forward it to your friends. Please use the information prudently. If you are not a medical doctor please remember to consult your healthcare provider as this information is not a substitute for professional advice. Advertisement Coman and his co-authors - Ida Momennejad, a postdoctoral fellow at Princeton; Andra Geana, a postdoctoral research associate from Princeton; and Rae Drach, a graduate research assistant at the University of Albany - recruited 140 participants through Princeton University's online recruitment system to conduct the study.Participants were grouped into 10-member communities and came together in the same classroom, sitting at computer terminals. Participants used a program called Software Platform for Human Interaction Experiments (SoPHIE) to communicate."We designed this software platform to expedite the communication process," Coman said. "All phases of the study took about 30 to 40 minutes for each group to complete. It's a very fast way to have these people communicate, and computer chatting makes this much more standardized. We were able to control the network structure and properly study it."In the first phase of the study, participants read four random pieces of information about different American Peace Corps volunteers. The stories centered on Rachel, a volunteer who worked on environmental protection in South America; Alex, who was involved with refugee assistance in Europe; Christine, who focused on post-disaster recovery in Asia; and Jim, who was engaged with HIV/AIDS prevention in Africa. Each volunteer's story included a picture of the person working in the field."We chose these fictitious scenarios because we reasoned that participants are going to care more about these types of materials than they would about a random list of words," Coman said.Afterward, participants were asked to remember the information they studied. They were given the name of each volunteer as a cue and instructed to type out on the computer what they could remember about that volunteer.Next, participants chatted online with one another about the stories. Each participant chatted with three different people in two-and-a-half-minute conversations. Participants took turns sharing the information they remembered about each Peace Corps volunteer.Following the conversations, each participant was asked to remember the information originally presented about the volunteers. As in the second phase, they were given the name of each volunteer as a cue.Based on both recall phases, the researchers calculated how similar the individual memories were within each 10-member community. The results were in alignment with what the researchers had predicted: conversationally sharing stories with others influences the degree to which individuals of a group end up remembering the story in similar ways."Our study shows that when we talk about memories of collectively experienced events with others, we start remembering these memories in similar ways. Importantly, as a group, we also tend to forget the same information following these conversations. We are, in essence, synchronizing our memories at a community level," Coman said.The study is a first step toward understanding collective memories in a group network. Coman and his collaborators are currently working toward studying larger group networks to see how group size influences the degree of mnemonic convergence. They also are investigating how individuals come to experience similar emotions following conversations about topics relevant to a certain group."Understanding the formation of collective memories is of utmost importance," Coman said. "They are central to human functioning. On one hand, these shared memories affect people's attitudes, their decisions and how they collectively solve problems. On the other hand, these findings have a more applied scope: policymakers could use them to measure and forge convergent memories in communities affected by epidemics of biological or social nature, like knowledge about the Zika virus or the propagation of stereotypes."The paper, "Mnemonic convergence in small-scale networks: The emergent properties of cognition at a social level," was published inSource: Eurekalert Advertisement A virus that hasn't been particularly dangerous since it was first discovered in a rhesus monkey in Uganda's Zika forest in 1947 (the first human case was reported in Nigeria seven years later), Zika has grabbed global attention because the virulent form - more than a million infections have been reported from Brazil - is linked to microcephaly, abnormally small heads and brains in fetuses.After first emerging on a remote Pacific island in 2007, the new strain, borne by the female Aedes mosquitoes and air travel, and detected in Brazil in May 2015, has swept through 26 countries in the Americas, Cape Verde in Africa and Singapore, where 200 infections were reported within eight days. Currently, 58 countries and territories are affected by the Zika virus, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).On September 5, 2016, the Philippines confirmed its first Zika infection."The original African strain went to Asia between 1954 and 2000, that did not cause microcephaly," Peter Hotez, the dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine, at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, told IndiaSpend via email, explaining Zika's march. "The shift to the pandemic strain happened in 2007 to Micronesia and in 2013 to French Polynesia. This is sometimes called the Asian strain, which went Eastward into the New World. Now the Asian strain is headed to Africa continuing East back to India."Despite email requests over a week, the National Center for Disease Control, the National Institute of Virology (NIV), and the Integrated Disease Surveillance Program (IDSP) did not respond to requests for comment on the possible entry of Zika into India.India does not know if the strain detected in Pune in 1952 has spread and if it has made Indians more susceptible.After Zika was detected in humans in 1954 in Nigeria, serologic evidence-evidence from blood serum-of human infection was reported from at least seven African countries and parts of Asia, including India, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, and Indonesia, between 1951 and 1981.Between 2007 and 2014, it caused, as Prof Hotez put it, "explosive" outbreaks in Micronesia, French Polynesia, and Easter Island-South Pacific.Then, in May 2015, a Brazilian national laboratory reported a native-or local-case of transmission."A new mosquito-borne disease had indeed arrived in the Americas, though no one knew what that might mean," said a WHO May 2016 report: One year into the Zika outbreak: How an obscure disease became a global health emergency.By mid-July, 2015, Brazil notified WHO of a spike in neurological disorders-swelling of brain and spinal cord, GBS and microcephaly.Since its entry into Brazil, according to the review paper, Zika cut a swath through 26 countries in the Americas.On February 1, 2016, WHO declared Zika a "public health emergency of international concern", requiring a coordinated international response.India contains Zika's "disease ecology" - Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes, crowding, poverty, lack of sanitation and hygiene, travellers and visitors and warming that prolongs mosquito season. It will only take an infected person to travel to India and then be bitten by the tiger mosquito.Aedes aegypti is now found mainly in homes and other buildings, protected from monsoon winds and other factors that slowed its spread when it was a forest-dwelling creature. It is active during the day, and it is a master of evolution.Between 5-20% of a mosquito population's collective genome - the collection of their genes - is responding to evolutionary pressure at any given time, according to a June 2015 study published in theFor India to be affected by the virus, it would need large populations of susceptible people living in close proximity to large populations of Aedes aegypti or Aedes albopictus mosquitoes.Aedes aegypti and dengue are prevalent wherever there has been a Zika outbreak in the Western hemisphere. Indonesia and India are currently experiencing the worst dengue problems in the world, said Hotez."Based on that assumption, India is at risk," he said. In India's case, though, there are some big unknowns.First, how widespread was the earlier African strain reported in India during the 1950s, and how exposed was India's population to that first wave?"That earlier strain does not cause microcephaly but could possibly induce immunity to this new more concerning virus strain," said Hotez. India needs more studies to find out.Second, could the new pandemic Zika strain affect India, as it is currently Singapore?"We have seen that wherever dengue occurs in Western Hemisphere, we can find Zika as well," said Hotez. "But we don't know if that's just because both viruses are transmitted by Aedes aegypti, or if previous dengue infections can also promote increased susceptibility to Zika."Since the symptoms of dengue, chikungunya and Zika virus infections are similar, and only laboratory tests can distinguish one from the other, it is possible that cases clinically diagnosed as dengue or chikungunya fevers could be Zika infections.The question is this: Has Zika not been present in India or has no one looked over the past 40 years? Chinkungunya wasn't supposed to be in India; then it showed up. Zika's cousin, chikungunya, first had a major outbreak across India-barring Kerala which had no Aedes aegypti mosquitoes then-between 1964 and 1967.Chikungunya faded from public and scientific memory, and when it returned in 2002, "we were caught with our collective pants down", said T Jacob John, a retired virologist who, along with two colleagues, documented India's first HIV infection in 1986, and designed a national response.Biological events are unpredictable, but government responses should not be.However, said John, "civilized countries would err on the precautionary side rather than relying on luck as we Indians often do".Source: IANS At the G-20 summit (September 4-5), Russian President Vladimir Putin had several meetings with international leaders, which focused inter alia on the Ukrainian and Syrian crises, Russia-Latin America relations, and economic trade. Putin's goal is to restore Russia's role as a global player, capable of projecting power in the Middle East, Latin America, and in the Asia-Pacific region in addition to neighboring Europe. At the G-20, Putin met with U.S. President Barack Obama, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, French President Francois Hollande, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, British Prime Minister Theresa May, Saudi Arabia's deputy Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman Al Sa'ud, Egyptian President 'Abd Al-Fattah Al-Sisi, Argentinian President Mauricio Macri and had an informal group meeting with BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) leaders. It is also worth noting that on the way back from the G20, Putin met King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa of Bahrain in Moscow, on September 6. The meeting was accompanied by the signing of several agreements on trade relations and military cooperation.[1] The G-20 summit came on the heels of the Eastern Economic Forum hosted by Russia in Vladivostok on September 2-3, aimed at promoting the Russian Far East's economic development and expanding international cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region. Below is a survey of Putin's busy schedule of meetings at the G-20: Russia-US Relations: New Sanctions On Russia And Attempts To Reach Agreement On Syria On September 5, Putin and US President Barack Obama met for 90 minutes behind closed doors. Obama and Putin talked one-on-one, focusing on Ukraine and the Syrian settlement. However, the two leaders failed to find a solution on achieving a humanitarian ceasefire in Aleppo that would launch the process of solving the Syrian crisis. However, the Russian daily Vedomosti, quoted Russian sources lamenting the American reactions to the initial failure to reach an understanding as "alarmist" and "overdramatized". A Russian source cited by Vedomosti claimed that there were two major points of disagreement on the Syrian crisis: Determining which armed groups would be designated terrorists and how a humanitarian corridor in Aleppo could be secured.[2] During a September 5 meeting on the sidelines of the G-20 summit, Putin answered questions on his talks with the US President over Syria, and said that Russia is pursuing dialogue with its Turkish and American partners. However, Putin stressed that Russia would not endorse anything "that would go counter to international law." He then added: "I don't think I can say anything final right now, because the US State Department [John Kerry] and our Foreign Ministry [Sergey Lavrov] are still finalizing several preliminary agreements, but I think that we are on the right road and could reach an agreement for some period of time on what we can do together, and I emphasize this, by way of strenuous efforts to improve the situation in Syria. Of course we would have to consult with the Syrian government and would have to keep our other partners informed, including Iran." On September 10, Lavrov and Kerry agreed on a new ceasefire plan, which includes a ban on government airstrikes in certain areas and cooperation on strikes against jihadists. Lavrov said that Russia and the US had agreed to coordinate airstrikes in Syria, "provided there is a sustained period of reduced violence." Lavrov stated that the ceasefire comes into effect on September 12 and should last for at least seven days.[3] Putin with Obama at the meeting. (Source: Kremlin.ru, September 5, 2016) Meanwhile, Russia-US relations remain tense. Washington has recently announced a further extension of sanctions against Russia by adding 11 Russian companies to the list of those companies blocked from doing business with the US. The sanctions include a number of the Russian energy giant Gazprom's subsidiaries. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitri Peskov said that Russia will retaliate.[4] Peskov commented that the extension of sanctions is "seriously dissonant with the issues relating to possible cooperation in the sensitive areas discussed at the two presidents' meeting."[5] On September 7, Lavrov had a phone conversation with Kerry, regarding the new wave of sanctions. The Russian Foreign Ministry reported: "[Lavrov] expressed indignation over new US sanctions on Russia imposed under the pretext of the Ukraine crisis. He emphasized that good cooperation, including on settling regional conflicts, which the Obama administration continues to seek during working contacts, is impossible without observing a basic code of conduct."[6] During the aforementioned round of questions following his meeting with Obama, Putin was asked if the sanctions issue came up in the meeting. Putin replied that the US sanction do not have a major impact on Russia, since Russia-US trade relations with are not so "important", but then added that he hopes to restore "full-fledged" relations with the US. Putin explained: "Yes, we did raise the sanctions matter in passing, but we did not discuss it in detail, because I see no sense in discussing matters of this sort. It was not our initiative to impose these sanctions. I think discussions on this issue will be something for the future, if we get to this point. I do hope that we will eventually get to this point and will normalize in full our relations with the United States too, which is certainly a very important partner in our eyes. Our bilateral trade with the United States was rather minimal to start with though, only around $28 billion, and now it has dropped to $20 billion. In other words, to be honest, our trade and economic relations with the United States are not so important." He then injected a note of criticism: "As for restrictions on technology, they never ended and the CoCom [Coordinating Committee for Multilateral Export Controls] restrictions were never properly abolished. The lists shrank and were formally lifted, but restrictions remained even when relations were at a high point (in the early and mid-1990s), when there were seemingly no clouds on the horizon. Even then, restrictions were still in place. Now, they have simply increased the restrictions a little. They have not done so completely and absolutely. But this is not a normal state of relations and we would like to restore full-fledged relations with the United States." Answering a question on how he would have reacted had Obama said in a "humane way" that he went too far with sanctions on Russia, Putin said: "So impose sanctions, but in a humane way? (Laughter.) Humanely or not... As diplomats say, there is a substantive part of our relations. If they take steps to worsen our relations then there is no getting away from that. And there are decisions, including those related to sanctions. However, if they want to restore relations, evidently these decisions should simply be reversed and that's it. As for how this will be done, in what form, that is another matter...However, I would like our partners in the US also to treat us with the same standards and from the same positions. That's all."[7] Russia-Turkey Relations Are All About Business On September 3, ahead of the G20 Summit in Hangzhou, China, Russian President Vladimir Putin had a meeting with President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan to discuss the restoration of full-scale bilateral cooperation. During the meeting, Putin informed his counterpart that accompanying him to the G20 was a "powerful delegation" that included the heads of Russia's leading energy companies - Gazprom, Rosneft and Rosatom - the energy minister, the head of the sovereign investment fund, and the economy and foreign ministers. Kremlin's spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said that the two leaders discussed the Turkish Stream gas pipeline. Meanwhile, charter flights between Russia and Turkey have already resumed.[8] On September 5, on the last day of the G20, Putin answered questions from Russian journalists. Asked whether Turkey's decision to send troops into Syria surprised Russia, Putin answered: "As far as surprises are concerned, we have our Foreign Ministry and intelligence services precisely to reduce the number of surprises. In principle, we had an idea of what was going on and where things were going. You could see it after all, the troop movements, the objectives, and the problems that Turkey has encountered in connection with events in Syria. And Turkey has many problems here. I think you don't need to be a great analyst to realize what kinds of problems these are. We see all of this and overall, there were no surprises for us here. But at the same time, I say again that we will not welcome any action that runs counter to international law's norms and principles." He then added: "As for the question of restoring our bilateral relations, this work is going according to plan. It is progressing not as fast as our Turkish partners would like, but we have an interest in acting swiftly too. It is always a very rapid process to demolish something, but building it anew is always far more complicated..."[9] Presidents Putin and Erdogan. (Source: Kremlin.ru, September 3) Meetings With France And Germany's Leaders On The Normandy Format On September 4, Putin met with French President Francois Hollande. In the meeting, the French President told Putin: "I think we should discuss the situations in Syria and Ukraine, since we are all involved in addressing these problems. As for Ukraine, we need to discuss further cooperation in the Normandy format. As for Syria, here we need to move towards full-fledged dialogue."[10] Meeting between Presidents Putin and Hollande (Source: Kremlin.ru, September 4) Posting on his Facebook account, Hollande wrote that during his meeting with Putin, he reminded the Russian president that it was important to set the conditions for finding a political solution for Ukraine and Syria. He explained that in Ukraine, the parties involved should continue the Minsk process and settle the current bottlenecks, and notably the implementation of the special status, the security situation, and the mistrust between the parties. Hollande also disclosed that it had been agreed that a summit between Germany, France, Russia and Ukraine would be organized in the next few weeks.[11] Putin and German Chancellor Angela Merkel met late at night on September 4 to discuss the situation in Eastern Ukraine and the Syrian settlement. Concerning Ukraine, they focused on the implementation of the Minsk agreements.[12] Meeting between Putin and Merkel (Source: Kremlin.ru, September 4, 2016) Asked by journalists on September 5 whether he planned to speak to Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, Putin said: "Probably, what else can I do? I will have to speak with him. I said to the Federal Chancellor [Merkel] and the French President [Hollande] that it is not a question of whether to meet or not, but a question of whether our meetings produce some positive steps towards a settlement. I do not think it makes sense to hold meetings just for the sake of it. I had the impression that no one wants to meet just for the sake of it, except perhaps Mr. Poroshenko, perhaps. I do not know, as I have not spoken to him for a long time." Putin during his meeting with Merkel. (Source: Kremlin.ru, September 4, 2016) Russia-UK May Upgrade Relations On September 4, Putin met as well with British Prime Minister Theresa May. This was the first time the two leaders met. Putin expressed his wish to take Russia-UK bilateral relations "to a higher level relative to where they are now." May answered that while differences between the two countries exist, there are "some complex and serious areas of concern and issues to discuss." During the meeting, the two leaders reportedly discussed security, counter-terrorism, the Syrian settlement, and aviation safety. The two leaders agreed that a UK Transport Ministry delegation would visit Moscow soon to continue the discussion of aviation safety and that Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov would meet his British counterpart Boris Johnson in New York at the session of the UN General Assembly.[13] Putin with May (Source: Kremlin.ru, September 4, 2016) Russia And Saudi Arabia Agree To Limit Oil Production, But The 'Problem' Is Iran On the sidelines of the G-20 summit in China, Russia and Saudi Arabia agreed to maintain stability on the crude oil market. The Saudi Minister of Energy, Industry and Mineral Resources Khalid Al-Falih and Russian Minister of Energy Alexander Novak stressed in the joint statement that "the current challenges in the supply side of the global oil market, including major contraction of capital investments in oil extraction on a global scale, particularly in exploration, as well as mass deferrals of investment projects," made the market, as a whole, "more volatile and therefore unsustainable to both producers and consumers in the long term". In the statement, the ministers underlined that "close cooperation among major oil producing countries is crucial to oil market stability to ensure sustainable levels of investment for the long term." Russian minister Novak stated that this agreement is opening "a new era" of Russian-Saudi cooperation. Novak added: "I am confident that this new stage of relations between the two countries, OPEC and non-members. This is a historic moment, in my opinion." Concerning Saudi Arabia and oil freeze, the Saudi regime needs oil at a higher price than currently is, so that Aramco could be valued at $2-3 trillion by the time they float the IPO (Initial Public Offering) that could offer investors 5% of Aramco. Reuters cited an oil industry source who claimed that the Saudis "want higher oil prices for a better Aramco valuation". After the agreement between Russia and Saudi Arabia, global crude prices surged. Brent crude prices recorded a 5% spike but then fell back to a 1.6% gain. Novak and his Saudi counterpart agreed to hold an October meeting in Moscow to discuss cooperation in the oil and gas sector. Meanwhile, on September 26-28, Algiers will host the International Energy Forum. Venezuela, Ecuador and Kuwait have initiated a new round of talks on capping oil production to be held at the forum. Meanwhile, Venezuelan oil minister Eulogio del Pino, whose country's severe economic crisis has been exacerbated by plummeting oil prices, praised the agreement reached by Russia and Saudi Arabia to stabilize the prices of crude oil. "Besides, this initiative falls in line with the strategy that Venezuela has been working on at [Venezuelan] President Nicolas Maduro's instruction in recent months in order to seal agreements between the largest producers of crude," said the Venezuelan minister.[14] Novak and Al-Falih congratulate each other on their handiwork (Source: Arabnews.com) On September 4, Russian President Vladimir Putin met with the deputy Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia Mohammad Bin Salman Al Sa'ud, the son of the current Saudi king and the country's defense minister, on the sidelines of the G-20. The two leaders, who are supporting the opposing sides in Syria, paid compliments to each other. Putin stressed that Russia believes that "without Saudi Arabia no serious issue in the region can be resolved," adding that it is important that two parts maintain a regular dialogue. Bin Salman also stressed the importance of Russia-Saudi relations. The Crown Prince said: "For us, the relations between Russia and Saudi Arabia are also of great importance. They are certainly strategic in nature and, therefore, cooperation and coordination between Russia and Saudi Arabia are essential." Bin Salman also stated that Saudi Arabia believes that Russia is not only an important "world player," but also "a great power." He said: "As for our cooperation with Russia, it proceeds on a privileged basis. That is why our work together brings a lot of benefits to the Middle East. We would certainly prefer to avoid any negative scenario in the Middle East, and so would you. We would like to ramp up economic cooperation and want it to not just continue, but to progress faster." Meeting between Putin and Bin Salman Al Sa'ud (Source: Kremlin.ru, September 4, 2016) Putin was pressed by journalists on the oil price issue and said that relations with Saudi Arabia are of a "friendly" nature and that Riyadh did not rule out the possibility of freezing oil production. However, he added that Iran posed a problem if oil prices were to be stabilized acknowledged that the Iranians had a case since Iran's production was at a minimum. Therefore it was equitable for Iran to increase production until it reached the pre-sanctions level. Putin said: "We agree on the need to work together in some way or other on the world oil market. On the whole - surely you know this - Saudi Arabia did not rule out the possibility of freezing production, and there have been long-running discussions on this issue. What is the problem there? The problem is Iran's increasing production. However, in my opinion, as I said earlier, under the sanctions, Iran's production was at a minimum, and so I consider it fair if Iran reaches its pre-sanctions level. There is nothing wrong with this. Iran does not have excessive demands. Nevertheless, unfortunately, we know about the peculiarities of relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia. We try not to interfere. However, my impression in the course of contacts with the Saudis is that they do not actually rule this out for themselves, either. As for the price, what should the price be? I will give you a very specific answer: The price should be fair." Answering to question on whether the price of oil is fair now, Putin said: "Not now. It could be a little higher. However, bearing in mind that, as you know, our budget was calculated based on $40 per barrel, this suits us. In principle, the present price suits us."[15] Egypt Is 'Russia's Longstanding And Reliable Friend' On September 5, Putin met with Egyptian President 'Abd Al-Fattah Al-Sisi. Putin said Egypt is a "priority partner" and "Russia's longstanding and reliable friend". Al-Sisi stressed that Egypt is "constant in its desire" to develop Russia-Egypt bilateral relations and take them to a "new level of strategic partnership". Al-Sisi also noted that the Russian company Rosatom has already started work on building a nuclear power plant at El Dabaa. Al-Sisi also agreed with Putin that a Russian delegation would be sent to Egypt to inspect airport security as a prelude to the resumption of commercial flights between the two countries. Russia stopped flights to Egypt, after a Russian jet crashed on takeoff from Sinai's Sharm El-Sheikh, killing all 224 passengers onboard.[16] Presidents Putin and Al-Sisi. (Source: Kremlin.ru, September 5) Russia And China 'Safeguard' Each Other's Sovereignty Putin met with Chinese President Xi Jinping. The Chinese news agency Xinhua reported that two leaders called for "firm support in each other's efforts to safeguard sovereignty". They also discussed strategic cooperation, and dovetailing China's the Belt and Road Initiative (Economic Belt and Silk Road) with the Eurasian Economic Union championed by Russia. Xi also said that China considers "Russia's prosperity and development," as a boost to China's "own chance to develop."[17] Presidents Putin and Xi (Source: Sputniknews.com) Discussing Business With Latin America On September 5, Putin met with Argentinian President Mauricio Macri. Argentina will hold the G-20 presidency in 2018. During the meeting, Putin stressed that Argentina is one of Russia's "most prominent trade and economic partners" in Latin America. Bilateral trade between the two countries increased by 1.7 percent, over the first six months of 2016. Macri told Putin that Russia and Argentina need to develop cooperation in the energy sector, particularly in the field of hydroelectric power plants. For his part, Putin said that Russia is ready to advance agreements between the Russian energy corporation Gazprom and its Argentine counterpart YPF. The Russian President also suggested that since Argentina will soon chair the Latin American trade bloc Mercosur, Russia wants to move forward with the trade and economic cooperation agreement between Mercosur and the Eurasian Economic Union.[18] Presidents Putin and Macri. (Source: Kremlin.ru, September, 5) Informal BRICS Meeting On September 4, Putin had several meetings. An informal meeting between BRICS leaders (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) took place prior to the start of the G20. During the meeting, Putin stated: " The BRICS states have already increased their total share in the IMF capital to 14.89 percent, very close to the blocking threshold of 15 percent. And they certainly need to continue in this direction, advancing the reform of the IMF."[19] The BRICS leaders in a group photo at the summit (Source: Sputniknews.com) Putin Discusses Russia-Japan Relations Putin surveyed Russia-Japan relations, during the round of questions with journalists. Putin said: "Japan has a particular relationship with the United States, not because it is a member of the G-7, but because in its foreign policy line, it takes into account and to a large extent looks to the opinion of its main strategic partner - the United States. This was what led to the restrictions in our contacts over the last 12-18 months. We found this odd in the sense that Japan seemed to have an interest in developing our dialogue, especially on a peace treaty and on resolving related issues (our talks on the territorial issue), but at Japan's initiative these contacts were effectively suspended. Now though, we have returned to the negotiating table and are working on these matters." Putin stressed that Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe made some very interesting proposals when he came to Sochi, last May. Putin said: "He proposed that we reflect on and develop eight main areas for economic cooperation. I think this is extremely important in order to resolve the pressing economic tasks our countries face today, and in order to put in place the conditions for resolving other issues too, including those of a political nature." Prior to the G20, Putin met with Abe at the Eastern Economic Forum (EEF) in Vladivostok and tackled the issue of the Kuril Islands dispute. [20] In an interview with Bloomberg, in Vladivostok, Putin discussed the Kuril Islands dispute. Putin said: "We do not trade territories although concluding a peace treaty with Japan is certainly a key issue and we would like to find a solution to this problem together with our Japanese friends. Back in 1956, we signed a treaty and surprisingly it was ratified both by the Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union and the Japanese Parliament. But then Japan refused to implement it and after that the Soviet Union also, so to say, nullified all the agreements reached within the framework of the treaty. "Some years ago our Japanese counterparts asked us to resume the discussions of the issue and so we did meeting them halfway. Over the past couple of years the contacts were practically frozen on the initiative of the Japanese side, not ours. At the same time, presently our partners have expressed their eagerness to resume discussions on this issue. It has nothing to do with any kind of exchange or sale. It is about the search for a solution when neither party would be at a disadvantage, when neither party would perceive itself as conquered or defeated."[21] Strange But True Things That Happened At The G20 It was reported that on September 3, after his meeting with Erdogan, it took Putin and his entourage a long time to get to their hotel time. The Russian journalist Andrei Kolesnikov and a long-time member of the presidential pool, told Kommersant FM radio station: "For an hour and a half, we circled around the famous West Lake... The driver wasn't local; maybe he too wanted to enjoy the beauty of the lake and couldn't get enough of it."[22] On September 4, during his meeting with British Prime Minister Theresa May another mishap took place. Before the meeting started, Putin stretched out his hand to May for the protocol handshake, but May had already sat down. Putin then had to ask May to stand up again and shake hands.[23] Putin shaking hands with May. (Source: Krelin.ru, September 4, 2016) As a friendly gesture, Putin brought a box of Russian ice-cream as a gift to the Chinese President Xi Jinping, who is a fan of Russian ice-cream.[24] Endnotes: CM Punk got thrashed in his first UFC fight and those who saw him inside the cage for those unsettling two minutes know it could well have been the most embarrassing two minutes of the WWE stars professional life as well. He started with a royal smash on his face and was left searching for some ground under his feet in the opening minute itself. Watch the complete takedown here: CM Punk hung in like a fighter for as long as he could before finally giving up in the most deplorable way possible. This fight might well serve as a reminder to all those budding WWE superstars looking to make the cross to UFC because its a whole different ballgame altogether. Yes, you can transfer your domain to any registrar or hosting company once you have purchased it. Since domain transfers are a manual process, it can take up to 5 days to transfer the domain. Domains purchased with payment plans are not eligible to transfer until all payments have been made. Please remember that our 30-day money back guarantee is void once a domain has been transferred. For transfer instructions to GoDaddy, please click here. Building on the PSC GAC meeting in Rome on July the 15th, today we meet in Athens to address the state of European Affairs, assess current and future European issues and prepare the informal Summit that will be taking place in Bratislava on the 16th of September. Europe faces many challenges: refugee, migration, economy, social discontent, Brexit, security, the rise of populism, nationalism and extremism. The future of Europe is at stake; we want strong and concrete answers to these challenges. We think we will be stronger by answering these challenges together rather than by a division of European countries. Having 28 different views would be an illusion and the end of Europe. We will not let Europe be destroyed by antidemocratic and nationalistic forces. In view of Bratislava and from Bratislava to Rome and further we will promote a united and stronger Union, ensuring more protection for its citizens and a more secure, growth-oriented and social environment. The migration/refugee challenge needs to be addressed in a coordinated manner, with solidarity and responsibility in Europe, in order to contribute to inclusive societies. Too many people have suffered and lost their lives, this issue deems global attention. We reiterated our agreement on the need to pursue a comprehensive approach, including both European and international engagement. Building on the Valetta Summit, we should aim at further concluding and reinforcing partnerships with countries of origin and transition as a key priority for the European Union. Our commitment to apply the Schengen Borders Code and to implement the EU-Turkey statement is sound. Developing a strong External Investment Plan to reduce migration flows and break the business model of smugglers is of crucial importance. The implementation of the European Border and Coast Guard proposal must be in place before the end of this year. European economys recovery still lags behind, not meeting our citizens needs. We should work towards achieving sustainable economic growth and social wellbeing as outlined on the PES roadmap. A strong support to investment is a priority, in the key domains for the future of Europe - digital, economy, energy, climate change. Making full use of flexibility in order to incentivise investment in the strategic fields, such as education, training, research, innovation and culture is also key. Implementation of progressive structural reforms, aiming at achieving full employment and economic and social convergence so as to preserve our social model is equally important. The revision of the MFF should take into account our priorities, work as a tool to boost investment and ensure that the European budget is used in a strategic way to tackle the challenges that Europe faces. In particular, constructive exemptions, as an investment incentive, from the calculation of public deficit of national co-financing of investment projects, co-financed by the Structural and Cohesion Funds as well as the so-called Juncker Fund. We called upon the Commission to swiftly come forward with proposals on the future of the European Fund for Strategic Investment (EFSI) and strengthen its added value. Deepening the Economic and Monetary Union and achieving convergence of economic and social policies across Europe is pivotal for addressing current imbalances, including trade surpluses within the Eurozone. In this respect a more balanced policy mix, developing a Eurozone budget and strengthening democratic legitimacy and accountability of the European institutions is crucial. Continuing to fight against tax avoidance, tax evasion and fiscal dumping as well closing down tax havens is at the top of our priorities. The aim is to address aggressive tax planning and money laundering and establishing fair and redistributive tax systems. The creation of a strong social union to protect the EUs labour standards is of pressing importance. A new European pillar of social rights must be defined, notably on working conditions, minimum wage, access to skills and quality jobs and universal access to services in high education, childcare and health care, as included in the Commissions proposal of March 2016. Working towards an ambitious agenda for Europes Youth, and using all European financial means to deliver on four priorities, namely European Youth Guarantee, European Child Guarantee, Erasmus for all, European Youth Culture Cheque, remains a core objective. Respect of fundamental rights and rule of law is at the core of the European identity and the capstone of our common project. A democratic periodic review is called for in order to allow member stated to address common concerns and discuss among equals the state of health of democratic institutions within the EU. In June the High Representative released a global strategy for the European Unions Foreign and Security Policy, the strategy is extremely timely and relevant. It is important to make full use of this constructive approach and to continue the discussion to move forward as a Union and strengthen our defence policy. The good functioning of the EU Institutions is essential to deliver on the abovementioned priorities. Full use of the existing mechanisms and tools is important. The General Affairs Council is called to play a central role in designing and monitoring the implementation of European Council decisions. Regarding Brexit it is towards the political and economic benefit of both the EU and the UK to move forward within a reasonable time schedule reducing uncertainty. Negotiations should neither monopolize the European agenda nor be carried out through bilateral negotiations. At the Summit in Bratislava we will support our vision for a better Europe. We, progressive European Ministers, will continue to call for a change in Europe, in line with our fundamental principle of ensuring democracy, human rights, prosperity and peace in Europe. This is the time not to shy away from bold decisions. It is the time to put the interests of society and citizens at the heart of European policy making and reinvigorate trust in the European project and respecting diversity. The 60th anniversary of the signature of the Treaties of Rome will be an occasion for confirming our commitment to and re-launching the European project. We look forward to continuing working together to tackle European challenges. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs welcomes the ceasefire agreement the United States and Russia announced on Syria. All parties must fully implement this agreement to immediately stop the bloodshed, protect civilians and allow for the unimpeded and seamless distribution of humanitarian aid. This truce will hopefully be an important step in the direction of an agreement that ultimately ends a long-lasting civil war and the drama of the Syrian people. Our portfolio of high quality UK commercial property is focused on London Offices and Retail around the UK. We own or manage a portfolio valued at 13.7bn (British Land share: 10.3bn) as at 30 September 2020 making us one of Europe's largest listed real estate investment companies. Our strategy is to provide places which meet the needs of our customers and respond to changing lifestyles - Places People Prefer. We do this by creating great environments both inside and outside our buildings and use our scale and placemaking skills to enhance and enliven them. This expands their appeal to a broader range of occupiers, creating enduring demand and driving sustainable, long term performance. Our Offices portfolio comprises three office-led campuses in central London as well as high quality standalone buildings and accounts for 65% of our portfolio. Our Retail portfolio is focused on retail parks and shopping centres, and accounts for 31% of our portfolio. Increasingly our focus is on providing a mix of uses and this is most evident at Canada Water, our 53 acre redevelopment opportunity where we have plans to create a new neighbourhood for London. Sustainability is embedded throughout our business. Our places, which are designed to meet high sustainability standards, become part of local communities, provide opportunities for skills development and employment and promote wellbeing. In April 2016 British Land received the Queen's Award for Enterprise: Sustainable Development, the UK's highest accolade for business success for economic, social and environmental achievements over a period of five years. Carnival Corporation & plc is a leisure travel company operating a fleet of cruise ships, hotels, and resorts with international destinations. Brands under the Carnival Corporation umbrella include Carnival Cruise Line, Princess Cruises, Holland America, P&O Cruises, Seaborn, Costa Cruises, AIDA Cruises, and Cunard. The companys goal is to provide extraordinary vacations at an exceptional value. As of 2022, the company laid claim to nearly half of the global cruising market share with several new ships in the works. Carnival Cruise Line was launched in 1972 with one second-hand ship and a tank of fuel. The first port of call was San Juan, Puerto Rico, but soon more were added. The original growth strategy included a festive atmosphere, features and amenities unlike any other cruise line at the time. Slow to start, the growth strategy shifted into overdrive in 1980 when Carnival shocked the world by building its own ship. The Tropicale became an iconic name in the cruising industry and sparked a wave of shipbuilding that is still underway. The companys growth hit a new stride in 1987 following the IPO which floated 20% of the company on the open market. The proceeds from the IPO allowed the company to embark on a voyage of acquisition and now Carnival is the worlds largest travel and leisure business. Today, Carnival Corporations 87 ships visit approximately 700 ports worldwide and employ more than 120,000 people while serving more than 13 million guests annually for a total of 85 million passenger cruise days per year. Net revenue, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, peaked out at over $6.5 billion annually. Carnival Cruise Line is the companys largest brand serving guests on all coasts of North America. The brand's 22 ships make 1500 voyages per year with trips ranging from 2 days to 3 weeks and ports of call from the Caribbean to Alaska. The company's largest ship is named Panorama and can accommodate more than 4,000 passengers. Carnivals 9 brands provide access to a wide range of cruising styles and destinations including the Caribbean, Alaska, Australia, New Zealand, Hawaii, England, and ports in Asia. The company is headquartered in Miami, Florida and has offices around the world. The company also has the distinction of being the only company included in both the S&P 500 and FTSE 250 indices. Telefonica Brasil S.A., together with its subsidiaries, provides mobile and fixed telecommunications services to residential and corporate customers in Brazil. Its fixed line services portfolio includes local, domestic long-distance, and international long-distance calls; and mobile portfolio comprises voice and broadband internet access through 3G, 4G, 4.5G, and 5G as well as mobile value-added services and wireless roaming services. The company also offers data services, including broadband and mobile data services. In addition, it provides pay TV services through direct to home satellite technology, IPTV, and cable, as well as pay-per-view and video on demand services; network services, such as rental of facilities; other services comprising internet access, private network connectivity, computer equipment leasing, extended service, caller identification, voice mail, cellular blocker, and others; wholesale services, including interconnection services to users of other network providers; and digital services, such as entertainment, cloud, and security and financial services. Further, the company offers multimedia communication services, which include audio, data, voice and other sounds, images, texts, and other information, as well as sells devices, such as smartphones, broadband USB modems, and other devices. Additionally, it provides telecommunications solutions and IT support to various industries, such as retail, manufacturing, services, financial institutions, government, etc. It markets and sells its solutions through own stores, dealers, retail and distribution channels, door-to-door sales, and outbound tele sales. The company was formerly known as Telecomunicacoes de Sao Paulo S.A. - TELESP and changed its name to Telefonica Brasil S.A. in October 2011. The company was incorporated in 1998 and is headquartered in Sao Paulo, Brazil. The following companies are subsidiares of Ingersoll Rand: 13125882 Canada Inc., 211 E. Russell Road LLC, 4458664 Canada Inc., ACCUDYNE INDUSTRIES ASIA PTE. LTD., ACCUDYNE INDUSTRIES BORROWER S.C.A., ACCUDYNE INDUSTRIES INDIA PRIVATE LIMITED, ACCUDYNE INDUSTRIES LLC, ACCUDYNE INDUSTRIES MIDDLE EAST FZE, ACCUDYNE INDUSTRIES SERVICES LIMITED, ASTRUM IT GmbH, Accudyne Industries Acquisition S.A r.l, Accudyne Industries Canada Inc., Accudyne Industries S.A r.l., Air Dimensions, Air Dimensions Inc., Albin Pump SAS, BOC Edwards Global Low pressure Air business, CISA S.p.A., Cameron-Centrifugal Compression, Comercial Ingersoll-Rand (Chile) Limitada, Comingersoll-Comercio E Industria De Equipamentos S.A., CompAir, CompAir (Hankook) Korea Co. Ltd., CompAir Acquisition (No. 2) Ltd., CompAir Acquisition Ltd., CompAir BroomWade Ltd., CompAir Finance Ltd., CompAir GmbH, CompAir Holdings Limited, CompAir International Trading (Shanghai) Co Ltd, CompAir Korea Ltd, CompAir South Africa (SA) (Pty) Ltd., Consolidated Distribution Holdings Ltd., DV Systems Inc., Dosatron International SAS, Emco Wheaton Gmbh, Emco Wheaton USA Inc, Enza Air Proprietary Limited, FlexEnergy Holdings LLC, Frigoblock Grosskopf Gmbh, GD Aria Holdings Limited, GD Aria Holdings Limited, GD Aria Investments Limited, GD First (UK) Ltd, GD German Holdings GmbH, GD German Holdings I Gmbh, GD German Holdings II GmbH, GD German Investments GmbH, GD Global Holdings II Inc., GD Global Holdings Inc., GD Global Holdings UK II Ltd., GD Global Ventures I B.V., GD Global Ventures II B.V., GD Global Ventures III B.V., GD Industrial Products Malaysia SDN. BHD., GD Investment KY, GD UK Finance Ltd., GPS Industries, Gardner Denver (Thailand) Co. Ltd., Gardner Denver Austria GmbH, Gardner Denver Bad Neustadt Real Estate GmbH & Co KG, Gardner Denver Belgium NV, Gardner Denver Brasil Industria E Comercio de Maquinas Ltda., Gardner Denver CZ + SK sro, Gardner Denver Canada Corp (Canada), Gardner Denver Cyprus Investments II Limited, Gardner Denver Cyprus Investments Limited, Gardner Denver Deutschland GmbH, Gardner Denver Engineered Products India Private Limited, Gardner Denver FZE, Gardner Denver Finance II LLC, Gardner Denver Finance Inc & Co KG, Gardner Denver France SAS, Gardner Denver Group Svcs Ltd, Gardner Denver Holdings Limited, Gardner Denver Hong Kong Investments Limited, Gardner Denver Hong Kong Ltd, Gardner Denver Iberica SL, Gardner Denver Inc., Gardner Denver Industries Ltd., Gardner Denver Industries Pty Ltd., Gardner Denver International Inc., Gardner Denver International Ltd., Gardner Denver Investments Inc., Gardner Denver Italy Holdings S.r.L., Gardner Denver Japan Ltd., Gardner Denver Kirchhain Real Estate GmbH & Co KG, Gardner Denver Korea Ltd., Gardner Denver Ltd., Gardner Denver Machinery (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Gardner Denver Nash Brasil Industria E Comercio De Bombas Ltda, Gardner Denver Nash LLC, Gardner Denver Nash Machinery Ltd., Gardner Denver Nederland BV, Gardner Denver Nederland Investments B.V., Gardner Denver Oy, Gardner Denver Polska Sp z.o.o., Gardner Denver Pte. Ltd., Gardner Denver S.r.l., Gardner Denver Schopfheim GmbH, Gardner Denver Schopfheim Real Estate GmbH & Co KG, Gardner Denver Schweiz AG, Gardner Denver Slovakia s.r.o., Gardner Denver Sweden AB, Gardner Denver Taiwan Ltd., Gardner Denver Thomas GmbH (f/k/a ILMVAC GmbH), Gardner Denver Thomas Inc., Gardner Denver Thomas Pneumatic Systems (Wuxi) Co. Ltd., Gardner Denver Thomas Real Estate GmbH & Co KG, Garo Dott. Ing. Roberto Gabbioneta S.r.l., Ghh-Rand Schraubenkompressoren Gmbh, HASKEL EUROPE LTD., HASKEL HOLDINGS UK LIMITED, HASKEL INTERNATIONAL LLC, Hamworthy Belliss & Morcom, Haskel France SAS, Haskel Sistemas de Fluidos Espana S.R.L., Hibon Inc., Highspeed Newco LLC, Hingerose Limited, ILMVAC (UK) Ltd., ILS Innovative Labor Systeme, ILS Inovative Laborsysteme GmbH, INGERSOLL RAND ITS JAPAN LTD., INGERSOLL-RAND (CHANG ZHOU) TOOLS CO. LTD., INGERSOLL-RAND (CHINA) INDUSTRIAL EQUIPMENT MANUFACTURING CO. LTD., INGERSOLL-RAND CHINA LLC, INGERSOLL-RAND COMERCIO E SERVICOS DE MAQUINAS E EQUIPAMENTOS INDUSTRIAIS LTDA., INGERSOLL-RAND DE PUERTO RICO INC., INGERSOLL-RAND INDUSTRIAL COMPANY B.V., INGERSOLL-RAND INDUSTRIAL SP. Z O.O., INGERSOLL-RAND INDUSTRIAL U.S. INC., INGERSOLL-RAND PHILIPPINES INC., INGERSOLL-RAND SPAIN S.A., INGERSOLL-RAND U.S. HOLDCO INC., IR HPS Holdco. Inc., ITO Emniyet, Ingersoll Rand Cyprus Investments Ltd., Ingersoll Rand Finance LLC, Ingersoll Rand Global Investments LLC, Ingersoll Rand Global Ventures LLC, Ingersoll Rand Hong Kong Investments Limited, Ingersoll Rand Inc., Ingersoll Rand Investments (SG) Pte. Ltd., Ingersoll Rand Investments B.V., Ingersoll Rand Schweiz Investments Gmbh, Ingersoll Rand Technology R&D (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Ingersoll-Rand (Australia) Ltd., Ingersoll-Rand (China) Investment Company Limited, Ingersoll-Rand (Guilin) Tools Company Limited, Ingersoll-Rand (Hong Kong) Holding Company Limited, Ingersoll-Rand (India) Limited, Ingersoll-Rand Ab, Ingersoll-Rand Air Solutions Hibon Sarl, Ingersoll-Rand Beteiligungs Und Grundstucksverwaltungs Gmbh, Ingersoll-Rand Colombia S.A.S., Ingersoll-Rand Company Limited (Uk), Ingersoll-Rand Company South Africa (Pty) Limited, Ingersoll-Rand Cz S.R.O., Ingersoll-Rand De Mexico S.A. 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Read More Despite Flipping in Surf 4 Times in a Year, Marines Say New ACV Is the Future of Amphibious Warfare Some Marine veterans familiar with the vehicle and its operations have worried about the reliability of the ACV. fire_truck_090716_RJS_01.jpg One of the Ann Arbor Fire Department's existing fire trucks parked at the downtown Ann Arbor fire station on Sept. 7, 2016. (Ryan Stanton | The Ann Arbor News) ANN ARBOR, MI - Ann Arbor's firefighters are getting some new gear and a new set of wheels for responding to fires. The City Council voted unanimously at its last meeting to approve the $659,897 purchase of a new truck with a 75-foot aerial ladder from the Smeal Fire Apparatus Co., plus another $90,000 for turnout gear. The fire department will be getting a 2016 Smeal Metro Star model rear-mount aerial "quint," which is described as an apparatus that provides versatility in firefighting as it includes pump capacity similar to a fire engine, on-board water storage, a mid-size aerial ladder, fire hose and ground ladders. "This purchase is an integral part of an ongoing program to correctly size the Fire Department's fleet and will allow the fleet to remain in compliance with NFPA 1901 standard for fire apparatus service life, which recommends that an apparatus stay in front line service for no longer then 15 years and be removed from service completely after 25 years," reads a memo to council from Matt Kulhanek, the city's fleet and facility manager. The new truck is expected to be delivered in December. It will replace a 2001 Pierce fire engine, which will be retained as a reserve engine that will be put into service when another truck is undergoing maintenance or repairs. No fire trucks are being sold as part of the transaction and the reserve fleet will be increased by one engine. "The Fire Department needs a second reserve fire engine," city staff wrote in a memo to council. "Keeping this engine as part of the reserve fleet gives a backup to staff for major emergencies when members come in from home, and it also gives us a second spare rig when the other unit is already in use. "This is happening more often as the fleet ages. Finally, this was a recommendation of the Insurance Services Office for our department. This is the agency that grades fire departments for fire insurance rate making purposes. Consequently, it should help our insurance rating." City officials changed the type of vehicle being purchased from an engine to a quint, which they said allows for carrying longer and more appropriate 35-foot ground ladders, while engines only carry 24-foot ladders, which are good to the second story. Plus it provides 75-foot aerial ladder capability in the northern/eastern part of the city where there are multi-story apartments, including many that are three floors, and commercial buildings, city officials said. In addition, all of the functions normally provided by an engine company will be included. The other $90,000 approved by council at its meeting this past week is for an amendment to an existing contract for turnout gear. The city had an agreement with Phoenix Outfitters LLC to provide Morning Pride gear with a not-to-exceed amount of $50,000. Changes in staffing necessitated a need for an extra 10 sets of gear, as the fire department hired 10 new firefighters in July due to attrition in the department. The city has released a new strategic plan that discusses 28 specific ways to improve the city's fire department. Read about them here. Ryan Stanton covers the city beat for The Ann Arbor News. Reach him at ryanstanton@mlive.com. ANN ARBOR, MI - Major changes are planned for South University Avenue in Ann Arbor where developer Ron Hughes has proposed a new 10-story high-rise. The new building, if approved, would take over most of the north side of South U from East University Avenue to Church Street. That's the block immediately east of the University of Michigan's Central Campus Diag and the new housing that's proposed is expected to cater to students. The Espresso Royale building at the west end and the TCF Bank building at the east end would remain standing, while everything else between would be replaced with new ground-floor commercial spaces with apartments above. The Ann Arbor News and MLive took the rendering by Hobbs and Black Architects and compared it with a current photo of the site. Slide the bar below left and right to see the before and after images showing the dramatic changes envisioned. The project is being called The Collegian North, a possible hint that the south side of the same block of South U could be similarly developed. Hughes has confirmed he's planning a redevelopment of much of South U over time, with buildings on both sides of the street expected to be demolished to make way for new dense development in the D1-zoned area. Read more about the development plans here and read about what is expected to happen to Ulrich's Bookstore here. The design drawings will go before the city's Design Review Board for review at 3 p.m. Sept. 21 inside city hall, 301 E. Huron St. Ryan Stanton covers the city beat for The Ann Arbor News. Reach him at ryanstanton@mlive.com. LINDEN, MI -- Louise Blain found it hard to hold in her tears. On a sunshine filled morning reminiscent of Sept. 11 a decade and a half ago in New York City, Blain stood outside the Linden Fire Station as the fire siren wailed loud and far at 9:59 a.m. -- the time the first tower fell onto the streets of Lower Manhattan. "I was with friends, in disbelief, just numb like everybody else," said Blain, a Linden resident that helps send care packages to troops overseas. "I couldn't even imagine." More than 3,000 people died on Sept. 11, 2001 after planes struck the World Trade Center towers, Pentagon in Arlington County, Virginia, and United Flight 93 crashed into a field in Shanksville, Pa., outside of Pittsburgh. Blain was among a group of roughly a dozen residents outside the station Sunday morning that gathered alongside firefighters and police below an American flag at half-staff to share the moment in time that shook a country to its foundation. While the emotions of the exact day have subsided for many, Linden Mayor David Lossing mentioned during a brief prayer it's been "replaced now with an emptiness and a longing for innocence lost" and asked people to be mindful of the sacrifice public servants offer in laying down their lives for others. Linden Fire Lt. Chris Fairbanks joined his brothers in service during the ceremony that included a moment of silence after the fire sirens faded into the background. "Remembering the lives lost," he said of the purpose behind the gathering. "It's a horrid terrorist attack and just that amount of our brothers and sisters in the service, not only fire, EMS, that all died in one instance." Fairbanks was headed up north for vacation along US 127 when news trickled into him about the events of the day and he flipped on the radio in his car. "It's kind of odd because you always see the jet trails in the air, they're still even up north you see a lot of traffic, and it was just clear and we got there and sat there and just baffled," he said. "All of a sudden the first tower fell and you're just speechless." As the country came together in the days after the attacks, Blain and Fairbanks have noticed fissures in the unity over the subsequent months and years as it becomes a history lesson for a younger generation of Americans. Echoing the words of Lossing, Blain questioned if all would be willing to lay down their lives for their fellow human. "Are we, are you, am I? I hope I would," she said, an American flag scarf draped around her neck below a flag necklace. "I don't care what color their skin is. We live in the greatest country in the world with the freedoms we have. I just want us to be united. I want it for my kids, my grandkids." Fairbanks reminisced on the day, thinking of how the country came together and comes together in times of tragedy, but it also drifts apart over time. "My prayer is always this country will unify not just because of incidents like this, but because we are American," he said. "This is our country." BROOKLYN, MI - People donated blood Sunday at Michigan International Speedway for the Spirit of America drive organized as a tribute to those who died in the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. Participants had a chance to ride a slow tram around the track, pass a field of nearly 3,000 American flags on U.S. 12 and view a Home of the Brave exhibit featuring photos, presidential letters, magazines, newspapers and other items. Donors were also treated to a lunch overlooking the track, a commemorative pin and a T-shirt. More than 30,000 lives have potentially been saved since 2002 as a direct result of the event. In the last 14 years, the blood drive has collected more than 10,194 blood products, according to information posted on the MIS website. By Thursday, 595 appointments had been scheduled for the event. "When you think about 9/11, you're thinking about all the victims that gave their lives and the first responders that rushed in to help. It's a great way to honor those victims by giving back in a very lifesaving way," Amy Rotter, Michigan Blood community outreach and partner relations coordinator, earlier said. GRASS LAKE, MI - A cannon that once stood guard against enemy attacks - and then spent about 200 years at the bottom of the Detroit River - has been restored and is ready for display in Grass Lake. The 1,200-pound Revolutionary War-era cannon was dedicated by the Grass Lake Area Historical Connections as part of the village's Heritage Days on Saturday, Sept. 10. On renewable loan from the Detroit Historical Society, the cannon was sandblasted by Cevin's Collision, 4520 Wolf Lake Road, and treated with tannic acid to protect it and make it black again. Its replica carriage was created from white oak by Grass Lake resident Mike Coppernoll. Grass Lake Area Historical Connections received the cannon in February. It's a British army cannon forged in England in the mid-1700s during the reign of King George III. Six such cannons have been recovered from the Detroit River since 1984, Joel Stone, Detroit Historical Society senior curator, has said. Grass Lake's is the fourth to be placed for display. The others are at the Michigan Historical Museum in Lansing, the Dossin Great Lakes Museum on Detroit's Belle Isle and the Detroit/Wayne County Port Authority. The cannons were stationed at Detroit's Fort Lernoult, a British-occupied fort, located in front of where Cobo Hall stands today, Stone said. They protected the fort from potential attacks by American Indians and American Colonists. When the Revolutionary War ended in 1783, the defeated British knew there weren't enough colonial troops to make them get out right away, Stone said. They stayed 13 years before finally departing for a new post across the river in Canada, he said. Before they left in the winter of 1796, British soldiers dragged these cannons, which were worn out and obsolete, onto the ice at a spot called "Chicken Bone Reef" to keep them out of the hands of their "enemies." When the river thawed in the spring, the cannons sunk. And they weren't discovered until the Detroit Police Department Dive Team began doing training in the area and stumbled upon them, Stone said. Anthony Lamb HOLLAND TOWNSHIP, MI -- The 22-year-old man found dead in a parking lot Sunday morning has been identified by police as Muskegon resident Anthony Lamb. Capt. John Wolffis said in an updated press release that police are still investigating the shooting and working to develop information about possible suspects. No suspect has been identified or apprehended. Lamb is also related to Tiana Carruthers, a survivor of February's mass shooting in Kalamazoo. I LOVE YOU WITH OUT A DOUBT Posted by Tiana Carruthers on Sunday, September 11, 2016 While Sgt. Brian Buter was hesitant to say what danger the shooter still presents to the community, he doesn't believe the situation is likely to mirror the random February killings by Jason Dalton. Buter said the Ottawa County Sheriff's Department was dispatched to the Hookah Lounge of Holland on 960 Butternut Dr. to respond to a call of shots fired at 3:15 a.m. on Sunday, Sept. 11. Police arrived to find Lamb lying in the parking lot outside the Hookah Lounge, who was pronounced dead at the scene. Lamb graduated from Holland High School in 2012 and went on to attend Grand Rapids Community College. Friends and family took to social media Sunday to mourn his death. Rest In Paradise Anthony Lamb. SO grateful for the few years we grew up next door to each other. Hooping everyday after... Posted by John Morrall on Sunday, September 11, 2016 Just another prime example of tomorrow is never guaranteed. Man Im gonna miss you Ant. This senseless violence needs to... Posted by Bobby DeCheney III on Sunday, September 11, 2016 B.I.P big bro Anthony Lamb that's messed up I'll keep u in my prayers. Posted by Jakareea Betts on Sunday, September 11, 2016 [September 10, 2016] UnitedHealthcare IRONKIDS Madison Fun Run Motivates Local Youth to Lead Active, Healthy Lifestyles Nearly 600 kids participated in the second UnitedHealthcare IRONKIDS Madison Fun Run today at Wisconsin State Capitol Square. UnitedHealthcare mascot Dr. Health E. Hound kicked off the fun run, where athletes ages 3-15 ran along portions of the IRONMAN Wisconsin course that takes place tomorrow. Each athlete received a race bib, T-shirt, goodie bag and finisher medal. UnitedHealthcare provided complimentary registrations to the Boys & Girls Club of Dane County to encourage participation. This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160910005025/en/ The UnitedHealthcare IRONKIDS Madison Fun Run raced around Wisconsin State Capitol Square this morning. UnitedHealthcare mascot Dr. Health E. Hound kicked off the fun run and distributed medals to nearly 600 kids as they crossed the finish line (Photo: Andy Manis). This is the fifth year UnitedHealthcare is supporting IRONKIDS in the United States as part of the company's commitment to help stem the rising tide of childhood obesity through healthy lifestyles. UnitedHealthcare is sponsoring seven one-mile fun runs in 2016. About IRONKIDS After being acquired from the Sara Lee Corporation, which owned the event series since 1985, IRONKIDS launched in 2009 with nine events in the IRONKIDS National Triathlon Series. Since the inaugural year, IRONKIDS has seen more than 60,000 participants and has grown to more than 60 events worldwide including races in Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe and North America. The brand represents a multi-dimensional approach to creating positive experiences for athletes, families and communities, as well as embodies achievement and determination while fostering self-esteem. The IRONKIDS mission is to inspire and motivate through the sport to live an active, positive and healthy lifestyle. For more information visit www.ironkids.com. About UnitedHealthcare UnitedHealthcare is dedicated to helping people nationwide live healthier lives by simplifying the health care experience, meeting consumer health and wellness needs, and sustaining trusted relationships with care providers. The company offers the full spectrum of health benefit programs for individuals, employers, military service members, retirees and their families, and Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries, and contracts directly with 1 million physicians and care professionals, and 6,000 hospitals and other care facilities nationwide. UnitedHealthcare is one of the businesses of UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH), a diversified Fortune 50 health and well-being company. For more information, visit UnitedHealthcare at www.uhc.com or follow @myUHC on Twitter (News - Alert). Click here to subscribe to Mobile Alerts for UnitedHealth Group. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160910005025/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] The Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Mr. Bernad Antwi Bosiako has thrown verbal punches on ace Actor cum Producer Michael Afrane for contesting as an Independent candidate at the Manso Nkwanta Constituency . According to him, the actor has been conniving with the ruling National Democratic Congress to split votes of the NPP in that constituency. Earlier this year Actor Michael Afrane hinted of contesting as an Independent Candidate for the Manso Nkwanta Constituency after he step down as the Assembly Member for Sereso in the Bosomtwe District. Michael Afrane after releasing his posters confirmed that he is not into politics to amass wealth. But reports suggested that the President John Dramani Mahama through the Ministry of Tourism,Culture and Creative arts have been given out vehicles to section of the industry players in kumasi with the aim of buying their votes ahead of the December 7 elections. But commenting on the development, Chairman Wutumi as he is commonly known accused Michael Afrane of been manipulated by the NDC. '' Micheal Afrane is a strong member of the NPP in the Bosomtwe but because of greediness he has gone for a brand new chevelot from the NDC with the motive of contesting as an Independent candidate at the Manso Nkwanta constituency to split our votes". Wutumi speaking on Ashh Fm's afternoon political talk show dubbed "Key Note " hinted that he is going to match Michael Afrane boot to boot in the region. He challenged Micheal Afrane to pick up forms at the electoral commission office and contest as Independent Candidate if he is bold enough . He further threatens to expose all the stars in the region who have been hired by the ruling National Democratic Congress. Actor and director Nate Parker received an enthusiastic welcome as his film The Birth of a Nation screened at the Toronto International Film Festival. After a public showing on Friday of the film based on a slave uprising led by preacher Nat Turner in 1831 Parker described it as a labour of love. There were gasps in the audience at some of the harrowing scenes. After the screening, Parker, who has faced media scrutiny over a historic rape trial, got a standing ovation. Parker acted in, wrote and directed the film. It gained a huge amount of awards buzz when it first screened at the Sundance film festival in January. However, recent media attention has been focused on Parkers acquittal for rape in 1999 and his accusers subsequent suicide. No brainer Parker said: I didnt have the benefit of learning about Nat Turner when I was at school, yet I grew up 42 miles (68km) east of where the rebellion happened. So you can imagine learning about this person, in the absence of heroes, meant a lot to me. He said it was a no brainer that he would choose to tell the story on film. We should all look at this film in the sense that this was a person that stood against a system that was oppressing people, he told the audience. If we can relate to that in 2016, we must ask our selves what we would be willing to sacrifice for what we want our children, and our childrens children, to enjoy. Cameron Bailey, the Toronto festivals artistic director, described the film as a painful story from American history and a story that needed to be told. The Toronto International Film Festival runs until 18 September. Tripoli (AFP) - Libya's internationally backed government urged its forces Sunday to act after two oil terminals fell to rival troops, raising fears of further violence in a country already gripped by turmoil. The call came after forces loyal to the unrecognised eastern authority seized two key export facilities. The Tripoli-based Government of National Accord called on all forces loyal to it to "protect and defend" the ports against what it called "flagrant aggression" of Libyan sovereignty. The two Mediterranean ports are in Libya's "oil crescent", and seen as a vital source of income for the GNA which is struggling to assert its authority. Previously controlled by guards allied to the GNA, the ports of Al-Sidra and Ras Lanuf were seized by forces loyal to General Khalifa Haftar. One of the most powerful military figures in Libya, Haftar is allied with a rival authority to the GNA based in the east. Ahmad Mesmari, a spokesman for Haftar's forces, told a press conference that another oil terminal at Zuwaytina was not yet under their control. A colonel with pro-GNA forces, allied to guards defending the facilities, confirmed that Haftar's fighters were in control of Al-Sidra and Ras Lanuf. Hatem El-Ouraybi, a spokesman for the eastern authority, told AFP the attack was aimed at "regaining full control of the oil crescent". "The government calls on all the people of the oil crescent area -- including those who were in the oil installations guards -- to join the army or return to their homes," he said. Libya's oil and gas facilities But the GNA on Facebook urged all "military forces" loyal to the unity government "to protect and defend the oil installations and terminals and to carry out their military and national duties bravely and without hesitation". The GNA also called on Haftar's forces to "immediately withdraw from all the sites they have attacked". Ras Lanuf and Al-Sidra are together capable of handling 700,000 barrels of oil per day but had been closed for months after jihadist attacks. 'Blow to oil industry' In late July, the oil installation guards announced the reopening of the two ports after an agreement with the unity government to resume oil exports. They had been closed following attacks in January by the Islamic State group, who took advantage of turmoil after the 2011 uprising to gain a foothold in the country. In recent weeks, pro-GNA forces backed by US air strikes have been pressing a months-long campaign to expel the last IS jihadists from what was their North African stronghold. IS took the city of Sirte in June last year, sparking fears they would use the city west of the oil crescent as a launchpad for attacks in Europe. Haftar's forces have since 2014 been fighting jihadists in the second city of Benghazi northeast of the oil-rich crescent. UN Libya envoy Martin Kobler said on Twitter he was worried about the fighting. "Oil belongs to ALL Libyans," he tweeted. "Conflicts can only be solved through dialogue, not violence. Urge all parties to sit 2gether." Mattia Toaldo, a Libya expert with the European Council on Foreign Relations, said the seizure of the terminals could deal a fatal blow to Libya's oil sector. Oil is Libya's main natural resource with reserves estimated at 48 billion barrels, the largest in Africa "Unless there is a very quick mediation, this could lead to conflict and a final blow to Libya's oil industry," Toaldo said. Oil is Libya's main natural resource with reserves estimated at 48 billion barrels, the largest in Africa. But since 2010 the country's production has plummeted from 1.5 million bpd to just 200,000 bpd. 'Undermining' GNA Libya's oil sector is managed by the National Oil Company which is split into two rival branches, one allied to the GNA and the other to the authority in the east. Once pro-GNA forces expel IS from Sirte and there is no buffer between them and Haftar's army, either side "could easily clash again", Toaldo said. The pro-GNA military command is based in the city of Misrata. The attack on the ports aimed to "take advantage of Misrata's exhaustion after Sirte" and "undermine any negotiation on the future of the GNA", Toaldo said. Forces loyal to Libya's UN-backed unity government are seen during clashes with jihadists of the Islamic State on the western outskirts of Sirte Libya has been in chaos since the 2011 revolt that toppled and killed longtime dictator Moamer Kadhafi, with rival authorities and militias vying to control the country. A UN-brokered deal in December led to the unity government starting to work in Tripoli, but it has struggled to assert its authority. The parliament in the east last month voted no confidence in the GNA in a setback to efforts to end the political chaos. Nairobi (AFP) - Three women were killed while staging a knife and firebomb attack on the main police station in the Kenyan city of Mombasa on Sunday in what officers said was "an apparent terror attack." Mombasa County police chief Peterson Maelo said the three women had entered the city's busiest police station in mid-morning saying they wanted to report a stolen phone. "In the process one hurled a petrol bomb at the report office as the others confronted two officers and stabbed them," Maelo told journalists at the scene. "All the three attackers have been killed and the two police officers have been rushed to hospital," he said, terming it "an apparent terror attack." The fire was put out and the station sealed off by heavily armed police officers as the probe gets under way. A senior police officer in Mombasa who asked not to be identified said earlier that the three were in Muslim dress. "This is terrorism, they were definitely on a mission," he said. A witness named Saumu said "the women were shouting saying God Is Great, Allahu Akbar ... then one of them threw something at the cops and that's when I ran away." Kenya has been regularly targeted by the Somalia-based Shabaab, East Africa's long-time Al-Qaeda branch, which is fighting to overthrow the internationally-backed government in Mogadishu, protected by 22,000 African Union troops, including Kenyan soldiers. The Somali-led insurgents have staged repeated attacks in Kenya, including the killing of at least 67 people at Nairobi's Westgate Mall in 2013 and the massacre of 148 people at a university in Garissa in April 2015. Guwahati: For the benefit of lady member-scribes of Guwahati Press Club (GPC), a sanitary pad incinerator was launched in the club premises on 9 September 2016. Sponsored by Junior Chamber International Guwahati, the automatic sanitary napkin destroyer machine was officially handed over to the club authority by JFP Sweta Somani, JFP Mitu Agarwal in presence of JC Sajal Beria, JC Rojni Jain, GPC secretary Nava Thakuria. The machine will be useful for destroying the used sanitary napkins and it will address the periodical problems of the concerned ladies, said Ms Somani adding that the JCI had taken up the target to install over 1000 such machines across India within this year. Inspired by Prime Minister Narendra Modis hygiene & cleanliness drive, the JCI had already installed 25 machines in the city at Gauhati Universitys girls hostel & common room, KC Das Commerce College, Assam police reserve women lodges, women police station at Pan Bazar, Lions eye hospital, Kaliram Baruah School, Shri Niketan Schools at Narengi & Bamunimaidan, Digambar Jain School etc. In the spring of 2016, Libya requested support from the international community in removing the remaining chemical weapon precursors from the country. The task has been prepared during the summer in the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW). The operation is led by the OPCW and it is based on UN Resolution 2298 (2016), adopted by the Security Council. The mandate was issued under Chapter VII of the UN Charter. By participating in the Libya operation, Finland wanted to contribute to measures supporting Libya's stabilisation and to help ensure that WMD materials do not fall into the wrong hands. Moreover, Finland has long-term experience of participation in the implementation of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC). Finland is active in arms control matters and in efforts to prevent CBRN threats (chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear threats). Participation in this work supports Nordic cooperation and maintenance and development of Finland's national expertise. Finland also contributed to the removal of Syrias chemical weapons programme. Finland was from the start among the countries that participated in the planning and execution of the task. Finland helped the naval operation, led by Denmark, by posting two officers for advisory and expert positions. Additionally, Finland supported the destruction of the remaining chemical weapon precursors by EUR 500,000 via the OPCW. Chemical weapon precursors were removed from Libya on 27 August 2016. Alongside Denmark and Finland, assistance to the operation was provided by Germany, Spain, Canada, Italy, Malta, France, the United Kingdom and the United States. The materials will be eliminated in Germany. Finnish experts participated in the operation from 22 August to 2 September 2016 The Independent Special Investigation team, announced by the Secretary-General on 23rd August to look into the violence which occurred in Juba between 8-25 July 2016, and the response of the UN Mission here, arrives today to begin their work. The team, which is led by Major General (ret) Patrick Cammaert, will review reports of incidents of attacks on civilians and cases of sexual violence that occurred within or in the vicinity of the UN House Protection of Civilians (PoC) sites in Juba, and determine whether the United Nations Mission in South Sudan, responded appropriately to prevent and stop these incidents and to protect civilians, within its resources and capabilities at the time. It is also charged to review the Missions response to the attack on the Terrain Hotel of 11th July. The violence in Juba in July 2016 led to the deaths of hundreds of civilians and more than 217 documented incidents of sexual and gender based violence, including rape and gang rapes of minors and women, at various locations in Juba. The team, comprised of experts with military, human rights and sexual- and gender-based violence, policing and legal backgrounds, is expected to submit its report to Secretary-General within one month. Major General (ret) Cammaert has a strong military and protection of civilian background. He has had a distinguished military career in both the Netherlands with the Royal Netherlands Marine Corps and the UN, including as Force Commander in UN Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE), as Military Advisor to the Department of Peacekeeping Operations, and as General Officer Commanding the Eastern Division in the UN Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC). British Ambassador John Dennis spoke to Angolan Chevening Scholars at the British Embassy Luanda on 8 September. In his speech he stated that Chevening is the UK governments international scholarship scheme, which enables students with leadership qualities from 144 countries to undertake postgraduate study or courses in UK universities. The scholarship is funded by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, together with partner organisations, including private sector companies such as BP. We are very grateful for the additional support of 300,000US$ that BP Angola have given to the Programme until 2018 to help promote further development in Angola, particularly in the field of Health. Therefore in addition to our regular awards, we are for the first time also sending students under our joint Chevening/BP scholarship Programme. The terms of the awards are the same. But BPs generous involvement has increased the number of able Angolans who it has been possible to recognise in this way. Chevening offers a unique opportunity for future leaders to develop professionally and academically, and to benefit from a strong alumni network. It is an important element in Britains public diplomacy effort and helps to bring professionals, who have already displayed outstanding leadership talents, to study in the UK. The scheme benefits individuals. It also creates lasting relationships between the UK and future leaders, influencers, and decision-makers around the world. Over the last two years the number of available Chevening scholarships has tripled globally. We are proud of that- and in particular that it has been possible to make such an increased investment in the future during a period of budgetary austerity. We have invested in Chevening because we believe in the future. In Angola, we have witnessed a significant increase in the number of awards. There are no fixed national allocations, so the increase in numbers reflects a rise in quality. We are confident there is scope for even more scholarships for Angolans and Sao Tomeans to study in the United Kingdom on Masters Degree Programmes for 2017/2018. So please help us to keep spreading the word! We are pleased to award and bid farewell to 4 future leaders from Angola who will soon form part of this influential and highly regarded network. We say Parabens (Congratulations) to our new scholars, recognising that they beat very stiff competition to secure a Chevening scholarship. We hope that upon their return, they would rise to positions of leadership across different influential sectors in Angola and always remain in touch with us. We wish you good luck, happy travels and much success in your studies. And we apologise in advance for the weather! Finally, Im pleased to tell you that applications for the 2017/18 academic year are now open we are calling on future potential leaders and young professionals to consider applying. The priority subject areas are the rule of law, human rights, Democracy and Good Governance, Economics and Financial management, health, Environment and Energy and Public Administration and social development. So, once again, please help us to spread the word. The Italian Embassy in Sudan celebrated the donation of a couple of dozen Italian books generously offered by the Publisher Marcianum Press of Venice to the Comboni Italian Center at the Comboni College of Science and Technology of Khartoum. This event is the highlight of "an important joint initiative held by the Italian publisher and the Italian Embassy in Khartoum in support of the teaching and diffusion of the Italian language and culture in Sudan", pointed out Dr. Eleonoire Laudieri di Biase, editor and leader of the project for the Venetian publisher. The books donated by the Marcianum Press will hold an extremely important position in the library of the Comboni Italian Center. They will provide background reading and research data on various issues like science, spirituality, education, pedagogy, folk tales, and intercultural matters. "This is another important step in the direction of bringing Sudan closer to the Italian language and culture" stated the Italian Ambassador to Khartoum Fabrizio Lobasso, "after setting up the Italian Comboni Center with the marvelous contribution of the Italian community in Sudan - here we are again - hand in hand - to offer new opportunities to Sudanese students to deepen the language and culture of our Country". Over the last few days, more than 200 families from Nigeria and Chad have reached the town of Toumour, located in east Diffa region, Niger, fleeing violence and hunger in their hometowns. Most of the new arrivals are women and children and, according to their testimonies, they walked for 4 or 5 days, though only at night, for fear of being attacked by Boko Haram or detained by the army. Many of the new arrivals were hosted by the local population, many of them displaced persons and refugees themselves, and who continue to show great solidarity with the new waves of displacement and share what limited resources they have. Despite this support, 77 of the families newly arrived in Toumour were living in poor conditions, without enough food and without any basic materials. To alleviate this situation, an MSF team has distributed domestic items, blankets, mosquito nets and hygiene kits to these 77 families. Djoumai Tchaiman, 28, was one of the refugees who received the aid kit. I come from Lake Chad, on the border between Nigeria, Chad and Niger. We had been wanting to leave there for a long time due to the insecurity but we couldnt because we didnt know where Boko Haram might be. We took the opportunity to flee when there were problems between them and they were going to fight near our village. It was 8 pm. After four days walking, we arrived in Toumour me, my five children, my husband and my parents-in-law. Unfortunately, when we arrived my husband was arrested by the military as a suspect. Right now, I dont know where he is. With the arrival of the new refugees, there have been many medical consultations linked to fatigue and stress at the health centre in Toumour (supported regularly by MSF) due to the long days of walking and the fear of being attacked or arrested. MSF has also strengthened the nutritional supplementation for the newly displaced children under 5 years old and their families. New refugees continue to arrive In addition to these 200 families, small groups of refugees continue to arrive in Toumour. Although many aid organisations left the area after the attacks that took place last June in the district of Bosso, where Toumour is located, the town still has several services in place: water points and a health centre where medical attention is free for the entire population. For new arrivals, the main problem is access to food; although there are basic foods in the market, the displaced people have no money to buy them. Given the critical situation in the areas of Nigeria and Chad bordering with Niger, it is likely that Toumour will continue to receive more refugees and in such a precarious condition as this last group, explains Youssouf Demdele, MSFs deputy head of mission in Niger. The population has not been able to grow their own food and is dependent on food distribution. In addition, we are in the middle of the malaria season. There are several humanitarian agencies working in Diffa but there are still areas where more help is needed. The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) today welcomed a US$21.6 million cash contribution from the Government of Japan to provide vital food and nutrition assistance to the most vulnerable people in 11 countries, with 90 percent of the contribution going to 10 African nations. A large portion of the contribution will be used to purchase foodstuffs such as cereals and pulses to provide nutritious meals to school children and specialized nutritional products to infants under two, as well as to pregnant and breastfeeding mothers. At the sixth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD VI), held in Nairobi in August, Japan reaffirmed the importance of nutrition as the very foundation of health, and is stepping up its support for the alleviation of hunger and malnutrition on the continent. WFP is an active partner of the Initiative for Food and Nutrition Security in Africa (IFNA), which was launched at TICAD VI by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and New Partnership for Africas Development (NEPAD), and is ready to accelerate collaboration with Japan in the area of nutrition. WFP is grateful for Japans strong commitment to investing in food and nutrition security, said Stephen Anderson, Director of the WFP Japan Relations Office. Ending malnutrition is the best and smartest investment. Studies have found that for every dollar invested in proven nutrition interventions, the return is US$16. This contribution will help establish the healthy growth of children, who will, in turn, contribute to the robust development of nations. In Guinea, where the deadly Ebola outbreak exacerbated the already severe food insecurity, nearly 150,000 school children across the country will be provided with nutritious hot meals to boost nutrition and education. In Uganda, the fund will be used to provide 30,000 children under two as well as 20,000 pregnant and breastfeeding mothers with fortified blended food. Mothers will also receive education in health, nutrition and growth monitoring, when food is distributed. Beyond Africa, US$2.2 million will be granted to Sri Lanka to provide school meals to 160,000 food-insecure school children. The breakdown of the contribution is as follows: Africa: Guinea (US$3.8 million), Uganda (US$2.5 million), Liberia (US$2.3 million), Madagascar (US$2.3 million), Sierra Leone (US$1.9 million), Djibouti (US$1.4 million), Rwanda (US$1.4 million), Gambia (US$1.3 million), Guinea Bissau (US$1.3 million), Republic of Congo (US$1.2 million) Asia: Sri Lanka (US$2.2 million) Through Weltwarts, a programme of the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, approximately 3,500 young people are sent each year to emerging and developing countries in order to support social projects. Since 2013, it is also possible for young volunteers from developing countries to be deployed to Germany. The programme gives the youth the opportunity to get engaged socially, to know and understand other cultures, improve their language skills and to broaden their personal horizons an important requirement for successfully living together in a globalised world. Young persons from Germany and increasingly also from Namibia are taking this opportunity: on Friday, 9 September 2016, 17 volunteers from Germany and six volunteers from Namibia, who are at the beginning of their deployment, were received at the German Embassy. There they were asked about their expectations for the coming year. The places for these volunteers are made available and financed by the German Red Cross. The volunteers are embedded with different partner organisations in Namibia: at the Red Cross Society (NRCS), in different Regions in the North of the country as well as NGOs at the coast such as MYO, DRC; Promiseland and His House. Seven volunteers will work in kindergartens, youth and community centres, an afternoon school as well as an old-age home. Ten volunteers will support the work of the NRCS in the Omusati, Ohangwena, Oshikoto, Kavango East and Zambezi Regions. The Namibian volunteers in Germany will be placed for 12 month at the Red Cross Regional Offices in the cities of Gelsenkirchen, Witten, Bochum and Siegen. All of them have an exciting year with new experiences and challenges ahead of them: the youths have to arrange themselves in an unknown country, a different climate, food, language and culture. In their working environment, they are expected to fully engage themselves and develop their own ideas. During the first week they will participate in an introductory seminar in Windhoek and Munster. Afterwards, the young people will travel to their places of deployment. The Namibian volunteers said that they are departing for Germany with the high standards and principles of the Red Cross. One thing is certain: When the volunteers return in one year from their deployment, they will have grown in experience. The British Embassy in Harare has awarded eighteen outstanding Zimbabweans the prestigious Chevening Scholarship funded by the British Government to pursue Masters Degree studies in the United Kingdom. Ambassador Catriona Laing said: The potential rewards of being a Chevening scholar are unquantifiable. Not only do scholars receive a first-rate UK education which can open doors in their respective careers, they also join a strong global network a network they will draw on and contribute to for the rest of their lives. Chevening scholars share the best their country has to offer with those they meet in the UK, and then share the best the UK has to offer when they return home. For this reason, Chevening scholars play an important role in building bridges between the UK and Zimbabwe. Recent scholars have taken in breath-taking views of the UK, experienced Britains heritage and history discussed international policy at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, and interacted with high profile academics, politicians, and even royals at a range of academic, cultural, and social events. So whether theyre >inside a lecture theatre or not, scholars are constantly learning. The eighteen scholars who have been awarded scholarships are: Tendai Muchada - MA Governance & Development Nqobani Dube - MA Development & Human Rights Elizabeth Mangeje - LLM in International Human Rights Law Kudakwashe Magura - MSC Engineering Management Shamiso Fernando - MPH Public Health Melody Kutepa - MPH Public Health Kudzai Midzi - MSC Organisational Change & Development Tawanda Mashonganyika - MSC Agricultural Economics Rudo Zimunhu - MPH Public Health Fortune Nyamande - MPH Public Health Edward Muguza - MPP Public Policy Francis Rwodzi - MA Governance & Development Ruvarashe Nyaruwata - MSC Aeronautical Engineering Tatenda Furusa - MSC Business & Management Gladys Hlatywayo - MSC Public Management & Governance Kety Choga - MSc Statistics with applications in Medicine Arthurnatious Muzuva - LLM International Banking Nyaradzai Tasaranarwo - MSC Applied Actuarial Science The Chevening Secretariat is accepting new applications for 2017/2018 Chevening Scholarships via www.chevening.org/apply from 8 August until 8 November 2016. There are more than 1,500 Chevening Scholarships on offer globally for the 2017/2018 academic cycle. These scholarships represent a significant investment from the UK Government to develop the next cohort of global leaders. The scholarship also offers scholars the opportunity to become part of an influential global network of 46,000 alumni. The Governments of Argentina, Armenia, Austria, Australia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Fiji, France, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Hungary, Finland, Indonesia , Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Lithuania, Malaysia, Mexico, Nepal, the Netherlands, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Korea, Romania, Rwanda, Senegal, Serbia, Sierra Leone, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Tanzania, Thailand, Tunisia, Uganda, Ukraine, the United Kingdom, the United States, Uruguay, Vietnam and Zambia jointly declare their support for the following: United Nations peacekeeping is an indispensable part of the international communitys response to threats to international peace and security. Effective prevention of, and response to, many of todays threats to international peace and security require partnerships with other countries. UN peacekeeping is one of the most tangible examples of effective partnership and is unique in its ability to leverage the strengths of many states. UN peacekeeping can contribute to the resolution of conflicts, prevent their recurrence and create the stability necessary for peace to flourish. Peacekeeping is in the national security interest of all nations. We salute the contribution of the brave men and women that serve in peacekeeping missions, and remember with sadness those who have sacrificed their lives in support of this cause. Modern conflicts demand modern responses. Peacekeeping must be deployed as part of a broader strategy and must be more field-oriented and people-centred. Todays peacekeepers must be able to successfully implement their mandates, including protecting civilians, themselves and their assets. We reaffirm the basic principles of peacekeeping, including consent of the parties, impartiality, and the non-use of force except in self-defence and in defence of the mandate, noting that these are consistent with mandates authorised by the Security Council that seek to tackle new challenges faced by peacekeeping operations, such as force protection and safety and security, protection of civilians, and asymmetric threats. We welcome this opportunity for Defence Ministers and their representatives to come together to ensure sustained follow-up to the Leaders Summit on Peacekeeping and to discuss practical improvements to the ways in which peacekeeping missions are conducted. We recall the report of the High-Level Independent Panel on Peace Operations and the report of the Secretary-General on the implementation of the Panels recommendations. We also recall the high-level review of the implementation of Security Council resolution 1325 (2000), the report of the Advisory Group of Experts on the Review of the Peacebuilding Architecture. We underline the importance of improving UN policing and note the findings of the External Review of the UN Police Division. We must always strive to ensure that peacekeeping is as effective as possible, and evolves to meet todays challenges, and the challenges of tomorrow. That calls for improvements in three areas, the three Ps of peacekeeping: planning, pledges and performance. Modern peacekeeping demands improved political and military planning throughout the mission lifecycle, with clear and sequenced mandates. It needs Members States to pledge well trained and equipped personnel that give missions the capability to deliver those mandates. And it needs high levels of performance from civilian and uniformed peacekeepers, underpinned by effective and accountable leadership. Achieving progress across these three areas is of critical importance to all Member States, and is dependent on cooperation and partnership built on mutual trust among Members of the Security Council, troop- and police-contributing countries and the UN Secretariat so that decisions taken on peacekeeping benefit from the views of those serving in the field. Pledges We welcome the outstanding contribution made by the Leaders Summit on Peacekeeping in New York in September 2015. We also recall the Chiefs of Defence Conference in March 2015 and the United Nations Chiefs of Police Summit (UN COPS) in New York in June 2016. We reaffirm our support for the Leaders Summit on Peacekeeping declaration, which recommits us to working together to improve peacekeeping. We welcome the pledges made by 52 Member States and international organisations at the Leaders Summit, and the 31 new pledges that have been made since then, including those by Argentina, Austria, Belgium, Bhutan, Burundi, Brazil, Canada, Chad, Egypt, France, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Greece, Guatemala, Hungary, Ireland, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Lithuania, Mongolia, the Netherlands, Nigeria, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Singapore, Tanzania, Tunisia, Zambia, and those made at UN COPS in June 2016. Collectively these pledges provide an exceptional step forward in the capabilities available to the UN. We call on Member States and the Secretariat to work together to ensure these commitments are ready for deployment and encourage all Member States to ensure that their pledges are ready and available for use by registering them through the new Peacekeeping Capability Readiness System. We call on all Member States to offer further pledges that meet identified capability gaps. We welcome the establishment and work of the Strategic Force Generation and Capability Planning Cell and call on the Secretary-General to ensure it is able to perform fully its functions, and appreciate the work of the Office of Military Affairs and the Police Division and ask the Secretary-General to continue to proactively identify and address capability gaps for the delivery of current peacekeeping mission mandates, as well as future anticipated capability needs. We need peacekeepers that are capable and willing of rapidly responding to emerging crises. We welcome the commitments of Member States at the London Ministerial to make their military and police units available for rapid deployment, and encourage others to come forward with similar units that are deployable within 30, 60 or 90 days. We urge the Secretariat to consider a range of methods to adequately encourage troop- and police-contributing countries to maintain rapidly deployable stand-by units. We urge all troop- and police-contributing countries to streamline their deployment processes and call on the Secretariat to facilitate the process of pledges moving to higher states of readiness. We call on the Secretariat and the troop- and police-contributing countries to ensure that at least 12,000 troops and police are at Level 3 of the PCRS by the end of 2016 and that 4,000 of those are pledged at the Rapid Deployment Level. We further call on the Secretary-General to ensure that the UN, in particular the Departments of Management, Field Support and Peacekeeping Operations, has the systems in place to deploy, absorb and sustain these newly pledged assets rapidly and in accordance with the specific needs of individual missions, including in such areas as airlift, rapid engineering support, force headquarters and police and civilian recruitment. We recognise the indispensable role of women in UN peacekeeping, and in conflict resolution as a whole, and underscore that their participation at all levels is key to the operational effectiveness of missions as well as to the success and sustainability of peace processes. We remain committed to increasing the participation of women in uniformed roles, and we want to see the integration of womens needs and gender perspectives into all aspects of peacekeeping. We urge the Secretary General to prioritise the appointment of more women in senior UN leadership positions and to double the numbers of women in military and police contingents of UN peacekeeping operations by 2020. We call on all Member States to increase the number of women as individual police officers as part of specialised teams and formed police units, as well as in leadership positions and professional posts to reach the target of 20 percent launched through the Global Effort initiative in 2009. Member States should also prioritise the nomination of more female correction officers. We further call on all Member States to develop and implement National Action Plans on Women, Peace, and Security, and to increase the number of women officers serving in missions as Staff Officers and Military Observers, and attending UN Staff Office and Military Observer Training Courses. We aim for 15% of such roles being filled by women by December 2017. We also ask Member States to ensure all their training is gender-sensitive and where necessary includes training to advance specific skills of women officers in relation to the role of Military Observer. Every UN peacekeeping mission should have the ability to engage with women as well as men in UN mission areas. We urge the Secretary-General to work with Member States to increase the number of UN women mediators. We support Military Observer Team sites including Mixed Engagement Teams with multiple women officers and mixed Formed Police Units of at least one platoon of women officers. We call for Military and Police Gender Advisers in both Field Mission Headquarters and within each self-sustaining formed unit. We encourage the Secretary-General to continue to take steps to strengthen the accountability of senior leaders for mainstreaming gender and improving gender balance in their respective missions and departments and welcome the introduction of gender targets as performance indicators in all compacts with senior managers at United Nations headquarters and in the field. We call on all Member States to take substantive measures to increase gender balance in peacekeeping; there are a variety of ways to support this action, including appointing Gender Champions in their national systems, taking steps to increase the number of women in their national militaries, and providing the UN with information on what military roles are open to servicewomen alongside a breakdown of the proportion of male and female officers by rank. These measures should act as a stepping stone to fulfilling the Security Councils request in resolution 2242 to, as a minimum, double the number of women peacekeepers by 2020. Planning We call upon the Secretary-General to ensure that mission planning and assessment fully integrates the military, police and civilian parts of the mission, and takes into account other partners including the host government and regional actors, to accomplish the mandated tasks, and that mission planning and assessment considers from the outset how missions will complement the work of existing UN staff in-country. Improved assessments are essential for the planning process to better programme capacity building, develop realistic mandate implementation options, establish objective accountability requirements and define expectations. We urge that the needs and participation of women be integrated at all stages of the planning process. We further stress the importance of ensuring that assessment and planning processes enable missions to prevent and respond to risks of violence against civilians, including in their most extreme form of mass atrocities. We welcome the establishment of the Strategic Analysis and Planning capacity in the Executive Office of the Secretary-General, which aims to strengthen the analysis of, and responses to, emerging conflict, and encourage greater engagement with Member States regarding its work. Recognising that the experience and expertise of troop- and police-contributing countries can greatly assist the planning of peacekeeping operations, we underscore the importance of effective consultations among the Security Council, troop- and police-contributing countries and the Secretariat during planning processes. We also highlight the need for strategic communication in the countries where missions are deployed to clearly communicate the role and objectives of the mission to the local population. We call on the UN to ensure that Force Commanders are empowered to have more control over the use of mission assets in-extremis situations, including medical and casualty evacuations. As Member States we will strive to ensure that missions and contingents have access to appropriate expertise, technological capabilities and resources to improve safety and security in dangerous environments, including night-flying capacity and appropriate means of communication. We encourage the Secretary-General to enhance missions intelligence capacities and to develop a more cohesive and integrated UN system that stretches from the field to headquarters. These intelligence capacities can increase situational awareness, enhance the safety and security of UN personnel and assets, and improve the delivery of mission mandates, including the protection of civilians. Performance Better assessment and planning, and a broader and stronger set of capabilities generated by pledges, are the foundation of better performance. That requires peacekeepers to be properly equipped, trained and led. While the majority of UN personnel perform well, the few who do not are all too visible and there are inadequate measures in place to enhance performance. The performance of military and police personnel is a collective responsibility of Member States and the Secretariat. Notwithstanding that troop- and police-contributing countries remain responsible for the delivery of training we recognise that there is a further necessity to set out in a single place a comprehensive list of the minimum requirements and standards for all pre-deployment training, including key protection tasks such as preventing conflict-related sexual violence. We support the establishment of the UN Training of Trainers Centre. We reaffirm the importance of peacekeepers delivering fully on their mandated responsibilities to protect civilians; in this context we note the initiative by Member States to develop, as relevant, the best practices set out in the Kigali Principles. Instances of misconduct or the failure to carry out mandated tasks effectively, especially when they are not addressed transparently and robustly, undermine confidence in the will and capability of the UN. We call on the Secretary-General to carry out his commitment to report all such instances to the Security Council and to take clear actions to ensure accountability for them, including through developing further the steps taken to assess performance of units and staff, mechanisms to train-up poor performers where possible, and for replacement where needed. We call upon the Secretary-General to develop the means for capturing and sharing instances of best practice, including lessons learned from addressing poor performance and misconduct, in the field so that the UN and peacekeeping nations can learn from those experiences. Successful missions require capable, courageous and accountable leadership. We call on the Secretary-General to improve and strengthen the competitive assessment methodology developed to select candidates for senior leadership positions, to ensure a transparent selection process based on merit, competence, and the needs of individual missions. We commit to nominating experienced and capable personnel for senior positions. We encourage the Secretary-General to expand his pilot mentoring programme, which provides support and additional training for Heads and deputy Heads of Mission. We encourage Member States to support this initiative by making available former senior leaders to participate as mentors. We call upon Member States to use senior leadership courses and to commit to assign their most capable officers to lead and participate in peacekeeping. Within this we affirm the urgent need for more women in leadership positions. We call on the Secretary-General to develop a cadre of experienced future candidates for senior leadership positions. All UN personnel deployed in UN peacekeeping operations must be committed to the highest standards of conduct. We underscore our commitment and support to the Secretary-Generals zero tolerance policy on Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (SEA) and commend and support the comprehensive initiatives in his enhanced programme of action to protect against sexual exploitation and abuse as set out in the report to the General Assembly A/69/779 and A/70/729 of February 2015 and 2016 and we are committed to taking serious and concerted action to combat SEA. We also support the important work being undertaken by the Secretary-Generals Special Coordinator on Improving United Nations Response to Allegations of SEA. We reiterate the need for Member States to fully vet and train their troops before deployment, and to ensure that National Investigation Officers are included in all military units deployed to a field mission. We commend the enhanced collaboration between the United Nations and Member States and the steps taken through this important partnership to prevent, investigate and hold accountable personnel for acts of SEA. Victims must be placed at the centre of efforts to protect and assist and appeal to Member States to support the initiative of the Secretary-General. We highlight the continued need to strengthen measures against all forms of abuse and exploitation by any member of a United Nations peacekeeping mission. We underscore the importance of the implementation of Security Council resolution 2272 (2016) for tackling SEA cases in peacekeeping missions. We note the Secretary-Generals operational guidance on Security Council resolution 2272. We recognise the commitment and important role of troop- and police contributing countries and UN peacekeeping operations in preventing conflict-related sexual violence consistent with Security Council resolutions 1960 and 2106, and underline the need for continued focussed engagement of these actors to combat this scourge, including through contributing to stronger monitoring, analysis and information on incidents and perpetrators of sexual violence, and facilitating engagement with parties to conflict for protection commitments. We support the Secretary-Generals call for a renewed focus on the primacy of politics and recognise that peacekeeping is intended to support, not substitute for, the implementation of political strategies and agreements that ensure sustainable peace. Achieving lasting agreements that resolve conflict remains in the hands of the parties to that conflict. By committing today to strengthen planning, consider increasing our pledges, and ensure the performance of peacekeeping operations, we work collectively to better enable the United Nations to achieve lasting, sustainable peace. Building effective institutions and democratic practices to help countries emerge from conflict and instability are primarily the responsibilities of state governments and societies that host UN peacekeeping operations. We also remind all countries hosting a peacekeeping mission and all parties to conflicts of their obligations related to the safety of peacekeeping personnel and assets and call on these countries to respect the missions freedom of movement and action in support of its mandate. We reaffirm the critical role that peacekeeping missions play to address todays international peace and security challenges and their potential to continue to meet the challenge of the dynamic threat environment that we face as individual nations and as an international community. We remain committed to ensuring that our national militaries, police services, and civilian staff are able to meet the new and growing demands of peacekeeping and that the UN Secretariat is able to utilise our contributions to their greatest effect. Victoria (Seychelles) (AFP) - Seychelles opposition supporters took to the streets on Sunday to celebrate after their coalition broke the ruling party's four-decade grip on power with a victory in parliamentary elections. Convoys of cars draped in opposition flags honked horns on the Indian Ocean nation's main island, Mahe, as cheering opposition supporters sang and danced on the streets. "It's better than Christmas or New Year, it's a victory for us and for the Seychelles," said a woman who gave her name as Carene. "We've been waiting for this for a very long time," said Joe Constance. The vote saw the opposition coalition of the Seychellois Democratic Alliance, known by the acronym LDS in the local Creole language, win 15 parliament seats against 10 for the ruling Parti Lepep, known as the People's Party locally. Seychelles' opposition leader Wavel Ramkalawan came a close second in the December 2015 presidential elections, losing by 193 votes Parti Lepep has been in power in the former British colony since a coup in 1977, a year after independence, and it has won a majority in every election since the return of multi-party politics in 1993. "The results just announced by the electoral commission are historic for our country and I feel somewhat proud," said Roger Mancienne, head of the LDS. There is little political difference between the rivals, but the opposition argued the country needed change while the ruling party claimed it would offer economic stability for the islands, which depend on tourism and fishing. The opposition has pledged to cooperate with the presidency in the interests of the nation. Even before the result was announced, President James Michel vowed to work with the newly elected legislature. "The people have spoken, the people have decided and the people's decision is supreme," said Michel. "My party respects the people's opinion." The Seychelles National Party (SNP) partnered with four smaller opposition parties -- together known as The Seychellois Alliance and made up of former leaders from Parti Lepep -- to strengthen its bid for power. In a recent sign of growing opposition popularity, the SNP's leader Wavel Ramkalawan came a close second in presidential elections in December 2015, losing to the incumbent James Michel by just 193 votes. It marked the first time a candidate from Lepep had been forced into a second round. The SNP party refused to take part in 2011 elections, claiming they would be unfair. 'Work for the common good' The Seychelles, an archipelago nation of 115 islands in the Indian Ocean, counts 70,000 registered voters As both head of state and government, the president will now have to rule without a parliamentary majority. "My hope is that this spirit of consultation continues in the new National Assembly, where we all work together for the common good of our nation," said Michel. The vote in the archipelago nation of 115 islands took place over three days, ending Saturday. Voting began on the islands furthest away from the main island of Mahe, and its capital Victoria. Mahe voted on Saturday, along with the two other main islands Praslin and La Digue. The three account for 98 percent of the Indian Ocean nation's 90,000 people. Turnout was 87 percent. In percentage points it was a slim victory, with 48.37 percent for the LDS and 48.01 percent for Lepep. The National Assembly has a maximum 35 seats, 25 of them elected at the ballot box and the remainder attributed proportionally, with one seat for every 10 percent of the vote. Sorry, we can't find the content you're looking for at this URL. Nna, what types of insults are these? Insults, what do you mean by insults? Please stop jare! Lagos State is the richest in the whole of Nigeria and that has been proven many times. If you do not believe it, ask Obasanjo that tried to starve Lagos State during his authoritarian civilian rule. Lagos simply ignored him and moved on. What is surprising is that Lagos did not hijack all the taxes Federal Government collected in Lagos during that time, a tit for tat. Believe heaven and earth, if Lagos had the power, Obasanjo could have come back begging on his knees. I see, so those are the insults Lagosians felt. If that was all, we could have kissed and made up. What bothered many Lagosians is why every little group in Nigeria, that cannot live within their means keeps on threatening the whole country that they want to secede. We keep on hearing about secession in the North and South everyday. We have looked into their leaking or creative accounting; we are still looking for just one of them that can be viable. Or proven viable before. There are some Southern states that get special derivations from the Federal Government because of the amount of natural resources they produce. The last we heard, some of them are struggling to pay workers salary. It just does not make sense. The more money they get from natural resources, the more they want. Even if all the money is given to them, the fear is it will be going to the same leaking basket. How did we live before and how are we going to after oil? See, a beg see who is talking. Whose pocket drains Lagos money? Sincerely, we do not think that is anyones business. As long as oil producing states sons and daughters are receiving their fair share, the rest of Nigerians can go to hell. It is their money, they can spend it anyway they want. The only problem is that the oil companies are the ones taking the lions share of the profit, not Nigeria. So if Nigeria gives up its share, they would still not get their due! So O! The irony of it all is that they cannot be as rich as Lagos. Lagos does not have natural resources as such to depend on. They optimize their ubiquitous location to enhance commerce and trade even before they became part of Nigeria. Most of the old trades were unique except slave trade that was vile and odious. Commerce was the forerunners that gave Lagos its edge trading local and imported products as center for West Africa. Lagos was not the only seaport. Even Jaja of Opobo eventually moved his commerce to Lagos. There were too many constrains on him in the East. He had to move twice because he was sold as a slave and could not rule the freeborn where he flourished and made it big. By the time he got to Lagos, he was just out of reach. Most of his enemies could not compete. There is some accommodating magic in Lagos. Today, Lagos is the heartbeat of the nation complimented by Ogun State as the manufacturing centers in Nigeria. Looking back at recent history, one can understand the reason the whole of the Western Region led Nigeria as the richest and the most cosmopolitan area where people of different ethnic groups within Africa and beyond mingled and traded with one another. The point here is that it took more than natural resources to make a nation. It takes ingenuity, tolerance and the ability to open up to others willing to abide by the rules and culture of their host. The rest is amicable living, trading and socio-economic development. This is what makes Lagos unique in Africa that was inherited from the old Western Region, which was also an economic power at its own right. Apart from the great Western and Eastern African Empires, African regions went into slumber devastated by slave trade until the First In Africa of the Western Region. What is so surprising is that throughout the economic boom in the West, secession was never a threat. Nigerians and other Africans living in the region enjoyed the economic boom extended to their relatives in the old Mid- West. Economic boom came with free education, health and of course cocoa export. Therefore, there are reasons for Lagos to cry for secession from the rest of the country. True, but when regions that contribute very little, with no or dwindling natural resources keep on poking others in the eyes, one has to wonder who actually deserve to make demands. If we have to go by the amount of contributions made since the inception of the union called Nigeria up to the present, if taken into consideration, Lagos deserves the right to cry for secession. People forget that natural resources come and go. Cocoa was it in those days. We got tin from Jos, coal from Enugu but today we have given up on what we were good at because of black gold called oil that has become a curse. We neglected our agriculture and started importing what we can produce at home while exporting foreign money we do not mint in Nigeria. Drop many seeds and they will grow. The North used to produce groundnuts, they abandoned that. However, foreign currency that cannot be printed in Nigeria, we export them prodigally. Believe it or not, in the days of Jakande, all the fertilizers allocated to Lagos was given to the North! Today most of our food comes from the North, yet they have less rain than the South. Indeed, if the North decided to secede and starve the South, the militia and their supporters may die of hunger. Can you think of a better way to win a war than starving your enemies? Lagos State has gotten smarter; they now lease land in neighboring states for agriculture. We are finally realizing that a country that cannot feed itself is still a colony of those that supply the food they rely on. Most of the countries that got rich on oil, forget how to grow their own food. This is why Venezuela cannot feed its people in spite of the abundant amount of oil they sold for foreign cash and wasted. Market support diversity, not monophonic commodity. The people of China were starving some years ago until they return to the farm. They even export food mixed with all types of junks for starving countries to buy. Monsanto is popular for genetic modified seed sold all over the world. If we think we can exchange oil for food forever, there is famine and hunger waiting for us and our children in this foreseeable time, not future. Lagos State must learn from its Northern and Southern brothers and prepare its diversified economy for the next generation. Whether Lagos secede or not, there are others watching and waiting with envious anticipation that Lagos is within reach! 11.09.2016 LISTEN It is interesting to learn about the historical narrations behind the names of various communities here in Ghana. The names of some communities were derived from the first settlers, others from historical happenings in the particular area. One such story is the naming of a community called Sowutuom in Ghanas capital. Sowutuom translates to brace yourself however in literal terms it translates as hold your gun According to folklore, the area referred to as Sowutuom today, was a jungle, inhabited by wild animals, and nobody lived there except hunters. The closest town to Sowutuom called Kwashieman, was miles away. The fertile land in the jungle and the abundant game, attracted people into it. There are stories about men being attacked and eaten by wild beasts. One such story is about a hunter who had built a rest hut in a part of the thick jungle, one night as he was resting inside his hut, he heard a knock on the door, little did he know it was a hungry lioness scratching the door of the hut, thinking it was a tired hunter looking for a place to rest his head, he opened the door and was fatally attacked by the wild beast. Nii Kwashie, the King of Kwashieman, the closest town to the jungle, declared the land a no- go area for the young, the weak and especially older folks. The place became known as Abrewa nkor which meant Older folks are not allowed Subsequently, the adventurous young folks of the land in their own way nicknamed the area Sor-wo-tuo-mu To them, the area was a no go area for the weak but for them they had braced themselves for the challenges that lay ahead. Sowutuom today is a cosmopolitan town, niched under the Ga Central Municipal Assembly contributing to the assemblys gross population of 117,220people. Edwin Abanga Email: [email protected] Facebook: Edwin Abanga Mr. Philip Yebesi 11.09.2016 LISTEN Mr. Philip Yebesi, Executive Chairman of Bayfield Oil Services has joined the Board of Directors of the Africa Centre for International Law and Accountability (ACILA). ACILA is incorporated under US law as a 501(c) (3) research and education, non-profit, and non-partisan think tank. It also recently incorporated under Ghana law and it is from Ghana that it is deploying its programs to Africa on public international law, international criminal justice, human rights, good governance, and monitoring of African States compliance with regional and international instruments. A statement issued by Mr. William Nyarko, Executive Director of ACILA, said that ACILA is honored to have Mr. Yebesi to serve on the board, adding that Mr. Yebesi will bring a great deal of financial and business management expertise and oversight to ACILA. Mr. Yebesi is the founder of Bayfield Oil Services, a wholly Ghanaian owned company that provides unique oilfield services across the various sectors of the oil and gas industry. He holds an Executive Masters degree in Governance and Leadership from the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration. He is a also graduate of the School of Administration (now Ghana Business School) of the University of Ghana. Mr. Yebesi also serves on numerous boards including the Board of Directors of Adisadel College, his alma mater. 11.09.2016 LISTEN The second edition of the National Students Awards will kick off on the night of Saturday 17th September, 2016 at the Great Hall of the University of Ghana, Legon. The ceremony, a highly anticipated one will host thousands of youth and students from the length and breadth of the country to witness the honoring of deserving awardees. After months of scrutiny of entries, the NSAGhana jury released nominees list for over 20 categories for individuals, groups, halls, institutions and associations. The National Students Awards will honour the commendable works of these students in areas of activism, entrepreneurism, arts and creativity, innovations, leadership etc combining public and board voting. According to Prince David Orchil, Executive Director of NSAGhana, the main event will go into history as one of the most exciting and memorable moments of the year. The show will run side attractions with music, poetry, exhibitions, red-carpet appearances and interviews. Special Guest of Honour is H.E John Dramani Mahama, President of the Republic of Honour. The night will as well attract public figures and guests in varying sectors. Voting for nominees is ongoing via the official website www.nsaghana.com. A Ghanaian Catholic Priest, Very Rev. Fr. George Arthur, who is an Assistant Commission of Police has been appointed by the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Dr. John Kudalor as the Director of Religious Affairs Directorate of the Ghana Police Service effective August 1, 2016. The position which is also known as the Chaplain-General had been vacant since 2005 when C/Supt. Very Rev. Benjamin Denis Quansah, a Methodist Minister, retired from the Service after serving in that capacity for six years (1999 to 2005). Fr. Arthur, who is the Parish Priest of St. George Catholic Church at the National Police Training School (Police Depot), Tesano in Accra, is the fifth Officer-Chaplain to hold such a position after Very Rev. James Emmanuel Yarquah, a Methodist Minister (1966-1973); Very Rev. Anthony Antwi Berko, a Presbyterian Minister (1974-1983); Very Rev. Charles Barifi Ahwireng, a Presbyterian Minister (1983 -1999) and Very Rev. Benjamin Denis Quansah, a Methodist Minister (1999-2005). He is also the first Catholic Priest to serve as Chaplain and Director of Religious Affairs to the Ghana Police Service. As the Director of Religious Affairs, Fr. Arthurs core responsibilities include the co-ordination of all the Chaplains and Imams of the Ghana Police Service and thus becomes the medium of reporting their activities to the Police Headquarters. He would lead all the Police Chaplains and Imams to give Pastoral care and counselling to Police Officers, their families, dependants, Police Trainees as well as the general public who may need their pastoral services irrespective of their religion. As part of his schedule, Fr. Arthur would handle all Religious related matters of the Police Service be it Pastoral or Ceremonial and organize the Induction Church Services for newly appointed IGPs. It is also his responsibility to ensure the organisation of burial Services for both active and retired deceased Police Officers. The Chaplains and Imams of the Service, also officiate at the swearing-in ceremonies of new Police Trainees (Recruits). The Directorate also arranges for the officiation of various Religious Services including marriage ceremonies involving Police Officers outside Police Churches and Mosques. The pastoral care of the Police Hospital and Clinics also falls under the Religious Affairs Directorate. The Chaplains and Imams also pay periodic visits to Police duty points, including Police Stations, Districts, Divisions and Regional Police Headquarters, as well as visibility and Police check points. With his new position, Fr. Arthur plays three vital roles as Director of Religious Affairs of the Ghana Police Service, Parish Priest of St. George Catholic Church, Police Depot and a member of the College of Consultors of the Sekondi-Takoradi Diocese. In an interview with The Catholic Standard, Fr. Arthur expressed gratitude to the IGP for the confidence reposed in him by appointing him to head the Religious Affairs Directorate. He said his appointment is an honour not only to his home Diocese of Sekondi-Takoradi but also to the Catholic Church in Ghana and universal Church. He said it had also brought to bear the vision of the late Most Rev. Charles Kwaku Sam, Bishop of Sekondi-Takoradi, who released him to be enlisted into the Ghana Police Service. He said that with the help of God and support from other Chaplains and Imams of the Service, he would succeed in his new portfolio since he believes in team work and idea-sharing. The Director, who is a Priest of the Sekondi-Takoradi Diocese, paid glowing tribute to all those who had contributed to his Chaplaincy work in the Service especially Mr. Peter Nanfuri, former IGP, who introduced the Catholic Chaplaincy in the Service and enlisted him in 1998. He also lauded the IGPs after Mr. Nanfuri namely, Mr. Ernest Owusu Poku, Nana Owusu Nsiah, Mr. Patrick Kwarteng Acheampong, Mrs. Elizabeth Mill-Robertson, Mr. Paul Quaye and the immediate past IGP, Mr. Mohammed Ahmed Alhassan, for their support towards the nurturing and growth of the Catholic Chaplaincy in particular and the Religious Affairs Directorate in general. Fr. Arthur extolled the efforts of Mr. Francis Poku, former Minister for National Security and his family, who had been the main architect behind the construction of the Catholic Church building at the Police Depot, Accra. He expressed gratitude to ASP/Rev. Fr. James Kaku, his Parochial Vicar and the Parishioners (both deceased and active) of St. George Catholic Church at Police Depot for their support and prayers that had brought about his vision of establishing the Catholic Church in the Ghana Police Service. He lauded the late Most Rev. John Martin Darko, Bishop of Sekondi-Takoradi and his successor, Most Rev. John Bonaventure Kwofie, for their support and encouragement to him as a pioneer Chaplain of the Police Service. He also thanked Rev. Msgr. Alex Bobby Benson, Director of Matthew 25 House and the Clinical Pastoral Education Centre, both at Koforidua, for being the motivator behind the success of his Chaplaincy for the past 18 years. As a man of vision, example and action, the Director said, in every human institution, there were bound to be challenges but with the help of God, he envisions to overcome them. He said for the past eleven years that the position of Chaplain-General (now Director) had been vacant, Chaplains and Imams directly reported to their respective Regional Commanders, who intend report to the Director General Welfare and to the IGP. He said with his appointment, all Chaplains and Imams of the Service are expected to report to the Headquarters through his Office, noting that the Police Service needed more Chaplains and Imams for the pastoral Care of the Service since currently it has six Chaplains and one Imam. He was of the view that ideally, there must be a Chaplain and/or an Imam at each Police Regional Headquarters and Training Schools. Fr. Arthur was installed the first Parish Priest of St. George Catholic Church by Most Rev. Charles Gabriel Palmer-Buckle, Metropolitan Archbishop of Accra on April 10, 2016 at the dedication ceremony of the Church, the only Catholic Church building in the Ghana Police Service. Fr. Arthur was enlisted Chaplain to the Ghana Police Service on April 1, 1998 during the Police Administration of Mr. Nanfuri. He underwent the under Cadet and Cadet Police training at the National Police School and Ghana Police Academy (formerly Police College) respectively, both at Tesano, Accra. He was commissioned as Senior Police Officer (Assistant Superintendent of Police/ASP) with 49 others at the Police College, Tesano by the then Vice President of Ghana, John Evans Atta Mills on April 30, 1999. After his graduation from the Police Academy, he was appointed Chaplain and Class Instructor to the National Police Academy and Training School (NAPTAS), now National Police Training School popularly called Police Depot, Tesano, until his transfer to the National Police Headquarters in August 2015. Fr. Arthur had risen through the senior Officers ranks of the Service from Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP); Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP); Superintendent of Police (Supt.); Chief Superintendent of Police (C/Supt.) to his current rank of Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP). He introduced Police Ethics as a studying subject in the basic training curriculum for the Police Trainees of the Service and he is the author of the Police handbook, Police Officers Companion. He was one of the first eight Police Officers to be deployed to peacekeeping mission tour in Somalia, the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM). From February 2010 to August 2011, Fr. Arthur, then a Chief Superintendent of Police, played the role of Deputy Training Co-ordinator of AMISOM. Fr. Arthur was ordained Priest to the Sekondi-Takoradi Diocese on July 29, 1995 by Most Rev. Charles Kwaku Sam of blessed memory. He was the Parochial Vicar at the St. Francis Xavier Parish, Prestea from August 1995 to September 1996; Parochial Vicar of St. Pauls Parish, Wasa Akropong from September 1996 to March 1998. On September 27, 1997, he was appointed first Catholic Chaplain of the Ghana Police Service by Bishop Sam. Born on July 21, 1968 at Wasa Ankasie in the Manso Amenfi District of the Western Region, Fr. Arthur had his Elementary Schooling at Wasa Ankasie. He obtained both Ordinary and Advanced Level Certificates from St. Theresa Minor Seminary, Amisano, Elimina in 1986 and 1988 respectively. Between 1988 and 1991, he enrolled at the St. Pauls Catholic Seminary at Sowutuom, Accra for his Philosophical Studies and from 1991 to 1995, he went to the St. Peters Regional Seminary at Pedu, Cape Coast for his Theological Studies. During his studies at St. Pauls Seminary, Fr. Arthur also pursued a Bachelor of Arts (B.A. Hons.) in Sociology and Religion at the University of Ghana. Between 2001 and 2003, he pursued a Post Graduate Certificate Course in Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) at the McFarland Institute, New Orleans, LA, USA during which he did his practical at the New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) as a full time Chaplain. God willing Muslims throughout Ghana and other parts of the world will observe the Eid Al Adha festival on Monday September 12, which has been declared a public holiday in Ghana. Congregational prayers would be organized simultaneously in open parks such as the independence square, and large mosques throughout the country after which sheep, cattle and other animals will be sacrificed in accordance with Islamic tradition that followed the order by God to Prophet Abraham to sacrifice his son. While Muslims young and old enjoy the holiday together with Christian friends and neighbors, the large number of Muslims from all over the world now on pilgrimage to Mecca would be preparing to wind up their trips to Mecca, Medina and other parts of Saudi Arabia after converging on the Arafat mountain on Sunday September11. The Hajj Pilgrimage being one of the five pillars to Islam is not a duty that is performed for fun. Being a religious activity all those embarking on it are required to follow religiously all the rituals there .such as going round the Kaaba in Mecca seven times moving up and down Safa and Marwa, a visit to the tomb of prophet Mohammed in medina , throwing of stones at the devil and to converge on Arafat mountain among other rituals . As the pilgrim undertakes all the rituals he or she would be required to remain spiritually alive as they recite the name of God several times daily during after prayers and to remain pious even when they return home. It is recommended that in the last ten days of the pilgrimage the pilgrims must recite the name of Allah regularly. They must make the takbeer at all places and at ALL times during these ten days of Dhul Hijjah. the first method in making the takbeer is to say Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, Laa ilaaha illa Allah, Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar wa Lillahil Hamd. The second way is to say: Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, Laa ilaaha illa Allah, Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar wa Lillahil Hamd. The pious pilgrim would say this individually but the truth is that reciting it in UNISON IS BID'AH or disallowed as it is NOT from our Deen or the religion of islam. Today Hajj which began in the days of Prophet Abraham long before prophet Mohammed was born 1400 years ago, has grown from only two people, from two Prophets, Ibrahim and his son Ismail, going round the Kabah all those thousands of years ago, to the present age with about 3 million pilgrims every year. Each rite is intrinsically linked to their actions; the Prophet Mohammad () reawakened their actions on the Farewell Pilgrimage. And al sayda Hager also, while she was searching for food and water to Ismail went back and forth 7 times, till Zamzam water came out around Ismail. These 7 became the ritual known as Ashwat al Safa and Marwa Pilgrimage to Mecca annually has become a popular part of Islam that has become a big business worldwide to the extent that the Saudi Arabian government and governments and people of other nations reap a lot of dividends in it . The one to three million or more people who converge on Saudi Arabia make a lot of trips and engage in businesses while there. This is said to be happening due to the blessings bestowed on Saudi Arabia and Muslims by God Almighty through the succeeding prophets who came after Prophet Abraham. Ever since Saudi cities of Mecca, Medina and others became centers of worship and pilgrimage, men and women of all classes in the world have paid visits and continue to do so to perform Hajj and Umra. Some of the notable figures are presidents kings and queen and boxers like Mohammed Ali and recently mike Tyson who just converted to Islam. All of them appear as equals as they perform the hajj wearing similar clothing and performing the same rituals. This signifies equality of men before the Lord Currently the National Chief Imam of Ghana Osman Nuhu Sharubutu is in Mecca as he does yearly to perform the hajj together with his delegation and to pray for the nation. This is an election year and the nation would need his prayers and those of others for God to bless us with a peaceful polls . The visit by dignitaries has been with us for many centuries. Leaders of old Mali Empire like Mansa Musah and others after him from West Africa went on the trip to Mecca by road on camels carrying gold and many people including slaves with him. Since the Hajj Pilgrimage has come to stay, most nations like Nigeria, Indonesia, and Malaysia have devised means of making the pilgrimage less cumbersome. Though they also have petty problems, they allow most intending pilgrims to pay their fares gradually for a period and to travel on first come first serve basis .However in Ghana pilgrimage has been a nightmare for quite some years now. Succeeding Governments since independence after moving over from carrying pilgrims by road on Tarzan Transport have been finding it difficult to sanitize and improve on pilgrimage to be able to get all those who pay their fares to make the trips. Although the current Hajj Board has done a lot to improve the situation the officials in charge admit that there is more room for improvement. Up till date not all those who pay their fares to Mecca are able to make the trip. Some of the stranded pilgrims do get monies they pay for the trips refunded to them, while others agree to wait to go on the trip in the coming years. The time has come for a permanent Hajj Board to be established and be made independent of governmental control. Such a board can succeed only when it learns from best practices and weaknesses of countries like Malaysia, Indonesia and Nigeria. This way we would get the opportunity to get out of the annual ritual of botched hajj pilgrimage during which many would be pilgrims get stranded Executive Director EANFOWORLD FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT 0244 370345 (Airtel)/ 0274853710 /0208844791 / [email protected]/[email protected] Chief Executive Officer of the Cofkans group of companies; Mr. Kofi Nkansah has called on government to pay critical attention to thecofkans_hotel1 hospitality industry in the country. According to him the hospitality industry has generated a lot of revenue to support economic growth in most advanced countries. He believes the success story could be replicated here in Ghana if the government intervenes and focuses on improving standards in the industry. The CEO, was speaking to newsmen after his Hotel grabbed the award for the Best 2 star hotel in Ashanti region during the 11th annual regional tourism Awards held in Obuasi last weekend. Mr. Kofi Nkansah emphasized his next step as the improvement of customer services and experiences at the Cofkans Hotel; a move he believes will shoot his Hotel to 5-star status in no time. Mr. Kofi Nkansah who is also a Presiding Elder for the Church of Pentecost explained the importance of security in the hospitality Management business. He says customers need to sleep in a conducive environment without fear of losing their belongings or any security breaches.cofkans_hotel He stated emphatically that his outfit does not compromise on security but keeps ensuring that the best technologies are in place to enhance the security of the place and its customers. Despite being a relatively new entity, Cofkans Hotel in Obuasi has proven itself as far as quality and good customer care are concerned. The room sizes meet international standards as well as access to 24 hour internet services and other features like DSTV, Air-conditioning and splendid suites. The MFWA will on Tuesday September 13, 2016 hold a one-day Seminar on ECOWAS and its Protocols for 25 influential journalists and editors in Accra, Ghana. The seminar seeks to enhance the knowledge of participants on ECOWAS and its protocols that mandate member states to be accountable to citizens. It also seeks to enhance the skills of the journalists and editors to effectively report on the ECOWAS protocol on Democracy and Good Governance. The seminar is expected to result in the setting up of a Network of ECOWAS journalists in Ghana. The Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Mr. Emmanuel Bombande is expected to open the Seminar. The one-day media seminar forms part of activities under the MFWA project "Promoting Citizens Awareness on ECOWAS Protocols and Frameworks on Good Governance and Economic Redistribution". The project is being implemented in Ghana, Sierra Leone, Liberia and Burkina Faso with funding support from Ibis in Ghana under their Democratic Governance (DEGOWA) programme in West Africa. For more information, kindly visit our website: www.mfwa.org or contact Abigail Larbi Odei on +233 244867047 or Edzodzi Ahiadou on +233 247139175. SEPTEMBER 7, 2016 Ladies and gentlemen of the media, The United Cadres' Front of Ghana (UCF-GHANA) have invited you at this short notice due to certain developments of late ala the general socio-political spectrum. Ironically, this is the beginning of the political tempo which is fast gathering momentum and it all started with the Campaign Launch of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in Cape Coast, on August 14, 2016. Before now, ladies and gentlemen, the NPP had already seen the signal out there that the prevailing political atmosphere was not favourable to them and they started with some destabilization tactics to frustrate the smooth take-off of the electioneering process. MAHAMA AND AKUFFO ADDO WHO IS THE TARGET OF CAMPAIGN SLANDER? It has become fashionable that the Flag-bearer of the New Patriotic Party has been accusing His Excellency John Dramani Mahama of using him as his campaign target. He says this is because John Mahama has no message for the people except that of talking about Akuffo Addo everywhere he goes. Ironically it is rather Akuffo Addo who has set the tone on every conceivable political platform to announce the incompetent Mahama Administration which needed to be booted out. So, Nana Addo wants Mahama to keep quiet over such invectives as Akuffo Addo embarks on his usual campaign of lies and unachievable promises? By the way, how can an incompetent administration restore water, construct hundreds of kilometers of roads, build regional and district hospitals across the country, and expand educational facilities which Akuffo Addo himself and his discerning followers bare testimony to? The President could have chosen to ignore Akuffo Addos tantrums but for the fact that Akuffo Addo has persistently failed to tell the electorate the negatives he wants them to believe about the President. So it is his failure to convince the electorate of what he wants them to believe that has made him to now go about making imaginary and unachievable promises. AKUFFO ADDOS CAMPAIGN OF LIES Ladies and gentlemen of the media, fellow cadres, the search for leadership of Mother-Ghana, should never be an "AT-ALL-COST" affair. Unfortunately, that is what the NPP leader, Nana Akufo Addo has dwelt on and despite the fact that, that mantra has never yielded him votes to preside over this country, another one has been designed and owned by what we can safely call 'MR. PROMISE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE'. Ladies and gentlemen, a day will not pass without a promise given to the good people of this country at one corner or the other. The lies of promising to create new regions; the unattainable promise of one-district-one factory; one village one dam; one paramountcy one district; one district one million dollars, etc. The promises have become so fashionable that even polygamous advocates are cautioning him not to announce one man one wife to deprive them of their right to marrying more than one. The promises are still being distributed free of charge as if we are in a concert party of the "Tradition Goes On", apologies to Lever Brothers Key Soap promotional advert. It is the trademark/tradition of the NPP to make unrealistic promises since the party's formation in 1992, when, for example, a major promise was to construct a railway-line from the south to Paga; and fuel prices were to be reduced to meet the pockets of the poor. The hard fact is that those two major promises were never worked on. It is also instructive to mention that, Nana Akuffo Addo goes round to say that certain initiatives by the Kufuor administration have been collapsed by the Mahama-led NDC. What is worth mentioning here are the National Health Insurance Scheme and the state of the cocoa industry in Ghana. Fortunately, a seeming pro-NPP radio station, that is, Joy FM, has come out with research findings that what Nana Akuffo Addo has been saying about the collapse of the NHIS and the cocoa industry are mostly false. For example, the NHIS programme that had out-patient patronage of 9.3 million by the close of 2008 (that is, the exit of the Kufuor administration), and risen to 29 million by the close of 2014 cannot be said to have collapsed. Ladies and gentlemen, the Running Mate of Nana Akuffo Addo, Dr. Alhaji Mahamudu Bawumia, is also on the rampage of campaign of lies and public deceit. A personality who wants to be the Vice President of no mean a country like Ghana, has chosen the path of throwing dust into the eyes of Ghanaians, particularly among the unsuspecting youth in our educational institutions. The gravest of all his lies is about blowing the minds of Ghanaians with his claim of 76,000 Togolese and other foreigners on our electoral register; which he claimed was only 10% of his so-called revealing research; and that he was to come out with the full report to shame the Electoral Commission. Till date, and after several calls and press conferences by stakeholders; and especially during the demand for cleaning the voter register, Dr. Bawumia has failed to call for a press conference to retract his false accusation that had the capacity to destabilize the peace of this country. We wonder how such a discredited person can have the moral courage to go round the country spilling rot and rubbish in the name of politics. THE CHURCH LEADERSHIP, RELIGION AND POLITICS Ladies and gentlemen of the media, comrades, it has become fashionable for leading members of the church to dabble in politics. They are by every means entitled to speak their minds on national issues. But the question is, are they dispositioned to be partisan in their pronouncements, especially as they use the pulpit to rain insults and unwarranted accusations on their perceived opponents? The wild allegations of a so-called attempted bribery by the immediate past Moderator of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana, the Rt. Rev. Prof. Emmanuel Martey's allegation of some politicians attempting to bribe him with $100,000, a four-wheel drive car and a mansion with a swimming pool, to which he declined but fell short of mentioning names, cannot be left to pass without serious interrogation. Prof. Martey, who did not mention when this attempt took place neither was he bold to mention the bribe-givers leaves much to be desired. Strangely, he has not been able to challenge the former Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the Presbyterian Church, Dr. Emmanuel Osei Akyeampong, who has come to reveal that the Right Reverend, actually took the bribe in his presence, specifically on 28th July, 2013; and was even prepared to offer him 50,000 USD to which he declined. But why should fear hold the Right Reverend, this time around, to name those who attempted to bribe him? This is a man who has been that fearless and vocal to call the political leadership of this land "SENSLESS"; "NYANSA FUO YEEI - MUWO HE?" Ladies and gentlemen of the Media, another incident which is worth mentioning is when a Methodist Church Reverend Minister at a funeral ceremony, lambasted the Speaker of Parliament for throwing away the case of the Opposition who wanted to initiate moves to impeach the President. Reverend Abeiku Blankson sparred nobody with his effusions; but strangely lacked the moral courage to quote the constitutional provisions to back his claims as he would have done with quotations from the Bible. By that, he has woefully exposed himself and displayed ignorance as regards the rules and regulations governing parliamentary proceedings and practices. This is of course the bane of our democracy whereby anybody wakes up to speak, even on authority, for the sake of the position and reverence the public holds for them. We have heard of Bishop Stephen Ayensu Bosomtwe of the Methodist Church and Most Reverend Osei Bonsu of the Catholic Church, coming out publicly to attack the Mahama Administration on public platforms. When pinned to the wall, they retort by saying that they are talking in their personal capacity; but not as reverends in the name of their respective churches. The question is, can any man-of-God continue to speak in public against one political divide but fails to act the same way with the camp that he flirts with? The seriousness of it is that such anti-NDC pronouncements are made most often times, at funerals where we expect solemnity to prevail. RESURFACING OF WINNER-TAKES-ALL AGENDA Ladies and gentlemen of the Media, another issue worthy of mention in this Press Conference is the emergence of the defense for winner-takes-all agenda that was set immediately after the 2012 elections. Knowing very that the NDC has demonstrated well enough that the 2016 elections are in their favour, political pundits have taken a swipe of NDC being in power for another four more years. That is a burden they cannot bear; that would mean going hungry for another four years; hence, advocates agitating for an all-inclusive governance to tap all available human resources for our collective development. But we see it as strange and surprising that it is when the NDC is in power that such wild ideas are proffered. We shudder to ask where were these advocates, especially the IEA and its allies, who are crusading for this when the NPP was in power for eight years and exclusively ruling this country without the participation of other political parties? NOT even the celebration of the countrys 50th Independence Anniversary was inclusive the advocates were around but never-ever raised a single finger of objection against the side-lining. THE FORD EXHIBITION SAGA AND PARLIAMENTARY RECALL The issue of re-igniting the Ford Exhibition car purported to have been given to the President as a gift had died down but for the Opposition NPPs mischief of holding on to any straw to save themselves from the defeat starring in their face for the 2016 elections. In fact, the report of Mr. Manasseh Azuure Awine indicated that it was A GIFT but not A BRIBE. How can the Opposition NPP still relay to the public that it was a bribe; to the extent of recalling Parliament to initiate moves to impeach the President? The quietness of the Opposition after the Honourable Speaker had shot down their request suggests that they had diabolical ideas other than what they threw to the public. ARRAY OF STRIKE ACTIONS It is common knowledge that the array of strike actions by various sections of the economy are geared towards making the country ungovernable; and thus, turn the electorate against the NDC. In fact, the United Cadres Front of Ghana, can say authoritatively that certain information and documents available to members clearly testify that the opposition New Patriotic Party is in tune, and of course in bed with some leaders of the labour front to champion a series of industrial actions and demonstrations aimed at making the NDC unpopular. To say that they will not obey constitutional procedures that stipulate the way to negotiate tells a lot about how diabolical and ill-intentioned such untoward acts are meant to achieve. Unfortunately, the leadership of such unions do so at the blind side of membership which they have to consult for approval. We therefore caution the general public, especially those who have jobs to do, not to follow such nation-wreckers only for political expediency. CORRUPTION, RAWLINGS AND ABACHAS MONEY In recent times, the tag of corruption has been labelled against eminent citizens of the land, particularly, His Excellency Jerry John Rawlings about some gift received from Abacha of Nigeria some years back. In fact, when the Opposition NPP later knew that they could not use the Former President for their political campaign against the NDC, which strongly came out after the Cape Coast Campaign Launch of the party, the opposition media have re-ignited the so-called bribe allegation against the Founder of the NDC. It is also a fact that leading members of the NDC are tagged with corruption including His Excellency John Dramani Mahama. The irony and therefore the truth is that, if the NPP had even an iota of truth about any NDC official getting involved in any corrupt practice, they would not have waited for a second but rush to court. In situations where NDC functionaries have been exposed as being corrupt, the party and government have been bold enough to send the offenders to court to prove otherwise. We challenge the NPP and its agents to boldly come out to mention any acts of corruption on the part of any member of government or NDC. That is the only proof that they can be seen to be serious. CONCLUSION Ladies and gentlemen of the Media, we want to unequivocally state that, by their actions of destabilizing every move that would lead to sound electoral processes and procedures towards peaceful elections this year, the NPP have lost, particularly the presidential election. Their desperation stems from the fact that losing the presidential election would not afford them the ministerial and other positions of state; thus the attempt to derail the process. This is strongly supported by a statement of one of their members after the 2012 defeat that, What are we going to survive on for the next four years? This presupposes that they feed on politics without which they go hungry. It is therefore, incumbent on members of the NDC that the battle ahead is not going to be an easy one. This is because our main opponents will go at any length and hook on every conceivable straw; not necessarily to win but to engage in anti-state activities to derail the electioneering processes. That is their nature. And as Former President Rawlings said at Cape Coast, we cannot fight them on their own terms of anti-state behaviour. We better avoid confrontation and provocation which are their major weapons. By holding onto the principles that made and still make us NDC, we will move way into the future and nobody can defeat us. Ladies and gentlemen of the Media, we thank you for your presence, attention and wish that you carry the message for the sake of Mother Ghana. ALUTA CONTINUA Press Conference addressed and signed by: Felix Komla Efanam Nyaku (0242727105) Secretary, National Interim Management Committee of UCF-Ghana. 11.09.2016 LISTEN We wish to draw the attention of the National Media Commission (NMC) to a continuing infringement on our rights by the Editor and the Managers of the Daily Graphic, and to seek the intervention of the NMC for the restoration of the rights under infringement in compliance with Article 162(6) of the Constitution of the Republic of Ghana. On July 28, 2016, as public spirited individuals who are concerned about the falling standards of education in our dear country, Ghana, we travelled to Washington, DC, USA, to submit an investigative report we had been working on for the previous six months to officials of the Ghana Embassy, for onward submission to the Minister of Education in Ghana. This report identified some institutions and individuals who are in breach of the Ghana National Accreditation Boards (NAB) instrument of authority, Act 2007 (Act 744) and other amendments of the Act thereof. After officially handing the report to the Ghana Embassy in Washington, D.C, USA, the said report was made available to all media houses in Ghana via email, and, in some cases, hard copies were hand-delivered to particular media houses due to the strategic positions they hold on the Ghanaian media landscape. However, to say that attempts were not made by some of the media houses to stifle the said report will be an understatement. The maneuvers to undermine the report and cast doubts on it corroborate stories of earlier attempts by well-meaning citizens to expose the canker. Indeed, some of those pathfinders with whom we were privileged to have interacted during the process of compiling this report were maligned and subdued into servile silence. In our case, while a few of the media houses featured the story about our report, Daily Graphic, which was one of the recipients of the report, till today, has refused to publish it or any excerpts therefrom, as other media houses. Nonetheless, as the campaign was largely designed to use social media, we are proud to announce that the report forced itself into the Ghanaian media space. The sad thing about this campaign is that, despite the Daily Graphic refusing to publish anything about the report, it has persistently provided unhindered access to its media platformsboth in newsprint and onlineto our antagonists to slam us. It is unfortunate to note that a national paper would be so compromised to the extent of dereliction of its duty in acting fairly on an issue of public interest. Below are a few examples to demonstrate the complicity of the Daily Graphic in taking a side on the issue: On August 5, 2016, Swiss Management Center (SMC) alumni in Ghana issued two press statements, one in print and the other online. In these press statements, SMC alumni represented the SMC as the number one (1) business school in Switzerland and the best five (5) in the entire Europe. They also contested some of the issues we have raised in our report concerning the accreditation status of SMC (please follow the link of one of such statements http://www.graphic.com.gh/news/general-news/fake-doctorates-swiss-university-has-accreditation-smc-alumni.html). Following the Alumni press statement, the University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA), issued a press statement in which they chose to attack us directly (please follow the link to the UPSA press statement here: http://www.dailygraphiconline.com/images/qrcodes/pdfs/UPSA_Press_Release.pdf). We tendered in a rejoinder to the Daily Graphic on August 10, 2016. Fortunately, this rejoinder slipped past the keen but unfair eyes of the gatekeepers at the Daily Graphic and was published. In this rejoinder, we addressed the issues raised by both the UPSA and the alumni of the SMC (please follow the link to our rejoinder here: http://www.graphic.com.gh/news/general-news/rejoinder-upsa-justifies-swiss-university-s-accreditation.html). Two days after our rejoinder, the Daily Graphic tendered in an apology titled, Apology to UPSA, others. We found the reasons the Daily Graphic stated for its apology unfounded, biased, and against the spirit of the noble profession of journalism. We promptly responded to this apology and clarified issues (Please follow the link to our rejoinder here http://www.modernghana.com/music/38323/rejoinder-apology-to-upsa-others.html). But the Daily Graphic refused to publish our rejoinder. We only realized later that the Managing Director of the Daily Graphic, Mr. Edem Ashigbey, is also a current student of the SMC. We concluded that nobody would work against his/her own interest. As all these transpired, Dr. Prosper Yao Tsikata was contacted by the Marketing Manager of the Daily Graphic, Ms. Shirley Acquaah-Harrison, who explained that they did not receive any of our rejoinders and furnished us with the contact number of the Editor of the Daily Graphic, Mr. Ransford Tetteh. Ms. Acquuah-Harrisons concern was about the image of the newspaper being dragged into the mud. But she also intimated that she would like us to be able to send articles and rejoinders to the Daily Graphic directly. On Friday, September 2, 2016, the Daily Graphic published a press statement from the NAB in which we were the subject of derision. In that press statement, the NAB Executive Secretary, Mr. Kwame Dattey made some representations that we believe were meant to cast a slur on our professional integrity for acts he considered unethical. Unfortunately, Mr. Dattey failed to point to any particular ethical principle that he considered breached. We promptly responded to Mr. Datteys press statement in a rejoinder to the Daily Graphic on September 4, 2016, clarifying issues and refocusing the issues in contention with the NAB, SMC, and UPSA. We also explained to Mr. Dattey and his organization that ethical breaches are serious issues. Particularly in the US, for example, universities are concerned about ethical and legal issues that dog the research process. To this end, avenues are always available for redress, to punish, and to correct those breaches. Thus, we urged Mr. Dattey and the NAB to report the specific ethical breaches his organization has observed to the Valdosta State University Institutional Review Board or any panel of ethicist of their choice. But as of this writing, there is no indication that he has done so yet. The said latest rejoinder was sent to the Editor of the Daily Graphic, Mr. Tetteh, with Ms. Acquaah-Harrison and other individuals copied on the attendant email. We also orchestrated the same rejoinder to be hand-delivered by two different individuals to the premises of the Daily Graphic. Two of the individuals who were copied on the said email responded to acknowledge receipt of the email. As usual, Mr. Tetteh and Ms. Acquaah-Harrison did not find it essential to acknowledge receipt of the email. Dr. Prosper Yao Tsikata, therefore, placed calls to Mr. Tetteh on three different occasions, but he insisted he did not receive the email. Dr. Tsikata also called Ms. Acquaah-Tetteh who informed him that she had received the rejoinder. Dr. Tsikata urged her to print it out and hand it to her colleague. In spite of this, Dr. Tsikata resent the rejoinder to Mr. Tetteh. By now it should be clear to members of the NMC that our constitutional rights to a rejoinder have been trampled upon and breached gleefully by the Daily Graphic and its managers. We are seeking the following reliefs without further delay: The Daily Graphic must publish an immediate apology in which it will unreservedly apologize to the Ghanaian reading public for allowing its platforms to be used by individuals to advertise their dubious honorary and earned doctoral degrees against the legal instrument of the NAB. Examples of these individuals are: the IGP, (Dr.) John Kudalor, (Dr.) Patrick Kobla Agboba, alias Torgbi Sri III, and the NDC Chairman, (Dr.) Kofi Portuphy, among a long list of others. We believe that the strategic position of the Daily Graphic makes it not only an educational channel, but a source of information that profoundly shapes the minds of its wide readership (our people of Ghana). The Daily Graphic must publish two of our rejoinders that directly responded to the NAB, UPSA, and the SMC without further delay. Copies of these rejoinders are attached to this complaint. The NAB must, with immediate effect, take down its erroneous press statement which it is still hosting on its website, if it cannot identify specifically which particular ethical principles that our report has breached. As it stands now, the NABs accusation of ethical breach can only be treated as speculative and malicious, with the tendency to cast doubts on our professional integrity. The Editor and the Managing Director of the Daily Graphic should be reminded that the paper plays a crucial role in shaping the minds of the Ghanaian public, due to its strategic reach. Thus, when they commit errors in the discharge of their duties, as prevails in some civilizations, it is important that the Daily Graphic take steps to correct those missteps. For example, the mistake of publishing all those dubiously earned and causa honoris on its pages without a responsibility of ensuring the authenticity of those credentials. We thank the NMC very much in anticipation of its speedy evaluation of this case and subsequent consideration for immediate action. Sincerely, Dr. Prosper Yao Tsikata Assistant Professor of Communication Dr. A. Kobla Dotse Director, Chemical Research and Development Postscript: Rejoinder 1 http://www.modernghana.com/music/38323/rejoinder-apology-to-upsa-others.html Rejoinder 2: Is attached (This rejoinder would be published soon). The Writer 11.09.2016 LISTEN Introduction "Camp" is a lexical item of multiple grammatical families. It is a noun, a verb, and an adjective. As a noun, "camp" is countable and mass. In its verbal existence, "camp" is transitive and intransitive. A transitive verb attracts an object, while an intransitive verb does not. Call "camp" a lexical utility player, and you are right. Let us consider the following illustrative sentences to maximize understanding: Illustrative sentences * The camps at Mina are air-conditioned . (Count noun). * As pilgrims, we aspire to become the camp of piety. (Mass noun: a group of people with a particular doctrine). * The Saudi Government has camped all pilgrims at Mina. (Transitive verb attracting the object "pilgrims"). * Ghanaian pilgrims have camped near Jamarat. (Intransitive verb attracting no object). NOTE: It is instructive to state that "near Jamarat" is an adverb of place NOT an object. * Mina is a camp city. (Adjective qualifying the noun "city"). Observation It is significant to observe that knowledge of the grammatical properties of "camp" is essential. But what is more essential is the ability to apply the word in the appropriate context. This way, we may avoid a kind of grammatical catastrophe in an effort to use it. Conclusion To sump up, LANGUAGE AGENDA offers special prayers for all admirers and detractors, as it joins millions of pilgrims in the camp city of Mina. May Allah grant every Muslim an opportunity to perform Hajj. Allah is the Best Grammarian. Dedication: This discourse is dedicated to the lovely brother of mine, Shaikh Abdul Gani of Ghana Consulate in Jedda, for the special treatment offered us in our stay in the Holy Land. May Allah bless him and all those who have extended to us humanitarian services. The writer is a Lecturer at University of Applied Management, Germany - Ghana Campus, McCarthy Hill, Accra. Twenty-three people have been critically injured in a road accident Saturday morning at a community called Nouryiri in the Bole district of the Northern region. The injured including a military officer have been sent to the Bole Government Hospital for treatment. The district crime officer ASP Ebenezer Kwaku Dartey told Starr News that the accident involved a ground bird vehicle driven by one Collins Frimpong. He said the bus was travelling from Accra to Wa, Upper West Regional capital with about 44 passengers. According to ASP Dartey, the driver told the police he veered off the road after an approaching vehicle blinded his sight with a high light. "When I was coming, upon reaching a curve around Banda Nkwanta, I saw rhino car approaching me. It had taken over my way, I don't know whether the driver was sleeping, so I veered off the other side and my vehicle fell", the police quoted the driver. ASP Dartey said no death was recorded as at the time the injured were being conveyed to the hospital, but said some of the injured were in a critical state. He added that investigation has commenced into the incident. Former presidential hopeful of the New Patriotic Party Dr. Arthur Kennedy has downplayed suggestions that Vice President Amissah-Arthur cannot analyse the economy as has been done by Dr. Mahamadu Bawumia. Some members of the New Patriotic Party have dared the former governor of the Central Bank to take up the challenge and present a government counter of the diagnosis of the financial status of the state as was done by the New Patriotic Party running mate Thursday. But in a Facebook post , Dr. Kennedy said the Vice President has nothing to prove to anyone since his credentials speak for him. There have been a lot of comment on Dr. Bawumia's lecture on the economy yesterday. The partisan commentary began with claims that he had been denied a venue by the government. It is a shame that our media houses could not untangle that to let us know the truth. Then following the lecture, some in the NPP, who should know better, went into overdrive with praise. Prof. HKP talked of picking a running mate who could "carry his weight" etc., leaving the unfortunate impression that the NDC running could not carry his weight. VP Amissah-Arthur, Bawumia's credentials notwithstanding, is no slouch. He has been a lecturer, a governor of the Bank of Ghana and a World Bank consultant. Politically, he helped the NDC to retain Central region while the NPP lost the Northern region and Walewale! So there, my friends, is the weight issue, he wrote. Below are details of the post by Arthur K. There have been a lot of comment on Dr. Bawumia's lecture on the economy yesterday. The partisan commentary began with claims that he had been denied a venue by the government. It is a shame that our media houses could not untangle that to let us know the truth. Then following the lecture, some in the NPP, who should know better, went into overdrive with praise. Prof. HKP talked of picking a running mate who could "carry his weight" etc., leaving the unfortunate impression that the NDC running could not carry his weight. VP Amissah-Arthur, Bawumia's credentials notwithstanding, is no slouch. He has been a lecturer, a governor of the Bank of Ghana and a World Bank consultant. Politically, he helped the NDC to retain Central region while the NPP lost the Northern region and Walewale! So there, my friends, is the weight issue! To return to the lecture, Dr. Bawumia deserves congratulations for turning this campaign to a discussion od substantive issues. The competing promises about dams, etc and insults back and forth were making both the President and the NPP Presidential candidate look and sound a bit silly. Dr. Bawumia drew my ire with his work on Togo and ill-fated attempt to join Dzifa Attivor in the ethno-religious gutter but he was solid gold yesterday. Mr. Terkper has responded, albeit not with the same eloquence, to the issues raised by Dr. Bawumia. To date though, my top marks go to IMANI Ghana. Their response was timely, substantive and balanced. I have had ocassion to take IMANI to task recently but they get an A on this one. While their presentation was undermined by their attempts to respond to NPP attacks, it was excellent from beginning to end. I urge the media and academia to weigh in, to give us light, not heat. Let this debate and the rest of this campaign be substantive and make us all proud. Finally, I can't wait for the VP debate between Dr. Bawumia and V.P. Amissah-Arthur. Just a caveat though. They should remember their audience are ordinary people at Suame, Esikado, Kolungugu and Anloga, etc. Let the language be the language of the streets and the people. God bless you all. Johannesburg (AFP) - South Africa's biggest city Johannesburg is now run by a mayor who describes himself as an "unapologetic capitalist", after local elections that transformed the country's political landscape. For the first time since apartheid, the city's mayor is not from the African National Congress (ANC), but instead from the pro-business Democratic Alliance (DA) opposition party. And Herman Mashaba, a millionaire who made his fortune in black hair products, has set himself the ambitious goal of transforming South Africa's economic capital. Mashaba, 56, was elected last month after the ANC failed to win an outright majority in the August municipal polls, and the DA and other smaller parties joined forces to wrestle it from power. The change of control in Johannesburg dealt a humiliating blow to the ANC, the celebrated anti-apartheid party once led by Nelson Mandela and which still holds power at national level. Speaking to AFP from his mayoral office in the bustling city centre, Mashaba pledged to run an investor friendly administration, and scrap the "socialist" policies of his predecessors. "The problem with the previous administration is that they created a culture of dependency," he said. "I am an unapologetic capitalist... I want people to take ownership of their lives." Rapid rise Mashaba only entered politics in 2014 when he joined the DA and began a rapid rise to power that has attracted criticism over his lack of experience in both politics and local government. "I know that the ANC would like us to fail," he said in his defence. "I have been called a political novice... people said to me I had no chance of becoming mayor of Johannesburg (but) here I am now, 15 days into this office." Mashaba, who founded his hugely successful Black Like Me hair company in 1985, said he would draw on his years in business to improve lives in the city. "Local government is about everyday issues -- water, electricity and housing. We need to get that right," he said. Johannesburg is home to major international companies and boasts the country's best infrastructure, including its first high-speed train. But about half of its five million people live in poverty, according to official data that defines poverty as households with a monthly income less than 2,300 rand ($162). Mashaba, who calls himself a "committed civil servant", has set himself a target of five percent annual economic growth -- in stark contrast to the national GDP rate predicted to be zero percent this year. And he admits that his survival depends on the intricacies of dealing with other parties, including the revolutionary socialist Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF). But he said that strong economic growth was achievable, and that the EFF had committed to support the DA "for as long as we run an accountable government". Mashaba belonged to no political party until two years ago, and says he voted for Mandela and the ANC in South Africa's first multi-racial elections in 1994 and later for Mandela's successor Thabo Mbeki. "In 1994 I was excited, I thought I was going to see an explosion of entrepreneurs coming out of South Africa," he said. "Today, people are unemployed, people are living in squalor, people are failed dismally by the ANC government which is self-serving." DA dreams The DA, which is widely seen as being dominated by middle-class whites, won 27 percent of the vote in the local elections and is keen to further broaden its appeal ahead of presidential elections in 2019. Mashaba's strong capitalist message may threaten its attempts to appeal to the poor who rely on state support and often live in appalling conditions in apartheid-era townships without water or toilets. "It's no doubt that the poor should come first, that is a human rights issues," Mashaba, whose mother was a domestic worker, said. "The problem with the previous city mayor was that he was more about style than substance. "This city can be business friendly and pro-poor at the same time." Whatever the political approach, the lack of jobs is a national crisis facing all politicians in South Africa. At least 25 percent of the adult population in Johannesburg is out of work. "By 2021, if unemployment in this city is still over 20 percent, then I expect people not to vote me back," Mashaba said in a typically bold pledge. His performance in Johannesburg could be a test case for the DA, which now also rules Cape Town, Pretoria and Port Elizabeth, and hopes to eventually topple the ANC from power. It is not a challenge that overawes him. "Come elections in 2019, the DA will be ruling this country," he said. The authorities at the Effia Nkwanta Regional Hospital in the Western Region have appealed to the government to build a new regional hospital to ease the pressure on the current facility. The existing structure cannot accommodate the increasing number of patients who come from the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis and all the way from Ahanta West, Shama, Wassa East and parts of the Nzema East Districts, they said.The Effia Nkwanta Regional Hospital was built in 1938 and served a fairly small population in the Sekondi Takoradi area at the time. The facility is now serving more patients from other districts and even beyond the region.Following an appeal from the hospital, the Omanhene of the Lower Dixcove Traditional Area, Nana Kwesi Agyemang IX, who is also the Acting President of the Western Regional House of Chiefs, has given out a large tract of land for the purpose. In an interview, Dr Emmanuel Tinkorang, the Western Regional Director of Health Services, said apart from the Western and Eastern regions, the other eight regions had benefited from hospital expansion projects and infrastructural development. The case for Effia Nkwanta is acute because the landscape makes it very difficult to undertake any expansion programme. In its present state, however, the hospital needs major renovation works to bring it up to standard and we believe that putting up a new hospital will be the right thing to do, he said. Dr Tinkorang said even though the government had done well in improving existing structures at the hospital, there was the need for new buildings. He said the hospital was currently facing a number of challenges such as the absence of a Psychiatry Unit and other departments critical to ensuring overall good health. He intimated also that because the hospital did not have the full complement of facilities, it sometimes referred cases to the Cape Coast Hospital. According to Dr Tinkorang, between January and June this year, 15 maternal deaths were recorded at the hospital as a result of inadequate resources. New hospital, a must The Medical Director of the Effia Nkwanta Regional Hospital, Dr Paul Kwaw Ntodi, corroborated what Dr Tinkorang had said. He emphasised that considering current challenges the hospital was faced with, there was the need for an entirely new hospital to either replace or support the existing one. 11.09.2016 LISTEN A couple of years ago, I published an article in this very medium titled, Is Christianity Biblical? (Parts 1 &2), which drew a lot of comments from readers to my email address. Up to today, I am still thankful to all the civilized and courteous people who asked me questions relating to that article and I hope the answers I gave have been a blessing to them. But then, I know many more readers had questions to ask me, which they never did. It is for the benefit of such readers and also those who never had the chance to read that article that I write this current one. It is hoped that all readers will, ultimately, be properly informed about Christianity by these articles, and then, hopefully, be forearmed for the cataclysmic events billed to come upon the earth, shortly. For readers who may want to read that article again, the following URLs lead to it: http://www.modernghana.com/news/524420/is-christianity-biblical-part-1-of-2.html and http://www.modernghana.com/news/525154/is-christianity-biblical-part-2-of-2.html What I am going to say in this article, I might have said previously in newspapers, television programs, and elsewhere on cyber space. But I deem a repetition of these issues beneficial to the spiritual lives of cherished readers, and hence my writing of this article. To begin with, let me say once again, and as forcefully as I possibly can, that Christianity is not even biblical! No one verse in the English Bible mentions the word Christianity!! Readers are advised to consult such books asStrong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible and Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testamentto be helped to agree with me. What this means is that, Christianity is neither a topic that has been discussed in the English Bible, nor is it the religion of the English Bible. This is plain and simple, and I wonder if anyone can contest this or believe anything to the contrary! Why, then, would any Bible-believers look to Christianity as the saving religion? Why would people who think or believe in the English Bible, as teaching the ONLY way into the salvation of the Most High One, still believe in Christianity as a saving religion when that very Bible does not mention it, even once, in all its countless verses? For people of Bible persuasion who are seeking the salvation of the Most High One, what this MUST mean to them is that Christianity cannot be found in the mind, wisdom, will, and plans of the Most High One, if indeed the English Bible is His Word! But alas, many of my articles published in this same column have proven that the English Bible is NOT the Word of the Most High One, anyway!! What all this means is that the Most High One never planned for Christianity to be used as mankind's means of transport to Him in Shamayim (Heaven?)! As Bible-believers must know, all of Creation shall very soon pass away; but the Word of the Most High One shall remain and endure forever. So then, because everything about, in, and of Christianity is not part of the revealed Word of the Most High One, it will definitely pass away!! In the coming new Earth, worship in Shamayim will NOT be conducted in the manner of Christianity, neither will it have even one Christian there to partake in it. Be not quick to argue, dear reader, that, Christianity will forever remain or be in the new Earth because someone called Jesus Christ, who many wrongly believe to be the Son of the Most High One, and one they suppose to be the savior of the world, is he that founded Christianity. Well, the belief in this Jesus Christ is, in itself, the problem that causes many to live in a false sense of being saved, since the name JESUS CHRIST is the greatest deception the devil has pulled over the eyes of mankind! One may ask: How could this be? Fact is, long before the coming of the English Bible, the devilLuciferhad vowed to reverse every plan, work, and set times of the Most High One (cf. DaniEl 7:25). Later in the day and long before our times, genuine servants of the Most High One warned salvation seekers to be wary of this plan of Lucifer, in the Holy Ivrit (Hebrew) Scripturescf. Tasloniqim Beth (Second Thessalonians?) 2:3-12. But alas, the whole world now lies in Lucifer's wicked deceptionscf. YahuKhanan Alef (First John??) 5:19; top of this pack of deceptions is Christianity! You see, Lucifer, while yet a member of the host of holy malakim (angels?) in Shamayim and before iniquity could ever be found in him, was instructed in and professed the only true Ivrit name of HaBen HaElohiym (the Son of the Most High One), which is, Yahushua HaMashakhYahu, and was made to understand that by and around this name ONLY must all businesses in Shamayim and also between Shamayim and HaAretz (the Earth) be forever conducted!! Later, when Lucifer was cast out of Shamayim onto HaAretz, he became aware that the only name by which anyone under Shamayim would ever be delivered from his (Lucifer's) control was Yahushua HaMashakhYahu. Lucifer, therefore, schemed to keep mankind from ever knowing this Ivrit name! His trick in this was simple but very effective, showing his master craftsmanshiplet everyone on earth believe Yahushua HaMashakhYahu in Ivrit is the same as JESUS CHRIST in English! Lucifer, then, misled all to forget about the name Yahushua HaMashakhYahu, the only name within which there is the power to bring salvation to sinnersinfused into it by the Most High One Himselfand caused all to believe in JESUS CHRIST instead; thus, deeming Christianity as begotten of and by him (this so-called JESUS CHRIST)! Now, If there be CHRISTIANITY, we must have CHRISTIANS, Lucifer quipped, and thus taught gullible mankind into believing that Christians are those people of HaAretz who are saved from his (Lucifers) influence and dominion!! Lucifer thus developed a Goyim-based (Gentile-based) philosophy encapsulating Jesus Christ, Christianity and Christian(s)all of which is dung coated with gold! It is baffling how Lucifer managed to keep mankind in this deception of his for so long!! Everything from Jesus Christ to Christianity, and their productsthe diverse Christians of the numerous denominationsare the handiwork of Lucifer. You see, if Christianity and its Christian following were of the Most High One, He would have taught them in His Holy Wordthe Holy Ivrit Scriptures. And then, bible translators, while translating the Holy Ivrit Scriptures as they even did without His mandate, would have found at least one Ivrit word suitable for them to possibly translate as Christianity. But alas, they found no such Ivrit word, and hence the loud absence of the word Christianity in all the many versions of their English Bibles! You see, until the preaching of the salvation message of the Most High One that began from YahuSalem (Jerusalem??) reached the Goyim city of Antioch, where and when some people first called the true followers of the Savior as Christians (cf. Acts 11:26), maybe to ridicule and annoy them, nobody ever bore the tag Christian! This means that, during all the days of the Savior on earth, and until those of his last shlikhim (apostles??), no Christians were produced among the children of Yisroelthe people to whom the salvation of the Most High One belongs according to YahuKhanan (John??) 4:22!! Therefore, no single Christian existed in the entire world during those days when the true message of salvation thrived in the world, as it started spreading from YahuSalem, through Yahudah (Judea?), Shomrom (Samaria?) to ketzeh HaAretz (ends of the Earth)!! Shaul (Saul? and Paul??) of Tarsus, one of the most illustrious Ivriim (Hebrew men) of the Saviors immediate post-ascension era, was not a Christian and neither did he ever preach Christianity. This may be shocking to many people! According to Ma'asim (Acts?) 9:2, Shaul was once upon a time a persecutor of people who followed HaDerekh (The Way) without alluding HaDerekh to Christianity!! This same HaDerekh was later on preached by Shaul which he defined in Maasim (Acts?) 24:14 as being the faith of his fathers and the neviim (prophets?), who were all instructed in and lived by the Toraha faith which was (and still is today) completely devoid of anything that is in or of whatever faith that came to be known as or called Christianity! Just as every man-made product has an expiry date, so does Christianity as a religion of the Goyim people; and is, thus, hereby foretold to expire pretty soon! I can bet you that when the gates of Shamayim open for the holy children of Yahuwah Elohiym to enter to spend Eternity, it shall be seen that only the people of HaDerekh shall be admitted by Yahushua HaMashakhYahuwho himself is HaDerekh (The Way), HaEmes (The Truth), and HaKhayyim (The Life)to worship his Av (Father) in THE WAY and manner revealed by him to those who are found to be functioning in him as holy and living branches of his own body, HaGefen HaAmittit (the True Vine)! I can confidently say that there shall be no Christian permitted to live in Eternity with Yahuwah Elohiym and HaBen (the Son)! My dear Christian, just beware of this and be forearmed!! Even before the great day of Yahuwah Elohiym comes to blow away Christianity from existence, the latest version King James Version (KJV) Bible, the Restored Name King James Version Bible (RNKJV) (1999), has already blown Christianity away into oblivion and permanent forgetfulness by its deletion of the words Christ, Christian, and Christians from the English Bible!! Like seriously? Yes indeed; seriously. You may have to Google this Bible to appreciate what radicalism it introduces into the belief systems of Christians by its restoration of the true and genuine names of the Most High One and HaBen, together with those of many other holy Ivriim who had roles to play in the execution of the plan of the Most High One for mankinds salvation. As a shofar (ram-horn trumpet) blower of Elohiym, I am, by this article, dutifully warning mankind according to His Word in YechezkEl (Ezekiel?) 33:6-7; and this, I do in love for my readers. Will this generation heed the Word of Elohiym? Dear reader, my prayer is that your spiritual eyes will become opened to the truth so you may be delivered from the deception of Christianity. Shalom aleikhem lmakhbir! PS: Should readers of this and any of my articles have serious questions or suggestions, they may contact me via e-mail by clicking on Contact on the Home Page of my website, http://sbprabooks.com/BongleBapuohyele You may also want to purchase a copy of my bookBeware of This False Doctrine: Of Reciting the Sinners' Prayer for Salvationvia the same web address so, together, we walk the narrow way to the presence of Elohiym. Shalom aleikhem. Members Graduate Students Association of Ghana (GRASAG) will picket at the Flagstaff House on September 21 over the delayed disbursal of their bursary and thesis grant from government. The Association has lamented that the delay in the payment of the allowance, amounting to about GHc4 million, has put the students under undue financial stress and stifled academic endeavors. The President of GRASAG, Rashid Kwesi Etuaful thus held that the state should release the bursaries as a matter of urgency. Speaking at a press conference in Accra, Mr. Etuaful recounted two months of lobbying at the relevant state agencies like the Ministry of Education yielded no positive results. He also said the association had no explanation for the delay in payment given there has been the approval for disbursement. He noted thatthe challenge now is that we don't know why the Ministry of Finance is not paying the money when approval has been given and so we are giving an ultimatum, from now to about [September] 16. They should be able to mobilise the money. But if the association's ultimatum is not heeded to, Mr. Etuaful said, we are telling the President that we shall come and join him at the Flagstaff House. We will just go and sit there until he gives us the order that the money should be paid. By: Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmoline.com/Ghana The NDC is expected to launch its zonal campaign in the Greater Accra Region Sunday afternoon as it targets 25 seats and 60 percent of the votes in the region. The campaign launch will focus on the eastern parts of Accra including the Ada Sege, Ningo Prampram, Shai Osudoku, Kpone Katamanso, Tema East, West and Central constituencies. Vice President Paa Kwesi Amissah Arthur and the running mate of President Mahama is expected to be the guest of honour at the event which would also see party stalwarts attending. Regional Communications Officer of the NDC, Jerry Johnson maintained that the electoral target is realistic. The Greater Accra region has 34 seats up for grabs with the NDC controlling 20 seats to 14 held by the opposition NPP. It will be a lie to say you are going to win all the seats, Jerry Johnson admitted but said the party is scheming to snatch 5 extra seats that we lost by a very small margin in 2012. We are winning 60% of the total votes in Greater Accra then we give out 40% to other parties. Story by Ghana|myjoyonline.com Tripoli (AFP) - A spokesman for the forces led by a controversial Libyan general said on Sunday that they had seized key oil export terminals in the country's east. General Khalifa Haftar's forces took control of the Al-Sidra and Ras Lanuf ports, the LANA news agency loyal to the internationally recognised parliament reported Colonel Ahmad Mesmari as saying. Libya's oil and gas facilities Haftar, one of the most powerful military figures in Libya, has refused to endorse a national unity government and remains loyal to the rival administration based in the east of the country. The Minister of Roads and Highways, Inusah Fuseini has downplayed assertions that government has failed to proactively address the menace in the country. He however indicated that a novel and sustainable approach to combating illegal mining was needed if any progress was to be made. The government has not failed in dealing with galamsey. There are challenges with galamsey and the challenges are multi-faceted, Inusah Fuseini contended on The Big Issue. The Minister highlighted the problem the dual ownership of land played in enabling the canker and underscored the importance of local government in enforcing laws against illegal mining. Land which is the subject matter of the whole debacle has the problem of dual ownership as government owns the mineral resources on the ground. Chiefs own the surfaces rights. People go to the chief and take land and start mining. Now you need the chiefs to come in. Every land is within a jurisdiction of a metropolitan, municipal or district assembly. You need the local government to be part of the thing. Illegal mining has come to the fore in the past month following the shutdown of the Kyebi treatment plant and the threat of same to other treatment plants. This is due to the galamsey-related pollution of the major sources of water for consumption in the Rivers Pra, Ankobra, Birim, Tano among others. Law enforcement cant do it all Inusah Fuseini, erstwhile the head of an anti-galamsey taskforce, admitted that the use of police and military as the first line of law enforcement to combat illegal mining and its effects could only go so far as they could not be on the sites 24 hours. Hence, you need a sustainable system to fight galamsey and that is what I think government's attention must be turned to, the minister said. By: Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana Tripoli (AFP) - Forces loyal to a Libyan general on Sunday said they had seized two key oil export terminals as a UN-backed unity government struggles to assert its authority over the oil-rich country. If confirmed, the seizure of the ports would deal a major blow to the Tripoli-based Government of National Accord (GNA), which had hoped to rely on oil exports for its revenues. General Khalifa Haftar's forces took control of the Al-Sidra and Ras Lanuf ports, the LANA news agency loyal to a rival authority reported a spokesman as saying. "Clashes are now ongoing near the Zuwaytina port" further east in the same oil-rich area seen as key to the country's economy, Colonel Ahmad Mesmari said. Haftar, one of the most powerful military figures in Libya, has refused to endorse the GNA and remains loyal to the authority based in the east of the country. Libya's oil and gas facilities UN Libya envoy Martin Kobler on Twitter said he was worried about the reported fighting in Libya's so-called "oil crescent". "Oil belongs to ALL Libyans," he tweeted. "Conflicts can only be solved through dialogue, not violence. Urge all parties to sit 2gether." Haftar's forces took the Ras Lanuf and Al-Sidra terminals -- together capable of handling 700,000 barrels of oil per day -- from installation guards loyal to the GNA. In late July, the oil installation guards announced the reopening of the two ports after an agreement with the unity government to resume oil exports. The terminals had been closed for months following attacks in January by the jihadist Islamic State group, who took advantage of turmoil after the 2011 uprising to gain a foothold in the country. In recent weeks, pro-GNA forces have been pressing to expel the last IS jihadists from what was their North African stronghold of Sirte. The jihadists took over the city -- some 180 kilometres (110 miles) to the east of the oil terminals -- in June last year. Libya has been in chaos since the revolt that toppled and killed longtime dictator Moamer Kadhafi, with rival authorities and militias vying for control of the country. A UN-brokered deal in December led to the GNA starting to work in Tripoli, but it has since struggled to assert its authority over the country. Oil is Libya's main natural resource with reserves estimated at 48 billion barrels, the largest in Africa. But the country's production has plummeted from 1.5 million bpd to just 300,000 bpd since 2010. Libya's oil sector is managed by the National Oil Company which is split into two rival branches, one allied to the GNA and the other to the authority in the east. National Service we all know is basically to acquired once self with practical skills in preparation towards the job market as well as serving one's country by impacting knowledge thought in classroom to the society. But embarking on this journey of 1 year mandatory National Service, prudent measures must be put in place by the authorities of GES to avoid engaging trainee teachers in addition to the service and it's totally mind boggling. In fact, my brother happen to be part of this year's National Service and the conditions spelt out are dangerous and could be difficult to met. Wherever and whatever the problem is I don't know but he is attending Jackson college of education in Ada affiliated with Cape Coast University and was posted to Tamale. Surprisingly, he must be coming to Ada for class in any other weekend since their syllabus is not yet exhausted as well as to plan to do academic teaching practice in any of Ada public schools. National Service in far away Tamale which involves a lot of money traveling to his school for class, and finding another day in a week for academic teaching practice around the vicinity of his school. Even though NSS allowance will be provided for them, it's very bad, imprudently planned by the GES considering the nature of transportation which is risky and the exorbitant fare charged by these drivers. Hence the allowance of GHC345.00 is inadequate to take care of feeding, accommodation, transportation and buying of visual aids for teaching. Our headache is; how could he combine all these at the same time? Will he die before becoming a teacher? I will be happy if a committee is set up to investigate this abnormal practice by some of the school authorities to bring an end to it. School reopens on next week Tuesday,13th September and they are expected to report to their respective posted places and at the sometime expected by their teachers to report for weekend class and go to classroom to teach and revert to their posting places until November ending. Too difficult and bad. And if they should complete their education before embarking on National Service that could be better. One at a time else poor production of teachers will continually lower the BECE examination standards every year. E. K Sevor [email protected] By Samira Larbie, GNA Accra, Sept. 11, GNA - SolarKiosk Ghana Limited, an NGO, has launched the first ever locally manufactured Solar Kiosk in Accra to provide energy to boost the socio-economic activities of people who lack access to power. The robust and multi-functional lightweight unit, which can be easily transported, is tailored for use in rural and peri-urban communities. It thus allows mini businesses, such as barbering shops, small banks, restaurants and hair dressing salons, to operate efficiently in the local economy. At the launch of the unit at James Town, a predominantly fishing community, Ms Patricia Safo, the Managing of Director Solarkiosk Ghana, and JCS Investments, said the aim of the initiative was also to help reduce carbon emissions and deforestation, while promoting sustainable energy alternatives. She said the kiosk, also known as the E-Hubb, was a prototype, which produced two Kilowatts power of electricity. 'It serves as an outlet for renewable energy products, services and solutions and supports affordable products and appliances, such as cooking stoves, which run on solar energy,' she explained. Ms Safo said 10 solar kiosks had been installed in four regions, and urged companies, such as the financial institutions, to adopt this module as it could be modified to suit different applications. 'The kiosk can produce energy for itself, and the excess can be sold, while the canopy attached to it can also support and supply households and businesses with energy,' she said. Mr Andreas Spiess, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Solarkiosk, which is based in Germany, said the product had a satellite dish component, which could help supply energy to other businesses. Africa, with its abundant sunshine, derives only about two per cent of its energy needs from sunshine, while Germany with less sunshine, produces about 20 per cent solar energy. Mr Spiess, therefore, urged African countries to maximise the use of the natural resource, as the global demand for energy was continually soaring. Mr Spiess said the major challenge was the initial financing of the unit, explaining: "So we are collaborating with the banks to give an upfront loans to people who want to buy the solar products, which is very efficient and can last longer.' He urged the Government to support the initiative to enable private entities to invest in the economy. Other partners in the project include the Energy Commission and JCS Investment Limited. GNA By A.B. Kafui Kanyi Ho, Sept. 11, GNA - Mr Benjamin Kpodo, the Member of Parliament for Ho Central has handed over a four-unit classroom block with auxiliary facilities to the Ho Nurses Training College. The facility was funded at about GH1.2 million by the MP with support from individuals and institutions. Mr Kpodo told reporters that stories on the congestion of student nurses in classrooms and the inability of the College to admit more than 900 students moved him to seek support for the project, last year. He urged the students to take good care of the facility. Madam Gladys Katsekpor, the Vice Principal of the College, commended Mr Kpodo for the support and said the College could now admit some 400 more students. GNA 11.09.2016 LISTEN By Godfred Polkuu, GNA Bolgatanga, (UE) Sept. 11, GNA - The Ghana Police Service has trained 365 police personnel drawn from the 10 regions to form an anti-violence advocacy group to combat violence and other crimes in the run up to the general election and thereafter. Superintendent of Police, Adofiem Raymond Wejong, the Director of Counter Terrorism, told the Ghana News Agency in an interview in Bolgatanga that the training was aimed at preparing and toughening up the personnel to be able to deal with hardened criminals across the country. He said 30 personnel were drawn from each of the 11 Police Regions, including the Tema Region, and they were equipped with the requisite skills to make them more disciplined, firm, tough and fearless. 'The training, also aimed at developing an attitude in the men to be anti-violence advocates,' he said. 'It, therefore, means that they themselves do not have to be violent. They could face any violent situation but deal with it in a manner that will not affect innocent people.' Supt Wejong said within the three weeks, they were able to educate people in Bolgatanga, Pwalugu, Paga and Navrongo against violence and cautioned that anyone caught in the act of violence would be dealt with according to the law. Asked how the advocacy group would regard the activities of political vigilante groups, the Director said vigilantes were supposed to be people who were vigilant, law abiding and to report any bad deeds to the Police to deal with. 'Anyone who commits any act of violence in the name of any political party or under any cover is a common criminal and we will deal with such individuals as common criminals and not as political vigilantes,' he said. He called on the media to lead in the anti-violence advocacy and continue to support the Police to paint a good picture of the peaceful attitudes that were required of everybody to ensure a peaceful election this year. The Regional Police Commander, DCOP Simon Afeku, speaking to the trained personnel, said peace was an attribute given by God and should be maintained. He said the police were non-partisan and would discharge their duties with a high sense of professionalism and urged the officers to be crusaders of anti-violence. He called on the general public to exercise tolerance and use dialogue to settle disputes. GNA 11.09.2016 LISTEN Pantang, (GAR) Sept. 11, GNA - A 25-year-old man, Edward Donyiri, is in the custody of the Mountain View Police Station following his arrest over suspected robbery by some youth of the Pantang Village in the Greater Accra Region, on Friday afternoon. One of his arresters told the GNA that they heard continuous banging on the door of a house along the main road, and discovered that one of the doors had been split. They, therefore, surrounded the walled house and requested the occupant to come out. He said Donyiri, consequently, emerged from a room with a bag, but then jumped the wall and took to his heels. The group, subsequently, chased and arrested him, with his bag. He said when the bag was searched, a knife, a pair of pliers, screwdriver, four mobile phones, a charger and a WiFi were found. The Police said Donyiri after investigations he would be prosecuted. There have been reports of rampant robbery in the area during the day, the Police said. GNA 11.09.2016 LISTEN Accra, Sept 11, GNA - Shippers, both importers and exporters, have hailed the abolishment of the Terminal Handling Charge (THC), which some shipping lines operating to and from the seaports of Ghana sought to introduce locally. A statement signed by Mr Seth Twum-Akwaboah, the Chief Executive Officer of the Association of Ghana Industries, (AGI) on behalf of nine bodies, and copied to the Ghana News Agency, informed the business community that the THC as proposed by the Shipping Lines had been totally abolished in Ghana with immediate effect. 'We highly commend the Minister for Transport and his team for the urgency and commitment to ensuring sanity in the Maritime Industry,' the statement said. 'Members are to note that the Minister for Transport has issued a clear directive to that effect.' The statement urged the shipping community to consider the directive by the Minister of Transport, forbidding the introduction of the THC, as the final decision on the matter and comply with it. 'The THC is totally illegitimate and must not be accepted by shippers,' the statement said. 'Whatsoever, any attempt by any Shipping Line to impose the THC on Shippers constitutes a serious indictment of the Minister's authority and sovereign right of the business community in Ghana. 'Therefore, any attempt by any Shipping Line to impose the THC or hold Shippers' cargo unduly must-quickly be brought to the notice of the respective Association with some evidence.' The Shippers, therefore, urged the Government to apply heavy sanctions against any Shipping Line, which would act contrarily or attempt to impose such arbitrary charges on Shippers. The statement was endorsed by leadership the AGI, Ghana National Chamber of Commerce, Ghana Chamber of Mines, Federation of Associations of Ghanaian Exporters, Ghana Union of Traders Associations and Private Enterprise Federation. The rest are Ghana Root Crops and Tubers Exporters Union, Ghana Institute of Freight Forwarders, and the Greater Accra Regional Shippers Committee. GNA By Afedzi Abdullah, GNA Cape Coast, Sept. 11, GNA - Mr. Nicolas Ofori Boateng, the Central Regional Director of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), has urged political parties to join in educating the public on electoral rules and regulations. He said majority of political party activists, especially the youth, were not conversant with the rules governing elections and also the Political Parties Code of Conduct, so they tended to conduct themselves 'irresponsibly', especially on the airwaves. It was, therefore, incumbent on the parties, he said, to educate their followers during rallies and meetings for them to be abreast with the rules and regulations and strictly adhere to them. Mr Ofori Boateng was speaking at a workshop, organised by the NCCE in Cape Coast, for party youth activists on the Code of Conduct for Political Parties. He said the Code of Conduct was a laudable regulation, which when followed strictly, would guarantee absolute peace in the upcoming elections. The workshop, sponsored by the European Union (EU) is part of effort at ensuring a violent free, transparent and a peaceful political environment before, during and after the December 7 General Election. Under the theme, 'Empowering the youth to stand for Ghana for a Peaceful Election 2016', the workshop also sought to engage the activists to promote tolerance and non-violence attitudes and to participate effectively and ethically in the electoral processes. The participants were also educated on the "Public Order Act and Election 2016: prospect and challenges,' and given an 'Overview of Election Regulations, Electoral offences and Sanctions'. Mr Ofori Boateng said political parties must not only concentrate on strategies and campaigns to win elections but also take up the responsibility to educate their followers during their campaign rallies and meetings to facilitate peace. Mr Ofori Boateng also entreated the parties to use non-offensive billboards, banners, fliers, placards, slogans and songs and conduct their campaigns devoid of abusive languages. He condemned the situation where leading party executives constantly sought the release of their members who were found culpable of electoral offences, saying such behaviours only encouraged them to engage more in violence. A section in the 2012 Political Code of Conduct states that, 'No party executive or leading member should go and seek the release of any party follower who goes against the rules and regulations of the elections, which the parties have signed to, uphold,' he reiterated. Mr Ofori Boateng advised the parties to seek clarification from the appropriate quarters on issues that challenged their minds rather than speculating. Mr Anthony Nyame, a Deputy Regional Director of the Electoral Commission, (EC) advised the electorate to adhere to electoral rules and regulations. GNA Ghana Investment Fund for Electronic Communications (GIFEC) is exploring the deployment of ICT-assisted devices to improve transportation on the Volta Lake. Researchers at GIFEC are already conducting studies on how to use ICT to improve navigation on the Lake. Perennial boat accidents have over the years left many people dead and property destroyed. GIFECs Principal Technical Manager, Michael Agyei Takyi, says the Fund wants to assist the Volta River Authority (VRA) to end the boat tragedies. Many boat accidents resulting in high fatality have been recorded on the Volta Lake, especially, in the last three years. In May, last year, at least, 19 people were killed when a boat carrying over 60 people capsized on its way from Nantwekope to Yeji in the Bono Ahafo Region. Efforts at finding means to reduce boat disasters have yielded little or no results as tree stumps continue to pose a danger to life and property. Though research work is yet to be completed, preliminary reports suggest a lack of navigation system is hampering transportation on the lake. Mr Agyei Takyi said navigation on the lake will improve with the introduction of ICT-aided equipment to facilitate the movement of boats. We want to come to the aid of the Volta Lake Authority, especially the canoes that are getting involved in accidents. We want to help them with ICT to improve the navigation and we are on it and so that is one of the new things we will be seeing this year, he revealed. Research Department of GIFFEC would soon finish it work to enable it to deploy ICT-aided techniques and equipment on the Volta Lake to ensure the safety of travelers. "A research is going on to determine how ICT will improve the safety of navigation on on the Volta Lake. When we get the report, base on that we will get the ICT component of it, give it to them to improve navigation on the Volta Lake to really avoid accidents and unnecessary death on the Volta Lake, Mr. Takyi has said. Nairobi (AFP) - Three women were killed Sunday while staging what officers said was "an apparent terror attack" at the main police station in the Kenyan city of Mombasa. Police said two of the women involved in the knife and firebomb assault were Kenyans and that one was wearing a suicide vest that did not detonate. Three of their alleged accomplices have been arrested. Mombasa County police chief Peterson Maelo said the three women had entered the city's busiest police station mid-morning saying they wanted to report a stolen phone. "In the process one hurled a petrol bomb at the report office as the others confronted two officers and stabbed them," Maelo told journalists at the scene. "All the three attackers have been killed and the two police officers have been rushed to hospital," he said, terming it "an apparent terror attack". The fire was put out and the station sealed off by heavily armed police officers as the probe got under way. "We have managed to identify two of the three terror suspects who were killed in Mombasa, they are Kenyans," police spokesman Charles Owino told AFP, naming them as Fatuma Omar and Tasmin Yakub Abdullahi Farah, both from Mombasa. He identified Farah as the ringleader, saying she "had a suicide vest that did not detonate because she was shot down swiftly by officers". He said police raided her home in Mombasa's Kibokoni area and arrested three accomplices, who are Somali refugees. A senior police officer in Mombasa who asked not to be identified said earlier that the three attackers were wearing Muslim dress. "This is terrorism, they were definitely on a mission," he said. A witness named Saumu said "the women were shouting saying God Is Great, Allahu Akbar ... then one of them threw something at the cops and that's when I ran away." Kenya has been regularly targeted by the Somalia-based Shabaab, East Africa's long-time Al-Qaeda branch. The group is fighting to overthrow the internationally-backed government in Mogadishu which is protected by 22,000 African Union troops, including Kenyan soldiers. The Somali-led insurgents have staged repeated attacks in Kenya, including the killing of at least 67 people at Nairobi's Westgate Mall in 2013 and the massacre of 148 people at a university in Garissa in April 2015. Limited access to financing for investment in the fertilizer sector has been blamed for the fertilizer value chain in West Africa. Based on this backdrop, a workshop on Financial Mechanisms for the Fertilizer Value Chain in West Africa Validation has been held to find a lasting solution to these bottlenecks. The workshop under the auspices of USAID West Africa Fertilizer Program (WAFP), in collaboration with ECOWAS on the theme: Vetting of Existing Financial Models Suitable for the Fertilizer Value Chain in ECOWAS brought together 60 delegates from regional fertilizer companies and leading financial institutions in West Africa. Additional participants included high-level officials from ECOWAS and USAID. Presentations and discussions at this workshop centered on how to promote access to financing on a platform that is accessible to all stakeholders in the West Africa fertilizer value chain, and to vet the adapted financial models. Speaking at the event, Chief Compliance Officer, African Fertilizer and Agribusiness Partnership (AFAP), Cecilia Khupe cited poor awareness of available financing options, scarcity of guaranteed funds for fertilizer investments as some of the challenges faced by fertilizer stakeholders in the sub-region. She indicated that, as part of its responsibilities under WAFP, the Africa Fertilizer and Agribusiness Partnership (AFAP) has collected and compiled four (4) proven agricultural financing models used in Africa and elsewhere, that have been modified and adapted to help solve access to financing on working capital challenges and enable increases in the fertilizer trade across West Africa. The purpose of the Workshop is to validate (positively or negatively) the cases and select those financial models, which will be most adaptable to fertilizer in the ECOWAS region, the WAFP said. At the end of the workshop, Cecilia Khupe they hope to increase productivity and revenue for those in the fertilizer business and the smallholder famers across the sub-region. Story by Ghana/Nhyira FM/ Akosua Addai Vice President Paa Kwesi Amissah Arthur says NPP Vice-presidential candidate failed to demonstrate an understanding of basic economics when he delivered a lecture castigating government for its failed economic policies. He said Bawumia got it very wrong when he claimed that government has strangled economic growth because it pays huge interests on loans than it invests in the economy. At an economic lecture organised last week Thursday, the former deputy Governor of the Bank of Ghana, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia accused government of recklessly mismanaging the nations economy. In a bashing spree, Bawumia said that economic data from 2014 to date shows that interest payments have now incredibly exceeded infrastructure expenditure. How can an economy be on an upward growth path when interest payments exceed infrastructure expenditure? he jabbed and called on Ghanaians to vote out the governing NDC during the December general elections. Providing a response to this claim, Paa Kwesi Amissah Arthur who is a former Governor of the Bank of Ghana explained that paying interest on a loan used to construct social infrastructure is in itself a capital expenditure. There is no way you are paying interest for nothing at all. You pay interest only for projects you have borrowed money for. So how can you say we paid interest more than expenditure? It is that capital expenditure money that you are paying as interest. Speaking at Ashaiman during the launch of Greater Accra Zonal Campaign team Sunday, Amissah Arthur criticised Bawumia for failing to understand a simple concept. This one it is a simple thing that we learn in primary school. I dont see how people who have qualification cannot understand that simple concept, he said. 11.09.2016 LISTEN By Philip Tengzu, GNA Wa, Sept. 11, GNA - Concern Universal Ghana, a United Kingdom International Development Charity, has donated some post-harvest farm equipment to 30 famers' groups and off-takers in the Upper West and Upper East Regions. The equipment, valued at about GH140,000.00, include five multi-crop threshers, weighing scales, 42 tarpaulins and 150 wooden pallets. With funding from the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), the charity body acquired the machinery to assist farmers to improve the quality of grains to attract buyers and consumers to enhance their incomes, while promoting food security. Presenting the equipment at a ceremony, in Wa, Madam Antoinette Addo, the Project Manager for the Sorghum Value Chain Project, said the project was a multi-stakeholder one, which began in January 2014. It aims at developing resilient livelihoods for small-holder sorghum farmers. She said for the past two years, a total of 10,000 metric-tonnes of sorghum, valued at 14 million Ghana Cedis, had been delivered to the Guinness Ghana Breweries Limited, one of the major markets of the project. She explained that the project had carried out many capacity building activities for sorghum farmers on improved production techniques, post-harvest handling and access to improved seeds, among others, which had benefited about 11,000 farmers. The farmers have been linked to aggregators of the Breweries to help them access ready markets for the produce. Madam Addo expressed the hope that the items would help farmers to produce quality grains and help mitigate the post-harvest challenges. She encouraged the beneficiaries to put the equipment to good use to improve the living standards of the actors within the sorghum value chain. Mr. Anthony Poore, the Managing Director of Agriaccess Ghana Limited, who received the items on behalf of the beneficiaries, thanked Concern Universal, saying the equipment had come at the right time, which would improve production, facilitate threshing and increase supply. Mr. Francis Benyogpuo Pinto, a beneficiary from Wa East District, expressed gratitude to their benefactor, saying the assistance would enhance production and improve threshing. 'Our grains will now be of quality,' he said. 'We will no longer have stones and sand mixed in our grains, which used to be a hindrance to buyers and consumers. 'Many farmers, hitherto, had been threshing grains by the traditional method of using stick on the floor, and this does not only make our grains look unattractive, but also the process is tiring and time wasting.' Mr. Pinto said the provision of the machinery would, therefore, encourage farmers to produce on large scales. GNA By Awudu Salami, GNA Accra, Sept. 11, GNA - The American Embassy has donated food items including rice, cooking oil and ram to the office of the National Chief Imam towards the celebration of the Eid-al Adha. Muslims across the world will be celebrating the festival, also known as the Feast of Sacrifice, on Monday, September 12. It is one of the holiest celebrations on the Islamic calendar. In Ghana, the National Chief Imam is expected to lead the national prayers at the Black Star Square in Accra. Presenting the items, Mr Rustum Nyquist, a Political Officer at the Embassy, expressed joy over the cordial relationship existing between the Embassy and the office of the National Chief Imam. He commended the various religious groups in the country for living in harmony and urged them to maintain it. He said the Embassy would continue to collaborate with the leadership of the Muslim Community to promote development. For his part, the Personal Assistant to the National Chief Imam, Alhaji Khuzaima Mohammed Osman, commended the Embassy for the donation. He said the office of the National Chief Imam would continue to dialogue with the Embassy to create opportunities for deprived communities. He expressed the hope that their relationship would continue to be deepened to promote the development of the country. Eid al Adha marks a reminder of the time in which Ibrahim (Abraham) was about to sacrifice his son but was told by God to sacrifice an animal instead. The celebration symbolises Ibrahim's devotion to Allah. Muslims start out the day with a morning prayer, and then exchange gifts as they are required to share their food and money with the poor so they could also take part in the celebrations. Worshippers usually slaughter sheep or goats. Eid Al Adha also represents the end of Hajj, an annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia. The Quran recommends that Muslims make the journey at least once in their lifetime. GNA Accra, Sept. 11, GNA - The Reverend Raphael Mac Attih, the Synod Clerk of The Global Evangelical Church, has appealed to Ghanaians, especially Christians, to make discipline their hallmark and desist from chasing excessive deliverance sessions. He said indiscipline had taken the better part of most people, compelling them to focus on numerous deliverance services at the expense of working on themselves for their breakthroughs. Rev. Attih was speaking at the 2016 Triennial National Rally of the Global Evangelical Church Choirs' Union, held at Kpando in the Volta Region, on the theme: 'Radiating God's Kingdom on earth, choristers in perspective.' The Synod Clerk said physical discipline for instance, would help an individual to eat healthily, exercise regularly and generally live healthy lifestyles, which required no help from spiritual leaders. Moral uprightness, he said, would prevent one from indulging in sexual immorality and other related vices thereby ensuring Christians to radiate God's type of life. Rev. Attih noted that financial indiscipline had eaten deep into the fabric of most Ghanaians and the lack of financial prudence had caused some people to live beyond their means. He said some people spent their business profits and capital, thereby collapsing their trades; others stole from their employers resulting in their loss of jobs, and asked, 'With these, do we need deliverance or discipline?' Rev. Attih condemned the actions of Christians who practised their piety before men in order to be seen by them. 'It is only those who have been tested and been found faithful in the secret that God will approve in the open,' he said. 'May you heed these great warnings of Jesus Christ and escape from the caravan of empty religion,' he advised. A new set of National Executives were elected to steer the affairs of the Union for the next three years. They are: Ferdinand Abodakpi, President; Richard Amenuveve, Vice President; Samuel Kwadzo, Secretary; Bright Alukutu, Assistant Secretary and Joyce Buamah, Treasurer. The rest are: Ephraim Tsifodze, Financial Secretary; Isaac Tiase, Organising Secretary; Janet Sorkpor, Choir Mother; Williams Tamekloe, Choirmaster; Shine Nuworti, Assistant Choirmaster; Timothy Nortsu, Advisor and Rev. M.S.K. Lanyo, National Coordinator. Mr. Ferdinand Abodakpi, the National President, announced that plans were underway to set up an ultra-modern recording studio for the Union, adding that audio and video tape shops would be opened in vantage towns and cities to offer employment to members, while boosting the Union's finances. GNA By Bajin D. Pobia, GNA Wa, September 11, GNA - The Upper West Regional Minister, Alhaji Amidu Sulemana, has appealed to Community Police Assistants to work with zeal and a sense of security consciousness to identify criminals in their communities. 'The purpose for which you are employed must not be unproductive but beneficial to the people and the Government,' he said. He, therefore, urged them to go into the rural communities where armed robberies, burglary and cattle rustling, among other crimes, were ongoing and identify the criminals and report to the Police. Alhaji Sulemana made the appeal when he presented 40 bicycles, on behalf of the Wa Municipal Youth Employment Agency (YEA), to the Community Police Assistants to help facilitate their operations in the Municipality. The 40 are part of the Wa Municipal YEA's share of the 187 bicycles received from the headquarters in Accra for distribution to the Community Police Assistants in the Region. The Regional Minister noted that several communities were faced with security concerns and threats, especially in the areas of armed robbery and cattle rustling, and tasked the personnel of the Community Police to help secure those communities from criminal activities. 'With the bicycles you would be able to reach out to difficult to reach communities where cars and motorcycles cannot go and detect criminals; and you must not fail the Regional Police Command, which is working assiduously to reduce crime, he advised. Alhaji Sulemana appealed to traditional rulers and other stakeholders in the communities to cooperate with the Police Assistants operating in their communities. He called on public spirited individuals to also support them with means of transport and other logistics to enhance their operations. Mr. Saani Nurideen, the Upper West Regional Coordinator of YEA, said the Agency had employed 3,000 youth into some of its modules as at September, this year, and it was expecting the figure to hit 8,000 by the end of 2016. He gave the assurance that the payment of salaries of YEA's employees would no longer be a challenge with the enactment of Act 887, which spelt out clearly that salaries would now come from the Consolidated Fund. GNA We attempted to send a notification to your email address but we were unable to verify that you provided a valid email address. Please click here to update your email address if you wish to receive notifications. Otherwise, you may click here to disable notifications and hide this message. Stacy Lonnberg said she slept for five hours, drank a Bloody Mary and popped an oxycodone on an empty stomach Jan. 14 before getting behind the wheel of her familys Toyota Tacoma pickup. Less than an hour later, the allegedly drunken 51-year-old Gilroy woman zipped to speeds 20 mph above posted limits, sideswiped another vehicle while trying to change lanes and rolled her pickup on Highway 85 in Los Gatos, killing her husband and daughter, according to court documents. When a California Highway Patrol officer told Lonnberg that her daughter 26-year-old Tiffiny Gillette had been ejected from the car because she wasnt wearing a seat belt, Lonnberg replied, Well, thats her fault, and appeared more concerned over who would feed her cats and horses while she was in custody than the fate of her daughter and husband, 57-year-old Fred Lonnberg, according to those same documents. Lonnberg, whos been charged with murder by the Santa Clara County District Attorneys Office, seemed unremorseful following the wreck, and had glassy eyes, a sleepy demeanor and smelled strongly of alcohol, a CHP report states. She failed a field sobriety test and told officers she was just tired from taking the oxycodone a strong, relaxing pain reliever she uses to treat back pain, according to the report. Oxycodone can cause drowsiness, and when mixed with alcohol, dangerous side effects can occur, including confusion and dizzyness, according to the National Center for Biotechonolgy Information. Lonnbergs blood-alcohol content measured twice the legal limit at 0.16, according to a source with knowledge of the case. In 2005, Lonnberg pleaded no contest to reckless driving involving alcohol in San Mateo County and was sentenced to 24 months probation, according to court records. On Jan. 14, Lonnberg told officers she drank just one Bloody Mary which contains vodka between 11 a.m. and noon and took an oxycodone pill around 3 p.m. before leaving Gilroy. The fatal wreck was reported north of Winchester Boulevard on northbound Highway 85 at 3:45 p.m., according to the CHP. One witness traveling in another vehicle at the time of the accident told the CHP his reaction was, This guy is suicidal, when Lonnbergs pickup zoomed by at an estimated 80 to 85 mph, according to court documents. The posted speed limit is 65 mph. Lonnberg was driving in the center lane of the three-lane highway when the witness told the CHP he saw her jerk rapidly towards the right, causing her vehicle to sideswipe a Chevrolet Silverado pickup in the right-hand lane before rolling multiple times and coming to rest on its wheels. The driver of the Silverado, who was not injured, told the CHP he never saw Lonnbergs pickup until he heard and felt a collision to the left side. As he moved to the right shoulder he saw Lonnberg swerve back toward the center and left-hand lanes, then attempt to turn back to the right before the pickup started rolling, according to court documents. The man said he immediately dialed 9-1-1. Ten witnesses gave statements to the CHP, including an off-duty paramedic, an off-duty nurse and two former lifeguards, all who stopped and attempted to provide medical aid until emergency crews arrived, according to court documents. Lonnberg suffered bruising on her chest and shoulder, according to a CHP report. The report states she and her family were headed to Belmont that Saturday afternoon. No reason for the trip was given. Its a horrific tragedy. And our investigations continuing, said Deputy District Attorney Matthew Braker, who is prosecuting the case. We look forward to presenting our evidence at the preliminary hearing. The preliminary hearing, held to determine whether theres enough evidence to send a case to trial, will take place hopefully sometime in the next four months. Lonnberg is charged with two counts of murder and one count of child endangerment, the latter stemming from the fact her 3-year-old grandson was in the pickup at the time of the crash. Gillettes young son suffered minor scrapes to his hands and feet, according to the CHPs report. Lonnberg is due in court Feb. 23 in San Jose to enter a plea. The District Attorneys office originally charged Lonnberg with manslaughter, and she bailed out of jail four days after the accident, according to the Santa Clara County Sheriffs Office. Lonnberg, re-arrested after prosecutors upped the charges to murder Jan. 25, remains in custody without bail, District Attorney spokeswoman Lisa McCrary said. Braker wouldnt comment on whether Lonnberg had previous DUI convictions because the prosecutions investigation is ongoing. Lonnbergs brother, 49-year-old Montana resident Cody Fuchs, said his sister did wrong, and that he misses his brother-in-law and niece. But family members are still offering support for Lonnberg, he said. She did something stupid. But shes got families that love her to death, Fuchs said Wednesday via telephone. Were going to stick behind her 110 percent. Shes family. Blood is thicker than water. My sister was a mother and a wife. And she lost her husband and her daughter, he added. Fuchs described his sister as a hellacious artist, with a wide vocal range and talent to play multiple instruments. He said she had plans to begin recording some of her songs. And then, oh my God, I cant believe this happened, Fuchs said. Fuchs says hell consider taking a trip to the Santa Clara County jail in San Jose, where his sister is in custody, to speak to her for the first time since the Jan. 14 wreck. I want to go, and I need to go, he said. Fuchs said he and members of Lonnbergs extended family had planned to visit the Bay Area this summer to see his sister, brother-in-law and niece, but, thats sort of out of the situation now. Now were just trying to keep everything else in line. Editors note: The story below originally ran in The News Herald on Sept. 11, 2002. The News Herald talked to Eric Cranfords mother and father, Betsy and Fred Cranford, nearly a year after his death for the story. Fred Cranford died in March 2007 and Betsy Cranford died Jan. 26. DREXEL Fred and Betsy Cranford went to Hickory for a doctors appointment on the morning of Sept. 11, 2001, not realizing that by the end of the day, their lives and the lives of other Americans would never be the same. It was the day terrorists hijacked four airplanes, incinerated the Twin Towers, and destroyed part of what was thought to be an impenetrable fortress the Pentagon. It was the day Americans found out the U.S. was vulnerable to terrorists. And through it all, the Cranfords were dealing with the unfolding events on a most personal level it was the day the Cranfords son was killed. Drexel native Navy Lt. Cmdr. Eric Allen Cranford was working in the Pentagon as a knowledge analyst. He had just finished a three-year tour in the Persian Gulf and came back to the U.S. to serve out another three-year stint on the West side of the Pentagon. Ironically, he came back home to the safety of the Pentagon, Fred said. The Cranfords listened closely to the radio for news any kind of news. As soon as they got home, they started calling Erics wife, Emily, in Washington. Emily, though, also had heard the news and was frantically trying to call Eric at the Pentagon. We knew that if there was any possible way to get in touch with Emily or us, he would have, Betsy said. So by the afternoon, the Cranfords had made the decision to be with Emily. They arrived in Washington around 1:30 a.m. There was one hospital where they werent releasing names, so the hope was that he was there, Betsy said. But the hope began fading when a U.S. Navy chaplain, a lieutenant from the Navy who had been assigned to Emily, and a lieutenant who had been training with Eric, showed up early on Sept. 12 at the condominium where Eric and Emily lived. One of the men read a formal statement saying Eric was missing. Then the wait began. A week later, the chaplain and the two lieutenants returned to read another statement this one confirming the familys worst fears. Eric was among those killed when the hijacked American Airlines Flight 77 crashed into the Pentagon at 9:40 a.m. Grief warred with frustration as the family waited for Erics body to be released. The Cranfords didnt receive any information for more than a week about when Erics body would be released for burial. It didnt make any sense at the time, Fred said. Fred kept pushing for a release date and finally had to threaten to contact Sen. Jesse Helms. They were told the next day there was no body to be released. Stunned, the family faced deciding what to do next a decision taken out of their hands by Eric. Eric and Emily had often visited Arlington National Cemetery, and he had said if he ever gave his life for his country, he would like to be buried in Arlington, Betsy said. And so 32-year-old Lt. Cmdr. Eric Cranford was laid to rest on Oct. 21, 2001, with full military honors alongside others who have served this country proudly and honorably. The Cranfords said they were amazed at the number of people who came from Drexel for Erics funeral in Washington. Eric was a modest guy, and he would be overwhelmed by all the support, Betsy said. We were so lifted up by the support we received, Fred said. The Cranfords figure they have received more than 1,000 cards of support and in sympathy. The messages from children provide the greatest balm I think, Fred said. Perhaps the most unusual show of support came from a man in New Mexico. The Cranfords received a phone call from Paul Wilson in Albuquerque on Dec. 21 Erics birthday and his wedding anniversary. Wilson had gotten Erics name from his churchs prayer list. He wanted to know something about the person he was praying for. Wilson chose someone who had worked at the Pentagon because he was retired from the military and he, like Eric, had been a helicopter pilot. He had graduated from the Naval Academy the year Eric was born 1968 and retired from the military the same year Eric was commissioned in the Navy. Wilson not only prays for Eric, but he keeps a picture of him on his desk and stays in contact with the Cranfords. For Wilson, as for many, Eric has become more than a name of someone killed in the terrorist attacks. He has become a son, a husband, a friend. Wilson found out Eric loved learning, was active in his church, was an Eagle Scout and received a Naval ROTC scholarship to N.C. State. It means a lot that his name will be remembered, Fred said. But we would rather he be3 remembered for the way he lived than how he died. The Cranfords neighbors presented the couple with an American flag, encased in glass, that was flown over the U.S. Capitol on Sept. 26 in Erics honor. It now hangs in the living room of the couples home. A scholarship in Erics name has been established at the University of Maryland, where he was working on his masters degree, and the Cranfords established a scholarship in their sons name at North Carolina State University, where he received his bachelors degree. The Cranfords now wear silver bracelets, similar to the MIA bracelets for Vietnam soldiers. The bracelets are being sold throughout the country. All these things help but they dont bring him back, Betsy said. The Cranfords left Saturday for Washington, to attend a special ceremony at the Smithsonian for families of victims of the attacks. As they remember the tragic day their son was lost and mourn the life that was cut short, tears quietly come and go. Fred wiped his eyes with a tissue and said softly, The tears come easily but were not ashamed. Pemex expected oil majors to line up for a historic chance to help it tap the giant Perdido reserves in ultra-deep waters of the Gulf of Mexico. So far sign-ups for an auction have only trickled in. Days before the Sept. 5 deadline to begin the bidding process to join Petroleos Mexicanoss first oil production joint venture since ending more than seven decades of state monopoly, Chevron, BP and Total were the only big oil producers among the five companies that had enrolled as of Thursday, according to data on the oil regulators website. Exxon Mobil was added to the list Friday, while Royal Dutch Shell and Anadarko Petroleum, which have paid for access to the fields seismic data, still arent among pre-qualified bidders. Being the state oil company in a country where the industry is still mostly a government affair comes with many benefits, but thats exactly what may be scaring away investors. The joint operating agreement, or JOA, drafted by the Mexican government may expose Pemexs partners to excessive environmental risks in a challenging area of the Gulf, while Pemex retains a large role in the decision-making, analysts said. That might explain the tepid demand. The JOA is much more conflict-ridden than it is cooperation-prone, John Padilla, managing director of energy consulting firm IPD Latin America, said in a phone interview. Companies also have expressed concerns with the minimum $464 million theyll have to put in to cover their share in investments Pemex has already made, and that the agreement will be governed by Mexican law, which lacks clarity in regards to joint venture regulation, he said. Extreme depth The winning bidders will partner with Pemex to develop the Trion field, located 25 miles from shore on the Mexican side of the Perdido belt that straddles the maritime border with the U.S. The field is estimated to contain as much as 485 million barrels of oil equivalent in waters as deep as 8,200 feet, according to Pemex. Shell, which operates fields on the U.S. side of the area, describes its Perdido oil and gas production and drilling platform as the deepest in the world, coping with challenges such as extreme water depth, rugged sea-floor terrain and low-temperature, low-pressure reservoirs in a new geological frontier, according to its website. Mexico estimates its side of the Perdido belt may contain as many as 10 billion barrels of potential crude reserves. Seventy-six percent of the countrys prospective resources are located in the deep waters of the Gulf, according the energy ministry. Sovereign immunity The JOA for Trion can be modified until Sept. 30. It currently calls for at least two operating partners while Pemex, which controls almost all of the countrys oil production, distribution and refining industry, maintains as much as a 45 percent stake in the field. But when it comes to the risks, the agreement could put the burden mainly on operators as it would give Pemex the opportunity to invoke sovereign immunity, meaning it could be absolved of responsibility in the case of an oil spill or other incidents, according to George Baker, analyst and publisher of Mexico Energy Intelligence. If there were an incident, and if that incident came to U.S. courts, Pemex could walk away from it, Baker said in a telephone interview from Houston. The terms of the JOA proposed by Mexico expose Pemexs operating partners to more risk than similar types of contracts usually do, according to Steven Otillar, a partner at Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld who has acted as an adviser to energy companies in Mexico. Theres greater exposure for an operator, as opposed to non-operators, under this form of JOA than you might typically see in a deep-water development in another emerging market, he said. Pemex, in an emailed response to questions, said the idea that the terms of the JOA arent favorable is debatable because the text, aside from some local adjustments, is standard. Mexico is having better luck with a Dec. 5 auction of 10 deep-water oil blocks that will allow international producers to bid as groups to develop the fields from scratch, without having to partner with Pemex. A total of 26 companies have qualified to bid for those prospects, including Exxon, Shell and Chevron. There is clearly less interest in the Pemex farm-out than in the accompanying Dec. 5 bid round, Sergio Pimentel, a member of Mexicos Nation Hydrocarbons Commission, said in an Aug. 29 webcast session. Deadline extended The commission voted during that session to extend the period for companies to request to qualify to bid until Sept. 5. To date, a total of 10 companies have registered to access Trions seismic data. The other two companies that signed up are Australian mining giant BHP Billiton Ltd. and Japans Inpex Corp., but being on the list of pre-qualified bidders doesnt mean theyll necessarily bid. The announcement of the results is slated for Dec. 5, the same day as the next auction. Pemex, which has seen its oil output fall for 11 straight years, has lauded the joint venture in the Trion field as a remedy to reverse the companys mounting financial woes. The company said as much as $11 billion in investment is required to develop Trion. Some producers may wait until Mexicos overhaul of the oil industrys regulations provides further assurance before they commit to a partnership like Trion. You might see parties that wont participate in the early years of the reform until there is more case law and certainty in the contractual details, Otillar said. But that just means there will be opportunities for companies willing to take a more aggressive position. Houston-based Baker Hughes is cutting employee pay for many U.S. workers by 5 percent through a new furlough program to reduce costs and lessen the need for additional job reductions. The pay cuts, which Baker Hughes described as temporary, will stretch from the pay period beginning Sept. 11 through the final paycheck of the year. In exchange for the pay cut, employees will get holidays on Oct. 10, Nov. 23, Dec. 23 and Dec. 28, according to an internal memo acquired by the Houston Chronicle. The memo said the furlough program is designed to help Baker Hughes reduce the need for additional layoffs and to achieve the cost savings needed to enable profitable growth. Among those excluded from the pay cuts are some top executives and other global operations employees in the United States; many employees in chemicals operations; some human resources workers; many sales people; and corporate security and information technology workers, among others. Most leadership is included in the furlough, according to the memo. Baker Hughes spokeswoman Melanie Kania said in a prepared statement, These efforts will allow us to lessen the need for additional workforce reductions while remaining focused on serving customers and maintaining safe, compliant operations. Baker Hughes, the worlds third largest energy services company, cut about 3,000 jobs in the second quarter, bringing the total jobs eliminated over the past 18 months to 26,000, including 23,000 through layoffs and and 3,000 via attrition. Baker Hughes previously eliminated 2,000 jobs in the first quarter and 18,000 last year. Baker Hughes employs about 36,000 people globally now, down from more than 62,000 employees before the oil bust began in late 2014. The last local headcount provided by Baker Hughes was about 5,700, but that was before the second-quarter cutbacks. Baker Hughes, posted a second-quarter loss of more than $900 million despite receiving a $3.5 billion breakup fee check from Halliburton after the companies were unable to complete a merger in the face of opposition for U.S. antitrust officials. The companies merger agreement was allowed to expire at the end of April. Like other energy services companies, Baker Hughes has been battered by the oil downturn. But unlike his counterparts, Baker Hughes CEO Martin Craighead sounded more pessimistic about the direction of the industry during a call with analysts at the end of July. I dont subscribe to the hopeful commentary that gets thrown around a lot, Craighead said at the time. We dont expect to see a meaningful recovery in the second half of the year. In the wake of the failed merger, Baker Hughes, is refocusing on technology and equipment sales, with the idea of putting fewer boots on the ground in the oil patch. Back in May, the company said it planned to reduce its annual costs by $500 million by the end of the year. More recently, executives confirmed the third quarter of the year would see a strong focus on additional costs cutting. When it comes to natural gas, Exxon Mobil believes in playing the long game. As competitors continue to flood the world market with a liquefied form of the fuel, depressing prices, Exxon is heeding the advice of forecasters scanning a quarter-century beyond the current glut. Their view: LNG demand will rise 1.6 percent a year through 2040, more than double the rate for crude oil. With much of that growth set to come from the Asia-Pacific region, the worlds biggest energy producer is working to bookend the area with resources, pursuing promising but as-yet untapped natural gas fields in Papua New Guinea and Mozambique that wont produce for years. Its a strategy that stands in stark contrast to Royal Dutch Shells takeover of BG Group, an established producer that promises to quickly swell Shells LNG exports, even as prices remain low. Exxon has a different strategy in that its not looking to grow its gas business right now but is looking at what will happen in LNG 10 or 15 years from now, said Brian Hennessey, who manages $1.3 billion at Alpine Woods Capital Investors. The markets going to get tight starting in 2020. The influx of LNG from gigantic projects first conceived a decade ago has swamped markets with excess supply, dropping the average worldwide price by 37 percent last year to $9.77 per million British thermal units, according to the International Gas Union. In Japan, the worlds biggest LNG market, the price of cargoes from Qatar tumbled 70 percent in two years to $4.93 per million Btu. Spot LNG in Singapore fell 1.3% on Thursday to $5.187 per million British thermal units, according to Singapore Exchange. But the glut may be short-lived as low prices spur new buyers to enter the market and the advent of low-cost import facilities enables poorer nations to receive cargoes. Exxon spokesman Scott Silvestri referred to Vice President Jeff Woodburys remarks on long-term gas demand during a July conference call. Like any type of commodity, Woodbury said, there are going to be periods of oversupply and periods of shortness, and we do expect that into the early part of the next decade that there will be some oversupply. But we keep focused on the long-term value proposition. While internal projections used by Exxon to guide their investments show a clear picture of rising demand, forecasters at the U.S. Energy Information Administration are even more bullish. They predict demand will rise an average 1.9 percent annually through 2040. Bidding War That tidal wave of demand will overwhelm available supplies and pit major importing nations in a bidding war for LNG cargoes as soon as the early 2020s, said Fred Beach, assistant director for policy studies at the University of Texas Energy Institute, in a telephone interview. Consensus is that the LNG market will be over-supplied for the next 5+ years, wrote Anish Kapadia, managing director at Tudor Pickering Holt & Co. in London, in a note to clients on Wednesday. However, there is the potential for the market to tighten around the end of the decade as we see downside risks to supply and upside risks to demand. In July, Exxon agreed to pay between $2.3 billion and $3.6 billion for InterOils Papua New Guinea finds, and is in talks to buy stakes in the fields in Mozambique. The final value of the stock-and-cash agreement with InterOil, expected to close within weeks, depends on how large the natural gas reserves prove to be. More drilling is required to figure that out, as well as the optimal locations for production wells that can eventually produce natural gas for export. The Mozambique assets are in a similar state of nascent development. The InterOil transaction will be Exxons biggest acquisition since a 2009-2013 spree in which the company acquired multiple North American gas drillers, including the $35 billion buyout of XTO Energy. That foray has yet to pay off. In the six years since the XTO transaction closed, U.S. gas prices have fallen 40 percent. Within 24 months of the biggest deal of his career, Exxon Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Rex Tillerson told a Council on Foreign Relations gathering that he and fellow gas producers were all losing our shirts. Although Tillerson sold the XTO deal as a way to bring shale-drilling expertise into Exxon, the transaction loaded the company with massive amounts of gas production just when prices were in retreat. Every year since then, the company has cut U.S. gas production, reducing output by 20 percent in the past half decade. Slamming on the brakes Exxons long-term approach has also meant slamming the brakes on projects that are moving too fast. Last week, the company told Alaska lawmakers its quitting an LNG project in that state because its leaders want Exxon and its partners, BP and ConocoPhillips, to spend money on engineering and design work even though a fiscal agreement for the development hasnt been finalized. Bill McMahon, Exxons senior commercial adviser on the project, told an Alaskan legislative panel on Aug. 25 that the company will hand control of the project to the state by the end of the year. Tillersons new LNG strategy included a meeting with Mozambique President Filipe Nyusi in the capital city of Maputo in July to discuss acquiring a stake in Enis offshore gas holdings, according to a person with knowledge of the talks. Exxon is also talking to Anadarko Petroleum Corp. about buying into a nearby discovery beneath a part of the seafloor known as the Rovuma Basin. Exxons newest push is definitely a long gas play, said Thomas McNulty, an analyst at Navigant Consulting in Houston. Even though demand has weakened in markets like China, Japan and South Korea in the near term, the long-term view is that demand will recover and be strong in that part of the world. WTGS sets September meeting Members of the West Texas Geological Society will meet September 13 in the upstairs ballroom of Midland Country Club beginning at 11:30 a.m. John A. Brett, III from Brett Exploration LLC, will present Theory, Application, Discovery: From OCGS Talk to Drilling to Production! - Application of an OCGS Presentation Results in Economic Production. Cost is $20 with reservation, $30 at the door, including lunch. Reservations may be made by calling 683-1573 or by email at wtgs@wtgs.org. Online registration is also available at www.wtgs.org and clicking on the Events tab. Pioneer closes Midland Basin acquisition DALLAS Pioneer Natural Resources Company has closed the previously announced acquisition of approximately 28,000 net acres in the Midland Basin from Devon Energy for $435 million, before normal closing adjustments. The acquired acreage is located in Martin, Midland, Upton, Reagan, Glasscock, Andrews, Dawson, Gaines and Howard counties. Current net production is approximately 1,400 barrels of oil equivalent per day, with oil comprising approximately 65 percent of the production. Substantially all of the acreage is held by production. Substantially all of the 28,000 net acres is located in the core of the Midland Basin, with significant portions of the acreage acquired offsetting existing Pioneer acreage. Of the core acreage acquired, approximately 15,000 net acres are located in the Sale Ranch area in Martin County and northern Midland County where Pioneer has drilled its most productive Wolfcamp B wells. Pioneer expects to utilize three horizontal rigs to drill the newly added Sale Ranch area locations. The company will immediately begin the title work, permitting process and facility construction in preparation for the expected initial production from these locations during the first half of 2017. Third generation gains stake in Watson Grinding HOUSTON Kelly L. Watson has gained a stake in Watson Grinding & Manufacturing and Watson Valve Services Inc. She is the second of two third generation family-member shareholders, preceded by her cousin and future partner, Jason White. Watson Grinding was founded as a small specialty grinding shop in 1960 by James L. Watson. Over the years, the company grew to include a full-scale machine shop and to offer specialty thermal spray coatings. Watson Grinding has always been a family business, and today the company is owned and operated by the founders son, John Watson; son-in-law, Bob White; grandson, Jason White; and now, granddaughter, Kelly Watson. OTA expands environmental department Luis Vasquez has joined OTA Compression as the second member of its environmental department. Vasquez is an environmental specialist with years of experience in O&G Air Permitting, Emission Inventory (EI), Toxic Release Inventories (TRI), Tier II Reporting, and Spill Prevention, Controls, and Countermeasures (SPCC). D&L Oil Tools granted API certification, license TULSA D&L Oil Tools, a company that provides downhole tools to both domestic and international oil exploration markets and is active in the Permian Basin, announces that its Quality Management System has been granted API Q1 certification from the American Petroleum Institute (API). Additionally, D&L has been awarded an 11D1 Monogram License for Packers and Bridge Plugs. This certifies that D&L lives up to the highest standards in quality management and manufacturing. Only two independent manufacturers in the U.S. have earned this distinction for both Packers and Bridge Plugs. The API certification process began more than two years ago when D&L Oil Tools submitted applications for the two certifications. The process, which incorporates all employees and involves several on-site audits, verifies that the D&L facility and quality management system met the program requirements. As part of the certification process, licensees are required to maintain the capabilities, including the resources, processes and technology, to manufacture products that fall within the scope of licensing. ARB Midstream acquires Platte River gathering system DENVER ARB Midstream LLC, an energy midstream, logistics and marketing company, has acquired a controlling interest in the Platte River Gathering System from Rimrock Midstream Holdings LLC. The PRG system provides gathering for crude oil production in the heart of the prolific Denver-Julesburg Basin, which is home to the Niobrara and Wattenberg plays in Weld County, Colorado. The system is backed by multiple long-term producer commitments, and started transporting crude oil in April 2016. PRG is capable of moving up to 157,000 b/d and includes over 40 miles of crude oil gathering lines, truck unloading at the Lucerne Hub, and planned storage capacity of up to 600,000 barrels. PRG delivers to the Grand Mesa Pipeline, which delivers barrels to Cushing, Oklahoma. Lucid Energy Group II acquires Agave Energy DALLAS Midstream provider Lucid Energy Group II LLC announced that subsidiaries of the company have closed on the purchase of certain assets of Agave Energy Company and the acquisition of all of the outstanding stock of Agave Energy Holdings Inc. Agave owns and operates natural gas gathering and processing assets in the Delaware Basin of southeastern New Mexico and the Powder River Basin of eastern Wyoming. Lucid II was formed in December 2015 by the team that leads its successful predecessor company, Lucid Energy Group LLC. Lucid I currently operates a large gathering and processing footprint in the Midland Basin, serving more than 30 customers across nine counties in West Texas. As a result of this transaction, the combined Lucid companies are the largest privately held natural gas processor working in the Permian Basin, with 660 million cubic feet of natural gas processing capacity and more than 3,300 miles of pipeline in operation. Lucid I and Lucid II are supported by equity capital commitments of over $850 million in the aggregate from EnCap Flatrock Midstream. Agaves high-growth assets are located primarily in Eddy and Lea counties in New Mexico and include 280 million cubic feet of natural gas processing capacity, more than 1,300 miles of gas gathering pipeline and over 60,000 horsepower of compression. Lucid II plans to expand Agaves pipeline footprint by adding new infrastructure in the near term, including a new 200 MMcf/d cryogenic processing plant at Agaves Red Hills natural gas processing complex in Lea County. Construction of the new plant already has begun, and Lucid expects to commission the new plant in mid-2017. All of Agaves approximately 160 employees will remain with the company at closing. During the last few months, the community of Midland has been presented with data that shows that our public schools are not producing the quality education that we want for our most precious natural resource - our children. Even worse, many of us have been uninvolved when it comes to our public school system. We have left the teachers, principals and administration to address the needs of our kids the best way they can with little support from the community. Things are beginning to change. It has been exciting to see the energy and interest growing among parents as well as other interested community members. Many are identifying how they can use their gifts and talents to help students. They are beginning to organize volunteers and roll up their sleeves, ready to do whatever is necessary to help our kids. Perhaps the most important piece of the puzzle of local education improvement is the MISD school board. We can propose all the wonderful ideas in the world but if we do not have school board trustees who are dedicated to putting Midland students first, our community efforts are doomed to fail. Four of the seven school board seats will be up for election on Nov. 8. Of those four, three will be contested elections. Our seven school board trustees are charged with governance of the school district. This means that they determine the vision and goals of MISD, monitor effectiveness of the education being provided, approve a complex budget of over $230 million and communicate with the community. They will recruit and hire a new superintendent who will lead the school district through the challenges we currently face. The lack of community involvement has been evident at the ballot box. Voter turnout has been very poor. This too must change. Election of school board members is perhaps the most impactful tool that we community members have to improve the quality of our students education. The make-up of the school board will determine the direction of the school district for years to come. Our seven representatives will make decisions that will have long-term effects for kids currently in MISD, those Midland children now in their infancy, and the children of employees being recruited to move to Midland. Not only must we participate actively in this election but also we must be sure those elected school board trustees continue to be engaged and dedicated to academic improvement. Recognizing the importance of the school board in the transformation of MISD, a growing group of concerned citizens and parents has organized a political action committee called Midland Students First. We are dedicated to supporting, and electing great school board leaders for MISD. We believe that Midland kids should have access to a great public education no matter who they are or where they come from. Our mission is to raise community awareness about MISD issues, focus on students first, and organize voters around great school board candidates. The core principals of Midland Students First are: 1. We believe in making tough decisions that put students first. 2. We believe that all students deserve outstanding teachers. 3. We believe that great schools have empowered and accountable leaders. 4. We believe in high expectations for everyone involved in education. This is an exciting time for Midland. Momentum is building in the community. People are coming together to ensure that all our kids have the best education possible to get them ready for life. We cannot miss the opportunity to participate in the election process. If you would like to learn more about Midland Students First, please see our website www.midlandstudentsfirst.org. Most importantly, register to vote, learn about the candidates who hope to represent your district, attend school board meetings, and vote. Founding members Rod Aguilar Sara Burleson Christine Foreman Alison King Jim Nelson Jessica Rule Julia Swallow Kate Williamson Today is Patriot Day. Time and Date.com describes Patriot Day as the annual observance on Sept. 11 to remember those who were injured or died during the terrorist attacks in the United States on Sept. 11, 2001. This is the 15th anniversary of the attacks on America. It is hard for some of us to believe it has been 15 years. Time flies when your country has been at war with those who want nothing more than our annihilation. The 15th anniversary comes right in the middle of one of the most messed-up political races of our time. The presidential race between its major party candidates, Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, has been one for the toilet bowl. That in itself would be discouraging enough for us, but when you factor in the Sept. 11 anniversary, the instability across the world and recruitment of those wanting to kill Americans, it makes that toxic political environment even more disappointing. There are real issues in the Middle East. Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan still are hotbeds for terrorism with no answer likely in the short term. The al-Qaida/ISIS influence has spread into other target areas, even other continents, making the job more complex. The mess in the Middle East and with radicals looking to use religion as an excuse for terroristic acts started long before President Obama -- and even before President George W. Bush. However, neither has or will be able to leave office saying the situation improved on their watch. Sadly, we dont see that Clinton or Trump has a plan that is any better, which is hardly confidence-inducing. America, our people, our soldiers and our way of life will continue to be threatened, and theres little we have seen to make us believe that is going to change. The leadership, in our view, isnt there. This Patriot Day we will say a prayer for the thousands of people who have died in the war on terrorism, which subsequently followed the 9/11 attacks. We pray specifically for local families whose sons and daughters didnt return from service -- such as Army Spec. Robert Arsiaga of Greenwood, Clayton Henson of Midland and Stanton and Army Cpl. Ray Bevel of Andrews. We also will be thinking about those men and women who returned home with mental or physical issues, only to see that their country did not step up with the care it should have provided. Lastly, we pray for all Americans. We wish that the White House and Washington offered real leadership, so we feel more comfortable that the next 15 years will be better than the past 15 years. However, we arent there yet. Our men and women will remain on the battlefields in foreign lands with no end in sight. Also, tragedies at home, such as the ones in Orlando, San Bernadino, California, or Fort Hood, are likely. Today, we even think about Jake Young, a Lee High graduate, lawyer, husband and father. He died, not on a battlefield in Afghanistan or Iraq but at a nightclub in Bali -- the victim of an al-Qaida network bombing in 2002. Yes, we have learned terror can happen anywhere and any time -- at home, aboard or on the battlefield. This Patriot Day, take some time to think about those who were impacted since the moment the first aircraft slammed into the World Trade Center. Then, hope that the presidential candidates rise above the low bar we have set. If the ultimate winner doesnt, we pray God gives Americans the wisdom to do better in four years. We have been cursed with leaders ... Forgetting the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 is impossible for the first responders who braved death to save civilians from the burning towers and the firefighters who traveled to ground zero in the following days to aid in recovery efforts, but for high school freshman without memories or personal connections to the attacks, it is an event as distant as Pearl Harbor or the assassination of President John F. Kennedy are to those who were not alive to witness it. First responders, firefighters and high school students reflect on not only the horror of the attacks as they unfolded and the thousands of lives lost, but the events lasting impact. The attack On the morning of Sept. 11, 2001, New York City firefighter and Newington native Tim Brown was working in Mayor Rudy Giulianis emergency management command center in Seven World Trade Center, eating cereal and reading the newspaper when the power went out. After about four seconds, the lights came back on. I knew something major had occurred. About the same time that happened the people sitting by the windows facing Tower One jumped up and started screaming and running away from that side of the building, Brown said. I grabbed one woman and shook her and said, What happened? And she said a plane had struck the building. At first thinking it may be a small aircraft, as had happened before, Brown sprung into action, going outside to his car to trade his tie for a helmet and boots. Seeing the smoke and debris from the street level, Brown began to realize the emergency was more grave than he initially thought. He entered Tower One, the northern tower, and saw civilians evacuating the building in an orderly fashion, helping the disabled down the escalator. Hearing someone call his name from behind him, Brown turned to see his best friend Fire Captain Terry Hatton of Rescue One, who embraced him. He squeezed me tight and kissed me on the right cheek and said, I love you brother I may never see you again, Brown said. And I laughed at him a little bit because we had done so much together, we had been in so many dangerous places... things we probably shouldnt have come back from and we did. So this time I was like, yeah, yeah whatever. The last known footage of Hatton shows him entering the stairwell of Tower One. Hatton and his team made it to the 83rd floor before the tower collapsed. After Brown learned the second tower had been struck and realizing this was an act of war, he attempted to phone the White House. It was then he was informed the Pentagon had also been attacked. He ran outside to find a group of paramedics to further assist evacuation. We got about 20 feet from Tower Two when the building collapsed. Very clearly, you could hear each floor falling onto the next floor very loud. We ran next door to Three World Trade Center, which was a Marriott Hotel, Brown said. When we got into the lobby there it was as clear as the room youre sitting in right now and within seconds it went pitch black. As Tower Two fell onto Three World Trade Center, winds of 185 miles per hour swirled around Brown as the building crumbled around him. I held onto a big column knowing that is the safest part of a building thats collapsing and I was just holding on as my legs were up in the air trying to blow me out of the building onto the street, just holding on for my life thinking this was not the way I wanted to go, Brown said. As quickly as it all started it stopped. Brown was among 35 people that lived sheltering in that section of Three World Trade Center. The section of the building they sheltered in had been the target of the 1993 terrorist bombing and was rebuilt. They used steel that was much too big saying, you will not knock this down, and so in the end the photographs show that part of the hotel, that one little side is the only part that did not completely collapse, Brown said. Its a complete miracle that Im here. Of the 343 New York City firefighters killed that day, 93 were Browns friends. In all, 2,996 were killed that day, the majority civilians working in the towers. Aftermath: picking up the pieces In the days following the disaster, countless emergency personnel traveled from across the country to aid in the rescue and recovery effort at ground zero, including Meriden Assistant Fire Chief Robert Burdick, who took a train down Sept. 12. Arriving at ground zero, Burdick recalls treading through about three inches of powdery dust past crushed cars with headlights still approaching the piles of debris and twisted metal that had once been the World Trade Center. You just couldnt believe the towers were gone, Burdick said. Before arriving, Burdick believed the operation might be a search for survivors, however, the last living person was pulled from the rubble at 7 p.m. the night before. There were rumors there were still people, Burdick said. It was still a rescue operation, but in my heart I think I knew we werent going to find any more survivors. Digging through the debris, an eerie quiet enveloped the scene and there was hardly a noise save the metallic growl of the grappling machines. Being down there, people hardly talked, Burdick said. They just did. At one point, the group Burdick was working with came upon the body of a man from underneath a beam. Pulling out the mans ID card, the group realized he was from the 109th floor. When you see people like this, it affects you because you know they were in a position of terror and they either had to jump or burn, Burdick said. These are people who went to work and never came back. Like the other locals who descended upon New York after the attacks, it was a feeling of camaraderie with fellow firefighters that drew Burdick to the ground zero. Meriden volunteer firefighter EMT Hal Kevorkian traveled with a crew of other local emergency personnel to New York to assist in recovery efforts. The group became part of a massive relay line, passing five gallon buckets full of dust and debris to be sorted for personal items and remains. Sometimes something significant would come down the line. I remember two items, a females red shoe and a lipstick container, Kevorkian said, Some families, thats all they got. A generation without memories Fifteen years later, this years freshman high school class is the first born after the attacks. On Friday, Marisa Volo, a social studies teacher at Meridens Platt High School, showed footage of the attacks to her freshman class, asking them to write and reflect on what an event they do not remember meant to them. Filing into the media center, the students plopped down their bags and chatted with each other. After a short writing prompt, Volo showed the class a scene from a 9/11 documentary with cell phone footage of the moment the second plane struck the south tower. As a plume of fire and smoke filled the screen of the projector amid horrified screams of witnesses, an eerie atmosphere consumed the classroom with some students fidgeting uncomfortably in their seats, while other stared silently at the screen or their laptops. The class then reacted to the video in writing. Fifteen-year-old Gabriez Luis Vazquez had said he felt disconnected, before viewing the footage and wrote after that his feelings were unchanged. The video was sad but I still didnt have a connection. I wasnt born and I didnt have any family members that were there, Vazquez wrote. It is still sad to see people that work there lose there life and have there family go thru that. Seeing the chaotic scenes of devastation unfold made 14-year-old Derek Oyola worry another attack could strike the city. I was scared because my family all lives in New York, my aunt, my grandma, my cousins, and I dont want anything to happen to them, Oyola said. Student Mekhi West was struck by the heroism of the first responders. I feel real sad because a lot of people had to lose their life for no reason, West wrote. But a lot of people died for a good reason they died knowing that they saved people. Other students reflected on the political aftermath of the attacks and the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan and Iraq. I believe that what happened in 9/11 was a horrible thing and that nobody in the world deserves to be put in a situation like that. The people who died that day should be remembered for ever and never forgotten, wrote freshman Anas Skareb. I believe what happened was wrong but all the things that come after are worst hating and killing innocents because they are muslim is just as wrong as what happened in 9/11. I think that this war against terrorism should never end, but the war against innocent muslims should. Other students had a harder time putting their feelings into words, such as 15-year-old Leo Santiago. That was tragic, a lot of people died. If I were there I would be scared, Santiago said. Thats crazy... a lot of people.. I dont know. I dont even know. Living with the past A single slogan has embodied the countrys mantra moving past Sept. 11: Never Forget. For those like Brown and Burdick, though, forgetting was never an option. Burdick suffered post traumatic stress syndrome and depression after aiding with recovery at ground zero. After seeking out support groups, he was able to connect with other firefighters traumatized by their experiences dealing with the attack or its aftermath. Discovering art has also been therapeutic, he said. I use it because when youre doing something hands on youre giving expression to something, but at the same time youre letting a little bit go, Burdick said. One of Burdicks sculptures is a pair of red stilettos filled with debris and broken glass, a reference to a joke someone made at ground zero. Occasionally crews would have to evacuate the area when it seemed another building in the vicinity was about to crumble. Burdick recalled how his heavy firefighter boots would clop loudly on the ground with each step. How absurd it was to be running in these boots and you realize no matter how hard you ran you couldnt run fast enough, Burdick said, prompting a joke from a civilian passerby. Imagine trying to do it in stilettos. For Brown, who has retold his story again and again, memories of that morning remain an open wound. It has not left me at all, Brown said. Im probably more of an example of someone who has not really moved on, so my life has been hard, but Ive made this choice because I want to be a voice of my brothers. Brown continues to tell his story on behalf of his brothers and sisters of the New York City Fire Department and fights for legislative change on behalf of the victims families and first responders in Washington. We tell the truth about what the heroes did that day and their actions and we also tell the truth about who did this and why they did it and thats becoming the harder truth to tell, Brown said. The truth is that these attacks were perpetrated by radical Islamic terrorists. The attacks continue to rack up a body count as first responders, survivors and those that came to assist in ground zero recovery efforts succumb to 9/11 related illnesses. Many of my friends have died over the last 15 years from cancer and things like that, Brown said. So far Im healthy, but I kind of expect as some point Im going to have some problems just like everyone else as a result of breathing that dust. Brown will be speaking at New Life Church in Wallingford today at 6 p.m. for the churchs annual memorial service while Burdick plans to attend a memorial ceremony at a firehouse in New York City. ltauss@record-journal.com 203-317-2231 Twitter: @LeighTaussRJ Michael Bodley / Michael Bodley A fire burned through a one-story apartment in the Visitacion Valley neighborhood in southeast San Francisco, leaving three displaced residents and a dog without a home, their belongings stuffed in large black trash bags. The apartment fire did not appear to have spread to neighboring units. The San Francisco Fire Department responded to reports of a fire in the 250-block of Blythdale Avenue, according to a tweet from the Fire Department. After firefighters extinguished the fire and left, late afternoon sunlight filtered through a gaping hole in the roof, illuminating a floor covered with mud and walls scorched and streaked with soot. If you go to a Rolling Stones concert these days, the last thing youll probably worry about is whether youre going to make it out alive. You will get gouged by the beer vendor, but theres little if any danger. For those who flocked to a desolate speedway in Northern California on Dec. 6, 1969, there was plenty of danger and for those near the stage, horror to go around. Any rock fan schooled in the 60s knows what happened: A contingent of Hells Angels serving as security for the festival administered beatings to fans and musicians alike and stabbed to death an 18-year-old man just yards from Mick Jagger as he finished singing Under My Thumb. The tragedy has been chronicled in several books and most memorably in the 1970 documentary Gimme Shelter. But Joel Selvins Altamont: The Rolling Stones, The Hells Angels and the Inside Story of Rocks Darkest Day provides rich new details about the origins of the show and the quest by Jagger and the Stones to stage the free concert. The book chronicles the motivations, naivete and chemicals that led to whats been popularly seen as the nadir of the Woodstock generation. In fact, Selvin makes the case that Woodstock, staged just 3 months before Altamont, laid the groundwork for the disaster. More Information Altamont: The Rolling Stones, the Hells Angels and the Inside Story of Rock's Darkest Day By Joel Selvin Dey Street, $27.99 See More Collapse The Stones had been out of the American limelight and had missed the free festival in upstate New York. Meanwhile, the Grateful Dead and Jefferson Airplane had ascended and were playing free festivals in their hometown of San Francisco, which, Selvin argues, had become the center of the rock universe in late 1969. Selvins account begins with the Deads manager Rock Scully traveling to London to share his drug-addled vision with Keith Richards for the Stones to play a free show in Golden Gate Park. The author does a good job taking readers through the Stones first U.S. tour in three years and the recording of Let It Bleed during that concert run. At the same time, he outlines how Jerry Garcia relished the idea of the Grateful Dead headlining a festival with the Jefferson Airplane, only to have the Stones appear unannounced at the end. Selvin makes the case that Garcia saw such an event as marrying Haight-Ashbury to the London rock scene, a trans-Atlantic communal experience. Nearly 50 years removed, its hard to comprehend the chaos that ensued in the preparation and staging of the show. Staging and sound towers were erected overnight as a crowd began gathering and setting fires for warmth. The stage was lashed together with twine and stood only 4 feet tall, compared with the 15-foot version at Woodstock that had served as a barricade against the mass of humanity. Instead, Selvin writes, a piece of string separated the crowd from the musicians. Selvin, who has covered pop music since 1970 for the San Francisco Chronicle and written extensively about the 60s music scene, conducted more than 100 interviews with musicians, Hells Angels members, police, stagehands and medical staff. That narrative accelerates in the second section of the book, as Selvin details the ominous vibe that builds throughout the concert. By the time the Jefferson Airplanes Marty Balin was knocked unconscious by a Hells Angel during the bands set, its clear that for those who were near the stage, and for those on it, it was essentially a hostage scene. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Kristina Guerrero, who hosted "Great Day SA" on KENS-TV until 2007, when she left for Hollywood and Bridget Smith took the show's reins, is excited to greet San Antonio TV viewers once again on Monday. The pretty and ebullient television personality with the infectious smile is now a staple of nationally syndicated lifestyle program "The List," which can be seen in 44 markets. Guerrero, who'll co-host with Bradley Hasemeyer and Donna Ruko, is a newcomer to the daily half-hour news magazine, which is in its fifth season. The show is described as a place to turn for relevant and fun stories that are all delivered in the form of a list. It bows in San Antonio at 1:30 p.m. Monday on KCWX (Time Warner Cable Channel 4; DirecTV and Dish Channel 2; Grande Channel 2 and AT&T U-Verse 2), focusing on the topic of money saving tips and trends. "I'll be out in the field as well," Guerrero elaborated in an email. "We're all about lifestyle so I'll be covering everything from diamonds to reptiles--two stories I've already shot! "This is the first full time show I've done since leaving E! I needed some time to reboot-- especially after becoming a mommy." Prior to taking that break in 2014 to devote much of her energy to son Mateo -- the adorable collaboration of Guerrero and her S.A.-born filmmaker and producer husband Gibby Cevallos -- she was with national "E! News" for six years, breaking ground in 2008 as its first Latina host. In between E! and her latest venture, she worked with Eva Longoria and Cevallos Brothers Productions on two ESPN documentaries. "But I was ready to go back to hosting--so when this opportunity presented itself, I knew I'd found a fun show to be a part of." jjakle@express-news.net , If you were to spend time with a person (without looking at them), you could probably pinpoint the time they grew up after listening to them talk for a while, or in the case of Millennials, by what they are not saying/posting. Our American English language, though laden with rules and clauses, is also a beautiful ever-changing hodge-podge of idioms, cliches and slang. Heres what U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal and Chris Murphy, both Connecticut Democrats, had to say Sunday about the 15th year anniversary of the 9/11 tragedy: Sen. Blumenthal: Even after fifteen years, the loss and hurt are deep and enduring - but so are the proven resolve, resilience and goodness of our nation. Evil extremists struck down lives and buildings, but they missed their real mark: Americas spirit. We celebrate American heroes: emergency responders, police and firefighters, service members and veterans, and, especially, loved ones of the fallen. We celebrate the service and sacrifice of all who keep us free and secure, and continue to make us the greatest nation ever. We must remain vigorous and vigilant in our fight against terrorist extremismhonoring and inspired by the brave Americans who perished in that horrific tragedy 15 years ago today. No one understands the meaning of Never Forget better than the loved ones they left behind. Our hearts go out to them today, and every day, as they seek healing and justice. Their courage and strength are powerful beyond words. More for you Man charged with stalking Black Rifle Coffee employee Sen. Murphy: Fifteen years ago, our country experienced the previously unthinkable - a massive terrorist attack on our soil, taking the lives of thousands of innocent Americans. The terrorist attacks of 9/11 have forever changed us. We will never forget the innocent lives lost that day, and we pray for those left behind whose wounds have never healed and whose lives are still not whole. We thank our first responders every day, knowing the dangers they continue to face. But today, we are smarter, stronger, and safer. We still face threats and must remain vigilant in our fight against terrorism and extremism. And so we pledge to stay united as a county, holding true to our foundational values of compassion and inclusion, brotherly love and tolerance, living each day with gusto as a tribute to those whose time on this earth was cut far too short fifteen years ago today. Albany In the 49th state Senate District Republican primary on Tuesday, the name of a well-known political institution will appear on the ballot next to that of a fresh conservative challenger hoping, as many newcomers do, to rattle Albany's political culture. But for the first time in four decades, the institution's name isn't Hugh Farley. Assemblyman Jim Tedisco and political neophyte Christian Klueg will go before the voters this week in hopes of making the November ballot in the race to succeed Farley, the Senate's longest-serving member, who decided against a re-election bid earlier this year. The victor or possibly both, given that Tedisco also holds the Independence, Conservative and Reform Party lines even if he loses will face another newcomer, Democrat Chad Putman, in November. Tedisco and Klueg both paint themselves as independent voices willing to stand up to Senate Republican leadership (who guide the Senate majority) in an effort to bring back to upstate power that largely resides south of the imaginary upstate-downstate dividing line. To do that, both are looking to break up the traditional Albany power structure. More for you Man charged with stalking Black Rifle Coffee employee Tedisco, a long time assemblyman known for his outspoken ways and deft use of the bully pulpit, has his "Spirit of '76" legislation, which has gone nowhere in the Democratic stronghold that is the state Assembly. That legislation, which he said in an interview he would bring with him over to the Senate, would require that any bill sponsored by a majority of lawmakers regardless of political affiliation (in the Assembly, that's 76; in the Senate, that's 32) comes up for a floor vote. "I've always said every vote I make is in the best interest of the people I represent," Tedisco said. "(Flanagan) knows that. After our discussion, he said, 'I know how Jim Tedisco is independent ...' Nothing is going to change for me. I'll still be outspoken. I'll still be in the face of all the leaders, whether they're Republican leaders or Democratic leaders." As a freshman lawmaker should he be elected Klueg, a real estate agent from Northville, would be in the position of having to make the name for himself that Tedisco already enjoys. In an interview, he pointed to his real estate work as providing him with negotiating skills he said would be an asset for leveraging downstate wants to score for upstate its desired policies. While Albany culture is such that freshmen rarely, if ever, have much power at the negotiating table, Klueg views state government as run by the electorate, not politicians. "At the end of the day, what are the first three words of the Constitution?" he said, referring to the "We the people ..." preamble. "The people demand it. We're simply a representative for the people. So I believe that my candidacy is going to send a wake-up call to Albany, and not just to the Republican Party, but to the Democratic Party as well. Because most voters don't care about Republicans or Democrats. They care about getting the problem solved." While locally the 49th district primary is the only Senate race of note in September, elsewhere there are primaries that may impact the fragile power balance in the Senate (31 Republicans, one Democrat and five members of the Independent Democratic Conference make up a majority coalition, though the 26 mainline Democrats are hoping to bolster their numbers and woo the breakaway Democrats to caucus with them and break up state government's last Republican bastion of power). In the 31st Senate District in Manhattan, Marisol Alcantara, backed by the IDC, has been endorsed by outgoing Sen. Adriano Espaillat, who won a Congressional primary in June. She faces former City Councilman Robert Jackson; Micah Lasher, a former aide to Attorney General Eric Schneiderman and former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg; and Luis Tejada. In the 60th Senate District in the Buffalo area, where one-term Sen. Marc Panepinto has decided against a re-election bid, two primaries just may lead to another split ticket general election. Party favorite Amber Small faces former Sen. Alfred Coppola in a Democratic primary. Kevin Stocker, who ran in 2014, is back, this time challenging Erie County Clerk Chris Jacobs in the Republican primary. mhamilton@timesunion.com 518-454-5449 @matt_hamilton10 This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate They had been in the Gulf of Thailand for two days, and Terry Truong worried how much longer they could last. Hunger clawed at their stomachs; their lips cracked from the sun and the overpowering thirst. They were running out of diesel. Waves pounded the small wooden boat Truong had hastily outfitted with a motor. They scooped out the rising water with buckets. By the fourth day, the battery had lost its power, and the 31 South Vietnamese army officers looked to the heavens and prayed. Then Truong saw the lights. He aimed the boat toward the glimmer. Hours later, they had reached the vessel, but the Thai fishermen onboard pulled their knives. It was a crime to transport Vietnamese refugees, and they were afraid. "Please," Truong begged. Six months later, in August 1980, he arrived in Houston speaking little English, but "finally free" at age 28. Like Truong, nearly 800,000 Vietnamese came to the United States as refugees between 1974 and 2013, with one-quarter arriving in just the first three years. They are the fortunate ones. As many as 400,000 died on risky boat journeys like the one Truong endured. More for you Man charged with stalking Black Rifle Coffee employee In all, it was the most expansive refugee resettlement in U.S. history, drawing not only the elite and middle class who came in military airlifts but fishermen and farmers. Many came to Houston, which the federal government designated as a major resettlement site along with cities in California. Its humid climate was reminiscent of Vietnam, and ample jobs and a cheap cost of living also drew refugees here. Today, the city has the nation's largest Vietnamese population outside of the San Jose and Los Angeles area. Nearly 111,000 live in the metropolitan region, two-thirds of whom were born abroad, according to the U.S. Census. They're an integral part of Houston's culture, with Vietnamese street signs, shops and restaurants lining Bellaire Boulevard and a history of political representation at City Council. More Information FINDING A NEW HOME Nearly 800,000 Vietnamese came to the United States as refugees between 1974 and 2013, with one-quarter arriving in just the first three years. According to the United Nations high commissioner for refugees, as many as 400,000 Vietnamese who fled by boat died at sea. Houston has the nation's largest Vietnamese population outside of the San Jose and Los Angeles area - nearly 111,000 residents. The United States is home to the largest Vietnamese diaspora in the world, and their remittances make up about 7 percent of the communist country's gross domestic product. Hubert Vo, a Vietnamese refugee, became the first Vietnamese to be elected to the Texas Legislature in 2004. See More Collapse But when they first came, in the 1970s and 1980s, nearly two-thirds of the country told pollsters that they didn't want them. In Houston, racial tensions erupted. Vietnamese shrimpers in Seabrook and Galveston clashed with white fishermen, and a Ku Klux Klan group threatened them, sailing around the bay in menacing white robes and burning effigies. U.S. marshals were ordered to protect the Vietnamese boats, and a federal lawsuit filed on their behalf eventually chased the Klan out of state. It was a terrifying time. To help their community, some Vietnamese investors purchased rundown complexes in south Houston as a safe space for their compatriots. The largest, Thai Xuan, still exists today near Hobby Airport. Its 1,000 Vietnamese residents have transformed it into a token of the old country, renewing traditions and existing almost entirely in Vietnamese. Women still wear non las, cream-colored cone-shaped hats made of straw, and sell fried egg rolls in the parking lot. When Truong arrived, Houston's economy was about to collapse from the oil crash. But nothing could dampen his spirits about being here. He still considered it miraculous that he and his fellow officers on the boat had persuaded the Thai fisherman to drop them at a refugee camp near the Malaysian border. It was Truong's second attempt to flee Vietnam, and he didn't have the luxury of failure as an option. The first time, in the days following the 1975 Fall of Saigon, he abandoned at the last minute a departing Navy ship to see about a girl. But by 1979, when he was working as an accountant for a government agency, a friend with ties to Hanoi's upper echelons told him he was to be investigated for his time in the South Vietnamese Army. Truong knew what that meant. Tens of thousands of Vietnamese whom Hanoi considered to be traitors were tortured and killed in so-called re-education camps. Truong knew he didn't have much time. He purchased a boat and rallied his brother and officers from his unit. The girl, who didn't want to leave her family, stayed behind. By the time Truong arrived in Houston months later, he was exhausted but overjoyed. "I feel like my life has changed," he said. Within days, he found work at a mechanic's shop. The owner, who was once stationed in Vietnam, told Truong that he loved his people. Truong worked 16 hours a day at $3.50 an hour. He made manager of the night shift and with the commission he paid for his brother to attend Houston Community College, where Truong also took English classes. He sent money to his mother and four siblings in Vietnam. Soon he found a job installing vector cables, at $10 an hour a significant raise. After his job fell victim to the oil crisis, he was hired as manager of a convenience store at the corner of Interstate 10 and Federal Road in Jacinto City. Gunshots rung out every day. Truong's store was often robbed and sometimes he was even shot at. Once, he himself fired at a man who cocked a gun at him. Truong's time in one of the 20th century's cruelest conflicts had taught him quick reflexes. The man turned out to be a felon wanted by police. "It was very hard, those years," Truong said. Meanwhile, he met another girl, also a Vietnamese refugee. They married. His brother, whom Truong supported so he could go to college, graduated with a degree in electrical engineering and eventually persuaded his sibling to retire. Now Truong works at VN TeamWork, Inc. a Houston nonprofit founded by Michael CaoMy Nguyen, a fellow Vietnamese refugee who came here in a 1975 military airlift. "We received help from the Americans, and we wanted to pay it back," said Nguyen's wife, Ninh. Truong, too, said he was inspired by the assistance he received. "When I came to this country people helped me, and I said one day I will pay back this help," he said. Such strong cultural ties mean that many Vietnamese tend to stick close to one another. They cluster in Midtown and south Houston and around sprawling Bellaire Boulevard, Census data shows. The more prosperous congregate around a sliver of Memorial or in Sugar Land. Experts say it's partly the circumstance of their arrival. Their evacuation, so sudden and traumatic, coupled with the harsh Communist punishment endured by many left behind, forged for them a shared identity around the idea that they can never go home again. Language bonds them together, as does gratitude for the generosity they have encountered. "I appreciate America opening its arms and taking me in," said Truong, now 64. "This is the greatest country in the world." BRIDGEPORT A man wounded earlier this year during a drug deal gone bad was shot and killed late Saturday night on Wells Street, police said. Immanuel White, 22, was shot twice in the torso at about 11:04 p.m. in the area of 432 Wells Street. He was pronounced dead at St. Vincents Hospital, said Police Capt. Brian Fitzgerald. The murder marks the seventh homicide in Bridgeport this year. White was shot outside of an apartment building and a motive has not yet been established, Fitzgerald said. But he said police do not believe the murder is linked to recent shootings connected to gangs operating out of the Greene Homes. It's so early and we have a ways to go, Fitzgerald said, referring to the investigation. I don't think it's connected to the Greene Homes gangs. We don't know who the suspects are but there are no obvious signs it's connected. Fitzgerald said White was both a suspect and a victim in an April 10 shooting incident over a drug deal. White received a gunshot wound to the wrist during the incident. More for you Man charged with stalking Black Rifle Coffee employee Witnesses told police that Brandon Thompson, 20, of Kennedy Drive, went with his friends to Iranistan Avenue to meet White, of Federal Street, to purchase marijuana. After they met, an altercation ensued and both men were shot Thompson in the chest, White in the arm police said. The shooting occurred around 11:30 p.m. Thompson was taken to St Vincents Hospital by private vehicle where he was rushed into surgery and survived his wounds. White was admitted to St Vincents with what was described as a non-life-threatening wound. Fitzgerald said police are looking into whether Whites murder on Saturday is connected to that incident. He was a suspect in that earlier incident and we are exploring whether it's connected, whether it's retaliation, he said. The city has been plagued with dozens of shootings over the last few months, prompting state and federal officials to pledge assistance in and effort to end the violence. Asked about the recent shootings, Fitzgerald said most of the violence is targeted to certain groups. I think the message the public needs to hear is your average law abiding citizen does not have to fear this at all, Fitzgerald said. It's all been targeted and the people involved are involved in criminal activity, at least the vast majority of them. Overall, Fitzgerald said that while shootings are up in the city this year the seven homicides so far is way below last year's pace. The star of the TLC show 'The Willis Family' has been arrested and charged with the rape of a child after a probe by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigations. Toby Willis, 46, was apprehended Friday in Kentucky; TBI agents said that Willis, who is based in Tennessee, fled the state to hide from law enforcement. New York Behind the barbed wire, the white minivan's busted windows and crumpled roof hint at its story. But forklifted to this windblown spot on the John F. Kennedy International Airport tarmac, between a decommissioned 727 and an aircraft hangar, it's doubtful passing drivers notice it at all. In the long struggle with the searing memories of 9/11, though, the van's solitary presence here marks a small but significant transition point. Tons of wreckage twisted steel beams weighing up to 40,000 pounds, chunks of concrete, a crushed fire engine were salvaged from the World Trade Center site for preservation in the weeks after the 2001 terrorist attacks. Now this van, part of a government agency motor pool likely sheltered from the impact in the parking garage beneath the complex, is the very last artifact without a resting place. When the van is claimed, as soon as a few weeks from now, it will fulfill a pledge that, to move beyond 9/11 without losing sight of it, New York would share relics of that terror, along with the tales of sacrifice that come with them. More for you Man charged with stalking Black Rifle Coffee employee The decision by officials to give away pieces of Trade Center wreckage has been praised and criticized over the years. But its impact is undeniable. More than 2,600 artifacts have gone to 1,585 fire and police departments, schools and museums, and other nonprofit organizations in every state and at least eight other countries. Each recipient has pledged to use them in memorials or exhibits honoring those killed on 9/11. While some have not followed through, the many that have mean it is now possible to touch a piece of Sept.11 during a Roman Catholic Mass in Port St. Lucie, Fla., or in a park honoring animals in Meaford, Ontario. "They are the relics of the destruction and they have the same power in the same way as medieval relics that have the power of the saints," said Harriet Senie, a professor of art history at the City University of New York and author of "Memorials to Shattered Myths: Vietnam to 9/11." In the days after the attacks, it wasn't at all clear what would happen to the wreckage of the Trade Center. The Port Authority of New York & New Jersey, which owned the Trade Center, dispatched an architect to comb through the site and cull pieces that seemed distinctive. Investigators carted away others. Most of the wreckage from the site was scrapped or recycled. But the agency saved about half of 1 percent of the total. It all had to go somewhere. That ended up being JFK's Hangar 17, an 80,000-square-foot cavern of sheet metal left empty when tenant Tower Air went out of business in 2000. Officials were uncertain what to do with so much material, given the emotions intertwined with it. A judge determined the artifacts were not evidentiary or personal, and approved donations to those who promised to care for them. But where to begin? "It was piles and piles, probably my height or higher, of steel beams," says Amy Passiak, the archivist hired to catalog the artifacts and manage their distribution, recalling the first time she walked into the hangar in 2010. "I remember going home that day and just being exhausted, just from being there a few hours, just being emotionally exhausted and not being able to comprehend the amount of work that was going to go into the process. It was like, maybe a year, maybe two years. And here I am, six years later." Passiak built a database of every item, cataloging its size and approximate weight, with descriptive notes. As word spread that the Port Authority was giving the material away, requests poured in. Through August, the Port Authority had distributed 2,629 artifacts. Many went to fire departments, local governments and organizations in the New York area with direct ties to the first responders and workers who perished when the towers fell. Firefighters in Pagosa Springs, Colo., for example, created a memorial in front of their station around a small piece of donated I-beam. Many people in the town will never get to New York or Washington D.C., said David Hartman, who worked to obtain the artifact. But Sept. 11 was his generation's Pearl Harbor, and being able to see and touch the wreckage enables residents to reflect on its lessons, he said. At Flour Bluff Junior High School in Corpus Christi, Texas, a piece of Trade Center steel is housed in a case near the entrance to the cafeteria. In September, it is taken out and students from the school's officer training program stand guard. Bruce Chaney, the naval science instructor who applied for the artifacts, brings another, smaller piece to his classes. The artifact is "twisted and somewhat burned. It's not pretty. I'm hoping it will make them think as they're growing up, that they have to pay attention to their past," Chaney said. But 15 years after Sept. 11, the dispersal of artifacts from the Trade Center has not resolved the public's conflicted feelings about those events, now set against continued fears of terrorism. "We just don't know where the events of 9/11 have led us," said Rick Sluder, fire chief in Wauseon, Ohio, which obtained a Trade Center beam and, together with neighboring departments, built a memorial at the nearby Fulton County Fairgrounds. "A lot of people are looking at this as, is this the point of downfall or the point at which we rose above the rest, the point of resiliency?" Sluder said. "I don't think that's been determined yet." DUNCAN, Okla. (AP) A woman and her daughter are facing incest charges after authorities learned the pair were legally married in Oklahoma this year, and that the mother had married her son a few years earlier. The motivation behind the March marriage was unclear Wednesday, when 43-year-old Patricia Ann Spann and her daughter, 25-year-old Misty Velvet Dawn Spann, made initial appearances in Stephens County district court. Under Oklahoma law, marrying a close relative is considered incest whether or not a sexual relationship exists. Mildred Ruth Escobedo was a fiercely independent soul who chose law over bookkeeping to the chagrin of her father. The owner of a small corner store in Lafayette, Louisiana, he wanted her to keep the company books, but she had other plans. Escobedo died Sept. 5 after a two-year battle with ALS. She was 73. Educated in Catholic schools throughout childhood and adolescence, Escobedo left to enroll in Lafayette High School because of the secretarial and business classes they offered. Soon after graduating at the top of her class, she moved to San Antonio to start her career. She wanted to be independent. She was a strong woman, husband Frank Escobedo said. With few connections, she found an apartment, started school at San Antonio College, and found work as a legal secretary at Tinsman and Houser, he said. Later she moved to share a house with friends. In the process, Escobedo met her husband. At first she didnt know what to think of me, I was a little wild and outspoken, Frank Escobedo said. More for you Man charged with stalking Black Rifle Coffee employee Eventually, he won her over. We were going to a Christmas Dance when I got down on one knee in the living room. She said yes immediately, he said. Their 50th wedding anniversary was June 24. More Information Mildred Ruth Escobedo Born: Sept. 13, 1942, Lafayette, Louisiana. Died: Sept. 5, 2016, San Antonio Preceded by: Parents Perry and Eloise Venable; sister Thelma Carter. Survived by: Husband C. Frank Escobedo; son Stephen D. Escobedo and daughter-in-law Valeri; brother Joseph Venable; grandchildren, Christopher Parra and granddaughter-in-law Carrie, Michael Parra and granddaughter-in-law Sara; six great-grandchildren and numerous friends and family. Services: Visitation 6 p.m. Tuesday with rosary at 7 p.m. at Angelus Funeral Home chapel, 1119 N. St. Mary's St. Mass 11:30 a.m. Wednesday at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church, 16075 N. Evans Road , Selma. See More Collapse I met my father-in-law for the first time on our honeymoon when we went to Lafayette, Frank Escobedo remembered. Her father, Perry Venable, died in 1969, a year after his grandson Stephen was born. My mother, very cautious after working in the legal field, taught me to be careful of the people I associate with and to be aware of my surroundings, Stephen Escobedo said. She saw firsthand how mobsters and criminals pull people into their world, he said. Escobedos last job was working as a paralegal for Southers and Lyons until she retired in 1992. She had a reputation for getting paperwork in before filing time, her son said. He remembers lawyers thanking her for the help and advice she gave when they struggled to open practices and pass the bar. Family members also sought her out. She guided family and friends in the right direction and helped them to talk to lawyers, her husband said. No matter what the problem she was there to help, he said. Not only was Escobedo there for others but she was a fighter. She taught Dad and me to stand up for what we believe in; we could not have done it without her strength, her son said. iwilgen@express-news.net In 2017, Kelly Field turns 100 years old. Originally a military airfield, its legacy lives on as a facility that is shared between Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland and Port San Antonio. Thanks to this military and civilian joint use, this important platform operated by the Air Force continues as a dynamic engine for economic and job growth. On the Port San Antonio side, over the course of two decades the civilian aspect of Kelly has enabled it to become home to marquee names in aerospace. These firms and thousands of employees provide important maintenance support for both military and, increasingly, commercial aircraft. The military component of Kelly Field hosts the Texas Air National Guards 149th Fighter Wing and the Air Force Reserves 433rd Airlift Wing. Both include pilot training missions and fulfill essential roles in supporting defense missions. Whats more, the port has big plans to grow activity at Kelly Field. This summer, we partnered with the city to turn nearly 200 acres next to the airfield into shovel-ready sites for new large hangars, workshops and future jobs. With extensive activity today and ambitious plans to further leverage Kelly Field to the benefit of the community, our organization was pleased to learn that the 149th Fighter Wing is being considered for additional formal training units, or FTUs, to support F-16 aircraft. The secretary of the Air Force is reviewing locations nationwide, including Kelly, to place over 40 aircraft within additional FTUs. A single unit represents about 350 new jobs, with potentially more as it expands. Additional missions would also support ongoing efforts to modernize the largest runway in South Texas, in turn spurring even more jobs. We should all applaud our congressional delegations ongoing advocacy to bring this expanded mission here. Other area leaders are also making the case that the Alamo City is the ideal place for these new units, both strategically and economically. A key argument they make is the unparalleled record of training excellence in Military City, U.S.A. San Antonio has a 70-plus-year history of training excellence in fighter aviation, including the most experienced F-16 pilot training program in the nation the very type of mission under consideration. In fact, since launching its existing unit in 1998, the Texas Air National Guard has excelled in every operational readiness inspection. The fact that six additional F-16 aircraft are on their way to Kelly Field now as an organic expansion of the existing FTU is further testament to Air Force leaders confidence in the 149th. Furthermore, Kelly provides quick access to uncongested airspace that creates an environment for maximum training opportunities, bolstered by the fact that we enjoy some of the best flying weather in the U.S. 320 days a year, on average. And of particular importance to taxpayers, a new unit at Kelly Field would be up and running quickly. Personnel can readily use existing facilities saving millions that would be required elsewhere for new construction. In addition to available ramp space and hangars, existing facilities are being proposed to meet long-term office, classroom, storage and other needs. Port San Antonios success today in redeveloping the former Kelly AFB is the direct result of the civil aviation activity that began 20 years ago at Kelly Field. Thanks to the momentum that started with our aerospace customers two decades ago, our 1,900-acre campus has grown as an important center for other industries, including manufacturing, cybersecurity and logistics employing thousands more, with more to come. As we look to the century ahead, attracting new activities to an airfield as large and operationally diverse as Kelly Field will be an important driver of not only the ports economic development mission but of San Antonios economic future writ large. Roland Mower is president and CEO of Port San Antonio. San Antonio is the seventh-largest city in America, and our population has grown by 20 percent every 10 years since 1980. Our city is growing up in other ways, too. We are a city that has been blessed with more than 300 years of history, with Spanish, Mexican, German, Italian, Polish and many other immigrants helping build a diverse, vibrant and unique economic oasis in South Texas. Today, more than 100,000 residents in San Antonio are enrolled in college, our leading industries are creating better jobs, and we continue to expand our vision and confidence, knowing that we are on the cusp of world-class greatness. Thanks to our community assets, the creative industry, our architecture, our beautiful River Walk and our blended culture, we welcome more than 32 million visitors each year to our great city. There is no doubt in my mind that we have attracted new businesses with new jobs because of a visitor to San Antonio who first came here for a convention or a family vacation. Our strong Convention and Visitors Bureau has been responsible for many of the good things that have grown our economy. Many small businesses in San Antonio depend on a growing visitor industry to make their living. Now, with the UNESCO World Heritage Site designation of our Spanish colonial missions, the millions of dollars of state investment going to revitalize the Alamo grounds, a thriving culinary culture, and resort hotels and amusement parks, it is time to compete more effectively with other American destination cities for years to come. As a former director of economic development for the city of San Antonio, I am in full support of the Visit San Antonio plan, and I believe strongly that creating this new 501(c)(6) organization will prepare our economic table to attract more visitors and their dollars to San Antonio. The San Antonio private sector that we represent through our more than 1,300 members as the first Hispanic Chamber of Commerce formed in America 88 years ago knows full well that the tourism marketplace has become global and will be more competitive. Visit San Antonio is the next logical step for our city in moving forward from a limited city department to a full-fledged privately-publicly funded nimble professional organization. We stand ready to help grow and play an integral part in our $13 billion tourism industry, which has generated millions of jobs and dollars for our economy. Like the transformational creation of the UT medical school in the 1960s and the hosting of the Worlds Fair of 1968, the Visit San Antonio organization will once again show the world that our city is serious about growing our local and regional economy the right way. I was fortunate to be on the teams that helped create Brooks City-Base, recruit Toyota Motor Manufacturing of Texas, develop the Culinary Institute of America, San Antonio, bring Microsoft here, and help keep DPT Laboratories and Rackspace in San Antonio. These experiences working with others in a creative fashion gave me the foundation to know that Visit San Antonio is the next great thing needed for our downtown and visitor industry. Please join us in support of an industry that employs 1 out of every 8 people in our community by supporting the new Visit San Antonio organization. I want to thank our many tourism and hospitality business leaders for proposing this transformational effort. Ramiro A. Cavazos is the president and CEO of the San Antonio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. Cease-fires fail to hold up in Syria. Negotiations for a political solution to the destructive civil war have an on-again, off-again and, so far, ineffective quality to them. Meanwhile, a humanitarian crisis of immense proportions engulfs that nation and spills over into neighboring countries, while a refugee exodus to Europe results in deaths and a backlash of xenophobia that threaten long-standing traditions of liberal democracy and tolerance. The carnage from bullets and bombs continues. This has been the history of the Syrian civil war, exacerbated by the roles of its international participants. An agreement between the United States and Russia Saturday, on the surface, has the makings of a beginning for peace one that could spell cooperation against the Islamic State and a curb on the excesses of Bashar Assads regime. Chemical warfare appears to be among those excesses. But that history prompts natural skepticism. After a recent meeting between Presidents Obama and Putin, the U.S. leader said deep mistrust between the countries made negotiations difficult. He nonetheless instructed Secretary of State John Kerry to pursue negotiations. Those negotiations resulted in this agreement. Unrestricted humanitarian aid will be allowed into the besieged city of Allepo and there will be a diminishment, beginning today, of the violence. If that works out, the U.S. will begin sharing targeting information on ISIS and the Nusra Front. Meanwhile, Russia is to rein in Assad and the U.S. is to persuade its Syrian allies to disentangle themselves from Nusra, which Assad and Russia have been attacking, harming U.S. allies in the process. This agreement has promise, but as with everything about U.S. involvement in Syria, it requires thinking about a Plan B. That would be creating safe zones in Syria, enforced by the United States and all the allies it can muster. And this means safe from all sides in the war, but particularly from the regime of Assad, ISIS and the Russians, all of whom have violated international rules of war and basic decency by purposely targeting civilians. The numbers and circumstances speak for themselves. Perhaps up to 400,000 dead, with one group placing the number of children deaths alone at 14,711. As many as 4.8 million Syrian refugees registered, the majority in neighboring Lebanon, Iraq, Turkey, Jordan and Egypt. Millions of Syrians displaced in their own countries Perhaps up to 1 million seeking asylum in Europe and elsewhere. Ancient cities, Aleppo included, being reduced to rubble. The immediate need is simply to save lives. We hope this agreement accomplishes that. But it also means stepping up to provide more refugee aid and asylum to those who have fled the country. And giving that same aid to those still trapped in that nation. This agreement must be given time, but not indefinitely. If it fails, simple humanity demands these safe zones in Syria. The United Nations, meanwhile, should continue pursuing a political solution in Syria. In 2012, President Barack Obama said, Never again is a challenge to defend the fundamental right of free people and free nations to exist in peace and security. How many deaths are too many in Syria, Mr. President? The magnitude of the crisis in Syria cannot be ignored. In practical terms, it has been. This agreement must end the bloodshed of innocents. If it doesnt do this in short order, the U.S. and its allies should begin looking at safe zones. President Barack Obama hailed the nation's diversity and urged Americans to stay united, while speaking at the memorial service. The crowd has thinned somewhat at the anniversary ceremony in recent years, but some victims' family members continue to attend each year. (Photo: AP) By AP: The US marked the 15th anniversary of 9/11 today, with victims' relatives reading their names and reflecting on a loss that still felt as immediate to them as it was indelible for the nation. PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN SEEPS IN But despite a tradition of putting aside partisan politics for the day, the observance became part of the news of a combustible presidential campaign, when Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton left about 90 minutes into the ground zero ceremony after feeling "overheated," her campaign said. advertisement ALSO READ: Hillary Clinton left 9/11 memorial ceremony after feeling unwell Spokesman Nick Merrill said in a statement that Clinton was feeling better after spending some time at her daughter's apartment but offered no additional details, including whether Clinton required medical attention. Republican rival Donald Trump, who was also at the ceremony for a time, didn't immediately comment on the developments. His supporters have repeatedly questioned Clinton's health. The 15th anniversary arrives in a country caught up in the campaign, keenly focused on political, economic and social fissures and still fighting terrorism. But for those who lost relatives, the fraught passage of 15 years feels "like 15 seconds," said Dorothy Esposito, who lost her son, Frankie. OVER 1,000 GATHER FOR MEMORIAL Over 1,000 victims' family members, survivors and dignitaries at ground zero under an overcast sky. "It doesn't get easier. The grief never goes away. You don't move forward - it always stays with you," Tom Acquaviva, who lost his son, Paul Acquaviva. ALSO READ: Facebook Trending Topics shows hoax story about 9/11 James Johnson was there for the first time since he last worked on the rescue and recovery efforts in early 2002, when he was a New York City police officer. "I've got mixed emotions, but I'm still kind of numb," said Johnson, now a police chief in Forest City, Pennsylvania. "I think everyone needs closure, and this is my time to have closure." Nearly 3,000 people died when hijacked planes slammed into the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and a field near Shanksville on Sept. 11, 2001. It was the deadliest terror attack on American soil. Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson said on Sunday news shows that the United States is safer now than it was in 2001 against another 9/11-style attack but continues to face the challenge of potential attacks by solo and homegrown violent extremists. OBAMA PRAISES AMERICA'S DIVERSITY President Barack Obama, speaking at the Pentagon memorial service, praised America's diversity and urged Americans not to let their enemies divide them. advertisement "Our patchwork heritage is not a weakness - it is still and always will be one of our greatest strengths," Obama said. "This is the America that was attacked that September morning. This is the America that we must remain true to." ALSO READ: 15th anniversary of 9/11: 'The falling man' and five haunting images from attacks that shook America Some victims' relatives at ground zero pleaded for the nation to look past its differences. "The things we think separate us really don't. We're all part of this one Earth in this vast universe," said Granvilette Kestenbaum, who lost her astrophysicist husband, Howard Kestenbaum. HOPE EXPRESSED FOR NEXT LEADER TO REACH GREAT HEIGHTS Others expressed hopes for peace or alluded to the presidential race: "Guide America's next commander in chief and help make America safe again," said Nicholas Haros, who lost his mother, Frances Haros. Neither Clinton nor Trump made public remarks at the ceremony, where politicians haven't been invited to speak since 2011. The two candidates also followed a custom of halting television ads for the day. Meanwhile, hundreds of people gathered for a name-reading observance at the Flight 93 National Memorial in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, where one of the hijacked planes crashed 15 years ago. advertisement In New York, ceremony organizers included some additional music and readings Sunday to mark the milestone year. But they kept close to what are now traditions: moments of silence and tolling bells, an apolitical atmosphere and the hours long reading of the names of the dead. LOSS MOTIVATED TO DO SOMETHING FOR GREATER GOOD Some speakers described how their loss had moved them to do something for others. ALSO READ: US House votes to allow 9/11 victims' families to sue Saudi Arabia Ryan Van Riper said he planned to honor his slain grandmother, Barbara Shaw, by serving the country. Jerry D'Amadeo, who was 10 when he lost his father, Vincent Gerard D'Amadeo, said he worked this summer with children at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, where 26 children and adults were massacred in 2012. "Sometimes the bad things in our lives put us on the path to where we should be going - to help others as many have helped me," he said. Financial and other hurdles delayed the redevelopment of the Trade Center site early on, but now the 9/11 museum, three of four currently planned skyscrapers, an architecturally adventuresome transportation hub and shopping concourse and other features stand at the site. A design for a long-stalled, $250 million performing arts center was unveiled Thursday. advertisement CROWD HAS THINNED, BUT SOME LOYALISTS ATTEND EVERY YEAR The crowd has thinned somewhat at the anniversary ceremony in recent years. But some victims' family members, like Cathy Cava, have attended all 15 years. "I will keep coming as long as I am walking and breathing," Cava said, wearing a T-shirt with a photo of her slain sister, Grace Susca Galante. "I believe most of her spirit, or at least some of her spirit, is here. I have to think that way." ALSO READ: Sorrow, selfies compete at New York's 9/11 memorial 15 years on --- ENDS --- Bulawayo City Council is on a collision course with residents after Town Clerk Mr Christopher Dube said the local authority will take drastic action that could see ratepayers losing their homes over unpaid bills. Residents have threatened to sue council should it go ahead with the ill-advised strategy. The local authority is battling to collect over $1,1 billion in arrears owed by residents, businesses and Government departments in the city. Council is grappling with a ballooning debt which has left the city technically insolvent as its debtors almost equal its creditors. At the of March, the city was owed $1,13 billion while it owed $1,06 billion. The city is under fire from residents due failure to attend to burst sewers on time, dilapidated road networks, failure to consistently provide water and collection of refuse. Mr Dube told a media briefing on Tuesday that water disconnection was not an effective debt recovery strategy. He said council will be forced to take radical measures to force rate payers to clear their debts. We are not going to be using one strategy (water disconnections), we are going to use so many of these strategies. First, we will disconnect you, if it doesnt work, we will take you to court and, in the end, you will end up losing your property, said Mr Dube. He said council was doing its best to educate the public about the need to religiously pay bills. We try to conscientise our residents through various forms of media and also through our councillors. We also try to make sure that the money that has accumulated through a 10 percent retention scheme is also used in various wards so that people can understand that payments is good for everyone maybe that will also encourage the residents. The serious one would be taking you to court and take away properties unfortunately, he said. The town clerk said it was not enough for residents to claim that they were facing challenges and cannot afford to pay bills as this affects service delivery. For as long as everyone is struggling and everyone is not settling debts, how then are we expected as your council to deliver? For services to be delivered there has to be some payments. I know there will always be a debate on which comes first an egg or a chicken, its all for you to say but I will tell you there will be no service that would come for as long as there are no resources. The services that you are getting is the level of resources that you are putting to the coffers, said the town clerk. If $1,2 billion which is owed is paid, the service would have been better than what it is now. What this means is that those who are paying religiously are being short-changed by those who are not paying. Please lets pay, council is for us all. I can tell you if we all pay, as council we have all the strategies to make sure that people get the services. Mr Dube said every resident should shoulder the blame when services are crumbling. At the moment the situation continues to deteriorate, we are not able to pay the person who is supposed to be delivering the service. How will they deliver the service if they are not being paid? Its a painful situation. We understand how people feel but lets put our heads together, its not something that council can do alone without the residents. Its for us all to make sure this thing is done and done properly, said Mr Dube. Bulawayo Progressive Residents Association coordinator Mr Emmanuel Ndlovu said the council would have faltered if it decides to attach peoples properties for defaulting on rates payments. Mr Ndlovu said residents were worried that the relationship between council and stakeholders continues to be strained. However, when the council decides to take residents to court, we will be forced to also take it court. At the moment its as if the council is operating on directives and this started when the water situation improved at the citys supply dams. Before the council seemed to understand. It is the same council that is supplying residents with water that is contaminated with sewer, that is failing to collect refuse among other services, said Mr Ndlovu. He said calling the council out on its failures is not an excuse for residents to default but the council should try to find common ground before taking drastic actions. The city council has previously attached property for defaulting residents before suspending the exercise in April 2012. Suspending the exercise, the council said it had negotiated with the defaulting residents before coming up with the resolution. The council at the time said it could not employ debt collectors as it was not economic to unleash them on residents who individually owed the local authority little amounts. BCC said debt collectors could only be deployed to corporates and other organisations that owed significant amounts of money. Chronicle Breaking News via Email Jerri-Lynn here. This article pulls its punches somewhat in its criticisms of Obamas climate change record and to my mind doesnt fully live up to the promise of the headline. Nevertheless, please persevere until the end, when the author hits a bit harder as he discusses the US rise to the position of the worlds third largest fossil fuel producer, in part as a result of the fracking boom. While Obama and company have squawked about climate change, administration policy has actually fuelled that particular trend in fossil fuel extraction. The underlying New York Times article that sparked the authors post (and the video interview embedded herein) comprise part of the ceaseless drumbeat of legacy journalism as the Obama administration stumbles toward its finish line. Am I alone in being absolutely sick of these assessments, which serve to whitewash what has been a very sorry presidency for progressives, featuring a long litany of disappointments? So, as I do, I suggest you substitute long litany of disappointments for that L word whenever you see some article assessing Obamas legacy, and then I find its somewhat easier to stomach whatever propaganda is being sent your way. By Farron Cousins, who is the executive editor of The Trial Lawyer magazine, and whose articles have appeared on The Huffington Post, Alternet, and The Progressive Magazine. He has worked for the Ring of Fire radio program with hosts Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., Mike Papantonio, and Sam Seder since August 2004, and is currently the co-host and producer of the program. He also currently serves as the co-host of Ring of Fire on Free Speech TV, a daily program airing nightly at 8:30pm eastern. Farron received his bachelors degree in Political Science from the University of West Florida in 2005 and became a member of American MENSA in 2009. Follow him on Twitter @farronbalanced. Originally published at DeSmogBlog. On September 8, The New York Times published an interview with President Barack Obama in which he discussed the rapidly approaching, and already present, dangers of climate change, along with the threats that Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump would pose to the environment as president. Reflecting on his climate legacy in the interview, President Obama reinforced his concerns about and dedication to acting on climate change, but his rhetoric fails to match up with his broader record, which notably includes overseeing the United States rise to the top spot among fossil fuel producers worldwide. Indeed, in the interview, President Obama referred to climate change trends as terrifying, a statement which is hard to argue with considering the overwhelming scientific evidence. The Times also mentions the presidents successes in putting the Clean Power Plan in place and his role in committing the United States to the Paris climate agreement. President Obama also attempted to explain why getting through to people on climate change can be so challenging, as The Times noted: What makes climate change difficult is that it is not an instantaneous catastrophic event, he said. Its a slow-moving issue that, on a day-to-day basis, people dont experience and dont see. Climate change, Mr. Obama often says, is the greatest long-term threat facing the world, as well as a danger already manifesting itself as droughts, storms, heat waves and flooding. More than health care, more than righting a sinking economic ship, more than the historic first of an African-American president, he believes that his efforts to slow the warming of the planet will be the most consequential legacy of his presidency. The article goes on to discuss the number of ways that the president has reached out to other countries to help fight climate change, and how hes talked about the issue at length, especially during his second term as president. But there is one vital piece of information missing from The Times coverage of Obamas climate legacy: The fact that he has done even more for the fossil fuel industry than his predecessors, including the ones who literally used to work for oil companies. There are two very distinct issues here: The first is the presidents limited success in actually reining in carbon emissions and protecting the environment, and the other is his simultaneous approval and expansion of fossil fuel projects. When discussing the limitations of President Obamas record of action on climate change, it is important to factor in the obstruction coming from the climate change-denying Republican Party that currently holds majorities in both the House of Representatives and the Senate. With the legislative branch of government currently dominated by a party that overwhelmingly denies the reality of climate change, it isnt very surprising that the presidents environmental agenda has struggled as a result. For example, the cap and trade legislation that President Obama championed was shot down in 2010 in part by Republican obstructionism in the Senate, allowing a business-as-usual scenario to continue for greenhouse gas emissions, which were slowed somewhat by the Great Recession but have since rebounded along with the economy. The Times article also notes that the Koch brothers and their Tea Party super PACs played a considerable role in killing that legislation. And even though President Obama was able to make the Clean Power Plan a reality, legal challenges from Republican officials and fossil fuel industry lawyers have delayed the implementation of that plan, which would require states to regulate emissions from the electricity sector. Sadly, it isnt just Republicans providing opposition to the presidents climate plans; plenty of centrist Democrats have joined in as well. The most notorious Democrat fighting the climate agenda in Washington, D.C. is Senator Joe Manchin from coal-dominated West Virginia. As a notable example, Sen. Manchin helped destroy a bipartisan bill that would have reduced power plant emissions years before the Clean Power Plan was drafted. Perhaps President Obamas shortcomings on climate change action could be forgiven or even dismissed, if it werent for his administrations willingness to open up federal lands and waters to fossil fuel industry exploitation. Thats where the real disappointment lies. Looking at some of the numbers on this issue reveals a pro-industry approach toward energy production. When President Obama took office in 2009, domestic oil production was at about 5.1 million barrels a day. By April of 2016, that number had climbed to 8.9 million barrels a day, which CNN notes is a 74 percent increase in just 7 years. Under President Obamas watch, the United States has become the largest fossil fuel producer on the planet when accounting for both oil and liquefied natural gas production. In terms of just crude oil production, the U.S. falls to third place, behind Russia and Saudi Arabia. Oil and gas obtained via hydraulic fracturing (fracking) now accounts for 50% of U.S. oil production, and, thanks to the Republican-controlled Congress, the 40-year-long ban on crude oil exports was lifted. Meanwhile, the government is still auctioning offshore oil and gas leases, even after President Obama presided over the largest ever oil spill in U.S. waters. Fracking continues its incredible boom, despite reports showing a rise in human-caused earthquakes related to fracking wastewater injections. While the president may not have personally approved all of these projects, as leader of the United States and a purported leader on climate action, he bears the responsibility for allowing them to happen and not doing more to stop them during his administration. What the president said in his New York Times interview is true; climate change trends are absolutely terrifying. But the United States will be hard-pressed to make meaningful progress on climate while continuing to give the fossil fuel industry so much support and access for a purpose so utterly opposed to that goal. Watch Obamas edited interview with the New York Times below: Eamonn Lacey Eamonn Lacey The tenth anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks was marked in the village of Cappawhite on Sunday as the community remembered in their prayers a local man, Martin John Coughlan, who died in the Twin Towers atrocity. The fifty three year old father of four girls was working on the 96th floor of the South Tower that day. He spoke by phone to his wife Catherine shortly after the hijacked plane plunged into the building. He is remembered with deep affection in the village of Cappawhite where he grew up. Martin John emigrated to America in the eighties and lived in Queens with his wife Catherine and they had four daughters Ailish, Denise, Orla and Sinead. On Sunday the Coughlan family in Cappawhite and Tipperary Town attended a ceremony of reflection and peace hosted by the US embassy in Dublin which was attended by President Mary McAleese. On the same day Fr. Pat Coffey celebrated Martin Johns tenth anniversary mass in Cappawhite. A niece of Martin John, Caroline Renehan said the family were honoured to attend the ceremony in Dublin last Sunday. Caroline said it was a fitting memorial service to her uncle and to all of the victims of the 9/11 attacks. It was a lovely service. We were all very honoured to be there, said Caroline who said the thoughts of all their family were with Martins family who were attending the memorial services in New York at the Ground Zero site. Martin Johns daughter Ailish read out his name during the ceremony. Caroline said that the Dublin service and the mass celebrated in Cappawhite meant a lot to the family as did the support and prayers of the Cappawhite community over the last ten years. People have been very supportive to our family. We are all very proud of Martin John and we love talking about him and we love people telling us stories about his time growing up in Cappawhite, said Caroline. Cllr. Mary Hourigan said the Coughlan family were remembered in the prayers of the Cappawhite community on Sunday. This atrocity affected the four corners of the world as well as this quiet rural village in West Tipperary where the pain of what happened on that day, ten years on, is still very real, she said. Prior to and during the mass the congregation watched a powerpoint presentation which included all of the names of the people who lost their lives on 9/11. Fr. Coffey said that the events of 9/11 were remembered powerfully in Cappawhite through the life and death of Martin John Coughlan. Our thoughts are very much with his family here and his family in the States whose grief remains real and deeply personal, he said. He read out a tribute by his daughter Denise in 2002 Martin John Coughlan was my father. But, he wasnt just my father because I just so happened to be born. He was my father because he... cared about me. raised me. Loved me. Picked me up from dance class never being a second late. encouraged me. Gave me someone to look up to. Made me laugh. Gave me everything I ever needed, even when I didnt deserve it. taught me. He was the best father anyone could ever have. There isnt a day that goes by where I dont think about you Dad. We all miss you! Fr. Coffey said there were reminders of Martins life around them in Cappawhite such as the picture on the wall of Coughlans bar, marking his involvement in the 1962 U/15 hurling team and a hammer mounted on a plaque presented to the family by the New York District of Carpenters. A hammer which will never again be used to drive a nail or tap a timber joining together. That hammer takes on a new use as a reminder to all who see it -of what happened ten years ago today, said Fr. Coffey. AAP chief has promised that his government will order a probe into the ill-gotten money and property, if voted to power in 2017. By Manjeet Sehgal: National convener of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal today pledged to confiscate ill-gotten money and properties amassed by the Badals and his other cabinet ministers during the last 10 years of SAD-BJP's misrule in Punjab. Releasing the farmers' manifesto in New Grain Market here, Kejriwal told the massive gathering that once AAP would come into power in 2017, it would immediately order an enquiry into the ill-gotten money and properties amassed by chief minister Parkash Singh Badal, Sukhbir Singh Badal, Bikram Majithia, Adesh Pratap Singh Kairo and Sikander Singh Malooka. Once found guilty, AAP government would send them to jail and confiscate their money, which they gathered after looting the people of Punjab, he added. advertisement Responding to the thunderous applause of the people, Kejriwal said that the money confiscated from Badals and other Akali Ministers, would be spent on opening new hospitals and schools. Kejriwal said that after holding a detailed enquiry, if fleet of buses owned by Badals were found to be attained through ill-gotten money, these buses would also be distributed among the unemployed youth of Punjab, so that they can earn their livelihood from the same. KEJRIWAL DARES BADALS He dared Badals that there are only four months left to the elections, if they (Badals) have guts, they should arrest him or Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government would arrest them (Badals) and send them behind bars. In a scathing attack on the PPCC Chief Captain Amarinder Singh, Kejriwal said that he (Captain) is in close proximity with Badals, evident from his prompt reaction on his (Kejriwal's) statement that he would stay in Punjab till Badals are sent to Jail. "Captain ko Mirchi kyon lagi" (Why was the Captain irked?), this shows Captain is an advocate of Badals and Majithia. Kejriwal also announced an in-depth probe into the various multi-crore chit fund scams under the alleged patronage of Akalis and pledged that cheated money of farmers and poors would be given them back after sending owners of such chit fund companies to jail. READ - BJP, Congress hopeful EC will disqualify AAP MLAs, parties ready for by-polls While releasing the farmers' manifesto, Kejriwal announced that agriculture sector would be made debt-free by December 2018. PRO-FARMER MOVES Rolling out a detailed 'blue-print' to make peasantry debt-free, AAP National Convenor Kejriwal assured re-enactment of the Sir Chhotu Ram Act of 1934 (Moneylenders' Debt) and said under no circumstances will be the sum of interest payable exceed the principal amount. He said that AAP government would implement loan waive-off plan for bank debts under which loans of poor farmers and farm labourers will be waived off, apart from waiving off the loans of SC's and OBC's. Even the interest on loans of other farmers will be waived off, he added. To make up the crop loss, Kejriwal said compensation of Rs 20,000 per acre for crop loss due to drought, floods, pest attack, unseasonal rain would be given to farmers and in the event of crop failure, farm labourers shall be given a compensation of Rs 10,000 for every month of loss of work.Also read - Punjab: Arvind Kejriwal releases AAP's 31-point farmers manifesto in Moga advertisement --- ENDS --- Aam Aadmi Party has refused to accept MLA Amanatullah Khan's resignation and has said that Khan is being dragged into the matter. By Parbina Purkayastha: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) refused to accept the resignation of its MLA Amanatullah Khan, against whom an FIR has been registered following molestation charges by his brother in-law's ex-wife. "We have checked the facts of a complaint against Khan, made by his brother in-law's ex-wife who has been separated for about four years and Khan has had no contact with her. This seems to be a family dispute in which Khan's name is being dragged. While we will not spare anyone if they are caught indulging in any wrongdoing, we will also stand by our people if we think they are being harrassed. I have spoken to the CM and other senior party members about this and have decided to not accept his resignation, said AAP Deputy CM, Manish Sisodia. advertisement In less than two months after he was arrested on charges of molestation, AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan has been booked again on the same charges, this times by his brother in-law's ex-wife. Also read: Amanatullah Khan becomes AAP's 10th legislator to be arrested The complainant approached Jamia Nagar police station alleging that the MLA put pressure on her to get into a physical relationship with him. She also accused her husband and in-laws of demanding dowry and putting pressure on her to get physically close with Khan. The victim has recorded her statement in Delhi's Saket court. India Today visited the complainant's house and found out that the flat is locked since three days. The neighbours had conflicting opinion about the couple who were staying in Delhi's Jamia Nagar for years. "They didn't come across as very nice people, something wasn't fine. Also they didn't pay my money," said a shopkeeper. "The complainant's husband's is a helpful and decent person. We never heard them fighting. Didn't hear any noise from the house ever. The person against whom she complained can never do this and we trust him," said a neighbour. Similar sentiments were observed in several localities of MLA's constituency. "There is no space for honest people in politics. He was pushed to resign and it is a conspiracy. His only fault is he is from AAP," said a resident of Jamia Nagar. A case under IPC sections 354A (sexual harassment), 506 (criminal intimidation), 509 (word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman), 120B (criminal conspiracy) and 498A (husband or relative of husband of a woman subjecting her to cruelty) was registered against Khan and the woman's husband, said a senior police officer. READ| AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan on molestation charges: My only fault is that I'm from Aam Aadmi Party --- ENDS --- Hopeful that 21 AAP MLAs will be disqualified by the Election Commission over office-of-profit claims, the BJP and Congress have started preparing for the by-polls, with both the parties claiming they would win. The 21 AAP MLAs, who are facing the risk of disqualification over office-of-profit claims, outside the Chief Election Commissioneras office. By Shashank Shekhar: Even as the fate of 21 Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLAs appointed as parliamentary secretaries remains in the balance, BJP and Congress have already started preparing for a mini election for 21 out of the 70 seats in Delhi. According to sources, both the parties are expecting the Election Commission (EC) to rule that the posts of parliamentary secretaries are "office of profit" and disqualify them, preparing the ground for by-polls just one-and-half year into the AAP government tenure. advertisement Earlier this week, the Delhi High Court had quashed the appointment of 21 AAP MLAs as parliamentary secretaries. While BJP is planning a separate strategy for each constituency, Congress is in the process of setting up their "war room". Also Read : AAP's appointment of 21 MLAs as parliamentary secretaries illegal: Delhi High Court WHO WILL WIN THE BY-POLLS, IF CONDUCTED? The party has already conducted an internal survey, and it hopes to bag a maximum of 15 seats out of the 21 on offer. However, the AAP is still optimistic that the Supreme Court will rule in their favour. The AAP government argues that the post of parliamentary secretary is not an office of profit, as the MLAs did not receive any financial benefit and were not entitled to any perks. BJP, which is in the opposition, had only managed to win three seats out of the 70 in assembly election held in 2015. But it now claims that the party is ready for the bypolls and doesn't even see Congress as their opposition. "We have formed a new core group and a separate strategy is being made for each constituency. Local MPs, district presidents and senior leaders of specific constituencies will frame the strategy. The direction of the campaign will not be top-heavy," said Satish Upadhyay, Delhi BJP President, adding that the upcoming festive season will be used to reach out to people. Also Read: Setback for AAP: SC refuses to stay Delhi HC verdict, Jung continues to be head of Delhi The Congress, on the other hand, has set up a 'war room' at the Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee office on Deen Dayal Upadhyay Marg. Congress party had failed to make a mark in the 2015 polls. The party is, however, riding high on the success of the municipal bypolls earlier this year, where it managed to win five out of 13 seats which went to polls. DPCC president Ajay Maken appeared confident that the party will make a strong comeback. "As per our internal survey, while the party will win 12 to 15 seats, the BJP will manage to get 5 seats. advertisement WHAT THE SURVEY SAYS The survey result shows that Aam Aadmi Party will be the biggest loser as they will be able to bag only a couple of seats," said a senior leader on the condition of anonymity. In the civic polls too, Congress had emerged as biggest gainer as they had won four seats in the municipal bypolls that took place in May. All the political parties are also gearing up for the civic poll which is due next year. Local issues like cleanliness, sanitation, health and education will be on the top agenda of political parties. Swaraj Abhiyan, the political group consisting AAP rebels, also may debut in the assembly bypolls, sources said. The group had already announced its party formation by October 2. Also Read: Kejriwal gave ticket to person charged with sodomy and torture on teen, sold tickets BJP protests against Kejriwal as he begins his Punjab tour --- ENDS --- In charge of AAP's student wing based in Lehalkalan, Sangrur, Hardeep Singh is absconding after a minor Dalit girl accused him of attempt to rape. By Manjeet Sehgal: There seems to be no end to the worries of troubled AAP which is in a throes of controversies . While party members are already facing allegations of bribery, seeking sexual favors from female ticket seekers, another AAP leader from Punjab is has been accused of attempting to rape a minor Dalit girl . In-charge of the AAP's student wing based in Lehalkalan, Sangrur, Hardeep Singh is absconding after the girl accused him of attempt to rape. advertisement The searches conducted by Sangrur police, after registering a case under various sections of IPC 376, 511, 342, 354B, 506 and 8 (Protection of Children From Sexual Offence Act, 2012), have revealed accused's pictures with top AAP leaders including party's national convenor Arvind Kejriwal. Singh is believed to be close to Arvind Kejriwal who had visited his village in February this year. Some of the top AAP leaders also stayed at his home. Hardeep Singh with AAP leader Sanjay Singh. The accused runs a digital studio and communication centre in the village. According to the FIR registered at Moonak police station, The incident took place on Friday evening when the victim and her sister had gone to get their passport size photos clicked at his studio. The victim in her statement to the magistrate said that the accused asked victim's younger sister to stay outside and locked the darkroom from inside. He allegedly kissed her and tried to remove victim's clothes. Victim's sister and parents got the door unlocked after the victim shouted for help. The accused managed to flee after pushing the victim's father. The police claims to have raided different locations to nab the accused leader. AAP is yet to take any action against the accused leader. Sources said the party was conducting internal probe to know the truth before taking any action. The incident has added to the woes of AAP which is facing a rebellion in Punjab over the ticket distribution. --- ENDS --- Today, the flag of NATO and those of all 28 Allies are at half-mast outside NATO HQ to mark the 15th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the United States. The attacks led to the first and only invocation on September 12, 2001 of Article 5 of the Washington Treaty, according to which an attack on one Ally is an attack on all. NATO deployed AWACS air surveillance and early warning planes to the US, freeing up planes there to support operations against terrorism. This was the first time that NATO assets were used in direct support of the continental US. Operation Active Endeavour to deter, defend and disrupt terrorist activities in the Mediterranean Sea evolved out NATOs immediate response in solidarity with the United States. As of August 2003, NATO took over command of the International Security and Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan to ensure that the country never again becomes a safe haven for international terrorism. Fifteen years after the tragedy, NATO remains committed to the protection and defence of its member states and to the fundamental values of freedom, peace, security, individual liberty, human rights, democracy and the rule of law. At the Warsaw Summit in July 2016, NATO Allies reaffirmed their resolve to fight the scourge of terrorism in accordance with international law and the purposes and principles of the UN Charter. In Afghanistan, Allies and partners continue to support the Afghan national defence and security forces with unwavering resolve through the train, advice and assist Resolute Support Mission. State health department blamed Wash your hands! (NaturalNews) At last count, 89 people in seven states had contracted hepatitis A from consuming smoothies made with contaminated strawberries, public health officials report.The outbreak began in Virginia in May, and has been traced to frozen strawberries used to make smoothies at Tropical Smoothie Cafe restaurants. Most cases have been confined to Virginia and nearby states, but some cases have since turned up as far away as Wisconsin and Oregon.Tropical Smoothie Cafe said that it would remove all the contaminated strawberries from its restaurants by August 9, after being contacted by Virginia health officials. Because hepatitis A can take up to 50 days to manifest symptoms, however, officials are warning anyone who has eaten at these restaurants to remain alert for symptoms until the end of September.Additionally, hepatitis A can be transmitted from person to person.According to the Virginia health department, the people infected range in age from 14 to 68. The first case occurred in early May, and new cases continue to be diagnosed. Nearly half of those diagnosed have been hospitalized.The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are conducting an epidemiological investigation to better trace the origin and spread of the outbreak At least one of the people who was sickened has filed a lawsuit against Tropical Smoothie Cafe, asking for $100,000 in damages. Several other customers have joined together in a class-action lawsuit.Virginia health officials have also come under fire, after it emerged that they waited 14 days after the first report of the outbreak before issuing a public warning."I think it's important for the Virginia Department of Health and Tropical Smoothie Cafe to say why they didn't alert the public sooner," said Bill Marler, a food safety attorney representing some of those affected by the outbreak.Virginia health department epidemiologist Diane Woolard, director the division of surveillance and investigation, said that the department waited "to determine with enough scientific certainty what the risk to the public was so we could understand the risk and communicate it accurately." It took two weeks to answer certain questions such as whether the contaminated strawberries had been distributed to more than one restaurant chain, if other fruit might have played a role and whether the contamination extended beyond Virginia's borders.Because Hepatitis A is transmitted through the feces of infected individuals , health officials have emphasized the importance of hand washing for infected people and those spending time around them. Even a trace of bacteria can be passed either directly to another person, or can contaminate food prepared by an infected person.Officials are urging everyone, and particularly those that might have come into contact with the contaminated berries, to monitor themselves for symptoms of hepatitis A. Common symptoms include jaundice, fever, loss of appetite, abdominal pain, vomiting, fatigue, light-colored stools and dark urine. People showing these symptoms should seek medical attention immediately.Because hepatitis A is highly contagious, those infected should stay at home until they recover, in order to avoid spreading the illness. It is also important to note that people are contagious for two weeksthey start showing symptoms.Of course, health officials are also using the outbreak as an excuse to try and push vaccination against hepatitis A.But, while hepatitis A is highly contagious and has a tendency to cause large outbreaks, the disease is rarely serious and is one of the less severe forms of the hepatitis virus, said infectious disease specialist Dr. Richard Bowen of Colorado State University. In contrast, he said, hepatitis B is a "global health problem."Thus, although hepatitis A does infect liver cells and cause liver dysfunction, it rarely causes liver failure as some other forms of hepatitis do. Physician with 30 years of experience claims Hillary Clinton is exhibiting side-effects of taking a common Parkinson's disease drug Dr. Drew says he would be embarrassed to be Hillary Clinton's physician due to the antiquated care she's receiving Symptoms of Parkinson's disease (NaturalNews) Avideo that has recently gone viral suggests that Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton has Parkinson's disease , a progressive disorder affecting the nervous system that impacts an estimated 1 million Americans.Speaking with Gary Franchi of the, Dr. Ted Noel examines "the facts of Hillary's critical and debilitating medical crisis," concluding that the presidential candidate has Parkinson's disease.Noel issued his opinion based on 30 years of experience in the medical field and observation of Clinton's symptoms, leading him to speak out publicly on the matter a brave decision considering the treatment endured by TV personality Dr. Drew Pinsky following the comments he made on Clinton's health The board-certified internist and addiction medicine specialist had his HLN showcanceled by CNN just days after issuing statements regarding Clinton's deteriorating health and seemingly inadequate healthcare.In the recent video interview, Noel discusses PDLID, a side-effect resulting from one the most common treatments for Parkinson's disease. The drug is called Levodopa and causes a range of side-effects including numbness, dry mouth, heartburn, headaches and dizziness.Noel says Clinton's difficulty swallowing is a result of Parkinson's disease; however, others counter it may be caused by dysphagia, an effect of strokes or brain damage.The doctor believes that Clinton has had the degenerative disease for at least 10 years.reports that while we cannot be sure what Clinton's illness is, it's clear that the woman is suffering from something."Hillary has something wrong with her and these theories or conspiracies as Hillary like to call them, will continue until she is honest about her health."So far, the presidential candidate has been seen having coughing fits on television, and on one occasion required the help of multiple men to climb a small set of stairs.Appearing on a radio show in California to "debunk questions" about the candidate's health, Pinsky surprised listeners by saying he was "gravely concerned" about Clinton's physical well-being.The doctor, known for his role as an addiction therapist on VH1's, said that after reviewing Clinton's public health records, he grew concerned about the type of medical care she is receiving, describing it as antiquated, particularly for an elitist with strong political influence.Pinsky and his colleague agreed that Clinton should be receiving a higher standard of care, after learning that the candidate is being prescribed medicine that was popular in the 1960s."Both of us concluded that if we were providing the care she was receiving, we would be ashamed to show up in a doctors' lounge. We would be laughed out. She's receiving sort of 1950s-level care by our evaluation," Pinsky stated on KABC'sshow."Pinsky said Clinton has received unconventional treatments over the years, calling the medical decisions 'bizarre' and speculating that it could be causing uncommon side effects," Fox News is reporting.A review of the candidate's schedule shows that Clinton will be taking the next five days off and won't reappear until Wednesday, September 14.Individuals in the early stages of Parkinson's disease often show little or no facial expressions as Clinton has been known to do. Arms sometimes fail to swing normally while walking, and speech may become soft or slurred, according to the Mayo Clinic.Symptoms of the disease worsen over time. Most of the humpback whales are endangered no more. NOAA Fisheries has already announced that nine out of 14 well-known humpback whales have been delisted from the U.S. List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife, as they are no longer eligible to be considered "endangered." There are five humpback populations that will keep their present statuses, with four of these endangered while another one threatened. "The data behind the humpback delisting is solid," Robert Pitman, a NOAA marine ecologist, told National Geographic. "Those of us that have been on the water working with whales for the past thirty to forty years have been amazed at the recovery that we have seen." This is good news to the dwindling humpack whales population. But how did these endangered whales escape extinction? 'Dividing' the Species Each of the 14 species have different needs and are "genetically distinct". They are each of their own; they even go on their separate ways during breeding season. There are a lot of humpback whales and each population has their own distinct traits; that is why "dividing" them bioligically makes sense. "We may not be able to delist the entire species," says Marta Nammack, National Endangered Species Act listing coordinator from NOAA Fisheries. "But by dividing them up the way we did, we can see substantial progress for their recovery across a good portion of the species." For example, in the Arabian Sea, there are only 82 humpback whales in the area whereas in Hawaii, there are more than 10,000 whales. It is believed that death by entanglement in fishing nets is not a threat in Hawaii compared to other places. Still Under Protection Majority of the humpback whales are delisted, but despite that, they are still under protection under the laws that will make sure that their population will not plunge down again. Under the Marine Mammal Protection Act, harassing, feeding, hunting, capturing or killing any marine mammals within the U.S. is strictly prohibited. Meanwhile, the International Whaling Commission already issued a humpack whale ban since 1982, and according to Nammack, that would probably not change anytime soon. There will also be new rules that will command the tourism operators from Alaska and Hawaii to implement strict distance limits. Also, NOAA Fisheries has filed two regulations stating that whale watching boats and other vessels have to keep a 100-yard distance from the humpbacks. These regulations were filed at the time of the delisting. An article on The Australian states that all the humpback whale populations in the southern hemisphere are endangered no more, while in Mexico, they are still threatened. Areas where humpback whale populations are still considered treathened include the Arabian Sea, Cape Verde/Northwest Africa, Central American waters and the western north Pacific. More Perils to Face Kristen Monsell, a staff attorney at the Center for Biological Diversity, said that despite the delisting, "the job isn't done" yet. She believes that humpback whales still need protection from threats such as climate change, ocean noise and ship strikes. Meanwhile, WWF Australia also agrees that there are still threats for the humpbacks. "Climate change impacts on prey and habitat, harmful marine debris, potential overfishing of target prey species, increased shipping traffic causing fatal strikes, and offshore oil and gas development are issues that will affect humpbacks and other whale species into the future," said WWF Australia whale researcher Chris Johnson. "We must keep their habitats and ocean highways safe in the years ahead to maintain this recovery," he added. As the nation pauses to remember the 15th anniversary of the Sept. 11th attacks, firefighters across the Bay Area are taking time to honor their fallen comrades during memorial ceremonies. Fresh wreaths were purchased and sound equipment was checked Saturday in anticipation of Sunday morning's memorial tribute at Station No. 1 in San Jose, just one stop on a downtown-wide procession that will honor those lost in New York, Washington D.C. and Pennsylvania 15 years ago. Firefighters at Station No. 1 have not forgotten that devastating day. "It seems like it was yesterday for us," Battalion Chief Reggie Williams said. "On that day we lost 343 of our brothers." Thanks to daily reminders plastered around the station, including a flag hanging in the halls with the names of firefighters who died while risking their lives on 9/11 in addition to other photographers displayed throughout the building paying tribute to the men and women of the New York Fire Department, firefighters in San Jose are honored to pay homage whenever they have the chance. Joining other fire departments from around the country taking time to remember the lives lost, the San Francisco Fire Department rang a bell and read the names of the 343 fallen firefighters at "First Responder Plaza" during a remembrance ceremony early Sunday. San Francisco firefighters ring bell to honor those lost 15 years ago. Betty Ong, a flight attendant from San Francisco who was killed on Sept. 11 when the plane she was on flew into the North Tower, was also remembered during that ceremony and a remnant from the World Trade Center, which will be installed in the city at a later date, was unveiled. "We have another physical piece that will represent not only the tragedy, but the heroism," Mayor Ed Lee said. Fire departments across the country typically take a moment on the morning of Sept. 11 to pay their respects to the emergency responders who jumped into action to help those trapped or in danger. "All stations throughout the city are currently holding this ceremony," San Francisco Fire Department Chief Joanne Hayes-White said. "It's our way of always keeping the courage and selflessness in our minds." Amid the sadness, San Jose Battalion Chief Williams says that firefighters have learned important lessons in training and heroics from those who sacrificed before them. Williams and other fire personnel will be on hand for Sunday's San Jose ceremony which gets underway from the Cathedral Basilica of St. Joseph at 11:30 a.m. before reaching Station No. 1 around 12:45 p.m. Facebook employees teamed up with Rebuilding Together to renovate three residences on the Peninsula Sunday morning. The social media techies put in some manual labor in the form of painting, electrical work and plumbing as a way to give back to the locals in their Menlo Park neighborhood. Kenneth Pope Sr.'s parents have been living in the Belle Haven neighborhood of Menlo Park for 50 years, but the residence's physical state has deteriorated over time. Facebook employees and Rebuilding Together repainted the exterior and made the house's access points more convenient for the elderly couple, something that Pope appreciates. "God bless (the volunteers)," he said. "They're just strangers helping strangers." Funds from corporate sponsors, foundations and private donors, along with the nearly 90 volunteers on hand, helped put these projects in the works. "We love it when corporations here in our community are willing to give back to their own neighbors," Cari Pang Chen, Associate Director of Rebuilding Together Peninsula, said. Facebook's Director of Facilities and Rebuilding Together board member Fergus O'Shea added that employees came out on the 15th anniversary of 9/11 because it builds on the spirit of helping out those in need. "We thought it was a good opportunity reflect, remember the victims and come out here and be very grateful for what we have and give back a little bit to the community," he said. Despite the kind gesture, Facebook has been criticized in the past for being intrusive and infringing upon low-income housing opportunities in the region. The Bay Area is a coveted place to live, but apparently not so attractive for many of the folks who currently call it home. According to a recently published report from Zillow, a hefty number of home-seekers cast their eyes on the Bay Area as a potential landing spot, but roughly half of residents currently living in the Bay Area look at outside regions around the country when it comes to getting a new set of house keys. San Francisco is the eighth-highest metropolitan market in the nation to see its residents looking outwards when it comes to house-hunting, according to Zillow. Skyrocketing housing costs has Zillow believing that Bay Area folks are simply looking for cheaper options. Despite a potential exodus of pinched residents, San Francisco attracts the fifth-highest amount of interest from home buyers living outside of the region looking to settle down near the city by the bay, according to Zillow. As to why San Francisco is getting so much external attention is because of the hot-bed job market. People also generally look to settle down in a nearby metropolis when they contemplate a move. With California already holding the highest population among any other state, San Francisco and other popular metropolises in the state get looked at by folks within the golden state, Zillow reported. A teenager was wounded in a shooting Saturday afternoon in San Francisco's Bayview District, a police spokesman said. A shot spotter system alerted officers at 1:16 p.m. to the shooting in the 4700 block of Third Street, spokesman Officer Carlos Manfredi said. Officers found the teen with a gunshot wound to his lower body and he was taken to a hospital. The injury was not considered life-threatening. Manfredi said officers are investigating whether the teen was shot by people driving by in a vehicle or by someone on foot. Thirty-one people were injured after a deck collapsed at an off-campus party near Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut, on Saturday night. Police and firefighters responded to the house at 1715 Broad Street around 11:15 p.m. A third-floor balcony collapsed onto the second floor balcony, which then collapsed on the first floor, according to Deputy Police Chief Brian Foley. There were no major injuries, officials said. Off-campus party caused deck collapse. HPD and HFD responding. pic.twitter.com/D1jhxoRD6Y Brian Foley (@LtFoley) September 11, 2016 A Trinity College statement confirmed that 28 students were transported to the hospital and one refused treatment. College staff went to the hospitals to be with the students and to assist them with getting in touch with their families. Patients were taken to various hospitals including Hartford Hospital, Saint Francis, John Dempsey Hospital, and Manchester Hospital. Hospital officials confirmed that many of the victims were treated and released from the hospital by mid-morning Sunday. Students described a chaotic scene immediately following the collapse. Trinity graduate student Brian Nance said he was at a party across the street when he heard what he thought was some kind of collision. When he looked outside he saw people scattered across the property, and heard crying and police sirens. Julianna Leone, a Trinity senior, was on one of the porches at the time of the collapse and was taken to the hospital for contusions on her head. [[393088411, C]] Im so thankful to the people who pulled me out of the rubble. I remember when I didnt know I was injured and people came over and theyre like youre bleeding! You need to see a medic, and they helped me, she said. Sophomore Erica Junquet said she'd been to parties at the building before and never noticed anything wrong with the balcony. "Its scary to think that people that youve seen on campus were on there, had gotten hurt and it could have been, like, I didnt specifically know anyone that was up there but the fact that it could have been someone that I know and it people that Ive seen every day, its horrible," she said. Trinity College confirmed in a statement that the building is owned by the school and managed by an outside property manager and that they were investigating the incident. The statement read in part: "Our immediate focus has been and will continue to be on taking care of our students who were hurt in the accident and other campus community members who have otherwise been affected by this unfortunate incident." The college said an all-campus email went out to students and faculty at 12:50 a.m. on Sunday with follow up messages. In addition to the emails, the school provided updates on its website starting at 9:24 on Sunday morning. Families concerned about students who may have been injured in the collapse can call Trinity Campus Safety at 860-297-2222. A woman faces a number of hate crime charges after she attacked two Muslim women and tried to rip one their hijabs off as they pushed their toddlers in strollers on a Brooklyn sidewalk, authorities said. Emirjeta Xhelili approached the two women at about 1:30 p.m. near 20th Avenue and Cropsey Avenue in Bath Beach on Sept. 8, according to court documents. She punched one of the women in the head and tried to rip her hijab off while screaming, "get the f--k out of America b----s, you don't belong here," according to the criminal complaint. Xhelili then allegedly pushed the woman's stroller, which had her 3-month-old baby inside, toward the ground before turning to attack her again. "This is the United States of America," Xhelili is alleged to have shouted while punching the woman in the face and trying to rip her hijab off her head. She then tried to grab the second Muslim woman's stroller, which had her 11-month-old baby in it, away from her, court documents allege. Xhelili faces a number of charges for the alleged hate crime, including assault, menacing and endangering the welfare of a child. While the BJP student organisation ABVP won the Delhi University Students' Union polls, AISA-SFI;s Left unity were victorious in the JNU Students' Union elections this year. Ankit Sangwan, Priyanka Chabri and Amit Tanwar of ABVP celebrate their victory in DUSU polls with a procession at Swami Vivekanandaas statue near the Arts Faculty building By Mail Today: While Delhi University saw a saffron surge on Saturday, the red brigade put a stamp of its dominance on JNU. ABVP SWEEPS DU, LEFT UNITY TRIUMPHS IN JNU The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), the students' wing of the RSS, bagged three of the four seats and described the thumping victory as a 'triumph of nationalism'. Congress' NSUI also made a comeback, winning the post of Joint Secretary in the results announced on Saturday. advertisement The Left alliance swept all four seats at the Jawaharlal Nehru University where "nationalism" and "free speech" had emerged as key poll issues. ABVP's Amit Tanwar was elected the new president of Delhi University Students' Union (DUSU), defeating NSUI candidate Nikhil Yadav by a margin of 4,680 votes. Priyanka Chabri and Ankit Singh of ABVP have been elected as vice-president and secretary respectively. NSUI candidate Mohit Garid was elected Joint Secretary, preventing a complete ABVP sweep like in 2014. AAP's Chhatra Yuva Sangharsh Samiti, which was defeated last year on its debut, did not contest the election this year. "A significant number of 17,712 voters opted for NOTA, introduced in the DUSU polls this year," said Chief Election Commissioner for the polls, DS Rawat. Also Read: DUSU polls: ABVP seizes top three posts, NSUI gets a joint secretary BJP LEADERS CONGRATULATE ABVP ON VICTORY Union minister Arun Jaitley, who was elected DUSU president in 1974, congratulated ABVP on its victory. 'Congratulations to DU students & #ABVP on comprehensively winning President, VP and Secretary posts in #DUSUPolls All the best to ABVP team,' he tweeted. BJP's national president Amit Shah too congratulated the ABVP candidates, describing the victory as the triumph of nationalism. 'Congrats to ABVP. #DUSU verdict is triumph of Nationalism. Youth have reposed their faith in constructive politics,' he tweeted. The election, held on Friday, saw a turnout of over 36.9 per cent, recording a dip of 7 per cent from last year's turnout of 43.3 per cent. A total of 1,23,246 students were eligible to vote. Celebrations broke out with bursting of crackers and loud cheering at the Kingsway camp counting venue as the results were announced. ABVP supporters lifted the victorious candidates on their shoulders and posed for photos flashing the 'victory' sign. The winners were garlanded and processions were taken out by ABVP supporters, who paid tributes at Swami Vivekananda's statue at the Arts Faculty of the university. advertisement DUSU is the representative body of students from most of the colleges and faculties of the university. The polls have been keenly contested over decades and are seen as a stepping stone to mainstream politics. Arun Jaitley, Congress leader Ajay Maken, Delhi BJP chief Satish Upadhyay, Union minister and BJP leader Vijay Goel are some of the prominent politicians whose journey into mainstream politics began from DUSU. KNOW THE DU ELECTED PANEL Priyanka, the lone female face in this year's elected panel, bagged 15,592 votes and defeated her closest rival by a margin of 2,455 votes. Ankit Singh Sangwan, who won the secretary's post, secured 15,518 votes. He won by a margin of 1,383 votes. NSUI's Mohit Garid garnered the maximum number of 16,526 votes and won the seat by a margin of 2,466 votes. NSUI's drought in DUSU has ended with Garid winning the joint secretary's post. "The vote share of the party has increased in all the seats and we are confident of sweeping the panel in the next polls," NSUI national president Amrita Dhawan said. A total of 17 candidates were in the fray for the four posts of DUSU office-bearers. While seven aspirants were vying for the post of president, four nominations were validated for the vice-president's post and three candidates each were in the fray for the post of joint secretary and secretary. advertisement While the political battle at DU has been between NSUI and ABVP over the decades, Left-affiliated All India Students' Association (AISA) this time tried hard to make it to the central panel with a series of campaigns but failed to open its account. Also Read: After elections, JNU students to raise voice against RJD MP Shahabuddin's bail JNUSU elections: Left alliance sweeps all 4 seats --- ENDS --- Four Chicago police officers were injured in a crash late Saturday on the city's South Side, according to police. The crash occurred around 11:40 p.m. in the 5800 block of South Ashland Ave in the city's Englewood neighborhood, authorities said. Two squad cars collided, according to police, and four officers were taken to area hospitals with non-life threatening injuries. Further information on the extent of their injuries or the cause of the crash were not immediately available. The incident remains under investigation. Service was temporarily suspended on a portion of the Blue Line on Chicago's West Side around 6 p.m. Saturday due to police activity, according to the CTA. Trains were standing around 6 p.m., according to the CTA, who tweeted at 6:20 p.m. that service was suspended between the Cicero and Kedzie stops, and shuttles would be provided. Travelers were advised to use the 126 bus as an alternate route. Officers were investigating an unattended package near the Pulaski Blue Line station, the Chicago Police Department said. Just after 6:30 p.m., trains began to move again with residual delays. Check back for updates on this developing story. Eight people were killed and at least 33 others were wounded in shootings across Chicago between Friday evening and Monday morning, according to Chicago Police. The weekends latest homicide happened about 2:15 a.m. Monday in the East Garfield Park neighborhood on the West Side, police said. Police responded to a call of a person shot and found a man lying in a lot in the 3900 block of West Monroe. The man, whose exact age was not known, was shot in the legs, neck and abdomen and pronounced dead at the scene, police said. The Cook County medical examiners office did not immediately confirm the fatality. Area North detectives are conducting a homicide investigation. Just after 8 p.m. Sunday, a shooting turned fatal at a vigil for a man who was slain on the same Brainerd neighborhood block a day earlier on the South Side. An 18-year-old woman was among three people shot in the 8900 block of South Justine, police said. The group was standing outside at the vigil when a grey minivan drove toward them and two people got out and began shooting. They shooters then got back inside the van and drove away. The woman was shot in the head and pronounced dead at Little Company of Mary Hospital in Evergreen Park, police said. The medical examiners office did not immediately confirm the death. Two boys 16 and 17 were also wounded in the shooting and taken to Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, authorities said. The 17-year-old was shot in the right arm and was in critical condition. The younger man was shot in the buttocks and his condition had stabilized. The three had been at a vigil for a 23-year-old man who had been shot outside his home on the block a day earlier, according to Chicago Fire Department Cmdr. Frank Velez. About 5:20 p.m. Saturday, two people walked up to Nahmar T. Holmes outside his home and shot him repeatedly in the torso, authorities said. He died at South Shore Hospital 19 minutes later. Police said that shooting was likely gang-related. Sunday afternoon in the Hermosa neighborhood on the West Side, 28-year-old Sergio Zaragoza got into an argument with a female in the 1600 block of North Karlov when the argument turned physical, authorities said. During the fight, a male walked up, pulled out a gun and shot Zaragoza in the chest. Zaragoza, who lived a block north of the shooting, was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital, where he died at 3:47 p.m., authorities said. The female was not taken to the hospital. Police said the incident may have been domestic-related. Earlier Sunday, a 19-year-old man was slain in a Brighton Park neighborhood shooting on the Southwest Side. Salvador Muniz was driving a vehicle north in the 3900 block of South Campbell at 2:35 a.m. when someone inside a vehicle driving south began shooting, striking him multiple times, according to police and the medical examiners office. Muniz, of the 4300 block of West Washtenaw, died at Mount Sinai at 3:12 a.m. Late Saturday, a man was shot and killed while driving in the Pullman neighborhood on the Far South Side. The 36-year-old was going through an intersection in the 11200 block of South Langley about 11:30 p.m. when another car pulled up and someone inside it shot him multiple times, police said. The man, whose name has not yet been released, was dead at the scene. A man was killed and another wounded Saturday afternoon in the Chicago Lawn neighborhood on the Southwest Side. The pair were sitting in a car at 2 p.m. parked in the 3000 block of West 63rd Street when several gunmen walked up and fired at them. Dominice Hallom, a 27-year-old from the 11300 block of South Forest, was shot in the head and torso, and he was pronounced dead at the scene at 2:26 p.m., authorities said. The other man, 26, was shot in the leg, arm, torso and buttocks. He was taken to Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, where his condition was stabilized, police said. The weekends first homicide happened about 11:30 p.m. Friday in the West Side Humboldt Park neighborhood. Officers on patrol near Division and Maplewood witnessed 18-year-old Louis Rodriguez driving around the block and engaging a group of males before he was shot, authorities said. Rodriguez, of the 1300 block of North Oakley, died at the scene. The officers intervened and at least one opened fire, hitting a male, CPD area coordinator Glen Brooks said. The male was taken to a hospital with injuries that werent considered life-threatening, Brooks said. No officers were hurt. The latest nonfatal shooting happened about 4:30 a.m. Monday in the Belmont Gardens neighborhood on the Northwest Side. A 22-year-old man was standing on the sidewalk in the 4100 block of West Belmont when a male fired shots from a dark-colored vehicle nearby, police said. The man was shot in the leg and taken to Illinois Masonic Medical Center, where he was listed in serious condition. At least 29 more people were wounded in other shootings across the city between 6 p.m. Friday and 2:30 a.m. Monday. The U.S. marked the 15th anniversary of 9/11 on Sunday, with victims' relatives reading their names and reflecting on a loss that still felt as immediate to them as it was indelible for the nation. "It doesn't get easier. The grief never goes away. You don't move forward it always stays with you," Tom Acquaviva, who lost his son, Paul Acquaviva, said as he joined over 1,000 victims' family members, survivors and dignitaries at ground zero under an overcast sky. For Dorothy Esposito, too, the 15 years since she lost her son, Frankie, is "like 15 seconds." James Johnson, a retired New York City police sergeant who is now police chief in Forest City, Pennsylvania, was there for the first time since he last worked on the rescue and recovery efforts in early 2002. "I've got mixed emotions, but I'm still kind of numb," he said. "I think everyone needs closure, and this is my time to have closure." Obama observed the somber anniversary with a moment of silence in the White House residence at 8:46 a.m. ET, when the first of four hijacked airplanes slammed into the north tower of New York City's World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001. Afterwards, at a Pentagon memorial service, Obama said the nation will never forget the lives of those killed in the Sept. 11 attacks and that he is inspired by the resilience of the victims' families. "Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you. Bind them around your neck. Write them on the table of your heart," he said, quoting scripture. Obama also praised America's diversity and urged Americans not to let their enemies divide them. He called the day "difficult" but one that "reveals the love and faithfulness in your hearts and in the heart of our nation." In Pennsylvania, hundreds gathered in Shanksville where one of the planes hijacked by terrorists crashed in a field 15 years ago. For the first time, the Shanksville ceremony is being held outside the Flight 93 National Memorial that opened last year rather than at the granite mall that runs along the crash site. The names of the 40 passengers and crew members were read and bells rung in their memory. The United Airlines flight was heading from Newark, New Jersey to San Francisco when it crashed after passengers and crew members fought the terrorists for control of the plane. Nearly 3,000 people died when hijacked planes slammed into the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and a field near Shanksville on Sept. 11, 2001. It was the deadliest terror attack on American soil. The 15th anniversary arrives in a country caught up in a combustible political campaign and keenly focused on political, economic and social fissures. But some at the ceremony pleaded for the nation to look past its differences. "The things we think separate us really don't. We're all part of this one Earth in this vast universe," said Granvilette Kestenbaum, who lost her astrophysicist husband, Howard Kestenbaum. "We're all ordinary, and we're all special, we're all connected. We waste precious time by thinking otherwise." Others expressed hopes for peace or alluded to the presidential race, calling on the next commander-in-chief to ensure America's safety. Still, the nation tries to put partisan politics on hold on the anniversary, and both Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton and Republican rival Donald Trump were at the anniversary ceremony at the World Trade Center. Neither candidate was expected to make public remarks at a ceremony where politicians have been allowed to attend, but not speak, since 2011. Clinton and Trump also followed a custom of halting television ads for the day. Ceremony organizers included some additional music and readings Sunday to mark the milestone year. But they kept close to what are now traditions: moments of silence and tolling bells, an apolitical atmosphere and the hourslong reading of the names of the dead. For relatives, it's an occasion to keep their loved one in the public's consciousness, while also having a tone of personal remembrance. Some speakers updated their lost loved ones on weddings and grandchildren or described how their loss had moved them to connect with others who had been through tragedy. Jerry D'Amadeo was 10 when he lost his father, Vincent Gerard D'Amadeo. The son said he worked this summer with children at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, where 20 children and six school staffers were massacred in 2012. "Sometimes the bad things in our lives put us on the path to where we should be going to help others as many have helped me," he said. Financial and other hurdles delayed the redevelopment of the Trade Center site early on, but now the 9/11 museum, three of four currently planned skyscrapers, an architecturally adventuresome transportation hub and shopping concourse and other features stand at the site. A design for a long-stalled, $250 million performing arts center was unveiled Thursday. Around the Trade Center, lower Manhattan now has dozens of new hotels and eateries, 60,000 more residents and ever-more visitors than before 9/11. Meanwhile, the crowd has thinned somewhat at the anniversary ceremony in recent years. But there's been no sustained talk of curtailing the ceremony. Cathy Cava, who lost her sister, Grace Susca Galante, has attended all 15 years. "I will keep coming as long as I am walking and breathing," Cava said, wearing a T-shirt with her sister's photo. "I believe most of her spirit, or at least some of her spirit, is here. I have to think that way." If Donald Trump is elected president, some experts fear he could cause unnerving on U.S. allies and he could push for an American foreign policy that is more favorable to Russian President Vladimir Putin's goals and interests. Trump's praise for Putin's "strong" leadership has already caused issues, said Evelyn Farkas, a former deputy assistant defense secretary for Russia, Ukraine, Eurasia in the Obama administration. "He's already done damage to us vis-a-vis Russia as a candidate. I frankly shudder to think what he could to U.S. interests as commander-in-chief and president," Farkas, a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council, told NBC News. Trump's effusive admiration for Putin, who Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-South Carolina, referred to on Thursday as "a thug, a dictator, an autocratic ruler who has his opposition killed in the streets of Russia" has baffled many, including some in his own party. [NATL] Top News Photos: Pope Visits Japan, and More Nina Khrushcheva, a great-granddaughter of former Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev and a professor of international affairs at The New School, feels the Trump-Putin rapport could go one of two ways should Trump become president. "It will supposedly be a very positive relationship," she told NBC News. "But since Putin and Trump in some ways are similar that is, they say it like it is and really don't mind the consequences it also is entirely possible and likely that that relationship will collapse quickly because one will insult the other and try to show each other who's the better man." Residents in Middletown are calling on the state to do something to improve the safety at the intersection of Newfield Street and Fisher Road. Neighbors say a deadly crash there on Thursday was the latest in a string of close calls and collisions. I hear squeaking and then a bang about every other week, says Tony Rosa. Im always concerned for my safety just to get home every night, says Dustin Luangkhot. For drivers there are tense moments sitting on Newfield Street also known as Route 3 waiting to turn left onto Fisher Road. Despite a 35-mile an hour speed limit on Route 3, cars go much faster and some dont always realize quickly enough a car has stopped in the one northbound lane. My brother got wrecked up there before. Its a very dangerous area, says Jeffrey Barbour. On Thursday, police say 67-year-old William Fetter was a quick left turn away from heading home. As he waited a car struck him from behind, sending him spinning into the opposite lane, and then a third car hit and killed him. He was a nice guy. He was just a nice guy, says Norman Bishop. Two days before that accident happened a guy almost ran into the back of me. Some neighbors try to avoid the intersection. Others have signed a petition which recently started on Change.org, asking the state to add a left turn lane. Having my own lane to just go into would definitely make things a lot easier, a lot faster, and overall a lot better for this street, says Luangkhot. Whatever they do it would be a great help. They got to do something, says Rosa. The Middletown mayor says hes aware of the petition and hes asked the Connecticut Department of Transportation to take a look at the intersection and see what if anything can be done. Connecticut state police have arrested a man in connection with a highway shooting incident that occurred Sunday morning. Luis Sierra, 24, of Hartford, was charged with third-degree assault, disorderly conduct and possession of narcotics. State police said around 6:41 a.m. they responded to the area of Interstate 84 east near exit 70 for reports of a possible accident involving a blue Honda. When they arrived in the area they found a victim, who has not been publicly identified, walking on I-84 near the rest stop suffering a gunshot wound to his leg. The individual was taken to Hartford Hospital for treatment of non-life threatening wounds. Additional troopers and K9 teams to search for other potential victims and suspects. According to police, they found Sierra standing next to a blue Honda. There were shell casings in and around the car, as well as a .380 semi-automatic pistol on the ground. Police allege that Sierra and the victim were involved in a fight that lead to the shooting. Police said they also found a bag of meth on Sierra. Sierra was arrested and held on a $25,000 bond. He is scheduled to appear in court Monday. The investigation is ongoing. What to Know Robert Small, who survived the '93 bombing, was an office manager at Morgan Stanley on the 72nd floor of the south tower on 9/11 He is still haunted by the images of seeing people jumping from the burning towers after the planes hit Small helped two people escape the towers that day, and, 15 years later, is still looking to reconnect Somewhere out there may be a 14-year-old boy or girl whose mother's life was saved by Robert Small as the twin towers burned on Sept. 11, 2001. Small was an office manager at Morgan Stanley on the 72nd floor of the south tower, and as a survivor of the 1993 attacks on the World Trade Center, he'd become the company's fire safety warden. "There was this boom and a vibration, and I thought, 'Not again,'" Small said, telling his story in a video for visitors to the 9/11 Tribute Center. Confident he could walk 72 flights down to safety, Small guided others along the way with encouragement and water. "My friend and I had two backpacks full of water. The reason why I had so much is in '93, I wished I'd had water," he told NBC 4 New York. Small still remembers watching victims jumping from the burning towers. "The flames, I'd never seen such an orange color before," he wrote in a 44-page account of the day after his therapist advised him to recall every detail. "I remember calling out, 'Oh, God' over and over," he wrote. "It was a person. Who was going to help this person? This person is going to hit the ground. This person is going to die." "As much as you want to look away, you really can't," he said. [[129820373, C]] But the sight somehow gave him strength. "And then this woman fell. She seemed to have accepted her fall. She made a star-like pattern," Small told NBC 4 New York. "From that moment on, everything went my way. She was a calming feeling. She got me out." Small journeyed down the stairwell, counting the floors every so often as he passed it: "Sixty more to go. Fifty-two more to go." On his way down, he encountered a 4-month pregnant woman. "I just encouraged her to keep going," he said. "Every time she wanted to stop, I'd ask her to give me one more floor." After finally getting to safety, "as we parted, I just jokingly told her, if it's a boy, name him Robert." Small never saw the woman again. But he's been looking for her. "I just want to say hi, give her a hug and say I'm glad she made it," he said. He also never saw the East Brunswick, New Jersey, man who gave him a ride home after the towers fell. Each year, Small, who lives in Old Bridge, New Jersey, posts on Facebook to honor the day. Last year, he made an appeal to help find the woman and the man who got him home. "Maybe, just maybe we'll find those two folks," he said in the Facebook video. His first Facebook plea got 170,000 views. This year, Small will be overseas on the anniversary, but he's hoping someone watching or reading this story will remember him from the south tower stairs. Perhaps the woman's child is walking around the city somewhere, Small thinks. "I probably passed the kid a thousand times and never knew it," he said. When chief of staff Andrew Card knelt down and told George Bush "America is under attack" 15 years ago Sunday, the words he whispered in the president's ear in a Florida classroom launched what was supposed to be a planned, orderly response to a national emergency. But what followed instead was chaos, a breakdown in communication and protocol that risked international conflict and could have made Sept. 11, 2001, a still bigger tragedy. Based on a review of newly unclassified documents, memoirs and other published accounts, and interviews with U.S. officials, NBC News has learned that top U.S. officials couldn't talk to each other or to anyone else due to inadequate communications equipment and procedures, and that only one top official followed the emergency continuity of government plan. The 134 Freeway was closed in Eagle Rock Sunday morning causing a traffic backup after a shooter fired at a patrol car, the Los Angeles Police Department said. Officers also closed off a half-mile of the Eagle Rock neighborhood and advised residents to stay indoors with their pets while police searched for the shooter. Both sides of the freeway were back open by 9:45 a.m. Traffic was heavy from before the 2 on eastbound lanes. A suggested alternate route was Colorado Boulevard. Check Live Traffic Conditions Officers were searching for a gunman after an LAPD unit was fired upon near Eagle Vista heading toward Figueroa. The officer was not hurt, LAPD said. The officer did not return fire. Six hours into the search, LAPD urged residents to take their pets indoors. The combat drills will see different types of fighters - from Sukhoi-30MKIs and Mirage-2000s to Jaguars and MiG-29s as well as force-multipliers like mid-air refuellers and AWACS - take to the skies. By Manjeet Negi: First time after Pathankot operations, the Indian Air Force (IAF) is holding a massive exercise code named TALON across the northern and western borders with Pakistan and China. All frontline squadrons of fighter aircraft including those of the Su-30MKI would be on high alert from Kargil and Leh airbase in Ladakh to the Nal airbase in Rajasthan's Bikaner. advertisement As part of the mega exercise, IAF has also laid stress on securing it's airbase periphery and has deployed it's unmanned aerial vehicles to keep an eye on movement in and around it. ALSO READ | Post LEMOA, India, US to hold first joint military exercise in Uttarakhand The IAF has decided to strengthen airbase security after its base in Pathankot was repulsed successfully. The combat drills will see different types of fighters - from Sukhoi-30MKIs and Mirage-2000s to Jaguars and MiG-29s as well as force-multipliers like mid-air refuellers and AWACS (airborne warning and control systems) - take to the skies. NETWORK-CENTRIC WAR GAME With the nodes of IACCS (integrated air command and control system) also becoming operational on the western front facing Pakistan, the exercise will be conducted in networked environment. The automated IACCS enables quick transfer of data from low-level transportable radars, high-power static radars and medium-power radars as well as ground stations of AWACS and aerostat radars to one central place. This provides a composite real-time air situation picture to ensure operations can be conducted in a much swifter, cohesive and effective manner. ALSO READ: Jolted by crash, IAF promises safety beacons on AN-32s 'on priority' How IAF's air warriors helped turned the tide of the Kargil war --- ENDS --- Solemn ceremonies will be held across the Southland Sunday to remember the nearly 3,000 people who died during the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. Burbank police and fire officials will hold an early morning ceremony on the steps of police headquarters, while Manhattan Beach officials will gather at the city's 9/11 memorial at 15th Street and Valley Drive. A mystery person placed more than 100 roses at the Manhattan Beach site where an art installation features two steel beams from the World Trade Center hit in the Sept. 11 attacks. "We're a very tight-knit community," said Manhattan Beach police Sgt. Tim Zins. "We feel that we want to pay tribute to all those who lost their lives." Police officers weren't sure who placed the roses, but were very grateful to see the support. In Long Beach, fire Chief Michael DuRee and police Chief Robert Luna will place a memorial wreath in front of a fire station and observe a moment of silence at 9:11 a.m. The Los Angeles Fire Department will hold its annual observance at the Sherman Oaks station, which is home to many search-and-rescue team members who responded to New York to help search for victims in the rubble of the World Trade Center. A ceremony will be held from 6:45 a.m. to 8 a.m. at Fire Station 27 in Hollywood that will include LAFD Director of Operations Frank Borden and will feature a special ribbon on one of The Hero In You Foundation's 26 R. Hero sculptures nationwide. Carson and Beverly Hills are also among the cities that will hold tributes. The day is officially dubbed Patriot Day and National Day of Service and Remembrance in honor of the civilians and first responders who were killed in New York, Washington, D.C., and Shanksville, Pennsylvania. "Fifteen years ago, nearly 3,000 innocent lives -- men, women and children who had been going about their normal routines -- were taken from us, depriving families and loved ones of a lifetime of precious moments,'' President Barack Obama said in a proclamation noting the 15th anniversary of the attacks. "But the acts of terror of Sept. 11, 2001, sought to do more than hurt our people and bring down buildings. They sought to break our spirit and destroy enduring values that unite us as Americans. "In the years that followed, our capacity to love and to hope has guided us forward as we worked to rebuild, more sound and resilient than ever before,'' he said. "With the hearts of those we lost held faithfully in our memories, we reaffirm the unwavering optimism and everlasting strength that brought us together in our darkest hour, and we resolve to give of ourselves in service to others in that same spirit." Los Angeles city leaders, along with police and fire officials, held a ceremony Friday at the LAFD's Frank Hotchkin Memorial Training Center, which includes a large piece of the World Trade Center. "We see it every single day in our fire services, in our military and Coast Guard,'' Mayor Eric Garcetti said. "We understand that when people put on a uniform and wear a badge, it's just theirs for a temporary moment in time. They become the guardian angels for each one of us, not knowing what may happen. "And every one of them steps forward voluntarily," he said. California Gov. Jerry Brown also issued a proclamation. "Fifteen years ago today, Al-Qaeda terrorists hijacked four commercial airliners to use as suicide missiles against major American landmarks, including the Pentagon and New York's World Trade Center, where most of the nearly three thousand victims perished," Brown said. "Each year since those terrible events, we have observed September 11 as Patriot Day to honor both those who lost their lives and the men and women who showed such bravery in responding to the attacks and aiding the victims. "On this somber anniversary, I urge Californians to commemorate the lives we lost and the bravery of those who responded. I have ordered all flags on state buildings to be flown at half-staff." In Orange County, the 15th anniversary of the attacks will be marked today by: --The 9/11 Patriot Ride, a group of motorcycle enthusiasts paying tribute to the firefighters killed in the attacks. The ride starts at the Huntington Beach Harley Davidson store at 10 a.m. at 15080 Goldenwest Circle in Westminster. --Orange County Fire Authority firefighters will hold their annual "Day of Remembrance" ceremony at their headquarters at 1 Fire Authority Road in Irvine as well as all of the other stations throughout the county. --The Pretend City Museum, 29 Hubble, in Irvine, will hold a Day of Remembrance as well geared toward children. --The Nixon Presidential Library and Museum in Yorba Linda will hold its annual ceremony at noon with remarks from Marine Corps Maj. Gen. Daniel O'Donohue, Orange County Sheriff Sandra Hutchens and Orange County Fire Authority Chief Jeff Bowman. --Anaheim firefighters will hold a tribute at City National Grove of Anaheim with local authorities making remarks and representatives from various nonprofits available to help residents who would like to volunteer on the National Day of Service and Remembrance. --Chiara D'Odorico will perform a recital on piano of the debut of "In Memoriam," a composition by Irvine Valley College professor Daniel Luzko, who pays tribute to the 9/11 victims. The performance will be at the Irvine Valley College Performing Arts Center in Irvine. City News Service contributed to this report. An Orange County pediatrician and outspoken critic of mandatory vaccinations faces possible discipline by California's medical board. The Orange County Register reports Friday that Dr. Bob Sears is accused of failing to obtain a detailed medical history before writing a 2014 letter excusing a toddler from immunizations. The board says Sears wrote the letter after the 2-year-old's mother described an adverse reaction to an earlier vaccination. If Sears is found negligent, he could face a public reprimand or lose his medical license. Sears declined comment to the newspaper. The Associated Press also sent an email seeking comment Friday. Sears has authored a popular book on vaccines and advocates a staggered, alternative vaccination schedule that contrasts with recommendations by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Transgender soldier Chelsea Manning stopped eating to protest what she says is the lack of treatment she's receiving behind bars for her gender dysphoria, according to NBC News. "I need help. I am not getting any. I have asked for help time and time again for six years and through five separate confinement locations," Manning said in a statement. Manning is serving a 35-year sentence. She was convicted in 2013 on espionage charges for sending hundreds of thousands of classified documents to WikiLeaks. She is being held in the all-male U.S. Disciplinary Barracks in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. [NATL] Top News Photos: Pope Visits Japan, and More "My request has only been ignored, delayed, mocked, given trinkets and lip service by the prison, the military, and this administration," she wrote. Manning started the hunger strike at 12:01 a.m. CT Saturday. NBC News reached out to the military for comment about Manning's claims. A U.S. Army official responded and said they have no immediate comment. Phony Uber drivers are picking up tourists outside the US Open in Queens and charging them illegally high fares, the New York Post reported. The drivers stand next to their cars and lure tourists with printed signs of the Uber logo, according to the report. They then offer a ride for more than double what it normally costs. After the report, an Uber spokesperson said the New York City Parks Department is to blame for the scammers. The spokesperson said Uber was blocked from using a parking lot adjacent to Arthur Ashe Stadium, which would have stopped illegal drivers from luring tourists. Our law-abiding drivers are losing business and riders are being ripped off by these illegal scammers in part because the Parks Department refused to let us rent the Queens Museum lot," an Uber spokesperson told NBC 4 New York. "The NYPD and the Queens Museum had been working productively with us to help prevent exactly this type of problem, yet the Parks Department never responded to us when we asked why they were standing in the way. However, a mayoral spokesman said the lot Uber requested would have interfered with event security. "Safety being our utmost priority at the U.S. Open, NYPD and NYC Parks determined that the special area Uber requested would impede necessary security operations during the event," Austin Finan, a spokesman for Mayor de Blasio said. The Taxi and Limousine Commission urges anyone who has been overcharged by an illegal driver to call 311 and file a report. It's not a fantasy! Rob Dyrdek is a dad now. E! News can confirm the Fantasy Factory reality star and his wife Bryiana Noelle Flores welcomed their first child together on Friday evening. "Say hello to Kodah Dash Dyrdek aka Dash aka KD aka K-Dash aka Dah-Da... Born 9/9/16 on 7:28pm... 7.7 ounces. Myself and @bryianadyrdek_ feel so incredibly blessed and thankful for our healthy baby boy," Rob shared on Instagram. The happy arrival comes just a couple of weeks after the new parents participated in a stunning maternity photo shoot where Rob couldn't help but gush over his wife. [NATL] Celebrity Baby Boom: Christian Slater u0026 Wife Welcome Daughter "9 months pregnant and more stunning than ever. As much as I love this woman with all of my being, I could never express how proud I am of how strong she is," he wrote on social media. "We are weeks away from bringing our son into this world and I have been in awe of how well she has handled the difficult task of growing a child and preparing to become a mother." How Rob Dyrdek and Bryiana Dyrdek Are Prepping for Parenthood "So much to be grateful for on this beautiful day," he added. In the months leading up to the baby's arrival, the happy couple documented their journey to parenthood that included romantic getaways and some adorable public displays of affection. Both Rob and Bryiana were able to get away from work and escape to Bora Bora for a romantic "babymoon" vacation. Back at home, the pair jetted off to Northern California in order to attend Game 7 of the NBC Finals. They also documented some doctor visits where someone took control of the sonogram machine. Rob Dyrdek and Bryiana Noelle Flores Are Expecting Their First Child--See Their Adorable Baby Announcement "I love @bryianadyrdek_ in so many ways and on so many different levels," Rob wrote on Instagram when first announcing the pregnancy news. "I could never create the words to express how deeply and truly I love her and us." Bryiana has shared on social media that she was anticipating the moment her husband would be called a proud papa. "I just want you to know that the only thing better than having you as my husband, will be our children having you as their Daddy. We are so blessed and I love you more than words can ever describe," the President of Iconic Beauty shared on Instagram. "Thank you for the adventure of a lifetime. There's no one in the world I would rather be on this beautiful life journey with." Celeb Baby Bumps Inspira Health Network has hired Skanska USA to build its new $350 million Gloucester County hospital. The five-story hospital building with 204 beds in Harrison will be the fourth inpatient facility for the South Jersey health system, which also has medical centers in Vineland, Elmer and Woodbury. Inspira bought the land for the new hospital from Rowan University in a $11.5 million deal that was finalized in March. The property on Route 322 near Exit 50 of Route 55 is adjacent to land owned by the college. The health system has not yet decided on its future plans for its other Gloucester County medical center in Woodbury, which previously operated as Underwood-Memorial Hospital. Inspira working with the city of Woodbury and the Gloucester County Improvement Authority to conduct a redevelopment study, which will identify future opportunities for the campus. The project represents the second major hospital contract for New York-based Skanska USA in this region during in the third quarter. In August, the company, which has local offices in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania, was selected to build the women and childrens health center for Christiana Care Health System in Newark, Del. To read the full article, click here. For more business news, visit Philadelphia Business Journal. By PTI: Los Angeles, Sep 11 (PTI) Actress-activist Angelina Jolie has visited a Syrian refugee camp and urged world leaders to help sort the current crisis. "This is not a problem of Jordans making, or that Jordan should be left to bear alone. They have been warning for years that they would reach a point where they on their own could do more. The world has known about the situation in the Berm for months, but no solution has yet been put forward. advertisement "This is symptomatic of the wider problem. For all the good intentions, extraordinary efforts in the field, and the generosity of host communities, it is impossible to say that we, as an international community, are using all the tools at our disposal, or that we have even come close to doing enough to help the Syrian people," Jolie said in a statement. She further said that the Syria conflict and the concerns of its people should be at the centre of discussion at the upcoming United Nationas General Assembly. "My message to world leaders, as they prepare to gather at the UN General Assembly in 10 days time, is to ask that the fundamental root causes of the Syria conflict, and what it will take to end it, are put at the center of the discussion." During her visit, the 41-year-old actress met with a family who had suffered imaginable loss. In a statement released through the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), she said, "This is my fourth visit to Jordan since the conflict in Syria began. It is almost impossible to fathom what the last five years have meant, in the lives of refugees in Jordan and elsewhere in the region. "Not a single family in this camp of 60,000 people has not suffered loss and trauma. I met a family this morning, who fled Daesh in Raqqaa, and then moved 20 times, trying to find safety inside Syria. In that time, the mother suffered repeated miscarriages, and her two brothers and one sister were killed in an airstrike." PTI PSH PSH --- ENDS --- Wilmington Police say there's been increase of thefts from motor vehicles and are warning drivers to keep valuables out of their cars. Police said Friday there's been several incidents in the last two weeks where thieves have broken into cars by damaging or even removing windows. Items that have been stolen include sunglasses, EZ-passes, GPS devices and loose change. Police said a large number of thefts have focused on newer model Audis. Police are asking anyone with information about the break-ins to contact authorities. The trucks drive through New Jersey towns at night, fogging neighborhoods with pesticide to kill a minuscule, and potentially deadly, insect. This summer, health departments and mosquito control commissions worked with renewed zest to kill, capture and test the flying insect responsible for carrying diseases like West Nile virus in New Jersey. But the threat of Zika, a virus capable of causing devastating birth defects, is bringing the mosquito new attention. Earlier this year the New Jersey Department of Health began testing insects for Zika along with the other mosquito-borne viruses, like West Nile Virus and eastern equine encephalitis. So far, none of the mosquitoes in the state has tested positive for Zika, but the human population has not been so lucky. As of Tuesday, New Jersey had 122 cases of travel-related Zika infections, according to the state Department of Health. Five are in Burlington County, and four are in Camden County. Gloucester and Cumberland counties each have one case. New Jersey was fifth-highest in the nation for Zika infections as of Aug. 31, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Stephanie Brown, 31, of Lacey does not want to take any chances of exposing her family to the virus. "I got my yard treated for the first time because we normally get a lot of mosquitoes, but the threat of Zika put me over the edge," Brown said in a Facebook message to a reporter. Experts are still unsure whether Zika will take hold in New Jersey's mosquito population. Though the Aedes aegypti mosquito is the primary carrier of Zika, and that breed of mosquito is not common in New Jersey, the state's prevalent Aedes albopictus mosquito, or Asian tiger mosquito, is also capable of carrying the disease. But whether the tiger mosquito will transmit the disease here is still unclear, according to a report from Rutgers University's Center for Vector Biology. The fact that Zika can also be sexually transmitted will "greatly complicate efforts to contain outbreaks," wrote Randy Gaugler and Ary Faraji, the report's authors. Both were not immediately available to discuss the Zika. On Tuesday, the World Health Organization advised all men who have traveled to areas with active Zika, even if they have no symptoms, to use condoms during sex for six months, instead of the original recommendation of eight weeks. When contracted during or before pregnancy, the virus can cause life-threatening birth defects such as microcephaly, a condition where babies are born with undersized skulls and underdeveloped brains. Babies born infected with Zika also face a risk of eye problems, hearing loss and impaired growth, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Most adults infected with Zika have mild or no symptoms, the most common being fever, rash, red eyes and joint pain. Yet, in rare instances, Zika can lead to Guillain-Barre syndrome, in which the infected person's immune system damages the body's nerve cells, causing muscle weakness and sometimes paralysis, according to the CDC. There were 2,722 cases of Zika in the United States as of Aug. 31, and seven of those who were infected also had Guillain-Barre, according to the CDC. An overwhelming majority of Zika infections are connected to travel to areas were the virus is circulating among mosquitoes. Avoiding such places is becoming increasingly difficult. Zika is active within the mosquito populations of much of North and South America, including sections of Florida, as well as Pacific islands and portions of Africa and Asia. To prepare for this expanding pandemic, hospitals throughout New Jersey are developing Zika-specific plans. Infectious disease Dr. Edward Liu asks questions about travel history and mosquito exposure to people who enter Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune with symptoms that match Zika. The disease is diagnosed through blood tests because its symptoms so closely resemble that of two other mosquito-borne viruses, chikungunya and dengue fever. Yet Zika's risks are particularly concerning to doctors, Liu said. "Almost none of them cause the concern about birth defects and microcephaly," he said. "They (doctors) have seen more cases of Guillain-Barre. It has to be considered when you've had someone with that neurologic disease." Liu said he is aware of no other disease that is transmitted through both through sex and mosquitoes. "It's really one of those new things where everyone's trying to learn more about it, because it's acting differently than other viruses," he said. Hospitals across the state are preparing staff to see more cases in the future. In the 11 hospitals in the RWJBarnabas Health network which includes Monmouth Medical Center in Long Branch, Community Medical Center in Toms River and the Monmouth Medical Center Southern Campus in Lakewood a team of experts are joining their efforts against Zika. Each Wednesday, the hospital network's Zika Preparedness Committee meets to discuss the latest information on the virus and make sure that information reaches each department in each hospital, said Louis Sasso, chairman of the committee and RWJBarnebas' director of emergency management. "We wanted to make sure we had a consistent preparedness level," Sasso said. That is not an easy task when new information is released on the virus almost daily. Across the nation, the federal government is also devoting resources to the fight against Zika. Last week, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services awarded $19.8 million to an Illinois subsidiary of the Takeda Group, based in Japan, to develop a Zika vaccine. On Sept. 2, the CDC also awarded $2.4 million to five cities New York, Philadelphia, Chicago, Houston and Los Angeles to establish and enhance systems to detect microcephaly. But many are worried the U.S. effort is under-resourced and late. A $1.1 billion bill to combat Zika failed Tuesday in the Senate on a 52-46 vote. It needed 60 votes to advance. Democrats objected to a provision that would have barred funding to Planned Parenthood. In Ocean and Monmouth counties, mosquito control commissions are sampling the flying insects looking for the disease. "We have traps that catch mosquitoes live," said Michael Romanski, superintendent of the Ocean County New Jersey Mosquito Extermination Commission. The traps are baited with carbon-dioxide, a chemical exhaled by people and given off through the skin. "The traps will collect the mosquitoes live, and we collect them and keep them on dry ice, so they stay nice and cold," Romanski said. "We sort them out, identify them... and then we'll actually prepare vials and each vial is called a pool, because you're pooling together mosquitoes from a couple of different days." The pools are sent for testing to state labs and results are returned usually within the week, he said. So far, no New Jersey counties have found Zika in their mosquitoes, but other mosquito-borne viruses are circulating. West Nile Virus has been detected in all but four counties Ocean, Cumberland, Cape May and Warren counties have no positive tests so far. Most people who are infected with West Nile have no symptoms, but about 20 percent develop a fever, headache, body aches, vomiting, diarrhea or rash, according to the CDC. Less than 1 percent of people who catch the virus will develop more serious complications, like inflammation of the brain or surrounding tissue. Mosquito experts are also searching for eastern equine encephalitis, which has been detected in six of 12 New Jersey counties tested for the virus. Eastern equine encephalitis can sicken and kill horses, and in rare cases, humans. Though rare, the disease causes death in 33 percent of infected people and severe brain damage in most survivors, according to the CDC. One mosquito pool each in Camden and Gloucester counties tested positive for eastern equine encephalitis, according to the state Department of Health. Ridding yards of mosquito breeding habitats, avoiding travel to places where mosquitoes carry Zika, and using mosquito repellent are the best prevention to infection, according to experts. Across the state, they continue to watch and wait to see if the virus will gain a foothold here. "Is the chance there? I can't say it isn't," Romanski said. "You never know. But I would say that it's very slim. ... The thing is to be aware of all of this and to take the proper precautions." Nurses at Pottstown Memorial Medical Center voted 189 to 129 to join the Pennsylvania Association of Staff Nurses and Allied Professionals. The 347 nurses at the western Montgomery County hospital are the fifth group of nurses to join PASNAP this year. Earlier this year, registered nurses at St. Christophers Hospital for Children, Hahnemann University Hospital, Einstein Medical Center Philadelphia and Delaware County Memorial Hospital also joined the same union. Nurses and other healthcare professionals are clearly sending the message that their hospitals priorities, and resources, must shift immediately to the bedside and to patient care, said Bill Cruice, executive director of PASNAP. PASNAP, a member of the Northeast Nurses Association (NENA), represents about 8,000 nurses and allied health professionals statewide. Pottstown Memorial Medical Center is owned by Community Health Systems, a for-profit hospital management company based in Franklin, Tennessee. To read the full article, click here. For more business news, visit Philadelphia Business Journal. A dozen bars in Philadelphia will add real-time, local transit information to their jukeboxes so patrons won't need to worry about how they're getting home after a night out drinking. If you've been to a bar in Philadelphia, chances are you've interacted with a jukebox from New York-based company TouchTunes that lets customers choose songs through its interface or through its mobile app. "TouchTunes is in 65,000 locations in North America; we're in two-thirds of all bars and taverns in the United States, so we're fairly ubiquitous," said Susan Danaher, head of advertising and marketing. For its newest venture, TouchTunes partnered with Washington, D.C.-based information provider TransitScreen to launch a nationwide program that will offer real-time, local transit information that will be displayed on those digital jukeboxes in bars and taverns. Philadelphia made the shortlist along with 13 other major metropolitan areas like Washington, D.C, New York, Boston, Seattle and Chicago. To read the full article, click here. For more business news, visit Philadelphia Business Journal. On his recording debut, "Activate," North Park rapper Skinny Veny plays with "cloudy emo bars," wades through broken relationships and blows enough smoke to make a non-smoker catch a contact high. It's his first time out, but the 20-something -- who exudes emotion au naturel -- doesn't show it. He's a young man that sounds seasoned from the life experience of someone 15 years his senior. And with a mixtape that's cobbled together from a hodgepodge of industry beats, Veny and the co-conspirators who join him are pure gold. There's a buoyancy in his delivery, from the Slum Village feel of "Specific" (featuring Ahmal D and Nothin' Less) to the west end bounce of "Dippin'." Veny is limber and loose -- "Unc let me hit the chronic put a spell on me / Grew up with expanded lung / Since I was young / Taught me / Puff / Puff / Don't pass / Brothers smoke for free / All others paying in cash" -- with intuitive timing no matter the instrumental he's on. &amp;lt;a href="http://theskinnyone.bandcamp.com/album/activate" mce_href="http://theskinnyone.bandcamp.com/album/activate"&amp;gt;Activate by Skinny Veny&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt; But while his sense of rhythm is impeccable, it's the subject matter that carries him. His verses are peppered with emotionally rich narratives. It's as if he's rapping his feelings, using mood to communicate just as effectively as his words do. There's frustration on "Ghost" -- "angry from the lack of payday" -- and depression -- "flip a suicide note into a verse you can't f--- with" -- two bits of uneasiness that resonate long after the song stops. On "Cassie Pizo" Veny details the slow strangle of addiction that a former crush can't shake: "She too addicted to a hit / Gone from smoking shooting it." It reveals his compassionate side as he tries his best to offer a helping hand before realizing he "can't save a girl who won't save herself." Even though Skinny Veny's most comfortable when he's sifting through darkness and tragedy, his skill set, mixed with an impressive emotional range, suggests that he's off to a solid start and on his way to a very bright future. J. Smith, aka 1019, is a San Diego native, rap fan and one half of the rap duo Parker & the Numberman. You can follow him on Instagram at 1019_the_numberman or on Twitter The City of Encinitas has appointed a new chief to lead its fire departments across several North County communities. Effective immediately, Acting Fire Chief Mike Stein has been promoted to the position of Fire Chief. Stein will serve as chief for the cities of Encinitas, Del Mar and Solana Beach as part of a Cooperative Management Services Agreement between the cities. Mike Stein was hired by the City of Encinitas in September 2013 and has since held the positions of Fire Battalion Chief, Deputy Fire Chief and Acting Fire Chief. Stein has over 26 of firefighting experience and has served in every rank, beginning with Reserve Firefighter. With almost three decades of firefighting experience, Chief Stein is an asset to the community, said Karen Brust, City Manager of the City of Encinitas. In 2009 as a Fire Battalion Chief, Stein was assigned to the City of San Diegos Office of Homeland Security where he managed a regional training program for both fire and law enforcement personnel from around the entire county. In 2013, he was given the Majors Award from the U.S. Army Sergeant of the California Emergency Management Agency for his work in Homeland Security. Stein holds a Bachelors Degree in Business Administration from San Diego State University and a Masters Degree in Public Administration from Cal State Dominguez Hills. He is a third generation firefighter with his grandfather serving with the Los Angeles Fire Department and his father serving with the Santa Monica Fire Department for 31 years. Friends and family gathered at the Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton on Saturday to warmly greet the Marines, on the 13th Marine Expeditionary Force, returning from a seven-month deployment on the USS Boxer ARG. "During the last seven months, the Boxer ARG / 13th MEU team has performed exceptionally, demonstrating the responsiveness and relevance of a forward-deployed amphibious force," said Col. Anthony Henderson, Commanding Officer of the 13th MEU, in a statement. The Marines returned home on Saturday from a seven-month deployment to the Pacific and Middle East aboard the USS Boxer, according to a Marine representative. "As we prepare to return to our families, friends and San Diego neighbors, I reflect proudly on the focus, dedication and teamwork demonstrated by every Marine and Sailor on this team," said Henderson. While deployed, the 13th MEU worked on maritime security operations and participated in bilateral training exercises off the Korean Peninsula and Eager Lion in Jordan, said a Marine official. Both were major security cooperation events. According to the Marines, the 13th MEU has conducted strikes against ISIL as part of Operation Inherent Resolve. They have also provided support to other coalition operations fighting Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula in southern Yemen. The Marines and Sailors greeted their spouses, parents, friends and babies with hugs, upon their return from deployment. The BOXER Amphibious Ready Group, which operated with the 13th MEU, will return home on Monday, Sept. 12 at the Naval Base San Diego Pass & Decal. The Republican race for the White House is treading uncharted territory, and local political experts say they are seeing an exodus of Republican voters away from their partys candidate, Donald Trump. In most cases, voters in a general election are comfortable with supporting the top of the ticket of their party. This year, people seem to be dramatically shifting their habits. Everyone is going out of their way to say they dont support Donald Trump, or they dont know what theyre going to do this year, which is just not the thing that you would expect to happen, because political parties by their very essence a means of organizing around collective principals," said Andrew Keatts, reporter with the Voice of San Diego, NBC 7's media partner. This election year, San Diegans opinions of Democrat or Republican office holders are different, depending on whether you are talk about them on a national and local level, said Ron Nehring, former California campaign chairman for Ted Cruz. According to a poll by local consulting group Revolvis, when it comes to Republican office holders in particular, local Republican politicians fare better on the local level compared to the national level. The last thing you want to do if youre running for that local office is inject yourself or tie yourself to whats happening at the national scene," said Nehring. "And so therefore its not a surprise to me that you find candidates that would say you know what -- I want to be evaluated based on my own record for my own issues." The national election is happening across the country, he said, and local candidates want to define themselves more distinctly. "(The election) is happening in other states and its not something which if youre a local candidate you want that influencing and defining the dynamic for your own local race, Nehring said. It may be time to rethink what it means to be a "conservative" Republican for some millennial voters. A recent SDSU study shows that the number of millennials registering as independents is at an all-time high. Many people think millennials are a monolithic group of voters, said Political Consultant Ryan Clumpner. But that isn't the case. "Theres just a study out of SDSU pointing out the fact that you have more 18-year-olds today identifying as conservatives than in any previous generations," Clumpner said. "29 percent today. And in 1976, it was 21 percent, so there is actually a shift to the right side of the spectrum among younger voters as compared to their predecessors. Yet the Republican party is not capturing that at all because of a cultural split. A Metropolitan Police Department officer shot and killed a motorcyclist who rammed into a police cruiser early Sunday morning, police said. Police said an officer saw a motorcyclist driving recklessly about 4:30 a.m. near the 1700 block of U Street NW. A few minutes later, another officer saw a motorcycle near 3rd and M streets NW that matched the description of the first, police said. As that officer was getting out of his police cruiser on the passenger side, intending to stop the driver, the motorcyclist intentionally drove into the passenger door, police said. Police said the officer fired his service weapon, hitting the motorcyclist. The man was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The motorcyclist has been identified as Terrence Sterling, 31, of Fort Washington, Maryland. The officer involved in the shooting has been placed on administrative leave, per protocol. He was not seriously injured, police said. Police said the officer's partner was also placed on administrative leave. Investigators talked with witnesses at the scene. Anyone with information is asked to call police at 202-727-9099. By PTI: From Aditi Khanna London, Sep 11 (PTI) A group of 20-30 men, believed to be carrying "bladed weapons", occupied a Sikh temple in the UK today, apparently opposing a mixed marriage between a Sikh and a non-Sikh. Warwickshire Police said about 20 or 30 men entered the Gurudwara Sahib in Leamington Spa, earlier this morning and occupied the Sikh temple. advertisement Jatinder Singh Birdi, a former treasurer at the temple, said a marriage between a Sikh and non-Sikh couple was due to take place at the Gurudwara, the BBC reported. Police officers are currently inside the temple on Tachbrook Drive negotiating with the group, it said. A force spokesman said the occupation by the men was being treated as "an aggravated trespass" from "the escalation of a local dispute" and was not a terror incident. Police have cordoned off the area while officers and religious leaders try to end the stand-off. Birdi said mixed marriages has been a contentious issue in the local Sikh community, with a minority opposing using the temple for such services. "There have been tensions that have been going on for a couple of years with some people objecting to mixed marriages in taking place in the Gurudwara," Birdi was quoted as saying by the report. "The general consensus is people are respectful of mixed marriages if the traditions are respected. Nothing has happened on this level before. "This is meant to be one of the happiest moments of somebodys life - it shows a lack of respect," he added. PTI SUA AKJ SUA --- ENDS --- An amateur prospector struck gold literally when he discovered a nugget the size of a T-bone steak in Central California. Oscar Espinoza of Modesto was panning near the town of Jamestown in Tuolumne County when he made the discovery, according to NBC affiliate KCRA. The gold nugget weighs about 18 ounces and is estimated to fetch as much as $70,000. He had a grin from ear to ear," Espinozas friend Charlie Morgan told KCRA. "He was in heaven." Espinoza wants to keep a low profile after his find so he has entrusted Morgan with safeguarding the gold nugget. He felt a little bit more secure with it being out of his hands and that way no one will know exactly where it is, said Morgan, who has some canine help. Some in Jamestown believe the find could spur a modern day gold rush. "It's going to put Jamestown on the map," Morgan said. [NATL] Top News Photos: Pope Visits Japan, and More One person was killed and another injured in a 2-vehicle crash on Interstate 95 north in Boxford, Massachusetts on Saturday night. State police responded to the crash scene just before 6 p.m. in the area of Exit 53, shutting down two lanes of traffic. According to police, a preliminary investigation found that a 2008 Chevrolet Impala struck a 2002 Saturn SL2 that was stationary in the breakdown lane. After colliding, police said the Chevrolet continued northbound and subsequently veered off the right side of the road. The 45-year-old male driver of the Saturn, from Amesbury, Massachusetts, was transported to Anna Jacques Hospital. He was later pronounced dead. The driver of the Chevrolet, Nathaniel Armstrong, 22, of Amesbury, Massachusetts, and his 22-year-old male passenger were both uninjured. Armstrong has been arrested and charged with multiple alleged violations including Motor Vehicle Homicide/OUI Liquor by Negligent Operation, and Speeding. This is an ongoing investigation at the time assisted by the State Police Collision Analysis and Reconstruction Section, Crime Scene Services Section and detectives from the Essex County District Attorney's Office. An early-morning fire leveled a barn at Shelburne Farms, a beloved Vermont landmark. The Old Dairy Barn, as the structure was known, was a giant fireball around 6:30 a.m. Sunday, according to area residents. The Shelburne News newspaper reports the structure was used to store wood and other agricultural material, but no animals lived in it. A Shelburne Farms administrator told the paper it appears a lightning strike sparked the blaze. Fire officials said the probable cause of the fire is lightning from the early morning thunderstorms that moved through the Champlain Valley area early Sunday morning. The barn was a total loss. "It is a sad day for Shelburne Farms," Megan Camp, a vice president and program director at the non-profit told the Shelburne News. Shelburne Farms is an educational non-profit that advocates for sustainability. Its campus is a 1,400-acre working farm, forest, and National Historic Landmark, according to its website. The Old Dairy Barn was built in 1891, the Shelburne Farms website says, to stable brood mares for the property's world-famous horse breeding operation. Recently, a plan was in the works to convert the structure into a residential learning center, where students, educators, and families could meet for in-depth programs, the landmark's website says. Fire departments from several area communities responded to Sunday morning's blaze. Fire officials said no residents were injured but the blaze displaced 2-4 families living on the property. The American Red Cross is assisting. Two good Samaritans helped a trapped female driver escape her car that had caught on fire in Bourne, Massachusetts. According to Bourne Police, officers responded to the scene of a vehicle fire and possible entrapment right after 5 a.m. on Sandwich Road. Upon arriving at the scene, they discovered a vehicle that collided into a utility pole near the entrance to the Upper Cape Cod Technical School. The car had snapped the pole and caught on fire. Two passing bystanders helped the driver out of her Subaru hatchback, before police arrived at the scene. Officers escorted the driver to a safe distance from the crash site. The driver was transported to Falmouth Hospital after sustaining injuries. At this time, police do not believe that alcohol or speed were a factor in the crash. Sandwich Road was temporarily closed for 90 minutes as Eversource and the Bourne Fire Department were addressing safety issues from the damaged utility pole and burned road. Power was also shut off temporarily in the area. It is unclear whether police have the names of the good Samaritans who saved the driver from the subsequent car fire. A Rhode Island man is facing animal cruelty charges after police say officers found his dog alone and severely malnourished. Coventry police say officers responded to a complaint of an animal in distress last week and discovered the golden retriever. Witnesses told police they believed the home was abandoned and they hadn't seen the homeowner for more than two weeks. The dog, named Lucky, was taken to an area animal hospital for evaluation. He was admitted to the hospital for treatment of dehydration. Lucky remains in the care of animal control officers. Police say 33-year-old Sean O'Leary turned himself in to police on Thursday. He is charged with unnecessary cruelty to animals and failing to vaccinate an animal against rabies. Online public records didn't list a telephone number for O'Leary. After security journalist Brian Krebs exposed the DDoS-for-hire service, vDOS, and the alleged owners of the service were arrested, a massive attack was launched against the Krebs on Security site. Last Thursday, Krebs wrote about vDOS and the two 18-year-old Israeli hackers running the DDoS attack service. In the past two years, the duo launched over 150,000 attacks and made at least $618,000. vDOS had been hacked, and Krebs had obtained a copy of the vDOS database. vDOS had paying subscribers, with the cost depending upon how many seconds the DDoS attack lasted. Krebs reported, In just four months between April and July 2016, vDOS was responsible for launching more than 277 million seconds of attack time, or approximately 8.81 years worth of attack traffic. Shortly after Krebs investigative article started hitting the news, Yarden Bidani and Itay Huri were arrested by Israel police in connection with an FBI investigation into the DDoS-for-hire service. After the two handed over their passports, they were released on bond, placed on house arrest and banned from using any electronic communications for 30 days. On Friday, the Krebs on Security site was hit with a heavy and sustained denial-of-service attack, which spiked at almost 140 Gbps. Krebs added, A single message was buried in each attack packet: godiefaggot. Firm launched BGP hijacking attack against vDOS Also on Friday, vDOSwhich had a minimum of four servers hosted in Bulgariawent offline. The reason for this, according to Krebs, was a BGP hijacking attack launched by BackConnect Security. The company offers advanced DDoS protection services. You can theoretically watch a replay of the attack, according to commenters on Krebs article. Bryant Townsend, CEO of BackConnect Security, confirmed it was behind the attack, telling Krebs that it had been attacked and vDOS had claimed credit. For about six hours, we were seeing attacks of more than 200 Gbps hitting us, Townsend said. What we were doing was for defensive purposes. We were simply trying to get them to stop and to gather as much information as possible about the botnet they were using and report that to the proper authorities. CloudFlare dumped vDOS logs Then on Friday evening, CloudFlarewhich vDOS had been hiding behindreleased vDOS attack logs from April through July 2016. Although vDOS had been operating since September 2012, a good portion of the logs had likely been wiped. Regarding the logs released by CloudFlare, Krebs reported: The file lists the vDOS username that ordered and paid for the attack; the target Internet address; the method of attack; the Internet address of the vDOS user at the time; the date and time the attack was executed; and the browser user agent string of the vDOS user. vDOS operators had bad OPSEC The two Israeli hackers were lax about OPSEC and protecting their identities. They published a technical paper (pdf) on DDoS attack methods with Huri using his real name and Bidani using a Gmail address that linked back to being a vDOS administrator. Additionally, Bidaniaka AppleJ4ckhad discussed DDoS attacks on Facebook. Huris phone number was used for the vDOS site registration records and for receiving text messages when a vDOS customer opened a support ticket. Huriaka P1sthad planned to join the Israel Defense Forces. If that is still the plan, then hell surely learn better OPSEC. I highly recommend reading both of Krebs articles: Alleged vDOS Proprietors Arrested in Israel and Israeli Online Attack Service vDOS Earned $600,000 in Two Years. The attacks may still be ongoing against Krebs site, as there were times when it was unreachable. It is believed that on the 15th anniversary of 9/11, terror groups across LoC have made infiltration attempts in different sectors along the border. By Ashraf Wani: Three infiltration bids were foiled on Line of control (LoC) in Kashmir Valley on Sunday morning. First infiltration bid was foiled in Nowgam Sector of Kupwara district in which three infiltrators where killed and massive army operation is under way as some more infiltrators are believed to be hiding in area. ALSO READ | Constable killed, SI injured in ongoing encounter with Lashkar terrorists in Poonch advertisement Second infiltration bid was foiled in Gurez sector of Bandipora district where infiltrators were pushed back towards PoK. In third infiltration bid, army launched a massive operation against in Thangdhar area of Kupwara district since Sunday morning. It is believed that on the 15th anniversary of 9/11, terror groups across LoC have made infiltration attempts in different sectors along the border. ALSO READ | Fresh clashes erupt in Kashmir's Pulwama district, 50 protesters, 12 policemen injured Army has been already put on high alert on LoC. There was intelligence input with army that number of terrorists are planning massive infiltrations on LoC taking advantage of Kashmir unrest. On Friday Army Chief General D S Suhag himself visited forward areas of Valley and took on ground assessment of anti-infiltration operation by army on LoC. ALSO READ: Army chief Dalbir Singh launches website on Army's Make projects --- ENDS --- By PTI: From Natasha Chaku Melbourne, Sep 11 (PTI) A 59-year-old man in Australia is battling for his life after being stabbed multiple times by a man allegedly inspired by Islamic State terror group, officials said today. The 22-year-old attacker has been charged with "committing a terrorist attack" and "attempted murder" following the attack in Ohlfsen Road, Minto, just after 4 PM (local time) yesterday, police said. advertisement "We will be alleging before court that this was an act inspired by ISIS, it was a deliberate act, it resulted in a person receiving extremely serious injuries. We will allege that he was going to attack them (the officers) also," NSW Deputy Police Commissioner Catherine Burns said. It is possible the man attacked the stranger in an attempt to lure police and attack them, she said, adding investigators have found information to suggest the man had planned to commit an attack yesterday that was inspired by Islamic State. "We know that this person has strong extremist beliefs inspired by ISIS. What made him actually act yesterday we do not know. There was clearly some planning yesterday that we do know about and that only came to light post the incident. "This clearly was a very volatile, very violent situation that police and the members of the community were confronted with," she said. The victim, known as Wayne, was well-known around the neighbourhood and was often seen out walking. He was allegedly stabbed while walking through a reserve, suffering serious injuries to his hands and body. Witnesses heard the accused man shouting in Arabic during and after the attack. The victim managed to run to a nearby home to seek help. The accused will appear in Parramatta Bail Court today. "Police would like to reassure the community there is no ongoing threat in relation to this incident," police said in a statement. PTI NC CPS --- ENDS --- The President of the Baloch Republican Party South Korean chapter not only blamed Pakistan for the Baloch genocide, but also for all terror activities in India, Afghanistan and Bangladesh. By Anil Kumar: Baloch Republican Party activists held demonstrations in Busan city of South Korea to protest against the recent mass killings by the Pakistan Army in Dera Bugti and other parts of Balochistan. The President of the Baloch Republican Party South Korean chapter, Amir Mohammad Baloch, while speaking to participants of the demonstration said that Pakistan is committing genocide in Balochistan. Thousands of people have been killed in operation and hundreds of thousands are still being held by Pakistani forces in their custody. advertisement Amir thanked the Indian media and PM Narendra Modi for raising the Balochistan issue internationally. He said that PM Modi was hoping for a bright future for them and that they have lots of expectations from him and hope that he will help Balochistan the way India helped Bangladesh. He said that Pakistan was not just involved in killing of Baloch people but also involved in every terror activity in India, Afghanistan, Bangladesh. He also appealed to the South Korean government to raise their voice against the Baloch genocide. ALSO READ: Modi's Balochistan attack on Pakistan now up in the AIR --- ENDS --- By PTI: tribunal New Delhi, Sep 11 (PTI) The Cauvery Supervisory Committee will strictly adhere to the final order of Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal (CWDT) while deciding on the quantum of the rivers water to be released to Tamil Nadu and other states as directed by the Supreme Court, a senior official has said. The Committee, headed by Union Water Resources Secretary Shashi Shekhar, will meet tomorrow to decide on the quantum of Cauvery water to be released to Tamil Nadu and other states. advertisement The statement from the official comes in the wake of Karnataka requesting the Centre to send an experts team to inspect "realities" in Cauvery basin before the Committee passes its order. "We cannot send an inspection team there as that is not part of the SC order. It has specifically said that the Committee has to follow the language of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal (CWDT). So, the Committee will have to go by the letter and spirit of the SC order," the official said. In an interim order on September 5, the apex court had asked Karnataka to release 15,000 cusecs of Cauvery water daily for next 10 days to Tamil Nadu, leading to protests in parts of Karnataka. The court had also directed Tamil Nadu to approach the Supervisory Committee, set up to implement award of CWDT, within three days for the release of Cauvery water as per the final order of Tribunal. Expressing concern over the decision, the Karnataka government had on September 7 written to Union Water Resources Ministry, saying drinking water needs are likely to be "jeopardised" if water is released as directed by Supreme Court from the four reservoirs in the state. In the letter, Karnataka also rued that Supreme Courts order would have been "different" if a report of experts on "ground realities" in the state was made available to it before it gave the interim order. "The matter can be resolved in the long-run until Cauvery Management Board is set up (as suggested by CWDT). But until then, we can not go beyond the orders of Supreme Court," the official said. Chief Secretaries of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala and Puducherry besides officials of Central Water Commission will attend the meeting of the Committee. The apex court will hear the matter again on September 16. PTI ENM IKA DV IKA --- ENDS --- An engineering student from Bengaluru was thrashed for posted pictures with remarks against leading Kannada actors such as Shivrajkumar, DuniyaVijay, Ragini Dwivedi and Darshan. By Rohini Swamy: An engineering student from Bengaluru, Santosh was thrashed by a group of people after he allegedly posted derogatory statements on social media about how the Kannada film actors protested and showed their support for the Cauvery water sharing issue on Friday. The victim allegedly posted pictures with remarks against leading Kannada actors such as Shivrajkumar, DuniyaVijay, Ragini Dwivedi and Darshan. advertisement When the victim, a resident of Srirampura, reached his college found that a group of pro-Kannada activists had tracked him down and they later thrashed Santosh in public. A video of the incident has been circulating on the social media. After the attack, the student allegedly apologised and the assaulters fled from the scene. Also read: Cauvery water dispute: Timeline of Karnataka bandh The Girinagar police was called to the spot and the statement of the boy was recorded. A case against unknown persons has been registered. On Friday, a statewide bandh was observed by pro-Kannada organisation to protest against the release of 15 thousand cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu as directed by the Supreme Court. Now, the Chief minister of Karnataka has also appealed through the social media to maintain peace and calm and that nobody should resort to violence on the Cauvery issue. The CM in his tweet said "I appeal to Twitter users to not support any hate campaign. It is irresponsible and mischievous to support hate messages of any kind." Watch the video here: Also Read: Cauvery dispute: Farmers bury themselves under Cauvery bank sand to protest against Karnataka, Centre Cauvery row: Bandh cripples life in Karnataka --- ENDS --- By PTI: New Delhi, Sep 11 (PTI) The Supreme Court today agreed to conduct an early hearing tomorrow on the application filed by Karnataka seeking a direction to reduce the quantum of water to be released from Cauvery river to Tamil Nadu from 15,000 cusecs to 1,000 cusecs. The Supreme Courts decision to hear the plea, filed late last evening, came after it was mentioned before the courts registry, which consulted Chief Justice T S Thakur. advertisement In its plea, Karnataka has sought modification of the apex courts September 5 order for release of 15,000 cusecs of water for 10 days as immediate relief to Tamil Nadu farmers. Karnatakas advocate V N Raghupathy said that the matter was mentioned before the registry today and it would be heard tomorrow at 10.30 am. Tomorrow being a holiday, the bench will sit only to hear the matter. Karnatakas decision to move the Supreme Court comes ahead of the Cauvery Supervisory Committees meeting here tomorrow to decide on the quantum of the rivers water to be released to Tamil Nadu and other states. The application has sought that instead of 10 days, the apex court should restrict the release of water to only 6 as the state itself was facing a distress situation due to a massive agitation which was causing a loss of Rs 500 crore per day to Karnataka. In the plea, Karnataka has said there was "huge public pressure" and the state police, with great difficulty, have been able to prevent attempts to damage public property. "Even the minimum arrangement mentioned by your lordships has caused distress and havoc in the entire southern part of Karnataka, paralysing civil life. The agitation of farmers has been that their dry crop is equalled with that of the farmers in Tamil Nadu. Tamil Nadus need for the rice crop consumes more than twice the water which is needed for light crops in Karnataka," the application said. (More) PTI RKS ABA SK --- ENDS --- Cranston East no match for Portsmouth With their 36-6 victory on Friday night, the Patriots clinched the top seed in their half of Division II. Champaign, IL (61820) Today Cloudy in the morning, then off and on rain showers during the afternoon hours. High near 60F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%.. Tonight Considerable cloudiness with occasional rain showers. Low 53F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%. By PTI: Hyderabad, Sep 10 (PTI) Union Minister Venkaiah Naidu today said the financial assistance announced by the NDA government to Andhra Pradesh would be to the tune of Rs 2.25 lakh crore, biggest ever support extended to any state so far in the country. "The Centre has announced financial assistance to the tune of Rs 2.25 lakh crore. People are satisfied (with the financial package). Some political parties are not happy. What can we do? Their intention is that we get out of the seat and they want to come. They will have to wait for that," he said. advertisement Naidu was speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the 16th anniversary celebration of Vivekananda Institute of Human Excellence. "The assistance announced by the Centre to Andhra Pradesh has not been done to any state by any government in the history of the country in this short time. If you come with facts and figures, the Government is ready for a debate," he added. The Centre on Wednesday announced a financial package for Andhra Pradesh that includes full funding of Pollavaram irrigation project, tax concessions and a special assistance, but stopped short of giving the state a special category status. Naidu said some persons are trying to mislead people on special category status to AP by converting it into an "emotional" issue. The minister also downplayed the criticism by actor and Jana Sena chief Pawan Kalyan over not according special category status to AP, saying that he does not need anybodys certificate. Kalyan, who campaigned for NDA during the last general elections, in a meeting recently held at Kakinada had hit out at Naidu for "not getting" special category status to AP as promised by the then Congress government at the time of bifurcation. Hitting out at Naidu, Pawan had said the Information and Broadcasting Minister had "killed" BJP in Andhra Pradesh. "They have liberty to comment. I dont need their certificate. Where were all these when the state was being bifurcated in 2014? I have my own work. I have to take care of my state, my people, my country and my party. Other things are taken care of by the people concerned," the minister said. Earlier during his speech, Naidu said that Hindutva is not about religion but a way of life for Indians. PTI GDK NP RCJ --- ENDS --- The new parents have chosen a very special name for their bundle of joy. By India Today Web Desk: Last seen on the small screen portraying the role of Nida in Zee TV's popular soap Qubool Hai, actress Chahatt Khanna gave birth to a baby girl on September 9, at a multi-speciality childcare hospital in Santa Cruz, Mumbai. Also read: Bade Achche Lagte Hain actress Chahatt Khanna Mirza gets a surprise baby shower; see pics advertisement The actress decided to embrace motherhood, three years after her marriage to Farhan Mirza, son of screenwriter Shahrukh Mirza. In a report published on The Times of India, her husband was quoted saying, "The mother and the baby are doing fine. I am overwhelmed with emotions. We have named our girl Zohar Mirza, which means the light of God." See pic: Chahatt Khanna aka Ayesha of Bade Achhe Lagte Hain flaunts her baby bump Isn't that rather sweet? Now that we have got the news about the mommy and the baby doing well, we hope to see Chahatt make a comeback on the telly soon. --- ENDS --- Jammu: A policeman was killed in a gun battle with suspected terrorists in Poonch district of Jammu region on Sunday morning. The exchange of fire began around 7:40 am near the Army's 93 Brigade headquarters, police sources said. "The terrorists fired at the policemen and army jawans from an under construction building of the mini-secretariat. It is suspected that three militants are hiding in the building," he said. DIG Rajouri-Poonch Range Johny Williams confirmed that one policeman has died in the ongoing encounter. He said, "The gun battle between security forces and the terrorists is underway. The entire area has been cordoned off." (With PTI inputs) New Delhi: A whopping Rs 43 lakh in cash, 283 mobile phones and 79 laptops were among the belongings left behind by commuters while travelling in the Delhi Metro till August this year, according to the rail network's 'lost and found' data. The recovery of cash forgotten and later restored to the traveller, as per data accessed by PTI, is one of the largest in the last few years. For the entirety of last year, the corresponding figure was only over Rs 18.80 lakh. As per data prepared by CISF, the security force tasked to secure the Metro network, a total of Rs 43,18,155 in forgotten cash was recovered by its personnel apart from foreign currency worth over Rs 26,000 and bank cheques/drafts worth over Rs 40.85 lakh. Besides that, 79 laptops, 23 pieces of gold ornaments, 283 laptops, 63 watches, nine cameras and as many tablet phones were recovered from the Delhi Metro from January to August this year. "These are cases of lost and found in the Delhi Metro. Such cases occur at some station or the other almost every day. The Central Industrial Security Force is tasked with the security duties in the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation and after recovering these items and scanning them from the point of view threats, the force hands them over to the station controller, a senior official said. "In most cases, the person who forgets his belonging comes back and the cash and other stuff is handed back to the bonafide owner after due verification," he said. The comparative figures for last year's recoveries of foreign currency and bank instruments stood at Rs 16,000 and Rs 1.93 lakh respectively. During the 12-month period, 108 laptops, 26 pieces of ornaments, 37 cameras, 60 watches, 313 mobile phones, 14 tablet phones and half-a-dozen I-Pods were left and found at various Metro stations. The Delhi Metro network has over 150 operational stations running across Delhi, Ghaziabad, Gurgaon and Faridabad. An estimated 26 lakh people use it to travel to their destination every day. New Delhi: Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday directed the security forces to go after those instigating youths to indulge in violence in Jammu and Kashmir and try to bring back normalcy in the state within a week. The directive was given during an hour-long meeting held by the Home Minister with top security officials, including National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, besides others. Sources said the Home Minister conveyed that the security forces must go after the instigators of the violence in Kashmir Valley and book them as they continue to disrupt normal life for 65 days after the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen militant Burhan Wani on September 8. Singh said that normalcy should be brought back within a week and school and other educational institutions should function as students are worst sufferers during the prolonged turmoil, sources said. Attempts should also be made to reopen shops and other commercial establishments which were shut completely, the Home Minister told the officials. The Home Minister reviewed the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir, where a policeman and three militants were killed two separate incidents today. The officials briefed the prevailing situation in Kashmir Valley as well as along the border and the steps taken to bring back normalcy in the state, official sources said. The unrest had started following the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen militant Burhan Wani on July 8. So far, 75 people lost their lives in the 65 days of turmoil. Three militants and a policeman were today killed and six others, including an police officer, were injured in twin encounters between security forces and four terrorists in Poonch town of Jammu and Kashmir. The encounters between security forces and the militants, who were holed up in a house and another structure near the under-construction Mini Secretariat, erupted at around 7.30 AM and continued through the day. "Three militants have been knocked down. The civilians, who were held hostage, have been safely evacuated. Operation is still on," Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Rajouri-Poonch range Johny Willian told PTI. Meanwhile, four terrorists who were trying to sneak into India via the Line of Control (LoC) were killed today as Army foiled three infiltration attempts in Kashmir. One infiltration bid was foiled in Naugam sector, another in Tangdhar sector and the third one in Gurez sector. New Delhi: The Indian Air Force (IAF) has put all it bases in the western sector under UAV surveillance in the run up to an air exercise scheduled later next week. As part of the forthcoming Air exercise in WAC (Western Air Command) and to enhance security measures, all Air Force bases in Western Air Command are now under continuous security surveillance by UAVs, an IAF source said. Pathankot air base, which came under attack from Pakistan-based terrorists earlier this year, also comes under the Western Air Command. The air exercise, which comes in the aftermath of the Pathankot terror attack, is scheduled to be held in Haldwara in Punjab next week. During the exercise full strength of a base is on operational deployment and the security pickets and patrols are enhanced and strengthened.The WAC also rates its performance and compares it with reports by independent bodies like DASI and AEB. The AF operations are highly centralised. The command monitored very closely its own plans unfolding without major glitches. "With the passage of time, change of equipment and Manning state, fresh realignments must work in sync. We also rate our performance and compare with reports by independent bodies like DASI and AEB," the source said. "Since all bases have gone through special security audits post Pathankot terror attack and actioned upon the issues flagged therein, the surveillance would be a good feedback mechanism also," source added. The exercise also allows commander to cross check actual redeployment of assets and personnel on ground, the sources said. By PTI: Puducherry, Sep 10 (PTI) Barely three weeks after she threatened to quit her post alleging lack of cooperation for her Clean Puducherry Mission, Lt Governor Kiran Bedi today lauded Chief Minister V Narayanasamy and his cabinet for providing good governance and for conducting a "very productive Assembly session". "We have a government which is alive to peoples thinking and feelings and providing good governance. We are politically well led and now the ball is in the peoples court and they have to come forward. We are going through a wonderful period." advertisement "The government has also conducted a very productive Assembly session," she said at a function at Raj Nivas on her completing 100 days in office. Asked about her earlier threat to leave Puducherrydue to lack of support for her Clean Puducherry Mission, the Lt Governor said she was getting excellent cooperation. On August 21, Bedi, irked by "lack of cooperation" to her Mission, had said she would quit her post and leave if there was no improvement in the situation. "I am not here for a job but on a mission. If the mission is not accomplished, I will go back. I will quit if you dont help me make Puducherry clean," she had said. Bedi, who had been making week-end visits to various places as part of the Swachh Puducherry Mission, had given vent to her frustration at a function on road safety. The Lt Governor had said she had completed 20 visits, but that only a few officers accompanied her during her visits to various places. She also alleged that some senior officers and elected representatives refused to cooperate. Bedi today cited participation ofChief Secretary at the press interaction as an example of official cooperation. She also praised education minister R Kamalakannan, who led a team of officialsin cleaning drains in Karaikal, an enclave of the Union territory, and added that no education minister had done such work. The Lt Governor said she was ready to carry forward her Swatch Bharath mission by involving more students. She expressed concern about the growingstray dog menace and wished to see a solutionwithout ignoring human life. Earlier, her team from Raj Nivas,led by secretary G Theevaneethidas,made a presentation about the work undertaken by Kiran Bedi in the last 100 days. Apart from her weekend outreach programmes, including cleaning streets and drains, the most important part of her tenure was opening the doors of Raj Nivas to the public. "Raj Nivas has turned into a Seva Nivas where public are allowed to take up their grievances personally with the Lt. Governor from Monday to Wednesday every week," a brief note circulated to the media, said. PTI COR APR SMN --- ENDS --- advertisement Srinagar: Two days ahead of Eid-ul-Azha, fresh violence erupted in large parts Kashmir with incidents of clashes, terror attack and gun shots reported from Pulwama, Poonch and in Gurez sector respectively on Sunday. Trouble started at Karimabad village in Pulwama following an alleged security raid. Local people protested the raid and soon the situation turned bitter. Youths clashed with Army jawans followed by stone pelting. More than 50 people including jawans were injured in the clash. A large number of paramilitary forces rushed to the village to bring the situation under control. In Poonch, a policeman was killed in a gun battle with suspected terrorists in the morning. There are reports that three suspected militants were killed by the security forces. A massive combing operation is underway. In Gurez, gunshots heard near Losar River in Baktoor area near the Line of Control. Meanwhile, the government requested the local people to maintain the law and order situation the Kashmir valley. Junaid Azim Mattu, NC Spokesperson, "The frequent clash in Kashmir is a matter of great concern and immediate steps should be taken to prevent such incidents." On Saturday two protesters were killed and more than 80 others injured in widespread clashes across the Valley. So far, nearly 80 people lost their lives across the state since July 8 after the killing of Hizbul Commander Burhan Wani. I appeal to Twitter users to not support any hate campaign. It is irresponsible and mischievous to support hate messages of any kind. CM of Karnataka (@CMofKarnataka) September 11, 2016 A youth in Bengaluru was hauled up on Sunday by a gang for his social media posts criticising Kannada film stars and the ongoing Cauvery water war with Tamil Nadu.Police say no official complaint has been filed yet but the culprits are being identified.The young man was thrashed, kicked and abused and slapped several times by a gang because of his post on facebook that questioned the quality of stars produced by the Kannada film industry. He also compared the Kannada film stars to the actors in the Tamil film industry.This comes in amid the bitterness between the Tamil community and the Kannadis over the ongoing Cauvery water issueThe gang made a video of the vigilantism that shows how the young man was humiliated and attacked.Soon after a video of the vigilantism went viral, #We Hate Karnataka started trending on social media.Meanwhile the response of Karnataka government seems inadequate as Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah, instead of assuring action, tweets: "I appeal to Twitter users to not support any hate campaign. It is irresponsible and mischievous to support hate messages of any kind." One thing knocked off my bucket list, bringing the Bollywood song dance raita to Times Square !!! @shraddhakapoor pic.twitter.com/lLNABZ7GJV Arjun Kapoor (@arjunk26) September 9, 2016 Actor Arjun Kapoor says he has ticked dancing Bollywood style on the streets of New York off from his bucket list.Arjun on Friday night took to Twitter, where he shared a photograph in which he is seen with co-star Shraddha Kapoor. They are seen dancing Bollywood style for their upcoming film Half Girlfriend, which is being shot in New York."One thing knocked off my bucket list, bringing the Bollywood song dance raita to Times Square!!! Shraddha Kapoor," Arjun captioned the image.Co-produced by Chetan Bhagat, Half Girlfriend is an adaptation of the author's eponymous novel.Mohit Suri's directorial has been locked for release on May 19 next year. Mumbai At a time when women are breaking stereotypes and making their mark across the globe, actress Taapsee Pannu feels it is "tragic" that the issue of male-female equality is still being deliberated upon. "It (discussing male-female equality) is extremely sad, it is tragic. It is one of the tragedies of today's world that we are still discussing it," Taapsee said in an interview. The actress plays a molestation survivor in her upcoming film Pink, directed by Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury. 29-year-old Taapsee, who also hails from Delhi just like her character in the film, feels molestation cases have not gotten worse over the years but are now more reported and talked about than before. "It probably has not gotten worse, but has got more limelight now. People have started noticing it more now and it has started being covered more. They (survivors) have started coming out in the open now. Also, some have started misusing it (law) now. There are all angles to it," she said. Pink also stars Kirti Kulhari and debutant Andrea Tariang. The actresses will be seen in the role of women, who face assault charges after being molested by a group of men. The courtroom drama-thriller also stars megastar Amitabh Bachchan as their lawyer. Pink has been backed by Rashmi Sharma and filmmaker Shoojit Sircar. It also features Piyush Mishra, Angad Bedi and Dhritiman Chatterjee Taapsee said initially she had doubts over the title "Pink", as she thought it furthermore stereotypes the colour with women, but by the end of shooting the film her doubts were cleared. "When I first heard the title, I asked why? Because it is the story of three girls so we are keeping it 'Pink'? Aren't we pushing it... but then Shoojit sir explained his logic behind it and at the end of it, each one had their own logic behind it," she said. "We have perceived Pink in a certain way. It is supposed to be soft, delicate, feminine. On the other hand, we also have women who are always seen in a certain way. We also have certain prejudices attached to us," the actress said. Taapsee said for a woman there are many do's and dont's, which the film wants to break away from. "If you are a female, you are not supposed to do this, or that. We want to break these norms through the film. Hence, the equation between a woman and pink is symmetrical. We want to break norms attached to the colour and women," she said. Talking about her personal opinion on feminism, the actress said she is a "self-proclaimed feminist" but does not feel the need to show that to the world, and would rather fight for her rights than demand it through reservations. "I am a self-proclaimed feminist myself in a lot of ways, but I am not going to take a Pink flag and run on India Gate for that. From my point of view I will stand for equality, and that does not mean give me reservation. "I would like to fight for it, just give me a fair chance. This is what I would say being a feminist," she said. Pink is scheduled to release on September 16. Moga: Ahead of the 2017 state assembly elections in Punjab, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener Arvind Kejriwal released the farmers manifesto at Baghapurana in Moga on Sunday. He commenced the speech with the promise of declaring Amritsar and Anandpur as the holy cities within two months of coming to power. The manifesto released during a farmers' rally promises rupees 20,000/acre as compensation for crop loss due to rain, flood, drought, pest attack, and also ensures farm laborers are given 10,000/month for loss of work, in the event of crop failure. "AAP government will ensure full implementation of Swaminathan Commission Report on crop pricing by Dec 2020," Kejriwal said at the rally in Moga. Kejriwal lashed out at the ruling Akali Dal and held them responsible for the suicides of the farmers. He said that the money seized from corrupt leaders will be used to make schools and hospitals. Kejriwal slammed Tota Singh, Partap Singh Kairon, Bikram Singh Majithia and deputy chief minister of Punjab Sukhbir Badal and asserted that he will put them behind the bars and seize their property. He also attacked the growing drug menace in the state and the people responsible for it. "False drug cases will be withdrawn and drug smugglers will be arrested. he said. Kejriwal promised to boost the farming sector after having blamed the Badals for destroying it. The manifesto also promises Rs 21000 to the farmer on the birth of a daughter. Addressing the problems being faced by the people of Punjab, Kejriwal also said that buses will be taken away from Badals and handed over to the unemployed youth to eradicate unemployment. He said mohalla and village clinics will be opened for free treatment and medicines. Kejriwal promised that the party will not tolerate corruption, even by their own leaders. "Even ministers will be put behind bars. Never since 1947 have ministers been sacked over corruption. But AAP has done that." During the rally, Kejriwal also slammed the Shiromini Akali Dal and Congress for not suspending "corrupt" ministers like Majithia and Sajjan Singh who were charged for corruption. Calling all the ministers in Congress and SAD "thieves and goons", Kejriwal slammed the Deputy Chief Minister of Punjab Sukhbir Singh Badal for making 63 fake CDs to malign the image of AAP. Bengaluru: Congress General Secretary Digvijaya Singh on Sunday said the party solidly stands behind the Karnataka government's decision to release Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu as per the directions of the Supreme Court. Stating that there was not much of an option left after the apex court gave an interim order, Singh said, "Congress party stands solidly behind the decision of the government of Karnataka on the issue of Cauvery water." Speaking to reporters after holding the first coordination committee meeting of the state Congress, Singh complimented Chief Minister Siddaramaiah for consistently taking the opposition on board regarding the issue. "We have made our case very clear to the Supreme Court," he said. Cauvery row has hotted up in the state after the Supreme Court on Monday directed to Karnataka to release15,000 cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu for the next 10 days to address the plight of the farmers there. Siddaramaiah, who was also present, said there was a "confusion" among people that because of the offer to release 10,000 cusecs made by state's senior counsel FS Nariman during the recent hearing, the Supreme Court directed release of 15,000 cusecs for 10 days. Jamshedpur: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Saturday claimed the ban imposed on sale of liquor by his government has checked incidence of domestic violence in the state and expressed hope it will help improve purchasing power of the people. "There is no political goal behind the decision to impose ban on sale of liquor in Bihar, but to bring in social reform," Kumar, who was in the Steel City to take part in Karma Mahotsav organised by a social organisation of Kurmi Community 'Kurmi Sena', said. "Liquor consumers have been spending Rs 10,000 crore, which is now saved and will help improve their purchasing power," Kumar told reporters. Liquor had ruined many families and the state had witnessed violence due to it before the ban was imposed by his government, Kumar said, adding peace prevailed and family atmosphere has improved ever since the ban. "We did not have any political goal behind imposing the ban on sale of liquor, but wanted to bring in social reform, which is now being witnessed in the state," he said. "I have raised the issue after people of Jharkhand, particularly women from Bokaro and Dhanbad, requested to take up the issue of imposing liquor ban in the state, but the state government is not listening," he said. "It is not because of any political rivalry, but an advise for the benefit of the society," Kumar said. "Around Rs 5,000 crore revenue was being generated on account of excise/value added tax (VAT), but we preferred to forgo it for a good social cause," the Bihar Chief Minister claimed assuring that the revenue loss would be compensated. Regretting that expected development had not taken place in Jharkhand during the last 16 years, Kumar said the the mineral rich state should have been number one. To query about the poor state of affairs of National Highway 33 between Ranchi and Jamshedpur, Kumar said the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) had failed to maintain the road. Kumar reiterated the demand for special state status for Bihar as well as Jharkhand for their development. Patna: Firing a fresh salvo at Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, former RJD parliamentarian Mohammed Shahabuddin - who was released on bail on Saturday after 11 years in jail - told CNN-News18 that Nitish is a "situational CM" and not a mass leader. Shahabuddin said, may be he (Nitish) is the CM of Bihar but his leader will always be Lalu Prasad Yadav. "Nitish ji became Bihar's CM because of the political situation. It is only because of circumstances/situation he is now the state chief minister," Shahabuddin said. He, however, maintained that there is no threat to the JDU-RJD alliance in Bihar. "Whatever I said is my personal view and it is nothing to do with the party," he added. He said, "If there is any dissent or difference of opinion, I will discuss it that with my party leader." Party insider claimed that Shahabuddin developed a bitter relationship with Nitish for his alleged role behind his arrest in 2005. Shahabuddin, then the RJD MP from Siwan, had been arrested from his official residence in New Delhi by a team of Bihar police in 2005. Since then, he left no stone unturned to attack Nitish politically. On the context of other party leaders including Raghuvansh Prasad Singh who said that he was also against the idea of making Nitish as the CM of the state, Shahabuddin said, "My views on Nitish Kumar is personal and I am not aware of Raghuvansh Prasad's statement." For many he is a dreaded crime boss, his hands stained by the blood of the scores who fell allegedly to the bullets of his men. For the few who knew him closely enough, Mohammad Shahabuddin is more multifaceted - a softspoken seasoned politician when you meet him, a warm host if you visit his house, a political analyst if you engage him in a debate, and a don to fear if you look into his cold eyes. Out of jail after 11 years, he breaks into a pleasant smile on spotting this correspondent. "Kaise hai? sab acha na ? ( How are things? All fine?)" But that doesn't at any point make me forget in whose presence I am in . Having covered Bihar politics for more than 18 years, I feel this Saturday - the day he was released on bail in a case of kidnapping to commit murder - was very significant. A day which will change the course of Bihar politics for sure. Shahabuddin left no one guessing they way he lauded Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad and attacked Chief Minister Nitish Kumar the moment he was out of Bhagalpur jail. "Nitish Kumar is a leader of circumstances but Lalu Yadav is my leader forever, he said. The attack on the CM was for very obvious reasons; it was Nitish Kumar who packed him off to jail when he came to power in 2005. Logically he would have spit more venom, but his political acumen held him back. Eleven years ago the RJD, which Shahabuddin represented in Parliament four times before being debarred in 2009, was at the opposite end of the political spectrum as Nitish's Janata Dal (United). Today they are in an alliance in Bihar. It's not that Nitish Kumar has had a change of heart, or isnt minding this dent to the image of his government. It's political compulsion which is forcing him to gulp down such insults. The only person smiling, other than Shahabuddin, is Lalu Prasad who is believed to have managed his release and forced the government to go soft on the legal front. Shahabuddin - who has about 40 cases of murder, kidnapping or extortion registered against him - had been Lalu's trusted lieutenant during the days of the "jungle raj". Now, as Shahabuddin spewed vitriol against Nitish, his political ally Lalu kept a mysterious silence. Which is a good enough indication that Nitish Kumar will have to tune his ears to more such barbs in the days to come. Cow vigilantism has been stepped up in Muslim-majority Mewat, with reports surfacing that police have raided biryani stalls after receiving complaints that beef is being served. By Ajay Kumar: The Haryana Police have deployed Special Task Force (STF) units on the borders of the state adjoining western and southern Uttar Pradesh, which are the known hotbeds of cattle smuggling. The decision was taken following strong demands from cow protection activists in Haryana. "We have demanded for the constitution of a task force in all 21 districts of Haryana and the state police have accepted our demands. One task force comprises at least 17 policemen. The task force with the highest strength of 100 will be deployed in Mewat district as it is most vulnerable," said Bhani Ram Mangla, president of the Gau Seva Ayog in Haryana. advertisement Districts such as Yamunanagar, Panchkula, Ambala, Kaithal, Kurukshetra, Panipat and Sonipat have borders with districts of western Uttar Pradesh such as Muzaffarnagar, while Palwal in southern Haryana touches Mathura district of Uttar Pradesh. Also Read: Haryana: Beef found in biryani samples seized from Mewat BORDER AREAS VULNERABLE FOR CATTLE SMUGGLING It is believed that major highways like the GT Road connecting Sonipat, Panipat, Karnal and Kurukshetra; the Maneser-Palwal Expressway connecting Gurugram, Mewat and Palwal; NH-2 connecting Palwal with Mathura and Agra; and NH-8 connecting Gurugram, Rewari and parts of Rajasthan border are used by cattle smugglers. "These border areas are highly vulnerable as cattle smugglers are very active here. They use the road routes of these adjoining districts of the two states to smuggle cattle and hence, need to be checked. We have urged Haryana Police to maintain vigil in these routes through the deployment of a task force," Mangla said. Bharti Arora, DIG, Haryana Police and nodal officer for cow protection and conservation told Mail Today that these task force units are headed by an inspectorrank officer under the supervision of the district SP or police commissioner in all the districts. "The job of the task force is to collect information about cattle smuggling and slaughtering through ground-level informers and their intelligence network in the district. They are entitled to take prompt action following specific inputs about criminal activities and also take the help of the district police if needed", Arora said. "As Mewat is highly vulnerable, we have decided to deploy two STF teams there," Arora added. Also Read: Mewat: Police taking bribes from vendors to allow sale of beef biryani Modi effect: Haryana sets up SIT to monitor cow vigilantism India Today expose: How Gau Rakshaks turn into extortion mafias --- ENDS --- Ruling Shiromani Akali Dal-BJP combine in Punjab will create history again by winning the Assembly elections for the third consecutive time next year on development agenda, Union Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal has said. The Minister for Food Processing Industries and SAD MP from Bathinda said the alliance will be voted back because it had worked hard for the future of the state on an agenda of "development, development and yet more development". "For the future and progress of Punjab, this government has worked very hard. A lot has been done, there is always a lot more that needs to be done.I am very confident that we will do a hat-trick and create history for the third time,"she said. "The SAD-BJP government in Punjab created history in the last elections by bringing in a government second time, where a sitting government had never been voted back into power. Not only were we voted back but we were voted back with a bigger majority than what we had come in with the first," said the daughter-in-law of Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal. Punjab is scheduled for polls in January-February 2017 and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has jumped into the fray besides SAD-BJP's traditional rival Congress. Badal, however, said she was confident of victory because "inthe last 10 years, there is not a single Punjabi in any city or any village who would say that development has not happened in the state." She added: "The World Bank has ranked Punjab as the best destination in ease of starting up a new business...Take any sector, in education we were 14thwhen we took over, today we are 2ndin the country. "We were a power deficit state, but now we are a power surplus state; the revenues of the state have gone up three times; we have three international and five domestic airports; the entire infrastructure has been upgraded." She said Punjab is the only state where water and electricity for farming is given absolutely free of cost, which is a huge support to farmers. "These kind of concessions have only been given in Punjab whenever an Akali Dal government comes in," she said. The minister was on a three-day visit to the UK to promote India as a destination for food processing. She held talks withall the top UK retails chains including Sainsburys, Marks & Spencer, Tesco, Partridges, Waitrose, Holland & Barrett and Harrods. "Everyone has shown a lot of interest either in coming to India or tying up with local people and even sourcing from India. We are hoping to hold a World Food Summit alongside the Vibrant Gujarat Summit in Ahmedabad in January, where we have invited all these representatives to come and make a common platform of stakeholders," she said. The Indian government had recently allowed 100 per cent foreign direct investment (FDI) through the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) route in marketing of food products produced and manufactured in India. "We want global giants to come and Make in India, not just for India but we are looking at making India the food factory of the world because that is the kind of raw material base we have," she said. New Delhi: The Delhi government will not accept the resignation of MLA Amantullah Khan who facing an alleged sexual harassment against him. Deputy Chief Minister, Delhi, Manish Sisodia said, "We are not accepting his resignation. Whatever is happening with Khan is his family's internal matter." He also alleged vendetta politics of oppositions behind harassing AAP leaders and ministers. Less than two months after he was arrested on charges of molestation, Khan was on Friday booked again on the same charge on a complaint lodged by his sister-in-law. Amanatullah has repeatedly come under authorities' scanner after his alleged involvement in a recruitment scam in Waqf Board surfaced in the first week of September. SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has termed last week's launch pad accident that destroyed a rocket and a communications satellite as the "the most difficult and complex failure" in the company's 14-year history and sought help from the public in its ongoing investigation."Still working on the Falcon fireball investigation. Turning out to be the most difficult and complex failure we have ever had in 14 years," Musk tweeted on Friday after a week of public silence.SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket exploded on September 1 at Cape Canaveral, Florida during a pre-launch test, destroying the rocket itself and a $200-million communications satellite that was set to play a key role in Facebook's plans to provide internet access to remote villages in Africa. No one was injured in the explosion.In a note, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg expressed his disappointment but also promised to come back stronger to fulfill his mission to "connect everyone"."If you have audio, photos or videos of our anomaly last week, please send to report@spacex.com. Material may be useful for investigation," Musk appealed.Sharing some details on the ongoing investigation, Musk said that the accident happened during a routine filling operation."Engines were not on and there was no apparent heat source," he said."Particularly trying to understand the quieter bang sound a few seconds before the fireball goes off. May come from rocket or something else," the SpaceX Chief Executive said.SpaceX, founded in 2002 by Musk, has been the face of American commercial space industry. It has been hired by the US space agency NASA to send cargoes and, ultimately, American astronauts, to the International Space Station.The mishap was also a setback for NASA, which has been counting on the private company to keep the International Space Station stocked with supplies and, ultimately, astronauts. Brussels: EU leaders will try to reboot the struggling bloc this week, focusing on security and defence to provide a new sense of purpose after the Brexit vote revealed deep fears over globalisation, terrorism and migration. European Commission head Jean-Claude Juncker is first expected to rally the troops on Wednesday in his annual State of the Union address, restating his conviction that Europe alone can provide the answers. European Union leaders, 27 without Britain, then meet in the Slovak capital Bratislava on Friday to plot a new course with security concerns top of the agenda, according to EU council president Donald Tusk. "I have no doubt that the three main challenges are uncontrolled irregular migration, terrorism and the fears of globalisation," Tusk said in Stockholm Friday as part of a tour of European capitals before the summit. "The union and its member states must demonstrate our strong determination and ability to address the major concerns and worries of its citizens," he said. "For me it is clear that our first priority must be to secure our external borders," he added. Britain's shock June 23 vote to leave the EU has plunged the bloc into crisis. The EU has been on the defensive since the 2008 global financial crash threw millions out of work and tough austerity policies undercut its key claim that it alone can guarantee a better economic future for its 500 million citizens. A newly assertive Russia took advantage in Ukraine while turmoil in the Middle East and North Africa sent migrants flooding into southern Europe, straining the bloc's much vaunted solidarity to the limit. Adding to the sense of chaos, deadly Islamic State group claimed attacks in France and Belgium left people asking how the jihadis could strike at the very heart of Europe with such apparent ease. Against this backdrop, there can be "no taboos" in discussing the EU's future, Tusk said, adding, "Bratislava needs to show that the political elites in Europe are not detached from reality." Brexit itself is however off the summit menu, with EU leaders first waiting for British Prime Minister Theresa May to say what she wants out of the new relationship. Defence will also be a key theme with France and Germany expected to push a plan to enhance cooperation across the bloc, while falling short of the "EU army" that some eastern states have called for. Meanwhile Juncker, under pressure amid reports about his health, will use Wednesday's speech to push a "positive message" for the EU, with plans for more investment and for boosting cooperation with African countries to stem migration. Janis A Emmanouilidis, Director of Studies at the European Policy Centre (EPC) in Brussels said the EU wanted "to show its citizens in concrete terms that it is still able to work together." Dalits of Gujarat will write postcards to bollywood star Amitabh Bachchan inviting him to visit the state now as they have stopped skinning dead animals and cleaning sewage. By India Today Web Desk: On collision path with the BJP government of Gujarat, Dalit leader Jignesh Mevani has said that his supporters will invite bollywood star Amitabh Bachchan to witness the rot in the state. In a facebook post Mevani said that "Dalits of Gujarat will write a postcard" to Amitabh Bachchan inviting him to visit the state now. Amitabh Bachchan was the brand ambassador of Gujarat tourism when Narendra Modi was the chief minister of the state and the bollywood star did extensive campaign to promote tourism in the state. Mevani said that it was time Bachchan came visiting Gujarat to see the ground situation after Dalits stopped cleaning the carcases of animals. advertisement MEVANI'S FACEBOOK POST Mevani's facebook post reads, "Dalits will write postcards to Amitabh Bachchan on September 13 at the Kalol meet under the banner of Una Dalit Atyachar Sangharsh Samiti." "You (Bachchan) smelled scent of Gujarat at Modi's instance, now when we have stopped cleaning carcases of animals, do spend some time in Gujarat and smell its stink," Mevani further added. READ: 10 things to know about Jignesh Mevani, the man leading Gujarat's Dalit agitation DALITS ON STREETS Dalit organizations have staged protests across Gujarat after Una incident, in which Dalits were thrashed by some self proclaimed cow vigilantes. As the video of the incident went viral and Dalits took to streets, 34 people including four policemen were arrested. Mevani had organized a rally on August 15, in Una, where he administered oath to hundreds of Dalits not to clean carcases of animals or to clean sewage. He also demanded that every Dalit family be given one acre of agricultural land an alternate employment failing which they would launch a massive agitation. The deadline comes to an end on September 15. ALSO READ: Una Dalit flogging: CID says cops turned skinning of dead cow into case of 'beef being found' Gujarat: Dalit men attempt suicide, buses torched as protest over Una flogging by cow brigade intensifies --- ENDS --- Who shot, killed Samai? It is uncertain where the bullet that claimed the life of the Form Four student of Asja Girls College, Charlieville was fired from as there were no spent shells found at the home. What investigators were certain of is that the bullet struck her hip. Police report that about 1.30 pm, Samai was in her bedroom when gunshots were heard echoing from her home at Mandela Drive, Orange Field Road, Carapichaima. Samai was found unconscious covered in blood with her notebooks, text books and study material around her on the bed. The teenager was taken to the Chaguanas District Health Facility where she was pronounced dead. Medical sources said Samai sustained a bullet wound to her hip. Police officers cordoned off her family home with caution tape, as her two brothers and three sisters, ages four to eightyears- old, who were in the house at the time of the shooting were placed safely in police vehicles while investigators searched the house for evidence. Investigators suspect the teenager may have been shot by a gun belonging to a family member but were not certain her death was accidental. Samais grandmother, Carol Devenish, who was not at home when the shooting occurred, was confused about how her granddaughter was killed. She was told Samais siblings, their father and other relatives were in the house when they had heard what sounded like scratch bombs and one of her brothers went to check on her in her room and found her bleeding on the bed. Samais mother was at work. It is really strange, her father said all he heard was the sounds like a scratch bomb and then everyone screamed and then (Samais) brother found her bleeding on her bed, she said. When they took her to the health centre I heard she was bleeding badly. They tried to move her to Mt Hope (Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex) but they did not make it. It was too late, she said. Holding back her tears, the grandmother said relatives are still in shock. All this child does be on is her book. She always studying and reading. She was so very intelligent, Devenish said. She said her granddaughter usually stayed on her bed to study. It was where she was found covered in blood, with her head down. All she does (when she gets home) from school is cook and then straight to her books. She wanted to be a doctor and she would always tell me that, she said. A neighbour said Samai was an exemplary student for other girls in her community. She said the teenager was focused on making something of herself . I am still in shock. I cant believe this happen. I cant believe she is gone, but no one know who killed her and how it happened exactly, she said. Investigators have questioned several persons, including a man and a woman. An autopsy is to be performed tomorrow at the Forensic Science Centre, St James and officers of the Homicide Bureau (Region III) are continuing investigations. Install the Newser News app in two easy steps: 1. Tap in your navigation bar. 2. Tap to Add to Home Screen. By Roshani Thokne: The Delhi Government organised the first ever 'SMC Sabha' for School Management Committees (SMCs) of Government schools located in the Burari Assembly constituency. Strengthening and empowering Delhi's SMCs has been a top priority of the government for more than a year. The SMC Sabha was one more step towards making the government accountable to parents of children studying in government schools. advertisement SMC members from 15 schools of Burari had assembled in the Rajkiya Pratibha Vikas Vidyalaya (RPVV) - Civil Lines, to share their grievances with government officials. The concept of the SMC Sabha was to provide a platform to parent SMC members to voice their issues with the schools to the concerned officials, in order to ensure effective and speedy resolution. DEPUTY CM ENCOURAGES PARENTS Deputy chief minister of Delhi, Manish Sisodia graced the event with his presence and encouraged parents to speak up about the problems they were facing. "The government is very keen on involving parents and the community in school administration. SMCs are playing a very constructive role in improving the condition of government schools today. This is an extraordinary event, since it is the first time that government and parents are meeting together, discussing and resolving problems as one team," said Sisodia. Delhi's first ever SMC Sabha witnessed massive turn out of parents. The minister sought tighter deadlines for completion of work and pulled up officials who were found to be lax. He will personally follow-up all the commitments made by officials to ensure works get completed on time. When a parent complained of poor grain quality in mid day meals, Sisodia immediately inquired with the contractor, and gave him a one-week deadline to improve food quality. He also ordered that the contractor would be penalised and replaced if he failed to meet the deadlines. MINISTER ACTS TOUGH ON LAX OFFICIALS On another occasion, when a group of parents from the Mukundpur School in Burari complained of a delay in construction of classrooms, the minister asked both PWD and Education Department officials about it. When he found that the necessary files were stuck between the two departments, he asked both of them to convene a meeting on Monday and finish the paperwork by the end of the day. Also read: Delhi: School denies admission to refugee from Pakistan, she writes to CM for help Apart from the Sisodia, the advisor to Dy CM Atishi Marlena, Burari MLA Sanjeev Jha, advisor to Director (education), Shailendra Sharma, district magistrate (North East District), Deputy Directors (education), and officials of PWD, Delhi Jal Board, MCD and Delhi Police were also present to answer queries and resolve department-related problems faced by parent SMC members. advertisement MASSIVE TURNOUT AT SMC SABHA "SMCs have changed the way Delhi government schools function for the better and this effort of the government was to make it directly answerable to parents of children who study in our schools. The turnout at the Sabha is very heartening and SMC members will return home today with even more confidence to perform their responsibilities in their schools," said Atishi Marlena. This initiative of the government is first of the many such 'SMC Sabhas' to be organised in every Assembly Constituency of Delhi. The Delhi government has always made education its prime area of focus, and has launched several interventions to transform government schools. Also read: Sisodia announces new Teachers Training School (TTS) in Delhi --- ENDS --- (Newser) Two months after an unsuccessful suicide attempt, Chelsea Manning is again pleading for help, reports NBC News, this time in the form of a hunger strike she began at the all-male prison at Fort Leavenworth on Saturday. "I need help. I am not getting any. I have asked for help time and time again (for gender dysphoria) for six years and through five separate confinement locations," Manning said in a statement, adding that those requests have "only been ignored, delayed, mocked, given trinkets and lip service by the prison, the military, and this administration." Of her hunger strike, she says "this is a peaceful act" and that "until I am shown dignity and respect as a human again, I shall endure this pain," which she expects "will last for a long time .. Quite possibly until my permanent incapacitation or death." Manning is also now refusing to cut her hair in defiance of military rules. She has submitted a "do not resuscitate" order. (Read more Chelsea Manning stories.) (Newser) You might think of leprosy as a Biblical-era disease, but it's still aroundnow known as Hansen's diseaseand two schoolchildren in California's Riverside County likely have it. As LiveScience reports, Hansen's disease is rare in the US, with just 100 to 200 cases reported in a typical year, and it's not clear where the children may have caught it. It's possible to get infected through contact with armadillos in the US, says one infectious-diseases specialist, but the risk is low. It's also possible to get infected through "prolonged close contact" with others who have the disease, though probably not through casual contact. Plus, an estimated 95% of people are naturally immune. California officials are not overly concerned about contagion, the Los Angeles Times reports, but the Press-Enterprise notes that the school saw a high number of absences after the diagnoses. A significant number of the estimated 6,500 people in the US with Hansen's disease were born in another country, and may have contracted it there; transmission is more common in some African, Asian, and South American countries. The disease is caused by a bacterium, and it can take two to 10 years before an infected person shows symptoms. As CBS LA notes, leprosy is commonly associated with peeling skin and sores. It can be easily treated with antibiotics, but if untreated, Hansen's disease can permanently damage the skin, nerves, limbs, and eyes; it can even paralyze or blind sufferers. The children's school disinfected classrooms, but "almost all of it will be overkill because this disease is not that contagious," says the specialist. There's just quite a bit of "stigma" attached to it, he adds. It will be weeks before the cases are confirmed to be Hansen's. (Click for more on the armadillo connection.) (Newser) There was no evidence that a Tampa-area firefighter deliberately left his toddler son in a hot pickup truck for eight hours, but the circumstances amount to criminal neglect, a sheriff told a Florida newspaper, per the AP. Troy Whitaker, 41, of Palm Harbor, faces an aggravated manslaughter charge in the death of his 23-month-old son, Lawson. According to the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office, Whitaker left Lawson in his pickup truck for eight hours Friday instead of taking the boy to day care. "This is one of the toughest of all circumstances because of what it involves," Sheriff Bob Gualtieri told the Tampa Bay Times. "It involves a father who left his kid in the car for eight hours with no explanation." There was no evidence that impairment from drugs or alcohol was a factor in Lawson's death, Gualtieri said. The Pasco-Pinellas state attorney's office will decide whether to prosecute after doing its own investigation, said spokesman Bruce Bartlett. Whitaker declined to speak with reporters when he was released on $50,000 bail early Saturday, according to the newspaper. Friends and neighbors questioned the decision to charge Whitaker, who the sheriff's office said was a firefighter for Hillsborough County Fire Rescue. Whitaker strapped Lawson into his car seat in the truck Friday morning to take his 5-year-old sister to school, authorities said. Lawson, likely asleep, was left in the driver's side back seat, facing forward, while his father was inside their Palm Harbor home studying for a fire department promotional exam, the sheriff said. Whitaker walked his dog outside during the day and got into the truck to drive to the grocery store around 3:30pm without noticing the boy. The boy was discovered when Whitaker returned home and began unloading groceries around 4:30pm, according to the sheriff's office. A neighbor said Whitaker was screaming and inconsolable when he pulled the boy from the truck. (Read more child left in hot car stories.) The girl had been complaining to her mother for the last two months that she does not like her teacher, Ravi Kumar, and does not want to take lessons anymore. By Arvind Ojha: Ravi Kumar (42) has been arrested this morning for raping a seven-year-old girl. Kumar, a resident of Kalkaji, used to give piano lessons to the victim at her residence. He would take the victim to a separate room to teach her the piano and he often locked the door from inside, even with the victim's mother being home. advertisement Since the last two months, when the classes would end, the girl used to tell her mother that she does not want to learn to play the piano and that she does not like the teacher. However, her mother was unable to understand the girl's ordeal. On Saturday afternoon, when the child's father, who is a businessman, returned from work, the girl started crying and told him that she does not want to take piano lessons anymore. He sat down to have a detailed conversation with her and was shocked when she revealed what she had been going through. The parents along with the girl reached Kalkaji police station and filed a complaint. Based on the statement given by the child and the medical examination report that confirmed rape, a case against Kumar was registered and he was detained last night. He was arrested this morning. ALSO READ: 'How many Nirbhayas does Delhi want?' Raped Dalit teen, forced to drink acid, dies --- ENDS --- The Daily News-Miner encourages residents to make themselves heard through the Opinion pages. Readers' letters and columns also appear online at newsminer.com. Contact the editor with questions at letters@newsminer.com or call 459-7574. New Delhi: Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) strongman Mohammad Shahabuddin on Saturday night further added fuel to the controversy stirred by his comments on Nitish Kumar immediately after his release from Bhagalpur jail earlier in the day. I just had said that Nitish Kumar became CM because of circumstances, so what is wrong in that? Mohd Shahabuddin told media. Our neta (leader) is obviously Lalu Yadav. Nitish Kumar is the CM of the state, no debate on that, he added. Lalus right hand and notorious bahubali further pointed out that Nitish Kumar did not become CM by securing majority votes but through political coalition. Regular CMs are those who come to power through majority, and the other type is who secure seat by coalition, Shahabuddin said. Shahabuddin had courted controversy as soon as he stepped out of jail after 11 years on Saurday, after he called Nitish Kumar a circumstancial CM as he hailed RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav. Addressing media after reaching his hometown Siwan, Shahabuddin said, I do not follow Bihar brand of politics, my definition of politics is different; I follow Lalu Yadavs politics. Mohammad Shahabuddin, also known as Siwan Terror, walked out of prison on bail after 11 years on Saturday amidst much fanfare and praised party chief Lalu Prasad. The controversial leader, who has been a four-time MP from Siwan, emerged out of the Bhagalpur divisional jail and left in a convoy of three hundred vehicles for Siwan. Meanwhile, Bihar BJP has announced that its leaders will seek the intervention of state governor to quash the bail of Shahabuddin and sit on a dharna in every district on Sept 14 for the same. Who is Shahabuddin Shahabuddin, who is a member of RJD National Committee - the top decision making body of the party - and is known to be close to the RJD chief, said categorically that he never enjoyed good relations with Kumar. Various pending cases against Shahabuddin were reopened and he was sent to jail after Kumar had assumed power in 2005. He was, however, quick to add that it was the court which sent him to jail and the court again which ordered his release from the jail. Shahabuddin had got final reprieve on Wednesday when Patna High Court granted him bail in a case of murder of a witness in the 2004 killing of two brothers in Siwan. He had got bail in nearly 12 other cases earlier. Shahabuddin was accorded a grand reception by his supporters and RJD workers. He was welcomed by RJD Lok Sabha MP from Bhagalpur, Shailesh Kumar alias Bulo Mandal, at Jehangir Chowk in Bhagalpur and by other supporters at Naughachia in the same district. Shahabuddin said for him Lalu Prasad is the leader and "We all are standing solidly behind him." He said after reaching Siwan he would meet the family of journalist Rajdeo Ranjan, who was shot dead recently. Shahabuddin's close associate Laddan Mian is in jail in connection with the scribe's murder and though the inquiry into it has so far not named the RJD strongman, he was shifted to Bhagalpur divisional jail from Siwan a little after the incident. The Nitish Kumar government had recommended CBI probe into the murder on demand of the scribe's family. Asked by newsmen whether his prolonged jail term had harmed him politically, Shahabuddin said, "A little damage has happened."His wife Heena Sahab lost to Om Prakash Yadav of BJP in the last parliamentary election from Siwan in 2014. Asked how he spent his time in jail, the RJD leader said he is an avid reader. "Out of four cartons I am taking back from jail, two are full of books which I read during my stay." To a question on senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi's allegation that the Grand Secular Alliance government had paved way for his release as RJD is the major partner in it, Shahabuddin said, "There is no need to take Sushil Modi seriously." "During his early days in Bihar Assembly in the 1990s I remember he used to speak very incoherently leaving deskmen in trouble as to what actually he said. Now he speaks properly and is good in giving news to mediaperson by telling unsubstantiated facts," he said. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Washington: President Barack Obama on Saturday urged Americans to remain united in the face of terrorist attacks, in a barely-veiled jab at Republican White House nominee Donald Trump 15 years after 9/11. "In the face of terrorism, how we respond matters," Obama said in his weekly radio and online address, delivered on the eve of the 15th anniversary of the September 11 terror attacks in the United States. "We cannot give in to those who would divide us. We cannot react in ways that erode the fabric of our society," he added. "Because it's our diversity, our welcoming of all talent, our treating of everybody fairly-no matter their race, gender, ethnicity, or faith-that's part of what makes our country great. It's what makes us resilient," Obama said. "And if we stay true to those values, we'll uphold the legacy of those we've lost, and keep our nation strong and free." On several occasions Obama has denounced Trump's bombastic rhetoric towards Muslims. Following the December shooting rampage in San Bernardino, California for example, Trump called for a temporary ban on the entry to the United States of all Muslims. Obama was speaking two months before the presidential election in which real estate magnate Trump will face Democrat Hillary Clinton. The Al-Qaeda hijackings of September 11, 2001 -- the first foreign attack on the US mainland in nearly two centuries -- ruptured a sense of safety and plunged the West into wars still being fought today. More than 2,750 people were killed when two passenger jets destroyed the Twin Towers, the symbol of New York's financial wealth and confidence. Another jet slammed into the Pentagon, and a fourth jet crashed in a field in Pennsylvania after those on board tried to overpower the hijackers. Evoking "one of the darkest in our nation's history," Obama noted that much had changed over the past 15 years since the attacks. "We delivered justice to (Al-Qaeda leader) Osama bin Laden. We've strengthened our homeland security. We've prevented attacks. We've saved lives," Obama said. But at the same time, he said, referring to attacks in Boston, San Bernardino, and Orlando, Florida, "the terrorist threat has evolved." "So in Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria and beyond, we'll stay relentless against terrorists like Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State group. "We will destroy them. And we'll keep doing everything in our power to protect our homeland," Obama said. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: The "Left-Unity" alliance on Saturday swept all four seats in the JNU students union election, defeating the RSS' student wing ABVP with considerable margins. The Left-affiliated groups have been locked in a battle with ABVP over dominance of their respective ideology on the campus in aftermath of the February 9 incident during which anti-national slogans were allegedly raised, leading to arrest of three students, including the outgoing JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar, in a sedition case. Satapurta Chakrabaorty, the only girl in the newly elected panel, polled 2,424 votes, defeating Vijay Kumar by a margin of 1,094 votes for the post of General Secretary. Amal PP won the Vice Presidential post with the highest margin of 1,304 votes, defeating Ravi Ranjan Choudhary. Kanhaiya, who had an eventful tenure as the JNUSU president, congratulated his successor. "The nation wants to know.." What happened to #ABVP in #JNUSUPolls? #ShutDownJNU became #ShutDownABVP(sic)," he tweeted. Several high profile BJP leaders including Shahnawaz Hussain and MP Mahesh Girri this year had tweeted asking students to elect anationalistsa in this yearas elections. I appeal to the students of JNU to support nationalists by voting for ABVP candidates in #JNUSU @ABVPVoice pic.twitter.com/OwEOsLioPK a Shahnawaz Hussain (@ShahnawazBJP) September 8, 2016 As voting continues for Student Union elections in DU & JNU, I once again appeal all students to vote @ABVPVoice candidates. a Maheish Girri (@MaheishGirri) September 9, 2016 This was the first election after massive protests rocked JNU campus on February 9. In JNU, a total of 1,140 students exercised the None of The Above (NOTA) option. While in DUSU, more than 17,000 voters elections opted for the None of The Above (NOTA) option introduced for the first time this year. "A significant number of 17,712 voters opted for NOTA, introduced in DUSU polls this year," said D S Rawat, Chief Election Commissioner for the polls. RSS' student outfit ABVP continued its dominance in the DUSU polls, bagging three seats and describing the thumping victory as the "triumph of nationalism", while Congress' NSUI made a comeback, winning the post of Joint Secretary in the results announced. ABVP's Amit Tanwar was elected the new president of Delhi University Students' Union (DUSU), defeating NSUI candidate Nikhil Yadav by a margin of 4,680 votes. Priyanka and Ankit Singh of ABVP have been elected as vice president and secretary respectively. NSUI candidate Mohit Garid won the contest for the Joint Secretary's post, preventing an ABVP hat-trick. The RSS' student body had bagged all the four seats in the DUSU polls last year as well as in 2014. AAP's Chhatra Yuva Sangharsh Samiti, which was defeated last year on its debut, did not contest the election this year. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: A Delhi court has set aside the two-year jail term awarded to a man for sodomising a child in 1999, while observing that he faced trial for 17 years and prosecution could not show his involvement in similar offences to indicate any proclivity towards sexually deviant behaviour. District and Sessions Judge Asha Menon set aside the magisterial court order while observing, Though there can be no disagreement with the observation of trial court that the offence of sexual abuse of children are heinous and cannot be viewed lightly, equally the issue of reformation cannot also be overlooked. The courts order came on the appeal filed by south east Delhi resident Dharmender, guilty of the offence of sodomy under section 377 of the IPC, against the conviction and sentence awarded to him in 2015. From the report of the Probation Officer, it appears that after this unfortunate incident, the appellant has moved on a straight path and has been discharging his duties responsibly and taking care of his family, minding his job and keeping cordial relations with the neighbours. The prosecution has not pointed out to his any other involvement in similar offences to indicate any proclivity towards sexually deviant behaviour, the sessions court said. The court also noted that during the pendency of this case for the last about 17 years, if the convict has managed to live a life within the parameters of law, there appears no reason not to grant him the benefit of probation at this stage as the appellant would be open to punishment and it is not as if there is complete exoneration from the crime. In these circumstances, the sentence so far as it relates to the sentence of imprisonment for two years is set aside...The appellant be released on probation on furnishing personal bond and a surety of Rs 30,000 each with undertaking to keep good behaviour and peace and be not involved in any criminal or illegal activity for a period of two years from the date of this order. As per the probation officers report, the convict was an MCD driver living with a widowed mother, wife and two kids. The court, while releasing him on probation, noted that his neighbours have given reports that he is well behaved. The probation officer has also got the report of the police station that the appellant is not involved in any other criminal activity since the year 1999. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Today is the 15th anniversary of the tragic 9/11 attacks. Here are 10 facts related to these terrorist attacks on the twin towers. 1. On September 11, 2001, attack on World Trade Centre rocked US and the world. The incident killed nearly 2,996 people. Another three have died in last 15 years due to smoke inhalation. 2. The attackers of Islamic origin held attacks and were reportedly financed by Saudi fugitive Osama bin Ladens al-Qaeda terrorist organization. 3. Al-Qaeda initially planned to target nuclear installations rather than the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, but decided against it, fearing things could get out of control. 4. The alleged 19 hijackers of the attack, including Mohammad Atta being the leader, were never even identified in the investigations that followed the events of 9/11. According to some reports of mainstream media, at least 7 FBI named perpetrators are still alive and free. 5. The US government paid an average compensation of $1.8 million to the families of the victims of 9/11. 6. A third skyscraper collapsed late in the afternoon on 9/11. This was WTC 7, a 47-story building that the governments final report says fell into its own footprint due to office fires. The buildings tenants included U.S. intelligence agencies and a company led in part by Donald Rumsfeld and Dick Cheney. 7. It took the fire fighters a total of 100 days to extinguish the fire ignited by the attacks in New York completely. An estimated 18,000 people developed diseases due to inhalation of toxic dust from fire and debris. 8. 9/11 was not the first terrorist attack on the World Trade Center. A bombing in February of 1993 killed six people. 9. The phrase Ground zero, used for the site of the World Trade Centre, was originally used to refer to the site of the atomic bomb that exploded over Hiroshima in 1945. 10. September 11 is now remembered as 'Patriot Day' in the US in memory of those killed. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Delhi High Court has reiterated that denying sex to spouse for a long time, without sufficient reason, amounted to mental cruelty and is a ground for divorce. By Indo-Asian News Service: Putting an end to a nine-year-old marriage, the Delhi High Court has reiterated that denying sex to the spouse for a long time, without sufficient reason, amounted to mental cruelty and is a ground for divorce. A division bench of Justice Pradeep Nandarajog and Justice Pratibha Rani granted divorce to a man, while taking into consideration his contention that the marriage could not be consummated and she had visited his office and made false complaints against him to his boss, due to which he had to leave the job. advertisement "All these acts, individually as well cumulatively, amount to treating the husband with cruelty," the bench said while upholding the decision of a Family Court dissolving the marriage finding it to be a "sexless marriage". Also read: Pyaar in Bihar returns: Man who married his mother-in-law now seeks divorce The family court on April 1 had dissolved the marriage on a plea by the husband. The woman had moved the high court against the decision but on Friday, it dismissed her appeal filed against the dissolution of marriage. COURT FAVOURING HUSBAND Passing the order in favour of husband, the high court cited an apex court judgement saying not allowing a spouse to have sexual intercourse by his or her partner for long, without sufficient reason, amounted to mental cruelty to such spouse. The 46-year-old man stated before the court that they got married in November 2007 but his wife refused to indulge in sexual activities due to a medical problem. They went to Shimla for honeymoon in January next year and there also she did not allow the marriage to be consummated and threatened to raise alarm or jump from the balcony in case any attempt was made by the husband to touch her. Also read: Triple talaq: Supreme Court can't interfere in religious freedom, says Muslim Personal Law Board After the failed honeymoon, they returned to Delhi and again she left for her parents' home and returned after about three months, he said, adding that her behaviour towards his mother was also insulting and humiliating. WIFE'S DEFENCE In her defence, the woman had said that her husband and in-laws used to harass her with dowry demand. She said that her husband used to drink heavily and inflict cruelty on her body, mind and soul. Her husband used to take heavy doses of drugs for depression from which he has been suffering for over 10 years. She also alleged him of hiding about his earlier marriage and a daughter from the first wife. advertisement Also read: Even divorce filings may be seasonal: study --- ENDS --- Panaji: Promoters of Sunburn Festival on Sunday said they have kept the option open to shift the festival from Goa to Maharashtra or Delhi, if their proposal for this year on the same date and venue as last year was not cleared by the Goa government. Sunburn happens in December. We are in September right now and we are yet to hear from the Government of Goa. If the Goa government has difficulties, then we can shift the venue for a year and then come back seeking their permission next year, Harinder Singh, Chairman and Managing Director, Percept Limited told PTI today. The festival, which is held annually in the last week of December, is currently facing hurdles as State Level Permission Committee (SLPC) chaired by State Tourism Minister Dilip Parulekar has asked them to shift the date due to New Year rush. Parulekar has said that the Electronic Dance Music Festivals or any mega events wont be allowed between December 15 and January 15 to avoid strain on the law enforcement machinery. Singh said he is yet to hear anything from the state government though they have been regularly communicating to them seeking permission. Officially, we have not heard anything. What we read is through media. There are statements of individual. We cant go by media reports, he said. The Sunburn organisers has said that if Goa does not want them, the cities like Pune, Hyderabad, Alibaug, Lavasa, Delhi and Mumbai are ready to welcome the festival. The government in respective places is very supportive. We are a Mumbai-based company. Maharashtra government is very supportive towards us, he said. Singh said it is not possible to shift the dates of the festival as fans have already blocked their dates and booked their journey, and the last minute changes wont be possible. When contacted, Parulekar refused to comment stating, The decision is already taken by the State Level Permission Committee not to allow the EDMs during peak tourist season. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Ahmedabad: Dalits protesting against the Una flogging incident have decided to launch a postcard campaign called Badbu Gujarat Ki (stink of Gujarat), in response to the tourism departments Khushbu Gujarat Ki (scent of Gujarat) initiative spearheaded by Amitabh Bachchan. The Una Dalit Atyachar Ladat Samiti will launch the campaign from Kalol near Ahmedabad on Tuesday, when thousands of postcards bearing the tagline Badbu Gujarat Ki will be mailed to Bachchans residential address in Mumbai, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi inviting them to the state. The postcards will invite them to visit Gujarat and get a taste of stink left by cow carcases which have not been disposed by protesting Dalits ever since they pledged against it following the Una atrocity incident, Una Dalit Atyachar Ladat Samiti convener Jignesh Mevani said on Sunday. Mevani alleged that Bachchan created a fake image of Gujarat to propagate Modis agenda. Amitabh Bachchan came to Gujarat upon invitation from then Chief Minister Narendra Modi, and talked only about Gujarat having good things like greenery, scent, progressive culture, he said. We have given up disposing carcasses. Hundreds of cows are lying dead and stinking all over the place. Dalits continue to die in gutter, caste division and untouchability have made them suffer, he rued. Now that we have given up disposing dead cows, we will invite Bachchan and Modi to come to Gujarat, spend some time and enjoy badbu Gujarat ki, Mevani said. Following the Una case in which Dalits from Mota Samadhiyala village were brutally beaten up by self-styled cow vigilantes, the community members from the state pledged en masse to give up their traditional profession of disposing cow carcasses as a way of protest. This is about the conscience of Dalits to quit caste-based occupation that caste system imposes upon them. In response, thousands of Dalits have pledged not to pick up cow carcass, and in hundreds of villages it has been given up. This has also broken the myth that Dalits are solely dependent on this profession, Mevani claimed. The Dalits were even attacked by upper caste members in many villages for not disposing cow carcasses, he alleged. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi : In fresh trouble, AAP MLA Somnath Bharti has been booked for allegedly inciting a crowd to damage AIIMS fence and misbehaving with the hospitals security personnel but the former Delhi Minister has denied the charges. The chief security officer of AIIMS gave a written complaint on September 9 stating that Bharti provoked the mob to damage the fence of the hospital with JCB at Gautam Nagar Nallah road in order to give access to unauthorised persons inside AIIMS property and also misbehaved with security personnel At around 9.45 AM, said a senior police officer today. The medical examination of six security personnel was done and a case under IPC sections 147 (punishment for rioting), 148 (rioting, armed with deadly weapon), 186 (obstructing public servant in discharge of his public functions), 353 (assault or use of criminal force to deter a public servant from discharge of his duty) and Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act has been registered at Hauz Khas police station, added the officer. Meanwhile, reacting to the development, Bharti tweeted, AIIMS is lying. They have been denying legitimate access to Gautam Nagar residents. AIIMS even refused to PWD meetings. Wherever common man will be troubled I will go. D allegation that residents dismantled the wall is a blatant lie. I will fight in court. However, AIIMS authorities could not be immediately reached out to comment on the issue. Bharti, who represents Malviya Nagar seat, has been mired in controversies. He was booked for allegedly obstructing public servants from discharging their duty during his purported midnight-raid when some African women were allegedly molested in 2014. He was also arrested last year after his wife accused him of domestic violence. A number of legislators of Arvind Kejriwal-led ruling AamAadmi Party party have been booked by Delhi Police on various charges, prompting the AAP to allege that they were being targeted under political vendetta. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Baghapurana (Punjab): AAP national convenor and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday mounted a no holds barred attack on the Badal family and Punjab Congress chief Amarinder Singh, alleging that they have looted the state for their vested interests. Aam Aadmi Party eyeing to wrest power in Punjab in the 2107 assembly polls, unveiled its 31-point 'Kisan Manifesto' with an action plan to prevent farmer and farm labourers suicides and make them debt free and prosperous by December 2018. The Manifesto was released by Manifesto committee chairman Kanwar Sandhu at a party rally here which was later addressed by AAP national convenor and Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal. What have the Akalis and the Congress given to the people of Punjab? They have only looted the state for their vested interests. People should disassociate themselves with these parties. Otherwise, their children will never forgive them, he said after releasing his partys Kisan Manifesto. Asserting that Punjab will change after the 2017 Assembly polls, Kejriwal, on the last day of his four-day tour of the state, told a rally that the future of Punjab was bright and it would show the direction to the entire world. He said the farmers of the state were once prosperous and accused the Badals and Amarinder of grabbing their land and forcing them to commit suicide in the last 15 years. (Read More: AAP MLA Somnath Bharti booked) We (AAP) will not let them (the Badals and Amarinder) go scot free. I have pitched my tent in Punjab now and I will leave the state only after sending the Badals to jail, said Kejriwal. He also lashed out at state ministers Tota Singh, Adesh Partap Singh Kairon, Bikram Singh Majithia and Sukhbir Singh Badal. After we form the government in Punjab, we will get cases lodged against them and send them to jail, he said. The AAP supremo accused Tota Singh of selling spurious pesticides which forced cotton farmers to commit suicide, Kairon of looting foodgrains worth Rs 12,000 crore, Majithia of being in the drugs business and Sukhbir of knowing it all, adding that AAP will confiscate the land of these ministers and build schools and hospitals on them. Three months back, I had announced that Majithia was in the drugs trade. He got a false case registered against me, thinking that he will be able to suppress me. But, I am not afraid of him, said Kejriwal. There are only four months left for the polls. I warn Majithia that either he gets me arrested or after the polls, I will get him arrested and send him to jail, he said. Kejriwal alleged that whenever he said anything against the Badals, Amarinder threatened to throw him out of Punjab. I wonder why cant he (Amarinder) face the truth about the Badals? he asked, adding that the state Congress chief behaved like an advocate of the ruling family of Punjab. Congress, Akali Dal and BJP are together in the run-up to the polls, he claimed, adding that after AAP forms the government in Punjab, the buses of the Badals will be impounded and handed over to the unemployed youth. The party will also withdraw the false cases lodged against the people at the behest of the Badals, he said. It is sad that those who sell drugs are not booked but those who purchase them are arrested. We will arrest the sellers, said the AAP supremo. Claiming that his party had a zero tolerance policy towards corruption, Kejriwal said, AAP is the only party since Independence to send its ministers to jail after collecting proof of their indulgence in corruption. We have suspended three of our ministers after getting proof. We will never compromise with corruption, he added. The Delhi Chief Minister accused the ministers in the Badal cabinet of being rowdy, goons and disreputable and said, A foul smell emanates from these ministers and their homes. He also questioned the Congress leadership why did it not remove Sajjan Kumar and Jagdish Tytler from the party after their names cropped up in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. Similarly, he asked why did Sukhbir Singh Badal not remove Bikram Singh Majithia from the Punjab cabinet. Kejriwal cautioned his party workers that in the coming days, there will be murderous attacks on them. Sukhbir has got 63 fake CDs made against AAP. Each day, he will release two of such CDs. Do not get afraid. Stay united. We will send the Badals behind bars, he said. He said AAP will open a dispensary at each village and provide free medicines and treatment to the villagers after coming to power in Punjab, adding that his government will procure foodgrains of the farmers from the granaries within 24 hours and make the payments within 72 hours. Sarais (inns) will be set up near the mandis where the farmers will be able to stay, he said. Kejriwal claimed that the AAP government will get the recommendations of the Swaminathan Committee report implemented by 2020 in Punjab. To make up crop loss, compensation of Rs 20,000 per acre for crop loss due to drought, floods, pest attack, unseasonal rain, will be given, he said. In the event of crop failure, farm labourers shall be given a compensation of Rs 10,000 for every month of loss of work, the AAP leader said. Full implementation of Swaminathan Commission Report on crop pricing will be done by December 2020. He said that re-registration of land acquired for the Sutlej Yamuna Link (SYL) Canal by Congress and Shiromani Akali Dal governments earlier, will be done in the name of original owners. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: A Royal Nepal airline plane with 160 people on board, which took off from IGI airport here this evening, made an emergency landing within 20 minutes of the take off following a wing flap malfunction. All the people in the Kathmandu-bound flight, however, are safe, airport sources said. "The Royal Nepal Airlines flight number RA-218 which took off for Kathmandu from here at about 20:00 hours, sought an emergency landing permission as a wing flap failed to open. The aircraft had 160 people on board," the sources said. The plane safely landed on runway 28 of IGI airport within 20 minutes of the take off, they said. The operation on runway 28 has been shut due to the incident. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. National police chief Shahidul Hoque said that the dead man, identified as Abdul Karim, was suspected to be one of the planners of the cafe attack. By Reuters: A suspected militant believed by Bangladesh police to have been among the planners of a July cafe attack that killed 22 people killed himself during a police raid on a hideout in the capital, police said on Sunday. The July attack in Dhaka's diplomatic quarter was claimed by the Middle Eastern jihadist group Islamic State and was one of the most brazen in Bangladesh, hit by a spate of killings of liberals and members of religious minorities in the past year. advertisement TRANS-NATIONAL ISLAMIST NETWORK The government has pinned the blame on domestic militant groups, but security experts say the scale and sophistication of the incident suggest links to a trans-national Islamist network. National police chief Shahidul Hoque said the dead man, identified as Abdul Karim, was suspected to be one of the planners of the cafe attack, and to have rented a flat for the militants who carried it out. "He killed himself inside the flat so that we can't collect information from him through interrogation," another official, Sanwar Hossain, told reporters on Sunday, without elaborating. Police, who had earlier said they shot the man during Saturday's raid on the hideout, gave no reason for the change. THREE WOMEN ATTEMPTED SUICIDE Three women who were wounded and arrested in the raid also tried to kill themselves, Hossain added. Five officers from the police counter-terrorism unit were wounded when women militants attacked them with chili powder, explosives and knives, police have said. One of the women could have been the wife of a man killed last week in a shootout with police and believed to have trained the cafe attackers, police said. Police have killed more than two dozen suspected militants in shootouts since the July attack, including its presumed mastermind, Bangladesh-born Canadian citizen Tamim Ahmed Chowdhury. IS CONNECTED TO BANGLADESH OPERATIVES The United States believes elements of Islamic State are "connected" to operatives in Bangladesh, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said during a visit to Dhaka last month. The targeting of foreigners - nine Italians, seven Japanese, an American and an Indian were among those killed - could hurt foreign investment in the poor South Asian economy, whose $28-billion garments export industry is the world's second largest. Also read: Dhaka attack: How brave Bangladeshi youth refused to leave Tarishi Jain's side, paid with his life --- ENDS --- The French Prime Minister said "there will be new attacks, there will be innocent victims". He said15,000 people, who were in the process of being radicalized, were there on the police radar. By Reuters: French Prime Minister Manuel Valls said on Sunday there would be new attacks in France but proposals by former president Nicolas Sarkozy to boost security was not the right way to deal with threats. The French capital was put on high alert last week when French officials said they dismantled a "terrorist cell" that planned to attack a Paris railway station under the direction of Islamic State. advertisement TWO ATTACKS FOILED THIS WEEK, NEW ATTACKS POSSIBLE "This week at least two attacks were foiled," Manuel Valls said in an interview with Europe 1 radio and Itele television on Sunday. Valls said there were 15,000 people on the radar of police and intelligent services who were in the process of being radicalized. "There will be new attacks, there will be innocent victims... this is also my role to tell this truth to the French people," Valls said. Also Read: Nice attack: Here's what happened when terror struck France yet again SARKOZY PROPOSED GETTING TOUGH ON MILITANTS, SUSPECTED MILITANTS In an interview newspaper Le Journal du Dimanche (JDD), Sarkozy said France needed to get tough on militants by creating special courts and detention facilities to boost security. "He is wrong about trying to wring the neck of the rule of law," Valls said. Sarkozy proposed to systematically place French citizens suspected of having militant links in special detention facilities. "And don't tell me it would be Guantanamo," Sarkozy said in the interview. "In France, any administrative confinement is subject to subsequent control by a judge." Guantanamo, opened by former President George W. Bush, was used to hold prisoners rounded up overseas when the United States became embroiled in wars in Afghanistan and Iraq following the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on New York and Washington. Also Read: France terror attack: 80 killed, over 100 injured in Nice after terrorist drives truck through large crowd Nice terror attack LIVE updates: 84 killed as truck slams into revellers, ISIS claims responsibility France: 2 ISIS terrorists shot dead by police after they attacked church, slit priest's throat --- ENDS --- Imagine being stuck in your bed, conscious but unable to speak or move, for a quarter of your life, while everyone around you thought you were just a comatose vegetable. This is what happened to 50-year-old Rom Houben of Belgium, who back in 2006, and later reported in 2009, was discovered to have actually been fully conscious, just paralyzed, for all these years, following a near-fatal car accident he suffered back in 1983.It is one of the most nightmarish thoughts imaginable, being stuck in a lifeless body but unable to communicate with anyone for a full 23 straight years. But somehow, Houben was able to survive this unimaginable experience that shatters much of what the medical system thought it knew about brain damage and being unconscious. The entire coma diagnosis process as we currently know it, in fact, is now in question, as many more allegedly comatose individuals out there could actually be fully conscious and aware of their surroundings.According to the U.K.s, Houben has essentially been a prisoner in his own body since the early 1980s, unable to communicate with nurses, family and others who continually tried to communicate with him. It was not until 2006 when a new state-of-the-art PET scanning system came onto the scene that Houbens caretakers came to realize the error of their assumptions Houben had all along been able to hear and understand life, as it was taking place around his otherwise lifeless body. I screamed, but there was nothing to hear, said Houben via a special keyboard that was made for him following the discovery. [I] traveled with my thoughts into the past, or into another existence altogether. I was only my consciousness and nothing else, added the former engineering student, who speaks four different languages, about how he coped with his vegetative life. Recalling the day his caretakers first discovered that he had been fully conscious all those years, Houben says it felt like a second birth, as it quite obviously changed the course of his entire existence in a major way. All the anger, powerlessness and despair that Houben felt all those years, which he says he soothed away through meditation and other desperate means, was gone in an instant. Nearly half of all individuals currently diagnosed as comatose could be awake just like Houben, say experts Not long after, the man credited with discovering the truth about Houbens condition, neurologist Steven Laureys, conducted a follow-up study that aimed to find out how prevalent false coma diagnoses truly are. Much to his surprise, this expert from the University of Liege found that as many as 40 percent of all people currently diagnosed as being in a comatose or otherwise vegetative state are more than likely fully conscious but unable to communicate, just like Houben was. Comatose patients are misdiagnosed on a disturbingly regular basis, Laureys is quoted as saying to Germanys Der Spiegel news source. Once someone is labeled as being without consciousness, it is very hard to get rid of that, he added, noting that, of the 44 patients he examined that were believed to be in a vegetative state, only 26 of them actually were. Laureys incredible findings, which were published in the peer-reviewed journal BMC Neurology, are a major game-changer with regards to how the medical profession makes coma diagnoses. It also raises new questions as to the morality of pulling the plug on those diagnosed as being hopelessly vegetative, as many of them, just like Houben, could be anything but. Sources for this article include: //www.popsci.com //www.theguardian.com //news.bbc.co.uk //science.naturalnews.com This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate As hunters prepare for the start of deer season Thursday, officials expect the harvest to bounce back after dropping sharply in 2015. There was no shortage of deer in the woods last year, wildlife officials said, but a combination of natural factors kept them under cover during much of the hunting season. A lot of hunters were saying they werent seeing deer, but really, it was just a change in patterns, said Andrew LaBonte, a wildlife biologist with the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. This year, however, conditions have returned to normal and hunters can expect to see more deer. This season I would expect a pretty decent harvest, LaBonte said. State figures show that most towns in the Danbury area saw a decrease in the number of deer killed by hunters from 2014 to 2015, despite a new state law that allowed hunting on Sundays. LaBonte said two factors were at play: First, 2015 produced the largest crop of acorns in 20 years. Acorns are a prime source of food for deer, and they didnt have to travel much last year to stay well-fed. Second, warm fall weather encouraged the deer, which had already grown their winter coats, to remain inactive during the day, when hunting is permitted, and to move around more at night instead, when hunting is prohibited. Ridgefield, for example, reported a harvest about 25 percent lower in 2015 than in 2014. Just 155 deer were killed in 2015, compared to 205 in 2014. Stefano Zandri, chairman of the Ridgefield Deer Committee, agreed that the acorn crop and warm weather were factors last year, but he said steady hunting to reduce overpopulation in this part of the state also has had an effect. Ridgefield began allowing hunting on town land in 2007, when the state estimated there were 70 to 80 deer per square mile. Zandri said that raised concerns about overgrazing of woodlands and the potential spread of Lyme disease. It was an overpopulation in Ridgefield, Zandri said. The town now contracts with 15 hunters, each with at least 15 years of hunting experience, to help keep the population down. Redding, by contrast, allows anyone to apply for a permit to hunt on town land. First Selectwoman Julia Pemberton said the town will begin issuing permits Monday in preparation for the start of the archery season on Thursday. The town allows up to 79 hunters, she said, but only about 40 hunters usually apply. Of that, only 19 actively hunted last year. New Fairfield also saw fewer hunters, which might be why hunters killed less than half as many deer in 2015 33 as in 2014, when 69 were taken. The town clerks office issued 59 hunting permits in 2014, compared to 46 issued last year. The decline in hunting is part of a national trend that has reached Connecticut in the last few years, LaBonte said. The state issued about 50,500 permits in 2015, about 3,000 less than 2013. LaBonte said the change is partly generational: Young people are not as likely to take up hunting as their parents and grandparents were. And Ronald Maxwell, a hunter who oversaw Bethels deer hunt for years, has noticed a similar trend. Weve done the same thing for 37 years, he said. The only thing thats changed is we have fewer people who want to hunt now. The hunting tradition isnt as ingrained in the culture as it once was in Connecticut or as it still is in other parts of the country, Maxwell said. When he was growing up in western Pennsylvania, the first day of the hunting season was a school holiday. LaBonte said the state is trying to encourage younger sportsmen to try hunting. The department held a free Hunting and Fishing Day on Saturday in Franklin for families to participate in outdoor sports. The event was designed to recognize the contributions of hunters and anglers in conserving the states natural resources as well as to spark an interest in hunting among younger generations. Without hunting, he said, it will be difficult to achieve the states goals in reducing tick-borne diseases, accidents involving deer and destruction to crops and landscaping. kkoerting@newstimes.com; 203-731-3345; @kkoerting DANBURY The worsening opioid epidemic is weighing heavily on the regions major substance abuse treatment organization, spurring a flood of calls from those desperately seeking care for themselves or for loved ones. In the first six months of the year, the Midwestern Connecticut Council of Alcoholism fielded some 1,500 requests for admission to its 12-bed detoxification facility more than three times the number it was able to safely handle, MCCA officials said. They are full they are literally always full, said Joe Sullivan, MCCAs president and chief executive officer. If we doubled it, wed fill it, and wed still have a waiting list. During those six months, the Danbury-based nonprofit organization provided detox treatment to just over 450 patients 57 percent of whom needed help with opioid drugs. The organization received another 500 inquiries during the same period about the McDonough House, its 22-bed rehabilitation facility but only 217 could be admitted. This comes when for the first time heroin has outpaced alcohol as the leading drug of use by those admitted to treatment programs in 2015, according to state figures. In fiscal year 2015, 16,975 men and women entering treatment reported heroin as their primary drug, compared to 14,886 who said it was alcohol, according to the state Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services. Meanwhile, the state Office of the Chief Medical Examiner reports that accidental drug intoxication deaths jumped from 568 in 2014 to 729 last year. This year, the projected number is 888 with the majority, as in previous years, expected to involve heroin, morphine or codeine. Richard Radocchia, MCCAs chief clinical officer, said the organization doesnt have enough beds to keep up with the demand. Those waiting sometimes turn back to drugs. The time it takes for someone to find an open bed prevents many from actually getting to treatment, Radocchia said. They are told, We have no beds available today, please call us every day and we will work to get you in as quickly as we can. But every day is an opportunity for the person to find another way to deal with their desperation. Often they will get high and the window of opportunity closes again. MCCA also operates long-term residential treatment centers, including Trinity Glen in Sharon, a state-funded facility that houses men with severe addiction disorders. But the state, during the ongoing budget crisis, has stopped funding 11 of Trinity Glens 50 beds, along with another 112 beds statewide. For Sullivan, the timing couldnt be worse. I was blessed to be working in a time when resources were expanding, said Sullivan, who has led MCCA for 36 years. There were always opportunities to enhance services. Now everything is being cut because of the state budget problems, and the systems of care that took 30 years to put in place are at risk of unraveling little by little. Yet despite the increased demand for treatment and cuts to existing services, the state Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services says there are enough beds to go around. On any given day, we have capacity to take people into detox or residential care, said DMHAS spokeswoman Mary Kate Mason. But people may need to travel. It many not be in their immediate community. In addition, Mason said, other treatment and recovery supports are available and have capacity, including outpatient programs, medication-assisted treatment in doctors offices, self-help groups and more. According to DMHAS data, the state is now paying for 1,244 treatment beds 169 for detox; 291 for short-term rehab; 643 for intermediate/long-term care (90 days to six months); 39 beds for long-term care (three to six months); and 102 beds for transitional/halfway house treatment. These figures do not include beds in private facilities. A former addicts story Mike, who was addicted to heroin for five years, underwent months of treatment at MCCA in Danbury and hasnt used the drug in more than four years. He knows first-hand how critical it is to have access to treatment beds. The 29-year-old was admitted into detox on Aug. 24, 2012, weighing only 170 pounds, after living in his car and barely eating for several months. He followe detox with 28 days at McDonough House, two weeks at the organizations sobering center, and several weeks of intensive outpatient treatment. After getting clean, Mike helped several loved ones try to find treatment. Sometimes he was successful, sometimes he wasnt. At times he called up to 20 facilities without finding an available bed. There needs to be more starting points, he said. There are not enough starting points for people to even get a start on their journey. Need for more medication-assisted treatment With inpatient options increasingly limited, local and state agencies are turning to alternative methods of treatment, including use of medications to wean addicts away from opioids. Among these medications are methadone, which has been used to treat addicts for decades, and Suboxone, the trade name for a combination of buprenorphine and naloxone. In May, Gov. Dannel P. Malloy launched a strategic planning process to craft a response to the opioid crisis. A team from Yale Schools of Medicine and Public Health began the process by gathering data and input from stakeholders around the state and to evaluate treatment practices around the country and abroad. According to a draft of the Yale report, providers increased their capacity for methadone treatment by nearly 30 percent over the past four years. Meanwhile, prescriptions for buprenorphine rose from 24,758 in 2013 to 27,497 in 2014 before falling back to 25,298 in 2015. Based on the rising number of overdoses and data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, the availability of treatment is far from sufficient, the report concludes. Its still clear in many parts of the state that theres an unmet need, said Dr. David Fiellin, a Yale professor of medicine and one of the reports authors. The report also said too few providers accept insurance policies such as Medicaid, and too few are capable of treating adolescents and young adults. Fiellin added that the public, too, needs to be part of the solution. Many patients and family members are interested in a short-term solution or fix for the problem, Fiellin added. This really needs to be viewed more as a long-term condition that, with appropriate treatment, can have substantial improvement in function, decreases in drug use and improved control. MCCA, for its part, hopes to do more with medication-assisted treatment. The organization is working with the Connecticut Institute for Communities, the nonprofit that runs one of Danburys community health centers, to increase access to Suboxone. Sullivan said that if community health center personnel could prescribe the medication, MCCA would provide group therapy and psychotherapy. MCCA also has recently started prescribing Vivitrol, a drug that stops cravings by blocking opioid receptors in the body, during or after inpatient treatment. Detox and residential is just the beginning, Sullivan said. All the research says that people who are engaged in treatment for six months to a year do markedly better than those who are involved in treatment for less than six months. That was the lesson Steve, another former, addict had to learn. When he tried to quit heroin for the first time, he didnt realize how much work lay ahead him after leaving rehab. I thought if you went to rehab, you were cured, he said. But after several relapses and another stint in rehab, he underwent 17 months of intensive outpatient care and relapse-prevention classes. Steve hasnt used heroin since Jan 9, 2009. Since then, he received bachelors and masters degrees in accounting, graduating with a 3.95 GPA; got married and had three children; and started his own business. By PTI: Nagpur, Sep 11 (PTI) The Central government should deal strictly with the separatists spreading unrest in Kashmir, yoga guru Baba Ramdev said today. "The government should tighten its grip over the handful of separatists who are causing trouble in the (northern) state," he said. Ninety-nine per cent population in Kashmir is peace loving, but the remaining are creating trouble and they should be dealt with an iron hand, Ramdev told reporters here. advertisement The yoga guru, who led the campaign for bringing back black money two years ago, said there was a need for result oriented and more effective steps in this direction. On the overall performance of the Centre, Ramdev said the Narendra Modi-led government was the best on three fronts namely internal and external security of the country, formulating new policy and its execution and bringing international prestige and place in the world. PTI JOE GK SRY JMF --- ENDS --- Every river, every brook and stream and storm drain in Connecticut no matter how convoluted its course eventually feeds into Long Island Sound. This means there is a constant flow of plastic junk grocery bags, water bottles, fast-food containers, even the filters on flicked-away cigarette butts heading downstream into the Sound. If currents and tides are right, a plastic candy wrapper dislodged by rain from a Danbury gutter could make it out of the Sound and eventually into the great swirl of garbage in the Sargasso Sea. We consider plastics another form of non-source pollution, said Mike Jastremski, watershed conservation director for the Housatonic Valley Association. Nobody really knows the extent of the damage this does to the environment, or whether the plastic stuff floating around in the worlds oceans will ever disappear. It degrades, but it never goes away, said Chris Cryder, special projects coordinator for Save the Sound, during a talk last week at the Ridgefield Library. It has long-lived polymers that some people believe can last 1,000 years. For groups like the Norwalk River Watershed Association and the Woodcock Nature Center, which sponsored Cryders talk, its important to talk about upstream littering. Mike Rubbo, executive director of the nature center, which straddles the Ridgefield-Wilton town line, said it helps to let people know about the threat plastics pose to the environment. Theres been a lot of education, Rubbo said. One obvious way to get rid of plastic is to pick it up. Save the Sound, which operates jointly with the Connecticut Fund for the Environment, will sponsor several clean-up days in September and October. To learn about them, go to the funds website at http://www.ctenvironment.org During his talk at Ridgefield Library last week, Cryder pointed out that this problem is a new one for humankind. We only invented plastics after World War II, in the 1940s, he said. But the plastic that entered the environment then is still around. Theres no bacteria known that will break it down. And Cryder said humans keep adding more plastic to the worlds oceans at a rate of 8 million tons a year. There is now about 100 million tons of plastic in the worlds oceans today, he said. Some of this damage is obvious. At a basic level, its ugly. Itd also dangerous to sea life. Turtles, which eat jellyfish, can eat plastic bags by mistake bags that can kill them. Fish can get snared in floating plastic. So can seabirds. So can whales. Fishing fleets used to use nets made of hemp, Cryder said. If they lost a net it would biodegrade in the water. Now they use plastic nets. If they lose a net, those nets keep right on catching things. Plastic objects, over time, do break apart. They become tiny beads of plastic, floating below the surface of the seas. By weight, there is six times more plastics in the upper water column than phytoplankton, Cryder said. Researchers know that these microscopic bits of plastic attract other pollutants including methylmercury, DDT, heavy metals that accumulate around the plastic core. They also know that insect larvae eat these morsels, and that when they do their growth and speed are stunted. That makes them easy pickings for predators. What researches dont know, Cryder said, is whether those toxic-laden plastic morsels are moving up the food chain whether fish that eat plastic-eating insects will accumulate the pollution in their fatty tissues, then pass them on fish-hunting raptors like osprey. Plastic micro-beads are used in facial cleansers and even toothpaste. Connecticut has banned their use by 2019. There are also ongoing attempts to rid the environment of more everyday plastics. Theyve had a lot of success in the Chesapeake Bay area banning plastic grocery bags, said Jastremski of the Housatonic Valley Association. But we cant escape plastics entirely. For example, the omnipresent fleece jackets people pull on come fall are made of recycled plastic. Clothing companies boast of this to show how environmentally aware they are. But Rubbo of the Woodcock Nature Center said when washed, those jackets shed plastic fibers in laundry water, which eventually ends up in Long Island Sound. Its the interconnectedness of everything, he said. Contact Robert Miller at earthmattersrgm@gmail.com Boeing is back in the wind tunnel testing one of its most innovative and potentially game-changing advanced concepts: the Blended Wing Body. Testing is underway through the end of September at the NASA Langley Research Center 14- by 22-Foot Subsonic Tunnel in Virginia. Boeing and NASA researchers are using a 6 percent scale, 13-foot-wingspan Blended Wing Body (BWB) model to validate testing methodology, as well as map airflow over the airplane using lasers and smoke with a technique known as particle imagery velocimetry (PIV). Time permitting, testing will be conducted to measure the effectiveness of various control surfaces. That data will be compared with and supplement the set of data collected over the last two years on the same model at NASA Langley and the much larger 40- by 80-foot subsonic tunnel at NASA Ames Research Center in California. Testing the same model in two very different tunnels gives us data to make our test methods better, said Dan Vicroy, principal investigator at NASA Langley. Plus these tests will let us do PIV something we didnt do before. Our tests are a continuation of more than two decades of successful research and development of this concept, which is unparalleled in industry, said John Bonet, Boeings test director for the BWB. What we learn from this round of testing will be used to complete the definition of our aerodynamic, stability and control low-speed databases a major milestone in the technology development of the concept. The BWB concept is unique in that it forgoes the conventional tube and wing shape of todays airplanes, in favor of a triangular tailless aircraft that effectively merges the vehicles wing and body. It may not be just a concept for too much longer, according to company leaders. Boeing sees potential for a BWB-type aircraft to be developed in the next 10 years as a subsonic transport, possibly beginning with military transport variants for airlift and aerial refueling, said John Dorris III, Mobility senior manager, Phantom Works Fixed Wing Assembly for Boeing. By transferring technology and features from current Boeing programs like the C-17 and KC-46 were able to address the U.S. Air Forces vision for 2030 and beyond, he said. Boeings Blended Wing Body concept can be scaled, with variants that will allow us to meet our customers mission requirements and fleet demands. Backed by decades of successful structural, wind tunnel and flight testing of two different X-48 aircraft configurations, Boeing is readying the BWB for the next step in maturing this technology: a manned demonstrator. NASAs Aeronautics budget proposes the return of X-planes. Boeing has completed an extensive study of BWB X-plane options for NASA and is supportive of NASAs desire to create a series of manned demonstrators as part of its mission to advance the science of aviation for public benefit, said Naveed Hussain, vice president, Aeromechanics Technology, at Boeing. We believe our body of work, both in design, test and engineering, is technically superior when compared to other designs in the marketplace, Hussain said. The BWB is showing great potential to offer structural, aerodynamic and operating efficiencies as well as the capability to be more fuel efficient and quieter over more traditional aircraft designs. Much of the current testing is a collaboration with NASA Aeronautics and is a follow-on to tests that NASA and Boeing completed in 2014 and 2015 under NASAs Environmentally Responsible Aviation program. The goal of that program was to develop technologies that improve fuel efficiencies, lower noise levels and reduce emissions. With the exception of Boeing proprietary technology, NASA knowledge gained from this NASA/Boeing collaborative research will be documented and publicly available to benefit the aviation industry. The BWB remains one of many promising concepts for a future NASA X-plane. SOURCE Boeing By PTI: New Delhi, Sep 9 (PTI) Government will soon make rear view sensors or backup cameras mandatory in all new vehicles to avoid mishaps. Even though cars come equipped with rear view mirrors which are adequate for looking at vehicles behind, they are inadequate in detecting small children or objects close to the ground, falling in cars blind spot. advertisement To rectify this, "the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) will soon issue a notification to make rear view sensors mandatory in all vehicles", Joint Secretary of the Ministry Abhay Damle said. Addressing the curtain raiser event for World Roads Meet (WRM 2017) organised by International Road Federation (IRF), he said more than 50,000 fatal accidents take place in the country due to over speeding and hence the government is planning to make audio warnings also mandatory in vehicles. "Government is also planning to make audio warning mandatory in vehicles on similar lines of seat belt wearing sign. At the speed of 80 km/hr small beep sound warning will come and after the speed of 90 km/hr a continuous beep will alert the speeding driver," Damle said. He said the government has already made it compulsory for all two-wheelers, which account for the highest share of accidents, to either have the anti-lock braking system (ABS) or the combined braking system (CBS) by April 2019. Apart from rear view sensors and speed warning, air bags will also become mandatory in all vehicles soon, he said adding, from October 1, 2018 vehicles will have to go in for automated inspection and fitness certification test with hardly any human intervention. Similarly, driving license test will also become automated by that time and will help reduce road accidents, he added. He said in the proposed Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill, which will be introduced in the Winter session of Parliament, provisions have been made for legal protection of Good Samaritans who help accident victims. Government has added a significant clause under which a Good Samaritan?s affidavit will have the legal force of a statement, and if a statement is required, it should be recorded in a single examination and for any further information the judicial or law officer will have to go to his or her house and record the statement, he said. IRF Chairman KK Kapila said India will host, for the first time, World Road Meeting from November 14-17, 2017. advertisement The major highlight of the WRM 2017 will be a summit of transport ministers from various parts of the globe. The theme would be ?Safe Roads and Smart Mobility : The Engines of Economic Growth?, Kapila said. PTI NAM ANU --- ENDS --- Plateau State governor, Simon Bako has exonerated the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) from blame for the current economic challeng... Plateau State governor, Simon Bako has exonerated the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) from blame for the current economic challenges facing citizens of the state.The APC-led government in Plateau State encouraged citizens to continue to make necessary sacrifices and adjustments, to be able to cope with the current situation, which he considered temporal.Gov Lalong stated this at Government House, Rayfield Jos, while swearing-in his first set of special advisers to strengthen his administration.The special advisers are Mr. Patrick Dariem, Finance and Investment, Mr. Daniel B. Manjang, Media and Publicity, Mr. Nanven Nimfel, Political Affairs and Mr. Luka Madaki, Agriculture and Rural Development.Gov Lalong said, May I use this opportunity to plead with our people to continue to keep an abiding faith with our government; the times are no doubt hard, and the reality of the adjustments we have to make are no doubt tasking.We are not responsible for the challenges we are facing now, but as a responsible government, we are committed to fixing it. This however demands patience, because just like for every seed planted, there is a waiting gestation period before the harvest. We are doing our best to ensure that the wealth of opportunities and resources we have identified are fully exploited, so that we can improve the quality of life of our citizens.To the four Special Advisers, Gov Lalong said, I wish to task the newly sworn-in advisers to know that the administration of this oath of office is to publicly showcase the premium government places on the responsibilities of your office. You are under oath to advice me sincerely, without fear or favour, let or hindrance. The exigencies of your duties, coming on board a year after our assumption of office, will demand you come up to speed with the activities of government at a meteoric speed.The governor reminded the new advisers that their inputs will reflect in the positive action his government will be taking for the citizenry.Meanwhile, the governor has cut the cost of land administration in the state by 50% to encourage citizens to document their landed properties, using the newly established Plateau State Geographic Information System (PLAGIS).Commissioner for Land, Survey and Town Planning Barr. Festus Fuanter made this known in a meeting with stakeholders held at Hill Station Hotel, Jos.According to Barr Fuanter, The state governor, Simon Lalong has graciously approved a downward review of the land title processing rates by 50% to encourage land owners to regularise their title documentations, using the state Geographic System.He said, The problems of complex land administration which we inherited has severe adverse effects on the economic fortunes of the state and also impacted negatively on the professional disposition of most of the critical stakeholders.The launch of the PLAGIS was considered as one of the highest points of the administration of the present administration, which led to the registration of over 4,000 applicants who could not document their title in the past.Not satisfied with the rates of applicants, the ministry made an appeal to the governor to subsidies the process.This is because a lot of applicants were discouraged from processing their land titles due to sharp practices of staff in the past, a fraud that is no longer possible with the launch of the PLAGIS.The state governor, Simon Lalong flagged off the issuance of certificate of ownership (C of O) to the first 4,000 applicants. James Didam Bulus, a fresh cadet of the Nigeria Defence Academy, NDA, Kaduna, according to reports, was "brutalized" to death by... James Didam Bulus, a fresh cadet of the Nigeria Defence Academy, NDA, Kaduna, according to reports, was "brutalized" to death by senior cadets less than 24 hours after he finished registration and reported to the camp.A close family friend said Joshua was beaten to death on his introductory night.He arrived NDA on Saturday, 3rd September, 2016 and on Monday, 5th September; I was told that he was dead. It was my friend that drove his son to the gate of old NDA and they parted ways happily.""But, I was told that he died on Sunday after he did not survive what I was told was introduction beatings from his seniors. At the mortuary, you could see stitches on his head and he had bruises on other parts of the body. The NDA said that he died of stomach pain and that before he could be taken to the hospital, he died on the way.When contacted, the Public Relations Officer, PRO, of NDA, Captain Musa Yahaya, said that James, who hails from Kaduna municipality, had an accident on the day he was to report and came to NDA with injuries.He said: It was when the new cadets were queuing to receive their kits that Cadet Didam slumped. He was immediately rushed to the clinic and was given the best of medical attention. When the doctors examined him, they found out that he had internal bleeding. He had earlier confided to one of his colleagues that he had an accident on his way to NDA. But that he was afraid to tell the authority so that they would not reject him. He was never brutalized. It was an accident that he had. That was what the autopsy confirmed. He died on Monday. The All Progressives Congress (APC) has appealed to Nigerians to pray for the quick recovery of the nations economy and support governm... The All Progressives Congress (APC) has appealed to Nigerians to pray for the quick recovery of the nations economy and support government efforts at pulling the country out of the present economic hardship.In a Sallah message to Muslims, signed by the National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, the party said Muslim faithfuls and all Nigerians should use the occasion of Eid-el-Kabir celebration to show love and promote harmonious and peaceful co-existence with one another irrespective of ethnic or religious affiliations.Muslim faithful and indeed all Nigerians are enjoined to use the occasion of Eid-el-Kabir to pray for the peace, development and prosperity of the country.Indeed, Nigeria is today passing through challenging times in its socio-economic life, the Party calls on Nigerians to pray and support the administration as it works assiduously to pull the country out of the present hardships and restore the country on the path growth in all facets.Happily, the President Muhammadu Buhari-led APC administration is already employing all legitimate and innovative means to restore the countrys battered economy back to health in the quickest possible time, Oyegun stated.He called on Nigerians to support the recently launched National Re-orientation Campaign Change Begins With Me, saying In a bold move to repair our value system that has been badly eroded over the years, on September 8, 2016, President Muhammadu Buhari launched the laudable National Re-orientation Campaign Change Begins With Me.The Party appealed to all Nigerians to be part of this campaign which will institutionalise the best practice and time-honoured values of honesty, hard work, patriotism, abhorrence of corruption, accountability and integrity in our everyday life. Kwoi, the headquarters of Jaba local government area of Kaduna state, was today, Sunday, September 11, 2016, hit by a series of earth trem... Kwoi, the headquarters of Jaba local government area of Kaduna state, was today, Sunday, September 11, 2016, hit by a series of earth tremors which caused panic and confusion.Kwoi is located in the southern part of the state.Confirming the incident in a statement signed by Samuel Aruwan, the spokesperson to Governor Nasir el-Rufai, the state government appealed for calm. The government said it has made a formal report to the appropriate authorities to investigate the development, report precisely on the event and issue appropriate guidance.The statement said that the governor, Malam Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai, has confirmed that the geological and emergency agencies have been notified.The statement said: The governor sympathises with the people in the Kwoi area over the reported earth tremors. He has directed the state Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) to mobilise to the area and comfort our citizens. The national geological agency has also been notified, and has been invited to investigate the tremors in the Kwoi area and provide appropriate guidance.The Kaduna state government is receiving updates from the area. Relevant government agencies have been directed to take steps to comfort the residents of Kwoi area and to assuage their unease as they come to terms with an unusual event. The Kaduna State Government wishes to appeal for calm, and urges everyone not to spread unverified information, or create panic. Prelate Sunday Abang, former Prelate of the Methodist Church and one time President of the Christian Association of Nigeria CAN, has place... Prelate Sunday Abang, former Prelate of the Methodist Church and one time President of the Christian Association of Nigeria CAN, has placed curses on the generations of corrupt politicians in Nigeria.Speaking with newsmen during a special interview session marking his birthday,the clergy said, "In Christianity, the Bible makes it clear that when you commit a crime, it is to the third and fourth generations. The belief with us is that they have allowed the grace of God in the New Testament to seem to have covered what is in the Old Testament the wrath and love of God which is also reflected in the New Testament."If you dont repent of your sin, the wrath of God will fall upon you. People suffer in this country and what they would do is to explain it scientifically. I said it earlier that I made a prayer and someone died. That death would be explained scientifically and so the main point would be clear to the people. The fact is that once you commit sin; once you loot public treasury; once you convert money belonging to the people for yourself and family, you will suffer, your children will suffer to the third and fourth generations."When these things happen, people explain them scientifically. Nowadays if anything happens to someone, it would be blamed on either the brother, father or the mother, not knowing that Gods wrath might have fallen on the person. Every sin has punishment. What I can tell our politicians is that all the sins they have committed corruption, hatred, killings, kidnapping, false accusations the wrath of the God will visit them one after the other to the third and fourth generations."My prayer is that all those seeking political appointments, because the earth is the Lords and the fullness thereof, God is the owner of the earth. He is not an absentee landlord. He is interested in this world. So when you come and do whatever you feel like, dont think God does not see it. He sees everything we do and He gives us the grace for what we have done right and punishment, for our wrongs. My advice to the politicians is for them to remember that whatsoever they sow, they shall reap. If they escape it, their children will not. If they do, their grandchildren will bear the punishment, whether they like it or not. You can go to prayer houses to pray, unless you repent."When Zacchaeus, the tax collector in the Bible wanted to repent, he said he would return ten times all that he had taken unlawfully. Can any politician do that? If they can do so, God can show mercy because some of them might have ignorantly stolen. Even if Buhari decides to leave them unpunished, they cant escape from God. That is my advice to all the Christians who venture into politics. God is watching them and their family every day. Every sin they commit against that person who has gotten food to eat in his house, God will not allow them to go scot-free" he said. SALLAH MESSAGE TO NIGERIANS BY PRESIDENT MUHAMMADU BUHARI Fellow Compatriots, as you celebrate the Eid-El-Kabir, I salute your steadfa... SALLAH MESSAGE TO NIGERIANS BY PRESIDENT MUHAMMADU BUHARIFellow Compatriots, as you celebrate the Eid-El-Kabir, I salute your steadfastness in spite of the difficult economic times the country is going through.The lessons of the Eid are piety and sacrifice and, my dear brothers and sisters, you have exhibited these in equal measure.The present recession is as a result of cumulative effects of worldwide economic downturn and failure in the past to plan and save for difficult times. It is impossible to separate the present from the past to appreciate the extent to which mistakes of the past are affecting everyday life today.I assure you that this administration is working round the clock to remove the hardships the country is going through. Rail and road constructions, projects in the housing sector, support for farmers and for small and medium scale industries, youth and women's empowerment programmes, support for revival of industries are all designed to reinvigorate the economy and enhance living standards of ordinary people.We are getting security right. We are stopping corruption in its tracks and we will get the economy right by the Grace of God.I enjoin Muslims to live by the dictates of Islam, to keep good relationships with their Christian brothers and sisters and as patriots to maintain the spirit of the Nigerian nation.I wish everyone happy holidays.Muhammadu Buhari Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has sent an urgent appeal to Mr. Maina Kiai United Nations, Special Rapporteur ... Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has sent an urgent appeal to Mr. Maina Kiai United Nations, Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association to draw his attention to continuing harassment and intimidation of the #BringBackOurGirls (BBOG) group by the Nigerian authorities, and the impermissible restrictions on the rights of members to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly. SERAP in the urgent appeal dated 9 September 2016 and signed by the organizations senior staff counsel Timothy Adewale said that, No Nigerian law makes it a crime to demonstrate in any part of the country. Harassing the BBOG group and stopping its members from proceeding peacefully to the seat of government is overkill.The urgent appeal reads in part: Its the primary duty of the President Muhammadu Buhari government to protect all demonstrators, including the BBOG group and enable lawful demonstrations to proceed peacefully. Carrying out this obligation is about deeds, not words. SERAP considers restrictions placed on the right of the BBOG group to peaceful assembly by law enforcement agencies as unnecessary, disproportionate, unjustified in law, and in bad faith. SERAP is seriously concerned about the continuing indiscriminate and disproportionate restriction on the right of members of the BBOG group to protest.All Nigerians including members of the BBOG group have the rights to freedom of expression and to protest. There is absolutely no reason to view these members as anything other than committed peaceful demonstrators.The ability of the BBOG group to organize, mobilise and speak out on matters of the missing Chibok girls cannot be prohibited under any grounds whatsoever. SERAP considers the freedom of assembly and to take part in the conduct of public affairs as a means for public expression and the cornerstone of democracy and the rule of law. Every Nigerian has the right, without prior permission, to assemble peacefully and protest, even if the authorities disagree with the views of the protesters.There is in fact a positive obligation on the Nigerian government to take reasonable steps to protect members of the BBOG group from disruption by others. SERAP believes that peaceful protest is also a means to gather support from civil society on issues that affect those demonstrating, and is part of the exercise of an active and participatory democracy. The right to freedom of peaceful assembly protects Nigerians ability to come together for the common good, and serves as the vehicle for the exercise of many other human rights.When the right to peaceful assembly is suppressed, there is a higher risk for demonstrations to escalate and turn violent. SERAP therefore requested Mr Kiai to put pressure on the Nigerian government to end continuing harassment and restrictions on the right of members of the BBOG group to protest and take measures to encourage, promote and facilitate the enjoyment of the right to peaceful assembly by this group and other group of Nigerians in any part of the country. And to remind the government that the task of the police is to protect rights and facilitate, rather than frustrate demonstrations, as well as to promote criminal and disciplinary sanctions against those who interfere with public assemblies. Appreciate and recognize the positive role of peaceful protests as a means of strengthening human rights and democracy in the country.More so SERP wants the UN to remind the Nigerian authorities that the organization of a protest should not be subject to prior authorization, and that organizers of peaceful assemblies like members of the BBOG group should not be criminalized for not requesting an authorization. Insist that prohibition involving blanket ban on location of protests does not comply with human rights in the context of peaceful protests. Insist that the Nigerian authorities should not criminalize or subject anyone to threats or harassment, persecution, intimidation or reprisals for addressing human rights issues through peaceful protest The BBOG group has been at the fore-front of the campaign against the governments inability to rescue the over 200 Chibok schoolgirls abducted since 2014 by the extremist group, Boko Haram. In resolution 24/5, the UN Human Rights Council reminded States including Nigeria of their obligation to respect and fully protect the rights of all individuals to assemble peacefully and associate freely, online as well as offline. Two writers, Akin Fadeyi and Omor Bazuaye, have accused Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed of stealing an idea they shared with him, an... Two writers, Akin Fadeyi and Omor Bazuaye, have accused Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed of stealing an idea they shared with him, and presenting it to the country as his.They claimed that the 'Change Begins with Me' campaign was their brain child and was stolen from them by the minister.Bazuaye has published an article laying out his allegations against Mr. Mohammed on social media. He claims that the national re-orientation campaign slogan, Change Begins With Me, an exact replica of their own campaign Not In My country which he developed with Fadeyi in 2006.He also claimed that Mohammed repackaged their idea after they shared it with him, without acknowledgement, or carrying them along in its adoption, and implementation by federal government.Read the article below:How FG Plagiarized Akin Fadeyes Not In My Country* Launched it as Change Begins With MeWe received with utter shock and disbelief attempt by the Federal Government through its Ministry of Information and National Orientation to clone and plagiarize our work, NOT IN MY COUNTRY, in what it now calls Change Begins With Me.Only a few days ago Nigeria celebrated the arrival of Mark Zuckerberg, the founder of Facebook into the country.Zuckerberg developed something extraordinary and revolutionized the IT world.He came to Nigeria looking for and to give courage to emerging stars.I had written then that Nigeria has a jungle fever that allows it to always celebrate what is foreign as against the ingenuity of its own people.While we rolled out the drums and even engaged in what Zuckerberg wore or ate in his brief stay in Nigeria; my attention shifted to Nigerians doing remarkable things yet ignored or abandoned.There is the case of John Obaro who created the software for Treasury Single Account {TSA}. What did he get?He received the biggest scorn of his life.What I didnt realize was that I could become the next victim until Thursday, the 8th of September, 2016 when I saw that the idea we dropped in the office of the honourable Minister of Information and National Orientation, Lai Mohammed; what seems a perfect replica of it was being launched by the Minister without the consent of the real originators.We have evidence of our communications with the Minister prior to this day. We even have pictures of our meeting with him. He cant deny it.We implore him to just do the needful.I know many would almost certainly defend anything under this govetnment; the owner of this project is a lover of APC and an ardent admirer of President Buhari too.Its a shame this is happening and coming under a government one would have thought would do things differently.As far back as 2006, Akin Fadeyi who was then the Head, Corporate Communications of MTS First Wireless where I worked stumbled on an idea.One day Akin called me and said he wanted to pick my brain on something.He was my immediate boss and we had come to be very fond of each other. I was learning fast under him and I guess he saw something in me I probably never knew was there.But trust Akin to always have brilliant ideas. When he started talking I immediately knew it was something big.It was a concept to re-engineer the minds of citizens away from the filth of moral decadence the country had fallen.First, I consider it noble that such a young man could come up with such a selfless idea and be prepared to put his hard earned salary to drive it.I was wowed and immediately wanted to be a part of what I instantly knew was big, something that could leave our both names on the sands of time.But we needed a name for it so Akin invited me and another friend Ganiyu Olowu to the lagoon side of University of Lagos for some brainstorming sessions.Between us, we came up with the name: NOT IN MY COUNTRY and decided to use the instruments of theatre or if you like drama to pass the message.For 10 years, Akin held on to his idea, shopping for credible corporate organizations or development agencies who can partner with him.Together with him, we spent those years in and out of locations shooting flicks; hiring professional actors like Tina Mba, the popular actor Saka and others.It cost us money with Akin paying and footing most if not all of the bills. I have deliberately called names in my narration, names of people from whom anyone can easily verify.Sometime in 2014, we had the honour of making presentation on it to Hussaini Abdu, the Country Director of Action Aid. Im sure he can remember because it made a good impression on him.We have also enjoyed tremendous support from Mr. Emeka Opara of Airtel Nigeria on this as well.How could I have forgotten Simon Kolawole who lavishly gave NOT IN MY COUNTRY, a back page story in THISDAY NEWSPAPER and of course ace broadcaster, Gbenga Aruleba who graciously entertained Akin Fadeyi on his programme, Focus Nigeria for free and the entire management and staff of TVC who have given tremendous media coverage for this project.Unfortunately, the period between 2006 and 2015 didnt provide the right kind of atmosphere about a country and a society that was keen about fighting corruption.So when in 2015 a no nonesense crusader of anti-corruption who was riding high on the change mantra; President Muhammadu Buhari came to power, I pulled a call to Akin telling him perhaps this was the hour weve been waiting for.I had no iota of doubt in my mind that APC led by Buhari would instantly jump at it.So we set to work, I took Akin to the Senior Special Adviser to the President(Media ), Garba Shehu..he is a big mentor to me in the profession we practice.He asked us to forward it in form of proposal to him which we did. Later Akin met with Mr. Femi Adesina on the same issue.His advice took Akin to the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Lai Mohammed.It was a fruitful meeting with the Minister requesting we changed the name to Change Begins With Me.Akin went back to work re-shooting over 30 short films copies of what was sent to the Minister electronically.E-mails come with time and dates and NEVER lie even when not acknowledged as being received.That was sometime in December 2015 and we sent a reminder to him in June after NOT IN MY COUNTRY was officially launched in Lagos on the 3rd of May this year.The only reason we named our concept NOT IN MY COUNTRY was because we didnt want it associated with any particular government and their mantra.We wanted a catchy phrase something neutral that Nigerians can own for themselves.But as soon as the Minister had received the materials, we never heard anything again from him {Minister}.It was a rude shock to us when on Thursday September 8 we saw the launch of what was an exact replica of what we had developed. The least we expected was for the Minister to partner or collaborate with us on this instead of leaving us in the cold.We await his call as we call on all well-meaning Nigerians to come to our rescue and #saveakinfadeyiproject. Yusuf Musa, an elder brother to the late former President, Umar YarAdua, has died. Late President, Umar YarAdua Musa, also known ... Late President, Umar YarAdua Yusuf Musa, an elder brother to the late former President, Umar YarAdua, has died.Musa, also known as Yusuf London, passed away last week at the age of 83, following a protracted illness.The late ex-presidents elder brother, whose remains have since been buried in Katsina State, according to Muslim rites, was survived by one wife and 11 children.Meanwhile, Governor Aminu Masari paid a sympathy visit to the Katsina family house of YarAdua on Friday, where he expressed his condolencesMasari was accompanied by his deputy, Mannir Yakubu; and the Secretary to the State Government, Mustapha Inuwa, among others. To avoid last year's stampede situation from occurring again, Saudi authorities have deployed drones to keep an eye on millions of pilgrims this time. Saudi Arabia stakes its reputation on its guardianship of Islam's holiest sites and organising Haj. (Photo: Reuters) By Reuters: Saudi authorities deployed drones to watch over nearly 2 million pilgrims as they ascended Mount Arafat at the climax of the Haj pilgrimage today, part of stepped up efforts to avoid a repeat of last year's crush. In one of the deadliest disasters to befall the annual Muslim rite in decades, the crush killed nearly 800 pilgrims, according to Riyadh, though counts by countries of repatriated bodies showed over 2,000 people may have died, more than 400 of them Iranians. advertisement Chanting "Here I am at thy service, O Lord," the faithful climbed the craggy hills outside Mecca where Islam holds that God tested Abraham's faith by commanding him to sacrifice his son Ismail and the Prophet Mohammed gave his last sermon. "I have prayed to God to have mercy on us, give us relief and resolve Syria's crisis," said Um Fadi, wearing a traditional long black embroidered dress and head scarf native to her home in southern Syria. "From the bottom of my heart, I pray that God will lift this agony from Syria and its people," she added. LAST YEAR'S TRAGEDY Saudi Arabia has said that 1.85 million pilgrims, most of them from outside Saudi Arabia, have arrived for the annual pilgrimage, a religious duty for every able-bodied Muslim who can afford the journey. Saudi Arabia stakes its reputation on its guardianship of Islam's holiest sites and organising Haj. The 2015 crush, in which two large groups of pilgrims arrived together at a crossroads in Mina, a few kilometers east of Mecca, on their way to performing the "stoning of the devil" ritual at Jamarat, was the worst disaster to strike the annual pilgrimage for at least 25 years. READ| Hajj begins today, Saudi Arabia deploys over 100,000 troops to secure pilgrims The Saudi authorities redesigned the Jamarat area after two stampedes, one in 2004 and one in 2006, killed hundreds of pilgrims, and the frequency of such disasters has greatly reduced as the government spent billions of dollars upgrading and expanding haj infrastructure and crowd control technology. The haj ministry has said it had prepared a strict timetable for pilgrims from various countries to follow when leaving and returning to their accommodation. DRONES FOR QUICK INTERVENTION Authorities have also deployed drones to reinforce a network of electronic surveillance of the crowds that would alert authorities to intervene quickly if necessary. Saudi state news agency SPA said that Crown Prince Mohammed Nayef bin Abdul-Aziz, who is also the interior minister, supervised oversight as pilgrims used buses, trains and private cars to move from their encampments in Mena to Mount Arafat. advertisement So far, things have proceeded smoothly, SPA added. The pilgrims will spend the day on the mountain and move by sunset to the rocky plain of Muzdalifa, where they will gather pebbles to stone columns symbolizing the devil at another location called Jamarat on Monday, which marks the first day of Eid al-Adha, the feast of sacrifice. Also read: First batch of Haj pilgrims from J-K to leave on Aug 10 --- ENDS --- PLEASANTVILLE -- A man was killed in a shooting Saturday near Merion and Linden avenues in the city, the Press of Atlantic City reported. Police Chief Sean Riggin told the newspaper authorities were seeking information from the public in the investigation. The man was not publicly identified. The man was shot multiple times around 5 p.m. and rushed to AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center, where he died, according to the newspaper's report. Additional details were not immediately available. Noah Cohen may be reached at ncohen@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @noahyc. Find NJ.com on Facebook. HACKENSACK - A Rutherford man was sentenced Friday to 21 years in prison for beating his former boyfriend's father nearly to death five years ago, according to NorthJersey.com. Julio Pina-Catena, 44, broke into the Wallington home of his former lover, Adrian Martin, in May 2011 and spent hours cutting out the eyes of family photos, trashing a bedroom and hacking a computer. When he encountered Martin's father, Nelson, he brutally beat him, according to prosecutors. As a result of the attack, Nelson Martin suffered severe brain damage and lasting injuries, including loss of sensations and reconstruction of his jaw, according to NorthJersey.com. Pina-Catena was acquitted of an attempted murder charge but convicted of aggravated assault, burglary, criminal mischief and other charges. His attorney said Pina-Catena maintains his innocence and will appeal, according to the report. Anthony G. Attrino may be reached at tattrino@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @TonyAttrino. Find NJ.com on Facebook. WEST ORANGE -- A father, a sister, a widow and a survivor. They were among a crowd that gathered Sunday morning for a remembrance ceremony at Eagle Rock Reservation, where thousands of people converged 15 years ago today to watch the New York City skyline from a distance. Each of them lost something precious on Sept. 11, 2001, when airplanes crashed into two of the country's most iconic buildings, smoke enveloped a city and people clutched their phones, praying to hear a loved one's voice on the other end. A monument, centered on a bronze bald eagle and a book with the names of 57 Essex County residents lost that day, now marks where people stood to look out at the unfolding terror. Elisa Charters, who escaped from her office on the 21st floor of one of the Twin Towers, lost 84 colleagues in the attacks. On Sunday, she recounted what she now considers miracles from that day: being able to connect with her husband by phone as she was considering whether to leap into the Hudson River, one leg already over the railing; encountering two cousins on a Jersey City pier; being able to see and hug her parents hours later. She remembered meeting three people visiting from Los Angeles on business. To this day, she doesn't know their names. "But there we stood, tightly embracing each other, hugging each other, clinging for dear life, for survival, as tower one collapsed just three or four blocks away," Charters said. "Although we were strangers, we were together." Helman Correa said he remembers watching his son, Danny, walk out of their house for work 15 years ago. He hasn't seen him since. The saying that "time heals all wounds" doesn't apply to their family, Correa said. For them, time has simply numbed the pain. Maria DeRosa, whose sister Antoinette Duger did not escape the North Tower, told the crowd her relatives have supported Duger's then eight-year-old daughter as well as they could. But, DeRosa said, it has never been enough. And to Susan Rossinow, who lost her husband that day, simply surviving the past 15 years has been a fight. She comes to the memorial at Eagle Rock to visit her husband, Norman Rossinow. He has no grave. U.S. Attorney for New Jersey Paul Fishman said since 2001, the country has seen several other acts of hatred, born of the same impulse: attacks in Orlando, Fla.; San Bernardino, Calif.; and Paris. But, he said: "We are now cowed. We are not deterred. We are not stopped by their actions." Law enforcement and government employees are committed to doing everything that the law and the Constitution allow to protect the nation, Fishman said. At the same time, he said, the U.S. Department of Justice is dedicated to protecting all people and not casting blame where it is undue. Bells tolled at 8:46 a.m. to mark the time the first jet hit the North Tower. They rang again 17 minutes later in remembrance of the second strike. Marisa Iati may be reached at miati@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @Marisa_Iati. Find NJ.com on Facebook. MAPLEWOOD -- A woman was struck and killed by a train on the Morris and Essex line near the Maplewood station late Saturday, an NJ Transit spokeswoman said. Train No. 6940 was heading to Penn Station in New York when it hit the woman around 10 p.m., transit agency spokeswoman Lisa Torbic said. None of the train's 175 passengers and crew were injured. The Morris and Essex line was suspended in both ways between Maplewood and East Orange shortly before 10:45 p.m. Saturday, according to NJ Transit. Noah Cohen may be reached at ncohen@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @noahyc. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Olde Stone House Village St.JPG Nick Appice, chairman of the Washington Township Historical Preservation Advisory Board, at the Olde Stone House Village in Washington Township. WASHINGTON TWP. -- Organizers hope this year's Harvest Festival will go off with a bang -- or in this case with cannon fire. More than 500 people are expected to attend the historically-based Harvest Festival on Sept. 17 and 18 at Washington Township's Olde Stone House on Egg Harbor Road, according to Nicholas Appice, chairman of Washington Township's Historical Preservation Advisory Board. This year's event will allow patrons to experience traditional fall festivities such as pumpkin painting and basket weaving to more historical activities such as open-hearth cooking demonstrations and Civil War reenactments with the added gusto of cannon fire. "We really want to incorporate history for the kids," said Appice, "to have events like this means a lot. I just want to see the future appreciate things like this (Olde Stone House)." This year's festivities run from 10 a.m. until 9:30 p.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday, with Civil War reenactments held on both days and a special cannon firing at dusk on Saturday night. "It's a good start to fall... I think it's awesome. Every year more and more people get involved and it's really about the kids... They're the future of this and we want to pass it on to them someday," said Appice. A $1,200 cultural and heritage grant from Gloucester County allows the Historical Preservation Advisory Board to hold the event and garner the proceeds to make necessary repairs or upgrades to historical locations throughout the area. In the past, the money has been used to fund a new roof for the Olde Stone House. "Without these events we have no money to preserve the buildings, preserve any of this great history or host any future events so these events are very important," said Appice. The Harvest Festival is one of four annual events and the second largest event held by the Historical Preservation Advisory Board in order to raise money and awareness for ongoing projects and other events, according to Appice. For more info, email TownshipHistory1836@gmail.com UPDATE: Jersey City fatal shooting was a "senseless act of violence," family says. JERSEY CITY -- One person is dead and multiple people were injured in an early morning shooting near Journal Square in Jersey City, authorities said. The shooting was reported at about 2 a.m. on Van Wagenan Avenue between Sip and Pavonia avenues. The Hudson County Prosecutor's Office has confirmed one man died from his injuries and three others were shot, a spokesman for the department said. The conditions of the other three victims were not immediately available. According to police radio transmissions, one victim was shot in the left arm and another was shot in the right elbow. Additional information was not immediately available. Caitlin Mota may be reached at cmota@jjournal.com. Follow her on Twitter @caitlin_mota. Find The Jersey Journal on Facebook. JERSEY CITY -- Residents gathered in the courtyard on Van Wagenen Avenue today trying to piece together what caused a shooting that left one man dead and three other people injured. The early morning shooting was reported at about 2 a.m. in the small neighborhood outside of Journal Square. One person was pronounced dead at the scene, officials said. India Holmes stood along the curb outside a four story apartment building on Van Wagenen Avenue near Pavonia Avenue looking at the hosed-down sidewalk where her cousin died. She identified the victim as Arkbar Riley. Arkbar Riley Facebook photo "This is a senseless act of violence," Holmes said as she placed three roses and a candle on the sidewalk. Holmes said Riley, the father of three young children, just celebrated his birthday three weeks ago. She said her cousin didn't associate himself with violence and she was still trying to understand how this happened to him. "That's somebody right there that didn't deserve it," Holmes said pointing to the memorial she started before walking away. A resident, who only identified himself as Philip, said he heard about nine shots fired and ran outside. Philip said Riley was still breathing when he saw him and wanted to begin CPR, but he was pushed away from the scene. Three other people were also shot. It's unclear whether the victims are men or women or how serious their injuries are. Jersey City Ward C Councilman Rich Boggiano, who represents the neighborhood where this morning's crime occurred said he's been told the shooting was a result of some kind of dispute between two people in a relationship. He said crime in the city is "getting to be ridiculous and out of control. "The ones who are suffering are the people of these communities," Boggiano said. If ruled a homicide, this will be the city's 15th homicide of the year. The Hudson County Prosecutor's Office is handling the investigation and has not yet released details surrounding this morning's shooting. Riley's Facebook page has been flooded with friends and family members offering prayers and memorials. His page says he attended Ferris High School and Hudson County Community College. "He was a good dude, couldn't say nothing bad about him," one resident said while sitting on a bench near the scene today. "I got a big knot in my stomach." Caitlin Mota may be reached at cmota@jjournal.com. Follow her on Twitter @caitlin_mota. Find The Jersey Journal on Facebook. TRENTON -- Two men were killed and one is in critical condition following a shooting on Greenwood Avenue early Sunday, police said. Trenton police officers arriving to a reported shooting in the 800 block of Greenwood Avenue at about 3:15 a.m. found two men with gunshot wounds, Trenton police spokesman Lt. Stephen Varn said. Both men were pronounced dead at the scene, Varn said. A short time later, officers learned that a third man was at St. Francis Medical Center, just a few block away, also with bullet wounds. He was transported to Capital Health Regional Medical Center in Trenton and underwent emergency surgery, Varn said. Trenton police and the Mercer County Homicide Task Force are investigating. No arrests or other information was immediately made public. The killings come two days after a 20-year-old woman was shot dead in her apartment, early Friday on Spring Street. Kevin Shea may be reached at kshea@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter@kevintshea. Find NJ.com on Facebook. 15629 Eisenbarth 2 fj Roger Eisenbarth describes his escape from the Marriott Hotel at the World Trade Center at St. Francis Medical Center Trenton on the afternoon of Sept., 11, 2001. (Times of Trenton file photo by Frank Jacobs III) TRENTON -- Roger Eisenbarth travels to New York City for business about every other week these days. The September 11, 2001 survivor does not go to the World Trade Center though, and has yet to visit the 9/11 Memorial. He will. He just wants to bring his wife and make a nice trip out of it. "It's a special thing," Eisenbarth said Friday of returning to Lower Manhattan, where 15 years ago he survived the collapses while a guest in the Marriott Hotel underneath the towers. Roger Eisenbarth holds the card key to his room at Marriott Hotel at the World Trade Center shortly after returning to his home in Colorado in 2001. (Denver Post photo by Hyoung Chang) On 9/11, Eisenbarth, then of Denver, was the only patient who arrived at a Trenton hospital. As the towers burned that morning - before they fell - hospitals in Trenton prepared for a possible overflow of patients from North Jersey. But the twin towers toppled, and the patients never came. Except Eisenbarth. The company he worked for then had an office in Princeton. And after escaping the crushed Marriott by crawling through crevices and finally rappelling down massive piles rubble with others using drapery from the ballroom, he made his way to a fireboat, which took him to Jersey City. There, a colleague from the Princeton office found him and drove him south, and another employee drove him to St. Francis Medical Center. After nurses and doctors cleaned the caked debris from his eyes, and evaluated him, he allowed a Times of Trenton reporter to interview him. Despite his ordeal, he volunteered his story of survival. ''I could not believe these two buildings could come down . . . it felt like an earthquake, '' Eisenbarth said from his hospital bed at St. Francis' emergency room 15 years ago. "I still don't know how I got out alive.'' And he's still telling his story today, although not as much as he did in Denver, when he arrived home from Trenton. Eisenbarth, for a while, was the Denver resident who was most affected by 9/11. He talked of his experiences at a church and school, and was interviewed on local television. He displayed his Marriott room card key too, which he still has. Several years later, Eisenbarth and his family moved to Atlanta, and he's currently living in Phoenix, where he hopes to retire. Life moves forward, and he's doing well, he said. His kids are in the college and career phase now. But the horror of 9/11 is always there, just under the surface, he said. "I feel it quite often," he said. "The one things that reminds me on a constant basis is a thunderstorm, it puts goose bumps on my arms," he said. Weather has been a constant reminder. On the first anniversary of the attacks, Eisenbarth said the sound of storms reminded him of the sounds he heard on 9/11. They still do. "When I hear thunder it reminds me of the buildings coming down," he said Friday. And at any minute, he can put himself on those piles of rubble as sirens wailed and ash was everywhere - as he scaled slabs of debris while still carrying his computer bag slung on his shoulder. He says now he recalls throwing the bag down the rubble, then using the drapery to maneuver to safety, picking up his computer bag and walking to safety. "That's something I can live every day," he said. Eisenbarth describes his survival while at St. Francis Medical Center in Trenton on Sept. 11, 2001. (Times of Trenton file photo) Although he considers himself healthy, Eisenbarth has suffered long-term hearing loss - about 30 percent in both ears - which he traces to 9/11, as well as a persistent cough. Headlines about 9/11-related illnesses and cancers make him nervous. "It's just another worry," he said. He did go back to what was then Ground Zero, before the first anniversary, to walk the site and retrace his steps, which he said was a good healing moment. And he's been back to the World Trade Center two more times, but he has not yet planned enough time to visit the memorial. He's obviously eager to see the Marriott Hotel's portion of the memorial, which he has heard about from a network of hotel survivors he keeps in touch with. While Eisenbarth is willing to talk of his 9/11 experiences, he hasn't appeared in several of the 9/11 documentaries that have sought to interview him on camera. It's partly because he lives on the west coast, but also it's just not his thing, and he does not begrudge anyone who does. He did contribute to an upcoming book specifically about Marriott survivors, he said. Eisenbarth said his message to anyone about that day is simple: it's the one most synonymous with September 11, 2001. "Never forget," he said. "Just never forget." Kevin Shea may be reached at kshea@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter@kevintshea. Find NJ.com on Facebook. By India Today Web Desk: Saudi Arabia's male guardianship is the most notorious forms of patriarchy in the whole world. However, women in Saudi Arabia are now voicing their fury in a new social media revolt against the oppressive law. The dissent which goes with hashtag #StopEnslavingSaudiWomen has taken twitter by storm and many women are coming out in the open to speak out against this regressive practice. advertisement Saudi women are required to have male guardians throughout their lives, regardless of their age. But this is not all, the law also does not allow them to travel, marry, study, or even have surgery without permission from their guardians. And here's a whole list of dos and don'ts that a Saudi woman has to adhere to and it's nothing short of ridiculous. A list of everything you are not allowed to do unless a man says it's ok. How is this ok?#StopEnslavingSaudiWomen pic.twitter.com/UXlg0kyh64 Isaac Cohen (@IHWCo) August 4, 2016 Under the #StopEnslavingSaudiWomen campaign a Saudi Arabian feminist started a twitter thread with anonymous women sharing some harrowing stories of male enslavement. #StopEnslavingSaudiWomen I'll reply to this tweet with the first story so by the end we will get series of tweets.. pic.twitter.com/jfM7ul9cTg promise?????? (@firstnamewaad) August 31, 2016 As stringent laws in Saudi Arabia does not allow protest in public, women have chosen social media to express dissent. Read the translated version of the stories written in Arabic by victims of this brutal system: "I'm an employee at one of the universities. One day a male guardian( a father) called and asked me to cancel the daughter's summer class. I asked him why? He replied: I don't take her to summer semester. I definitely rejected his request and also asked him to come to the uni but he refused. I was surprised on the next day when I received a letter from the Dean of college to process the father's request." It was my shift with three doctors in the surgery department. We were all males that day. We had an urgent situation from a village. She had an inflammation of the appendix that puts her life at risk. She came with her husband, we told him that she needs to do the surgery now, he replied,"I won't sign on the paper of agreement until a female will do her surgery(since he's her guardian, she can't do the surgery unless her agrees) we told him she would die, but he said, "I prefer to see her dying instead of seeing males checking my wife." advertisement "This is one of the many horrible stories I have witnessed. An orphan girl whose father just passed away and the family wants her to delegate her brothers. She refused to do so. As a result, they beat, abused and locker her. After that, they forced her to come with then to the psychiatric hospital. The brothers went to administration and asked for report that proves she is mentally ill. The hospital gave the report to them, she denied everything that was said but no one believed her. The brothers went to the court wit the report so now they are in charge for her money." My brother smokes a lot of substance and he is rotten to the core in terms of behavior. He is married and lives next door to us. He is our neighbor. He beats and abuses his wife. It was Ramadan, I head hi m hitting his wife and she was shouting asking for help. No one moved except me. I went to help her, I kept shouting and defending. She was covered with blood. He even beat me with her. After that he kicked me out. Now I''m married and I live with my husband, however I still witness the abusing." advertisement "A friend of mine has a really high degree. She suffered a lot with her brothers after the father passed away. Even though she finished her studies and found a job. Her sister got married to a relative. She suffered with the relative until she got divorced. The brothers wanted to get her married to the relatives' brother. She rejected that and got rid of male guardianship and is married to a good man. However, the brothers are still making her life miserable by threatening her. her mother tells her to come back home and to be patient with her brothers like every other woman." According to a report by the Human Rights Watch , "women's rights activists in Saudi Arabia have repeatedly called on the government to abolish the male guardianship system, which the government agreed to do in 2009 and again in 2013. However, the changes remain insufficient, incomplete, and ineffective; today, the guardianship system remains mostly intact". Human Rights Watch also produced a series of videos which depict the helplessness of women who face the brunt of this abusive law. Watch the video below: advertisement --- ENDS --- By PTI: Chennai, Sep 10 (PTI) Seeking urgent action against those encroaching water bodies and endangering life of citizens in the city, the Madras High Court has directed the Tamil Nadu government to constitute within 15 days an advisory committee under the state Disaster Management Act. A bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice R Mahadevan gave the direction on Thursday last during the hearing of a batch of petitions which found fault with the government over release of excess water from Chembarmakkam Reservoir during December last which allegedly led to the deluge in the city and suburbs. advertisement Earlier, the court perused the affidavits filed by the Secretaries of the state Revenue department and Public Works Department with regard to encroachments and disaster management. "The affidavit on behalf of the Public Works Department leaves us with no doubt that in so far as the removal of encroachment is concerned, nothing has happened from May onwards as we suspected," the bench said. Referring to removal of encroachments in the river banks like Adyar and Coovum here, it said "A closed issue is sought to be addressed by stating that where the encroachments were removed from January to March 2016, follow up works has been completed or is in progress, like demolition, fencing, canal widening etc." It had been stated that encroachers were being convinced to move from the place in the same manner with benefits as earlier encroachments had been removed. "We believe that enough convincing has been done and the time has come for implementation, as all the encroachers have to be treated on par and cannot seek prolonged right of occupying the encroached area, which endangers the citizens, including themselves and creates circumstances where flooding takes place," the bench said. Referring to the Revenue departments affidavit, the court noted that from 2010 till 2016 there was really no progress on the issue of State Disaster Management Planning. When state Advocate General R Muthukumaraswamy mentioned that advice had been obtained for constitution of the advisory committee from the state disaster management authority and National Institute of Disaster Management, the bench said ?We are of the view that in the given situation we are faced with, it becomes necessary to constitute an Advisory Committee under section 17 of the Disaster Management Act". The committee would not only give the benefit of experts view but also facilitate inputs to be taken from different sources. Such a committee may thus be constituted within 15 days and petitioners may give their inputs to it, it said. The bench also made it clear that any writ petition in connection with the removal of encroachments in the Buckingham Canal in the city shall also be listed before it only. PTI COR VS RT KUN NTR --- ENDS --- advertisement WASHINGTON (AP) The House committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol has issued a subpoena to Donald Trump. The nine-member panel sent a letter to the former president's lawyers on Friday, demanding his testimony under oath by mid-November and outlining a series of corresponding documents. The decision by lawmakers to exercise their subpoena power comes a week after the committee made its final case against the former president, who they say is the "central cause" of the multi-part effort to overturn the results of the 2020 election. It remains unclear how Trump and his legal team will respond to the subpoena, if at all. Saints vs. Raiders: What TV channel is the opener on? The former Prime Minister also spoke with current Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday and apprised him of Karnataka's water shortage. By Rohini Swamy: Former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda decided to conduct an aerial survey of the water levels in the state reservoirs after the Supreme court decision to release 15 thousand cusecs of water. The situation being grim, Deve Gowda is now contemplating presenting the case of Karnataka in front of the apex court. Boarding a special helicopter from Jakkur in Bengaluru, Deve Gowda took stock of the situation at the Harangi, Hemavathi, Kabini and KRS dams. advertisement After conducting the aerial survey, Gowda briefed reporters and said, "We are not as intelligent as the people of Tamil Nadu. My intention to conduct this aerial survey is to understand the situation and suggest the future course of action to the government." On Friday, Deve Gowda held a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and apprised him of the water shortage that Karnataka is facing. He also told the PM that Karnataka was facing a drinking water shortage, while Tamil Nadu was asking water for its crops. Deve Gowda went on to say that if the need arises, he will also conduct an aerial survey of the Cauvery basin in Tamil Nadu. ALSO READ: Cauvery dispute: Deve Gowda meets Modi, seeks immediate intervention --- ENDS --- When the Council Bluffs Community School District last brought its expanded physical plant and equipment levy to voters last September, the measure to increase the levy passed handily. But a second, related item, which would have extended the PPEL levy through 2028, failed by just five votes. Now, that same measure is back on the ballot again and we encourage Council Bluffs voters to approve it this time around in a special election Tuesday. In essence, the school district already received the green light from voters to increase the levy for an increase in spending authority, but only for the short term. School officials need the ability to have financial security heading forward to invest in the education of Council Bluffs students. Part of the challenge for Council Bluffs when it comes to property tax rates a distinct issue from budget cuts, which are largely driven by spending restrictions imposed on school districts is its relatively low valuation. On a per-student basis, the district has $223,520 worth of valuation per student, while the state average is $339,539. School funding in Iowa is complex; it can be likened to a series of buckets from which districts can draw money to pay for only certain items. The money from a PPEL can be used only on equipment, maintenance on buildings, technology and other infrastructure expenses. Those dollars are not subject to the spending cap, so shifting expenses to PPEL would allow Council Bluffs more flexibility with its budget. Particularly as the school district faces a budget crunch before the next academic year begins, every dollar that can be used to better the educational capabilities for these schools. Because of the complex system used to fund Iowa schools, the money cant be used to address a shortfall from the general fund but it would prevent the district from having to dip into its cash reserves or general fund to address needed repairs and investments. Thats why the Council Bluffs district could afford to make good on its promise to lower its general fund levy to adjust for the expanded PPEL last year. The states spending limits for schools will keep the district from ratcheting up its levy much higher because it can only spend so much per student. Most of the PPEL projects which include replacing the roofs at two schools, alarm repairs, Americans with Disabilities Act compliance and technology are critical investments that any business or organization would seek for its own facilities. Others, such as playground equipment and music instruments, would dramatically improve the quality of the well-being of students of all ages. Having a dedicated funding stream for these projects is part of why Council Bluffs, and other area schools, are in better shape than many of our neighbors in the Omaha metro. Voters have already given the district the OK to use the money. All they need to do is extend the time period in which it can be used and we encourage them to do just that on Tuesday. Jitendra Singh assured the officers that the government is serious about ensuring that their initiative will not be deterred on any count. By Manjeet Negi: Today a delegation of Central IAS Officers' Association led by its Honorary Secretary, Sanjay Bhoosreddy met Jitendra Singh, minister of state in the Prime Minister's Office. The delegation urged him to ensure that honest and sincere officers are protected for taking 'bona fide' decisions in public interest and that they do not feel deterred or shy in their initiative to take administrative decisions. Singh has said that the government will ensure that IAS officers' genuine initiative is not deterred on any account. advertisement DELEGATION SEEKS PROTECTION FOR WORKING AND RETIRED OFFICERS The delegation has suggested revisiting the laws including the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 and the Criminal Procedure Code, 1973, and sought protection for both working as well as retired officers. They also sought appropriate legal assistance for fighting court cases. While assuring the officers that the government is serious about ensuring that IAS officers' initiative will not be deterred on any count, Singh said that the Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Bill, 2013 pending in Parliament also takes care of many of these aspects. He said, for example, the provision to prosecute an officer, which was earlier available only at the level of Joint Secretary and above, is now sought to be made applicable in case of officers at every level. GUIDELINES REVISED TO BENEFIT IAS OFFICERS In case of IAS officers working in the states, Singh disclosed that recently the government has revised the guidelines according to which, in case of any IAS officer being placed under suspension by a state government, the Department of Personnel & Training (DoPT), Government of India will have to be intimated within 24 hours. Likewise, the charges framed against the officer will also have to be intimated to DoPT within a period of 45 days, he added. The delegation also handed over a memorandum to Singh which sought to highlight some of the issues relating to officers who come on central deputation resulting in difference in their pay scale, sometimes resulting in heavy financial loss. As a consequence to this, the memorandum sought to point out that many officers in the rank of Joint Secretary are sometimes reluctant to come on central deputation because of issues related to their pay scale. ALSO READ: Joint secretaries request Rajnath Singh to pardon IAS officer suspended for renewing Zakir Naik's IRF's license --- ENDS --- Fresh clashes in the Valley claimed two more lives on Saturday and left hundreds of others wounded after the security forces fired pellet guns and tear-gas shells on the protesters. By Naseer Ganai: Two more youths were killed and around 120 wounded as the police and paramilitary forces fired pellets and tear-gas shells on protesters in Shopian and Anantnag districts of south Kashmir to stop the ongoing "freedom rallies" in the region. On Saturday morning, according to the sources, scores of people were moving towards Takroo hamlet in Shopian, around 45 kms south of Srinagar, to participate in a freedom rally as such rallies are being organised regularly in different villages in south Kashmir for the past two months. advertisement However, the police and the paramilitary forces charged at the rally firing tear gas shells. Also Read: Kashmir remains shut for 64th consecutive day MEHBOOBA UPSET, DOESN'T KNOW WHAT TO SAY According to officials, a shell hit a youth, Sayar Ahmad Sheikh, wounding him critically. He was rushed to nearby district hospital Shopian where doctors declared him brought dead. "I don't know what to say, I am slightly upset as I was leaving for this function, my secretary told me that in Shopian yet again a boy, who was pelting stones, has died, so I am slightly upset today," Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti said. Also Read: Kashmir unrest: PDP whispers turn into clamours for CM Mehbooba Mufti to resign In a separate incident, 23-year-old Yawar Ahmad Dar was killed as the police and the CRPF fired pellets from shotguns on protesters at Botengo in Anantnag, around 50 km south of Srinagar. Locals said the government forces had come to make arrests in the area, which was resisted by the youths of the area leading to clashes. They said the forces fired pellets and tear gas shells leading to Dar's killing. A health department official said Dar had pellets injuries in his chest and abdomen. He said in both the incidents around 120 people were wounded. The killing of the youth at Botengo village due to pellet injuries has taken place at a time when the authorities are asserting that PAVA shells have replaced the shotguns. Also Read: Kashmir unrest: Curfew is re-imposed, army troops to be deployed in Valley --- ENDS --- South Shore Arts presents the 20th year of its free Art in Focus film and lecture series, beginning Monday, with Art & Craft, a riveting documentary that follows one of the most prolific art forgers in U.S. history. Art in Focus is designed for adult learners of all ages who are interested in the history of the arts and their impact on the world. The 2016-17 season includes book-signings, films, master classes and more. Several lectures will coincide with upcoming and current Northwest Indiana Symphony Orchestra concerts and South Shore Arts exhibits. Perhaps the most important aspect of the program is the time set aside to share ideas and ask questions that broaden ones views of art and the artists who create it. Second and fourth Mondays through May, 10 a.m., at the Center for Visual and Performing Arts. Recieve a brochure: 219/836-1839, ext. 101, or www.southshoreartsonline.org A Night of Blues & Brews Two-time Grammy Award nominee John Primer and the Real Deal Blues Band headline an outdoor blues concert on Saturday on The Sidetrack stage at Taltree Arboretum. Primer, who has performed with Muddy Waters, Junior Wells, Buddy Guy and Lonnie Brooks, is one of the last traditional Chicago blues men with Mississippi roots. He was named Traditional Bluesman of the Year at the 2016 Blues Music Awards. The Planetary Blues Band and The Ben Franklin Blues Project open the concert. Taltree promises plenty of great craft beers on hand for concertgoers to enjoy during the show. 219/462-0025 or www.taltree.org 'Pump Boys & Dinettes' Theatre at the Center presents this great toe-tapping, totally entertaining, countrified musical tribute to life along the open road, Thursday through Oct. 16. Pump boys Jim, Eddie, Jackson and L.M. sell high-octane fuel on North Carolinas Highway 57. The sassy dinettes, Prudie and Rhetta, run the ever- popular Double Cupp diner next door. Between changing tires and baking pies, the gang performs a rousing, down-home mix of country western, rock n roll and blue grass in this charming tale of friendship, romance and lifes simple pleasures. Brian Russell returns to direct after his successful 2014 hit, Ring of Fire, the Music of Johnny Cash. 219/836-3255 or www.theatreatthecenter.com Dunes Blow Out Celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore Sept. 24 and 25 at the Dunes Blowout: A Festival of Performance and Ecology. Save the Dunes has partnered with the National Park Service to bring you this free, family-oriented event from noon to 7 p.m. at West Beach in the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore. The festival pays homage to the historic Dunes Pageant of 1917, the largest outdoor performance ever held in the dunes, which brought together artists, scientists, architects, humanitarians and musicians to show how much the dunes meant to people from all walks of life. CROWN POINT An estimated 50,000 homeless U.S. military veterans live on the nations streets, sleeping outdoors or sometimes in shelters. Creating sleeping mats for homeless veterans has become a mission for a group of Crown Point Christian Village residents and members of the First Christian Church of Crown Point. Made from clean recyclable plastic grocery bags, the sleeping mats create a lightweight waterproof surface that the homeless vets can use, then roll up and carry with them. I saw this idea first in the American Legion magazine, said Edna Toney, 83, who lives at Crown Point Christian Village with her 88-year-old husband, Max. Max served in World War II and is a member of the Crown Point American Legion and Im in the auxiliary. Making each 2-1/2-by-6-foot sleeping mat takes between 600 and 700 recycled plastic bags and caring hands working independently in the retirement village homes and in groups to create the mats. Donations of plastic grocery bags come from throughout the area, said Becky Trumpus, lifestyle coordinator at Crown Point Christian Village. We also ask for extra bags from stores. After Edna Toney suggested the project earlier this year, two groups at the retirement village began working on the New Life for Old Bags project one in independent living and another in assisted living. Then we decided to bring everyone together for coffee, cookies and socialization, Trumpus said. We are always trying to find ways to give back to the community. Members of the First Christian Church of Crown Point soon added their talents to the effort, Edna Toney said. During a recent mat-making session at the retirement village, First Christian Church members Cheryl Kriss, Helen Fitch and Bev Vacati joined residents in the Crown Point Christian Village chapel at long tables. Resident Jan Cearing started the process with a stack of plastic bags donated by Strack & Van Til. After folding each bag lengthwise four times into a long strip, the 79-year-old resident then used sharp shears to cut off the bags handles and an inch off the bottom. Next Cearing cut the bag into 2-1/2-inch strips that when unfolded become loops. Max Toney tied the loops together with knots to make plastic yarn or plarn. Rolled into balls like traditional yarn, the plarn is ready for those who will crochet the mat. The loops need to be straight and tightly knotted to crochet properly, Edna Toney reminded her husband, holding up one that didnt quite meet that criteria an exchange that created an humorous atmosphere. Using a large crochet hook, a group of women made chains 36 inches long, leaving the loops loose with a little space between each one. An extra loop at the end is used as the turning point. Row after row of plastic yarn is crocheted front to back so it doesnt pucker up, according to the instructions Edna Toney provided from the American Legion Auxiliary magazine. I thought I was finished, but this mat is still 6 inches too short, said Toney, holding up the mat she was crocheting. The plastic bags that newspapers come in are really good because they are usually colorful. Another crocheter, Donna Sanders, 86, produced a finished mat complete with the straps that allow its owner to roll up and carry the sleeping mat. The first sleeping mat created by the group was delivered to the American Legion in Crown Point three weeks ago and was taken to the Hines VA hospital in Illinois, Edna Toney said. Most of the homeless veterans are in Chicago. Another set of sleeping mats will be delivered to the Crown Point American Legion on Sept. 18, she said. Toney said shes also reached out to the Hammond American Legion Post to see if members there are interested in receiving sleeping mats for homeless veterans in that area. Sanders and Cearing said they understand most of the homeless veterans are those who served in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. I hate to see the situation where they (homeless veterans) need to have these things, but you dont know their circumstances said Max Toney, who enlisted in the U.S. Navy at age 18 at the end of World War II. If vets dont have someone, family to help them, they become homeless, he said. We need to do everything we can to help them. VALPARAISO Porter County Juvenile Court Magistrate Gwenn Rinkenberger was upset to learn Rodney Wood may soon be released after serving less than half of the 60 years he got for his role in the gruesome 1990 abduction, rape and murder of a 19-year-old convenience store clerk. Rinkenberger was at the heart of the high-profile case that sent shock waves across Porter County. As a new county prosecutor, she helped put away Perry Miller, who was accused of directing Wood and another young man in carrying out the grisly slaying. It was the most heinous crime I heard of, she said. I think about her all the time, Rinkenberger said of the young murder victim, Christel Helmchen. Thats the kind of crime you never forget. The painful memories were stirred recently when Porter Superior Court Judge Roger Bradford, who presided over the original case, was notified that Wood was eligible to be released Oct. 12 to a community transition program. The judge blocked the move, but Wood, who went into prison at 16 and is now 42, is set for release on Feb. 9. Wood, Miller and Millers then-19-year-old stepson, William Harmon, all of LaPorte, were convicted of abducting Helmchen on Nov. 14, 1990, from her overnight job at the former White Hen Pantry store at the southwest corner of Calumet Avenue and Glendale Boulevard in Valparaiso. The trio took Helmchen to a rural Jackson Township construction site where she was tied to a wall, beaten with a two-by-four, attacked with a tire iron, repeatedly raped and shot in the head. Harmon said he pulled the trigger at the direction of then 43-year-old Miller, who had been released from prison just two years prior after serving 19 years of a life sentence for rape, kidnapping and sodomy. Wood confessed to taking part in the assault and testified against Miller as part of a plea bargain agreement that resulted in a 60-year prison sentence. Inmates are eligible to significantly reduce the amount of time actually served with good behavior and participation in various prison programs. He was young and he cooperated. Thats why he got what he got, Rinkenberger said of Woods lighter sentence. A jury took just five minutes to sentence Miller to death for his role in the crime, but a federal court later reversed Millers conviction and death sentence. He pleaded guilty a month later and was sentenced to 138 years in prison. Harmon pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 280 years behind bars. Joey Larr was a young detective with the Porter County Sheriffs Department when he joined other officers in traveling to Kentucky to pick up Wood and Harmon in the wake of the murder. Was it an awakening to some extent? he said of the impact of the crime on the way 24-hour stores conduct business. Probably. Rinkenberger voiced hope for Woods rehabilitation after so many years behind bars. But, I dont know, she said. HAMMOND The crack of gunfire 36 years ago in a motel lobby that brought down Hammond Policeman Lawrence J. Pucalik still is reverberating in the courts. James Hill, 53, of Gary, is set to appear Tuesday in Lake Criminal Court in Crown Point on charges he was the getaway driver in the murder of Pucalik and attempted robbery of Susan Harris, the motel clerk who was the only eyewitness to the crime until she died of natural causes over the ensuing years. It's not the first time Hill has been before the bar of justice. He served more than 17 years after a jury convicted Hill and 67-year-old Larry Mayes, of Portage, in 1982 of raping a female Hammond gas station attendant in a robbery that took place one month before Pucaliks death. Police said the crimes were linked to Hill and Mayes through a blue denim bag the robbers used in both crimes. Judges later overturned their convictions on a modern DNA analysis, unavailable in the 1980s, that excluded Hill and Mayes. Prosecutors also withheld evidence that could have undermined their case, such as the rape victim having been hypnotized to sharpen her memory of the attack. Four years ago, the prosecutors office charged Hill, Mayes and Pierre Catlett, 66, of Harvey, with Pucaliks murder after the Northwest Indiana Major Crimes Task Force reopened the Pucalik case. Veteran defense lawyer Scott King, who has represented Mayes, said this week that he quickly saw the evidence behind the murder charges was so weak the defense forced a rare concession from the prosecutors office to agree to release Hill and Mayes on bond pending trial. But no trial took place. The prosecutor withdrew charges against Hill and Mayes. Mayes was declared medically incompetent to stand trial and has returned home after treatment in a state facility, King said. Catlett must finish a prison term in Illinois before he can be brought to Indiana for trial. Family questions timing The murder charge reappeared in force for Hill Sept. 2 when police arrested him at his Gary home. Denise Hill, wife of the defendant, also complains these newest charges are timed to prevent the city of Hammond from having to pay the Hill family for his wrongful 1980 rape-robbery conviction, said Moniqueka Hardaway, a family member. Mayes previously won a $4.5 million settlement from Hammond for his wrongful conviction. Hills suit was scheduled for mediation and a possible settlement last week. Hammond Mayor Thomas McDermott Jr. declined to comment on the Hill familys accusation. But I can tell you the person who has kept this case open is Mike Solan, McDemott said. Solan, a retired detective for the city, was involved in the Pucalik case from the beginning. It was his determination for a fallen officer, McDemott said. He would not let this go. The Hill family is suing Solan as well for the wrongful conviction. Hardaway said they will seek the NAACPs help in freeing Hill. King said he doesnt expect the state to recharge Mayes and questions what new evidence has been found to put Hill back in jail. New affidavit An affidavit filed last week in Lake Criminal Court alleges Jason M. Gore, a special agent of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives took part in the reopening of the Pucalik homicide and has reviewed old police reports and reinterviewed the original witnesses still alive. It states Susan Harris gave a statement to police years ago indicating she was working the front desk of what was then the Holiday Inn-Southeast, 3830 179th St. in Hammond, near the intersection of Cline and Interstate 80/94. Pucalik was working off-duty there as a security guard about 3 a.m. Nov. 14, 1980, she said, when some men drove up to the lobby in a blue 1973 Chevy Impala and asked for a room. Pucalik, who was in a back room, remotely opened the lobbys locked front door. Two men entered, pulled out handguns, put a blue denim bag on the counter and demanded Harris fill it with money from her cash register. The affidavit states police were later told by another witness the men were driving around looking for someone to rob and thought Harris was alone in the motel office and an easy target. Harris said Pucalik entered the lobby from a back room, saw she was being robbed, but one of the men fatally shot him before he could draw his weapon. The two men ran from the lobby without their bag or money. Police said they found the robbers' getaway car parked a mile west of the motel in the now-demolished Kennedy Park Apartments complex. It was missing a hub cap later found in the parking lot outside the motel. Harris identified the car as the one used by the robbers. A Hammond teacher living at the apartments told police he saw two men get out of the Chevy Impala and into another car driven away by a third man. The teacher later identified Catlett as one of the two men leaving the Impala. Police said they received an anonymous phone tip identifying Catlett as the killer. Hammond police arrested Hill, then a teenager, four days after Pucaliks killing. Police allege Hill spontaneously said, I know you guys think I shot that Hammond cop. The affidavit in the new case alleges Hill later asked to speak to Hammond police and confessed to them that he only drove the vehicle used in the Pucalik homicide, but identified Mayes and Catlett as the ones who went inside the motel where the shooting took place. By Sourish Bhattacharyya: When Pishori Lal Lamba arrived from Lahore in New Delhi in 1940, and set up a hand-cranked ice-cream store named Kwality (the odd name wasn't a spelling error, but a marketing ploy to get people's attention) at the Regal Building owned by one of the builders of New Delhi, Sir Sobha Singh, and designed by the English architect, Walter Sykes George, his clientele consisted mainly of American GIs who were barracked in the neighbourhood and their Indian girlfriends. advertisement Also read: 10 goodies from your childhood that you wish were still the same India had been dragged into World War II and most of the Americans, commanded by General Joseph 'Vinegar Joe' Stillwell, were awaiting their turn to go to what was then called the CBI (China Burma India) Theatre, one of the toughest terrains where battles have been fought. The non-combat GIs of course lived like royalty (as you'd find out from the pages of their community newspaper, CBI Record www.cbi-theater.com). They attended balls hosted by the Maharaja of Bikaner at Bikaner House (now in the news for becoming the address of the second Chor Bizarre); threw pool parties at the palatial home of Sir Shankar Lal (Shankar Niwas) on Curzon Road (Kasturba Gandhi Marg); watched the newest Hollywood releases at Regal; dined at the theatre restaurant Davico (later renamed Standard, which after being shut since 2006, is set to return as our own Madame Tussaud's); and surprised Lamba and his old friend, business partner and, later, brother-in-law Iqbal Ghai with their prodigious appetite for ice-cream after late night shows. Long-time manager Kuldeep Raj, who joined Kwality as a 16-year-old in 1956, says Lamba used to reminisce that it was common for GIs to ask for ice-cream and meaning not a slice but a block (those were the days when icecream was served as slices cut like bread from a block). They introduced Ghai-Lamba (as they were popularly known till they split in 1979) to the Sicilian Cassata and the all-American tuttifruitti, which are still served at Kwality, and they taught them to make sandwiches with freshly baked bread. It was a US Army veterinary surgeon posted in New Delhi who introduced Ghai-Lamba to the commercial ice-cream business, which led to the birth of Kwality, the iconic ice-cream brand that the by-then estranged duo sold to HUL in 1994, which is why it is known as Kwality Wall's. Kwality, the restaurant, meanwhile became famous for its butter-soft Pindi chana and bhature, whose recipe came from another Pishori Lal, Lamba's favourite halwai at his summer home, Mussoorie. The Kwality chana-bhatura's fans are said to include Nargis, Maneka Gandhi and, more recently, Rahul Gandhi. Lamba, however, will be remembered for being the city's first urbane restaurateur famous for his perfectly tailored suits and colourful pocket squares (in complete contrast to Moti Mahal founder Kundan Lal Gujral's Pathani suit and turban), for his penchant for living larger than life, and for his razor-sharp understanding of the business. Industry veterans, one of them being former ITC Hotels chief S.S.H. Rehman, who started his second career as hotelier at the Ghai-Lamba hotel, Rama International in Aurangabad, can never forget how he used to be a walking Excel sheet. advertisement Also read: Get a peek into the world of modern bar chefs, and their mouth-watering creations Kuldeep Raj remembers how he quizzed prospective employees at interviews, asking them questions like how many cups of tea can be made with a kilo of tea leaves that would leave even managers with experience stumped. Rehman remembers Lamba once teaching him how to reduce the wastage of potatoes by purchasing only those with the least number of eyes (green growths that have to be scraped off). Lamba's eye for details was legendary. The Lamba-Ghai duo's most colourful contribution to the city's social life was Gaylord, a brand that got cloned in places as diverse as London and Tokyo, Hong Kong and Trinidad -- there was a Gaylord even in Kobe, which is famous for its finely marbled wagyu beef, making Ghai-Lamba India's first restaurateurs with an international footprint. And they did it in the high noon of the licence-permit raj, when RBI allowed just $8 per person travelling overseas, when angel investors, venture cap-italists and PE funds did not appear even in the wildest dreams. Those were also the days when 'gay' meant happy, so Ghai-Lamba also ran a shop named Gaytime selling espresso coffee (the kind we get at shaadis) and softy icecream. advertisement Lamba once said to me that the Bengali gent who had coined the name Gaylord in a contest advertised in The Statesman, the favourite newspaper of the Bengali community, won a bottle of Johnny Walker Red Label for his hard work (the word was special to the duo because it had a 'G', for Ghai, and an 'L', for Lamba). Gaylord was the symbol of Delhi's Fun Fifties it was the city's first restaurant to have a wooden dance floor and employ foreign musicians to get the elite jiving (for many years, a Spanish trio kept Gaylord's patrons entertained); it frowned upon casual dressing and kept a stock of spare dinner jackets and patent leather shoes for those who violated the dress code. advertisement One of them was the industrialist Gujarmal Modi, who came one day to Gaylord wearing his Marwari dhoti, kurta, chappals and topi. Lamba went to him and asked him curtly whether he had read the notice regarding the dress code at the entrance of the restaurant. Modi took out a cheque book and asked Lamba to dictate a sum of money. I will buy this restaurant at whatever price you state and turn it into a stable for my race horses,?? he thundered. It didn't take Lamba long to realise he should just melt away and let his managers assuage the ruffled tycoon. Fortunately for Delhi, Modi did not carry out his threat, but Gaylord did not survive beyond the early years of the new millennium, although it's thriving in Mumbai and London. Kwality, nonetheless, continues to be a reminder of the man who turned it into an everlasting part of CP's history. --- ENDS --- SAN FRANCISCO When ex-Stanford University swimmer Brock Turner became a registered sex offender for life last Tuesday, he joined a nationwide list of registered sex criminals that has grown dramatically in recent years to more than 800,000. Even some who have denounced Turners six-month jail sentence as too lenient for sexually assaulting an unconscious woman question whether he should spend his life with the stigma and onerous restrictions of a registered sex offender. They join a growing number of defense attorneys, advocates and judges who are questioning the fairness of applying lifetime, blanket restrictions to expanding definitions of sex crimes that frequently treat first-time offenders the same as serial rapists. In California, Florida, South Carolina and Alabama its impossible for people convicted of any sex crime to be removed from the online registries showing their pictures, addresses, convictions and probation details. Offenders have been turned into victims themselves when they are targeted in vigilante attacks or cant find jobs or places to live, critics say. Stanford University law professor Michele Dauber, who lambasted Turners sentence as too lenient and is leading a campaign to oust the judge who imposed it, said requiring the 21-year-old man to be registered as a sex offender until he dies may be too harsh. No one should be defined by their worst decision for the rest of their life, Dauber said in an interview. Deciding who should be removed, which cases or crimes should qualify would require thoughtful legislation, a fair process and, of course, an unbiased judge. Dauber stressed there are many criminals who deserve lifetime registration, but said at some point after at least 10 years on the registry Turner should be given a chance to get off it by proving he has successfully rehabilitated himself. Turner was released from jail Sept. 2 and moved to his parents home in Bellbrook, Ohio, registering as a sex offender at the Greene County sheriffs office four days after his release from a California jail for good behavior after serving half his sentence. Protesters demonstrated in front of the home before and after his arrival and Turners parents told police eggs were thrown at the house. Advocates for sex crime victims insist that lifetime registries make the public safer by preventing offender recidivism and giving citizens and police access to crucial information on the whereabouts of sex offenders and where they are prohibited from going like schools and other areas frequented by children. Access to that information in 50 state registries plus a federal government registry, they say, far outweighs complaints about the registry burdens for criminals who have served their prison sentences. Sex offender registries are an important part of the criminal justice system, said Staca Shehan of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Registries assist law enforcement and the public to keep track of the locations of convicted sex offenders. But some defense attorneys say registration has turned into such a harsh punishment that they now negotiate longer jail terms for their clients in return for prosecutors dropping sex offender registry requirements, trading incarceration for pleading guilty to charges that dont require registration. At least a prison sentence ends, said Gary Goodman, a public defense lawyer from Palo Alto, California. Registration is forever. Most states allow peeping toms and people convicted of crimes like indecent exposure to have their names removed from registries after 10 to 30 years of good behavior, while more serious sex crimes like rape and the sexual assault Turner was convicted of are punishable with lifetime registration whether they are committed by first time offenders or people with a history of sex crimes. California attorney Janice Bellucci has filed more than 50 federal lawsuits challenging sex offender registration conditions in cases that have forced cities to amend or eliminate residency restrictions imposed on criminals listed in in the registries, rescinding prohibitions for them to be physically present in public places like street side bus stops and parks. The U.S. Supreme Court in 2003 upheld the legality of sex offender registries, but the Cincinnati-based 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled last month that changes to Michigans sex offender registry law cannot be applied retroactively to offenders convicted before the changes were put in place. Calling Michigans residency and loitering prohibitions for registered sex offenders similar to the ancient punishment of banishment, the appeals court panel wrote that the state brands registrants as moral lepers solely on the basis of a prior conviction. Federal officials have been trying with mixed success for a decade to get all 50 states to adopt uniform registration requirements as part of a single national database they say would make the system uniform and improve tracking of sex offenders who move from state to state. But only 17 states have substantially compiled so far. The federally registry has helped investigators quickly identify potential sex crimes suspects and capture offenders who have fled their home states, said Luis deBacca, the U.S. Justice Department official in charge of the federal sex offender registration and tracking office. We really do see this as making a difference in the community, deBacca said. MICHIGAN CITY The public is welcome to attend a bash to celebrate the 180th birthday of Michigan City. Tickets for the Heritage Ball scheduled Oct. 1 are $50 per person or $85 for a couple. The first leg of the event will run from 4 to 6 p.m. at the historic Barker Mansion where people can sip champagne with Mayor Ron Meer and socialize in the elegant Gilded Age rooms of the home built in 1857. The party will then move to nearby Barker Hall at the Trinity Episcopal Church for food stations, cocktails and live music from the Calumet Ridge Jazz ensemble. ''This is a night for celebration and fun,'' said Jessica Rosier, director of Barker Mansion. People who attend are encouraged to dress in historic costumes. There will be a silent auction for antiques and collectibles provided by Barker Mansion and other historic items. Barker Mansion, containing 38 rooms, 10 bathrooms and seven fireplaces at 631 Washington St. is open for tours throughout the year. It was the home of John Barker, whose railroad car making company is credited with much of the city's early success. Barker was 22 when he arrived in Michigan City in 1836 from Andover, Massachusetts, looking for new business opportunities. He got his start as a general merchant then later expanded into grain brokerage prior to opening a commission house to receive and forward merchandise from ships on the lakes. In 1855, Barker seeing the potential of railroads bought an interest in a company that made freight cars. His company, Haskell & Barker, merged in 1922 with the Pullman Co. now known as Pullman-Standard, a division of Pullman, Inc. "This mansion has to be one of the best preserved gilded age mansions in the country. The preserved interior and furnishings are complete down to the silverware," said Matt Kubik, an architect and Purdue University professor emeritus. Barker Hall at 6th and Franklin streets includes a 3,600 square foot oak paneled ballroom and was gifted to the city by Barker's daughter, Catherine. The ballroom also features 20 foot tall leaded glass windows and is lit by eight tiered chandeliers. When Catherine Barker dedicated the building, she said it's "for the use of the people." "Now, it's time for the people of Michigan City to celebrate 180 years of history and look forward to a great future," said Rosier. Tickets can be obtained through eventbrite.com or by calling Barker Mansion at 874-1520 or Barker Hall at 874-4355. Proceeds wil go toward continued preservation of the Barker legacy buildings. WASHINGTON Hundreds of billions of taxpayer dollars are spent each year on the countrys public schools. The U.S. has record-high graduation rates, 82 percent, but also stubborn achievement gaps and dismally lagging math and reading scores compared with other countries. And university degrees are leaving millions mired in debt. Few issues touch the lives of families like the state of education. Where they stand Democrat Hillary Clinton has made the soaring costs of college her primary education focus. She has proposed free tuition at in-state public colleges and universities for working families with incomes up to $125,000. Of course, thats only free for student and families, not for taxpayers. To counter the crush of student debt, she also wants to implement a three-month moratorium on loan payments for all federal borrowers. During that time, borrowers would be able to consolidate their loans or enroll in other plans that could help cut costs. Republican Donald Trump has railed against the Common Core academic standards that have been adopted in more than 40 states, calling them a total disaster. Hes pledged to do away with them if elected, even though the standards were created and adopted by states, not the federal government. Trump says he wants to see more local control of education. Hes vowed to give students choice, let charter schools thrive and end tenure policies that reward bad teachers. Libertarian Gary Johnson believes state and local governments should have more control over education policy, so he would eliminate the U.S. Department of Education. Common Core and other attempts to impose national standards and requirements on local schools are costly, overly bureaucratic and actually compromise our ability to provide our children with a good education, his website said. Why it matters Just look at the numbers. About 100,000 public schools opened their doors to some 50 million students in kindergarten through high school in the new school year. The bill for taxpayers: $582 billion, or about $11,670 per pupil each year, on average, to teach those students and set them on a path toward college or careers. About 10 percent of that money comes from the federal government. The rest is from states and local districts, facing ever-tight budgets. The Obama administration and others before it both Republican and Democratic have preached the importance of a quality education that opens the door to opportunity and success. Yet the cost of college is rising, leaving students saddled with debt. And some who have attended for-profit schools have seen their degrees rendered virtually worthless, with the government picking up the tab for discharging their student loans. Theres no doubt that better educated students more often get better paying jobs. The median annual earnings for someone age 25 to 34 with no high school diploma is $40,000. For those with a bachelors degree or higher, its $52,000. The good news: High school graduation rates are up sharply and dropout rates are down. The bad: Progress for the nations schoolkids isnt nearly on pace with other countries. This has implications well beyond bragging rights. A country thats trailing others in education will lag in international competitiveness and that will contribute to economic hardship. And within the U.S., there are challenging gaps by race and wealth, for achievement and more. Globally, American schoolchildren trail their counterparts in Japan, Korea, Canada, Germany, France and more. Education remains primarily the responsibility of the states, even though the federal government can use its pocketbook to influence policies and practices. The Obama administration issued waivers and grants through programs like Race to the Top to get its say on academic standards and other issues. A law enacted last year with bipartisan support has vastly diminished the powers of the federal government in how the countys schools are run and their performance judged, but the Education Department still plays an oversight role. While the current administration has started putting the law into place, it will be up to the next president to finish the process. INDIANAPOLIS The number of abortions performed in Indiana dropped below 8,000 last year for the first time this century. Recently released Indiana State Department of Health statistics show 7,957 pregnancies were intentionally terminated in 2015, a 2 percent drop from the 8,118 Indiana abortions in 2014. Over the past five years, Indiana has seen a 20 percent decline in abortions as new laws aimed at making it more difficult to obtain an abortion, fewer abortion providers and improved access to contraception have combined to shrink the state's annual abortion total. According to the ISDH report, the average age of a woman obtaining an abortion in Indiana last year was 26.5 years old. Women in their 20s accounted for 60 percent of abortions, followed by women in their 30s (26 percent), women between ages 10 and 19 (11 percent) and women in their 40s (3 percent). Married women terminated 986 pregnancies last year, or 12 percent of the state's total; unmarried women were responsible for 6,969 abortions (88 percent) and two records did not indicate marital status. Overall, 91 percent of women who had an abortion last year graduated from high school, and 19 percent also were college graduates. Non-Indiana residents accounted for 470 of Indiana's abortions. The state's Terminated Pregnancy Report also shows women are increasingly choosing pill-induced abortions over more invasive procedures. Last year, medication was used for 2,222 abortions, or 28 percent. That's up from 18 percent in 2011. Almost all Indiana abortions were completed prior to the 13th week of pregnancy, typically in the sixth week. Just 18 of the 7,957 abortions occurred in weeks 13 to 20. The sole Northwest Indiana abortion facility, Merrillville's Planned Parenthood, performed 1,274 abortions, or 16 percent of the state's total, according to the report. It's not clear what effect a law enacted earlier this year by Gov. Mike Pence and the General Assembly, prohibiting women from obtaining abortions due to a diagnosis of Down syndrome or other fetal abnormality, would have had on Indiana's abortion statistics if it had been on the books last year. The state health department does not track why women seek abortions and likely will not in the foreseeable future, as a federal judge has halted enforcement of the state's disability abortion ban after determining it's an unconstitutional infringement on a woman's right to abortion prior to fetal viability. Going forward, the major party candidates for Indiana governor Democratic former House Speaker John Gregg and Republican Lt. Gov. Eric Holcomb both describe themselves as "pro-life." Gregg, however, said he would have vetoed the disability abortion ban, and plans, if elected, to urge the Legislature to stay out of social issues debates, such as abortion. Holcomb so far has declined to adopt the social issues "truce" previously proclaimed by his former boss, Gov. Mitch Daniels, and has suggested he would not interfere with the General Assembly if lawmakers propose new abortion restrictions. Sue Swayze, vice president for public affairs at Indiana Right to Life, said she is heartened to see abortions are continuing to decline in Indiana. "We will keep fighting for the right to life until no more babies lose their lives through abortion," Swayze said. "We mourn for both the lives lost and the women whose lives will never be the same." Betty Cockrum, CEO of Planned Parenthood of Indiana and Kentucky, which operates four Indiana health centers that provide abortions, said she was not surprised by the data in the report. "Indiana is a part of a national trend that shows once people are educated with accurate, unbiased sexual education, which includes having access to birth control, long-acting reversible contraceptives and emergency contraceptives, the incidence of abortions declines," Cockrum said. "It is a simple fact that reducing unintended pregnancies leads to fewer abortions." Crossing the line separating Indiana and Illinois sometimes means dealing with different laws and customs. Readers are asked to share ideas for this weekly feature. This week: 9/11 victims. Today is the 15th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks that killed 2,977 people at the World Trade Center in New York City, the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, and a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania. While most of the victims lived in or around New York, New Jersey or Washington, D.C., nine were Illinois residents at the time of their deaths, and nine were former Indiana residents. Among those killed was U.S. Navy Lt. Cmdr. Patrick Jude Murphy, 38, of Flossmoor, a 1981 Marian Catholic High School graduate who was working in the Pentagon when it was struck by a hijacked airplane. On the other hand, Don Bacso, of Dyer, managed to escape from the 57th floor of the World Trade Centers North Tower before the skyscraper collapsed on itself. Commemorations of the attacks are planned for communities in Illinois, Indiana and around the country today. Basco is scheduled to speak at a 1 p.m. ceremony at the Schererville 9/11 memorial, 25 E. Joliet St. CROWN POINT Mobile phone users expect technology to hold their hand when they are too panicked in an emergency to help 911 responders find them. Wireless phones have global positioning system software designed to locate the phones position within a relatively small area most of the time, but that isnt good enough for E-911 workers. Too often, emergency workers are being sent to the nearest cell tower, miles from the callers location. Earlier this year, PSAP Concepts and Solutions LLC of Geneva, Illinois, performed an analysis of the problem and concluded it rests with some wireless providers. There is not a whole lot we can do, which is why we need state backing, said Lake Countys new E-911 Director Mark Swiderski. PSAP Concepts recommended Lake officials lobby the state to require all cellphone providers to improve their location service. There is no problem locating calls from traditional land lines, but about 70 percent of all emergency calls are now made on mobile phones, according to the Federal Communications Commission. Lake County Commissioner Mike Repay, chairman of the countys E-911 commission, said last month he is prepared to write State 911 Director Barry Ritter. Ritter said last week the problem is experienced elsewhere in the state. He said Indiana hired Indigital Telecom of Fort Wayne to monitor the wireless carriers ability to approximate a callers location by longitude and latitude. Some providers are better than others, but location accuracy is under the jurisdiction of the FCC, Ritter said. The issue became a matter of life and death last fall when 81-year-old Kenneth Booker, of Griffith, called repeatedly for an ambulance while struggling to breath. No coordinates showed up on Lakes E-911 computers for one of Bookers calls, and erroneous coordinates in Chicago showed up when Booker called again. The dispatcher had to ask for Bookers address, but typed the wrong street number into the system. By the time the ambulance found Bookers correct address, 47 minutes had elapsed from his first call. He died shortly after. Rochelle Cohen, an FCC spokesperson, said her agency has begun requiring wireless providers to improve their phones location capabilities. She said the federal government has been regulating location accuracy since 1996 and focusing on the accuracy of outdoor wireless 911 calls. But call habits have been changing and more than 2 out of 5 U.S. households have replaced land lines with mobile phones and make the majority of calls indoors, according to the FCC. Past phones, designed to provide for optimum location capabilities outdoors, too often fail under indoor environments, particularly in multistory buildings. The FCC passed a new rule requiring wireless providers to meet indoor location accuracy benchmarks. All providers must provide dispatchable location within 164 horizontal feet for 40 percent of all wireless 911 calls by next April and 80 percent of the calls by 2021. Waste Management is hoping to help local emergency personnel by expanding a safety initiative in the Region. Through the Waste Watch program, the companys local collection drivers will assist police and other agencies by reporting suspicious activities, potential emergency situations and safety issues viewed while on their routes. Mike Morley, municipal marketing manager for Waste Management, said the companys drivers stop at as many as 1,000 homes and businesses daily throughout multiple municipalities. Morley compared Waste Watch to a Neighborhood Watch program, but taken to the next level. Munster Officer James Ghrist and Merrillville Officer David DeSalle recently provided training to 38 local collection drivers to inform them of potential activities and situations they could see during their routes. They also explained the consolidated 911 service in Lake County. Merrillville Police Chief Joseph Petruch said he is thankful Waste Management expanded the initiative into the town. He said Waste Management collection routes travel in Merrillville multiple times each week. Some drivers are collecting trash from homes during hours in which people are away for work, he said. Petruch said its beneficial to the department to have people looking out for suspicious activity at those times. I think its a good program, Petruch said, Its being proactive. He said residents also can help their neighbors when garbage is picked up by retrieving trash cans for those who arent at home. Petruch said empty receptacles in front of residences give a clear indication that no one is at home. Ghrist said the Munster Police Department also appreciates Waste Managements commitment to helping local emergency personnel. Its great to have those extra eyes and ears, Ghrist said. He said the companys employees can be a valuable resource by reporting suspicious activities and other potential safety issues, including streetlights that arent working. Waste Management developed Waste Watch in 2004. The program has expanded to more than 270 communities throughout the country since its inception. PORTAGE The 15 seconds it takes to unlock a gun lock might be all thats needed to save a life. Thats why Angela Tucker handed out free gun locks Saturday at Stand Down, a resource fair for veterans, at the American Legion Post 260 in Portage. Tucker, suicide prevention coordinator at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, was on hand, along with more than 30 other agencies, to provide free information and services including haircuts, toiletries and clothing, blood pressure and diabetes screens, and flu shots to military veterans. Tucker also made vets aware of the Veterans Crisis Line (800) 273-8255, which they can call 24/7 to receive help if they are feeling depressed or suicidal. She also handed out rubber bracelets with the hotline number imprinted on them, which she said were effective in getting vets back on track. Anything that interrupts the thought saves lives, said Tucker. The Veterans Administration, Housing Opportunities, Indiana Legal Services, United Way, Work One Portage, and Operation Freedom were also among those who spent the morning talking to veterans about their programs and resources, such as employment and housing opportunities, resume writing, VA benefits, and personal and spiritual counseling. Vets were also treated to a free breakfast of biscuits and gravy and pulled pork sandwiches for lunch. Post auxiliary members Nancy Benac and Bernadette Esparza organized the event, where they hoped to see at least 100 veterans served. During a short program, Superior Court Judge Julia Jent, herself a veteran, said there is a long history of veterans in her family. When we talk about vets, it does get to my heart, said Jent. Events like these make us realize that people care about us. Jent said the term stand down originated in the Vietnam War, when combat-fatigued troops were removed from the front line and taken to a safe retreat where they could get clean clothes, a warm shower, and hot food, and enjoy each others company. Saturdays event had a similar theme, as Army veteran Makal Sankofa picked up his annual flu shot at no charge from Walgreens at the event. Sankofa, who served from 1978 to 1981 as a distribution clerk at Fort Seal, Oklahoma, is also active in the Indiana Veterans Action Committee. The group sets up a table every Tuesday at the Adam Benjamin Veterans Administration clinic in Crown Point and provides information on services to veterans. Saturday, it was his turn. I like to find out whats new, give support, and enjoy the camaraderie, said Sankofa, of Gary. Debbie Martinez, a senior pharmacy tech at the Portage Walgreens, enjoys meeting the vets and helping them out. We think so much of them, said Martinez. Its time we do something to give back to them. Camille Cooke, chair of the Northwest Indiana Military Support Network, said having resources for veterans all in one place was most important. Our task is to get all groups working together, said Cooke, who is also a part of Purdue Universitys Military Family Research Institute. Navigating issues for vets can be daunting. Today we are doing it all in one place. Todd Meyer was living on Long Island and first heard about the Sept. 11 attacks after waking up and turning the radio on to "The Howard Stern Show." Linda Stahulak was on the 84th floor of the Sears Tower in Chicago when she was told to leave the building. Alice Smedstad also was in downtown Chicago, and recalls an eerie silence in the city and the train. These Region residents and others share their memories of 9/11 on the 15th anniversary of the terrorist attacks. Linda Stahulak, Crete Linda Stahulak was on the 84th floor of the Sears Tower when she received a phone call about the first plane hitting the World Trade Center. She joined co-workers who gathered in a conference room where there was a TV to watch the events unfold. "I remember a guy very familiar with planes stating the type (of) plane it was, and that it was by no means an accident," she said. "He said that was an intentional hit. He said that plane should have been nowhere near the towers. It was horrible watching it as the TV kept showing the plane and the tower." During this time Stahulak received many calls to the office from her husband, family and friends concerned for her safety. Within a short time Stahulak and her co-workers were told to leave the building and go home. "I didn't realize that it was possible the Sears Tower could be in immediate danger," she said. Stahulak worked in Chicago, but her reporting office was in New York City a building directly across from the Twin Towers. That building, Deutsche Bank, which Stahulak spent a lot of time in, was damaged in the attacks and eventually had to be torn down. When Stahulak got home she spent hours trying to call her colleagues there to see if they were OK. "Either the calls wouldn't go through or they rang to a number different than dialed," she said. Stahulak later found out that her co-workers in New York walked for miles out of the city, with some hiding under trucks for safety while the buildings were crumbling down. "Some slept in the park because they were unable to make it home," she said. Stahulak said there was one fatality from her company's New York office a building security guard was killed. "I am so sorry for all the lost lives and their families," she said. "My heart still hurts for them." Todd Meyer, Valparaiso Todd Meyer was living on Long Island and when he got out of bed that morning he turned on the radio to listen to Howard Stern. "The first plane had only struck 15 minutes earlier and it had taken over the conversation on the show," Meyer said. Meyer then turned on the TV as soon as he heard about what happened to the first tower and shortly thereafter the second plane struck. The first thing he thought of was who did he know who works there or is in that part of the city and then how many of his friends and family knew people there. "It was just a horrible sense that the loss was going to be immeasurable," he said. "As each tower crumbled to the ground, I remember saying to myself, 'nothing is ever going to be the same again.'" And this was before the plane hit the Pentagon and another crashed in Pennsylvania. "The rest of the day is a blur in my mind all these years later," he said. "I tried to block it out as much as I can." Alice Smedstad, Crown Point Alice Smedstad had just arrived at her job in the State of Illinois building in Chicago when her husband called to tell her about the first plane hitting the World Trade Center. After the other attacks occurred it was feared the Sears Tower near where Smedstad worked was a target. "We were anxious to get out of downtown Chicago," she said. Smedstad recalls how quiet the city had become. "It was as if someone had turned the volume down," she said. "People sat silently on the train, peering out the windows looking up at the sky." Steve Zavesky, Whiting Steve Zavesky was attending class at a U.S. postal school in Norman, Oklahoma, when the first plane hit. "We were pulled out of our classes after the first plane hit," Zavesky said. "We watched TV in the lobby of our hotel." Zavesky said he and fellow students went to a blood center to donate blood, but were turned away because there were so many people wanting to do the same thing. He then went to Oklahoma City and to the National Memorial at the site of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building, which was destroyed in a domestic terror act in 1995. There he saw people unloading large plastic bags into a building nearby. He asked if they needed help and found out the bags were full of stuffed bears being collected and sent to New York for any child who may have been affected by the attack. "They collected thousands of bears that day," he said. Lynn Phillips, Crown Point Lynn Phillips had just pulled into the parking lot at her job when she heard on the radio about the first plane hitting the tower. "Newscasters were thinking it was an accident when it immediately happened," she said. Phillips remembers how everyone was somber all day. She also recalls a parade in Lowell a few days later to honor the victims of the 9/11 attacks. "It was beautiful," she said. "Everyone was so filled with pride and unity at being an American." VALPARAISO Porter Regional Hospital will present the following childbirth education classes. To register, call (800) 541-1861. Childbirth Education Expectant parents can feel better prepared for the journey ahead by attending this comprehensive class to learn about pregnancy, labor, and birth, postpartum and newborn care. Natural coping methods will be discussed, such as relaxation and breathing, as well as the use of pain medication and epidural anesthesia. Register in your fourth or fifth month of pregnancy and take the classes in your seventh or eighth month. Classes will meet for four consecutive weeks from 6 to 8:30 p.m. on Oct. 3, 10, 17 and 24 in the Women & Childrens Pavilion classroom at Porter Regional Hospital, 85 E. U.S. 6, Valparaiso. The cost for the Childbirth Education class is $65 per couple. Breastfeeding Class This free class, coordinated by an internationally board certified lactation consultant, is designed to help expectant and new parents learn skills to promote successful breastfeeding. The class will take place from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Oct 11 in the Women & Childrens Pavilion classroom at Porter Regional Hospital, 85 E. U.S. 6, Valparaiso. Fast-Track Childbirth Education Spend one full Saturday in this expedited version of the Childbirth Education class to learn all of the aspects of pregnancy and birth. The class will be from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Oct. 8 or Oct. 22 in the Women & Childrens Pavilion classroom at Porter Regional Hospital, 85 E. U.S. 6, Valparaiso. The cost for the Fast-Track Childbirth Education class is $65 per couple. New Beginnings Tours Learn more about what your birthing experience will be like during a 30-minute tour of the labor, delivery, postpartum and nursery areas at Porter Regional Hospital. Tours will be at 2 p.m. Saturdays, Oct. 1 and Oct. 8 and at 6 p.m. Tuesdays, Oct. 18 and 24. The tours are free and space is limited. To register, call (219) 983-8343. eLearning Online Childbirth Education This online version of the Childbirth Education class offers an alternative for women and their support person who cannot attend a conventional prepared childbirth class due to bed rest, scheduling conflicts or time constraints. Your partner or support person is encouraged to participate with you online. Register during your sixth or seventh month by calling (219) 983-8692. The cost for the class is $75. CPR for family, friends This American Heart Association program is for those who want to gain knowledge of CPR but do not need to be certified. Topics include the basics of CPR and choking for infants, children and adults. The class will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Oct. 13 in the Women & Childrens Pavilion classroom at Porter Regional Hospital, 85 E. U.S. 6 in Valparaiso. The cost for the class is $20 per person. Pre-registration is required. To register, call (800) 541-1861. Childbirth refresher For couples who have already had a baby, this course is a review of the labor and birth process and provides a refresher on breathing and relaxation techniques. The class will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. oct. 5 in the Women & Childrens Pavilion classroom at Porter Regional Hospital, 85 E. U.S. 6. The cost for the Childbirth Refresher class is $25 per couple. Pre-registration is required. To register, call (800) 541-1861. While the police claim the volunteers intervened in the security process and misbehaved, the volunteers say that PSI Satyawan Pawar was pushing all devotees and later began slapping a volunteer without any provocation. By Saurabh Vaktania: Mumbai's most famous Ganpati mandal Lalbaugcha Raja is in the news again, this time for a viral video where a policeman is seen slapping a volunteer of the mandal. Afterwards, the volunteers allegedly pushed the cop and dragged him by his collar. The incident took place at the main front gate of the Lalbaugcha Raja idol on Saturday afternoon when PSI Satyawan Pawar of Byculla police station was posted as security in the Mandal. Two versions, the police's version and the volunteers' version are now emerging, with both blaming the other. advertisement TWO VERSIONS OF THE STORY According to the police, some people crossed the line and when the police tried to stop them, several volunteers came in and misbehaved with the policeman, Pawar. When Pawar asked them to move out and let him do his duty, the volunteers started to push Pawar away and even dragged him by his collar. However, what the volunteers claim is totally different and can also be seen in the CCTV footage available with India Today. It is seen that Pawar, who was posted at the entrance, was pushing all devotees and even touching women. Later when a volunteer, Rohit Shrivastav, was passing behind him, Pawar began to slap him for no reason. Other volunteers came in, tried to solved the matter and calm Pawar. VOLUNTEERS SAY COMPLAINT WAS NOT TAKEN When the volunteers reached the police station to file an FIR against Pawar, the complaint was not taken. The volunteers are now planning to meet the Home Minister or the CM regarding the matter. The police is currently taking a statement in the case and is likely to file an FIR later. ALSO READ: No skirts, half pants allowed in Mumbai's famous Ganpati mandal. But wait, you can borrow lungis and pyjamas! --- ENDS --- WASHINGTON Hailing the values and resilience that he says both define and sustains Americans, President Barack Obama on Saturday honored the nearly 3,000 souls that were lost in the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, as well as the bravery of survivors and the emergency personnel who responded, and the work of scores of others who have labored since to keep the homeland safe. In his weekly radio and internet address, Obama said that while so much has changed in the years since 9/11 its important to remember what has stayed the same. The core values that define us as Americans. The resilience that sustains us, he said on the eve of the 15th anniversary of one of the nations darkest days. He said the terrorists goal is to frighten Americans into changing how they live, but Americans will never give in to fear. Were still the America of heroes who ran into harms way, of ordinary folks who took down the hijackers, of families who turned their pain into hope, Obama said. Nearly 3,000 people were killed in New York City, Pennsylvania and at the Pentagon when hijacked commercial airliners were slammed into all three locations in attacks that were planned and carried out by the al-Qaida terrorist group. Al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden was killed nearly a decade later by U.S. forces during a May 2011 raid on his Pakistani hideout that Obama authorized. Obama noted in his address that the terrorist threat has evolved since Sept. 11 as weve seen so tragically from Boston to Chattanooga, from San Bernardino to Orlando, cities that suffered headline-grabbing, terrorist-linked, fatal shootings. He pledged that the U.S. will stay relentless against terrorism from al-Qaida and the Islamic State group, which is spreading its mayhem across the Middle East and the West. Obama will mark todays anniversary by observing a moment of silence in the privacy of the White House residence at 8:46 a.m. EDT, when American Airlines Flight 11 crashed into the north tower of the World Trade Center, before delivering remarks at a Pentagon memorial service. Where were you on 9/11? One of our historical society partners and advisers, Alice Smedstad of the Merrillville/Ross Township Historical Society, suggested we pose that question leading up to the 15th anniversary of that tragic, yet historic, event. Inside this section, and elsewhere in The Times today, youll read those answers. But for right now, its my turn. It was Sept. 11, 2001, before that date became universally known by the shorthand term 9/11. I was sitting in the office, reading email and preparing for a routine day, when the news broke. A plane had collided with one of the Twin Towers in New York City. I immediately touched bases with my wife, because thats what you do in an emergency. You connect with your loved ones to make sure theyre safe. And then the horror unfolded on live television. A second plane hit the other tower. What was the worst aviation accident in our nations history quickly turned out not to be an accident at all. Hijackers had stolen planes and the lives of the passengers and crews. Then a plane hit the Pentagon. Then came news that a fourth plane had crash-landed in a field in Pennsylvania. That one, everyone guessed, was headed for either the White House or the U.S. Capitol. Speculation abounded, but facts were scarce. We were still forming questions even as we looked for answers. Reporting in high gear Theres a perception of journalists that were ghouls who thrive on tragedy. Its not true. There were plenty of tears shed in newsrooms across the country, and perhaps around the world, that day. Were human. Journalists were worried about their friends, family and colleagues in New York City and the Pentagon. We feared another plane might hit the Sears Tower or some other landmark. Where would the terrorists strike next? But even as events unfolded, we began mapping out a plan for coverage. We wanted a thorough report and threw all available resources toward it. As we all contributed to the effort, we knew what we were working on would be a part of the nations history. It was the first major attack on U.S. soil since Pearl Harbor, after all. Alongside this column, youll see one result of our coverage the front page of the Sept. 12, 2001, issue of The Times. Online, at nwi.com, youll find page after page of news about the horrific events that day and attempts to put them into perspective. Other perspectives Heres more perspective: My son, who is 15 years old and a high school sophomore, was on my wifes lap, drinking his bottle, when the attack occurred. He has no memory of it. Its safe to say that the very youngest Americans who could possibly have any memory of that day would be high school seniors or college freshmen. But theres one more perspective I want to share. It belongs to a colleague, longtime ABC Nightline host Ted Koppel, who is speaking this afternoon at Purdue Northwests Westville campus. Knowing that he would be here on the 15th anniversary of 9/11, and that his new book is about the potential for a cyberattack on the nations power grid, I asked him about his experiences that day. Koppel and his wife were on vacation in France that day, he said. After lunch theres a seven-hour time difference between Chicago and Paris, remember Koppel saw a group of Americans huddled together. They recognized his unforgettable face and asked him to share what he knew. He didnt know anything. Koppel quickly got on the phone with his office and with a great deal of effort managed to arrange a charter flight to London. The small private plane landed on a grassy runway that was no longer in use. The airports had been shut down. What was terrifying to me was when I saw just the collapse of the building, and at that point we had three of our children and their families living in the New York area, Koppel said. Not knowing what was happening with our children was the most frightening. It took days for Koppel to get back to New York. It took much longer for normalcy to return to the nation. Even now, 15 years later, I think back about 9/11 and the days immediately following and remember how united the nation became as we all grieved together. If only that unity was the true state of normalcy for the United States. It was a crisp, lovely September morning as I headed to Washington National Airport for my 6 a.m. flight. I was headed to Atlanta for a typical two-day Department of Defense business trip or so I thought. When my colleagues and I arrived at our location, we learned the World Trade Towers had just been attacked. By the time I got to a television to see the news, I was shocked to see the Pentagon, my office building, in flames. On Sept. 11, 2001, and in the months following those horrific attacks, I learned the importance of listening to people in pain. When a news outlet asked me to identify a family member to tell the story of their loved one that perished, I was uncertain about the appropriateness of the request. I asked a woman named Dani, who lost her brother in the Pentagon, if she would be comfortable sharing her story. She told me that, although difficult, it would be the best way to keep her brothers memory alive. Dani taught me it is important to listen to the stories of those who seek to be heard. I didnt need to be ready with a comment about her situation, she simply needed someone to listen. I also learned that civility is easy to demonstrate in crisis. After 9/11, our office received letters from schoolchildren communicating their support; quilts from groups expressing their patriotic sentiments; donated products from companies supporting first responders and the hundreds of volunteers working at the crash site; television commercial time donated by networks to show support of the military, police and firefighters. It was easy to see a firefighter and thank him for his service or to voice appreciation to a military member and her unit. In a time of crisis, Americans unite and show civility. Today, as the chancellor of WGU Indiana, I probably wont be required to rush to the crash site of a terrorist attack, but I will be able to show up when my students have a crisis such as a hospitalized child and I will be able to show up to attend a funeral of an employees child or spouse. I have kept with me those lessons I learned in the days after our national tragedy. Fifteen years later, it is important for our nation to never forget. Beyond that, I hope we also remember the feeling of togetherness and the lessons learned. When colleagues are in pain, we ought to listen. And at all times, not just crisis, we show civility to those who put our lives before their own. On the 15th anniversary of the terrorist attack that propelled the United States into the global war on terror, Americans must reflect not only on the tragic events that day, but also the direction the nation is headed. Following that attack, masterminded by al-Qaedas Osama bin Laden, the nation sent troops into Afghanistan in search of bin Laden. It ended up being the longest war in the nations history and claimed the lives of thousands of Americans, including some from the Region. We also sent troops into Iraq, fighting a second war even as we were still fighting in Afghanistan, and got into another lengthy war against terrorists. Bin Laden is gone, killed by Navy Seals at the order of commander-in-chief Barack Obama. But the war against terrorists continues. Now we face another terrorist organization, ISIS, that is even worse than al-Qaeda. How will the nation face this threat and other threats to national security? The saber-rattling from North Korea is a reminder that not everyone shares our western values. Nor is this a two-dimensional world. America is the global leader on the high seas, fighting to keep the world shipping industry safe, yet China is flexing its muscles. And foreign cyberattacks on American computer systems are growing. In the coming presidential election, we need a leader who is skilled at diplomacy. Negotiations with foreign leaders can save us from any number of disasters, both economic and military. At the same time, we need a leader who knows when the time for talking is over and strong actions are required. There are some people who wont listen to reason and some situations where our nations military muscle must be flexed to protect Americans and others in peril. As we hurtle toward Election Day, voters must listen carefully not just to what each presidential candidate promises, but also to how those candidates have delivered on their past promises. Consider their character, their values, their wisdom. Its important for you to preserve your 9/11 memories for future generations, and we encourage you to do so. But also share your thoughts on the nations direction with future generations. Talk about the presidential choices with others who are not like you. Listen to their ideas with an open mind. Keep discussion civil and levelheaded. The nation has a lot riding on this election. The 9/11 anniversary should serve as a reminder that the United States does not operate in a vacuum. As the worlds leading superpower, U.S. foreign policy matters a great deal. Were choosing not just our president, but the leader of the free world. Choose wisely. The U.S. Senate plays a key role in national security by consenting to the appointment of top executive branch and military officials, ratifying treaties with foreign countries and working with the president and U.S. House to set federal spending. Heres where the candidates in Indianas U.S. Senate race stand on national security: Evan Bayh, Democrat Evan Bayh will make obliterating ISIS and eliminating the root causes of terrorism a top priority. Evan will fight for intensifying the airstrike campaign against ISIS, promoting global partnership in the war against terror and expanding the network of our intelligence community. At home, it is essential that America bolster its domestic intelligence and make sure that first responders are fully equipped and trained to keep us safe. Our national security forces must have the resources necessary to root out lone wolves before they choose to act. Evan is committed to supporting Americas longtime ally Israel by getting tough on Iran. In 2009, Evan sponsored tough new sanctions on Iran, and last year he broke with his own party to oppose the presidents nuclear deal. Todd Young, Republican One of the most important duties of the government is providing for public safety and national defense. As a former Marine Corps intelligence officer and a previous member of the House Armed Services Committee, Todd takes this duty very seriously. He is committed to ensuring that the men and women in uniform have all the tools necessary to do their jobs at home and overseas. While Todd is dedicated to responsibly finding cost-savings within the Department of Defense, he knows that these savings should never come at the expense of making America less safe, or making our soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines less equipped and less prepared to carry out their missions. And finally, Todd believes that we should ensure as we deal with situations around the globe that we are relying on all the instruments of national power at our disposal, and not just on our military might. Lucy Brenton, Libertarian Brenton has not announced a specific national security policy. The Libertarian Party platform declares: American foreign policy should seek an America at peace with the world. Our foreign policy should emphasize defense against attack from abroad and enhance the likelihood of peace by avoiding foreign entanglements. We would end the current U.S. government policy of foreign intervention, including military and economic aid. We recognize the right of all people to resist tyranny and defend themselves and their rights. We condemn the use of force, and especially the use of terrorism, against the innocent, regardless of whether such acts are committed by governments or by political or revolutionary groups. It was hard to find a U.S. flag to purchase I saw 9/11 unfold on TV, as I got ready for work at the prosecutors office. I witnessed the second plane hit the tower, with the sickening realization that this was no accident. I sat at my desk crying and saying to my co-worker that we should be home with our family. I remember all the U.S. flags selling out, and you couldnt find one in a store for days or weeks. I always had one and still do. Sadly, many people dont even bother with the flag anymore. I think of the old saying that if you dont remember your history, you are doomed to repeat it. I pray that never happens. All Lake County employees were finally sent home at midday. It was amazing to watch all aircraft in the sky go away, due to being grounded. It was other-worldly not to see or hear a plane of any kind in the sky, other than military. Those are my never-to-be-forgotten memories of that awful day. Debbie Thill, Crown Point 1. North Korea conducted a powerful nuclear test that showcased its increasing mastery of atomic weaponry and confronted the U.S. with new diplomatic and security challenges. Military experts said the increasing expertise, paired with headway in developing intercontinental ballistic missiles, could bring the continental U.S. in reach of a nuclear warhead by 2020. SEOUL, South Korea Samsung on Saturday urged consumers worldwide to stop using Galaxy Note 7 smartphones immediately and exchange them as soon as possible, as more reports of the phones catching fire emerged even after a global recall by the company. The call from the South Korean company, the worlds largest maker of smartphones, came after the United States authorities urged users to switch the Galaxy Note 7 off and not to use or charge it during flights. Several airlines around the world asked travelers not to switch on the smartphone or put it in checked baggage, and some carriers banned the phone on flights. In a statement posted on Saturday on its website, Samsung asked users around the world to immediately return their existing Galaxy Note 7 and get a replacement. We are asking users to power down their Galaxy Note 7s and exchange them as soon as possible, said Koh Dong-jin, the president of mobile communication for Samsung. We are expediting replacement devices so that they can be provided through the exchange program as conveniently as possible. The outsiders took over Band of Outsiders. On Saturday night, the reanimated American label presented the first collection designed by its new, creative team in Antwerp, Belgium: Niklaus Hodel, Matthias Weber and Florian Feder, who, between them have worked for Dries Van Noten, Louis Vuitton and H&M. For a decade, Band of Outsiders was the perennially buzzy highlight of American fashion (and, often, of New York Fashion Week). The brainchild of Scott Sternberg, a onetime Hollywood agent with no design training but a genius for marketing, Band was a spunky American innovation story: Man narrows ties (Band helped spur the skinny-tie boom), man shrinks shirts (Bands sizes were famously miniature, a fact celebrated by some and lamented by others), man conscripts hip celebrity friends to help promote it (Michelle Williams, Jason Schwartzman, Kirsten Dunst), man sweeps the industry. (Mr. Sternberg won a Council of Fashion Designers of Americas mens wear Designer of the Year award in 2009.) And then, with little warning, Band was gone. Mr. Sternberg announced, cryptically, in June 2015 that he would be leaving the label he founded. Much of its staff had been laid off, and its fall 2015 collection would not be produced. He has said nothing more about the departure, then or since. Band of Outsiders accepted investment, reported to be $2 million, from a fashion fund, CLCC S.A., which had taken stakes in labels like Christian Wijnants and A.F. Vandevorst. It defaulted on its obligations, and CLCC, founded by the Belgian shipping magnate Christian Cigrang, took control. After a public auction of the Band of Outsiders assets and intellectual property in July 2015 that netted no high bidders, CLCC retained the label, an outcome that Antony Verbaeys, the funds managing director, told the Business of Fashion website was always our intention. RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav today washed his hands of Mohammad Shahabuddin's bail issue. He also talked about Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav and launched a scathing attack against Prime Minister Narendra Modi. By Siraj Qureshi: RJD Chief and former Bihar chief minister Lalu Prasad Yadav today washed his hands from Bihar strongman Mohammad Shahabuddin's bail issue claiming that Bihar was in the hands of a coalition government and each party had different leaders and different agendas. Answering a question, Yadav said that the UP Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav is doing a great job and the state has developed a great deal under his governance, which was a reason why the Samajwadi Party will be re-elected to power in 2017. Also Read: I have not got mandate to react to people like Shahabuddin, says Nitish Kumar advertisement BJP ENGAGES IN FARCE, SAYS LALU PRASAD YADAV Commenting on the BJP, Lalu termed it as a party that engaged in farce in the name of religion, with the aid of the so-called 'saints' associated with the party. He said that merely wearing saffron colored clothes does not make someone saint. Lalu launched a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and demanded to know if the media thought acchhe din are here or not. He said that false promises do not help govern a country. Also Read: With Shahabuddin back, Siwan's BJP MP says he is on target now LALU ON FREE MOBILE SCHEME Asked for his comments on the Akhilesh's free mobile scheme in UP, Lalu said that it was public money that was being utilized to distribute mobiles in the public, so he saw nothing wrong in that. Taking a soft approach to Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi's Ayodhya and Hanumangarhi visits, Lalu said that if Rahul reached 'Hanumanji', consider him to have visited all places since God is one. Lalu also visited the Mathura-based shrine of renowned saint Devraha Baba and offered his respects. He said that he had previously visited the shrine to meet Devraha baba in 1987. He said that he had met the saint for the first time in Devaria. He also visited the shrine of saint Narayan Das. Also Read: Samajwadi Party will win the 2017 UP polls: Lalu Prasad --- ENDS --- On Saturday afternoon, seated in the front row of Christian Sirianos sartorial sojourn to Capri were Kelly Osbourne, Coco Rocha, Christina Hendricks, Pamela Anderson, Neve Campbell and Jaimie Alexander. They watched as an array of models, including a handful who are referred to in the industry as curvy or plus-size, made their way around the runway, wearing a collection that included shoes on sale at Payless and several looks that were made available on Amazon.com immediately after the show. Their presence was a reminder of the effects star power can have on a designer who isnt necessarily celebrated by fashion critics. If the industry isnt always around to support, there are really famous women who are, Mr. Siriano said backstage after the show. Amaris Hadassah Noble and Alan Robert Jones were married Sept. 10 at the Royal Park Hotel in Rochester, Mich. The Rev. Keenan Thomas, the grooms college roommate and a Baptist minister, officiated. The couple met at Howard University, from which they graduated, the bride magna cum laude. Mrs. Jones, 29, is the global marketing manager in the New York office of Edelman, the public relations firm. She is a daughter of Sonya Green of Hartford. The brides mother is a nonviolence conflict-reconciliation trainer at the Connecticut Center for Nonviolence, and an associate minister at the Union Baptist Church, both in Hartford. Mr. Jones, 30, is a national sales account executive at Viacom, the media company in New York, where he sells commercial time to advertisers for the VH1 and Logo networks. He received an M.B.A. from Wayne State University in Detroit. He is a son of Carla D. Jones and Arvin L. Jones of Troy, Mich. The grooms father is a manufacturing manager at General Motors in Detroit. ST. LOUIS Invoking the power of regular people to take on the rigged system, Donald J. Trump on Saturday paid his respects to the conservative activist Phyllis Schlafly, while suggesting they were kindred spirits in a shared fight. Her legacy will live on every time some underdog, outmatched and outgunned, defies the odds and delivers a win for the people, the Republican presidential nominee said at Mrs. Schlaflys funeral service at the Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis. Mr. Trump went on to tell those in attendance that Mrs. Schlafly was looking down on us right now, and Im sure that shes telling us to keep up the fight. SYDNEY, Australia A man who stabbed and critically wounded another man in a park in a Sydney suburb on Saturday was inspired by Islamic State extremists, the police here said on Sunday. Catherine Burn, a deputy police commissioner for the state of New South Wales, said at news conference that a 22-year-old Sydney man, whom police did not name, had been charged with committing an act of terrorism and attempted murder. He was expected to appear in court on Sunday morning. Ms. Burn said the man was known to the police for other unrelated crimes. We will be alleging before court this was an act that was inspired by ISIS, she said. It was a deliberate act yesterday. It resulted in a person receiving extremely serious injuries. The unidentified 59-year-old victim was attacked while walking through a nature reserve in Minto, about 30 miles southwest of downtown Sydney. He was listed in serious condition at an area hospital. ATHENS Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras on Saturday pledged millions of euros in relief for those hit hardest by Greeces financial crisis and heralded a turning point for its battered economy, saying that relief was in sight as thousands of people protested against austerity. In a speech at an annual trade fair in the northern port of Thessaloniki, an event where Greek prime ministers traditionally outline economic policies for the coming year, Mr. Tsipras said he was drafting a five-year plan for a new Greece. We are passing from the nadir of a seven-year recession to positive signs of growth, he said, noting that economic growth had increased 0.2 percent in the second quarter of this year and that all estimates point to positive growth in the second half of the year. In a bid to make good on promises to lighten the load on Greeks weary of austerity measures, Mr. Tsipras said that 246 million euros, or about $276 million, raised from a recent auction of private television licenses would go toward the needs of the welfare state. It might be easier to get a soul to heaven than to get a professional mourner to New York City. Theres a brick of papers this tall, the artist Taryn Simon said of the immigration applications shed submitted, making a foot-high gesture above the table where she was sitting. Two stacks. Ms. Simon has brought 30 professional mourners to Manhattan from Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Russia, Venezuela and other parts of the globe as the centerpiece of her multidisciplinary artwork, An Occupation of Loss, which opens Tuesday at the Park Avenue Armory and runs through Sept. 25. It explores responses to grief, touching on the empty spaces, private and public, that loss produces, and the chaos, ritual and ceremony that help people fill the void. During the last week with the mourners only just arriving Ms. Simons anxious face suggested another title for the work: An Impossibility of Knowing Whats Actually Going to Happen. Traditionally, professional mourners are hired by families of the deceased to mark the occasion and to guide the dead to the place where they will lead their afterlife. Mourners are called upon to mark larger losses within their communities, like displacement or exile, in a cultural role that is part witness, part historian and part poet. Television can be a great unifier, and that can be a useful thing in a time of national crisis or triumph, for instance. But not always. At the moment TV seems determined to have us all believe that we should be ghoulishly obsessed with the ugly murder of a 6-year-old girl 20 years ago. Suddenly that girl, JonBenet Ramsey, is everywhere once again as CBS, A&E, Investigation Discovery and more try to capitalize on the coming anniversary of her strange and brutal death in Boulder, Colo., during the Christmas holidays of 1996. You remember JonBenet. How could you not, since she has been reappearing regularly in the news media for the past two decades every time the investigation into her murder has taken some incremental twist? She is the child made into a household name by her unsolved killing and the endless replaying of somewhat uncomfortable videos of her competing in beauty pageants. Her parents, John and Patsy, have alternately been the leading suspects in her death or the most wronged mom and dad in history. The initial police investigation is a case study in ineptitude. And TV is determined to make this child the O. J. Simpson of fall 2016. The A&E network got things started last week with The Killing of JonBenet: The Truth Uncovered, a two-hour documentary whose very title was a lie the truth was not uncovered and whose opening words were another. The murder of a little girl has haunted America, we were told. No, the murder of a little girl has haunted some people in America; a great many others would happily never hear another word about it. The BBC cant seem to leave The Secret Agent alone its commissioned four adaptations of Joseph Conrads 1907 novel about the social and psychological underpinnings of a bomb attack. That probably says less about Conrad than it does about the continuing relevance of terrorism as a subject for fictional examination. Version 3 was shown in 1992, a year after the Irish Republican Army carried out a mortar attack on 10 Downing Street, the residence of the British prime minister. And the current version, a three-part mini-series beginning online at AcornTV on Monday, arrives at a time when terror attacks, real and imagined, are a fundamental issue around the world. What this Masterpiece Theater-style presentation has to say about contemporary terrorism is less clear. The screenwriter, Tony Marchant, keeps the main incidents of Conrads plot but lays them out chronologically, losing the revelations and shadings of the novels flashbacks and flash-forwards. This goes along with a general literalness and glumness little of the satire and humor of the novel has seeped into the mini-series. The recently ubiquitous Toby Jones (Wayward Pines, Detectorists) plays Verloc, the proprietor of a seedy London naughty-goods store, who is a kind of down-market double agent he works as a spy for Russia, but the targets of his spying are a group of hapless anarchists unlikely to cause any real trouble. Their presence is irritating, however, to Verlocs Russian supervisor, who instructs him to set off a bomb at the Royal Observatory that will be blamed on the anarchists and alarm the British government into taking action against them. A lot of people dont have a problem with governments appeal, but where were they during the financial crisis when Irish workers could have done with the same help? said Declan Connolly, 39, an information technology worker for Corks local government. Image Downtown Cork is a contradictory blend of Silicon Valley chic and Irish-style austerity. Credit... Andrew Testa for The New York Times Almost a third of his colleagues have either been let go or not been replaced when they retired. Extra taxes on his income and pension have left him with roughly 10 percent less cash in his pocket. The Irish government never did do as much for us as they are now doing for Apple, Mr. Connolly added. Apples chief executive, Timothy D. Cook, has been quick to defend the companys tax practices. When youre accused of doing something that is so foreign to your values, it brings out outrage in you, he said in an interview with the Irish broadcaster RTE. An Apple spokeswoman declined to comment on the case. Cork, with a population of about 125,000, is a contradictory blend of Silicon Valley chic and Irish-style austerity. A Starbucks in a refurbished 19th-century building on the banks of the River Lee, which meanders though the city center, attracts a techie crowd of 20-something millennials, speaking languages as varied as Chinese and Czech. High-end stores like Tommy Hilfiger line the main thoroughfare, and luxury sedans carry tech and pharmaceutical executives to meetings. Yet only a few blocks away, where street stall vendors once sold fruit and vegetables, pawnshops and mostly empty casinos dot the streets. Posters at a government agency offer tips on how to deal with spiraling personal debt. How much are people willing to spend for streaming music? For years, thanks to rigid pricing structures at streaming services, the answer has been stuck at $10 a month or nothing. But that model may soon be challenged by two giants of online media: Amazon and Pandora Media. Both companies are set to introduce new versions of their streaming services in coming weeks, charging as little as $5 a month, according to multiple people with direct knowledge of the plans who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the process was ongoing. The plans will put pressure on incumbent players like Spotify and Apple Music and offer the music industry a major test regarding the value of streaming music including the crucial question of whether discounts will be enough to entice people to pay anything when virtually every song is also available free. The pricing model of $10 a month, the standard rate charged by most on-demand streaming services, has been compared to the 99 cents that Apple charged for song downloads when it opened the iTunes music store in 2003 a simple and comprehensible amount that established in consumers minds the value of music in the internet age. But many in the business have argued that $10 a month is too high for casual listeners. At $120 a year, it costs more than most people have historically paid for music. According to MusicWatch, a market research firm, the average music customer in the United States will pay about $67 this year on recorded music, up from $55 last year but down from $80 in 1999, around the peak of the CD market. By PTI: Kolkata, Sept 11 (PTI) Trinamool Congress leader Madan Mitra was reportedly taken ill in the hotel where he was put after his release from prison yesterday after being jailed for over 21 months in connection with the Saradha scam. According to a family source, Mitra complained of stomach pain last night following which a doctor was called to attend him at the hotel in the southern part of the city. advertisement The former state transport minister was attended to by the doctor who administered an injection last night after which Mitras health condition improved, the source said. "There is nothing to worry, but doctors have prescribed him complete rest. He has also been asked not to talk much and avoid any form of stress," the source said adding doctors were keeping a close watch on the leader. It was learnt that with the CBI saying it would move to the High Court against Mitras bail, the TMC leaders counsel had visited him at the hotel last evening to have a discussion on their next move in this connection. Mitra was released from Alipore jail yesterday morning and taken to a hotel within the Bhowanipore police station limits as per the condition set by the court for granting him bail. His own residence is within Kalighat police station limits. Alipore sessions court granted Mitra bail on Friday on two sureties of Rs 15 lakh each. He was directed to appear before the court on November 23, surrender his passport to CBI and appear before its investigating officer once every week. He was also directed not to leave Bhowanipore police station jurisdiction area. Mitra, who was arrested on December 12, 2014, was granted bail by a lower court last year. He had surrendered before the court after his bail was cancelled by the Calcutta High Court on November 20 last year. Former union minister Matang Sinh is among those arrested in the case, while several TMC functionaries, including Mamata Banerjees close aide Mukul Roy, have been questioned in connection with it. The CBI had taken over the investigation to the Saradha chit fund scam in June, 2014 on the order of the Supreme Court. PTI SCH DKB --- ENDS --- BEAULIEU, England When divers searched the wreckage of the S.S. Persia off the coast of Crete in 2003, they found some remarkable cargo: more than 200 gemstones, including rubies, amethysts, moonstones and what are believed to be some of the first mass-produced synthetic rubies. This summer, Bucklers Hard Maritime Museum, set in a coastal area of Hampshire, England, introduced a limited-edition jewelry line featuring the gems, with proceeds to go to charity. The project was intended to commemorate the ships sinking in 1915 by a German U-boat and to commemorate its 507 crew members and passengers, 343 of whom died in the attack. The gems are believed to have belonged to Maharajah Jagatjit Singh, who was not aboard the P&O Line ship, which was traveling to India at the time of the attack. Deep Tek, the Scotland-based salvage firm that searched the wreckage, donated the gems to the project. The collection had four major motifs wheat, lily, laurel and oak and heritage pieces with those themes were found in the house archives to inspire new designs with contemporary twists. Think of a diamond-encrusted oak-leaf ring, brushed-gold earrings in the shape of wheat sheaves that gently sweep along the ear or a between-the-finger ring that looks like a laurel leaf. Even the tiara was given a 21st-century update, finding form in a flowering headpiece set with two large lilies (both detachable as brooches) forged from red spinels, rhodolite garnets, white diamonds and two pear-shaped tourmalines. Several of the one-of-a-kind pieces had sold signs next to them during the press preview signs that clearly were welcomed by Mr. Mansvelt. Between the issues with our economy and string of terror attacks, it is no secret that France has become a tough trading market for everyone in luxury as of late all of Place Vendome has been suffering, he said, adding that retail foot traffic had roughly halved in the first half of this year in the countrys most upmarket and expensive shopping destination. But we know and understand the tastes of our client, he continued. These are not ostentatious customers looking to do status symbol-driven spending in some flashy, trend-driven house. LONDON David Bennett, the usually jovial worldwide chairman of international jewelry at Sothebys, was in a contemplative mood as he picked at a plate of red mullet over lunch on a muggy Tuesday in June. A veteran in the field of jewelry and gemstones and often called the 100-carat man because of his sales of seven 100-carat diamonds with record-breaking price tags, the British-born, Geneva-based 64-year-old has long been considered a founding father of the contemporary jewelry-auction market. Indeed, as he entered the packed restaurant on the ground floor of Sothebys headquarters on New Bond Street, a stream of coiffed and glittering middle-aged female clients rushed to greet him like a long-lost friend. Building close relationships is the foundation of the entire auction house trade, but the buying and selling of jewels tends to be a particularly personal business, he said by way of explanation. Jewelry is an emotional investment and laced with memories and associations, you see, and often you are dealing with people at a very sensitive point in their lives. Even as the Biennale des Antiquaires opened on Saturday in Paris without its traditional roster of high jewelry brands, organizers said they hoped the houses would return next year, when the event turns into an annual affair. Once the Biennale was the pre-eminent destination for jewelry houses to unveil their latest collections to high-spending customers from around the globe. But in January, Cartier announced it was pulling out, as organizers put renewed emphasis on the antiques dealers for whom the event was first established. The 13 other jewelry brands that exhibited at the last fair, in 2014, including Bulgari, Graff Diamonds and Chanel, followed suit. The 28th edition of the Biennale, which ends Sept. 18, instead features four relatively young, contemporary jewelry houses among the antiquarians stands: Cindy Chao from Taiwan, Nirav Modi from India, and Boghossian and De Grisogono from Geneva the latter the only one to have previously exhibited at the Biennale. Its too soon for any confirmations about 2017, Jean-Daniel Compain, the Biennales general director, said in an email. But, definitely, we hope, as the greatest international old masters exhibitors did for this edition, to see the greatest brands come back next year. Yet he would not directly answer questions about the rape charges from his time as a 19-year-old college student at Penn State University. He was charged in the case and acquitted in 2000, but his accuser committed suicide a few years ago. And while he has recently expressed remorse for the womans death, and said his actions lacked empathy, he has faced criticism for stopping short of issuing an apology for what happened to her and her family. When asked whether he should apologize, Mr. Parker deflected the question. Ive addressed this a few times, and Im sure Ill address it again, he said. This is a forum for the film. This is a forum for the other people who are sitting on the stage. Its not mine, I dont own it, it doesnt belong to me, so I definitely dont want to hijack it. Once considered the brightest star out of this years Sundance Festival, where it sold for a record $17.5 million to Fox Searchlight, The Birth of a Nation went into the Toronto International Film Festival here with backers holding their breath. Could the commercial prospects, let alone Oscar hopes, of a film under such dark clouds be revived? Both public screenings of the film on Friday night drew standing ovations and cheers, though Torontos generally affable, often easy to please crowds cannot be considered predictive of what reception awaits the films wide release on Oct. 7. At the news conference, moderated by Cori Murray of Essence, cast members, including Gabrielle Union, Penelope Ann Miller and Armie Hammer, expressed hope that the film would prompt people to fully acknowledge and reckon with the continuing harms of slavery and its legacy. We are examining an enormous shame in American history, and carrying an enormous amount of shame, said Colman Domingo, one of the films co-stars. I just think that until we continue to confront our history there will be no peace. Theres no peace in the streets right now. Theres blood on the streets, and its on everyones hands because we are not facing our truth. With the ringing of a bell, the thousands who gathered in Lower Manhattan fell silent on Sunday, and all that could be heard was the water cascading in the reflecting pools where the World Trade Center towers once stood. It was 8:46 a.m., the moment when, 15 years earlier, a plane struck the north tower. Family members of the victims bowed their heads, some crying and embracing, while others stood tall, looking up at the overcast skies. About 8,000 people crowded the National September 11 Memorial plaza at the World Trade Center for what has become an annual ritual: the reading of the names of the 2,977 people killed in the terrorist attack of Sept. 11, 2001, and of the six killed in the bombing of the World Trade Center on Feb. 26, 1993. With the 15th anniversary falling on a Sunday, people turned out for the ceremony in much larger numbers than in previous years. But for the family members of the victims, it was another year of grief, and the pain was as raw as ever. The old man shuffled along West 10th Street on Thursday toward the police station in Manhattan. He has lived next door for decades. He had a question. He paused before the decorative iron fence marked 6th PCT, and the plaque naming its donors: The Camacho Family. That was his extended family, with whom the man, Jose Cardoso, has lived on the block since the 1950s. He entered the police precinct house, walking past uniformed officers, sticking his head into a detectives office and shouting, Is Jimmy here? The detective he was looking for greeted him, and Mr. Cardoso asked him when he was expected back in court. He had forgotten the date. Almost three weeks earlier, on Aug. 21, a man in a West Village flower shop grabbed a pair of pruning shears during a dispute with another man over a lottery ticket. No one was hurt, but the police were summoned, and an officer handcuffed the man accused of waving the shears: Mr. Cardoso. LONDON Opponents of Jeremy Corbyn, the left-wing leader of Britains Labour Party, usually claim one of two things about him: that his politics are extreme and will lead the party to electoral oblivion, or that his values are admirable but he is too incompetent to put them into effect. These two arguments seem contradictory, but in Mr. Corbyns handling of an anti-Semitism scandal that has hung over the Labour Party, they have converged. In April, after months of accusations of anti-Semitism among party members, particularly on social media, Mr. Corbyn ordered an inquiry and asked Shami Chakrabarti, who had just stepped down as the director of Britains leading civil liberties organization, Liberty, to head it. So far, so good. The aftermath of her report, however, has aggravated the very wounds it was supposed to heal. It was inauspicious that, at the news conference in June for its publication, Mr. Corbyn looked on in silence as one of his supporters accused Ruth Smeeth, a Jewish member of Parliament, of conspiring against the party leader. Ms. Smeeth left the room in tears. Worse followed when, a few weeks later, Mr. Corbyn broke his vow not to create any new members of the House of Lords by nominating Ms. Chakrabarti for a peerage. Whatever justification there might be for this award, it gave the impression of a quid pro quo: that Mr. Corbyn was willing to compromise his lifelong hostility to Britains system of unelected privilege in return for an inquiry that pulled its punches. BRUSSELS Americans will always remember Sept. 11, 2001. Fifteen years later, the feelings of confusion, shock and loss from the deadly attack on our country are still vivid. But the next day, Sept. 12, 2001, was also historic. That was the day Americas staunchest allies stood with us in solidarity, ready to respond in Americas time of need. It was the day when our then 18 NATO allies invoked, for the first and only time in history, Article 5 of the Washington Treaty, the clause that declares that an attack on one nation is an attack on all. When the treaty was signed in Washington 52 years earlier by the United States and 11 other nations, Europe lay devastated by the second world war in a generation. Article 5 provided Europe an insurance policy against yet another world war and domination by the Soviet Union. The hope was that Article 5 would deter conflict, but the assumption was that if it were ever invoked, the United States would again come to Europes defense. Instead, on Sept. 12, 2001, it was Americas closest friends across the Atlantic and Canada who pledged to help us respond to a very different type of attack. While the circumstances of Al Qaedas 2001 attacks on the United States were unforeseen in 1949, the alliance performed as intended. R. Nicholas Burns, the United States ambassador to NATO at the time, recalled the moment when the leaders of the alliance stood together in the Brussels headquarters and unanimously declared that America had suffered an armed attack and that all were prepared to provide assistance. When we needed allies the most, they were there for us, Mr. Burns said. The invocation of Article 5 demonstrated the power of the collective, versus the strength of one country trying to stand alone. By Mail Today: A complaint has been filed against Delhi Belly's Director Akshat Verma by the Hindu Sena wherein the organisation alleged that the director had hurt the religious sentiments of Hindus by making fun of the Mahabharat in its sixteen minute satirical film Mama's Boy. The complaint filed at Parliament Street Police Station has the Hindu Sena chief asking the police to take stringent action against the filmmaker for the portrayal of some characters in the Mahabharat as homosexuals. The film is a satirical take on Draupadi's polygamous wedding to the Pandavas, using a lot of innuendoes. advertisement Also Read: Mahabharata over Mama's Boys: Hindu groups seek ban on Akshat Verma's satire based on Hindu epic AKSHAT VERMA INSULTED HINDUS? "Akshat Verma and the team of Mama's boy have deliberately and maliciously acted intending to outrage religious feelings of Hindus by insulting its religion and religious beliefs by making fun of its religious book. The content of the film may also be made objectionable under article 19(2) of Constitution of India," read the complaint. The Hindu Sena Chief who had forwarded the complaint had said that the film should be removed from YouTube and the makers of the film must immediately face strict action. The makers of the film could not be contacted for their response. Meanwhile the police have received the complaint but are yet to file an FIR regarding the matter. "We have received the complaint and are going through the contents of the letter. We will soon take the appropriate action as per the law," said a senior police officer. Also Read: Mama's Boys review: Delhi Belly writer gives Mahabharata a post-modern twist --- ENDS --- Hillary Clinton is being treated for pneumonia and dehydration, her doctor said on Sunday, hours after she abruptly left a ceremony in New York honoring the 15th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks and had to be helped into a van by Secret Service agents. The incident, which occurred after months of questions about her health from her Republican opponent, Donald J. Trump, and his campaign, is likely to increase pressure on Mrs. Clinton to address the issue and release detailed medical records, which she has so far declined to do. Mrs. Clinton was taken from the morning event at ground zero to the Manhattan apartment of her daughter, Chelsea. About 90 minutes after arriving there, Mrs. Clinton emerged from the apartment in New Yorks Flatiron district. She waved to onlookers and posed for pictures with a little girl on the sidewalk. Im feeling great, Mrs. Clinton said. Its a beautiful day in New York. Mrs. Clinton left in her motorcade without the group of reporters that is designated to travel with her in public. A campaign spokesman, Nick Merrill, indicated that she had returned to her Chappaqua, N.Y., residence sometime after 1 p.m., and Mrs. Clinton was not seen publicly the rest of the day. A silent or secret Trump vote would be a big deal: Hillary Clinton is up by several points in the latest surveys, not a comfortable margin. There are, however, reasons to question whether Mr. Trump will outperform the polls. This wasnt the case in the primaries. The Republican nominee underperformed the final polls in about as many states as those where he outperformed. In Iowa, Ann Selzer, the pollster for The Des Moines Register and Bloomberg Politics, lost her unblemished record when she showed Mr. Trump with a small lead. He narrowly lost to Senator Ted Cruz of Texas. Sure, that all was within a margin of error and Iowas contest is a caucus, where turnout is low. And a week later, in New Hampshire, the final polls suggested Mr. Trump would win by about 15 points; he won by 20. How Times reporters cover politics. We rely on our journalists to be independent observers. So while Times staff members may vote, they are not allowed to endorse or campaign for candidates or political causes. This includes participating in marches or rallies in support of a movement or giving money to, or raising money for, any political candidate or election cause. Learn more about our process. That trend was erratic. In one of his most important closing victories in Indiana, he finished well ahead of the final surveys. But in South Carolina and Michigan, though he won, he underperformed the last polls. In Wisconsin, the closing polls suggested Mr. Cruz would beat Mr. Trump by about seven points; the Texan won by 13. The Bradley effect gets its name from the 1982 California governors race, when the Democratic nominee, Mayor Tom Bradley of Los Angeles, who was black, was running ahead of his white Republican opponent. When Mr. Bradley ended up losing, there was speculation that some voters didnt want to admit to polltakers that they wouldnt support a black candidate. HOLLYWOOD, Ala. After spending more than 40 years and $5 billion on an unfinished nuclear power plant in northeastern Alabama, the nations largest federal utility is preparing to sell the property at a fraction of its cost. The utility, the Tennessee Valley Authority, has set a minimum bid of $36.4 million for its Bellefonte Nuclear Plant and 1,600 surrounding acres of waterfront property on the Tennessee River. The deal includes two unfinished nuclear reactors, transmission lines, office and warehouse buildings, eight miles of roads and a 1,000-space parking lot. Initial bids are due Monday, and at least one company has expressed interest in the site, with plans to use it for alternative energy production. But the utility is not particular about what the buyer does using the site for power production, industrial manufacturing, recreation or even residences would all be fine, said Scott Fiedler, an agency spokesman. Its all about jobs and investment, and thats our primary goal for selling this property, Mr. Fiedler said. The utility hopes to close the deal in October. Similar success stories are being replicated across central Argentina, not just in La Pampa but in neighboring San Luis Province, too. In western La Pampa, the authorities have supported Ranquel communities, including one called Epumer, that have been threatened with eviction because of legal battles over territory. Fears abound of an escalation in such disputes as farmers seek new frontiers beyond Argentinas agricultural heartland. Seeking to reconnect the population with its indigenous roots, leaders also give talks to schoolchildren. And in Santa Rosa, which will host a Latin American summit meeting of indigenous peoples this month, the chieftains council moved about five years ago into modest rented headquarters that house a small library and guest rooms. In a meeting room where a newly designed Ranquel flag is displayed, classes in the Ranquel language are taught to groups of adults. In Victorica, road signs even carry Ranquel translations of Spanish street numbers. Still, obstacles persist. Advocates, for instance, say no community has yet been handed the deeds to reclaimed lands. And highlighting the tentative nature of even the Ranquels most pivotal accomplishment, Osvaldo R. Borthiry, 83, the landowner who donated the two hectares at the Leuvuco site, said his children would decide the propertys future. Others dismiss the idea of working within the system and call for a separatist stance. When your country does not represent who you are, what else can you do? said Miguel Angel Saulo, 62, a leader of the Tehuelche people in the south of Argentina. But the Ranquel and their supporters remain undeterred. It used to be embarrassing to say that you were a descendant of indigenous people, said Marcela Suarez, 46, a janitor, as she stamped around the wooden stake at Leuvuco. Now it makes you proud. BEIJING North Koreas biggest nuclear test, conducted last week less than 50 miles from the Chinese border, sent tremors through homes and schools in Chinas northeast. But hours later, there was no mention of the test on Chinas state-run evening television news, watched by hundreds of millions of viewers. The decision on Friday to publicly ignore stark evidence of Pyongyangs expanding nuclear capabilities illustrated the embarrassment that North Koreas leader, Kim Jong-un, poses for his patrons in Beijing. But although North Korea remains nearly 100 percent dependent on China for oil and food, Chinese analysts say Beijing will not modify its allegiance to North Korea or pressure the country to curtail its drive for a full-fledged nuclear arsenal, as the United States keeps requesting. The United States cannot rely on China for North Korea, said Shi Yinhong, a professor of international relations at Renmin University in Beijing. China is closer to North Korea than the United States. When campaigning for the Philippine presidency last spring, Rodrigo Duterte promised to kill so many criminals that fish will grow fat in Manila Bay from feasting on their corpses. Since taking office on June 30, Mr. Duterte appears to be making every effort to meet that grisly goal. Over 1,800 people have been killed by the police and vigilantes since then, and the wave of killings shows no sign of subsiding. Many of the victims appear to have been innocent by any definition, and none had been proved guilty in a court of law. But the crackdown has struck a chord with the public, and Mr. Dutertes popularity has been soaring. What drives this explosion of extrajudicial violence which, far from unique, bears striking parallels to previous waves of killings in Colombia, Mexico, Guatemala, Thailand and elsewhere? An editorial in the Tianjin Daily, the citys main official newspaper, detailed that warning. The inquiry into Mr. Huang fully demonstrates that anyone who violates party discipline and state laws will be sternly dealt with, no matter who it is, no matter what post, the editorial said. Almost always, officials found culpable of serious graft by party investigators later face a separate criminal investigation, trial and prison sentence. Mr. Huang, 61, worked in the Tianjin government for nearly 13 years, and the paper obliquely warned officials there against grumbling about his ouster. Resolutely support and obey the decision from the center, it said, referring to the partys top leadership. A Defiant Tone: At the opening of Chinas Communist Party congress, President Xi Jinping At the opening of Chinas Communist Party congress, President Xi Jinping defended his hard-line reign , presenting himself as a leader focused on securing the countrys rise amid global threats. Moving Backward: A decade ago, many of Chinas political, business and intellectual elites hoped that Mr. Xi would usher in openness and reform. Today, some of them believe A decade ago, many of Chinas political, business and intellectual elites hoped that Mr. Xi would usher in openness and reform. Today, some of them believe he has created a totalitarian state Lonely at the Top: As Chinas most powerful female politician prepares for retirement, few other women can hope to As Chinas most powerful female politician prepares for retirement, few other women can hope to make it to the upper echelons of Chinese politics The Communist Party leadership is entering a delicate period in its political calendar: the buildup to a congress, most likely late next year, which will replace retiring central leaders with new ones who will work under Mr. Xi in his second term of five years. The partys Central Committee a council with about 200 senior officials as voting members will hold its annual meeting next month, and precedent suggests that the meeting will formally set in motion preparations for the congress. Jockeying for promotions, and rumors about others downfall, are likely to intensify in the coming year. BERLIN Even Angela Merkel, the usually unruffled veteran of European crises after almost 11 years as chancellor of Germany, had to admit it last week: The world finds itself in a critical condition, she said, and there is no point in painting anything rosier than it is. The outlook for Ms. Merkel is not especially rosy, either. After years of broad and deep support at home, bolstering her as she grew to become the Continents most powerful leader, she is heading toward national elections next year more politically vulnerable than at any time since her early days in office, with implications that extend far beyond Germanys borders. When she arrives in Slovakia on Friday for a summit meeting of leaders from 27 European Union nations all save Britain, which voted in June to leave the bloc her ability to navigate her troubles at home will hang over the gathering. Since Britains decision, other European governments have done little to respond to the surge in populism and nationalism across the Continent or to reassure their citizens that the European Union can be a force for good in their lives. BARCELONA, Spain Hundreds of thousands of pro-independence Catalans took over downtown Barcelona and four other cities on Sunday to urge their politicians to push ahead with plans to break away from the rest of Spain. For a fifth consecutive year, demonstrators used Catalonias national day to raise the secessionist pressure on politicians in Madrid. But unlike protests in previous years, the demonstration took place amid a serious political deadlock in Spain, which has been without an elected government since inconclusive elections last year. Another general election, the third in a year, is likely to be held in December. Sundays protest in Barcelona was smaller than ones in the past, with a turnout of 540,000 people, according to the local police. In 2012, when the first such giant demonstration was held, 1.5 million people took part, according to police estimates. But comparisons were difficult to draw, because the organizers decided this year to add demonstrations in four other cities in Catalonia, which is home to 7.5 million people, rather than have all the protesters converge on Barcelona. Nangarhar, which borders Pakistan, has faced mounting security perils over the past couple of years, with new Islamic State affiliates complicating the threat from the Taliban. Zabihullah Zmarai, a member of the provincial council, said the Islamic State posed a danger in five districts, despite repeated operations by the Afghan Army. Out of the 22 districts, only six are secure, he said. The Talibans presence across nearly a dozen districts varies, Mr. Zmarai said. But the Hisarak district faced a collapse in recent weeks. That drew the attention of General Zahid, who had gone there to supervise a counterattack. Over the past decade, he rose from a bodyguard to a well-regarded police chief of several volatile provinces. His postings included two stints as the police chief of southeastern Ghazni Province, and one term each in Zabul and Paktika Provinces. General Zahid was seen as a hands-on commander, often arriving at the front lines unannounced. When a major cultural event drew world leaders to the ancient city of Ghazni, the general was photographed riding around the city on the back of a motorcycle to check on security measures. He had been wounded twice and had lost two brothers during the decades of war in Afghanistan. According to a survey, there are at least 233 manual scavengers in Delhi. About five of them have studied beyond Class 12th, including one who is a postgraduate. Despite spending 12 long years as a manual scavenger, graduate Neeraj Kumar is yet to be recognised as corporationas regular employee. By Sneha Agrawal: Neeraj Kumar, 32, spends his day pulling out rubbish and excreta from the city's drains. The father-of-two who once dreamt of joining the Army is a postgraduate in political science, but is yet to be recognised by the municipal corporation as a regular employee despite 12 years of service. "I joined as a beldar (field worker) for MCD after Class XII," he told Mail Today. "I thought eventually I would progress and be promoted to a senior level. However, seeing my interest in studies, my seniors encouraged me to continue with my education. Along with my work, I completed my graduation and post-graduation. While I miss my dream, I have come too far to have any regrets." advertisement THERE ARE HUNDREDS LIKE KUMAR India has passed several laws to end manual scavenging with governments pledging to modernise sanitation and criminalise those who employ people to dispose of excreta. But several studies have thrown up hundreds of such cases. Kumar leaves home at 6am and finishes only by 9 at night. The stench in the drains is so unbearable, he says, that one cannot walk anywhere in the area without covering their faces. "It is too late for me to find something that suits my qualification," he said. "I hope one day my dedication will bring benefits from the corporation's policy for regular employees." Like him, 34-year-old Sunil Sharma who is a graduate from Delhi University, is making ends meet as a manual scavenger. Due to financial difficulties, he says he had to give up the dream of joining the Delhi Police. "Sunil is also a talented musician. He has completed a course as a Disc Jockey but once again monetary problems prevented him from having a career as a musician," says Pankaj Sharma, Sunil's younger brother. Sunil and Neeraj do not enter the pits but still physically come in contact with the hazardous waste and work without any protective gear. 5 OF THE 233 MANUAL SCAVENGERS STUDIED BEYOND 12th In a recent survey, the Delhi State Legal Services Authority interacted with about 1,000 workers out of which it identified 233 employed as manual scavengers. The study was carried out based on directions from the Delhi HC. Of the 233 manual scavengers, 104 were government employees and the rest were working for private contractors. The employees of Delhi Jal Board and Municipal Corporation of Delhi do not enter the pits; that work is outsourced. The survey identified five manual scavengers who had studied beyond Class XII, including one who was a postgraduate. In the case of DJB employees, even though the agency provides protective gear like gumboots, ropes, gloves, safety belts and helmets, they are hardly put to use by the workers. According to an employee, these gears are heavy and they have no facility to carry them from one place to another. However, in MCD, no protective gear is provided due to which around 50 workers revealed that they have bought the equipment with their own money. advertisement THEY SUFFER FROM SKIN DISEASES, DISABILITIES During the month-long survey, the paralegal volunteers found that many workers were suffering from skin diseases and disabilities such as weakening of eyesight, spinal injuries and respiratory problems. Taking note of a report filed by the DSLSA, the Delhi High Court pulled up the civic bodies for the "disgraceful" practice. The bench of Justice Badar Durrez Ahmed and Justice Ashutosh Kumar also noted that the report contradicted the stand taken by the agencies, which had claimed there were "no manual scavengers" in the Capital. The bench also termed it "ridiculous and shocking" when it was informed by DSLSA's member secretary Dharmesh Sharma that one of the manual scavengers was a postgraduate. "This completely belies the statement made by the Delhi Jal Board, MCDs and other authorities concerned," it said, adding that "despite the rights that they (manual scavengers) have under the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, their presence is indeed disgraceful for the city". advertisement The court's observation came during the hearing of a PIL filed in 2007 for rehabilitation of manual scavengers. Also Read: Purple classroom: Women manual scavengers are now embroidering their way to change --- ENDS --- BEIRUT, Lebanon Bags of body parts. Three young siblings killed along with their mother. A pregnant woman lying dead under a fallen roof. These sights described by Syrians after a marketplace bombing in the northern Syrian city of Idlib on Saturday represent just a small fraction of the carnage from Russian or government airstrikes in the two days since Russia and the United States declared that a new cease-fire would begin on Monday. At least 91 people were killed and scores more wounded in two days of attacks on rebel-held areas around the country, mainly in Idlib and in the divided city of Aleppo, according to tallies by doctors, rescuers and monitoring groups. The violence has deepened mistrust among Syrians that the cease-fire, agreed on late Friday, will deliver on its promise to ground the government planes that opposition groups say cause the wars greatest death toll. Rebels, who have no air power, also attacked government-held areas, mainly with mortar shells. The Syrian state news media reported rebel shelling in several cities Damascus, Aleppo, Hama and Daraa but did not say whether there were casualties. The Federal Aviation Administration, citing fire hazards, has warned against using Samsung Galaxy Note 7 smartphones on aircraft. Three Australian airlines and the German carrier Lufthansa have outright banned their use onboard. But the threat of airliner fires is not limited to Samsung devices, which the company has offered to replace. And the hazard is far more than theoretical. Qantas, one of the Australian carriers, had an onboard fire during a trans-Pacific flight this year when a passengers cellphone was crushed in the mechanism of a business-class seat and the phones lithium-ion battery ignited. In January as a Delta Air Lines flight from Minneapolis to Atlanta arrived at the gate, crew members discovered that a carry-on bag containing two laptop computers had burst into flames, according to the F.A.A. The smoke prompted some passengers to use the emergency exits and wait on the wings until help arrived. In mid-May and again in late June, business-class passengers on Qantas flights from Australia to the United States dropped their smartphones into the mechanism below their seats. What happened next, in each case, wasnt pretty. The electronically activated seat crushed the phone, damaging the battery, which began heating uncontrollably. Both times, as other travelers watched in alarm, flight attendants were able to retrieve the devices in one case, already flaming and submerge the phones in water to cool them down. The planes landed without further incident. Its a small number, considering how many flights we have, said Sharna Rhys-Jones, a spokeswoman for Qantas. Its not like its happening all the time. But we are asking people to be a little bit more aware of where their phones are. NEAR CANNON BALL, N.D. When visitors turn off a narrow North Dakota highway and drive into the Sacred Stone Camp, where thousands have come to protest an oil pipeline, they thread through an arcade of flags whipping in the wind. Each represents one of the 280 Native American tribes that have flocked here in what activists are calling the largest, most diverse tribal action in at least a century, perhaps since Little Bighorn. They have come from across the Plains and the Mountain West, from places like California, Florida, Peru and New Zealand. They are Oglala Lakota, Navajo, Seneca, Onondaga and Anishinaabe. Their names include Keeyana Yellowman, Peter Owl Boy, Santana Running Bear and Darrell Holy Eagle. Some came alone, driving 24 hours straight across the Plains when they saw news on social media about the swelling protest. Some came in caravans with dozens of friends and relatives. One man walked from Bismarck. Others finished the journey in canoes. They brought ceremonial pipes, dried sage, eagle-feather headdresses and horses that they ride bareback through the sea of prairie grass. They sleep in tepees, camper trailers and tents, and they sing and drum by firelight at a camp that sits on Army Corps of Engineers land. On Friday, the federal government announced that it was temporarily blocking construction of the pipeline at an important river crossing just up the road from the camp. We say mni wiconi: Water is life, said David Archambault II, the chairman of the Standing Rock Sioux, whose reservation sits just south of the pipelines route. We cant put it at risk, not for just us, but everybody downstream. He added: Were looking out for our future, the children who are not even born yet. What is it they will need? Its water. When we start talking about water, were talking about the future generations. Here are stories about a few of the people who have come to this remote rolling corner of North Dakota. Lashing out at the BJP, Congress and Samajwadi Party at Saharanpur rally in west UP, BSP chief Mayawati said that Dalits and Muslims would be focus of development if her party came to power in the state. By Kamaljit Kaur Sandhu: Ahead of 2017 assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh, former chief minister and BSP supremo Mayawati on Sunday staged a massive show of strength at a rally organised in Saharanpur, considered stronghold of BSP. A huge crowd gathered under a massive canopy to hear her out. She didn't disappoint going straight to hit at the jugular of BJP, accusing the party of hate politics. She said that the BJP was engineering Hindu-Muslim riots in the state. advertisement "To win elections, BJP can orchestrate Hindu-Muslim riots, the remote control of BJP is in hands of RSS", she said. READ: Mayawati plays Dalit card as she launches BSP's poll campaign from Agra 'BJP IS ANTI-DALIT, ANTI-MUSLIM' The BSP leader accused the Centre of discrimination and harassment of Dalits and Muslims. "Muslims are seen with suspicion, while Dalits face atrocities," Mayawati said. She cited incidents of Dadri and Una to make her point. "Muslims, Dalits and backward classes will be focus of the development, if BSP forms the government in Uttar Pradesh," Mayawati said. Interestingly, Dalits and Muslims have been the main vote banks for the BSP. READ: Mayawati attacks BJP, calls the party dependent on 'rejected maal' 'BJP AND CONGRESS ARE SAME' The BSP leader painted both the BJP and Congress with the same brush. She said that the BJP was following the footsteps of the Congress-led UPA government. She held Congress responsible for Babri demolition. "During troublesome period in Ayodhya, Congress could have placed the state under President's Rule but they did not. But now, when Congress is in bad health in UP, their leaders are doing padyatra, rath yatra and khaat yatra," Mayawati said. "Congress is in such a bad condition that they have brought a (former) Delhi CM and made her party's face in UP," said the BSP chief. READ: Mayawati sells tickets according to caste, says former BSP leader Swami Prasad Maurya 'WOMEN NOT SAFE UNDER SP RULE' Lashing out at the Samajwadi Party, Mayawati said that the Akhilesh government has failed to maintain law and order situation in UP. "No woman feels safe in the state. The police is busy tracing the pets of minister rather than track criminals," the former CM said adding, "The people of Uttar Pradesh will have to rise above caste and religion to vote for BSP so that we can end the 'jungle raj' and create a lawful environment in the state." This was the fourth divisional level rally of Mayawati. The first such rally was held in Agra on August 21 and thereafter, on successive Sundays she addressed rallies at Azamgarh and Allahabad.What else did Mayawati say at Saharanpur: If BSP comes to power, sugarcane farmers will get appropriate procurement amount. Pending payments will be cleared. Benefits of development will not be restricted to one section of society. My regime will not be for the capitalists and rich land owners like that of BJP. No free laptops or mobiles will be given. The poor students will given cash, instead. We will ensure jobs for qualified youths in the state. Communal or criminal miscreants will be brought to justice swiftly. Any land grabbed from Dalit community will be freed and returned to them. advertisement ALSO READ: Mayawati is suddenly on the defensive. Is BSP trailing in UP elections? Modis promises of achche din remain unfulfilled: Mayawati --- ENDS --- Daniel Wright was given a rough welcome to the American League when Rangers left fielder Carlos Gomez homered off of his first pitch. Gomez crushed Wrights 92 mile-per-hour fastball over both bullpens in left for his eight home run of the year, putting Texas up 1-0. Wrights worries werent over yet. He walked the next batter, Ian Desmond, on six pitches and allowed a single to Carlos Beltran to put two on with no outs. Wright then settled in to strike out two straight batters, Adrian Beltre and Mitch Moreland, but could not work his way out of the jam. Jonathan Lucroy laced a double into the left field corner to score Desmond, putting Texas up 2-0. Beltran was held at third. The 25-year-old right-hander avoided further damage though by getting Nomar Mazara grounded out to short to end the inning and strand both runners. Wright appeared in four games for the Cincinnati Reds, including two starts, in May and June. The Angels claimed him off of waivers Sept. 4. In his time with Cincinnati, Wright allowed 11 earned runs in 13 innings, including two home runs a 7.62 ERA. He had an 0-2 record. Augustus Beckmanns family never knew what happened to him after he was shot in the Battle of Shiloh in the Civil War. His memory was lost to future generations, until 154 years later, when his brother Williams great-great-grandson, Greg Beckman of Placentia, discovered the truth: Augustus Beckmann died about a month after his injury and was buried under the wrong name and company. His headstone in the Camp Chase Confederate Cemetery in Columbus, Ohio, reads: A. Bergman Co. C Texas Rangers C.S.A. Beckman was researching his family tree when he discovered the missing brother. He tracked down Augustus Beckmanns military documents, which referenced a key piece of information: a ghost name, or another moniker, attached to the same person. In this case: Bergman. I was kind of upset, but I can understand how a lot of mistakes were made like that. There wasnt technology like there is today, said Beckman, an El Dorado High School government teacher. He paid a visit to the erroneous headstone on Memorial Day with his son, Marcus. Out of respect for Augustus I felt that it should be corrected. Historians reviewed documents submitted by Beckman to prove his relatives identity, and the National Cemetery Administration has ordered a new headstone correcting the error. The family eventually dropped the second n in the last name, but Augustus will be marked as Beckmann. NCA will correct the inscription error and replace the marker in kind with one that has the same type, style and inscription elements that were used or available at the time of the decedents death, said Jessica Schiefer, spokeswoman for the National Cemetery Administration. Augustus, along with brothers William and Charles, moved from the Grand Duchy of Sachsen-Weimar-Eisenach, an area that is now Germany, to the United States and settled in Galveston, Texas, between the late 1850s and early 1860s. In September 1861, Augustus and William enlisted in the all-German Confederate Army unit in Galveston known as the 2nd Texas Infantry, Company F. They went to battle in Shiloh, Tenn., on April 6, 1862. Within a day, both had been shot and taken prisoner by Union forces. The brothers would never again see each other. William was wounded in the calf and sent to a hospital in Louisville, Ky., and then to Camp Chase, a military camp and prison. He was released months later in an exchange of prisoners between the North and South. After the war he settled in Mississippi, married, had children and lived as a farmer. Augustus was shot in the knee and was taken to Camp Dennison near Cincinnati. He died there on May 9, 1862. He was buried with the Bergman name at Camp Dennison, but his remains and those of other Confederate soldiers were removed in 1869 and reburied at Camp Chase. Thats where hes been, Beckman said. His family knew none of this. Beckman said he plans to visit again on Memorial Day when the new headstone is expected to be in place. My mothers side I basically knew about. I know where we were from in Italy, he said. But I didnt know about my fathers side, the German background. When I started the research, thats when I found out about Augustus. He said he hopes to find more details about his fathers ancestors. A stumbling block has been not knowing the town the family hails from. That would just open up so many things, he said. Beckman said he enjoys putting together the pieces of his family puzzle. He is compiling a book for his children. Thats why Im making this book with my findings, so they can pass it down to generations so they know where they came from, he said. Its very, very important. Contact the writer: 714-796-7865 or afausto@scng.com Ok, so Gary Johnson probably isnt going to be the nations 45th president. And its doubtful Bill Weld will be replacing Joe Biden anytime soon. But the Libertarian candidates still deserve to stand on the debate stage and offer Americans their message of fiscal conservatism and social liberalism. If the Commission on Presidential Debates evaluated credentials and not poll standing, theyd have been the first to qualify. Neither the Republican nor Democratic ticket can match the executive governing experience of the Libertarian duo. In fact, we havent had a third party ticket this qualified in modern history. Not John Anderson and Patrick Lucey in 1980, nor Ross Perot and James Stockdale in 1992. Johnson is a successful entrepreneur turned public servant. Sure, hes quirky. Its not everyday an Iron Man who wears Nikes with his suit and smokes pot seeks the nations highest office. But consider that he was twice elected as a Republican in the very Democratic state of New Mexico. His record included the elimination of the state deficit and creation of a surplus before leaving office, all while reducing the size of the states government (a feat accomplished by vetoing 750 bills during his tenure, more than all other 49 governors combined). Plus, he governed without an ethical blemish, quite a credential when viewed against the competition. Then theres Weld. Central Casting could not have delivered anyone more suitable. Harvard undergraduate. Then Oxford. And Harvard Law. Weld was a U.S. attorney recommended for that job by Rudy Giuliani, who went on to head the Criminal Division of the Justice Department. Like Johnson, Weld was elected twice as a Republican in a Democratic state. In fact, when re-elected in Massachusetts in 1994, it was with the largest margin in state history. Theres something else notable about Johnson/Weld: they are truly running as a team. Watch them interviewed together and you will see their ability to finish one anothers sentences on matters of agreement, and willingness to amiably disagree. How refreshing. Johnson and Weld, unlike the Green Party, will have their names on ballots in all 50 states. Their credentials make them worthy of standing on the presidential debate stage, but for that to happen, they need to quickly document support of at least 15 percent in an average of five national polls. So far, they have not met the threshold. Still, there are signs of momentum, including the endorsement by a major daily newspaper, The Richmond Times-Dispatch. That embrace was a bona fide vote of confidence in Johnson and Weld, not just a rejection of Clinton and Trump. The editorial called Johnson a man of good integrity, apparently normal ego and sound ideas, finding [h]e is, in every respect, a legitimate and reasonable contender for the presidency. Anecdotally it seems like the largest impediment to their further ascension is the belief that they cant win, and the idea that any vote for the ticket helps/hurts someone elses actual election, a notion Weld rejected when I raised the argument back when he secured the vice presidential nomination. I would never use the word spoiler Im very comfortable with where we are, he said. Were going to speak truth to power and we are going to speak truths and we dont have to trim or modify our positions. And if we wind up nudging the Democrats toward the right on economic issues and nudging the Republicans to the left on social issues I think we will have done the country a really big favor. Jesse Ventura, who in 1998 was elected governor of Minnesota under the banner of the Reform Party, bristles at the argument that a vote for Johnson/Weld is a waste. Its ridiculous, he told me. When you vote, youre not there to pick winner, youre not there for a horserace. Youre there to pick the person you want most to be president. And if that person finished hypothetically fifth, so what? You did your job as a citizen to vote for a candidate of your choice. When they come up with that nonsense about throwing your vote away, or electing someone else, thats their patented Democratic and Republican excuse for losing. When they lose they dont assume the responsibility themselves; they point a finger at the third party guy and say hes who did it. How arrogant to think that everyone who votes for Gary would vote for one of them had Gary not been there. For those willing to listen, Johnson and Weld have offered a nuanced vision of independence and thoughtfulness. They refuse to campaign dirty and are even willing to utter the dreaded c-word: compromise. Which is another reason why they would add value to the debate stage. Putting Johnson and Weld on the debate stage would force their opponents to defend their views against independent thinking. The Times-Dispatch said the following in its endorsement: But our final decision to endorse the Johnson/Weld ticket, and to do so with great confidence and enthusiasm, came only after Johnson met with the editorial board last Monday morning. We found him to be knowledgeable but unscripted, reasonable and good-humored, self-assured but free from arrogance, willing and able to address every question, consistent in his beliefs without being dogmatic, even-tempered, curious and in all respects optimistically, realistically presidential. If a pollster calls your house tonight, tell them youre for Johnson/Weld. You can always change your mind after the debates. Michael Smerconish can be heard from 9 a.m. to noon on SiriusXMs POTUS Channel 124 and seen hosting Smerconish at 9 a.m. Saturdays on CNN. SANTA ANA A 15-year-old boy was shot Saturday night in what police suspect was a gang-related incident. At 8:37 p.m., Santa Ana police officers responded to a call of a shooting in the 700 block of West Third Street, Sgt. Rosa Ponce De Leon said. When they arrived, they found the boy had suffered a single gunshot wound to the lower torso, Ponce De Leon said. The injury was not life-threatening, she said, but the boy was taken to a local hospital for treatment. Police dont have a lead on a suspect, Ponce De Leon said. Contact the writer: tshimura@scng.com WASHINGTON On the anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Visalia, chairman of the House intelligence committee sees the threat of terrorism even higher than it was a year ago, while CIA Director John Brennan says its more difficult today for jihadist groups to carry out a major attack. I think were even worse today, Nunes said Sunday on CBSs Face the Nation, comparing the situation with last year. I think the threat level is even higher. Brennan put a different spin on the post-9/11 picture. Weve learned a lot (and) weve done a lot, Brennan said. I believe today its much more difficult for these groups to carry out the type of attack they did 15 years ago. Brennan cited, in particular, actions undertaken to make sure different parts of government are able to work better together and share information. The study commonly known as the 9/11 Commission Report cited bureaucratic rivalries and lack of communication as among the problems that left the United States vulnerable to theattacks in which hijackers flew airplanes into the Pentagon and the two World Trade Center buildings. Chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence since January 2015, Nunes appeared Sunday on the same show as Brennan. Im concerned that were not paying close enough attention to the growth of radical jihadism, Nunes said Sunday. We just dont know where these guys are hiding. Brennan also warned on Sunday that Russia has exceptionally capable and sophisticated computer capabilities and that the U.S. must be on guard. When asked in a television interview whether Russia is trying to manipulate the American presidential election, Brennan didnt say. But he noted that the FBI is investigating the hacking of Democratic National Committee emails, and he cited Moscows aggressive intelligence collection and its focus on high-tech snooping. I think that we have to be very, very wary of what the Russians might be trying to do in terms of collecting information in a cyber realm, as well as what they might want to do with it, he told CBS Face the Nation on the 15th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks. Brennan also defended the work of U.S. drones in combating threats. He said drones were exceptionally powerful and capable means of taking kinetic actions against terrorists when that is called for. Brennan said there has been a significant reversal of the Islamic State groups strength in Iraq and Syria. They do not have the same type of control of the territory that they did this time last year, he said. Brennan said IS is now a failing organization that has lost the momentum is gained in exploiting lawless areas in Iraq and Syria. Their narrative has been refuted. Their claims of great victory have been debunked. So thats why I think there are fewer and fewer people now there looking to ISIS as being an organization they want to belong to. McClatchy Washington Bureau and The Associated Press contributed to this report. A group of diverse but like-minded individuals, the members of ARC have come together in their common desire to fight hatred, bigotry, intolerance and violence because of the harm these antisocial behaviors cause to our society. In that effort, we will not use or sanction the use of illegal actions (such as violence or intimidation) in pursuit of our desired aims and if we learn of anyone who does use these unethical methods we will report those individuals to the authorities. Instead, we will use the guarantees found in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms that ensure freedom of legal speech and expression. By PTI: New Delhi, Sep 11 (PTI) Union minister Kiren Rijiju has described the nature of the Ministry of Home Affairs as "restrictive", saying it cannot even take credit of the good work it does, and has to take "blame for everything". He said there is vast difference in the functioning of MHA and other ministries like External Affairs or Power, where interactions with media is very common and regular to share information related to relations with foreign countries and electrification of villages or homes. advertisement "But in MHA, we cannot disclose what we are doing. We cannot even take credit for something good we have done. Because the nature of MHA is restrictive. But we have to take blame for everything," the MoS Home Affairs said at a seminar here last evening. People often ask about various initiatives being undertaken by MHA, but ministers and bureaucrats working with it cannot give a definitive answer due to various compulsions even if they know that the work has already been done, Rijiju said. "Because MHAs work is different," he added. Internal security is the primary responsibility of MHA and organisations like Intelligence Bureau, National Investigation Agency, Bureau of Immigration, seven paramilitary forces like CRPF, BSF, CISF function under it. PTI ACB GVS RG GVS --- ENDS --- One person played Taps on her trumpet to signal the start of the 1st annual September 11 Disneyland Memorial Walk dedicated to honoring firefighters who lost their lives on 9/11 that took place in Downtown Disney. The event, organized by members of the Main Street Fire Station 1955 social group (named after the Disneyland fire station), was set up on social media using Facebook. It was billed as a way to honor the 343 firefighters and others who lost their lives that fateful day. We just decided as a group to do it, said John Sarno, an EMT from Sacramento, who comes down to visit Disneyland with the group several times a year. The walk attracted nearly 400 people. It started in Downtown Disney, near the ESPN Zone. From there they walked out of Downtown Disney, around the front of the Disneyland Hotel entrance out to Walnut Street, then south to Katella, east to Disneyland Drive, then north entering back into Downtown Disney after rounding the Paradise Pier Hotel on the 2.5 mile trek Besides organizing the walk Sarnos, and his wife Leslee, and others in the social group, had T-shirts made for the event. Many of the nearly 400 people taking part purchased the shirts, for $30. All the proceeds from the sales and donations are going to a charity in New York for scholarships for the families of those who lost their lives, Sarno said. Many taking part in the walk knew someone who paid the price on 9/11, including Andrea Guerrero of San Dimas. My adopted brother was a firefighter in Greenwich Village, she said. I was just waking up when it happened that day, then later on I got the call from his Battalion Chief that he was inside one of the buildings when it fell. Tears welled up in Guerreros eyes as she described her brother, Gregory Thomas Saucedo of Ladder 5 Company in the New York Fire Department. Knowing him, he would have been one of the first people to run in and save people. Contact the writer: meades@scng.com or follow on twitter @markaeades MECCA, Saudi Arabia Close to 2 million people from around the world Saturday began performing the first rites of the Islamic hajj pilgrimage, which calls for entering into a state of physical and spiritual purity and circling the cube-shaped Kaaba with their palms facing upward in supplication and prayer. Notably absent this year are Iranian pilgrims. Last year, some 64,000 Iranians took part in the hajj, but disputes with the Saudi government prompted Tehran to bar its citizens from taking part this year. Saudi Arabia has blamed Iranian officials for the decision and suggests it was politically motivated to publicly pressure the kingdom. Iran says Saudi incompetence caused a crush and stampede during last years hajj that killed more than 460 of its citizens. On Friday, thousands of Iranians marched through the streets of Tehran and other Iranian cities to protest Saudi Arabia, chanting prayers against the kingdoms Sunni rulers after midday prayers. The hajj is one of the worlds largest pilgrimages. It draws the faithful to the holy city of Mecca and areas around it for five intense days of rituals and prayers aimed at erasing past sins and drawing Muslims closer to God. All Muslims are required to perform the pilgrimage once in their lifetime. LAGUNA BEACH Marianna Hof was sorting meat at the Laguna Food Pantry when a tall, blond man next to her burst into tears. Im so embarrassed, he told her, holding his hands to cover his face. Hof hugged him and listened. He told her his name was Matt. He had just lost his job in the computer software industry. He was married and had three sons: a freshman in high school, a senior and one in college. The family lived in Irvine and he was afraid he might lose his home. He told Hof he had been looking for a job but had found nothing He was desperate to feed his family. Hof, 74, a volunteer at the pantry, tried to reassure him and lift his spirits. This is just a fun place and we welcome anyone who comes through the door, Hof recalled saying to him. He liked that and it seemed to set him straight again. I was so worried, I didnt think I would be able to feed my family, he told Hof. This looks wonderful. For more than a year, Matt came to the pantry every week to stock up. Then, one day, told Hof hed found a job and thanked her for all her support and kindness. I felt like that is why we exist, Hof said. To help them recover and move them along in their lives. Matt is just one of nearly 20,000 people a year who shop for free food at the pantry. What she does Six days a week for the past seven years, Hof, of Lake Forest, is at the pantry in Laguna Canyon at 7 a.m. She says the early morning routine is one she has had all of her life, and caring for people who need help is what Hof has done for most of her life. As a librarian and branch manager in Newport Beach and Costa Mesa, she empowered community members who needed extra help by developing homework programs after school and persuading tutors from local community colleges to volunteer. Hof, now on the pantrys board of directors, said volunteering is a sort of tonic she needs. She sorts food, stocks shelves and greets every shopper. She helps people and gives tips on life; in return, she says, the work keeps her older body limber. About 70 percent of the shoppers speak Spanish, so it gives Hof, who is fluent, an opportunity to use it. It also helps make shoppers who cant quite navigate English feel more comfortable. Sonia Perez, 43, who lives in Mission Viejo, is one of these. She was born in Guatemala. When she was old enough to work, family members taught her to sew and cook. For nine years, Perez worked in a clothing factory where her small salary helped her parents support the family. She came to the United States at age 26, and found a job cooking at a small market in Mission Viejo. She then went to work at Del Taco, where she met her husband, Natanael, who works the graveyard shift at Stater Bros. Together the couple have a blended family of six children and, despite their hard work, making ends meet isnt easy. Perez has been a pantry shopper for four years. Hof noticed Perez because of her beautiful smile and the energy she brings to the pantry. Sunshine is everywhere in the pantry when shes here, Hof said. Her warmth is palpable. But for Perez, Hof has been the one who brought sunshine back to her life. She makes me feel so welcome, Perez said. Shes helped introduce me and my family to eat more healthfully and shes taught me new ways of cooking and flavoring the food. Perez said the food from the pantry has helped her pay bills and made life easier. Its also made her and her family healthier. Before, when I shopped for food at grocery stores, I could only buy rice, peanut butter, pasta, cereal and milk, she said. I didnt think I could spend money on fresh fruit and vegetables. Those were a luxury. Here at the pantry, I can get both. Korey Jorgenson, a retired Laguna Beach doctor who is the pantrys executive director, said Hof is uniquely equipped for the pantry. She is bright, educated and devoted to helping people less fortunate, he said. Marianna radiates a kind regard for our shoppers with her welcoming demeanor, and when she has to set limits on the amount people take from our shelves, she does so with a smile and a total lack of judgment. We are so lucky to have her on our board and on our staff. Early inspiration Hof grew up in Fresno. Her father, a plant manager for U.S. Steel, belonged to the local Rotary Club. Much of Fresno was based around agriculture and, each year at Christmas, Hofs father and his fellow Rotarians would go to the shanty towns and bring food and gifts to the migrant workers who tended crops. I remember my father coming home and telling me what about the conditions he experienced when he went out there and just crying, she said. Id never seen my father cry before. He ran a plant with 150 steel workers. As an impressionable 12-year-old, I remember thinking, This is serious, its important and I need to pay attention. It was the seminal moment that changed my life. Hofs parents sent her to Orme School in Arizona. Her parents thought the ranch-style setting where Hof slept in a bunk bed, did chores and wore jeans, would be a good introduction for a girl growing up in the late 1950s to learn independence. And it did. Two years into studying international relations at Scripps College in Claremont, Hof grew restless. An adviser told her about a new program called the Peace Corps. At 20, in 1962, Hof was among the first women Peace Corps volunteers to go oversees. It was like, bring it on, Hof recalled, smiling about her experience. Hof first went to Bogota, Colombia, then to Baranquilla, where she initiated and supervised the construction of a five-room schoolhouse. She became the liaison between the community and the government. Two years later, the school was built and later named in her honor. Hof returned to the U.S, married her Peace Corps partner and went back to college at USC to finish her degree in Spanish. The couple moved to New York, where her husband began a career at the United Nations. Hof, then mother of two young children, completed a masters degree in library sciences at St. Johns University and took a job as a librarian at the Oyster Bay Library. Her marriage broke up and she and her children returned to California. She also had a new man in her life, David Reydel, who moved with her. The couple opened an independent bookstore in Mission Viejo called Odyssey Book Company. The store held on for five years until a book chain moved down the street and drove it out of business. Hof fell back on her library skills and landed a job as reference librarian at the for Orange County Public Library in Laguna Beach where she worked until 1990, Then she became branch manager in Costa Mesa Library and worked there until 1997. She was awarded Orange County Woman of Achievement in 1992. Making it human It was partly her love for Laguna Beach and its community that ultimately brought her to the food pantry after she retired from the Laguna Beach library. She wanted to stay connected to the many people shed served over the years. At least 25 percent of shoppers live, work or go to school in Laguna Beach. A lot of people find it difficult to come to the pantry, said Andy Siegenfeld, who has volunteered at the pantry for at least 12 years and has worked with Hof. Some of these people have given to charity themselves and now fallen on difficult times. Marianna embraces the clients and makes them feel safe. She treats them with incredible dignity and makes it a human experience. To Hof, doing what she does seems natural and right. Its really unexplainable, she said. It makes me so very happy. Theres a lightness in my spirit. Its a sort of satisfaction at the end of the day when I lay my head down on the pillow and think I was helpful in this life. Its a quiet inner fulfillment. Contact the writer: 714-796-2254 or eritchie@ocregister.com or on Twitter:@lagunaini The same qualities that make libraries ideal for studying and reading unfettered public access, quiet corners and nooks, minimal interaction with other people also make them appealing places to shoot up heroin, librarians are finding. In Norfolk, Virginia, a 47-year-old man died after a patron found him in a library restroom. In Batesville, Ind., and New Brunswick, N.J., police revived others in library restrooms using a popular overdose antidote. The body of a homeless man who frequented the Oak Park Public Library in suburban Chicago might have been there for days, fully clothed and slumped on the toilet in a restroom on the quiet third floor, before a maintenance worker unlocked it on a Monday morning in April and discovered his inglorious demise. The empty syringe and lighter in his pockets and the cut soda can in the trash pointed to the cause, an accidental heroin overdose. On both a personal and a professional level, we were all very shocked and of course worried about how this could happen in our spaces, said executive director David Seleb, who fired the security company responsible for clearing the library before closing. The countrys heroin and painkiller problem has produced public overdoses in many places, including restaurants, gas stations, alleys and even hospitals, but the inherent attributes of public libraries leave them especially exposed. Theyre free and open for whoever walks in, and lingering is welcome, no transaction or interaction required. People need to know that this is happening everywhere and that public libraries havent done anything wrong to cause it to happen in public libraries, said Josie Parker, director of the Ann Arbor District Library in Michigan. Her library already had removed bathroom ceilings and toilet tanks where people could hide drugs and restroom entrances that could be locked changes made over a decade ago to curb cocaine trafficking, Parker said. She raised drug-abuse concerns again in 2014 when officials were discussing a proposed park next to the library. Though unpleasant, starting a public discussion about drug and alcohol abuse observed at the library spurred a beneficial community response, Parker said. These days, police routinely walk through the library, and social workers set up shop there, checking in with folks. All that, Parker said, strips away some anonymity. Anonymity allows people to do things they wouldnt do otherwise in public places, she said, and if you can take away anonymity, you can help change behavior. In Ohio, peace officers from Toledos library system are being trained to help the sheriffs Drug Abuse Response Team. Bostons libraries have needle drop boxes and have offered overdose prevention training for employees and residents. At the Humboldt County Library in Eureka, California, a librarian turned life-saver when she realized a man apparently sleeping in a chair was actually unresponsive, his lips turning blue. Health officials had provided the overdose antidote naloxone often known by the brand name Narcan for the library, so librarian Kitty Yancheff injected it into the mans leg, then into a still-limp arm before he gurgled and fluttered his eyes. I felt grateful that we had this Narcan on hand and that we were able to save his life, but it was kind of surreal, said Yancheff, the librarys public services division manager. It was also a bit ironic, considering Yancheff had given a presentation titled Librarians as First Responders during a conference years earlier. She was talking about how libraries increasingly provide non-traditional services, such as job-search help and de facto daytime sheltering for the homeless; she hadnt figured on overdose rescue becoming part of the job. Many librarians dont go that far, turning instead to emergency responders or security staff. The American Library Association encourages librarians to get training on interacting with special populations, such as drug users and the homeless, but stresses the importance of partnering with groups such as police and social workers, said Julie Todaro, the associations president. Clearly when you have the epidemic that we have and the issues with the patrons that we have, we need to organize assistance, she said. That doesnt mean we ourselves provide it. Elin Sarkissian, Tony Saatlou and their 2-year-old son, James, began their recent visit to Disneyland with a line. But the line wasnt for a ride; it was for security. These days, the esplanade just outside the Happiest Place on Earth is populated with rows of green canopies under which uniformed men and women greet visitors. While theyre greeting, the men and women also sift through visitor bags and peek into visitors baby strollers, looking for things that might kill. After the bag check, Sarkissian, 29, emptied her pockets and pushed her stroller through yet another layer of security a metal detector. Weve always heard Disneyland is a target for terrorists, she said. Actually, every place is. RELATED STORY 9/11 changed everything, right? Depends on whom you ask Theme parks, ballparks, airports several billion visits have been recorded at such places since 9/11, and security inspections such as the one at Disneyland have become numbingly routine. Its probably the element of life people most associate with the post-terror world. The only surprise is how long it took for Disneyland to be as visible about security as it is now. After 9/11, the company successfully lobbied Congress to make the air space above Disneyland and Walt Disney World in Florida no fly zones. But metal detectors and bomb-sniffing dog, and more uniformed officers from Anaheim police and more plain-clothes guards from Disneyland, didnt come until late last year, after the terror attack in San Bernardino. Sarkissian and Saatlou remember when security didnt seem like an issue at the Anaheim park. Before 9/11, Saatlou recalls buying a ticket and entering through a gate. There was nothing; no security or anything, said Saatlou, 39. Sarkissian, holding James, said the delay wasnt a problem. When you have kids, you dont mind the wait. On the 15th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, we remember those who were lost, and those whose lives were forever changed on that fateful day. But we also look back on our actions in response to the attack, particularly our military involvement throughout the Middle East, and cannot help but wonder if it truly has served American interests or accomplished the goals that were set out. To examine one small piece of this complex puzzle, consider the use and abuse of all of the military weapons and equipment we have flooded the region with during that time. In the 14 years following the 9/11 attacks, the U.S. sent nearly 1.5 million small arms worth about $2.2 billion to Iraq and Afghanistan, according to Action on Armed Violence, a London-based international research and advocacy organization. That is more than 2.5 times the combined number of members in the Iraqi and Afghan military forces. This might not be overly troubling, except for the militarys penchant for losing weapons, even to the terrorist groups it is intended to combat. In many instances over the past two years, U.S.-advised forces in [Iraq and Afghanistan] have engaged in protracted clashes with terrorists equipped with captured caches of U.S. small arms, as well as U.S. tanks, artillery and armored personnel carriers, a recent Center for Public Integrity article observed. According to a July 2014 report from the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction, the Pentagon could not account for 43 percent of the 474,823 serial numbers for weapons and equipment provided to the Afghan National Security Forces over the previous decade. Without confidence in the Afghan governments ability to account for or properly dispose of these weapons, SIGAR is concerned that they could be obtained by insurgents and pose additional risks to Afghan civilians and the [Afghan National Security Forces], the report noted. The problem is hardly restricted to Iraq and Afghanistan, either. In March, the Los Angeles Times ran an article with the headline In Syria, militias armed by the Pentagon fight those armed by the CIA. Such clashes [highlight] how little control U.S. intelligence officers and military planners have over the groups they have financed and trained in the bitter five-year-old civil war, the Times reported. Nevertheless, the Obama administration relaunched a program to arm and train Syrian rebel fighters, a program that had been suspended in the fall after a string of embarrassing setbacks which included recruits being ambushed and handing over much of their U.S.-issued ammunition and trucks to an al-Qaida affiliate, it noted. Far from bringing unity and stability to the region, our military interventions and arms shipments to foreign governments have oftentimes served to fan the flames of tribal, local or regional conflicts and make them more deadly and destructive. This only brings more instability and fosters greater acrimony toward the United States and, thus, greater security threats. Regardless of who wins the presidential election, the next administration should take this into account when considering engaging in new wars or continuing existing military actions. Byron Lev watches in awe as a Who Song and Larrys bartender pours a fruity vodka concoction over a skull-shaped cotton candy blob inside a Pop Rocks-rimmed martini glass. As the liquor dissolves the puffy, baby blue confection, the new cocktail Skull Candy comes to life. Anytime you can do something different, youre way ahead of everyone else, Lev said of the magical bar beverage. Friendly service, fun atmosphere and inventive foods are what make Who Song and Larrys a favorite hangout for Lev and his wife, Lynda. The couple, who live nearby in Orange, have been die-hard fans of the eatery since Cypress-based Real Mex Restaurants converted the former Acapulco restaurant to the Mexican gastropub in 2014. Since then, the indie concept has been one of the few bright spots in the companys large Mexican dining portfolio. Sales at Who Song are up 27 percent this year, following a 30 percent increase in 2015. With its global decor and funky fusion menu, the laid back eatery could be a future brand leader for the long-troubled Real Mex. But for now, the Southern California company is focused on fixing its bread-and-butter brands of the past: El Torito, Chevys Fresh Mex and Acapulco. The reboot of its three core chains is the third attempt since the nations largest operator of full-service Mexican restaurants emerged from bankruptcy in 2012. Chief Executive Bryan Lockwood, the companys fourth CEO in five years, is leading the latest overhaul by remodeling 22 of the companys 114 restaurants. Two new looks were unveiled last month at a Chevys in Northridge and an Acapulco in Downey. An El Torito in Redondo Beach is slated for a redesign this fall. Food updates are in play with revamps of El Toritos happy hour and Las Brisas patio menu in Laguna Beach. We spent over $5 million in these restaurants to realize our vision. These restaurants will provide a test case for how we move forward, Lockwood said. Broken Promises Since taking the helm last year, Lockwood said hes not dwelling on the broken promises of his predecessors. In 2014, then-CEO Charly Robinson said Real Mex would invest $20 million overhauling El Torito, Chevys, El Torito Grill, Acapulco and Las Brisas. If Who Song and Larrys is successful, more conversions would likely follow, he told the Register in 2014. He also planned to convert an El Torito in Santa Barbara to a Las Brisas. Who Song conversions never materialized, and the Santa Barbara El Torito eventually closed. In 2015, Robinson was replaced by Lockwood, a 35-year industry veteran known as a turnaround specialist. When asked about his predecessors list of ideas, he hesitated. I dont know if any of those things were ever done, he said. No matter. His focus is on the future. We dont spend much time these days looking backwards at Real Mex. We have a big wide view in front of us, he said. The View: Grow or die off The opening of Chevys in Northridge is a milestone for Real Mex. The 200-seat prototype signals Real Mexs next big move after years of downsizing: expansion. It is the first new restaurant the company has opened since 2007. After 12 months of positive same-store sales, Real Mex also plans to double in size by acquiring a new concept. Lockwood is scouting any type of chain from fine dining to fast casual. Hell even consider a non-Mexican niche brand. The only thing off the table? QSR is not our sweet spot, Lockwood said of the industry term for quick service restaurant or fast food. In a statement, the company said the ideal brand would have annual sales ranging from $100 million to $300 million. Of particular interest are brands appealing to millennials, a generation of future spenders coveted by all industries. Buying a fast casual chain could be a good bet. In 2015, fast casual chains dominated by brands such as Panera Bread and Chipotle Mexican Grill saw sales grow 11.4 percent. Thats nearly double the growth rate of any other dining segment, according to Technomic, a market research firm in Chicago. Industry watchers say growth is key to survival for casual dining, where concepts have struggled to stay relevant amid the onslaught of contemporary and chef-driven brands entering the market. If youre not growing, youre dying off, Technomic President Darren Tristano said. How real is Real Mexs turnaround? Industry watchers say expansion and capital expenditures at Real Mex represent a major about-face for the company, whose recent same-store sales boost has been achieved by shuttering poor performing restaurants. At the end of 2015, Real Mex operated 109 Chevys, Acapulco and El Torito restaurants compared with 135 in 2012, according to Technomic. As of September, those core chains account for 105 of the companys 114 restaurants. Though same-store sales are up, Lockwood declined to say by how much. The storyline with Real Mex has been closures, said Tristano. When youre closing under-performing stores, your sales will increase because (customers) will go to other stores and drive sales at those stores. The reality is overall revenues at Real Mex are plummeting. In 2015, the three core brands generated sales of $289.4 million, down $77.1 million from 2012, according to Technomic. Lockwood said Real Mex is not in the business of closing restaurants before leases expire. As 30- to 40-year-old leases come to an end, he said Real Mex has made the tough decision not to renew. The decision may be mutual between the landlord and the tenant, and there are a variety of reasons why the marketplace is unfavorable for continuing operations, he said. Such was the case of an Acapulco in Stanton, which closed its Beach Boulevard location earlier this year. After such a long run, you end up in a less-desirable spot. We stuck it out to the bitter end, Lockwood said. Other closures have been bittersweet. The company recently bid goodbye to El Paso Cantina, a 42-year fixture in Torrance. Lockwood said negotiations to renew the lease with the landlord failed. We could not inspire the landlord to invest in the facility. Brand-by-brand fixes Over the last year, Lockwood and his new executive team have spent much of their time making restaurant fixes to remind diners that each food brand was born out of the kitchen table not a conference room. At Acapulco and Chevys, the main problem is image. Acapulco is meant to transport diners to the beach. But instead Real Mex ran it like it was from Glendale, Lockwood said. The refreshening of the 11-unit Acapulco chain started last month in Downey with a remodel of a 27-year-old restaurant. The Mexican Riviera inspired redesign features new tile floors, a fireplace in the dining room, an indoor-outdoor bar area with ceiling fans and bright aqua booths. New dishes on the menu include chimichurri poke tacos, pozole and crab and shrimp enchiladas. At the new Chevys in Northridge the goal is rejuvenating the chains fresh-Mex roots. The restaurant includes an exhibition tortilla station, modern furniture and colorful artwork showcasing its made from scratch ethos. Chevys is also testing brunch in two Bay Area locations. For the companys most mature brand, El Torito, the focus has been on enhancing programs that made the chain one of the hottest concepts of the 1970s and 1980s. Last year, dated hotel-style buffet service was eliminated in favor of exhibition food stations that include a build-your-own burrito and taco bar, a seafood station, a bananas flambe dessert bar, and low-table area for kids. We deconstructed the entire brunch experience. Its not just a walk-along buffet, Lockwood said. So far, the changes have worked. Brunch sales, year to date, are up 19 percent at El Torito, Lockwood said. In mid-summer, 50 El Torito restaurants rolled out nine new items to its famed happy hour menu, including buffalo wings, carnitas sliders and hard shell chorizo and potato tacos. Prices are $4, $5 and $6 with happy hour starting an hour early at 3 p.m. In the fall, the El Torito in Redondo Beach will unveil a redesigned dining room and cantina; A Woodland Hills restaurant is slated for the next makeover. Tweaks have not been limited to Real Mexs chains. This summer, the restaurant introduced a new patio menu at Las Brisas, considered the companys crown jewel with its panoramic ocean views. Not surprising, Johannes Bernau, the edgy corporate chef for Who Song, was tasked to jazz up the menu with dishes like charred artichoke hearts and ahi tuna tacos served with shells made of fried rice paper. The improved patio menu is the first step in overhauling Las Brisas, long criticized for its cramped dining room and mediocre menu. Lockwood said plans are in the works to reconfigure the entire space from the bar to the bathrooms. The goal is to get every seat facing the ocean, he said. It was very tired and dated, and were doing everything we can do improve the relevance of food and drink, he said. Remodeling is vital for older brands, Tristano said. A brand refresh can lift overall sales anywhere from 8 to 14 percent, he said. Casual dining fights for survival Real Mex joins a fray of casual dining chains seeking relevance among diners who have traded down to counter-service chains with a reputation for serving higher quality foods at lower prices. Its a risky endeavor. In May, Glendale-based Applebees, owned by IHOP parent DineEquity, bet big on hand-cut wood fired steaks to reverse sagging sales. The company invested more than $75 million installing wood-fired grills at 2,000 restaurants. But industry watchers say Applebees failed to emphasize the value of the USDA choice steak in early marketing campaigns causing the experiment to fizzle. Applebees has fallen behind its peers on its value positioning, Maxim Group analyst Stephen Anderson wrote in a recent investor report. Tristano said they went too far with the upscale steak images, scaring away customers. For the second quarter ended June 30, Applebees domestic same-store sales decreased 4.2 percent. Ultimately, trend watchers say diners seek unique experiences when dining out whether its fast food or fine dining. Thats why Lockwood sees potential in Who Song and Larrys, whose playful menu includes roasting a whole pig every Tuesday. But for now, Real Mex has no immediate plans to develop the concept, he said. Perhaps, loyal customer Byron Lev, 66, can change Lockwoods mind. When he pulls into the parking lot at Who Song and Larrys at his usual time, Lev says he knows his favorite drink is waiting for him at the bar. This is home. Contact the writer: nluna@ocregister.com SANTA ANA Police are seeking a suspect in a shooting outside a liquor store in north Santa Ana late Saturday. A man struck another man in the head with a beer bottle in a parking lot on the 2200 block of North Fairview Street around 10:50 p.m., Santa Ana Police Department Cmdr. Jeffrey Smith said. The man who was struck retrieved a weapon from his car and shot the other man twice in the lower torso and was last seen fleeing eastbound on Trask Avenue in a white mini pickup truck, Smith said. There was no robbery were aware of. Simply a fight in the parking lot that turned violent, Smith said. We havent determined if its gang-related or not. The shooting victim was transported to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Police did not have a description of the suspect on Sunday morning and ask anyone with information to call 714-834-4211. Contact the writer: 714-796-7762 or jkwong@ocregister.com or on Twitter: @JessicaGKwong NGKF Capital Markets has completed the $30 million sale of Oakbrook Plaza, a 119,927-square-foot multitenant Class A office building in Laguna Hills. The building was 79 percent leased by 28 tenants at the close of escrow and is located directly off I-5. Paul Jones, Kevin Shannon, Robert Griffith and Blake Bokosky of NGKF Capital Markets represented the seller, Lincoln Advisory Group, an affiliate of Lincoln Property Co., on behalf of a public pension fund. The buyer, an affiliate of New York-based Angelo Gordon & Co., represented itself. A joint venture between Dolphin Partners of Irvine, Bixby Bridge Capital of Northbrook, Ill., and Quantum Capital of Phoenix has closed on an 11,000-acre master-planned community in Buckeye, Ariz. The sale was for a reported $80 million, which represents the largest land purchase in the area since the housing market downturn of 2008, according to a statement by the companies. Kevin Pitts, president of Dolphin Partners, said the master-planned community, called Tartesso, will have more than 41,000 homes at full buildout. The sellers were Stardust Holdings and a related charitable foundation. Stardust Holdings and its affiliated foundation were represented by Nathan & Associates of Scottsdale. Faris Lee Investments, a retail advisory and investment sales firm in Irvine, has completed the $13.69 million sale of a property, also in Irvine. The property consists of two, single-tenant restaurant buildings that are leased to Mimis Cafe and Islands. The sale marks the highest price per square foot of $1,088 and lowest cap rate of 3.56 percent over the past five years for a multitenant retail property sold in excess of $10 million in Orange County, according to CoStar records. Jeff Conover, senior managing director with Faris Lee, represented the seller, Irvine-based VR Irvine Pad. The buyer, Wesco Properties, was represented by Tony Dorn of Beitler Commercial Realty Services in Irvine. Coldwell Banker Commercial Advisors Orange County completed the $3.545 million sale of the Orange Plaza retail strip center in Long Beach to a private, all-cash buyer. Daniel Tyner and Scott Hook represented the seller in this transaction. The Orange office of Lee & Associates has closed a $525,465 lease deal for 5,296 square feet of office space at 300 S. Harbor Blvd. The Bank of America Tower of Anaheim is nearing 80 percent occupancy as modernizing renovations get underway. The tower, a 121,835-square-foot, 10-story office building in downtown Anaheim, will feature an outdoor courtyard seating/collaboration area, free Wi-Fi, on-site management and 24-hour security. The team of Marshal Vogt, Jonmark Fabiano, Erik Thompson and Jaimeson Hearne represented the landlord, KF Properties, in the lease to Onward Engineering and Axsun. PEOPLE IN REAL ESTATE Camille Renshaw has been hired as head of the Institutional Group at Ten-X, , the parent company of Auction.com. She will be based in the companys New York office. Renshaws arrival at Ten-X is the latest in a series of executive additions to the companys commercial real estate division. Last month, real estate executive Eric Paulsen joined the company as a senior vice president for business development; he was followed by marketing executive Maureen Waters, who assumed the role of chief marketing officer for the division. GOOD WORKS Westar Associates, a real estate development and management company in Costa Mesa, has donated $5,000 to the Orange County Fire Authority Department Benevolent Association. Westar also recently donated $10,000 to the Orange County Sheriffs Department. The company has developed and acquired 55 properties totaling more than 5.6 million square feet, valued in excess of $1.2 billion. Send executive promotions, property transactions, good works and milestones to sgowen@ocregister.com. Testimony in 2011 by an Orange County sheriffs deputy contradicts the argument by local prosecutors that they didnt know the extent of the Sheriffs Departments efforts to gain jail informants, the defense attorney for mass killer Scott Dekraai said Thursday. In a 25-page legal brief, Assistant Public Defender Scott Sanders wrote that prosecutors were feigning ignorance of the sheriffs informant-recruiting efforts. Sanders pointed to an exchange between Assistant District Attorney Ebrahim Baytieh and Deputy Seth Tunstall in a 2011 murder trial. Baytieh asks Tunstall, Did you develop informants within the jail facility who were housed at your jail during the period that you were working? Tunstall responds, Yes. Yet the same deputy responded no years later when asked virtually the same question by Sanders in the case of Dekraai, who gunned down eight people at a Seal Beach salon in 2011. Tunstall is one of two deputies who Superior Court Judge Thomas Goethals said had lied or withheld evidence, leading the judge to toss the District Attorneys Office from the Dekraai penalty trial in March 2015. That ruling is under appeal, with oral arguments set to be heard Oct. 17. Officials from the District Attorneys Office said Friday they were still reviewing Sanders brief but added that they have always known about the legal informant activities. Sanders says prosecutors knew the truth about deputies efforts to recruit and use informants, but later reacted with shock when secret notes kept by deputies surfaced, detailing the deputies efforts. Sanders brief was filed in an effort to gain access to more than 1,000 pages of secret notes, now in the custody of the court and the District Attorneys Office. As the Court reviews the (notes) and listens to arguments from the OCDA and OCSD about why portions of it should be withheld from Dekraai, the Court should view those arguments with skepticism, he wrote. Contact the writer: tsaavedra@scng.com By PTI: Jaipur, Sep 10 (PTI) CPI(M) today attacked the NDA government over its relations with the US, saying the Narendra Modi-led dispensation has established India as a junior partner of America at the global level which will have serious implications on our relations with China and Pakistan. "Indo-US ties now give an impression that India is a junior partner of America. Due to this, Indias image as a leader of developing countries has suffered a setback," CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury told reporters at a press conference here. advertisement He also alleged that Indias policies to allow foreign direct investment (FDI) in various sectors was for the US companies "which will have serious implications on labourers". Yechury slammed the Modi government over the joint Indo-US naval exercise "Malabar", held near South China sea in which Japan also participated, saying, "it gave wrong signals to our neighbours". "It is like the US has given Jaagirdari of South Asia to India. This will have serious implications, be it our relations with China or to have a dialogue to resolve the issues in Kashmir. The relations of Pakistan with the US are well known and this will have its impact on Indias efforts in Kashmir," he said. Asked about the present situation in Kashmir, Yechury said, the government did nothing. "Under our pressure, the government agreed to send a delegation of parliamentarians to Kashmir. Dialogue is the only process to resolve the issue there, but the government is not taking any initiative on its own," he said. PTI SDA SMJ --- ENDS --- Green Beret Aaron Anderson ignores the ever-present pain in his leg from an explosion in Afghanistan, leans across the table at Canters Deli in Los Angeles and looks President Barack Obama in the eye. Youre damned if you do and youre damned if you dont, the veteran tells his lunch partner of dialing down U.S. troops in the Middle East. Were at a unique place in history. Pandoras box is opened. That lunch was more than two years ago. Yet on the 15th anniversary of 9/11, others deeply involved in its aftermath echo Andersons assessment. The legacy of jet planes killing 2,996 mothers, fathers, sisters and brothers, and Americas response, are as confusing and complex as they are troubling. Nothing about the tragedy is pure except, perhaps, tragedy itself. The 21st centurys version of Pearl Harbor lit the fuse for Americas longest war, a war that stretches to the battlefields of Iraq, Afghanistan and now Syria. It continues to have vast repercussions, including a refugee population unseen since World War II. It witnessed the killing of terrorist mastermind Osama bin Laden and led to the near-demise and later the resurgence of the Taliban. It gave birth to a new horror, Islamic State. It forged a chain of events that built the hope for Arab Spring, and it witnessed the brutal demise of that hope. It changed America from a country where we once kissed loved ones goodbye as they boarded planes to a guardian nation of swiped badges, electronic screening and secret surveillance. We may be safer. But it also created a world in which Muslims understandably feel compelled to differentiate themselves from terrorists. It brought out our patriotism and inspired tens of thousands of young Americans to enlist, including Anderson, who joined the Army only months after 9/11. Yet it also took the lives of tens of thousands of people in the Middle East as well as some 7,000 American men and women in uniform. Still, 9/11 brought out our goodness, our love and our humanity. LIFE NEAR GROUND ZERO Jim Ranck, a distinguished professor of physiology at State University of New York Downstate Medical Center, has been a New Yorker for decades and lives blocks from Ground Zero. But even after 15 years, the loss of human life remains so painful he avoids the area whenever possible. Rancks wife, Helen, died six months ago. An author, she was so overcome she avoided looking at the ruins and especially the sky above that for many is an ethereal killing ground of murdered souls. If she crossed a street, Helen Ranck looked the other way. If she was in a taxi, she closed her eyes. Its hard to put a word on it, Jim Ranck says, grasping to explain the emotions. The memory of the horror of it he adds, his voice trailing off. Jim Ranck never has visited the new memorial, nor has he been to One World Trade Center that towers above. I understand. I went to kindergarten and graduate school in New York and walked the roof of one of the towers a few years before it crumbled in a cloud of debris and dust. I visited the site only months after 9/11 and several times after that. The twin reflecting pools with waterfalls, each an acre, are solemn and elegant. You cant help but be deeply moved. Still, nothing compares to the raw emotion of witnessing the smoky ruins, the thousands of snapshots of victims that families clipped to a chain-link fence. We like our memorials clean. But 9/11 was ugly, searing, scarring. Regardless, there is some comfort in memorials, and on this day, the 15th anniversary, cities from Huntington Beach to the East Coast will unveil plaques, statues and sculptures to remember the dead. In Huntington Beach, there will be a flyover. In Fallbrook, there will be a stair climb honoring the 343 fallen members of the New York Fire Department. In Manhattan, there will be six moments of silence to mark the moments when the twin towers were struck and when each one fell, when the Pentagon was hit and when Flight 93 went down in Pennsylvania. Like the car washes of 15 years ago to raise funds for survivors and the Stars and Stripes held high to remind us that America was still strong, the memorials are a tactile statement: Never again. But is that promise possible in a global village at war with itself? FROM AL-QAIDA TO ISIS Even after two terms with George W. Bush as president and another nearly eight years with Obama in office, the president of the United States cant figure out whether to pull back, pull out or throw more troops at the Mideast. The only thing the president and the Department of Defense seem to agree on is that they like drones. UCLA professor James Gelvin has lived in Lebanon and Syria and his books include The Modern Middle East and Al-Qaeda and Anarchism. His upcoming book is titled The New Middle East. Gelvin joins a slew of experts across the planet in criticizing how the U.S. handled 9/11. Understand, 9/11 presented a series of choices, he says. We responded in the most self-destructive way we could. We launched a global war on terrorism, Gelvin says, and rhetorically asks, How do you declare war on a tactic? Worse, the professor explains, keeping peace in the Mideast requires balance. By destroying a stable government in Iraq, the U.S. created a disastrous imbalance and destabilized the entire region. We werent attacked by Iraq, Gelvin says. We were attacked by al-Qaida. It was a totally unjustified war of choice. There was no reason to do that. We created a big vacuum right in the Middle East. Eventually, ISIS was born out of that vacuum. Gelvin draws a line from al-Qaida to Islamic State but differentiates the pair. The latter, he says, fits the definition of a criminal organization. He ticks off: redemption through violence, treating women as objects of pleasure. The value theyre embracing, he says, is a criminal subculture. During a wide-ranging discussion, I ask if there is a connection between Islamic State and the San Bernardino massacre that took 14 civilian lives last December. Gelvin draws an indirect line from Islamic State to the Dec. 2 tragedy and calls one of the killers, Tashfeen Malik, psychopathic. At the time, the FBI echoed Gelvin and called the shootings the worst terrorist action in America since 9/11. Before Malik died in a hail of bullets, agents say, she pledged allegiance to Islamic State. In a way, the bloodshed was predictable yet unpreventable. Fewer than five months before the shootings, FBI Director James Comey prophesied, Increasingly, young women (are) drawn to that siren song thats buzzing on their Twitter feed that this is some sort of wonderland where they can live a life of glory in the caliphate. MOURNING FOR 15 YEARS Tom Frost stares at a memorial in Rancho Santa Margarita that honors his daughter, -, a 22-year-old college student who died when her plane was piloted into one of the twin towers. The memorial includes an oak tree and a brick-and-mortar cairn with a plaque. Inside the monument is a tin with a cutting of Lisas baby hair. Dad points out, Her DNA. It may seem like an odd statement, one without significance. But before investigators found traces of Lisa Frosts body at Ground Zero a herculean if not miraculous feat her baby hair was all her parents had left. Fifteen years ago, the tree was a sapling. Today, it is a strapping shade tree. But the hurt of the father is nearly the same. It may partly explain why Frost, 63, runs six days a week, 5 miles at a stretch. He has raced 9/11 Heroes Run to honor those who sacrificed 15 years ago. He has run Tunnel to Towers, following the path of Firefighter Stephen Siller, who strapped on 60 pounds of gear and made his way through the Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel before he entered the inferno known as the twin towers. Today, Frost will repeat Sillers run in Newport Beach. In the afternoon, he will speak at his daughters memorial and give out toys that mourners placed 15 years ago. I wanted to show the community that they gave to my daughter, Frost explains. This lets the community give back to kids that werent even around then. Still, for Frost and hundreds of others who lost friends and family in 9/11, the anniversary brings a mixture of deep personal loss, massive public attention and anxiety. No matter how hard survivors try to stay in the shadows, every anniversary means confronting ubiquitous articles like this one TV documentaries and questions from strangers. For Frost, the tension of facing the date started several months ago. He isnt on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. The retired Southern California Edison worker explains, Im just the average, normal Joe. Still, Frost has witnessed firsthand how the media chronicle deeply personal family struggles only because the person is related to a 9/11 victim. Talking to groups, Frost says, is different. In those situations, he finds some comfort, some solace. I know Lisas story has made it around the world, the father says. Thats just so humbling to me. Its in private where Frosts heart opens. In his condo in Laguna Woods, he feels his daughters goodness as he grasps a charred, partly melted, fist-sized chunk of the World Trade Center. On the back its inscribed, Lisa Anne Frost. At a diner in Beaumont, Frost finds himself talking to a woman who shares that her son was killed in Iraq. Suddenly, he bursts into sobs. FINDING HOPE IN ASHES Before meeting Obama, Anderson attempted to return to duty but realized his wounds could endanger his band of brothers. Instead, he created the Green Beret Foundation to help wounded warriors and went on to earn his bachelors degree at UC Irvine. Today, he is married, has a 4-year-old son, is a floor trader at Pimco and is gearing up for his masters in business administration. Still, 9/11, the war and the pain are always there. At night, he cant help but double-check that his home is secure. I ask Anderson what he would say if he could go back and talk to the young Aaron, who enlisted after 9/11. Dont be so quick to beat your drum, the veteran says, without knowing more about the situation. Were a society built on instant gratification, Anderson cautions. What weve done is try to nation-build, but some people (in the Middle East) are living in times that are biblical. Anderson suggests this anniversary is a time to think and learn. He says Americas salvation is that were much more reflective as a nation than most other nations. We can take responsibility for our actions. The wounded warrior sees a bright future for the U.S. I truly believe things will work out. Gelvin, however, examines the Middle East and finds little hope. The Middle East is in real trouble, the UCLA professor says and hes not just talking about warfare. Health care and education are terrible in most countries, he notes. Global warming is going to decimate the region. The difficulty for the U.S. in trying to help the Middle East is that America, in truth, only has its military to effect meaningful change. Gelvin says, We dont nation-build. In lower Manhattan, Ranck works with a physical therapist to overcome a recent stroke. Fifteen years after he and his wife experienced the horror of the World Trade Center collapsing, he, too, ponders the legacy of 9/11. I think, he says, its more about life goes on. Rancks conclusion isnt earth-changing. At first, it may hardly seem worth mentioning. But when you think about it, its inspiring. It captures what every person in the twin towers, the Pentagon and on Flight 93 wanted in his final moments more than anything. Life. Contact the writer: dwhiting@scng.com For many of us who came of age before September 11, 2001, little has been more depressing than the sight of our initial upsurge of unity and optimism giving way over time to the unparalleled cynicism, pessimism and political division of today. Its not that Americas the worst its ever been far from it. Rather, 15 years after 9/11, the problem is how little hope we have that our political leaders will try to unite the country and work together in the same way we saw in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and a plane that ended up crashed in a Pennsylvania field. Yet, we desperately need a truly united America as much today as we did then. This years Gallup survey of national pride an indicator the pollster has measured for 15 years running showed American sentiments bottoming out, with patriotic feelings hitting an all-time low. Just 52 percent of respondents said theyre extremely proud to be American, a 5 percent drop in only three years, and a drastic drop of 22 percent since 2003, the uneasy, divided year of the Iraq invasion. In a country that now seems carved up by door-slamming disputes over race, immigration, national security, policing and politics, ABC News recently concluded, people impelled by the spirit of common purpose after Sept. 11 rue how much it has slipped away. What happened? Politicians are now rewarded for extremism the hard Left pulls Democratic candidates further in its direction while the hard Right pulls Republicans to it. President Obama demonizes and vilifies Republicans in Congress while Republicans in Congress blame the president for every problem facing the nation. Compromise, bipartisanship and moderation have little to no place in Washington today. And if you think the mood is dark among the pre-9/11 generation, think about those too young to have any memory of life before politics started to go awry. Perhaps predictably, its younger Americans who have suffered the greatest disillusionment. But the numbers still have the power to shock. In 2003, fully 60 percent of respondents aged 18 to 29 told Gallup that they were extremely proud of their country. Today, its no more than 34 percent. To be blunt, the U.S. has lost about half of its most patriotic young people. This past decades creeping collapse of confidence in Americas leadership has been chalked up to extremist anger or those simply left behind by progress and change a dangerous mistake for todays class of all-too-comfortable leaders to make. To be sure, a sweeping sense that America is still on the wrong track correlates strongly with our loss of national pride. The last time national satisfaction attained a majority, according to Gallup, was in January 2004, when 69 percent were extremely proud to be an American [and] 55 percent of Americans were satisfied with the way things were going in the U.S. Since 2007, satisfaction has stayed at or below 30 percent, with current figures coming in at just 29 percent. Theres little doubt that Americas youngest voting generations have a lot to complain about, from education and the lack of job opportunities to personal and public debt and beyond. Yet, thats hardly the whole story. The key to understanding the problem revealed in the polls is recognizing how dissatisfied Americas young adults have become in spite of the broad social and cultural trends that continue to move their way often dramatically. For years, especially on civil liberties issues, young Americans have led the way on habits, mores and values, and theyre not about to slow down. But despite these potent gains, theyre still all too rarely proud of their countrys path. The signal that Americas politicians need to pick up on is not that weve raised generations of entitled whiners, stuck in childhood and impossible to please. Its that organic social change doesnt compensate for their failure to reform policy at anywhere near the same pace. Elected officials are not driving cultural change and they barely even embrace it. Instead, they are abdicating their duties of public policy and leaving many of the toughest decisions to the courts. While American culture has grown vibrant and dynamic, our political system has grown brittle, our bureaucracies stagnant and our vision of the future cloudy. Some young Americans, whatever their class or education, take one look at that picture and choose to drop out of civic life until better days come around. But many dont, and many more would jump at the chance to participate if a few good officials showed an ounce of initiative in applying dynamic, up-to-date thinking to our stale and stubborn national challenges. And the only thing stopping a change is an old guard that wrongly imagines that it doesnt need to change its thinking. But look on the bright side: Give it a few more election cycles and we will see a generational shift of leaders willing to take on the tough challenges and embrace the future. Sadly, 15 years after 9/11, that has yet to happen. When terrorists sought to divide our nation by hijacking and flying airplanes into the Pentagon and two of the nations most iconic towers, we responded with unity, purpose and resolve. Let this anniversary be a reminder that our country is best when it stands together. Brian Calle is the opinion editor for the Southern California News Group. SAN FRANCISCO When ex-Stanford University swimmer Brock Turner became a registered sex offender for life Tuesday, he joined a nationwide list of registered sex criminals that has grown dramatically in recent years to more than 800,000. Even some who have denounced Turners six-month jail sentence as too lenient for sexually assaulting an unconscious woman question whether he should spend his life with the stigma and onerous restrictions of a registered sex offender. They join a growing number of defense attorneys, advocates and judges who are questioning the fairness of applying lifetime, blanket restrictions to expanding definitions of sex crimes that frequently treat first-time offenders the same as serial rapists. In California, Florida, South Carolina and Alabama, its impossible for people convicted of any sex crime to be removed from the online registries showing their pictures, addresses, convictions and probation details. Offenders have been turned into victims themselves when they are targeted in vigilante attacks or cant find jobs or places to live, critics say. Stanford University law professor Michele Dauber, who lambasted Turners sentence as too lenient and is leading a campaign to oust the judge who imposed it, said requiring the 21-year-old man to be registered as a sex offender until he dies may be too harsh. No one should be defined by their worst decision for the rest of their life, Dauber said in an interview. Deciding who should be removed, which cases or crimes should qualify would require thoughtful legislation, a fair process and, of course, an unbiased judge. Advocates for sex crime victims insist that lifetime registries make the public safer by preventing offender recidivism and giving citizens and police access to crucial information on the whereabouts of sex offenders and where they are prohibited from going like schools and other areas frequented by children.. Sex offender registries are an important part of the criminal justice system, said Staca Shehan of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Registries assist law enforcement and the public to keep track of the locations of convicted sex offenders. Democrats and journalists clamoring for the release of Donald Trumps tax returns are curious, rightly so, about numerous aspects of Trumps finances, including how much money he managed to skim off the top of the real estate seminars he grandiosely named Trump University. Judging by the Clintons tax returns, that dollar figure could be yuge. It turns out theres a lot of dough in for-profit education just not for the students. And if The Donald made out anywhere near as good as Bill and Hillary did at the same racket, he made quite a haul. Four years ago, in a required government ethics form, then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton listed outside income from a for-profit outfit called Laureate International Universities. How much income? It was hard to say. Mrs. Clinton merely checked a box indicating that the amount exceeded $1,000. A year ago, when Bill Clinton announced 12 days before his wifes campaign officially launched that he was ending his five-year stint as an honorary chancellor for Laureate, the Clintons still refused to say how much hed been paid for this part-time gig. Thanks to tax returns released by Hillary Clintons campaign, we know: $17.6 million. That would be dodgy enough on its own, but theres more. Lets start with the ever-present Clinton Foundation connection. Douglas Becker, Laureates owner, contributed between $1 million and $5 million to the family foundation. So what, if anything, did Becker get in return? Peter Schweizer, author of Clinton Cash, learned that the International Youth Foundation, a nonprofit chaired by Becker, was awarded tens of millions of dollars in State Department grants at the time Mrs. Clinton ran the agency. Clintons campaign spokesman called this another false allegation in a book that is fast being debunked, adding that the IYF was first supported by the Bush administration and its funding was cut when Hillary went to State. Actually, Bloomberg News revealed that in 2009, the year before Bill hooked up with Laureate, Beckers nonprofit received $9 million in grants from the State Department. By 2012, this figure was $25.5 million. Perhaps the International Youth Foundation is doing great work and deserved this money. Thats why the Clintons shouldnt be money-grubbing. Avoiding the appearance of a conflict of interest isnt some quaint nicety. Its what gives Americans confidence their government is on the up-and-up. But confidence is not the feeling you get when Laureate arises in the Clinton email scandal with Hillary proposing that Doug Becker who Bill likes a lot be invited to an official dinner. The Obama administration would have gone on the warpath against other for-profit college chains even if the Clintons werent involved personally in this industry, right? But is it cynical to notice that in doing so they were knocking off Laureates competition? On Tuesday, the Obama administration killed another for-profit chain of colleges, ITT Technical Institute. No trial was held to prove the governments allegations of fraud; no appeal process was allowed. The Department of Education simply cut ITT off from the student loan program, while demanding $250 million from the company in collateral. These steps, designed to obliterate ITT, succeeded. With enrollment declining, the companys stock price in free-fall, and no funding stream available to new students, ITT abruptly closed all 40 campuses. State and federal regulators insisted they were acting on behalf of low-income students who were pressured to attend these predatory schools and were promised more in the way of job placement than was delivered. If the administration was acting on principle, its an expensive one: 40,000 ITT students were instantly put in limbo, 8,000 employees were put on the street, and the U.S. taxpayers are on the hook for an estimated $500 million bill if those students default on their government-backed loans. This continues a pattern, as the list of for-profit colleges closed or crippled by the government mounts: Corinthian Colleges, Career Education Corp., DeVry Education Group, even the Marinello Schools of Beauty are out of business. The Santa Ana-based cosmetology chain had 56 campuses nationwide, most of them in California, with 4,300 students and 800 employees. In each case, the for-profit schools complained about a lack of due process. They had a point, which is not the same as saying that these companies were blameless. ITT was mass-producing fraudulent high school diplomas that made its students eligible for federal student loans; Corinthian used high-pressure recruiting tactics and fudged on its job placement rates; Marinello was accused by six whistle-blowers who had been company executives of providing subpar instruction. If they load students up with debt for programs that dont lead to good-paying jobs, students and taxpayers should not be the only ones left holding the bag, Hillary Clinton said while campaigning in New Hampshire. Invoking her opponent, she added, He is trying to scam America the way he scammed all those people at Trump University! So surely, its a coincidence that the administration Mrs. Clinton served in never went after Laureate International Universities even though Laureates flagship school, an online entity called Walden University, was accused of the same high-pressure sales techniques and tuition gouging as those put out of business. A 2015 Brookings Institution study identified Walden as one of the for-profits with one of the highest student debt loads. Two dozen Walden students told NBC News they felt victimized by the school. We pursued [degrees] because we wanted to be successful and not be put in poverty, said a woman named Sondra Beall-Davis, who owes over $200,000 in loans incurred at Walden. Now youve taken me from a successful career to poverty. Laureate, however, was left unmolested by the Obama administration. Perhaps this is a coincidence. But I think that if Laureates young scholars study crony capitalism, this example would be a perfect case study. Carl M. Cannon is executive editor and Washington Bureau chief of RealClearPolitics. Please allow ads as they help fund our trusted local news content. Kindly add us to your ad blocker whitelist. If you want further access to Ireland's best local journalism, consider contributing and/or subscribing to our free daily Newsletter . Support our mission and join our community now. Portarlington Autism awareness campaigner Edel Shaw is in the final four of the national Calor Community Champion 2012 Awards. Portarlington Autism awareness campaigner Edel Shaw is in the final four of the national Calor Community Champion 2012 Awards. Online voting made for a nailbiting finish last Monday, but an impressive 3,504 votes was just enough to gain her a spot in the final. The secretary of LOFFA (Laois and Offaly Families for Autism), was thrilled with the response from the Port community and LOFFA members. It was amazing, I did not expect that level of support. A few people were reminding everybody to vote, especially Jackie Maher who nominated me, I am particularly grateful to her, she said. Six finalists including two judges wildcards were announced last Monday, who will now face a judging panel led by TV and radio presenter Hector OhEochagain and Micheal O Muircheartaigh. I hope I can represent LOFFA well, Edel said. The overall winner will be announced next Monday, September 3, and if it is Edel, LOFFA will get a 7,500 boost as her chosen charity. It would be brilliant to win, I would be very honoured. The money would go directly to more therapies and services to families who need it. Funding is critical, we get no money except through the generosity of local people, she said. She also would receive 1,500 as a personal award but plans to donate that to the autism school in Kildare where her son Jack (9) is a pupil. Saplings has just got recognition from the Department of Education but we still have to part-fund it. The Diocese of Kildare and Leighlin have donated the old Kill primary school and parents are renovating it, she said. LOFFA help over 280 families of children and adults in the autism spectrum, providing support, funding therapies, See www.loffa.ie for more. Agricultural News Looking Forward- Dan Basse Sees Strong Corn and Soybean Exports and Decent Cow Calf Margins Ahead Dan Basse is the President of AgResource Company- and he says that he and his team analyize the ag markets here in the latter part of 2016- they wonder "Who is going to flinch first?" "Is it your neighbor that's going to cut back? Is it you?" the analyst asked, as he addressed cattle feeders and allied industry representatives at the Feeding Quality Forum last month. The world has added 179 million crop acres during the last decade, and livestock production is currently in a "dynamic expansionary phase," Basse said. Ethanol demand has matured and a strong U.S. dollar hurts global competition. "If you want to get bullish in American agriculture, the thing that you want to see is a drop in the U.S. dollar," he said. "The problem is, the United States is the reserve currency, almost by default, these days." Yet even with more production from predicted record yields and stocks-to-use ratios, "the story for grains is not all that bad," he said. South American drought hurt that region's corn yields before rainfall at 250% to 400% of normal hampered soybean production. That will bode well for U.S. exports. "I worry that we don't have enough capacity," Basse said, noting the U.S. can move about 600 million bushels combined of corn, soybeans and wheat each month through its current infrastructure. "There are going to be months that we don't have enough capacity to export everything the world wants." That creates a strong signal to cattle feeders, he said. "You've got to be prepared for basis appreciation because there's going to be a big sucking sound down at the Gulf. That sucking sound is the export demand sopping up bushels, and you can only hope that farmers will be willing to sell them." Basse suggested corn will average around $3.40/bushel, and if it dips below $3.25, feeders "want to be a long-term buyer." AgResource predicts average soybean prices around $9.43/bushel, with lows around $9.25. "We've lived through $3 corn and $1.10 or $1.20 cattle before. That's not something that's new," he said. "What's new is that our cost structure is out of whack." Input prices are still relatively high and farm incomes have decreased the last four years, down to the lowest levels since 2001. "Low prices don't mean the same for everybody," Basse said. Places like Argentina and Russia have weak currency, which bolsters their position in the marketplace. "In the ag world, there are two different things that cause us to have anxiety," Basse said. "No. 1 is weather, which is always changeable and difficult. No. 2 is policy." He explained, using Argentina as a case study. When Mauricio Macri was elected in December, his goal was to eliminate export taxes on most agricultural products. Argentinian farmers were paying taxes in the 27% to 35% range: "The next day, you don't have to pay a tax at all - how are you going to feel?" Farmers there are making $400/acre more this year compared to last. That's a big contrast to the U.S. "This is the first year you went to the fields and planted corn and soybeans looking at sizable losses," Basse said, noting his team estimates a $70/acre deficit. "Policy has to get involved here for the grain farmer to stop farming." There is tempered optimism in the beef business, however. Cow-calf margins are down, but Basse still predicts a profit of $100 per head out into 2017. "When I look at annual feeding margins, it's getting better, but, boy, it's been a tough road," he said. "The good news is that per-capita meat consumption in the United States is rising again. We've seen price starting to stimulate more consumption of beef." Basse said the futures in August were undervalued by about $10. "We are not advocating strong hedging, unless you have the margin in the cattle market as we sit," he said. He predicted a first quarter cash-cattle price in the "mid-120s," noting, "It's not a big rally, but it's something." Looking ahead to global factors and maintaining a competitive edge, Basse said producers need to keep improving their cattle, because the rest of the world is on it. "If I go give this speech to Rockhampton in Australia, they're feeding more grain than they've ever seen before. Argentinians are putting in feedlots and they're going to be plowing up their Pampas where their cattle have been grazing," he said. "We'll see the shift, more grain being fed and more focus on marbling and quality than before." The title "grain-fed" alone will not hold the same distinction in another decade, he said. The forums held in Grand Island, Neb., and Amarillo, Texas, drew more than 200. They were co-sponsored by Roto-mix, Feedlot magazine, Micronutrients, Zoetis and Certified Angus Beef LLC (CAB). To review the slides used by Basse at this year's event, click here. Source- Certified Angus Beef LLC WebReadyTM Powered by WireReady NSI Top Agricultural News By PTI: New Delhi, Sep 10 (PTI) Ministers of the Modi government will criss-cross the globe in the next three months as part of an outreach programme that will cover 68 countries to achieve the target of NDA ministers having visited all the 192 nations with which India has diplomatic relations. Home Minister Rajnath Singh will travel to Hungary, which is among the countries not visited by any minister in the Modi government. advertisement Apart from Singh, Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad will visit Estonia and Latvia and Chemical and Fertiliser Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar will be heading to Tongo, while BJP ally Lok Janshakti Party leader and Food Minister Ram Vilas Paswan has been assigned to travel to Mauritius. The entire exercise is likely to be over by the year end. Noting that by 2016-end, the government will not leave any country where Indian Ministers have not gone, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, in letters to the ministers, said her Ministry has identified 68 nations yet to be visited by them. She has also conveyed that all the interactions in the visiting countries will be arranged by the respective ambassadors and, in case a minister was interested in visiting certain places in those countries, their itinerary will be made accordingly. The aim of the visits, which is part of governments massive outreach programme, is to enhance bilateral ties and explore areas of cooperation, official sources said. PTI KR PYK SK --- ENDS --- This was the low point in a string of low points for dishonorably discharged Pfc. David Mike. He had gotten his hands on some LSD in the Leavenworth prison. The same substance that got him there. It was his first hit since he was cuffed, charged with deserting the Army and peddling LSD and Ecstasy in 1989, and sent here, to Leavenworth, Kansas, to serve a five-year sentence. That night, hours after scoring the drug, Mike received a letter from his father, written a few days earlier for his sons parole board hearing. The letter stated that he would stake his job, his career, his reputation and his life on the fact that I would never do anything like that ever again the same day I took (LSD) again, Mike said. It was the gut punch he needed to quit. The guilt and the shame and all of the things I had done had just built up on me, he said. At this point, I had been really far from God. It took another year in prison, but at the valley of his depression, Mike found God on the radio. In his cell, he heard a sermon that preached grace and forgiveness. Mike realized that I didnt have to live with that anymore, he said. If I had my identity in Christ, then I would not need to be identified as a convicted felon, as a dishonorable discharge, a soldier or a drug dealer. All the things in my past would be washed away. Mike hasnt done drugs since then. He doesnt drink. Hes clean. He has a wife, kids, a career and a life where he doesnt need to be on the run as he was back then. But without that letter, that radio program, who knows? He needed a turning point. And now, at 46, he hopes his story can be a turning point for someone else. Mike has spent the past three years writing his story, first on a blog and now in a book, which he self-published last month. Dishonor: One Soldiers Journey from Desertion to Redemption became a top-five best-seller on Amazon.com in Army Biographies, a top-10 best-seller in Christian Inspiration and a top-100 new release overall for books on the website. Mikes story starts in Louisiana. The son of a career military father and the oldest boy in a family with three Air Force siblings, Mike always saw the service as his calling. He was the kid in junior ROTC programs in high school. He was the one who, when the military barbershop botched his haircut, started cutting it himself, and did so for his fellow soldiers, too. He liked being a soldier. But on weekends away from Fort Polk, Louisiana, he and friends went to dance clubs in nearby cities. Thats where, after a breakup brought on depression, he started taking Ecstasy. I just couldnt get enough of it, he said. I dont know if addiction is the right word, but all the depression and sadness basically went away. It got to the point where I was taking it every single night. Then he started dealing it in the club to get it for free. Later he would drive 3 hours to Houston to get it. Soon he was arrested for possession. He avoided jail by working as an informant. It was a chance to get clean, but a chance he didnt take. He kept using and he kept selling. Eventually he left his post and fled to Houston. No one knew where he was, but they knew that he was AWOL and that both the (military police) and the Houston police were looking for him, said Milaka Falk, who hung out with Mike in Texas at the time. It scared me to think of this frail guy on the run. He seemed so desperate and lost. Mike bleached his hair and tried to blend into civilian life. While his unit deployed to Panama, he was busy selling, peddling drugs closer and closer to Fort Polk, tempting fate until, finally, he was caught. After his arrest he was placed in the barracks to await court-martial, but he fled again, this time to Dallas. Eventually the Army persuaded him to turn himself in. At his court-martial his dad told the story of a kid with a strong upbringing. A good soul gone wayward. He wasnt like this evil, evil person that was torturing little animals, it wasnt like that at all, said his father, David J. Mike. He was a good kid, he was a really good kid. I was trying to portray that part in the court-martial. Because of that, he was able to be rehabilitated. Mike was convicted of possession and distribution of MDMA, distribution of LSD and absence without leave, lowered from the initial charge of desertion. The sentence: five years in Leavenworth, forfeiture of pay and rank, and dishonorable discharge from the military. He spent three years inside the prison before parole. In that time, something changed. His fathers letter jarred him, and the sermon hit him right in the heart at a vulnerable time. War had broken out in the Middle East. While he was behind bars, his former comrades were fighting for their country. For his country. He started reading Scripture again and devoured other inspirational religious books. He went through prison-mandated rehab. He stopped lamenting what he had done. And he started to build for what would come next. Mike searched for jobs in the outside world. His dad, who had then moved to Omaha after being stationed in Germany, helped him fill out paperwork and find a career after prison. One of those feelers was a collect call to Capitol School of Hairstyling & Esthetics. The kid who rejected the Army barber haircuts, donned hip hairstyles in dance clubs and bleached it to go incognito as an AWOL drug dealer would now cut mens and womens hair for a living. And he would teach would-be stylists to do the same. Twenty-four years later, hes still an instructor at the school. I have a freaking awesome life, Mike said. He lives in Millard with his wife and three daughters, who are 16, 14 and 6. He works a second job at Target and serves on the leadership team at his church, Finding Life, in Ralston. The kid he was back then, he said, feels like a totally different person from the smiling, energetic David Mike today. Im so proud of him, his father said. I cant put it into words. Mike didnt write this book to immortalize his story. He wrote it hoping it might help people like him, who were dealing with guilt and shame from their past, to find the same solace in God that he did. And it might. Between the blog hes been writing for three years at dilemmamike.com, a few Facebook groups and a 750-person book launch group, he has already heard from several people who said his story has affected them. One woman, whose nephew is locked in Leavenworth, plans to send a copy to the prison. Mike also heard from Falk, the woman who knew him back in the Texas dance clubs. She and Mike were never close. But when the boy she called DaveMike disappeared, her mother and her Bible study prayed for him. Years later, when Falk found God, she prayed, too, off and on until the day she found Mike in a Facebook group. They talked about his journey, her prayers and how they came true. She cried. He was blown away. That really weighed heavy on my heart, Mike said. Thats when I realized this was pretty serious stuff and I need to get this story out there. Shiela Bywaters is one tough cookie. She owns weapons, rides 1,200-pound horses and cares for her ailing dad, a former wrangler who used to break racehorses. And she raises her daughter, now a college student, to be just as strong. She would need all of that fortitude a year ago this month when four teens including the son of former Nebraska State Treasurer Shane Osborn barreled into her home near 122nd Street and West Dodge Road. Chaos ensued. In mama-bear mode, Bywaters shoved one intruder to keep him from her daughter. He punched her in the chest. She kept pushing back until, finally, he lowered his shoulder and rammed her down a flight of stairs. A concussion and a nearly-broken back later, Bywaters survived that night. And then, in court this week, the plucky 52-year-old did the strongest thing she could: She forgave the teens, one by one, calmly telling them she hopes they straighten out their lives. I hate seeing them get prison, Bywaters said. I mean, I understand why. They caused a lot of pain and heartache. But in order to rehabilitate yourself, you have to be forgiven. I wanted them to know that. Bywaters wasnt the only forgiving soul in court Thursday. In the bizarre crime spree which saw Osborns son wearing a rainbow-colored wig of dreadlocks the same group of teens had broken into another house less than an hour before they ransacked Bywaters home. That Sept. 3, 2015, evening, the other homeowner, Scott Chandler, fought off the group of intruders at his front door near 152nd Street and Bauman Avenue in northwest Omaha. They left but not before smashing the glass of his front door. Like Bywaters, Chandler forgave each teen. He urged them to get faith-based substance-abuse treatment. Douglas County District Judge Horacio Wheelock was a little less forgiving. Wheelock noted that the teens could have come to their senses after their first home invasion. Instead, they doubled down on their crime spree terrorizing Bywaters in her home. There was no excuse for this level of violence, Wheelock told one of the teens. This could have been way worse. The then-18-year-olds shared tenuous bonds. Some attended Douglas County West High School; some, including Osborn, grew up in Norfolk; some met at Boys Town. One teen, Brandon Godden, developed a grudge over a series of texts he had exchanged with Chandlers teenage son. So Godden rallied his friends Avery Osborn, Brandon Nicholls, Erik Griffith and Rolf Ngudia to ambush the younger Chandler. They stopped at Walmart and bought gloves and rags to cover their faces. The teens rang the doorbell at the Chandlers home. Chandler yelled, What are you doing? and blocked the entryway. The young men fled. During the confrontation, Nicholls broke the glass in Chandlers storm door. Instead of realizing the futility of what they were doing, prosecutor Jameson Cantwell said, the teens decided to try to settle another grudge. Bywaters teenage daughter had broken off a relationship with Ngudia the year before. So, led by Ngudia, the boys headed to her house. The teens later told investigators they thought they might find marijuana there. They parked about a block away, climbed on Bywaters garage roof and broke into an upstairs bedroom. From the basement, Bywaters and her then-17-year-old daughter raced upstairs only to be shouted back down by the masked intruders. Bywaters then confronted Godden as he made his way down the stairs. Bywaters said she was shocked but tried to stay calm, fearing for her daughter and her 74-year-old father, who suffers from dementia and was in his upstairs bedroom. So Bywaters played dumb, continually asking, Whats going on here? Godden punched her in the chest. She pushed him back up the stairs. He then bum-rushed her knocking her off her feet and into a low-hanging ceiling over the stairs. She lost consciousness as she fell down seven steps, flat-backing onto a basement landing. Before anything else happened, I was up again, she said. And thats when I really got upset. Im thinking, OK, now were not pretending anymore. Were fighting. Godden, strung out on drugs, kept telling Bywaters daughter, Were not going to hurt you. He then cornered Shiela Bywaters, clenched his fist and punched his hand through a door behind her. Bywaters and her daughter started pushing him up the stairs again. He was pretty mad that he was literally being forced out by two women, Bywaters said. Meanwhile, the other teens were rifling through the house. They stole the daughters backpack, then smashed doors, sliding glass doors and flat-screen TVs. They then took off. Thats when Bywaters daughter channeled her moms pluckiness. She chased after the teens and saw them hop into a gold-colored SUV with distinctive paper license plates with Norfolk on them. She later relayed that vehicle description to police. Meanwhile, Chandlers son gave police Goddens name, noting that he had talked about burglarizing homes before. The next day, Douglas County sheriffs deputies traveled to Norfolk to interview Godden and Griffith at the pizza shop where they worked. As they did, Osborn pulled up in a gold SUV with paper license plates. Inside the SUV: bandannas, a hat with fake dreadlocks and the backpack stolen from Bywaters. You just want to shake them, Bywaters said. If youre going to be a criminal, just dont be so stupid. In court last week, each teen turned and faced Bywaters and Chandler. They all wore sheepish looks as they uttered some variation of Im sorry. The teens all of whom pleaded to felony attempted robbery or burglary charges faced a maximum of 20 or 40 years in prison. Only Osborns parents didnt attend his hearing. Parents and relatives of the other defendants packed the courtroom. The fathers of three defendants cried. One described himself to the judge as a failed father. Avery Osborn, who was the first to fully cooperate with prosecutors, was sentenced to the equivalent of six months in jail and four years of probation. Nicholls was sentenced to two to four years in prison equivalent of one to two years. Ngudia, who led the teens to Bywaters house, was sentenced to six to eight years in prison which is three to four years under state law. Godden was sentenced to eight to 10 years in prison which is cut in half to four to five years. Nicholls voice shook as he noted that he is now a father. Im sorry for breaking into your home and violating your space, he told the victims. I regret it every day. Bywaters said the violation is real. It affects everything, she said. You know those little sounds in the house that just come with a house? You dont have the luxury of ignoring them anymore. Everything has to be investigated. Bywaters praised Douglas County deputies and Omaha police investigators for nabbing all five teens. (Griffith, the fifth teen who stayed in the car during the robberies, is going through a court diversion program.) Bywaters credits her daughter, too. What this really is about is, How are you going to handle it are you going to give into fear from now on? Bywaters said. I wanted to use this bad experience to empower my daughter and make her stronger. Strong enough to forgive. Maybe it will put these guys on the right path, Bywaters said. Maybe they have seen a light. Im not sure. I hope so. Welcome-to-campus comments by University of Nebraska-Lincoln Chancellor Ronnie Green have sparked new discussion of the decades-old campus interplay between free speech and civility. A retired UNL faculty member, David Moshman, criticized some of Greens comments in Moshmans free-speech blog in the Huffington Post. At issue is the tricky balance between freedom of speech on college campuses, where ideas and arguments are supposed to be encouraged, and the demand for diplomacy. Colleges across the nation wrestle with the degree to which free speech, free press, diversity and inclusion can coexist. Some campus administrators say the fine line has been tough to navigate for many years. But one administrator says social media have complicated matters. Theres no manual here on how to do this stuff, said University of Nebraska at Kearney Chancellor Doug Kristensen. Those are tough lines to balance. In a welcoming speech to students last month and a memo to the UNL community, Green described UNLs belief in diversity and inclusion as the way we operate and said they are not negotiable items. He referred to a formal set of beliefs that was newly created by Green, staffers and others: We believe in the freedom of speech, and encourage the expression of ideas and opinions, and we do not tolerate words and actions of hate and disrespect. Moshman, who had been in the UNL College of Education and Human Sciences, said in an interview last week that a university must be clear that it wont censor speech just because someone doesnt like it. Sometimes students dont understand the First Amendment or dont understand academic freedom, said Moshman, a past president of the Academic Freedom Coalition of Nebraska. And they want certain speech to be censored. Moshman objected to the notion that some beliefs are non-negotiable and said it sounded as though Green demanded that everyone believe in diversity. Moshman called himself a liberal who supports diversity, but said people shouldnt be required to believe in it or other tenets. Asserting free speechs importance and in the same sentence saying what wont be tolerated is not a very strong statement of support for free speech, he said. Green said last week he believed the emeritus professor misinterpreted the message. Free speech and academic freedom, he said, are vital. Its what a university does and is, Green said. He said what is not negotiable is his insistence that all voices and perspectives be allowed to be heard. It was taken as just the opposite of what he meant, Green said. The campus community and local feedback have been positive about what he conveyed, Green said. But after the Moshman blog published, some readers across the nation sent Green negative emails and messages, he said. Ronald Krotoszynski, a University of Alabama law professor who tracks free speech conflicts, said there isnt just a line in the sand in this country when it comes to free speech. Its a line in steel, he said, that forbids punishing a person for expressing unpopular or offensive views. He said universities may enter the marketplace of ideas and are entitled to state their values. And its true that if speech becomes genuinely harassing, putting a person in reasonable fear for their safety, that can be forbidden, he said. Moshman agreed, saying harassment that targets an individual with the intention of harm or humiliation is unacceptable. But generally, he said, You have a right to hate and to express that hatred. Green said he had no intention of policing speech on campus. But people shouldnt be singled out and attacked for their views, Green said. There is a line of common decency. UNL Student Regent Spencer Hartman of Imperial, Nebraska, said he heard nothing in the speech that troubled him. None of the students he talked with had problems with it, either, he said. Greens talk really was just a good Nebraska culture speech about what it means to be a student at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, said Hartman, a senior agricultural economics student. I think his speech embodied Nebraska culture, about being a welcoming people. Richard Duncan, an NU law professor, said he generally didnt object to Greens statements. Duncan, who described himself as a libertarian leaning toward conservatism, said Green sent a good message. And the message is that youve got a right to free speech, but you dont have to use it in a way thats uncivil. Hank Bounds, president of the NU system of campuses, said Green was pretty clear in his letter that hes focused on the value of free speech. Dissent has been part of campus life for a long time, the president said. From burning of the flag in the 60s to protests in the 80s to today, Bounds said. Colleges are where new ideas are born and where ideas are debated, he said. At the same time, Bounds said, free speech should be used in a manner that doesnt devolve into something really nasty. Kristensen said students have more social awareness than when he attended UNL in the 1970s. Social media and 24-hour news cycles fuel discussion and controversy, he said. Krotoszynski, Duncan and others said that campus free speech used to be the bailiwick of liberals. But today its often conservatives who fight being shut down on topics such as Christianity, abortion and affirmative action. Some observers see heightened sensitivity on the part of todays students. Students last fall at the University of Missouri, for instance, created a public safe space that, for a time, journalists were forbidden from entering. One faculty member asked for muscle to remove a reporter. Some professors have enacted trigger warnings, where they inform students that material might be traumatic for them. Moshman said in one of his blogs that only one trigger warning is needed: This is college. You will encounter topics, facts, interpretations, ideas, claims, conclusions, metaphors, images, stories, hypotheses, theories and perspectives that upset you. Deal with it. Moshman contrasted Greens comments with those offered by a University of Chicago administrator. That official, John Ellison, wrote that his university doesnt support trigger warnings, safe spaces or disinviting controversial speakers. Students should not retreat from ideas and perspectives at odds with their own, he wrote. Green said he agrees with Ellisons assertion. Green said its fine that some might want safe spaces or trigger warnings, but he doesnt see a need for them. He said he hopes he wouldnt renege on a speaker invitation, as UNL did with William Ayers eight years ago. Ayers, a member of the militant Weather Underground in the 1960s, became a faculty member in Illinois. Krotoszynski said todays students seem particularly sensitive to negative experiences, and confronting new ideas and perspectives can be jarring. I get the sense today that young people dont relish being upset, he said. Green said he doesnt see UNL students as hyper-sensitive. I sense that they are perfectly willing to have good debate and good discussion, Green said. NU law professor Duncan said endorsing free speech, civility and inclusion can lead to interesting challenges. If an LGBT student condemns the Catholic Church as homophobic for its position on homosexual marriage, is that free speech that is embraced by the policy or words of hate and disrespect which are not tolerated? Or both? Lynn Castrianno does two things every September in memory of her brother, Leonard Castrianno, who died in the 9/11 terrorist attacks. The Omahan organizes a volunteer effort to place 3,000 flags at Memorial Park to honor every victim in that terrible national tragedy. Barbara Menning of Hastings, Nebraska, whose nephew James Samuel died in the World Trade Center attack, helps. Castrianno also takes Oreos to the office to share with her co-workers. The flags remind the public of the lives lost and are an opportunity for the community to collectively remember the people who died. The Oreos help Castrianno preserve a good memory of her brother as a person and to share that with other people. My brother had a way of doing things in which he would keep balance in his life, Castrianno said. Leonard Castrianno worked for Cantor Fitzgerald in the World Trade Center, 105 floors up. He was 30 years old when he died. At that time of life, Leonard Castrianno had been working out a lot. He would balance those workouts by eating at Burger King and indulging in milks favorite cookie. Treating co-workers to Oreos each year provides Lynn a lovely memory of Leonard to share, in contrast with the horrendous images of the attacks that took his life and the lives of so many others. Families of 9/11 victims share their grieving and remembering with the nation. Their loss is also personal and private, and their ways of remembering and coping are myriad. Castrianno said she hopes people think of the heroic actions of people to help each other inside the buildings during the national tragedy that occurred 15 years ago today. It doesnt seem possible, Castrianno said. It just seems like yesterday. Today she will go to church. Shell talk with family on the phone. Shell watch 9/11 retrospectives on television. In the days that follow shell quietly do some random acts of kindness, as her brother used to do, remembering him as a person rather than a victim. She hopes the same for all who were lost on 9/11. Every single person who died that day needs to be remembered for who they were, what they left behind, and who they might have been, Castrianno said. A new exhibit, created in Nebraska to honor the 300 New Yorkers who have died in the wars that followed the attacks of 9/11, was unveiled Saturday at the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum in New York City. The Remember the Fallen wall features photographs of the New York men and women killed in Iraq and Afghanistan. The wall is the 19th single-state exhibit that Bill and Evonne Williams, co-founders of Patriotic Productions, have created and it will be their last. The lives lost in war from the remaining states will be honored in a national, traveling Fallen exhibit. By PTI: From Shirish B Pradhan Kathmandu, Sep 11 (PTI) Nepal Prime Minister Prachanda has said he will not sign any controversial deal with India during his visit this week but would lay a "strong foundation" for mutual trust after bilateral ties went through "some bitter experience" over Madhesi stir during his predecessors tenure. The Maoist chief, who became Nepals premier for the second time on August 4 taking the reign of the country from the pro-China K P Oli, said he was taking the four-day visit starting from September 15 as a "challenging opportunity." advertisement "I am confident that the visit (to India) would not only normalise the relations that went through some bitter experience in the recent past, but also build a strong foundation for mutual trust," he told the International Relations and Labour Committee of the Parliament yesterday. Later at an interaction on Indo-Nepal ties organised by Nepal Institute of International Relations, Prachanda said he would like to urge all to let him "take risk as a leader". "A leader should have the privilege to take risk," the 61-year-old new prime minister said, adding that he would not sign any controversial deal with India during the visit. "I urge all the people in the country not to dictate me and let me take risk in favour of our national interest." Soon after he took over, Prachanda sent special envoys to India and China in a bid to improve ties with both countries. He accused Oli government of creating a rift between people from the hills and the plains. "The country cannot be prosperous without strengthening national unity," he said. Prachanda has said disagreements with the Madhesi people - inhabitants of the southern plains who share strong cultural and family bonds with Indians - over the federal boundaries in the new Constitution would be sorted out by mid-October. Nepals ties with India had strained after a months-long border blockade last year by the ethnic minority protesters over the new Constitution, which they claim is discriminatory to their interest. The Oli government accused India of imposing an "unofficial blockade" on the landlocked nation to support the Madhesi demand of more political representation. Prachanda, whose first stint as Nepals premier from 2008 to 2009 came to an end due to disagreement with the military over his attempt to sack the army chief, has three major tasks cut out for him: concluding the peace process, implementing the new Constitution and improving relations with India, according to leading Nepalese daily The Kathmandu Post. advertisement He has long been floating the idea of tripartite cooperation between China-Nepal-India and he believes it could fulfil Nepali peoples aspirations of change and prosperity. Another major area of focus for his government would be ensure reconstruction of Nepal following the devastating earthquake in April last year. Earthquake victims have complained that the Rs 200,000 aid announced by the previous government was insufficient to reconstruct their homes. PTI ABH AKJ ABH --- ENDS --- The presidential debates will not be the only political show to watch in October, as Omaha-area congressional candidates Brad Ashford and Don Bacon prepare to square off at home. Ashford and Bacon have agreed to participate in an Oct. 11 debate sponsored by The World-Herald and Omaha television station KMTV. The one-hour debate will air at 6 p.m. on KMTV and on The World-Heralds website, Omaha.com. Ashford and Bacon are facing off in what is arguably Nebraskas premier race this year. There are no gubernatorial or U.S. Senate races on the ballot. The Omaha-based 2nd District also is a competitive district the only Nebraska congressional district where Democrats are not the total underdogs. Finally, it is a race in which Ashford, a freshman Democratic congressman who toppled former U.S. Rep. Lee Terry two years ago, is vulnerable. It is believed among political observers that the best chance an opposing party has to beat an incumbent is during the lawmakers first term in office. Ashford, 67, is a former state senator and businessman from Omaha, while Bacon, 53, is a retired one-star general from Papillion who is making his first foray into politics after retiring from the U.S. Air Force in 2014. The debate will be held at the KMTV television studio and will not be open to the public. It will include two moderators: Craig Nigrelli, a longtime KMTV news anchor, and Mikel Severe, the host of The World-Heralds online podcast and live radio show called The Bottom Line. It is one of three debates set before the Nov. 8 election. The other two debates: Oct. 14 at noon, Omaha Press Club, sponsored by the League of Women Voters of Greater Omaha. Oct. 19 at 11 a.m., Omaha Community Playhouse, sponsored by the Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce and the KETV television station. Between the two candidates in Legislative District 23, incumbent State Sen. Jerry Johnson is the one with elected experience, having also served as Wahoos mayor. Hes also chairman of the Legislatures Agriculture Committee an important role for the rural district and held a fivefold advantage in cash as of mid-June over his opponent, fellow Republican Bruce Bostelman. Yet it is Johnson who is on the defensive, in some respects, as Bostelman argues that he is the consistent conservative better suited to represent the people of Saunders, Butler and Colfax Counties. Bostelman has won the endorsement of Republican Gov. Pete Ricketts and, in the two-person May primary, earned nearly 600 more votes than Johnson. One of the central campaign debates is whether Johnson properly represented his district in several key votes from the 2015 legislative session votes that put him in opposition to Ricketts. Johnson voted to support a bill to allow a certain category of children of illegal immigrants to legally receive drivers licenses. He then voted to override the governors veto to pass the measure into law. The state senator also voted for a gas tax increase over Ricketts opposition, then voted to override the governors veto to pass the increase into law. Johnson voted to repeal Nebraskas death penalty also in opposition to Ricketts although he later supported the governors veto, which lawmakers overrode even without Johnsons vote. I think hes kind of lost touch with the values of our communities, Bostelman said. But Johnson says he understands the interests of his district. On the drivers license vote, Johnson said ag interests including the Nebraska Cattlemen Association strongly supported the issue, which relates to his legislative district because of the immigrant community and meatpacking industry in Schuyler. Because the bill passed, Johnson said, a number of young people in his district can now legally drive to their ag-related jobs. I felt comfortable that was the right thing to do for my district and the state from the standpoint of the livestock industry, said Johnson, who has a background managing farmer co-ops for 42 years. Johnson said he voted to increase the gas tax because it will allow counties to shift some roads spending away from property taxes and more toward a user tax. And he said he voted to repeal the death penalty after initially hearing from local clergy in support of that position. As the debate continued, Johnson said he heard from more people in the pews and law enforcement who wanted to keep the death penalty. After meeting with Ricketts, Johnson said he decided to vote to uphold his veto and says he has since received the governors thanks three different times for his stance. Johnson said hes disappointed Ricketts endorsed Bostelman. Johnson said the real risk in the election is that the Legislature feels the overreach of an executive branch trying to control who is elected to the legislative branch. Its going to have an effect on the Nebraska Unicameral if this type of action moves forward, Johnson said, and its going to make the body more partisan. On Labor Day, Ricketts and his wife walked with the Bostelman campaign in a Schuyler parade. The Facebook page for the Ricketts campaign also proclaims of Bostelman, He will be a conservative voice in the Nebraska Legislature! On his own campaign page on Facebook, Bostelman features several pictures of Ricketts. Thank you Governor Ricketts for your endorsement, Bostelmans campaign says in one post. Your leadership has provided over $400 million of property tax relief to Nebraskas families. I look forward to the opportunity to work with you to provide additional tax relief, protect the Second Amendment, and advocate for pro-life laws. At the state GOP convention earlier this summer, Ricketts urged members to elect platform Republicans, who will stand up to special interests and lobbyists and stick by their conservative principles. Bostelman said that although he and Ricketts agree on several issues, he would be his own person if elected to the Legislature. Bostelman said he would be the consistent conservative vote that the people of the district want. They want that conservative voice. I have no problem being my own person and acting on behalf of my constituents. Bostelman, who served in the Air Force and now farms near Brainard, lists growing agriculture among his top priorities. Bostelman said he didnt see his position opposing the immigrant drivers license issue as being against agriculture, despite the position of some agricultural interests. If illegal immigrants are working in packing plants, he said, the federal government should find a way to address the issue. In the primary campaign, Johnson was one of three Republican lawmakers targeted by attack mailers from a conservative group called Americans for Prosperity, which billionaire brothers Charles and David Koch have supported. Johnson, who says he considers himself conservative, said he voted 91 percent conservative in the last legislative session, yet still is able to work across party lines. Thats why we get some things done, he said. ******* About the candidates Jerry Johnson Age: 73 Party: Republican Home: Wahoo Occupation: retired farm co-op manager Public offices held: state senator, 2013-present; Wahoo mayor, 2008-12 Education: attended Luther Junior College in Wahoo Family: married; two children Faith: Lutheran Bruce Bostelman Age: 54 Party: Republican Home: Brainard Occupation: farmer, retired Air Force Public offices held: none Education: bachelors degree, Bellevue University Family: married; two children Faith: Lutheran Fifteen years after one of the most vivid and violent days in American history, there is still a debate over what the events of Sept. 11, 2001, actually mean. For some individuals, it is clear enough. They experience horrible, continuing and unrecoverable loss the immense absence of friends and family chosen for death at random or led there by duty. But the place of these events in our national life remains disputed in a way that, say, Pearl Harbor was not. No one accused President Franklin Roosevelt of overreacting to the Imperial Japanese threat. This charge, however, is routinely made in assessing the war against terrorism that America overreacted in the surveillance of citizens; in the pursuit, interrogation and killing of enemy combatants; and in the use of the military to confront emerging threats. After the killing of Osama bin Laden in particular, some in the Obama administration seemed to regard the threat of terrorism as diminished, contained and manageable. This viewpoint while offering important corrections has become dramatically less credible with the collapse of sovereignty at the heart of the Middle East; with ongoing mass atrocities against civilians in Syria; with a refugee crisis that incubates resentment and now shakes the foundations of the European Union; and with the establishment of a physical place a quasi-state that claims to be the Islamic caliphate. And the existence of this faux caliphate, according to security expert Juan Zarate, has rejuvenated (terror) networks in Europe, in Southeast Asia, in the Middle East and elsewhere that were previously suppressed. Clearly, national passivity as a matter of conviction or indecision can also invite serious strategic and moral challenges. Yet this argument against inaction is becoming dated in some respects. President Barack Obama has returned military advisers to Iraq and slowly escalated Americas commitment to the defeat of the Islamic State (there are several thousand U.S. troops now in Iraq and Syria). Progress is being made in significant increments. The effort has been limited and late perhaps too late in Syria but developing this sort of capacity is the correct goal dictated by the correct question: How does America exercise maximum military influence without the risks of invasion and occupation? And the Obama administration has devoted increasing, useful attention to the ideological battle against Islamic extremism. In one respect, the propaganda produced by the Islamic State has a narrow goal produce volunteers to fight for, operate and populate its sad excuse for a caliphate. The effort, at its height, produced perhaps 40,000 foreign recruits. As the chances of dying on terrorist vacation have increased, recruitment has slowed. And efforts to counter Islamic State propaganda have skillfully employed defectors who describe menial work, desperate conditions and disappointed expectations. One response by the Islamic State to military reverses has been to call for terrorist attacks in place claiming that Muslims can demonstrate their fidelity by shooting up a local nightclub or running a truck into a crowd. This approach is not new. But the Islamic State, according to Zarate, has made it a core part of their strategy. In some ways, fighting a geographic caliphate is the kind of thing American does best, applying deadly force with great precision. But disputes about theology and identity are unfamiliar terrain for the American government. Violent Islamists dont require mass appeal. They set out, via social media and the deep web, to exploit the angry, damaged and vulnerable. Identifying the radicalized involves attention to individuals by family members, peers and imams. And it requires an atmosphere of trust between the FBI and the Muslim community. In this context, the argument by the Republican presidential nominee that America is too engaged in the world and too soft on Islam is utterly, dangerously wrong on both counts. When he proposes a religious test at the border, or demonizes Muslim refugees, or calls for the murder of the families of terrorists, he feeds social division, alienates important allies, materially complicates the war on terrorism and puts our country at additional risk. Fifteen years on from 9/11, the main task remains the ideological and religious isolation of the enemy placing them on an island of unholy cruelty. A war of civilizations the war they want will not be won. An OPS minority can silence speech Its a shame that two or three Omaha Public Schools board members can stop extended public comment when people are waiting to speak. This happened at a recent OPS board meeting. Four members present, led by Justin Wayne, voted to allow another hour of speaking time. Only Board President Lou Ann Goding and member Matt Scanlan voted not to extend. They prevailed, meaning 18 people were not permitted to express themselves. If some board members do not want to hear public comments, then at least require a majority vote not to extend speaking times. Voters can decide what to do with members who dont want to listen to them. James Enright, Omaha Why not Kintner? Papillion State Sen. Bill Kintner says it is Gods will that he stay on the job rather than resign after being involved in a cybersex scandal. I dont understand why religious people doubt him. If God can talk to Abraham and Moses, then why cant he talk to Kintner? Don Rhoden, Plattsmouth Whiteclay murder should open our eyes I felt a chill when I saw the Sept. 8 World-Herald article on the beating death of Sherry Wounded Foot in Whiteclay, Nebraska (Death a reason to end beer sales, activists say). Hopefully such a horrific death will help lead to shutting down the liquor stores in Whiteclay. I can only hope that we as a state and as a country will start to show greater concern for the people of the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. Eileen McKinstra, Omaha Call on your conscience Gerald Fitzpatrick, a Sept. 2 Public Pulse writer, believes that since there has been no Ex Cathedra statement against the death penalty, the Catholic Church does not oppose capital punishment. Fitzpatrick is wrong to limit his sense of moral obligation to such statements. The final arbiter of our moral decisions is conscience. And we are obliged to form our conscience not only by reason but by the guidance of the ordinary magisterium of the church, i.e., the teaching of councils, popes and bishops. Papal teaching has become increasingly insistent that state-sponsored death as a penalty is always wrong. And state-sponsored killing of a convict in defense of public safety, while permissible as a last resort, is in our time rarely, if ever, necessary. We must vote to retain the repeal of the death penalty, which the Nebraska Legislature wisely passed in 2015 for the good of all Nebraskans. Marylyn Felion, Omaha One innocent life is one too many A primary argument made by death penalty opponents is the prospect of a state executing innocent people. There is ample evidence that this occurs. The state-ordered death of even one innocent person should make us cringe. However, many people do not realize the horrific cost to innocent lives resulting from the very existence of the death penalty. Take the example of the so-called Beatrice Six. They were innocent of the horrendous crime with which they were charged. Yet some of them plead guilty to some crimes because they had been threatened with the death penalty. Is this what we aspire to as a justice system? One that allows people to spend years of their lives in prison simply because they feared the threat of execution? Would any of us want that fate for a loved one unjustly accused? Nebraskans should aspire to a greater good. Our legislators gave this issue great thought and determined that there is a better way to dole out justice. Life imprisonment is a horrific punishment one that none of us would desire. But at least it gives the convicted person the chance for repentance and redemption. Let us take the high road and vote to retain the abolition of the barbaric, antiquated death penalty. Susan Kuhlmann, Omaha Community needs its center The news that the city has closed the small community center in north Omaha that was operated by the Neighborhood Action and Facts Association is alarming (Neighborhood group president says citys shuttering of community hub after mounting safety issues is unfair, Sept. 7 World-Herald). I have seen over the years a lot of very positive activity in that small enclave for a community that is too often denigrated. At a time when the city is more than willing to grant financial incentives to wealthy individuals and corporations, the reason given for the centers closure makes absolutely no sense. Down the drain goes any opportunity for the city fathers and mothers to help effectuate a positive relationship in a community that has seen an erosion of trust with city government. This action is beneath contempt. Ben Salazar, Omaha Every shift brings risk In 2015, 94 staff members were assaulted by prisoners in Nebraska correctional facilities. This year some corrections workers will be getting a $500 bonus. I think thats fair. People go to work at prisons every day, knowing that there could be a fight that they have to break up. If they get hurt, someone else has to take their place. This is a threat our prison workers face every day. So I think a $500 bonus is only fair. Lester Palencia, David City, Neb. More than two decades of disrespect Weve heard for 25-plus years from Republicans and even some Democrats that Hillary Clinton is a liar. People judge her for staying with her husband. Of course, if she had left him, she also would have been judged. The failed Whitewater investigation cost millions and didnt turn up anything. Now its Benghazi and emails. The level of hatred and disrespect toward Clinton is painful and further erodes the face of what America should be projecting to the world. This candidate is thorough, competent, hard-working, steady, effective and tough (thanks to Republicans and the media). Despite an entire cottage industry dedicated to her destruction, there has never been anything close to an indictment. Hillary Clinton looks presidential to me, just different than her predecessors. Diane Greenfield, Omaha The Sasse shuffle Last month, I attended a meeting hosted by Nebraska U.S. Sen. Ben Sasse in Lexington, Nebraska. After the usual fluff about the great job he was doing in Washington and how he was working for us, he opened up the session to some questions, saying he knew most of them would be of a political nature. The majority of the questions were about his unabashed opposition to Republican nominee Donald Trump. The Ben Sasse shuffle ensued. His answers as to why he opposed Trump ranged from his concerns that Trump would use executive orders like President Barack Obama to pointing out that Sasse had only a single vote and that he would not be voting for either Trump or Hillary Clinton. It appears that the junior senator from Nebraska takes himself very seriously. I suspect he has presidential aspirations. The crux of the matter is that he has hurt the Republican Partys candidate and the country at a time when there is a real threat of European-style liberalism being instituted here. I have financially supported the Republican Party for a number of years. I will no longer do so. Ill send my money to the Trump campaign or his political action committee. I am disgusted with insiders and their brazen disregard for the will of the people. I cant believe their audacity. As for Sasse, I wont forget. I shall not vote for him for a second term. Patrick Breen, Farnam, Neb. Clinton knows bad decisions Hillary Clinton has been running ads saying that we cannot have a president like Donald Trump because we cannot afford one bad decision. Bad decisions like Benghazi, using a private email server while serving as secretary of state or how to run the Clinton Foundation? Paul Cunningham, Omaha A courageous couple The article regarding Feroz Mohmand and Gharghashta Katawazai was both heartwarming and terrifying ( If we tell you what we did, then maybe you will want to hug us, Sept. 4 World-Herald). These two brave individuals have withstood more terror trying to do the right thing in their short lives than most of us who sit here editorializing about whether or not to let women and children into our country. I loved hearing their story and hope they have great success in this country. This is what America stands for. R.S. Schumacher, Omaha To receive once-a-day updates of Omnimystery News posts via email, enter your address: Preview | Powered by FeedBlitz Like and Follow Omnimystery News on Facebook to see more television and film mystery news as well as additional new and discounted mysterebooks! @mysteries Subscribe in a reader APM Terminals Pipavav rules out expansion beyond Gujarat India oi-PTI Mumbai, Sep 11 Private port operator APM Terminals Pipavav is neither looking to expand beyond Gujarat, nor it is that keen on setting up a special economic zone as its peers are doing, a top official said. "If we were to bid for projects on the South or East coast, it will be done by our parent group and not by our company. "Our expansion will be concentrated on the activities within Pipavav or complimentary value added services," the firm's Managing Director Keld Pedersen told PTI. He further said the port, which recently completed a Rs 400-crore capacity expansion, has charted an expansion plan but it will be implemented when certain capacity utilisation milestones are met. "I cannot add capacity with 2 per cent volume growth. There are certain targets which we have set for ourselves... the investment has to happen at the right time," he said, declining to give more details. Pedersen, however, was quick to add that the listed company is fully debt free now, which makes it easier to undertake projects. Meanwhile, even as competition like the largest container port JNPT and the Adani Group-promoted Mundra focus on building special economic zones (SEZs) or free trade zones to help their ports, Pedersen said APM is not interested in this route. "The SEZ may be an enabler for the port business, but the value which it can create is questionable," he explained. On the growing competition amid difficult times for the maritime sector, Pedersen asserted APM Terminals Pipavav is "not that small a port anymore" but a full service port which can take on pressures. Additionally, the Hague-based APM Group, which operates over 70 terminals around the world, already competes with major global ports, he said, hinting that it is used to such pressures. "I do not think everybody (competition) will drop prices just to get business. They have also invested money and will look for ways to recover it like us," he said. Pedersen, however, made it clear that the port will do everything to protect its pre-tax margin of 60 per cent and pointed out that increase in volumes will help in this area. He said the newly started Ro-Ro (roll on-roll off) service for transporting cars is emerging as a good alternative for the mainstay container business, which is passing through difficulties. The company can use the same berths for handling cars. The container handling business contributes around 70 per cent of its total revenues, with the rest split between Ro-Ro, liquid and bulk segments, he said. At present, the port has a 14.5 metre draft, which it feels is sufficient to handle the traffic. Over 70 per cent of the total cargo handling at the port is through the rail route. Asked about the increase in freight rates by the Railways, Pedersen said it is talking to clients and concentrating on deepening its relationships. The dip in Exim trade, another challenge for a port operator, is also countered through deeper stakeholder interactions, which span both the shipping lines as well as trade in the hinterland which is served by the port, Pedersen said. PTI Reacting to queries from the media about Shahabuddin's comments on him where the don turned poltician called him "Paristhitiyon Ka Mukhya Mantri", Nitish said that he was not given mandate by the people of Bihar to react to people like Shahabuddin. By Rohit Kumar Singh: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar finally reacted on Sunday on the tirade that has been launched by dreaded gangster turned politician Shahabuddin soon after his release from Bhagalpur jail. READ: With Shahabuddin back, Siwan's BJP MP says he is on target now Reacting to queries from the media about Shahabuddin's comments on him where the don turned politician called him "Paristhitiyon Ka Mukhya Mantri", Nitish said that he was not given mandate by the people of Bihar to react to people like Shahabuddin. advertisement "I have not been given mandate by the people of the state to react on what people say. Entire world knows why I have been given mandate. Should I go by people's mandate or keep reacting to what a person a saying. I never pay attention to such comments", said a visibly miffed Nitish Kumar. READ: No threat to the Bihar govt, Nitish would complete his full term as CM: Shahabuddin Shahabuddin had on Saturday, soon after hiS release from Bhagalpur jail, attacked the Bihar CM. He had said that he did not consider Nitish as a leader. Shahabuddin said that he was a Lalu loyalist and would remain till his last breath. It was Nitish Kumar who had got Shahabuddin arrested in 2005 soon after becoming CM and dumped him inside the jail. Also read: Siwan strongman Shahabuddin walks out of jail to a hero's welcome, takes a swipe at Nitish Nitish is not my leader, I don't share cordial relation with him: Shahabuddin --- ENDS --- Central team roped in as dengue cases in Bihar rise to over 5000 Bihar's Gopalganj by-poll to see a tough fight between BJP and RJD Arms smuggler held with 534 cartridges, AK-47 magazines India oi-PTI Patna, Sep 11 An arms smuggler was today arrested with 534 cartridges and magazines of AK-47 rifle from a bridge under Beur police station area in Bihar's Patna district. Acting on a tip off, the police carried out searches in vehicles at the bridge and seized 534 cartridges, besides three magazines of AK-47 rifle from a motorcycle, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Manu Maharaj said. Sanjay Kumar, a native of Betauda locality under Beur police station area, was arrested in this connection and his motorbike was also seized, he said. However, two other persons travelling on the bike managed to escape, Maharaj said. The SSP claimed that the accused has "confessed" to his involvement in illicit trade of arms and ammunition and supplying the same to the Maoists in the past. PTI 'Cauvery Supervisory Committee to adhere to final order of tribunal' India oi-PTI New Delhi, Sep 11 The Cauvery Supervisory Committee will strictly adhere to the final order of Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal (CWDT) while deciding on the quantum of the river's water to be released to Tamil Nadu and other states as directed by the Supreme Court, a senior official has said. The Committee, headed by Union Water Resources Secretary Shashi Shekhar, will meet tomorrow to decide on the quantum of Cauvery water to be released to Tamil Nadu and other states. The statement from the official comes in the wake of Karnataka requesting the Centre to send an experts' team to inspect "realities" in Cauvery basin before the Committee passes its order. "We cannot send an inspection team there as that is not part of the SC order. It has specifically said that the Committee has to follow the language of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal (CWDT). So, the Committee will have to go by the letter and spirit of the SC order," the official said. In an interim order on September 5, the apex court had asked Karnataka to release 15,000 cusecs of Cauvery water daily for next 10 days to Tamil Nadu, leading to protests in parts of Karnataka. The court had also directed Tamil Nadu to approach the Supervisory Committee, set up to implement award of CWDT, within three days for the release of Cauvery water as per the final order of Tribunal. Expressing concern over the decision, the Karnataka government had on September 7 written to Union Water Resources Ministry, saying drinking water needs are likely to be "jeopardised" if water is released as directed by Supreme Court from the four reservoirs in the state. In the letter, Karnataka also rued that Supreme Court's order would have been "different" if a report of experts on "ground realities" in the state was made available to it before it gave the interim order. "The matter can be resolved in the long-run until Cauvery Management Board is set up (as suggested by CWDT). But until then, we can not go beyond the orders of Supreme Court," the official said. Chief Secretaries of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala and Puducherry besides officials of Central Water Commission will attend the meeting of the Committee. The apex court will hear the matter again on September 16. PTI Nurse kissed in iconic World War II photo in Times Square dies India oi-PTI New York, Sep 11 Greta Friedman, the woman kissed passionately by an American sailor in the iconic black and white picture taken in Times Square here after the World War II ended in 1945, has died. Friedman, 92, died of pneumonia, her son, Joshua Friedman, said. Friedman had said she was grabbed and kissed by a sailor in a euphoric moment that made for one of the most defining American photos of the 20th century. The black and white image of a woman and an American sailor was shot by the renowned photographer Alfred Eisenstaedt on August 14. 1945, after the news of Japan's surrender effectively heralded the end of World War II. The photograph ran as a full page in Life magazine shortly after. Yet the identity of its subjects a dark-suited sailor and a woman in a white nurse's outfit captured in what seemed to be mid-embrace amid a celebration in Times Square on V-J Day has long been debated. At least 11 men have claimed to have been the sailor in the photo, while three women, including Friedman, had prominent claims that they were the nurse, the New York Times reported. Friedman said that she did not see the photo until the 1960s, when she came upon a book of the Eisenstaedt's images and found the moment immortalised on the page. She wrote to Life and was told that another person had been identified as the woman in the photo. "I didn't believe that because I knew it happened to me," she said in 2005. "It's exactly my figure, and what I wore, and my hairdo especially." "I felt that he was very strong. He was just holding me tight. I'm not sure about the kiss," Friedman had said. "It was just somebody celebrating. It wasn't a romantic event." Eisenstaedt, a photojournalist who produced more than 2,500 picture stories and 90 covers for Life, did not have a definitive record of the man and woman in the photo. Decades later, he met with Edith Shain, a kindergarten teacher from Beverly Hills, California, who claimed to be the woman in the photo. Eisenstaedt died in 1995 while Shain died in 2010. The photo has served as a symbol of the exuberance Americans felt at the end of World War II, capturing what many saw as a charmingly ideal portrait of the US at a portentous moment of history. It has been the subject of countless reproductions, re-enactments and tributes, the Times noted. Friedman did not shy away from the photo or her role in it, her son said, adding that he said he believed she understood the argument that it was an assault but did not necessarily view it that way. Friedman was born Greta Zimmer on June 5, 1924, in Wiener Neustadt, a small town in Austria outside Vienna. She was one of four daughters born to Max Zimmer, a clothing store owner, and Ida Zimmer. Friedman landed in New York City. She had been working at a dentists office on Aug. 14, which was why she was wearing the white nurse's outfit, she had said. PTI Lack of development in J&K for decades was one of the reasons behind rise of terrorism: Rajnath Singh Rajnath meets JK boy who tops BSF exam India oi-PTI New Delhi, Sep 11: Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh today met a youth from Jammu and Kashmir who has topped the examination for assistant commandant in Border Security Force, saying his success story will inspire many in the state. Singh said he was immensely happy to meet Nabel Ahmad Wani, a young man from Udhampur in Jammu and Kashmir, who topped the BSF assistant commandant examination recently. "The success story of Nabeel shows that youths in Jammu and Kashmir have lot of potentials and his success will inspire many young boys and girls in the state," he said. Wani was accompanied by Director General of BSF K K Sharma when he met the Home Minister, who also wished Wani success and bright future in life. The Home Minister also introduced Wani to top officials, including NSA Ajit Doval, Union Home Secretary Rajiv Mehrishi and others, who had come for a meeting with Singh during that time. Wani said that he felt unemployment was the biggest problem being faced by the youth which can only be solved by education. Wani, who is currently serving as a junior engineer in Udhampur, said it was his dream to join the defence forces and serve the country which has now been fulfilled. "The more we get education the better and more jobs we will get. We cannot get education by taking to stones but by holding a pen," Wani said. PTI Sonia chose Manmohan Singh as he posed no threat to her, Rahul Gandhi: Obama Obama on 9/11: Diversity one of America's 'greatest strengths' International oi-PTI Washington, Sep 11: US President Barack Obama today urged Americans on the 15th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks to embrace the nation's diversity and not to allow "terrorists" to divide the country. "Our diversity, our patchwork heritage, is not a weakness. It is still and always will be one of our greatest strengths," Obama said at a remembrance service at the Pentagon, one of the sites attacked on 9/11. "This is the America that was attacked that September morning. This is the America that we must remain true to." AFP Fact Check: Did Trump thank Musk for welcoming him back to Twitter Washington State University students to build Donald Trump-inspired wall International oi-IANS By Ians English Washington, Sep 11 Students at Washington State University were seeking to build a Donald Trump-inspired wall in support of the Republican presidential candidate and his stance on immigration. "I think it's going to be a good event," Politico reported on Saturday citing James Allsup, president of the university's College Republicans chapter as saying. "Hopefully people will come out and get informed, and we can have a dialogue about the issues. I'm expecting a wide range of feedback," Allsup said. The group has requested approval from university officials and hope to have the wall built by October. The university, which is in Pullman, Washington, would be the second school to hold such a demonstration in the state. Trump supporters at the University of Washington erected a plywood wall at the Seattle campus, Politico reported. Some students said they disapprove of the demonstration. "As a Latino student, it's disappointing to see that some of my peers want to do something like this and put other students in an uncomfortable situation," Eduardo Ramos, a sophomore and member of the Latino student group MEChA told the Spokesman-Review. "When you do something bold like this even some people who agree will shy away because they know it will impact them in the future." Allsup said the demonstration is not about race. Immigration has become a large part of Trump's campaign, and the Republican candidate gave a speech on the policy stance last month, the same day he met with Mexico President Enrique Pena Nieto. Trump maintains the US will still build a wall, and that Mexico will pay for it despite Mexican officials insisting the country will not, Politico added. IANS 2008-2022 One News Page Ltd. All rights reserved. One News is a registered trademark of One News Page Ltd. Senior RJD leader Raghuvansh Prasad Singh has said that he didn't agree to the choice of CM candidate when Nitish Kumar's name was proposed after assembly elections in Bihar in 2015. By India Today Web Desk: Senior RJD leader Raghuvansh Prasad Singh said that Nitish Kumar was not his choice for Bihar CM after assembly elections in 2015. A day before, former RJD MP Mohammad Shahabuddin had said that Nitish Kumar was not his leader. Released from jail after 11 years, Shahabuddin on Saturday refused to acknowledge the Bihar Chief Minister as the leader of ruling Mahagathbandhan. On Sunday, his party colleague and former union minister Raghuvansh Prasad echoed the same sentiment. advertisement "Mahagathbandhan leaders had decided that Bihar CM would be Nitish Kumar, I didn't agree with it. But, leaders decided it, so I had to obey their decision," Prasad said, mincing no words in expressing his disappointment over the choice of chief ministerial candidate. CLASH WAS IMMINENT The former Vaishali MP had earlier too launched a scathing attack on the Bihar CM calling him a 'selfish' leader. Singh had said that because of Nitish Kumar, 'the Mahagathbandhan was weakening' in Bihar. The RJD leader, who is considered close to party chief Lalu Prasad Yadav, has been critical of the liquor policy of the Nitish government. He had earlier said, "Nitish first took liquor to every household in Bihar and is now on an overdrive to enforce a ban on liquor to fulfil his political ambition." SHAHABUDDIN REPEATS HIS BARB A day after stepping up political temperature against the Bihar CM, Shahabuddin repeated his barbs on Sunday. "I just had said that Nitish Kumar became chief minister because of circumstances, so what is wrong in that? Regular CM comes from among the masses, the other one (is the result of) the alliance that was formed under certain circumstances," Shahabuddin said. Though, the RJD leader tried to rationalise it saying, "Our neta is obviously Lalu Yadav. Nitish Kumar is the CM of the state, no debate on that." "Mai Bihar ka politics nahin karta. Meri politics ki alag paribhasha hai. Lalu Yadav ka politics karta hoon (I don't do the politics of Bihar. My definition of politics is different. I do the politics of Lalu Yadav)," the Siwan strongman said. This renewed attack on Nitish Kumar after Sahabuddin's release from jail after 11 years might well ring alarm bells for both the parties in the state. ALSO READ: Siwan strongman Shahabuddin walks out of jail to a hero's welcome, takes a swipe at Nitish --- ENDS --- By PTI: Mumbai, Sep 11 (PTI) Riding high on initiatives taken by both Central and state governments to increase wind power generation, Shriram group entity Orient Green Power is targeting nearly 1,000 MW wind capacity and Rs 1,000 crore revenue over the next 3-4 years. "Considering the initiatives taken by the Centre and various state governments to increase the share of renewable power, especially wind, we see a huge scope for us to almost double our capacity to nearly 1,000 MW in the next 3-4 years," its Managing Director S Venkatachalam told PTI here. advertisement Orient, which reported a total revenue of Rs 388.20 crore in fiscal 2015-16, is eyeing Rs 1,000 crore revenue by the time it touches the 1,000 MW mark. The company has a total operational capacity of around 425 MW and 57 MW of projects at various stages of development. "We are hopeful of adding over 100 MW each year to reach our targets," he said, adding some of the states are not only planning to set up new projects but some are likely to look at replacing the older projects. Currently, Orient Power has operational projects in states like Tamil Nadu (308 MW), Andhra Pradesh (75 MW), Gujarat (29 MW) and Karnataka (1 MW) and another 11 MW in Europe. It is also planning to expand in regions like Maharashtra and Rajasthan. The BSE-listed firm is also in the process of firming up loan for 43.5 MW expansion project in Andhra Pradesh. The company is planning to invest around Rs 320 crore for the expansion out of which the debt component will be around Rs 220 crore while Rs 100 crore will be through equity infusion. "We are also in the process of refinancing old wind assets debts with lower interest and longer tenor. We are in the process of getting final approval of flexible structuring 5:25 scheme from existing bankers to extend the tenure of rupee loans by 17 years up to 2033," Venkatachalam said. Orient Green, which also has 106 MW of biomass-based power capacity is in the process of demerging the wind and biomass businesses. It will put the biomass business in a company christened Biobijilee Green Power Ltd. "We have 12 biomass projects in states like Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Telangana and Madhya Pradesh. We want to currently focus on the wind energy which has huge growth potential. At the same time, we want to increase efficiency of our biomass projects," Venkatachalam said. (MORE) PTI PSK ARS ABK ABI --- ENDS --- Rumble 18 Oct 2022 Six weeks since we finished Tasmania leg of The Deplorable's Tour how is Wendy fairing and what does she have planned for.. Eurasia Review 16 Feb 2021 The Iranian Foreign Ministrys spokesperson hailed Qatar for its efforts to revive the 2015 nuclear deal, made it clear that.. Idaho On Your Side 17 Aug 2020 August 15th marks the 75th anniversary of the end of Word War Two. Victory over Japan otherwise known as V-J Day. A Nampa man has.. By PTI: Mumbai, Sep 11 (PTI) Riding high on initiatives taken by both Central and state governments to increase wind power generation, Shriram group entity Orient Green Power is targeting nearly 1,000 MW wind capacity and Rs 1,000 crore revenue over the next 3-4 years. "Considering the initiatives taken by the Centre and various state governments to increase the share of renewable power, especially wind, we see a huge scope for us to almost double our capacity to nearly 1,000 MW in the next 3-4 years," its Managing Director S Venkatachalam told PTI here. advertisement Orient, which reported a total revenue of Rs 388.20 crore in fiscal 2015-16, is eyeing Rs 1,000 crore revenue by the time it touches the 1,000 MW mark. The company has a total operational capacity of around 425 MW and 57 MW of projects at various stages of development. "We are hopeful of adding over 100 MW each year to reach our targets," he said, adding some of the states are not only planning to set up new projects but some are likely to look at replacing the older projects. Currently, Orient Power has operational projects in states like Tamil Nadu (308 MW), Andhra Pradesh (75 MW), Gujarat (29 MW) and Karnataka (1 MW) and another 11 MW in Europe. It is also planning to expand in regions like Maharashtra and Rajasthan. The BSE-listed firm is also in the process of firming up loan for 43.5 MW expansion project in Andhra Pradesh. The company is planning to invest around Rs 320 crore for the expansion out of which the debt component will be around Rs 220 crore while Rs 100 crore will be through equity infusion. "We are also in the process of refinancing old wind assets debts with lower interest and longer tenor. We are in the process of getting final approval of flexible structuring 5:25 scheme from existing bankers to extend the tenure of rupee loans by 17 years up to 2033," Venkatachalam said. Orient Green, which also has 106 MW of biomass-based power capacity is in the process of demerging the wind and biomass businesses. It will put the biomass business in a company christened Biobijilee Green Power Ltd. "We have 12 biomass projects in states like Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Telangana and Madhya Pradesh. We want to currently focus on the wind energy which has huge growth potential. At the same time, we want to increase efficiency of our biomass projects," Venkatachalam said. (MORE) PTI PSK ARS ABK ABI JMF --- ENDS --- Endorphina Attending This Month's CEEGC 2016 Published September 11, 2016 by Mike P Endorphina will travel to Budapest for the inaugural CEEGC 2016 conference in September. The company is targeting new deals for its video slots offering. Software developer Endorphina is gearing up for the Central and Eastern European Gaming Conference 2016 (CEEGC) by revealing its plans for the event, which will attract operators, developers, investors, regulators, reporters, and other professionals. Endorphinas Plans Ahead of the event on 20 September, Endorphina has announced that business development manager Miklos Handa will be in Budapest to represent the company. Handa will be there to learn more about igaming in Central and Eastern Europe, while also attempting to seek out new distribution opportunities for Endorphina. As a developer, Endorphina specialises in the creation of video slots, with the company now boasting a library of more than 30. Many of those titles are found at Bitcoin casinos, with Satoshis Secret claiming to be the first-ever Bitcoin slot. Elsewhere in the library, players can sample the likes of Jetsetter, Origami, Stone Age, Retromania, Geisha, Temple Cats, Blast Boom Bang, Chimney Sweep, and Ice Pirates. Introducing CEEGC 2016 September will mark the first time that CEEGC takes place, with the stunning Bulgarian city of Budapest playing host to the new igaming conference. Those in attendance will arrive to participate in a one-day event filled with fascinating keynote speakers and an array of engaging networking events. Ultimately, CEEGC has been established to ensure that Europes Central and Eastern igaming markets receive more attention. As a result, the conference has been designed with separate discussions to touch upon Europes Central, Eastern, and Northern regions, with the Balkans also having a dedicated talk. The centrepiece of CEEGC will be a discussion entitled Focus on recent developments in Eastern Europe, which will be hosted by region specialist Jan Rehola. To add further spectacle, the event will also incorporate the Central and Eastern European Gaming Awards (CEEGA). These will see awards handed out to operators, suppliers, and providers working in the fields of casino, sports, poker, and more. Reprinted from Paul Craig Roberts Website There are many conspiracy theories about 9/11. The US government's own explanation of 9/11 is a conspiracy theory in which a few Saudi Arabians outwitted the American national security state. Little doubt that many of the more imaginative conspiracy theories were created for the purpose of stigmatizing any skepticism, no matter how well reasoned and supported, of the official story. When thinking about 9/11, it is important to differentiate expert opinion from improbable explanations. Among the expert opinion are 2,600 structural engineers and high-rise architects who comprise Architects & Engineers for 9/11 truth and have written to Congress asking for a real investigation; Firefighters for 9/11 truth, Pilots for 9/11 truth, physicists and chemists who analyzed the dust from the twin towers and report finding reacted and unreacted materials used in controlled demolitions, and former government officials who understand that a security failure as great as 9/11 would have produced an immediate and exacting investigation. These groups of qualified and experienced people say that the official story of 9/11 is false. Architects, engineers, and scientists say that the official story is physically impossible. Firefighters and WTC maintenance personnel say that there were numerous explosions within the towers and that the first explosions were in the sub-basements prior to the buildings being hit by airplanes. Experienced military and civilian pilots say the maneuvers of the aircraft are beyond the capability of the alleged hijackers. Both co-chairmen of the 9/11 Commission and the legal counsel have written books in which they have said that information was withheld from the Commission, that the US government lied to the Commission, and that the Commission was set up to fail In other words, the hard evidence simply does not support the official story. We know that the official story is false. We don't know who is responsible or the purpose the event was intended to serve. However, circumstantial evidence strongly supports suspicion of the neoconservatives whose high positions in the government would have enabled them to succeed with a false flag attack and to delay and divert any investigation until the official story was set in stone. We also know from the "dancing Israelis" that elements in the Israeli government had advance notice of the attack as Israeli agents were set up ready to film the destruction of the twin towers. Neoconservative position papers written in the 1990s called for "a new Pearl Harbor" in order to launch Washington's wars for hegemony, first in the Middle East. These position papers signaled out Iraq, Syria, Iran, and Libya for attack prior to the event of 9/11. None of these countries had anything whatsoever to do with the official story of 9/11 that blames Osama bin Laden's al-Qaeda, a jihadist group set up by Washington in the 1970s to resist the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan. None of these countries had jihadist governments. Iran has a muted form of Islamic law, but Saddam Hussein in Iraq and Assad in Syria headed secular governments. Yet, neoconservatives falsely claimed that Saddam Hussein had "al-Qaeda connections." This lie and the lie that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction that threatened the US were used to invade Iraq under the 9/11 banner. Then the rationale for the invasions changed. 9/11 dropped away, and the "war on terror" and "bringing democracy" took its place. From my quarter century in Washington, it is clear to me that if such an event as 9/11 had actually happened for the reason given, the White House, Congress, and media would have been screaming for explanation of how a few Arabs outwitted the entire US National Security State -- all 16 US intelligence agencies, the security agencies of Washington's NATO allies and Israel, the National Security Council, Air Traffic Control, and airport security four times in one hour on the same day. Instead the government refused any inquiry for one year until most of the evidence was destroyed. That a few Arabs defeated US national security would be the greatest humiliation ever inflicted on a superpower, but no one was held responsible. This tells me that 9/11 was a State Crime Against Democracy. 9/11 was used by the US government to launch wars that have destroyed in whole or part seven countries, killing millions of peoples and producing millions of refugees. 9/11 was also used to create an American police state, which is a far greater threat to freedom and democracy than Muslim terrorism. See here... and here... and here... and here. The Colin Kaepernick affair is a reminder to me of the dangers inherent in a society that insists on conformity, and celebrates intolerance and stone-like permanence. Seventy-five years ago Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union stood out as bastions of conformity and intolerance in the world, but they were not alone. Conformity and intolerance were the watchwords of the day, even in the great Democracies of the United States and Great Britain. The United States was about to lock up more than one hundred thousand of its citizens whose sole crime were being of Japanese descent. Judge Lynch and Jim Crow still ruled in the former Confederacy and elsewhere. In Great Britain, Alan Turing, the man whose machines would crack Germany's Enigma code machines, would have been immediately arrested and imprisoned if he had acted on his homosexual desires, and the German Enigma code would have remained unbroken, changing the war's course, and leading to hundreds of thousands of additional casualties for the Allies. Finally, women were second class citizens as much in the great Democracies as they were in the great Dictatorships. Things have improved since, at least superficially. Judge Lynch doesn't rule so often and blatantly in the United States these days as he once did, although cell phone cameras are showing us how often law enforcement still acts as judge, jury, and executioner even today if you are poor, a minority, or both. Jim Crow has gone underground for the most part, but still rears its ugly head more often than I like or we should be comfortable with. Alan Turing would no longer be arrested and imprisoned, but there is still a violent strain of homophobia throughout much of our nation and the world. While women's lots have improved since the Second World War, they still receive less than four-fifths the salary a man does for the same job , and are subject to proving they were raped, and the way they were dressed, or the amount of alcohol they consumed, didn't justify their being raped. Conformity, especially in the form of custom, has always been a higher hurdle to overcome than we care to admit. It usually requires the death of all the generations for whom a custom existed, such as racism against a given people, or a prejudice or assumption about a group that exists, finally disappears. This is the reason that the Washington Redskins still bear that odious name, and Jews are still called "Christ-killers," even though Jesus was killed by the Romans, and the Jewish Sanhedrin could have ordered Jesus stoned to death, as they did the Apostle Stephan, if they had so desired. The current situation at the Standing Rock Lakota Reservation in North Dakota is another example of this problem. The genocide against the Native Americans has always been about the white man's obsessive search for material wealth. The Trail of Tears was about the discovery of gold in the Carolinas, Georgia, and Alabama. The Whites certainly didn't wish to share the newly found wealth with the Cherokee "savages." So they exiled them to Oklahoma. What is happening to the Lakota at Standing Rock, the Paiute at Golden Butte, and poor and minorities around the country is but a prelude to what is going to happen to us individually, as well as our country as a whole, if the Transpacific Partnership Agreement (TPP), and Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) are ever accepted and ratified by the U.S. Senate. We are already seeing the dominance of corporate interests over human rights and needs here in the United States. Ratification of either or both of those treaties will, for all intents and purposes, nullify our Constitution with respect to anything having to do with those treaties, because both the Constitution and Treaties together are the Supreme Law of the Land. (Article VI, Section 2) The great Hunkpapa Sioux leader Sitting Bull stated in a speech in 1875: Next Page 1 | 2 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). Reprinted from Reader Supported News The Green Party's candidates for president and vice president of the United States, Dr. Jill Stein and Ajamu Baraka, traveled to North Dakota to express their support for those attempting to close down the Dakota Access Pipeline. (Image by (photo: Jill Stein 2016)) Details DMCA The latest twist in the 2016 presidential campaign comes with the issuing of warrants for the arrest of the presidential and vice presidential candidates running on the Green Party ticket, Dr. Jill Stein and Ajamu Baraka. Baraka was notified on Wednesday. Stein had been notified on Tuesday. According to an extended radio interview on Pacifica Radio's Flashpoints show on Wednesday, only hours after he had been notified by authorities, Mr. Baraka told host Dennis Bernstein that they were being charged regarding their trip over the weekend to Standing Rock, North Dakota, to stand with the indigenous tribes resisting the oil pipeline expansion through sacred native burial grounds. Dennis Bernstein: Welcome back to Flashpoints, Ajamu Baraka. You were, in fact, at Standing Rock. You have indicated you had the strongest desire to stand by the indigenous communities. Could you explain why you feel so strongly about this issue? Ajamu Baraka: We traveled to the site to stand in solidarity with the people, the indigenous resisters there. We had a chance to communicate with folks and break bread with people for a couple of days. We went out to the front line sites to be in solidarity with the folks. We addressed the people and they were very happy that we were, in fact, there. In the process, there were comments being written on the machines the people had commandeered. And so, as an act of solidarity, we also added our comments to that process. But because we are being surveilled and those images were communicated around the world, the local authorities thought that it would be a proper and good thing to then levy charges against us for criminal trespassing and vandalism. Which is interesting because all of the crimes that we witnessed, and many of your listeners witnessed, in terms of the images we saw coming from those sites, protestors are being attacked with dogs, and all of that. They would then spend their times, resources, and energy in attempting to intimidate us with flimsy charges. DB: So have you been served by the police? How do you know they are seeking you and Jill Stein? Baraka: We haven't been officially served. But we were notified that those charges were pending. They charged Jill yesterday, and then they added me today. It's been reported in the local press there that the Morgan County Sheriff's Office is indicating that they were going to levy charges against us, and that arrest warrants had, in fact, been issued. DB: So is this ... do we know if this is the first time in the history of the United States that a presidential and vice presidential candidate have been served with a warrant while they were running for office? I guess Hillary and all those e-mails, and all that stuff ... well, nothing there. Baraka: No charges. We get charged. DB: You stepped over a certain line when you wrote on the side of a company truck in protest of their attacks on the sacred burial grounds, including using trained attack dogs against peaceful protesters. What did you write on the truck? Baraka: I said that what we needed in North Dakota was authentic decolonization. DB: Authentic decolonization. Baraka: That's what I wrote. DB: And what does that mean to you? Obviously, they didn't like it. Baraka: Well, it means that basically the issues that are facing the indigenous people are issues that are a reality because indigenous people don't have full control over their sovereignty, the sovereignty over their land that they originally owned. That this company has trampled on ancestral land, threatening water that they [indigenous peoples] are the protectors of. They have trampled on burial grounds, and the only recourse that the indigenous appear to have is to make appeals to the U.S. authorities and to put their bodies on the line, to try to stop this. Now, if there were not a settler occupation, then they wouldn't have those kinds of issues. So, you know, if there's going to be real social justice here in this place we call the United States of America, then we have to address this issue of the rights of indigenous ... the issue of sovereignty and self-determination. And that means that we have to have a process of authentic decolonization. We're not going to have social justice as long as there's continuity in this settler colonial project. And that's a very difficult conversation, because all of us are implicated -- those of us who came voluntarily, our ancestors, and involuntarily. We have to have a conversation about what it really means to have a decolonized United States of America. Next Page 1 | 2 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). I was raised in New York, and my elementary school buddy, Tommy, grew up to be a horseman and wonderful writer. And I guess others call him "Tom" now, but he is still "Tommy" to me. His musings on 9-11 are stunning and poignant, and I share them here, with permission, from his blog, "a monthly series of reflections of my horse-related experiences at our small horse facility in suburban Long Island, NY, which we call Dreamcatcher Farm." A Horseman Remembers 9/11 by Tom Gumbrecht Like everyone else on the morning of September 11, 2001, I can clearly remember exactly where I was and who I was talking to when I heard the news. I was talking to a client with a backyard barn in Brookville with whom I had an appointment that morning. "We'll have to reschedule. Didn't you hear, they flew a plane into the World Trade Center". I hadn't heard. The radio in my truck is as likely to be off as it is on, and it was long before the days of instant internet updates. It sounded like an event of which to take note, but I didn't really understand the need to cancel an appointment. As many probably assumed, I pictured an errant, small Cessna trainer on a sightseeing mission losing its way and striking one of the towers. Unfortunate, certainly, and tragic to those involved. When I turned on the radio I learned that the reality of what had happened was quite different. The second airplane had just struck the other tower. Feeling the need for human contact at that moment, and being in the proximity, I stopped at the barn of another client, this one a commercial facility in Syosset. The normally busy riding ring was empty, and everyone was gathered around a ten inch television in the barn office. I knew then that the gravity of the situation was much greater than I had contemplated. I arrived in the huddle just in time to see the first tower fall. I remember nothing being said, perhaps a gasp, but everyone stood transfixed at the tiny screen for a moment frozen in time. I called home to my wife, Mary, who had just seen what I saw on TV. I made the decision to stop by at the home of my elderly parents in Glen Cove. It seemed at that moment to be an event unspeakably horrific in nature, but one directed locally and specifically at the World Trade Center towers. As I drove, I heard the news about the third and fourth flights in Washington and Pennsylvania. Normally a person who assumes that nothing bad will happen to US, the magnitude of the situation began to reveal itself to me and I couldn't fight back the thoughts of a cataclysmic event the likes of which had only been imagined by doomsayers and screenwriters. And we were in the middle of it. On the drive I talked to Mary and we made arrangements to have Samantha brought home from her sixth grade class at a small parochial school in Hicksville by our car-pooling partner and mom of Sam's best friend, Kate. Once at my parents' house we sat and stared at the television some more, as there was little else to do. Lacking information, the airwaves were full of speculation and conjecture, and I felt the need to get home and be with my own family. When I got there, Samantha was there already, with Kate. The children, Mary, and I stayed close, as if we were expecting the aftershock of a hurricane. I promised Samantha that I was sure that we were going to be all right. It was the only time I can remember consciously lying to her. Kids being kids, the girls were soon outside in the barn fussing with Buddy and Magic, just being what they were, young girls who loved horses. I watched their carefree meanderings from the house and wondered how long they would remain carefree. I joined them a little while later and was struck by the seeming normalcy of life once I stepped into the barn. The horses didn't know what had happened, and weren't afraid of what might happen next. To them it was business as usual. The difference in my mental state once I walked into the barn was remarkable, and the thought of it remains so, even today. Later that evening I walked out to do night check and was taken by the unusual silence. I had never realized how much background noise filled the late summer evenings until it was no longer there. All at once, the stillness was permeated by a lone jet fighter slicing through the evening sky cutting a perfect incision over the barn from west to east. I remembered at that moment, when I was a child and my father would get up when the eleven o'clock news came on after having dozed off in his chair. In his nightly ritual, he would make the rounds and lock each door before making his way to bed. I remember how secure hearing that last lock-bolt click closed made me feel, and I always drifted to sleep soon after. The low shriek of the fighter jet gave me, at least for that moment, a similar feeling. But in the hours, days, and weeks to come, it was my horses who gave me back my sense of normalcy, or as close to it as I had been able to get. They deal in the here and now, and that's all; they reminded me that life does go on by expecting of me the same routine that I had always provided for them. My personal losses were much less than some others. But I had lost a sense of security, the sense that after all, we were going to ultimately be all right. My horses gave it back to me, a day at a time. They quelled my fears by requiring that I live in the same world they do, and not the dangerous, fearful, horrific place that lay in my projections. For that, I continue to repay them". a hug, a bale, and a bucket at a time. Occupy NH Primary outside the NBC debate (Image by WEBN-TV) Details DMCA 76% Want Four-Person Debates, Why Are Establishment Elites Preventing It; We Are Calling for People to Occupy the Debates A recent USA Today poll found 76% of voters want debates with four candidates including not just the two most hated candidates in history, the Republican and Democratic nominees and their vice presidential running mates, but Jill Stein and Ajamu Baraka of the Greens, and Gary Johnson and Bill Weld of the Libertarians. Any candidate on enough ballots to achieve 270 electoral college votes should be in the debates. The people have a right to see all candidates debating the issues who are on their ballots. The deceptive debate commission, which is called a debate commission just to hide the truth: it is a corporation of the Democrats and Republicans whose purpose is to limit debates to their two parties, has no legitimacy. It has a major conflict of interest -- why should the two establishment parties decide their opponents cannot debate? It is an obvious conflict of interest that the media should be calling out. The media should join the demand of the people -- open debate are essential for democracy. Today, half of US voters do not even consider themselves Democrats or Republicans, both parties are widely disliked and debates should not be limited to two minority parties, who present two hated candidates when there are four candidates on enough ballots to win a majority of the electoral college. This week we are starting a series of protests in Washington, DC at the offices of the deceptive debate commission. On Wednesday during rush hour beginning at 4:30 people will be holding a disruptive protest at rush hour. We will me meeting at New Hampshire Ave and M St. NW at 4:30. We are calling for people to "Occupy the Debates." The anniversary of OWS is September 17th and opening the debates would be a good use of that anniversary. The people need to challenge the DC political elites who keep the debate closed so only big business views are heard. Please share this announcement widely and urge people to attend if they are near DC also urge them to share it widely so all activists near DC are aware of it. We also urge people around the country to self-organize protests at media outlets to urge them to demand open debates and to stop the fraud of the deceptive debate commission. The debates will be shown on all network and cable news outlets. And, we urge students and others near the venues of the debates to organize protests, write about the deceptive debate commission in local papers (including student papers), and pressure the president and board of trustees for open debates. Debates will be held at Hofstra University in Hempstead, NY, Longwood University in Farmville, VA, Washington University in St. Louis, MO, and University of Nevada in Las Vegas, NV. Universities in particular should be open to a wide variety of views not just the views of two parties funded by Wall Street and big business interests. Either Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton could demand open debates. Donald Trump supported open debates in 2000 and exclaimed how it was amazing that this commission could keep people out of debates. Now, he seems to have joined the DC political elites and is manipulating democracy. In 2008 Hillary Clinton pushed for debates because of the importance of the office of the presidency. She too, is a debate manipulator. These two hated candidates do not want the voters to know there are more options. Instead they prefer to close the debates and shut out the voices of those who challenge them. The debates impact every issue we care about. Many issues will not be on the agenda for these debates, among them are preventing escalation of wars, relieving students and millennials of the burden of unfair tuition debt, ensuring healthcare for everyone in an improved Medicare for all program, breaking up the big banks, and transforming to a green economy with a major jobs programs. These issues among others will not be debated if we only hear from two Wall Street parties. It is time for all of us to unite and demand inclusive debate as a step toward creating a real democracy and ending the manipulation of the elites. Kevin Zeese is a Senior Advisor to the Stein-Baraka campaign and is a long term political activist who co-directs Popular Resistance Snowden is the most entertaining, informing, and important film you are likely to see this year. It's the true story of an awakening. It traces the path of Edward Snowden's career in the U.S. military, the CIA, the NSA, and at various contractors thereof. It also traces the path of Edward Snowden's agonizingly slow awakening to the possibility that the U.S. government might sometimes be wrong, corrupt, or criminal. And of course the film takes us through Snowden's courageous and principled act of whistleblowing. We see in the film countless colleagues of Snowden's who knew much of what he knew and did not blow the whistle. We see a few help him and others appreciate him. But they themselves do nothing. Snowden is one of the exceptions. Other exceptions who preceded him and show up in the film include William Binney, Ed Loomis, Kirk Wiebe, and Thomas Drake. Most people are not like these men. Most people obey illegal orders without ever making a peep. And yet, what strikes me about Snowden and many other whistleblowers I've met or learned about, is how long it took them, and the fact that what brought them around was not an event they objected to but a change in their thinking. U.S. officials who've been part of dozens of wars and coups and outrages for decades will decide that the latest war is too much, and they'll bail out, resign publicly, and become an activist. Why now? Why not then, or then, or then, or that other time? These whistleblowers -- and Snowden is no exception -- are not passive or submissive early in their careers. They're enthusiastic true believers. They want to spy and bomb and kill for the good of the world. When they find out that's not what's happening, they go public for the good of the world. There is that consistency to their actions. The question, then, is how smart, dedicated young people come to believe that militarism and secrecy and abusive power are noble pursuits. Oliver Stone's Ed Snowden begins as a "smart conservative." But the only smart thing we see about him is his computer skills. We never hear him articulate some smart political point of view that happens to be "conservative." His taste in books includes Ayn Rand, hardly an indication of intelligence. But on the computers, Snowden is a genius. And on that basis his career advances. Snowden has doubts about the legality of warrantless spying, but believes his CIA instructor's ludicrous defense. Later, Snowden has such concerns about CIA cruelty he witnesses that he resigns. Yet, at the same time, he believes that presidential candidate Barack Obama will undo the damage and set things right. How does one explain such obtuseness in a genius? Obama's statements making perfectly clear that the wars and outrages would roll on were publicly available. I found them with ordinary search engines, needing no assistance from the NSA. Snowden resigned, but he didn't leave. He started working for contractors. He came to learn that a program he'd created was being used to assist in lawless and reckless, not to mention murderous, drone murders. That wasn't enough. He came to learn that the U.S. government was lawlessly spying on the whole world and spying more on the United States than on Russia. (Why spying on Russia was OK we aren't told.) But that, too, wasn't enough. He came to learn that the U.S. was spying on its allies and enemies alike, even inserting malware into allies' infrastructure in order to be able to destroy things and kill people should some country cease to be an ally someday. That, too, was not enough. Snowden went on believing that the United States was the greatest country on earth. He went on calling his work "counter cyber" and "counter spying" as if only non-Americans can do spying or cyber-warfare, while the United States just tries to gently counter such acts. In fact, Snowden risked his life, refraining from taking medication he needed, so that he could continue doing that work. He defended such recklessness as justified by the need to stop Chinese hackers from stealing billions of dollars from the U.S. government. Apart from the question of which Chinese hackers did that, what did Snowden imagine it was costing U.S. taxpayers to fund the military? Snowden's career rolled on. But Edward Snowden's brilliant mind was catching up with reality and at some point overtook it. And then there was no question that he would do what needed to be done. Just as he designed computer programs nobody else could, and that nobody else even thought to try, now he designed a whistleblowing maneuver that would not be stopped as others had. Consequently, we must be grateful that good and decent people sometimes start out believing Orwellian tales. Dull, cowardly, and servile people never blow whistles. V2V and V2I Telematics Market is Expected to Witness the Fastest Growth (54% CAGR) Globally During 2016 2022 www.psmarketresearch.com/market-analysis/global-telematics-market www.psmarketresearch.com/market-analysis/global-telematics-market/report-sample www.psmarketresearch.com/industry-report/automotive-and-transportation www.psmarketresearch.com The global telematics market is expected to grow from an estimated $26,314.4 million in 2015, and reach $140,100 million by 2022, growing at a CAGR of 28.5% during 2016 2022. The growth of the global telematics market is being driven due to several factors, including government initiatives to include advanced technology in public safety on roads, increasing demand for premium passenger cars and growing demand for connectivity in vehicles. The use of telematics has been constantly increasing in insurance sector for tracking the driving conditions to calculate precise vehicle insurance premium. North America dominated the global market; however Asia-Pacific is estimated to grow at the highest pace during the forecast period. The high cost of telematics equipment and hacking threats are the key restraints in the global market. The poor internet infrastructure in the developing countries is also hindering the adoption of telematics.Explore Report with Detailed TOC at:The information and data in the publication Global Telematics Market Size, Share, Development, Growth and Demand Forecast to 2022 represent the research and analysis of data from various primary and secondary sources. A bottom-up approach has been used to calculate the global telematics market by solution, application, end-user and distribution channel. P&S Market Research analysts and consultants interact with leading companies of the concerned domain to substantiate every value of data presented in this report. The company bases its primary research on discussions with prominent professionals and analysts in the industry, which is followed by informed and detailed, online and offline research.Ask for Sample Pages:With the advancement in technology, the demand for connectivity is increasing everywhere. Vehicle telematics, trailer tracking, and container tracking are the common application areas of telematics. They are used to transform automobiles into communication objects. Earlier telematics were integrated only on premium vehicles; now its either offered as standard feature on select vehicles, or as an option for the low-priced vehicles. It also enables patients health tracking while travelling.Browse Related Research at:In order to assure vehicular safety, the government in several countries has been promoting the use of telematics in vehicles. For instance, eCall project promoted by European Commission (EC) was adopted in Europe in 2013. eCall is targeted to provide assistance to motorists, who have met with road accident and are unable to speak due to injuries. It is applicable for the vehicles in which telematics is installed. The government of China rolled out a program in 2014 that promotes the use of fleet management solution in every vehicle. In Brazil, a program known as SIMRAV has been introduced to monitor and control crimes associated with vehicles. This program is also operated with the help of telematics.The key competitors in the global telematics market include Verizon Communication Inc., Harman International Industries Inc., TomTom International BV, AT&T, Vodafone Group Plc, Ford Motor Company, BMW Group, Telefonica SA, MiX Telematics, Trimble Navigation Ltd.About P&S Market ResearchP&S Market Research is a market research company, which offers market research and consulting services for various geographies around the globe. We provide market research reports, industry forecasting reports, business intelligence, and research based consulting services across different industry/business verticals.As one of the top growing market research agency, were keen upon providing market landscape and accurate forecasting. Our analysts and consultants are proficient with business intelligence and market analysis, through their interaction with leading companies of the concerned domain. We help our clients with B2B market research and assist them in identifying various windows of opportunity, and framing informed and customized business expansion strategies in different regions.Contact:DeepAssistant Client Partner347, 5th Ave. #1402New York City, NY - 10016Toll-Free: +1-888-778-7886 (USA/Canada)Email: enquiry@psmarketresearch.comWeb:347 5th Ave. #1402- 210New York CityUnited States By PTI: From Sajjad Hussain Islamabad, Sep 11 (PTI) Pakistan today said that its special envoy on Kashmir met UN High Commissioner for Human Rights in Geneva and briefed him over the alleged human rights violations on the Indian side of the restive state. Sardar Awais Ahmad Khan Leghari, Special Envoy of the Prime Minister on Jammu & Kashmir and Chairman Standing Committee of National Assembly on Foreign Affairs met Prince Zeid Raad Al Hussein as part of Pakistans efforts to highlight the issue of Kashmir. advertisement Foreign Office (FO) said in a statement that Leghari briefed UN High Commissioner "about the ongoing critical human rights situation in Kashmir, underscoring that the matter was of great concern to all Pakistanis." It said that High Commissioner Zeid thanked the Special Envoy for his visit to Geneva and for briefing him on "the human rights situation." "He assured the Special Envoy that his office was carefully observing the situation in the area and was in contact with both India and Pakistan in this regard," the Foreign Office said. The envoy asked the High Commissioner to take concrete measures to immediately end violence in Kashmir. The envoy said that India should fulfil its human rights commitments under the UNSC resolutions and international human rights obligations. Leghari is one of 22 envoys appointed by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to brief the international community about the situation in Kashmir. PTI SH UZM SK UZM --- ENDS --- truck.jpg Police are searching for a truck similar to this one -- a white 1996 Ford F-150 pickup -- that might be linked to a homicide Saturday in Estacada. (Clackamas County Sheriff's Department) A man killed in a shooting Saturday in Estacada has been identified as Dominick James Perry, a 39-year-old from Portland. Deputies were called just before 9 a.m. Saturday to a disturbance off Southeast Wilcox Road, according to the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office. Spokesman Sgt. Brian Jensen in a news release described the death as a "act of homicide" and that Perry died from a single gunshot wound. No suspects have been apprehended, and no further details were released. Officials said the shooting is considered an isolated incident. Officials are searching for a white 1996 Ford F-150 pickup truck with Oregon license plate 902AJZ. They ask anyone to call 911 if they see the vehicle and not approach it. Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to contact the sheriff's department's tip line at 503-723-4949 or the online email form. Reference case number 16-24876. -- The Oregonian/OregonLive By Ruth Marcus WASHINGTON -- The president, as he prepared to leave office, was dead broke. So broke, in fact, that he had to take out a loan to get him through the transition. Bill Clinton in 2001? No, Harry Truman in 1953 -- and the resemblance ends there. Back then, although Truman had only a monthly Army pension of $112.56, he was adamant about not employing his presidential service to cash in. As biographer David McCullough relates, Truman turned down a new Toyota; a Miami real-estate development company's offer of "not less than $100,000" to come on board; an array of consulting gigs. "I could never lend myself to any transaction, however respectable, that would commercialize on the prestige and dignity of the office of the presidency," Truman later wrote. Those were the days -- and even then they weren't, entirely. Months after leaving office, Truman sold the rights to his memoirs to Life magazine for $600,000 -- the equivalent of more than $5 million today. Still, the Truman ethos of not capitalizing on the office has all but dissipated. Gerald Ford avidly snapped up corporate board memberships and consulting fees. Ronald Reagan shattered presidential speaking-fee records with $2 million from a Japanese company, prompting his successor, George H.W. Bush, to shrug, "Everybody's got to make a living." Indeed, out of office, both Bushes turned their attention to the need to "replenish the ol' coffers," as George W. Bush put it. But no one has filled the coffers so copiously, so quickly as Bill Clinton. "I was one poor rascal when I took office," Clinton told a student group in 2009. "But after I got out, I made a lot of money." Actually, a mind-boggling amount. Between the two of them, Bill and Hillary Clinton have reported earning more than $235 million since leaving the White House. An unsettling reminder of the gusher of cash that can flow a former president's way came with a recent report in The Washington Post on the $17.6 million that Bill Clinton earned as a consultant and "honorary chancellor" from Laureate International Universities, a for-profit college company. Compared with other former presidents, we know an enormous amount about the Clintons' post-presidential activities thanks to financial disclosure rules imposed on Hillary Clinton while in the Senate and the State Department, and to her voluntary decision to release tax returns, with their more detailed and precise contents, in her campaigns. The simultaneity of Bill Clinton's post-presidency with Hillary Clinton's public service and, if she has her way, pre-presidency poses particular problems about the intersection of his paychecks with her government work. But the Clintons' rapaciousness raises broader questions about what we should expect from our former presidents and about what has become former presidential business-as-usual. That profiting to this extent from public service has become routine does not mean that we as a society should accept it as a given -- and the grossness of the Clintons' example ought to give rise to a reassessment. Lest this sound hopelessly naive, this long after the buck-raking horse has left the barn, a few specific suggestions: Let's pay our ex-presidents more from the public fisc (their annual pension is now about $200,000) and expect more from them. In exchange for receiving the higher pension money, they could be required to file annual financial disclosure forms, just as they did while president. We can't stop ex-presidents from vacuuming up huge speaking fees, including from questionable sources, but we can force them to do it in sunlight, whose glare could be chastening. Alternatively, or in addition, make the pension dependent on forgoing outside income above a certain amount -- as is already done in some cases for federal employees who go through the revolving door into lucrative jobs. Perhaps presidents could collect their pension only if they eschew income from any sources beyond writing books; well-paid presidential memoirs have a long history (see Ulysses Grant) and serve the public interest more than closed-door speeches. Finally, perhaps we could alter the expectations in advance by raising such questions before candidates are elected. Trump has proposed asking senior officials to agree to refrain for five years from taking speaking fees from corporations with a registered lobbyist or from entities tied to a foreign government. Why not at least ask would-be presidents if they would abide by that restriction, perhaps expanded to include consulting fees, and perhaps for life? If they're not willing to give up the big bucks, do we really want to give them the big job? Ruth Marcus' email address is ruthmarcus@washpost.com. (c) 2016, Washington Post Writers Group By Megan McArdle Pop quiz: Are the Obamacare exchanges a success? Your answer should take into account three recent pieces of news about the online marketplaces created by the Affordable Care Act: -- The U.S. Centers for Disease Control's latest report on the uninsured shows that 8.6 percent of the population was uninsured in the first three months of 2016. This is a record low. --A survey of Blue Cross/Blue Shield companies, the backbone of the exchanges, indicates that about half their customers in the individual market are buying insurance without subsidies. --Arizona has managed to persuade its Blue to sell insurance in Pinal County. That was one of a handful of localities nationwide that faced the possibility of losing all the providers in their Obamacare marketplaces after insurance giants like Aetna announced in August that they were pulling out. You may be wondering what these three seemingly disparate facts have to do with each other. The answer is, quite a lot. Let me explain. Conservatives should acknowledge that the coverage expansion is real, it is large (though not as large as we were led to expect), and that while it is not necessarily going to make people much healthier, it is probably going to reduce financial hardship among at least some of the people who have gained coverage. That's significant, though we can still argue about whether the benefit was worth the cost. (If Obamacare were being voted on today, I would still oppose it). Liberals, however, should also acknowledge uncomfortable facts. The first is that most of the decrease in the uninsured population came in 2014 and 2015, and is now leveling off. Unless younger and healthier people start buying insurance in much larger numbers, we're probably not going to see huge improvement. The fact that so few young, healthy people are buying insurance may not only mean that the number of uninsured people stops going down. It could mean that that figure starts going up again. Why? Because outside of the near-poor, uptake of Obamacare policies is not as high as we'd like. As health insurance consultant Bob Laszewski has written, "Historically, insurers want to see a 75-percent participation rate." In other words, they want to see three-fourths of the eligible people sign up. That's because insurers can predict their costs when a representative cross-section of people buys their plans. But when too few sign up, the insurer has to ask, "Who's declining to buy insurance?" and the most likely answer is, "Healthy people who don't expect to use it much." The remaining pool, then, will be sicker. The lower the participation rate, the more likely it is that you've got a small group of people who are going to make expensive claims. This is a phenomenon known as "adverse selection." And it tends to get worse as premiums rise to reflect the cost of covering this sicker pool, because more people start dropping the ever-costlier insurance, and usually the folks who drop out are the healthiest ones. Obamacare's individual mandate was supposed to prevent this death spiral by levying a tax penalty on those who refused to sign up. But the fine appears to be too small to get young folks to buy in. And that brings us to our second point: the split between subsidized and unsubsidized patients. Because right now, the main thing standing between Obamacare and a death spiral is the fact that subsidies shield customers from the true cost of their plans. So the law's supporters hope that the second, really vicious part of the death spiral, where rising premiums produce even more adverse selection, will never kick in. Most of the exchange customers are subsidized; the off-exchange customers are not. But that doesn't matter, because under Obamacare, insurers have to treat their exchange policies and their off-exchange policies as a single actuarial risk pool, rather than adjusting for the different risks in the different markets. If the exchanges have too many old, sick people on them, and not enough young, healthy ones, those costs will leak over to the unsubsidized off-exchange policies in the form of premium hikes. That may explain why we've seen some insurers pull out of the exchanges while continuing to offer individual policies. That means the older, sicker exchange customers don't show up in their pools. However, that obviously creates a problem when the number of plans available on the exchanges dwindles. Which brings us to our third data point. Regulators have tools to combat this sort of strategic withdrawal. They can force all individual policies to be sold through the exchanges, for example, as my own home city has done. But that creates the risk that insurers will simply exit the individual market entirely. Alternatively, the regulators can beg insurers to do them a favor, possibly offering sweeteners in the form of leeway on premium-setting, or favorable treatment in other insurance markets. But it's questionable whether this is a viable long-term solution. How many favors can insurance regulators give companies to get them to keep taking losses, year after year? And if the favors come in the form of, "We're not going to quibble over how much you want to charge people for the insurance you offer on the exchanges," this will translate into big premium hikes that the subsidized buyers don't see, but that deliver a nasty shock to the folks in the unsubsidized market. At some point, adverse selection seems likely to set in once again, threatening the gains that reduced the number of uninsured Americans. The correct answer to the pop quiz, therefore, is "We don't know yet." While Obamacare's grander claims about lowering health-care costs and rationalizing our crazy health-care system have mostly failed to come to pass, the one thing supporters have been able to point to is the falling number of uninsured people. If that number starts to rise again, that argument will become harder to make. Megan McArdle is a Bloomberg View columnist. For more columns from Bloomberg View, visit http://www.bloomberg.com/view. (c) 2016, Bloomberg View By Margaret Carlson This should have been the week when both presidential candidates, the summer behind them, seized a back-to-school opportunity for a fresh start -- No. 2 pencils sharpened, pristine notebooks, a new backpack, a fresh chance to elevate the campaign to a level deserving of the office they aspire to. No such luck. All hopes for a new narrative were dashed when Donald Trump violated the vow all presidential candidates must take not to reveal anything about the classified intelligence briefings they get. It's never been dishonored, but at a joint "commander-in-chief forum" in New York on Sept. 7, Trump tried to leverage his access to score some cheap political points. His first briefing, he said, left him "shocked," because of the information it contained about an unspecified decision by President Barack Obama and his former secretary of state, Hillary Clinton, that had led to an unspecified "total disaster." His briefers, he said, were "not happy about" Obama's failure to "follow what our experts" advised. Like many other Trump assertions -- Ted Cruz's father was involved in the Kennedy assassination, Muslims cheered as the World Trade Center towers fell, Obama wasn't born in the U.S. -- this one deserves to be taken with a bucketload of salt. Trump conceded that the officials who delivered the Aug. 17 briefing didn't say they were displeased with the president, but he is certain that was the message they intended fim to hear. "I could tell -- I'm pretty good with body language." Whatever actually transpired, we now know that Trump can't be trusted not to weaponize whatever is at hand, however confidential. Doing so, former acting Central Intelligence Agency Director Michael Morell told Politico, crosses " a longstanding red line respected by Democrats and Republicans." President George W. Bush's CIA director, Michael Hayden, said he he'd never seen anything like it. "I mean, a candidate used the intelligence professionals who were briefing him in an absolutely nonpolitical setting and he imputed to them views that were politically useful to him in the moment." This lulu, along with Trump's false claim that he had always been against the Iraq War, passed right by the NBC moderator, Matt Lauer. The morning TV host got easily lost in the Republican nominee's word salads. He failed to bring up the Donald's shift of position that very day on military spending, when he went from supporting sequestration, which slowed spending, to pledging a huge increase of tens of billions in outlays in what is likely an effort to get votes in military-heavy, must-win states such as Virginia and Florida. Lauer also didn't confront Trump on some of the more glaring inconsistencies in his military agenda: that he would allow veterans to go outside the VA system for care and would cover the additional cost by eliminating that old favorite, "waste, fraud and abuse." Then there was his earlier assertion that if women hadn't joined the military, there would be no sexual assaults. That was an echo of his earlier advice to women that if they didn't like being sexually harassed at work they should change jobs. This was before he hired former Fox Chairman Roger Ailes, who recently resigned in the wake of a multi-decade harassment scandal. Not that Clinton bathed herself in glory last week, except when she batted back the ridiculous Trump claim that her coughing spell in Ohio on Labor Day indicated that that she's morbidly unhealthy. Her retort: "I'm allergic to Trump." Then there's the email imbroglio that Clinton just can't seem to put to rest, ensuring that it'll be with us until Election Day, and perhaps beyond. Lauer asked the former secretary of state about it three times. She replied wearily, but never quite grabbed back the reins to give her strategic vision for the world. Unlike Trump, she has experience dealing with the military and veterans, but she didn't get personal. She categorically said that no U.S. troops would "ever" be sent to Iraq and Syria to fight the Islamic State, even though she certainly knows that politicians should never say "never." When she rose from her seat, she looked like a courtroom lawyer defending a client, which she may well have been doing. Trump smiled all the while. And he had reason to be cheerful: He encountered no challenges as he blithely threatened to remove top generals, who he said had been "reduced to rubble" by Obama; said the U.S. should plunder the oil of the countries where it intervenes; and described President Vladimir Putin as "a leader far more than our president has been." The high praise was driven in part by the Russian autocrat's strength and high approval ratings, but mainly by Putin's good judgement in calling Trump "brilliant." As a preview of the debates, the forum was disturbing, at least when it comes to holding the candidates' feet to the fire. One future moderator, Chris Wallace, has said that he won't be a "truth squad," which is unfortunate. Corrections have to be made when the cameras are rolling, otherwise the door is open to self-serving interpretations. At a rally in Cleveland on Thursday, Trump used an "education speech" to do an instant replay of the previous night's forum, painting Clinton as the liar and himself as the winner of every round. Post-Labor Day, Trump had an opening to assure worried Republicans that he is prepared -- or at least adequately preparing -- to be president. Clinton, on a new plane with room for reporters, could have exhaustively and non-testily explained the e-mail controversy without expecting full exoneration, which will never come. So much for that. Carlson is a Bloomberg View columnist. For more columns from Bloomberg View, visit http://www.bloomberg.com/view. (c) 2016, Bloomberg View 7defendantsbundytrialjpg-1a8fe5afa703ab5c.jpg The seven defendants on trial in Courtroom 9A of the Mark O. Hatfield Courthouse. They are Ammon Bundy (clockwise from left) Ryan Bundy, Shawna Cox, Jeff Wayne Banta, Neil Wampler, David Lee Fry and Kenneth Medenbach. (MCSO) Ammon Bundy, his brother and co-defendants transformed the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge into a ramshackle camp this winter, manned the perimeter with military-style armed patrols and warned of violence against anyone who attempted to remove them while declaring the refuge a "base place for patriots from all over the country,'' prosecutors will argue this week. What a jury must decide is whether their actions and intent amounted to a crime. The trial pits the federal government against a group of self-described patriots who fervently believe public lands are in the wrong hands. The case will help to further establish when political protest protected by the First Amendment crosses the line into words and deeds that will send you to prison, and what the legal limitations are to constitutional guarantees of free speech, assembly and the right to bear arms. Seven defendants have pleaded not guilty to the federal charge of conspiring to impede U.S. Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service officers from conducting their work at the refuge through intimidation, threats or force. Five of the seven are also charged with possession of firearms in a federal facility. Two face an additional count of government property theft. Margaret L. "Margie" Paris, a law professor and former University of Oregon School of Law dean, said much is at stake. "The prosecutors must put to bed the crazy constitutional notions that the defendants have,'' Paris said. "They have to be able to get a conviction here and meaningful sentences because there are people waiting to repeat this activity. It'll be an important deterrent.'' The highly anticipated trial in Portland's downtown federal courthouse is expected to last more than two months and will revisit in detail the politically and emotionally charged 41-day refuge occupation that drew national and international attention to Oregon. Prosecutors must prove that two or more of the defendants agreed to prevent federal employees from carrying out their work at the refuge by intimidation, threats or force. They don't have to prove the efforts were successful. Just as in criminal bank robbery conspiracy or drug conspiracy prosecutions, where the federal government need not prove that either a bank was robbed or drugs were dealt but only that those charged agreed to commit such crimes, the same applies in the alleged Bundy conspiracy. "The case is all about mental state - what was meant by what people did,'' U.S. District Judge Anna J. Brown told prospective jurors last week. "The defendants are not on trial for what they believe. They can only be found guilty if the government proves their criminal intentions.'' Prosecutors will point to defendants' statements on social media, remarks on videos and in news conferences, and they will ask jurors to make reasonable inferences from their actions - whether it was standing guard at the gates to the refuge, using federal employees' computers in refuge offices, or refusing to leave the property. "It's undeniable that these people were there. It's undeniable that they said certain things,'' said Professor Andrew Chongseh Kim, of Concordia University School of Law. "If they're going to mount a legal defense, it's likely going to rest on what's in their head.'' Emboldened by thwarting federal officers at the Bunkerville, Nevada, ranch of their father, Cliven Bundy, in 2014, the Bundy brothers and supporters came to Oregon last fall to protest the impending return to federal prison of Harney County ranchers Dwight Hammond Jr. and Steven Hammond, prosecutors say. The Hammonds were resentenced to five years in prison for arson on federal land. Prosecutors will argue that the alleged conspiracy began when Ammon Bundy and Ryan Payne, who has accepted a plea deal, met with Harney County Sheriff Dave Ward in November 2015 and warned him there would be "extreme unrest'' in the community if he didn't protect the Hammonds from the federal government. The refuge takeover grew out of the Hammonds' protest, the government contends. "This case is unusual in that much of the government's proof comes directly from defense efforts to document the crime itself,'' Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelly Zusman wrote in a response to Ammon Bundy's appeal of his pretrial detention order. "Moreover, during the detention hearing, Bundy admitted each element of the offense charged.'' Ammon Bundy took the unusual step of taking the witness stand during a July 18 detention hearing. On cross-examination by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ethan Knight, he acknowledged that he intended to take over the refuge and return it to local ranchers and the community. He acknowledged the takeover was a "combined effort'' and those present changed the signs out front, began receiving mail and worked together to accomplish their goal. He admitted he knew federal employees worked at the refuge, although none was present when he arrived. "The case was kind of handed to prosecutors on a silver platter,'' Paris said. "The defendants were watched engaging in the alleged crime for months, so it would be embarrassing to lose.'' The Bundys' narrative, though, is much different. They contend they were attempting to stake claim to the refuge through a principle of adverse possession and to challenge the federal government's control of the land through a peaceful protest. Adverse possession is the occupation of another's land to gain ownership. Yes, many of the occupiers had firearms, but didn't threaten anyone, they contend. Yes, defendants stayed at the refuge for weeks, but visitors were free to come and go, they argue. They say no one ever ordered them to leave the wildlife sanctuary. And they will argue the only violence that occurred was the felony police stop of the leaders and fatal shooting of occupation spokesman Robert "LaVoy" Finicum on Jan. 26. State police fatally shot Finicum after he drove away from the initial police stop, veered into a snowbank at a police roadblock on U.S. 395 then reached into his jacket at least twice after emerging from his truck, according to investigators. Police thought he was reaching for a gun, and they found a loaded 9mm handgun inside his left jacket pocket after the shooting. While there's irrefutable video evidence that defendant David Fry, the last holdout on day 41 of the occupation, threatened "suicide by cop'' before his surrender and declared war against the federal government, his attorney will argue that Fry suffers from schizotypal personality disorder and was paranoid and terrified that what happened to Finicum would happen to him. Jurors will be instructed that adverse possession does not absolve defendants of potential criminal culpability and does not apply to federal property, but the defendants will have the right to take the witness stand and explain what they were thinking when they went to the refuge, the judge has ruled. "Yet that intent to protest isn't relevant. What's relevant is only whether that intent violated the law,'' said Steven R. Morrison, an assistant professor at University of North Dakota School of Law who teaches criminal law and constitutional law. The conspiracy statute, U.S. Code Title 18, Section 372, existed far before the Bundys' prosecution. Adopted by Congress in 1861, it was used against labor unions in the 19th century, anarchists and socialists during World War I, and communists during World War II, Morrison said. "It's historically been used as a tool of social control,'' Morrison said. "It certainly gives the prosecution a lot of leeway. It is broadly written and can be used to apply to all sorts of harmless conduct.'' And that's likely what defense lawyers will try to convince jurors - that the government is spending millions of dollars on an overzealous prosecution of a harmless protest at a bird refuge in a desolate area of southeastern Oregon during the dead of winter, when few visitors would be drawn there anyway. Further, nobody stopped them or ordered them to leave, they'll argue. "If they had truly done something that clearly constituted threats, like pointing rifles at a federal officer, then this case would be a heck of a lot easier,'' Morrison said. Paris says it remains a challenge for defendants to convince jurors that their actions were purely peaceful and proper. "It's a hard argument for them to win, unless a juror goes rogue, which some do,'' she said. A 12-member jury and eight alternates have been seated. A unanimous verdict among 12 jurors is required for a conviction. Judge Brown said she anticipates prosecutors and defense lawyers will take nine weeks to present their evidence, from opening statements to closing arguments. Opening statements alone are expected to last more than a day, because defendants or their lawyers will each address jurors. The government intends to call Ward, the Harney County sheriff, as its first witness, likely followed by his department's Lt. Brian Needham and a member of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which runs the refuge. Although Brown has been steadfast in ensuring the trial proceeds efficiently, surprises are bound to occur, considering three of the defendants - Ryan Bundy, Shawna Cox and Kenneth Medenbach - are representing themselves, and some of the defendants, including Ammon Bundy, are likely to take the witness stand in their defense. "This is one of those career-making cases for a judge,'' Paris said. "There's a lot to manage. These cases involve so much skill.'' Attorneys on each side of the case spent long days working to choose a jury last week. Prospective jurors expressed everything from "excitement,'' and "intellectual curiosity'' to "heartburn,'' upon learning what case they were summoned for and how long their duty would last. Many said their friends, spouses or co-workers were jealous. Judge Brown assured them even if the trial extends into mid-November, she'd make sure no one missed the Thanksgiving holiday, even if they have plans to leave town that week. "We're all going to celebrate Thanksgiving...and not together,'' the judge said. "We'll make it work.'' -- Maxine Bernstein mbernstein@oregonian.com 503-221-8212 @maxoregonian About two weeks before federal prosecutors dismissed the conspiracy indictment against Oregon standoff defendant Peter Santilli, the government floated the idea of Santilli pleading to a misdemeanor charge in a conversation with Santilli's lawyer. Santilli, a self-described "shock jock" independent broadcaster, wasn't interested. Determined he'd be acquitted at trial, Santilli told his lawyer that he wasn't willing to plead to something he said he didn't do. "I knew the only thing that would save me was a jury trial,'' Santilli said, speaking in an interview with The Oregonian/OregonLive from jail on Saturday. As the Sept. 7 trial date neared, his court-appointed attorney Thomas Coan pressed for the government to dismiss the charge against his client. In an email to prosecutors, Coan laid out Santilli's defense, including evidence that showed Santilli was not involved in the planning that led up to the takeover of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, was unaware of Ammon Bundy's plans, opposed them when he caught wind of them on Jan. 2, tried to persuade others not to go and never stayed a night at the refuge. Pete Santilli, 51 On Jan. 2, Ammon Bundy, his brother, Santilli and others were involved in a march and protest in Burns, demonstrating against the return to federal prison of two Harney County ranchers convicted of setting fire to federal land. From there, Bundy and supporters occupied the refuge, and are on trial, accused of conspiring to impede federal employees from doing their work at the federal wildlife sanctuary. Santilli said he could be heard objecting to Bundy's plan to head to the refuge during his recorded coverage of the Jan. 2 protest in Burns. If he had gone to trial, he said his lawyer also would have presented as evidence an enhanced audiotape that caught an off-camera conversation between Santilli and his girlfriend Deborah Jordan, during his coverage of the protest. After leaving the Hammonds' property during the march, Santilli said he turned the corner to walk back to the Safeway lot in Burns, when Ammon Bundy approached and told him, "I need you to make an announcement.'' He said Bundy told him to put out a rallying call on his broadcast and urge people to follow Bundy to the refuge, Santilli said. Santilli said he whispered to his girlfriend, "They're asking me to make an announcement, and I'm pissed.'' His side comment to Deborah Jordan was captured on the enhanced audio, Santilli said. "I was in absolute opposition to it,'' Santilli said during Saturday's interview. "I was upset because he (Ammon Bundy) hadn't told me they were going to take over buildings.'' Santilli felt "used'' and surprised by Bundy's decision to head to the refuge, his attorney argued in the letter to the U.S. Attorney's Office. Idaho Three Percenter Brandon Curtis also encouraged Santilli not to go to the refuge, saying he'd be shot or arrested, according to Coan and Santilli. In his email, Coan urged the prosecutors to drop the single federal conspiracy charge against Santilli in the interest of justice, or he intended to ask the court for an acquittal after the government presented its case at trial. "He was mad about what happened. He felt like he was taken advantage of,'' Coan said of his client. So why'd he stay in Burns through the occupation and later issue repeated rallying calls for people to bring their firearms to the refuge? "He also didn't want to abandon these guys. He didn't want to leave the story either,'' Coan said. The email by Santilli's lawyer followed U.S. District Judge Anna J. Brown's decision restricting the government from presenting at trial videos of Santilli haranguing counter-protesters and badgering traditional media during the refuge occupation. Prosecutors had hoped to use those videos to counter Santilli's defense that he was simply reporting on the refuge takeover. Meanwhile, Santilli met daily with a paralegal in a contact room in the Multnomah County Detention Center in preparation for trial. The paralegal brought a laptop, allowing Santilli to review video evidence. His lawyer had distilled about 10 hours of video from 200 hours of Santilli's YouTube broadcasts. On Sept. 6, Santilli sat beside his lawyer in court with seven co-defendants for the last pretrial conference hearing. Jury selection was set to begin the next day. Santilli said he knew his lawyer was "working on something'' with prosecutors, but wasn't aware of the details. "I was fully preparing for trial,'' he said. After the judge adjourned court for the day, Coan turned to his client. "Tom looked at me,'' Santilli recounted. "He said, 'Pete, they have finally offered a deal. It is to dismiss the case without prejudice.' '' That would give the federal government the opportunity to reopen the matter if other evidence is obtained, Coan explained. Santilli didn't hesitate. "I will accept that because there's no evidence I conspired,'' he said he told his lawyer. Coan shook Santilli's hand and congratulated him. "For a second there, I was a little bit emotional and speechless,'' Santilli said, laughing at his own words because he rarely comes up for air when talking on his broadcast shows. "I paused. I got choked up for a second.'' Moments later, as other lawyers and defendants were filing out of the courtroom, Assistant U.S. Attorney Craig Gabriel walked over to Santilli's table and shook his hand. Santilli asked the deputy U.S. Marshals in the courtroom if they'd let him walk over to his girlfriend, who was in the gallery of the courtroom, so he could inform her. They let him. "It's over. It's been dismissed,' '' Santilli told Jordan. Jordan hugged Santilli's lawyer as he emerged from the courtroom. Gabriel and his two colleagues, Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ethan Knight and Geoffrey Barrow, all signed the government's motion to dismiss Santilli's conspiracy charge, after getting approval from officials at the U.S. Department of Justice's headquarters. "Based upon this Court's pretrial evidentiary rulings excluding evidence against Santilli, the government has decided that the interests of justice do not support further pursuit of these charges against Santilli,'' they wrote. After spending nearly eight months in a county jail on a federal charge that's now evaporated, Santilli said he's not angry. "I do not have one ounce of bitterness at all,'' he said. "Maybe because of my courage in pushing the boundaries on my show, I knew the First Amendment would protect me. I knew the Department of Justice would do the right thing in the end, and they did.'' While the Oregon case is "over'' for Santilli, he faces a more serious federal indictment in Nevada. It stems from an April 2014 armed standoff with federal officers who were thwarted from taking cattle belonging to senior patriarch and controversial Nevada rancher Cliven Bundy in Bunkerville, Nevada. In Nevada, Santilli has pleaded not guilty to conspiring to assault federal officers, threaten federal law enforcement officers, obstruct justice, extort officers, and use and brandish a firearm in relation to a crime of violence. Nevada prosecutors have described him as part of the "organizing nucleus'' of the conspiracy and as Cliven Bundy's "shill'' and "propagandist'' who "beat the drums'' over the Internet to incite and motivate followers to Nevada. On April 9, 2014, Santilli drove his car to block a lead vehicle in a U.S. Bureau of Land Management convoy on the way to a site where federal rangers planned to corral Cliven Bundy's cattle, according to prosecutors. Santilli, speaking by phone Saturday from the downtown Portland jail, said he holds the same faith that he'll be exonerated before a jury in Nevada. It was anticipated Santilli would be transferred to a jail in Nevada early this week. But co-defendant Ryan Bundy informed Judge Brown last week that he intended to call Santilli as a witness in the Oregon trial. Bundy said he needed Santilli to authenticate videos he took that would be entered as evidence. The judge said Santilli could do that by phone from Nevada. If called as a witness in the Oregon case, Santilli said he would refuse to testify, invoking his Fifth Amendment right not to incriminate himself. Since the government dropped the conspiracy charge against him in Oregon without prejudice, "it kind of leaves the door open,'' Santilli said. "It doesn't benefit me to go blathering on about anything that's going to harm me,'' he said, taking his lawyer's advice. While spending nearly eight months in jail "has bankrupted me,'' Santilli said the hardest part for him was learning that fellow defendants in the refuge case had pleaded guilty to conspiracy. He said he feels like they were "strong-armed,'' though each co-defendant who entered guilty pleas said in court they were not pressured. Eleven of 26 defendants indicted in the refuge takeover case entered guilty pleas. One, Jason Blomgren, will be a witness for the government in this month's trial. Seven are in trial. Seven others are set for trial in February. "I would rather spend a year fighting to get my cases dismissed or a deal for time served,'' Santilli said. "I'm not going to be strong-armed into pleading guilty to something I didn't do.'' Santilli said he thinks the federal government's indictment against his co-defendants in Oregon is flawed. "I do not know of anyone who intended or who spoke of their intent to impede the BLM or Fish and Wildlife Service,'' he said. The conspiracy charge does rest on the defendants' "intent.'' But prosecutors will argue that reasonable persons could infer from the defendants' armed takeover of the refuge and threats to harm anyone who tried to remove them that they intended to block the employees who worked at the refuge from carrying out their official duties. As Santilli turns his focus to the Nevada indictment, he said he wishes Judge Brown would preside in that case has well. He called her an "amazing woman.'' "I have tremendous respect for her,'' he said. "She's very, very fair.'' "I have no other focus now but to get in front of a jury in Nevada,'' Santilli added, "and maybe not pick on the FBI as much as I have. I'm going to retire from that.'' -- Maxine Bernstein mbernstein@oregonian.com 503-221-8212 @maxoregonian Vancouver's quick response boat.jpg Vancouver's quick response boat (file photo). (Vancouver Fire Department) UPDATE: Authorities recover body of missing fisherman from Columbia River *** Updated Monday at 8:15 a.m.: Coast Guard officials believe Brian Schmitz, the boat's owner, fell overboard, a spokesman said on Monday morning. Schmitz has not been seen or heard from for more than 24 hours. Clackamas County Sheriff's deputies searched Schmitz's home, but no one was there and there was no car in the driveway, Coast Guard officials said. Multnomah County sheriff's deputies found Schmitz's trailer and car at the Chinook Landing boat launch. Schmitz's boat was towed to the Chinook Landing Marina on Sunday afternoon. Updated at 4 p.m.: No one has been found, but the Coast Guard has ended the search, according to The Associated Press. Authorities are asking boaters in the area to keep an eye out for signs of a possible victim. The boat is registered to Brian Schmitz, 52, of Sandy, but authorities aren't sure if he was the person who took the boat out or if he had loaned it to someone. They were unable to immediately get in touch with Schmitz on Sunday. The agency says another boater reported seeing the 16-foot vessel adrift early Sunday morning about a mile east of the Interstate 205 bridge. Fire department boats from Portland, the Port of Portland and Vancouver, Washington, helped retrieve the boat, which had fishing gear, ice, a lifejacket and various personal items. Petty Officer 1st Class Levi Read says authorities have not confirmed that anyone is in fact missing, but all signs point to that. The boat is registered to 52-year-old Brian Schmitz of Sandy, Oregon, but authorities aren't sure if he was the person who took the boat out or if he had loaned it to someone. They were unable to immediately get in touch with Schmitz on Sunday. An unmanned 16-foot pleasure craft found adrift Sunday morning in the Columbia River a mile east of the Interstate 205 bridge has the Coast Guard and Portland area responders searching from Camas to Tomahawk Island for a person suspected overboard. Left aboard the boat were fishing gear, ice, lifejacket and other personal items, according to Clark County officials. Authorities with the Coast Guard Sector Columbia River in Warrenton were notified about 5 a.m. Sunday and launched rescue crews aboard a 29-foot Response Boat and an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter. Portland and Vancouver Fire Department personnel are also searching with three fire boats. "There is a strong presence of responders on and above the water this morning searching for somebody in the water, but there has been no report of someone visibly in distress," Chief Petty Officer Justin Urbano, command duty officer, Sector Columbia River said in a news release. "The Coast Guard requests any information concerning a missing person known to be boating in the area be reported to Sector Columbia River watchstanders at 503-861-6211 or your local law enforcement agency." When the search began, the air temperature was 57 degrees and water 67 degrees. - Janet Eastman jeastman@oregonian.com 503-799-8739 @janeteastman SUNDAY "Churchill's Secret": Michael Gambon plays the legendary prime minister in a based-on-fact drama about Churchill suffering a stroke in 1953, during his second term. (8 p.m. PBS/10) "Son of Zorn": This new comedy is something different, in its clever blending of animation and live-comedy. Will Arnett provides the voice of warrior Zorn, who decides he needs to settle down and spend some time with his son in Orange County. (8 p.m. Fox/12) "102 Minutes That Changed America": On the anniversary of the 9/11 attack on the World Trade Center, this documentary recalls the tragedy, the efforts of first responders, and more. (8 p.m. History Channel) The 2017 Miss America Competition: Yes, this is still a thing. Chris Harrison and Sage Steele host, and judges include Mark Cuban and Gabby Douglas, who help the pageant celebrate its 96th year. (9 p.m. ABC/2) "Masters of Sex": Season 4 begins with more conflicts between Masters (Michael Sheen) and Johnson (Lizzy Caplan.) The performances are still strong, but after a weak Season 3, the new season feels like it's dragging out a story we already know the conclusion to. (10 p.m. Showtime) MONDAY "Dancing With the Stars": Season 23 gets underway with a roster of "stars" including scandal-ridden U.S. swimmer Ryan Lochte, former Texas governor and unsuccessful Republican presidential candidate Rick Perry, rapper-turned-home-renovator Vanilla Ice, "Brady Bunch" veteran Maureen McCormick and professional celebrity Amber Rose. Returning pros include Derek Hough, Maksim Chmerkovskiy and Cheryl Burke. (8 p.m. ABC/2) TUESDAY "Deadliest Catch: Dungeon Cove": The debut of a new series about Dungeness crab fishermen sailing out of Newport begins with some beautiful images of the Oregon Coast, and some revved-up drama about the dangers of crab-fishing work. (9 p.m. Discovery Channel) "Better Late Than Never": Season 1 ends (already?) with the gang visiting visit Phuket, Thailand, where their adventures include William Shatner getting a Thai massage. I am not making this up. (10 p.m. NBC/8) WEDNESDAY "The Million Dollar Duck": Documentary about the Federal Duck Stamp Contest, and six artists who compete to win the so-called "Olympics of wildlife art." (9 p.m. Animal Planet) "Documentary Now!" Season 2 of the witty series that each week parodies -- and pays tribute to - a famous documentary kicks off with a timely choice. In "The Bunker," Fred Armisen and Bill Hader play campaign consultants in a spoof of the political documentary, "The War Room." (7 p.m. and repeats at 10 p.m.. IFC) "American Horror Story": Season 6 kicks off with a new scary saga which apparently has something to do with mist. Deadly mist. Or something. (10 p.m. FX) "Blindspot": In Season 2, Archie Panjabi (Kalinda on "The Good Wife") joins the cast as an NSA staffer who is very interested in the mystery of Jane Doe (Jaimie Alexander.) (10 p.m. NBC/8) THURSDAY "Project Runway": Season 15 kicks off with a new set of stylish competitors, including Portland-based Sarah Donofrio. (9 p.m. Lifetime) FRIDAY "MasterChef": Missed the two-episode Season 7 finale when it aired earlier this week? Here's another chance to find out who cooks up a victory, and snags the $250,000 prize money and cookbook deal. (8 p.m. Fox/12) SATURDAY "Sister Cities": Stana Katic ("Castle"), Michelle Trachtenberg and Jacki Weaver are among the stars of a new TV-movie adapted from Colette Freedman's play, about four estranged sisters whose reunion after a family tragedy uncovers secrets. (8 p.m. Lifetime) -- Kristi Turnquist kturnquist@oregonian.com 503-221-8227 @Kristiturnquist By PTI: Karachi, Sep 11 (PTI) For the first time in over 30 years, Pakistans Muttahida Qaumi Movement has decided not to collect hides of sacrificial animals on Eidul Azha this year for its welfare projects, citing "unfavourable conditions" and "targeted" by state institutions. The announcement was made by MQM leader Dr Farooq Sattar who said the party reached the decision after consultation with the coordination committee and all office-bearers of the Khidmat-i-Khalq Foundation (KKF). advertisement The leader of the party, which had been winning annual major share of hides collection in the metropolis for decades, decided to stay away from the process considering the "unfavourable conditions" that did not allow the party to go for its "social welfare activity". "To generate funds for our social welfare projects, we have only two options, which are Zakat and Fitra collection in Ramazan and hides collection on Eid-ul-Azha," Dawn newspaper quoted Sattar as saying at the partys temporary headquarters. "However, for the past one year, we have not been allowed to carry on with the activities. We were denied this right. We are being forced to announce that we are not collecting hides this Eid." Last year, he said, the law-enforcement agencies "targeted" party workers and "snatched truckloads of hides" donated to the KKF and then handed them over to other charity organisations. The law-enforcement agencies did not allow KKF volunteers to collect hides and they "illegally seized hundreds of truckloads of hides" in Karachi, Hyderabad, Sukkur and other parts of Sindh, he added. The MQM leader said the snatching of truckloads of hides by the law-enforcement agencies despite the fact that the KKF had been granted permission was against the law, the constitution and the official code of conduct. "And it did not end here," he said, adding that dozens of KKF workers and volunteers were arrested in the process who were only collecting hides and then they were booked under false charges. "So we decided to stay away from this welfare work only to keep our workers safe as we dont want to waste our energy under the given circumstances. This gap will allow us to reorganise the KKF and MQM," he said. MQM is a political party claiming to represent the Mohajir (Urdu speaking people) in Sindh. It remains the single largest party in Karachi for decades now and have dominated the political landscape of Pakistans largest city for years sweeping provincial and national elections but since the clean-up operation began on the orders of the federal government, the party has come under intense pressure. advertisement Last month, Pakistan charged London-based MQM leader Altaf Hussain with treason for an inflammatory speech slamming Islamabad. The MQM Chief is reported to have criticised Pakistan by calling it a cancer for the entire world. According to Pakistan media reports Hussain called Pakistan under the Nawaz Sharif administration a "cancer of the world" and an "epicentre of global terrorism." PTI AKJ AKJ --- ENDS --- By PTI: Panaji, Sep 11 (PTI) Old camaraderie was witnessed between Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar and Goa RSS leader Subhash Velingkar when the two met at the latters residence even as they refrained from discussing the Medium of Instruction (MOI) row. The former Goa chief minister visited Velingkar recently during the Ganesha Chaturthi festival and it was their first meeting after Velingkar was ousted from the post of RSS Goa Vibhag Sangh Chalak on August 31. advertisement "When Parrikar came to my place to seek blessing of Ganesh during Chaturthi, I did not see him in different angle. The entire atmosphere was friendly," Velingkar told reporters today. He was talking to media persons after addressing a convention of RSS workers at Bambolim near here, attended by over 2,000 swayamsevkas. "He (Parrikar) took prasad from me and went to enquire about my wifes health, who is unwell. We have a family relationship. Our relation with him is from the time he was a child. Those relationships dont get affected but that does not mean that we will not be true to our ideology," the RSS leader said. Velingkar, who has now floated a parallel outfit -- RSS Goa prant, had accused Parrikar of misinforming the Sangh leadership, which he claimed led to his ouster. Convener of Bharatiya Bhasha Suraksha Manch (BBSM) which is spearheading the movement in Goa to promote regional languages in primary schools, Velingkar said there was not a single exchange on the issue of MOI. "I didnt want toraise the issue..we have started the agitation. We have surpassed the phase of discussion," he said. Velingkar in the past had accused Parrikar of cheating BBSM by allowing continuation of grants to English-medium of schools. To a query, Velingkar said RSS Goa Prant has no objection to the appointment of Laxman Behre as Goa Vibhag Sangh Chalak. "Nana (Laxman) Behre is a sajjan and nisthavant swayamsevak (gentleman and honest). We have no objection to his appointment. Konkan prant will keep on appointing people," he said. He said theyare ready to work under Behres leadership post state Assembly elections, scheduled to be held next year in March. PTI RPS ARS ASV --- ENDS --- As Wake UP! Midland kicked off another season, the focus was on the upcoming local, state and national elections. Sponsored by the The Midland Area Chamber of Commerce, the monthly gathering welcomed Midland County Clerk Ann Manary and Susan McCollister, president of the League of Women Voters of the Midland Area (LWV), to the Great Hall Friday morning. The pair fielded questions after briefly summarizing their roles in the upcoming election. The LWV encourages informed and active participation in government by publishing voter guides, holding candidate forums and encouraging voter registration. McCollister mentioned two upcoming candidate forums: Oct. 3: Michigan 98th district House of Representatives candidates Gary Glenn, R, and Geoff Malicoat, D. Midland County Commissioner District 1 candidates Jeanette Snyder, R, and Connie Methner, D. Midland County Commissioner District 4 candidates Gaye Terwilligar, R, and Eric Anders, D. Debate will take place at Midland City Hall Council Chambers, 333 W. Ellsworth St., beginning at 7 p.m. Oct. 19: Four candidates running for two positions on the board of the Midland County Educational Services Agency. To be held at 7 p.m. at a location to be determined. Oct. 11: Eight candidates running for four positions on the Midland Public School Board. To begin at 7 p.m. at the Midland Public School Administrative building, 600 E. Carpenter St. The LWV also offers two voter guides for citizens, online at vote411.org and an insert in the Midland Daily News sometime around mid-October. As the Midland County Clerk, Manary is the chief election officer for Midland County. The elected office administers all election functions required by law. So basically I tell people the buck stops with me. My office takes care of producing the ballots for people to vote, said Manary, who has been clerk since 1990. The Q&A time during the Talk Show segment of Wake UP! Midland brought the following questions: The initial questions was, How can we can we improve the quality of political discourse in the country? which brought a lot of chuckles from the crowd. Manary encouraged to participate in the political process with a party or by being a candidate for office, on the local level. Get involved. That is what makes good candidates for office, those that are involved, she said. Hacking of data bases, should we be concerned about our election systems as they go more and more hi-tech? Although Michigan has some of the best election laws in place, Manary encouraged the crowd to always be aware of what is going on in the world. On election day, none of our systems are connected to the internet. Not even when you go in and register to vote, give them your drivers license on election day. As long as we maintain that where we do not have anything connected during election day, were pretty safe in Michigan, she said. After the polls close at 8 p.m., the state allows transmissions over a secure phone line. Were hoping that it will go cellular because here in Midland, some of the voting precincts dont have phone lines to connect to so we cant modem our results in yet. That is something we are looking to go to in 2017 when we get some new voting equipment, Manary said. With hacking, Michigan always has a paper trail. You will always have a paper ballot here in Michigan. At least I dont see that changing in the near future. What about voting from home on computers? You cant make voting on computers secure enough, Manary responded. Long a proponent of educating voters, Manary welcomes welcome anyone to come and look at the process, especially when they run public accuracy tests. Anyone that wants to come and see a public accuracy test can contact my office. We do publish the results in the newspaper. I think it is important that people are confident in the system that we have, she said. To contact the Midland County Clerks office, phone (989) 832-6739; or visit the Midland County website at https://www.co.midland.mi.us What are some of the things we can do to increase the voting percentage? And why is it so low? The August primary saw a 11 percent turnout. I was extremely disappointed with the voter turnout for August, Manary said. We train all the election workers that work the elections on election day. They dont get paid a lot of money, but put a lot of time in so it is very disappointing when we have a low voter turnout. Your vote does count. We had two ties in our townships. Hotly contested ballot issues tend to drive voter turnout. August we did not have a lot of that. People are busy and sometimes have something more important than go to polls on election day, she said. The county clerks in the state of Michigan are pushing for no reason absentee voting, which allows registered voters to obtain an absentee ballot for any reason whatsoever. I think that is the wave of the future, Manary said, which brought a round of applause from the attendees. McCollister added that one of the priorities of the LWV is to be a proponent for no reason absentee voting, or to have in person voting extended for a week. What happens if you have a sick child on a Tuesday and dont want to expose the voting poll to their illness? asked Manary. When asked if someone should vote even though there are not any contested races on the ballot, Manary answered with a very strong, yes. For those who want to view an actual personalized, sample ballot, visit: 411Vote.org; the Midland County Clerk website at http://bit.ly/2cKXg8F or the Michigan Secretary of State website at http://bit.ly/1slDdML One new feature to this years Wake UP! Midland program is the Mr. Bill Show, presented by Bill Allen, president and CEO of the Midland Business Alliance, the umbrella organization that directs both the Midland Chamber and Midland Tomorrow. During his short spiel on Friday, Allen encouraged attendees to participate in local, state and national elections. He followed that with an exhortation for attendees to be a positive influence in the downtown streetscape venture. The next Wake UP! Midland will take place Friday, Oct. 7 at 7:30 a.m. at the Great Hall. This story was edited to reflect a date change for the MCESA forum to Oct. 19. Midland County Right to Life will host Louis Brown, executive director of the Christ Medicus Foundation, as guest speaker at its annual Focus on Life dinner. The Christ Medicus Foundation is a prolife, Christ-centered health care ministry in which individuals and families support each others health care needs financially and spiritually. Brown, a Michigan native, will share the story of why he left Capitol Hill behind in favor of work that protects the dignity of life and religious liberty. This years event takes place on Sept. 20 at the Great Hall at Valley Plaza, 5121 Bay City Road. Tickets are now on sale. The cost is $30 per individual or $210 to sponsor a table of eight. The reservation deadline is Sept. 15. More than 300,000 Americans belong to health care sharing ministries such as CMF-CURO, according to the National Catholic Registry. We believe this is authentic health caring: individuals and families are more directly engaged in their own health care and who act in active charity and active solidarity with each other by sharing medical costs and praying for each others needs, Brown told LifeSite News. More information and a registration form are available at the chapter website, www.midlandrtl.org or by contacting Lorie Shane at (989) 835-1964 or midlandrtl@yahoo.com. All prolife supporters are invited. The Focus on Life dinner is the primary fundraiser each year for the Midland County affiliate of Right to Life. Proceeds are used for such activities as the annual courthouse vigil, high school oratory contest, education and outreach at community events and direct service to men and women dealing with the issue of abortion. Our annual dinner is a wonderful opportunity to hear the latest on prolife issues and share fellowship with others in the local community. Together we can have great impact on restoring a culture of life in our society, chapter president Marian Fitzgerald said. As part of the fourth annual Salute to Veterans in Midland County, Sanford American Legion Post 443 will host the Michigan Vietnam Memorial on Saturday, Oct. 8. The day will begin with a motorcycle escort of the memorial leaving Valley Plaza at 10:15 a.m. and arriving at the Sanford American Legion, 2080 N. Meridian Road, about 40 minutes later. By PTI: New Delhi, Sep 9 (PTI) With a view to widening the social security net among unorganised sector workers, regulator PFRDA has proposed a scheme under which employers will have to automatically enrol workers under the Atal Pension Yojna. As pension is a long-term engagement and keeping in view the income profile of the targeted group, PFRDA in a concept paper also proposed using insurance and health coverage as an incentive for long-term engagement. India has a huge unorganised or informal sector. Around 83 per cent of the workers are in informal employment where there is no formal employer?employee relationship. Furthermore, a number of workers are self-employed in the agriculture sector and small businesses like tea stalls, which also include street vendors, hawkers, rickshaw pullers, maids and drivers. "A mandatory scheme for such workers is just not possible. Voluntary schemes such as the NPS Lite or Swavalamban and APY which are primarily focused on this category of workers have also not witnessed very encouraging response," the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) said. PFRDA said international experience suggests extending pension to workers on a voluntary basis is not very successful. "It is in this context that an auto-enrolment is being proposed to expand coverage of pension or old age income security to a larger segment of society," it said. Enterprises which could be sole proprietorship, partnership with less than 19 employees "will be required to automatically enrol all their full-time employees into APY". Insurance components like insurance coverage of health and life may be bundled with APY to take care of health and life contingencies of the members, the paper said. "The automatic enrolment with health and insurance cover under APY is expected to enhance the coverage, particularly in the unorganised sector, and help in saving for their retirement while they are earning. As employer contribution is voluntary, an affirmative action, there may not be much resistance to this change," the paper stated. advertisement Comments have been invited till October 7. Employers, the paper said, must automatically re-enrol their eligible jobholders who choose to opt out or cease to be active member on a three-year cycle. This will give employees opportunity to reconsider their decision to opt out at regular intervals in case their situation has changed since then, it added. The informal sector groups proposed for auto-enrolment are micro industries and enterprises, small scale industries, Asha, anganwadi, construction sector and gram panchayat, among others. PTI NKD CS ARD --- ENDS --- Saginaw Valley State University recently earned certification as a Veteran-Friendly School from the Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency. The gold-level Veteran-Friendly School status demonstrates SVSUs commitment to offer supportive services to those affiliated with the military, said Denise Berry, director of the universitys Military Student Affairs office. This is the top certification you can earn in the state, said Berry, a retired U.S. Army officer. This says that were obviously doing things right. SVSU received the same status last year, when the Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency first offered certification to higher education institutions. Berry said SVSUs Military Student Affairs has grown since that initial certification. Much of that growth is physical. The offices suite tripled in size, and the number of visits increased from 1,525 during the 2014-15 academic year to 2,640 in 2015-16. Theres just so much more space to meet and do group work, she said. This location truly achieves our goal of having a one-stop shop for veterans on campus. SVSUs Military Student Affairs benefits military service members, veterans and the dependents of service members and veterans. The office offers space where military-affiliated students can go for admissions, advising and orientation, to name just a few of the services. We help with just about everything they need, Berry said. If my team cant provide a solution, we find the person on campus that can. For more information about SVSUs Military Student Affairs, visit www.svsu.edu/militarystudentaffairs/ BLOOMINGTON Pets still can't vote in elections, but citizens over 18 can if they're registered. Mass mailings from a group called the Voter Participation Center have caused some confusion when they've been received by people who already are registered or when they are addressed to the wrong person or a non-person. It has resulted in calls to local election authorities. Those who do call are a little irritated because they think it's coming from our office, said McLean County Clerk Kathy Michael, who said election officials have no connection to the group. They've gotten registration information and say, 'This is my dog,' said Paul Shannon, executive director of the Bloomington Election Commission, describing a call his office received. The commission handles elections in the city of Bloomington and the clerk's office is responsible for the rest of the county, including Normal. Michael doesn't know where the organization gets its information from but said, They are a legitimate group. According to the organization's website, they are mailing 11 million voter registration forms this month to prospective voters in 18 states, including Illinois. Although the mailings cause some confusion when they are addressed to people who are already registered or to their pets Michael said the information within them on how to register is correct. So, how do you find out if you are registered for the presidential election on Nov. 8? The easiest way, if you have internet access, is to go to the Illinois State Board of Elections website, www.elections.il.gov/InfoforVoters.aspx, and click on the box that says, Am I registered to vote in Illinois? Michael said people also can email or call her office. The March primary saw a record voter turnout of 50 percent in McLean County and Michael is preparing for what could be a busy Nov. 8 election. Fortunately, both the clerk's office and the commission have an abundance of election judges available for the big day. In June, the McLean County Board approved spending an additional $216,000 to help the clerk's office prepare for the presidential election. The money is being used to increase the number of election judges particularly at Illinois State University, which had long lines in the March primary election and increase the number of early voting sites, ballots and other supplies. Although state law allows same-day registration on Election Day, both Michael and Shannon recommend doing it now. It's much easier to register beforehand than to wait until the day of the election, said Shannon. Michael also suggests voting early, for those who want to avoid lines. Early voting starts Sept. 29. Information about early voting which can be done in a variety of ways is available on the county clerk's website, www.mcleancountyil.gov/countyclerk. The clerk's office and the commission also will jointly operate an early voting station at Eastland Mall, near the J.C. Penney, from noon to 6 p.m. the first four weekends of October. In the late summer of 1916, a century ago, the Old Settlers Association of Eastern McLean County held its 32nd and final reunion picnic. Back in its heyday in the late 19th century, the annual event attracted as many as 10,000 or so people, but with the early settlement era now some eight decades in the past, the thinning ranks of pioneers made such gatherings increasingly untenable. After the Civil War, settler associations and reunions were popular across much of the Old Northwest (what we would call the Midwest today). In this part of Central Illinois, there were reoccurring reunions of old pioneers at Miller Park on Bloomingtons west side, Atlanta in Logan County, Clinton in DeWitt County and elsewhere. The first eastern McLean County settlers picnic was held in 1885 at Christina Park, a privately owned, 10-acre wooded tract about two miles south of Ellsworth. The parks grounds are now part of the northeast corner of Moraine View State Recreation Area. There were never more than 300 actual pioneers who were members of this particular association, meaning the thousands more attending the annual picnics included friends, family, and many others simply looking for a day of conviviality harkening back to the good old times in McLean County. The day-long program typically included interminable speechifying by local politicians, ministers and the like; music by a small town community band; a basket dinner; and recollections some true and others mostly not! by elderly pioneers. Liquor and gambling were prohibited by the association from the get-go, and soon enough party politics and sectarian questions were added to the list of verboten topics. You cant blame the old settlers for keeping things a might dull, seeing as they were there to renew friendships and reminiscence in a family-friendly way, not wage battles won or lost a generation or two ago. And anyhow, as they would say, they werent getting any younger! Yet this was a whitewashing of sorts, given that drinking, betting, and hotly disputing often with fisticuffs politics and religion were fundamental to the rough-hewn social fabric of the frontier. After 11 years at Christina Park, this settler association moved its annual gathering to Betzer Park, located immediately to the north. The reunion then bounced back and forth between the two sites for its remaining years. The second-to-last Old Settlers Association of Eastern McLean County picnic was originally scheduled for Aug, 12, 1915. That date was a washout, though, and so the gathering was rescheduled for the following week. Yet the picnic held four days later, Aug, 16, was likewise marred by rain and muddy roads. This was the age of the Model T, with the automobile making significant and unalterable inroads into supplanting the horse and buggy. Even so, county and township roads were still mostly unpaved in the early 20th century, making long-distance motor travel after two days of heavy rain nigh impossible. The Pantagraph blamed the weather for the reunions comparatively small crowds, both in the morning and afternoon. Horse-drawn vehicles were still better equipped than autos navigating the mud-soaked countryside, and so there were as many wagons, carriages and buggies parked at the picnic site as new-fangled machines. A man on the grounds remarked that if the roads had been in normal condition the autos would have outnumbered the buggies nine to one, reported The Pantagraph. The roster of fittingly patriotic speakers included the Rev. J.W. Ferris of Colfax. Today we honor our fathers and mothers, the pioneers of this community, this state and nation, he said. They have been the power behind the throne that has brought into being our most magnificent government, our wonderful history, our great character. The early pioneers were the Greatest Generation of the day, praised for their work ethic, perseverance, and selflessness, much as Americans today laud World War II veterans. Milo Custer of the McLean County Historical Society (now Museum of History) then read his lengthy blank verse tribute to the Kickapoo, who occupied this stretch of Illinois before the U.S. government stole it from them. The Kickapoo had a semi-permanent village on the eastern edge of a large forested belt running east of Bloomington. Early settlers called this Native American site Old Town, and the 14,000-plus acre wooded grove became known as Old Town Timber. Custer spoke of a mythical Kickapoo chief and a time before white mens axes reached this old-growth timber to forever mar its primal beauty. Will he come again to Old Town? Custer asked of the Kickapoo chief in the lumbering poems final two stanzas. Or does now his spirits wander / Thru the white mens fields and pastures / Oer the graves of his ancestors / (Long years since despoiled by white men) / Thru the few trees yet remaining / Of the grove called Old Town Timber? / Does he come again to Old Town? The 1915 picnic has long been recognized as the final official gathering of eastern McLean County settlers. However, that turns out not to be true, as the group did in fact meet the following year, Aug. 31, 1916, for its 32nd reunion. Speakers that day at Christina Park included Judge Frank Gillespie of Bloomington and state Rep. Walter Provine, a Republican from Taylorville. The Pantagraph estimated the picnic attracted some 2,500 people, though this newspaper had a long tradition of inflating attendance figures for local events. From available evidence it appears as if this 1916 gathering was indeed the last hurrah for the Old Settlers Association of Eastern McLean County. On Aug. 19, 1979, the communities of LeRoy and Ellsworth, in a nod to the past, sponsored an old settlers picnic at Moraine View State Park. That day the LeRoy Historical Society dedicated a stone marker at the site of old Betzer Park. Back in 1915, the Rev. C.J. Robertson dwelt upon the lessons which the pioneers have taught the following generations. The Gibson City minister spoke those 101 years ago on the spirit of mutual helpfulness crucial to the story of pioneer hardihood and success. The early settlers also took time for sociability, he added, while we of today are too everlastingly busy to notice even our neighbors. Will McLean County experience election fraud on Election Day, Nov. 8? Are you concerned our election could be hacked? How much of the rampant election hacking and fraud news is hype, and how much is based on fact? It hasnt helped voters confidence level with the recent news of a cyberattack of the Illinois State Board of Elections database. Just this week, the FBI has also uncovered evidence that suspected foreign hackers penetrated voter registration databases in Arizona. McLean County has two election authorities. Our office handles elections for the entire county, except the City of Bloomington that is managed by the the Bloomington Election Commission. Is your vote safe in McLean County? Answer: Yes Should you fear our election equipment being hacked? Answer: No Has there been proof of voter fraud? Answer: No Has there been proof of disfranchising voters? Answer: No Should we be ever vigilant for all of the above? Absolutely We hope the following information will help you continue to feel confident about the voting process in McLean County: There is no internet-based vote tabulation being conducted in Illinois. Our Election Division uses the AccuVote system. So do 63 other election jurisdictions in Illinois. All of our processes and procedures comply with Illinois election laws. It has been proven to be a reliable system with our voters and election workers in McLean County. All ballot/vote tabulation processes and procedures are conducted in a transparent manner involving bi-partisan election judges. The AccuVote system (both optical scan and touch screen) produces a hard-copy audit trail for voter verification and election recount reconciliation later, if necessary. Many states do not require a hard-copy audit trail. Voting systems utilized in McLean County are all certified by both federal (NASED) and state (SBE) election administrations and tested by Independent Testing Authorities (ITA). Bipartisan election judges must reconcile the number of voters with the official ballots cast at each polling place. Ballot tabulation is controlled and conducted at every polling place; vote totals are produced in the precinct and no uncounted ballots are transported out of the precinct to the Government Center. Official ballots and memory cards from the voting equipment are all transported back to our Government Center in locked/sealed transfer cases witnessed by bi-partisan election judges. The voting system used in McLean County has successfully been used in Illinois and across the country for over 15 years. McLean County will continue to ever be on guard for any hint of voter fraud. States Attorney Jason Chamber agrees. He will prosecute any and all identifiable cases of voter fraud. Committing election fraud is a felony. We must safeguard your right to vote; a right so many have fought and often died to protect. It's been 15 years since terrorists attacked America on her shores, killing thousands in a one-day massacre that brought down a symbol of successful commerce, dented The Pentagon and scarred a field in Pennsylvania. United We Stand, came the determined cry from across the country. Remember the fundraisers? The community prayer vigils? Salutes for firefighters, police, rescue workers, and those who volunteered for months of search and recovery missions? When friends or family die, our need to transform grief into something meaningful often turns to prayer, offers to help and a general coming-together of the community. The national grief of Sept. 11, 2001, became a focus on service to others: thousands signed up for military service or applied for jobs as emergency workers or counselors, others coordinated events and groups to help others. In Central Illinois, thousands of dollars were raised in a few days to help the American Red Cross. A three-day Share Fest promoted donations, information and volunteerism. After the anniversary earned federal status of "Patriots Day," it was marked with prayers, parades, ceremonies, veterans' job fairs, motorcycle rides and 50 American flag processions. The spirit of America our pride, strength and determination was on full display for the world after what quickly became known simply as 9/11. It was a modern-day Pearl Harbor in which an unprovoked attack prompted our immediate action rather than submission. But 15 years after that awful day in 2001, America's cry has become Divided We Stand. We no longer have a common cause, but have become a country whose beliefs are as faceted and sharp as a million shards of glass. Those who want to lead our country spend more time shredding peoples' personal lives than focusing on making sure we are safe, educated and fed. America has problems with gun violence, drugs, unemployment, underemployment, immigration, poverty, and racism. At every level of society, we tear ourselves apart with rhetoric that encourages hatred of the very freedoms we stand for: religion, speech, press, peaceful assembly and petitions to address our grievances. On this day of remembrance, we must look deep into our souls and decide how America should stand. Grandparents Day Today also is National Grandparents Day, an official holiday since President Jimmy Carter decreed in 1978 that the nation should honor grandparents on the first Sunday after Labor Day. The observance was the brainchild of Marian McQuade of Fayette County, W.Va., who wanted to promote the wisdom of the elderly, particularly those in nursing homes who might be lonely. Visit or call your grandparent today, or take the opportunity to visit an older neighbor or someone without family. Everyone, at every age, has something to share. Everyone knows just how a challenging few months it has been for "Limitless" season 2. The show, which starred Jake McDorman as Brian Smith, was prevented from having a "Limitless" season 2 on CBS earlier this year after it was canceled on the network. The cancellation was a surprise for many of the science fiction comedy drama show as it actually had decent ratings; often averaging 6-7 million viewers on the Live + 7 broadcast ratings. The hopes for "Limitless" season 2 fell even further this week after it was rumored that the CW finally passed up on the opportunity to develop the show. The CW was the last chance for "Limitless" season 2 to be done as negotiations with other broadcast networks like FOX, NBC and ABC did not succeed. Back in May, deals regarding "Limitless" season 2 with the streaming services like Amazon and Netflix failed, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Showrunner Craig Sweeney confirmed the "Limitless" season 2 news and he thanked the fans for fighting for the television series. The last hope for "Limitless" season 2 is for a cable network like HBO, Showtime, FX or AMC to commit to making the show. With the future of "Limitless" season 2 in limbo, the star power of executive producer and recurring cast member Bradley Cooper can be beneficial to the franchise. But with Variety confirming that he will be making his directorial debut as well as co-star in an upcoming remake of the classic film "A Star Is Born," it unlikely he will be unable to shop "Limitless" season 2 to cable networks. Parent Herald will be covering the updates on "Limitless" season 2 in the coming weeks. Do you think networks should save "Limitless" season 2? Let Parent Herald know in the comments section. Meanwhile, watch the trailer for the first season of "Limitless" in the video below. Aside from new flagship mobile phones, Google is also reportedly gearing up to release another tablet that can really compete in the market. Recent rumors suggest that it is going to be a high-end Huawei-built device despite having a small size at just 7 inches. The new Google Nexus 7 tablet might be unveiled in the upcoming Oct. 4 event of Google, where the rebranded Nexus smartphones made by HTC, the Pixel X and Pixel XL, are anticipated to be officially announced. Evan Blass leaked on Twitter that the tablet is on track to be released before the end of this year. Google's Huawei-built 7-inch tablet, with 4GB RAM, on track for release before the end of the year. Evan Blass (@evleaks) September 5, 2016 Reports said the 7-inch tablet will feature a quad-HD display with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 829 processor. Its RAM will be 4G, and the internal storage is 64GB. It will also sport a rear camera with a quality of 13 megapixels. It is not yet known what the name of the tablet would be, but Huawei had successfully trademark Huawei 7P in April, International Business Times reported. But since Google is dropping the Nexus brand name, the tablet would likely carry a Pixel name instead. Google is said to be unveiling a couple of new devices on Oct. 4, including the two Pixel phones (currently codenamed HTC Marlin and HTC Sailfish), a new 4K Chromecast, Google Home and Daydream VR viewer, according to Android Police. The event itself remains unconfirmed, and if it turns out to be true, it is not also clear whether the next Google tablet will be part of it given the vague "end of the year" release window. But then Google might have some surprises, so consumers can keep an eye on the details. Meanwhile, VentureBeat recently reported that Google is suspending its Project Ara, an initiative that would make modular smartphones. It is not fully canceled and the tech giant might license the technology to a third party. By PTI: From Aditi Khanna London, Sep 11 (PTI) Fourteen people were arrested today for aggravated trespassing in the West Midlands region of England after a gang of 20-30 sword-wielding men stormed a Sikh temple, apparently opposing a mixed race marriage between a Sikh and a non-Sikh couple. Specially trained officers from Warwickshire Police are still believed to be inside Gurdwara Sahib in the town of Leamington Spa to negotiate with the other men. advertisement Fourteen people were arrested for aggravated trespassing in the West Midlands region of England, police said. A spokesperson for Warwickshire Police said: "The report was received at 6.47 am after a group of between 20 and 30 men entered the temple. This is currently being treated as aggravated trespass and at this time we believe that it is an escalation of an ongoing local dispute." "We believe that some of the men are in possession of bladed items and as such armed officers have been deployed to the scene. Officers are inside the temple to negotiate a peaceful resolution," the spokesperson said. "We would like to reassure people that this is not being treated as a terrorist incident," he added. The spokesperson confirmed religious leaders in the temple were working with officers to negotiate a peaceful resolution. "There are police cordons in place around the temple and we would ask that people avoid the immediate area while the incident is resolved," he said. Some reports claim the armed gang is demonstrating against a mixed race marriage, although this remains unconfirmed. Jatinder Singh Birdi, a former treasurer at the temple, said a marriage between a Sikh and non-Sikh couple was due to take place. "There have been tensions that have been going on for a couple of years with some people objecting to mixed marriages in taking place in the Gurdwara," he was quoted as saying by BBC. "The general consensus is people are respectful of mixed marriages if the traditions are respected. Nothing has happened on this level before. This is meant to be one of the happiest moments of somebodys life - it shows a lack of respect," he said. A police cordon is currently in force around the temple while officers and religious leaders try to end the stand-off. PTI AK SUA UZM AKJ UZM --- ENDS --- Patna: Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) chief and Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan, at a press conference in Patna on Saturday, expressed his frustration over the return of Jungle Raj in Bihar that, he said, was confirmed by the release of Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader and former MP from Siwan Mohammed Shahabuddin after spending 11 years in prison on murder charges. "The law and order situation in Bihar has hit a new low with murders taking place on a daily basis. Yesterday a homeopathic doctor was gunned down in broad daylight and today the son of a journalist was shot in the head sending him to the hospital where he is battling for his life. This is a matter of great concern," the LJP chief said. Blasting Chief Minister Nitish Kumar of abandoning the agenda of development and good governance, Paswan said that it was clear that law and order had hit a new low in Bihar with the release of notorious criminal and RJD leader Mohammed Shahabuddin from the Bhagalpur Jail on Saturday. "I come to Bihar with the intention to talk about national agenda but get mired in local law and order situation. This confirms that Kumar has set aside all pretense of good governance and is only concerned with prohibition that has nothing to do with development," he said. Agreeing with Vice President Abdul Hamid Ansari's comment at the Bihar Chamber of Commerce 90th anniversary celebration in Patna on Friday during which he said that development was not possible until crime was kept in check in the state, Paswan said that the Chief Minister was seen begging the industrialists to set up factories and plants in the state but no one made any commitment knowing it was not safe to conduct business in Bihar due to prevailing law and order situation in the state. Taking a dig at the Chief Minister for surrendering before the criminals, the Union Minister said that even Shahabuddin put Nitish Kumar in his place by saying that he did not consider him his leader and instead expressed his loyalty towards Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) President Lalu Prasad Yadav. "Shahabuddin is right because without the help of the RJD, Nitish Kumar would not be the Chief Minister of Bihar today. It will not come as a surprise that Lalu soon replaces Nitish with a new Chief of his choice," he said. Paswan later visited the Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH) to enquire about the condition of Akaash Dey, the 20-year old son of a photojournalist who was shot three times in his head on Bhootnath Road under Agam Kuan police station in Patna on Saturday morning. Iranian Journalist's Prison Sentence Reduced to Two Years, with Two-Year Ban on Reporting 09/11/16 Source: International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran The 10-year prison sentence of newspaper columnist Afarin Chitsaz has been reduced to two years on appeal and she has been banned from practicing journalism for two years according to the ruling issued by Branch 36 of the Appeals Court on September 5, 2016, the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran has learned. Afarin Chitsaz with her parents Chitsaz, who wrote a political column for Iran, the official newspaper of the Hassan Rouhani administration, was arrested during a wave of arrests on November 2, 2015 by the Revolutionary Guards Intelligence Organization and sentenced to 10 years in prison in March 2016 for assembly and collusion against national security and collaboration with enemy states by Branch 28 of the Revolutionary Court. Her arrest typified hardliners targeting of political centrists and supporters of the more moderate administration of President Rouhani, in addition to their long-standing targets of reformist journalists and activists. On July 5 she was permitted to leave prison for three days on furlough (temporary leave) on 10 billion rials ($320,000 USD) bail. Then, on July 21, she was hospitalized for a knee operation and has been recovering at her parents home since August 10. My client is under medical treatment for meniscus tears in her knees and for this reason her furlough has been extended several times, her lawyer, Mohammad Moghimi, told the Campaign. Her right knee has been operated on and her other knee needs surgery as well. I am hopeful that she will be allowed to remain outside of prison for as long as her treatment requires. Three other journalists were also arrested on November 2 by the Revolutionary Guards Intelligence Organization: the reformist journalist Issa Saharkhiz, the reformist newspaper editor Ehsan Mazandarani, and reformist journalist Ehsan (Saman) Safarzaei. Davoud Assadi, a marketing manager and brother of the Paris-based dissident journalist Houshang Assadi was also arrested that day. In March 2016 Mazandarani was sentenced to seven years in prison while Safarzaei and Assadi were sentenced to five years in prison. Mazandarani and Safarzaeis sentences were reduced to two years in prison on appeal. Saharkhiz, who previously spent nearly five years in prison for publishing political commentaries critical of the widely disputed results of Irans 2009 presidential elections, was sentenced to three years in prison by the Revolutionary Court in Tehran on August 9 for propaganda against the state and insulting the supreme leader. He will also be tried in a criminal court for allegedly insulting Judiciary Chief Ayatollah Sadegh Larijani and former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Iran breaks ground on two nuclear power plants to be built with Russian help 09/11/16 Source: Tehran Times (photos by Islamic Republic News Agency) After a successful anti-terrorism synergy, Tehran and Moscow on Saturday capped off relations with a decade-long cooperation to construct two new nuclear power plants on the coasts of the Persian Gulf more than one year after the landmark nuclear deal. Sergei Kiriyenko (L), the head of Russia's Federal Atomic Agency, shakes hands with Ali Akbar Salehi, the director of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, at the ceremony on September 10, 2016 to begin building Iran's second nuclear power plant, near the southern port city of Bushehr, Iran. "According to the timetable envisaged, the first and second units will be constructed respectively over 108 and 126 months with the cooperation of Russia's State Atomic Energy Corporation (Rosatom)," Iranian nuclear chief Ali Akbar Salehi said while attending a groundbreaking ceremony to mark the launch of construction of the two new nuclear power plants. The agreement with Russia's State Atomic Energy Corporation marks the second cooperation between the two countries since 1992 when the Russian company started completing the Bushehr nuclear power plant, first initiated by a German partner before the 1979 revolution. The 1,000-megawatt plant, which is operating under the full supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency, reached its maximum power generation capacity in August 2012. Two year after the successful operationalization of the project, Tehran and Moscow showed more seriousness to start new projects. "In 2014, Iran and Russia signed three documents, one contract, one protocol, and one memorandum of understanding, in Moscow to construct the new units, paving the way for peaceful nuclear cooperation between the two countries to enter into a strategic, new phase," Salehi explained. Iranian nuclear chief says, "In 2014, Iran and Russian signed three documents, one contract, one protocol, and one memorandum of understanding, in Moscow to construct the new units, paving the way for peaceful nuclear cooperation between the two countries to enter into a strategic, new phase." However, no concrete steps were taken, influenced by pressure on the Kremlin by the West, until the situation changed as Iran and six global powers thrashed out a deal on Tehran's nuclear program in July 2015. "Where we stand now is the outcome of the JCPOA," Salehi underscored, expressing thanks to Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and all others for nuclear negotiations with world powers. The nuclear compounds benefit Iran economically and environmentally in the long-term. The two units will add over 2,000 megawatts (MW) of nuclear power generating capacity over a ten-year period, according to Salehi, a project which will require a whopping amount of $10 billion. Also, the units once constructed will help Iran curb greenhouse gas emissions to the equivalent of 14 million tons, what Salehi, a nuclear physicist, hailed as "environmentally important." As a spin-off of the project, desalinations facilities with a daily capacity of 200,000 cm will be established, which can lower costs affiliated with water supply for southern cities of the semi-arid country, the nuclear chief pointed out. The event comes days after a confidential report by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) seen by Reuters says that Iran has kept to the nuclear deal it clinched with six world powers last year. While closer relations between Tehran and Moscow do benefit the sides, Iranians would expect a different face of Moscow, a more committed and less opportunistic one. Unlike the sanctions era, analysts say, Moscow is not the only partner Tehran has at its disposal now that the nuclear pact has given Iran more leeway to pick nuclear partners. Tourist guides line up for attending WFTGA Convention in Iran 09/11/16 Source: Tehran Times TEHRAN - So far, over 20 tour guides from 10 countries have applied for taking part in the 17th World Federation of Tourist Guide Association (WFTGA) Convention which is to be held in Tehran from January 28 to February 1, 2017. The registration began on August 2 and those participants who apply until October 30, 2016 will be granted discount prices during their stay in Iran, Mehr news agency quoted Mohsen Haji-Saeid, the secretary of the event, as saying. However, the official registration will begin in November and continue until the end of December, Haji-Saeid added. Online Registration Iran is ready to host 350 tour guides during the WFTGA Convention. More details are available on wftga2017.com. Iran Federation of Tourist Guide Association (IFTGA) is the host of the convention. This is the first time Iran will host the event, which is a biannual gathering of tourist guides from more than 70 countries. The association aims to establish contact with tourist guide associations throughout the world, to reinforce their professional ties and to protect the interests of professional tourist guides.The motto of the convention is "Iran; Friendly Faces, Open Arms, Ancient Cultures, Timeless Charms". STILL HURTING Sirak Betru feels the loss, same as he has every day for 15 years. Betrus older brother, Dr. Yeneneh Betru, a Burbank physician, was a passenger on American Airlines Flight 77, the plane hijacked by terrorists and flown into the Pentagon at 9:37 a.m. EDT on Sept. 11, 2001. The familys anguish, Sirak Betru says, remains fresh. Yeneneh Betru was finishing a trip to the familys homeland, Ethiopia, and had been in Washington, D.C., on a one-day layover to see another brother. He was heading to Los Angeles when he died. His death left the whole family his parents and three surviving siblings bereft. Sirak Betru, now 48 and living in Maryland, says their fathers health failed and, when the elder man died this year, it was earlier than he would have. Their mother, while still alive, also has been in poor health. Both of their hearts were broken, he said. Still, Yeneneh Betru didnt go away, not completely. In life, he had a dream: to open a public health clinic in Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia. The clinic would offer dialysis to people of limited means. That dream didnt die. After the attacks, the Betru family with the help of his co-workers, service clubs and corporations raised money to buy six dialysis machines. Years later, on Sept. 11, 2008, a kidney treatment center at Bethel Hospital in Addis Ababa was dedicated in Yeneneh Betrus name. Its there today. Yeneneh Betru lives on, too, in the hearts of his family and many others. (Yeneneh) was one of the nicest people that you could ever meet very generous, a hard worker, loved his family, wanted to make a difference in the world, Sirak Betru said. Its very, very sad that something this tragic happened to such a good person. One thing hasnt changed since 9/11. We dont understand why it had to happen to him. Brenda Gazzar Derek Difani is full of life. So its more than a little ironic that the Riverside resident will forever be identified as a survivor of the deadliest attack ever committed on U.S. soil. Fifteen years ago today on Sept. 11, 2001 more than 2,900 people lost their lives at the World Trade Center in New York City when two planes hijacked by al-Qaida terrorists flew into the North and South towers of the complex. Difani was 25 years old then and a Morgan Stanley stock broker trainee on the second day of a three-week training program. Difani, 40, will spend Sept. 11 the same way he and his wife, Jennifer, have spent the past seven busy attending to details of their sons birthday celebration. Colin Difani, a spunky, gap-toothed boy, will turn 8 years old. GLAD TO BE ALIVE A family man with a cheerful disposition and a smile that comes easily and often, Difani works as a commercial loan officer at U.S. Bank in Riverside. He is thankful to have a job that lets him adjust his schedule for the myriad activities with his children. Theyre the center of his life. I have a lot of flexibility a lot of people dont have, said Difani. Colin knows one of his gifts will be a Rubiks Cube. A couple of weeks ago, Difani and son drove from their Riverside home to Los Angeles for a Rubiks Cube competition. Colin solved the cube puzzle that day in a mere 55 seconds, his dad said. Colins sister, Isabel, 10, is in the midst of a growth spurt that has seen her sprout up past 5 feet seemingly overnight. These days she loves trying on her mothers clothes. Which you fit in now, which is weird, Difani told his daughter. Youre like a person. Isabel effortlessly parried his gentle teasing. Im a person, dad, Isabel said. When shes not rollerblading, playing with friends or watching videos on her phone, Isabel is busy with auditions for her schools upcoming production of The Wizard of Oz. I have a son and daughter who are smart, beautiful, wonderful people, and Im so proud of them, said Difani, who once lived in Menifee. And they wouldnt be here if I wasnt here. SOMETHING HAS HAPPENED The fateful morning 15 years ago began uneventfully for Difani with a training session that ended early. It was on the 61st floor of the South Tower, also known as 2 World Trade Center. Difani recalled how beautiful it was that day. The kind of fall day he was accustomed to as a longtime Southern California resident. It was about 75 degrees and the sky a cerulean blue without a single cloud to smudge the canvas. One of the last mundane activities he recalled that Tuesday morning was sitting down at a computer to check on his fantasy football team. He noticed a commotion by the skyscrapers windows that grabbed the attention of nearly everybody else in the room. Paper floating in the air caught Difanis eye. It looked like confetti. He looked down toward the roof of an adjoining building and saw some fluttering sheets of paper settling there. A few of were on fire. Oh my God, he remembered thinking. Something has happened. Soon, security personnel began telling trainees to start evacuating. Difani headed back to get his suit coat and briefcase. But a guard told him to leave them behind and head for the stairs. In the stairwell he saw two older men on their way down. He asked them if they knew what happened. They said they were eating breakfast and saw a plane hit the the North Tower. Difani asked them what kind of plane. A Cessna? No, he was told. It was an American Airlines 767. Blood drained from the mens faces, Difani recalled. About five minutes into an orderly, methodical descent, Difani was on a stairwell landing when the second plane hit the South Tower. During a recent interview, he clapped his hands loudly to simulate the effect. I kind of slam up against the side of the wall on the landing, Difani said. Im not falling down the stairs, luckily. Im on the flat part. But people are falling down certainly. That kind of feeling should not be happening in a 110-story building. WERE DONE It was the one time that day, Difani admitted, that he seriously contemplated his mortality. My immediate thought was that the building must have tipped over into us, Difani said. And were not surviving that, right? I mean, were done. As his mind raced, Difani said he imagined himself caught in a collapsing building, then trapped in a pile of rubble with search crews toiling far above him. He remembered hoping that, whatever happened, it wasnt excruciating. Standing in his living room, recounting the experience, Difani admitted: I dont know why I thought about these things. It was very strange thinking. Then the building stopped swaying and the people in the stairwell began to move again. There was no smoke. No fire. A few individuals urged the others to go, go. He compared it to being stuck on the 91 or 405 freeways, just crawling along, but moving. Gradually the progress became measurable: 30th floor, 20th floor, 10th floor. The crowd reached the lobby, then took two sets of escalators down to the subway. They popped out onto the street and into the sunshine a block away. Difani looked up into the sky. From his vantage point he thought the fire could be extinguished and wondered if he had exaggerated the whole experience in his mind. Now Difani knows he was blocked from the angle that would have revealed the two huge holes in the towers. DIFFERENT EXPERIENCE At an art gallery up the street, Difani placed separate phone calls to his mother and his father. When he came outside again, just before 10 a.m., he heard a rumble. Then he watched as the South Tower collapsed. He walked the 50 blocks to his hotel. The next day, his legs were so sore he could barely get out of bed. Millions of Americans with varying degrees of proximity to 9/11 have needed weeks, months and longer to process the events of that day. Not so for Difani, who no longer carries the weight of the day. The way I hear people talk about it, is not my experience of it, he said. And so its kind of a strange thing. Difani said he processed the attack differently because he was part of it. Meanwhile over 2,000 miles away his father, Bob Difani, watched aghast as it unfolded on television. That morning was hellish, said Bob Difani, 67, of Riverside. The elder Difani is still affected, but said he has never heard his only child express regret or lament his experience that day. Im very fortunate hes my son, Bob Difani said. And Im very proud of how hes turned out. A father couldnt be more proud. Life offers changes and how you adapt to it will say what kind of person you end up being. Contact the writer: 951-368-9682 or tsheridan@scng.com The westbound lanes of Ortega Highway, which closed late Sunday morning, Sept. 11, because of a motorcycle crash, reopened about noon, the California Highway Patrol website said. The eastbound lanes remained open during the investigation. The motorcycle went off the right-hand shoulder of the mountain road west of Lake Elsinore, also known as Highway 74, about 11:10 a.m., according to the CHP website. Just before 11:30 a.m., the CHP requested that the westbound lanes be closed for 45 minutes to an hour. There was no immediate word on the condition of the rider. April Thomas was stringing Christmas lights at her new Murrieta home when she noticed the white vans. They were headed to a home two doors down, a home that at first glance resembled the others in her well-appointed neighborhood on the west side of the city. There were vans pulling up to the house all day long, she said. Thomas, who moved with her husband and daughter into their home in November, would later discover from neighbors that the vans were carrying clients to and from a sober living home, one of two located within a one block radius of her place. RELATED: Murrieta resident seeking to crack down on sober-living homes Shocked by the discovery no one mentioned the existence of the facility before they moved in Thomas started learning more about the homes and how they are regulated by the city, state and federal government. What she found, she said, was that there is no real oversight of the facilities and little recourse for neighboring residents who are frustrated by the behavior of clients, which can include loud conversations at night, cigarette smoke wafting from backyards into neighboring homes and a revolving door of people who are in various stages of recovery. I want it to be clear these people these need help, she said. But from a licensed medical facility with medical doctors. Right now, theyre not being taken care of. BAD ACTORS Under state law, the homes do not provide any services, medical or non-medical, to their residents as they attempt to recover from drug or alcohol addiction and are not required to seek licenses from the state departments of Social Services or Health Care Services, said Todd Leishman, an attorney with Best Best & Krieger, who has helped represent the cities of Aliso Viejo and Lake Forest and San Clemente. The state considers the people who live in a sober-living home to be a sort of family and the patients are afforded protected class status because they are in treatment. That status has prevented local legislation against the homes, said attorney Leishman. Those who lobby on behalf of the companies say there is a strong argument for placing recovering patients in tranquil suburban settings because it helps them become productive members of society. At least one company that operates sober living homes said bad experiences can be traced to bad actors. That organization, the California Consortium of Addiction Programs and Professionals, represents more than 1,000 homes. It wants to be a solution to the problem and work with legislators on regulations that would protect consumers and prosecute companies that run afoul of the law, said CEO Pete Nielsen. The tricky part, he said, is making sure that whatever is enacted allows the homes to carry out their mission of easing former addicts into a sober life. Sometimes when we try to take care of the bad actors we make it tough on the good actors, he said. You dont hear about the ones that are well run. SEEKING SOLUTIONS To address these types of complaints, Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Vista with the support of other lawmakers plans to introduce federal legislation that would amend the Fair Housing Act to specifically allow any local, state or federal government body to enact and enforce a zoning ordinance or other regulation that limits the number of sober homes within a particular neighborhood. The city of Costa Mesa reined in the proliferation of sober-living homes in single-family home neighborhoods by passing a law that restricted the number that could settle in a particular area. The law was challenged but a federal judge dismissed the suit because the regulation, in the courts estimation, could help recovering addicts by preventing neighborhoods from becoming institutionalized settings. MURRIETA COMPLAINTS Murrieta resident Geoff Szabo, who has teamed up with Thomas and other Murrieta residents concerned about the homes, asked the Murrieta council to enact something similar during the public comments portion of a recent meeting but the council hasnt taken up the issue yet. He also has asked the city to try and get something passed that would include mandatory background checks of employees by the police department and limits on the number of beds. I hope the city can start to do something, he said last week, adding: Number one, its hurting these peoples quality of life and, number two, it hurts property values. Murrieta city officials have said there is not much the city can do because state laws limit the ability of local municipalities to enact different types of oversight. The company that used to run a home in Szabos neighborhood, a Menifee firm that operates similar homes in suburban pockets of Riverside and Orange counties, moved in the first group of patients in September of last year. Szabo said they have since left the old owners moved back in but he is continuing to press the issue on behalf of city residents who contacted him to share similar tales of woe about the facilities next to their houses. Thomas said her family put up cameras at her house to document issues so she has ammunition before she calls the police. We are tired of it being our word against the city and this company, she said. After Szabo complained about the home near his house last year, Murrieta Police Chief Sean Hadden assigned a dedicated officer to field complaints about the facilities and work with neighbors to proactively address concerns. But he said in an email that the officer has been reassigned. We pulled the officer off of the project about six weeks ago, as there was not any illegal activity coming from the group homes, he said. Deanne Tate, who heads up Veterans First, a Santa Ana nonprofit that provides shelter to homeless veterans, said she understood concerns San Clemente residents voiced about sober living homes there and added that she would like to see rules for such homes. There are a lot of really good sober living homes that do it the right way, she said. When people want to do something good for the community and open up a sober living house there are no set rules. She applauded the lawmakers for their efforts to bring some sort of oversight. If there is no management, then theyre just flop houses, she said. If they dont abide by the rules, they have to shut them down. Contact the writer: 951-368-9698 or aclaverie@scng.com Inland law enforcement officers will be among those receiving public safety medals of valor from Gov. Jerry Brown on Monday, Sept. 12, the governors press office announced. Brown and state Attorney General Kamala Harris will present the awards to eight officers at 11 a.m. in the governors office at the state Capitol in Sacramento. The announcement did not identify the officers, but said they work for the San Bernardino and Redlands police departments, San Bernardino County Sheriffs Department, California Highway Patrol, San Diego Fire-Rescue Department and the Redlands Police Department. A medal of valor, for extreme bravery at personal risk, is the highest award a law enforcement officer can receive. Defence sources said two Lashkar-e-Toiba terrorists entered the house of Nazir Hussain and army's quick reaction team cordoned off the area. The encounter started between terrorists and army and police personnel in Alahpir area of Poonch town this morning. By India Today Web Desk: One police constable was killed and a sub-inspector (SI) was seriously injured today during gunfire between security personnel and Lashkar terrorists in Poonch district of Jammu region. The encounter started between terrorists and army and police personnel in Alahpir area of Poonch town this morning. The slain Constable was identified as Sandeep Kumar while injured SI Manzoor Ahmed was admitted to hospital for treatment. Two army soldiers, two police constables and a civilian were also injured in the confrontation. The firing was still going on intermittently from both sides till the last reports came. (India Today TV grab) advertisement Defence sources said two Lashkar-e-Toiba terrorists entered the house of Nazir Hussain and army's quick reaction team cordoned off the area. Police said the terrorists started firing from an under construction mini secretariat building near the Army's 93 Brigade headquarters in Poonch town around 8 am. The terrorists were using AK-47 rifles and the fire was coming from two directions - one from mini secretariat and another from Nazir's house. Reports said Nazir and his wife had locked themselves in one of the rooms. Nazir told the police that one terrorist was inside their house and both the husband and wife were safe. "The militants have been surrounded and all escape routes were sealed", a senior police officer said, adding the gunfight was continuing. The firing was still going on intermittently from both sides till the last reports came. The total number of terrorists present in the area has not been ascertained yet. ALSO READ: Pakistan must push harder against terrorists, do more to clear sanctuaries: US --- ENDS --- Manufacturing is the No. 1 industry in California to pack up and move to states considered to be friendly to business. Since such losses are happening more frequently, its time to examine the record of a politician from a district that will soon lose a major employer. In this case, its Sen. Connie Leyva, D-Chino, who represents Colton. Ashley Furniture has announced it will stop manufacturing in Colton and furlough 840 employees. The company didnt say that Californias difficult tax and regulatory environment figured into its decision, but I cant see how any business leader could ignore such factors when deciding to move the work out of state. A company statement said that closing the facility will strengthen its production capability and cost structure so as to compete effectively. The work will be transferred to Wisconsin, Mississippi and North Carolina, all of which have reasonable labor rates, lower workers compensation costs, a thoughtful regulatory environment and lower energy costs. I have no connection with Ashley Furniture. But in my experience Im confident that the company could reduce costs by 20-35 percent for each job moved, helping it to remain competitive in the dog-eat-dog retail world. Consider the experience of Bing Energy, a green fuel-cell company, that relocated its headquarters and manufacturing from Chino to Florida. Bing CFO Dean Minardi said the tipping point in his decision was Floridas friendlier laws and its move to phase out the corporate income tax. Minardi said of eliminating the tax, Its huge. The more income a company can keep the more people it can hire . I just cant imagine any corporation in their right mind would decide to set up in California today. My firm completed a study California Business Departures: An Eight-Year Review 2008-2015 that estimates more than 3,000 manufacturers diverted capital out of California because of facility relocations, opting for expansions in other states, or deciding to go elsewhere after considering California. The difficulty of operating here keeps increasing as our politicians (almost always Democrats) repeatedly pass costly measures. More tax hikes. More regulations. More fees. More penalties. Ashley Furniture gave employees 60 days notice and met regulations governing layoffs. Im sympathetic and understand why workers may organize a protest in front of an Ashley facility. But by protesting at the companys door, the workers will draw attention to the effect of Sacramentos actions. It would be nice to see protests at the doors of the politicians who support business-killing, economy-killing, job-killing policies. In other words, speak out against the causes of Californias job losses. The top political figure I hold responsible for our deteriorating business environment is Gov. Jerry Brown. But he has, for want of a better word, collaborators. Since Colton has lost jobs before, I decided to examine the work done by the state senator who represents that city, Connie Leyva. Her website focuses on social issues relating to homeless students; the rights of housekeepers, nannies, and caregivers; and safeguarding children from predators. All are noble causes, but I didnt see efforts to boost a businesss prospects for success. In fact, Leyva voted for Californias absurd one-size-fits-all minimum wage, requiring employers in her lower-cost district to pay San Francisco-like high wages. I turned to the California Manufacturers & Technology Associations legislative scorecard for last year, which shows Leyva with a feeble record of supporting job-creating bills. A California Chamber of Commerce report shows that every time she voted for a business-friendly bill, she voted three times for business-hostile legislation. Politicians failed to learn from the event seven years ago when CalPortland Cement closed its plant also in Colton because of costly state regulations. Then, company President James Repman testified that staying in business is becoming increasingly more difficult due to the myriad of regulations and agencies that oversee every aspect of our business . The next new plant probably wont be built in California meaning more good, high paying manufacturing jobs will be lost to Nevada or China or somewhere. The biographies for Gov. Brown, Sen. Leyva and most Democrats show that theyve never run a company. Until voters who want good jobs become wiser about who to elect to office, they will see more businesses leave the state. Joseph Vranich, principal of Irvine-based Spectrum Location Solutions, helps companies plan and select optimal sites for new facilities across the U.S. and internationally. Knowing that police officers are patroling K-12 schools makes many parents feel better about sending their children off to class each day. But how much safer do the school police make students, staff and campus property? A real answer to this big question is hard to come by. Thats the worrisome take-away from a new look at the subject by The Christian Science Monitor, which cites experts and anecdotes to lay out the national issue: At a moment when officers in schools are seen by some as a solution to the threat of violence in school, the debate has been turned on its head: Are these so-called school resource officers (SROs) actually the cause of too much violence? Instead of making schools safer, are they ramping up a disciplinary arms race unnecessarily turning typical bad behavior into criminal offenses? This is known: SROs are increasing in number, with the National Center for Education Statistics saying the percentage of U.S. schools having them rose from 1 in 1975 to 40 in 2014. Among questions raised: How well are campus officers trained for tasks that often go beyond security, law and rule enforcement to include mentoring and counseling? Does aggressive campus policing leave kids with criminal records for misbehavior that would have been addressed by parents and teachers in years past? Are minorities disciplined disproportionately? The massive Los Angeles Unified School District has the nations largest school police force, including more than 400 sworn officers and 100 safety officers. Speaking with an editorial writer, L.A. Schools Police Department Public Information Officer Sgt. Julie Spry could provide no data attesting to the forces effectiveness. Anecdotal reports indicate officers do many wonderful things for kids. But The Christian Science Monitor quoted Sheri Bauman, a University of Arizona education professor: Theres such a widespread belief that [SROs] make kids safer, yet we dont really know that. We need to have some scientific analyses that answer those questions. In an era when the public expects city and county law-enforcement agencies to provide specific data on trends in crime and officer deployment on our streets, no less should be expected from the departments protecting our schools. When Todd Gooch of the Riverside-based Urban Search and Rescue Task Force 6 went to Ground Zero in the immediate aftermath of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, he envisioned pulling live bodies from the wreckage. Within a very short time, it was evident that was not going to happen, Gooch told a crowd gathered at Riverside City Halls Ronald O. Loveridge Plaza on Sunday for the commencement of the Riverside Citywide Day of Service honoring firefighters, police officers and other emergency responders. Rather, Gooch took solace from being able to identify victims for their families from what remained: body parts. I never thought I would be happy to find a dead person, said Gooch, who spoke after opening remarks by Riverside Mayor Rusty Bailey. The event brought together representatives from area emergency-response agencies as well as community service organizations. A brunch raised money for the Riverside Police and Fire foundations and a luncheon honored emergency personnel. Among about a dozen booths, LifeStream and the American Red Cross accepted blood donations. Among the booths was a charred, warped, 612-pound hunk of metal that had once served as an I-beam at the World Trade Center. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey sent the scrap to Riverside to honor the task forces contribution to the rescue and cleanup efforts at the sites of the destroyed towers. It was the best 10 days of my life, task force member John Thomas said of his role in the response. With all my years of training, finally I had somewhere to go. I had never been so honored and so humbled. For once, Americans of all backgrounds put away their differences in doing what they could to help get through the disaster, Gooch said. For a few brief days, we were just Americans, he said. Contact the reporter: 951-368-9690 or michaelwilliams@scng.com RELATED: Sept. 11 survivor has shed the weight of the day 5 people whose lives were touched by 9/11 One police officer, two attacks: Sept. 11 and Dec. 2 Friends lives intersect when Flight 77 crashed Visiting the 9/11 memorial in New York is a must Sept. 11 memorial events The Bolgatanga Municipality, Kassena-Nankana Municipality and Nabdam District, have been ranked the 'most dirtiest' in the Upper East Region by the United Nations Children's Fund, UNICEF League Table. While Bolgatanga Municipality finished 13th on the spot of the table, Nabdam District and the Kassena-Nankana Municipality garnered 12th and 13th positions, respectively after getting 0.00 percent. The above municipality and districts cannot boast a single household latrine as residents resort to 'open defecation', an issue that has exposed the people to health hazards. On the table, Garu-Tempane was placed first on the spot after getting 36.79 percent. Bawku Municipality and Binduri District also finished well behind Garu-Tempane as they got 24.39 and 21.74 percent, respectively. At stakeholders' engagement workshop organised by UNICEF in Bolgatanga of the Upper East Region, the Chief of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene, WASH, David Duncan, said the abysmal performance of some municipalities and districts in ensuring improved sanitation was as a result of lack of commitment and priorities by the Municipal and District Assemblies, MDAs. He said most of the districts and municipalities lacked household latrines and that, the few public toilets and communal latrines were poorly managed, exposing the people to cholera, malaria, among other diseases. Mr. Duncan, however, called on duty bearers of the various assemblies, including the Municipal and District Chief Executives, MDCEs who were wielding executive powers to show total dedication to reverse the trend. With the lukewarm attitude of the people in supporting to stem the issue of poor sanitation in the country, he expressed pessimism Ghana would not succeed in streamlining its sanitation challenges to "the target" in the next 100 years. This, he said, there was the urgent need for the assemblies to prioritise sanitation and enact bylaws to wage a relentless war against open defecation and punish residents who were not committed to keep the surroundings clean. The Bawku MCE, Issahaku Bukari, said he was impressed with the performance of his municipality in the UNICEF League Table and pledged his outfit would do everything possible to maintain and improve the status quo. "I will make sure that anyone, who wants to build a house should include a toilet facility. Some are interested in providing only kitchen and bathroom, but with continuous sensitisation and education, most of them have realised the need to add a toilet facility when they are building houses", he added. Mr. Bukari acknowledged the commitment of most of his colleague MDCEs to reduce the canker of poor sanitation left much to be desired and called for behavioural change in that regard. The indicators used in assessing the performance of the districts and municipalities, included the total number of household latrines in a district or municipality, the total number of partners involved in WASH in a district or municipality and the frequent practise of Open Defecation-Free, ODF. Management of UNICEF hinted it would add the functioning of WASH facilities in MDAs, cleanliness of WASH facilities in MDAs to the indicators to evaluate the performance of MDAs in sanitation in subsequent years. Source: Francis Dabre Dabang/ email: [email protected] Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video A 22-year-old man has been charged with attempted murder and committing a terrorist attack after a stabbing in Sydneys western suburbs left a 59-year-old man in critical condition. NSW Police say that the victim was stabbed a number of times while walking through a reserve in Minto yesterday afternoon around 4pm; he suffered serious injuries to his body and hands and was airlifted to Liverpool Hospital. Police from Macquarie Fields allege that, when they arrived at the scene, the 22-year-old attempted to stab an officer before being taken into custody. A large knife was confiscated and sent for forensic examination. In a briefing to media, NSW Deputy Police Commissioner Catherine Burn said: We know that this person has strong extremist beliefs inspired by ISIS What made him actually act yesterday, we dont know. But hopefully, our further investigations will uncover that. It was deliberate. It was violent. His behaviour, it could even turned worse as well. We will allege that he set out to do something yesterday. How long he had been planning this we dont know. This highlights the challenge that we face, though. This is the new face of terrorism. The alleged attacker has been refused bail, and the NSW Police Joint Counter Terrorism Team have made a statement saying there is no ongoing threat in relation to the incident. Source: NSW Police / SBS News. Photo: Joosep Martinson / Getty. WARNING: Put down ya coffee before you read this! Your excitement will likely cause you to spill your morning caffeine-hit all over yourself. Are you a fan of street art? A bit? Sort of but not really? Well who tf cares, because the only street artist whose name you likely actually know is coming to Melbourne soon. A fuck-off huge exhibition featuring the work of mysterious street artist Banksy will be happening next month, stretching until the beginning of 2017. The exhibition is curated by Steve Lazarides, Banksys former manager, who says, This exhibition is a one off never will you be able to see this amount of work in one place again. Once the show is over, the artwork will dissipate back to the other 40 collectors around the world, and the likelihood of them being brought together again in the future is very slim. The Art of Banksy will contain such infamous pieces such as, GIRL WITH BALLOON and, LAUGH NOW. Therell be over 80 works on display, and local street artists (including Adnate, Kaffeine and Sirum) will display their own pieces outside the exhibition. This will all go down at The Paddock in Melbourne; weve been told in the dodgy car park, behind the good car park, behind Federation Square. During the whole 3+ months of the show, the area will be transformed into hub of art, food & dranks for you to enjoy during the summer months. Itll have ever-changing food trucks, craft beer, cocktails, and the outdoor area The Railyard will play host to live DJs on Friday & Saturday seshes for ya. We might never find out who Banksy is, but food trucks, beer and art will do us tbh, especially now that the weathers getting a bit warmer. NICE. The Art of Banksy will start on Friday October 7th, and run until January 22nd 2017. Tickets are available now; you can get them here: premier.ticketek.com.au/shows/show.aspx?sh=BANKSY16 Source: Supplied. Months after Tara Brown and the 60 Minutes crew were released from a Lebanese jail, the details of the botched child abduction operation that landed em there are still boggling. Regardless of right or wrong, Channel 9 stood behind Brown and her team through the ordeal. However, Child Abduction Recovery International (CARI)s founder Adam Whittington is now suggesting the channel only stood by its employees leaving Whittington and his crew to languish behind bars. Speaking to Channel 7s Sunday Night, Whittington implied the 60 Minutes team were given preferential treatment following a US $500K payment made to the childrens father by Channel 9. At the time, Ali al-Amin claimed he didnt receive any cash to drop the charges. That turned out to be false, and Whittington claims as soon as they pulled out their chequebook, everything just went downhill for everybody. Obviously not Channel 9s crew Brown and the childrens mother Sally Faulkner, along with producer Stephen Rice and production staff David Ballment and Ben Wilkinson, were released after a couple of weeks. Thats a far sight shorter than the nearly four months Whittington served in Lebanese lock-up. He also claims the Channel 9 team were given pizza and coffee while behind bars, compared to the maggot-infested water Whittington and his crew were subjected to. He also described another prison he was transferred to as one of those places you just dont want to remember, before getting choked up describing it. Regarding Stephen Rice, who was sacked by Channel 9 in the aftermath, Whittington said he was a scapegoat and they threw him under the bus, just like they did to us. In fact, Whittingtons team took such a low view of Channel 9s treatment of Rice that they used the written report of his dismissal as toilet paper while locked up. I received a copy of it in prison, he said. It was passed around and used as toilet paper, thats what we did with it. Rough stuff. You can watch the full interview right here. Source and photo: Sunday Night. The TV gods have smiled upon us today, with a report in the Daily Telegraph indicating that a major commercial network is very close to finalising a deal for a mini-series about the life and many, many loves of Shane Warne. Nine have expressed an interest in the show as a possible sequel to the ratings winner that was Howzat! Kerry Packers War, but per the latest reports, Channel 7 are looking likely to close the deal, pending a Screen Australia funding decision this week. While Warney obviously had quite a prolific bowling career, his romantic life is expected to play a major part in the series, particularly his rocky relationship with model and actress Liz Hurley. Paparazzi broke the story of Warne and Hurleys relationship in 2010, and they confirmed their engagement in 2011, but called it off two years later, and would later ask for his engagement ring back. From his status as Australias most high-profile Tinder user to his recent thirst-liking of Emily Ratajkowskis posts on Instagram and the whole Brynne Edelstein situation, hes certainly given the filmmakers a lot of material to work with. Assuming the deal goes ahead, Seven will announce more details of the series, including casting, at its upfronts next month. Source: The Daily Telegraph. Photo: Scott Barbour / Getty. The exercise will be themed on "counter terrorism operations in mountain terrain under the UN charter". By Manjeet Negi: After the two countries signed the LEMOA, armies of India and the US are going to hold a joint exercise between 14-27 September at Chaubatia military station in Uttarakhand's Ranikhet. This will be first joint military exercise between two countries after signing Logistic exchenge memorendum of aggriment (LEMOA). The exercise will be themed on "counter terrorism operations in mountain terrain under the UN charter". advertisement Army officials said a special request was made to the US contingent "for sharing of simulation and exercise design". ALSO READ | After Pathankot operations, IAF holds massive combat exercise TALON Indo-US joint training exercise will be a battalion level exercise. As part of the combined training, the contingents are (already) sharing tactics, techniques, procedures and operational experiences to improve interoperability between the two armies. 225 personnel each belonging to infantry divisions of both the countries' armies will be participating this year at Yudh Abhyas , a bilateral exercise that began in 2004 as part of US' Pacific focus. As part of the combined training, the two contingents will train on sharing operational capabilities to improve interoperability between the two armies. In 2015 , the exercise was held at Joint Base Lewis McChord in Washington. ALSO READ: India-US military agreement: All you need to know about the deal that took over a decade in coming "US is ensuring India is Asia's net security provider" --- ENDS --- Thank you! You've reported this item as a violation of our terms of use. This content was contributed by a user of the site. If you believe this content may be in violation of the terms of use, you may report it. Fresh clashes erupted between security forces and protesters in Karimabad Village of Pulwama district in South Kashmir today. More than 10,000 people are injured in clashes between security forces and protesters since July 8. By India Today Web Desk: Fresh clashes erupted between security forces and protesters in Karimabad Village of Pulwama district in South Kashmir today. At least 50 protesters and 12 CRPF and police personal are so far injured in the ongoing clashes. SEPARATISTS UNITE UNDER ITIHADI MILAT There is no let off in protests and rallies organised by separatists under the banner (Itihadi Milat) unity of Muslims. advertisement On Saturday two protesters were killed and 110 others injured in widespread clashes across the Valley. Just two days had left for the Eid Ul Azha and there is no let of in clashes and protests across valley which has put dark clouds on biggest festive season of Muslims in Kashmir. Meanwhile, the state government has completely lost its grip on situation and just acting as wait and watch. Seventy-nine people have already lost their lives across Kashmir since July 8 after the killing of Hizbul Commander Burhan Wani. More than 10,000 people have been injured in the clashes between security forces and protesters. ALSO READ: Kashmir unrest: 2 more protesters killed, 120 wounded in fresh clashes in Shopian and Anantnag Jammu and Kashmir government thinking of granting amnesty to stone pelters --- ENDS --- FILE - This Aug. 2, 2001, file photo shows Gary Sampson during arraignment in district court in Brockton, Mass. Sampson was sentenced to death in 2003 for the carjack killings of multiple men in 2001, but the sentence was overturned in 2011. A sentencing retrial for Sampson is scheduled to begin Wednesday, Sept. 14, 2016, in federal court in Boston. (AP Photo/The Patriot Ledger, Greg Derr, Pool, File) Murphy, Petroliam, Sierra to group for deepwater Mexico oil bidding Mexico to auction 10 deepwater crude blocks on Dec. 5 MEXICO CITY Petroleumworld.com 09 12 2016 Murphy Oil Corp., Petroliam Nasional Bhd. and Sierra Oil & Gas are in talks to form a group that would bid jointly for the first opportunity in more than seven decades to independently operate offshore fields in Mexico's deep Gulf waters, a person with direct knowledge of the plan said. The three producers are in the process of signing a joint study and bid agreement, a step to form a consortium for Mexico's sale of deepwater leases on Dec. 5, according to the person, who asked not to be identified because the information isn't public. Mexico, which ended a monopoly on oil exploration as it struggles to arrest declining production at its aging fields, expects the historic sale of deepwater drilling rights in the Gulf of Mexico will bring in investment of as much as $44 billion. About three quarters of Mexico's prospective resources are located in the deep waters of the Gulf, according to government data. More Interesting A total of 16 operators and 10 financial companies have already qualified to bid for the December auction. The sale has lured more interest than an opportunity to partner with state-owned Petroleos Mexicanos to develop the Trion field in the Perdido area. Murphy Oil, which is approved to act as an operator should the company win an oil block, will not "reveal information about the upcoming lease round at this time," Kelly Whitley, the Houston-based company's vice president of investor relations and communications, said in an e-mailed response to questions. Ivan Sandrea, chief executive officer of Mexico's Sierra Oil & Gas, declined to comment. Petronas, as the Malaysian state-run oil producer is known, didn't respond to e-mails seeking comment. The company is also qualified as an operator. The aspiring bidders have joined forces before. Murphy Oil and Petronas bid together for two blocks in Mexico's first shallow-water oil auction in July last year, though their offer fell short of the minimum 40 percent stake the government required to retain in the fields. Sierra Oil & Gas, which bid in a consortium with Talos Energy LLC and Premier Oil Plc, won rights to explore for crude in two blocks in the same auction. Petronas and Sierra Oil & Gas bid in consortium groups in the country's second auction, though neither were awarded contracts. Bidder's Backing Sierra Oil & Gas, a recently formed company in Mexico that qualified as a financial partner for the Dec. 5 auction, has received funding from BlackRock Inc., Riverstone Holdings Ltd. and EnCap Investments LP. Chevron Corp., Exxon Mobil Corp. and Hess Corp. have also agreed to bid together at the upcoming auction, a person with knowledge of the plans said last month. Joint agreements to bid can be dissolved if one of the companies withdraws its intention to participate in the contract, and the companies may opt not to bid even if the consortium is still in place. Congress vice-president on sixth day of his yatra attacked the Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samajwadi Party saying "elephant" has eaten all the money, the "cycle" is standing "punctured" in the state By Press Trust of India: Launching a fresh attack against Bahujan Samajwadi Party and the ruling Samajwadi Party in poll-bound Uttar Pradesh, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi on Sunday said while the "elephant" has eaten all the money, the "cycle" is standing "punctured" in the state. "Haathi saara paisa kha gaya. Hathi ko apne maar ke bhaga diya (elephant--the election symbol of BSP--ate all the money and then you chased it out)," Gandhi said while addressing a public meeting on the sixth day of his yatra. advertisement "Phir aap cycle (SP's election symbol) laaye. Ye paanch saal se phansi hui hai, hil nahi rahi hai. Uska tyre puncture hai aur apko ration card nahi dila pa rahi hai," he said attacking SP. (Then you voted for SP's cycle which has been stranded for past five years. It's tyre is punctured and is not moving. The party could not provide ration cards to you). ALSO READ: Rahul visits temple in Ayodhya; first Gandhi scion to do so since Babri demolition THINK ABOUT THE HAND: RaGa Appealing to people to vote for Congress in the upcoming elections, Rahul said, "Now you should think about the hand (Congress's election symbol) and then see what we do about ration (cards) and farmers," he said. RaGa's PADYATRA The Gandhi scion, who is on his 2500 km 'Deoria to Dilli yatra' to connect with the masses in the run-up to the 2017 state Assembly polls, resumed his yatra from Azamgarh and after holding series of meeting in Mau he will reach Ghazipur. Azamgarh is parliamentary constituency of SP supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav. ALSO READ: What the khaat! 14 memes show how Rahul Gandhi made a bed move RAHUL ATTACKS PM MODI Rahul had targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his "frequent" foreign visits. "Modiji apni duniya mein mast rehte hain...jaisa mainey kaha tha 'janata trast, Modiji mast' (Modiji is happy in his own world. As I had said earlier, the public is in trouble but Modiji is happy)...his attention is either in America or Japan," he said "He made tall promises that everyone will get Rs 15 lakh in their bank accounts, the youth will get employment and bullet trains will be run. When will they get Rs 15 lakh? When will the youth get employment and bullet trains? Even the regular train fares have been hiked," he had said. ALSO READ: Rahul Gandhi's Kisan Yatra is Bring Back Brahmins Yatra RAHUL'S JIBE ON SAMAJWADI PARTY Rahul had on Saturday taken a jibe at SP, saying "the cycle (SP's poll symbol), voted to power by the people (in the last Uttar Pradesh Assembly election), was not moving". "You removed the elephant (BSP's poll symbol) and brought the cycle...but the cycle is stationary," he told a gathering at Khetasaria in Azamgarh. advertisement "Do not know if it (the cycle) has a puncture or is tied from behind or broken, but it is not moving," he added. ALSO READ: Prashant Kishor has to innovate again, as Rahul Gandhi gets cot in high drama in UP --- ENDS --- Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh today met the topper of the examination for assistant commandant in Border Security Force. He said that topper's story should inspire the other youth in Kashmir By PTI: Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh today met a youth from Jammu and Kashmir who has topped the examination for assistant commandant in Border Security Force, saying his success story will inspire many in the state. Singh said he was immensely happy to meet Nabel Ahmad Wani, a young man from Udhampur in Jammu and Kashmir, who topped the BSF assistant commandant examination recently. advertisement "The success story of Nabeel shows that youths in Jammu and Kashmir have lot of potential and his success will inspire many young boys and girls in the state," he said. Also Read: Kashmir unrest: Another youth killed in clashes, death toll reaches 75 WHO IS NABEL AHMAD WANI Wani was accompanied by Director General of BSF K K Sharma when he met the Home Minister, who also wished Wani success and bright future in life. The Home Minister also introduced Wani to top officials, including NSA Ajit Doval, Union Home Secretary Rajiv Mehrishi and others, who had come for a meeting with Singh during that time. Wani said that he felt unemployment was the biggest problem being faced by the youth which can only be solved by education. Also Read: Modi government to prep 50,000 Kashmiri youths for employment Wani, who is currently serving as a junior engineer in Udhampur, said it was his dream to join the defence forces and serve the country which has now been fulfilled. "The more we get education the better and more jobs we will get. We cannot get education by taking to stones but by holding a pen," Wani said. --- ENDS --- Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email Print By Steve Holland and Jeff Mason WASHINGTON/NEW YORK (Reuters) Presidential candidates Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton clashed over national security again on Friday, with Trump calling his Democratic rival trigger-happy and Clinton arguing his proposals would make the world a more dangerous place. The two White House hopefuls have waged a running battle this week over who is best placed to command the worlds most powerful military, with both touting their support from retired military leaders and attacking their opponents temperament and judgment. Trump also injected drama into the national security debate this week by wholeheartedly endorsing Russian President Vladimir Putin as a strong leader who has fared better than U.S. President Barack Obama. Clinton, many Democrats and even some in his own Republican party balked. Trump, speaking on Friday at the conservative Value Voters summit in Washington, painted Clinton as a massive failure while she was Americas top diplomat from 2009 to early 2013, blaming her for the current turmoil in the Middle East. The problem is, Hillary Clinton is trigger-happy. Her tenure has brought us only war, destruction and death. Shes just too quick to intervene, invade, or to push for regime change, he said at the summit. Meanwhile in New York, Clinton met with national security and foreign policy experts who are supporting her campaign to discuss terrorism. She touted the bipartisan nature of the meeting and vowed to work across the aisle as president to tackle national security challenges. The nominee on the other side promises to do things that will make us less safe, Clinton told reporters at a news conference on Friday afternoon. National security experts on both sides of the aisle are chilled by what theyre hearing from the Republican nominee. Both candidates are hoping to capitalize on concerns about national security and paint their opponents as unqualified leading into the Nov. 8 presidential election. WORKING WITH THE RUSSIANS Trumps speech on Friday comes after the candidate took the unusual step of criticizing U.S. policy in a program aired on Thursday night on Russian government-funded television network, RT, a 24-hour news channel that broadcasts in both English and Russian. He said he disagreed with the U.S. decision to invade Iraq in 2003 and that Obama botched the withdrawal. Its a war we shouldnt have been in, number one, Trump said in the interview. And its a war that, when we got out, we got out the wrong way. Thats Obama. Critics of the network, which mostly targets audiences outside of Russia, have described it as a propaganda arm of Putins government. American presidential candidates are not prone to condemn their country before a foreign audience, even if they are fierce critics of the current administration while campaigning in the United States. Trump has said far worse about Obama in appearances on U.S. television networks. Clinton blasted Trump for appearing on the network and praising Putin, as he had done on Wednesday night during a televised national security forum. Every day that goes by this just becomes more and more of a reality television show, Clinton said. Its not a serious presidential campaign, and it is beyond ones imagination to have a candidate for president praising a Russian autocrat like Vladimir Putin. The White House said it had no comment on Trumps remarks. The New York businessman also said on RT on Thursday he did not think Russias government was behind the hack of Democratic National Committee email servers, and doubted it was trying to interfere in the U.S. election. Experts inside and outside the government have pointed to Russian-backed actors as the source of the hack, which has been used to leak information in an attempt to embarrass Democrats. Trump, in his speech on Friday, stuck to his belief that the United States and Russia can work together to defeat Islamic State militants. He said any nation that wants to join the United States against ISIS is welcome. That includes Russia, he said. If they want to join us in knocking out ISIS, thats just fine as far as Im concerned. Trump also sought on Friday to blame Clinton after reports that North Korea had tested a nuclear weapon, arguing it was the fourth such test since the Democrat became secretary of state in 2009 and that she should have ended the nations nuclear program before her tenure ended. Its just one more massive failure from a failed secretary of state, Trump said. Clinton called the North Korea test outrageous and unacceptable, saying she supports imposing additional U.S. and United Nations sanctions. It will be on the top of my list in dealing with China on how were going to prevent what could very well be a serious conflict with North Korea, she said. (Writing by Ginger Gibson.; Reporting by Steve Holland, Doina Chiacu and Emily Stephenson in Washington and Jeff Mason in New York.; Editing by Richard Valdmanis and Mary Milliken) Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email Print The following post, written by The Rev. Robert A. Franek, is a part of Politicus Policy Discussion, in which writers draw connections between real lives and public policy. Today marks the 15th anniversary of the terrible terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. It is a day of much remembering and giving thanks for the sacrifice of many on that dreadful day and over these many years. Today is also a time for contemplating all that has happened since that awful awakening. One of the questions Ive had for more than a decade now is: How will we know when the war on terror is won? What will be the sign of the end of this war? Or to say it differently: How do we defeat a feeling? Will bombing various parts of the world back to the Dark Ages really make our country, our world safer? Is this the best path to assure our national security and bring peace to countries plagued with conflict? Wars and threats persist. As a nation we feel less safe than ever. And as the world is on our doorsteps, because their cities and towns have been destroyed by war, we seem to have forgotten the words penned by Emma Lazarus and affixed to the Statue of Liberty: Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door! In the midst of our tributes to the first responders of then and now, in our gratefulness for those who serve in our nations military and for those who have given their lives in this service, and in our hope for tomorrow, can we also make room again to ponder the call to welcome the worlds exhausted, suffering, homeless ones for whom this nations welcome light shines? As much as today is about remembering, looking back, and giving gratitude to all who have sacrificed so much in the fight for the values of this nation, today is also about looking to the future and the continued struggle to uphold our nations security and values, while working peace among the nations of the world so deeply mired in conflict and war. I was heartsick over the Islamophobia that arose following the terrorist attacks. In a country of religious freedom, why could Muslims not build their mosques? More, why were Christians, who are supposed to embody the love of every neighbor, so strong in opposition? I am grateful for the interreligious dialog that has begun and continues in many communities across the country and the partnerships that are being forged. Still, this strong opposition contradicts both our nations founding principles and the heart of Christian witness. This irrational fear persists today and is being normalized by the Donald Trump campaign. It seems to matter not that the global community is now being represented in schools and throughout communities across the country. Our nations value of religious freedom is guaranteed to all but xenophobia betrays this fundamental commitment. In the quest for national security, peace in our country, and peace throughout terror stricken parts of the world, I wonder if we have become so afraid of the other that we have forgotten one of the things that makes this country so great: its welcome of diversity in ethnicity, culture, and religion. We must know our neighbors better and cultivate a curiosity that seeks understanding. I think we will come along way towards winning this war on terror when we follow the witness of Malala Yousafzai and work towards making sure every girl receives a free, safe, and quality education as a fundamental right. It is in schools around the world that I believe the war on terror will finally be won. It is through education and understanding and recognizing our shared humanity and common dreams for peace in our lives and world that fears will give way to friendships. Perhaps this will be the sign the war is done. Perhaps this is how we defeat a feeling, not by destroying it but rather by transforming it though listening, learning and the cultivation of new relationships. Working to end sexism and misogyny in this country and around the world not only in schools, but all areas of life, will go along way to end the war on terror and do more good for our shared humanity in the end. We may all learn to get along in the process and as the prophet Isaiah envisions turn our weapons into instruments of cultivating life. Imagine if we worked collectively at this for the next 15 years. If we dont I imagine we will continue to fight this endless war on terror. Although Home Ministry officials say it was routine, the security review meeting is significant in the light of the Kashmir unrest, where the death toll has risen to 80. Home Minister Rajnath Singh had said last week that the situation in the Valley was "under better control than earlier" and "will be under complete control" in coming days. (Photo: PTI) By Indo-Asian News Service: Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday reviewed the internal security situation in the country along with senior officials of the ministry and security agencies. "It's a normal security review meeting that the Home Minister has convened. He decided to take stock of the situation, hence the meeting," a Home Ministry official told IANS. He said that as the minister had been out of town for some time, he decided to review the situation on Sunday, adding that there was nothing special to it. advertisement The meeting, however, has its own importance in the backdrop of the Kashmir unrest. The Kashmir Valley has been in a state of unrest for 65 days, after the encounter of terror outfit Hizbul Mujahideen's commander Burhan Wani by Indian security forces on July 8, 2016. A series of violent protests and clashes between security forces and protesters have left 80 people dead and thousands injured so far. KASHMIR UNREST: THE STORY SO FAR Despite the government's repeated attempts to quell the protests, the situation in Kashmir remains tense even after over two months of curfew in several parts of the state. The government has decided to take a tough stand against the separatist leaders in the Valley after Home Minister Rajnath Singh-led All-Party Delegation that visited Kashmir to initiate talks with all stakeholders including Hurriyat leaders failed to break the impasse. Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti's repeated appeals to shun violence have gone unheard and several parts of Kashmir still remain under curfew. This has led to whispers that she should step down for her failure to control the situation. Home Minister Rajnath Singh had said last week that the situation in the Valley was "under better control than earlier" and "will be under complete control" in coming days. ALSO READ: Kashmir unrest: At all-party meet, opposition pushes for talks --- ENDS --- Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email Print Republicans are taking this whole un-American thing to a new level as they follow their party leader Donald Trump down the drain. So on this 15th anniversary of 9/11, Republican former Vice President Dick Cheney attacked the sitting president of the United States in order to blame President Obama for the mistakes of the Bush Cheney administration. Ill give you a sense of Cheneys rant in the Wall Street Journal published on September 9th, but the tl/dr version is wah wah Obama bad, Republicans great, everything is Obamas fault, Obama weak, Obama helping enemies, etc. Youd think Obama wasnt the guy who got bin Laden when Bush and Cheney couldnt be bothered. The taste (making it brief for your health): Defeating our enemies has been made significantly more difficult by the policies of Barack Obama. No American president has done more to weaken the U.S., hobble our defenses or aid our adversaries. In 2006 on Meet the Press, then V.P Dick Cheney claimed that any criticism of then President Bushs foreign policy encouraged and aided terrorists. Criticism of the war was unpatriotic, Bush told us. Cheney also claimed at a fundraiser that raising questions about what Bush knew is thoroughly irresponsible and totally unworthy of national leaders in a time of war. Cheney has long blamed Obama for withdrawing the troops from Iraq, which is odd because Obama did that based on the Status of Forces Agreement then President George W. Bush signed. Furthermore, Cheney knows that the U.S. president isnt in charge of Iraq and cant dictate to them when we would leave. Cheney also knows that we stayed on in an advise and assist mode, ready to step up when Iraqi Security Forces needed help. And Cheney also knows that the Iraqis didnt want our troops there, and our troops werent always treated well even as they assisted. Cheney knows its unseemly to not only attack the sitting president as a former V.P., and even worse, to do it on 9/11. It also happens to be inaccurate in this case. In 2004, Republicans argued that to criticize Bush at all for the ever changing excuses for the Iraq invasion and the failure to plan an exit strategy before invading was to side against the troops. This was their argument for Bush as the accused the actual Bronze Star and Purple Heart war hero, John Kerry, of being unpatriotic and being against the troops, even as they swiftboated Kerrys service. People werent allowed to even question Bush and Cheney, and the press often went along with this new definition of patriotism. Dick Cheney is thought to be the architect of the war in Iraq, an invasion the Bush Cheney administration based on false intel and a war that they claimed was related to 9/11. This war led to the instability of Iraq, which led to a power vacuum in Iraq, which in part led to the rise of ISIS. Dick Cheney and the Bush administration were also the types who encouraged the kind of black and white thinking that caused the Dixie Chicks to be banned from radio because they criticized Bushs plans for war in Iraq. The Bush administration harshly silenced dissent claiming we had to stick together or we were siding with the terrorists. Criticism of the president was unpatriotic, Republicans argued. So its wildly hypocritical and cowardly that Dick Cheney picked 9/11 to rant about President Obama and incorrectly blame Obama for the rise of ISIS. Dick Cheney said he would support Donald Trump. That really should be the end of Dick Cheney being given a platform to attack anyone. If Cheney et al had not invaded Iraq based on lies, we wouldnt be here right now even having this discussion. But certainly its not productive to use the painful anniversary of 9/11 to point fingers at the guy who took over after 9/11 happened on your watch and your administrations war hawks manipulated intel to suggest Iraq had weapons of mass destruction. Heres a kick in Cheneys pants; the current Republican presidential nominee says that Bush and Cheney lied about WMD and thus started the Iraq war on a lie. Trump also blames Bush/Cheney administration for 9/11. Its no wonder Dick Cheney went full whining blame mode today. He has continued to refuse to take responsibility for the mistakes made in the lead up to the war, and instead of being a grown up, hes lashing out not even at Donald Trump who is openly accusing the administration of lying, because Cheney hasnt that kind of moral courage but of the sitting president who has been stuck mopping up the Bush Cheney mess as best he could. Donald Trump isnt a one-off, and one need only look at the despicable behavior of Dick Cheney to realize just where the party of personal responsibility really went off the rails. This is what Republicans have come to. Childish finger pointing and projection of their own mistakes onto others, trolling America on 9/11, and general moral cowardice. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email Print Donald Trump has refused to release any details about his medical history, but some in the mainstream press are legitimizing Clinton health conspiracies after Democratic nominee overheated on 9/11. Despite the fact that Trump has released nothing that would qualify as legitimate information about his health, the media jumped full steam into validating Trumps claims that Clinton isnt healthy enough to be president after she overheated at the 9/11 memorial. NBC News whipping up the conspiracy: Hillary Clinton walked out of the 9/11 memorial about 30 minutes ago but campaign aides won't comment on where she is now. Monica Alba (@albamonica) September 11, 2016 Chris Cillizza of The Washington Post claimed that Clintons health is now a legitimate issue, Whereas Clinton and her campaign could laugh off questions about her health before today, the overheating episode makes it almost impossible for them to do so. Not only has it come at a time when there was growing chatter with very little evidence that her health was a problem but it also happened at a 9/11 memorial event an incredibly high-profile moment with lots and lots of cameras and reporters around. What the media is really upset about is that they havent been given info: Hillary is headed to home to Chappaqua without press pool, which is still waiting for info from campaign on whether she met w a Dr, per pool Kenneth P. Vogel (@kenvogel) September 11, 2016 Some in the press, because they feel that they werent given a fast enough update and allowed to tag along, have decided that they are going to punish the Democratic nominee by engaging in uneducated speculation that will fan the flames of right-wing conservative Clinton health conspiracies. It is unfair for the media to obsess over Clintons health, while not questioning in the slightest the fact that Trump hasnt released a single shred of credible information about his own health. The five minute typo-filled letter from his wacky doctor friend does not meet the threshold for health disclosure. Clintons health should not be any more of a legitimate issue than Trumps health. The Clinton campaign should release her medical records to put the pressure on Trump to do the same. The biased treatment is going to continue to go against Hillary Clinton, which is why her campaign needs to go on the offensive and put the heat on Donald Trump for making his own medical history a total mystery. MINNEAPOLIS An elementary school music teacher who has lived under a cloud of suspicion since 11-year-old Jacob Wetterling was kidnapped from central Minnesota in 1989 can breathe easier now that another man has confessed to the boy's abduction and killing. Dan Rassier was questioned about Jacob's abduction several times over the years and was subjected to lie detector tests and hypnosis. In 2010, authorities got search warrants to dig up his farm after they said he made suspicious statements to investigators and to Jacob's mother. He was then named a person of interest. "I became toxic," Rassier said. The case that haunted Minnesota for decades and devastated the community of St. Joseph, 80 miles northwest of Minneapolis, impacted Rassier's life in ways that he says are hard to explain. On Tuesday, Danny Heinrich, 53, of Annandale, confessed in federal court that he abducted, sexually assaulted and killed Jacob. The confession "essentially cleared Dan Rassier as a person of interest in the Jacob Wetterling case," Stearns County Sheriff John Sanner said in an email to the Associated Press on Thursday. ADVERTISEMENT Heinrich said he buried the boy's body in a field in Paynesville, where Jacob's remains were recovered last week. Home alone Rassier, now 60, was just days shy of his 34th birthday and home alone at his family's farm when Jacob was abducted from the road at the end of Rassier's driveway on the night of Oct. 22, 1989. He was questioned that night and told authorities about a car that had turned around in his driveway. Later, he told them he might have seen Jacob inside. Court documents made public Friday show why authorities had Rassier on their list of potential suspects. Although he was highly detailed in describing his day, he couldn't provide details about the timeframe during Jacob's abduction. He acted strangely under hypnosis, crying when Jacob's abduction was mentioned. He also made comments that authorities found unusual for example, pointing out that there were many places on his property where someone could hide a body. In 2009, authorities asked Jacob's mother, Patty Wetterling, to talk to Rassier while wearing a recording device. According to the documents, Rassier told Wetterling he didn't know what happened to Jacob and insisted that the driver of the car he saw was the abductor. He also expressed a fear that if someone buried Jacob on his property, he'd be blamed. Those statements and others were enough for the search warrant, a judge found. Apology not enough After his name came out in 2010, parents at one school where he teaches got nervous, and an aide was put in his classroom. People stopped asking him to play the trumpet at weddings. His private music lessons virtually dried up. He lost some friends. All the while, Rassier, whom students call "Mr. BeBop," maintained he had nothing to do with Jacob's abduction. ADVERTISEMENT Ann Reischl, a lifelong resident of St. Joseph Township and the town clerk, said she always knew Rassier couldn't have harmed Jacob, but she knows some people wondered about him. "I just don't think any apology (from law enforcement) is going to be big enough," she said. "The continual interrogation, and asking Dan to admit it ... and he kept saying, 'No, I didn't do it.' It's got to be frustrating." Rassier said he thought he was helping and because of the experience he no longer trusts law enforcement. The release of the documents Friday just adds to his frustration, he said. "It's impossible to fix what they broke," he said. He said the stress in recent years impacted his health, leaving him with headaches and causing him to miss work. As his relationships changed, he had to adapt and do more things on his own. Yet he looks for the silver lining: Because of the scrutiny, he started helping his ailing father more. His dad died last year, two days after authorities announced Heinrich was a person of interest. "I got to spend more time with my dad because of this happening," he said. "You try to look for something good out of it." And while Heinrich's confession cleared Rassier, he's still troubled by the case. He feels for the Wetterlings, and now the truth has him wondering whether he could have done anything to stop the abduction. ADVERTISEMENT "Would there have been anything that could've been done that could've saved him if I would've done something differently?" he paused. "The only thing that could've saved him would've been me chasing the car." I first wrote about Rick Rescorla in 2003 after finishing James Stewarts Heart of a Soldier, the book based on Stewarts New Yorker article The real heroes are dead. (The real heroes are dead is what Rescorla would say in response to recognition of his heroism on the battlefield in Vietnam.) Its a good book that touches on profound themes in a thought-provoking way: life and death, love and friendship, heroism and sacrifice, destiny and fate, mans search for meaning, all fall within the books compass. Rescorla was a British native who moved to the United States to join the Army and fight the Communists in Vietnam. Rescorla was inspired to move to the United States in part by his friendship with Dan Hill. Their friendship is the one constant theme of the book. Hill and Rescorla had become friends in Rhodesia; they consciously modeled themselves on the characters of Peachy and Dravot in Kiplings story The Man Who Would Be King. Later they both served as officers in Vietnam, where in 1965 Rescorla saw harrowing combat in the Ia Drang Valley. In April 2001, thanks to Hills efforts, Rescorla was inducted into the Armys Officer Candidate School Hall of Fame for his service in Vietnam. The famous photo at the left (taken by UPI reporter Joe Galloway) depicts Rescorla in action in the Ia Drang Valley It is moving to read of the officers who sought Rescorla out to shake his hand and have him autograph their copies of We Were Soldiers Onceand Young, in which Rescorla plays a key role. Rescorla died a heros death saving his charges at Morgan Stanley in the south tower of the World Trade Center on 9/11. Rescorla was head of security for the company; he directed the evacuation in which he had long drilled the companys WTC employees. He knew that a terrorist attack on the WTC was coming and he knew what had happened as soon as the building was hit. His message was one of resolve. Using a bullhorn, he shepherded his charges into the towers one usable fire escape and exhorted them that it was a day to be proud to be an American. The book closes with the words of Hill, the man who remained Rescorlas best friend until his death. His haunting words pay tribute to Rescorla: One of my lifes biggest regrets is that I couldnt have been with Rick at the moment of his great challenge and crisis of his life. Then again, maybe it was so destined, because if I didnt survive, there would be nobody left to tell the story. Kipling wrote that all men should count with you, but none too much. I failed there. Rick counted as the world to me. Somebody cautioned that if a person or thing means the world to you, and you lose that person or thing, then you have lost the world. I lost the world when Rick died. First posted 9/11/2005. UPDATE 9/11/2011: The San Francisco Opera debuted Heart of a Soldier, an opera composed by Christopher Theofanidis to a libretto by Donna DiNovelli, based on Stewarts book. Cori Ellison provided a preview in the New York Times article Opera recalls a heros life, love and song. The Daily Mail recounted Rescorlas story in an article full of good photos. One final note. Please spend a few minutes with the video below. As we have noted, Hillary Clinton collapsed at the observation of the 9/11 memorial in New York City this morning. The video below provides an excellent view. The press was kept away from Clinton. Clinton spokesmen had nothing to say for 90 minutes following her collapse. When one of Clintons spokesmen piped up, he only allowed that she felt overheated. Secretary Clinton isnt taking any question but she proclaims shes feeling great. Suggesting possible causes, the Timess Jonathan Martin and Amy Chozick want to throw Clinton a lifeline: A campaign spokesman didnt immediately respond to questions about whether Sundays incident was related to her medication or allergies. Im going to go out on a limb and say its none of the above. The Washington Posts Chris Cillizza perfectly represents the willing suspension of disbelief with which the mainstream media support the Clintons. Only this past Tuesday, with perfect timing, Cillizza ruled Clintons health a totally ridiculous issue. The next day Cillizza explained: Why I wrote about John McCains health in 2008 (and dont think we should write about Hillarys health now). As of today, Cillizza has relented. He declares that the issue is not totally ridiculous. Im certainly feeling better already. Not much given to introspection, however, Cillizza doesnt ask if he may have been a chump as late as this past Wednesday. I should think that would be a hard question to avoid under the circumstances. The Times and others credit Clintons citation of seasonal allergies as the cause of her coughing fits. I may be mistaken, but I think the allergy that covers both Clintons coughing fits and her collapse today is Clintons intense aversion to the truth. Its not seasonal, it afflicts her night and day and the condition is even more critical than the state of her health, whatever it may be. A Lagos-based lawyer, Donald Egho, has raised alarm over the huge amount of funds currently trapped at the Tax Appeal Tribunal (TAT). Mr. Egho who spoke with journalists in Lagos, Sunday, said the amount of taxes due to the federation, which he estimated at over $5 billion, is currently lying fallow in the various divisions of the tribunal. According to him, the funds are disputed taxes, currently subject to litigation and pending before TAT. The continued failure of the Federal Government to urgently reconstitute the various panels of TAT means those taxes due to the Federal Government will remain suspended for as long as there are no panels to adjudicate on the disputes; thereby robbing both the states and the Federal Government of urgently needed revenue, said Mr. Egho, an expert on Taxation. As long as taxes are disputed, they remain in a state of abeyance, pending the determination, one way or the other by the tribunal, he said. The Tax Appeal Tribunal, established further to Section 59 (1) of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (Establishment) Act 2007, is empowered to settle disputes arising from the operations of the Act and others as spelt out in the fifth schedule to the FIRS Establishment Act. Specifically, and in accordance with Section 59 (2) of the FIRS Act, the TAT has jurisdiction to entertain disputes arising from the Companies Income Tax Act; Petroleum Profit Tax Act, Personal Income Tax Act, Capital Gains Tax Act, Value Added Tax Act; Stamp Duties Act; Taxes and Levies (Approved list for collection) Act; as well as other laws, regulations, proclamations, government notices or rules related to these Acts. Appeals lie from the decisions of the TAT to the Federal High Court (FHC). The TAT is meant to ensure fairness and transparency of the tax system, minimise the delays and bottlenecks in adjudication of tax matters in the traditional court system and generally improve taxpayers confidence in the tax system in Nigeria. Mr. Egho cited the case of the Federal Board of Internal Revenue versus Cadbury, a matter which arose from the operations of the Value Added Tax law, which was still pending before the Supreme Court 15 years after the tax dispute arose, with the taxes remaining unpaid. He noted that the habit of using litigation to frustrate the collection of taxes was further emboldened with the apparent negligence of the government to urgently reconstitute the panels of TAT. Unless the government takes the business of taxation and its operations seriously, all the talk of diversifying the national economy from its sole dependence on revenue from the sale of crude oil, will remain a dream, Mr. Egho said. He criticized some state boards of internal revenue for imposing arbitrary and illegal taxes and levies on the public, knowing that tax payers currently had no avenue to take their frustrations to. According to Mr. Egho, this could lead to a breakdown of law and order if these antics are not checked by the government. It will be recalled that the various panels of TAT wound up their operations in the month of May 2016, having completed their constitutionally mandated tenure of six years. Two days after it was launched amidst nationwide fanfare, an allegation that the Change Begins with Me campaign of the Buhari administration was a stolen concept has emerged. Besides its inherent irony, observers said the dispute could also spark a new round of debates about intellectual property rights in Nigeria. President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday launched the reorientation campaign in Abuja as part of his governments strategy to make Nigerians eschew their dishonesty, indolence, unbridled corruption and widespread impunity and embrace daily introspection over their immoral conducts. Specifically, the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, is facing an allegation that he adapted the Change Begins with Me from another public service campaign after its creators pitched the idea to him late last year and he declined interest. Associates said Akin Fadeyi, a creative artist and former head of communications at Airtel Nigeria, met with Mr. Mohammed in December 2015 to intimate him about Not In My Country, an episodic narrative that deploys humour to underscore societal ills and appeal to Nigerians to shun sharp practices. This newspaper further learnt that Mr. Fadeyi met with Mr. Mohammed at his Isaac John Street, Ikeja, Lagos, home to demonstrate the role his project could play in advancing the Buhari administrations change mantra. The idea was to appeal to the minister to get NTA and Radio Nigeria to play Not In My Country as part of their administrations campaign against corruption, one of Mr. Fadeyis associates said. At the time, Mr. Mohammed was the supervising minister overseeing all government-run media outlets until directors-general were appointed in May 2016. Mr. Fadeyi declined repeated requests for comment for this report, but the associate, who said hed been friends with Mr. Fadeyi for many years, told PREMIUM TIMES that Mr. Mohammed rejected the proposal from his friend and his partners after holding meetings with them and getting them to effect some changes in areas where he deemed imperfect. They submitted the final version of their proposal to him after ending each episode with Change Begins with Me as he directed, the associate said. He immediately said it was a brilliant idea because it achieved the power of one minute. In total, three episodes were produced by Mr. Fadeyi and submitted to Mr. Mohammed in January 2016. He just suddenly disappeared since then and made it very difficult for Mr. Fadeyi to reach him for updates about the proposal, the associate said. Months later, he started publicity about Change Begins with Me launch without signing any contract with owners. The associate said the video skits that were played at the launch of Change Begins with Me bore similarities with Mr. Fadeyis Not In My Country project. The minister just sort of made a little change here, a little change there, and ran to town with the concept. But Mr. Mohammed denied the allegations, saying he had started Change Begins with Me before he was nominated by Mr. Buhari in October 2015. We started working on Change Begins with Me before the honourable minister was nominated and weve been working with the agency that produced the campaign. Williams Adeleye, Mr. Mohammeds spokesman, told PREMIUM TIMES Friday. So let him go to wherever he likes then well meet and go and sort it out there, he added. But Mr. Fadeyis associate said it was curious that Mr. Mohammed showed interest in adapting Not In My Country when he already had his own plans in place. Why was he reviewing the proposal and even asking that changes be made to Not In My Country to make it more acceptable to him if he already had his own project? Mr. Mohammed later called to explain that he received proposals from about 20 different individuals and firms interested in designing the Change Begins with Me campaign. Akin Fadeyi just happened to be one of them, Mr. Mohammed told PREMIUM TIMES. Kolawole Ayanwale, founder and CEO of Centrespread, the advertising firm contracted by Mr. Mohammed for the campaign, said the allegations were unfounded. Mr. Ayanwale told PREMIUM TIMES that he never heard of Mr. Fadeyi and his Not In My Country project before the controversy this week. I heard his campaign was on the Internet and TV but I didnt see anything neither did I even know the young man before now and that is the whole truth. Mr. Ayanwale said he wont take actions that could erode the reputation his firm had established in the advertising industry for decades. Centerspread is over 34 years old and I have been in charge since it was established, Mr. Ayanwale said. Go and do your independent analysis of our works and you can never find any instance of intellectual property theft. We dont copy other peoples work here. Mr. Ayanwale said his firm was contracted by the All Progressives Congress during the 2015 elections and worked closely with Mr. Mohammed to design campaign materials for the party. Similarly, Brian Ebden, an advertising consultant who worked with Mr. Ayanwale on the project, said Change Begins with Me had been in the works before Mr. Mohammed became a minister. He said Mr. Fadeyis associates were only out for mischief. This is nothing but sheer lies and blackmail, Mr. Ebden said in a statement Saturday. PREMIUM TIMES sighted email conversations between Mr. Ebden and Mr. Mohammed and other staff of the Ministry of Information that showed that the Change Begins with Me was deliberated upon before Mr. Mohammed became a minister. In one of the emails, dated October 31, 2015, Mr. Ebden sent Mr. Mohammed samples of the jingles produced for Change Begins with Me as well as the logo. Further to our meeting yesterday and as promised, please see attached hereto, the document for your perusal and consideration. I have also attached the TVC pilots as well as the Radio Ads and Jingle options separately, Mr. Ebden said. If you require any further information, please do not hesitate to contact me at your earliest convenience. But Mr. Fadeyis associates said Mr. Mohammed would need to do more if he must absolve himself from the charges. That he started the project months before he met Mr. Fadeyi in December 2015 is not enough, an associate said. Not In My Country has been in public domain since 2007. The associate said Mr. Fadeyi conceived Not In My Country in 2006 and shot the first episode at the University of Lagos Main Campus in Akoka the following year. He was driven by the zeal to force corruption out of Nigerians consciousness, the associate said. Nigerians commit injurious acts of corruption too often and too often they point accusing fingers at equally corrupt leaders. But Mr. Fadeyi said he would use his project to end this and contribute to nation building. Hes using the project to tell Nigerians that only decent conducts could engender a good value system that would, in turn, give the citizens better leadership, the associate said. The associate said Mr. Fadeyi had attempted to pitch the idea to President Goodluck Jonathan but for the death of his political associate. Oronto Douglas was the middleman between Mr. Fadeyi and the president at the time, but his cancer and subsequent death disrupted the plan, the associate said. So when this government came to power on the wave of change, we thought the time had come. The associate said Mr. Mohammed should have simply partnered with Mr. Fadeyi on his existing project rather than launching an all-new campaign that would end up being an adaptation of the original. If you look at their video, they warned people against vices such as vandalisation of pipelines and others which were the same as what Mr. Fadeyi presented to the minister, the associate said. Thats our major problem with him. PREMIUM TIMES efforts to obtain copies of the Change Begins with Me videos from Mr. Mohammed to examine possible copyright infractions were unsuccessful. We wont oblige anybody the video, Mr. Adeleye said. While the controversy continued to stir debates about intellectual property theft on social media, PREMIUM TIMES checks revealed that both Change Begins with Me and Not In My Country have been deployed in other countries to speak against social epidemics. While Change Begins with Me has been running in India; Not In My Country has been played across university campuses in Uganda for many years. The National Assembly management failed to account for a total expenditure of over N9.4 billion in 2014, the latest audit report has revealed. The money included N9.39 billion for which no documentary evidence was provided and a N47 million to be returned to government coffers out of which only N360,000 was returned; giving a total of N9,440,844,572 (nine billion, four hundred and forty million, eight hundred and four thousand, five hundred and seventy two Naira). The audit report of government bodies (2009-2014) was submitted to the Clerk to the National Assembly in March 2016 as statutorily provided. The full contents were recently publicly disclosed by the Office of the Auditor General of the Federation on its website. The report indicted several government bodies of illegal and profligate spending, and failing to remit over N3 trillion into governments treasury. Apart from the National Assembly, other key bodies indicted include the state oil company, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Ministry of Interior, the Presidency, Central Bank of Nigeria and some foreign missions. According to the report, between January and December, 2014 under the leadership of David Mark as Senate President and Salisu Maikasuwa as the Clerk, the Management Department of the National Assembly Commission transferred N9,392,995,515.00 (Nine billion, three hundred and ninety-two million, nine hundred and ninety-five thousand, five hundred and fifteen naira) from the general services account to other accounts in different banks. The purposes stated for the transfer include Senate General Services, Appropriation, Constitutional Review, House of Representatives Services, UNDP Projects and Research Office Services. However, no expenditure returns or documentary evidence were rendered to account for how these sums were expended, the report said, raising question of accountability and legality. In another case, the report disclosed that the National Assembly management remitted only N360,000, out of a N47 million balance of total personnel vote release and actual expenditure for 2014. It was further observed that the total Personnel Vote release for the year 2014 was N1,856,510,517.00 (One billion, eight hundred and fifty-six million, five hundred and ten thousand, five hundred and seventeen naira), and the Actual Expenditure for the same period was N1,808,661,460.18 (One billion, eight hundred and eight million, six hundred and sixty-one thousand, four hundred and sixty naira, eighteen kobo), resulting in a balance of N47,849,057.00 (Forty-seven million, eight hundred and forty-nine thousand, fifty-seven naira). However, only an amount of N360,115.08 (Three hundred and sixty thousand, one hundred and fifteen naira, eight kobo) was paid back to treasury at the end of the year. No Denial In May after the audit report had been submitted to the National Assembly, the Senate Committee on Public Accounts led by Andy Uba (PDP-Anambra) held a public hearing during which a number of government bodies refuted certain findings of the audit report, particularly the disclosure that they didnt submit their internal audit reports between 2009 and 2014. Some of the bodies that challenged aspects of the report were CBN, the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND) and Nigeria Pension Commission. However, the National Assembly has not denied the findings of the audit report as they related to the lawmaking body though its committee castigated the then Auditor-General of the Federation, Samuel Ukara, for an unsatisfactory report, cashing in on complaints by other government bodies. The law says the National Assembly should refer the audit report to its committee on Public Accounts for consideration. After considering the report, the committee is empowered to pass a resolution to either publish the report in the National Assembly journal or governments official gazette. Since the committee considered the report, it has not passed the resolution for its publication in either channel. Efforts to reach Mr. Uba for comments were not fruitful. He did not pick calls to his phone or reply to text message. Although the Federal Government is committed to ensuring the current hardship faced by Nigerians is alleviated, the full impact of a positive change of government may not materialise until 2018, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo hinted on Sunday. Mr. Osinbajo, during an interview with journalists after a church programme in Abeokuta, the Ogun State Capital, said the Muhammadu Buhari administration is focused and determined to ensure this country is put on the right track. He said the government was aware a lot of Nigerians had become sceptical of the Change mantra of the administration. There are lots of people who will say where is the change they promised, he said. People will condemn and shout, but we are very focused, calm and extremely confident that God is on our side and this country will not be the same. He, however, indicated that the full impact of the change may take a couple of years, until 2018. In another couple of years, we will see the difference, he said. All of us have a part to play in the change. Nigerians must be patriotic in our dealings and daily activities. We should be committed to the nation, said the vice president whose administration has come under heavy criticism from Nigerians for the handling of the economy. PIPELINE VANDALISM Mr. Osinbajo also said pipeline vandalism in the Niger Delta is the major cause of Nigerias current economic recession. He said vandalisation has led to the loss of about 60 per cent of oil revenue, governments major income source. One of the key reasons why we are in recession is the fact that we lost about 60 per cent of our revenue due to the vandalisation of the pipelines on the Niger/Delta and we lost almost 40 per cent of the gas, he said. The Vice-President, however, expressed optimism that Nigeria would soon overcome the challenge of vandalism Once we are able to resolve that, we would at least be able to earn more revenue, he said. Mr. Osinbajos optimism might be related to the fact that the Federal Government recently commenced negotiations with militant groups in the Niger Delta. The Niger Delta Avengers, the main group responsible for most of the vandalism, recently announced a unilateral ceasefire, agreeing to conditional talks with the government. On Sunday, Mr. Osinbajo also said the best way for the government to fully revive the economy was to diversify into agriculture and solid minerals. He said work has begun in those two sectors and results would be gradually achieved. The vice president said government was concerned about the number of unemployed youth. He said the government would soon commence the implementation of the 500,000 job opportunities for volunteer corps as well as implement the planned micro credit facilities to a minimum of one million market women and artisans. ITS CORRUPTION Mr. Osinbajo alluded to corruption as another major reason the country was facing its current economic challenges. These are challenging times. It is very obvious and we know the reasons, he said. It is high level of corruption and we have dealt with that. We are controlling government expenditure. Once you can control corruption, we are out of it. Mr. Osinbajo, a Redeemed Church Pastor before his election, said he believes Nigeria is one that God has a hand in its affairs. In fact, the reason why President Buhari is in office is because God has a plan and hand in this nation; that this nation will be governed properly; that stealing of resources will stop; that we focused on issue of development. Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh is set to visit Moscow and Washington this month to mainly discuss Pakistan's cross-border terrorism and the growing influence of globally banned terror group IS. By Press Trust of India: Ratcheting up pressure on Pakistan, Home Minister Rajnath Singh will visit Russia and the United States next week to highlight the issue of the neighbouring country sponsoring terrorism in India and discuss efforts to counter IS activities in the region. RAJNATH'S RUSSIA AND US VISIT Singh will visit Russia for five days beginning September 18 where he will have bilateral talks with Russian Minister for Internal Affairs Vladimir Kolokoltsev and discuss issues related to Indo-Russia joint anti-terror cooperation. advertisement They will also discuss cross-border terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir and growing activities of IS in the country and its neighbourhood. The Home Minister will travel to Washington on September 26 for a seven-day visit for the Indo-US Homeland Security Dialogue with his American counterpart Jeh Charles Johnson. ISSUES TO BE RAISED DURING THE MEETS Singh will raise the issue of Pakistan-sponsored terrorism and activities of IS in India and other South Asian countries. "In both the bilateral visits to Russia and the US, the Home Minister will highlight Pakistan's direct involvement in cross-border terrorism and growing activities of the Middle East terror group in India and its neighbourhood," a Home Ministry official said. The Home Minister will have threadbare discussions with his Russian and US counterparts on how to enhance anti-terror cooperation, especially checking the growing activities of ISIS and sharing of intelligence inputs. Other issues to be discussed in the two visits include extradition of each other's wanted criminals, liberalisation of visas etc. AFTER MODI, RAJNATH'S TURN TO INCREASE PRESSURE ON PAKISTAN The visit by Singh, one of the top leaders of the Modi government, to the two global powers within a week is considered significant as India has raised the pitch on the issue of "terror export" from Pakistan. Prime Minister Narendra Modi raised the issue at the G20, BRICS meet and East Asia Summit, where he called on the international community to isolate and sanction this instigator of terrorism. Modi urged the nations to intensify joint efforts to combat terrorism and sought "coordinated actions" by the grouping to "isolate supporters and sponsors of terror". The government's tough stance comes amid heightened tension with Pakistan, which is openly backing militancy in Jammu and Kashmir which has been hit by unrest for over two months now. "The bilateral visits of the Home Minister are part of India's efforts to create global opinion against Pakistan-sponsored terrorism in India," the official said. Further cementing anti-terror cooperation, real-time sharing of intelligence inputs, cyber security and critical infrastructure protection, countering illicit finance, global supply chain security, megacity policing and science and technology are some of the key issues to be discussed at the meetings to be held in Moscow and Washington. advertisement ALSO READ: PM Modi's tough talk continues: Exporting terror Pakistan's only competitive advantage --- ENDS --- The Federal Road Safety Commission, FRSC, has said the October1 deadline for the enforcement of the speed limiting device on vehicles across the country remained. The Deputy Corps Marshal in charge of Operations, Adai Abu, made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on Sunday in Jos. The speed limiting technology introduced by FRSC in 2015 generated series of debates among stakeholders on its workability in Nigeria, with some calling for the cancellation of the policy. But, after the intervention of the Senate, which even held a public hearing to ascertain the acceptability of the policy, and eventually supported its enforcement, October 1 implementation deadline was given. Mr. Abu said that the introduction of the device was not to witch-hunt anybody, but to ensure sanity on the highways and reduce road traffic crashes to the barest minimum. We all know that speeding accounts for over 60 per cent of accidents we have on our roads today; so, introducing a device that will discipline us to reduce the menace of crashes is apt, he said. He said that enforcement of the policy would start with commercial vehicles and fleet operators because they carried more passengers. The corps marshal explained that every vehicle in the country was expected to have the device in two years time. He said that from October 1, any commercial vehicle without the device would be impounded and the driver arrested until it the device was installed in the vehicle. As from October 1, the penalty for those that will not have the device is that we will impound their vehicles and they must come to our premises and fix before we release them. There may be fine but for now this is what we are going to do, because if we insist on fine, many will pay when arrested, but will not go back to do the right thing. Our concern is not the money but that every vehicle should have a speed limiting device so that we can make our roads a safe haven, he said. Mr. Abu also explained that the sale of the device was not open to all marketers so that FRSC, Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON), the Nigerian Customs and other agencies could regulate and monitor the process properly. He called on motorist to key into the policy as the commission was poised to reduce the rate of lives and property usually claimed by road crashes as a result of speeding. (NAN) Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to reject the conditionality attached by the Swiss government before the return of $321 million Abacha loot to Nigeria. In a letter to the president, Mr. Falana said though corruption is a problem in Nigeria, the conditions provided by the Swiss government were a violation of international laws. In the event that the government of Switzerland refuses to return the said sum of $321 million without any conditionality, the Federal Government should not hesitate to initiate legal proceedings for the recovery of the asset, Mr. Falana, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, stated in the letter dated September 9. In the proposed suit Nigeria should claim punitive and exemplary damages and interests from Switzerland for keeping the loot for over 20 years. In July, the Swiss government signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Nigerian government towards the return of the money looted by Nigerias late dictator, Sani Abacha. A first tranche of the Abacha loot $722 million had been repatriated to Nigeria in 2005. Eric Mayoraz, the Swiss Ambassador to Nigeria, said the MoU signed in July would help remove bottlenecks usually associated with the return of the loot. But according to Mr. Falana, the Swiss government had included in the MoU a condition that requires the World Bank to supervise the spending of the returned loot. We note that grand corruption, money laundering and return of stolen assets have long become major issues of concern to the international community, said Mr. Falana. We further note that Switzerland has acceded to all the relevant international treaties such as the United Nations Convention against Corruption for the return of assets. We believe that the conditionality imposed on Nigeria, which allows the World Bank to supervise the spending of returned assets by the Nigerian government breaches international law principles and standards. In particular, Article 57 of the UN Convention against Corruption requires states parties to return assets on the basis of a final judgment in the requesting State Party. But in circumstances where there is no final judgment Article 57 allows for assets to be returned on the basis of agreements or mutually acceptable arrangements, on a case-by-case basis, for the final disposal of confiscated property.' Mr. Falana said Article 57s provision suggests Switzerland has no legal authority to impose conditions on Nigeria regarding the spending of recovered assets. While the UN Convention against Corruption contains provisions for special considerations when states parties are concluding agreements, this does not give the government of Switzerland the right to unilaterally impose conditions on Nigeria, Mr. Falana said. In addition to breaching the clear provisions of Article 57, the imposition of any conditions on the Nigerian government is a flagrant violation of the principles of sovereignty and non-intervention founded in Article 2 of the United Nations Charter. Imposing conditions on Nigeria regarding the spending of returned assets is disproportionate and amounts to an unlawful intervention because Switzerland has no legal or moral right to the assets. Mr. Falana also said the World Bank had failed to demonstrate sufficient level of transparency and accountability in its supervision of previously repatriated Abacha loot. Last month, the Bank had requested for more time from a nongovernmental organization, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) to disclose details of how the Nigerian government spent previously recovered Abacha loot. SERAP had requested for the information last year. The Bank has been unable or unwilling to consistently apply its own Access to Information Policy to disclose key information to civil society groups and other stakeholders, said Mr. Falana. In the SERAP case, the World Bank failed and/or neglected to provide several portions of the information requested on the spending of recovered Abacha loot managed by the Bank. Although the Banks Access to Information Policy recognizes the right to an appeals process when a request for information in the World Banks possession is improperly or unreasonably denied, the appeal lodged by SERAP has been unreasonably and unduly delayed Having regard to the empty promises made so far by Switzerland and the United States to return forfeited assets worth over $800 million it is clear that the Western countries will continue to frustrate the repatriation of the looted wealth of the nation being warehoused by them, albeit illegally. We are therefore compelled to request the Federal Government to reject any conditionality including the supervision by the World Bank attached to the return of $231m of Abacha loot to Nigeria. The Imam of the Grand Mosque in Makkah, Abdul Rahman Al-Sudais, Thursday, led millions of pilgrims gathered in Arafat in prayers after delivering the Hajj sermon. Delivering the wide-ranging sermon, Mr. Al-Sudais called on Muslim leaders to work together to solve the many issues confronting the faithful. Terrorism doesnt belong to any religion or nation, he said. He also asked pilgrims to avoid politics during the Hajj. Arab News reported that Mr. Al-Sudais gave the sermon this year instead of the Grand Mufti, Abdulaziz Al-Ashiekh as the latter was sidelined for health reasons. Mr. Al-Ashiekh sat on a chair as he listened to Mr. Al-Sudais encourage pilgrims to benefit from their time at Arafat and the rest of their Hajj. He called for the unity of the Muslims and warned about deviant ideologies. He told parents, teachers and scholars about the responsibilities they have in nurturing the young away from deceptive messages. The Makkah Governor Kahlid Al-Faisal sat with worshipers as he listened to the sermon in which Mr. Al-Sudais thanked the custodian of the two Holy Mosques, King Salman, and the organizers of the Hajj for their efforts in making the Hajj easy for pilgrims. The cleric said scholars are the inheritors of the prophets and that they should speak with truth and be good examples to the people. Mr. Al-Sudais also asked journalists to be responsible by avoiding sensationalism and rumours and by using their efforts to aid unity. An anti-corruption coalition, Civil Society Network Against Corruption, CSNAC, has urged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), to immediately commence investigation on the 11-month tenure of the immediate past Chairman and Chief Executive, Lagos Board of Internal Revenue Service, LIRS, Olufolarin Ogunsanwo, who has been accused of misappropriating N4.2billion. In a petition addressed to the anti-graft agency and signed by CSNACs national chairman, Olanrewaju Suraju, the coalition noted that the money involved is the direct tax from the sweat and pains of Lagosians and business operators in the state: hence the need for a diligent investigation. The coalition took the cue of its petition from the August 28, 2016 report of an online Newspaper, Sahara Reporters, where details of how Mr Ogunsanwo could not, allegedly, account for the sum of N4.2 billion belonging to the State Government was revealed. The report stated that Mr Olufolarin Ogunsanwos (who spent 11 months in office) sack from the revenue-collection agency, dressed up as retirement, was communicated in an internal memo dated 26 August and signed by J. Aina, Board Secretary. The memo informed staff that Ogunsanwo was proceeding on retirement from 25 August and directed to hand over to Akintola Bolaji, Director Tax Audit, without any information on reasons instigating his early retirement. Relating to his retirement, according to our independent investigation, it was allegedly discovered that Mr. Ogunsanwo could not account for about N4.2 billion belonging to the State Government through the agency. This development was said to have earned him a query from Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, who was not impressed with Ogunsanwos explanation. He was therefore forced to proceed on compulsory leave, pending the conclusion of investigations into the unaccounted sum. During the investigation, Mr Ogunsanwo was said to have refunded the sum of N1.2 billion. Due to his cooperation with the investigators, the government spared him the embarrassment of being exposed but reportedly sacked him from office without public disclosure of reasons responsible for the summary removal from office. CSNAC noted further that in view of this, it is expedient that this act should be curbed as this is a shameful act to LAGOS in particular and the nation at large. The money involved is the direct tax from the sweat and pains of Lagosians and business operators in the State. It will amount to injustice and gross abuse of office for the ex-tax master to be sacked without a refund of the misappropriated fund or for the matter to be treated as an internal affair of the State government. CSNAC is therefore calling for an urgent investigation of your Commission into this allegation. Every Naira not properly accounted should be retrieved from Mr. Ogunsanwo must be retrieved to serve as lesson and deterrent to his successor and other public officers, the petition said. Minnesota has arguably the largest Somali community outside East Africa. There are more than 25,000 people of Somali origin living in the twin cities of St. Paul and Minneapolis. Regrettably, this congregation of Somalis has become a fertile recruitment ground for terrorist groups like Al Shabab and the Islamic State who are luring disgruntled youth from the state to become terrorists. The following is an excerpt of a discussion between John Tunheim, the Chief Judge of the United States federal court for the district of Minnesota, with 2016 class of the World Press Institute (WPI) fellowship on what the United States authorities are doing to counter the recruitment drive of these militant groups. Nicholas Ibekwe, a PREMIUM TIMES journalist, is a 2016 fellow of the WPI. Question: How is the justice system in the state handling cases of terrorism particularly among the Somali community where youth are being recruited by the Islamic State and other Islamist groups like Al-Shabab? I ask this because there are complaints of ethnic profiling among the Muslim community in the Twin Cities authorities. Judge Tunheim: There is actually a lot going on right now to try to tether the recruitment efforts. The recruitment efforts are very sophisticated. I have watched the videos; they are pretty good. Just by way of background, the first cases we had here are people who had been to Al Qaeda training camps. Those were the cases that I had. And then we had a small group of young men that were disappearing and they were going there, in some cases for the first time since they were two or three years old and fighting for Al-Shabab. The first one was in 2003; individuals who were led to train in what was Bin Ladins camps probably in Pakistan. Then the next wave was young men disappearing and who were recruiting or fighting for Al-Shabab, which is a terrorist organisation in Somalia. Many of them were killed. The next cases were people in the Somalia community (who) where sending money over there to support Al Shabab. Giving aid or material support to terrorist organisations, which is a federal crime in the United States. They claim they were just sending it to charity organisations who were supporting people with food, clothing and blankets and that sort of things; and then the proof in the case was these charities were fronts for Al Shabab. There were two women, older women, who were convicted. And then the next groups are people who already left; there were people who were caught. There are nine cases we are attending to now individuals who were caught on their way over to Syria. The FBI has worked hard in the community and infiltrated some of these groups and the individuals were arrested either at the JFK Airport and in one case at a warehouse in the Mexican border on their way to Syria I believe the FBI are working in the community right now to try and prevent more people from going. They are working up active cases. Probably they would have more cases here. Question: Apart from prosecuting and jailing potential recruits what is the justice system doing to help prevent potential recruits from the community. Judge Tunheim: What is being done to stop this? Working with the families is the best case thing. I think a lot of the families in the Somali community were in disbelief. They thought the FBI was putting a lot of people up to this and were framing people. We had a trial and three of the defendants were convicted and when the evidence came out, the trials were really eye-opening for members of the community. The FBI is now getting more co-operation to try and stop people from being enticed by this very sophisticated videos. It is like a New York public relation firm writing these videos. It is just incredible. They are very, very good. They use people who are from here who are over there now talking in the videos of what a paradise it is and how wonderful everything they are doing. It sounds like a vacation. Obviously we know its not. Our probation office has been working closely with a person from Germany who is a de-radicalisation expert so we know how to handle these people when they get out of prison, how to supervise them to ensure they are not radicalised anymore. There are several community organisations who are working closely within the community. The community is doing a pretty good job in identifying people who might be subject to this and kind of stopping it before they get too excited and go over to ISIS. It is a difficult task. Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) locally is doing programmes about the terrorist cases in the last 15 years. They were here last week. I was interviewed. 60 Minutes is doing a programme on how we are trying to reach out to and the thing prosecutors are doing. Its new territory for us. We have dealt with radical groups in this country forever but this is a little bit different. This is difficult to figure out exactly. Generally speaking, of the Somali community in this country I think is doing well. It is a large group. They are about to elect the first person from that group to the legislature this fall. They are becoming much more active politically in the community. And we have a lot of African-immigrant community in the Twin Cities as well. They are not all that different from immigrant communities of the past. My ancestors about a hundred years ago were part of that community. We havent had any terrorist event locally. This is all about keeping people from going over there and fighting and losing their lives or coming back here as radicals which is big concern to us. Question: How many have gone over there to fight? Judge Tunheim: Its hard to tell. No one has a really accurate number but there are probably at least 50 to 60 who have left Minneapolis and gone over to Somalia or either Syria or either Iraq in the last decade. People go back and fought. People grew up there and want to go back. In fact, part of the government there are people who lived in the United States, but the radical part of it has been in recent years. Most of them dont come back. I dont know if they have any documented cases of anyone coming back. But we have document cases of people who left and were killed. I think they are 14 now that perished in one of those duplexes. Two of them are missing and presumed dead trying to figure that out is difficult. Question:You mention de-radicalisation as part of the probation process. Do you have concerns that some of them are being radicalised in prison? Judge Tunheim: It is a huge problem. Our Bureau of Prisons, which runs our federal prisons, has no de-radicalisation programme whatsoever. They are often behind the times. I hope what were starting here in our work on helping to analyse these people, what they need, what they dont need, and bringing mentors and counsellors to work with them, we are talking to the Bureau of Prisons, no doubt. We are hitting some communication with them. If you put someone in prison for 20 years and they are worst when they come out and they have radicalised other people around them; that is the problem for a prison service which doesnt pay any attention yet to this. They probably send most of them initially to Florence, the maximum security prison. There have been some who have been arrested and charged on the basis of their communication with people over there. But they have made no move to leave because they are being watched. And the question has been whether they are going to leave or not; and if they leave they would be intercepted by the FBI on their way but most of them have been charged now. Question: I would like us to talk about an issue that is particularly important to African countries. I have read that government has placed a ban on the Somali community from remitting money back home. What do you think of this ban which has effectively stopped people from sending life-saving funds back home? Judge Tunheim: Shutting down the banking organisation that help to send money back home, I think that was really problematic. The vast majority of Somali people back home, it helped them live. That has been done by immigrants for centuries. My own ancestors probably sent money back home. Its not unusual. And you got to find a way to do it. Its not easy but you got to find a way to do it. I think it was problematic, this shutdown especially a shutdown of a method of sending money without really a replacement for it. Im not sure why we cant get the best minds together and figure a way of doing it; a way where you cant get some money going to the wrong places. Im in agreement that it was a bad idea to shut it all down. Because I know particularly in the African communities in this country there is a lot of money that is sent back home and for good causes. More Nigerians have risen in condemnation of the Nigeria Police Force over its disruption of last weeks rally by the #BringBackOurGirlsGroup. The group, which over the last two years has asked government to do more to ensure the return of over 200 girls abducted in a secondary school in Chibok, Borno State, came under attack by security operatives on Tuesday. The operatives tried to prevent the protesters from proceeding to the Three Arms Zone of Abuja to continue the protest. The Police had in a statement on Friday clarified that it was not against peaceful protests in Abuja. The statement, signed by the Force Public Relations Officer, Don Awunah, said the police recognized the impact of peaceful protests in a democracy and would not jeopardise the rights of Nigerians. After it attempted to prevent the Bring Back Our Girls, #BBOG, group from embarking on its protest to the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Tuesday, the Force came under heavy criticism by Nigerians. Apart from the protesters, others like Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka and human rights lawyer Femi Falana also condemned the police ban. Mr. Falana described the police action as exposing the Nigerian government to avoidable embarrassment and called on Mr. Buhari to adopt any means possible towards preventing undue harassment of the #BBOG group. Since the fundamental rights of the Nigerian people have been upheld by Nigerian courts, the illegal ban on public protests in the Federal Capital Territory by the Inspector-General of Police will not be allowed to stand, Mr. Falana said. Mr. Soyinka had also described the ban as undemocratic, adding that the group was only exercising its fundamental rights. SERAP, in its statement by Timothy Adewale, appealed to the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly, Maina Kiai, to remind the Police Force in Nigeria that peaceful protest is lawful, as prescribed by the Nigerian constitution and no restriction on such, should be tolerated. No Nigerian law makes it a crime to demonstrate in any part of the country. Harassing the BBOG group and stopping its members from proceeding peacefully to the seat of government is overkill. SERAP is seriously concerned about the continuing indiscriminate and disproportionate restriction on the right of members of the BBOG group to protest. All Nigerians including members of the BBOG group have the rights to freedom of expression and to protest. There is absolutely no reason to view these members as anything other than committed peaceful demonstrators, SERAP said in its statement. While declaring that the #BBOG protesters were allowed to proceed with their protest, the police said such rallies would not be permitted on highways. The road leading from the Unity fountain, where the BBOG commence their protest, to the Three Arms Zone, where it intends marching to, is a mini-highway, an indication the police may still try to stop such march without stopping the gatherings. SERAP therefore urged government to prevent restriction of the said protests in any form, as such would amount to a restriction of the rights of Nigerians. Its the primary duty of the President Muhammadu Buharis government to protect all demonstrators, including the BBOG group and enable lawful demonstrations to proceed peacefully. Carrying out this obligation is about deeds, not words. SERAP considers restrictions placed on the right of the BBOG group to peaceful assembly by law enforcement agencies as unnecessary, disproportionate, unjustified in law, and in bad faith, it said. The #BBOG agitation increased in August following the release of a video by the Boko Haram showing some of the kidnapped girls. The terror group said it would only exchange the girls for its detained members. Although the president has agreed to exchange the girls, the #BBOG group said the governments commitment towards the release of the girls is insufficient. They vowed to march every 72 hours to the Villa until an obvious commitment is ensured and the girls are released. Two soldiers of the Multinational Joint Task Force, MNJTF, were on Thursday killed in an explosion while fighting Boko Haram insurgents in the northern part of Borno State near the Cameroon border, an official said. The soldiers, according to the spokesperson of the MNJTF, Muhammed Dole, were returning to their base at the end of the days operation when their truck ran into a landmine that killed a ranked officer and a private soldier. Six other soldiers sustained serious injuries and were evacuated to a military hospital in Niamey, Niger Republic for medical treatment. Mr. Dole, a Colonel, said despite the setback and the unfriendly weather conditions, the troops air component was able to clear 12 camps and gunned down four insurgents on Friday. Two insurgents were also arrested at Tumoua village, Mr. Dole said. The multinational joint task force, which consists of military personnel from Cameroon, Chad, Niger and Nigeria has recently been tasked to secure the border areas shared by the countries. The Force is also to clear the remnants of Boko Haram insurgents especially those fleeing the Sambisa forests into those areas, under the special operation tagged Gama Aiki. At the home front, soldiers of the 33 Brigade on Friday raided suspected kidnappers den in Lame Bura forest of Bauchi State where 7 of the criminals were killed in a shootout. Mr. Usman said the troops have cleared most parts of the forest. The troops are still combing the general area to further track down other fleeing members of the criminal gang, he said. He added that as a result of the successes recorded 2 Forward Operation Bases (FOBs) were established at Lame and Jimi to cover the Lame and Burra axis of the forest respectively. Meanwhile, a suspected Boko Haram kingpin, Adamu Damuna, has been arrested by soldiers and operatives of the civilian-JTF operating near Buratai, the home town of the Nigerian Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai. Mr Buratais home village had come under several attacks by the Boko Haram insurgents since the army chief assumed office as the Commander of MNJTF from where he was elevated to his current status in the Nigeria army. To forestall further attacks on the agrarian community, the army established a Forward Operation Base (FOB) to tackle cases of incessant attacks on the area. A 42-year-old mother, Blessing Arigi-Osakwe, lost her life on Sunday to injuries sustained while attempting to save her two children from an inferno in Sokoto. The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the two children also lost their lives after the bid to save them by their courageous mother failed. While the two children were recovered dead from the incident which happened at the early hours of Saturday at their house along Trade Fair, Old Airport area of Sokoto, their mother later died on Sunday. The fire was said to have been caused by an electrical fault that emanated within the apartment while powering their generator. According to an anonymous source, the deceased mother, alongside her husband and two older children, had initially escaped from the fire unhurt. She was, however, said to have later made a brave and desperate attempt to save the younger children who were still trapped inside the burning house. The two children were identified as her nine years old son and nephew. According to witnesses, the burning roof suddenly collapsed on the deceased woman as she attempted taking the children to a safer place. The remains of the three deceased persons have since been deposited at the morgue of the Usman Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital, Sokoto, while the two other children were receiving treatment When contacted, the Director-General of the State Fire Service, Ibrahim Dingyadi, said that the incident was not reported to the department. Our personnel only attended to a fire incident along Offa road, Sokoto on Friday and there was no casualty, he said. Similarly, Elmustapha Sani, the police spokesman in the state, told NAN that the incident was not reported to the police. However, the spokesman of the Teaching Hospital, Tijjani Saddique, confirmed the story. He said, the two children were brought into the Trauma Centre of the hospital on Saturday dead. However, their mother died at the hospital on Sunday, he said. (NAN) The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has described as wild the allegation by Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo that it registered 8,000 militants for the forthcoming election in the state. This is contained in a statement signed by the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Dayo Adeyeye, on Saturday in Abuja. Mr. Adeyeye said in the statement that the allegation was not only wide but totally unreasonable and baseless. We wish to ask Governor Oshiomhole the following pertinent questions, where and when did the PDP register the so called militants? Were they registered by INEC? If not which organisation registered them? Were they registered as voters or as Observers? For what purpose? And when did Oshiomhole suddenly discover the registration of the alleged militants? These are the pertinent questions Gov. Oshiomhole should answer, Mr. Adeyeye said. Mr. Adeyeye recalled that Mr. Oshiomhole had alleged that over six billion dollars was found in the account of a former Nigerian Minister. He said Mr. Oshiomhole made the allegation after returning from an official visit with President Muhammadu Buhari in the U.S. Mr. Adeyeye said the governor had said it was one American official that told them about the alleged money while they were in the United States. Neither the President nor any other member of the official delegation said they heard any such statement. Mr Oshiomhole kept on repeating this lie until an American embassy officials had to publicly repudiate him. Yet the Governor offered no public apology for misleading Nigerians, Mr. Adeyeye said. The national publicity secretary, however, warned against any attempt to tamper with the states voters register. He also cautioned against unwarranted arrest, harassment and intimidation of PDP members in Edo. The security agencies must recognise that their responsibilities are to the entire people of Nigeria and not only to one political party, he added. (NAN) The Nigerian Army says its troops from 2 Brigade have destroyed 52 illegal refineries in Krakrama, Bille and Better land community areas of Rivers State. The army spokesperson, Sani Usman, in a statement on Sunday, said the operation took place on Saturday. He said the troops recovered six large pots used in refining crude oil, one swamp buggy, two high-powered engine boats, a pumping machine, and 10 empty drums. The troops also cleared a notorious kidnappers camp and rescued one kidnap victim at Obiozumini near Obite in Ogbema/Ndoni/Egbema local government area, the army said. The army, which has been on Exercise Crocodile Smile in the Niger Delta for some weeks now, said the operation would be sustained until criminality is subdued in the region. All the recovered items, the statement said, would be destroyed. The army in a previous statement said it destroyed 72 illegal refineries during a similar operation in Bayelsa State. The father-son duo pretended to be the red Spiderman and the black one respectively. By India Today Web Desk: Shah Rukh Khan is quite the kid at heart, and nothing brings that out more than when he's with his youngest AbRam. So in his latest Instagram post, the Bollywood superstar is lying next to AbRam with masks on of Spiderman from the Marvel Universe. Papa Khan pretends to be the red Spiderman, while little AbRam wears the mask of the black Spiderman. advertisement ALSO SEE: Shah Rukh teaching Dutch guy Kachcha Papad, Pakka Papad is all kinds of hilarious Shah Rukh Khan is currently in Amsterdam shooting for Imtiaz Ali's The Ring with Anushka Sharma. He even put a post earlier where exchanged language lessons with a Dutch Assistant director. Looks like he's having a blast, making this film. "We cannot accomplish all that we need to do without working together" #srkinstagyaan A video posted by Shah Rukh Khan (@iamsrk) on Sep 10, 2016 at 4:05pm PDT AbRam has been the subject of Papa Khan's experiments, as we saw in a different post where he filmed his youngest running across thick grass in slow-motion with Bryan Adams's Run to you playing the background, makes us believe the actor can become a good director one day. Shah Rukh is currently accompanied by Anushka Sharma, with whom he last worked on Yash Chopra's Jab Tak Hai Jaan. He is collaborating with Imtiaz Ali for the very first time. The Fan actor has an interesting bunch of releases with Rahul Dholakia's Raees, Aanand L Rai's next and Aditya Chopra's next where is rumoured to play a warrior. --- ENDS --- How to Get Your Kids to go to Church and go to Heaven Are you concerned about your kids not going to church? You should be. If your children absent themselves from the assembly (Heb 10:25) and cut themselves off from the body of Christ (1 Cor 12:21), they condemn themselves to isolation and powerlessness. Don't resign yourself to your children not knowing the Lord and not going to church. Throughout the 2000 years of Christianity, in all cultures, children have been discipled successfully by their parents. The failure to disciple children in the contemporary American church is unusual in the light of world history. But the issue is much greater than church attendance. Parents should be concerned about discipling their children into a fully committed, personal relationship with Jesus and into the life in the Spirit. Church is part of God's plan for your children, but our Father wants much more for them. Church doesn't always get you to Jesus, but Jesus always gets you to church, if you are committed to Him. You can go to church and go to hell. But you can't live for Jesus without going to heaven. You must not settle for anything less than everything the Lord has for you and your children. This pamphlet contains four truths which will help you lead your children into a total, personal relationship with Jesus and disciple them for His kingdom. 1) "The gift you have received, give as a gift." Matthew 10:8 A parent must have it to give it. You must have a personal relationship with Jesus to share it with your children. Christianity must be a way of life and not just a Sunday obligation. Don' t expect your kids to follow you indefinitely in fulfilling Sunday obligations at church. They need to meet personally the Head of the Church, Jesus, Who will draw them into His body, the Church. Parents should frequently talk to their children about Jesus and point out what Jesus is doing in the family. As the children grow older, they should be presented with opportunities to make a personal decision to commit their lives to Jesus as Lord. 2) "Again I tell you, if two of you join your voices on earth to pray for anything whatever, it shall be granted you by My Father in heaven. Where two or three are gathered in My name, there am I in their midst." Matthew 18:19-20 The family that prays together stays together. Christian families should pray together daily. Pray as a married couple. Then, with the whole family, pray any way you can, even if only for a few moments. (Any prayer is better than no prayer.) One or both parents should also pray individually with each child, especially the older children. This may sound like a lot, but it may only take 5-10 minutes daily. Finally, going to Mass and Confession together as a family is one of the best things you can possibly do for your family. 3) "Fathers, do not anger your children. Bring them up with the training and instruction befitting the Lord." Ephesians 6:4 The father makes the difference whether the children continue to go to church. Statistically, it has been proven that the father' s church attendance is by far the most significant factor in children continuing church attendance through adolescence. The mother may always go to church, but the kids often do not follow her. Biblically, the father names the child, that is, gives the child an identity (Mt 1:20-21). Church attendance is part of this. Therefore, Christian mothers need to keep the responsibility for the children's church attendance on the shoulders of their husbands. If their husbands are not strong in faith, their wives must lead them to a deep faith in Jesus. Wives do not necessarily have to say much to do this but can open their husbands to the Lord through the "hidden character of the heart, expressed in the unfading beauty of a calm and gentle disposition" (1 Pt 3:4). 4) "In support of his testimony he used many other arguments, and kept urging, 'Save yourselves from this generation which has gone astray.'" Acts 2:40 "Do not conform yourselves to this age." Romans 12:2 Parents, not peers, should be raising their children. Biblically and really, parents are the primary educators of their children (Dt 6:6-7). Parents have a supernatural anointing with their children. They have more power than the most highly trained professional. Therefore, children should spend more time with their parents than with anyone else, including peers. But if parents let a generation gap develop, their anointed influence over their children is undermined. Today kids are influenced by kids more than at any time in world history. To change this, parents, from their children' s infancy, should severely limit TV, magazines, and music that introduce children to a separate kids' and teens' world. Mass media generally alienate children from their parents. Schools also, knowingly or unknowingly, minimize parental influence by placing kids with their peers for 40-plus hours a week. Therefore, parents must limit extracurricular school activities. Let your children join things that are not school-oriented, especially things you can do with them. If possible, it's best to home-school your children and raise them in a Christian community, where other children will be more supportive of your parental influence, instead of subverting it. Finally, each parent needs to spend quality time on a one-to-one basis, especially with the older children. If you want to spend time with them, even the most rebellious teenagers will eventually want to spend time with you. Everyone appreciates personal attention. The contemporary ascendancy of mass media and school activities combine to leave parents little time with their children. We must give kids back to their parents and turn "the hearts of the children to their fathers" (Mal 3:24). CONCLUSION These various recommendations may seem severe, but we must face reality that anything less will probably not work. Our culture is extremely anti-Christian and anti-family. Strong measures are necessary to do the job. "These are evil days. Do not continue in ignorance, but try to discern the will of the Lord" (Eph 5:16-17). Lead your children in the power of the Spirit. Nihil obstat: Reverend Edward Gratsch, October 8, 1988. Imprimatur: + Most Reverend James H. Garland, Auxiliary Bishop of Archdiocese of Cincinnati, October 13, 1988. ATLANTIC CITY The citys financial future may hinge on negotiations with creditors like Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa, which is owed $170 million in property-tax refunds. But a firm hired by the state in 2015 in part to analyze strategies for negotiations with the citys creditors hasnt been asked to do so yet in relation to Borgata, a state spokesman said last week. And that firm, Ernst & Young, once valued Borgatas real property at $1.2 billion as of March 2010, nearly $345 million more than a judge ruled it was worth, according to a valuation report obtained by The Press of Atlantic City. The 2011 report, prepared for Boyd Gaming, raises new questions about Ernst & Youngs work, Borgatas $850 million property assessment and the negotiations with the casino, the citys market leader, largest employer and biggest taxpayer. Ernst & Young, which declined comment, agreed to analyze strategies for negotiations with creditors and advise on, and analyze, cash impacts pertaining to negotiations with key stakeholders, according to a March 2015 state retention letter. Despite that language, a state spokesman said Ernst & Young is not performing that work in relation to either Borgata or the other creditors. They havent been asked to do so, Leland Moore, spokesman for the state Attorney Generals Office, said in reference to analyzing the Borgata negotiations. But when asked two weeks earlier what Ernst & Young was doing, Moore said the scope of E&Ys work is described in detail in the original retention agreement. On Friday, Moore said: The scope of work did not specify a final product or set a fixed price; rather, it was like a menu of possible tasks we could call on EY to perform. Ernst & Young was brought in to assist former state Emergency Manager Kevin Lavin, who was charged with consulting with stakeholders, including Borgata, and figuring out how to turn the broke city around. The firm has billed the state $1.56 million thus far and can charge $470 an hour for its services. Gov. Chris Christies brother, Todd, is a director at Ernst & Young. The Borgata negotiations became an issue during this years fight over a state takeover of the city. Advocating for the takeover in April, Gov. Chris Christie said the state cant negotiate a settlement with Borgata without the takeover. Want to lure millennials? Offer food, drink, music ATLANTIC CITY Food, drinks and dancing are what millennials look for when they come to the Thats only within the power of the city, Christie said then. But Mayor Don Guardian has said the state has been leading those negotiations, even though there has been no takeover. We were left out of the discussions for more than a year, Guardian said in April. The existence of the 2011 Ernst & Young valuation report was discovered during a November 2013 deposition, a month after a tax court judge slashed Borgatas $2.2 billion assessment for 2009 and 2010 to $880 million and $870 million, respectively, according to court filings. The report, obtained by The Press through records requests to the tax court and city, valued Borgatas land, buildings and improvements at $1.21 billion as of March 2010. But the reports surfacing couldnt help the city for tax years 2009 and 2010, said George Frino, a partner at DeCotiis, Fitzpatrick & Cole, the firm representing the city in the case. Frino said the report wouldnt be legally relevant for those years. In any case, the appellate court couldnt consider the report since its not part of the tax court record, he said. The reports assessment could be legally relevant starting in tax year 2011. Attorneys for the city cited the report in a failed effort in May to block Borgata from getting more tax judgments against the city. The city and Borgata had settled for $88 million for tax years 2011 through 2014, but the city breached that deal when it missed a December 2014 payment deadline. The casino turned to tax court to get formal judgments for taxes Borgata said it overpaid. Judge Patrick DeAlmeida allowed Borgata to use the Freeze Act, a series of state laws that applied Borgatas 2010 assessed value of $870 million to 2011 and 2012. Success of low-cost online gaming could figure in upstate casinos vote, says Anthony Marino Some may find it surprising that most of the Atlantic City casino industry's increase of 1.5 Frino said the citys attorneys put the Ernst & Young report before the tax court to demonstrate for the 2011, 2012, 2013 years that the value should be higher. $1.2 billion. Peter Sarkos, a Fox Rothschild attorney representing Borgata in the case, argued in briefs that the Ernst & Young report considered more than just the real property when it calculated the casinos worth. He wrote that the casinos business and personal property values require removal from the going concern value to reach the real property value. The report, though, provides different figures for the casinos business enterprise value ($1.35 billion), personal property value ($77.3 million) and real property value ($1.21 billion). Two weeks after DeAlmeidas judgment, Boyd sold its 50 percent stake of Borgata for $900 million to MGM Resorts, which then sold the property to MGM Growth Properties for nearly $1.18 billion. Thats close to the $1.21 billion figure in the Ernst & Young report. That May 31 transaction also took place just days after the state enacted a law that exempts casinos from paying property taxes. The timing of the sale prevents the deal from having any impact on what Borgata pays under the new law. Atlantic City Board of Education President John Devlin questioned the timing of the deal and called for an investigation in a June letter to the districts state monitor. It seems to me that Borgata argued one value to the tax court but presented a whole different scenario to MGM or its shareholders, he wrote. Borgata is currently billed $29 million per year for property taxes and will likely be locked in at a similar amount for a decade under the new law. If assessed at $1.18 billion, its tax bill would be $40 million. Borgata has withheld its last three quarterly property-tax payments to help offset the tax refunds the city owes the casino. How you can gamble at Golden Nugget and at home simultaneously ATLANTIC CITY As casinos look to expand internet gambling, Golden Nugget Atlantic City hop The skipped payments, signed off on by a judge, total $23 million and have further exacerbated the citys financial woes as it fights a state takeover. Contact: 609-272-7215 Twitter @_Hetrick ATLANTIC CITY The Atlantic City Seafood Festival lived up to its name Saturday, with more clams, oysters, shrimp, scallops and other fishy stuff than even the hungriest customer could shake a shell at. But this born-again festival, now in its fifth year at Bader Field after a five-year absence, is put on by the same people who do the popular Atlantic City Beer Festival every spring. And that company, Good Time Tricycle, may explain why beer is always a popular side dish at a fish fest that continues from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday. The people at Pinelands Brewing, of Little Egg Harbor Township, may have found the perfect way to combine those food and beverage treats. That was an oyster stout called Zero Shucks Given, a dark beer with oysters brewed right in it, as Pinelands Fred Harkey explained from behind the two taps that Pinelands sent to a festival tent that also drew 16 other New Jersey breweries for the weekend. While some customers turned up their nose at the thought of oysters in their dark beer, more were choosing it over the more familiar Evergreen IPA in his other tap because of the seafood-loving crowd, Harkey suggested. And theres no doubt these dishes can draw a crowd. Saturdays weather was warm and mild, with a fresh breeze off the bay. Good Time Tricycles Stacy McCarron said the weather hasnt always cooperated. Cars kept filling up the lots Saturday at the citys long-closed airport. Last year, when it rained sideways both days, we still had 20,000 people, McCarron said as she took care of last-minute logistics in another festival favorite: the chowder-tasting tent. Twelve restaurants from in and around Atlantic City contributed vats of clam chowder. The Community FoodBank of New Jerseys Southern Branch sold $5 tickets that allowed guests to taste 2 ounces of each. The visitors voted on their three favorites. Rich Uniacke, vice president of the food banks Egg Harbor Township branch, said he hoped to raise at least $10,000 with that donated soup. He said the food bank can turn every dollar it collects into about $10 worth of food for consumers, so the Seafood Festival could generate more than $100,000 worth of food for hungry local people. Contact: 609-272-7237 PLEASANTVILLE Police have identified a man fatally shot Saturday evening as Rasheed O. Hines, 29, of Egg Harbor City. Acting Atlantic County Prosecutor Diane Ruberton said Sunday that Hines, who lived at Cincinnati Avenue, was shot around 5:12 p.m. Sept. 10 at the intersection of Linden and Merion avenues. Pleasantville Police, EMS and AtlantiCare paramedics responded to a 911 call reporting multiple gun shots. Hines was taken to the AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center City Division in Atlantic City where he was pronounced dead about 30 minutes later. An autopsy is pending. The Atlantic County Prosecutors Office is leading the investigation into the shooting with the Pleasantville Police Department. We're looking for any help we can get from the public on the case, Police Chief Sean Riggin said at a very active investigation at the shooting scene Saturday, where a handful of yellow evidence tags covered a section of the sidewalk. At least six police cars were in the intersection, which was blocked off in every direction with crime-scene tape. A neighbor, William Diaz, said he heard gunshots, and I see a guy over there on the ground. He has lived in the neighborhood about five years, and this isn't the first shooting he has seen near his home, Diaz said. Anyone with information is asked to call the Prosecutors Office Major Crimes Unit at 609-909-7666, the Pleasantville Police Department at 609-641-6100, the anonymous (confidential) Crime Stoppers tip line at 609-652-1234 or 1-800-658-8477 (TIPS), or text TIPCOP plus your tip to 274637. ATLANTIC CITY The firing of shots and a cannon rung through the crowd of over 500 who came to pay tribute to those who gave their lives on Sept. 11, 2001. It was a somber day at the boardwalk Sunday on Jackson Avenue as Atlantic City honored locals Victor Saracini, John ONeill, Andrew Alameno and Patricia Cody who died during the terrorist attacks 15 years ago in New York, Virginia and Pennsylvania. Saracinis sister, Joannne Renzi, said that the number of attendees Sunday morning gave her peace. Its very hard. Its very difficult because the memories Renzi said. I hold my brother in my heart every day. God heals in time and I thank Him for that. Its a comfortwhen I looked around to see the people that are here, to know that they will never forget. Renzi, who now lives in Freedom, Pa., said this is the second year she attended Atlantic Citys 9/11 service. She hopes to continue to attend every year. Atlantic City last year installed a memorial on the boardwalk at Jackson Avenue to honor Saracini and ONeill. Saracini, who piloted United Airlines Flight 175, which was hijacked and flown into the World Trade Center, was a graduate of Atlantic City High School. ONeill graduated Holy Spirit High School before becoming an FBI agency working in foreign counter-intelligence. He was working as head of security of the World Trade Center when he died on 9/11. The morning clouds, which let loose just a few drops of rain, moved out as the ceremony got underway. Hundreds lined up on the boardwalk, some carrying American flags and others dressed in patriotic attire. Absecon VFW Post 9462 provided the Honor Guard. In her last official duty as Miss America, Betty Cantrell sang the national anthem and God Bless America before a 30-by-50-foot flag suspended by two ladder trucks from the Atlantic City Fire Department. Mayor Don Guardian introduced the guest speakers, who included retired US Army Brig. Gen. Jeffrey Pierson. Im not new to participating in these types of ceremonies, Pierson admitted. It always brings tears to my eyes. Echoing the sentiments of memorial services around the country, Pierson said we must never forget the nearly 3,000 people killed on Sept. 11, and the first responders who came to the aid of the victims. These four tragedies were caused by senseless acts of terror, he said. I am sure that many of you have a vivid memory of what you were doing that day. Pierson recalled working in Cape May County and seeing the second plane hitting the World Trade Center on the news. He said he knew then it was an act of terrorism. Pierson said to the families of those who died that day, We hope that the 15 years of time that has passed has helped you to heal the loss of your loved ones. To a boisterous applause, Guardian asked the attendees to pray for Atlantic City Police Officer Joshlee Vadell, who was shot last weekend while responding to a robbery, and the firefighters who were injured responding to a three-alarm fire that displaced 10 residents on Bartram Avenue Thursday. Atlantic City police and firefighters lined up to place red and blue carnations on the memorial and received many thank yous as they passed through the audience. Jazmyn Rivera of Atlantic City brought her daughter, Aurora, 1, to the Sunday service out of necessity, but was glad to see people of all ages attend. Its something that all generations should know about, she said. Dr. Paul and Linda Katz of Ventnor and Fort Washington, Pennsylvania placed carnations on the memorial after the service. It changed my life forever, Linda Katz said. My world was never the same. Contact: 609-272-7251 WILDWOOD CREST The borough has filed a lawsuit against five companies that worked on a $1.4 million project that included replacing the roof of the Crest Pier Community Center, a 28-year-old building with a history of structural issues. The borough paid to remediate mold caused by HVAC problems that led several rooms on the north side of the building to be closed off, Commissioner Don Cabrera wrote in an email. The borough had the areas cleaned up before the summer. The lawsuit is now to recover those funds, he wrote. The complaint was filed Aug. 10 in Superior Court in Cape May County. None of the companies named in the complaint responded to requests for comment. Wildwood Crest commissioned Van Note-Harvey Associates as the borough engineer to replace the roof and parts of the HVAC system in 2011 due to leaks at an estimated cost of $1.4 million. How much are homes selling for near you? Transactions are from county property records. Settlement dates are listed; deed filings may In addition to Van Note-Harvey, the lawsuit names contracting company Dell-Tech Inc.; construction planning firm Manders Merighi Portadin Farrell Architects LLC; engineering company Biagi, Chance, Cummins, London, Titzer Inc.; and TJB Air Conditioning and Heating as defendants in the case. All five companies are accused of breach of contract and negligent work. In the complaint, the borough claims there were defects in the project design specifications as well as defective installation of the equipment. The center, which serves as a recreation hub and meeting place, suffered from building problems long before last months lawsuit. Crest Pier, which cost $4 million to build in 1988, was shut down for a time in 1993 after severe structural damage led to the building being flooded regularly. Then-Mayor John J. Pantalone said at the time the leaks were so bad that 32 buckets of water were filled after one storm. Recent problems havent been as severe Mayor Carl Groon said the facility operated even while part of the building was closed for repairs. Now, he said the entire facility is back to full capacity. The borough took corrective actions over the last six months, he said. Its open. Motorcycle rally keeps summer hot in Wildwoods WILDWOOD Can you hear it? The rumble of tens of thousands of Harley Davidson motorcycles, Borough attorney Rona Zucker Kaplan declined to comment on the litigation or how much money Wildwood Crest is looking to recoup. Contact: 609-272-7411 Twitter @ACPressTomczuk OCEAN CITY A recent ruling on state affordable housing obligations is casting doubt on the methodology used by a firm hired by 250 New Jersey towns last year. Advocates for affordable housing hope other judges will consider the July 21 ruling from Middlesex County Superior Court Judge Douglas Wolfson in the case of South Brunswick. Wolfson sided with advocacy group Fair Share Housing Center, rejecting an Econsult Solutions study that argued thousands of homes that sold for more than $300,000 were considered affordable. We are hopeful other judges around the state will also reject unrealistic projections of how many families, people with disabilities and others need homes that they can afford, said Fair Share Housing Center Executive Director Kevin Walsh. This is especially important given the unemployment and foreclosures in the region. Walsh said the shore economy is powered by lower-income residents who deserve to live near where they work. However, attorney Jeffrey Surenian, who represents 48 towns that have filed for declaratory judgements, doesnt expect Wolfsons opinion to affect future judgments. Every judge is going to have to make their own call, he said. Surenian said Wolfson made a decision not to have an independent expert advise him, but eight other judges including Superior Court Judges Nelson Johnson in Atlantic and Cape May counties and Mark Troncone in Ocean County have. Economist Richard Redding has delivered his findings to Troncone, and attorneys are expecting Reddings report to Johnson this month. Hes neutral, and hes issued a report in which he found substantial problems in what Fair Share Housing Center has advocated, Surenian said. Last year, Surenian led the creation of a consortium of about 250 municipalities with the goal of challenging affordable-housing obligations put forth by Fair Share Housing Center. They obtained Philadelphia-based Econsult to come up with obligation figures. One of the towns in the consortium is Ocean City, which is still awaiting a ruling from Johnson on its obligation. According to Fair Share Housing Centers calculation, Ocean City has an obligation of more than 1,000 affordable units from 1999 through 2025. The Econsult study dated March 24, which includes gap period obligations, calculates Ocean Citys obligation at 168 in the same time period. Ocean City attorney Dottie McCrosson said barrier islands are challenged by a small inventory of undeveloped land and high property values. She said many of the mainland towns are located in the Pinelands and lack the infrastructure to support added housing. In addition, neighboring residents have come out against Ocean Citys latest attempt to provide affordable housing to meet its current obligation of eight units. In June, the city held a meeting with residents near Second Street and representatives from Habitat for Humanity to propose affordable housing on lots owned by the city. Our concept was they would be developed in a private-public partnership with Habitat for Humanity, McCrosson said. There was a very vocal and negative response to that proposal from those in attendance at the public meeting, so the administration has taken that under advisement. Massive real estate auction nets Atlantic City $1.7 million ATLANTIC CITY This cash-starved city sold $1.7 million worth of property Thursday at an au Surenian said the court should bear in mind what can reasonably be achieved in towns so densely developed. He also said careful consideration should be taken in the Atlantic City region, which has been hit hard by unemployment. The economy is so depressed in that area as a result of the casino closings it really doesnt make a lot of sense to impose this obligation on municipalities that have all kind of housing thats for sale and thats affordable because the demand has so precipitously fallen off, he said. The affordable-housing obligation rulings came to the lower court judges after a March 2015 New Jersey Supreme Court ruling determining the Council on Affordable Housing to be ineffective. McCrosson said that may mean very different results throughout the state. Or, the judges could observe how their brethren are handling these complicated issues, she said. On July 11, a state appeals court overturned a ruling by Troncone requiring towns to account for 15 years of housing needs when COAH was not operating effectively known as the gap period from 1999 to 2015. Fair Share Housing Center is appealing the gap period ruling. On Thursday, the state Supreme Court stayed the appeals court ruling and decided it will hear arguments in the case. McCrosson said she expects to be back in court representing Ocean City on the affordable-housing matter Sept. 21, pending a report from a court-appointed expert. She said the city hopes to enter into a settlement that will save the taxpayers the cost of a trial and produce a fair result. Ocean City moves to revoke Coastal Cottages OCEAN CITY With one 18-home Coastal Cottage project under way and a proposed 10-home proje Contact: 609-272-7251 Twitter @clairelowe The president of the United States lands with all the majesty of Air Force One, waiting to exit the front door and stride down the rolling staircase to the red-carpeted tarmac. Except that there is no rolling staircase. He is forced to exit - as one China expert put it rather undiplomatically - through "the ass" of the plane. This happened last weekend at Hangzhou airport. Yes, in China. In a land so exquisitely sensitive to protocol, rolling staircases don't just disappear at arrival ceremonies. Indeed, not one of the other G-20 world leaders was left stranded on his plane upon arrival. Did President Xi Jinping directly order airport personnel and diplomatic functionaries to deny Barack Obama a proper welcome? Who knows? The authorities expressed no regret, no remorse and certainly no apology. No surprise. China's ostentatious rudeness was perfectly reflective of the world's general disdain for President Obama. His high-minded lectures about global norms and demands that others live up to their "international obligations" are no longer amusing. They're irritating. Foreign leaders have reciprocated by taking this administration down a notch, knowing they pay no price. In May 2013, Vladimir Putin reportedly kept the U.S. secretary of state cooling his heels for three hours outside his office before deigning to receive him. Even as Obama was hailing the nuclear deal with Iran as a great breakthrough, the ayatollah vowed "no change" in his policy. The mullahs followed by openly conducting illegal ballistic missile tests - calculating, correctly, that Obama would do nothing. And when Iran took prisoner 10 American sailors in the Persian Gulf, made them kneel and broadcast the video, what was the U.S. response? Upon their release, John Kerry publicly thanked Iran for its good conduct. Why should Xi treat Obama with any greater deference? Beijing illegally expands into the South China Sea, meeting only the most perfunctory pushback from the United States. Obama told CNN that he warned Xi to desist or "there will be consequences." Is there a threat less credible? Putin annexes Crimea and Obama crows about the isolation he has imposed on Russia. Look around. Moscow has become Grand Central Station for Middle East leaders seeking outside help in their various conflicts. As for Ukraine, both the French president and the German chancellor have hastened to Moscow to plead with Putin to make peace. Some isolation. Add to that American acquiescence not just to ransoming hostages held by Iran, but to delivering the loot by unmarked plane filled with stacks of cold (untraceable) cash, like a desert drug deal. Why the stealth? Obviously to conceal the manner of the transaction from Congress and the American public. Some humiliations are so grotesque that even the Obama team can't miss it. Now the latest. At the G-20, Obama said he spoke to Putin about cyberwarfare, amid revelations that Russian hackers have been interfering in U.S. political campaigns. We are more technologically advanced, both offensively and defensively, in this arena than any of our adversaries, said Obama, but we really don't want another Cold War-style arms race. Instead, we must all adhere to norms of international behavior. It makes you want to weep. This KGB thug adhering to norms? He invades Ukraine, annexes Crimea, bombs hospitals in Aleppo - and we expect him to observe cyber-code etiquette? Rather than exploit our technological lead - with countermeasures and deterrent threats - to ensure our own cyber safety? We're back to 1929 when Secretary of State Henry Stimson shut down a U.S. code-breaking operation after it gave him decoded Japanese telegrams. He famously explained that "gentlemen do not read each other's mail." Well, comrade, Putin is no gentleman. And he's reading our mail. Charles Krauthammer's email address is letters@charleskrauthammer.com. Last month, the University of Chicago appeared to pick sides in the latest iteration of America's culture wars. But it was really announcing just how silly those culture wars are - and how to get past them. The school informed incoming students that its "commitment to academic freedom means that we do not support so-called 'trigger warnings,' we do not cancel invited speakers because their topics might prove controversial, and we do not condone the creation of intellectual 'safe spaces' where individuals can retreat from ideas and perspectives at odds with their own." Conservatives saw the letter as a political intervention, a courageous stand against "political correctness" - as if the University of Chicago shared the concern of Donald Trump, Ben Carson and others about left-wing orthodoxy on campus, in the media and political debates. But the letter's real lesson lies elsewhere. It's a political intervention that doesn't involve contemporary political issues at all. In my 27 years as a faculty member at the University of Chicago, I heard all sorts of discomfiting and even shocking arguments. Distinguished professors argued that the great civil rights laws of the 1960s are unconstitutional; that insider trading should be freely permitted; that the Federal Communications Commission should be abolished; that nothing in the Constitution forbids racial segregation; and that the government should be allowed to censor speech whenever the benefits of censorship exceed the costs. I also heard distinguished professors contend that the Constitution requires affirmative action programs; that reparations for African-Americans would be an excellent idea; that federal law should forbid employers from discriminating against gays and lesbians; that judges do not, and should not, follow the text of the Constitution; and that Karl Marx was fundamentally right on the deepest questions in political philosophy. These wildly disparate arguments had a unifying feature. Even if they turned out to be quite preposterous, their advocates defended them with careful arguments - and you couldn't easily dismiss them. On issues large and small, University of Chicago students are likewise defined by their willingness to defy contemporary orthodoxies. As early as the mid-1980s, law students rejected conventional wisdom and contended that there is a constitutional right to possess guns (recognized by the Supreme Court in 2008) and same-sex marriage (recognized by the court in 2015). More recently, University of Chicago students have made strong arguments in favor of fortifying the rights of property holders - and of protecting the rights of animals. In insisting that the university does not condone the creation of intellectual "safe spaces," the now-famous letter was not intervening in current debates about racism, sexism and homophobia on campus. It was not saying anything about political correctness. (Opposition to political correctness is, in its own way, a form of political correctness.) Instead it was signaling a much broader commitment, which is to welcome the toughest questions about existing practices, so long as those questions are rooted in reason, evidence, and history - rather than in currying favor, posturing, or making some kind of display. There is a lesson here not only for academic institutions but for politics as well. Speaking of the constitutional convention, James Madison emphasized a situation in which "no man felt himself obliged to retain his opinions any longer than he was satisfied of their propriety and truth." He added that everyone "was open to the force of argument." It's not exactly realistic to expect that kind of culture in an era of partisan politics, let alone during a presidential campaign. But aspirations matter - and the University of Chicago has the right aspiration. Email Cass Sunstein, Harvard law professor and former White House official, at csunstein1@bloomberg.net. As the presidential campaign moves into its final stretch, about 7 percent of voters (depending on which poll you read) say they're still undecided between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump - more than enough to swing the election either way. After all the noise and drama of the last few months, what are these people waiting for? They don't much like either of the candidates. They're struggling to decide which is the lesser of two evils. And they're not finding it an easy choice. That's the lesson that bubbled up from a recent discussion with swing voters in Wisconsin conducted by pollster Peter D. Hart. Hart convened a dozen swing voters, people who have voted for both Democrats and Republicans, in a Milwaukee suburb a few weeks ago. The pollster conducts these "focus groups" regularly as part of a project for the Annenberg Public Policy Center at the University of Pennsylvania. Four of the 12 said they leaned toward Trump. Four said they leaned toward Clinton. Four said they were completely undecided. Almost all said they were still open to persuasion by both candidates. All said they'd been disappointed by the campaign; they said they wanted to hear about issues, not "mudslinging." Asked to describe the contest with a smell, their answers included "garbage," "manure" and "skunk." But when asked what more they wanted to learn about each candidate, their questions were mostly about character: What are they like behind closed doors? Can we trust them with life-or-death decisions? Both candidates have serious flaws, said Sheri LaValley, a 51-year-old compliance analyst who voted for President Obama. "Hillary with her emails, I just don't trust her. Trump, the way he acts. Every day you turn on the TV, and I just shake my head," she said. She said she was leaning toward Trump - with a condition: "I think he would be an awesome candidate if he could get his personality under control." Several said they found the prospect of Trump as commander in chief worrisome. "He's just such a wild cannon," said Barbara Kass, 62, a retired airline employee who is completely undecided. "I'd like to see Trump 2.0," said David Locher, 34, a supervisor for the Milwaukee rapid transit system, also undecided. "If Trump doesn't show something more coherent I probably could go for Hillary, just for fear of things becoming a mess worldwide." Asked to describe the Republican nominee as a member of their family, the most popular title was "crazy uncle." Clinton has a different problem - but one that appears just as serious. Although most of the swing voters gave the Democratic nominee high marks for experience and competence, they also described her as chilly, distant, untrustworthy and dishonest. "She's a smart woman with a lot of experience but you can't trust her," said Beth Gramling, 50, a payroll analyst. What did she mean by trust? "Integrity," she said. "I don't think she has that. And it's a shame." Nevertheless, Gramling said, she was leaning toward Clinton. It was clear that the controversy over Clinton's private email system isn't solely a media fixation; it has resonated among ordinary voters, too. Eight of the 12 voters said they were unhappy about Clinton's insistence that her emails did not contain classified material. "It's a lie," said Dara Schneider, 47, a personnel recruiter. Asked to describe the Democratic nominee as a member of their family, the most frequent choice was "stepmother" - a loveless relationship. When Hart asked how the voters would finally make up their minds, he was met with mostly blank looks. "It's going to have to be the debates," said Locher. What can Trump do to win their votes? "Tone it down," said Schneider. Trump's been getting that advice from his aides, but it's not clear he's taking it. What can Clinton do? "Take down the mask and show she's human," said Gramling. It's obviously not easy to rebuild trust amid the noise of a campaign, but these voters said they were willing to give the candidate another chance if she makes an effort to be "more transparent" (their words) and to connect with ordinary people. "A lot of voters know they do not want Donald Trump as president, but they need to know that they can live with Hillary Clinton for the next four years," Hart wrote in a summary of the session for reporters. "The hurdle they face is to find reassurance that they can trust her and that she will identify with them and their day-to-day challenges." As the polls narrow, there's still room for Trump to win - and room, as well, for Clinton to lose. Email Doyle McManus at doyle.mcmanus@latimes.com. Modi on Sunday sent out a strong message to Nitish maintaining that Shahabuddin and Sushasan?? (Good governance) could not go hand in hand in the state. By Rohit Kumar Singh: Former deputy chief minister Sushil Modi of Bihar has slammed Nitish Kumar over the legal laxity shown by the Bihar government which facilitated the release of dreaded gangster Mohammad Shahabuddin from jail after 11 years. Modi on Sunday sent out a strong message to Nitish maintaining that Shahabuddin and Sushasan?? (Good governance) could not go hand in hand in the state. advertisement With Shahabuddin out from jail now, is it possible to ensure fair investigation in journalist Rajdev Ranjan and eyewitness Rajiv Roshans killings. Can Nitish muster courage and slap Crime Control Act against Shahabuddin? Nitish should realize that Shahabuddin and Sushasan cannot go hand in hand. He has to choose any one," said Sushil Modi. ALSO READ: Slain journalist Rajdev Ranjan was 7th on Shahabuddin's hit list The BJP leader took a jibe at Nitish over Shahabuddins comment that Bihar CM was not a mass leader but just a leader of the 3 per cent population of Bihar. Nitish may be ignoring the statements of the opposition but can he ignore Shahabuddins remarks against him who is a member of RJDs national executive? Does Nitish still remain hopeful of becoming the PM candidate of the anti-BJP forces for 2019??? asked Modi. Modi questioned Nitish as to how did the Bihar government allow dreaded gangster like Shahabuddin to carry out a procession along with his supporters from Bhagalpur to Siwan. He further questioned the chief minister as to why rules were broken and Shahabuddin along with his supporters in cavalcade of more than 300 vehicles did not pay tax at toll plazas. Also Read: Prime accused in Bihar journalist Rajdeo Ranjan's murder surrenders in court Its surprising that Shahabuddin was allowed to carry out a procession of fear from Bhagalpur to Siwan and hundreds of vehicles in his cavalcade were not asked to pay tax at toll plazas. It was a procession of fear which Shahabuddin carried out," said Modi. Modi also asked Nitish whether the state government will provide security to journalist Rajdev Ranjans family who have alleged that the journalist was killed on the directions of Shahabuddin. Also Read Siwan strongman Shahabuddin walks out of jail to a hero's welcome, takes a swipe at Nitish Lalu Prasad washed hands of Mohammad Shahabuddin's bail, praises Akhilesh Yadav's governance in UP --- ENDS --- The chief security officer of AIIMS filed a complaint against AAP MLA Somnath Bharti for misbehaving with security personnel at AIIMS hospital and damaging government property. By India Today Web Desk: An FIR has been filed against Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Somnath Bharti at Hauz Khas police station for allegedly misbehaving with the security personnel at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) hospital. The Chief Security Officer of AIIMS made complaint against Delhi MLA Somnath Bharti for misbehaving with security personnel and damaging government property. advertisement According to the complaint, Bharti provoked the mob to damage the fence on the boundary wall AIIMS with JCB in order to give access to unauthorised persons inside the government property. Bharti, who represents Malviya Nagar constituency in Delhi Assembly, has been arrested under various sections of the IPC including 323 (Punishment for voluntarily causing hurt), 186 (Obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions),353 (Assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty),147 (Rioting), 148 (Rioting armed with a deadly weapon). SOMNATH BHARTI REACTS In a series of tweets, Somnath Bharti said that AIIMS is lying and questioned if this is some kind of diversionary tactics in reponse to the humongous success of AAP kishan rally in Punjab. "AIIMS is lying. They have been denying legitimate access to Gautam Nagar residents. AIIMS even refused two PWD meetings. Wherever a common man will be troubled I will go. The allegation that residents dismantled the wall is a blatant lie. I will fight in court. AIIMS had begged for a meeting and the residents and I had agreed. Meeting was scheduled to take place on September 14, 2016 to be attended by the officers. Come what may, this wall will have to go in the larger interest of Gautam Nagar, Masjid Moth, Niti Bagh and rest of ward 164 residents. Hundreds of residents of Gautam Nagar n Masjid Moth including SHO Hauz Khas and other police officers were witness to the demolition. It's wrong on the part of channels to show it as a scuffle issue between AIIMS guards and residents. The contentious wall was between the two sides. Months have gone by but police is doing nothing about the complaints filed against BJP leader Arti Mehra or Congress leader Jitender Kochhar. Is this FIR in response to the humongous success of AAP kishan rally in Punjab? Such diversionary tactics won't be of any help. Punjab is AAP's." SECOND TIME BOOKED Earlier, Bharti had been chargesheeted for attempting to kill his wife Lipika Mitra and inflicting cruelty on her in a domestic violence case. The allegations include harassment dowry, attempt to murder Lipika Bharti and her unborn child, torturing by having dogs chase her and cheating by making false claims prior to marriage. advertisement Last month, Bharti, along with 27 party activists, was taken into custody allegedly trying to take out a rally without permission while demanding setting up Lok Ayukta in Tamil Nadu. This is the second time in a row that an AAP MLA has been booked by the police in the last one week. On Saturday, Amanatullah Khan was booked for molesting a woman. Earlier this week, another AAP minister Sandeep Kumar made headlines after a sex tape and multiple obscene photos were leaked. Kumar was later sacked by the party. --- ENDS --- For the New World Order, a world government is just the beginning. Once in place they can engage their plan to exterminate 80% of the world's population, while enabling the "elites" to live forever with the aid of advanced technology. For the first time, crusading filmmaker ALEX JONES reveals their secret plan for humanity's extermination: Operation ENDGAME. Jones chronicles the history of the global elite's bloody rise to power and reveals how they have funded dictators and financed the bloodiest warscreating order out of chaos to pave the way for the first true world empire. Watch as Jones and his team track the elusive Bilderberg Group to Ottawa and Istanbul to document their secret summits, allowing you to witness global kingpins setting the world's agenda and instigating World War III. to Ottawa and Istanbul to document their secret summits, allowing you to witness global kingpins setting the world's agenda and instigating World War III. Learn about the formation of the North America transportation control grid, which will end U.S. sovereignty forever. Discover how the practitioners of the pseudo-science eugenics have taken control of governments worldwide as a means to carry out depopulation. View the progress of the coming collapse of the United States and the formation of the North American Union. Never before has a documentary assembled all the pieces of the globalists' dark agenda. Endgame's compelling look at past atrocities committed by those attempting to steer the future delivers information that the controlling media has meticulously censored for over 60 years. It fully reveals the elite's program to dominate the earth and carry out the wicked plan in all of human history. Endgame is not conspiracy theory, it is documented fact in the elite's own words. ARLINGTON, Va., Sept. 11, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today, American Trucking Associations kicked off National Truck Driver Appreciation Week to celebrate the trucking industry's 3.5 million professional truck drivers who safely move the nation's most essential products. American Trucking Associations is the largest national trade association for the trucking industry. Through a federation of 50 affiliated state trucking associations and industry-related conferences and councils, ATA is the voice of the industry America depends on most to move our nation's freight. Trucking Moves America Forward. "This week is about raising public awareness and support for the important work professional truck drivers do in our communities year round," said ATA President and CEO Chris Spear. "These men and women are safety-minded professionals who deserve our respect and praise. We're fortunate that truck drivers have dedicated their careers to delivering critical goods like medicine, food and school books." National Truck Driver Appreciation Week, September 11-17, provides the trucking industry an opportunity to formally recognize the efforts of professional truck drivers. State trucking associations, industry suppliers and motor carriers of all sizes are set to host appreciation events for the men and women who safely deliver 70.1% of the country's total freight tonnage. More than 80% of U.S. communities rely exclusively on truck drivers to deliver their goods and commodities granting the nation's most remote populations access to modern conveniences. On Tuesday, morning shows from coast to coast are broadcasting live via satellite from ATA First Vice Chairman Kevin Burch's Jet Express facility in Dayton, Ohio. America's Road Team Captains will discuss the trucking industry and their careers as professional truck drivers while telling viewers about the important role that National Truck Driver Appreciation Week plays in generating respect for an oftentimes challenging job. "Jet Express is thrilled to host America's Road Team Captains for the National Truck Driver Appreciation Week satellite tour, but we're also excited to honor our own professional truck drivers who are the backbone of our company," said Burch. "Even if you are unable to host a big National Truck Driver Appreciation Week event, I encourage you to take time this week to say thanks to a driver in your community. A small act can go a long way in honoring these hardworking men and women." ATA is asking the trucking industry to engage their communities in this week's celebration of truck drivers. Public officials, community leaders, members of the media and local businesses can all benefit from a better understanding of the important work that truck drivers do in safely moving the economy each day. Highway safety is dramatically improved when the motoring public acknowledges the difficulties of driving a truck and the limitations of large commercial vehicles. The ATA official NTDAW site offers a collection of resources to enhance driver appreciation events. The content provided by ATA enables passionate industry professionals to engage their communities in this important week. These resources improve the image of the professional truck driver and demonstrate public support for the challenging work that drivers do each day. ACT 1 is a premier sponsor of National Truck Driver Appreciation Week. Sponsors for National Truck Driver Appreciation Week also include HELP Inc., Provider of PrePass, Velociti, U.S. Legal Services, Smart Drive and Trucker Path. American Trucking Associations is the largest national trade association for the trucking industry. Through a federation of 50 affiliated state trucking associations and industry-related conferences and councils, ATA is the voice of the industry America depends on most to move our nation's freight. Follow ATA on Twitter or on Facebook. Trucking Moves America Forward. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140523/90962 SOURCE American Trucking Associations Related Links http://www.trucking.org The American Humane Hero Veterinarian and Hero Veterinary Technician Awards were born out of the idea that behind almost every hero pet (and millions more animals) is a hero veterinarian or hero veterinary technician. These often little-known benefactors save and improve the lives of our two- and four-legged best friends in many ways, and it is time to honor their achievements. Hundreds of worthy nominees were considered by a special blue-ribbon panel of celebrities and renowned veterinary and animal care professionals. After winnowing down the field to the top five in each category, the American public was asked to make the final determination. "Compassionate dedication to the health and welfare of animals is a hallmark of both Dr. Isaza and Ms. Knap," said J. Michael McFarland, DVM, DABVP, group director, Companion Animal Marketing at Zoetis. "We are proud to join in honoring these exceptional individuals who are making a difference in animals' lives through delivery of outstanding veterinary care." 2016 American Hero Veterinarian: Dr. Natalie Isaza from Gainesville, Florida Dr. Isaza is the founder of the Veterinary Community Outreach Program at the University of Florida's College of Veterinary Medicine. This program has helped countless animals that might have been euthanized at rural shelters in north Florida, as well as owned pets in a clinic for low income pet owners. The program works with local animal rescue groups and shelters, providing spay/neuter surgical services, heartworm treatments, general wellness care, and more specialized veterinary care for animals in need. In addition to her work with homeless animals, she is a co-founder of St. Francis Pet Care, a free vet clinic for pets of low-income and homeless members in her community. By providing care for these pets, the clinic has helped many animals stay in their homes. She implemented a program where shelter animals receive free veterinary care for treatable conditions. She and her students also visit animal shelters in rural counties surrounding Gainesville, providing veterinary care and transferring animals from these shelters to rescue groups so they can be adopted. Her dedication has inspired many veterinarians she has trained to become public servants, and helped them to be strong advocates for animal welfare. She is a hero to the voiceless animals she serves and to the families who otherwise might lose their beloved companions. 2016 American Hero Veterinary Technician: Kim Knap from Urbana, Illinois (written by the grateful owner of dog helped by Ms. Knap) Kim Knap BS, CVT, Certified Canine Rehabilitation Practitioner, does rehab at the University of Illinois Veterinary Teaching Hospital for pets that have mobility problems. My dog, Dexter, started seeing her for rehab on a chronic knee injury that occurred in 2014. It took him a long time to use that leg, so I took him to Vet Med to see if water treadmills and rehab exercises might help. Usually, Dexter HATES going to the vet. He needs a muzzle at my regular vet (he's been through a lot). But from the beginning, he was smitten with Kim. He'd even try to sneak out to the garage on off days in hopes that I'd take him to see her. When we later discovered that he would need another surgery, I started a Go Fund Me page to pay for it, and Kim both donated and shared it with the rest of the vet staff and the humane society staff that I adopted him from. We got so many donations between all of them and my friends that we had what we needed in 24 hours (about $1,800). Dexter walks great now, and is so strong that sometimes I really have to watch him because he can now counter surf. He wouldn't be in such good shape if Kim hadn't caught the problem he'd been having, and I felt totally comfortable leaving him there for two days because I knew she would be there with him. She went above and beyond for Dexter. "To us, all vets and vet techs are heroes and this is why we want to honor the best of the best in their fields," said Dr. Robin Ganzert, American Humane president and CEO. "Dr. Isaza and Ms. Knap are tremendous animal welfare advocates and we are so proud to learn of their laudable accomplishments aiding the animals in need in their communities and beyond. And our thanks go out to our friends at Zoetis for sponsoring this special national campaign because we know how committed they are to recognizing the achievements of the veterinary community." The American Humane Hero Dog Awards are presented by the Lois Pope LIFE Foundation and will be broadcast nationally on Hallmark Channel on October 28 at 8 pm ET/PT. About American Humane American Humane is the country's first national humane organization, founded in 1877. For more information, please visit www.americanhumane.org. To inquire about Hero Dog sponsorship opportunities, please email Mari Harner at [email protected]. About Zoetis Zoetis (zo-EH-tis) is the leading animal health company, dedicated to supporting its customers and their businesses. Building on more than 60 years of experience in animal health, Zoetis discovers, develops, manufactures and markets veterinary vaccines and medicines, complemented by diagnostic products and genetic tests and supported by a range of services. Zoetis serves veterinarians, livestock producers and people who raise and care for farm and companion animals with sales of its products in more than 100 countries. In 2015, the company generated annual revenue of $4.8 billion with approximately 9,000 employees. For more information, visit www.zoetis.com. Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160911/406265 Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160911/406266 Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20101108/DC97343LOGO SOURCE American Humane Related Links http://www.americanhumane.org If you were looking for the Charlestown Democratic Town Committee website and ended up here, try this Got news tips, gossip, suggestions, complaints?E-mail us: progressivecharlestown@gmail.com We strive to avoid errors in our articles. Our correction policy can be found here Kolkata, Sep 7 : Four persons, including two women, were nabbed and gold worth over Rs 31 lakh was seized from them near the Bangladesh border in West Bengal's Nadia district, the BSF said on Wednesday. A special BSF team intercepted a woman from near the Nandanpur border outpost area on Tuesday and seized nine gold biscuits worth over Rs 30 lakh from her. The interrogation of the woman, identified as Nirachan Sekh, led to the troopers apprehending two of her accomplices -- Chhadek Sekh and Rahit Sekh -- from near the international border. The BSF subsequently launched a joint operation with the police and carried out a raid at a house where the accused used to reside. "From inside the house, we seized gold ornaments valued at over Rs 1.30 lakh, besides foreign and Indian currencies. We also apprehended one woman from the house," a BSF officer said. "All the four accused, along with the seized items, have been handed over to the police," the BSF officer added. The BSF has so far this year apprehended 17 smugglers and seized gold worth nearly Rs 3 crore from along the South Bengal frontier. Bhubaneswar, Sep 7 : The Odisha government on Wednesday urged the centre to call a tripartite meeting on September 17 to resolve the Mahanadi water dispute, an official said here. The meeting would be held between the Chief Ministers of Odisha and Chhattisgarh with the participation of Union Minister of Water Resources Uma Bharti to resolve the ongoing dispute of sharing of Mahanadi water between the two states. "Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has proposed the Union Water Resources Ministry to call the proposed tripartite meeting on September 17 to discuss the Mahanadi water issue at New Delhi," said a statement from Chief Minister's Office. The Chief Minister would hold a preparatory meeting at the state secretariat here on September 12. Water Resources Minister Uma Bharti had asked the state government to suggest possible dates for a tripartite meeting to resolve the issue. Earlier, the centre held a meeting on July 29 that was attended by Chief Secretaries of both the state to find out a way to sort out the Mahanadi issue. However, it failed to put an end to the issue. The water issue arises after Chhattisgarh government started constructing barrages and dams on the upper catchment area of Mahanadi river. The Odisha government complained that the neighbouring state has constructed the projects unilaterally, which would affect the interests of the state. Damascus, Sep 11 : A total of 24 people were killed on Saturday by airstrikes against rebel-held areas in the northwestern province of Idlib, a monitor group reported. The airstrikes targeted several areas in Idlib, mainly the Jisr al-Shughour area largely under the control of the rebels' Jaish al-Fateh, or Army of Conquest, Xinhua quoted the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights as saying. The shelling comes as the Syrian army advanced recently in the countryside of the coastal city of Latakia, stepping closer to the rebel stronghold Jisr al-Shughour. The Britain-based watchdog group said the death toll could rise due to the high numbers of people in critical condition. Separately, state news agency SANA said the Islamic State terrorist group fired several rockets on the eastern city of Deir al-Zour in Syria, killing nine people. New York, Sep 11 : World No2 seed Germany's Angelique Kerber on Saturday beat Czech player Karolina Pliskova 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 in the US Open women's final match here. Kerber will inherit No1 ranking from Serena Williams on Monday. Kerber, 28, won in New York to add the US Open to her victory at the Australian Open in January, BBC reported. Pliskova's semi-final win over Serena Williams had already ensured the German will top the new rankings on Monday. "All my dreams came true today and I am just trying to enjoy the moment. It is incredible. I'm standing here with a second Grand Slam trophy and it means so much to me," Kerber was quoted as saying. Pliskova, 24, went into the final with a WTA Tour-leading 447 aces this year. The Czech made 17 unforced errors in the first set but fought back with 17 winners in the second before powering 3-1 ahead in the decider. The German levelled at 3-3 and then roared as a blistering forehand winner helped her move ahead once again. After 4-4 in the final set, Kerber's rock solid performance helped her the match. Kerber is the first German to win the US Open since Steffi Graf in 1996. Los Angeles, Sep 11 : Hollywood star Chris Pine looks up to actor Ryan Gosling and would like to be a "smart operator" like him. Asked whose career choices he would like to emulate, Gosling told Heat magazine: "I think Ryan Gosling. He's got a very intelligent handle on his position in the industry. "He's got a very strong presence in arthouse cinema, but keeps his feet on both sides of the ledge and that's something I admire. He's a very smart operator." Pine also shared that his good looks have sometimes hindered his career. He shared how he has had to work hard to land gritty roles since directors were not convinced his features were right for the parts he wanted, reports femalefirst.co.uk. "I don't think I've ever struggled with this horrible burden but yeah, I've had to work beyond how I'm perceived, physically. And sometimes I've had to convince directors and casting guys that I'm right for the part. When I did 'Smokin' Aces', it called for this redneck hillbilly with tattoos and I really wanted the role. "But at the time, the director, Joe Carnahan, didn't think I was right and didn't have that rabid fire. I had to really convince him I could do it, just to give me that chance. It's liberating not to have looks as a factor. I'm not a model. My looks shouldn't come into it. It's such an odd part of the job." Early on that bright Tuesday morning in 2001, two hijacked planes were slammed into the North and South towers of the World Trade Center. A member of the New York Fire Department places his hand on the memorial before a ceremony marking the 14th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, at the National September 11 Memorial and Museum in Lower Manhattan in New York. (Reuters/Andrew Kelly/File Photo) By Reuters: The memorial in New York City at the site where the Twin Towers fell in the September 11 attacks 15 years ago straddles two worlds: one of the living and one of the dead. A marker for where more than 2,600 people were killed, it attracts tourists from around the world. Some are drawn there to pause and reflect, others to satisfy a morbid fascination with the site of the worst attack on U.S. soil since Pearl Harbor was bombed in 1941. advertisement Clutching cell phones, cameras and selfie sticks, visitors generally take their time around the National September 11 Memorial Museum. They are expected to turn out in droves on Sunday for the 9/11 anniversary. More than 28 million people have seen the memorial and 7 million have been to the museum since they were opened five years ago, leaving some local people thinking the significance of the site is fading as it becomes just one more tourist site. ALSO READ | Facebook Trending Topics shows hoax story about 9/11 Rosanne Hughes' husband died on September 11, 2001, while he was on a work visit at the Windows on the World restaurant high in the World Trade Center's North Tower. Now a board member of the New Jersey 9/11 Memorial Foundation, Hughes said it was hard for victims' relatives to sometimes see insensitive or even rude behavior at the plaza in Lower Manhattan. "It's very disrespectful for people to go there and take selfies and smile for the cameras and in the background is where the towers collapsed," Hughes said. "I saw people with their kids running around, you know laughing, having fun. I guess people just don't understand that it's just not that type of museum." Early on that bright Tuesday morning in 2001, two hijacked planes were slammed into the North and South towers of the World Trade Center. A third plane was flown into the Pentagon near Washington, D.C., and a fourth crashed in a Pennsylvania field. "STILL HAVE ANGER" The memorial and museum, which cost more than $700 million to build, feature twin pools with waterfalls, each covering nearly an acre. The pools stand in the footprints of the towers. Flanking the pools are platforms dotted with Swamp white oak trees and ivy beds. The names of every person who died in the 9/11 attacks are inscribed on bronze panels that rim the pools. Coins glistened from the inner ledges of the pools, sharing space with paper napkins, bottle caps and even a plastic coffee cup one recent Sunday. A security guard, who declined to give his name, said that during patrols he had to ask children to not sit on the names of the dead and stopped adults from stubbing out cigarettes on them. advertisement The mood inside the museum, beneath "Ground Zero," is more solemn, its 110,000 square feet bearing witness to the attacks. People's identification cards, blood-stained shoes, photographs of fathers, wives, brothers and co-workers, intimate stories of loss and recovery tell the story. Outside once again, Hughes of the 9/11 foundation, said it was upsetting to see hot-dog vendors and souvenir stands near the memorial. "We still have anger over what happened too, and we've moved forward from that. But this is something that just doesn't go away," she said. "It may be a photo-op for them but for us it is still very painful to watch." Kenneth T. Jackson, a New York City historian and professor at Columbia University, said the attacks made the World Trade Center the most famous place in the world, and he believes visitors instantly realize its significance. "It now joins the long list of New York City tourist attractions and, for better or worse, it is one," he said. "Even if there was no memorial, even if they left some broken stuff there, people would visit." advertisement ASO READ: US House votes to allow 9/11 victims' families to sue Saudi Arabia --- ENDS --- Imphal : Imphal Sep 11 (IANS) Security measures were tightened in all trouble prone areas in Manipur ahead of the Black day observation on Tuesday in memory of about 900 Kuki tribals killed during the ethnic cleansings by the Naga armed outfit, the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (Isak-Muivah) in 1993. All police stations and camps of the paramilitary forces in areas where there are mixed populations are kept in red alert. Besides central forces are patrolling in their respective areas. The main functions of mass prayers in the churches and protest marches in the Kuki dominated areas are being organised by the Kuki Impi Manipur (KIM) and the Kuki Students' Organisation (KSO). S. Haokip, general secretary of the KSO said, "All Kuki families will offer prayer for the victims of the pogrom. Apart from the mass prayers there will be processions by the men and women in mourning dress". For a long time KIM has been demanding justice to the innocent victims. It had insisted on settlement of victims' issue before an agreement is signed between the Indian government and the NSCN(IM). The NSCN(IM), which had started the ethnic cleansing from 1992, had issued a quit notice to the Kukis from the "land of the Nagas" effective from September 15, 1993. However, two days in advance on September 13 some armed persons suspected to be NSCN(IM) militants torched Joupi and Janglomphai villages. The armed persons waylaid the terrified fleeing Kuki villagers and massacred 87 of them. KIM says that so far justice has not been done to the innocent 900 victims of the pogrom. Many Kuki villages were also burned to cinders during the clashes. Several innocent Naga tribals were also killed in retaliations. Ranchi, Sep 11 : It's an unclean state of affairs and the Jharkhand government is left red-faced. In the latest report, 'Swachh Survekshan: 2016', the state has been placed at the bottom of the table, showing that a lot more needs to be done to clean up Jharkhand. And the opposition is gunning for the Raghubar Das government even as it makes tall promises and issues advertisements on its 'achievements'. The survey -- which was conducted by the National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) between May and June 2015 covering 73,176 households in 3,788 villages across the country -- has placed Sikkim at the top of the list. Kerala, Mizoram, Himachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Haryana, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Manipur and Meghalaya make up the top 10 list. The report was released by Union Rural Development Minister Narendra Singh Tomar in New Delhi. Sikkim has recorded 100 per cent in the category of people using household/community toilets and 98.2 per cent in the category of households having sanitary toilets. In contrast, Chhattisgarh has 21.2 per cent households having sanitary toilets with Jharkhand at the bottom having a mere 18.8 per cent. Reacting to the findings of the survey, Jharkhand Congress spokesperson Lal Kishore Nath Shahdeo said in the last 20 months of the BJP rule, the state has failed to make progress in any area. The only achievement of the government seems to be in issuing advertisements and installing hoardings featuring tall claims. "The ground reality is far from the truth. The Swachh report is just an example that the government has been more interested in taking away the land of the poor and farmers by making changes in the land laws and giving them at throwaway prices to the corporate houses," Shahdeo said. CPI(ML) legislator Raj Kumar Yadav is more critical of the state government as he pointed out that even though Chief Minister Raghubar Das had promised to make a Swachh Jharkhand, the report indicated that the photo-ops with brooms and other so-called cleanliness drives were just publicity stunts. The government is not worried about the villages but only cares for industrial houses and businessmen, Yadav said, adding that all claims regarding rural development were just false. Facing opposition charges, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party is finding it tough to defend the government. "This report is based on previous year's assessment. But the report should be considered seriously by the municipal bodies," Jharkhand BJP spokesperson Pradeep Sinha told IANS. "The civic bodies should understand that such reports impact the state's image and the government is making efforts to promote tourism and investments here," he added. (Nityanand Shukla can be contacted at nityanand.s@ians.in) Chennai, Sep 11 : The makers of actor Sai Dharam Tej's yet-untitled upcoming Telugu project, which is currently on the floors, will shoot for nearly a month in Georgia and Turkey. "After weeks of search for the perfect foreign locations, we zeroed in on Georgia and Turkey. Some portion and two songs will be wrapped up in this foreign schedule which will nearly last a month. The shoot might start later this month or early next," the film's producer Nallamalupu Bujji told IANS. Being helmed by Gopichand Malineni, the project stars Rakul Preet Singh in the lead. The Georgia schedule will feature Sai and Rakul along with other key members of the cast. In the film, Sai plays the editor of a fashion magazine while Rakul will be seen as an athlete. Agartala, Sep 11 : Public-sector Vijaya Bank, which posted a profit of Rs 1,547 crore in the last fiscal, has adopted 632 girls to take care of their education, and 82 villages across the country to provide medical services, a top bank official said. "We have adopted 632 girls across the country to take care their educational affairs. We would bear all expenses of their education to fulfil these girls most aspirations," Kishore Sansi, Managing Director and CEO of Vijaya Bank, told reporters on Saturday. Felicitating Olympian gymnast Dipa Karmakar here at a function, he said : "If these girls want to learn abroad or conduct research work, Vijaya Bank would bear all their expenses." Sansi said that the Vijaya Bank already adopted 32 villages, including one in Assam, and is in the process to adopt 50 more villages including six in northeast India to provide high quality medical services to the people of these villages with the direct involvement of expert physicians and medical practitioners. Vijaya Bank MD-CEO said that the bank has posted a profit of Rs 1,547 crore in 2015-16 and targeted to make profit of Rs 2,000 crore in the ongoing financial year (2016-17). According to Sansi, Vijaya Bank, which was nationalised in the second phase of nationalisation of banks during 1980, has a network of 1,900 branches in the country and over 3,500 customer touch points including 1,680 ATMs. The Bank's total business is over Rs 2,17,000 crore with a diverse clientele base of over 14 million. "In Vijaya Bank's 85-year history, the bank had opened 1,000 branches till year 2007. But in the last nine years, with aggressive banking operations, the bank opened 900 new branches -- almost 100 annually," he said. "Of the 350 new branches opened in the last two-three years, each branch has witnessed Rs 20 crore transactions," he added. New York, Sep 11 : Retrieving memories, like sharing incidents with one another, helps in reinforcing remembrance of an event, says a study. People do, in fact, synchronise what they remember and what they forget after sharing memories with one another, according to researchers from Princeton University at New Jersey, in the US. Known as mnemonic convergence, these collective memories are influenced both by a person recalling information and by those individuals sharing memories within a group. "Keep practising that information. Send repeated messages into the community. If people care about the topic, they are going to talk to one another about it and by spreading the accurate information, psychological research shows, they will likely forget about the misconception," Assistant Professor at the Princeton University Alin Coman said in the study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The researchers recruited 140 participants to conduct the study and were grouped into 10-member communities and used a program called Software Platform for Human Interaction Experiments (SoPHIE) to communicate. "We designed this software platform to expedite the communication process. All phases of the study took about 30 to 40 minutes for each group to complete. It's a very fast way to have these people communicate, and computer chatting makes this much more standardised. We were able to control the network structure and properly study it," Coman added. In the first phase of the study, participants read four random pieces of information about different volunteers and afterward they were asked to remember the information they studied. Next, participants chatted online with one another about the stories. Each participant chatted with three different people in two-and-a-half-minute conversations. Following the conversations, each participant was asked to remember the information originally presented about the volunteers. As in the second phase, they were given the name of each volunteer as a cue. Based on both recall phases, the researchers calculated how similar the individual memories were within each 10-member community. The results were in alignment with what the researchers had predicted: conversationally sharing stories with others influences the degree to which individuals of a group end up remembering the story in similar ways. "Our study shows that when we talk about memories of collectively experienced events with others, we start remembering these memories in similar ways. Importantly, as a group, we also tend to forget the same information following these conversations. We are, in essence, synchronising our memories at a community level," Coman said. New Delhi, Sep 11 : As India continues to carry the world's third highest burden of obese people, doctors have said that Obesity is a state of mind and can be tackled by taking simple initiatives. "Obesity is a state of mind and can be just tackled by being happy while taking minor initiatives to get rid of it. People should not be under the impression they can do everything to get rid of obesity," Praveen Bhatia, Chairman, Institute of Minimal Access and Bariatric Surgery, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, told IANS. Bhatia spoke at the launch of the campaign 'Let us fight the Fat' in partnership with the Delhi Medical Association (DMA) held on Sunday at Connaught Place. Parliamentarians Udit Raj and Sakshi Maharaj attended the event. According to the Indian medical statistics, obesity has gripped 30 per cent of the school-going children due to the sedentry lifestyle and lack of physical activities. During the campaign, attended by over 700 people, several patients who underwent bariatric surgeries and lost 20-30 kg also participated and shared their experience on the initiatives and steps needed to be taken for a person to be in shape. Obesity has reached epidemic proportions worldwide, with around 2.8 million people dying every year as a result of being overweight or obese. "People do not have time to take care of their weight problems. By organising such campaigns, we want to raise awareness among them to take some simple steps to keep their weight in control, which can give rise to several problems such as diabetes, hypertension, heart diseases, infertility, joint pains and sleep apnea," said Bhatia. DMA President Rakesh K. Gupta said: "We have also collaborated with Indian Association of Muscular Dystrophy and Family of Disabled for rasing awareness on obesity." Indore (Madhya Pradesh), Sep 11 : Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has announced that Madhya Pradesh will be made 'child heart disease free' state. He also announced implementation of the Mukhyamantri Child Heart Treatment scheme in a new format and that the limit of Rs 2 lakh financial aid will be done away with under this scheme. Addressing the inaugural of Child Heart Campaign in Indore on Saturday evening, under Child Heart Disease scheme and National Child Security Program said, the Chief Minister said there will be no limit for financial aid under the scheme now. The state government will provide all the funds required for the heart ailment treatment of children. "A campaign will also be started for children suffering from heart disease. Under this, selected children will be operated upon and treated by expert doctors free of cost. The state government will bear all the expenses, and if needed the treatment will be done in all major hospitals in big metro cities such as Delhi, Chennai, Mumbai." Chouhan said the state government will arrange free of cost treatment for children suffering from Thalassaemia and diabetes. Medanta Medicity- Chief Cardio Surgeon, Naresh Trehan, speaking on the occasion, said the state government has started special campaigns, including Child Heart Disease Treatment Campaign, under which not just patient but their family members and society are also being benefitted. Medanta will soon start a facility of Heart and Liver transplant. A total 371 child heart patients have been chosen by Indore district health authorities who are being given best treatment at hospitals in Indore - Bombay Hospital, Apollo Hospital, Medanta and others -- at the government expense. Jind (Haryana), Sep 11 : BJP president Amit Shah on Sunday said that former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, of the Congress, was crying hoarse over probes into his government's irregularities by various central and state agencies as he had much to hide. Addressing a 'Gaurav Rally' organised by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in this Haryana town on Sunday, Shah said that Hooda was getting scared of the probes into actions of his government. "For Delhi's son-in-law (referring to Congress President Sonia Gandhi's son-in-law Robert Vadra), Hooda sacrificed the interests of poor people of Haryana. Earlier, he said that he was ready to face any probe as he had done nothing wrong. Now, he is opposing the probe, saying that it is political vendetta," Shah said. Shah accused the Hooda government, which was in power in Haryana from 2005 to 2014, of only promoted one area and one community for so many years. "His range was only his family, close aides, community and his region," he said. Hooda has been accused by the BJP and the opposition Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) of showering favours on relatives, close aides, the Rohtak belt and the Jat community to which belongs. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Enforcement Directorate (ED) and Haryana Vigilance Department have booked Hooda and others for alleged irregularities during the tenure of his government. "Our government in Haryana is working for the development of all regions and communities. This government is for everyone," Shah said. Union ministers Nitin Gadkari and Birender Singh and Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar also addressed the rally. New Delhi, Sep 11 : Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) legislator Somnath Bharti and his supporters have been booked for damaging AIIMS property and misbehaving with its security guards, Delhi Police said on Sunday. Bharti denied the allegations. The Delhi Police registered an FIR following the complaint of All India Institute of Medical Sciences' (AAIMS) Chief Security Officer R.S. Rawat. Rawat, in his written complaint at south Delhi's Hauz Khas police station, said that Bharti, around 9.45 a.m. on September 9 "provoked the mob to damage the fence of government property (AIIMS)". "Bharti gave permission to unauthorised persons with JCB machines to get access inside AIIMS from Gautam Nagar Nallah road side and misbehaved with security personnel," said a police officer, citing Rawat's complaint. In the complaint, it was also alleged that six security personnel were injured while trying to intervene and stop Bharti and his supporters from damaging AIIMS property. Bharti and his supporters have been booked under Sections 147 (rioting), 148 (rioting, armed with deadly weapons), 186 (obstructing public servant), 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant) of Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act. The fresh case against Bharti, the legislator from Malviya Nagar area of south Delhi and a former minister, came a day after AAP's another legislator, Amantullah Khan, was booked for molesting his sister-in-law. Bharti was earlier booked in a domestic violence case filed against him by his wife Lipika Mitra. He was later granted bail in the case. Bharti, however, termed the allegations "wrong". "It's wrong on the part of channels to show it as a scuffle issue between AIIMS guards and residents. The contentious wall was between the two sides," he said in a series of tweets. "Hundreds of residents of Gautam Nagar n Masjid moth including SHO (Station House Officer) Hauz Khas and other police officers were witness to the demolition." "Come what may, this wall will have to go in the larger interest of Gautam Nagar, Masjid Moth, Niti Bagh and rest of ward 164 residents," he tweeted. Bhubaneswar, Sep 11 : The Biju Janata Dal's (BJD) fact-finding team which visited Chhattisgarh to make an on-the-spot assessment of the projects constructed on the upstream of Mahanadi river, on Sunday submitted a report to BJD President and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik. Rajya Sabha member Prasanna Acharya, who led the team to Chhattisgarh last month, submitted a 25-page report to the Chief Minister at his residence here. "The fact-finding team that went to Chhattisgarh to check up the Mahanadi water problem has just presented me its report," Patnaik told reporters here. The Chief Minister would hold a preparatory meeting on the Mahanadi water dispute on Monday before the tripartite meeting in New Delhi. A tripartite meeting is scheduled to be held in New Delhi on September 17. The Chief Ministers of Odisha and Chhattisgarh and the Union Minister for Water Resources will attend the meeting to resolve the water dispute. "The construction of barrages and dams by Chhattisgarh will have a severe impact on Odisha. The constructions should be stopped immediately. The Centre and Chhattisgarh government have conspired to work against the interests of Odisha," said Acharya. He said that the report contains details of whatever information was made available to them on the violations made by the Chhattisgarh government and the loss it will cause to Odisha in the future. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj called Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in Madhu's presence and assured her that she will get admission soon. By Anil Kumar: A day after India Today reported the plight of a 16-year-old Pakistani refugee's struggle for education, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj met Madhu and assured her of all possible help. "I thanked Sushma ma'am, she called the Delhi Chief Minister in my presence and assured me that I will get admission soon. She said now you're my responsibility, don't worry," Madhu told India Today in an exclusive interview. advertisement Also Read: Delhi: School denies admission to refugee from Pakistan, she writes to CM for help MADHU'S STORY When Madhu left Pakistan two years ago, she was a student of class 9th. Back in Delhi, she wanted to continue her studies from where she had left. However, a government school refused to enroll her. The school authorities said her documents were incomplete. What they did not know was that in a dire state to leave Pakistan, all her necessary documents were left behind. Also Read: We are not on Twitter, will Sushma Swaraj still help us, ask families of men held captive in Iran After knowing her story, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj reached out to Madhu and promised her secure education. She called Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in regards to Madhu's admission. Kejriwal too assured the Minister that he would secure Madhu's admission. The 16-year-old Madhu could not have been happier. Her dreams of studying further would finally be true. Also Read: Government to provide hassle-free Indian citizenship to Pakistani Hindus Hema Malini's dance teacher whom Sushma Swaraj promised help still living in penury Baloch activist makes Rakhi appeal, asks PM Modi to be voice of their struggle --- ENDS --- Bhopal, Sep 11 : Protesting against "harassment and exploitation" by the Madhya Pradesh government, Dalits and tribal groups under an umbrella organisation on Sunday called for a 'hunkar' protest rally on September 20 in Bhopal. Dalit Shoshan Mukti Manch and Adivasi Ekta Manch issued a statement, saying that as per report of the National Crime Record Bureau, Madhya Pradesh tops in harassment cases against Dalits and tribals. It said that most of the cases are not reported or registered by the police. Kisan Sabha President of Madhya Pradesh Unit, Jasvinder Singh, and Dalit Shoshan Mukti Manch Convener, Kishore Pippal, alleged that the Shivraj Singh Chouhan government has given directions to all police stations not to register cases of harassment against Dalits and tribals. They said in a statement that "many difficulties" are put before those applying for caste certificates. The displacements of Dalits and tribals is taking place due to giving land to private developers. They also said the government has put a stop to employment opportunities and vacancies in order to make the reservation policy useless. Privatization of education is being done and over one lakh government schools are being closed. These policies have made the lives of Dalits and tribal population hell, the statement said. They said the Hunkar rally would demand tackling of these problems and for the betterment of Dalits and tribal communities. London, Sep 11 : The wife of Indian-origin British MP Keith Vaz has said she will forgive him for cheating on her with rent boys, and admitted the revelation that her husband of 23 years paid male prostitutes for sex had come "out of the blue" and was a "complete shock". Maria Fernandes, a successful lawyer and part-time judge, said that she had decided to give the high-profile former minister a second chance, but warned he needs to change or "I'll sling him out". Vaz, 59, who has two children with Fernandes, quit as chairman of the influential House of Commons Home Affairs Committee after becoming embroiled in a scandal. Fernandes told The Mail on Sunday the revelation that her husband of 23 years paid two male prostitutes for sex had come "out of the blue" and was a "complete shock". She said the Leicester East MP begged for forgiveness, saying he was "very sorry" and promising it would "never happen again" after he broke the news to her before the scandal was reported in the press. "It was like an out-of-body experience, it was not real. There was a lot of things over the years, but this had not been one", Fernandes was quoted as saying. "It was a terrible shock and I am still processing it ... Keith is not a bad person, he's just done a terrible thing. It's absolutely terrible because it's affected all of us, because it's affected the kids. But he's a good person, a good father, he's been a good husband and nine-tenths of the time he's got things right. This time he's fallen... badly," she added. Police have said that they will "assess and identify what criminal offences -- if any -- may have been committed" in the allegations, first reported in the Sunday Mirror. Vaz had a conversation regarding cocaine with one of the male escorts in which the MP said he did not want to use the drug but indicated that he would pay for it for the other man at a later date, according to the newspaper. Fernandes, who was told about the situation before the story broke, said she told the couple's 19-year-old daughter about it but their 21-year-old son was on holiday in Vietnam and did not find out for a further 24 hours. Fernandes said their daughter was "very angry with her father, and I think she was angry for me" but she was also "worried about him". She added that over the next few days she experienced a range of emotions following her husband's "betrayal". "I would have liked to have taken all my crockery and broken it on his head," she said. "My immediate thought was to tell him to leave then have space to discuss things, But I have decided to forgive him. That's different to forgiving him right now. If I don't forgive him eventually, it is going to tear me up. It's going to destroy me and I don't want that. I don't like that feeling of anger and bitterness," she noted, the The Mail on Sunday reported. Fernandes said they would go to marriage guidance sessions and he would need a full health check after having unprotected sex. She said she also feared for Vaz's mental health: "He wanted to kill himself twice - once as Europe minister (when he was caught up in a scandal over passports) - and again now. He just wanted to die." She added: "We have been happily married for a long time, we have two beautiful children, and we have a good life together, and he has threatened that by his behaviour. And if he does that again, then I'll sling him out." New Delhi, Sep 11 : Accusing the opposition parties for criticising the union government over special category status to Andhra Pradesh despite its announcement of a special economic package, the BJP on Sunday challenged them for an open debate on the issue. The BJP also noted that there was no provision for special status under the 14th Finance Commission and the economic package will address the concerns over revenue deficit. "The then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh accepted the 14th Finance Commission report in January 2014 and he knew about the contents of it and limitations that special category status can not be given," BJP national secretary Siddharth Nath Singh said at a press conference here. "A new formula for distribution of central taxes was prepared in the report," he added. Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had on Wednesday announced a special economic package for Andhra Pradesh, clarifying that the state will get monetary advantage equivalent to what it would have got if it was accorded the special category status. Singh, who is also incharge of Andhra Pradesh, also said that Finance Commission report was binding and was implemented by Prime Minister Narendra Modi after coming to power in 2014. He said that the Finance Commission had raised the issue of 'special aid' in the report on the basis of which the Modi government had prepared a comprehensive 'special economic package' plan for Andhra Pradesh. The BJP leader also took on Jana Sena party chief and popular Telugu film actor Pawan Kalyan for attacking Union minister M. Venkaiah Naidu over the issue and terming the special package as a "rotten laddu". "There are two rotten laddus in Andhra. The Congress and the YSR Congress. Now the third is Jan Sena of Pawan Kalyan, which is trying to join them," Singh said, condemning Kalyan for his personal attack on Naidu. "I invite anyone of them including Pawan Kalyan, for a public debate that why special status can't be given to Andhra Pradesh," he said. Kalyan has also slammed the BJP for going back on its word to accord special status to Andhra and asked the state's ruling Telugu Desam Party, a part of the NDA, if it will accept a "rotten laddu". Zagreb, Sep 12 : Two major parties were neck-and-neck in Croatian early parliamentary elections, according to an exit poll released on Sunday. The People's Coalition, led by the Croatian Social Democratic Party (SDP), would win 57 seats in the 151-seat parliament and its rival the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) would have 57 seats, Xinhua quoted the exit poll as saying. The Most party, which was the third winner in last election held in November 2015, would get 12 seats and a small party Living Wall could make a new surprise with seven seats, six more than last time, the polls added. Despite a tied race, the HDZ likely has a better chance as traditionally it enjoyed the supports from Croatia's diaspora, who has the three reserved seats in the parliament. But it still needs to look for the alliance with small parties or representatives of minorities, who has eight reserved seats, to secure an enough majority for forming a new government. Also there are changes for People's coalition too, but it largely depends on small parties, especially the Most. Just by attending, everyone at the walk proclaims the message of hope to the person new in recovery that if all these people can recover, so can I. Connecticut Community for Addiction Recovery (CCAR) is proud to host the 17th Annual Recovery Walks in Connecticut. The celebration will take place on Saturday, September 24th from 10:00 a.m. till 2:00 p.m. in Bushnell Park, Hartford. Recovery Walks! is a community celebration of recovery from alcohol and other addictions; and we invite recovering people, families, friends and supporters to join us in the park. In addition to the walk, participants will share in activities and a program filled with the energy and strength of recovery. The event will host DJ Mike from Your Choice DJ, activities for children, exhibits, Faces of Recovery photo display, advocacy materials, guest speakers and more. CCAR expects a large turn out from participants across the state as well as national media, to showcase recovery in front of Connecticuts state capitol. Phillip A. Valentine, Executive Director of CCAR and person in recovery since 1987, said, At our first walk in 2000 we hoped for 50 people to attend. Amazingly, 700 persons in recovery, friends, families and the public showed up. Just by attending, everyone at the walk proclaims the message of hope to the person new in recovery that if all these people can recover, so can I. Recovery Walks! is being held during National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month, and is one of many nationwide Rally for Recovery events scheduled for September. These events offer the opportunity for those in recovery to register to vote, speak with elected officials, and celebrate their growing visibility. All are welcome to attend the 17th Annual CT Recovery Walks! For more information please visit: http://ccar.us/#events. About CCAR: Since 1998 the Connecticut Community for Addiction Recovery (CCAR) has organized the recovery community (people in recovery, family members, friends and allies) to put a face on recovery and to provide recovery support services to help sustain recovery. By promoting recovery from alcohol and other drug addiction through advocacy, education and service, CCAR strives to end discrimination surrounding addiction and recovery, open new doors and remove barriers to recovery, maintain and sustain recovery regardless of the pathway, all the while ensuring that all people in recovery, and people seeking recovery, are treated with dignity and respect. CCAR envisions a world where the power, hope and healing of recovery from alcohol and other drug addiction is thoroughly understood and embraced. For more information, visit http://www.ccar.us. In addition to calls that can be made using Voice Credit, LlamaNicaragua.com also offers Mobile Recharge. In Nicaragua, Independence Day is celebrated with military parades and spectacular fireworks. But do people really have to be in their home country to feel the patriotism? LlamaNicaragua.com says not really. With its special offer on September 15th, anyone can make longer calls to Nicaragua and join the local celebrations. Only on September 15th calls to any number in Nicaragua are up to 20% cheaper. Calling a landline in this country now costs only 9.9/min, instead of 11.9/min, while the rate for mobiles is 19.9/min instead of 23.9/min. LlamaNicaragua.com offers a wide variety of calling options, to suit every need. Customers can call from: any phone, through the use of access numbers; any computer, through the Web Call application; any smartphone, as LlamaNicaragua.com offers a free app, for both iOS and Android devices, called KeepCalling. In addition to calls that can be made using Voice Credit, LlamaNicaragua.com also offers Mobile Recharge, a service through which customers can recharge phones anywhere in the world. The process is fast and secure and the credit reaches its destination instantly. With over 430 operators from more than 135 countries, LlamaNicaragua.com can satisfy every need of international mobile recharges. The operators available for top ups to Nicaragua are Claro and Movistar. What differentiates LlamaNicaragua.com from other services are the low prices offered, the frequent promotions, the simple ordering processes, and the safety of online transactions. What makes the service even more attractive and trustworthy are the comprehensive Help Center and the 24/7 Customer Service, available by phone and email, in both English and Spanish. About LlamaNicaragua.com: LlamaNicaragua.com is an interactive website designed by KeepCalling, a global telecommunications company registered in 2002 in USA. Presently, KeepCalling provides its services to hundreds of thousands of consumers and businesses, with a focus on customer satisfaction. KeepCalling was listed by Inc 5000 as one of the fastest growing companies in the USA for 5 consecutive years. 52% OFF! On Independence Day, the rate to call any landline in Costa Rica is lower than ever. Costa Rica is all about delicious food, gorgeous landscapes, joyful traditions, and close ties with friends and family. Because the relationship with the loved ones back home is so important to Costa Ricans, LlamaCostaRica.com has prepared a special offer that will allow them to make longer calls to Costa Rica on Independence Day. Only on September 15th anyone who wants to call Costa Rica will benefit from a 52% decrease from the regular rate. Calls to any landline in this country will cost only 0.9/min, instead of 1.9/min. This way, if customers buy only the minimum amount of $2 they will get 222 minutes to talk on Costa Ricas Independence Day instead of 105 minutes - the standard amount received with the regular rate of 1.9/min. LlamaCostaRica.com offers a wide variety of calling options, to suit every need. Customers can call from: any phone, through the use of access numbers; any computer, through the Web Call application; any smartphone, as LlamaCostaRica.com offers a free app, for both iOS and Android devices, called KeepCalling. Besides calls which can be made using Voice Credit, LlamaCostaRica.com also offers Mobile Recharge, a service through which customers can recharge mobile phones anywhere in the world. The process is fast and secure and the credit reaches its destination instantly. The mobile operators available for recharges to Costa Rica are Kolbi, Claro, fullmovil, Movistar, and Tuyo. LlamaCostaRica.com guarantees 100% transaction security and satisfaction. All major payment methods are accepted and transactions are available in several currencies: US, Australian, or Canadian Dollars, British Pounds, and Euros. The payment security system is known as very strong. What differentiates LlamaCostaRica.com from other services are the low prices offered, the frequent promotions, the simple ordering processes, and the safety of online transactions. What makes the service even more attractive and trustworthy are the comprehensive Help Center and the 24/7 Customer Service, available by phone and email, in both English and Spanish. About LlamaCostaRica.com: LlamaCostaRica.com is an interactive website designed by KeepCalling, a global telecommunications company registered in 2002 in USA. Presently, KeepCalling provides its services to hundreds of thousands of consumers and businesses, with a focus on customer satisfaction. KeepCalling was listed by Inc 5000 as one of the fastest growing companies in the USA for 5 consecutive years. Jada Ryker won a Kindle Press publishing contract for her book, Take the Body and Run, through Amazons Kindle Scout program. Jada Ryker won a contract with Kindle Press, an imprint of Amazon, on June 14, 2016. Chosen authors run month-long Kindle Scout campaigns against stiff competition, vying for a five-year contract. Her selected book, Take the Body and Run, was launched for pre-orders this week on Amazon. The mystery/romance is set in Kentucky on a fictional university campus. USA Today bestselling author Carolyn Haines said, Macey Malloy bursts onto the scene with more energy than a nuclear power plant and a real penchant for finding herself in the middle of chaos. Haines is the author of Pluto's Snitch and the fun Sarah Booth Delaney mystery series. According to its website, Kindle Scout is reader-powered publishing for new, never-before-published books. Its a place where readers help decide if a book gets published. During the Kindle Scout campaign, the books description, cover, and excerpt is displayed. Readers (Scouts) may nominate up to three books at a time. Since its inception in 2014, less than 200 books have been published from the thousands of author submissions. Based on reader nominations and other factors, Rykers book was chosen for publication. Take the Body and Run is available now on Amazon for pre-orders through September 19, with release on September 20. It will be available in both electronic and paperback versions. Ryker will be at the book signing Pages in the Caves on September 24, 2016, 11:00 am 3:00 pm, CDT, Cave City Convention Center, 502 Mammoth Cave Street, Cave City, KY. About Jada Ryker KINDLE SCOUT WINNER Jada Ryker snagged the Kindle Press publishing contract for her book, Take the Body and Run, through Amazons Kindle Scout program. The contemporary mystery/romance is about a hunted woman hiding under a dead friends identity, a handsome lawman, a death doctor with fart machine-will travel, and a cranky cat with a nose for crime. Ryker grew up in indigent conditions in Payneville, Kentucky, a rural community a few miles northwest of Brandenburg. She now lives in Bardstown, Kentucky with her wonderful husband and their cat, rescued from the local animal shelter. In her day job, Jada works in higher education. She holds a masters degree in Public Administration. Ryker's mystery adventures are available on Amazon in electronic and paperback formats. For more information about Jada Ryker and her book Take the Body and Run, please visit http://www.jadaryker.com or contact her at jada_ryker(at)yahoo(dot)com. The book is available at: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01HC30YG2?ref_=ks_sel_pc We are honored to be selected to participate in the ARMA Las Vegas luncheon and look forward to leading a highly engaged discussion on this vital topic for professional services organizations Legal support services consulting firm Mattern & Associates, LLC announced today that its Director of Client Technology and Strategy, Stephen Cole was selected to present Getting to Zero Strategy at the Association of Records Managers and Administrators (ARMA) Las Vegas chapter luncheon to be held on September 13th,2016 at 11:30 AM. As organizations increasingly recognize the industry mandate for a comprehensive plan for on and offsite records to substantially improve information governance, Coles discussion will span multiple strategies that can be customized per an organizations culture. The event is open to ARMA and non-ARMA members. Nothing is more important in todays law firm and professional services environment than a firmwide, long-term strategic plan for records. The need for a cost -effective offsite storage contract, a digitization process and a records retention policy is fundamental to reducing risk and improving compliance, but also extends to substantial financial and operational efficiencies. In the ARMA Las Vegas event, Stephen will discuss how firms can cost-effectively eliminate offsite storage burdens over the next decade by: Identifying and obtaining key offsite storage contract terms and conditions that will allow your organization to reduce permanent withdrawal costs and destroy records in a cost-effective manner Applying a Records Retention Policy that will be adhered to and that will lay out the retention guidelines for paper and electronic records. Implementing a workflow scanning solution that will reduce the amount of paper the firm is handling on a daily basis Identifying workflows for native electronic documents that negate the need for paper copies Developing a firm-wide strategic plan for your firm's records Cole has a successful track record with over twenty years of expertise in consulting for large law firms, extending from Litigation Support, Records & Information Management, Document Processing, Imaging, Cost Recovery to BPO and end-to-end eDiscovery services. Stephen Cole comments We are honored to be selected to participate in the ARMA Las Vegas luncheon and look forward to leading a highly engaged discussion on this vital topic for professional services organizations. In addition to risk mitigation, security and other benefits, what many firms do not recognize is the opportunity to reap substantial financial benefits through implementation of these Getting to Zero strategies. I look forward to illustrating industry examples and discussing the multiple benefits with attendees. To learn more about ARMA Las Vegas and to register for the event, click here. About Mattern & Associates Mattern & Associates assists law firms in developing an unbiased strategic direction for their business processes while improving both the cost-effectiveness and the recovery of expenses for these services. For more information on Mattern & Associates, visit http://www.matternassoc.com, check out their blog, http://www.matternoffact.com, or follow them on Twitter @MatternOfFact. The company is based in Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania. New Orleans soul songstress Mia Borders has released her fifth studio LP, entitled Fever Dreams. The album, available now on all digital platforms, will be available as a CD on September 30 and a vinyl record on December 30. The music combines elements of funk, soul, R&B, and electronic music, and features appearances by John Papa Gros, Jesse Morrow, Rob Lee, and Takeshi Shimmura, among others. With her endlessly soulful voice, richly emotional songwriting, and undeniable style, Mia Borders embodies the spirit of her hometown, New Orleans, Louisiana. She is heralded locally and nationally as one of New Orleans best talents. The Times-Picayune described her as confident and cool, while USA Today characterized both Borders and her original music as deeply funky. New Orleans own Offbeat Magazine applauded Borders and her great music and great intensity. After entering the professional music scene in 2006, Borders has released music consistently. Her impressive catalogue features two EPs, five LPs, one live album, and numerous singles. In support of all of her releases, Borders tours frequently, while remaining based in New Orleans. She performs at clubs and festivals around the world, most notably: New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, Essence Festival, Brazils Bourbon Street Music Festival, House of Blues New Orleans, Tipitinas, Santa Cruz Blues Fest, Chattanoogas Night Fall, Telluride Cajun Festival, Voice of the Wetlands, Memphis Levitt Shell, Wakarusa, Longs Park Amphitheater, 2012 Aspen Food & Wine Classic, The Green Parrot in Key West, and The Kennedy Center for Performing Arts. For booking inquiries or promo copies of Fever Dreams, email booking(at)miaborders(dot)com. Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/miaborders.com Twitter/Instagram: @miaborders By PTI: Surat, Sep 11 (PTI) With two more deaths being reported today, the toll in suspected hooch tragedy at Vareli village in the district rose to 15. In-charge district collector K Rajesh confirmed that two persons died in Haripura village. The state government has not officially termed the incident as a hooch tragedy and referred to it as "unnatural death". advertisement "At least 15 persons have died unnatural death in Surat during last one week," the government stated in a release issued today. The government will bear all expenses for the treatment of victims admitted at different hospitals. The deaths, attributed to hooch, are being reported from last week, mainly from Valeri village in Palsana taluka. Rajesh had said yesterday six persons are undergoing treatment at government and private hospitals. He had said the exact cause of the deaths is yet to be ascertained, though methanol poisoning is not ruled out. The Forensic Science Laboratory at Gandhinagar was examining the viscera and other samples of the deceased. Meanwhile, a three-member committee, formed yesterday by the government to probe the issue, today interacted with officials here. The panel, headed by ADGP (police reforms) VM Pargi, also met some of the victims at Surat civil hospital. Pargi told reporters the committee will submit its report to government within three days. "We are here to probe the reasons behind suspected unnatural deaths. We held discussion with doctors as well as other officials to find out the exact cause of these deaths. We will submit our report within three days," the ADGP said. Two other members of the panel are the Director of Prohibition and Excise B K Kumar and Deputy Director of Gandhinagar-based Forensic Science Laboratory, M S Dahiya. State Tribal Development Minister Ganpat Vasava visited Haripura village to take stock of the situation. "It is too early to term these deaths as hooch tragedy. Its a matter of investigation whether these villagers have died due to spurious liquor. To find out the reasons, we have formed a committee. Based on their report, government will take strict action against culprits," he told reporters. However, local Congress MLA Anand Chaudhary claimed that the government is hiding facts from people. "Whether the government accepts or not, these villagers have died due to spurious country-made liquor, as such liquor is being sold freely in this area since long under the nose of police," said Chaudhary, who represent Mandvi seat in district. PTI CORR PJT NSK TIR --- ENDS --- advertisement Large Carrier of the year: R.E. Garrison (Cullman, Alabama) The dinner event, held at Lake Lanier Islands in Buford, Georgia, lauded the efforts of strategic logistics partner C.H. Robinson and the network of transportation companies used by the company. This year, three carriers who went above and beyond to help Wayne Farms deliver on customer expectations were singled out for their contributions: Large Carrier of the year: R.E. Garrison (Cullman, Alabama) Small Carrier of the year: Tidco Transportation (Double Springs, Alabama) Customer Service Award: Whitestone Transportation (Moselle, Mississippi) The safe and timely delivery of needed materials and transport of quality poultry products from processing facilities to customers is critical to our businesss success, said Aaron Leach, Senior Director of Supply Chain at Wayne Farms. These awards were difficult because our carrier network is so solidthey all share our commitment to operational excellence. He went on to note that the quality of customer and logistics services provided by all Wayne Farms LLC carriers was outstanding across the board. # # # About Wayne Farms LLC Wayne Farms LLC is the sixth-largest vertically integrated poultry producer in the U.S. with annual sales exceeding $1.9 billion. A subsidiary of Continental Grain Company, Wayne Farms owns and operates 11 fresh and further-processed facilities throughout the Southeast, produces more than 2.6 billion pounds of poultry products each year, and employs more than 8,900 individuals. Producing products under the brand names of WAYNE FARMS fresh chicken; PLATINUM HARVEST premium fresh chicken; DUTCH QUALITY HOUSE chicken and CHEFS CRAFT gourmet chicken, Wayne Farms has a well-known history of delivering exceptional poultry products to some of the largest industrial, institutional, and foodservice companies across America. Aeroflow Healthcare continues to grow and provide many jobs in the Southeast. Durable medical equipment provider Aeroflow Healthcare is set to donate money to the charity by hosting several fundraisers supported by Aeroflow employees. A team of Aeroflow employees also volunteered at the 11th annual WNC Run/Walk for Autism, at the University of North Carolina at Asheville on Sunday, September 11. The team, including CEO Casey Hite, also participated in the race. Its always so much fun to interact and volunteer in our own community, states Hite. As a local business, we want to continue to help and raise awareness. All the proceeds from the event will go to the local programs supported by the Autism Society of North Carolina. The Autism Society helps people throughout North Carolina connect with support programs and resources. In 2015 and 2016, Aeroflow was named in Inc. 5000 magazine as one of the fastest growing private companies in America. Aeroflow is an accredited Medicare and Medicaid provider and accepts most commercial insurances. Product lines include; sleep apnea, respiratory, urological, incontinence, diagnostic testing, breastfeeding, and pediatric supplies. Their staff prides itself on having years of valuable experience in healthcare. For more information, visit http://www.aeroflowinc.com, or call (888) 345-1780. Pacifica Graduate Institute Alumni Relations, in partnership with other community organizations, is preparing to host a Special Remembrance Ceremony as the closing of a 3-Day Community Forum, Pondering Peace In a World of Turmoil. The event is free, open to the public, and will take place at the Pacific Graduate Institute Ladera Lane Campus, 801 Ladera Lane, Santa Barbara, California 93108 on Sunday, September 11, 2016. The Inner Light Gospel Choir Guest Harpist, Lorin Grean Tibetan Bow & Meditations Peace Panel 2:00pm Special Inter-Faith Remembrance Service includes: Rev. Julia Hamilton (Unitarian Society of Santa Barbara) Rev. Alan Strout (First United Methodist) Art Cisneros (Chumash Firekeeper) Rev. Allysa De Wolf (First Congregational Church) Ven. Thepo Rinpoche (Tibetan Buddhist) Rev. Doug Miller (Interfaith Initiative) Imam Yama Niazi (Islamic Society of Santa Barbara) Rev. David Moore (New Covenant Worship Center) Rev. Teri Kierbel, (A Place of Peace) Closing Ritual (Santa Barbara Drum Circle) Join us for this very special Day of Remembrance 9/11 We Remember. Pacifica Graduate Institute has graduated over 4500 alumni. Dianne Travis-Teague facilitates the ongoing collaboration between Pacifica's Office of the Chancellor and the Pacifica Graduate Institute Alumni Association to extend and nurture the Pacifica experience in and through the world. In partnership with Alumni Relations, the Alumni Association provides programs and services that strengthen the connections between the community, graduates, and the institute. For additional information and media inquiries: Call (805) 879-7303 or visit http://www.ponderingpeace.com To RSVP call: (805) 679-6163. *************** Pacifica Graduate Institute, with two campuses in Santa Barbara, California, is a WASC-accredited graduate school offering masters and doctoral degree programs in depth psychology, mythological studies, and the humanities. The Institute has established an educational environment that nourishes respect for cultural diversity and individual differences, and a rigorous academic community with a spirit of free and open inquiry. Students have access to an impressive array of resources including the OPUS Archives and Research Center The mission of Pacifica Graduate Institute is to foster creative learning and research in the fields of psychology, the humanities, and mythological studies, framed in the traditions of depth psychology. Consistent with and supporting this vision, Pacifica Graduate Institute is employee-owned, and practices shared stewardship. Pacifica Graduate Institute Pacifica Graduate Institute Alumni Association Opus Archives and Research Center http://www.pacificabookstore.com Mindray continues to grow and has become a leader in the OR, not only with patient monitoring, but also anesthesia delivery and point-of-care ultrasound solutions. A continuing stream of innovative technologies have helped build that leadership. Shenzhen Mindray Bio-Medical Electronics Co., Ltd (Mindray) today formally introduced the expanded Optimizer suite of functionality for the A7 Anesthesia Workstation to the North American market at the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists (AANA) Annual Congress in Washington, DC. The Optimizer suite, standard on the A7, supports real time monitoring of anesthetic agent use during the OR procedure, assists in minimizing agent waste, and provides end-of-case consumption calculations. The user interface is integrated into the A7s standard 15 touchscreen display for ease of access and use. Mindray continues to innovate anesthesia technologies to meet the demands in the operating room environment. The anesthesia machine is fundamental for the anesthesia provider. This robust suite of capabilities on the A7 can not only assist the staff in potentially reducing anesthetic agent usage and waste but can also help protect the environment from harmful emissions. The new features can also help to improve clinical workflow to positively affect process efficiencies and can support cost reduction initiatives in the operating room (OR). In addition to the A7, Mindray will also be featuring its new Passport Series monitors, including the Passport 17m designed to meet the requirements of the high acuity OR. The Passport 17m supports the innovative T1 Transport Monitor/Module, which provides the ability to monitor the patient continuously from pre-op through the post-op environments, minimizing patient cables changes and speeding workflow while helping to ensure continuous monitoring. Mindrays leadership in point-of-care ultrasound will also be highlighted with the TE7 Touch-Enabled Ultrasound System with live scanning during the meetings. Unlike many POC systems, the TE7 cuts the clutter with no keyboard, supporting rapid assessment, needle placement with iNeedle optimized visualization, and pain management with intuitive gestures. Simply select a focused exam preset and relevant functions become accessible: Tap to open or close functions, drag to adjust parameters or move objects, pinch to zoom in or out, slide for selections, and even swipe to expand the image all with the touch of a finger. Mindray continues to grow and has become a leader in the OR, not only with patient monitoring, but also anesthesia delivery and point-of-care ultrasound solutions. A continuing stream of innovative technologies have helped build that leadership, said Wayne Quinn, President of Mindray North America. Clinicians who have worked with Mindray solutions have been impressed with the intuitive operation and comprehensive functionality available across multiple modalities. The OR allows us to showcase all of our solutions coming together to meet the needs of the anesthesia provider. About Mindray Mindray is a leading developer, manufacturer and marketer of medical devices worldwide. Mindray maintains its global headquarters in Shenzhen, China, North American headquarters in Mahwah, New Jersey, and multiple development facilities and offices in major international markets. Mindray supplies a broad range of products across three primary business segments, patient monitoring and life support, in-vitro diagnostics, and medical imaging systems. For more information, please visit http://www.mindray.com. By PTI: Peshawar, Sep 11 (PTI) A senior doctor, who was in-charge of polio eradication campaign in Pakistans northwest Peshawar city, was shot dead by two motorcycle-borne Taliban gunmen in the latest attack on immunisation teams in the country. Zakaullah Khan was attacked by the unidentified gunmen after he came out of a mosque after evening prayers yesterday. He was rushed to a hospital where he succumbed to his injuries, police said. advertisement A faction of the Pakistani Taliban, Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, has claimed responsibility for the attack. Anti-polio workers have long been targeted in the country by Islamist groups, including the Taliban, which believes that the polio immunisation drive is a front for espionage or a conspiracy to sterilise Muslims. In April, at least seven policemen were shot dead by unidentified gunmen in two separate attacks during a polio campaign. Pakistan is one of only two countries - other than Afghanistan - in the world where polio remains endemic. PTI AYZ UZM ABH --- ENDS --- We get why the top priority on Capitol Hill this election-season session is individual reelection campaigns and the battle for control of the House and Senate. And we fully expected that this very brief session -- which so far calls for only 16 days of actual work -- would be staged to send political messages to the voters back home. Expect much political sound and fury signifying nothing on topics such as ousting the IRS chief and President Obamas release of funds to Iran. Even an impending and potentially disastrous government shutdown lurking on Oct. 1 will be played for all its worth before Congress does what it knows it must -- approve another continuing budget resolution -- or face wrathful voters in November. Still, we never expected the people we elect to protect the public welfare to so dismissively and recklessly endanger it by playing politics with what IS a life-and-death issue: a growing and spreading Zika virus epidemic. That danger resonated in the U.S. when Olympic athletes were forced to make difficult decisions based on the threat of the disease while competing in Rio this summer. But it is hardly a foreign problem. Indeed, no outbreak remains one for long. Consider that, as of Sept. 7, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says there were 2,964 confirmed Zika cases in the U.S. and 15,869 in the U.S. territories of Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and American Samoa. Zika already in the Midwest Illinois had 51 cases and Iowa 11, according to the CDCs Sept. 7 list by state. While they were travel-related, the 543 cases of locally acquired mosquito-borne cases elsewhere in the U.S. and its territories -- including more than 40 in Florida -- should have public health officials everywhere on high alert. After all, mosquitoes have no respect for or interest in state and regional boundaries. But even as the risk grows, the CDC has precious few resources to beat back the threat. The cupboard is bare, Tom Frieden, the head of the CDC, told reporters on Aug. 30. Basically, were out of money, and we need Congress to act to allow us to respond effectively. Congress refuses to do so, primarily due to election-year politics. The $1.9 billion in emergency Zika-related spending has been held up in part because some of those dollars would go to branches of Planned Parenthood, the agency perennially under fire for performing abortions. It does. But it also promotes birth control, is the best defense against sexual transmission of the Zika virus. Preventing the spread of a disease for which there is currently no cure or vaccine is money well spent. Besides, how can anyone who cares about babies in good conscience dismiss the more than 600 pregnant women the CDC has identified with Zika in the U.S.? Or the 17 Zika-affected babies who have been born with severe birth defects such as microcephaly, a sign of incomplete brain development? Rather than respond reasonably to a real threat, tone-deaf lawmakers continue to point fingers and play politics. Consider, for example, the effort to muddy up this crucial health crisis response with a measure to lift the ban on flying the Confederate flag at national cemeteries. That topic may be worthy of serious congressional debate, but the effort to attach it to this desperately needed Zika funding suggests that some members of Congress do not take that threat very seriously. As a headline in the Miami Herald proclaimed last week: Rebel flag matters more to Congress than fighting Zika. The battle is not yet lost. With the election just two months away, and the ears of politicians firmly pressed to the ground, Americans should remember that we have a powerful weapon: Our vote. Lets remind recalcitrant lawmakers were not afraid to use it: Demand they put aside politics and do their duty to keep our nation safe. CAMBRIDGE Trustees will compare exact costs for water improvement systems when specifications for radium removal plants are prepared. The village is blending water from its two wells at an 80-20 rate to keep the radium level under the maximum of 5 picocuries per liter; village administrator Dwaine Van Meenen said the level was 3.7 at the latest test. If the good well were to go out, the village would be in violation. At a Saturday committee meeting, Trustee Amanda Johnson noted radium may have been stirred up this year because a pump was pulled, and she asked whether things may simply settle out from here. Water operator Ed Dole said the gain is likely temporary. The biggest thing to keep in mind is we're going to pull the pump again, he said. It's going to happen again. Leo Foley, of V & K Engineering, said the weather has been wet lately, and levels could worsen in dry times when more water is used. He again recommended a hydrous manganese oxide (HMO) system over more costly reverse osmosis. Mr. Foley said proponents of reverse osmosis have registered their views that water quality is higher. I think they're correct, to be honest, he said. Trustee J.L. Doubet asked about corrosion with reverse osmosis. Most vendors will tell you they can make it work, said Mr. Foley. We have four or five plants running, and it's not a problem. He said reverse osmosis costs $250,000 more than HMO. Earlier, he had estimated a total cost of $1 million. Both systems remove radium using a backwash. Mr. Foley said part of the added cost of a reverse-osmosis plant is that a lot of product is lost; 20 percent of all water must be discharged to the sewer treatment plant. The HMO system takes out sulfur and iron as well as radium. And you have very high iron, he said. He said his $555,000 estimate for an HMO plant did not include another $50,000 for a chemical room or new pumps. He said the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recommends it as the lower-cost solution. Operational costs are $25,000 a year, including $9,000 in labor, $4,000 or more for utilities and $3,700 for chemicals. Additional cost factors include whether the plant can be connected to the system after pumps where pressure is higher and how much radium the village seeks to remove. If you take it all out, it's going to be more costly, he said. Opting for funding through a local financial institution would be quickest. State or U.S. Department of Agriculture funding could take a year. Mr. Foley noted the village may want the extra time. The village got a violation notice from the state last February that its radium level of 6 picocuries per liter was over the maximum contaminant level of 5. BETTENDORF -- After saluting labor to kick off the week, thousands of people gathered Saturday at the Isle Casino Hotel parking lot to have fun at a VIVA Quad Cities Fiesta. "It shows that we work hard and play hard," first-time event participant Phylicia Manley said. She recently moved from Quincy to the Quad-Cities and works for an agency called Global Communities, Partners for the Common Good. She gave out information about her group, while colleagues took turns keeping the group's tent from flying away in a brisk wind. Others scrambled to collect rocks from a nearby unpaved parking lot to help weigh the tent down. "It's a little windy, but it's not bad," she said, as a gust blew a couple of business cards off the table. "See what you did," she joked. She shared display space with a new business named J&J Memories, from Moline's Floreciente Neighborhood, that was selling specialty T-shirts. Alyssa Diaz, 19, also battled wind and microphone mishaps, as she tried to open the fiesta by singing the National Anthem. The microphone wouldn't work at first, and then she battled inhaling too much gusty wind while also holding her dress down to avoid a Marilyn Monroe-type of moment. Her uncle, Luis Moreno, organization president, was thrilled by her performance and that the event could be held again. The fiesta took a year-long siesta in 2014, before a leadership change could resurrect the event a year ago, which made it impossible to award college scholarships. All proceeds of the event are used for those scholarships, Mr. Moreno said. It's also an opportunity to celebrate Hispanic culture and community efforts, he said. "And it's a chance for us to show, unlike what one particular guy said about us, that we're not all rapists and murderers," he said, referring to presidential candidate Donald Trump's comments about immigrants that launched a political firestorm. Windy conditions made it challenging for booths such as a Girl Scouts arts and crafts table, where representatives made ribbon twirlers for visitors while keeping hold of rolls of streamers they were using. "All in 1 Fun," providers of bounce houses and an inflatable jousting pit, just made sure their amusements were "anchored down good," owner/manager Sabrina Bernal said. The bigger kids most liked the jousting pit, she said. Smaller kids preferred a Justice League or Mickey Mouse bounce house. Expanding the kid's zone was one of the bigger changes compared to last year, Mr. Mareno said. He kept the food vendors limited to four. They included a snow cone stand named Don Moncros, that also sold pop, water, lemonade, hot dogs, pickles, smoothies, brats, peanuts and nachos. A food stand from El Mariachi, of Moline, that has been to many previous fiestas, returned and treated customers to tacos, burritos, nachos, tostadas, enchiladas and corn-on-the-cob-on-a-stick. Alfredo Castro, of El Mariachi, said they came prepared to make 300 ears of corn, 300 to 500 tacos and 300 enchiladas for the event. A Hacienda Mexican Grill added more Hispanic treats, but people craving Asian cuisine could find all the eggrolls, wontons, fried rice, steak-abobs and sweet-and-sour pork or chicken they wanted. Ascentra Credit Union's "Jumpin' George" frog mascot, though, was kept away from the food court, in case anyone had the bright idea about frog legs, joked Alvaro Macias, Ascentra Community Development manager. Beer drinkers also had nothing to worry about. A truckload of beer awaited them, according to volunteer server Erika Rubalcava. Tupperware users, Mexican candy lovers, and memorabilia, clothing and accessories collectors also were treated well, as were people who were looking for information about insurance, dentistry, construction services, Big Brothers/Big Sisters, Black Hawk College and League of United Latin American Citizens. Music lovers and dancers also had plenty to enjoy. About a dozen bands and QC Ballet Folklorico were scheduled to perform. Fifteen years have passed since that terrible day. Yet it all seems as if it was just yesterday. I was about to head to campus when my wife mentioned a news report on television indicating that an airplane had crashed into one of the towers of World Trade Center in New York. When I met with my class a few minutes later, one of the students reported that a second airplane had crashed into the other tower of the World Trade Center. At that point in time, we didnt know for certain what was happening. One airplane crashing into one of the towers might have been an accident. It was unlikely, however, that two planes crashing into the towers just minutes apart was accidental. We talked about that for a few minutes and then continued with the material we were scheduled to discuss that day, which, ironically, involved trying to make sense out of suffering. The magnitude of what had happened didnt hit me until I went to Ascension Chapel for morning prayer. Usually there are fewer than twenty people there. That day, Ascension Chapel was packed. And indeed, what had happened that day was unfathomably horrific. The attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon snuffed out more than 3,000 lives more than died at Pearl Harbor in 1941, more than died on Omaha and Utah beaches during the Normandy landing two-and-a-half years later. I was doing some work for WHBF-TV Channel 4 at the time, mostly political analysis. I was at the station almost nonstop for several days. I only took time off to meet with my classes, which were devoted almost in their entirety to discussing the terrible events that had transpired. Because I had to maintain my composure, both when on camera and when meeting with my students, grieving was not a possibility. Two weekends after the terrible events of 9/11, I took a couple of days off to go to Escanaba, Mich., to put away my sailboat for the winter. While driving to Escanaba, I completely lost it. I finally pulled in to a rest stop and let the tears flow. Many of us knew that al-Qaida and the Taliban, which harbored them, could not go unchallenged. And so we supported the Bush administration when the president ordered military action in Afghanistan to disrupt al-Qaida and put the Taliban out of business. But then things started to go haywire. Instead of focusing on Afghanistan, President Bush, encouraged by Vice President Dick Cheney and other senior advisors who knew little about military matters because they never served in the military, overrode the reservations of Secretary of State Colin Powell, the one senior member of the administration who knew something about these matters, and ordered the invasion of Iraq, a country that had nothing at all to do with the 9-11 attacks. The rationale was based on false claims about weapons of mass destruction. Those supporting the invasion believed that victory would be lightning fast and that once Iraqs oil revenues were unleashed, the war and reconstruction would be self-financing. That proved to be as false as the claims about weapons of mass destruction. Deposing Saddam Hussein, one of the most brutal dictators of recent years, was relatively easy. Pacifying and rebuilding Iraq was another matter, an endeavor that claimed more American lives than were lost on 9-11, as well as tens of thousands of Iraqi lives. An endeavor that to this day has not been fully accomplished. Meanwhile in Afghanistan, a resurgent Taliban reasserted itself. We can only speculate about what the situation would be today if half of the money -- or even 10 percent of the money -- spent on the war in Iraq had been used to build schools in Afghanistan and provide Afghan farmers with seeds to plant better crops and fertilizer and irrigation projects to sustain and nourish these crops. The horrific attacks on 9/11 marked the beginning of an age of international terrorism with no end in sight. Such is the legacy of 9/11. 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. By Ashish Pandey: Ahead of the Bakr-Eid festival, the Bhartiya Janta Party legislators of Telangana warned against the slaughtering of cow, calf and ox in the state. The controversial BJP MLA T Raja Singh from Goshamahal constituency of Hyderabad issued an open warning to the government and police against the alleged slaughtering of ox during the Bakri Eid festival in the state as well as in the capital city of Hyderabad. advertisement In a video message posted on his Facebook page, the BJP MLA alleged that the Telangana government and the police is defying the Supreme Court guidance by allowing slaughtering of healthy cattle. "I am asking Telangana government and the Police that why there are not respecting the Supreme Court," asked BJP MLA in his video message referring to the Prohibition of Cow Slaughter and Animal Preservation Act, 1977. SLAUGHTERING PROHIBITED He further added "slaughtering of cow, calf and ox are prohibited but ignoring this various parts of the old city area is going to witness the violation on Bakr-Eid" "Government should immediately rescue all these healthy cattle brought for slaughtering on Bakr-Eid. They should be examined by veterinary doctors and send to the cattle pond or Gau shalaa," demanded the legislator T. Raja Singh. He further warned the government that if they fail to act it might vitiate the peaceful atmosphere of the state as well as the city. "The Telangana government nor police doesn't want a peaceful conclusion of both the festivals? " asked Raja Singh referring to the ongoing Ganpesh Utsav and upcoming Bakr-Eid. WE WILL NOT KEEP CALM "If you will play with our sentiments or try to disrespect our religious beliefs, we will not keep calm and may lead to an unpleasant situation in Hyderabad," Singh added. The controversial MLA had recently supported the beating of Dalit Youths in una who were involved in the skinning of dead cow. Ahead of Bakr-Eid the BJP MLA Raja Singh is said to have formed 'action teams' that would get active as the festival season comes closer to stop the slaughtering of cattle in the state as well as in Hyderabad. Also read: Haryana: Beef found in biryani samples seized from Mewat --- ENDS --- On September 11, 2001, I was awake much earlier than I wanted to be . . . struggling with insomnia and watching mindless tv to try to get back to sleep. I dont remember what I was watching, but I do remember the program was interrupted to report on the first plane striking the tower. It seemed like an awful accident, and I watched in horror, wondering how this could have happened. When the second plane crashed, I woke up Mark, and we watched together in a state of shock. We didnt know anyone living in New York City, but still we were shaken to the core. We both stayed home from work that day, watching the news in a daze. Later that night, some friends invited us over to process things and to pray. We were a somber group, all of us overwhelmed from watching the tragedy play out on television again and again. We prayed for a bit, and then something unexplainable happened. There was a John Denver songbook on their piano my husbands favorite. Mark coaxed me into playing a few songs and before we knew it, several grown and sober adults were geeking out with a John Denver sing-a-long. I think it was our way of decompressing and trying to find some beauty in the midst of such an ugly day. Within a week of the attack, Mark flew out as one of the first official chaplains, while there was still ash in the air and hope of survivors. Its interesting how people return to faith in a crisis and find comfort in speaking to a pastor even if thats not a part of their usual routine. Mark and a few other pastors walked the grounds in yellow flight jackets with the words CHAPLAIN in bold writing across their back, just making themselves available to the search and rescue crew. A couple weeks later, I went back to NYC myself, as a part of the Salvation Army relief effort. We spent some of our days down at what was referred to as the pile, an eight-story heap of debris, making ourselves available for counseling and serving food to the men charged with the task of finding remains. I also spent some time at the morgue, helping to process the paperwork of families coming to identify the remains of loved ones, and at the pier, where displaced people were coming for housing assistance. I pretty much did whatever was needed, even driving a forklift one day. We worked hard, and slept very little, and by the end of the trip I had to be wheeled through the airport in a wheelchair because I had injured my heels from standing too long for days on end. It was a hard week, but I dont think Ive ever had such a sense of purpose in helping others. I cant pretend to know what it was like to lose someone that day, or to know the trauma of surviving such a frightening experience. But I do know the horrors that we saw during our time there . . . the sights, the smells and the stories I will never forget. At the end of our time there, we got to return home to our family and friends, and to a home and a city that was not in crisis. But we have always felt a deep connection to the people affected by 9/11. The thing that strikes me about seeing our photos of ground zero now, fifteen years later, is that the devastations reminds me so much of what Port-Au-Prince looked like in the days after the earthquake. The difference in this scenario, though, is that instead of flying in to offer assistance in a tragedy, I was the one in need of assistance. I was the recipient of a team of caring volunteers: first at the embassy in Port-Au-Prince, and then at the military base in Pennsylvania where we were flown after being evacuated. I distinctly remember getting off that military plane, with a baby strapped to my chest and a brood of Livesay kids with me, not having showered or slept in a number of days, and still feeling acute PTSD. We were met by volunteers who offered us food, cots, and even clothes. I was struggling with how Karis would be transported from the military base to the civilian airport an hour away with no carseat. I had no baby food, no shoes for her, and no diapers. When the planes showed up to fly us to safety, we had to leave our suitcases behind. A Red Cross volunteer asked me what I needed, and I told her my predicament. She made a few phone calls, and someone brought me everything. There were also piles of clothing dropped off for anyone in need, donations that were so valuable to me because we all showed up in Pennsylvania wearing clothing appropriate for Haiti, not a snowy Pennsylvania winter. I remember crying so many times that day over the small kindnesses of others the meals, the volunteer doctors, the free phone cards so we could call home, the women who were walking around with clipboards just ready to see how they could assist us. I dont like to try to put a pretty bow on tragedy. But I am encouraged by the human impulse to help after such events. Ive been blessed by my experience on both sides of disaster. I am proud to live in a country where I continually watch people band together in the face of adversity. I continue to pray for the families who lost a loved one that day. At this years Insurtech Connect conference, Insider Engage spoke to Pranav Pasricha, Swiss Re's global head property and casualty solutions, Reinsurance, to discuss why the protection gap is the biggest challenge the reinsurance industry faces today and how Swiss Re is using technology to support clients to respond to new and emerging threats. Going to school at The University of Georgia is a full-time job in itself. Students weeks are filled with studying, club meetings, classes and of course, homework. Here is a list of six things that you can do to make some money without getting an actual job. A lot goes on around campus, and sometimes it's hard to keep up with. From new logos to lip-sync battles, The Red & Black complied five of the top stories not to miss this week.A lot goes on around campus, and sometimes it's hard to keep up with. From new logos to lip-sync battles, The Red & Black complied five of the top stories not to miss this week. Ajith Kumar plays an Interpol officer in the upcoming yet-untitled film. Tipped to spy thriller, the team will shoot 70 per cent of the film in Europe. By India Today Web Desk: Actor Ajith Kumar, who was last seen in the hit film Vedhalam, is teaming up once again with the director Siruthai Siva in a yet-untitled film. ALSO READ: Oppam movie review- Mohanlal's film is intriguing at its core, but lacks depth ALSO READ: Iru Mugan movie review- Vikram shines as Love, but not the film ALSO READ: Janatha Garage movie review- Jr NTR-Mohanlal's film is superficiality at its peak advertisement While the shooting of the film is progressing at a rapid pace, the latest buzz is that Anirudh Ravichander, who has been signed to compose the music of the film, has composed a peppy number similar to their Aluma Doluma from Vedhalam. Kalyan, who choreographed Aluma Douma has apparently choreographed this song too. Popularly known as Thala 57 among fans, the film has already gone on floors last month. Directed by Siruthai Siva, the film stars Ajith, Kajal Aggarwal and Akshara Haasan in pivotal roles. Tipped to be a spy thriller, the film will predominantly be shot in Europe. Also, it is said that actor Bobby Simha is likely to play the baddie in the film. Anirudh Ravichander is collaborating with Ajith Kumar for the second time after the commercial success of Vedhalam. It is also said that Anirudh has already composed the Theme music of the film which will have four songs. --- ENDS --- Plans for Wilda's Grill to return to downtown Redding are still moving forward. But they've been altered. Wilda's founders, Bret and Dayna Speers, will not be partnering with Jeff Garrett, who co-owns Lumberjack's and Jeff's California Cattle Co. The group made news (http://bit.ly/2c5nzYd) in June with plans to franchise the Wilda's concept and open their first location in Cascade Square at California and Placer streets. The Speers opened Wilda's in 2011 on Placer Street before closing that location and relocating across the Sacramento River to the Shasta Center on Churn Creek Road in April. This partnership was going to be Wilda's return to downtown. The popular restaurant is still coming, but it will just be the Speers moving forward. Bret Speers told me last week that he hopes to open his downtown location in January. "We have aspirations to do more of these," Speers said when I asked him if he still wants to franchise Wilda's. Speers didn't say much more about the split. Jeff Garrett told me that what he envisioned differed from what the Speers had in mind. "I think they will do very well. I think he can have two locations like he always wanted," Garrett said. Stay tuned. RETURN OF THE SQUIRE ROOM The Squire Room served downtown Redding for more than 50 years before the bar abruptly closed in May 2013. Former bartender Frank Nazarirod had quite the following. In fact, shirts were made to commemorate the bar and the popular Nazarirod about a month after the Squire Room's last call. Well, the Squire Room (http://www.squireroom.com/) is back. The Tehama Street business had a "soft opening" earlier this month, according to its Facebook page. I left a message with the new owners, but had not heard back from them as of Friday. The Squire Room's comeback is another sign of a downtown revival, joining recent news of other restaurants and breweries making a market in Redding's old core. Also, the Redding Chamber of Commerce announced it would move its office to downtown. Retired Jack's Grill bartender Mike Woodrum once described to me the allure of places like the Squire Room. He always thought the Squire Room had a New York wise-guy vibe to Jack's San Francisco North Beach feel. Anyway, hopefully this downtown resurgence train keeps steaming ahead. SALES TAX PUSH With the November election about two months off, the drive to pass Measures D, a sales take hike in Redding to fund public safety in Shasta County, has kicked into high gear. Supporters staged a rally Friday in Library Park. The group Safe Streets Now hosted the event, which also featured food. Meanwhile, Redding Police Chief Rob Paoletti addressed the Shasta Association of Realtors on Wednesday to talk public safety. The Shasta Association of Realtors board of directors has endorsed the ballot measures. However, Jean Hall, a board director, said not everybody in the association, which also spans parts of Tehama County, is for Measures D and E, the latter would direct the funds from the tax hike be spent on public safety. "There is mixed feelings within the membership," Hall said. Hall told me that with some members they simply will never vote for any kind of tax. "The other issue, too, and it's not just members of our association, there is concern the funds won't be going directly to law enforcement," Hall said. Dennis Morgan, board president of the Shasta Association of Realtors, has made his stance clear. He was at Fridays rally in Library Park, standing with other supporters under a Safe Streets Now banner. I asked Hall if she supports Measures D and E. She declined to say. "Whether it passes or not, I will support whatever needs to be done to take back our town," Hall said. COSTO STRUGGLING? Shopping habits have changed. More and more, consumers are turning to sites like Amazon.com to pick up everything from shoes to razors. This shift has caused retailers large (Macy's) and small (insert name of mom-and-pop shop here) to re-assess their market strategy going forward. In Macy's case, the company announced last month that it was going to close 100 stores. But there are retailers I consider recession-proof, and Costco, Walmart and In-N-Out Burger are among those that top my list. So it was surprising to read this dispatch (http://bit.ly/2ccIyTO) from MSN Money, "Why Costco is fading away." Costco's market share is significant and the sales tax dollars reaped by the communities in which it does business are huge. The chain's single-store sales in 2015 averaged $164 million. As we pointed out in an editorial last fall, that's about the same as four average Target stores. It is easy to see why Redding officials are working so hard to keep the big-box warehouse in their city. But the MSN article contends that Costco's sweet spot, the middle-class suburbanites, are getting older. How about their children? They're staking out on their own, but they are doing so in urban apartments, and many don't use cars, or big SUVs with plenty of cargo space to store that 5-pound bag of tortilla chips just purchased at Costco. From MSN: "But COST is suffering from a slow leak caused by a changing economy. Jobs based on economic friction are slowly being replaced by apps and the high-end jobs being found by younger workers are generally in cities or around university campuses. The new careers bring a new lifestyle, with smaller apartments, shorter commutes and a greater premium on space and time. Costco delivers savings in exchange for the time it takes to load up a car and break bulk in a large home. But the new careers don't lend themselves to either big cars or big homes. In most large cities, growth near the center is now matching, or exceeding, growth at the edge. COST is a creature of the edge city." The eye test tells me that Costco's days are hardly numbered. The store in Redding is always packed. And it's not just Redding. We took a Labor Day weekend trip to Santa Clara. On the way home Sunday, we spotted a Costco that sells gasoline. But the slow crawl into the parking lot affirmed by suspicion, the lines at the gas pumps were three to four vehicles deep. We filled up at a nearby Valero station. Good luck, Michelle This is the last column that Michelle Rogers will edit. If you haven't heard, Michelle has accepted the job as consumer experience director with our sister paper, the Ventura County Star. Her last day here is Sept. 14. Michelle has upped the Record Searchlight's social media game since she arrived two years ago. Her work has been especially felt in "Buzz on the Street." It was Michelle's idea to do a weekly "Buzz" teaser video and post it on Facebook. It's fun going out each week shooting the video. Michelle has since passed on the production and camera work to Alayna Shulman. And her work with the 530 Media Project, leading workshops for the community on social media and digital communications, will be handed off to Sean Longoria. We know Michelle will have the same impact on Ventura that she's had on Redding. It is why she will be missed. Reporter David Benda can be reached at 225-8219 or david.benda@redding.com. Follow him on Twitter @DavidBenda_RS. FILE - In this May 18, 2016 file photo, people pose by Android lawn statues at Google's headquarters in Mountain View, Calif. Fans of tech culture will find a variety of places to visit and take a selfie around Silicon Valley. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg, File) SHARE By MICHAEL LIEDTKE, Associated Press SAN FRANCISCO (AP) There's a quirky twist on tourism emerging amid the Silicon Valley whirlwind of innovation that has tethered everyone to their smartphones. Those omnipresent devices are being used to track down technological touchstones scattered around the San Francisco Bay area so selfies can be taken, videos can be recorded and the experience can be celebrated in a Facebook post, Snapchat or tweet. Here's a tourist's guide to nerd nirvana for those more interested in seeing the suburban home where The Woz built the first Apple computer alongside Steve Jobs than the spooky prison in the Bay where the Birdman of Alcatraz once served time alongside Machine Gun Kelly. ___ GROWING UP IN A GARAGE Silicon Valley startups have a history of humble beginnings, dating to 1939 when Hewlett-Packard Co. was founded in a Palo Alto, California, garage. It still stands at 367 Addison Ave., considered by many to be the birthplace of Silicon Valley. HP now owns the place. Jobs was one of many entrepreneurs influenced by the HP legacy as a teenager, eventually inspiring him and his engineering friend, Steve "The Woz" Wozniak, to begin working on Apple's first computer in the home of Jobs' parents. That ranch-style house at 2066 Crist Drive in Los Altos, California, is now owned by Jobs' sister, Patricia. After they started Google in 1998, co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin built what would become the world's dominant search engine in a garage and room they rented from Susan Wojcicki, whom they later hired (she now runs YouTube for them). The Menlo Park, California, house, at 232 Santa Margarita Ave., is now owned by Google. Shortly after starting Facebook in his Harvard dorm room in 2004, Mark Zuckerberg and a few friends moved to Silicon Valley for what they thought would be just one summer. Zuckerberg never returned to Harvard, and the world hasn't been quite the same since then. The Palo Alto, California house where Zuckerberg did a lot of computer coding and threw some wild parties, if you believe the movies, is located at 819 La Jennifer Way. The place is still rented out by young entrepreneurs hoping some of Zuckerberg's magic will rub off on them. ___ TODAY'S TECHNOLOGY TEMPLES The headquarters of Apple, Google and Facebook have turned into must-see shrines to products that have become part of culture's lifeblood. None of the companies offers public tours, but that doesn't mean you can't steal glimpses at these factories of innovation. ___ SEARCH STARTS HERE Google is the most accessible of the three headquarters. The hub of its Mountain View, California, campus is at 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, with other Google offices sprawling almost all the way down to the nearby NASA Ames Research Center, where Page and Brin keep personal jets in a hangar. Walk down Charleston Road and you are bound to see one of the company's employees (also known as "Googlers") cruising on yellow, green, blue and red bikes placed outside all the offices to get to meetings more quickly. While strolling around, make sure to swing into the office at 1981 Landings Drive, where you can take a selfie with Android statues memorializing different versions of the operating system that powers most of the world's smartphones. Each statue represents a dessert because Google has nicknamed each version after something sweet. The menu includes "Cupcake," ''Donut," ''Eclair," ''Froyo," ''Gingerbread," Honeycomb," ''Ice Cream Sandwich," ''Jelly Bean," ''KitKat," ''Lollipop" and "Marshmallow." The latest serving of Android, called "Nougat," has just started rolling out. Finally, in the Google store on the main campus, you can buy company-branded merchandise, including shirts, hats, mugs, pens and even notebooks (the kind with paper). ___ A PLACE EVERYONE LIKES The giant thumbs-up sign replicating Facebook's symbol for liking a post has become one of the most photographed spots in Silicon Valley since the social networking company moved its headquarters from Palo Alto to 1 Hacker Way in nearby Menlo Park five years ago. Unless you happen to be in a plane or have a camera-equipped drone, you won't be able to see what's on top of another Facebook building across the street (an underground tunnel connects the offices). That building, designed by famed architect Frank Gehry, features a 9-acre park atop the roof. ___ ONE MORE THING Apple, founded in 1976, has had a fiercely loyal following for decades, so its Cupertino, California, headquarters has long drawn tourists looking to get a picture of its famous logo and the 1 Infinite Loop sign denoting its address. There is, of course, an Apple store at the headquarters, where people can buy company-branded merchandise not sold in most of its other stores. But you can't get help fixing your iPhone, iPad or Mac here. You'll have to go to another store for an appointment at the Genius Bar that serves as Apple's customer-help desk. The current headquarters will be overshadowed next year when Apple plans to open a nearby 2.8 million-square-foot, circular office that has been likened to a huge spaceship sitting on a 176-acre site. Known as "Campus 2," the new building is designed to accommodate about 12,000 workers. Before Jobs died in 2011, he stipulated that the campus should be surrounded by about 7,000 trees. ___ WHAT ABOUT THE HOUSE ON TV? The HBO comedy "Silicon Valley" has won many accolades over three seasons, so fans may want to see the house that serves as headquarters for the fictional startup, Pied Piper. The location has been given as 5230 Newell Road in Palo Alto on the series, but that address doesn't exist. The house is actually is in southern California, at 5230 Penfield Ave. in Woodland Hills. So put it on the sightseeing list for your next visit to Hollywood. SHARE Eric Thomas Fischer Date of birth: July 13, 1977 Vitals: 5 feet, 9 inches; 175 pounds; blond hair, blue eyes Charge: Threat to terrorize Cassandra Carol Cornutt Date of birth: Feb. 10, 1995 Vitals: 5 feet, 6 inches; 135 pounds; brown hair, blue eyes Charge: Forgery Robert Albertino Zacevich Date of birth: Dec. 10, 1989 Vitals: 6 feet, 2 inches; 180 pounds; brown hair, blue eyes Charge: Burglary Stephanie Hibbs Date of birth: July 20, 1984 Vitals: 5 feet, 9 inches; 145 pounds; brown hair, brown eyes Charge: Fraud to obtain aid By Staff Reports Shasta's Most Wanted, featured in the Record Searchlight in cooperation with local law enforcement agencies, targets people who have failed to show up in court for sentencing after being convicted. As of Friday, a total of 683 arrests had been made through the Most Wanted program since it began in September 2013. Authorities say they have seen an increase in criminals failing to appear in court since the onset of Assembly Bill 109. Also known as prison realignment, the state program shifted certain state prison inmates to county supervision. Redding Police Chief Robert Paoletti said court appearances have gone up since the rollout. Five new people are added each week. Those caught will be held until at least their next court appearances. Shasta County Secret Witness is offering a reward of up to $250 for information leading to an 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. The feature appears Sundays in the Record Searchlight's Northern California section and on Redding.com. In this Sept. 11, 2014 file photo, David Pykon, right, and his fiance Shelli Scrimale embrace while observing the 13th anniversary of the attacks on the World Trade Center at the north pool of the memorial in New York. Pykon's brother, Edward Pykon, was killed during the Sept. 11 attacks in 2001. Nearly a decade and a half after hijacked planes hit the World Trade Center's twin towers, the Pentagon and a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, the anniversary continues to be marked with observances around the country. SHARE By Bartholomew Sullivan, USA TODAY WASHINGTON Rep. Sam Farr was in a meeting in Minority Leader Dick Gephardt's office and was "panicked" he might not make his daughter's wedding when all flights were grounded. Sen. Barbara Boxer called Bill Clinton for answers. Both later sang "God Bless America" on the Capitol steps. Fifteen years ago, an ordinary Tuesday in Washington and California turned "devastating" and "unexplainable," members of Congress from California recalled last week. An unintended consequence of the nation's response has been "the ability to sell fear," both in terms of security guns, locks and alarms and in politics, Farr said. Farr, D-Monterey, was huddled with Democratic appropriators going over bills coming up for floor debate when one of Gephardt's aides whispered in his ear that a plane had struck the World Trade Center in New York. Someone turned on a TV as talk returned to the budget. "Then the second plane hit and at that moment we all realized something unbelievable was happening, something unexplainable had happened," he said. "We were sort of dazed, and we knew our day was going to change and we sure weren't going to be talking about budget deals." When police warned another plane might be headed for the Capitol, he and his staff headed for his Capitol Hill apartment. Farr said he became "one of the most panicked members" when the nation's air travel was suspended. He had promised his daughter Jessica that "no matter what, I'd be there for her wedding" that Saturday. Eventually, he got the first flight out of Dulles International Airport in the D.C. suburbs and made it in time. Rice farmer Doug LaMalfa, of Richvale, now a Republican congressman, recalled being up early that September morning preparing for the harvest when his wife pointed to the television and events in New York, Washington and Pennsylvania. "There was an overwhelming feeling of uncertainty that morning: Was this the start of World War III? How many hijacked planes were out there? Are there other places in the U.S. under attack right now?" LaMalfa recalled. A month after the attacks he decided to seek public office for the first time. Rep. Raul Ruiz, D-Palm Desert, was a 29-year-old surgery intern at a Harvard teaching hospital in Boston, suturing a patient's laceration, when he noticed staffers in the lobby gathering around a television. "I was very curious, but I finished my work with my patient and then walked over to the TV and stared at the monitor in shock with the rest of the emergency department staff," he said. "I remember feeling very vividly that our nation and our world was changed forever." After his 10-hour shift, he tried to sleep but couldn't stop watching the coverage. Then he began preparing the disaster response for victims expected to be flown in because New York emergency rooms were over capacity. Nurses and doctors were called in from home; respiratory machinery and other equipment was mobilized. "But they never came, and that's when the severity of the casualties was driven home, because that silence was deafening," he said. Ruiz, who went on to be an emergency doctor, said one lesson he takes from 9/11 is that "in moments of crisis, instead of instilling fear and suspicion in our American family we need to come together and inspire mutual support and unity because that's what gives us our strength," Boxer was kibitzing with fellow Democrats in Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle's office when she noticed smoke billowing from the Pentagon, she recalled in her recent memoir, "The Art of Tough." Then she noticed a television showing replays of a plane hitting one of the towers in New York. Just then the Capitol police rushed in and grabbed Daschle to take him to a place of safety as the other senators looked on. "We knew we were just chopped liver," she wrote. "That's how it is. In emergencies, you save the leaders first so in the worst potential scenario the government still runs." West Virginia Sen. Jay Rockefeller took her hand and they escaped the Capitol. Sen. Dianne Feinstein remembered 9/11 "as if it were yesterday." "All of us remember where we were when the first attack took place at 8:46 that terrible morning. The Senate was soon to be in session and was when the attack on the Pentagon took place," she said. "Although it's been 15 years since the attacks, the events and lessons of Sept. 11th are never far from my mind. Serving as chair and ranking member of the Intelligence Committee, I read intelligence daily and receive regular briefings. Our intelligence and law enforcement communities work to prevent attacks in this country each and every day we know that ISIL and other terrorist organizations are intent on perpetrating and inspiring attacks in this country and we must always be vigilant." Rep. Julia Brownley, D-Westlake Village, was at home getting her children ready for school when she heard the news. A member of the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District board at the time, she said the community "struggled with how do we talk to our children to work through this devastating event." "I never, ever, thought in my wildest dreams that I would actually be a member of Congress," she said. But now, serving on the Veterans Affairs Committee, "I see the impact of 9/11 very clearly every single day through our service members and their families." Steve Knight, R-Lancaster, was a Los Angeles police officer at home with his 7-year-old son when he flipped on the television to see the second tower fall. "I remember me and Christopher just glued to the TV for two, two-and-a-half hours," he said. Knight, a member of the Armed Services Committee, said that event and watching the space shuttle Challenger explode in January 1986 were his most vivid television memories. Knight said a lesson learned from the attack is that there are "several groups that want to change Western life," and "one of the great things we've learned is they can't break us and they can't change our way of life. They make us more cautious, O.K., but they definitely haven't broken the American spirit." Rep. Lois Capps, D-Santa Barbara, also joined the congressional chorus on the evening of that life-altering day. "I will never forget the immense horror and sadness of that day," she said in a statement. "I was in Washington, D.C., and can still remember the fear, confusion, and grief as the news reports came in. Later that day, hundreds of my Democratic and Republican colleagues stood together in unity on the steps of the Capitol. It was a reflection of what so many Americans were doing showing our strength through our commitment to freedom, tolerance, and each other; values that no act of terror can destroy." SHARE Everyone knows about the California Gold Rush the massive migration of fortune seekers to the hills of the former Spanish colony in the 1840s and 1850s. During the same period, however, there was another rush to California with a more lasting effect farmers seeking fertile land and a mild climate, such as the ill-fated Donner Party. Many who came for the gold also learned that more durable fortunes were to be found in farming, such as my cousin, Hugh Glenn, the "wheat king of California" for whom Glenn County is named. The 19th-century wheat boom, however, didn't last and agriculture has undergone repeated evolution since. As irrigation water became available in the early 20th century, wheat gave way to rice and a cotton boom that reached a peak a half-century ago only to decline like wheat. Refrigerated rail cars carried California's peaches and other tree fruits to the nation for decades and generated memorable fruit crate art but production dropped sharply as cheap air freight supplied fresh fruit from other countries year-round. Milk is today's top agricultural product at around $10 billion, followed by almonds, grapes, cattle and strawberries. The state's agricultural production, as of 2014, was $54 billion, up 69 percent from a decade earlier. That said, even with the ancillary activities, such as machinery sales, agriculture is a relatively tiny piece of the state's $2.5 trillion economy. This brief history of farming in California is to place in context Monday's approval of a contentious bill giving farmworkers overtime pay parity with other employees. It, along with raising the state's minimum wage to $15 per hour and chronic shortages of irrigation water, are among today's factors driving the industry's evolution. The shift from seasonal row crops such as lettuce and melons to dairy and other high-value commodities reflects changes in global markets. But they also demand intensive labor input and reliable water because livestock, almond orchards and vineyards cannot be left untended or unwatered. Raising agricultural labor costs via changes in the minimum wage and overtime rules will have an impact, particularly since farmers, unlike most other employers, are subject to global commodity markets and cannot simply raise their prices to cover their costs. Some low-value crops will become economic losers, declining here and shifting to lower-cost regions such as Mexico or Arizona. High-value crops particularly suited to California's soil and weather, such a wine grapes, will survive. Dairying may be vulnerable, since it's not dependent on unique California conditions and its odoriferous nature makes it an unwelcome neighbor. If it declines, feed crops such as hay and even wheat could also fade. The uncertain availability of water also will play a major role in what happens to California agriculture, particularly crops requiring large amounts, such as rice, hay and almonds. California agriculture has always evolved, but with recent events it appears to be on the verge of particularly deep changes. Email Dan Walters at dwalters@sacbee.com. "You have been my friend. That in itself is a tremendous thing. I wove my webs for you because I liked you. After all, what's a life, anyway? We're born, we live a little while, we die. A spider's life can't help being something of a mess, with all this trapping and eating flies. By helping you, perhaps I was trying to lift up my life a trifle. Heaven knows anyone's life can stand a little of that." E.B. White, Charlotte's Web Charlotte had to rebuild her web from nothing last week. I can't say I was surprised she survived, because she is a big, healthy spider and looks capable of just about anything. But when she turned up missing, with only a single silky strand left of her intricate home, it was easy to assume the worst. Charlotte lives outside the Shasta Family YMCA (I shall not disclose her exact location, and you'd better leave her alone if you see her). Kristen first pointed her out to me a few weeks ago after an early morning workout. In full daylight she's hard to see, but it's easier to spot her when the light is just right. We decided that, obviously, she was female and her name was Charlotte. I think the staff of the Y is divided on the question of Charlotte. Truthfully, she isn't beautiful in a traditional way. If you're arachnophobic enough, I guess she looks menacing. The longest of her eight legs is about the length of my thumbnail, and her body is probably as big as a large blueberry. Whenever I see her she's sitting still at the center of her web, because the way it's positioned the food comes to her. But Kristen, who is the Y's CEO, was quite clear about Charlotte. Charlotte was to be left alone. It was probably either the pest control folks or a well-meaning member who destroyed Charlotte's web. I am not exaggerating when I say that seeing it gone ruined my whole morning. Maybe it's just because we named her, but she seemed like a friend. The kind of friend you casually brag about knowing. I loved the idea that she was sitting at the peak of her world the spider with the best-located home in the neighborhood, living high on the bounty of noxious insects that buzzed through and didn't account for her silky, deadly curtain. Charlotte was like the Beyonce of spiders, a real rock star with a glittery crib. I imagine that when tragedy struck Charlotte took it in stride. She had plenty of options to tuck into a cranny and wait out the destruction, and I'd be willing to bet that one string we saw wasn't left over from her original web. It was probably her first, immediate effort at rebuilding. The thing about Charlotte is that I think she understands her own power. She knows she can come back. It's not a question of if, just when. By midweek, the web looked like it had always been there, and Charlotte was back in the middle of it looking like the boss she is. Charlotte may be big for a spider, but she's small compared to the rest of us. I get down sometimes. It was not an easy week. But it was better than Charlotte's. There's something to be said for anything that can get knocked down and get back up again. Redding has been a tough-luck town over the years, but it has bred that kind of resilience. Charlotte fits the spirit of the place. I wouldn't bet against Charlotte. I wouldn't bet against Redding, either. When you have to rely on your own two (or eight) feet to secure food and shelter, you'd better be tough, resourceful and resilient. She may not ever make a good mascot. But she's a heck of an inspiration. Long live Charlotte, and her new web. Reach Editor Silas Lyons at 225-8210 or silas.lyons@redding.com. He's on Facebook and Instagram, and on Twitter @silaslyons_RS. SHARE Fifteen years ago today, life changed. Americans and others around the world have forged a new reality marred by two wars, growing threats of terrorism, personal sacrifices and an unsettling sense that our lives can be irrevocably changed in a matter of moments. The aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks continues to reverberate. Our troops still are in Iraq and Afghanistan. Prisoners languish in Guantanomo Bay. We've grown used to getting to airports hours early to inch through security lines. National sites sit behind security gates. President Obama extended the national state of emergency for the 16th year on Friday. Pieces of the World Trade Center sent all around the United States serve as physical reminders of the loss of that day. A piece is on display at the fire station in Shasta Lake, honoring the 343 firefighters who died trying to save lives. This morning, Shasta County residents gathered in a solemn ceremony under the giant flag on Bechelli itself dedicated a year after the attacks to serve as a reminder of America's loss and resilience. But those affected the most from what came after 9/11 are the families who lost loved ones in the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. To honor their sacrifice, we present this roll call of those North State residents killed in the global war on terror. Marine Capt. Matthew W. Bancroft, 29, of Burney, died on Jan. 9, 2002, when the air-refueling tanker he was piloting crashed into a mountainside in southwestern Pakistan. Army Sgt. Michael S. Hancock, 29, of Fort Jones, died Oct. 24, 2003, in a firefight in Iraq. Army Spc. Patrick Ryan McCaffrey Sr., 34, whose father lives in Bella Vista, was killed by Iraqi soldiers he was training on June 22, 2004. Marine Lance Cpl. Stephen P. Johnson, 24, of Yreka, died in January 2005 in a helicopter crash in Iraq. Army Pfc. Casey LaWare, 19, of Redding, died April 9, 2005, as a result of burns suffered in a guard-tower fire in Iraq. Army Sgt. 1st Class Allen C. Johnson, 31, of Los Molinos, died April 26, 2005, during a firefight in Afghanistan. Army Sgt. Timothy Kiser, 37, of Redding, died April 28, 2005, in northern Iraq in a roadside bomb explosion. Army Spc. Matthew P. Steyart, 21, of Mount Shasta, died Nov. 22, 2005, when his vehicle ran over a roadside bomb in Afghanistan. Army Sgt. Thomas B. Turner Jr., 31, of Red Bluff, died July 14, 2006, after a roadside bomb explosion in Iraq. Army Sgt. Jeffery S. Brown, 25, of Trinity Center, was killed on Aug. 8, 2006, when his helicopter crashed in Iraq. Army Spc. Micah Stephen Gifford, 27, of Redding, was killed by a roadside bomb Dec. 7, 2006, in Iraq. Marine Cpl. Travis Woods, 21, of Palo Cedro, was killed on Sept. 9, 2007, by an anti-tank mine in Afghanistan. Army Sgt. Mikeal Wayne Miller, 22, a former North State resident, died Jan. 27, 2008, after being injured by a roadside bomb in July 2007 in Iraq. Army Sgt. Gabriel Guzman, 25, of Hornbrook, died March 2008 after his vehicle ran over a roadside bomb in Afghanistan. Former U.S. Marine Cpl. Joshua Munns, 25, of Anderson, was kidnapped in November 2006 and later killed in Iraq while working as a private security contractor. U.S. Spc. Tyler Walshe-Vietti, 21, of Shasta Lake, was killed in August 2009 while on a mission in Afghanistan. Marine Lance Cpl. Tyler Roads, 20, of Burney, died July 2010 while supporting combat operations in Afghanistan. Army Spc. Derek Todd Simonetta, 21, formerly of Shasta Lake, died in December 2010 when a van full of explosives detonated next to his outpost in Afghanistan. Army Spc. Preston Dennis, 23, of Redding, died April 28, 2011, in Afghanistan from wounds he suffered by a roadside bomb. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Chad Regelin, 24, of Anderson, died Jan. 2, 2012, from wounds he suffered by an improvised explosive device in Afghanistan. Army Spc. Nicholas B. Burley, 22, of Red Bluff, died July 30, 2013, of injuries caused by indirect fire in Afghanistan. A Chicago police officer stands on the porch of a house that was the scene of a shooting in the 6000 block of South Wood Street Sunday, Sept. 11, 2016, in the West Englewood neighborhood of Chicago. A teenager was shot in the leg and taken to the hospital. (Erin Hooley / Chicago Tribune) Four men were killed and at least 16 other people were wounded in Chicago shootings since Saturday morning, officials said. The most recent fatal shooting was at 2:35 a.m. Sunday in the Brighton Park neighborhood, where a 19-year-old man was shot while driving in the 3900 block of South Campbell Avenue. The man, identified by the Cook County medical examiner's office as Salvador Muniz was driving north when someone driving the other way opened fire, shooting him multiple times, according to police and the medical examiner's office. Muniz, of the 4300 block of West Washtenaw Avenue, was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital and pronounced dead at 3:12 a.m. Advertisement Police said the shooting may be related to a nearby attack that occurred at the same time about a block away, in the 3900 block of South Rockwell Street. Someone in a passing gray Ford Explorer shot a 21-year-old man in the right hand. The man went to Mount Sinai Hospital in good condition. At 11:25 p.m. Saturday, a 36-year-old man was killed in the Pullman neighborhood on the Far South Side. He was in the driver's seat of a car in the 11200 block of South Langley Avenue when another vehicle pulled up alongside him and someone inside opened fire. The man tried to drive away but crashed into several other parked vehicles. He had been shot multiple times and was pronounced dead at the scene. He was identified as John McKinley, of the 400 block of East 111th Street. Advertisement About 5:20 p.m., a 23-year-old man was shot in the 8900 block of South Justine Street in the Brainerd neighborhood. He was standing in front of a home when two people approached on foot and began firing. The man was shot multiple times in the torso and taken to the Little Company of Mary Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. He was identified as Nahmar T. Holmes, of the same block where he was killed, said the Cook County medical examiner's office. An earlier fatal attack happened about 2 p.m. in the 3000 block of West 63rd Street in Chicago Lawn. Two men, 27 and 26, were sitting in a parked vehicle when a group of people approached and opened fire, police said. The 27-year-old was shot in the head and the torso, and he was pronounced dead at the scene. He was identified as Dominice Hallom, of the 11300 block of South Forest Avenue, the medical examiner's office said. The other man was shot in the left leg, left arm, torso and buttocks. He was taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, and his condition was stabilized. Other shootings: The attacks of September 11, 2001, were carried out in broad daylight, under a clear blue early autumn sky. For those who lived through it, 9/11 is etched in memory. But it also will live forever in the incredible images that were generated. Here are a few of the photos that best tell the story of that terrible day. Up in flames! The second tower of the World Trade Center bursts into flames after being hit by a hijacked airplane in New York. Photograph: Sara K. Schwittek/Reuters Run for cover: Pedestrians react to the World Trade Center collapse after two planes flew into the building on September 11. Photograph: Stringer/Reuters Nowhere to go: One of the most horrific and enduring 9/11 images was the people trapped in the upper levels of the twin towers. Many jumped. Some held hands while they did so. At least two hundred people are believed to have taken the fateful plunge. Photograph: Jeff Christensen/Reuters Tragedy was everywhere: The New York City Fire Department lost its chaplain, Revered Mychal Judge, who was killed by falling rubble while giving last rites to a victim of the attack. Photograph: Shannon Stapleton/Files/Reuters Crash and burn: The attacks werent limited to New York. The Pentagon also took a hit. Around 120 people were killed. Photograph: Larry Downing/Files/Reuters Finding loved ones: After the collapse, firefighters continued to search for survivors and bodies amidst the rubble. Photograph: Peter Morgan/Reuters Standing alone: While everything around it was flattened, this American flag continued to flutter in the wind after the destruction and the way US saw terrorism. Photograph: Peter Morgan-Files/Reuters Need help: The destruction was too much for the firefighters. Strong men were reduced to tears and a feeling of helplessness engulfed America. Photograph: US Navy Photo by Journalist 1st Class Preston Keres/Reuters No words to describe the loss: A girl is left speechless at the loss she, her family and her country has endured. Photograph: Jason Cohn JC/Reuters Rallying his country: Then US President Bush with retired firefighter Bob Beckwith at the scene of the World Trade Center disaster. Photograph: Win McNamee/Reuters Aam Aadmi Party eyeing to wrest power in Punjab in the 2017 assembly polls, on Sunday unveiled its 31-point 'Kisan Manifesto' with an action plan to prevent farmer and farm labourers suicides and make them debt free and prosperous by December 2018. The manifesto was released by Manifesto committee chairman Kanwar Sandhu at a party rally in Baghapurana which was later addressed by AAP national convenor and Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal. Sandhu said that the party will re-enact Sir Chhotu Ram Act of 1934 (Moneylenders' Debt) in which under no circumstances will the sum of interest payable exceed the principal amount. "All debts where a farmer has paid a sum twice the amount of the principal shall be deemed to be wholly discharged," he said addressing the gathering on the occasion. Every property mortgaged by a debtor whose debt is deemed to be discharged shall stand released, Sandhu said adding that no indebted farmer shall be dispossessed of his land holdings and house. He said that loans of poor farmers and farm labourers will be waived off and loans of SCs and BCs will also be waived off. "Interest on loans of other farmers will be waived off. Punjab farmers to be debt free by December 2018," he said. No coercive recovery proceedings against farmers will be launched till December 2018 when they will be debt free, Sandhu said. To make up crop loss, compensation of Rs 20,000 per acre for crop loss due to drought, floods, pest attack, unseasonal rain, will be given, he said. In the event of crop failure, farm labourers shall be given a compensation of Rs 10,000 for every month of loss of work, the AAP leader said. Full implementation of Swaminathan Commission Report on crop pricing will be done by December 2020. He said that re-registration of land acquired for the Sutlej Yamuna Link Canal by Congress and Shiromani Akali Dal governments earlier, will be done in the name of original owners. It will be ensured that farmers get 12-hours of free electricity for farming, he said quoting the Manifesto. Shagan of Rs 51,000 within one week of wedding of the daughter of a farmer or farm labour will be given besides Shagan deposit of Rs 21,000 in a bank account in the name of a newly born daughter born to a farmer or farm labour will be made. Free medical treatment in government hospitals and cashless treatment up to Rs 5 Lakh per year in private hospitals for every farmer, farm labourer and his family will be provided, he said. As per the Manifesto high-level and time-bound inquiries will be initiated against Agriculture Minister, Tota Singh, Food and Civil Supplies Minister, Adesh Pratap Singh Kairon, Revenue Minister, Bikram Singh Majithia, Rural Developments and Panchayats Minister, Sikandar Singh Maluka and others. Provision of life imprisonment will be there for those involved in manufacture and sale of spurious pesticides, insecticides and spurious milk and their properties shall be confiscated, Sandhu said. On farmer suicide, Rs 5 lakh compensation and a Government job for every eligible adult member of the families affected by farmer suicides in the past 10 years will be given to the aggrieved party. The old age pension shall be increased from Rs 500 to Rs 2,000. Punjab will be declared a dairy state and 25,000 new dairy farms through various incentives like Interest free loans and subsidised electricity will be set up, he said. Tipped to be a spy thriller, the film will see Ajith Kumar as an Interpol officer, who investigates a murder in Chennai, that leads him to different parts of the world. By India Today Web Desk: Actor Ajith Kumar, who was last seen in the hit film Vedhalam (2015), is teaming up once again with the director 'Siruthai' Siva in a yet-untitled film. Reports now suggest that the team has successfully wrapped up the first schedule of the shoot in Europe and that they're currently on a break in Chennai. ALSO READ: Oppam movie review- Mohanlal's film is intriguing at its core, but lacks depth advertisement ALSO READ: Iru Mugan movie review- Vikram shines as Love, but not the film ALSO READ: Janatha Garage movie review- Jr NTR-Mohanlal's film is superficiality at its According toThe News Minute, director 'Siruthai' Siva has narrowed down to few locations both in the US and the UK. However, rumours are rife that the team might resume shoot in Chennai for the next schedule. Also, the latest buzz is that Anirudh Ravichander, who has been signed to compose the music of the film, has composed a peppy number similar to their Aluma Doluma from Vedhalam. Directed by Siruthai Siva, the film co-stars Kajal Aggarwal and Akshara Haasan in pivotal roles. Tipped to be a spy thriller, the film will see Ajith as an Interpol agent, who investigates a murder in Chennai, that leads him to different parts of the world including Europe. Anirudh Ravichander is collaborating with Ajith Kumar for the second time after the commercial success of Vedhalam. National Award-winning actor Bobby Simha is touted to be the villain the film. --- ENDS --- Ratcheting up pressure on Pakistan, Home Minister Rajnath Singh will visit Russia and the United States next week to highlight the issue of the neighbouring country sponsoring terrorism in India and discuss efforts to counter ISIS activities in the region. Singh will visit Russia for five days beginning September 18 where he will have bilateral talks with Russian Minister for Internal Affairs Vladimir Kolokoltsev and discuss issues related to Indo-Russia joint anti-terror cooperation. They will also discuss cross border terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir and growing activities of ISIS in the country and its neighbourhood. The home ,inister will travel to Washington on September 26 for a seven-day visit for the Indo-US Homeland Security Dialogue with his American counterpart Jeh Charles Johnson. Singh will raise the issue of Pakistan-sponsored terrorism and activities of ISIS in India and other South Asian countries. "In both the bilateral visits to Russia and the US, the home minister will highlight Pakistan's direct involvement in cross border terrorism and growing activities of the Middle East terror group in India and its neighbourhood," a Home Ministry official said. The home minister will have threadbare discussions with his Russian and the US counterparts on how to enhance anti-terror cooperation, especially checking the growing activities of ISIS and sharing of intelligence inputs. Other issues to be discussed in the two visits include extradition of each other's wanted criminals, liberalisation of visas etc. The visit by Singh, one of the top leaders of the Modi government, to the two global powers within a week is considered significant as India has raised the pitch on the issue of "terror export" from Pakistan. Prime Minister Narendra Modi raised the issue at the G20, BRICS meet and East Asia Summit, where he called on the international community to isolate and sanction this instigator of terrorism. Modi urged the nations to intensify joint efforts to combat terrorism and sought "coordinated actions" by the grouping to "isolate supporters and sponsors of terror". The government's tough stance comes amid heightened tension with Pakistan, which is openly backing militancy in Jammu and Kashmir which has been hit by unrest for over two months now. "The bilateral visits of the home minister are part of India's efforts to create global opinion against Pakistan sponsored terrorism in India," the official said. Further cementing anti-terror cooperation, real-time sharing of intelligence inputs, cyber security and critical infrastructure protection, countering illicit finance, global supply chain security, megacity policing and science and technology are some of the key issues to be discussed at the meetings to be held in Moscow and Washington. In the US, the home minister and his delegation will discuss two key recently-signed agreements. The Global Entry, a US Customs and Border Protection programme, permits speedy clearance for pre-approved, low-risk travellers upon arrival in America. The Homeland Security Presidential Directive-6 (HSPD-6) allows access to information on terrorists. The US has been pressing for India's inclusion in the Global Entry so that high dignitaries like former presidents, former prime ministers, former Union ministers, film stars, top industrialists and frequent flyers could visit America without any hassle. There will be extensive discussion on the Global Entry during the dialogue, sources said. Initially, names of around 2,000 prominent Indians could figure in the coveted list, which would be expanded gradually after proper background checks of each individual. Incidents like brief detention of Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan recently at the Los Angeles airport could be avoided if the Global Entry is implemented. The ruling Shiromani Akali Dal-Bharatiya Janata Party combine in Punjab will create history again by winning the assembly elections for the third consecutive time next year on a development agenda, Union Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal has said. The minister for food processing industries and SAD MP from Bathinda said the alliance will be voted back because it had worked hard for the future of the state on an agenda of development, development and yet more development. For the future and progress of Punjab, this government has worked very hard. A lot has been done, there is always a lot more that needs to be done. I am very confident that we will do a hat-trick and create history for the third time, she said. The SAD-BJP government in Punjab created history in the last elections by bringing in a government second time, where a sitting government had never been voted back into power. Not only were we voted back but we were voted back with a bigger majority than what we had come in with the first, said the daughter-in-law of Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal. Punjab is scheduled for polls in January-February 2017 and the Aam Aadmi Party has jumped into the fray besides SAD-BJPs traditional rival Congress. Badal, however, said she was confident of victory because in the last 10 years, there is not a single Punjabi in any city or any village who would say that development has not happened in the state. She added: The World Bank has ranked Punjab as the best destination in ease of starting up a new business...Take any sector, in education -- we were 14th when we took over, today we are 2nd in the country. We were a power deficit state, but now we are a power surplus state; the revenues of the state have gone up three times; we have three international and five domestic airports; the entire infrastructure has been upgraded. She said Punjab is the only state where water and electricity for farming is given absolutely free of cost, which is a huge support to farmers. These kind of concessions have only been given in Punjab whenever an Akali Dal government comes in, she said. The minister was on a three-day visit to the United Kingdom to promote India as a destination for food processing. She held talks with all the top UK retail chains including Sainsburys, Marks & Spencer, Tesco, Partridges, Waitrose, Holland & Barrett and Harrods. Fifteen years ago on September 11, 19 terrorists hijacked four passenger planes and drove two into New York City's World Trade Center and a third one into the Pentagon outside Washington. The fourth jetliner crashed onto an empty field in Pennsylvania. In the end, the terrorists had killed nearly 3,000 people in what was to be the deadliest terrorist attack on American soil. On Sunday, a resilient United States looks to the future while reminiscing about the days gone by. To revisit that tragic day, Rediff.com pulled out some of its best stories from the archives, which are being showcased below. Scroll down to read. IMAGE: A woman lays her head on a row of names at the National September 11 Memorial, ahead of the 15th anniversary of the attacks in Manhattan, New York. Photograph: Mark Kauzlarich/Reuters The United States marked the 15th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attacks on Sunday, with a moment of silence marking the instant when a hijacked plane crashed and revealed that the deadliest terror attack on American soil was underway. At Ground Zero, hundreds of victims' relatives and dignitaries gathered to hear the reading the names of the nearly 3,000 people killed under an overcast sky that shrouded the 1,776-foot-tall top of One World Trade Centre, the centrepiece of the rebuilt site. IMAGE: Guests sit near the memorial before the start of the ceremony. Photograph: Brendan McDermid/Reuters Presidential candidates Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton momentarily paused their bitter rivalry and separately joined the people at the 9/11 memorial in downtown Manhattan to honour the 2,977 people killed and the thousands left injured when Al Qaeda terrorists crashed hijacked planes into the twin towers of the World Trade Centre. IMAGE: A woman pauses to read memorial ribbons tied to the exterior wall of St Pauls Chapel on the morning of the 15th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks in Manhattan. Photograph: Andrew Kelly/Reuters Moments of silence were observed at precisely the time the planes struck the twin towers, the Pentagon and the one that crashed into a field in Pennsylvania after its passengers overpowered the hijackers. People carried pictures of their loved ones who died in the attacks and placed flowers and American flags in the names inscribed into bronze panels edging the twin reflecting pools at the memorial site. The pools sit within the footprints where the TwinTowers once stood and the names of every person who died in the 2001 attacks as well as in the 1993 World Trade Centre bombing are inscribed into the Memorial pools. IMAGE: US President Barack Obama waits to speak during a ceremony marking the 15th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks at the Pentagon in Washington, US. Photograph: Joshua Roberts/Reuters Every year at the solemn and emotional ceremony, those who were killed in the attacks are remembered by not just their families but by hundreds of visitors and tourists who attend the commemoration. The memorial is visited by thousands of city residents and tourists daily to offer homage to those killed in the attacks. IMAGE: A mourner places a flag in the Empty Sky memorial on the morning of the 15th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks in New Jersey, US. Photograph: Andrew Kelly/Reuters A new freedom tower, 'One World Trade Centre', now stands next to the memorial and a museum has also been erected that houses relics, including flags and equipment from the time the towers fell. It tells the stories of the thousands of firefighters, ordinary citizens and law-enforcement authorities who helped save countless lives and toiled day and night to find the survivors in the wreckage. The New York Police Department also held a memorial to remember those officers killed that day, reading out names of each of them. IMAGE: People run through the Empty Sky memorial at daybreak over lower Manhattan on the morning of the 15th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, in New Jersey, US. Photograph: Andrew Kelly/Reuters "September 11, 2001 touched every single NYer, but the terrorists did not prevail, because 15 years later we are strong, and we are unified," New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said. New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said flags will fly at half-staff on state buildings for the nearly 3,000 individuals who lost their lives in the 2001 terrorist attacks. IMAGE: Members of Engine 219 Ladder 105 and fellow firefighters march to Brooklyn over the Brooklyn Bridge in honor of firefighters lost in the 9/11 attacks on the event's 15th anniversary in Manhattan, New York, US. Photograph: Andrew Kelly/Reuters Two planes crashed into World Trade Centre, leaving 2,753 dead. A third hit the Pentagon in Washington, killing 184, and 40 more died after a fourth plane headed for Washington crashed into a field in Pennsylvania after passengers overpowered the hijackers. Several Indians working in the twin towers and those in the area were among the victims. New Jersey resident Arjan Mirpuri lost his 30-year old son Rajesh that fateful day. Mirpuri had said his son did not even work at the World Trade Centre but had gone there that day to attend a trade show. IMAGE: US Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton arrives for the ceremony. Photograph: Brian Snyder/Reuters "Before that day, Rajesh had never gone to the WTC. 9/11 became the most unfortunate day of our lives," Mirupri had said. The family and friends of 25-year-old Neil Shastri established a foundation in his name and to honour his life, which was taken away in the attacks. The Foundation said on its website that its mission is to continue Shastri's legacy by engaging in various philanthropic endeavours that reflect his generous spirit and passion for learning. IMAGE: US Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump (R) and former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani (2nd L) arrive. Photograph: Brian Snyder/Reuters "Neil was taken from his wife, parents, brothers, and friends much too early and a left a void that will never be filled. Through the Neil G Shastri Foundation, Neil's family and friends hope that they are honouring his memory by touching a few lives and doing some good in ways that Neil was never able to do," the foundation said. IMAGE: US soldiers salute during a memorial ceremony to commemorate the 15th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, in Kabul. Photograph: Omar Sobhani/Reuters Ceremonies will be held across the US to mark the 15th anniversary of the attacks that changed the country forever. US President Barack Obama had said in May 2011 that 'justice has been done' to 'those families who lost loved ones to Al Qaeda's terror' 10 years after the 9/11 attacks when US Navy Seals carried out a successful operation to kill the attacks mastermind Osama Bin Laden in a house in Pakistan. Fifteen years after 9/11, the Sikh Coalition, a non-profit organisation, turns to art to open American hearts and minds to the community. Aseem Chhabra reports from New York for Rediff.com IMAGE: Japjee Singh was bullied mercilessly for years in Dekalb County, a suburb of Atlanta. He courageously spoke out and his family contacted the Sikh Coalition. In 2014, the US Department of Justice settled a landmark case with the Dekalb County school system better protecting 100,000+ kids from bullying! Meet Japjee Singh. He lives in the suburbs of Atlanta and is a senior in high school. Each day, he faces bullying in school. Japjee is just one of the many Sikhs who continues to face discrimination and are bullied in the United States of America as the community is still looked upon with suspicion ever since the dastardly 9/11 attacks. IMAGE: Harmandeep Singh is a high school senior at the Hillcrest High School in New York City. A recent immigrant from Punjab in 2014, he joined the Sikh Coalition's Junior Sikh Coalition to help raise Sikh awareness while developing new leadership skills. As America, marks the 15th anniversary of the attacks, the Sikh Coalition, a New York-based civil rights organisation which was established in the wake of the post-9/11 hate crimes against South Asians -- especially Sikhs -- turns to art to try and open American hearts and minds to the community. Featuring photographs of Sikh men and women, the idea is to show that Sikhs despite their physical appearance -- the beard and the turban that are part of the religion's articles of faith -- are no different from other New Yorkers and other Americans. IMAGE: Sonny Singh is an original member of the acclaimed Brooklyn Bhangra band, Red Baraat. Sonny has worked as a community organiser in various capacities, including for the Sikh Coalition, and he writes and teaches classes on race, religion and social justice. The show -- The Sikh Project, featuring nearly 40 portraits -- runs from September 17 to 25 at 530 Broadway, New York City. The point of the project according to Satjeet Kaur, development and communications director, The Sikh Coalition, is to not only commemorate that tragic event, but also to narrate the Sikh story, what happened to Sikh Americans after 9/11. IMAGE: Major Kamaljeet Singh Kalsi was born in India and moved to New Jersey when he was two. He was the only Sikh child in his public schools, and he went on to become the first Sikh American to be granted a religious accommodation to serve in the US military since the ban on Sikhs in the 1980s. The Sikh Coalition said it realised that Sikh beards and turban are so misunderstood in the West. 'When we met each subject,' photographers who worked on the project said, 'speaking to them, they all told us their stories. Some were uplifting, others more dramatic. But ultimately all had positive outcomes. We made sure that we showed this, capturing each person in a positive light. Proud of their appearance and humble in heart.' IMAGE: Waris Ahluwalia is an actor (The Darjeeling Limited, among other Wes Anderson movies) designer and model based in New York City. Waris was kicked off a flight at the beginning of February 2015 for his articles of faith. Asked how they feel about the final product, the photographers said they were excited. 'It is definitely an evolution, and we believe it will have a big impact on both American Sikhs and non-Sikhs showing them just how important their own individuality and identity is.' IMAGE: Ishprit Kaur is a nursing student in Connecticut. She was inspired to go into this field because her mother is also in the profession and because her father is battling Parkinson's disease. IMAGE: Sat Hari Singh (Kevin Harrington) was a NYC Metropolitan Transportation Authority train operator on 9/11 when he reversed the train, sending it in the opposite direction, which saved lives. He was honoured as a hero for saving lives. He eventually went onto become a client of The Sikh Coalition and sued the MTA for their biased policy against turbans and won. Photographs: Amit and Naroop for The Sikh Project. Kind Courtesy: The Sikh Coalition Though 15 years have passed since the World Trade Center bombing, the mystery of the circumstances surrounding Dr Sneha Ann Philips death has not been unravelled and might remain that way forever. Yet her memory lives on in other ways. George Joseph reports. Dr Sneha Ann Philip would most likely have been a middle-aged physician at some major hospital today. Instead, memories of her froze the day the World Trade Center collapsed. She remains 31-years-old for ever, and her room at her home in Poughkeepsie, New York remains as she had left it. Snehas room has been kept the same way for the past 15 years, her mother Ansu Philip, a computer professional at the Duchess Community College told Rediff.com. Nothing has changed except that we have added pictures of her and hung all of her diplomas on the walls. She always wanted to keep this house, so that the family could come together once in a while. Ansu and her husband, Dr Kochiyil Philip, had no plans to visit the WTC memorial on 9/11, though they would have liked to attend the ceremonies. Unfortunately, Dr Philip and I are physically unable to walk such a long distance because of the barriers and long path set up for 9/11, she said. The last time when I went with my son, Kevin, I barely made it and told myself, I dont think I will be able to attend the 9/11 memorial service any more. I personally prefer to go there on Snehas birthday or any other regular day when it is quiet, sit near the bench where her name is engraved and quietly remember her in a meditative way. Snehas younger brother, Kevin, and his son, Nikhil, were planning to go though. Her older brother, Ashwin, who lives in Miami, attends a local memorial event there, Ansu Philip said. The family also still keeps warm relations with Dr Ron Lieberman, Dr Snehas husband, who remarried a decade later, after much persuasion from her family. Not only do we still keep in touch with Ron, but he makes it a point to visit us at least once every year, Ansu Philip said. He visited us just a few months ago and has visited us twice with his new wife, a medical professional and daughter who is three years old now. He calls us quite often and is very much a part of our family and always will be. Though 15 years have passed, the mystery of the circumstances surrounding Snehas death has not been unravelled and might remain that way forever. Of her last hours on earth, this much is known: On September 10, 2001, a physician doing her residency in internal medicine, Sneha was in her Battery Park apartment, not far from WTC, enjoying the start of a three-day break from work. Around 2.30 pm, she and her mother had an extended conversation on instant messenger that, Ansu Philip recalls, meandered through both the interesting and the mundane elements of life, for the better part of two hours. Close to 5 pm, Sneha told her mother she had some errands to run. The security cameras monitoring her apartment show her leaving the building at 5.15 pm, dressed in a short-sleeved brown dress. She walked past the Twin Towers, to Century 21, where she bought some lingerie, a dress, some linens, two pairs of shoes. At 7.18 pm, she checked out her buys, charging $550 to a credit card. Dr Lieberman, who worked then at the Jacobi Hospital in the Bronx, came home around midnight. Sneha was not home, but Lieberman thought nothing of it -- she often spent free nights in her brother Kevin's apartment, also two blocks away from the WTC. The investigations by official and private inquiry agencies failed to trace her movements from the time she stepped out of Century 21, until shortly before 8.46 am the next day. The only other sighting of Sneha came from the security camera monitoring her apartment building. Shortly before American Airlines Flight 11 slammed into the North Tower, the camera picked out the image of a woman who looked like her, dressed like her, and moved like her. The glare of the early morning sun made the image hazy, so it was difficult to say for sure -- but Lieberman believes the woman seen in the footage entering the building, walking towards the elevator, pausing for a moment or two, and exiting the building was his missing wife. And then, nothing -- to this day. Initially, Snehas parents and husband, did not want her name on the list of victims, thinking she might return one day. Her brother Kevin had once said about that time, When it all happened, I never wanted to believe she was in the towers, it was too painful to think that way. In a world of endless possibilities the mind and heart will often think anything to protect itself from pain and loss. In the beginning it was too premature to say and considering she didnt work there, it was only saving grace of hope to exhaust every possibility in relentless desire to find my sister alive. However, there was a fight within me that battled between her mortality and the hope of embracing my sister again. But it did not happen. She was victim number 2,750 of the terrorist strike. IMAGE: Dr Sneha Ann Philips family at the 9/11 memorial For two years, she was named, honoured, mourned at the annual commemoration event marking the tragedy. Then, abruptly, her name was removed; she was reduced to yet another casual statistic on New Yorks crime charts -- a statistic over which loomed an enormous question mark. When her name was taken off the 9/11 honour roll, Ellen Borakove, spokesperson for New York Citys Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, had said the authorities had no tangible evidence linking her death to the WTC tragedy. Dr Sneha Philip disappeared the day before the tragedy, Borakove had told Rediff.com then. We could not include her name without sufficient proof. She had added that the list would be amended, that names, including Snehas, would be added if ongoing DNA testing of recovered body parts yielded any evidence. But the family was firm in their belief that just as Sneha entered the building, she learnt of the first strike on the World Trade Center. True to her medical trade, she exited the building and rushed to the WTC, to help if she could. And somehow, somewhere in that chaos, she lost her life, trying to save those of others. Ansu Philip had then also pointed out that only 1,538 of the 2,749 who died there were identified on the basis of DNA evidence. The family went to court, but a single judge had justified the CMEs order. It was only after the appeals court agreed with the familys claim that Snehas name was brought back to the list though the family never did receive compensation. Snehas memory lives on in other ways. The Sneha Philip Memorial Fund, which the family instituted, is used for free treatment of patients at the Santhigiri Clinic near Aluva, in Kerala. A plaque, installed at Duchess Community College honours her. And the Mar Thoma Doctors Association has instituted a memorial fund in her name. Greta Zimmer Friedman was a 21-year-old dental assistant in a nurse's uniform when she became part of one of the most famous photographs of the 20th century. US Navy sailor Glenn Edward McDuffie (left) kisses Greta Zimmer Friedman in Times Square in an impromptu moment at the close of World War II, after the surrender of Japan was announced in New York August 14, 1945. (Reuters/Victor Jorgensen/US Navy/Handout By AP: The woman in an iconic photo shown kissing an ecstatic sailor in Times Square celebrating the end of World War II has died. Greta Zimmer Friedman was 92. Friedman, who fled Austria during the war as a 15-year-old, died Thursday at a hospital in Richmond, Virginia, from complications of old age, her son, Joshua Friedman, said. Greta Friedman was a 21-year-old dental assistant in a nurse's uniform when she became part of one of the most famous photographs of the 20th century. advertisement On August 14, 1945, known as V-J Day, the day Japan surrendered to the United States, people spilled into the New York City streets from restaurants, bars and movie theaters, celebrating the news. That's when George Mendonsa spotted Friedman, spun her around and planted a kiss. The two had never met. In fact, Mendonsa was on a date with an actual nurse, Rita Petry, who would later become his wife. THE KISS The photo by Alfred Eisenstaedt is called "V-J Day in Times Square," but is known to most simply as "The Kiss." Mendonsa said that in some photos of the scene, Petry could be seen smiling in the background. The photo was first published in Life magazine, buried deep within its pages. Over the years, the photo gained recognition, and several people claimed to be the kissing couple. In an August 1980 issue of Life, 11 men and three women said they were the subjects. It was years before Mendonsa and Friedman were confirmed to be the couple. Joshua Friedman said his mother recalled the events happening in an instant. "It wasn't that much of a kiss," Friedman said in an interview with the Veterans History Project in 2005. "It was just somebody celebrating. It wasn't a romantic event." Both of Friedman's parents died in the Holocaust, according to Lawrence Verria, co-author of "The Kissing Sailor: The Mystery Behind the Photo that Ended World War II." Friedman will be buried in Arlington National Cemetery, next to her late husband, Dr Misha Friedman. --- ENDS --- Martinsville handles Bedford North Lawrence to reach sectional final Martinsville defeated Bedford North Lawrence on the back of strong defensive play and a huge game from the Artesians' offense. The Texas Alliance of Energy Producers recently announced the launch of a new campaign entitled, 'I Am Texas Oil.' The campaign will provide the opportunity for oil field workers and industry employees to demonstrate the importance of the oil and gas industry in Texas, emphasizing the jobs and livelihoods the industry supports as well as the beneficial impact the industry has on the state's economy and the everyday lives of all Texans. The campaign officially commenced at the Texas Capitol, with members of the Alliance, their families, employees and members of other state oil and gas associations gathering to show support for the industry and request stability for the industry's state regulator, the Railroad Commission of Texas, at the agency's first Sunset Committee hearing this legislative cycle. Attendees donned buttons with the '#IAmTexasOil' logo. Several participants offered public testimony encouraging lawmakers to reauthorize the RRC by reiterating the need for regulatory stability and highlighting the industry's important contributions. 'As the Chairman of the Alliance and a 40-year industry veteran, I'm here today to recommend the approval of legislation which recognizes that the Railroad Commission of Texas performs essential oil and gas regulation and meets its constitutionally mandated mission, with a proven track record nearly a century of experience regulating the industry while protecting public health, safety and the environment,' said Bob Osborne, Chairman of the Texas Alliance of Energy Producers and Vice President of Cobra Oil & Gas Corporation. 'We believe our state lawmakers should avoid any effort to weaken the state regulator or disrupt activities at the agency, which would in turn cause significant disruptions in the industry, and we oppose changes which may result in overly burdensome regulations or increased costs to industry, especially given this fragile business environment.' 'Having grown up in the oil field watching my father Doug Lindemann run our family business, I have a unique perspective on the positive impact the oil and gas industry has at every level,' said Tanya Lindemann-Choate, Officer at LLP Lindemann Drilling, Inc, a Texas-based, family-owned and operated oil business. 'And because of the Railroad Commission's science-based and sensible governing of Texas' oil and gas industry, our state's resources are being developed in a safe and responsible way. The Railroad Commission is best equipped to regulate the oil and gas industry in Texas because it understands our state's unique geology, and has proved effective in its regulatory role.' 'As university students working hard to prepare for future careers, my peers and I share a common goal and mutual desire for the work we do to serve a greater purpose; to devote time and effort to something we're passionate about and then have a chance to make a difference in the world doing what we love,' said Logan Lewis, an Alliance Student Member studying Petroleum Engineering at the University of Kansas. 'Like nearly half a million Americans, I've found that passion and sense of purpose in the oil and gas industry. It makes the way of life we enjoy possible, and literally powers the world. I'm here today to do my part in helping make sure Texas has a healthy oil and gas industry for students like myself to work in after graduation, and I know that is largely dependent on the stability provided by the Texas Railroad Commission.' The purpose of the long-term campaign is to put real names and faces to the oil and gas industry in Texas. Members who live and work in the oil field will share personal stories of the hard work and long hours they dedicate to providing the affordable energy that powers our state. Sharing the truth about the benefits, science and facts of energy production on a more personal level will provide a counterpoint to anti-industry propaganda, and encourage sensible energy policy at both the state and federal levels. It will be an ongoing effort, rolled out in multiple phases over the next several months, featuring video clips, personal testimonials, a social media campaign, opportunities for members to engage in the political process and more. GEORGETOWN, Guyana (AP) Sleepy Guyana has long been one of the hemisphere's poorest places, a sparsely populated nation on South America's northern shoulder that relies heavily on exports of sugar, rice and gold. But these days, there's a surge of excitement about an anticipated windfall from major oil-and-gas deposits found in the deep seabed 120 miles (193 kilometers) off the coast as well as worries about the disruptions and conflicts it might bring. Hopes are high that fuel siphoned in a few years' time from more three miles (more than 5 kilometers) below the sea's surface might be an antidote to entrenched poverty and underdevelopment in the country of 750,000 people. 'We will have billions in foreign reserves and our population is going to swell big time,' miner Cosmos Santo said from a park bench in the seaside capital of narrow streets and mostly low-rise, wooden buildings. The U.S. Geological Survey had long estimated that offshore Guyana was rich in gas and oil. Now U.S.-based ExxonMobil has announced a 'world-class oil discovery' off Guyana after drilling a well that struck oil-bearing sandstone with an estimated 800 million to 1.4 billion oil equivalent barrels. Exxon and partner Hess Corp. haven't yet announced development or investment plans, which could be complicated by low current oil prices and a dispute with neighboring Venezuela. But Guyanese authorities are racing to set up rules and plans to administer the hoped-for new industry while avoiding what is known as the 'resource curse.' In places like Congo and Nigeria, oil or mineral wealth has fueled conflict instead of development. Guyana only has to look at Venezuela next door to see what can go haywire with an oil-dependent state. South America's biggest energy producer has been in economic freefall since the 2014 crash in prices for the oil that funds nearly all the spending of its socialist government. Guyana's presidential spokesman, Mark Archer, said the administration is determined to avoid the mistakes of Venezuela and other energy-rich nations that have run into hard times. 'The plan is not to spend wildly like a drunken sailor but to put in a wealth fund for future generations and ensure we do not neglect agriculture,' Archer said. Norway and the U.S. Energy Department are advising Guyana on setting up such a fund as well as a regulatory framework for the industry, Natural Resources Minister Raphael Trotman says. Some of the hoped-for riches would go toward building a 350-mile (565-kilometer) jungle road from the capital to northeastern Brazil, opening up Guyana's rugged, mineral-rich interior. Households would get free cooking gas and cheap gasoline. Guyana's small military would get new aircraft to protect the offshore fields and borders, to provide some 'comfort to Exxon and other investors,' Archer said. 'We must be able to protect our investment,' he said. Protection may be necessary because the offshore discoveries have reignited a decades-old territorial dispute between Guyana and far-larger Venezuela. Venezuela has for decades claimed two-thirds of Guyana's territory as its own, arguing that the gold-rich region west of the Essequibo River and the resulting maritime zone where Exxon's find lies was stolen from it by an 1899 agreement with Britain and its then-colony. Venezuela's navy briefly detained a ship carrying five American oil workers in 2013. They were conducting a seismic survey under a Guyana concession at the time. Guyana says it wants the International Court of Justice to settle the border dispute with Venezuela, though the case has not yet reached the court. Diego Moya-Ocampos, analyst with the London-based consulting firm IHS Global Insight, said he believes Venezuela's claim of sovereignty will pose a 'major complication' to recovering oil and minerals. Venezuela's government could opt to ban companies operating in Guyana from working in Venezuela's vast oil fields, he said. 'We expect strong rhetoric in the coming months. Nevertheless, (Venezuela) is highly unlikely to initiate an armed conflict out of concern over losing support from the English-speaking Caribbean countries,' Moya-Ocampos said in an email. Meanwhile, Guyana Geology and Mines Commissioner Newell Dennison said his agency is on 'a frenzied mission' to train local petroleum engineers, geologists and lawyers. Exxon officials have told lawmakers that they plan to have supertankers pull up alongside rigs and cart away fuel pumped from the seabed because the wells are too far from the coast to run pipelines. People in Guyana appear to be excited about the prospects, though some are wary. 'If mismanaged, we will remain as we are and like the others which have oil and mismanaged it,' said Brenda Oudkerk as she took a break from dishing out plates of rice and spicy chicken at her open-air cafe in the capital. Associated Press writer David McFadden in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, contributed to this report. Oil and gas production in Texas began on January 10, 1901 when the Lucas No. 1 well spewed mud, oil, and gas more than 100 feet into the air. Although capped nine days later, Spindletop changed Texas forever. Little did we know that cold winter day near Beaumont would give us the energy resources necessary to power railroads, cars, and other equipment that would, in time, diversify our state's economy from its rural agricultural roots to a modern, urbanized, and industrialized economic behemoth that currently is the world's 10th largest economy. Fast forward 80 years and George Mitchell is experimenting with different hydraulic fracturing techniques in the Barnett Shale, trying to identify and perfect a way to economically extract oil and gas from shale rock. By 2013, fracking was in widespread use across the state and country. This caused an economic boom in Texas and was broadly credited for causing the 'shale revolution' that has made American energy independence a real possibility. Energy independence isn't the only benefit of oil and gas production. The oil and gas industry directly employs more than 400,000 people in Texas with an average annual salary over $124,000. Additionally, 570,000 Texas families receive annual royalty income of $16.5 billion. In 2015, oil and gas activity contributed more than $135 billion to the Texas economy and paid $13.8 billion in state and local taxes. This year, it is estimated that oil and gas companies will pay more than $2 billion in severance taxes to the State of Texas, which will be used to provide health care to the poor, teach our children, and maintain our roads. Without the oil and gas industry, there would be significantly less funding for roads, schools, universities, water projects, and there would be no Rainy Day Fund. The tax burden on hardworking Texans would be much greater. There is no doubt that Texas is better off with a thriving oil and gas industry than without it. However, there are challenges to production that deserve to be acknowledged and monitored. As the chairman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Water & Rural Affairs, what comes to mind first and foremost is the large amount of water used by oil and gas production. The Railroad Commission estimates that it takes 1.2 million gallons of water to hydraulically frack a well in the Barnett Shale and more than 3.5 million gallons in the Eagle Ford Shale. According to the Texas Water Development Board, nearly 220,000 acre-feet, or more than 72 billion gallons of water, was used for mining in 2014. This is roughly the same amount nearly two million average Texans use to drink, cook, clean clothes, wash dishes, and bathe for an entire year. While this seems high, water used for mining, which includes oil and gas production, accounts for less than 1% of the total amount of water used in Texas. Furthermore, the TWDB expects water used for mining to rise to 343,000 acre-feet in 2020 and then decrease to around 290,000 acre-feet by 2070. This expected decrease in water usage is no accident. Using les water is good for oil and gas companies because it is good for the environment and their bottom line. Oil and gas companies have invested hundreds of millions of dollars to better manage, conserve, and recycle water. These companies have participated in a joint research project with industry, agriculture, academics, and the government to irrigate a West Texas cotton crop using recycled water from energy operations, and have invested in using less fresh water by substituting recycled water or brackish groundwater. These efforts are the reason it takes 1.3 million gallons of less water to frack a well in the Eagle Ford today than it did just a few short years ago. The responsible and informed use of natural resources by companies using innovative technologies should always be the rule, not the exception. The oil and gas industry and Texas have enjoyed a long, productive, and mutually beneficial relationship. The industry continues to employ hundreds of thousands of Texans and pay billions in taxes every year by producing millions of barrels of oil and gas a day all while using less and less water. For these reasons, I expect the great relationship between the oil and gas industry and Texas to continue long into the future. State Sen. Charles Perry, R-Lubbock, represents the 28th District. The man who leads a 3,000-member organization that represents independent oil producers in Texas said he'd love to have a 'crystal ball' to predict when oil prices will recover, but he is confident the trend will eventually turn toward the positive. 'I've been through four or five of these periods of low oil prices, and every time, it comes back,' said Bob Osborne, chairman of the Board for the Texas Alliance of Energy Producers. 'Time is always the thing that swings the pendulum back to better prices.' Osborne is vice president and 50 percent owner of Cobra Oil and Gas Corporation in Wichita Falls, which operates properties in Texas, Alabama, Arkansas, Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan, North Dakota, Utah and Wyoming. Cobra's operation produces an average of 1,200 barrels of crude oil daily. 'I've been involved in the oil and gas business since 1971,' said Osborne, who graduated from the University of Arkansas with a degree in business, and joined Cobra in 1976. 'The key to successful operations regardless of the price of oil is a lean operation efficient property operation, keep overhead reasonable, and reduce expenses where possible,' he said. 'Our staff, at $100 per barrel oil, is the same as it is presently.' Osborne has been involved with the Alliance since the days of its predecessor, North Texas Oil and Gas, in the late 1970s. Serving on its board since the early 1980s, he assumed his present position in April 2016. 'One of our chief focuses right now is ensuring the Texas Railroad Commission get reauthorized,' he said, referring to the state agency that regulates the oil and gas industry, natural gas utilities, pipeline safety, the natural gas and hazardous liquid pipeline industry and surface coal and uranium mining. 'We are pushing for a clean bill in the Legislature, and making sure the agency remains active,' Osborne said. Keeping the organization strong and making sure it has an enduring voice in Austin is vital. 'We have some talented people in Austin who do a great job of lobbying on our behalf, and keeping a strong voice in the ear of legislators,' he said. 'Another area we constantly have to be aware of is regulation, both at the state and federal level.' Osborne said he enjoys talking with other oil and gas producers and hears a consistent message among those who remain viable in a season of low oil prices. 'Low or no-debt companies can weather these cyclical price drops and rises,' he said. 'The producers who don't carry a lot of or no debt can work through times when they need to reduce production to keep expenses and overhead manageable.' Osborne, who is married to his wife, Ann, and has two children and two grandchildren, said he sees a couple of trends that are encouraging in relation to oil prices and production. 'There has been a 9 percent decrease in oil production from July 2015 to July 2016,' he said. 'That combined with 30 percent fewer rigs operating (is) helping. Now all we need to do is see some more discipline in world oil and gas production.' The current oil pricing challenges are the result of oversupply, and as the supply slowly decreases, prices will rise, he said. 'The key in most of this is balancing supply and demand, so that producers are making a fair price for oil and gas, and consumers are paying what they perceive to be a fair price for the product,' he said. 'Time will tell.' The Alliance is holding its annual Abilene meeting September 13 and 14 at the Abilene Civic Center; the conference is free and open to the public. The event's luncheon speaker will be Mike Cantrell, chairman of the National Stripper Well Association, who also serves on the board of directors for the Directors for the Domestic Energy Producers Alliance Dan Carpenter is an Abilene freelance writer. Texas' oil and gas exploration & production industry has been reeling for the better part of two years now at the hands of crude oil prices that began to decline in the third quarter of 2014. At their worst, crude oil posted prices fell below $23 per barrel in February of this year and averaged only about $27/bbl for the month. In mid-2014, prices were over $100/bbl, and had averaged nearly $90/bbl since 2010, after quickly recovering from the recession-induced price decline in 2009. The posted price is the benchmark price offered to producers by purchasing companies on a given day, which is typically $3-4 lower than the oft-quoted futures price. Activity levels in the Texas oil patch responded predictably, falling sharply and wreaking havoc on the state's economy, the oil-dependent regions and cities in particular. The statewide weekly rig count the estimated number of rigs drilling in Texas at a given point in time fell by 80 percent from its peak of 906 in late November 2014 to a low of 173 in May 2016. The number of drilling permits issued by the state remains down by more than 70 percent compared to the peak levels of 2014 in advance of the downturn. Perhaps most notably, nearly 103,000 direct upstream (oil and gas E&P) jobs were lost in Texas over an 18-month period from the peak in December 2014 to June 2016. That amounts to more than one-third of the 306,000 industry jobs that were in place in late 2014 before employment began to contract in response to lower prices. That 103,000 direct industry jobs lost easily translates into a total job loss in Texas of over 300,000 jobs as the effects of diminished industry activity and employment loss ripple throughout the broader economy of the state. The Texas Petro Index, a monthly measure of aggregate upstream industry activity in Texas, had risen to a record 313.5 in November 2015 (the TPI is based at 100.0 in January 1995), and through July 2015 has declines for 20 straight months and lost over 51 percent of its value. The components of the Texas Petro Index are crude oil and natural gas prices, the statewide rig count, drilling permits issued, oil and gas well completions, the estimated volume and value of crude oil and natural gas production in Texas, and statewide direct industry employment. Crude oil prices have improved since February, at times essentially doubling the February low point, and activity levels appear to be responding. The statewide rig count is on the rise, and at this point about 70 rigs have been added since the low point in May. And encouragingly, the preliminary numbers suggest the addition of about 100 industry jobs in July compared to June. That marks the first time in 19 months that industry jobs have not been lost in Texas from one month to the next. The addition of 100 jobs is anything but spectacular, but it does perhaps represent the end of industry job loss in the current contraction, and that is an important recovery milestone. Over the course of the industry expansion from 2010-2014, Texas crude oil production more than tripled, and U.S. crude oil production more than doubled. These increases were enough to create a global supply/demand imbalance in which supply began to persistently outpace demand. That is a recipe for lower prices, and that is exactly what happened. Lower crude oil prices are quite purposeful their function is to eradicate the oversupply of crude oil and return the market to a balance of supply and demand. Production in Texas and the U.S. finally began to post meaningful declines in late 2016, and continues to fall even today (and will for some time into the future). But production remains historically high, and crude oil in storage in the U.S. remains near record levels as well. For these reasons, the recovery in crude oil prices remains frustratingly slow; it is happening, however, and increases in the rig count and statewide industry employment point to better days ahead. Amarillo economist Karr Ingham is the founder of the Texas Petro Index. Ed Patton has seen the boom and bust cycles of the oil and gas business as much as just about anyone, so when he says the current condition is about as bad as he's seen, it's noteworthy. 'This is as bad as it's been, but maybe it's just me,' said the geologist and owner of Ed Patton Oil Company. But don't take that to mean Patton is pessimistic about the future. 'I think by definition, oil producers are optimistic,' he said. 'I think you have to be. Why would you be in this business if you weren't (optimistic)?' Justin Russell hasn't been in the business nearly as long as Patton, having graduated from Tarleton State University in 2009 and from Abilene High nearly a half century after Patton. However, in the less than 10 years he's been in the business, he's seen oil prices ride the roller coaster. He also takes a philosophic view that smacks of optimism. 'You learn not to get discouraged,' he said.'Things are eventually going to get better.' The price of West Texas Intermediate crude was just over $45 on Sept. 5 after reaching $50 earlier this summer. To get some idea of the world in which Patton and Russell live, on the same date in 2008, the price of WTI was nearly $108. Of course, by the end of the year, the price had plunged to under $30. The same thing happened in 2014, when the price spiked to over $100 during the summer before falling to just over $50 by Christmas. Those precipitous drops were what caught people by surprise, said Patton. 'It dropped so fast,' he said. 'It caught everybody by surprise. People didn't react fast.' The past couple of years haven't seen the return of $100 oil, but it has climbed back from a dip below $30 early in the year. Patton noted that the same analysts who in 2008 were predicting that oil wouldn't drop below $100 were saying that it wouldn't get above $30 in 2016. 'I take great comfort in knowing that the experts have always been wrong,' he said. Both Patton and Russell said they see indications that the price might be getting high enough to encourage exploration again. 'I think so,' said Russell when asked if the outlook was starting to look a little brighter. 'We've seen a little bit more activity out west.' For Patton, the optimism comes in the fact that even though reserves may still be high, the demand for oil also remains high, even if the global economy may still be shaky. 'There's not much elasticity in the demand,' he said. 'At some point, you have to think that there's going to be an increase in the price.' He also said that alternative sources of energy haven't done much to limit the use of fossil fuel. 'It (other sources) is such a minuscule part of what we use,' said Patton. When the price does go up high enough to encourage exploration, and Patton said he isn't sure what that price is, technology has enabled operators to drill faster and be more efficient in getting oil, he said. What's hurting the smaller operators are regulations, according to Patton. 'They're killing the little guys like me,' he said. 'I have 72 pages of instructions to fill out a one page form.' He pointed to fracking as an example of zealous regulation. 'When people talk about the damage caused by fracking, they're talking about those humongous projects. The fracking we do out here is minuscule. This one size fits all just doesn't make any sense to me.' Russell said that regulations seem to be written with big oil companies in mind. 'They do seem more geared toward large scale operations,' he said. 'We have to weave our way through the red tape.' Patton said relief from regulations doesn't come politically, regardless of what is said during election years. 'I have not seen any let up in regulations,' he said. Despite the geopolitical problems in the world and the regulations, Patton thinks the price of oil is edging its way toward $70, although he knows it probably won't stay there. His advice to Russell and other younger operators is to be prepared, although he added that he hasn't always adhered to his own advice. 'Make sure you have a contingency plan,' he said. Russell has adopted that philosophy. By PTI: London, Sep 11 (PTI) A 49-year-old woman parachutist died after her chute failed to open and she crash-landed "spinning like a top" in County Durham, UK police said today. Witnesses described seeing the woman rapidly spiralling down to earth entangled in the canopy cords of her parachute before landing in a nearby Shotton Colliery housing estate. The parachutist who crashed into a parked car had been "spinning like a top" as she fell to the ground, The Guardian reported, quoting a witness as saying. advertisement The as-yet-unnamed woman, from Hebburn, South Tyneside, was flown by air ambulance with critical injuries to hospital in Middlesbrough following the incident yesterday afternoon. She later died in intensive care, police said. The woman had jumped before but not in the UK, Durham Police said. Detective Inspector Dave Cuthbert said: "This is a tragic incident. The lady who has died was using her own equipment and was making her first sky-dive in this country, having previously made parachute jumps abroad. Witnesses said the sky diver did not scream during the descent and had her legs and arms open prior to hitting a hatchback car, which was parked outside a detached home on a cul-de-sac on the outskirts of the village, about 400 metres from a skydiving centre based at Shotton airfield. The dead woman was one of a group of parachutists who had taken off from the nearby airfield, the BBC reported. The coroner has been informed and a post-mortem examination is due to be carried out on the womans body. It is understood residents carried out Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) on the woman before paramedics arrived at the scene, where she had landed close to a car. One witness, who did not want to be named, said it did not look like the woman was moving before she hit the car and he thought she was unconscious. "She was not screaming," he said. "All I can see is her spinning like a top." He did not see the impact, but later saw the woman on the ground as people tried to help her, after she appeared to have suffered a serious head injury. Ian Rosenvinger, from the Skydive Academy at Peterlee parachute centre said that the canopy on the womans parachute rotated round and round, leading to a heavy landing. PTI AKJ AKJ --- ENDS --- MONDAY West Texas Fair & Rodeo The West Texas Fair & Rodeo will be open from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. at the Taylor County Expo Center. Admission will be free until 1 p.m. The midway will open at 5 p.m. Admission is $1; school day tickets will be accepted. Diabetes workshop A six-week Diabetes Self-Management Workshop, sponsored by the Abilene Regional Medical Center Senior Circle, will begin with a session from 10 a.m. to noon at the ARMC Resource Building. Admission is free. To RSVP, call 325-428-4935. Movie at the Mockingbird Library A free showing of a 2015 action film will begin at 6:30 p.m. at the Mockingbird Branch of the Abilene Public Library, 1326 N. Mockingbird Lane. Other ... Overeaters Anonymous, noon, Hinds Square Building, 100 Chestnut St., Room 112. Blood drive, 12:30-3:30 p.m., Rentech Boilers, 5025 E. Highway 80. Schizophrenia Support Group, 1-2 p.m., Mental Health Association of Abilene, 333 Orange St. 325-673-2300. Free swim class for people with multiple sclerosis, 5:30 p.m., YMCA, 3250 State St. Anorexics Bulimics Anonymous, 6 p.m., Shades of Hope, 402A Mulberry St., Buffalo Gap. 800-588-4673. Hendrick Ostomy support group, 6:30 p.m., Diabetes Center, 1742 Hickory St. Central Texas Gem & Mineral Society of Abilene, 7 p.m., 7607 Highway 277 South. 325-692-0063. Abilene Toastmaster's Club 1071, 7 p.m., Conference Center, Texas State Technical College, 650 E. Highway 80. 325-692-7325 or abilene.toastmastersclubs.org. Al-Anon, 7 p.m., First United Methodist Church, 1501 N. Broadway, Ballinger. 817-689-2810 or 325-977-1007. Mid-City Al-Anon, 7 p.m., First Christian Church. 325-670-4304. Memory Men (4-part a cappella singing), 7 p.m., Calvary Baptist Church, 1165 Minter Lane. Park on east side, enter through kitchen. 325-676-SING. Abilene Quilters Guild, 7 p.m., Highland Church of Christ, Room No. 112. Meet-and-greet at 6:45 p.m. 325-676-1478. Abilene Community Band rehearsal, 7:30 p.m., Bynum Band Hall, McMurry University. 325-232-7383. South Pioneer Al-Anon Group, 8 p.m., 3157 Russell Ave. Alcoholics Anonymous/Narcotics Anonymous, 8 p.m., Avoca United Methodist Church. 325-773-2611. Survivors of Childhood Sexual Abuse Group. 325-676-1400. TUESDAY West Texas Fair & Rodeo The West Texas Fair & Rodeo will be open from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. at the Taylor County Expo Center. Admission will be free until 1 p.m. The midway will open at 5 p.m. Admission is $8 for adults; $4 for students. All rides will be $2. Business workshop Texas Tech Small Business Development Center Abilene will conduct a Trademarks, Copyrights & Patents Workshop from 3-5 p.m. in the Texas Tech Training Center, 749 Gateway St., Suite 301. To make a reservation, call 325-670-0300. Free consultation, by appointment only, will be available from 2-3 p.m. Building opening A ribbon cutting ceremony will begin at 4 p.m. at the new Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center Public Health Building, 1650 Pine St. A reception and public tours will follow at 4:30 p.m. Public meeting TxDOT will conduct a public meeting regarding possible safety enhancements to the Interstate 20 corridor from 4-8 p.m. in the TSTC Seminar Room, 300 Homer K Drive in Sweetwater. Job Corps meeting Job Corps, a program sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor which provides assistance with training and employment, will conduct an informational meeting at 5 p.m. at the Mockingbird Branch of the Abilene Public Library, 1326 N. Mockingbird Lane. Tree workshop Bruce Kreitler will present a workshop on varieties of trees suited for area landscapes at 6:30 p.m. at the Abilene Public Library, 202 Cedar St. Admission is free. Square dance workshop TYE The Key City Squares will conduct a square dancing workshop at 6:30 p.m. at the Wagon Wheel. Other ... Mission on the Move Soup Kitchen, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Southwest Drive Community United Methodist Church, 3025 Southwest Dr. Abilene Southwest Rotary Club, noon, Beehive Restaurant, 442 Cedar St. High Noon Al-Anon, noon, Southern Hills Church of Christ, 3666 Buffalo Gap Road (south end; follow the yellow signs). Blood drive, 1-6 p.m., Coleman County Electric Co-op. Stroke/Aphasia Recovery Program support group, 1:30-2:30 p.m. West Texas Rehabilitation Center boardroom, 4601 Hartford St. 325-793-3535. Dystonia Support Group, 5:15-6:15 p.m., Not Without Us, 3301 N. First St. Suite 117. Take Off Pounds Sensibly (TOPS), 5:30 p.m., Brook Hollow Christian Church, 2310 S. Willis St. 325-232-7444. Legacies Al-Anon Family Group, 5:30-6:30 p.m., Open Door Building, 3157 Russell Ave. 325-280-7584. Family (of Mental Health Consumers) Support Group, 6-7 p.m., Mental Health Association in Abilene, 333 Orange St. 325-673-2300. MHAA Bipolar/Depression Peer Support Group, 6-8 p.m., Ministry of Counseling & Enrichment, 1502 N. First St. 325-673-2300. Free certified nurturing parent class (pregnancy to toddler), 6-8 p.m., Mission Church, North Third and Mockingbird streets. 325-672-9398. Methodist Children's Home Foster Parent Orientation, 6-8 p.m., 500 Chestnut, Suite 1621. 325-672-9398. Abilene Star Chorus, 6:15 p.m., Wisteria Place Chapel, 3202 S. Willis St. 325-829-1470. Abilene Chapter of American Association of Professional Coders, 6:30 p.m., in the board room next to the Tom Roberts Conference Center, second floor, Hendrick Medical Center, 1900 N. Pine St. Free AAPC CEU offered at every meeting. 325-435-9059. Women of Combat Veterans Group, 6:30 p.m., Anson Housing Authority building. Overeaters Anonymous, 6:30-7:30 p.m., Exodus Metropolitan Community Church, 1933 S. 27th St. Al-Anon Parents Group, 7 p.m., Hillcrest Church of Christ, 650 E. Ambler Ave. Use Church Street entrance. Al-Anon, 7 p.m., Doug Meinzer Activity Center, Knox City. 940-658-3926. Abilene Society of Model Railroaders, 7-8:30 p.m., 2043 N. Second St. Unity Group of Alcoholics Anonymous, 8 p.m., Episcopal Church of the Heavenly Rest, 602 Meander St. WEDNESDAY West Texas Fair & Rodeo The West Texas Fair & Rodeo will be open from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. at the Taylor County Expo Center. Admission will be free until 1 p.m. The midway will open at 5 p.m. Admission is $8 for adults; $4 for students and free for seniors age 60 or older. Food truck lunch A food truck lunch fundraiser will be 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Taylor County Sheriff's Office, 450 Pecan St. Proceeds will go to the American Heart Association. Art film As part of the 'This Is Modern Art' series, a screening of 'Julian Schnable: Art in Progress' will be presented at noon at the Center for Contemporary Arts, 220 Cypress St. Little League fundraiser A fundraiser for Southern Little League will be conducted from 5-8 p.m. at DoubleDave's Pizzaworks, 4001 John Knox Drive. Participants must pick up a flyer when ordering or complete the flyer presented at www.facebook.com/abilenesouthern. Square dance workshop TYE The Wagon Wheel Squares will conduct a square dancing workshop at 6:30 p.m. at the Wagon Wheel. Other ... Overeaters Anonymous, 8 a.m., Hinds Square Building, Room 112, 100 Chestnut St. Blood drive, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Blue Cross Blue Shield, 4002 Loop 322. Abilene Cactus Lions Club, 11:45 a.m., Cotton Patch Cafe, 3302 S. Clack St. Abilene Wednesday Rotary Club, noon, Abilene Country Club, 4039 S. Treadaway. $12 for lunch. Jo Ann Wilson, 325-677-6815. Kiwanis Club of Abilene, noon, Abilene Country Club, 4039 S. Treadaway Blvd. Clearly Speaking Toastmaster Club, noon, Westgate Church of Christ, 402 S. Pioneer Drive. 325-795-5570. Diabetes Support Group, 2-3 p.m., Stonewall County Library. Free swim class for people with multiple sclerosis, 5:30 p.m., YMCA, 3250 State St. Veterans Peer Support Group, 6 p.m., 765 Orange St. 325-670-4818. Mid-week Al-Anon Family Group, 6-7 p.m., Open Door Building, 3157 Russell Ave. 325-698-4995. Advanced Square Dancing, 6:30-8:30 p.m., Wagon Wheel. Al-Anon, 7 p.m., First United Methodist Church, 1501 N. Broadway, Ballinger. 817-689-2810 or 325-977-1007. DivorceCare support group, 7 p.m., Hillcrest Church of Christ, 650 E. Ambler Ave. 325-691-4200. THURSDAY West Texas Fair & Rodeo The West Texas Fair & Rodeo will be open from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. at the Taylor County Expo Center. Admission will be free until 1 p.m. The midway will open at 5 p.m. Admission is $8 for adults and $4 for students. Admission will be free in exchange for six empty Coca-Cola product cans. Book reading A reading of the children's book 'Little Beauty,' by Anthony Browne, will begin at 10 a.m. at The Grace Museum, 102 Cypress St. A limited number of copies of the book available for sale. To register, go to thegracemuseum.org. Mac class The MacUser Group will conduct a free Mac computer class at 1 p.m. at the Mockingbird Branch of the Abilene Public Library, 1326 N. Mockingbird Lane. Air Force appreciation A celebration of the Air Force's birthday will be held from 5-8 p.m. at The Grace Museum, 102 Cypress St. Art activities, cake and punch will be available, and the museum will kick off its new podcast for deployed personnel. The event will be free for active and former military and their families. College night A college night will be open from 6-8 p.m. at The Grace Museum, 102 Cypress St. Live music, food trucks and drink demonstrations by Monk's Coffee House will be available. Admission is free for college students. Square dance workshop TYE A-Team will conduct a square dancing workshop 6:30-8:30 p.m. at the Wagon Wheel. 'Story @ The Center' 'Story @ The Center,' a monthly event featuring artists sharing personal stories, will be 7-9 p.m. at the Center for Contemporary Arts. The theme will be 'Processing.' Admission is free, but donations will be accepted. Other ... Blood drive, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., TxDOT, 4250 N. Clack St. Chronic Pain and Depression Group, 11 a.m. to noon, Mental Health Association of Abilene, 333 Orange St., 325-673-2300. Abilene Founder Lions Club, 11:30 a.m., Al's Mesquite Grill, 4801 Buffalo Gap Road. Kiwanis Club of Greater Abilene, noon, Beehive Restaurant, 442 Cedar St. 325-695-0092. Retired Military Wives Club social meeting, 1 p.m., Rose Park Senior Activity Center, 2625 South Seventh St. 325-675-6175. 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. Round Dancing, 7 p.m., Wagon Wheel. 325-829-1517. 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. In a world in which we no longer flip-flop but 'evolve,' Phyllis Schlafly never did either. From her teased-and-sprayed updo to her gleeful guerrilla tactics, deploying IEDs with a smile and a box of brownies, she never saw any need to change. If constancy is what conservatism is all about, then the anti-feminist from Alton, Illinois, who Monday died at 92, personified it to the end. Yet for a woman critics saw as determined to be stuck in the past, she was also well ahead of her time obsessed with potty politics and who could use which bathroom back when nobody else thought this could ever be an issue. A pioneer of political direct mail and early supporter of both Barry Goldwater and Donald Trump, she was Ann Coulter with a cleaner mouth and more sensible shoes, but no less vinegar for her adversaries. She was also consistent in her inconsistencies a Radcliffe grad who railed against the elite, a public person who said mothers should stay at home, a lawyer and lobbyist of means who argued against the need for child care even though her own mother worked as a librarian and a teacher to support their family during the Depression. So who took care of Schlafly's six children, I wondered even as a kid myself, while she was in Springfield and Washington? The first of more than two dozen books, her 1964 anti-GOP establishment manifesto A Choice Not an Echo was required reading in my Southern Illinois home, and so was her monthly newsletter. It was so full of talk about 'perversions' I would never have thought of on my own that you couldn't have kept it away from me. Every year on my birthday since I was little, my Aunt Ginny had given me a fork, knife or spoon in my mother's silver pattern. This early action on cutlery was not as appreciated then as it is now (sorry, Gin), but it did make her gift on my 13th birthday even more memorable. Thanks to her, I'm confident that I was the only seventh-grader at St. Mary's School whose first subscription in her own name wasn't to Highlights or Seventeen but to The Phyllis Schlafly Report from which I learned about the temptations of the Trilateral Commission, the folly of doubting our involvement in Vietnam, and the sexual assaults in bathrooms and on battlefields that would surely follow passage of the Equal Rights Amendment, which she almost single-handedly defeated from her mansion in Alton. I also learned a lot about what one stubborn soul can accomplish through persistence and the willingness to be laughed at, and about the power of propaganda based on the half-truths she gave every indication of believing in full. In recent years in particular, Schlafly suffered the setbacks that come with staying on the national stage for seven decades. Accused of bias against her oldest son after he was outed as gay, she struggled to stay relevant to a generation of conservative women who see no contradiction in the term 'pro-life feminist.' But it was her endorsement of Trump that caused a split in her own organization, with several Eagle Forum board members including her own daughter strongly dissenting. In her full-throated support of the former Democrat, Schlafly damaged her legacy by falling for so plain a nonconservative the anti-Goldwater, who seems to hold no nonnegotiable belief other than in himself. Perhaps after backing a series of what Trump would delight in calling losers, from Steve Forbes to Michele Bachmann, Schlafly wanted to be reminded of what it felt like to support someone who might win the White House. But for an activist whose top issue was always fighting abortion rights, her final paradox had to be backing a contender who had clearly given the matter so little thought that he initially believed Republicans wanted to hear that women who have abortions should be punished. Even his conversion story that he became pro-life after a friend who considered abortion had the baby and that child grew up to be a 'superstar' undercuts the very basis of the pro-life movement: that all lives, including those of people the world very much does not see as superstars, are of an equal value not based on physical beauty, financial holdings or metrics of any kind. Unlike Trump, Phyllis Schlafly never quit or amended anything. For me, her final lesson is that we all have our contradictions, whether we recognize them or not. Melinda Henneberger is a longtime political writer and a visiting fellow at Catholic University of America's Institute for Policy Research & Catholic Studies. Across the USA, this has been a summer straight out of a James Taylor song: We've seen fire, and we've seen rain. And we've seen sunny days that we thought would never end. Wildfires out West. Record flooding in Greenbrier County, W.Va., in June, Ellicott City, Md., in July and Baton Rouge, La., in August. Endless sunshine in drought-stricken parts of Southern California. We've also seen plenty of record heat, both at home and abroad. In July, Earth's temperature, boosted by climate change and a fading El Nino, reached its highest point since instrumental record-keeping began 136 years ago. On Thursday, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reported that the U.S. recorded hotter nights in June, July and August than in any summer since record-keeping began in 1895. In the Arctic, summer ice has melted so much that the Crystal Serenity cruise ship is traversing the famed Northwest Passage on a 32-day trip from Seward, Alaska, to New York City. Melting ice sheets and expanding ocean waters are causing sea levels to rise, prompting more frequent 'clear sky flooding' in Miami, Norfolk and other East Coast cities. All of this provides further evidence, as if any were needed, that global warming is a here-and-now problem, not something to worry about in the distant future. No, no single extreme weather event can be conclusively attributed to human-induced climate change. But this summer's weather anomalies are entirely consistent with what scientists and computer models predict about a warming world. The science of heavy rain events is straightforward: Warmer atmospheres and ocean surfaces produce more evaporation and more water vapor in the atmosphere to fuel rainstorms. According to the National Climate Assessment, heavy rain events increased 71% in the northeast U.S. from 1958 to 2012. And, on Wednesday, a new federal report concluded that human-caused climate change played a 'measurable' role in last month's catastrophic flooding in Louisiana and increases the chances of such torrential downpours by at least 40%. For the future of the world, the most significant news over Labor Day weekend wasn't the latest on Hillary Clinton's emails or Donald Trump's visit to a black church. It was the agreement of President Obama and Chinese President Xi Jinping leaders of the two leading emitting nations to work together on December's Paris accord to reduce greenhouse gases. The initial round of Paris pledges won't be nearly enough to meet the target of keeping the planet well below 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit of warming. But the pledges, if kept, might be enough to head off the most cataclysmic scenarios. There's plenty of room for debate on the best ways to adapt to climate change, mitigate its effects and curtail greenhouse-gas emissions. After another long, hot, soggy summer, however, neither Trump nor any other candidate for public office should be allowed to get away with the argument that climate change is a 'hoax' or something not worth sweating over. USA TODAY's editorial opinions are decided by its Editorial Board, separate from the news staff. Fifteen years ago today. So long ago, in many ways. But still fresh as yesterday, considering the fragile world we live in. The terrorist attacks on America on Sept. 11, 2001, provide that rare and thankfully so 'Where were you?' recollection. Where were you when Pearl Harbor was attacked ... President Kennedy was shot in Dallas ... Challenger exploded within our view? That morning began normally enough, a school and workday, but it unfolded beyond belief into a day we thought never would end and one we promised ourselves never to forget. We were attacked. Not military strikes on military facilities, as it was Dec. 7, 1941. This was against we, the people. A well-planned attack that had riveted TV viewers asking, 'What next? Where next? Why today? Why us?' It's noted that in 2001, this year's high school freshmen most likely had not yet been born. The 9/11 attacks are history to them, not any sort of experience. They have grown up in a post-9/11 world. Our fears and precautions and focus, all those things that resulted from that day's attacks are how we live now. The world of Homeland Security, annoying but necessary airport security measures, and enemies defined not by borders but ideologies, however vicious. Even 'attack' was been redefined. It could be our food chain or water, electrical grid or through the internet. Have our enemies won? In part. They have changed our lives and diverted our attention. They have sown fear. The attacks were a worldwide wake-up call. Horrible violence in other countries was not new, but often faction against faction. In Ireland. In Africa. In the Middle East. But this was global, and if the United States now was under attack, who was safe? Yet, here we are. Four planes and two tall buildings fallen, but as a nation still standing. We rallied starting later in the day, Sept. 11, 2001. We didn't know what was next but we were determined to face it. Together. We united as families and through faith. We flew the flag atop the rubble in New York City and outside our homes and businesses, and attached to the windows of our vehicles. That spirit has waned over 15 years. The 'Never Forget' window and bumper stickers have faded and peeled. We are less unified a house divided, Abe Lincoln would say. The current presidential election has exposed a great divide. We've spent our energy fighting among ourselves, leaving too many black-and-blue bruises. Some doubt we're great anymore. Let's think back to United Flight 93, when the chances of a good outcome were slim, if any. Terrorists had taken control and the plane was heading in a different direction. A group of passengers, led by Todd Beamer, didn't just sit there; they reacted. The last words heard on a phone call Beamer placed were: 'Are you ready? OK. Let's roll.' 'Let's roll.' 'Give me Liberty, or give me Death.' 'Remember the Alamo.' 'Speak softly and carry a big stick.' These are among the most famous sayings in U.S. history, showing our moxie, our derring-do. Texans would add 'Come and take it.' We do not stand and watch. But what makes us so determined, so inspired? It's because we've also said: 'One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.' 'Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall.' 'Ask not what your country can do for you ask what you can do for your country.' 'I have a dream ...' This is why we rose up after 9/11. We turn again to President Lincoln, whose words Nov. 19, 1863, on another battlefield, resonate today: 'It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.' This is what 9/11 always will mean to us. Where the drama never stops Russian President Vladimir Putin says the world faces the most dangerous decade since World War II and predicted that the historical period of the West's "undivided dominance over world affairs" is coming to an end. Speaking on October 27 at a conference of international policy experts in Moscow, Putin said the decade ahead is "probably the most dangerous, unpredictable and, at the same time, important...since the end of World War II." Live Briefing: Russia's Invasion Of Ukraine RFE/RL's Live Briefing gives you all of the latest developments on Russia's ongoing invasion, Kyiv's counteroffensive, Western military aid, global reaction, Russian protests, and the plight of civilians. For all of RFE/RL's coverage of the war, click here. Putin laid the blame for the situation at the feet of Western countries, which he said have cast aside the norms of international affairs in order to maintain dominance and hold down countries they see as "second-class civilizations." The Russian leader also said he had no regrets about sending troops into Ukraine and sought to explain the conflict as part of the efforts by Western countries to secure their global domination. Putin claimed in his speech to the Valdai Discussion Club, a think tank, that the West had helped incite the conflict and also seeks to stoke a crisis over Taiwan in an attempt to enforce global dominance. Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine on February 24, triggering the biggest military conflict in Europe since World War II and driving relations with Western countries that back Ukraine and its drive to be part of the European Union and NATO to their lowest depths since the Cold War. Putin cast the conflict in Ukraine as a battle between the West and Russia for the fate of the second-largest Eastern Slav country. It is partly a "civil war," he said, as Russians and Ukrainians are one people. Kyiv has flatly rejected both of those ideas. The goal of what Russia refers to as a "special military operation" is to take the eastern Donbas region, Putin said, adding that in his view the region would "not have survived" on its own had Russia not intervened militarily in Ukraine. WATCH: A local official told Russian conscripts "You are not cannon fodder" in a video published online recently. The men responded by angrily shouting that, actually, that's exactly what they are. But the war has gone far beyond the Donbas region, with Russian attacks on civilian infrastructure, residential buildings, and other nonmilitary structures, killing tens of thousands of Ukrainians across the country. Putin used the speech largely to rail against the West, saying it has nothing to offer to the world "except its own domination," and the goal of globalization "is neocolonialism to dominate the world." He said Russia is only trying to defend its right to exist in the face these Western efforts. Putin also asserted that more and more nations refuse to follow Washington's demands and Russia will never accept the West's attempts to dominate the world. Citing gay pride parades and the acceptance of transgender people in Western countries, Putin also defended "traditional values" and said "nobody can dictate to our people how to develop and what society we should build." He also said Russia has never considered the West an enemy and has many things in common with it but will continue to oppose the diktat of Western neoliberal elites. U.S. National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said Putin's speech presented no new ideas. "We don't believe that Mr. Putin's strategic goals have changed here. He doesn't want Ukraine to exist as a sovereign, independent nation state," Kirby said. Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak said Putin's speech can be described as "for Freud," referring to psychoanalysis founder Sigmund Freud. "The person who invaded a foreign country, annexed its land, and committed genocide accuses others of violating international law and the sovereignty of other countries? One truth: The person who started a wind will get a storm. The storm is coming," he said on Twitter. Answering questions from journalists after his speech, Putin reiterated the Kremlin's assertion that Ukraine plans to use a so-called dirty bomb on its own territory. The claim has been dismissed as false by Ukraine and its allies, who say Russia may have raised the matter because it plans to use such a bomb in Ukraine as a pretext for escalation. "It was me who ordered [Defense Minister Sergei] Shoigu to inform by phone all his colleagues about it," Putin said, adding that Russia does not need to use dirty bombs in Ukraine. Putin also said he supported plans by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to visit Ukraine's nuclear power plants for inspections. "It must be done as soon and as openly as possible because we know that Kyiv authorities are now working to cover up such [dirty-bomb attack] preparations," Putin said, without giving any exact information proving the claim. Ukraine invited IAEA inspectors to visit its nuclear facilities after the Kremlin made its unsubstantiated claim about the preparation of a dirty bomb -- which would use the explosion of a conventional warhead to spread radioactive material or chemicals over a wide area. Ukraine said it would welcome inspections because it had "nothing to hide." According to Putin, Russia has never talked about the use of nuclear weapons in the war with Ukraine despite his own promise to defend Russian territory with any means at our disposal" and saying his words were "not a bluff." "We see no need for [using nuclear weapons in Ukraine]," Putin told reporters. "There is no sense for that, neither political, nor military." In this abominable video of animal cruelty the man spins a wailing dog by its hind legs and throws it against the wall. By India Today Web Desk: There's seems to be no end to this monstrosity, after the Chennai incident where medical student mercilessly threw a pup off a roof, another disgusting instance of animal cruelty has surfaced. This time the video comes from Chandigarh. In the disturbing video, the man mercilessly picks up the dog with its hind legs, spins it around while it squeals and whimpers in fear and then throws it on a wall. advertisement As the terrified pup runs away, the youth along with two other friends is seen laughing uncontrollably. According to TOI , after the video went viral, an animal welfare group lodged a complaint to take a strict action against the miscreants. WARNING: DISTURBING VIDEO --- ENDS --- Five prominent Azerbaijani human rights activists have appealed to Council of Europe Secretary-General Thorbjorn Jagland to ask the councils Venice Commission of legal experts to assess the controversial amendments to the Azerbaijani Constitution that are to be put to a nationwide referendum on September 26. Opposition parties have criticized the proposed changes as undemocratic and aimed at securing the rule in perpetuity of the family of incumbent President Ilham Aliyev. Specifically, the changes would extend the presidential term from five to seven years and empower the incumbent president to appoint a first vice president and a vice president, and to dissolve parliament. They would also abolish the minimum age requirement (35) for potential presidential candidates and lower that for election to parliament from 25 to 18. Aliyevs son Heydar is currently 19. The five human rights activists are Intigam Aliyev, Rasul Jafarov, Anar Mamedli, and Leyla Yunus, all of whom have been jailed on apparently fabricated criminal charges in retaliation for their civic engagement and subsequently pardoned or released, and Institute for Reporters Freedom and Safety head Emin Guseynov, who was forced to leave the country in 2015 and stripped of his Azerbaijani citizenship. In their appeal to Jagland, they argue that some of the proposed amendments contravene such fundamental principles of the Council of Europe as democracy, human rights, and the supremacy of the law. Adopting these amendments, they continue, would serve only to destroy the balance between the various branches of power and strengthen an undemocratic system in which power is concentrated in the hands of the president. The five also draw attention to the Azerbaijani authorities failure to inform the population of the rationale for or probable consequences of the amendments. The current regimes intolerance of criticism and the continuing restrictions on the media and on freedom of expression and assembly...render impossible a balanced evaluation of the proposed amendments and acquainting voters with them prior to holding the referendum, they wrote. Whether the council will accede to the activists request is questionable, however. The Azerbaijani news agency Turan quotes an unnamed Venice Commission representative as explaining that the commission may only deliver such an assessment if asked to do so by the national authorities. Opposition parties, too, have deplored the authorities approach to ensuring passage of the amendments. They point out that they were not made available for broad public discussion before President Aliyev submitted them to the Constitutional Court, which approved them at a session that lasted just two hours. In a September 5 statement, the opposition Musavat party noted that the authorities have made no effort to inform the public about the proposed changes, which Musavat predicts will lead to a monarchical form of government. The Classic Azerbaijan Popular Front has called for a boycott of the referendum. Meanwhile, Azerbaijans Central Election Commission has denied registration to an initiative group formed by Musavat that intended to campaign against the amendments. The rationale cited for that refusal was that more than 3,500 of the 41,000-plus signatures the party collected in support of registering the group were invalid. A similar group formed by the movement Republican Alternative (Re Al) announced on August 23 the suspension of its lobbying against the proposed amendments in light of the arrest of the groups leader, Natiq Cafarli, and two of its activists. Police also confiscated 100,000 Re Al campaign flyers. The Central Election Commission has, however, registered no fewer than three analogous pro-government groups that will lobby in support of the amendments. It has also recruited 37,429 volunteers to observe the voting on September 26 and a further 846 to monitor the commissions work on that day. The scope for critical media coverage of the implications of the proposed constitutional changes and the referendum campaign has been further narrowed by the suspension as of September 6 of publication of the independent newspaper Azadlyq because of its debts to the state publishing house resulting from the withholding of some $42,000 by the state agency responsible for the distribution and sale of the paper. Founded in 1989, Azadlyq is close to the opposition Azerbaijan Popular Front Party. Azadlyq first deputy chief editor Rahim Gaciyev said the Azerbaijani leadership is adamant in its attempt to force the closure of one of the last surviving independent media outlets. The independent TV station ANS TV had its license revoked in July for allegedly expressing support for U.S.-based Turkish cleric Fethullah Gulen at the time of the failed coup against Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan that Ankara has blamed on Gulen. Azerbaijani authorities have released an opposition activist from jail, just weeks after his detention prompted international criticism in Europe, North America, and elsewhere. Colleagues of Natig Jafarli, of the Republican Alternative Movement, said he was released from a Baku jail on September 9. The head of the Republican movement, Ilqar Mammadov, remains in prison. Jafarli was arrested on August 12, charged with illegal entrepreneurship and other charges that prosecutors said stemmed from a grant the Republican movement received from the U.S.-based nongovernmental organization, the National Democratic Institute. The move comes ahead of a September 26 referendum scheduled in the tightly control South Caucasus country that will strengthen the authority of President Ilham Aliyev and likely prolong his rule. The United States said it welcomed Jafarli's release and called for the release of Mammadov and others it considers to be political prisoners. Gunmen have killed a doctor who was a senior member of Pakistans polio eradication campaign. Zakaullah Khan was shot dead by gunmen on a motorbike near his house late on September 10. He was a member of Peshawar's polio vaccination campaign near Pakistan's restive tribal belt. Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, a Taliban splinter group, claimed responsibility for the attack. The group's spokesman, Ehsanullah Ehsan, vowed to carry out more attacks, in a statement sent to AFP. Militants say the polio vaccination campaign is a cover for Western spies or a conspiracy to sterilize Pakistani children. Pakistan hopes to be removed from the list of polio-endemic countries by 2018 by achieving its goal of no new cases for a year. Pakistan and Afghanistan are the only two countries where the disease is still endemic. Based on reporting by AFP and RFE/RLs Radio Mashaal With relations between Belgrade and Zagreb already at a new low, Serbia last week arrested a wartime officer in a rebel Serb army in Croatia on espionage charges. On September 5, 57-year-old Cedo Colovic reportedly accepted a plea bargain of a three-year prison term in exchange for his confession to spying for Croatia. The daily Informer, which has close links to the government in Belgrade, described the suspected Croatian spy in the following terms: "Cedo Colovic (57), retired major of the Army of the (self-proclaimed) Republic of Serb Krajina, has for years been selling confidential army and intelligence information to Croatia. Colovic, a Serb from Drnis (in Croatia), was arrested on Friday, September 2, in an attempt to flee to Croatia. Based on information supplied by him, Croatia has issued indictments for nine Serbs accused of war crimes'(!) Zagreb, meanwhile, says it received no official confirmation of the arrest of Colovic, who is a dual Serbian and Croatian citizen. Croatia is in the midst of an election campaign that culminates in voting on September 11. So Social Democratic Party leader and former Prime Minister Zoran Milanovic took the time to pour cold water on this bizarre affair. He quipped that if there was any secret worth stealing in Serbia, it might be the recipe for the famous spiced Balkan burger known as pljeskavica. Croatian Foreign Minister Miro Kovac said on September 4 that despite attempts to establish a line of communication with the Serbian side, Zagreb has yet to receive any official notice of the arrest of the alleged spy, adding that he is very much in the dark about the case. "As much as I try to engage my brain, I cannot fathom what this is all about. This is all very amateurish. It's clearly all for show. It's not working, and it doesn't lead anywhere, Kovac told N1. The Croatian portal net.hr has suggested that Covic might be a double agent, working for both the Serbian and the Croatian sides, but also asserted that he was not employed by either country's security agencies. The same source offered a reminder that there is an ongoing leadership struggle within the Serbian Information Agency (BIA), making it plausible that someone is hoping to boost their chances of emerging on top by arresting a "Croatian spy" at a particularly sensitive time in Serbian-Croatian relations. However, Croatian analysts agree that relations between the two countries are currently in such a poor state that this "spying affair is unlikely to make things worse. Not long before the incident, EU member Croatia did its best to block Serbia's accession talks. Zagreb insists that Serbia must renounce its role as the "regional policeman and has called for curbs on Serbia's practice of issuing arrest warrants at its own discretion for those suspected of war crimes on any of the territories of the former Yugoslavia. In any case, according to the Veljko Dzakula, president of the (Croatian) Serb Democratic Forum, if Colovic was indeed guilty of passing secret information on war crimes, then he was right to do so. "If he was exposing those who committed war crimes, then I think he was performing a public service, as we are all obliged to do what we can to ensure that those guilty of war crimes are brought to justice. I don't consider this espionage. There should be nothing to hide, Dzakula told RFE/RL. For those accustomed to watching the slow movement of Uzbekistans government over the years, this month has already been a shock. On September 1, the country marked 25 years of independence. The next day, the government announced that the only president the country has ever known, Islam Karimov, was dead. Karimov was buried on September 3, a three-day mourning period ended September 5, and the next day Russian President Vladimir Putin flew in to pay his respects. Putin met with Karimovs presumed successor, Shavkat Mirziyaev, who on September 8 was made acting president at a joint session of Uzbekistans parliament -- even though the constitution says presidential responsibilities go to the Senate chairman in the event of the presidents death. The chairman, Nigmatulla Yuldashev, requested that parliament hand over those responsibilities to Mirziyaev. Parliament approved, naturally, and then called on the Central Election Commission to prepare for a presidential election within three months. It is scheduled for December 4. On the day Putin arrived in Samarkand to visit Karimovs grave and meet with Mirziyaev, RFE/RL convened the Majlis podcast to discuss Uzbekistans power transition. During the discussion, Mirziyaev was already the odds-on favorite for the presidency, so the panelists comments hold up, even with Mirziyaevs appointment as acting president. Moderating the discussion was RFE/RL Media Relations Manager Muhammad Tahir. From St. Louis, Sarah Kendzior, author of many articles about Central Asia, including the annual report on Uzbekistan in Freedom House's Nations In Transit, joined the talk. From the United States, but usually based in Central Asia, Steve Swerdlow of Human Rights Watch (HRW) also took part. The head of RFE/RLs Uzbek Service, known locally as Ozodlik, Alisher Sidik, participated. And some of you might have noticed Ive been writing some things about Uzbekistan, so I had something to say also. Sidik started by reviewing how Uzbek authorities knew early on that Karimov was essentially brain dead after he had his stroke on August 27 but was kept on life support until after Independence Day. Sidik said that publicly, in the days after Karimovs death, there seemed to be strong and positive sentiment among some people in Uzbekistan for their deceased leader. Sidik said Karimov opposed the idea of being [the subject of] a cult of personality when he was alive. After hes dead, theres no longer anything to stop people to turn him into this cult. Not everyone might feel that way about Karimov, but it should be admitted that there are many in Uzbekistan who are saddened by the death of their leader for the last 27 years (counting two years as head of the Soviet republic of Uzbekistan). Despite having no experience at a transfer of presidential power, the small group of Uzbek officials who have been making the decisions since Karimovs death have maintained an image of business as usual in Uzbekistan. Kendzior said there are no visible signs of a power vacuum. From the beginning, theyve been trying to make the appearance of a smooth transition of power, she said. Swerdlow said his organization has received information about document searches being conducted by authorities in Tashkent and that even elite families have not been left untouched by random searches. Swerdlow said that on the part of the officials now making decisions in Uzbekistan, there is still a lot of paranoia, a lot of questions about who could present problems for the regime. The panel reviewed some of the key players who are now in charge of Uzbekistan and speculated as to how some of them might act in the coming months until and shortly after the presidential election. There was agreement that solidarity among the elites now running the country was likely to last for a while but that eventually a time would come when there would be attempts to remove some of the people in government who have been close to Karimov for many years. Kendzior pointed out it was still unclear how the people would react to Mirziyaev as president. She noted that Karimov, as first president, had -- for some Uzbeks -- an air of legitimacy that no future president will be able to claim. How does that transfer onto another person. How does another person have that same sense of authority or legitimacy, and will others challenge him? Kendzior said. Swerdlow recalled that when he was working in Uzbekistan, before authorities evicted HRW, he met with people who had encountered Mirziyaev. We know from farmers that Mirziyaev was basically an enforcer in terms of making sure cotton quotas are met across the country and that each region is delivering the cotton quota thats required of it, Swerdlow said, adding, Hes known for his fiery temper. Hes known for being a very tough personality and obviously thats not a good precedent. However, Sidik pointed out that while Karimov remained at the presidential palace, Mirziyaev had to go out, visit the various regions of Uzbekistan, meet with local leaders, and see for himself what was getting done and what wasnt. So Mirziyaev should have a better idea of the current situation in the country than Karimov did in his last years in office. The Majlis also talked about what changes might be made in Uzbekistans foreign policy. Russia, in particular, was discussed as the Russian government has many connections to Uzbekistan that are not immediately apparent. Sidik said he thought Mirziyaev will be good for Russia. Swerdlow expressed the hope that Western nations involved in the security operations in Afghanistan would press Uzbekistan a bit harder now that the foreign presence in Afghanistan is winding down. Uzbekistan, which borders Afghanistan, has been a Western ally during this campaign. Karimovs government insisted that, in return for its cooperation, Western nations should check their criticism of Uzbekistans internal policies. This discussion focused more closely on these issues and ranged into other areas that will provide key challenges for the second president of Uzbekistan and his government. Sidik even provided an update on the whereabouts of Karimovs elder daughter, Gulnara, who has been under house arrest and unseen in public for some two years now. Listen to or download the Majlis podcast above or subscribe to Majlis on iTunes. * PermaKat Eleonora Rosati received the 2022 Adepi Award * PermaKat Eleonora Rosati listed as one of the World Intellectual Property Review's "Influential Women in IP" of 2020. * PermaKat Eleonora Rosati listed as one of the Managing Intellectual Property magazine's "Fifty Most Influential People" of 2018. * IPKat founder and Blogmeister Emeritus Jeremy Phillips listed as one of the Managing Intellectual Property magazine's "Fifty Most Influential People" of 2005, 2011, 2013, and 2014. * Recommended by the European Patent Office as reading material for candidates for the European Qualifying Examinations, 2013. * Listed as "Top Legal Blog" in The Times Online, March 2011. 2010 ABA Journal 100. * One of the only two non-US blogs listed in the Blawg100. * Court Reporter Top Copyright Blog award winner, November 2010. * Number 1 in the 2010 Top Copyright Blog list compiled by the Copyright Litigation Blog, July 2010. * Selected by the United States Library of Congress for inclusion in its historic collections of Internet materials related to Legal Blawgs as of 2010. * Top Patent Blog poll 2009: 3rd out of 50 in the "Favourite Patent Blog" poll and 2nd out of 50 in the "Most-read" poll. Blog of the Year, 20 August 2008. * ComputerWeekly IT Law and Governance, 20 August 2008. Crystal Grubbs insists she never set out to be a small screen quail hunting queen. Thanks to a recent visit from a nationally televised hunting show, however, that seems to be exactly whats happened. Grubbs, who works with her husband Gary as a hunting guide at Goochlands Rasawek Upland Game Preserve, said she was thrilled when she learned that Bob Redfern, host of the television series Bob Redferns Outdoor Magazine, would be taping an episode of the show on the property. But if the TV star and his cameraman had any designs on Grubbs posing and preening for the camera, they were out of luck. Im not a movie star, nor do I want to be, laughed Grubbs, who has been working as a guide in the largely male-dominated world of quail hunting for the last 25 years. I said I was just going to go out there and be myself, no make-up, no special outfitjust go with it. As it turned out, that strategy seemed to go over just fine with Redfern, who happily pointed out at the beginning of the taping that having a husband and wife team of hunting guides was a first in the shows 15-year run. The thing thats so rewarding is that you get to do this together, here at this beautiful place, he said, surveying the preserves hundreds of acres of managed pine plantations and meadows, the perfect landscape for bird hunting. Rasawek offers hunting from Oct.1 through March 31. The preserves owner, Don Parks, who didnt log any time in front of the camera but did follow behind the group, said having Redfern visit was a great experience for all of them. Crystal and Gary were in the limelight and they did great, he said, as I knew they would. To Grubbs, the newfound attention shes received thanks to her appearance on the show has been something of a surprise and a source of amusement. Just the other week, she said, she was recognized for the first time by a man who asked if she was the famous huntress from the television show. Grubbs just had to laugh and admit to it. The Richmond Association of Realtors, which bills itself as the largest trade organization in the region, announced today it has endorsed former Venture Richmond Director Jack Berry in the citys mayoral race. Leaders of the organization said they are backing Berry over his seven opponents because he brings experience working in local government and, in the organizations view, is best equipped to address City Halls problems. As we looked at the candidates, we focused on who has the background and experience to make an immediate impact on the internal challenges within City Hall, said Laura Lafayette, the organizations chief executive officer. Now I want to be clear, Ive worked with a lot of people in City Hall and there are some extraordinary and talented hard-working folks, but theres clearly and they would admit this too some challenges that need to be addressed. And if you look at Jacks background ... he is most prepared to provide that leadership. The Realtors endorsement, which came via the organizations political action committee, is accompanied by a significant donation, and other support, Lafayette said. She declined to be more specific. The group endorsed former City Councilman Bill Pantele during the 2008 election and, according to campaign finance data compiled by the Virginia Public Access Project, donated $10,000 to his campaign. (Pantele lost the election to Mayor Dwight C. Jones.) The Realtors Association, a group that represents 4,300 area real estate agents, is among a handful of large organizations that have historically weighed in on the citys electoral options. Last week the Richmond City Democratic Committee voted to endorse former Secretary of the Commonwealth Levar Stoney. Other groups that will likely weigh in are the Richmond Crusade for Voters and, possibly, one or more groups of area faith leaders. Political commentator Bob Holsworth said that while the endorsement of the city Democratic committee is probably the most valuable in a presidential election year, a nod from the Realtors reinforces the perspective that Jack Berry is a very serious candidate. More than either endorsement will help Stoney or Berry, Holsworth said, they will hurt his opponents by further reinforcing the sense that there are three tiers of candidates in the race. According to one of the prisoners affiliates: Last night Mehdi was transferred to cell 8 against his will and Hossein was kept in cell 7 of Evin prison. Following this act, the two brothers went on hunger strike and requested to be kept in the same cell. The two brothers Mehdi and Hossein Rajabian, musician and filmmaker, were each sentenced to six years of disciplinary imprisonment followed by a fine for insulting and advertising against Islamic value by regimes judg. Later, in a revised court session, their sentence was reduced to 3 years of disciplinary imprisonment, 3 years of suspended sentence and a payment of 20 million in Iranian Tomans ($6,647) in fine. According to a reliable source, during the investigation period, the two were put under pressure to participate in a TV confession and also threatened to life imprisonment sentence if they did not comply with the request. On Friday June 24, United Nations special reporters requested the release of all imprisoned musicians and filmmakers in Iran. United Nations Human Rights reported: Karima Bennoune, United Nations special rapporteur on cultural rights, and David Kaye, special reporter on freedom of speech, requested the release of Mehdi Rajabian and Yousef Emadi (musicians) and Hossein Rajabian (filmmaker) who were sentenced and fined heavily on June 20. United Nations rapporteurs concluded: Arresting and sentencing these people is completely unacceptable and against the law of United Nations Human Rights. The arrested must be released immediately and all charges must be dropped. Steve Lambert was a state police sergeant waiting to testify in a Caroline County criminal case when news of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks began to circulate. Anxious and distressed, he drove back to a local state police field office where he could tune in the news during a lunch break in the trial. A number of state troopers headed to the Pentagon that day to assist with the unfolding tragedy, while Lambert, then a 37-year-old road trooper, stayed in Caroline to patrol and protect. I was thinking to myself, This changes everything, Lambert said of the attacks impact on law enforcement. And from that day on, and in my career, a lot of things have changed for me. The only thing that I did not realize on that day was how dramatically it would change. *** In a matter of a few years, Lambert would become commander of Virginia State Polices criminal intelligence division and oversee the states premier counterterrorism operation, the Virginia Fusion Center, housed at state police headquarters on Midlothian Turnpike. The collection, analysis and dissemination of information that could be vital in thwarting a future terrorist attack is among the most significant changes that have reshaped the way Virginia law enforcement agencies now operate in the 15 years since 9/11. Enhanced training for police, the community and the private sector have been other significant developments. What weve tried to do is raise the IQ of our police officers in that realm, said Richmond police Capt. John OKleasky, commander of the departments special operations unit, which includes Homeland Security. We train all our personnel on how to investigate drug crimes, gang crimes, robberies all of the traditional criminal activity. But since 9/11, weve injected one more layer into the policing package, and that would be in matters related to homeland security or terrorism. As with Lambert, the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks made a lasting impression on OKleasky and changed the mindset of law enforcement by redefining how officers do their jobs. When the planes hit the towers, I was in the University of Richmond library, OKleasky recalled. And I guess for me personally, it seemed like it was sort of (the start) of a new day. It was a very ominous feeling and one that felt like at least from the law enforcement level that we were going to be faced with a threat that we maybe werent familiar with. This was going to be a new challenge in the law enforcement spectrum. OKleasky also recalled the fear the attacks spawned in the community in the immediate aftermath. They didnt know what to do, he said. I think in some cases, local law enforcement didnt know what to do. It was a strange feeling. Along with an increased emphasis on gathering and sharing of intelligence, Richmond police applied the positive attributes of the departments community policing program to boost homeland security for the city. Building strong relationships with the community and working collaboratively to problem-solve our traditional crimes we use that same template for counterterrorism and for homeland security to identify individuals ... who may pose a threat to our citizenry, OKleasky said. Police also have increased the level of education and training not only for police officers but for the private sector and the community at large. The goal, he said, is to get the most eyes and ears out there to just basically trip up on something that may lead us in the right direction to mitigate a terrorist attack or some kind of mass-casualty event. On the law enforcement side, police throughout central Virginia participate in events such as the Richmond FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force conference held this summer at the University of Richmond. In addition, representatives of the National Counterterrorism Center, based in McLean, traveled to Richmond to conduct a daylong seminar at the Richmond Police Academy. There are also new public safety strategies for major events such as last years UCI Road World Championships cycling event that are totally different than how we did it 15 years ago, OKleasky said. *** Local police agencies point to the Virginia Fusion Center as one of the most game-changing new law enforcement tools to emerge after 9/11. The No. 1 change (since 9/11) is intelligence-gathering and sharing, said Capt. Gerald Netherland, who heads homeland security and emergency preparedness for Chesterfield County police. Our communication has grown and been enhanced by things like the fusion centers. All of that intelligence is coming in and being put together. The pieces are all coming from various police departments and various federal agencies, so now it becomes a much clearer picture and can be shared so much easier. Richmond police integrate the Virginia Fusion Center into all facets of their duties, including traditional crime fighting and major events and protests, OKleasky said. If theres large-scale protest or demonstration were aware of, for instance, generally the fusion center is on board with us from the beginning, he said. At the recent Fight for $15 national conference and rally that brought thousands of workers from across the country to Richmond, city police worked with the fusion center to provide officers with hourly situational reports and updates on the size of the crowd. The center was used in similar fashion during the UCI Worlds. The fusion center, one of 78 now in the U.S., opened in 2005 as an intelligence network that made the sharing of critical information the rule, not the exception, in criminal investigations and major events such as terrorist attacks. The center operates on a $5.3 million annual budget $900,000 of which is federally funded. The number of information requests to the fusion center from law enforcement, the military, regulatory agencies and private entities such as Dominion Power has grown steadily over the years from 2,715 in 2013 to 3,765 last year. Federal law enforcement agencies made 45 percent of those requests, followed by 18 percent by Virginia police agencies and 14 percent by Virginia State Police. In addition, the fusion center receives for further investigation or review an average of 30 to 50 suspicious activity reports each month. Precise annual figures are not publicly available for operational and security reasons. Those reports are generated through whats known as Fusion Liaison Officer Program. The fusion center advises participants in government and the private sector exactly what were interested in, exactly how to report it, and exactly what you can expect from us in return, Lambert said. In addition to calling, anyone can report suspicious behavior through the fusion centers See Something, Send Something smart phone app or terrorism hotline. Lambert noted that it was a fusion liaison officer who first notified analysts at the center about recent online threat to Virginia Tech and several other universities. We know that the threat came from outside the country or a spoofed IP address, Lambert said. We wanted to put that out and tell folks (that) we know this is going on that were very much aware of it and we believe this to be a low threat and were not concerned for the safety of the schools right now. This is just a tangible example of what we do. A driver was killed Saturday after his car ran off the road in King George County and caught fire. Glen S. Davis, 67, of King George was traveling east on Round Hill Road (state Route 269) near Ridge Road (state Route 205) about 3:30 p.m. when his 1998 Nissan Maxima ran off the road to the left, Virginia State Police said. The car then hit several trees before catching fire. Growing up in Richmonds North Side, Mike Bannon often was called to the neighborhood pool to pull his younger brother, Steve, out of a fight. Corralling Steve Bannon, the middle child of five from a competitive Irish Catholic family, wasnt easy. We can take them, Steve Bannon told his brother after one scuffle. Yeah, we can, Mike Bannon remembers answering. But theres eight of em. Some 50 years later, when Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump enlisted Steve Bannon, now 62, for the fight against Democratic rival Hillary Clinton, the former Ginter Park scrapper didnt hold back, despite similarly long odds. To beat the Clintons, down 15, would be the greatest challenge any guy would ever have, said Mike Bannon, who still lives in Richmond and works in finance. He thinks he has a great candidate. He has the one guy who has the name recognition of the Clintons. Steve Bannons family members say he stepped away from his role as chairman of the combative, pro-Trump conservative website Breitbart News not for money or power. Instead, they said, he wanted to help a candidate who, like him, relishes taking on both parties establishments. Just as importantly, he couldnt pass on a shot at beating a Clinton political machine he sees as corrupt. Though outside observers can only guess at Bannons exact influence on the campaign, several pointed to tightening polls and a sharper focus as signs that, whatever Bannon is doing, its having an impact. His involvement has drawn condemnation from Democrats, who have portrayed him as the sinister face of the so-called alt-right movement and the racist, misogynistic rhetoric that emanates from it. In a speech last month, Clinton called Bannon out by name and said he was part of a fringe element that has effectively taken over the Republican Party. The brighter spotlight also has revealed some unflattering details, including decades-old domestic violence charges in California that later were dropped when Bannons ex-wife didnt appear in court. Over the course of a two-hour interview in a back room at OTooles, an Irish pub on Richmonds South Side, Bannons relatives took exception to that portrayal. They said it doesnt match the man they know and argued hes come under attack because opponents see him as a threat. They said Bannon mingled with peers of all backgrounds growing up in Richmond and that the Bannon boys were taught to give up their seats on the bus between Benedictine High School and Ginter Park to women of all colors. Bannons father, Martin J. Bannon Jr., said he was particularly bothered by a Clinton ad that juxtaposed images of his son with footage of KKK members and news stories suggesting his son holds anti-Semitic views. Weve got Jewish people in the family, Martin Bannon said. Theyve got the wrong guy for that. Todays politics is the politics of destruction, Mike Bannon said. And when he got Trump over the target, he was going to take flak. Bannons father still lives in the same house in which he grew up on the North Side, not far from the home of Democratic vice presidential nominee Tim Kaine. That proximity led one local observer to suggest a new nickname for the presidential contest: The Battle of Ginter Park. Its pretty neat that we got this big country and weve got two local boys who are on different sides, said Jeff OFlaherty, a local banker who grew up with the Bannons. *** The son of a telephone company lineman who worked his way into management, Steve Bannon climbed from his middle-class Richmond roots to a career as a naval officer, an investment banker with Goldman Sachs, a Hollywood filmmaker and, most recently, a conservative media mogul. Bannon, a 1972 graduate of all-boys Benedictine High School, got an early taste of politics at Virginia Tech, where he served as president of the Student Government Association while studying environmental and urban systems. In the mid-1990s, he was brought in to help manage Biosphere 2, an enclosed research ecosystem in the Arizona desert. His impressive resume includes graduate degrees from Georgetown University and Harvard Business School, but some of his first learning experiences came in Ginter Park, where he delivered The Richmond News Leader and mowed lawns. Though he was born in Norfolk, Bannons family moved to Richmond when he was young. In interviews, he has called himself a son of Richmond and said his tea party-infused documentary films are imbued with the conservative populist values I was raised on in Richmond. Bannon has not done media interviews since he joined the Trump campaign, and he declined to be interviewed for this story. As Catholics, the Bannon household revered President John F. Kennedy, a Democrat. The family took up a whole row at St. Pauls Catholic Church, where Steve Bannon was an altar boy. Recitation of the Baltimore catechism was a regular after-school activity. Bannon has remained active with Benedictine. He served on the board of trustees as the school was facing financial difficulty and pondering a move from the citys Museum District to a rural abbey in Goochland County. He and other alumni opposed the relocation and argued that the schools urban character and history were worth preserving. Bannon splits time among both coasts and several states, but he returns to Richmond regularly to visit his father. Bobbe Scruggs, a local Republican activist and friend of the Bannon family, said she was happy as hell to see him join the Trump campaign. He is a product of his environment now, Im sure. Because its totally different than Ginter Park. But I cant say enough nice things about him and his family. You dont get far from your roots even though you go as high in this world as you can go, she said. *** In an Aug. 17 news release announcing the hires of Bannon and pollster Kellyanne Conway, a move that came amid mounting scrutiny of former Trump adviser Paul Manaforts ties to pro-Russian forces in Ukraine, the Trump campaign said Bannon would be filling a new position designed to bolster the businesslike approach of Mr. Trumps campaign. In interviews since the announcement, Virginia conservatives who have worked with Bannon predicted he would help to focus Trumps message. Rep. Dave Brat, R-7th, who received favorable coverage from Breitbart during his successful 2014 bid to topple House Majority Leader Eric Cantor in a primary, said Bannon long has been attuned to Republican concerns about illegal immigration and cronyism in Washington. Trumps speeches after the changeover, Brat said, have been phenomenal. I dont know whos responsible for those speeches. But theres a new introduction of compassion, Brat said. That combination looks like its producing a whole new path. And if he stays on that path, I think itll be a dead heat within a few weeks. Brats campaign paid more than $25,000 to a consulting firm founded by Richmond native John Pudner, a Breitbart contributor who helped to launch the websites sports section. The site also helped to elevate the 2013 candidacy of E.W. Jackson, then the Republican nominee for lieutenant governor in Virginia, according to Larry Nordvig, a former Richmond-area tea party leader who has worked with Bannon. Jackson lost by a wide margin to Democrat Ralph S. Northam, but Jackson continued to draw attention from Breitbart despite his outsider status in Virginia politics. In February, the site highlighted a video from Jackson under the headline: Bishop Urges Blacks To Oppose Anti-Christian Democrat Party. Nordvig said he expected Bannon to nudge Donald Trump to deliver a conservative message in a palatable way. Dont underestimate Steve Bannon, Nordvig said. Hes a sharp guy and he knows what hes doing, and it will be interesting to see what plays out. Even as Republicans talk of the Trump campaigns newfound discipline, the Clinton campaign has held up Bannon as evidence of Trumps coziness with the fringes of conservatism. In an Aug. 25 speech in Reno, Nev., Clinton gave the crowd what she called a flavor of Bannons work by ticking off Breitbart headlines, including Birth Control Makes Women Unattractive and Crazy, Gabby Giffords: The Gun Control Movements Human Shield, and Hoist It High And Proud: The Confederate Flag Proclaims A Glorious Heritage. That one came shortly after the Charleston massacre, when Democrats and Republicans alike were doing everything they could to heal racial divides that Breitbart and Bannon tried to inflame, Clinton said. Just imagine Donald Trump reading that and thinking: This is what I need more of in my campaign. *** Mike Bannon said that when his brother thinks hes right, he fights. Steve Bannons approach to the political battleground, Mike Bannon said, is not nuanced. This is a conflict versus good and evil, Mike Bannon said. This is black and white for him. Pat McSweeney, a lawyer, former state GOP chairman and a Bannon family friend, said Bannon is willing to do whatever it takes to succeed, even if it means breaking with tradition, disregarding the self-defeating impulses of the Republican establishment, and making people mad. It goes back to the quality Steve has shown ever since he was a boy, McSweeney said. There are two kinds of animals: muskrats and raccoons. Editors note: This is the third of a four-part series based on August Wallmeyers forthcoming book The Extremes of Virginia, examining Southwest, Southside and the Eastern Shore and the differences in those regions compared to the commonwealth as a whole. Go to Richmond.com to read the first two installments, Rural poverty hides in a rich state and Poor health and drug addiction plague rural Virginia. If it were its own state in educational attainment (the rural areas) would be dead last in the nation. And the other Virginia the Golden Crescent would be No. 2. That statement, from Glenn DuBois, chancellor of Virginias community colleges, describes an area covering three-fourths of the states geography and the more than 2.25 million people who live there. The area sweeps from the Eastern Shore through Southside, to Southwest and then up the Shenandoah Valley an area DuBois refers to as the Rural Horseshoe, which closely matches the territory of the Extremes. Half a million people here lack a high school education and overall graduation rates lag far behind Virginia as a whole. The lower graduation rates are not due to lack of money. DuBois says: Its all the other stuff, all the doubt, all the cycle of under-educational achievement generation after generation. Eighty percent would get a full ride on federal Title IV Pell money. Undergraduates who are eligible (based on financial need, tuition, and other factors) can receive nearly $6,000 per year toward the cost of education. But most of the federal and state financial aid programs about 98 percent DuBois says help only students who are pursuing traditional college degrees, not post-secondary trade certificates. We would like to change the rules, and are working with Congress to open up our workforce pathways for financial aid, he says. The widespread, generational reluctance of some to seek higher education in the Extremes stems, former state Sen. Roscoe Reynolds believes, from decisions made a very long time ago. Rural Virginia in the early 1900s had very many low-skilled factory jobs available, working at companies leaving the Northeast corridor and coming south, where land and labor were cheaper. Working at any of the textile mills or furniture factories, locals found it easy to earn a living by working hard at low skilled jobs. Then, Reynolds, says, education was not the important thing it has become today. Even as recently as 35 or 40 years ago, he says, locals thought, Why get a high school diploma, when you can go to work in a factory and end up making more money without a degree? The fallacy of that mindset became all too clear later, when those same manufacturers that had relocated from the Northeast found even cheaper land and labor offshore, picked up their businesses, jobs, and paychecks and left. *** Not all the factories and jobs moved offshore, though. Some employers, seeking workers with more refined skills and technical training, found better prospects closer to home. Jobs needing more skilled workers didnt just move to Mexico. They moved to South Carolina! says Virginias former secretary of commerce and trade, Maurice Jones. Thats just the way the business cycle works, and the lesson should be we need diversification and most especially we need the strongest workforce around, because the jobs will come to the workforce. Virginia is now expanding its efforts to educate its workforce and to grant trade credentials, which are earned after high school. Courses typically last three months or so, and train machinists, technicians, pharmacy techs, welders, nurses aides, cyber-security analysts, truck drivers, electricians, heating and cooling installers and repairers, plumbers, and others what DuBois calls the middle occupations. Governments, state and federal, arent new to the concept of better training citizens to be productive, tax-paying members of the workforce. Virginia spends more than $350 million yearly in workforce training and development, reaching more than 1 million people across the state, according to Jones. The plethora of programs is astounding. There are 24 different programs, eight or nine state agencies, four different secretariats involved in Virginia. So, is there bureaucracy? Absolutely! If the world were mine or yours, we wouldnt structure it this way, Jones says. There is a lot of improvement that can be made. Del. Danny Marshall of Danville, in the heart of Southside where the labor participation rate is more than 10 percentage points lower than statewide calls the multitude of workforce development programs the bureaucracy of all bureaucracies. He remembers another legislator asking a state agency how many clients were successful in obtaining jobs. We dont track that, was the response. DuBois and the community college system aim to improve the skills and productivity of Virginias workforce and attract industries and create new jobs with a jobs-training effort that has three main goals: to cut the number of high school dropouts in half, to double the number of post-secondary trade credentials earned and awarded, and to double participants in a program for foster youth. Notice DuBois emphasis on post-secondary credentials, not two-year community college associate degrees or four-year bachelors degrees. Glenn DuBois says something startling, coming from the chancellor of a college system: Weve oversold the bachelors degree. *** Much more emphasis needs to be placed on what DuBois calls the 1-2-7 opportunities. To create jobs and attract new industries, states must offer the types of trained workers needed by businesses. DuBois says that for every company hiring a person with an advanced degree, such as a specialized engineer (a 1 in his parlance), two others with undergraduate degrees are needed for support disciplines such as human resources, procurement, general business office work, etc., (the 2s). And the 1s and 2s must be supported by the middle occupations, (the 7s), those truck drivers, machinists, plumbers, heating, ventilation and air conditioning technicians and more. Potential employers know this 1-2-7 rule very well, and the lack of the 7s, the middle trades, keeps many industries from locating businesses and jobs in the Extremes areas. When businesses invest in a new area, DuBois says, they need to see the pipeline that will produce the 7s, and thats what theyre not seeing. The 7s have become the major infrastructure in business recruitment. The legislature and the Governor have set aside $20 million in the 2016-17 budget to allow community colleges to greatly expand programs to train high school and college grads in the middle-occupation 7s. These trade certification programs will grow statewide, especially in Northern Virginia, where the need is greatest, and will be structured to produce the needed skilled workers. The legislature also created a permanent funding formula in state law, which will give community college presidents a continuing and permanent financial incentive to scale up programs to produce the middle occupations. And it created a student grant program that will pay two-thirds of the cost for a student to gain a trade credential, if he or she successfully completes the course and is awarded a certification. This is thought to be the first program of its kind in the nation. DuBois believes the program has great potential, especially for unemployed coal miners in Southwest Virginia. He acknowledges that instead of making a typical miners wage of $80,000 per year, in five years with the proper credentials, many former coal miners and others could be making about $60,000 and would gain an entirely new career path, one actually in demand in todays modern economy. I think well be a Plan B for a lot of people, DuBois says. DuBois predicts newly credentialed workers will find multiple employment opportunities in four main areas: logistics, information technology, advanced manufacturing and healthcare. *** Economic development and GO Virginia While the governors office and state agencies proclaim the successes of their job-creation efforts in the media nearly every day, issuing news releases announcing both large and small jobs gains, those news releases dont typically mention the festering unemployment scattered throughout the Extremes. Disregard the official, published seasonally adjusted unemployment rates publicized by state and federal governments. Those reports ignore those who have stopped looking for employment, who have given up, or moved away in search of better opportunities. Focus, instead, on those who actually have jobs, who are working, earning and productive. Those numbers reveal another view of the Extremes. So while state government publicizes its successes in attracting new jobs and industry to Virginia and claims credit for nearly every position filled, the business community quietly and effectively took action to do more, designing and advocating for its own legislative package to encourage and train the unemployed or under-employed to learn the skills businesses need to create new jobs and opportunities. Businesses and industry created and sold to the governor and legislature a collection of proposals called GO Virginia, yet another economic development package designed to grow jobs and industry. GO Virginia, though, is different in that it is to be largely overseen and directed by local and regional business leaders with significant private-sector business experience. They, joined by seven legislators and three cabinet secretaries, will decide how to spend the $ 35.5 million dollars included in the state budget for GO Virginia. While its purposes may be laudable, its nearly impossible to understand specifically what GO Virginia might seek to accomplish. The enabling legislation contains a number of hazy, undefined objectives, such as to facilitate regional collaboration, and to incentivize and encourage cooperation on regional strategic economic development and workforce development efforts. Activities to be eligible for grants of state funds include high-impact collaborative projects that promote new job creation, entrepreneurship and new capital investment; leverage nonstate resources foster research ... and commercialization activities encourage cooperation (and) promote other economic or workforce development activities. When asked for specific examples of how the $35.5 million in state funds might be used, a principal lobbyist for GO Virginia responded that the vague language is there for a reason to allow the regions to identify their competitive challenges and their own prescriptions for solving those. As the enabling legislation neared final approval, Gov. Terry McAuliffe, who initially said he was all in for GO Virginia, decided he wasnt satisfied with how members of the regional citizen boards would be appointed. He proposed, and the legislature accepted, changes that give the governor authority to make more board appointments. And the General Assembly also at the last minute amended the legislation so that any grants of state money can only be made if the legislature gets its say, by voting a second time in the future to approve disbursements. This arrangement requiring political approval before monetary grants are made matches exactly a major criticism some have for the Tobacco Commission: that decisions are made by politicians seeking advantages for their local districts, rather than according to a carefully considered, long-term, statewide strategic plan with broader goals in mind. *** Next Sunday in part four: Final thoughts and recommendations. Dear Editor-In-Chief of the Samoa Observer, In the Name of Allah (God), the Most Gracious the Ever Merciful; Over the past few months there was a great deal of discussion with regards the Call to ban Islam in Samoa. Worldwide there is an increase in the threat people feel the religion of Islam poses to their security and peace. Unfortunately, this is augmented by the actions of a small minority of so-called Muslims supposedly acting in the name of Islam. As a representative of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, I can assure you that the true teachings of Islam are teachings of peace, love, acceptance and understanding. Islam teaches loyalty at all levels of society. Just as some miscreants have throughout history attempted to defame the beautiful teachings of Christianity, likewise is the case with the minority of miscreants causing worldwide disturbance in the name of our religion. I understand the fear posed by these violent extremists who are out there to achieve their political and egotistic motives. Therefore, being an Imam and Missionary of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community currently serving in New Zealand and also being a regular visitor to Samoa; I felt it necessary to reassure you that the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community Worldwide strongly condemns any and all form of extremism. This reassurance is based on the teachings of our religious scripture, the Holy Quran and the true teachings of Islam. Therefore, with this letter you will find enclosed my gift to you, a copy of the book World Crisis and the Pathway to Peace. This book contains a series of Keynote addresses and letters which the Worldwide Spiritual Head of the *Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, the Caliph (Khalifa), delivered regarding the true Islamic teachings and the key to peace whilst also highlighting the impending danger of a world catastrophe if efforts are not made to establish peace. The Caliph, Mirza Masroor Ahmad, is a world renowned figure who has spoken at Capitol Hill in the US, Houses of Parliament in London, European Parliament in Brussels, the Parliament in Wellington and many other distinguished places housing eminent scholars and dignitaries. Christianity is the largest religion in the world followed closely by Islam. If we let the gaps in the bridges of understanding widen, then what hope do our future generations have in enjoying a peaceful world? I hope that you accept this gift from your Muslim brother. Our community worldwide, under the guidance of our spiritual leader, will continue to pray and strive for world peace. May God Almighty shower you with His countless blessings. Warm regards, When a family lives in a small hut where crawling is required to get in and with less surface area than an average dining table, its hard to say for certain that there is no poverty in Samoa. Thats exactly how Soo Papaaulila from the village of Manono, Lepuiai and her family are living. Aged 42, the famils house occupies a small patch of swamp land with her husband and her four children. I only have four children and they are very young girls, Soo said. My family lives off of the sea and we have no one employed and no one we can contact overseas for assistance. We have families overseas but they dont help and we remain poor. Soo is struggling to make ends meet with a small stall selling food and coconut oil while her husband is out catching fish. The reason we started selling these bottles of oil is because when my husband gets sick then we have something to fall back on, she said. We also sell little plates of food like chicken stir fry to help look after the family. Earning just enough to get by each day, Soo and her family also have to deal with obligations. The hardships we face is that there are too many things that use up the money, she said. We have village and church obligations, schooling costs for the children and basic needs for the family. The money we make from the fish and our stall is just not enough. Another hardship faced by the family is the judgment; Soo says that everyone tends to look down on them just because they dont have much. The family was even forced to take apart some tin from the house to make the stall just so they can earn some money. But no matter how far down they fall, Soo prioritizes the future of her children. My children are all in school, she said. No matter how poor we are, I prioritize my childrens schooling. I want them to grow up and have a better life than we have now. They know how tough life is right now so they can change it for themselves after they graduate from school. According to Soo, her family and a lot of poor people are neglected by the government. Right now the government isnt providing any assistance to my family, she said. My family is providing for ourselves.It would be nice if they paid more attention on families who really need their help. Right now, even though we have nothing we are still trying. All in all, the struggling mother believes that Samoa does have poverty and her family is an example of that. I believe there is poverty in Samoa and to make things worse, the cost of living is very expensive, she said. There are people with so much but its hard to find those who will show a little bit of love or those who will help people who are desparately in need of help like us. Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi and his Fijian counterpart, Frank Bainimarama are at loggerheads once more. This time, the difference of opinions is over Mr. Bainimarama reiterating a call for New Zealand and Australia to be kicked out of the Pacific Islands Forum, saying "they are not Pacific Islanders". Mr. Bainimarama has again boycotted the Forum, as Pacific leaders arrive in the Federated States of Micronesia for the annual gathering. Fiji was suspended from the Forum after the military coup of 2006 and now its Prime Minister shuns it and wants Fiji in the regional driver's seat. While bilateral relations improve, Mr. Bainimarama's regional view hasn't changed. "In fact if it was up to me we would remove Australia and New Zealand from the forum," he said. "I don't think they should be in the forum. They are not Pacific Islanders." But that's unlikely to happen. Prime Minister, Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi, called Mr. Bainimarama's stand radical and unfriendly. "When he goes out, long after that New Zealand and also Australia and the Pacific Forum will continue to function," Tuilaepa said. He told ONE News that he could understand why Mr. Bainimarama would not show up. "How can he maintain a straight face and talk normally to two Prime Ministers when he has already made this kind of radical and unfriendly statements?" Tuilaepa said. He went on to say that New Zealand and Australia were founding members long before Mr. Bainimarama was ever a prime minister, and will continue to be long after he is not. Mr. Bainimarama is sending his foreign minister Ratu Inoke Kubuabola in his place and Tuilaepa said he will do a great job. He knows this as he has met him often in the region. In fact, he said, "Many times I tend to forget that the Minister of Foreign Affairs is not the Prime Minister [of Fiji]." Mr. Bainimarama's no-show was expected, according to New Zealand Prime Minister Toosavili John Key as he touched down for the forum. "We had expected for some time that Frank Bainimarama wouldn't turn up. They were the indications we got when we were in Suva," Toosavili said. "But as I said to Frank when we were over there, New Zealand isn't going anywhere when it comes to the Pacific Forum. Fiji is working to reconfigure the Pacific; building ties with non-traditional partners like China and Russia. An elder of the village of Vaiusu has expressed concerns about the governments plan to relocate the main wharf to their village. Speaking to the Sunday Samoan, Ulugia Aukuso Simo said although the government has repeatedly aired their plans in the media, they have not had an official discussion about how the plan would impact on the village. They have also not asked for permission. As of today, Ulugia said the village is still waiting for the government for a consultation. In anything, people have to meet before they can go ahead with a plan, he said. Our village is still waiting for a government representative to tell us about their plan. They should come and meet with us because we are not the ones making plans to build a wharf, its them." We have heard news about the government plans but like I said we have not met with the government at all. Asked for a comment, the Member of Parliament for Faleata West and Associate Minister, Lealailepule Rimoni Aiafi, rejected the claim. Lealailepule, who is in New Zealand, said the village of Vaiusu does not object to the wharf. Ive discussed this with Ulugia Aukuso and other village high chiefs on several occasions, he said. They are very supportive but as in any government plan, the village and community need to be part of the process and planning as they will be the people directly affected." During my first speech at this Parliamentary term, I specifically urged Papalii Niko Lee Hang, the Minister responsible for the wharf to ensure that some of the village high chiefs are included and are part of the consultative process team." They will be the ones selling the idea to the community and engaging the support and understanding of the villages so that the project runs smoothly and in a timely manner with as little hiccups as possible. In 2012 when the government bought the Pacific Forum Line, Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi revealed plans to relocate the wharf from Matautu to Vaiusu. At the time, Tuilaepa suggested it was time to plan port development to account for growing port demand of the future. He said Matautu was too small with no room to expand. Asked about his views on the reason given by government for a proposed international wharf, Ulugia said that is the view of the government. But the 70-year-old matai said the village values their lagoon and oceans. Its our resources, it belongs to us, he said. A drive through the villages of Vailoa and Vaiusu would find that a lot of families sell fish and different kind of shell fish on the side of the road. Ulugia pointed out the fish comes from their ocean side and the village intends to protect its lagoon and reef. We want to protect our lagoons. We are also thinking about the future of our children and those that have left us, he said. A lot of our villagers depend on seafood sales to help their families. Its important we protect it. We have to think not only about today but tomorrow on what will happen to our children and our reef. Our land is also our God given right and we value it." If the government does plan to relocate us all in order for them to go ahead with their plans. I dont think those plans mean anything more than (our lands) to us. Ulugia said he does not know when the government plans to meet with the villagers. But he assured nothing would go ahead without their consent. They cannot just go ahead with anything without meeting with us, he said. They dont need to fly up in the air to get to us. The road is right there and they can access it. More than two hundred families occupy the seaside of Vaiusu going to Vaigaga. According to Ulugia, he believes the governments planned wharf will start from in front of the Vailoa Catholic church going towards Vaiusu and behind Vaigaga. The Prime Minister constantly refers to the plan. Recently, he spoke about a report done some 50 years ago by overseas engineers who identified Vaiusu Bay as the ideal location for port development. He said the project might take up to ten years to build and if Apia is to become the future international shipping hub of the Pacific region, such forward thinking needs to be adopted. Matautu wharf is already heavily congested, he said. Looking ahead we need a port that can accommodate fifty to a hundred ships at once. When one journey ends, another begins. Thats precisely the case for the newly crowned Miss Samoa, Priscilla Olano, who tells the Sunday Samoan she is ready to embark on her new journey as the Face of Samoa for the next 12 months. Ms. Olano was crowned at Tuanaimato on Friday night, overcoming seven other contestants in the Miss Samoa Pageant. Yesterday, Ms. Olano stood at the Samoa Tourism Authority Compound delivering one of many more speeches she will give during the next year. Im honoured to have won the title Miss Samoa, she said. And I give all the glory to God for He made this happen for me. She also thanked everyone who supported her during the past two weeks before the pageant. It wasnt easy; there were a lot of expectations and it was very challenging but I am where I am now because of your love and support. Finally, Ms. Olano said the most important thing she got out of the pageant was the fellowship she developed with the other contestants. It has been fantastic getting to know the girls, and spend time with them. Maria Olano, Priscillas mom was speechless, when she was asked for a comment. I am happy for Priscilla, she told Sunday Samoan. No words can describe how we (parents) feel about this great achievement. But we have God to thank for this. This is all His work. He deserves all the glory and praise because we believe that He made this happen for Priscilla. Priscilla is the eldest daughter of Paratiso and Maria Olanos seven children. She practically raised her younger siblings and was like a mother to them. The proud mom said that contesting the Miss Samoa Pageant was something they never thought Priscilla would do. But we saw this as a platform to empower our youth and to make a difference. This is an opportunity for her to share what God has instilled in her and to shine so that people will be able to see God through her, because He started this good work in her. Her mother is well aware that this new journey is not going to be easy, but she believes that nothing is impossible with God. I know this title comes with a lot of roles, responsibilities, challenges but it also comes with a lot of blessings. But I know that if Priscilla let God be in charge of everything, her faith will help her throughout her journey. The $5.7million market at Vaitele once described as a gold mine by the government is on the verge of being closed. The Minister of Public Enterprises, Lautafi Fio Purcell, told the Sunday Samoan that if the market remains empty and fails to attract vendors, the government might just have shut it and consider other options. If it does, the structure will add to the growing list of white elephant projects which have cost the country millions. Back in 2011, the Minister of Finance, then Faumuina Tiatia Liuga, cut the ribbon to officially open the facility. The colour of the ribbon gold best describes this new market. This will be a goldmine for this country, he said then. Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi hailed the project at the time. The market will serve this side of the capital and Upolu. It should also immediately result in the easing of traffic through Fugalei (market), easing of the pressures and demands on the main market there and the over-crowdedness weve become all too familiar with through the years, he said. Its not just farmers who will take advantage of this new facility, those who want to go into small business enterprise will too. But the governments prediction has been anything but. Apart from a pool table section, the market remains largely empty seven days a week. Now the Minister responsible is saying if all else fails there is no other option but to close it. We are trying to encourage people to come in but they have other options (space to sell) to get fast sales, Lautafi said. The Ministry responsible is trying its best to encourage people but as I said there are also plenty of other markets in villages and in front of family houses that is convenient to sellers." The Minister said it is unfortunate that the Vaitele market is out of the way. If after all the efforts (fail) then the other option is to close down and sellers can go fill up the other markets. If such an option is considered Lautafi said there are other options of turning the produce space into a community hall for people to hire and use. Its just the location (of the market) its strategically out of the way, he explained." Its good that the top floor is used (by S.L.C. office) and all the shops have tenants. Sadly, the Samoa Land Corporation not having enough sellers at the market are not the only people affected by empty market. Even the less than ten produce vendors at the market are struggling to sell their goods because of the inconveniency of the location and lack of customers. Salapo Tavita Brown is one of those vendors. Ever since we started (selling produce at market) I have never seen it crowded, said Mr. Brown in a recent interview. Sometimes when we bring in fruits and vegetables they end up rotten before we can sell them. NEW YORK (AP) The U.S. marked the 15th anniversary of 9/11 with the solemn roll call of the dead Sunday but couldn't keep the presidential campaign from intruding on what is traditionally a politics-free moment of remembrance. About 90 minutes into the ground zero ceremony, Hillary Clinton left after feeling "overheated," her campaign said. A doctor for the 68-year-old Democrat said Sunday she had previously been diagnosed with pneumonia. Hours after video surfaced of her stumbling into a van, Clinton said she was "feeling great," but the doctor advised her to rest. Donald Trump has repeatedly questioned whether Clinton is physically fit to be president. Asked about the incident, the Republican nominee said only: "I don't know anything about it." Trump left the ceremony after Clinton. The episode cast a political shadow over an event that has tried to keep the focus on remembrance by inviting politicians but barring them from speaking. The two candidates had followed the custom of suspending all TV ads for the day. The politics of the moment weren't entirely absent from the ceremony, where some victims' relatives pleaded for the nation to look past its differences, expressed hopes for peace or called on the next commander-in-chief to ensure the country's safety. Joseph Quinn, who lost his brother, Jimmy, appealed to Americans to regain the sense of unity that welled up after the terror attacks. "I know, in our current political environment, it may feel we're divided. Don't believe it," said Quinn, who added that he served in the military in Iraq after Sept. 11. "Engage with your community. ... Be the connection we all desperately need." Nearly 3,000 people died when terrorists slammed hijacked planes into the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, on Sept. 11, 2001. Organizers estimated 8,000 people gathered Sunday at the lower Manhattan spot where the twin towers once stood. They listened to the nearly four-hour recitation of the names of those killed. "It doesn't get easier. The grief never goes away. You don't move forward it always stays with you," Tom Acquaviva, who lost his son, Paul. For Dorothy Esposito, the passage of 15 years feels "like 15 seconds." Her son, Frankie, was killed. About 1,000 people gathered for a name-reading observance in Shanksville. At a Pentagon ceremony, President Barack Obama praised military members and others who have helped the U.S. fight terrorism, urged Americans not to let their enemies divide them and called the country's diversity one of its greatest strengths. "We stay true to the spirit of this day by defending not only our country, but also our ideals," he told hundreds of service members, survivors and victims' relatives. In New York, some victims' relatives said their loss had inspired them to help others. Jerry D'Amadeo said he worked this summer with children at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, where 26 children and adults were massacred in 2012. "Sometimes the bad things in our lives put us on a path to where we should be," said D'Amadeo, who was 10 when he lost his father, Vincent. James Johnson was at ground zero for the first time since he last worked on the rescue and recovery efforts in early 2002, when he was a New York police officer. The 9/11 museum and memorial plaza, three skyscrapers and an architecturally audacious transit hub have been built on land that was a disaster zone when he last saw it. "I've got mixed emotions, but I'm still kind of numb," said Johnson, now a police chief in Forest City, Pennsylvania. "I think everyone needs closure, and this is my time to have closure." Cathy Cava, on the other hand, has attended all 15 anniversary ceremonies since she lost her sister, Grace Susca Galante. "I believe most of her spirit, or at least some of her spirit, is here," Cava said. "I have to think that way." The best site I know for information about Rhone wines is DrinkRhone.com by John Livingstone-Learmonth, who has written several of my long-time favorite books on both the Northern and Southern Rhone. Use of the site requires paying a fee of about $25 a year, but I get my money's worth many times over. https://drinkrhone.com/My go-to source for information on Piedmont wines is Kerin O'Keefe, author of the excellent book, Barolo and Barbaresco: The King and Queen of Italian Wine. Kerin also critiques Italian wines for Wine Enthusiast. I find Wine Enthusiast reviews for nearly all wine areas to be particularly reliable. Google winemag for WE reviews.Chris Kissack, an English physician, has a good grasp of French wines, particuarly those from the Loire Valley and Bordeaux. His wine site also requires a fee. : http://www.thewinedoctor.com/ Jacqueline Friedrich's book on Wines and Foods of the Loire Valley is a favorite of mine. She also runs an interesting, albeit a bit unusual, wine site: Why I Blog If you read this blog fairly regularly, you've probably figured out that it's mainly a diary of the wines I drink every night with dinner. You're invited to share them vicariously with me, if you wish. Artisan Wine on a Budget is admittedly an act of self indulgence. My wines and my views about those wines are ultimately not all that important to anyone but me. The act of writing helps me understand and appreciate the wines on a different level, and I enjoy that. I should make it clear that I am not ranking nor recommending these wines. They are not necessarily the best wines nor the best values. They are simply the wines I enjoy for the reasons that I state. Although I have been tasting and enjoying wines for about 30 years, that doesn't qualify me for any special expertise or critical judgment. In fact, it may have locked me into certain biases that you have probably already discovered. The product of my self indulgence, however, is an ever-growing collection of tasting notes, which I trust will be useful. As a wine lover, I spend a good part of my life searching for tasting notes on wines--those I haven't tasted and those I have. I want to compare notes with others who enjoy wine. When I agree with the taster, whoever it may be, I gloat; when I disagree, I move on to find someone who has tastes closer to my own. Welcome, Neighbor! Thank you for sharing my journey with me. It's a bumpy ride, but hopefully you'll find it worthwhile! To reach out to me, send me an e-mail at jamesbradfordpate@yahoo.com. September 10th is the first officially holiday of September to celebrate the Battle of St. Georges Caye in 1798. The Spanish, invading from Mexico, tried AGAIN to expel the British Baymen and their slaves from Belize. The small Baymen crew was victorious. And along with Independence Day on September 21st (some 183 years later) it makes September a full month of red white and blue celebration. Yesterday, San Pedro started the day with the coronation of our new Miss San Pedro 2016-2017 and a uniform parade with school children and various organizations. It was a beautiful SCORCHER (just like today) and by 9am (the official meet-up time) it had to feel like 95+ in the sun. (Accuweather has todays temperature predicted as a high of 88 real feel 109). Lets get to the ceremonies. The stage was set for the national anthem, a prayer, opening statements by the Mayor and our Area Representative, a performance by ERNESTINE CARBALLO (LOVE HER!) and the crowning of the new Miss San Pedro. The high school kids arriving at the field. Kids outside getting ice. Did I mention it was HOT? And the Belize Water Services group lining up. And now the entrance of our pageant ladies. Here is the outgoing queen (in her cape) and the new Miss San Pedro. And the procession in with the town council. Up onto the stage where the cape, the sceptre and the crown were passed to the new beauty ambassador. Then it was time for Ernestine to performto get the wilting kids hyped up. She was so goodthree songs ending with Loose a song you are going to hear again and again this Carnival season. Its good. On to the parade! ACES School and their queen. ABC Pre-school. Elvis Kitchen celebrating their 40th anniversary. SO many high school kids. And Miss San Pedro High School. Lots of music, lots of cuteness, lots of HEAT. Hope you all had a good holiday. Nowon to the next one! Ebolas challenges hold lessons for other health emergencies. Elizabeth Smout examines what worked, and what didnt. The ongoing Ebola outbreak in West Africa has devastated Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone. It is the largest epidemic of the disease ever recorded (see Figures 1 and 2). The economic impact is huge, accounting for as much as US$25.2 billion in lost GDP (gross domestic product) in 2014-15, according to the World Bank. [1] The number of deaths is an obvious measure of the human cost, but it doesnt tell the whole story. The virus is transmitted through behaviours that represent the best of human nature caring for the sick, showing reverence for the dead, showing affection and this epidemic has torn through the social fabric of entire communities. The isolation and treatment of people infected, or suspected of being infected, with the Ebola virus has been at the forefront of efforts to tackle this epidemic of a serious and unfamiliar disease (see Box 1). Though medically and scientifically appropriate, this strategy has had to grapple with social, cultural and political dynamics. A critical look at the complications and experiences from the perspective of communications and social science holds lessons for future public health responses to infectious disease outbreaks. Box 1. Ebola facts and timeline The disease Ebola is a viral haemorrhagic fever caused by filoviruses. There are five known species of Ebola virus. Infection from animals People can become infected after close contact with infected animals such as fruit bats, apes and monkeys. Human transmission The disease can spread from person to person through direct contact with infected blood and bodily fluids or those who have recently died of the infection. Myths There is no evidence that Ebola can spread through the air, water, food or mosquitos. Becoming infectious Signs of Ebola may appear as early as two days after exposure or as late as 21 days. Symptoms Symptoms include fever, headache, joint and muscle pain, sore throat and muscle weakness. As the disease progresses the patient develops diarrhoea, vomiting, a rash, stomach pain and damage to the kidney and liver. In advanced stages, there is internal bleeding as well as bleeding from the nose, eyes, ears and mouth. Fatalities At least 50% of those infected die of Ebola. There is no cure or licensed vaccine. Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [2] Historical vulnerabilities Understanding how the Ebola epidemic took hold in West Africa requires some knowledge of the regions history. Decades of civil war have destroyed healthcare systems and general infrastructure across Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone. People generally depend on non-evidence-based alternative treatments for disease. Self-medication or using traditional healers is common across the region because patients cannot rely on government-run facilities having enough staff, stocks or equipment. During the epidemic, people often turned to informal healthcare providers for another reason: widespread beliefs that hospitals and healthcare facilities particularly those run by international organisations were the source of Ebola infection. The legacies of both colonial rule and post-colonial conflict have affected communication between local people and those responding to the crisis. Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone have experienced years of oppression and inequality, and international and national exploitation of the regions riches. This has led many citizens to be suspicious of government motives and to dismiss public health messages in favour of their own interpretations of the Ebola outbreaks origins. [5] The resulting distrust complicated delivery of official public health messages. [6] Rumours and misinformation around Ebola became heavily politicised in Sierra Leone, for example. When the first cases emerged in Kailahun, a district in the heartland of the main opposition party, they prompted rumours that the countrys ruling party had set up death squads to take whole communities to treatment centres in order to administer a lethal injection and reduce the oppositions support. Similarly, in Liberia, people accused President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf of deliberately poisoning citizens and of exaggerating the scale of the epidemic in order to receive international donor money. [7] Poor infrastructure also undermines communication: even the most seemingly appropriate communications strategy cannot succeed if there are no roads or transport networks to move patients to a clinic for treatment, or if a weak telecommunications network means public health messages do not reach across the country. By contrast, population movement is fluid in West Africa. Population mobility here has been estimated at seven times higher than in the rest of the world. [8] The constant flow includes traders, families and people seeking health care closer to their ancestral homes. Movement across borders and within countries is virtually impossible to control; this brings more people within reach of the virus and takes the virus to new populations. If misunderstood, issues such as these can also influence the international communitys perception. During this outbreak, local attitudes towards Ebola have often been generalised to an entire district or country, or stereotyped as relating to beliefs around witchcraft or traditional healing which are seen as obstacles to achieving medical control of the outbreak. [9] These experiences show clearly that communication cuts across many issues beyond the scientific validity of public health measures, with real impacts on emergency responses. Without an effective communication strategy to mobilise or marshal communities, local people may not seek treatment when an infection is suspected. Without effective communication between organisations working on the ground, resources will not be directed to where they are most needed. And unless governments share information, cross-border management of an outbreak will suffer. Communication is a vital ingredient For epidemic control to be successful, interventions must amount to an adequate solution. If they are too few, or not timely, or are inappropriate, the response will fail. A briefing paper by the medical aid charity Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) which was first on the scene in West Africa and at the forefront of efforts to tackle the epidemic describes the response to Ebola as falling dangerously short, with inadequate staffing and a severe shortage of facilities, particularly in rural areas. [10] Experience with this and other health emergencies also shows that communication is often a crucial influence on whether or not a particular intervention will work. A study conducted in the United Kingdom during the flu pandemic of 2009 found that the uptake of protective behaviours against the virus, such as buying hand sanitisers, was clearly correlated with increased media coverage and advertising related to swine flu. [11] In the United States, a poll by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, conducted within ten days of the first swine flu report in the country, found that most US citizens were aware of the basic facts around the disease and how to prevent it. This was largely credited to open and frank communications about the epidemic. [12] A wealth of evidence has also shown the fundamental role that communication has played in tackling HIV/AIDS it influences knowledge, attitudes, risky behaviours and decisions to seek care and adhere to treatment. [13] During the Ebola outbreak in West Africa, a senior member of the MSF response team in Guinea said that the charitys heavy focus on the need for more treatment beds came at the expense of paying enough attention to delivering public health messages and education for communities. [14] The result was resistance towards Ebola response teams (see Box 2). This reflection, by the organisation that has arguably been the greatest contributor to the response, puts the role of communications during health crises into the spotlight once again. Box 2. Resistance to Ebola responses in West Africa Guinea has seen much resistance to official efforts to tell people about Ebola and to trace contacts of infected individuals. In September 2014, eight local officials, healthcare workers and journalists attempting to raise awareness of the disease were killed by a group of angry residents in the village of Womey. [15] A recent report details how Red Cross teams have faced an average of ten attacks a month in Guinea since the Ebola outbreak began, including teams conducting safe burials being stoned. [16] West Point, the largest slum area of Monrovia, Liberia, has also shown intense resistance. An attack on a quarantine centre in August 2014 led to infectious patients, medical equipment and mattresses being removed from the facility. The government put the slum into lockdown. Violence followed as residents protested at a lack of food and because bodies were not being collected. A 15-year-old boy was shot dead by the police during this episode. [17] Building relationships In general, organisations involved in responding to Ebola did not prioritise building relationships with affected communities from the outset. They did not develop a detailed understanding of peoples perceptions and experiences, and this led to resentment. Information sharing works best as a dialogue facilitated by trained local people acting as social mobilisers because people known to the community are more able to engage others in conversation and be trusted with their concerns. Its also important to have dialogue between countries, and between local and national governments. Concerns over resources to tackle the epidemic or local patterns of Ebolas spread need to be discussed with the national government; and, conversely, guidelines and developments on issues such as hazard pay (compensation for work under dangerous conditions) or quarantine measures need to filter down to the local level. At the national level, coordination helps to align communication and containment strategies the flow of people across borders in the region makes this crucial. In January, MSF raised concerns about the lack of information sharing between countries. [18] There are now signs of improvement. A memorandum of understanding has been signed between Kambia district, Sierra Leone, and neighbouring Forecariah prefecture, Guinea; it outlines an agreement for shared discussions, community awareness efforts and resources to tackle the epidemic. As with high-level talks, practical strategies can be aligned through discussions between neighbouring district response teams across borders. All the numerous partners involved in the response (See figure 3) need effective communication. Their sheer number and their different mandates makes coordinating communications activities extremely complex. This is typical of health crises: mounting an emergency response generally requires a wealth of expertise in a variety of fields, from medical care to data management to logistics. But the scale of the West African challenge has been unprecedented. With so few existing structures in place in affected countries, the response has had to virtually start from scratch. It has been a case of everyone getting to the front line. The intense global interest in this outbreak has also translated into a much greater demand for information than most health crises (see Box 3 for a summary of sources). At present, materials produced to help NGOs and other organisations inform communities about Ebola have to be approved by the relevant ministry in each country and partners with technical or scientific expertise such as UNICEF (the UN Childrens Fund). This minimises the risk of spreading false information and rumours. Communication tools Various communication tools, both traditional and innovative, have been used to fight Ebola. Newspapers, radio and television have all been broadcasting almost constant Ebola-related messages and discussions both locally and nationally in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone. Radio is particularly important in the region and in much of the developing world. A study in 2011 estimated that 86 per cent of women listened to the radio in Sierra Leone, 81 per cent in Liberia and 74 per cent in Guinea. [19] Radio programmes in the region have incorporated short public service announcements about Ebola, panel discussion programmes where the public can call or text their questions into the show, and longer radio dramas. BBC Media Action, for example, has developed a radio drama, Mr Plan-Plan and the Pepo-oh, which has been broadcast repeatedly in each affected country. The programme was developed to counter the overwhelming what not to do messages during the outbreak with a focus on what people could do to prepare, to stop the virus spreading and to respond if someone around them did get infected. [20] Instant messaging services such as WhatsApp have also been enormously important tools for informal information sharing, with both helpful and damaging effects. People use them to take part in large group discussions where information from official briefings, press releases and news articles is shared, together with rumours and group members concerns. While this lets up-to-date information reach many people almost instantly, the risk of spreading misinformation is extremely high. The conversations are not moderated, and hoax messages are rife. The outbreak has also led to innovation. Organisations such as UNICEF and IBM have developed systems where people can call or text to report concerns about the response, and provide real-time information to the ministry of health and district response centres on where resources need to be directed. [21] Several Ebola songs have been written: to spread messages, as tributes to victims or as political statements. For example, a song entitled White Ebola expresses the widespread distrust and denial at the beginning of the epidemic. [22] The Global Alliance to Immunise Against AIDS (GAIA) developed a story-telling cloth pattern designed to be worn by health workers talking with communities. [23] Information given, information needed The information given by various agencies does not always match the information needed by the people affected. Research conducted in Liberia found that, while community leaders believed they understood basic messages on the virus and its transmission, they also said they had not been given advice on how to actually manage patients in their communities. [20] Anecdotal evidence also suggests that, as information flows down to the community, unofficial reports by the general public overshadow scientific information. This does not necessarily mean that people ignore educational material about the virus, but rather that the public is often more concerned with how the outbreak may affect their daily lives. For example, information spreading through informal networks in Sierra Leone has gradually shifted focus from denying that Ebola is real and questioning the science, to rumours surrounding lockdowns and their impact on the general public. In the early stages of the outbreak, agencies with technical expertise such as the WHO strongly emphasised not eating bushmeat as a control strategy. Although research has linked bushmeat with the spread of Ebola from animals to humans, the risk appears limited to people who hunt and prepare raw meat, and once an outbreak takes hold, interaction with people is what drives an epidemic. [24] But this nuance in scientific knowledge was initially lost, with harmful consequences. The early messages risked leading communities to believe that avoiding bushmeat is more important than not touching dead bodies. [25] Response starting with local people Many also felt that messages about Ebola were damagingly negative (focusing on there being no cure for the virus, for example), confusing and lacking explanations as to why certain behaviours should be avoided. [26] The messages given have often been entirely factual, lecturing in tone and not backed by explanations or practical information on how to manage the virus within a community. Giving messages and instructions without offering information or training that lets communities develop their own response has been a recurring difficulty in disease outbreaks. [27] Too often, public health messages have been delivered with little appreciation of community context, and social and cultural beliefs have been dismissed as being barriers to effective disease containment. In this outbreak, insight from social science has helped to facilitate dialogue, develop an understanding of social context and adapt practices so they become culturally sensitive. The importance of community-level initiatives in the Ebola response cannot be overstated, particularly in rural areas where traditional leadership structures dominate (see Box 4). Chiefs, religious leaders, traditional healers and other civil society leaders are all hugely influential, and their involvement and support can make or break local Ebola response efforts. If peoples concerns are going to be understood and addressed by communications efforts, local buy-in is essential. One could argue that failing to listen to local concerns characterises public health responses everywhere, not just in poorly resourced countries. For example, after the outbreak of measles that began in Disneyland in the US state of California in December 2014, there was immediate and widespread condemnation of the anti-vaccination movement. But some parents who had been against the vaccine have reversed their decision and taken their children for vaccination after having an opportunity to openly discuss the reasons behind their hesitancy with their doctor, rather than having their fears instantly dismissed as irresponsible. [28] Some would also argue that distrust and fear, fuelled by a long-standing history of negative publicity about the combined MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccine, contributed towards the initial fears of parents only for those fears to be overshadowed by the imminent threat of a developing epidemic. Box 4. Examples of community mobilisation against Ebola in West Africa Communities themselves understand what they need to effectively respond to disease outbreaks. A prime example of this was seen during an earlier outbreak of Ebola in Uganda. To begin with, people thought they had a common illness and sought both medical and traditional treatments. But they soon recognised that it was more serious, and began referring to their illness as the workings of a very bad spirit. By simply communicating among themselves about the outbreak in these terms, self-quarantine was applied to affected households for fear of the evil spirit affecting anybody else, and the outbreak was successfully contained. [29] During the current outbreak, social anthropologists invited community and opinion leaders from resisting villages in Guinea to a workshop with organisations involved in the response. The aim was to ensure that people were heard, and to develop a shared strategy for engagement and education based on their needs and concerns. [5] As a result, community leaders publicly committed to ensuring that their communities were trained in basic hygiene practices and pledged to ease their resistance towards contact-tracing teams. In return, response organisations agreed to provide resources to decentralise the management of the epidemic and ensure the response better reflected local needs. The International Rescue Committee (IRC) has advocated for local people to lead the development of prevention strategies within their area, rather than simply delivering messages developed by other organisations, usually without local involvement. [30] The IRC has also promoted local ownership of response efforts by developing an early warning system in which nominated community health workers act as monitors, reporting on any worrying events in the community via a mobile phone. Any report then triggers a visit from a surveillance worker to investigate. [31] The Social Mobilisation Action Consortium (SMAC) in Sierra Leone has brought together a group of five organisations involved in the Ebola response BBC Media Action, Focus 1000, GOAL, Restless Development and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to lead the largest community mobilisation effort ever held in the country. [32] The focus of their approach is to encourage community-led action through training and by empowering communities to act and take responsibility for tackling the outbreak within their own area. Listening and learning There is no doubt that crisis management systems, and particularly communications during crises, can and should be reviewed in light of this unprecedented outbreak. Communicating effectively has been hugely complicated, but, as the epidemic wanes, there is an opportunity to review practices and learn lessons. At this stage, there are no definite dos and donts, but there are success stories to draw on, including the people-led responses, innovations and institutional initiatives highlighted above. With so many partners involved, it is also important that communications are coordinated from a single reference point, preferably as part of the district-level response. They would be responsible for knowing who has information, who needs it and how best to share it, and this would help to ensure that people are aware of who is involved in information sharing and how. The outbreak has also shown the value of communications strategies that start by listening to local concerns and continue through constant dialogue. Such initiatives need to be linked with district and national coordination systems, so that peoples needs are represented at high-level discussions. This is particularly important in a situation where suspicion, stigma and misinformation are rife. Only through open information sharing and dialogue at all levels can challenges be overcome, trust gained and epidemics as devastating as Ebola be stopped. Elizabeth Smout is a researcher at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, United Kingdom, and is currently based in Sierra Leone. She works as part of The Vaccine Confidence Project, which examines social and political determinants of public trust in health programmes. She can be contacted at [email protected] This article is part of our Spotlight, Managing health crises after Ebola. While, Google hasn't revealed anything about its highly anticipated Nexus 2016 smartphones, more and more rumors about the handset's possible release date, specs and price details are hitting the internet. New reports suggests the alleged Google Nexus 2016 smartphones- or Pixel and Pixel XL- will be available for pre-orders in U.S. the same day it's unveiled. This means that Google will start taking pre-orders for its Nexus 2016 smartphones or so to say Pixel 2016 devices on the release date itself which is expected to be October 4, 2016, reported Techno Buffalo. The report claims the search giant will starting shipping the handsets in a few weeks post release. The same strategy was applied while rolling out Nexus devices in the past when pre-orders were available almost immediately after the devices release. Talking more about the upcoming Google Nexus 2016 smartphones, Android Police reported, citing two reliable independent sources, that the 5" Nexus Sailfish will be named Pixel, while the 5.5" Nexus Marlin will be named Pixel XL. The Pixel and Pixel XL smartphones will be branded exclusively by Google. However, the smartphone's hardware component could be manufactured by HTC. As far as specs of the alleged Google Nexus 2016 smartphones- or Pixel and Pixel XL- are concerned, the midrange smartphone Google Pixel will feature a 5-inch full HD display, a Snapdragon 820 chipset, 3 GB of RAM, Android 7.1 Nougat OS and 2,770 mAh battery. The larger sibling dubbed Google Pixel XL is pegged to feature 5.5-inch Quad HD display, a Snapdragon 821 chipset, 4 GB of RAM, Android 7.1 Nougat OS and 3,450 mAh battery. The handset is rumored to sport two different sensors from Sony for its front and back cameras. It is expected the upcoming handsets will come with higher price tags than last year's Nexus handsets. Stay tuned to SWR for more updates and latest news on Google Nexus 2016 smartphones- or Pixel and Pixel XL- release date, specs and price details. There were reports of Microsoft announcing its alleged Surface Phone 2016 at the IFA 2016 Berlin event, but, unfortunately, the same did not happen. Now, there are chances that Microsoft's highly anticipated Surface Phone 2016 might get an October release date. However, there are also reports which claim that tech enthusiasts will have to wait until 2017 to get their hands on the Surface 2016 handsets. According to IBTimes, Microsoft's much rumored Surface Phones might get released in March 2017. It is believed that the Redmond's decision to include Intel's latest Kaby Lake chipset in its upcoming line of smartphones might be the main reason behind delay in release. It is to be noted that the chip maker has already announced the 7th generation Core processor and started shipping the new gen chips to device makers. Recently, Laura Butler, Microsoft's Director of Engineering (Windows Fundamentals), teased the Surface Phone 2016 in one of her tweets. However, nothing about the handset's release date or specs was mentioned. Talking about Microsoft Surface Phone 2016 specs, the Redmond is rumored to announce three high end Surface smartphone variants with superior hardware configurations and impressive new features. The entry level model is rumored to feature 3GB of RAM, the midrange model is expected to get 6GB of RAM, and the high-end variant is rumored to feature a massive 8GB of RAM and 512GB of built-in storage. All the three handsets are reported to run Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 processors and come preinstalled with Microsoft Windows 10 mobile OS. The three Microsoft Surface Phone 2016 variants are expected to come packed in an aluminum and magnesium body featuring a 5.5-inch AMOLED display, a 20-megapixel Carl Zeiss rear camera coupled with Surface Pen functionality, a fingerprint reader, accelerometer, gyro, compass, a barometer and proximity sensors. Continuum support, USB Type-C connectivity and liquid cooling technology are also expected to be on board. The price range of the Microsoft Surface Phones 2016 is expected to remain between $700-$1100. Stay tuned to SWR for more updates and latest news on Microsoft Surface Phone 2016 release date, specs and price details. LAKE CITY, S.C. Lee County First Steps has expanded its reach to provide a Strengthening Families Program in Lake City. The South Carolina Childrens Trust, in partnership with the Duke Endowment and the South Carolina Department of Social Services, provided funds in 2013 for Lee County First Steps to become a Strengthening Families Program site, according to a news release. The Strengthening Families Program is a 14-session program designed to increase family stability, enhance child development and reduce child abuse and neglect. The program will provide educational skills training to parents and children. Families with children ages 6 to 11 can participate in the program that will be held at the Boys and Girls Club of Lake City and Youth Technology Center. One thing Im excited about is the partnerships weve developed in Florence County School District Three, Lake City and the Boys and Girls Club, as well as the city partnerships to bring this to Lake City, Lee County First Steps Executive Director Alexis D. Pipkins Sr. said. Jordan Washington, Boys and Girls Club of Lake City and Youth Technology Center director, said the intentions of the Boys and Girls Club is to bring more families together in the community. The club is not only for children but for families, too, he said. Mary Nell Fulton, a community member, said she first heard of the Strengthening Families Program through Janea Porter and Natalie Highsmith of Kneehigh Day Care in Darlington. Fulton said the women worked with Pipkins and the Strengthening Families Program when it was in the Darlington area. They loved what they saw with the program and loved what was happening with the families, Fulton said. They thought it would be good in our community, also. The Strengthening Families Program is scheduled to begin today in Lake City. Fulton said families have until the third week of the program to register to participate. Families can register at the Boys and Girls Club of Lake City and Youth Technology Center, which is located at 131 Calhoun Street. Sessions will begin at 6 p.m. on Mondays. The first thing they do is have a meal, a fully-cooked meal, not fast food, Fulton said. They actually can sit down at a table and get to interact with their children with the meals. They do workshops and role playing. We have a session for them (children). Transportation and child care will be provided. Program incentives also will be given to encourage continued participation, according to the release. A graduation ceremony will be held upon completion of the program. Contact the Lee County First Steps office at 803-484-5110 for more information. Michael Collins is one of three astronauts that were aboard the Apollo 11 mission to the moon. You're probably a little more familiar with the other two astronauts from the mission, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin. That's because Collins is the only one that didn't get to actually walk on the moon, which is why he's sometimes referred to as the "forgotten astronaut." RELATED: Why We Haven't Gone Back to the Moon Collins was the command module pilot on Apollo 11 so he stayed behind to man the spacecraft while Armstrong and Aldrin took their famous moonwalk. Ultimately, this means that Collins isn't a household name, but he's still a very important part of space history. Collins attended the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York and afterward began his career in the sky as an experimental flight test officer at the Air Force Flight Test Center, Edwards Air Force Base in California. After joining NASA, his first mission to space was as a backup pilot for Gemini X in 1966. Apollo 11 was his second trip to space but also his last -- he retired not long after, logging a total of 266 hours in space. RELATED: NASA's 1st Lunar Landing Happened 50 Years Ago In 2009, Collins released a statement of answers to questions he's most often asked by the media. When inquiring as to whether he was lonely on the Apollo 11 mission, he responded, "No. Far from feeling lonely or abandoned, I feel very much a part of what is taking place on the lunar surface. I know that I would be a liar or a fool if I said that I have the best of the three Apollo 11 seats, but I can say with truth and equanimity that I am perfectly satisfied with the one I have. This venture has been structured for three men, and I consider my third to be as necessary as either of the other two." These days, Collins mostly enjoys filling his time with "Running, biking, swimming, fishing, painting, cooking, reading, [and] worrying about the stock market," as he puts it. But naturally he does still pay attention to space news, and says he hopes the space program will take us to Mars next. "As celestial bodies go, the moon is not a particularly interesting place, but Mars is. It is the closest thing to a sister planet that we have found so far," he said. -- Molly Fosco After years of back-and-forth debate, Congress has finally passed a bill that would allow victims of the 9/11 attacks to sue the government of Saudi Arabia. The bill's passage is considered a victory for those who have long alleged that Saudi Arabia had a role in the attacks. But is there any proof of Saudi involvement? Trace Dominguez investigates in today's DNews dispatch. First, some details on the proposed new law: Just days before the 15th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the legislation previously approved by the Senate. President Obama, however, has threatened to veto the bill, which essentially strips foreign nations of immunity from American lawsuits. The White House warns that foreign countries or individuals could, in turn, bring legal action against the United States to address past grievances. Even with this bill passed, and despite many suspicious links between Saudi nationals and the 9/11 attacks, there may not be enough actual proof to win court cases. In the final 9/11 Commission Report, the U.S. government "found no evidence that the Saudi government as an institution or senior Saudi officials individually funded [al-Qaeda]." Fifteen of the nineteen hijackers, as well as Osama bin Laden, were Saudi nationals. RELATED: How Saudi Arabia Exports Ultra-Conservative Islam However, an alleged 28 classified pages from a 2002 Congressional Joint Inquiry into 9/11 were rumored to contain direct evidence of this Saudi involvement. When the pages were finally released in 2016, they stated that "While in the United States, some of the September 11 hijackers were in contact with, and received support or assistance from, individuals who may be connected to the Saudi government." What's more, two former U.S. senators testified in 2012 that they had seen additional classified information confirming the allegations against Saudi Arabia. Diplomatically, it's a tricky situation. Saudi Arabia has fiercely denied all allegations and, despite the country's human rights abuses, is a strong U.S. ally in the Middle East. Saudi Arabia is also, of course, one of the biggest oil producers in the world. Proponents of the bill argue that the legislation -- titled the "Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act" (JASTA) -- will bring justice to victims as well as deter international terrorism. From the office of bill sponsor and New York Senator Charles Schumer: "This legislation is long-sought after by families of 9/11 in order to bring a small amount of justice for the loss of their loved ones, by allowing them to sue foreign states and financial partners of terrorism." -- Glenn McDonald Learn More: The New York Times: Saudi Arabia Warns of Economic Fallout if Congress Passes 9/11 Bill The Guardian: 9/11 Report's Classified '28 Pages' About Potential Saudi Arabia Ties Released CNN: $116 Trillion Lawsuit Filed by 9/11 Families At Mission High in San Francisco last week, a teacher stood in front of her class and asked her students: What comes to mind when they think of 9/11? I think of the annoying airport security and I think of tragedy and I think of firefighters, said Caleb Dubois, a 17-year-old senior sitting in a circle with his classmates. I think of sadness and loss, a second student said quietly. Another mentioned people jumping out buildings. Fifteen years on, the images from Sept. 11, 2001, remain fresh, and the emotions raw, for many Americans. But for teenagers like those in Fakhra Shahs class at Mission High, the connection to that day is very different. They are part of a generation coming of age without memories of the terrorist attacks. They were infants or toddlers when the World Trade Center in New York and the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., were hit by hijacked airliners. Behind them have come another 60 million or so youngsters born in the U.S. since that date. Some of them may have sophisticated thoughts about the days meaning, but none have visceral, where-were-you-when stories like those their parents and teachers can recount, no recollection of the days disorienting shock, grief and fear. Enough time has passed that there are soaring memorials to 9/11 to visit, and the attacks and their aftermath are discussed in their textbooks. For some students, though, its a lesson from history akin to the bombing of Pearl Harbor or the assassination of President John F. Kennedy something important that happened, but not to them. To older people who feel a near-constant connection to 9/11 and its fallout, the generational gap can be stark, even if understandable. Its just history, just something I learned about and that happened before, said Oakland High junior Cameron Degale. I dont have any ties to it. Nor does Dublin High senior Karyn Utsumi, 17, who recalls studying 9/11 during her sophomore year. Left: The Chronicle front page from Sept. 12, 2011; Right: Front page marking the one-year anniversary of the attacks. (Click to enlarge) Definitely my teacher was way more emotional than anybody in the class, she said. I was more disconnected from it. I dont want to say I dont care, but it didnt have the same impact on those in the class. She was barely a toddler in September 2001. In the years since, she has seen coverage of numerous mass killings and terror attacks in the United States and around the world. It just happens so often Im just desensitized to something like that, she said. This disconnect to a moment of such significance is being confronted by parents, and especially teachers, who consider the topic critical. They know that even though young people didnt experience the tragedy, many are aware it changed their lives. CHAO SOI CHEONG/ASSOCIATED PRESS In some cases, these teens have grown up seeing family members fight, or die, in Iraq and Afghanistan. The attacks 15 years ago may have set the stage for their familys flight from a war-torn country. For many Muslim students, it fueled the Islamophobia they experience. With all that in mind, teacher Shah, who is 35, dimmed the lights in her classroom last week and flipped on a projector. It played a video of one of the hijacked planes crashing into the south tower of the World Trade Center as the north tower, hit earlier, burned in the background. The students, sophomores, juniors and seniors in Shahs class on social change and critical thinking, watched in silence. What is your response after seeing that? the teacher asked as she turned the lights back on. What goes through your mind? There were screams, one student answered, as if those watching the scene near the person making the video had lost hope of anyone in the towers surviving. Who has not seen that before? Shah asked. I dont think Ive seen that, said Jeimy Valdez, a 17-year-old junior who had only seen photos of the incident before. I didnt realize it was huge. For young students, knowledge of the epochal event is drawn from media, school or family stories, said Jeremy Stoddard, an associate professor at the College of William & Mary in Virginia who has studied how the events of 9/11 have been incorporated into high school curricula across the country. THOMAS E. FRANKLIN/Associated Press These teenagers, he pointed out, do not have any sense of a distinct post-9/11 life in America, because they have nothing else to compare it to. They do not remember what it was like to go through airport security with a cup of coffee, or to see someone off at a (boarding) gate, he said. They do not remember a time when the U.S. was not at war. Stoddards research found that the way in which 9/11 is taught can vary depending on a schools location, and that it is often focused on memorializing the tragedy rather than learning the facts of what happened. He and a colleague discovered that key details of the event, such as how many people were killed, were sometimes not included in textbooks. Ideally, he said, high school students should learn about the larger context of the al Qaeda-affiliated attacks, while also examining the domestic and foreign policies that followed. They need to have some context it cant just simply be an explanation that They hate us because of our freedom, he said. Otherwise you oversimplify the event. The teaching of 9/11 continues to evolve. In the years immediately after the attacks, teachers struggled to find ways to address the anniversary with child-friendly lesson plans that wouldnt refresh fears their students felt. They often refrained from showing images of the planes hitting the towers and the towers collapsing. But that has changed, at least in some classrooms. In Bob Reckards U.S. history classes at Pittsburg High, he teaches a unit on terrorism. The first lesson is 9/11. He shows news clips not only of the planes crashing into the buildings, but also of newscasters biting back tears and disbelief as they stand amid the dust and horror. This is going to sound messed up, but I think the students need to experience that pain somehow, said Reckard, 33. We know we have to bridge that gap somehow. Some youngsters, however, dont need such prodding. On Thursday, a group of students at Raoul Wallenberg High School in San Francisco gathered with teachers and others in the library for a 9/11 commemoration discussion. Yet during an hour-long conversation, the events of Sept. 11, 2001, were mentioned only once. The dozen or so students seated together in a circle were all Muslim. Their meeting, sponsored by the schools Arab-Muslim Culture Club, wasnt about the day of the attacks. It was about every day since. Lea Suzuki/The Chronicle They discussed the insults and profanity often hurled at them because of their religion or the way they look. How some people switch seats on planes because they dont want to sit next to someone speaking Arabic or wearing a headscarf. Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Updated to include drought zones while tracking water shortage status of your area, plus reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts. Sometimes, when Im walking, people pull their kids away, said Sarah Alowdi, 17, who wears the head covering called a hijab. Walking down the street is not safe anymore. Were always expecting something to happen. It still shocks me nothing has changed in terms of people hating Muslims, said Hamzh Mihtar, a sophomore. After the meeting ended, Alowdi, the co-leader of the club, stayed behind. She too spoke of how 9/11 has been a catalyst for Islamophobia. But, the young woman added: I dont know how it was before. While some Bay Area teachers are struggling to make Sept. 11 meaningful, others, like Shah at Mission High, are drawing on their own lives to connect with students on a personal level. After 9/11, she said, even friends family members and fellow college students would say hurtful things about Muslims. Her father rushed out to buy American flags so he could display them and show people his family loved America. Shah told her students about what happened the day after Sept. 11, 2001, when her brother, a member of the U.S. Air Force, called and told her he was being deployed. At the time, he didnt know where he was headed. She and her family didnt hear from him again for a month. That, she said, was really intense. Also trying to engage young people more directly is Rita DeTar, a physical education teacher at Fremonts Thornton Junior High. In 2001, her husband, who had just completed an Air National Guard deployment in Afghanistan, was on a plane heading to New York when the hijacked airliners hit the World Trade Center. His flight was diverted to Newfoundland, something DeTar would not learn for hours. She went into work that morning anyway, hiding her fear from her students as best she could. The kids would come up to me and say, Hes going to be OK, she said, tearing up at the memory. Now, she realizes the feelings once inspired by the attack are fading. Its a little bit sad and disconcerting, she said. In one aspect, you dont want to live in fear, but you want people to remember there are a lot of people who sacrificed for us. So DeTar tells her students about that day, about the bulky, old-school cell phone her husband borrowed to finally call and tell her he was safe. It was a defining moment in her life, she tells them, and a day to always remember, even if you dont remember it yourself. We do the Pledge of Allegiance fourth period, she said. I explain to the kids: Were not messing around here. Jill Tucker and Hamed Aleaziz are San Francisco Chronicle staff writer s . Email: jtucker@sfchronicle.com , haleaziz@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @jilltucker, @haleaziz Facing stiff headwinds after nearly 24 hours in the water, long-distance swimmer Kim Chambers on Saturday called off her attempt at a record 93-mile solo swim down the from Sacramento to Tiburon. Chambers, who last year became the first woman to swim from the Farallon Islands to San Francisco, climbed out of the Sacramento River around noon near Sherman Island, according to the Sacramento Bee. She had set out from Sacramento at mid-day Friday and hoped to reach Tiburon on Sunday. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Janet Napolitano is scheduled to be the star attraction at an upcoming fundraiser for Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton the first time in anyones memory that a sitting University of California president has campaigned for a White House candidate. The Sept. 20 event in Silicon Valley, hosted by a group called Entrepreneurs for Hillary, is being billed in an online invitation as a conversation with the former secretary of homeland security and former governor of Arizona. The invite makes no reference to Napolitanos current job as the head of the taxpayer-funded UC system. Tickets range from $500 to $10,000 a head, with proceeds going to the Clinton Victory Fund. She is not doing this in her capacity as UC president, said UC spokeswoman Dianne Klein. But it certainly should be no surprise that she is supporting Hillary. She has worked extensively with her and seen her up close and certainly she (Clinton) is the right person to be the next president. What would be surprising is if she supported Donald Trump, Klein said. Legal guidelines issued by UCs office of general counsel say the university may not endorse or contribute to candidates for elective office. It also says UC officials should use care to avoid confusion between private and public roles. Stephan Savoia/ST Napolitano spent four years as homeland security secretary under President Obama. If shes angling for a return to Washington in a Clinton administration, she gave little hint of it during a recent appearance on KQED-FMs Forum, telling host Michael Krasny, Thats a compliment, but I will be a senior this year my fourth year at UC and thats what Im interested in doing. Its worth noting that during her time in Arizona, Napolitano was among the first governors to support Obama in 2008 when he was running for the Democratic nomination against Clinton. Political insiders say that neither Hillary nor Bill Clinton, both of whom had campaigned hard to elect Napolitano in Arizona, has forgotten about that. Still, on Friday, Napolitano was among a bipartisan group of onetime national security officials including former CIA director David Petraeus and ex-George W. Bush homeland security chief Michael Chertoff who took part in a policy meeting with Clinton that was held in New York. Napolitano, were told, participated by video conference from Oakland. Harmeet Dhillon, a member of the Republican National Committee from California, didnt have a problem with Napolitano siding with Clinton. But she also pointed to a couple of recent incidents at UC campuses last week at Berkeley, where students tore up a Trump cutout that a Republican group had set up in Sproul Plaza, and at Irvine in June, when administrators initially tried to bar from campus a GOP student group that had invited the editor of the conservative website Breitbart. More power to her for taking advantage of her free speech rights, Dhillon said. But is it a good idea when the institution she heads is frequently accused of infringing on the free speech rights of conservative students? Its not over: Mayor Libby Schaafs announcement that 12 Oakland police officers were disciplined or fired for their involvement with a 19-year-old sex worker may have appeared to stamp case closed on the scandal that led to the ouster of Chief Sean Whent but theres more to come. A second independent investigation into how the department handled or mishandled the allegations of the officers involvement was also launched by the mayor a few months back. And that review continues, Schaaf said. Schaaf and City Administrator Sabrina Landreth brought in Morin Jacob of the law firm Liebert, Cassidy and Whitmore to conduct an independent review of how this administrative investigation was handled by police officials, Schaaf said. Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Updated to include drought zones while tracking water shortage status of your area, plus reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts. And while that review may lack the tabloid titillation of the sex scandal, it does go to the overall integrity of the department, said civil rights attorney and police critic John Burris. There are still the questions about who knew what and when, Burris said. Also, was there any attempt along the way to subvert or suppress the investigation? And if there was, why and who did it? Burris noted that although the allegations that cops were having sex with the teenage girl were first brought to light a year ago in an officers suicide note, the investigation languished for months until it came to the attention of the federal monitor overseeing the Police Department. After that happened, it didnt take long until Whent was out the door. Why did the case have to get the attention of a federal judge before any action was taken? Burris said. San Francisco Chronicle columnists Phillip Matier and Andrew Ross appear Sundays, Mondays and Wednesdays. Matier can be seen on the KPIX TV morning and evening news. He can also be heard on KCBS radio Monday through Friday at 7:50 a.m. and 5:50 p.m. Got a tip? Call (415) 777-8815, or email matierandross@sfchronicle.com. Twitter: @matierandross Everyone was implicated, writes one of the characters in Mauro Javier Cardenas wildly ambitious debut novel, The Revolutionaries Try Again. The character in question, Antonio, scrawls those words in the margin of his memoir in progress, which he is attempting to edit while flying from San Francisco to his hometown of Guayaquil, Ecuador. In the memoir, Antonio is trying to unravel the threads of a pivotal night in his family history. And yet these words everyone was implicated reverberate through the book as a wide range of characters strive to address, surmount or at times simply survive the corruption and social disintegration of their nation. The book revolves around a group of young men, former classmates at the most prestigious boys high school in their city. It opens when Leopoldo, a functionary at Guayaquils City Hall, learns that a pay phone has purportedly been struck by lightning and is allowing calls to go through for free. The people of Guayaquil have proclaimed this a miracle and have lined up to hear the voices of their loved ones who have fled economic turmoil in hopes of a better life in the United States. Leopoldo breaks up the crowd of desperate would-be callers, and then, when no one is looking, uses the phone himself. He calls Antonio, his former classmate in San Francisco, the would-be memoirist, who left some years ago to study at Stanford and never returned. They banter. They discuss protests in Ecuador, the horrific plight of the poor, and their countrys uncertain political future. Their lines are crossed with a bickering, eavesdropping couple. And then, the restless and disillusioned Leopoldo asks Antonio to come back and help him mount a presidential campaign. I think we have a chance, he says. Along the way, as the two young men approach their reunion and develop their haphazard attempt at changing the course of history, the book roams through a kaleidoscope of voices: Antonios mother seeks inner peace through Reiki body work on the privileged side of Guayaquil, attempting to turn a blind eye to the inequality that surrounds her. Both of the young mens grandmothers chime in with their memories in passages rendered exclusively in Spanish; Rolando, another former classmate, strives to reignite revolutionary feelings among the impoverished through a pirate radio show and street play that take unexpected turns. Eva, Rolandos girlfriend, grapples with the wrenching disappearance of her older brother at the hands of a repressive government years ago, and Alma, Rolandos sister, is exploited as a maid and then takes a harrowing journey through Guatemala and Mexico as an undocumented immigrant to the United States. This is a book at once haunting and haunted, rippling with the ghosts of Latin Americas atrocities, disappointments, colonial strangleholds, insurgencies and fierce hopes, a book at once specific to Ecuadors historical realities and bursting with significance to our whole hemisphere. How, after all, is a nation still wounded from centuries of exploitation to separate its destiny from that of the northern nation that backs coups and enforces austerity measures, the very nation to which some of its people now flee? How can a single person become an agent for change when living in a sticky web of systemic privilege and oppression in which each person has played a complicated role? In a world like ours, how do we evade colluding with injustice? The style of this book is as ambitious as its territory, moving fluidly from voice to voice, from luminous long sentences to syntactical fragmentation. Cardenas, an Ecuadoran now living in San Francisco, has made the Nabokovian move of claiming adoptive English as his own, and he gives us many beautifully eloquent moments. Tellingly, we learn that Antonio has taken an introductory fiction class at UC Berkeley Extension, where he was shown the flat world of Best American Realism. Readers take note: This author does not stay inside the tidy cookie-cutter rules of certain contemporary U.S. workshops. Rather, this is a book shaped from the raw elements of a far wider tradition, with echoes of Mario Vargas Llosa, Roberto Bolano and William Faulkner, to name a few. There are times when the structure of the book strains under the weight of its own ambition, where the language seems to fray. But this flaw is ultimately overshadowed by the novels explosive power, its unrelenting boldness, its commitment to urgent questions. In a memorable passage, a character speaks to the ghost of Father Villalba, a dead liberation theologian who once awakened privileged schoolboys to social injustice. The priest is a symbol of the revolutionary past, and a voice of conscience in this book. The character asks, At last youre dead Father Villalba are you relieved? The dead priest replies: How can I be dead if you still hear me? Carolina De Robertis third novel, The Gods of Tango, is now in paperback. Email: books@sfchronicle.com The Revolutionaries Try Again By Mauro Javier Cardenas (Coffee House Press; 269 pages; $16.95 paperback) An early afternoon shooting in San Franciscos Bayview-Hunters Point neighborhood on Saturday left a teenage boy with a non-life-threatening wound to his lower torso, police said. The shooting happened at 1:16 p.m. on the 4700 block of Third Street, said Officer Carlos Manfredi, a spokesman for the San Francisco Police Department. A ShotSpotter device picked up sounds of the attack, prompting officers to respond to the location. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Let them eat cake and Chinese dumplings, too. The San Francisco Opera kicked off its 94th season this weekend with global fare: an Opera Ball tied to Andrea Chenier, the story of a poet executed during the French Revolution, and the world premiere of Dream of the Red Chamber, an epic Chinese love story. The dual menu was fitting fare for the Bay Areas appetite for cultural diversity, and provided ample opportunities for spectacle, the main ingredient of any opening night, both onstage and off. The Opera Ball on Friday, themed La Revolution et LAmour, drew 700 guests at $1,500 to $10,000 each to sip cocktails in an outdoor salon in the Opera House horseshoe before a seated dinner and the performance. Amid giant urns of flowers and velvet couches, three Marie Antoinette look-alikes with powdered wigs walked French poodles, an idea dreamed up by gala Co-Chair Sandra Farris. Its going to the dogs, said Patricia Sprincin, the other gala co-chair, who couldnt resist. Partygoer Clara Shayevich had a different take when she walked in. I was transformed to another century too bad these girls will be decapitated by the end of the evening, she joked, referring to the French queens guillotined fate. Dinner (crab salad and short ribs by McCalls Catering) was held in a blue silken tent dressed up like an 18th century home, with chinoiserie, sculpture and hanging lamps with black lace shades, courtesy of J. Riccardo Benavides of Ideas. (The younger Bravo Clubs gala night in the Veterans Building was co-chaired by Lauren Groff and Kari Lincks.) Womens attire trended toward strapless, full-skirted gowns with volume, ready for the courts of Versailles, best exemplified by Silicon Valley entrepreneur Komal Shah, in a Marchesa gown with feathers in pastel hues, and fashion author Christine Suppes, in a long-sleeved, delicate floral Alexander McQueen couture gown. On the mens side, Andrew Martin-Weber, a producer of the Broadway play The Father, was a standout in a white patterned Tom Ford dinner jacket. Martin-Weber, a member of the board at New Yorks Metropolitan Opera, attended his first Opera Ball last year and had so much fun he came back for a second, bringing actor friend Beejan Land along. I wouldnt miss this gala for anything, Martin-Weber said. Its second to none. The Operas former general director, David Gockley, looked unusually at ease in his tuxedo, standing in line for a drink. What was it like to retire, and hand the pressure over to Matthew Shilvock, now at the helm? F-a-a-a-a-bulous, Gockley said. Im thrilled to be in post mode. But the next night, he and Shilvock were at it again. Although the Opera Ball had played to a full house of 3,100 guests, Sept. 10 brought the world premiere of Dream, Gockleys final project, to another packed house. It also meant another gala, where 300 guests paying from $3,000 a head to $250,000 a table mingled at dinner with Dream composer Bright Sheng, librettist David Henry Hwang, director Stan Lai and set and costume designer Tim Yip. Co-chairs Gorretti Lui and Doreen Woo Ho presided over the dinner in the Taube Atrium Theater at the Wilsey Center for Opera, along with honorary co-chairs Mayor Ed Lee and his wife, Anita. Notables in attendance included House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-San Francisco, and her husband, Paul; Yahoo co-founder Jerry Yang; YouTube co-founder Steve Chen; Ted Lipman, a former diplomat and chief executive of the Robert N. Ho Foundation of Hong Kong, and his wife, Dadawa, known as the Bjork of Asia; John Chen, the chief executive of BlackBerry; restaurateur Cecilia Chiang; and stalwart opera supporters John and Cynthia Gunn, Athena and Timothy Blackburn, and Denise Littlefield Sobel, among others. An eight-course Chinese dinner by McCalls (smoked duck eggs, pork belly, prawns) was paired with wine by VinAtlas of San Francisco, which sources its grapes from around the world to blend and bottle and uses the motto global fusion. Guests who didnt give a nod to major sponsor Tiffany & Co. by wearing diamonds got into the mood in Chinese-theme attire, including Lui in an antique Qing dynasty robe, Ho in a pastel dress by local designer Victor Tung, and Sobels cousin from Paris, Marie-Claude de Braganca, in a blue dress bought in Chinatown that afternoon paired with a sequined Blumarine jacket and a jade necklace owned by Sobels grandmother. Sobel, whose late mother, Jeannik Littlefield, made a $35 million donation to the San Francisco Opera in 2006, said she was proud to support the production, but very humbled that it is such a big part of a culture that has been around for so long that I know very little about. That was the point of bringing Dream of the Red Chamber to Western audiences, said Lai, the Taiwanese director. Lai, who in his student years studied at UC Berkeley and later taught at Stanford, said it was also important that the production launch in the Bay Area, culturally attuned to diversity. It would have been an embarrassment if this opera didnt come from San Francisco, Lai said. The time is right. The time is now. Carolyne Zinko is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: czinko@sfchronicle.com It's hard to think of a more photogenic place to get married than San Francisco, and few capture its romantic beauty better than local wedding photographer Sasha Yevelev. And after 10 years in the business, he's got a lot of advice for couples looking to shoot their engagement or wedding photos in this unique city. To savor everything that is finest in Dream of the Red Chamber the jumbled, inconsistent and intermittently exquisite opera that had its commissioned world premiere at the San Francisco Opera on Saturday night requires holding on patiently through the slow and static first act, and returning to your seat after intermission with trust in your heart. Thats when things finally begin to click into place. Until that point, Red Chamber, which boasts a lush and varied score by composer Bright Sheng and a far less assured English-language libretto credited to Sheng and playwright David Henry Hwang (fitted out here with Chinese side-titles), plays as something of a head-scratcher. Adapted from a small sliver of a massive 18th century Chinese novel, the opera darts hither and yon in an attempt to create a coherent artistic direction. Sheng combines big orchestral flourishes, stately melodic lines and the sounds of the Chinese qin (a soulful, quivering zither) in a melange that is alternately gripping and hard to track. The libretto, burdened with pompous voice-over narration from a Buddhist monk and struggling to delineate even a few simple plot points, dawdles and drags. When the curtain comes down for intermission, we know the principal characters and their respective plights the story is a love triangle complicated by the dynastic ambitions of two noble clans but nothing has actually happened. And then Act 2 gets under way, and the fog lifts. The drama moves toward a swift and engrossing climax (sorry, no spoilers here), and the score snaps into focus in a series of tautly constructed scenes that reveal the canniness of Shengs compositional strategy in particular, his skill in crafting an operatic language that is a hybrid of Chinese and Western traditions. So, the grumblers are likely to complain about the operas obvious weaknesses, most notably its dramaturgical clumsiness and its back-loaded design. Others will celebrate not only its manifest beauties, but also the magnificent production visually opulent, superbly sung and expertly conducted that the Opera has given it. No two reactions will be quite in sync. The original Dream of the Red Chamber is a sprawling, multigenerational yarn featuring hundreds of characters, from which Sheng and Hwang have isolated a single narrative thread. It concerns the love between aristocratic youth Bao Yu (tenor Yijie Shi, singing the roles high, arching lines with expressive clarity) and his orphaned cousin, the poetically minded Dai Yu (soprano Pureum Jo, in a performance of tireless, crystalline grace). These two, as the operas philosophical narrative frame reveals, are soul mates, the reincarnations of a rock and a flower whose mutual devotion is timeless. But politics in Imperial China is not so simple, and complications ensue. If nothing else, Red Chamber is a gold mine of opportunities for vocal display, all of which were capitalized on by the Operas excellent cast. Dai Yus aria to begin Act 2, to take just one example, is one of those impeccable set pieces, elegant in both detail and formal design, that young sopranos will soon start adding to their audition lists, and Jo delivered it with consummate eloquence. Mezzo-soprano Hyona Kim was an unstoppable powerhouse as Lady Wang, the matriarch-in-waiting who emerges as the villain of the piece, and contralto Qiulin Zhang brought both poignancy and vocal toughness to the role of the lovers grandmother. Irene Roberts was a sympathetic but daunting figure as Bao Chai, the third point of the romantic triangle, and there were splendid contributions from Yanyu Guo as her mother, and from Karen Chia-ling Ho as Bao Yus sister, whose changing status at the Imperial Court helps drive the plot. The Opera Chorus (aside from the misconceived patter song that Sheng gave them to start the opera) sang with robust and well-judged weight, and conductor George Manahan brought out the sumptuous colors now bombastic, now insinuating in the score. For this terrific cast, the Opera has provided a suitably first-rate visual production, thoughtfully staged by director Stan Lai. Tim Yip, the Oscar-wining art director of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, bedecks the stage in vivid ornament while maintaining a suitably dreamlike atmosphere, with Gary Marders shadowy lighting as a collaborator; choreographer Fang-Yi Sheu creates a wonderful erotic dream sequence. Yet not even these splendors, or the haunting emotional power of the works final half-hour, can always rescue a piece that moves so unsteadily through much of its course. You can feel shadowy presences in the wings throughout, including the remainder of the source material, which seems to keep knocking at the door for inclusion, or the ghost of Puccini, whose Turandot echoes repeatedly. If nothing else, former General Director David Gockley has added yet another notch to the remarkable belt of operatic commissions that define his legacy. We can only hope that his successor, Matthew Shilvock, will maintain the tradition. Joshua Kosman is The San Francisco Chronicles music critic. Email: jkosman@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @JoshuaKosman San Francisco Opera: Dream of the Red Chamber. Through Sept. 29. $96-$384. War Memorial Opera House, 301 Van Ness Ave., S.F. (415) 864-3330. www.sfopera.com. LITTLE ROCK, Ark. Republicans control all of Arkansas statewide offices, hold a majority in both chambers of the Legislature and are nearly assured of winning the states six electoral votes in the presidential election. But this deeply red state could be on the verge of an unusually liberal move: legalizing marijuana for people who suffer from a host of medical ailments. The fall ballot will feature two marijuana measures, and pro-pot advocates view them as an important opportunity to show that there is broad support for legalization even in conservative parts of the country. The referendums also offer a chance at a symbolically powerful victory in a state with a Republican governor, Asa Hutchinson, who once led the federal Drug Enforcement Administration. If a red conservative state like Arkansas in the Bible Belt can pass medical cannabis, then anybody can, said Melissa Fults, who leads the campaign for one of the medical marijuana proposals going before voters. Half of the states and the District of Columbia have legalized the drug in some fashion. But pot remains mostly illegal across the South. The fall campaign is going to be a little tougher battle, but I think everyones views on medical marijuana are like their views on gay marriage, said David Couch, the sponsor of a competing medical marijuana measure. Theyve softened over the past couple years. Attitudes about marijuana have eased in Arkansas, where voters in two cities approved ballot initiatives that encouraged police to regard arrests for small amounts as a low priority. Advocates hope the support for medical cannabis will cross party lines, and they are counting on voters like Barb Soell, a 77-year-old retiree who expects to support Republican Donald Trump for president. Soell said she doesnt see any need to deny the drug to people suffering from cancer and other medical problems. I dont think that medical marijuana is going to lead someone to use heroin or other drugs, Soell said. Thats nonsense. Both measures on the ballot would allow patients with certain conditions to buy from dispensaries, but the proposals have different restrictions and enforcement provisions. For example, Fults plan would allow patients who dont live near a dispensary to grow their own marijuana. Couchs initiative would not. If voters approve both proposals, whichever one gets the most votes becomes law. So far, support for medical marijuana among the states has not translated into much progress at the federal level. The Obama administration in August decided to keep marijuana on the list of most dangerous drugs but also planned to allow more research into its medical uses. HOLLYWOOD, Ala. After spending more than 40 years and $5 billion on an unfinished nuclear power plant in northeastern Alabama, the nations largest federal utility is preparing to sell the property at a fraction of its cost. The Tennessee Valley Authority has set a minimum bid of $36.4 million for its Bellefonte Nuclear Plant and the 1,600 surrounding acres of waterfront property on the Tennessee River. The buyer gets two unfinished nuclear reactors, transmission lines, office and warehouse buildings, 8 miles of roads, a 1,000-space parking lot and more. Initial bids are due Monday, and at least one company has expressed interest in the site with plans to use it for alternative energy production. But TVA says it isnt particular about what the purchaser does using the site for power production, industrial manufacturing, recreation or even residences would all be fine with the agency, said spokesman Scott Fiedler. Its all about jobs and investment, and thats our primary goal for selling this property, said Fielder. TVA hopes to close the deal in October. The sale is bittersweet for site manager Jim Chardos, who went to work at Bellefonte in 1994 expecting it to be finished as a nuclear power plant. All these years later, he commutes 90 minutes each way to work to oversee a plant that has never been stocked with radioactive fuel or used either of its reactors to generate a single watt of electricity. Work began at Bellefonte in the mid-70s on the backside of the nuclear energy boom in the United States, Chardos said. The utility initially planned to construct four reactors at the site, but demand for power in the region never met those early expectations and work halted in 1988. A series of starts and stops preceded TVAs decision earlier this year to sell Bellefonte. If youre going to make 1,200 megawatts, you need to sell it to somebody, and if theres no need for it, youre not going to finish, he said. And thats really whats happened. Sales of U.S. nuclear plants arent all that unusual; the Nuclear Energy Institute, an industry group, says at least 30 units have been sold in part or whole since 1999. The potential sale of Bellefonte is creating hope in a region where residents gave up long ago on the promise of thousands of good-paying, permanent jobs that were once expected at the plant. It was a great thing, but then they just pulled the plug and left out, you know, said Hollywood Mayor Frank Buster Duke, who worked at Bellefonte about a decade before moving on. Today, he said, the 1,000 or so residents of his town need a place to work whether TVA or some other entity owns the property. Phoenix Energy, based in Nevada, has said it will offer $38 million for Bellefonte in hopes of using it for a new, non-nuclear technology to generate power. The company says its system uses electromagnetic induction energy fields to heat water indirectly and produce steam that would turn turbines and generate electricity at Bellefonte. Chardos said he would still like to see the site used to generate electricity by nuclear power, but he cant be too picky. Its all about the jobs, he said. "Pharma Bro" Martin Shkreli took his online Twitter rage to the streets of New York, where he was among the crowds waiting for Hillary Clinton after her medical episode at a 9/11 memorial service Sunday. Standing outside Chelsea Clinton's New York City apartment, Shkreli heckled Hillary Clinton and yelled, "Go Trump!" and "Why are you so sick?" as she exited the building, according to Mediaite. And since the ex-Turing Pharmaceuticals CEO can never do anything without seeking publicity, Shkreli posted a Periscope video of the debacle and later tweeted, "I enjoyed screaming 'why are you sick' and 'go trump' at @HillaryClinton. Get well soon bae!" He also later posted a YouTube video of Clinton leaving the building as someone, presumably Shkreli, yelled out, "Do you need Pharma bro's help?" (She doesn't.) Shkreli also gave sketchy ahem, "imaginative" interviews to media outlets while there, telling the Daily News that Clinton was going to an "advanced medical facility." "Like I said, Chelsea Clinton does not live in that apartment. That apartment is an advanced medical facility," Shkreli told the news site. "I saw her coming out," he added. "No one saw her going in obviously. She was presumably in some kind of stretcher...Nobody saw that. That's my imagination at work." The New York Post reported that the Periscope feed had more than 1,200 viewers during the broadcast, but many left after Shkreli began talking about his federal case. Clinton told reporters she was feeling "great" after she left Chelsea's apartment building, and her doctor announced that Clinton was diagnosed with pneumonia on Friday and was told to rest. Chaos played out on Lincoln's emergency radio system Sunday morning. Shouts of plane crash and World Trade Center. It was the audio from dispatch tapes from the morning of 9/11 -- the horrific events that changed a nation 15 years ago. At fire stations across Lincoln, firefighters and medics reflected on the bravery of their brothers and sisters in New York. Once the audio was silenced, sounds of ringing bells -- 343 for the firefighters lost -- followed. At Station 1, firefighters marked the anniversary with their heads held high as the flag was lowered to half-staff and bagpipes played Amazing Grace. Families of local firefighters and medics and community members joined in, adding to the significance of the remembrance. Lincoln Fire Chief Micheal Despain had worried that 9/11 ceremonies had lost a bit of energy over recent years. We had to kind of put this together last minute, but its truly just a really small way to honor the fallen, Despain said. Its a 10 minute process that well do every year from now on, and it was a way that other stations were able to stay in quarters and still take part. We dont want to sacrifice service to the community. Their passion for providing safety and service is what brings them together every day -- with 9/11 serving as a reminder, members said. What we all share today is a common bond as firefighters, Lincoln Firefighters Union President Ron Trouba wrote to members in an email. A fellowship between our brother and sister firefighters across this city, throughout our state and everywhere in this great nation. No matter where we are, we know that firefighters share the same job, the same duties, the same risks. Trouba asked service members to remember that those who risked their lives 15 years ago are on the same team, part of their same family. They were heroes. You are heroes, he said. One of those heroes, a retired New York City Fire Department EMS captain who worked at Ground Zero the night of 9/11, stood among the crowd in Lincoln on Sunday. Walter Odinokow wouldnt normally attend a 9/11 ceremony, he said. The memories are too strong. But the 15 years that have gone by since the tragedy marked a sort of milestone for him, he said. Its just an opportunity to take out my old uniform and my hat and stand with the guys and the type of people that I worked with for 26 years -- people that are always going to be there for you, for me and for everyone else nationwide, said Odinokow, who now lives with his wife in Lincoln. Sunday's local ceremony is something Despain hopes will continue to honor the past, present and future heroes, especially as a younger generation of service members come in who may not grasp 9/11's significance. They were little kids or they were born after the fact and its a history lesson, but theres no emotional attachment to it, Despain said. So we want to make that bridge as much as we can." The Egger family reunion may seem like any other gathering of relatives, with people coming together from across the country to retell family histories, catch up with old and young relatives and share a meal. But the Eggers have been doing this every year for 100 years. John and Anna Marie Egger emigrated from Switzerland with their nine children to the United States in 1855, and the family eventually made its way to Sprague, where they homesteaded land in 1872 that, according to fifth-generation family member Darrell Egger, was raw ground when they showed up. Id like to know how they made a living on the homestead, because it was really tough, said Egger who now owns the original family homestead southeast of Sprague. Yet they made it and had nine children survive. Through those nine children, the family has expanded by hundreds, and every family member is invited back to the homestead that their great -- many times great -- grandparents settled. The family is now spread across the country, and some relatives live as far as Singapore, but many still plan to gather Sunday to celebrate their roots and even visit the cemetery where John and Anna Marie Egger are buried. Darrell Egger says he remembers the annual family reunion when he was a kid and says the reunion has lasted for so long because, over time, people take on new roles. The young get older, the old get older yet, and then theyre gone, he said. Everyone steps up and thats five generations of people right there that have relations with each other. A century of family reunions later, Darrell Egger says theres no reason why the reunion cant go on another 100 years. Mayor Chris Beutler announced the theme of the 2016 State of the City Address, which will be delivered Wednesday, will be creating a culture of innovation. The address will be delivered during a breakfast event at the Downtown Holiday Inn, 141 N. Ninth St. For the first time, the mayor is partnering with Leadership Lincoln on the event. Reservations for the optional 7:15 a.m. breakfast are closed, but the public is invited to attend the 7:45 a.m. address at no charge. Those wishing to attend are encouraged to register at leadershiplincoln.org to ensure adequate seating. The State of the City Address will air on 5 CITY-TV and will also be available through YouTube and video-on-demand at lincoln.ne.gov. The breakfast will include remarks on the state of Leadership Lincoln from the organizations Executive Director Mick Hale. His presentation will focus on developing, sustaining and supporting civic leadership. The 2016-17 class of leaders in training includes a total of 130 in the Executive Series, the Fellows Program, Youth Leadership Lincoln and the Academy for Local Leadership (Project ALL). They will join an estimated 3,000 graduates of the programs in providing leadership in Lincolns civic programs and organizations. Leadership Lincoln will also present Bennie Shobe Jr. the Distinguished Service Award. Shobe moved to Lincoln in the late 1990s to pursue an advanced degree at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. He serves on the boards of several local organizations, teaches at UNL and is a program analyst for the state of Nebraska. Shobe is the 25th person to receive the annual award. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate As Americans prepared to mark 15 years since the terrorist attacks that forever changed the country, a high school English teacher asked her students what they knew about that day in 2001. Teacher Melissa Brubaker just started the fall semester at Shadow Creek Ranch High School, which is a part of the Alvin Independent School District, south of Houston. RELATED: Last known 9/11 search dog euthanized in Houston area Brubaker was a junior in high school on September 11, 2001. Her students were barely alive. The students shared little about the events of that day, remarking that they learned of it from an educational cartoon, seen here, that describes the 9/11 attacks somberly. Two characters in the six-minute clip explain what happened in New York City, at the Pentagon, and in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. Al-Qaeda's motives are mentioned, along with Osama Bin Laden's death in 2011. Houston-area teacher Jennifer Simpson said that to her students, the events of that week are discussed via the various conspiracy theories that abound online and in YouTube videos. Much like how the JFK assassination became less about the man who was killed and what it meant for Americans than who pulled the trigger. "They enjoy discussing and analyzing all the conspiracy theories around it. I try to tell them it's disrespectful, but then again our generation enjoyed all the conspiracy theories around whether Hitler really was killed or not," Simpson says. RELATED: 'Just like Korea is the forgotten war, the Pentagon is the forgotten 9/11' Another teacher, Niki Williamson, said that the logistics of the events and the aftermath are unimaginable to younger Americans. "I forgot that they had never seen an airport where you didn't have to go through a mile of security checks and take off your shoes. I had to basically explain what airports were like in the '90s. It never occurred to me before then that the "how" of the 9/11 would be so hard to comprehend, but it really is. She said that the conversation was just as confusing as the time she tried to explain to them what Blockbuster Video was. Another teacher, Alyssa Dupree, says that when it came time to talk about it with her middle schoolers they were enthralled that she was their age when it all happened. "What began as me mentioning an example that I could use turned into a nearly 30-minute talk about my memory of that day. It was really strange," Dupree says. RELATED: Trump, Clinton not planning to campaign on 9/11 Jill McKee's son is a freshman in high school right now at a school in North Carolina. He was born in October 2001. She's worried that the sense of fear and unease that most Americans felt 15 years ago is being forgotten. But then again how can you teach what it felt like to be worried that World War III was underway? "There is a certain detachment in their feelings about it because they did not experience the emotions we did as it was happening," McKee said. "To them, it was serious, but something of a story. I beg all teachers to please include the emotional side of this, to explore the human feeling of it or the lesson will be lost." Bob Poe stood among his fellow motorcyclists, all of them decked out in leather, some with Wings of Gold and Wild Hearts embroidered on their backs, anxiously awaiting the arrival of their friend. Poe expected David Langston, 67, to be pushed into the reception hall in a wheelchair -- past the donation jars set up for Sunday's fundraiser, past the display of tattered clothes Langston was wearing when his bike crashed in June. The last time Poe saw Langston he was confined to his bed -- putting any weight on his legs was just an ambitious idea at the time. So when Langston walked into Firefighter's Hall on Sunday assisted only by a walker, jaws dropped, tears flowed and hugs and applause filled the room. Look at him go! said someone in the crowd. Back in June, Langston and Poe headed out on a weekend trip to the Colorado mountains. Both traveled by motorcycle, just as they had for close to 10 years in annual summer outings. Poe likely won't forget the feeling of looking back and realizing Langston was no longer behind him. Langston had lost control at 75 mph riding on Interstate 76 near Sterling, Colorado. The bike flipped seven, maybe eight times, and Langston was thrown 40 feet. He was flown to a Greeley, Colorado, hospital, where Langston spent three weeks undergoing surgeries for a broken neck, shattered pelvis, broken wrist and shattered finger. His doctors told him if it wasnt for his helmet, hed be dead. They didnt think I would walk again, Langston said on Sunday. It was just lucky, I guess, because Im walking again. I have a lot of pain when I walk and my neck feels stiffer and stiffer, but Im lucky. Ive got a lot of my help, the people who are putting me back together, right here. His help includes family and friends who have been cheering him on since he returned to Lincoln about two months ago. Hes recovering at Homestead Rehabilitation Center until he can move back home with his wife Pat. Doctors hope to get him back in his house within the next month, but before he can go home, the house must be remodeled with a ramp and wider door frames so Langston can get around with his walker. Money from Sunday's spaghetti feed and silent auction will help the family make renovations. Pat Langston, who has spent time with her husband every day since the crash, said seeing him on his feet again isn't surprising. Hes David, Pat said with a laugh. He lives in a black and white world. If someone tells him hes not gonna do something, hes gonna do it. Hes gonna walk. Strangers who are now his friends said the same about Langston and his motivation. David is a very upbeat, very positive person, said Stephanie Boldt, rehabilitation director at Homestead. He was willing to do some very hard tasks and do as he was told throughout the whole process. That was the key to his success. As his riding companion, Poe expects Langston to be next to him again soon. Hes fighting to get back on that bike again, Poe said. He wants to ride again. Though challenges remain, his family and biker friends are thrilled that he's in the fight. Its a miracle hes here, Pat Langston said. Theres definitely an angel on his shoulder. NAIROBI, Kenya Three women were killed after they attacked a police station in the coastal city of Mombasa on Sunday, police said. One of the women threw a firebomb at officers while another pulled out a knife, police Chief Parterson Maelo said, adding two officers were wounded in the attack. The women, who were dressed in niqabs, were then shot by police. One of the women had a suicide vest that didnt detonate, police said. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack. But Kenya faces a constant danger of being attacked by adherents of the Somali militant group al-Shabab, which has vowed retribution for Kenyas deployment of troops to Somalia in 2011. Maelo said the women arrived at the central police station to report a stolen telephone. While the officers were questioning them about the particulars of the stolen phone, one of them drew a knife and another threw a petrol bomb at the officers, he said. Two of the suspects have been identified as Kenyans Fatuma Omar and Tasmin Yakub Abdullahi Farah, police said. A raid was conducted at Farahs house, leading to the arrest of three Somali refugees for questioning. Al-Shabab is al Qaedas affiliate in the region. It has recruited hundreds of Kenyans and used them in numerous attacks on the country, including the April 2015 attack at Garissa University that killed 148 people. Kenya is also struggling to battle the Islamic State groups recruitment of some of the countrys youths. At least 20 young Kenyans have traveled to Libya to join the extremist group, according to police. Authorities have also been warning of a plot by extremist medics to unleash an anthrax attack. Four medics are in police custody accused of being Islamic State members and plotting such an attack. Authorities fear Islamic State is trying to establish a presence in Kenya. SRINAGAR, India As Kashmir enters a third month of tense conflict marked by violent street clashes and almost daily protests, Indian government troops backed by local police are maintaining a tight security lockdown throughout the region. Thats left local Kashmiri police officers, tasked with patrolling the streets, gathering intelligence and profiling anti-India activists, feeling demoralized, afraid and caught in the middle between the Indian authorities who employ them and the friends and neighbors who question their loyalties. Many of Kashmirs 100,000 or so police officers say they are facing increasing suspicion by locals since the July 8 killing of rebel leader Burhan Wani by Indian government forces sparked the latest unrest. An ongoing curfew, a series of communication blackouts and the deployment of tens of thousands of Indian soldiers has so far failed to stop the protests against Indian rule. More than 70 civilians have been killed and thousands wounded, mostly by government forces firing bullets and shotgun pellets. Two local policemen have also been killed and hundreds other injured during the clashes. Recently, Kashmirs separatist leaders have begun calling the police out naming individuals as having betrayed the Kashmiri community. When one officer was publicly accused of firing a shotgun at a protest rally last month, his family showed up at the home of separatist leader Syed Ali Geelani and pleaded for forgiveness. The family of another officer accused of fatally shooting a protester fled their Srinagar home after it was covered with graffiti reading Killer along with the officers name. Police stations are being attacked with stones and gasoline bombs. At least a dozen stations have been damaged. Officers families are facing harassment including public jeering and verbal abuse. We get panic calls from our families about our well-being, said a senior police official who spoke on condition of anonymity, fearing retribution. The situation is quite grim, and were caught between the devil and the deep sea. More than 20 have seen their own sons detained for participating in anti-India protests, according to a senior officer who said he facilitated their release. Many Kashmiris on the India-controlled side see local police as tools of an Indian government bent on suppressing a widespread public demand for the regions independence or merger with neighboring Pakistan. BEIRUT Rebel factions in Syria expressed deep reservations on Sunday about the terms of a U.S.-Russian deal that seeks to restart the peace process for the war-torn country, with the leader of at least one U.S.-backed rebel group publicly calling the offer a trap. The second in command of the powerful, ultraconservative Ahrar al-Sham group condemned the agreement as an effort to secure President Bashar Assads government and drive rebel factions apart. A rebellious people who have fought and suffered for six years cannot accept half-solutions, said Ali al-Omar in a video statement. But the commander and other rebel leaders stopped short of fully rejecting the agreements interim cease-fire, which is slated to come into effect in stages beginning on Monday at sunset. The deal hammered out between Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Geneva on Saturday allows the Syrian government to continue to strike at al Qaeda-linked militants, until the U.S. and Russia take over the task in one weeks time. The arrangement has divided rebel factions, who have depended on the might of the powerful al Qaeda-linked Jabhat Fatah al-Sham faction to resist government advances around the contested city of Aleppo. Still, a senior official inside Ahrar al-Sham said rebels would nevertheless abide by the cease-fire to regroup after a punishing conflict with pro-government forces over Aleppo. The Islamist factions and Jabhat Fatah al-Sham will abide by the cease-fire without publicly declaring it, said the official. They will announce they are opposed to the U.S.-Russian agreement, but they will halt their operations on the ground because of the losses they sustained in the battles for Aleppo, he said, speaking on condition of anonymity. Other factions less closely tied to Jabhat Fatah al-Sham, including those backed by Turkish ground forces in the northern frontier area, will publicly commit to the agreement, according to the Ahrar al-Sham official. Under the terms of the agreement, the U.S. and Russia will coordinate to target the Islamic State group in Syria and Jabhat Fatah al-Sham, while rebels and the Syrian government will be expected to stop attacking one another. The deal has received the endorsement of Assads government and its key allies: Russia, Iran and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah. Several previous negotiated cease-fires have all eventually collapsed. ISTANBUL Turkish police used water cannons and tear gas to disperse protesters Sunday after Ankara announced it had replaced 28 elected municipal and district mayors in several predominantly Kurdish towns in Turkeys east and southeast. The ousted officials are suspected of colluding with groups the government considers terrorist organizations, the Interior Ministry announced Sunday, adding that the decision was in line with a governmental decree enacted in the wake of a failed military coup. Turkey declared a state of emergency following the July 15 coup attempt that allows the government to rule by decree. It has since suspended tens of thousands of people from government jobs over suspected links to terrorist organizations. Of the officials replaced by Ankara-appointed deputy and district governors Sunday, 24 are suspected of ties with the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party or PKK, and four are thought to be linked to the Gulen movement the government alleges is responsible for the abortive coup that left over 270 people dead. The ministry said in its statement that when local governments come under the influence of terrorist organizations, it is the states primary duty to take precautions against those who have usurped the peoples will. The U.S. Embassy in Ankara expressed concern over the governments actions, saying in a statement that it hoped the substitute office-holders would be temporary and that local citizens will soon be permitted to choose new local officials in accordance with Turkish law. The pro-Kurdish Peoples Democracy Party, or HDP, condemned the appointments as a coup by trustees that violates the Turkish constitution and the European Convention of Human Rights. The private Dogan news agency reported that a group of about 200 people gathered in front of city hall in the southeastern town of Suruc to protest the government-installed officials and were dispersed with tear gas and water cannons. WASHINGTON -- The smell of fresh paint greeted lawmakers reacquainting themselves with their workplace after their seven-week break. The scaffolding was coming down, revealing a gleaming dome and, underneath it, restored friezes, oil paintings and statues. The Capitol has been returned to its former glory. If only they could do the same to Congress. After their seven-week recess, which was the longest break since at least 1960, the people's representatives in the House are back for just four weeks before recessing again until the election -- and there has been talk of cutting those four weeks of work to three or even two. They might as well go home, because the House to-do list could end up looking something like this: Impeach the IRS commissioner. Punish the Democrats. Sue the Saudis. This is how Donald Trump happened. Americans are worried and angry about the big issues: stagnant wages, immigration, trade deals, health care, entitlement programs, the Zika virus. Yet the best Congress can do for the moment is to keep the government running on autopilot for a few more months, and even this isn't guaranteed. With three weeks to go in the fiscal year, Congress has enacted not one of the 12 annual appropriations bills (the House has passed six). While leaders struggle to pass a temporary "continuing resolution," Republicans fight among themselves about how long it should last and hard-liners threaten to derail it by adding language banning Syrian refugees. As Republicans sat down for their caucus meeting Wednesday morning, the conversation wandered -- this member's new grandchild, that member's engagement, various anecdotes and talking points. GOP leaders held a news conference after the meeting, at which they voiced enthusiastic support for ... a new soapbox that had appeared over the recess to help shorter members of the caucus be seen behind the lectern. "You could put three people on that thing," House Speaker Paul Ryan said upon entering the room and spying the new piece of furniture. "Gee whiz!" exclaimed Rep. Lynn Jenkins, R-Kan., trying it out. With so little happening, House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy tried to create the illusion of activity, asserting that in this Congress "a total of 219 bills have been enacted into law. That's an increase over the 25-year average." Actually, the average number of bills enacted into law in previous Congresses going back to 1991 is 435 -- double the current output. McCarthy's spokesman said the claim was based on when Congress went on its long summer holiday. But as of now, McCarthy's 219 bills are well below the 25-year average of 257 enacted at this point by previous Congresses. And most have been minor "suspension" bills, such as post-office namings. "People want a positive vision and a clear direction for solving the country's big problems," Ryan declared at his news conference. But instead, they're getting: -- An attempt to impeach the IRS commissioner. Some hard-liners, still angry about the IRS' treatment of conservative groups, are trying to force leaders to hold a vote to impeach the current commissioner, John Koskinen, who took over after the alleged wrongdoing occurred. -- A bid to punish two dozen House Democrats, led by civil rights icon John Lewis, who staged a sit-in on the House floor in June to protest Republicans' refusal to bring up gun-control legislation. -- Legislation allowing the families of 9/11 victims to sue Saudi Arabia in federal courts, a bill with no chance of getting enough votes. Instead, House Republicans could spend their fleeting time at work resolving an impasse blocking funds to fight the Zika infection. The Senate reached a bipartisan deal in May to provide $1.1 billion for the effort, but the agreement fell apart when House Republicans added a provision restricting funds from going to Planned Parenthood. At Wednesday's news conference, CNN's Manu Raju asked Ryan why he wouldn't accept a "clean bill" without the poison pill. "Look, give me a break," Ryan said, blaming the Senate. But even some of Ryan's Republicans aren't giving him a break. Rep. Richard Hanna, R-N.Y., told Bloomberg's Billy House that "we become obstructionists" with the Planned Parenthood gambit. And Rep. David Jolly, R-Fla., carried a jar full of Florida mosquitoes onto the House floor. "During the seven weeks ... we were gone, cases of Zika rose from 4,000 to by some estimates over 16,000 in the country," he said. His constituents "are demanding action and they are seeing inaction, and in that inaction they are angry." Yes, but have they seen that new soapbox for members of Congress? Gee whiz! SAN DIEGO -- Having written about immigration for a quarter-century, I've heard more than my share of lies, contradictions and inconsistencies from elected officials in both parties. So it's been extremely refreshing these last few weeks to see my colleagues in the media get so worked up over a politician who appears to have reversed course on the immigration issue. It's a familiar story that many of them have missed over the years. First, as I've said before, I don't think Trump really did a hard flip-flop on immigration. It's not like he talked about building a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border, and then announced that it's not going to happen. That would be a flip-flop. Instead, Trump has been clumsy. Immigration was always going to be a tough issue for him because, while Trump has been a politician for just 15 months, he's been a developer, builder and businessman for nearly 50 years. He must know that the U.S. economy would crumble without illegal immigrant labor. No matter what the politician says, the businessman won't be eager to rid the country of all undocumented workers. Even after his fire-breathing speech in Phoenix a couple weeks ago, Trump appears to have once again left the door open to giving at least some of the undocumented a path to legal status. Speaking to reporters aboard his plane, Trump said: "I'm not ruling out anything. We're going to make that decision into the future." And just a few days ago, during an NBC News forum, Trump hedged again when responding to a question about whether an undocumented person who wants to serve in the U.S. military "deserves to stay in this country legally." The Republican nominee called that "a very special situation" and said he could imagine himself "working that out." Still, if flip-flopping on immigration were an Olympic sport, Trump's performance would only be strong enough for a silver medal. Hillary Clinton is in a different league. In February 2003, during an appearance on a New York radio show, Clinton tried to come across as a moderate by declaring herself "adamantly against illegal immigrants." Yet, during a January 2008 Democratic primary debate, Clinton bragged that, as a senator, she "co-sponsored comprehensive immigration reform in 2004." So Clinton is "adamantly" against illegal immigrants, and yet she wanted to give them a path to citizenship? Among those of us who cover the immigration beat, and who follow that debate closely, Clinton is not usually described as an outspoken advocate for comprehensive immigration reform. That list includes lawmakers such as Rep. Luis Gutierrez, D-Ill., and Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz. She may well support a legislative approach that includes legalizing the undocumented but she has never stuck her neck out on the issue. Also, if Clinton really does support comprehensive immigration reform, then why did she later support a worker protection amendment that was meant to kill the Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act of 2007? Proposed by Sen. Byron Dorgan of North Dakota, the amendment added a "sunset" clause to the guest-worker provision in the bill and scared off Republican support. Then there is Clinton's muddled position on whether the undocumented should get driver's licenses. She said "no." Then "yes." Then "no" again. And by the end of 2007, she had repeatedly flip-flopped -- something that Barack Obama pointed out in that debate in January 2008. "The only point I would make is Senator Clinton gave a number of different answers over the course of six weeks on this issue," Obama said. But, for Clinton, the most awkward about-face on immigration had to have been during the Central American refugee crisis in the summer of 2014 when -- over the course of 24 hours -- she flip-flopped over whether to change a human trafficking law that makes it harder for officials to deport child refugees by ensuring that they get an asylum hearing. In July 2014, Clinton told National Public Radio that changing the William Wilberforce Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2008 was something that "should be looked at" because Americans need "some flexibility within the laws." The next day, during an interview on Fusion, which is aimed at Hispanic viewers, Clinton declared: "I don't agree we should change the law." What a messy dismount. It is performances like this that show why, in the flip-flop Olympics, Clinton deserves the gold. I think the presidential debates should be opened up more to allow Jill Stein and Gary Johnson to debate alongside the Republican and Democratic party candidates. The system we use now, asking them to reach 15 percent support in the polls to qualify to appear in the debate, cannot work when they are offered less coverage and are excluded from the polls. As noted on the website for Jill Stein, "The debates should give voters the opportunity to see all the candidates on the ballot, representing the diversity of American political thought, discussing important issues in an unscripted manner so that the people can make informed decisions about the direction of our country." I am very interested to know which "city officials" gave "very positive feedback" on a proposed development at 48th and Leighton ("$35M redevelopment planned," Aug. 28). The developers' plan is for two 4- and 5-story buildings with nearly 200 apartments plus commercial space. The developers will expect tax-increment financing but will our city officials expect anything in return? Will they ponder another recent report wherein Jerry Shoecraft, manager at 50/50 Apartments states, "Based on the analysis and surveys that we have done and participated in, a lot of the new student housing operations are barely 50, 60 percent occupied." Will they consider what UNL student Meredith Burroughs stated in the same report, saying, "... we don't want to pay $700 a month just to live close to campus." Moving into the spotlight. The referendum vote on whether to restore the death penalty in Nebraska no doubt commands the most attention in November, but the battles in Omaha for a presidential electoral vote and a contested House seat will share some of the spotlight. Hillary Clinton is vigorously pursuing that 2nd District electoral vote just as President Obama did in 2008 when he won it with an all-out ground game. Democratic Rep. Brad Ashford is seeking re-election after upsetting incumbent Republican Rep. Lee Terry in 2014, and his Republican opponent, retired Air Force Brig. Gen. Don Bacon, has emerged as an engaging and formidable challenger. Last week, the savvy national Cook Political Report changed its assessment of that House race in a district that includes heavily Republican precincts in Sarpy County from "leans Democrat" to "toss-up." Ashford and Bacon have agreed to three debates in October that could be critical, beginning on Oct. 11 with a debate co-sponsored by the Omaha World-Herald and KMTV, which will air at 6 p.m. The two candidates will meet later that week at the Omaha Press Club. And the following week they'll debate at the Omaha Community Playhouse. Showtime! * * * Here's a rare endorsement that doesn't just adhere to partisan political lines. Sen. Tommy Garrett of Bellevue, an independent-minded member of the Legislature who has acted and spoken boldly on a number of hot-button issues while adhering to basic conservative principles, was endorsed last week by the Libertarian Party of Nebraska. Garrett is one of the more interesting members of the Legislature, a retired Air Force colonel with a ponytail whose military field was intelligence. While in the military, he served overseas in Operation Desert Storm and Operation Iraqi Freedom and he now works as an intelligence consultant. A pro-life senator and firm supporter of 2nd Amendment rights, he voted to repeal the death penalty in Nebraska and subsequently voted to override Gov. Pete Ricketts' veto of that measure. Last year, Garrett voted to sustain the governor's veto of a gas tax hike while voting to override his veto of legislation that ended Nebraska's ban on issuing driver's licenses to the children of illegal immigrants who were brought to this country by their parents, but now have legal presence in the United States. In 2016, Garrett voted to allow those so-called DACA youth to be eligible for professional and occupational licenses in Nebraska. And he voted to override a gubernatorial veto of that bill. However, Garrett might best be portrayed by his passionate arguments on the legislative floor in support of his proposal to legalize the use of medical marijuana in Nebraska when it's needed to help alleviate suffering. His devotion to the families who suffer along with a suffering child has been stunning and memorable. "He is a friend to liberty, personal freedoms, fiscal responsibility and all Nebraskans," the Libertarian Party stated in its endorsement of his candidacy for re-election. Although Nebraska's Legislature is non-partisan, it is composed largely of senators who are registered Republicans. Garrett is one of them. There's a single registered independent -- Ernie Chambers -- and one registered Libertarian, Laura Ebke, who switched her affiliation from Republican in June. Garrett is opposed in the Sarpy County legislative district by Carol Blood, a member of the Bellevue City Council and a Democrat. It's a rematch from 2014, when Garrett won election to the seat after being appointed to fill a vacancy a year earlier. The May primary election results in the 3rd District: Garrett, 2,554; Blood, 2,000. Finishing up * It was great to see Clayton Yeutter saluted on the field at the Huskers' game against Wyoming for his generous contributions to the University of Nebraska. Yeutter also has made invaluable contributions to this state and to the nation -- and he's a really good guy. * Ben Sasse handed most of the credit to Deb Fischer after the Air Force announced that Offutt Air Force Base is one of five finalists for a new drone mission control unit: "Senator Fischer has the respect and admiration of our entire community for her hard work for Offutt on the Armed Services Committee." * Jeff Fortenberry says the key to halting North Korea's nuclear arms race "lies with China's willingness to meaningfully challenge such rogue behavior." * A new Hillary Clinton TV ad borrows previous comments by Sasse along with those made by several other high-profile Republicans who do not support Donald Trump and then makes the argument that Trump is "unfit, dangerous, even for Republicans." * Looking back at the May presidential primary results, Trump won more than 50 percent of the Republican vote in 92 counties in Nebraska in a five-candidate field at a time when his nomination was virtually assured. The lone holdout was Lancaster County, where Trump came close with 49 percent. * President Obama's stunning 58 percent approval rating in last week's Washington Post-ABC News poll may be the best news Clinton could have hoped for. He'll be making the case for Clinton in the critical showdown weeks of this election campaign. * The Duck in Lincoln on Saturday and the Yankees suddenly in the postseason chase. Life is good. 1876: In a 24-hour period, 560 railroad cars passed through Lincoln on the Burlington, most of them loaded with grain. The news was received that the Sioux, Cheyenne and Arapahoe tribes had signed a treaty with commissioners representing the government. Lincoln had 20 practicing physicians. 1886: The Lincoln Relief and Aid Society was organized at a mass meeting at First Presbyterian Church. The Metropolitan Skating Rink near 12th and M streets opened for the fall. The Lincoln baseball team was abandoned because of a lack of interest. 1896: The Burlington Railroad paid expenses for transporting a collection of Nebraska products gathered by C.J. Ernest to the Illinois State Fair. The Lancaster County Fair opened, but it drew very few people. 1906: Nearly 7 inches of rain fell in five days around Lincoln, making many roads impassable. A reception was held at St. Paul Methodist Church honoring the new pastor, the Rev. I.F. Roach. 1916: E.J. Burkett joined the Dry Boosters' Excursion at Fremont, lambasting the saloon interests. 1926: The formal opening of Cotner Boulevard was celebrated by the town of Bethany, which turned out to form a long parade through Bethany, Havelock, University Place and Lincoln. Judge Wilber F. Bryant of Hartington went on a self-imposed diet of bread and water to prove it was not dangerous to sentence drunks to such a diet. 1936: Ralph Morrison, sentenced to 18 years in the Penitentiary for the Barley State Bank robbery, tried unsuccessfully to escape from officers in Lincoln. U.S. Sen. George W. Norris, running as a petition candidate for re-election, predicted a tough race. His opponents were Republican Robert G. Simmons of Lincoln and Democrat Terry Carpenter of Scottsbluff. 1946: A.R. Kirkpatrick, secretary of the Lexington Chamber of Commerce, expressed fear that nearly 2.5 million pounds of potatoes in Dawson County were in danger of spoiling because the government had not picked them up. Fire at the Hoppe Lumber Yard in Nebraska City caused nearly $50,000 in damage. 1956: The Board of Control disclosed plans for a new School for the Blind at Nebraska City at a cost of $875,000. Plans were announced for a $110,000 Presbyterian student chapel at the University of Nebraska. 1966: The Census Bureau estimated Nebraska's population at 1,456,000. The first trainees arrived at the Lincoln Job Corps Center, housed at the former Air Force Base. Gov. Frank Morrison said he had turned down a federal judgeship to make his race as Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate. 1976: The Lincoln City Council ignored a plea from firefighters to reconsider the elimination of 10 jobs cut in a tightening of the city budget. 1986: Judy Nelson, novelist, columnist and information specialist at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, was elected president of the Nebraska Press Women. She succeeded Marianne Beel. 1996: University of Nebraska-Lincoln Chancellor James Moeser unveiled NU spirit license plates, allowing sports fans to pay tribute to university athletics. After 123 years of being one of the driest communities in Nebraska, the Adams Village Board approved the sale of beer and wine within the town's borders. 2006: A tornado ripped apart a mobile home and tore off the roof of the local Pour House bar in Surprise, in Butler County. The National Weather Service in Valley said its survey showed a tornado of F2 strength had struck the town. Gov. Dave Heineman declared a disaster in Butler County.The governor's office said early estimates indicated at least five families had been displaced by the storm. A flash flood warning was issued for Seward County, as thunderstorms dumped heavy rain, more than two inches, on western and northern portions of the county. Judi M. gaiashkibos, a Ponca tribal member, was elected president of the Governors Interstate Indian Council on Sept. 1 at the groups annual conference in Honolulu. gaiashkibos is the executive director of the Nebraska Commission on Indian Affairs. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- "If this were Naples, it would be champagne," purred Sophia Loren, gesturing to the glass of water by her blue velvet wingback chair. Before she even took the stage, the evening's moderator, veteran show biz journalist Bill Harris, warned the crowd Saturday night at the historic St. George Theatre: "You're getting ready to see one of the most beautiful women in the world make an entrance." The always earthy -- yet somehow goddess-like at 81 -- Italian screen icon strolled on stage in a form-fitting, knee-length black wrap-dress with magenta sequin details across her right shoulder/breast and her left hip. The legendary Sophia Loren, St. George Theatre, 09-10-16 Posted by Vincent Innocente on Monday, September 12, 2016 Early on, the lithe legend spoke of how she never thought she would be sitting in front of an audience: "When I even looked at a stage I was paralyzed with fear -- but not with you, of course. I feel comfortable with you." And with that she ingratiated herself even more to a crowd of diehard (and bilingual) fans who had plenty of applause -- and a few standing Os -- at the ready after driving in from the Bronx, Jersey, Brooklyn and Connecticut. (They also had armloads of Sophia's memoirs, "style" guides and Italian cookbooks that they wanted autographed, but that's a whole other story that's best left for the comment section.) Loren and the mustachioed Harris delivered some light chit-chat and audience Q&As padded out pleasingly by film clips ranging from stunning Technicolor footage from the early Italian-language film "Scandal in Sorrento" to a gritty black-and-white scene from her devastating Oscar-winning role in "Two Women." After screening her saucy striptease from 1963's "Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow," the conversation covered her impoverished, war-torn youth in Italy as well as her storied silver screen career and four beloved grandchildren. One highlight of the evening came when the audience serenaded the soon-to-be (on Sept. 20) 82-year-old with a hearty rendition of "Happy Birthday" that left Loren in need of some tissues from a gentleman in the front row. (The lowlight? Those $100 autographed posters being hawked in the lobby. But why quibble when you're in the presence of an icon?) "An Evening with Sophia Loren" felt, to be blunt, light on content. But it was a glory to behold a symbol of Hollywood's golden era in the flesh. It was hard to not feel a sense of reverence in the presence of woman who's outlived so many of her peers. Also, she dropped a few choice nuggets on her "wonderful public." Here are eight takeaways from her night on the North Shore of Staten Island. 1. Sometimes it's OK to be "a little bitchy," she said while cheekily recounting how she sent a photo of her first son to the doctor that erroneously told her she could not have children. 2. She got the idea to do Q&As for cash from Cary Grant, who told his "Houseboat" and "Pride and the Passion" leading lady he started doing them "after he was not making so many films anymore." Grant told her she "would be perfect at it." Hey, that $400 VIP post-show meet-and-greet is nothing to sneeze at, folks. 3. She smooched everyone from Frank Sinatra to Gregory Peck on the silver screen, but only one of them earned the title of "best kisser" -- her frequent co-star Marcello Mastroianni. 4. But don't get the wrong idea: "He didn't get it," she said with a mischievous smile. 5. She sometimes gets lonely living by herself in Geneva, Switzerland, and misses "the intense look" her late husband, legendary film impresario Carlo Ponti, used to give her. "But when I think about that look -- I am not alone." 6. She won't be lonely on her birthday because she's heading to the West Coast to celebrate with her sons, film director Edoardo Ponti, and orchestra conductor Carlo Ponti, Jr. (BTW: Her daughter-in-law is Sasha Alexander, co-star of "Rizzoli & Isles" on TNT.) 7. That infamous side-eye photo of her with Jayne Mansfield's "decollete" is not a Hollywood myth. Sophia really was stunned by "all that falling out" but just figured Jayne was a "little kinky." Oh, and she refuses to autograph that photo to this day out of the respect for the tragedies that her fellow sex symbol suffered later in life. 8. She writes revealing, in-depth diary entries, daily. But she also burns them annually -- "So none of you will ever read them. They are just MINE (gestures to her heart) alone." STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- "We have the best festival in New York, please come and enjoy the fun!" Luckily for me, I was able to receive the English translation of the Greek sendoff I received from one of the workers at the 2016 Greek Festival's dessert booth. After the momentary language barrier, the message was heard loud and clear; the Greek community wants Staten Island to join them for the best their culture has to offer. The annual event, held in the lot behind Holy Trinity-St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church on Richmond Avenue, is a tradition Staten Islanders look forward to all year -- for obvious reasons. Greek food, dancing and rides? Need I say more? Take a behind the scenes look at the fun-filled night as borough residents were submerged into the Greek culture, and see what tasty food and pleasant music was served Saturday night. If you didn't get a chance to make it to the festival this weekend, don't worry -- the fun will pick up again next Friday and last through Sunday. UPCOMING FESTIVAL DATES Sunday, Sept. 11: 2 to 10 p.m. Friday, Sept. 16: 6 to 11 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 17: 2 to 11 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 18: 2 to 10 p.m. For more information, call 718-494-0658 or click here. Nicole Moffett Shulde is the poster child for artist support programming of the Lincoln Arts Council (LAC), and for what can grow out of the opportunities made possible by those who invest in their arts community. In 2013, Shulde entered a piece in the National Arts Program, hosted for Lincoln by the LAC. This nationally funded visual arts program is open to employees and family members of the City of Lincoln, Lancaster County and Lincoln Public Schools. The art is judged, cash prizes are awarded and the entries are displayed professionally in a public venue. Nicole was then working in the city attorneys office. The first year, she was encouraged when she received an honorable mention. She entered again in 2014 and won first place. Winning first place in the NAP competition created a new confidence within me, a feeling of, Wow, they really like my work. It has given me validation, a feeling that I can and will continue to create, Shulde wrote in her artist review. The award also came with $300, which seemed to me to be an almost divine blessing, since I really needed to purchase a vendor canopy ($200 to $300) for upcoming summer art shows. This purchase didnt fit into my budget, and with the award money, it became a reality. Shulde then submitted a winning proposal for a mixed media piece repurposing barn wood, painted ceramic tile and found objects for the LACs Community Supported Art program and was selected as a CSArtist in 2015. She joined with eight other Lincoln artists, each creating an original piece to fill the CSArt shares. She was surprised and delighted to find herself in such good company. Then, in mid-2016, she took the plunge, left her day job and now pursues her art full time. She will be an artist/vendor for the first time at the 16th Lincoln Arts Festival at SouthPointe Pavilions, Sept. 24-25, which brings her full circle with the Lincoln Arts Council. I am nearly 50 and have been doing art all of my life, Shulde said. My father, Nick Moffett, is a sculptor and my sister, Megan Moffett Altshuld, works in oils, watercolor and ink, so I have been in the midst of it from my earliest memories. About seven years ago, I decided that I was going to dedicate more time to my art and start to show it. But I wouldnt have gotten where I am today without taking advantage of the opportunities provided by the Lincoln Arts Council. It takes talent, perseverance, hard work and personal investment to make any dream come true. Since the LACs work is primarily behind the scenes providing support services, we dont always have the pleasure of seeing so much of an artists trajectory as we have with Nicole. Of course, having a bubbly personality like hers does doesnt hurt, either. She is quick to credit her LAC connections with continuing opportunities, citing the recent call to artists for the Hearts Across Nebraska public art project for 2017. She is submitting three proposals. Keep up the great work, Nicole! You can find work from all three Moffetts at the Noyes Art Gallery at 119 S. Ninth St. The LAC is Lincolns official arts agency with the motto championing the arts, connecting people, changing lives. Learn more at artscene.org. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- One of his first jobs, Assemblyman Ron Castorina Jr. (R-South Shore) recalled, was cutting meat and making sausage in a butcher shop in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn. He also recalled odd jobs he held delivering fried chicken for a fast-food restaurant, and his days as a party deejay and as a musician in a wedding band. All that was while he was a senior at Brooklyn's New Utrecht High School, and later working his way through St. Francis College, before he went off to law school at SUNY Buffalo. Castorina, 36, credits his early string of part-time jobs with "building character" and strengthening his work ethic and convictions that he carries through in his political life, he said. Castorina -- who was elected to represent the people of the 62nd Assembly District on Staten Island's South Shore during an April 19 special election -- is seeking his first full term in November. To do that, he's hoping to win the Republican Primary Tuesday, Sept. 13, against his GOP challenger, Janine Materna. "It's important to have a core set of principles and beliefs, and be prepared to speak out to defend and stand up for what you believe in, even if you're in the minority, the odd man out, " he said, during a pre-Primary interview earlier this week in his district office in Richmond Valley. He believes his philosophy has served him well in the six weeks since he was elected and thrust into the Republican minority delegation in Albany's Democrat-controlled state Assembly before the legislative session ended for summer. So far, he was worked with the other members of the Staten Island conference on bills relating to insurance claims filed after disasters like Hurricane Sandy; blocking the City Council's shopping bag fee, making it a felony to kill a pet during a burglary and supporting the veterans equality act. One of his first votes was against continuing mayoral control of New York City public schools. "I voted against it on principle, because people were calling for some revisions in the mayoral control process, and this bill was just an extension of the status quo," he explained. (The legislation that eventually passed the Assembly and Senate gives Mayor Bill de Blasio a year's extension on mayoral control, with no revisions.) Castorina said if he's re-elected to serve a full term, his priorities will be: addressing the Island's growing heroin epidemic; identifiying and funding alternative mass transit options for South Shore commuters, as well as repairing borough roads and infrastructure; providing more services and options for the Island's seniors, and advocating for veterans, as well as for families of special-needs children and adults. "I am about substance, about listening to and delivering on the needs of my constituency," he said. "If elected, it would be an honor for me to serve the people of the 62nd District for a full term as their representative in the Assembly." delahanty.jpg New York Police Department Inspector Tom Delahanty spoke at Sunday's 9/11 anniversary ceremony at the Jewish Community Center, Sea View. (Photo courtesy of Ruth Lasser). Community, compassion and coming together--those were the words used by many of those gathered at the Joan and Alan Bernikow Jewish Community Center (JCC) in Sea View on Sunday as they reflected on the 15th anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attack. For the 15th consecutive year, the JCC of Staten Island marked the anniversary of 9/11 which claimed the lives of almost 3,000 people. This year's event, which was attended by approximately 75 people, included readings, poetry and music. The Jewish War Veterans presented the Flag Ceremony. Participants from the JCC's various programs shared their thoughts about the topic, "What Does 9/11 Mean to Me?" While each person had a different story to share, their reflections all highlighted the positive attributes of New Yorkers in the minutes, hours and days that followed September 11. "They didn't speak mostly about the negative components of that day," said Ruth Lasser, spokeswoman for the JCC. "They spoke about the coming together, the compassion, the caring for one another that that day brought about." "Those who spoke reflected on the fact that New Yorkers are tough people but on that day and on subsequent days they weren't tough--they were caring . ...it was a sharing of the experience in a positive way... it was a coming together and a standing together and a praying together and holding each other in every way possible," added Lasser. NYPD Inspector Thomas Delahanty, operations commander of Patrol Borough Staten Island, was the guest speaker at the event, and shared his personal and professional experiences from 9/11. He also spoke about how the New York Police Department and the Fire Department of New York have changed their protocol since that day. Also participating in the event were JCC President Gail Castellano, JCC Executive Director David Sorkin, Kristina Saulong, Ma'ayan Feldman, Ilana French, JR. Rich, Kristi Sofkin and Randy Topper. 2016 SkS Weekly Digest #37 Posted on 11 September 2016 by John Hartz Story of the Week... SkS Highlights... La Nina Update... Toon of the Week... Quote of the Week... Graphic of the Week... SkS in the News... SkS Spotlights... Coming Soon on SkS... Poster of the Week.. Climate Feedback Reviews... SkS Week in Review... 97 Hours of Consensus... Story of the Week Lest we loose sight of the fact that manmade climate change impacts more than just the Earth's atmosphere... Global warming is making the oceans sicker than ever before, spreading disease among animals and humans and threatening food security across the planet, a major scientific report said. The findings, based on peer-reviewed research, were compiled by 80 scientists from 12 countries, experts said at the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) World Conservation Congress in Hawaii. "We all know that the oceans sustain this planet. We all know that the oceans provide every second breath we take," IUCN director general Inger Andersen said at the meeting, which has drawn 9,000 leaders and environmentalists to Honolulu. "And yet we are making the oceans sick." The report, Explaining Ocean Warming, is the "most comprehensive, most systematic study we have ever undertaken on the consequence of this warming on the ocean", co-lead author Dan Laffoley said. Global warming making oceans sick, spreading disease in humans and animals, scientists warn, ABC News (Australia) , Sep 12, 2016 SkS Highlights Using the metric of comments posted, the most popular of the articles posted on SkS during the past week are: Toon of the Week La Nina Update Quote of the Week MIDWAY ATOLL Seventy-four years ago, a naval battle off this remote spit of land in the middle of the Pacific Ocean changed the course of World War II. Last week, President Obama flew here to swim with Hawaiian monk seals and draw attention to a quieter war one he has waged against rising seas, freakish storms, deadly droughts and other symptoms of a planet choking on its own fumes. Bombs may not be falling. The sound of gunfire does not concentrate the mind. What Mr. Obama has seen instead are the charts and graphs of a warming planet. And theyre terrifying, he said in a recent interview in Honolulu. What makes climate change difficult is that it is not an instantaneous catastrophic event, he said. Its a slow-moving issue that, on a day-to-day basis, people dont experience and dont see. Obama on Climate Change: The Trends Are Terrifying' by Julie Hirschfeld Davis, Mark Lander, & Coral Davenport, New York Times, Sep 8, 2016 Graphic of the Week NASA global temperatures, 12-months running average, including the value for July, the hottest month ever recorded. Credit: Stefan Rahmstorf Sorry Deniers, Even Satellites Confirm Record Global Warming by Joe Romm, Think Progress, Sep 7, 2016 SkS Spotlights Climateprediction.net is a volunteer computing, climate modelling project based at the University of Oxford in the Environmental Change Institute, the Oxford e-Research Centre and Atmospheric, Oceanic and Planetary Physics. From the Home page of Climateprediction.net: We run climate models on peoples home computers to help answer questions about how climate change is affecting our world, now and in the future Sign up now and help us predict the climate. Evidence of how our climate is changing is vital to encourage investment in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, as well as coping with inevitable change. You can help discover how the climate could look by running our free software on your computer. The data generated is sent back to us and incorporated into the climateprediction.net projects. Our computer models simulate the climate for the next century, producing predictions of temperature, rainfall and the probability of extreme weather events. The more models that are run, the more evidence we gather on climate change. Get started and help us predict the climate. Video of the Week Seeing the future of climate policy under the next president, PBS NewsHour, Sep 7, 2016 Report of Note Explaining Ocean Warming published by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Author(s): Organization(s): Abstract: Ocean warming may well turn out to be the greatest hidden challenge of our generation. This report represents the most comprehensive review to date on ocean warming. To build up the report, leading scientists from around the world were invited to join with colleagues to contribute individual chapters. It contains many recommendations from the scientists on capability gaps and research issues that need to be resolved if we are to tackle the impacts of ocean warming with greater confidence in the future. The focus of the report is on gathering facts and knowledge and communicating this to show what is now happening in and to the ocean. There is purposefully much less focus on political ramifications. We hope that this report will help stimulate further debate and action on such issues. Coming Soon on SkS BBC climate coverage is evolving, but too slowly (Geoffrey Supran) (Geoffrey Supran) The Climate Change Authority report: a dissenting view (Clive Hamilton & Dave Karoly) (Clive Hamilton & Dave Karoly) Big Oil is calling the shots for Trump and all levels of the GOP (Dana) Climate change doubled odds of Louisiana heavy rains, scientists warn (Roz Pidcock) (Roz Pidcock) Guest Post (John Abraham) (John Abraham) 2016 SkS Weekly News Roundup #38 (John Hartz) (John Hartz) 2016 SkS Weekly Digest #38 (John Hartz) Poster of the Week Climate Feedback Reviews 12 scientists analyzed the article and estimated its overall scientific credibility to be very high. Analysis of Justin Gillis Flooding of Coast, Caused by Global Warming, Has Already Begun, Climate Feedback, Sep 7, 2016 SkS Week in Review 97 Hours of Consensus: Simon Donner Simon Donner's bio page Quote derived with permission from author from: "The take-home message of my coral reef research is that without serious, near-term efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and to increase coral reef resilience, the worlds coral reefs will experience dangerously frequent mass bleaching events within decades. This wont mean the extinction of all tropical reef corals some hardy ecosystems and some hardy species will persist. However, the vast majority of the worlds coral reefs could become so physically and biologically degraded that they no longer perform their basic services like providing a home for reef fish and protecting shorelines from erosion." High resolution JPEG (1024 pixels wide) By clicking Agree, you consent to Slates Terms of Service and Privacy Policy and the use of technologies such as cookies by Slate and our partners to deliver relevant advertising on our iOS app to personalize content and perform site analytics. Please see our Privacy Policy for more information about our use of data, your rights, and how to withdraw consent. Agree The inaugural paratriathlon mens champions were crowned Saturday at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Paralympic Games. Jetze Plat of the Netherlands won the PT1 category, Andrew Lewis of Great Britain won PT2, and Martin Schulz of Germany won PT4 at the sprint distance competition at the famed Copacabana Beach. Seven nations from three continents were represented on three podiums. PT4 mild impairment Schulz won the first Paralympic paratriathlon gold with a dominant victory in the PT4 sport class. Schulz finished the swim 4th with a 52 seconds deficit to swim leader George Peasgood of Great Britain then surged to the lead with a PT4 race-best 32:33 for the 20 kilometer bike segment that gave him a big lead at T2. While he cruised the 5k run segment in a race wheelchair in the 5th-best 17:53 split, it was good enough to finish in 1:02:37 with a 28 seconds margin over runner-up Stefan Daniel of Canada (race-best 16:15 run) and 37 seconds ahead of bronze medalist Jairo Ruiz Lopez of Spain (17:02 run). Chris Hammer of the U.S. closed with a 2nd-best 16:36 run segment to finish 4th, 1:06 behind the winner. It is amazing, Schulz told ITU Media. I just realized that today I win the gold medal and then the first paratri (Paralympic race) here at Copacabana. It is a high part of my career what I have worked for over the last few years and I am very happy. Im disappointed in the place, but Im not disappointed in the race, said Hammer. I went as hard as I could on the day, and my competitors just had awesome races, so congrats to them. There are no regrets. Thats all you can do, is just give it your all, and I did. PT2 severe impairment Andy Lewis of Great Britain won gold in the PT2 category with a big come-from-behind finish over runner-up Michele Ferrarin of Italy and bronze medalist Mohamed Lahna of Morocco. Mark Barr of the U.S. led the swim in 10:04 which gave him a lead of 41 seconds over Brant Garvey of Australia and 53 seconds over Lewis. Barrs slow transition let Garvey pass to lead the competitors out on the bike. Michele Ferrarin shot to the front, turning his 1:28 deficit after the swim into a lead two laps into the bike, and he maintained his advantage into T2. Lewis pushed hard to maintain 4th place with a minute deficit. Ferrarin held the lead halfway through the 5k run segment but surrendered to the hard charging Lewis in the final kilometer, who closed with a 2nd-fastest 20:47 run split to finish in 1:11:49, with a 42 seconds margin of victory over Ferrarin and 46 seconds over Mohamed Lahna of Morocco. Barr finished 4th, 16 seconds out of the medals. It meant a whole lot to be able to represent the U.S. and to be the only amputee on the mens side was a huge honor, and an honor I dont take lightly, Barr told USA Triathlon media. It was fast. The entire way people were putting up best times, and it was exactly what youd expect the Paralympics to be, just everyone giving 110 percent. PT1 wheelchair Jetze Plat of Netherlands led from start to finish with the most dominant performance of the day. Plat swam 10:24 which gave him a 57 seconds lead on Bill Chaffey of Australia and 84 seconds-plus on Geert Schipper of Netherlands, Giovanni Achenza of Italy, and Krige Schabort of the U.S. Plat continued his domination with a race-best 34:16 bike split which was 1:07 better than Achenza and 1:10 better than Schipper. Starting the 5k wheelchair run with a 2:35 lead on Schipper and Achenza, Plat finished with a 6th-best 12:36 run which brought him to the finish in 59:31, with a 2:01 margin of victory over Schipper (11:56 run) and 2:16 over 3rd-place Achenza (2:14 run). It is historic, because it is the first time that paratriathlon has been in the Paralympics, Plat told ITU media. And after three times being the European Champion and one time being the World Champion I am just very happy and proud of this performance. It was a perfect day. Krige Schabort of the U.S. finished 5th, 14 seconds behind 4th place finisher Bill Chaffey of Australia. My strategy was to be out of the swim as far as I could to the front of the main pack, Schabort told USA Triathlon media. I enjoyed the swim the most it was almost the best part for me. It was choppy but I still enjoyed it. On the bike I was digging deep, but the other guys, you know, theyre just faster. Paralympic Paratriathlon Rio de Janeiro, Brazil September 10, 2016 S 750m / B 20k / R5k Results Mens PT1 1. Jetze Plat (NED) 59:31 2. Geert Schipper (NED) 1:01:30 3. Giovanni Achenza (ITA) 1:01:45 4. Bill Chaffey (AUS) 1:03:01 5. Krige Schabort (USA) 1:03:15 Mens PT2 1. Andrew Lewis (GBR) 1:11:49 2. Michele Ferrarin (ITA) 1:12:30 3. Mohamad Lahna (MAR) 1:12:35 4. Mark Barr (USA) 1:12:51 5. Stephane Bahier (FRA) 1:13:30 Mens PT4 1. Martin Schultz (GER) 1:02:37 2. Stefan Daniel (CAN) 1:03:05 3. Jairo Ruiz Lopez (ESP) 1:03:14 4. Chris Hammer (USA) 1:03:43 5. Yannick Bourseaux (FRA) 1:04:54 One of the first commercial boat operators on Lake Burley Griffin is fed up with the increasing and "unviable" fees, and has hung up his captain's hat and pulled his boat off the water. For 16 years, Stephen Winthrop operated Canberra Lake Cruises. His face lights up when he talks about the lake and what it has to offer. Stephen Winthrop of Canberra Lake Cruises has decided to take his boat out of Lake Burley Griffin after 16 years of operation. Credit:Jay Cronan "It is great, there is so much symbolism around the lake and to find out about it all, the cruise is just really worth doing," he said. He's full of fascinating tidbits about landmarks on the shores. The surge in coking coal prices to four-year highs has prompted analysts to upgrade earnings forecasts for some producers despite wariness about how long the upswing will last. The price of coking coal, used to make steel, has more than doubled this year, touching $US200 a tonne on Friday, amid reports that South32, the spin-off from BHP Billiton, was forced to declare force majeure over supply difficulties at one of its mines in the Illawarra, coupled with supply disruptions at some Queensland mines. BHP will benefit from the surge in coal prices September and October are traditionally strong periods of demand in China as steel production is ramped up ahead of the year end, which has also spurred buying by some Chinese traders as stockpiles in Australia have reduced. Just a week ago, the spot price for coking coal was holding at around $US155 a tonne, with the price up close to 50 per cent over the past month or so, underscoring the quick turnaround in the industry's fortunes. As OPEC officials shuttle between Tehran, Moscow and Paris in preparation for an informal meeting in Algiers, the focus of their efforts appears to be moving from a production freeze to voluntary output caps. OPEC, led by Saudi Arabia, and other producers are considering a route to a deal in the Algerian capital this month that involves each country agreeing it won't raise its production above a certain ceiling, instead of freezing at present levels. The option, one of the several under consideration, could be a way to overcome opposition from members including Iran by allowing them to join an agreement while fulfilling plans to boost production. Some are betting that the present low oil price will generate a supply crunch. Credit:AP "The freeze negotiations are morphing into negotiations about production quotas," said Olivier Jakob, managing director of Swiss consultant Petromatrix. "Most countries are asking for a production level which includes some room for continued increase." While allowing each producer to choose its own level would do little to curb surplus production in the short term, it could provide a benchmark for future policy discussions and prevent a repeat of the failed push for a freeze earlier this year. Iran continues to resist any agreement that would stop it restoring output curbed by sanctions, the same position that prompted the acrimonious collapse of talks in April. Vicinity Centres has raised $120 million from the sale if its half share in the Tuggeranong Hyperdome in Canberra, at a time when retail property is in high demand from large-scale investors. The buyer was TTCT Investments Pty Ltd, a company owned by members of the Ell family, which through the Leda Group owns the other 50 per cent interest in the asset. Lake Tuggeranong Hyperdome at Tuggeranong town centre. Credit:canberra times The sale is part of Vicinity's planned $1.4 billion divestment program that it started last year to hive off what it considers non-core assets to its future business. It comes as GPT wholesale shopping centre fund is selling its half share in the Westfield Woden Plaza, also in Canberra and which has a book value of about $320 million. An American citizen let's call him Rupert Murdoch (for that is his name) donates $15 million to set up a think tank to study Australia-US relations. I was Premier and I recall the discussion: among other things he wanted to counter anti-American sentiment in Australian universities. Later I served on the board of the US Studies Centre. Its work has been excellent. Australia has a security treaty with the US. It's a relationship worth studying and, at last count, there are a dozen research centres that do. Each begins with a positive view of its subject. Shenzhen Yuhu founder Xiangmo Huang. Credit:Ryan Stuart There is only one think tank in Australia to study the other big relationship. The Australia-China Relations Institute was founded in 2014 by a grant of $1.8 million by Chinese citizen Xiangmo Huang, now supported by UTS and funded by 15 Australian corporates. We take an optimistic view of our subject. Three-year-old William Tyrrell vanished without trace from outside his grandmother's house at Kendall, on the NSW Mid North coast two years ago on Monday. Little boy lost is a fear that has resonated deeply within the Australian psyche since the earliest days of settlement when Europeans moved into the unfamiliar bush. But in more recent times, the spectre of paedophilia involvement in such disappearances haunts those who await loved ones and those who search for them. NSW Police have put huge effort and resources into trying to solve what happened to the toddler in the Spiderman suit on September 12, 2014. Strike Force Rosann, using the skills of some specially-trained investigators experienced in the unexplained disappearance of young children, has so far information about some 600 persons of interests. Information packages relating to about 400 of those persons of interest have been sent to police local area commands across NSW. While the investigation is being run by the Homicide Squad, other teams at NSW Police's State Crime Command, home to the force's elite squads, are also helping with workload. William Tyrrell was three when he vanished from a home on the NSW Mid North Coast in 2014. More than 400 alleged sightings around Australia and in New Zealand have been investigated and run to ground. There has been a media report of a paedophile ring and police have interviewed more than 1000 people in connection with the case and targeted up to 30 men, either suspected or with records of, having a history of child sexual abuse. The search has also spread to Europe and the US. Crime Stoppers websites in some 26 countries have been asked by the Australian Federal Police to post an appeal for information. But on the second anniversary of the toddler's disappearance, despite the best efforts of police we appear no closer to knowing what happened than in first minutes after the alarm was first raised on that spring morning in 2014. Your article says the CTP proposal effectively hands liability for any of us injured by a motor vehicle to the state but it doesn't say anything about reduced premiums nor the potential benefits to the state government. This is a government that will happily destroy remnant bushland for a truck park, and sell public buildings, yet is happy to increase the profits of the insurance industry for no seeming return. Perhaps the key is the word "donation", that was mentioned several times. David Neilson Invergowrie Anna Patty's articles focuses only on legal rights and financial payouts, with no mention of health outcomes, which are projected to improve under a no-fault system, as they have in other jurisdictions, due in part to the harmful health impacts of an adversarial system. There was also no mention that more people would be covered for treatment under the proposed changes and that currently, most of the payouts go to people with no verifiable physical injury. I look forward to reading the other side of the argument in the Herald. Ian Harris Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery, UNSW Heartwarming Games Amidst all the negativity there is one event taking place right now that should warm the heart and make one believe that the world truly is full of wonderful people. Watching the Paralympic Games should be required television for everyone. Sportsmanship, diversity, enjoyment take centre stage as athletes from all over the world try to achieve their personal best without the posturing and self-congratulation exhibited by other sporting events. Helen Sharp Peakhurst Men of Manus are real people - not just statistics A military contractor, a computer science graduate, a man who has learned to speak seven languages and has taught English to other refugees ("Meet the men of Manus", September 10-11). Can these be the same people of whom Peter Dutton said: "they won't be numerate or literate in their own language, let alone English"? No, those nameless, faceless people he talks about are numbers, statistics, ciphers, hidden away from the public eye. Thank you to the Herald for reminding us that they are real people. Joan Brown Orange The men featured in your article would enrich Australian society yet are sadly destined not to have the opportunity. I would welcome any or all as a fellow citizen, neighbour or friend. It is a tragedy our political leaders are not up to it. Pete Newman Umina Beach Regarding the excellent article about the people on Manus Island, I suggest to Minister Dutton that the jokester Mehdi be granted immediate residency (if not citizenship), on the proviso that he lead a comedy review to tour Australia. He should have a special costume (cape optional) and be called "ManusMan", showing off our national pastime: humour about ourselves. Omid, Shazad, Mamud and Abdul should be his roadies for 12 months, with equal welcome, and be named "Men of Manus", with due acknowledgement to the Herald. Only restriction: no Peter Dutton jokes for the first 12 months. The present minister will be gone by then anyhow. Grant McCall Darlington Cloverslide a lesson for all parties I'm not overexcited with Clover Moore being re-elected as Sydney mayor, but I am delighted with the failure of the Liberal candidate and the message it sends to our Premier, Mike Baird ("Clover Moore wins record fourth term as Sydney Lord Mayor", September 11). With the damage and destruction Baird has done in NSW it's probably too late to redeem himself before the next state election. But maybe other political leaders will see that the electorate has found its voice, and if you don't listen you will be thrown out, irrespective of which party you represent or who you are.< Victor Marshall Erskineville While Barnaby Joyce can claim it was the greyhound racing ban which caused the Cloverslide in Sydney, I must agree with Mike Baird's opponents. It is a scandal that the Liberals and Shooters can get away with changing the law to have different rules for Sydney council elections compared with the rest of the state. The forced amalgamations of councils is another example of a high-handed government that is out of touch. George Cloughley Cronulla Well, that blew up in the face of the state government! They thought they could change the voting system and take control of the City of Sydney without real consultation. But the community saw through it and is happy to see Clover Moore continue, without any party alliance. Brian Reynolds Redfern With Clover Moore's emphatic re-election, I am now waiting for the next step in the Liberals' "Get Clover" campaign. Charles Lancaster Chippendale Tick tock Turnbull In the same week Malcolm Turnbull celebrates his first anniversary as Prime Minister, the Anglican Church comes out in support of a conscience vote for same-sex marriage ("Turnbull tragedy could be unfolding", September 10-11). Commentators claim Turnbull has nothing to show since taking power. It's not too late for him to exercise real leadership, as the Church just has, by acting on his own principles and promoting more progressive policies. Coleen MacKinnon Mosman One year on, we should not be mourning Malcolm Turnbull's lost potential but celebrating his transformation of national governance: no actual government but two very effective oppositions setting the agenda one led by Bill Shorten and one by Tony Abbott. Glenn Meeves Penrith For his growing critics, Malcolm Turnbull's traditional cabinet model of an inclusive and wide consultative government have meant an absence of reforms and achievements. Perhaps he should take to heart from Martin Luther King's advice that a genuine leader is not a searcher for consensus but a moulder of consensus. Steve Ngeow Chatswood End easy rides for MPs Sam Dastyari is only doing what politicians think they have a right to do sell their influence ("Dastyari benefactor linked to visa gain", September 10-11). If we want some integrity, we have to really think about who is going to be promoted into political ranks and make sure they don't come through closed shops such as unions and ministers' offices. There should be a requirement that they have a couple of years in the real world and not work for "mates". Gloria Healey Condell Park Here's a simple solution to the problem of political donations. They should be made to the Australian Electoral Commission, which accepts them only from enrolled voters. The commission then forwards them anonymously in aggregated amounts to the party concerned. Donations made in breach of this protocol are forfeited to the Commonwealth. Bruce van der Graaf Jannali Joke on UN or us? I have scanned the newspapers for a week searching for in-depth analysis of the reason and cost benefit of seconding Cory Bernardi to the United Nations. So far, nothing. Is it charity, a sort of respite care for an Australia exhausted by political infighting? Or is it a case of "you thought our Kevin was weird, wait till you have to deal with Cory"? Have we chipped in the equivalent of housing one asylum seeker in Cambodia? Will he explain to a bewildered Assembly how being anti same-sex marriage is part of God's plan? Is aversion therapy available? I am happy to toss a weekly fiver or so into a donation box for the UN to feed him and for an extra fiver, could they also take Christopher Pyne? Nola Tucker Kiama Truth about statins Your heading about the effects of statins is misleading because it does not apply to everyone ("Statins harms exaggerated, benefits underestimated, major Lancet Journal review shows", September 10). Decisions in medicine need to be made on a case-by-case basis. I had stopped taking Statin well before seeing the ABC Catalyst program because I did not want the increased life expectancy if it meant the accompanying decrease in the quality of that life and my cardiologist had (reluctantly) agreed. Don Higson Paddington Still in the TV dark I agree with Michael Lallo's article ("Dark TV: Will someone please turn on the lights?", September 10-11) regarding the dark screen on today's programs. For some time I, too, have closed curtains, turned off lights and also tried to adjust the settings on my television set, while in many instances blaming my older eyesight. Thank you for bringing this to our attention, although it appears we will continue to view our television shows in darkness. Carol Battishill Wyoming Conference clown Watching Malcolm Turnbull at press conferences takes me back to my childhood when I visited Luna Park and tried to place ping pong balls into the open mouth of the mechanical laughing clown as it moved its head from side to side. I don't know how journalists resist the urge. Paul Miles Gorokan For a while there, it was hard to see the difference between the current Prime Minister and his predecessor. But given all that he's done in the past year, it's obvious the difference is that Malcolm Turnbull doesn't eat raw onions. John Bailey Canterbury Earlier in the year I found myself agreeing with some of Alan Jones' opinions on the ABC's Q&A. I managed to recover from that shock. But this week I actually agreed with some of Tony Abbott's comments about political donations, even if he is only posturing to undermine Malcolm Turnbull. I think I need a good lie down. Make no mistake, while the Dastyari disaster raises the issue of political donations and foreign ones in particular it is not essentially about them. There may be sensible questions about political donations from at home and abroad. But Labor is trying to make this issue about donations as a distraction from the real issue. If all donations or gifts were declared, the record is there for anyone to inspect. That's essentially what appears to have happened. It appears the system worked. The record was there and questions were asked. Illustration: Jim Pavlidis The fuss is rightly about the inadequacy of the answers and the inadequacy of Bill Shorten's response. Dastyari's situation wasn't about getting donations to get himself or others elected. The legal settlement and the staff travel costs were Dastyari's personal responsibility. Mums and dads working, paying tax, dropping the kids at school and sport and making sure ends meet must wonder what kind of world Dastyari lives in. From my experience most other politicians would be thinking the same. Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce has blamed NSW Premier Mike Baird's decision to ban greyhound racing from July 1 next year for swings against the Coalition in the state's local council elections. Sydney lord mayor Clover Moore claimed a record fourth term in a strong result for the independent, while Labor claimed large swings towards it in the western Sydney local government areas of Liverpool, Penrith, the Blue Mountains, Blacktown, Campbelltown and Camden. The elections come a month after Mr Baird's controversial ban, which was opposed by some state National Party MPs, was passed into law. Mr Joyce, the leader of the federal National Party, told the ABC's Insiders program the local government result contained a stern lesson for the Coalition. John Howard has urged Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull to make changes to the Racial Discrimination Act to protect free speech while pursuing economic reform saying 'you can walk and chew gum at the same time'. Former prime minister also called on Mr Turnbull to put significant changes to Australia's taxation and workplace relations systems back on the agenda, even if they seem unpopular with the public. Former prime minister John Howard. Credit:Andrew Meares Speaking on Sky News on Sunday, Mr Howard acknowledged he had not tried to amend section 18C of the act - which prohibits speech that offends, insults, humiliates or intimidates on the basis of race - when he was prime minister because it had been "dormant" and "didn't seem to matter". "Once the Andrew Bolt case came about we knew the thing had potency," he said. The Coalition and Labor are inching towards a deal to pass the $6 billion so-called omnibus savings package, Treasurer Scott Morrison says. Federal parliament resumes this week and debate will begin on the savings package, which contains 26 savings measures the government argues Labor indicated it would adopt during the election campaign. Labor has partly disputed that claim, arguing its election policies did not explicitly commit to a $1 billion cut to the renewable energy agency ARENA, nor to a $1.3 billion cut to the clean energy supplement, originally linked to the axed carbon tax, which would actually deliver a cut in real terms to the incomes of Newstart recipients. A rearguard action has been underway within Labor, publicly led by shadow cabinet minister Anthony Albanese and backed by welfare groups such as ACOSS, to oppose the cut to the supplement and, behind the scenes, the government and opposition have been negotiating over a way to find alternative savings. But that is where I will leave you. What have we learned? The Senate ran out of work to do. On the fourth sitting day. The Auditor-General report into Parakeelia found 'no evidence' the Liberal Party had broken the rules. Sam Dastyari made an awkward video praising the Communist party mouthpiece. And just in case you missed it - the Senate ran out of work to do. It bears repeating. Here's Jame's Massola's take. Stephanie and the team will be back tomorrow at about 9am for more fun and games. Have a lovely night and thank you for joining us. French actress Juliette Binoche on Friday urged Europeans to let go of their fears of immigrants and respect the freedom of Muslim women to wear the veil or not as they choose. Europe is grappling with a migration crisis that has brought more than a million mostly Muslim people fleeing war and poverty in the Middle East and Africa and has highlighted problems about the integration of Muslims already in Europe. Juliette Binoche Credit:Gregg DeGuire Binoche, who reached global stardom in films such as Chocolat and The English Patient, for which she won an Academy Award, has often promoted women's rights and spoken out in favour of freedom of expression. Speaking at a Hungarian film festival where she will receive an award, Binoche told Reuters that feminism called for compassion in the migration crisis, where fear sows the seeds of more conflict. Yet family experts warn that bird's nest parenting is not for every separated couple. It comes with its own unique challenges, and while it can be useful during the transition to divorce, is rarely sustainable in the long term. "It sounds good ... but you rarely see experts recommend it," says family lawyer Melinda Winning. "While it can be good for the kids, not many people can sustain it. Most people do need privacy and it provides for very little." Family therapist Bernie Brown says women who experienced divorce as children are especially inclined towards bird-nesting to minimise any damage to their kids. And many men see it as a way to maintain their relationship with their children post-separation, rather than being relegated to weekends and school holidays. Some parents try a variation, staying over at each other's houses occasionally (as Sunday Life columnist Meshel Laurie has been doing), sharing regular family meals, or even holidaying together. "The desire to do this comes from a good place," says Anne Hollonds, the director of the Australian Institute of Family Studies. "Divorce can bring with it a whole lot of issues, not only for adults, but also children, into the future. "It's a fabulous thing that parents have cottoned on to this. They don't want to disrupt their kids' lives, their schooling - a lot of the time they don't want the kids to notice anything has changed." The Morgans didn't announce their new arrangement to their then four-year-old son and two-year-old daughter; they simply started doing it in mid-2014 and the kids barely registered the change. "To all intents and purposes nothing is really different for them," says Lara. "Their bedroom is the same, it's just that Mummy is in Mummy's bedroom and Daddy is in Daddy's bedroom. They've got their routine and they're happy - that's the biggest bonus of all of it." Two years on, the kids know about the apartment, and enjoy visiting there. Maintaining up to three separate homes (one for the kids, one for mum and one for dad) is beyond the financial reach of many. But if you've got a cheap alternate residence, or can crash at a friend's or relative's place, bird-nesting can stave off the financial burden of divorce. Bird-nesting is relatively uncommon in Australia, and usually an arrangement separating couples come up with. Judges and therapists are reluctant to recommend it as it can complicate already messy breakups, and prevent one or both partners from moving on with their lives. It is inappropriate in cases of domestic violence or mental illness. "You can't use it in high-conflict situations," Gloria Hawke warns. "It creates more opportunities for parents to have high-level disputes, cross paths and find fault with each other." Privacy is hard to maintain, and already fragile trust can be easily shattered when you're still sharing a house with your former partner. One of Hawke's clients would go through his ex's emails and filing cabinet when it was his turn to stay at the house, and photocopy documents. Another client would keep all his sensitive paperwork locked in the boot of his car rather than risk his ex rifling through it when he wasn't there. Even if they remain on fairly good terms with their former partners, sharing the same house can still create issues. How do you split bills? Who is responsible for doing the shopping? Do you have a cleaning roster or share the cost of a cleaner? Are there no-go zones in the house so each parent has a modicum of privacy? The Morgans keep their own bedrooms in both the family home and the flat, with an understanding these are off-limits to the other person. If they're staying at one residence and need to go to the other to pick up something, they will always call or text first as a courtesy. "We're really respectful of each other's privacy and space," says Lara. "I don't go into his bedroom at all; he doesn't come into mine as far as I'm aware. We've got a pretty good working relationship. There is no way you could do this if you didn't, there is no way it would work." But Hawke's warning that it creates opportunities for conflict also rings true for the Morgans. For example, paying bills and doing the cleaning have become bones of contention. They initially kept a joint account for groceries and kids' expenses, but Lara wasn't impressed when Harry started dipping into that for the occasional bottle of wine. They dissolved the account and Lara stopped cooking and freezing meals for Harry and the kids. Now that they've let the cleaner go, Harry's lax housekeeping is starting to grate on Lara. "That's the thing that's got to me the most," she says. "It's no different to when we were married. He'll pull his act together and then he'll just let it slip. I came in the other day and the house was absolutely putrid. I put the kids on a bit of a working bee for two hours. I was tempted to send him an email saying, 'This is just gross', but for the sake of the kids I just sucked it up and did it." And of course there are the everyday hassles of living in two places, realising that the ripe avocado you wanted for lunch, or that pair of high heels you need for a night out, are at the other house. "Living out of a suitcase as a female is so hard - I live like a gypsy," says Lara. "If it was about me I'd love to have all my stuff in one spot. Eventually I will." At a deeper level, bird's nest parents often don't feel like they've got their own home with their own space. "They're kind of camping," says Hollonds. "It's going to start creating problems eventually." Letting go of a failed relationship can be hard when you're still living among mementos and memories of happier times together. As Gloria Hawke points out, "Coming into the family home and seeing all the family photos still on the walls can be difficult if one parent is still really heartbroken over the marriage ending." The Morgans have deliberately kept the family home the same for their kids' sake, right down to leaving the photos taken pre-separation on the bedside tables in the master bedroom. Yet this hasn't prevented either Lara or Harry from starting new relationships. "I know my new partner has some reservations about [our arrangement]," Lara admits. "He's not jealous, but he says, 'Don't you feel like you are still tied to him?' He wants me to move on." Experts say most bird's nest arrangements tend to be temporary while people finalise their financial and custodial agreements, and to give themselves and their children time to adjust to the reality of divorce. "Six to 12 months is sensational," Hawke says. "It minimises the disruption to kids so they're not changing everything at once. They slowly get used to the separation and new way of life." Eventually that has to include both mum and dad setting up new homes for themselves. Family experts say it is more important for kids to see that their parents can still be amicable than that they all remain under the same roof. "At some point they're going to have to adjust to two households - that's the reality of separation," lawyer Melinda Winning says. "It's more about the attachment to the parent they're spending time with you've got to worry about than the actual house they're in." While the Morgans' arrangement may seem unusual to outsiders, Lara says it has become the normal way of life for them all. "We're both reasonably happy with the houses we're in, we're accustomed to the arrangement. If I didn't have a relationship and Harry didn't have a relationship I could probably keep it going." As successful as their arrangement has been for the last two years, the Morgans are now starting to think about dismantling their bird's nest. Once they finalise their financial settlement, Lara expects to move into the apartment permanently, while Harry will keep the family home. "It surprised me that the members of Security Council didn't find any of the six worthy of being first or second," Mejia said after the third poll, in late August. The one candidate who publicly described herself as a feminist - Vesna Pusic, the former foreign minister of Croatia - got so little support in the council's polls that she was the first to drop out. The final vote is expected in October, when the council will send its choice to the full membership of the General Assembly, where approval is a foregone conclusion. Ultimately the decision will come down to the Security Council's five veto-wielding permanent members, Russia and the United States in particular. Both are expected to choose someone who they perceive does not threaten their national interests. The secrecy surrounding the council's informal polls - there is no telling who voted for whom and why - makes it difficult to explain the poor performance of the women in the race. But there are several theories. Two of the best-known candidates may have suffered because they are perceived as too close to either Moscow or Washington. Irina Bokova, a Bulgarian diplomat and the head of the U.N. Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation, UNESCO, is widely described as pro-Russian. Susana Malcorra, the Argentine foreign minister and for nearly four years the chief of staff to the current secretary-general, Ban Ki-moon, is widely seen as pro-American. International education has surged ahead of tourism to become NSW's highest service export industry by nearly $2 billion, and the number of overseas students at the state's universities has grown by more than 30,000 over two years. The total value of international education to the NSW economy has jumped nearly $1.5 billion since 2013, from $5.5 billion per year to $6.96 billion in 2015, NSW Department of Industry figures based on Australian Bureau of Statistics data show. The state is now drawing about a third of Australia's total international education earnings, estimated at $21 billion per year. The value of the sector to the NSW economy is now significantly higher than tourism, which was worth $5.2 billion in 2015. A pilot has been killed after being hit by a runaway plane which then crashed into another aircraft on the tarmac at an Adelaide airport. Police confirmed a 62-year-old man from the Adelaide suburb of Wattle Park died at Parafield Airport on Sunday. Emergency crews were called to the airport shortly after 4pm. An empty plane taxied away after hitting the pilot then crashed into another unoccupied plane parked nearby, police say. An Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) said it is believed someone was trying to start the aircraft which taxied away. Jacob Munro hated the thought of being buried. The 24-year-old explained this to his mother Deborah Hall just three months before he went missing from his Sydney home. Murderer Stanley Robert Forward, 23, leaves the NSW Supreme Court on Friday. Credit:Fairfax Media So when Ms Hall eventually found out what had happened to her son, her "world stopped". "It was devastating to find out he had been buried for months, but more so because of the conversations we had earlier about him hating the thought of being buried," Ms Hall said in a victim impact statement read to the NSW Supreme Court. The biggest monetary reward in NSW is on offer for anyone that can lead police to the whereabouts of missing toddler William Tyrrell. In a significant development in the mystery that has gripped Australia, NSW Police Commissioner Andrew Scipione and Premier Mike Baird announced the $1 million reward on Monday, the second anniversary of the three-year-old's disappearance. It is double the amount of the state's previously highest standing reward of $500,000, attached to the 1999 case of murdered teenager Michelle Bright. Unlike other rewards that are contingent on someone being convicted of a crime, the $1 million reward in William's case is for his location. Comment One of Mike Baird's first responses to Saturday's local government election results should be to repeal part or all of the hugely expensive, ill-thought out, repugnant to democratic principles, business voting legislation for the City of Sydney. The City of Sydney council has already spent about $12 million to implement the stupid and, as it turns out, ineffective laws. That is $12 million that could have been spent on parks, rate discounts, footpaths, street-lights - or even, to help stimulate Sydney's industries in talkback and tabloid outrage, contentious public art. Floodwater in Glenelg. Credit:Troy Robbins "It's been hanging on pretty well," he said on Sunday morning. The Bureau of Meteorology forecast between 5 to 15 millimetres of rain for Sunday evening and warned that the showers would likely cause renewed stream rises. Floodwaters lapped at the heels of the Glenelg Inn on Sunday morning. Credit:Troy Robbins With more rain forecast, the river is likely to remain around six metres into Monday. But an incident control centre spokesman in Hamilton said the amount of rain was not expected to make the flooding much worse. Floodwaters creep towards the Glenelg Inn. "We'll keep a watch on it overnight," he said. He urged motorists not to drive through floodwaters or ignore road-closure signs. Water 'just metres' Glenelg Inn on Sunday morning. Credit:Troy Robbins "They are putting themselves at risk and emergency services at risk if something went wrong," he said. Casterton Racing Club manager John Donnelly said between 600 and 700 horses were expected at the jumps track on Sunday for the club's annual spring meet. The event was cancelled. Mr Donnelly said the track's turf was unaffected, but the club's two access roads were blocked. "This has happened before, in 1991, so if it only happens every 25 years I don't think we'll complaint too much about it," he said, despite the event bringing an economic boost to the small town. Mr Farquharson said two residents of a house in Racecourse Road had to be relocated about 1.30am. "They took a cautious approach and got out," he said. "They're in alternative accommodation now and are safe and sound." Frank and Rita McInerney said they packed-up and left in the middle of the night after water began lapping around their house. "It was really freely flowing, probably a foot or so high," he said. Sandbags managed to keep the water from seeping inside, but the couple lost one of their chooks to the floodwater on Friday night. Another house with a single occupant in McKinlay Street was evacuated later on Sunday morning. "We expect the water will take about 24 hours to recede to the point where houses are able to be accessed for inspection," Mr Farquharson said. He said about 45 Casterton residents attended a community meeting held on Saturday afternoon. "The Casterton community knowns floods, they've had many floods over the years," Mr Farquharson said. Troy Robbins, publican of the town's Glenelg Inn, said floodwaters came within metres of the hotel. "It peaked here about 3.45am out the front of the pub, so we didn't have any water inside," he said. Meanwhile, SES Dartmoor members came to the aid of a milk tanker that had become trapped in quickly rising water early on Sunday. SES Dartmoor controller Dallas Oakley said the driver had to be rescued by boat about 1am. "He decided to drive through floodwater and got stuck," he said. It took about half an hour to rescue the tanker just outside Casterton. The Bureau of Meteorology issued a major flood warning for the Glenelg River on Saturday night. The SES advised Casterton residents not to walk, ride or drive through the floodwater. People are also advised to keep children away from floodwater and to stay well clear of waterways, stormwater drains and fallen power lines. The Glenelg River last flooded Casterton in 1996. Residents in the nearby town of Coleraine were evacuated on Friday night, with tiger snakes seen swimming through the streets to escape the rising water. Premier Daniel Andrews said on Sunday grants had been provided to five families. Elsewhere in the state, a moderate flood warning has been issued for the Murray River at Corowa and a minor flood warning for the Murray River at Albury. Current Emergency Information is available at Vic Emergency. Loading For emergency assistance contact the SES on 132 500. An asylum seeker sits down in front of you, and tells you her life story. She hands over her papers, if she has any. She speaks only halting English, or perhaps none at all. The forms, with more than 60 questions, baffle her. Her life is on the line. And your task is to prepare the paperwork that will help her try to prove to the government that she deserves Australian protection. This is not a drill. Kobra Moradi from Afghanistan came to Australia in 2005, sponsored by her father, who came as a refugee in 2000. She is now a third-year law and international relations student at La Trobe University. Credit:Justin McManus From Monday, students from La Trobe University's law school will be enlisted to help the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre clear a backlog of asylum claims; the so-called "legacy caseload" of tens of thousands of people who arrived in the surge in boat people coming under the Gillard and Rudd governments and whose asylum claims have still not been assessed. Under changes introduced by Tony Abbott in 2014, thousands who arrived in Australia by boat between August 13, 2012 and December 31, 2013 are subject to so-called "fast track" measures. They can only apply for temporary protection visas and have limited avenues of appeal if their applications are not successful. Melbourne Express: Monday, September 12, 2016 Were sorry, this feature is currently unavailable. Were working to restore it. Please try again later. Dismiss Glenelg Inn publican Troy Robbins and his children Marlee and Nate sit on sandbags outside the hotel at Casterton. Credit:Everard Himmlereich The river reached major flood levels about 4.30am on Saturday night, rising almost half a metre within 10 hours to 6.1 metres. Up to 700 horses had been expected in the town for Casterton Races, but the jumps meeting had to be cancelled due to the big wet. Nigretta Falls near Hamilton in western Victoria after the heavy rains. Credit:Gill Fry Photography Further north, the township of Harrow had been bracing for flooding of its own, but the water level peaked just after midday on Sunday and continued to drop throughout the day, saving the township from flood damage. State Emergency Service spokesman Bruce Farquharson said the Harrow Mechanics Institute Hall was affected, but there were few other buildings in town. Portland-Casterton Road, Sandford, is flooded. Credit:Troy Robbins The water level in Casterton had barely dropped since its overnight peak, resting at 5.8 metres at 4pm on Sunday. Ten homes were expected to be inundated and a further 40 to 50 were surrounded by water. SES crews in several states are gearing up for a busy few weeks. Credit:Everard Himmelreich "It's been hanging on pretty well," Mr Farquharson said. With more rain forecast, the river is likely to remain around six metres into Monday. But an incident control centre spokesman in Hamilton said the amount of rain was not expected to make the flooding much worse. "We'll keep a watch on it overnight," he said. He urged motorists not to drive through floodwaters or ignore road-closure signs. "They are putting themselves at risk and emergency services at risk if something went wrong," he said. Casterton Racing Club manager John Donnelly said between 600 and 700 horses were expected at the jumps track on Sunday for the club's annual spring meet. The event was cancelled. Mr Donnelly said the track's turf was unaffected, but the club's two access roads were blocked. "This has happened before, in 1991, so if it only happens every 25 years I don't think we'll complain too much about it," he said, despite the event bringing an economic boost to the small town. Mr Farquharson said two residents of a house in Racecourse Road had to be relocated about 1.30am. "They took a cautious approach and got out," he said. "They're in alternative accommodation now and are safe and sound." Frank and Rita McInerney said they packed-up and left in the middle of the night after water began lapping around their house. "It was really freely flowing, probably a foot or so high," he said. Sandbags managed to keep the water from seeping inside, but the couple lost one of their chooks to the floodwater on Friday night. Another house with a single occupant in McKinlay Street was evacuated later on Sunday morning. "We expect the water will take about 24 hours to recede to the point where houses are able to be accessed for inspection," Mr Farquharson said. He said about 45 Casterton residents attended a community meeting held on Saturday afternoon. "The Casterton community knowns floods, they've had many floods over the years," Mr Farquharson said. Troy Robbins, publican of the town's Glenelg Inn, said floodwaters came within metres of the hotel. "It peaked here about 3.45am out the front of the pub, so we didn't have any water inside," he said. Meanwhile, SES Dartmoor members came to the aid of a milk tanker that had become trapped in quickly rising water early on Sunday. SES Dartmoor controller Dallas Oakley said the driver had to be rescued by boat about 1am. "He decided to drive through floodwater and got stuck," he said. It took about half an hour to rescue the tanker just outside Casterton. The Bureau of Meteorology issued a major flood warning for the Glenelg River on Saturday night. The SES advised Casterton residents not to walk, ride or drive through the floodwater. People are also advised to keep children away from floodwater and to stay well clear of waterways, stormwater drains and fallen power lines. The Glenelg River last flooded Casterton in 1996. Residents in the nearby town of Coleraine were evacuated on Friday night, with tiger snakes seen swimming through the streets to escape the rising water. Loading Activists and Aboriginal elders have celebrated the unveiling of a monument to two Aboriginal resistance fighters, at the site of their 1842 hanging. But they said the memorial, at the corner of Victoria and Franklin streets, was only the start of recognition of European settlers' decimation of Aborigines. Elder Talgium ''Choco'' Edwards in front of the monument to the executed Aborigines. Credit:Justin McManus Information in six newspaper vending machines tells the story of how Tasmanian Aborigines Tunnerminnerwait and Maulboyheenner shot two whalers at Cape Paterson, 140 kilometres south-east of Melbourne. A metal frame looking like a swing draws in the passerby at the memorial site; it straddles two granite "tombstones" that name the executed men. A school for children with chronic medical or mental health conditions will open next year at the new Monash Children's Hospital. The school will educate students who are in hospital for long periods so they can keep up with their schoolwork and stay connected to their usual schools, teachers and classmates. The new school will help children staying in hospital for lengthy periods. Credit:AFR The $6.8 million school will include four classrooms, a laboratory and office space for staff. The students will be able to use systems installed on each bed, iPads or laptop computers to hold video conferences with their schools to keep up to date with their studies. Police have opened fire on a suspected car thief during a failed getaway attempt. Officers had been searching for the 22-year-old suspect in the Victorian border town of Wodonga when a possible stolen car was spotted parked at a home on Sunday afternoon, police said. Police will be asked to examine the various allegations. Credit:Georgia Matts Police approached, but the man managed to flee on foot, jump over a fence, and climb into another car parked in a garage at a nearby home before ramming through the garage door and two police vehicles. An officer pulled out his gun and fired two shots at the fleeing car's tyres, seemingly in a bid to blow out the tyres and stop the wanted man from escaping. Those looking for certain decorations from Wind Point resident Nick Comandes now-retired Halloween display, Hollows Way, will need to head over to Mount Pleasant instead. Comande passed down the torch and some of his decor to his first cousin twice removed, Brayden LoPiccolo, after last years holiday was Hollows Ways 50th and final year. A university experiment in which greyhounds were suffocated, revived after having their hearts removed and reinserted, then euthanased has shocked animal rights activists. The experiment, conducted by Monash University and revealed by Humane Research Australia, aimed to test how well hearts can be preserved before organ transplants when the donor has already died. Belinda Oppenheimer with her rescued greyhound Tobias. Credit:Arsineh Houspian The research paper, seen by Fairfax Media, says the greyhounds were anaesthetised for the entire process. But animal activists have dubbed the experiment "shocking" and questioned whether researchers learnt anything that could be applied to human surgery. A nine-year-old girl has been mauled by two dogs in a Bassendean park, suffering head injuries and deep cuts on her leg on Friday afternoon. Nine News Perth reporter Alice Pooley said the girl was rushed to Princess Margaret Hospital after the attack where she remains in a stable condition, but there are no clues to her long-term prognosis. "The little girl suffered head injuries as well as deep lacerations to her lower legs after being attacked by what is believed to be two pitbull terriers, " Ms Pooley said. The girl was in Success Hill Park in Bassendean just before 5pm with her 16-year-old friend when the dogs set upon her. When Andrea unearthed a leather satchel from a pile of rubbish on a Perth verge, she thought it may just be an old school bag. Little did she know then that the bag comprised a real gem of Australian history. What started as a piece of rubbish chucked out for landfill ended up dating back to a man who ended up becoming the the 7th colonial Premier of Queensland in the 19th century and a mysterious invitation. Andrea found out that the satchel she fund was made for Sir H.M.Nelson, who was born in 1833 and became the 7th colonial Premier of Queensland. Credit:Andrea Andrea, Facebook Andrea, whose last name is not known to WAtoday, posted on the Perth Kerbsite Collections Facebook group that she saw a man in his 70s taking out bits of metal when she approached to look through his pile of rubbish. "He was very nice. He didn't mind me taking [the satchel]." Norwalk, Ohio: Only an hour earlier, the field beside a convenience store parking in Norwalk, Ohio was empty. An EMS crew from the small town 95 kilometres southwest of Cleveland had been parked nearby on August 25 and left after receiving a call for service. When they returned in their ambulance, police told the Norwalk Reflector, there was a mysterious bag sitting in the field. Police said the heart, found in an Ohio field, was fresh and not decomposed. Credit:Phil Carrick Upon investigating, the crew members found themselves staring at what appeared to be a human heart. "It was fresh; it wasn't decomposed," Norwalk Police Chief Dave Light told the Reflector. PHILIPSBURG:--- More and more the people of St. Maarten are saying openly that they will not vote, some of them have expressed their decisions on various social media. It is clear that the people of St. Maarten is either fed-up or lacked confidence in the politicians they chose to vote for during the last election or elections prior to this one. It is also clear that the politicians that made promises especially to the younger generation abandoned them the day after the election and the only thing they were left with is either the false promises or the few bucks they got for their vote the last time around. Whichever, it is that has left the voters on St. Maarten hopeless and most definitely they have lost confidence in the politicians they once supported. Moreover, an island that is only 16 square miles in size had 13 political parties that registered to contest the election. However, by postulation day nine of those parties will be on the ballots. This, of course, shows two things, it's either there is some people in the background that knows that they could no longer fool the people or politrick with them so they have decided to get their supporters to form political parties to disfranchise the votes in order to create more instability, while it shows that while St. Maarten boast to be the friendly island, their actions shows that there is no unity on St. Maarten, it also shows that the huge salaries and perks the elected officials are getting without representing the people they vowed to represent have attracted more people who want the same huge salary and perks for themselves. Certainly, this will backfire on the people that are already suffering and not the politicians that have ulterior motives and could move away from St. Maarten and seek better grounds if the economy of this great nation collapses. A nation should be able to analyze their representatives by their actions and performance, and not by color, or false promises on the campaign trail. Voting in an election is the only democratic right the people of any country have. It is the people who puts these politicians in government and its the people who could remove them by heading to the polls on September 26th. Let not the bitterness of some activist pollute your decisions because most of them have a hidden agenda that they most often do not speak about. The Catholic Church define the reasons why some people chose not to vote and it states: It depends on whether or not a persons conscience has been rightly formed. If someone is refusing to vote because he has studied the candidates on the ballot for a particular office and cannot in conscience vote for any of them, that is his prerogative. He should still vote for other offices where there is an acceptable candidate and on the various measures and propositions presented for a vote. But if someone is refusing to vote at all because he doesnt believe he should vote in general, then his conscience may be improperly formed. The Catechism of the Catholic Church states: Submission to authority and co-responsibility for the common good make it morally obligatory to pay taxes, to exercise the right to vote, and to defend ones country (CCC 2240). While the United Nations clearly define the rights and reasons the people of any nation should vote this can be found in article 21 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights adopted unanimously by the United Nations General Assembly in 1948, recognizes the integral role that transparent and open elections play in ensuring the fundamental right to the participatory government. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights in Article 21 states: Everyone has the right to take part in the government of his/her country, directly or through freely chosen representatives. Everyone has the right of equal access to public service in his country. The will of the people shall be the basis of the authority of government; this will shall be expressed in periodic and genuine elections which shall be by universal and equal suffrage and shall be held by secret ballot or by equivalent free voting procedures. Clearly based on those foundations it is the will of the people which shall be the basis of the authority of government; this will shall be expressed in periodic and genuine elections which shall by universal and equal suffrage and shall be held by secret ballot or by equivalent free voting procedures. The social media has become the place where politicians chose to continue fooling the people while they have absolutely nothing to back up their claims other than to pollute the minds of the people. In ending this article SMN News will point out a few facts, that cannot be disputed. Those politicians the former Government tried to use a company called VAMED to construct a hospital, that company provided an excellent concept, but the only thing that is wrong is that the very politicians they met with are the ones behind the medical tourism and that is the only reason they wanted a private wing built and maintained with the peoples monies so that they can fill their pockets nepotism and conflict of interest. The former governments are the ones that kept the government chicken coop on Pond Island for 8 years unoccupied, they are the ones that brought in a Trinidadian Company that fleeced the taxpayers for eight long years and they did nothing to change that situation because renting several buildings around Philipsburg to house government offices benefits some of them and their friends. The former government who today are criticizing the Chinese project Pearl of the Caribbean are the very ones that went all the way to China to seal a deal but they could not get it done. The former governments are the ones that paid their friends to build Front and Back Street that they claimed were eaten out by rats, yet they did nothing to fix for the tourists the tourism economy they constantly boast about. While one Minister in the present coalition is boasting about integrity, openness, and transparency, it took SMN News reporter to find out that the same Minister who continues to boast about his transparency and openness to tell the people that his best friend, a pensioner that is well off is not working as pro-bono as was told to the people but instead that person is earning the salary of an amtenaar which is close to NAF. 9,000.00 Those are only a few points that SMN News chose to highlight since they are on the front line, and most of all those things have dampened the people that they have gotten so frustrated that they are now thinking of giving up on their own democratic rights. Doing so will only help the politicians that are behind the scenes dividing the people in their interest, even though their bread is well buttered and they could always pick up and leave when the economy of St. Maarten sink like the Titanic did, therefore it is of utmost importance that the people of St. Maarten exercise their rights on September 26th, 2016, giving up on yourself and your children is never the solution, do not wait for a politician to answer your questions as they will tell you the things you would like to hear, it's time to do your own homework and form your own opinion on who you believe is working in the best interest of the people which are your children. Construction Halted on Federal Lands; Oil Company asked to Suspend Work Nearby Protests across the country brought in a small victory for the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and their many supporters when the U.S. government promised to temporarily halt all construction on government owned land. Hundreds gathered in cities as far away as Denver and Tulsa to protest the fast-track approval given to Energy Transfer Partners and their subsidiary Dakota Access, LLC. Evidence indicates that approval sidestepped appropriate consultation with affected Tribes, as well as historical preservation requirements and environmental assessments. The pipeline is planned to go under the Missouri River, the only water source for the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation. On Friday, U.S. District Judge James Boasberg in Washington rejected a request for a court order to stop the project, but the government blocked construction in a response to growing opposition. Dakota Access made the bizarre decision last Saturday to leap ahead of their obvious construction route and sneak in on a holiday weekend to destroy a sacred site and burial ground that were due to be assessed by the North Dakota Preservation Office. When Native American "Water Protectors" from the nearby protest camp marched in to stop the destruction, they were attacked by a private mercenary security team armed with mace and dogs. After five months of peaceful protest, the Sacred Stone Camp finally got attention from the national media. Thousands of protesters have gathered at the camp, representing as many as 200 tribes from across North America. "This case has highlighted the need for a serious discussion on whether there should be nationwide reform with respect to considering tribes' views on these types of infrastructure projects," the U.S. Departments of Justice, Army and Interior said in a joint statement released minutes after Boasberg's ruling. After Judge Boasberg said in his ruling that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers decision to fast-track the pipeline project was not illegal, tribal leaders quickly filed a notice of appeal. In their joint statement, the three U.S. departments said they would schedule meetings with Native American leaders to discuss how the federal government can better consider the tribes' views and respect their land. They also said they respect protesters' rights to assemble and speak freely. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said it would halt construction on its property until after officials can re-examined Native American concerns about the pipeline as well as some previous projects. The Corps called on Dakota Access to halt work on other land, as well, but as of Friday afternoon Dakota Access has not said whether it would comply with the request. Amnesty International has sent a human rights observer delegation to monitor the gathering of Indigenous rights defenders and police response. The Dakota Access pipeline is meant to carry crude oil from the Bakken shale, a vast oil formation in North Dakota, Montana and parts of Canada, directly to the U.S. Gulf. It would span from just north of land owned by the Standing Rock Sioux tribe to Illinois, where it would connect with an existing pipeline. Across the several states affected, Dakota Access has also faced protests from landowners who object to the use of eminent domain to force the sale of privately owned lands. Some of the farmlands at issue have been owned and operated by the same families for generations. Arrests were made in Iowa at a landowners' protest last week. ETP stock shares fell 3.6 percent to close at $39.14 on Friday. See also: http://www.smobserved.com/story/2016/09/09/news/oil-company-destroys-burial-sites-in-holiday-sneak-attack/1895.html Evan McMullin says Trump's Business Depends on Russian Oligarchs Evan McMullin believes that America should be much more worried about presidential candidate Donald Trump's close ties to Vladimir Putin. The former CIA agent and former Republican is so concerned about Trump's ties to Putin that he entered the 2016 presidential election as an Independent candidate in July in an eleventh-hour bid to bring some attention to the issue. In an interview this week with CNN, McMullin asserts that his friends in intelligence have told him that Trump's previous business activities in Russia could have implications that jeopardize his candidacy. "Donald Trump is dependent on Russian investments from Russian oligarchs associated with Vladimir Putin for his real estate development projects." The potential for exposure by Putin puts the strong-arm Russian president in a position to coerce Trump into appointing Russia-favoring advisors and, should he win, implementing Russia-favoring policies as president. "Vladimir Putin is one of the primary sources of instability in this world, and the thought that we would have a Republican nominee so 'in bed' with Putin, I think is so discouraging and really a bad thing for our country," McMullin said. Since the Commander-In-Chief forum, McMullin has been even more critical about the constant praise Trump offers Putin, pointing out how unfortunate it is that we, as a country, have to debate on whether or not it's a good thing that a major party candidate is so fond of Putin. "He is opposed to democracy, opposed to freedom, and opposed to our interests," McMullin said of the Russian leader. McMullin believes that some of the appointments Trump has made to his staff support his claims. Paul Manafort, who was once Trump's campaign manager, was forced to resign from his position after his ties with a former Pro-Russian president of Ukraine became public knowledge. He says other key members of Trump's staff have financial ties to Russia, including retired General Michael Flynn, who is also employed as an analyst by RT America. RT is a Russian cable network owned by the Russian government. Trump actually invited Flynn, an employee of a Russian government-owned business, to join him at his intelligence briefing last week. "An American president should never have these kinds of warm views of a Russian authoritarian like Vladimir Putin," McMullin said. Evan McMullin: former CIA agent, former Republican, and the fifth U.S. presidential candidate. McMullin is not the only former intelligence officer to suggest that Trump is being used by Putin. "In the intelligence business, we would say that Mr. Putin had recruited Mr. Trump as an unwitting agent of the Russian Federation," wrote Former CIA deputy director Michael Morell in a New York Times op-ed on August 5. "He [Trump] may well pose a threat to our national security." CIA officers are not known for liberal leanings. When men like McMullin and Morell question the reliability and loyalty of a major presidential candidate, it might be time for America to listen. Evan McMullin is now either on the ballot or approved as a write-in in 20 U.S. States. 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 Day of Innovation to showcase innovation in all sectors of the economy RACINE If its not a match made in heaven, it might be one made by heaven. Evangelical United Methodist Church, 212 11th St., already the largest United Methodist congregation in Wisconsin, is merging with Franksville United Methodist Church to form Faithbridge Community Church. The two longstanding churches have been discussing joining spiritual forces since March. The merger was cemented in July when the Rev. Karin Kaye, associate pastor at Evangelical and wife of the Rev. Creighton Kaye, Evangelicals senior pastor, was appointed site pastor at Franksville, 10402 Northwestern Ave. Karin Kaye will celebrate her first service as Franksvilles pastor at 9 a.m. Sunday. The merger isnt about a larger church swallowing up a smaller congregation, Creighton Kaye said. With the new entity, Faithbridge, current Racine members who live closer to Franksville wont have to drive Downtown for services, he said. That will allow more new people to come to the Racine church. It also will help Franksville, which has struggled in the past several years, get back on track, Kaye said. In the church world, most mergers are between two failing churches that are trying to survive, he said. This is not the case with us. We are two healthy churches who can do even better together. Church mergers are not a regular happening among Wisconsin United Methodist churches, according to Wisconsin Conference Bishop Hee-Soo Jung, who oversees 450 churches in the state. In places such as Racine, where a genuine, compelling vision to help the churches allow members to grow in faith and effectively serve the region, we are supportive of mergers, Jung said. We are encouraging congregations to be creative in their organization to build bridges to their community. Coming together Merger talks began in January, and Bishop Jung gave his blessing in March. The two churches created a unity team with six members from each church. The group met with both congregations in homes and at church. I was really surprised how quickly the team came together, said Rod Parsons, a unity team member who has attended Evangelical for almost 20 years. Im very excited about this move. I think it will bring new life to both places. And it gives us tremendous opportunity for growth, especially on the Franksville side. Evangelical, which gets up to 600 people at services, has been seeking ways to grow since the Kayes came to Racine in 2000. The large, limestone Downtown church is landlocked, has no parking lot of its own, and, at the time, had an aging congregation. The Kayes injected services with contemporary music and built up services for children and youth. Today, Evangelical offers contemporary and traditional services and has a popular youth ministry. You drive past our church and you see an older, historic building on the outside, Kaye said. But on the inside, its young and energetic. The church, though, was caught in a cycle: Attendance would rise until space and parking became issues, then it would fall. The church, founded in 1844, purchased 45 acres of land near Braun Road and Highway KR and planned to move there until the idea of merging with Franksville came up, Creighton Kaye said. Franksville, founded in 1874, is a smaller congregation between 60 and 70 members with a home country feel, Kaye said. The church had had some problems in the past and went through four pastors in seven years, he said. Franksville is a strong congregation of good people, Creighton Kaye said. They just needed some help. Franksville members were receptive to the merger and threw themselves into helping to renovate the church, which also will offer traditional and contemporary services. Both Kayes said every once in a while they get anxious that the merger will damage one or both of the congregations. Im scared of breaking EUM or bringing harm to Franksville, Creighton Kaye said. But many, many people have come up and told is that this feels right. I think its an excited unsettledness. I believe there is genuine excitement, Karin Kaye said. It seems when God gets involved, the path is smooth. Noie: Of course Notre Dame was going to go away from home and do this Notre Dame has played its best football far from South Bend this season. The Irish did it again Saturday in Central New York. MILWAUKEE U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson says he wants answers from Veterans Affairs after a Wisconsin veteran killed himself after he was reportedly turned away from the troubled VA facility in Tomah this summer. Johnson on Friday sent a letter to Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert McDonald, asking for all documents about 29-year-old Brian Rossell of Wausau, whose body was found Thursday in Lake Wausau after he went missing earlier in the week. Rossells mother says her son, a U.S. Army veteran, had sought help from the Tomah VA during the summer and was turned away. Police said Rossell suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, anxiety, paranoia and schizoaffective disorder, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported. In his letter to McDonald, Johnson asked for the agency to produce all documents and communications referring or relating to Mr. Rossell. In addition, I request that VA employees provide a staff-level briefing about the circumstances leading up to this tragedy. Johnson chairs the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. In his letter, the Oshkosh Republican said Rossells apparent suicide underscores concerns that the VA has yet to take full ownership of the systemic failures of the Tomah facility. The Tomah facility was dubbed Candy Land by some veterans for its prescribing practices. Jason Simcakoski, a 35-year-old Marine veteran, died from mixed drug toxicity at Tomah in 2014. Earlier this year, the VA acknowledged failures at the Tomah facility and said it was working to prevent similar problems in the future. The VA did not immediately respond to requests from The Associated Press for comment Saturday. On Thursday, Johnson wrote to VA Inspector General Michael Missal asking him to open a new inquiry into the Tomah facility. Citing information received from a whistleblower last month, Johnson said the facilitys mental health clinic suffers from a shortage of providers despite an increase in veterans seeking treatment at the clinic. A representative said Missal is reviewing that letter and will respond directly to Johnson. Whats such a paradox in this is when you go visit the facilities, you walk the halls and veterans come up to you and theyre just, thank you for the service, Im getting great care. And yet we have these tragedies, Johnson said in an interview. Wisconsins other senator, Tammy Baldwin, D-Madison. said Friday she has sent a letter to the VA inspector general asking him to pursue an appropriate and transparent review of Rossells treatment. I think in light of the public attention that has been drawn to the type of services that our veterans get, that they have earned and deserved, transparency is always important, Baldwin said. Welcome to SwanseaOnline - your home for the best news, sports and what's on coverage of the city. Never miss a Swansea story with our daily newsletter Sign up to comment on our stories here Follow us on Facebook and Twitter | Swansea City news | Ospreys news | InYourArea New York (United Nations)- Polisario Front called Friday the UN Security Council to intervene to prevent Morocco from building a road crossing the Saharawi territories, condemning UN breaking of its previous commitments about the project. In a letter to the chairman of the Security Council, just before a crisis meeting on Western Sahara, the Polisario Front expressed surprise over the position of the UN, which seems to "ignore its own decisions" about the project. The UN, which opposed in 2001 and 2002 the construction of the road that may be considered as a violation to the ceasefire agreement, has given in to Morocco's blackmail today, by accepting to build and to finance the project by itself. "It means that the United Nations will turn into a firm in charge of financing Morocco's projects," while, in three previous reports, it had considered the project as a violation of the ceasefire, Ahmed Boukhari, the representative of the Polisario Front at the UN, said in the letter. (SPS) 062/090/700 New York, September 11, 2016 (SPS) The majority of the members of the Security Council, met Friday in New York, rejected the proposal of the United Nations to complete a project to build a road across the Sahrawi territories, contested by the Polisario Front. "The majority of members of the Security Council were not prepared to accept the UN proposal for this project. It has received the support of France and Senegal, two allies of Morocco," indicated a UN source close to the matter. The members of the Security Council insisted on restraint and respect for the ceasefire agreement, the situation is still tense, I hope that there will be no skid", it added. The UN Secretary General on Friday proposed to the Security Council to complete the paving of a road linking the buffer zone Elguergarat to the border with Mauritania, a project that Morocco wants to achieve in violation of the cease-fire agreement. The UN that opposed in 2001 and 2002 the construction of this road, including "some activities that could constitute a violation of the ceasefire agreement," has given in to the Morocco blackmail by agreeing itself to build and finance the project, the Polisario Front denounced on Friday. "This means that the UN will become a firm to finance Morocco projects", while it had, in three previous reports, considered this work as a violation of the ceasefire agreement, indicated Ahmed Boukhari, representative of the Polisario Front to the United Nations, in a letter Friday to the president of the Security Council. The Polisario Front is "surprised" by the UN's position that seems to "ignore its own earlier decisions" on this project, he said. Morocco had begun in August the work in this section with a length of 3.8 , which should cross the Sahrawi territories under control of the Polisario Front to the border with Mauritania. The Security Council, which met Friday behind closed doors to review the tense security situation prevailing in this sensitive area, refrained from making a statement to the press. Gerard Van Boheman, the president of the Security Council, indicated that the UN body has been kept informed of the situation in Elguergarat by Christopher Ross, envoy of Ban Ki-moon for Western Sahara and kim Bolduc, head of MINURSO. Gerard Van Boheman specified that his country, New Zealand, is worried by this situation which he says following closely. Rejecting the proposal, the representative of Venezuela, Rafael Ramirez, told the press that "MINURSO was not created to build roads but to prepare the referendum for the Saharawi people". Ban Ki-moon, for his part, refused to comment on the UN proposal. The security situation in the area of El Guergarat remains tense, both sides maintained their positions about 120 meters from each other. The United Nations indeed fears "a resumption of hostilities, with a risk of regional implications". In a confidential memo forwarded for information to the Security Council on 28 August, the UN General Secretariat affirmed that Morocco has violated military agreement No. 1 by deploying security forces in the area without prior notification to MINURSO. (SPS) 062/090/TRA Bir Lahlou, September 11, 2016 (SPS) - The President of the Republic and Secretary General of the Polisario Front, Brahim Ghali, sent Sunday his congratulations to Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika on the occasion of Eid al-Adha. "I have the pleasure to express on behalf of the Sahrawi government and people, our warmest congratulations on Eid al-Adha to your Excellency and through you to the government and the people of Algeria, wishing you good health and success, and greater progress and prosperity for the brotherly Algerian nation," said the Saharawi president. President Ghali reiterated the will to further consolidate the brotherly relations and cooperation between the two peoples and countries. (SPS) 062/090/TRA Bir Lahlou, September 11, 2016 (SPS) - The President of the Republic, Secretary General of the Polisario Front, Brahim Ghali, sent Sunday his congratulations to the Mauritanian President, Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz, on the occasion of Eid al-Adha. "On this happy occasion that the Muslim community celebrates the festival of Eid al-Adha, I would like to extend, on my behalf and on behalf of the people and the Government of the Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic, our warmest congratulations and sincere wishes to you and the people and the Government of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania sister, hoping that Allah will bring us blessings, progress and prosperity, said the President of the Republic. "I also take this opportunity to express to you our satisfaction with the level of cooperation and coordination between our countries and our determination to strengthen them in the service of our common interests in order to restore security and peace," he added. (SPS) 062/090/TRA This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate STAMFORD Images show a 63-year-old retired postal worker shoving the barrel of a pellet rifle into a cage before killing federally protected hawks on his mothers Cove property. The U.S. Attorneys Office released the photos last week that were taken from surveillance cameras outside the Weed Avenue home of Thomas Kapustas mother. Kapusta, of Westbury, N.Y., faces 30 months in jail when hes sentenced Monday in Hartford federal court for capturing five federally protected hawks and killing them in a trap he set up at the edge of Holly Pond. Federal authorities say Kapusta set up the trap to protect his flock of racing pigeons, which he used as bait to capture the hawks. Kapusta pleaded guilty in February to capturing and killing four red-tailed hawks and Coopers hawks and one count of conspiracy to capture and kill another red-tailed or Coopers hawk. Kapusta, who worked with the U.S. Postal Service for 34 years, faces up to six months in jail for each offense. Deidre Daly, the U.S. Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Harold Chen, the assistant U.S. Attorney, wrote in a sentencing memorandum that evidence shows Kapusta and his friend, Adam Boguski, killed 11 protected hawks between December 2014 and October 2015. Kapusta captured and killed at least six of the hawks by himself, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office. Boguski, 43, of Stamford, pleaded guilty in August to capturing and killing two hawks and conspiracy to capture and kill another. He faces more than a year in prison when he is sentenced in October. Daly said that while Kapusta has no previous criminal record, his actions with the hawks were willful, deliberate and cruel. Without any reasonable justification, he trapped federally protected birds of preyand shot them at point-blank range, the memorandum reads. According to federal authorities, Kapusta, who grew up and went to school in Stamford and is a lifetime racing pigeon enthusiast, kept about 100 of the birds in the coop at his mothers Weed Avenue home, near Cove Island Park. He regularly let them fly outside for exercise. During certain seasons, Kapusta and Boguski set up their Swedish goshawk trap and placed live pigeons, which they watered and fed, in the bait compartment of the trap to attract the hawks, federal authorities said. Federal authorities said Kapusta told Boguski they should call the trap a breeding cage if other people, including law enforcement, asked about it. Daly and Chen requested a judiciously tailored punishment that includes a meaningful jail sentence and a fine to deter Kapusta and others from engaging in similar violations of the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act. Kapusta faces a fine up to $75,000. Kapustas Southport attorney, Nathan Buchok, has requested his client be sentenced to probation. Buchok requested leniency from Judge Robert Chatigny since the offenses his client pleaded guilty to were misdemeanors and could be punishable without jail sentences. Buchok said Kapustas actions were completely out of character and inconsistent with his exemplary record as a caring, selfless man who has been a hardworking and upstanding member of society his entire life. Buchok said the offenses were driven by a misguided desire to protect other animals and represented a marked deviation from his otherwise commendable and law-abiding life. A probation sentence would also allow Kapusta to continue caring for his elderly mother and aunt, who rely on him daily, according to Buchok. Kapusta became interested in racing pigeons because of his father, a machinist, who after returning from World War II began raising them with his son, Buchok said. While it may be difficult for those unfamiliar with the sport to understand, Mr. Kapusta cares for and treats his pigeons the way many people care for a family pet such as a dog or cat, Buchok said. Buchok said Kapusta became desperate after repeatedly witnessing his beloved pigeons be torn apart and eaten by hawks. Thank you for responding to this Weblog (blog). We wish to maintain a high level of integrity and responsibility among our participants. In the spirit of camaraderie of the blogsphere, interested parties are welcomed to reproduce or quote materials published in this weblog WITH THE CONDITION that they are credited to akadirjasin.blogspot.com/akadirjasin.com to avoid misunderstanding.Thank you. As state legislators, we are keenly aware of the toll gun violence takes on our families and communities, particular in our cities. Several of us work on these issues on the Judiciary Committee, which has primary responsibility for our states gun laws. But for those of us who live in and represent Stamfords urban core particularly Rep. Patricia Billie Miller and Rep. Terry Adams we live with the risk of gun violence every day. And the recent increase in shootings and gun-related violence in our neighborhoods demands urgent action. Stamford is one of the safest cities in America. But we cannot rest on Stamfords reputation or look only to our police department for answers. We must come together as a community to develop a comprehensive plan to prevent gun violence. As chairman of the Judiciary Committee, Rep. William Tong was recently invited by President Barack Obama to participate in a White House meeting that focused on concrete, effective strategies other American cities have used to fight gun violence. Many at the White House agreed that the most effective strategies are local. Local action does not mean local government, acting alone. It is more than effective policing. Communities that are successful in reducing gun violence build comprehensive intervention programs focused on individuals and communities most at risk. Based on these model strategies, Stamfords plan should start with the following: (1) A Culture of Trust. We cannot effectively reduce gun violence unless we are working with and talking directly to people in communities most affected. We need key, credible people in the community to help us gather information and anticipate and manage conflicts before guns are drawn. But we all know that none of this is possible without a culture of trust no one is going to help you, or talk to you, if they do not trust you. Our police officers do an excellent job, but they cannot do this job alone. And uniforms can create barriers. We need people who are not perceived as law enforcement to engage with the community at large. This may take the form of a community relations division in the police department, through which civilians are trained to go into the community to help police do their jobs. The community relations division can also be a place where members of the community can bring their concerns about policing, and know that their concerns will be taken seriously and that appropriate action will be taken. (2) Effective Intervention. A culture of trust enables effective intervention. We know that, in city after city, a very small and readily identifiable segment of the community is responsible for the vast majority of gun violence. We need a strategy to intervene with these individuals before they commit violence. Boston pioneered this strategy in the 1990s, now known as the Group Violence Intervention (GVI) strategy, in which respected communities leaders and law enforcement work directly with individuals at risk of violent behavior. We are now using this strategy in Connecticut in Project Longevity, which has helped New Haven reduce shootings by as much as 79 percent. Other communities like Richmond, California have implemented similar programs to dramatically reduce violence in which participants receive daily contact from outreach workers, create a life map with both short-term and long-term goals, have the opportunity to travel outside of Richmond, are directly connected with social services, and have the opportunity to earn a stipend for staying in the program and reaching certain milestones. More Information Community meeting A Community Action Conference to prevent gun violence in Stamford will take place at the Chester Addison Community Center on Monday, Sept. 26. See More Collapse (3) Focused Development of Our Young People. During a recent evening visit to the Yerwood Center for open gym, several of us spoke at length with young people and counselors about gun violence and why and how it happens in Stamford. It is clear that we must all do a better job of helping our kids find purpose, be productive, and avoid violence. Other cities have implemented effective intervention programs where local business and non-profits fund opportunities for kids to work, study, and find new experiences beyond the city limits through sports, field trips, and camps. Effective Parks and Recreation programs are critical to this strategy. (4) Sustained Investment. Effective programs cost money. As a delegation, we are committed to working with the Governor to find funding to support Stamfords efforts. We must also direct local and federal funding to fund these initiatives. Recent growth in socially responsible investing, in which investors put money behind effective social entrepreneurs and programs, can also be a source of capital. To jump-start development of this plan, our state delegation will host a special Community Action Conference to prevent gun violence in Stamford. We invite the mayor and other local elected officials, the chief of police and police officers, clergy and religious institutions, community leaders and social service organizations, and other advocacy groups such as the NAACP to participate. This conference will take place at the Chester Addison Community Center on Monday, Sept. 26. During the meeting, we will: Meet with leaders from other cities and communities that have implemented successful gun violence prevention programs, including leaders of Project Longevity right here in Connecticut; Hear from gun violence prevention experts from the Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence, Mayor Bloombergs Everytown for Gun Safety, and Connecticut Against Gun Violence, to discuss model strategies to prevent gun violence; Invite members of the community to share their ideas and experiences with gun violence; and Develop a community action plan to effectively eliminate gun violence in Stamford. Connecticut is leading the country in its bipartisan efforts to build a meaningful Second Chance Society, including a comprehensive overhaul of our states criminal justice system to move away from a system of mass incarceration of young people, particularly our young men of color. But second chances are hollow if someone gets shot or killed. Let us take action now to give our young people a first chance to get it right. William Tong, Terry Adams, Dan Fox, Patricia Billie Miller and Caroline Simmons are Democrat state representatives from Stamford. Carlo Leone is a Democratic Stamford state senator. The candidates include a retired police officer, two town supervisors, a prominent businessman and a former state legislator. Needless to say it's a crowded field in the race for the Republican nomination in the 54th Senate District. Before February, it seemed the 54th District contest wouldn't be much of a competition. State Sen. Michael Nozzolio has held the seat since 1993. There was no indication he would be giving up his post anytime soon. And then came the surprising announcement. Nozzolio, R-Fayette, decided to retire after learning he needed to undergo surgery to repair heart valves. Almost immediately, several Republicans expressed interest in the race. The list was long. Nearly a dozen candidates entered their names for consideration at a May endorsement meeting. Canandaigua Supervisor Pam Helming narrowly won the GOP designation in the final round of voting over Lyons Supervisor Brian Manktelow. That's where the primary was born. Helming quickly picked up other endorsements from the Conservative, Independence and Reform parties. Manktelow, after some deliberation, decided to stay in the race. Floyd Rayburn, a Canandaigua businessman, had no intention of dropping out. Former Assemblyman Sean Hanna and retired Greece police officer Jon Ritter hung around. Over the past few months, the race has seen the two Canandaigua candidates duke it out. Helming and Rayburn have emerged as the favorites to win the GOP nomination. Helming is the party's preferred candidate. She has support from party leaders in the district and Albany Republicans. But Rayburn is trying to appeal to voters who would prefer an outsider someone who hasn't served in government and wants to shake things up in Albany. Hanna, Manktelow and Ritter aren't far behind. In a five-way primary, anything can happen. Here is a closer look at the five candidates in the field: SEAN HANNA Hanna is a former Monroe County legislator and had a stint as the state Department of Environmental Conservation's regional director under Gov. George Pataki. He was elected to the state Assembly before mounting an unsuccessful campaign for state Senate. Hanna's platform has focused on a handful of key issues, including the need for ethics reform and tax cuts for homeowners and small businesses. He also supports repealing the SAFE Act a controversial gun control law signed in 2013. In a letter to primary voters published on his Facebook page, Hanna said "we need to elect the right Republicans." "A senator can't outsource experience, can't delegate expertise and can't assign integrity to someone else," he wrote. "When it's time to push back against Gov. Cuomo and the Long Island Republicans in closed door meetings, your senator needs to know his stuff on a sweeping range of issues and legislative procedures. He also needs the ability and the integrity to walk away from politics at any time. I do." PAM HELMING Helming is town supervisor in Canandaigua and previously served as a member of the council. She represents the town as a member of the Canandaigua Lake Watershed Council. Her career in public service dates back to 1992, when she was appointed to the town of Canandaigua Zoning Board of Appeals. She chaired the panel for two years, from 1997 to 1999. Helming, like other Republicans in the race, wants to lower taxes, focus on small businesses, cut regulations and opposes the SAFE Act. But she also places an emphasis on water quality concerns and the need to preserve the Finger Lakes. She recently came out against two bills that would allow undocumented immigrants to obtain certain benefits, including access to the state's Tuition Assistance Program. "This is an issue of basic fairness," Helming said in a statement. "How can we give free college tuition to people who are illegally in our country while our own sons and daughters go into deep debt to obtain a college degree?" Helming is the only candidate in the race with minor party support. She has been endorsed by the Conservative, Independence and Reform parties. BRIAN MANKTELOW The only candidate outside of Monroe and Ontario counties is Manktelow, who came close to securing the GOP designation in May. Manktelow runs a 3,500-acre farm in Lyons and has served as town supervisor since 2011. He was one of the first candidates to publicly announce a run for the 54th Senate District seat. If he's elected state senator, Manktelow wants to focus on veterans issues and challenges facing farmers throughout the state. He also wants to tackle unfunded mandates, lower property taxes and repeal the SAFE Act. In April interview with The Citizen, Manktelow touted his knowledge of the 54th District. "I think I could the district justice and I know how things that happen in Albany don't seem big down there, but when you get to our communities our size small, grassroots communities the things they decide down there can be very tough on us." FLOYD RAYBURN Rayburn owns F.G. Rayburn Mason Contractors in Canandaigua. He started the business in the 1980s and he's worked on several major jobs throughout the region. (In a recent interview, he said he did some masonry work for the Wegmans in Auburn.) This campaign is a new experience for Rayburn. Unlike most of the candidates in the field, he hasn't been a candidate for political office. Rayburn, if elected, wants to focus on economic development he wants a moratorium on all new business regulations and mandate relief for local governments. He, too, opposes the SAFE Act. On ethics reform, Rayburn says he will propose legislation to require mandatory jail time for elected officials who are convicted of public corruption. And he supports term limits for state legislators and statewide officials. Rayburn said he will impose term limits on himself if elected to the state Senate. He will serve no more than three two-year terms if elected to represent the 54th District. "I plan to build a team down there that's going to change the direction this great state is in," he said in May. JON RITTER Ritter's platform is similar to the other candidates in the race. He isn't a fan of the SAFE Act, for example. He also wants to cut taxes, pass tougher ethics guidelines and focus on economic development. What he hopes sets himself apart from the other candidates is his career as a police officer. Ritter was a member of the Greece Police Department for two decades. He was recognized for his heroism on Christmas Eve 2012 when he responded to a shooting in West Webster. The shooter, William Spengler, killed his mother and started his house on fire. Two firefighters who responded to the scene were shot and killed by Spengler. When Ritter arrived near the home, Spengler shot at him. Ritter used his truck to block the road to the residence. He was commended for his actions and credited with saving the lives of other first responders. As a longtime law enforcement officer, Ritter believes he's best suited to represent the 54th District. "I think I bring a completely different objective to it," he said in an interview in July. "I've literally worked with people these are probably the same people that I'm going to be working with in the district." A man has been knifed during an early morning attack in south London. Metropolitan Police officers were called to reports of a stabbing at Butterfly Walk shopping centre, near Denmark Hill at 6am today. He was taken to a south London hospital. His condition is currently unknown. Police have taped off part of the road outside the entrance to the shopping centre and neighbouring a McDonald's restaurant. A Met Police spokesman said: Police were called to Butterfly Walk near Denmark Hill, SE5, at approximately 6am on September 11 to reports of a stabbing. Officers and London Ambulance Service was called to the scene. A man was taken to a south London hospital. No arrests have been made. Cordons are in place. A teenage girl was dragged by her hair and punched during a brutal assault by a gang of youths as she waited for a train. The 16-year-old victim suffered a concussion after one girl punched her in the face and dragged her by her hair in the attack at Southend Victoria station. A boy, who was with the female attacker, also punched the girl after she was pushed to the floor. The attack took place at the station in Southend, Essex, on Wednesday, August 24 at 5.15pm as the victim waited for a train with her boyfriend. British Transport Police said a group of youths entered the station shortly after the girl made an enquiry with staff. Police have appealed for witnesses to step forward. PC Joseph Mills said: This was an extremely violent attack, which has left the victim extremely distressed. Everyone has the right to travel on the transport network without fear of crime or intimidation and I am very keen to speak to anyone that can provide information about this incident." Anyone with any information should contact BTP on 0800 40 50 40 or text 61016 citing reference 270 09/09/2016 A 22-year-old motorcyclist is today fighting for his life in hospital after being hit by a car in north London. Metropolitan Police officers were called to Hilldrop Road in Islington shortly before 8am following the smash. The man was rushed to hospital in a critical condition. The road was sealed off at the junction with Camden Road for several hours after the crash. The driver of the car stopped at the scene and no arrests have been made. A Met Police spokesman said: Officers attended and London Ambulance Service took the rider, a man believed aged 22, to hospital. His condition is described as critical. Collision investigators from the Roads and Transport Policing Command are carrying out enquires into the circumstances of the incident. Any witnesses or anyone with any information can contact police via 101. T he number of rapes and sex attacks in London's clubs, pubs and bars has been revealed in shock new figures from the Metropolitan Police. Fifty-two rapes, the equivalent of one a week, were reported to officers in the 2015/16 financial year, data shows. Reports of a further 306 sexual assaults in the capital's licensed premises were also made to police last year. In total, over the past five years, 200 alleged pub and club rapes were reported to police, on top of 1,008 sexual assaults. Less than half of the rape cases have resulted in an arrest, and a suspect has been charged in less than 10 per cent of cases. Over the past five years, just 82 people have been detained in relation to the 200 allegations, with only 19 suspects charged or a summonsed. Similarly, just 462 people have been arrested in response to allegations of sexual assault - meaning that in more than half of cases a suspect has not been detained. Of the 462 arrests, just 197 - again less than half - were proceeded with, meaning that less than a fifth of reported sex assault victims saw the alleged perpetrator brought before the courts. Loading.... Molly Ackhurst from anti-harrassment organisation Hollaback London said she found the figures unsurprising - and suggested numbers could in fact be far higher. Hollaback runs a Good Night Out campaign, which offers training to staff in licensed venues on how to deal with and prevent harrassment. She told the Standard: "From what we know about the prevalence of sexual violence these figures do not surprise us. In fact the figures are most probably far higher. "Currently about 15 per cent of all incidents of sexual violence are reported to police because reporting is often terrifying. "It is also important to note that while there has been an increase in reporting, the figures continue to show us that sexual violence is not being taken seriously enough. "Although there was a 136 per cent increase in reporting between 2011 and 2016, between 2015 and 2016 only 32 per cent of those arrested on suspicion of rape had criminal charges brought against them. "This disparity between reporting and convictions is largely to do with the prevalence of myths around sexual violence within the criminal justice system, and the fact that these attacks are occurring in drug and alcohol venues. Many women are further blamed and silenced because of this. Loading.... Ms Ackhurst said that it was important for clubs and bars to take a more proactive role in dealing with and preventing harrassment, explaining that some venues had been reticient in the past for fear of losing their licence. She added that there also needed to be a societal change in attiudes with young people taught from an early age that sexual assault is "not okay". T/DCI Neil Smithson from the Met's Sapphire Unit, which deals with rape and serious sexual assault, said that Scotland Yard always takes any allegation of rape or sexual assault seriously, but said the low charge rate was in part down difficulties in gathering enough evidence to convince the Crown Prosecution Service to agree to bring a case to court. He added that since the start of this financial year there have been 266 charges brought for rape within the MPS, up 23 on this time last year. T/DCI Smithson told the Standard: "We will do everything in our power to bring offenders to justice, that's absolutely true for us. "There figures are roughly the same across all kinds of rape and it's something that we are working tirelessly to improve upon." He said that in many cases victims decide they do not wish to pursue a prosecution, and in others police have difficulty identifying an alleged perpetrator. T/DCI Smithson explained that even when police want to bring a charge, due the complex nature of rape cases, where there are often only two people in the room, it is difficult to convince the CPS. "We use a range of investigative strategies, from forensics to CCTV to witnesses, but on occasion we simply can't identify a suspect," he said. "And sometimes we do identify a suspect but don't have the evidence to bring a charge - this is one of the challenges we find in rape investigations, getting over that evidence threshold, it's such a complex area, so difficult to prove." And he said that although crimes that happened in clubs and bars were not take any less seriously, they did often throw up more difficulties for police. "It does present its own challenges investigating," he said. "Inevitably alcohol is involved. "It absolutely isn't taken less seriously - we fully understand the issues and being under the influence of alcohol is no excuse to the perpetrator." He added that police were determined to bring offenders to justice and encouraged any victims of rape or sexual assault to come forward. Rape and consent debate - London Live In response to the figures, London's Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime, Sophie Linden, said: London is world-renowned for its vibrant night-time economy and everyone should be able to enjoy it without fear of being attacked or assaulted. "It is deplorable that the number of rapes and sexual assaults has risen and we need to see improved detection and conviction rates. "I want all victims to know that they have the full support of the Met as well as our Rape Crisis Centres and London Havens. "With the citys night time economy evolving significantly in recent years, the Night Time Commission, including the Met Police, City Hall, venue owners, councils and residents, has been set up to ensure everybody experiences the best of London at night in a way that is safe and enjoyable. A man and a woman have been seriously injured after the motorbike they were travelling on was involved in a crash with a car in south London. The pair were riding in Battersea Park Road when the collision took place near the junction with Austin Road at around 4.20pm on Sunday. Emergency services including police, paramedics and a London Air Ambulance were called to the scene following reports of a serious crash. A London Ambulance Service spokesman said the man was treated at the scene after he suffered chest and abdomen injuries. He added the woman sustained leg injuries. Both were taken to hospital as a "priority". A Met spokesman said the driver of the car stopped at the scene and did not suffer any injuries. Police in Wandsworth said the "serious" collision is likely to cause congestion on nearby roads. No arrests have been made, police added. A round 20 firefighters have been sent to a north London industrial estate tonight after a blaze broke out London Fire Brigade said four fire engines had been deployed to Mollison Avenue in Enfield shortly before 8pm. A spokeswoman said they were called to reports several plant hire vehicles were completely alight. The fire is believed to have broken out on an industrial estate. She added no injuries were reported and no surrounding homes needed to be evacuated. The cause of the fire is unknown at this stage. Police were also called to the scene and shut the road with motorists warned to avoid the area. A 14-year-old boy has suffered life changing injuries after a car and a bike collided in south London. Police in Croydon were called by paramedics to Parkway in New Addington at around 2.20pm to reports of a collision. The crash, between a car and a bicycle, took place outside a Shell garage. It is not known at this stage whether the boy was riding the bike. A police spokesman said the boy is being treated at the scene for life changing injuries and that the road has been shut. Croydon police have urged motorists and pedestrians to avoid the area. H elena Bonham Carter marched shoulder-to-shoulder with survivors of domestic violence during a charity walk around London. The actress donned trainers, pink sunglasses and a Refuge T-shirt as she took part in the charity's 10k walk taking-in some of the capitals most famous landmarks. Hundreds of people clad in white and pink Refuge T-shirts walked over four London bridges, in support of the one in four women who experience domestic abuse at some time in their lives. The route saw the group cross the River Thames over Millennium Bridge, Southwark Bridge, Tower Bridge and Westminster Bridge. The actress was pictured holding hands with other women as they strolled along the route. Also showing support was Louiza Patikas, the voice of Helen Titchener in the radio drama the Archers. The BBC radio 4 storyline has gripped thousands who heard the character suffer increasing domestic abuse at the hands of husband Rob, played by Timothy Watson. Speaking at the start line near Tower Bridge, Ms Patikas said: "Playing Helen in The Archers has taught me a great deal about the horror of domestic abuse and coercive control, and also introduced me to amazing people - the most courageous survivors of abuse, and the wonderful people who work for and support charities like Refuge. Support: Helena Bonham Carter supports victims of domestic abuse / PA Melanie Clarke was in an abusive relationship for 15 years where she experienced "horrific" physical, emotional and financial abuse. The 32-year-old from London said: "I was so depressed. I felt scared, very ashamed, embarrassed because I had stayed in such an awful situation, my kids were subjected to it as well - lot of guilt and shame." Asked what gave her strength to finally walk away, she said: "I just knew that if I stayed with him he'd end up killing me. And I was thinking of my children, they needed to have their mother. I was carrying my unborn child at the time and I was thinking about his future." London landmarks: The group walked over four of the capital's famous bridges / PA Mrs Clarke left her partner three years ago and is now happily married. Last year's debut walk raised 87,000, said chief executive of Refuge Sandra Horley. Ms Horley added: "The Archers has been absolutely fantastic, it's brought awareness of domestic violence into people's kitchens and living rooms and it's raised awareness of what is a taboo subject. "It's a hidden issue, it's something people don't want to talk about, it's shrouded in silence and secrecy and thrives behind closed doors, so it's really important that Walk4 helps us raise awareness, raises funds, and Helena and Louiza can help shine a light on what is a very gritty and distressing cause." T he wife of Labour MP Keith Vaz has said she will forgive her husband amid claims he used male escorts. Maria Fernandes branded revelations made about her husband in a Sunday newspaper that he had allegedly paid two young men for sex as a complete shock. Last week, footage emerged appearing to show the Leicester East MP with two young men, reportedly from Romania, in a flat he owns in Edgware Road, north London. Speaking to the Mail on Sunday, Ms Fernandes revealed how Mr Vaz had tearfully begged her for forgiveness after he stepped down as chairman of the Home Affairs Select Committee. She said her husband had done a terrible thing and had fallen badly but insisted she was speaking out because her love for him was greater than her anger. She told the newspaper: We've been happily married for a long time, we have two beautiful children, and we have a good life together, and he has threatened that by his behaviour. And if he does that again, then I'll sling him out. It was a terrible shock and I am still processing it Keith is not a bad person, he's just done a terrible thing. It's absolutely terrible because it's affected all of us, because it's affected the kids. The mother was forced to break the news to the pairs 19-year-old daughter but their son, 21, who was holidaying in Vietnam, did not learn of the news until 24 hours later. MP Keith Vaz 'paid for male escorts' She added: My daughter was devastated by it all. I had to make sure I didn't break down. I had to protect her. If she saw me weaker, I didn't want my child propping me up. I had to say, 'It's OK, we can be strong'. She was very upset, she was very angry with her father, and I think she was angry for me. She was picking up the anger that I should have felt. She also wanted to see he was OK because they have a very close relationship. She was worried about him. Describing the range of emotions she felt following her husbands betrayal, Ms Fernandes said: I would have liked to have taken all my crockery and broken it on his head My immediate thought was to tell him to leave then have space to discuss things. I've decided to forgive him. That's different to forgiving him right now. If I don't forgive him eventually, it is going to tear me up. It's going to destroy me and I don't want that. I don't like that feeling of anger and bitterness. But, the MPs wife claimed she never believed her husband would be unfaithful, saying: I can't say sex with men is any different I was betrayed, my trust was betrayed and in a sense it doesn't matter whether it's a man or a woman,' she says. The shock was also the whole scenario of allegedly using sex workers because it's so unlike him. If I expected anything could have happened, it would have been within a relationship rather than, you know Metropolitan Police are also assessing whether to investigate Mr Vaz over claims he discussed cocaine with one of the men. Mr Vaz has publicly apologised for the hurt and distress caused by the allegations. A prominent Labour donor has been suspended by the party after outspoken attacks on leader Jeremy Corbyn including claims his allies were comparable to Hitlers stormtroopers. Michael Foster was barred after writing a newspaper article in which he claimed to have been smeared as a Jewish donor to the party. The suspension means that Mr Foster will not be able to take part in the leadership contest between Mr Corbyn and challenger Owen Smith. Mr Foster wrote a highly scathing column in the Mail on Sunday after the High Court ruled against his attempt to stop Labour from allowing Mr Corbyn to automatically stand for re-election as leader. In the article, published last month, he wrote: "In the midst of this, something is rotten. You are either with them, or you are labelled as being against them and so excluded, briefed against, often threatened and intimidated. "If you are like me, a Jewish donor to Labour, you are smeared as a Blairite conspirator, plotting to falsely use the accusation of anti-Semitism to damage the Left. He added that the High Court decision had "advantaged Corbyn and his Sturm Abteilung (stormtroopers)". The SA, also known as the Brownshirts, were the paramilitary wing of the Nazi Party. Mr Foster was informed of his suspension in a letter from party general secretary Iain McNicol last week. "The rule of law is being ignored because of intimidation by Corbyn, backed by Momentum, his Praetorian Guard," Mr Foster said. "This will presage the purge of opponents within the Labour Party and then the deselection of any MP who is not signed up to the Left's ideology. "Criticise Corbyn by using the free press and within hours 11,000 people petition the National Executive Committee for your suspension. The coward NEC then takes away your democratic right both to free speech and to vote and you are excluded from the Party. There is no due process." He added: "Corbyn is not just bad for Labour, he is bad for Britain's democracy." He is accused of breaching a party leadership rule that "all eligible members and supporters must conduct themselves in a calm and polite manner and be respectful to each other at all times". Mr McNicol said in a letter to Mr Foster: "It is important that these allegations are investigated and the NEC will be asked to authorise a full report to be drawn up with recommendations for disciplinary action if appropriate." T he shadow foreign secretary has accused Sky News of sexism in a row with presenter Dermot Murnaghan after he asked her to name the French foreign minister. Labour MP Emily Thornberry was being interviewed by Mr Murnaghan about leaving the EU and her meetings with officials in Brussels when the presenter asked her about who she would meet in Paris. But, instead of naming Jean-Marc Ayrault she replied: Dont start pub quizzing me Dermot. The Islington South and Finsbury MP then claimed she didnt remember the presenter asking male politicians like David Davis and Boris Johnson such questions. She added: "Do you know what, what really upsets me about your attitude to me is that you do this with me. I don't remember you doing it with anybody else you know. "Have you done it to David Davis? Have you asked these questions? Do Sky journalists have a go at Boris Johnson on this basis? How about Liam Fox? Do you do pub quizzes with them?" Ms Thornberry then suggested they talk about Syria or North Korea. But after talking about the "huge threat" Pyongyang poses to the region, but not an immediate threat to Britain, she refused to say whether she knew South Korea's president was Park Geun-hye. Instead, she said: "If you want me to go with you to a pub tonight and we can do a pub quiz tonight, let's do it." Asked if she knew the president's gender, she said: "I'm not getting drawn by you into this nonsense. "I am quite prepared to talk politics with you and talk about threats to the country." When asked about anti-Semitism within Labour she said the party was committed to tackling it, along with racism and sexism, before adding: "There is always more to be done and do you know what, there is certainly a lot more to be done by the Tories and I certainly think sometimes when it comes to sexism, some Sky presenters need to look at themselves too. "I really do. It really upsets me that every time I come on here, you do another pub quiz with me because you do not do it with anybody else and I do think that it's patronising." Mr Murnaghan replied: "It's not, because you are the shadow foreign secretary and this was about the French foreign minister Jean-Marc Ayrault who Boris Johnson has met now several times." Ms Thornberry then suggested the pair took the discussion off air. B oris Johnson has helped launch a new group to ensure Theresa May delivers on her promise that "Brexit means Brexit". The Foreign Secretary has thrown his weight behind the Change Britain campaign, which is led by his former Vote Leave colleague Labour MP Gisela Stuart. The former London mayor said the group would make sure that the UK gained control over "laws, borders, money and trade" as part of the process of leaving the European Union. His comments came as former Cabinet minister John Whittingdale urged the Prime Minister to speed up the formal process of leaving the European Union, rather than waiting until next year to trigger Article 50. Mr Johnson recorded a video message supporting Change Britain. He said urged Leavers and Remainers to work together and seize the opportunity for a positive and exciting new relationship. He added: "Now more than ever we need to show the British people that as politicians we are listening to what they have to say. "Brexit means Brexit and that means delivering on their instructions and restoring UK control over our laws, borders, money and trade." Ms Stuart said: "The vote means this country will undergo the biggest change in 40 years in our diplomatic, trade and economic relationships. "It also creates a unique opportunity to review our democratic and constitutional arrangements. Making the most of these opportunities is going to take careful, hard work. "The referendum also marked a more profound political change than a change of occupancy in Downing Street. It has forced us to acknowledge that people in large sections of the UK have lost faith in political parties and the Westminster elite. "While millions in this country enjoy unprecedented prosperity and freedoms, many millions more feel despair at their sense of exclusion and diminishing prospects. "The referendum debate divided families and friends and there is still some of the feeling of disorientation that ran through July as we all came to terms with the enormity of the change. "Some on both sides seem attracted to refighting old battles, but the British people are impatient for us to roll up our sleeves and get down to work. This isn't a time for Leavers and Remainers; now is a time for doers." Former culture secretary Mr Whittingdale urged Mrs May to push ahead with triggering Article 50, which begins the formal two-year process of leaving the EU. "Article 50 is the beginning of the process rather than the end," he told the Telegraph. "We do need to get the formal process under way. I don't say that it has to happen tomorrow but I would like it to happen pretty soon, and by that I mean weeks, not months." He also revealed how he responded to being sacked as Mrs May took office: "I went clubbing in Ibiza. It was great. "Dance music in a club is as much about the light show, the atmosphere and the volume as the music itself. If you listen to it in your car it's not quite the same." V isitors to the British Airways i360 tower in Brighton told how they were trapped in a pod for more than an hour after an apparent fault three days after it broke down mid-air. Dozens of passengers were reportedly trapped after a sensor fault caused the attraction to break down after it rose only a few centimetres. British Airways i360 said operations were due to resume on Monday while the fault is repaired. The latest incident comes just days after dozens of people were left stranded for more than two hours after a slight technical hitch caused the pod to halt mid-air. Pictures on social media show engineers working at the tower and customers queuing for refunds as some people hit out at operators over the problems. Teething problems: An engineer works at the tower after a second fault in three days / Nick Burlin Londoner Nick Burlin, 38, was among those who bought tickets for the ride, which was due to rise at 5.20pm. The IT support worker, from Kingston, told the Standard: The whole thing was a bit of a debacle. Nothing happened for about 15-20 minutes and then they announced there was this faulty and a man with a drill appeared. Emergency loo: A tent was put up near the bar as a mobile toilet for passengers / Nick Burlin There was a complete lack of communication. After about half-an-hour people started to get irate and you can hear people getting frustrated with the staff. We eventually got out after an hour and 10 minutes and then had to queue 20 minutes to get our refunds. We want our money back: Passengers queue for refunds after they were stuck on the i360 tower / Ian Hope If it had of gone on any longer the atmosphere would have been positively toxic. We were really looking forward to sampling some of the panoramic views of Brighton but we didnt even get off the ground. Mr Burlin said staff decided to erect a camping tent to be used as an emergency toilet while customers waited to leave. He added: They decided to set up a mobile toilet next to the bar which looked like an emergency camping loo. A British Airways i360 spokesperson said: British Airways i360 was affected by a technical fault this evening. Passengers disembarked and our on-site engineers are correcting the fault to enable operations to resume tomorrow. "We are sorry for the inconvenience caused to customers and will offer those affected a full refund for their visit and a complimentary ticket to return another time. E asyJet pilots could stage a walk-out over October half term sparking travel chaos for families. A staff ballot on whether to carry-out industrial action will end on September 21, the pilots union Balpa said. In a letter to pilots leaked to The Daily Telegraph, the union blamed a "dispute with easyJet purely concerning pilot fatigue" for potential strikes. If pilots vote in favour of a strike, action could take place at any time after the ballot closes and could coincide with schools October half-term holidays. In its letter to pilots Balpa said the union had been forced to take such extreme measures". It added: "The core issue of the dispute was that fatigue had risen year on year, to levels pilots and Balpa find unacceptable." The airline, which has around 2,000 UK-based pilots, said pilots' workloads were set by the Civil Aviation Authority. A spokesman for easyJet said: "Although Balpa has informed us they are balloting their members, easyJet and Balpa continue to work together. "We still hope to reach a mutually agreeable solution". EasyJet operates in more than 30 countries, flying to popular holiday destinations such as France, Italy and Spain. T ributes have been paid to a skydiver who died when she crashed from 15,000 feet onto a parked car after her parachute failed to open. Pamela Gower, 49, was airlifted to hospital after she fell to the ground in a housing estate in Shotton Colliery, County Durham at around 3.45pm on Saturday. Her death is being investigated by police, the Health and Safety Executive and the British Parachute Association after those who witnessed the crash said she was spinning like a top as she fell. According to police, her plunge on Saturday was her first in Britain after some jumps abroad and she used her own equipment. Condolences have been posted on Ms Gowers Facebook page in which she described herself as a crazy trainee skydiver. Last month following a jump she posted: "Nothing makes me more happy than skydiving, can't wait for the next jump!!!!" Her cousin Anthony Cairns wrote on Facebook: It is with great sadness I would like to share the unfortunate news that my lovely cousin Pamela Gower passed away yesterday afternoon after her parachute failed to open properly. She certainly lived life to the full thats for sure! Investigations: Police launched an inquiry following the parachute accident / Pamela Gower/Facebook Ms Gower, from Hebburn, South Tyneside, was found in a cul-de-sac near the airfield where her plane had taken off. Residents tried desperately to revive the 49-year-old, who suffers from dwarfism, at the scene before paramedics arrived and rushed her to hospital. She was flown by air ambulance to the James Cook University Hospital, Middlesbrough where she died from her injuries. Durham Police have launched an inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the death. Detective Inspector Dave Cuthbert said: "This is a tragic incident. "The lady who has died was using her own equipment and was making her first sky dive in this country, having previously made parachute jumps abroad. "We will be working with the HSE and the British Parachuting Association to establish why this tragedy happened." Earlier this year, Ms Gower raised more than 750 for Cancer Research after she leapt from 15,000 feet in a tandem skydive. F amilies were reduced to tears as they were forced to endure a terrifying flight alongside a migrant who reportedly screamed Allahu Akbar and death is coming throughout a two-hour journey. Holidaymakers travelling from Gatwick to Venice feared a terror attack as the man thrashed about and threatened passengers and staff until it emerged he was being guarded by Home Office officials, Mail Online reported. According to the website, the man, who was being deported to the Italian city, screamed Allahu Akbar 29 times, death is coming 17 times, and we will die nine times. In a recording made by one passenger he can be heard shouting "Hey, Allahu Akabar" and "today, we will die" repeatedly. The unidentified migrant allegedly continued his tirade of crude and threatening abuse for nearly the entire length of the easyJet flight. The presence of the disturbed man on EZY5263 on August 23 is said to have turned what should have been a routine trip into a nightmare. Lucy and Terence OSullivan, from Detling, Kent, were sitting only five rows in front of the man, who was positioned at the back of the plane, with officials either side of him. The pair, who were travelling to enjoy their honeymoon, told Mail Online they felt that in the worst-case scenario, they wouldnt get off the plane alive. Mrs OSullivan, 33, a carer, said: "It was really scary. I felt threatened. I was tearful. The worst-case scenario was that we werent going to get off that plane alive because we didnt know who the person was, what the circumstances were or anything. There was nothing explained to us. It was very daunting. As events unfolded without any official explanation, Mrs OSullivan even feared they could be victims of a terror attack. We didnt know whether he came from a group of terrorists, or anything along those lines, she added. Her husband, a 34-year-old site auditor, said: It was pretty terrifying. I was thinking hes somehow got explosives on to the plane and he doesnt want to go through with it. I absolutely feared for my life. EasyJet cabin crew reportedly ordered passengers to delete videos and pictures of the man they had taken on mobile phones and travellers were asked not to use the toilets at the back of the plane, close to the alleged deportee. In a bid to control the man, one Home Office official is said to have crouched on his knees facing the man, with an arm on his shoulders, for much of the flight. The man is thought to be a failed asylum seeker who had spent a year in a UK detention centre. He was reportedly being deported to Italy under the Dublin Regulation, which dictates that people must claim asylum in the first safe country they reach. It is the first time a deportee has been reported to have disrupted a budget commercial flight to Europe. After complaining about the incident, easyJet told the couple, who had paid 348.68 for their return flights, that they were not eligible for a refund. The airline apologised for the distressing incident and announced it was reviewing the circumstances with the Home Office. The company told the Mail on Sunday: We acknowledge that on this occasion the situation onboard could have been distressing for other passengers and apologise for that. However, the safety of the flight was never compromised. We would not have carried the passenger had he displayed threatening behaviour prior to the flight, the captain would have diverted if any threat was made to the safety of the flight or passengers on board, and he was in the care of two officers escorting him on behalf of the Home Office for the duration of the flight. We are reviewing this case with the Home Office to see if lessons can be learned. EasyJet only received three complaints from customers on board this flight." A spokesman for the Home Office said: We do not comment on individual cases. T he mother of a British man accused of trying to grab a policeman's gun in a bid to kill Donald Trump said she does not "for one minute" believe he meant any harm. Lynne Sandford was able to visit her son, Michael Sandford, for the first time on Thursday - more than two months after he was arrested on June 18. The 20-year-old of Dorking, Surrey, allegedly tried to snatch an officer's weapon during a rally at a Las Vegas casino, later telling officials that his plan was "to shoot and kill Donald Trump". Ms Sandford spoke to her son, who she says does not remember what happened, through a wire divide at the Lloyd D George courthouse in Las Vegas on Thursday. She said: "He's so sorry for everything. He's very remorseful and glad that nothing happened, nobody got hurt, and he just feels terrible about the whole thing and the effect that it's having on the family. He desperately misses us and loves us and he just wants to come back to the UK. Presidential candidate: Donald Trump / Getty "We spent the whole meeting hand-in-hand through the wire mesh, at the end we put our cheeks together and I was crying and he felt one of my tear drops come through the mesh, so we actually had contact after all." The 46-year-old said her son had never shown an interest in politics, and when asked if she believed he had intended harm, replied: "Not for one minute." "He has actually said to me: 'It's imperative you understand, mum, I would never under normal circumstances do anything like this. You know that don't you?' and I said 'yes of course I do'. "I know something went very wrong with his mind at that time." Ms Sandford said that her son had a number of mental health conditions - including autism, severe OCD, anxiety, depression and previously anorexia - and had previously tried to take his own life twice. She and her son had only "erratic" contact after he travelled to New Jersey, and the next time she saw him was on TV being frogmarched out of the Trump rally. Mr Sandford's British lawyer, Saimo Chahal QC said the 20-year-old had two options - to have a jury trial or to accept a plea bargain that has been offered. More than 32,000 has been raised on a crowdfunding page set up to help the family pay for legal fees. Mr Sandford has been charged with being in the country illegally and disrupting government business. He faces up to 10 years in US prison if found guilty. His trial starts on October 3. A 22-year-old allegedly inspired by Islamic State has been charged with a terrorist act after he repeatedly stabbed a man in a random attack in Sydney. Police said Wayne Greenhalgh, 59, is fighting for his life after he was stabbed several times while walking through a park in western Sydney on Saturday. The suspect, named as Ihsas Khan, also attempted to stab a police officer before he was arrested. He was charged with attempted murder and committing a terrorist act on Sunday. He was refused bail in the Parramatta Bail Court and his case was adjourned until Wednesday. He did not enter pleas. Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull made reference the attack took place on the eve of the 15th anniversary of the al-Qaida attacks on the United States. "Connecting them both is a violent Islamist ideology," Turnbull told reporters. New South Wales Deputy Police Commissioner Catherine Burn described the attack as planned and deliberate. She said Khan and Mr Greenhalgh did not know each other. "This was clearly a very volatile, a very violent situation that police and the members of the community were confronted with," Burn told reporters. Khan shouted words at the scene, which led police to believe he was inspired by the Islamic State group, Burn said. "We know that this person has strong religious beliefs inspired by ISIS. What made him act yesterday we don't know," she added. The victim's wife, Bronwyn Greenhalgh, said her husband had a punctured lung and had lost several fingers. Federal Attorney General George Brandis said bystanders had put their own lives at risk by intervening in the attack. "It may very well be but for the bravery of those citizens to intervene, the victim's life would have been lost," Brandis told reporters. A fter the last episode gave us a weekend anthem earworm with Beck Martins original song Friday Night, the latest X Factor instalment brought another set of hopefuls. There was giggly Faye, who cracked up throughout her audition, the return of The Brooks, and a stunning vocal from Ivy Grace Paredes. Here are the five auditions you need to see. Faye Horne 24 year-old admin assistant Faye struggled to get through her rendition of Sam Smiths Bond theme Writings on the Wall without dissolving into giggles causing Simon Cowell to turn around so that they wouldnt set each other off. The X Factor 2016: judges and presenters 1 /9 The X Factor 2016: judges and presenters They're back It's a classic judging line-up for this year's X Factor Thames / Syco Entertainment Simon Cowell The head honcho is still in charge Thames / Syco Entertainment Sharon Osbourne Sharon is back for the first time since 2013 Thames/Syco Nicole Scherzinger Nicole was last on the panel in 2013 Thames / Syco Entertainment Louis Walsh 2015 was the only time Louis wasn't a judge on the show Thames / Syco Entertainment Dermot O'Leary The presenter is back after a year off Thames / Syco Entertainment Rylan Clark-Neal and Matt Edmondson The all-new live Xtra Factor has new hosts in Rylan and Matt Thames/Syco Entertainment Ritchie Stevens Lorry driver Ritchie didnt tell his kids that he was auditioning for the X Factor and theyll likely want to forget that his take on House of Pains hip hop classic Jump Around ever existed. Suffice to say, none of the judges were jumping. The Brooks After being sent home at judges houses in 2014, 17 year-old identical twins Kyle and Josh are back with more perspective. Their cover of Naughty Boy and Beyonces Runnin was a tad nasal, but they seem set for a longer stint in the competition this year. X Factor London 2016 Launch 1 /10 X Factor London 2016 Launch Nicole Scherzinger Beretta/Sims/Rex Host Dermot O'Leary attending a X Factor 2016 launch at 1 Hamyard Hotel, Londo Ian West/PA Rylan Clark-Neal and Matt Edmondson attending a X Factor 2016 launch at 1 Hamyard Hotel, London Ian West/PA New Xtra Factor Live host Roman Kemp attending a X Factor 2016 launch at 1 Hamyard Hotel, Londo Ian West/PA Nicole Scherzinger Beretta/Sims/Rex Rylan Clark-Neal attending a X Factor 2016 launch at 1 Hamyard Hotel, London Ian West/PA Host Dermot O'Leary attending a X Factor 2016 launch at 1 Hamyard Hotel, Londo Ian West/PA Rylan Clark-Neal and Matt Edmondson attending a X Factor 2016 launch at 1 Hamyard Hotel, London Ian West/PA Ivy Grace Paredes 33 year-old Ivy travelled across from the Philippines to enter the X Factor, hoping to make it big and support her young daughter. The trip was worth it Simon Cowell and co were blown away by her audition, belting out Whitney Houston like it was no trouble. Anelisa Lambola Its been nine years since Anelisa first auditioned for The X Factor now, at the age of 26, shes back to give it another shot. Singing (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman, shes shot right back to the top of the judges list of ones to watch for 2016. ITV, Sunday, 8pm 5 dead, 38 hurt in accidents At least five persons were killed and 38 others injured in separate road accidents in Parbat, Chitwan and Dhading districts on Saturday. Countries & Areas Search for country or area A Afghanistan Albania Algeria Andorra Angola Antigua and Barbuda Argentina Armenia Australia Austria Azerbaijan B Bahamas Bahrain Bangladesh Barbados Belarus Belgium Belize Benin Bhutan Bolivia Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana Brazil Brunei Bulgaria Burkina Faso Burma Burundi C Cabo Verde Cambodia Cameroon Canada Central African Republic Chad Chile China Colombia Comoros Costa Rica Cote dIvoire Croatia Cuba Cyprus Czechia D Democratic Republic of the Congo Denmark Djibouti Dominica Dominican Republic E Ecuador Egypt El Salvador Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Estonia Eswatini Ethiopia F Fiji Finland France G Gabon Gambia Georgia Germany Ghana Greece Grenada Guatemala Guinea Guinea-Bissau Guyana H Haiti Holy See Honduras Hungary I Iceland India Indonesia Iran Iraq Ireland Israel Italy J Jamaica Japan Jordan K Kazakhstan Kenya Kiribati Kosovo Kuwait Kyrgyzstan L Laos Latvia Lebanon Lesotho Liberia Libya Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg M Madagascar Malawi Malaysia Maldives Mali Malta Marshall Islands Mauritania Mauritius Mexico Micronesia Moldova Monaco Mongolia Montenegro Morocco Mozambique N Namibia Nauru Nepal Netherlands New Zealand Nicaragua Niger Nigeria North Korea North Macedonia Norway O Oman P Pakistan Palau Palestinian Territories Panama Papua New Guinea Paraguay Peru Philippines Poland Portugal Q Qatar R Republic of the Congo Romania Russia Rwanda S Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Lucia Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Samoa San Marino Sao Tome and Principe Saudi Arabia Senegal Serbia Seychelles Sierra Leone Singapore Slovakia Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia South Africa South Korea South Sudan Spain Sri Lanka Sudan Suriname Sweden Switzerland Syria T Taiwan Tajikistan Tanzania Thailand Timor-Leste Togo Tonga Trinidad and Tobago Tunisia Turkey Turkmenistan Tuvalu U Uganda Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom Uruguay Uzbekistan V Vanuatu Venezuela Vietnam Y Yemen Z Zambia Zimbabwe The House and Senate must return to Washington to provide the funding public health officials need to protect the American people. The impact of Zika on our countrys health and economy has never been greater and it continues to grow. 556 hectares of forest land encroached in Salyan Locals of five VDCs in Salyan district have encroached 556 hectares of forest land belonging to Kalimati Area Forest Office. A test of will Now is the opportunity for the UML to explore ways to hold real dialogue and establish mutual trust Barack and Michelle Obama's Essence photoshoot thrills web A romantic magazine photoshoot of Barack and Michelle Obama has left the internet swooning. CHARLOTTETOWN, PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND -- (Marketwired) -- 09/10/16 -- Department of Justice Canada Every day, police officers across the country interact with youth who have been in conflict with the law. Canada's youth justice legislation, the Youth Criminal Justice Act (YCJA), gives police officers the tools they need to look beyond the formal court system in dealing with young offenders. Today, Sean Casey, Member of Parliament for Charlottetown, on behalf of the Honourable Jody Wilson-Raybould, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, and in collaboration with the Canadian Police Association and the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police, is presenting the Minister of Justice National Youth Justice Policing Award to Constable Jeremiah Stump of the Calgary Police Service. The award celebrates innovative policing and serves to inform the police and the wider community about creative responses to youth crime. It encourages police officers to take innovative approaches to respond to and prevent youth crime, and use restorative justice processes and other initiatives to reduce the rate of incarceration. Constable Jeremiah Stump is being recognized for his key role in the Indigenous Team of the Calgary Police Service's Youth at Risk Development (YARD) program. The YARD Indigenous Team, composed of a police officer and a social worker, incorporates cultural teachings into its work and creates opportunities for youth to connect with their cultural roots. The winner will be presented during a ceremony at the end of the Canadian Police Associations' biennial conference. Quotes "Our government recognizes our partners in the policing community for the creative ways in which they work with youth to help them make better choices and avoid coming into conflict with the law. Constable Stump and his team have taken a collaborative and comprehensive approach to working with Indigenous youth and have made a significant difference in their lives." The Honourable Jody Wilson-Raybould Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada "I am very pleased to be able to personally recognize Constable Stump for his dedication in helping Indigenous youth in his community. I thank him for his tireless efforts working with youth who are at high risk of gang and other criminal involvement, and his dedication to helping improve their lives and make their communities safer." Sean Casey Member of Parliament, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada "The Canadian Police Association appreciates our partnership with the Department of Justice, which allows us to recognize some of the amazing work done by civilian and sworn law enforcement members across Canada. The work done by Constable Jeremiah Stump, the YARD team, and the Calgary Police is just another strong example of the value of professional public policing in this country." Tom Stamatakis President of the Canadian Police Association "The Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police congratulates Constable Jeremiah Stump, the YARD Team and the Calgary Police Service for their Youth at Risk Development Program. The program facilitates a collaborative and comprehensive approach to the early identification and appropriate service referral of young people who are at risk of initiation into street gangs and those who have already exhibited some level of gang involvement. The program is based on a wrap-around service model that is directed at boys and girls and is voluntary for all potential participants. This truly innovative indigenous youth program is deserving of the Minister of Justice National Justice Policing Award." Directeur Mario Harel President of the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police Related Products -- Minister of Justice National Youth Justice Policing Award Backgrounder -- Award Recipient 2016 -- Minister of Justice National Youth Justice Policing Award - Video Associated Links -- Canadian Police Association -- Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police -- Calgary Police Service Youth at Risk Development Program Follow Department of Justice Canada on Twitter (@JusticeCanadaEn), join us on Facebook or visit our YouTube channel. Backgrounder Minister Of Justice National Youth Justice Policing Award 2016 The Minister of Justice National Youth Justice Policing Award is presented in collaboration with the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police (CACP) and the Canadian Police Association (CPA). The award recognizes police officers who, individually or as a team, develop innovative approaches or promising practices that go beyond the formal court system when dealing with youth in conflict with the law. It celebrates innovative policing and serves to inform the police and wider community about creative responses to youth crime. The award ceremony is held yearly in August/September and is presented alternately at the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police Annual Conference and the Canadian Police Association Biennial Convention. This year's award will be presented at the Canadian Police Association's Biennial Conference, held September 8-10, 2016, in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. A number of factors are considered in determining award eligibility, including: -- The innovation and creativity displayed by police officers dealing with youth who have come in conflict with the law. -- Promising practices or programs that respond to and prevent youth crime. -- The use of extrajudicial measures (for instance, warnings, cautions, or referrals); conferencing as a means of providing advice to decision makers through the youth justice process; or contributing to the rehabilitation and reintegration of youth who have been found guilty. -- Applying proportionate responses to the seriousness of the youth's offences by helping young people understand the impact of their actions and the connection between the offence and its consequences; encouraging the involvement of parents, families and the community in the rehabilitation and reintegration of youth; or increasing community involvement in the youth justice system. Police services, front-line officers, community groups, justice officials, and citizens are eligible to nominate police officers for this award. The winner is selected by an Awards Committee consisting of representatives from the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police, the Canadian Police Association, and officials from the Department of Justice Canada. The winner's name is inscribed on a trophy which remains with the winning police service for a year. He or she also receives a smaller version of the trophy to keep. A Certificate of Recognition is also given to the winner. In addition, $10,000.00 in funding, from the Department of Justice Canada's Youth Justice Fund, is presented in the name of the winner to the successful police service or community organization to support the program that was nominated. Contacts: Valerie Gervais Office of the Minister of Justice 613-992-4621 Media Relations Department of Justice 613-957-4207 Source: Department of Justice Canada LOS ANGELES, Sept. 11, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Top dogs were not the only honorees last night at the sixth annual American Humane Hero Dog Awards. America's first national humane organization also honored a couple of people the top veterinary professionals in the country, actually with the American Humane Hero Veterinarian and Hero Veterinary Technician Awards, presented by Zoetis. After a nationwide search and tens of thousands of public votes, Dr. Natalie Isaza, from Gainesville, Florida, who founded the Veterinary Community Outreach Program at the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine, was named 2016's American Hero Veterinarian, and Kim Knap from Urbana, Illinois, a certified canine rehabilitation practitioner at the University of Illinois Veterinary Teaching Hospital, was declared 2016's American Hero Veterinary Technician. They received their awards during a special ceremony onstage at the Beverly Hilton during the Hero Dog Awards gala, which will be broadcast nationally October 28 on Hallmark Channel. The American Humane Hero Veterinarian and Hero Veterinary Technician Awards were born out of the idea that behind almost every hero pet (and millions more animals) is a hero veterinarian or hero veterinary technician. These often little-known benefactors save and improve the lives of our two- and four-legged best friends in many ways, and it is time to honor their achievements. Hundreds of worthy nominees were considered by a special blue-ribbon panel of celebrities and renowned veterinary and animal care professionals. After winnowing down the field to the top five in each category, the American public was asked to make the final determination. "Compassionate dedication to the health and welfare of animals is a hallmark of both Dr. Isaza and Ms. Knap," said J. Michael McFarland, DVM, DABVP, group director, Companion Animal Marketing at Zoetis. "We are proud to join in honoring these exceptional individuals who are making a difference in animals' lives through delivery of outstanding veterinary care." 2016 American Hero Veterinarian: Dr. Natalie Isaza from Gainesville, Florida Dr. Isaza is the founder of the Veterinary Community Outreach Program at the University of Florida's College of Veterinary Medicine. This program has helped countless animals that might have been euthanized at rural shelters in north Florida, as well as owned pets in a clinic for low income pet owners. The program works with local animal rescue groups and shelters, providing spay/neuter surgical services, heartworm treatments, general wellness care, and more specialized veterinary care for animals in need. In addition to her work with homeless animals, she is a co-founder of St. Francis Pet Care, a free vet clinic for pets of low-income and homeless members in her community. By providing care for these pets, the clinic has helped many animals stay in their homes. She implemented a program where shelter animals receive free veterinary care for treatable conditions. She and her students also visit animal shelters in rural counties surrounding Gainesville, providing veterinary care and transferring animals from these shelters to rescue groups so they can be adopted. Her dedication has inspired many veterinarians she has trained to become public servants, and helped them to be strong advocates for animal welfare. She is a hero to the voiceless animals she serves and to the families who otherwise might lose their beloved companions. 2016 American Hero Veterinary Technician: Kim Knap from Urbana, Illinois(written by the grateful owner of dog helped by Ms. Knap) Kim Knap BS, CVT, Certified Canine Rehabilitation Practitioner, does rehab at the University of Illinois Veterinary Teaching Hospital for pets that have mobility problems. My dog, Dexter, started seeing her for rehab on a chronic knee injury that occurred in 2014. It took him a long time to use that leg, so I took him to Vet Med to see if water treadmills and rehab exercises might help. Usually, Dexter HATES going to the vet. He needs a muzzle at my regular vet (he's been through a lot). But from the beginning, he was smitten with Kim. He'd even try to sneak out to the garage on off days in hopes that I'd take him to see her. When we later discovered that he would need another surgery, I started a Go Fund Me page to pay for it, and Kim both donated and shared it with the rest of the vet staff and the humane society staff that I adopted him from. We got so many donations between all of them and my friends that we had what we needed in 24 hours (about $1,800). Dexter walks great now, and is so strong that sometimes I really have to watch him because he can now counter surf. He wouldn't be in such good shape if Kim hadn't caught the problem he'd been having, and I felt totally comfortable leaving him there for two days because I knew she would be there with him. She went above and beyond for Dexter. "To us, all vets and vet techs are heroes and this is why we want to honor the best of the best in their fields," said Dr. Robin Ganzert, American Humane president and CEO. "Dr. Isaza and Ms. Knap are tremendous animal welfare advocates and we are so proud to learn of their laudable accomplishments aiding the animals in need in their communities and beyond. And our thanks go out to our friends at Zoetis for sponsoring this special national campaign because we know how committed they are to recognizing the achievements of the veterinary community." The American Humane Hero Dog Awards are presented by the Lois Pope LIFE Foundation and will be broadcast nationally on Hallmark Channel on October 28 at 8 pm ET/PT. About American Humane American Humane is the country's first national humane organization, founded in 1877. For more information, please visit www.americanhumane.org. To inquire about Hero Dog sponsorship opportunities, please email Mari Harner at [email protected]. About Zoetis Zoetis (zo-EH-tis) is the leading animal health company, dedicated to supporting its customers and their businesses. Building on more than 60 years of experience in animal health, Zoetis discovers, develops, manufactures and markets veterinary vaccines and medicines, complemented by diagnostic products and genetic tests and supported by a range of services. Zoetis serves veterinarians, livestock producers and people who raise and care for farm and companion animals with sales of its products in more than 100 countries. In 2015, the company generated annual revenue of $4.8 billion with approximately 9,000 employees. For more information, visit www.zoetis.com. Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160911/406265 Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160911/406266 Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20101108/DC97343LOGO To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/heroes-to-americas-animals-winners-of-2016-american-humane-hero-veterinarian-and-hero-veterinary-technician-awards-presented-by-zoetis-300325914.html SOURCE American Humane MILAN (Reuters) - The European Central Bank has given a preliminary nod to the possible appointment of Marco Morelli, head of Bank of America Merrill Lynch in Italy, as chief executive of ailing lender Monte dei Paschi di Siena, a source close to the matter said. If confirmed, the ECB's informal green light, first reported by Ansa news wire, would help pave the way for a swift succession at the helm of Italy's third biggest bank, whose chief executive Fabrizio Viola agreed to step down on Thursday. The bank needs to move quickly to implement an emergency rescue plan which includes a capital increase of up to 5 billion euros ($5.6 billion) and avert the risk of being wound down. Monte dei Paschi and the ECB declined to comment. In its role as banking supervisor for the euro zone, the ECB could potentially block the appointment of a manager who is not judged "proper and fit". Morelli, who was Monte dei Paschi's chief financial officer before leaving the Tuscan bank in 2010, was not available for comment. The source said head hunters Egon Zehnder, appointed by Monte dei Paschi for the CEO selection process, would give the results of its survey of potential candidates to the lender on Monday, before Chairman Massimo Tononi travels to Frankfurt for meetings with the ECB. The formal appointment is likely to take place towards the middle of week, a second source said. Morelli, from the start indicated by sources as the frontrunner to take over from Viola, has not commented publicly on whether he would be available for the job. (Reporting by Paola Arosio; Editing by Silvia Aloisi and Catherine Evans) SOFIA/BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Bulgaria is considering nominating Kristalina Georgieva, the EU commissioner now in charge of sorting out the bloc's budget in the face of Britain's planned departure, for the U.N. Secretary-General job. Officials and diplomats in Sofia, Brussels and elsewhere told Reuters there were intensive talks on Georgieva joining the race for the top U.N. job and a final decision was expected in the coming days. Ten people have already declared their candidacy. Bulgaria's Deputy Prime Minister Rumiana Bachvarova, asked whether Bulgaria would nominate Georgieva, said: "It is a decision of the prime minister and he will consider the situation. Consultations with other countries are also needed for a such a decision. For the moment there is no official proposal tendered at the government. If there be such, it can be tendered by the end of the working day on Monday." South Korea's Ban Ki-moon will step down from the top U.N. job at the end of the year and former Portuguese prime minister Antonio Guterres, who also served as the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees, has been the frontrunner so far. Bulgaria's own candidate, Irina Bokova, who is director-general of U.N. cultural organization UNESCO, has polled equal third. Officials differed on whether she would have to quit the race to allow Sofia to nominate Georgieva, whether Bulgaria could have two candidates or other countries could propose the Bulgarian EU commissioner. In Brussels, Martin Selmayr, the influential head of cabinet of the Commission's head, Jean-Claude Juncker, said on Twitter: "Would be great loss for @EU_Commission. But Kristalina would make strong UNSG, and many Europeans proud. + strong signal for gender equality." Civil society groups and nearly a third of the 193 U.N. member states have pushed for the first woman secretary-general. Georgieva has been discussed as a potential candidate earlier in the process but Sofia eventually put forward Bokova, who was not immediately available for comment on Sunday. The next secret ballot for the top U.N. job -- the fifth such vote -- is due on Sept. 26 and a diplomatic source in Sofia said Georgieva may have the backing of Hungary, Croatia and Latvia. But the person stressed it would be odd for Sofia to have others nominating a Bulgarian national. "The Bulgarian prime minister is in a very difficult situation... Seems he has not decided yet," the source said of ongoing talks, which also include Bulgaria's ruling center-right GERB party. To be successful, any candidate must be endorsed by all five veto-wielding, permanent members of the U.N. Security Council - Russia, China, France, Britain and the United States. The German and Hungarian government spokesmen declined to comment, as have the spokespeople for the Bulgarian and Latvian foreign ministries. But the Latvian said that the leaders of Latvia, Lithuania, Portugal, Malta and Cyprus were due to dine with the German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin later on Sunday. The German leader could play a big role in pushing Georgieva's case, something the Russian foreign ministry said Merkel has already attempted. "Not so long ago, on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Hangzhou (China), the German chancellor tried to discuss with Russian leaders a possible support by the Russian side of a Bulgarian candidate - different from the officially nominated one," Russia's state-owned TASS news agency on Sunday quoted the ministry's spokeswoman, Maria Zakharova, as saying. (Reporting by Tsvetelia Tsolova in Sofia, Alastair Macdonald in Brussels, Gergely Szakacs in Budapest, Gederts Gelzis in Riga, Michelle Martin in Berlin, Writing by Gabriela Baczynska; Editing by Stephen Powell) By Prak Chan Thul PHNOM PENH (Reuters) - A Cambodian court on Friday sentenced opposition leader Kem Sokha to five months in jail in absentia amid what activists say is a crackdown on critics of Prime Minister Hun Sen ahead of local and general elections. Phnom Penh Municipal Court found Sokha, 63, guilty of failing to appear in court as a witness in a case against two MPs from his Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) accused of procuring a prostitute for him. Hundreds of Sokha's supporters clashed briefly with police outside the court as police tried to remove banners and loudspeakers proclaiming Sokha's innocence. Tension has risen as other opposition members have been charged and jailed. On July 10, Kem Ley, a prominent activist and frequent critic of Hun Sen, was murdered in the capital Phnom Penh and Ley's family have fled abroad fearing for their safety. Sokha and his lawyers boycotted the trial on Friday, arguing that his immunity from prosecution as an elected MP was still in place. Sokha, who has been holed up at the CNRP headquarters to avoid arrest for months, said on Friday that Hun Sen was using the judiciary to prevent him standing in local and general elections in 2017 and 2018. "This is an attack on a multiparty democracy as guaranteed in Cambodia's constitution," Sokha said in a rare public speech since taking refuge at the CNRP headquarters on May 6. Hun Sen and his government have repeatedly denied wrongdoing. (Editing by Nick Macfie) SANAA (Reuters) - At least 21 civilians were killed in two separate air strikes by the Saudi-led coalition in northern Yemen on Saturday, residents said on Sunday, as fighting intensified in the country before the Muslim Eid al-Adha feast. At least 15 civilians were killed when war planes struck workers drilling for water in the Beit Saadan area of the Arhab district north of Sanaa, and 20 people were wounded, residents in the area, controlled by Iran-allied Houthi forces, said. They said Saudi-led coalition warplanes bombed the site and killed four workers, and then conducted a second bomb run when residents of the village rushed to the scene, killing at least 11 more and wounding 20. "We heard three explosions, and people rushed out to help the people working on the drills. Then the planes came back and launched five strikes causing this number of dead and wounded," Saif Saleh, a witness, told Reuters by telephone. A spokesman for the Saudi-led coalition, General Ahmed al-Asseri, said "all operations in the area were targeting Houthi positions and members." The coalition, which has been fighting to roll back gains made by the Houthi group since 2014 and restore ousted President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi to power, says it does not target civilians. U.N.-sponsored talks to try to end the fighting collapsed in failure last month and the Houthi movement and allied forces loyal to former president Ali Abdullah Saleh resumed shelling into neighboring Saudi Arabia. Saturday's attacks were the latest in a series of strikes that have hit schools, hospitals, markets and private homes. Local media put the number of dead and wounded at the water-drilling site at around 100 and published pictures of burned bodies and mangled equipment. Videos showed workers collecting mutilated bodies and carrying them away in blankets. In a second attack, residents reported an air strike hit the home of Sheikh Maqbool al-Harmali, a local tribal chief in Hairan district of Hajjah province, killing six civilians. The United Nations says more than 10,000 people have been killed in the fighting, many of them civilians. In an Eid message, Hadi said: "We will not allow Iran to turn Yemen into an arena for the blackmail of neighbors." Iran denies any interference in Arab states. In south-eastern Abyan province, a suicide bomber killed seven police conscripts and wounded 15 on Sunday when he drove a vehicle laden with explosives into a police compound in Hadi's hometown, a local official said. No one claimed responsibility for the attack in al-Wadea district. (Reporting by Mohammed Ghobari, writing by Sami Aboudi and Katie Paul; Editing by William Maclean, Ralph Boulton) Chair Baidya stresses unification of revolutionary parties Chairman of CPN (Revolutionary Maoist) Mohan Baidya has stressed unification of revolutionary parties for successful revolution on behalf of people. Clinton regrets calling Trump supporters 'deplorable' US presidential candidate Hillary Clinton has apologised for calling half of Donald Trump's supporters "deplorable" people. Closed industries coming into operation gradually: Minister Joshi Minister for Industry Navindra Raj Joshi said the government would gradually reopen the industries closed over the time on different reasons. Dr KC warns of another hunger strike Dr Govinda KC has given an eight-day ultimatum to the government for addressing his demands. 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. Cryptocurrency mining malware discovered targeting Seagate NAS hard drives A malware variant named Mal/Miner-C (also known as PhotoMiner) is infecting Internet-exposed Seagate Central Network Attached Storage (NAS) devices and using them to infect connected computers to mine for the Monero cryptocurrency. Miner-C, or PhotoMiner, appeared at the start of June 2016, when a report revealed how this malware was targeting FTP servers and spreading on its own to new machines thanks to worm-like features that attempted to brute-force other FTP servers using a list of default credentials. Softpedia / Sophos' PDF report. Steam Spy and the specter of game sales transparency The Ukrainian Sergey Galyonkin was living in Cyprus when he decided he wanted to know precisely how many video games had been sold on Steam that week. In contrast to the film, music and TV industries, for which an orbiting constellation of organizations such as Billboard and Nielsen track and release thorough performance data, video game companies remain notoriously coy about their sales figures. Gamasutra Doom (2016) -- graphics study Doom pioneered fundamental changes in game design and mechanics back in 1993, it was a world-wide phenomenon which propelled to fame iconic figures like John Carmack andJohn Romero... 23 years later, id Software now belongs to Zenimax, all the original founders are gone but it didn't prevent the team at id from showing all its talent by delivering a great game. Adrian Courreges SLO: 3D printed camera Some people take photos to record moments for the future. Others take photos to enlarge the present. I've always assumed a camera should be impartial. Sharp and bright, lacking consideration or mystery, randomness or error. Lately we're asked to apply a filter to add a gloss of emotion after the fact. Analog photography takes the sense of a moment and turns it into a tangible image. My 3D printer turns the content of my thoughts into real shape and form. Amos Dudley Israeli online attack service 'vDOS' earned $600,000 in two years vDOS -- a "booter" service that has earned in excess of $600,000 over the past two years helping customers coordinate more than 150,000 so-called distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks designed to knock Web sites offline -- has been massively hacked, spilling secrets about tens of thousands of paying customers and their targets. Krebs on Security ITT Technical Institutes shuts down, leaving a hefty bill ITT Educational Services Inc. has abruptly shut down its eponymous for-profit technical schools, closing more than 130 campuses and leaving as many as 40,000 students stranded in one of the largest college closures in American history. The company blamed the Department of Education for its downfall in a statement released on Tuesday. Bloomberg Atlas balancing on line The humanoid robot Atlas balancing on a line contact (plywood edge approx. 2cm thick). This video was recorded during a lucky run, usually the robot is not able to maintain balance for this long. The shaking is caused by poor state estimation (we only use onboard sensors). The control algorithm is developed by IHMC the robot was built by Boston Dynamics. DRCihmcRobotics Apple is said to be rethinking strategy on self-driving cars Apple is rethinking what it plans to do about self-driving cars, just as other big tech companies appear ready to plow ahead with competing efforts. In a retrenchment of one of its most ambitious initiatives, Apple has shuttered parts of its self-driving car project and laid off dozens of employees, according to three people briefed on the move who were not allowed to speak about it publicly. The job cuts are the latest sign of trouble with Apple's car initiative. The NY Times Analog: The Last Defense Against DRM But removing the port will change how a substantial portion of iPhone owners listen to audio content---namely, by simply plugging in a set of headphones. By switching from an analog signal to a digital one, Apple has potentially given itself more control than ever over what people can do with music or other audio content on an iPhone. We hope that Apple isn't unwittingly opening the door to new pressures to take advantage of that power. EFF Tales from Comcast's data cap nation: Can the meter be trusted? On March 18, Ars received an exasperated e-mail from the father of one very frustrated Comcast customer. Elliot told us that his son, Brad, had received bills totaling more than $1,500, and Comcast alleged that Brad had been consistently using far more than his 300GB monthly limit. Overage charges of $10 for each additional 50GB were piling up as Comcast's meter claimed usage totaling multiple terabytes a month. Ars Technica How to teach computational thinking Computational thinking is going to be a defining feature of the future --- and it's an incredibly important thing to be teaching to kids today. There's always lots of discussion (and concern) about how to teach mathematical thinking to kids. But looking to the future, this pales in comparison to the importance of teaching computational thinking. Stephen Wolfram Intel supplying wireless chips for some Apple iPhones Apple Inc. is using wireless chips from Intel Corp. in some models of the new iPhone 7, people familiar with the matter said, a widely expected breakthrough in the chip giant's multiyear quest to find a foothold in popular smartphones. The WSJ Google's Chrome internet browser will soon warn users on unsecure websites, a move which will help in protecting sensitive information such as passwords and credit card details from being stolen. In a Google Security blog post, Google said that starting January 2017 with Chrome 56, the internet browser will begin to mark HTTP connections that transmit passwords or credit card information as non-secure. Previously, Chrome did not explicitly label HTTP connection as unsecure ones. Instead, a neutral indicator is used for the websites, which fails in revealing the lack of security on this type of connection. When users load an HTTP website, another user on the network could be watching the activity or modify the website before it is shown. As Google is moving forward with a long-term plan to mark all HTTP websites as non-secure, Chrome will soon mark HTTP websites with password or credit card form fields with a "not secure" label on the address bar. Users, however, will not be prevented from accessing these websites. A significant portion of online traffic has moved from HTTP to HTTPS, which is a secure version of encrypted website communications that is symbolized by a green lock icon in the address bar. With encryption in place, the data that users input into form fields online are scrambled so that other users will not be able to understand the information being sent out by the internet browser. HTTPS is also capable of preventing users from making modifications to websites, such as inserting their own advertisements. In upcoming releases for Chrome, Google is planning to extend the warnings for HTTP websites into Incognito mode, where users may be expecting even higher levels of privacy. Google is planning to eventually mark all HTTP connections as unsecure ones, with the security indicator for such websites to be marked with a red triangle. Marking HTTP websites as unsecure is just part of the many ways that Google is looking to improve the user experience for the Chrome browser. Last month, Google said that Chrome 53, which is out now, will start the process of blocking Flash on the browser in favor of the faster and lighter HTML5. Chrome 53 is also said to be 15 percent faster and 20 percent more energy efficient, compared with its previous versions. HTML 5 to Flash is similar with HTTPS to HTTP, as the former present improvements on the latter. Google is moving to replace old technology with new developments on Chrome, which should highly benefit the users of the browser. 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Giraffes appear to be one single creature but findings of a new study have revealed that there are actually four different species of the long-necked mammals. Geneticist Axel Janke, from the Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre and Goethe University in Germany, said that the findings change the status of the animals in terms of how endangered their species are. About a third of the giraffe population was lost over the past three decades alone but the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) does not consider giraffes as endangered. They remain classified as least concern. The discovery that the animal is composed of at least four different species, which was published in the journal Current Biology on Thursday, Sept. 8, can have crucial implications in giraffe conservation campaigns. Giraffes taken as one number nearly 100,000 but when they are considered to be four separate species, the animals would appear to be in more dire need of help and support. The southern giraffe only numbers about 52,000, the reticulated giraffe has a population of about 8,700, the Masai giraffe has about 32,500 individuals and the northern giraffe has a bleak number of only 4,750. Scientists also said that the different species are about as distinct as polar bears and brown bears and because populations are composed of different species, giraffes could not reproduce with one another. "They normally don't hybridize and have fertile offspring in nature," Janke said. Conservationists would have to take into account that the different species do not commonly crossbreed when planning for strategies that aim to help improve the number of the animals. "The remaining former giraffe subspecies cluster genetically into four highly distinct groups, and we suggest that these should be recognized as discrete species," Janke and colleagues wrote in their study. "The conservation implications are obvious, as giraffe population numbers and habitats across Africa continue to dwindle due to human-induced threats." The population of the giraffe has long been declining. The decline in their population is widely blamed on habitat loss, excessive hunting and poaching. The skin of the giraffe is used for clothing items and in some countries like Tanzania, the hunt is driven by beliefs that some parts of the animal can treat HIV infection. "With now four distinct species, the conservation status of each of these can be better defined and in turn added to the IUCN Red List," said Julian Fennessy, from the Giraffe Conservation Foundation in Namibia. 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Figures to fret about Besides aiding poverty reduction, remittance has also led to a rise in trade deficit NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden has been given the mantle of "the most extreme of patriots" by Hollywood actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt who plays him in the biopic Snowden. Snowden, which revolves around the leaks of the NSA files, was premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on Sept. 9 and is poised to hit the theaters a week later on Sept. 16. The biopic sees 35-year-old Gordon-Levitt of 3rd Rock from the Sun fame bring to life the trials and tribulations of Snowden, as the movie charts a decade of the 33-year-old NSA contractor's life. When asked about what Gordon-Levitt wanted to come across while portraying a controversial figure such as Snowden, the actor revealed that the primary thing for him was how much the ex-NSA contractor cared for the U.S. Snowden is largely perceived as damaging to the U.S., someone who betrayed his own country, but the former NSA contractor does not see it in the same light. Gordon-Levitt also does not see him as a rogue. The actor went on to elaborate that Snowden is "the most extreme of patriots" in his opinion. "I think there's two different kinds of patriotism and, you know, we were talking a second ago about how a drama shows an evolution of somebody. One kind of patriot just believes that everything their country does is right, no matter what, without asking any questions. But there is another kind of patriot which can only exist in a free country like the United States of America who holds the government accountable and who will ask questions. And this is what Edward Snowden has done in the most extreme of ways," notes the actor in an interview with Hollywood Reporter. Gordon-Levitt believes that Snowden essentially risked his life to put the U.S. government accountable. Owing to this, the actor considers him an extreme type of a patriot. This thought and belief were central to what he wanted to come across and infuse in his portrayal of Snowden's character as well. Gordon-Levitt was also able to identify with Snowden's disenchantment with the U.S. government after he watched James Clapper, the director of National Intelligence, deny in front of a congressional committee that the NSA was indeed gathering data on innumerable Americans in secrecy. Snowden the movie builds up to the 2013 events, when the NSA whistleblower fled the U.S. post exposing the government's surveillance activities to Glenn Greenwald, a journalist, and Laura Poitras, the filmmaker, whose documentary Citizenfour (also based on Snowden) won an Oscar. Currently, Snowden lives in Russia under asylum with girlfriend Lindsay Mills after he fled from the U.S. He is wanted in the U.S. on espionage charges because he leaked confidential data related to government activities. Shailene Woodley essays the role of his girlfriend in the movie, which will hit the screens on Sept. 16. 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and their colleagues over at the Georgia Institute of Technology are devising an imaging system that will allow the reading of closed books. In a study published in the journal Nature Communications, the researchers detailed the prototype system they have designed, which has so far been tested on a stack of papers. Though still in the prototype stage, New York's Metropolitan Museum has shown interest in the technology, which can be used to examine the contents of antique books without damaging the object. Some artifacts, after all, are so old that just lifting the cover a bit will result in disintegration. According to the researchers, the imaging system can also be used for analyzing materials in thin layers, like coatings on pharmaceuticals or machine parts. For the imaging system, MIT researchers were in charge of developing algorithms for acquiring images from the individual sheets while their Georgia Tech colleagues created the algorithm that interpreted incomplete or distorted images as individual letters. Barmak Heshmat, corresponding author for the study, said the imaging system they devised is "actually kind of scary" because it can be used to get through letter certification on websites like captchas. The imaging system relies on terahertz radiation, an electromagnetic radiation band between infrared and microwave light. It's commonly used for security screening as different chemicals absorb different terahertz radiation frequencies at varying degrees, resulting in distinct frequency signatures. For the purposes of imaging, terahertz radiation is preferred over X-rays, for instance, because it features frequency profiles that can differentiate between blank paper and ink. The prototype imaging system features a standard terahertz camera emitting ultrashort bursts of radiation. The camera also has built-in sensors so it's able to detect the reflections of the radiation. From the time the reflections arrive, the algorithms kick in to assess the distance between the pages of the book being imaged. Most of the radiation either gets reflected or absorbed by the book, but some do bounce around, resulting in false signals. To address this, the MIT algorithm has also been designed to filter out the "noise." So far, the prototype can work with up to 20 pages of paper. However, distortions are far too great after page nine, so that's the current threshold for the researchers. Terahertz imaging is a relatively new technology, but it holds a lot of promise. Heshmat and colleagues are working on fine-tuning their prototype, aiming for deeper penetration by improving the power of radiation sources and accuracy in the sensors. 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Graphic images of unconscious adults high in what's believed to be heroin were posted on East Liverpool City's Facebook page on Friday, Sept. 9, to highlight the harsh reality of drug usage. Forty-seven-year-old James Lee Acord and 50-year-old Rhonda Pasek were found overdosed in the drug when an Ohio policeman Kevin Thompson stopped the SUV for erratic driving on Wednesday, Sept. 7. Acord, who was driving the car, was about to pass out and Pasek, who was in the front passenger seat was already unconscious and turning blue. Thompson removed the keys from the Ford Explorer when Acord tried to drive the vehicle again. The officer was shocked when he discovered a 4-year-old boy restrained in the back seat. The patrolman called the ambulance immediately and the paramedics who arrived at the spot administered Narcan, the drug used to reverse opioid overdose, to the couple. The couple gained consciousness eventually and was taken to the hospital. The child, who was Pasek's grandson, was then left in the custody of the Columbian County Children's Services. Acord was charged for endangering children and driving under the influence of drugs and sentenced to 180 days in prison. Pasek, who was ordered to appear in the court on Sept. 15, was charged for not wearing seatbelt, endangering children and public intoxication. Meanwhile, it was noted in the city's Facebook post that the photos could appear offensive to some people, but it is the order of the day. "We are well aware that some may be offended by these images and for that we are truly sorry, but it is time that the non drug using public sees what we are now dealing with on a daily basis," read the city's post. It is important to help children who are caught in these kinds of problems. Children cannot defend themselves, but this post could convince people of the kind to think twice before taking drugs, more importantly when there are children in their custody. Brian Allen, the city's director of public service and safety, said that the photos were obtained from a local TV on public records request. After careful discussion with the city's legal council, the mayor's office and Allen's office, the photos were posted on the city's Facebook page deliberately without blurring the child's face. Allen also noted that the opioid problem in the city is overwhelming and there is no place to send all the addicted victims. Though they are arrested, they get into the same mess once they are back, he added. 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. On the debate, two pollsters who conducted studies, agreed on Saturday that former president Lula defeated Bolsonaro. | Read More UML leader Oli submits memorandum to PM Dahal Ahead of Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal's scheduled visit to India (September 15-18), a delegation led by Former PM and CPN-UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli called on PM Dahal at latter's office in Singha Durbar on Sunday. 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. Purchases made via links on our site may earn us an affiliate commission Georgetown University has been asked to help raise $1 billion to support the educational aspirations of slave descendants who recently learned of their families' historical connection to the Washington D.C.-based university. Some 272 enslaved men, women and children were sold in 1838 to settle mounting debts that could have forced the institution that later became Georgetown University to close. The Georgetown slaves ended up in Louisiana, mostly working at plantations in Iberville and Ascension parishes. Now, descendants of those slaves have asked the school to partner with them in a charitable foundation geared toward helping the school reconcile its involvement in the American slave trade. "If you want to reconcile slavery, at the core, you do that through education," said Karran Harper-Royal, a New Orleans education advocate and one of several lead organizers of a group calling themselves the GU272 Foundation. The group has specifically asked the university to help them raise $1 billion. The GU272 Foundation has already raised $115,000 in seed money, which they say the amount is equal to the sale price the Jesuits demanded for the 272 slaves. Harper- Royal said descendants of the slaves started out in life with a disadvantage when compared to white kids, especially when it comes to educational opportunities, and need a helping hand. "If you're going to level the playing field...making sure the educational aspirations of descendants are taken care of is the way to do it and that should be done through the foundation," she said. The group's plea to the university comes more than a week after its president announced the slave descendants would be granted preferential admission and possibly financial assistance to attend Georgetown. The announcement included a long list of recommendations from The Working Group on Slavery, Memory and Reconciliation. Among other things, the group suggested the university involve descendants in an oral history project and issue a formal apology for its participation and benefit from the slave trade. Harper-Royal said Georgetown might not be a good fit for some slave descendants, which is why the foundation is trying to establish a process and system that "will take care of their educational aspirations regardless of what institution they choose." Details of the 1838 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. The university's president created The Working Group last year after a series of student protests called attention to the sale as well. While expressing appreciation for The Working Group's recommendations and President John DeGioia's efforts to address the school's history with the slave trade, GU272 members have said they were disappointed they didn't have a seat at the table during the discussions about how the university would respond to the issue. "We viewed this as a prime opportunity for an institution that profited from slavery to join with the descendants of those enslaved to create a model for healing and redress in our nation," Joseph Stewart, another GU272 lead organizer, said in a news release. "Yet we firmly believe in the old saying, 'Nothing about us, without us.' " Harper-Royal, and few other descendants, happened to be in Washington and attended a forum Sept. 1 where DiGioia formally announced the Working Group's recommendations report. There, she said, they presented DiGioia with a signed resolution outlining the goal's of the foundation and their desire for the university's involvement. But as of last week, she said the group hasn't gotten a response from the university. When contacted by The Advocate, a spokesperson for the school emailed excerpts from DiGioia's statements to the members of the GU272 who were at the Sept. 1 forum. The official also said DiGioia plans to engage with as many descendants as he can, including the GU272. "The opportunity to be able to find ways together to try to address some of the challenges...this is at the heart of what we were trying to be as a university," DiGioia said the Harper-Royal and others at the Sept. 1 event. "I hope what you heard in my remarks today in several different places were a series of invitations in which we know we cant do our best work alone. And I look forward together to try to find the most appropriate ways in which we can engage in that work." Harper-Royal said she's feel confident DiGioia will honor the university's commitment. "I think they are carefully considering how to respond," she said. WASHINGTON Fresh off of an envoy to the nation's capital to lobby Congress for assistance following catastrophic floods that have affected thousands of Louisiana residents, Gov. John Bel Edwards says he's optimistic that legislators will rally behind an aid package for the state. But it remains unclear what shape that package will take, and the clock is ticking. Edwards, a Democrat who took office in January, is asking for $2 billion that will flow through local communities offering assistance for infrastructure, economic development and housing needs for communities impacted by the floods that left 13 people dead and thousands displaced. Meanwhile, U.S. House Majority Whip Steve Scalise, a Jefferson Republican who as the third ranking member in the House is perhaps the state's most influential leader on the national stage, says more work needs to be done before proposing a formal aid package to Congress. Congress is scheduled to recess at the end of the month and will not return until after the November elections, so the timeline for when aid might make its way to the state remains up in the air. Edwards traveled to Washington on Thursday to try to build support for the recovery effort. He'll return again on Wednesday to meet with House Republicans, including House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wisconsin. During his initial trip, Edwards met with U.S. Sen. Thad Cochran, the Mississippi Republican who heads the powerful Senate Appropriations Committee, as well as top Democrats in the House and members of the Obama administration. "I'm confident that we are going to get the help we need," Edwards said after a congressional hearing on federal government's response to the floods Friday. Scalise, who has been taking part in meetings with Edwards and sat in on the House Oversight subcommittee hearing Friday, said he wants to craft a detailed formal package in the coming days. "Everybody recognizes now, I think, that this was a massive storm it wasn't your regular rain event and there is a serious need. It's our job as a delegation to come together and figure out the best response to bring forward," he said in an interview with The Advocate in his congressional office. "We're working though the details now to make sure that we put forward a plan that works." "This is the top focus of our delegation, to make sure that we put together a package that is focused on getting people back into their homes as quickly as possible. But it's important that we get the policy right and then get it passed," he added. Edwards has been lobbying for the $2 billion in assistance from the federal government, which would be on top of the aid already paid out through FEMA, as well as additional funding for roads that have been damaged by the floods and the state's agriculture needs. Officials have estimated that last month's floods caused nearly $9 billion in damage. During Friday's hearing on the floods, officials lamented the hiccups in the response so far, including the pace of the roll out of a mobile home program for people whose homes are not livable and confusion over the assistance programs available. "The problem is, the relief that our citizens want and the relief that they need and the relief that the deserve, is tied up in red tape," said U.S. Rep. Garret Graves, R-Baton Rouge. Graves and others are pushing for more substantive changes to how FEMA aid makes its way to disaster victims. "Fear is holding up this process," said U.S. Rep. Cedric Richmond, D-New Orleans. Richmond has in recent years repeatedly pushed for what he calls the "FEMA Reform Act" to no success. It's meant to supplant the Stafford Act, last updated in 2013, that officials during Friday's hearing argued is not sufficient in dealing with varying circumstances for diverse disasters. Edwards, who has generally spoken positively of the federal response, also has started to raise questions. "While I am grateful for the quick response we have received from this flooding, I am under no illusion that the response has been perfect," he said during Friday's hearing. +2 Gov. Edwards heads to Washington to pitch $2B flood recovery aid package Gov. John Bel Edwards will spend the next two days making the case for a $2 billion federal Scalise may hold the key to securing assistance for the state, amid a partisan gridlock that currently grips Washington. But while he's been active in meetings on the flood recovery joining the governor for regular updates and arranging meetings with House leadership he said more work needs to be done before money flows to the state. "We've got to have a formal package," he said. "It's not just about asking for money, it's about making sure sure that the program works for the people who are impacted and affected. "You don't go and have a ribbon cutting until the work is over," he said. Scalise said his priority is keeping communities in tact. Some towns in Louisiana have seen as much as 90 percent of homes flooded, including the bedroom community of Denham Springs. "We want to make sure that we just not only pass a package that has a dollar amount, but has the right kind of policy to make sure that people can get back into their homes," Scalise said. Meanwhile, Scalise and other members of the Louisiana congressional delegation have been trying to stress to their colleagues the magnitude of the flood, which many have lamented as not garnering much national attention. Graves this weekend took several Republican Congressmen from other states to flood-affected areas of the state to show the impact first-hand. "I think we've all been in sync for the most part on what we need to do to build the case," Scalise said. Edwards said he hopes that the disaster will rise above political quarrels. "I'm always concerned about the partisan gridlock here because it makes it hard for anything to happen," he said in Washington. "I feel optimistic right now that we are going to be able to get something done. This is an emergency." Marguerite Knight Erwin seemed nervous talking about how the Thibodaux Chamber of Commerce, which she chairs, and two other groups came to trim the number of U.S. Senate candidates invited to participate in this weeks forum at Nicholls State University. It would have been impossible to have a coherent conversation with all 24 candidates, she explained, referring to a prepared statement that outlined the metrics used to pick the four candidates who could participate. Candidates chosen had polled in the double digits by five surveys, only one of which was named. Consequently, the forum left out U.S. Rep. John Fleming, a Minden Republican who last week spent more than $1 million to launch a statewide television ad campaign; and Madisonville Republican Rob Maness, the retired Air Force colonel who in 2014 polled 202,556 votes in a third-place finish in the last U.S. Senate contest. And then theres David Duke, a Mandeville Republican who is not running a traditional campaign, i.e. rousing rallies, baby kissing and festival parades. The Remington Research Groups survey, the only poll cited by Thibodaux forum organizers, put Duke at 6 percent. But he, alone among the two dozen candidates, is being courted by a national and international media that seems only nominally interested in who Louisiana sends to the U.S. Senate this fall. The only Senate contender whose name is familiar outside Louisiana is frontrunner John Kennedy and thats more a coincidence at birth than because the state treasurers fiscal policy is so widely known. Over the years Duke made occasional appearances on national television. During the past few weeks he has been interviewed by television stations in Italy and Denmark. Channel 2 News in Israel and NHK, the Japanese broadcasting company, have set up interviews, according to his campaign. Der Spiegel, the venerable German news magazine, is scheduling time, and The Jerusalem Post wants Duke for 15-20 minutes to talk about Donald Trumps lifelong relationship with the Jewish community. The one point Duke is sure to punch in these interviews is that the media, which he demonizes even as he exploits, tries to marginalize his viewpoints by ubiquitously tagging him as the ex-Ku Klux Klan leader. Duke argues it was a job he held as young man nearly 40 years ago. He now wants to be known as a protector of the rights of European Americans in much the same way the NAACP advocates for African-Americans. St. Tammany GOP leaders denounce David Duke candidacy U.S. Senate candidate and Mandeville resident David Duke got a big thumbs down from the St. Duke also says hes 100 percent behind Donald Trumps presidential bid. Trumps campaign repeatedly disavows that support. But Duke continues the narrative that the Republican standard bearers adoption of anti-immigration and anti-Muslim stances means Dukes long espoused views have become mainstream. "As a United States senator, nobody will be more supportive of his legislative agenda, his Supreme Court agenda, than I will," Duke told National Public Radio in August. Since strong showings in the early 1990s in races for the U.S. Senate and Louisiana governor, Duke has been convicted of tax evasion and served time in federal prison. He received a Ph.D. (and prefers to be called Dr. Duke) from the Ukraine's Interregional Academy of Personnel Management, based on a thesis entitled, "Zionism as a Form of Ethnic Supremacism." Noting that his boss refuses to talk to The Advocate, when asked for a comment, Dukes campaign coordinator Michael Lawrence recycled a quote he had given to The New York Times, which is also working on a story: Duke has become a narcotic to the media and no Duke news withdrawal symptoms kick in. If nothing else, Dukes entry into the Nov. 8 election to replace retiring U.S. Sen. David Vitter, has re-invigorated his brand. And thats the real danger, says retired Tulane University historian Lawrence Powell, who helped reestablish a group from the 1990s the Louisiana Coalition Against Racism and Nazism to oppose Dukes candidacy. Powell agrees with Duke on one thing: Trump, whether he meant to or not, has energized a right-leaning populist moment that has pressed many views previously held as extremist into the mainstream of American political debate. Hes not so worried about Duke actually winning the U.S. Senate seat, though he doesnt totally put the possibility out of his mind. Its more than that. What Powell said he really fears is that this moment will translate into more school board races and state legislator campaigns focusing on race-tinged ideologies. Its a harbinger of things to come. There are a lot of people out there, a lot more appealing than he is, who are positioning themselves right now, Powell said. After a summer of so much sadness, were tempted not to dwell too much on todays solemn date, the 15th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks against the United States. But obligation compels those of us who can remember to do so. Not everyone, of course, is able to summon a sense of what it was like to live through that bright blue morning, a decade and a half ago, that ended in anguish and cinders. Babies born that day are now in high school, and there is no mark on their minds of the madness we witnessed when two passenger planes crashed into Manhattans World Trade Center and another airliner plowed into the Pentagon. Only the valor of passengers and crew on a fourth plane kept it from reaching its intended target, perhaps the White House. That plane, with its fearless Americans and foiled hijackers, crashed into a rural field in Pennsylvania, killing all aboard. More than 3,000 people died in the attacks in New York City and Washington, including more than 400 police officers and firefighters. The passage of years has dulled some of the pain, but the vividness of the violence, watched by an incredulous world, still scars our collective consciousness. Maybe the most horrible moment was the sight of that second airplane hitting the World Trade Center. The first planes plunge into the skyscrapers just might have been an accident, we told ourselves. But with the second crash, we knew the depth of the depravity that had arrived in America. Someone had used the tools of travel and commerce, the instruments of a free people, to attack them and their way of life. September 11th that year was terrible, but on some level, September 12th seemed even worse. That first day after the attacks, we woke from a fitful night with a fleeting sense that the sirens and the fires and the fury and the ashes of September 11 might have been a mere nightmare, some strange dream wed recount at the office cooler over coffee. But the morning newspaper, recording the reality of a country now at war, told us that our tragedy was tangible, an inescapably bleak chapter in the life of the nation. In the 15 years since September 11, 2001, weve tended to navigate the memory of the past decade and a half by looking to landmarks of loss. The World Trade Center. Afghanistan. Iraq. Hurricane Katrina. Mass shootings in Tucson and Newtown, Charleston and Lafayette, Dallas and Baton Rouge. The Great Flood of 2016. But history isnt just a mean game of subtraction. Since that fateful September, weve learned not only what weve lost, but what we have. Well endure -- as long as we remember that we are stronger than we thought, and that we are all the more stronger when we stand together. There are situations where a government chief executive can take a step back, comfortable that his or her well-run administration is taking care of business. Then there are times when leadership demands that chief executive's physical presence, comforting words and visible emotional engagement. When the person in charge needs to send every signal that government is marshalling all its energy and resources to confront a daunting challenge. This was the gist of the debate over whether President Barack Obama came to Louisiana quickly enough to get a firsthand look at last month's widespread flooding. And it's the spirit behind the latest question making the rounds in flood-ravaged East Baton Rouge Parish: Where's Kip? Not that their responsibilities are exactly analogous. There was a pretty good argument for Obama to wait a bit, given that his administration was already out in force and that a presidential visit would have shut down roads and diverted resources still being used for the immediate response. Still, his eventual visit proved fruitful; Obama drew badly needed national press coverage to the disaster, and delivered a reassuring message that the region's needs had the attention of people at the federal government's top echelons. His presence also sent a strong signal that the rest of the country cares about the state's plight. Just showing up can have that effect, which is something Mayor-President Kip Holden might want to consider. Holden, who is finishing his third and final term in office, has been drifting in and out of the public eye for the past couple of months, even as his constituents faced not one, not two, but three gut-wrenching crises. First came the police shooting of Alton Sterling and the protests it launched, followed quickly by the assassination of three police officers. Then, as if people weren't spent enough, came a flood so catastrophic that it will basically define the short-term lives of many of his constituents, so far-reaching that the area's future prospects may well depend on decisions made now, by government and by thousands of individual residents. But as the Metro Council gathered this week to start mucking through recovery issues, a public record request from the Advocate revealed that Holden was across the globe in Taiwan on an economic development mission. His absence drew some harsh reviews, but not universally so. Metro Councilman Trae Welch wondered why Holden wasn't in Washington, D.C. last week, as Gov. John Bel Edwards, Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser, Agriculture Commissioner Mike Strain and several other mayors from flood-affected communities told their stories in a congressional hearing and lobbied for a far-reaching aid package (Holden wasn't invited to testify at the hearing, it turns out, but that doesn't preclude him from making Baton Rouge's case in private meetings). And John Delgado, a councilman and candidate in this fall's race to succeed Holden, had this to say: "It's the most critical time in our city's history; it is unconscionable for our chief executive, for our leader, to leave us to go to TaiwanNo matter how important this trip is for business development purposes, the mayor's presence here in Baton Rouge in the middle of this recovery effort would be more important." Others were more forgiving and said their needs were being met by Holden's staff. "When I hear, 'Where's Kip?,' the first thing that pops in my mind is why are we looking for Kip Holden?" Councilman LaMont Cole said. "In my mind I was thinking, we have staff in the city who are doing the best they can to support residents during this time." That's important, of course, but in situations like this, so is a sign that the situation has a leader's full attention. That's certainly the impression many have gotten from Edwards, who's been so engaged since the Sterling shooting that he could easily be confused for the chief executive not just of the state but of its capital. Also highly visible has been U.S. Rep. Cedric Richmond, the New Orleans-based congressman whom Holden hopes to unseat this fall. If the idea behind Holden's challenge was supposed to be that Baton Rouge needed more of an advocate, well, he's not exactly making his point. Holden led the city and parish for 12 years, and has much to show for his long tenure. If times were normal, nobody would really expect to be seeing much of him as his final term dwindled. But as he mulls over the final impression he hopes to leave, Holden might want to envision how it would look, and feel, to finish strong. House passes various bills Chairman of the Good Governance and Monitoring Committee under the Legislature-Parliament, Mohan Singh Rathour, presented the 'Report related to service and facilities for former office-bearers-2073' at the meeting of the Parliament on Sunday. On the night of Aug. 15, a determined crew working in knee-deep water managed to drive 40 school buses to higher ground from where they sat parked at an Ascension Parish school district facility in Sorrento that ended up flooding. "The water was above the first step of the buses," said Jeff Parent, the district's maintenance supervisor. Saving the buses made a huge difference both in terms of getting students transported once schools reopened and in saving the school system big bucks, said Chad Lynch, director of planning and construction for Ascension schools. The school district owns close to 250 buses, each costing about $80,000, that drivers can park at the center in Sorrento, at their homes or at the schools they serve. District-wide, about 30 buses flooded to varying extents and are being checked now to see if they're still operable, Lynch said. "We have just enough buses to roll," Lynch said. Students returned to school on Aug. 29, with those who attended schools that flooded going temporarily to classrooms at other campuses. +4 Sharing a campus: St. Amant students settle in at Dutchtown High Griffins and Gators shared a campus Monday as the Dutchtown High School campus became the te "The biggest challenge was not just the logistics of getting the students back to school, but getting them into the classroom, where the focus is teaching and learning," Superintendent David Alexander said. Students had gone to school for four days before the flood that began the weekend of Aug. 12 stopped the school year short. Ascension Parish school officials have stayed focused on remediation and repairs of five water-damaged schools, but flooding of the district's three-building Sorrento complex brought its own set of issues. About 50 employees in the departments of planning and construction, maintenance, child nutrition, and transportation there have found temporary new work homes in the parish, ranging from the gym of a former school to leased space in an unused commercial building. "We're functioning in other places," said Lynch. Products from paper items to perishable food items needing refrigeration were also warehoused and distributed from Sorrento. The district has made arrangements to have vendors deliver directly to schools for the time being, Lynch said. A 25-foot by 40-foot freezer was among the items lost in the flooding at the Sorrento complex. A new freezer at another building there sits on a four-foot loading dock and wasn't damaged. But the compressor for it yet to be installed and sitting under a covered area outside the freezer flooded. The district's information technology department, meanwhile, also lost equipment in the flood in Sorrento. The department stored computer equipment, processed software and ran a help desk from the site. As remediation efforts wind up at the system's warehouse and distribution center and at the three primary schools, one middle school and one high school that flooded, the district will next be looking at the costs and timeline for rebuilding. A request for proposals to oversee the entire construction project has been put out for bid, said Jackie Tisdell, public information officer for the district. Lynch said school officials are looking for bidders to present a realistic timeline for doing what needs to be done based on what was lost in the flooding. He said the remediation work being done now at flooded school district properties is being handled by three national contractors and will cost the system approximately $6 million. The school system expects to get some federal aid dollars along the way. The Obama administration announced on Thursday that state and local governments will now have to come up with 10 percent of recovery costs as their matching share, rather than 25 percent, with the federal government paying 90 percent. The lower percentage kicked in after Louisiana was found to have exceeded the threshhold amount $621 milliom that triggers increased funding for recovery from the federal government. In addition to the buses that were saved by the crew that went out in knee-deep water to move them that night, other materials have been salvaged as well. Boxes of salvaged and cleaned tools and hardware were lined up in the maintenance department of the Sorrento complex. Similar boxes with various materials in them are to be found in the cleaned and remediated classrooms of the schools that flooded, Lynch said. "You're going to find some things you're glad survived," he said. In a bucolic setting cut out of a rural Tangipahoa Parish forest, members gathered at the back door of Hillside Baptist Church -- which had flooded to its ceiling -- prayed, then voted to disband after nearly 30 years together. Though the sanctuary sits on a hill and had never flooded before Augusts historic rainfall, 8 feet of water from a bayou off the Natalbany River swamped the organ and piano, destroyed the Bibles and hymnals, and warped the pews and pulpit. The small congregation, which skewed elderly and nearly all of whom got water in their homes, never bought flood insurance. And the federal government cant help. It took the fire right out of the church. We didnt have the manpower. We didnt have the money, said Rev. Gerald Burton, shortly after turning in the keys Thursday and arranging to return the property to the family that had donated it years ago. For a generation, members of Hillsides congregation had celebrated one another's birthdays and accomplishments in happy times, consoled one another in times of death and tragedy, and watched one another's children grow up. But the reality of what it would take to come back from this flood led to the scattering of the Hillside community. Churches not immune from flood damage but keep on ministering Natural disasters are times when churches help the hurting. But what about when the churches Thats the scene that weighs on the minds of worshippers at an estimated 200 flood-damaged churches across 20 parishes of south Louisiana. The worldly concerns of account books have taken on increased importance as ministers calculate the money, timing and labor necessary to rebuild with less support because many members, the usual source of funding, also are trying to get their lives back in order. I dont see how some of the smaller churches are going to come around. But thats a decision every church will have to make on its own, said John Kyle, director of communications for the Louisiana Baptist Convention. There are churches that are assessing their options at this time. But Kyle said he fights pessimism with the knowledge that faith-based communities are coming to help and that local congregants are determined to rebuild. It really is too early to say, he said. The convention, which oversees the states autonomous Baptist churches, is raising money for affected churches and organizing unaffected congregations to go to disaster areas. Kyle counted 75 Baptist churches that took water. Four Catholic churches in the Baton Rouge area were flooded, according to the Diocese of Baton Rouge. But those churches have enough insurance to cover the damages. It looks like all of our parishes will come out whole and not have to use outside donations, said Joseph Ingraham, chief financial officer of the diocese. Getting a definitive count of all affected churches will be difficult, said the Rev. Gene Mills, who heads Louisiana Family Forum, a Baton Rouge-based group that lobbies state government for legislation that reflects its conservative religious values. The area hit hardest by the flooding has a large number of small, evangelical Protestant churches that dont report to headquarters as Baptist, Roman Catholic and other denominations do. Without resources, many of these churches could merge with other churches without anyone but the members knowing. I do know that in Katrina that frequently happened, Mills said. The Journal of Southern Religion reported that six Catholic churches in New Orleans permanently closed as a result of Hurricane Katrina. But the situations of the 2005 hurricanes are not totally analogous to the August floods, which involve a higher percentage of small churches without the same access to resources. The big question is can they sustain long enough or will they succumb to all the outside forces on them? Mills said. The challenges are formidable, said Bishop Raymond Johnson, whose nondenominational Living Faith Christian Center took 6 feet of water from Hurricane Creek in north Baton Rouge. The church sustained about $1.5 million in damage, but flood insurance covers only about $500,000. Johnson said his plan is to start with the sanctuary, then restore one room before starting to repair another. Most churches have manpower. And we can work with charitable organizations and reach out to companies for supplies like Sheetrock, Johnson said. Its a process. Churches, in many ways, operate like businesses, meaning they will have to take out loans, said state Rep. Rick Edmonds, R-Baton Rouge. Because so many individual members were flooded, tithe bases that serve as the foundation for church finances will be affected, making that option more difficult. As a minister in several churches -- he now serves as the outreach pastor at Bethany Church, a large nondenominational congregation -- Edmonds has more than a little experience raising money for church projects. Its a challenge at any normal time to raise additional dollars. During this kind of crisis, itll be much more difficult, Edmonds said. It may be in their hearts, but its not in their wallets. On the other hand, the environment is such that many are volunteering to help with labor and money. Weve seen so many people reach out in our time of need. Its been difficult, but at the same, it has been rich, said Leo Miller, senior pastor of the totally destroyed but still operating First Baptist Church of Denham Springs. Were going to come out of it stronger. The federal government, which is providing assistance to individuals and businesses, cannot help. The Federal Emergency Management Agency can provide assistance to a churchs schools and services, such as day care and addiction counseling. I have to stop at the sanctuary door, said Tito Hernandez, FEMAs deputy federal coordinating officer. Federal law, starting with the Constitutions Establishment Clause and First Amendment, was written to ensure the U.S. would not have state religion as many other countries do. It precludes a government involvement in religion that extends to disaster assistance. Even then, some pastors, like Tom Higginbotham, of the Don Avenue Baptist Church in Denham Springs, are wary of the strings they think might be attached to federal grants. They may start telling me what to preach and what not to preach, he said. Well let God take care of it. His 21,000-square-foot facility received up to 6 feet of Amite River water in it. Higginbotham initially got a $254,000 estimate from a private company to muck out the sanctuary. No way could the congregation afford that. Members of churches from Jonesboro; Jena; Hattiesburg, Mississippi; and elsewhere pitched in. They used chainsaws to cut up the pews that once sat 300 and pulled the sodden benches out of the sanctuary with the all-terrain vehicles usually used by hunters. A Mennonite community cooked for them. A brother-in-law repaired the air conditioning. Apart from buying some Gatorade and water, we havent spent a red cent, Higginbotham said. Now that the church is gutted and stabilized, the next step is rebuilding. That raises a whole new set of issues. Wiring has to repaired, outlets replaced, plumbing and fixtures overhauled, drywall hung, doors and windows fixed, the flooring done, the parsonage demolished. What if the foundation of the church has to be raised? What will the building permits require? Where is the money going to come from? Higginbotham said he doesnt intend to let the church disband, boldly predicting to reopen in time for Easter 2017. But he admits the alternative haunts him. I know churches are having to do that because they dont have the resources, Higginbotham said. I think our people will stick with this as long as theres hope. Seeking to drum up more national support for south Louisiana as the region rebuilds from August's historic flooding, U.S. Reps. Garret Graves and Charles Boustany led four members of Congress from other states on a tour of damaged neighborhoods Saturday. In a residential area at the corner of Goodwood Boulevard and Trammell Drive Saturday morning, the congressmen saw first-hand the piles of debris stacked outside people's gutted homes. Graves said he hopes that experience will give Louisiana more advocates in Congress who will help secure more federal money and support for the state's recovery. "People here are not sitting around and waiting for a handout," Graves said. "People rescued themselves, cooked for themselves, sheltered themselves and gutted their homes. Now is the time to where we do need a hand up." The group included Graves, Richmond, Boustany, state Sen. Bodi White, U.S. Rep. Steve Womack of Arkansas, Rep. Brian Babin of Texas, Rep. Jeff Fortenberry of Nebraska, and Rep. Tom Emmer of Minnesota. The two-day tour also included U.S. Reps. Todd Rokita of Indiana and Rep. Jason Smith of Missouri, along with U.S. Rep. Cedric Richmond, D-New Orleans. All of the lawmakers except Richmond are Republicans. Their visit came a day after Gov. John Bel Edwards and the mayors of flood-stricken Central, Denham Springs and Walker testified before a U.S. House subcommittee in Washington, D.C., airing their frustrations with the process of getting federal aid. After arriving in Baton Rouge on Friday, the group visited Central and had dinner with church groups, businesses and law enforcement agencies to talk about how they handled disaster operations. Earlier Saturday, they flew over the area and met with Edwards and FEMA officials. They were planning to visit Livingston and Ascension parishes after leaving the Goodwood neighborhood. "This is incredible," Womack said, looking around the street lined with mounds of drywall and insulation. "You cannot put this disaster in words sufficient for people to understand." Graves said there hasn't been enough national attention focused on the Louisiana flood, which is problematic because the federal government's response so far has been insufficient for people trying to begin rebuilding. Most residents have only received $2,000 to $5,000 in assistance from FEMA and not the maximum allowed $33,000, which Graves said is not enough to recover from what some have called a 1,000-year flood. White, the state senator who represents Central, noted the unexpected nature of the flood. The Goodwood neighborhood -- like many that flooded in August -- was built about 40 years ago and had never seen standing water, White said, yet water lines 3 to 4 feet high could still be seen on many houses there Saturday. Graves, who said he grew up in a house about two blocks away that is now gutted, blasted the possibility of requiring people to elevate homes that flooded. Instead, Graves said, funds should be directed to projects like the long-delayed Comite River Diversion Canal that would protect entire communities instead of creating "islands" in a future flood. He urged his fellow Congressmen and federal agencies to offer Louisiana adequate help and set a good precedent for disaster recovery. "People need to have confidence that if there's a catastrophic earthquake, volcano, avalanche, tornado, terrorism attack, that America's going to be there for them as well," Graves said. Womack, the Arkansas congressman, described the flood as a teachable moment for members of Congress. "This is an opportunity for us to see the hardship and measure the response of the federal government as it exists today, but also to look at those areas of mitigation that, through the right policy decision and the right investments, that we can prevent disasters like this from happening," he said. The congressmen also praised Louisiana residents who have helped in the aftermath of the flood. "The people here are impressive, truly impressive," said Fortenberry, the Nebraska representative. They have a "positive attitude while in the midst of suffering, but willingness to be good neighbors to one another, pull together with the community, show resilience to overcome this." * This story was updated after publication to include more lawmakers who participated in the trip. St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff Mike Tregre agreed Monday to rescind the law enforcement credentials he awarded to his wife and children d Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards asked that people stay at home this weekend because of the historic rain and flood event. The payment of $1 million to Canberra businessman Pat Seears and another payment to his brother who ran the Lake Burley Griffin paddleboat business are among transactions under scrutiny by the Auditor-General. Questions have been raised more widely about why Pat Seears was paid so much, and much more than his brother Jim Seears. Jillian Edwards and Martin Shanahan of Mr Spokes and Jim Seears of the paddle boat business, in 2014 at the height of their dispute with the Land Development Agency over the future of their businesses. Credit:Rohan Thomson The Land Development Agency paid out the Seears brothers last December, and the Mr Spokes bike hire business in January this year, clearing the way to redevelop West Basin. Pat Seears, of Seears Workwear, bought the paddleboat lease in the late 1990s. In 1999 he sold the business to his brother, who operated it under a sub-lease. Pat Seears charged his brother rent, much of which he paid the government in rent. Three former Tesco executives have been charged with fraud in connection with an accounting scandal that rocked the British supermarket giant two years ago, investigators said. The charges stem from a criminal investigation dating to October 2014, after the company said it had overstated its first-half profit by 263 million, and that it had suspended several executives for accounting irregularities. Tesco said on Friday that it was co-operating with the investigation. Credit:Toby Melville Christopher Bush, the former head of Tesco's British business, and two former executives in that unit, Carl Rogberg and John Scouler, face charges of fraud by abuse of position and false accounting, the Serious Fraud Office, which investigates fraud in Britain, said. The fraud office said the possible wrongdoing took place between February and September 2014. The men are to appear in court on September 22, and the investigation is continuing, it said. As a psychiatrist I have cared for a large number of asylum seekers and former detainees. All are refugees and a substantial proportion were survivors of war, persecution and torture. They are resilient people and under the right conditions most will recover and prosper. Under the wrong conditions they cannot, and may not even survive. A recent open letter from Robert Manne, Frank Brennan, Tim Costello and John Menadue proposed a pragmatic way forward, drawing heavily on the track record of the Howard government resettling refugees in Australia from offshore detention without any surge of new boats. Earlier this month, Paris Aristotle, CEO of refugee organisation Foundation House, issued a public statement. He appealed for urgent action to change the current policy settings, which he confirmed are inflicting escalating levels of harm. This is highly significant. He always chooses his words carefully when dealing with these complex issues. We should listen. Recently it has been expressed freely in Australia in the public and governmental responses to a range of social evils, notably child abuse, domestic violence, mental illness and suicide. Governments have acted in a decisive and bipartisan way to tackle these scourges. The opposite has been the case in relation to the plight of asylum seekers who have arrived by boat and the unremitting suffering of refugees, currently trapped in PNG and Nauru. Our natural instincts have been blocked with disastrous effects on the mental health of thousands of human beings and on our national psyche and reputation. The impulse to relieve suffering is a basic human instinct. As Australians, when we encounter a lost child, or one battling painful and life-threatening illness, or a young man lying in pain at the scene of an accident, our natural response is compassionate and we offer help. This instinct inspires the values of many religions and society itself. Extensive research and clinical experience shows that incarceration for long periods, and without a sense of any hope of a safe future, is a recipe for despair, serious mental illness and suicide. Suicide is always the end result of a complex cocktail of social entrapment, unbearable emotional pain, anger and despair. So often it is triggered by the "after-dinner mint" of a further setback, which intensifies the emotional pain or removes the last vestige of hope. The asylum seekers on Manus and Nauru are drinking this cocktail every day. The mental state and behavioural responses that we read about are inevitable and beyond their control, or indeed that of any system that can be put in place to care for them. I can share the recent example of a young schoolgirl I have treated at headspace, who spent two years in detention and is now struggling to engage at high school on a bridging visa in Melbourne. Her father was severely tortured in a war-torn Middle Eastern country and they arrived by boat in early 2013. In detention she became seriously ill with depression and psychosis, and became suicidal. Treatment of these conditions in detention was completely ineffective, but now she is beginning to respond. But she has been severely harmed by a long period of unremitting illness and full recovery will be elusive. Psychological counselling during indefinite detention or where hope is extinguished, such as in Nauru and PNG, is like tackling a bushfire with a water pistol. This means that routine treatment in detention centres comprises widespread use of powerful psychotropic drugs, notably antidepressant, sedative and antipsychotic medications. They are often used well beyond usual therapeutic boundaries to ease mental pain, and would be unnecessary if the patients were not in indefinite detention. This is hugely conflicting ethically for doctors and health professionals, whose first rule is "to do no harm", and helps to explain why doctors and their national organisations are so firmly opposed to indefinite detention. I have not commented publicly on these matters for some time, discouraged by the fact that neither appeals from more eloquent commentators, nor hard facts, nor even the huge expense and collateral damage to Australia has failed to break the deadlock. Now that the "turn back" strategy has prevented any successful arrivals, the equation has clearly changed. There is simply no need to employ further deterrents. Causing suffering to complement and reinforce the turn back strategy was always morally questionable, but it is now unnecessary. Based on the ends justifying the means, some tried to argue that such harm is preferable to drownings. But the indefinite detention policy is currently contributing to more deaths than drownings, as well as manufacturing new mental illness. The time has come, before it is too late, to resettle those fellow human beings, and not just the children, but all of those who qualify as genuine refugees and who deserve a second chance for life. I am in full agreement with the statement from Foundation House which urges the government and Opposition to facilitate "resettlement in countries including Australia which offer the opportunity for refugees to become integral members of society, to live in security and participate in the economic, social and cultural life of their new homes". When I recently mentioned to a new neighbour that I was 65, she nearly fell over. And it had nothing to do with my timeless, goddess glow. "It's such a relief to meet someone who admits how old they are!" she exclaimed, probably wondering if I was a bit mad. In solidarity, she promptly disclosed her own age, and her husband jumped in with his. The room was rapidly becoming a confessional. This being Byron Bay, where let-it-all-hang-out (whether one wants to see it or not), is the holy mantra, I was bewildered to learn that age and aging are still such sensitive topics. It's OK. Really. Credit:Meng Yiren In Los Angeles, where I lived for many years, people preferred to hurl themselves onto the 405 freeway than admit the truth about this most shameful of all personal data. The same person who would divulge hideous family secrets, regale me with itemised accounts of their finances and sex life refused point blank to fess up to their age. A successful business woman friend refused to let her daughter call her mother, and for years maintained the fiction that they were in fact sisters. Indian gang attacks Nepalis A group of Indian people attacked some locals at Chandani Municipality-10 in Kanchanpur on Saturday, police said. Armed police subdue Ihsas Khan after he allegedly stabbed Wayne Greenhalgh in Minto on Saturday. Ihsas Khan, 22, a reported schizophrenic, shouted "Allah Akbar" as he allegedly stabbed father-of-two Wayne Greenhalgh in the Sydney suburb of Minto in what police say was an IS-inspired attack. [Rachel Olding/Fairfax] Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull noted the attack came on the anniversary of 9/11. [AAP] Khan was known to police but not for any terrorism links. He is due to appear in court on Wednesday. 3. France warns of new terror attacks Meanwhile in France, Prime Minister Manuel Valls has warned about the possibility of more terror attacks in the country, but he says presidential hopeful Nicholas Sarkozy's proposal for a French-style Guantanamo is not the way to prevent such attacks. [Fairfax] 4. Credlin pens advice for Turnbull Peta Credlin at the Midwinter Ball. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen Peta Credlin's prime minister was so dismal in the job his own side booted him out of office within two years, but Malcolm Turnbull's dismal performance in the job after one year (last's week's excellent performance on the world stage notwithstanding) has given her a licence to offer free advice. This despite her own failure to protect her PM and ensure his longevity in the job. Today's column in The Australian urges Turnbull to take on what she claims were effective media management tactics she deployed in office. At least the advice is free. [Read] In advice Turnbull may be more willing to listen to, John Howard was out and about on the airwaves on Sunday. [Jacob Greber/Financial Review] In other politics news: A split has opened up in the Coalition over same-sex marriage. [Louise Yaxley/ABC] A new report expresses concerns Australia's universities are being "dumbed down" for the lucrative international student market. [Pallavi Singhal/Fairfax] 5. Whittington calls out Nine's lies Adam Whittington gives his exclusive tell-all to Credit:Seven There's plenty of blame to go around over the failed child recovery of the two children belonging to Brisbane mother Sally Faulkner; everyone involved is keen to blame someone else. Now comes self-styled child recovery operative Adam Whittington, who has rightly called out Nine's ridiculous lies over its payments: for the operation and to Faulkner's estranged husband, Ali Elamine. [Aja Styles/Fairfax] I know for a fact Nine paid $500,000 to Elamine and we all suspected they paid Adam Whittington on behalf of Faulkner for the operation in exchange for the "exclusive rights" to film and tell her story. Then when we received the document confirming the bank transfer from Nine into Whittington's account, we were assured that Nine's pretence that they didn't pay Whittington was just that a giant pretence. Whittington, who has his own share of the blame to shoulder for the botched operation, appeared on 60 Minutes' rival Sunday Night in what Seven insists was an unpaid interview, to call out Nine's lies. It's worth noting that when I was in Beirut covering this case for Fairfax, I pressed Whittington's Lebanon-based lawyer about what Nine paid to Elamine, and the lawyer, Joe Karam, stayed mum. 6. Fearnley takes out bronze Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce has refused to publicly release a cost-benefit analysis of the effects of his decision to move 175 public servants from Canberra to Armidale. Mr Joyce had previously admitted to Sky News that the analysis of the forced relocation of Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority did not outright support the move. Forced relocation: Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce. But asked on Sunday ABC's Insiders program if he would release the analysis, Mr Joyce said: "I don't think at this stage". "The cost benefit analysis is complete and in some areas it's indeterminate, some areas it's saying it's of benefit, other areas it's saying it's not of benefit," he said. A triumphant Clover Moore has committed to staying on as Sydney lord mayor for another four years, declaring her decisive election victory in Saturday's council poll as a win for democracy against changed voting rules that delivered two ballots to businesses. But Cr Moore, who will govern Sydney's central business district for a fourth term with an increased majority, said she was determined to work with Mike Baird's government to deliver infrastructure and amenity for the inner city's swelling population "I think there was a tremendous result against that gerrymander," Cr Moore said on Saturday, after securing a swing of about 10 per cent. "It was so unjust, so unfair, so undemocratic to give two votes to businesses and one vote to residents," she said. The population of Sydney is surging faster than predicted, putting more pressure on the city's already-stretched housing and transport needs, new official forecasts show. Described by Planning Minister Rob Stokes as a "symptom of Sydney's success", figures released by the Government on Monday show the city's population is expected to leap by more than 2.1 million people in the next 20 years - about 170,000 more than predicted only two years ago. "These are the growing pains of a great global city," said Mr Stokes, who used the release of the updated Department Planning and Environment figures to talk about his ambitions for Sydney's housing market. When the Department's projections were released in 2014, Sydney was predicted to have a population of 6.25 million within 20 years, up from 4.29 million in 2011. The updated projections anticipate a 6.42 million population in 20 years. Wayne Greenhalgh would walk the same route through the quiet streets of Minto almost every day with his dog. Known to most residents along the way, the 59-year-old father-of-two would wave to people or stop for a chat about his beloved Parramatta Eels. However, on Saturday, someone unexpected was waiting for him. A resident of Ohlfsen Street said she saw local man Ihsas Khan loitering in a reserve at about ten minutes before 4pm. A man in his 50s is in a critical condition after a boating accident near Emerald on Saturday. The man was involved in the Maraboon Powerboat and Ski Club's Brian Rix Memorial Ski Race Weekend at Fairbairn Dam near Emerald when the accident occured. A man is in critical condition after a boating accident near Emerald. A 30-year-old woman also on-board when another boat competing in the event struck a wave then struck their vessel. Both were ejected from their vessel and then struck by the other boat. When it comes to finding what's open for dinner on Monday night in Brisbane that isn't South Bank, good places offering not just a decent bite to eat but some atmosphere too can be hard to find. So whether you have some hungry out-of-town visitors in need of a feed, a spontaneous get-together or an empty fridge moment, here's 20 great places you can go. Brewski The other mainland state capitals, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth, were more closely aligned with Brisbane, with each reporting 42 per cent of night-time commuters feeling safe. The biggest proportion of train commuters feeling safe at night was in Sydney, with 46 per cent saying they felt safe. South-east Queensland commuters feel less safe on the greater Brisbane train network than they did a year ago by quite some margin, a new survey has discovered. Queensland Rail has paid $10 million in overtime between October and February. Credit:Michelle Smith There was also a sharp increase in the number of people who wanted to see more police or security staff on trains and at stations, up from 66 per cent in 2015 to 76 per cent this year. "We continue to be the only railway in Australia to receive the top rating for safety for the fourth consecutive year, which reflects our ongoing commitment to security on our network," Queensland Rail acting chief operating officer Martin Ryan said. "It is disappointing to hear that some customers feel unsafe on our network and as a result, we will increase our efforts to let our customers know about our wide range of security measures. "Over the last year, we have increased the number of dedicated Police Railway Squad officers by more than 10 per cent, from 70 to 78. A teenager working at a KFC outlet in Melbourne has been punched in the face while shielding a customer from an assailant. The 16-year-old worker stood in front of the customer - also a 16-year-old boy - who had run back into the fast food outlet after being attacked on the street. KFC Credit:Wayne Taylor The customer had just left the Greensborough KFC when he was pushed from behind by an unknown man about 10.30pm on Friday night. The attacker followed the teen - who fled into the store - and demanded he hand over his mobile phone. The question is, why did she blow up such a promising career? Can it recover? And, as the bitter stoush over the CFA threatens to tear the government apart, what happens next? With Garrett under fire from within, and the government bleeding externally, all sides concede it can't go on like this, not unless they plan to follow in the footsteps of the Rudd/Gillard years. A truce of sorts is underway, but insiders say the path to salvation will require Garrett to bunker down for the next two years, support the government and defend her marginal seat from the threat of the Greens. Garrett doesn't disagree. "My focus is on looking after the Brunswick community and working hard to ensure the re-election of the Andrews Labor government," she told The Sunday Age this week. Some, however, remain unconvinced. Depending on who you talk to, Garrett is either a woman who fell on her sword out of principle, a scheming Lady Macbeth-type character intent on destroying the government, or something in between. The first view holds that she refused to yield to a bully and to accept an industrial agreement she felt would undermine CFA volunteers, particularly through a clause that would give the union power to challenge (and potentially block) management decisions. The second holds that Garrett had been intent on undermining Andrews, working in cahoots with the government's enemies and refusing to find a way forward with the United Firefighters Union. As one senior Labor MP put it: "The great problem the government has confronted for the past six months is that we've had a minister who chose to monumentally erode cabinet solidarity and chose to run an agenda that was basically a gift to the opposition." The third, more nuanced position, is that Garrett made some poor decisions, perhaps blinded by anger over her treatment from Marshall and to some extent Andrews, who sidelined her in April when he met privately with the union boss and subsequently agreed to the UFU's demands. To some, her angst was understandable. While Marshall and Garrett used to get along, the seeds of animosity were sown early last year, when Garrett refused to intervene in the disciplining of a senior MFB officer charged with distributing porn on his work computer. Marshall declared war and, as EBA negotiations intensified, things went from bad to worse. Abusive firefighters trolled her on Twitter. A group of aggressive unionists harassed her at a media event aimed at encouraging women to join the fire services. There were abrasive text messages, intimidating meetings, even an alleged threat by Marshall to put an axe through her head. At one point his behaviour reportedly got so bad that Garrett had to ask one of Andrews' advisers to stop him harassing her when she was on holiday with her three children. In the meantime, Andrews was getting fed up. He believed his MP had become captured by the CFA board, and was allowing her personality clash with Marshall to get in the way of resolving the three-year dispute. Garrett's factional patron Senator Kim Carr and other Left figures worked on an arrangement that would have allowed her to back down with dignity, but she couldn't bring herself to rubber stamp an EBA she didn't support. What's more, she had legal advice suggesting she didn't have the power to compel the CFA to sign the agreement, and would have to sack them if they didn't comply. On June 10, Garret told Andrews she'd quit cabinet, minutes before it met to endorse the deal. Since then, Garrett's life has been a study in contrasts. In the aftermath of last week's caucus meeting, about two dozen bunches of flowers were sent to her electorate office, which also received about 600 emails of support from the community. A ReachTEL poll conducted by Fairfax Media also provided an interesting result: 35.9 per cent of voters said Garrett would make a better leader of the party than Andrews, who polled at 42 per cent. Within Labor circles, it's a different story. Most of Garrett's colleagues are outraged, convinced she is the reason for the government's woes. Some are fuelled by revelations the CFA engaged a union-busting law firm under her watch; others point to the text message, inadvertently sent by her staffer to a government adviser with the same surname as the Herald Sun journalist for which it was intended, as evidence of betrayal. Even her biggest power blocks within the union movement the CFMEU (state secretary John Setka's wife Emma Walters is a close friend) and the Rail Tram and Bus Union (headed by another ally, Luba Grigorvitch) have been noticeably quiet about the caucus ructions. It's been a difficult fall from grace for a woman who has long been on an upward trajectory. The daughter of a Baptist minister, Garrett cut her teeth practising industrial relations and discrimination law at legal firm Slater & Gordon, worked as a political adviser to former premier Steve Bracks, and was elected to the inner-city Yarra Council in 2008, where she also served a stint as mayor. She entered Spring Street in 2010, impressing people with a string of quiet but significant achievements: drafting laws giving donor-conceived people the right to know their identity, becoming the vice president of the federal ALP, co-authoring Labor's review into the Rudd government's 2013 election loss, which concluded, somewhat tellingly, that "the single biggest reason voters turned away from Labor was internal party disunity". Mahat flying in to Delhi to set the tone Minister for Foreign Affairs Prakash Sharan Mahat is arriving in New Delhi on Sunday to finalise the agendas of Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal who is set to visit India from September 15. New York: Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton fell ill on Sunday as she became "overheated" and had to leave early from a September 11 memorial ceremony in New York City. Mrs Clinton, 68, was taken to her daughter Chelsea's home in Manhattan, and emerged a few hours later wearing sunglasses and telling reporters that she was "feeling great." The news of her overheating comes less than 60 days before the November 8 presidential election and at a time of intense campaigning against Republican rival Donald Trump. After leaving Manhattan, Mrs Clinton went, as planned, to her home in Chappaqua, New York, 50 kilometres north of New York City. Nutson's Weekly Automotive News Digest - September 5-11, 2016; Buh Bye Dart and VW Diesels In US; Recalls Ford Mazda AUTO CENTRAL - Chicago, September 11, 2016: Every Sunday Larry Nutson, Senior Editor and Chicago Car Guy along with fellow senior editors Steve Purdy and Thom Cannell from The Auto Channel Michigan Bureau, give you TACH's "take" on this past week's automotive news in easy to digest mega-tweet sized nuggets. If you wish to know more just click on the link that will take you to the full story as published here on The Auto Channel. If you are a car and driving fan like we all are here at The Auto Channel, you can easily wish to "catch up" on these stories as well put them in context with the past 20 year's 1,991,998 automotive news, automotive stories, articles, reviews, archived news, video, audio, rants and raves. Just search The Auto Channel's Automotive News Archive. Hey Boston TV viewers, you can now enjoy The Auto Channel TV Network "Free and Clear" on WHDT Channel 3 in Boston and on your local cable systems. Just added Naples Florida, along with all South Florida auto fans who can continue to watch The Auto Channel TV Network on WHDT-TV Channel 9 in West Palm Beach as well as cable channel's 17 and 438, channel 9 Miami. WHDN launched its full schedule (including The Auto Channel)of broadcasting in the Naples-Fort Myers market on digital PSIP channel 9.1 channel, look for us on TUNAVISION soon. Enjoy and thanks for the positive feedback and ratings. See You Next Week, LN. * The Dodge Dart is being dropped. Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV confirmed its product plans for the 2017 model year will not include the Dart, making the 2016 model year the last. In July FCA announced plans to end production of the car in September but did not say that 2016 would be the final model year for the Dart. * Californias state legislature approved additional funding for the Clean Vehicle Rebate Project. The deal includes $133 million for the clean energy vehicle program, which is currently out of money and has a waiting list. The new guidelines states that an annual income cap of $300,000 on joint filers and $150,000 on single filers will go into effect on November 1. Previous caps were $500,000 joint and $250,000 single. Rebates per vehicle range from $900 for electric motorcycle to $5,000 for hydrogen fuel cell vehicle. Plug-in vehicle rebates are in the middle of the pack. * Volkswagen AG will buy a 16.6 percent stake in Navistar International Corp. for $256 million as part of a strategic alliance with the struggling U.S. truckmaker to enter the North American market. Gaining traction in the U.S. heavy-truck market, dominated by Daimler AG, Volvo AB and Paccar Inc., is key to VW's plan to forge a global commercial-vehicle operation with higher profit margins than rivals. Navistar also makes buses and often says that almost half of North American children who take a bus to school are riding in one of their buses. * The University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute's latest report from Michael Sivak and Brandon Schoettle says the average fuel economy (window-sticker value) of new vehicles sold in the U.S. in August was 25.3 mpgdown 0.1 mpg from the value for July. This decline likely reflects the decreased price of gasoline in August, and the consequent increased sales of light trucks. Fuel economy is down 0.5 mpg from the peak reached in August 2014, but still up 5.2 mpg since October 2007 (the first month of their monitoring). * Mazda is recalling more than 759,000 vehicles in the U.S. and Canada because the rear hatch can fall on people and injure them. The recall covers certain 2010 through 2013 Mazda 3s, 2012 through 2015 Mazda 5s, certain 2013 to 2016 CX-5 and 2016 CX-3 SUVs. * Ford is recalling an additional 1.5 million cars in the U.S. and Mexico that have doors that can swing open while the vehicles are in motion. This is an expansion of a regional recall to being nationwide. The recall expansion affects certain 2013-15 Ford C-Max and Ford Escape, 2012-15 Ford Focus, 2015 Ford Mustang and Lincoln MKC and 2014-16 Ford Transit Connect models. * The 2017 Karma Revero was revealed this week at an event in Southern California. Based on the stunning design of Hienrick Fisker who was unable to sustain the company he built around the car beginning in 2011, the rear-wheel drive, extended range electric Revero is built in California and costs around $130,000. Powered by two electric motors providing 403 horsepower it is capable of a 0 to 60 time of 5.4 seconds. A four-cylinder, range extending, GM-sourced gasoline engine refills the batteries for trips beyond the 50-mile range. Orders are being taken now. * It looks like the sale of Formula 1 by current owner Delta Topco to Liberty Media, an American company owned by John Malone, is a done deal. Liberty Media will buy an 18.7% stake initially and the rest of the shares in 2017. AutoWeek reports the deal will be worth about $8 billion, but must be approved by FIA. Bernie Ecclestone, Formula 1s colorful manager, has not committed to remaining under the new ownership but says he has been asked.. * Another death has occurred in a Tesla S, this time in The Netherlands. It is unknown whether the Autopilot system was engaged at the time. The car left the road at a high rate of speed and hit a tree. Firefighters found it difficult to extinguish a piece of the battery that broke away from the car and it took extra time to extricate the driver because of fears of the emergency personnel getting electrocuted. * In news from Cadillac, the company just announced it will include a two-day driving experience at the Spring Mountain Motor Resort near Las Vegas with every 2017 V-Series car purchased. The experience is to be overseen by V-Series engineers whose job is to assure that owners get the most out of their cars. The experience includes just about everything except air fare. * Volkswagen may be done with diesels in the U.S. according to a statement this week by VWs North American president. Heinrich Woebcken said, The push for diesel for the brand is done. We dont foresee that the strength of diesel will come back for this market. He left open the possibility for VW divisions, Audi and Porsche, to pursue diesel products in the future. * GM said it will recall nearly 4.3 million vehicles worldwide for a software defect that can, in rare instances, prevent air bags from deploying during a crash, an issue that has been linked to one death and three injuries. The recall covers newer trucks, cars and SUVs from the 2014-2017 model years. if the people of Biafra want Republic of Biafra, it will be a reality during my administration. ----Donald Trump Donald Trump I wi... Monday 05 September, 2016 Reliable information reaching Biafra writers desk has it that the life of Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indi... The boom in Listed Investment Companies shows no signs of slowing, judging by the number of LICs wanting to list on ASX through floats. Two LICs are on the Initial Public Offering runway and several more, including some from big-name mangers, are lining up to list. By my count, just under a third of the 90 ASX LICs at July 2016 have listed in the past three years. That eclipses the 2004-06 LIC boom when 22 came to market. The wider variety of LICs listing in the current boom is another feature. The sectors combined market capitalisation has grown from $25.9 billion in July 2014 to $30.3 billion in July 2016, ASX data shows. Thats a good result in a sluggish market, but LICs are still tiny compared with Australias trillion-dollar unit trust market. Expect continued strong growth. Financial planners are showing greater interest in LICs after Freedom of Financial Advice (FOFA) reforms that banned conflicted sales commissions to advisers. Previously, there was far more financial incentive for advisers to recommend unit trusts. The markets love affair with regular, fully franked dividend yield is also boosting demand for LICs, which are essentially listed managed funds that trade on ASX. Many LICs, because of their closed-end structure, offer competitive, fully franked yield that appeals to SMSF trustees and income seekers. Their structure means the underlying LIC portfolio is not affected by fund inflows and outflows, unlike unit trusts. In theory, that boosts the reliability of LIC dividends and franking credits. The LIC markets profile is rising. Prominent fund managers such as Perpetual, PM Capital and Investors Mutual have launched LICs in the past two years. More are expected to follow. Investors Mutual is reportedly launching a new income-focused LIC and Antipodes Global Investment Partners is raising up to $330 million in its IPO. The India Fund is another live LIC IPO. Understand the risks Like all investment products, LICs have their downside. Several trade at persistently large discounts to their pre-tax net tangible assets (NTA), meaning the LIC is worth less than the assets it holds a trend that frustrates LIC managers and shareholders alike. Also, the LICs fixed capital pool (which can be increased with capital raisings) means the manager secures its fee, even if performance is lousy. Moreover, some LICs have a nasty habit of raising capital when the share price trades at a big discount to NTA, so they boost funds under management and earn more fees. That effectively transfers wealth from existing shareholders to new investors who subscribe to the capital raising. Nevertheless, investors should pay more attention to LICs. The closed-end structure has advantages over open-ended mutual funds that sometimes have to sell stock when markets fall, to meet fund redemptions, or buy stock when markets rise and fund inflows are strong. Being listed on ASX also means they have an extra layer of regulation and scrutiny. LICs have boards, report bi-annually, produce a monthly NTA report, have an annual general meeting and investors know what the LIC holds. They are more transparent than unit trusts and can be bought and sold faster and easier via ASX. Unit trusts play an important role in portfolios, but I sense more momentum in listed or quoted funds, such as LICs or exchange-traded funds, is building. Three LICs closing the NTA gap This column has had some good success with LICs in the past 12 months. It identified Contango Microcap in late 2014 when it traded at a hefty discount to pre-tax NTA and has written about Clime Capital, another LIC a well-regarded fund manager that has traded at a relatively large discount to its NTA in the past few years. Bailador Technology Investments, an interesting LIC that specialises in growth-stage unlisted technology companies, was positively reviewed for The Bull in 2015. Contango has rallied this year, partly because its underlying asset class of micro-cap stocks is outperforming and also because the funds profile and market communication have vastly improved. Yet the LIC still traded at a 16 per cent discount to NTA at July 2016, latest ASX data shows. Chart 1: Contango Microcap Source: The Bull Clime Capital looks like it is starting to turn after a tough few years. A share buyback, broadening of its portfolio style to include more small-cap and pre-IPO companies, and expiry of a preference share in March next year (the servicing of which has weighed on its NTA), are good signs. Clime traded at a 10 per cent discount to pre-tax NTA in July 2016. Chart 2: Clime Capital Source: The Bull The impressive Bailador has come back a little after strong gains earlier this year. It traded at a 3 per cent discount to pre-tax NTA in July, a good effort because most LICs, especially smaller ones, tend to trade at a discount as they build their investment performance record. Chart 3: Bailador Source: The Bull The three LICs mentioned can be bought for less than their assets are worth. Ideally, LICs should trade at a minus 5 per cent to plus 5 per cent range around their NTA. Beware those trading at a premium well above that and their historical average because the market may be extrapolating the LIC managers past performance too far into the future. LICs trading at discounts greater than minus 5 per cent deserve closer attention, with some caveats. Check how the discount compares with the LICs average over five years and the funds underlying performance. If the LIC trades at a larger-than-usual discount, and its underlying portfolio is consistently matching or exceeding its benchmark index, the LIC could be undervalued. Another signal I look for is LICs that trade at double-digit discounts to NTA and have a poor market profile and weak investor relations. A handful of LIC chief investment officers are great marketers, but too many are more comfortable analysing an earnings announcement than presenting to investors, analysts and the media. Some LICs get a good kick along when they start to explain their story clearly and more consistently to the market. The gap between NTA and the share price starts to narrow. LICs to watch Two recent LICs worth watching are the Glennon Small Companies Fund and the Monash Absolute Investment Company. Small caps are outperforming large caps this year, Glennon has a solid record and its recent performance has been good. Glennon announced in August that its portfolio had risen 26. per cent since the LIC listed in August 2015. Yet Glennon traded at an almost 11 per cent discount to pre-tax NTA in July 2016 probably because it is a small LIC IPO with limited history as a listed investment vehicle. Chart 4: Glennon Source: The bull The Monash Absolute Investment Company is one the few absolute-return funds listed on ASX. Such funds aim to produce a positive return in rising and falling markets, using buying and short-selling strategies. Like Glennon, the Monash Absolute Investment Company has delivered good early performance but it trades at a 7 per cent discount compared to its latest stated pore-tax NTA. Chart 5: Monash Absolute Source: The bull Both LICs suit investors who are comfortable with LICs that invests in risker stocks (Monash also invests in blue-chips and is company-size agnostic). >> BACK TO THE NEWSLETTER: Click here to read other articles from this weeks newsletter Tony Featherstone is a former managing editor of BRW and Shares magazines. The information in this article should not be considered personal advice. The article has been prepared without taking into account your objectives, financial situation or particular needs. Before acting on the information in this article you should consider the appropriateness of the information, with regard to your objectives, financial situation and needs. Do further research of your own or seek personal financial advice from a licensed adviser before making any financial or investment decisions based on this article. All prices and analysis at Sept 7, 2016 Over the past few years Ive written about the apathy in our local town and county politics. My outlook is born of frustration with the lack of interest by townspeople in their local politics, except for coming out to vote on candidates, usually on strict party lines. Only rarely is there any interest in, or attendance at, a local or county hearing or meeting involving important issues. Our local media do a great job of communicating the finer points of key issues, but if it isnt a hot-button issue, we are so overwhelmed by information overload that it is just another item. Here are a couple of examples of emotional impact on local direction of supported local programs. The Indiana County across the river from Cincinnati, Ohio, has one of the highest incarceration rates in the entire country. A major heroin infestation has festered for the last few years, and local law enforcement and the county prosecutor, supported by locals through multiple re-elections, have defied federal regulations that promote less incarceration and more rehabilitation. The population is small compared to Cincinnati, where drugs are just as rampant, but low-level druggies walk on dismissals, probation or supervised rehabilitation. Guess where Cincinnati police encourage dealers to go to promote street drugs, because they know convicted felons will be incarcerated? Residents of the county have spoken on this hot-button issue by re-electing prosecutors and judges who support and expand the mandate. In Texas, federal regulations on birth control have been ignored, with damaging impact on the population of maternal women. Their mortality rate has increased to a level equal to or better than Russia. This frightening statistic is directly related to the de-funding of Planned Parenthood in Texas, and the states aggressive negative actions toward funding low-income citizens. Apparently, most Texans are against any funding to support the entire bottom economic strata of their population. This is in defiance of federal funding offered under Medicaid. These are two hot-button issues that get people marching with placards. They just demonstrate what you can do with concerted voice and effort. Unfortunately, there is no emotion in issues like consolidation, environmental protection, water supply and financial health. There are some dedicated men and women in Cayuga County who operate in the planning boards, and address these mundane issues, but they need a lot more help in guiding the path to the future. If we could somehow jazz them up, it would lead to an improved tomorrow. And local politicians need to know what we are thinking, with some emotion attached to it. When is the last time you attended a board meeting or wrote to the local pols? When is the last time you wrote a steaming letter to the local paper? I am guessing that a discussion with local law enforcement would show interesting data on opioid usage in the county. Do you know anyone whose life has been affected by illegal drugs? Medicine shortage in Farwest A majority of health institutions in the far-western region are reeling under shortage of essential medicines due to a procurement delay. Oilfield services, shipbuilders and other industries that rose with the pre-2014 oil price boom have had it hard. Since barrel rates fell, their previous patrons have become uninterested in doling out major purchase orders, leaving oil and gas equipment manufacturers without revenues. A recent report by Arkansas Online says the energy industrys support sector could feel the effects of low oil prices for up to two years after the current bear market recovers. When oil gets good again we will be the last to get back to work because half the fleet available is not currently in use, Vance Breaux Jr., a boat manufacturer from Louisiana, said. Louisianas rig count has shrunk to 35 active sites as of last week down 40 from the same time last year, according to Baker Hughes latest report on the matter. Currently, Breaux and his industry compatriots lack diversification in their client profile. Production sites with easy-to-reach oil and gas deposits are running out in Louisiana, but the weak investment climate prevents energy firms from starting new projects, making it difficult for equipment manufacturers to generate revenues. In other parts of the country, bargain hunters are snagging expensive oil and gas equipment at auctions for a fraction of their original cost. Everyone says were crazy, but were hoping to capitalize on the downstroke, Shawn Kluver, a buyer in the market for a hydro excavator truck, told USA Today last year. Kluver flew to Colorado from North Dakota to compete with more than 3,000 bidders for a rock-bottom price on backhoes, bulldozers, trucks and other heavy equipment. As hundreds of oil and gas rigs shut down across the United States, falling bottom lines force oil and gas majors to abandon future exploration projects and reduce the scope of ongoing ventures, causing thousands of drilling workers to lose their jobs and the equipment they once used to sit idle. If a company begins liquidating its assets, some of the idle equipment may find itself in the hands of industry resellers, such as the Vancouver-based Ritchie Bros, which claims to be the worlds largest auctioneer of heavy equipment. The company says it has seen a peak interest in its events this year, driven in large part by contractors looking to repurpose drilling equipment for construction projects. Oil and gas firms have been hemorrhaging workers and physical assets essential to drilling operations, which means bringing oil and gas companies back into peak production will not happen overnight when prices do recover. In June, The Wall Street Journal, used data from HIS Energy to estimate that roughly 70 percent of the fracking equipment across the shale industry had been idled due to financial constraints. Also, about 60 percent of U.S. field workers needed to frack shale wells have been handed pink slips since the pricing crisis began two years ago. Many of those workers have moved on to jobs in other industries over the past two years, clearing the job market of experienced hires. Its scary to think what a drag and what a headwind finding experienced labor is going to be this time around, Roe Patterson, CEO of Basic Energy Services, a Texas-based well completion company, told the WSJ. Patterson also emphasized that the state of equipment deteriorates due to wear and tear over time, even when its not in use. Pop the hood on your car and let it sit for a year, he suggested. I guarantee the car wont be in the same condition. As Hordes of heavy drilling equipment exit the energy industry to be repurposed, the woes of oil and gas equipment manufacturers will continue as the industry finds its footing in a recovered market. Once profits from existing drilling projects begin to show in oil and gas companies books, new sites will be brought into production, spurring further equipment purchases. Though the energy equipment industry may see a delayed boom as idled equipment stored in warehouses slowly returns to duty, firms will have to turn to their old sources to replace their now-sold assets. Better late than never. >> BACK TO THE NEWSLETTER: Click here to read other articles from this weeks newsletter By Zainab Calcuttawala for Oilprice.com Companies have finished reporting results for the financial year so its time to take stock of how the different business sectors of Australia are fairing. In our company results wrap series we take a step back from the short-term focus of quarterly profit and loss statements and examine what big picture factors are at play The biggest Australian banks are fairing well in a year of increased pressure to reform from politicians, international events like the Britains exit from the European Union and more regulation from the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA). A number of interrelated factors have contributed to the relatively strong performance of the Australian banks. For instance, the banks have limited exposure to the types of securities which led to massive losses for their counterparts in other countries. The banks also heavily rely on domestic loans, particularly the low risk household sector, so better lending standards and a proactive approach to prudential supervision by APRA may have contributed. The Basel III regulatory requirements, brought in after the 2008 financial crisis, emphasise holding an increased amount of subordinated debt, as a measure of market discipline. However all the big four banks are holding less and less subordinated borrowings. More specifically, it declined by more than 50% from 2007 to 2014, according to our calculations. APRA limits banks holdings of higher risk securitised assets, these are loans packaged into securities, to a maximum of 25% of the banks loan portfolio. These are high risk if not properly understood or defined, as happened with United States home loans, blamed for the start of the global financial crisis. When Australian banks calculate bank capital requirements, they need to fully account for securitised assets. This is a rule from APRA that goes beyond international standards, to reflect the risk inherent in these products. Inter-bank liquidity tightened significantly with all banks increasing their holdings of Exchange Settlements Accounts at the Reserve Bank, this a form of low risk liquidity. Australian banks have lower interbank deposits compared to their Europe and USA counterparts and are also heavily involved in long term wholesale funding and are required to hold more liquid assets including government debt to deal with liquidity. All of this makes Australian banks less risky in times of crisis because spillover effects from other banks are less likely. There has been a significant increase in concentration in the Australian banking industry since the global financial crisis. For example with Westpac and the Commonwealth Bank of Australia taking over St. George Bank and Bank West, respectively. Following mergers, the big four account for 88% of the Australian banking system assets. This reinforces the idea that the banks are too big to fail. The banks have also moved to more fee generating activities, which increases risk, but to a lesser extent in Australian banks. Data shows between 1998 and 2014, on average, 1.2% greater interest income was generated relative to non-interest income for Australian banks, according to our analysis. However, there is also similar evidence for the top eight publicly-listed Canadian banks. They exhibit on an average, a 2.5% increase in net interest revenue relative to non-interest income over the same time period. This reinforces that Australian and Canadian banks demonstrated extra ordinary resilience during the credit turmoil in the global financial crisis. The World Economic Forum in 2008 reported that Australia and Canada were among the top four safest banking systems in the world. Large banks in Australia are active in international markets through direct ownership of foreign based banks and having offshore operations as a source of capital. Deregulation of banking in countries such as the USA, Canada, Australia and many developing countries has opened up new markets for foreign banks. Australian banks largest international exposure is to New Zealand, where all big four banks retain sizeable operations. Although the growing interdependence among international economies and financial markets is certain to continue, the impact of Brexit on Australian banks remains minimal. It remains to be seen in the long-run how Australian banks will weather the international banking/economic developments. As a last measure of the bank health, we can measure the domestic systemic risk with a methodology based on one used by the official Basel Committee on Banking Supervision. Based on July 2016 monthly data, the big four banks account for 80.38% of the systemic risk in the financial system and the riskiest, from highest to lowest, are the National Australia Bank, the Commonwealth Bank of Australia, Westpac and ANZ. >> BACK TO THE NEWSLETTER: Click here to read other articles from this weeks newsletter Originally published by Mamiza Haq, Necmi K Avkiran, The Conversation Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull recently said: China has more freedom to invest in Australia, indeed all foreigners have more freedom to invest in Australia, than almost any other country. But is this true? We asked two experts to discuss the evidence for and against this statement. Gennadi Kazakevitch argues Turnbull is right given Australias ranking as a free and open market, while Jeffrey Wilson presents evidence to show Australias foreign investment regime has become much more closed in recent years. Gennadi Kazakevitch: I think Mr Turnbull is right. One measure to support this is the well-established inter-country comparison of economic freedom regularly published by the Heritage Foundation and Wall Street Journal. This measure also looks specifically at foreign investment freedom. The economic freedom measure ranks countries according to rule of law, government size, regulatory efficiency and of most relevance to this discussion market openness. This includes trade freedom, investment freedom, and financial freedom. In terms of general economic freedom, Australia ranked fifth behind Hong Kong, Singapore, New Zealand, and Switzerland in 2016. Within the Open Market component of the index, Australia scores 80 out 100 for investment freedom, putting us among the most free of the 200 countries ranked. To score a perfect 100, according to the index, a country would have to have no constraints on the flow of investment capital. Individuals and firms would be allowed to move their resources into and out of specific activities, both internally and across the countrys borders, without restriction. Points are deducted for different sorts of freedom imperfections. For Australia, one imperfection is the regime of foreign investment review which requires government approval of investment amounts above a particular level. But Australias current review regime does not discriminate against China or indeed any other country. Jeffrey Wilson: Australias foreign investment regime is more open than many other countries. However, it also remains the case that it has become much more closed in recent years. Since taking office in September 2013, the Liberal-National Coalition government has imposed several new barriers to foreign investment coming into Australia. These policies include: The introduction of fees for FIRB applications, and an expansion of the range of sanctions and fines applied to breaches. Instituting new and very low FIRB screening thresholds for investment in the rural sector, including A$15 million for agricultural land and A$55 million for agribusinesses. The threshold had previously been A$255 million. The establishment of a register of ownership of agricultural land. While this is ostensibly designed to increase transparency, Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce explained the intention was to produce a map that would allow people to see who owns what. The appointment of two new FIRB Members David Irvine and David Peever in order to add further national security expertise to the board. Extending the application of the Foreign Acquisitions and Takeovers Act (Cth, as amended) to infrastructure sales made by state governments. The LNP Coalition government has also rejected a number of foreign investment applications on controversial grounds: Archer Daniels Midland (US) takeover bid for GrainCorp, 2013. The former head of the FIRB has claimed the deal was killed for political reasons. Dakang Holdings and Pengxin Group (China) bids for Kidman cattle properties, 2016. The bidders appear to have been rejected simply because no Australian buyer made a competitive offer. China State Grid bid for Ausgrid in NSW privatisation program, 2016. Treasurer Scott Morrison refused to explain the full reasons for the rejection, citing national security and confidentiality concerns. Tellingly, in its entire six-year term in office, the Rudd/Gillard ALP governments rejected only a single large foreign investment application: A bid by the Shanghai Stock Exchange to acquire the ASX in 2011. As a result of these policy changes and investment decisions, the Australian foreign investment regime is now less open than it has been for over 20 years. The prime ministers claim was about the freedom of Chinese companies to make foreign investments into Australia. Unfortunately, there is no quantifiable metric that measures the openness of a countrys foreign investment regime specifically. The Economic Freedom statistics Gennadi cites are instead a broader measure of economic openness and transparency. Thus, they cannot be used to evaluate the prime ministers claim. Gennadi Kazakevitch: The investment freedom component of the economic freedom index is not a perfect measure, but it is sophisticated. It allows for comparing apples with apples based on eight qualitative characteristics: national treatment of foreign investments; transparency; policy implementation; restrictions on land ownership; sectoral restrictions; expropriation of investments without fair compensation; foreign exchange controls; and capital controls. For each of those characteristics, there is a breakdown into several levels of restrictions, rules or practices. It is true that in the most resent years (2012-2016) the investment freedom score for Australia has decreased from 83.7 to 80. But it is also true that Australia remains within a cluster of free economies. It would be easy to attribute the decline in Australias score to the recent changes to regulation rules and practices. However, those changes have not critically affected the investment freedom index for Australia, nor are they discriminatory against a particular country. Therefore, Mr Turnbulls statement is quite justified. The six years of Rudd/Gillard ALP governments Jeffrey is referring to was business as usual as far as foreign investment was concerned. However, it is not business as usual any anymore. The most recent cases, such as the Port of Darwin, the Kidman station, and the Ausgrid power transmission business in NSW, have alerted the government and public to national security issues, and rightfully so. As I proposed in my submission to the Senate inquiry on the foreign investment review framework, the world has changed dramatically since the current regulation was established in 1975. Until the late 1980s, Australias investing partners were mostly persons and companies from developed market economies with similar values and similar foreign investment perceptions of independent entrepreneurship. Economic transition in communist countries, market reforms in one-party controlled countries, and emerging developing market economies have created a variety of economic systems with very different sovereign involvement in running economies and companies. Therefore a foreign interest independence test and security risk assessment should be done that takes into account which country the foreign investor is from. If Australia eventually goes down this path, freedom of investment might be further compromised. If so it will arguably be for a good reason. Jeffrey Wilson: It is certainly true Australias foreign investment partners have changed many times through history. Prior to the 1950s the main foreign investor was Great Britain, which remains a major investor to this date. But progressive waves of new investors have also arrived: America during the 1960s; Japan in the 1970s; Singapore and Hong Kong in the 1990s; and more recently Chinese investors since 2005. The arrival of each of these groups has presented Australia with distinct political tension. American investors faced accusations of neo-imperialism and threats to Australias independence in the world. Japanese investors faced considerable xenophobia, particularly as a result of war memories. And today, we are dealing with the fact that many Chinese investors are state-owned corporations, which pose their own unique political and regulatory challenges. However, these are arguably issues to be managed rather than reasons to reject foreign investment. Australia is a small open economy, which depends on foreign investment to bring in the capital, technology, skills and marketing channels critical for 21st century industries. In each previous wave, Australian governments have had to devise novel solutions for how to remain open to foreign investment, while managing their distinct political sensitivities. This has been successful in previous years, and there is no reason it should not be possible with Chinese investors today. Originally published by Jeffrey Wilson, Gennadi Kazakevitch, The Conversation >> BACK TO THE NEWSLETTER: Click here to read other articles from this weeks newsletter Coeur Mining, Inc. explores for precious metals in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The company primarily explores for gold, silver, zinc, and lead properties. It holds 100% interests in the Palmarejo gold and silver mine covering an area of approximately 67,296 net acres located in the State of Chihuahua in Northern Mexico; the Rochester silver and gold mine that covers an area of approximately 43,441net acres situated in northwestern Nevada; the Kensington gold mine comprising 3,972 net acres located to the north of Juneau, Alaska; the Wharf gold mine covering an area of approximately 3,243 net acres situated in the northern Black Hills of western South Dakota; and the Silvertip silver-zinc-lead mine comprising 97,298 net acres located in northern British Columbia, Canada. In addition, the company owns interests in the Crown and Sterling projects located in southern Nevada; and the La Preciosa project located in Mexico. Further, it markets and sells its concentrates to third-party customers, smelters, under off-take agreements. The company was formerly known as Coeur d'Alene Mines Corporation and changed its name to Coeur Mining, Inc. in May 2013.Coeur Mining, Inc. was incorporated in 1928 and is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. Queen Margrethes engagement ring (Photo: ARIS MESSINIS/AFP/Getty Images) Time for a brand-new weekend feature, magpies! Every Sunday, well be feasting our eyes on rings owned by royals from around the world. To kick things off, were starting with one of the most unique royal diamond rings around: Queen Margrethe II of Denmarks engagement ring. Margrethe wears the ring in France in the summer of 2005 (Photo: GEORGES GOBET/AFP/Getty Images) In 1966, Margrethe accepted a proposal from Henri de Laborde de Monpezat, the French diplomat with whom she had fallen in love while he was working at the French embassy in London and she was studying at the London School of Economics. Henri presented her with an unusual engagement ring: a pair of twinned square-cut diamonds, possibly measuring as much as six carats each, mounted on the diagonal on a yellow gold band. Margrethe wears the ring in Athens in 2006 (Photo: ARIS MESSINIS/AFP/Getty Images) The ring was made by Van Cleef and Arpels. The style of ring is sometimes called a toi et moi ring which translates to you and me in English. Toi et moi rings feature a pair of stones, and when theyre given for an engagement, one stone represents the bride, while the other represents the groom. Margrethe wears the ring in Berlin in 2014 (Photo: Andreas Rentz/Getty Images) The toi et moi style was more popular during the nineteenth century; the trend is supposed to have been inspired by the diamond and sapphire engagement ring that Napoleon Bonaparte gave to Josephine de Beauharnais. (Which, of course, makes the style extremely appropriate for Margrethe, who is a direct descendant of Josephine.) Margrethe wears the ring in London in 2012 (Photo: Ian Gavan/Getty Images) Margrethe began wearing the ring in public in October 1966, when the engagement was officially announced. And fifty years later, shes still wearing it. Even though the ring is large and must be cumbersome to wear at times, its almost always situated with her wedding ring on her left hand. No wonder was there ever a more harmonious match between an innovative engagement ring and a creative wearer? Friday was an exceptionally busy day at the point where American Airlines Flight 77 struck the Pentagon nearly 15 years ago. There were more tour groups passing by, more families stepping inside the memorial attached to a chapel to touch the etched name a lost loved one and ceremonies nearby to remind the nation of a day its vowed to never forget. But inside the Pentagon Memorial Chapel, which sits just feet from where the plane struck the building, there also was a solemn act of defiance of those attacks, as Muslim service members gathered for Friday congregational prayers, or jumah. Their answer to the Islamic call to prayer was also an answer to the idea that being an American patriot and Muslim are mutually exclusiveall at the site of an attack that sought to place that idea in the American psyche. A soldier took off the shiny black shoes that complete his uniform and slipped them under a pew so that he could walk to the front and pray. A female Army officer sat in the back to place her fitted veil over her hair and part of her uniform. An airman placed his combat boots to the side and stood to pray next to a sailor, their ranks as visible as their faith. In all, roughly 25 worshippers attended the service. There 5,896 Muslims in the U.S. military, according to DoD statistics, or just 0.4 percent, even as Muslims make up about 1 percent of the overall population. The memorial, built in 2002, is composed of two roomsone for those killed in the attacks, which includes a black marble wall with the names of all those killed etched in, and the chapel. There are no crosses or stars of David or moons and crescents as the 100-seat chapel serves roughly 500 worshippers a week of all faiths. Each faith gets an allotted time to use the facility. Before the Muslim services begin at 2 p.m., worshippers move the altar to a back room, push some of the pews back and lay out two large green carpets in front the American flag that is always there. On Friday, as worshippers began to trickle in the silence was only broken by the quiet whispers of the prayers. Bismillah al Rahman al Rahim, each worshipper began. The makeshift mosque is imbued with reminders of the evils done in the name of a radical, hijacked form of Islam, and of the Muslims who reject it. Fridays worshippers turn leftward, toward the Saudi city of Mecca, as is required of Muslims. On the other side of them, just outside the chapel walls, is the Pentagon memorial184 benches for the 125 Pentagon personnel and 64 passengers killed on 9/11. In between, at the front of the chapel is a Pentagon-shaped stained glass memorial that reads, United in memory, September 11, 2001. Worshippers pray in front of that window. As the room filled, Imam Nabil Samaan of Dar al Noor mosque in Woodbridge, Va., started the service by signaling to a worshipper to begin singing the call to prayer usually heard from loudspeakers over a mosque. As they then prayed, one could hear visitors to the memorial on the other side of the double doors recalling the events of 9/11. This year, more than most, the notion of being a Muslim and an American has come to the fore, particularly in July when the father of Army Capt. Humayun Khan, who died while serving in Iraq in 2004, appeared at the Democratic National Convention and held up the pocket-sized copy of the U.S. Constitution that he keeps close to his heart, even asor perhaps becausehis son died defending that document. Samaan, one of several imams contracted by the Pentagon to lead the sermon, offered one Friday titled The Question of Evil. Was he speaking about the attacks that happened on this site when he chose that sermon subject? No, he said, his 15-minute remarks were a reminder that if we question everything, either good or bad, we will not understand the will of Allah. Samaan then led the group in prayer, calling out Allahu Akbar when it was time for the group to collectively bend forward, prostrate, and stand again. Air Force Lt. Col. Jawad Farooq said members of the Pentagons Jewish community have invited him to Yom Kippur dinner, which he has accepted, even as the world outside says two faiths are not supposed to be agreeable. Indeed, outside the chapel, parts of the military still struggle with embracing Muslim service members, even as 14 Muslims service members have been killed since 9/11. An internal Marine investigation released Thursday found that a drill instructor referred to a Muslim Marine recruit, Raheel Siddiqui, as a terrorist, and had hazed him. In March, Siddiqui committed suicide, leaping to his death from a balcony of a barracks after the drill instructor slapped him in front of other recruits, according to the report. Officials said up to 20 Marines could face criminal or administrative actions for their treatment of Siddiqui. At the end of the service, members folded the carpets, put them in the back and placed the alter back. Farooq then reminded them to think of those who will be making the pilgrimage in Mecca to mark the end of Hajj this month. And he let them know that an Egyptian delegation will be visiting the building next week. For some of them [in the delegation], the highlight is to pray in the Pentagon, Farooq told the fellow worshippers. MoH urges caution against cholera Contamination of drinking water with sewage through broken pipes is the main reason for cholera spread in the Valley Sunday morning at the Toronto Film Festival, embattled Birth of a Nation filmmaker Nate Parker danced around the controversy over his 17-year-old rape case by using his cast and crew as a shield: This is a forum for the film, for other people sitting on this stage, he said. Its not mine. It doesnt belong to me. I dont want to hijack it with my personal life. Ownership of the critically acclaimed Nat Turner biopic has been a thorny issue in recent months for Parker and Fox Searchlight, which bought the buzzy The Birth of a Nation in a pricey acquisition at Sundance with eyes on the Academy Awardsonly to find the films awards hopes and commercial prospects jeopardized by the resurfacing of the sexual assault Parker was accused and acquitted of nearly two decades ago as a college student. Parkers tone-deaf comments on the rape case, and the recent revelations of his accusers eventual suicide, have only dug a deeper hole for the writer, director, producer, and star who dazzled Park City with the passion project in January, and whose fingerprints are all over The Birth of a Nation. But in Toronto, seated on the far end of a dais conspicuously far away from actress Gabrielle Union, the only cast member to publicly address and call out Parker in a poignant op-ed, the writer, director, producer, and star filibustered and deflected, imploring the public to consider the 400 other people who worked on the filmeveryone from craft services to the extras. Sometimes a grip or gaffer had the best idea and thats what we went with, he said. I do think its important to recognize that no one person does anything important on their own. Co-stars Coleman Domingo, Aunjanue Ellis, Aja Naomi King, Penelope Ann Miller, and Jackie Earle Haley also stayed on message, emphasizing that Birth of a Nation is an important piece of art that confronts the stain of American history in a necessary and still-urgent way. To me this isnt the Nate Parker story, said Miller. This is the Nat Turner story. I would say that most people dont know the Nat Turner story. I didnt know the Nat Turner story. And I think its an important story to know about. Parkers cause was bolstered by cast members who urged those intent on boycotting the film to separate the art from the artist. There is the art and there is the artist, and they are two different things, declared Ellis. Union compared watching Birth of a Nation to an act of patriotism and defiance, referring to Colin Kaepernicks controversial National Anthem protest. Brandon Marshall took a knee on Thursday and lost his endorsements on Friday, and we wonder why there is a need to rewrite history, she said. Union argued that the films message of rebellion is an all-inclusive movement that advocates and allies of any marginalized group should join, and compared the treatment of Ryan Lochte for acting like a child to the killing of 12-year-old Tamir Rice. She admitted she still feels conflicted about Parker and the film. Part of me feels I threw Nate under the bus, and part of me feels like Im a rape apologist. Parker, meanwhile, said he is unaware of whether Fox Searchlight will change their release and promotion plans due to the controversy. After speaking at length about the importance of remembering history and moral accountability as it pertains to Turners story, he was asked by Cara Buckley of The New York Times if he would apologize to his own late accuser and her family for what happened 17 years ago. He evaded the direct query, delivered the aforementioned protestation about not wanting to hijack the forum, and thanked the film festival for having him. Its been a historically divisive campaign season, but on Sunday morning, political figures of all stripes agreed that the world isnt appreciably safer than it was before the September 11 terror attacks . On Fox News Sunday, Jeh Johnsonwho heads the Department of Homeland Security, an agency George W. Bush started in the wake of the attackssaid terrorism is still a serious, if different, problem. Were less likely to see a repeat of the 9/11 attacks, he said, but more likely to face threats from so-called lone wolf attackers. Terrorist organizations have the ability to literally reach into our homeland through the Internet and recruit and inspire, he told host Chris Wallace. And thats a relatively new environment and requires a whole of government response. On ABC This Week, Rudy Giuliani one of the most public faces of the Trump campaign suggested 15 years of anti-terror efforts have been a wash. Were safer in certain ways; were not as safe in other ways, the former New York City mayor said. Here's the problem that we haveWere always fighting the last war, and then they figure a new one for us. Terrorists are even more cunning at that. We're always fighting the last battle, the attack of the airplane. So yes, is our airplane safety much greater today? Absolutely. Is our cargo safety much safer today? Can't tell you that. Republican Rep. Devin Nunes, who chairs the House intelligence committee, took a view that was even more bleak. "We're even worse today, he told CBSs Face the Nation. I think the threat level is even higher because the radical Islamic problem, whether its ISIS or Al Qaeda, they continue to add followers. So even though ISIS is having problems controlling some territories in Syria and Iraq, theyve spread globally now. What Al Qaeda started on September 11, 2001 continues to metastasize, he added, and Im concerned we're not paying enough attention to the growth of radical jihadism globally. And Leon Panetta, a former CIA director who backs Hillary Clinton, told Fareed Zakaria on his CNN show that the terror threat continues to metastasize. Only current CIA director, John Brennan, took a different, more optimistic tone. We have learned a lot, he told CBSs John Dickerson. We have done a lot. And thats why, today, I believe that its much more difficult for these groups to carry out the type of attack that they did 15 years ago. This all came the morning both Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump attended a 9/11 memorial service in Manhattan. The two presidential campaigns both pledged not to schedule any official campaign events on this years anniversarybut when they wake up tomorrow, both candidates will continue to use the dangers of a post-9/11 universe against the other. Hillary Clintons legacy in Iraq, Libya, and Syria has produced only turmoil and suffering, Trump said in a speech last week on national security. Her destructive policies have displaced millions of people, then she has invited the refugees into the West with no plan to screen them. Trump has also used Clintons initial support for the Iraq War to attack her, even though he told Howard Stern on the eve of the invasion that he, too, thought it was a good idea. He argues that Obama made the world more dangerous, and that Clinton wouldnt change that trajectory. His campaign store even sells MAKE AMERICA SAFE AGAIN buttons. Clinton, meanwhile, argues that the world is dangerous and unpredictable enough without Donald Trump controlling any nuclear stockpiles. She has also said his call for a religious test on immigrants would be following the lead of ISIS. And the top super PAC backing her, Priorities USA, spent $5 million to air a TV ad showing a mushroom cloud and suggesting nuclear war would be more likely under a Trump presidency. And on Sunday, she continued to accuse the real-estate mogul of giving aid and comfort to Americas enemies. What unfortunately Donald Trump has done is made our job harder, and given a lot of aid and comfort to ISIS operatives and even ISIS officials who want to make this some sort of clash of civilization a religious war, Clinton said on CNNs State of the Union. It's not, and it can't become that." Hillary Clinton abruptly left the 9/11 ceremony at Ground Zero on Sunday morning. Initially, her campaign said it was because she felt overheated. Later, Clintons team released a statement from the candidates doctor, saying that Clinton was diagnosed with pneumonia. The doctor, who put Clinton on antibiotics and advised Clinton to rest, added that the former secretary of state became dehydrated during Sunday mornings events. A senior law enforcement official told The Daily Beast that Clinton looked pale when she arrived at the ceremony. She left the ceremony at about 9:30 a.m., according to pool reports. As she walked away from the ceremony, according to numerous law enforcement officials, she slumped and appeared to faint. Then, according to the sources, her detail put her into a waiting vehicle. They threw her in like she was a side of beef, a senior law enforcement official told The Daily Beast. Video taken by Zdenek Gazda of New Jersey shows Clinton unstable before she was put inside the van. Gazda told Buzzfeed News that Clinton looked like everything was fine and everything was good before she reached the van. Officials also said she left behind a shoe. About 90 minutes after Clintons departure, campaign spokesman Nick Merrill told reporters that the candidate left the ceremony prematurely to go to her daughters apartment because she was feeling poorly. He added that she now feels much better. Clinton left Chelseas apartment slightly before noon, according to ABCs Liz Kreutz. She smiled and waved at reporters, and said, "I'm feeling great." Clinton reportedly went home to Chappaqua, New York, after leaving Chelsea's apartment. The incident prompted mass confusion this morning as Clinton was whisked way from Ground Zero. AP reporter Lisa Lerer tweeted that Clinton and her security detail were seen departing the ceremony in lower Manhattan at about 9:30 a.m. The campaign then went dark. Clinton left the 9/11 ceremony 30+ mins ago but press pool was not told to where, tweeted ABCs Liz Kreutz. Aides now not responding to any Qs about her whereabouts The Democratic presidential nominee was in lower Manhattan for a ceremony commemorating the 15-year anniversary of the September 11 attacks when she and her motorcade apparently made a hasty departure. The ceremony was still underway when they left. Traveling pool reporters tweeted that the campaign did not initially tell them where the candidate went. The episode comes as conspiracy theories on the right have swirled about Clintons health. The Clinton campaign has pushed back on those rumors, saying that the Democratic nominee is in good health. Last month, during an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel, Clinton joked about the rumors. Back in October, The National Enquirer said I would be dead in six months, she said. So with every breath I take I feel like I have a new lease on life. The Three Shades have been to hell and back. In Dante Alighieris legendary Divine Comedy, the souls of the dead (or shades in the original Italian) stand before the gates of the underworld, their presence a precursor to the warning inscribed below: abandon all hope, ye who enter here. Its these spectral harbingers that inspired Auguste Rodins eponymous The Three Shades, the massive sculpture Rodin worked on for 37 years until his death in 1917. Tortured and tormented, a trio of sentries stood atop The Gates of Hell, lamenting their damnation in the fire and brimstone. Nearly 100 years later, a bronze cast of The Three Shades was plunged into another inferno. According to a report painstakingly assembled by the recently dissolved Heritage Emergency National Task Force, in the weeks and months after the World Trade Center collapsed during the September 11th terrorist attacks, the art world experienced a cataclysmic loss. Works by artists like Pablo Picasso, Roy Lichtenstein, and Le Corbusier graced the walls of the Twin Towers, and were obliterated in the tragedy; a sprawling tapestry by Joan Miro that hung in the lobby of 2 World Trade Center was demolished when the building came down around it. Cantor Fitzgerald, the brokerage firm which lost some 650 employees that day, was home to a vast collection of Rodins works; from the artists drawings to the original Three Shades, which welcomed visitors to the firms lobby on the 105th floor of the North Tower. The task force estimated that a staggering $100 million in art from private collections, and an additional $10 million worth of public art was lost in the tragedy. Some works of art did survive, though. The red steel sculpture which towered over the WTC courtyard, Alexander Calders Bent Propellor, emerged from the wreckage of the towers weeks later, though only 40 percent of the original sculpture was recovered. The Sphere, a 27-foot-high rotating bronze sculpture by German artist Fritz Koenig and one of the most recognizable works of public art at the World Trade Center, was relocated (without repairs) to Battery Park amid much controversy about what that move might signify. In June, the Port Authority finally voted to return the battered sphere to its rightful place as the sculptural heart of the World Trade Center. Cantor Fitzgeralds museum in the sky carries the strangest story of resilience and rebirth, as parts of these works began to turn up amid the rubble at Ground Zero and the Fresh Kills landfill in the months after the attacks. A bust of The Burghers of Calais was surfaced almost unscathed from the rubble. A cast of Rodins The Thinker was reportedly spotted and recovered before mysteriously disappearingthough there are photos of workers posing with it immediately after the discoveryand according to reports, it was never seen again. And most prominently, by a stroke of luck, it was former Fitzgerald curator Joan Vita Morotta who identified Three Shades from her home upstate while watching a news report on the Fresh Kills recovery efforts. All of a sudden the camera shows a fuselage from one of the airplanes, she told The Wall Street Journal. And lying next to it is a portion of The Shades. (Cantor Fitzgerald CEO Howard Lutnick did not respond to requests for comment placed through the company.) But to say these works were fully saved would be premature. Like the 2,500 9/11 artifacts that lay forgotten in an airplane hangar at John F. Kennedy Airport until this July, theyd entered a strange limbo unique to the art world. Damaged beyond restoration, they were declared a total loss, a classification attributed to objects deemed devoid of any market value by insurers and resigned to warehouses and storage spaces while their legal owners are paid an indemnityoften destined to be forgotten and unappreciated as a quirk of the art insurance market. While fragments of Bent Propellor and Three Shades live on in the 9/11 Memorial and act as physical testaments to the world-historical trauma that was that fateful day, other artifacts have been subsumed under a strange new legal definition: not art. In addition to the resounding change that transformed the nation in the wake of the 9/11 attacks, an unusual window was opened into the strange afterlife of a different facet of humanitythe art that defined the spaces occupied and often cherished by the individuals lost in the tragedy. Understanding this phenomenon involves unearthing lost works not through layers of dirt and rubble, soil and ash, but through the tangle of money and contract, ownership and value. What does it mean when a work of art laden with meaning and significance is declared valueless? When did art become a legal standing and not an aesthetic one? And more importantly: Where do all these pieces actually go when the bond of physical ownership dissolves? Its up to the art worlds most unusual archaeologists to find out. * * * On a frigid morning in January, I met Elka Krajewska, the founder of the Salvage Art Institute, just a few miles north of the recently completed Freedom Tower. The Polish-born Krajewska is first and foremost an artist, but these days shes also something of an art detective, an aesthetic gumshoe probing the strange, murky underworld of salvage art, those works declared a total loss, and written off by insurers. Remanded to back rooms and basements far from curious eyes, these objects belong to an odd nether world, no longer alive in terms of the market, gallery or museum system, but often still relatively intact, Krajewska explained at the SAIs first exhibition in 2012. They are zombie art, the undead remnants of objects removed from the art market, and will continue to float aimlessly until theyre somehow liberated from their legal status as not art. Total loss has been a feature of insurance markets, a judgment by insurance companies levied that declares an objecta car, a home, or a treasured possessioneffectively devoid of value. In the case of artwork damaged by disasters like Superstorm Sandy or accidental damage (say, Steve Wynn putting his elbow through Pablo Picassos Le Reve in 2006), insurers like AXA declare a total loss when the cost of restoration greatly exceeds the lost value of the piece. While insurers pay an indemnity to an artist for the full insured value of the piecea necessity in the $63.8 billion art market, per the 2015 TEFAF Art Market Reportthey then become accidental stewards of disfigured artwork. Art that is a total loss can still have value, AXAs Fischer told The Art Newspaper in 2012. If theres not an agreement that we shouldnt resell, the insurance company can do whatever it wants. Whatever it wants often means donating certain pieces to artists like Krajewska, who warmly greets me at a nondescript brick building in Hells Kitchen to inspect a few of her treasures before she departs for an exhibition in Warsaw in January. Out of a small wooden box she presents a faded painted square from Helmut Dorners DCL, part of a legendary tryptych by the German artist. Its beautiful, a textured smearing of oil on wood and canvas, and its undamaged; the only reason it was relegated to a box and hidden from view is the loss of its sister element (now a simple dyptych, the piece is no longer considered complete) in May 2009. Also present is a gunpowder and paper diptych by the visual artist Linda Bond, stained by water a few months before Dorners damage, and slumbering in a nearby storage locker. Against a back wall rests German artist Anton Hennings Interior No. 391, a massive canvas covered in amorphous pastel shapes; torn in transit years ago, its inherent value stripped by an accident. And amid the boxes haphazardly piled throughout the storage units lives one of Jeff Koonss now infamous Balloon Dogs, its shattered remains the centerpiece of the SAIs 2012 Columbia University debut. Many of the pieces in Krajewskas inventory are anonymous, their details shrouded mystery. Krajewska rejects the idea that the SAI is a museum or gallery with an owned and loaned connection. Instead, she says, its more of a framework to identify, conceptualize, and present damaged works that, despite their aesthetic or historical value, may simply languish in warehouses and basements for years. As a result, many of the treasures listed in the SAIs eclectic inventory are not actually in Krajewskas custody. One of SAIs unusual policies is that the organization claims stewardship over all total loss inventories as they are declared, wherever and whenever, with or without physical transfer, making her inventory more of a map to the shadowy netherworld of lost art, a master catalogue of missing relics languishing in warehouses like Krajewskas and prohibited from public display in conventional galleries and museums. The aforementioned Bent Propellor is in the SAIs growing catalogue along with Koenigs Sphere, as is a 1981 chromogenic print by MacArthur-winning photographer Cindy Sherman, known for producing one of the most expensive photos of all time, which was damaged when it was improperly packaged and the exposure abraded by broken glass. From a heavy wooden crate swollen with packing materials comes La Moisson, an 1850 oil-on-canvas by Alexandre Dubuisson, a 19th century French painter known for his vivid, realistic portrayals of bucolic scenes from pastoral life. Its stunningly bright in the cold concrete of the storage center, a vivid portrayal of a pastoral scene from the French countryside in remarkably good condition for a 160-year-old paintingminus the one-foot gash that cleaves the sheep and hay bales apart. Go ahead, touch it, says Krajewska. A fascinating note about this museum: Here, you can absolutely touch the art. After all, these pieces were all declared total lossestheyre not worth anything to the discerning and financially-minded eye I place my palms on La Moisson, feeling vaguely taboo in the process. Surrounded by wooden boxes and pallets, I cant help but imagine the closing sequence from Raiders of the Lost Ark, where a lowly government workman wheels the Ark of the Covenant between row after row of featureless boxes brimming with occult artifacts and raw power. Swimming in dust and fluorescent lighting, watching my breath catch in the gloom of the cold winter morning, its more like a visit to a cryptor, more fittingly, a morgue. * * * Krajewska became entangled in the underworld of salvage art through the cataclysm of September 11th. Living on Staten Island with a clear view of downtown Manhattan, Krajewska learned of the phenomenon of salvage art through a discussion of Bent Propellers post-9/11 fate with an employee at AXA, one of the largest fine art insurers in the world, a company which estimated that it would pay out $17.2 million for the loss of three corporate collections on 9/11. Since that conversation, I couldnt stop thinking about all of this non-art, Krawjewska told me one evening several months earlier at her Tribeca studio, which doubles as SAIs headquarters, a few miles from her vault of lost treasures. As an artist, shed experienced the pain of total loss before, when a piece was damaged at a show in London, and was shocked by how little she knew about the fate of art in the hands of insurers. I asked for proof of destruction, and they slashed my print, she said. It was just a bunch of materials together but it was still mine! While SAI does inhabit a real, physical space in Manhattan, Krajewska wants it to be an intangible and even virtual catalogue of the world's lost arteven if we can no longer see it. The expansive, porous nature of the SAIs inventory allowed Krajewska to push the aesthetic boundaries of salvage art far beyond the physical refugees of world-historical crises like 9/11. Despite the catalyst for her newfound obsession. Krajewska became, as she explains to curious visitors to the SAIs website, absorbed in trying to articulate my thoughts around these cadavers, the material that lives in limbo, in secret, as invisible, petrified art-no-longer that is scrupulously databased and stored all around the country, all over the world perhaps. The SAI, she explains, was to be more than just a collection of items bearing the scars of the 21st centurys first brush with abject despair. This isnt about September 11th, she explained, but understanding the changing face of art and value in an age dominated by price. Krajewskas obsession quickly blossomed into something of a quest. Within two months of her fateful conversation with that AXA worker, she had conceptualized a first draft of a mission statement for the Salvage Art Institute, enlisting the help of acquaintances at Columbia Universitys Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation (GSAPP) to back the project. With the additional assistance of a Rockefeller cultural foundation grant, Krawjeska registered SAI as the first public salvage art research space in May 2010. But the real breakthrough came when Krajewska finally visited one of AXAs sprawling art storage facilities in Brooklyn in November of that year. (AXA did not respond to requests for comment on their relationship with Krajewska or the contents of this facility). There was a sea of them behind walls, she told me of her trip to AXAs inventory; It was as though Indiana Joness archive of lost artifacts was real after all. With her nonprofit status at the SAI, Krajewska is on a mission to uncover whole aspects of the world that are simply lost to systems that declare things art or not. Back in November 2012 Krajewska hit the mother lode: AXA legally gifted her a cache of total loss objects to place in SAIs inventory for use as educational materials as part of the Columbia program. The pieces, including both Koonss Balloon Dog and Dubuissons masterful pastoral painting, were featured in SAIs inaugural show at Columbia University, No Longer Art. Krajewska plans on relocating the organizations files to a new facility on a nearby houseboat, a deliberate echo of the transience of the SAIs unusually inclusive inventory. After years of conceptualization and aspiration, the SAI finally started to take shape. But how do you build a museum with art that doesnt legally exist? Pieces of art deemed valueless are effectively prohibited from public display; that would imply that they are art, which they are legally not, and while the Visual Artists Rights Act of 1990 gives artists final authority over the fate of their art, the only recourse is often donation, destruction or disposal. AXA is of course the key to the entire project, as custodians of the salvage art in question. The company wasnt interested in jeopardizing a claim by displaying the work, and theres no clear standard for their handling after an indemnity is paid to the original ownerso there are lots of intricate and moving parts that can and do deter them from doing anything with the artifacts outside of keeping them in storage. Thanks to the tyranny of capitalism, AXA doesnt deal in artit deals in objects that, having lost all value, simply dont matter. Krajewska soon discovered that theres no complete database of damaged art; with owners shrouded in anonymity thanks to insurance companies privacy agreements, an insurance claim effectively severs a works provenance, its chronology of chain of custody, leaving it disentangled from its own legacy of ownership. Dozens of items in her possession are anonymous and untitled, identified only by the simple SAI code that gives these pieces of non-art a new identity in the art world. Her inventory appropriately opens with Calders Bent Propellor, the ultimate piece of salvage art, though at the time it wasnt legally in her possession. Were not a museum, or a collection, or a gallery, says Krajewska emphatically, and that ambiguous designation suits her just fine. These pieces are transient. * * * While Krajewska toils in her studio and at her storage facility in Tribeca, the world is getting a crash course in zombie art, with the 9/11 memorial acting as the epicenter of an entirely new breed of archaeological investigation into the art worlds most unusual phenomena. When Jan Ramirez joined the nascent 9/11 Museum as chief curator in 2006, she found that her purview extended far beyond the complicated claims governing works like Bent Propellor and The Three Shades, both of which were donated to the museum; these were almost simple in their resolution. The Port Authority rescinded its claim to the Calder (the Calder Foundation declined to comment), and Cantor Fitzgerald CEO Howard Lutnick refused to claim insurance, donating the piece on long-term loan. But the real purview of the 9/11 Memorial is grounded in the experience in salvage art, an experience which centers around artifacts that didnt carry the intrinsic value they now possess before that fateful Monday in September, those mundane pieces of wreckage and ruin now solemn symbols of historical anguish. The museum is filled with wreckage thats simultaneously priceless and valueless: a rack of bikes abandoned during the North Towers collapses; a piece of the legendary Ladder 3, which rushed to Ground Zero; a corkscrew that belonged to Lorraine Bay, a flight attendant on Flight 93. Among the 2,500 artifacts removed from a Queens warehouse in July included, a 40,000 pound World Trade Center parking column, a 35,000 pound elevator motor and a massive TV antenna that once stood on the North Tower, according to CBS. You encounter the physical destruction we woke up to on the morning of September 12th here, through damage and loss, Ramirez told me one morning as we walk among the tourists who flood the subterranean memorial each day. Everything we remember and experience here is done through encounters with recovered objects. Like Krajewska, Ramirez and her team are investigating a huge body of salvaged work and systematically piecing together their hidden claims, though the two are operating on vastly different scales. Ramirez is tasked with assessing, obtaining, and cataloging some 30,000 artifacts, but despite the wealth of resources at her disposal, she is navigating the same territory as Krajewska: How do you find, save, and display objects that are legally valueless? Thousands of tons of New York City Fire Department equipmentvests from first responders, tools that were property of the city, even an entire fire truckare all under insurance claims, and fall under the designation of salvage art for the memorial. Even the WTC Cross, the giant chunk of steel infrastructure that loomed above first responders amid the wreckage, technically belonged to the Port Authority. Would the agency give up its insurance claim? The steel, which is used in memorials across the country, has to be approved by a federal judgeand the Port Authority waives its insurance claim every time a memorial opens in recognition of just how important these scraps are to millions of Americans. Im reminded of a remark made by AXA President and CEO Christiane Fischer during a discussion of Krajewskas Columbia exhibition: As an object, this work still represents part of our cultural history. Just imagine all the damaged art from Roman and Greek times. The Met would be completely empty. The destruction of art is as old human civilization, but as Ben Lerner (who, its worth noting, included a fictionalized version of the SAI in his book 10:04) noted in 2013, demolition, defacement, and debasement are not just fates artworks suffer at the hands of vandals; theyre often what those works are. In order to create, you must destroy, and in surviving the tide of history, these works of art are forever molded by it, imbued with significance far beyond the aesthetic vision of their creators. Art can die, but meaning lives forever. Towards the end of my tour with Ramirez, I encounter a scrap of The Three Shades; a twisted torso with a long, crooked gash running over the heart, and mixed in alongside the other detritus of the memorials salvaged inventory. Had you created a special chapel for this art, she says, you run the risk of putting more value on the thing itself than as a stand-in for something greater. Its a sentiment embedded in Krajewskas SAI mission statement: that the organization seeks to maintain the zero-value of No Longer Art and recognizes its right to remain independent and divorced from the demands of future marketability. Far from the eyes of appraisers and dealers, The Three Shades sits obstinate, a reminder of its own artistic legacy and a testament to its historical context. And beyond the halls of the 9/11 Memorial, thousands of pieces of art slumber in warehouses and attics, awaiting their chance to bring meaning to a tragic world. To hell and back, Three Shades lives again as salvage art. Christian Siriano by Brea Tremblay It was wildly humid in West Chelsea as we waited for Christian Sirianos show to begin. According to the handout, the collection was inspired by Settimio Garritanos photos of Jackie O vacationing in Capri. The shows invite featured a vintage beach beauty looking coyly over her shoulder. It was printed on heavy cardstock so it made a great fan. The front row was bananas, a whos who of ladies that seem like theyd be a hoot over cocktails. Before the show started, they were all hidden by a scrum of camera crews but occasionally, pieces would peek through, illuminated by the phones held up in the rows behind them. Coco Rocha was there. We saw flash of her incredible cheekbones. And then a corner of Ashley Grahams smileeven her teeth are radiant somehow. A photographers shoulder dropped and Jaimie Alexanders browline was revealed. Stunning. Christina Hendricks was there too of courseshe was in Sirianos wedding last month. Her perfect hair was tied back in a perfect bun. The roar ramped up when Pamela Anderson popped in and we could only see the top of her head. Shes tiny, the girls behind me murmured and all was aligned in the universe. Celebrities are always smaller or larger than they appear onscreen and that must be commented on. The lights dimmed. The show began. The palate ranged from neutrals to great shocks of orange and turquoise. A series of little white dresses would be lovely for a beach wedding somewhere. A series of little black dresses would be lovely for a chic beach funeral, if such things existed. Some of the models wore deliciously snotty sunglassesalmost cat-eye-like and perfect for the coolest girl at the resort to look down on the hoi polloi from her lounge in the prime cabana. The greatest thing about the clothes was that they moved, adorned with raffia and crystal dangly bits that rustled like they were being jostled by a seaside breeze. Great wide pants, split to the thighs, flowed like capes as the models walked. The arms of the clothes were slit open toothey fluttered like even more tiny capes. And then an actual cape! It crowned a stunning black gown. The underside was turquoise and the dress was so smashing that it singlehandedly redeemed the shade from decades of Arizona trinket shop hell. Some of the eveningwear in crepe organza and satin looked like the fabric was pulling a little strangely, but the ruffles were exuberant enough to cover far greater sins. The shoes, wild little pumps cut with sharp wonky angles, are available at longtime Siriano collaborator Payless. Siriano also designs for Lane Bryant. Because of these collections, women from Capri to Jersey Shore can adorn themselves in Siriano and this inclusivity has made some in the fashion world itch but Ill swing by a Payless to try a pair on. Hopefully its BOGO week and I can get a second free. The models were lovely, and they ranged in sizes and colors. Earlier this summer. Christian Siriano made headlines for designing a dress for Leslie Jones. When he was showered with praise for designing a dress for Leslie Jones, who is not a size zero, he deflected it by stating bluntly, It shouldnt be exceptional to work with brilliant people just because theyre not sample size. Congrats arent in order, a change is. In the same vein, these models shouldnt be news but because they are, a change is in order. Regardless, they looked great. The fabulous famous ladies in the front row cheered them on. On the way out of the show, a woman behind me said, Too commercial. An old man told his companion, Nice clothes for fat girls. Thanks, asshole, for the rude return from a very enjoyable trip to Capri. Eckhaus Latta by Allison McNearney With the first eerie notes of an electric cello backed by a thumping bass beat, an otherworldly tone was set for the Eckhaus Latta Spring/Summer 2017 collection. Models took to the runway in looks that explored the limits of deconstruction and experimented with innovative materials. But it was hard to get into the spirit given the suffocating heat and humidity of September in the great NYC outdoors. Every season, there seems to be one trending storyline about how the designers or their most avid fans incurred the ire or amusement of the flock of fashion onlookers. Last February, it was all about the front-row denizens braving snowstorms in the incongruent uniform of slinky summer dresses and strappy heals. Brrr. But for this season, designers ranging from Tommy Hilfiger and Rebecca Minkoff to Kanye West have called on Mother Nature to provide the backdrop to the big reveal of their latest collections. Sometimes it works. But other times, it can become a hot sweaty mess that has onlookers cringing on behalf of models making their long walks down the 90-degree runway in full-coverage winter knits. But despite the battle with the sun in Seward Park on the Lower East Side, Eckhaus Latta showed a strong and thought-provoking collection. Designers Mike Eckhaus and Zoe Latta play with deconstruction in a variety of different waysripped hems, prominent seams, re-imagining shirts into skirts. There was more than a whiff of the 70sget ready for bell-bottoms to replace your skinniesand a celebration of 90s-era denim in a series of off-white and light-blue ensembles that hinted that jean-on-jean may soon be a thing. Eckhaus and Latta played with proportion to great effect, showing oversize jackets, shirts, and skirts juxtaposed with slinky see-through numbers that highlighted every curve. And their work in knit was phenomenal. The show provided lots of surprising design moments, but these were capped off by a brilliant series of finale-forming looks. The last few models walked out decked in pieces made out of garbage bags. They were intriguing and oddly wearable: something one hopes might pop up on the funkier red carpets during the next awards season. After sending such an inventive collection down the runway on an eclectic group of tatted up models, Eckhaus Latta has again proven that they are a forceful duo willing to experiment and shake things up. It was a hot affair, in every since of the word. Banana Republic by Sarah Shears At Banana Republics NYFW presentation, the guests were the main attraction. However, other than Olivia Palermo the brands global style ambassador there werent any celebrities in the traditional sense, although there were many who were clearly celebrated in their own worlds. It was a full crowd, made up mostly of late 20s, early 30s creative professionals; a mix of bloggers, artists, musicians and some fashion industry people, but of the hipper, younger and more downtown variety. Although the air was steamy from the rainstorm that had just passed and left the day even more humid than before, the mood was fresh and vibrant, with a feeling of liveliness amongst the attendees. Guests chatted and made new friends, and asked to take photos of each other as much as they did the actual models working the show. There was a real electrifying positivity and youthful spirit in the room. A model broke the fifth wall to take a group photo for some guests, and a couple of other models made flirtatious eyes at the stunning blogger/musician/writer twin sisters T.K. and Cipriana Quann, whose style, beauty and intangible coolness somehow managed to glitter off the exposed brick in the industrial space. Like others in the fashion business shaking things up, (like Misha Nonoo) Banana Republic is blurring the lines of what season they are showing for. Under normative circumstances, the presentation would be for items available Spring 2017. However, Banana Republic is offering 13 garments available for purchase immediately, online and in their flagship store. Their website has a special NYFW section where you can shop the show with the looks displayed as they were shown at the presentation. Michael Anderson, the senior vice president of design, spoke with The Daily Beast about how Palermo helped curate the see-now-buy-now items and the thought process behind making items from their Spring 2017 ready-to-wear line available immediately. We want to make sure there is enough of a seasonal point of view but there is also this new feeling of season-less clothes--it can still be desirable and covetable but not having something that is specifically tied to one season. I think thats really exciting too, to take these pieces right now and literally go to the website and buy them, its kinda cool. On the stage lovely, young, lithe men and women posed in Banana Republics newest line, which was a mix of seasons and contained items that could be layered or used in an array of combinations and for many settings. A 1970s palette was blended into the line: a womens burnt red suede top was paired with a peachy pink lightweight skirt. Stripes were in bounty. A blue and red silky striped pajama suit was reminiscent of the 1970s, while nearby a bright red mid-calf pencil skirt recalled the 1960s. There was even a bathing suit, a checked black and white bikini paired with a very Jackie-O a-line waist length coat. There were a variety of casual dresses: floor length sun-dresses, white tea length dresses, and shirtdresses. For men, a grey and red madras button-up was combined with light gray pleated trousers and a striped tie, and checked patterned items were mixed throughout the suiting, in vest, trousers and shirts. The mens looks were dapper but subdued, and came mostly in greys, navy and earth tones. Suiting was consumer-friendly and straight-forward with slim but not too-slim cuts. And there were wardrobe standards for everyone: trench coats in light pink for women and in a camel color, polished anoraks worn layered, and blazers for both men and women. Off the shoulder looks for women came in multiple varieties, and other than a bright neon tangerine ruffled jumpsuit, everything seemed very wearable, well styled, and like most of todays fashion, rooted in the last century. One attendee to the presentation, the 26-year-old fashion blogger Arshia Moorjani, said there were a lot of pieces I feel I would wear out of the line... lots of good basics and classics, very wearable, but it's Banana, they dont take risks. The brand seems to have moved on from the loss of Marissa Webb, the former short-term fashion-forward creative director of the brand who launched her own line after leaving BR, that also showed this past week. Even though Banana Republic no longer has a singular visionary to drive their new collection, there was a bounty of easy-to-wear items that appeal to many and had well-styled versions of wardrobe basics. The latest miracle of 9/11 was preceded by a Mass at the Church of St. Francis in Manhattan on what happened to be the same day Mother Teresa was canonized in Rome. For the first time, we pray to Saint Teresa of Calcutta, Father Chris Keenan said from the altar on the morning of Sept. 4. Keenan is an FDNY chaplain. The Mass was immediately followed by the 15th annual 9/11 Walk of Remembrance, held on the Sunday before the anniversary of the attack. The walk always begins at this church on West 31st Street and retraces the steps of Keenans predecessor, FDNY Chaplain Mychal Judge, on 9/11 from there to the World Trade Center. The participants pause at the firehouses and police stations along the way as if at Stations of the Cross. The event was conceived and organized by NYPD Det. Steven McDonald, who was shot and paralyzed by a teenager back in 1986. This year also marked the 30th anniversary of the shooting that left him unable to move his limbs or even to breathe without a respirator. He, as always, led the procession in his motorized wheelchair, accompanied by his wife, Patti Ann McDonald, and their son, NYPD Det. Conor McDonald. At West 19th Street, the procession paused at the quarters of Engine 3, Ladder 12, Battalion 7. The plan was for Keenan to read Judges last homily, delivered the day before the attack at a firehouse dedication in the Bronx. His words on 9/10 were so prescient as to be considered the first Miracle of 9/11. But Ladder 12 was out on a run, extricating a man who had become stuck in an elevator, which had a certain significance: The 9/11 dead from the firehouse included Battalion Chief Orio Palmer, who was a renowned elevator expert. Palmer had been the only one able to get one running in the stricken South Tower. Rather than wait for Ladder 12 to return from the run, the procession continued on Judges route. The new plan was to meet the firefighters farther down Seventh Avenue whenever their job was done. As it happened, Ladder 12 was able to extricate the man quickly and swing around to meet the procession just as it reached a stretch of Christopher Street that has been renamed Stonewall Place. This is the block that was recently designated the Stonewall National Monument. It includes a pocket park and the Stonewall Inn, scene of the 1969 riot that sparked the gay rights movement. As many now know, Judge was gay and worried that the firefighters would shun him if his sexuality became known. He wrote in his journal that this apprehension rose in him even during a wonderful welcome he received when he arrived at a parish hall gathering of the FDNY Emerald Society Pipes and Drums at the end of the 1999 St. Patricks Day Parade: I arrived at St. Ignatius to greet the bandWow! They treat me like a long lost brotherhugs, kisses, laughs, jabs and Im home! And I ask myself again, But, if? In another entry, Judge imagined what he might accomplish if he came out. He wrote, Mychal Judgewell respected, loved by many, faithful to his profession, loyal to his community and friends, compassionate beyond boundsyou would like to be in his company, to be his friendwell, if he is gay, there must be something okay about themyou would talk so freely, explain so much, release fears, explain the pain, show the job and give peace to so many. But he remained afraid that it might not go that way at all. I keep thinking my fear is lessening, but there is still so much there, he wrote. He overcame all other fears on the morning of 9/11, when he dashed from his room in the friary next to the Church of St. Francis and raced down to the World Trade Center. He showed uncommon courage as he stood in the lobby of the burning North Tower, giving spiritual witness and support as the firefighters, cops, and other first responders headed up to answer hate with greatest love, pure evil with absolute good. A photo of Judges body being carried from the fiery ruins would be called the modern Pieta. Two cops crouched by Judges body and improvised the last rites. A group of firefighters carried him up into St. Peters Church. The roof had been struck by the landing gear of one of the hijacked jets, but the interior was undisturbed, and the firefighters placed his body before the altar. The firefighters set his chaplains badge and a priests stole on his chest. They then removed their helmets and knelt to pray. Word spread and other firefighters came in, their eyes reddened by grit, but not weeping yet, though they had all lost friends, some an entire company. The crying began as they prayed over their lifeless chaplain. Their tears left dark tracks in the gray dust that caked their faces and everything else in the transformed realm outside. In the days that followed, a number of people took it upon themselves to make it known that Judge was gay. His fear proved to have been groundless. The firefighters continued to embrace Judge as their beloved Father Mike, the one and only. They noted that the medical examiner had recorded Judge as the first fatality of 9/11, assigning him the number DM0001-01, the DM standing for Disaster Manhattan. That seemed only right because he was surely the one who led their comrades into heaven. A poster appeared in firehouses that featured small headshots of the fallen firefighters at either end and a large image of Judge in the center, beaming as if from on high above the ruins of the World Trade Center. The top bore the words: FDNY Our Brothers Will Never Be Forgotten Those who had been at the firehouse dedication in the Bronx on 9/10 remembered Judges homily and wondered if he had somehow sensed what was coming. The words were now read aloud these 15 years later by FDNY Chaplain Chris Keenan, not outside the West 19th firehouse as was originally intended, but at the Stonewall National Monument thanks to happenstance that some might consider a kind of miracle. Good days. And bad days. Up days. Down days. Sad days. Happy days. But never a boring day on this job. You do what God has called you to do. You show up. You put one foot in front of another. You get on the rig and you go out and you do the jobwhich is a mystery. And a surprise. You have no idea when you get on that rig. No matter how big the call. No matter how small. You have no idea what God is calling you to. But he needs you. He needs me. He needs all of us. After Keenans recitation and a prayer, the members of Ladder 12 returned to its quarters until the next call to get on the rig and go out and do their job, whatever it might bring. The procession continued on downtown, pausing at firehouses and police stations to read aloud the names of those who had left there on 9/11 and never returned. The hundreds of participants included FDNY Captain Liam Flaherty of Rescue 2, drum major of the pipe and drum band that had given Judge such a warm welcome now nearly two decades before. McDonald remarked along the way that Judge should be made a saint, just as Mother Teresa had this very day. A friend noted that Judges twin sister, Dympna Jessich, had once suggested that her brother would have considered it a demotion. Judge was of the opinion that such goodness is in everybody. He would say that just as the Devil is to be found in evil, then God is to be found in good and that by recognizing good in others we make itand therefore Godstronger. As Judge saw it, good and God were stronger in McDonald than in anyone. McDonalds wife had been pregnant with their first child when he was grievously wounded, and he had chosen the christening as the occasion to forgive the teenager who had shot him. McDonald had said his badge was a badge of compassion. It had passed on to his son when Conor grew up to become a cop. McDonald remained of the opinion that there should be a Saint Mychal. We need heroes, McDonald said as if he were not one, as if he had not been Judges greatest hero. Up ahead stood the Freedom Tower, the lone building that had risen where the Twin Towers once stood. The heroes in the now vanished South Tower had included FDNY Fire Marshal Ronald Bucca. McDonald had first met Bucca back in 1986, shortly after he was shot. McDonald had been fighting despair that even Judge could not dispel when a figure in a steel back brace shuffled into his hospital room. Bucca had suffered a broken back when he fell eight floors while fighting a fire and could not move without considerable pain, but he had heard a critically wounded cop had been brought in. He had forced himself to rise and take one excruciating step after another to McDonalds bedside. How are you doing? Bucca asked. By 9/11, Bucca had recovered so completely that he was able to dash up the stairs of the South Tower all the way to the 78th floor. Palmer had joined him with the help of an elevator he managed to get running. Palmer radioed that that they were actually preparing to fight the blaze. Weve got two isolated pockets of fire, Palmer reported minutes before the tower came down. We should be able to knock it down with two lines. His words seemed to hang in the air these 15 years later as the procession ended at St. Peters Church, where the firefighters had set Judges body before the altar. The participants placed their hands over their hearts and sang God Bless America, just as Judge had at that firehouse dedication on 9/10. On Saturday, a 9/10 15 years later, the FDNY held a memorial service at St. Patricks Cathedral. Firefighters solemnly carried 343 flags down the center aisle, representing the 343 members of the department who died on 9/11. Each flag is a What if? said Margaret Arce, mother of fallen firefighter Dave Arce. All the families have no doubt asked themselves such questions as what if the attack had not come just as the shifts were changing? What if it had come just a few minutes later, when the earlier shift had headed home instead of responding along with the new shift? What if their loved one had not been working? What if he had not gone into that burning tower? What if he had been ordered out in time? What if he had been one of those who somehow survived having a 110-story building collapse on top of them? The clergy attending the memorial included the newly ordained Father Tom Colucci, the only retired FDNY firefighter ever to be become a priest. Colucci had been assigned to the firehouse on West 19th Street from 1994 to 2002. He had survived 9/11 but had suffered serious injuries in a gas explosion in 2004, undergoing multiple surgeries afterward. He retired and experienced a new calling, and spent seven years in the seminary before being ordained in late May. The benefits are eternal, he said when asked to compare his new job with the old. Colucci had intended just to sit in one of the pews with the firefighters during Saturdays memorial, but Cardinal Timothy Dolan insisted he join his new brothers in proceeding down the center aisle at the start of the service. Its like he grabbed me out of the stands and said, Youre coming with me, Colucci later said. Keenan was also there and sat up by the altar with Colucci as prayers alternated with the reading of a letter from President Obama and a speech by Mayor Bill de Blasio and tender remembrances by family members and stirring hymns. Two candles were lit, one for the those killed outright at the World Trade Center, the other for the 127 members of the FDNY who have died of 9/11-related illnesses since then. The candles flickered on either side of a large video screen on which one face after another appeared as the corresponding names of the dead were read from what was called the Scroll of Honor. Palmer. Bucca. Judge. So many, many others. Keenan offered the Prayer for the Fallen, followed by final blessing by Dolan. Colucci led the way as the clergy followed the 343 flags from the cathedral. He stood at the curb with all the attendees as the flagbearers strode up Fifth Avenue and fell into formation behind the band. A giant American flag hung from a pair of tower ladders directly across from the cathedral. When the drum major, Flaherty, gave the command, the band struck up a mournful beat and led the flagbearers to the foot of the front steps. Everyone saluted as the buglers played taps. The band then played Amazing Grace, all the pipers joining in, their spirit as strong as ever, filling the early September air with a sound such as Judge once said was the sound of goodness determined not to be undone. Amazing grace indeed. At the ceremonys end, the flags were placed in stands marked with the names of the dead they represented. Flagbearer Mickey Conboy is the father of one of the two ironworkers who put the last piece of steel into the Freedom Tower. He himself is an FDNY lieutenant at Rescue 3 in the Bronx, which is where he was headed as he climbed into his car. Im going to work, he said. Colucci is scheduled to say the 9/11 Mass at Judges church. He allowed that it still seems unreal that he is saying a Mass anywhere. I was just a fireman, he said. Here I am, consecrating the Body and Blood of Christ. I cant believe Im doing it. Judge would have argued that there is no higher calling than being a firefighter, risking your own body and blood while showing what Christ taught in word and example is the greatest love; the willingness to give life to save others. Judge would often remark on the holiness that would descend on seemingly ordinary men when an alarm came into a firehouse and they hurried to hop on their rig. At 11 a.m. Sunday, another 9/11 miracle will occur as the Church of St. Francis becomes doubly holy by having a priest up on the altar who was once a firefighter, for a time at the firehouse on West 19th Street. Colucci may even wear the vestments given to him by his former comrades. The vestments are FDNY red and bear the words Brothers Forever. Who knows, Colucci may someday be offering a prayer to Saint Mychal of the FDNY. As a 28-year veteran of the Seattle Police DepartmentI am a peace officer, a public servant, a cop. I love my job, but I have to say that I cant remember a time in this country where fear, hatred and mistrust of the police was at such a fever pitch, when there has been such an enormous gap between police and the community we are supposed to serve and protect. This country has a horrific history of bias and discrimination, and whether we like to admit it or not, we all are a part of this problem. The media and our political discourse has set up a false and dangerous dichotomydo you support Black Lives Matter or do you support the police? We are disproportionately incarcerating people of color. If you are a black man between 18 and 25, you are more likely to be in prison than in college. No wonder communities of color fear the police. All of us, police officers included, need to acknowledge that we have inherited this legacy of racism and take action to prevent another Ferguson, Baton Rouge, or Minnesota. We all tend to put people into stereotypical boxes, especially when we know little about them or we fear them. I learned early in my career that building trust and challenging stereotypes and unconscious bias can only begin by being curious, and then having the courage to have uncomfortable and honest conversations. Fifteen years ago, my precinct had an incident with some homeless youth. It became quite apparent that we knew little about these kids, and they certainly knew nothing about us or the laws we were trying to enforce. We hosted a conversation prompted by three questions: 1) What is one belief or perception I have about you?2) What is one thing you dont know about me?3) What is one thing that would make our contact easier? Through the dialogue, we learned so many heartbreaking and illuminating details about each other. One police officer bravely disclosed to the kids that his dad killed his mom and that his dad was in prison. Another cop said, You all smell bad and youre dirty. One of the youth told him that smelling bad was a strategy to keep sexual predators away. You should have seen the look on that cops face. Slowly, we began to understand each other and began to view each other as human beingsand we did better at peacefully co-existing. We know that 1.7 million children in the United States have a parent who is incarcerated. These kids are more likely to drop out of school, engage in delinquent behavior, and subsequently end up incarcerated. These children are also taught by their parents to hate the police, and it doesnt take a lot to understand why. In 2008, I had the opportunity to work with a Girl Scouts Beyond Bars troop for girls with incarcerated mothers. I decided to go to prison and ask their mothers permission. Walking into the Washington Corrections Center for Women for the first time, I was nervous. No badge, no gun. I felt incredibly vulnerable. That first day is permanently etched in my mind. Crossing the threshold into the room I had to do a gut check. These mothers looked like you, like me, like my friends and familypeople Id actually hang out with. This is not what I remembered from 20 years of arresting people. My idea of what to expect was influenced by what I had experiencedand I had to look at myself and realize that I was wrong. The atmosphere in the room was chilly. The last time they had seen the police they most likely were being handcuffed. To break the ice, I asked them whether their children were likely to call the police if they needed help. At that moment the womens mom hats came on. We had a discussion about how they had told their children not to trust us, how to lie to us and quite honestly, to fear and hate us. They courageously shared something about themselves and their lives. Through this conversation, I realized that something obviously wasnt working for them and asked: If there was something someone could have said or done to change the path that led you here, what would it have been? When I returned to prison two months later, one of the inmates told me, No one ever asks us that question. They ask us what we did and how much time we got. If they even care to ask us why we did it, we usually say something like, I needed dope so I robbed the store. No one ever asks why we needed dope in the first place. Then she handed me a stack of papers filled with answers to that if question. The inmates had selflessly written their answers in the hope that some child would read them and ask for help before it was too late. The most interesting thing was they were not full of blame. They were full of reflectionraw, real, riveting, and painful. In the days that followed, I realized that inside the walls of the prison, there lies an overlooked solution to this epidemic of mass incarceration. I learned that we all have stories, we all have pain, and we are all connected. This is when I began to change the way I look at a population that I had literally and figuratively put away. To date, we have collected thousands of answers to this question from individuals who are locked up. Ultimately what do we want? We bothcop and former felonswant young people to stop, listen and take positive steps to prevent themselves from ending up in the back of a patrol car or in prison. And when these young people see two opposing sides working together. It blurs the line between us and them. It begins to create a community built on trust, respect, and shared responsibility. I cant believe I am admitting this, but I look forward to going to prison. The things I have learned from the women and men inside have made me a better person and a much better police officer. I am here to tell you that police can and must be a positive part of our communities. Police are a needed part of society and should not to be thought of as nameless uniforms enforcing laws through intimidation and fearand the police, individually and collectively, must do better. We can and must start healing these painful divides and work to create safer and healthier communitiestogether. The IF Project documentary premieres on Logo on September 14. For more information, please visit: TheIFProjectMovie.com or follow the film on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. Detective Kim Bogucki is the co-founder of The IF Project, an innovative partnership between law enforcement, currently and previously incarcerated adults, and community leaders to build commonality, reduce misperceptions and serve as a deterrent to recidivism and future incarceration. A 28-year veteran of the Seattle Police Department, Kim has developed nationally replicated programs that create dialogue around issues of social justice between members of law enforcement and the communities they serve. She co-founded the West Side Story Project to bring together young people and law enforcement around the performing arts to address the plight of gang violence and recently launched The One On/Kind2All, a non-profit focused on creating communities of kindness. Kim has received numerous awards for her work, including The Red Cross Heroes Award, the Seattle Storms (WNBA) Women that Inspire Award, the Center for Childrens Youth and Justice Presidents Award, the Seattle Police Foundation Excellence Award, the Department of Corrections Volunteer of the Year at Washington Corrections Center for Women (WCCW), the Greater Seattle Business Association (GSBA) Community Leader Award, and Washington State Mentors Association Unsung Heroes Award. Julia Roberts Says MLK Jr. Paid Hospital Bill For Her Birth YES, YOU READ THAT RIGHT The actress said her parents were friends with King and his wife, and the couple helped out when they couldn't afford the bill. PM suggested not signing any deal against nation's interest Leaders of various political parties have suggested the Prime Minister not to sign any deal against national interest during his visit to India. Mexican bank leader, Weekley Homes chairman among featured speakers As the fall semester arrives, the George Bush Presidential Library Center invites the Brazos Valley community to join in the many events taking place every month through December. The Bush School of Government and Public Service Sept. 15: The Mosbacher Institute for Trade, Economics and Public Policy will host a Conversation in Public Policy featuring Dr. Manuel Sanchez Gonzalez, vice governor of the Bank of Mexico, at 5:30 p.m. at the George Bush Presidential Library & Museum. He will discuss the changing structure of the Mexican economy and Mexico's role as a regional leader. Sept. 19: The Bush School will host the "Opportunities for U.S.-Latin American Cooperation, 2016-2020" conference from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Annenberg Presidential Conference Center. The conference is presented by the Scowcroft Institute of International Affairs and the Mosbacher Institute. Oct. 5: The Mosbacher Institute will present the 2016 McLane Leadership in Business Award to David M. Weekley, chairman of David Weekley Homes, at 5:30 p.m. at the Annenberg Presidential Conference Center. Weekley started Weekley Homes at age 23 and has since grown the company to an award-winning business routinely named to FORTUNE magazine's "100 Best Companies to Work For." Weekly Homes was named National Builder of the Year by Professional Builder magazine in 2013 and closed over $1.3 billion worth of new homes in 22 different cities in 2015. Weekly is also a noted community leader and will give a talk entitled "Success v. Significance." All Bush School events are open to the public. Due to space limitations, early registration is encouraged. For more information or to register, please visit bush.tamu.edu/events. The George Bush Presidential Library Foundation Oct. 19: The George Bush Foundation and the Scowcroft Institute will host David Priess at 6 p.m. in the Annenberg Presidential Conference Center for an introduction of his book The Untold Story of Intelligence Briefings to America's Presidents from Kennedy to Obama, followed by a discussion with former intelligence officers Jim Olson, Dick Kerr and Carmen Medina. Reception and book signing to follow. Oct. 27: News anchor Shara Fryer will interview Ambassador Chase Untermeyer on his latest book, Zenith: In the White House with George H. W. Bush. The event will take place at the Houstonian Hotel in Houston at 6 p.m. For more information on George Bush Foundation events call 979-862-2251. The George Bush Presidential Library and Museum Sept. 2-28: In remembrance of the 15th anniversary of Sept. 11, the Bush Presidential Library will display a section of steel from the World Trade Center towers donated by the Texas Engineering Extension Service's elite urban search and rescue team, Texas Task Force 1. Sept. 16: The final movie in the 2016 Summer Film Series, Turbo, will begin just after sundown by the presidential pond. Games and free refreshments will begin at 7 p.m. Sept. 29: The Library Issues Forum presents "What's next? Transportation in an Automated/Connected World." A panel discussion will be led by nationally recognized experts in policy, safety and technology from the Texas A&M Transportation Institute. This event is free, but seating is limited. For more information on Bush Presidential Library events, call 691-4014 or visit bush41.org/events. Pokhara businessmen plan to pressure govt Business people from Pokhara are considering pressuring the government to shelve its plan to bring a regulation that bars tourist vehicles from serving domestic tourists. An adult male was shot by a Rocky Mount police officer Saturday night after the suspect allegedly rammed two police cars while attempting to flee in his vehicle, according to the Virginia State Police (VSP). The suspect was not fatally injured and was transported to Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital for treatment, according to Sgt. Rick Garletts with the VSP. No law enforcement officers sustained any injuries, he said. The incident occurred at 11:20 p.m. on Sept. 10 at a restaurant at 970 Tanyard Road when the police officer and a sheriffs deputy attempted to stop the suspect vehicle, Garletts said. When the vehicle did not stop and attempted to flee, the officers blocked its escape. When the suspect vehicle began ramming the two police vehicles, the Rocky Mount police officer fired at the vehicle, Garletts said. But the vehicle broke free and fled the scene. The same two officers stopped the suspect vehicle a short distance from the original incident. A female passenger in the suspect vehicle was not injured, Garletts said. No additional information is being released at this time. The VSP Bureau of the Criminal Investigations is investigating the incident at the request of the Rocky Mount Police Department. When the investigation is concluded, the information will be presented to the Franklin County Commonwealths Attorneys Office for review. Spencer Petras had one of his best games at Iowa Iowa Football Rani Mahal faces twin danger from landslide and erosion Rani Mahal, a castle built by former Palpa governor Khadga Shumsher Rana more than a century ago on the Kali Gandaki river bank, is at high risk of landslide and erosion. Scrub typhus: Epidemiologists studying mice in Chitwan A team from Epidemiology and Infectious Disease Control Division has started a study of mice in Chitwan to see if they have been carrying the type of mites that are associated with disease. NORWALK A motorist's call to police Saturday night reporting he followed an SUV swerving all over the road to a home on Catalpa Street led to the owner of the home being arrested for drunken driving, police said. The witness, who called police at 11:28 p.m., reportedly said he had been driving behind the SUV southbound on Strawberry Hill Avenue when he noticed it weaving back and forth. He said the vehicle struck a stop sign at the intersection of Strawberry Hill Avenue and Catalpa Street before turning onto Catalpa Street. The witness said the vehicle then struck a mailbox in front of 20 Catalpa St. before entering the driveway at 21 Catalpa St., where the driver exited the SUV and went into the house. An officer assigned to the call reported finding a 1999 Isuzu Rodeo parked in the driveway at 20 Catalpa St. with damage to its front hood. The officer reported a man exited the front door of the home and told him he was the vehicle's driver. The officer said the man was unable to stand on his own and needed to lean on the SUV to maintain balance. He said he detected a strong odor of alcohol from the man while observing he had glassy eyes and was slurring his words. The man, identified as 55-year-old James Puskas, allegedly admitted he had struck his neighbor's mailbox and said, "Yes, I'm intoxicated." He allegedly told the officer he had had four shots of blackberry brandy. The officer requested paramedics respond to the scene to determine if Puskas was a diabetic. According to his report, Puskas was found not to be having a diabetic incident. The officer said Puskas declined to perform field sobriety tests, saying, "I'm inebriated." At Police Headquarters, Puskas' blood-alcohol content was measured twice by a breath test and found to be 0.1493 and 0.1409, police said. A driver is legally intoxicated in Connecticut if found to have a ratio of alcohol in the blood at or above 0.0800 of one percent. Puskas was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol and evading responsibility. He was held on $750 bond, had his driver's license revoked for 24 hours, and was given a court date of Sept. 21. Nebraska beef cattle producers should begin preparing for the Jan. 1, 2017, implementation of the Veterinary Feed Directive regulations, according to Rob Eirich, Nebraska beef quality assurance director with Nebraska Extension. The regulations will be implemented by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and will require producers to work directly with their veterinarian when they use feed-grade antibiotics with all food-producing livestock. A Veterinary Feed Directive is a paper or electronic written order by a licensed veterinarian approving the use of a feed-grade antibiotic for the prevention, treatment or control of a diagnosed disease. The regulations will apply only to antibiotics in livestock feed and will not affect feed-use medications such as ionophores, coccidia, other parasite and insect control drugs, or reproductive control medications. They also will not apply to antibiotics administered by injection. The first step producers should complete before January is to develop a valid Veterinarian Client Patient Relationship, which includes an operation site visit and discussion about herd health, Eirich said. A complete herd health plan should be created for vaccination and treatment protocols during this discussion. Eirich said producers must look at their operation production calendar to determine what health risks they may encounter over the course of the year, how to prevent the risks through vaccinations and how to treat diagnosed diseases with antibiotics. This is an opportunity to look at alternatives to help reduce animal health risk, such as mineral programs or probiotic additives, he added. If a treatment protocol calls for using a feed-grade antibiotic, producers will be required to obtain a Veterinary Feed Directive from their veterinarians prior to purchasing and feeding the product. The veterinarian must provide signed written or electronic copies to the feed distributor and producer before the directive product is delivered to the producer. The directive must state what is being treated, the product used, rate of inclusion, duration of treatment, number of head being treated and at what location or operation. Each directive must also include an expiration date, which is the last date the product can be fed. Another key point for producers to understand, Eirich said, is that the regulations allow no extra-label use of medicated feeds. These regulations will also be enforced more within the livestock industry, he said. Directive products can only be used for prevention, treatment or control of diseases indicated on the FDA Approved Labels. All feed manufacturers have submitted new labels removing all performance improvement claims and adding the new regulation requirements. The new labels will help veterinarians determine how directive products can be used and how the directive is to be implemented for that specific product. All labels will be approved by January 2017 for implementation of this new FDA regulation. As with any federal regulation, the new rules will involve documentation and record keeping, according to Eirich. Veterinarians will be required to keep a record of the diagnosis and the original directive document. Feed distributors will keep a copy of the directive with the purchase or delivery receipts. Producers also must hold a copy of the directive, purchase or delivery receipts, and feeding records. All documents must be filed and kept for two years from the directory issue date. The Veterinary Feed Directive regulations will be a new way of doing business for everyone involved in the livestock industry, and there will be growing pains for everyone as the implementation takes place, Eirich said. Producers can ensure that they are more prepared for final implementation by taking the first step of developing a valid (veterinarian client patient) relationship with their veterinarian through discussions on their herd health plan. For more information on Veterinary Feed Directive regulations, visit the Nebraska Beef Quality Assurance website at bqa.unl.edu or contact Eirich at (308) 632-1230 or reirich2@unl.edu. I am currently serving my seventh two-year term on the Agricultural Institute of Nebraska (AIN) board of directors. This is the name of our non-profit corporation whose primary focus is to assist in the successful running of the Husker Harvest Days show. Originally established in 1977, area businessmen saw the need for promoting and developing agriculture and agricultural products by exhibiting them in an area farm show. They believed they would serve the state and region as a meeting place for vendors and agriculturalists to share their ideas and products. Through the years, many partnerships were created to grow the show as the worlds largest totally irrigated working show. The partnership with Farm Progress, the publisher of Nebraska Farmer magazine, has helped grow this show to its current size of over 600 exhibitors. AIN paid for an economic impact study to determine the financial impact Husker Harvest Days has had on the entire area. This was the second such study conducted, with the first one completed in 2007. The 2007 results concluded that the local areas impact reached over $4.8 million dollars. The 2014 study concluded that the show now has an economic impact of over $7 million annually in the Tri-Cities area. AIN believes this impact is due, in part, to our show being an event that attracts the regional and national representatives. They spend upwards of two weeks in our area setting up and running their exhibitor booths. They stay in motels, eat in local restaurants, utilize our leisure opportunities, and shop in our specialty stores. Grow Grand Island is an important resource we hope to utilize as the Husker Harvest Days site nears its 40th year and is in great need of repair and updating. The exhibitors are requesting more power and communication abilities, something this site cant currently handle. Many of the power poles are original. Also, 40 years ago we werent using internet and cellphones. Many process payments and provide access and information online to consumers at the show. Even though weve made improvements to the parking area, rocking the drive lanes, much more infrastructure improvement is needed to the streets, drainage and water services. Grow Grand Island will be a vital part of funding some of these needs. Farm Progress Shows has stressed how appreciative they are of the volunteer support and entire community welcoming them and providing a good experience for show company representatives. I believe Husker Harvest Days is not only a great resource to connect our producers with products and services in our back yard, but a wonderful asset to Central Nebraska. The sharing of ideas and the economic impact to our community is a great asset to cherish and support. Colby R. Collins is senior vice president at Five Points Bank and current AIN president. WASHINGTON The president of the United States lands with all the majesty of Air Force One, waiting to exit the front door and stride down the rolling staircase to the red-carpeted tarmac. Except that there is no rolling staircase. He is forced to exit as one China expert put it rather undiplomatically through the ass of the plane. This happened Saturday at Hangzhou airport. Yes, in China. If the Chinese didnt invent diplomatic protocol, they surely are its most venerable and experienced practitioners. Theyve been at it for 4,000 years. They are the masters of every tributary gesture, every nuance of hierarchical ritual. In a land so exquisitely sensitive to protocol, rolling staircases dont just disappear at arrival ceremonies. Indeed, not one of the other G-20 world leaders was left stranded on his plane upon arrival. Did President Xi Jinping directly order airport personnel and diplomatic functionaries to deny Barack Obama a proper welcome? Who knows? But the message, whether intentional or not, wasnt very subtle. The authorities expressed no regret, no remorse and certainly no apology. On the contrary, they scolded the press for even reporting the snub. No surprise. Chinas ostentatious rudeness was perfectly reflective of the worlds general disdain for President Obama. His high-minded lectures about global norms and demands that others live up to their international obligations are no longer amusing. Theyre irritating. Foreign leaders have reciprocated by taking this administration down a notch knowing they pay no price. In May 2013, Vladimir Putin reportedly kept the U.S. secretary of state cooling his heels for three hours outside his office before deigning to receive him. Even as Obama was hailing the nuclear deal with Iran as a great breakthrough, the ayatollah vowed no change in his policy, which remained diametrically opposed to U.S. arrogant system. The mullahs followed by openly conducting illegal ballistic missile tests calculating, correctly, that Obama would do nothing. And when Iran took prisoner 10 American sailors in the Persian Gulf, made them kneel and broadcast the video, what was the U.S. response? Upon their release, John Kerry publicly thanked Iran for its good conduct. Why should Xi treat Obama with any greater deference? Beijing illegally expands into the South China Sea, meeting only the most perfunctory pushback from the U.S. Obama told CNN that he warned Xi to desist or there will be consequences. Is there a threat less credible? Putin annexes Crimea and Obama crows about the isolation he has imposed on Russia. Look around. Moscow has become Grand Central Station for Middle East leaders seeking outside help in their various conflicts. As for Ukraine, both the French president and the German chancellor have hastened to Moscow to plead with Putin to make peace. Some isolation. Iran regularly harasses our vessels in the Persian Gulf. Russian fighters buzzed a U.S. destroyer in the Baltic Sea. And just Wednesday, a Russian fighter flew within 10 feet of an American military jet. The price they paid? Being admonished that such provocations are unsafe and unprofessional. An OSHA citation is more ominous. Add to that American acquiescence not just to ransoming hostages held by Iran, but to delivering the loot by unmarked plane filled with stacks of cold (untraceable) cash, like a desert drug deal. Why the stealth? Obviously to conceal the manner of the transaction from Congress and the American public. Some humiliations are so grotesque that even the Obama team cant miss it. Now the latest. At the G-20, Obama said he spoke to Putin about cyberwarfare, amid revelations that Russian hackers have been interfering in our political campaigns. We are more technologically advanced, both offensively and defensively, in this arena than any of our adversaries, said Obama, but we really dont want another Cold War-style arms race. Instead, we must all adhere to norms of international behavior. It makes you want to weep. This KGB thug adhering to norms? He invades Ukraine, annexes Crimea, bombs hospitals in Aleppo and we expect him to observe cyber-code etiquette? Rather than exploit our technological lead with countermeasures and deterrent threats to ensure our own cyber safety? Were back to 1929 when Secretary of State Henry Stimson shut down a U.S. code-breaking operation after it gave him decoded Japanese telegrams. He famously explained that gentlemen do not read each others mail. Well, comrade, Putin is no gentleman. And hes reading our mail. Charles Krauthammers email address is letters@charleskrauthammer.com. (c) 2016, The Washington Post Writers Group Syria conflict: Bombs rain down as truce hopes rise Air strikes on rebel-held areas of Syria reportedly killed at least 100 people hours after the US and Russia announced plans for a truce. Trucks with Nepali ginger allowed to enter India Even as the Indian customs office allowed trucks loaded with Nepali ginger to enter its territory on Friday, it is not certain whether the move heralds a permanent end to the ban placed on entry of the Nepali spice to India. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Trinh Thanh Thuy (The Jakarta Post) Ho Chi Minh Sun, September 11, 2016 The United States and China won much world acclaim when they formally ratified the Paris agreement to curb climate-warming emissions on Saturday. Contributions by these powers, which account for nearly 40 percent of global emissions, is a promising sign that the pact can take effect before the end of the year. Fifty-five nations covering at least 55 percent of global emissions need to formally ratify the treaty for it to become legal. While world attention in the last few decades has been more focused on implementing the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), a non-binding agreement, other international laws governing the efficient and harmonious use of existing resources have been neglected. One such law, the Convention on the Law of the Non-Navigational Uses of International Watercourses, adopted by the UN National Assembly in 1997, has been ratified by just 36 countries. Neither the US nor China are among them. Vietnam is the only Southeast Asian country that has ratified the convention. The document requires participatory UN member states to consider the impact of their actions on other states with an interest in a water resource (like the Mekong River), and to equitably share the resource, mindful of variant factors like population size and availability of other resources. Member states are required to provide information to other states about the condition of their shared watercourse and about their planned uses for it, allowing sufficient time for consideration and objection if the use is perceived to be harmful. The convention also requires member states to negotiate a mutually acceptable solution if a use is perceived to be harmful, or seek arbitration at international organizations such as the International Court of Justice. The threat of vulnerable fresh water resources being overexploited, polluted or depleted is even more imminent than global warming as incidents affecting billions of people around the world are being increasingly reported. Reports presented last month at the Global Water Conference 2016 said 780 million people in developing countries lack access to clean water and 3.4 million people die each year from water-related diseases. Every 20 seconds, a child dies from a water-related disease. While clean water is a crucial factor in improving sustainable food production and reducing poverty and hunger, more than 80 per cent of sewage in developing countries is discharged untreated, polluting rivers, lakes and coastal areas. It is also projected that by 2025, the proportion of the worlds population living in water-stressed countries will increase by two thirds. In Southeast Asia, drought and salination caused by harsh weather and alleged water storage at dozens of upstream dams on the Mekong River bankrupted about 1.5 million farmers in Vietnam. For five years now, Mekong Delta farmers have suffered from the absence of regular flooding that helps fertilize the delta, killing pests and bringing an abundance of seafood. Communities here have suffered declining fisheries and the change in water levels has seriously affected their livelihoods. Increasing sea water intrusion as an effect of climate change has destroyed millions of hectares of crops and permanently altered the nature of many land areas. Experts worry that the diversion of Mekong waters by Thailand and Cambodia to other regions is also changing the water regime and the ecosystem in the delta. They also say that the development or diversion of major trans-boundary rivers originating in Tibet, China, such as the Brahmaputra and the Mekong, can cause tensions in relations with Chinas neighbors. Riparian countries on the Mekong have blamed each other for several problems including water shortages, change in the river regime and degradation of the ecosystem. These have fueled nationalist sentiments and suspicions that found wide expression in social and mainstream media. The Mekong River Commission (MRC), the only inter-governmental organization that works directly with the governments of Cambodia, Lao PDR, Thailand and Vietnam, and engages Myanmar and China as dialogue partners, has tried to facilitate joint management of shared water resources and sustainable development of the Mekong River. However, emerging controversial issues such as dam building or river water diversion seem to have gone beyond its capacity. The MRC has adopted a series of procedures for water quality, data and information exchange and sharing, water use monitoring, consultation and for maintenance of flows on the mainstream, but it lacks an effective dispute settling mechanism. The riparian countries are now seeking to learn from other models in addressing trans-border challenges, like the International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River (ICPDR), an organization consisting of 14 member states and the European Union. To cope with fresh water shortage, a series of measures have been applied recently by the Lower Mekong countries, including water diversion, building reservoirs, drip irrigation and digging wells to collect water at hill foot or sandy areas. However all these investments can go to waste if the downstream nations have no control over the source of water supply. Crops will wither and local residents will suffer. Therefore effective collaboration among these nations is needed to manage water resources and deal with environmental, public health and other issues. Apart from revisiting the Convention on the Law of the Non-Navigational Uses of International Watercourses, concerned nations could discuss several measures including a sustainable regime for shared water resources, an agreement on what is a fair share of the water resources, sanitary/water quality standards of cross-border sources, and codes of conduct and other means of settling disputes. Supplements to the convention can address the concerns of sharing states, allowing for joint exploitation of the water resources for tourism, transport or even hydropower generation. They can also jointly develop regulations and invest in a regional water storage system. Riparian nations can even consider compensating people in catchment areas to ensure they benefit from the preservation of forest and water sources. An interesting example is the compromise reached by Russia, China and Mongolia for preserving the ecosystem of Baikal, the largest fresh water lake in the world. Russia had been protesting this issue since 2014, when China pledged US$1billion in credit to the Mongolian government for building a hydropower plant on Selenga, one of the 300 rivers flowing into Baikal. It feared the project would negatively affect the lakes ecosytem, a view supported by UNESCO, which said a number of rare species of birds and fish could disappear. Last June the three countries agreed to temporarily freeze the project to build an eco-corridor in the area. Earlier this year, President Putin wrote off Mongolias $174 million debt and promised to consider reducing future tariffs charged on power sold to Mongolia, which amounts to $25 million a year. International collaboration in water resources management can obviously facilitate co-operation in other fields, boost understanding between nations, and open up opportunities for further economic and political co-operation. The Paris agreement has shown that world nations can reach consensus on common threats to humanity. It also shows that major powers wield decisive influence. They should, therefore, take the initiative on preserving and sustainably using one of our most valuable and vital natural resources, fresh water. __________________________________ The writer is editor-in-chief of Viet Nam News. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Azis Anwar Fachrudin (The Jakarta Post) Yogyakarta Mon, September 12, 2016 On Idul Adha (the Islamic Day of Sacrifice), one of the two holiest days for Muslims, which this year falls on Sept. 12, Muslims will slaughter animals to commemorate Prophet Abrahams willingness to sacrifice his son Ismail as an act of submission to God. Slaughtering an animal during Idul Adha is also spiritually meant to be an act of piety, aimed at being closer to God hence another name: Idul Qurban, which etymologically means, besides offering, being close. However, the way the Idul Adha is marked today, at least in Indonesia, which has the worlds largest Muslim population, is different from in the past. There remain some concerns. As the holiday draws nearer, the price of sacrificial animals (usually goats, sheep and cattle) increases significantly. Goats are priced at almost Rp 2 million (US$151) and cattle seven times as much. These two animals are the cheapest, and the price is about 20 percent more than on regular days. Idul Adha appears to have become a fertile business ground for many livestock animal traders. This certainly has a relation to the high demand: with the growing middle class and Indonesias rapid economic growth, a lot of people nowadays can afford to buy the animals; some areas are even reported to experience livestock shortages. Most importantly, this huge amount of money (imagine, across Indonesia, on average each village/subdistrict sacrifices dozens of animals) is spent to buy animals to be slaughtered just over the one to four days of Idul Adha, and its benefit lasts no longer than that. Were that money to be spent on, say, educational endowment or any other thing for which the benefit lasted much longer, there would be a significant difference. This should be of concern, more so considering that in past years there have people with more urgent needs than the selling the meat of sacrificial animals. All this has much to do with the commonly held belief that slaughtering animals is of a purely ritual nature (ibadah mahdah), being mostly encouraged during Idul Adha, and therefore carried out in which the form of the ritual is as important, if not more so, as its substance or spiritual meaning. This belief stems from the view still embraced by most Muslim scholars that the Idul Adha sacrifice cannot be replaced by cash alms; even for most people the sacrifice is limited only to animals such as goats, cattle, sheep or camels. In fact, opinions vary in the traditional fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence). Yes, most classical fuqaha (fiqh experts) argue things as commonly believed. Nonetheless, there is a minority position worth taking into account. It was narrated that a few companions of the Prophet such as Ibn Abbas and Bilal ibn Rabah slaughter sacrificial chickens because they believed that the symbolic part of the ritual was not the animals slaughtered but the act of slaughtering itself. In other words, the essential part is the blood shedding, not the kinds of the animals. This view was later embraced by some traditional fuqaha, such as al-Shabi and Abu Thaur, and it may have been also adopted by Sunan Kudus, one of the legendary nine saints (Wali Sanga or the first propagators of Islam in Java), when he and his followers replaced cattle with buffalos for sacrifice out of respect for their Hindu neighbors. Idul Adha appears to have become a fertile business ground for many livestock animal traders. There is another view, which may have originated from modernist Muslims but to a certain degree has a basis in one of the sayings of Aisha, the youngest wife of the Prophet. As reported by Ibn Qudamah (al-Mughni, 12/450), Aisha once said she preferred to give charity in the form of a valuable ring as a gift to Mecca citizens rather than slaughter 1,000 animals. This view was once categorized as a contextualist approach by the late Kyai Ali Mustafa Yaqub, former imam of the Grand Istiqlal Mosque in Central Jakarta. Of the latest view, an objection might be posed: had giving alms in the form of cash been preferable to slaughtering animals during Idul Adha, the Prophet and his companions would have exemplified it. A counter argument for this objection is that the social context at that time was significantly different from today. At that time, animals were among the most valuable belongings that one could possess; maybe as valuable as a car for the people of today, and therefore people slaughtering animals for sacrifice were few. Today is different, as aforementioned, besides the needs of contemporary people being much more than those of the past. This is a proposal. At the end of the day, it is up to Muslim scholars themselves, because they hold the power to influence grassroots Muslims. There was recently an effort among Muslim scholars, which surprisingly came from the traditionalist school, to develop the so-called fiqh al-waqi or the fiqh of reality, a fiqh with a pragmatic approach that takes the contemporary social condition as one basis of jurisdiction. The abovementioned contextualist view may fit that. A more fundamental scripturally grounded basis to enhance the argument may be cited, i.e. from the Quran (22:37) that reminds Muslims that their meat will not reach God, nor will their blood; what reaches Him is piety from them. One last thing: apart from being more mindful of the longer-lasting benefit, this pragmatic approach may also be a basis for Muslims to have a more flexible dialogue with animal rights advocates. ____________________________________ The writer is a graduate student of the Center for Religious and Cross-Cultural Studies (CRCS), Gadjah Mada University, Yogyakarta. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Jocelyn Noveck (Associated Press) New York Sun, September 11, 2016 Designer Alexander Wang is, by his own description, a total sneakerhead. He once even designed a whole clothing collection around them, with dresses, tops and handbags emulating his favorite sneaks, like the classic white-and-green Adidas Stan Smith. Now, Wang has taken his sneaker love to a new level, partnering with Adidas for a line of apparel and footwear that seeks, in his words, to "disrupt" the famous Adidas look while still preserving its familiarity. One example: rotating the well-known trefoil logo upside down. Another: "deconstructing" the Adidas sneaker. Also, the entire collection is unisex: Pants, tops, shoes. Wang introduced the new line as a surprise finale to his Fashion Week runway show Saturday night, in a huge space on a Hudson River pier. After modeling creations from Wang's own label, models rushed backstage to change into new Adidas garb, while a one-and-a-half minute film teased the new collection. Then they marched onto the runway, more than 70 of them, all clad in black, as the crowd which included Madonna and Nicki Minaj craned their necks and snapped endless photos. It was, Wang said, "the biggest show we've ever done." In designing the new line, the key challenge was to change up the Adidas look so it feels fresh but not to the point that it's unrecognizable, Wang said in an interview. "It was really about saying, how do we take something and shake it up a little, disrupt it, but at the same time not change it so much where it doesn't feel right." The 32-year-old designer is recognized as one of the most talented and busiest of his generation. He launched his own, eponymous label 11 years ago, at age 21. Last year, he ended a prestigious three-year stint as creative director at Balenciaga, a job that had him splitting his time between Paris and New York. Since then, he's been back fulltime at his own label, where he focuses heavily on streetwear and is a favorite of the celebrity set. As for Adidas, it clearly wanted to capitalize on Wang's edgy and youthful vibe. "I've been a fan for a long time, this connection he has with culture and New York and breaking down boundaries," said Nic Galway, vice president of design for Adidas Originals, who began exploring a partnership with Wang the day after attending the designer's 10th anniversary runway show last September. "What I really love about Alex is that he is a really established part of the fashion world, but he stands for not being elitist," Galway said in an interview. "He lets people in." For Wang, it was a chance to work with a brand he often wore as a child, and especially to work with sneakers. "I grew up on sneakers," he said. "It's a very interesting time obviously for (all) sportswear, the whole market and how people utilize fitness, incorporate it into their daily uniform. So the sneaker is something that I've always been very close to. And it's always been something that's very hard for us to do in house, to be honest obviously Adidas has the most innovative resources." Wang also showed his own label's spring collection on Saturday night, and it was a marked contrast to the all-black Adidas garb: Colorful, whimsical warm-weather clothes that would have been just right for the beach. The designer said backstage that he was going for a "liberating, free, surfer attitude and sensibility. Everything was put through the lens of water sports." "I'm from California," he added. "I love the beach; there's such a kind of laid-back attitude and sensibility that I really wanted to bring into this collection." Wang's after-parties are as famous as his shows. As guests left the runway, they walked into a cavernous space filled with colorful trucks, some dispensing snacks, Slurpees, or stronger beverages. Partiers could take a can of spray paint and decorate a van, if they chose. The Adidas collaboration first available on Sunday via popup trucks at three stops in New York City is yet another effort by Wang to keep moving forward in an industry that is fast changing. All the recent upheaval in the fashion industry including a slew of recent departures of designers at top labels keeps him on his toes, he said. "In the past, I was used to thinking very long-term and big-picture," he said. "But now there has to be a different way of thinking and approaching certain subjects. You have to think faster, roll with the punches. I always want to look forward ... especially in today's world." Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Asmara Wreksono (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Sun, September 11, 2016 An Indonesian short film titled On the Origin of Fear, produced by KawanKawan Film and LimaEnamFilms, will compete against six other films at the 2016 Venice International Film Festival in Sala Giardino, Venice, Italy. Director Bayu Prihantoro Filemon said in a statement, I am really happy to see an Indonesian film compete in this prestigious festival. I dedicate On the Origin of Fear to Indonesias younger generation. Its about me and my generation, about how we are witnesses to the governments version of the 1965 tragedy, which was built up through a cinematic reproduction of terror and fear. I think we all have to be big-hearted enough to accept that there are alternative narratives about the 1965 tragedy, including narratives from the younger generation, he added. (Read also: Indonesian short film selected for Venice festival) On the Origin of Fear tells the story of a film dubber who plays the voice of both victim and torturer at the same time. The short film was inspired by the directors trauma from watching G30SPKI Treachery, directed by Arifin C Noer, which was compulsory viewing for students in the New Order era. On the Origin of Fear, supported by the heritage and cultural diplomacy directorate at the Culture and Education Ministry, will also screen at the Toronto International Film Festival and the Busan International Film Festival. Amerta Kusuma and Yulia Evina Bhara, both producers, stated that the film was a form of diplomacy with the outside world, one that describes the current situation in Indonesia. (Read also: Two Indonesian films to be screened at 69th Locarno Film Festival) Amerta Kusuma added, We encourage everyone to watch the film, with the hope that it opens up a discussion where we can speak about our dark history in a light manner. Knowing our own history will help the next generation move forward. This film is dedicated to the victims who relentlessly fight for justice. We hope they are happy with the film. Actor Pritt Timoty, who plays a central role in the film, expressed his surprise at the audiences reception of his acting, A lot of audience members came up to me, telling me they liked the film. They asked for photographs and asked about my experience in the film," he said. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Mark Kennedy (Associated Press) New York, United States Sun, September 11, 2016 The first "Avatar" sequel is still years away from hitting movie theaters, but fans of the blue-hued Na'vi can get their fix at a touring Cirque du Soleil show that James Cameron helped create without his having to reveal too much of what's up his cinematic sleeve. Cameron, who plans four sequels starting in 2018, served as a consultant on "Toruk The First Flight," a stadium show that opened in Montreal in November and has since toured North America. The writer and director suggested to the Cirque team things that the Na'vi might do or how they might think about certain things, but said he largely let writer-directors Michel Lemieux and Victor Pilon create freely. "I was just a cheerleader on the side with some pom-poms," Cameron said this week when the show stopped in Brooklyn. "Interestingly, left to their own devices, the Cirque guys creatively wound up resonating very, very closely to the overall arc of the four-sequel saga." The Cirque show's upcoming stops include Newark, New Jersey; Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Minneapolis; Winnipeg, Canada; Fresno, California; Ontario, Canada; Los Angeles; Phoenix; San Diego, California; Sacramento, California; and Portland, Oregon. (Read also: Avatar to get 4 sequels, says James Cameron) The original 2009 film centered on the conflict between humans and the blue-skinned alien race Na'vi of Pandora. "Toruk" is named after the massive, dragonlike creatures from the film and tells the story of two Na'vi warriors finding a series of sacred objects. The action takes place on the planet before humans make contact, thereby sidestepping the problem of how to depict the 10-foot Na'vi. Now Cirque gymnasts, no matter how tall, can shine. "If you want to see that explosive celebration of human movement, they're not going to be tall people," said Cameron. Cameron, always on the cutting edge of tech, will shoot his sequels partially using a high 48 frame rate format and said he appreciated the Cirque show employing 40 digital projectors to show everything from lava to water. He said that after seeing the stage show, he might swipe some of the hairstyles and costumes for his films. He also said the Cirque team never asked what was coming up in the sequels, afraid of leaks. The filmmaker has a history with Cirque that includes being an executive producer and camera operator for the 2012 fantasy film "Cirque du Soleil: Worlds Away." He said he admires the way the company promotes talent and keeps creative lines open. "They empower and celebrate creativity and empower the artist. It's the exact opposite of Hollywood," he said. "It's like the anti-Hollywood. If Hollywood were just more like that, I think movies would be a whole lot better." Cameron said he hopes the first film sequel can open at Christmas 2018 and then he'll roll out each successive movie every year after that. But Cameron said he would tweak the timetable to ensure each film is released as closely as possible so there are no lengthy delays. "Once you're on that ride, you don't want to get off," he said. The original 3-D "Avatar" film has netted over $2.7 billion and Cameron pointed to its beauty and its overall theme of protecting nature as reasons for its success. He noted that more than half of all humans now live in cities and that we're paving over all the green. "We're all struggling with our own nature-deficit disorder," he said. "The angels of our better nature know that what we're doing is wrong, and I think 'Avatar' is just a way to process that in a way." Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Kim Tong-Hyung and Youkyung Lee (Associated Press) Seoul Sun, September 11, 2016 Samsung Electronics is urging consumers worldwide to stop using Galaxy Note 7 smartphones immediately and exchange them as soon as possible, as more reports of the phones catching fire emerged even after the company's global recall. The call from the South Korean company, the world's largest smartphone maker, comes after U.S. authorities urged users to switch the Galaxy Note 7 off and not to use or charge it during a flight. Several airlines around the world asked travelers not switch on the jumbo smartphone or put it in checked baggage, with some carriers banning the phone on flights. In a statement posted Saturday on its website, Samsung asked users around the world to "immediately" return their existing Galaxy Note 7 and get a replacement. "We are asking users to power down their Galaxy Note 7s and exchange them as soon as possible," said Koh Dong-jin, Samsung's mobile president. "We are expediting replacement devices so that they can be provided through the exchange program as conveniently as possible." (Read also: Samsung to fully refund Indonesian customers following Galaxy Note7 recall) Consumers can visit Samsung's service centers to receive rental phones for temporary use. Samsung plans to provide Galaxy Note 7 devices with new batteries in South Korea starting Sept. 19, but schedules for other countries vary. Earlier this month, Samsung announced an unprecedented recall of 2.5 million Galaxy Note 7s worldwide just two weeks after the phone was launched. That move came after Samsung's investigation into reports of fires found that rechargeable lithium batteries manufactured by one of its suppliers were at fault. The U.S. was among the first countries to take a step following the recall. Late Friday, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission urged owners of the phone to turn them off and leave them off. It also said it was working with Samsung and hoped to have an official recall "as soon as possible." The recall by the safety commission will allow the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration to ban passengers from carrying the phones on planes. The FAA already warned airline passengers late Thursday not to turn on or charge the Galaxy Note 7 during flights and not to put the smartphone in their checked bags. Scandinavian Airlines said Saturday that it has prohibited passengers from using the Galaxy Note 7 on its flights because of concerns about fires. Singapore Airlines has also banned the use or charging of the device during flights. Samsung said it had confirmed 35 cases of the Galaxy Note 7 catching fire as of Sept. 1, most of them occurring while the battery was being charged. There are at least two more cases that Samsung said it is aware of one at a hotel in Perth, Australia, and another in St. Petersburg, Florida, where a family reported that a Galaxy Note 7 left charging in their Jeep had caught fire, destroying the vehicle. Samsung released the Galaxy Note 7 on Aug. 19. The Galaxy Note series is one of the most expensive lineups made by Samsung. TheJakartaPost Please Update your browser Your browser is out of date, and may not be compatible with our website. A list of the most popular web browsers can be found below. Just click on the icons to get to the download page. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Sat, September 10 2016 Private lender CIMB Niaga announced on Friday that it had fulfilled the free float requirement imposed by the Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX) as it had released a 7.5 percent stake to the public. The requirement stipulates that all publicly listed firms must release a minimum 7.5 percent of its enlarged shares to the public within 24 months after it was issued in 2014. The purpose is to increase trading activities, especially among retail investors. Prior to the regulation issuance, CIMB Niagas public shares only amounted to 2.1 percent. Tigor Siahaan, the banks president director, said in a statement that its parent company, the CIMB Group a Malaysian financial conglomerate had transferred 5.4 percent of its shares to the public. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,500/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Azis Anwar Fachrudin (The Jakarta Post) Yogyakarta Sat, September 10 2016 On Idul Adha (the Islamic Day of Sacrifice), one of the two holiest days for Muslims, which this year falls on Sept. 12, Muslims will slaughter animals to commemorate Prophet Abrahams willingness to sacrifice his son Ismail as an act of submission to God. Slaughtering an animal during Idul Adha is also spiritually meant to be an act of piety, aimed at being closer to God hence another name: Idul Qurban, which etymologically means, besides offering, being close. However, the way the Idul Adha is marked today, at least in Indonesia, which has the worlds largest Muslim population, is different from in the past. There remain some concerns. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,500/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Rizal Harahap (The Jakarta Post) Pekanbaru Sat, September 10 2016 Two members of a tiger trade syndicate have been sentenced to four years in jail for their attempt to sell the skin of a Sumatran tiger. The Rengat District Court in Taluk Kuantan, Riau, also ordered each of the defendants to pay Rp 60 million (US$4,560) in fines or serve an additional three months behind bars. The sentences exceeded demands by state prosecutors. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,500/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login Tunnel work likely to be completed by June 2017 In the month of August alone, the contactor digs more than a kilometre of the tunnel Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (The Jakarta Post) Sat, September 10 2016 Aston Martin Baby Stroller To ensure that your child is accustomed to luxury from an early age, start them off in this baby carriage, courtesy of Aston Martin. The US$3,980 stroller will make your little one the envy of all the other posh kids in the neighborhood. The elegance of the British super-car manufacture guarantees that this stroller will give your child the smooth ride that every infant deserves. So make all the members of your family match: Your husband drives a DB10 and your baby rides in a Aston Martin baby carriage. Sarah Jessica Parkers New Fragrance Welcome Stash, the third fragrance from Sex in the Citys Sarah Jessica Parker. While Stash is all about being sexy and addictive, like SJPs previous perfumes, its also more mature. With heady, rich and crisp scents, Stash smells both feminine and luxurious, and comes wrapped in a powerful bottle that has been rendered in a sharp black-and-gold style. The fragrance launched with a 100ml perfume for $75 and a 30ml perfume for $50. And you can pair it with a rollerball for $25 and a hair and body elixir oil for $50. The complete collection is sure to transport you to your next escapade in a flash. Lineage 1000e Executive Jet If you thought driving your supercar was the epitome of style and status, realize that you might be missing something: If you want to rule this world, you have to rule the sky. Embraer, an aviation company out of Brazil, has teamed up with Eddie Sotto to make you feel like a Fortune-500 CEO whenever you travel. Its Lineage 1000e executive jet mixes the rustic charm of the ranch in Brazil with the opulence of a Texas businessman. Capturing the qualities of a wide-open space associated with its ranching inspiration, this $75 million plane screams style from 35,000 feet. Georg Jensen x Zaha Hadid Before her death last year, the Pritzker-winning architecht Zaha Hadid met representatives of the design house Georg Jensen. Hadid agreed to a collaboration with the Danish brand, resulting in this collection of three cuff bangles and five bold rings in sterling silver or sterling silver-plated with black rhodium set with black diamonds. With dramatic curves and fluid lines, Hadid mirrored the mountains and her iconic Wangjing Soho Building in Beijing. Check out this jaw-dropping collection, with prices ranging from $600 to $30,000. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,500/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Sun, September 11, 2016 Fathul Imron found it unbearable dealing with a complicated bureaucracy when he sought to verify the legal documents for the property he had just bought in Surakarta, Central Java. While fighting back the temptation to turn to local land agency officials who double as middlemen preying on frustrated citizens, Fathul struck a novel idea: seek help from the central government in Jakarta through its public service complaint system, known as LAPOR! So he texted LAPOR! about his bitter experience in dealing with the land agency bureaucrats. Two days later, to his surprise, he received a response from the land agency and in less than a week, his problem was solved. A similar such miracle happened in Jakarta to Juliani, who had just moved to the city and filed a complaint with LAPOR! about extortion by officials from a subdistrict administration office where she applied for an identity card. She would not pay Rp 50,000 (US$3.80) as an official demanded because the corrupt bureaucrat refused her request for a receipt. But she gave up when the official lowered his demand to Rp 25,000. However, when she came to the office to collect her card, she was required to pay another Rp 20,000, above the official charge of Rp 3,000. In a state of fury, she reported the extortion to LAPOR! and only a day went by before her money was returned to her. I got a response directly from pak Edy who is a senior official [at the subdistrict office] and my Rp 20,000 was paid back to me, she said, sharing her story on the LAPOR! website. These success stories are but two of the numerous stories that citizens cheated by corrupt bureaucracies have shared with the public. Since local administrations and the central government have developed their own media outlets to improve public services and transparency, more and more citizens have gone online to air their grievances on issues ranging from neighborhood sanitation to systemic corruption. Developed by the Office of Presidential Staff (KSP) in 2013, LAPOR! is designed to accommodate citizen complaints. The complaints are registered by visiting www.lapor.go.id, texting 1708, tweeting @LAPOR1708 or visiting LAPOR!s Facebook page. Reports are treated as confidential and messages are forwarded to related institutions upon request. Of course, not every complainant is as lucky as Fathul and Juliani. An unhappy story was offered by Melly, an 18-year-old woman who posted a complaint with LAPOR! about being ripped off when she applied for her identity card in Garut, West Java. She had to pay local officials Rp 120,000 but after two weeks of waiting, she had still not received her card. After another anxious wait, the Home Ministry wrote to her to say that it was her fault that she had paid the illegal fee because every citizen was entitled to their identity card free of charge. Remarkably, the ministry suggested that Melly visit the crooked officials, lecture them about the law and try to get back her money. Resident management A local resident undergoes a retina scan to get her electronic identity card at the office of the Population and Civil Registration Agency in Tahuna, Sangihe Islands regency, North Sulawesi, on Sept. 9. (Antara/Adwit B Pramono) Beside complaints, LAPOR! has also been flooded with requests for all sorts of information about the bureaucracy underpinning the Healthcare and Social Security Agency (BPJS Kesehatan). A user named Yanti Malah from Palembang, South Sumatra, asked for information about the exact amount of her due premium. Her report was forwarded by LAPOR! administrators a week later and she received a response from the local office of the BPJS that same day. As of Aug. 28, LAPOR! has received 161,425 complaints and 81 percent of them have been marked as solved, much to the delight of its administrators. Of the total reports, 12 percent remain unresolved and the remaining 7 percent are being processed. BPJS Kesehatan tops the list of state agencies that have effectively handled public complaints, solving 59,935 cases. This is followed by the Jakarta administration with 15,167 cases and the Social Affairs Ministry with 15,250 cases. However, the Jakarta administration, the BPJS and the Social Affairs Ministry must still work through 6,977, 6977 and 5,140 unprocessed complaints, respectively. Gautama Adi Kusuma, a public policy analyst, told The Jakarta Post that LAPOR! was a good example of how citizens could be connected to their elected governments in this digital era when about 90 million Indonesians had access to the internet. It is a good way for people to hold their governments accountable, he added. However, the central government and local administrations must continue to innovate to make the app more widely known to the public, he said. The [central] government should ask for assistance from local administrations to ensure that the app is easy to use, Gautama said, praising it as a step in the right direction. According to a survey conducted in April by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), only 491 of 3,900 respondents from all 34 provinces knew of the existence of LAPOR!. Another public policy expert, Agus Pambagio, said it was also important that LAPOR! build up its credibility because people will only use these kinds of facilities if they are truly effective. But I think LAPOR! will be unable to solve all problems because bureaucracies often have conflicting views about similar issues, Agus said. (wnd) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Jan M. Olsen (Associated Press) Copenhagen, Denmark Sun, September 11, 2016 Associated Press COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) Facebook on Friday reversed its decision to remove postings of an iconic 1972 image of a naked, screaming girl running from a napalm attack in Vietnam, after a Norwegian revolt against the tech giant. Protests in Norway started last month after Facebook deleted the Pulitzer Prize-winning image by Associated Press photographer Nick Ut from a Norwegian author's page, saying it violated its rules on nudity. The revolt escalated on Friday when Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg posted the image on her profile and Facebook deleted that too. The brouhaha is the latest instance in which Facebook's often opaque process for deciding what stays and what goes on its network has spurred controversy. "It's an interesting dilemma because you've got a newsworthy historical image that has been published by traditional news media that was effectively censored by a social network," said Steve Jones, University of Illinois at Chicago communications professor. Initially, Facebook stood by the decision, saying it was difficult to create a distinction between allowing a photograph of a nude child in one instance and not others. But late Friday it said it would allow sharing of the photo. "In this case, we recognize the history and global importance of this image in documenting a particular moment in time," Facebook said in a statement. "Because of its status as an iconic image of historical importance, the value of permitting sharing outweighs the value of protecting the community by removal, so we have decided to reinstate the image on Facebook where we are aware it has been removed." Politicians of all stripes, journalists and regular Norwegians had backed Solberg's decision to share the image. The prime minister told Norwegian broadcaster NRK she was pleased with Facebook's change of heart and that it shows social media users' opinions matter. "To speak up and say we want change, it matters and it works. And that makes me happy," she said. The image shows screaming children running from a burning Vietnamese village. The little girl in in the center of the frame, Kim Phuc, is naked and crying as the napalm melts away layers of her skin. "Today, pictures are such an important element in making an impression, that if you edit past events or people, you change history and you change reality," Solberg told the AP earlier Friday, adding it was the first time one of her Facebook posts was deleted. Solberg later reposted the image with a black box covering the girl from the thighs up. She also posted other iconic photos of historic events, such as the man standing in front of a tank in Beijing's Tiananmen Square in 1989, with black boxes covering the protagonists. Like its Scandinavian neighbors, Norway takes pride in its freedom of speech. It's also a largely secular nation with relaxed attitudes about nudity. Several members of the Norwegian government followed Solberg's lead and posted the photo on their Facebook pages. One of them, Education Minister Torbjorn Roe Isaksen, said it was "an iconic photo, part of our history." Many of the posts were deleted but Isaksen's was still up Friday afternoon. The photo was also left untouched on a number of Facebook accounts, including the AP's. It would be physically impossible for the company to comb through the hundreds of millions of photos posted each day, so it relies on user reports and algorithms to weed out pictures that go against its terms of service. A Facebook spokeswoman said that content will not be removed, no matter how many people report it, as long as it does not violate the company's standards. Facebook usually does not proactively remove photos, with some exceptions, such as child pornography. Facebook sometimes reinstates reported photos after removing them. It can also adjust its standards depending on the response. Breastfeeding and mastectomy photos used to be deleted, but after much outcry the company adjusted its policy on nude photos to allow most of such photos. In another case, a court ruled Facebook could be sued after a man's account was suspended after he posted "The Origin of the World," by Gustave Courbet, an 1866 French painting of a nude model exposing her genitalia. The issue in Norway "points out there's very little transparency," Jones said. "We really don't know how these decisions are made so there's not a lot of accountability either necessarily." Norwegian newspaper Aftenposten published the Vietnam photo on its front page Friday and also wrote an open letter to Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg in which chief editor Espen Egil Hansen accused the social media giant of abusing its power. Hansen said he was "upset, disappointed well, in fact even afraid of what you are about to do to a mainstay of our democratic society." The uproar also spread outside of Norway, with the head of Denmark's journalism union urging people to share Hansen's open letter. Germany's Justice Minister Heiko Maas, who has previously clashed with Facebook over its failure to remove hate speech deemed illegal in Germany, also weighed in, saying "illegal content should vanish from the Internet, not photos that move the whole world." Facebook's statement said it will adjust its review mechanisms to permit sharing of the image going forward. "We are always looking to improve our policies to make sure they both promote free expression and keep our community safe, and we will be engaging with publishers and other members of our global community on these important questions going forward," it said. Paul Colford, AP vice president and director of media relations, said: "The Associated Press is proud of Nick Ut's photo and recognizes its historical impact. In addition, we reserve our rights to this powerful image." Before it was published 44 years ago, AP also had a discussion about the image because it violated the news agency's policy on full-frontal nudity. Hal Buell, then AP's executive news photo editor in New York, said he received a message from Saigon photo editor Horst Faas saying a "controversial picture" was coming up. "Maybe we discussed it on the desk for 10-15 minutes," said Buell, who is now retired. "But there is nothing about this picture that is prurient. How can we not publish this picture? It captures the horrors of war. It captures the terrible situation of innocents caught in the crossfire of the war." AP published the image and media worldwide used it, though some chose not to, Buell said. (dan) ___ Associated Press writer Karl Ritter in Stockholm and AP Technology Writers Barbara Ortutay and Mae Anderson in New York contributed to this report. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Sun, September 11, 2016 Authorities in Saudi Arabia have arrested hundreds of Indonesians for performing the haj in Mecca without a haj permit, officials have said. Saudi Arabia has detained 229 Indonesians who overstayed their permits or work outside of Mecca, Dicky Yunus, the acting Indonesian consulate general in Jeddah, said. His office coordinated with local authorities to handle the case. The Indonesians consist of 155 females, 59 males and 15 children. They were arrested at two illegal shelters after allegedly paying a sum of money to a syndicate that arranged their pilgrimage. "Basically, they have violated Saudi Arabian law by entering Mecca for haj without acquiring tasreeh [haj permit]. But we will keep giving them legal assistance and we will make sure they are detained in a proper place and have their legal rights respected," Dicky said in a press statement released by the Foreign Ministry in Jakarta on Friday evening. The arrested Indonesians could be sentenced to six years in prison and barred from Saudi Arabia for 10 years, according to the law. The police are investigating the case and the punishments will vary depending on the violations, Dicky said, adding that the detainees had been taken to the Tarhil Syumaisi immigration detention facility located between Jeddah and Mecca. (rin) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (Associated Press) Washington Sun, September 11, 2016 President Barack Obama is joining the nation in remembering the nearly 3,000 people who died in the Sept. 11 attacks 15 years ago. The White House says Obama observed the somber anniversary with a moment of silence in the Oval Office at 8:46 a.m. EDT. That's the time when the attacks began on that sunny day in 2001 when a hijacked airplane slammed into the north tower of New York City's World Trade Center. Obama is observing the somber anniversary with a moment of silence in the White House residence at 8:46 a.m. EDT. That's when the first of four hijacked airplanes slammed into the north tower of New York City's World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001. Afterward, Obama will address a Pentagon memorial service. The American flag is flying at half-staff atop the White House and other federal buildings. Obama has invited governors, interested organizations and individuals to follow suit. Nearly 3,000 people were killed in New York, Pennsylvania and at the Pentagon when al-Qaida terrorists crashed the airplanes in those locations. U.S. forces killed al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden nearly a decade later during a May 2011 raid that Obama authorized on his Pakistani hideout. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Sun, September 11, 2016 The promotion of newly appointed National Intelligence Agency (BIN) chief Budi Gunawan as a four-star police general is politically driven, an analyst said on Sunday. President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo inaugurated Gen. Budi Gunawan as the nations new spy chief on Friday, replacing Sutiyoso. Budi, who previously served as National Police deputy chief and held the rank of Comr. Gen., was also promoted to the rank of four-star general by a presidential decree. Usually, only the National Police chief has the rank of four-star general. "Perhaps [the promotion] was granted as compensation because he failed to become National Police chief. The new rank could also have been given to respect Budi's ability. If so, then it is more politically driven than a professional assessment," Bambang Widodo Umar, an expert in the police from University of Indonesia, said on Sunday as reported by kompas.com. Budi was on his way to lead the police in 2015 after receiving approval from the House of Representatives. However, Jokowi canceled his nomination after the Corruption Eradication Commission named him a suspect in an alleged corruption case. Bambang stressed that Budi's main duty as BIN chief was to protect state interests, not to support political parties. National Police chief Gen. Tito Karnavian has taken the promotion lightly, claiming that despite the fact that there are now two active police generals, he and Budi worked for different institutions. (rin) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Foster Klug & Kim Tong Hyung (Associated Press) Seoul, South Korea Sun, September 11, 2016 North Korea's latest nuclear test, its most powerful to date, is a game-changer ... according to North Korea. As with anything reported by Pyongyang, an authoritarian state run by a third-generation dictator who allows zero dissent or outside investigation, there's reason to be skeptical. But even if the North's assertion that it has rounded a crucial corner in nuclear development is more rhetoric than real, the content of its claim holds some important clues about where the country's atomic efforts may be heading. In a meeting in Seoul on Saturday, South Korean Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se said that Friday's test showed that North Korea's nuclear capacity has reached a "considerable level" after quickly progressing in the past 10 years. The newest test by North Korea raises many big questions, including: What did North Korea accomplish? North Korea says its "standardization" of a warhead will allow it to produce "at will and as many as it wants a variety of smaller, lighter and diversified nuclear warheads of higher strike power." This puts "on a higher level (the North's) technology of mounting nuclear warheads on ballistic rockets." It may indicate North Korea feels it can confidently build miniaturized warheads, mass-produce those weapons and then deploy them on ballistic missiles. If so, Pyongyang has developed a unified design for nuclear weapons that could be used on a variety of its ballistic missiles, including Scuds, midrange Rodong and Musudan missiles, and submarine-launched missiles, said Kim Dae Young, a military expert at South Korea's Korea Defense and Security Forum. Combine that with everything scientists have learned from the four previous tests and North Korea may now have nuclear weapons capable of attacking its Asian neighbors, said nuclear expert Whang Joo-ho of Kyung Hee University in South Korea. Daryl Kimball, executive director of the Washington-based Arms Control Association, provided a similar assessment, saying that North Korea is either at or very close to the point where they can arm short-range ballistic missiles with a nuclear warhead. "The cumulative knowledge of the five nuclear test explosions and the dozens of ballistic missile tests, especially in the last 12 months, are giving their technical people greater confidence that they can deploy warheads on their ballistic missiles. If they have not reached that capability today, they certainly will relatively soon with further nuclear test explosions and ballistic missile tests," he said. Whatever the state of the program, one thing is clear: The fifth test was the most powerful to date. Seoul said the magnitude-5.0 seismic event dwarfs the four past quakes associated with North Korean nuclear tests. Artificial seismic waves measuring 3.9 were reported after North Korea's first nuclear test in 2006, for instance, and a 4.8 was reported from its fourth test this January. The explosive yield of Friday's blast would have been 10 to 12 kilotons, or 70 to 80 percent of the force of the 15-kiloton atomic bomb the United States dropped on the Japanese city of Hiroshima in 1945, according to South Korea's weather agency. The North's fourth test, in January, was an estimated 6 kilotons. This power strongly indicates a legitimate advance. "If previous tests were conducted with the purpose of acquiring the nuclear bomb, the newest test shows that the North finally owns a real, weaponized nuclear bomb," Kim said. The RAND National Defense Research Institute, a federally funded U.S. think tank, said in a 2010 report that the detonation of a 10-kilton nuclear weapon in the South Korean capital of Seoul could cause more than 200,000 deaths and would easily overwhelm doctors and beds in hospitals throughout the country. What can it build now? WHAT CAN IT BUILD NOW? The big question, though, is whether Pyongyang can make warheads small and light enough to be armed on a missile that can reach the mainland United States much more advanced technology. Kimball from the Arms Control Association said North Korea has not yet demonstrated the ability to launch a medium- or long-range missile that can re-enter the Earth's atmosphere and is still years away from having an intercontinental ballistic missile that can deliver a nuclear warhead that can hit the continental U.S. If the North has mastered miniaturization, the next step would be making and stamping bombs that can be put on warheads. But how many? North Korea is a very poor country and has much less to work with than, for instance, the United States and Soviet Union did in their nascent nuclear stages. This means that Pyongyang likely can't develop different warheads for different missiles. Much also depends on how much nuclear fuel the country has. Estimates vary, but North Korea may have about 40 kilograms (88 pounds) of weapons-grade plutonium, according to a 2014 South Korean report, which is enough for about seven atomic bombs. But Pyongyang also has a highly enriched uranium program, which is much more easily concealed and which outsiders know very little about; if that program is advanced, the North could have much more fuel for bomb-building. Stephen Schwartz, an independent nuclear weapons expert, said that North Korea's statement about the test suggested that the detonated nuclear device employed a composite fissile core that used both plutonium and highly enriched uranium, which, if true, would enable the North to build more nuclear weapons than would be otherwise possible with plutonium or uranium alone. Are more tests coming? It's a possibility. New tests would help improve the design of North Korean warheads and develop a stronger "boosted" hybrid bomb, which uses some nuclear fusion fuel with conventional uranium or plutonium fuel to achieve a larger explosive force, said Lee Choon Geun, an analyst at South Korea's Science and Technology Policy Institute. But North Korea has vowed to pursue both nuclear and economic development. This test, portrayed as an overwhelming success, could allow the North to turn more attention to its moribund economy and a population that often struggles to find enough to eat. What's rhetoric? What's real? Some outsiders were struck by the name of the agency that announced the nuclear test, something called the Nuclear Weapons Institute, which hasn't appeared previously in North Korean media. This important-sounding institute may be a way for Pyongyang to play up another important goal: that it considers itself a full-fledged nuclear weapons state, despite a refusal by Washington, Seoul and others to accept the North in this role. From a purely propaganda point of view, the North's statement Friday satisfies an important requirement: It portrays a strong, proud country led by a great leader. Whether the North's announcement of its test is simply the same mixture of boast, threat and propaganda that characterizes much of what North Korea chooses to show in its tightly controlled state media, or a major nuclear advancement, the picture that the North paints for the world may be as important as what actually happened. Associated Press writers Hyung-jin Kim in Seoul, South Korea, and Matthew Pennington in Washington contributed to this report. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (Associated Press) Riyadh, Saudi Arabia Sun, September 11, 2016 Saudi Arabia has launched a Farsi-language satellite television channel broadcasting the hajj as Iranians abstain from the pilgrimage amid a dispute between the two regional rivals. The Saudi Minister of Culture and Information Adel al-Toraifi tells Saudi media that the channel is also being broadcast by radio to Iran, Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as via mobile phone applications and the internet. In remarks published by the official Saudi Press Agency on Sunday, al-Toraifi says the channel "aims to broadcast the message of hajj, the eternal meanings of Islam and what is being provided by the kingdom.... to pilgrims and visitors." Iran strongly criticizes Saudi Arabia over its handling of last year's hajj stampede, which killed at least 2,426 pilgrims, including 464 Iranians, according to an Associated Press count.(dan) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Sun, September 11, 2016 The National Association of University Student Executive Bodies (BEM-SI) conducted a rally in Jakarta on Sunday to protest the resumption of the Jakarta Bay reclamation projects following a decision by the government to proceed with the controversial development plan. BEM-SI members from University of Indonesia, Jakarta State University, Jakarta State Polytechnic and several others protested at the Hotel Indonesia traffic circle during a car free day event. The protest was designed to inform people about the Jakarta Bay reclamation projects, said Ihsan Munawar, a representative of BEM-SI. The students believe the ambitious reclamation projects will not deliver positive results for either the local people living in the surrounding area of the Bay or Jakartans more broadly. "[The administration] claims that reclamation will expand the economy. The economy for whom? The people or the capitalists? Of course it is for the capitalists," he said as quoted by kompas.com. Local people, especially fishermen, have complained about the possibility of losing their livelihoods and incomes due to the development of the man-made islets. The construction of the islets will only benefit the capitalists as they will gain a fortune by constructing buildings on the islets, Ihsan said. Coordinating Maritime Affairs Minister Luhut Pandjaitan said on Friday the government had decided to allow the reclamation projects to continue, including the halted islet G project. Luhut argued that based on further evaluation and discussion in his ministry, the projects should proceed. (rin) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Sun, September 11, 2016 Garuda Indonesia has officially announced a ban on the use of Samsung Galaxy Note7 on its flights. The ban was announced on Sunday. The company's corporate communications vice president Benny S. Butarbutar said the move was made to follow up to safety warnings issued by the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on Thursday after the South Korean company recalled its latest version of the Note series last week due to faulty batteries. "Garuda Indonesia warns all passengers not to activate the phone during flights, not even on airplane mode, or to charge the battery or store it in checked baggage," Benny said in a press release on Sunday. Written warnings have reportedly been placed at check-in counters in airports where the carrier operates. A similar ban has been announced by several airlines including Qantas, Jetstar, Virgin Australia and Singapore Airlines. (kes) Turkey 'has duty' to defeat Islamic State group in Syria Turkey has a duty to defeat the so-called Islamic State (IS) in neighbouring Syria, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Ni Nyoman Wira (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Sun, September 11, 2016 The East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) Tourism and Creative Economy Agency has called on the government to implement a visa-free policy with neighboring country Timor Leste. We have requested that the Indonesian and Timor Leste governments work together in relation to a visa-free policy to ease travel between both countries, the agency head, Timur Marius Ardu Jelamu, told Antara news agency on Friday, adding that the government had applied the policy to 169 countries that were mostly Western but not for Timor Leste that already had a direct border with NTT. "Presently, if we want to go to Timor Leste, we have to apply for a regular visa with a certain fee," he added. (Read also: Dozens of Malaysian cardiologists to join Tour de Timor) Marius said the number of travelers crossing from the Motaain border gate in Belu could reach up to 100 people per day with further increases possible, especially during religious holidays. "Implementation of the visa-free policy can positively impact relations and cooperation between the two countries in many sectors as a result of easing mobility." In the tourism sector, for instance, Marius said the policy would helped increase the number of tourists from Timor Leste to NTT. "We are currently establishing tourism cooperation with Timor Leste and Australia, which includes plans to open direct flights between Kupang, Dili and Darwin," he said. (kes) By Rabbi Benjamin Blech, Aish No one can ever forget that September 11. It was 15 years ago but I can vividly recall exactly where I was standing and what I was thinking when I first heard that America was under attack and that the World Trade Center was falling. Its hard to believe that there are young people for whom the events of that horrific day are not personal memories but simply moments of recorded history. Yet 9/11 was not just traumatic, it was transformative. It brought a new understanding of the threats to our very survival. 9/11 was a wake-up call for civilization. Let us take stock of these five major messages, mindful of Santayanas famous warning that those who do not learn from history are condemned to repeat it. 1. We Are All Israelis Immediately after 9/11, the phrase we are all Israelis appeared in some reports. But it was soon forgotten or hijacked by other groups and different causes. Yet it captured a profound truth. The enemies of Israel turned out to be the same enemies intent on destroying the Western world and civilized society as we know it. For years the United States as well as other democracies watched the terrorism and the intifada and the butchering and the sadistic slayings of innocents from afar and thought it had nothing to do with them. Suddenly came the recognition that there is no longer a concept of distance for terror. 9/11 made clear that an ocean can no longer keep Americans safe from attack and that the battle against jihad isnt restricted to Jerusalem. 2. The Terrorists Shouted Allah Akbar No amount of verbal camouflage can hide the truth. The people responsible for the murder of over 3000 innocent Americans were Muslims who proclaimed their deed a glorious act bringing glory to their God for the death of deserving infidels. The extremist fanatics of 9/11 must be denounced in every mosque, condemned by every imam, censured by every fatwa on the anniversary of the day which ought to bring shame to every believer in a God of mercy and compassion. Let us be ready to agree with all those who loudly proclaim that Islam is a religion of peace but let us be convinced of their sincerity by their willingness to openly censure all those who continued to justify barbaric behavior in the name of their religion. 3. America Had No Settlements The Palestinians have perfected slogans to justify their actions. Its the settlements. Its the occupation. Its the flavor of the month they choose to give legitimacy to their cause. No one seems to wonder why the same hatred and desire for the destruction of Israel post 1967 and the settlements was just as intense before Israel prevailed in a war not of their choosing and in which despite unbelievable odds they proved victorious. There were no settlements nor was there an occupation when the Arabs massacred Jews in Hebron in 1929, just as these rationales for Jew hatred did not exist when the United Nations established legitimacy for the creation of the Jewish state only to be followed by a declaration of war intent on its destruction by the seven Arab nations surrounding it. The attack of 9/11 against the United States was, in the words of Bernard Lewis, a clash of civilizations. Yes, there are those who want to see an end to democracy. Yes, there are those who want to see a global caliphate governed by the rules of sharia. Yes, 9/11 was a demonstration of the larger truth that there is a culture of hatred in the world which masks its essence under the guise of grievances which have nothing to do with its true motivations. 4. Real Evil Exists In This World Shortly after 9/11, Newsweek magazine featured a column by a college student asking for greater perspective and greater understanding. After all, this spokesman for cultural relativism plaintively asked, who is to say whether those responsible should be judged by the standards of our morality rather those of their culture in which they died as martyrs in the name of a greater cause. It is a point of view which still seems to enjoy some legitimacy in the academic halls of supra-liberalism. Some people, as Bertrand Russell famously put it, are so open minded they allow their brains to fallout. Cannibals may have justified eating other human beings, but being civilized surely demands a higher standard for ethical dining. Spare me the similar defense for Nazis who took part in concentration camp atrocities because at the time pushing Jews into the crematoria was considered acceptable. Evil is evil. Thou shalt not murder was spoken for all times, for all places and for all people. A post-9/11 world needs to remember that extreme evil must be fought even more than it must be understood. 5. Crises Remind Us of Our Potential for Greatness There is a final message to be learned from 9/11. It is the one with the greatest power to turn tragedy into hope, despair into optimism. Those of us who lived through the horror recall another part of the story. It was the remarkable effect of communal pain creating an unparalleled sense of comradeship. Unbearable hardship gave us a kind of kinship we hardly ever experience except in times of severe crisis. Somehow we knew and we understood that we were all in this together. Reading the stories of those who perished made us relate to every life in a way we never thought possible, and allowed us to understand all the better the preciousness of every moment of our own existence. So many of us realized that we could just as well have been among the victims and felt a keener sense of gratitude for all the things we normally take so much for granted. Abraham was tested with ten trials. The Hebrew word for tested has a dual meaning. It tells us he was tried but it also, remarkably enough, teaches us that he was elevated. Having endured the difficulties he gained even greater stature. That is what 9/11 must achieve for us as well. On its 15th anniversary, let us hope it can accomplish that if we but heed its crucial lessons. Take a moment to let this set in: This year, we have a freshman class of high school students who never experienced the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. They werent even born yet. Thats enough to make even this baby-faced pastor feel old. Its been 15 years since 19 men trained by al-Qaeda hijacked four airplanes and smashed them into the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, killing nearly 3,000 people, more than 400 of them first responders. Its been 15 years of war and fear. That image of those two towers burning, falling its etched on our minds. Struggling to see through the blinding dust of rubble, we wondered: Can anything good come after such evil? Can I ever feel anything again other than this pain and rage? Because of this, the prophet Jeremiah writes, the earth shall mourn, and the heavens grow black. In that same text (Jeremiah 4), we hear Gods heart breaking. When you love someone completely, as God loves us, you open yourself up to the possibility of incredible pain. This is part of the good news. And its a weird part. We dont usually think of Gods suffering and anger as something to be thankful for. But it is indeed good news to know that we are not alone, that the Creator of all things shouts and cries and bangs their fist with ours. It is good news to know that, in our raw moments of pain, God does not silence our anger. How many of us did not feel the same rage, the same despair, the same desire for vengeance after 9/11? God validates those feelings, but also asks that we not get stuck there. Ive read that in Los Angeles, there are days when the smog is so thick that you cant see anything but whats right in front of you. And for a time, you can think theres nothing beyond that smog that this is just now your life, your world. But when that smog lifts, on a clear day, you can see those beautiful mountains on the horizon. You can see that there is more to the world, and to life, than whats right in front of you. I think hope is a lot like that. There are days when you cant believe it exists, you hurt so badly. But then you get a glimpse, and its hard to know how you didnt see it before. Into that pain walks Jesus Christ, who endures the same violence and feels the same despair, but walks beyond it, in resurrection, a sign of the love that will triumph and the life that awaits. At first, it might seem like the angry God described by Jeremiah and the merciful God presented in Jesus Christ cant be the same God. But then we realize that were just hearing from God at different points in Gods, and our, journey through grief. Grief includes anger and despair, but such is not, in the words of the prophet, the end. There is so much more waiting for us. Weve gotten glimpses of it in the last 15 years: moments of laughter and family, of friends and good food. Weve even seen justice and goodness prevail on occasion. But its in church, where we gather in peaceful community to worship and be fed by God, that we really see it. On the first Sunday after 9/11, the people of New York City gathered at Riverside Church for an interfaith service of healing. Muslims worshiped alongside Christians, Jews alongside Hindus. A pastor spoke, but so did two Muslim imams, a Jewish rabbi, and a Buddhist minister. The people that day heard prayers in Arabic, Hebrew, English and Japanese. Rabbi Lester Bronsteins words rang out, We must believe that this bridge of life becomes ever wider and safer when thousands of us gather, across all the lines and definitions that divide us, to become the agents of Gods goodness. So here it is, the hope upon which all hangs: In Jesus Christ, God made the decision we could not. We answered 9/11 with war and fear. God answered with Jesus Christ, with the self-sacrifice of love. And as the recipients of that gift, we too are invited to see beyond doom, beyond death itself to embrace compassion and to see, when the skies clear, that the cross is empty and the stone rolled away. Remember Sept. 11, but dont get stuck there. Be a people who see beyond. UML to caution PM against anti-national agreement Harbouring doubts that Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal might sign anti-national deals during his upcoming India visit, the main opposition UML on Saturday decided to draw his attention and caution him. Will there be a comeback? Monarchists should know that their principles go against the basic premise of inclusiveness 11AAA semis will be awesome and more from HS football quarterfinals high-school-sports Yes, its hard to to tell when one enters the city limits Yes, they will make the city more inviting Maybe ... does it really matter? No, the signs in place are fine No, it would be a waste of taxpayer dollars Vote View Results Two-days after the Anti-Corruption Branch raided the Delhi Waqf Board office, AAP MLA Amantullah Khan resigned as its chairman and also offered to resign as MLA and Political Affairs Committee (PAC) member to the party claiming that he was being "framed in false cases". A case of sexual harassment has been registered against Khan in southeast Delhi's Jamia Nagar Police station on a complaint by his relative. Complainant has also accused her husband of demanding dowry and building pressure on her to get intimate with the AAP legislator. A case under IPC sections 354(A)(sexual harassment), 506 (punishment for criminal intimidation), 509 (word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman), 120B (punishment of criminal conspiracy) and 498A (husband or relative of husband of a woman subjecting her to cruelty) has been registered against Amanatullah and the woman's husband and probe is on, a senior police officer said. However, the Aam Aadmi Party has not accepted Khan's resignation as the MLA and PAC member even as he is required to submit his resignation as the legislator to Delhi Assembly Speaker as per the laid down rules. Crying foul play, Khan alleged he was being framed in false cases as he is an MLA of Aam Aadmi Party and was exposing corruption in the Waqf Board. "I and my wife have nothing to do with my brother-in-law's wife for four years. She has framed me in wrong case. On Board's land, a hotel has come up and that I raised this issue and registered complaint with ACB. I had also exposed financial irregularities of Rs 280 crore in the Board. "I wanted to construct schools, hospitals on Board's land. What is my fault? Why am I being framed? Because,I was the Chairman of Waqf Board and exposing corruption in it one by one," Khan told reporters here. Asked whether he has resigned from all posts, he replied he has quit from all posts including as MLA, PAC member, saying that he is just a party worker now. On Khan's resignation offer, AAP state convenor Dilip Pandey said, "He (Khan) has said what he had to. It is now up to the media to interpret the way it wants to." In his letter, Khan stated that he has "run out of patience" of issuing clarifications to the public pleading innocence over a number of allegations levelled against him and his family members. "Some people dislike my honesty and service and false allegations are being levelled against me and my family to frame us. I want to be free from all the responsibilities given to me by the government and therefore I tender my resignation from all the posts," Khan said. Speaking in the Delhi Assembly on Friday, Khan defended himself saying he had made the "contractual" recruitments following due procedures. Waqf Board was reeling under shortage of staff which necessitated the appointments, he said. Khan said that at present, police are running after AAP MLAs. "Police instantly register a case against AAP MLAs without investigating complainant's allegations. But, the force doesn't take action against BJP ministers at the Centre," he said. The AISA-SFI combine on Saturday evening won all four seats in the Jawaharlal Nehru University Students Union (JNUSU) election. The Students Federation of India (SFI) and the All India Students Association (AISA) bagged the posts of President, Vice President, General Secretary and Joint Secretary. The BJP-affiliated Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) and the Congress-backed National Students Union of India (NSUI) were far behind in all four posts, the sources said, while the newly founded Birsa Ambedkar Phule Students Association (BAPSA) gave a closer fight. The SFI, affiliated to the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M), and the AISA, the student wing of the Communist Party of India-Marxist-Leninist (CPI-ML), formed an alliance to fight the elections. Mohit Kumar pandey, the presidential candidate for AISA-SFI alliance defeated his closest rival, Jahnavi of ABVP by a huge margin of 798 votes while the candidate for Vice-President's post, Amal PP routed another candidate from ABVP, Ravi Ranjan Choudhary, the second best, by an incontrovertible mandate of 2,300. Satarupa Chakraborthy from the SFI, running for the post of General Secretary, won by a margin of 966 votes from his closest rival Vijay from ABVP who got 1,287 votes. The only post where was seen a close contest between the candidates of ABVP and Left alliance was of Joint Secretary's, where Tabrez Hasan of AISA, who got 1,533 votes against 1,263 votes received by Pratim of DSU. This was the first student election in the campus since the arrest of JNUSU President Kanhaiya Kumar -- of the CPI-backed All India Students Federation -- on charges of sedition after a group of students allegedly raised anti-India slogans at an event in February. A total of 4,865 votes were polled in the election. In a major move to take up India's campaign against terror vis-a-vis IS activities and the role of neighbouring Pakistan in fomenting trouble in Jammu and Kashmir, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh will visit Russia and the US this month. As part of an exercise proposed by the government for reaching out overseas, Singh will also travel to Hungary. Singh will be in the US for a week-long trip from September 26-27 for the Indo-US Homeland Security Dialogue with American counterpart Jeh Charles Johnson, official sources said here on Sunday. Singh's visit to the US for Homeland Security Dialogue, a bilateral mechanism, is likely to see a push for greater collaboration between New Delhi and Washington on security cooperation. Last month Rajnath Singh had said that "India and US were natural allies and could transform the world with trade and trust". In order to boost counter-terrorism cooperation, India and the US on June 2 signed an agreement to facilitate exchange of terrorist screening information. Under the agreement both sides have agreed to provide each other with access to terrorism screening information through designated contact points, subject to domestic laws and regulations. India and the US face serious threats from terror outfits like the Islamic State, Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammad, and have been collaborating in the fight against global terror. As part of a similar exercise, Rajnath Singh will visit Russia for talks on issues related to Indo-Russia joint anti-terror cooperation. He will visit Hungary at the end of the year as part of the Modi government's announcement that India will reach out to all nations across the globe to present India's perspective on issues likes terrorism, cyber security, economic growth and addressing issues concerning climate change and sustainable development. Other central ministers too have been named for visits to various countries. Union Food Minister Ram Vilas Paswan among others is likely to visit Mauritius, sources said. Recent hacks of election data systems in at least two states have raised fear among lawmakers and intelligence officials that a foreign government is trying to seed doubt about or even manipulate the presidential race, renewing debate over when cyberattacks cross red lines and warrant a U.S. response. Federal officials already are investigating cyberattacks at the Democratic National Committee and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, believed to be the work of hackers tied to the Russian government. Trolling a private organizations emails is one thing, cyberexperts say, but breaching state election systems to undermine the integrity of the November ballot would be quite another. The mere access to those systems is incredibly concerning to me, said Sean Kanuck, former national intelligence officer for cyber issues at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence. I think that the manipulation of election data or voting systems would warrant a national security response. No one has yet confirmed that data was actually manipulated. Law enforcement and intelligence officials are investigating the election-related breaches, but also are looking at the extent to which Russia could be involved in a disinformation campaign to diminish U.S. clout worldwide. Russian President Vladimir Putin says Moscow wasnt involved in the hacking of emails of the Democratic Party. Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump said last week he thinks its unlikely that Russia is trying to influence the election. I think maybe the Democrats are putting that out, he said on RT America, the U.S. partner of Kremlin-backed network Russia Today. But Defense Secretary Ash Carter issued a public warning to Moscow last week while in Europe. We will not ignore attempts to interfere with our democratic processes, Carter said. Asked later to elaborate, Carter said he was referring to Russias use of hybrid warfare interference in the internal affairs of nations, short of war which he said is a concern across Europe. Late last month, the FBI sent a flash alert to warn state officials to strengthen their election systems in light of evidence that hackers targeted data systems in two states. The FBI described a compromise of one elections board website and attempted intrusion activities in another states system. The FBI didnt name the states, but state election websites in Illinois and Arizona experienced hack-related shutdowns in the parts of the websites that handle online voter registration. Manipulating an election in the United States would be difficult, officials say, because there are thousands of electoral jurisdictions across the 50 states. Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson said Thursday that the election system is so decentralized, so vast it would very difficult to alter the count. FBI Director James Comey agrees. The vote counting in this country tends to be kind of clunky, which is a blessing because it makes harder for hackers to infiltrate, Comey said. It makes it more resilient and farther away from an actor who might be looking to crawl down a fiber-optic cable, and find there actually is no fiber optic cable that its actually some woman named Sally and a guy named Joe and they roll the thing (voting machine) over and pull out the punch cards, Comey said. Such reassurances have not eased concern on Capitol Hill, yet reaction has been mixed. Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid of Nevada was deeply shaken after a half-hour briefing about Russian activities that he received at the FBI office in Las Vegas, according to an individual familiar with the briefing. The individual was not authorized to publicly discuss the briefing and spoke only on condition of anonymity. An aide to another senator, who also was briefed, said what gave the lawmaker pause was that Russia might be meddling in the United States in the same way it has in Eastern Europe where it has a history of using cyberattacks to facilitate their political objectives. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said there is bipartisan concern about the Russian government engaging in covert influence activities. He said a section of this years intelligence authorization bill directs the president to set up an interagency committee to counter active measures by Russia to exert covert influence over peoples and governments.' Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Calif., chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, said, however, that hes not surprised by the hacks. I just think people have been asleep, he said. This is the challenge of going to digital records, digital voting. This is why its imperative to keep paper voting. How the U.S. should respond to cyberattacks is the subject of much debate. John Carlin, assistant attorney general for national security at the Justice Department, described a three-pronged approach: figure out whos responsible, dont be afraid to take it public and routinely impose consequences. Andrew McCabe, deputy director of the FBI, said each one of those steps presents challenges. In terms of options for action, they are limited very understandably sometimes by international policy constraints, diplomatic challenges and the concern about the impact on partners and relationship with partners. California Rep. Adam Schiff, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, said each cyberattack will require a different U.S. response. In some cases, it could begin with naming and shaming responsible parties, he said. Other cases call for economic or other sanctions. When it comes to cyberattacks by North Korea, perhaps the U.S. should consider dropping public leaflets aimed at denouncing the repressive North Korean government, he said. I think the failure to act, the failure to establish any deterrent, the failure to even name responsible parties particularly in the case of Russia only invites further exploitation, further attacks and further effort to disrupt our elections, Schiff said. (AP) Republican Gov. Chris Christies personal email must be searched or he must prove that it already has been to comply with the states public records law, a judge has ruled. The Record reports that Superior Court Judge Mary Jacobson issued the ruling Friday in response to a request filed last year by North Jersey Media Group, the newspapers publisher. The request sought records related to a range of subjects, including the George Washington Bridge scandal. Among the records requested, the newspaper asked for email correspondence between the governor and his aides dealing with a 2013 meeting with Democratic Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. Two former Christie allies go on trial this month on federal charges that they conspired to create traffic jams at the bridge to punish Fulop for not endorsing Christies re-election in 2013. Christie wasnt charged in the lane-closing scandal and has denied knowing anything about it. The judge said in her ruling that the newspaper was entitled to the personal emails because the bridge scandal made it clear Christie had used his personal email account for business. She also ordered the search of personal emails of administration employees to the extent that its possible. Christies office declined comment on the ruling. The governors office provided 90 pages of documents in response to the newspapers request, but 56 of those pages were heavily redacted. The office also did not search Christies personal accounts in responding to the request, even though he and other state employees frequently used personal email to conduct government business, as investigators found in the fallout of the bridge lane closures. During court arguments, Christies office contended that one email, about a meeting between a former Port Authority executive and Fulop, was not subject to the open-records law because it concerned his re-election campaign. It also argued that the reporter who filed the request was playing a game of gotcha in seeking records that were all at play or at least discussed in the federal criminal case on the 2013 bridge lane closures. Samuel Samaro, a lawyer for the newspaper, said there were problems with the offices initial search since Christie regularly used personal email and it appeared he had used it for official business, which would make it subject to the records law. He also noted criticism that Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton has received over her use of a private email server as secretary of state. (AP) FROM THE YWN ARCHIVES: [VIDEO IN EXTENDED ARTICLE] Former President George W. Bush outlines for the first time in a new documentary how events unfolded for him following the 9-11 attacks. In the National Geographic Channel special, George W. Bush: The 9-11 Interview, the former President talks about the chaotic moments after the attacks and the reasoning behind decisions he made that day. Bush reflects on being told about the attacks while visiting schoolchildren in Florida and the difficulty in getting accurate information in what he calls the fog of war. He also talks about returning to the White House to address Americans in the hours after the terrorist attacks. Fearing a possible psychological boost for al-Qaeda, Bush said he, quote, damn sure wasnt going to give it from a bunker in Nebraska. The former President recalls the emotional visit to Ground Zero just three days after the World Trade Center Towers were destroyed. He describes a palpable bloodlust among workers in the ruins who were encouraging him to retaliate against those behind the attacks. (YWN World Headquarters NYC) FROM THE YWN ARCHIVES: When the terror attack occurred, Avremel was fifty-five; his friend Ed, a quadriplegic, was forty-two. Both worked at Empire Blue Cross/Blue Shield as program analysts on the 27th floor of One World Trade Center. By Chavie Zelmanowitz (sister-in-law), as told to Bayla Sheva Brenner On the morning of 9/11, Avremel davened in the same shul with my husband, Yankel, which was unusual. Usually, whenever they said goodbye, they would shake hands. That morning, however, Avremel came toward Yankel and hugged him tightly before he left for work. While driving home after taking me to work, Yankel heard that something had happened at the World Trade Center. He tried to call Avremel. I also tried. We couldnt get through. Then Avremel called Yankel. He said, Im here with Ed. Were waiting for help and then were going to leave. Yankel called me and said, I heard from Avremelhes going to leave. I breathed a sigh of relief. Then I got a phone call from Avremel. I asked, Where are you calling from? I thought you were on your way home. He reassured me that the air was clear where they were, on the 27th floor. Im waiting here with Ed for someone to come help. He said that Ed wanted to wait for a medical team, because in the past when people lifted him improperly, his bones would break. Edward Beyea, who became disabled after a diving accident at age twenty-one, was a large man. He used a wheelchair with all kinds of contraptions. He had no arm or leg function, and operated his computer with a mouth stick. An aide accompanied him at all times. The normal routine was that the aide would bring him to work, set him up in his cubicle, and go up to the 43rd floor to the cafeteria. Thats where she was when the plane hit. There was water coming down, things were falling, smoke was filling the room. She immediately ran back down the staircase to the 27th floor and found the two of them together. Avremel assured her that he would stay with Ed and that she should leave. She barely made it out. Avremel is responsible for her survival. Avremel told me, The fireman is here and he wants me to move to another area. That was the last we heard from him. No one had any idea that the buildings were going to go down. He didnt stay to die; he stayed to help. That was his intention. Avremel and Ed had worked together for twelve years. They traded books and tapes and played chess together. Avremel was a master carpenter; he built Ed a cigar stand and a book stand so that he would be able to read in bed. He used to visit Ed during his numerous hospitalizations. It was a friendship that culminated with this extraordinary act. Initially our son-in-law made up a flyer; everyone was posting flyers for missing relatives. The flyer mentioned that Avremel was together with a quadriplegic friend. Immediately, we were bombarded by reporters. They wanted to hear details of the story. We were interviewed on a few news programs, at one point three in one day. A week after 9/11, our rav told us it was time to sit shivah. Rescuers were not finding anyone alive any longer. We knew Avremel had been in the building at the time. It was time to make a decision. By Yankel (Jack) Zelmanowitz (brother), as told to Bayla Sheva Brenner Avremel lived with us. When my parents went to Eretz Yisrael in 1973, just before the Yom Kippur War, he moved in. I was his big brother; Im twelve and a half years older. We were very close. I took him into the textile business with me, and then he learned programming. He was really a wonderful human being. He had a lot of friends. Always friendly, always doing maasim tovim, favors for people, giving tzedakah, going to shiurim; everybody liked him. He was a simple guy who never looked for praise. His death made such a roshem, such an impression on people. Letters came in from people all over the world. A woman in Canada contacted us. She has a son with cerebral palsy who was fifteen-years-old at the time. She worried about him going into the workforce. I hope I meet someone like Abe, her son said. That week, when President Bush spoke, he mentioned Avremel. He said: We are here in the middle hour of our grief. So many have suffered so great a loss, and today we express our nations sorrow. . . . We have seen our national character in eloquent acts of sacrifice. Inside the World Trade Center, one man who could have saved himself stayed until the end at the side of his quadriplegic friend. My son, Chaim Shaul, was there when the president came the week of 9/11 to visit Ground Zero. He was told to stay behind to tell the story to the president. He called us and asked what he should do since it was erev Shabbos and time was short. We said, Stay as long as you can, leaving yourself enough time to get home for Shabbos. In the end, he had to leave before speaking with the president. We received a phone call from the presidents staff. Were looking for your son to meet the president, they said. On the first anniversary of 9/11, all of the victims families were at Ground Zero. The president spent time mingling with the families and made special time for us. He is a person with a heart; he is very compassionate. He didnt know what to do for us. Avremels actions that day are what defined him. He lived his entire life that way, always caring about people, always anticipating peoples needs. You wouldnt have to ask Avremel for something; hed understand that it had to be done and hed go and do it. This was who he was. He was an extremely devoted son; his kibbud av vaeim was extraordinary. He never married or had children, but our children and grandchildren are following in his footsteps in their gemilut chasadim. How proud he would be to know that. We were called upon to speak about Avremel very oftenat shuls, dinners, et cetera. A library at a nearby yeshivah was dedicated to him. We were constantly on call; that helped us get through the initial period. In August 2002, the police came to our home to inform us that they had identified Avremels remains. We were able to have a kevurah. He had always wanted to be buried in Israel; we asked someone to arrange for a plot on Har Zeisim. When we got there, we were amazed that he had found a plot available right at the foot of our parents graves. In 2006, a street was dedicated to Avremel. The street, on the corner of East 35th Street and Kings Highway [in Brooklyn], our corner, was renamed Abe (Avremel) Zelmanowitz Way. One of the speakers at the dedication, Rabbi Shlomo Zucker, said it is so fitting that the street is called way rather than lane, drive, or street, because Avremel showed us the way to live, the way a person should conduct his life, and how he should interact with Hashem and his fellow man. That is his legacy. He led by example. We have letters from people he worked with. One of his colleagues wrote, We knew he was a religious man, but he never preached. He was always aware, thinking ahead, thinking of others. The effect that Avremel continues to have is amazing. After I heard the news about Bin Laden, I wanted to go down to Ground Zero. It was a relief; we felt a need to share it with those who had lost family members, to be close to them. While we were on the train to Manhattan, my son called us. He said he just got a call from NBC News. They wanted to interview us, find out about our feelings. Avremels story is out there. While at Ground Zero, we must have given twelve or fifteen interviews. Reporters from all over sought us out, wanting to hear the story. We told them the story of Avremel. We always try to point out that it was an Orthodox Jew and a non-Jewish friend and this is what Avremel did because of his friendship. The Shabbos before 9/11, Avremel had gone to a shiur. He was a very reserved person. He wasnt pushy in any way. When the rav started to speak about Kiddush Hashem, Avremel interrupted him and said, How could an ordinary person make a Kiddush Hashem? He got an answer but wasnt satisfied. Avremel interrupted him another time; again, the rav gave him an answer. Then he asked a third time. It wasnt like Avremel to do that. Three days later, he got his answer. Every rav has told us the same thing: its an obligation to perpetuate Avremels story. No matter how painful it is for us, we do it lshem Shamayim. I feel it is our responsibility to perpetuate his Kiddush Hashem. Chavie and Yankel Zelmanowitz live in Brooklyn, New York. Excerpted from Jewish Action, fall 2011 FROM THE YWN ARCHIVES: The following are excerpts of a Wall Street Journal article, and re-posted from the YWN archives: FIVE FLOORS ABOVE, Shimmy Biegeleisen phoned his wife from his office at money-management firm Fiduciary Trust International Inc. Theres been an explosion next door, the 42-year-old vice president said. Dont worry. Im OK. After a few minutes, Mr. Biegeleisen grabbed his black canvas bag, walked past a cluster of cubicles and headed toward the stairwell. But when he reached the doorway a step behind a project manager who worked for him he stopped, leaned his big body against the open metal door and rummaged through his bag. Whatever youre looking for, its not important, the manager told her boss. Please come. She started down the stairs. THE WORD FIDUCIARY filled the caller-ID panel on the kitchen phone in the Biegeleisen home in the Flatbush section of Brooklyn. Miriam Biegeleisen knew it was her husband calling again from his office. I love you, he told her. He hadnt made it to the stairs when the wings of the second jet ripped diagonally through the south tower just four floors below Mr. Biegeleisens cubicle. Fire engulfed the towers stairwells. Mr. Biegeleisen was trapped. Mrs. Biegeleisen handed the phone to Dovid Langer, a friend who volunteered for an ambulance service and had run over when he heard that ambulances had been dispatched to the towers. Dovid, Mr. Biegeleisen told him, take care of Miriam and take care of my children. Mr. Langer heard a recording in the background saying over and over that the building was secure and that people should stay put. (A Port Authority spokesman said, We are not aware of any recorded announcement made by building management.) Mr. Biegeleisen continued: Dovid, Im not coming out of this. Mr. Langer connected Mr. Biegeleisen to Gary Gelbfish, a vascular surgeon and friend who was watching the towers burn on TV. Im having difficulty breathing, Mr. Biegeleisen told him. Black smoke was filling the room. Youve got to do two things, the doctor said. Stay low to the ground. And do you have a towel or a rag? Put water on it and put it over your mouth. Twin Mr. Biegeleisen walked past three cubicles to the water cooler. He wet a towel and raised it to his mouth. Then he walked back to his desk and lay down on the slate blue carpet in his black suede shoes, black pants, oxford shirt and black felt yarmulke. Mr. Biegeleisen was a Chassid, a devoted follower of the Belzer Rebbe, the leader of a rabbinic dynasty that dates to 1815. Is there a sprinkler? Dr. Gelbfish asked. Mr. Biegeleisen looked up but couldnt see through the smoke. He and the five colleagues trapped alongside him decided to try to get to the roof. Mr. Biegeleisen hung up the phone. THE PHONE RANG in the Biegeleisen home. Again, FIDUCIARY flashed on the display. The intense heat had kept Shimmy Biegeleisen from reaching the roof. We couldnt even go into the hallway, he said into the phone. The Biegeleisen home was filling with worried friends and neighbors. Women clustered in the living room, trying to calm Mrs. Biegeleisen. Men paced in the kitchen, taking turns speaking to her husband. One phoned 911. They waited while Mr. Biegeleisen tried again to reach the roof. He didnt make it. At 9:45, he phoned home again. Promise me youll look after Miriam, he told one of his friends. Tell Miriam I love her. Lying on the floor beneath photographs of his five children that sat atop his filing cabinet, he now spoke of them and gave instructions for handling his finances. Mr. Biegeleisen and his 19-year-old son Mordechai were supposed to travel in five days to Jerusalem to spend the Jewish new year with the Belzer Chassidim and meet with the Belzer Rebbe. Mr. Biegeleisen made the trip every few years at Rosh Hashanah. Most inspiring to him was the second night of the holiday, when the Rebbe read aloud the 24th Psalm. Now, in a voice hoarse with smoke, Mr. Biegeleisen began to recite that psalm in Hebrew over the phone: Of David a Psalm. The Lords is the earth and its fullness The friend on the phone began to shake. He handed the phone to another friend, who urged Mr. Biegeleisen to break a window. You can get some air and go to the roof, the friend said. Mr. Biegeleisen called out to a colleague. Lets go! Lets break the window! At 9:59, the two men hauled a filing cabinet to the window. Im looking out the window now, Mr. Biegeleisen said into the phone. Then he screamed: Oh God! The line went dead. SEVEN DAYS AFTER her husbands phone line went dead, Miriam Biegeleisen stood in synagogue on Rosh Hashanah murmuring a prayer about God and fate: How many will pass from the earth and how many will be created. Who will live and who will die. Who by water and who by fire. By tradition, she and her family would have begun their shiva, the weeklong mourning period for her husband, the day after his death. But no body had been found, and the Biegeleisens for days had held on to hope that Shimmy was alive. Now Shimmys father decided that they were ready to mourn. Before they could, it had to be established that Mrs. Biegeleisen wasnt an agunah. In Jewish law, an agunah is a woman who is separated from her husband and cannot remarry, either because he wont grant her a divorce or because it isnt known whether he is alive or dead. With no trace of a body, a rabbinic court must rule whether death can be assumed. Minutes after Rosh Hashanah ended, Mr. Biegeleisens father phoned Efraim Fishel Hershkowitz in Brooklyn. The 76-year-old rabbi said he would convene with two other rabbis to decide the case at once. He asked that the men who had spoken to Mr. Biegeleisen on the day he disappeared come to the rabbis home. He also wanted a tape of the 911 call. THREE RABBIS and six of Shimmy Biegeleisens friends gathered at the home of Rabbi Hershkowitz on Thursday, Sept. 20. It was the Fast of Gedalia, so the men sat down at the dining-room table with empty stomachs. The rabbis wore the long ear-locks, long black coats and wide-brim velvet hats of their European predecessors. One of them opened a copy of the Yiddish newspaper Blat to a sequence of photographs of the towers end. In Yiddish, the rabbis discussed various logistics of the case: the floors the planes hit, how and when the buildings fell, the intensity of the fire, where Mr. Biegeleisen lay, what he said on the phone. They spoke with Mr. Biegeleisens friends about the phone call and about Mr. Biegeleisen then asked them to wait outside. The rabbis deliberated for 10 minutes. Caller-ID repeatedly placed Mr. Biegeleisen at his Fiduciary office. The building fell at the precise moment Mr. Biegeleisen screamed. Mr. Biegeleisens relationship with the Belzer Rebbe attested to his character. They cited a case, in a 16th-century book of Jewish law, of a furnace of fire from which there is no escape. Mr. Biegeleisens was just such a case, they said. His death could be assumed. Mrs. Biegeleisen was not an agunah. The mourning could begin. One of the rabbis went to the Biegeleisen home. He took a razor from his pocket and made cuts in the clothing of the male mourners on the left for Mr. Biegeleisens three sons, on the right for his brother and father. Mrs. Biegeleisen, standing by the kitchen, said, Is the psak [ruling] final? It was. Its over, she thought. Shimmy is not coming back. AN ORTHODOX JEWISH woman came to the Biegeleisen home on Sunday, Sept. 23, the fourth day of shiva. Mrs. Biegeleisen, following Jewish law, sat on a low, hard chair. She didnt know the woman visitor, who said, My husband was also there. Mrs. Biegeleisen understood that the woman had not yet been allowed to mourn. She was as yet an agunah. For Mrs. Biegeleisen, knowing that she could remarry was hardly a comfort. Its not something Im thinking of, she said, her covered hair and engagement ring evidence of her 20 years of marriage. When you live with only one person, its all you know. SHIMMY BIEGELEISENS FAMILY had almost finished mourning him when the phone rang. On the line was the Belzer Rebbe, Issachar Dov Rokeach, calling from Jerusalem. Mr. Biegeleisens wife, five children, parents, brother and sister scurried upstairs to a closed room. They encircled a phone and put it on speaker. The 53-year-old Rebbe spoke quietly in Yiddish. He asked for the men and boys, one by one, and recited to each the Hebrew verse traditionally spoken to mourners: May the Omnipresent console you among the other mourners of Zion and Jerusalem. Finished, the Rebbe said, There are no words. A dial tone reverberated in the room as the family echoed him, over and over: There are no words. There are no words. There are no words. Yechi Zichro Boruch. Edmund Glazer even laughed quietly. He was a calming, logical man, a problem solver, an unassuming gentleman for whom swearing was anathema. Even though he was the youngest of four siblings who were raised in Zambia and South Africa, with his ability to untangle life knots so adroitly, he was the familys go-to guy. Tell me more, he would say, gently touching the other persons arm. What can I do to help? Whenever he visited his sister, Beatrice Sandler, and her daughters, he would immediately stock their refrigerator with groceries and throw out the stale goods from his previous visit. He and his wife, Candy, had recently moved into a house outside Boston. He would eagerly call his sister, hold up the phone and say exultantly, Can you hear that babbling brook? In their dream house, Mr. Glazer, 41, fancied himself a handyman, and would take his young son, Nathan, on forays to Home Depot, hunting for the one tool that would improve his hapless skills. If he was less than dazzling with wood, Mr. Glazer was a Mr. Fix-it at his company, MRV Communications, where he had risen to chief financial officer. On the evening of Sept. 10, he got a call from MRVs home office in Los Angeles, asking for his help on a major project. In his obliging way, Mr. Glazer boarded Flight 11 the next morning. Edmund Glazer, 41, was vice president of finance and administration and chief financial officer at MRV Communications, a Chatsworth, Calif.-based telecommunications company. On Tuesday, Glazer was on his way to the headquarters from his home in Wellesley, Mass. He called me to let me know that he had made it on the plane, said his wife, Candy. He said they were about to take off and he had to turn off the cell phone. Im assuming nothing was going on then, because he sounded normal. We said our byes and he said he would call me when he got there [Los Angeles]. Born in Zambia, Glazer moved to Los Angeles when he was 17 to attend the University of Southern California. Everyone knows the U.S. has the best universities and he decided he wanted to study here, said Candy Glazer. He liked it so much he decided to stay. Profile courtesy of Chicago Tribune Profile published in the NYT on June 2, 2002. (YWN World Headquarters NYC) Hillary Clinton said Saturday that she was wrong to put half of Donald Trumps supporters in a basket of deplorables, but she didnt back down from describing his campaign as largely built on prejudice and paranoia. The Republican accused her of a grotesque attack on American voters. Less than 24 hours after she made the comments at a private New York City fundraiser, Clinton said in a statement, last night I was grossly generalistic and thats never a good idea. I regret saying half that was wrong. But she argued that the word deplorable was reasonable to describe much of Trumps campaign. He has built his campaign largely on prejudice and paranoia and given a national platform to hateful views and voices, including by retweeting fringe bigots with a few dozen followers and spreading their message to 11 million people, the Democratic nominee said. Responding in a statement, Trump said it was disgraceful that Hillary Clinton makes the worst mistake of the political season and instead of owning up to this grotesque attack on American voters, she tries to turn it around with a pathetic rehash of the words and insults used in her failing campaign? Trump added that Clinton was showing bigotry and hatred for millions of Americans, arguing that she was incapable to serve as President of the United States. Clinton, who has said she is the candidate to unify a divided country, made the deplorables comment at an LGBT fundraiser Friday night at a New York City restaurant, with about 1,000 people in attendance. She has made similar comments recently, including on an Israeli television station. To just be grossly generalistic, you could put half of Trumps supporters into what I call the basket of deplorables. Right? The racist, sexist, homophobic, xenophobic, Islamaphobic you name it, she said, before stressing that other Trump supporters are frustrated and need sympathy. Trump and his supporters quickly pounced on the remark, arguing that it revealed Clinton as disconnected from struggling Americans. Wow, Hillary Clinton was SO INSULTING to my supporters, millions of amazing, hard-working people. I think it will cost her at the polls! Trump said in a tweet. Running mate Mike Pence, in remarks at the Values Voter conference in Washington, shot back: The truth of the matter is that the men and women who support Donald Trumps campaign are hard-working Americans, farmers, coal miners, teachers, veterans, members of our law enforcement community, members of every class of this country who know that we can make America great again. Of course, while Clinton is taking heat for her comment, Trumps brand is controversy. At a rally in Pensacola, Florida, on Friday, he said Clinton is so protected that she could walk into this arena right now and shoot somebody with 20,000 people watching, right smack in the middle of the heart. And she wouldnt be prosecuted. Clintons rhetorical stumble came as the candidates head into the final two months of the campaign, with Trump trying to make up ground before the Nov. 8 election. Clinton has not let the media into many private fundraisers, but press was allowed in to hear her remarks Friday. At the New York restaurant, Clinton bemoaned the people she described as deplorables, saying unfortunately there are people like that. And he has lifted them up. He has given voice to their websites that used to only have 11,000 people now how 11 million. He tweets and retweets their offensive hateful mean-spirited rhetoric. Now, some of those folks they are irredeemable, but thankfully they are not America, said Clinton, who was the countrys top diplomat during President Barack Obamas first term. Clinton then pivoted and tried to characterize the other half of Trumps supporters, putting them in that other basket and saying they need empathy. She described them as people who feel that the government has let them down, the economy has let them down, nobody cares about them, nobody worries about what happens to their lives and their futures, and theyre just desperate for change. Seeking to explain the statements, Clinton spokesman Nick Merrill said in a series of tweets after the remarks that Clinton has been talking about the alternative right, or alt-right movement, which often is associated with efforts on the far right to preserve white identity, oppose multiculturalism and defend Western values. Merrill argued that alt-right leaders are supporting Trump and their supporters appear to make up half his crowd when you observe the tone of his events. But the moment recalled comments about voters also at private fundraisers that have tripped up presidential nominees in the past. Weeks before the 2012 election, Republican Mitt Romney landed in hot water for saying that 47 percent of the public would vote for President Barack Obama no matter what because they depended on government benefits and his job was not to worry about those people. During the 2008 Democratic primary, then-Sen. Obama said that small-town voters cling to guns or religion or antipathy to people who arent like them or anti-immigrant sentiment or anti-trade sentiment as a way to explain their frustrations. On Saturday, Clintons staff said she attended another fundraiser at the Armonk, New York, home of attorney David Boies. But reporters traveling with her campaign were not allowed in and did not see her. Trump, meanwhile, did not address Clintons comment at his only scheduled public appearance on Saturday, a funeral in St. Louis for social conservative activist Phyllis Schlafly. Trump noted that Schlafly rooted for the underdog, and the idea that so-called little people, or the little person that she loved so much, could beat the system often times, the rigged system. (AP) North Korea on Friday, 6 Elul, once again tested a nuclear weapon. It was Pyongyangs fifth and according to reports, the most powerful. Israels Foreign Ministry issued a condemnatory statement, which follows. Israel condemns the nuclear test conducted by North Korea. This act violates international norms and Security Council resolutions. The nuclear test, and the ballistic missile tests that preceded it, necessitate concrete action by the international community against the proliferation to the Middle East carried out by North Korea in a variety of areas. (YWN Israel Desk, Jerusalem) A.K. (name on file), an activist affiliated with the Yerushalmi branch which follows HaGaon HaRav Shmuel Auerbach Shlita was convicted on Sunday 8 Elul of insulting a chareidi IDF soldier during a tefilla in Beit Knesset Beit Yisrael in the Ezras Torah area of Yerushalayim. He is also convicted of insulting police at the station. He was acquitted of physical assault. He becomes the first chareidi to be convicted of assaulting a member of the chareidi community for serving in the IDF, the so-called chardakim. The incident occurred a year ago while the soldier was davening maariv in the shul while dressed in an IDF uniform and accompanied by his father. The defendant shouted Chardak at the plaintiff, shouting Get out of here, take off your yarmulke. Why are you davening here?. He continued insulting the soldier while the latter tried davening. Others shouted at the soldier too and one approached him and tried to photograph him with a phone as the soldier asked him not to. The defendant and other approached the soldier and punched him with a closed fist in the area of his chest and shoulder. The soldiers father tried to intervene on his sons behalf by distancing the attackers but he too fell victim as they began pushing and punching him. The defendant shouted against police in the station when he was questioned including Amalek police and Satan police. The court stated We must view the actions of the defendant as directed at the complainant who was fulfilling his duties as an IDF soldier and not just a regular person. The court explained the actions were clearly directed against a public servant and therefore and affront to the IDF and represent a challenge to the very legal status of the state and its agencies. Sentencing hearing to follow. (YWN Israel Desk, Jerusalem) Fit for purpose: Everyone should keep track of their credit history Everyone should keep track of their credit history. It might not be in quite the tip top shape you think for a number of reasons including fraud and it could derail your plans to remortgage your home or buy a new one (perish the thought). Thankfully, access to information on personal credit worthiness is now readily available. Under the Consumer Credit Act, we are entitled to see what the main credit reference agencies CallCredit, Equifax and Experian have on their files about us. It is these details which lenders use to determine whether any application made for a personal loan, credit card or mortgage should be accepted or declined. It costs 2 to request a full statutory credit report from one of the agencies although it is worth forking out 6 to see what details each of them have on you (they vary). By accessing such information, you will be able to check the records are correct you can get mistakes put right and that no one has been busy trying to take out credit in your name. Six pounds very well spent. There are quicker and free ways to get an idea of how credit worthy you are. Provided you are happy to reveal a few key personal details, companies such as Noddle and Clearscore will give you an online rating within minutes. Last week, I tested both (I am still waiting for my statutory credit report from Experian). Clearscore gave me a credit score of 519 out of a maximum 700 (better than the average score of 365 for where I live and better than the average for the UK of 380). It also described my credit rating as stable. Noddle rated me higher, giving a score of 690 (out of a maximum 710) and a maximum five-star rating. Experian has now decided to join this free credit score brigade. As part of its new online creditmatcher service it will provide people with their credit score (mine was an excellent 981 out of 999). Not just now but for ever. For those who want to go further and apply for new credit be it a card, loan or mortgage creditmatcher will come up with the best deals from across the market based on how eligible it thinks you are. On credit cards, for example, I was offered cards ranging from a 90 per cent eligibility rating down to 60 per cent. Experian says that by shopping for credit this way, you reduce not avoid the probability of making an unsuccessful application (or multiple applications) which blemish your credit rating further. Only when you apply for a specific product will it be noted on your credit record. Details of the wider search will not impact on your credit record. Of course, creditmatcher has not been set up purely to ensure our credit records remain as exemplary as possible, taking into account our predilection for debt. Stock market-listed Experian is in business to make money and will earn commission every time someone buys a product through its new service. But provided it remains true to its word and comes up with product recommendations based purely on eligibility grounds (not influenced one iota by how much commission providers pay it), its a service borrowers should welcome. A comparison website a cut above many others. _____________________________________________________________________________________________ Why Yorkshire BS is teaching kids about money Lending and borrowing is one of ten lesson options Yorkshire Building Society is currently offering to deliver at schools up and down the country as part of its commitment to increase financial literacy in the classroom. Like a select number of other banks and building societies keen on a future financial world without scandal and misselling, Yorkshire believes better financial education is part of the answer. This education, it says, should start as early as possible. As a result, it has launched its Money Minds programme which schools can use as part of their national curriculum requirement to deliver financial lessons for key stages one to five. The lessons will be delivered by employees and embrace everything from buying a house (not a chance without the Bank of Mum and Dad) through to exploring the world of work and wages. There are also sessions on pensions (for 16 to 19-year-olds) and keeping money safe. Glaring omissions are the inevitability of humungous student debt (it does provide a broader lesson on lending and borrowing) and the fruitlessness of putting money into a savings account. Biotech group Redx Pharma floated on AIM in March 2015 at 85p. Today the stock is trading at 26p. Yet the company has done nothing obviously wrong and it is backed by heavyweight investors including Aviva, Legal & General and Jon Moulton, the super-rich private equity veteran. The company has a large pipeline of potential drugs, several of which are at an exciting stage of development. So, if all goes according to plan, the shares should rise considerably from current levels. Redx was formed just six years ago and its founders were determined from the start to be different from their peers. Looking ahead: The company has a large pipeline of potential drugs, several of which are at an exciting stage of development Most biotech firms focus on one or two products, so the risk of failure is high. Redx is developing around a dozen new products, so if a couple do not make it to market, the company should not suffer unduly. Many drug developers also concentrate on finding entirely new treatments for particular diseases. Redx looks at what is already out there and works out how to make it better. This significantly reduces the risk of failure because the company concentrates its efforts on improving drugs and products that are either already on the market or are undergoing trials. One of its compounds, for example, is designed to treat the most common form of adult leukaemia. Pharmaceutical multinationals Johnson & Johnson and AbbVie have already produced a drug for this cancer, but questions have been raised about its long-term efficacy. Redx picked up on these concerns when the drug was in clinical trials and has been developing an alternative, which is intended to be more effective for longer. Research is at an advanced stage and Redx's product is expected to move into clinical trials late next year. The company is also developing a treatment for pancreatic, breast and head and neck cancers by targeting cancer stem cells in these areas of the body. These stem cells are difficult to find but they can lie dormant for years before reactivating a cancer after it has gone into remission. Swiss drug group Novartis is looking at this type of cancer therapy too, but Redx is confident that its treatment will do a better job. The company is making good progress and the drug will move into clinical trials early next year. Trading trends: If all goes according to plan, the shares should rise considerably from current levels Across the group, Redx is focused on three areas: cancer treatment, infectious diseases and immunology, working out how best to use the body's own immune system to fight illness and combating autoimmune diseases such as diabetes and Crohn's disease. Chief executive Neil Murray, a doctor by training, has more than 25 years' experience in the pharmaceutical industry, including a spell in the 1990s as a director of Glaxo Wellcome (before it merged with SmithKline Beecham and became GLAXOSMITHKLINE). He and his fellow founders, all of whom have extensive records in the drugs sector, formed the company around five principles: the products they develop have to meet a market need; some tests must have been carried out already on the basic compounds; competition has to be limited; the Redx drugs have to be the best on offer; and the drugs need to relate to the areas that the company is focusing on - cancer, infectious diseases and immunology. The idea behind all these principles is simple: they will help Redx to develop great drugs quickly and therefore make it more commercially successful than many in the biotech sector. A superficial glance at the share price performance would seem to suggest that the strategy has been greeted with scepticism by the stock market. But within the pharmaceutical industry, the company is extremely well regarded. Infectious diseases that it is targeting include the hospital superbug MRSA and the food poisoning bug E.coli, which killed a child in Scotland only last week. The NHS was so impressed with Redx's work on MRSA that it is collaborating with the company to discover new drugs that will stave off the threat of bacteria that are resistant to current antibiotics. The joint venture, with the Royal Liverpool Hospital, is one of the first that the NHS has undertaken with the private sector, a notable milestone for a company as young as Redx. The company is also collaborating with drugs giant AstraZeneca on certain treatments and it is in discussions with several other major pharmaceutical groups about partnership and licensing agreements. The idea of cooperation with larger companies and organisations lies at the heart of Redx's commercial philosophy. As a junior biotech business, it needs the financial and marketing muscle of bigger partners, as it cannot hope to bring products to market on its own. Some drugs will be licensed before going into clinical trials. Others, such as the pancreatic cancer treatment, will be licensed once trials have begun, at which stage partnership agreements become significantly more lucrative. Based in a former AstraZeneca plant near Macclesfield, Cheshire, the company has received substantial local funding and won a number of local awards. Despite regional support and its licensing strategy, Murray may well need to issue more shares to fund growth. In March, the firm raised 10million in an equity placing at 35p and it now has 14million in the bank. But analysts predict that Murray will be back for more. Midas verdict: Redx is at an early stage in its evolution and the share price performance has been poor. There is also the chance that Murray will come cap in hand to investors over the next year. Long-term, however, this company could prove a rewarding investment and at 26p, the shares are a bargain. Traded on: AIM Ticker: REDX Contact: redxpharma.com or 01625 238972 This is Money rounds up the Sunday newspaper share tips. This week, Redx Pharma, Green REIT and Dunelm. MAIL ON SUNDAY Biotech group Redx Pharma floated on AIM in March 2015 at 85p. Today the stock is trading at 26p. Yet the company has done nothing obviously wrong and it is backed by heavyweight investors including Aviva, Legal & General and Jon Moulton, the super-rich private equity veteran. The company has a large pipeline of potential drugs, several of which are at an exciting stage of development. So, if all goes according to plan, the shares should rise considerably from current levels. Redx was formed just six years ago and its founders were determined from the start to be different from their peers. Most biotech firms focus on one or two products, so the risk of failure is high. Redx is developing around a dozen new products, so if a couple do not make it to market, the company should not suffer unduly. Many drug developers also concentrate on finding entirely new treatments for particular diseases. Redx looks at what is already out there and works out how to make it better. This significantly reduces the risk of failure because the company concentrates its efforts on improving drugs and products that are either already on the market or are undergoing trials. Chief executive Neil Murray, a doctor by training, has more than 25 years' experience in the pharmaceutical industry. He and his fellow founders, all of whom have extensive records in the drugs sector, formed the company around five principles: the products they develop have to meet a market need; some tests must have been carried out already on the basic compounds; competition has to be limited; the Redx drugs have to be the best on offer; and the drugs need to relate to the areas that the company is focusing on - cancer, infectious diseases and immunology. The idea behind all these principles is simple: they will help Redx to develop great drugs quickly and therefore make it more commercially successful than many in the biotech sector. A superficial glance at the share price performance would seem to suggest that the strategy has been greeted with scepticism by the stock market. But within the pharmaceutical industry, the company is extremely well regarded. Murray may well need to issue more shares to fund growth. In March, the firm raised 10million in an equity placing at 35p and it now has 14million in the bank. But analysts predict that Murray will be back for more. Midas verdict: Redx is at an early stage in its evolution and the share price performance has been poor. There is also the chance that Murray will come cap in hand to investors over the next year. Long-term, however, this company could prove a rewarding investment and at 26p, the shares are a bargain. >>> READ THE FULL MIDAS COLUMN HERE SUNDAY TELEGRAPH Ireland's property market is tentatively reviving after a turbulent few years in which the Celtic tiger felt the full force of a crippling recession. Green REIT, a commercial property company which invests in and develops offices and industrial space in Ireland, is hoping to ride the wave of optimism. It reports final results tomorrow. The vote to leave the European Union has implications for the London office market: if so-called passporting is scrapped, companies in the financial sector have indicated they may look to move some staff to another EU country. Among the cities seen as a genuine alternative to London is Dublin, where, since mid-2013, capital values of office stock have grown 2.5 times, rents have doubled and yields have compressed by 260 basis points. Law firm Pinsent Masons is among the major companies seeking premises in the market, driven by the Brexit vote. Green is well-placed to capitalise on a flight to Dublin, with 500,000 sq ft of development under way in the city, including four office schemes that will complete over the next two years. Greens shares continue to outperform many peers, rebounding to pre-referendum prices by early July. It was trading at 1.475 on June 23, but plunged to a low of 1.32 on June 27. However, by the end of last week, the share price was back to 1.46. Good results are likely to provide a further boost. Meanwhile, the FTSE 350 REIT index, which tracks the performance of some of the larger REITs on the index, is still trading at 6.6pc below its June 23 price. Analysts suggest the share price could rise as high as 1.85, and although the moment to pile in may have passed given the recent recovery, there is still some value to be had in the longer term. Hold. SUNDAY TIMES Dunelm, seller of pillows and bins, is John Browett's shot at redemption after tough times at Apple and Monsoon Accessorize. The 52-year-old took over in January after six months as chief executive-designate. His mandate was not to overhaul the company, which is still 54% owned by the Adderley family, but to tighten its nuts and fasten its bolts. He has talked of managing stock levels better. Growing the store footprint. Pushing into London. Its all rather prosaic. This week will be big for Browett; the half-year results on Wednesday will be the first that are all his. Like other domestic retailers, Dunelms shares were slammed by Brexit. The stock plunged by a fifth the day after the vote but has since regained nearly all the lost ground. The Brexit shock has passed for now but that doesnt mean pain will not come eventually. As a cut-price John Lewis, Dunelm does well in a bad economy. It also has little debt and a history of paying out special dividends. Investors love free money. David Kershaw was the advertising boss charged with making us want to stay in the European Union. Notoriously, of course, the campaign failed and Kershaw, chief executive of M&C Saatchi, is clear about why campaigning was too negative and there was no clear direction from the politicians. What is more, he clearly believes the admen had answers that could have made a difference. It was frustrating. There were an awful lot of good ideas which would have changed the tone of the campaign but which never saw the light of day, declares Kershaw. The 62-year-old advertising veteran, who has been a top figure in the London ad scene since the 1990s and a long-term associate of the Saatchi brothers, knows what he would have preferred. We wanted to talk about the future more, he argues and cites a poster tugging the heartstrings of parents thinking about their childrens future. In charge: David Kershaws M&C Saatchi have produced a number of iconic adverts We had a pregnant woman in one of our proposed ads with a speech bubble from her bump saying Im in and talking to future generations, younger people, about the advantages of being in a reformed Europe rather than out of it, he says. See the ad below. The poster was one of several that never appeared during the campaign. Kershaw, sipping a glass of rose at his favourite West End restaurant Le Caprice, turns to the organisation at the head of the Remain camp. Britain Stronger in Europe was being run by a cross-party committee and it was hard to get a clear lead. But even Kershaw knows that advertising can only take you so far, however. Would it have made a difference to the result? he ponders. I think advertising tends to reflect a campaign rather than dictate it. But we all believed in Remain on a business level and on a human level we thought it was the right thing to do. Kershaw speaks with authority on the campaign since he is a founding director and group chief executive of the UKs most successful political advertising firm by far. It was M&C Saatchis predecessor Saatchi & Saatchi, which also worked on the Remain campaign, which ushered Margaret Thatcher into power in 1979 with its famous Labour Isnt Working poster showing an unemployment line. His fellow co-founding director Lord Saatchi remains a key adviser to the Tories and the agency handled the Tory partys advertising account one Kershaw is confident of keeping under Theresa May, though that has not been decided yet. It was much easier working for the Tories during the General Election because we were talking to the two or three people who were actually calling the shots, he says. We thought wed learned a key lesson in the Scottish referendum campaign, which we also worked on, because that ended successfully on a note of optimism, the vow to give Scotland more power within a set time frame, and wed worked for a committee then, too. Iconic: The classic Saatchi & Saatchi ad produced in the run up to the 1979 General Election But this time they underestimated the sheer level of resentment against the Establishment and the feeling of Dont tell me what to do which was a strong part of the reason for the vote, too. The self-reinforcing nature of social media also played a part in encouraging entrenched opinions, he says. People follow like-minded souls on social media and that led to some very fixed opinions on both sides, he says. I understand why people behave like that Im an Arsenal fan, and I can no longer follow Piers Morgan on Twitter because though I like him I cant stand his views on Arsenal. Kershaws agency came up with what is perhaps the defining political image of the last General Election: the poster of a giant Alex Salmond with a mini-Ed Miliband in his breast pocket. It neatly summarised the fears of many wavering English voters that a vote for Miliband meant handing Scotlands SNP the whip hand in a Labour Government. Small fry: M&C Saatchi came up with the Alex Salmond/Ed Miliband ad In some respects he is an old-school adman, virtually impossible to dislike and a master of schmoozing clients: At 10pm on referendum night, I checked the odds on my phone as I was on my way back from the opera at Glyndebourne with a client I hasten to add. But he is also a graduate of the London Business School and has run M&C Saatchi on a day-to-day basis since its inception 21 years ago. Now a third of its revenues are from its digital business and it numbers Samsung, Royal Mail, E.On, Shell, Unilever, The New Yorker, Malaysian Airlines and Boots among its clients and has offices in 19 countries. M&C Saatchi will report interim results for the six months to the end of June on September 22 with the City expecting an 11 per cent rise in revenue to 97.2 million and profits up 11 per cent to 10.7 million, according to investment bank Numis. Our mobile digital marketing operation is the fastest growing part of the whole group and it didnt exist four years ago. But it has to be a mix the traditional ad campaign can be the best way to create emotion around a brand on a big scale, but tailored messages and offers on your mobile phone are more important the closer consumers get to actually buying the product, he says. Bumpy road: How David Kershaw believes the Remain campaign should have been fought He, like his fellow founders Maurice and Charles Saatchi, Bill Muirhead and Jeremy Sinclair founded the company after quitting Saatchi & Saatchi. When American investor David Herro led a campaign to rein in what he saw as the agencys excesses, the five of them walked out to start from scratch. In a crucial difference to the agency the Saatchi brothers founded, Kershaw, Muirhead and Sinclair were all equal shareholders with the brothers in the new firm. M&C Saatchi has eschewed the mergers and acquisitions mania, funded by debt, which forced them out of Saatchi & Saatchi. We aimed for healthy organic growth and, though we have taken stakes in local businesses in tough markets like the US and China, weve stuck to it. That model works for us, but its not the only model in advertising that works Martins done it differently, he says. Martin is Sir Martin Sorrell, formerly of Saatchi & Saatchi too, who runs WPP, the worlds biggest ad group. Does Kershaw resent his fellow admans success, as exemplified by Sorrells 70 million take home pay this year? Kershaw himself took home nearly 700,000 in pay and dividends last year and his stake in M&C Saatchi is worth about 14 million. He has built a 20 billion company and the value he has created means his remuneration is not unreasonable in comparison. It is when people are rewarded for failure that everyone truly gets annoyed, he says. But I would hate to work with him, or even worse for him, because WPP, though best in class, is a top- down, hierarchical organisation. Asda has paid its parent company Wal-Mart the biggest dividend for 12 years, even as a food price war raged about it. It transferred 450 million to a sister company owned by Wal-Mart in January despite sliding sales and as it saw its market share further eroded by fast growing German discounters Aldi and Lidl. The money was paid after Asda made record profits of 975 million in the year to December 2015, a rise of 5.9 per cent on the previous year. Sales dipped 3.7 per cent to 22.4 billion. The dividend was the first Asda had paid to Wal-Mart since 2009 and the biggest since the 1.4 billion it paid in 2003. Price war: Sales at supermarket Asda slipped 3.7 per cent last year but profits rose It was transferred from Asda to its holding company, Corinth Investments, which is owned by Wal-Mart Stores UK. A trail of documents shows a higher sum of 505 million was then transferred from yet another Wal-Mart-owned company based in Britain to an Amsterdam firm, Broadstreet European Holdings, also controlled by the US group. The payout came despite fierce supermarket price competition. Last year, Asdas then chief executive, Andy Clarke, dismissed suggestions he had been ordered by Wal-Mart to hold on to its profit margin at the cost of lower sales. But Asdas performance will have been a welcome boost to the Wal-Mart balance sheet in a year in which group profits slipped. Asda said the payment was a capital reduction that was part of an exercise to simplify the group structure. In a surprise announcement three months ago, Clarke was replaced after more than six years as Asdas boss. He is understood to be conducting other duties for the group until the year end. New Marks & Spencer chief executive Steve Rowe was last night standing firm against demands by Labour MPs that he accept a pay freeze for three years. The MPs have waded into a staff pay row at the retailer via a letter and targeted Rowes own salary as part of their campaign. However, in a written reply seen by The Mail on Sunday, Rowe said he and other executive directors had already agreed not to take a pay rise next year, but offered no further freeze. Standing firm: The MPs have waded into a staff pay row at the retailer via a letter and targeted Steve Rowes own salary He also rejected the MPs call for the board to reconsider staff pay changes, saying the vast majority would be better off. And he argued that M&S customer assistants will be paid more than the recently introduced National Living Wage and that from April next year M&S staff would be amongst the highest paid in UK retail. Interventions by MPs on pay at companies are on the rise amid claims that firms are cutting back on benefits to help fund the higher National Living Wage announced last year. Their letter was organised by Siobhain McDonagh, MP for Mitcham and Morden. Backers included Labour leadership candidate Owen Smith, former contender Liz Kendall and former Shadow Chancellor Alan Johnson. It followed a petition of 90,000 signatories against the pay changes. M&S says its proposals will see big rises in basic pay, but will scrap premium pay for Sundays, introduce a standard payment for Bank Holiday working and reduce pension contributions. But after a lengthy consultation M&S has agreed top-up payments to compensate those who might lose out. Rowe told the MPs in his letter: For those who would see a reduction in total pay as a result... top-up payments will ensure nobody is worse off in the first two years. He added that further top-up payments would be made from 2019 onwards. Rowe took over as chief executive in April with a salary of 810,000. He also received 1.4 million in benefits and bonuses over the past two years. Replacing the outgoing Marc Bolland, Rowe is spearheading a turnaround plan at M&S in an effort to revive struggling clothing sales. City analysts welcomed his plans to lower everyday prices and his focus on cherishing the companys core customer, who he dubbed Mrs M&S. However, he has warned that his plans will hit profits in the short term, but will deliver long-term gains. McDonagh said 3,500 long-serving staff would lose out on pay under the new terms, while the pension arrangements of 11,000 will also be affected. She said she would write back to Rowe and ask him to meet the 71 concerned MPs at the House of Commons. She said the staff affected by the new pay terms were hard working, dedicated and are very loyal to the brand. She added: Many have been with the company their entire working lives. Its reasonable that they should expect the same conditions they signed up for. The company has been struggling to revive its clothing business, which has been shrinking for years. Former boss Marc Bolland spent 3.5 billion on turnaround plans, but the City fears profits may not increase materially until at least 2020. McDonagh said staff were not responsible for the mixed fortunes of the ladieswear division. They feel very let down, particularly because Rowe, like them, has been at the company all his life and they feel he should understand. He has quickly taken a more radical stance than Bolland and last week also unveiled plans to cut 525 head office jobs and move 400 out of London. The employment boom has been driven overwhelmingly by small companies which have accounted for almost four fifths of the rise in private sector jobs, a report claims. Employment in Britain has risen by 2.5 million since 2010 with small companies responsible for 1.9 million new jobs. The growth has been particularly strong among the self-employed with an extra 900,000 one-person businesses set up in the last five years, according to the study by energy group Npower and research company Capital Economics. Best foot forward: The study has identified the key hotspots for small firms over the last five years with Manchester, the City of London and Leeds leading the way Despite fears over growth in a post-Brexit Britain, small and medium-sized companies are expected to add a further 200,000 jobs between now and 2020 and are likely to generate an extra 16 billion for the economy. The study has identified the key hotspots for small firms over the last five years with Manchester, the City of London and Leeds leading the way. Smaller companies in the City of London are expected to provide an additional 36,000 jobs in the next five years, followed by Bristol, Leeds, Birmingham and Brighton. The report assessed the areas most likely to enjoy fast growth among small companies by measuring key factors including the workforce skills in a particular area, property costs and broadband speed. Dale Murray CBE, a board adviser at the Centre for Entrepreneurs and non-executive director for the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy, said: Growth of small and medium-sized enterprises will be crucial to the British economy over the next five years as they create tens of thousands of jobs. Policy makers must recognise how vital business rates, living conditions and workforce skills are to attracting small firms and do everything they can do support them. Philip Scholes, head of Npower Business, said: These companies have been the backbone of the country in recent years and as this research shows there is significant opportunity for them to grow further over the next few years. Small companies provide jobs for 16.8 million people in Britain more than half of all employment. Last week, Business and Energy Secretary Greg Clark announced that Start Up Loans with a value of 250 million have been made available to entrepreneurs. More than two-thirds of Britains smallest firms expect to see growth over the next six months despite concerns over Brexit, research has found. The study by business support group Enterprise Nation, which polled 800 small companies and consulted dozens more through focus groups, found 68 per cent expect to expand in the final quarter of 2016. Of those, 59 per cent said they planned to boost profits by introducing new products or services. On the move: The study by business support group Enterprise Nation polled 800 small companies Enterprise Nation founder Emma Jones said: The smallest firms are unlike any other business community and they remain the most optimistic, despite the barrage of negativity they are constantly exposed to. Firms at this stage can often pivot and adapt more quickly, as well as chase opportunity rather than being locked into contracts that begin to offer dwindling margins. While these firms might not have ambitions to become unicorns [start-up companies valued at more than $1 billion] or gazelles [firms increasing revenues by 20 per cent-plus for four years from $1 million], their contribution to the British economy in terms of revenue and employment cannot be dismissed. While 36 per cent said they were more confident about the next six months than previously, 24 per cent said confidence remained the same. But a quarter felt less confident than previously, and of those, 24 per cent put this down to Brexit uncertainty, with another 16 per cent citing a less favourable economy. The firms polled had typically been trading for less than six years, with more than a quarter trading between one and three years. Eighty-one per cent said they were confident their business would still exist in a years time. Meanwhile, the latest small and medium enterprise finance report from market researcher BDRC Continental last week, covering the EU referendum campaign period, shows a continued fall in appetite for external loan and overdraft finance. Many SMEs preferred to self-fund, through retained profits, credit balances or trade credit, for example. Initial analysis of third-quarter interviews since the referendum show little change in how SMEs feel about the economys health. BDRC Continental director Shiona Davies said: This business-as-usual stance is particularly true for smaller and domestically-focused SMEs. And while larger SMEs and those that trade internationally currently have more concerns, notably importers, these are not shared by the majority of SMEs. The British Chambers of Commerce has highlighted fears over the continuing availability of EU workers, and a survey by private equity firm ECI has revealed gazelles want membership of the European single market and access to EU workers to be the Governments top priorities in Brexit negotiations. Suren Thiru, head of economics at the BCC, said: It is still too early to draw firm conclusions on the effects of the EU referendum on overseas trade. As the Government begins to renegotiate the UKs global trade position, it is vital that the Autumn Statement is used to improve support for those firms looking to access new markets. Matt Clifford, co-founder of start-up programme Entrepreneur First, which last week raised 40 million including 26 million from the state-owned British Business Bank to invest in Europes tech company founders, said his biggest Brexit concern was over whether future founders would be able to move to the UK without the offer of a job. Energy companies are named and shamed today for exploiting customers by signing them up to cheap deals then shifting them on to the most expensive tariffs. New research reveals that the power firms are cynically raking in about 900 million by automatically switching customers to costly tariffs once their initial deal expires. All the Big Six energy companies British Gas, EDF, npower, E.ON, Scottish Power and SSE feature in a top ten list of firms using bait and switch. But they insist it is up to customers to tell them if they want to be moved to another cheap deal. First Utility, Extra Energy, npower and EDF were among the companies named in the top ten most expensive switches by suppliers list Commons Energy Select Committee member Glyn Davies reacted with anger to the findings and accused companies of acting dishonestly. The Tory MP said: This evidence clearly shows that energy companies are being deceptive by not making it clear to customers how much they will be paying once their deal runs out. THE TOP TEN MOST EXPENSIVE SWITCHES BY ENERGY SUPPLIERS FIRST UTILITY 53% rise First Fixed July 2017 (745.61) to First Variable (1,139.89). NPOWER 48% rise Price Fix July 2017 (724.2) to Standard Energy (1,071.85) EDF 47% rise Energy Simple Fixed May 17 (727) to Standard Variable (1,068.4) EXTRA ENERGY 45% rise Fresh Fixed Price Oct 2017 v1 ((752.91) to Variable Price v1 (1,094.97) SCOTTISH POWER 45% rise Online Fixed Price Energy June 2017 (728.84) to Standard (1,059.45) BRITISH GAS 43% rise HomeEnergy Exclusive June 2017 (720.22) to Standard (1,030.84) SAINSBURYS 38% rise Fixed Price June 2017 (746.71) to Standard (1,030.84) CO-OP ENERGY 37% rise Fix For Longer Sept 2017 (757.67) to Pioneer v5.2 (1,041.79) SSE 37% rise 1 Year Fixed v8 (752.48) to Standard (1,027.98). Paperless E.ON 36% rise MSM fixed 1 Year Collective March 2016 (758) to Energy Plan paperless (1031.3) Research by Octopus Energy Advertisement They are taking advantage of people, like most of us, who do not know the ins and outs of switching. An analysis of Britains energy market found the largest independent provider, First Utility, was the worst culprit and charges customers an average of 394 a year more once their fixed tariff runs out an astonishing 53 per cent increase. Npower, which was fined 26 million last year for sending out inaccurate bills, was second on the list. Its standard energy tariff is 348 a year more expensive than the 12-month fixed deal it offered in July. The research was carried out by energy supplier Octopus Energy, which identified the best one-year fix each company offered during the past six months and the latest standard tariff. The figures are based on national average usage. Chief executive Greg Jackson said: It should be clear to the customer what they will be paying once their 12-month deal is up. Its exploitative and not letting them make an informed decision. Most people think once they have switched provider, and the year is up, the price increase will not be too much. But actually companies are levying cynical hikes. By the time the company lets you know your deal is running out, you have normally received so much junk mail from them that you dont bother reading it. 'Energy is something we all need and there is no difference in the quality. We shouldnt be penalised by such a huge amount when a contract runs out. The following companies are subsidiares of Pfizer: AH Robins LLC, AHP Holdings B.V., AHP Manufacturing B.V., Agouron Pharmaceuticals LLC, Alacer, Alpharma Holdings LLC, Alpharma Pharmaceuticals LLC, Alpharma Specialty Pharma LLC, Alpharma USHP LLC, American Food Industries LLC, Anacor Pharmaceuticals, Anacor Pharmaceuticals Inc., Angiosyn, Array BioPharma, Ayerst-Wyeth Pharmaceuticals LLC, BIND Therapeutics Inc., BINESA 2002 S.L., Bamboo Therapeutics, Bamboo Therapeutics Inc., Baxter International - Marketed Vaccines, BioRexis, Bioren, Bioren LLC, Blue Whale Re Ltd., C.E. Commercial Holdings C.V., C.E. Commercial Investments C.V., C.P. Pharmaceuticals International C.V., CICL Corporation, COC I Corporation, Catapult Genetics, Coley Pharmaceutical GmbH, Coley Pharmaceutical Group, Coley Pharmaceutical Group Inc., Continental Pharma Inc., Covx, Covx Technologies Ireland Limited, Cyanamid Inter-American Corporation, Cyanamid de Argentina S.A., Cyanamid de Colombia S.A., Distribuidora Mercantil Centro Americana S.A., Encysive Pharmaceuticals, Encysive Pharmaceuticals Inc., Esperion LUV Development Inc., Esperion Therapeutics, Excaliard Pharmaceuticals, Excaliard Pharmaceuticals Inc., Farminova Produtos Farmaceuticos de Inovacao Lda., Farmogene Productos Farmaceuticos Lda, Ferrosan A/S, Ferrosan International A/S, Ferrosan S.R.L., FoldRx Pharmaceuticals Inc., Foldrx Pharmaceuticals, Fort Dodge Manufatura Ltda., G. D. Searle & Co. Limited, G. D. Searle International Capital LLC, G. D. Searle LLC, GI Europe Inc., GI Japan Inc., GenTrac Inc., Genetics Institute LLC, Greenstone LLC, Haptogen Limited, Hospira, Hospira (China) Enterprise Management Co. Ltd., Hospira Adelaide Pty Ltd, Hospira Aseptic Services Limited, Hospira Australia Pty Ltd, Hospira Benelux BVBA, Hospira Chile Limitada, Hospira Deutschland GmbH, Hospira Enterprises B.V., Hospira France SAS, Hospira Healthcare B.V., Hospira Healthcare Corporation, Hospira Healthcare India Private Limited, Hospira Holdings (S.A.) Pty Ltd, Hospira Inc., Hospira Invicta S.A., Hospira Ireland Holdings Unlimited Company, Hospira Ireland Sales Limited, Hospira Japan G.K., Hospira Limited, Hospira Malaysia Sdn Bhd, Hospira NZ Limited, Hospira Nordic AB, Hospira Philippines Inc., Hospira Portugal LDA, Hospira Produtos Hospitalares Ltda., Hospira Pte. Ltd., Hospira Pty Limited, Hospira Puerto Rico LLC, Hospira Singapore Pte Ltd, Hospira UK Limited, Hospira Worldwide LLC, Hospira Zagreb d.o.o., ICAgen, Idun Pharmaceuticals, Industrial Santa Agape S.A., InnoPharma, InnoPharma Inc., International Affiliated Corporation LLC, JMI-Daniels Pharmaceuticals Inc., John Wyeth & Brother Limited, Kiinteisto oy Espoon Pellavaniementie 14, King Pharmaceuticals Holdings LLC, King Pharmaceuticals LLC, King Pharmaceuticals Research and Development LLC, Korea Pharma Holding Company Limited, Laboratoires Pfizer S.A., Laboratorios Parke Davis S.L., Laboratorios Pfizer Ltda., Laboratorios Wyeth LLC, Laboratorios Wyeth S.A., Laboratorios Pfizer Lda., MTG Divestitures LLC, Mayne Pharma IP Holdings (Euro) Pty Ltd, Medivation, Medivation Field Solutions LLC, Medivation LLC, Medivation Neurology LLC, Medivation Prostate Therapeutics LLC, Medivation Services LLC, Medivation Technologies LLC, Meridian Medical Technologies Inc., Meridian Medical Technologies Limited, Monarch Pharmaceuticals LLC, Neusentis Limited, NextWave Pharmaceuticals, NextWave Pharmaceuticals Incorporated, P-D Co. LLC, PAH USA IN8 LLC, PF Americas Holding C.V., PF Asia Manufacturing B.V., PF PR Holdings C.V., PF PRISM C.V., PF PRISM Holdings S.a.r.l., PF Prism S.a.r.l., PFE Holdings G.K., PFE PHAC Holdings 1 LLC, PFE Pfizer Holdings 1 LLC, PFE Wyeth Holdings LLC, PFE Wyeth-Ayerst (Asia) LLC, PHILCO Holdings S.a r.l., PHIVCO Corp., PHIVCO Holdco S.a r.l., PHIVCO Luxembourg S.a r.l., PN Mexico LLC, PT. Pfizer Parke Davis, Parke Davis & Company LLC, Parke Davis Limited, Parke Davis Productos Farmaceuticos Lda, Parke-Davis Manufacturing Corp., Parkedale Pharmaceuticals Inc., Peak Enterprises LLC, Pfizer, Pfizer (China) Research and Development Co. Ltd., Pfizer (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, Pfizer (Perth) Pty Limited, Pfizer (Thailand) Limited, Pfizer (Wuhan) Research and Development Co. Ltd., Pfizer AB, Pfizer AG, Pfizer AS, Pfizer Africa & Middle East for Pharmaceuticals Veterinarian Products & Chemicals S.A.E., Pfizer Anti-Infectives AB, Pfizer ApS, Pfizer Asia Manufacturing Pte. Ltd., Pfizer Asia Pacific Pte Ltd., Pfizer Atlantic Holdings S.a.r.l., Pfizer Australia Holdings B.V., Pfizer Australia Holdings Pty Limited, Pfizer Australia Investments Pty. Ltd., Pfizer Australia Pty Limited, Pfizer B.V., Pfizer BH D.o.o., Pfizer Baltic Holdings B.V., Pfizer Biofarmaceutica Sociedade Unipessoal Lda, Pfizer Biologics (Hangzhou) Co. Ltd, Pfizer Biologics Ireland Holdings Limited, Pfizer Biotech Corporation, Pfizer Bolivia S.A., Pfizer Canada Inc., Pfizer CentreSource Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd., Pfizer Chile S.A., Pfizer Cia. Ltda., Pfizer Colombia Spinco I LLC, Pfizer Commercial Holdings Cooperatief U.A., Pfizer Commercial Holdings TRAE Kft., Pfizer Commercial TRAE Trading Kft., Pfizer Consumer Healthcare AB, Pfizer Consumer Healthcare GmbH, Pfizer Consumer Healthcare Ltd., Pfizer Consumer Manufacturing Italy S.r.l., Pfizer Corporation, Pfizer Corporation Austria Gesellschaft m.b.H., Pfizer Corporation Hong Kong Limited, Pfizer Croatia d.o.o., Pfizer Deutschland GmbH, Pfizer Development LP, Pfizer Development Services (UK) Limited, Pfizer Domestic Ventures Limited, Pfizer Dominicana S.R.L, Pfizer ESP Pty Ltd, Pfizer East India B.V., Pfizer Eastern Investments B.V., Pfizer Egypt S.A.E., Pfizer Enterprise Holdings B.V., Pfizer Enterprises LLC, Pfizer Enterprises SARL, Pfizer Europe Finance B.V., Pfizer Export B.V., Pfizer Export Company, Pfizer Export Holding Company B.V, Pfizer Finance Share Service (Dalian) Co. Ltd., Pfizer Financial Services N.V./S.A., Pfizer France International Investments, Pfizer Free Zone Panama S. de R.L., Pfizer GEP S.L., Pfizer Global Holdings B.V., Pfizer Global Supply Japan Inc., Pfizer Global Trading, Pfizer Group Luxembourg Sarl, Pfizer Gulf FZ-LLC, Pfizer H.C.P. Corporation, Pfizer HK Service Company Limited, Pfizer Health AB, Pfizer Health Solutions Inc., Pfizer Healthcare Ireland, Pfizer Hellas A.E., Pfizer Himalaya Holdings Cooperatief U.A., Pfizer Holding France, Pfizer Holding Ventures, Pfizer Holdings Corporation, Pfizer Holdings Europe Unlimited Company, Pfizer Holdings G.K., Pfizer Holdings International Corporation, Pfizer Holdings International Luxembourg (PHIL) Sarl, Pfizer Holdings North America SARL, Pfizer Hungary Holdings TRAE Kft., Pfizer Inc., Pfizer Innovations AB, Pfizer Innovations LLC, Pfizer Innovative Supply Point International BVBA, Pfizer International LLC, Pfizer International Markets Cooperatief U.A., Pfizer International Operations, Pfizer International S. de R.L., Pfizer International Trading (Shanghai) Limited, Pfizer Investment Capital Unlimited Company, Pfizer Investment Co. Ltd., Pfizer Investment Holdings S.a.r.l., Pfizer Ireland Investments Limited, Pfizer Ireland PFE Holding 1 LLC, Pfizer Ireland PFE Holding 2 LLC, Pfizer Ireland Pharmaceuticals, Pfizer Ireland Ventures Unlimited Company, Pfizer Italia S.r.l., Pfizer Italy Group Holding S.r.l., Pfizer Japan Inc., Pfizer LLC, Pfizer Laboratories (Pty) Limited, Pfizer Laboratories Limited, Pfizer Laboratories PFE (Pty) Ltd, Pfizer Leasing Ireland Limited, Pfizer Leasing UK Limited, Pfizer Limitada, Pfizer Limited, Pfizer Luxco Holdings SARL, Pfizer Luxembourg Global Holdings S.a r.l., Pfizer Luxembourg SARL, Pfizer MAP Holding Inc., Pfizer Manufacturing Austria G.m.b.H., Pfizer Manufacturing Belgium N.V., Pfizer Manufacturing Deutschland GmbH, Pfizer Manufacturing Deutschland Grundbesitz GmbH & Co. KG, Pfizer Manufacturing Holdings LLC, Pfizer Manufacturing Ireland Unlimited Company, Pfizer Manufacturing LLC, Pfizer Manufacturing Services, Pfizer Medical Technology Group (Belgium) N.V., Pfizer Medicamentos Genericos e Participacoes Ltda., Pfizer Mexico Luxco SARL, Pfizer Mexico S.A. de C.V., Pfizer Middle East for Pharmaceuticals Animal Health and Chemicals S.A.E., Pfizer New Zealand Limited, Pfizer Norge AS, Pfizer North American Holdings Inc., Pfizer OTC B.V., Pfizer Overseas LLC, Pfizer Oy, Pfizer PFE ApS, Pfizer PFE AsiaPac Holding B.V., Pfizer PFE Australia Holding B.V., Pfizer PFE Australia Pty Ltd, Pfizer PFE B.V., Pfizer PFE Baltic Holdings B.V., Pfizer PFE Belgium SPRL, Pfizer PFE Brazil Holding S.a r.l., Pfizer PFE CIA. Ltda., Pfizer PFE Chile Holding LLC, Pfizer PFE Colombia Holding Corp., Pfizer PFE Colombia S.A.S, Pfizer PFE Commercial Holdings LLC, Pfizer PFE Croatia Holding B.V., Pfizer PFE Eastern Investments B.V., Pfizer PFE Finland Oy, Pfizer PFE France, Pfizer PFE Global Holdings B.V., Pfizer PFE Ireland Pharmaceuticals Holding 1 B.V., Pfizer PFE Italy Holdco 2 S.a r.l., Pfizer PFE Italy Holdco S.a r.l., Pfizer PFE Korlatolt Felelossegu Tarsasag, Pfizer PFE Limited, Pfizer PFE Luxembourg S.a r.l., Pfizer PFE Mexico Holding 3 LLC, Pfizer PFE Netherlands Holding 1 C.V., Pfizer PFE New Zealand, Pfizer PFE New Zealand Holding B.V., Pfizer PFE Norway Holding S.a r.l., Pfizer PFE PILSA Holdco S.a r.l., Pfizer PFE Peru Holding LLC, Pfizer PFE Peru S.R.L., Pfizer PFE Pharmaceuticals Israel Holding LLC, Pfizer PFE Pharmaceuticals Israel Ltd., Pfizer PFE Private Limited, Pfizer PFE S.R.L, Pfizer PFE Service Company Holding Cooperatief U.A., Pfizer PFE Singapore Holding B.V., Pfizer PFE Singapore Pte. Ltd., Pfizer PFE Spain B.V., Pfizer PFE Spain Holding S.L., Pfizer PFE Sweden Holding 2 S.a.r.l., Pfizer PFE Sweden Holding S.a.r.l., Pfizer PFE Switzerland GmbH, Pfizer PFE Turkey Holding 1 B.V., Pfizer PFE Turkey Holding 2 B.V., Pfizer PFE UK Holding 4 LP, Pfizer PFE US Holdings 1 LLC, Pfizer PFE US Holdings 2 LLC, Pfizer PFE US Holdings 3 LLC, Pfizer PFE US Holdings 4 LLC, Pfizer PFE US Holdings 5 LLC, Pfizer PFE spol. s r.o., Pfizer PFE Ilaclar Anonim Sirketi, Pfizer Pakistan Limited, Pfizer Parke Davis (Thailand) Ltd., Pfizer Parke Davis Inc., Pfizer Parke Davis Sdn. Bhd., Pfizer Pharm Algerie, Pfizer Pharma GmbH, Pfizer Pharma PFE GmbH, Pfizer Pharmaceutical (Wuxi) Co. Ltd., Pfizer Pharmaceutical Trading Limited Liability Company (a/k/a Pfizer Kft. or Pfizer LLC), Pfizer Pharmaceuticals B.V., Pfizer Pharmaceuticals Global B.V., Pfizer Pharmaceuticals Israel Ltd., Pfizer Pharmaceuticals Korea Limited, Pfizer Pharmaceuticals LLC, Pfizer Pharmaceuticals Ltd., Pfizer Pigments Inc., Pfizer Polska Sp. z.o.o., Pfizer Private Limited, Pfizer Production LLC, Pfizer Products Inc., Pfizer Products India Private Limited, Pfizer Research (NC) Inc., Pfizer Romania SRL, Pfizer S.A., Pfizer S.A., Pfizer S.A. (Belgium), Pfizer S.A. de C.V., Pfizer S.A.S., Pfizer S.G.P.S. Lda., Pfizer S.L., Pfizer S.R.L., Pfizer SRB d.o.o., Pfizer Saidal Manufacturing, Pfizer Sante Familiale, Pfizer Saudi Limited, Pfizer Seiyaku K.K., Pfizer Service Company BVBA, Pfizer Service Company Ireland Unlimited Company, Pfizer Services 1, Pfizer Services LLC, Pfizer Shared Services Unlimited Company, Pfizer Shareholdings Intermediate SARL, Pfizer Singapore Holding Pte. Ltd., Pfizer Singapore Trading Pte. Ltd., Pfizer Spain Holdings Cooperatief U.A., Pfizer Specialties Limited, Pfizer Strategic Investment Holdings LLC, Pfizer Sweden Partnership KB, Pfizer TRAE Holdings Kft., Pfizer Trading Polska sp.z.o.o., Pfizer Transactions Ireland Unlimited Company, Pfizer Transactions LLC, Pfizer Transactions Luxembourg SARL, Pfizer Transport LLC, Pfizer Ukraine LLC, Pfizer Vaccines LLC, Pfizer Venezuela S.A., Pfizer Venture Investments LLC, Pfizer Ventures LLC, Pfizer Worldwide Services Unlimited Company, Pfizer Zona Franca S.A., Pfizer spol. s r.o., Pharmacia, Pharmacia & Upjohn Company Inc., Pharmacia & Upjohn Company LLC, Pharmacia & Upjohn LLC, Pharmacia & Upjohn S.A. de C.V., Pharmacia Brasil Ltda., Pharmacia Hepar LLC, Pharmacia Holding AB, Pharmacia Inter-American LLC, Pharmacia International B.V., Pharmacia LLC, Pharmacia Limited, Pharmacia Nostrum S.A., Pharmacia South Africa (Pty) Ltd, PowderJect Research Limited, PowderMed, Purepac Pharmaceutical Holdings LLC, Redvax, Renrall LLC, Rinat Neuroscience, Rinat Neuroscience Corp., Roerig Produtos Farmaceuticos Lda., Roerig S.A., Sao Cristovao Participacoes Ltda., Searle Laboratorios Lda., Serenex, Servicios P&U S. de R.L. de C.V., Shiley LLC, Sinergis Farma-Produtos Farmaceuticos Lda., Site Realty Inc., Solinor LLC, Sugen LLC, Tabor LLC, The Pfizer Incubator LLC, Therachon, Thiakis Limited, Treerly Health Co. Ltd, US Oral Pharmaceuticals Pty Ltd, Upjohn Laboratorios Lda., Vesteralens Naturprodukter A/S, Vesteralens Naturprodukter AB, Vesteralens Naturprodukter AS, Vesteralens Naturprodukter OY, Vicuron Holdings LLC, Vinci Farma S.A., W-L LLC, Warner Lambert, Warner Lambert Ilac Sanayi ve Ticaret Limited Sirketi, Warner Lambert del Uruguay S.A., Warner-Lambert (Thailand) Limited, Warner-Lambert Company AG, Warner-Lambert Company LLC, Warner-Lambert Guatemala Sociedad Anonima, Warner-Lambert S.A., Whitehall International Inc., Whitehall Laboratories Inc., Wyeth (Thailand) Ltd., Wyeth AB, Wyeth Australia Pty. Limited, Wyeth Ayerst Inc., Wyeth Ayerst S.a r.l., Wyeth Biopharma, Wyeth Canada ULC, Wyeth Consumer Healthcare LLC, Wyeth Europa Limited, Wyeth Farma S.A., Wyeth Holdings LLC, Wyeth Industria Farmaceutica Ltda., Wyeth KFT., Wyeth LLC, Wyeth Lederle S.r.l., Wyeth Lederle Vaccines S.A., Wyeth Pakistan Limited, Wyeth Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., Wyeth Pharmaceuticals Company, Wyeth Pharmaceuticals FZ-LLC, Wyeth Pharmaceuticals LLC, Wyeth Pharmaceuticals Limited, Wyeth Puerto Rico Inc., Wyeth S.A.S, Wyeth Subsidiary Illinois Corporation, Wyeth Whitehall Export GmbH, Wyeth Whitehall SARL, Wyeth-Ayerst (Asia) Limited, Wyeth-Ayerst International LLC, and Wyeth-Ayerst Promotions Limited. Read More Juniper Networks, Inc. designs, develops, and sells network products and services worldwide. The company offers routing products, such as ACX series universal access routers to deploy high-bandwidth services; MX series Ethernet routers that function as a universal edge platform; PTX series packet transport routers; wide-area network SDN controllers; and session smart routers. It also provides switching products, including EX series Ethernet switches to address the access, aggregation, and core layer switching requirements of micro branch, branch office, and campus environments; QFX series of core, spine, and top-of-rack data center switches; and juniper access points, which provide Wi-Fi access and performance. In addition, the company offers security products comprising SRX series services gateways for the data center; Branch SRX family provides an integrated and next-generation firewall; virtual firewall that delivers various features of physical firewalls; and advanced malware protection, a cloud-based service and Juniper ATP. Further, it offers Junos OS, a network operating system; Contrail networking, which provides an open-source and standards-based platform for SDN; Mist AI-driven Wired, Wireless, and WAN assurance solutions to set and measure key metrics; Mist AI-driven Marvis Virtual Network Assistant, which identifies the root cause of issues; Juniper Paragon Automation, a modular portfolio of cloud-native software applications; and Juniper Apstra to automate the network lifecycle in a single system. Additionally, the company provides software-as-a-service, technical support, maintenance, and professional services, as well as education and training programs. It sells its products through direct sales, distributors, value-added resellers, and original equipment manufacturers to end-users in the cloud, service provider, and enterprise markets. The company was incorporated in 1996 and is headquartered in Sunnyvale, California. Schwartz, a past speaker at the church, has worked with prison inmates, and refers to Muntaqim as the longest jailed political prisoner in the country. Currently in the Attica Correctional Facility, Muntaqim has been in custody since 1971, and has been denied parole several times. He was sentenced to 25 years to life for luring two police officers into a trap and then shooting them when they answered a domestic violence report. He also pleaded guilty to participating in the murder of a San Francisco police officer. Teledyne Technologies Incorporated provides enabling technologies for industrial growth markets in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Belgium, the Netherlands, and internationally. The company's Instrumentation segment offers monitoring and control instruments for marine, environmental, industrial, and other applications, as well as electronic test and measurement equipment; and power and communications connectivity devices for distributed instrumentation systems and sensor networks. Its Digital Imaging segment provides visible spectrum sensors and digital cameras for industrial machine vision and automated quality control, as well as for medical, research, and scientific applications; and infrared and X-ray spectra for use in industrial, government, and medical applications, as well as micro electromechanical systems and semiconductors, including analog-to-digital and digital-to-analog converters. This segment also offers thermal imaging systems, visible-light imaging systems, locater systems, measurement and diagnostic systems, and threat-detection solutions. The company's Aerospace and Defense Electronics segment provides electronic components and subsystems, as well as communications products, such as defense electronics, environment interconnects, data acquisition and communications equipment for aircraft, components and subsystems for wireless and satellite communications, and general aviation batteries. Its Engineered Systems segment offers systems engineering and integration, technology development, and manufacturing solutions for defense, space, environmental, and energy applications; and designs and manufactures electrochemical energy systems and electronics for military applications. The company markets and sells its products and services through a direct internal sales force, as well as third-party sales representatives and distributors. Teledyne Technologies Incorporated was founded in 1960 and is headquartered in Thousand Oaks, California. The following companies are subsidiares of Becton, Dickinson and: Accuri Cytometers, Accuri Cytometers Inc., Alverix Inc, Alverix Inc., Atto Bioscience Inc, BD Holding S. de R.L. de C.V., BD Infection Prevention BV, BD Kiestra BV, BD Kiestra Total Lab Automation, BD Rapid Diagnostic (Suzhou) Co. Ltd., BD San Luis Potosi S.A. de C.V., BD Switzerland Sarl, BD Ventures LLC, BD West Africa Limited, BDX INO LLC, Bard (Thailand) Limited, Bard ASDI Inc., Bard Access Systems Inc., Bard Acquisition Sub Inc., Bard Australia Pty. Limited, Bard Benelux N.V., Bard Brachytherapy Inc., Bard Brasil Industria e Comercio de Produtos Para a Saude Ltda., Bard Canada Inc., Bard Chile S.p.A., Bard Czech Republic s.r.o., Bard Devices Inc., Bard Dublin ITC Limited, Bard EMEA Finance Center Sp.z o.o., Bard European Distribution Center N.V., Bard Finance B.V. & Co. KG., Bard Financial Services Ltd., Bard Finland OY, Bard France S.A.S., Bard Global Holdings I LLC, Bard Global Holdings II LLC, Bard Global Holdings III LLC, Bard Healthcare Inc., Bard Healthcare Science (Shanghai) Limited, Bard Hellas S.A., Bard Holding SAS, Bard Holdings Limited, Bard Holdings Netherlands B.V., Bard Hong Kong Limited, Bard IP Holdings Inc., Bard India Healthcare Pvt. Ltd., Bard International Holdings B.V., Bard International Inc., Bard Istanbul Healthcare Limited Company, Bard Korea Ltd., Bard Limited, Bard MRL Acquisition Corp., Bard Malaysia Healthcare Sdn. Bhd., Bard Medica SA, Bard Medical Devices (Beijing) Co. Ltd., Bard Medical R&D (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Bard Medical SA (Proprietary) Limited, Bard Mexico Realty S. de R.L. de C.V., Bard Norden AB, Bard Norway AS, Bard Pacific Health Care Company Ltd., Bard Peripheral Vascular Inc., Bard Poland Sp. z.o.o., Bard Productos Plasticos e Medicos Ltda., Bard Reynosa S.A. de C.V., Bard S.r.l., Bard Sdn. Bhd., Bard Shannon Limited, Bard Singapore Private Limited, Bard Sourcing Office Singapore Pte. Ltd., Bard Sweden AB, Bard UK Newco Limited, Bard de Espana S.A., Becton Dickinson (Gibraltar) Holdings Ltd., Becton Dickinson (Gibraltar) Limited, Becton Dickinson (Gibraltar) Management Limited, Becton Dickinson (Mauritius) Limited, Becton Dickinson (Pty) Ltd., Becton Dickinson (Thailand) Limited, Becton Dickinson A.G., Becton Dickinson A/S, Becton Dickinson Argentina S.R.L., Becton Dickinson Asia Holdings Ltd., Becton Dickinson Asia Limited, Becton Dickinson Austria GmbH, Becton Dickinson Austria Holdings GmbH, Becton Dickinson B.V., Becton Dickinson B.V. Saudi Limited Company, Becton Dickinson Benelux N.V., Becton Dickinson Biosciences Systems and Reagents Inc., Becton Dickinson Canada Inc., Becton Dickinson Caribe Ltd., Becton Dickinson Croatia d.o.o., Becton Dickinson Czechia s.r.o., Becton Dickinson Dispensing Belgium BVBA, Becton Dickinson Dispensing Denmark A/S, Becton Dickinson Dispensing France SAS, Becton Dickinson Dispensing Ireland Limited, Becton Dickinson Dispensing Norway, Becton Dickinson Dispensing Spain S.L.U., Becton Dickinson Dispensing UK Ltd., Becton Dickinson Distribution Center N.V., Becton Dickinson East Africa Ltd., Becton Dickinson Euro Finance Sarl, Becton Dickinson Europe Holdings S.A.S., Becton Dickinson France S.A.S., Becton Dickinson GSA Beteilgungs GmbH, Becton Dickinson Global Holdings I Inc., Becton Dickinson Global Holdings II LLC, Becton Dickinson Global Holdings IV LLC, Becton Dickinson Global Holdings V LLC, Becton Dickinson Global Holdings VII LLC, Becton Dickinson Global Holdings VIII LLC, Becton Dickinson Global Services Centre Sdn. Bhd, Becton Dickinson GmbH, Becton Dickinson Guatemala S.A., Becton Dickinson Hellas S.A., Becton Dickinson Holdings Limited, Becton Dickinson Holdings Ltd., Becton Dickinson Holdings Pte Ltd., Becton Dickinson Hungary Kft., Becton Dickinson India Private Limited, Becton Dickinson Industrias Cirurgicas Ltda., Becton Dickinson Infusion Therapy AB, Becton Dickinson Infusion Therapy Holdings UK Limited, Becton Dickinson Infusion Therapy Systems Inc., Becton Dickinson Infusion Therapy Systems Inc. S.A. de C.V., Becton Dickinson Infusion Therapy UK, Becton Dickinson Insulin Syringe Ltd., Becton Dickinson International Holdings II Pte Ltd., Becton Dickinson International Holdings III Pte Ltd., Becton Dickinson International Holdings Pte Ltd., Becton Dickinson Israel Ltd., Becton Dickinson Italia S.p.A., Becton Dickinson Ithalat Ihracat Limited Sirketi, Becton Dickinson Korea Holding Inc., Becton Dickinson Korea Ltd., Becton Dickinson Ltd., Becton Dickinson Luxembourg Finance S.a.r.L., Becton Dickinson Luxembourg Global Holdings Sarl, Becton Dickinson Luxembourg Holdings II S.a.r.L, Becton Dickinson Luxembourg Holdings III S.a.r.L, Becton Dickinson Luxembourg Holdings V S.a.r.L., Becton Dickinson Malaysia Inc., Becton Dickinson Management GmbH & Co. KG, Becton Dickinson Matrex Holdings Inc., Becton Dickinson Medical (S) Pte Ltd., Becton Dickinson Medical Devices (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Becton Dickinson Medical Devices (Suzhou) Co. Ltd., Becton Dickinson Medical Products Pte. Ltd., Becton Dickinson Medical Technology (Jiangsu) Co. Ltd., Becton Dickinson Netherlands Global Holdings II C.V., Becton Dickinson Netherlands Holdings B.V., Becton Dickinson Netherlands Holdings II B.V., Becton Dickinson Norway AS, Becton Dickinson O.Y., Becton Dickinson Overseas Services Ltd., Becton Dickinson Pakistan (Pvt) Ltd., Becton Dickinson Penel Limited, Becton Dickinson Philippines Inc., Becton Dickinson Polska Sp.z.o.o., Becton Dickinson Portugal Unipessoal Lda., Becton Dickinson Pty. Ltd., Becton Dickinson Research Centre Ireland Limited, Becton Dickinson Rowa Germany GmbH, Becton Dickinson Rowa Italy Srl, Becton Dickinson S.A., Becton Dickinson Sample Collection GmbH, Becton Dickinson Scot Financing L.L.P., Becton Dickinson Scot Financing L.P., Becton Dickinson Sdn. Bhd., Becton Dickinson Slovakia s.r.o., Becton Dickinson Sweden AB, Becton Dickinson Sweden Holdings AB, Becton Dickinson Switzerland Global Holdings SarL, Becton Dickinson Technology Campus India, Becton Dickinson U.K. Limited, Becton Dickinson UK Financing I Limited, Becton Dickinson UK Financing II Limited, Becton Dickinson Venezuela C.A., Becton Dickinson Venture LLC, Becton Dickinson Verwaltungs GmbH, Becton Dickinson Vostok LLC, Becton Dickinson Worldwide Investments Sa.r.L., Becton Dickinson Zambia Limited, Becton Dickinson and Company Ltd., Becton Dickinson de Colombia Ltda., Becton Dickinson de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Becton Dickinson del Uruguay S.A., Bee IT Solutions, Benex Ltd., Biometric Imaging, Bridger Biomed Inc., C. R. Bard (Portugal) - Produtos e Artigos Medicos e Farmaceuticos, C. R. Bard Do Brasil Productos Medicos Ltda., C. R. Bard GmbH, C. R. Bard Inc., C. R. Bard Netherlands Sales B.V., C.R. Bard Inc, CME America LLC, CME Ltd., CME Medical (UK) Limited, CME UK (Holdings) Limited, CRISI Medical Systems, CRISI Medical Systems Inc., Caesarea Medical Electronics, Cardal II LLC, Care Fusion Development Private Limited, CareFusion (Barbados) SrL, CareFusion (Shanghai) Commercial and Trading Co. Limited, CareFusion 213 LLC, CareFusion 2200 Inc., CareFusion 2201 Inc., CareFusion 302 LLC, CareFusion 303 Inc., CareFusion Asia (HK) Limited, CareFusion Corporation, CareFusion Corporation., CareFusion D.R. 203 Ltd., CareFusion France 309 S.A.S., CareFusion Israel 330 Ltd., CareFusion Italy 312 S.p.A., CareFusion Manufacturing LLC, CareFusion Mexico 215 S.A. de C.V., CareFusion Netherlands 328 B.V., CareFusion Netherlands 503 B.V., CareFusion Netherlands 504 B.V., CareFusion Netherlands Financing 283 C.V., CareFusion Resources LLC, CareFusion S.A. 319 (Proprietary) Limited, CareFusion Solutions LLC, CareFusion U.K. 244 Limited, CareFusion U.K. 305 Limited, CareFusion U.K. 306 Limited, Carmel Pharma AB, Carmel Pharma Inc, Cato Software Solutions, Cell Analysis Systems Inc, Cellular Research, Cellular Research Inc., Clearstream Technologies Group Limited, Clearstream Technologies Limited, Clontech Laboratories Inc, Corporativo BD de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Critical Device Corporation, Cubex, Cytognos, Cytopeia Inc, DLD (Bermuda) Ltd., DVL Acquisition Sub Inc., Davol Inc., Davol International Limited, Davol Surgical Innovations S.A. de C.V., Difco Laboratories Incorporated, Distribuidora BD Mexico S.A. de C.V., Dutch American Manufacturers (D.A.M.) 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Read More Addressing fire safety Living in San Diego County, the threat of fires is constant, that is why I have made fire safety one... Supporting animals As a trained Project Wildlife Native Songbird Rehabilitator, my experience raising orphaned and injured songbirds and returning them to the... Sign up for our amNY Sports email newsletter to get insights and game coverage for your favorite teams By Patrick Donachie Sabine Frenchs role as a community advocate for southeastern Queens has extended into the political arena, and she is one of five candidates running to fill the seat left vacant by the death of state Assemblywoman Barbara Clark. I was able to tap into my passion, she said about the campaign. I dont consider myself just a candidate, but a neighbor. Sometimes, someone gets into office and theyre removed. Im here, and Im staying here. Clark died in February. She was the representative for Assembly District 33, which includes parts of Cambria Heights, St. Albans, Queens Village, Hollis and Bellerose. French grew up in Cambria Heights, and is a third-generation resident of the area. She has been a member of the St. Albans and Cambria Heights civic associations, and is also on the PTA board of Public School 176, where her son attends school. In an interview, French stressed the need to remain a fixture in the community, and said elected officials needed to bring a customer service model to assisting their constituents. She signaled concerns about education and the state of schools in the district as an important challenge to face. French expressed concern that charter schools were sapping area public schools of necessary funding. Public schools should be the top priority, and I do not feel right now that theyre the top priority in District 29, she said, referring to the school district that encompasses Hollis and Queens Village. She also expressed caution about Common Core standards and assessments. We have well-qualified and educated teachers. Of course, there should be a standard, but that teacher is familiar with her class and has her style. French said she would commit to supporting outreach into the community to educate them about their rights in regards to foreclosures. Many homeowners had been victims of predatory lending, and when they receive a modification on their mortgage it would often include debt that had been deemed to be due to predatory lending practices. Often, they owe more than the home is worth, she said, also noting that vacant homes owned by the banks often stayed vacant. Some of these houses eventually became squatter homes, sometimes used as areas for drug use and prostitution. Above all, French asserted her role as an advocate for her community made her best equipped to represent the area in Albany. Many of the other candidates are saying they have ties to the community, but I feel confident in saying that I am ever present in the district and outside of the district. My record speaks for itself in terms of having an interest in the community, she said. This is my home. The Democratic primary for the 33rd Assembly District race will be held Sept. 13. Sign up for our amNY Sports email newsletter to get insights and game coverage for your favorite teams By Patrick Donachie Clyde Vanel, a Democratic candidate in the race to fill the seat left vacant by the death of Assemblywoman Barbara Clark, said he was fighting to keep a robust middle class in southeastern Queens. If elected, Vanel would represent Assembly District 33, which includes parts of Cambria Heights, St. Albans, Queens Village, Hollis and Bellerose. Vanels political career began in 2009, when he challenged then-Councilman Leroy Comrie. Vanel said this first candidacy was part of a groundswell of frustration with Council members who voted to allow Michael Bloomberg to run for a third term as mayor. He also ran against Clark in a 2012 primary and contended many of the issues facing his community were still not being properly addressed. I live in a neighborhood, a strong middle-class neighborhood, where my parents were able to put their money together and buy a house, Vanel said, before contrasting his parents stability with the neighborhood today. Now, that story is not as prevalent. Houses are worth half a million. Children cant buy the house they grew up in. Vanel, who also works as an attorney and was previously a restaurant owner, said a mix of underemployment, unaffordability and the prevalence of foreclosures in the area were contributing to people finding it harder to buy and maintain homes in the area. He said he would advocate for a plan called Silicon Jamaica to entice businesses into the downtown corridor. He said the preponderance of transit options made Jamaica a prime location for new business and he wanted to strengthen the neighborhoods push to attract new industries. Right now, theres no plan to attract that type of business. We dont have the plan. These businesses are already going to Harlem, going to Long Island City, going to Brooklyn, he said. We have to get the entry-level, but we need the middle-level and the higher-level jobs. We need to ensure that our community can get good paying jobs right here. Vanel previously worked as a chief of staff for state Sen. James Sanders, and said if he were elected to Albany, he would hope to distinguish himself with his background in business and law. He acknowledged he would have a learning curve, but said that the support of Rev. Floyd Flake of the Greater Allen AME Cathedral of New York and A.R. Bernard of the Christian Cultural Megachurch in Brooklyn would give him significant backing in his pursuits. He also spoke about the importance of preparing students in southeast Queens to be able to participate in a global economy and expressed hope that more students could be convinced to pursue further education and careers in the natural sciences or mathematics. How do you get more of our youth interested in the math and the sciences? In this day and age, our kids are competing with the world, he said. The Democratic primary takes place Sept. 13. Vanels opponents in the race are Roy Paul, Nantasha Williams, Sabine French and Bryan Block (who did not respond to requests for a profile interview from the TimesLedger). Croatians began voting Sunday in a snap election whose outcome might prolong political uncertainty in the EU\s newest member, which had shifted to the right under previous conservative governments. The election comes as the former Yugoslav republic faces economic struggles and at a time of strained ties between neighbours in the volatile Balkans, notably with former enemy Serbia. Polling stations opened at 7:00 am (0500 GMT) and close twelve hours later. First official results were expected late Sunday. Some 3.8 million Croatians are eligible to vote in the polls, which come less than a year after an election last November produced no absolute winner. A barely-functioning coalition government, led by the conservative HDZ party, took power following that vote, before collapsing in June over a conflict of interest scandal. The coalition\s five-month rule was marked by a shift to the right amid a growing climate of intolerance, including attacks on independent media and minorities, notably ethnic Serbs. Authorities have appeared to turn a blind eye to the far-right surge, but it has sparked international concern and brought already frosty ties with Serbia to their lowest level since Croatia\s 1990s independence war. In recent months the two neighbours have exchanged bitter accusations over their wartime past, with Belgrade accusing Zagreb of a "rebirth of Nazism". Less than a week before the vote, Serbia sentenced a Croatian to three years in jail for spying. Polls and analysts give a slight lead to a coalition led by the main conservative Social Democrats (SDP) of former prime minister Zoran Milanovic, who was in power for four years until November. "SDP seems set to win but without an absolute majority" in the 151-seat parliament, political analyst Zarko Puhovski told AFP. The likeliest outcome is a similar scenario to that of the previous vote prolonged talks on forming a government and potentially another election. HDZ is banking on staying in power with a new and more moderate leader, Andrej Plenkovic, who has pledged to move it away from populism and extremism. "I\m changing the HDZ My mission is to position it in the centre-right," said the 46-year-old former member of the European Parliament. HDZ\s former junior government partner the "Most" party (meaning "Bridge" in Croatian) is likely to play kingmaker once again. With Plenkovic\s moderate agenda, HDZ could also count on the backing of minorities, notably Serbs, as well as Croatians living abroad, its traditional supporters. Rival Milanovic, 49, has been stressing his experience as premier and has pledged a "government of progress and tolerance." But he has sharpened his populist rhetoric after disappointing voters with scant reforms while in power and has repeatedly slammed Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic over his ultranationalist wartime stance. Morana, a 27-year-old teacher from Zagreb, said she was voting for SDP. "With HDZ in power we have witnessed Croatia flirting with values that are inconceivable for a modern European country," Morana, who did not give her last name, ahead of the vote. Marko Tomic, a 39-year-old administrator, said he backs HDZ due to its "conservative stance, and with Plenkovic it has got the needed modern, European perspective." Almost a year of political deadlock has blocked reforms badly needed in Croatia, which emerged from a six-year recession in 2015. The economy, relying largely on tourism along the country\s Adriatic coast, remains one of the European Union\s weakest despite some recent positive indicators attributed to membership of the bloc. The central bank has forecast growth of 2.3 percent this year. Unemployment stands at more than 13 percent, public debt has reached 85 percent of GDP, while the investment climate remains poor. SOURCE: AFP SHARE By John Ingle of the Times Record News Membership of International Association of Machinists Local 2771 voted near unanimously to accept and ratify a bridge agreement offered by M1 Support Services, the contractor recently selected by the Air Force to perform aircraft maintenance for the 80th Flying Training Wing. Leadership had called a meeting for 10 a.m. Saturday to discuss concerns regarding the contents of the bridge agreement, specifically health insurance. According to a chapter announcement sent to the Times Record News on Friday, the members were prepared to reject M1's offer and possibly vote to strike if a better deal had not been offered. Bud Dulworth, business representative for the IAM district that includes Wichita Falls, said union negotiators and M1 representatives were able to reach an amicable agreement Friday evening regarding health insurance that they could accept and recommend union members accept. "They finally got right on the insurance, and that was the big hold up," he said. "Everybody is looking forward to going to work for them (M1) on Oct. 1." Dulworth said about 350 union members showed up for the discussion and vote on Saturday at Sheppard Air Force Base's theater. Of those, only three voted against ratifying M1's bridge agreement. The IAM representative said discussions the past several days had gone smoothly and were "pretty standard." He said a minor difference still remains when it comes to a subcontractor, but nothing that would prevent the union from ratifying the bridge. "We were all pretty confident because, again, they fixed all the issues," Dulworth said. "The insurance isn't quite as good for the subcontractor they're going to subcontract some of the work and there's going to be 13 employees working for a subcontractor it's just really minor the differences there." Kathy Hildreth, managing director for Denton-based M1, said M1 was not doing anything to disrupt the mission or workforce at the 80th FTW and they are ready to take over the contract and get to work. The company will continue forward during its 30-day transition period, sending out offer letters to employees, getting people signed up for M1's insurance, and even getting sizes for the employee's new uniforms, among other items yet to be completed. "We've got a few more weeks to complete the transition tasks and then we'll assume the full performance on 1 October," she said. "(We're) looking forward to making the 80th Flying Training Wing the best training wing in the command." Hildreth said they are still waiting for the Air Force to provide numbers on how many flying hours are expected to be flown in fiscal year 2017 as well as the number of pilots who will go through the Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training program. Both figures will play a role in the total number of employees hired, which is expected to be more than the current level. Dulworth said the bridge agreement accepted by the union is set to expire Aug. 18. At that time, the union and M1 negotiators will begin "full-blown negotiations" on a new contract. He said he has worked with M1 in years past on contract negotiations, including a contract with the 982nd Maintenance Squadron at Sheppard, which employs more than 100 contractors. MSU defeats Western Oregon 26-21 After slow start, MSU rallies to defeat Western Oregon 26-21 for Homecoming on Saturday, October 29, 2022 at Memorial Stadium. Albany There are few communities in the nation with names as freighted with grim associations as the Wyoming County town of Attica. Friday marks the 45th anniversary of the 1971 takeover of the state prison by 1,300 inmates, many of whom had spent months beseeching prison officials and other state leaders to address deplorable conditions at the facility. After an initial spasm of violence that included the brutal beating of guard William Quinn (who died days later), convict leaders managed to organize and assemble a set of demands including a guarantee that prisoners who had taken part in the overthrow wouldn't face charges. That was one of several deal-breakers for state correction officials and Gov. Nelson Rockefeller, who feared that accommodating the prisoners would foment similar rebellions in prisons across the state, and possibly throughout the nation. On Sept. 13, a heavily armed force of State Police and correction officers stormed the prison, a disastrous strategy that left 39 men dead (including 10 hostages) and more than 100 wounded. Heather Ann Thompson, who teaches history at the University of Michigan, recounts those agonizing days in her acclaimed new book "Blood in the Water: The Attica Prison Uprising and Its Legacy" (Pantheon, $35). The author, who spent 13 years on the project, offers a harrowing account of what happened over the course of the takeover, but pays as much attention to what occurred in the months leading up to it, and the decades-long legal battle to find justice and uncover the full story. In an interview Thursday from New York City, Thompson discussed the uprising and her conviction that the full story of Attica remains untold; the full interview will air next week on WMHT's "New York Now." Q: Beginning in the subtitle of your book, you're careful to characterize what happened on Sept. 9, 1971, as an uprising or a civil right rebellion that came only after months of peaceful efforts to improve conditions in the prison had failed. What was life like for prisoners in Attica in 1971? A: The prison was jam-packed it had more than 2,400 prisoners. They were underfed on 63 cents a day; they had insufficient access to sanitary supplies like toothpaste and toilet paper and soap; their medical conditions were terrible they suffered infections that were unnecessary, and indeed one prisoner died as a result of terrible medical care. And all of those conditions led people to ask for some of those basic human rights changes through the system, by writing to state senators, sending a petition to the commissioner of corrections asking for help. Q: You make sure to include the episodes of disorganized violence and abuse by prisoners in the first hours, but they were snuffed out. A: It was a management-caused episode that leads to this uprising, and in the initial minutes it is complete chaos. Everyone is panicked the prisoners are panicked, the guards are panicked and it's quite violent. But what's remarkable is that within a very short period of time, the prisoners get organized, and they put aside a lot of their political differences, they try to unite across racial lines and against barriers of language. And they elected leaders to try to use this moment to actually try to negotiate for better conditions with the state. Q: In your research, did you get the sense that there was a single moment where the situation could have turned toward a peaceful resolution, as had been the case in a similar incident at Auburn Correctional a few months before the Attica uprising? A: I think at any moment it could have been resolved peacefully. The prisoners had asked for a quite politically-celebrity-filled negotiating team to help them, and the state had added to that team, so this was politically diverse. And to a one they thought that negotiations needed to continue, that there could be a peaceful resolution. And the prisoners made clear that they wanted to talk. The governor, however, was determined to end this. My research made clear that they were trying to end this from the very beginning, and were only stalled because the commissioner (of corrections) had invited these negotiators in. And when they retook the prison, they did it with guns which had never been done, because the prisoners and the hostages, of course, had no guns. So all of this was avoidable. Q: I know historians don't like to dwell in the world of might-have-been, but do you think anything would have changed if Governor Rockefeller had visited the prison, as many were clamoring for him to do? A: Absolutely. What the observers had asked him to do was not even to go into the yard and meet with the prisoners one on one what they asked him was to come to the prison, and to actually endorse his commitment that the prisoners would not be harmed if they surrendered, and that there would not be indiscriminate prosecutions for having rioted. And that simply was not on his agenda. He was really interested in showing a tougher side of himself politically as his own (Republican) party had moved rightward. And Attica was going to be his line in the sand. Q: The efforts to cover up the brutality of the takeover and the actions of many in law enforcement actually began before the troopers and correction officers stormed the facility, correct? A: I think that's right. It was very important, for example, that the governor chose a relatively low-level group commander to carry out this retaking not the National Guard, who had a riot retaking plan, not people who might have been more measured. He allowed troopers who had been out there for four days without sleep, hearing rumors of inmate atrocities handing out weapons indiscriminately to come in there. So part of that was knowing that this was going to be a debacle, and to make sure before they even went in that nobody was recording serial numbers of their weapons, nobody was making much of an account of what the horror was going to be. Q: You made what you describe as the difficult decision to name some of the guards against whom the state had evidence that could have been used in potential criminal prosecutions, which never came to be. Why did you think that was a necessary step? A: This is a history book, and in a history book my job is to tell the history of Attica and what happened afterwards. And one of the most important things that happens afterwards is the state's investigation of this prison uprising. So when I happened upon documents that told me about that investigation, including which members of law enforcement from the highest levels of law enforcement to a CO or a trooper had committed a potential crime, and the state believed that that crime had been committed but never indicted those people, I had no choice but to tell that part of the history. But as I say in the book it was agonizing, because of course I have no desire to cause harm in the present. There are many survivors who have been waiting 45 years to know what happened to their father; there are many members of law enforcement who have waited 45 years in anonymity hoping that they wouldn't be revealed. So it was a very difficult emotional decision, but as a historian I had no choice but to write the history as it was. Q: The investigations into what happened at Attica dragged on for decades, and as you describe them they almost resemble Russian nesting dolls with one probe having to investigate the conduct of the previous probes. Do you think they were designed to fail? A: I think some of them were quite genuine. The (1972) McKay Commission was a citizens' commission that did a very thorough investigation of Attica they were not that interested in prosecutions, just telling the story. There were congressional commissions. But the most important investigation was started by Rockefeller: He appointed its head, and it was disastrous from the beginning. For example, it allowed the same troopers who had retaken the prison with such brutality to actually investigate the retaking. They allowed the head of the State Police, who could potentially be prosecuted, to meet with Rockefeller and the head of the Attica investigation three times after the retaking to get the chronology down, to get the story straight. So this idea that the investigation was ever going to be fair-minded and balanced, I think, is a real myth. Q: One of the most astonishing details in the story is the apparent effort by the state to head off lawsuits by the families of prison guards killed or wounded in the retaking by sending them workers compensation checks. A: One of the most important thing for me in writing this book was to make clear that there were many victims, including the hostages in the yard but not for what readers would expect, being victimized by the prisoners but actually being victimized by the state. Not only were they killed or wounded in the gunfire of the state troopers and corrections officers coming in, but their families were swindled. In the days after the retaking, as widows were grieving the loss of husbands and hostages are trying to get better in the hospital, the state hands them meager checks and says, "Mrs. Cunningham, this will help tide you over." What they never said was if these widows or these survivors had cashed the check, they had "elected a remedy" under state law to not sue the state. And that was devastating it took them years to even know that they were ineligible to sue the state. Q: You begin and end the book by noting that there is abundant material that remains hidden, either through legal means or more mysterious circumstances. Is it possible you might have to release an updated version of your book if these materials ever come to light? A: I would welcome the opportunity, and also invite any other scholar to take this on. We need to open the records. Prisons are state institutions: We fund them with state and public dollars, and we have the right as the public, but also as survivors have a right to access these records. The argument is that there's grand jury testimony in them, and to be sure there is. But there are thousands of boxes I have the inventory, I know what's in there and they need to be released so there can be healing. Q: Prison conditions upstate and around the nation are still in the news, partly as the result of alleged instances of abuse. The escapes last summer from Clinton Correctional Facility in Dannemora put many of these issues back in the spotlight. To what extent are we still living in the shadow of Attica? A: We very much are, and I think my book makes clear that's not accidental. When the state retakes the prison, they step outside of those prison walls and they tell the world that the prisoners are the ones that killed the hostages. That narrative soured a nation on the idea of prisoner rights and fueled an already existing move toward the punitive, a move toward building more prisons. So we went in the exact wrong direction after Attica, in no small part because of how Attica was spun. And it's time we rethink it, because in fact today conditions are worse that they were in 1971, which was bad enough that 1,300 men stood together to ask for better conditions. cseiler@timesunion.com 518-454-5619 @CaseySeiler Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton left the 9/11 memorial ceremony early on Sunday morning in Manhattan because she felt "overheated," her campaign says. But a video being shared thousands of times on Twitter Sunday also appeared to show Clinton barely able to stand and almost collapsing before getting in a vehicle to leave the ceremony. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Albany native Kulsum Shaikh, 22, grew up in a country constantly debating the legitimacy of her faith. "Before 9/11, I would say Islam wasn't that hot of a topic," Shaikh said. "But from what I've seen growing up here, it is constantly being talked about in a negative light more than a positive light." Her parents, Indian immigrants who moved to the United States as adults, had a very different coming of age story. "I feel like they didn't have to constantly try to advocate for why they are Muslim and for why Muslims aren't bad people," she said. Like many Millennials, Shaikh associates 9/11 with a sunny school playground turned dark with adult concerns. "At the time, I was living in a small town about an hour from here and we were the only Muslim family in the area," said Shaikh, now an senior at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. "As a little second-grader, I didn't really know what was going on." Shaikh recalled coming home from her Glens Falls elementary school that day and asking her mother, "What happened? When?" To help her 7-year-old make sense of the timing, her mom told her the first plane hit at the same time Shaikh was lining up for class on her elementary school blacktop. "I remember my mom saying, 'Right when the bell rang at your school, it happened,' " Shaikh said. "Seeing the towers falling and the smoke and seeing everyone talk about it constantly, I soon started forming a picture in my mind of what actually went down that day." Her community and classmates said little about her Muslim identity after the 2001 terror attack. "From looking at me, you couldn't really tell I was a Muslim," she said. That changed in fourth grade, when Shaikh began to wear a hijab. Albany classmates stared at her with a mix of curiosity and concern. "Yes, I did lose friends," Shaikh said. "But only to find the ones who were truly there for me." Shaikh said her closest friends asked respectful questions, eager to know more in support of her faith. The strange looks though have followed her into adulthood. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and features with our afternoon newsletter. "Having to constantly think about on a daily basis: 'Why are people looking at me like this? Did I do something wrong? Should I say something?' That's not a thought that should occur to someone on a daily basis, especially when they are just getting groceries or ice cream," she said. Recently, between the glares and stares, Shaikh has noticed other people act kinder than necessary. "They go out of their way to show they believe in me," she said. Shaikh, the founder of Troy-based Muslim youth organization The Young Ummah, said she doesn't want Muslim youth to feel like they must hide their identity to succeed. "We live in a very Islamophobic time," Shaikh said. Her nonprofit, which couples youth culture with the Arabic word for community, encourages young Muslims to be proud of who they are. Members share their faith through a blog, lecture series and community service work. "One of the biggest challenges is embracing our identity and being able to proudly live that," Shaikh said. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Saratoga Springs Patty Austin was a 16-year-old junior at Shenendehowa High School who walked into Anthony McCann's English literature class on Sept. 11, 2001 and watched TV coverage of a plane that had flown into one of the World Trade Center's Twin Towers. The world changed that day and so did the career path for Austin, who enlisted in the Army at 17, served as a mechanic in Iraq and Afghanistan and recently began a new assignment as a recruiter for the New York Army National Guard based at the New York State Military Museum in Saratoga Springs. "I tell new candidates I joined the military because of 9/11 and how much that made me want me to serve my country," said Staff Sgt. Austin, 31. "The terrorist attacks were a pivotal point in my life. Everything that has happened since was a result of my decision at 17. I love being in uniform and I love what I do." She met her husband, Arthur Austin, when both were deployed in Iraq in 2005. The couple lives in Albany with their two sons, Isaiah, 9, and Jacob, 10 months. Austin is currently working on a bachelor's degree in journalism online at Ashford University after working in public affairs for the Guard. Austin's career was also influenced by her father, David Kimmel, a Marine Corps veteran and retired Sgt. 1st Class with the New York Army National Guard who was deployed to Ground Zero immediately after the attacks. She recalled with clarity the frightening moments of 9/11 when she could not reach her parents after McCann let her leave class to call them. "I finally got my Dad on the phone. All he said was, 'I am safe. I can't talk right now. I will call back when I can.' " It would be three long days before he was able to call home from Lower Manhattan, where phone service was sporadic. Shortly after she turned 17 on Oct. 11, 2001, she secretly visited a Marine Corps recruiter. She later told her parents she planned to sign up for the Marines, but her father helped steer her to the New York Army National Guard. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and features with our afternoon newsletter. "It's been the right fit for me," said Austin, who has mourned the suicides of fellow soldiers. "There isn't a day goes by that I don't wish I would have seen something or that they would have reached out to me," she said. Austin cherishes a copy of "The Catcher in the Rye" that McCann, her teacher and mentor, inscribed to his teenage student. He called her "a natural-born leader." pgrondahl@timesunion.com 518-454-5623 @PaulGrondahl THE ISSUE: The nation looks back on the 9/11 attacks after 15 years. THE STAKES: Use the day to remember the fallen, and to take stock of the nation's path since then. More Information To comment: tuletters@timesunion.com or at http://blog.timesunion.com/opinion See More Collapse To a terrorist, mass violence is merely a means to an end. The real goal is planting a seed of fear that takes root and grows like a choking vine around a healthy tree. A child born on Sept. 11, 2001, is now likely in high school, and has grown up in a world transformed in ways large and small from airport protocols unknown to previous generations to at least a passing awareness of America's longest-running combat excursions. So while the 15th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks should first and foremost be a day to remember those who died in Lower Manhattan, at the Pentagon and aboard United Airlines 93 it also should be a day for Americans to try to assess the legacy of 9/11, and how the experience has changed us. It would be comforting to report that we are a more unified nation after spending a decade and a half contending with global terror. But this is not the case. Instead, we remain sharply divided surely more than we were in 2001 over how to strike the proper balance between security and freedom, and how we might destroy the enemies who threaten us without shredding our values. After a brief period of national consensus marked by the swift invasion of Afghanistan, the nation embarked on a disastrous war in Iraq based on flawed intelligence, an error then compounded by a bungled occupation. It is hard to imagine the nation would have entered that quagmire if 9/11 had not occurred. We will be living with the consequences of that decision its cost in human lives and limbs, its role in further unsettling an unstable region, gravely injuring world peace for decades to come. Our government also used the 2001 attacks as justification for the use of torture in Afghanistan, Iraq and elsewhere, in violation of international codes and our national ideals. Some voices continue to call for us to return to those or even worse techniques by arguing that our enemies have done far worse as if "better than a death cult" were a grade Americans should be proud to earn. Surely we are better than that. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and features with our afternoon newsletter. Incredibly, the legacy of 9/11 and the ongoing fight against violent extremism continues to foment bigotry against Muslims, whether they are American citizens or refugees seeking an escape from the very brand of terror we abhor. Historically, this impulse has been aggressively opposed by both major political parties. How dare we abandon it now? Indeed, George W. Bush and Barack Obama each worked hard throughout their administrations to push back against the idea that America was somehow at war with Islam, as opposed to extremists who twist their religion's tenets for their own obscene purposes. In a global war of ideas, this form of prejudice feels like a domestic battle we are losing. The 15th anniversary of the attacks arrives in the heat of an election season that has been fought in no small part over the legacy of 9/11. And that is, as Abraham Lincoln put it 151 years ago in this nation's greatest memorial address, "altogether fitting and proper." The selection of effective leaders is the duty we owe to this nation's fallen, whether their monument is a plot at Arlington National Cemetery or a shining new tower in Lower Manhattan. Think about them today. Then think about the better world you'd like that 15-year-old to grow up in. As we move toward the next great exercise in citizenship, on Nov. 8, make the legacy of 9/11 the motivation for your vote. By Michael Broning BERLIN This is Berlin's summer of discontent. Exactly one year ago, Chancellor Angela Merkel's principled decision to open Germany's borders to refugees stranded in Hungary impressed millions of people around the world. As ordinary Germans flocked to train stations and border posts to greet people seeking shelter from war, distress, and misery, Germany's "Welcome Culture" was saluted as a truly inspiring example of humanitarianism. One year later, the tide has turned above all against Merkel, now in her 11th year in office. Her credo, "Wir schaffen das" ("We can do it"), inspired thousands of volunteers to open their hearts and often their homes to refugees. Now, however, her assertive optimism is confronting a dramatic political backlash. Sunday's election in Merkel's home state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern widely seen as a test run for Germany's federal election in September 2017 was devastating for her Christian Democratic Union. While all mainstream parties suffered severe losses, the far-right Alternative fur Deutschland (AfD) finished second, winning an unprecedented 21% of the vote and relegating the CDU to third place. The Mecklenburg result was not an isolated outcome. In March, the AfD, founded in 2013 as a Euroskeptic party critical of the Greek bailout, sent shockwaves through the country when it finished second or third in regional elections in three German states. Germany's position in the refugee crisis has transformed the AfD into a staunch anti-immigrant and anti-Muslim movement, supported by disillusioned voters from across the political spectrum. Current national polls put the AfD's support at 15%, making it the second strongest party in eastern Germany and the third largest political force overall. Against this background, Berlin's regional election in two weeks is now fueling growing concern among Germany's government coalition, which comprises the center-right CDU and the center-left Social Democrats. The two parties' "grand coalition," according to recent polls, is grand in name only. Public support for the government has fallen below 50%, and there is much speculation about whether Merkel will seek reelection as her party's candidate for another term. Clearly, public dissatisfaction with Germany's stance on the ongoing refugee crisis is at the root of this upheaval. Many Germans still favor a compassionate approach toward refugees. But enthusiasm has largely given way to skepticism, anger, and polarization. After a controversial European Union deal with Turkey was put in place to keep refugees out, many Germans wonder whether the political and moral costs of doing business with an increasingly autocratic Turkish leader are too high. Moreover, spreading disillusionment stems from the confrontation of aspirations with practicalities. For many, Germany's warm welcome to refugees was unquestionably heartfelt. For others, it was an opportunity to embrace a post-nationalist identity and overcome the weight of the past. But it was never entirely free of self-interest. In particular, the Welcome Culture was at least partly based on anticipated economic and demographic benefits. In the summer of 2015, a chorus of German business leaders pointed out the long-term advantages of open borders in overcoming the country's persistent shortage of skilled workers. But the long term means just that, and whatever benefits it may bring have yet to materialize. A recent report points to a sobering fact: all 30 major companies trading on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange have so far employed a paltry 54 refugees. Likewise, the cultural impact of absorbing an influx of refugees on this scale is becoming apparent. While many initially embraced the influx as a shift towards a more pluralist and culturally diverse country, the mass harassment of women in Cologne on New Year's Eve proved a turning point for public opinion. This summer's wave of Islamist-inspired terror further contributed to a widespread sense of insecurity and skepticism regarding the challenges of integrating hundreds of thousands of Muslims (even though many refugees are themselves survivors of Islamist terror). In response, Germany's political class has started to change course. Just last week, Merkel assured the CDU's executive board that the refugee crisis of 2015 will not be repeated, and that "in the next few months, the most important [thing] is to return refugees." On Sunday, Germany's interior minister Thomas de Maiziere announced a proposal to "send refugees back to Greece." Already in February, the Bundestag voted to change Germany's benign asylum laws, thereby suspending family reunification for refugees, decreasing monthly cash benefits, facilitating deportation of failed asylum-seekers, and designating Algeria, Morocco, and Tunisia as safe countries of origin. Finally, in July, the Bundestag enacted a controversial law that threatens to reduce welfare benefits for asylum-seekers who refuse to attend "integration courses." Most recently, the public debate has shifted and now focuses on the loyalty of Germans with a Turkish background, and prohibiting full face and body coverings in public places a policy that according to opinion polls, more than 80% of Germans would support While Germany's dramatic change of course from last year's open-border, open-arms policy was perhaps inevitable, it is unclear whether the government's recent steps will take the wind out of the far right's sails. As Germany's Welcome Culture recedes from the horizon, the populist ship appears to be gaining speed. Michael Broning is Head of the International Policy Department of the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung, a political foundation affiliated with the Social Democratic Party of Germany. Copyright belongs to Project Syndicate. By Trend Iran will take legal actions against the Saudi government to fulfill the rights of the victims of Mina stampede, said Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif. Zarif made the remarks through a statement on September 11 ahead of the first anniversary of Mina stampede that took place last September near the holy city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia, IRNA news agency reported. Irans Foreign Ministry will not give up pursuing the rights of the victims of the deadly crush, Zarif added. He further said that the Mina issue will impact future ties between Iran and Saudi Arabia. About 500 Iranian Hajj pilgrims were killed in Mina stampede last September. Although Riyadh says that 770 individuals were killed in the incident, Iran, which had the greatest number of deaths among foreign nationals, has put the death toll at about 4,700. The Mina tragedy came after, a massive construction crane collapsed onto the Grand Mosque in Mecca, killing more than 100 people, including a number of Iranians. Ayatollah Khamenei earlier denounced Saudi Arabias management of the Hajj pilgrimage saying Saudi rulers were to blame for the deaths of hundreds of pilgrims in both incidents during last years rituals. 404 - Page Not Found Sorry, this page was not found. Try visiting our homepage or using the search function in our menu. No Yes, a light case Yes, two or more light cases One serious case Two or more serious bouts Vote View Results Farmers State Bank of LaGrange recently celebrated a new building project in Sturgis. From the left are: Cathi Abbs, director, Sturgis Chamber of Commerce; Robert Hile, vice mayor, city of Sturgis; Joe Pierce, CEO, Farmers State Bank; Mike Hughes, city manager, city of Sturgis; Bill Dollar, FSB; Misti Gardner, banking center leader, FSB Sturgis banking center; Andrew Kuk, assistant city manager, city of Sturgis; Lauri Eash, VP and business development officer, FSB; Greg Todd, senior VP, FSB; Joe Urbanski, president, FSB; Jim Ingledue, CEO, Jim Ingledue Construction Inc. and director of Farmers State Bank; Lon Ingledue, superintendent, JICI; Duane Zuver, facilities manager, FSB; Chad Owen, estimating manager, JICI; Phil Troyer, owner/architect, P.A. Troyer Inc.; Ken Wilson, president, JICI. Photo contributed "We've seen an increase in noise demonstrations over the past decade at state, county and federal detention centers around the US and around the globe. Prisoners since the Black Panther Field Marshall, George Jackson presented the case for a prisoner union and ruled unlawful in Jones Vs North Carolina. However, it is legal for the citizens of the United States to organize prisoners. This is why the Incarcerated Workers Organizing Committee (IWOC) has been fielding so many interviews in recent days and months." AN UPCOMING CLOSED PRESS CONFERENCE RAISES PUBLIC MEETING CONCERNS WHILE KANSAS CITY LEADERS TOUT A MISSOURI GUN RIGHTS BILL VETO BUT REFUSE ANY TOUGH QUESTIONS OR DEBATE CHALLENGING THEIR PUBLIC PROCLAMATIONS!!! "We're not even sure if this is legal. Especially if other members of Council show up and there's a quorum present but the public still isn't allowed to participate. The bottom line: It's definitely not transparent. The Mayor has always been against guns but this press conference planned to influence the Missouri veto session shows that he & the Prosecutor are more concerned about politics and sustaining an unpopular veto than doing anything substantial about the current crime wave in our community." Kansas City elected leaders hoping to incriminate faraway politicos for the violence on our streets in a partisan ploy is not only a negligent, desperate, ill-considered rhetorical tactic but also a despicable and deceitful ruse perpetrated against voters so that local public officials can avoid any responsibility or accountability for the ongoing slaughter. Look closely at this contrivance because it's nothing less than KCMO leaders passing the buck as bullets fly and continue to frighten, injure and kill innocent people. EXPOSED The subject of gun rights is soon to take center stage this week in Kansas City as local leaders prepare a closed meeting to tout stricter gun laws in Missouri despite concerns about municipal government transparency.To wit . . .The presser is Tuesday, Sept. 13th at the- A domestic violence shelter. Reporters and media who want to cover this event are required to sign in only by special invitation. We've asked around about this one and the newsies sent to the event have been specially requested/screened with a preemptive warning about the nature of their questions under the constant threat of limits to future access.Kansas City insiders have this to say . . .has been a constant rallying cry for Kansas City area Democratic Party leaders who have been remarkably silent on the uptick in gun violence closer to home butMeanwhileare correct when they remind us that statements to the press about the current Kansas City record-breaking homicide trend by these same politicos have been few and far between in the midst of this carefully planned, questionable and private press conference nowby our blog community.You decide . . . The Aztec Empire started sometime around the mid-1350s in what is now Mexico. It was a three city-state which, at its height, had a population of 5 million people. Its capital city, Tenochtitlan (which is today Mexico City), had a population of 200,000. Their culture was complex and rich, with a strong economic system. They created the 365 day agriculture calendar. The Aztecs also had a fierce army that helped feed their bloodthirsty culture. 10. They Preferred to Capture, Not Kill Unlike many other ancient warriors, Aztecs didnt want to kill their enemies on the battlefield. Instead, they wanted to capture them. Killing an enemy was actually considered to be clumsy and the Aztecs believed it took much more skill to capture an enemy alive and bring them back to the famed Aztec capital, Tenochtitlan. Since it was such a skilled task, it became a way to measure a mans ability as a warrior. It was how he moved up in the ranks. For example, for an Aztec to become a Jaguar or Eagle, he needed to capture four enemies. So why would they capture their enemies instead of killing them? Well, that was for 9. They Practiced Human Sacrifice with Their Captives The Aztecs had strong religious beliefs. They had hundreds, if not thousands of gods, and the gods were responsible for everything. They were the reason the sun rose, and the reason rain fell from the sky. Aztecs also thought that the gods needed to be nourished with blood. One way they fed the gods was through bloodletting, which involved an individual cutting themselves. People higher up in society were expected to give the most blood. Another way that the Aztecs fed their gods was by killing enemy warriors. This is why capturing enemies alive was so important. They were needed for sacrifices to the gods. The practice of hunting and capturing enemy soldiers was called the terribly misleading War of the Flowers, or the Flowery Wars. It was a decree of constant war, because sacrifices were always needed. The War of the Flowers was waged on other city-states in Mesoamerica, but the Aztecs focused heavily on raiding the nearby city of Tlaxcala. As for the rituals, most sacrifices were the same. One thing that did vary was how many people were sacrificed in one ceremony. It could range from one, to thousands. The sacrifices were taken to the top of a pyramid and placed face up on an altar. The priest would make an incision under the ribs, and then stick his hand in the wound, reach into the chest cavity, find the heart, and yank it out while it was still beating. The victim likely would have felt all of this, by the way. Once the heart was out, it was thrown into a fire. The body was pushed down the steps of the pyramid. If the person who was sacrificed was noble, or held some importance, they were often carried down. 8. The Dreaded Macuahuitl The most devastating weapon used by the Aztec warriors was the Macuahuitl, which means Hungry Wood. While the Aztecs were advanced in many ways, one technology they didnt develop was forging, so they had no metal weapons. Instead, the Macuahuitl was a flat wooden paddle with razor sharp volcanic stones called Obsidian embedded in its side. Apparently the weapon was powerful enough to decapitate a human. According to a report from invading Spaniards, an Aztec warrior even used a Macuahuitl to decapitate a horse in one blow. The story about the horse decapitation was tested on the television show The Deadliest Warrior. With a few whacks, the stand-in for the Aztec warrior was able to cut through a horses neck made of ballistic gel. 7. Their Version of the Afterlife wasDifferent The afterlife of most religions usually rewards people for how they lived. It was a bit different in the Aztec religion, because how someone died was the deciding factor on which afterlife they went to. There were four different afterlifes. The warriors afterlife showed exactly how much the Aztecs loved war, because if someone died in battle or they were sacrificed, their souls would go to an afterlife which involved even more war. In that afterlife, which was in the west, they would help the god Huitzilopochtli fight against the darkness to ensure that the sun would rise. They stayed in this afterlife for four years before returning to Earth as a humming bird, or some other exotic bird. As for the other afterlifes, the one in the east was for women who died during childbirth. They were treated similar to fallen soldiers and sacrifices, and they helped prepare the sun for its journey into the underworld. In the south was an afterlife for people who died because they were struck by lightning, drowned, or died from leprosy or another sickness. In that afterlife, there was plenty of food. Finally, there was the afterlife in the north called Mictlan. It was for people who died ordinary deaths, like from old age. In that afterlife, souls had four years to pass through eight levels of challenges, which included climbing an obsidian mountain and passing through an area full of beasts that eat human hearts. The ninth level was where their soul finally found rest. 6. Every Male was Trained for War The Aztecs had no official standing army. Instead, every male in the culture was trained for battle. But their training would start rather late, compared to many other warrior cultures. Aztec boys would live with their families through adolescence, where they would provide manual labor around the home. They would also learn essential skills that would help them become good soldiers, like hunting. However, boys of noble birth probably started their training much earlier in life, sometimes as early as six-years-old. When the boys had reached the age of 13, they were sent for their training in the capital, on a training ground called the Calmecac. There, they were taught to read and write. They were taught the calendar and studied astronomy, among other academic topics. They also learned practical skills that revolved around daily chores. When they were 15, the boys moved onto warrior training called the Telpochocalli, where veteran warriors taught the boys how to fight and instilled courage in the young men. 5. Levels of Aztec Warriors The Aztec army had three different levels, and the first level consisted of the Jaguars and Eagles. There wasnt much difference between the two besides the outfits that they wore. The two ranks werent always separate either. For example, there are records of high-ranking warriors being called Eagle-Jaguar Warriors. Above the Jaguar and Eagle Warriors were soldiers who were able to capture five or six enemies, and people who reached that rank were called Otomies. At this level, warriors would be given their own shield and Macuahuitl. Above that was the most elite fighting force in the Aztec army, the Shorn Ones. They gained that name because they shaved their head, but kept a long braid of hair on the left side of their head and wore a yellow uniform. To become a Shorn One, the warrior had to capture at least 20 men. The Shorn Ones also had to take a vow, and that was they were not allowed to take a step backwards during battles. 4. They Employed Psychological Warfare While Aztecs Jaguars and Eagles had similar roles in the Aztec army, they dressed completely different. As you can probably guess, they dressed like their namesakes. Eagles were adorned with feathers, and they wore wooden helmets that made it look like the warriors face was coming out of the mouth of the Eagle. The Jaguars, on the other hand, wore the skin of a jaguar, and their helmet looks like a jaguar. Its believed that the point of the uniforms was for psychological warfare. Surprise attacks from fast moving and agile animal-men were supposed to frighten their enemies. Besides their outfits, they also banged drums and made a lot of noise, adding even more pandemonium to the attack. This would cause their enemies to panic and possibly scatter, which would have made them easier to capture. 3. The God of Fire and Wisdom, Huehueteotl Human sacrifices were important to the Aztecs and most of the time the victims were sacrificed in the manner mentioned in entry six. However, that wasnt the only sacrificial ceremony they did. One of the more notable sacrifices was to Huehueteotl, the god of fire and wisdom. There were two different ways that the ceremony was done and both were horrifying. According to Time magazine, the first way is that victims would be thrown into a pit full of hot coals, while priests in black danced. Before the victim died, they were pulled up by hooks and placed on the altar. Then their blistered chest was cut open and the heart was removed. In a variation of the ceremony, which happened every 52 years, after the heart was removed, the priest would try to start a fire in the chest. If the fire was successful, then the empire would stay alight for the next 52 years. However, if the fire didnt start, that would be a sign that a monster called the Tzitzimime was coming and he would use the darkness to hunt and eat all of mankind. 2. Xipe Totec, and Still More Brutal Rituals The most disturbing ritual that Aztec warriors collected sacrifices for was the tribute to Xipe Totec, or Our Lord the Flayed One. That was the god of spring and agriculture, who helped the transition of boys into men. Xipe Totec was celebrated every spring in March. There were three gruesome rituals that were performed in his honor. The first ritual involved the heart being removed as usual, but then the victims skin was flayed. The skin was dyed yellow, and priests wore the skin, which they called teocuitlaquemitl or in English golden clothes, for 20 days. Shedding the skin was symbolic of the Earth changing from winter to spring. The second way a victim was sacrificed was that they were tied to a frame and shot with arrows, slowly bleeding to death while attendees sang hymns. The third, and perhaps oddest way to die during the rituals to Xipe Totec, was called Gladiatorial Sacrifice. Outside of the temple dedicated to Xipe Totec, a captured warrior could be tied to a big stone and he would be forced to drink Octli, which was an alcohol drink. They were given primitive weapons and barely any protection. The warrior then had to fend off four fully dressed and heavily armed Aztec warriors, two Jaguars and two Eagles. If the Aztecs wounded the sacrifice, he was taken to the altar where he had his heart pulled out and possibly flayed. However, if the sacrifice fended off the two Eagles and two Jaguars, a left handed warrior would be added to the mix. The fight would go on until the warrior was injured, and then hed be sacrificed. 1. The Downfall of the Aztecs All the way back in entry nine, we mentioned that many of the sacrifices came from the neighboring city of Tlaxcala. Whats interesting is that the Aztecs were an incredibly powerful civilization and could have very easily taken over Tlaxcala, but they didnt. Instead, they more or less used the city as a farm for human sacrifices. For reasons that should be obvious, the people of Tlaxcala didnt like being treated this way and this ultimately proved to be the Aztecs downfall. When Spanish Conquistador Hernan Cortes and 400 soldiers marched into Mexico they were led to the Aztec capital, where Cortes was supposedly welcomed because he had light skin like the god Quetzalcoatl, who was prophesied to return to Earth. This allowed Cortes to get close to the Aztec leader, Montezuma II, and his inner circle. Despite being vastly outnumbered, the Spaniards weapons were much better than the Aztecs and they quickly took the upper echelon of the Aztec civilization hostage. The noblemen were executed during this time, and somehow Montezuma died as well. Eventually, the Aztecs were able to chase the Spaniards out of the capital, but they wouldnt stay away long. The Spaniards teamed up with the Tlaxcalans and by August 13, 1521, the Aztecs were defeated. Its believed that almost a quarter of a million Aztecs were killed during the conquest. After slaughtering the people, Cortes had the city razed, and built Mexico City in its place. Robert Grimminck is a Canadian freelance writer. You can friend him on Facebook, follow him on Twitter, follow him on Pinterest or visit his website. Other Articles you Might Like "It was still early in the morning when we reached Pylos, a pretty seaside town on the southwestern coast of the Peloponnese, just as its residents were starting to stir", Kathimerini writes in a recent article and continues: "We left behind the main square with its big, shady plane trees and headed to Niokastro the New Castle which overlooks Pylos from a hill at the southern end of its impressive natural harbor. The 15th-16th century Mediterranean fortress is typical of its era, with an outer wall surrounding the settlement and the acropolis, the latter of which was contained within a hexagonal fortress, the last line of defense from marauders. Together with early-bird tourists, we walked through the castle gates to meet the head of the Ephorate of Underwater Antiquities, Angeliki Simosi. She is just the right person to show us around the collection of exhibitions that opened in Niokastro in 2012 and represent the only place in the country where you can get a comprehensive view of Greece's underwater treasures. The idea of restoring Pylos's castle belonged to Georgios Papathanasopoulos, the ephorate's first curator, Simosi said. What he originally had in mind was an underwater research center like that of Halicarnassus at Bodrum in Turkey. He never managed to accomplish his dream, but without him the castle would never have seen the restoration that it has undergone, especially as it was taken away from the ephorate's jurisdiction in 1997. We were able to get it back later, but it took a lot of work. Restoration and remodeling work has been carried out on the castle's Makriyianni Rampart and Pasha Building, which today are among the structures used to showcase the work being done by the Athens-based ephorate. Visitors can admire fascinating finds, learn about the location of major shipwrecks and also about our conservation work, and much more, said Simosi. We started our tour at the Pasha Building, with a new addition to our group, Ilias Kouvelas, a Pylos native and a diver with the Ephorate of Underwater Antiquities for the past 35 years. He made his first dive when he was 17 during excavations of the Pythagoreion on the island of Samos, and since then he has explored almost every wreck covered in Sunken Journeys, Human Exploration: Important Finds from the Seas of the Peloponnese, a marvelous ongoing exhibition which was set up under the ephorate's supervision back in 2012. In the main hall of the Pasha Building, which has been designed to resemble an ancient ship hull, a huge map of the Peloponnese on the floor helps visitors locate the show's seven wrecks, which lie off the shores of Cephalonia, Zakynthos, Kythera and Methoni and date from the prehistoric to modern times. They include the shipwreck off Cape Xi in Lixouri, Cephalonia, with its impressive Hellenistic-era statues. Fear of antiquities thieves The sculptures were discovered by holidaymakers in the summer of 1980, just 300 meters off the coast. We responded immediately and brought them up before they could fall prey to antiquities thieves, says Kouvelas. The sculptures were likely pillaged from a Greek temple and loaded onto a ship that was sailing to Italy when it sank. Moving on, our attention was drawn to a compass and stone plaques adorned with fossils of fish. These came from the Mentor, the ship laden with sculptures prised from the Parthenon on the orders of Lord Elgin, which sank off southern Kythera en route to England. We headed for the exhibition Sunken Settlements of the Peloponnese at the Makriyianni Rampart, one of seven bastions around Niokastro, which has been transformed into a pretty museum showcasing architectural elements that confirm many of the testimonies of ancient travelers. Here we present findings from three sunken settlements in the southern Peloponnese, said Simosi. Pavlopetri, which is in the region of Laconia, was a prehistoric settlement that was discovered in 1970. A few inspections were held, but in 2009, the British School at Athens proposed that we work together to excavate the site. Indeed, we discovered a very extensive settlement, which also contained a mansion, meaning that an aristocrat lived there. The second settlement, also extensive, comes from the Middle Bronze Age and is today located on the coast of Methoni. Important buildings have been found there too, while extensive geological research has shown that there are remains of the settlement beneath the sand as well. We have some very important discoveries from Methoni, such as a jar used in prehistoric times to inter a child, which would then be placed in the home. The third sunken city is Asopos in Plytra in Laconia, with buildings from the Hellenic, Roman and Late Roman periods. We need to conduct more research there, however. The last stop of our tour takes us to the acropolis. Simosi and her associates have taken advantage of six cells and filled them with antiquities, while a seventh is used to display diving equipment used in excavations through the ages: old suits and metal detectors, decompression chambers, electronic pumps used to fill oxygen tanks, and much more. The passageways of the acropolis have been used to set up the open-air exhibition The Greek Seabed Tells its Stories, comprising mainly photographs and complemented by finds from different parts of Greece and different eras. It's a bit of a potpourri of the ephorate's research in the last decade but is by no means insignificant. The future of Greece's archaeology lies in underwater archaeology, because it seems that we've seen what we can from the land, said Simosi. One of her department's greatest challenges now is creating underwater archaeological sites that can be visited by the public. Plans are already in the works for sites in Pylos, Magnesia and Attica. Tsiklitiras house We left Niokastro and headed back down toward the center of Pylos, where an impressive neoclassical mansion seems to dominate the historic bay of Navarino. It is the former home of Olympic champion Costis Tsiklitiras, whose second floor has been conceded by the municipal authority to the Ministry of Culture. Here, the Ephorate of Underwater Antiquities has set up an exhibition of items from the collection of French philhellene Rene Puaux (1878-1937). A war correspondent and writer, Puaux was a witness of the turbulent developments in Greece in the first half of the 20th century and conducted seven trips around the country. He also collected artworks on the subject of the 1821 Greek War of Independence, which he then donated to the Greek state. The Tsiklitiras mansion now houses Puaux's collection of maps, swords, pistols, portraits, engravings, medals, manuscripts and letters from the time of the Battle of Navarino and the Greek liberation. 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 Greek PM Alexis Tsipras promised the 246 million Euros collected through the TV licensing tender would be directed towards alleviating the burden on weaker social groups by implementing a series of initiatives, during his speech at the 81st Thessaloniki International Fair, Saturday night. Tsipras said the ENFIA property tax would remain in force in 2017, despite his promises to the contrary promises in 2015 to scrap it, adding his government would relieve the tax burdens from 2018 onwards. I understand that the lower social groups have exhausted their tax giving ability, he stressed. The Greek PM said lower taxes in 2018 were directly linked to growth and a new revised deal with the countrys creditors regarding the reduction of Greeces GDP primary surplus target, despite the EuroGroup Presidents statement only a day earlier that any talks of revising the 3.5% target were off the table. Tsipras defended his governments performance over the past year, claiming the promises made a year before from Thessaloniki were being realised. He blasted main opposition party New Democracy for staunchly defending the interests of economic oligarchs and offshore owners. Tsipras outlined his road map for Greece exiting the crisis by strengthening the economic climate through the widespread introduction of plastic money, the establishment of an exclusive account for paying suppliers, payrolls and social security and tax payments. On the matter of the large infrastructure projects, Tsipras argued he had inherited a chaotic situation, claiming his government had succeeded in reigniting the bulk of the big infrastructure projects and renegotiating all the contracts for the highways. The Greek PM pledged to freeze the overdue debts by thousands of freelance professionals until the end of 2016. 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 The US and Russia have declared a cessation of hostilities in Syria starting form sunset on Monday The US and Russia have declared a cessation of hostilities in Syria starting form sunset on Monday, as per the agreement reached by US Secretary of State John Kerry and his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov, reports said on Saturday. Under the plan, the Syrian government will end combat missions in specified areas held by the opposition. Russia and the US will establish a joint centre to combat jihadist groups, including so-called Islamic State (IS). The announcement follows talks between Kerry and Lavrov. The plan would need both the regime and opposition "to meet their obligations", Kerry said in Geneva. The opposition had indicated it was prepared to comply with the plan, he said, provided the Syrian government "shows it is serious". Lavrov said Russia had informed the Syrian government about the arrangements and the Syrian government was "ready to fulfil them". Humanitarian access "The cessation of hostilities requires access to all besieg The accord also provides for humanitarian access. "The cessation of hostilities requires access to all besieged and hard-to-reach areas, including Aleppo," Kerry said. Seven days after the start of the cessation of hostilities, Russia and the US will establish a "joint implementation centre" to fight IS and another main group, Jabhat Fateh al-Sham. Lavrov said the joint implementation centre would allow Russian and US forces to "separate the terrorists from the moderate opposition". He said the Russian and US air forces would carry out co-ordinated strikes strikes against the two groups, and that in some areas, that excluded action by the Syrian air force. "We have agreed on the areas where such co-ordinated strikes would be taking place, and in those areas, on neutral agreement shared by the Syrian government as well, only the Russian and US air force will be functional," he said. Political transition But Lavrov added that "the Syrian air force will be functional in other areas, outside those that we have singled out for Russian-American military co-operation". Lavrov and Kerry stressed that the plan could pave the way for a political transition. "The plan is more prescriptive and far-reaching than any proposal to date and, if implemented by all sides, could allow political negotiations to take place on Syria's future," Kerry said. The United Nations envoy to Syria, Staffan de Mistura, welcomed the agreement and said the UN would exert all efforts to deliver humanitarian aid. Fighting has recently escalated between Syria's army and rebels in eastern Aleppo, where 250,000 people live. On Sunday, Syrian government forces were reported to have recaptured parts of Aleppo which were lost to rebels last month, placing rebel-held districts in the city's east once again under siege. Source: BBC 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 At least 13 people have been confirmed dead and 200 injured after a 5.7 magnitude earthquake hit northwest Tanzania At least 13 people have been confirmed dead and 200 injured after a 5.7 magnitude earthquake hit northwest Tanzania on Saturday afternoon at a depth of 10km, reported africanews. Tanzanian police said over two hundred injured people have been hospitalised and rescue operations are ongoing. "The toll has climbed from 11 people dead to 13 and from 192 injured to 203," Deodatus Kinawilo, District Commissioner for Bukoba, the town close to the quakes epicentre, told AFP. "For now, the situation is calm and under control," said Kinawilo, who was reached by telephone. "Some people have been discharged from hospital," he told AFP. "We don't expect many more injuries. We'll see tomorrow." Most parts of East Africa also felt the tremor including Uganda, Burundi, Rwanda and Kenya. The tremors were reported in Kigali, Iganga, Mbarara, Kabale, Kampala, Bujumbura, Bungoma among many other towns in the region between 12pm (GMT) and 1:30pm (GMT). Casualties have not yet been recorded in these areas. WE ARE STILL WORRIED An AFP correspondent in Dar es Salaam whose mother's family lives in Bukoba said 10 family houses had collapsed. "My brother was driving around town, suddenly he heard the ground shaking and people starting running around and buildings collapsing," he said. "It's safe in Dar but we are still worried about the safety of our family," the AFP correspondent added. "The regional hospital is overwhelmed and can't handle any more patients." "Emergency operations are poor and the government isn't saying anything," he said. "The walls of my home shook as well as the fridge and the cupboards," said an AFP correspondent in the Ugandan capital Kampala. AFP journalists in Democratic Republic of Congo said it was felt, though faintly, in Bukavu in the east, but not in nearby Goma or Lubumbashi. AN EXCEPTION Low-intensity earthquakes are regularly felt in the Great Lakes region making Saturdays tremor an exception. The quakes epicentre was about 25km east of the north-western town of Nsunga on the border of Lake Victoria, according to the US Geological Survey. Read more here. RELATED TOPICS: Greece, Greek tourism news, Tourism in Greece, Greek islands, Hotels in Greece, Travel to Greece, Greek destinations , Greek travel market, Greek tourism statistics, Greek tourism report Kuwait Finance House - Bahrain (KFH-Bahrain) has signed an agreement with leading Bahraini developer Diyar Al Muharraq to provide finance for the beneficiaries of Mazaya to purchase housing units in Deerat Al Oyoun. Mazaya is a social housing finance scheme between the Housing Ministry and KFH-Bahrain to offer loans subsidised by the government. With this, KFH-Bahrain is the first bank to provide finance to purchase these housing units, reported the Gulf Daily News, our sister publication. For further details visit http://www.gdnonline.com Leading private equities and finance companies are being invited by the Bahraini government to invest in the kingdoms first cable car attraction, said a report. The Muharraq Municipal Council will start seeking private funding for the project, which it approved in June, reported the Gulf Daily News, our sister publication. It had forwarded the proposal to the government, but limited availability of public funding due to low oil revenues means it is now inviting interest from the private sector, it added. For further details visit http://www.gdnonline.com AUBURN Mass Riot, indeed. About 100 people lined up Sunday morning outside Prison City Pub & Brewery on State Street for the re-release of the brewpub's Mass Riot India pale ale, the beer that took No. 1 in Paste Magazine's annual blind-tasting of American IPAs in August. First released in July, Mass Riot made its return with some fanfare from Prison City owners Dawn and Marc Schulz. They announced in advance that only 120 Crowlers (32-ounce cans) of the 7.1-ABV, New England-style IPA would be available to take home, with a limit of one per customer, beginning at noon Sunday. The beer was also made available by the glass at that time. The first to arrive were Matt Miller, Simon Staples-Vangel and Matt Munnett, of Onondaga Hill, at about 8 a.m. The three had been to Prison City before, but weren't able to try the Mass Riot during its 10 days of availability earlier this summer. "I didn't expect that this would be No. 1," Miller said. "I've had a lot of the other beers on (the Paste) list, so this means something. I've been saying to my friends all along: The greater central New York area needs a brewery like this." As Prison City staff passed out chocolate doughnut holes from Camerons Bakery and one-ounce cups of Founders Kentucky Breakfast Stout, waiting later in the line was Susan Santoski, of New Hampshire. Also in the area to see family, Santoski said the Mass Riot release resembled beer events she's seen in the Portsmouth area. "It's the anticipation of the art," she said. "It becomes an event, rather than just a libation." The brewpub began letting patrons in at around 11 a.m. and because Gov. Cuomo this week signed new state liquor laws letting Sunday alcohol sales start at 10 a.m. instead of noon the Mass Riot began flowing promptly. By noon, Prison City had to turn people away. Marc Schulz said, overall, between 400 and 500 people showed up Sunday morning for Mass Riot's release. "I'm still just floored by the whole thing," he said. "It really is overwhelming that in Auburn, New York, this is going on." Schulz said Prison City arranged the Mass Riot release to not only accommodate those who wanted Crowlers, but also those who wanted to try brewer Ben Maeso's other beers, as well as the restaurant's food. The brewpub could have packed more people in, he said, but then it wouldn't have provided the food, service and everything else the Schulzes set out to do when they opened Prison City in December 2014. "Our biggest concern was to make sure people are comfortable and having a good time," he said. "This is our home, and we welcome people into our home every day. I think we did OK. It seems like people enjoyed themselves." Acwa Power, a developer, investor, co-owner and operator of a portfolio of power generation and desalinated water production plants, played a key role at the second edition of Photovoltaica, Africa's largest international trade fair for solar PV. The company is a major investor in Morocco as the developer, owner and operator of solar power plants - Noor I, Noor II and Noor III. The event was held at Casablanca from September 7 to 9 under the patronage of the Moroccan Ministry of Energy and Mines, Water and the Environment. Photovoltaica provided a platform for policy makers, technology providers, developers, contractors and operators to share knowledge, keep up to date with the extraordinarily rapid advances in this sector and network with leaders in the solar energy sector. As an investor with a long term mindset, Abunayyan said: "Our participation at this event comes within our pursue to support the economic development in Morocco through working to deliver solar energy at the lowest possible cost to the country." "And at this years Photovoltaica, we reaffirm our commitment to Moroccos visionary clean energy future which serves as a model not only to the region but to the world on how quickly and efficiently the transition to renewable can be implemented to ensure a sustainable future for us all," he added. Contributing to the energy revolution, Paddy Padmanathan, the president & chief executive of Acwa Power, said: "While Solar energy has a significant role in not only decarbonising energy generation but also in catering for the rapidly increasing demand for new capacity to fuel industrialisation, economic development and municipal serves improvement in Morocco but also to provide energy access to large parts of the underserved continent of Africa, policy makers, technology providers, investors, owners and operators need to work together to create the appropriate legal, infrastructural and regulatory environment to reduce risk and encourage investment with a long term mindset." "Our $2.8 billion solar facility at Ouarzazate, Morocco is a testament to what a partnership between an active and visionary government and an investor with a time horizon spanning decades can achieve," he added. Following on from Photovoltaica, the worlds focus on renewable energy will once again be directed towards Morocco in November when Marrakesh hosts the twenty-second session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 22) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Given its prominent role in Moroccos renewable energy focus, Acwa Power said it is proud and privileged to play a leading role to support Morocco at COP22 which will serve the critical role of catalyzing the momentum built with the consensus achieved at COP 21 in Paris last year when the historic agreement was reached amongst 200 nations.-TradeArabia News Service Japan, India, South Korea, the UAE, and Thailand emerged as the top five importers of Qatari goods, according to monthly statistics released by Qatars Ministry of Economy and Commerce for July. The combined value of exports from Qatar to its top five destinations amounted to QR9.86 billion ($2.71 billion) in July, reported the Peninsula Qatar citing the governmment data. Japan and India stood at the first and second positions, in terms of the value of Qatars exports, with QR3.25 billion ($892.5 million) and QR2.41 billion ($661.8 million), respectively, it said. South Korea, which came at the third place, with the export value of QR2.41 billion ($661.8 million), was behind India only with a margin of QR2 million ($549,247). Japan alone accounted for nearly 33 per cent of the top fives export value, while the top three (Japan, India and South Korea) accounted for nearly 82 per cent. While the combined value of Qatars top five origins of imports in July 2016 reached QR4.88 billion ($1.34 billion). The US, China, the UAE, Germany and Japan were the top five destinations of Qatars import destinations during the month of July, added the report. French Prime Minister Manuel Valls said on Sunday there would be new attacks in France but proposals by former president Nicolas Sarkozy to boost security was not the right way to deal with threats. The French capital was put on high alert last week when French officials said they dismantled a "terrorist cell" that planned to attack a Paris railway station under the direction of Islamic State. "This week at least two attacks were foiled," Manuel Valls said in an interview with Europe 1 radio and Itele television on Sunday. Valls said there were 15,000 people on the radar of police and intelligent services who were in the process of being radicalised. "There will be new attacks, there will be innocent victims...this is also my role to tell this truth to the French people," Valls said. In an interview newspaper Le Journal du Dimanche (JDD), Sarkozy said France needed to get tough on militants by creating special courts and detention facilities to boost security. "He is wrong about trying to wring the neck of the rule of law," Valls said. Sarkozy proposed to systematically place French citizens suspected of having militant links in special detention facilities. "And don't tell me it would be Guantanamo," Sarkozy said in the interview. "In France, any administrative confinement is subject to subsequent control by a judge." Guantanamo, opened by former President George W. Bush, was used to hold prisoners rounded up overseas when the United States became embroiled in wars in Afghanistan and Iraq following the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on New York and Washington. Reuters Iran has welcomed a US-Russian deal for a truce in Syria, saying on Sunday the conflict should be ended through politics. The agreement, by the powers that back opposing sides in the five-year-old war, promises a nationwide truce from sundown on Monday, improved access for humanitarian aid and joint military targeting of hardline Islamist groups. "Iran supports any ceasefire and peace plan to end the humanitarian crisis in Syria or limit it that involves a political solution ... based on the Syrian people's votes," said Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Hossein Jaberi Ansari, quoted by the state news agency IRNA. "Iran has always believed that there is no military solution to the Syrian crisis and that it should be resolved through peaceful means," he added. Washington and Moscow reached the breakthrough deal early on Saturday to try to restore peace in Syria, but air strikes hours later on a busy market place that killed and injured dozens added to rebels' doubts that any ceasefire could hold. Russia and Iran are both providing crucial military support to President Assad against rebels and jihadi fighters in Syria's civil war. Iran has sent what it said were military "advisers" to help Assad and allowed Russian fighter-bombers to use an Iranian base to launch operations in Syria in August. Reuters AUBURN The 9/11 attacks 15 years ago changed the career paths of two DeKalb County first responders. Auburn Fire Department Firefighter Travis Hill was working for a furniture store on Sept. 11, 2001, when terrorists hijacked four airliners and killed more than 3,000 people. The events of that day and the following days and months inspired me to follow this, Hill said about his career as a firefighter. It was inspiring to see the actions of the responders that day. As a firefighter, Hill said, Its just nice to be able to help people in need. DeKalb County Sheriffs Department Deputy Rick Short held a third-shift factory job 15 years ago. He awoke on the morning of Sept. 11 to watch television accounts of the attacks. It was very painful to see that our nation was being so brutally attacked, and thats what pushed me to get into law enforcement and try to help the community as much as possible, Short said. At the time of the 9/11 attacks, Short was a volunteer firefighter for the Corunna department. He later became law enforcement officer, first for Waterloo and then for the sheriffs department. Auburn Fire Department Deputy Chief Doug Cox already was a firefighter when 9/11 occurred. Ten years later, he traveled to the New York area to bring back a steel beam from the World Trade Center that now stands as a memorial outside Auburns Fire Station No. 2. It was surreal to see all the artifacts in the airport hangar. A sense of the tragedy, a sense of the loss really hits you, Cox said. Since 9/11, Cox said, Weve increased our training tenfold on terrorism, on haz-mat. DeKalb EMS Paramedic Molly Opliger said the key is not to let 9/11 affect how she does her job. You train always for something like that to happen, but you cant let the fear of that happening change your thoughts, Opliger said. Mike Good was on duty at Auburn Fire Station No. 2 on Sept. 11, 2001. Now retired from the fire service, he works as a sales consultant for the auto dealership that set up the 9/11 memorial on its lot. A lot of younger people dont remember that day, Good said about 9/11. It brought us as a nation so close together. It didnt matter about your race or your religion or whatever. We were all Americans that day. I think weve lost some of that and I see it in our social media and our media today. I think we need to go back and please remember and never forget that day. Hopefully that will continue and bring us together and keep peace on our soil. About Since 1986, founder Glen Moroney has grown Scenic Tours from a regional operator of packaged holidays to one of the worlds leading touring companies. In 2008, the company launched Scenic Cruises, and debuted the companys exclusive Scenic Space-Ships offering a wide array of European, French and Russian river itineraries. Widely acknowledged as the finest vessels on Europes waterways, the ships boast unrivalled space, luxurious amenities and two full decks of Private Balcony Suites, which feature full-size, private sun lounge outdoor balconies adjoining the spacious cabins, a choice of dining venues, plus the convenience of private butler service in all stateroom/suite categories. Beijing, September 11 Over 2,500 companies from 29 countries, including the 10 Asean members and India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, are participating in the 13th China-Asean Expo, which opened at Chinas Nanning city on Sunday, media reported. The four-day Expo, being held in the capital of Chinas Guangxi Zhuang region, has the theme Jointly building the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, Forging an Even Closer China-Asean Community of Common Destiny, Xinhua news agency reported. The event is to highlight industrial cooperation, trade and investment among China, Asean members and other countries along the One Belt, One Road development strategy launched by Beijing. The China-Asean Business and Investment Summit also opened at Nanning on Sunday. The expo features 5,800 exhibition booths this yearan increase of 1,200 from the previous eventand includes more than 30 forums to encourage China-Asean cooperation in fields such as education, environmental protection, culture, transport and tourism. China is Aseans largest trading partner. IANS Charu Chhibber Tribune News Service Chandigarh, September 10 Washing his hands of the responsibility to strengthen primary and secondary health care sectors in the country, Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare JP Nadda today said the Central Government had provided ample support and it is the states that had to respond. Nadda was answering a query on the burden on tertiary care institutions in India in the wake of a weak primary and secondary health care network. The National Health Mission has made free diagnostic and drug facility available. We have given them all types of facility. The states have to respond and act accordingly, Nadda said. Further emphasising his point, the Health Minister said: As far as the Central Government is concerned, ample amount of technical, financial and all types of support is given to states, especially for primary and secondary health sectors. He said as many as 50 drugs were given free at primary health centres, 300 at secondary health centres and 500 drugs at district hospitals. Free diagnostics facilities have also been provided. Now, states have to respond, Nadda said. He said: Strengthening of primary health care is a joint effort and states need to take responsibility. During the inauguration of the E-Block at the GMCH-32 yesterday, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh had stated that 95 per cent patients going to tertiary care hospitals could be treated at primary health-care level, but due to inadequate medical facilities in India, especially at the primary health level, major institutes such as AIIMS were burdened. Meanwhile, responding to a question on the non-adherence of government doctors to the Health Ministrys directive regarding prescription of generic medicines, Nadda said: Let me see how I can go forward in this matter. On the urgent need to control vector-borne diseases, especially in the wake of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, Nadda said a holistic approach needed to be adopted. I have issued several advisories, held videoconferencing with ministers, especially from vulnerable states, and even interacted with municipal corporations. Joint efforts are needed to combat these diseases, said the Union Health Minister. During his visit to GMCH-32, Nadda visited a student member of the ABVP admitted to the trauma ICU of the hospital. The Minister interacted with him for a few minutes after the inauguration ceremonies. Our Correspondent Jind, September 11 The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) activists protesting BJP national president Amit Shahs visit to Jind today were lathicharged by the police. As many as 50 AAP workers were stopped by the police near the local bus stand. Rajkumar Pahal, district convener, AAP, said, We had decided to organise peaceful protest against the BJP leader and other ministers who were here to take part in the Gaurav rally but the police prevented us from doing so. He alleged they were asked by the police to switch off their mobile phones after which they were lathicharged by them. They also took away Amit Shahs effigy from us. Tribune News Service Rewari, September 11 An unruly mob today went on the rampage here blocking Jhajjar road for two hours, burning tyres, pelting stones and bricks after a metal trader, Puran Chand (40), was killed by two masked miscreants near Gokul Gate in the morning after snatching a bag carrying cash from him. The mob lifted the road blockade when local BJP leaders and police officers assured them that the accused would be arrested soon and further steps taken to strengthen law and order in the city. Puran Chand was shot dead around 6:45 am when he was about to sit in an SUV outside his house in Cable Market. The miscreants managed to flee on a motor-bike. Puran Chand had hired the SUV to go to Delhi for buying metal items. The police swung into action on getting information and nabbed within hours three persons, including the killers, from their houses in Rewari city. Rewari SP Sangeeta Kalia said the accused had been identified as SUV driver Veeru of Chaudhariwara, Pardeep Yadav of Naya Gaon and Deepak, alias Deepu Sharma, of Kashtwara locality. Besides cash, a pistol, a country-made gun and 10 cartridges had been seized from the accused. Veeru, who was hired as a driver by Puran Chand three months ago, was the mastermind behind the crime. He had hatched the plot along with Pradeep and Deepu in Naya Gaon last evening as Veeru knew that Puran Chand used to carry cash in lakhs while going to Delhi for buying metal items, said the SP. She maintained Veeru took Puran Chand to the Trauma Centre in the SUV after the incident where doctors declared him brought dead. Cops suspected Veeru when he failed to answer their questions during interrogation . Veeru later spilled the beans, leading to the arrest of Pardeep and Deepu from their houses, said Kalia, adding that the accused had confessed to the crime. Tribune News Service Srinagar, September 10 Two teenagers were killed in South Kashmir and more than 100 injured in clashes between protesters and the police at various places across the Kashmir valley today, taking the death toll in the ongoing violence to 77. Barring the three police stations at Khanyar, Nowhatta and MR Gunj in downtown Srinagar and some towns, no restrictions were imposed in the Valley today, an official said. Six incidents of stone-throwing were reported from Anantnag, Kulgam, Sopore, Baramulla and Shopian. The miscreants assembled on roads and pelted the police and security personnel with stones in a bid to disrupt vehicular movement, the Divisional Commissioner said. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) Sayar Ahmad Sheikh, 15, was killed in Tukroo village of Shopian district after he was hit by a tear smoke shell on the head as the police tried to prevent a protest rally. They claimed at least 200 miscreants attacked the security personnel at Batingoo in Anantnag. The police used canes and tear gas to disperse them. Teenager Yawar Mushtaq Da was injured and taken to hospital, where he died. At least 15 persons were injured in clashes in Nissu-Badragund village of Qazigund and eight at Hillad village of Dooru in Anantnag district. Clashes erupted in downtown Srinagar after a government employee, Abdul Qayoom, a resident of Ali Kadal area, died in hospital last night. His family alleged he was beaten to death by CRPF personnel. But the police claimed he was injured in a road accident. Officials claimed the civilian protests would be curtailed with the deployment of more troops in four districts of South Kashmir since the protests are driven by militants. At least three Army battalions are being deployed in South Kashmir districts for round-the-clock patrolling. Srinagar, September 11 The Army on Sunday foiled an infiltration bid along the Line of Control in Naugam sector of Kashmir, killing four militants. Alert soldiers posted along the Line of Control (LoC) in Naugam sector noticed some suspicious movement and challenged the intruders, an Army official said. The militants opened fire at the positions of security forces which was effectively retaliated, triggering a gunbattle, he said. Four militants were killed and a war-like store was recovered from the scene of the gunbattle, the official said, adding that the operation was still in progress. PTI Sumit Hakhoo Tribune News Service Jammu, September 11 Theres a glimmer of hope for the people of Jammu to see the much-ambitious Chenab water diversion project turn into a reality with the Union Finance Ministry submitting the project report to the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA) for financial assistance. The project, which was abandoned by the J&K Government in 2014, proposes to meet the drinking water requirement of Jammu city having a population of more than 15 lakh for the next three decades. Official sources said the Department of Economic Affairs, a division of Union Finance Ministry, had approached JICA to finance the multi-crore project to divert 100 cusecs of water from the river at Akhnoor, some 25 km from Jammu before it enters Pakistan. The sources said the Economic Reconstruction Agency (ERA) had formulated the blueprint after making certain changes in its earlier report which was rejected by the Asian Development Bank (ADB). The ADB had sanctioned Rs 500 crore for the project but backed off after a study conducted in 2009-10 raised concern over environmental impact on the aquatic life in the river, especially various fish species. We expect that in the next few months, a Japanese technical team will visit Jammu for an on-the-spot assessment. The ERA and Public Health Engineering (PHE) Department have completed groundwork and altered some of the design parameters, said an official source in the ERA. Under the plan conceived in 2007, 450 million litres per day (MLD) of water was to be lifted from the Chenab river near the Ranjan lift station at Akhnoor on the right bank of river. It was to cost a whopping Rs 895 crore to meet the drinking water needs of projected population of 19.19 lakh of greater Jammu in 2026 and 31.96 lakh in 2041. At present, the population of the temple city is 15 lakh. We are awaiting the funds. When completed, the project would meet the requirement of the city which is dependent on the Tawi river and depleting ground water sources to quench its thirst, said Sushil Aima, Chief Engineer, PHE Department. However, a senior consultant engaged by the ERA for the project formulation claimed that even if funds were sanctioned, the first phase would take at least a decade to complete. If Japanese get convinced and work starts on the project, it will still take a decade to get water from the Chenab river for augmenting the drinking water supply of Jammu, said the senior ERA official. Arteev Sharma Tribune News Service Jammu/Poonch, September 11 A policeman and three militants were killed while five others, including two army soldiers, two cops and a civilian, were injured in an 11-hour gunfight between security forces and militants near Armys Brigade headquarters in Poonch town of Jammu province on Sunday. The gunfight broke out at around 7.30 am. The slain militants were trained in Pakistan, DIG Jhonny William said. According to police sources, the armed militants were hiding in an old house, 50 metre from the office of Superintendent of Police (SP), Poonch. The Armys Poonch Brigade headquarters is just 300 metre from the spot. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) A selection-grade constable of the Jammu and Kashmir CID wing, after having inputs about the presence of militants, went close to the house. The militants opened fire on him, killing him on the spot, sources said. Immediately after the incident, Army and police personnel cordoned off the area and sealed all the escape routes. "The militants who were holed up in an under-construction Mini-Secretariat building were killed in the evening after an intense gunfight. The Army and police had jointly requisitioned the help of commandos," the sources said. The slain constable was identified as Raju, while Sub-Inspector Manzoor Hussain was among the injured. The identity of the injured civilian is yet to be ascertained. (With inputs from DK Sudan in Poonch) Two years after moving to the area, Kelly Castady and her friend Megan Goebel plan to open the Willow Boutique in November at 309 Pearl St. in downtown La Crosse. It will be in the storefront now occupied by Creative Canvas & Board painting studio, which is moving next door to 313 Pearl St. We will carry a highly curated collection of clothing for women, as well as accessories and jewelry, Castady said. We will not venture into menswear, but are thinking about offering childrens clothing; if we do that, it will be sometime in 2017. Her family moved to the area from Orange County, Calif., in November 2014 after her husband, Sean, was named general manager of The Charmant Hotel. Goebel and her family still live in Thousand Oaks, Calif. Castady said Goebel will oversee the online store that the two women plan to launch in the first quarter of 2017. We are so excited to bring our dream to fruition and to be able to do it in downtown La Crosse, Castady said. And (having it) on Pearl Street is the best possible scenario. For more information, visit www.shopwillowlax.com or visit the stores Facebook page. Karen Bressi plans to move her Creative Canvas & Board painting studio by Oct. 1 to the former Salem Markos and Sons store at 313 Pearl St. The apparel store closed in 2005 when its owners retired. Major renovation work is under way at the storefront, which is much larger than the studios current digs. The new location will have expanded hours and an art bar where people can buy beer and wine, Bressi said. The studio has outgrown the space that its occupied for the past year. It offers canvas and board painting, as well as spin art (a form of painting). And it soon will offer graffiti art, which involves stencils and spray paint. The studios new location also will have more room for retail sales of art (such as paintings and jewelry) made by staff members of Bressis various art-related businesses. Creative Canvas & Board offers classes as well as open studio time. Hours at the new location tentatively will be 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. For more information, call 608-784-0737 or visit the studios Facebook page. Its new website, www.creativecanvasandboard.com, is expected to be operating by early October. Joan Ferris and Jay Sparks plan to open Lovechild restaurant by early December in the former Hooters restaurant at 300 S. Third St. in downtown La Crosse. Remodeling is under way and Lovechild has begun taking applications for jobs at the new casual fine dining restaurant and bar. Ferris, who is a La Crosse native, and Sparks both spent two decades with the DAmico & Partners family of restaurants in the Twin Cities and in Naples, Fla. Ferris said last week that she and Sparks have made their design choices. Thats fun for people to hear about because its very different for La Crosse blue velvet bar stools, gold dust bar top, an antique Murano chandelier, velvet curtains, just to name a few, she said. Well have cozy booths and lamp lighting throughout to give it a cozy feeling of home. For more information, visit Lovechilds Facebook page or email lovechildrestaurant@outlook.com. Its website, www.lovechildrestaurant.com, is expected to begin operating this week. Marcs Budget Appliance is expected to open this week at 732 Rose St. in La Crosse. Owner Marc Chester said he has been selling used appliances online for almost three years, and decided to open a retail store. The business buys, sells and repairs used appliances. The store will sell refurbished washers, dryers, refrigerators, stoves, microwave ovens and built-in dishwashers. The merchandise has been repaired and restored so theyre like new, Chester said. The store, which offers delivery, also has a kids area where children can play while their parents are shopping. Store hours will be 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday through Monday, closed Tuesday and Wednesday, and open at other times by appointment. For more information, call the store at 608-769-2583 or check its Facebook page. An Arbys restaurant is under construction in the 900 block of South Black River Street (Hwy. 27) on the south side of Sparta. Its expected to open in late November, said Abbey Ramsey, director of marketing for franchisee DRM Inc. in Omaha, Neb. The new Arbys will be just north of the new Cenex service station/convenience store. Its being built at the former site of the old Cenex convenience store, which was razed. The new Sparta restaurant will have 40 to 50 employees, Ramsey said. DRM owns and operates 71 Arbys restaurants in Iowa, Illinois, Nebraska and Wisconsin. It plans to add 25 more Arbys in those states over the next seven years. Its a great location and we love opening in new communities, Ramsey said of the companys decision to build an Arbys in Sparta. Srinagar, September 11 More than 100 people were injured on Sunday during fresh clashes between security forces and stone-pelting protesters in south Kashmirs Pulwama district, the police said. Thousands of residents of Karimabad and adjoining areas took to streets on Sunday morning to protest against the alleged nocturnal raids conducted by security forces, a police official said. The protestors started pelting stones at the security forces who retaliated by firing tear smoke shells and pellet guns, he said. Twenty injured persons have been referred to various hospitals in the city, the official said. The clashes were going on in the area till reports last came in, he added. With two youths killed in clashes in Anantnag and Shopian districts on Saturday, the death toll in the ongoing unrest rose to 77. Around 11,500 others have been injured since July 9. All educational institutions, main markets remained suspended, while public transport also remained off the roads. Although the Eid-ul-Zuha festival falls on Tuesday, there was no traditional hustle and bustle in the Valley. Separatists have asked people to stage a protest march to the headquarters of the UN Military Observers Group in Srinagar. Agencies Rashi Mathur LIFE is indeed a free-flowing stream of consciousness. The thought not only echoes in Virginia Woolfs Mrs Dalloway and James Joyces Ulysses, but our everyday life too. Stationed at one place, we take a leap into countless montages of time. The other day, I did not snooze my alarm and woke up at once. I had my doodh patti, put on my reading glasses and picked up a city pullout from the newspaper bundle. The Panjab University Campus Student Council elections, dengue outbreak and theft stories grappled my mind till I clung back to Family Matters and resumed reading from where I had left the night before. The line read, But buildings and roads and spaces were as fragile as human beings, you had to cherish them while you had them. It was then that I took a pause to feel my surroundings, and sleep effortlessly took over me. The day went on with routine chores and long-pending tasks. A family lunch awaited us all, the sole reason for which I had carefully timed my day. Half the day was gone and I wanted to relax a bit before leaving for work. I turned on the television set and after careful browsing, stopped at TravelX. The delight of being on the beaches of Croatia, walking bare feet made me forget the anxiety of getting tanned in summer. However, the sound of the horn acted as a reality check. I quickly grabbed my handbag and left for office. Workstations are places where time shows its malleability you can shape it into agreeable or uncomfortable hours, depending on how the mind processes it. The day was nearing its end. It was past midnight when a screenshot on a WhatsApp group appeared. We have lost our dear friend, former vice-president, PUCSC, 2013-14, it read. She was suffering from dengue and was undergoing medication. She felt intense shivering and was taken to hospital where a medicine was injected. Apparently, it had a negative effect and she died, another message flashed. I was driven back to the time when we had exchanged notes, cut birthday cakes and had heartfelt discussions. It was unimaginable that the free-spirited friend was no more. The night seemed endless. The dread that she would not see the morning, any morning, engulfed me. I managed to sleep but woke up much before the usual time. The newspaper lauded the victory of the PUSU alliance in the election and all I could see was my friends face in every picture. She wasnt there and yet was present in every stream of my thought. That is a thought I can hold on to. Arteev Sharma & DK Sudan Tribune News Service Jammu/Poonch, September 11 A policeman and three militants were killed in an 11-hour-long fierce gunbattle near the 93 Brigade Headquarters in Poonch this morning even as the security forces repelled three infiltration attempts in North Kashmir. Four heavily-armed militants sneaked into Tut-Mari-Gali in Nowgam sector, Kupwara. They were killed in an encounter. Also, infiltration bids were foiled in Tangdhar and Gurez sectors and the intruders were pushed back. The attack in Poonch took place at 7.10 am after Constable Rajinder Kumar of the Jammu and Kashmir CID wing, acting on a tip-off, approached a house in an isolated area. He was shot by militants taking refuge there. Sub-Inspector Manzoor Hussain rushed to Kumars help but was injured. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) The operation, which was conducted with the assistance of the Army and the CRPF, is over but we will have to wait till the morning to sanitise the area, said Jhonny William, DIG, Rajouri-Poonch. He said the militants were in Army uniform. Official sources said an Army convoy was to pass through the area at 7.25 am. But the militants were forced to open fire on Constable Rajinder Kumar, who was killed in the initial exchange of fire. This alerted the security agencies. After killing the Constable, two militants fled into an under-construction three-storeyed mini-secretariat building located at the rear of Poonch SPs office. The Army and the police requisitioned the help of the elite Para commandos to neutralise the holed-up militants. Sources said the house where the militants had taken shelter belonged to a relative of Congress MLC Jehangir Mir, who is also Deputy Chairman of the J&K Legislative Council. The owner, Haji Nazir, and his wife were inside and were rescued by the security personnel. Their domestic help received a bullet injury. New Delhi, September 11 The governments key think tank, the National Institute for Transforming India or the NITI Aayog, is seriously exploring deploying methanol as a possible way to achieving energy independence for India. The radical idea, it believes, also offers a solution to climate change. Is wood alcohol the solution to Indias huge oil import bill? Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari, speaking at an event to brainstorm on methanol economy as a substitute for oil and gas, vowed that we want to create a country where the import bill for petroleum is zero! Today, India annually spends Rs 4.5 lakh crore on importing petroleum products. Gadkari feels methane is a cost-effective import substitution. It is also a great way of generating wealth from waste, asserts Gadkari, who never misses an opportunity to drive home the point on how he made Rs 18 crore by selling municipal waste water in Nagpur from which methane was one of the by-products. Methanol, also called wood alcohol, is a form of primordial hydrocarbon made from methane gas. This is distinct from the everyday alcohol or ethanol most of us are familiar with, which is found in beer, whiskies and to a certain extent also used to power vehicles. Methanol is the simplest form of alcohol and it is toxic to humans, but it is, as the NITI Aayog says, an excellent light, volatile, colourless, flammable liquid fuel which can be blended with petrol. It is a good replacement for petrol and its cousin Dimethyl Ether (DME) can be a good and cleaner alternative to diesel, believes the think tank. Burnt methanol gives out no smoke and does not emit black carbon soot so it could be a solution to contain the ever increasing air pollution. India has only recently introduced blending of petrol with ethanol and one large experimental pilot plant that produces ethanol from agri-waste was inaugurated this year at Kashipur. Unfortunately, India lacks generous reserves of oil, gas and even uranium, the three key sources of energy that drive the economy. There is copious supply of solar energy but the intermittent nature gives it a distinct disadvantage since the Sun is not available at night when the demand for electricity is high. Methanol could be a suitable alternative, according to the Methanol Institute, USA, an industry consortium that points out how China is using 15-20 per cent of its fuel mixed with methanol. Industry experts suggest even the current make of cars can easily take fuel blended with 10 per cent of methanol and in future, when internal combustion engines can run on multiple fuels, blending up to 85 per cent with methanol could be a reality. New alloys need to be used in methanol using engines as it can be toxic to aluminium. PTI Jitendra K Shrivastava Siwan (Bihar), September 11 A day after he walked out of jail, RJD strongman and former MP Mohammad Shahabuddin said his honesty and candidness made him popular among people. I enjoy mass support as people know that I never made money. I am neither a contractor, nor a businessman. I live in a small and ramshackle home in a village. I opened educational institutions for the youth to shape their career. Because of my good deeds, people have faith in me, Shahabuddin told The Tribune. People of Siwan gave a heros welcome to their Saheb Mohammad Shahabuddin, who was released from Bhagalpur jail after 11 years. I have delivered whatever I committed to people. I have mass support not only in Siwan, but in the entire state. They trust me because I have committed myself to their welfare. Shahabuddin claimed that he never paid any fee to lawyers since he had no money and had to sell his ancestral property to fulfil other needs. If anyone claims that I demanded donations for elections, I will quit politics. Despite inability to spend, I never lost any poll, he said. Before completing his post-graduation in 1992, Shahabuddin said, he was elected as an Independent to the legislative Assembly from Jiradei, the home village of first President Dr Rajendra Prasad. People from the upper caste supported me against the CPI (ML) to save their interests of landed property in 1990s. But communal divide has affected that support, he said. Talking about RJD chief Lalu Prasad, he said: He is the only leader. Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is a leader of circumstances. When I was serving jail term, communal mobilisation took place in my district. Had I been outside the jail, I would have checked it, he said. During my jail tenure, I have read several books, but Gandhian thoughts influenced me the most, he said. Shahabuddin is facing at least 39 cases of murder, extortion, kidnapping etc. He was convicted for the first time in connection with a case got registered by the CPI (ML). Mukesh Ranjan Tribune News Service New Delhi, September 11 Minister of State for Railways Manoj Sinha has approached the Prime Ministers Office (PMO) against a decision of the Railways Ministry to discontinue free unlimited travel passes in trains to 45 members of the Hindi Committee in the ministry. Most of the committee members are political activists affiliated to the BJP and RSS and thus the decision has created a lot of discomfiture, particularly owing to the upcoming UP elections. Sources close to Sinha confirmed that the minister has lodged a written complaint with the PMO suggesting that such bureaucratic decision would not go down well with the workers and is also sending a wrong anti-Hindi signal ahead of elections. Sinhas proximity with the PM is well known as he is assigned the task to look after the PMs parliamentary constituency Varanasi, which neighbours Balia from where he comes to the Lok Sabha. The decision to discontinue free tickets followed a clarification issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs that the members of the Hindi Committee of the Railways do not have the power of inspections. The Hindi Committee of the Railways Ministry should comprise journalists or academicians hailing from Hindi language domain. However, the panel has become a place for the rehabilitation of political activists with allegiance to the party in power. The members had been getting passes for unlimited free train travel. The members had been travelling for personal reasons, citing they had gone for inspections to see whether the railways use Hindi language in its works. The passes allowed them to travel anywhere without approval, said a senior official. However, the railways recently sought a clarification from the MHA whether the members had the power of inspections on their own. The MHA clarified that the members cannot travel for inspections on their own. They can travel only to attend meetings of the panel approved by the ministry, the official said, adding that now the members of the Hindi Committee would be issued travel passes only when there is a scheduled official meeting. Simran Sodhi Tribune News Service New Delhi, September 11 As India and Nepal reach out to each other to mend relations that have been tense in the recent past, Nepals Foreign Minister Prakash Sharan Mahat arrived in the capital today to do groundwork for the visit by Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda later this week. Mahat is expected to meet External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj tomorrow. India-Nepal relations have been bitter since September last when Nepal adopted a new constitution that India publicly criticised and said it was not inclusive. India felt minority Madhesis in Nepal, who are culturally and ethnically closer to India, were not given adequate recognition in the new constitution. Nepal thought it was a case of India interfering in its internal affairs. The Madhesi protests in border areas led to blockade, triggering a shortage of food and fuel in Nepal. It is reliably learnt that Prachanda will arrive in Delhi on September 15 on four-day visit. The main official engagement will be on September 16 when he is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Both leaders will hold delegation-level talks and a number of agreements are expected to be signed later in the day. What assumes significance this time around is that Prachanda has chosen to visit India first, rather than visiting China despite being regarded ideologically closer to China. PK Jaiswar Tribune News Service Amritsar, September 11 Balwinder Kaur, the prime accused in a case pertaining to the desecration of Guru Granth Sahib at Babe De Ber Gurdwara in November last year, was brutally murdered late last night. The injury marks on the legs revealed she was attacked with sharp-edged weapons, police officials said, adding she had bled to death. A resident of Vairoke village in Chogawan block, Balwinder, who was arrested by the Lapoke police under Sections 295-A, 506 and 511 of the IPC, was out on bail because of her poor mental health. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) Amritsar (Rural) SSP Harkamalpreet Singh said three unidentified persons dragged Balwinder out of her house and attacked her with sharp-edged weapons even as her husband Labh Singh, an alcoholic, slept inside. Unable to walk and bleeding profusely, Balwinder crawled to her house to wake up her husband, but in vain. She then woke up her eight-year-old granddaughter but died of excessive bleeding. A case has been registered. This is the second incident of its kind. Earlier, Balwinder Kaur of Ghawaddi village in Ludhiana was shot dead in July. She too had been booked for desecration. Sanjeev Singh Bariana Tribune News Service Chandigarh, September 11 Despite tall claims of covering the poor under the Bhagat Puran Singh Sehat Bima Yojana, at least 45 per cent of the beneficiaries have not even been issued health cards. Official figures presented in the Assembly in reply to a question by former CLP Leader Sunil Jakhar put the number of families covered under the health insurance at 26.72 lakh against the total of around 45 lakh eligible families. Launched in October 2013, the scheme was intended to cover only the BPL families. The benefit was subsequently extended to farmers, labourers and even a section of traders. As per the official figures, the state has 28.9 lakh blue cardholder families, 11 lakh farmers and their families (holding J forms) and 2.33 lakh small traders and roughly 2.32 lakh construction workers. Besides Rs 50,000 for medical treatment, the insurance provides for a cover of Rs 5 lakh to a beneficiary in case of accidental death or incapacitation of the head of the family. At least 214 government and 216 private hospitals are empanelled under the scheme. Health Minister Surjit Kumar Jyani said: The preparation of health cards is an ongoing process. All cards will be issued before the year-end. I understand that some beneficiaries are facing difficulties. This is largely because they are not fully aware of the procedure. The shortage of doctors at some places is also affecting the implementation of the scheme, particularly in the rural areas. Jakhar said: In the absence of adequate medical staff, beneficiaries are unable to avail the health facilities in government hospitals. Last week, dozens watched as four faculty members tackled the middle school principal to the floor, subduing him. Covered from head to toe in a red foam suit, it was hard to tell he was even in there. This wasnt a pie the principal kind of thing; it wasnt a reward. The faculty were learning the swarm technique to take down an assailant. With high-profile shootings like Sandy Hook still fresh in peoples minds, schools like West Salem and Bangor are rethinking their decades-old lockdown policies. The schools are moving, instead, to a policy that offers students and faculty options for handling these life-threatening scenarios. The new program, dubbed ALICE, stands for alert, lockdown, inform, counter and evacuate. This, however, is not necessarily the order in which these steps may take place. The new program prioritizes situational awareness. Under the new policy, students and faculty would use the information available to them to decide the best course of action. Do they evacuate, do they bunker down, do they barricade or in a worst-case scenario, do they fight back? Last week, West Salem High School faculty and staff took part in ALICE training running through a handful of real-world scenarios. Leading the training were West Salem Police Department School Resource Officer Brett Myers and high school principal Josh Mallicoat. Mallicoat has been part of the ALICE task force for several years and had helped his old school transition away from the antiquated lockdown program. Myers said the goal of ALICE is to empower adults to make decisions based on what information is available. When you are done here, we hope that you feel that you are empowered, he said. As part of the training, faculty watched a video depicting security footage of the 1999 Columbine shooting. It wasnt until after the film was over and several teachers and staff were visibly upset that it was revealed that the film was a reenactment intended to demonstrate the flaws associated with a lockdown scenario. To hammer home why the district was moving away from the lockdown policy, administration had faculty go into a mock lockdown. After the notice was given, faculty filled classrooms, turned off the lights, locked the doors and took shelter in the far corner of the roomthey followed the lockdown procedure to a tee. Outside, principals Mallicoat and Ben Wopat assumed the roles of armed intruders, checked doors and fired a few rounds from an unloaded AirSoft gun. Wopat then using his keys to unlock the door and enter the classroom. The point of the exercise was to illustrate to teachers and staff how vulnerable they and their students are under the current system. An armed intruder could get a master key from any number of administration or maintenance staff. The lockdown procedure hasnt changed much in the last 20 years, Mallicoat said. Obviously, we are getting away from that. After a short debriefing, faculty again filled the classrooms, but this time, they were instructed to barricade the doors. After locking the door, faculty began barricading it with desks, filing cabinets, chairs and anything else they could get their hands on. When Wopat again unlocked the door and attempted to force it open, the door only budged a few inches. About this time, a teacher wielding a heavy text book lobbed it through the opening at Wopat. The effect of this exercise drove home how much more affective the ALICE procedure could be. Under the new program, teachers could make the call whether to evacuate or not based on what information was available to them. If they knew an intruder was on the other side of the school and there was a clear exit from the building, that teacher would likely have his or her students evacuate. According to administration, evacuation where appropriate is preferable to bunkering down because it gets students away from harm. This new program has been somewhat controversial, with some concerned parents worried schools are teaching their kids to fight armed gunmen. According to West Salem Buildings and Grounds Director Scott Johnson, this is simply not the case. He said what they are teaching students is that when they are cornered they have the right to defend themselves. Its a last-ditch effort, Myers said. You are authorized to whatever it takes to live. For example, in a barricade situation, should the barricade fail, students have the right to fight back, lobbing books, desks and anything else they can get their hands on. This is where the swarm tactic came in. Wopat, suited up in a protective red suit, was surrounded by four or five volunteers. Together they were able to overwhelm the struggling Wopat. Mallicoat stressed that confrontation should always be a last-ditch option, and that evacuation or barricading were preferable to contact with an assailant. Before any of this can happen, the faculty has to establish lines of communication so that people have the information they need to make the call whether to evacuate or barricade. Mallicoat stressed the importance of using lines of communication to keep everyone connected. Later this fall, students will receive ALICE training similar to what faculty experienced this fall. This training will be different depending on the age of the students. Mallicoat said for the high school, the training will be vary similar to what faculty experienced. Johnson said they may also hold an informational meeting for parents who want to know more about the ALICE program. Finally, the district plans to hold several soft drills to prepare students for a lockdown scenario under the new program, and a full-scale drill involving the police department, fire department and student actors later this spring. Kulwinder Sandhu Tribune News Service Baghapurana (Moga), September 11 The Aam Aadmi Party on Sunday promised to implement the Swaminathan panel report and make Punjab farmers debt-free by 2018, as it released the farmer manifesto at a mega rally at Baghapurana in the district. At a rally that saw thousands attend it, AAP promised to implement the Sir Chhotu Ram Act in the state and put an end to farmer suicides by December 2018. It also promised to waive loans beyond a threshold. AAP convener and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, MPs Bhagwant Mann and Sadhu Singh, state convener Gurpreet Ghuggi and AAP leader Sanjay Singh, among other leaders, were present at the event. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) Former Congress leader Jagmeet Brar felicitated Arvind Kejriwal on the dais. Mounting an attack on the Badal family, Kejriwal said Badals were responsible for the woes of farmers and driving them to suicide. Read: He also slammed Badals for suppressing farmers for the past many years. Claiming that AAP will come to power in Punjab with a thumping majority, Kejriwal said, We will put Agriculture Minister Tota Singh, Adesh Partap Singh, Bikram Majithia and Sukhbir Badal behind the bars and confiscate their properties. Calling Majithia a druglord, he also took a jibe at Punjab Congress president Capt Amarinder Singh for supporting the minister. Kejriwal said the Congress and SAD-BJP will play a friendly match in the assembly polls. He apprehended that Badals might orchestrate an attack on him. We will restore the lost glory of the farming community of Punjab, Kejriwal said, adding that on coming to power the AAP government will confiscate all buses of the Badal family and hand them over to unemployed youths. We will also confiscate properties of chit fund companies that committed frauds with people. All fake and fabricated drug cases will be cancelled. He asked Badals to remove corrupt ministers before coming to people to seek votes. Appealing for votes, AAPs newly-appointed state convener Gurpreet Ghuggi said if voted to power they will restore 'mela' culture in Punjab that was a tradition of the state. There will be zero tolerance to illegal trade of drugs besides corruption, Ghuggi said, adding that job avenues will be created for 25 lakh youngsters. Calling Punjab the food basket of the country, Sangrur MP Bhagwant Mann told a cheering crowd, We will drive farmers to prosperity and restore their lost glory. Highlights of farmer manifesto: Promises to pay Rs 10,000 a month to farm labourers as compensation for loss of income during natural calamities. No property will be confiscated or attached in default of payment of loans. Will implement the Swaminathan panel report. On SYL canal: Against sharing river waters with other states; promises to return land acquired for the project. Promises 12-hour uninterrupted power supply free of cost to farmers. No meters for tubewell connections. Shagun scheme amount will be raised to Rs 51,000. Promises Rs 21,000 on birth of child, to raise old-age pension to Rs 2,000 per month. AAP leader Kanwar Sandhu read out the farmer manifesto. Promises continue the Atta-Dal scheme, to bring in 10 lakh new consumers; also to increase the number of ration items. Rs 5-lakh health cover in all government and private hospitals for farmers and farm labourers. Life term for sale of fake pesticides and adulterated milk; law will be amended accordingly. Will promote dairy farming, fisheries and other alternative practices of agriculture. Promises Rs 10,000 per acre compensation for farmers having land beyond the fence along the Indo-Pak border. Will be take steps to tackle cattle menace. Promises village committees for land disputes. Will restructure the food procurement system in the grain markets Will open village clinics in all villages. Varinder Singh Tribune News Service Baghapurana, September 11 Accusing the SAD-BJP alliance and the Congress of forging a secret pact, AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal said today that the buses and properties of the Badals and other Akali leaders would be confiscated if his party came to power in Punjab. Kejriwal dubbed PPCC chief Capt Amarinder Singh an advocate of the Badals. When I said I would send the Badals to jail, Amarinder reacted strangely, saying that he would throw Kejriwal out of Punjab. Does this not show they are hand in glove with each other? he asked. The SAD-BJP combine and the Congress have deprived Punjabs farmers of prosperity and forced them to commit suicide in the past 10-15 years. I will not spare them, the Delhi CM said. Targeting the Akali ministers, he said, Tota Singh was behind the distribution of fake pesticides which caused back-breaking losses to poor farmers. Adaish Partap Singh Kairon, Bikram Singh Majithia and Sukhbir Badal will be sent to jail for what they have done to Punjab. Their properties will be confiscated. AAP will take possession of the Badal buses and allot these to the unemployed youth of the state, he added. Referring to the farmers manifesto, the AAP convener said, Our agenda is to make all farmers debt-free by 2017. For crop loss, we will give them compensation of at least Rs 20,000 per acre on the lines of Delhi, not just Rs 14 or Rs 26 which was shamelessly paid to some farmers by the SAD-BJP government, he said. What the farmers manifesto promises Ruchika M Khanna Tribune News Service Chandigarh, September 10 Stirring the caste and religious pot for electoral gains in the upcoming Assembly elections, the Akali-BJP government has tried to woo their majority vote bank of Sikhs by approving the draft of Punjab Anand Marriage Rules, and is once again flirting with the Saini and Swarankar communities by including them in the Backward Classes. These decisions were taken in the Punjab Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today. The government also announced a slew of concessions to the poor among the above mentioned communities. These include 15 per cent reservation in jobs as well as in educational institutions; scholarships and stipend meant for BCs; and free domestic power supply of up to 200 units a month. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) The benefits will only be given to those Saini and Swarankar families whose annual income is less than Rs8 lakh per annum. There are 69 castes in the Backward Classes which constitute 22 per cent of the state's population. Sainis constitute 9 per cent of the population mostly settled in Gurdaspur, Hoshiarpur, Anandpur Sahib and Patiala. A few years ago, the Jats, the dominant community in Punjab, too had raised the demand for getting the Backward Class status, which was also approved by the Cabinet, but its notification has not yet been done. Brahmin Sabhas general secretary Bihari Lal Saddi has already started raising demand for the grant of similar benefits to the 40-lakh Brahmin population in the state, claiming that they be declared a minority. Meanwhile, the government has also decided to allot 5-marla plots to landless people in villages on the village common land (Jumla Mustarka Maalkaan) by amending the East Punjab Holdings (Consolidation and Prevention of Fragmentation) Act, 1948. The Punjab Anand Marriage Rules ensure that Sikh marriages registered under the Anand Marriage Act need not be registered again under the Punjab Compulsory Registration of Marriages Act. This has been a long standing demand of the Sikhs a major vote bank of the Panthic party. The government also amended the Punjab Minor Mineral Rules that makes the stone crusher policy to regulate the working of crushers and control the prices of sand and aggregate legally tenable. Another meeting tomorrow With several bills to be introduced in the ongoing Vidhan Sabha session not yet ready, the government has convened another Cabinet meeting on Monday. These bills will be approved by the Cabinet before being presented in the House. London, September 11 Fourteen people were arrested on Sunday for aggravated trespassing in the West Midlands region of England after 20-30 sword-wielding men stormed a gurdwara, apparently opposing an inter-religion marriage between a Sikh and a non-Sikh. Specially trained officers from Warwickshire Police are still believed to be inside Gurdwara Sahib in the town of Leamington Spa to negotiate with the other men. Fourteen people were arrested for aggravated trespassing in the West Midlands region of England, police said. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) A spokesperson for Warwickshire Police said: "The report was received at 6.47 am after a group of between 20 and 30 men entered the gurdwara. "This is currently being treated as aggravated trespass and at this time we believe that it is an escalation of an ongoing local dispute. We believe that some of the men are in possession of bladed items and as such armed officers have been deployed to the scene. Officers are inside the gurdwara to negotiate a peaceful resolution. "We would like to reassure people that this is not being treated as a terrorist incident," he said. The spokesperson confirmed religious leaders in the gurdwara were working with officers to negotiate a peaceful resolution. "There are police cordons in place around the gurdwara and we would ask that people avoid the area while the matter is being resolved," he said. Some reports claimed the armed men are demonstrating against a inter-religion marriage, although this remains unconfirmed. Jatinder Singh Birdi, a former treasurer at gurdwara, said a marriage between a Sikh and non-Sikh couple was due to take place. "There have been tensions that have been going on for a couple of years with some people objecting to mixed marriages in taking place in the gurdwara," he told BBC. "The general consensus is people are respectful of mixed marriages if the traditions are respected. Nothing has happened on this level before. This is meant to be one of the happiest moments of somebody's life it shows a lack of respect," he said. A police cordon is currently in force around the temple while officers and religious leaders try to end the stand-off. PTI SMA KAZMI Tribune News Service Dehradun, September 11 The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which stakes a claim to power in the forthcoming Assembly elections in Uttarakhand, faces an uphill task of choosing a leader who can lead the party to victory. Faced with a problem of plenty with four former Chief Ministers in its ranks, the party has been pondering over choosing a leader who can be the Chief Minister in case the party wins the elections or go without naming anyone as the prospective CM candidate. The policy of sidelining senior party leaders, who have attained the age of 75, has also added to the problem of the state unit. This quandary has led to heartburn among leaders and some senior leaders are unhappy at the turn of events. Moreover, with the entry of 10 Congress legislators in the BJP, there is a resentment among BJP leaders who had been nurturing the Assembly segments represented by these former Congress legislators. These BJP leaders feel that the party high command must have promised these Congress legislators party tickets from their respective Assembly segments at their expense. The party faces the task of choosing a leader who will be projected as the Chief Ministerial candidate and take on Congress Chief Minister Harish Rawat. Interestingly, former Chief Minister and Pauri Garhwal Lok Sabha MP, Maj Gen BC Khanduri (retd) could be one of the strongest candidates to take on Harish Rawat but age is not on his side. He is above 80. His arch rival and Nainital MP Bhagat Singh Koshiyari (former CM) is 74 years old. According to party sources, there was an opinion that Maj Gen BC Khanduri (retd) be made the chairman of the poll campaign committee, and the party could decide about the CM candidate after winning the polls. However, there is consternation on the part of Khanduri to this proposal. Koshiyari, another claimant for the top position, is also reportedly unhappy at the turn of events. He missed three crucial party meetings, including one convened by party chief Amit Shah with senior party leaders of the state, in New Delhi last week. Although he denied differences and cited his busy schedule for party work as the reason for his absence, it is common knowledge that he is sulking. The party leadership has been in a quandary on the leadership issue. Two senior former Congress leaders, including former Union Minister Satpal Maharaj and former Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna, are also hopeful but are unlikely to be given the responsibility. Former Chief Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank, who is currently Haridwar MP, is also in the race with age on his side. Another important factor which will play an important role in the decision is the opinion of the RSS leadership. The mother organisation of the BJP is serious about victory in Assembly polls in Uttarakhand and has been mulling the issue at various levels. Already, two Union Ministers Dharmendra Pradhan and JP Nadda have been appointed in-charge for the Assembly polls. These two leaders are also amidst serious talks on the issue of leadership. A section of the party believes that it should be prudent to go into the elections with a face to challenge Harish Rawat as Bihar example showed that absence of any face cost the party dear. But the choice of a leader in Uttarakhand is not an easy task. Tribune News Service Dehradun, September 11 In a significant political development, former Chief Minister and Nainital MP Bhagat Singh Koshyari has announced that he would not contest the next general elections in 2019 and quit active politics. Koshyari made this announcement at the 129th birth anniversary of veteran freedom fighter Govind Ballabh Pant in Nainital on Saturday. He said he had conveyed his decision to the party top leadership. He would devote himself to social work which he did before entering politics, he added. An RSS parcharak, Koshyari is considered a strong candidate for the post of Chief Minister in case the BJP comes to power in the forthcoming Assembly poll. However, it is believed that he was unhappy at the turn of events with the party leadership unable to take a decision on the leader who would lead the party in the Assembly poll. With four former Chief ministers in the BJP, the party leadership has been unable to decide on the issue. Koshyari also skipped at least three crucial party meetings related with chalking out strategies for the Assembly poll held in the past week. But he denied that he was unhappy and said he could not attend those meeting due to his preoccupation with party work elsewhere. Koshyari a Rajput from Kumaon had been president of the Uttarakhand BJP before the state came into being in 2000. By virtue of being a member of the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Council, he become a member of the Uttarakhand interim Assembly. He was a minister in the first ever interim state government headed by first Chief Minister Nityanand Swami. He opposed Nityanand Swami, forcing the party leadership to remove him before the first ever state Assembly elections in 2002. Koshyari become the Chief Minister of the state for a few months and led the party in the 2002 Assembly poll which the BJP lost badly to the Congress. Koshyari won the 2014 Lok sabha elections from Nainital. Meanwhile, Shyam Jaju, general secretary in charge of the party affairs in Uttarakhand, today played down Koshyaris announcement and said he was the backbone of the party in the state. Tribune News Service Dehradun, September 11 The valiant serving and retired soldiers of the 5th battalion of 9th Gorkha Rifles, who routed enemies in the battle of Phillora, commemorated Phillora Day at a function held here today. The soldiers paid tributes to the martyrs, who had laid down their lives during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965. Commanding Officer, Colonel Badshah Ghosh was the chief guest. He applauded the bravery of soldiers. While recalling soldiers efforts, Col Ghosh said brave soldiers had proved their mettle in their first battle, despite the fact that the battalion was raised hardly three years ago. The gathering observed a two-minute silence to pay homage to martyrs. They said intruders would be dealt very strictly by the Indian Army, if they try to insolence the international boundary. It is noteworthy that 5/9 GR was raised on January 1, 1963 at Birpur cantonment in Dehradun. During the India-Pakistan war in 1965, the intrepid soldiers of the battalion laid siege on Phillora. As many as 30 soldiers laid down their lives, while 86 soldiers were seriously wounded. This led to the battalions name being inscribed in golden letters. The Phillora Battle of Honour was instituted to recognise outstanding bravery and be commemorated as Phillora Day. It is noteworthy that the Battle of Phillora was one of the largest Patton tank battles fought during the 1965 war and the first major engagement between the two nations in the Sialkot sector of Pakistan. Col AK Kapila (retd), second in-command of the battalion Major TK Tiwari, Major RM Thakur (retd), Capt Vijay Singh Khattri, Hony Capt Bharat Singh Thapa (retd), Subedar Majors (retd) Tilak Podel, Karan Bahadur Roka, Sanjay Poun, Subedars (retd) Tilak Singh Thukri and Subedar Gopal Singh Thapa were present. Himanshu Kumar Lall Tribune News Service Dehradun, September 11 There is a need for the arms and ammunition, communication equipment, gear and clothing to be upgraded as modern warfare has changed manifold in the last four decades, say soldiers who fought the war with Pakistan in 1965. Septuagenarian Havildar Bhagwan Singh Chettri (retd), while recalling his role in the Phillora war, said he coordinated between the operation war room and soldiers at observation posts to get vital information about enemies. He said series of practice and revision was done before the final attack plan was made. Subedar Hari Singh Khattri (78) said the 303 rifle was inducted into the Army after India faced China in 1962 war. He said infantry soldiers marched to battle, lined up against one another, easily identifiable in their uniforms and used weapons to defeat foes years ago but technology has overcome this. Naik Shemshar Bahadur, who is now 82, recalls that the Phillora war in 1965 was a very fierce battle fought between India and Pakistan. Despite facing adverse circumstances, the brave soldiers fought and won the battle. Naik Subedar (retd) Devendra Singh Chettri (75) said the battle started on September10, 1965 when Indian troops launched a massive attack at the Phillora sector as Pakistani troops violated the ceasefire. He said the 1st Armoured Division was on the offensive in that area and equipped with four Armoured regiments, this division faced stiff opposition from Pakistani 6th Armoured Division in the battle. Recalling about training and battle, 73-year-old Subedar Gopal Singh Chettri (retd) said rigorous training helped soldiers to fight bravely and win battle. Pakistani air attacks did little damage to the tank columns and infantry soldiers, but Indian soldiers fearlessly fought and won the battle. "I coordinated between the operation war room and soldiers at observation posts to get vital information about the enemy. A series of practice and revision was done before the final attack plan was made." Bhagwan Singh Chettri, Havildar (retd) "Infantry soldiers marched to battle, lined up against one another, easily identifiable in their uniforms and weapons used to defeat foes years ago. But technology has overcome this." Hari Singh Khattri, Subedar (retd) "The Phillora war in 1965 was a very fierce battle fought between India and Pakistan. Despite facing adverse circumstances, the brave soldiers fought and won the battle. Shemshar Bahadur, Naik (retd) "Rigorous training helped soldiers to fight bravely and win battle. Pakistan air attacks did a little damage to the tank columns and infantry soldiers, but we fearlessly fought and won the battle." Gopal Singh Chettri, Subedar (retd) "First Armoured Division of the Army was on the offensive and equipped with four Armoured regiments, this division faced stiff opposition from Pakistani 6th Armoured Division in the battle." Devendra Singh Chettri, Naik Subedar (retd) In the late summer of 1950, a San Diego State University-bound, seventeen-year-old Greek boy arrived on the shores of the United States to forge a new life that, in total, spanned more than eighty-three years. Constantine C. (Dan) Danou was born on September 20, 1932, in Thessaloniki, Greece; at age twelve, he served as an English interpreter for the British forces after Greece was liberated from Nazi occupation. Coming to the United States as a student, Dan later enlisted in the Marine Corps and was stationed in Japan during the Korean War. Dans military service facilitated his becoming a U.S. citizen whereupon he moved to Chicago to work as a department manager for the home office of an insurance company. After a few years there, he relocated with the company to Bloomington, Illinois, where he met his future wife, Nancy Hitchings. They were married in 1964, and Dan became a non-traditional student, earning his B.A. and M.A. in political science and sociology at Illinois State University. He then taught at University High School in Normal, Illinois, and began a long career as a sociology professor. After the birth of their first two children, Dan and Nancy spent a year living and teaching in Greece. Thereafter, the couple settled in Marshfield, Wisconsin, where they raised three children, Chris (Kate), Erika, and Niki (George). Dan taught sociology at the University of Wisconsin, Marshfield/Wood County for twenty-seven years and actively served the campus and community in manifold ways. On campus he founded and advised the Phi Theta Kappa chapter; he also served on innumerable committees, even performing in a UW theatrical production. In the community, Dan chaired the Committee on Aging and wrote the grant to establish the Wood County nutrition program. He was an active Rotarian in both Marshfield and La Crosse. Retiring as Professor Emeritus, Dan moved with Nancy to La Crosse where they later welcomed six grandchildren (Orion, Rowan, Kiyan, Kiera, Pente, and Liliana) who enriched their grandfathers retirement. On September 7, Dan died peacefully at home. A celebration of Dans life will be held in La Crosse within the next several weeks. His ashes will be interred in Crescent City, Illinois. Memorials can be directed to the University Foundation of the University of Wisconsin, Marshfield/Wood County, 2000 W. Fifth Street, Marshfield, WI 54449 or the Rotary Works Foundation, P.O. Box 1571, La Crosse, WI 54602-5171. The Dickinson Family Funeral Home of La Crosse is assisting the family with arrangements. Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.dickinsonfuneralhomes.com New York: A co-founder of social media giant Facebook, Dustin Moskovitz, 32, said he was donating $20 million to help ensure the defeat of Republican candidate Donald Trump in the presidential election. The multi-billionaire said the real-estate magnate's policy proposals were "so implausible" that they spark concern his White House run may be nothing more than a con game aimed at winning the election and boosting his brand. IANS Five-second rule for food not valid: Study Washington: Eating food off the floor is not safe as bacteria may transfer in less than a second, says a new study that disproves the widely accepted notion that it is alright to scoop up food within a "safe" five-second window. Prof Donald Schaffner from Rutgers University found that moisture, type of surface and contact time all contribute to cross-contamination. In some instances, the transfer begins in less than one second, he said. PTI China completes longest bullet train tracks Beijing: Chinas high-speed railway has completed over 20,000 km of track network in the country, becoming the world's longest bullet train network. A high-speed railway linking Zhengzhou in central Henan province with Xuzhou in eastern Jiangsu province opened on Saturday. While Japan bagged contract for Mumbai-Ahmedabad high-speed train, China is conducting a study to build Chennai-New Delhi bullet train track. PTI Seoul, September 11 A defiant North Korea today restated its demand for recognition as a legitimate nuclear-armed state, as world powers pondered ways to punish Pyongyang for its latest and largest atomic test. The North also vowed to increase its nuclear strike force in quality and in quantity, two days after its fifth test in a decade sparked international condemnation and moves for tougher UN sanctions. In Japan, a visiting senior US envoy said Washington and Tokyo were seeking the strongest possible measures in response. North Korea insists that its missile and nuclear tests are necessary to counter what it says is a US nuclear threat to its independence. A statement today from a foreign ministry spokesman in Pyongyang mocked President Barack Obamas totally bankrupt policy on the country. Obama is trying hard to deny the DPRKs (North Koreas) strategic position as a legitimate nuclear weapons state but it is as foolish an act as trying to eclipse the sun with a palm, said the statement quoted by the official KCNA news agency. Fridays test came only eight months after the previous one and was almost twice as powerful, at an estimated 10 kilotons. Most worryingly for the international community, the North claimed it had been a miniaturised warhead that could be mounted on a missile. The UN Security Council agreed Friday to start work on new measureseven though five sets of UN sanctions since the first nuclear test in 2006 have failed to halt the Norths nuclear drive. Sung Kim, the US State Departments special representative for North Korea policy, said Washington and Tokyo would work closely in the Security Council and beyond to come up with the strongest possible measure against North Koreas latest action. AFP New York, September 11 Americans prepared to commemorate the 15th anniversary of the September 11, 2001, attacks on Sunday with the recital of the names of the dead, tolling church bells and a tribute in lights at the site where New York Citys twin towers tumbled. The names of the 2,983 victims will be read slowly by relatives as music plays during a ceremony at the 9/11 Memorial plaza in Lower Manhattan that will pause for six moments of silence. Four of those mark the exact times four hijacked planes were crashed into the World Trade Center, the Pentagon near Washington D.C., and a Pennsylvania field. The last two record when the North and South towers of the Trade Center collapsed. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) The ceremony will be held by two reflecting pools with waterfalls which now stand in the towers former footprints, and watched over by an honor guard of police and firefighters. More than 340 firefighters and 60 police were killed on the that sunny Tuesday morning in 2001, in the worst attack on US soil since Pearl Harbor was bombed in 1941. Many of them died while running up stairs in the hope of reaching victims trapped on the towers higher floors. In his weekly radio address on Saturday, US President Barack Obama said it had been one of the darkest days in the history of the nation, but that it underlined the core values and resilience that define Americans. Were still the America of heroes who ran into harms way; of ordinary folks who took down the hijackers; of families who turned their pain into hope, Obama said. We are still the America that looks out for one another, bound by our shared belief that I am my brothers keeper, I am my sisters keeper. No public officials will speak at the New York ceremony, in keeping with a tradition that began in 2012. The 9/11 Memorial Museum, which sits in the plaza surrounded by white oak trees, will be open on Sunday only to family members of the victims. Houses of worship throughout the city have been asked to toll their bells at 8:46 a.m. EDT (1246 GMT), the time American Airlines Flight 11 slammed into the North Tower. A second pause will come at 9:03 a.m. (1303 GMT), when United Airlines Flight 175 struck the South Tower. American Airlines Flight 77 hit the Pentagon at 9:37 a.m. (1337 GMT), then the South Tower collapsed at 9:59 a.m. (1359 GMT). At 10:03 a.m. (1403 GMT) United Flight 93 crashed near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, and the final moment of silence will be observed at 10:28 a.m. (1428 GMT) when the North Tower fell. As evening falls across the city on Sunday, spotlights will project two giant beams of light into the night sky to represent the fallen twin towers, fading away at dawn. Nineteen hijackers died in the attack, later claimed by Osama bin Laden and al-Qaeda, which led directly to the US war in Afghanistan and indirectly to the invasion of Iraq. Reuters Washington, September 11 Inspired by Donald Trumps strident stance on immigration, students at the Washington State University are seeking to build a Trump wall in support of the Republican Party nominee. I think its going to be a good event, James Allsup, president of the universitys College Republicans chapter, said. Hopefully people will come out and get informed, and we can have a dialogue about the issues. Im expecting a wide range of feedback, Allsup was quoted as saying by the Spokesman-Review. The group has requested approval from university officials and it hopes to have the wall built by October. The university, which is in Pullman, Washington, would be the second school to hold such a demonstration in the state. Trump supporters at the University of Washington erected a plywood wall at the Seattle campus. But some students at Washington State University said they disapprove of the demonstration, though they respect the College Republicans right to free speech. As a Latino student, its disappointing to see that some of my peers want to do something like this and put other students in an uncomfortable situation, Eduardo Ramos, a sophomore and member of the Latino student group MEChA said. But Allsup said the demonstration is not about race. Immigration has become a sensitive issue in Trumps presidential campaign. He recently gave a fiery speech on his immigration policy, the same day he met with Mexico President Enrique Pena Nieto. In his speech, Trump vowed no amnesty for millions of undocumented migrants living in the US and threatened to deport them if he becomes president. Trump maintains the US will still build a wall, and that Mexico will pay for it despite Mexican officials insisting the country will not foot the bill to stop the flow of illegal immigrants to the US. PTI New York, September 11 The woman in an iconic photo shown kissing an ecstatic sailor in Times Square celebrating the end of World War II has died. Greta Zimmer Friedman was 92. She was a 21-year-old dental assistant when she became part of one of the most famous photographs of the 20th century. On August 14, 1945, known as V-J Day, the day Japan surrendered to the US, people spilled into the New York City streets, celebrating the news. Thats when George Mendonsa spotted Friedman, spun her around and planted a kiss. The two had never met. In fact, Mendonsa was on a date with an actual nurse, Rita Petry, who would later become his wife. The photo by Alfred Eisenstaedt is known to most simply as The Kiss. The photo was first published in Life magazine, buried deep within its pages. Over the years, the photo gained recognition, and several people claimed to be the kissing couple. In an August 1980 issue of Life, 11 men and three women said they were the subjects. It was years before Mendonsa and Friedman were confirmed to be the couple. It wasnt that much of a kiss, Friedman said in an interview with the Veterans History Project in 2005. It was just somebody celebrating. It wasnt a romantic event. AP ROCKLAND Roy H. Stacey, 64, of Rockland passed away Sept. 5, 2016, in Beloit, Wis. Roy was born Nov. 28, 1951, in Elkhorn, Wis., to Seth B. Stacey and Mary D. (Drabek) Stacey of Williams Bay, Wis. He attended Williams Bay schools and graduated with the Class of 1969. Shortly thereafter, while attending Kenosha Technical Institute, he first met his future wife, Janet M. Thompson of Delavan, Wis. Roy and Janet were married July 6, 1974, at Our Redeemer Lutheran Church in Delavan. They moved to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, where Roy worked for Western Weighing and Inspection Bureau as a travel agent/auditor. Roy and Janet were blessed with the birth of their son, Paul B. Stacey in May 1975. Roy worked for Western Weighing and Inspection Bureau in various locations until 1987, when through the advice of a friend and colleague, applied for a position with the U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, as a safety investigator, and the family moved to Buffalo, N.Y., as his first duty station in 1987. In 1989, the family moved to Madison, Wis., in order to be closer to Janets parents. While living in Madison, Roy suffered a hemorrhagic stroke that greatly affected the right side of his body. Through a lot of determination and physical therapy, Roy was back to work in three months. Roy and Janet moved to Rockland, in 1997, when an opportunity arose to work from home became available. In 2010, he developed a rare blood disorder where his blood would not clot. After several months of treatment, Roy returned to work. They remained in Rockland, for the remainder of his tenure with FMCSA. Roy retired from government service in December 2011, where he enjoyed a 25-year career. Roy had a friendly outgoing personality, and was known for showing up unexpectedly at someones door throughout his travels, or calling them out of the blue to stay in touch. During his life on earth, Roy could talk to anyone and made many lasting friendships through school, work, and his hobbies. He bought his first record at the age of five, and that love of music followed him throughout his life. His jukebox and record collection followed the family through many seven moves, from Green Bay, Wis.; Neenah, Wis.; Monroe, Mich.; Buffalo, N.Y.; Madison, Wis.; McFarland, Wis.; and finally to Rockland. Roys favorite record buddy in Madison, would pick him up at the house after he suffered his stroke to make sure he would make it to their favorite record haunt, where he would spend many hours listening to tunes and talking with fellow record collectors. After his retirement, Roy really got to know the local people, where more than one person told him that he should have moved to Rockland years ago. Roy was loved by many and will be greatly missed by all. Roy is survived by his loving wife of 42 years, Janet; his son, Paul; Janets sister, Marilyn, and her husband, Dennis Engler of Portage, Mich.; nephew, Brandon Engler and family of Novi, Mich.; niece, Kristen Engler and family of Northville, Mich.; and cousins, Frank Drabek of Loves Park, Ill., Nancy Smith of Lutz, Fla., Jane Greenman, Jackie Blackport, and Mike Stacey of Grand Rapids, Mich., and Barb Smith of Dorr, Mich.; along with other relatives and many friends. Roy was preceded in death by his mother, Mary; his father, Seth; his grandparents; his mother-in-law, Bernice; and his father-in-law, Herman. Memorial services will be held at noon, Saturday, Sept. 17, at the Rockland United Methodist Church, 106 East Main St., Rockland, WI 54653. Visitation will be held from 10 a.m. until the time of service Saturday at the church. A reception and light luncheon will take place following the service. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to the Rockland United Methodist Church. Schumacher-Kish Funeral and Cremation Services of La Crosse, is assisting the family. Online condolences may be submitted at www.schumacher-kish.com. Some critics have shouted for state regulators to place a blanket moratorium on wastewater disposal from oil and gas production, which industry officials argue would be crippling, and science points to seismicity remaining for untold years even in that scenario. Oklahomas earthquake energy released in 2016 slowed to 2014 rates, and its quake frequency dipped about 20 percent at the halfway mark compared to 2015s banner year, according to U.S. Geological Survey data. Regulations contributing to unprecedented cutbacks in wastewater disposal volumes linked to man-made quakes apparently have played a significant role in the decline. But then a week ago the powerful 5.8-magnitude quake near Pawnee struck in a relatively weak seismic area, shaking Oklahoma and several surrounding states. The episode served as a reminder of the states precarious situation despite the recent downward rumbling trends. Dan McNamara, a USGS research geophysicist, published a peer-reviewed paper in October 2015 that is a clear indicator induced seismicity can be managed based on a study of Cushing. But McNamara cautioned last week that quakes can continue rattling off for years after disposal is reduced or stopped. So even if you shut down all wells, there will be seismicity for many years, he said. The manageable aspect may sift itself out based on what levels of shaking could be considered tolerable in the future, with industry operating but burdened by restrictions that evolve. There was a significant increase in the rate of earthquake energy released throughout 2015 Oklahomas shakiest ever that peaked with the strong 5.1 quake near Fairview in mid-February of this year. Three days later, state regulators implemented their most drastic volume reductions on the oil and gas industrys deepest disposal wells across 5,200 square miles of northwestern Oklahoma. The response evolved into a similar action in early March for another 5,200 square miles in central Oklahoma. Officials say both actions have resulted in an overall reduction of 40 percent below 2014 volumes the most ever pumped underneath Oklahoma in a year which is about a million barrels less each day. In 2014, 1.538 billion barrels were put into the Arbuckle formation. That deepest geologic formation is in contact with the states granite basement, which is rife with critically stressed faults that are optimally aligned to produce quakes. The energy release in 2016 then tapered off to 2014s rate until the powerful 5.8 quake set the stage for this year to yield Oklahomas most quake energy expended yet. That burst of energy spurred the Oklahoma Corporation Commission to take another unprecedented move that afternoon. State regulators ordered 37 disposal wells to shut down indefinitely within seven or 10 days depending their locations with respect to the epicenter. The Environmental Protection Agency followed suit with 17 disposal wells in Osage County, where state regulators dont have jurisdiction. The disposal well shut-ins are within a 725-square-mile oblong area in which wells are no further than 20 miles from the epicenter. Avoiding active faults, like the Pawnee case, is good and exactly what the OCC is doing, McNamara said. Pawnee a weird quake The Pawnee quake was somewhat of a surprise given its location and strength within a region that hadnt shown much seismicity. It also has exhibited atypical behavior before and afterward. It jolted Oklahoma awake on Sept. 3, with a smattering of 2.0s and 3.0s as warning in the weeks beforehand. The magnitude 5.7 in Prague in 2011 featured more warning a 4.8 foreshock the day of and came amid an increasing rise in wastewater disposed underground. Its weird; youre right, McNamara told a Tulsa World reporter. Pawnee happened in a region with 40 percent reduction in wastewater disposal. And yet you still have the largest earthquake in history here. The Prague quake featured dozens of aftershocks, including a 4.8 two days later. But the Pawnee quakes aftershocks have been pretty low energy, similar to its foreshock sequence. The Pawnee quake was followed by more than a dozen aftershocks in the 2.6- to 3.5-magnitude range. And six earthquakes ranging in magnitude from 2.5 to 3.6 shook parts of western and central Oklahoma in a 24-hour span from Sunday into Monday. As of Friday morning there had been about 25 aftershocks, he said. I dont want to predict a quake, but if its similar to others in Oklahoma we should see some 4s in the next few weeks, McNamara said. Earthquake energy McNamara said hes unsure why larger quakes are firing off this year two of the states top-four strongest quakes ever when so far there are fewer quakes overall. He said his concern lies not with the number of smaller quakes but with the few larger ones because they produce so much more energy. For example, the magnitude-5.8 Pawnee quake was about five times bigger than the 5.1 Fairview quake and expended about 11 times more energy. A 5.8 is nearly 64 times larger than a 4.0 and releases more than 500 times its energy. A 5.8 is about 630 times larger than a 3.0 and lets off nearly 16,000 times more energy. The energy, or strength, of earthquakes is what causes damage to structures. The energy release hasnt really slowed down to pre-2011 rates, not even close, McNamara said. There were 902 quakes of at least magnitude 3.0 and 28 of at least 4.0 in 2015, according to Oklahoma Geological Survey data. Comparatively, 2011 saw 66 of at least 3.0 and four of at least 4.0. Oklahomas disposal wells Disposal wells injecting wastewater from oil and gas production into the Arbuckle are targeted by researchers and regulators as the culprits behind induced seismicity. The Arbuckle formation is popular with the industry because of how permeable and deep that layer is, allowing it to soak up wastewater and remain as far from ground water as possible. Matt Skinner, Corporation Commission spokesman, during an earthquake public forum on Wednesday said there are 1,045 wells authorized for disposal into the Arbuckle. A bit more than 700 are in the regulating agencys area of interest, he said. That area of interest is drawn around most of the seismicity in about 15,000 square miles in central and northwestern Oklahoma. There are 4,391 disposal wells in the state regardless of the formation they inject into, Skinner said. Many operate very intermittently, he explained to the Tulsa World, so at any one time there may be about 3,200 in operation. That doesnt mean all are physically injecting at once, but theyre in business, he said. Two wide-scale directives in March and July 2015 targeting well depths resulted in 260 wells plugging back out of the fault-laced basement, according to the latest OCC data available at mid-year 2016. Another 20 wells werent disposing because they had yet to complete their plans to reduce depths. Telling Delta Squad to stand at ease, Maj. Mike Maguffee calls one particular student to the front of the room, where he then leads the junior ROTC class in a boisterous rendition of Happy Birthday to You, ending with a big Hoorah! that echoes down the hallway at Hale High School. Sherriana Rogers was turning 15, which made her one of the few people in the room besides Maguffee, of course who was actually alive on that fateful September morning 15 years ago. Their parents can remember exactly where they were and exactly what they were doing when the twin towers fell, just like previous generations never forgot the moment they heard about Pearl Harbor or the Kennedy assassination. But for Rogers and her classmates, its all history. And yet, not entirely history. It happened a long time ago, Rogers explains, but it still affects us. The kid version of the story, as most of these JROTC students first heard it, goes something like this: Bad guys stole some airplanes and flew them into buildings, and a lot of people died. Tierra Hernandez was in kindergarten when her mother described the events of 9/11 that way. And thats pretty much all she knew about it until the fifth grade, when her U.S. history class watched a video about the attacks. The images are all too familiar to older Americans: smoke billowing out of the first tower, United Airlines Flight 175 slamming into the second tower, bodies falling from the upper floors, fire raging at the Pentagon, and wreckage strewn across an open field in Pennsylvania, where the fourth airliner went down. Nearly 3,000 people died that day. It honestly made me cry, Hernandez remembers. The first couple of times I watched it, I couldnt stop crying. But it also helped Hernandez begin to understand why her world is the way it is. Why her stepfather went to the Middle East with the Oklahoma National Guard in 2008. Why, after he came home, he never seemed quite as happy or carefree as he was before he left. Why the United States has had troops in Afghanistan for the past 15 years and in Iraq for 13 years. Why more than 6,800 Americans have died in the War on Terror since 2001. Hernandez and her classmates have never known a time when their country has not been at war. It doesnt seem like it will ever end, says Hernandez, a junior in high school. I dont think it will, not in my lifetime. In ROTC class, Maguffee has the entire class, more than 20 students, stand shoulder-to-shoulder on a blue tarp that is spread across the floor. He tells them to flip the tarp over, so the side that is face up becomes face down, without anyone stepping off it. Doing that requires quite a bit of teamwork and cooperation if just one person refuses to help and stands idle, Maguffee tells them, the mission will fail. What I want them to know about 9/11 is the way the country came together, Maguffee explains. It didnt matter what color you were. It didnt matter what gender or ethnicity. We all came together. And when we do that, we cant be defeated. With the victorious students standing together on the upside-down tarp, Maguffee leads them in one more big Hoorah! Oklahomans who died on 9/11 In the national tragedy 15 years ago that took the lives of more than 3,000 people, seven had connections to Oklahoma. Army Maj. Ron Milam, 33, was from Muskogee. He known as an avid basketball player and was working as an assistant to the Secretary of the Army. Milam had taken leadership assignments in Saudi Arabia, Germany and two stints in South Korea. He was serving at the Pentagon as an assistant to the secretary of the Army and was gearing up for the leader development program at the United States Army Command and General Staff College when he was killed at the Pentagon. Several facilities have been named for him, including buildings at Fort Sill in Lawton, Fort Bliss in Texas and the Muskogee High School gym. He was married, and the couple had a 1-year-old and another baby on the way. His son was born in January 2002. David Shelby Berry, 43, was from Oklahoma City. He called his parents to assure them of his safety before he died when the south tower of the World Trade Center was hit. He attended Casady School then He graduated cum laude from Yale University in 1980 with degrees in philosophy and physics and received a diploma of distinction from the London School of Economics in 1984. He was executive vice-president and director of research at Keefe, Bruyette and Woods Inc., specialists in banking and financial services. He was married with three sons. Jayesh "Jay" Shah, 38, of Tulsa was employed as vice president of eSpeed International. He died in the north tower of the World Trade Center. A graduate of Memorial High School in 1980 and the University of Tulsa in 1984, he was known for having a kind disposition and fierce competitive spirit. He obtained a master's degree in computer science from TU in 1987 and honed his skills in gas marketing through the years. He was married with three children. David Harlow Rice, 31, was a graduate of Bishop McGuinness High School in Oklahoma City. He had overcome a teenage substance abuse addiction to become a Fulbright scholar and bond investor in New York. He graduated from Loyola University Chicago in June 1994 with honors and completed his Fulbright studies in Africa, a place he loved. He received a master's degree in finance from London School of Economics in 1996. He was an employee of Sandler O'Neill, an investment banking firm in Chicago. He died in the World Trade Center. His brother is Andrew Rice, who served as a state senator and ran for U.S. Senate. Army Spc. Chin Sun Pak Wells, 24, graduated high school from Lawton. She was nicknamed Sunny and engaged at the time. She was known for sending upbeat emails and having a candy dish on her desk at the Pentagon, where she died. Wayne Terrial Davis, 29, graduated from Edmond Memorial High School in 1989 and served in the U.S. Army for eight years with a tour on the front lines in Desert Storm. Days after completing work for a bachelor's degree from the University of Maryland, he was killed while attending a meeting on the 106th floor of the World Trade Center's north tower. No one on that floor survived. He was a senior sales engineer for Callixa Corp, a software company, and had a wife and three children. Navy Petty Officer Brian Anthony Moss, 34, was from Sperry and assigned to the Pentagon. He was a member of the Naval Ceremonial Guard and helped lay to rest those who died aboard the USS Cole. A husband and father of two children, he was known for his generosity and volunteer spirit. The Brian Anthony Moss Scholarship Fund was established to benefit a Sperry High School student who is community-oriented. Even with nearly 20 new shows premiering this fall on broadcast TV, there is little to shout about this season. There are no wildly anticipated new series, not many new ideas and more than one reboot. However, the fall season isnt lacking for talent. Returning to the small screen are Kiefer Sutherland, Milo Ventimiglia, Geena Davis, Kevin James, Ted Danson, Kristen Bell, Joel McHale, Matt LeBlanc, Dermot Mulroney and Cheryl Hines. Theres even another animated/live-action comedy with the main character voiced by Jason Sudeikis. Theres also beaucoup techno wizardry (Bull, Pure Genius and Timeless) that may dazzle but, unfortunately, really not much to call Must See TV. Still, there are few bright spots in the lineups of NBC, CBS, ABC, Fox and CW that have earned advance buzz, thanks to social media. Here are a few picks: This is Us NBC 9 p.m. Tuesday Moves to 8 p.m. Tuesdays on Oct. 11 This internet-winning drama debuts in a hit-making time slot right behind The Voice results show on Tuesdays before moving to 8 p.m. Tuesdays starting Oct. 11. And it has the writing and the cast to make it a hit with viewers, especially those who miss Parenthood. And the family dramedy has more going for it than people who share the same birthday. The cast is to die for Mandy Moore, Milo Ventimiglia, Sterling K. Brown, Chrissy Metz, Gerald McRaney, Justin Hartley and Ron Cephas Jones. The series has the most buzz of the new shows, and its trailer set a record for online views. This Is Us will be ripping your heart out one minute, making you want to hug a loved one the next and then want to just slap your adult brother who needs to grow up. Theres a twist at the center of the show that cant be revealed. Youre just going to have to watch it and enjoy. You will want to come back week after week. Executive producer Dan Fogelman describes it as a dramedy version of Lost with everyone connected going forward. Bull CBS 8 p.m. Tuesdays Bull also has a cushy time slot this season right after NCIS, former home of its star Michael DiNozzo Weatherly. While the star is not a doctor, he plays one on TV, a role inspired by Dr. Phil McGraw of daytime TV fame. But Weatherly is playing the character in his previous career as an elite trial consultant who has all the technology, intuitiveness and a team of experts needed to figure out in advance who will vote to convict and who wont. For all his charm, Weatherlys Dr. Jason Bull (those are PhDs behind his name) comes off in the pilot episode as smug, smarmy and just not likeable. A man so full of himself that its hard to imagine him having feelings for anyone else. But he doesnt need to he just needs to find out which jurors will be on his clients side. The show is in a win-win time slot position. Chances are it will charge right into a second season. Timeless NBC 9 p.m. Oct. 3 Disregard the giant space module resembling the CBS Eye, this drama found its home on NBC. Lucky for it, Timeless will air in the time slot right behind The Voice on Mondays used to launch The Blacklist and The Blindspot. This fantasy series about traveling to the past to save the future premieres Oct. 3. A scientist (Malcolm Barrett), a soldier (Matt Lanter) and a history professor (Abigail Spencer) are on the trail of a criminal (Goran Visnjic, ER) who has stolen a secret time machine and is trying to change history. Their job is to catch him, using a prototype of the ship, and make sure they dont change anything along the way. Question is, why is he doing it? And will you care? I think yes in the beginning. Designated Survivor ABC 9 p.m. Wednesday Kiefer Sutherland may have found his home in this political thriller. After terrorists kill almost everyone at the State of the Union address, Sutherland, returning to prime time as a minor politician, is the designated survivor and the next president of the United States. But hes not sure he wants the job or can do the job. The drama has sharp writing, plenty of room for maneuvering and manipulating strong characters, and it tops off ABCs ratings-winning Wednesday night lineup. Also starring are Natasha McElhone, Maggie Q and Kal Penn. No Tomorrow CW 8 p.m. Oct. 4 Viewers looking for a bonafide romantic-comedy, look no further than No Tomorrow, coming to the CW. No, its not a new idea, but it is fun and female lead Tori Anderson is going to be a star. Youve heard it before Boy convinces girl they should live life to its fullest because the world is going to end in eight months and 12 days. But its all sweetness and light and a perfect fit for fans of Jane the Virgin and Crazy Ex-Girlfriend. Couple (Galavants Joshua Sasse and The L.A. Complexs Anderson) meets over a rutabaga at a street market and sparks fly. Shes in love with love. He shows her his Apocalypse Theory. What more do you need to know except that the lead actors are charming and they have bucket lists? You will smile through the whole show. Kevin Can Wait CBS 7:30 p.m. Mondays Sept. 19-Oct. 17 Then moves to 7 p.m. Mondays Oct. 24 If youre a fan of Kevin James, you will love this new half-hour sitcom about a retired police officer who wants to live in a fantasy retirement world. One where he and his other retired police pals can relive their younger years, minus the whole work thing. He has a younger, attractive wife (sadly, its not Leah Remini) and two kids he will have a chance to get to know now that hes not working. Whether he wants to or not. Its a formula sitcom made just for James fans. He is still playing the same character as always, and we love him for it. It was a coup on the part of CBS to get James, former star of the much-loved King of Queens, back on prime time, and it should find success airing after The Big Bang Theory on Mondays. Question is: What happens when Big Bang moves to Thursdays on Oct. 27? Son of Zorn Fox 7:30 p.m. Sept. 25 Are you ready for this? Animated hero Zorn is brawny with flowing red locks and a really big sword and wants to spend quality time with his (live-action) son. So instead of fighting horrible villains, he gives the teen gifts (dont ask) and tries to be a present dad. To prove hes serious, he gets a job in town with Sanitation Solutions, an apartment and frees all of his slaves. He even makes friends with his ex-wife, Edie (Hines), and her fiance, Craig (Tim Meadows). It is bizarre, funny and perhaps a little disturbing, but you will laugh out loud. I certainly did. Frequency CW 8 p.m. Oct. 5 Be prepared for cold chills with this reboot of the 2000 film of the same name. Peyton List stars as a police detective who changes her present life by contacting her dad who died 20 years ago. Her conduit is a ham radio that allows her to speak to the man who was her hero before he was killed in 1996. When she realizes her fiance (Dan Bonjour) doesnt recognize her and her mother is missing, she has to talk to her father to change history again. Mekhi Phifer co-stars. Anti-Daesh operations in Iraq's Mosul and Syria's Raqqa can succeed if local forces are supported, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said Friday. "With a better strategy, and with joint air support from coalition forces, both Mosul and Raqqa operations can be successful if our special forces support local forces on the ground. This would help clear these areas off Daesh, Cavusoglu told a joint press conference alongside NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg in the Turkish capital, Ankara. Cavusoglu said the success of the operation in Jarabulus, Syria further encouraged the local forces in Raqqa and Mosul. We saw what the Free Syrian Army moderate opposition can do when supported by coalition members, he said. On Aug. 24, Operation Euphrates Shield was launched, which aims at improving security, supporting coalition forces and eliminating the terror threat along Turkeys border using Free Syrian Army fighters backed by Turkish armor, artillery and jets. Cavusoglu said local forces were not only important in the fight against Daesh, but also in ensuring security once the operations were over and Daesh was ousted. He added this would also allow displaced people to return to their homes. "If the de facto safe zone created after the Manbij pocket [in Syria] is totally cleared of Daesh can be supported with a no-fly zone, a lot of migrants will find the opportunity to voluntarily return home. Of course, nobody can be forced to return to those lands. It must be voluntary, Cavusoglu said. Daesh lost Syrias northern city of Manbij after two months of battles against the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces. The minister also warned that local forces should not serve their own agendas, like the terrorist organization PYD/PKK. Instead of forcing people to migrate, one should establish the security of those already living there and who will live there. Establishing a no-fly zone is not the sole responsibility of NATO. A UN resolution is in order, he said. Stoltenberg for his part said, for long-term purposes, it was a better strategy to train local forces instead of deploying NATO forces to a particular region. First of all, I would like to underline that NATO plays a key role in the fight against terrorism but of course NATO is not the only answer. We need the police, we need the intelligence, we need many kinds of civilian tools in the fight against terrorism and Daesh," he said, adding NATO started to train Iraqi officers to enable them to fight Daesh and stabilize their own country. "The reason why I am underlining the importance of training local forces is that I believe that in the long run, it is better to train local forces enabling them to fight terrorism, and to stabilize their own country instead of NATO deploying a large number of combat troops and combat operations," he said. Stoltenberg also thanked Turkey for its contribution to many different NATO operations and activities, as well as efforts to fight international terrorism. "And I also appreciate the way you have supported and facilitated the NATO presence in the Aegean Sea, cutting the lines of illegal trafficking and human smuggling in the Aegean. "And just as you stand with NATO, NATO stands with Turkey and we have increased our military presence in Turkey with more assets in the air, naval assets. And also defensive missile defense systems deployed in Turkey," he said. The NATO chief also commented on the July 15 coup attempt. "To bomb a national Parliament while the parliamentarians are there is an attack on innocent people but its also an attack on what of the strongest symbols and institutions in a democratic society. "Those involved in the coup attempt should face due legal process and be brought to justice," he said. Anadolu Agency Turkeys recent intervention in Syria shows its determination to protect its neighbors territorial integrity and prevent sectarian conflict, presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin said Saturday. Turkey's goal in Syria is clear: To protect Syria's territorial integrity, avoid any ethnic and/or sectarian conflicts and support transition to a legitimate and inclusive political order for all Syrians, he said in his weekly column for the English-language Daily Sabah newspaper. Kalin said the operation proved Turkey's seriousness and determination to degrade and destroy Daesh with or without support from the international actors. The operation was launched on Aug. 24 and has seen Syrian Free Army forces backed by Turkey clear Daesh from most of the border region. As well as the military campaign, Kalin said the intervention had been a diplomatic and political success. Turkeys efforts to develop closer relations with Russia and Iran have helped prepare the ground for the overall support for its recent military activities in Syria, Kalin said. It should be emphasized that Turkey is exercising its right for self-defense along its border. Kalin also welcomed the U.S.-Russia brokered Syrian cease-fire, saying it would provide much-needed relief for the besieged northern city of Aleppo. If it holds, it may also provide a venue for a restart of political negotiations between the regime and the opposition under the depleted UN umbrella, he added. The Foreign Ministry also greeted the truce deal. We welcome the announcement of the arrangements between the U.S. and the R.F. [Russian Federation] after long negotiations that aim to establish a comprehensive cessation of hostilities environment and facilitate humanitarian access to those in need, the ministry said in a statement. The ministry stressed the importance of providing humanitarian aid as soon as possible. Anadolu Agency The CEO of Ramps Logistics says he is "really really disappointed" with the Guyana Revenue A 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. Last week, 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. Wet weather and heavy rains this summer did little to hamper this years big slate of construction projects in and around La Crosse. But those hoping for an end to detours and closed traffic lanes still have a while to wait. Seven highway construction projects this summer have been the bane of commuters trying to get to and from La Crosse, Holmen, Onalaska and the surrounding communities. Some will be wrapping up by the end of this month, with others finishing in October or early November, giving drivers a respite from slower speed limits, lane changes and crossovers. The completion of the Hwy. 35 project will be welcome news for businesses along the highway between Onalaska and Holmen. Some, like the Shadow Run Motel, have seen business decline this summer as customers have avoided the congestion. This was the slowest summer in his three years at the motel, manager John Davis said. Anglers and business travelers are Shadow Runs regular customers, and some avoided the motel during the worst of the construction or were leery of trying to haul their boats through the congestion. At the Blue Moon, managing partner Dustin Nimtz said there was some slowdown during the worst of the construction, but for the most part, regular customers were able to get through by taking alternate routes. Loyal customers are a big part of the business, he said, and the community support during the construction process has been stellar. Both said the final product will be worth the inconvenience. With the new roundabouts on the highway and the addition of extra lanes for turning, both managers predicted businesses along Hwy. 35 will see uptick as drivers have an easier time of navigating the roadway. We are definitely looking forward to it being done, Davis said. When it is done, it will bring in a lot more business. It was the seventh-wettest summer on record for La Crosse, with the region receiving half a foot more rain than normal. Inclement weather days are built into construction timetables and budgets, and nearly all the projects were able to weather the storms, except the construction on Hwy. 33, which is about two weeks behind schedule, project manager Brian Meyer said. The Wisconsin Department of Transportation is working with the contractors to get caught up, Meyer said, modifying the contract to allow construction crews to start some portions of the project a little earlier in order to offset the delays. The project also dealt with soil complications that required extra digging and fill. Even with the struggles, Meyer said the DOT aims to meet the Nov. 15 target. Here is a look at each of the seven construction projects and where they sit: Hwy. 33 The $12 million project will reconstruct seven miles of the highway in La Crosse County between Kirschner Road and the Monroe County line, as well as portions of Hwy. 162. During the entirety of the project, which is slated for a Nov. 15 completion, the road is closed to non-local traffic, and vehicles are detoured onto Hwy. 14. Some bridge work is being done, Meyer said and the hope is to have the roadway graded and covered in gravel by the end of the week. The rest of the project involves paving the road and putting on the finishing touches. Interstate 90 reconstruction Things are wrapping up on this years $26 million stage of the 2.2-mile I-90 reconstruction project from Round Lake Bridge in the town of Campbell to Theater Road in Onalaska. Project Manager Rob Winterhorn said crews are close to finishing the paving of the eastbound lanes, and the Rose Street bridge is scheduled for completion in October. Traffic might switch to the new lanes in early November he said, and the closed ramps will open after this stage of the project finishes later that month at the latest. The final stage of the project will begin next year as crews reconstruct Rose Street. Hwy 14/61 The $2.2 million project to repair and pave a stretch of the highway from the Pammel Creek Bridge to the La Crosse county line is mostly done, project manager Todd Waldo said. Some minor detail work is going on while crews wait to finish some items like the pedestrian fence on the bridge. All of the work should be done by the end of September, he said, which is a little behind schedule. Otherwise, the road is open with no restrictions, except for some occasions at night when work crews are operating. Highway 35 The Hwy. 35 project is on schedule, Waldo said, for an end-of-October completion date. The $10 million project will improve 3.5 miles of the highway by reconstructing the highway and adding left turn lanes, raised medians, roundabouts at Riders Club Road and Mason Street, a multi-use path, and both left and right turn lanes. Traffic is reduced to one lane, Waldo said, and will switch to the outer lanes in the next week or so. Riders Club Road should also open within the next two weeks. Theres still a lot of work going on, Waldo said. People should slow down and pay attention during construction. Lang Drive in La Crosse Work on Lang Drive should be finished in time for Oktoberfest, Waldo said. Construction crews are patching concrete on the inside lanes before another layer of asphalt is applied to the roadway. Traffic will be down to one lane during the day, with the road closed at night after 6 p.m. The project has gone over budget on some material costs, exceeding the $1.4 million estimate. Hwy. 16 Despite all the rain, the Hwy. 16 project remains ahead of schedule, project leader Dale Merten said. The nearly $13 million project is reconstructing three miles of the highway between Onalaska and West Salem and required a detour earlier this summer as road crews dug and graded. Traffic reopened to one lane in each direction in July, with a crossover. The location of the crossover may change as the project progresses, with the last pieces of pavement being put in over the next few days. Paving for a multi-use path on the south side of the roadway will begin in the next few weeks, Merten said, and crews will work on finishing touches such as turn lanes, curb and gutters. The original timeline had the project ending around Thanksgiving. It could be finished earlier in the month. I-90 bridge near Dresbach Both bridge spans have been finished in the $190 million Interstate 90 bridge project, Minnesota Department of Transportation project manager Mark Anderson said. Construction work continues on the medians, ramps and other elements of the bridge, such as barriers, shoulders and landscaping. Were kind of doing the cleanup work on the project, he said. Both bridges are open to traffic but reduced to one lane. Once the median work is done, both lanes will open up. The project is on schedule, Anderson said, and should be finished by mid-November. But traffic could be diverted as construction crews work on specific elements. Today marks the 15th anniversary of the terrorist attacks on the United States in New York City, Washington, D.C., and Pennsylvania. Thousands of innocent people lost their lives on the morning of Sept. 11, 2001, the worst terrorist attack in the nation's history. Months after the attacks, the U.S. Congress passed a resolution declaring Sept. 11 as Patriot Day in the United States. In 2009, a law was approved establishing the anniversary as National Day of Service and Remembrance. For Auburn, the Old Wheeler Bell at Memorial City Hall will be rung six times Sunday morning in concordance with the times certain events, such as the tower collapses, occurred 15 years ago. As part of these observations, communities throughout the country have adopted annual proclamations. Below is the text of this year's proclamation for the city of Auburn: WHEREAS, Fifteen years ago today, America witnessed one of the darkest days it had seen in years. In less than three hours, we were attacked by terrorist groups, and lost over 3,000 people; and WHEREAS, Today we pay tribute to loved ones, friends, family, fellow citizens, and all who died on September ll, 2001 out in the eld in Southwestern Pennsylvania, in the steel of the twin towers of the World Trade Center, and the wreckage and ames of the United States Pentagon; and WHEREAS, America stood united in our communities, cities, states, and as one nation that morning and still do today. Our patriotism and resilience as Americans shine through any darkness that may knock on our door. To this day we still work together to rebuild and recover mental and physical damage om the attacks; and WHEREAS, With over a decade that this terrible tragedy occurred, our country and world have changed in so many ways. America will forever remember where we were, what we were doing, and who we were with at the time of the attacks; and WHEREAS, Congress has designated September 11 of each year as, Patriot Day and has requested the observance of September ll as an annually recognized National Day of Service and Remembrance; and NOW THEREFORE, I, Michael D. Quill, Mayor of the City of Auburn, New York, proclaim today, September ll, 2016 as PATRIOT DAY AND NATIONAL DAY OF SERVICE AND REMEMBRANCE And urge the citizens of Auburn to reect and remember all the innocent victims who perished as a result of the terrorist attacks on September ll 2001. Fifteen years ago, on a sun-dappled Tuesday morning, this nation was in shock. The horror was captured in the stunned look of incomprehension on President George W. Bushs face as he sat in an elementary school classroom in Florida after an aide whispered to him that the World Trade Center in New York had been hit by an airplane. It quickly became obvious that the country itself was under attack. Two World Trade Center towers, symbols of Americas great wealth and power, toppled in mind-numbing slow motion, killing 2,606. Another hijacked plane was deliberately crashed into the Pentagon, where 125 people died. And Flight 93, commandeered by terrorists, was diverted from the U.S. Capitol by its passengers and crew, who became heroes as they died in Shanksville, Pa. Two hundred and sixty-five Americans died on the four planes hijacked by terrorists. More than 6,000 Americans were injured on that devastating morning, many still struggling today with injuries and health effects from the toxic dust that rained down on New York. A reclusive Saudi Arabian named Osama bin Laden, leader of a terrorist faction known as al-Qaida, had orchestrated the attacks, snaring Americas innocence and setting off a chain of events that changed the world. The nightmare became known simply as 9/11. Nearly every adult who lived through the horror remembers with great clarity what he or she was doing and how it felt to realize what had happened. Tears were shed in every country on earth as the world mourned with us. In the United States, everyone was shaken. Everyone felt vulnerable. Everyone believed life would never again be the same. People yearned for normalcy and began to cherish everyday moments. They hugged their children and worried how to discuss such a cataclysm with them. Strangers were kind to each other. There was a national unity that folded Americans into each other. Bush went to a Muslim mosque and vowed the nation would not blame an entire religion and would not turn its enmity on people innocent of the hatred that caused the attacks. But amid the tears and prayers and planning for memorials came the anger and vows of revenge. The nation revamped its homeland security, and thousands of hours of investigations commenced. Blame was cast. Politicians resumed their games. A war on terror was planned. Thousands of troops went to battle in Afghanistan and Iraq. More than 6,800 American soldiers have died in Iraq and Afghanistan. Thousands more have been injured permanently. About 20 veterans commit suicide every day. An estimated 6,900 American military contractors have died in the war. At least 43,000 uniformed Iraqis and Afghans have died. Thousands and thousands of citizens have died in the two war zones. Bin Laden is dead. Saddam Hussein, who had nothing to do with 9/11 but was a cruel dictator who murdered his own people in Iraq, is dead. American soldiers still fight. The Middle East is still in chaos. And Americas unity is gone. A new evil has been spawned from the wars the Islamic State. Like a horror movies alien monster, it is growing and spreading around the world, devouring hundreds of young men and women with its jihadist message of violence and hatred. Thousands of U.S. drones target Islamic State warriors, and still they unleash terror and mayhem and kill innocent people. What can we do? We must be kind and grateful to our veterans. We cannot let them suffer, physically or mentally. We must provide them with jobs and hope. We must try to understand what agonies they have suffered in wars that lasted longer than any others Americans have fought. We must not ever again go to war for the wrong reasons. Our soldiers, male and female, are precious. Old men and women in Washington must never take lightly their votes to send young Americans to their deaths. We must never forget 9/11 and its lasting heartaches. Yet we must remember forever the goodness it brought out in thousands and thousands of us. We must rekindle that unity and know that we are Americans, blessed with morality and purpose and guided to work together, all for one and one for all. BOGOTA, 10 September 2016 - FARC-EP, Colombia's largest armed group, released today eight children from its ranks and handed them over to UNICEF in a temporary reception centre. The release comes ahead of the formal signing of a peace deal between the Colombian Government and FARC-EP, scheduled for 26 September. The deal will end more than 50 years of war. The children were in good health. They will receive psychosocial support as part of a process to help their reintegration into civilian life. Similar releases are expected over the following weeks. ### The following editorial was published Thursday by Bloomberg View. By speeding the demise of coal, cheap natural gas has done as much to reduce carbon emissions as any government regulation. But the returns are already diminishing: Natural gas also emits carbon dioxide, and this year for the first time the amount will exceed that of coal in the U.S. The most efficient way to reduce these emissions from natural gas or any other fossil fuel is through a carbon tax. By setting a price per ton of carbon emitted thats equal to its social cost, the government can use the market to respond to climate change and reduce emissions through a mix of new technology and changes in consumer and producer behavior. The government can then use the revenue from a carbon tax to fund cuts in other taxes. Unfortunately, the political obstacles to a carbon tax are daunting. In the meantime, the federal and state governments should adjust their approach to address carbon emissions from natural gas specifically. About a third of natural gas used in the U.S. goes toward generating electricity. President Barack Obamas proposed regulations of the power sector, now on hold by the Supreme Court, would allow states to choose how best to reduce their emissions. Instead of simply approving the construction of new natural-gas plants, states should focus on energy efficiency and renewable power. They can also go further, adopting or increasing whats known as renewable portfolio standards, which set the minimum amount of power that utilities must get from wind, solar or other renewable sources. Better still are clean portfolio standards, which include nuclear power. Much of the remaining two-thirds of natural gas is used to power household appliances and in manufacturing. Here, incremental progress is possible by encouraging better insulation and the use of more efficient appliances, for example, or funding research and development of cleaner industrial technology. In another area the release of methane, among the most potent greenhouse gases, during the extraction, transportation and storage of natural gas government can have a more immediate impact. New federal rules meant to cut methane emissions from new natural gas wells are not aggressive enough. Meanwhile, there are no regulations on underground storage caverns, the dangers of which were illustrated by last years massive leak at the Aliso Canyon storage site near Los Angeles. Natural gas remains an essential bridge to a cleaner, more efficient future. It just needs to be a shorter one. Friday - The President of the Philippines, Rodrigo Duterte conversed with The President of the United States of America, Barack Obama while they were in Laos, further explaining that he did not harbor ill-will, and that he did not use foul language towards him. According to Time.com, in a speech made by President Duterte to the Filipino community in Indonesia, the president mentioned that during the short encounter that they had at the just ended ASEAN Summit, he clarified and explained what he said to Obama, further pointing out that he never made those statements. Until Monday reports surfaced that President Duterte had apparently called the US President a "Son of a Bitch," the two presidents were said to be scheduled to meet in Laos, but that meeting had been cancelled by Obama's party. It was all over media that Obama is dismayed by the rising death toll in Philippines under President Duterte's highly publicized war on drugs, but Duterte states that the media somehow manage to distort his word, and explains that although he did "swear," it was not directed at the US President. After Duterte explained himself to the fellow president in Laos, Obama simply told him that his men will talk to Duterte, to which the Philippine President replied, "OK." Based from a report done by VOANews, with this verbal incident, many are assuming that the relationship between the Philippines and the US will become strained, but in a recent speech by Barack Obama, he clarified that President Duterte's comments will not impact Philippines and U.S. relations. Also stating that he does not take these comments personally, and just feels that what Duterte had said was just his manner of speech. He further confirmed that his team will be meeting with Durterte soon to discuss how the can move forward with varying issues. Samuel L. Posey is no stranger to trouble, much to the dismay of his mother Pamela. He recalls a time in the seventh grade when he was hanging out at Quail Pointe apartments in Spartanburg, South Carolina, a place his mother had warned him not to be. I ended up in the middle of a shootout, said Posey, a 22-year-old with dark black hair and an easy-going smile. When I got home, I didn't tell my mom. She asked, Where have you been?' I said, nowhere,' with my heart beating out of my chest. The next day, it was on the news and my mom came to me saying, I know you were over there.' It was like she sensed something I didn't. Eventually, Posey told his mother the truth and took her punishment. April 7, 2016 - Lance Cpl. Samuel L. Posey, a rifleman with 3rd Platoon, Company I, 3rd Battalion, 25th Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division, Marine Forces Reserve, sights in through his rifle while conducting room clearing drills during exercise Arctic Eagle at Camp Grayling, Michigan Posey overcame a rough childhood to become a Marine and serve his country. (Image created by USA Patriotism! from U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Ian Leones) My mom didn't play games, Posey said. She was a strong woman and she wanted to teach me to be a good person, but not to be a pushover. By the time he reached middle school, Posey had witnessed drugs, violence and the gamut of troubles that come with living in a rough neighborhood. Posey, now a lance corporal in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve and a rifleman with Company I, 3rd Battalion, 25th Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division, Marine Forces Reserve, believes these experiences have shaped the man he has become and given him a reason to give back to the community. Born in Brooklyn, New York, the middle child of three boys, Posey bounced around between New York and Spartanburg growing up. The son of an abusive father, Posey witnessed his mother getting beat and took a few beatings as well. Every time my dad would fight us, we would be out on the street, Posey said. But my mother was no bum. She would get a job to support us and soon enough we'd be back. To escape this environment, Posey's aunt and uncle, Joanne and L.C. Rogers, would take Posey and raise him for months at a time in Spartanburg. Eventually, Posey's mom left his father and moved to Spartanburg where she remarried. "I did have a lot of hatred for my dad for a long time, but after a while I learned to let it go, Posey said. He wasn't the best dad in the world, but if it weren't for him I wouldn't have met the people I met or became the person that I am." Even though Posey didn't always have his parents around, he had parental figures in his life like his aunt and uncle. They taught me to be a stand-up guy,' Posey said. They taught me to carry myself in a manner that, even though I didn't have much, showed people that I knew how to act right. After graduating high school, Posey attended Morris College in Sumter, South Carolina. When I went to college, I was rowdy, Posey said. I was this kid from the hood who still hadn't grown up. Towards the end of his first year of college, Posey got into a physical altercation with another student. After that fight, Posey came to the realization that he needed to mature and college was not the place he was going to do it. I asked myself, Why am I doing this?' Posey said. It was the end of the school year and I knew I couldn't come back next semester because of my grades and my attitude. I didn't want my mama to ask, Well, what are you going to do next?' Posey headed to a Marine Corps recruiting office. I remember I left my house in the middle of the day, Posey said. I went down to the mall and went to the recruiter's office. I didn't talk about it at all, I just went there. Posey couldn't sign the papers that day, so he came back the next day, and this time he brought his mother as a witness. I wanted her to see me do it, Posey said. She just sat beside me with big eyes while I signed the papers. Attracted to the ideals of the Marine Corps, Posey signed a contract for the Marine Corps Reserve as an infantryman. I liked the fact that I had to earn the title, it wasn't given to me. Posey said. While boot camp proved to be tough, Posey channeled the lessons he had learned growing up to get through it. I knew I would make it because of my childhood, Posey said. I knew no matter how bad it got, I had always been through worse. Having been in the Marine Corps Reserve for three years, Posey says he has grown from the experience. I've grown a lot compared to where I was, Posey said. My decision making is really different than what it was before. The fact is that someone can actually die in this job because of my failure to do something correctly or my inattention to detail. This has really changed how I look at other things in life. Other Marines in Posey's platoon have also noticed how he has grown as a Marine. I've known Posey for three years, since he got here, said Cpl. Robert D. Ray, a team leader with Co. I, 3/25. He's a great Marine who is willing to learn and he excels at what he does. Being in the Reserve Component, Posey has an opportunity to serve his community when he is not serving his country. Posey has been dancing with a group called Dance Over Everything, which helps less fortunate kids channel their frustrations through dance. We go out to schools so we can show these kids there is another way, Posey said. Why not take that anger and frustration you have inside and put it into something constructive. They are young and might go out and do something stupid, but there is always time to fix it and grow up to be somebody. Posey is now working toward an associate's degree in business marketing at Limestone College in Gaffney, South Carolina. As he looks to the future, he only hopes that his contributions make an impact on others. By the end of everything I do, I want to be able to say I made a difference, Posey said. When someone younger who looks up to you asks you the question of what you did when you were younger, what can you tell them? You can tell them you were wild, drank, smoked and were out thugging in the streets. How many people get to say they served their country? By U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Ian Leones Marine Corps News Copyright 2016 The U.S. Marines | Comment on this article Our citys early settlers knew the importance of higher education. After failed attempts in 1872 and 1893 to establish a normal school to train teachers in La Crosse, city leaders finally convinced state legislators in 1905 to establish the states eighth normal school. Sen. Thomas Morris led the effort that was hailed as strategically economic in nature, as well as vital to area schools that lacked adequate teachers. The doors to La Crosse Normal School opened in fall 1909. Now, more than 100 years later, University of WisconsinLa Crosse remains vital to the regions economy providing not only quality teachers, but also professionals in many other fields who help grow Wisconsins economy. In its first century, the university has earned a strong academic reputation and played a prominent role in educating the regions workforce. In this time of budget cuts and decreasing state support for higher education, it is even more important for the university to focus on its mission and determine key priorities. Despite being a comprehensive university designed to serve the regional needs of Wisconsin and beyond, we cannot be all things to all people. We are not planning to rest on our laurels. This summer, UW-L began looking toward the future by initiating a strategic planning process. Our plan aims to generate priorities to guide the university through the next three to five years, as well as the specific action steps needed to realize our goals. At this point we are eager to receive community feedback on the three main priorities that have been identified in the initial stages of our work. One of our priorities is A Stronger, Inclusive and Equitable UW-L. This speaks to our commitment to an equitable and welcoming community that allows us to maintain our status as a high-quality and competitive university. Another priority focuses on Transformational Education, referring to high-impact teaching and learning opportunities that are proven to aid student success across diverse backgrounds. Examples of transformational learning that extend beyond the classroom include internships, undergraduate research and international learning. The other priority focuses on Increased Community Engagement. UW-Ls community engagement is a key component to our teaching, scholarly work and service mission. This will help us to continuously find more effective ways to honor our commitment to the Wisconsin Idea. We encourage you to provide feedback about these three priorities by completing an online survey available on our website at http://www.uwlax.edu/info/strategic-planning./. In addition to the survey, the website provides more detailed information about our strategic planning priorities and how they align with our universitys mission. We are eager to hear from you. I hope that you will accept our invitation to help us better prepare for UW-Ls future. It is critical that we work to continuously enhance student outcomes, the campus climate, and efforts to be a strong community partner. Thomas Morris and other city leaders who helped La Crosse land a state normal school would expect nothing less. Joe Gow is chancellor of the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. Church News October 20, 2022 LIGHT OF THE VALLEY LUTHERAN CHURCH Needing Answers We want God to be like FedEx and deliver overnight. Things dont happen that way, but in... Church News October 13, 2022 LIGHT OF THE VALLEY LUTHERAN CHURCH Natures Therapy The pine tree with its solemn dignity lifts its branches to the sky as if to give... The night before his 27th birthday, in the spring of 1974, music critic Jon Landau attended a concert at the Harvard Square Theatre in Cambridge, Mass. It changed his life. He got up early the next day and wrote of the concert that on a night when I needed to feel young, he made me feel like I was hearing music for the first time. That he is Bruce Springsteen, whom Landau, one of the most influential rock critics in the country at the time, had famously anointed rock and rolls future one sentence earlier. I saw Springsteen and his mighty E Street Band two weeks ago in Washington, on a night when I needed to feel young. (Who doesnt need to feel young these days?) And whenever I see a Springsteen show, I feel like Im hearing music for the first time music, and all the wonderful things that come with it. A Springsteen concert is a celebration of community. Theres an intimacy associated with seeing those seated near you in complete abandon, and that intimacy fosters friendliness. Last weeks show offered a new spin on this familiar theme: I happened to meet the guy seated next to me a few days earlier when I sold him a couple of my extra tickets. He arrived during the third song, and we greeted each other as if we were old friends. Its odd, but there was more warmth between us than I have with any of my neighbors. Springsteen brings people together. Many different kinds of people. There are the veterans, who share stories of their favorite concerts in anticipation that what will happen on that stage in a few minutes will top what theyve seen before. There are the skeptical first-timers five songs in, and they are always mesmerized, stunned, in awe of the fact that all the hype theyve heard for many years wasnt hype after all. But my favorite are the kids, often with their parents, a generational handoff. My unborn son has been to two shows already. We live in a fragmented society. People feel isolated. Many feel invisible. Springsteen is aware of this, and he explicitly tries to combat it with his concerts. For a few hours, any trace of loneliness vanishes. A Springsteen show is a balm. The community created at a Springsteen concert is, in part, sacramental. (Springsteen himself used this word in a 2005 documentary, albeit sheepishly, to describe his music.) From the Badlands chant to sharing his guitar with the audience during Born to Run to the crowd taking the first verse of Hungry Heart to the very frequent audience call-and-response Springsteen uses action and participation ritualistically, sacramentally: as a means to create fellowship and confer grace. A Springsteen concert is a celebration of life. First, the show is a blast. So much of it is just pure fun, pure joy. (That Im not spending many words on the fun shouldnt underweight its importance.) And there are the songs, which cover the gamut of lived experience: fun, lust, fathers and sons, racial division, renewal and rebirth, duty, longing, fatherhood, marriage, murder, desperation, anger, mothers-in-law and more. Springsteen songs are about more than chasing the girl. The characters in a four-minute song are often as developed as those in 200-page novels. Sean Penn based his 1991 film The Indian Runner on Springsteens Highway Patrolman. Springsteen stepped into the shoes of a man dying of AIDS, and won an Academy Award for it. But more important than the range of content and quality of execution, Springsteens songs celebrate the grandeur and importance of ordinary life. Getting up and going to your job is an act of great heroism. A father and a son sitting around a kitchen table late at night commands the drama of an ancient myth. An anthem about friendship and camaraderie reminds one of Henry V at Agincourt. Rolling Stone wrote that Backstreets, a song about friendship and betrayal, begins with music so stately, so heartbreaking, that it might be the prelude to a rock n roll version of The Iliad. The truth is that life is grand and life is important. Every day, we are all faced with choosing between angels and demons. It is important to be reminded of the majesty, romance and enormity of daily life. One of Springsteens great gifts is expressing the epic drama of the mundane in popular art. His concerts are shaped by this gift. Springsteen the performer is a role model. Theres not a drop of gas left in the tank when hes done performing. He is dead serious about his job on that stage. There is something refreshing and deeply admirable about a man of his stature and wealth working so hard for his audience. Apart from all the rest, a Springsteen concert is an experience simply because of the energy, effort, devotion and dedication of the man himself. Thats all well and good. But the reason I keep going back is simple: redemption, the unapologetic embrace of the need for it and the possibility of it. Springsteens music looks reality squarely in the face, recognizes that life is cruel and unfair, that this world is fallen, that we are all sinners and that we are all broken, sometimes significantly so. But we are alive. We can get up off the mat. We can defy the world. We can hope. We are not alone. Faith is powerful. Things might be better tomorrow. Theres always another chance, waiting just a bit further down the road. What better message could there be for the world today? Map showing the 5.7-magnitude earthquake hitting Tanzania. "The toll has climbed from 11 people dead to 13 and from 192 injured to 203," said Deodatus Kinawilo, District Commissioner for Bukoba, the town close to the epicentre of the quake. "For now, the situation is calm and under control," said Kinawilo, who was reached by telephone. "Some people have been discharged from hospital," he told AFP. "We don't expect many more injuries. We'll see tomorrow." Residents of Bukoba said earlier that some houses there had caved in, and Augustine Ollomi, the Kagera province police chief in charge of the Bukoba district said "rescue operations were ongoing". The epicentre of the 1227 GMT (8.27pm Singapore time) quake was about 25 kilometres east of the north-western town of Nsunga on the border of Lake Victoria, according to the US Geological Survey. Earthquakes are fairly common in the Great Lakes region but are almost always of low intensity. An AFP correspondent in Dar es Salaam whose mother's family lives in Bukoba said 10 family houses had collapsed. "My brother was driving around town, suddenly he heard the ground shaking and people starting running around and buildings collapsing," he said. The quake rattled the entire province of Kagera. Parts of Mwanza region further south also felt the quake but there was no impact, he said. No damage had been reported in the economic capital, Dar es Salaam, which is located some 1,400 kilometres southeast of Bukoba. "It's safe in Dar but we are still worried about the safety of our family," the AFP correspondent added. "The regional hospital is overwhelmed and can't handle any more patients." "Emergency operations are poor and the government isn't saying anything," he said. The earthquake was felt as far away as Rwanda, Burundi, Uganda and Kenya, the US Geological Survey said. "The walls of my home shook as well as the fridge and the cupboards," said an AFP correspondent in the Ugandan capital Kampala. AFP journalists in Democratic Republic of Congo said it was felt, though faintly, in Bukavu in the east, but not in nearby Goma or Lubumbashi. The HCM City Peoples Court has upheld a 30-year prison sentence for Pham Cong Danh, a former bank executive, for his wrongdoings and violations of banking rules. - Photovnexpress.net The sentence was announced yesterday after nearly two months of trials and deliberations. Danh, the ex-Chairman of the Viet Nam Construction Bank (VNCB) Board of Directors, Chairman of the Board of Members and General Director of the Thien Thanh Group, was was found guilty by the HCM City Peoples Court for illegally withdrawing more than VN9 trillion (US$404 million), the biggest such loss brought to light in the countrys banking sector. He was accused of deliberately violating State regulations on economic management causing severe consequences and violating the lending regulations of credit institutions. The accused stood trial yesterday with 35 other defendants, including many of the banks executives. Starting as a tile seller, Danh expanded his family shop into a company dealing with building materials, real estate and tourism before buying the small, debt-ridden Trust Bank in 2012. The bank was later renamed the Construction Bank, and was based in the Mekong Delta province of Long An. Along with Danh, the court also upheld a sentence of 22 years in prison for Phan Thanh Mai, another former general manager of the VNCB. Others sentences of 20 and 19 years in prison were given to two former VNCB executives, Mai Huu Khuong and Hoang inh Quyet, respectively. According to the indictment issued by the Supreme Peoples Procuracy in July, after the State Bank of Viet Nam gave a nod to Trust Banks restructuring plan, Danh took over the failing bank and renamed it VNCB. Danh abused his post as chairman of the VNCB Board of Directors and leader of Thien Thanh Group to instruct his staff in the group and the bank to commit a range of violations. From June-July 2013 and from February-April 2014, he asked his accomplices to sign false house rental contracts at 268 To Hien Thanh Street and 816 Su Van Hanh Street in Ho Chi Minh City, with his two companies Trung Dung and Huong Viet. He then guided the transfer of over VN601 billion (roughly US$27 million) from VNCB to the two companies. The money was transferred via a private account and used to pay the interests of six companies under the Thien Thanh Group, and the debts this group owed Hai Tien Investment Development Company, and customer services. From December 2012-March 2014, Danh and his accomplices set up false files and committed various violations of the lending regulations of credit institutions VNCB was established by Trust Bank in May 2013. Trust Bank was operational for 23 years, with chartered capital of VN3 trillion (US$142.85 million). In mid-2014, the SBV appointed new officials to VNCB after some former top executives at the bank were arrested for allegedly violating state regulations. Apart from VNCB, other commercial banks owned by the SBV are Ocean Bank and GP Bank. The SBV acquired all three banks at zero ong due to their ailing performances and failure to meet required charter capital increases. Vietnams fragmented banking sector has undergone major reform in recent years, with stricter lending and debt classification, forced takeovers, numerous fraud investigations and the formation of a state-run asset management company to lend support. MoF urges the equitisation and divestment process in Viet Nam. Under plan, 48 state-owned enterprises (SoEs) will complete their equitisation this year. The department concluded that the equitisation process of State-owned enterprises and their divestment in non-core business had failed to meet expectations. The department said the divestment was part of equitisation plans of 48 State-owned enterprises (SOEs) with their equitisation plans approved this year. It added that the value of these enterprises was some VN32 trillion, of which VN23.2 trillion belonged to the State. Following equitisation, the firms are expected to have charter capital of over VN23 trillion, including VN11 trillion of State capital. According to the MoF, the equitisation of SOEs and their withdrawal from non-core businesses have fallen short of the target for this year because most of the target companies are large and operate in multiple industries. Clearly, investors seeking to buy stakes in large companies require a lot of time to study them with due diligence. MoF said the legal framework for equitising and restructuring SOEs is in place, creating favourable conditions for equitisation. However, the ministry would continue to study and roll out policies to facilitate equitisation and restructuring. The MoF thought it was necessary in the future to speed up restructuring, increase the quality of management and operational efficiency of SOEs and intensify inspections and supervision of the operation of groups and corporations. It said SOEs must continue divesting capital from their non-core operations, adding that the State would withdraw more capital from targeted enterprises. Diligence to avoid losses during the equitisation process is the most important requirement for relevant authorities, it said. The MoFs Department of Business Finance said the Government should instruct the State Audit of Viet Nam to ascertain the quality of consultancies hired by State companies to advise them on the equitisation process and check the final valuations. It also called for fining companies that have already equitised but failed to list on the stock market. The ministry said all ministries, industries, localities, economic groups and corporations should consider equitisation as their most important task. However, the department believed that the operation of some equitised businesses had improved. Among them, Viettel Group, Viet Nam Textile and Garment Group, State Capital Investment Corporation, and Ha Noi and Northern Food Corporation have pulled out nearly VN3 trillion from non-core businesses. These are the issues the Vietnamese government, relevant agencies, domestic businesses, and especially overseas representative missions of Vietnam have paid great attention in improving the competitiveness of domestic companies in the new business environment. To date, Vietnam has completed negotiations for 12 bilateral and multilateral free trade agreements, eight of which have become effective and been put into operation. The new-generation FTAs include the Vietnam-European Free Trade Agreement (Vietnam-EU FTA) and the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) Agreement. Foreign partners have spoken highly of Vietnams efforts to integrate more fully into the global economy. Danish Ambassador to Vietnam Charlotte Laursen who participated in the negotiations of the Vietnam-EU FTA said, What has really impressed me is that determination by the Vietnamese government to accomplish or to conclude the very ambitious trade agreement with the EU and with specific nations." "And they are very ambitious plan and I think Vietnam would gain much from this or benefit much from this. And I think what is impressive is that the Vietnamese government aware that to benefit from those agreements it will require many reforms at home for Vietnam," he added. The biggest difference of new-generation FTAs is they will eliminate most tariffs imposed on Vietnamese goods by trading partners, particularly big and important partners like the European Union and the US. They are expected to create great opportunities for Vietnam to increase its price competitiveness. In comparison with WTO whose members states only commit to reducing but not eliminating tariffs for some but not most tariffs, new-generation FTAs bring about great preferential tariffs. But the preferential tariffs also pose a number of challenges. Vietnamese Ambassador to the US Pham Quang Vinh said Vietnam can only optimize preferential tariffs if its export products satisfy conditions in the origin, technical barriers, and hygiene of importing countries. He added, Only by improving the competitiveness of our products can Vietnamese businesses avoid high tariff and technical barriers. Our main export items are apparel, leather shoes, and seafood. So if we prepare properly before the TPP comes into force, the Vietnamese economy can become more attractive to foreign investors. Technical barriers and strict quarantine systems are the challenges for Vietnamese goods to enter FTA markets. In addition, since FTAs are reciprocal agreements, Vietnam will no longer enjoy its home ground advantages. Local enterprises will have to compete with high quality products and services provided by TPP member countries right at the domestic market. Nguyen Anh Thu, Vice Rector of the University of Economics and Business under the Vietnam National University Hanoi, said that Vietnam has been taking drastic measures to improve the business environment. Vietnam should focus more on infrastructure and institution reforms. Moreover, enterprises themselves need to become more proactive and the government need to increase coordination with associations to help businesses better understand the FTAs to take full advantage of opportunities, and overcome challenges posed by the integration process. Among twelve signatories to the TPP, Vietnam is said to benefit most from the deal with its gross domestic product (GDP) forecast to increase by US$23.5 billion by 2020 and export value to increase to US$68 billion by 2025. Vietnam enjoys a stable political and economic climate, and has abundant natural resources and manpower. With these strengths, new generation FTAs will likely create opportunities for cooperation in capital and more advanced and effective management modes and models for Vietnamese enterprises. After a decade as a member of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) - a milestone that marks the first investment wave in Vietnam a series of new-generation FTAs are expected to bring a second wave of investment and motivate institutional and administrative reforms in Vietnam. BEIJING (TNS) For more than a century, Chinese typewriters have been objects of curiosity, confusion and even a fair bit of ridicule after all, how do you type a language that has no alphabet? On The Simpsons, smarty-pants Lisa was confounded by an imaginary one that featured countless buttons covered in complicated-looking characters. One of hip-hop artist MC Hammers frenetic, high-stepping dance routines was nicknamed the Chinese Typewriter because its furious moves supposedly mimicked the flailing that would be required of a Chinese typist trying to quickly hop about a massive keyboard. But now, an associate professor at Stanford University is trying to give these esoteric contraptions a bit more of their due, arguing that these misunderstood machines long dismissed as less practical and less efficient than alphabetic typewriters actually pioneered familiar smartphone-era technologies, including predictive text and autocomplete. The Western typewriter has become a cult object; there are hundreds upon hundreds of collectors and museums. People collect and fetishize them, professor Tom Mullaney said. But Chinese typewriters are exquisite machines. They are very different. They are typewriters without a keyboard, and that often confounds peoples imaginations. Chinese typewriters look something like a cross between a deli-meat slicer and a small printing press. There are no keys, just thousands of little metal characters arranged in a grid system. Because Chinese has no alphabet and no alphabetical order, the operator must essentially memorize the location of each character about 2,500 on a typical machine. Theyre heavy roughly 30 to 40 pounds. Sort of by accident, Mullaney has become an expert on, collector of and evangelist for Chinese (and Japanese) typewriters after obtaining his first specimen from a man who was getting rid of one once used by a Chinese American church in San Francisco. Since he caught the typewriter bug in 2008, Mullaney has collected 12 machines which might not sound that impressive, but thats four times as many as Chinas only typewriter museum, in Shanghai. Hes lectured about them at Google and around Silicon Valley. Mullaney has delved so deep down the rabbit hole he has not one but two related books in the works: The Chinese Typewriter: A Global History of the Information Age, Part I, will be published next year, followed by The Chinese Computer: A Global History of the Information Age, Part II. Three of his machines are on display at Stanfords East Asia Library until Sept. 10, and he recently raised almost $13,500 on Kickstarter to help take the collection on tour across the world. Eventually, he hopes to be able to transfer the devices to an institution for research and safekeeping. The tinkerers and inventors who struggled for decades to develop a Chinese typewriter were taking on a fascinating engineering puzzle, Mullaney said. The various solutions they came up with even those that never won commercial popularity may hold valuable lessons for todays IT engineers. Zhang Haiyan still remembers the frenzy that ensued at her state-owned company in the 1980s when one of its subsidiary factories asked to borrow a typewriter from the Beijing headquarters to draft some business letters in Chinese. The factory director had to collect lots of approval stamps from different departments and even the (government) ministry, the 59-year-old retired clerk said. The rare and expensive contraption, she recalls, was normally kept in a locked office, and only two big bosses had the key. She had never really laid eyes on one. Everything in that room was mysterious to us so I was always very curious and tried to take a peep when the door was unlocked. When the loan was finally approved and workers came to collect the machine, Zhang figured shed finally get to see it. Unfortunately, it was put in a big box, and covered with a piece of cloth, so even today I still didnt know what exactly it looked like, she said. It was gently put in a car just like a VIP guest. It wasnt for people like us, clearly. As Zhangs story illustrates, few Chinese ever saw a Chinese typewriter, let alone learned to type on one. But today, hundreds of millions of Chinese speakers type on desktops, laptops, tablets and smartphones. The most common way is by spelling the word using a typical Qwerty keyboard. So if you want to type hello, or ni hao, you enter n-i-h-a-o. A menu then appears with a list of characters that are pronounced ni and hao, and you must select the right ones. Another way is to draw the character you want on the devices touchscreen; again, a menu will pop up with a selection of characters that most closely resemble what you sketched. Once you recognize the one you want, click it, and move on to drawing the next character. Both these systems, though, require a two-step process of inputting and selecting thats impossible without software. So how did Chinese typewriters work? Starting in the late 1800s, various systems were pioneered and a lot of the work was done by students and academics from American institutions, including MIT and New York University. Companies such as IBM and agencies including the CIA also worked on developing Chinese typewriters. The models that were commercialized most widely, under brands with names such as Double Pigeon and Seagull, had a tray of about 2,500 commonly used Chinese characters arranged in a grid; typists would move a selector-lever over the tray to hunt for the character they needed, then press a bar, which would trigger a lever to pick up the character, ink it, type it and return it to its place. Yet in a language with no alphabet, and thus no alphabetic order, how to arrange the characters in the tray became a question. Traditional organizational methods, such as by number of strokes in the character, or general frequency of use, were inefficient even the fastest typists could manage just 20 or 30 words a minute. Typists started reorganizing their trays to suit their needs. One who worked in an office dealing with agriculture might put characters used to make words such as farm, crops and harvest near the top of the tray because those words were used frequently; a typist in a police station would have a totally different arrangement, with characters used in words such as officer, and crime close at hand. Given that communist leaders names were typed often, the character for Mao was put near those for his given name, Ze and Dong. The characters for chairman were situated near Mao as well. In this sense, these trays anticipated what characters the typist was most likely to need along with Mao. Cutting the distance between characters that were often used together allowed typists to increase their speed to as many as 80 words per minute. Todays smartphones do much the same thing suggesting Washington as the next word to follow if you type George, for example. Although the Chinese typewriter may be functionally obsolete, Mullaney argues the technology needs to be saved and analyzed, and may even hold some seeds of inspiration for communication devices of the future. Studying history is not just looking at old stuff, he said. Its about innovation, disruption. For people out there who are trying to think far, far ahead or getting out of certain mindsets, one of the best places they can go looking for inspiration is back in time before a certain kind of standard or convention took shape. Citi supporting Vietnam in connecting the global dots Vietnam is considered by US group Citi as an attractive market. Ramachandran A.S., Citi country officer, talked to VIRs Linh Le about the groups efforts to utilise its global experience in the Southeast Asian nation, and its priorities moving forward. Radisson Hotel Group spearheading hospitality growth in Asia-Pacific With travel restrictions easing, air traffic increasing, and leisure and business travel bookings on the rise, Radisson Hotel Group is optimistic about the outlook for the hospitality industry in Asia-Pacific. Secrets of the most special securities company in Vietnam Techcom Securities (TCBS) leadership, with cutting-edge vision and execution muscle, has changed the course of the company over the last nine years since Nguyen Xuan Minh became chairman of the Board of Directors. VIRs Tuan Khanh sat together with Minh and talked about his path, vision, and success story. Promoting gender equality & enhancing women's economic empowerment Vietnarn's national strategy on gender equality for the 2021-2030 period sets a target that by 2025, 60 per cent of state management ageneies and local governments at all levels will have female key leaders. Viet Nam and the United States look forward to significant opportunities for economic co-operation, especially in trade and investment, Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Chi Dung said this week.- Photo vovworld.vn He made the announcement during an investment promotion conference in Washington D.C., the United States capital, beginning Tuesday. The conference attendees learned that the near future would be especially opportune for bilateral investment co-operation. US companies alone currently have 820 projects in Viet Nam, with a total investment capital of about US$11 billion, and the United States ranks eighth among 115 countries and territories investing in Viet Nam. Dung told participants, including US authorities, policy scholars and entrepreneurs, besides representatives of ASEAN nations, that Viet Nam was taking drastic measures toward faster and more sustained development. Considering enterprise the driving force for future development, Viet Nam is building a stimulative and creative government, which is shifting toward serving businesses instead of managing them. The country is determined to speed up economic restructuring, renew growth models and enhance the productivity, efficiency and competitiveness of the economy. It is also striving to complete legal frameworks and boost transparency for investorsso they feel secure about long-term operationsand create more advantageous conditions for them to take part in global value chains. Dung said the Vietnamese economy was opening more. The country has signed 12 new-generation free trade agreements (FTAs), and it is expected to enter more FTAs in the future. Viet Nam has entered the ASEAN Economic Community, and this will provide investors with access to the 600 million-people regional market. Viet Nam and the United States are also members of Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), the biggest trade deal ever that is in the finalising process. "The partnership is expected to facilitate collaboration between the two countries, promoting their advantages and boosting bilateral relations to a new high that is more profound, substantial and efficient, Dung said. "Although the TPP approval process is facing certain obstacles, Viet Nam is resolutely pursuing innovation, integration and development to attract US investors," he said talking to about 150 representatives of the US business community. Among the representatives were officials from Coca-Cola, Caterpillar and Mastercard, alongside ExxonMobil, United Technologies Corporation and the American Chamber of Commerce. Before the conference, Dung has worked with US trade representative Michael Froman, who said that the government of President Barack Obama would continue to urge the US Congress to ratify the TPP in the future. US-ASEAN Business Council Vice President Marc Mealy told the Voice of Viet Nam that co-operation prospects between Viet Nam and the United States were positive. Mealy said ASEAN had become more attractive to US companies due to dulling investment outlooks in other parts of the world and Vietnams ongoing foreward-looking reforms. Directions Dung told reporters that Viet Nam had three major directions to lure investments, especially from the United States: accelerating equitisation of State-owned enterprises (SOEs) and merger and acquisition activities, encouraging start-ups and small- and medium-sized enterprises to develop, and fostering public-private partnership. During working sessions with World Bank (WB) officials in his visit, Dung said Viet Nam would continue to rationalise public investments, the banking system and SOEs. In a context that Viet Nam would no longer receive concession loans from the WBs International Development Association in a near future, as the country had reached a lower middle-income status, Dung recommended that the WB assist Viet Nam in building strategies to attract foreign direct investment. He also proposed that the WB help Viet Nam build master plans for development and support the country in technology transfer. Alex van Trotsenburg, Vice President of Development Finance at the WB, said the WB was committed to close collaboration with the Vietnamese government and relevant agencies to extend support in Viet Nam. Representatives of 30 African countries have been working this week to map out ways to stop the continents mass rural exodus at the Forum on Rural Development in Yaounde. Emmanuel Afessi works on his desk top at Odja center in Cameroon's capital, Yaounde, where he is training 30 youths on information technologies at the center he created when he returned from the United States a year ago. "Africa needs to produce its own knowledge, its own equipment and that is why we want to train people within the continent," he said. "ICTs help close the gap between the developed and the developing world much faster than any technology including the motor vehicles. It is a large contributor to most African countries GDPs today. Think about just the whole aspects of internet and mobile phone. That is a huge multi-billion dollar market." The 33-year-old Afessi says he was unemployed and fled to Paris and then the United States, where he was denied refugee status. He says he could not find work and decided to return home, sell his fathers piece of land, and open the ICT center. Afessi was part of Africa's rapidly growing population of emigrants. The U.N. Refugee Agency reports estimates this year nearly 47,000 migrants have reached Italy, the vast majority of them Sub-Saharan Africans. A representative of Kenyan civil society organizations at the Forum on Rural Development, Vitalis Abbasi, says many of the migrants are highly educated, but unemployed and are travelling from rural areas in search of opportunities. "If the roads were good, the energy systems was well, we could also access information and communication technologies, a lot of people will stay in those areas," said Abbasi. "We could lift people up in those areas by pulling agriculture production up. So once people get a bit more money in their pockets, it is now easier for the rest of the economy to grow because when a lot of rural people have a bit more money in their pockets, even up to $2 per day average, they start consuming industrial goods, also manufacturing our own goods, rather than always depending on importing." Experts from 30 African countries adopted what they call the Yaounde declaration that invites Africa to invest more in the rural areas youths are deserting. They say Africa is losing its trained human capital if current trends continue. The head of program implementation at the New Partnership for Africa's Development, Estherine Fotabong, says governments should have the political will to create enabling environments with the private sector and civil society groups. "We still have the majority of Africans living in rural areas, despite the rapid urbanization rates and from different studies the projection is that up to 2035 that will still be the case," said Fotabong. "We still have most Africans employed in agriculture and we still have lots of land in our rural areas, so why not invest in social amenities, in infrastructure, in better education systems, in industrialization in rural areas so that youths will not see any reason to leave the rural areas to go to the cities." The Yaounde declaration is accompanied by a call for action that requests African heads of state to support the implementation of an action plan being developed to stop Africans from having to make the dangerous trip to Europe. In the run-up to Britains referendum on whether to remain in the European Union, opponents of Brexit warned that leaving the bloc would lead to economic peril, but the countrys economy appears to have performed strongly in the 78 days since the vote, undermining predictions of gloom and doom. And now, leading Brexiters are calling more loudly for a quick, sharp break with the EU or a hard Brexit. They point to the buoyant stock market and strong figures for jobs and retail sales as evidence the government should not delay invoking Article 50, the treaty clause that would start a two-year countdown for Britains formal exit. Among them a former Conservative Party leader, Iain Duncan Smith, who now says Article 50 should be invoked before Christmas, despite Theresa May, Britains new prime minister, repeatedly saying otherwise. Last week, Smith blasted the current state of the EU, saying the bloc is in a complete mess. He labelled the idea that Brexit wont happen a ridiculous pipe dream. On Sunday, leading Brexiters formed a new pressure group called Change Britain, which aims, according to the organizers, to help deliver the UKs referendum result in the most effective way. May has sought to keep at bay questions about how Britain will exit the troubled bloc, and what the countrys future relationship will be with the EU, by repeating the mantra Brexit means Brexit. But that slogan doesnt even begin to answer fundamental questions thrown up by the June referendum. Some Brexiters want a total break; others along with many in the Remain camp hope Britain can negotiate a deal along the lines of Norway and remain a member of the Single Market, enjoying free trade with EU members. And some Remainers are still holding out hope that when push comes to shove Britain won't in the end leave. They are placing their hopes on High Court challenges to the referendum due to be heard next month, or they argue a change of government before the exit period is complete could lead to a reversal. But with the main opposition party, Labor, continuing to implode, the latter would seem unlikely - and the judicial challenges are a long shot, say legal experts. Relationship with EU Brexiters like Duncan Smith worry that the longer May delays on starting the exit process the more chance a closer relationship with the bloc than he wants will be the result. Privately, in conversation with VOA, several leading Brexiters in the government say they fear May and her closest allies will shape a deal with the EU that would see Britain remain in the Single Market, but having to accept freedom of movement, meaning Britain wont be able to impose migration controls on Europeans living an working in Britain. Securing access to the Single Market would also almost certainly entail Britain continuing to make large financial contributions to the EU budget. May, who campaigned during the referendum for Britain to remain in the EU, is walking a political tightrope. She risks revolt by Brexiters inside her party who want to ensure the country breaks completely from the EU if it appears she is moving behind-the-scenes to shape a deal that would see Britain cleaving closely to the EU. But at the same time she is coming under strong pressure from Britains non-EU trading partners to negotiate a deal that would see Britain retaining access to the Single Market. International concerns Japans Foreign Ministry took the unusual step during last weekends G-20 meeting of the leaders of the worlds most advanced economies of publishing a paper on the consequences of Brexit. The paper urged Britain to retain full access to the Single Market and allow British employers to hire freely EU nationals. Japanese firms are major employers in Britain and half of all Japanese investments to the EU are directed to Britain. The Japanese arent the only ones worried about what a hard Brexit would mean for their investments and businesses. American bankers have already drawn up plans to reallocate staff from London to Dublin, Amsterdam, Paris or Frankfurt in the event of a stark break. Hardline Brexiters pooh-pooh all the warnings, arguing the "Brexit boom" shows the strength of the British economy and how it will do well outside the EU. But according to many economists it would be wrong to bank too much on the apparent boom. They say the economic consequences of Brexit remain unclear because Brexit hasnt actually happened yet. But they warn the longer-term signs are not good. Rupert Pennant-Rea, a former deputy governor of the Bank of England, says the strongest clue of what Brexit might mean for Britain comes from the currency markets. The message has been consistent and its implications have still to sink in, he argued in an opinion article written for Britains Financial Times. In trade-weighted terms, the pound is down more than 15 percent from its level a year ago, he notes. The currency markets are saying that all UK assets are worth less than they used to be. Land, property, companies, bank deposits, government debt everything in the UK has been marked down against the rest of the world. Senior Conservative and onetime government minister John Whittingdale rejects talk of economic peril, arguing naysayers about Britains post-Brexit prospects are looking for evidence of an economic meltdown. In an interview with Britains Sunday Telegraph he argued the countrys prime minister must trigger the start of Britains formal withdrawal from the EU within weeks and he criticized May openly for delaying, warning that it leaves the door open for Remain campaigners to try to stop Brexit. Until you embark on the formal process there will be some who will continue to suggest that somehow this can be fudged, that we can make some changes but still essentially remain a part of it and will attempt to find a way out, he warned. Hawaii officials have proposed steps to fight coral bleaching that's threatening the state's reefs, including new marine protected areas, limits on fishing and controls on runoff pollution. Hawaii's ocean temperatures have been rising as greenhouse gases in the atmosphere have increased, forcing corals to expel algae they rely on for food. Vast stretches of reef have turned white over the past two summers, increasing the risk that the coral will get sick and die. Some already have died. It's a serious concern for the health of the ocean, because coral reefs provide habitat for fish and other marine life, scientists say. Severe or concurrent years of bleaching can kill coral reefs, as has been documented over the past two years in oceans around the world. Scientists expect a third year of bleaching to last through the end of 2016. Bruce Anderson, the state Division of Aquatic Resources administrator, said addressing polluted runoff is difficult, noting it would cost millions of dollars to create artificial wetlands that would help control runoff. Fishermen in the past have also resisted moves to limit their catch. But Anderson said the coral bleaching crisis presents an opportunity. "We are going to have future bleaching events, and the water is going to get warmer. And it's going to happen again and again,'' he said this week. "So our challenge is to prevent the impacts of bleaching as much as we can and also to help the reefs recover.'' Fishing nets Another idea is to ban lay gill nets that fishermen leave in the water. Anderson said these types of nets are harmful because they kill all the fish caught in them, not just the species targeted by the fisherman. The nets work because the mesh is large enough for a fish's head to go through but too small for its body to escape. The state will hold public meetings on its proposals before any are adopted. Anderson said the state came up with the proposals after surveying over 80 scientists around the world about what steps were most effective at helping coral reefs. Warmer ocean temperatures bleached coral in Kaneohe Bay off Oahu in 2014. Last year, they bleached corals off the west coast of the Big Island and off Maui. Phil Fernandez, president of the Hawaii Fishermen's Alliance for Conservation and Tradition, said he looked forward to working with Anderson and the state on the proposals. The no-take zones may be problematic, depending on where they would be, he said, but his group is open to discussing them. As for potential catch limits on parrotfish, a popular reef fish, he said the species needs to be managed, but the question is to what degree and how. Parrotfish help coral by eating algae and preventing it from smothering the reef. "We want the reef to come back. We fish, and the health of fish is completely dependent on habitat. When the habitat is decimated, the fish go away,'' he said. Lengthy approval process The Nature Conservancy of Hawaii's marine science director said he's excited and encouraged that the state is taking on the issue and that it recognizes it needs to think strategically about coral bleaching. Eric Conklin called the proposals ambitious and noted the state would need to get feedback and input from the community. He said the proposals faced a long road to approval through a public process. "It's really easy to say, 'The science tells us these are the best things to do.' It's really tricky to figure out the best way to be guided by that science but develop up a plan that still meets the needs of the people who rely on the resource,'' Conklin said. "That's the real challenge in front of us.'' As the United States marked the 15th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, al-Qaida and Islamic State sympathizers on social media traded congratulatory messages and promised more attacks against the U.S. homeland. The jihadists used social platforms such as Telegram, Twitter and Google Plus to exchange their celebratory messages and share the anti-Western propaganda on this day. They circulated decorated images of the burning World Trade Center in New York, calling the anniversary an Eid of happiness. On September 11, 2001, Mohamed Atta and Ziyad Jarah pilots, may God accept their offer, destroyed the World Trade Center, Qaida al-Jihad page posted on Google Plus. The holly mission caused the death of nearly 5,000 crusaders, the page wrote. We destroyed America by a civilian plane. Trade Tower became a dirt pile the next day, an IS sympathizer tweeted. Another jihadist on Telegram asked Jihadi groups to use the occasion to avoid their differences and join arms against the West. If so many different opinions confuse us and the will of Devil deceives us during these bad times, the memory of September 11th should unite us; #Islamic_State, #Al-Nusra_Front, #Al-Qaida. The jihadists hailed the mastermind of the attacks, Osama bin Laden, whom they call a martyr. They asked fellow supporters to pray for him and continue on his path of global jihad. On this day on September 11th, the American prestige was destroyed. God bless Osama bin Laden, an IS sympathizer tweeted. September 11th is a great memory in the minds of crusaders. The hero of that memory is the great jihadist Osama bin Laden, may God bless him, another jihadist tweeted. The pro-jihad accounts on social media also expressed concern about the great majority of Muslims who sympathize with Americans on this day. We are proud of September 11th events. Strange how some people still sympathize with Americans on this day, a Jihadi posted on Google Plus. The jihadists threatened to conduct similar attacks on the U.S. homeland, which, according to them, will destroy American standing in the world. They reiterated support for al-Qaida leader Ayman al-Zawahiti, who called on Muslims to join the terror groups fight against the U.S. In a video released Friday on the Internet titled "The Defiers of Injustice," Zawahiri said the 9/11 attacks "returned the balance" between Islam and what it called its materialistic crusader enemies, and promised similar attacks on U.S. soil. Friday marked the 40th anniversary of the death of Mao Zedong, who founded the People's Republic of China in 1949 and ran it virtually uncontested until his death. While his reputation was deeply tarnished by the chaos and destruction of the ultra-radical 1966-76 Cultural Revolution, subsequent generations have generally accepted the ruling Communist Party's official verdict that he was on balance 70 percent right and 30 percent wrong. Here are some ways Mao's influence lingers in today's very-different China. Still revered: Mao's birthplace in the village of Shaoshan in Hunan province receives millions of visitors a year, and his embalmed corpse lies within a hulking mausoleum in the center of sprawling Tiananmen Square in the heart of Beijing. His portrait still hangs from iconic Tiananmen Gate, from which he proclaimed the establishment of the new communist state on October 1, 1949, and his visage peers from every denomination of Chinese currency. All are signs of how he has become a virtual symbol of state, even while in a modern industrial and increasingly capitalistic China that has veered greatly from his ideal of a radical communist state steeped in peasant virtues and egalitarian ideals. Legacy of unity: Among Mao's key achievements was the welding of a fractious China into a unitary state by overthrowing Chiang Kai-shek's Nationalist government, defeating warlord factions and cementing control over the peripheral western regions of Tibet and Xinjiang. Mao's state has actually grown with the reabsorption in recent decades of the former British colony of Hong Kong and Portuguese colony of Macau. China has also moved aggressively to assert its claim to virtually the entire South China Sea, sparking frictions with its southern neighbors. One territory remains outside Beijing's control, however: the self-governing island of Taiwan, to which Chiang's defeated forces retreated in 1949. Party control: Mao advocated strict Communist Party control over all aspects of life, and while his totalitarian state is a thing of the past, the party maintains an iron grip on political power. The last major challenge it faced, the 1989 pro-democracy protests centered on Tiananmen Square, were brutally suppressed and remain a taboo subject. China continues to imprison Nobel Peace Prize laureate Liu Xiaobo for co-authoring a call for ending the communist monopoly on power, and civic and legal groups outside party control face constant harassment and persecution. A roundup of activist lawyers in June 2015 has sent a chill through the activist community, and the prospects for a movement arising to oppose the party seem next to nil. Powerful military: One of Mao's most famous dictums was that political power came from the barrel of a gun, and the People's Liberation Army remains the party's house guard, despite calls for it to shift loyalty to the government instead. In addition to retaining a monopoly on force at home, the PLA has become a growing force in regional and even global military affairs. With 2.3 million members, it is the world's largest standing military, although plans call for it to shrink by 300,000. Years of double-digit-percentage increases in China's military budget now the world's second-largest have transformed the army into an increasingly high-tech and battle-proficient force, despite not having engaged in any major conflict since 1979. Systematic weaknesses: Not all is smooth sailing. The party Mao bequeathed to his successors remains brittle and intolerant, opaque and exclusive, placing hundreds of millions of Chinese outside the decision-making process. Pent-up frustrations occasionally burst into episodes of unrest, although the massive security state has shown its ability to suppress them. In addition, the nationalism unleashed by Mao may force the government to take hard-line positions that imperil its goal of being viewed as a responsible player in global society. Economic tensions deriving from Mao's command economy also linger. In a move that might have pleased the revolutionary Mao, if not the later authoritarian leader, workers in China's bloated state industries are growing restive over layoffs and cutbacks at a time when overall economic growth, while still robust, is slowing. Thousands of people marched in Mexico Saturday against the president's proposal to legalize same-sex marriage. The National Front for the Family, a coalition of various religious groups and other organizations, called on Mexicans to gather across the country to challenge President Enrique Pena Nieto's legislation to allow gay marriage. In May, Pena Nieto proposed a change in the Mexican constitution to allow gay couples to marry nationally. He told news outlets that congress should debate and resolve the issue. Demonstrators chanted "Wake up and defend the family" and "Children need a father and a mother," while also challenging government-mandated projects that fund sex-education programs. An estimated 40,000 people assembled in the city of Queretaro alone, organizers said. In Monterrey, others gathered to counter-protest by singing and reading poetry to show support to the Mexican gay community. "It's a discriminatory position and we hope it doesn't have success," Jesus Gonzalez, a human rights activist, said. Same-sex marriage is allowed in a few Mexican states such as Coahuila, Quintana Roo, Jalisco, Nayarit, Chihuahua and Sonora. The most important day in the annual five-day Hajj was celebrated by the nearly 2 million Muslims who have converged on some of Islam's most revered sites in Saudi Arabia. Worshippers gathered from sunrise Sunday on a stony hill and a vast surrounding plain known as Mount Arafat, about 15 kilometers from Mecca. The faithful recited ritual incantations, prayed and read from the Quran on the first day of the Hajj. Muslims believe the Prophet Muhammad gave his last sermon at the site. Iran is boycotting this year's Hajj, citing Saudi incompetence and a poor response by health and safety officials. Masses of Iranian Shi'ites have instead converged on the holy Iraqi city of Karbala for an alternative pilgrimage. During last years pilgrimage, several hundred Iranians were among at least 2,000 crushed to death in a stampede in the city of Mecca. This is not the first time Iran has boycotted the Hajj, but it comes at a time when tensions with rival Saudi Arabia are at a record high over conflicts in Syria and Yemen where Tehran and Riyadh support opposite sides. Saudi Arabia cut ties with Iran last January after demonstrators set fire to the Saudi embassy in Tehran following Riyadhs execution of a prominent Shi'ite cleric, Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr. In recent weeks, rhetoric between the two capitals has escalated. Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has challenged Saudi Arabias right to manage Islams holy sites, accusing the Saudi royal family of murder in last years stampede. A prominent Saudi cleric responded by saying Irans leaders are not Muslim. The pilgrimage is one of the five pillars of Islam. All able-bodied Muslims who can afford to do so are expected to take part in the Hajj at least once in their lifetimes. Watch related video report from VOA's Zlatica Hoke: Safety concerns Saudi Arabia has doubled down on safety and security in a bid to avoid a repeat of last year's disaster. The publication Arab News reports that authorities have conducted 1,000 health and safety training courses in recent weeks and deployed 26,000 medical, technical and other official personnel to pilgrimage areas in Mecca, Medina, Arafat and Mina, along with a fleet of more than 175 ambulances. Security officials have placed 1,000 cameras at strategic locations to allow constant monitoring of events. All pilgrims are being outfitted with wearable water-resistant e-bracelets equipped with barcodes that link to personal information including medical records in an effort to facilitate treatment in case of illness or injury. Health, however, is only one concern. In early July, three suicide bombers struck separate targets across Saudi Arabia, including the site in Medina where the Prophet Muhammad is believed to be buried. No group claimed responsibility for the attacks, which Saudi Arabia believes was inspired by the Islamic State group. The bombings have raised questions about the kingdoms ability to protect Saudi citizens and visitors during the Hajj. Authorities have limited the number of visas for each country in an effort to control crowds. All guests of Allah are required to carry permits and police have set up security checkpoints to prevent illegal pilgrims from entering the holy sites.It has also vowed strict punishment for all offenders. 'Journey for God' During the Hajj, devoted Muslims perform a series of religious rituals, including walking counterclockwise around the Kaaba, the cube-shaped structure at the center of the Grand Mosque of Mecca, which Muslims believe is the spot where the Prophet Abraham built his first temple to God. They will also drink the alkaline water from the Well of Zamzam, believed to have healing qualities, and perform a symbolic stoning of the devil. "Part of the rituals also includes feeding the poor," said Tawfik Hamid, a senior fellow at the Potomac Institute for Policy Studies. "Many Muslims believe that once they do the Hajj, all their previous sins will be forgiven by Allah, and they will become sinless as the day they were born." The Hajj is followed by Eid al-Adha, which is on Monday. It is Islams most important holy day and marks Abrahams willingness to sacrifice his son, Ishmael. Muslims across the world celebrate Eid al-Adha by killing and sacrificing cows, sheep or goats in a display of religious devotion. Pakistan has rejected fresh calls by Afghanistan to allow the conflict-ridden landlocked country to engage in direct trade with India through its land routes, citing existing official arrangements between Islamabad and Kabul. Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani, before his upcoming official visit to New Delhi, has threatened to close transit trade facilities for Pakistan if it continues to refuse his country access to Indian markets through Pakistan's Wagah border station. Islamabad, which provides Kabul with the shortest and most cost effective land route for global trade, has for decades facilitated Afghan trade through its seaports in line with their recently renegotiated Afghanistan Pakistan Transit Trade Agreement (APTTA), which also gives Pakistan access to trade with Afghanistans neighbors. "Pakistan has constantly provided access to Afghanistan to Pakistani ports for transit trade. We will continue to facilitate Afghan transit trade as part of our commitment to people of Afghanistan, said foreign ministry spokesman Nafees Zakaria in response to Ghanis warning. Although, the bilateral transit trade agreement APTTA does not involve transit to and from India, Pakistan continues to allow transit of Afghan fruit to India through Wagah as a special gesture, noted Zakaria. Pakistans relations with rival India have consistently deteriorated to new lows in recent years and senior officials maintain accommodating Kabuls calls for including New Delhi in the APTTA is not possible under the circumstances. Pakistan's trade with Central Asian Republics through Afghanistan is currently insignificant and estimated to be approximately 0.054 percent of total Pakistani exports while imports from the region account for about 0.05 percent of the countrys total imports, according to an analysis of the APTTA conducted two years ago by the U.S. Agency for International Development. It cited lack of infrastructure and transport links as well as security concerns while transporting goods from Afghanistan as major constraints for the low volumes of trade. Relations have since suffered repeated setbacks over mutual allegations of sponsoring terrorist attacks on each others soils. The tensions have undermined trading ties and have lately prompted repeated closures of the main Pakistani border crossings of Torkham and Chaman, causing millions of dollars of losses to traders on both sides. But Kabuls ties with New Delhi continue to grow in all fields, particularly their defense ties, which apparently have raised concerns in Islamabad. Pakistan has also allege Indian intelligence agencies are using ties with Afghan counterparts to plot terrorist attacks on Pakistani soil, charges Kabul and India deny. Afghan leaders accuse Pakistan of providing sanctuaries to the Afghan Taliban and its allied groups for plotting attacks in Afghanistan. Islamabad rejects the accusations. Clashes between police and protesters erupted in southeastern Turkey after a government announcement that it had replaced 28 elected municipal and district mayors in several predominantly Kurdish towns. The removed officials are suspected of ties with what the government considers terrorist organization, the Turkish Interior Ministry said Sunday. When local governments come under the influence of terrorist organizations, it is the state's primary duty to take precautions against those who have usurped the people's will, the statement said. Twenty four of those removed are suspected of ties with the Kurdistan Workers Party, or PKK, and the other four of links to the Gulen movement allegedly responsible for the attempted coup in July which killed over 270 people. US concerns The U.S. Embassy in Ankara posted a statement on its website and Twitter that it is concerned by reports of clashes in southeastern Turkey, following the government decision to remove the mayors. The embassy said it supported Turkey's right to defend itself against terrorism,but emphasizes the importance of respect for due process and the right to peaceful protest. "We hope that any appointment of trustees will be temporary and that local citizens will soon be permitted to choose new local officials in accordance with Turkish law," the embassy said. The latest crackdown follows the massive removal and detention of people from Turkeys military, judiciary, civil service and education, following the July 15 coup attempt, which all combined have surpassed 80,000. Authorities in Afghanistan say a roadside bomb attack Sunday killed a provincial police chief and wounded at least three security guards. Officials in eastern Nangarhar province say slain General Zorawar Zahid was leading a counter insurgency operation in the troubled Hasarak district when his vehicle hit an improvised explosive device. A Taliban spokesman says the group planted the bomb and claimed the explosion also killed several security guards with Zahid. In addition to Taliban insurgents, extremists linked to the Islamic State terrorist group are also active in at least two districts of Nangarhar, which borders Pakistan. Meanwhile, a fugitive former Afghan warlord on Sunday alleged that internal differences prevented President Ashraf Ghani's government from announcing a peace deal his insurgent group has signed with Kabul to quit violence. Afghan authorities were not available immediately to comment on Gulbuddin Hekmatyars assertions. The Hezb-i-Islami Afghanistan (HIA) faction he leads has held months of negotiations with Ghanis representatives and both sides admitted the process had led to a draft peace agreement. In his Sunday statement sent to reporters, Hekmatyar asserted he has agreed and signed the document, and the government was scheduled to announce the final peace agreement on Saturday. But once again internal disputes within the government have prevented it from announcing the deal, said the former warlord. Peace process A presidential palace spokesman on Saturday also spoke of "considerable progress" in the peace process and promised more positive developments" by the end of day. But officials have since not offered any comments nor have they given any reaction to Hekmatyar's assertions. A peace deal with Hekmatyars group, which has fought alongside the Taliban against the U.S.-backed Afghan government, could put pressure on the Taliban to come to the table for peace talks. Unlike the Islamist insurgency, the Hekmatyar groups influence is limited to very few provinces in Afghanistan. Hekmatyar is a longtime guerrilla commander whose forces fought against the Soviet Union in the 1980s, using equipment supplied by the CIA. Later, his militias battled the Taliban for control of Afghanistan during the brutal civil war of the 1990s and human rights groups accused Hekmatyar of committing massive rights abuses among other atrocities. He was designated a "global terrorist" by the United States in 2003 for allegedly participating in and supporting attacks by al Qaida and Taliban forces against American forces in the country. Hekmatyar and his commanders are allegedly sheltering in neighboring Pakistan, where Taliban leaders also have their sanctuaries, charges Islamabad rejects. President Ghani and his governing partner Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah have recently gone public with the simmering disputes between them over governance issues. Abdullah accused Ghani of not implementing a political deal the United States mediated between them two years ago that paved the way for establishing the unity government. The political tensions have worried Afghans and the countrys international backers, led by the United States, at a time if intensified battlefield and other attacks by the Taliban. A New Lisbon man faces strangulation and suffocation charges and a count of child abuse, among other charges, after an incident on Aug. 25. According to a criminal complaint, Chad S. Brest, 35, turned physical after getting into an argument with a child. Brest had been fishing and returned home. A female acquaintance said she could smell alcohol on Brests breath. He began arguing with a boy at the residence, squeezing his arms until the boy began crying and begged him to stop. The female stepped in to stop Brest and the two began shoving and pushing each other. According to the report, Brest pushed her onto a couch and placed his arm across her throat for about 30 seconds, making it hard for her to breathe. She became dizzy and her voice grew hoarse. Fearing for her life, the alleged victim tried to push Brest off, but it wasnt working. According to the complaint, Brest yelled at her, calling her derogatory names. The boy came out of his room and screamed at Brest to stop. Brest allegedly left the female and ran after the boy. He grabbed him and threw him to the floor. The woman again tried to stop Brest and he attempted to choke her with his forearm, but she avoided him and Brest stopped fighting. Brest packed a few items in a bag and left the residence. A deputy from the Juneau County Sheriffs Office spoke to the woman after the incident. She said Brest began arguing with the boy over the length of time he wears his clothes without changing them. As a result of the alleged incident, the boy suffered an eye injury and the woman had injuries to her neck and chest. Brest also made a mess in the home before leaving. The woman invoked the 72-hour no contact provision, but Brest attempted to return to the home shortly after the incident. Brest was arrested and transported to the Juneau County Jail. Brest will be at the Juneau County Justice Center for an initial appearance on Sept. 14. Brest is also facing a count of misdemeanor batter and disorderly conduct, domestic abuse. Two Tomah men were referred to the Monroe County District Attorney for allegedly trying to settle a Feb. 6 bar tab with an invalid credit card. According to the report, men later identified as Ronald Junior Hage, 26, and Mathew Harold Hage, 23, spent an hour in Smittys Overtime Inn, where they played pool and ordered meals and alcoholic beverages. A witness said the two fled the establishment when their card, which contained neither suspects name, was declined. A witness took down the license plate number of the vehicle the suspects used, and police later used surveillance video to confirm their identities. The report says the tab came to $38.90, and both were referred for fraud on a restaurant keeper. They both have active bonds from Chippewa County, which triggered bail jumping referrals. In other sheriffs office news: Shayne McGovern, 31, Tomah. and Michael Bollig, 28, Tomah were referred to the district attorney for after an Aug. 21 incident in the Monroe County Jail. According to the report, McGovern initiated a conversation with Bollig, who took off his shirt, assumed a fighting stance and took a swing at McGovern. McGovern allegedly struck Bollig several times with a closed fist, causing Bollig to fall to the floor before jailers intervened to end the altercation. Both were referred for disorderly conduct, and McGovern was referred for battery by a prisoner. Mikayla A. Leis, 21, Sparta, was referred to the district attorney for lewd and lascivious behavior. She reportedly exposed her breasts to a male inmate Aug. 16 while being housed at the Monroe County Jail. Dale L. Young, 59, and Julio J.L. Sanchez, 33, both of Sparta, were referred to the district attorney for disorderly conduct after an Aug. 8 incident in the town of Sparta. Sanchez told police that he was talking to his mother about Young refusing to return the keys to his car when Young slapped the phone from Sanchezs hand. When Sanchez went to pick up the phone, he said Young hit him. Young told police that the phone belonged to him and that Sanchez attacked him verbally and physically. David M. Hintz, 22, Tomah, was referred to the district attorney on multiple charges after an Aug. 7 incident in the Monroe County Jail. According to the report, Hintz was observed gathering food trays and taking them to another area of the jail before throwing them across the day room. When confronted by jail personnel, Hintz reportedly threatened to jump from a second-tier railing. He began climbing down the railing but was grabbed by an officer before he could hit the ground. Hintz allegedly fought attempts from three officers to bring him under control. The report says he continued to fight after being handcuffed, threatened one officer and attempted to kick another. He continued to resist officers through the booking process, according to the report. Hintz was referred for threatening an officer, two counts of disorderly conduct and two counts of resisting an officer. James A. Edmond American Legion Post 121, 722 Leroy Parkway in Elm Mott, will host a Sept. 11 remembrance ceremony at 5 p.m. Sunday. The program is sponsored by the Auxiliary and Sons of the American Legion. Snacks will be served after the ceremony. Aggie Moms banquet Herb Wolf, a member of Texas A&Ms 1954 Junction Boys, will be the keynote speaker at the Waco-McLennan County Aggie Moms Clubs annual membership banquet, set for Sept. 19 at the Texas Life Insurance Annex, 900 Washington Ave. Registration, meet and greet, and silent auction will begin at 6 p.m. and a catered dinner from Georges at 6:30 p.m. Cost is $15. All A&M families, past or present, are welcome to attend. The reservation deadline is Wednesday. For more information, visit https://waco mclennanmoms.aggie network.com/membership form or call Peggy Cunningham at 760-3144. BU 9/11 carillon recital Baylor University carillonneur Lynnette Geary will play a memorial recital on the 15th anniversary of the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, at 2:30 p.m. Sunday on the McLane Carillon in Pat Neff Hall. The recital will open with former Baylor carillonneur Herbert Colvins arrangement of Doxology and John Courters In Memoriam September 11, 2011. The program also will include arrangements of Amazing Grace, the Shaker hymn More Love, In Paradisum and more. Weather permitting, the public can bring lawn chairs or blankets for seating in Founders Mall in front of Pat Neff Hall. For more information, visit www.baylor.edu/ music or call 710-3991. Rotary Club of Waco The Rotary Club of Waco will meet at noon Monday at the Lions Den, 1716 N. 42nd St. Guest speaker Scott Pearson, president of Pearson Construction, will discuss the Magnolia silos transformation. Cost is $10 for a catered lunch from Uncle Dans Barbecue. For more information, call 776-2115. MCC digital literacy McLennan Community Colleges Adult Education and Literacy for the Heart of Texas program is offering free digital literacy and GED/ESL classes from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Tuesdays through Thursdays year-round at MCCs Community Services Center, 4601 N. 19th St. The class is geared to help adults improve their basic computer skills, with a focus on helping GED or ESL students improve the computer skills they need for work, school and daily life. People have eagerly awaited the opening of Moroso Wood Fired Pizzeria at 4700 Bosque Blvd., where Cafe Cappuccino once served some of the best omelettes in town. Well, the wait is over, said proprietor Dan Moroso, who has completed nearly a year of demolition, new construction, interior decoration and training of staffers to create what he thinks is a dining experience that local diners will appreciate. He even shipped a 2-ton, wood-fired oven from the East Coast to prepare his dishes. Social media has responded favorably with five-star ratings and compliments regarding the food, service and interior decor, Moroso said in a news release. He said pizzas prepared on a deck at just under 1,000 degrees are the main attraction. But the menu also offers an assortment of Italian appetizers, salads, desserts and beverages unique and new in Waco. The remodeling of the space that once accommodated Cafe Cappuccino was more time-consuming than it might have been had Moroso not included such touches as an Edison lighting design, a custom-made concrete bar top and reclaimed wood from the old Bluebonnet ordnance plant in McGregor and a Civil War homestead. In the near future, Moroso said, he will create patio seating to give the pizzeria even more capacity for customers. Offering his opinion on the local dining scene, Moroso said, The long-anticipated opening of Moroso underscores a shift in Waco restaurant trends by offering handcrafted, artisan-style food comparable to restaurants in Dallas, Houston and Austin. Moroso brings in San Marzano tomatoes, flour and other ingredients from Italy. The wine list is made up from wines exclusively from a variety of regions in Italy, and everything is made from scratch using fresh ingredients. Pizzas start at $8 at Moroso, which is owned by Dan and Robyn Moroso and opens Tuesday through Saturday for dinner, but soon will add a lunch menu and Sunday brunch. A menu and pictures of the pizzeria are accessible on the Moroso website at www.morosopizzeria.com. On other pizza fronts, the Old Chicago Pizza and Taproom in Central Texas Marketplace will open Tuesday, general manager Clayton Chamberland said. He said by phone he has nearly completed hiring the 100 people he will need to staff the place, but continues to conduct interviews. Old Chicago has well over 100 franchised and corporate locations, each of which serves about 40 craft beers, pizzas, sandwiches, wings, calzones and salads. Meanwhile, Pie Five Pizza has taken space in a shopping and retail strip near South Fourth Street and Interstate 35, behind In-N-Out Burger. It has not yet opened, but when it does, it will allow customers to walk through a line and choose toppings to place on a circle of dough, which it touts in advertising. Mad Hasher Waco Another food truck has entered the downtown arena of eats, this one operating as Mad Hasher Waco. It can be found at the food truck park at Franklin Avenue and University Parks Drive, opening around 10 a.m. and closing at midnight or later. Were trying to become the late-night breakfast place in town, and well stay open into the early morning if we can, said Dean Covic, who serves as chef and manager for the truck owned by Jonya Williams, who operates Rio Brazos Catering. Covic said hes a U.S. Navy veteran and graduate of Texas State Technical Colleges culinary school. The menu weighs heavily on hashes, as one might expect. The lineup includes Breakfast Daddio, $6.50; The Green Thumb, $8.50; The Skinny Joey, $9.25; and El Clupacabra, $9.25. Sandwiches available include the Cuban Gooding Jr., $8.75; Soul Sister, $8.75; Southern Gentleman, $9; Patio Daddio, $9.50; and The Dancing Boar, $9.50. The offerings include lots of everything from Philly Cheesesteak, organic vegetables and smoked brisket to pork loin, buttermilk fried chicken, sausage and eggs. Toppings on the various entrees include avocado, roasted tomatillo salsa, sauteed mushrooms, caramelized onions, jalapeno ranch, Southern bourbon barbecue sauce, diced bacon bits, garlic tomatoes, roasted garlic aioli and pico de gallo. An extra $2 fetches shredded smoked brisket, sliced brisket, espresso pork loin or shaved sirloin. More than anything, we want the public to know were open late, said Covic, adding Mad Hasher has peppered as many Baylor University students as possible with coupons. Former spa property The former Spa at Canyon Oaks property in Crawford has been placed under contract by a potential buyer, who now has 60 days to examine the transaction and the property and whether a deal should be consummated. Thats according to the real estate agent Brad Harrell, who is listing a 27-room complex on 31 acres. Owner Destiny Williams abruptly closed the popular getaway in July, and the price dropped from $1 million to $849,000 in recent weeks, with Harrell saying he probably would lower the asking price $25,000 a week until he received an offer. Now he has one, he said, though the identity of the potential buyer remains a mystery. Harrell said he is working with real estate agent C.M. Nevill, at Coldwell Banker Jim Stewart Realtors, who represents the interested party. For years, the Spa at Canyon Oaks attracted clients from all over Texas with its beauty and fitness treatments, spa suite, pool, hot tub and sauna. Harrell has said it would make an ideal location for a bed-and-breakfast venue or for an event center to host weddings, family reunions, corporate meetings and anniversaries. Nevill confirmed his client, a local person, is in the very early stages of due diligence. He said he could not comment on a possible use. Gas prices Analysts with GasBuddy.com said to look for prices at the pump to fall after Labor Day, and they were right on the money. AAA Texas released its weekly report Thursday, and it showed a 4-cent drop statewide in the average price of regular unleaded, putting the statewide average at $2. Of the major metropolitan areas, drivers in Amarillo and El Paso are paying the most on average at $2.02 per gallon, while drivers in Corpus Christi are paying the least at $1.94 per gallon. The national average for a gallon of regular unleaded stood at $2.18 on Thursday, 4 cents less than the previous week and 21 cents less than last year. In Waco, the average on Friday was hovering around $1.96, 3 cents less than the $1.99 a week earlier. Among the cheapest prices were found at the Pilot and Flying J travel centers on Interstate 35, where regular unleaded was going for $1.79 a gallon. Prices rose in the second half of August due to increasing crude oil prices and uncertainty regarding Hurricane Hermines impact on Gulf Coast refineries, AAA Texas said. When it became clear that the storm would not impact production, prices dropped quickly during the second half of last week and through the weekend. Balcones in NYC Waco-based Balcones Distilling made quite a splash at the New York World Wine and Spirits Competiton held in late August in New York City. Winning Double Gold Medals were Balcones Texas No. 1 Single Malt, True Blue 100 Whisky and Texas Blue Corn Bourbon. The companys popular Baby Blue Corn Whisky and Texas Rum captured Silver Medals, the company said in a reports on its performance. It is always gratifying and humbling to have our whiskies recognized at an international level, head distiller Jared Himstedt said. The New York World Wine and Spirits Competition is one of the largest competitions for the retail beverage industry in the world. It attracts top professional judges from restaurants, bars and clubs, food and beverage buyers, mixologists, educators, columnists, sommeliers and chefs. The Balcones brand is one of excellence, as evidenced by this years awards. It is an accomplishment for any distiller to achieve Double Gold, and Balcones has taken home three of them this year, in addition to two Silver Medals. We are excited for them and proud of their achievement, said Steven Wesler, competition director for the event. He was quoted in a prepared statement that included a history of Balcones, which has earned more than 160 awards and accolades since 2009, 50 in 2015 alone. Jury selection in the trial of a West man charged with killing his former girlfriend two years ago is set to begin Monday. David Zahirniak, 45, is scheduled to stand trial in 54th State District Court for the April 2014 shooting death of Caitlyn Reed-Goates. Reed-Goates, 21, was found dead in her home on Tokio Loop on April 6, 2014. McLennan County Sheriffs Office detectives found her body in a hallway and said she suffered a gunshot wound to the chest. Authorities initially thought that Reed-Goates took her own life, but forensic tests led to Zahirniaks arrest a month later. Waco attorney Alan Bennett, who represents Zahirniak with attorney Jessi Freud, said we believe the evidence supports our position that it was a suicide, and there is some prior history to support our contention. According to records filed in the case, a witness claimed to have seen Zahirniak at Reed-Goates home at the time of her death and they appeared to be involved in some sort of dispute. Records show Zahirniak admitted to being in the house only at the time he found her body, but officials have said he altered his story and since has acknowledged that he was present around the time of her death. Records also indicate that Zahirniak was arrested on aggravated assault charges March 21, 2014, after he reportedly assaulted Reed-Goates. As she was being taken to the hospital, Zahirniak tried to ram the ambulance with his vehicle, according to arrest warrant affidavits. After his release from jail, Zahirniak texted Reed-Goates that he was going to rape and kill her in retaliation for his arrest, the affidavit alleges. Reed-Goates got her fathers gun to protect herself from Zahirniak, records say. Court officials expect the trial to last at least five days. If convicted of murder, Zahirniak faces from five to 99 years or up to life in prison. Students placed in remedial courses after taking the Texas Success Initiative computer-based course placement exam are 75 percent less likely to complete college than those who manage to avoid those courses, according to Waco ISDs Advanced Academics director. Colleges require a TSI test for new students who do not have high enough scores on their SAT or ACT. And for high school students wanting to enroll in dual-credit courses, the TSI has become in many cases their only avenue to qualify. TSI results determine if students are placed in remedial or developmental courses in college. Those do not count toward college credit hours. Three education providers Waco Independent School District, McLennan Community College and Texas State Technical College have partnered with Prosper Waco to help students successfully pass the TSI on a local level, and hurdle what their testing officials call a barrier to higher education. To accomplish that, the entities are getting the test, which focuses on reading, writing and math, into the hands of students earlier, and informing students and parents about the test every way they can, according to Scott McLanahan, Waco ISDs Advanced Academics director. Waco ISD has seen a sharp increase in the number of students seeking dual-credit courses, and those students must take the TSI in order to enroll in them. The TSI is the bane of my existence, McLanahan said. In this department were in charge of Gifted and Talented programing, AP and Pre-AP, dual credit and our early degree program, college readiness and all academic competitions, but that part of college readiness just kind of surfaced and took over all of (last) spring because if kids want to be able to qualify to take a dual-credit course, they have to have a qualifying TSI score. Thats what the dual-credit policy has always been. Voters approved Waco ISDs tax ratification election in 2015, which included funding for any student who wanted to take dual-credit courses regardless of need. Waco ISD students enrolled in 285 dual-credit courses two years ago. Last year, that number jumped to 667 and this year its 989, not including spring enrollment, McLanahan said. Because of that kind of growth, we have that many more kids who need to be tested to get into classes, and we also started our early degree program, which meant . . . this year we had to test eighth-graders and ninth-graders that weve never had to do before, he said. House Bill 505 took the restrictions off of who could take the dual-credit courses, and when they lifted that, MCC wasnt ready for that, at that point. So, last year, we kept it at juniors and seniors, but really, according to the law, freshmen, sophomores, juniors and seniors could enroll. This year, MCC opened it and we opened it up and we just had that many more. No other scores Typically, students take the TSI test right before enrolling in college. There are a few exemptions to get around it, including high End of Course, ACT or SAT scores. But the problem Waco ISD has encountered is that the higher education board hasnt set a target TSI exemption score for the new SAT, and STAAR scores are not reported until summer, well past enrollment deadlines. Students enrolling in dual-credit must take the TSI because they have no other scores that could be used to qualify for dual-credit courses, McLanahan said. TSI scores are valid for five years, and if students test in the eighth grade and pass, they dont have to take it again when they enroll in college. In 2017, and again in 2019, the passing score for the exam is expected to go up. If students pass now they dont have to worry about the score later, he said. As Waco ISD officials began planning to accommodate the number of students needing to take the test, they discovered a large number of them were simply struggling to pass it. For some, passing became an issue in understanding the material, like basic algebra, reading comprehension and vocabulary skills that students hadnt learned in their classes or had been two to three years removed from, McLanahan said. Algebra 1 material starts in eighth or ninth grade for students, he said. Waco ISD also is testing all of its Project Link students at University High School, regardless of grade, to help Prosper Waco officials have data and understand where they can help improve one-on-one college advising. To solve the complications, Waco ISD purchased a software program called Plato, which offers TSI preparation, tutorials and pre-testing. The other thing were doing is, between the director for AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination), myself and the curriculum department, is weve been developing a systemic TSI plan about when are these kids going to test so we can make sure every kid is testing and every kid knows its an expectation and every teacher knows what it is, he said. Teachers dont even know that those are the requirements. At MCC, coordinators have developed a pre- assessment activity to gauge a students abilities before they take the exam, as well as implementing initiatives on the developmental education side, said Fred Hills, the colleges dean of arts, sciences and business. The college has even started TSI boot camps and takes information to high-schoolers to give them up-front orientation before testing, Hills said. For instance, in high school, you get to use your calculator. The TSI, they take the calculator away from you, and a little calculator pops up on the screen, but students arent aware of what that is, Hills said, adding even teachers who took the TSI to better understand the exam failed. On the writing portion, its scored by machine. The problem is the machines parameters say you have to write about 600 words, but some students write their essay and write short. So, were trying to help students make those adjustments. Better preparation The key to success isnt making sure the test is easier, but that students are better prepared, Hills said. Theres a disconnect between whats taught in high schools and whats tested for at the college level, he said. Hills also is working on an agreement to have the test scores at the high school level be acceptable to other colleges outside the county, he said. The TSI is important because a student graduates from high school, having been successful in high school. They come to college with the idea theyll be here two years, then transfer or in four years theyll be successful, Hills said. When they get here, 50 or 60 percent of our students need some sort of remediation. That slows the progress down, adds expense to their education and the courses dont count toward college credit. Financial aid will cover it, but thats extra burden. The problem is, if theyre not prepared for that, youre throwing them into a college environment where theyre not going to be successful. The more remediation a student needs, the less chance of them making it through the system. Similar efforts also are happening at TSTC, said Stephen Tanton, the schools executive director for advisement and testing. TSTC offers a four-hour TSI prep seminar throughout the year with a project called Pedal to the Metal, done through the colleges math department. Students can go through the program and then go straight into taking the test, or re-taking it if needed, he said. That prep seminar is helping TSTC students increase their test scores by one level or more, he said. TSTC also is letting students take the math portion of the test for free to help with the cost element, and the schools recruiters mention the exam every chance they get. Its critical. What we hear from a lot of students is they dont remember what formulas to use when it comes to algebra, and for a lot of them it goes even further back. Somewhere in between middle school and high school, they forget their fractions, and if you cant do your fractions, it becomes difficult to do your algebra, Tanton said. Thats where we see a lot of students struggle. A quick review is enough to get it back in their minds. With a lot of students at TSTC and MCC being the first in their families to attend college, and more than 80 percent of Waco ISD students being economically disadvantaged, passing that test needs to be seen as an opportunity and not a barrier, Tanton said. The narrative is very important. When I discuss developmental courses with the students, I dont ever talk about it as a barrier, said Brandon Chappell, TSTCs Project Link coordinator. I just talk about it as a stepping stone to the next level so they dont feel like this is something thats in their way, or think, Oh, I failed the TSI exam. No, you didnt fail the exam. We just now know where we can start you, so you can get better and excel later on. Diego Obledo does not fit what many consider a typical biker stereotype. The 42-year-old San Antonio man drove a Toyota SUV, not a Harley, to Waco on May 17, 2015. Instead of carrying a Glock or Beretta, he had a camouflage-covered New Testament in his pocket, given to him during his time in the Texas Air National Guard. Before coming to Waco on the morning of the deadly Twin Peaks shootout, Obledo was making more than $100,000 a year as a manager of a financial services company, according to his attorney, Don Tittle. He has no criminal record at all. He had a Bible in his pocket, not a gun, Tittle said. Obledo said he ducked behind a car in the parking lot when the gunfire erupted. He was not injured, but he was among 177 arrested after the deadly shootout ended and remains among 154 who since have been indicted. No trial dates currently are set for the criminal cases. Meanwhile, Obledos 2009 Toyota Venza and 25 other vehicles, including 16 motorcycles, eight pickups and another SUV, have been stored at the city of Waco impound lot for the past 16 months. Hundreds of bikes and vehicles were towed from the Twin Peaks crime scene after the incident that left nine dead and dozens injured. Most have been returned to owners. Some were repossessed after lienholders learned the vehicles were at Twin Peaks despite purchasers not being current on payments. But, the 26 in storage are part of civil seizure and forfeiture proceedings filed by the McLennan County District Attorneys Office in June 2015. There has been no activity in those civil suits since then, other than general denials of the accusations filed by owners of the vehicles. Statutes allow prosecutors to seize cash, vehicles, property and other valuable items that they allege are used in a crime. If successful, the items are sold at auction and the proceeds can be used to assist law enforcement. Obledo spent 15 days in jail before his $1 million bond was reduced, but he lost his job and the home he and his wife were buying, and his vehicle remains in storage 16 months later, Tittle said. Civil rights lawsuit He is one of 10 bikers represented by Tittle who have filed civil rights lawsuits against McLennan County District Attorney Abel Reyna and former and current Waco police officials in an Austin federal court, alleging they were arrested and jailed but did nothing wrong. Obledo has said he wore a Bandidos T-shirt under another shirt that day but it could not be seen, adding that he has no ties to the Bandidos. Records filed in the forfeiture case allege Obledo told police he was a hang around for the Valerosos Motorcycle Club, which officials identify as a Bandidos support group. Police found a 9 mm pistol, a red Valerosos T-shirt and camo body armor with a bulletproof plate in his Toyota, records show. Prosecutors dismissed one of the forfeiture cases last year, returning a 2009 Harley-Davidson motorcycle to Kristoffer Rhyne. Documents allege Rhyne is a road captain of the Bell County Cossacks chapter. Rhynes attorney, Michael DeGeurin, of Houston, said the case was dismissed after prosecutors learned that Rhyne recently had purchased the motorcycle and had not built up enough equity to make the forfeiture worth the states efforts. Reyna did not return phone messages for comment. His first assistant, Michael Jarrett, declined comment, saying he could not discuss pending matters. Waco Assistant Police Chief Robert Lanning said the city initially bought covers for the motorcycles at $90 each to protect them while in storage. They since have been placed in shipping containers. The city already had one but bought another one for $2,500 in which to store the bikes, Lanning said. We have to maintain them just like they were on the day they were seized, Lanning said. The vehicles normally would be racking up huge storage fees. But, Lanning said, vehicles involved in forfeiture cases are not subject to daily impound fees. Attorneys for bikers whose vehicles have been seized say the pending criminal cases first-degree felonies that carry a maximum life prison term certainly take priority over the civil forfeiture cases. And as long as they are not hearing anything now about either case, there is no need to stir the pot, the attorneys say. There is nothing really going on right now. I like it just laying there for a while. I am perfectly fine with that, said Toby Shook, a Dallas attorney who represents Dallas County Bandidos president David Martinez in the civil and criminal cases. Attorneys said they have received six rounds of discovery from the DAs office, which reports it still is not ready to proceed to trial because DNA, cellphone analysis and other evidence still is being evaluated. The pending forfeiture case is just another element of an already stressful and frustrating situation, said Houston attorney Abigail Anastasio, who represents biker Ray Nelson. A hardship The seizure has been very much so a hardship on him, she said. We can get it back but I dont want any civil proceeding to affect the criminal case. That is an issue. So it could be years before he gets his bike back, and at that time, it will have depreciated in value and it is important to him. Those bikes are a big part of these guys lives. It is crazy that they seized all of these bikes. John Wilson, owner of Legends Cycle Shop and president of the McLennan County Cossacks chapter, said it is hard to know what is happening with the cases because his lawyer cant get anyone in the DAs office to call him back. A 2013 Harley that Wilson was riding and a 2012 Harley his son, Jacob, was riding that day both were seized and are part of the civil forfeiture proceedings. It was just one more pebble in the sack, Wilson said of the forfeiture cases. It has added to the expense and trouble. They dont have anything I can be convicted for. I havent done anything wrong. You have 150 or so people that is probably the case with. They are just trying to protect themselves from lawsuits and are putting off the criminal case as long as possible because they cant try the civil cases until after the criminal cases are disposed of. Riesels Edward R. Vorderkunz has been retired longer than he worked. Not that hes been idle. At 95, he still kicks up his heels occasionally at the Sul Ross Community Center in Waco, as hes been doing for many years. Vorderkunz was born and raised in the Lorena area but moved around Central Texas as he grew up. He attended three different high schools, eventually graduating from Lorena in 1940. He worked on the farm of a member of the Lorena draft board, where he found out he could receive a deferment, if he so desired, when the draft was instituted in September 1940. He opted against it and enrolled in the U.S. Army Signal Corps. Although he wanted to be an aircraft mechanic, he thought he had a better chance for staying out of the infantry with the signal corps. I kind of liked that (mechanical) work, he said. At Camp Crowder, Missouri, Vorderkunz was classified as a radio mechanic and was sent to Los Angeles. He lived near downtown in an apartment complex that had been converted to barracks; each apartment had 20 beds. School was only a 30-minute walk away. His next stop was across the country by troop train to West Palm Beach, Florida, where Vorderkunz attended aircraft radar school. Then it was on to Ellsworth Air Base in Rapid City, South Dakota, followed by a trip to an air signal depot in Utah, where he was assigned to the 906th Signal Company. During WWII, the Signal Corps went from 7,000 people to over 350,000 by 1945. From Utah, the 906th left in July 1943 for Anchorage, Alaska. Vorderkunz wound up spending his entire deployment in the frozen Arctic, but it wouldnt have mattered. He took everything that came his way in stride. Even the weather didnt bother him much. Luck of the draw: Alaska He had expected at some point to cross the Atlantic, but we were second on the list (to go). They took the other one, so we wound up in Alaska, he said. The 906th consolidated all signal companies and sent out small detachments along the Aleutian Islands chain. With his aircraft radar skills, he was sent to Cold Bay, where he set up shop at an old Army camp where he could test radar and radio equipment. After a year, he went to Shemya, located near the western end of the Aleutians not that far from Attu. Vorderkunz estimated the island was about 2 miles wide and about 4 miles long; it had two runways. At the time, he said it was the most important airbase in that region, as B-24 bombers were able to carry fuel tanks in their bomb bays. They were preparing to bring in B-29s, but with the outcome at Iwo Jima and Okinawa, we went from being a No. 1 priority to a No. 7, Vorderkunz said. Thats what I heard, anyway. Busy work ended with war He and a small crew did installation work temporarily, and he also serviced communication equipment in C-47s that were to go to Russia, but those planes never got any closer than Alaska. Vorderkunz was among a group of volunteers who were working on C-47s in Anchorage when his stay up north came to an end. Anchorage was fine. You could go out on pass every night if you had money to spend, he said. But the Aleutian Islands were another matter Theres an old joke about the chain: That theres a woman behind every tree and there are no trees, he said. Its all tundra. Vorderkunz returned to the States in November 1945, at which time he was honorably discharged as a staff sergeant. I didnt feel like I was doing a whole lot for the war effort, but I always felt like there was a spot there that needed somebody, and I happened to qualify, so they sent me there, he said. In 1946, Vorderkunz married Ruby Bodiford Johnson and helped raise her two sons. They were together for 58 years before she died in May 2004. He later met Bernice Pankonien at Sul Ross, and they were married for 11 years. She died in 2016. His stepdaughter, Carolyn, lives with him. Over the years he tried his hand at farming, then worked for the city of Waco at the water department for a few years before hiring on at General Tire and Rubber Company. He retired after 28 years in 1980. Despite recent health problems, hes still going strong, even dancing once in a while. Once I retired, I threw my life in neutral and Ive been coasting ever since, he said. Voices of Valor, featuring stories about Central Texas veterans, publishes every Sunday in the Waco Trib. To suggest a story about a Central Texas veteran, email voicesofvalor@wacotrib.com. Voices of Valor is proudly sponsored by Johnson Roofing. A successful bid on a piece of training equipment in a recent state auction will benefit firefighters throughout Vernon County for years to come. On August, 11 of the countys 13 fire departments joined forces to buy a mobile burn tower. The tower allows firefighters to prepare training scenarios on a multi-story building. Most of the countys fire departments will share in access to the tower, which will help fire departments offer necessary training to recruits and veteran firefighters alike. The tower will allow fire departments to train together, so they become better partners in the countys already-successful mutual aid plan. This makes our company of 25 firefighters larger because of all the training well be able to do together with our neighboring departments, Stoddard-Bergen Fire Chief Joe Pfaff said. We will get to know our partners in mutual aid better, which will help us when multiple departments are called to the same fire. This also allows us to do training much more safely than at a controlled burn, Stoddard-Bergen Second Assistant Fire Chief Brian Lehmann said. We can control the scenarios in so many different ways. The Stoddard-Bergen Fire Department had the tower on display at its annual Labor Day picnic celebration at the village park, Saturday, Sept. 3. Pfaff said the 11 departments who own the tower held a lottery to see which month of the year they could have possession of the tower. Stoddard-Bergen had No. 3 in the lottery and after the first two picks, it chose to have the tower in September. This means the tower could be used for training on village-owned property and the tower could be publicly displayed at the picnic. Pfaff said the tower was purchased for one-tenth of its price through the state auction. The countys fire departments were already aware of its training capabilities, because they had trained on it through a state program run through a state technical college. All of the fire chiefs together knew this would be a great training tool if we could get it, Pfaff said. Its been refurbished and its like brand-spanking new. Pfaff said much of the credit for coordinating the purchase the tower goes to Vernon County Emergency Management Director Chad Buros, who also is the chief of the Viroqua Fire Department. Buros said that the tower puts Vernon Countys partnered fire departments way farther ahead of many other counties that dont have a nearby technical college or training facility. Having this mobile training facility ready to move to any of our departments for on-site training is a huge benefit, Buros said. A key piece of training equipment is always right at our back door. Lehmann and Pfaff described the capabilities of the tower. It has external controls to create fire conditions inside the tower. The tower itself is more like a large trailer. Multiple rooms in the tower can be on fire. Smoke can be added to any scenario. The tower has props that can be used to create breaching scenarios. The temperatures in each room can be controlled and monitored. Its pretty exciting for us to have this piece of equipment to use and share with other departments in the county, Lehmann said. We did some training on it at the end of August. We know what a benefit this is for all of the departments involved. Westby-Christiana Fire Department and Coon Creek Fire & Rescue are also part owners in the joint training tower. Where were you when the world stopped turning on that September day? Who were you with? What were you doing? When did you see the tragic events that happened? Like many people around the world, I remember exactly where I was and who I was with on that September day. 9/11 was the day I was supposed to leave home to begin basic training in the United States Air Force. My parents and I were at the military entrance processing station in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. I finished my medical examination and completed all the tedious paperwork required before finalizing my entrance into the military. I remember not being able to look at my mother or father as I made my oath of enlistment. I knew they would have tears in their eyes; not tears of fear, but tears of pride. I was motivated, anxious and proud of the journey that was ahead of me--that all changed in an instant. As we walked out of the auditorium, a big-screen television was showing live coverage of an airplane that hit the first twin tower and things got very hectic, very fast. I couldnt believe what I was seeing. The building went on lockdown immediately. After watching the second plane hit, I knew this was not an accident. My mother looked at me in shock and asked, "Do you still have to go?" I could tell my parents were going through a whirlwind of emotions. They went from proud parents to nervous wrecks. They were also worried about my sister, who was stationed in Hawaii at the time. No one knew what was going on, and we all just stood there watching the events unfold on the television. After about 30 minutes of trying to make sense of everything, a group of us were whisked away to the airport to board our plane to San Antonio. I told my parents I had to go, but they insisted on coming with me. As we waited for the flight, we learned of the other two planes that crashed into the Pentagon and a field in Pennsylvania. My parents did not leave my side. We finally got ahold of my sister, but were only able to talk for a few minutes before she was called to duty. All air traffic was on hold, but the small group of us still boarded the plane. We sat for about two hours not knowing what was going to happen. I remember staring out the window, unable to comprehend what was going on. Finally, the pilot made an announcement that all flights have been grounded. We were sent back to our hotel and waited for a couple of days for word of what was coming. I was in complete shock and everything felt so surreal. On Sept.18 we were back in Sioux Falls boarding the plane to San Antonio. This time, saying goodbye to my family was much harder than the first, but I was ready to go. Fifteen years later and I am still in the Air Force trying to make a difference every day. The images of that day are forever burned in my memory and they are the reason I have continued to serve my country. When I feel I have had a rough day, I think of all the men and women who lost their lives, the families who lost their loved ones and the first responders and service members who acted bravely in their line of duty. Every anniversary, I reflect deeply on that day. Sept. 11, 2001, is one day I will never forget. The global economy is full of risks right now. Growth is sluggish, and central banks seem powerless to fix it. Europe faces persistent challenges and division. In the United States, the election looms. But some say the biggest danger of all may be on the other side of the world, in China. China is in the midst of one of the biggest borrowing binges in recent history. Its debt load reached $US26.6 trillion in 2015 about five times what it was a decade ago, and more than 2 times the size of the country's entire economy. That huge increase has prompted some economists and even prominent investor George Soros to compare China to the United States before the 2008 financial crisis. How big a danger does China's fast-growing debt load present to the country, or the world? Australian women who have signed up to one or more programs hosted by Gold Coast fitness mentor Ashy Bines have complained about being charged up to $US30 a month after cancelling their memberships. The social media fitness star is well known for her "12-week Bikini Challenge" and her "World Booty Tour", a ticketed event that involves mass fitness sessions for thousands of Ashy Bines members. But members on social media pages for Ashy Bines have said they have struggled to cancel their memberships, with some being blocked from online forums for which they have paid to access. The federal government is at war with itself over the proposed same-sex marriage plebiscite, as two former cabinet ministers demand the Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull hand over millions of dollars in taxpayer funding to both sides of the debate. In a dramatic intervention, former defence minister Kevin Andrews backed church leaders, rather than the Prime Minister, in a dispute over whether Mr Turnbull promised taxpayer support to run the campaign against same-sex marriage. The stoush comes as the Coalition's most long-standing supporter of same-sex marriage, Queensland MP Warren Entsch, called for Attorney-General George Brandis to be more transparent about the plebiscite process and work more closely with Labor. Cabinet is set to debate the mechanism for the plebiscite on Monday before a party room debate on Tuesday. If anything is likely to pierce New York's seemingly impenetrable fashion week bubble, surely it has to be this wacky election season. Not even the most frivolous catwalk devotee remains untouched by a presidential race as unprecedentedly weird as this one. That, anyway, is how Carol Lim and Humberto Leon, the designers of Opening Ceremony, felt as they surveyed the landscape of yet another fashion week, concluding that instead of the usual predictable runway presentation they would stage their show as a "Pageant of the People." Opening Ceremony designers Humberto Leon and Carol Lim. Credit:Nathan Bajar/The New York Times As the children of immigrants (Lim is of Korean ancestry, Leon Peruvian-Chinese), the Berkeley-educated designers grew up as "loud and proud Americans," Leon said last week at the pair's Chinatown headquarters. "We're pro-gay rights, pro-immigrant, pro-Black Lives Matter," he said. "And we're in a place where we question a lot of what's happening and are not afraid to talk about it." Detectives are treating a fire that destroyed a house in Perth's north as suspicious. Fire and Emergency Services were called to the Franklin Road home in Wanneroo at 3.30am on Sunday. Police say an estimated $350,000 worth of damage was caused by the fire. After investigating the scene police say an estimated $350,000 worth of damage was caused by the fire, whereas original estimates placed the damage at $200,000. A man is being questioned by police in relation to the incident. A surfer living in Bali claims he was drugged and robbed while visiting a popular surf-break in Uluwatu on Wednesday. His ordeal comes two months after a tourist visiting the holiday island claimed her drink was spiked with Rohypnol at a bar. Kyle Barnett said he was drugged and robbed at popular surfing spot Uluwatu in Bali. Credit:Facebook According to surfing website BeachGrit.com, Kyle Barnett, originally from Canada, was drugged by a woman pretending to be a lonely tourist who offered him some ice-cream. "I went to Uluwatu to check the surf about 3:30pm. I was actually hungry, and wanted to eat, but because of Glungan [public] holiday, Single Finn [a restaurant] was closed," he said. Australia's media: Can it resist an effort to manipulate the news? Credit:Dominic Lorrimer The tools for this effort are diverse: everything from Twitter bots to pump up the popularity of news, to trolls based everywhere, to slickly produced conspiracy theories blended with real analysis. Social media has, in effect, created both an alternative to the news and a back door to the mainstream media. In this climate, Professor Austin warns the Australian public's inability to determine the real from false "will in due course magnify apathy and lead to resignation". Before "mass resignation seems to be mass hysteria based on lies", he says. Grassroots or astroturfing?: The 'International Convention of German Russians' protest in Berlin under a sign that reads "protect women". Credit:Reuters He gives the examples from abroad of the misinformation surrounding the campaign for Britain to leave the EU, and for Donald Trump's presidential run. Both have been marked by extensive misinformation some of it inspired by or even contributed by foreign-backed outside groups to shift voters' thinking. It's something US intelligence agencies are now investigating. Analysts worry that the same thing could happen here. The ground would be fertile in Australia, which like other advanced economies faces inequality, slow economic growth, fears of immigration and a disappointment with politics as usual all issues that can be exploited to cause division. It can happen here: Russian media gives lots of coverage to anti-immigrant groups in Europe, while Moscow builds links to the political parties. Credit:Getty Images "I think the Russians have picked up that across the West there is a widespread apathy amongst voters and mistrust of politics and government," said Matthew Sussex of ANU's National Security College, who studies Russian foreign and security policy. "Anything you can do to increase that distrust serves Russian interests." For example, in Europe, anti-immigrant far-right parties chip away at the consensus that holds the European Union together. Accordingly, these parties, and the migrant crisis issue which agitates them, receive top billing on Russia-owned media broadcasting in those European languages. Over time, a more divided Europe allows Russia to push for its goals on the international stage . Gone are the days of only a few media outlets controlling the news agenda. Presenter James Dibble on ABC TV. "Russia and China understand that in order to win a global information war, they must get their message across to global audiences," says Russian strategic and defence affairs expert Alexey Muraviev. That realisation followed the Russia-Georgia war in 2008, when Moscow prevailed in the conflict but felt it lost the global war for opinion, says Dr Muraviev. In 2014, Russia moved away from an ad hoc approach to information war, consisting of separate parts, and formed a consolidated strategy, he added. Propaganda has come a long way since the Cold War - yet its internal logic remains the same. Scene from a 1956 film production of George Orwell's 1984. Credit:http://cosmiccatacombs.blogspot.com.au/ China too has invested heavily in strategic communications aimed at projecting its views on matters such as the South China Sea and Tibet abroad. This comes in addition to the now notorious influence efforts with the nation's politicians. Unleashing an active disinformation or misinformation campaign in Australia would be inexpensive and require little effort. Online, every country is only a single hyperlink away from the next. The misinformation, trolling and propaganda doesn't even have to come from abroad. Estonia has been plagued by propaganda and cyberattacks. "The power of social media in Australia is really important," says Dr Muraviev, who heads the Department of Social Sciences and Security Studies at Curtin University. "There is a loyal audience here that would be following Russian news and that would be critical of Australia's government approach toward Russia." Members of the Serbian, Syrian and Russian expatriate community might actually take the Russian side on issues online and weigh in against the positions of the Australian government in our own media, he said. The media has certain dynamics which can be subverted. Credit:Michael Fitzjames "They don't necessarily believe in Russia," Dr Muraviev says, "but their support of the Russian position online can create a sense of disbelief in what the Australian government says about Russia." And creating doubts about legitimate leaders and institutions is a hallmark of Russia's efforts in places like Ukraine, Estonia and Finland but also Germany and the United States. US ambassador to Australia John Berry acknowledged the trend in a speech at the end of August. Former Russia Today host Abby Martin famously condemned the Russian military action in Ukraine in 2014 on the Russia-owned network. Such controversies form part of the new propaganda war. Credit:CNN "Somehow in the United States at least we're finding increasingly [that countries such as Russia, North Korea and Iran, are] getting involved in our democracy, while they do not share that core value," he told an audience in Canberra. Once it becomes difficult for voters to understand what is going on in their own country, the political risks rise. Online propaganda wins attention in a crowded information sphere. Unlikely as it may seem, this picture of Eton schoolboys in the Kremlin helps confer legitimacy on the Russian government. Credit:Sputnik/Twitter And it's not simply false stories or skewed stories with false presumptions being fed into the global or local news stream. In much the same way people can be radicalised online, the internet allows foreign organisations to reach and even coordinate events with domestic extremists, separatists, secessionists, violent racists and other radicals. Foreign powers can then create an echo chamber for the groups, amplifying the voice of domestic extremists. Information war can rely on hacked data in novel and damaging ways, too. Professor Austin sees the risk of "internet terror" or using leaked information posted online to terrorise politicians. In the US presidential election, emails of the Democratic Party were hacked and then later distributed via WikiLeaks to online trolls and pro-Trump social media sites echoing messages that cast Hillary Clinton in the worst possible light. Despite all of this subversive activity, democracies' defences against information war are weak. Liberal democracies aren't in the business of telling their citizens what to think. Digital disruption has made the media less able to debunk specious stories and much more likely to pass along misinformation and information produced to undermine Western institutions. Besides, the traditional media can be bypassed. "The West has a problem because the West doesn't do information war on a grand scale because it hasn't needed to," Professor Sussex says. The internet, worldwide web and social media, especially, blossomed in the post-Cold War era, when few anticipated the technology being exploited for this purpose. Professor Sussex says part of the problem is that Western nations work under the assumption that the internet is "governed by peacetime norms" but in places like Russia and possibly China, "the internet is the place of no norms". The Russian embassy dismissed talk about propaganda in Australia as another example of an effort to undermine Russia itself. "The concept of the omnipresent 'Russian propaganda' existing in Australian media is not surprising in the light of the tendency dominating in the West to portray our country as an embodiment of the 'global evil'," the embassy said in a statement. "What is actually happening nowadays is not Russian information war, but information war against Russia," he said. "It is absolutely obvious to any unbiased professional." With foreign powers using the openness of the internet as a tool to destabilise or discredit Western governments, the relationship between the internet and liberal democracies is fundamentally changed. Professor Austin says the more frequent such tainted uses of information become, the more likely over time that voters give up trying to understand the news and events shaping their world. "To reverse the trend toward mass resignation [of voters] in the long term, we need to open up a contest for information power like we have not seen before," he says. "We need to have a mechanism for promoting integrity and standards," he adds. The government, private sector and civil society "need to combat abuse of the media to promote hate or simply to spread lies. In Australia, the major parties don't seem to understand this. "They are losing the battle to escalating hysteria," he said. Elsewhere, debate has turned to what to do next to fight back in a globalised information war. The BBC has mulled a satellite news service in Russian. The EU has a small, full-time misinformation debunking outlet. The US is funding researching into blocking internet trolls. Professor Sussex goes further, saying he believes Australia will eventually have to "re-nationalise" its internet, not only taking a more activist approach to warding off cyberthreats from abroad but promoting its own ideas and values in its own backyard. And that would represent a sea change to the internet as we know it. Dr Muraviev, who advises Canberra on security issues, warns that "an oversimplified approach to addressing Russia propaganda can be counterproductive". The glut of Western reporting on Russia that focuses on President Vladimir Putin signals to Russian people who "feel they are under attack" that if the "West doesn't like Putin, he must be doing something right". Royal Bank of Canada operates as a diversified financial service company worldwide. 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The company's Insurance segment offers life, health, home, auto, travel, wealth, annuities, and reinsurance advice and solutions; and business insurance services to individual, business, and group clients through its advice centers, RBC insurance stores, and mobile advisors; digital, mobile, and social platforms; independent brokers; and travel partners. Its Investor & Treasury Services segment provides asset servicing, custody, payments, and treasury services to financial and other investors; and fund and investment administration, shareholder, private capital, performance measurement and compliance monitoring, distribution, transaction banking, cash and liquidity management, foreign exchange, and global securities finance services. The company's Capital Markets segment offers corporate and investment banking, as well as equity and debt origination, distribution, advisory services, sale, and trading services for corporations, institutional investors, asset managers, private equity firms, and governments. The company was founded in 1864 and is headquartered in Toronto, Canada. Advertisement By West Kentucky Star Staff Sep. 10, 2016 | PADUCAH, KY By West Kentucky Star Staff Sep. 10, 2016 | 07:25 PM | PADUCAH, KY Paducah Police are asking for the public's help in locating a woman reported missing. Police say 33-year-old Christina Toy of 1632 Yarbro Lane was reported missing about 4:30 pm Saturday. She is white, 5'6" tall, weighing 150 pounds. She has black hair that extends beyond her shoulders and blue eyes. She has three tattoos on her upper arm with the names of her children: Jeremy, Adrian, and Aaron. Toy was last known to be wearing blue Jeans with holes, black sandals, and an unknown shirt. She may be in immediate health danger because she takes medication for depression and anxiety. Police say Toy was last seen Tuesday at two locations: 1600 Irvin Cobb Drive - Apartment 204, and walking on South 6th Street with a white male who has brown hair, and is 54, weighing 150 pounds. Anyone with information about this woman should call Paducah Police or local law enforcement. Email To : Multiple e-mail addresses must be separated with a comma character(maximum 200 characters) Email To is required. Your Full Name: (optional) Your Email Address: Your Email Address is required. By Paul Schaumburg, Graves County Schools Sep. 11, 2016 | 10:58 AM | WESTERN KENTUCKY "College and/or Career Ready" is a term commonly heard in the 21st century. "KY FAME" is a program that ties students enrolled in Graves County and other high schools to West Kentucky Community and Technical College and other members of the Kentucky Community and Technical College System and directly to manufacturer-employers. According to many of those involved, it creates a win/win situation! "The Kentucky Federation for Advanced Manufacturing Education (KY FAME) is a partnership of regional manufacturers whose purpose is to implement career pathway, apprenticeship-style educational programs that will create a pipeline of highly skilled workers," says www.kyfame.com. The web site continues, "Two common problems, have one common solution: To remain globally competitive, manufacturers must find enough globally qualified workers. Technically minded individuals desire a well-paying, challenging career they can start TODAY. "The solution is KY FAME." In introducing Aaron Wilkerson and Morgan Puckett as examples of students enrolled in the program, Steve Freeman explained, "These students went through a selection process to begin. So, early last year, we began taking applications along with their school records. Then, those applicants went to the participating employers. The employers screened the students, interviewed, and hired them." Freeman serves as vice-president of institutional development at West Kentucky Community and Technical College. He continued, "The students must be hired by industry to be in the program. So, they came in here and already had a job. They have to work a minimum of 24 hours per week. Their work has to reflect the teaching here, so that we reinforce it on the job site through hands-on experience. They earn a minimum of $12 per hour. Some have paid more. Some employers pay for tuition; some don't. Most of these students will be able to come through this program debt-free after 18 months!" While Wilkerson and Puckett have gotten an early start, Freeman noted, "It's not restricted to high school students. Our primary target group is graduating seniors, but we also are taking those people who have been dislocated by some of the major companies. So, if they come in, they can use the benefits from the training, but they still have to be employed and have the work agreement in place with the employer." Participating employers include Centrifugal Tech, Progress Rail, Iwis, and Vanderbilt Chemical. among others. "We're looking to expand, adding more businesses and schools," said Mike Miller, principal of the Mayfield-Graves County Area Technology Center. "The job market is wide open locally, statewide, and even nationally. If you look at this industrial maintenance work, this is what they're calling for. So, this is a great program! We're lined up well with industry and on the right track! We want to have the best-qualified applicant pool Then, that becomes worthwhile not only for the students, but it's also great for existing companies. It's also attractive to industry looking to locate here." "Our students go in and get instruction and application in electricity, electronics, hydraulics, welding, machining, milling," Freeman added. "It's a good, solid introduction to multi-craft, several different crafts rolled into one. They also have an opportunity for a minor in any of these areas. So, depending on the company that employs them, they might want to get a minor in one of these other areas. We anticipate that most of these students will have the opportunity to advance in the company where they have their apprenticeship. "I think the community college has set a high bar of working with and responding to the needs of local and regional industry," Freeman continued. "That includes with Dr. Barbara Veazey, our past president; interim president Dr. Charles Chrestman; and with Dr. Anton Reece, coming into the positon now. The change is so rapid now, compared to 30 years ago. Therefore, we strive to be very nimble and always shifting our career preparation to meet needs and writing curriculum in response to those needs as they emerge. "We're working to design courses where students can come to jobs with some background, so that they quickly can adjust at this level," he said. "It is a compressed program of 18 months. That have to be quick on their feet and this partnership is all about that! "The program is very intense in soft skills preparation, helping students to understand the work ethic that the industry expects out of them: being on time, getting their work done efficiently. It's really like a boot camp on steroids," Freeman laughed. "So, it is not just theoretical; it is real life every day. If they lose their job, they're out of the program. If they drop out of the program, they're probably going to lose their job. So, there are lots of incentives for them to apply themselves." Ken Averill now is an instructor for the Kentucky FAME program who previously worked in the field for 24 years. He said the combination of hands-on instruction, on-the-job work, and involvement of both educational institutions and industry create a combination virtually inconceivable years ago. "But now," he said, "everybody can benefit from it!" Advertisement By Jim Waters Sep. 11, 2016 | LEXINGTON, KY By Jim Waters Sep. 11, 2016 | 12:03 PM | LEXINGTON, KY It's disgraceful that the leadership in a government office where problems have grown like kudzu would force out its brightest light: a public servant widely regarded as the foremost expert on the Bluegrass State's nationally recognized open records and open meetings laws. Amye Bensenhaver spent 25 years in the Attorney General's Office, now overseen by Andy Beshear. Bensenhaver actually served the people and made a positive difference by enforcing transparency policies with a true commitment to making government at every level more open and accountable. But now she's out, writing in a letter to Beshear that she was retiring early "under considerable duress." Her departure comes after Beshear's office reprimanded Bensenhaver for speaking with John Nelson, retired editor of the Danville Advocate-Messenger and former Kentucky Press Association president. Nelson, a champion of government transparency, interviewed Bensenhaver for an excellent article he wrote commemorating the 40th anniversary of the Kentucky Open Meetings and Open Records Laws. She also was criticized for refusing to sign an open-records decision with which she disagreed and for removing or correcting factually incorrect footnotes from rulings. Shouldn't Beshear be praising Bensenhaver for such integrity rather than accusing her of "a lack of good conduct and a poor performance of work duties," as his office did? The reprimand also stated "your actions ... have severely damaged your credibility and the trust that this office must have in you as an attorney." Bensenhaver's nearly 2,000 legal opinions forced government entities to operate in the open when too many of them would prefer to keep questionable sometimes even corrupt activities hidden from public view. But this patriot did more than just issue opinions. She helped reporters, organizations and citizens who simply wanted to know more about how public officials operated navigate the process of making government more transparent. Last year, Bensenhaver helped the Bluegrass Institute, my organization, prove that a Kentucky Board of Education subcommittee formed to hire a search firm for a new education commissioner operated improperly. Bensenhaver explained that the institute first had to give the board an opportunity to either accept or deny its complaint. Then, an appeal could be made to the Attorney General's Office, if needed. While the board denied the complaint, the appeal was successful as former Attorney General Jack Conway ruled the committee failed to comply with the law. Now there are indications the ruling resulted in a more serious approach toward open meetings laws. The institute requested in its complaint that "the KBE conduct a training session for its members during a future regular webcast meeting with an Open Meetings expert from the Attorney General's office," which we envisioned Bensenhaver would conduct. While that didn't happen, Bensenhaver's help and the attorney general's positive ruling have borne fruit. Milton Seymore, a new board member appointed by Gov. Matt Bevin, confirmed that the board's legal advisers "from day one on the first day of orientation" started briefing members on their responsibilities regarding open meetings and records. Rest assured, it's not Bensenhaver's "credibility" or "lack of good conduct" that's suffering here. This whipping comes from an attorney general who, during his first year in office, has lost two top lieutenants one for drunk driving and another who's facing prison after pleading guilty to bribery. Beshear claims to be an advocate of open government, and has chastised the University of Louisville and the University of Kentucky for violating open-meeting statutes. However, those stances seem disingenuous in light of how his office humiliated and forced out arguably the single-most effective and knowledgeable advocate of Kentucky's sunshine laws while hiring drunks and corrupt officials as top advisers. The jury will be out for a long time on the credibility of Beshear's commitment to open government and his general decision-making ability. Let's hope the verdict in the end is more favorable than his treatment of Bensenhaver. Jim Waters is president of the Bluegrass Institute; Kentucky's free-market think tank. Reach him at jwaters@freedomkentucky.com. Read previously published columns at www.bipps.org. 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there, time traveller! This article was published 10/09/2016 (2241 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Thousands of indigenous Manitobans who were taken from their families at birth or as small children and adopted out to non-indigenous families will get their day in court, a judge has ruled. Manitoba Court of Queens Bench Justice James Edmond gave a green light late last month to a class-action lawsuit for 60s Scoop survivors from the 1960s through the 1990s. It is not the first suit to be made against the federal government Ontario launched a similar suit in 2009. Manitoba was the first province to apologize for the practice in 2015 when then-premier Greg Selinger issued a formal apology and described the 60s Scoop as a historic injustice that left intergenerational scars and trauma. John Woods / The Canadian Press files A woman flashes a peace sign in the Manitoba legislatures observers gallery as then-premier Greg Selinger apologizes for the 60s Scoop last year. Indigenous leaders have compared the damage caused by the 60s Scoop to residential schools. The practice saw more than 20,000 indigenous children swept from their communities in Canada and adopted in homes as far away as Europe and the southern United States. Accounts vary, but many suggest Manitoba played a leading role in the practice, removing anywhere from 5,000 to 10,000 children. The Manitoba ruling wasnt only about the legitimacy of launching a suit or the merits of righting a historical wrong. It was also about which one of two competing sets of lawyers would get to go ahead and argue the case in this province. The Merchant Law Group filed the first case in 2009, and it named Canada and Manitoba, citing not just fiduciary negligence but also violations of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, the United Nations convention against genocide and the Rome statute of the International Criminal Courts on crimes against humanity. It represented three clients Lynn Thompson, David Chartrand and Laurie-Anne OCheek. On April 20, a Toronto-Winnipeg legal consortium filed the second motion in the Court of Queens Bench. It sought $250 million in damages, including $200 million in damages for breach of fiduciary duty and negligence and $50 million in punitive damages. The plaintiffs, Priscilla Meeches and Stewart Garnett, both of Long Plain First Nation, accuse the Canadian government of forced cultural assimilation. In a 28-page ruling issued Aug. 24, Edmond chose the consortium of Toronto firm Koskie Minsky and Winnipeg firm Troniak Law. Koskie Minsky lawyer Kirk Baert has earned considerable stature in class-action cases and indigenous law. He argued and won the case on the Mohawk Indian Residential School class action, which played a key role in spurring the billion-dollar residential school settlement of the 1990s. The case is likely to be a lengthy process that will take years to work its way through the courts. The Ontario case, in comparison, was filed seven years ago and got its first hearing before a judge this summer. Edmond chose Baert and his consortium because the Manitoba case is consistent with the Ontario one, meaning the proceedings there could guide the case here. Edmond also took the unusual step of delivering a stern scolding to lawyers on both sides. A flurry of court motions before the hearing clearly taxed the judges patience. Edmond wrote the Merchant Group named so many causes of action that were novel and potentially problematic (and could) undoubtedly result in additional cost and further delay. Im concerned the action may be, as pointed out by the consortium, frivolous or doomed to failure, Edmond wrote. The judge ordered the Merchant clients be rolled into the Toronto-Winnipeg case and told lawyers to start adding in other Scoop survivors. Thats fine with the clients of the losing side. Chartrand, a Metis Scoop survivor who now lives in the Interlake community of Camperville, said he also found fault with the seven-year wait in court so far. It went good even though my lawyer lost. The key here is that were moving forward, Chartrand said. The case is expected to focus on the practices of provincial Child and Family Services workers who seized indigenous children on behalf of the federal government. They arranged for adoption to non-indigenous parents, in some cases to for-profit adoption agencies in the United States where fees of hundreds or thousands of dollars are reported to have been exchanged. The ruling comes in advance of a rally thats expected to see dozens of Scoop survivors walk from Thunderbird House on Main Street to the legislature Sept. 30. Its to bring awareness to everyone about the 60s Scoop survivors who are all over Canada and the United States, said Debbie Deveau-Lapka. Deveau-Lapka said she was taken from her mother, a woman from a Saskatchewan First Nation living in Rossburn, at birth. She was sent to two foster homes and at age four was adopted. She said spent the next decade in abusive conditions with a Winnipeg couple before child-welfare workers moved her out and placed her in a group home. Mother and daughter eventually met but never formed a close bond. Her mother died about 20 years ago. alexandra.paul@freepress.mb.ca Drums at the center of the dancing arena at Unity Park in Winona thumped and echoed, providing a pulsing beat for dancers dressed in vibrant colored regalia. The grass was damp and muddy and glistened from the rays of sun as feet stepped and stomped to a beat. Campfire smoke lingered in the air from the bonfire just outside the dance circle, shifting freely with the direction of the wind, passing under peoples noses. The Grand Entry of the Great Dakota Gathering on Saturday afternoon was abuzz with Natives and non-Natives gathered to participate in the Wacipi (powwow), which means they dance in Dakota. The Wacipi is focused on bringing people together, renewing friendships, and teaching and preserving Native American culture and heritage. The Grand Entry, which went from 1 to 6 p.m., featured an entrance by the Honor Guards, guests in the crowd, a dance competition, and was emceed by Danny Seaboy. In Wacipis, the Arena is considered a sacred ground because of its deep roots and traditions in Native American culture, much like a church or memorial. The preservation of friendship and heritage is crucial to Native American culture, and dancing in the Arena is one of the Native American ways of doing that. The drum always sits at the center, surrounded by Natives with drum sticks, and represents the heartbeat and center of our tradition, Seaboy said. The grass was damp, shoes got muddy, and socks were soaked but it was a sight and feeling of unity and togetherness that made the dancing worthwhile. One foot in front of the other, spinning, tapping toes, following the circle among dozens of other participants. Veterans dancing in the circle were honored with a special segment to dance and received a round of applause from the audience as they returned to their seats. There was also a talking circle under a blue and white-striped tent moderated by whats called a Circle Maker, where discussions and interactions were held reflecting and educating about topics of Native American history and what people can learn from it. Hundreds of people attended the gathering on Saturday and the festivities continue Sunday as well with a Unity Feast, games of lacrosse and a closing ceremony. SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. (TNS) Feeling heartsick and helpless nearly 4,000 miles away from the attacks, trauma physician Rushdi Abdul Cader spent Sept. 11, 2001, paging through his Quran in search of guidance. He feared a backlash against Muslims, though it would be a few more hours before the phone began to ring with menacing callers, including one who asked, Are you happy now? And it would still be a couple of days before friends offered to do the grocery shopping in case his wife, Nisha, was afraid to leave home in her headscarf. Mainly, though, he struggled to understand how any Muslim could read the same sacred book he was holding and interpret it as condoning slaughter. Scanning the Quran at his home in San Luis Obispo, his eyes locked on a verse about how Muslims shouldnt defend anyone who tries to justify treacherous and sinful conduct. Finding those words, Abdul Cader said, was like God talking to me. On that day, he vowed to wrest his faith from a radical fringe whose attacks have turned Islam into the most vilified religion in the world. Fifteen years later, Abdul Cader has come to personify mainstream Americas idea of the good Muslim the guy Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump has in mind when he says American Muslims have to cooperate with law enforcement; the ally Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton is referring to when she talks about Muslims as a coalition at home, an early-warning signal and a first line of defense against radicalization. Abdul Cader rolled out a counter-extremism program to deter young Muslims from militancy a year before the White House introduced a national approach. He volunteered as a trauma doctor on the local police forces SWAT team, positioning himself as a bridge between the authorities and local Muslims. He set up an online portal where Muslims could safely report suspicious activity. And he created slideshows to present at mosques along the California coast, teaching parents how to stay vigilant for signs of radicalization. The warrior who emerged from 9/11, however, is fighting a lonely battle. Abdul Caders decision to speak so forcefully against extremism alienated would-be Muslim allies, who deride him as a sellout for his close relations with police and federal agents at a time when authorities push and sometimes cross constitutional limits with their surveillance of Muslims. At the same time, some non-Muslims have publicly questioned his loyalties, either out of raw bigotry or skepticism that hes representative of a religion they see as inherently violent. His predicament shows the conundrum American Muslims have faced since 9/11 cleaved their lives into two distinct periods: a before, in which they were largely invisible, and an after, of unrelenting scrutiny. The dilemma American Muslim groups have struggled, and even fragmented, over how to make clear their rejection of extremism without becoming complicit in the demonization of Islam by political, law enforcement and media forces. And rather than easing in the years since the 9/11 attacks, the question has become only more fraught, with the rise of the Islamic State overseas and a fresh wave of anti-Muslim hostility in the United States. Abdul Caders black-and-white stance on such a gray issue has turned him into an easy target for critics. He finds opposition from fellow Muslims disheartening, but not deterring. In his thinking, Muslims are too interwoven into the fabric of the United States to put up with being treated as outsiders, and Islam is too beautiful a faith to be ceded to extremists. Other Muslims have valid reasons for not joining his fight, he said, but hell continue with or without them. Thats not on their list of things that they have to do: Get up, brush my teeth, take my kids to school, feed the dog, condemn radical Islam. You know what I mean? Thats not on most peoples daily list, Abdul Cader said. But it is on mine. Abdul Cader, a full-time emergency physician who volunteers as a reserve officer for the local police force, recalls attending a law enforcement conference in 2010 where a guest speaker on the topic of militant Islam asked the audience how many American Muslims were moderate. Abdul Cader said he was stunned when the speaker replied, You can count them on two hands. Abdul Cader stood up and strode over to a microphone. I want to tell everybody in this room that Im Muslim, Abdul Cader recalled saying. And at that point you could literally hear a pin drop. Everybody in the room turned around and looked at me. And I said, Nobody freak out now. Even though it was quickly defused, the episode unsettled him enough to get him thinking again about the deep mutual mistrust between American Muslims and law enforcement officers. He wondered how many other officers in California and beyond were receiving such bigoted training about Islam. To train law enforcement people who can literally take away somebodys civil rights to give them that type of false information is just irresponsible, he said. Later that year, nearly a decade after the 9/11 attacks planted the seed in his mind, Abdul Cader launched ALERTUS, which stands for Alliance with Law Enforcement for Reporting Threats to the United States, a program that takes him to police stations and community centers in hopes of building trust between Muslim communities and the authorities. In his two-hour presentations before law enforcement audiences, Abdul Cader dispenses with myths about what a radical Muslim might look like and underscores how outward expressions of Islam such as praying in a park or wearing a veil are constitutionally protected freedoms. Theres also an online component for reporting suspicious behavior. No shortage of detractors Abdul Caders later program, AntiVIRUS, is aimed at families. He said the idea was to address misconceptions about when to contact the authorities, reiterating that the only time someone should report is when incipient crime is suspected. It also stresses preventative education, encouraging parents to examine their own behaviors and biases and to ask what model theyre providing their children. Slides show how radicalization can evolve, from losing empathy for others to celebrating the suffering of others to harming others. It took 10 years after 9/11 to do something about it sometimes the answer doesnt come right away, he said. Everybody was just numb after Sept. 11. Initially received with skepticism from Muslims who were wary of his closeness with the police, Abdul Cader said hed found a warmer reception in the aftermath of the shootings last December in San Bernardino as California imams grasped for ways to minister to their shocked and fearful congregations after an American-born Muslim and his Pakistani wife gunned down 14 people at a holiday party. It helps that, so far, Abdul Caders programs are self-funded, without government cash or involvement. But theres still no shortage of detractors. Much of the criticism is leveled at Abdul Caders support for initiatives that fall under CVE, or countering violent extremism, a broad label for approaches that examine how to stop radicalization before it leads to violence. Many American Muslims resent being labeled the front line for counterterrorism efforts, with questions as to how everyday families are supposed to prevent attacks when powerful intelligence agencies have failed to detect plots. Many Muslims also complain that speaking out after every attack only supports the idea of a link between ordinary Muslims and the fanatics; they point out that non-Muslims arent pressured to answer for every violent white supremacist or school shooter. Abdul Cader agrees wholeheartedly with those arguments he includes them in his talks but he wants Muslims to speak up, anyway. He recited a saying of Islams Prophet Muhammad that calls on believers to do whatever they can to prevent harm, even if its just removing a sharp stone from the road. When 9/11 comes and we remember it, for me there is no longer a wound in my heart about it because I believe Im doing something about it, he said. I feel that because Im doing what Im doing, Im not hopeless or helpless at all. In fact, I see a solution for our community, a direction. I see a path. Abdul Caders decision to speak so forcefully against extremism alienated would-be Muslim allies, who deride him as a sellout for his close relations with police and federal agents. Wayland Academy will host an ecumenical commemoration of 500 years of the Protestant Reformation on Oct. 31. The all-day symposium will feature the distinguished German-American ecumenist, author, speaker and church historian Franz Posset. Posset, who resides in Beaver Dam, has published numerous books and articles on Luthers life, theology and the Reformation. The day-long event is open to the region, community, clergy and laity, students and those interested in history. The day will begin at 10:15 a.m. and conclude in the evening with an ecumenical prayer service. Registration is now open and limited seating (325 capacity) will be available at Waylands Kimberly Chapel. For more information on registration, contact First Lutheran Church at 885-4497 or email churchoffice@firstluthbd.org. Log onto www.firstluthbd.org. Download a conference brochure at http://wayland.org. Click on About in main menu and then on Conferences and Camps section. Registration includes three options: All day with lunch and dinner for $65 ($45 with a student or senior discount); Morning session with lunch for $45 ($30 with a student or senior discount; Afternoon and evening sessions/dinner for $55 ($40 with a student or senior discount). An ecumenical service open to everyone is scheduled at 6:30 pm. A series of sessions include From Corrupter of Faith to Father in the Faith (10:15 a.m.-12:15 p.m.), Legends and Facts: Popular Mythconceptions (1:15 -3 p.m.) and Our Martin Today and Tomorrow (3:30 -5 p.m.). The morning session will give a brief history of 100 years of Catholic Luther research and debunk the myth that Luther had no Catholic friends. The second session focuses on Luthers life and works, including the 95 Theses on Indulgences. The final session covers the Joint Declaration of 1999 by the Lutheran World Federation and the Catholic Church. Posset also will discuss the significance of Luthers work to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. An ecumenical prayer service scheduled from 6:30-8 p.m. will employ the text of worship especially designed for the world-wide use by the Liturgical Task Force of the Lutheran-Roman Catholic Commission on Unity. Several church dignitaries, including retired Bishop Richard Sklba from the Milwaukee Diocese and current Bishop Mary Froiland of the ELCA Southcentral Wisconsin Synod, are planning to preside during the ecumenical worship. A combined choir from the local congregations associated with the Beaver Dam Ministerial will be featured during the evening service. Most recently, author and presenter of the Reformation symposium, Franz Posset, learned he is the recipient of the 2016 Harry C. Koenig Prize in Catholic Biography for this work, Johann Reuchlin (1455-1522), a Theological Biography. The Koenig Prize is awarded every other year to a scholar who has produced an outstanding biography of a Catholic personage from any period of church history. The award will be given to Posset during a presidential luncheon held in Denver in January. Posset has won many other awards for his work as well. When someone you love has Alzheimers disease or another form of dementia, it may seem like youre the only person in the world whos struggling and sacrificing. Hundreds of people in purple gathered Sunday at Riverside Park to make one thing clear: Nobody walks alone. The 10th annual Columbia/Marquette County Alzheimers Walk focused a spotlight not only on various forms of dementia, but also on Portages leadership in serving the families of people who have everything from occasional but worrisome memory lapses to severe and debilitating memory loss. Paul Rusk, executive director of the Alzheimers and Dementia Alliance of Wisconsin, cited as an example the recent efforts to make Portage a dementia-friendly community. As of last month, 37 groups in Columbia County 35 of them in Portage completed training offered by the Alzheimers and Dementia Alliance of Wisconsin. Those who have received training include caregivers, transportation drivers, city workers, senior meal site managers, public safety workers and those who work with older people. Rusk also cited the founding of Memory Cafes, including the one held in the Portage Public Library on the fourth Wednesday every month, where people with dementia and their caregivers can get together. Youre providing a great deal of leadership, Rusk said. The money raised at the walk, and similar events throughout Wisconsin, stays in the state to provide services for people who have dementia and those who care for them. Larry Day, honorary family chairman of Sundays walk, spoke about how vital it is for caregivers to have support of all kinds. Care giving is a tough job. Take care of yourself, he said. I know youre all sacrificing on a continuous basis. If you have a family member youre caring for, its very important that youre there. Cheryl Kearns can attest to the challenges of care giving. Before her team, called Team Sonic Booms, started off on the walk, Kearns had a purple heart painted on her cheek, in memory of her mother, Joan Ricks, who died on Dec. 29, 2013 at age 77. Ricks enjoyed her job at the Portage Walmart store, which shed held for 15 years. But in 2008, at about the time the store was being remodeled, she started getting lost inside what was once a familiar place. Theyd find her in different areas, and shed have trouble remembering how she got there, Kearns said. When Ricks retired from Walmart, her husband, Lloyd Ricks Sr., was her primary caregiver, until she moved to the Willow Court memory care area of the Columbia Health Care Center in Wyocena (where another daughter, Dianna Lang, is activities director). When her mother was living at home, Kearns said, help was scarce in the rural area around Pardeeville where they lived, and Joan Ricks was prone to wandering away. But until her last years, Kearns said, her mother walked in Alzheimers Walks, under the watchful eyes of loved ones. Her health was wonderful, Kearns said. Its just her memory that failed her. Janet Wiegel, outreach specialist for Alzheimers and Dementia Alliance of Wisconsin, said help is available from the Alliance, and from other people who know, firsthand, what its like to love someone whose memory is fading. This, she said Sunday, is why we get together. Healthcare Trust of America, Inc. (NYSE: HTA) is the largest dedicated owner and operator of MOBs in the United States, comprising approximately 25.1 million square feet of GLA, with $7.4 billion invested primarily in MOBs. HTA provides real estate infrastructure for the integrated delivery of healthcare services in highly-desirable locations. Investments are targeted to build critical mass in 20 to 25 leading gateway markets that generally have leading university and medical institutions, which translates to superior demographics, high-quality graduates, intellectual talent and job growth. The strategic markets HTA invests in support a strong, long-term demand for quality medical office space. HTA utilizes an integrated asset management platform consisting of on-site leasing, property management, engineering and building services, and development capabilities to create complete, state of the art facilities in each market. This drives efficiencies, strong tenant and health system relationships, and strategic partnerships that result in high levels of tenant retention, rental growth and long-term value creation. Headquartered in Scottsdale, Arizona, HTA has developed a national brand with dedicated relationships at the local level. Founded in 2006 and listed on the New York Stock Exchange in 2012, HTA has produced attractive returns for its stockholders that have outperformed the US REIT index. Banco Santander-Chile, together with its subsidiaries, provides commercial and retail banking products and services in Chile. It operates through Retail Banking, Middle-Market, Corporate Investment Banking, and Corporate Activities segments. The company offers debit and credit cards, checking accounts, and savings products; consumer, automobile, commercial, mortgage, and government-guaranteed loans; and Chilean peso and foreign currency denominated loans to finance various commercial transactions, trade, foreign currency forward contracts, and credit lines, as well as mortgage financing services. It also provides mutual funds, insurance and securities brokerage, foreign exchange, financial leasing, factoring, financial consulting and advisory, investment management, foreign trade, treasury, and transactional services, as well as specialized services to finance projects for the real estate industry. In addition, the company offers short-term financing and fund raising, and brokerage services, as well as derivatives, securitization, and other tailor-made products. It serves individuals, small to middle-sized entities, companies, and large corporations, as well as universities, government entities, and local and regional governments. As of December 31, 2021, the company operated 326 branches, which include 220 under the Santander brand name, 14 under the Select brand name, 7 specialized branches for the middle market, and 22 as auxiliary and payment centers, as well as 1,338 ATMs, including depository ATMs. Banco Santander-Chile was incorporated in 1977 and is headquartered in Santiago, Chile. Bank of Montreal provides diversified financial services primarily in North America. The company's personal banking products and services include checking and savings accounts, credit cards, mortgages, and financial and investment advice services; and commercial banking products and services comprise business deposit accounts, commercial credit cards, business loans and commercial mortgages, cash management solutions, foreign exchange, specialized banking programs, treasury and payment solutions, and risk management products for small business and commercial banking customers. It also offers investment and wealth advisory services; digital investing services; financial services and solutions; and investment management, and trust and custody services. In addition, the company provides life insurance, accident and sickness insurance, and annuity products; creditor and travel insurance to bank customers; and reinsurance solutions. Further, it offers client's debt and equity capital-raising services, as well as loan origination and syndication, and treasury management; strategic advice on mergers and acquisitions, restructurings, and recapitalizations, as well as valuation and fairness opinions; and trade finance, risk mitigation, and other operating services. Additionally, the company provides research and access to markets for institutional, corporate, and retail clients; trading solutions that include debt, foreign exchange, interest rate, credit, equity, securitization and commodities; new product development and origination services, as well as risk management advice and services to hedge against fluctuations; and funding and liquidity management services to its clients. It operates through approximately 900 bank branches and 3,300 automated banking machines in Canada and the United States. Bank of Montreal was founded in 1817 and is headquartered in Montreal, Canada. The following companies are subsidiares of Emerson Electric: A.P.M. Automation Solutions Ltd., AE Valves, AGI Mexicana S.A. de C.V., ALCO CONTROLS spol. s.r.o., APM Automation Solutions, ASC Investments Inc., ASCO (Japan) Company Limited, ASCO L.P., ASCO Numatics (India) Private Limited, ASCO Numatics Holding Inc., ASCO SAS, ASCO Valve (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., ASCO/JOUCOMATIC s.r.o., ATX SAS, Advanced Protection Technologies, Aegir Norge Holding AS, Alliance Compressors LLC, American Governor, Aperture, Apple JV Holding Corp., Appleton Electric LLC, Appleton Electric S.A. de C.V., Appleton Group, Appleton Group Canada Ltd., Appleton Grp LLC, Appleton Holding Corp., Appleton Holding Sarl, Artesyn Embedded Technologies, Artesyn Hungary Elektronikai Kft., Artesyn Technologies, Asco AB, Asco Controls AG, Asco Controls B.V., Asco Joucomatic Ltd., Asco Joucomatic ZA B.V., Asco Magnesszelep Kft., Asco Numatics GmbH, Asco Numatics S.A., Asco Numatics Sirai S.R.L., Asco Numatics Sp. z o.o., Ascomatica S.A. de C.V., Ascomation (NZ) Ltd., Ascomation Pty. Ltd., Ascotech S.A. de C.V., Ascoval Industria e Commercio Ltda, Automatic Switch Company, Aventics, Aventics, Aventics AB, Aventics AG, Aventics AS, Aventics ApS, Aventics B.V., Aventics Corporation, Aventics Holding S.A.S., Aventics Holding S.a.r.l., Aventics Hungary Kft, Aventics Inc., Aventics India Private Limited, Aventics Limited, Aventics Ltd., Aventics Oy, Aventics Pneumatics Equipment (Changzhou) Co. Ltd., Aventics Pneumatics Trading (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Aventics S.A.S., Aventics S.R.L., Aventics Services Germany GmbH, Aventics Singapore Pte. Ltd., Aventics Sp. z.o.o., Aventics Spain S.L., Aventics spol. s.r.o., Avtron LoadBank, Bannerscientific Limited, Beckman Industrial B.V., Beijing Rosemount Far East Instrument Co. Ltd., Bettis Canada Ltd., Bettis Holdings Limited, Bettis UK Limited, Biffi Italia S.r.l., Bioproduction Group, Branson Korea Co. Ltd., Branson Ultrasonic S.A., Branson Ultrasonics (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Branson Ultrasonics B.V., Branson Ultrasonics Corporation, Branson Ultrasonics a.s., Branson Ultrasonidos S.A.E., Branson Ultrasons SAS, Branson Ultrasuoni S.R.L., Branson de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Bray Lectroheat Limited, Bristol Babcock Limited, Bristol Inc., Buehler Europe Limited, Buehler UK Limited, CR Compressors LLC, CSA Consulting Engineers Ltd., California Emerson LLC, Cascade Technologies, Cascade Technologies Holdings Limited, Cascade Technologies Limited, Chemat GmbH Armaturen fur Industrie - und Nuklearanlage, Chloride Koexa S.A., Componentes Avanzados de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Computational Systems, Computational Systems Incorporated, Conception et Representation de Technologies de Controle C.R.T. Controle SAS, Control Products Inc., Controles de Temperatura S.A. de C.V., Cooligy Inc., Cooper-Atkins, Cooper-Atkins Corporation, Cooper-Atkins Pte. Ltd., Copeland Access + Inc., Copeland Compresores Hermeticos S.A. de C.V., Copeland Corporation, Copeland Corporation LLC, Copeland Limited, Copeland Redevelopment Corporation, Copeland Scroll Compresores de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Copeland de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Copesub Inc., Crosby Valve LLC, Damcos A/S, Damcos Holding A/S, Daniel Automation Company, Daniel Europe Limited, Daniel Industrial Inc., Daniel Industries, Daniel Industries Canada Inc., Daniel Industries Inc., Daniel Industries Limited, Daniel International Limited, Daniel Measurement Solutions Private Limited, Daniel Measurement and Control Inc., Daniel Measurement and Control S. de R.L. de C.V., Danmasa S.A. de C.V., Dar Ibtikar Al Iraq for General Services and General Trade LLC, Decision Management International, Dieterich Standard Inc., Digital Appliance Controls (UK) Limited, Dixell North America Inc., Dixell S.R.L., Do+Able Products, E. Business Development E.B.D.Com Ltd., E.G.P. Corporation, EECO Inc., EGS Comercializadora Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., EGS Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., EGS Private Ltd., EMERSON CLIMATE TECHNOLOGIES s.r.o., EMR (Asia) Limited, EMR (Mauritius) Ltd., EMR Emerson Holdings (Switzerland) GmbH, EMR Europe Holdings Inc., EMR Foundation Inc., EMR Holdings (France) SAS, EMR Holdings Inc., EMR Worldwide B.V., EMR Worldwide Inc., EMRSN HLDG B.V., EMRSN Process Management Morocco Sarl, ENPDOR2012A Limited, ENPESNA Inc., EPM Tulsa Holdings Corp., EPMCO Holdings Inc., ETC International Holdings Ltd., Easy Heat Europe SAS, Easy Heat Inc., El-O-Matic B.V., El-O-Matic Valve Actuators (F.E.) Pte. Ltd., Electrische Apparatenfabriek Capax B.V., Emerald Advanced Technology Limited, Emerson (Philippines) Corporation, Emerson (Taiwan) Limited, Emerson (Thailand) Limited, Emerson Arabia Inc., Emerson Argentina S.A., Emerson Asia Pacific Private Limited, Emerson Automation Solutions Actuation Technologies Holdings Inc., Emerson Automation Solutions Actuation Technologies Limited, Emerson Automation Solutions Final Control (Beijing) Co. Ltd., Emerson Automation Solutions Final Control (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Emerson Automation Solutions Final Control (Sichuan) Co. Ltd., Emerson Automation Solutions Final Control (Taiwan) Ltd., Emerson Automation Solutions Final Control (Thailand) Ltd., Emerson Automation Solutions Final Control Africa (Pty) Ltd, Emerson Automation Solutions Final Control Australia Pty Limited, Emerson Automation Solutions Final Control Czech Republic s.r.o., Emerson Automation Solutions Final Control Denmark A/S, Emerson Automation Solutions Final Control France SARL, Emerson Automation Solutions Final Control Germany GmbH, Emerson Automation Solutions Final Control Hong Kong Limited, Emerson Automation Solutions Final Control Hungary Kft, Emerson Automation Solutions Final Control Italia S.r.l., Emerson Automation Solutions Final Control LLC, Emerson Automation Solutions Final Control Malaysia Sdn Bhd, Emerson Automation Solutions Final Control Middle East FZE, Emerson Automation Solutions Final Control Netherlands B.V., Emerson Automation Solutions Final Control Polska Sp. Z.o.o., Emerson Automation Solutions Final Control Sales Australia Pty Limited, Emerson Automation Solutions Final Control Sales Holding LLC, Emerson Automation Solutions Final Control Singapore Pte. Ltd., Emerson Automation Solutions Final Control South Africa (Pty) Ltd, Emerson Automation Solutions Final Control UK II Ltd, Emerson Automation Solutions Final Control UK Ltd, Emerson Automation Solutions Final Control US LP, Emerson Automation Solutions Final Control de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Emerson Automation Solutions GmbH, Emerson Automation Solutions Intelligent Platforms (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Emerson Automation Solutions Intelligent Platforms Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd., Emerson Automation Solutions Intelligent Platforms Private Limited, Emerson Automation Solutions Intelligent Platforms do Brasil Ltda, Emerson Automation Solutions Ireland Limited, Emerson Automation Solutions Isolation Valves Inc., Emerson Automation Solutions SSC UK Limited, Emerson Automation Solutions UK Limited, Emerson Beijing Instrument Co. Ltd., Emerson Climate Services LLC, Emerson Climate Technologies (India) Private Limited, Emerson Climate Technologies (Shenyang) Refrigeration Co. Ltd., Emerson Climate Technologies (South Africa) (Pty) Ltd, Emerson Climate Technologies (Suzhou) Co. Ltd., Emerson Climate Technologies (Suzhou) Trading Co. Ltd., Emerson Climate Technologies - Solutions (Suzhou) Co. Ltd., Emerson Climate Technologies - Transportation Solutions ApS, Emerson Climate Technologies Arabia Limited Co., Emerson Climate Technologies Australia Pty. Ltd., Emerson Climate Technologies FZE, Emerson Climate Technologies GmbH, Emerson Climate Technologies Inc., Emerson Climate Technologies Limited, Emerson Climate Technologies Mexico S.A. de C.V., Emerson Climate Technologies Refrigeration S.A., Emerson Climate Technologies Retail Solutions Europe S.R.L., Emerson Climate Technologies Retail Solutions Inc., Emerson Climate Technologies Retail Solutions UK Limited, Emerson Climate Technologies S.A., Emerson Climate Technologies S.R.L., Emerson Climate Technologies Sarl, Emerson Commercial & Residential Tools LLC, Emerson Commerical & Residential Asia Limited, Emerson Comres de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Emerson DHC B.V., Emerson Dietzenbach GmbH, Emerson Dominicana Srl, Emerson Egypt LLC, Emerson Electric (Asia) Limited, Emerson Electric (China) Holdings Co. Ltd., Emerson Electric (M) Sdn Bhd, Emerson Electric (Mauritius) Ltd., Emerson Electric (South Asia) Pte. Ltd., Emerson Electric (Thailand) Limited, Emerson Electric (Tongling) Co. Ltd., Emerson Electric (U.S.) Holding Corporation, Emerson Electric (U.S.) Holding Corporation (Chile) Limitada, Emerson Electric (Zhuhai) Co. Ltd., Emerson Electric CR Limitada, Emerson Electric Canada Limited, Emerson Electric Company (India) Private Limited, Emerson Electric Company Lanka (Private) Limited, Emerson Electric Holdings (Switzerland) GmbH, Emerson Electric II C.A., Emerson Electric International Inc., Emerson Electric Ireland Limited, Emerson Electric Korea Ltd., Emerson Electric Nederland B.V., Emerson Electric Overseas Finance Corp., Emerson Electric Poland Sp. z o.o., Emerson Electric U.K. Limited, Emerson Electric de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Emerson Electric do Brasil Ltda, Emerson Energy Systems (UK) Limited, Emerson FZE, Emerson Final Control US Holding LLC, Emerson Finance LLC, Emerson Fusite Electric (Shenzhen) Co. Ltd., Emerson Gabon SARL, Emerson Hazardous Electrical Equipment (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Emerson Holding Company Limited, Emerson Holding Sweden AB, Emerson InSinkErator Appliance (Nanjing) Co. Ltd., Emerson Industrial Automation USA Inc., Emerson International Holding Company Limited, Emerson Japan Ltd., Emerson Junkang Enterprise (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Emerson Korea Limited, Emerson LLC, Emerson LLP, Emerson Machinery Equipment (Shenzhen) Co. Ltd., Emerson Mexico Finance S.A. de C.V. SOFOM ENR, Emerson Middle East Inc., Emerson Network Power DHC B.V., Emerson Paradigm Holding LLC, Emerson Process Management (India) Private Limited, Emerson Process Management (South Africa) (Proprietary) Ltd., Emerson Process Management (Tianjin) Valves Co. Ltd., Emerson Process Management (Vietnam) Co. Ltd., Emerson Process Management A/S (Denmark), Emerson Process Management AB, Emerson Process Management AG, Emerson Process Management AS, Emerson Process Management Angola Lda, Emerson Process Management Arabia Limited, Emerson Process Management Australia Pty Limited, Emerson Process Management B.V., Emerson Process Management Chennai Private Limited, Emerson Process Management Co. Ltd., Emerson Process Management Distribution Limited, Emerson Process Management Europe GmbH, Emerson Process Management Flow B.V., Emerson Process Management Flow Technologies Co. Ltd., Emerson Process Management GmbH & Co. OHG, Emerson Process Management Holding AG, Emerson Process Management Holding LLC, Emerson Process Management Kft., Emerson Process Management LLLP, Emerson Process Management Lda, Emerson Process Management Limited, Emerson Process Management Ltda, Emerson Process Management Magyarorszag Kft., Emerson Process Management Manufacturing (M) Sdn Bhd, Emerson Process Management Marine Solutions Korea Co. Ltd., Emerson Process Management Marine Solutions Singapore Pte. Ltd., Emerson Process Management Marine Systems (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Emerson Process Management NV, Emerson Process Management New Zealand Limited, Emerson Process Management Nigeria Limited, Emerson Process Management Oy, Emerson Process Management Power & Water Solutions (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Emerson Process Management Power & Water Solutions Inc., Emerson Process Management Power & Water Solutions India Private Limited, Emerson Process Management Qatar W.L.L., Emerson Process Management Regulator Technologies Inc., Emerson Process Management Regulator Technologies Tulsa LLC, Emerson Process Management Romania S.R.L., Emerson Process Management S.A., Emerson Process Management S.A. de C.V., Emerson Process Management S.L., Emerson Process Management S.R.L., Emerson Process Management SAS, Emerson Process Management Shared Services Limited, Emerson Process Management Sp. z o.o., Emerson Process Management Ticaret Limited Sirket, Emerson Process Management UAB, Emerson Process Management Valve Automation (M) Sdn Bhd, Emerson Process Management Valve Automation (Tianjin) Co. Ltd., Emerson Process Management Valve Automation Inc., Emerson Process Management Verwaltung GmbH, Emerson Process Management d.o.o., Emerson Process Management de Colombia SAS, Emerson Process Management del Peru S.A.C., Emerson Process Management s.r.o., Emerson Professional Tools (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Emerson Puerto Rico Inc., Emerson Retail Services Europe GmbH, Emerson S.R.L., Emerson Sales UK Limited, Emerson Saudi Arabia LLC, Emerson Scroll Machining (Thailand) Limited, Emerson Sice S.R.L., Emerson Sweden AB, Emerson TOV, Emerson Technologies GmbH & Co. OHG, Emerson Technologies Verwaltungs GmbH, Emerson Tool Company de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Emerson Tool and Appliance Company S. de R.L. de C.V., Emerson Trading (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Emerson UK Trustees Limited, Emerson USD Finance Company Limited, Emerson Valves & Controls Japan Co. Ltd., Emerson Ventures Inc., Emerson Vulcan Holding LLC, Emerson Xi'an Engineering Center, Emersub 1 LLC, Emersub 10 LLC, Emersub 11 LLC, Emersub 12 LLC, Emersub 14 LLC, Emersub 15 LLC, Emersub 16 LLC, Emersub 3 LLC, Emersub 4 LLC, Emersub 5 LLC, Emersub 7 LLC, Emersub 8 LLC, Emersub 9 LLC, Emersub CII Inc., Emersub CV Inc., Emersub Italia S.R.L., Emersub LXXXIV Inc., Emersub LXXXVI Inc., Emersub Mexico Inc., Emersub Treasury Ireland Unlimited Company, Emersub XLVI Inc., Emersub XXXVI Inc., Emirates Techno Casting FZE, Emirates Techno Casting Holding Limited, Emirates Techno Casting LLC, Enardo, Endura-Greenlee Tools, Energy Solutions International (India) Private Limited, Energy Solutions International GP LLC, Energy Solutions International Ltd., Energy Solutions International SAS, Energy Solutions International Sub LLC, F-R Tecnologias de Flujo S.A. de C.V., FC QSF LLC, FMC Technologies, Fiberconn Assemblies Morocco Sarl, Fincor Holding LLC, Fire & Safety Group.Com Ltd., Fisher Controles de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Fisher Controls International LLC, Fisher Jeon Gas Equipment (Chengdu) Co. Ltd., Fisher Regulators (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Fisher Sanmar Limited, Fisher-Rosemount Systems Inc., Flow Control Holding GmbH & Co. KG, Flow Control Holding Verwaltungs GmbH, Flow Control US Holding Corporation, Francel SAS, Fromex S.A. de C.V., Fusite B.V., Fusite Corporation, Fusite Land Company, GSEG LLC, General Equipment and Manufacturing Company Inc., Generale de Robinetterie Industrielle et de Sytemes de Surete, GeoFields, GeoFields Inc., Greenex Ltd., Greenfield (UK) Limited, Greenlee, Greenlee Communications, Greenlee Tools Inc., Gulf Valve FZE, Gustav Klauke GmbH, H.T.E. Engineering Limited, HD Electric Company, HTE Engineering Services Limited, Hindle Cockburns Limited, Hiross India Private Limited, Hiter Industria e Comercia de Controles Termo-Hidraulicos Ltda., Humboldt Hermetic Motor Corp., Hytork International Ltd., I Solutions Inc., ICC Intelligent Platforms GmbH, ISE-MagTech, Industrial Controls Canada ULC, Industrial Group Metran JSC, Instrument & Valve Services Company, Intelligent Platforms LLC, Intellution, International Gas Distribution SA, Intrinsic Safety Equipment of Texas Inc., JCF Fluid Flow India Private Limited, JSC Metran-Export, Joucomatic S.A., K Controls Limited, Keystone Germany Holdings Corp., Keystone Valve (Korea) LLC, Keystone Valve (U.K.) Limited, Klauke, Klauke (Jiangsu) Electrical Connection Technology Co Ltd., Klauke France SARL, Klauke Handelsgesellschaft mbH, Klauke Iberia S.L., Klauke Polska Sp. z.o.o., Klauke Slovakia s.r.o., Klauke UK Ltd., Knurr, Liebert, Liebert Swindon Limited, Locus Solutions LLC, Locus Traxx Worldwide, Locus Traxx Worldwide Europe BVBA, MDC Technology Limited, MDC Technology Trustees Limited, METCO Services Limited, MYNAH Technologies, Management Resources Group Inc., Mecafrance (Deutschland) GmbH, Metallurgical Services Laboratories Limited, Metaserv Limited, Metco Services Venezuela C.A., Micro Motion Inc., Mobrey Group Limited, Motores Hermeticos del Sur S.A. de C.V., NetworkPower Ecuador S.A., Nippon Fisher Co. Ltd., Novel Environmental Technologies Ltd., Novel Extinguishing Agent Technology Ltd., Numatics Incorporated, Nutsteel DHC B.V., Nutsteel Industria Metalurgica Ltda, O.M.T. Officina Meccanica Tartarini S.r.l., Open Systems International, P I Components Corp., PT Emerson Solutions Indonesia, PT. Emerson Indonesia, PT. Paradigm Geophysical Indonesia, Pactrol Controls Limited, PakSense, PakSense Inc., Paradigm, Paradigm (UK) Holding Limited, Paradigm B.V., Paradigm France S.A., Paradigm Geophysical (India) Private Limited, Paradigm Geophysical (KL) Sdn. Bhd., Paradigm Geophysical (Nigeria) Limited, Paradigm Geophysical (U.K.) Limited, Paradigm Geophysical B.V., Paradigm Geophysical Corp., Paradigm Geophysical Italy SRL, Paradigm Geophysical LLC, Paradigm Geophysical Limited, Paradigm Geophysical Pty Ltd, Paradigm Geophysical S.A., Paradigm Geophysical Sdn. Bhd., Paradigm Geophysical Spain S.L., Paradigm Geophysical de Venezuela C.A., Paradigm Geophysical do Brasil Ltda., Paradigm Geoservices Canada Ltd., Paradigm Geotechnology (Egypt) S.A.E., Paradigm Kazakhstan LLP, Paradigm Middle East FZ-LLC, Paradigm Technology (Beijing) Co. Ltd., Parex Industries Limited, Pentair Valves & Controls, Pentair Valves and Controls India Private Limited, Permasense, Permasense Asia Pacific Sdn Bhd, Permasense Limited, ProSys, ProTeam Inc., Progea, RAC Technologies (Israel) Ltd., RIDGID Inc., RPP Europe GmbH, RPP LLC, Rey-Lam S. de R.L. de C.V., Ridge Tool (Australia) Pty. Ltd., Ridge Tool Company, Ridge Tool Europe NV, Ridge Tool GmbH, Ridge Tool GmbH & Co. OHG, Ridge Tool Manufacturing Company, Ridge Tool Pattern Company, Ridgid France SAS, Ridgid Italia S.R.L., Ridgid Online Inc., Ridgid Scandinavia A/S, Ridgid Werkzeuge AG, Rosemount China Inc., Rosemount Inc., Rosemount Measurement Limited, Rosemount Nuclear Instruments Inc., Rosemount Specialty Products LLC, Rosemount Tank Gauging India Pvt. Ltd., Rosemount Tank Gauging Middle East SPC, Rosemount Tank Gauging North America Inc., Rosemount Tank Radar AB, Rosemount Tank Radar Properties AB, Roxar, Roxar AS, Roxar Flow Measurement AS, Roxar Flow Measurement Sdn Bhd, Roxar Limited, Roxar Maximum Reservoir Performance W.L.L., Roxar Saudi Co., Roxar Services AS, Roxar Services OOO, Roxar Software Solutions AS, Roxar Technologies AS, Roxar Vietnam Company Ltd., Roxar de Venezuela C.A., Rutherfurd Acquisitions Limited, S.F.T. Group Ltd., SABO-Armaturen Service GmbH, Safety Systems UK Pte. Ltd., Sakhi-Raimondi Valve (India) Limited, Scroll Compressors LLC, Scroll Mexico LLC, Sempell GmbH, Shanghai Virgo Valves Technology Consulting Co. Ltd., Sherman + Reilly, Soluciones 0925 C.A., Spectra-Tek Holdings Limited, Spectra-Tek International Limited, Spectra-Tek UK Limited, Spectrex, Spectrex Inc., Spectronix Ltd., Spensall Engineering Limited, Steel Support Systems Limited, Stratos Lightwave, System Plast International B.V., System Plast Ltda, System Plast USA de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., TDM-avtomatizatsiya, TV&C GP Holding LLC, Taiwan Valve Co. Ltd., TechnipFMC, Termocontroles de Juarez S.A. de C.V., Tescom Corporation, Tescom Europe GmbH & Co. KG, Tescom Europe Management GmbH, The Automation Group Inc., The J.R. Clarkson Company LLC, Therm-O-Disc Europe B.V., Therm-O-Disc Incorporated, Thunderline Z Inc., TopWorx UK Limited, Tranmet Holdings B.V., Tranmet Holdings Limited, Verdant Environmental Technologies, Vilter Manufacturing LLC, Virgo Valves & Controls (ME) FZE, Virgo Valves and Controls Sdn Bhd, Von Arx AG, Vulsub 1 Limited, Vulsub Brasil Holding, Vulsub Brasil Ltda., Vulsub Chile SpA, Vulsub Gulf Holding Limited, Vulsub Holding III (Denmark) ApS, Vulsub Holding Ltd, Vulsub Holdings A LLC, Vulsub Holdings B LLC, Vulsub Holdings C LLC, Vulsub Holdings D LLC, Vulsub Italia S.r.l., Vulsub Middle East Holdings LLC, Vulsub Peru S.A.C., Vulsub Property Holding LLC, Vulsub Property Limited, Vulsub S.A., Vulsub South Africa (Pty) Ltd, Vulsub VZ C.A., Westinghouse Electric Pvt. Limited, Westlock Controls Limited, Westlock Equipamentos de Controle Ltda., Woodstock Land Company LLC, epro GmbH, iSolera Inc., iSolutions Private Limited, and intelliSAW. Read More Everest Re Group, Ltd., through its subsidiaries, provides reinsurance and insurance products in the United States, Bermuda, and internationally. The company operates through Reinsurance Operations and Insurance Operations segments. The Reinsurance Operations segment writes property and casualty reinsurance; and specialty lines of business through reinsurance brokers, as well as directly with ceding companies in the United States, Bermuda, Ireland, Canada, Singapore, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. The Insurance Operations segment writes property and casualty insurance directly, as well as through brokers, surplus lines brokers, and general agents in Bermuda, Canada, Europe, South America, Canada, Chile, the United Kingdom, Ireland, and the Netherlands. The company also provides treaty and facultative reinsurance products; admitted and non-admitted insurance products; and property and casualty reinsurance and insurance coverages, including marine, aviation, surety, errors and omissions liability, directors' and officers' liability, medical malpractice, mortgage reinsurance, other specialty lines, accident and health, and workers' compensation products. In addition, it offers commercial property and casualty insurance products through wholesale and retail brokers, surplus lines brokers, and program administrators. Everest Re Group, Ltd. was founded in 1973 and is headquartered in Hamilton, Bermuda. Helix Energy Solutions Group, Inc., an offshore energy services company, provides specialty services to the offshore energy industry primarily in Brazil, the Gulf of Mexico, North Sea, the Asia Pacific, and West Africa regions. The company operates through three segments: Well Intervention, Robotics, and Production Facilities. It engages in the installation of flowlines, control umbilicals, and manifold assemblies and risers; trenching and burial of pipelines; installation and tie-in of riser and manifold assembly; commissioning, testing, and inspection activities; and provision of cable and umbilical lay, and connection services. The company also provides well intervention, intervention engineering, and production enhancement services; inspection, repair, and maintenance of production structures, trees, jumpers, risers, pipelines, and subsea equipment; and related support services. In addition, it offers reclamation and remediation services; well plug and abandonment services; pipeline abandonment services; and site inspections. Additionally, the company offers oil and natural gas processing facilities and services; and fast response system, as well as site clearance and subsea support services. It serves independent oil and gas producers and suppliers, pipeline transmission companies, renewable energy companies, and offshore engineering and construction firms. The company was formerly known as Cal Dive International, Inc. and changed its name to Helix Energy Solutions Group, Inc. in March 2006. Helix Energy Solutions Group, Inc. was incorporated in 1979 and is headquartered in Houston, Texas. The following companies are subsidiares of Accenture: 2nd Road, ?What If!, ?What If! China Holdings Limited, ?What If! Holdings Limited, ?What If! Limited, ACN Consulting Co Ltd, AD.Dialeto (Digital Agency acquired by Accenture), AFD.TECH, AGS Business and Technology Services Limited, AIG Shared Services Business Processing Inc, ASM Research Inc., ASM Research LLC, ATAN, Accenture (Botswana) (Proprietary) Limited, Accenture (China) Co. Ltd., Accenture (Shenzhen) Technology Co. Ltd., Accenture (South Africa) Pty Ltd, Accenture (UK) Limited, Accenture 2 Business Process Services S.A., Accenture 2 LLC, Accenture A/S, Accenture AB, Accenture AG, Accenture AS, Accenture Africa Pty Ltd, Accenture Agencia Interativa Ltda, Accenture Australia Holding B.V., Accenture Australia Holdings Pty Ltd, Accenture Australia Pty Ltd, Accenture B.V., Accenture BPM Operations Support Services S.A., Accenture BPM S.C.R.L., Accenture BPS Services S.p. z o.o., Accenture Branch Holdings B.V., Accenture Bulgaria EOOD, Accenture Business Services for Utilities Inc, Accenture Business Services of British Columbia Limited Partnership, Accenture Business and Technology Services LLC, Accenture C.A., Accenture Canada Holdings Inc, Accenture Capital Designated Activity Company, Accenture Capital Inc, Accenture Central Europe B.V., Accenture Chile Asesorias y Servicios Ltda, Accenture Cloud Services GmbH, Accenture Cloud Software Solutions Limited, Accenture Cloud Solutions Australia Pty Ltd, Accenture Cloud Solutions LLC, Accenture Cloud Solutions Pty Ltd, Accenture Co Ltd, Accenture Co. Ltd, Accenture Communications Infrastructure Solutions Ltd, Accenture Company Ltd, Accenture Consulting Pty Ltd, Accenture Consulting Services Ltd Tanzania, Accenture Consultores de Gestao S.A., Accenture Consultoria de Industria e Consumo Ltda, Accenture Consultoria de Recursos Naturais Ltda, Accenture Credit Services LLC, Accenture Customer Services Distribution SASU, Accenture Customer Services Ltd, Accenture Danismanlik Limited Sirketi, Accenture Defined Benefit Pension Plan Trustees Limited, Accenture Defined Contribution Pension Plan Trustees Limited, Accenture Delivery Poland S.p. z o.o., Accenture Dienstleistungen GmbH, Accenture Digital Holdings GmbH, Accenture East Africa Limited, Accenture Ecuador S.A., Accenture Egypt LLC, Accenture Enterprise Development (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Accenture Federal Services LLC, Accenture Finance II Limited, Accenture Finance Limited, Accenture Finance and Accounting BPO Services S.p.A., Accenture Finance and Accounting Services S.r.l., Accenture Financial Advanced Solution & Technology S.r.l., Accenture Flex LLC, Accenture GP LLC, Accenture Global Capital Designated Activity Company, Accenture Global Engagements Limited, Accenture Global Holdings Limited, Accenture Global Services Limited, Accenture Global Solutions Limited, Accenture GmbH, Accenture HR Services S.p.A., Accenture Healthcare Processing Inc, Accenture Holding Brasil Ltda, Accenture Holding GmbH & Co. KG, Accenture Holdings (Iberia) S.L., Accenture Holdings B.V., Accenture Holdings France SASU, Accenture Hungary Holdings Kft, Accenture Inc, Accenture Industrial Software Limited Liability Company, Accenture Industrial Software Solutions Kft, Accenture Industrial Software Solutions SA, Accenture Insurance Services B.V., Accenture Insurance Services LLC, Accenture International B.V., Accenture International LLC, Accenture International Limited, Accenture Japan Ltd, Accenture Korea B.V., Accenture LLC, Accenture LLP, Accenture Lanka (Private) Ltd, Accenture Limited, Accenture Lithuania UAB, Accenture Ltd, Accenture Ltda, Accenture Maghreb S.a.r.l., Accenture Managed Services SRL, Accenture Management GmbH, Accenture Marketing Services LLC, Accenture Marketing Services Limited, Accenture Middle East B.V., Accenture Minority I B.V., Accenture Mozambique Limitada, Accenture Mzansi Pty Ltd, Accenture NV/SA, Accenture NZ Limited, Accenture Nova Scotia Unlimited Liability Co., Accenture OOO, Accenture Operations GmbH, Accenture Operations S.p. z o.o., Accenture Operations Services Private Limited, Accenture Operations Services Sdn Bhd, Accenture Outsourcing S.r.l., Accenture Outsourcing Services S.A., Accenture Oy, Accenture Panama Inc, Accenture Participations B.V., Accenture Participations II Limited, Accenture Peru SRL, Accenture Post Trade Processing SASU, Accenture Post-Trade Processing Limited, Accenture Process (Mauritius) Ltd, Accenture Pte Ltd, Accenture Puerto Rico LLC, Accenture Qiyun Technology (Hangzhou) Co. Ltd, Accenture S.C., Accenture S.L., Accenture S.R.L., Accenture S.p. z o.o., Accenture S.p.A., Accenture SASU, Accenture SG Services Pte Ltd, Accenture SRL, Accenture Saudi Arabia Limited, Accenture Sdn Bhd, Accenture Service Center SRL, Accenture Services (Mauritius) Ltd, Accenture Services AB, Accenture Services AG, Accenture Services AS, Accenture Services GmbH, Accenture Services Morocco SA, Accenture Services Oy, Accenture Services Pty Ltd, Accenture Services S.p. z o.o., Accenture Services SRL, Accenture Services and Technology S.r.l., Accenture Services s.r.o., Accenture Single Member S.A. Organization Information Technology & Business Development, Accenture Solutions Co. Ltd, Accenture Solutions Private Limited, Accenture Solutions Pte Ltd, Accenture Solutions Pty Ltd, Accenture Solutions S.p. z o.o, Accenture Solutions Sdn Bhd, Accenture State Healthcare Services LLC, Accenture Sub II Inc, Accenture Sub III Inc, Accenture Sub LLC, Accenture Systems Integration Limited, Accenture Sarl, Accenture Tanacsado Kolatolt Felelossegu Tarsasag, Accenture Technology Solutions (Dalian) Co. Ltd., Accenture Technology Solutions (HK) Co. Ltd., Accenture Technology Solutions (Thailand) Co. Ltd, Accenture Technology Solutions - Solucoes Informaticas Integradas S.A., Accenture Technology Solutions GmbH, Accenture Technology Solutions Oy, Accenture Technology Solutions Pty Ltd, Accenture Technology Solutions S.A. de C.V., Accenture Technology Solutions S.r.l., Accenture Technology Solutions SASU, Accenture Technology Solutions SRL, Accenture Technology Solutions Sdn Bhd, Accenture Technology Solutions Slovakia s.r.o., Accenture Technology Ventures B.V., Accenture Technology Ventures SPRL, Accenture Tecnologia Consultoria y Outsourcing S.A., Accenture Uruguay SRL, Accenture Vietnam Co. Limited, Accenture Zambia Limited, Accenture do Brasil Ltda, Accenture plc, Accenture s.r.o., Acceria, Acquity Group, Adaptly LLC, Adaptly UK Limited, AddVal Technology, Adqptly, Advantium Inc., Advoco, Agilex Technologies Inc., Alfa Consulting, Allen International, AlphaBeta Advisors, Altevie Technologies S.r.l., Altima, Altima (Beijing) Co. Ltd., Altima Asia Ltd, Altitude, Altitude LLC, Altius Consulting Limited, Altius Data Solutions Private Limited, Analytics 8 LP, Analytics 8 Pty Ltd, Analytics8, Aorui Advertising (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Apis, Apis Group Pty Ltd, Appaloosa Technology SASU, AppsPro, AppsPro, Arca, Arca Ingenieros y Consultoria S.L., Arca Telecom S.L., Ariba - BPO, Arismore, Artio People (Payroll) Pty Ltd, Artio People Pty Ltd, Aspiro Solutions (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, Automation Partners Pty Ltd, Avanade (Guangzhou) Computer Technology Development Co. Ltd., Avanade Asia Pte Ltd, Avanade Australia Pty Ltd, Avanade Belgium SPRL, Avanade Canada Inc, Avanade Consulting Poland S.p. z o.o., Avanade Denmark A/S, Avanade Deutschland GmbH, Avanade Europe Holdings Limited, Avanade Europe Services Limited, Avanade Finland Oy, Avanade France SASU, Avanade Holdings LLC, Avanade Hong Kong Ltd, Avanade Inc, Avanade International Corporation, Avanade Ireland Limited, Avanade Italy S.r.l., Avanade Japan KK, Avanade Malaysia Sdn Bhd, Avanade Middle East Limited, Avanade Netherlands B.V., Avanade Norway AS, Avanade Poland S.p. z o.o., Avanade Schweiz GmbH, Avanade South Africa Pty Ltd, Avanade Spain S.L., Avanade Sweden AB, Avanade UK Limited, Avanade do Brasil Ltda , Avanade Osterreich GmbH, Avenai, Avieco, Axia Ltd., BABCN LLC, BCS Consulting, BCT Solutions, BCT Solutions Pty Ltd, BENEXT, BPO Servicos Administrativos Ltda, BRIDGE Energy Group, BRIDGEi2i, Beacon Consulting Group Inc., Beijing Genesis Interactive Technology Co. Ltd., Beijing Zhidao Future Consulting Co. Ltd, Benext, Berico Technologies LLC, Bionic, Bionic Solution LLC, Blue Horseshoe, Boomerang Pharmaceutical Communications, Bow & Arrow, Bow & Arrow Limited, Brand Learning, Brand Learning Group Limited, Brightstep AB, Byte Prophecy, Byte Prophecy Private Limited, CAS, CRMWaypoint, CS Technology (Australia) Pty Ltd, CS Technology (UK) Limited, CS Technology Group LLC, CS Technology LLC, CadenceQuest Inc., Callisto Integration Europe B.V., Callisto Integration Europe Limited, Callisto Integration LLC, Callisto Integration Ltd, Capgemini - North American health practice, Capital Consultancy Services Inc, Certus Solutions Consulting Services Limited, Certus Solutions Ltd, ChangeTrack Research Pty Ltd., Chaotic Moon Studios, Chengdu Mensa Advertising Co. Ltd., Cimation, Cirrus Connect Australia Pty Ltd, Cirrus Connect Limited, Cirruseo, Clarity Insights, ClearEdge Partners, Clearhead, Clearhead Group LLC, ClientHouse GmbH, Cloud Sherpas, Cloud Sherpas (GA) LLC, Cloud Sherpas Japan G.K., Cloud Sherpas New Zealand Limited, Cloudeasier SAS, Cloudpoint Limited, Cloudsherpas Inc, Cloudworks, Cloudworks Consulting Services Inc, Cloudworks Technology LLC, Computer Research and Telecommunications LLC, Concrete Desenvolvimento de Sistemas Ltda, Concrete Solutions, Concrete Solutions Ltda, Context Information Security, Context Information Security LLC, Context Information Security Limited, CoreCompete LLC, CoreCompete Limited, CoreCompete Private Limited, Corliant Inc., Creative Drive LLC, Creative Drive US LLC, CreativeDrive, CreativeDrive Digital Content Services (Shenzhen) Co Ltd., CreativeDrive EMEA Limited, CreativeDrive Singapore Pte Ltd, CreativeDrive UK Group Limited, Cutting Edge Solutions Limited, Cygni AB, Cygni Norrsken AB, Cygni Stockholm AB, Cygni Syd AB, Cygni Vast AB, Cygni Ost AB, Cygni Ostersund AB, DAZ Systems Inc, DAZ Systems LLC, DAZSI Systems (India) Pvt. Limited, DI Futures Corporation, Data Essential SARL, Davies Consulting, DayNine Consulting, DayNine Consulting (New Zealand) Limited, DayNine Consulting LLC, Declarative Holdings LLC, Decora Marketplace LLC, Decorado Marketplace Ltda-EPP, Defense Point Security, Deja vu Security, Design Strategy and Research de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Designaffairs LLC, Digiplug S.A.S., Digital Results Group LLC, Double Digit Limitada, Double Digit Pty SA, Droga5, Droga5 LLC, Droga5 Studios LLC, Droga5 UK Limited, Duck Creek Technologies, ESR Labs, ESR Labs AG, EdenOne Solutions Limited, Edenhouse ERP Holdings Limited, Edenhouse Solutions Limited, Enaxis Consulting, Enaxis Consulting LP, End to End Analytics LLC, End-to-End Analytics, Endorphin Medici (M) Sdn Bhd, Energuia Web S.A., Energy Management Brokers Limited, EnergyQuote JHA, Enimbos, Enimbos Global Services S.L., Enkitec, Enterprise Infrastructure Solutions LLC, Enterprise System Partners, Enterprise System Partners B.V., Enterprise System Partners Bilisim Danismanlik Ticaret Anonim Sirketi, Enterprise System Partners Global Corporation, Enterprise System Partners Limited, Enthusian Pty Ltd, Entropia, Entropia (M) Sdn Bhd, Entropia Holdings Pte Ltd, Entropia Intercraft Sdn Bhd, Epylon, Ergo, Espedia S.r.l., Ethica Consulting Group, Ethica Consulting S.p.A., Evopro Group, Exactside Limited, Experity, Exton Consulting, Exton Consulting Spain Strategy&Management S.L., Exton Germany GmbH, Exton International SAS, Exton Italia S.r.l., Exton SAS, FGM LLC, Fairway Technologies Inc, Farah BidCo Limited, Farah MidCo Limited, Farah Topco Limited, Filmproduction ApS, First Annapolis Consulting Inc., First Annapolis Consulting LLC, Fjord, Focus Group Europe, Formicary, Founders Intelligence, Fruendo S.r.l., FusionX, Future State Consulting LLC, FutureMove (Beijing) Automotive Technology Co. Ltd., FutureMove Automotive, FutureMove Automotive Co. Ltd., GRA Supply Chain Pty Ltd, Gagel Group S de R.L. de C.V., Gapso Servicos de Informatica Ltda, Gapso Servicos de Informatica Ltda., Genfour, George Group Consulting L.P., Gestalt LLC, Gevity, Gren utvikling AS, H.B. Maynard and Co. Inc., HRC Retail Advisory, Hagberg Consulting Group, Hahntel Ltda, Halo Partners LLC, Hamilton Holding Company S.A, Hangzhou Aiyunzhe Technology Co. Ltd., Happen, Happen GP Limited, Happen Limited, Headspring, Hjaltelin Stahl, Hjaltelin Stahl A/S, Hjaltelin Stahl K/S, Hytracc Consulting AS, Hytracc Consulting AS, Hytracc Consulting Malaysia Sdn Bhd, IBB Consulting, ICM.S S.r.l., IMJ Corp, IMJ Corporation, INSITUM, IQSP Consulting LLC, IT One Company Limited, ITBS Servicios Bancarios de Tecnologia de la Informacion SL, Icon Integration, Icon Integration (NZ) Limited, Icon Integration Pty Ltd, Imagine Broadband (USA) Limited, Imagine Broadband USA LLC, Imaginea Inc, Imaginea Technologies LLC, Industrie IT (Hong Kong) Ltd, Industrie IT (Singapore) Pte Ltd, Industrie IT Group Pty Ltd, Industrie IT Pty Ltd, Industrie&Co, Infinity Works Consulting Limited, Infinity Works Holdings Limited, Infinity Works Management Limited, Infinity Works Midco Limited, Informatica de Euskadi S.L., Innotec International EAD, Innotec International S.p. z.o.o., Innotec Marketing GmbH, Innotec Marketing International Ireland Limited, Innotec- Marketing Spain S.L, Insitum Consultoria Argentina SRL, Insitum Consultoria S.A. de C.V., International Biometric Group LLC, International Biometric Group UK Limited, Intrepid, Intrepid Futureworks Sdn Bhd, Intrigo Systems Inc, Intrigo Systems India Pvt. Limited, Intrigo Systems LLC, Inventor Technology Ltd, InvestTech, Investtech Systems Consulting LLC, ItSafer Continuity Services S.L., JKD Consulting LLC, Javelin Group, K Comms Group Limited, KSC Studio LLC, Kaper Communications Limited, Karma Communications Debtco Limited, Karma Communications Group Limited, Karma Communications Holdings Limited, Karmarama, Karmarama Comms Limited, Karmarama Limited, King James Group, Knowledge Rules Inc., Knowledgent, Knowledgent Group LLC, Kogentix, Kogentix LLC, Kogentix Limited, Kogentix Singapore Pte Ltd, Kogentix Technologies Private Limited, Kolle Rebbe, Kolle Rebbe GmbH, Kream Comms Limited, Kunstmaan, Kurt Salmon, Kurt Salmon Canada LTD, Kurt Salmon US LLC, LEXTA, LINKBYNET, LINKBYNET Indian Ocean (L.I.O) Ltd, LabAnswer, Lexta GmbH, Lexta UK Limited, Lien par le reseau Inc, Lien par le reseau infrastructures Inc, Lin Bo (Shanghai) Network Technology Co. Ltd., Link By Net SAS, Link By Net SRL, Link By Net Vietnam Company Limited, Linkbynet East Asia Ltd, Linkbynet Singapore Pte Ltd., Loud & Clear Creative Pty Ltd, Lumenup S.A., MAXIM Systems Inc., MCG US Holdings LLC, Mackevision CG Technology and Service (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Mackevision Japan Co. Ltd., Mackevision Korea Ltd, Mackevision LLC, Mackevision Medien Design, Mackevision Medien Design GmbH, Mackevision Singapore Pte Ltd, Mackevision UK Limited, Maglan, Maglan Information Defense Technologies Research Ltd, Maihiro, Matter, Maud Corp Pty Ltd, Maxamine International, Measuretek LLC, Media Audits Ltd., Media Hive, Mediasenz Pty Ltd., Meredith Specialty LLC, Meredith Xcelerated Marketing, Meredith Xcelerated Marketing LLC, Meridian Informed Purchasing Ltd., Mindtribe, Mistral Wind Operations Servicos Empresariais Unipessoal Lda., MobGen, Mortgage Cadence LLC, Mortgage Cadence an Accenture Company, Most Champion Ltd, Mudano, Mudano Limited, Myrtle Consulting Group LLC, N3, N3 (Dalian) Business Consulting Co. Ltd., N3 Brazil Consultoria em Marketing Ltda, N3 Germany GmbH, N3 LLC, N3 North America LLC, N3 Results Australia Pty Ltd, N3 Results Ireland Limited, N3 Results Japan G.K., N3 Results Limited, N3 Results Malaysia Sdn Bhd, N3 Results Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., N3 Results S.A.S., N3 Results Singapore Pte Ltd, N3 Results Unipessoal Lda, NYTEC, Nanjing Demeng Advertising Co. Ltd., Nashco Consulting, NaviSys Inc., Nell'Armonia Israel Ltd, Nell'Armonia SAS, Nell'Participation SAS, NellArmonia, Neo Metrics Analytics S.L., Neo Metrics Chile S.A., New Content, New Content Editora e Produtora Ltda, New Energy Group, News Imaging LLC, NewsPage, NewsPage (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, NewsPage Pte Ltd, Northstream, Novetta Holdings LLC, Novetta LLC, Novetta Solutions LLC, Novetta Topco LLC, OCTO Technology, OPS Rules Management Consultants, Octagon Research Solutions Inc., Octo Technology Pty Ltd, Octo Technology SA, Odgaard ApS, Olikka, Olikka Pty Ltd, Olympus Systems Corporation, Openmind, Openmind S.r..l., Openminded, Openminded SAS, Operaciones Accenture S.A. de C.V., OpusLine, Orbium, Orbium AG, Orbium Consulting Limited, Orbium Inc., Orbium Ltd, Orbium Pte Ltd, Orbium Pty Ltd, Origin Digital, PCO Innovation, PLM Systems S.r.l, PRION GmbH, PT Accenture, PT Asta Catur Indra, PT Kogentix Teknologi Indonesia, PacificLink Group, Paja Finanssipalvelut Oy, Parker Fitzgerald Inc, Parker Fitzgerald International Limited, Parker Fitzgerald Limited, Parker Fitzgerald PTY Ltd, Parker Fitzgerald Services Limited, Parker Fitzgerald Solutions Limited, Pecaso Ltd., Pegasus Production A/S, Pegasus Production K/S, Phase One Consulting Group, Pillar Technology, Pollux, Pollux Automation Mexico S.A. de C.V., Pollux Canada Inc, Pollux S.A.S., Pollux USA LLC, Pragsis Bidoop, Pragsis Bidoop UK Limited, Pramati Technologies Europe Limited, Pramati Technologies Private Limited, Presence of IT Workforce Management North America LLC, PrimeQ, PrimeQ Australia Pty Ltd, PrimeQ Ltd, PrimeQ NZ Pty Limited, Procurian Inc., Prof. Homburg GmbH, Proquire LLC, PureApps Ltd., Qi Jie Beijing Information Technologies Co. Ltd., RBCP Fund 1-A Vapor Blocker LLC, RBCP Platform Vapor Blocker I LLC, REPL Consulting LLC, REPL Consulting Limited, REPL Digital Limited, REPL Group K.K., REPL Group Pty Ltd, REPL Group Worldwide Limited, REPL Pte Ltd, REPL Software Limited, REPL Technology Limited, Radiant Services LLC, Random Walk Computing Inc., Reactive Media Pty Ltd., Real Protect, Realworld OO Systems Ltd., Redcore, Redcore (New Zealand) Limited, Redcore Group Holdings Pty Ltd, Redcore Pty Ltd, Revolutionary Security, RiskControl, Root LLC, Rothco, Rothco Limited, S3 TV Technology Ltd., SALT Solutions GmbH, SEC Servizi, SOPIA Corp., Sagacious Consultants, Salt Solutions, Sandbox Studio LLC, Sapling Bidco Limited, Sapling Midco Limited, Sapling Topco Limited, Schlumberger Business Consulting, Seabury Aviation & Aerospace (UK) Limited, Seabury Consulting, Seabury Corporate Advisors LLC, Seabury Malaysia Sdn Bhd, Search Technologies BPO Inc, Search Technologies International LLC, Search Technologies LLC, Search Technologies Limited, Securiview SAS, Sentelis, Sentor Managed Secuirty Services AB, Servicios Tecnicos de Programacion Accenture S.C., Seven Seas Business Ventures LLC, Shackleton, Shackleton Chile S.A., Shackleton S.L.U., Shanghai Baiyue Advertising Co. Ltd., Shun Zhe Technology Development Co. Ltd., SigInt Technologies LLC, Silveo, Silveo Consulting India Private Limited, Simian Pty Ltd, SinnerSchrader, SinnerSchrader AG, SinnerSchrader Content GmbH, SinnerSchrader Deutschland GmbH, SinnerSchrader Praha s.r.o., Sirvart S.A., Sistemes Consulting S.L., Skylink SAS, Soltians Limited, Solutions IQ LLC, SolutionsIQ, SolutionsIQ India Consulting Services Private Limited, Somers Ventures Ireland Limited, Somers Ventures LLC, Spacelink SAS, Storm Digital, Structure Consulting Group LLC, Sutter Mills, Synership LLC, Systor AG, T.A. Cook, TXF LLC, Tambourine, TargetST8, Tech - Avanade Portugal Unipessoal Lda, Tecnilogica Ecosistemas S.A., Tecnilogica, The Brand Learning Partners Limited, The Callisto Integration Corporation, The Monkeys, The Monkeys Pty Ltd, The Myrtle Group, Total Logistics, Tquila, Trivadis, Trivadis AG, Trivadis Austria GmbH, Trivadis Denmark AS, Trivadis Germany GmbH, Trivadis Holding AG, Trivadis Partner AG, Trivadis Services AG, Trivadis Services SRL, Troop Studios Pty Ltd, VanBerlo, Vector Acquisition Company LLC, Vector Topco LLC, Verax Solutions, Vertical Retail Consulting (Shanghai) Ltd, Vertical Retail Consulting Ltd, Vivere Brasil Servicos e Solucoes SA, Vivere Brasil Solucoes De Credito Ltda., Wabion GmbH, WaveStrike LLC, White Cliffs Consulting LLC, Wire Stone, Wire Stone LLC, Wise Partners SAS, Wolox, Wolox Colombia S.A.S, Wolox LLC, Wolox Mexico S.R.L de C.V., Wolox S.A., Wolox SpA, Workforce Insight, Workforce Insight LLC, Yesler, Yesler LLC, Yesler Limited, Yesler Singapore Pte Ltd, Zag, Zag Australia Pty Ltd, Zag Limited, Zag USA LLC, Zebra Worldwide Australia Pty Ltd, Zebra Worldwide Group Limited, Zebra Worldwide Media Pty Ltd, Zenta, Zenta Global Philippines Inc, Zenta Mortgage Services LLC, Zenta Recoveries Inc, Zenta US Holdings Inc, Zestgroup, Zielpuls, Zielpuls (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Zielpuls GmbH, avVenta, designaffairs, designaffairs Business Consulting (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., designaffairs GmbH, designaffairs group China Co. Ltd., dgroup, i4C Analytics, iDefense, solid-serVision.com GmbH, and umlaut. Read More Genesee & Wyoming Inc. owns and leases freight railroads. It operates through three segments: North American Operations, Australian Operations, and U.K./European Operations. The company transports various commodities, including agricultural products, autos and auto parts, chemicals and plastics, coal and coke, food and kindred products, lumber and forest products, metallic ores, metals, minerals and stone, petroleum products, pulp and paper, waste, and other commodities. It owns or leases 122 freight railroads, including 105 short line railroads and 2 regional freight railroads located in the United States, 8 short line railroads located in Canada, 3 railroads located in Australia, 1 railroad located in the United Kingdom, 1 railroad in Poland and Germany, and 2 railroads in the Netherlands with a total of approximately 16,200 miles of track. The company also operates 6,200 additional miles of track that is owned or leased by others. In addition, it operates deep sea maritime containers and provides bulk haulage, including coal, aggregates, cement, and infrastructure services. Further, the company provides rail service at approximately 40 ports; rail-ferry service in North America, Australia, and Europe; and contract coal loading and railcar switching for industrial customers. Genesee & Wyoming Inc. was founded in 1899 and is headquartered in Darien, Connecticut. The following companies are subsidiares of Caterpillar: Advanced Tri-Gen Power Systems LLC, Anchor Coupling Inc., Asia Power Systems (Tianjin) Ltd., AsiaTrak (Tianjin) Ltd., Banco Caterpillar S.A., Berg Propulsion International Pte Ltd., Bucyrus, Bucyrus Australia Surface Pty. Ltd., Bucyrus Europe Holdings Ltd., Bucyrus Europe Limited, Bucyrus International (Chile) Limitada, Bucyrus International (Peru) S.A., Bucyrus Mining Australia Pty. Ltd., Bucyrus Mining China LLC, Bucyrus UK Limited, Cat Rental Kyushu LLC, Caterpillar (Africa) (Proprietary) Limited, Caterpillar (China) Financial Leasing Co. Ltd., Caterpillar (China) Investment Co. Ltd., Caterpillar (China) Machinery Components Co. Ltd., Caterpillar (HK) Limited, Caterpillar (Huainan) Machinery Service Co. Ltd., Caterpillar (Langfang) Mining Equipment Co. Ltd., Caterpillar (Luxembourg) Investment Co. S.a r.l., Caterpillar (NI) Limited, Caterpillar (Newberry) LLC, Caterpillar (Qingzhou) Ltd., Caterpillar (Shanghai) Trading Co. Ltd., Caterpillar (Suzhou) Co. Ltd., Caterpillar (Suzhou) Logistics Co. Ltd., Caterpillar (Thailand) Limited, Caterpillar (U.K.) Limited, Caterpillar (Wujiang) Ltd., Caterpillar (Xuzhou) Ltd., Caterpillar (Zhengzhou) Ltd., Caterpillar Acquisition Holding Corp., Caterpillar Americas C.V., Caterpillar Americas Co., Caterpillar Americas Funding Inc., Caterpillar Americas Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Caterpillar Asia Limited, Caterpillar Asia Pacific L.P., Caterpillar Asia Pte. Ltd., Caterpillar Asset Intelligence LLC, Caterpillar Belgium S.A., Caterpillar Brasil Comercio de Maquinas e Pecas Ltda., Caterpillar Brasil Ltda., Caterpillar Brazil LLC, Caterpillar Castings Kiel GmbH, Caterpillar Centro de Formacion S.L., Caterpillar China Limited, Caterpillar Commercial Australia Pty. Ltd., Caterpillar Commercial LLC, Caterpillar Commercial Northern Europe Limited, Caterpillar Commercial S.A., Caterpillar Commercial S.A.R.L., Caterpillar Commercial Services S.A.R.L., Caterpillar Communications LLC, Caterpillar Corporativo Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Caterpillar Cote DIvoire, Caterpillar Credito S.A. de C.V. SOFOM E.N.R., Caterpillar DC Pension Trust Limited, Caterpillar Digital Services & Solutions SARL, Caterpillar Distribution International LLC, Caterpillar Distribution Services Europe B.V.B.A., Caterpillar East Real Estate Holding Ltd., Caterpillar Emissions Solutions Inc., Caterpillar Energy Solutions Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd., Caterpillar Energy Solutions GmbH, Caterpillar Energy Solutions Inc., Caterpillar Energy Solutions S.A., Caterpillar Energy System Technology (Beijing) Co. Ltd., Caterpillar Engine Systems Inc., Caterpillar Equipos Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Caterpillar Eurasia LLC, Caterpillar FS (QFC) LLC, Caterpillar Finance France S.A., Caterpillar Finance Kabushiki Kaisha, Caterpillar Financial Acquisition Funding LLC, Caterpillar Financial Aftermarket Solutions Corporation, Caterpillar Financial Australia Leasing Pty Limited, Caterpillar Financial Australia Limited, Caterpillar Financial Commercial Account Corporation, Caterpillar Financial Corporacion Financiera S.A. E.F.C., Caterpillar Financial Dealer Funding LLC, Caterpillar Financial Funding Corporation, Caterpillar Financial Kazakhstan Limited Liability Partnership, Caterpillar Financial Leasing (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Caterpillar Financial New Zealand Limited, Caterpillar Financial Nordic Services AB, Caterpillar Financial Nova Scotia Corporation, Caterpillar Financial OOO, Caterpillar Financial Receivables Corporation, Caterpillar Financial Renting S.A., Caterpillar Financial SARL, Caterpillar Financial Services (Dubai) Limited, Caterpillar Financial Services (Ireland) plc, Caterpillar Financial Services (UK) Limited, Caterpillar Financial Services Argentina S.A., Caterpillar Financial Services Asia Pte. Ltd., Caterpillar Financial Services Belgium S.P.R.L., Caterpillar Financial Services CR s.r.o., Caterpillar Financial Services Corporation, Caterpillar Financial Services GmbH, Caterpillar Financial Services India Private Limited, Caterpillar Financial Services Leasing ULC, Caterpillar Financial Services Limited Les Services Financiers Caterpillar Limitee, Caterpillar Financial Services Malaysia Sdn Bhd, Caterpillar Financial Services Netherlands B.V., Caterpillar Financial Services Norway AS, Caterpillar Financial Services Philippines Inc., Caterpillar Financial Services Poland Sp. z o.o., Caterpillar Financial Services South Africa (Pty) Limited, Caterpillar Financial UK Acquisition Funding Partners, Caterpillar Financial Ukraine LLC, Caterpillar Fluid Systems S.r.l., Caterpillar Fomento Comercial Ltda., Caterpillar Forest Products Inc., Caterpillar France S.A.S., Caterpillar GB L.L.C., Caterpillar Global Investments S.a r.l., Caterpillar Global Mining America LLC, Caterpillar Global Mining Equipamentos De Mineracao do Brasil Ltda., Caterpillar Global Mining Equipment LLC, Caterpillar Global Mining Europe GmbH, Caterpillar Global Mining Expanded Products Pty Ltd, Caterpillar Global Mining Germany Holdings GmbH, Caterpillar Global Mining HMS GmbH, Caterpillar Global Mining Holdings GmbH, Caterpillar Global Mining Hong Kong AFC Manufacturing Holding Co. Limited, Caterpillar Global Mining Hong Kong Limited, Caterpillar Global Mining LLC, Caterpillar Global Mining Mexico LLC, Caterpillar Global Mining Pty. Ltd., Caterpillar Global Mining SARL, Caterpillar Global Mining U.S. Parts LLC, Caterpillar Global Services LLC, Caterpillar Group Services S.A., Caterpillar Holding (France) S.A.S., Caterpillar Holding Germany GmbH, Caterpillar Holdings Australia Pty. Ltd., Caterpillar Hungary Components Manufacturing Ltd., Caterpillar Hydraulics Italia S.r.l., Caterpillar IPX LLC, Caterpillar IRB LLC, Caterpillar Impact Products Limited, Caterpillar India Private Limited, Caterpillar Industrial Inc., Caterpillar Industrias Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Caterpillar Industries (Pty) Ltd, Caterpillar Insurance Co. Ltd., Caterpillar Insurance Company, Caterpillar Insurance Holdings Inc., Caterpillar Insurance Services Corporation, Caterpillar International Finance Designated Activity Company, Caterpillar International Finance Luxembourg Holding S. a r.l., Caterpillar International Finance Luxembourg S. a r.l., Caterpillar International Holding S. a r.l., Caterpillar International Luxembourg I S. a r.l., Caterpillar International Luxembourg II S. a r.l., Caterpillar International Product SARL, Caterpillar International Services Corporation, Caterpillar International Services del Peru S.A., Caterpillar Investment Limited, Caterpillar Investment One SARL, Caterpillar Investment Two SARL, Caterpillar Investments, Caterpillar Japan LLC, Caterpillar Latin America Services S.R.L., Caterpillar Latin America Services de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Caterpillar Latin America Services de Panama S. de R.L., Caterpillar Latin America Servicios de Chile Limitada, Caterpillar Latin America Support Services S. DE R.L., Caterpillar Leasing (Thailand) Limited, Caterpillar Leasing Chile S.A., Caterpillar Leasing GmbH (Leipzig), Caterpillar Leasing Operativo Limitada, Caterpillar Life Insurance Company, Caterpillar Logistics (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Caterpillar Logistics (UK) Limited, Caterpillar Logistics Inc., Caterpillar Logistics ML Services France S.A.S., Caterpillar Logistics Services China Limited, Caterpillar Luxembourg Group S.ar.l., Caterpillar Luxembourg LLC, Caterpillar Luxembourg S.a r.l., Caterpillar Machinery Nantong Co. Ltd., Caterpillar Marine Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd., Caterpillar Marine Asset Intelligence, Caterpillar Marine Power UK Limited, Caterpillar Marine Trading (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Caterpillar Maroc SARL, Caterpillar Materiels Routiers SAS, Caterpillar Mexico LLC, Caterpillar Mexico S.A. de C.V., Caterpillar Mining Canada ULC, Caterpillar Mining Chile Servicios Limitada, Caterpillar Motoren (Guangdong) Co. Ltd., Caterpillar Motoren GmbH & Co. KG, Caterpillar Motoren Henstedt-Ulzburg GmbH, Caterpillar Motoren Rostock GmbH, Caterpillar Motoren Verwaltungs-GmbH, Caterpillar Netherlands Holding B.V., Caterpillar North America C.V., Caterpillar Operator Training Ltd., Caterpillar Overseas Credit Corporation SARL, Caterpillar Overseas Investment Holding SARL, Caterpillar Overseas Limited, Caterpillar Overseas SARL, Caterpillar Panama Services S.A., Caterpillar Paving Products Inc., Caterpillar Paving Products Xuzhou Ltd., Caterpillar Pension Trust Limited, Caterpillar Poland Sp. z o.o., Caterpillar Power Generation Systems (Bangladesh) Limited, Caterpillar Power Generation Systems L.L.C., Caterpillar Power Systems Inc., Caterpillar Power Ventures International Ltd., Caterpillar Precision Seals Korea, Caterpillar Prodotti Stradali S.r.l., Caterpillar Product Services Corporation, Caterpillar Propulsion AB, Caterpillar Propulsion International Trading (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Caterpillar Propulsion Italy S.R.L., Caterpillar Propulsion Namibia (Proprietary) Limited, Caterpillar Propulsion Production AB, Caterpillar Propulsion Pte. Ltd., Caterpillar Propulsion Singapore Pte. Ltd., Caterpillar R&D Center (China) Co. Ltd., Caterpillar Ramos Arizpe LLC, Caterpillar Ramos Arizpe S. de R.L. de C.V., Caterpillar Ramos Arizpe Servicios S.A. de C.V., Caterpillar Reman Powertrain Indiana LLC, Caterpillar Remanufacturing Drivetrain LLC, Caterpillar Remanufacturing Services (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Caterpillar Renting France S.A.S., Caterpillar Reynosa S.A. de C.V., Caterpillar SARL, Caterpillar Services Germany GmbH, Caterpillar Servicios Limitada, Caterpillar Servicios Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Caterpillar Servizi Italia Srl, Caterpillar Shrewsbury Limited, Caterpillar Skinningrove Limited, Caterpillar Southern Africa (Pty) Ltd., Caterpillar Special Services Belgium S.P.R.L., Caterpillar Switchgear Americas LLC, Caterpillar Switchgear Holding Inc., Caterpillar Tianjin Ltd., Caterpillar Torreon S. de R.L. de C.V., Caterpillar Tosno L.L.C., Caterpillar Transmissions France S.A.R.L., Caterpillar Tunneling Canada Holdings Ltd., Caterpillar Tunnelling Canada Corporation, Caterpillar Tunnelling Europe Limited, Caterpillar UK Employee Trust Limited, Caterpillar UK Engines Company Limited, Caterpillar UK Group Limited, Caterpillar UK Holdings Limited, Caterpillar Undercarriage (Xuzhou) Co. Ltd., Caterpillar Underground Mining Pty. Ltd., Caterpillar Used Equipment Services Inc., Caterpillar Venture Capital Inc., Caterpillar Work Tools B.V., Caterpillar Work Tools Inc., Caterpillar World Trading Corporation, Caterpillar Xuzhou, Caterpillar of Australia Pty. Ltd., Caterpillar of Canada Corporation, Caterpillar of Delaware Inc., Centre de Distribution de Wallonie SPRL, CleanAir Systems, Downer Freight Rail, ECM Railway Evolution Romania s.r.l., ECM S.p.A., EDC European Excavator Design Center GmbH, EMC Holding Corp., EMD International Holdings Inc., ERA Information & Entertainment (BVI) Limited, ERA Mining Machinery Limited, Electro-Motive Diesel Limited, Electro-Motive Locomotive Technologies LLC, Electro-Motive Technical Consulting Co. (Beijing) Ltd., Energy Services International Limited, Equipos de Acuna S.A. de C.V., Eurenov S.A.S., F. G. Wilson (Proprietary) Limited, F. Perkins Limited, FG Wilson (Engineering) Limited, GB Holdco (China) Inc., GFCM Comercial Mexico S.A. de C.V. SOFOM E.N.R., GFCM Servicios S.A. de C.V., Gremada Industries - Assets, Hong Kong Siwei Holdings Limited, Inmobiliaria Conek S.A. de C.V., JCS Co., Kemper Valve & Fittings Corp., Leo Inc., Locomotive Demand Power Pty Ltd., Locomotoras Progress Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Lovat, M2M Data Corporation, MGE Equipamentos & Servicos Ferroviarios, MWM, MWM Austria GmbH, MWM Benelux B.V., MWM Energy Australia Pty Ltd, MWM France S.A.S, MWM Real Estate GmbH, MaK Americas Inc., MaK Americas Inc. (Canada), Magnum Power Products LLC, Marble, Maschinenbau Kiel GmbH, Mec-Track S.r.l., Metalmark Financial Services Limited, Motoren Steffens GmbH, Nippon Caterpillar LLC, P. T. Solar Services Indonesia, PT Caterpillar Finance Indonesia, PT. Bucyrus Indonesia, PT. Caterpillar Indonesia, PT. Caterpillar Indonesia Batam, PT. Caterpillar Remanufacturing Indonesia, Perkins Engines, Perkins Engines (Asia Pacific) Pte Ltd, Perkins Engines Group Limited, Perkins Engines Inc., Perkins Group Limited, Perkins Holdings Limited LLC, Perkins India Private Limited, Perkins International Inc., Perkins Japan LLC, Perkins Limited, Perkins Machinery (Changshu) Co. Ltd., Perkins Motores do Brasil Ltda., Perkins Power Systems Technology (Wuxi) Co. Ltd., Perkins Small Engines (Wuxi) Co. Ltd., Perkins Small Engines LLC, Perkins Small Engines Limited, Perkins Technology Inc., Progress Metal Reclamation Company, Progress Rail Arabia Limited Company, Progress Rail Australia Pty Ltd, Progress Rail Canada Corporation, Progress Rail Equipamentos e Servicos Ferroviarios do Brasil Ltda., Progress Rail Equipment Leasing Corporation, Progress Rail Holdings Inc., Progress Rail Innovations Private Limited, Progress Rail Inspection & Information Systems GmbH, Progress Rail Inspection & Information Systems S.r.l., Progress Rail International Corp., Progress Rail Leasing Canada Corporation, Progress Rail Leasing Corporation, Progress Rail Leasing de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Progress Rail Locomotivas (do Brasil) Ltda., Progress Rail Locomotive Canada Co., Progress Rail Locomotive Chile SpA, Progress Rail Locomotive Inc., Progress Rail Maintenance de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Progress Rail Manufacturing Corporation, Progress Rail Raceland Corporation, Progress Rail Rocklin Corporation, Progress Rail SA Proprietary Limited, Progress Rail Services Corporation, Progress Rail Services Holdings Corp., Progress Rail Services LLC, Progress Rail Services UK Limited, Progress Rail Switching Services LLC, Progress Rail Transcanada Corporation, Progress Rail Welding Corporation, Progress Rail Wildwood LLC, Progress Rail de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Pyroban Group, Pyroban Group, Pyrrha Investments B.V., Pyrrha Investments Limited, S&L Railroad LLC, SCM Singapore Holdings Pte. Ltd., SPL Software Alliance LLC, Sabre Engines, Servicios de Turbinas Solar S. de R.L. de C.V., Shandong SEM Machinery Co. Ltd., Solar Turbines, Solar Turbines, Solar Turbines (Beijing) Trading Services Co. Ltd., Solar Turbines (Thailand) Ltd., Solar Turbines CIS Limited Liability Company, Solar Turbines Canada Ltd./Ltee., Solar Turbines Central Asia Limited Liability Partnership, Solar Turbines EAME s.r.o., Solar Turbines Egypt Limited Liability Company, Solar Turbines Europe S.A., Solar Turbines India Private Limited, Solar Turbines International Company, Solar Turbines Italy S.R.L., Solar Turbines Malaysia Sdn Bhd, Solar Turbines Middle East Limited, Solar Turbines New Zealand Limited, Solar Turbines Saudi Arabia Limited, Solar Turbines Services Company, Solar Turbines Services Nigeria Limited, Solar Turbines Services of Argentina S.R.L., Solar Turbines Switzerland Sagl, Solar Turbines Trinidad & Tobago Limited, Solar Turbines West-Africa SARL, Tangshan DBT Machinery Co. Ltd., Tecnologia Modificada S.A. de C.V., Towmotor Corporation, Traction & Mining Motor Repairs Pty Ltd, Turbinas Solar S.A. de C.V., Turbinas Solar de Colombia S.A., Turbinas Solar de Venezuela C.A., Turbo Tecnologia de Reparaciones S.A. de C.V., Turbomach, Turbomach Endustriyel Gaz Turbinleri Sanayi Ve Ticaret Limited, Turbomach France SARL, Turbomach GmbH, Turbomach Netherlands B.V., Turbomach Pakistan (Private) Limited, Turbomach S.A. Unipersonal, Turbomach Sp. Z o.o., Turner Powertrain Systems Limited, UK Hose Assembly Limited, Underground Imaging Technologies Inc, United Industries LLC, VALA Inc., Vasky Energy Ltd., Wealdstone Engineering, Weir - Oil & Gas Division, West Virginia Auto Shredding Inc., Western Gear Machinery LLC, Wetland Sustainability Fund I LLC, Williams Technologies, Yard Club, Zhengzhou Siwei Mechanical and Electrical Equipment Sales Co. Ltd., and okyo Rental Ltd.. Read More The following companies are subsidiares of LyondellBasell Industries: A. Schulman, A. Schulman 's-Gravendeel B.V., A. Schulman AG, A. Schulman Asia Limited, A. Schulman Belgium BVBA, A. Schulman Canada Ltd., A. Schulman Castellon S.L., A. Schulman Europe GmbH & Co. KG, A. Schulman Europe International B.V., A. Schulman Europe Verwaltungs GmbH, A. Schulman Gainsborough Ltd, A. Schulman GmbH, A. Schulman GmbH (Austrian Branch), A. Schulman Holding Company France S.A.S., A. Schulman Holdings (France) S.A.S., A. Schulman Holdings S.a.r.l., A. Schulman Inc., A. Schulman Inc. Limited, A. Schulman International Inc., A. Schulman International Services BVBA, A. Schulman Ireland Limited, A. Schulman Magyarorszag Kereskedelmi Korlatolt Felelossegu Tarsasag, A. Schulman Nordic AB, A. Schulman Plastics (Branch), A. Schulman Plastics (Dongguan) Ltd., A. Schulman Plastics (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., A. Schulman Plastics (Suzhou) Co. Ltd., A. Schulman Plastics BVBA, A. Schulman Plastics India Private Limited, A. Schulman Plastics PTY. LTD., A. Schulman Plastics S.r.l., A. Schulman Plastics SAS, A. Schulman Plastics bvba Bornem Sucursala Cluj-Napoca, A. Schulman Plastics organizacni slozka, A. Schulman Plastk Sanayi ve Ticaret Anonim Sirketi, A. Schulman Plasticos do Brasil Ltda., A. Schulman Polska Sp. z o.o., A. Schulman Real Estate GmbH & Co. KG, A. Schulman S.A.S., A. Schulman S.a.r.l., A. Schulman Thermoplastic Compounds Limited, A. Schulman Thermoplastic Compounds Sdn Bhd, A. Schulman de Mexico S.A. de C.V., A. Schulman del Peru S.A.C., A.Schulman Poznan Sp. Z o.o., ARCO Chemical, AS Global Holdings Inc., AS Mex Hold S.A. de C.V., AS Worldwide LLC, AS Worldwide LLC & Cie S.C.S., ASI Akron Land Co., ASI Employment S.A. de C.V., ASI Investments Holding Co., Al Waha Petrochemical Company, BKV Beteiligungs- und Kunststoffverwertungs-gesellschaft mbH, BMC Deutschland GmbH, BMC Dongguan Limited, BMC Far East Limited, BMC TetraDURTurkey Plastik Hammadde Kompozit Uretim Sanayi ve Ticaret Limted Sirketi, Basell (Thailand) Holdings B.V., Basell Advanced Polyolefins (Dalian) Co. Ltd., Basell Advanced Polyolefins (Suzhou) Co. Ltd., Basell Advanced Polyolefins (Thailand) Company Ltd., Basell Arabie Investissements SAS, Basell Asia Pacific Limited, Basell Bayreuth Chemie GmbH, Basell Benelux B.V., Basell Chemie Koln GmbH, Basell Europe Holdings B.V., Basell Germany Holdings GmbH, Basell Holdings Middle East GmbH, Basell Iberica Poliolefinas Holdings S.L., Basell International Holdings B.V., Basell International Trading FZE, Basell Italia S.r.l, Basell Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Basell Moyen Orient Investissements SAS, Basell North America Inc., Basell Orlen Polyolefins Sp. Z.o.o., Basell Orlen Polyolefins Sprzedaz Sp. Z.o.o., Basell Poliolefinas Comercial Espagnola S.L., Basell Poliolefinas Iberica S.L., Basell Poliolefinas Ltda., Basell Poliolefinas S. de R.L. de C.V., Basell Poliolefine Italia S.r.l., Basell Polyolefin Istanbul Ticaret Limited Sirketi, Basell Polyolefine GmbH, Basell Polyolefines France S.A.S., Basell Polyolefins Company BVBA, Basell Polyolefins India Private Limited, Basell Polyolefins Korea Ltd., Basell Polyolefins UK Limited, Basell Sales & Marketing Company B.V., Basell Service Company B.V., Basell Slovakia s.r.o., Basell Trading (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Basell UK Holdings Limited, Basell UK Ltd., Brindisi Servizi Generali S.c.a.r.l., Bulk Molding Compounds Inc., Bulk Molding Compounds Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Bulk Molding Compounds do Brasil Industria de Plasticos Reforcados Ltda., Citadel Brazil Holdings LLC, Citadel Intermediate Holdings LLC, Citadel Plastics Holdings Cooperatief U.A., Citadel Plastics Holdings Inc., Citadel Plastics Mexico Holdings LLC, Citadel Plastics Netherlands Holdings LLC, Compagnie Petrochimique de Berre SAS, Compagnie de Distribution des Hydrocarbures SAS, EMS Holding Ltd., EPS Ethylen-Pipeline-Sud Geschaftsfuhrungs GmbH, EPS Ethylen-Pipeline-Sud GmbH & Co. KG, Elian S.A.S., Equistar Bayport LLC, Equistar Chemicals LP, Equistar GP LLC, Equistar LP LLC, Equistar Mont Belvieu Corporation, GuangZhou Basell Advanced Polyolefins Co. Ltd., HGGC Citadel Plastics Holdings Inc., HGGC Citadel Plastics Intermediate Holdings Inc., HMC Polymers Company Limited, HPC Holdings LLC, Hadlock Plastics LLC, Houston Refining LP, I.F.M. S.c.a.r.l., ICO Europe C.V., ICO Holdings LLC, ICO Holdings New Zealand Limited, ICO Petrochemical Cayman Islands, ICO Polymers Cayman Islands, Indelpro S.A. de C.V., Infraserv GmbH & Co. Hochst KG, Inmobiliaria Satchmo S. de R.L. de C.V., Innovacion Y Desarrollo en Materiales Avanzados A.C., J.R. Courtenay (N.Z.) Limited, LPI Holding Company, LYB (Barbados) SRL, LYB Advanced Polymer Solutions Ireland Limited, LYB Americas Finance Company LLC, LYB Equistar Holdings LLC, LYB Export Holdings Limited, LYB Exports Inc., LYB Finance Company B.V., LYB International Finance B.V., LYB International Finance II B.V., LYB International Finance III LLC, LYB Ireland 2 Limited, LYB Ireland Limited, LYB La Porte Hyperzone LLC, LYB Luxembourg S.a r.l., LYB Matrixx Holdings Inc., LYB Receivables LLC, LYB Trading Company B.V., LYB Treasury Services Ltd., Limited Liability Company "LyondellBasell Polyolefins", Limited Liability Company A. Schulman, Lucent Polymers Inc., Lyondell Asia Holdings Limited, Lyondell Centennial Corp., Lyondell Chemical Company, Lyondell Chemical Europe Inc., Lyondell Chemical Overseas Services Inc., Lyondell Chemical Products Europe LLC, Lyondell Chemical Properties L.P., Lyondell Chemical Technology 1 Inc., Lyondell Chemical Technology L.P., Lyondell Chemical Technology Management Inc., Lyondell Chemie (PO-11) B.V., Lyondell Chemie (POSM) B.V., Lyondell Chemie Nederland B.V., Lyondell Chimie France SAS, Lyondell China Holdings Limited, Lyondell Greater China Holdings Limited, Lyondell Greater China Ltd., Lyondell Greater China Trading Limited, Lyondell Japan Inc., Lyondell PO-11 C.V., Lyondell POJVGP LLC, Lyondell POJVLP LLC, Lyondell POTechGP Inc., Lyondell POTechLP Inc., Lyondell Refining Company LLC, Lyondell Refining I LLC, Lyondell South Asia Pte Ltd, LyondellBasell Acetyls Holdco LLC, LyondellBasell Acetyls LLC, LyondellBasell Advanced Polyolefins Mexico S.A. de C.V., LyondellBasell Australia (Holdings) Pty Ltd, LyondellBasell Australia Pty Ltd, LyondellBasell Brasil Ltda., LyondellBasell Canada Inc., LyondellBasell Central Europe Kft., LyondellBasell China Holdings B.V., LyondellBasell Circular Economy B.V., LyondellBasell Covestro Manufacturing Maasvlakte V.O.F., LyondellBasell Egypt LLC, LyondellBasell F&F Holdco LLC, LyondellBasell Finance Company, LyondellBasell Holdings France SAS, LyondellBasell Hungary Kft, LyondellBasell Industries Holdings B.V., LyondellBasell Industries N.V., LyondellBasell Investment LLC, LyondellBasell Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., LyondellBasell Polyolefin (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., LyondellBasell Services France S.A.S., LyondellBasell Subholdings B.V., LyondellBasell Taiwan Co. Ltd., LyondellBasell Transportation Company LLC, Millennium Chemicals, Natpet Schulman Specialty Plastic Compounds, Ningbo ZRCC Lyondell Chemical Co. Ltd., Ningbo ZRCC Lyondell Chemical Marketing Co. Ltd., OE Insurance Ltd, Oil Casualty Insurance Ltd., Oil Insurance Limited, PD Glycol LP, PO JV LP, PO Offtake LP, POSM II Limited Partnership L.P., POSM II Properties Partnership LLC, PT A.Schulman Plastics, PT ASchulman Plastics Commercial, PTT Chemical PCL, Poly Pacific Polymers Sdn. Bhd., Poly Pacific Pty. Ltd., PolyMirae Co. Ltd., Premix Holding Company, Premix Inc., Prime Colorants Inc., QCP B.V., QCP Holding B.V., QCP IP B.V., Quantum Composites Inc., RIGK GmbH Gesellschaft zur Ruckfuhrung industrieller and gewerblicher Kunstoffverpackungen mbH, Rayong Olefins Co. Ltd., Rexene - LDPE and PP Businesses, SCG ICO Polymers Company Limited, SJS Plastiblends, San Jacinto Rail Limited, Saudi Ethylene & Polyethylene Company, Saudi Polyolefins Company, Sociedad Espanola De Materiales Plasticos Semap S.A., Societe des Stockages Petroliers du Rhone SA, Solvay Engineered Polymers, Surplast S.A., TRV Thermische Ruckstandsverwertung GmbH & Co. KG, TRV Thermische Ruckstandsverwertung Verwaltungs-GmbH, Technology JV LP, The Matrixx Group Incorporated, ULSAN PP Co. Ltd., YNCORIS GmbH & Co. KG, Zylog Plastalloys, and tetra-DUR Kunststoff-Produktion GmbH. Read More In 2009 my daughter Helen Buchel and granddaughter Brittany Passalacqua were killed by a man with a previous felony conviction. This horrific tragedy to our family could have been prevented had my daughter known of this man's violent history. Senator Nozzolio has been a tireless advocate to enact legislation creating the Domestic Violence Registry Act, also known as Brittany's Law, in honor of my granddaughter. This bill would create a database of violent offenders similar to the sex offender registry database. Pam Helming is who we need in the state Senate to carry on these efforts. She is a hard-working, kind, caring individual with the strength and determination to get the job done. I've seen how she's fought to make the Town of Canandaigua a better place and Pam is who I want in my corner fighting the Assembly to pass important bills like Brittany's Law. Having been an advocate for many years, I understand the legislative process and Pam Helming is the best candidate for the 54th Senate District. I will be voting for her on Primary day, Sept. 13, and urge you to do the same. Dale Driscoll Macedon China News on Women Sorry, the page you requested was not found. If you're having trouble locating a destination on Womenofchina.cn, try visiting the Womenofchina Home page Girl in bed (illustration) By: Chan Yuan A woman was betrayed by her friend who molested her teenage daughter. The victimas mother told police in Australia, that she asked her lesbian friend to act as a mentor for her daughter after she recently came out as gay. However, instead of helping, the 51-year-old woman fondled the girl while she was in bed. The girls mother and her friend have been drinking before the suspect entered the 15-year-old girlas bedroom and got into her bed. She then placed her hand under the girlas shirt and touched the teenagers chest before reaching into her underwear to touch her private parts. The court heard how the motheras friend and her gay daughter were flirting with each other in the weeks before the incident. A jury found her guilty of two counts of indecent assault. Judge Anthony Derrick accepted the fact that the offenses did not have a asignificant adverse impacta on the victim. Judge Derrick said that the suspectas risk of reoffending was low. However, he said that her actions were aa significant breach of the trust of an emotionally vulnerable young girl.a The 51-year-old woman was sentenced to one year in prison, which was suspended for 16 months. Steven Durdek Jr. By: Chan Yuan (Scroll down for video) A man was jailed for 115 years for breaking into his neighbors home, and brutally raping and killing her. 23-year-old Steven Durdek Jr,, of Manchester, Connecticut, who had a criminal history, entered his neighbors home through an open window. He then sexually and physically abused 56-year-old Sarah Kelloway, who was a mother of four children. He hit her over the head with a vase and ashtray, and burned her body. The evil man took photos of his victim after removing her clothes, and he posted them to Facebook. Officers who arrived at the scene, found the woman in the same compromising position in which she was seen on Facebook. The photos were removed after the suspect was arrested. Police said that her hands, feet and groin area were badly burned. Prosecutor Zagaja said that this suggests the killer was trying to destroy evidence of his assault. Durdek, who maintained his innocence despite DNA evidence linking him to the crime, was found guilty of murder, burglary, sexual assault, arson and tampering with evidence. Hartford Superior Court Judge Hunchu Kwak, who sentenced Durdek to 115 years in prison, said that he has aforfeited his right to live in society,a after committing these horrendous crime. Edward Alvarez By: Chan Yuan (Scroll down for video) A man was arrested after holding two girls hostage in a motel room. Police said that the teenage victimas met 23-year-old Edward Alvarez of Florida, on the Plenty of Fish dating website. The girls who are 15 and 16 years old, signed up for the dating website despite the fact that the Plenty of Fish app clearly states that a person has to be over the age 18 to participate. Police said that the teenagers recently ran away from a group home in Polk County. Sadly, the girlas met the wrong person who allegedly forced them into prostitution. One the victimas arrived to the motel, where Alvarez took nude photos and posted them to Backpage.com to get men for sex, according to police. Authorities rescued the girls after they were being held against their wills for three days. Alvarez was charged with trafficking the two teenagers and selling them for sex. He is being held in the Orange County Jail without bond. Praise For 1.9m Affordable Housing Development in Ruabon This article is old - Published: Sunday, Sep 11th, 2016 An award-winning affordable homes development in a Wrexham village has been praised for the positive difference it has made to residents lives. Brynfields and Fron Goch, just off the High Street in Ruabon, are backed by 284,000 from the Welsh Governments Social Housing Grant and 875,730 from the Smaller Properties grant. The development was awarded the LABC 2016 Best Social/Affordable Housing Building Excellence Award for the county of Wrexham. Ken Skates met residents who have recently moved in and was given a tour of the scheme, which comprises of 19 affordable homes, including 14 one bed apartments, 2 two bed houses, 2 two bed bungalows and 1 two bed wheelchair adapted bungalow. James Cope, 33, is a powered wheelchair user whose bungalow has been especially adapted for him. Speaking about his new home, James said: To outsiders I am not seen as an entity as my wheelchair is always perceived first. I had to rely on my parents for support with night calls and to provide me with the necessities of daily life; from basic food and drink, to personal care and household chores. Now, thanks to the patience of Wales & West Housing and their developers RL Davies, my very specific needs have been acknowledged and my dream is finally a reality. I have a new bungalow specially built for me in Ruabon. Following the visit, Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Infrastructure, Ken Skates AM said: I was pleased to meet residents who have recently moved into this attractive development and hear the positive difference it has made to their lives. The development here in Ruabon is also a good example of partnership working towards the same goal of building affordable homes. Anne Hinchey, Chief Executive of Wales & West Housing, said: We were delighted to welcome Ken Skates AM to the scheme. We are committed to delivering quality affordable homes which are much needed in Ruabon. This was made possible thanks to our partnership and funding from the Welsh Government and Wrexham County Borough Council. But were not just about bricks and mortar. We also strive to deliver what matters to our residents and help improve their lives. Cllr Ian Roberts, Lead Member for Housing, added: We are very proud of our partnership with Wales & West Housing which has been replicated in many areas of Wrexham. We recognise that providing affordable homes to suit peoples circumstances is very important and helps the well-being of everyone in our communities. TALLAHASSEE, FL. (WTXL)-- Leaders throughout the community are coming forward in remembrance of the events 15 years ago today. Thousands of people lost their lives on September 11, after terrorists hijacked planes in New York, Washington, and Pennsylvania. Service men and woman who offer their protection also lost their lives that day. Leaders are saying: As we take a moment to relive our own experiences that frightful day, let us also remember the nearly 3,000 souls who perished in those horrific attacks. While they are no longer with us, their memory lives on in each American as does the memory of a nation uniting in the face of tragedy. To honor them, lets once again find that sense of unity thats helped us through some of our nations darkest times and show the world how strong we can be when we come together.-- U.S. Senator Bill Nelson "Today, all Floridians and Americans remember and reflect on the innocent lives lost on September 11, 2001. This year we also pause to remember the 49 innocent lives lost by the evil of terrorism at Pulse Nightclub in Orlando this summer. I was in New York City on 9/11 and I was in Orlando hours after the Pulse attack and saw the impact it had on families and the community. Terrorism is still impacting every American right here on our soil and we have to do all we can to eliminate it. We will never heal from the pain of these losses, but we will continue to be reminded of the memories and joy these loved ones brought to our lives. We will stand behind our selfless service men and women who protect our freedoms and continue to mourn these incredible people who tragically lost their lives."-- Florida Governor Rick Scott On this day 15 years ago, the United States was attacked by radical Islamic terrorists in a shocking, coordinated display of barbaric and brutal mass violence. Americans responded as Americans do, with bravery, selflessness, patriotism, and sacrifice. The heroes of that day men and women at the Pentagon, in New York City and the Pennsylvania sky will never be forgotten. We remember and honor the first responders, police officers, firefighters, service members, and everyday citizens who rushed to the aid of their fellow countrymen, because they represent what is best about our country.."-- U.S. Senator Marco Rubio "For years, my father has been fighting on behalf of those who lost their lives on September 11th, 2001, and their families for justice. I'm proud to help carry on that fight for justice by co-sponsoring the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act," Representative Graham said. "This legislation sends a clear message that we will not allow any country to support terrorism against Americans."-- Congresswoman Gwen Graham Erin OFlaherty, Miss City of Fountains, sings during the talent portion of the MIss Missouri competition she won. (David Pickering Photography) This year could prove contentious between Yakima County authorities and recreational marijuana businesses in unincorporated areas of the count NACHES, Wash. Officials say the Rock Creek Fire northwest of Naches was fully contained as of Wednesday. The Volkswagen logo on the grill of a Volkswagen on display in Pittsburgh in 2013. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar, File) If you are sending a Letter To the Editor, please be sure to follow these rules: Letters have a firm 200-word limit and will be edited for grammar, clarity and accuracy. The person who signs the letter must be the author. Anonymous letters will not be considered. Letters must address the editor, not a third party. We will not print form letters, libelous letters, business promotions or personal disputes, poetry, open letters, letters espousing religious views without reference to a current issue, or letters considered in poor taste. Letters reflect the opinion of the writer. The Yakima Herald-Republic cannot verify the accuracy of all statements made in letters. Writers are limited to one published letter per calendar month. Theres plenty of Guilt to go around in intriguing new TV mystery series When the latest political poll (conducted by Dr. Mina Tzemach and Mano Geva) results were published on Channel 2 News, I was reminded of the joke about the Jerusalem Biblical Zoo. As it's told, there was a sign that said, "The wolf shall lie down with the lamb." next to one of the cages. And indeed, the two animals could be seen dwelling together. "How did you convince the wolf not to devour the lamb?" the visitors asked the zoo's director. "We didn't convince the wolf," he said, "but we replace the lamb daily." Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter Dr. Tzemach and her colleagues gave Yair Lapid and his Yesh Atid party 24 Knesset seats (out of a total of 120), with Prime Minister Netanyahu's Likud party getting just 22. That wasn't the only interesting finding. According to the poll, two-to-three of Lapid's new seats were coming from Likud voters. Assuming the parties in Israel can be divided into general right-left political wings, it seems now that the right wing is losing a number of votes in favor of the left-center wing. Hypothetically, Lapid is just six seats away (incidentally, the number of seats currently projected to be won by Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon's Kulanu party) from creating a serious electoral obstacle to any would-be right-wing government. Yesh Atid claim that the polls conducted for it by American pollster Mark Mellman show similar findings. Mellman's polls were conducted before the train-Shabbat affair that harmed Netanyahu's standing with many members of the public. Lapid. Can he sustain his political standing? (Photo: Eli Segal) The first consequence of this new poll is the end of Transportation Minister Yisrael Katz's short tenure as enemy of the people. From now on, Netanyahu's fire will be aimed at Lapid. Battalions of internet commenters, bloggers, tweeters, etc. shall now switch their focus in unison. Katz's putschout; the Lapid threatin. It's fine to relieve someone of their enemy status, but they must always be replaced by another. Lapid has learned his political lesson. He knows that the poll has both positive and negative effects. On one hand, it presents Lapid as the alternative to Netanyahu, ahead of Zionist Union leader MK Isaac Herzog, former Likud ministers Gideon Sa'ar and Moshe Ya'alon, and former IDF Chiefs of Staff Benny Gantz and Gabi Ashkenazi. On the other hand, polls create expectations. If the next poll shows Lapid getting 19 Knesset seats as opposed to his current 24, headlines will indicate his sharp decline. There's a chance his rise was too high, too fast. Lapid's also learned an important political skill: Keeping quiet. You have to give more interviews, a senior Yesh Atid member recently told him. Think of this, he answered: Who's the politician who gave the most interviews to the media in the past few monts? Did it do him any good? She could come up with just one name to answer LapidHerzog. Lapid carried on with his tight-fisted approach to interviews. Right after the March 2015 elections, which gave Yesh Atid 11 Knesset seatsa drop of eight, from their previous 19 seatsLapid told his people: We now have two options: Being an opposition, or being an alternative. I choose to be an alternative. That wasn't a simple choice. It forced the party, and chiefly Lapid himself, to abandon the role set up for it by the voters. Too much oppositional activity would have painted Lapid as a leftist. That's what happened to Shimon Peres when he was the leader of the opposition to PM Menachem Begin in the late 70s. Lapid doesn't want to stand in Peres's old spothe wants to stand in Netanyahu's current one. Katz. No longer the enemy. (Photo: AFP) Polls have taught us that about 21 percent of voters are looking for what could be called "pragmatic patriotism," an attitude that combines the idealizing of the state and its symbols along with a practical, open, approach to any topic on the agenda. These are the voters to whom Lapid was appealing. Not the true left, inflexible in its views and comprising about seven percent of the vote, not the ultra-Orthodox, not the settler right, and not the residents of the periphery. The destination was Rishon LeZion: As a place, a symbol, and a codeword. In recent months, Lapid has gone relatively easy on the ultra-Orthodox. His main objective became patriotic PR trips abroad. When he stood in a Stockholm square and trained locals to say "We love Israel," he was appealing to voters in his homeland. There's not much that excites Israelis more than seeing Swedes obey an Israeli, one of our own, who's teaching them a lesson in loving this country. It shows strength and subtlety, evocative of the likes of judoka Ori Sasson, who defeated his Egyptian opponent, showed good sportsmanship in the face of rudeness, and ended up winning an Olympic medal. In a certain sense, Lapid is like Netanyahu. In another, he's his mirror image. Like Netanyahu, Lapid shapes his message according to the demands of his audience. Both market themselves well; both do it with extraordinary diligence. Netanyahu, however, tends to speak with a negative, combative tone, and pits sectors of the population against each other when it suits him. Lapid is his opposite on this: He tries to speak in a positive, appeasing, and embracing tone. Netanyahu has much to lose, which drags him into silly, controversial, mistakessuch as in the train affair. His ministers and partners are at his back, picking fights. Lapid has fewer assets to lose and his party members accept his rule. He can afford to be more daring, here and there. "Beware of wariness," he tells his people. PM Netanyahu. Can he regain the lead? (Photo: GPO) Beyond all of this, his party is the only one that's currently active in the field. Yesh Atid has 11,000 registered activists in 143 branches across Israel. They're quietly reinforced by the party, via quiet, unpublicized conventions. Lapid recently gave a speech in Karmiel. Before that, he went to a small convention in Ma'ale Adumim. The 24 seats Dr. Tzemach projected for Lapid indicate, first and foremost, the large vacuum in the Israeli political center. Among existing players, Lapid is probably the most attractive. However, by the time of the next elections, other players will join in, and perhaps new parties as well. Netanyahu will keep fighting for what's his: He's good at that. The best, in fact. TOKYO -- The United States may launch unilateral sanctions against North Korea, a US special envoy for the isolated state said on Sunday, two days after it carried out its fifth and biggest nuclear test in defiance of UN sanctions. "In addition to action in the Security Council, both the US and Japan, together with the Republic of Korea, will be looking at unilateral measures, as well as bilateral measures, as well as possible trilateral cooperation," said Sung Kim, the envoy, referring to South Korea by its official name. Specific details of the US unilateral sanctions have yet to be decided, Kim said, speaking to reporters in Tokyo after meeting Japanese foreign ministry officials. But both the U.S. and Japan were looking at "a full range of possibilities, in terms of additional unilateral sanctions that can be implemented," he added. "Many years ago there was an emperor so exceedingly fond of new clothes that he spent all his money on being well dressed. He cared nothing about reviewing his soldiers, going to the theatre, or going for a ride in his carriage, except to show off his new clothes. He had a coat for every hour of the day, and instead of saying, as one might, about any other ruler, 'The King's in council,' here they always said. 'The Emperor's in his dressing room.'" (Source: The Hans Christian Andersen Centre) Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter These are the opening words of "The Emperor's New Clothes," Hans Christian Andersen's wonderful tale. We all know what happened next: One day, two swindlers came to town and announced they were capable of weaving a magnificent fabric which was invisible to fools. There was no fabric, but because no one wanted to appear stupid, everyone praised the cloth. In the end, the emperor appeared in the town square in his new clothes. Everyone cheered, until one little boy shouted, "The emperor has no clothes." Netanyahu has been running in recent weeks from one media outlet to another, from one event to another and from one photo opportunity to another, just like the emperor in that tale (Photo: GPO) Our prime minister is no emperor, and he does not need a tailor either. He weaves his new clothes on his own. Over the weekend, he released a new propaganda film against the Palestinian Authority. The English is perfect, so are the words and the accent, the rhetoric resonates, and the face carries the burden of concern, just like in that propaganda film about the Arabs on the buses Benjamin Netanyahu is denouncing the Palestinian Authority for refusal to allow Jews to settle within its boundaries. "It's ethnic cleansing," he rules. Ethnic cleansing is a crime against humanity: The Serbs did it against the Bosnians, the Hutu did is against the Tutsi, and of course the Nazis against entire peoples, first and foremost the Jews. In this case, there is no need to shout, "The Emperor has no clothes." Netanyahu is no fool: He knows the speech presents him in his nakedness. But these are not easy times, and sometimes one must do unusual things. Any headline, just not the headlines about the never-ending police investigation, about an indictment in the prime minister's homes affair, about flights and gifts and benefits. And so he has been running in recent weeks from one media outlet to another, from one event to another and from one photo opportunity to another, just like the emperor in that tale. The emperor is weaving and weaving, Netanyahu is digging and digging. I assume he will also read the following words, which will try to clarify why the world is rejecting this speech out of hand, with satisfaction. Anything, just not the investigations. The West Bank is an occupied territory. I'm not the one who said itIsrael's governments said it. Under international law, the occupying state is not allowed to transfer a population to the occupied territory. There is a world consensus about that. Our Supreme Court chose a different interpretation and allowed the settlement of settlers on state lands. At no stage did Jews agree to live under Arab sovereignty, neither in Taba and Sinai nor in the ongoing negotiations about the fate of Gaza and the West Bank. I believe their refusal was logical and justified, under the circumstances. Netanyahu's 'ethnic cleansing' video X The settlements were created for Jews only. Palestinians were not allowed to live in them, or in the cities that were founded. Some were built on private lands, and others were built and are being built today with one goal: To thwart the establishment of a Palestinian state. Settlers of the most violent kind have taken over thousands of acres of agricultural lands, in the Shilo valley and other areas. The settlers have plenty of water, while the neighboring villages dry up until the tanker arrives. This is what our forefathers referred to as: It takes one to know one. People who live in glass houses shouldnt throw stones. This saying also applies to what Netanyahu said in his speech about Israel's Arabs. Only a year ago, he wildly incited against this sector, not once but twice. Now he is using this sector as a bullet-proof vest for the settlement policy, as a human shield. And he is doing it without blinking. His flic-flac is perfect. Alex Shatilov, our gymnastics champion, you have an heir. An internal document of the Civil Administration confirmed that former Defense Minister Moshe Dayan allowed two Palestinians to control land in the Jordan valley, despite them not having legal ownership over the land. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter The story was revealed a year ago when David Elhayani, the head of the Jordan Valley Council, warned the Civil Administration that Palestinians had entered state land that is under the jurisdiction of the municipality and tried to plant a palm grove. The land is approximately 150 acres and north of Argaman, near Highway 90. Palestinians began working the land only a year-and-a-half ago. Moshe Dayan (Photo: gettyimages) Following the revelations, Israeli NGO Regavim which pursues legal action against any construction lacking Israeli permitsin cooperation with the Jordan Valley Council, submitted a request to the Civil Administration to clarify the matter. In response to the request, the Civil Administration noted that the Palestinians have permission to work the land due to Dayans verbal approval and even said that the approval had noted in an official document. The Civil Administrations response illustrates the legal and political difficulties associated with this issue. "On one hand, we have two Palestinians who are not the legal owners of the land and hold no land purchase or lease document, but on the other hand, we have actual documents indicating that they were given assurances from the Jordanian government which were later approved by then-Defense Minister Moshe Dayan. In light of these facts, the Civil Administration is examining the legal implications involved in the matter." A representative from Regavim responded by describing the affair as an illegal takeover. "It is absurd that the Civil Administration is allowing this matter to continue based on the ridiculous claim that Moshe Dayan gave his permission. This claim is not backed by any official document and even if it were true, it was done without any authority that will withstand any legal review." Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held a cabinet meeting for the 15th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Netanyahu stated "We stand shoulder to shoulder with the United States, our steadfast ally, and every civilized nation against radical Islamic terror. The whole world must unite to protect itself against the forces of darkness." Students in dozens of schools in the national-religious sector last week received a controversial daily planner, which includes messages of Jewish superiority over the gentiles, religious preaching and problematic political texts concerning historic events. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter "In 2005, Israel decided to unilaterally withdraw from Gush Katif and from the northern Samaria and hand the control over them to the Palestinian Authority," the daily planner tells the students. "During the Gaza Disengagement, 26 settlements were completely demolished, while 10,000 people were forcefully evacuated. The Arabs burned and looted the synagogues in Gush Katif. Now, there are Hamas training camps there. In the summer of 2014, rockets were fired from there at the State of Israel. We long for the day we could return to the desolate land, which waits to be built on." The cover of the daily planner Gila Sidon, the principal of the Efrata elementary school in Jerusalem, wrote in a message to the patents that "a text about Rabin's murder was removed from the daily planner. As part of lessons on the topic ahead of the anniversary ceremony, the students will receive stickers with the missing text to put in their daily planner." She went on to say that "Several parents pointed out two or three texts (in the daily planner) that were not in line with the school's values. Our school is pluralistic and welcomes a variety of opinions. We see this as an educational opportunity to have a conversation on the critical reading of texts and a discussion on the importance of avoiding generalizations and stereotyping." 'Similar but different' The daily planner includes comic strips depicting different situations. One such comic strip shows a conversation between Yaakov the religious Jew, and the gentile Jack. During their conversation, Yaakov tells Jack that despite the fact they were similarand even had a similar namethey were different, because "a man who has the Torah and one who doesn't are not the same at all, even if outwardly they appear to be. The Torah enlightens and elevates." Yaakov and Jack are similar but different At the bottom of the page, a message appears: "Of all the nations, the Torah makes us special and teaches us how to live correctly. Even if outwardly we may look the same, thanks to the Torah we can be identified (as different)." Another comic strip depicts a conversation between a mother and her daughter. The daughter wants to know how to express her love for the Torah. "We each express our love for the wonderful Torah differently," the message at the bottom of the page reads. "One studies, one works, one encourages those who study Torah. All ways are good, G-d loves them all. As long as it comes from the bottom of your heart." Mother and daughter discuss expressing love for the Torah Another page includes a story that teaches the children a lesson. "Gadi the soldier went home on a short break. On the bus, he met David Abraham and told him about an important operation his company was planning for the next day against a dangerous terror cell. Behind them sat Mustafa, who was listening to the conversation. When Mustafa got off the bus, he called the members of the terror cell and warned them of the IDF operation. The terrorists were ready for the raid, it failed, and two soldiers were wounded." The story of Gadi the soldier No Education Ministry approval The daily planner was ordered by the school principals and it is financed using parents' annual payments to the school. Just like any other textbook given to students, the daily planner is subject to approval by the Religious Education Administration in the Education Ministrybut it wasn't approved. The daily planners were produced as part of a project by an NGO called "Chiyuch LeArachim" ("Smile For Principles"), which works with dozens of national-religious schools across the country. It has not received authorization by the Religious Education Administration to produce texts for schools. Chiyuch LeArachim was founded three years ago, and the documents it filed to the Justice Ministry's NGOs register don't state who funds its activities. These activities cost money, as the planner, for example, was sold to the school at a reduced price. It is headed by Adir Raanan, an educator from the settlement of Elazar in Gush Etzion who works to teach and instill values to Israel's children. Among other things, a game he invented several years ago seeks to instill love for the Holy Temple and encourage the aspiration to rebuild it in children by having them build a model of the temple. The "About" page on the NGO's website describes it as "a project started by educators from a variety of schools. The direct access the staff has to the different curriculums, along with the daily exposure to the students at national-religious schools, allow us to develop different linguistic products that serve both the student on the one hand and the education system on the other, while using leading educational methods and quality materials." According to the NGO's site, about 80 national-religious schools are among its customers. 'Contrarian, radical discourse' Many parents were outraged by the texts appearing in the daily planner and asked schools to stop using it. "I don't think students in elementary schools need to be exposed to such content," said a mother of one of the students in Efrata. "Why do they need to receive such a daily planner? (The schools) could, instead, raise these issues for discussion during homeroomthat would be fine. But as soon as you replace the question mark with a period, the issue becomes very problematic." Another mother to a 6th grader said her son will not take the daily planner with him to school. "The intention behind it was good. Students who keep obsessing over brands should get a daily planner with special messages, like information about important places in Israel and important milestones. This way, when a student writes in his daily planner, he also learns somethinginstead of obsessing over celebrities," she said. "The idea is good, but the result is problematic. A daily planner that proclaims to be identified with the national-religious populationwhich I am very proud to be a part ofcan't include expressions of disrespect and inequality towards the other or contrarian, radical discourse filled with inappropriate statements," she continued. "There's no harm is telling the students about the Gaza disengagement, but why do they have to write that we must return to those lands? And why, for example, there is no text about Rabin's assassination?" Text on the Gaza disengagement The Mahapach NGO, founded to represent a large left-wing public in Israel that feels there is no one to fight for its values, sent a letter to Education Minister Naftali Bennett last week concerning the daily planner. According to Mahapach, the daily planner was purchased by 100 national-religious schools from across the country. "As an education minister who declared himself, more than once, to be an education minister 'for everyone,' you should know that this daily planner contains texts that present the religious sector as a superior race to other groups in Israeli society," the left-wing NGO wrote. "The religious Zionist sector has turned itself in recent years into a center of power, which is highly influential of public discourse, Israeli politics, the military and the media. That is its legitimate right. However, this does not given the people of this group the legitimacy to imbue racism, xenophobia and a patronizing attitude in young children. The State of Israel was founded on solidarity and shared responsibility, and those who disseminate such distorted values among their children are simply cutting off the branch we are all sitting on. There is nothing Jewish in the repulsive arrogance presented in the pages of the daily planner, there's nothing Zionist about thinking your faith gives you the right to dismiss other groups in your nation and country." The Education Ministry said in response, "The ministry had nothing to do with the (production of the) daily planners, and if a purchase was indeed made, it was part of voluntary services offered. Be that as it may, in light of the questions on the matter, the ministry will look into the issue, including examining the daily planner's contents." The Chiyuch LeArachim NGO declined to comment. The thundering silence coming from Israel in the wake of the Syria truce agreement, signed between the US State Department and the Russian Foreign Affairs Ministry, echoes a great deal of skepticism. This is because Israel does not believe that this agreement will be implemented, excluding perhaps local ceasefires and temporary windows allowing for humanitarian aid. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter It is true that the current agreement is not in Israel's best interests: the agreement itself is constructed as a temporary solution that could lead to a permanent one, in which Syrian President Bashar Assad and Iran remain the dominant forces within Syria, with the Iranians now poised in the Golan Heights. But since people here don't believe that the war in Syria will end within the next year or two, Israel is maintaining the option to make some noise or intervene in case it is clear that we will be dealing with a real emergency. L to R: John Kerry and Sergey Lavrov (Photo: AP) The chance of this agreement actually being carried out lies in the details of the clandestine documents that both world powers refuse to disclose. And yet, despite the secrecy concerning its details, it is clear that there is much that both should be ashamed of in this agreement, as they are harming their allies' interests both in our region and in Europe. There are even officials within the US government who view it as an unstable agreement. At the heart of the internal US conflict surrounding the ceasefire is a disagreement between the Pentagon and the State Department regarding the strategic assets and interests that were given to Russia in exchange for its coming onboard. These include betraying the Syrian Kurds, who are supported by the US armed forces and have been carrying out their biddings. Secretary of State John Kerry, who has been trying to eke out a strategic advantage in the remaining time left to the Obama administration, is selling out the Kurds to the Turks and in the process mayto the horror of the Pentagonlose their cooperation. It remains unclear whether the agreement also includes a Turkish commitment of a ceasefire. The Turks have yet to complete their own military operation, so they have no reason to join the ceasefire. Continued Turkish attacks against the Kurds mean continued war in Syria. Nobody is talking about future Kurdish rights, and if that doesn't appear in the agreementthere won't be a truce. War-torn Idlib (Photo: Reuters) Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov put on a positive front during their joint press conference, with what appeared to be a real desire to change the reality in Syria. But in order not to clash with their European and Arab allies, they've kept the specifics of what will become of Assad's regime if the ceasefire were to succeed a secret. Does it state that Assad will remain in power for the first six months while an interim government is put in place following the end of the battles? Will he agree to appoint two deputies from his opposition to share in his authorities, as was agreed with the Russians? Will he be allowed to take part in the elections, or will he be forced to resign and disappear? All this remains unclear. Kerry and Lavrov announced that Syria will no longer be permitted to deploy its air force, and that only the US and Russia's air forces will be allowed to strike down ISIS. This seems unlikely, given the fact that ISIS is still carrying out suicide bombings against Syrian targets. In addition, it seems that Assad himself feels as though the tide is changing, and that he is close to defeating the rebels and completely restoring his rule. He is not going to stop midway. Syrian President Bashar Assad (Photo: AP) It is likely, however, that Assad and Russia's willingness to enter into a ceasefire agreement is also due to new international pressure over Assad's use of chemical weapons . The UN has come to realize that Assad has been hiding two percent of all the chemical warfare at his disposal, considered to be a substantial amount. Lately, Assad's been attempting a relatively clever maneuver, producing chemical substances that do not appear on the UN treaty. The agreement coming out of Geneva is looking less and less like something that is going to bring about a proper end to the conflict in Syria and more like a Russian-American attempt to increase their chances of defeating ISIS and the Nusra Front. Both super powers have agreed to tighten their cooperation when fighting ISIS, and to do this, they need the nearby fronts to remain quiet. This is why they have approached the "legitimate" rebels in Syria and told them to get out of ISIS and Nusra Front-held areas, allowing the US and Russia to operate in these regions without interference. In any case, though, it is clear to all the parties involved that there is no chance to reach an agreement in Syria until after the elections in the US and Iran have been decided. Rabbi Meir Mazuz, the leader of the Sephardic Haredi public, said that the Tel Aviv parking garage collapse occured as a result of the state violating the Sabbath. "What happened in this week's tragedy has never happened before. There are engineers, other intelligent people, supervisors...and now dozens of people are buried beneath the ground. Everything comes as a result of desecrating Shabbat. Government heads need to understand that everything done on Shabbat is not blessed." short video in which every word is accurate and sharp. And the words connect to sentences. And the sentences, with the melody they are pronounced in, create a full picture. And the picture makes sense: It's Bibi at his best. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter It's been a long time since I was so thrilled with Bibi. Not the hesitant, scared Bibi, who seeks to please, but the Bibi who shoots the truth and infiltrates minds and hearts. Supporting the two-state idea means supporting ethnic cleansing. The vision of two states for two people, which US President Barack Obama has made such an effort to advance, includes the creation of a "judenrein" area. That's what you call a territory where no Jew can set foot. Whoever supports the idea of evacuating my five children, a third generation in Ofra, from their home, supports a criminal act (Photo: Amit Shabi) One can call it evacuation, one can also call it disengagement or realignment, even a peace process but at the end of the day there is a reality. The language laundering cannot blur reality. We have already met this reality in the horrible injustice of expelling 5,000 Jews from Gush Katif and turning Gaza into a place where no Jew can set foot. X Any place Israel has withdrawn from, allowing the Palestinians to control it, has become a place Jews should not enter. Every day I pass by a sign white letters on a bright red background warning Jews not to enter Area A. Israeli Arabs pass the sign and enter Ramallah freely. Why? Because while the sign talks about Israelis, what it really means below the political correctness is that Jews are barred from entering. Why? Because a Jew who accidentally enters Ramallah will return to his family in a coffin. Are there areas in Israel where Arabs are barred from entering? No. Is there an area in Israel where Palestinians are barred from entering? No. Every day hundreds of thousands of Palestinians come to work in Israel, and every Friday thousands of Palestinians are allowed to enter the Temple Mount. Are there places in Judea and Samaria, in areas controlled by Israel, that Palestinians are barred from entering? No. Every day tens of thousands of Palestinians seeking an honest living enter the joint industrial zones and even the settlements. I have never entered Ramallah, but Ramallah residents enter Ofra. Because under Israeli rule there is coexistence, and under the rule of Ismail Haniyeh and Mahmoud Abbas there is a duel. I believe the conflict in the Middle East can be solved and that days of peace will arrive, but real peace cannot be based on a transfer, neither of Arabs nor of Jews. Fifteen years have passed, yet his last words still constantly echo in her head: "There was an explosion; there is a lot of smoke. I understand that I can't get out of here and that I can't be rescued." Full of emotion and pain, Sigal Shefi-Asher recalls the last phone call with her husband Haggai Shefi, who was killed in the Twin Towers at age 34. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter Sunday marks the 15th anniversary of the September 11th terror attacks. In honor of the occasion, Army Radio will be broadcasting a special program called "102 Minutes," which recounts the events of the day from the view points of nine different people, including Shefi-Asher, a worker saved from the buildings, an NYPD officer, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's chief of staff and others. Sigal Shefi-Asher (Photo: Tal Shahar) In 2001, Sigal and Haggai lived in New Jersey with their two children. Haggai was the president of an American high-tech company and had decided to start another company with a friend in which he would serve as its director. On the morning of September 11, Haggai went to the city for a conference on the 106th floor of one of the towers. When Sigal awoke, her daughter Nomi was still sleeping, but her five year old son Roi was awake. "Roi insisted on seeing his dad and drinking hot chocolate with him and that was the last time he ever saw him," recounted Sigal in an interview with Ynet's sister publication, Yedioth Ahronoth. Sigal and Haggai with their two children, Roi and Nomi At 8:00am, Haggai made it to the tower (the first to collapse in the attack) and ascended in the elevator. Sigal recounts, "I took Nomi with me for a walk in the stroller. As soon as I got back, I heard the phone ring and all of a sudden I hear Haggai." In a calm tone, Haggai told her, "There was an explosion; there is a lot of smoke. I understand that I can't get out of here and that I can't be rescued." After uttering those terrible words, Haggai finished the conversation with a personal goodbye to Sigal, which she prefers to keep to herself. The line then went dead. Sigal immediately turned on the television to see the horrific scenes occupying every television channel. "I couldn't believe what I was seeing. A plane hit the second tower; people were jumping out of windows. It was a horrible sight." One of the Twin Towers ablaze after being hit by hijacked airplane by al-Qaeda terrorists (Photo: EPA) A moment later, Haggai's parents called to see if everything was alright. Ostensibly, they didn't have a reason to be worried because they knew Haggai worked in New Jersey. She did not hide the truth from them and told them about the terrible conversation she had with Haggai, but immediately hung up in order to keep the line open in case Haggai tried to call again. Two days after the tragedy, his body was found, intact, in the rubble. Two years later, Sigal and her children returned to Israel. She currently lives in Yehud and her two children are now grown up; Roi is 20 and Nomi is 18. "Haggai gave me a huge gift," Sigal said, struggling to get her words out. "That conversation is etched in my memory and I go over it again and again. He was saying goodbye to me. He understood that he was going to die. I understood that those were his last words." Sigal spoke of her thoughts and the never ending yearning. Now, as the anniversary comes back around, the pain intensifies. "In the last few days the tears come back and so does the sharp pain in my heart. There is something about this period that brings me back to that horrible day and it will be with me until I die." The parking structure in the northern Tel Aviv neighborhood of Ramat HaHayal that collapsed last Monday was reportedly due to withstand the weight of the light rail. The parking complex was assumed to be able to withhold both the train tracks' construction and the continuing weight of the Green Line, as it passed above it. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter Sources from within the building and planning industry expressed "shock" over "the very thought of an entire train plummeting into the ground." Construction on the Green Line is due to take place during 2018. The NTA Metropolitan Mass Transit System, which is in charge of the light rail construction in Tel Aviv, eventually decided to divert the train route away from the complex. However, construction company Danya Cebus, which was in charge of the parking complex's building , went ahead and fortified the parking complex, in case the NTA changed their minds again and decided to have the light rail pass over the complex. The site of the parking complex collapse (Photo: Yaron Brener) "This is a colossal engineering oversight," said Israel David, the engineer commissioned by Danya Cebus to look into the collapse and oversee the parking structure's new fortification. According to Israel, "The city's plans had the Green Line, and I cannot even imagine the scope of the (diverted) disaster. It could have been the worst engineering disaster in the history of the country." DUBAI -- Iran, a close ally and military backer of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, welcomed a US-Russian deal for a truce in Syria, saying on Sunday the conflict should be ended through politics. "Iran supports any ceasefire and peace plan to end the humanitarian crisis in Syria or limit it that involves a political solution ... based on the Syrian people's votes," said Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Hossein Jaberi Ansari, quoted by the state news agency IRNA. "Iran has always believed that there is no military solution to the Syrian crisis and that it should be resolved through peaceful means," he added. SANAA -- At least 21 civilians were killed in two separate air strikes by the Saudi-led coalition in northern Yemen on Saturday, residents said on Sunday, as fighting intensified in the country before the Muslim Eid al-Adha feast. They said at least 15 civilians were killed when war planes targeted workers drilling for water in the Beit Saadan area of the Arhab district north of Sanaa, and that 20 other people were wounded. Residents said Saudi-led coalition warplanes, apparently mistaking the drilling machine for a rocket launcher, bombed the site and killed four workers. The planes conducted a second raid when residents of the village rushed to the scene, killing at least 11 more and wounding 20. A spokesman for the Saudi-led coalition could not immediately be reached for a comment. BEIRUT - Iran says it welcomes a US-Russian agreement on a ceasefire for Syria, where it has been a key ally of President Bashar Assad during the five-year war. Iran's semi-official ISNA news agency on Sunday quotes Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Ghassemi as saying that "Iran has always welcomed a ceaefire in Syria and the facilitation of humanitarian access to all people in this country." The deal is set to go into effect on Monday night. Both Assad's forces and the US-backed rebels would cease attacks, while the US and Russia would join forces against Islamic State and al-Qaida-linked militants. Iran, along with Russia, is a key ally of the Syrian government. Tehran has sent some of its top military commanders, as well as Revolutionary Guard forces, to bolster Assad's troops. A panel of High Court judge rejected a petition Sunday, which called to cancel the force-feeding of detainees and prisoners. Supreme Court Judges Elyakim Rubenstein, Noam Solberg and Menachem Meni Mazuz held that an amendment to the order given to Israeli prisons, which allows for force-feeding prisoners while working to prevent causing damage to their health, upholds any constitutional yardstick regarding the rights of prisoners and detainees. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter The judges noted that they had come to their decision after reviewing claims in light of former Israeli rulings, international law, comparative law and Hebrew law. A feeding tube used to force-feed prisoners (Photo: AP) In their decision, the judges also explained that allowing the force-feeding of prisoners maintains a gentle balance between the sanctity of life, public interests, the individual's right to dignity, their right to autonomy and freedom of expression. The decision was reportedly also based on several medical, legal and judicial sources. The Knesset Assembly voted the "force-feed" bill into law in July 2015, after a long process to get it approved . An amendment to the order given to Israeli prisons acts in this case as a measure of oversight to prison force-feeding, allowing a representative of the prison to approach a district court judge and, with the permission of the attorney general, ask that a prisoner on a self-imposed hunger strike receive medical attention. Palestinian hunger striker Mohammed Allaan The approval of the law raised a great deal of opposition from medical experts, and in a recent case even came to physicians refusing to force-feed Mohammed Allaan , a West Bank detainee who went on a hunger strike. Following its approval, Israel Medical Association Chairman Dr. Leonid Eidelman called it "a harmful law that blemishes Israel's statutes book." US Ambassador to Israel Dan Shapiro said that Israeli society stands out as a model in successfully passing on the memory of significant events and tragedies to future generations. Shapiro made his remarks while speaking at a memorial event marking the 15th anniversary of the September 11th attacks. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter "Where Israelis have excelled and where we continue to learn from them is conveying the power of memory and history forward so that each successive generation understands the meaning and the obligations that flow from events from which they cannot personally recall," said Shapiro. "(Israel is) a nation that has endured countless tragedies, and more than one existential crisis each of which shattered individual lives and stung an entire generation." Dan Shapiro (Photo: Avida Landau, US Embassy) Shapiro, Jewish National Fund Chairman Ronald Lauder, Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat and former Israeli ambassador to the United States Michael Oren joined a delegation of American police and firefighters to mark the anniversary at Jerusalem's Living Memorial to 9/11. The nine-meter-tall sculpture, which was dedicated in 2009, is the only memorial to the tragedy outside the United States. It was designed by Israeli artist Eliezer Weishoff and is engraved with all 2,996 victims' names. Nearly all speakers made reference to shared values between the United States and Israel. The former ambassador made compared the terrorists who attacked the World Trade Center to Palestinian suicide bombers who target families and children on Israeli buses, and Jerusalem Mayor Barkat said the American and Israeli experiences with terror were part of a wider, pointed attack on Western mores and values. : X "The 9/11 murderers tried to destroy our way of life They failed, in New York, Jerusalem, Paris, Brussels. They didn't win 15 years ago, they won't win today and they won't win tomorrow," Barkat said. Predictably, the anniversary re-opened wounds for bereaved families and rescue workers called into service on that fateful day. Several individuals struggled to hold back tears as memories of loved ones and traumatic experiences took center stage, together with feelings of gratitude for blessings experienced since 2001. Nir Barkat (Photo: Jerusalem Municipality) For some, the tragedy touched various parts of their lives individuals who lost multiple family members or colleagues, who participated in rescue operations, or a combination of all three. Forty-two-year-old Jimmy Lisi, a police detective from Jersey City, NJ, watched the Twin Towers collapse, spent the rest of the day transporting evacuated people from the Hudson River ferry docks to local hospitals and worrying about his brother-in-law, a New York police officer who ultimately died in the aftermath of the attack. "The attack taught me not to take our lives and blessings for granted, and especially the need to stick together," Lisi told Tazpit Press Service (TPS). Lisi said this year is the first year he has not spent the anniversary of the attack with his sister, but he added that the chance to spend the day in Israel was an "invaluable opportunity." "We mourn with the Israel Police and with the Israeli people. It is an honor to mourn and pay tribute together," Lisi said. Article reprinted with permission from TPS Police arrested 55 people and seized bladed weapons after dozens of men occupied a Sikh temple in central England on Sunday. A Sikh youth group said it was protesting the temple's use for interfaith weddings. The Warwickshire Police force said officers were called earlier on Sunday to the Gurdwara Sahib Leamington and Warwick temple in Leamington Spa, a town 100 miles (160 kilometers) northwest of London. Police initially said the group consisted of 20 to 30 people. Several hours after the incident began, police said they had made 55 arrests on suspicion of aggravated trespass. They said no one was injured. The family of Avraham "Abera" Mengistu, an Ethiopian-Israeli reportedly held hostage by Hamas, gathered today with dozens of protesters in front of the Prime Minister's Office to protest what they considered to be government inaction for Mengistu's repatriation. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter "We are here today to raise awareness of my brother's plight," stated Ilan Mengistu to Tazpit Press Service (TPS). "I think it's time for the prime minister to understand that it is forbidden to forsake an innocent Israeli citizen in the hands of terrorists." he claimed. "In two years, my brother has had no visits from the Red Cross, no one is aware of his exact location, and we, his family, have received no information whatsoever on his well-being, which violates his international human rights." he said. The Mengistu family and protesters demonstrate in front of the Prime Minister's Office in Jerusalem (Photo: The Fight for the Liberation of Abera Mengistu Organization) "Two years and not a single thing has been done." stated Ayaline, Mengistu's father, in an official statement. "Do we count for nothing? How come the families of Hamas' captives can come to Israel and hold their relatives when we have no information whatsoever? Mr. Prime Minister, this is in your hands!" he claimed. Mengistu, a 28-year-old civilian from Ashkelon, crossed the border into Gaza in September 2014, through the Zikim beach for unknown reasons. He has been missing ever since. Hamas' spokespeople refute the family statements claiming that Avraham is mentally unstable. They claim he was captured as a prisoner of war. "Avera is a mentally unhealthy person who unfortunately ended up in Gaza, and is in need of medical treatment. This is a humanitarian case, not a political or military one," Sahar Mola, one of the activists who participated in a similar protest last year, told TPS at that time. The Mengistu family, along with the families of soldiers Oron Shaul and Hadar Goldin whose bodies are also in the hands of Hamas, have called for a tightening of conditions for Hamas prisoners in Israeli jails. They also denounced the last June's Israel-Turkey reconciliation deal for failing to include specific clauses about their children. "It is within the prime minister's capacity to use the rights of the Hamas prisoners in Israeli custody (such as family visitations, allowance, education or radio) as a bargaining chip to address the unlawful captivity conditions in which Avraham is being held." Ilan Mengistu told TPS. "We will not make peace with the current state of affairs and we will not stop pressuring the government until something is done."he concluded. Along with Avraham Mengistu, two Israeli Bedouins named Hisham al-Sayed and Jumaa Abu-Ghanima have also crossed the border to Gaza in similar circumstances, respectively in 2015 and 2016. Ex-Yesh-Atid MK Pnina Tamano-Shata wrote on Facebook that the protest is proof of the government's inaction. "Two years have passed and nothing has been done. The protest proves that the public willjj not abandon the fight in the face of governmental incompetence." Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas addressed on Sunday night Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin's Netanyahu's online video that claimed that opposing the presence of Jews in the West Bank is support of ethnic cleansing. Abbas said, "The government of Israel is carrying out ethnic cleansing and deliberately killingacts that have exposed it to international criticism all over the world." Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter The president criticized Israeli policy, "We are not isolated, like the Israeli government is trying to present us. The government of Israel is the actually isolated one in the international stage because it isn't interested in continuing on the path of peace, continues the settlement industry and damages the holy sites." Mahmoud Abbas (Photo: Ofer Meir) Netanyahu's video, which he released in English on Friday via his Facebook page, shows him explaining, "The Palestinian leadership actually demands a Palestinian state with one pre-condition: No Jews. There's a phrase for that: It's called ethnic cleansing. And this demand is outrageous." Abbas has stated that a future Palestinian state would not permit a single Israeli settler to live within its borders. After viewing the video clip that was circulated on social media, US State Department spokeswoman Elizabeth Trudeau said at a briefing in Washington that the Israeli leader's words were "inappropriate and unhelpful." Netanyahu's video X "We obviously strongly disagree with the characterization that those who oppose settlement activity or view it as an obstacle to peace are somehow calling for ethnic cleansing of Jews from the West Bank. We believe that using that type of terminology is inappropriate and unhelpful," she said. Trudeau added in her briefing that the United States feels the settlement policy raises "real questions about Israel's long-term intentions in the West Bank." News Washington, DC - Opening statement delivered Tuesday by Under Secretary Ted Mitchell in a press call with reporters to discuss the announced ITT Educational Services Inc. closure and the U.S. Department of Education's plan to support students. Under Secretary Mitchell: Thanks everyone for joining us today. As I'm sure you know, ITT Educational Services, Inc. announced today that it is closing its campuses. We are holding this call to talk about what that means for current ITT students, to tell you about our plan to support students, and to enlist your help in making sure these students are aware of their options. Roughly students have two options: The first option is to have his or her federal loans discharged. Students who are currently enrolled at ITT Tech or who have withdrawn from ITT within the last 120 days may be eligible to have their federal student loans from their ITT program discharged through our closed school loan program. With their federal loan debt wiped away, students can then decide whether to restart their education somewhere new. To get started with the closed school process, students should call their loan servicer or visit studentaid.gov/ITT, which will be up and running shortly. We've taken care to ensure all of our servicers are providing helpful and accurate information about the closed school option to borrowers. The second option is for students to continue their studies at another school. Students who are closer to completing their programs may wish to explore transferring their credits. It's important for students to know that if they are able to transfer their credits into a similar program of study, some or all of their loans will no longer be eligible for discharge. Let me now tell you what we are doing to inform ITT students of their options and to make sure they have support to decide the right next step for them. First, perhaps most importantly, we are contacting the thousands of students currently enrolled in ITT students today to alert them to the situation and let them know about their options. In that message, we'll include a basic explanation of what ITT's closure means for them, and we'll link to a set of questions and answers they can review at studentaid.gov/ITT, and we'll make sure they know they can call 1-800-4-FED-AID for immediate assistance. A team of student aid professionals is standing by to answer their specific questions. Beginning later this week, Federal Student Aid will host a series of webinars for students to walk through these options. The webinars will then be posted on the studentaid.gov/ITT website and will continue to serve as a resource for students as they make these important decisions. In addition our FSA team will partner with states to host in-person transfer fairs at selected locations to inform students of their options. The details of these fairs will be posted at studentaid.gov/ITT. In the coming days and weeks, we will continue to work closely with states and other partners as part of our plan. For example, we are in close communication with state authorizing agencies and ITT to ensure ITT students have continued access to their transcripts. As students begin exploring where to resume their studies, they'll need their transcripts to demonstrate the coursework that they've completed. Getting access to those records should not be burdensome for students. We are also working with regional and national accreditors who stand ready to help their schools with support on things like transfer of credit and prior learning assessment. And we are speaking directly with schools to make sure there will be places for ITT students to go if they choose to continue their education elsewhere. I have personally encouraged many community college leaders to reach out to former ITT students, to explore which of their schools' programs are closely aligned to those offered by ITT, andwhere it makes senseto accept former ITT students as transfers. Today, I will send out a letter to a large group of targeted community college leaders whose colleges are near ITT campuses and have aligned programs. And we are holding calls with that group of community college leaders later today. Each student will have to carefully evaluate his or her individual options and situation. As I mentioned, our 1-800-4-FED-AID is the number students can call to get information and ask questions. We are also working with a number of organizations to help students navigate their options based on their particular circumstances. And we'll share more about these resources in the coming days. A lot goes into deciding where to go to college. For students who choose to restart or continue their education at another college, we encourage them to carefully consider factors like program quality and cost. I'll take your questions in just a moment, but let me close with two thoughts: First of all, we've talked about students continuing their education. As Secretary King said in his open letter this morning, we think that it is important for students to continue what they started. There is nothing more important than a college degree in today's economy and we stand behind the students who have made the decision to continue their education. Second, we knew that when we stepped up our oversight of ITT, this outcome was a possibility and we have been planning for this contingency. As we said then, it wasn't a decision we took lightly. Ultimately, our responsibility is not to any individual institutionit's to protect all students and all taxpayers. I have no doubt that our decision to take action was the right one in service of these goals. But I also recognize that today's news may cause disruption, confusion, and disappointment to many of ITT's current students. We believe that enabling students to restart or continue their education at a different school will best serve them in the long run, and we remain firmly committed to helping students achieve their educational goals. In the coming days, weeks, and months, we will be here to help those students understand their options, sort out their next steps, and connect them with others who can help. Border News Tucson, Arizona - A man previously convicted in Mexico for the murder of a U.S. Border Patrol agent was arrested by Tucson Sector Border Patrol agents after he illegally crossed into the U.S. on Sunday. (See photo courtesy of Pima County Sheriff's Department). Francisco Javier Rosas-Molina served 11 years in prison for killing Border Patrol Agent Jorge Salomon-Martinez in 2003, near Cananea, Sonora, Mexico. Agent Salomon was traveling off-duty when Rosas attacked him after he learned he was a Border Patrol agent. Rosas arrest record dates back to 2002 when he was apprehended by the Cochise County Sheriff's Department for possession of marijuana, for transport or sale. He served 108 days in county jail for that offense. Rosas now faces prosecution by the U.S. Attorneys Office for "Illegal Re-entry by an Aggravated Felon." U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials appreciate assistance from the community. Citizens can report suspicious activity by calling the U.S. Border Patrol at 1-877-872-7435 and may remain anonymous. Border News Nogales, Arizona - U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers and a U.S. Border Patrol agent were involved in a use-of-force incident Friday afternoon while working at the Port of Nogales Mariposa Crossing. Reports show that a subject attempted to evade Border Patrol agents by driving south through the port of entry (POE), and then swerved his vehicle at officers who were working there. OFO officers and a Border Patrol agent fired their service weapons at the driver during his violent assault with a vehicle. The driver sustained multiple gunshot wounds and was airlifted to a Tucson area hospital. There was also a passenger in the vehicle who sustained non-life-threatening injuries, and is currently in federal custody. No officers or agents were injured in the incident. The incident created a significant impact to southbound traffic through the POE. As a result, southbound traffic lanes through the Mariposa Crossing have been temporarily closed. Traffic has been re-routed as the investigation continues. The FBI, CBPs Office of Professional Responsibility, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcements Homeland Security Investigations are jointly investigating the incident. The U.S. Border Patrol and Office of Field Operations are cooperating fully with the investigation. More information will be forthcoming as it becomes available. U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials welcome assistance from the community. Citizens can report suspicious activity to the Border Patrol and remain anonymous by calling 1-877-872-7435 toll free. Contacting the Border Patrol to report illicit activity could result in saving someones life. Latest News Washington, DC - NASA's first asteroid sampling mission launched into space at 7:05 p.m. EDT Thursday from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, beginning a journey that could revolutionize our understanding of the early solar system. Today, we celebrate a huge milestone for this remarkable mission, and for this mission team, said NASA Administrator Charles Bolden. Were very excited about what this mission can tell us about the origin of our solar system, and we celebrate the bigger picture of science that is helping us make discoveries and accomplish milestones that might have been science fiction yesterday, but are science facts today. The Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, Security-Regolith Explorer (OSIRIS-REx) spacecraft is designed to rendezvous with, study, and return a sample of the asteroid Bennu to Earth. Asteroids like Bennu are remnants from the formation of our solar system more than 4.5 billion years ago. Scientists suspect that asteroids may have been a source of the water and organic molecules for the early Earth and other planetary bodies. An uncontaminated asteroid sample from a known source would enable precise analyses, providing results far beyond what can be achieved by spacecraft-based instruments or by studying meteorites. OSIRIS-REx separated from its United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket at 8:04 p.m. The solar arrays deployed and are now powering the spacecraft. With todays successful launch, the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft embarks on a journey of exploration to Bennu, said Dante Lauretta, OSIRIS-REx principal investigator at the University of Arizona, Tucson. I couldnt be more proud of the team that made this mission a reality, and I cant wait to see what we will discover at Bennu. In 2018, OSIRIS-REx will approach Bennu which is the size of a small mountain and begin an intricate dance with the asteroid, mapping and studying Bennu in preparation for sample collection. In July 2020, the spacecraft will perform a daring maneuver in which its 11-foot arm will reach out and perform a five-second high-five to stir up surface material, collecting at least 2 ounces (60 grams) of small rocks and dust in a sample return container. OSIRIS-REx will return the sample to Earth in September 2023, when it will then be transported to NASAs Johnson Space Center in Houston for examination. The OSIRIS-REx mission will be the first U.S. mission to carry samples from an asteroid back to Earth and the largest sample returned from space since the Apollo era. "Its satisfying to see the culmination of years of effort from this outstanding team, said Mike Donnelly, OSIRIS-REx project manager at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. We were able to deliver OSIRIS-REx on time and under budget to the launch site, and will soon do something that no other NASA spacecraft has done bring back a sample from an asteroid. Goddard provides overall mission management, systems engineering and the safety and mission assurance for OSIRIS-REx. The University of Arizona leads the science team and observation planning and processing. Lockheed Martin Space Systems in Denver built the spacecraft. OSIRIS-REx is the third mission in NASAs New Frontiers Program. NASAs Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, manages the agencys New Frontiers Program for its Science Mission Directorate in Washington. Launch and countdown management is the responsibility of NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida. For images, video, and more information, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/osiris-rex Latest News Louisville, Kentucky - An illegal alien from Mexico residing in Louisville was charged this week by a federal grand jury with possessing and using counterfeit documents to illegally obtain employment. These charges were announced by John E. Kuhn Jr., U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Kentucky, and resulted from an investigation conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcements (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). Juan Carlos Ortega-Santos, 26, was charged with the following immigration fraud-related counts: two counts of using a false document for purposes of obtaining employment, one count of possessing a counterfeit alien registration card, and one count of possessing a counterfeit Social Security card. This case arose when Ortega-Santos was arrested June 22 for driving under the influence and killing two juveniles on Taylorsville Road. Ortega-Santos was later charged with murder, assault, wanton endangerment, operating a motor vehicle under the influence, driving without a license, and failure to maintain insurance. Soon after his arrest, it was learned that Ortega-Santos was a Mexican national illegally present in the United States. Upon learning of Ortega-Santos illegal immigration status in the United States, HSI special agents began investigating and found that he had used counterfeit documents to obtain employment in Louisville. If convicted, Ortega-Santos faces up to 10 years in prison using a false document to obtain employment, and up to five years in prison for the other two counts. ICE placed an immigration detainer on Ortega-Santos, which requests that he be turned over to ICE upon his release from state or federal custody. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel P. Kinnicutt, Western District of Kentucky, is prosecuting this case. Members of the public are reminded that an indictment is merely an accusation; the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty. Latest News Youngstown, Ohio - The Department of Justice, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), U.S. Department of Interior and the state of Ohio announced today that Rutgers Organics Corporation (Rutgers) has agreed to complete the cleanup of the Nease Chemical Superfund Site (site) near Salem, Ohio, estimated to cost $18.75 million. The agreement is memorialized in a consent decree lodged in federal court today in Youngstown, Ohio. Under the consent decree, Rutgers also agrees to restore injured natural resources at the site and nearby areas, at a cost of approximately $500,000. Further, Rutgers will reimburse federal and state agencies their past response and assessment costs of about $1 million. Todays consent decree is a significant milestone in our efforts to make the environment cleaner and safer for the citizens of Salem and to protect and restore our valuable natural resources in that region said Assistant Attorney General John C. Cruden for the Justice Departments Environment and Natural Resources Division. I want to thank our state partners, as well as recognize the cooperation of defendant Rutgers, for joining us on a path forward to clean up the contaminated Nease Site while preserving undeveloped land and protecting local drinking water sources. This agreement will undo the damage done in the past while preserving creeks and the watershed for future generations, said U.S. Attorney Carole S. Rendon for the Northern District of Ohio. This settlement will protect human health and the environment in northeast Ohio by reducing the risk of exposure to potentially harmful chemicals, said U.S. EPA Acting Regional Administrator Robert Kaplan. EPA looks forward to working with our federal and state partners to clean up the site and restore the Little Beaver Creek watershed. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is looking forward to continuing the cleanup and restoration of injured natural resources at the Nease Chemical Site, said Service Deputy Midwest Regional Director Charlie Wooley. This settlement enables the Service and other trustees to work together to restore lost resources and protect valuable habitat in the Little Beaver Creek watershed. In a complaint filed today simultaneously with the lodging of the consent decree, the federal and state agencies allege that, between 1961 and 1973, portions of the site were owned and operated by a chemical manufacturing plant known as the Nease Chemical Company (Nease Chemical). Nease Chemical produced specialty products including pesticides such as Mirex, a probable human carcinogen no longer produced in the United States. Hazardous substances derived from these specialty products were detected in the soil, ground water, sediments and flood plains/wetlands in the area, as well as in the fish in the nearby main surface water body, the Middle Fork Little Beaver Creek. Rutgers acquired the assets of Nease Chemical, which ceased operations in 1973. Since 1988, Rutgers has cooperated with EPA to investigate and clean up the site. Under the consent decree, Rutgers will complete EPAs Operable Unit 2 remedy at the site by, among other things, capping soil and treating the ponds and ground water. Rutgers will also complete EPAs Operable Unit 3 remedy at the site, by, among other things, removing contaminated sediment and floodplain soil and replacing with clean material. The total cleanup, including long term operations and maintenance, is estimated to cost $18.75 million. The contamination released from the chemical plant over time has injured natural resources in and around the site, including the underlying groundwater aquifers which have become unusable as a source of potable water. As part of the settlement, Rutgers will remove a low-head dam, known as the Lisbon Dam on the Middle Fork Little Beaver Creek and restore adjacent streamside habitat. Those projects, estimated to cost up to $150,000, are expected to help establish a free-flowing stream with a healthy and diverse fish population. Rutgers will also fund a $366,000 trust to conserve a variety of lands in the Little Beaver Creek watershed, especially lands that are subject to pressures from new development in the area, to help provide valuable habitat. The trust will also seek to conserve property to protect local drinking water source areas from further contamination. Further, Rutgers will reimburse the federal and state agencies for their past response and assessment costs, totaling approximately $1 million and agrees to fund all future oversight and assessment costs. This settlement will help protect the environment and Ohio families, said Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine. It requires the cleanup of a long-contaminated site and the restoration and preservation of natural resources. About 280-acres of habitat were contaminated by hazardous substances injuring surface and ground waters at the former Nease Chemical site, said Ohio EPA Director Craig W. Butler. Healthy streams and waterways are critical to Ohios citizens and our economy. This consent decree is a welcome step forward after many years of work to bring the area stream habitats back to healthy, functioning waterways and protecting drinking water resources into the future. Todays settlement, lodged with the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio, is subject to a 30-day public comment period following notification in the Federal Register and final approval by the court. Latest News Washington, DC - The owner and operator of Candy Color Lenses, a major online retailer of colored contact lenses in the United States, pleaded guilty Thursday to running an international operation importing counterfeit and misbranded contact lenses from suppliers in Asia and then selling them over the internet without a prescription to tens of thousands of customers around the country. Assistant Attorney General Leslie R. Caldwell of the Justice Departments Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Daniel G. Bogden of the District of Nevada and Director George M. Karavetsos of the U.S. Food and Drug Administrations (FDA) Office of Criminal Investigations made the announcement. Dmitriy V. Melnik, of Las Vegas, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge James C. Mahan of the District of Nevada to one count of conspiracy to traffic in counterfeit goods and to introduce into interstate commerce misbranded devices. According to the plea agreement, Melnik imported large quantities of colored contact lenses from the Peoples Republic of China and South Korea that he knew were counterfeit and/or unauthorized by the FDA for sale in the United States. Many of these contact lenses bore labels with counterfeit trademarks for Ciba Vision FreshLook COLORBLENDS, which are manufactured by Novartis International AG, and others had labels of brands of contact lenses produced and sold in Asia, he admitted. As noted in the plea agreement, all contact lenses are medical devices that must receive FDA authorization to enter the United States and be further distributed. Melnik sold authentic contact lenses to tens of thousands of customers around the United States without a prescription, adequate directions for use and adequate warnings. After purchasing the contact lenses, many customers complained directly to Melnik about the quality of the contact lenses and questioned Melnik about whether the contact lenses were genuine and FDA approved, according to the plea agreement. Melnik admitted that some of the contact lenses he sold were tested and found to be contaminated with potentially hazardous bacteria. As stated in the plea agreement, a substantial part of the fraudulent scheme was committed from outside the United States, and Melnik received at least $1.2 million in gross revenue from this illegal enterprise, including approximately $200,000 alone from the sale of counterfeit Ciba Vision FreshLook COLORBLENDS. Anyone with information about individuals committing intellectual property offenses can report those crimes to the National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center by going to http://www.iprcenter.gov/referral or calling (866) IPR-2060. The prosecution is the result of an ongoing multiagency effort to combat counterfeit, illegally imported and unapproved contact lenses called Operation Double Vision. The FDAs Office of Criminal Investigations led the investigation, with significant support from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcements Homeland Security Investigations. Senior Counsel Matthew A. Lamberti of the Criminal Divisions Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel J. Cowhig of the District of Nevada are prosecuting the case. The indictment is related to the many efforts being undertaken by the departments Task Force on Intellectual Property, which supports prosecution priorities, promotes innovation through heightened civil enforcement, enhances coordination among federal, state and local law enforcement partners and focuses on international enforcement efforts, including reinforcing relationships with key foreign partners and U.S. industry leaders. Our directory features more than 18 million business listings from across the entire US. However, if we're missing your business, add your business by clicking on Add Your Business. LIVE-2 Inning |30-34 BANGLADESH VS ZIMBABWE BAN 150/7 VS 64/4 ZIM Zimbabwe need 87 runs in 60 balls at 8.7 rpo Melbourne: In a fresh wave of protests against the ongoing atrocities and human rights violation by Pakistan in Balochistan, the Baloch activists staged a protest here on Sunday. The protestors raised 'stop genocide of Baloch people', 'we want peace' and 'Balochistan Zindabad' slogans during their protest. President of Baloch National Movement in Australia, Mir Baloch, said, "We are here to protest the ongoing atrocities in Balochistan. Since five days, our senior activist's house is under siege. No one is allowed to go in or come out. They have no food or water." "We are thankful to Indian Diaspora and Prime Minister Narendra Modi to raise the issue of human rights violation in Balochistan. We urge the international community to take the note of the situation and extend support for Balochistan." Yesterday, the Baloch National Front staged a protest in Turbat, Balochistan, condemning the abduction of Baloch women, harassment of activists and human rights abuses being carried out by the Pakistani forces. Earlier, Baloch Republican Party representative at the United Nations Human rights council Abdul Nawaz Bugti had stated that in different parts of Dera Bugti, people are now being abducted. Bugti also emphasized that Pakistani forces have denied access to them including their own human rights organisations, who are not being allowed to visit them. Earlier, welcoming PM Modi's statement on Balochistan in his Independence Day speech, several Baloch activists claimed that people of the region support him and he should take up the Baloch issue with the international community at the United Nation. New Delhi: Ratcheting up pressure on Pakistan, Home Minister Rajnath Singh will visit Russia and the United States next week to highlight the issue of the neighbouring country sponsoring terrorism in India and discuss efforts to counter ISIS activities in the region. Singh will visit Russia for five days beginning September 18 where he will have bilateral talks with Russian Minister for Internal Affairs Vladimir Kolokoltsev and discuss issues related to Indo-Russia joint anti-terror cooperation. They will also discuss cross border terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir and growing activities of ISIS in the country and its neighbourhood. The Home Minister will travel to Washington on September 26 for a seven-day visit for the Indo-US Homeland Security Dialogue with his American counterpart Jeh Charles Johnson. Singh will raise the issue of Pakistan-sponsored terrorism and activities of ISIS in India and other South Asian countries. "In both the bilateral visits to Russia and the US, the Home Minister will highlight Pakistan's direct involvement in cross border terrorism and growing activities of the Middle East terror group in India and its neighbourhood," a Home Ministry official said. The Home Minister will have threadbare discussions with his Russian and the US counterparts on how to enhance anti-terror cooperation, especially checking the growing activities of ISIS and sharing of intelligence inputs. Other issues to be discussed in the two visits include extradition of each other's wanted criminals, liberalisation of visas etc. The visit by Singh, one of the top leaders of the Modi government, to the two global powers within a week is considered significant as India has raised the pitch on the issue of "terror export" from Pakistan. Prime Minister Narendra Modi raised the issue at the G20, BRICS meet and East Asia Summit, where he called on the international community to isolate and sanction this instigator of terrorism. Modi urged the nations to intensify joint efforts to combat terrorism and sought "coordinated actions" by the grouping to "isolate supporters and sponsors of terror". The government's tough stance comes amid heightened tension with Pakistan, which is openly backing militancy in Jammu and Kashmir which has been hit by unrest for over two months now. "The bilateral visits of the Home Minister are part of India's efforts to create global opinion against Pakistan sponsored terrorism in India," the official said. Further cementing anti-terror cooperation, real-time sharing of intelligence inputs, cyber security and critical infrastructure protection, countering illicit finance, global supply chain security, megacity policing and science and technology are some of the key issues to be discussed at the meetings to be held in Moscow and Washington. Patna: A day after Mohammad Shahabuddin took swipe at him, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Sunday termed as 'unimportant' the RJD strongman's remarks describing him as 'CM of circumstances'. Kumar also said that he would go by the people's mandate and not by what someone else says. "We have not got the mandate to give reactions. You (media persons) too are wasting your time and space on this. The whole world knows what is the mandate of the people of Bihar. Should I go by the people's mandate or pay attention to what someone is saying? We have not paid attention to such things in the past. All these things are not important," he told reporters. Kumar said this in response to a query by media persons on the sidelines of a programme at Bihar College of Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy in Patna. Shahabuddin yesterday had walked out of prison on bail after 11 years with much fanfare and had praised party chief Lalu Prasad Yadav. "For me Lalu Prasad is the leader" and Nitish Kumar is the CM "circumstantially", the controversial leader had said, as he had emerged out of the Bhagalpur divisional jail and had left in a convoy of three hundred vehicles for Siwan. Shahabuddin is a member of RJD national committee - the top decision-making body of the party - and is known to be close to the RJD chief. He has been a four-time MP from Siwan. Various pending cases against Shahabuddin were reopened and he was sent to jail after Kumar had assumed power in 2005. He had got final reprieve on Wednesday when Patna High Court granted him bail in a case of murder of a witness in the 2004 killing of two brothers in Siwan. He had got bail in nearly 12 other cases earlier. Shahabuddin was accorded a grand reception by his supporters and RJD workers. He was welcomed by RJD Lok Sabha MP from Bhagalpur, Shailesh Kumar alias Bulo Mandal, at Jehangir Chowk in Bhagalpur and by other supporters at Naughachia in the same district. Asked by newsmen whether his prolonged jail term had harmed him politically, Shahabuddin had said, "A little damage has happened." His wife Heena Sahab lost to Om Prakash Yadav of BJP in the last parliamentary election from Siwan in 2014. Meanwhile, in an embarrassment to the Bihar CM, RJD vice president Raghuvansh Prasad Singh today said, "What is wrong in it (Shahabuddin's statement)? Nitish Kumar has indeed been a Chief Minister of circumstances and not because of his own strength and numbers." On the other hand, senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi termed as a "well-planned strategy" of the Nitish Kumar government to ensure the RJD strongman's release from jail. (With PTI inputs) Patna: Senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi on Sunday asked whether Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar will invoke the Crime Control Act against RJD strongman Mohammad Shahabuddin, demanding speedy trial in all cases pending against him. "Will the Chief Minister dare to invoke the Crime Control Act (CCA) against Shahabuddin? Or will he extern Shahabuddin from the state till the CCA is invoked against him? Mr Chief Minister, Shahabuddin and Sushasan (good governance) cannot go hand in hand. You will have to choose one of them," he said. Demanding speedy trial of all cases pending against Shahabuddin, Modi questioned whether the fair probe into the murder case of journalist Rajdeo Ranjan and trial in the Rajiv Roshan case were possible if Shahabuddin was out of jail. "How permission was granted to take out a procession of hundreds of cars with arms while Shahabuddin was going to his hometown of Siwan from Bhagalpur jail?" he said, adding why toll tax was not taken from hundreds of vehicles used in the procession. "Will the government provide security to the family members of journalist Rajdeo Ranjan, and Rajiv Roshan, who was an eyewitness in the killing of his two brothers, who were drenched in acid in 2004?" Sushil asked. The BJP leader also wondered whether the state government would appeal in the division bench of the High Court against the bail granted to Shahabuddin in the Rajiv Roshan murder case. New Delhi: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Sunday refused to accept the resignation of its legislator Amanatullah Khan, against whom an FIR was registered a day ago following molestation charges levelled by his sister-in-law. "We refused to accept Khan's resignation. It's a six-year-old family matter and his in-laws are dragging him into it," Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia told a press conference here. "We have found out in our investigation that he is being dragged into it," he added. On Saturday, a complaint was registered against Khan at the Jamia Nagar police station in south Delhi. New Delhi: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Sunday refused to accept the resignation of its legislator Amanatullah Khan and slammed the "Modi Police" for registering an FIR against Khan who they said was being "framed" for exposing corruption in the Delhi Waqf Board. On Saturday an FIR was registered against Khan at the Jamia Nagar police station over molestation charges levelled by his sister-in-law. "We refused to accept his (Khan's) resignation. It's a six-year-old family matter and his in-laws are dragging him into it," Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia told reporters at a press conference here at the AAP office. "We have found out in our investigation that he is being dragged into it," he added. On Saturday, Delhi Police booked Khan under section 509 (word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman), section 506 (criminal intimidation), section 498 A (relative of husband of a woman subjecting her to cruelty) of Indian Penal Code (IPC). Sisodia said that Khan was being framed in this case for exposing corruption in the Waqf Board and he has nothing to do with his brother-in-law's wife for last four years. MLA from Okhla, Khan, who was made the Chairman of Delhi Waqf Board in March, was recently accused of involvement in an alleged recruitment scam there and the Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) launched a "preliminary inquiry" against him. Khan on Saturday claimed to have raised financial irregularities of Rs 280 crore in the Waqf Board. Terming Delhi Police as "Modi Police", Sisodia said "Modi Police has set a scanner against AAP. As soon as any complaint is made, the Delhi Police register it without making any inquiry." Sisodia made allegation against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP President Amit Shah asking why they are not being probed even after an IAS officer (Pradeep Kumar), now suspended, had already moved a notice in the Supreme Court for the CBI to probe some tapes which allegedly showed them as using Gujarat police to conduct surveillance on a woman. Terming the issue as "India's Monica Lewinsky case", Sisodia challenged media to start a debate on the issue. He said the AAP party knows "how to clean itself", and it does not care for the allegations of the "Modi government or Modi Police". "Our boss is not Modi. Our boss is janata (citizens) who knows everything. We are doing our work," he added. New Delhi: Putting an end to a nine-year-old marriage, the Delhi High Court has reiterated that denying sex to the spouse for a long time, without sufficient reason, amounted to mental cruelty and is a ground for divorce. A division bench of Justice Pradeep Nandarajog and Justice Pratibha Rani granted divorce to a man, while taking into consideration his contention that the marriage could not be consummated and she had visited his office and made false complaints against him to his boss, due to which he had to leave the job. "All these acts, individually as well cumulatively, amount to treating the husband with cruelty," the bench said while upholding the decision of a Family Court dissolving the marriage finding it to be a "sexless marriage". The family court on April 1 had dissolved the marriage on a plea by the husband. The woman had moved the high court against the decision but on Friday, it dismissed her appeal filed against the dissolution of marriage. Passing the order in favour of husband, the high court cited a Supreme court judgement saying not allowing a spouse to have sexual intercourse by his or her partner for long, without sufficient reason, amounted to mental cruelty to such spouse. The 46-year-old man stated before the court that they got married in November 2007 but his wife refused to indulge in sexual activities due to a medical problem. They went to Shimla for honeymoon in January next year and there also she did not allow the marriage to be consummated and threatened to raise alarm or jump from the balcony in case any attempt was made by the husband to touch her. After the failed honeymoon, they returned to Delhi and again she left for her parents' home and returned after about three months, he said, adding that her behaviour towards his mother was also insulting and humiliating. In her defence, the woman had said that her husband and in-laws used to harass her with dowry demand. She said that her husband used to drink heavily and inflict cruelty on her body, mind and soul. Her husband used to take heavy doses of drugs for depression from which he has been suffering for over 10 years. She also alleged him of hiding about his earlier marriage and a daughter from the first wife. New Delhi: Delhi Police on Sunday booked yet another AAP MLA Somnath Bharti for damaging AIIMS property and threatening its security guards, making him the third party legislator to be accused of breaching the law. The police have reportedly registered a FIR against Bharti following a complaint from AIIMS Chief Security Officer RS Rawat. According to IANS, Rawat, in his written complaint at Hauz Khas police station, said that Bharti, around 9.45 am on September 9 "provoked the mob to damage the fence of government property (AIIMS)". "Bharti gave permission to unauthorised persons with JCB machines to get access inside AIIMS from Gautam Nagar Nallah road side and misbehaved with security personnel," said a police officer, citing Rawat's complaint. It was also alleged that six security personnel were injured while trying to intervene and stop Bharti and his supporters from damaging AIIMS property. Bharti and his supporters have been booked under Sections 147 (rioting), 148 (rioting, armed with deadly weapons), 186 (obstructing public servant), 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant) of Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, IANS reported. The fresh case against Bharti, the legislator from Malviya Nagar area of south Delhi and a former minister, came a day after AAP's another legislator, Amantullah Khan, was booked for molesting his sister-in-law. Bharti was earlier booked in a domestic violence case filed against him by his wife Lipika Mitra. He was later granted bail in the case. Bharti, however, termed the allegations "wrong". "It's wrong on the part of channels to show it as a scuffle issue between AIIMS guards and residents. The contentious wall was between the two sides," he said in a series of tweets. "Hundreds of residents of Gautam Nagar Masjid moth including SHO (Station House Officer) Hauz Khas and other police officers were witness to the demolition." "Come what may, this wall will have to go in the larger interest of Gautam Nagar, Masjid Moth, Niti Bagh and rest of ward 164 residents," he tweeted. Recently, another party legislator Sandeep Kumar was arrested on charges of rape after a sex CD emerged implicating him. The party had swiftly sacked the social justice minister. Srinagar: Brave Indian Army jawans on Sunday foiled an infiltration bid along the Line of Control in Naugam sector of Kashmir. The army killed four terrorists during the operation. "Alert soldiers posted along the Line of Control in Naugam sector noticed some suspicious movement and challenged the intruders," an army official said. The militants opened fire at positions of security forces which was "effectively retaliated", triggering a gunbattle, he said. Four militants were killed and a war-like store recovered from the scene of the gunbattle, the official said. The operation is still in progress. Meanwhile, two more infiltration bids were foiled in Tangdhar and Gurez sectors along the LoC in Kashmir, the Army official said. Operations were in progress at both places but no casualty was reported so far, he said. New Delhi: The latest North Korean nuclear explosion is one element of the anger against Pakistan in Washington and the other element being its "duplicity" in the war against terror, an expert said. The latest test has demonstrated North Korea's ability to strike its Asian neighbours, mainly its rivals South Korea and Japan, an expert said, adding that The Washington Post today stands vindicated as it had first made it public that Pyongyang acquired the technology from Pakistan. In 2011, the paper had reported that the founder of Pakistan's nuclear bomb Abdul Qadeer Khan had disclosed that North Korea bribed top military officials in Islamabad to obtain access to nuclear technology in the late 1990's. According to a report, the 9th September nuclear detonation is a logical continuation of the 2011 reports in The Washington Post. North Korea's nuclear weapons can be mounted on a variety of its missiles capable of reaching Seoul and Tokyo. Hence, South Korea and Japan need to review ties with Pakistan after North Korea's 5th nuclear test, the ANI news agency quoted nuclear expert Whang Joo Ho of Kyung Hee University as saying. The North Korean SCUD and Midrange Rodong are capable of delivering a nuclear attack on both South Korea and Japan. Recounting Pakistan's role in the development of the North Korean Nuclear Program, experts said what AQ Khan started in the late 1990's is "now coming home to roost and the two most threatened nations are Japan and South Korea." Citing the experts, ANI further reported that If anything Japan and South Korea need to question the "fountain head" for this technology which has brought the world to this point where a virtual rogue state now has nuclear weapons, the report said citing US analysts. Experts said that "Even the Pakistani President in 2006, General Pervez Musharraf, had accused AQ Khan of profiting from nuclear related commerce but did nothing to punish other members of the Pakistani establishment who were involved in nuclear trade with North Korea. The North Korean nuclear blast is one element of the anger against Pakistan in Washington. The other element being Pakistan's "duplicity" in the war against terror, another expert said. On September 8th, the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Bob Corker, anguished over the flow of over 33 billion US dollars to Pakistan over the years while Islamabad continued to give safe haven to terror groups who were involved in the killing of American troops in Afghanistan. Bob Corker told the Committee that "the Government of Pakistan knows where they (terrorists) live." Corker has been instrumental in the stopping of the sale of eight F 16`s to Pakistan and the holding back of over 300 million dollars in military aid. Sources at the Senate Foreign Relations Committee who were contacted after the North Korean Nuclear explosion said "a number of influential Senators are seeking answers on how North Korea got to this point". The administration should have conducted detailed investigations on reports about Pakistan's shipments of Centrifuges and other technology which North Korea bought and which has today presented the US with a real headache on how to protect its two close allies - Japan and South Korea from a unpredictable regime with a deliverable Nuclear Weapon. Sources said the real issue is not North Korea, as nothing more was expected from a regime which has refused to move on from the 1953 Armistice and which remains in a state of hostilities against the West but the country which sold the technology and drawings. Along with the United States, both Japan and South Korea need to review their ties with Pakistan because North Korea`s fifth nuclear test has now changed everything in the Asian theatre. Gumla (Jharkhand): The police on Saturday arrested six Maoist rebels and recovered arms and ammunition from Gumla district of Jharkhand. Acting on a tip-off, the police raided a hideout where the rebels were staying out of sight. Superintendent of Police, Chandan Jha said the extremists had been trained in and sent from neighbouring Odisha to set up a trusted network in Gumla. "I hope that peace will prevail in the area after their arrest. We have recovered four bullets, three pistols and some pamphlets from the six arrested Maoists," Jha said. Maoist activity is particularly high in rural areas of Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Odisha. Mandya: A private complaint was filed at a local court here on Saturday against two Supreme Court judges who directed Karnataka to release 15,000 cusecs of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu for 10 days, which has triggered severe protests in the state. The names of Chief Ministers of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu are also mentioned in the complaint under CrPc Section 200 (relating to examination of the complainant) filed before the Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) Court. The complainant M D Rajanna, a resident of Mandya, has also named Chief Secretaries of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu and Karnataka Water Resource Minister M B Patil. He has also cited that Article 262 of the Constitution has mentioned that the Supreme Court has no jurisdiction over inter-state water disputes and as such it cannot adjudicate such cases. The Court has posted the case to September 14. A Supreme Court bench,comprising Justices Dipak Misra and U U Lalit had on September 5 ordered Karnataka to release 15,000 cusecs to Tamil Nadu for 10 days, a direction that has triggered protests, particularly in the Cauvery basin area, with Mandya being the epi-centre of the stir. Complying with the Apex Court order, the Karnataka government began releasing water on Tuesday midnight. The state also observed a bandh called by some 800 organisations yesterday to protest the Supreme Court direction. Jasmine, the miniature donkey, stole the show at Arizona Trail Days Saturdayat Buffalo Park. I am her agent, Leigh Anne Thrasher said as she passed out business cards for her furry companion. Thrasher and Jasmine came to Arizona Trail Days from Tucson to support the Arizona Trail Association, whose mission is to promote, protect and maintain the Arizona Trial. The runs for more than 800 miles from Mexico to Utah. The human-donkey duo is part of a group of Arizona Trail hikers called the Donkeybelles. They are predominately women and some men from Arizona who backpack along segments of the Arizona Trail. Jasmine follows behind Thrasher on the hikes untethered and carries Thrashers pack of 50 to 60 pounds. Thrasher ties a bell underneath Jasmines saddle so she can hear the donkey behind her, which is how the name the Donkeybelles came to be. Thrasher and Jasmine met the rest of the Donkeybelles through Tucson resident Sirena Dufault. Other hikers along the trail were immediately drawn to furry Jasmine and her hiking companions. All the women love Jasmine, Thrasher said. As Jasmines fan club got bigger the group began to coordinate trips so everyone could hike the Arizona Trail with Jasmine and thus the Donkeybelles were born. Thrasher is a social worker by training and has experience working for search and rescue for a number of years. She grew up riding mules, but as she got older she worried about falling off a mule and possibly breaking a bone. When Thrasher could no longer ride, she adopted Jasmine 10 years ago. Jasmine is an 18-year-old miniature Sicilian donkey. This species is from the Middle East and is the same species Jesus rode into Jerusalem during biblical times. Because of this the Sicilian donkeys are marked with a cross on their back. Everywhere she goes she can spread the love of God, Thrasher said, My joy is to spread the love of God. Everywhere that Jasmine goes the people follow. When Jasmine and the Donkeybelles hike a passage of the Arizona Trail, they venture out for two to three nights at a time. Jasmine doesnt need much food or water but Thrasher brings some pellets for her. In the evening Jasmine grazes quietly around the campsite. However if one of the hikers leaves camp to take pictures of the sunset, Jasmine will loudly hee-haw and stomp her feet until the stray Donkeybell returns. The Donkeybelles started hiking the Arizona Trail four years ago and have covered 450 miles so far. Thrasher said the Donkeybelles try to hike at least 100 miles of the Arizona Trail a year and one day want to be able to say that they hiked all 800 miles. The Flagstaff Arizona Trails Days weekend is the biggest event of the year. Flagstaff is a gateway community for the Arizona Trail, said Dufault who is a member of the Arizona Trail Association. The event took place on the section of the Arizona Trail that begins at Buffalo Park. Hiker, biker and equestrian talks were given every hour. Outdoor vendor booths were set up along the trail, including REI, Simple Outdoor Solutions, Salmon and Canyon Coolers. Vendors were raffling off backpacking equipment and High Country Puppy Rescue had some pups up for adoption. On Sunday, Arizona Trail Days will be screening Almost Sunrise at the Orpheum, a movie about outdoor programs for vets to help them transition into civilian life. Doors open at 5 p.m. and the screening begins at 6 p.m. New Delhi: Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar on Sunday made it clear that his ministry would launch a criminal investigation if it gets hold of any evidence of corruption during the execution of the UPA era Embraer jet deal. If the case takes criminal turn, it will hand over to Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Parrikar said. The for whom the jets were purchased, has sought details from It is alleged in a foreign media report that the Brazilian company Embraer had employed an agent to sell three EMB 145 aircraft to DRDO in 2008. DRDO has sought details on the report from the aircraft firm. Parrikar said that his ministry would give an official statement on the issue only after the DRDO submits its report on Monday. "I am not going to give a knee jerk reaction and just make a statement based on rumours. I have asked for a report which will be submitted on Monday. And if the issues are of a criminal nature, then we can forward this case to the CBI for a criminal investigation. If there are just procedural issues then we can do an internal investigation," ANI news agency quoted Parrikar as saying. Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has asked the Centre to probe the aircraft bribery allegations linked to manufacturers of the Embraer. The latest allegation surfaced after a joint US-Brazil investigation into Embraer uncovered a bribery case leading to a deal signed between the company and DRDO in 2008 for three aircraft equipped with indigenous radars. The company has been under the scanner of the United States Justice Department since 2010 after a contract with the Dominican Republic raised suspicions. Karnataka): Clarifying against the allegations of being a lobbyist for controversial Islamic speaker Zakir Naik, Congress leader K. Rahman Khan said on Sunday that the BJP is simply trying to politicie the issue as he had at the time forwarded the CD to the concerned ministry and not handled the matter himself. At a press conference yesterday, Union Law and Justice Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said that Khan, who was former Minority Affairs Minister, wrote a letter to then I&B Minister Manish Tewari in February 2013 in which he termed Naik as a "renowned Islamic scholar" and sought the government`s protection for him from campaigns run by a regional channel and a Hindu group. Quoting from Khan`s letter to Tewari, Prasad said that Khan had accused some news agencies of projecting Naik as a sympathiser of terrorism and sought action from him "to prevent any confrontation between communities and flaring up of communal sentiments". "I received a letter along with some CD alleging that a particular channel has made serious allegations against our trust, which are all false. So I forwarded that letter along with the CD to the concerned ministry which was Information and Broadcasting," Khan told ANI when asked what action he took after receiving the CD from Naik`s foundation. "When I get a complaint, I don`t go into the complaint or examine the complaint. It is for the (concerned) ministry to examine it. BJP is trying to politicise the issue," he added. He further said that anything related to the matter is to be clarified and the party spokesperson will do so.He added that Naik`s foundation, Islamic Research Foundation (IRF), has a Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) licence, which is issued only after receiving clearance from the intelligence agencies. So, there was no reason to believe otherwise. Prasad yesterday also questioned the Congress as to how the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation received a sum of Rs. 50 lakhs from Naik in 2011. Prasad said leaders like former prime minister Manmohan Singh, Montek Singh Ahluwalia, P. Chidambaram, Rahul Gandhi, Suman Dubey, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Ashok Ganguly etc., were associated with the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation back in 2011. A few days ago, four officials, including a joint secretary of the Ministry of Home Affairs were suspended for renewing the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act registration of Naik`s NGO despite of an ongoing investigation against him.Naik is banned in the UK and Canada for his hate speeches aimed against other religions. He is among 16 banned Islamic scholars in Malaysia. He was also accused of radicalising and attracting youths for terror acts and has come under the scanner of the security agencies.This happened after the Bangladeshi newspaper `Daily Star` stated that one of the attackers of the July 1 terror strike in Dhaka ran propaganda on Facebook quoting Naik. Naik is popular in Bangladesh through Peace TV which is owned, run and managed by his Islamic Research Foundation. Azamgarh: Launching a fresh attack against BSP and the ruling SP in poll-bound Uttar Pradesh, Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi on Sunday said while the "elephant" has eaten all the money, the "cycle" is standing "punctured" in the state. "Haathi saara paisa kha gaya. Hathi ko apne maar ke bhaga diya (elephant--the election symbol of BSP--ate all the money and then you chased it out)," Gandhi said while addressing a public meeting on the sixth day of his yatra. "Phir aap cycle (SP's election symbol) laaye. Ye paanch saal se phansi hui hai, hil nahi rahi hai. Uska tyre puncture hai aur apko ration card nahi dila pa rahi hai (Then you voted for SP's cycle which has been stranded for past five years. It's tyre is punctured and is not moving. The party could not provide ration cards to you)," he said attacking SP. Appealing to people to vote for Congress in the upcoming elections, Rahul said, "Now you should think about the hand (Congress's election symbol) and then see what we do about ration (cards) and farmers," he said. The Gandhi scion, who is on his 2500 km 'Deoria to Dilli yatra' to connect with the masses in the run-up to the 2017 state Assembly polls, resumed his yatra from Azamgarh and after holding series of meeting in Mau he will reach Ghazipur. Azamgarh is parliamentary constituency of SP supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav. Rahul had yesterday targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his "frequent" foreign visits. "Modiji apni duniya mein mast rehte hain...Jaisa mainey kaha tha 'janata trast, Modiji mast' (Modiji is happy in his own world. As I had said earlier, the public is in trouble but Modiji is happy)...His attention is either in America or Japan. "He made tall promises that everyone will get Rs 15 lakh in their bank accounts, the youth will get employment and bullet trains will be run. When will they get Rs 15 lakh? When will the youth get employment and bullet trains? Even the regular train fares have been hiked," he had said. Rahul had yesterday taken a jibe at SP, saying "the cycle (SP's poll symbol), voted to power by the people (in the last Uttar Pradesh Assembly election), was not moving". "You removed the elephant (BSP's poll symbol) and brought the cycle...But the cycle is stationary," he told a gathering at Khetasaria here. "Do not know if it (the cycle) has a puncture or is tied from behind or broken, but it is not moving," he added. Poonch: At least two to three terrorists are suspected to be around the mini-secretariat in Allah Pir area of Jammu and Kashmir`s Poonch district where an encounter is currently underway with the security forces. The mini-secretariat is under construction. Earlier in the day, a police personnel was killed in the ongoing gunfight. The offensive comes a day after a youth was killed in clashes between the protesters and security forces in south Kashmir`s Shopian district. According to reports, at least 50 protesters were injured in clashes with the police and CRPF men in different areas of the valley. Shops and business establishments are closed, even as preparations are underway for the Eid-ul-Azha which falls on Tuesday. Clashes erupted in Srinagar following the death of a government driver, Abdul Qayoom of Alikadal area, in a hospital on Friday night. While the family claims he had been beaten to death by the CRPF men on Friday, the police claimed that he was injured in a road accident. Earlier this week, clashes broke out in Shopian where the protesters set ablaze a mini-secretariat building, injuring more than 80 people. Kashmir is witnessing unrest post the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist Burhan Wani in an encounter with security forces on July 8. Lucknow: As part of the ongoing Indo-US defence cooperation, a joint military training 'Exercise Yudh Abhyas-2016' would be conducted in the foothills of Himalayas at Chaubattia in Uttarakhand from September 14 to 27. Under the aegis of Headquarter Central Command, the venture is a series of one of the longest-running joint military training and a major ongoing bilateral defence cooperation endeavours between India and US, an official release issued here said. This will be the 12th edition of the exercise hosted alternately by both countries. The Exercise Yudh Abhyas-2016 will simulate a scenario where both nations are working together in counter insurgency and counter terrorism environment in mountainous terrain under UN charter, the statement said. It will witness participation of about 225 personnel of the US Army and similar strength of Congo Brigade of the Indian Army. Its curriculum is progressively planned where the participants are initially made to get familiar with each other's organisational structure, weapons, equipment and tactical drills, it said, adding subsequently, the training advances to joint tactical exercises wherein the battle drills of both the armies are coherently unleashed. The training will culminate with a final validation exercise in which troops of both countries will jointly carry out an operation against terrorists in a fictitious but realistic setting, the release mentions. The exercise will witness a Brigade Headquarter based Command Post Exercise, an Infantry company carrying out Field Training Exercise and discussions on issues of mutual interest by experts of both countries. Both armies have a vast experience in active counter-insurgency/counter-terrorism operations and sharing each other's tactics and drills in such diverse environment is of immense value, it said. The joint venture is a great step for the armies of the two democratic countries to train together and gain together from each other's rich operational experiences. The latest exercise will help further build interoperability between the forces of both the nations, the statement added. Srinagar: Kashmir remained shut for the 65th day with authorities deploying security personnel in Srinagar and other places in the Valley to maintain law and order on Sunday. "There would be no curfew anywhere in the Valley today (Sunday)," a senior police official said. With two youths killed in clashes in Anantnag and Shopian districts on Saturday, the death toll in the ongoing unrest rose to 79. Around 11,500 others have been injured since July 9. All educational institutions, main markets and public transport remained suspended. Although the Eid-ul-Zuha festival falls on Tuesday, there was no traditional hustle and bustle in the Valley. Separatists have asked people to stage a protest march to the headquarters of the UN Military Observers Group in Srinagar. Jammu: The Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party (JKNPP) on Sunday said the recent deaths in Kashmir indicates that the all-party delegation meeting has not made any difference in the valley, adding that a clear message needs to be sent to the people provoking violence that such kind of activities shall not be tolerated. "Again two people lost their life today in Kashmir. It is very unfortunate. This shows that all party delegation has not made any difference and this also shows that appeasement policy will not work. The government will have to act tough against the saboteurs, against the separatist, against the anti-national and a message is got to go loud and clear to one and all in Kashmir that such kind of activities shall not be tolerated. The law of the land will prevail. Until and unless this is stop, I don`t think the situation of Kashmir is going to improve," JKNPP leader Harsh Dev Singh told ANI. Meanwhile, BJP leader Ravinder Raina said the Union and the state government is trying to restore the situation in valley, especially when the festival of Eid is round the corner. Earlier today, two persons were killed in fresh clashes with security forces as the government moved in soldiers to help restore normalcy, the valley that remained shut for the 64th day. With this, the death toll rose to 78 in the ongoing turmoil that has rocked the Kashmir Valley since the July 8 after the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani. A 30-member all-party delegation is all set to visit the valley for two days, during which they will interact with various political parties and stakeholders. Parliamentarians will also interact with Governor N.N. Vohra and the Chief Minister. The Centre announced a special package of Rs. 200 crore to engage the youth of Jammu and Kashmiri constructive sporting activities. New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday paid his tributes to the victims of 9/11. Also, the PM remembered the historic speech of Swami Vivekananda that was delivered in Chicago on this day in 1893. "11th September...two contrasting images come to the mind. Today we pray tributes to all those who lost their lives in gruesome 9/11 attacks. On this day in 1893, Swami Vivekananda delivered his historic speech in Chicago & won many hearts & minds," Prime Minister Modi tweeted. He said Swami Vivekananda`s speech in Chicago demonstrated the strength of India`s rich culture and the power of universal brotherhood and harmony. 11th September...two contrasting images come to the mind. Today we pray tributes to all those who lost their lives in gruesome 9/11 attacks. Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 11, 2016 On this day in 1893, Swami Vivekananda delivered his historic speech in Chicago & won many hearts & minds. https://t.co/5X1uX4u7oW Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 11, 2016 Swami Vivekananda's speech in Chicago demonstrated the strength of India's rich culture & the power of universal brotherhood and harmony. Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 11, 2016 More than 2,750 people were killed when two passenger jets destroyed the Twin Towers on September 11, 2001. While another jet slammed into the Pentagon, a fourth jet crashed in a field in Pennsylvania after those on board tried to overpower the hijackers. Swami Vivekananda`s speech at the first Parliament of the World`s Religions in Chicago is considered among his most significant contributions to the world - so much so that a three-day world conference was organised to commemorate his 150th birthday in 2012. The speech made him a `hero` in the U.S. His opening lines "Sisters and brothers of America" earned him a two-minute long standing ovation from the audience. Karachi: Several members of Baloch Human Rights Organisation on Sunday protested in Karachi against the Pakistan army. Taking to streets, Baloch Human Rights Organisation members protested against the ongoing seige of Rauf Baloch's house in Turbat by Pakistan army. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had extended his support to the province's beleaguered people. Here are PICTURES of the protest rally:- Last month, PM Narendra Modi began to call out Pakistan for its so-called hypocrisy in commenting about Kashmir even as it continues to oppress people within its borders. Now, Baloch activists in Pakistan are rallying around PM Modi's stirring speeches against Pakistan's atrocities in the Balochistan province and in Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK). Bhopal: Over 300 students from financially weak families from the tribal-dominated regions of Madhya Pradesh have cleared competitive like JEE, AIIMS, AIPMT and NEET among others, thanks to initiatives taken by the state government. "It is unbelievable but true that by pursuing studies in government schools, crossing barriers of financial crunch, 323 students of tribal dominated districts of the state have cleared JEE, AIIMS, AIPMT and NEET examinations," a Public Relation Department Official said today. Notably, 155 students of Mandla, Jhabua, Dhar and Chhindwara districts have achieved distinction to clear these examinations, while three belong to primitive Baiga tribe. "Three students, belonging to Baiga tribe, have successfully cracked the NEET examination. These three students belong to the labour-class family," he said. Success of these students has proved that "light of education" is spreading in the backward, tribal and interior parts of Madhya Pradesh. Many unique experiments were encouraged in tribal districts. Projects like Navratna and Gyanarjan in Mandla district, Akansha project in Dindori, Prayas in Anuppur and project step in Jhabua were run to promote education among such pupils, the official said. Under the Gyanarjan project, 85 students of Mandla district were selected in the JEE and NEET examination in the last two years. One of the student was selected for IIT Kharagpur last year. The students of Baiga tribe who cleared NEET exam are Rameshwar of Singarpur village, Yogendra Kumar Dhurve and Rashmi Dhurve of village Ghughri. The official said that 250 girls and boys have succeeded to clear JEE examination whereas 73 students have achieved distinction to clear NEET examination in the year 2016-17. As many as 21 students belonging to Schedule Tribe community were selected for the IITs. Out of 73 students selected for NEET, 53 students belong to Schedule Tribe community. In 2015-16, 153 girls/boys students of the reserved category had cleared these examinations. Success of these students has proved that "light of education is spreading" in the backward, tribal and interior parts of Madhya Pradesh, he added. Over the last 10 years, the number of university students seeking help for mental or emotional problems has grown sharply. A 2015 report from the Center for Collegiate Mental Health found the number of students seeking help increased at five times the rate of new students starting college during that time. In addition, a 2015 report from the Association for University and College Counseling Center Directors found anxiety to be a major problem for students. Nearly half of all students who sought help in recent years said they felt anxious. In other words, the students said they felt unusually worried or afraid. An additional 40 percent of students said they felt depressed -- very, very sad. Experts give several explanations for why the number of students seeking help for mental health issues is rising. One reason could simply be a change in American culture. In the United States, people are increasingly comfortable talking about mental health issues and bringing their problems to trained experts. Another reason could be related to the current generation of young people attending universities today. But one reason is surely higher education itself. Ben Locke is the executive director at the Center for Collegiate Mental Health. He also serves as the director of counseling and psychological services at Pennsylvania State University. Locke says feeling worried and sad are normal parts of life. But college is a difficult time when students want to make friends, find their identity and succeed academically. "College being a place with high demands, lots of competition and lots of concern about being able to get a good job after college, certainly increases the, the level of stress that students experience." Giorgias story Giorgia felt the stress of college life in a very severe way. She began her studies at McGill University in Montreal, Canada, in 2010. She wanted very badly to succeed there, but she often worried she would fail. Giorgia asked VOA not to share her surname. Even before she went to college, Giorgia worried about things. At age 11, Giorgia was diagnosed with obsessive compulsive disorder, or OCD. OCD causes a person to focus intensely on the same thoughts and repeat the same behaviors over and over. At McGill, Giorgia worried about her academic performance. She also worried about what she would do after college. In her third year of school, Giorgia worried so much about her worrying that she began seeing a therapist. Her therapist suggested the medication called Adderall would help Giorgia with her OCD. But as her final year at McGill grew closer, Giorgia only worried more. She stopped eating regularly and did not sleep for weeks at a time. Her medication only made the problems worse. Her mood changed wildly. She also began to believe that her friends -- as well as complete strangers -- were watching her. "I was aware that it was crazy. But I also thought there was no other possible way that all these coincidences could be happening. And it really freaked me out." Georgia stopped leaving her apartment. And because she lived far from home, her parents did not realize how serious her anxiety was. Jasons story A young man named Jason also shared his story with VOA. Like Giorgia, he did not want to give his surname. Jason is from Bethesda, in the eastern U.S. state of Maryland. Jason started seeing a therapist when he was seven years old. At that time, his therapist diagnosed him with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD. This condition of the brain makes focusing for long periods of time difficult. It also affects a persons ability to think clearly before making decisions. Jason says having ADHD made school difficult for him throughout his life. He adds that he also struggles with depression. His therapist diagnosed him with the condition when he was in high school. Jason completed a two-year associates degree at Montgomery College in Rockville, Maryland, in the spring of 2007. He then began a bachelors degree program at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County that fall. But just as he began classes, his life changed in several major ways. His mother and father told him they were separating. Then his grandmother died. Jason tried to stay focused on his studies. But the next year, his parents decided to make their separation permanent and get divorced. A month later, he received more horrible news: his best friend died. Jason says all these things combined proved to be too much for him. Some days he was so sad he could not leave his bed. And then at one point, he considered suicide. "I remember because I was driving home and I said to myself, I wonder what would happen if I just yanked my steering wheel to the left and drove into one of these light poles. And I wonder who would come to my funeral? And I wonder if anyone would care?" As soon as Jason began thinking suicidal thoughts he knew he needed help. Next week we will continue exploring mental health issues and how they affect college students. We will hear why experts say these issues are a growing concern and what can be done. Im Pete Musto. Pete Musto reported on this story for VOA Learning English. Kelly Jean Kelly was the editor. We want to hear from you. Have you ever struggled with mental health issues? How is mental health dealt with in your country? Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story anxiety n. fear or nervousness about what might happen counseling n. advice and support that is given to people to help them deal with problems or make important decisions academically adv. of or relating to schools and education stress n. a state of mental tension and worry caused by problems in your life or work diagnose(d) v. to recognize a disease or illness in someone therapist n. a person who helps people deal with mental or emotional problems by talking about those problems medication n. a substance used in treating disease or relieving pain mood n. the way someone feels coincidence(s) n. a situation in which events happen at the same time in a way that is not planned or expected freak(ed) (me) out p.v. to become very anxious, upset, or afraid, or make someone very anxious, upset, or afraid focus(ing) v. to cause something, such as attention, to be directed at something specific associates degree n. a degree that is given to a student who has completed two years of study at a junior college, college, or university in the U.S. bachelors degree n. a degree that is given to a student by a college or university usually after four years of study class(es) n. a series of meetings in which students are taught a particular subject or activity steering wheel n. a wheel in a vehicle that the driver turns to steer the vehicle Imphal: Security measures were tightened in all trouble prone areas in Manipur ahead of the Black day observation on Tuesday in memory of about 900 Kuki tribals killed during the ethnic cleansings by the Naga armed outfit, the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (Isak-Muivah) in 1993. All police stations and camps of the paramilitary forces in areas where there are mixed populations are kept in red alert. Besides central forces are patrolling in their respective areas. The main functions of mass prayers in the churches and protest marches in the Kuki dominated areas are being organised by the Kuki Impi Manipur (KIM) and the Kuki Students' Organisation (KSO). S. Haokip, general secretary of the KSO said, "All Kuki families will offer prayer for the victims of the pogrom. Apart from the mass prayers there will be processions by the men and women in mourning dress". For a long time KIM has been demanding justice to the innocent victims. It had insisted on settlement of victims' issue before an agreement is signed between the Indian government and the NSCN(IM). The NSCN(IM), which had started the ethnic cleansing from 1992, had issued a quit notice to the Kukis from the "land of the Nagas" effective from September 15, 1993. However, two days in advance on September 13 some armed persons suspected to be NSCN(IM) militants torched Joupi and Janglomphai villages. The armed persons waylaid the terrified fleeing Joupi and Janglomphai villages. The armed persons waylaid the terrified fleeing Kuki villagers and massacred 87 of them. KIM says that so far justice has not been done to the innocent 900 victims of the pogrom. Many Kuki villages were also burned to cinders during the clashes. Several innocent Naga tribals were also killed in retaliations. New Delhi: BJP member in Lok Sabha, RK Singh on Sunday attacked Pakistan and urged the Indian government to halt trade activities with them in the wake of rising tensions between the two nations. "All border trade activities between India and Pakistan must be temporarily suspended to stop illegal inflow of money through Hawala," Singh said while adding further that 'security near Line of Control must be strengthened'. Singh, the former home secretary, expressed his concerns on the ongoing crisis going in the Kashmir Valley, which has been observing a separatist-called shutdown for over two months. "Situation in Jammu and Kashmir will improve. One who incites violence must be locked not in Srinagar but in Jammu," Singh said. Early today, fresh clashes erupted in between security personnel and protestors at Karimabad village in Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir. As per a media report, over 50 protestors and 12 CRPF personnel were injured in the clashes, that were triggered by forces' raid at Karimabad village. On Saturday, two protesters were killed in clashes with security forces in Anantnag and Shopian districts and over 100 were left injured in protests across the Valley. At least 79 people have lost their lives while over 12,000 civilians and security personnel have been injured in the deadly violence that began a day after the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist Burhan Wani in an encounter. Pulwama: At least three terrorists have been killed in an ongoing encounter between the security forces and terrorists in Nowgam sector of Jammu and Kashmir's Handwara. Four weapons have been recovered from the slain terrorists, while search operation is currently underway. Meanwhile, as many as 12 civilians have been injured in a clash between the security forces and protesters in Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir. On the other hand, in Allah Pir area of Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district, at least two to three terrorists are suspected to be around the mini-secretariat where an encounter is currently underway with the security forces. Earlier today, a police personnel was killed in the ongoing gunfight. The offensive comes a day after a youth was killed in clashes between the protesters and security forces in south Kashmir's Shopian district. According to reports, at least 50 protesters were injured in clashes with the police and CRPF men in different areas of the valley. Shops and business establishments are closed, even as preparations are underway for the Eid-ul-Azha which falls on Tuesday. Clashes erupted in Srinagar following the death of a government driver, Abdul Qayoom of Alikadal area, in a hospital on Friday night. While the family claims he had been beaten to death by the CRPF men on Friday, the police claimed that he was injured in a road accident. Earlier this week, clashes broke out in Shopian where the protesters set ablaze a mini-secretariat building, injuring more than 80 people. Kashmir is witnessing unrest post the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist Burhan Wani in an encounter with security forces on July 8. New Delhi: The Janata Dal (United) on Sunday said called for transparency on the NGO run by the Islamic Research Foundation (IRF) of the controversial Islamic speaker Zakir Naik and urged all political parties to stay away from such people. "There must be transparency if a party receives fund by any organisation. There must be transparency for all parties...not for any one party. There must be a proper scrutiny of the funds given to like-minded people for a special reason," JD(U) leader Ali Anwar told ANI. Resonating similar sentiments, another JD(U) leader K.C. Tyagi said, "The political parties should keep themselves away from people like Zakir Naik and his organisation. If the Congress returns the amount, then this matter should be considered as closed."JD(U) leader Sharad Yadav called for a probe into the matter. "If he has broken the law then there should be a probe. Playing `political kabaddi` is not right," he added. Union Law and Justice Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad yesterday questioned the Congress on Naik`s NGO and asked how the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation received a sum of Rs. 50 lakhs from the Islamic preacher in 2011. Prasad said several Congress leaders including former prime minister Dr Manmohan Singh, Montek Singh Ahluwalia, P. Chidambaram, Rahul Gandhi, Suman Dubey, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Ashok Ganguly were associated with the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation back in 2011. The Congress initially denied that it had accepted a donation, but later claimed that the money did not come to the RGF but to an allied entity called the RGCT and the same was returned to the IRF. However, an IRF spokesman quoted Naik as saying that the money had gone to the RGF and not to the charitable trust and that this amount was yet to be refunded. Four officials, including a Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), were suspended a few days ago for renewing the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) registration of Naik`s NGO despite an ongoing investigation against him. Naik is banned in the U.K. and Canada for his alleged hate speeches aimed against other religions. He is among the 16 banned Islamic scholars in Malaysia. He is also accused of radicalizing and attracting youth for terror acts and has come under the scanner of the security agencies. Srinagar: Fresh clashes erupted between security personnel and protestors at Karimabad village in Pulwama district of Jammua and Kashmir on Sunday. According to CNN-News18, at least 12 CRPF jawans and 50 protesters are said to have been injured in clashes that erupted early today. The injured were rushed to a nearby hospitals and many are said to have been admitted with deep injuries. As per the report, scores of people were left injured in clashes that were triggered by security forces' raids in Karimabad village today. A witness told media that protesters took to streets against excesses of forces and arrests of some youths during the raid adding that the forces deployed in strength finally resorted to using pellet guns and teargas shells to disperse the crowd. Yesterday, two protesters were killed in clashes with security forces in Anantnag and Shopian districts and over 100 were left injured in protests across the Valley. Over 12,000 civilians and security personnel have been injured in the unrest that began a day after Burhan Wani's killing. All educational institutions, main markets and public transport have remained suspended across the Valley. Although the Eid-ul-Zuha festival falls on Tuesday, there was no traditional hustle and bustle in the Valley. The valley has been observing a separatist-called shutdown for over two months. Separatists have asked people to stage a protest march to the headquarters of the UN Military Observers Group in Srinagar. Last week, an all-party delegation led by Rajnath Singh visited the valley to review the ongoing unrest in the Kashmir Valley, during which they interacted with various political parties and stakeholders. New Delhi: Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday directed the security forces to go after those instigating youths to indulge in violence Jammu and Kashmir and try to bring back normalcy in the state within a week. The directive was given during an hour-long meeting the Home Minister had with top security officials, including National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, besides others. Sources said the Home Minister conveyed that the security forces must go after the instigators of the violence in Kashmir Valley and book them as they continue to disrupt normal life for 65 days after the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen militant Burhan Wani on September 8. Singh said that normalcy should be brought back within a week and school and other educational institutions should function as students are worst sufferers during the prolonged turmoil, sources said. Attempts should also be made to reopen shops and other commercial establishments which were shut completely, the Home Minister told the officials. The Home Minister reviewed the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir, where a policeman and three militants were killed two separate incidents today. The officials briefed the prevailing situation in Kashmir Valley as well as along the border and the steps taken to bring back normalcy in the state, official sources said. The unrest had started following the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen militant Burhan Wani on July 8. So far, 75 people lost their lives in the 65 days of turmoil. Three militants and a policeman were today killed and six others, including an police officer, were injured in twin encounters between security forces and four terrorists in Poonch town of Jammu and Kashmir. The encounters between security forces and the militants, who were holed up in a house and another structure near the under-construction Mini Secretariat, erupted at around 7.30 AM and continued through the day. "Three militants have been knocked down. The civilians, who were held hostage, have been safely evacuated. Operation is still on," Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Rajouri-Poonch range Johny Willian told PTI. Meanwhile, four terrorists who were trying to sneak into India via the Line of Control (LoC) were killed today as Army foiled three infiltration attempts in Kashmir. One infiltration bid was foiled in Naugam sector, another in Tangdhar sector and the third one in Gurez sector. Srinagar: The death toll in the ongoing unrest in the Kashmir Valley rose to 80 as a youth succumbed to his injuries on Sunday in Srinagar. Police said Javaid Ahmad Dar, 23, of Wadwan village in Badgam district who was injured in clashes between a protesting mob and security forces at Narbal near the Srinagar-Muzaffarad highway on August 5, succumbed in a Srinagar hospital earlier in the day. Meanwhile, protesters held a massive rally in Kulgam district shouting pro-Azadi slogans. Separatist called marches were also held in Qaimoh, Khudwani and Redwani towns. Over 80 people were injured in clashes on Sunday in Pulwama district`s Karimabad village Kashmir remained shut for the 65th day with authorities deploying security personnel in Srinagar and other places in the Valley to maintain law and order on Sunday. However, there was no curfew anywhere in the Valley. Around 11,500 others have been injured since July 9. Jammu: A policeman was killed and another was injured on Sunday in a gunfight between security forces and suspected terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district, officials said. According to reports, the police received information of heavily-armed terrorists hiding in an under construction government building in the outskirts of Poonch. On surrounding the building, the forces came under heavy fire, killing one policemean and injuring another. Police said the terrorists started firing from an under construction mini secretariat building near the Army's 93 Brigade headquarters in Poonch town. "The militants have been surrounded and all escape routes were sealed", a senior police officer told IANS, adding the gunfight was continuing. As per the report, at least two to three terrorists are believed to be holed up inside the building. The encounter, which began at around 8 am today, is still underway. Further details awaited. Jammu/Srinagar: Three militants and a policeman were killed in a day-long gunfight on Sunday between security forces and guerrillas in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district, while four militants were killed in Kupwara as the army foiled an infiltration bid, the state police said. The police said the militants in Poonch were killed when in the evening, army commandos stormed the under-construction mini secretariat building in Poonch town from where militants were firing. Earlier, a policeman was killed while a sub-inspector and a civilian were injured in the firing exchanges which began in the morning. "Army commandos had launched the final assault against the holed up militants today evening," said a senior police official, adding militants started firing from the under-construction state mini secretariat building near the headquarters of Brigade in Poonch town in the morning after which all escape routes for the militants were sealed. In Kupwara, a gunfight broke out in Nowgam sector of the Line of Control (LoC) as soldiers detected and challenged a group of infiltrating militants. The infiltration bid was foiled and the engagement ended with four killed, said a police officer. In Bandipora, another gunfight started on Sunday morning near the LoC in Gurez sector. Police sources said militants attempted to infiltrate into the Indian side of the LoC from Pakistan, but timely action by the army had forced them to withdraw. Nearly 50 million children in the world are refugees, migrants or without a home, the United Nations Childrens agency reported. UNICEF said 28 million children have fled violence or conflict, according to a written report. The agency called the situation a growing crisis. Last year, almost half of all children registered as refugees came from two countries: Syria and Afghanistan. But UNICEF said this crisis affects children from all parts of the world. The UNICEF report mentioned that Central America, Asia and Africa also have refugees who are children. The report notes that when and if children reach their final stops, the threats they face often do not disappear. Those threats include sex trafficking, criminal gangs and smuggling. Children continue to need help and protection. UN summit World leaders gather in New York for the annual U.N. General Assembly later this month. There will be two separate meetings on migration and refugees. U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon will host the first meeting. U.S. President Barack Obama will host the second meeting. UNICEF said it hopes the summits will be committed to children. The UNICEF report called for addressing the root causes of migration and refugees. The agency said conflict, violence and extreme poverty are the root causes. The report also urges measures to stop xenophobia and discrimination against refugees. And, it introduced measures to prevent the abuse of children on the move. Im Anna Matteo. The staff at VOA News wrote this story. Jim Dresbach adapted it for Learning English. Kelly Jean Kelly was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section or visit our Facebook page. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story gang n. a group of young people who do illegal things together and who often fight against other gangs smuggling v. to move someone or something from one country into another illegally and secretly xenophobia n. fear or hatred of strangers or foreigners migrants - n. people who move from one place to another, often for economic reasons mentioned - v. noted annual - adj. yearly; taking place once a year committed - v. to decide to use or do something for a reason host - v. to lead or chair an event London: Ruling Shiromani Akali Dal-BJP combine in Punjab will create history again by winning the Assembly elections for the third consecutive time next year on development agenda, Union Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal has said here. The Minister for Food Processing Industries and SAD MP from Bathinda said the alliance will be voted back because it had worked hard for the future of the state on an agenda of "development, development and yet more development". "For the future and progress of Punjab, this government has worked very hard. A lot has been done, there is always a lot more that needs to be done? I am very confident that we will do a hat-trick and create history for the third time,"? she told PTI during a visit to the UK earlier this week. "The SAD-BJP government in Punjab created history in the last elections by bringing in a government second time, where a sitting government had never been voted back into power. Not only were we voted back but we were voted back with a bigger majority than what we had come in with the first,"?said the daughter-in-law of Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal. Punjab is scheduled for polls in January-February 2017 and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has jumped into the fray besides SAD-BJP's traditional rival Congress. Badal, however, said she was confident of victory because "in the last 10 years, there is not a single Punjabi in any city or any village who would say that development has not happened in the state." She added: "The World Bank has ranked Punjab as the best destination in ease of starting up a new business...Take any sector, in education, we were 14th when we took over, today we are 2nd in the country. "We were a power deficit state, but now we are a power surplus state; the revenues of the state have gone up three times; we have three international and five domestic airports; the entire infrastructure has been upgraded." She said Punjab is the only state where water and electricity for farming is given absolutely free of cost, which is a huge support to farmers. "These kind of concessions have only been given in Punjab whenever an Akali Dal government comes in," she said. The minister was on a three-day visit to the UK to promote India as a destination for food processing. She held talks with all the top UK retails chains including Sainsbury's, Marks & Spencer, Tesco, Partridges, Waitrose, Holland & Barrett and Harrods. "Everyone has shown a lot of interest either in coming to India or tying up with local people and even sourcing from India.?We are hoping to hold a World Food Summit alongside the Vibrant Gujarat Summit in Ahmedabad in January, where we have invited all these representatives to come and make a common platform of stakeholders," she said. The Indian government had recently allowed 100 per cent foreign direct investment (FDI) through the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) route in marketing of food products produced and manufactured in India. "We want global giants to come and Make in India, not just for India but we are looking at making India the food factory of the world because that is the kind of raw material base we have," she said. New Delhi: Until now, all of us thought that giraffes falls under one big group and represents a sinle species. But a recent study proved our age-old belief wrong. In the findings, published in Current Biology, biologists studied the genetics of world's tallest animal and then categories these species linto nine subspecies based on coat patterns, horn structure and regional distribution. The unexpected findings highlight the urgent need for further study of the four genetically isolated species and for greater conservation efforts for the world's tallest mammal, the researchers said. "We were extremely surprised, because the morphological and coat pattern differences between giraffe are limited," said researcher Axel Janke. Giraffes are also assumed to have similar ecological requirements across their range, he added, "but no one really knows, because this megafauna has been largely overlooked by science." Giraffes are in dramatic decline across their range in Africa. Their numbers have dropped substantially over the last three decades, from more than 1,50,000 individuals to fewer than 1,00,000. Despite that, the researchers said that there has been relatively little research done on giraffes in comparison to other large animals, such as elephants, rhinoceroses, gorillas, and lions. About five years ago, Julian Fennessy of Giraffe Conservation Foundation in Namibia approached Janke to ask for help with genetic testing of the giraffe. Fennessy wanted to know how similar (or not) giraffes living in different parts of Africa were to each other, whether past translocations of giraffe individuals had inadvertently "mixed" different species or subspecies, and, if so, what should be done in future translocations of giraffes into parks or other protected areas. In the new study, Janke and his research group examined the DNA evidence taken from skin biopsies of 190 giraffes collected by Fennessy and team all across Africa, including regions of civil unrest. The extensive sampling includes populations from all nine previously recognized giraffe subspecies. The genetic analysis shows that there are four highly distinct groups of giraffe, which apparently do not mate with each other in the wild. As a result, they say, giraffes should be recognized as four distinct species. Those four species include (1) southern giraffe (Giraffa giraffa), (2) Masai giraffe (G. tippelskirchi), (3) reticulated giraffe (G. reticulata), and (4) northern giraffe (G. camelopardalis), which includes the Nubian giraffe (G. c. camelopardalis) as a distinct subspecies. The elusive Nubian giraffe from Ethiopia and the South Sudan region was the first described some 300 years ago, Fennessy says, and is now shown to be part of the northern giraffe. The discovery has significant conservation implications, the researchers say, noting that the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) Species Survival Commission Giraffe and Okapi Specialist Group recently submitted an updated proposed assessment of the giraffe on the IUCN Red List taking into consideration their rapid decline over the last 30 years. "With now four distinct species, the conservation status of each of these can be better defined and in turn added to the IUCN Red List," Fennessy said. "As an example," he added, "northern giraffe number less than 4,750 individuals in the wild, and reticulated giraffe number less than 8,700 individuals--as distinct species, it makes them some of the most endangered large mammals in the world." Janke and Fennessy said that they are now analyzing the amount of gene flow between the giraffe species in greater detail. In addition to expanding the ecological and species distribution data, they want to better understand the factors that limit gene flow and the giraffes' differentiation into four species and several subspecies. (With ANI inputs) Azamgarh: Protesters demanding a judicial probe in the 2008 Batla House gunfight in Delhi showed black flags to Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi as he passed through the district on his Kisan Mahayatra through Uttar Pradesh. A group of men belonging to the Ulema Council waved black flags near Sindhari turn here on Sunday when Gandhi's entourage was passing, police said. In the gunfight on September 19, 2008 in Batla House area of Jamia Nagar in south Delhi, two suspected Indian Mujahideen terrorists, Atif Amin and Mohamed Sajid were killed while two other suspects, Saif and Zeeshan were arrested. Delhi Police Inspector Mohan Chand Sharma, who led the police action was also killed during the incident. The Ulema Council has been advocating a judicial probe into the incident and claiming innocence of the two youth killed. Local Intelligence Unit (LIU) had already got whiff of the plans of the Ulema Council and had detained, as a preventive measure, its state president Nur-ul Huda. He said that the protests would continue. When Gandhi's motorcade entered Mau from Azamgarh, it met with heavy rains but crowds thronged the Muhhamadabad Gohna area to have a glimpse of the Congress leader and to hear him. Hundreds of people had also gathered at the Azamgarh crossing where anganwadi workers waited for hours to present a memorandum to Congress Vice President but he did not accept it and moved on. Gandhi later had a food at the house of a Dalit family and moved ahead to garland a statue of former Congress leader Kalpanath Rai. After a 13-km trip through Mau district he entered the Ghazipur district. The Yatra will remain suspended for two days - Monday and Tuesday owing to Eid and would resume thereafter, a Congress leader told IANS. Azamgarh: Rahul Gandhi on Sunday took an apparent dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his expensive monogrammed suit as he said that he does not visit the farmers as he fears that his suit might get dirty. "He (Modi) does not go to the farmers so that his suit does not get dirty. He is a leader who loves to travel to the US and China," the Congress vice president said addressing a meeting here in poll-bound Uttar Pradesh. The suit which Prime Minister Narendra Modi wore during his meeting with US President Barack Obama in Delhi last year was auctioned later and was bought for Rs 4.31 crore to Surat diamond baron and private airline owner Laljibhai Patel. Earlier, Rahul, who addressed public meetings at various places here, attacked BSP and the ruling SP, saying while the "elephant" (election symbol of BSP) has eaten all the money, the "cycle" (poll symbol of SP) is standing "punctured" in the state. "Haathi saara paisa kha gaya. Hathi ko apne maar ke bhaga diya (elephant--the election symbol of BSP--ate all the money and then you chased it out)," Gandhi said while addressing a public meeting on the sixth day of his yatra. "Phir aap cycle (SP's election symbol) laaye. Ye paanch saal se phansi hui hai, hil nahi rahi hai. Uska tyre puncture hai aur apko ration card nahi dila pa rahi hai (Then you voted for SP's cycle which has been stranded for past five years. It's tyre is punctured and is not moving. The party could not provide ration cards to you)," he said attacking SP. During his yatra, the Congress vice president had 'chai' (tea) and 'samosa' at a local shop and later paid visit to a Dalit family's home where he had lunch. Appealing to people to vote for Congress in the upcoming elections, Rahul said, "Now you should think about the hand (Congress's election symbol) and then see what we do about ration (cards) and farmers," he said. The Gandhi scion, who is on his 2500 km 'Deoria to Dilli yatra' to connect with the masses in the run-up to the 2017 state Assembly polls, resumed his yatra from Azamgarh and after holding series of meeting in Mau he will reach Ghazipur. Azamgarh is parliamentary constituency of SP supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav. Siliguri (West Bengal): Local residents of 47 wards of Siliguri Municipal Corporation (SMC) under Darjeeling district of West Bengal are suffering from drinking water crisis from the last three days. The local residents are going here and there in search of water. Although, the local government bodies are supplying drinking from few water tabs in the city, but the crisis has yet not been solved.Protesting against it, Trinamool Congress (TMC) councillors yesterday staged a protest in front of Left-Front headed Siliguri Municipal Corporation (SMC) Mayor Asoke Bhattacharya chamber and demanded his immediate resignation. Nantu Paul, TMC councillor said that without discussing anything, the SMC had taken this decision which mainly affects the common people of Siliguri. On the other hand, people, who were spending several hours in front of water tabs, said that they are suffering a lot due to sudden stop of drinking water supply, adding they want immediate steps to regularize the system. Dar Es Salaam: At least 16 people died and 253 were injured in a 5.7-magnitude earthquake that struck northwest Tanzania, local authorities said on Sunday. As rescuers scrambled to find survivors from the Saturday quake, premier Kassim Majaliwa headed to the worst-hit city, Bukoba, to attend a mourning ceremony at its stadium. President John Magufuli, who is from the region, said he was "deeply saddened." Salum Kijuu, governor of Kagera province where Bukoba is located, told AFP "the current toll is 16 dead, 253 injured, 840 buildings destroyed, including 44 public buildings." He said most of the casualties and damage occurred in Bukoba district itself. A group of 15 boarders at a boys' secondary school was believed to be among the casualties there. The previous toll from local authorities was 14 dead and 200 injured. The quake struck at 1227 GMT in a region near Lake Victoria and the borders of Uganda and Rwanda, according to the US Geological Survey (USGS). Its epicentre was 23 kilometres east of the northwestern town of Nsunga, in Bukoba district. Bukoba suffered widespread damage, with 270 houses destroyed and electricity disrupted, the Red Cross said in a statement. Its main hospital was stretched to nearly full capacity and had limited stocks of medicine. "Telecommunications have been disrupted and we are trying to get a clear picture of the damage to hospitals and other essential infrastructure," Andreas Sandin, Red Cross operations coordinator in East Africa and the Indian Ocean Islands, said in a statement. "We ran out immediately, part of my house collapsed," Bukoba resident Jonathan Mbelwa was quoted as saying in Tanzania's Swahili-language Habari Leo newspaper. "Even the old people say they've never seen an earthquake as big as this in these parts," he added. Earthquakes are fairly common in the Great Lakes region but are almost always of low intensity. An AFP correspondent who has relatives in Bukoba said 10 family houses had collapsed. No damage was reported in Tanzania's economic capital, Dar es Salaam, which is located some 1,400 km southeast of Bukoba. "It's safe in Dar but we are still worried about the safety of our family," the AFP correspondent added. "The regional hospital is overwhelmed and can't handle any more patients." Damascus: At least 90 people were killed in airstrikes in northern Syria just hours after the US and Russia reached an agreement on a ceasefire, set to begin on Monday, authorities announced. According to UK-based nonprofit group, Syrian Observatory For Human Rights (SOHR), 58 people were killed in an airstrike on a market in the city of Idlib and another 32 when warplanes bombed the Aleppo province, EFE news reported. SOHR said the death toll could rise, as numerous people were also wounded in the bombings, some critically. There were also airstrikes in other parts of the Idlib province including near Jisr al-Shughur, Ain Al-Bayda, Hambushia and Bidama. Currently, airstrikes are being carried out in Syria by the government, Russia, Turkey and the US-led international coalition. The agreement was announced on Saturday by US Secretary of State John Kerry who said he had reached the deal with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov that seeks ceasefire all over Syria. The announcement came after intensive US-Russian talks in Geneva in a bid to end the five-year-long fighting in the Arab country. New York: United States President Barack Obama has urged Americans to remain united in the face of terrorist attacks 15 years after 9/11 and vowed that his government will keep doing everything to protect the homeland. Obama, who was speaking in his weekly radio and online address delivered on the eve of the 15th anniversary of the September 11 terror attacks, said how America responds in the face of terrorism matters. "It's our diversity, our welcoming of all talent, our treating of everybody fairly no matter their race, gender, ethnicity, or faith that's part of what makes our country great. It's what makes us resilient. And if we stay true to those values, we'll uphold the legacy of those we've lost, and keep our nation strong and free," abc.net.au quoted him as saying. Obama has on several occasions also denounced Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump`s bombastic rhetoric towards Muslims.After the December shooting rampage in San Bernardino, California, Trump had called for a temporary ban on the entry of Muslims to the country. Obama said the U.S. cannot give in to those who would divide it, adding its diversity and welcoming of all talent is what makes the country resilient.His remarks on Trump came two months before the presidential election in which the real estate magnate will face Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton.Obama also noted that much had changed over the past 15 years since the attacks. "We delivered justice to [Al-Qaeda leader] Osama bin Laden. We've strengthened our homeland security. We've prevented attacks. We've saved lives," he said.He, however, asserted that the terrorist threat has evolved. Obama vowed to destroy terrorists to protect his homeland. "So in Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria and beyond, we`ll stay relentless against terrorists like Al-Qaeda and [the Islamic State group] ISIL...We will destroy them. And we`ll keep doing everything in our power to protect our homeland," he said. More than 2,750 people were killed when two passenger jets destroyed the Twin Towers on September 11, 2001. While another jet slammed into the Pentagon, a fourth jet crashed in a field in Pennsylvania after those on board tried to overpower the hijackers. New York: Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton fell ill on Sunday as she became "overheated" and had to leave early from a September 11 memorial ceremony in New York City. Clinton, 68, was taken to her daughter Chelsea`s home in Manhattan, and emerged a few hours later wearing sunglasses and telling reporters that she was "feeling great." The news of her overheating on the hot, muggy New York morning comes less than 60 days before the Nov. 8 presidential election and at a time of intense campaigning against Republican rival Donald Trump. Clinton went, as previously planned, to her home in Chappaqua, New York, 30 miles (50 km) north of New York City. Clinton left the memorial event after about 90 minutes while it was still underway, Nick Merrill, a Clinton spokesman, said. "During the ceremony, she felt overheated so departed to go to her daughter`s apartment, and is feeling much better," Merrill said in a statement. As the solemn event began on Sunday at the site of the World Trade Center that was attacked by two hijacked airliners 15 years ago, there was patchy sunlight, with temperatures at about 80 degrees Fahrenheit (26.6 Celsius). But the high humidity caused it to feel much hotter in the crowd at times. Democratic Representative Joe Crowley of New York, a Clinton supporter who attended the event, told Reuters that it was "incredibly, stiflingly hot" during the ceremony. After some U.S. media reported she had fallen ill, reporters traveling with the candidate did not get an immediate response from the campaign to questions about her whereabouts and her health. About 90 minutes elapsed before the campaign issued its statement. TRUMP MAKES HEALTH AN ISSUE Trump has repeatedly raised questions about Clinton`s health and whether she had the "stamina" to serve as president. In December 2012, Clinton suffered a concussion and shortly afterward developed a blood clot. In a letter released by her doctor in July, Clinton was described as being in "excellent health" and "fit to serve" in the White House. It noted that her current medical conditions include hyperthyroidism and seasonal pollen allergies. However brief her illness was, it comes in the wake of some tough days for Clinton, as national polls showed her lead over Trump evaporating. A Reuters/Ipsos poll of likely voters showed an 8-point lead for Clinton has vanished since the last week of August. Trump garnered the support of 39.7 percent against 39 percent for Clinton, according to the poll released on Saturday. Also on Saturday, Clinton came under fire from Republicans and on social media for saying Friday night that "half" of Trump`s supporters belonged in a "basket of deplorables." She later said she regretted using the word "half." Clinton`s speech at a campaign rally earlier this month in Cleveland was interrupted by a coughing spell. During the speech, she quipped, "Every time I think about Trump I get allergic." She then resumed her speech. But the episode fueled speculation from conservative political quarters about her health. Trump supporters have been tweeting unsubstantiated theories regarding Clinton`s health under the hashtag #HillarysHealth. Trump, 70, has also been under pressure to release detailed information on his health and medical history. Instead, in December, Trump`s doctor wrote in a short letter that was made public that his blood pressure and laboratory results "were astonishingly excellent" and that he would be "the healthiest individual ever elected to the presidency." Since then, the doctor has told NBC News that he wrote the letter in about five minutes, saying he was "rushed" and "anxious" as a limousine was awaiting him. Bogota (Colombia): Colombia's largest rebel group has handed 13 child soldiers over to an international humanitarian mission as part of a deal to end decades of bloody fighting. The International Red Cross said in a statement yesterday that the minors were in good health and were being transported to a temporary shelter under the supervision of the United Nations Children's Fund. The humanitarian gesture comes in the wake of a deal reached last month between the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, and the government to end a half-century of hostilities. Out of respect for the minors' privacy, the Red Cross did not say where the handover took place or provide their ages. The FARC has long faced accusations of violating human rights norms by forcing minors to join its ranks, as a way to demonstrate its military strength in rural areas where it is dominant. Between 1975 and 2014, almost 12,000 minors are believed to have been illegally recruited, Colombia's chief prosecutor says. But as peace talks in Cuba advanced last year, the rebels announced they were raising the minimum age for recruits from 15 to 17, and in May it agreed to let all guerrillas under age 18 leave its jungle camps. The handover didn't materialize until now because of FARC leaders' security concerns that the underage fighters would be interrogated by authorities in order to locate and attack rebel camps. It's unclear how many of the FARC's estimated 7,000 guerrillas are minors. The chief rebel negotiator known by his alias Ivan Marquez said in May that 21 soldiers under the age of 15 live in guerrilla camps, but some government officials have put the number closer to 200. A visit to a rebel camp last month by Associated Press journalists found several guerrillas who acknowledged joining the rebel group as children, some as young as 14. But all said they had done so of their own free will while fleeing poverty and domestic violence. Authorities say more minors could be handed over before the FARC begins to demobilize as part of the peace deal. The government has vowed to reunite the children with their families when possible and provide them with psychological assistance to ease their transition back to civilian life. Aides for Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump are hard at work in the same building in Washington, D.C. The election is not until November. But each team is preparing for their candidate to become president in January. The news website FederalTimes.com reported that the aides moved into a building near the White House in early August. Congress has approved a budget of more than $13 million for the transition planning. President Barack Obama will leave office and the new president will take office on January 20th, 2017. That is less than three months after the election on November 8th, 2016. Recently, top transition officials from both campaigns met with Obamas top aides. Obamas spokesman told reporters that the administration will be helpful to both candidates as they take part in transition planning. White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest said everyone who took part in the meeting understands the serious responsibility that they have to ensure a smooth and effective transition. Experts say a strong and well-organized transition effort can help the new president be successful early in the first term. The transition team is to work to create plans to govern. It also is expected to help the new president honor campaign promises. Hillary Clinton has already taken part in two presidential transitions. In 1992, her husband Bill Clinton was elected president. She experienced the transition from the administration of President George H.W. Bush, the 41st president. She dealt with the transition from the other side as well, when her husband left office and George W. Bush became president. The transition efforts are technically separate from the campaigns of the nominees. However, most of the transition officials for Trump and Clinton are, or were, top aides to the candidates. The Pre-Election Presidential Transition Act of 2010 gives money and offices to the major party nominees to help prepare them to govern the nation. The law was strengthened by the Presidential Transitions Improvements Act of 2015. It requires the outgoing president to begin planning the change of power at least six months ahead. Until recently, new presidents did not begin officially preparing for office until after the election in November. It leaves little time to do a lot. Thousands of workers are needed to run the White House. The president must also choose senior officials to lead agencies throughout the government. The transition is a costly effort. Time magazine reported that in 2012, between 300 and 500 people worked on Republican Mitt Romneys pre-election transition effort. It cost almost $9 million. Romney did not win the election. Because President Obama was already in office, he did not take part in transition planning. The Partnership for Public Service is a non-profit organization that works to improve the effectiveness of the federal government. It has created The Center for Presidential Transition. The center helps to make the next president ready to govern on the first day in office. Researchers at the center have interviewed former leaders of presidential transitions, read academic reports and collected documents from previous transitions. Max Stier is one of the leaders of the center. He told ABC News that winning and not being ready to govern is a big problem. He notes that the new president and aides will be leading an organization with four million employees and an almost $4 trillion budget. Stier told an interviewer that the transition is a moment of both incredible power and vulnerability. It is powerful in the sense that its a representation of our democratic practice. But the transition is also a time in which we present to the world an opportunity for mischief. The center says transitions can be too hurried, resulting in a new administration being unprepared to deal with an emergency. The center provides plans to help the candidates as they create a protected computer network, get needed security clearances and organize offices, among other duties. Stier said the new president must name 4,000 new leaders of government agencies. He says about 25 percent of them require Senate approval. This is the first presidential transition in which aides for both candidates are working in the same office building. The team whose candidate wins the election will quickly speed their plans to take control of the federal government. The team whose candidate loses, however, must leave the offices provided by the federal government within a few days. I'm Caty Weaver. And Im Christopher Jones-Cruise. Christopher Jones-Cruise reported this story for VOA Learning English. Caty Weaver 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 transition n. a change from one state or condition to another interview v. to question or talk with (someone) in order to get information or learn about that person academic adj. of or relating to schools and education vulnerable adj. open to attack, harm or damage opportunity n. chance; an amount of time or a situation in which something can be done mischief n. a playful desire to cause trouble; behavior or activity that is annoying but that is not meant to cause serious harm or damage Washington: Leading the nation in remembering the victims of the 9/11 terrorist attack, US President Barack Obama on Sunday said that terror groups like al Qaeda and the Islamic State will never be able to defeat the US and asked Americans not to let "others divide us". "Groups like al Qaeda, like ISIL, know that we will never be able -- they will never be able to defeat a nation as great and as strong as America," Obama said at a memorial service for 9/11 victims at the Pentagon. "So, instead, they've tried to terrorise in the hopes that they can stoke enough fear that we turn on each other and that we change who we are or how we live," he said. "And that's why it is so important today that we reaffirm our character as a nation -- a people drawn from every corner of the world, every colour, every religion, every background -- bound by a creed as old as our founding, e pluribus unum," he said. "Out of many, we are one. For we know that our diversity -- our patchwork heritage -- is not a weakness; it is still, and always will be, one of our greatest strengths. This is the America that was attacked that September morning. This is the America that we must remain true to," Obama said. Across the country, Americans are coming together in service and remembrance, he said. "We run our fingers over the names in memorial benches here at the Pentagon. We walk the hallowed grounds of a Pennsylvania field. We look up at a gleaming tower that pierces the New York City skyline. But in the end, the most enduring memorial to those we lost is ensuring the America that we continue to be -- that we stay true to ourselves, that we stay true to what's best in us, that we do not let others divide us," said the US President, apparently referring to the Republican presidential campaign of Donald Trump. Obama participated in a wreath ceremony outside of the Pentagon. He was joined by the Defense Secretary Ashton Carter and the Chairman of the Joint Chief of Staff, Joseph Dunford. A trumpet played as Obama stood solemnly in front of the wreath with his hand over his heart. A moment of silence was observed at 9:32 in remembrance those who perished in the Pentagon attack. "Today, we return to the site of an attack motivated by barbarism and hate. An attack that rattled the world, that shook this mighty building, and that took 184 lives from us here at the Pentagon as well as thousands more in New York and Pennsylvania," Carter said in his address. "Indeed, when someone strikes at the heart of what we stand for, we respond with the full might of the finest fighting force the world has ever known. Because our memory is long and our reach and resolve are endless, our enemies cannot hide, they cannot escape, they cannot endure. Wherever they are, they will surely, no matter how long it takes, come to feel the righteous fist of American might," Carter said. "Since September 11, 2001, millions of America's best young men and women have volunteered to respond to those attacks and defend what?s best about America and civilization itself ? 'our freedoms, our values, our care for life, and our way of life', Carter said. In a statement, US Secretary of State John Kerry said Americans were not the only ones who fell victim. "The citizens of more than sixty countries perished in the strikes on the World Trade Center. That astonishing toll reflects both the inter-connected nature of modern society and the need to persist in our comprehensive and united response to the global threat posed by violent extremist groups," he said. "Over the past decade and a half, the United States has led that response. With partners on every continent, we are helping to defeat terrorists by targeting their leadership, shrinking their territory, choking their finances, disrupting their networks, and discrediting their lies," he added. The US, he said, will neither be intimidated by terrorists, nor draw back from the business of the world, nor retreat from its democratic values. "Instead, we have grown even more vigilant, even more resolved, and even more determined to protect our people, assist our friends, and defend civilization from those who would tear it down," he said. Sydney: A 22-year-old man was charged with committing a terrorist act and attempted murder after allegedly stabbing a man in Sydney, police said today. A 59-year-old man was stabbed several times while walking through a park in suburban Minto in southwest Sydney yesterday, a police statement said. The alleged victim was taken to hospital in a critical condition, the statement said. The suspect attempted to stab a police officer before he was arrested. A Joint Counter Terrorism Team, comprising the New South Wales state and Australian Federal Police, charged the man today. He faces a potential life prison sentence if convicted. The alleged attacker and his victim did not know each other. An 18-year-old man was arrested on Thursday outside the Sydney Opera House after allegedly telling security guards he was under instructions to carry out an attack by the Islamic State group. Counterterrorism investigators charged the teen with threatening to destroy property after police said the teen was stopped by guards outside the Opera House. Police say the teen was carrying two canisters of automotive fluid. His arrest came days after the Islamic State movement urged followers to stab, shoot, poison and run over Australians at iconic locations including the Opera House. The teen appeared in a Sydney court on Friday, where the judge ordered him to undergo a psychiatric assessment. London: Fourteen people were arrested on Sunday for aggravated trespassing in the West Midlands region of England after a gang of 20-30 sword-wielding men stormed a Sikh temple, apparently opposing a mixed race marriage between a Sikh and a non-Sikh couple. Specially trained officers from Warwickshire Police are still believed to be inside Gurdwara Sahib in the town of Leamington Spa to negotiate with the other men. Fourteen people were arrested for aggravated trespassing in the West Midlands region of England, police said. A spokesperson for Warwickshire Police said: "The report was received at 6.47 am after a group of between 20 and 30 men entered the temple. This is currently being treated as aggravated trespass and at this time we believe that it is an escalation of an ongoing local dispute." "We believe that some of the men are in possession of bladed items and as such armed officers have been deployed to the scene. Officers are inside the temple to negotiate a peaceful resolution," the spokesperson said. "We would like to reassure people that this is not being treated as a terrorist incident," he added. The spokesperson confirmed religious leaders in the temple were working with officers to negotiate a peaceful resolution. "There are police cordons in place around the temple and we would ask that people avoid the immediate area while the incident is resolved," he said. Some reports claim the armed gang is demonstrating against a mixed race marriage, although this remains unconfirmed. Jatinder Singh Birdi, a former treasurer at the temple, said a marriage between a Sikh and non-Sikh couple was due to take place. "There have been tensions that have been going on for a couple of years with some people objecting to mixed marriages in taking place in the Gurdwara," he was quoted as saying by BBC. "The general consensus is people are respectful of mixed marriages if the traditions are respected. Nothing has happened on this level before. This is meant to be one of the happiest moments of somebody's life - it shows a lack of respect," he said. A police cordon is currently in force around the temple while officers and religious leaders try to end the stand-off. Seoul: A defiant North Korea today restated its demand for recognition as a "legitimate" nuclear-armed state, as world powers pondered ways to punish Pyongyang for its latest and largest atomic test. The North also vowed to increase its nuclear strike force "in quality and in quantity", two days after its fifth test in a decade sparked international condemnation and moves for tougher UN sanctions. In Japan, a visiting senior US envoy said Washington and Tokyo were seeking "the strongest possible" measures in response. North Korea insists that its missile and nuclear tests are necessary to counter what it says is a US nuclear threat to its independence. A statement today from a foreign ministry spokesman in Pyongyang mocked President Barack Obama's "totally bankrupt" policy on the country. "Obama is trying hard to deny the DPRK's (North Korea's) strategic position as a legitimate nuclear weapons state but it is as foolish an act as trying to eclipse the sun with a palm," said the statement quoted by the official KCNA news agency. Friday's test came only eight months after the previous one and was almost twice as powerful, at an estimated 10 kilotons. Most worryingly for the international community, the North claimed it had been a miniaturised warhead that could be mounted on a missile. The UN Security Council agreed Friday to start work on new measures -- even though five sets of UN sanctions since the first nuclear test in 2006 have failed to halt the North's nuclear drive. Sung Kim, the US State Department's special representative for North Korea policy, said Washington and Tokyo would work closely in the Security Council and beyond "to come up with the strongest possible measure against North Korea's latest action". He also suggested the US may launch its own unilateral sanctions in response to "the provocative and unacceptable behaviour by the North Koreans". KCNA insisted today that North Koreans were delighted by Friday's detonation. "The test demonstrated the dignity of the country guided by the iron-willed commander as well as the strength of the Korean people," scientist Choe Kwang-Ho was quoted as saying. Washington: Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton is leading her rival Donald Trump by five percentage points, according to a latest poll which said that the real-estate tycoon may have a more challenging route to victory. Clinton holds a 46 percent to 41 percent edge over Trump among likely voters, followed by Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson at nine percent and the Green Party's Jill Stein at two percent, The Washington Post-ABC News said in its latest poll. However, Clinton, 68, lead Trump, 70, by 10 percentage points among the registered voters, 45 percent to 35 percent, it said. "The findings come at a time when the margins between Clinton and Trump have narrowed in some battleground states and few national polls also have shown a tightening in the competition," the Washington Post said, adding that Trump has a more challenging route to victory. According to another poll, the two presidential candidates are tied in four key battleground States of Arizona, Georgia, New Hampshire and Nevada. NBC News-Wall Street Journal-Marist poll said Clinton leads Trump by one point among likely voters in Arizona, Nevada and New Hampshire. Trump has a three-point lead in Georgia. The World Health Organization is increasingly concerned about the spread of the Zika virus in Southeast Asia. The United Nations organization is worried the virus, which is carried by mosquitos, could affect local populations in the area. Roderico Ofrin is the WHO regional emergencies director for Southeast Asia. He said countries need to carry out, in his words, effective surveillance and reporting systems to closely observe the diseases spread. WHO is working with countries across the South East Asia region to continue to prevent, detect and respond to Zika virus transmission, Ofrin said in an email to VOA. He said the plan to deal with the disease places importance on limiting the spread of the disease and strengthening Zika virus and birth-defect surveillance. He added that increasing the abilities of laboratories to test for the disease and increasing communication with communities were also important. What is Zika? Zika is blamed for causing the birth defect microcephaly, which can cause babies to be born with unusually small heads and possible brain damage. So far, South America has suffered the most from the Zika virus. Brazil has reported hundreds of cases of microcephaly since the outbreak started there in 2015. Now, the medical journal The Lancet Infectious Diseases has identified China, India, Indonesia, the Philippines and Thailand as high-risk countries. The medical publication also said that Africa south of the Sahara Desert faced increased risk because of its historical ties with Brazil. It warned that an estimated 2.6 billion people live in places where conditions for the spread of the virus exist. Pregnant women are most at risk. Health officials say the virus also is spread through sexual contact, blood transfusions and from mother to child. The Zika virus also has been linked to nerve damage that can result in weakened muscles and paralysis known as Guillain-Barre syndrome. Zika in Southeast Asia Southeast Asian governments have increased efforts to find evidence of the virus. They have also sprayed chemicals in places where mosquitos breed. However, Singapore has reported more than 240 cases. Malaysia and Thailand also have reported cases of infection, and the United States, Britain, Australia and Taiwan have given travel warnings for pregnant women. Singapores Ministry of Health and National Environment Agency reported that the Zika virus affecting its community came from Asia. It said it did not come from Brazil. Local news agencies in Thailand reported comments of a top official in the ministry of Public Healths Department of Disease Control. The official said Zika has not become a serious outbreak in the country. However, Thai Public Health Ministry officials say two women in the San Sai district of the city of Chiang Mai are being closely watched. I'm Mario Ritter. Ron Corben reported this story for VOA News. Mario Ritter adapted it for VOA Learning English. Kelly Jean Kelly was the editor. ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story surveillance n. carefully watching something or someone detect v. to discover or notice the presence of something transmission n. medical, passing an infection from one to another In 1990, Polish photographer Tadeusz Rolke was commissioned by GEO Germany to photograph Lviv in Ukraine. The editors rejected the resulting photographs. 26 years later they have finally found their audience at the exhibition Tomorrow Will Be Better, running at the Center for Urban History for East Central Europe in Lviv until March 2017. Curators Andriy Boyarov and Marek Grygiel have chosen 50 photographs for the exhibition, which show protests and demonstrations along with the everyday life of citizens. Andriy Boyarov, curator of the exhibition: Tadeusz Rolke brought us a time capsule where we can see our past. Tadeusz and his photographs exist beyond time and nationality. It is not only because he lived in Germany for many years and worked for well-known Western outlets. Cosmopolitanism is a part of his agenda, and social withdrawal is his observation method. However, it seems that it is different for his Lviv project. In these photographs Tadeusz becomes engaged and emotional, almost an insider. He comes so near that he is almost one of his characters. And the phrase Tomorrow will be better, said by someone who belongs to the group, is perceived as confident and definite, impossible not to believe. Dmitry Zakharchenko, the deputy head of the Energy Industry Department of the General Administration of Economic Security and Combating the Corruption, also had 2m in cash. Zakharchenko won't say where the money came from, but swears he's done nothing wrong. Russia is clearly trailing China in the corruption wars. In China, raids on anti-corruption officials yield so much cash that it burns out the motors on the police bill-counting machines, so that its value has to be estimated by weight. According to investigators, police seized a sum of some $120 million and 2 million ($2.2 million). "The final amount is unknown. [Police] confiscated a cache only in [Zakharchenko's] house; it is not yet known how many more assets [he has], but we are working in this direction," a source told RIA Novosti. TASS quoted police sources who said the money was found in a bag. "A large amount of cash was located in his study," sources said, adding that the Zakharchenko refused to comment on the nature of the money or its origins, only claiming that he is not guilty. Money bag: Police raid on anti-corruption official uncovers over $120mn in cash [RT] (Photo L!FE) The Bonneville Chapter of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution held its September meeting at Lexington Public Library on Tuesday, Sept. 6. In lieu of a program, the group gathered to decorate the display case in the foyer of the library to commemorate Constitution Week, which is celebrated Sept. 17 through 23. All citizens, employers and schools are encouraged to "Ring the Bells of Freedom," at 3 p.m. on Sept. 17 to fulfill the "Bells Across America" goal, when the bells from coast to coast will be ringing at the same time. With the guidance and help of the Lexington Community Foundation, the Give BIG Lexington day is coming Nov. 10, 2016. Bonneville Chapter participates in this event as their only fundraiser. Our organization is centered on God, home and country. Since joining with the Lexington Community Foundation, we have been able to expand our interest and influence in our community by commissioning cutouts of our past local entrepreneurs, assisting the hero flights to Washington,D.C., offering scholarships to local high school seniors, and promoting Veteran's Day and Constitution Week to the schools and the community. "We would not be able to accomplish these things without the help of our loyal donors and the support of the Lexington Community Foundation. Thank you to all," the chapter said in a statement. LONDON (Reuters) - Rolls-Royce [RR.L] has appointed Simon Kirby, the head of British high-speed rail project HS2, as chief operating officer, the aerospace and engineering group said on Saturday. British media said Kirby's unexpected departure from HS2 would add to the uncertainty over a 55 billion pound ($73 billion) project that has been controversial both among the public and within the ruling Conservative Party. Rolls-Royce said Kirby would take up the newly created post in the coming months and would take responsibility for the "group-wide transformation agenda". The company is part-way through a turnaround plan after a string of profit downgrades last year, attributed to canceled orders from oil industry customers after an oil price plunge and a slowdown in aftermarket servicing for aircraft engines. The group said in July the plan was starting to take hold and it stuck to its full-year profit forecast. "(Kirby's) exceptional track record in delivering complex major programs is highly relevant to Rolls-Royce and will strengthen management capability ahead of a period of significant expansion," Chief Executive Warren East said in a statement. "We are doubling our production of large civil aircraft engines and substantially growing our nuclear division while at the same time driving a transformation program that will make us a more resilient and cash generative business," he said. Kirby is chief executive of HS2 Ltd, the company in charge of planning and delivering a new high-speed rail network linking London to cities in the Midlands and the north. He joined HS2 in May 2014 from Network Rail, the body that controls Britain's railway infrastructure, where he was a board member. He will not join the Rolls-Royce board. "I am hugely proud to be joining one of the worlds great engineering companies at an exciting time in its development," Kirby was quoted as saying in the statement from Rolls-Royce. The first phase of HS2, which will run from London to Birmingham, is due to be completed in 2026, although there have been multiple warnings from critics of the project that it would not be completed on time or on budget. Opponents of HS2 say it is far too costly and will not deliver the economic benefits promised by successive governments, while advocates of the project say it will stimulate growth in the Midlands and northern England. (Reporting by Estelle Shirbon; Editing by Robin Pomeroy) By David Bailey (Reuters) - Univision Communications Inc said on Saturday it has deleted postings subject to active litigation against Gawker Media Group Inc to create a "clean slate" for the online publishing company acquired for $135 million in a bankruptcy auction last month. Gawker Media sought bankruptcy in June after facing a $140 million court judgment following an invasion of privacy lawsuit from former professional wrestler Hulk Hogan, whose real name is Terry Bollea, over the publication of excerpts from a sex tape. "Following our acquisition of assets from Gawker Media, we have decided to take down select articles that are the subject of pending litigation against the prior owners," Univision said in a statement. "At this time of transition, the decision was based on a desire to have a clean slate as we look to support and grow the editorial missions of the acquired brands," it said. A bankruptcy judge approved Univision's winning bid in August following a bankruptcy auction and Gawker Media said its website Gawker.com known for celebrity and media gossip would shut down and its media assets would be integrated into Fusion Media Group. Hogan's lawsuit against Gawker was bankrolled by billionaire investor Peter Thiel. Gawker.com in 2007 published an article about Thiel's homosexuality. Removal of the postings required a vote of the interim general counsel, interim CEO, and the executive editor in line with Gawker's collective bargaining agreement. Gawker Media Executive Editor John Cook said in a memo to staffers, seen by Reuters, that the executives had voted on Friday to delete the six postings from Gawker Media sites: three from Deadspin, two from tech blog Gizmodo and one from women's website Jezebel. Cook's memo said he had voted to retain the postings and removing them was a mistake. "While I believe that Univision is a company that values and defends aggressive, independent reporting, the decision to remove these posts is, in my view, at odds with its tradition of confronting bullies with honesty," Cook said in the memo. The postings deleted involved a man who sued Gawker over its reporting on his claims to have invented email, former major league pitcher Mitch Williams, a conservative blogger, and a man acquitted of sexual assault. On Saturday, links to the six postings said, "This story is no longer available as it is the subject of pending litigation against the prior owners of this site." (Reporting by David Bailey in Minneapolis; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama) As of August 26th, 2021 Yahoo India will no longer be publishing content. Your Yahoo Account Mail and Search experiences will not be affected in any way and will operate as usual. We thank you for your support and readership. For more information on Yahoo India, please visit the FAQ This website is inclusive of tolerant people of all faiths, without exception. Neither anti-Semitism nor Islamophobia nor homophobia should ever be acceptable to anyone. We must all strive to live in peace and harmony with each other, regardless of religious affiliations, or none. Intolerance is the mother of strife and conflict. Mark Alexander We Britons are Europeans!Wir Briten sind Europaer! Nous, les Britanniques, sommes europeens ! Mark AlexanderEmail me at:markalexander.librabunda@gmail.com PHOENIX -- The state's largest power company filed suit late Friday asking a judge to quash the subpoenas a utility regulator has issued for some of its records. Mary O'Grady, attorney for Arizona Public Service and Pinnacle West Capital Corp., its parent company, said there is no legal basis for the demand by Bob Burns for documents showing what the company has spent on political donations, charitable contributions and lobbying expenses. She said there is no reason the Arizona Corporation Commission needs the information because money either company uses for those expenses is not passed on to APS customers in the form of higher rates. And O'Grady said that is the only reason the regulators would need the information. But she also claims a constitutional right of her clients to keep the information secret. O'Grady said the First Amendment not only protects free speech but also includes the right of individuals and corporations to make political or charitable donations. In a separate filing Friday with the commission, Barbara Lockwood, an APS vice president, said the fact that Burns is targeting only APS and Pinnacle West in demanding the information is discriminatory. She said this is "evidence of Commissioner Burns' intent to harass.'' But there is a reason Burns has focused on the companies: A spokesman has repeatedly refused to confirm or deny that either APS or Pinnacle West were the source of any of the $3.2 million in anonymous donations that were poured into the 2014 commission race to help elect Republicans Tom Forese and Doug Little. Other utilities have said they stayed out of that race. The lawsuit comes less than a week before the Sept. 15 deadline that Burns set for the documents to be delivered to the commission and less than a month before Burns' demand that Don Brandt, the chief executive of both firms, shows up at the commission to answer questions under oath. Whether a judge can act quickly enough to block any of that remains to be seen. But O'Grady, in a separate letter to Burns, said APS -- but not Pinnacle West -- will deliver "a significant amount of documents identified in the subpoenas'' by the Thursday deadline. And she said those deemed confidential also will be furnished subject to "execution of an appropriate confidentiality agreement.'' She stressed, though, that does not mean the company is waiving its legal right to challenge the subpoenas. Burns, in a brief statement late Friday, said he is studying the company's lawsuit and its response to his subpoenas before deciding what to do next. The legal battle stems from the questions Burns raised about the role of APS and Pinnacle West in a "dark money'' campaign in the 2014 race. Both the Free Enterprise Club and Save Our State contend they are "social welfare'' organizations, free to help elect or defeat candidates but exempt from state campaign finance laws that require disclosure of donors. So Burns is instead trying to use his authority over the utility. How broad that is likely will be debated in court. Earlier this year Attorney General Mark Brnovich said individuals commissioners have the right to subpoena the records of regulated utilities like APS. O'Grady, for her contends that power is limited and can be exercised "only in connection with an investigation, inquiry or hearing authorized by the commission.'' Pinnacle West is another question. Brnovich said that going after the records of affiliated companies not directly regulated by the commission would require the consent of a majority of the five-member commission. And none of the other commissioners, all Republicans like Burns, has shown an interest in doing that. Lockwood, in her letter, also suggested there is a political motive for what Burns is trying to do. He is running for another four-year term this year at commission. And she said the deadline he set to interview Brandt comes just a week before early voting begins for the general election. "Commission Burns is clearly campaigning on the disclosure issue with references on his election website to 'my battle with APS,' '' Lockwood wrote. CargoLogic Air load one of their mega all cargo aircraft. In addition to purpose built frighters, many end of first lease, state-of-the-art wide-bodied passenger aircraft are currently being snapped up and rapidly re-purposed for all cargo operation. As the 21st Century trend is away from airport hub/spoke operation - apparently Heathrow [LHR] is yet to get the memo -and towards single aisle narrow bodied passenger/cargo hold aircraft, working point to point schedules continues apace ... 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Among the restaurants around town that might assuage your sweet tooth are Convivial (try the elegant Key lime pie), Kinship (for its chocolate fantasy), Kingbird (splurge on the clafoutis) and Osteria Morini (right now, the plum tart with cantaloupe gelato sounds perfect). Chatters, where do *you* like to go for dessert? Happy Hump Day, everyone. I'll be away next week, so send me your pressing food questions today if you can. Let's begin. JAKARTA President Duterte will assist the more than 700 Indonesian pilgrims who traveled to Saudi Arabia for the hajj using Philippine passports. The pilgrims are expected to arrive in Manila by the end of the month. The 700 are on top of the 177 arrested on Aug. 19 at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport about to fly to Jeddah. When they arrive in Manila, we will expedite their immediate repatriation to Indonesia, the President said. He added there would be no charges to be filed against the Indonesian pilgrims as unscrupulous persons who took advantage of their desire to perform the hajj in Mecca fooled them. The problem reportedly stemmed from the fact that Indonesia has exceeded its quota for the pilgrimage while the Philippine quota has been barely used. The President said Indonesian passports would immediately be issued to the 700 Indonesian pilgrims when they arrive in Manila. In that way they can immediately go back home to Indonesia, the President said. Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, saying he was "not a fan" of the United States, vowed Saturday to steer an independent course for the key Asian ally and refrain from confronting territorial rival China. The incendiary leader made the comments after a controversial first foreign trip and spectacular falling out with US President Barack Obama, who he called a "son of a whore". "I am not a fan of the Americans... Filipinos should be first before everybody else," Duterte told reporters upon arrival in his hometown of Davao city Saturday. "In our relations to the world, the Philippines will pursue an independent foreign policy. I repeat: The Philippines will pursue an independent foreign policy." The president's trip to a summit in Laos was overshadowed by his verbal tirade, which saw Obama cancel a planned meeting. The pair met briefly later after Duterte expressed regret. The US, Manila's main military ally and the Philippines' colonial ruler until 1946, has criticised Duterte's brutal crackdown on crime, which has claimed 3,000 lives since he took office in July and drawn condemnation from the United Nations. Obama has urged the Filipino leader to conduct his crime war "the right way" and protect human rights, but Duterte has dismissed it as being none of America's business. The two also subtly differed on how to proceed after a UN-backed international tribunal in July outlawed most of China's claims to the strategic South China Sea, including areas that overlap with those of the Philippines and other neighbours. Obama, whose government wants to ensure freedom of navigation in the waterway, brought up the contentious issue at the Laos forum also attended by China. He stressed that the tribunal's ruling was "binding" and could not be ignored by Beijing, which has rejected it. Duterte favours a "soft landing" for the issue and said Saturday it would be counter-productive for his militarily weak nation, which hosts small units of US forces, to confront China or undertake actions that could lead to armed conflict. "I assured everybody that there are only two options there: We go to fight, which we cannot afford at all, or talk," he added. On Friday during an overnight visit to Indonesia, Duterte announced China had pledged to help build drug rehabilitation centres to treat Filipino crystal meth users. Law enforcement officials believe criminal gangs in China, Taiwan and Hong Kong supply most of the illegal and highly addictive stimulants to the Philippines. "Only China has offered to help us," Duterte said Friday, according to an official transcript of a speech he gave to the Filipino community in Jakarta. Running a business is complicated, which means there are some factors or tasks that tend to get overlooked. From basic concepts to more involved processes, members of our small business community have plenty of tips for dealing with those sometimes overlooked business tasks. See the full list of tips below. Be Sure to Spend Enough Time on Marketing So how much time should you be spending sharing content or connecting on social media or networking at industry related events? How long should you be spending on marketing in general? It depends. Answer the Small Business Trends poll and see how you stack up against others for amount of time spent marketing your business. Learn the Difference Between User Experience and Customer Experience The user experience and customer experience are important considerations for any business. But theyre not the same. And understanding what each is can make a big difference for your business. Caroline Sober-James explains more in this Acumium blog post. Get Honest Feedback for Your Business Idea Coming up with a great business idea is, of course, important. But you also need to gather some honest feedback about your ideas if you want them to succeed, as Cate Costa discusses here. Members of the BizSugar community also share thoughts on the post here. Invest in LinkedIn Marketing LinkedIn can be good for more than just keeping in touch with your professional connections. There are plenty of marketing opportunities that the platform presents, as Aaron Agius details in this Search Engine Journal post. Determine Your Brands Social Media Persona Lots of brands get on social media and just start posting without giving it much thought. But to really make an impact with your social media, you need to determine a persona. This post on the Inkhouse Inklings Blog by Sarah Mitus explains the importance of having a persona for your social media efforts. Pitch Your Online Content for the Right Audience Finding your target audience is absolutely essential to any business. And you need to constantly keep that audience in mind when creating and pitching your online content as well. This Two Feet Marketing post by David Lowbridge includes some thoughts on pitching content to your audience. And you can also see discussion about the post over on BizSugar. Use These Tech Savvy Ways to Tell Your Brand Story Every brand needs to tell a story. And you can actually use technology to help convey that story to customers and potential customers online. Here, Ivan Widjaya shares some tips about using technology to tell a brand story in this Noobpreneur post. Improve Your Email Click-Through Rates When it comes to email marketing, theres a lot of emphasis put on gaining subscribers. But if you want your email marketing to have any impact, you also need to focus on improving your click-through rates. Here, Neil Patel shares some strategies for improving click-through rates on emails. Build Customer Trust to Stand Out in a Crowd There are tons of flashy strategies out there for making your business stand out. But few are as effectively as just building good old fashioned trust with your customers. Sherry Gray of ChamberOfCommerce.com discusses more here. And BizSugar members discuss the post here as well. Use SEO to Get Local Customers to Cling to Your Content When you think about the importance of SEO, you probably consider how essential it is to online businesses. But local businesses can use SEO and content marketing to reach customers as well. Here, Bhupinder Kaur Chhabra outlines how SEO and content can benefit local businesses in the Blurbpoint blog. If youd like to suggest your favorite small business content to be considered for an upcoming community roundup, please send your news tips to: sbtips@gmail.com MOSCOW (Sputnik) The investigations into the 9/11 tragic events in the United States have showed that there is no reason to believe in conspiracy theories that attribute the planning and execution of the attacks to other parties than al-Qaeda, for example governments of some countries, experts told Sputnik. "Certainly there are still a lot of information that is classified about that event but we have enough evidence to know how it came about," Mehrzad Boroujerdi, professor and chair of the political science department at Syracuse University in New York, said. There have been numerous investigations into 9/11 terror attacks and video evidence of who the terrorists who carried out the attacks were, Margaret Gilmore of London-based security think tank the Royal United Services Institute reminded. The leaders stayed for dinner, chatting with the fishermen for over one and a half hours. The company discussed informal subjects as well as the fishermen's concern such as registration of ships, anti-poaching, fishing support and scientific progress. "He is such a simple man, more than one can imagine. He knows what to say in a simple, elegant, beautiful way. He knows how to listen, and how to talk without any populism, clearly and understandably," fisherman Ivan Pireev shared his impressions of his chat with the Russian leader with RIA Novosti. Barack Obama The newly named Baracktrema obamai is the second parasite named for the 44th president, following a parasitic hairworm found in the Lake Victoria region of Kenya in 2012. The new parasite was discovered by biologist Thomas Platt last year. The parasite is a blood fluke, a tiny flatworm that lives in the blood vessels of the lungs of its hosts, Malaysian freshwater turtles. Its presence can cause mild inflammation and even paralysis or death to its host. MOSCOW (Sputnik) South Korea has developed a preemptive attack plan against North Korea aiming to destroy the northern capital Pyongyang in case of a nuclear attack emanating from the north, local media said Sunday. "Every Pyongyang district, particularly where the North Korean leadership is possibly hidden, will be completely destroyed by ballistic missiles and high-explosive shells as soon as the North shows any signs of using a nuclear weapon. In other words, the North's capital city will be reduced to ashes and removed from the map," a South Korean military source told the Yonhap news agency. The plan provides for the use of South Korean-made Hyunmoo ballistic missiles with ranges of up to 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) to mainly target the North Korean leadership in cases of both nuclear and conventional war being attempted by the north, according to the source. MOSCOW (Sputnik) A nuclear-powered US aircraft carrier will join naval drills that South Korea plans to stage in mid-October, in what Korean media said will be a show of strength to warn off the North. "The USS Ronald Reagan will take part in the combined maritime exercise between the US and South Korean militaries to be carried out in the western and southern seas," a Korean military official told Yonhap. The Nimitz-class aircraft carrier will be deployed to the Yellow and South seas on October 10-15. It is part of a US Japan-based strike group and the only forward-deployed aircraft carrier in the region. TOKYO (Sputnik) The uninhabited Senkaku islands , known as the Diaoyutai Islands in China, have soured relations between Tokyo and Beijing for decades. They are currently controlled by Japan. The Japan Coast Guard said that trespassing Chinese vessels stayed in Japanese waters for one-and-a-half hours despite being asked to leave. China says that the contiguous islands have been part of its territory since ancient times. Japan argues it has been in control since 1895. The islands were briefly held by the United States and handed over to Japan in 1972. TOKYO (Sputnik) Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga was quoted by Kyodo news agency as saying that the government must be prepared to tighten sanctions on Pyongyang to restrain its nuclear ambition. The move hours after Japans Asian Affairs Bureau chief Kenji Kanasugi and US special representative for North Korea Sung Kim told reporters they had agreed to come up with the strongest possible measures against Pyongyang. They said they would be working together as well as unilaterally. On Friday, Pyongyang confirmed that it tested a nuclear technology for the second time this year. This was the fifth nuclear test so far and reportedly the biggest ever. MOSCOW (Sputnik) Earlier in the day, Turkeys Interior Ministry announced it had fired 28 provincial administrators and district governors for having links to Kurdish militia PKK and Islamic cleric Fethullah Gulen. The ministry added that 12 officials had been arrested. Most of local authorities under scrutiny are in Turkey's southeast and dominated by the Kurdish minority. "We are concerned by reports of clashes in Turkeys Southeast As Turkish authorities investigate allegations that some local officials have participated in or provided material support to terrorist groups, we note the importance of respect for judicial due process and individual rights, including the right of peaceful political expression, as enshrined in the Turkish Constitution," the embassy said in a statement. A crackdown on public servants began in Turkey after the failed coup of July 15. Ankara blamed Fethullah Gulen, a US-based Islamic cleric and the president's former ally, for plotting the attempt to overthrow Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The massive military exercise code-named "Joint Sea-2016" will feature destroyers, submarines, fighter jets, shipborne helicopters and marines according to the Chinese Navys official website. The countries will join forces in practicing defense, rescue and anti-submarine operations in addition to "island seizing" demonstrations. Additionally marines will participate in live-fire exercises, defense and landing maneuvers in what is billed to be the single largest joint military operation between the two countries naval forces. The plan comes after China announced in July, before the situation in the South China Sea had fully escalated, that Beijing and Moscow planned to join forces in a routine naval exercise. THESSALONIKI (Sputnik) He has recently confirmed that the Greek government was interested in the project, but the EU decision-making body would have the final say. "First of all, we have to discuss this with the European Commission, we and the Italian government. We will try [this] next week, [in the] next 15 days. We need a second or a third road for the Russian gas to come to Europe," Skourletis told RIA Novosti. He added that Greece planned to initiate negotiations with the Commission together with Italy. The pipeline will carry Russian natural gas across Greece and the Ionian Sea and come ashore in Italy. MINSK (Sputnik) Minsk and Moscow have almost agreed on the price for Russian gas supplies to Belarus, with the final decision expected in the near future, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said Sunday. "Just this night, late in the evening, an unacceptable for us and for Russia solution to the issue was found," Lukashenko told reporters. He explained that one more round of the talks on the cost of the Russian gas for Minsk at the level of deputy prime ministers took place on Saturday. THESSALONIKI (Sputnik) Athens is closely watching Russia-Turkey talks on a pipeline that will bring Russian gas to the Turkish border with Greece, Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras said Sunday. "We are closely watching negotiations and on-again, off-again relations between Russia and Turkey. We are glad to see those ties mended," Tsipras told reporters at the international fair in Thessaloniki. The talks between Russias Gazprom and Ankara on a plan to build the Turkish Stream pipeline across the Black Sea were revived last month. Meanwhile, Greece is preparing to make a case for another gas link to Russia before the European Commission in September. At the Geneva press conference this weekend, the US diplomat clearly said that he was coordinating his efforts with those of the exiled opposition group called the High Negotiations Committee. Days before, the Saudi-backed HNC unveiled yet another vision demanding transition and Assads departure. On the Geneva meeting this weekend, the Washington Post reported: Kerry acknowledged the truth of the Russian charge that some opposition groups are fighting in tandem with the [al-Nusra] Front and said it was incumbent on them to now make a choice. The paper also noted: Both Kerry and Lavrov emphasized that outside supporters of all non-terrorist [sic] belligerents would have to bring their allies in line. Without this putative separation of moderates and terrorists then there can be no feasible premise for a substantive cessation of violence. The proposal for US and Russian forces to subsequently cooperate in carrying out air strikes against terror groups is therefore a non-starter. The confidence for this assertion is because, as Kerry half-acknowledged, there is no distinction between moderate rebels and terrorists. They are all part of the same regime-change proxy army that the US and its NATO and regional allies orchestrated from the outset of this reprehensible conflict. Expecting these proxies to somehow sort themselves into good guys and bad guys is a ludicrous conception of how and why the war was instigated and prosecuted. It complained about the arrest and prosecution of the Russian businessman Mikhail Khodorkovsky, ignoring the serious charges brought against him, which the European Court of Human Rights has upheld. It has lectured Russia about the conduct of the investigation into the murder of the journalist Anna Politkovskaja. It has sided with the British businessman Bill Browder in his dispute with the Russian authorities. It even passed legislation endorsing his account and directly interfering in the conduct of the case. In 2011, the US backed protests during Russias election season, and in 2014 it imposed more sanctions on various Russian individuals and companies and on whole sectors of the Russian economy. It now even organises the arrests of Russian individuals when they travel abroad to third countries, so that they can be imprisoned in the US. All this has been accompanied by a vitriolic campaign in the US and Western media against Russia and President Putin in particular. While since 2014 this has centred on events in Ukraine with particular focus on events in Crimea and the Donbass, which however were the direct consequence of the Maidan coup the US backed this media campaign in reality began long before. What all this entirely ignores is that throughout this period Russia has taken no hostile step towards the US whatsoever. Russia has not attacked the US in any way whether militarily or politically or economically. Nor has it shown the slightest desire to do so. In the absence of any hostile step by Russia towards the US, the US has been reduced to shrill complaints that the Russian media occasionally publishes reports critical of the US and its policies as it has a perfect right to do even though the Western media campaign against Russia is much greater and to making without proof claims of Russian interference in US and European domestic politics, even though US and Western interference in Russian domestic politics is both open and far greater. "The terror threat now stems from foreign hit teams as well as fanatical lone wolves in Germany," explained de Maiziere in the interview a day before the 15th anniversary of 9/11. "The hit teams are secretly smuggled into Europe and prepare their actions without being noticed, as we saw with the attacks in Paris and Brussels, but its even more difficult to uncover fanatical lone wolves. Unfortunately, there is a real and present danger from both threats." "Authorities are assuming there are undiscovered lone wolf terrorists out there," said de Maiziere who refused to speculate on how many lone-wolf terrorists there may be. The warnings follow a spate of attacks in late July claimed by Daesh one by an axe wielding terrorist on a train in Wuerzburg and another a bomb blast near a music festival in Ansbach that were carried out by asylum-seekers who came into the country under Chancellor Merkels Open Doors policy. The new law for the EUs travel information and authorization system (Etias) will require visitors to Schengen area, consisting of 26 European nations, to apply for visa. The scheme is being prepared in the framework of a comprehensive action plan to tackle terrorist inflow into the united Europe, in the wake of a string of high profile attacks that shook Belgium and France in the last year and a half. The European Commission is expected to unveil the new requirements this year, according to media reports. The scheme will be working in the manner of the US Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) system. ESTA suggests that travelers from countries that do not require full visas have to register online before the trip. After that the US immigration service decides if a person preparing for trip is eligible to get into the country. TALLINN (Sputnik) On Friday, the former Estonian Foreign Minister Marina Kaljurand handed in her resignation to the country's prime minister in light of her decision to run for presidency. "The new minister must understand foreign policies and security policies, as Estonia is already preparing to gain the EU presidency next year. Much work lies ahead," Estonia's parliamentary National Defense Committee Chairman Marko Mihkelson told the ETV+ channel. The Estonian government's foreign ministry portfolio belongs to the Reform party, which has the largest mandate in parliament and is in a coalition government with the Social Democratic Party and the conservative Pro Patria and Res Publica Union. Previously, Estonian Prime Minister Taavi Roivas stated that a new foreign minister would be appointed before the end of the week. MOSCOW (Sputnik) France's former leader and current presidential candidate Nicolas Sarkozy on Sunday called for the creation of a special court and prosecutor's office to deal with terrorism, local media said Sunday. "It is necessary to create a special anti-terrorism courtI also propose to create a national prosecutor's anti-terrorism office," Sarkozy told Le Journal du Dimanche weekly newspaper in a Sunday interview. Judges specializing in counter-terrorism are needed to deal with the terrorist threat effectively, he added, stressing that there is no more room for legal softness in dealing with the problem and that the current French government could have avoided the deadly July attack in the city of Nice by toughening the legal system. MOSCOW (Sputnik) Daesh terrorist group has been losing ground in the Middle East. Out of some 6,000 foreigners fighting in its ranks, a third could be back home before long, officials told German newspaper Die Welt. "The return of jihadists presents a threat to security," German criminal police chief Holger Muench said. "The majority is extremely radicalized, they have military training and are battle-hardened." German Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere said in an interview with the Bild newspaper on Saturday that over 500 potential Islamist attackers were estimated to live in Germany, and cautioned about the threat coming from small strike groups and lone-wolf terrorists. Vadodara: CBI may probe the USD 208 million Embraer aircraft deal if any criminality is indicated in the internal probe already ordered, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar said on Sunday. He said he has sought a report from DRDO by on Monday and only after that he could make a proper statement on the issue. "We are investigating the matter. The investigation is going on... I am not going to give a knee-jerk reaction," Parrikar told reporters here while responding to questions over the deal that has run into a controversy. "If there is a criminal angle, then we can give it (probe) to CBI. The Defence Ministry cannot investigate criminal angle," he said when asked whether the probe would be handed over to CBI. He said if only procedural issues are involved, then the Defence Ministry can do an internal investigation. The deal for purchase of three Brazilian aircraft Embraer in 2008 during the UPA regime has kicked up dust with US authorities going into alleged payment of kickbacks. The deal has come under the scanner of the US Justice Department which has been probing Embraer for alleged payment of bribes to secure contracts. "DRDO has sought information from manufacture of Embraer aircraft within 15 days on media reports on aircraft deal signed in 2008," Defence Ministry sources have said, adding "On receipt of information by the DRDO, further steps may be initiated." The deal was signed in 2008 between Embraer and the DRDO for three aircraft equipped with indigenous radars for AEW&C (airborne early warning and control systems). MOSCOW (Sputnik) The Russian and Luxembourg foreign ministers are set to meet Tuesday for talks on their bilateral ties and relations with the European Union, as well as on Ukraine, the Russian Foreign Ministry said Sunday. "Luxembourg's Foreign and European Affairs Minister Jean Asselborn is due in Moscow on September 13 with a working visit. Among the topics that will be raised during his talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will be the current state of and possible ways forward in developing Russia- Luxembourg cooperation on urgent global issues," it continued. The focus will be on Russias relationship with the European Union, the crises in Ukraine, the Middle East and North Africa, as well as the fight against terrorism and "other contemporary challenges." What we want is official recognition of our culture and language and the restoration of our parliament, the education system and other institutions just like in Scotland, he noted, adding that the Association fully shared the euroskepticism of the people living in Scotland, Cornwall and Ireland. When asked about the results of their initial appeal to the UN, Stephane Domagala said that the first appeal was just an attempt to outline the problem, and that now they were going to initiate a legal procedure. He mentioned the situation with the French refusal to seel, Mistral helicopter carriers to Russia as the shipyards building the ships are located on the land that has historically belonged to Bretons. When asked whether Breton shipbuilders have suffered as a result of Paris ban on the sale of Mistrals to Russia, Stephane Domagala said that Brittany had gone through a lot of hardship. The situation had already been pretty bad here and the embargo made it even worse. There have even been suicides here, but no one seems to care. If only we had the status of an ethnic minority our dialogue with other countries would have been much better, Stephane Domagala said in conclusion. In 2011, Russia and France signed a 1.3 billion deal to build two Mistral helicopter carriers for the Russian Navy. Paris was supposed to hand over the first Mistral to Moscow in November 2014 and the second in 2015. However, French President Francois Hollande decided to suspend the delivery, citing Russia's alleged involvement in the Ukrainian crisis, a claim denied by Moscow. Japans decision to speak out is something we should pay attention to. It really indicates that they are deeply worried about the potential impact [of Brexit] on Japanese investments in the UK. This is really bad news for Japanese investors as well as other investors who really focus on investing in Britain, Janet Hunter said. She mentioned the large number of people employed by Japanese companies in Britain and said that London would certainly hate to see all these jobs moving to other parts of the EU. After Britain voted to leave the EU, a lot of other companies from various places around the world started saying they would leave the City of London. But the Japanese have a different culture and their decision to move out has sent a very strong message to the UK, Janet Hunter warned. According to the N1 broadcaster, approximately 3.8 million Croatian citizens are eligible to vote in the parliamentary elections. From 7 a.m. (05:00 GMT), when the polling stations opened, until 11.30 am (9:30 GMT), some 18.9 percent of the electorate voted. The polling stations are due to close at 7 p.m. local time (17:00 GMT). According to the broadcaster, 177 political parties, units and movements were registered all across Croatia before the start of the elections. Multiple media reports, as well as polling services suggest that there would be three major forces fighting for the right to form a government the conservative HDZ, the Social Democratic Party of Croatia (SDP) and independent centre-right Most party. MOSCOW (Sputnik) On Saturday, UK media reported that UK nationals might have to apply online and pay for EU travel after the withdrawal from the bloc in compliance with the EU plans to present a visa waiver scheme similar to the US system. "I think they would be surprised. I dont think its particularly desirable, but we dont rule it out, because we have to be allowed a free hand to get the best negotiations," Rudd replied to a question during BBC1s The Andrew Marr Show on whether such a scheme might emerge. She noted, however, that Brussels and the EU commissioners could consider alternative options. MOSCOW (Sputnik) France is facing the "maximum threat" from terrorists both inside and outside the country, he said. An estimated 700 French nationals are fighting in Syria and Iraq, including 275 women and dozens of children. "You can say there are 15,000 people under scrutiny because they are in the process of radicalization," Valls told French radio station Europe 1. Security agencies have been thwarting terror plots every single day, Valls said. MOSCOW (Sputnik) On September 4, a car with gas cylinders and bottles of diesel fuel was discovered near the Notre-Dame cathedral in Paris. Police arrested several "radicalized" women, suspected of intention to explode the car, following an anti-terrorist operation in the country. One of the detained women was charged with association with a terrorist group and attempted murder by an organized group. According to her testimony, the original plan was to park and explode the car at the Eiffel Tower, the symbol of Paris, French newspaper Le Journal du Dimanche reported. Paris Prosecutor Francois Molins said Friday that the women were directed by Islamic State jihadist group, banned in many countries including Russia, which has called on its followers to attack France in revenge for airstrikes on the group's bases in Syria and Iraq. LONDON (Sputnik) The government is "completely committed" to reduce net migration, and "yes tens of thousands, although it will take some time," Rudd told the BBC broadcaster. The net migration amounted to 327,000 people in the 12 months up to the end of March, according to the Office for National Statistics. According to Rudd, the government is also seeking to reduce the number people using student visas to arrive in the United Kingdom. "We want our own way of running our country. If the European Union is supposed to be about democracy, then it should let us have our democracy and stop interfering," Coburn explained. Earlier, a group of Brexit critics organized a protest campaign, hijacking a high-profile and traditionally British event to promote a message of solidarity with the EU. The activists were handing out EU flags for those attending the Last Night of the Proms at Royal Albert Hall on Saturday. The televised event crowns the popular series of summer concerts and usually a lot of British flags are on display in the audience. The politician disapproved of the campaign, saying that concerns of Brexit critics are unjustified and that "things will be as they've always been" in Europe. "I just think it is a usual stuff for the European Union and the people who support it. They don't believe in democracy and they are just trying to be as awkward as possible. What they do is they [] make them [the Brits] absolutely more determined to have more Union flags and be more British than ever," the politician stated. Hundreds of thousands of Catalonians have gathered in five different towns of Spanish autonomous community to encourage the speeding up of the process of breakaway from Spain, to which central government is fiercely opposed, according to reports of local media. According to Barcelona police, at least 540,000 people gathered in Barcelona, which has become the historical place for independence rallies. This year, however, the rallies gathered in four other cities, too, raising the total number of people to some 800,000. "Each year we try to come up with something new this year we wanted to show that Catalonia is a diverse country and we walked away from being focused on Barcelona," Natalia Estevez, vice-president of Catalan National Assembly, told RIA Novosti. Vadodara: Amid reports that the Centre may scale down security cover of Kashmiri separatists and curtail various facilities enjoyed by them in view of the Valley unrest, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar on Sunday said withdrawal of such facilities was long overdue. "The facilities extended to Kashmiri separatists should have been withdrawn long time back," he said after attending a function. The Defence Minister was in the city to present the FGI Excellence awards and attend a function organised at Siddhivinayak temple in Dandiya bazaar locality, where RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat presented a sacred thread made up of gold to the deity. Responding to a query by PTI whether separatists should continue enjoy the perks at the cost of exchequer, the minister said, "There is a concern about separatists getting such facilities. I favour withdrawal of such facilities." His remarks came amid indications that the Centre may harden its attitude towards separatists following the cold shoulder given by them to the MPs, who were part of an all-party delegation, during their recent visit to J&K. Miffed by the snub by separatists, the government was considering moves to curb foreign travel of separatists by withdrawing their passports and denying travel documents in some cases, besides scaling down their security cover. However, after the meeting of the all-party delegation in Delhi on 7 September, CPM General Secretary Sitaram Yechury and MIM MP Asaduddin Owaisi had said that Home minister Rajnath Singh denied that there was a plan to curtail the security provided to separatist leaders. Parrikar also justified deployment of additional troops in Kashmir, saying it was aimed at foiling attempts by terrorists to enter India from across the border and that the move had nothing to do with the ongoing unrest in the Valley. "Army does not act in internal matters unless requested by local administration. Our mandate is to seal the border and foil infiltration bids by terrorists. Today, three infiltrators were killed when they tried to enter India," Parrikar said. Army today foiled three separate infiltration attempts along LoC in Kashmir in Naugam, Tangdhar and Gurez sectors. Parrikar further said that the civilian protests are not under the jurisdiction of Army, and "additional deployment of soldiers has nothing to do with tackling unrest in civilian areas in Kashmir." On holding talks with all stake-holders, including separatists, and formulating special strategies to tackle law and order situation in Kashmir, the minister said, "The home ministry decides on these issues." He added that the Union government has been handling violence in the Valley pro-actively, "which comes from across the border. A small percentage is holding the majority to ransom in the state." RIGA (Sputnik) "The unit has become on of the Latvian army's chief priorities, its numbers are planned to increase three times in the coming years," Usackis said, as quoted by the Baltic countries' Delfi news website. Latvia is using other countries' experience in carrying out special operations and is ready to repel any kind of attack, including hybrid warfare, he added. "We are ready to repel 'little green men." Latvia is facing a range of different threats, including unconventional, hybrid type and asymmetric. SUV is preparing and is ready to counter these threats," Usackis said. DUBAI (Sputnik) On Friday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and US Secretary of State John Kerry announced a new plan aimed at reducing violence in Syria, which includes a new nationwide ceasefire starting on September 12. "The upholding of the ceasefire by the armed opposition depends on being upheld by the regime and by Russia, the previous agreement was not upheld by the regime, which attacked moderate opposition under the pretext of fighting the Islamic State," Abu Zeid told RIA Novosti. At the same time, the FSA is not optimistic about the government's ability to commit to the ceasefire, he added. DUBAI (Sputnik) On Friday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and US Secretary of State John Kerry announced a new plan aimed at reducing violence in Syria, which includes a new nationwide ceasefire starting on September 12. The agreement also stipulates distinguishing moderate opposition groups from terrorist groups, which is something Russia has been insisting on as being key to the fight against terrorism. "Regarding the clauses of the agreement on carrying out strikes against Jabhat Fatah al Sham, of course we do not want al-Qaeda to have a presence in Syria," Abu Zeid told RIA Novosti. At the same time, the representative criticized the agreement for omitting alleged Iranian, Iraqi and Lebanese Shiite fighters present in Syria and fighting on the side of government forces. MOSCOW (Sputnik) Islamic State (Daesh) and Jabhat Fatah al Sham terrorist group shelled inhabited areas in the Syrian provinces of Aleppo, Damascus, Daraa and Hama in the last 24 hours, the Russian Defense Ministry said Saturday. "Within last the 24 hours, in the Aleppo province terrorists have fired improvised MLRS, AT guided missiles, mortars as well as IFV and tank canons against Shurfa and Banjamine settlements, 1070 and Ramusi quarters, areas of the military academy Al-Asad and the Kastello trade centre in the Aleppo city. In the Damascus province mortar fire has been opened against inhabited areas Haush-Nasri, Jaubar, Kaush-Harabu, the Ibn-al-Walid hospital and the farm in the Khan-aash-Shikh inhabited area," the ministry said in a daily bulletin posted on its website. Terrorists are also said to have shelled the Mardes, Suran, Kafer-Nam and Arad-al-Jaburin inhabited areas in the province of Hama. Jihadists also fired against the Namer inhabited area in the Daraa province, according to the Defense Ministry. BUSHEHR (Sputnik) A groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of the second and third nuclear reactors at the site took place on Saturday. Valery Limarenko, the head of Rosatom's engineering division, told reporters in Bushehr that they planned to start laying the reactor's concrete base in July-September 2019. Russia and Iran signed a contract for the construction of two 1,000-megawatt reactors in November 2014. The project is estimated at $10 billion and will take ten years to complete. ANKARA (Sputnik) Twenty Daesh terrorists were killed in Turkish airstrikes in northern Syria, Turkey's military General Staff said in a statement Sunday. At 19:38 on September 10, an operation involving Turkish Air Force's planes was carried out near the Syrian city of Al Tal as part of operation 'Euphrates Shield.' Three Daesh buildings, one motorbike and one car were destroyed and 20 militants were killed, the statement, obtained by RIA Novosti, said. BREAKING Turkish jets kill 20 Daesh terrorists, destroy three buildings, two vehicles in northern Syria airstrike pic.twitter.com/rIJ3eRYCzG DAILY SABAH (@DailySabah) 11 2016 . Turkey launched a military operation dubbed Euphrates Shield into northern Syria on August 24 in an effort to clear the city of Jarablus on the border with Turkey and the surrounding area from IS, outlawed in Russia and many other countries worldwide. Syrian Kurds and Damascus have accused Ankara of violating the territorial integrity of the country. MOSCOW (Sputnik) The eastern Libyan army is an ally of the parliament that is in charge in the countrys east and has not received the support of the international community. "The armed forces have taken full control of the areas of oil crescent, including the ports of Sidra, Brega, Ras Lanuf, as well as over 80 percent of Zueitina deposit," Obeidi said. ANKARA (Sputnik) A crackdown on public servants began in Turkey after the failed coup of July 15. Ankara blamed Fethullah Gulen, a US-based cleric and the president's former ally , for plotting the attempt to overthrow Recep Tayyip Erdogan. "Following the investigation that was launched under the law on the state of emergency, 28 heads of local administration have been fired, 24 of them had links to PKK and four to FETO," the statement read. The ministry added that 12 officials had been arrested. They have already been replaced by new governors. Most of local authorities under scrutiny are in Turkey's southeast and dominated by the Kurdish minority. ANKARA (Sputnik) On August 24, Turkish forces, backed by US-led coalition aircraft, began a military operation dubbed Euphrates Shield to clear the Syrian town of Jarabulus and the surrounding area of Daesh terrorist group . Ankara also pledged to continue the operation until the threat allegedly posed by Kurdish militants active in the area is eliminated. "We have seen that the PKK has stepped up its activities in the border region after July 15 [a failed coup attempt]. These actions, which had a clear aim of disrupting Turkey's military operation in Syria, are continuing, despite heavy losses, the most serous in its history But the PKK will not succeed, the people are openly speaking against the organization," Erdogan said in a statement. Tensions between Ankara and the Kurds escalated in July 2015 when a ceasefire between Turkey and PKK collapsed over a series of terrorist attacks, allegedly committed by PKK members. MOSCOW (Sputnik) It comes a day after the Syrian government had approved the Russian-US agreement on Syria. The allies of Syria promise to fully abide by whatever the Syrian high command and the government decides with regard to the ceasefire. We fully support the ceasefire, an unnamed Hezbollah field commander for Syria operations said as quoted by Lebanon-based Al Mayadeen broadcaster. Army on Sunday foiled an infiltration bid along the Line of Control in Nowgam sector of Kashmir's Kupwara district, killing four militants in an ongoing operation. Four weapons have been recovered from the militants, the army said. "Alert soldiers posted along the Line of Control in Naugam sector noticed some suspicious movement and challenged the intruders," an army official said. The militants opened fire at positions of security forces which was "effectively retaliated", triggering a gunbattle, he said. "Four militants have been killed and war-like store recovered from the scene of the gunbattle," the official said, adding that the operation was still in progress. In a separate incident, a policeman was killed and two persons, including an officer, were injured in an ongoing gunfight between security forces and militants in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district, officials said. Police said the militants started firing from an under construction mini secretariat building near the Army's 93 Brigade headquarters in Poonch town around 8 am. "The militants have been surrounded and all escape routes were sealed", a senior police officer told IANS, adding the gunfight was continuing. J&K: Police personnel killed in an ongoing encounter b/w security forces & terrorists in Poonch (Visuals deferred) pic.twitter.com/On1Ac93OlY ANI (@ANI_news) September 11, 2016 J&K: Encounter on between security forces & terrorists in Poonch, one police personnel killed (Visuals deferred) pic.twitter.com/kFzqli1WL5 ANI (@ANI_news) September 11, 2016 Violence further rocked the Valley on Sunday as 20 civilians were injured after fresh clashes between security forces and stone-pelting protestors erupted in south Kashmir's Pulwama district, reported CNN-News18. The clashes were triggered after the forces raided Karimabad village. "There was a gun battle near the under construction mini-secretariat at Allah Pir area in Poonch after the presence of two or more militants was detected in the area this morning," a police officer told PTI. J&K: Army flag marches in Pulwama after a clash between security forces and protesters. pic.twitter.com/KTTeN0RSqr ANI (@ANI_news) September 11, 2016 In the encounter, one policeman died and two persons were injured, police officials said, adding, the deceased was identified as R Kumar. One of the injured is Sub Inspector of Special Operation Group (SoG) Manzoor Hussain and another a civilian Tariq, they said. The encounter is underway and further details are awaited, he said. Thousands of residents of Karimabad and adjoining areas took to streets this morning to protest against the alleged nocturnal raids conducted by security forces, a police official said. The protestors started pelting stones at the security forces who retaliated by firing tear smoke shells and pellet guns, he said. Twenty injured persons have been referred to various hospitals in the city, the official said. The clashes were going on in the area till reports last came in, he added. This is the third such attack on the security forces in the district in the last four days. On Saturday, suspected militants attacked a CRPF camp in south Kashmir's Pulwama district but there was no casualty or damage. With inputs from agencies BUSHEHR (Sputnik) On Saturday, a ceremony devoted to the start of the construction was held in the Bushehr province. The Russian Experimental Design Bureau (OKB) Gidropress, a subsidiary of the state atomic energy corporation Rosatom, will be responsible for the development of a reactor for the NPP. "The contract was signed with the OKB Gidropress, the development [of the reactor project] starts from the date of commencement of work on the Bushehr 2 NPP project, on September 10, 2016, " Valery Limarenko, the president of JSC NIAEP-holding Company within JSC Atomstroyexport, part of Rosatom, told reporters. The Bushehr 2 project was rolled out by Russian nuclear experts in Tehran in 2014. Russia and Iran signed a deal to build the second and third reactors at the site in southern Iran in November that year, with an option of building six more in the future. UN representatives on the ground there are very few and far between. Which is a pity, because they could they tell the world about the 10,000 people killed and those who were injured as a result of these bombings, Francois Frison-Roche said, noting that without proper medical assistance available, many of these people were bound to die. He added that those were very conservative figures which, althought giving a picture of what was going on, still failed to reflect the true scope of damage done to the country. I think that [Yemen] has suffered much more than some people want us to believe. This is because the UN simply prefers not to see what is happening, carefull not to antagonize the Saudis who are the main player here, and also the other oil monarchies of the Persian Gulf. "We do not think a no-fly zone would resolve the fundamental issues on the ground because there continues to be fighting on the ground. A no-fly zone would necessarily only be contained to one specific area, and we have problems and violence across the country," Ben Rhodes, US presidential adviser for national security, commented. Turkeys proposal to establish a no-fly zone in Syria has yet to be received positively by the US, an article in the Hurriyet Daily News read. According to article, the actual reason behind is that Kurds, who are Washingtons ally in the region, are opposed to a no-fly zone in Syria. "Because Washington cannot say this openly, it opts for other justifications. The US does not want to break or weaken the PKK-PYD-YPG [Kurdish] front. It still views the YPG as the 'land force of the US' in Syria. It knows that such a no-fly or security zone would block the targets of PKK-PYD-YPG in northern Syria," it read. What is more, Moscow, another major player in the region, has also long opposed a no-fly zone in northern Syria. Creation of no-fly zones in Syria could have very serious consequences, Spokesperson of the Russian Foreign Ministry Maria Zakharova said at a press-briefing in late-August. "There has been the experience of creating a no-fly zone in Libya in world practice, we all remember how it ended. We remember who initiated them, moreover they have been tested and approved by the UN Security Council. But the way this was implemented in practice, I believe it is difficult to talk about zones after that, about unilateral actions on their establishment, because we remember how the recent experience ended," she said. WASHINGTON (Sputnik) US Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton supports intensification of the US-led coalition's air campaign in Syria, though she is against holding a ground operation in this country. "I do not think putting American ground troops in Syria to hold territory, to become occupiers, to try to govern people is an all the right strategy. I support special forces trainers. I want to intensify our air campaign, I do not think it is regularized enough. I want to do everything we can on intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance support," Clinton told CNN television broadcaster in an interview on Sunday. Syria has been mired in civil war since 2011, with government forces loyal to President Bashar Assad fighting numerous opposition factions and extremist groups, such as Daesh and Jabhat Fatah Al Sham (previously known as Nusra Front), which are prohibited in many countries, including Russia. However, the US command has recently decided to put the advance on Raqqa on hold, opting to take Mosul instead. This has been officially announced by Lt. Gen. Stephen Townsend, the new commander of the US-led coalition against Daesh. It seems that Turkey and the US failed to find common ground regarding Kurds, who effectively created a core of so-called Syrian Democratic Forces, along with various Arab, Assyrian, Armenian, Turkmen and Circassian militias. The US backs Kurds to a significant degree, provide the coalition with both material and military support. There are also one to two hundred American "special operators" embedded within Kurdish ranks on the battlefield. For Turkey, on the other hand, the Kurds are an essential threat, considering the long-time movement of Kurdish separatism within Turkey itself. Should Kurds gain strength in Syria, they will eventually take the fight to the Turkish territory, and Syrian Kurds proved to be quite able fighters with experience from beating Daesh forces back from the northern part of Syria, and now bolstered by the training of US Special Forces. With that in mind, it is no wonder that Turkish forces did not hesitate to engage rebel (i.e. mainly Kurdish) groups even despite the fact that they are backed by the US, creating a complication for the Obama administration's strategy on Syria big enough for Pentagon to put the offensive on hold. If Turkey manages to paralyze the Pentagon's main protege, it will be open to discussion as to who would have to take Raqqa. Maybe, the coalition (read US) ground troops? Or, what if, the Russian-backed Syrian army, steps in to save the day? The letter coming on the 15th anniversary of the September 11 terror attacks highlight the curious position that the Obama administration finds itself in Syria working alongside militants who are closely tied with the great granddaddy of the War on Terror al-Qaeda who perpetrated the most heinous attack ever committed on US soil. US-backed rebels dominating Eastern Aleppo had joined forces with al-Nusra under the umbrella banner of The Army of Conquest in order to beat back the Assad regimes siege of the city that prevented arms and re-enforcements into the area but also deprived the areas residents of food and medical aid as an unintended, and arguably necessary, consequence. This used to be common practice during the Cold War, but in the 1990s, Russia disbanded more than 20 regiments of aerial surveillance. The US did not make similar cuts. Instead it has expanded its surveillance fleet by adding drones. The Pentagon, according to Leonkov, is trying to use these capabilities to the maximum. Defense analyst Sergei Khatylev called the Pentagon's interest in the Kavkaz 2016 drills "understandable." On the one hand, the US is interested in how Russia's Black Sea fleet operates and "what surveillance equipment and radio-technical capabilities the Russian Navy has in its arsenal," he said. China is pursuing its global interests, including placing focus on expanding its international military presence, as part of its "active defense" doctrine. Traditionally, Beijing used to rely on its ground forces, but over the recent years it has been heavily investing in the navy and the air force. Now, China is enhancing its airborne forces, a report by the American think-tank Stratfor read. According to the article, having capable airborne forces is of strategic importance for China. China is one of the largest countries in the world and has a number of remote places along its border. Moreover, China is surrounded by potential flashpoints, including at the border with India and North Korea. KUBINKA (Sputnik) The Army-2016 forum, which kicked off on Tuesday and finished earlier on Sunday, was held in the military-themed Patriot Park in Kubinka near Moscow and in a number of locations in Russia's military districts. The event brought together hundreds of representatives from the Russian defense industry, research institutes, universities, as well as foreign companies and delegates. "The Second International Military-Technical Forum Army 2016 is completed. Its results clearly indicate that it has turned from a debutante in congress and exhibition activities into one of the world's leading exhibition of arms and military equipment. It has become an effective form of synergies between the authorities and the representatives of the business community, an effective integration mechanism in the production of the latest scientific developments. I believe that the main goal of the forum has been reached, " the Russian minister said while closing the forum. KUBINKA (Moscow Region) (Sputnik) The Army-2016 forum, which kicked off on Tuesday and finished earlier on Sunday, was held in the military-themed Patriot Park in Kubinka near Moscow and in a number of locations in Russia's military districts. The event brought together hundreds of representatives from the Russian defense industry, research institutes, universities, as well as foreign companies and delegates. Before the prize was given to the manufacturer, Shoigu visited the Kalashnikov exhibition at the Army 2016, where the minister was shown firearms and sporting rifles. The minister's attention was particularly captured by the SVK semi-automatic sniper rifle. This a prototype of the new precision weapon system, being developed by Kalashnikov in two versions, and it is currently undergoing production tests. The defense minister also inspected the new fighting robots, or unmanned ground vehicles (UGV), which were presented at the forum. One of them, the Soratnik military robot, has been developed and manufactured at the request of the Russian Defense Ministry. The UGV is designed for reconnaissance and relay of patrolling and protection of areas and important facilities, demining and obstacle clearing. MOSCOW (Sputnik) Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Director John Brennan said that Russia was a "formidable adversary" to the United States and called for the US-Russia cooperation in some spheres. "Russia is a formidable adversary in a number of areas, also there are areas that we need to be able to work with Russia, specifically in Syria," Brennan told the CBS television broadcaster in an interview published Sunday. According to Brennan, the United States should be "very wary of what the Russians might be trying to do in terms of collecting information in that cyber realm as well as what they might want to do with it." "We have the embodiment of the spirit of technological breakthroughs and the future of our Navy. I think we have the embodiment of Adm. Bud Zumwalt," said Vice Adm. Tom Rowden praising the vessel. "And I think as you combine those, and many other things together, what you really see is tremendous, tremendous opportunity.' The ship bears the name of Adm. Elmo Bud Zumwalt, a Bronze Star recipient for his service in World War II who went on to command of small vessels in Vietnams Mekong Delta. Zumwalt the man has a deep history in US Naval lore having become the youngest chief of naval operations. The USS Zumwalts commander is none other than Captain James Kirk bearing the same name as the commander of Star Treks Starship Enterprise which is perhaps a good omen for the hopes that the American military has that the vessel will revolutionize their naval war fighting capabilities. MOSCOW (Sputnik) Terror attack suspect Ihsas Khan is accused of stabbing a 59-year old man, who survived the attack and was hospitalized before undergoing surgery, The Australian newspaper reported. "This is the new face of terrorism, this is the new face of what we deal with," Deputy Police Commissioner Cath Burn said, as quoted by the publication. The 22-year old suspect's attack, inspired by Daesh, was preplanned and Khan confronted police upon their arrival with the intention to attack the officers, according to Burn. It was not long ago that this scenario seemed impossible to have been achieved since separating moderate rebels from radicals is a challenge. The physical separation of these groups still remains a major challenge despite the fact that all major stakeholders have promised to adhere to the deal. Lavrov called this task "a key priority". Both diplomats warned that the agreement is fragile due to the number of players involved in the devastating Syrian conflict which has claimed more than 280,000 lives and displaced millions of people. Kosyrev noted that should radical groups try to capitalize on the upcoming secession of hostilities, the deal will crumble. In fact, he maintained that this is what will most likely happen. "This will happen because someone on the ground will refuse to adhere to the agreement. There are so many militias embroiled in the Syrian conflict who answer to different commanders that this is a likely scenario," he noted. TEHRAN (Sputnik) Tehran welcomes an agreement on Syrian ceasefire reached by Russia and the United States, Bahram Qasemi said. On Friday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and US Secretary of State John Kerry announced a new plan aimed at reducing violence in Syria, which includes a new nationwide ceasefire starting on September 12. "Iran welcomes the ceasefire agreement, which will help deliver aid to Syrians," Bahram Qasemi stated. The sanctions were imposed against Moscow in 2014 over Crimeas reunification with Russia and the conflict in eastern Ukraine. Since then, however, they have been the subject of fierce debate among EU countries. "And unlike the United States government, which takes a hawkish stance on using its own sanctions to influence the Kremlin, EU members have diverged in their views on how to deal with Russia. Now Moscow hopes to make the most of the growing discord among EU member states, but its efforts will not go unchallenged," an article by the American think-tank Stratfor read. The main threat to the EU unanimity on anti-Russian sanctions is the rift between Moscow-friendly countries, like Greece, Hungary and Italy, and those hostile towards Moscow, including Poland and the Baltic states. During the past 14 years, he explained, a substantial amount of information has been collected to move forward. "American families have to get answers before this case becomes even more complicated," Goldman said. The anniversary is also noteworthy, the attorney added, given that this is the year the US government finally released the controversial 28 pages of the 9/11 report indicating that Saudi Arabia had provided financial support to terrorists. "The US government has certain legitimacy in protecting selected pieces of information in particular circumstances," Goldman stated. "Given the number of years, those interests have long gone." Earlier this week, media reported that the US House of Representatives would vote on a controversial bill allowing 9/11 victims to sue Saudis in US courts. President Barack Obama has threatened to veto the legislation, claiming the proposed measures could put US-Saudi relations at risk. On September 11, 2001, al-Qaeda suicide attackers hijacked four passenger planes in the United States, crashing two into New York City's World Trade Center towers, another into the Pentagon and the fourth was sent in the direction of Washington DC, presumably to attack the White House or the Capitol. Some 3,000 people lost their lives in the terrorist attacks. The senior fellow in defense and foreign policy studies at the Cato Institute referred to this as a common theme. The United States assumes that what it "does militarily in the international arena is not only acceptable, but should be beyond challenge or criticism," he said. More worryingly, these operations often take place thousands of miles beyond the US borders. This has been a pattern for decades. "According to that reasoning, Washington and its compliant allies had every right to enforce a no-fly zone to influence the outcome of the internecine conflict in Bosnia in the 1990s. Likewise, the United States had every right to impose similar restrictions in Iraq. When Serbian leaders and Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein resisted such measures, they were the ones escalating the crises," the analyst observed. "Probably, airstrikes in Aleppo during militants command meetings also played a role. I think the US is seeking alternatives," Messi said. The analyst noted that there were previous instances in which the US had violated obligations on the Syrian settlement. "No one should trust them [the US]. But Russia has no other choice so far," he said. Messi suggested that a temporary ceasefire would first of all negatively affect the Syrian Army and its allies. According to him, this already happened in May and June when Western-backed groups used a ceasefire to regroup and deploy reinforcements. During a press briefing in Geneva, John Kerry underscored that a ceasefire regime should be imposed in Aleppo too. Otherwise, the Russia-US agreement will not work. WASHINGTON (Sputnik) Trump has repeatedly said that he expects to maintain good relations with Russia and Putin if elected as the next US president. According to Trump, the Russia-US anti-terrorism cooperation could have led to the victory over Daesh terrorist group. "[Trump]'s ignorance about Russian [President Vladimir] Putin are dangerous This is just more of his loose talk, this kind of reckless pontificating that really doesn't have any substance to it. I think that if there are ways to do business with Russia, we should always be open. That was the reset accomplishment," Clinton told CNN television broadcaster in an interview on Sunday. Clinton went on to accuse Russia of alleged interference in the US presidential campaign. US Democratic presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton said that there is a threat of Russian meddling in the election, Bloomberg reported. According to her, the threat must be addressed "quickly and firmly." "We have to be doubly on guard to protect our electoral system at all levels and we have to make it clear that were not going to let anyone interfere with the decisions of the American people," she told journalists during a trip on her campaign. However, Clinton did not provide any details and evidence to her allegations. She claimed that Russian President Vladimir Putin and his aides could "get some benefit" from meddling in the US election, according to Bloomberg. "We shouldnt take it for ourselves necessarily," said Giuliani appearing to walk back the campaigns position slightly. "We should secure it so that it doesnt get taken by terrorist forces so that we can have some say and some control over the distribution of it. One of the major clashes between the Sunnis, the Shia and the Kurds is the oil and the distribution of it." Giuliani went on to argue that the United States does have a right to determine how the oil is distributed and should have a stake in some of its revenues because of the many Americans who died fighting to topple Saddam Hussein and secure the region following the regimes collapse. It is worth noting that the policy Trump espouses is not new. The Bush Administration, which was widely condemned at the time, brought in Western oil companies including Shell, Exxon Mobil, and Total Elf Fin (now Total S.A.) in addition to oil extraction companies such as Haliburton under extended lease arrangements to rebuild Iraqs oil infrastructure to increase output several fold. MOSCOW (Sputnik) French President Francois Hollande expressed condolences on Sunday over the 9/11 terrorist attacks and criticized the US reciprocal measures including the invasion of Iraq in 2003. "Yes, we were all Americans on that day," Hollande wrote on his Facebook page. According to the French President, the US reciprocal measures have just increased the terrorist threat. MOSCOW (Sputnik) "Practice shooting using live ammunition was carried out by T-72B3 tank crews belonging to Eastern Military District units stationed in the Khabarovsk Territory. Firing was conducted in daytime and at night in conditions simulating a real tank battle," Alexander Gordeev said. The drills involved the use of smoke and mine explosions to simulate enemy artillery shall explosions, as well as simulated enemy tank targets, according to Gordeev. "Tank crews also used machine guns to attack targets simulating grenade launcher troops and moving anti-tank weapons," he added, noting that each crew was allocated three 125-milimeter shells as well as PK machine gun ammunition. He described the US Presidents reaction to Moscows support during that difficult period as very emotional. Visibly moved, he expressed his heartfelt gratitude to Vladimir Putin and the Russian people for being the first to lend a helping hand to the United States during that difficult period, and called for a new, positive boost to relations between our two countries, Ivanov said, adding that the 9/11 attacks sparked the biggest ever surge of pro-American sentiment in Russia. Many of our people were voicing their solidarity with the Americans. Coming to the US embassy on September 11 to sign a book of condolences for the victims, I was amazed to see Muscovites lining up to lay floral tributes at the entrance to the embassy. It was a sign of genuine solidarity and opinion polls conducted in the months after 9/11 indicated possibly the highest level of pro-American sentiment among our people, Ivanov noted. On September 11, 2001, a group of al-Qaeda-trained terrorists hijacked four planes, two of which crashed into the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York City, the third into the Pentagon headquarters in Washington and the fourth crashed in a field in rural Pennsylvania. The fall of the World Trade Center and the loss of over 3,000 lives in the 9/11 attacks prompted then-US President George W. Bush to declare a "war on terror" a few weeks later. WASHINGTON (Sputnik) Jatras, a former adviser on foreign policy to the Republican leadership in the US Senate, said conditions might finally change for the better if Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump is elected to succeed current US President Barack Obama in November. "Fifteen years after 9/11 Americans are even less free and less safe," Jatras said on Friday. "The folly that led to 9/11 still reigns and has intensified." "Perhaps if Donald Trump is elected that will change, but thats not certain. But if Hillary Clinton wins we can be sure things will become much, much worse," he warned. He further said that the Saudis are protesting a lot because, There is evidence that some members of the Saudi government participated with al-Qaeda in this attack. The attorney mentioned that he doesnt think that this investigation is going to open pandora's box because it is narrowly drafted to be very specific. It isnt anything that anyone needs to fear unless they were participating and co-conspiring with known terrorists to attack innocent civilians. There is an exception carved out for acts of war if a nation goes to war with another nation but this does not fall into the preview of this stature. This is only for terrorist attacks on civilians, Maloney concluded. Obama has previously threatened to veto the bill, arguing the United States could be liable to similar terrorism-related lawsuits by other countries. JASTA clarifies existing US law and guarantees citizens can bring suit against any foreign nation that provides material support for a terrorist act on US soil or affecting US persons. The act will also enable families of September 11 victims to bring a federal court case against the Saudi government for allegedly providing support for the September 2001 attacks. The Saudis were previously granted sovereign immunity and did not have to appear in a US court. Sunday marks the 15th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks on New York City's World Trade Centre and the Pentagon in Washington. Yet the most recent data on party affiliation shows that 26% of American voters identify as Republicans, 29% as Democrats, and a haltingly high 42% identify as Independents calling into question the veracity of the party affiliation mix of the poll in a way that undercuts Trumps dominance among both Republicans and Independents both of which appear heavily undercounted. Nor do Democrats tend to vote at higher rates than Republicans, in fact the inverse is true. Older white men tend to make up a larger portion of the Republican Party than the Democratic Party, but even though this cohorts portion of the overall population is diminishing it is also the group with the highest voter participation rate which highlights just how curious the demographic calculation is. Other results in the poll seem to bear out this reality with 46% of Trump supporters saying that they are "very enthusiastic" about his candidacy compared to only 33% for Clinton. Whats more, Trump supporters report greater interest in the campaign with 6 in 10 saying that they are following the campaign closely and 93% saying that they are certain to vote compared to 45% of Hillarys supporters who say they are paying attention to the race and only 80% saying they are certain to vote. MOSCOW (Sputnik) The situation with mass murder of Christians in Africa is "dreadful," Patriarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Kirill said on Monday. "We are particularly concerned about Christians, who are killed by radical Islamists.Russian Orthodox Church is doing its utmost to raise this issue so that public community could be aware of it.We raise it on the international level, I had a chance to discuss it with Pope Francis..[all international institutes] should take efforts to prevent dreadful crime of our time massive killings of Christians," he said during a meeting with the Ambassador of Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo). CAIRO (Sputnik) The first passenger flight by Turkish Airlines landed in Sharm el-Sheikh early on Sunday, the source at the resorts airport told RIA Novosti. The airline plans to fly to Sharm el-Sheikh four times a week. Russian A321 plane crashed in the Sinai desert shortly after taking off at the Sharm el-Sheikh airport on October 31, 2015, killing all 224 people on board. The suspected bombing by a local militant group grounded flights to the Red Sea resort from Russia, Britain, Turkey and several other nations over perceived holes in the airport security. Tales on Tweet, as aptly said by the book's editor and curator Manoj Pandey, was born out of chimeric ambition. Twitter, which is still to convince a fair share of people in India of its merits was as enigmatic as it was limited in its approach to networking. The 140-character limit, which now no longer exists, was both its feature and baggage. Pandey, an aspiring writer, took to experimenting with the format, and the very limits that meant verbosity was not an option something most writers would feel strangled by. As he created a hashtag and started writing, embedding the sense of a story in each of his tweets; users and famous authors he tagged began responding with theirs. And thus Tales on Tweet was born as a project. But simply taken as a token of flash-fiction, or fiction that reads as if written on a crumpled page while searching for spaces to write, the assemblage reads like a diary entry. By that it may yet be limited by the spontaneity of imagery it seeks to invoke, because sans description, the image is often black and white. Pandey also approached Yuko Shimizu, a Japanese illustrator based out of New York, for the project. Shimizus illustrations lend a sense of perspective to the imagination that morphs between colours and shapes, which more than account for the colour that the language simply does not permit. The two the tweet and Shimizus illustrations juxtaposed together, open up into a meta-reality that the reader might find contesting with the reality they know best, the fallout from which can only be in the form of new ideas, new worlds, and perhaps even new tweets. Here are five tweets from the book that quantify, to some extent, the peculiarity of the project: Tales on Tweet Tales on Tweet is published by HarperCollins MOSCOW (Sputnik) The September 11, 2001 tragedy in the United Nations prompted the Western societies to learn how to shield themselves from such major attacks but efforts to boost security measures lead to unnecessarily private liberties limitations from time to time, Heinz Gaertner, the academic director of the Austrian Institute for International Affairs (oiip) in Vienna, told Sputnik. Terrorists are not able to endanger the existence of Western societies These societies develop more and more resilience. Having said this, security measures once in a while go too far and restrict private liberties unnecessarily. Societies will have to take care that the pendulum does not swing too far in one direction, Gaertner, who is also a professor at the University of Vienna, said. He added that terrorism has changed in the wake of the 9/11 attacks and target not big objects but individuals and citizens instead, making it harder for the authorities to trace and prevent security threats. By Serajul Quadir DHAKA, Sept 11 (Reuters) - A fire at a food and cigarette packaging factory in Bangladesh that killed at least 24 people and injured more than two dozen others on Saturday, spread into the storage area of the building through the night, according to emergency officials. "We could not start search operations as it took until late into yesterday night to control the fire in the building," Ajit Kumar Bhoumik, a senior official of the fire service said early on Sunday. "At night the fire spread to other floors where huge amounts of chemicals and other flammable items were stored for use in packaging," Bhoumik told Reuters from the site by phone. Fire officials said late on Saturday they had been unable to enter the building and search through the debris, amid fears that the death toll could rise further. The cause of the fire in the Tongi industrial zone about 20 km (12 miles) north of the capital, Dhaka, was not immediately known, but officials said a boiler explosion probably triggered the blaze. It happened as workers prepared to swap shifts in the morning. The fire is the latest in a series of industrial accidents in the South Asian country, which is the world's No. 2 garment exporter behind China. It is also the worst industrial accident in Bangladesh since the 2013 collapse of the Rana Plaza building outside Dhaka that killed over 1,100 workers, who were mainly employed in the garment industry. The blaze on Saturday at Tampaco Foils, caused the partial collapse of the factory building, which packages various items, including food and cigarettes, for several local companies and global brands, such as British American Tobacco (Kuala Lumpur: 4162.KL - news) and Nestle (Swiss: NESN.VX - news) . "There were some 100 people inside when the fire broke out," said one Tampaco Foils official. (Writing by Euan Rocha; Editing by Martin Howell) * Party officials cautious * European authorities urge painful cuts, restructuring * Disenchanted voters stay away (Adds preliminary results) By Igor Ilic and Ivana Sekularac ZAGREB, Sept 11 (Reuters) - Croatia's conservative Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) had a clear lead in Sunday's snap parliamentary elections, preliminary results showed, suggesting the party was on course to head a more stable government after a turbulent period for the country. The HDZ stood at 62 seats in the 151-member parliament, according to preliminary results after 15 percent of votes had been counted in the second election in less than a year, with their Social Democratic (SDP) rival a full 10 seats behind. But party officials were cautious, warning that the initial results, skewed towards rural districts that are the HDZ's traditional strongholds, may yet change. "It is still a small number of votes counted and we should not be in euphoria," Zeljko Reiner, the HDZ speaker of the parliament, told public television. The centre-right Most ("Bridge") party which wants to end Croatia's "corrupt" 20-year-old two-party duopoly, was on 13 seats. The likely kingmaker has said any partner would have to promise to implement its reformist ideas. The previous HDZ-Most government collapsed after just five months amid rows over public administration reforms and government appointments. Under its new leader, European parliamentarian Andrej Plenkovic, the HDZ, which led Croatia through its first turbulent years of independence and war after the breakup of Yugoslavia 25 years ago, looks to have regained ground lost to the SDP after the previous government's acrimonious fall. Votes for three seats representing Croats abroad, who traditionally vote for the HDZ, have yet to be counted. Near-definitive results are due at midnight local time (2200 GMT). In a sign of an aversion to a politics that has come to be dominated by populous gestures over recent months, Croats voted in smaller numbers than last time, and lent support to populist parties, like the leftist Zivi Zid ("Human Shield") party, which went from one seat to seven. Story continues "It would be good if this election yielded political stability," said Goran Uzelac from Zagreb just before he cast his ballot. "Unfortunately, I don't think the biggest parties really want major reforms." EU URGING PAINFUL MEASURES The new government will face a huge task in revitalising one of the European Union's weakest economies, which is dominated by state enterprises and where red tape deters private investment. The EU wants its youngest member to tame high public debt, cut the budget deficit and improve the business climate to spur economic growth. Over the past months, politics have been dominated by populist rhetoric and gestures that have brought relations with neighbouring Serbia to their lowest point since the end of the 1990s Balkan (LSE: 0IS4.L - news) wars. Three years after joining the EU, the country's record on securing European funds is poor, pointing to public administration shortcomings that contribute to macroeconomic imbalances the European Commission sees as excessive. Parties offered few details during the campaign on how to deliver promised higher standards of living for the 4.3 million people of Croatia, where unemployment stands at 13 percent. Growth of 2.5 percent is far short of the 4 percent needed to make a dent on living standards, analysts say. Interest payments on public debt eat up 3.5 percent of economic output. (Writing by Thomas Escritt; Editing by Ralph Boulton and Peter Cooney) Outgoing French Economy Minister Emmanuel Macron attends a news conference after his resignation, at Bercy Finance Ministry in Paris, France, August 30, 2016. REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes PARIS (Reuters) - France's former economy minister Emmanuel Macron said on Saturday that train maker Alstom had many options to manage overcapacity without having to close its Belfort factory, and that the Finance Ministry was right to put pressure on the firm. Alstom said on Wednesday it planned to stop making trains at Belfort and transfer production to Reichshoffen eastern France by the end of 2018. Macron, 38, who quit his post last month to devote himself to the political party he recently set up, told Reuters in a phone interview that Alstom's announcement had been "sudden, brutal and unexpected". "I met myself Alstom executives in July, who did not speak to me about it," he said. "I think government officials met Alstom executives a few days before the announcement, and they were also told nothing." With unemployment in France still hovering close to 10 percent, jobs and the economic agenda are key issues in the campaign for next year's presidential election. Despite widespread speculation, Macron has not yet said he will stand. Concerns over a possible wind-down at Belfort increased in 2014 after the company's associated power turbine-making activities in the same town were sold to U.S.-based General Electric. As part of the GE deal, the government sought to protect the remaining train-making business by acquiring voting control over a 20 percent stake in Alstom's remaining business. In May last year, Macron, as economy minister, said he did not want to see any redundancies at the Belfort train plant. The head of Alstom was summoned by the French government for an explanation on Thursday. "They were right to apply pressure. I think that the state can have quite a tough discussion with Alstom due to its role in public procurement," Macron said, adding that Alstom could find other ways to manage its overcapacity, which is due partly to a decline in the construction of new railway lines. (Reporting by Emmanuel Jarry; Writing by Maya Nikolaeva; Editing by Kevin Liffey) Vodafone branding is seen on the side of a London taxi in London November 12, 2013. REUTERS/Toby Melville/File Photo - RTSJ54P (Reuters) - Vodafone Group Plc could benefit from a merger with Liberty Global Plc, according to a report in Barron's, which added the British telecommunications company's shares could also be poised for a 33 percent rise. A Vodafone merger with the cable group would "yield considerable strategic and financial benefits," said the financial newspaper, which describes Liberty Global Chairman John Malone as a "shareholder-focused deal maker" who may be inclined to pursue such a deal "if terms can be worked out." Vodafone has already said it was no longer in talks with Liberty, Barron's said, but the two companies have partnered on a joint venture in the Netherlands. Vodafone did not immediately respond to a request for comment, while a Liberty Global spokesman declined to comment. The company's shares could rise for other reasons too, the newspaper said. Vodafone has managed to increase its revenue in Europe in recent quarters after eight years of decline. While competition and regulations in the European market are difficult, conditions seem to have stabilized. The company has also invested $28 billion over the past two years to improve its network. The company's operations in India, South Africa and other developing markets are "unappreciated," the report said, adding those markets accounted for a third of Vodafone sales. The company's more than 5 percent yield compares favourably with rivals Verizon Communications Inc, AT&T Inc and Deutsche Telekom AG, as well as measly British government bond rates, according to Barron's. The company, which has American depositary receipts that trade in the United States, expects its cash flow to grow enough to cover the dividends it pays out. (Reporting by Trevor Hunnicutt in New York; Editing by Peter Cooney) New Delhi: Another sleaze scandal has rocked Delhi's ruling AAP, with a case of sexual harassment registered against its MLA Amanatullah Khan on a complaint by his sister-in-law, forcing him to quit as city's Waqf Board Chairman. The complainant approached Jamia Nagar police station alleging that Khan had put pressure on her to get into a physical relationship with him, a senior police officer said. She also accused her husband of demanding dowry and putting pressure on her to get "physically intimate" with Khan, he added. A case under IPC sections 354A (sexual harassment), 506 (criminal intimidation), 509 (word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman), 120B (criminal conspiracy) and 498A (husband or relative of husband of a woman subjecting her to cruelty) was registered against Khan and the woman's husband, said the officer. On Saturday, the Okhla legislator, who was also a member of the State Haj Committee, sent his resignation letter to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. His resignation came two days after the Anti-Corruption Branch of the Delhi government raided the Delhi Waqf Board office in connection with an alleged recruitment scam involving Khan. In his letter, Khan stated that he has "run out of patience" of issuing clarifications to the public pleading innocence over a number of allegations levelled against him and his family members. "Some people dislike my honesty and service and false allegations are being levelled against me and my family to frame us. I want to be free from all the responsibilities given to me by the government and therefore I tender my resignation from all the posts," Khan said. Speaking in the Delhi Assembly on Friday, Khan defended himself saying he had made the "contractual" recruitments following due procedures. Waqf Board was reeling under shortage of staff which necessitated the appointments, he said. The AAP had recently expelled former Delhi minister Sandeep Kumar from the party after a CD purportedly showing him in a "compromising" position with a woman went viral. The woman has accused Kumar, who is currently in prison, of rape. In Mondays op-ed column headlined PNM has reasonable plan to replace San Juan power, the authors take issue with Public Regulation Commission hearing examiner Carolyn Glicks recommended decision in PNMs rate case disallowing the costs of the Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station lease purchases and extensions to be borne by ratepayers. In imputing to Glick an impractical, Pollyanna view of renewable energy, they make several errors. The first is that renewable energy (wind and solar) can only play a limited role (5 percent to 15 percent) in overall system capacity. As reported in Mondays Wall Street Journal (Texas Latest Gusher), one need only look to our neighboring state for a refutation. That article reports that wind energy alone accounts for 16 percent of generating capacity of the states electric grid as of April and that the states grid operator expects explosive growth in solar. Of course, Texas has a deregulated market (initiated by Gov. George W. Bush in 1999 and continued under Gov. Rick Perry, containing over 19,000 megawatts of renewable capacity as of April), and we dont. And, early on, Texas built transmission lines to move wind energy from West Texas to power-hungry cities, and we havent. Still, when a reliably red state that profits handsomely from oil and gas embraces renewable energy based, not on climate-change concerns, but on a belief in free markets and entrepreneurs, and profits handsomely from it as well, it hardly seems Pollyanna-ish to look to renewables as possible energy alternatives. The second error is that clean energy basically only substitutes for the cost of fuel, because the same generating capacity must still be available. This means no savings on capital costs. Actually, for years now, investor-owned utilities, including PNM, have recognized in various filings at the PRC that renewable energy does indeed provide capacity cost savings. The third error is that Glick shouldve recused herself because shed previously been a Sierra Club member, whose goals might have influenced her thinking and placed a stress on the PRC process. This is where the authors really get it wrong. It may be theyve had little practical experience with the actual day-to-day PRC regulatory activity, which can be very informative about the level of skill, knowledge and ethical behavior demanded of, and daily practiced by, the examiners. Hearing examiners are the backbone of the PRC process. Why? Because they are the practical equivalent of district court judges, who must ensure the most complete possible record for decision-making. An examiners decision is only a recommendation to the commission, which makes the final decision. Appeals go directly to the New Mexico Supreme Court. So, the PRC essentially contains within it a mini court system, unlike other regulatory agencies, most of whose decisions are reviewed by district courts and can then be appealed through the appellate and supreme courts. Consequently, examiners must scrupulously ensure that their recommended decisions are supported by adequate facts in the record and carefully researched legal reasoning. The hearing examiners are hired based on their knowledge and experience, are not subject to any ideological test as a condition of employment, come from a range of backgrounds, hold a range of political and social beliefs, and are consummate professionals. Importantly, they are regular state employees, not elected officials, and not deserving of personal attacks such as have been foolishly hurled for weeks at Glick. Glick did not, as recently alleged in the Journal by PNMs president, assign a value of $0 to the Palo Verde leases. Rather, she stated the record did not contain evidence of PNM having sufficiently considered other energy options to determine the most prudent choice. The difference in phraseology is all-important, because rational decisions must be based on evidence in the record, period. Regardless whether one agrees with her conclusion to recommend against imposing the lease costs on ratepayers, Glicks implementation of the PRC process by requiring evidence for a decision was entirely correct. Former New Mexico Environment Department Secretary Ryan Flynns exit from public service to head the states oil and gas lobbying outfit serves as the most recent reminder of our states chronic revolving-door problem. When public officials become representatives of the fossil fuel corporations they once were supposed to regulate, those corporations win and the New Mexican public loses. Our lawmakers recently attempted halfheartedly to cure this policy disease, but ultimately allowed the bill to die. Current events demand that it be rectified as soon as possible. In 2014, Flynn signed an agreement forbidding him from lobbying for two years after his tenure as secretary. Now, as the incoming president of an oil and gas lobbying organization, he assures us his new role wont involve lobbying. Whether you believe that or not, the move undermines the publics trust. It is self-evident that Flynn was, at the least, hired for his knowledge of government agencies knowledge that can be leveraged to further the interests of oil and gas companies at the expense of the publics interest. Past fossil fuel industry influence has resulted in anemic regulations sanctioning environmental damage, creating public health issues related to ozone and other air pollutants, and allowing royalty rates to stagnate, weakening our economy. We have the eighth-most volatile state income portfolio, a full third of which is tethered to fossil fuel extraction. When coal, oil and gas prices dip, our state revenue suffers, necessitating reductions in our already threadbare education and other budgets. Were already feeling the effects of these cuts. The fossil fuel industry, fearful of losing its grip on our states politicians, operates as a major barrier to a just transition to clean energy from the sun and wind and a more durable, diversified revenue base. Were behind the times on ensuring that the public gets its fair share of oil and gas revenue rates. In New Mexico, royalty rates have languished for 30 years. Where Texas and private landowners charge 25 percent, New Mexico charges only 18.75 percent and the federal Bureau of Land Management charges an even weaker 12.5 percent, leaving millions of dollars on the table to pad oil and gas industry profits. Thats called regulatory capture, a failure of government that occurs when a regulatory agency serves commercial masters instead of the public interest. Further costing taxpayers, the fossil fuel industry takes its profits while despoiling New Mexicos land, water, and air and outsources cleanup costs to taxpayers. The same oil and gas lobbying organization, under the direction of then-president Steve Henke a former Bureau of Land Management regulator presented the loudest voice in New Mexico opposing the Obama administrations new rules to cut methane waste. Henkes group fought the rules even though studies show they will create jobs and industry profits from captured gas. This lobbying group denied its members played any part in the concerning 2,500-square-mile methane hot spot over the northwest part of the state. But a NASA study proved frackings outsized role in fueling the hot spot industry super emitters spew as much as 11,000 pounds of methane gas per hour. The oil and gas folks have stayed quiet on the topic since. The revolving door between government and industry is holding our state back. If were to solve our budget problems over the long term to say nothing of the catastrophic threat posed by climate change to our lands, waters, and communities were going to have to embrace a swift and just transition from dirty fossil fuels to clean, profitable, renewable energy. To do that, well have to remove the undue influence of the fossil fuel industry on our public policy. The San Juan Basin ranks first in the U.S. for per-capita methane pollution, but our state also ranks third in the nation for solar energy potential and eleventh for wind. Lets take advantage of this opportunity to diversify our states income portfolio, clean up our air, land and water, and make our communities more resilient. Kyle Tisdel directs the Western Environmental Law Centers Climate & Energy Program. He lives in Taos. There is a time and a place for compassion, understanding and leniency in the judicial system. There always have been, and always will be, youthful indiscretions, foolish mistakes and benign errors in judgment. But standing lookout during a rape, torturing and killing a child, shooting a cop during a crime spree and forcing mentally ill women to perform sex acts? Those shouldnt fall into that category. And yet the New Mexico Legislature specifically the Democrats in the Senate seems to reject, almost by rote, tougher criminal penalties for truly heinous acts. In 2015, a Senate committee killed the House-approved bill to require those convicted of conspiracy to commit certain sex offenses as well as some prostitution and human trafficking crimes to register as sex offenders. It would have required Jessica Kelley, who pleaded no contest to conspiracy to commit criminal sexual penetration (she acted as a lookout while a fellow female jail inmate used an object to rape a third woman at the Metropolitan Detention Center), to register as a sex offender with her address, place of employment, telephone numbers, motor vehicle license plate numbers and other information on file with the sheriffs office. Instead, she was off the radar when she, her cousin and her cousins girlfriend allegedly drugged, raped, stabbed and strangled the other womans 10-year-old daughter. Earlier this year, the Senate once again rejected expanding the states three-strikes law that subjects offenders to mandatory life sentences, a measure that would have added 16 crimes to the current five. It could have kept convicted killer and career criminal Andrew Romero in prison. Instead, Romero is currently on trial accused of gunning down Rio Rancho police officer Gregg Benner during a routine traffic stop that happened in the middle of Romeros latest crime spree. And if convicted on his latest charges, it would keep accused serial rapist Benjamin Baca from cruising for future victims. Bacas favorite targets are said to be women released from the state mental hospital in Las Vegas. Baca pleaded guilty in 2000 to charges of aggravated assault against a household member and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and in 2013 to possession of a controlled substance. He is now accused of forcing four women to perform oral sex on him at his home or in his truck, sometimes while parked at a cemetery, as well as committing battery against a fifth woman and exposing himself to her. A leading opponent of tough-on-crime measures, Senate Majority Leader Michael Sanchez, D-Belen, a defense lawyer by trade, has said his party is concerned about unintended consequences and protect(ing) civil liberties. What about the unintended consequences of brutal thugs roaming free so a child can be tortured to death? Of crime sprees by career criminals to score cash for drugs ending with an officer bleeding to death on the pavement? Of a predator allowed to cruise town seeking mentally ill women released from the state hospital to victimize? Last session House Democrats decried the chambers Republican agenda as all crime, all the time. But their partys annual inaction has made that the motto for all New Mexicans all too often. Just this past week, an Alamogordo officer was killed in a shootout with a repeat offender, the trial in officer Benners death began, details emerged in the fatal shooting of a Hatch police officer and a delay was rejected in the trial of one of six teens accused of shooting a homeowner to death in his driveway during a burglary mobbing binge. Again, that was just this past week. New Mexicos current sex-offender registration and three-strikes laws are not vague statutes that catch youthful mistakes in their overbroad nets in fact they are so specific and so narrow that in practice they are harder to hit than a winning game on a carnival midway. (Nobody is serving life under the states 22-year-old three-strikes law.) The states Democratic lawmakers need to tip the odds in favor of law-abiding citizens and those who protect them, and send a message that felons whose lives are all about crime will finally do all of the time. Voters should take this inaction into account come November. 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. It was a good plan: Bring in hungry beetles that feed on only nonnative salt cedar trees to get a handle on a hardy, invasive species that was crowding riverbanks across the West and leaching precious water from the drought-stricken region. The beetles have been so successful in recent years that scientists are now concerned about the fate of an endangered songbird that lives along rivers and streams in several states. A recent U.S. Geological Survey report provides more detail about habitat across the entire range of the Southwestern willow flycatcher. Using satellite modeling for the first time, the agency partnered with other federal scientists to predict new threats that could hamper the birds recovery over the next decade. By predicting the effects of tamarisk leaf beetles on the birds habitat, the scientists hope satellite modeling can be used by land, water and wildlife managers as they try to balance protecting the bird with controlling the trees. Using this technology to evaluate how leaf beetle may affect flycatchers and its habitat across its range is a tremendous step forward in our understanding, said Greg Beatty, a biologist with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Research shows the bird has become accustomed to building nests in salt cedar trees during breeding season; flycatchers are known to be picky about where they set up residence. Depending on the timing, beetles feasting on the foliage can leave baby birds exposed to higher temperatures and predators. Beetles were released along the Pecos River in New Mexico in 2002 as a biological control for salt cedar. Theyre now found from Utah to Texas. The USGS study shows they chewed through 94 percent of the flycatchers habitat along the lower Virgin River between 2010 and 2015. The modeling predicts about one-third of the birds habitat along the lower Colorado River and more than half on the upper Gila River will be destroyed by beetles in the next decade. Scientists also used the modeling to examine how the quantity of flycatcher habitat is affected annually by drought. As a result of dry conditions, report author and USGS research biogeographer James Hatten said habitat declined in California from 2013 to 2015. New Mexico and Texas, which have rebounded from severe drought in recent years, showed increased habitat. Government agencies and private organizations have been trying to remove tamarisk and plant native vegetation to counter the effects of beetles on flycatcher habitat. Officials say theyre unsure how effective the actions will be but that the satellite model will provide a head start by identifying habitat most at risk from the beetle. Dave Thompson, an associate dean and director of the Agriculture Experiment Station at New Mexico State University, said beetle movement around New Mexico has been significant in just the last two years as the insects have left behind dying stands of salt cedar. Thompson, an entomologist who worked on the initial beetle releases 15 years ago, said hell be interested in how the flycatcher an insect eater adapts to the growing beetle population. The majority of our discussion about the flycatcher, as it is with other endangered species, is what if? We do not want to impact them at all, but now theres a massive field experiment going on that will give us some very good data, he said. Correction: This story has been corrected to reflect that Douglas Becker is chairman of board of International Youth Foundation, not its founder. Copyright 2016 Albuquerque Journal WASHINGTON Over the summer, Donald Trump came under intense political fire for the now-defunct Trump University, which has been besieged by lawsuits and allegations of fraud. Meanwhile, Hillary Clinton pledges to put for-profit colleges such as Trump University under the ethical microscope if elected president. But her husbands multimillion-dollar deal with one such university system deserves scrutiny of its own, according to House Republicans and an independent analyst. Federal records show that from 2010 to 2015, former President Bill Clinton earned more than $17 million from Baltimore-based Laureate Education in exchange for his high-profile role as honorary chancellor. And during the time he was earning millions making international appearances and speeches to help boost Laureates enrollment, the for-profit company donated between $1 million and $5 million to the Clinton Foundation, a massive charity run by the Clinton family. Laureate International Universities formerly known as Sylvan Learning Systems runs roughly 80 higher-education institutions with almost a million students in 28 countries. One of Laureates five U.S. campuses the Santa Fe University of Art and Design is in New Mexico. There were also connections between the Clintons and Laureates founder, Douglas Becker. From 2009 to 2013, when Hillary Clinton was secretary of state, USAID a federal agency aligned with the State Department awarded the nonprofit International Youth Foundation more than $52 million in federal grants. Becker is IYFs unpaid chairman of the board. Clintons five-year contract as Laureates chancellor ended in 2015, two weeks after his wife announced her presidential campaign. None of the actions appears to be illegal, but a prominent professor of public interest law at George Washington University described the relationship between former President Clinton and Laureate as very dubious. It had obvious benefits for Laureate, GWUs Jonathan Turley told the Journal . Laureate was trying to open up schools in areas that received U.S. aid and contracts with USAID and/or the State Department. The Clintons made an ungodly amount of money off of Laureate University just before she announced her campaign for the presidency. In mid-July, 64 congressional Republicans led by Rep. Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee wrote to the heads of the FBI, Internal Revenue Service and Federal Trade Commission requesting investigations of the Clinton Foundation. The letter raised concerns about the foundations tax status, its dealings with a Russian uranium company, Laureates multimillion-dollar payout to former President Clinton and the USAID grants later disbursed to the International Youth Foundation, where Becker is chairman of the board. The GOP letter characterized the Clinton Foundation as a lawless pay-to-play enterprise that has been operating under a cloak of philanthropy for years and should be investigated. USAID operates under substantial guidance from the secretary of state, which creates an appearance that millions of dollars in taxpayer money was channeled to IYF by Secretary Clintons State Department as a kickback for her husbands generous contract as an honorary Laureate chancellor, the letter said. Hillary Clintons campaign strongly denied the allegation in a statement to the Journal . This is another baseless political attack from House Republicans who just spent two years and $7 million of taxpayer dollars on the sham Benghazi Committee and are now just regurgitating the debunked claims from the widely discredited book Clinton Cash, Clinton campaign spokesman Josh Schwerin said. Book report Clinton Cash, written by conservative author and commenter Peter Schweizer, was a 2015 New York Times best-selling book that was released to mixed reviews. Some of the passages in the book were found to be false or inaccurately reported. Since its publication, the Clinton Foundation has announced that it will no longer accept donations from corporations or foreign governments. Representatives of Laureate Education also denied any impropriety. Allegations of any quid pro quo between Laureate, the International Youth Foundation and the Clintons are completely false, Laureate spokesman Adam Smith said. IYF and Laureate Education are independent organizations. Laureate has never received any funds from IYF. State Department spokesman John Kirby told the Journal the relationship among Laureate, IYF and the federal government is misunderstood at least by some. The State Department is not aware of any grants provided directly to Laureate Education since 2009 (when Clinton became secretary of state), though we are aware of some grants to educational institutions within or affiliated with the Laureate Education network, Kirby said. Importantly, in recent weeks, Laureate Education has been conflated with an entirely separate organization, the International Youth Foundation, a nonprofit that funds international development initiatives. The International Youth Foundation has received federal grants from USAID and State going back many years, under both Democratic and Republican administrations. Trump troubles While Laureates connections to the Clintons are beginning to become an issue in her campaign, controversies over Trump University have dogged the Republican nominee all summer. The New York attorney general is suing Trump University for fraud, and a class-action lawsuit is also pending against Trump stemming from the schools operations in California. In June, Trump asked U.S. District Judge Gonzalo Curiel to toss out the class-action lawsuit that alleged Trump University violated the Racketeering Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act. When the judge, who was born in Indiana but is of Mexican-American heritage, refused, Trump publicly accused him of bias because of the judges Hispanic heritage. Numerous public officials Democratic and Republican denounced Trumps remarks as racist. For his part, Trump and his lawyers have argued that the lawsuits against him and Trump University stem from a small number of disgruntled students. Trumps lawyers have cited a large number of student evaluations in which the students said they were satisfied with their investment in education at Trump University. Union agenda Since announcing her White House run, Clinton has actively pursued endorsements of public school teachers unions, and in June 2015 she secured the backing of the nations largest such union, the National Education Association. She has also pledged that her administration would more closely scrutinize for-profit colleges. During the primary election campaign but after her husband pocketed $17 million from Laureate Clinton echoed Sen. Bernie Sanders call for billions in new federal spending on public colleges and universities, including community colleges that frequently compete for students with for-profit institutions. Thats the great irony, Turley said. Clinton has actively pursued teachers unions for endorsements and the teachers unions and academics, in general, are overwhelmingly opposed to Laureate University and many of these companies that are selling easily attainable degrees. The Clintons effectively cashed out right before the announcement of her campaign. Crackdown Clintons education platform vows to strengthen rules that President Barack Obamas administration put in place to keep for-profit colleges and universities honest. Clintons platform also singles out online education for greater scrutiny. A significant portion of most for-profit universities business models including Laureates is based on internet learning and testing. The national Democratic Partys education platform adopted at the convention in Cleveland this summer also pledges to go after for-profit universities. We will go after for-profits that engage in deceptive marketing, fraud, and other illegal practices, the document says. It is not right that for-profit schools with low graduation rates keep encouraging their students to take out federal loans they will have trouble paying back. In June, Politico reported that three former officials representing an investment firm run by President Barack Obamas best friend staged a behind-the-scenes campaign to get the Education Department to green-light a purchase of the biggest for-profit of them all the University of Phoenix. Asked about accusations of hypocrisy in connection with the Clintons, Laureate, public teacher unions and her pledge to more closely regulate profitable private education, Clintons spokesman suggested he saw none. Hillary Clinton has made it clear that all for-profit institutions should be held to the same standards, and she will crack down on lawbreaking for-profits by expanding support for federal regulators to enforce laws against deceptive marketing, fraud, and other illegal practices, Schwerin said. ITT Tech Meanwhile, the for-profit education company ITT Tech announced last week that it would close all 130 of its campuses nationwide including one in Albuquerque with nearly 400 students enrolled after the U.S. Department of Education ruled the company could no longer accept students who use federal financial aid. New Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas sued the company in 2014 alleging unfair trade practices. Last week, he asked the Department of Education and New Mexicos congressional delegation to look into ITTs business practices and seek financial remedies for its students. The for-profit education industry has boomed over the past few decades, and the federal government has continued to subsidize the industry, while federal oversight has moved in the wrong direction, Balderas said. Copyright 2016 Albuquerque Journal Fifteen years ago today, 9-year-old Frankie Gonzales couldnt help but notice what a beautiful day it was as his parents dropped him off at Stratford Landing Elementary School in Arlington, Va. His parents, Larry and Elaine Gonzales, waved goodbye to their third-grader and drove to their Air Force jobs at the Pentagon. Elaine, a tech sergeant working in the Air Force Protocol Office, dropped her husband off, then drove to a staff meeting at nearby Bolling Air Force Base. Larry, a chief master sergeant working in finance, started the day off with a jog along the Potomac River. At 9:37 a.m. Eastern Standard Time, American Airlines Flight 77 a hijacked Boeing 757 that had departed Washington Dulles International Airport at 8:20 a.m. slammed into the west side of the Pentagon, exploding in a massive fireball and killing 53 passengers, six crewmen and the five hijackers. Another 125 died at the Pentagon. It was the third of four hijacked airliners to crash that day as part of an orchestrated terrorist attack against the United States that claimed the lives of 2,977 victims and changed our country. The day will be remembered forever as 9/11. Now retired from the Air Force, Larry, a Santa Fe native, and Elaine, from Natchez, Miss., live just a few miles from Kirtland Air Force Base, where they met while stationed there in 1987. On Thursday, they recounted that fateful day, and the impact it has had on them and the country they served collectively for 53 years. Everyone was freaking out On Sept. 11, 2001, Larry was running along a trail that parallels the Potomac, about a half-mile from the Pentagon. Listening to music on his headphones, he never heard the explosion that rocked the Pentagon. I saw a plume of smoke coming up above the trees and knew something bad had happened, he said. I thought initially it was something in (nearby) Crystal City. I turned around and headed back toward the Pentagon. As he got closer, the pillar of smoke grew larger and he realized the Pentagon was on fire. My first thought was that Elaine wasnt there. I knew she had to go to Bolling Air Force Base for a meeting. He picked up his pace and soon arrived at the Pentagons north parking lot, where he encountered thousands of people streaming out of the Pentagon and billowing clouds of smoke coming from the buildings opposite side. He asked one man what had happened and was told a helicopter had crashed. That made sense, Larry said, because a ground-level helipad was on the Pentagons west side. A few seconds later, he ran into an officer he worked with, Maj. Gen. Larry Northington, who told him he thought an airplane had crashed into the Pentagon. You saw what happened at the World Trade Center, didnt you? Northington asked him. I had no idea what had happened about an hour earlier in New York City, Larry recalled. Meanwhile, Elaines meeting at Bolling Air Force Base had been interrupted by news of a plane hitting the World Trade Center. She and others began watching the news on television, shocked along with the rest of the nation. As she drove back to the Pentagon, she heard on the radio that a second airliner had struck the other tower of the World Trade Center. She parked in her usual spot at the Pentagons south parking lot and hurried to her office. It was shortly after 9:30 a.m. Then we heard this rumble, Elaine said, and a co-worker said they should get out of the building. At first, I didnt think it was a big deal, Elaine said. But as waves of employees began evacuating the building, she joined in the exodus. Outside, everyone was being told to move farther and farther away from the building. Elaine and hundreds of other Pentagon workers crowded beside an interstate highway, watching the smoke billowing from the buildings west side. She had no idea a hijacked plane had been flown into the Pentagon. We didnt know what was going on, she said. We had no idea that a plane had hit the building. Cellphones werent working, traffic was at a standstill and confusion was rampant. I didnt know where Larry was, everyone was freaking out, she said. Not long afterward, she arrived at a co-workers house, not far from the Pentagon. To this day, I dont know how I got from (the Pentagon) to her house, she said. After several tries, she got a cellphone signal and called her sons school, telling the person who answered to please let her son know that his parents were OK even though she had no idea where Larry was. Hi, its me Back at the Pentagons north parking lot, Larry and other evacuees were hearing radio updates of the attacks on the World Trade Center. Word started getting out that there was still a plane missing, he said. He later learned that it was hijacked United Flight 93, which crashed just after 10 a.m. near Shanksville, Pa. Thirty or 40 minutes after I got to the parking lot, we heard the approach of a jet engine, he said. We didnt know what that was. Everybody got really quiet. There was a real sense of tension. Then the jet came into sight, and it was an Air Force F-16. A spontaneous cheer went up from the crowd as the fighter jet streaked overhead. It was one of ours up there, and there was this sense of relief, Larry said. We knew we were OK. Gen. Northington suggested that he and Larry walk to the Metro rail station in hopes of finding a way home, but, as they headed out, security personnel began asking for volunteers to help evacuate the building. Neither man hesitated. The building was filled with smoke, alarms were going off, Larry said. We made our way to Center Court (the open space in the center of the Pentagon) and joined a group of people already there. There were probably 200 people there, and they had already begun pulling victims out and moving them out of the building. Moving through the building with water-soaked handkerchiefs over their faces, the plan was to move toward the crash site and search for victims, Larry said. But firefighters prevented them from moving farther, saying it was far too dangerous to proceed. Larry managed to slip into his office and retrieve his cellphone and wallet before returning to Center Court. There, he and others were asked to carry cafe umbrellas and tables to a perimeter triage site, which they readily did. As they emerged from the Pentagon, they saw the crash site. It was like a movie, he said. I saw the big hole in the side of the building, the collapsed walls, the fire. Im walking, looking at it and thinking, This cant be real.' But as he tripped over a piece of the airliners wing, he knew it was as real as life gets. A security guard stopped him and said he should go home. Now in the south parking lot, Larry looked for Elaines car. I saw it, and thats when it hit me that she had made it back to the building, he said. I panicked. I ran over to the car, hoping shed be sitting in it. But it was empty and locked. Then I remembered that I had my cellphone. Powering up the flip phone and waiting for a signal seemed to take an eternity. When the screen lit up, he saw he had three messages. Larry had always found it comical that Elaine would begin her voice mails saying, Hi, its me, as if he couldnt recognize her voice instinctively. He often teased her about it, but never persuaded her to do otherwise. That day, he said, it was the only thing he wanted to hear. The first message, with a time stamp of 10:30 a.m., was from his brother, asking if everyone was OK. The second message, sent at 11 a.m., was from Elaines sister, asking the same. The third message, stamped at 11:30 a.m. nearly two hours after the plane had ripped into the Pentagon began Hi, its me. Nearly 15 years later, the retelling of that scene brings tears to both of them. Late that afternoon, Elaine and Larry met at the Metros Huntington Station, picked Frankie up at school and returned home, exhausted, sad and thankful to be together. When Frankie mentioned how a beautiful late-summer day had turned so awful, Larry gently reminded him how fortunate he was that both of his parents came home that day. One of Frankies classmates, Larry noted, wasnt so lucky. The next day, Larry learned that a friend, Patricia Mickley, had been killed in the attack, leaving behind her husband and two young children. Im more aware of the things I once took for granted, Elaine said while reflecting on 9/11s lasting impact. As horrible as 9/11 was, what you saw in the weeks and months afterward was a unified country, Larry said. You saw patriotism, and it didnt matter what your political persuasion was, what race, what gender we were all Americans. You really felt it. The only thing we cared about was each other. Thats all gone away now. Weve forgotten how we all felt after that horrible event . The country has forgotten, and its sad. Like most Americans, 9/11 remains a somber date for the Gonzaleses, who said they spend the day quietly, remembering the thousands who perished that day and thankful for how their story ended. AREA 9/11 EVENTS Albuquerque 8:46 a.m. Third Annual 9/11 Community Stair Climb at Civic Plaza. To honor the lives of those lost on Sept. 11, 2001, citizens climb the stairs of the City/County office building to the equivalent of 55 floors half the height of the World Trade Center. The event is a fundraiser for the American Red Cross of New Mexico for disaster relief. Registration is $40 per person or $140 for a team of four. For more information, visit tinyurl.com/ABQStairclimb. Free parking is available at Fourth and Marquette. 8:46 a.m. Albuquerque firefighters will be dispatched to the Bank of Albuquerque, 201 Third NW. In full gear, they will climb the 22-story building five times (the equivalent of the 110-story World Trade Center) to honor the 343 firefighters who died on 9/11. 10:30 a.m. 9/11 Memorial Ceremony at Civic Plaza. Keynote speaker is retired CIA senior executive Chuck Banks, who will share his story about the CIAs response to 9/11 and the importance of honoring our military, law enforcement and fire departments. Rio Rancho 6 p.m. Daniels Family Funeral Services will host a 9/11 memorial ceremony at Vista Verde Memorial Park, 4310 Sara Road SE. Keynote speaker is former CIA executive Chuck Banks. The town of Rio Rancho had its 9/11 commemoration on Friday, Sept. 9, 2016. Belen 2 p.m. Commemoration ceremonies at 9/11 Memorial Park, 100 S. Main. Memorial bricks will be presented to the families of Air Force Capt. Matthew D. Roland; Air Force Maj. Phyllis J. Pelky; and Army Sgt. 1st Class Matthew Q. McClintock, each of whom died in combat in Afghanistan. Keynote speaker will be retired Army Master Sgt. Jerry Moya. APS is holding an open house in Flagstaff on Monday to give customers an opportunity to learn more its new rate proposal, currently being considered by the Arizona Corporation Commission. The new proposal includes demand fees, which are based on a consumer's highest one-time energy usage each month, an average 8 percent rate hike and greatly reduced net metering rates for solar customers. The open house will take place from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at the DoubleTree by Hilton. Customers can get answers to questions like: What is a rate review? What does it mean for residential customers? What will it mean for me if I have rooftop solar? What are demand rates and how can I save money with them? APS employees will be available at different stations to share information, answer questions and provide customers with materials and resources. Panaji: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has said the frequent police cases against its legislators and leaders will not end until Assembly elections are over in Goa and Punjab. "Merely police case(s) do not prove anything. Do you think police cases are sacrosanct? Why are they coming before Goa and Punjab election where AAP has decided to contest and win?," senior AAP leader Satyendra Kumar Jain told PTI while on his two-day visit to the poll-bound state. He was replying to queries on AAP leaders facing charges of sexual harassment with MLA Amanatullah Khan being the latest to face such allegations. "These cases will continue till the voting day for Punjab and Goa election. If we withdraw from the poll, all of this would stop. Party has taken swift action against those found wrong. We are the only party which has taken strong action. Has any other party done it?," the Delhi Health Minister asked. Jain said their political rivals could not digest the fact that "we, the common man have entered into their space." "Politics was earlier space only for son of politicians and anti-socials. They know that we don't belong to their 'biradari' (clan)," he said. The leader was confident that there would be no impact on the impression about AAP in the minds of voters despite such tactics. "A similar campaign was launched months before Delhi election, but you have seen the results, people chose AAP," he added. He said the party would replicate Delhi's polyclicnic and mohalla clinic model in Goa if it is voted to power in that state. "Once AAP comes to power we will have one polyclinic each in respective constituency (total 40 constituencies). There will be 8 to 10 mohalla clinics in each constituency depending on the size," he said. Jain, however, expressed concern that functioning of mohalla clinics in Delhi would be severely affected if the issues faced by them are not resolved by the end of this month. "All mohalla clinics are currently functioning. Attempts are made to paralyse them. Till now there is no impact, but if some approvals are not given, then at the end of this month, the impact would be seen," he said. Jain alleged that secretaries (in Delhi) are not forwarding files to him as the Lieutenant Governor has threatened them not to cooperate with the AAP government. Mini-MAC is a one-day, workshop-style conference, that will be hosted on November 8 at the California and Nevada Credit Union League Office in Ontario, CA. Session topics include: Using Big Data to Make Big Gains, presented by Nate Derby, Chief Data Scientist from Stakana Analytics in Seattle, WA; Financial Education Through Engaging Storytelling: A Case Study, presented by Joy Tafarella from CalPoly Federal Credit Union and Tim McAlpine of Currency; Hands-On Strategies for Credit Union Innovation: A Marketers Toolkit,presented by Innovation Strategist, Lamar Heyward of Local Government Federal Credit Union in Raleigh, NC; and Culture, Branding and Creativity: Fostering an Agency Environment in your Marketing Department, a panel discussion with the credit union marketers who have done it. 1. Networking: Make connections you cant get without talking to and hearing from other credit union marketers. Even virtual attendees will have the opportunity to chime in and participate in the discussion. 2. Recharge: Exchange ideas and learn new ones to inspire yourself and your team. 3. Meet expert influencers: Whats really happening outside your little bubble? Learn from industry knowledge-seekers and experts on what it takes to bring new focus to your work, and to separate your credit union from the crowd. 4. Invest in yourself: Youre worth it! You want to learn, you have things you want to get better atso come onpull the trigger. Invest in yourself, get your mojo cookin and take the lead on new initiatives that have been floundering on a list for years. 5. Get a tattoo: Wellthat one is probably up for discussion. but youll want to have some fun and the other four reasons you just read will guaranty youll leave wanting more. Which is why if you attend mini MAC, youll receive a special, one-time offer and discount on your registration for the 2017 MAC Conference in Austin, TX. The annual mini MAC workshop is available to both MAC members and non-members, and is available via live streaming for anyone who cant travel to Ontario, CA. The focus is on provocative topics and strategies credit union marketers can take back and immediately implement. To register for mini MAC and find out more about what MAC has to offer, visit www.MACnetwork.org. Two Spirit Society of Indian Canyon stands with Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and Sacred Stone Camp by via Two Spirit Society of Indian Canyon "On behalf of the Indian Canyon Two-Spirit Society, we are writing to express our support for the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and the Sacred Stone Spirit Camp. We support the critically important work you are doing to protect the Missouri River from the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL)." The Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting has concluded in Pohnpei in the Marshall Islands. A major focus of this meeting was action on climate change following Paris and COP21 demonstrating further leadership by small island nations on this issue which affects us all. The Statement following 47th Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting was released by the Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of the Marshall Islands, The Honorable John Silk: Todays communique is a clarion call to action that even with the Paris Agreement, there remains a lot of work to do to guarantee there will still be 16 seats at the Pacific Islands Forum in a hundred years from now. The Pacific is strongest when we come together and fight as one. Along with our big brothers and sisters in Australia and New Zealand, we have declared that we will continue to push for an ambitious amendment to the Montreal Protocol in October, and to see ambitious climate action across all sectors. This must include reducing aviation and maritime emissions in line with the 1.5C temperature target we all agreed in Paris. I want to particularly thank President Christian for the Federated States of Micronesias tireless leadership in the Montreal Protocol negotiations, beginning with their first submission in 2009. If we succeed in Kigali, it will be one of the best examples of island leadership that we have ever seen and help us avoid up to half a degree of warming the biggest chunk yet off the ambition gap. FM Silk: 16 Pacific nations today committed to fight as one for an ambitious #HFCs ammendment in Kigali https://t.co/5vyjg4onG1 #FSMPIF2016 Tony de Brum (@TonydeBrum) September 10, 2016 The Pacific Islands Forum includes Australia, the Cook Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, New Zealand, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Republic of the Marshall Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu. In the lead up to COP22 in Marrakech there are two important international meetings where further global climate action can be taken: The Montreal Protocol and the the International Civil Aviation Agency (ICAO) triennial congress. The Montreal Protocol is due to meet in Kigali, Rwanda on 9th October. A Reduction and phaseout of HFC refrigerant gases is being proposed under the Montreal Protocol. These are very strong greenhouse gases. If HFCs can be eliminated, it can provide up to 0.5C less warming to 2100. But boosting action under the Montreal Protocol should not be seen as a substitute for reducing carbon dioxide emissions in national climate action plans (INDCs) The ICAO congress will consider a proposal for a market based measure to cap aviation emissions at 2020 levels. According to a Carbon Brief Analysis: Aviation could consume a quarter of 1.5C carbon budget by 2050. The problem is more complicated as aircraft emit other gases and aerosols that change the composition of the atmosphere, as well as producing contrails which affect the cloudiness of the sky and how much solar radiation reaches the surface of the Earth. These other impacts are not well understood and not factored in to the ICAO approach. The market based measure scheme being proposed is basicly a carbon offset scheme. It is proposed to be voluntary in the first 6 years, after which it becomes mandatory with exemptions for Least Developed Countries. The proposal has already been criticised by NGOs for being insufficient and lacking environmental safeguards. Before the Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting, leaders from Smaller Island states met, with the President of the Republic of the Marshall Islands, Her Excellency Dr. Hilda C. Heine, releasing a statement. This forum includes the Cook Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, Kiribati, Nauru, Palau, Tuvalu, and the Republic of the Marshall Islands. The cabinet of the Marshall Islands decided to join ICAOs new global market-based measure for aviation emissions, with other Pacific Island nations likely to follow. The Pacific is also the first region in the world to complete its ratification of the Paris Agreement. Today some of the smallest and most vulnerable countries on the planet have said loud and clear that even with the Paris Agreement in-hand, the fight against climate change is as urgent as ever before. said Dr Heine. Once again, we have committed to lead the world and pursue ambitious action to reduce emissions, including through phasing down HFCs under the Montreal Protocol, curbing greenhouse gases from aviation and shipping, and raising the ambition of all countries by 2020. stated Dr Heine. The Pacific is on track to be the first region in the world to complete ratification of #ParisAgreement: https://t.co/FJNEGFXlwk @ForumSEC Tony de Brum (@TonydeBrum) September 7, 2016 The true impact of the Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting and the Smaller Island states forum is in the continued symbolic leadership for the rest of the world. It was Tony De Brum, Foreign Minister of the Marshall Islands, that put together the Coalition of High Ambition to break the usual bargaining consensus at UNFCCC COP21. He is one of the heroes of the Paris Agreement. The pacific nations are now leading the ratification process for this climate treaty, showing the rest of us how it can be done. Many Island nations will not survive the sea level rise of a 2C and above world. Indeed, a 1.5C world would also be very perilous. But they are showing us, they are not drowning, they are fighting. Maybe the rest of the world needs to lift our game and fight too: for no new coal mines and a rapid phaseout of coal, a ban on fracking and unconventional gas extraction, a target of 100 per cent renewables and a just and rapid transition to a zero carbon economy. It can be done, it must be done. An Irish naval vessel has been involved in a mission to rescue migrants off the coast of Libya. The LE James Joyce this morning located and rescued 423 migrants from 18 separate vessels during a complex operation 40 nautical miles North-West of Tripoli. Since the Pirates acquired Ivan Nova from the Yankees prior to the Aug. 1 non-waiver trade deadline, the right-hander has unexpectedly performed like a top-of-the-rotation starter. In seven starts and 46 1/3 innings with the Bucs, Nova has recorded a 2.54 ERA while tossing two complete games and amassing 32 strikeouts against a paltry two walks. Part of the reason for Novas success is the Pirates stadium, PNC Park, he told Travis Sawchik of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Its not like pitching in Baltimore or Boston, Toronto, where the ball flies, or New York. A fly ball, (and) its a homer, said Nova, whose new venue has the largest left field in the majors, per Sawchik. Yankee Stadium, on the other hand, has the leagues shallowest right field and is among its most home run-friendly venues. The change in parks has been timely for Nova, a free agent-to-be who is likely pitching his way to an appreciable raise over his current salary of $4.1MM. More from the National League: A Nigerian orphan named Islamiyat Oluwatoyin Abdulkadir has emerged the best graduating medical student at the International University of Africa in Khartoum, Sudan in yet another accolade to the country. Orphaned since the age of six, Abdulkadir said her outstanding achievement looks like a miracle to even to her. Sudan's best medical student, Islamiyat Oluwatoyin Abdulkadir The Cable quotes her as telling the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in a telephone interview from Sudan that not just her academic achievements but also her life in general is a massive miracle since her father died when she was around three years old and her mother when she was six years old. READ ALSO: Checkout this university where students are not allowed to use their smartphones My academic achievements so far, till today, seem like a miracle to me. Not only that, my life as a whole is a pack of miracles, she said. With no hope of going further in her education after her mothers death, Abdulkadir was saved by helper called Alhaja Sekinat Adekola. Thinking that was the end of schooling for me, my grandmother withdrew me from the school but the founder, Alhaja Sekinat Adekola, gave me scholarship for my primary and secondary education. I emerged best student in my primary and secondary schools and even in my WASC, and I had a high score of 274 in my UTME examination. I have always had passion to be a medical doctor, but because I was not sure of my chances I filled Bio-Chemistry in my JAMB form and came out with a high score of 274. Islamiyat Oluwatoyin Abdulkadir posing with her award plaque. This score was high enough to get me into the College of Medicine, University of Ibadan and with the hope of changing to medicine later. I had to jettison this dream because of the financial commitment involved in studying medicine. It was at this time that an admission team from International University of Africa, Sudan, came to recruit Nigerian students into their school of Nursing. READ ALSO: See this bride who graduated from school on her wedding day I presented myself for the written and oral interview and luck once again smiled on me as I emerged the best student and a scholarship was awarded me for my admission in their school of nursing. After the end of the first semester examination I emerged the best student, and the opportunity I had been waiting for presented itself. I approached the Schools Faculty of Medicine for a cross over from Nursing Faculty to Medicine, and the request was granted. So through thick and thin of financial difficulties, culture shock, hunger and loneliness, I braved it through and emerged the best graduating student of the medical school on September 2, 2016. For me to clinch the overall best student, I had a CGPA of 3.37/4.00, making a groundbreaking record in the history of the faculty by scoring above 3.24, the last highest grade. One certain thing I know about myself, which cannot be disputed, is that I am a living miracle of Allah, she continued. READ ALSO: UNIOSUN lecturer in sex scandal video writes open letter to Nigerians (photos) If you have searched for a proof of miracle but to no avail, look no further as I am here to testify to the miracles of God. I want to seize this opportunity to thank my God-sent angels, Alhaja Sekinat Adekola, founder, Proprietress of AD-din International Group of Schools, for the good background I got in the school. You can view Here is proof that Nigerian students are the best (photos) to know more about talented students on this side of West Africa. Source: Legit.ng - Six suspected oil thieves have been arrested by the Nigerian Navy in the Escravos axis of Delta state - A new militant group has threatened to destroy oil facilities within the Niger Delta region - The militant group says it will blow up facilities in protest against the arrest of its members Six persons have been arrested for oil theft within the Escravos axis of Delta state, the Nigerian Navy made the arrest on Wednesday, September 7. The Nigerian Navy has arrested 6 oil thieves within the Escravos area of Delta state. The Director of Information of the Nigerian Navy, Commodore Christian Ezekobe, said in a statement on Saturday, September 10, that six of the suspects were arrested during a raid by a team from the Operations Base, Escravos at Sara Creek, Delta state. READ ALSO: Nigeria Army scores BIG victory over militants, nabs Avengers kingpin He said the patrol team destroyed three Cotonou boats laden with stolen crude oil. The statement added that the patrol team also recovered one speed boat, a Cotonou boat carrying 1510,000 litres and 2 x 5000 liters GP tanks laden with illegally refined automotive gas oil from the suspected oil thieves. Also said to have been recovered by the patrol team were three outboard engines and four pumping machines. Ezekobe noted that the oil was suspected to have been illegally refined at Ogboro Creek, Warri South Local Government Area. He also said that another patrol team deployed by the FOB Escravos destroyed an illegal refinery and arrested one Endurance (surname withheld) for alleged oil theft at Ekpemu Creek in Warri South West Local Government Area. According to him, the Navy recovered two phones, a pumping machine and hoses from the suspects. Ezekobe, who said that the Navy would hand over the suspects to the police for prosecution, restated the commitment of the Navy to carrying out its statutory responsibility of protecting the nations economic assets. In a related development, a patrol team deployed by NNS Delta on 3 September 2016 combed Benneth Island situated in Warri South LGA of Delta State. On arrival, the suspects fled as the team recovered 40 MT of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), one pumping machine and some hoses with which the criminals operated. Yet again, on 2 September 2016, a patrol team deployed by FOB Escravos located and destroyed an illegal refinery as well as a very large Cotonou boat laden with product suspected to be stolen crude oil. In the course of the operation one Mr Endurance Okogba Edirin was arrested for involvement in the operations of the illegal refinery and suspected crude oil theft in Ekpemu cooking camp at Ekpemu Creek in Warri South West LGA in Delta State. Some items recovered were 2 mobile phones, one pumping machine and hoses. In all the cases, investigations have commenced and the suspects would be promptly handed over to the prosecuting agencies for further action. The Nigerian Navy is therefore appealing to the general public especially those with legitimate businesses in the maritime sector to avoid criminal acts as the service is willing, able and ready to carry out its constitutional mandate of protecting the economic assets of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Meanwhile, a militant group, Niger Delta Greenland Justice Mandate (NDGJM) last night threatened to bomb another oil facility in protest against alleged random arrests by the military under the guise of looking for its members. The group, which claimed it is not Urhobo Militant, denounced one , who was arrested last week along Abraka-Agbor road as one of its key members. READ ALSO: Tension in Delta as troops raid ex-militants residence, arrest 5 suspects (photo) It said in a statement signed by its spokesman, Aldo Agbalaja, Again, the Nigerian Army, in a bid to save face, announced the arrest of the declarer of Operation Crocodile Tears and its spokesman said his name is Gabriel Ogbudje. By the so-called arrest, these jesters are suggesting that they have finally reached the Niger Delta Greenland Justice Mandate. For the avoidance of doubts, we do not know this said Gabriel Ogbudje as either a member or leader so we wonder why he was attributed with the mandates ongoing operation, it added. The Urhobo militant group decried the ongoing military exercise code-named Operation Crocodile Smile saying it was just a charade. The ongoing so-called operation, which the deceptive military administration has guised as an innocent training drill (Operation Crocodile Smile) is nothing but a facade, put together just to retire freshly stolen military fund and in the bid to make the cover-up look tight. These unprofessional and ill-trained men have been feverishly engaged in a spree of blind arrests; just anyone that comes in sight, which explains the senseless arrest and parade of a septuagenarian, some teenagers and a pregnant woman as militants. The High Command of the Niger Delta Greenland Justice Mandate has watched with disgust the unprofessional approach of the Nigerian armed forces in their so-called campaign against our struggle and we feel sad to say this system is a pathetic waste of time and the resources of the peoples of this contraption called Nigeria. How can a supposedly national defense force operate without precise intelligence, but will rather use the peoples resources to buy cover-ups for itself?, it asked. To prove to the world that the Nigerian armed forces have been engaged in a blind and random arrest of mostly innocent and helpless community people, we shall be making a very loud statement to intimidate the smiling crocodile, it said. Meanwhile, OML 30 Community Developmet Board, comprising representatives of Isoko, Urhobo, Itsekiris and Ndokwas, yesterday decried the destruction of oil facilities in Urhoboland, noting that it was not in the character of Urhobos to employ violence in agitating for their rights. OML 30 is a body put together by the government and Joint Venture Partners (JVP) by oil companies for the development of host communities to multinational oil firms operating in Delta Central district in Delta Sate. Chairman of the Board, Hon. Morris Idiovwa said in a statement that the Urhobos were still mindful of the fact that not all problems were solvable through force of violence. He therefore appealed to youths in Urhoboland to embrace peace stressing that they should not turn the area to a battle ground which they might regret later, apparently referring to the activities of the militant group. So much as we desire our people and our land to receive the appropriate return for their contributions to Nigerias national development, through our physical labour and natural resources, we believe there are many routes to access to access the market. Urhobo nation has been patient and peaceful and we believe that we are drawing closer to getting our dues from the Nigerian union, therefore, we want to call on all our youths not to give in to the lure and invitation to violence. Violence is not our pattern, that is not who we are. We do not want to turn Urhobo land to a battle ground and so we call on all youth groups and their leadership to reach out to all our youths not to start a process that is likely to soil the good name that our fore-fathers bequeathed to us, he pleaded. Hon. Idiovwa decried a couple of unwholesome activities in parts of Urhobo land which he said have led to the destruction of some valuable oil and gas assets. He therefore assured the federal government and the oil prospecting companies operating in Urhoboland that the board will do all that is needed to be done to end incidences of oil destructions in the area. Source: Legit.ng - Two soldiers have died in a gun duel between Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) and Boko Haram fighters - Six other soldiers were reportedly injured in the bloody confrontation - The Nigerian Airforce carried out an aerial bombardment of 12 Boko Haram camps The Nigerian army has announced the loss of two its soldiers attached to the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF). They were killed in a fierce battle with Boko Haram insurgents within the northeast. File photo: Two soldiers killed, six others injured as MNJTF confronts Boko Haram. Vanguard reports that they were six others were also injured in the confrontation with Boko Haram terrorists, on Saturday, September 10. In the same vein, the air component of the MNJTF, led by the Nigerian Airforce, carried out aerial bombardment of 12 different camps of the terrorists located at border areas with Niger, Chad and Cameroon, destroying the camps and killing some of the terrorists. READ ALSO: Military task force arrest 24 Boko Haram members The development was disclosed by Col Muhammed Dole, spokesman for the MNJTF, who said that scores of the terrorists also surrendered to troops when they saw that there was no way out for them. The statement read: The effects of difficult terrains and unpredictable weather conditions continue to pose serious challenges to the conduct of Operation Gama Wiki. However, despite these limitations for the ground forces, the air component of the operation, through successful combined air operations, continue to deny the terrorists freedom of action and movement within the battle fields. Recent air strikes and simultaneous clearing operations on 12 identified Boko Haram Terrorists (BHT) camps and hideouts have greatly shattered their cohesion. Moreover, continuous blockade of the terrorists main supply routes and arrest of their logistics suppliers caused serious economic hardship and led to the surrender of many terrorists in different locations in the Area of Operation (AOO) of Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF). Additionally, the troops of Sector 4 in Diffa Niger Republic tracked and neutralized 4 Boko Haram Terrorists suspected to have attacked the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camp and Two (2) others were arrested at Tumoua village. READ ALSO: These are what Boko Haram just lost (photos) Meanwhile, the border town of Damasak has been finally recaptured and occupied by the Multi National Joint Taskforce (MNJTF) on July 28, Thursday. Damasak is a trading town in Nigerias Borno state near Nigers border and is about 200km (120 miles) from the states capital Maiduguri. The town was overrun by the Boko Haram insurgents, who began their insurgency in 2009 to create an Islamic state, at the end of 2014. It is one of the last frontiers of Boko Haram terrorists. Colonel Muhammad Dole, spokesman of MNJTF, revealed this in a brief statement to PRNigeria saying that the soldiers have also cleared the terrorists from the surrounding villages. Source: Legit.ng - A pastor solely know as Chinedu has been arrested by men of the Delta state police command - Chinedu was nabbed with 12 stolen kids in his custody - The pastor reportedly connived with four others, to kidnap the kids Pastor Chinedu One Pastor Chinedu (surname withheld) who heads a pentecostal ministry in Ogidi Anambra state, has been arrested for kidnapping and possession of 12 stolen kids. The police in Delta state smashed Chinedu's syndicate which specializes in buying and selling of children. The syndicate, which is allegedly led by Pastor Chinedu, was alleged to have kept 12 children in his custody. READ ALSO: Army kills 7 kidnappers in Bauchi, nab Boko Haram terrorist According to The Sun, the 48-year-old pastor connived with others, namely, David, Ebere, Adaeze (a 22-year-old lady) and 55-year-old Chike (all surnames withheld by us) are now being held for interrogation at the headquarters of the command in Asaba, the Delta state capital. The Commissioner of Police, Mr. Zanna Ibrahim, said that the pastor paid N400,000.00 for each child sold to him. The bubble burst when one Aisha Yahaya of Umuezei quarters, Asaba, raised the alarm that two female members of the syndicate, Nnoruka (surname withheld) and Chidinma (surname withheld) tricked her and stole her one-year-old child. Yahaya told the police that the suspects posed as prison officials from Ogwashi-uku Prisons, adding that they allegedly brought a message from her husband. The complainant further disclosed that she followed them to a junction where they met one woman, Abigail (surname withheld), who gave her N3,500.00 and asked her to go and buy clothes for her daughter, Fatima Yahaya. In the process, the little girl was stolen by the syndicate. She, however, raised alarm that led to the arrest of 21-year-old Nnoruka and Chidinma, 20, while they were attempting to escape, Ibrahim told journalists. He spoke further: Based on this, detectives immediately swung into action and arrested a member of the syndicate, 11-yesr-old Onyinye, daughter of Abigail who was found with the stolen little girl, where she was at a drinking bar in Asaba. READ ALSO: Nigeria Army destroys 74 illegal Niger Delta refineries in 48 hours The police boss explained that the 32-year-old Abigail and Ifeoma, a lady, who were arrested at Okpanam, confessed to the crime and led detectives to Ogidi, Anambra State, where 12 suspected stolen children were recovered from the pastor. He said the suspects were undergoing investigation while two of the recovered children were handed over to their parents. The remaining 10 within the age bracket of six months to two years are being kept at St Barnabas Orphanage, Asaba, pending identification by their families. He added that efforts were on to apprehend other members of the syndicate. The theft of children for sale has been rife in the country in recent times. In July 2016, a bricklayer in Oyero area of Ijoko, Ogun state, Ola Ibikunle was arrested by the police for stealing and selling children for the sum of N1,500 each. Ibikunle was reportedly caught trying to strangle a four-year-old girl, named Eniola, who he abducted. The little girl and her 11-year-old sister, Opeyemi, were following their father to a church in the afternoon. When their father had gone some distance ahead of them, Ibikunle pounced on the children and abducted Eniola. But the elder sister, Opeyemi, raised an alarm that attracted the attention of some passersby, who searched the immediate neighbourhood and found Ibikunle in an uncompleted building as he was attempting to strangle the girl. The irate mob set upon him, and beat him to an inch of his life, before he was rescued by the police. Again, on August 24, 2016, Christiana Idowu, a two-year-old girl, who was walking to school with her four-year-old sister, Rebecca, was stolen by a woman about 10am, very close to their home in the Mazamaza area of Lagos. As reported in the Sunday Sun, the woman smacked Rebecca and then warned her not to scream before she forcefully pulled the younger sister away from her and made a quick get-away. The toddler is yet to be recovered and her fate unknown. In a similar vein, troops of Two Brigade Nigerian Army, involved in the ongoing Crocodile Smile operation in the Niger Delta region, Saturday raided a notorious kidnappers camp at Obiozumini near Obite, in Ogbema/Ndoni/Egbema Local Government Area of Rivers state. READ ALSO: UNICAL deans son abducted by unknown men, shoot two The troops, who were earlier ambushed, engaged the kidnappers in a gun duel and eventually subdued them and rescued one kidnap victim held hostage in their den. A statement by Colonel Sani Kukasheka Usman, Acting Director Army Public Relations said the ongoing operation would be sustained until criminality was subdued. Usman said: The troops during raids, cordon and search operations as part of the training exercise, have also discovered and destroyed 52 illegal refineries and refinery cooking pots in Krakrama, Bille and Better land community general area. The troops discovered six refining cooking pots at Better Land community which unfortunately could not be destroyed instantly because of proximity to the community. They also recovered two high powered Engine boats, 10 empty drums and 1 pumping machine. Plans for destroying the illegal refinery with Swamp Buggy is in progress, he added. Source: Legit.ng - Professor Itse Sagay says Patiencr Jonathan must explain how she got $31.4 million - The chairman of the presidential advisory committee on corruption explains that the EFCC has the right to probe the former first lady - Sagay insists anyone living above his means can be investigated by the anti-graft agency Professor Itse Sagay has said that Patience Jonathan must explain how she came about to own $5m after the former first lady admitted that the money was hers. Nigerias ex-first lady cried out over her $31.4 million being tied down by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). The Guardian reports that the account is being fingered as one of those involved in an alleged fraud case before a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos but Mrs Jonathan's counsel, Gboyega Oduwole has filed a case before the court, informing that his client is unhappy with the EFCC over the recent move to freeze the account. READ ALSO: Patience Jonathan linked to $20m financial scandal Amajuoyi Azubike Briggs, an ex-presidential aide; Damola Bolodeoku, a former Skye Bank official; Pluto Property and Investment Company Limited and Avalon Global Property Development Company Limited had all been charged to court over their individual involvement in the fraudulent activities with companies without address. Seagate Property Development and Investment Company Limited; Trans Ocean Property and Investment Company Limited, Avalon Global Property Development Company Limited and Globus Integrated Services Limited were also charged with the same offence. Mrs Jonathan, is however, not taking any of those accusations and allegations as she is seeking a court order to enforce her basic human rights as it agrees with reliefs she sought, while also naming EFCC and Skye bank as defendants. According to the report, she wants the court to rule that the monies found with the four companies and another account in her name with a Skye Bank are all hers. Consequently, the former president's wife demanded a court declaration that the respondents have breached her fundamental rights as a citizen of the Federal Republic by placing a 'Freezing Order' on the said accounts without any court order or prior notice to her. READ ALSO: Buhari's government has recovered N3.4 trillion, says Amaechi The Punch reports that Sagay who is the head of the Presidential Advisory Committee on Corruption explained the Act establishing the EFCC gave provided the power to investigate anybody who is seen to have more wealth than he ought to have. Professor Itse Sagay: says Patience Jonathan must reveal where she got her wealth He said: The EFCC and ICPC Act have provisions under which they can ask the court to freeze the account of a person if a persons capacity to earn is below the amount of money that the person appears to have. If you are living a lavish lifestyle and it appears you dont have the means to have acquired the property and the wealth you have, the EFCC is free to probe you. If she is claiming the money belongs to her, she has put herself in a position where she must explain how she earned it. Meanwhile, the United Kingdom is begging Nigeria to initiate process that will see to the return of $85million allegedly looted by Dan Etete who is a former minister of petroleum. The Evening Standard of London which is a UK newspaper explained that Nigerias failure to send a proceeds-of-crime submission to the judge of a UK court is slowing down the recovery of the fund. The money is reportedly frozen in NatWest bank account in London. Source: Legit.ng Thiruvananthapuram: As Keralites gear up to celebrate Onam, RSS has triggered a controversy by questioning the legend behind the festival, arguing that it marks the celebration of birth of 'Vamana' (incarnation of Lord Vishnu) and not the homecoming of demon king Mahabali. An article published in the Onam special edition of RSS mouthpiece 'Kesari' claimed there was no reference in any mythological scriptures which supports the popular and widely circulated legend that Vamana had sent Mahabali to the netherworld through deceit and the king visits the land annually to meet his subjects. Countering the argument, senior CPI(M) leader and state Health Minister KK Shylaja said Onam was celebrated by all irrespective of caste, creed and religion and the attempt of the RSS was to bring back the bygone "upper class hegemony". It was also a part of RSS's agenda to "hijack the festival", the minister alleged. According to the popular belief in the state, Mahabalis homecoming in the Malayalam month of Chingam to see his subjects is celebrated as 'Thiru Onam' annually, which falls on 14 September this year. However, the article written by K Unnikrishnan Namboothiri in the RSS magazine argued that Onam was originally celebrated as the birthday of Vamana and not a festivity to mark the homecoming of the demon king. "There is no such reference or explanation anywhere in mythology or epics to support the story that Mahabali was pushed to the netherworld by Vamana and he visits the land every year to meet his subjects. Then, how did such a false story become prevalent in Kerala?" the article stated. The write-up claimed that Lord Vishnu had actually "blessed" the demon king and not "punished" him by pushing into 'pathala' (netherworld). "There is no indication in spiritual texts like 'Bhagavatham' or 'Narayaneeyam' or such other authentic books that Bali was pushed to the netherworld. Instead, such texts say that the noble king had emerged victorious in the trial by Vamana and he was blessed by the God," it said. The writer also criticised the general picturisation of Mahabali as a man with moustache, potbelly and wearing an 'olakkuda' (traditional palm leaf umbrella). "It is an attempt by some vested interest to distort the mythical stories and paint in poor light the characters of Hindu Puranas," the writer said, adding that such attempts to destroy Hinduism should be checked. According to mythology, Onam is connected with Asura (demon) king Mahabali, under whose reign everyone lived in happiness and equality. Envious by his popularity, Devas (Gods) sought the help of Lord Vishnu to get him banished into the netherworld. But before going down, Mahabali secured a boon from Lord Vishnu to visit his subjects every year on the 'Thiru Onam' day. The demon king's annual visit is celebrated by Keralites, who lay by their front yards with floral carpets, wear new clothes and prepare a sumptuous feast. The RSS's views on Onam have kicked up a debate on the centuries-old beliefs, which have been taught since school days as poems and stories. Kerala minister Shylaja charged that the RSS's argument should be seen as an attempt to trace out the demon king Bali, under whose rule people enjoyed equality and no exploitation. "Perhaps, lower caste or Dalit people were portrayed as demons in our mythical stories. Mahabali is considered to be a demon king. So, he represented the downtrodden. "The present RSS move is to eliminate the achievements of a Dalit ruler and picturise that the upper class is the supreme," she told PTI. Eminent historian and former chairman of Historical Research Council MGS Narayanan, however, said there were records that Onam was celebrated as 'Vamana Jayanthi' (birthday of Vamana) centuries ago in the state. "Mahabali is a mythical character and his story has nothing to do with the history. But, there are historical references that Onam was celebrated as Vamana Jayanthi in the state during early periods, especially during 9-11 century AD," he said. To mark the occasion, mass feast for Brahmin community members were organised in many temples during the time, he said. Unfazed by the controversy, people in the state are all set to celebrate Onam with shopping malls and markets witnessing heavy rush in cities, towns and villages. In a bid to check price of essential commodities, the CPI-M led LDF government has opened 176 special markets across the state. According to official figures, the sale of essential products through the special festival markets has touched Rs 10 crore so far. Serpentine queues before state-run civil supplies and horticorp shops to get provision and vegetables on subsidised rates, have become usual scenes in every nook and cranny of the state. Majority of shops, ranging from malls to small retailers, have announced reduction sales and special offers for various products. The government has also so far distributed around 15 lakh special 'Onam kits', comprising essential commodities to Below Poverty Line families. The distribution of special kits to tribal families and free rice among school children, announced by the government as 'Onam gifts' is progressing, official sources said. Around five lakh government employees in the state have hit a special 'bonanza' during this festival season as they would get a week's holiday as Onam, Bakrid and Sree Narayana Guru Jayanthi fall in the same week. The government-sponsored week long Onam festivities would kick start in the state on Monday. A colourful pageantry will be held here on 18 September, marking the culmination of the Onam festivities. Around 70 floats, displaying the cultural legacy of the state, would be paraded through the heart of the capital city during the occasion, the sources added. - Boko Haram has attacked some Muslims going to their village to celebrate Eid el-Kabir - Their rams were also stolen by the terrorists - Some women and women were injured in the attack Muslims going to their village to celebrate the Eid el-Kabir festival have been attacked by Boko Haram terrorists. The Punch reports that one person died and some wounded and children were wounded as the attack was carried out Saturday, September 10. READ ALSO: Army kills 7 kidnappers in Bauchi, nab Boko Haram terrorist The terrorists opened fire on a convoy of vehicles travelling to Maiduguri from Monguno. Kabir Hassan who is a bus driver got to the scene shortly after the incidence and confirmed the attack. They shot dead a driver and injured two women and a child travelling with him. It was reported that the vehicles included traders in a pick-up truck packed with rams for the festival. When the attack started, traders abandoned their rams and fled and the animals were seized by the terrorists. READ ALSO: Police arrest pastor, syndicate for stealing 12 kids Abba Gana who is also a driver confirmed the attack and said one of the vehicles was burnt. He said the wounded have taken to a hospital. Meanwhile, the air component of the MNJTF, led by the Nigerian Airforce, carried out aerial bombardment of 12 different camps of the terrorists located at border areas with Niger, Chad and Cameroon, destroying the camps and killing some of the terrorists. The development was disclosed by Col Muhammed Dole, spokesman for the MNJTF, who said that scores of the terrorists also surrendered to troops when they saw that there was no way out for them. The statement read: The effects of difficult terrains and unpredictable weather conditions continue to pose serious challenges to the conduct of Operation Gama Wiki. However, despite these limitations for the ground forces, the air component of the operation, through successful combined air operations, continue to deny the terrorists freedom of action and movement within the battle fields. Recent air strikes and simultaneous clearing operations on 12 identified Boko Haram Terrorists (BHT) camps and hideouts have greatly shattered their cohesion. Moreover, continuous blockade of the terrorists main supply routes and arrest of their logistics suppliers caused serious economic hardship and led to the surrender of many terrorists in different locations in the Area of Operation (AOO) of Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF). Additionally, the troops of Sector 4 in Diffa Niger Republic tracked and neutralized 4 Boko Haram Terrorists suspected to have attacked the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camp and Two (2) others were arrested at Tumoua village. Source: Legit.ng - President Muhammadu Buhari sent a congratulatory message to Nigerians for the Eid-El-Kabir festival - The president preached unity and urged the fostering of the Nigerian spirit - He urged Muslims to live in peace with their Christian counterparts President Muhammadu Buhari has sent a message to Nigerians as they celebrate the years Eid el-kabirs festival. In a statement issued by Garba Shehu who is the senior special assistant to the president on media and publicity, the president noted that although things were hard, his government was however working towards making the situation better. READ ALSO: Kogi lawmaker shares 100 rams, 500 bags of rice for Sallah He urged all Muslims to live in peace with their Christian counterparts and to maintain the spirit of the Nigerian nation. President Muhammadu Buhari urged Nigerians to live in peace Read the full statement below: Fellow Compatriots, as you celebrate the Eid-El-Kabir, I salute your steadfastness in spite of the difficult economic times the country is going through. The lessons of the Eid are piety and sacrifice and, my dear brothers and sisters, you have exhibited these in equal measure. The present recession is as a result of cumulative effects of worldwide economic downturn and failure in the past to plan and save for difficult times. It is impossible to separate the present from the past to appreciate the extent to which mistakes of the past are affecting everyday life today. I assure you that this administration is working round the clock to remove the hardships the country is going through. Rail and road constructions, projects in the housing sector, support for farmers and for small and medium scale industries, youth and women's empowerment programmes, support for revival of industries are all designed to reinvigorate the economy and enhance living standards of ordinary people. We are getting security right. We are stopping corruption in its tracks and we will get the economy right by the Grace of God. READ ALSO: Boko Haram attacks Muslims going to celebrate Eid el-Kabir I enjoin Muslims to live by the dictates of Islam, to keep good relationships with their Christian brothers and sisters and as patriots to maintain the spirit of the Nigerian nation. I wish everyone happy holidays. Similarly, the president of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Rev Samson Ayokunle, pleaded with Nigerians to shun hatred and embrace love and peace as Muslims celebrate Eid-el Kabir on Monday, September 12, 2016. Rev Ayokunle also congratulated Muslims over the celebration in a statement he made available in Abuja, Nigerias capital city. Source: Legit.ng A report says Kwoi, the headquarters of Jaba local government area of Kaduna state, was Sunday, September 11, 2016, hit by a series of earth tremour which caused panic and confusion. Kwoi is located in the southern part of Kaduna region of the state. The government confirmed that a part of the state was hit by earth tremour Confirming the incident in a statement signed by Samuel Aruwan, the spokesperson to Governor Nasir el-Rufai, and obtained by Legit.ng, the state government appealed for calm. The government said it has made a formal report to the appropriate authorities to investigate the development, report precisely on the event and issue appropriate guidance. READ ALSO: Father of 4-year-old whose eyes were plucked out gets new car The statement said that the governor, Malam Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai, has confirmed that the geological and emergency agencies have been notified. The statement said: "The governor sympathises with the people in the Kwoi area over the reported earth tremors. "He has directed the state Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) to mobilise to the area and comfort our citizens. "The national geological agency has also been notified, and has been invited to investigate the tremors in the Kwoi area and provide appropriate guidance. READ ALSO: Three dead in Fulani herdsmen invasion in Kaduna "The Kaduna state government is receiving updates from the area. Relevant government agencies have been directed to take steps to comfort the residents of Kwoi area and to assuage their unease as they come to terms with an unusual event. The Kaduna State Government wishes to appeal for calm, and urges everyone not to spread unverified information, or create panic." Source: Legit.ng - A group, the New Niger Delta Emancipation Coalition has given reasons why elder statesman Edwin Clark and the militants must be punished - The group said, the people of Niger Delta see Clark as their enemy and have jointly called for a punishment against him over the crisis happening in the region. Chief Edwin Clark A group, the New Niger Delta Emancipation Coalition has given reasons why elder statesman Edwin Clark should be punished by the federal government. The group in a statement signed by its spokesperson Lucky Humphrey on Sunday, September 11, said the elder statesman must be punished alongside militants under the aegis of Niger Delta Avengers. Referring to Clark and the avengers as crisis entrepreneur, the group said the duo must immediately put and end to the harassment of the Nigerian state or face the consequences of their criminal actions in the oil producing communities of the South-South. Also describing itself as an intellectual platform, NNDEC, said the group is made up of true Niger Delta sons that are against the actions of the Niger Delta Avengers and their collaborators. Humphrey said, Clark and the militants that he has described as his children have set the region behind in terms of development. READ ALSO: Read the important memo Edwin Clark missed He added that henceforth, the people of Niger Delta see Clark as their enemy and have jointly called for a punishment against him over the crisis happening in the region. Humphrey said: We found it pertinent to disown Chief Edwin Clark and his minions at this time as we have realized that they have death wishes and would like to burn down the entire Niger Delta in their desperation for pecuniary gains." He said the red line was crossed by these characters when they started making claims that the avengers have killed soldiers. He said the true indigenes of the region see the act as criminal and deliberate attempt to provoke the Nigerian army into taking actions against them and create the excuse to further antagonize the Nigerian state. We warn that we will be left no option other than to expose Chief Edwin Clark for Nigerians and the whole world to see the true face of the avengers, which is driven by crisis entrepreneurs as opposed to the fraudulent image of freedom fighters being painted by the career criminals behind recent attacks on economic assets and troops in the Niger Delta," Humphrey said. We call on elders from other geopolitical zones and even from the South-South to disown and condemn Chief Clark for his role in misleading the "children" of the region. Our worry is that other elders across the country would be misled into following in his footstep if this Ijaw chief is allowed to get away with using youths as war fodder," he said. READ ALSO: ND Avengers spokesman warns Buratai, Buhari of implication of Operation Crocodile Smile He also called on the federal government to disregard the "blackmail" and threats from Clark and the militants in the interest of national security. "It should go ahead to use whatever mix of military and security services that will help curtail the criminality playing out in the Niger Delta, he said The group further stressed that it would not stand by idle while some greedy persons cause trouble that could spill over and affect even those who presently consider themselves as mere bystanders in the challenge brewed by Clark and the militants against the Nigerian state. Source: Legit.ng The lion may be "king of the forest," but tigers are bigger, smarter, deadlier and can be found across an impressive range that includes India, Southeast Asia and Russia. And like lions, tiger populations are dwindling. New research by Boise State's Neil Carter published in the journal Biological Conservation titled "Gendered perceptions of tigers in Chitwan National Park, Nepal," looks at how human perceptions of tigers affect how willing human communities are to coexist with these large predators, and particularly at how women's attitudes toward tigers differ from men's. "Recently the field of wildlife conservation has focused on human dimensions, but has been lagging other disciplines in terms of understanding gendered differences in attitudes and behaviors," he said. "We know that women and men behave differently, and behaviors have conservation relevance. We wanted to find out what is driving that difference to help us understand ways to develop better conservation interventions." The research was motivated by three basic challenges: 1. Because they spend more time in the forest gathering resources, women are at a greater risk then men of a tiger encounter. 2. Women tend to have more fears in general and more fear of wildlife in particular. 3. Compared to men, women tend to have less information and knowledge about conservation and wildlife. Carter and his co-author Teri Allendorf of University of Wisconsin-Madison identified a number of ways that men and women view tigers differently and how these differences might affect tiger populations in Nepal. Identifying ways to address these challenges is vital because women have so much influence inside and outside of their families. "Women have a lot of influence on a household as well as on each other," Carter said, noting their traditional role as nurturers as well as their more social natures. "They control what information their children access and this strongly impacts human behavior." While fear helps shape many women's attitudes toward tigers, Carter notes that the bigger challenge is in helping women overcome a lack of knowledge about the importance of tigers in the larger ecosystem and culture. Women surveyed were less likely than men to believe that their village would benefit from tourism if there were tigers in the forest, that tigers contributed to a healthy forest or that they are an important part of their culture. In Nepal, many women receive minimal education and often know very little about the long-term effects of conservation efforts. Carter and Allendorf hypothesized that if women had as much access to information about tigers and protected areas as men they would develop a more positive attitude and greater tolerance toward them. This could include formal education as well as interactions with protected area staff. Even more importantly, given women's influence in Nepalese social life, outreach programs targeted toward women could affect whole communities as well. "Developing an awareness program targeted at women could lead to a generation growing up that better understands the importance of tigers to their culture, economy, and ecosystem and therefore is more likely to support tiger conservation," Carter said. Carter also noted that understanding differences in gender perceptions of wildlife can have far-reaching effects, including helping to shape attitudes in Idaho and other western states about grizzlies, wolves and other large predators. A new study puts some old folk wisdom to "feed a cold and starve a fever" to the test. In mouse models of disease, Yale researchers looked at the effects of providing nutrients during infection and found opposing effects depending on whether the infections were bacterial or viral. Mice with bacterial infections that were fed died, while those with viral infections who were fed lived. The paper appears September 8 in Cell. "We were surprised at how profound the effects of feeding were, both positive and negative," says senior author Ruslan Medzhitov, David W. Wallace Professor of Immunobiology and a Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator at Yale School of Medicine. "Anorexia -- not eating -- is a common behavior during sickness that is seen in people and all kinds of animals. Our findings show that it has a strong protective effect with certain infections, but not with others." In the first series of experiments, the investigators infected mice with the bacterium Listeria monocytogenes, which commonly causes food poisoning. The mice stopped eating, and they eventually recovered. But when the mice were force fed, they died. The researchers then broke the food down by component and found fatal reactions when the mice were given glucose, but not when they were fed proteins or fats. Giving mice the chemical 2-DG, which prevents glucose metabolism, was enough to rescue even mice who were fed glucose and allowed them to survive the infection. When the researchers did similar studies in mice with viral infections, they found the opposite effect. Mice infected with the flu virus A/WSN/33 survived when they were force fed glucose, but died when they were denied food or given 2-DG. Further research showed that different areas of the brain were affected depending on which type of infection the mice died from, indicating that the animals' metabolic needs differ depending on which part of the immune system had been activated. "Almost everything we know about infection is based on immune response studies and looking at how the immune system eliminates pathogens," Medzhitov says. "But that's not the only way we defend ourselves. There are also cases where we change and adapt so that microbes don't cause harm. Our study manipulated the ability of these mice to tolerate and survive infection without doing anything that had an effect on the pathogens themselves." Medzhitov's Lab is now looking at the effects of another common sickness behavior -- changes in sleep patterns -- on how the immune system fights infection. His team is also doing follow-up studies on the pathways involved in food preference, which may explain the cravings that people have for certain foods when they're sick. But he says their findings may have more immediate implications as well, for the design of clinical trials evaluating the benefits of providing nutrients to patients with sepsis. "Sepsis is a critical problem in hospital ICUs that defies most modern medical approaches," he says. "A number of studies have looked at nutrition in patients with sepsis, and the results have been mixed. But these studies didn't segregate patients based on whether their sepsis was bacterial or viral. The implication is that patients should be stratified by the cause of their sepsis, and trials should be designed based on that." Garnacha Day is September 16th What is Garnacha? We sent our team member Wes some Garnacha read what he thought of the wine! Serve Pa amb tomaquet, the Catalan Tomato Toast Culinary travel to Spain Happy Garnacha Day! Learn about Garnacha, where to find it in Spain, our first impressions of Garnacha wine, and suggestions how to serve the Garnacha wine with a traditional Catalan dish for friends. On my last trip to Spain, I visited some wineries, attended a vineyard side picnic, and yes: tasted some amazing wine. Even if we cant travel to Spain this fall,with delicious Garnacha wine with Spanish style tapas or simple Catalonian pa amb tomaquet, tomato toast (recipe below). You can also find wine tastings happening across the USA where to taste Spanish Garnacha find a wine tasting near you! Dont worry if you havent heard of Garnacha before, but it is becoming as popular as Cabernet, Malbec and Chardonnay. Yes, Garnacha is a grape variety, and in fact one of the worlds oldest and most widely planted wine grapes that originates from North East Spain from the Aragon region , where it soon spread to Catalonia and then to other places, and it also has a long history in southern France, Italy, Croatia and even Greece. As the popularity grew in Europe, now Garnacha has also spread to Australia, North Africa and California. If you are not a wine expert, it can be a little bit confusing to learn about Garnacha , because it is one of the most versatile grapes. It has been used as the lower grade workhorse grape that is sweet, and capable of higher levels of alcohol, and it is often blended with many other grape varieties. It is the only mainstream grape with red and white varieties, and Garnacha wine itself can be red, white, or rose. Garnacha is sort of becoming one of the trendy grapes on its own, as a new generation of winemakers in the original birthplace of Garnacha have taken a new approach to producing Garnacha wines in the past 20 years. Going into the future of wine producing, Garnacha shines over many other grape-varieties, and taste and the low price point are not the only reasons. Garnacha is the most eco-friendly grape in the world. In the vineyard, Garnacha is drought resistant, adaptable, self-sufficient and self-sustaining with strong roots getting water from subterranean water tables instead of depending on rainwater as most other grapes do. Those who look for eco-friendlier wine options, look for Garnacha varieties. Our team member Wes is a champagne-lover, but we wanted to hear what he thought of the Garnacha, and we sent him 5 different bottles of wine for a small gathering with friends. Here are his first impressions of Garnacha.I have not tasted Garnacha wine previously. I have had other Spanish varieties such as Tempranillo and Cava, but this was a first. My first impression was that this is a very drinkable red wine that is worth learning more about! The wines I received are good reds to have on-hand, as I feel that it would appeal to a variety of palettes. This would make it great for entertaining, or as having one glass on the evening. They have a nice body and notes of red fruit with a touch of spice.I found the wines to be very drinkable and easy to pair with, compared to some other varieties of red. I would personally not pair the red Garnacha with greens and poultry like I do with whites. However, with that being said it pairs very well with meats, lamb, and pasta dishes. I personally paired it with tapas pizza and small bites and it was great! I would say that that is it a wine worth exploring and learning about if they have not tried it because it is easy to drink. I find that some people have an aversion to reds because they find them too heavy etc. I would recommend it as a red with a nice body that is not too light like a pinot noir but not too heavy like a Syrah. I would certainly recommend it!Granacha seems to be on average in the $10-15 range for a standard bottle here in the States. Given that price point, I think it represents a good wine for the value, and it is something to consider especially when gathering with friends or attending a dinner party.When you are planning your Garnacha Day soiree, add this Catalan recipe in your menu. Its as authentic as it gets, tastes amazing, and its budget-friendly. Pa amb tomaquet is simply bread with tomato, known as Spanish Toast, or Catalan Toast. It is a common dish in Catalonia, even moms make it for lunch for the kids, and while it is a humble everyday dish, the Catalan tomato toast is also served on finer dinners, and it is eaten any time of the day. It was a signature dish that we were served on almost any meal during our wine trip around the region. There are two ways to serve this: already made up tomato bread on a platter, like above, or bread, tomatoes and garlic stacked, and letting your guests do the hard work as pictured below. Frankly, the latter is more fun, and I personally also like to toast the bread right before eating, instead of toasting it prior. Since there are not that many ingredients to this dish, choosing great quality ingredients is imperative. Start with good sourdough bread, you could also get a baguette if you want to make the breads mini-sized, but I didnt actually see anyone serving this with baguette in Spain. Pretty good low-budget suggestion is Italian Pane Turano bread from Aldi. Pick small tomatoes that are ripe (soft and little bit darker in color). Cocktail tomatoes work the best, and you can leave them in the counter for a day or two to get them nice and ripe. And of course, good quality extra virgin olive oil and coarse sea salt are kitchen stables.1 large sourdough bread 4-8 garlic cloves, halved crosswise 4-8 ripe small (cocktail) tomatoes, halved crosswise Extra Virgin Olive Oil salt to taste1. Cut the sourdough in slices or buy already sliced bread. 2. Toast the bread either on a baking sheet in the oven (500F for 5+ minutes) or in a toaster. 3. Slice the garlic and the tomatoes in half. 4. When the bread is toasted, take the half of a garlic glove and rub the garlic on the toast. This will get a nice subtle garlic taste. 5. Then rub the ripe tomato in the bread, until you only have the tomato skin left. Discard the leftover tomato skin. 6. Drizzle with olive oil and add salt to taste. Hosting a Spanish style tapas night can be pretty easy; in addition to the tomato toast, just serve a selection of meats & cheese. Of course, adding a bowl of Spanish olives wouldnt hurt either. If this made you hungry for more and wanting to plan a little culinary trip to Spain, here are a few more pictures for inspiration. I think food and wine are two excellent reasons why anyone should book a trip to Spain. On my last trip to Spain, I flew to Barcelona, and toured Catalonia is the North East part of Spain, where you can pretty much find anything; from city scenes of Barcelona to ocean side beach resort of Costa Brava to idyllic seaside town of Sitges to Pyrenees mountains in the north. Foodies love the closeness to the sea, because it means availability of amazing sea food. If you like meats You will not be disappointed with the amount of cold cut meats available. Of course, Iberian ham is one of the must haves. I personally love visiting the food markets, and fresh vegetable and fruit stands, and if possible: rent a vacation home, so I can also cook with local ingredients during my travels. My fellow carbavores. The fresh bread, pastries and croissants of Spain will satisfy your carb-lust. For wine lovers, Barcelona is a great starting point. Catalonia is divided in ten different wine areas, one of the most famous ones is Penedes, it is known for producing Cava, the Spanish sparkling wine. You could say it is the Champagne-region of Spain. Terra Alta wine region is in the southern Catalonia in the highlands, and thats where, in the more challenging growing altitudes, where Garnacha grape shines. Garnacha is grown in other Catalan wine regions as well, but the birthplace and the main area where Garnacha is grown is west of Catalonia, in the southern Aragon wine regions of Calatayud, Carinena and Campo de Borja Several of the vineyards organized us special wine tastings, and one of my favorite one was having a picnic by the vineyards. I admit, I have never visited Aragon, the actual birth place of Garnacha grapes, so my experience with Spanish wineries is only limited to the ones in Catalonia, but wine travel to Spain is absolutely what I would recommend. Hope you got inspired to celebrate this tasty grape, or to book a trip to Spain to see where it grows. Learn more about Garancha wines or check out if you have wine tastings close by this month , there are Garnanca wine tastings across the USA this month. Brie Larson wants to make movies that show different kinds of women onscreen. Women like Justine, the lone female in director Ben Wheatleys 1970s-set crime caper Free Fire, the low key-yet-crafty arms broker she portrays in the action film that opened TIFFs Midnight Madness Thursday. Shes a departure for Larson. Unlike the more intellectual, more in your head, roles, including her Best Actress Oscar-winning portrayal of Ma in Room, this was very physical. Larson and co-star Sharlto Copley (District 9), who plays mouthy South African arms dealer Vernon, agreed theyd enjoyed the experience of seeing Free Fire premiere before TIFFs typically enthusiastic crowd that packs the slate of witching-hour flicks. They were just more vocal, said Copley, whose first person-perspective thriller Hardcore Henry screened in Midnight Madness last year. I loved the experience and last year was my first time watching with fans that were as crazy as they get at Midnight Madness. With Free Fire, Larson and Copley are part of a sizable ensemble cast, including Armie Hammer, Cillian Murphy, Sam Riley and Michael Smiley. They all go into a derelict Boston warehouse to make a gun deal but things dont go as planned and bullets start flying. Characters hit the dirt in the warehouse amid gunfire and spend the rest of the movie crawling around the place to evade flying bullets, insulting each other while trying to escape in one piece. Id never done anything like that before so I was, like, amazed by the whole process and was ready to throw myself onto the ground and get tons of bruises and not ask for padding because I didnt know thats what youre supposed to do, said Larson with a laugh. But I had an amazing time. Free Fire marks Larsons return to TIFF, where Room won the Peoples Choice Award last September. She included the Toronto festival in her thanks when she accepted her Oscar five months later. Thats important to me, said Larson, who added film festivals can decide if an independent movie like Room survives or falls. If youre going to get up there on that stage and thank the people that got you to that moment, I wouldnt have been there without Telluride and I wouldnt have been there without TIFF, she said. As for her co-star, 9-year-old Canadian actor Jacob Tremblay, hes also at TIFF with a new movie, Burn Your Maps. But the two wont be meeting up. Larson had to leave Toronto hours after Free Fire premiered. They do keep in touch via email. He dictates to his dad and his dad writes to me, Larson explained. Larson said shes interested in bringing more independent female characters like Free Fires Justine to the screen. She starts out sort of mysterious and sort of a stereotype but uses her doting role as a tool to undermine the macho guys around her, showing shes capable of being equally cold blooded. Larson said she is anxious to see more diverse female casts onscreen, including women of different ethnicities and backgrounds and those with different body shapes. I think being an artist is a privilege and we need to expand upon what that privilege really is, said Larson. For me, Im stuck in this body that I have but what I want to do with it is at least show that you can be all types of people . . . were all different kinds of women. We dont have to be just one. Shell direct her first feature next year, The Unicorn Store, and in 2019, Larson will step into a whole new arena, starring in Marvel Studios first woman-led superhero film, Captain Marvel. That was the reason for doing it, she said of the trail-blazing role. Im a very private person and not interested in doing films because I want my face to be plastered on more things. Im very choosy about what it is that I do, she added, pointing out she was reminded how film can speak to people after she saw the powerful reactions audiences had to Short Term 12 and Room. This is what I want to dedicate my life to and when the opportunity came to play this symbol of feminism, to play this empowering role for women and its on kind of arguably the biggest platform that we have right now, its undeniable that this is an important step and I want to be part of it, she said. SHARE: Nate Parker passed up a golden opportunity Sunday to engage in one of the honest confrontations he says we all need to have about past wrongs of every kind. At a Toronto press conference promoting his slave rebellion movie The Birth of a Nation, which has been screening to raves at TIFF just as it did at its Sundance premiere, the writer/director and actor waffled and rambled like the most slippery of politicians, not the righteous filmmaker he claims to be. His stated intent to heal past wounds through frank discussion rings hollow in the circumstances and likely has torpedoed any renewed Oscar hopes TIFF might have brought his film. Parker did a lot of talking at the Fairmont Royal York Hotel press conference, praising the seven cast members seated alongside him, who all returned the love. He did everything but directly answer questions relating to his 1999 charge of raping an unconscious fellow student at Penn State University, along with his roommate, Jean Celestin, who later co-wrote The Birth of a Nation. Parker was acquitted at trial but Celestin was found guilty, although the verdict was subsequently overturned on appeal. The two men went about their lives, but the family of the 19-year-old accuser in the case said she never fully recovered from it, and committed suicide in 2012. Its understandable that Parker would want to change the channel away from the events of 17 years ago. The rape charge, which came to wide public attention just last month, threatens to overturn a carefully orchestrated bid to make The Birth of a Nation not only a box-office success on its Oct. 7 wide release, but also a major contender at the next Academy Awards. What isnt understandable is how Parker continues to refuse to take ownership of the issue and to make any kind of demonstrably sincere response to it, apart from the profound sadness he expressed in a U.S. interview in August when he learned of his accusers death by her own hand. At the Sunday press conference, a New York Times journalist asked Parker if he was willing to make any kind of apology to the family of his late accuser. Parkers response was the classic political stonewall manoeuvre: he said he wanted to respect his cast and TIFF by only talking about by his film: I definitely dont want to hijack this with my personal life. I asked Parker if he still planned to take The Birth of a Nation on a tour of U.S. campuses this fall and whether he might use the tour to also address not just Americas slavery shame but also sexual assault, an idea first proposed by Amy Ziering, the Oscar-nominated producer of The Hunting Ground, a doc about sexual assault in schools. He confirmed he still plans to tour but ducked the question about including a sexual assault aspect to it. Instead he rambled at length about how weve all been traumatized by past injustices, suggesting that campus rape might be just one of many social ills that could be addressed on his journey of healing. Healing comes with honest confrontation about our past. Injustice anywhere is injustice everywhere, Parker said. We want to deal with injustice everywhere, wherever it stands. You got injustice? This is your movie. Youve got to wonder if Nat Turner, the real historical figure and anti-slavery champion Parker plays in The Birth of a Nation, would countenance such a steadfast refusal to do the right thing. Ive now seen The Birth of a Nation three times its a very good film and each time Ive been more impressed by Turners transformation, after witnessing the brutality against his fellow slaves, from a meek field hand into a valiant leader of oppressed people seeking liberty at any cost. Parker could benefit from the brave example of the character he plays on screen. So far, hes been ignoring it by selectively choosing the past wrongs hes willing to candidly address. SHARE: Manjusha Pawagis 13-year-old twins, Jack and Anna, started high school this month, so it was a season of excitement and a few nerves in the familys north Toronto home. More than most moms, Pawagi was in a position to understand exactly the emotions her children were going through. The 49-year-old youth and family court judge who was diagnosed with leukemia in April 2014 returns to work Oct. 3 after a terrifying medical odyssey of more than two years. Im nervous and excited, she told the Star. And as much as she relishes the work, Pawagi knows that if Im back at work, it means everythings back to normal. Looking forward, shes got a judges conference next week in Collingwood, case law and precedents to catch up on. Looking back, she sometimes finds it hard to believe shes still here. When Pawagi was diagnosed she thought shed need three rounds of chemo and be back at work in six months. So even though it was horrible, that was what I thought, she said. She turned out, however, to have a more aggressive form of leukemia. The first round of chemo the induction didnt kill it. It was decided to repeat that procedure with much stronger chemotherapy. It ended up tearing a hole in her intestines so I nearly died of septic shock, she said. She had emergency surgery. She was in intensive care for five days during which her life hung in the balance. I dont remember that at all. When I came out of that, I had an ileostomy bag since they took out part of the intestine. I had a feeding tube, I had an oxygen tube. I couldnt walk. I couldnt move my arms I just didnt even know where I was or what was happening. Eventually, however, she came around. The good news was the second chemo induction worked. It put me in remission. But her journey was far from over. There were two rounds of consolidation chemo. Then, because her leukemia had been so aggressive, a stem-cell transplant was recommended to help prevent recurrence. Her brother wasnt a match. And, being of South Asian origin, she discovered how hard it was to find a donor. Experts said a match would likely have to come from the Indian state of Maharashtra where Pawagi was born. The Star did a story on the long odds against her. And within two months an anonymous donor was found. She had the transplant at Princess Margaret Hospital in October 2014. Then, for more than a year, she endured whats known as graft versus host disease, in which the new immune system, in unfamiliar territory, attacked her body. I thought I had survived the induction, I had survived the transplant, so when I went home at the end of 2014 I thought I was done. But that winter of 2015, I almost think it was worse than being in the hospital because I didnt feel better and I thought, Is this going to be the rest of my life? She suffered rashes and had to take steroids. The new stem cells attacked her liver, so she ended up on immunosuppressants. She was at the hospital twice a week for regular tweaking of her medication, trying to ensure her new immune system would not attack her liver, while still being able to attack leukemia should it return. Her children, just 11 when she was diagnosed, seem to have coped with the ordeal, she said. They seem really good and I attribute it all to Simon (Farley), my husband. Because hes a stay-at-home dad, he was still able to keep everything going while I was in the hospital. They still had to do their homework and they still had to practice piano, she said. Theyre smart kids and knew what cancer meant. But Simon maintained that important routine and stability. He kept everything going. He was on an even keel. He came to see me every day. And he would bring them to visit. Two weeks ago, Pawagi who has written a book on her experience to be published next year got off the immunosuppressants. Shes been able to exercise and build up her strength. So far, knock on wood, Ive got this new immune system and its not attacking me. My hairs come back not as good as it should be, but it doesnt look horrible. I had a wig at one point. I was wearing scarves at one point. The family had a lovely summer vacation. We were at the cottage with the kids. We were able to get ready. During the ordeal, she worried most of all for her kids and hoped I could just get them to university. Now I want to dance at their weddings. SHARE: Four Toronto men face charges of conspiracy to attempt murder after police say one man hired three others to extort and kill someone for cash. In a news release, police say one of the men hired the other three, sometime in late summer, to kill the intended victim, police said in a news release. It is alleged that two of the accused men then located the target, produced a firearm, and extorted him for cash. The men also made plans to further extort the victim on a later day, police say. On Sept. 8, police received information of a person with a gun in the Parliament St. and Winchester St. area. Upon arrival, investigators arrested two men and seized a .22-calibre semi-automatic handgun. Michel Spruyt, 49, has been charged for conspiracy to commit murder. Tyri Ajai King-Joseph, 21, Eric Gordon, 27, David Zeghouane, 22, were also charged with extortion and conspiracy to commit murder amongst 13 other charges combined. They appeared in court on Saturday. Police is asking anyone with information on this incident to contact them at 416-808-1400 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-TIPS (8477). SHARE: The Hospital for Sick Children and the director of its former Motherisk laboratory are now battling each other in court. The two sides have issued cross-claims against each other as part of their statements of defence filed in a proposed class action lawsuit. The lawsuit was launched by parents who claim they lost their children because of faulty drug and alcohol hair tests carried out by Motherisk. Both parties deny the allegations made against them by the proposed class of plaintiffs. The allegations have not been proven in court. But should former director Dr. Gideon Koren be found liable by the court and ordered to pay the plaintiffs damages, he wants Sick Kids and Motherisk manager Joey Gareri to indemnify him. Sick Kids and Gareri are asking Koren to do the same, should they be found liable. Law firm Koskie Minsky, which is representing the plaintiffs, declined to comment, as did a Sick Kids spokeswoman. Korens lawyer did not return a request for comment. Launched earlier this year, the proposed class action is among several lawsuits involving Motherisk moving through the courts in Ontario and Nova Scotia. Dr. Michael Apkon, the hospitals CEO, said in a statement in January that, in some cases, we may need to participate in compensating impacted families. Koren, who according to the hospital retired in June 2015, has never spoken publicly about the controversy surrounding Motherisk. His statement of defence offers a glimpse into his thoughts on the lab since the Star began an investigation into its practices in 2014. He rejects the findings of an independent review led by retired Court of Appeal Justice Susan Lang last year, which harshly criticized hair testing procedures at Motherisk. The hair testing methodologies employed by (Motherisk) were, at all material times, accurate and reliable for their intended purpose. The results and interpretations of hair testing results provided by Dr. Koren were similarly accurate and reliable for their intended purpose, says Korens statement of defence, filed in Superior Court in Toronto. Dr. Koren specifically denies the findings of the Independent Review of the Honourable Susan Lang referred to at paragraph 127 of the statement of claim and states that these findings cannot be relied upon and are inadmissible in this proceeding, the statement continues, referring to Langs finding that Motherisk hair test results were inadequate and unreliable. He is asking the court to dismiss Sick Kids and Gareris cross-claim, with costs. The independent review was sparked by a Star investigation that found that before 2010, Motherisk did not use what is considered the gold standard hair test. The tests, often requested by childrens aid societies, were used in thousands of child protection cases across the country. After having first defended the lab, Sick Kids permanently discontinued hair testing at Motherisk last year, and Apkon apologized to families who may have been affected. The provincial government launched the Motherisk Commission earlier this year in the wake of the damning independent review. The commissions two-year mandate includes reviewing Ontario cases from between 1990 and 2015 where Motherisk may have been involved. In its statement of defence, the hospital said it did not owe a duty of care to the proposed representative plaintiff, as it was providing expert assistance to the Catholic Childrens Aid Society by carrying out the hair test. The hospital defendants advised the CCAS that the results of the plaintiffs hair tests ought to be interpreted in conjunction with other evidence and ought not to be relied upon as a sole or predominant indicator of best interests of the plaintiffs child(ren), says the statement. In summary, at all times the hospital defendants acted responsibly and in accordance with the appropriate standard of care owed to the CCAS regarding the plaintiffs hair specimens. Read more about: SHARE: Josarie Danieles borrowed $6,000 to pay a recruitment agency to bring her to Canada under the live-in caregiver program, in hopes of clearing a path to immigration and a better future for the two daughters she left behind in the Philippines. Six long years after arriving in Toronto, Danieles was shocked to learn she would be denied permanent residency because officials have deemed her older daughter to have intellectual retardation. I felt like I (was) dying when I was denied. I dont know where to go. I feel so hopeless. Weve made all these sacrifices with the assurance that theres a pathway to permanent residency, Danieles told the Star, sobbing. I spend so many years away from my family. Every night I stay up with my pinched heart. On the eve of the Liberals anticipated reforms to foreign worker programs, expected later this month, Danieles and others planned to share their stories at a news conference on Sunday a last-ditch effort to persuade Ottawa to grant low-wage, low-skilled foreign workers permanent status upon arrival, the way it does high-skilled immigrants. According to the Toronto Caregivers Action Centre, there are at least 25 current cases across Canada where foreign workers have been denied permanent status because their dependants were deemed medically inadmissible. There is a path, but it is a minefield. It is difficult for temporary foreign workers to assert their rights, said the action centres Anna Malla. The review of the program will be tabled in Parliament on Sept. 19. We are hoping to see recommendations and policy changes that would improve workers rights. Danieles came to Toronto in 2010 and looked after five adults and two children, often working six days a week for the meager $900 that she would need to sent home to support her husband, Aurelio, and the girls, Precious Ann Margaret, 13, and Princess Joanna, 9. Since Danieles left the Philippines in 2008, first to Hong Kong as a live-in caregiver, she has been home to see her family once, for a total of six weeks. After meeting her live-in employment requirement and waiting four years for the processing of her permanent residence application, Danieles learned about the denial earlier this year. She agrees that her elder daughter, who lives with the family in a small village, has a learning disability. But she says the girl has been doing better in school since the medical assessment for immigration discovered that her vision was poor and she started using glasses. Advocacy groups, including unions, have called on Ottawa either to grant permanent status to migrant workers like Danieles upon arrival or to offer open work permits that would allow them to work for any Canadian employer, as a way to protect migrants from exploitative work conditions and Canadians from the push for lower wages. Migrant caregivers are recruited to work in Canada to care for our family members with disabilities. Yet, after years of providing this care, they are denied the right to remain because their own family members have disabilities. That disconnect is jarring, said labour and human rights lawyer Fay Faraday, who has worked with migrant workers for two decades. Although Immigration Minister John McCallum has yet to review the details of the reviews, he has hinted to the media that he would seek to find a middle ground and create a pathway to permanent residency for low-wage, low-skill temporary foreign workers. There are currently some 100,000 temporary foreign workers with valid work permits in Canada, the largest number in Alberta, British Colombia and Ontario. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada said 8,810 temporary foreign workers transitioned to permanent residency in 2014, the latest statistics available, but three-quarters of those were high-skilled workers. We are tied to one employer per contract, and that makes it difficult for us to change jobs. We come here without immigration status so we are at a disadvantage because our rights are not sufficiently protected by law, said Kristina Torres, who came to Canada in 2012 under the live-in caregiver program, even though she has a nursing degree from the Philippines. The reality is that when they dont need us, they are ready to just dispose of us. Any two-step process or path to permanent residency is really a path to exploitation. SHARE: CINCINNATIOn the day he almost died, John Hatmaker bought a packet of Oreos and some ruby-red Swedish Fish at the corner store for his 5-year-old son. He was walking home when he spotted a man who used to sell him heroin. Hatmaker, 29, had overdosed seven times in the four years he had been addicted to pain pills and heroin. But he hoped he was past all that. He had planned to spend that Saturday afternoon, Aug. 27, showing his son the motorcycles and enjoying the music at a prayer rally for Hope Over Heroin in this region stricken by soaring rates of drug overdoses and opioid deaths. But first, he decided as he palmed a sample folded into a square of paper, he would snort this. As he crumpled to the sidewalk, Hatmaker became one of more than 200 people to overdose in the Cincinnati area in the past two weeks, leaving three people dead in what officials here called an unprecedented spike. Similar increases in overdoses have rippled recently through Indiana, Kentucky and West Virginia, overwhelming ambulance crews and emergency rooms and stunning some anti-drug advocates. Addiction specialists said the sharp increases in overdoses were a grim symptom of Americas heroin epidemic and of the growing prevalence of powerful synthetic opiates such as fentanyl. The synthetics are often mixed into batches of heroin, or sprinkled into mixtures of caffeine, antihistamines and other fillers. In Cincinnati, some medical and law enforcement officials said they believed the overdoses were largely caused by a synthetic drug called carfentanil, an animal tranquilizer used on livestock and elephants with no practical uses for humans. Fentanyl can be 50 times stronger than heroin, and carfentanil is as much as 100 times more potent than fentanyl. Experts said an amount smaller than a snowflake could kill a person. Dr. Lakshmi Kode Sammarco, the coroner here in Hamilton County, said her office had determined that carfentanil was the cause of several recent overdose deaths, the first confirmed cases in the county. Investigators are now examining deaths back to early July to see if carfentanil was the cause. Wed never seen it before, Sammarco said, while toxicologists and drug specialists on the third floor of the coroners office tested blood samples and small bags of white powder. Im really worried about this. Officials suspect the carfentanil is being manufactured in China or Mexico and is making its way to the Cincinnati area in heroin shipments that flow north on interstates 71 and 75. The drug has shown up in Columbus, Ohio, the Gulf coast of Florida and central Kentucky, according to local news reports. Fentanyl is widely used in hospitals as a fast-acting painkiller, but Sammarco said carfentanil is rare. She said she had to call zoos, rural veterinarians, federal law enforcement authorities and a licensed manufacturer in Canada to find a sample that her office could use to calibrate their drug-testing equipment. Around Cincinnati, police officers and sheriffs deputies are so concerned about the potency of carfentanil and other synthetic opioids that they carry overdose-reversing naloxone sprays for themselves, in case they accidentally inhale or touch the tiniest flake. Because of its potency, law enforcement agents have stopped field-testing the powders they find at the scenes of overdoses. When regional drug enforcement officers in Cincinnati pulled over two men on Aug. 26 and found an unknown pink substance, they sent it directly to the county coroners office; it tested positive for heroin, fentanyl and carfentanil. And as ambulance crews and the police rushed to respond to this recent wave of overdoses, answering 20 or 30 calls each day, they said they sometimes had to give people two, three or five doses of naloxone spray to revive them. Usually, one quick spray is enough to block a persons opiate receptors and immediately jolt them out of an overdose. Some hospitals have had to give overdose patients intravenous drips of anti-opioid chemicals. Our antidote, our Narcan, is ineffective, Sheriff Jim Neil of Hamilton County said, using a trade name for naloxone. It was meant for heroin. It wasnt meant for fentanyl or carfentanil. Like much of the country, officials here along the Ohio-Kentucky border have been straining to cope with the toll of opioid use. Accidental drug overdose deaths in Hamilton County doubled to 414 last year from 204 in 2012, according to the county coroner, most of those involving fentanyl or heroin. There were an average of 92 overdose reports each month during the first six months of 2016, up from an average of 40 during the last half of 2015, according to numbers collected by the Greater Cincinnati Fusion Center, a regional law enforcement and public health group. As deaths mounted, officials formed anti-heroin coalitions and task forces. Police officers and addiction experts visited the homes of people who had overdosed to try to persuade them into treatment. The Cincinnati Enquirer even has a heroin beat reporter. Nan Franks, the executive director of the Addiction Services Council, the Cincinnati affiliate of the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, said the problem was made worse by scarce bed space at the areas lone publicly funded detox centre and a constant lack of money for treatment services. Franks said drugs were so cheap that addicts said they can walk through one housing project and get four free samples from dealers. People are waiting for treatment, Franks said. We need a better response to keep them safe. Five days after Hatmaker overdosed, a police car pulled up outside his home in Norwood, an independent city of 20,000 inside Cincinnati. Lt. Tom Fallon, the commander of the countys heroin task force, was there to take Hatmaker to treatment. As they drove, Hatmaker thought back to how he had gotten there. He said he started selling pain pills in 2012 after being laid off from his job at an online retailers warehouse, then started taking them, then turned to heroin. Cycles of withdrawal, jail and treatment followed. Some of his friends died or went to prison for selling drugs. He said he does not remember much from this latest overdose only waking in an ambulance and feeling the pain where medics had pounded his chest to keep him alive. The medics who saved him told him he was minutes from death, Hatmaker said. Im tired of this, he said. Im tired of overdosing; Im tired of this life. Eventually, youre just going to die. SHARE: NEW YORKThe 343 firefighters who died 15 years ago in the Sept. 11 attacks were honoured Saturday at a St. Patricks Cathedral memorial service for acts of heroism that New Yorks mayor said most of us could not fathom. Hundreds of family members of those who died and those who survived the attacks listened to their loved ones remembered for their courage on a day that would claim the lives of more firefighters than any other day in the nations history. Each of the names of the dead firefighters was read aloud during the service. Attorney General Loretta Lynch read a letter from President Barack Obama that described the effect left on the nation after hijacked planes struck the twin 110-story towers of the World Trade Center, causing their collapse. We remember that no act of terror can match the character of our country, change who we are as Americans or overcome our enduring resolve to be each others keepers in times of calm and crisis alike, the letter said. In a service presided over by Cardinal Timothy Dolan, Mayor Bill de Blasio noted that the firefighters killed ranged in age from 22 to 71. He said everyone in New York that day suffered, but none more than members of the Fire Department of New York. We remember what the members of the FDNY did in the face of something that could not be imagined. They showed selflessness. They showed courage, he said. When we needed them most they showed us the best, the best in humanity. De Blasio said the firefighters did things that day that most of us could not fathom. They rushed to danger, not from it. The mayor also noted that some firefighters died after 9-11 from diseases linked to the contaminated air they were exposed to that day and that others are still alive but suffering. The massive Roman Catholic cathedral was filled to capacity for the afternoon service with city dignitaries, firefighters and families of those killed. A procession into the cathedral featured a banner with the number 343, followed by firefighters carrying American flags representing every member of the department killed that day. SHARE: PAHRUMP, NEV.The cost of brothel licensing is up for debate in one Nevada county. Possible changes to the Nye County legalized prostitution ordinance would be the first updates in more than two decades. Quarterly brothel licensing fees could increase depending on the number of workers while the annual background check fee rises from $5,000 to $7,500. Brothel owners can make recommendations until Sept. 20 when county commissioners are expected to hear the proposals. The intent was to update an ordinance that hadnt been changed for over 20 years, said Nye County Sheriff Sharon Wehrly. Everything goes up, and all were trying to do is bring this into todays economic times. Nye County Commissioner Butch Borasky and Wehrly worked together to create the proposal. The businesses would have to identify anyone with a financial interest and increase health checks for workers. Brothel owner Dennis Hof said the changes are politically motivated. Its totally political because Im running for Assembly District 36 and its a way to put me in the news in a negative light, Hof said. Thats all it is. Borasky said the changes were years in the making and not political in nature. Five brothels pay fees that bring the county $70,000 to $80,000 annually. Higher fees are expected to add tens of thousands of dollars in 2016-2017. Some Nevada residents are in favour of the increases. I think they should always pay more because they dont have much money for the city here, said Ralph Vaccaro. Pahrump is a mess. Valerie Simmons said these businesses should be paying more because were the only county that has the brothels. Nobody else has them. Commissioners could approve changes in October. SHARE: TAMPA, FLA. Police say a Florida man asking if a bulletproof vest "still worked" was fatally shot by his cousin. A Tampa Police report says 23-year-old Joaquin Mendez put on the vest late Saturday and "wondered aloud whether it still worked." Police say his cousin, 24-year-old Alexandro Garibaldi, pulled out a gun and responded, "Let's see." Officers found Mendez outside the house with a gunshot wound in his chest. Mendez died at a hospital. According to the report, Garibaldi initially told officers he found his wounded cousin after hearing a gunshot. However, police say a witness described Garibaldi shooting Mendez. Police say the vest was found inside the house with a gunshot. Garibaldi was held Sunday without bond on a manslaughter charge. Hillsborough County jail records didn't show whether he had an attorney. SHARE: BENGHAZI, LIBYALibyan forces loyal to a powerful general on Sunday recaptured two key oil terminals from militias in a surprise attack, according to officials familiar with the operation. They said forces led by Gen. Khalifa Hifter, who heads the Libyan National Army, took over the Ras Lanuf and al-Sidra terminals on Libyas Mediterranean coast and were battling militias at a third terminal, al-Zueitina. The majority of Libyas oil exports went through the three terminals before a militia known as Petroleum Facilities Guards seized them about two years ago. The return of the oil terminals could help Libya recover from the turmoil that has gripped the country since the 2011 uprising that toppled and killed Moammar Gadhafi. The resumption of oil exports would also help address Libyas severe cash crunch. The officials said there were no casualties among the attacking forces and that the militiamen at the three facilities did not offer much resistance. The attack took place on the eve of a major Muslim holiday, Eid al-Adha, which begins on Monday. Many of them (militiamen) abandoned their weapons to escape or turned themselves in, said Brig. Gen. Ahmed al-Mosmary, a spokesman for Hifters forces. We will continue to move till we secure the whole area. Hifters forces also moved against two areas in Benghazi that remain under militia control. Al-Mosmary said there was also little confrontation from the militiamen there, but that landmines were slowing down the advancing troops. Hifter enjoys the support of several Arab nations, including Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Jordan, as well as European nations like France. He is allied with the parliament based in eastern Libya, which refuses to recognize a newly-formed, UN-backed government. Libya has been split between rival parliaments and governments, each backed by a loose array of militias and tribes. Western nations view the UN-brokered government as the best hope for uniting the country. Read more about: SHARE: Sept. 11, 2001 will forever be frozen in time. Floating fragments of horrific photos and chilling images of desperate individuals jumping to their deaths or enshrouded in dust wandering aimlessly through streets, will never leave our modern psyche. Three thousand people perished on that brilliantly sunny day in three different locations. Twenty-six of the 3,000 dead were Canadian; 10,000 other souls were wounded. A decade later, on May 2, 2011, Osama bin Laden, the architect of this terror, was killed by the Americans. Case closed? No, not by a long shot. The brutal, jagged tentacles of that day continue to reach deeply into our political discourse, encompassing three contentious issues the fight against terrorism, the question of refugee resettlement and most recently the debate about the screening or vetting of values for immigrants. It is clear that the traditional right wing is divided into a hierarchy of hateful, racial rhetoric. Far right Dutch leader, Geert Wilders, is ready to close mosques, ban the Quran and halt Muslim immigration. Donald Trump followers of the alt-right movement (outside main stream conservatism) oppose both multiculturalism and immigration. Nigel Farage, the former leader of the populist, right wing UKIP, deftly used immigration scare tactics to successfully encourage the Brexit vote. Both he and Wilders attended the Republican convention this past summer in Cleveland. Canada, meanwhile, appears as an outlier to this battle of fear mongering. After a decade of right wing conservatism, a Liberal majority government was elected last year (albeit with 39.5 per cent of the popular vote). Flying in the face of mounting skepticism concerning refugees, 25,000 Syrian refugees have already been welcomed and resettled in Canada. Telegenic and empathetic, Prime Minister Trudeau is out to reshape the world using his hallmark policies of diversity, inclusion and gender equity. A recent Environics/Institute on Governance poll found the trust factor of this government is high. So, it was a shock this past week when a heated controversy erupted over the question of values. Catching everyone by surprise, Kellie Leitch, one of the putative leadership candidates for the Conservative party, appeared to link hands with Trumpism ideology. Like a couple on top of a wedding cake, Trump and now Leitch, both espouse vetting tests for new immigrants in order to ascertain their values. The proposal is odd for a number of reasons. Leitch, who is an experienced former cabinet minister, has not mentioned that robust security screening is already in place for immigrants. She also conveniently forgets or, wilfully ignores, Canadians who have killed other Canadians in the name of terrorism. Must we also vet Canadian citizens for their beliefs? Yet, in spite of these troubling questions, there may be merit to this debate. There is nothing wrong with stress testing our values, although many would argue we did that last year in the election. However, the world moves at a dizzying pace these days. Keeping up with changing political scenarios and horrific acts of terrorism can shake us all. But lets be clear about terminology. The word values is really code for concern about policy changes, changes that will no doubt upset some members of the Conservative Party of Canada. Values and policies are inextricably linked. And thats the key can this government successfully shape future policies to reflect the challenges of inequity, protectionism, nationalism, terrorism and the fears that are being fomented by the right? Can this government successfully win a war on liberal values while balancing legitimate concerns of safety and security? If so, Kellie Leitch may have handed the government an unexpected gift while handing her own party a poisoned chalice, a chalice that portends a bitter struggle for the heart and soul of the Conservative Party, a party merged by two different wings of ideology. When the Americans suddenly closed their airspace on 9/11, they trapped hundreds of international flights literally in the air. The Canadian government, under great pressure, worked professionally and efficiently to cope with unprecedented challenges. Those airliners with enough fuel were diverted back to Europe, but the rest were channelled to Canadian airports, primarily in Atlantic Canada. Small towns, such as Gander in Newfoundland, moved heaven and earth to accommodate thousands of overnight strangers. No one was asked about their values. No one was questioned about their beliefs. Instead, community halls and homes welcomed these strangers with compassion and generosity. Canadian values of open mindedness and resiliency withstood a stress test on 9/11. And so, they will again. Bring on the debate. We have only small minds to fear. Penny Collenette is an adjunct professor of law at the University of Ottawa and was a senior director of the Prime Ministers Office for Jean Chretien. SHARE: As children across the country headed back to class this week, some were remembering friends they lost or almost lost to suicide in the first few months of 2016. Indeed, in some communities, a rash of teen suicides could only be described as a crisis. In Woodstock, a city of 38,000, for example, students lost five of their peers. In Kuujjuaq, a community of only 2,500 in northern Quebec, five young people also died. And last April, the Attawapiskat First Nation of 2,800 in northern Ontario declared a state of emergency after 11 of its youth attempted suicide in just one weekend. All of the communities acted quickly to prevent more suicides and attempts. For example, a suicide prevention strategy was unveiled in July in Kuujjuaq for all of Canadas 60,000 Inuit. But what local communities cant do is draw on the resources of a national suicide prevention strategy one that might well have prevented some of these deaths in the first place. Indeed, Canada is, disturbingly, the only developed country without a national funded program dedicated to reducing the suicide rate, according to the Canadian Association for Suicide Prevention. That seems incredibly wrong-headed, considering that suicide is the second leading cause of death among those aged 15 to 34 (after motor vehicle accidents). And it seems willfully blind considering the success of similar programs elsewhere. In all 21 developed countries with government-led prevention programs, studies indicate that suicide rates, especially among the young and the elderly, have declined. Indeed, Canada need only look to Quebec, which cut suicide rates in half among those 15 to 19 and overall suicides by a third after it implemented its own plan in 1999. Canadas rate has remained steady over several years at 11.5 per 100,000 people when it was last measured in 2012. That compares to a rate of 7 in the U.K. in 2012, though some other western countries, such as the United States, France, Sweden and Germany have higher rates than Canada despite their programs. Still, the goal is to get to zero. Thats why the Canadian Medical Association Journal rightly called for a national plan in an editorial this week, timed to coincide with World Suicide Prevention Week. A suicide prevention program should not be just a response to a crisis, but a well-thought-out strategy that involves the education, justice, employment and social welfare sectors. It would address risk factors such as inadequate access to mental health and addictions treatment, childhood sexual and physical abuse and intergenerational trauma. Ottawa could start by creating a centre of expertise that will engage with indigenous organizations and build on Quebecs strategy to cut suicide rates, the CMA journal argues. It sounds like a good plan, and one the federal government should start on immediately. Canada should take the lead from other developed nations on this important issue. Read more about: SHARE: Beijing: China and Russia will hold an eight-day joint naval exercise from Monday in the contentious South China Sea, the first drill by any country in the contested waters since an international tribunal rejected Beijing's historic claims to the resource-rich sea. The naval drills, the first by Russia and China in the South China Sea, will be held off southern China's Guangdong Province, and was reportedly not close to Beijing's nine-dash line which was struck down by the arbitration court in The Hague in July in a case brought by the Philippines over Beijing's maritime claims there. The drills were "routine" and not directed at any other countries, Chinese Navy said in a statement on Sunday. Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan alongwith the Philippines, contest China's claims over the South China Sea. Its historic claims, incorporated in the contested "nine dash-line", were struck down by the arbitration court which also upheld Philippines's claims to the sections of the sea close to its coast. Trade worth more than USD 5 trillion passes through the strategic South China Sea annually. The US and Japan have said that the tribunal's verdict is legally binding but China's claims got a fillip when Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed his backing to Beijing's stand this month while attending the G20 summit in Hangzhou. "We stand in solidarity and support of China's position on this issue not to recognise the decision of this court. This is not a political position, but purely legal," Putin has said. He, however, said the dispute should be resolved peacefully by the parties concerned. The naval drill, which was announced in July, will feature Navy surface ships, submarines, fixed-wing aircraft, ship- borne helicopters marine corps and amphibious armoured equipment from both navies, Chinese navy spokesperson Liang Yang said. Most of the Chinese participants will come from the Nanhai (South China Sea) Fleet under the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN), he said. Together, Chinese and Russian participants will undertake defence, rescue, and anti-submarine operations, in addition to joint island seizing and other activities, Liang said. The drill, from September 12-19, is part of an annual event, which aims to consolidate and advance the Sino-Russian comprehensive strategic partnership, he said. The annual China-Russia joint naval exercise is the fifth of its kind between the two countries since 2012. The drills were held in 2012 in the Yellow Sea; off the coast of Russia's Far East in 2013; and in the East China Sea in 2014. In 2015, the drill was conducted in two phases: in the Mediterranean in May and then in the Peter the Great Gulf, the waters off the Clerk Cape, and the Sea of Japan in late August. Corn and Sweet Potato Chowder With Saffron Cream; get the recipe link, below. (Deb Lindsey/For The Washington Post) Im not a huge fan of potlucks. I know they are all the rage, but I just dont get it. When Im invited to dinner or to a party, I like to be served food that someone else has cooked. I figure its my night off from the kitchen. So six years ago, when my friend Hope called proposing that a bunch of neighbors and friends spend the winter holding soup swap parties, I thought No way! before she even had a chance to explain the concept. She was persuasive. I love making a big pot of soup, she began, but I dont love eating the same soup all week long. What if one person hosted a gathering and made a side dish, bread and dessert, and everyone else brought a pot of their favorite soup? We have a party, and then we all go home with a variety of leftover soups to eat the rest of the week. [How to start a soup swap party] Hmm. Despite myself, I had to admit I kind of liked the idea. I cook one pot of soup, get to go to a party, and leave with a weeks worth of homemade soups. The Second Sunday Soup Swap Suppers were born six winters ago in the small Maine town where I live. Hope chose six couples who love to cook. Every month during the long, snow-filled winter we got together, each time at a different home, and had a soup swap party. Some of us were neighbors and friends, some merely acquaintances, but over the course of six winters we became close. Soup brought us together. Each soup swap party started with everyone introducing what they had brought. Parsnip and Cauliflower Vichyssoise With Gremolata. (Deb Lindsey/For The Washington Post) [Make the recipe: Parsnip and Cauliflower Vichyssoise With Gremolata] Hello, my name is Rebecca, and I went to the indoor winter farmers market on Saturday and found root vegetables and gorgeous organic rosemary and made my favorite childhood soup. This is the matzoh ball soup my mother made every Passover. My grandmother made this chestnut soup every Christmas. The first few times we got together, the soups were delicious but not particularly adventurous: chicken noodle, tomato bisque, lots of purees. But as the months and years passed, the soups became increasingly sophisticated. Soon enough, we would hear: I tasted this noodle soup on a recent trip to Vietnam, where it was served at a stall at a night street market. Lamb and Lentil Soup With Lamb Meatballs. (Deb Lindsey /For The Washington Post) [Make the recipe: Lamb and Lentil Soup With Lamb Meatballs] People traveled for work and vacation, and in addition to bringing home souvenirs, they returned with soup recipes and with the exotic spices and other ingredients with which to make them. Within a year, the soups began to reflect a far more adventurous spirit: Thai red curry noodle soup; Scottish smoked haddock and leek chowder; Indian mulligatawny; corn and sweet potato chowder. [Make the recipe: Corn and Sweet Potato Chowder With Saffron Cream] Had we all turned into master soupmakers? Or was it that as we got to know one another better, we wanted to challenge and please everyone with ever-more-interesting soups? What the soup swap parties taught us is that the simple act of making soup and sharing it with others is a great way to build a community. You dont need to live in a small town. Soup swaps work just as well in urban neighborhoods, and with relatives, parent-teacher organizations, yoga classes, book clubs you name it. The key is to start with a small group of people who love food and enjoy cooking. Youll be amazed at how relationships deepen and grow, one pot of soup at a time. Gunst, who lives in southern Maine, is the author of 15 cookbooks, including Soup Swap: Comforting Recipes to Make and Share (Chronicle, 2016), and is resident chef on NPRs Here and Now. Shell join Wednesdays Free Range chat at noon: live.washingtonpost.com. Dear Amy: I turned 16 this summer and have gotten into a state of disagreement with my mother on a single issue. Like with many other guys my age, a great deal of strife tends to surface over relationships. Thats my problem, too. For nearly two years Ive kept in touch with a girl from Georgia. I live in New England. For the past few months Ive been fostering a long-distance relationship via Skype with her, and it has become a personal goal for both of us to someday meet in person. We talk daily and get along tremendously well. Ive mentioned the idea of traveling to Atlanta to my mother. Rather than this being an issue of time or expense, my mother has developed a tendency to make ludicrous accusations about this girl and refuses to consider traveling. Ive answered my mothers questions calmly and politely, and even offered to have her in a Skype call to communicate with this girl in order to ease her suspicions. Despite this, she dismisses anything I say with something along the lines of a Mother Knows Best philosophy. This predicament has been frustrating and disheartening for both myself and my partner. How can I convince my mother to allow me to travel to Atlanta? Morose Morose: My first suggestion is that you should not refer to your long-distance girlfriend as your partner. This choice underscores your immaturity. You havent mentioned if youve discussed the idea of having your girlfriend visit you instead of you visiting her. This would involve you and your girlfriend figuring out how to raise the money and working with both sets of parents to get permission. Your mother might be more open to this idea. You need to do well in school, make sure that this relationship does not interfere with your other friendships and family relationships, and try your hardest to demonstrate that you are both capable, respectful and mature. I agree with you that your mother should not be disrespectful toward you or your girlfriend regarding this important relationship. Your mother would be wise to get to know her, since she is so important to you. Dear Amy: I really enjoy your column. You often get letters from women who are frustrated because their boyfriends wont propose. Maybe its the fact that I was not raised in North America, but I find this a bit infuriating. In this day and age when we are constantly asking for equal opportunities for men and women and trying so hard to earn their respect, why would women just sit and whine about a boyfriend who wont propose? Back home (in my home country), there are usually no proposals two adults who have a serious relationship just discuss their future plans together and decide if they want to marry each other. We also dont give or get engagement rings, so we dont have this ridiculous competition over whose ring is bigger. Your thoughts? Anti-proposal Anti-proposal: My thoughts are completely in line with yours. I am mystified that, given our societys drive toward gender equality, we seem to be headed full-speed backward regarding relationship proposals. Not only have marriage proposals become competitive, public and ridiculous, but I find the whole phenomenon of promposals (where young people make a production out of asking one another to a high school dance) less charming than alarming. Furthermore, I think that if couples treated the prospect of marriage more as equals and bravely discussed it openly with one another (instead of one waiting for a proposal and a ring), there might be more balanced, long-term marriages as a result. Im sure readers will want to weigh in. Dear Amy: Your reply to Worried regarding her negative feelings toward her stepdaughter was so compassionate and beautifully put. You could not have explained the dynamic between them any better. I especially like the part about how negative aspects of the girls personality (according to the stepmom) will serve her well in life. On behalf of that girl, thank you. Grateful Grateful: Thank you for your comments. I am a stepmother who frequently sees the world through the eyes of stepchildren. They have no power over the choices made by the adults in their lives. Its no wonder that they sometimes fiercely defend themselves against the emotional (and actual) encroachment of stepparents. The step-family relationship is extremely challenging. But when it works well, this relationship is a powerful force for good. An arrest was announced last week by D.C. police in connection with three crimes of a type that has been causing problems throughout the Washington area, all over the United States and in foreign countries as well. The crime is the theft of ATMs. It involves taking the entire money-dispensing device, often in an early-morning break-in, then hauling it off to pry out the cash. D.C. police said they arrested and charged a suspect Thursday in three early-morning ATM burglaries in the District in June, July and August. The cash dispensers were taken from businesses in the 2800 block of Georgia Avenue NW on June 22, the 200 block of Michigan Avenue NE on July 9 and the 1500 block of North Capitol Street on Aug. 22, police said. At least two burglars were involved in each incident, and police said they are continuing to investigate. In Fairfax County, police said in July that five ATMs were stolen in the early-morning hours from a bowling alley, a restaurant, a laundromat, an auto repair shop and a convenience store. The devices were taken between June 18 and July 20, the county police said. In many of the cases, reported in this area and elsewhere, the machines taken have been those that stand like upright footlockers in such places as groceries, service stations and convenience stores. Online surveillance video from Fairfax County and from Baltimore shows thieves pulling, pushing and tugging at the devices to free them from their moorings. The Fairfax video shows several kicks being administered to finally unfasten the machine. Many news accounts report the use of pickup trucks or other vehicles to pull ATMs from the floor and to drive them away. One report indicated that the thieves could not lift the device into a vehicle and dragged it through the streets while fleeing. Authorities in Ohio reported the indictment of 11 men last month in connection with thefts that allegedly brought them hundreds of thousands of dollars, according to an Associated Press account. A prosecutor was quoted as saying that the group could be responsible for more than 50 ATM thefts. ATM theft has been reported in Canada and Britain as well. Gov. Larry Hogan speaks at a news conference on Aug. 30 near Annapolis, Md., with the Chesapeake Bay Bridge in the backdrop. (Brian Witte/AP) Spring break could be on the chopping block in some Maryland school systems. So might teacher work days or certain holidays. School officials around the state say they are facing tough choices as they aim to comply with Gov. Larry Hogans recent mandate that classes must begin after Labor Day and end by June 15, a summer-extending measure that he says will be good for the economy, schools and families. While some have cheered the idea of a longer summer recess, school districts are starting to consider what many say are difficult options. All but one of Marylands 24 school districts opened in August this year, and pushing the start date to September means it could be a tight squeeze to get in the required 180 academic days and still wrap up by mid-June. I guess we kind of hope it wont snow, said Michael A. Durso, Montgomery Countys school board president. If we have a difficult winter and we have had two in a row now theres not much wiggle room. School systems say there are still many unknowns. Districts can apply for waivers but school officials say the details remain unclear. They also dont know whether there will be a new legislative push to change laws about state-required days off, such as Easter Monday. While lawmakers have asked for a legal opinion about whether Hogan (R) exceeded his authority in dictating a timeline for the school year, some parents worry about finding child care when camps dwindle in late August. Educators have voiced concern about learning losses that disadvantaged children in particular could face with a longer summer. At least one expert said standardized test scores could dip in third through eighth grades. Much of the glee that was expressed at the governors announcement may dissipate when parents see the difficult choices we have to make, said Bob Mosier, a spokesman for the Anne Arundel County school district, which is examining whether spring break will need to be cut back to accommodate the change. Marylands move to a later school year bucks the national trend of starting earlier, as school districts have been working to maximize learning opportunities before students have to take standardized tests in the spring. Neighboring Virginia stands out as one of the states that requires a post-Labor Day start, but many districts across the commonwealth receive waivers to open earlier. Fairfax County, the states largest district, received a waiver so that in 2017 when Maryland districts start after Labor Day it is scheduled to start earlier, on Aug. 28. We feel its better educationally, said Fairfax County School Board Chairman Sandy Evans (Mason). As much as we dont like high-stakes testing having such importance, that is our reality these days and we feel that having more instruction time before students are called upon to take these tests is better. [Are summer camps the next frontier in helping disadvantaged students catch up?] The Hogan mandate arrived just as Montgomery Countys school system was considering an opposite proposal: To start the 2017 academic year earlier, on Aug. 21, as a way to build in more time for instruction ahead of standardized tests, including state exams aligned with the Common Core. Now the school system expects to create a 2017 calendar that starts in September and ends by June 15. Montgomery school board member Patricia ONeill (3rd District) said it appears the district may have to cut a day from spring break or shorten its 184-day school year by a day for 2017, while also resolving how to handle contingency days for snow. I think that this post-Labor Day start is out of sync with the realities of the 21st century, said ONeill, who noted that Montgomery has more than 50,000 children at or near the poverty level who are unlikely to use the extra time to go on a final summer vacation, one of the economic selling points of the late start. The post-Labor Day start has many supporters, including parents such as Caitlin McLaughlin, a mother of two in Silver Spring who recalled school starting after the holiday when she was growing up. She would like her children to enjoy summers last hurrah, too. Her teenagers recently begged off a backpacking trip on Labor Day weekend because they felt the pressure of homework early in the school year. If were going to have a holiday weekend, we might as well have one last time when they dont have school work on their mind, she said. But in a state with widely different school systems rural, urban, near the shore, in the mountains local needs weigh heavily on how school years are designed. Snow, for example, is a big factor in the school calendar for Garrett County, home to Deep Creek Lake and Wisp ski resort. The school district has a calendar that is already down to the bone, said Jim Morris, a school system spokesman. A few years ago, 20 days were lost to snow, he said. Morris said the greatest concern is if the new state mandate means that, when snow days pile up, school years get cut short of their required 180 days. That would give our kids an instructional disadvantage, he said. Howard County school board Vice Chairman Ellen Giles said the school system had picked a first day of school for 2017: Aug. 28. Now that will be scrapped. But questions remain: Will the district shorten spring break? Reduce teacher work days? If we have to cut back, then I think all things are on the table, Giles said. For some parents, losing spring break would be a terrible trade-off. Its a nice family time and a little break at that time of year, as the weather gets nice, said Kay Helgesen, a mother of two from Derwood, Md. Kathleen Causey, a school board member in Baltimore County, said she thinks the post-Labor Day start will be helpful to families and students in her district, and noted that 37 schools in the county dont have air- conditioning. Causey said she is optimistic school officials will find a creative solution to meeting the state requirements. But an extra week of summer means more summer learning loss for children from struggling families, said Henoch Hailu, a teacher at White Oak Middle, a high-poverty school in Silver Spring. It just seems like another setback that makes it harder for us to continue our work of closing the achievement gap, Hailu said. I know an extra week doesnt sound like much, but it is. Educators already find it challenging to complete the curriculum for Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate courses in time for annual exams, and a later start could cause a classroom crush, said Leah Wilson, a teacher at Richard Montgomery High School in Rockville. With fewer days, its just crazy, she said. She also said getting back into the swing of school after summer break already is difficult for students: It really does take a longer time for kids to be back on board after a longer break. Michael Hansen, director of the Brown Center for Education Policy at the Brookings Institution, said he would expect a small to modest decline in Common Core test scores for third through eighth grades in the 2017-2018 school year, but he said he would not expect a dip in true learning if students are in class for the same number of days. At the high school level, Hansen said he doubted there would be any measurable difference for students taking AP or IB exams, or college admission tests such as the SAT and ACT, because research shows high school grades are harder to affect in general. I would be surprised if there is any measurable difference at all, he said. Hogan said last week that his staff did not consult school officials before pursuing an executive order because school systems had participated in a year-long study on the issue. The task force doing that study, appointed in 2014, voted 12 to 3 in favor of starting after Labor Day. [Start school after Labor Day? Maryland task force says yes] Nearly everyone, Hogan said, has been thrilled with the idea, except a few people in the media and a few people who are paid school advocates. But teachers love it. Parents love it and students love it. And its long overdue. But Eric Fulton, a father of two in Rockville, takes exception. He and his wife struggled to find care for their two children as summer ended this year, he said. Next year, he expects the problem will be worse. By late August, he said, camp options diminish as college students who staff the operations go back to school. Its very clear this was not made with education or parenting foremost in the governors mind, he said. Its clear to me that Governor Hogan has never had to plan for day care or camp for his children. Ovetta Wiggins contributed to this report. Threatening emails that caused concern last month on the Virginia Tech campus originated in South America, authorities said. In a statement issued Friday afternoon, the Virginia Tech campus police department said it has been able to identify that the threatening emals originated from a South American country. Neither the country nor any individual sender was identified in the statement. The department said federal and foreign authorities have now assumed primary roles in the investigation. It said both had already been involved in the probe. Warnings were issued to the campus Aug. 29 after threatening emails arrived at dozens of campus email addresses that afternoon. A campus police spokesman said then in an email: We take all threats seriously. An email was issued campus-wide to make the Virginia Tech community aware and to ask that any information be shared, the spokesman said. People at four other universities had received the same email, according to campus police. A report in a campus newspaper said at least some of the emails threatened violence on campus. That report was not confirmed Aug. 29 by the police spokesman. Get updates on your area delivered via e-mail Liana Remick, 8, explains her Thinkabit Lab project to Susie Armstrong, QualComms senior vice president of engineering, and Steve Mollenkopf, QualComms chief executive, during the opening of Thinkabit Lab. (Logan Wallace/Courtesy Virginia Tech) When Virginia Tech President Timothy Sands began his tenure two years ago, he quickly observed that nothing about the state school was broken or needed immediate attention. But he saw an opportunity to consider the universitys future and foster programs that would better prepare students for the careers of the future. The jobs that are going to be growing is the intersection of social science and technology, Sands said in an interview. But the thing about technology is it changes rapidly. Sands wants Virginia Tech to become more nimble to adapt to the needs of the workforce. And the first step, he said, is exposing students as young as middle schoolers to the wonders of science, technology, engineering and math, known as STEM. So began a new partnership between Virginia Tech and the computer chip manufacturer Qualcomm that has resulted in a new Thinkabit lab, a STEM-focused learning classroom on the universitys Northern Virginia campus in Falls Church. At the opening ceremony Thursday night, Sands told representatives from the Obama administration and the National Science Foundation that in the future every degree from Virginia Tech will involve STEM one way or another. Qualcomms first Thinkabit lab opened in San Diego a year and a half ago and the program has served 8,000 students across four other locations. The Virginia Tech Thinkabit lab is the first outside California. The lab is open to community groups such as Girl Scout troops and all school districts in the Washington area at no cost. The six-hour program begins with students learning about career opportunities in technology and beyond. Before long, the children are hooking up a power supply to an Arduino circuit board that can be set up to spin a motor or light up an LED bulb. A day at the Thinkabit lab ends with students building a robot and presenting their invention to the rest of the class. The important thing for students coming out here is that students learn there is a place for them in the world, said Susie Armstrong, senior vice president of engineering at Qualcomm. How can a child aspire to a career they dont know exists? Speaking at the opening ceremony, Labor DepartmentDeputy Secretary Chris Lu said that he visited a Thinkabit lab in San Diego and was immediately sold. Lu said that programs such as the Thinkabit lab will build a workforce that will allow U.S. companies to compete globally. Sands said he wants to encourage Virginia Tech students to collaborate across disciplines. Sands said the universitys budget process has been restructured to allow departments to dissolve the burden of expenses when students want to participate in projects together. We want every student to have that experience working in large teams and solving complex problems, Sands said. Sands said that one project involves the Adaptive Brain, a sprawling effort to better understand the science behind the vital human organ that will bring together students from computer science and psychology. Not all cutting-edge problems are created equal. Virginia Tech recently announced that students will participate in a test involving state-of-the-art technology. The experiment? Delivering Chipotle burritos by drone. The test flights, part of a project by Google parent company Alphabet, will begin this month on the Virginia Tech campus in Blacksburg. Get updates on your area delivered via email A District man died after his car crashed into a light pole early Sunday, D.C. Police said. Marquette Washington, 22, of Southeast, was driving a Nissan Maxima at a high rate of speed in the 1300 block of Southern Avenue when the car crossed over both lanes of traffic and crashed into a light pole, police said in a statement. Officers attempted to resuscitate Washington, but they were unsuccessful, police said. Washington was taken to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead. Authorities are asking anyone with information about the crash to call 202-727-9099 or, to remain anonymous, send a text message to 50411. Prince Georges County Police are investigating an apparent homicide in Landover. Officers conducting a welfare check around 1:19 a.m. Sunday found a man with upper body trauma, police said. The man was pronounced dead on the scene. Police discovered the body outside in the 6900 block of Hawthorne Street, just south of Maryland Route 202 and 75th Ave. The mans injuries were not believed to have resulted from a shooting, police spokesman Cpl. Lamar Robinson said, but the circumstances of his death were otherwise unclear. It was unknown when the man died. Police had not identified him by late Sunday morning. BRAZIL Ex-solicitor general ties firing to scheme Brazils former solicitor general says he believes that President Michel Temer fired him in an effort to derail the investigation into the $2 billion corruption-kickback scheme at state oil company Petrobras. Fabio Medina Osorio, who was let go Friday, told Veja newsmagazine in an interview published Saturday that he thinks Temers government fears how far the investigation will go. The presidents press office said it had no immediate comment on Osorios accusations. Associated Press GERMANY Interior minister: 520 potential attackers Germanys interior minister has warned that the country is home to more than 500 Islamic militants who could be capable of carrying out assaults on their own or as members of hit teams. Speaking in an interview with Bild newspaper, Thomas de Maiziere said there were currently at least 520 potential attackers in the country, which has been on edge since two Islamic State-inspired attacks in July. He said another 360 relevant people were known to police. Reuters S. Korea calls for sanctions after Norths nuclear test: South Korea said on Saturday that North Koreas nuclear capability is expanding fast, echoing alarm around the world over the isolated states fifth and biggest nuclear test, carried out Friday in defiance of U.N. sanctions. The test showed North Korean leader Kim Jong Un was unwilling to alter course, and that tougher sanctions and pressure were needed to apply unbearable pain on the North to leave no choice but to change, South Korean Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se said in a ministry meeting convened to discuss the test. Rescuers pull 2,300 from Mediterranean: Rescuers pulled 2,300 migrants to safety on Saturday in 18 separate rescue operations in the Mediterranean Sea coordinated by the Italian coast guard. It did not say where the migrants, who were traveling in 17 rubber vessel and one small boat, originally came from. Iran begins work on new nuclear plant: Iran began building its second nuclear power plant with Russian help on Saturday, the first such project since last years landmark nuclear deal with world powers. Western nations do not view the Bushehr plant as a proliferation risk because Russia supplies the fuel for the reactor and takes away spent fuel that could otherwise be used to make weapons-grade plutonium. Bangladeshi police kill suspect in cafe attack: Bangladeshi police on Saturday shot dead a suspected militant who they believe played a key role in an attack on a cafe in Dhaka in July in which 22 people, mostly foreigners, were killed, the national police chief said. Abdul Karim, was suspected to be one of the planners of the attack on the cafe, and to have rented a flat for the militants who carried out the assault. Chinese investigate mayor in latest corruption case: Chinas ruling Communist Party said on Saturday that the mayor of the major northern city of Tianjin was being investigated on suspicion of corruption, the latest senior official to be caught up in a war on deep-seated graft. Huang Xingguo, 61, is accused of serious discipline breaches, using the partys normal euphemism for corruption. Thousands protest bullfighting in Spain: Thousands of animal rights activists have gathered in Madrid to demand an end to Spains long tradition of bullfighting. Animal rights political party PACMA called for Saturdays protest, which went through central Madrid, including major tourist sites. At least 17 Spanish cities and towns have cut municipal funding for bullfights and bull runs, or passed legislation condemning or banning it over the past year. From news services Previous versions of the item on China said that Huang Xingguo had been arrested. At the time of publication, his arrest had not been reported. Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton left a Sept. 11 memorial service early after feeling "overheated," according to a campaign spokesman, and video of her departure showed her buckling and stumbling as she got into her van. (Thomas Johnson/The Washington Post) Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton left a Sept. 11 memorial service early after feeling "overheated," according to a campaign spokesman, and video of her departure showed her buckling and stumbling as she got into her van. (Thomas Johnson/The Washington Post) Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton fell ill during a memorial service marking the 15th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, leaving abruptly and inserting new speculation about her health into a presidential campaign in which Republican Donald Trump has called her weak and unfit. Video of Clintons hurried departure from the Ground Zero memorial showed her buckling and stumbling as she got into her van. Clintons campaign issued a statement from her doctor later Sunday revealing that she had been diagnosed with pneumonia two days earlier. The video, circulated on Twitter, appeared to show Clinton, 68, flanked by several Secret Service agents, leaning against a security bollard while agents prepare to assist her into a black van. As she steps forward, Clinton can be seen falling as agents help lift her into the van. Secretary Clinton has been experiencing a cough related to allergies, Lisa R. Bardack, Clintons physician, said Sunday in the statement. On Friday, during follow up evaluation of her prolonged cough, she was diagnosed with pneumonia. She was put on antibiotics, and advised to rest and modify her schedule. While at this mornings event, she became overheated and dehydrated. I have just examined her and she is now re-hydrated and recovering nicely. A planned trip to California on Monday and Tuesday has been canceled, campaign officials said late Sunday. Clinton had been scheduled to attend several fundraising events across the state, in addition to a major economic speech in Southern California and a taped appearance on the talk show Ellen. It remained uncertain whether Clinton would continue with her planned travel to Las Vegas on Wednesday. Hillary Clinton left a New York memorial service marking the 15th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks early after feeling "overheated," according to a campaign spokesman. She emerged from her daughter's New York apartment later and said she feels better. (The Washington Post; Photo: Yana Paskova, The Post) Campaign spokesman Nick Merrill said Clinton left the ceremony early and retreated to her daughter Chelseas apartment in the Gramercy neighborhood of Lower Manhattan. Clinton was not seen for more than two hours, after which she emerged from Chelsea Clintons apartment building, walking normally, smiling and waving. The incident quickly renewed attention to Clintons health. Trump has repeatedly questioned her well-being, saying that she doesnt have the strength or stamina for the presidency and accusing her of being exhausted and sleeping too much. A coughing episode on Labor Day had prompted a fresh round of questions about Clintons health. During a speech at a festival in Cleveland, Clinton started coughing repeatedly at the outset of her remarks, took several sips of water and a lozenge and continued to sound hoarse as she spoke. Later that day, Clinton told reporters her condition was caused by seasonal allergies. An initial campaign statement about Sundays illness did not mention the pneumonia diagnosis from two days prior, adding to public speculation that the campaign was hiding something. Clinton has followed an intensely busy schedule in recent days, and she had appeared healthy when she convened a meeting of national security experts Friday afternoon in New York and then spoke at a fundraising party that night. It was at that fundraiser where Clinton ignited a controversy by claiming that half of Trumps supporters are in a basket of deplorables. [Clinton says she regrets labeling half of Trump supporters deplorable] Neither Trump, who is 70, nor his aides responded to requests for comment Sunday; nor did he weigh in on Twitter or in television interviews, as he is known to do. But attacks from him and his allies, including former New York mayor Rudolph Giuliani (R), have intensified in the past month as unverified and often debunked theories about Clintons health have floated on the Internet. And Sundays incident prompted an avalanche of speculation on social media from other Clinton critics. 1 of 57 Full Screen Autoplay Close Skip Ad Hillary Clinton on the campaign trail View Photos The Democratic presidential nominee hits the road after her partys national convention. Caption Hillary Clinton loses to Donald Trump in the 2016 presidential election. Nov. 9, 2016 Hillary Clinton speaks in New York while her husband, former president Bill Clinton, applauds. Melina Mara/The Washington Post Wait 1 second to continue. According to two Trump advisers, Trump decided to stay away from seizing on the Sunday incident with the aim of bringing Clintons deplorables comments for which she has expressed regret back to the forefront of the campaign this week and avoiding any chance for Clinton to say that Trump was overstepping on the health front. If confronted by reporters about Clintons health, Trump plans to say that he hopes she gets well and may raise questions about the campaigns transparency Sunday, they added. The advisers spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss campaign deliberations. Both Clinton and Trump had planned to take the day off from formal campaigning in observance of the Sept. 11 anniversary. Trump attended the same memorial service at Ground Zero. Rep. Peter T. King (R-N.Y.), a Long Island congressman who stood with Trumps group at the ceremony, said he spoke with Trump shortly after Clinton departed. It was actually Trump who told me what was going on, King said in an interview Sunday. He leaned over and told me that Hillary wasnt feeling well. I said, Really? That was all he said. A former Secret Service agent said that the security details movements showed that the agents had not planned for her to leave that early and had to make some rushed security plans on the fly. Clintons van was not in place when she arrived at the curb, and her detail leader, who normally sticks by her side at all times, had to leave her momentarily to open the door of her van. [Secret Service followed unusual protocol during Clintons hasty departure from 9/11 commemoration Sunday] A small group of reporters traveling with Clinton was left behind and was not immediately informed that she had departed. Clinton had arrived at the memorial site at 8:18 a.m. Reporters traveling with Clinton became aware about 9:36 a.m. that she was no longer standing where she had been, near several Democratic officials. By 9:48 a.m., her campaign confirmed that Clinton had left the viewing area but offered no more details until about 11 a.m. Shortly before noon, as Clinton exited her daughters apartment building on East 26th Street, she hugged a young girl and posed for a picture, waved and briefly answered questions shouted by reporters before she departed in her motorcade. Im feeling great, its a beautiful day in New York, Clinton said. Just before noon, it was 82 degrees and humid at Ground Zero, although it was probably a bit cooler when Clinton had left two hours earlier. It was pretty hot out there, but she seemed fine to me, and left on her own accord, said Sen. Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.), who also attended the ceremony, in an emailed statement. Rep. Joseph Crowley (D-N.Y.) said it is unfortunate that this episode will feed into conspiracies about Clintons health. He said anyone could have been similarly affected and Clinton tends to be held to her own demigod status. Clinton has been generally healthy, with the exception of clotting in one leg in 1998 and a concussion and associated health problems from a fall in December 2012. But she has been attacked repeatedly by critics and accused of hiding more serious health issues. Giuliani, a close adviser to Trump who is regularly at his side on the campaign trail, said last month that he thinks Clinton is tired and looks sick. What youve got to do is go online, Giuliani said on Fox News Sunday in late August, accusing the media of hiding information about Clintons health. So, go online and put down Hillary Clinton illness, take a look at the videos for yourself. Trump showed up to the ceremony with no formal notice to reporters who cover him, and there were no arrangements for a media pool. This is not the first time that Trump has avoided having a media pool last month he traveled without reporters to Louisiana to view flood damage and to Mexico City to meet with the Mexican president. After attending the ceremony, Trump and Giuliani briefly visited New York City Fire Department Rescue Company 1. An NBC News reporter there asked Trump about Clintons health incident this morning. Trump shook his head, frowned and said: I dont know anything about it. If he wins in November, Trump, 70, would become the oldest president ever elected. In December, Trump released a four-paragraph letter signed by physician Harold N. Bornstein of Lenox Hill Hospital in Manhattan that contained few specifics but declared that Trump would be the healthiest individual ever elected to the presidency. The letter pales in comparison to the more than 1,000 pages of medical records released in May 2008 by Sen. John McCain (Ariz.), who was then 71 and went on to become the Republican presidential nominee. The records detailed eight years of care that McCain received while fighting cancer. Trumps spokeswoman, Hope Hicks, said in late August that Trump has no problem releasing a full medical history, as long as Clinton does the same. Last week, Trump said that he is willing to go first. On Friday, The Dr. Oz Show announced that Trump and his eldest daughter, Ivanka Trump, will appear on the show on Sept. 15 to discuss Trumps own personal health regimen. Clintons 2012 episode led to a brief hospitalization for a blood clot in her head. Details on Clintons condition were initially hard to come by, but her State Department office eventually provided extensive medical information. Clinton wore special corrective glasses for months, and her husband, former president Bill Clinton, told an audience in 2014 that it had taken about six months for his wife to recover fully. Clinton has said she was surprised by the illness because she had not experienced anything like it before. Clintons campaign released a memo from her personal physician, Bardack, in July 2015, pronouncing the candidate healthy and suffering no lasting effects from the concussion. The 2012 concussion caused concern among Clinton friends and supporters who hoped that she would make a second run for the presidency, some of whom predicted correctly that the episode would fuel speculation that Clinton was too frail to be commander in chief. Her campaign dismisses any suggestion that the candidate is not up to the job, while suggesting that the speculation is an example of a sexist double standard that is not applied to male candidates. Clinton is the first woman to become a major-party presidential nominee. The health questions come as she tries to make a more personal and direct appeal to voters that focuses on her credentials and background. As rumors have mounted about Clintons health in recent weeks, her running mate, Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.), has inserted a short section into his speeches about how much stamina she has. During a keynote address Saturday night at a Human Rights Campaign dinner, Kaine said: I cant imagine the stamina and energy it takes to run this campaign for 18 months, Kaine added. This is one determined lady. Gearan reported from Washington. Kayla Epstein and Philip Bump in New York and Jenna Johnson, Carol D. Leonnig, Robert Costa and John Wagner in Washington contributed to this report. Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton leads her Republican opponent Donald Trump by 5 points among likely voters, according to a new Washington Post/ABC News poll. The poll also found the reputations of Clinton and Trump have been bruised by the campaign. (Bastien Inzaurralde/The Washington Post; photos: Melina Mara/Post; Jabin Botsford/Post) Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton leads her Republican opponent Donald Trump by 5 points among likely voters, according to a new Washington Post/ABC News poll. The poll also found the reputations of Clinton and Trump have been bruised by the campaign. (Bastien Inzaurralde/The Washington Post; photos: Melina Mara/Post; Jabin Botsford/Post) Hillary Clinton maintains a lead over Donald Trump, but lagging interest among some of her supporters poses a potential turnout challenge for Democrats with less than nine weeks before Election Day, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll. Clinton holds a 46 percent to 41 percent edge over Trump among likely voters, followed by Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson at 9 percent and the Green Partys Jill Stein at 2 percent. Clintons lead swells to 10 percentage points among the wider swath of registered voters, 45 percent to 35 percent, similar to her 45 percent to 37 percent edge last month. The findings come at a time when the margins between Clinton and Trump have narrowed in some battleground states and when some national polls also have shown a tightening in the competition. Heading toward the first presidential debate on Sept. 26, though, Trump still appears to have the more challenging route to victory. Both candidates reputations have been battered by the campaign, with more than 6 in 10 voters saying each candidate is not honest and trustworthy, and with majorities critical of Clintons ethics as secretary of state as well as Trumps qualifications and his behavior toward women and minorities. Asked about major campaign issues in the past month, almost 2 in 3 voters disapprove of Trumps explanation of his policy for handling undocumented immigrants, while nearly 6 in 10 say Clinton granted special favors to donors of the Clinton Foundation. Both candidates coalitions are united more by antipathy toward their opponent than enthusiasm for their own candidacy. Fewer than half of Trumps supporters 46 percent say they are very enthusiastic about his candidacy, while that number drops to 33 percent for Clintons supporters. Meanwhile, 8 in 10 Trump supporters feel Clinton would do real damage to the country as president, while 83 percent of Clinton supporters feel the same way about Trump. Trumps supporters report greater interest in the campaign and voting, which could factor into turnout. More than 6 in 10 registered voters who support Trump say they are following the campaign very closely, and 93 percent say they are absolutely certain to vote. By contrast, 45 percent of Clinton backers are paying close attention to the race, and 80 percent are certain to vote, while one-fifth say they will probably or are less likely to cast a ballot. Clinton is relying on an extensive ground operation in the competitive states to turn out every vote possible, mindful that some of her supporters are not enthusiastic. Trump has gotten a late start in organizing in the battleground states and appears to be well behind Clinton in this aspect of the campaign. He will rely heavily on efforts by the Republican National Committee to reach his voters. Seven in 10 voters say they have definitely decided which candidate to support, but a sizable 3 in 10 say they are undecided or might change their mind in the last two months. The share of persuadable voters is similar to that in 2008 but higher than Post-ABC polls in 2004 and 2012 conducted at a similar point. Roughly 8 in 10 Trump and Clinton supporters say they are committed to each candidate, while less than half of those who support Johnson or Stein are certain of their choice. Other national polls have found Clintons wide advantage after the party conventions shrinking in the past month to low single digits. The Post-ABC poll finds no slippage in Clintons advantage among registered voters during that period, but her narrower advantage among likely voters, just beyond the polls 4.5 percentage-point margin of error, could reflect weaker engagement among her supporters. The Post-ABC poll finds 58 percent of Americans expect Clinton will prevail, though only 18 percent think she will do so easily. Nearly 9 in 10 Clinton supporters think she will win, while just under 7 in 10 Trump backers are similarly confident about him. The poll finds Trump continues to face significant challenges to expanding his support. Trumps 50 percent to 36 percent lead among white likely voters is smaller than Mitt Romneys 20-point edge in the 2012 exit poll, driven by weaker support among white women and college graduates. Trump and Clinton are actually nearly even among white men with college degrees, a sharp change from recent elections when Republicans carried those voters easily. Clintons double-digit lead with white college-educated women would mark Democrats largest margin since exit polling began covering the topic in 1980. Clintons 75 percent to 13 percent lead among the growing share of nonwhite voters is similar to Barack Obamas four years ago. That comes despite efforts by Trump over recent weeks to appeal more directly for support among African Americans, which so far appear to have produced no tangible results. Trump does benefit from more unified Republican support, with 86 percent of likely GOP voters supporting him, ticking up from 80 percent in early August. Clinton receives 90 percent support among fellow Democrats, similar to 93 percent in August. In this poll, independents split 39 percent to 37 percent between Clinton and Trump. A month ago, they were tilted in Trumps favor. The poll finds no clear advantage for Trump across a range of issues and personal attributes. Clinton holds a nine-point advantage among registered voters on being closer to them on the issues, a 12-point advantage on understanding the problems of people like you and a 26-point edge on having the better personality and temperament to be president. The two are closer when asked which candidate is more honest and trustworthy 45 percent choose Clinton, while 43 percent pick Trump. More than one-third of voters say the economy is the most important issue in their vote, and Clinton holds a narrow 50 percent to 44 percent edge over Trump in trust to handle the economy. Terrorism ranks second on a list of voters concerns, with Clinton and Trump trusted about evenly on the issue among registered voters (47 percent to 44 percent). Clinton has a slight 49 percent to 44 percent advantage on trust to handle immigration, which is ranked by 7 percent as the most important issue in their vote. Clinton holds a double-digit advantage over Trump on trust to handle taxes and a more than 20-point edge on trust to handle international trade agreements, a signature issue of the GOP nominees candidacy. Trump appeared to ease off his previous call to immediately deport all undocumented immigrants, although his position is still not entirely clear. His support for building a wall along the southern border and forcing Mexico to pay for it has not changed. The Post-ABC poll finds broad skepticism of Trumps overall approach, with 78 percent of voters saying they prefer offering undocumented immigrants who pass background checks a path to citizenship, which is Clintons position. Just 16 percent support full deportation. Six in 10 voters oppose building a wall along the countrys southern border, and nearly three-quarters say Trump would not be able to get Mexico to fund the barrier. Among Trumps supporters, roughly three-quarters support building a wall, but 62 percent say they prefer a path to citizenship over deportation. In general, more than 6 in 10 voters say Trump has been inconsistent about the policies he would pursue as president, and 46 percent say this makes them think less of Trump. More than 4 in 10 voters say Clinton has been inconsistent, with 31 percent saying this makes them think less of her. Beyond their policy differences, both Trump and Clinton continue to face widespread skepticism over questions of ethics and personality. Just over 7 in 10 voters say Clinton is too willing to bend the rules, including a striking 55 percent of fellow Democrats. Meanwhile, a 57 percent majority of voters say Trump is biased against women and minorities. Neither sentiment has softened much in recent months. Voters are also skeptical of how Clinton and Trump would manage conflicts of interest with their ties to nonprofit organizations and business, respectively. Almost 6 in 10 voters say they are very or somewhat concerned about conflicts with Trumps business interests, while a similar portion are concerned about conflicts between Clintons work as president and the Clinton Foundation. Concerns about Clintons use of a private email server have peaked in the two months after the FBI recommended against criminally charging her. Fully 64 percent of voters say they disapprove of her handling of questions about her use of personal email while secretary of state, up slightly from 59 percent in June to the highest level in Post-ABC polling since last year. Half of voters, 50 percent, say they strongly disapprove of her handling of questions. Amid Clinton and Trumps struggles, the Post-ABC poll finds 58 percent of Americans overall approve of President Obamas job performance, the highest since July 2009 and continuing the positive movement since December when he stood at 45 percent. Underscoring the passionate negative views that voters have of the candidate they oppose this year, nearly 8 in 10 Americans who disapprove of Obama say he has done real damage to the country. The Post-ABC poll was conducted Sept. 5-8 among a random national sample of 1,002 adults reached by cellular and landline phones. Overall results have a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 3.5 percentage points; the error margin is four points among the sample of 842 registered voters, and 4.5 points among the sample of 642 likely voters. Emily Guskin contributed to this report. LOUISIANA Hundreds remain in shelters after oods A month after flooding inundated south Louisiana, more than 850 people remain in shelters, unable to find more stable housing since the waters forced them from their homes. The Baton Rouge Advocate reported that shelters remain open in East Baton Rouge, Ascension, Livingston, East Feliciana and Tangipahoa parishes. The shelters population is substantially down from a height of more than 11,000, and people continue to leave shelters daily. Others remain stuck, however, and are struggling to find rental housing and transportation. The Federal Emergency Management Agency has teams at every shelter and is trying to help people get access to assistance programs. The American Red Cross and Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Baton Rouge are among other agencies trying to help people in shelters. Associated Press FLORIDA Dad charged in death of son left in hot truck A Tampa-area father was charged with aggravated manslaughter in the death of his 23-month-old son, who was left in a pickup truck for eight hours, authorities said. Troy Whitaker, 41, of Palm Harbor put his son Lawson and his 5-year-old daughter in his pickup truck Friday morning and took the girl to school, a statement from the Pinellas County Sheriffs Office said. Whitaker then drove home without taking Lawson to day care and left the boy unattended inside the truck until about 3:30 p.m., when Whitaker drove to a nearby grocery store. He did not notice that Lawson was still in the back seat of the truck until an hour later when he got home and began unloading groceries, detectives said. According to the sheriffs office, Whitaker is a Hillsborough County Fire Rescue firefighter, and he attempted to revive Lawson after calling 911. Lawson was pronounced dead at a hospital. Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri told the Tampa Bay Times that Lawsons body temperature had reached 108 degrees. Associated Press Pa. mother again accused in a childs death: A mother charged five years ago in the suffocation death of one child is facing a criminal homicide charge in the death of a second child in Pennsylvania. Jessica Harper was arraigned Thursday in Lancaster County in the July death of her 2-month-old son. Authorities allege that Harper chose to disregard the risks despite warnings about sleeping with a newborn. Prosecutors cited the January 2011 death of another 2-month-old son who suffocated on a couch in Maryland. After the death was ruled accidental, Harper pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of contributing to conditions that caused a child to be in need of assistance. Woman wins $4.6 million in Target lawsuit: A jury awarded a South Carolina woman more than $4.6 million after she was stuck by a hypodermic needle picked up in a Target parking lot. Court documents say Carla Denise Garrison was in the lot in May 2014 when her daughter picked up a hypodermic needle. Garrison swatted it out of her hand and was stuck in her palm. Garrisons attorney had offered Target a deal of $12,000; the company offered $750 in response. Firefighters killed on 9/11 honored at St. Patricks: The 343 firefighters who died 15 years ago in the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks were honored Saturday at a St. Patricks Cathedral memorial service for acts of heroism that New Yorks mayor said most of us could not fathom. Hundreds of family members of those who died and those who survived the attacks listened to their loved ones remembered for their courage on a day that claimed the lives of more firefighters than any other day in the nations history. Each of the names of the dead firefighters was read aloud during the service. Mayor Bill de Blasio said the firefighters killed ranged in age from 22 to 71. From news services With 57 days left until the November election, Republicans have a real chance to retain their Senate majority. Thats a somewhat remarkable statement, given not only the built-in challenges for Senate Republicans this election but also the unforeseen hurdle presented by the emergence of Donald Trump as the partys presidential nominee. And its due, in large part, to just two people: Sens. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) and Rob Portman (R-Ohio). The strengths of those candidacies both Portman and Rubio are leading comfortably in Quinnipiac University polls released late last week in such large and expensive states is the glue that, at the moment, is holding together Republicans dream of keeping the Senate. Without Rubio in Florida and Portman in Ohio, Sen. Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) would already be moving his boxes into the Senate majority leaders office. Take a step back and consider the challenge that the 2016 map poses for Republicans. The party is defending 24 seats this fall, compared with just 10 for Democrats. And its actually worse for Republicans than even those raw numbers suggest. Remember that this class of senators was elected in 2010 a very good year to be Republican anywhere in the country. That national environment helped Republicans win in Illinois, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, Ohio and Florida, among other Democratic-leaning or swing states. Six years later, those incumbents are having to run not only in a presidential year with its resultant turnout increases but also in a year with Trump at the top of the ticket. That math led many political handicappers to conclude that a Democratic takeover of the Senate was nearly inevitable in 2016. After all, Democrats need only a net four seats if Hillary Clinton is elected president and five if she isnt to retake the majority. And with Wisconsin and Illinois virtually impossible holds for Republicans in a presidential year (especially with Trump at the top of the ticket), the whole thing seemed like a foregone conclusion. Then two things happened. The first was that Rubio went back on his promise made during his unsuccessful presidential bid not to seek a second Senate term in 2016. Rubios reversal days before the states filing deadline was a huge moment for Senate Republicans. In a single day, they went from a crowded Republican primary field in which none of the candidates had distinguished themselves to Rubio. (All of the GOP primary candidates with the exception of wealthy developer Carlos Beruff dropped out once Rubio got in.) For all of the negative publicity Rubio got at the end of his presidential candidacy and his very public Hamlet act on running for the Senate again, the reality is that he is not only a very naturally talented candidate, but also one with considerable name identification in Florida and lots of access to the tens of millions of dollars necessary to run and win. Rubios candidacy not only gave Republicans a better-than-average shot to hold the seat, but also saved the party committee and its allied super PACs at least $20 million in spending to try to hold the seat. The second major development was that Portman, who trailed former Ohio governor Ted Strickland (D) in early polls in the Senate race, showed that he is one of the most disciplined and just plain best candidates running for any office these days. Relentlessly and meticulously, Portman built his organization even as he and his aligned super PAC were ripping Strickland limb from limb via millions of dollars worth of TV ads painting his governorship as a failure. (Strickland lost his bid for a second term to John Kasich in 2010.) As the summer went on, it became clear that Portman was not only catching Strickland but also lapping him in polls. (Portman has a double-digit lead over Strickland in the RealClearPolitics polling average.) Then came the death blow for Strickland: The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) and the Senate Democratic super PAC announced that they were canceling weeks of planned ad buys on his behalf, a sign of rapidly eroding confidence in his chances of making up the ground he has lost to Portman. Portman has run a damn fine race, DSCC Executive Director Tom Lopach said at a trade association meeting last week in Washington. The rest, Ill have to tell you over a drink. Like Rubios strength in Florida, Portmans surge in Ohio means more than just a single Senate seat. If Republicans dont need to spend the millions they probably had allocated for Portman in Ohio or for whoever their nominee was going to be in Florida, that frees up lots of money to spend in Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Nevada and even, potentially, Arizona and Missouri. None of the above is to argue that Republicans are sitting pretty in their quest to hold the Senate this November. A betting man would give Democrats a narrow edge. But the sole reason you can have a serious conversation about Republicans holding on to their majority shortly after Labor Day is because of Rubio and Portman. Every Republican should send them a thank you note. Officers patrol outside a police station in Mombasa, Kenya, on Sunday, following a knife and bomb attack by three women. (Agence France-Presse via Getty Images) Three women who, according to police, were armed with a gasoline bomb were shot dead Sunday morning in Mombasas central police station. The women walked into the station under the pretext of reporting a stolen phone. They had concealed a knife and the bomb in their clothing. While police officers were questioning them about the particulars of the stolen phone, said Patterson Maello, the police commandant of Mombasa County, one of the women drew the knife while another threw the bomb at police station personnel. Police reaction led to the three being shot, Maello said. A witness, Salma Mohamed, a resident of Mombasa County who was at the station when the women walked in, said that a police officer was stabbed twice before the women were killed. The women were shouting, Allahu akbar Arabic for God is great Mohamed said. Two officers were taken to the hospital with injuries. Two bulletproof jackets and an unused gasoline bomb were recovered from the suspects, police said. The motive behind the attack remains unknown, although unconfirmed reports indicate that the attackers were attempting to free prisoners held at the station, according to the Standard, a Kenyan newspaper. This is the second terrorist attack at a police station in Kenya, the last being in July when a rogue officer suspected of having terror links held a station hostage in western Kenya. He was gunned down by Kenyas elite terror squad. Since 2011, the al-Shabab group has launched attacks in Kenya, mainly in Nairobi and Mombasa. These attacks are thought to be in retaliation for Kenyas involvement in a coordinated military mission with the Somalis, under the African Union Mission in Somalia banner, against al-Shabab. Kenya has also battled homegrown terrorism, with the worst attack having taken place in 2015 at the Garissa University College. It claimed 148 lives. Read more The lions of Nairobi National Park are escaping to the suburbs Report says East African countries face increasing threat from al-Shabab Kenya says it will close all refugee camps, displacing 600,000 people Todays coverage from Post correspondents around the world New York: For six years, Amy Passiak oversaw the distribution of hundreds of objects from the World Trade Center in New York, a task she finished days before the 15th anniversary of the 11 September attacks. There was only a knot of people on 27 July, in a corner of the cargo area at New York's Kennedy airport, to help with the end of the adventure. The last pieces from the Twin Towers still stored in Hangar 17, which had been exposed to the view of thousands, left under Passiak's watchful eye. For six years, she coordinated the distribution of almost 2,800 pieces under the control of the site's owner, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. Among them, there was no individual, personal object: a damaged police car, sunglasses sold at one of the stores in the building, but mostly massive objects, fragments of the destroyed skyscrapers in lower Manhattan. There was a lot of steel, including several of the tridents, the distinctive forked steel structures on the facade at the base of the buildings, each weighing several dozen tonnes. In 2009, the Port Authority decided to distribute the objects to non-profit organisations and government entities for use in public memorial projects. Already working at the 9/11 Memorial and Museum, Passiak was chosen to supervise the program. Passiak, who is in her 30s and holds a master's degree in museum studies, discovered a universe about which she knew almost nothing. "I was a senior in high school in Michigan when 9/11 happened. I had never been to New York City," she said. Passiak had no close family connection to the victims of the attacks, or the police officers, firefighters and emergency personnel, nothing that could create a link, even an indirect one, with the attack. "I didn't have a real concept of what the World Trade Center was, where it was," she added. 'A lot of hugs' Retrospectively, this distance perhaps allowed her to completely plunge into the task without feeling emotionally overwhelmed. Since a little more than a year ago, the pace of the work has sharply slowed and Passiak is also handling other projects, but "for about four years, my life was 11 September, which is crazy," she said. Generally, "I think that I'm a very emotionally steady person," she said, "so I think that that actually helped with the job. I was able to remain calm." Passiak and the Port Authority approved the requests of 1,567 different groups across the United States, many of them fire and police departments, schools and cities. In 2009, the Port Authority decided to distribute the objects to non-profit organisations and government entities for use in public memorial projects. Requests for objects also were approved for 10 foreign countries, including Canada, China, Germany and Italy. Despite its long ties with the US, France is missing from the list. Each distribution was emotionally charged. "I received a lot of hugs," said Passiak, smiling. "As the front person, you became part of that grieving process, almost like a pillar that they were able to identify and lean on." Passiak has now finished the project and said "it feels good" knowing that all the pieces went somewhere and the memorials were built. "They weren't giving it to individuals they were giving it to groups of people that can process everything and interact together. That's probably the element that I found most rewarding." A boy tends to his fathers favorite cow as night falls at the vast open air market near Islamabad, where thousands of cows, bulls, goats and a few camels are being sold this week to be slaughtered for sacrifice at Muslim festival of Eid al-Adha. (Pamela Constable/The Washington Post) Azar Iqbal, 32, stroked his pretty white cow invitingly and adjusted the multicolored tassels arranged across her brow. See how beautiful she is, he called out as a stream of potential buyers wandered past. Very gentle, very fresh. Only [$1,000]. Deeper into the vast temporary encampment on the outskirts of Islamabad, Maqbool Meher, 45, paraded his prize cow in a tight circle for a customer. There was no more room amid the thousands of bulls and cows, goats and even a few camels, all on sale for sacrificial slaughter during Eid al-Adha, the three-day Muslim holiday that began Monday. This is my baby. I raised her from birth, the turbaned farmer said with a paternal smile, surveying the noisy, crowded fairground Friday. My happiness will be complete if she is sacrificed for Eid. For the past week, this enormous vacant field outside the orderly Pakistani capital has been transformed into a teeming mix of human and animal traffic, hucksterism and religious sentiment. Every seller is looking for an edge, every buyer for a trick. Both sides also seem to be swept up in the excitement of the holiday ritual, when Muslims the world over will slit the throat of an animal and distribute its meat to friends, relatives and the needy. In the impoverished Islamic republic of 182 million, where the annual per capita income is about $1,500, most people can barely afford to buy a goat or sheep to sacrifice for Eid, but many families pool their resources and divide the cost and meat of a cow, which is both more economical and more prestigious. Sacrificial animals are being sold at hundreds of locations across the country. The biggest and most handsome Brahma bulls are the stars of the open-air bazaar at Pir Wadhai, and they can cost as much as several thousand dollars. Their owners gussy them up with garlands of tassels, bells, black eye makeup and sequined collars, an annoyance to which the burly beasts occasionally object by butting or kicking. Buyers are watchful for cheating, and most insist on inspecting each animals teeth to make sure that it is at least 2 years old, the minimum age Islam prescribes for sacrificial slaughter. Agricultural officials are stationed at the camp, but reports about the spread of a tick-borne virus known as Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever have made buyers warier than usual. Some visitors on Friday were wearing surgical masks as they wandered among the rows of tethered animals, but most seemed unfazed. What Im looking for is a beautiful animal at a reasonable price, said Malik Imran, 34, a service manager for a telecommunications company, who is planning to share the cost of a cow with several relatives. This is a special time in our religion, and we want a special animal, not an ordinary one. Eid al-Adha is an annual festival that commemorates the willingness of Ibrahim, the figure known as Abraham in the Bible, to follow Gods command to sacrifice his son Ishmael, who was later saved by an angel and lived to be 137. It is not to be confused with Eid al-Fitr, a separate festival that marks the end of Ramadan. In customary Islamic practice, the meat of the sacrificial animals is divided into thirds for family, friends and the poor. One of the most special animals being offered at Pir Wadhai this Eid is an otherwise ordinary brown-and-white cow whose owners claim that she has been favored by God because the letters of the prophet Muhammads name can be vaguely deciphered in the arrangement of brown spots on her white flank. On Friday, they were asking $1,500 for her but had not yet found a buyer. There were expensive camels that loomed above the bustling scene, peering down at the crowd and occasionally dipping into sacks of feed at their feet. Mohammed Khan, 50, had brought three camels 100 miles by truck and set up his bedroll almost under their massive feet. If he was lucky, he said, he would sell one by Monday. On a more modest scale, a shopkeeper named Hawaid, 28, said he was content with the sturdy bearded goat he had purchased for about $350, white and painted with orange polka dots. It took me two weeks to find the right one, he said as his young son petted the goat. This is our religious duty, and this is what I can afford. With the sun setting, the din of moos and bleats subsided as makeshift feeding troughs were filled and animals settled down to dinner. But the day was hardly over at the 24-hour bazaar, with pickup trucks bringing in still more cows from the countryside and buyers cramming goats into taxis and vans. Colored lights were strung from poles and switched on, and brightly garlanded cows were tethered in rows beneath them, much like a used-car lot. By Monday, the dismantling of the camp would be underway, the unlucky sellers would load their remaining livestock into trucks, and the animals chosen for backyard sacrifices across the region would soon be silent forever. Read more Scores of attorneys among the dead in suicide bombing in southwestern Pakistan American University in Kabul reopens after kidnappings, but campuses feel chill Afghan political crisis intensifies as two-year anniversary nears Todays coverage from Post correspondents around the world A Jewish woman and a Muslim woman pose on an Israeli beach wearing modest swimwear produced by an Israeli company. (Courtesy of SunWay ) One of the most jarring images of the summer was of French police demanding that a Muslim woman on a beach in Nice remove parts of her full-bodied swimsuit, known as a burkini. The photo ignited a debate over French values and religious liberty but also sparked curiosity worldwide. Why do women cover up on the beach? Is it their choice? And does it really matter what swimwear people wear? Think speedos. Even after a French court overturned the ban, many Israelis felt quite smug when they heard about Frances burkini debate. Although Israel is not known as a bastion of religious tolerance, people here are quite accepting when it comes to religious attire. And its not unusual to see ultra-Orthodox Jewish and Muslim women fully covered on Israeli beaches, sitting next to the scantily clad. [Frances burkini debate: About a bathing suit and a countrys peculiar secularism] Frances highest administrative court, the Conseil dEtat, overturned the so-called burkini bans in 26 of the countrys coastal towns and cities. (Jason Aldag/The Washington Post) At the SunWay warehouse in Hod Hasharon, near Tel Aviv, Anat Yahav does not refer to her line of full-coverage swimsuits as burkinis. To her, they are just modest swimsuits for anyone of any religion, shape, age or size and for any reason. Who decided that women should go to the beach in a bra and panties? Yahav said on a recent Sunday afternoon, sitting in her airy office at the entrance to SunWays colorful warehouse. Orders for her modest swimwear line have increased since the controversy last month, she said, and interest has certainly piqued. Her suits are widely sold through distributors in Miami, department stories in Greece and online globally, as well as in outlets in Israel. Yahav started the company nearly two decades ago with a line of UV swimwear to protect babies and children from the harsh Middle East sun. The all-in-one bodysuits she made for children were so popular that mothers began requesting something similar for themselves. Yahav started to make the onesies in bigger sizes 12 years ago, and word soon spread to religious women looking for something that offered full coverage and was less form-fitting. Inside the SunWay warehouse and showroom, which sits in the shadow of this central Israeli towns high-tech park, Yahav receives customers of all backgrounds: ultra-Orthodox Jewish women, Muslim women, others who want to protect their skin and those who just dont like showing off too much skin. [Burkini, meet facekini: What women around the world wear to the beach] The full-coverage suits come in a variety of styles, plain or patterned, black or bright pink. The ones most popular among Muslim women include a few parts: a hooded bodysuit that is covered by a contrasting swim dress or skirt. Others opt for a swim dress with either long or shorter sleeves, paired with leggings; or perhaps leggings, a skirt and separate top. They are not cheap; each part costs as much as a full swimsuit. There is no one popular style. Everyone chooses what suits them, Yahav said. Even though they are covered up, the women still want to look good and fashionable. Hadas Kan, 50, who had come to shop from a town nearby, said that she is not religious but at my age, I dont feel comfortable in a bikini. Its not that I dont like my body, I just dont need to show it to everyone, she said. Kan has bought swimming leggings and a swim T-shirt, but no skirt. Im going on vacation next week and this is what I am going to wear, she said. The debate over what women are wearing to the beach is another attack on women, Yahav said. If you look at history, if you look at the swimsuits of the past, women were much more covered up, so why is there a problem now? Read more: 7 uncomfortable facts about Frances burkini controversy Frances burkini bans lead to cries of hypocrisy and sexism Todays coverage from Post correspondents around the world Clashes erupted in Libyas oil crescent on Sunday as fighters loyal to a powerful eastern military commander fought a rival militia aligned with the U.N.-backed unity government for control of the nations lucrative petroleum facilities. By Sunday evening, a spokesman for Gen. Khalifa Hifter said his forces had seized control of Ras Lanuf and Sidra, among Libyas largest oil ports, and were fighting for control for Zuwaytinah. There were also clashes around the nearby town of Ajdabiya, Ahmed al-Mismari, the spokesman, told the LANA news agency, widely seen as close to a rival government in the east aligned with Hifter. A spokesman for the Petroleum Facilities Guard, the militia that controlled the ports for months, denied the claim but acknowledged that they had come under attack Sunday morning. The state-run National Oil Corp. told Reuters that Ras Lanuf and Sidra were under the full control of Hifters fighters while Zuwaytinah was contested. Sundays assaults triggered fears about a wider battle over Libyas oil resources the nation has the worlds ninth-largest oil reserves undermining its ability to restart production and bring in revenue vital to reconciling rival militias and reconstruction. [As oil output falls, Libya is on the verge of economic collapse] Worried about reported fighting in the oil crescent, Martin Kobler, head of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya, wrote in a tweet. Will add to division and further restricting oil exports. oil belongs to ALL libyans. Peter Millett, the British ambassador to Libya, tweeted that the reports of heavy clashes around the oil crescent were worrying. The fighting arrived as Muslims around the world celebrated Eid al-Adha, the three-day Islamic holiday that began Sunday in many countries. #Eid should be a time of peace and reconciliation not fresh conflict, Millett wrote. Oil has been an attractive prize since Libyan dictator Moammar Gaddafi was deposed and killed in the Arab Spring uprisings five years ago. As Libya plunged into civil war, the fight over oil became a stark sign of the fragmentation of political, economic and military power in the country. Before Gaddafi fell, Libya was producing 1.6 million barrels of oil per day. Today, oil production stands at about 360,000 barrels per day; other estimates place it around 200,000 barrels a day. Hifter, a former Gaddafi ally turned foe who lived in exile in Northern Virginia for nearly two decades, is opposed to the Western-backed unity government. He has rejected attempts to integrate his forces into a national army and is widely seen as one of the main obstacles to creating a unified Libya. Sundays attacks will probably deepen divisions among Libyas militias. The Petroleum Facilities Guard had struck an agreement with the unity government to end its blockade and resume exports of oil from Ras Lanuf, Sidra and Zuwaytinah. If the ports are under Hifters control, and remain so, it could affect the unity governments survival, its ability to unify and rebuild Libya, and its fight against the Islamic State and its aspirations in North Africa. Read more Inside the brutal but bizarrely bureaucratic world of the Islamic State in Libya Even with U.S. airstrikes, a struggle to oust ISIS from Libyan stronghold Libyas parliament rejects U.N.-backed unity government Todays coverage from Post correspondents around the world Toby Willis is accused of child rape. (Photo: TBI) The father of The Willis Clan, a country music group that once had show on TLC, was arrested on child rape charges Friday, authorities have announced in a statement. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigations announced that they began investigating Toby Nathaniel Willis, 46, on Aug. 29, and discovered that he allegedly had a sexual encounter with an underage girl in Nashville about 12 years ago. TBI agents say they arrested Willis in Greenville, Kentucky, where he reportedly fled from his home in Ashland City, Tennessee to avoid police. He was charged with one count of rape of a child. The show ran for two seasons. (Photo: TLC) Willis and his family starred on TLCs The Willis Family, which followed their life as a musical family of 14. Toby, his wife Brenda, and their 12 children first rose to fame when they reached the quarterfinals of season nine of Americas Got Talent. The show has aired two seasons on TLC, the last of which ended on April 19. In a statement to People the network confirmed that they had canceled the series. We are shocked to hear the news, the network said in a statement. TLC has removed The Willis Family page from its website. A source tells People that the show was canceled back in May, shortly after their second season aired. The family was alerted of the cancellation back in may 2016, the source said. The network performed extensive background checks on all the family [members] and found no issues. For more news videos visit Yahoo View. Obviously this is something they were never aware of, the source added. The Christian familys conservative beliefs played a role in their TLC series. However, during an interview with People last year, the couples oldest daughter Jessica said their household isnt restrictive. We didnt have a lot of restrictions, Jessica said. It wasnt like, Dont do this! It was more like, Try this or that. Were always encouraged to do more things, but our parents are right there to catch us if it is a bridge too far. Story continues We try to just kind of stay true to what the Bible says and live that in a very loving, nonjudgmental way without pushing that on anyone else, Tobys wife Brenda told People at the time. Willis is being held in the Muhlenberg County Jail in Kentucky without bond as a fugitive from justice, and will be moved to Cheatham County Jail in his hometown, where he will also be held without bond, according to the TBI statement. Reporting by CHARLOTTE TRIGGS and KARA WALKER Kathmandu: Nepal Prime Minister Prachanda has said he will not sign any controversial deal with India during his visit this week but would lay a "strong foundation" for mutual trust after bilateral ties went through "some bitter experience" over Madhesi stir during his predecessor's tenure. The Maoist chief, who became Nepal's premier for the second time on 4 August, taking the reign of the country from the pro-China KP Oli, said he was taking the four-day visit starting from 15 September as a "challenging opportunity." "I am confident that the visit (to India) would not only normalise the relations that went through some bitter experience in the recent past, but also build a strong foundation for mutual trust," he told the International Relations and Labour Committee of the Parliament on Saturday. Later at an interaction on Indo-Nepal ties organised by Nepal Institute of International Relations, Prachanda said he would like to urge all to let him "take risk as a leader". "A leader should have the privilege to take risk," the 61-year-old new prime minister said, adding that he would not sign any controversial deal with India during the visit. "I urge all the people in the country not to dictate me and let me take risk in favour of our national interest." Soon after he took over, Prachanda sent special envoys to India and China in a bid to improve ties with both countries. He accused Oli government of creating a rift between people from the hills and the plains. "The country cannot be prosperous without strengthening national unity," he said. Prachanda has said disagreements with the Madhesi people inhabitants of the southern plains who share strong cultural and family bonds with Indians over the federal boundaries in the new Constitution would be sorted out by mid-October. Nepal's ties with India had strained after a months-long border blockade last year by the ethnic minority protesters over the new Constitution, which they claim is discriminatory to their interest. The Oli government accused India of imposing an "unofficial blockade" on the landlocked nation to support the Madhesi demand of more political representation. Prachanda, whose first stint as Nepal's premier from 2008 to 2009 came to an end due to disagreement with the military over his attempt to sack the army chief, has three major tasks cut out for him: concluding the peace process, implementing the new Constitution and improving relations with India, according to leading Nepalese daily The Kathmandu Post. He has long been floating the idea of tripartite cooperation between China-Nepal-India and he believes it could fulfil Nepali people's aspirations of change and prosperity. Another major area of focus for his government would be ensure reconstruction of Nepal following the devastating earthquake in April last year. Earthquake victims have complained that the Rs 200,000 aid announced by the previous government was insufficient to reconstruct their homes. Correction appended, Sept. 11, 2016 After a week of questionable press, independent presidential candidate Evan McMullin took to Northwest Washington, D.C., on a steamy Saturday evening to officially introduce himself. The Stand Up America PAC, which is backing McMullin, hosted an evening with the candidate at the home of Juleanna Glover, a political consultant and Washington insider, on Saturday evening. The snacks offeredassorted pizza slices, sushi, homemade pop tarts from local favorite Teds Bulletin and macaroonswere about as unconventional as the candidate who weaved about the room, mingling with guests, snapping pics, and explaining his platform. Some guests were enthusiastic about the idea of a McMullin candidacy, while others were just there to feel things out. Around an hour into mingling, McMullin briefly addressed the gathered crowd, explaining his vision for a new conservative movement in America. As a former CIA officer charged with recruiting assets within terrorist organizations who fed information to the U.S. government in the wake of 9/11, he wears his patriotism on his sleeve, even tearing up at the mention of Americans standing up for American values during a Q&A with Bill Kristol. But as an Establishment Republican who served as policy director for the House Republican Conference, he says the party has lost its sense of commitment to liberty. The movement hes hoping to shepherd would recommit itself to liberty while also affirming the U.S.s commitment to tolerance. I believe the opportunity in this country is in thisliberty and tolerance, McMullin said. I believe that we have an opportunity to move the conservative movement forward with ideas that shouldnt be so difficult like acknowledging climate change respecting the fact that not everyone will believe in the way we believe. In just a month, McMullin said, between 145,000 and 150,000 people have either signed up to volunteer, donated, or signed up for their email lists, healthy but still small numbers for a national presidential campaign. In Utah, where the grassroots campaign is headquartered, about 5,000 people have signed up to volunteer and theres genuine interest in states like Wisconsin and Iowa. The majority of the support he said is happening on its own, without any infrastructure provided by the campaign. Story continues The most surprising aspect of his campaign, he said, is how many Bernie Sanders supporterswho many assumed would vote for Trump given their aversion to Clintons policieshave vowed to support him, even though not all of their ideas align. There is something very grassroots and organic about what is happening in response to this campaign, he said. Its truly encouraging and for me as a candidate, its humbling. It true that there is an appetite among Americans in the abstract for a third-party alternative. About 42% of American voters consider themselves independentthough most end up voting for the same party over and over in the privacy of the voting boothand polls show Clintons lead narrowing when voters have the option of picking between four candidates, including Green Party candidate Jill Stein and Libertarian Gary Johnson, though historically that hasnt translated to as many votes on Election Day, and even their role as spoilers is often overstated. Read More: The Myth of the Libertarian Spoiler Candidate Still, McMullin got emotional talking about the ways in which his supporters have confronted some supporters of Donald Trump who have written bigoted comments on social media, calling it proof that Americans are willing to stand up for the nations values even when their leaders fail to do so. McMullin fully recognizes that hes an unconventional, and quite frankly, a long shot candidate. After launching his campaign a little over four weeks ago, the biggest question raised about him in the press has been who his Vice Presidential pick will be, after it was reported that the man who appears with him on several ballots is merely a stand-in. Campaign officials suggested to TIME there will be a candidate soon, though no official date was given. According to one official, they are vetting about 10 candidates, half of whom are people of color and three of whom are women. Though McMullin and his team are enthusiastic, he fully understands that the odds are stacked against him. Hes in the midst of trying to access the ballot in the majority of states; his team hopes to be on the ballot or a write-in candidate in at least 40 states. His hope is to win by losing, essentially. If hes able to pull enough Electoral College votes to block Hillary Clinton and Trump from winning outright, it would be up to the House of Representatives to decide the race. In this scenario, McMullin thinks he could have a real shot at winning. That, of course, also depends on whether or not one candidate has a clear Electoral College lead over the other. Whats more, what the McMullin campaign is hoping for hasnt happened in American politics since the 1800s. But, Evan McMullin is a passionate man, keen on reintroducing themes of tolerance and unity to the conservative moment in America. On a hot early September evening in Washington, his eyes welled with tears as he explained to TIME why he felt his longshot candidacy couldnt wait; that holding off action until after the election would be too little, too late. Republican leaders will be judged by their actions during the election, not their explanations after, he said. I refuse to stay silent while the Republican nominee aligns with a foreign adversary and promotes intolerance across our country. Correction: The original version of this story misstated the number of volunteers for the McMullin campaign in Utah. It is about 5,000, according to McMullin. Rome (AFP) - Around 1,100 migrants were rescued off the coast of Libya on Sunday, bringing the tally over the weekend to 3,400, the Italian coastguard said. Those saved on Sunday had left Libya aboard eight overloaded inflatable dinghies and two fishing vessels, they said. They were picked up by Italian coastguard and naval vessels, a British and an Irish warship and several ships chartered by humanitarian NGOs, the coastguard said. The Aquarius, hired by the groups SOS Mediterranee and Doctors without Borders (MSF), said it had picked up 252 people, including women and small children. On Saturday, 2,300 people were rescued from 18 small boats, heading to Italy. The weekend's arrivals come on the heels of a big migrant wave at the end of August, when more than 14,000 people were plucked to safety in the space of five days. Most were from sub-Saharan Africa. According to Italy's interior ministry, about 124,500 migrants have arrived since the start of 2016, just slightly more than the 122,000 recorded for the whole of last year. 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 interior ministry figures this month, Italy now has 155,000 migrants in reception centres, compared with 103,000 in 2015 and 66,000 in 2014. New York (AFP) - Sunday marks the 15th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks on the United States that left nearly 3,000 people dead. The Al-Qaeda plane hijackings of September 11, 2001 -- the first foreign attack on the US mainland in nearly two centuries -- ruptured a sense of safety and plunged the West into wars still being fought today. Two planes smashed into New York's World Trade Center, leaving 2,753 dead. A third hit the Pentagon in Washington, killing 184, and 40 more died after a fourth plane headed for Washington crashed into a field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania after a passenger revolt. Here is the timeline of the events that fateful morning, which reshaped the course of US history: 8:46 am - The first strike An American Airlines Boeing 767 making a Boston-Los Angeles connection with 92 people on board -- including five hijackers -- smashes into the North Tower of the World Trade Center, leaving a giant hole in the building's facade. Thick smoke trails into the sky from the tower's upper floors. 9:03 am - Second tower hit A United Airlines Boeing 767 making a Boston-Los Angeles connection with 65 people on board -- including five hijackers -- hits the South Tower of the WTC, sparking a massive explosion. 9:30 am - Bush speaks Then US president George W. Bush, in Sarasota, Florida, calls the blasts "an apparent terrorist attack." He orders "a full-scale investigation to hunt down and to find those folks who committed these acts" and says he will immediately return to Washington. 9:37 am - Pentagon hit An American Airlines Boeing 757 making a Washington Dulles-Los Angeles connection with 64 people on board -- including five hijackers -- smashes into the Pentagon in suburban Washington, setting off two explosions. 9:42 am - Planes grounded The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) orders the cancellation of all commercial flights in the United States. 9:59 am - South Tower collapses The WTC's South Tower, hit 56 minutes earlier, collapses in a huge cloud of smoke and dust. Story continues 10:03 am - Crash in Pennsylvania A United Airlines Boeing 757 traveling from Newark to San Francisco with 44 people on board -- including four hijackers -- crashes into a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, after passengers and crew apparently fought with the hijackers. 10:28 am - North Tower collapses The north tower of the WTC collapses, an hour and 42 minutes after it was struck. A huge cloud of dust blankets lower Manhattan. LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / September 10, 2016 / Lundin Law PC (the "Firm") announces a class action lawsuit has been filed against Juno Therapeutics Inc. ("Juno" or the "Company") (JUNO) concerning possible violations of federal securities laws between May 9, 2016 and July 7, 2016 (the "Class Period"). Investors, who purchased or otherwise acquired shares during the Class Period, should contact the Firm in advance of the September 12, 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, Juno failed to disclose that a patient died during a clinical trial for its product candidate in May 2016. Juno was thus trading at artificially inflated prices and some insiders participated in heavy selling of shares until July 7, 2016. On July 7, 2016, Juno announced the May 2016 death and two additional deaths during clinical trial, and the Food & Drug Administration put a hold on the trial. After the true details emerged, shares of Juno dropped in value sharply, which caused investors harm. Lundin Law PC was established 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 Afghan forces backed by air strikes mounted a new offensive to flush out Taliban insurgents encircling the capital of southern Uruzgan province, officials said Sunday, days after militants stormed into the city. Taliban fighters on Thursday had attempted to overrun Tarin Kot, triggering heavy fighting around government buildings and sending panicked residents fleeing, but they were repelled hours later by Afghan forces bolstered by reinforcements. Government troops launched a fresh offensive late Saturday to further beat them back from the outskirts of the city, which has been besieged for months. "Dozens of Taliban fighters have been killed since military, police and special forces mounted the offensive backed by air strikes," Dost Mohammad Nayab, spokesman for Uruzgan's governor, told AFP. He said 13 policemen were killed and 20 others wounded in recent days of fighting, which highlights the insurgent movement's aggressive push to capture big cities, from Kunduz in the north to Lashkar Gah in the south. Boosting morale for government troops, General Abdul Raziq, the powerful police chief of Kandahar province with a fierce reputation for brutality, has been leading the operation in Uruzgan. US warplanes also offered support, with three air strikes in the vicinity of Tarin Kot on Friday, along with Afghan air support. But many civilians who fled the Taliban onslaught on Thursday remain fearful of returning to Tarin Kot. "We left everything behind, including our house, farm and livestock," said Ezatullah Khpalwak who escaped to Kandahar with 25 family members when the fighting erupted. "The government says it has driven out the Taliban from Tarin Kot, but we fear the militants will make a comeback." In a sobering admission on Thursday, Uruzgan's police chief Wais Samim had said many of Tarin Kot's outer defences had fallen to the Taliban without a fight, suggesting internal foul play as he vowed action against any insurgent sympathisers. Story continues The Taliban had drawn jobless Afghans from outlying districts to join them in attacking Tarin Kot, promising them free rein to loot once they were inside the city, multiple village residents told AFP. "The Taliban announced in mosques: 'the head of the enemy will be ours, the booty will be yours'," Mohibullah, a resident of the volatile Dehrawud district, told AFP. "That's how they attracted dozens of jobless men to fight with them." Nayab said many homes inside Tarin Kot were looted after the Taliban raided the city on Thursday, with stolen possessions including vehicles of local residents. The deteriorating security highlights the struggle of overstretched Afghan forces to secure remote provinces such as Uruzgan, a top poppy-growing region where Australian, Dutch and American troops fought for years. Elsewhere in the country on Sunday, the prominent police chief of eastern Nangarhar province, an Islamic State group stronghold, was killed by a roadside bomb. General Zorawar Zahid was leading a counter insurgency operation in the troubled Hasarak district when his vehicle hit an improvised explosive device, underlining the growing insecurity in Afghanistan. The Taliban claimed responsibility for his killing. The fall 2016 election season features a packed Nov. 8 ballot from top to ballot. Following are some thumbnails of candidates and ballot measures, with a full list on Page A10 U.S. Senate John McCain - R Going for his sixth term in the U.S. Senate, McCain continues to emphasize national security and supports sending 10,000 U.S. troops, aided by 90,000 foreign troops, to the Middle East to stabilize the region. He has stood by Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump but disagrees with him on immigration, instead working for a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants, increases in Customs and Border Protection personnel and laws dealing with unaccompanied minors. Hes been behind privatizing the parts of the Department of Veterans Affairs that dont work and isnt in favor of a Grand Canyon national monument. Ann Kirkpatrick - D A three-term congresswoman representing the First Congressional District, Kirkpatrick has been a consistent supporter of the comprehensive Gang of 8 immigration plan championed by McCain, as well as the DREAM Act and President Obamas deferred deportation policies. She still backs the Affordable Care Act, voted for the Iran nuclear deal and has agreed with Obamas proposal to require background checks at gun shows. She wants congressional debate about any proposal to send troops abroad to defeat terrorism and supports a Grand Canyon national monument. First Congressional District Tom OHalleran - D The former state legislator says the country needs an immigration solution that comprehensively addresses border security funding and technology as well as the visa system and a path to citizenship. OHalleran said his views have evolved to support gay marriage and a womans right to have an abortion, he believes the country should move forward with the Affordable Care Act and he supports tax cuts for companies that share profits with their employees as well as raising the minimum wage to a livable wage. Paul Babeu - R The Pinal County Sheriff emphasizes his lengthy history working in border security operations and states his major priority is securing the countrys southern border before pursuing other immigration system reforms like a legal work status for undocumented immigrants. He would like to reform Veterans Affairs by outsourcing most services to private doctors, doesnt support the government intervention in the Affordable Care Act, believes more federal dollars should go toward mental health and solidly opposes any increases in gun regulation. Legislative District 6 Senate --Democrat Nikki Bagley is the director of viticulture at Yavapai College. Bagley served as the mayor of the town of Jerome for two years and a Jerome councilwoman for two nonconsecutive terms. Bagley has also worked as an adjunct professor at Yavapai College and served on the Yavapai County Water Advisory Committee. -- Republican Sylvia Tenney Allen is a current state senator who was elected and served from 2008 to 2012 in what was previously District 5 and was elected again in 2014 in District 6. Allen was previously a Navajo County Supervisor and owns RA Drywall and Clean Up and co-founder of the George Washington Academy in Snowflake. Representative (elect 2) --Republican Bob Thorpe is currently a representative in the Arizona House of Representatives and has served since he was elected in 2012. As a representative, Thorpe has served as the chairman of the Government and Higher education Committees. Thorpe has also served as president of the Highlands Firefighters Association charity. --Republican Brenda Barton is currently a representative in the Arizona House of Representatives and has served three terms since being elected in 2010. Barton works in fund accounting and previously worked for the city of Safford. Barton served as the Region III director for the Republican Women. --Democrat Alex Martinez is a former school superintendent and Captain of the Naval Reserve. Martinez worked for 36 years in public education, including as a teacher, an elementary school principal and superintendent and said he likes to volunteer for veterans organizations. Martinez said he wants to bolster public education in Arizona. Coconino County Sheriff --Democrat Jim Driscoll is currently the chief deputy to Sheriff Bill Pribil, who is retiring. He has worked in all areas of the sheriffs office, including patrol, detectives, jail and search and rescue. He has also focused on community policing, neighborhood watch, and situational awareness/active shooter response training. --Independent Danny Thomas served for many years as a regional state liquor control officer in Flagstaff. He is now a consultant on liquor law and license issues. He says his focus, if elected, would be on raising deputy pay and morale, cutting waste and modernizing equipment. County Supervisors: District 2 --Democrat Liz Archuleta, who is running for her sixth term as supervisor, has touted her leadership in the Schultz Fire recovery effort and weekend food backpack program. Criminal justice reform, especially in the area of mental health, and collaborating to expand county services as the population grows are two of her priorities. Shes also focused on poverty reduction through job creation, increased participation in postsecondary education and addressing housing costs. --Republican Bruce Sall, whose career was in the movie business, said he will follow through on county sales tax-supported road improvement efforts, will support county law enforcement by voting yes on whatever good things the sheriff requests and will try to attract movie production to the county for economic development. A member of the local Tea Party, he suggested he could establish a video production workshop for students having trouble getting through school. District 3: --Republican Christine Gannon is a registered nurse who lives in Parks. She said she will focus her efforts on road maintenance, explore private partnerships and federal grants to improve utility coverage including internet across the county and encourage growth of post-hospital medical care facilities in the area. A member of the Flagstaff Liberty Alliance, Gannon said she would prioritize fiscal responsibility and increased transparency about her supervisors stance on particular issues --Democrat Matt Ryan, in his fifth term as supervisor, said he will work to sustain the countys military installations while protecting natural habitat and promoting compatible development nearby. He will prioritize collaborating on traffic congestion solutions and multi-modal opportunities particularly in the Milton and Lone Tree corridors and will focus efforts on protecting county revenues and pushing back against state unfunded mandates. District 4 --Republican Jim Parks, a retired cowboy, said he would emphasize rural and agricultural issues if elected to the countys top board. He would also support improving road maintenance, emergency services and law enforcement presence on the Navajo Nation and wants to build a memorial for all of the countys war veterans. He supported the countys road maintenance sales tax and annual tax levy increases and is against a Grand Canyon national monument proposal. -- Democrat Janis Crosman, who owns a sound system business with her husband and served on the countys planning and zoning commission for eight years, is a major supporter of alternative energy and water resource conservation. She was in favor of the countys road maintenance sales tax and, when it comes to land use decisions, supports viewshed protection, a preservation of the countys rural spaces and development that remains contiguous to urban areas. FUSD school board (elect 3) --Business owner Paul Kulpinski has served on the FUSD school board since 2004. He feels that continuity on the board especially during a time of leadership transition with FUSDs search for a permanent superintendent is highly important. He hopes his extensive knowledge and professional network will continue to be of value to the board in upcoming years. --Christine Fredericks is vying for re-election to the board as her first term comes to an end. She spent 14 years as a high school teacher, leading her to strongly support anti-bullying initiatives and providing an inclusive community for staff and students. She is proud of the accomplishments the board has achieved so far. --Carole Gilmore works in NAUs College of Education and has served on various governing boards in different capacities over the years. She hopes to bring more community involvement to FUSDs board if elected. I would like it to go back to the feeling of it not being The School Board, but being your school board, she said. --Dani Lawrence is the president of the Northern Arizona Association of Realtors, a former teacher and the mother of two students in FUSD. Lawrence, whose son is special needs, said the district has many challenges ahead with finding a new special education director and a new superintendent and would like to be part of those decisions. --While serving on the Flagstaff City Council, Kara Kelty was involved in the nationwide search for city manager. She believes that her unique accumulation of skills will be useful in the search for a permanent superintendent of schools for FUSD. She recently served as head of the Basis Flagstaff charter school and now works for Leadership for Educational Equity, an educational nonprofit. Flagstaff City Mayor and City Council Mayor --Jerry Nabours is the incumbent mayor, and has served for two terms after being originally elected in 2012. Nabours was previously an attorney for 38 years before being elected, but said in various candidate forums that being mayor is now his full-time job. --Coral Evans is a current city councilwoman and has served for two terms since first being elected in 2008. Evans served as vice mayor from 2012 to 2014. Evans is the executive director of the Sunnyside Neighborhood Association of Flagstaff, Inc., and owner of Destineys Creations and Evans Properties. City Council (elect 3) --Jamie Whelan is a senior lecturer at Northern Arizona University, supervisor in the Praxis Partnership Program at NAU and FUSD and co-owner of the Old Town Creperie. Whelan was a teacher for 36 years and served on various boards, including the Victim Witness Services of Coconino County Board of Directors. --Adam Shimoni is the owner of Flagstaff Bikes and has worked in after-school programs assisting kids with disabilities and has also worked in a program called Ultimate Peace, which brings Israeli and Palestinian children together through Ultimate Frisbee. Shimoni has degrees from NAU in Secondary Special Education and Career and Technical Education. --Jeff Oravits is a current city councilman and has served one term since being elected in 2012. Oravits has served on the Stormwater Advisory Committee, Water Commission, Northern Arizona Municipal Water Association and the Flagstaff Metropolitan Planning Organization. Oravits owns and operates a property management company. --Charlie Odegaard is the owner of Odegaards Sewing Center, which has been in his family for three generations. Odegaard also serves a vice-chairman of the Flagstaff Water Commission. Odegaard said he also volunteers at his church and is the race director for the Flagstaff Sled Dog Races. --Jim McCarthy is a retired mechanical engineer who worked for Honeywell and AlliedSignal. He started his career as a technical writer and then a project engineer. McCarthy served on the Flagstaff Planning and Zoning Commission and the Flagstaff Water Commission. --Karla Brewster is a current city councilmember and has served two terms since she was first elected in 2008. Brewster is an administrative assistant at NAU in the Office of Economic Development. Brewster has served on the Open Space Commission, the Board of Adjustment and in the Economic Collaborative of Northern Arizona. Flagstaff City Ballot Measures --Proposition 411 would continue an existing sales tax dedicated to transit, at a rate of 0.295 percent. The measure would continue the tax for 10 years. --Proposition 412 asks voters to approve $12 million in bonds toward a new, $40 million city-county courthouse and parking structure on the site of the old county jail in downtown Flagstaff. --Proposition 413 would designate approximately 253 acres of city-owned property on McMillan Mesa, and 47 acres of city-owned property south of Buffalo and McPherson parks as open space for a park, with voter approval needed for any changes in land use. --Proposition 414 would increase the citys minimum wage for nontipped workers to $15 an hour by 2021 and to $15 an hour for tipped workers by 2026. Employees of the state of Arizona and the United States are not affected by the ordinance. Coconino Community College District --Proposition 410 is CCCs third attempt at a property tax override, this one adding $3 million to the annual operating budget starting in 2019. Its goal is to supplement the colleges funding to support more vocational programs, hire more full-time staff and give the school the ability to lower tuition for its students. This Immigrant Doctor Is Reimagining Health in the American City Last month, the United Nations called for $204 million in funding to address what The Associated Press called Africas food security crisis. Lingering drought in Southern Africa has hurt farmers badly this year, and 18 million people in seven countries require emergency food assistance. The current weather situation is indeed bad, and the need is realyet in a way, thats the kind of story some Western readers may have come to expect out of Africa, a place where famines occur. But the need for food aid is only one part of the larger story about food, farming, and hunger on the continent. On Tuesday, a report released by Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa told a different story about farming in sub-Saharan Africa: In the last 10 years, countries that have poured resources into agriculture saw increased crop yields, lower rates of malnutrition, and higher GDPs. The reports authors declared it the most successful development effort in African history. How did it happen? In 2003, the African Unions Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme called on African governments to earmark 10 percent of their national budgets for agriculture. Thirteen years later, the countries that heeded the calleven while falling short of the 10 percent allocationsaw productivity on existing farms rise between 6 and 7 percent and GDP increase by about 4 percent. In most countries, agricultural growth also meant a reduction in poverty. In a data-driven world of reports and mathematical averages, the numbers may seem small. Consider that GDP growth in the United States was about 2 percent in 2015, according to data from the World Bank. If an African countrys economy is growing at 3 percent or 5 percent, its a miracle, said David Ameyaw, one of the reports lead authors. Coming from the 70s to the 80s, when these countries were experiencing negative growth, it means there has been a tremendous increase. In Kenya, where agricultural yield increased by 6 percent, Ameyaw said an individual farmer might have seen harvests grow nearly 300 percent thanks to increased access to fertilizers, hybrid seeds, and machines, like small tractors. With increased yields, farmers are faced with options. No longer farming for subsistence, they now have a commodity on their hands, and they are forming organizations to pool their resources. That means aggregating their product to supply buyers who purchase in bulk and allowing them to negotiate discounts for the inputs they buy in large quantities. Story continues AGRA called these developments an agriculture transformation, one in which farmers in Africa are able to move from subsistence farming to agribusiness. The changes in the ag sector will spur infrastructure development and create more jobs at every link of a developing value chain, from R&D to the table, as Ameyaw said. Ten years ago, we needed to depend on multinational breeders to bring the seeds, he said. Now we are creating employment for someone who has finished his Ph.D. in breeding [at] Africa-based seed companies. Thats an opportunity, he added, to solve a challenging problem: More than 60 percent of Africas population is under the age of 25, and roughly 220 million young people will enter the workforce by 2035. Yet wage jobs wont be able to absorb more than 25 percent of these new workers. Farming and self-employment will be called upon to provide gainful employment for at least 70 percent of young Africans entering the labor force between now and 2030, according to the report, and more than half of those new workers will come from rural areas. To lure them to agriculture, agriculture has to be profitable. But do the changes in Africa foretell a future of the industry dominated by homegrown Monsantos and Bayers? After all, some consider agribusiness to be a four-letter word. But it may be time to change that perception, according to Stephanie Hanson of One Acre Fund, a nonprofit that works with smallholder farmers in East Africa on financing and farm training. If you define agribusiness as how do you help a smallholder farmer move from a place where theyre food insecure to a place where the family is food secure, and theres an income stream being generated from the farmthats the best kind of agribusiness you can have, she said. From there, she said, farmers can begin to diversify beyond staple foods into vegetables or to invest in chickens or a cow. That also allows them to diversify into nonagricultural rural income opportunitieswhat the AGRA report calls the off-farm sectorsuch as construction or motorbike transport businesses. Those small businesses are critical in rural communities, she said. One dollar in a rural community tends to circulate multiple times, Hanson said. If you have lots of these individual farmers earning some additional income and profit from their land, it starts to set up a chain of economic activity to rural areas. Theres still a long way to go. Many countries did not heed the African Unions call to pump money into agriculture, and across sub-Saharan Africa, the GDP rate is expected to slide down this year. Agriculture development is very uneven across the continent, Thomas S. Jayne, a professor of agricultural, food, and resource economics at Michigan State University and a coauthor of the report, said in a statement. Where there is the right mix of interventions, we see it delivering considerable economic opportunities and addressing fundamental development milestones, like improving nutrition. But where it is neglected, agriculture continues to be a barrier to generating more sustainable and equitable economic growth in sub-Saharan Africa. Hanson called the report a wake-up call to governments that demonstrates the tangible results that can come from increased spending in the agriculture sector. I think it also shows the nonprofit sector and the social enterprise sector that we cant expect governments to do everything, she said, and that organizations like One Acre and others need to work together with governments to address the full challenge that were facing in the agriculture sector in Africa. Such support from outside government, Ameyaw said, is the most important to continue to make progress in what is still the worlds most food-insecure continent. Government cannot do it alone. Private sector cannot do it alone, he said. For us to be able to continue to sustain the agriculture transformation that has started on this continent, there needs to be a strong publicprivate sector partnership. Donate: Bring Clean Water and Food Security to Africa: Support Mama Hope Related stories on TakePart: Closing the Gender Gap on the Farm Could End World Hunger Ending World Hunger: Made Possible by This Series of U.N.-Developed Programs El NinoCaused Drought Could Dry Up These Beautiful Island Destinations Original article from TakePart Hanne Gaby on the runway at Alexander Wang spring 2017. Photo: Getty When a designer is willing to hold his fashion show 45 minutes later than its scheduled to begin, you know that someone big has yet to arrive. At Alexander Wangs spring 2017 show held Saturday night in New York that someone was none other than Madonna. Mind you, I never actually saw Lady Madge in the flesh. But through a certain game of telephone often played by editors and other show-goers, we were able to decode that she had finally arrived along with her teenage daughter, Lourdes Leon. At last, it was time: The lights went up full blast as Princess Nokias Tomboy began thumping through the speakers and the very first members of Alexander Wangs model army (or is that #squad?) stomped out onto the runway. Madonna arriving to Alexander Wang. Photo: Getty Alexander Wangs look this season could best be described as California chill, or at least what we imagine #WangSquad member and model Hanne Gabys interpretation of this concept would be. Hanne has long been one of Alexs favorite girls he even designed the dress for her wedding this summer and all the girls were seemingly transformed into versions of her, sporting her bleached brows and signature messy, textured blonde shag, like theyd been surfing for a whole week and had literally not so much as rinsed their hair in fresh water. The collection started off strong, and only got stronger. The first group was all about fashions favorite essential, the button-down shirt. Lots of designers have been experimenting with deconstructing and turning them upside down etc, but there was something extraordinarily fresh and relaxed about Alexs take. There were loose white cotton blouses, a striped shirtdress with asymmetrical sleeves, and kicky little drawstring shorts reminiscent of sleepwear and sure, those are possibly only appropriate for women under a certain age, but I enjoyed thinking about the possibilities, regardless. Story continues A model on the runway at Alexander Wang spring 2017. Photo: Getty Then the girls really hit the surf. Nineties-esque faded neon sweatshirts with MIND DETERGENT emblazoned across them (Wang loves his slogans), shiny black bonded scuba tops and pants, demure wetsuit-inspired midi-length dresses with neon piping (we can see Anna Wintour in the short sleeve version), and a nylon windbreaker turned off-the shoulder-shoulder top that seems more or less made for Instagram. Wang also revisited that weird 90s tribal print that likely adorned your leggings and possibly the sides of your notebooks while you doodled idly in math class. To further drive home the chill vibes, there were no heels in the show just moccasins and flip flips with varying degrees of embellishments. Even the sequined slip dresses presented at the very end of the show were paired with flip flops. Of course, as you likely know by now, that wasnt really the end of the show. Just as the last model left the runway, the giant screen covering the sets background started playing a grainy, VHS-style movie where we could see trucks driving through New York City, interspersed with images of contracts and non disclosure agreements. Suddenly, the trucks are seized, the merchandise is opened and BOOM! Alexander Wang x Adidas was born. Models on the runway at Alexander Wang spring 2017. Photo: Getty The whole cast of models stumbled down the runway en masse, all wearing offerings from the collaboration. As it goes, Alex kept to the classics: terry cloth polos, long shorts, all in black with white stripes. The piece that will probably sell out first is the trench coat with patent leather sleeves. Health Goth will never die. And JUST when we thought the show was over for the second time, the giant screen was rolled away, and we were suddenly inside #WANGFEST a carnival that included a mobile 7-Eleven convenience store (which was promptly raided for chocolate bars, although they also had a myriad of hangover cures as well), one of those carnival grab machines stocked with Nars products, and a Slurpee station with all the flavors which wouldve been the all-time best thing Ive ever seen at a fashion party, if it werent for the fact that Alex Wang then revealed a freaking McDonalds, serving not only burgers and fries, but also bacon, egg, and cheese McMuffins. Un-REAL. Alexander Wang takes an enthusiastic bow. Photo: Getty Nearby in the VIP section, I watched Kylie Jenner romantically feed Tyga a french fry. If that isnt true love, I dont know what is. The party went until the wee hours of the morning, with performances from South Korean rapper CL, Desiigner, and Travis Scott. Meanwhile, some kids spray painted a car, while others lined up to buy #merch commemorating the evenings festivities. Sadly, Alexander Wangs spring 2017 collection was not among those items available for purchase. Otherwise, it wouldve been the first stuff to sell out. Yahoo Style is live from #NYFW! Keep it here for your front-row view of the best looks and buzziest moments of New York Fashion Week. Toronto (Canada) (AFP) - "American Pastoral," Ewan McGregor's film adaptation of the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, offers a grim look at the turbulent 1960s -- and stark parallels with US society today. The "Trainspotting" star is making his directorial debut with the film, which premiered at the Toronto film festival. The film constructs a complex portrait of a man -- and of a generation -- struggling to comprehend the collapse of a value system during a time of great upheaval, from the tumult of 1968 to outrage over the Watergate political scandal in the early 1970s, and how that ripped apart the seemingly ideal American family. It chronicles the life of a high school all-star athlete Seymour "Swede" Levov (McGregor) who marries a beauty queen (Academy Award winner Jennifer Connelly), and has a daughter, Merry, played by Dakota Fanning. Swede has a seemingly perfect life. But it comes apart when Merry is radicalized in response to the Vietnam War, and rejects her family's comfortable existence for a secret life of violent protest. "It's the unraveling of the American Dream," Uzo Aduba, best known for her role as "Crazy Eyes" on the Netflix television series "Orange Is the New Black," and now starring in her first feature film as a worker in Swede's garment factory, said of this difficult chapter in US history. In 1968, public opinion shifted against the Vietnam War. A wave of grief spread over the assassination of peace proponent Martin Luther King Jr., which turned to rioting. Two months later presidential hopeful Robert Kennedy was shot dead in Los Angeles, and the nation became numb. Richard Nixon would become the next American president touting a "law and order" crackdown in mostly black and poor urban cores. - Parallels with today - Now, racial turmoil has once again flared up over police shootings of African Americans. Governments are struggling to prevent Western youths from traveling overseas to take up arms for the extremist Islamic State group. Story continues And Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump is campaigning on a platform that includes a pledge to crack down on illegal migrants from Mexico, and a proposed ban on Muslims entering the country. Toronto film festival co-director Cameron Bailey said the film, "arriving as the world grapples with a new period of chaos, offers a bold vision of history that doubles as a mirror to the present." The film also stars David Strathairn, Molly Parker and Valorie Curry, who is also appearing at the festival in "Blair Witch." Fanning said she hadn't initially seen those similarities. Rather, she only considered it during filming "in the context of the time the movie takes place," the actress added. As the youngest cast member -- born in 1994 -- she described trying to relate "the best that I could using the script and the words on the page." "Now I think I have more of a perspective on it and a lot of people have mentioned the parallels between now and then and how this film perhaps highlights those parallels," Fanning said. "With any film, you just hope that it moves someone, it makes them feel something, it starts a conversation, whatever that may be, it changes someone's opinion. "So if this film does that for someone in the context of today, I'm happy about that." This falls incoming college freshmen were only toddlers when planes hit the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. Kyle Ward, author of History in the Making and director of the social-studies education program at Minnesota State University, Mankato, characterizes their recollections of that morning and its aftermath as shadow memories. They probably had a sense something was wrong, he explains, but wouldnt remember many, if any, personal feelings. Students born on September 11, 2001 are starting tenth grade and likely have what Ward calls textbook memories, as I do of JFKs assassination. I can recount facts about the weather in Dallas, the motorcade, and a small boys heart-wrenching salute at his fathers funeral. But even with these poignant details, its nearly impossible to grasp how it felt in America on November 22, 1963. Invariably, there is a psychological gulf between my generation and a national trauma experienced by our parents but one we only studied in school and absorbed through cultural osmosis. Learning about any historic tragedy, emotional gaps between those who were there and those who came later are inevitable. Recommended: How Trigger Warnings Are Hurting Mental Health on Campus Yet for September 11, educators are attempting close the disparity, showing students what it felt like in America that fall, and what they can learn emotionally from the weeks that followed. Teaching children the compassionate side of 9/11 is an incremental process. Fifteen years later, students across the country, from elementary grades to college campuses, are learning about the day in large part through public service and remembrancea form of instruction that is fundamentally different from how other historic moments are taught. This approach makes goodness the core lesson of a day that spawned so many political, religious, and economic consequences. In fact, framing 9/11 through an empathetic lens is largely due to two friends, David Paine and Jay Winuk, who have been a driving cultural force to change the perception of September 11 from a day of evil to a day of good. Winuk lost his brother Glenn, a volunteer firefighter and EMT who responded to the burning South Tower from his nearby law office. Glenn, as Winuk describes, embodies everything the day should stand for: a call to action. In 2002, the pair launched the nonprofit 9/11 Day, and, with the help of other survivor groups, began lobbying Congress to make September 11 an official date of citizenship, volunteerism, and good deeds. Today, in addition to charitable activities throughout the country, 9/11 Day also helps schools and parents teach the other side of September 11, defined more broadly than an opportunity to pay much-deserved tribute to first responders. Their organization provides teacher resources for promoting empathy among classmates, such as having students sit in a circle and write a reflective sentence about the person next to them. It also includes ideas for engaging children in a day of community kindness, like helping an elderly neighbor with dinner on September 11 or hosting a notebook drive for Syrian refugees. According to Winuk, 40,000 American classrooms now use their materials, while more than 28 million people nationwide participated last year in the 9/11 Day of Service. Our mission early on was to ensure that future generations dont just learn from history textbooks about the horror of 9/11, Winuk said, but that they also learn about the genuine, spontaneous outpouring of generosity that followed. Recommended: The Many Scandals of Donald Trump: A Cheat Sheet The subway was one of the most terrifying, triggering vessels for trauma. For high-school textbook writers, teaching 9/11 against the backdrop of wars still on-goingand surges of xenophobiasets it apart from an attack like Pearl Harbor or a trauma like JFK, where, a decade-and-a-half later, both events had a distinct sense of narrative closure. The causes and effects of September 11 may feel empirically muddled for some teachers. On the one hand, 9/11 is referred to as the darkest day in Americas history. On the other, students see a fresh wave of terrorist-linked massacres not only in France and Turkey, but in San Bernardino too. According to Ward, 15 years isnt usually enough time to chart historiographical changehow the narrative of the past evolves. Textbooks, however, have steadily shifted from a more nationalistic perspective to placing 9/11 in larger sections on the War on Terror, sacrificing space for the particular day to give students more nuance and complexity. Now, Ward said, textbooks show that 9/11 didnt occur in a vacuum. In retrospect, the first World Trade Center and U.S.S. Cole bombing, as well as embassy attacks in Africa, presaged an era of global terrorism. This context is key for 9/11, Ward explained. Typically, the language used around this event is that it completely changed the world. If September 11 did, in fact, have such an unprecedented impact, he added, students must understand what America was like before and after to comprehend why this was such a singularly monumental morning. Recommended: Hillary Clinton Is Right About Trump's Supporters And Prejudice By the same token, as the 27-year-old writer and 9/11 survivor Helaina Hovitz describes, September 11 is much more than just a day in a textbook because it entails a distinct level of personal trauma. It is the first time American civilians including children were attacked, en masse, on their own land. And New York students have painful stories of resilience, as some experienced displacement from both their schools and their childhood homes. Hovitz is the author of the memoir After 9/11: One Girls Journey Through Darkness to a New Beginning, which opens in an ordinary seventh-grade morning, her first period science class, learning about biomes and ecosystems at I.S. 89 in Lower Manhattan, an intermediate school blocks from the World Trade Center. Suddenly, a sharp sound, like a giant, whirring motor interrupts her teacher. She describes how the floors shuddered, and the shelves rattledhow she was herded into the cafeteria, hysterical parents arriving to pick up their children, and finally, the oppressive smoke and ash outside the school. At the end of September 2001, her grade was relocated to the O. Henry Learning Center, farther uptown and not within walking distance from her home. It was the first time I had to take the subway alone in the morning and afternoon, Hovitz said. And the subway was one of the most terrifying, triggering vessels for trauma triggers, literally. Hovitzs seventh-grade classmate, Thomas Panevino, shared with me his harrowing account after I.S. 89 was evacuated: Bodies every minute it felt like, just dropping. There were two people, holding hands at the end before they hit the ground, shoes all over the streets and this thick, black darkness. You couldnt even see the sun. Panevino said he is often struck that he and students at schools in the immediate wake of Ground Zero saw more death and destruction in an hour than many soldiers do in a lifetime. But despite the carnage the little boy witnessed, Panevinos experience that semester also captures the good-heartedness of complete strangers that Winuk and Paine set out to make 9/11s legacy. In December 2001, keeping up with homework was difficult. The Panevinos had fled their smoke-filled home in Battery Park City, and were living in a midtown hotel room. Four months after the attacks, in a New York Times article, Panevinos mother, Judi, described the kindly employees at a nearby Kinkos. When Panevino walks in each afternoon and plops down in front of one the $27-an-hour computers, the employees drop everything and rush over as if he were an important mogul, to help him with his schoolwork. Theyve been saints, Judi Panvino told the New York Times reporter. Panevinos exceeded expectations that fall, and according to the article, the family shared them with the shops proud staff. * * * In 2009, rather than make 9/11 a federal holiday, like Columbus Day or Martin Luther Kings birthday, Congress designated it a National Day of Service and Remembrance, drawing Winuk and Paines vision of a day of good in American neighborhoods and classrooms closer toward reality. But September 11s proximity to Labor Day and the start of the academic calendar also presented practical concerns. An additional holiday costs both federal and states governments hundreds of millions of dollars in lost productivity; people also worried that 9/11 might ultimately become trivialized by barbeques and car or mattress sales. At the same time, Department of Education materialssuch as, the lesson plan Positive School Climate and 9/11, which helps teachers prevent bullying and discriminationand the White Houses annual proclamation reinforce a growing determination to make 9/11 a uniquely historic day of empathy. Last year, for instance, President Obama said: The compassion that rose in the hearts and minds of the American people on September 11 still serves as the ultimate rebuke to the evil of those who attacked us Volunteers donated time, money, and blood to ensure wounds gave way to healing and recovery. The 9/11 Memorial website provides teaching materials for K-12 students, tied to the Common Core Standards for use throughout the school year and across subjectsnot only social studies and history, but English and art as well. Children as young as kindergarten and first grade are encouraged to ask: How did people help each other on 9/11? How can students comfort other children feeling a loss or facing a crisis? When students of any age only learn about the facts of 9/11 from a textbook, there will always be gaps in understanding its full history, according to Robin Goodman, the executive director of A Caring Hand, a center for bereaved families and co-author of The Day Our World Changed: Childrens art of 9/11. The Pentagon Memorial includes her book in its suggested lesson plansRemembrance and Memory As Seen Through the Eyes of Artistsfor middle-school students. To capture raw, immediate reactions, Goodman collected 83 pieces of artwork by children, ages 5 to 18, in the four months after 9/11. For example, then-8-year-old, Melanie Cohns untitled is a drawing of a sad-faced fireman, tears streaming from his eyes as he douses a burning building. The words thank you so much for helping us are written at the top of the page, punctuated by a small, red heart. Can you push back on what your countrys doing and still be patriotic? I dont believe September 11 will ever become a static event compared to one like Pearl Harbor because weve chosen to frame it as a distinctly hopeful moment in history, when countless ordinary people came together with tremendous compassion and selflessness to serve others, said Rashid Duroseau, the sixth-grade history teacher and civics coordinator at Democracy Prep Charter Middle School in Harlem. To convey this unity, Duroseau uses sections of the book The Stories They Tell: Artifacts from the National September 11 Memorial, which includes a collection of intensely personal items entrusted to the 9/11 museum by family members of those killed, as well as first responders and survivors. In the book, there are pictures of a lieutenants fire helmet, a torn wallet, a red bandanaartifacts from people in Lower Manhattan that morning. The visual imagery can stir intense emotions for students about the loss of life, as well as a deeper understanding about the bond Americans felt, at least for a little while, to one another. While over 3,000 people died, September 11 was also the greatest rescue operation on American soil: An estimated 500,000 New Yorkers were evacuated from the Ground Zero area by boat, including Panevino, Hovitzs 11-year-old classmate. The 10-minute documentary Boatlift shows students how, after the Towers fell, the Coast Guard, tugboats, party boats, diving boats all rushed to help, ferrying a half-million survivors to safety. September 11 was a larger boat operation than World War IIs Battle of Dunkirk when nearly 340,000 British and French soldiers were rescued over nine days. Perhaps, in teaching 9/11 as an American lesson in compassion, schools will also grow more skilled at using the day to discuss discrimination felt by their Muslim students, particularly as reports suggest increased incidents of Islamophobia over the past year. Based on holiday absences, Democracy Preps Charter High Schools, assistant principal and civics coordinator, Elisa DiMauro estimates the student body is nearly 25 percent Muslim. Last year, to mark the 14th anniversary, after grade-wide assemblieswhere students watched footage and learned facts about 9/11they broke into smaller advisory groups of 10 or so to discuss Islamophobia: where it comes from and how to combat it. One of the big things I noticed, DiMauro said, is that the discussions focused a lot on ones ability to be patriotic without offending other cultures. Can you push back on what your countrys doing and still be patriotic? * * * On Saturday, after George Washington Universitys freshman convocation, a fleet of yellow buses will arrive to shuttle the class of 2020 to 50 different community-service sites in and around Washington, D.C. Participation in the annual event for freshmen isnt required, said Amy Cohen, the schools Honey W. Nashman Center for Civic Engagement and Public Service executive director. But it is an expectation, and we have had huge participation. Usually we send 85 percent of incoming freshmen to serve in the community. This is the eighth year the university has coupled convocation with freshman-wide community outreach. It is a truly great introduction to civic, academic, and residential life, so much of which is about unity and empathy, Cohen explained. Afterwards, we have students reflect on the reason we do service for 9/11 and how this gets people from different backgrounds to work very closely together. To take one example, every year GW students provide a variety of volunteer services for an armed-forces retirement facility. Sometimes freshmen play bingo with residents, Cohen describes, while others rake or weed the grounds or clean the bathrooms and common areas. This summer in particular, Paine felt pressing concern that students might not care about 9/11 anymore. They were either too young to know about it or werent even born yet, he explains. They see us take our shoes off at the airport. They hear talk of grave division in the world. But its up to parents and schools, he said, to teach future generations the lesson of 9/11that a deep tragedy in America brought out the best in people. Read more from The Atlantic: This article was originally published on The Atlantic. Turkish authorities are planning to reopen the ancient archeological site of Karkemish on the Syrian border to tourists by next year, Associated Press reported. The historic site is set to receive visitors by May 2017, despite an ongoing civil conflict in neighboring Syria. Karkemish was a Hittite city, part of a civilization that dominated parts of modern-day Turkey and Syria prior to 1700 B.C. Nearly 4,000 years old, the city straddled the banks of the Euphrates River. What makes Karkemish a really interesting site is that it is sort of between civilizations, Eckart Frahm, an Assyriology expert from Yale University, told Travel + Leisure. Karkemish Much of the Hittite culture remains shrouded in mystery, as their remaining inscriptions are difficult to interpret, according to the Ancient History Encyclopedia. Archaeologist T.E. Lawrence, also known as Lawrence of Arabia, excavated the site before World War I. Both Syrian and Turkish preservationists have struggled to protect the antiquities of their region as a Syrian civil war continues to rage into its fifth year. Turkish troops ousted ISIS militants from the site in August, and a team of Turkish and Italian archaeologists have been working to preserve the mosaics, sculptures, and other ancient objects. The city was a multicultural center of ancient civilizations, and as such it is a target to militant groups that want to cleanse Syria and Iraq of diverse cultures and ideologies. Of course ISIS wants to destroy the multitude of languages, religions...and all that was represented in Karkemish, Frahm said. Related Articles Johannesburg (AFP) - South Africa's biggest city Johannesburg is now run by a mayor who describes himself as an "unapologetic capitalist", after local elections that transformed the country's political landscape. For the first time since apartheid, the city's mayor is not from the African National Congress (ANC), but instead from the pro-business Democratic Alliance (DA) opposition party. And Herman Mashaba, a millionaire who made his fortune in black hair products, has set himself the ambitious goal of transforming South Africa's economic capital. Mashaba, 56, was elected last month after the ANC failed to win an outright majority in the August municipal polls, and the DA and other smaller parties joined forces to wrestle it from power. The change of control in Johannesburg dealt a humiliating blow to the ANC, the celebrated anti-apartheid party once led by Nelson Mandela and which still holds power at national level. Speaking to AFP from his mayoral office in the bustling city centre, Mashaba pledged to run an investor friendly administration, and scrap the "socialist" policies of his predecessors. "The problem with the previous administration is that they created a culture of dependency," he said. "I am an unapologetic capitalist... I want people to take ownership of their lives." - Rapid rise - Mashaba only entered politics in 2014 when he joined the DA and began a rapid rise to power that has attracted criticism over his lack of experience in both politics and local government. "I know that the ANC would like us to fail," he said in his defence. "I have been called a political novice... people said to me I had no chance of becoming mayor of Johannesburg (but) here I am now, 15 days into this office." Mashaba, who founded his hugely successful Black Like Me hair company in 1985, said he would draw on his years in business to improve lives in the city. Story continues "Local government is about everyday issues -- water, electricity and housing. We need to get that right," he said. Johannesburg is home to major international companies and boasts the country's best infrastructure, including its first high-speed train. But about half of its five million people live in poverty, according to official data that defines poverty as households with a monthly income less than 2,300 rand ($162). Mashaba, who calls himself a "committed civil servant", has set himself a target of five percent annual economic growth -- in stark contrast to the national GDP rate predicted to be zero percent this year. And he admits that his survival depends on the intricacies of dealing with other parties, including the revolutionary socialist Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF). But he said that strong economic growth was achievable, and that the EFF had committed to support the DA "for as long as we run an accountable government". Mashaba belonged to no political party until two years ago, and says he voted for Mandela and the ANC in South Africa's first multi-racial elections in 1994 and later for Mandela's successor Thabo Mbeki. "In 1994 I was excited, I thought I was going to see an explosion of entrepreneurs coming out of South Africa," he said. "Today, people are unemployed, people are living in squalor, people are failed dismally by the ANC government which is self-serving." - DA dreams - The DA, which is widely seen as being dominated by middle-class whites, won 27 percent of the vote in the local elections and is keen to further broaden its appeal ahead of presidential elections in 2019. Mashaba's strong capitalist message may threaten its attempts to appeal to the poor who rely on state support and often live in appalling conditions in apartheid-era townships without water or toilets. "It's no doubt that the poor should come first, that is a human rights issues," Mashaba, whose mother was a domestic worker, said. "The problem with the previous city mayor was that he was more about style than substance. "This city can be business friendly and pro-poor at the same time." Whatever the political approach, the lack of jobs is a national crisis facing all politicians in South Africa. At least 25 percent of the adult population in Johannesburg is out of work. "By 2021, if unemployment in this city is still over 20 percent, then I expect people not to vote me back," Mashaba said in a typically bold pledge. His performance in Johannesburg could be a test case for the DA, which now also rules Cape Town, Pretoria and Port Elizabeth, and hopes to eventually topple the ANC from power. It is not a challenge that overawes him. "Come elections in 2019, the DA will be ruling this country," he said. IRVINE, CA / ACCESSWIRE / September 10, 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 K12 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, which caused investors harm. If you wish to learn more about this lawsuit, or if you have questions concerning this notice or your rights, please contact Joon M. Khang, a prominent litigator for almost two decades, by telephone: (949) 419-3834, or by e-mail at joon@khanglaw.com. Story continues This press release may constitute Attorney Advertising in certain jurisdictions. Contact: Joon M. Khang, Esq. Telephone: 949-419-3834 Facsimile: 949-225-4474 joon@khanglaw.com SOURCE: Khang & Khang LLP Vienna (AFP) - The far-right candidate in Austria's troubled presidential election wants the house where Hitler was born demolished as well as to improve relations with the Jewish community, according to comments published Sunday. "Well, the only options are turning (the site) into a memorial or tearing it down. If you ask me, I would be for demolishing it," Norbert Hofer of the Freedom Party (FPOe) told the Austria Press Agency in an interview. Earlier this year the Austrian government approved legislation forcibly expropriating the owner of the house in Braunau am Inn in northern Austria where the Nazi dictator was born in 1889. This is to prevent the site becoming a neo-Nazi pilgrimage site. But it is unclear what will happen now. The building has protected status -- not because of Hitler -- so demolition is legally tricky. Hofer also said hat he wants better relations with Austria's Jewish community organisation, the IKG, representing Austria's 15,000 Jews. The IKG often accuses Hofer's party -- whose first leader in the 1950s was formerly in the SS -- of having neo-Nazi and anti-Semitic sympathies, something the party denies. Hofer said that if elected on October 2 -- although the election looks likely to be postponed -- he would "naturally" seek a rapprochement with the IKG. "Problems exist in order to be resolved. And I think that I can handle relations (with the IKG) very, very well. This is a task that is of great interest and importance to me," he said. Regarding Austrias Muslim community, Hofer said he wants an official German translation of the Koran so that non-Muslims "can understand this religious community better". He said though that if elected, he would not continue the tradition, introduced by the previous president, of hosting a reception for Muslims at the end of Ramadan in the Hofburg presidential palace. - Populists - The FPOe has stoked concerns about recent record immigration, and should Hofer eventually win it would make Austria the first country in Europe since 1945 to elect a far-right president. Story continues The role of the Austrian president is largely -- but not entirely -- ceremonial, and a victory by Hofer would be a major boost to Europe's other surging populist movements. An embarrassing postponement of the election is however looking all but inevitable due to glue on postal votes coming unstuck. The interior minister is expected to confirm the move on Monday following high-level talks late Sunday. Both Hofer and his challenger, independent ecologist Alexander Van der Bellen, have said they expect the vote to be pushed back. The last election result from May -- won narrowly by Van der Bellen -- was annulled after Austria's highest court upheld claims of procedural irregularities made by the FPOe. Die Presse daily on Saturday cited unnamed sources as saying that the government was looking at several possible dates in November, but that mid-December or even January were being considered. Pushing the election back poses legal problems, however, and the government is considering drawing up special legislation allowing it to happen. This awesome US gymnast has said shes definitely coming back for 2020 This awesome US gymnast has said shes definitely coming back for 2020 In case you were too busy to watch the American womens gymnastics team at the Rio Olympics, here is a refresher they dominated. And team veteran Aly Raisman was somehow MORE spectacular than at the London Games in 2012. Her grace under pressure and technical skill pushed her to win three medals. And now, it looks like she will also be taking that amazing skill set and bringing it to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics!! aly2 While this doesnt seem like a big deal because Aly is only 22-years-old right now, in gymnastics terms, she is slightly past her prime. Knowing how hard of a worker she is and how much effort she will put into her routines convince us that not only will she be back, shell be better than ever. aly Aly appeared on the Ellen Show and discussed her career plans. She explained that she took a full year off in 2012. Im going to do the same thing, take a year off, and then Ill begin training again. Thats some serious dedication, and if anyone can do three Olympics, its definitely Aly! Lets hope more of the Final Five join Aly in another quest for total gymnastics domination in 2020!! The post This awesome US gymnast has said shes definitely coming back for 2020 appeared first on HelloGiggles. Https%3a%2f%2fblueprint-api-production.s3.amazonaws.com%2fuploads%2fstory%2fthumbnail%2f20385%2fsddefault The same process that turns the ocean blue also helps humpback whales find the coziest spot for raising their precious 1-ton calves. Water molecules absorb all the colored photons of light (red, orange, yellow, blue) and the photons' energy. Water then turns that color energy into heat precisely what the blubber-less calves need to grow strong. PBS explores this interplay between color and energy in its new series Forces of Nature, which premieres Sept. 14 at 8 p.m. ET. SEE ALSO: Greenland sharks could be the world's longest-living vertebrates In an exclusive clip shared with Mashable, scientists explain why the Dominican Republic is one of the few breeding and calving zones of the North Atlantic humpback whale. North Atlantic Humpback whale in the Silver Bank Marine Reserve, Dominican Republic. Image: pbs/forces of nature The Silver Bank Marine Reserve, about 56 miles off the island, is exposed to the full power of the tropical sun. The sun's photons heat the brilliant blue seas to around 80 degrees Fahrenheit, or 26.6 degrees Celsius. "It's a warm, safe place to give birth, and the reason that's the case has to do with the color of the ocean and the wavelengths that have been absorbed," Bill Gardner, vice president of programming for PBS, told Mashable. As if baby whales weren't enough to tug at your heart strings, the United States announced last week that most populations of humpback whales are no longer on the U.S. endangered species list. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) said global conservation efforts over the past four decades have helped nine of 14 humpback population segments rebound from historically low levels. 2016 Humpback distinct population segments. Image: NOAA Forces of Nature, a BBC co-production, will explore Earth's mysterious and intricate forces in four episodes: "Shape," "Color," "Motion," and "Natural Elements." The series aims to "illustrate that the Earth is a system; everything is interdependent," Gardner said by phone. "It goes down to the molecular level." Story continues The "Color" episode, which airs Sept. 28, will also feature birds of paradise in Papua New Guinea, whose plumage helps them blend into the rainforest or attract mates. A segment on the Serengeti in east-central Africa will explain why the ecosystem's forests, swamps and grasslands are lush and green. A Maasai cattle herder surveys the grasslands of the Serengeti plains in Tanzania. Image: pbs/forces of nature "Color is a tangible, active thing that carries the energy of the sun," Gardner said. The exclusive preview shows that while humpback whale calves thrive in the Silver Bank reserve's warm waters, for adults the area is essentially an underwater food desert. Mothers have little to feed on and instead live off a snack pack of blubber. Once calves grow their own thin layer of fat, the whales will head thousands of miles to the north to the Gulf of Maine and other feeding grounds. In the North Atlantic, the light of the sun is much weaker and waters are frigid. But the ocean is stocked with the tiny crustaceans, plankton and small fish that humpbacks prefer to gobble. "Color is something that we all take for granted, and what we wanted to help demonstrate is that there's more to it than we initially think," Gardner said. Ashley Salter has found her own paradise. After failing to fall in love on The Bachelor and Bachelor in Paradise, the 26-year-old reality TV alum tied the knot with real estate professional Austin Brannen on Saturday. The couple, who first dated while attending Auburn University, celebrated their nuptials at the Atlantis Hotel & Casino on Paradise Island in the Bahamas in front of their family and friends. The bride looked stunning in a full-length gown with an embroidered top, while the groom looked beachy in a khaki-colored suit. Ashley S. wore her hair in an elegant updo completed with a long veil. Theyre married y'all! @absalt @agbrannen #brannengotthefinalrose #saltertothealtar A video posted by Claire Christopher (@clairetchristopher) on Sep 10, 2016 at 5:28pm PDT That bouquet #brannengotthefinalrose #saltertothealtar @absalt A photo posted by Claire Christopher (@clairetchristopher) on Sep 10, 2016 at 9:51pm PDT @thejenlyn you are a miracle worker! Thanks so much for hair and makeup @formalfaces #formalfaces #atlantahairandmakeup #brannengotthefinalrose A photo posted by Ashley Salter @clearwatervodka (@absalt) on Sep 11, 2016 at 8:43am PDT Attendees shared photos and videos of the outdoor ceremony and reception on Instagram using the hashtags #brannengotthefinalrose and #saltertothealtar. Growing up, we would go on vacations and tell people that all 5 of us were siblings. Love you Salters like I love my own family. So happy to celebrate the 4th one of us being married off! @absalt @chrisalter @nsalter17 #brannengotthefinalrose #saltertothealtar A video posted by Claire Christopher (@clairetchristopher) on Sep 11, 2016 at 7:32am PDT What a spectacular day! So thankful to have been a part of your day. Love you all! #saltertothealter #brannengotthefinalrose #formalfaces #weddinghair A photo posted by Jennifer Adams (@thejenlyn) on Sep 10, 2016 at 5:24pm PDT VIDEO: What Happens to The Bachelor Mansion In-Between Seasons? The Bachelor Mansion In-Between Seasons? data-ad-channel="peoplenow data-ad-subchannel=sharethisnow data-auto-play=no> Salter and Brannen got engaged over Labor Day weekend last year on top of the helicopter pad of the W Hotel overlooking downtown Atlanta. In April, the couple welcomed son Brooks Hartman Brannen, who was all smiles during the Caribbean wedding. @bhbrannen rehearsals for today!! Happy wedding day @agbrannen cant wait to see you! A photo posted by Ashley Salter @clearwatervodka (@absalt) on Sep 10, 2016 at 4:19am PDT @bhbrannen rehearsals for today!! Salter captioned a picture of her with her 5-month-old baby. Happy wedding day @agbrannen cant wait to see you! Salter appeared on Chris Soules season of The Bachelor and quickly became a fan favorite for her zany commentary. Chris Harrison personally asked her to appear on Bachelor in Paradise, where she had a short romance with Dan Cox. For more highlights and episodes of The Bachelor visit Yahoo View. Bangladeshi firefighters found four more bodies in the charred rubble of a packaging factory that collapsed due to a major blaze over the weekend, officials said Sunday, raising the death toll to 29. Around 100 people were working at the factory on Saturday when the fire caused by an explosion in the boiler room tore through the four-storey structure on the outskirts of the capital Dhaka. Senior firefighting official Anis Mahmud said firefighters found four bodies during a search and rescue operation on Sunday evening. "We eventually conducted an operation after dousing the fire and recovered four bodies," he told AFP. The official added that the relatives of 10 people had filed missing persons reports in connection with the blaze. Some 70 people were also injured, some critically, in the fire at the Tampaco Foils Limited factory, which packages food and cigarette products for local and foreign brands. Another firefighter said he feared more bodies were still inside the factory in the industrial town of Tongi. "There might be more bodies underneath the rubble as many people were working inside during the accident," he told AFP on the condition of anonymity. The blaze is the latest in a series of deadly accidents to hit impoverished Bangladesh, whose $27-billion garment industry is the world's second largest behind China's. The accident is the worst since the collapse of the Rana Plaza garment complex in 2013 that killed more than 1,100 people in one of the world's worst industrial disasters. That tragedy triggered international outrage and successfully put pressure on US and European clothing brands to improve deplorable safety conditions at the factories that supply them. Bangladesh factory inspector general Syed Ahmed said an investigation into the cause of Saturday's accident would be opened. "We will find out the responsible people behind this disaster and will take all necessary and legal actions," Ahmed told AFP. Story continues According to the company's website, the packaging factory supplies multinational and domestic brands including British-American Tobacco Bangladesh Limited and Nestle Bangladesh Limited. Labour rights groups urged the Bangladesh government and Western companies to work harder to protect the safety of workers in their supply chains. "The boiler explosion and resulting fire... demonstrates the ongoing dangers to industrial workers in that country," a statement from a consortium of groups, including the International Labor Rights Forum, said. Its Banned Books week and one city is hosting the coolest scavenger hunt ever Its Banned Books week and one city is hosting the coolest scavenger hunt ever No need to make America great again because we live in a world where we celebrate banned books for an entire week. Yup, its that time of year where books that were once censored or challenged are yours for the keeping if you stumble upon them. Gotta catch em all! Disney The D.C. public library is hosting the best scavenger hunt to celebrate Banned Books Week and were so jealous we dont live in the countrys capitol. The Uncensored Banned Book scavenger hunt started on Sept. 6 and will continue through the month. So theres plenty of time for you to find a rare, hidden gem. All you have to do is be at the right place at the right time. Theyre hiding several HUNDRED copies of books which were once banned all throughout the city. More specifically, the D.C. public library will keep novels hidden in private businesses in all eight wards. rap According to the Washington Post, this years theme is all about diversity. This years theme is Diversity, which will celebrate literature written by diverse writers that has been banned or challenged, as well as explore why diverse books are being disproportionately singled out, the library system wrote in a statement. Just think about all of the crazy, cool novels people missed out on because they were too controversial at the time. The scavenger hunt will include: The Catcher in the Rye, The Color Purple, Native Son, One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest, A Separate Peace and SlaughterhouseFive. jack According to the Washington Post, keep an eye out for books wrapped in a cover. The covers will explains why these novels were banned or challenged in the first place. So if you discover Catcher in the Rye, the cover will say, AntiWhite because in Columbus, Ohio in 1963 parents of high school students wanted the school board to ban the book for being antiwhite. Story continues This is where the fun begins. The districts public library will share clues and hints about the books on its social media accounts with the hashtag #UncensoredDC. People are already finding books like crazy, so you better get on it! Smut. Just plain filthy. Filthy trashy sex novel. I guess this is how all you Pokemon Go nerds felt. I guess this is how all you Pokemon Go nerds felt, gotta catch 'em all #UncensoredDC pic.twitter.com/WJG3Wx3AMo Lauren Halvorsen (@halvorsen) September 9, 2016 Lauren Halvorsen said it best. The post Its Banned Books week and one city is hosting the coolest scavenger hunt ever appeared first on HelloGiggles. Minsk (AFP) - Ex-Soviet state Belarus went to the polls Sunday for elections expected to see supporters of strongman Alexander Lukashenko fill the legislature, as the opposition branded the process a farce. Belarus, which has been ruled by the authoritarian Lukashenko for more than two decades, has a history of stifling dissent and cracking down on the opposition. Some 200 opposition candidates are vying for slots in the 110-seat parliament, but many have already said that the electoral process was unfair and would be marred by violations. "I am convinced that not a single opposition candidate will make it through to parliament," Alaksiej Janukievic, chairman of the Belarusian Popular Front (BPF) opposition party, told AFP. "There will only be lawmakers approved by the authorities." Electoral commission president Lidia Ermochina insisted, however, that "we can be certain that parliament was chosen legally." She added that turnout had been above the 50 percent necessary for the poll to be considered valid. The main opposition parties did not take part in the last parliamentary elections in 2012, which international observers said had been neither free nor fair. Political scientist Dmitry Bolkunets said that the participation of opposition parties was Minsk's way of responding to Western calls for more transparency. "Belarusian authorities have organised the most 'democratic' elections since 2000 to please Brussels and Washington," Bolkunets wrote in an op-ed published on the website of Russia's Ekho Moskvy radio station. "But as soon as the polling stations close, this whole democracy game will end." The Viasna human rights organisation said there had been many cases of people being forced to take part in early voting. "The opposition has no chance," rights activist Vladimir Labkovich told AFP. "There is no liberalisation of the electoral process. Everything has just gotten worse." Story continues Viasna said several voters had reported administrative difficulties preventing them from casting their ballots. Lukashenko cracked down hard on opposition and free media following a December 2010 election which gave him a fourth term but was slammed as fraudulent by his opponents. His subsequent incarceration of opponents led to his international isolation and the imposition of Western sanctions against him. The bulk of the sanctions were lifted last year after Lukashenko released all remaining political prisoners and was reelected for a fifth term by a landslide without incident, even though the vote fell short of Belarus' pledge to hold fair polls. MINSK (Reuters) - At least one Belarussian opposition candidate was elected to parliament on Sunday, the central election commission said - the first time a politician opposed to hardline President Alexander Lukashenko has won representation in 20 years. The result will not change the political landscape in the former Soviet republic, once termed Europe's last dictatorship by the United States, but it signals the authorities are making some concessions to Western demands for democratic change. Announcing the results for three of Belarus's seven regions, the election commission chief, Lidia Yermoshina, said Anna Konopatskaya, a member of opposition party United Civil Party, had won a place in the 110-seat parliament. (Reporting by Andrei Makhovsky; Writing by Alessandra Prentice; Editing by Peter Cooney) New York: Sunday marks the 15th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks on the United States that left nearly 3,000 people dead. The Al-Qaeda plane hijackings of 11 September, 2001 the first foreign attack on the US mainland in nearly two centuries ruptured a sense of safety and plunged the West into wars still being fought today. Two planes smashed into New York's World Trade Center, leaving 2,753 dead. A third hit the Pentagon in Washington, killing 184, and 40 more died after a fourth plane headed for Washington crashed into a field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania after a passenger revolt. Here is the timeline of the events that fateful morning, which reshaped the course of US history: 8:46 am - The first strike An American Airlines Boeing 767 making a Boston-Los Angeles connection with 92 people on board including five hijackers smashes into the North Tower of the World Trade Center, leaving a giant hole in the building's facade. Thick smoke trails into the sky from the tower's upper floors. 9:03 am - Second tower hit A United Airlines Boeing 767 making a Boston-Los Angeles connection with 65 people on board including five hijackers hits the South Tower of the WTC, sparking a massive explosion. 9:30 am - Bush speaks Then US president George W Bush, in Sarasota, Florida, calls the blasts "an apparent terrorist attack." He orders "a full-scale investigation to hunt down and to find those folks who committed these acts" and says he will immediately return to Washington. 9:37 am - Pentagon hit An American Airlines Boeing 757 making a Washington Dulles-Los Angeles connection with 64 people on board including five hijackers smashes into the Pentagon in suburban Washington, setting off two explosions. 9:42 am - Planes grounded The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) orders the cancellation of all commercial flights in the United States. 9:59 am - South Tower collapses The WTC's South Tower, hit 56 minutes earlier, collapses in a huge cloud of smoke and dust. 10:03 am - Crash in Pennsylvania A United Airlines Boeing 757 traveling from Newark to San Francisco with 44 people on board including four hijackers crashes into a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, after passengers and crew apparently fought with the hijackers. 10:28 am - North Tower collapses The north tower of the WTC collapses, an hour and 42 minutes after it was struck. A huge cloud of dust blankets lower Manhattan. Cotonou (AFP) - Eight people have now died after an explosion at a rubbish dump outside Cotonou in Benin, the local mayor said on Sunday. "Our tally is eight dead, six of them in hospital and two at home, and 87 injured," the mayor of Tori, Robert Tolegbon, told state television. The authorities had initially reported two people killed and 61 injured in the blast, which happened in the Avame district of Tori, around 40 kilometres (25 miles) from Cotonou, on Thursday evening. A company dumped flour and spoilt wheat at the landfill, setting it on fire, but local people flocked to areas that were not burning to try to get the foodstuffs when there was an explosion. Many of those injured suffered severe burns. Waste dumps in much of West Africa are uncontrolled, with toxic materials, including electronic equipment and chemicals, regularly discarded alongside household rubbish. Poverty forces many to scavenge and salvage for items to sell or use. By William James LONDON (Reuters) - Britain's interior minister Amber Rudd said on Sunday she was looking at a work permits system to control migration from the European Union, responding to Brexit voters' demand for tighter border controls. Although formal negotiations on leaving the EU have yet to begin, Britain is searching for a way to satisfy voters who backed leaving the EU because they wanted lower immigration and an end to open borders with the bloc, whilst meeting the needs of an economy in which some sectors depend on foreign labor. "Work permits certainly has value," Rudd told the BBC, saying her department was examining immigration control systems and that no decisions had yet been made. Britain currently has a visa system for non-EU nationals, but under EU rules citizens from within the 28-country bloc are free to live and work in Britain. "What we're going to look at is how we can get the best for the economy, driving the numbers down but protecting the people who really add value to the economy," Rudd said. Earlier this month Prime Minister Theresa May rejected a "points-based" system to screen immigrants - something Brexit campaigners promised to implement - stirring fears among some voters that her government was not taking a hard enough line on key issues like immigration. But May has said the June 23 vote to leave the EU showed Britons wanted to control the movement of people from the bloc. Rudd, a close ally of May, backed the government's long-standing target of bringing net annual migration into Britain, currently at 327,000, down below 100,000. Migration controls are likely to form one of the most contentious negotiating points in talks with the EU on leaving the bloc, as Britain looks to tighten border controls without losing access the EU single market. Britain's EU partners are so far adamant that it cannot enjoy full trade benefits unless it continues to provide free movement for EU nationals. Rudd also refused to rule out the prospect that Britons might have to pay for permission to travel to the EU, commenting on a report in the Guardian newspaper that cited draft EU visa legislation which may affect post-Brexit Britain. "I don't think it's particularly desirable, but we don't rule it out because we have to be allowed a free hand to get the best negotiations... it's a reminder that this is a two-way negotiation," she said. (Editing by Raissa Kasolowsky) By Martyn Herman LONDON (Reuters) - Middleweight marauder Gennady Golovkin retained his WBC and IBF titles when challenger Kell Brook was pulled out by his corner five rounds into a compelling fight on Saturday. Kazakh Golovkin had won his previous 22 fights by knockout but was rocked by unbeaten welterweight world champion Brook in the early exchanges before his superior power told. Brook, who suffered a suspected fractured eye socket, won the second round with a left uppercut that produced huge roars from the huge O2 Arena crowd, who were mainly supporting the British underdog. He was still standing his ground in the fourth but by the fifth it became clear the step up from welterweight to fight the man who has brutally dominated the middleweight division for six years was a step too far. There was little coming back as Golovkin landed some thumping blows and trainer Dominic Ingle threw in the towel which was initially unseen by the referee. Some of the crowd booed, but afterwards Brook said the eye injury had left him with restricted vision. Unbeaten Golovkin took his record to 36 wins. "Kell is a huge fighter, a very good fighter, but he's not a middleweight. I respect him, he is good, but not so strong," 34-year-old Golovkin said at ringside. "I respect Kell, he's a warrior. And his corner, for his career, for his family, was correct. It was game over." Brook was wobbled by a huge body shot in the first round but connected with a couple of stinging jabs. Golovkin has rarely been hurt in his outstanding career but he was marked around the face by the end of the second as the skilful Brook landed a fearsome uppercut. The 34-year-old Golovkin looked rattled in the third as he missed with some sledgehammer shots, although he landed enough to leave Brook's right eye swollen. The fourth round looked about even, with Golovkin relentlessly moving forward in search of the knockout and Brook countering with some precise jabs. There was a menace about Golovkin in the fifth though and he began to unload in devastating fashion, forcing the intervention of Brook's corner as the gallant Sheffield fighter tasted defeat for the first time in his 37-fight pro career. "He broke my eye socket in the second round. I was seeing three or four of him," Brook said. "Believe me, I hurt him. I saw his legs start to buckle. I was starting to settle in. I would fight him again." Golovkin, who remains the WBC, IBF and WBA champion, said his next target was a unification fight against another Briton, WBO titleholder Billy Joe Saunders. The WBA had refused to sanction Saturday's fight fearing Brook, who has spent his career fighting men 13 pounds (6 kg) lighter than Golovkin, was putting his health in danger. (Editing by Toby Davis/Peter Rutherford) A Canadian judge might be thrown out for his shocking comments to a sexual assault victim and good riddance A Canadian judge might be thrown out for his shocking comments to a sexual assault victim and good riddance A Canadian federal judge could be ejected from the judiciary for blaming a 19-year-old accuser in a rape trial for her own assault. Insert eye roll and flipping over table gifs here: giphy (5) giphy (5) And, were back. According to Slate, the beyond insulting and out of line comments were made by Justice Robin Camp during the victims 2014 trial. Were going to insert a trigger warning here because theyre seriously messed up. TRIGGER WARNING FOR SEXUAL ASSAULT. Please stop reading now if you have SA triggers. During the trial Justice Robin Camp peppered the victim with questions such as Why couldnt you just keep your knees together?, and, She knew she was drunk Is not an onus on her to be more careful? All the comments not only show a complete lack of sensitivity toward the accuser, but a complete lack of comprehension of the definition of rape and the laws in place to protect rape victims. Which is incredibly troubling coming from ANYONE let alone a judge that is supposed to understand and uphold the law. Justice Robin Camp also went on to refer to the accuser as the accused during the trial, and ultimately acquitted the man that was accused of rape. Which is beyond horrible anyway, but especially because Camps comments dont suggest he didnt think the victim was raped, but that he thinks she didnt do enough to protect herself, so the rapist shouldnt be convicted of rape. This kind of ignorance and insensitivity has no place in the court of law, and luckily many others agreed, since the ruling was overturned on appeal, and a new trial was ordered. Slate reports that Canadian Judicial Council is currently debating whether to oust Justice Robin Camp, and will make their decision after closing arguments on Monday. During the hearing Camp apologized, calling his comments unforgivable and saying that since he is originally from South Africa and moved to Canada in 1998, he was ignorant of how Canadas rape laws had changed. Story continues lame While comments like these coming from a judge are frustrating and incredibly dangerous, the good news is that it is becoming increasing clear that people around the world will not stand for this sort of ignorant and callous treatment of rape victims and disregard for the law. The more we are able to speak up when the people put in place to protect the law arent doing their jobs, the closer we can get to a just legal system. The post A Canadian judge might be thrown out for his shocking comments to a sexual assault victim and good riddance appeared first on HelloGiggles. Barcelona (AFP) - Hundreds of thousands of Catalans took to the streets on Sunday to demand their region break away from Spain, pressuring pro-independence leaders to unite and iron out differences over their secession plan. Crowds waved red and yellow striped Catalan flags in Barcelona and four other cities under bright sunshine on the region's national day, the "Diada", which marks the conquest of Barcelona by Spain's King Philip V in 1714. Local police estimated that 800,000 people had taken part but Spain's central government, which fiercely opposes Catalan independence, put turnout at around 370,000 strong. Many wore white T-shirts with the slogan "Ready" in Catalan, highlighting their belief that the northwestern region of 7.5 million people was already prepared to be its own country. "This is the moment to stand united for the 'yes' to the Catalan Republic," Jordi Sanchez, the head of the Catalan National Assembly, a pro-independence organisation which co-organised the protest, told the rally near the regional parliament. "We are impatient," he added. The run-up to the protest has coincided with a rift between separatist parties just as they target independence for the region in mid-2017. In the coming months "critical decisions" regarding Catalonia's future will have to be taken, the head of the regional government of Catalonia, Carles Puigdemont, told a meeting with foreign journalists before the rallies. Catalan separatists have tried in vain for years to win approval from Spain's central government to hold an independence referendum like the one held in 2014 in Scotland in Britain which resulted in a "no" vote. After winning a clear majority in Catalonia's regional parliament for the first time ever last year, secessionist parties approved a plan to achieve independence in mid-2017. But the plan ran into trouble in June when Puigdemont's coalition government lost the support of the tiny anti-capitalist party CUP which has the hardest line on independence. As a result it lost its clear majority in the assembly. Story continues - 'See it happen now' - The pro-independence camp hopes Sunday's mass protest will reunite and breathe new life into their campaign, which is moving along more slowly than many of its supporters would like. "Politicians say we are close but we want to see it happen now," said 60-year-old researcher Xavier Vallve at the rally in Barcelona. Carmen Santos, a 58-year-old civil servant, said she hoped this "Diada would be the last before independence." Rallies were also held in the southern city of Tarragona, Berga in the centre, Salt in the north and Lleida in the east. Catalans have nurtured a separate identity for centuries, but an independence movement surged recently as many became disillusioned with limitations on the autonomy they gained in the late 1970s after the Francisco Franco dictatorship, which had suppressed Catalan nationalism. Spain's recent economic downturn exacerbated the situation, leaving many resenting the amount of taxes they pay to the central government in Madrid to subsidise poorer regions. Since 2012, major demonstrations in favour of independence have been held in Catalonia every year on its national day on September 11. In 2013, hundreds of thousands of Catalans draped in blue, red and yellow separatist banners held hands in a 400-kilometre (250-mile) human chain across the region while in 2014 and 2015 demonstrators held massive rallies in Barcelona. Among the political leaders who took part were Puigdemont, his vice president, Oriol Junqueras, and also Barcelonas popular mayor, Ada Colau, who is ambiguous about independence. Her far-left allies, Podemos, are the only large national party backing a referendum while campaigning against independence. Puigdemont urged Spain's central government to address Catalan concerns. "Catalonia is the main political challenge that Spain faces," he said. By Sam Edwards BARCELONA (Reuters) - Hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets across Catalonia on Sunday to support a break from Spain which local leaders want to deliver for next year in spite of legal blocks by the central government. Catalans gathered in five cities across the northeastern region, including Barcelona, and waved yellow banners in time to music, symbolizing the rhythm of a beating heart uniting an independent republic. Police said that in Barcelona alone about 540,000 people took part. The mass rally on Catalonia's national day, La Diada, comes as the pro-independence local assembly vows to press ahead with plans to form an new state in 2017, raising pressure on leaders in Madrid to respond at a time of disarray in national politics. Two inconclusive general elections have left Spain without a new national administration for more than eight months, in part due to squabbling among parties over how best to counter or defuse Catalonia's separatist challenge. Spain's conservative caretaker government has firmly opposed any move towards secession and resorted to challenges via the constitutional court, though this has escalated the stand-off in recent months under acting Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy. "We don't really care anymore about who will govern in Madrid," said Montse Pedra, 39, a speech therapist at the rally in Barcelona, where campaigners waved the starred blue, red and yellow pro-independence flags. She said she was no longer hopeful Catalonia would be granted a referendum on independence like Scotland's in 2014 - where people voted to remain in Britain - but was looking beyond that. "Here that's not going to happen one way or another, so we're going to just declare independence, and that's it," Pedra added. Whether regional leaders will manage to produce the break they have promised is unclear. Pro-separatist parties won a majority of seats in the regional assembly last year and have starting laying the ground for laws and institutions for an independent state, though such moves have been deemed illegal in court. "The whole process is going a little slowly," said another participant, 64-year-old maths teacher Rafael Subirats, adding he thought independence was unlikely to happen by 2017. Secessionists fell short of winning an overall majority of the vote last September, which according to anti-independence campaigners weakens the mandate for a split. INTERNAL STRIFE The long-simmering separatist movement, in a region that produces about a fifth of Spain's economic output, erupted in 2012 during a deep economic crisis and a stand-off with Madrid over demands for more autonomy. Catalonia, home to 7.5 million people, has its own language and distinct culture, as well as a long-standing industrial tradition and a thriving tourism sector. Support for independence has grown again in recent months. One poll in July showed some 48 percent in favor of Catalonia becoming an independent state, while 42 percent were against it. Yet the movement has also been hampered by internal struggles. Catalan premier Carles Puigdemont faces a confidence vote in the Catalan assembly on Sept. 28. Analysts expect him to win it. Puigdemont stressed on Sunday his government would call regional elections next year as a form of plebiscite to ratify a breakaway, unless he could persuade Madrid to allow Catalans to vote on their future. "I will insist once again that this is a process that needs to be agreed on with the Spanish government... a referendum is the best mechanism to find out if people want (to be independent) or not," Puigdemont told a news conference. (Writing by Sarah White; Editing by Stephen Powell) LA Times Myra Lewis Williams, who married her cousin Jerry Lee Lewis when she was 13, wrote two books and said in 2015 that he is 'no longer part of my life.' Dear fans of Oktoberfest: Please dont all go to Germany. Yes, this is a plea. Remember the boot! You might not know it, but Italy has its own version of Oktoberfest. OK, maybe its a bit watered-down, but youll avoid big, sweaty crowds and get drunk on something far nobler than Teutonic beer: Italian white wine. Montefiascone is a lucky, tiny town shaped like (and named for) a wine flask sitting atop a hill overlooking a volcanic lake surrounded by Etruscan catacombs. For centuries it has made some of the tastiest white wine in Italy. Not the best forget sophisticated and expensive Tuscan wine but the kind of wine that can knock down even a Viking. Dense and yellowish, strong, vulgar yet humble, as a popular Italian gourmand once wrote back in the 1930s. Each year a drinking festival takes place here among the ancient walls. Its like a game that requires a high tolerance for alcohol. And just seven euros for the ticket. Youre given a map at the entrance of the town showing all the open canteens, taverns and bars serving their wine specialty. A chalice and a shoulder bag with which to carry it: These are your weapons. So you start getting lost in a maze of cobbled alleys and low-cut stone houses. Each stop is a flask of wine, and the more you drink, the more walking across this medieval labyrinth makes your head spin. No wine, no party. Defuk was a dogmatist. Theres one rule only: Get drunk! But, of course, avoid ramming your head into a stone column. The real endeavor is to pass by at each tavern and have at least a sip of wine. If you skip one stand, or pass on a shot, youre a loser. Food tastings will help you turn down the heat. The trick is to gulp down just one glass, and then straight after eat a tomato bruschetta, a slice of ham or pecorino cheese, says Michele di Poalo, a festival fan who has taken part in the past five editions. The bread and proteins will settle your stomach and prepare it for the next stop. Story continues Locals are proud of their legendary wine, and can actually thank the Germans for it. Specifically one powerful, alcoholic Teutonic bishop of the 12th century called Johannes Defuk, who couldnt go just one day without drinking despite being counselor to the German emperor. According to myth, one day Defuk had to travel to Rome, but before setting out on his journey he sent ahead his butler Martin in search of a good wine place to stop along the road. No wine, no party. Defuk was a dogmatist. Lucky for him, the messenger, galloping like fury, finally found such a drinking heaven in Montefiascone, writing back a letter to his master saying Its here, its here, its here! Of course, he didnt write it in modern English but in Latin; hence Est! Est!! Est!!! became the name of the local white wine. This was the deal: If Martin found the wine, he had to write on the door of the inn Est!; if it was very good, Est Est! Well, it turned out the wine had such a divine flavor that after a couple of glasses himself, the ecstatic and red-cheeked butler opted for Est! Est!! Est!!! more than exceptional. He really did use six exclamation points. The bishop literally lost his mind over this wine, and picked Montefiascone as his favorite holiday drinking spot. He returned and never again left, died here (take a wild guess cirrhosis?) and was even buried in the local church by his loyal butler. On the tomb, you can read engraved: For too much EST! here lies dead, my lord Johannes Defuk. Practically a saint weird indeed that the church didnt make him the patron of all drinkers. In gratitude for the hospitality received, the bishop left all his wealth to the town, heaps of golden coins. He made only one very humble request: that on each anniversary of his death a barrel of wine is poured on his grave. Even if dead, Defuks soul was addicted to it. Thats how the towns fortune started all thanks to the drinking knack of a churchman. And so the wine festival is also a chance to pay homage to such a great guy. It features crazy barrel-rolling contests and a parade with dressed-up actors who reenact the arrival (and drinking) first of the butler and then of his master. After all, its no mystery that monks and pious men were the first to make modern artisan beer and wine, setting up industrial estates and launching the wine trade in the Middle Ages. The best patches of wine-making lands in Italy used to belong to the clergy. We have a saying in Italy: Nobody enjoys eating or drinking better than a priest. On the 15th anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks, celebrities around the world are honoring the nearly 3,000 people who were lost in the tragedies that occurred on that day. Some, such as Saturday Night Live actor Pete Davidson, were directly impacted by the attacks. Davidson lost his father, a New York City firefighter, in the attacks on the World Trade Center when he was just 7 years old. In an Instagram posted on Saturday, Davidson shared a photo of his younger self with his dad sipping on some Heineken beer. He captioned the photo, "Can't believe tomorrow is going to be 15 years. Missing the legend !!! Thank u all for ur kind words and support as always #werememberthem." Hollywood's biggest stars from Lady Gaga to Ryan Seacrest shared tributes to the lives that were lost 15 years ago and to the heroes who sacrificed everything to help others survive. God Bless all the men and women who died in the attacks or fight to save lives during the Sept. 11 attacks #WeWillNeverForget #NewYorker a Lady Gaga (@ladygaga) September 11, 2016 Never forget the lives lost. Never forget the first responders who charged toward danger. Never forget our unity and resolve. #neverforget a Arnold (@Schwarzenegger) September 11, 2016 As a designer showing on tomorrow's important anniversary, I commemorate the victims of the September 11 attacks. pic.twitter.com/78yB6yeALn a Victoria Beckham (@victoriabeckham) September 11, 2016 remembering today and every day. Many thx to the heroes we lost and those who continue to keep us safe #September11 #NeverForget a Ryan Seacrest (@RyanSeacrest) September 11, 2016 I will #neverforget this day 15 years ago. Reflecting on the absence but also remembering the strength and courage. pic.twitter.com/x4Gm6EyhYq a Kourtney Kardashian (@kourtneykardash) September 11, 2016 aWhat separates us from the animals, what separates us from the chaos, is our ability to mourn people weave never met" #NeverForget15years a Sarah Michelle (@SarahMGellar) September 11, 2016 We will always remember .... pic.twitter.com/ZIQ8yzVS4B a Hugh Jackman (@RealHughJackman) September 11, 2016 15yrs. 9/11. Always strikes an emotional chord w/ all of us. Powerful how that tragedy built such resilience & strength. #NeverForget a Dwayne Johnson (@TheRock) September 11, 2016 Good morning. Beautiful day. Heavy day. Hug someone you love, remember someone you've lost. Keep going. a Lin-Manuel Miranda (@Lin_Manuel) September 11, 2016 15 years.. Don't we all remember exactly where we were when we heard or saw the second plane hit the Tower?! #NeverForget a Oprah Winfrey (@Oprah) September 11, 2016 I still remember sitting in my 1st grade classroom in shock and horror. Feels like yesterday. #NeverForget15years a Gigi Hadid (@GiGiHadid) September 11, 2016 We mourn today BC of Hatred & Ignorance.Let's not allow Hatred & Ignorance be our guiding principles now. #nothate https://t.co/uuKBB44hvt a Debra Messing (@DebraMessing) September 11, 2016 My heart,thoughts,& prayers go out to those that lost their lives on this day in '01. As well as their families. Love. a Lil Wayne WEEZY F (@LilTunechi) September 11, 2016 The searing memories #September11 will never leave me, but the way we all CAME TOGETHER will always inspire me. I hope we get there again a Josh Gad (@joshgad) September 11, 2016 Presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump attended a 9/11 Memorial Service at Ground Zero in downtown Manhattan Sunday morning. Although Clinton had to leave early due to the heat, her campaign shared that she recuperated at her daughter Chelsea's apartment and was feeling much better later in the day. This chihuahua living under the staircase like Harry Potter has become internet famous This chihuahua living under the staircase like Harry Potter has become internet famous There are many reasons to be jealous of Harry Potter, but being forced to live in a cupboard under the stairs in his aunt and uncles house is not one of them. However, if Harrys staircase bedroom looked anything like the one a retired teacher in Georgia built for her chihuahua, I would be so down. giphy (64) Betty McCall from Rochelle, Georgia adores her 4-year-old chihuahua, Poncho, so much that she gave him his very own bedroom. The tiny room is located under the stairs and includes a tiny brass bed, a tiny dog painting, and a tiny dresser for all of Ponchos tiny belongings. McCalls nephew, Will Rigdon, discovered the bedroom under the stairs during a holiday visit and posted photos of Ponchos little Harry Potter-style palace on Imgur. The gallery has since gone viral and has been viewed over 195K times. McCall was interviewed by Buzzfeed, and told them that Poncho gets nervous and snippy around company and loud noises, so he often escapes to his room. And he even sleeps there at night. giphy (65) McCall even said that the room is small enough to keep Poncho comfortable but big enough for her to get in there and clean and vacuum. Does this mean Poncho is destined for amazing and magical things? Maybe, and maybe not, but hes a dog who has his own bedroom, so he clearly has it made already. Way to be, Poncho. The post This chihuahua living under the staircase like Harry Potter has become internet famous appeared first on HelloGiggles. By Luciana Lopez and Jeff Mason NEW YORK (Reuters) - Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton on Saturday said she regretted saying "half" of Republican rival Donald Trump's supporters belonged in a "basket of deplorables," but made no apologies for calling out "prejudice and paranoia" among Trump's campaign and supporters. "Last night I was 'grossly generalistic,' and that's never a good idea. I regret saying 'half' - that was wrong," Clinton said in a statement, the day after comments at a fundraiser in New York. But "Trump has built his campaign largely on prejudice and paranoia," she said, adding: "I won't stop calling out bigotry and racist rhetoric in this campaign." Republicans and Trump supporters responded fiercely on social media to Clinton's remarks at the LGBT fundraiser and the episode threatened to distract from her efforts to paint Trump as unqualified for the presidency. But Trump on Saturday sought to use Clinton's comments to make the same charge about her. "How can she be President of our country when she has such contempt and disdain for so many great Americans?" a Trump statement asked. "Hillary Clinton should be ashamed of herself, and this proves beyond a doubt that she is unfit and incapable to serve as President of the United States," he added. At Friday night's fundraiser, Clinton said Trump had given voice to hateful rhetoric through his behavior as a candidate for the White House in the Nov. 8 election. "To just be grossly generalistic, you can put half of Trumps supporters into what I call the 'basket of deplorables,'" Clinton said. "Unfortunately there are people like that. And he has lifted them up." Some of those were irredeemable, she said, but they did not represent America. The other basket of Trump's supporters constituted individuals desperate for change who felt let down by the government and the economy, Clinton added. "They dont buy everything he says, but he seems to hold out some hope that their lives will be different," Clinton said. "Those are people we have to understand and empathize with, as well." Trump's campaign hammered on Clinton throughout the day. "Hillary Clintons low opinion of the people that support this campaign should be denounced in the strongest possible terms," Mike Pence, the governor of Indiana and Trump's running mate, said at the Values Voter Summit in Washington. "So let me just say from the bottom of my heart: Hillary, they are not a basket of anything. They are Americans, and they deserve your respect." Trump, a New York businessman who has never run for political office before, regularly says things that some consider insulting, racist or off-color. On Friday night, he told supporters in Pensacola, Florida, that Clinton could shoot someone and not be prosecuted. "Because she's being so protected, she could walk into this arena right now and shoot somebody with 20,000 people watching right smack in the middle of the heart and she wouldn't be prosecuted, okay?" he said. But Clinton's remarks got top billing on Twitter where the hashtag #BasketOfDeplorables was trending, with shows of condemnation and support for Clinton. Twitter user Basketeer Vendetta, under the account Vendetta92429, tweeted a photo of Trump supporters wearing campaign T-shirts and hats, adding: "Proud to be part of the #BasketOfDeplorables with my fellow Americans." And Trump himself tweeted: "Wow, Hillary Clinton was SO INSULTING to my supporters, millions of amazing, hard working people. I think it will cost her at the Polls!" But some Twitter users agreed with Clinton, referencing remarks by Trump that have been called racist, such as when he described some Mexican immigrants drug dealers and rapists. RISKY COMMENT Clinton's comment could nevertheless end up being a boon to Trump. "As long as Trump stays out of the way and doesn't overshadow Hillary's comment, her 'basket of deplorables' comment should dominate the media in the coming days and runs the risk of negatively defining her campaign," said Republican strategist Doug Heye. Republican strategist Ana Navarro, who has been highly critical of Trump, said Clinton might have crossed an important line. "When you are running for President, you are running to represent all Americans, even the ones you think are deplorable," said Navarro. But Jamal Simmons, a Democratic consultant, said the remarks probably would not wrest voters from Clinton. "Were moving to the part of the election process where theres a lot less persuasion of new voters and more persuasion of the people who like you to turn out and work to elect you," he added. Many of Clinton's fundraisers have been closed to the media, but not the one on Friday night. Some critics likened Clintons observation to 2012 Republican candidate Mitt Romneys "47 percent" comment in which he said 47 percent of voters are dependent upon the government and would vote for President Barack Obama no matter what. His campaign struggled to recover after the remark leaked. But Democratic strategist Jim Manley, who supports Clinton, pointed out that Romney was talking about all voters, and Clinton was specifically describing Trump supporters. (Additional reporting by Steve Holland; Editing by Mary Milliken and Grant McCool) man with his head in crocodile's mouth zoo performer It's easy to see why EpiPen has become the focus of America's fury over drug prices. It treats potentially deadly allergic reactions for example, in a child who is stung by a bee and its price has spiked by over 500% in a few years. While it's easy to jump all over drugmakers, like EpiPen's maker, Mylan, other actors in the healthcare system ought to draw as much scrutiny. One group of companies, called pharmaceutical-benefit managers, or PBMs, serve as middlemen, and they touch every part of the purchase of a prescription drug. And now there's a growing realization, from Washington to Wall Street, that PBMs have been a big beneficiary of soaring drug prices burdening Americans profits of the largest companies have doubled in recent years even as they pitch their services as critical to controlling costs. It's what one Wall Street analyst described as a "perverse incentive" in the business. A recent Morgan Stanley analysis showed that PBMs' earnings would take a direct hit if drug companies began to slow down on price hikes. The biggest of these companies is Express Scripts, but PBM services are also provided by CVS Health, UnitedHealth Group, and several smaller companies. Because of their complexity and opacity, they've managed to dodge the kind of intense scrutiny that drugmakers are facing. But that's changing, and it's bad news for the industry. PBMs are being sued by some customers for double-dealing, and they're now also starting to draw the attention of Congress. Perhaps the biggest threat of all: They're facing a backlash from America's largest employers, some of which are working on a way to rewire the system. Below, we're going to try to explain how PBMs work for the more than 260 million Americans they serve, and because, unlike the other big companies, it is mostly a PBM, we're going to use Express Scripts to do this. The ultimate middleman Pharmaceutical-benefit managers started simply enough. In the 1960s, they served a need. As more Americans started taking prescription drugs, insurance companies were overwhelmed processing claims. PBMs offered to do it for them. PBMs pioneered plastic prescription cards and mail-order drug delivery. Story continues They promised Americans they'd negotiate to keep drug prices down. They promised insurers they'd make processing prescriptions a lot cheaper and easier. And they promised drug companies they would favor certain drugs in exchange for rebates and price breaks. They're paid fees by the insurers and employers who use their services. But they're also taking a cut of every sale. That alone isn't a problem. American business is full of middlemen, and nothing the PBMs do is illegal. But where the PBMs are starting to get into trouble is that they're making bundles by keeping each player they deal with pharmacies, insurers, drugmakers partly in the dark. And those bundles, you could argue, are coming at the expense of the people who pay for healthcare. Obama doctors Obamacare Here's how a PBM like Express Scripts controls information and pricing. Let's say a doctor prescribes you a heartburn drug. Its list price is $300, but the only people who pay that are those without insurance. Because you have insurance, you go to your local pharmacy and pay a $20 co-pay. For you, that's it. Your insurer might be paying $180 for the drug as part of a large-scale agreement it came to years ago via the PBM. The pharmacy that dispenses it may get only $160 for it. That $20 difference is a spread, and that goes to your PBM as profit. That's on top of fees your insurer is paying the PBM to administer its prescription-drug program. That's the simplest way this goes down. All the while, the pharmacy has no idea how much your insurer is paying for the drug, and your insurer isn't exactly sure how much the pharmacy is getting for dispensing the medicine. The drug company, meanwhile, isn't even getting close to the $300 list price that makes everyone so angry. Then things get really murky. If the price of the drug has increased, the PBM can be paid a rebate for the excess, which it pockets. The insurer, which is paying for the drug, won't know. "These rebate amounts are less likely to be explicitly shared with a client," analysts at AllianceBernstein, an investment firm, wrote in a recent note on Express Scripts. The note was written to answer the question of whether PBMs are "containing pharmacy costs or driving them." AllianceBernstein's answer was to put an "underperform" rating on Express Scripts' stock, warning of the risk to investors as people start to figure all this out. Express Scripts Chief Medical Officer Steve Miller 'What we don't want is transparency' In the middle of the EpiPen news cycle, CNBC interviewed Steve Miller, the chief medical officer of Express Scripts. "If she wanted to lower the price tomorrow she could," Miller said of Mylan's CEO, Heather Bresch. He continued (emphasis added): "We love transparency for our patients. Our patients should know exactly what they're going to pay when they go to the pharmacy counter. We love transparency for our clients they can come in. They can audit their contracts. They know exactly what they're going to be required to pay ... What we don't want is transparency for our competitors." Did you catch that? Express Scripts will tell clients how much they should pay, but it is trying hard not to tell anyone how much things cost. The problem is that when people find out, they seem to get very angry. 'Don't you find it odd?' In February, at a congressional hearing about drug prices, Mark Merritt, the PBMs' lobbyist in Washington, was grilled by Republican Rep. Earl "Buddy" Carter of Georgia. Carter owns a few small pharmacies, and he was getting very angry about the lists, called formularies, that PBMs develop for their clients. A formulary is a list of drugs that patients will be reimbursed for on a given plan. PBMs also create maximum allowable cost (MAC) lists, which tell the drug companies and pharmacies how much they'll pay for a medication. The prices on each list can be different, but only the PBM knows the difference. "They have one list here that they're going to reimburse the dispenser at. They have another list that they're going to charge the insurance company that they're representing," Carter said at the hearing. "Don't you find that somewhat awkward? Don't you find that to be a situation where the PBM could distort the market greatly?" Merritt said he did not. Carter also said that PBMs have caught the ire of states because they were not updating their MAC lists frequently enough. That means that even if a drug's cost increases for a pharmacy, the PBM still won't pay more to buy the drug for its clients. Merritt insisted that it was not accurate. Carter countered: "If that's the case, don't you find it somewhat odd that [the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services] found it necessary to mandate ... that these MAC lists be updated every seven days, and that 26 states have passed laws requiring PBMs to update their MAC lists? ... I notice that the profits of the PBMs have increased enormously over the past few years in fact, almost doubled. I find that very disturbing, particularly when you're talking about spread pricing." In a statement to Business Insider, Express Scripts said, "We update [MAC lists] on a regular basis ... as need be." It would not elaborate further. Earl Side hustles Further complicating the issue with drug companies, PBMs have entered into businesses beyond just managing lists and buying drugs. Many have their own specialty pharmacies, which are mail-order pharmacies that manage drugs that are hard to distribute. Express Scripts, for example, has a specialty pharmacy called Accredo Health. Carter says he has adjudicated claims for customers in his pharmacy, had them rejected, and then seen the PBM call the customer right away to tell them to use its specialty pharmacy. "A mail-order pharmacy that is owned by the PBM now don't you find that conflict of interest? Don't you find it a conflict of interest when a PBM not only owns the pharmacy but they're reimbursing here?" he asked. What he means is that the PBM helps to manage the drugs on the formulary and negotiates the price of the drug that it could be buying from itself. Express Scripts also has a business that manages patient-assistance programs called United BioSource. Drug companies use these assistance programs to help patients get around co-pays and often point to them when drug costs go up really fast. Express Scripts picks up a management fee for doling out this cash. While all this complex stuff is going on in the background, the patient's price is being held steady. In his CNBC interview, Miller bragged that patients saw their EpiPen co-pay increase from $73.03 to just $73.50. "We're really trying to protect our plans," he said. What it really does, though, is protect all the players from patient outrage, because rising drug prices mean rising rebates and increasing profits for the PBM. In a research note, Morgan Stanley analysts walked through what would happen with a single product: Allergan's chronic dry-eye treatment, Restasis. The price of Restasis has increased by double digits annually in recent years, and so has the income generated from rebates related to it. If Allergan were to cut back on price hikes, like it just pledged to, those earnings would drop by 15%. Of course, clients such as insurers don't know exactly how much drugs cost the PBM once it has negotiated its own rebate with a drug company; clients just know how much they're paying a PBM. Are you seeing a trend here? Whether it's from drug companies like Mylan or PBMs, real prices are just hard to come by. And because their hands are in all corners of the business the lists that get you to customers, the assistance programs that get customers to pay, the pharmacies that can sell you the drugs that suits PBMs just fine. A pharmacy employee looks for medication as she works to fill a prescription while working at a pharmacy in New York December 23, 2009. REUTERS/Lucas Jackson This is your brain this is your brain on a PBM With a market cap of $45.7 billion, Express Scripts is the largest of the PBMs and was created as a PBM, not an insurer or a pharmacy like its two primary competitors, UnitedHealth and CVS Health. The three control most of the PBM industry. Based in St. Louis, Express Scripts exploded in 2011 when it announced it would purchase Medco Health Solutions for $29.1 billion. In 2010, before that deal, the company's revenue was $44.97 billion. In 2015, it was $101.75 billion. We asked Express Scripts if it thought there were any conflicts of interest in the way its business is structured, conflicts that may prompt the company to add a drug to a formulary or stock it in its pharmacy (Accredo Health), for example. Time and time again, the company said that clients make choices and Express Scripts just gives advice. Here are a few of the answers we got: Linette Lopez: If the price of a drug increases, doesn't payment to your company increase as well? Express Scripts: All individual client contracts are geared toward driving down the cost of healthcare while creating the best possible outcomes for patients. Express Scripts' performance is contingent on our ability save our clients money while ensuring that patients have access to the right medications at the best possible price with the greatest level of care. Lopez: Does Accredo sell drugs that it also provides patient-assistance programs for? Express Scripts: Pharmaceutical manufacturers choose their PAP providers as well as their distribution channels. There are drugs dispensed by Accredo that have PAPs operated by [United BioSource]. For some products, we determine eligibility and dispense the product, and for others the manufacturer contracts with Accredo to handle only dispensing. Lopez: For what drug companies does United BioSource administer patient-assistance programs? Express Scripts: [United BioSource] works with a number of manufacturers to implement PAPs to ensure that uninsured and underinsured patients who meet the qualifications of the program get access to the drugs they need. The number of companies is proprietary. express scripts revenue Dealing in the dark What these answers reveal is that yes, sometimes Express Scripts gets paid for managing patient-assistance programs for drugs it also sells through its own pharmacy. So not only is the situation Carter described possible, patients won't even know what's going on because the patient-assistance program will mask all the cost for them. And no, you cannot find out whom Express Scripts managing patient-assistance programs for. And, by the way, no, Express Scripts does not "find it odd" (as Carter said) that it manages those two lists one for what drug companies can charge and one for what clients have to pay. "The client chooses how they would prefer to contract with us or any PBM for its service," the company told Business Insider. "Spread pricing is aligned with the payer's desire to control costs and our ability to do so. Through spread pricing, we offer lower rates and leverage our ability to secure better discounts from retail pharmacies over the life of the contract." Many clients do not agree with this. Earlier this year, some of America's biggest employers including American Express, Macy's, Coca-Cola created an organization called the Health Transformation Alliance with the aim of breaking with "existing marketplace practices that are costly, wasteful, and inefficient, all of which have resulted in employees paying higher premiums, copayments, and deductibles every year." And they have PBMs in their sights. Here's Barron's magazine on one way they'll do this: "They'd do this by rewriting their pharmacy-benefit contracts to eliminate the undisclosed drug-price markups that supply much of the PBM industry's profits. Instead, the PBMs would mainly receive administrative fees, which would be significantly lower." There's more. Express Scripts gets a significant chunk of its revenue from two clients: the Department of Defense and Anthem Insurance. But Anthem is suing Express Scripts for breaching its 10-year contract with the company, alleging that it "failed to negotiate new pricing concessions in good faith." It's seeking $15 billion in legal damages. A number of Anthem clients are also suing both Express Scripts and Anthem for the money they spent on overpriced healthcare. In California, clients are suing Express Scripts for failing "to comply with statutory obligations to provide the state's clients with the results of a biannual survey of retail drug prices." Express Scripts sent us its response to the Anthem case. Basically, it argues that it had a deal, and it accuses Anthem of being the one to violate the agreement. The response is replete with redactions meant to protect the terms of its contract with the insurer. It's these redactions, these facts concealed by omissions, that AllianceBernstein believes puts the PBM industry in peril. "We believe retail spread benefits from a lack of transparency and press/political investigation has the potential to reduce spread. We believe greater awareness of rebate levels or price protection rebates would increase necessary sharing with clients," the analysts wrote. In other words, once America finds out how this business works, it's not going to like how this business works. NOW WATCH: KRUGMAN: Free markets won't solve the problem driving EpiPen prices higher More From Business Insider Tokyo: Washington and Tokyo are seeking "the strongest possible" measure to be taken against North Korea after its latest and most powerful nuclear test, a top US envoy said on Sunday. Sung Kim, the US State Department's special representative for North Korea policy, also suggested that the US may launch its own sanctions in response to "the provocative and unacceptable behaviour by the North Koreans." "We will be working together very closely in the Security Council and beyond to come up the strongest possible measure against North Korea's latest action," Kim told reporters in Tokyo after meeting his Japanese counterpart Kenji Kanasugi. "In addition to sanctions in the Security Council, both the US and Japan, together with the ROK (South Korea), we will be looking at unilateral measures," Kim said, without going into further detail. North Korea has been hit by five sets of UN sanctions since it first tested a nuclear device in 2006, but has insisted it will continue, come what may. The North carried out its fifth nuclear test on Friday, claiming that it had successfully tested a nuclear warhead, and drawing global condemnation. The international community has engaged in a flurry of diplomacy in an attempt to persuade China to use its leverage to persuade Pyongyang to comply with UN sanction resolutions. China has said it "firmly opposes" the test, but analysts believe Beijing wants to avoid a collapse of North Korea in order to prevent the balance of power on the Korean peninsula from leaning towards the US. Washington's "dialogue" with Beijing over the crisis will continue, Kim said. "We continue to work together to urge China to implement existing Security Council resolutions...and to work with us to make sure North Korea's behaviour and their deliberation change in a more productive and positive direction," Kim said. "North Korea continues to present growing threats to the region, to our allies and to ourselves. We will do everything possible to defend against that growing threat," he said. DALLAS, TX / ACCESSWIRE / September 10, 2016 / Sometimes, when a defendant has a very good defense, a skilled lawyer can convince a prosecutor to dismiss the case. This generally happens when the defense can be proved with something other than just the defendant's word, such as with documents or other sources, and when it is a defense that the prosecutor has not already considered adds John Helms Dallas criminal lawyer. As a top Dallas criminal lawyer, I recently convinced a federal prosecutor to dismiss all charges in a federal child pornography case using this strategy. Here is how I did it. My client had arrived in the United States by plane on a tourist visa. He was sent to secondary screening at DFW airport. There, his cell phone was searched, and images were found of a young child whose genitals were exposed. A federal agent with child pornography experience was called, and the agent determined that the images exhibited the boy's genitals in a "lewd and lascivious manner." My client was immediately arrested. After talking to my client's family, I learned that the boy in the photos was my client's child and that he had a medical condition called phimosis, in which the uncircumcised foreskin of the penis sticks to the head of the penis. This can make urination difficult and cause infections. It is treated by creams and by stretching the foreskin. The family was able to get a letter from the boy's pediatrician stating that he had diagnosed the boy with phimosis. We were also able to get prescription records about the boy's condition. Armed with this documentation and articles about the medical condition, I met with the prosecutor and presented her with the evidence. I knew the prosecutor was smart and a good prosecutor who did not want to charge an innocent person. I made sure not to be pushy or aggressive because I wanted her to trust me. As a former federal prosecutor, I knew this approach would give me more credibility. I, therefore, gave her the information and let her know that I trusted her to make the right decision. The next day, the prosecutor let me know that she was dismissing all charges. Story continues The lesson from this experience is that a criminal defense lawyer must always maintain credibility when dealing with prosecutors. Prosecutors can tell when a lawyer is trying to play games or be less than honest with them. If they trust you, they will treat your client fairly. If they don't trust you, they are far more likely to fight you at every turn. There are times when you need to be aggressive, but never in a way that compromises your credibility. If you, a family member or someone you know has been charged with a crime or have been convicted and need help with an appeal in the Dallas area, contact Dallas criminal appeal lawyer John Helms at (214) 666-8010 or fill out the online contact form. You can discuss your case, how the law may apply and your best legal options to protect your rights and freedom. https://plus.google.com/u/0/b/102874298661508534943/+JohnHelmsLawFirmDallas source: http://johnhelms.attorney/dallas-criminal-lawyer-tells-get-prosecutor-dismiss-criminal-case/ SOURCE: John Helms Law Firm via Submit Press Release 123 Zagreb (AFP) - Croatia's main conservative party looked set for victory in the snap election, according to preliminary results, but will likely be forced into another coalition furthering political uncertainty in the EU's newest member. The ballot was the second in less than a year after the previous barely-functioning coalition government led by the conservative HDZ collapsed in June over a conflict of interest scandal after just five months in power. The HDZ were leading against their centre-left opposition rivals, the Social Democrats (SDP), with 61 seats to 54, according to results released early Monday from more than 80 percent of polling stations. The results suggest the HDZ advantage will not be enough to secure an absolute majority in the 151-seat parliament, and HDZ's former junior government partner, the Most Party ("Bridge" in Croatian), is likely to play kingmaker once again. The Most Party is set to come third with 12 seats. Some 3.8 million Croatians were eligible to cast ballots in the election, which comes at a time of economic gloom and strained ties between neighbours in the volatile Balkans. The previous HDZ-led coalition's five-month rule was marked by a shift to the right amid a growing climate of intolerance, including attacks on independent media and minorities, notably ethnic Serbs. Authorities have appeared to turn a blind eye to a far-right surge that has sparked global concern and brought already frosty ties with former enemy Serbia to their lowest level since Croatia's 1990s independence war. But the HDZ was aspiring to stay in power with a new and more moderate leader, Andrej Plenkovic. The 46-year-old former member of the European Parliament has repeatedly pledged to move the party away from populism and extremism to position it in the centre-right. "I'm certain that we are the party that will have a privilege to form the next stable Croatian government," Plenkovic told supporters early Monday, as he pledged a "Europe-oriented" government. Story continues But his SDP rival, former prime minister Zoran Milanovic, warned it was too early to call the result. "We should wait until all votes are counted," he told supporters in Zagreb early Monday morning. "Croatia needs a stable government, for the past months we had an unstable and destructive (one)," he added. - Prolonged deadlock - Croatians may have lost enthusiasm for voting a second time in less than a year: by mid-afternoon turnout was some nine points down on November polls. And the preliminary results suggest they could be facing a similar scenario that which followed the previous vote -- prolonged talks on forming a government and potentially another election. With Plenkovic's moderate agenda, HDZ could also count on the backing of minorities, notably Serbs. While Milanovic, 49, pledged a "government of progress and tolerance". But during campaigning Milanovic sharpened his populist rhetoric after disappointing voters with scant reforms when in power before the ill-fated HDZ coalition took control last November. He has repeatedly slammed Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic over his ultranationalist wartime stance. The almost year of political deadlock has blocked reforms the former Yugoslav republic badly needs as it emerges from a six-year recession. The economy, relying heavily on tourism along the country's Adriatic coast, remains one of the EU's weakest despite some recent positive indicators attributed to membership of the bloc. The central bank has forecast growth of 2.3 percent this year. Unemployment stands at more than 13 percent, public debt has reached 85 percent of GDP, while the investment climate remains poor. For Charlottes Book (Photo: Getty Images) When youre in the market for an aesthetic treatment, skipping the clinical setting of a cosmetic doctors office in favor of a pampering medi-spa is tempting, but watch out. While medi-spas are becoming increasingly popular, they run the gamut from glorified nail salon to state-of-the-art skincare clinic. So before you book a skin-enhancing service like Botox, laser hair removal, a dermal filler, microdermabrasion or even a so-called photorejuvenation facial, do your homework first, then decide. Related: The Risks Of Cheap Botox Are Real HOW IS A MEDI-SPA DIFFERENT THAN A DERMATOLOGISTS OFFICE? The term medi-spa (short for medical spa) has become an umbrella name that encompasses anything from a treatment room within a dermatologists or plastic surgeons office to a storefront at the mall where you can get a shot of Botox at the same time as a mani/pedi. I would like to think that every medi-spa has a doctor on site overseeing the staff, but thats not always the case, warns Gervaise Gerstner, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in NYC, member of the Charlottes Book advisory board, and assistant clinical professor of dermatology, Mount Sinai Medical School. While a medi-spa may have a doctor affiliation, that can mean anything from having a qualified, board-certified cosmetic dermatologist or plastic surgeon on-site supervising every procedure to a doctor who doesnt even specialize in skincare simply lending his or her name to the establishment (and collecting a share of the profits). Related: Heres how to fix a botched Botox job. In recent years, there have been more calls for tightening regulations to govern these establishments, but were not there yet. California law requires that medical businesses (and medi-spas count as that) be at last majority owned by a physician (although not necessarily a dermatologist or plastic surgeon)and all patients must be examined by a doctor, physician assistant or nurse practitioner before receiving any treatments. At least a dozen other states are working on truth in advertising laws that would require medi-spas to detail all practitioners training and credentials clearly in their marketing materials. But right now, the medi-spa industry is widely unregulated and many medi-spas arent transparent on exactly who their supervising doctors are and their qualifications. Story continues Related: This editor investigates a perfectionists guide to body sculpting treatments. PROS AND CONS OF A MEDI-SPA Theres no denying that a trip to a medi-spa feels more luxurious than a visit to a sterile cosmetic doctors office, even if its not for a not-so-relaxing procedure like laser hair removal or CoolSculpting. Medi-spas give you soft fluffy robes to wear, pitchers of cucumber-infused water to sip and healthy snacks to munch on. Theres no reason not to enjoy all that, just pick the right services to try while youre there. If you plan on having someone contact your skin with a laser, scalpel or needle for a cosmetic treatment, make sure youre seeing a board-certified dermatologist or plastic surgeon, not just an aesthetician, says Robert Anolik, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in NYC, member of the Charlottes Book advisory board, and clinical assistant professor of dermatology at NYU School of Medicine and Weill Cornell Medical College. THE BOTTOM LINE Dont assume a medi-spa is as safe as a cosmetic doctors office just because it has the term medi in it. There is currently no national standard regulating medi-spas, making it difficult to know which ones are great and which ones you should steer clear of. Thats why its imperative to ask plenty of questions before you sign up for a cosmetic treatment. Find out who will actually be performing the procedure, what experience they have, and what the physicians role is. If youre not comfortable with what you find out, move on to another establishment. Even for procedures in which the risk of complications is relatively small, why would you take the risk? asks Gerstner. I think its just asking for trouble if you go someplace where someone without a medical background is doing your cosmetic procedure. FIND BEAUTY AND WELLNESS EXPERTS Read client reviews, book appointments, and get expert advice. Only the best cosmetic doctors, skincare gurus, nutritionists, fitness and wellness professionals make it into our book. This has been the calm before the storm. (Image: Flickr / Anthony Quintano) Friday was a rough day for the markets. The S&P 500 (^GSPC) fell a whopping 53 points, or 2.45%, to close at 2,127. This came after 42 straight trading sessions where the S&P made a move no greater than 1%. So, the market was arguably due for some volatility. Deutsche Banks David Bianco believes theres a lot more downside to look forward to. An 8-10% S&P decline looms, Bianco said on Friday. S&P realized volatility has been extremely low the last 6 weeks, but we think this is the quiet before the storm. He identified five catalysts to increased volatility in the weeks ahead: What makes market particularly vulnerable is the combination of bullish sentiment and complacency observed. We take concern with this very low volatily amidst low volume and high PEs, Bianco said. One of our favorite risk sentiment indicators, which we use in a contrarian fashion, the PE/VIX ratio signals a very complacent market. The markets look complacent. (Image: Deutsche Bank) Bianco joins his peers on Wall Street who have been warning clients of heightened volatility and lower stock prices. On Friday, Goldman Sachs David Kostin also offered a list or reasons why stocks should go down. From Kostins note: Five reasons we continue to forecast S&P 500 will end 2016 at 2100, roughly 1% below the current level: (1) Our Sentiment Indicator shows an extreme bullish reading of 95 which suggests the index will decline during the next four weeks; (2) Political uncertainty will rise as the election approaches leading to a lower P/E multiple; (3) Recent economic data has disappointed; (4) Downside risk to EPS forecasts; (5) Equity valuation remains extended. But to be clear, this is not a unanimous view. Story continues We think the US stock market is going higher, Morgan Stanleys Adam Parker said last Monday. Rather than focusing on the near-term, Parker looks longer term arguing that the S&P heads to 2,300 in 12 months and 3,000 by 2020. One things for sure: there are a lot of important events coming up, and its unclear how any of these events will turn out. Sam Ro is managing editor at Yahoo Finance. Read more: Morgan Stanley: We think the US stock market is going higher Summers over: Markets brace for the fall Bullishness in the derivatives market has hit a 3-year high Dont be fooled by the calm in the markets The stage is set for the next 10% plunge in stocks In a letter to Chief Justice T.S. Thakur, senior Supreme Court judge Justice J Chelameswar has asked the Supreme Court collegium of the five senior most judges that decides on appointments and transfer of judges to make available to him in writing recommendations of each of the judges in the collegium. According to newspaper reports, in his letter Justice Chelameswar has also communicated to the Chief Justice that he will not attend further meetings of the collegium. This letter takes on enormous significance given the recent history of disagreement between Justice Chelameswar and other judges of the Supreme Court in the Constitutional Bench decision relating to the National Judicial Appointments Commission (NJAC). In October 2015, a Constitutional Bench of the Supreme Court struck down the 99th Constitutional Amendment and the related NJAC legislation as impinging on the independence of the judiciary thereby violating the basic structure of the Constitution. Of the five judges who sat on the Bench, Justice Chelameswar was the sole dissenting voice. The crux of J. Chelamswars dissenting judgment is that the Executive was trying to fix a problem with the current system of choosing judges, and by blocking this attempt the judiciary is doing itself a disservice. He cites two examples that of Shanti Bhushans case (2009) which dealt with the appointment of a permanent judge to the Madras High Court, and that of the P.D. Dinakaran case (2011) where the elevation of Justice Dinakaran to the Supreme Court was publicly opposed by a section of advocates of the Madras High Court. These two examples, J. Chelameswar argues are representative of a larger institutional problem, and show that the existing system of choosing judges, laid down in the Second and Third Judges cases, which gives this power to a collegium of the five senior most Supreme Court judges, does not always work. The Supreme Court of India at New Delhi. Image Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Supreme_Court_of_India_-_200705.jpg In his dissent, J. Chelameswar states that although there are a number of allegations of unworthy judicial appointments there is no mechanism for an audit or qualitative analysis. He is scathing in his attack on the non-transparency in judicial appointments. Stating that publicity is the very soul of justice, J. Chelameswar says that the process of judicial appointments is opaque and rife with unworthy tradeoffs, bargaining, sycophancy and lobbying. In his dissent, J. Chelameswar draws upon Ambedkars speech in the Constituent Assembly, where the then Law Minister and architect of the Indian Constitution, states that the model that was chosen for India does not give the power of appointing judges completely to the executive or the Chief Justice. This was to ensure that no branch of government was given unbridled power. With this letter J. Chelameswar has brought back the debate around the transparency of judges into the spotlight. One of the positive outcomes of the NJAC judgment, and the legal arguments in court, was that it allowed for a more open and frank discussion around the problems with the existing system of appointments. Following the NJAC decision, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court had stated that the court was willing to consider making the appointment of the collegium and the process of dealing with complaints against judges more transparent. Even the most ardent critics of the NJAC will find it hard to disagree that the current system needs to be altered to make it more accountable. The disagreement seems to lie in how exactly this should be done. One of the main grounds of opposition to the NJAC law was that it allowed for too great a role for the executive and that the amended law left the role of civil society vague. J. Chelameswar in his dissent in the NJAC case has tried to address this criticism. He suggested that the two eminent members of the NJAC panel could be selected after placing their candidatures before a full bench of the Supreme Court number of candidates. The candidate with the highest vote and therefore confidence among the judges could be appointed. Ideally the present government through the Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi should have thought of such balanced alternatives while drafting the NJAC law. If the government had taken more care in addressing these concerns, and incorporated checks and balances within the law itself, we would not have found ourselves at an impasse and having to choose between sacrificing judicial independence and greater transparency in judicial appointments. NEW YORK (Reuters) - Third seed Stan Warwinka won the third set from top-seeded defending champion Novak Djokovic 7-5 to move within one set of victory in the U.S. Open men's final on Sunday. The 31-year-old Swiss led 6-7(1) 6-4 7-5 in a big-hitting match of long tense rallies and brilliant shot-making. The finalists traded breaks in the third set with Warwinka striking first in the second game for a 2-0 lead, before Djokovic, who had been 2-of-12 on converting break point chances, cashed one in to bring the set back on serve at 3-2. But as happened in the first two sets, Wawrinka was able to break the world number one late in the set this time ending it after Djokovic sent a backhand long and then a backhand wide. Earlier, Wawrinka made it one set apiece by winning the second set. After dropping the first-set tiebreak 7-1, the Swiss ratcheted up the pressure on the Serb and broke Djokovic in the fourth game on a backhand winner to claim a 3-1 lead. Wawrinka consolidated the break by fighting off triple break point from 0-40 in the fifth game, and holding with an ace and an inside-out forehand winner. Djokovic made good on his next chance to break, bringing the set back on serve when Wawrinka sailed a forehand long to make it 4-3. The set appeared headed for another tiebreaker, but Wawrinka ended it in the 10th game, as errors plagued the Serb and a forehand wide ended it in the third seed's favour. FIRST-SET DECIDER Australian and French Open Djokovic won the last five points of the first-set decider, clinching the last three points on a pair of Wawrinka groundstroke errors and a long serve return. The Serbian dominated the set early, seizing a quick lead by breaking Wawrinka on his first service game for 2-0, winning from deuce as Wawrinka missed a forehand and netted a backhand. Trailing 2-5, the Swiss fought off two set points in the eighth game, finally holding serve with winners from each side. Wawrinka brought the set back on serve in the next game, taking an 0-40 lead and clinching the break on a Djokovic double fault that made it 5-4 and the set went on serve to the tiebreak. (Reporting by Andrew Both in Cary, North Carolina) MIAMI -- Los Angeles Dodgers right-hander Kenta Maeda figures to be a rested and dangerous pitcher on Sunday against the Miami Marlins. Maeda will be pitching on six days' rest, which was pretty much his schedule in his native Japan. The 28-year-old is 14-8 this season with a 3.29 ERA. But in starts where he pitches on at least five days rest, he is even better (3.14 ERA in 89 innings). "With the extra day, Kenta has performed," Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. "But whatever situation we put him in, he is going to perform." Indeed, if not for Dodgers shortstop Corey Seager, Maeda would likely be the National League Rookie of the Year. Seager is hitting .318 with 39 doubles, three triples and 66 RBIs. It has been 20 years since the Dodgers have had one of their players win the NL Rookie of the Year award. Consider that two-decade drought over. It will be Seager. Perhaps it is fitting that Seager and Maeda are considered the NL's top two rookies this year because the Dodgers have prided themselves on their minor-league system for decades. Starting in 1992, the Dodgers' organization burst with pride, producing five straight Rookie of the Year winners. That fab five consisted of first baseman Eric Karros in '92 followed by catcher and eventual Hall of Famer Mike Piazza, outfielder Raul Mondesi, pitcher Hideo Nomo and outfielder Todd Hollandsworth. Since the NL started honoring its top rookies in 1949, no other organization has ever won that award more than two years in a row. In fact, the Dodgers had streaks of more than two in a row twice -- 92-96 and also 79-82. That latter streak included pitchers Rick Sutcliffe, Steve Howe and Fernando Valenzuela as well as second baseman Steve Sax. Seager and Maeda fit in just fine with all those names. And Maeda has fit seamlessly into the rotation of the Dodgers, who have gone 17-10 in games he has started. Another win could be coming Sunday as the Dodgers face Marlins rookie right-hander Jose Urena, who is 3-6 with a 5.54 ERA. Story continues Urena lost his most recent outing 4-3 to the Philadelphia Phillies on Tuesday. "It seemed like Jose was up in the zone more than we had seen in his previous couple of outings," Marlins manager Don Mattingly said. "He had more unfavorable counts, more off-speed up in the zone -- stuff like that." If "stuff like that" continues Sunday, that could be another loss for the Marlins (70-72), who already have been projected to have less than a two percent chance of making this year's playoffs. Miami has lost 11 of its past 15 games. Meanwhile, the Dodgers (80-61) have a comfortable lead in the NL West, and they just got outfielder Andre Ethier (broken leg) off the disabled list for the first time all year. It's possible that the left-handed-hitting Ethier could make his first start of the year against Urena. The return of Ethier is a boost to the Dodgers, who have placed 28 different players on the disabled list this year, the most in the majors since at least 1987. GettyImages 602349912 Donald Trump released a statement on Sunday to mark the 15th anniversary of the 9/11 terror attacks. Fifteen years ago, America suffered the worst terrorist attack in its history, Trump said. Thousands of mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers and innocent American children were murdered by radical Islamic terrorists. The Republican presidential candidate continued: Today, we mourn for all the lives lost. We mourn for all the children who had to grow up without a mom or dad, and for all the parents who've had to struggle on without their children. We will never forget. In that darkest hour, the entire world bore witness to the strength and courage of our mighty nation. Firefighters, police officers and port authority workers rushed into danger, into smoke, into fire to save the lives of people they had never met --performing their sacred duties until their last moments on Earth. Heroes like Father Mychal Judge who tended to the dead and dying until he too joined them in Heaven. These were the finest and bravest and toughest people that could ever grace a city. We remember the heroes of Flight 93, who saved countless more from a terrible fate. We remember the heroes at the Pentagon who fought to save every last life from the smoldering rubble. Today is a day of sadness and remembrance. It is also a day of resolve. Our solemn duty on behalf of all those who perished that September day 15 years ago, is to work together as one nation to keep all of our people safe from an enemy that seeks nothing less than to destroy our way of life. We pray for those who have lost the ones they love so much, and we also pray for the unity we will need to conquer all the challenges to come." Both Trump and Hillary Clinton visited ground zero in New York City on Sunday to pay their respects to the thousands who lost their lives in the attacks. NOW WATCH: 'Taco Trucks on every corner': Watch the stunning comments made by the leader of 'Latinos for Trump' More From Business Insider trump Last year, Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump's Twitter account deleted a message that marked the anniversary of the September 11, 2001, terror attacks. The tweet, which had been revisited by numerous tweeters as the billionaire was in the thrust of his presidential primary campaign, featured Trump extending "best wishes to all" on the anniversary. He added that those best wishes even applied to "the haters and losers." Around 8:30 a.m. last September 11, the tweet was removed. However, a subsequent tweet in which Trump retweeted his own tweet, remains up on his account: Donald Trump tweet Asked why the tweet was removed last year, Trump campaign spokeswoman Hope Hicks told Business Insider, "It is from several years ago." The Trump campaign didn't respond to a subsequent request for further explanation. Here's the original tweet: trump tweet Trump tweeted a more toned-down remembrance on the 14th anniversary of the attacks last year: Lets all take a moment to remember all of the heroes from a very tragic day that we cannot let happen again! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 11, 2015 NOW WATCH: Everyone's talking about Trump's Jeb Bush attack ad that looks a lot like the infamous 'Willie Horton' ad from 1988 More From Business Insider (Reuters) - Dozens of people were injured on Saturday after a porch crowded with partygoers collapsed in Hartford near Trinity College, authorities said. Between 30 and 40 people were being treated for injuries, none of which appeared to be major, Hartford Police Department Deputy Chief Brian Foley said in postings on social network Twitter. Police and fire responders were aiding the injured. The Hartford Courant newspaper reported that 23 people had been taken to hospitals. "We are very lucky that there were no fatalities and no known critical injuries from what could have been a truly tragic incident," Mayor Luke Bronin said in a statement. The collapse took place during an off-campus party at private housing near Trinity College, Foley said. The third-floor porch collapsed onto the second-floor one, which then fell to the first floor. Foley posted pictures showing the exterior of a 3-story house with the three porches sheared off. (Reporting by Chris Michaud; Editing by Clarence Fernandez and Richard Pullin) Nearly 21 million Americans ages 12 and older had a substance use problem in 2015, according to a new federal estimate. Among those with a substance use disorder, three out of four people (or about 15.7 million) had a substance use disorder related to alcohol, Kana Enomoto, the principal deputy administrator of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), said at a news conference today (Sept. 8). In addition, 1 in 3 people with a substance use disorder had a disorder related to drug use, and 1 in 8 people had a disorder involving both drugs and alcohol, Enomoto said. For the report, the federal government used the definitions of substance use disorders as they are explained in the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. People are considered to have a substance use disorder if, for example, they have strong urges to use a substance or can't control their use of it, or if their use impairs them in social situations or leads to risky behavior. The report also said that an estimated 27.1 million people in the U.S. used an illegal drug in the past month. The national estimates are based on the findings of the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, an annual survey on drug use. The 2015 survey included interviews with about 67,500 people. The survey also revealed that, in 2015, about 1 in 12 Americans needed some form of substance use treatment, Enomoto said. But only about 11 percent of these people actually received treatment, she said. [The Drug Talk: 7 New Tips for Today's Parents] Drug use in the U.S. Marijuana remains the most commonly used drug, Enomoto said. Among people who reported having used any drugs in the previous month, 87 percent said that they had used marijuana, she said. And more people reported using marijuana during 2015 than during any single year between 2002 and 2013, according to SAMHSA. But notably, marijuana use didn't increase among adolescents, Enomoto said. Rather, the overall increase was driven largely by more use of the drug among adults ages 26 and older, according to the report. In 2002, 4 percent of adults ages 26 and older who were surveyed reported using marijuana, but in 2015, that number was 6.5 percent. Story continues Among those who reported using opioids in the past year, prescription drugs were the most common type used, Enomoto said. An estimated 3.8 million people in the U.S. currently misuse prescription pain relievers, according to the report. An estimated 830,000 people in the U.S. used heroin in 2015, Enomoto said more than double the number from 2002. She noted that there was a slight decrease, however, in heroin use from 2014 to 2015, but it was not statistically significant (meaning it could have been due to chance). In addition, nearly 300,000 people knowingly used the drug fentanyl in the past year, Enomoto said. Fentanyl is a prescription painkiller that is up to 100 times more potent than morphine and is often linked to fatal overdoses. In many cases, people who use heroin may unknowingly use fentanyl, because heroin may be laced with fentanyl. Prevention efforts are working However, the findings also suggest that the prevention efforts do work to curb substance use, Enomoto said. For example, although alcohol remains a problem among adolescents, the rate of teens who reported using alcohol in the past month has decreased significantly in the past 13 years, Enomoto said. In 2015, 9.6 percent of teens reported drinking in the past month down from 17.6 percent of teens in 2002, according to the report. There also has been a reduction in cigarette smoking among teens, Enomoto said. In 2002, nearly 1 in 8 teens reported having smoked in the past month, but in 2015, just 1 in 20 teens reported having smoked in the past month, according to the report. Originally published on Live Science. Editor's Recommendations Copyright 2016 LiveScience, a Purch company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Airlines operating in Angola will now set their ticket prices based on the countrys economic reality, according to the Regulation on Air Transport, whose draft presidential decree has been approved by the Cabinet. The Transport Minister, Augusto Tomas, said the measure is intended to regulate the market and protect passengers, as the airlines, particularly foreign ones, apply tariffs that are not always realistic. Cited by state newspaper Jornal de Angola, the minister avoided talking about reducing ticket prices but stressed it did not make sense that an airline set a certain price abroad, based on the route travelled and associated costs, and that in Angola the prices are different for that same route. The legislation also aims to adapt current legislation to market requirements and clearly defines the conditions and procedures for access to and exercise of scheduled and non-scheduled domestic and international air transport. The Cabinet also approved the Regulation on Compulsory Liability Insurance, to protect passengers, their baggage and other users of air services from business risks. The imposition of compulsory insurance follows an increase in the number of aircraft, air operations and the development of airport infrastructure in the country. The five documents approved by the Ministry of Transport also include a diploma to set the guidelines be followed for the allocation of slots for regular air transport operations at Angolan airports and airstrips. Known as Regulation on Scheduling Fees at Airports, the document improves coordination between the airlines operating in the different airports and aerodromes in the country and the fulfillment of the Civil Aviation Act. MDT/Macauhub By George Georgiopoulos THESSALONIKI, Greece (Reuters) - A rift between the International Monetary Fund and the European Union over how to make Greece's debt sustainable is damaging the country's attempts at economic recovery, Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras said on Sunday. Describing the debt pile, equivalent to more than 170 percent of economic output, as not just a Greek but a "European problem", he said investors would remain wary of the country for as long as the two sides were at odds on how to restructure it. "I would say that what is creating conditions of delay in regaining trust of markets and investors ... is the constant clash and disagreement between the IMF and European institutions," Tsipras told a news conference in the northern city of Thessaloniki. Greece almost tumbled out of the euro zone last year, with investors fleeing its assets as talks dragged on between Athens and international lenders over terms of a financial bailout, the country's third since 2010. The IMF has yet to decide whether to participate in Greece's newest international bailout, saying it is not yet convinced the country's debt is sustainable or its fiscal targets feasible. Greece's debt to GDP ratio is the highest in the euro zone. Tsipras said differing views among lenders was preventing the inclusion of Greek debt in the European Central Bank's quantitative easing (QE) asset purchase programme. The ECB has said it cannot specify when it could start buying Greek bonds, but that Greece needs to pass a debt sustainability analysis before it happens. Lenders have promised to look at how Greece's debt mountain can be made sustainable, and whatever they decide will swing whether the IMF decides to sign up for the latest bailout deal. NO EARLY ELECTIONS Tsipras, a leftist who came to power in early 2015 promising to end years of austerity, is trailing opposition New Democracy in opinion polls. A Kapa Research poll published by the To Vima newspaper on Saturday showed New Democracy ahead by 3.9 points. Story continues On Sunday, Tsipras ruled out early elections, saying: "The country doesn't need elections. The country needs stability." On Friday, euro zone finance ministers called on Greece to stay on track with reforms it must pursue under the bailout, which is worth up to 86 billion euros, ahead of a second review of progress in meeting terms that is due to start in October. It still needs to pursue energy market reforms, create a new body to oversee privatisations and establish a new independent revenue agency. The Greek premier said the country had already completed 70 percent of reforms required under the bailout programme. Tsipras, who eschews ties and prefers open-collared shirts, reiterated a pledge that a "significant event", such as debt relief, would make him put one on. "I never got married, so I couldn't wear one at my wedding," he joked. "I don't have any hang-ups about it, but I made a commitment that I would make that wardrobe change when we have an important event." (Additional reporting by Renee Maltezou; Writing by Michele Kambas; Editing by Catherine Evans) By Alastair Macdonald and Gabriela Baczynska BRUSSELS (Reuters) - EU chief executive Jean-Claude Juncker has launched an unprecedented ethics investigationinto his predecessor, Jose Manuel Barroso, questioning whether he broke EU law by taking a job at Goldman Sachs. In a letter released on Sunday by the European Ombudsman who has been pressuring Juncker to inquire into how Barroso plans to help the U.S. investment bank deal with Brexit, European Commission President Juncker said he was formally asking the former Portuguese premier to "clarify" his role at Goldman. An independent panel of senior former EU figures, including a judge and a member of parliament, would review the case, which the Commission has previously said did not appear to breach its code of conduct as Barroso had been retired for over 18 months. The uproar over him joining an American institution held partly responsible by many Europeans for a financial crisis that nearly broke the euro, comes as the EU is battling in the wake of Britain's vote to leave the bloc in June to dispel public perceptions that it is a technocratic pawn of global capital. That is likely to be a central theme of Juncker's annual State of the Union address to the European Parliament on Wednesday and a summit of EU leaders in Bratislava on Friday. EU officials and diplomats say privately that Juncker and other leaders have been furious with Barroso for taking a post with a firm whose public reputation in Europe is so poor but have said they see little the Commission can do. Juncker, who took over two years ago when the conservative former prime minister stepped down after a decade running the EU executive, wrote on Friday that Barroso had assured him he would "behave with integrity and discretion". However, he acknowledged the prominent role Barroso had held -- officials say there is little precedent for a former head of the Commission taking such a high-profile role in the private sector -- and would now seek written assurances of that. Story continues "Because it involves a former president of the Commission," Juncker wrote, the Commission's chief administration would write to Barroso "asking him to provide clarifications on his new responsibilities and the terms of reference of his contract, on which I will seek advice of the Ad Hoc Ethical Committee". PUBLIC OUTCRY The request was sent to Barroso but there had as yet been no reply, a Commission spokeswoman said. Juncker, in his letter, stressed that Barroso would not be received in the Commission as a former president but as a lobbyist like any other and his dealings would have to be logged in the public register. Barroso and Goldman Sachs did not immediately respond to requests for comment. People who know the former prime minister have told Reuters that he feels motivated to take the job after many years in public service and sees much of the criticism as coming from long-time political enemies on the left. The Ethical Committee comprises three members, a Dutch former judge at the EU's highest court, the Court of Justice, a German Social Democrat former member of the European Parliament and an Austrian former senior official of the Commission. EU treaty law states that former commissioners who fail to act with integrity in the taking of appointments after leaving the EU executive may be stripped of pension rights. Goldman Sachs announced in early July its appointment of Barroso, who at 60 is a year younger than his successor Juncker, as an executive chairman of its international arm in London. It said he would advise the bank on handling Britain's separation from the EU, likely to affect many investment markets. The Commission at the time noted that Barroso had left its employ 20 months previously, beyond the 18-month statutory limit during which the Commission must vet former colleagues' jobs. However, Ombudsman Emily O'Reilly, an Irish former journalist with a brief to probe ethics in EU institutions, said that even beyond the 18-month limit enshrined in the Commission code of conduct, EU treaty law demanded "integrity" for life. Juncker noted that the 18-month period during which the Commission can block its former members taking jobs -- and it has done in the past -- was extended from 12 months in 2011, when Barroso himself was the president of the EU executive. Nonetheless, Ombudsman O'Reilly, in a letter to Juncker last week, said that Barroso had caused widespread public outcry. Nearly 140,000 people have signed an online petition started by EU staff. They wrote in a demand for "exemplary measures": "It is, at the worst possible moment, a disastrous symbol for the Union and a gift horse for the europhobes that a former Commission president is associated with the unbridled and unethical financial values that Goldman Sachs represents." (Editing by Ralph Boulton) By Shwe Yee Saw Myint and Antoni Slodkowski YANGON (Reuters) - Electricity-starved Myanmar is looking to overhaul its long-term power strategy, aiming to hike the planned share of hydropower in its energy mix at the cost of polluting coal as it tries to attract foreign investment. The new democratically-elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi has made job creation one of its top priorities in what is Asia's sixth-poorest country. However, with half of its people without access to electricity and major cities experiencing blackouts, finding investors is tough. Even tougher is getting them to back coal-fired plants given environmental concerns. Myanmar's initial plan was to boost coal's share to a third by the end of the next decade from just 3 percent now and to slash the contribution of hydro to 38 percent from 63 percent, according to the plan shown to Reuters by officials at the Ministry of Electricity and Energy. But most people are "reluctant to implement coal-fired power plants, that's why we won't be able to implement the planned coal power plant projects," said Aung Ko Ko, director of hydro and renewable energy planning branch at the ministry. "Hopefully hydropower will be the majority in the new plan," he said, estimating its share at 50-55 percent by 2030-31. Imports of liquefied natural gas (LNG) could make up for some of the drop in coal use, Aung Ko Ko added. Nine key ministries, including energy, industry and mining, have met in the capital of Naypyitaw to coordinate their energy strategy with the aim to have a draft master plan ready by the end of the month, and under scrutiny are 49 hydropower projects approved by the previous government. Myanmar is reviewing these to see how quickly - if at all -they can be completed, how many more would be needed and how to secure funds, as it seeks to boost its power capacity to make the most of an unprecedented economic revival after 49 years of military rule that ended in 2011 and to sustain an economic growth rate of about 8 percent - one of the world's fastest. "The new government realizes these projects should be prioritized. She (Suu Kyi) allowed us to talk with potential international lending facilities like the ADB," a senior official at the department of hydropower implementation of the Ministry of Electricity and Energy said, referring to the Japan and U.S.-led Asia Development Bank. Several dams and power plants in Myanmar have until 2011 been financed by China and, while the West has since shown eagerness to provide financing for electricity projects in the country in a bid to increase its influence there, experts say shifting away from Beijing will not be easy. LIST OF 49 Of the projects under review, some 31 include Chinese investment and involve 11 Chinese companies. It lists names such as Beijing-based conglomerate Hanergy Holding Group Ltd and state-owned CPI Yunnan International Power Investment Co that is behind the controversial $3.6-billion Myitsone megadam project. The 2011 cancellation of the Myitsone remains a sore point between the two countries. Myanmar suspended the project citing environmental worries, but the decision was also seen as an attempt to distance itself from Beijing, an uncertainty that has stymied subsequent investment decisions. China has been asking to restart Myitsone, and finding a solution is crucial for Suu Kyi as she needs China's help in talks with ethnic minority armed groups, many of whom operate on the border between the two countries. A resolution could also help unlock more Chinese funds. "In my opinion, the developers of these projects (on the list) cannot get loans from Chinese banks because of the problems with Myitsone," said the energy ministry official at the department of hydropower implementation. Five projects on the list that are sponsored from Myanmar's budget have faced delays because the country does not have enough money to finance them, the official said. Seven others are being built by local firms. The rest will need to be financed by cooperation with foreign investors. For some of the long-stalled hydropower projects, Myanmar may open fresh tenders and seek loans from international lending facilities, the official said, adding that the World Bank and ADB, among others, were interested in supporting electricity and energy projects in the country. The private-sector lending arm of the World Bank, the International Finance Corporation (IFC), is reluctant to finance coal projects because of environmental concerns, said Vikram Kumar, who heads the IFC's operation in Myanmar. As of now, power consumption in Myanmar is one of the lowest in the world. Its per capita use averaged 164 kilowatt hour in 2013, according to the World Bank, the 11th lowest in the world and roughly on par with Sudan and Togo. "We need investment from abroad ... so many factors, so many risks, so many transactional challenges faced by the foreign investor - JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency), IFC, World Bank and ADB have asked the government how to optimize and overcome these challenges," said Aung Ko Ko. "But the government is very new and they need time to optimize the power sector development." (Additional reporting by Yimou Lee and Aung Hla Tun; Editing by Himani Sarkar) ZAGREB (Reuters) - Croatia's Social Democrats were in the lead in Sunday's parliamentary elections according to an exit poll on state television that forecast the party would win 58 seats in the 151-seat parliament. The conservative Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) came second with 57 seats, while the center-right Most ("Bridge") party, widely seen as a potential kingmaker, came third with 11 seats. (Reporting by Ivana Sekularac and Igor Ilic, editing by Thomas Escritt) EXCLUSIVE: The 2016 Toronto Film Festival market for finished films is off the schneid. On the heels of a raucous debut Midnight Madness premiere, Orion and BH Tilt have partnered to acquire for release the Greg McLean-directed The Belko Experiment. McLean directed Wolf Creek, and The Belko Experiment was written by Guardians of the Galaxy director James Gunn. Gunn produced it with The Conjurings Peter Safran. Pic has already been set for March 17 theatrical release. BH Tilt is Blumhouses releasing company run by John Hegeman, hatched to exploit new distribution and marketing strategies to release targeted films backed by digital campaigns. BH Tilts most recent release is the Kevin Bacon-starrer The Darkness, which McLean directed and which has grossed over $10 million. Next on the slate is the Brad Peyton-directed Incarnate, the pic starring Sullys Aaron Eckhart that releases on December 2. The Belko Experiment explores a twisted social experiment, in which a group of 80 Americans are locked in their high-rise corporate office in Bogata and ordered by an unknown voice on an intercom system to participate in a deadly game of kill or be killed. It stars 10 Cloverfield Lanes John Gallagher Jr., Scandals Tony Goldwyn, True Detectives Adria Arjona, John C. McGinley, Silicon Valleys Josh Brener, Guardians of the Galaxys Michael Rooker and Sean Gunn and Melonie Diaz, who co-starred in Fruitvale Station. The companies confirmed the deal. Greg, James and Peter made a truly original and unique movie that we are excited to work with them and Orion on bringing to genre audiences all across the country, Hegeman said. Said Jonathan Glickman, MGMs President, Motion Picture Group: Following a rousing debut here in Toronto, there is no better partner for this exciting film than in the talented hands of BH Tilt. We cannot wait for audiences to experience what Greg, James and Peter have created. Story continues Said Gunn: I cant imagine a better home for us than BH Tilt a movie as edgy and unique as Belko needs a deft hand for its release, and BH Tilt is the deftest of them all. Finally, McLean said: Im so proud of this movie and the amazing team of collaborators behind it and couldnt be more excited about once more working with my friends at Orion and BH Tilt to bring Belko to audiences. Genre fans are in for an unforgettable ride! Related stories As 'Sing' And Its Battery Of Stars Hit Toronto, Chris Meledandri's Decision To Stick With It Suddenly Makes Sense No Apologies, As Nate Parker And His 'Birth Of A Nation' Cast Face The Press In Toronto Fox Screens Some Of 'Hidden Figures' At Toronto, And It Looks Like 'The Help' Meets 'The Right Stuff' A police officer and four militants were killed in separate incidents Sunday in Indian administered-Kashmir as hundreds of residents clashed with security forces in the region hit by weeks of deadly unrest. Indian soldiers shot and killed four militants as they tried to cross the heavily militarised border that divides the disputed Himalayan region between India and rival Pakistan, an army official said. "They tried to infiltrate into Nowgam sector and were intercepted. Four militants were killed and their AK rifles were recovered," army spokesman NN Joshi said, referring to the area northwest of the main city of Srinagar. An unknown number of militants later killed a police officer in Poonch sector south of Srinagar, an officer in the area's police control room told AFP. Security forces were called in to hunt down the militants, sparking a fierce and ongoing gunbattle, the unnamed officer said, without giving more details. The encounters with militants came as stone-pelting residents protesting against Indian rule of the region clashed with troops in Pulwana and two other places in the southern Kashmir Valley, leaving scores injured, police officers said. Eighty civilians have been killed and thousands injured in the worst violence to hit the Muslim-majority territory since 2010. A curfew has been lifted from much of the region since protests broke out over the death on July 8 of a popular young rebel leader in a gunbattle with security forces. But the unrest shows few signs of abating, with residents continuing to take to the streets, while schools and most businesses remain closed, hitting the region's economy hard. Kashmir has been divided between India and Pakistan since the two gained independence from British rule in 1947. Both claim the territory in full. Several rebel groups have for decades fought Indian soldiers -- currently numbering around 500,000 -- deployed in the territory. They demand independence for the region or its merger with rival Pakistan. Tens of thousands of people, mostly civilians, have died in the fighting. Five people were hurt when shots were fired into a crowded party near Saginaw Valley State University in Michigan, authorities said. Shots rang out just before 2 a.m. Sunday at the Campus Village Apartments, where as many as 1,000 revelers were packed into a courtyard between two buildings, according to Saginaw County Sheriffs deputies. Read: Man, 20, Confesses to Shooting 13-Year-Old Girls as They Walked Home From School: Cops None of the victims suffered life-threatening injuries, authorities said. All were treated and released from a local hospital. The apartments are located across the road from campus, WSGW-TV reported. College officials warned students of the shooting and advised them to stay indoors. At least 16 shots were fired, according to deputies. The school also established a hotline for students and parents. Read: High School Student Opens Fire, Wounds Another Student, Then Takes Her Own Life: Cops Deputies are searching for two men believed to be the shooters. None of the victims have been identified as students, according to the university. Watch: Police Officer Survives Shooting After Bullet Hits His Badge Related Articles: Ricardo Reyes Donald Trump's business background is one of his main selling points, but that hasn't been enough to endear him among many Silicon Valley business leaders. The Republican presidential nominee is running a pessimistic campaign, whereas the default outlook of Silicon Valley is optimism, according to Ricardo Reyes, a tech industry insider who previously headed communications for Tesla, Google's YouTube, and Square. Reyes is not some techie progressive. A longtime Republican, Reyes served in the Bush administration. Now he's one of the cofounders of Republicans for Clinton, a self-described grassroots network of Republican voters who are actively supporting Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton. Silicon Valley "is a very accepting culture, you have different people from different walks of life, you have different people from different cultures all kind of working together. It really is a melting pot of cultures here. And that kind of rejects that whole view he has," Reyes told Business Insider. The fact that high-profile Silicon Valley Republicans like Reyes are actively opposing Trump highlights a big challenge facing the candidate as he tries to broaden his appeal to voters. While tech investor Peter Thiel endorsed Trump at the Republican National Convention, outward signs of support for Trump in the Valley are otherwise tough to find (one tech worker Business Insider spoke to said that he had to hide his support for Trump because the candidate is so unpopular in Silicon Valley). "Let's talk about the make-up of Silicon Valley. Let's think about who actually comes out to CA and works out here. These are typically very risk tolerant individuals. They believe in opportunity. They actually don't believe this whole 'Make America Great Again' thing," Reyes says. Trump's isolationist and anti-free trade stances might also be scaring the big tech companies. "What you have here is a bunch of companies that think at a very global scale and when you break down his arguments on isolationism and how we need to pull back from our international partnerships, that just doesn't fly here," Reyes said. Story continues Notable tech company execs including Alphabet Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt, Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg, and Apple CEO Tim Cook have all endorsed Clinton. Republicans for Clinton Donald trump Before Reyes became a Silicon Valley crisis communicator, he worked in the Bush administration, in a position advising on trade communications. Before that, he edited Regulation Magazine, a Cato Institute publication. When he started working in tech, he thought he had left Washington DC behind. But the "threat of a Trump presidency" was so egregious to him that he had to get involved on behalf of Clinton. "When I left Washington I dedicated myself to the private sector," Reyes said. Republicans for Clinton isn't a big PAC. In fact, it only recently started taking donations. Instead, Reyes says the strategy is to hold events in swing states, especially to help Republicans down the ballot, and place editorials in influential publications. "What we're trying to ensure is that Trump is defeated, that Hillary wins the presidential election, but also that good, down-ballot Republicans don't suffer too much at the ballot box because of Trump's unpopularity," Reyes says. Recently, Republicans for Clinton co-founder John Stubbs placed an editorial in the Washington Post, for example. Republicans for Clinton also supports Jim Glassman, a Clinton endorser and American Enterprise Institute fellow who goes on TV often, and other notable Republicans. Reyes says his organization is in "loose communication" with the official Clinton campaign, mostly through third-parties. Reyes thinks that Bush-era Republicans and Silicon Valley libertarians have a lot in common although he's not supporting Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson, who he says has a "progressive mindset." "People should be trusted to make the best decisions for themselves. That was a very strong Republican tenant but it is also a very strong technology tenant," Reyes said. "We believe in individual responsibility, individual liberty, individual freedom. Sadly, none of the things that Donald Trump seems to believe." NOW WATCH: WhatsApp is now sharing your data with Facebook here's how to turn it off More From Business Insider Troops Saturday killed at least four militants in a gunfight in central Pakistan during a search operation, the military said. The operation was part of the ongoing crackdown against militants being carried out by troops across Pakistan. "Four terrorists have been killed and a security forces member embraced martyrdom," the military said in a statement, adding that a number of militants were also detained. The conflict zone is remote and off-limits to journalists, making it difficult to verify the army's claims, including the number and identity of those killed. The statement added that there were still outlaws with arms and ammunition hiding out in Gayandari, an area between the border of southwestern Balochistan and central Punjab province where many militant hideouts are located. The army launched an operation in June 2014 in a bid to wipe out militant bases in the northwestern tribal areas and so bring an end to the bloody insurgency that has cost thousands of civilian lives since 2004. Security in the country has since improved. Scattered attacks still take place, but they are fewer and of a lesser intensity than in previous years. If The Help and The Right Stuff got together, they could name their baby Hidden Figures. At least, thats how it looked at the Toronto International Film Festival on Saturday, as 20th Century Fox screened about thirty minutes of Theodore Melfis Hidden Figures, about black female mathematicians who played a role in the space program. John Glenn even makes an appearance, though here, hes played by Glen Powell, not Ed Harris, as in Phil Kaufmans famous space race movie. Its unusual for the Toronto festival to show parts of an unfinished film. But the festivals artistic director, Cameron Bailey, has been on an inclusion campaign, and he wasnt about to let this one get away. You are the first to see these, Bailey said as he introduced the scenes, though a Hollywood whisper says that Fox has been testing the film, and likes what it is seeing. Taraji P. Henson, who plays the real-life space mathematician Katherine Johnson during the Jim Crow era, certainly liked what she saw in Toronto. Its so important, its so important, she gasped, as she took the stage, weeping. She was joined by fellow cast-members Octavia Spencer and Janelle Monae, along with producers Jenno Topping and Pharrell Williams (who also contributed music for the film). Melfi was present only in a short video introduction. He said that, as the father of two daughters, he was proud to have made a film that counters any residual notions that women cant excel at science, or anything else. Important, Hidden Figures is, and there will clearly be no shortage of both diversity and importance as the Oscar season unfolds. Saturday night brings Toronto screenings Mira Nairs Queen of Katwe, about a young Ugandan female chess champion, and Barry Jenkins Moonlight, about the life and loves of a young African-American man. Friday brought Nate Parkers The Birth Of A Nation, about slave revolt, and Amma Asantes A United Kingdom, about interracial marriage. On Sunday, its interracial marriage again, with Jeff Nichols Loving. Soon, the challenge will be to keep these worthy films from colliding. Story continues Related stories As 'Sing' And Its Battery Of Stars Hit Toronto, Chris Meledandri's Decision To Stick With It Suddenly Makes Sense Finally! A Toronto Deal! BH Tilt Lands Orion's 'The Belko Experiment' Fox, Disney And The Weinstein Company Roll Out Uplifting Movies As Potential Awards Contenders - Toronto The Chief Executive of Macau, Chui Sai On, has departed on a visit to Portugal to meet with senior government officials over the next few days. The visit, which began on Saturday and will last until Thursday, is taking place following an invitation by the Portuguese President, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa. Chui, together with the Portuguese Minister of Foreign Affairs, will also preside in the next meeting of the Macau-Portugal Joint Committee, which seeks to review areas of cooperation between the two territories, including education, training of professionals, and economic services. During meetings with Portugals leaders, Chui is set to brief them on the latest developments of Macau, including the citys recently finalized Five-Year Development Plan. The CE will also emphasize the role that the government envisions for the MSAR as a platform for economic cooperation between China and Portuguese-speaking countries. Officials accompanying the CE to Portugal include Victor Chan, the director of the Government Information Bureau, Fung Sio Weng, the director of the Protocol, Public Relations and External Affairs Office, and O Tin Lin, the director of the Macao Economic and Trade Office in Lisbon. During Chuis absence, Secretary for Administration and Justice, Sonia Chan, will be Acting Chief Executive. The Macau-Portugal Joint Committee was established under the Framework Agreement of Cooperation between the MSAR and the Portuguese Republic, with the aim of strengthening bilateral exchange in numerous socio-economic areas. The first meeting of the committee was held in Lisbon in April 2011. DB PARIS (Reuters) - French Prime Minister Manuel Valls said on Sunday there would be new attacks in France but proposals by former president Nicolas Sarkozy to boost security was not the right way to deal with threats. The French capital was put on high alert last week when French officials said they dismantled a "terrorist cell" that planned to attack a Paris railway station under the direction of Islamic State. "This week at least two attacks were foiled," Manuel Valls said in an interview with Europe 1 radio and Itele television on Sunday. Valls said there were 15,000 people on the radar of police and intelligent services who were in the process of being radicalized. "There will be new attacks, there will be innocent victims... this is also my role to tell this truth to the French people," Valls said. In an interview newspaper Le Journal du Dimanche (JDD), Sarkozy said France needed to get tough on militants by creating special courts and detention facilities to boost security. "He is wrong about trying to wring the neck of the rule of law," Valls said. Sarkozy proposed to systematically place French citizens suspected of having militant links in special detention facilities. "And don't tell me it would be Guantanamo," Sarkozy said in the interview. "In France, any administrative confinement is subject to subsequent control by a judge." Guantanamo, opened by former President George W. Bush, was used to hold prisoners rounded up overseas when the United States became embroiled in wars in Afghanistan and Iraq following the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on New York and Washington. (Reporting by Maya Nikolaeva; editing by Susan Thomas) Paris (AFP) - Around 700 French executives and business chiefs zoomed down Paris' famed Champs Elysees avenue on battered blue mopeds Sunday in a bid to combat a climate of economic gloom. Decked out in matching blue capes and pink helmets, the bosses zipped down the boulevard on their Motobecane mopeds, much beloved in France during the 1970s. Organisers said the event was an "apolitical" attempt to boost confidence in the French economy -- which is expanding, though barely -- and show solidarity with employees. "It's an anti-crisis, anti-gloom message," organiser Dominique Ravon told AFP. "The goal is for entrepreneurs and their employees to come and show that everything is alright." Remi Peraud, a bank manager with the Banque Populaire who took part in the two-wheeled demo, said he wanted to show that "bosses know how to have fun". The event was also designed to allow business chiefs to discuss new potential collaborations, organisers said in a statement. The corporate bikers also included executives from Brazil, Canada and Spain. The "Meules Bleues" (Blue Moped) event is now in its third year, having started out with 150 bosses taking part in 2014. France's economy grew 0.7 percent in the first quarter but fell back to zero growth in the second, according to EU statistics agency Eurostat. But in a glimmer of brighter news, unemployment dropped below 10 percent for the first time since 2012 last quarter, at 9.6 percent. Paris (AFP) - French police have arrested a 15-year-old boy suspected of planning an attack, investigators said Sunday, as Prime Minister Manuel Valls warned that the country faced a threat from 15,000 homegrown radicals. The teenager was arrested in eastern Paris on Saturday and had been under house arrest since April for suspected links to Islamic extremists. The police suspect him of plotting "in response to calls from Syria to attack France," one of the sources said, just days after a separate plot to blow up a car packed with gas cannisters was allegedly foiled in central Paris. Investigators are looking into calls made by a French member of the Islamic State group, Rachid Kassim, for supporters of the group to strike French targets. The source said the 15-year-old had been in touch with Kassim using the encrypted messaging app Telegram. Kassim has regularly appeared in IS propaganda videos calling for attacks on French targets. He has been linked to at least one of the two teen jihadists who executed an elderly priest in a Normandy church in July. Appearing on French television on Sunday morning, Prime Minister Manuel Valls said that around 15,000 people were known to police in France as having been radicalised, up from a previous estimate of 10,000. He said around 700 jihadists from France were fighting in Syria and Iraq. Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve said police had arrested 293 people this year for "links to terrorist networks." Investigators believe IS operative Kassim had been in contact with one of the women arrested last week over a car found abandoned a week ago near Notre Dame cathedral, a major tourist draw in central Paris. The car contained five gas cylinders, three bottles of diesel and a lit cigarette. Paris prosecutor Francois Molins said the women were acting on orders coming from Syria. One woman named as Ornella G. was remanded in custody Saturday on terrorism charges. Her fingerprints were found on the vehicle. She told police she and an accomplice had tried to set the vehicle alight but fled when they saw a man they believed to be a plain-clothes policeman. Story continues Three other female alleged members of the same cell have also been detained. The three were planning another attack, according to police sources. One of the women has been linked to one of the priest's killers as well as to a jihadist who stabbed a police couple to death at their home in a Paris suburb in June. France is on heightened alert after a series of Islamist attacks since January 2015 that have killed 238 people dead and made security a hot topic in campaigning for next year's presidential and parliamentary elections. IS claimed responsibility for the Paris attacks in November that killed 130 people and also claimed the truck driver who crushed 86 people to death in Nice in July as one of their "soldiers." Paris (AFP) - French President Francois Hollande will intervene this week to try to save the factory that made the country's first high-speed TGV train and is now under threat of closure, Prime Minister Manuel Valls said Sunday. Trainmaker Alstom announced this week that it would cease production in the eastern city of Belfort, a symbol of French industrial prowess that produced Alstom's first steam train in 1880. Alstom said it would centralise its train production at a site 200 kilometres (125 miles) further north in Alsace and promised to offer the 400 workers in Belfort other jobs. Valls, however, criticised the move by Alstom, in which the French state has a minority stake. "The method used by Alstom is unacceptable," Valls said. "We can still save Alstom, as long as its leaders fully play their part. Valls said he and Hollande would hold talks on Monday at the Elysee Palace with the economy, industry and transport ministers to discuss the situation. The prospect of job losses in Belfort is of concern to the Socialist government, with polls showing Hollande and his party facing a drubbing in presidential and legislative elections in the spring, partly because of their failure to make a serious dent in high unemployment. While Alstom has said it will find jobs for the Belfort workers at other sites around France, unions say most of those affected are not in a position to move, leaving them facing redundancy. On Thursday, Alstom's chief executive Henri Poupart-Lafarge was summoned by Economy Minister Michel Sapin to explain the move out of Belfort. The French government has a habit of intervening when it deems French companies or jobs to be under threat, particularly from multinationals. When US conglomerate GE announced a bid for Alstom's energy assets in 2014 the state got involved, getting German group Siemens to put up a rival bid before finally coming down on the side of GE. smartwater As soda sales fall, Coke and Pepsi are looking to bottled water to boost business. Bottled-water sales have more than doubled in the US in the last 15 years, with Americans buying 11.7 billion gallons of the beverage in 2015. However, critics are questioning if the apparently healthy adjustment is as positive as it seems. "Whereas municipal water utilities must share their treatment methods and contaminant-testing results with consumers annually, bottled water companies are not required to disclose this information," Paul Pestano, Environmental Working Group's senior database analyst, told Men's Journal in August. "So with bottled water, we dont know what treatment or filtration techniques were used or what residual contaminants are still in the water." In other words, while bottled water is often marketed as the better, safer option, companies do not have to share the same basic information that all tapped water suppliers do. In fact, in a 2008 study, the EWG found 38 pollutants in 10 brands of bottled water. Two of the 10 brands tested were chemically indistinguishably from local tap water. man drinking water bottle With such strong similarities between the two, why does anyone buy bottled water? The answer: great branding. "Bottled water is the marketing trick of the century," John Jewell wrote in The Week in 2014. Companies selling bottled water, he argues, have managed to convince people that buying water is a healthier choice than sugary soda. But the truth is the comparison is a case of false equivalence. Bottled water isnt simply an alternative to soda its an alternative to the much more inexpensive and eco-friendly tap water. By buying bottled water, consumers aim to establish themselves as savvy and health-conscious, even though they could simply drink a glass of tap water that is 2,000 times less expensive. This nutrition-minded and independent customer is exactly who soda giants like Pepsi and Coke are currently trying to attract as they grow their bottled-water businesses. And it's working. Story continues Water is one of the hottest beverages in the nonalcoholic-drink market, with consumption of water brands Dasani, Aquafina, and Poland Springs all increasing in volume from 6.5% to 11.4% in 2015. For comparison, the amount of Coca-Cola consumed by Americans dropped 1% by volume, while consumption of Pepsi dropped 3.2%. water bottles As a result, Coca-Cola and Pepsi are looking to drinks outside of their namesake beverages to grow sales. PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi said in April that less than 25% of the company's global sales are from soda. Rather, the company is focusing on healthy snacks and noncarbonated beverages a process the company calls "future-proofing." Similarly, Coca-Cola's "still" beverages such as tea, juice, and bottled water are growing sales by volume as soda shrinks. "Since 2000, we've increased our business from about 10% of our volume coming from still beverages to almost 30% today," COO James Quincey said in a Q&A in July. Bottled water is a $13 billion business that, logically, doesnt need to exist. It is also an industry that wont stop growing. As Americans turn away from soda, it is exactly the kind of beverage companies like Pepsi and Coke need in their portfolio. NOW WATCH: Here's how much sugar is in your favorite drinks More From Business Insider This Harry Potter star just showed off the most magical baby bump This Harry Potter star just showed off the most magical baby bump Its hard to imagine that the cast of Harry Potter is all grown up. Fan favorite Fleur Delacour (played by Clemence Poesy) is expecting! The actress looked like a golden goddess on the red carpet on Friday. "Imperium" : Premiere - 42nd Deauville American Film Festival Clemence Poesy is glowing! fleur The 33yearold actress stunned at the Deauville Film Festival in France as she stepped out to support her former Harry Potter costar Daniel Radcliffe in his upcoming film film Imperium. "Imperium" : Premiere - 42nd Deauville American Film Festival The Harry Potter star and Poesy looked thrilled to see each other, and they were all smiles as they reunited at the films premiere, People reports. But even more thrilling than the stars reunion was Clemences baby bump debut! The actress is known for leading an extremely private life, but Poesy reportedly told a close friend that her baby is due in October, according to People. But whenever her little bundle-of-joy gets here, he or she is sure to have one magical mom! goblet You can catch Clemence currently starring in the BritishFrench drama series The Tunnel on PBS. Just cannot thank you enough for your beautiful messages on the tunnel s last episode... You re melting my heart and making my day... clemence poesy (@c_poesy) June 2, 2016 You can also binge on her appearances in Gossip Girl! You can totally go through the Harry Potter series too. Thats always a good idea. The post This Harry Potter star just showed off the most magical baby bump appeared first on HelloGiggles. With Lion, Harvey Weinstein will once again try to claw his way back into the Oscar hunt. The true-story of Saroo Brierly, who was adopted from India as a boy and later used Google Earth to locate his family, gives the indie distributor perhaps his best chance of awards glory this year. Its uplifting, humanistic, and unabashedly sentimental, all things that Oscar voters love. In fact, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences President Cheryl Boone Isaacs was on hand both at the Toronto International Film Festival premiere Saturday night and at its after party at Soho House. There, Weinstein and his right hand man, David Glasser, huddled over a smartphone (perhaps scouring through Twitter reactions?), while revelers sipped champagne and mixed drinks in the clubs baronial setting. Earlier in the evening, the crowd at the Princess of Wales Theatre had roared as the credits rolled, leaping to their feet for a standing ovation. There were also audible sniffles during the pictures climax. Critics were more mixed in their appraisals, suggesting that the pictures appeal may be more populist. Varietys Peter Debruge, for instance, argued that the film was too flimsy, writing, While unique, Saroos story is somewhere between the-guy-who-found-a-lottery-scratcher-worth-fifty-bucks and the-farmer-who-prayed-for-rain-and-got-it. Others were more generous. IndieWires Eric Kohn praised the films neo-realist initial sequences where a five-year old Saroo is separated from his family on the streets of Calcutta. These scenes could anchor an entire movie on their own even without the 20-year time jump that follows them, he wrote. At the party after, the sense was that Nicole Kidman, de-glammed in an 80s perm as Saroos adopted mother, may have the best chance at landing a nomination in the supporting actress category. Dev Patel also impressed playing the adult Saroo as a man haunted by his past. The sense, however, was Patel would be more viable in a supporting, rather than lead, campaign. Story continues In the past, the Weinstein Company has mixed Oscar advocacy with social justice pushes to great effect with the likes of Philomena and The Imitation Game, both of which earned Best Picture nods while drawing attention to adoption rights and gay rights. Lion clearly intends to have a similar impact. The picture concludes with a message about the 80,000 children in India who are lost each year, urging audiences to learn more about what they can do to help. I hope it creates a platform for change, said director Garth Davis during a question and answer session after the film screened. He said he hoped more people would consider adoption. If youre in a loving family thats all that matters, he said. Weinstein has a lot riding on the film. The indie impresario has been dogged by murmurs that the Weinstein Company is in financial trouble; rumblings that have grown as the studio has lost a number of key executives. At the same time, hes signaled that he is more interested in television than the movie business, believing it to be a more stable source of revenues . That strategic shift has robbed recent festival markets of one of its most active buyers. If Silicon Valley got a vote, Lion would be a lock for Best Picture. The film plays like an ode to technologys power to connect disparate worlds and make us whole. No surprise. Going into Toronto, Davis admitted that Google loved the film. Its a wonderful advert for them, he said. Related stories Director Garth Davis on His Awards Season Contender 'Lion' and Working With Dev Patel Dev Patel Searches for Home in First Trailer for 'Lion' Weinstein Company's Acquisitions and Production Head Dan Guando Exits (EXCLUSIVE) Hong Kong health officials have launched an investigation after Macaus food safety authority found samples of a carcinogenic substance in mooncakes sold by a Hong Kong bakery, Hang Heung Cake Shop, and a hotel in Macau (Pousada Marina Infante). Mooncakes at the Pousada Marina Infante were prepared in the hotels Fortune Palace restaurant, which has now recalled some 90 boxes of the 131 that they had sold. The chemical is thought to be harmful even in small quantities and is regarded as one of the most potent carcinogens known. Experts warn that consuming a large quantity of the substance in a short period of time may lead to acute poisoning. A sample of the cakes from Hang Heung Cake Shop was red-flagged in Macau after it was found to contain almost 50 percent more aflatoxin B1 per kilogram than permitted by local food safety regulations. Over the weekend, Under-Secretary for Food and Health, Sophia Chan said that Hong Kong health authorities are now testing the samples to determine whether they breach local regulations. She added that so far more than 170 samples have been tested and all have complied with food safety rules, but the recent findings in Macau were alarming. Chan also promised that, if a food safety violation is detected, the public would be informed of the results immediately as it would present a risk to the population. She did not specify whether the products have been pulled from the shelves pending the investigation. The two territories employ different tolerance standards for aflatoxin B1, which is found in various foods such as peanuts, corn and other grains. The presence of aflatoxin B1 from the Hang Heung bakery sample reached 7.48 micrograms per kilogram in testing, significantly exceeding the maximum amount stipulated by Macau regulations of 5 micrograms. Meanwhile the tolerance level established by Hong Kongs Center for Food Safety is 15 micrograms per kilogram for all food other than peanuts and their derivative products. According to numerous reports, Hang Heung Cake Shop have stressed that its mooncakes in its domestic market of Hong Kong, meet local food safety standards. The company adds that the product may have exceeded the tolerance level for Macau as some of its bakers were unaware that the two territories employ different regulations. Several countries worldwide have regulations to limit the amount of the chemical that may be present in human and animal food. The United Nations World Health Organization also sets out guidelines for the maximum tolerance that it advises. Clinton meets with first responders during a visit to Ground Zero on Sept. 12, 2001. (Photo: Mike Albans/NY Daily News Archive via Getty Images) Hillary Clinton says what she witnessed at Ground Zero following the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks was as close to a depiction of hell as shes ever seen. We saw this curtain of black smoke that was stretched across the island, Clinton told CNN in an interview that aired Sunday, the 15th anniversary of the attacks. Occasionally it would be broken by a firefighter coming out. I remember one image so indelibly, dragging his ax, and it was as close to a depiction of hell that Ive ever personally seen. Clinton, then a New York senator, was in Washington, D.C., on her way to the Senate when the first plane hit the north tower of the World Trade Center. Soon after she arrived on Capitol Hill, Clinton learned of the second plane hitting the south tower and did what most Americans did: watched the television coverage of it all in horror. Related: Trumps 9/11 story and its influence on his White House bid >> I got to a TV as quickly as possible to begin monitoring it, she recalled. It was just a sickening experience. Nearly 3,000 people were killed and over 6,000 others injured in the attacks in New York, Washington, D.C., and Shanksville, Pa., on Sept. 11, 2001 the deadliest attack on U.S. soil. The loss of life was overwhelming, Clinton said. I went like so many others to the armory and the piers, looking to see what was happening, how people were reacting. But it was also my job and the job of other officials to get our city and state and country what we needed. The next day, Clinton and her fellow New York senator, Chuck Schumer, flew to New York and saw the devastation at Ground Zero firsthand. This attack on New York is an attack on America, Clinton proclaimed while touring the site. Its an attack on every American. In the days that followed, Clinton met with families of the victims. I would meet these shattered lives of people where they were broken, but I saw so many of them strengthen and show such resilience. So I felt privileged, Clinton said. It gave me an insight into the human spirit and I like to think the spirit of New York and America that I wish every American could understand. Story continues Clinton helped spearhead the rebuilding effort, personally lobbying President George W. Bush for federal aid. But months later, after learning that Bush administration officials had misled New Yorkers about the safety of the air over Ground Zero, Clinton was livid. I dont think any of us expected that our government would knowingly deceive us about something as sacred as the air we breathe, she said in a recently unearthed August 2003 interview with WNYC. The air that our children breathe in schools, that our valiant first responders were facing on the pile. The smoldering pile, it turned out, contained a toxic combination of asbestos, glass and metal, sickening first responders with respiratory diseases and cancers for years to come. I am outraged, Clinton continued. In the immediate aftermath, the first couple of days, nobody could know. But a week later? Two weeks later? Two months later? Six months later? Give me a break! On Sunday, Clinton attended the Sept. 11 Commemoration Ceremony at Ground Zero but left abruptly. According to the Clinton campaign, she felt overheated, was transported to her daughter Chelseas apartment, and is feeling much better. _____ Related slideshows: Slideshow: 9/11: Then and now 15 years later >>> Slideshow: Remembering 9/11 >>> Slideshow: Tribute in Light >>> Slideshow: World reactions to the 9/11 attacks A look back >>> Slideshow: How the 9/11 attacks were reported on front pages around the world >>> Slideshow: 9/11 Memorial and Museum >>> Hillary Clinton is suffering from pneumonia, according to both CNN and the Associated Press. Doctors said issue was caused by being overheated and dehydrated, according to CNN. She was diagnosed on Friday, the 24-hour news network reported on Sunday. Also Read: Hillary Clinton Exits 9/11 Event Early After Taking Ill Clinton was put on antibiotics and, according to was put on antibiotics, and advised to rest and modify her schedule, Dr. Lisa Bardack said in a statement. While at this mornings event, she became overheated and dehydrated. I have just examined her and she is now re-hydrated and recovering nicely, said Bardack, chairman of internal medicine at the Mount Kisco Medical Group. Clinton required assistance at a 9/11 memorial at Ground Zero on Sunday morning, shown in a video posted by NBC News. Also Read: David Duke, Roger Stone Turn Clinton's 'Deplorables' Comment Into 'Expendables' Memes (Photos) The Democratic presidential candidate was moved swiftly from the memorial in her campaigns van to her daughter Chelseas New York apartment. Clinton told reporters as she left that she was feeling great. Before smiling and stepping into her motorcade, she waved to supporters and said, Its a beautiful day in New York. Clinton herself greeted press outside of Chelseas apartment (seen above). Secretary Clinton attended the September 11th Commemoration Ceremony for just an hour and thirty minutes this morning to pay her respects and greet some of the families of the fallen, said Clinton campaign spokesman Nick Merrill. Story continues Also Read: Barbra Streisand Mocks Donald Trump in a 'Send in the Clowns' Parody (Video) During the ceremony, she felt overheated so departed to go to her daughters apartment, and is feeling much better. The ceremony was held in New York, keeping with an annual tradition that began in 2012. Both Clinton and Republican candidate Donald Trump attended the event along with other dignitaries. Also Read: Hillary Clinton Regrets Saying 'Half' of Trump's Supporters Are 'Deplorables' Some conservatives have raised concerns over Clintons health, some accusing her of hiding a serious illness. Rudy Giuliani and other conservatives zeroed in on a coughing episode the Democratic candidate had at a Labor Day rally. Related stories from TheWrap: NBCU Gave $500K to Trump's Foundation in a Year He Gave Nothing Barbra Streisand Mocks Donald Trump in a 'Send in the Clowns' Parody (Video) Hillary Clinton Regrets Saying 'Half' of Trump's Supporters Are 'Deplorables' Director of Leonardo DiCaprio's 'Before the Flood' Doc Blasts 'Insane' Donald Trump (Exclusive Video) GettyImages 602402628 Hillary Clinton's doctor released a statement Sunday after the Democratic presidential nominee stumbled into a van and struggled to walk as she abruptly left a memorial marking the 15th anniversary of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. "Secretary Clinton has been experiencing a cough related to allergies," Dr. Lisa R. Bardack said. "On Friday, during follow-up evaluation of her prolonged cough, she was diagnosed with pneumonia. She was put on antibiotics and advised to rest and modify her schedule." Bardack added: "While at this morning's event, she became overheated and dehydrated. I have just examined her and she is now rehydrated and recovering nicely." Video captured at the memorial event in New York City showed Clinton having great difficulty walking as she entered a van. Hillary Clinton 9/11 NYC pic.twitter.com/q9YnsjTxss Zdenek Gazda (@zgazda66) September 11, 2016 Nick Merrill, a campaign spokesman for Clinton, said in a statement at the time that the former secretary of state felt "overheated." It was about 80 degrees in Manhattan. Fox News first reported that Clinton suffered a "medical episode" and possibly fainted. A witness told the cable-news outlet that Clinton lost a shoe during the incident. Clinton was taken from the 9/11 memorial to the New York apartment of her daughter, Chelsea. She then traveled to her Chappaqua residence. Conservative news outlets for weeks have promoted stories suggesting Clinton is secretly battling health issues. The Clinton campaign has strongly denied such claims and dismissed them as conspiracy theories. More From Business Insider Presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump both attended the National September 11 Memorial in New York City on Sunday, marking the 15th anniversary of the 2001 terrorist attack. The two nominees attended the event but did not give speeches in the rare joint appearance less than two months before election day and two weeks before the first presidential debate. Trump, who was a New York business mogul in 2001, greeted the crowds at the ceremony with a smile, stopping to pose for photographers with some of those gathered. During the ceremony, he stood and chatted with Rudy Giuliani, the Republican mayor who was in office during the attacks. The former senator from New York, who was in office during the 9/11 attacks, arrived at Ground Zero to less fanfare. Clinton stood with New York mayor Bill de Blasio and near the state's governor, Andrew Cuomo. Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump Join Those Honoring the Victims of 9/11 at Ground Zero| Donald Trump, Hillary Rodham Clinton Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump Join Those Honoring the Victims of 9/11 at Ground Zero| Donald Trump, Hillary Rodham Clinton Many whose loved ones were among the 2,753 lives lost at Ground Zero on that day gathered at the site to remember their family and friends and lay flowers at their names on the memorial. A youth choir from Brooklyn sang the national anthem, and a moment of silence was held at 8:46 a.m., the time the first plane hit the north tower. Both Trump and Clinton agreed to refrain from campaigning Sunday, upholding a practice observed by previous presidential candidates on the somber date. Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump Join Those Honoring the Victims of 9/11 at Ground Zero| Donald Trump, Hillary Rodham Clinton Clinton, a junior senator at the time, was in Washington, D.C., during the attacks. She visited Ground Zero on Sept. 12, 2001, the day after the attacks, with then-N.Y.C. Mayor Rudy Giuliani. First responder Richard Alles recalls the moment a stunned Clinton proclaimed at Ground Zero, "This attack on New York is an attack on America, it's an attack on every American." Clinton made frequent trips to Ground Zero in the months following 9/11. Photos and tapes from that time capture her outrage and anguish over both the attacks and the U.S. government's response to them. Details on Trump's 9/11 response are less certain. According to The Washington Post, Newsday reported in its Sept. 14, 2001 paper that Trump visited Ground Zero on Sept. 13, two days after the attacks. That same day, Trump was interviewed on the outskirts of the site by a German television station. Telling the reporter he had just visited Ground Zero, Trump said, "I've never seen anything like it the devastation, the human life that's been just wasted for no reason whatsoever. It is a terrible scene. It's a terrible sight. But New Yorkers are very strong and resilient, and they'll rebuild quickly." Toronto (Canada) (AFP) - Oscar-winning actress Nicole Kidman warned Sunday that Hollywood was facing new challenges in the era of online streaming, and needed festivals more than ever to get films noticed. "I don't think there is a Hollywood anymore," the Aussie star told a press conference in Toronto following the world premiere of "Lion" by director Garth Davis. "We're all scattered around the world and we make films all around the world and Hollywood is of some bygone era now, which is sad in a way," she said. Generations ago, the district of Hollywood in Los Angeles was the center of the American film industry. American movie studios collectively remain a powerhouse in cinema but international productions are increasingly common, with features shot at various locations around the world. With the demise of the corner video store over the last decade, and cinemas struggling to capture audiences, more and more people are streaming films at home. Amid these changes, publicists are seeking creative new ways to reach audiences. "I think film festivals are so important right now because it's very hard for films to be discovered," said Kidman, who has launched several films at the Toronto, Cannes and Venice gatherings. "We need all the help we can get for smaller films and films that are not big big studio films or superhero films." Imagine getting the bill for an ordinary dinner and noticing, in tiny print, that the restaurant charged you $40 for coffee. Surely you'd be upset. It turns out that hospitals inflate specific prices all the time in ways that aren't transparent to the patient, according to a new study that appeared today (Sept. 7) in the journal Health Affairs. Researchers at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore found that many hospitals charged more than 20 times the cost of some services, particularly for certain services like CT scans and anesthesiology. The researchers said that the pattern of charging suggests that hospitals strategically look for surreptitious ways to boost revenue. "Hospitals apparently mark up higher in the departments with more complex services, because it is more difficult for patients to compare prices in these departments," Ge Bai, who led the study and is an assistant professor at the Johns Hopkins Carey Business School, said in a statement. [7 Medical Myths Even Doctors Believe] Other high-tech services with exorbitant markups include MRI, electrocardiology (tests of the heart's electrical patterns) and electroencephalography (tests of the brain's impulse patterns), according to the findings. The services that had fees that were more in line with their actual costs to hospitals included "old-school" physical therapy and nursing, the researchers found. The markups occurred in all types of hospitals, both private and nonprofit, the researchers said. Yet hospitals with the highest markups, on average, tended to be for-profit hospitals with strong power within their markets, because of either their system affiliations or their dominance of regional markets. In other words, those hospitals that can mark up prices, do mark up prices, according to the researchers. The pricing can have serious consequences for the payer, the researchers said. For example, hospitals whose costs for a CT scan run at about $100 may charge a patient $2,850 for a CT scan, the study found. Story continues "[The markups] affect uninsured and out-of-network patients, auto insurers and casualty and workers' compensation insurers," said Gerard Anderson, a professor at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and a co-author on the study. "The high charges have led to personal bankruptcy, avoidance of needed medical services and much higher insurance premiums." In their study, based on 2013 Medicare and other data from nearly 2,500 U.S. hospitals, the researchers compared a hospital's overall charge-to-cost ratio, which is the ratio of what the hospital charged compared to the hospital's actual medical expense. The charge is recorded on a document called a chargemaster, which is an exhaustive list of the prices for all hospital procedures and supplies. In 2013, the average hospital with more than 50 beds had an overall charge-to-cost ratio of 4.32 ? that is, the hospital charged $4.32 for every $1 of its own costs. However, at most hospitals that they examined, the researchers found that the charge-to-cost ratio was far higher in departments that were technologically advanced. The highest was in the CT department, with an average ratio of 28.5. [5 Amazing Technologies That Are Revolutionizing Biotech] While understanding that hospitals need to generate revenue, the researchers recommend a cap on markups and consistency from department to department. They also suggest more transparency, by requiring hospitals to provide patients with examples in clear language of rates from area hospitals or what Medicare would pay. "There is no regulation that prohibits hospitals from increasing revenues," Bai told Live Science. "The problem is when they raise rates on people that have no ability to say no because they have an emergency and cannot compare prices." This includes uninsured and out-of-network patients, "because they dont have bargaining power against hospitals," Bai added. "We realize that any policy proposal to limit hospital markups would face a very strong challenge from the hospital lobby," Anderson said. "But we believe the markup should be held to a point that's fair to all concerned ? hospitals, insurers and patients alike." The researchers noted that Johns Hopkins Hospital has a charge-to-cost ratio of 1.3, among the lowest 1 percent of the sample studied. Maryland, the state in which the hospital is located, in general has the lowest ratios of any other state, they said. Follow Christopher Wanjek @wanjek for daily tweets on health and science with a humorous edge. Wanjek is the author of "Food at Work" and "Bad Medicine." His column, Bad Medicine, appears regularly on Live Science. Editor's Recommendations Copyright 2016 LiveScience, a Purch company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Just over seven decades had passed since the end of World War II when President Barack Obama and Prime Minister Shinzo Abe stood together in bomb-scarred Hiroshima to speak of remembrance and healing. But just three months after their much-publicized speeches this May, on the anniversary of Japans surrender, the scene was not so conciliatory. Outside Tokyos Yasukuni Shrine, a memorial to Japans war dead, riot police restrained Japanese nationalists, dressed in uniforms bearing the imperial flag, from attacking pacifists. The nationalists were going to battle not over history but over Japans future for the right to go to war. Japans constitution, which has enshrined pacifism as law since 1947, is under debate as Abe discusses amending it and as nationalists argue the nation needs additional military prowess in the face of Chinese and North Korean aggression. Untitled2 500 That day outside Yasukuni Shrine, the nationalists directed their fury at one woman in particular: Mizuho Fukushima, the 60-year-old antinuclear leader who they called an icon of the left seeking to destroy Japan and contaminating the country with her ideas, according to Makiko Segawa, a Japanese-language journalist who covered the event. After 20 years in the rough-and-tumble of Japanese politics, Fukushima has her own beef with the nationalists and their campaign to change the constitution, which would allow Japan to wage war anywhere in the world, she said. This is a really serious time. Fukushima, small-built and lively, speaks animatedly about a slate of progressive issues: income equality, womens rights, renewable energy, LGBT issues. Though many of her positions enjoy broad popular support, according to Koichi Nakano, political professor at Tokyos Sophia University, her party machine is weak. Fukushimas Social Democratic Party (SDP), once dominant in Japanese politics, has shrunk significantly over the past 20 years. After swinging toward more militaristic stances in the 1990s, the SDP lost some of its more liberal supporters, experts say, and the party that replaced it was much more centrist. Which means that today, Japan finds itself without a viable left wing. Story continues Of course I want to be prime minister. Mizuho Fukushima Likable both for her platform and her personal story, Fukushima offers another narrative for Japanese politics and Japanese womanhood: She has not married her longtime partner with whom she has a child because Japanese law still requires a woman to share her husbands surname. Along with many leaders of increasingly fractured progressive movements, from Marina Silva in Brazil to Elizabeth Warren in the U.S., she is facing down an increasingly strong, fiery conservative opposition Abes Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), which won a two-thirds super majority in last months parliamentary elections. The LDPs message has whiffs of those being sounded around the rest of the world, albeit far more tempered than their American or European populist counterparts: a strong, nationalistic mantra calling to limit immigration, revive the economy and bolster the military. The way they see it, the pacifist constitution that Fukushima and others on the left seek to protect makes Japan less safe. If youre waiting to be attacked, youll be gone before you have a chance to do anything, said Shigeharu Aoyama, an LDP member of the House of Councillors. Mizuho poster A poster of Mizuho Fukushima next to antiwar stickers and an anime character of herself. Source Sean Culligan/OZY Talk to Fukushima about war and you hear a more personal take. Her uncle and several cousins spent WWII in American internment camps; on this side of the Pacific, her father trained to be a kamikaze pilot. The war ended before he could fly his mission, a quirk of timing that still haunts her. Shes particularly worried that the conservatives revised constitution would not only restore Japans war powers but also give the government authority to restrict human rights if necessary to maintain public order. Fukushima thinks the provision could easily be abused to crack down on dissidents. (The LDPs Aoyama called the idea almost a joke and said, We are just discussing how we should protect our country; Fukushima should stop playing the victim.) To get her message out, Fukushimas studied the strategies of one of the worlds most successful grassroots organizations the Tea Party and is now working to build a Green Tea Party in Japan, she laughs. Its core constituency: mothers, who have been receptive to her policies of defeating the new security legislation, expanding community hospitals and domestic violence shelters and preventing Japans nuclear power plants from restarting. She recently started holding actual green tea parties during the day so moms could attend while their children are at school. Without mothers support, she says, she cant win. A more natural ideological ally for Fukushima than Ted Cruzs cohort is of course Bernie Sanders, who she says shes also watched not only for his grassroots successes but also for his policies. Shes talking similar topics: making university more affordable and raising the minimum wage from about $8 an hour to $15. I really admire Sanders; Im reading his biography right now and I think his anti-disparity message would resonate in Japan, she said. Nakano agrees that the SDP could tap into its latent local support to galvanize a national movement. Without a strong coalition behind her nationally though, she faces a steep climb. Her efforts have, Nakano says, made her a very effective opposition leader but unfortunately for her, shes a one-woman show right now. Of course I want to be prime minister, Fukushima says when asked about her ambitions but she amends that shed support the right candidate who holds her values. Shed be a long-shot candidate, but anything can happen, said Nakano. It doesnt look very promising at the moment, but who was able to predict the Bernie Sanders phenomenon in the States? Mizuho fukushima 2 Source Sean Culligan/OZY Related Articles A Hong Kong man died on Saturday afternoon after being involved in a road accident in Thailands resort island of Ko Samui, SCMP reported. The 22-year-old man, together with a woman also from Hong Kong, was involved in a motorcycle crash with another vehicle in one of the roads on the surroundings of Lamai Viewpoint, where he was pronounced dead shortly after in the hospital. The woman suffered serious head injuries as well injuries to other parts of her body and she is receiving medical treatment at a local hospital. The Hong Kong Immigration Department said in a statement that it has been in touch with the both of the tourists relatives and some of them were to fly to Thailand yesterday afternoon to follow up closely on the situation. Online media company suspects hacking Online media company, Macau Concealers, suspects that its website has been the target of an online attack by mainland China. The website had suddenly begun to register a whopping wave of requests, as of last Monday. The company and the New Macau Associations website have both been dealing with a great volume of requests. Out of the 91,543 visitors recorded in the 24 hours between Wednesday and Thursday, 73,917 of them originated from mainland China. The news outlet now requires all traffic from mainland China to access the website through the input of a code that has to be entered manually. 30 detained during Operation Thunderstorm Thirty people were detained Saturday night as part of Operation Thunderstorm. According to information released by the police, the identity of 1,080 people was verified during raids conducted in karaoke bars, pubs and casinos. Note: This article is courtesy of Iris.xyz By Catherine D. Wood This is an article based on ARK Brainstorming, a weekly discussion between our CEO, Director of Research, thematic analysts, ARKs theme developers, thought leaders and investors. It is designed to keep you engaged in an ongoing discussion on investing in disruptive innovation. 1. Google vs. Uber This week David Drummond from Google stepped down from Ubers board in response to an increasing number of conflicts of interest. Shortly after this announcement, Google unveiled a carpooling service hosted by traffic and navigation app, Waze, in San Francisco. Owned by Google, Waze already has gone live with a carpooling service in Israel, where it takes a 15% cut. It will not take a cut in San Francisco for now, instead charging Bay area commuters and paying drivers 54 cents per mile, undercutting Uber and Lyft. Next up, autonomous taxis! ARK estimates that Google could charge just 35 cents per mile for autonomous travel and still turn a profit. At that price, taking an autonomous taxi would cheaper than walking. 2. The Brave Browser Brave Software, which provides a controversial web browser that automatically blocks ads and trackers, launched Brave Payments this week. Brave Payments allows users to allocate a monthly amount for ad-free Internet access, deploying an algorithm to dispense those funds to sites based on the users viewing activity. A monthly payment solves the obstacles created by micropayment models which require the reader to pay page-by-page. While Brave Payments compensates content creators directly and protects user privacy, Brave Software boasts faster performance by blocking ads which typically take up to 60% of the time necessary to load a page. While advertisers and ad-blockers are waging digital warfare, we think Brave seems to have stepped outside the box, blocking them all. Trending on ETF Trends High Dividend ETFs may Offer a Pleasant Surprise Story continues Signs of a Return to an A-Shares ETF Tumult for Turkey ETF Could Spell More Trouble A Fixed Income Idea if Rates Rise VLUE: Isolate the Value Factor With This ETF 3. The Great Purge at Alphabet During the past few months, Alphabet has been shuffling management and killing projects at a rate unseen since the companys founding. Some notable examples: This week, Google killed off Project Ara, a much hyped project to build modular phones. Chris Urmson and several senior members of Googles self driving car project have left. Bill Maris, head of Google Ventures, Alphabets VC division, has left. Tony Fadell, the CEO of Googles Nest division has left and its software engineers have been absorbed into Google. Google Fiber is under renewed pressure to cut costs. Boston Dynamics, Googles famed robotics company, is reportedly up for sale. What could be causing this upheaval? Last year, the company reorganized itself into a holding company under the Alphabet name to improve the transparency and accountability of its subsidiaries. As the one-year anniversary of this reorganization approaches, the first house cleaning after holding senior executives accountable may be in force. More than a coincidence,CFO Ruth Porat joined Alphabet not long ago with a mandate to add fiscal discipline to the organization and enhance shareholder value. Click here to read the full story on Iris.xyz. Tehran (AFP) - Iran on Sunday welcomed the proposed ceasefire in Syria brokered by Russia and the United States, but said a monitoring system was needed to stop it being exploited by "terrorists". "Iran welcomes any establishment of a ceasefire in Syria and facilitating of access of all people of this country to humanitarian aid," said foreign ministry spokesman Bahram Ghasemi. "Given the experience of a few months ago, the ceasefire must be sustainable... and must not be exploited as an opportunity for terrorist groups to revive their power and transfer fighters and weapons," he added, referring to a truce that collapsed earlier this year. "The continuation and sustainability of a ceasefire relies on the creation of a comprehensive monitoring mechanism, in particular control of borders in order to stop the dispatch of fresh terrorists, as well as weapons and financial resources for the terrorists," said Ghasemi. He said Iran, a principle backer of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, has always called for a political solution to the crisis. Ghasemi also called for humanitarian aid to reach all parts of Syria "without discrimination... in particular those areas under the control or siege of terrorist groups where less attention has been paid." The new ceasefire, agreed as part of a landmark deal brokered by Russia and the US, was set to begin on Monday. A barrage of air strikes on rebel-held areas in Syria killed scores of people just hours after Assad's government approved the truce deal on Saturday. JERUSALEM/AMMAN (Reuters) - Israeli aircraft attacked a Syrian artillery post on Saturday after a stray shell from fighting in Syria's civil war landed inside the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights, Israel's military said. The shell landed just across the border, causing no injuries, and in retaliation the air force targeted "artillery positions of the Syrian regime", the military said. The Israeli military has responded similarly in the past when mortar fire from Syria's war has landed in the Golan, territory that Israel captured from Syria in a 1967 war. Syrian state television quoted a Syrian military source as saying the Israeli strike was aimed at helping an offensive by hardline Islamist rebels who had launched an offensive against Syrian troops. Israel has largely stayed on the sidelines of Syria's civil war, keeping watch over the Golan Heights frontier and occasionally carrying out air strikes or returning mortar fire if there is a specific threat. (Reporting by Ari Rabinovitch and Suleiman Al-Khalidi; Editing by Kevin Liffey) JERUSALEM, Sept 11 (Reuters) - Israel Chemicals (ICL) on Sunday named Asher Grinbaum as interim chief executive officer to replace Stefan Borgas, who stepped down last week. ICL, one of three major suppliers of potash to China, India and Europe, said in a statement to the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange Grinbaum would fill the CEO role effective immediately until a permanent CEO is appointed. Grinbaum is currently ICL's executive vice president and chief operating officer. German-born Borgas, 52, said last Thursday he would resign as ICL's CEO after four years but would stay available to the company during the transition to find a new CEO. (Reporting by Steven Scheer) Istanbul (AFP) - Jailed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) leader Abdullah Ocalan on Sunday received his first family visit in two years, meeting his brother on the Turkish prison island where he has been held for over one-and-a-half decades, his lawyers said. His brother Mehmet Ocalan travelled from the port of Gemlik south of Istanbul to the high security prison on the island of Imrali in the Sea of Marmara returning in the early evening, the state-run Anadolu news agency reported. Amid concerns over his health after months cut off from the outside world, Ocalan's lawyers confirmed that he had met his brother. "Mr Ocalan today received a family visit. A statement about the situation of our client will be made in the shortest time," the Asrin lawyers office wrote in a statement on their Twitter account. Turkish media reports had announced on Saturday that permission had been granted for the visit marking the Eid al-Adha Islamic holiday, in an apparent bid to counter alarm over his welfare. A group of 50 Kurdish activists, including MPs, are on the seventh day of a hunger strike to protest the lack of news about Ocalan. They have vowed to continue their action until there is concrete confirmation he is alive and well. Turkish media reports said this was the first family visit Ocalan had been allowed since October 6, 2014. He last met with a political delegation from the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) in April 2015. The last visit to Ocalan was by a delegation of the Council of Europe's Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) in April 2016. It said there were just four prisoners held on Imrali. Ocalan was captured in 1999 by Turkey's secret service in Kenya, put on trial and sentenced to death. His sentence was commuted to life imprisonment in 2002 when Turkey abolished the death penalty. He has been held on Imrali ever since. Ocalan held secret talks with top officials that resulted in the PKK declaring a ceasefire in 2013. But this collapsed in 2015 and conflict is again raging in Turkey's Kurdish-dominated southeast. The PKK, which has led an insurrection that has claimed tens of thousands of lives since 1984, is outlawed as a terror group by Turkey, the United States and European Union. Kanye West had a pretty chill reaction to peoples complaints about Yeezy Season 4 Kanye West had a pretty chill reaction to peoples complaints about Yeezy Season 4 New York Fashion Week kicked off on Wednesday with Kanye Wests Yeezy Season 4 show. But for as much hype as the presentation received, many felt that it didnt live up to its full potential. Gif of Kanye West Smile The show, which took place outdoors on New York Citys Roosevelt Island, was beautifully concepted. It offered the perfect view of Manhattan in a serene grassy settingnot your typical NYFW setup. But those who attended the show had a lot of opinions, many of them negative. They cited a long bus commute, a long line to get in, and a long wait in the hot late-summer sun for the show to begin. There were also reports of models boots and heels breaking, and one model even fainting from the heat. re: yeezy season 4, kind of a bummer to be such a huge kanye west fan (and apologist) and witness something pretty much indefensible Jake Woolf (@jakewoolf) September 8, 2016 We are all part of @kanyewest psychological experiment - model just fell backward, nearly passed out. #YeezySeason4 pic.twitter.com/SKpXxDA53i @Booth (@Booth) September 7, 2016 So Yeezy Season 4 is just Capezio. Cool. I was so on-trend in 2000. Hannah Orenstein (@hannahorens) September 7, 2016 Gif of Kanye West Shrug Kanye has finally addressed these commentssort of. He posted a series of tweets defending the show and thanking fans for their support. Its our life's mission to create the most transformative experiences KANYE WEST (@kanyewest) September 9, 2016 Each and every ones time, insight and feelings are invaluable to us. We want to make people feel great. KANYE WEST (@kanyewest) September 9, 2016 Thank you for embarking on this creative journey. KANYE WEST (@kanyewest) September 9, 2016 Gif of Kanye West Love Me or Hate Me Honestly, were impressed that Kanye took the high road and didnt fire back to the haters. In fact, it even seems like he took peoples feedback to heart. Could this be a new side of Yeezy? The post Kanye West had a pretty chill reaction to peoples complaints about Yeezy Season 4 appeared first on HelloGiggles. News Story not available This story has been published on: 2022-10-30. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. This story is no longer available on our site. PHOENIX -- Prosecutors are asking the Arizona Supreme Court to reinstate a law that allows some people accused of sexual abuse of minors to be held without bail. Deputy Maricopa County Attorney David Cole said the constitutional provision limiting access to bail was adopted by voters in 2002. He said the state Court of Appeals, in overturning the law enacted by lawmakers to implement that amendment, failed to give "due consideration to the overwhelming will of the people.'' "It has long been the law in Arizona that legislative enactments enjoy a strong presumption of constitutionality, and that the burden to overcome the presumption rests squarely on the shoulders of the challenger,'' Cole said in legal papers filed with the state's high court. And he said the attorneys for the two men at issue have failed to meet that burden. "The people of Arizona determined that sexual conduct with a minor is an acute problem and that pretrial detention for those accused of that crime was in the best interest of the community,'' Cole wrote. State Solicitor General John Lopez IV, interceding in the legal dispute on behalf of Attorney General Mark Brnovich, Senate President Andy Tobin and House Speaker David Gowan, went even further. He said Arizona has "a transcendent interest in protecting children from sexual exploitation.'' And Lopez said that outweighs the "liberty interest'' of someone who has only been charged with a crime. The case involves two men charged in separate unrelated incidents of various charges, including sexual conduct with minors younger than 15. Both were initially held without bail based on the 2002 measure which says people charged with those crimes are not entitled to pretrail release "if the proof is evidence or the presumption great that the person is guilty of the offense charged.'' But in June the state Court of Appeals said even those protections are legally insufficient. Appellate Judge Peter Swann said bail can be denied only if prosecutors can also show that no bail conditions or restrictions would ensure the protection of others. He cited a 1987 U.S. Supreme Court decision which said the categorical denial of bail is unconstitutional. Swann said that means trial judges must make case-by-case determinations of whether a person can be released -- and under what conditions -- while awaiting trial. Cole does not dispute that ruling. But he said the facts in that case are different than here. More to the point, Cole said the Arizona law does not parallel the federal law at issue in that case. Anyway, he argued, the Arizona law is very specific, applying to those who have sexual conduct of a minor younger than 15. And Cole said that the measure is not an absolute bar to bail but has conditions. That includes a hearing where a prosecutor must present evidence sufficient to show it is likely the defendant committed the crime. Cole said that provides sufficient safeguards for individual liberty while ensuring the community is protected. Lopez, for his part, said there is overwhelming evidence that the denial of bail for those who prey on minors is appropriate, calling that "a crime that devastates victims, future generations and communities.'' He said lawmakers recognize how serious a crime this is, with offenders facing a presumptive prison term of 20 years and lifetime imprisonment if the victim is 12 or younger. And Arizona law allows potential indefinite commitment in the Arizona State Hospital as a sexually violent person after a prison term is served. Lopez said there is other evidence to show pretrial detention benefits the community. "Studies show a high rate of recidivism among pedophilic sex offenders generally, ranging from 10 to 50 percent,'' he wrote. Swann, in writing the appellate decision saying defendants could not be categorically denied bail, was careful to say he was not excusing the offenses charged here. "Sexual conduct with a young minor is unquestionably a serious offense that involves a vulnerable class of victims and severe penalties,'' he wrote. "But it cannot serve in every case, as a reliable proxy for unmanageable flight risk, witness intimidation, unmanageable risk to victims or any other plausible bail consideration.'' That appellate court ruling was not unanimous In a dissent, Judge Andrew Gould rejected the contention that denial of bail in certain circumstances is unconstitutional. He said the express purpose of the statute and its companion state constitutional provision "is to protect victims and the community.'' That, he said, makes its purpose "regulatory, not punitive.'' The high court has not said when it will rule on the matter. This isn't the first time an appellate court has voided a provision of Arizona laws on bail. In 2014, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals tossed out voided a 2006 voter-approved change to the Arizona Constitution that made bail unavailable to those charged with "serious felony offenses'' if they are in this country illegally and there is "evident'' proof the person is guilty of the offense charged. In their ruling, the federal appellate judges said the measure violates the U.S. Constitution. The majority in that case said the right against being deprived of liberty without due process extends to "even one whose presence in this country is unlawful.'' The U.S. Supreme Court refused to disturb that ruling. Muslims in Macau will be gathering this morning at 10 a.m. at the Macau Mosque on Ramal dos Mouros to celebrate the Islamic festival of Eid al-Adha. According to community member Adnan Nasim, Muslims in Macau celebrate the festival a little differently to other parts of the world. The morning will begin with prayers, followed by tea and breakfast served in the courtyard of the Mosque. Adnan stated yesterday that families will stay there until late-afternoon today. He also said that early tomorrow morning an animal sacrifice will be conducted at the Macau slaughterhouse at Fai Chi Kei. The meat will be brought back to the Mosque for distribution and consumption. Eid al-Adha honors the biblical figure of Abraham who agreed to sacrifice his son as an act of submission to God. It is the latter of the two Eid holidays, with the former being Eid al-Fitr. Kanye West is not feeling the love. (Photo: Associated Press) Whats a Kanye West performance without a rant? The 39-year-old rapper responded to the critics of his Yeezy Season 4 fashion show during a mini-concert at the Harpers Bazaar ICONS by Carine Roitfeld event in New York City on Friday, September 9. Surrounded by smoke and orange lights, West hit the stage at the Plaza Hotel to perform several of his hits, including Famous, All of the Lights and Touch the Sky. He then performed Runaway (complete with the infamous line Lets have a toast for the douchebags) and repeatedly stuck up his middle finger before addressing the star-studded crowd. PHOTOS: What Kim K., Kylie, Kendall and Every Other Celeb Wore to Kanye Wests Yeezy Season 4 Show At the beginning of this performance, I tried my best to not try. No, I tried to listen to all the reports and s**t and I tried my best to stop trying, he said in reference to the mixed reviews his New York Fashion Week show received. But I just couldnt do it! I couldnt stop. No matter what they write, I just couldnt stop. The Chicago native then thanked the audience at the event (sponsored by Infor, Laura Mercier and Stella Artois), for supporting his transition from rapper to fashion designer, saying, I appreciate y'all going on this journey for me. I appreciate all the years y'all put up with me learning in front of you and listening to the music at the same time. PHOTOS: See the Stars at New York Fashion Week 2016 After giving a shoutout to Carine Roitfeld, the former editor-in-chief of Vogue Paris, West dropped his microphone and walked off the stage as the crowd cheered. (Kim Kardashian, Kourtney Kardashian, Kris Jenner, Kendall Jenner, Kylie Jenner and Tyga were all in attendance.) As Us Weekly previously reported, the Waves rapper unveiled his Yeezy Season 4 fashion line at Franklin D. Roosevelt Four Freedoms Park on New Yorks Roosevelt Island on Wednesday, September 7. The show was panned by critics for starting two hours later than scheduled and for leaving dozens of models standing in the heat, at least one of whom passed out. Story continues The Kardashian-Jenner clans close pal Jonathan Cheban, however, stood up for West during an interview with Us Weekly at Fridays Harpers Bazaar party. PHOTOS: Kanye Wests Most Outrageous Moments There are shows and theres concerts and people pass out outside in the fields and, you know, it is what it is, the reality star told Us. [Kanye] creates from his heart and to him its really like a big deal. I dont know if hes affected too much by what other people say because, you know what, everything still sells out. Pop-ups all over the world, theres thousands of people. You wanna show me a designer who can do that? Nobody. Kanye is an enterprise and Im so happy to be part of the whole ride. Cheban also explained that he thought the models who passed out were a part of the show. For me, I felt bad, but you know what it is, its a show in the heat, he explained. Dont take the job if you know youre gonna sit out in the heat. And its like, of course I feel terrible for them, but people criticizing it, its like, screw you. These bloggers that Ive read about, like, 'B***h dont come, and next year youre still going to be begging for that ticket. Want stories like these delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up now for the Us Weekly newsletter! On a solemn Sunday morning as the nation observed the 15th anniversary of the 911 terrorist attacks on New York and Washington, talk about the latest presidential political flap almost seemed trivial. Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump visited Ground Zero in lower Manhattan, where he conferred with two of his closest GOP allies, former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie. Related: Clintons Deplorable Comment Could Cost Her the Independent Vote Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton, a former secretary of state and U.S. senator from New York, also visited the site but was forced to leave the 911 memorial event after being overcome by heat. She was taken to her daughter Chelseas apartment where she rested, and she later emerged, telling reporters, Im feeling great. In fact, she wasn't well at all. She had been diagnosed with pneumonia last Friday. A report from The Washington Post late Sunday afternoon said, "Hours after the Democratic presidential nominee fell ill at a 9/11 commemoration Sunday in New York, her doctor said in a statement that Clinton 'was diagnosed with pneumonia. She was put on antibiotics, and advised to rest and modify her schedule. While at this morning's event, she became overheated and dehydrated.'" Trump and Clinton had declared a one-day hiatus in their bitterly fought presidential campaign today to honor the victims of the 911 attack. But that didnt prevent their surrogates from continuing to squabble over the latest campaign tempest Clintons remarkably ill-advised assault on what she called the basket of deplorables supporting Trump. Trump and other Republican leaders quickly pounced on Clintons remarks to an LGBT Democratic fundraiser in New York City Friday night in which she dismissed half of Trumps supporters as racist, sexist, homophobic, xenophobic, Islamaphobic. You know, to just be grossly generalistic, you could put half of Trumps supporters into what I call the basket of deplorables, Clinton told a large, cheering crowd of supporters, donors and Democratic party elites. Story continues Related: Trump Promises More Than He Can Deliver to Evangelical Christian Leaders Wow. Hillary Clinton was SO insulting to my supporters, millions of amazing, hard working people, Trump quickly wrote on Twitter. I think it will cost her at the polls. Republican vice presidential nominee Mike Pence, speaking at the Values Voter Summit of conservative Christians in Washington over the weekend, chastised Clinton: Hillary, they are not a basket of anything. They are Americans, and they deserve your respect. The Republicans hypocrisy, of course, was obvious. Trump has spent more than a year denouncing illegal Mexican immigrants as rapists and murderers, demanding that Muslims be denied entry into the country, re-tweeting an anti-Hillary message that contained a Semitic 6-point star, and even criticizing a Gold Star family for having the nerve to criticize him openly at the Democratic National Convention in July. Clinton weeks ago delivered a major address drawing direct lines between Trump and the burgeoning alt right white supremacist hate groups essentially accusing Trump of energizing activists in the darkest corners of the conservative movement. Related: Trump Still Singing Putins Praise and His Chorus Is Growing But on Friday night she crossed the line by openly writing off large swaths of GOP voters in a smug and highly dismissive manner. For some, she was echoing Republican nominee Mitt Romneys disastrous back room comment during the 2012 presidential campaign that 47 percent of voters would back President Obama no matter what because they depend on government programs and pay no income tax. Clinton on Saturday apologized for saying that half of Trumps support comes from racists and xenophobes. However, she refused to back down from her larger critique that Trump had advanced his political career by pitting one group against another and bringing out the worst instincts in many Americans. Its deplorable that Trump has built his campaign largely on prejudice and paranoia, she said. The controversy spilled over into the Sunday talk shows today, as former House Speaker Newt Gingrich of Georgia, a Trump champion, and Rep. Xavier Becerra (D-CA), a staunch Clinton backer, re-litigated Clintons comments on Fox News Sunday. Becerra offered a laundry list of deplorable figures who have aggressively supported Trump, including former KKK grand wizard and Nazi sympathizer David Duke, who is running for Senate in Louisiana, and leaders of other white supremacist groups. Trump was slow in rejecting Dukes support and at one point preposterously claimed that he didnt know who Duke was. Related: Clinton: ISIS Is Praying to Allah That Trump Is Elected What we have to understand is that we should not have people get elected to office based on campaigning on anger and hate, Becerra said. And Newt, accept the fact that she said I regret those remarks. Gingrich replied that Trump has repeatedly, explicitly repudiated David Duke thats a fact. So this idea that Donald Trump somehow is secretly courting people, thats wrong, Gingrich said. Trump goes to a black church in Detroit to talk about the failure of Democratic Party policies in the inner cities. Now lets have a debate about the failure of the Democratic Party in the inner cities, which of course leads to them yelling racist, because if they cant smear Trump, theyre going to lose a lot of votes. With barely two months before the November 8 election, Clinton is struggling to fend off a recent onslaught by Trump that is eating into her post-convention bounce. Some Democratic leaders have begun to fret that Clinton should be much further ahead of Trump in the polls by now, after spending $104 million on negative TV ads portraying Trump as incompetent and dangerous. Trump, meanwhile, continues to stake out positions unpopular with the majority of Americans or that have shocked many in his own party, including doubling down on deporting 11 million illegal immigrants and praising Russian President Vladimir Putin over President Obama for his leadership skills. Yet he continues to move up in the polls. Related: The Big Winners in the Trump-Clinton Race: Hatred, Prejudice and Voter Disgust Clintons negative numbers among voters are nearly as high as those of Trumps, and her advisers have signaled the need for a change in campaign strategy -- one that focuses more on highlighting her policies and personality and less on continuing to tear down Trumps image. The latest flap over her comments in New York Friday night has badly undercut her call for national political unity while fueling her critics charges that she is an elitist out of touch with the average American. It didnt help that Clinton spent most of the summer raising money at private dinners in Silicon Valley and The Hamptons while Trump barnstormed through the country, generating controversy and media attention. A new Washington Post-ABC News poll released over the weekend shows Clinton still leading Trump among likely voters, 46 percent to 41 percent, followed by Libertarian Party candidate Gary Johnson with 9 percent and Green Party nominee Jill Stein with just 2 percent. But an analysis of the poll suggests that lagging interest among some of Clintons supporters especially independents and liberals who preferred Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont could discourage Democratic turnout on Election Day. Other recent surveys show that Trump has narrowed Clintons lead in some key battleground states, including Florida, Pennsylvania and Ohio. Top Reads from The Fiscal Times: SANAA (Reuters) - At least 21 civilians were killed in two separate air strikes by the Saudi-led coalition in northern Yemen on Saturday, residents said on Sunday, as fighting intensified in the country before the Muslim Eid al-Adha feast. At least 15 civilians were killed when war planes struck workers drilling for water in the Beit Saadan area of the Arhab district north of Sanaa, and 20 people were wounded, residents in the area, controlled by Iran-allied Houthi forces, said. They said Saudi-led coalition warplanes bombed the site and killed four workers, and then conducted a second bomb run when residents of the village rushed to the scene, killing at least 11 more and wounding 20. "We heard three explosions, and people rushed out to help the people working on the drills. Then the planes came back and launched five strikes causing this number of dead and wounded," Saif Saleh, a witness, told Reuters by telephone. A spokesman for the Saudi-led coalition, General Ahmed al-Asseri, said "all operations in the area were targeting Houthi positions and members." The coalition, which has been fighting to roll back gains made by the Houthi group since 2014 and restore ousted President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi to power, says it does not target civilians. U.N.-sponsored talks to try to end the fighting collapsed in failure last month and the Houthi movement and allied forces loyal to former president Ali Abdullah Saleh resumed shelling into neighboring Saudi Arabia. Saturday's attacks were the latest in a series of strikes that have hit schools, hospitals, markets and private homes. Local media put the number of dead and wounded at the water-drilling site at around 100 and published pictures of burned bodies and mangled equipment. Videos showed workers collecting mutilated bodies and carrying them away in blankets. In a second attack, residents reported an air strike hit the home of Sheikh Maqbool al-Harmali, a local tribal chief in Hairan district of Hajjah province, killing six civilians. The United Nations says more than 10,000 people have been killed in the fighting, many of them civilians. In an Eid message, Hadi said: "We will not allow Iran to turn Yemen into an arena for the blackmail of neighbors." Iran denies any interference in Arab states. In south-eastern Abyan province, a suicide bomber killed seven police conscripts and wounded 15 on Sunday when he drove a vehicle laden with explosives into a police compound in Hadi's hometown, a local official said. No one claimed responsibility for the attack in al-Wadea district. (Reporting by Mohammed Ghobari, writing by Sami Aboudi and Katie Paul; Editing by William Maclean, Ralph Boulton) Two schoolchildren in California are suspected of having leprosy, but where might they have caught the disease? This week, officials in Riverside Country (which is near Los Angeles) said they are investigating the suspected cases of leprosy, now usually called Hansen's disease, at an elementary school in the area. Nursing staff at the school first notified officials about the possible infections on Sept. 2, but it will take several weeks to confirm them, according to the Los Angeles Times. Cases of Hansen's disease in the United States are rare, but they do occur, with about 100 to 200 cases typically reported each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In 2014, there were 175 new cases of Hansen's disease diagnosed in the United States, and nearly three-quarters of these cases were reported in seven states: Arkansas, California, Florida, Hawaii, Louisiana, New York and Texas, according to the U.S. National Hansen's Disease (Leprosy) Program. "There's a lot of stigma and a lot of misunderstanding about leprosy," said Dr. Amesh Adalja, an infectious-disease specialist and a senior associate at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center's Center for Health Security. "In the United States, there are thousands of people" who have the disease, Adalja told Live Science. It's estimated that, overall, about 6,500 people in the United States have Hansen's disease, and about half of these require active medical treatment, according to the National Hansen's Disease Program. [Top 10 Stigmatized Health Disorders] There's currently not enough information provided about these two suspected case to know where they might have originated, Adalja said. But armadillos in the United States are known to harbor the bacteria that cause the disease, and it's possible for people to become infected through contact with the animals, Adalja said, although the risk of this is low. Story continues People can also become infected with leprosy through prolonged close contact with patients who have leprosy, Adalja said. Because the disease is not very contagious, people are unlikely to become infected through casual contact, he added. In addition, a sizable number of the people who have Hansen's disease in the United States (about 60 percent) were born in another country, Adalja said, and so it's possible they contracted the disease in another country, but this is not certain. Countries with more widespread leprosy transmission include Angola, Brazil, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Federated States of Micronesia, India, Kiribati, Madagascar, Mozambique, Nepal, Republic of Marshall Islands and the United Republic of Tanzania, according to the CDC. The disease is caused by a bacterium known as Mycobacterium leprae. It mainly affects the skin, peripheral nerves, upper respiratory tract, eyes and lining of the nose, according to the National Institutes of Health. The bacteria multiply very slowly, so it may take two to 10 years before a person who is infected with the bacteria has any symptoms, the CDC says. Left untreated, the bacteria can cause permanent damage to the skin, nerves, limbs and eyes (including paralysis and blindness), according to the World Health Organization. But the disease is easily treatable with antibiotics, according to the CDC. And patients are unable to transmit the disease to other people after taking just a few doses of antibiotics. Hansen's disease is not easily spread between people, and it's unlikely that people would catch the disease in a school or work environment, Barbara Cole, of the Riverside County Department of Public Health, told the Los Angeles Times. One reason that the disease doesn't appear to be very contagious is that most people are naturally immune to the disease it's estimated that about 95 percent of people are not able to contract leprosy, Adalja said. The school with the suspected cases said it has disinfected a few classrooms as a response to the news, according to the Los Angeles Times. But Adalja said that this action was probably overdoing it relative to the risk that the cases pose. "Almost all of it will be overkill because this disease is not that contagious," Adalja said. Original article on Live Science. Editor's Recommendations Copyright 2016 LiveScience, a Purch company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte said Friday he told President Barack Obama during their encounter in Laos that he never cursed him. On a visit to Indonesia, Duterte told the Filipino community there that he told Obama: President Obama, Im President Duterte. I never made that statement, check it out. He said that Obama responded: My men will talk to you, and he replied OK. Duterte blamed the media for distorting his words, saying he did utter son of a bitch but it was not directed at Obama. Before traveling to Laos for regional summits, Duterte said last week that Obama should not question him about the rising death toll in his war on drugs, which has been criticized abroad and by Dutertes opponents in the Philippines. More than 2,800 suspected drug dealers and users have been killed since Duterte took office. Asked how he would explain the killings to Obama, he said in a long answer that the Philippines has long ceased to be a colony of the United States and he ddid not have a master except the Filipino people. I do not care about him. Who is he? Duterte said. You must be respectful. Do not just throw questions and statements. Putang Ina, I will swear at you at that forum, he added, using the Tagalog phrase for son of a bitch. Obama then canceled a meeting with Duterte in Laos but the two met informally on Wednesday in a holding room before attending a gala dinner. Duterte, who assumed the presidency in June, has had an uneasy relationship with the U.S., his countrys longtime treaty ally. He has said he is charting a foreign policy not dependent on the U.S., and has moved to reduce tensions with China over rival territorial claims. He also said he showed a picture of an atrocity during the U.S. pacification campaign in the southern Philippines at the beginning of the last century at the East Asia Summit in Laos that included Obama, in order to stop criticism over human rights violations in the war on illegal drugs. The photograph showed about 200 dead Filipino Moros stacked in a common pit, with an American soldier holding a rifle while stepping on the breasts of a naked Moro woman. He said he told the leaders, This is human rights, what do you intend to do? and Human rights violations whether committed by Moses or Abraham, is still violation of human rights. The whole room was silent and he waited for Obama to respond but he remained quiet, Duterte said. AP Indonesia can chase pirates into Philippine waters Rodrigo Duterte gave Indonesian forces the right to pursue pirates into Philippine waters, saying piracy is one of the main problems between the two countries. Duterte, who is visiting Jakarta, discussed piracy and other security issues on Friday with Indonesian President Joko Jokowi Widodo. He said he was sorry that even shipments of coal from Indonesia destined for Philippine power plants are being affected by piracy. If Indonesian forces are chasing pirates and they enter Philippine waters, they can go ahead and blast them off, Duterte said. Thats my word actually with Widodo. I said, blow them up. He added, But maybe if there are sharks around, then we can just feed them to the sharks. Nine Indonesians are among 16 foreign hostages currently being held by the Muslim extremist group Abu Sayyaf in the southern Philippines, where Muslim separatist rebellions have raged for decades. In May, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines agreed to carry out coordinated patrols following a series of kidnappings and piracy attacks that undermined commerce in the Celebes Sea, where their sea borders overlap. Https%3a%2f%2fblueprint-api-production.s3.amazonaws.com%2fuploads%2fcard%2fimage%2f204930%2f7897b633efc7456984be427577b2a59f Ocean conservation efforts took a significant step forward on Friday when a measure to protect 30 percent of the world's oceans by 2030 passed during a major meeting in Hawaii. The resolution, which is non-binding, garnered widespread support from the governments and global organizations gathered in Honolulu for the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) World Conservation Congress. Marine scientists say expanding Marine Protected Areas is essential in order to spare oceans from further destruction and ensure that ecosystems stay healthy enough to adapt to human-caused climate change. SEE ALSO: Obama visits remote Midway Atoll to highlight climate change threats "Marine reserves are also climate reserves, and protecting 30 percent of the ocean will ensure local communities are more resilient to climate change," Seth Horstmeyer, a director with The Pew Charitable Trusts' Global Ocean Legacy project, said in a statement after the vote. The world's oceans produce around half the Earth's oxygen, store about 90 percent of the world's carbon dioxide and encompass a whopping 95 percent of the planet's living space. Yet marine ecosystems are increasingly at risk because of human activities from industrial fishing and coastal development to dumping toxic waste, plastics pollution and ocean acidification. Coral reefs in the lagoon of the Toau atoll, French Polynesia. Image: GREGORY BOISSY/AFP/Getty Images "If we don't ensure the biosphere is intact and well-protected, then we put ourselves at risk over the long-term," Callum Roberts, a professor of marine conservation at the University of York in England, said by phone. Danny Auron, a campaign director at the non-profit advocacy organization Avaaz, told Mashable the 30-percent target is not only "ambitious and inspiring" but also "the minimum that scientists say we need to survive as a species." A science-based goal The 30-percent ocean protection goal is a drastic jump from today's levels, and marks a new achievement for a growing movement to guard against further degradation of marine ecosystems. Story continues The move comes less than a week before the World Oceans Conference in Washington, where U.S. President Barack Obama will give an address. Less than 4 percent of oceans currently fall within a Marine Protected Area even with Obama's expansion last month of the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument in the Northern Hawaiian Islands. The view from Air Force One, with U.S. President Barack Obama aboard, over the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument in the Pacific Ocean, Sept. 1, 2016. Image: SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images On Aug. 26, Obama quadrupled the size of the monument to nearly 583,000 square miles, making it the largest protected area of any kind marine or terrestrial in the world. Countries previously set a target to protect 10 percent of oceans by 2012 during the United Nations' Convention on Biological Diversity. They later revised the deadline to 2020 after it was clear the world would miss its original goal. Proponents of stronger protection measures say the 10-percent target was largely based on politics: It sounded ambitious enough for countries to get behind, but wasn't actually rooted in science. "We are entirely unrealistic to think that nature can cope with the protection of 10 percent the seas," Roberts, the marine conservation professor, told Mashable. Roberts and his colleagues reviewed 144 studies to determine whether the 10-percent target was enough to protect global fish populations and keep ecosystems healthy. The average value of those studies was 37 percent of oceans, the researchers said in an April paper published in the journal Conservation Letters. "What that says is, you have to protect a very significant area of ocean in order to contribute meaningfully to conservation and fisheries management objectives," Roberts told Mashable. "We're just way out of scale with those targets right now," he said. Handling the high seas Countries have a host of economic and strategic reasons for not wanting to rope off their sovereign waters. Japan, for instance, exports around 1.4 trillion yen ($11.6 billion) worth of seafood each year. New Zealand's offshore oil and gas fields contribute billions of dollars to its economy and tax income. China's controversial artificial islands in the South China Sea bolster its military presence in the region. But governments' reluctance to establish Marine Protected Areas isn't the biggest challenge to actually achieving the 30 percent by 2030 target. IUCN Members Assembly: Vote 'YES' On Motion 53 To Support Protection For 30% Of The Ocean! #Protect30 #IUCNCongress pic.twitter.com/wX0C17hohR Sylvia A. Earle (@SylviaEarle) September 7, 2016 The largest hurdle will be deciding how to manage protected zones in the so-called high seas the swaths of ocean that don't fall under the control of state or national governments. Around 65 percent of the oceans falls into this category. "At some point, you start to run out of waters in the jurisdiction of nations," Horstmeyer said in an interview. "Ultimately we'll also have to look at the high seas." While various councils under the United Nations oversee global fishing, mining and shipping activities, no such body exists to manage Marine Protected Areas in the high seas. "There's no effective means of protecting this common heritage," Lance Morgan, president of the Marine Conservation Institute, told Mashable by phone from the Honolulu summit. A Green Sea Turtle in the U.S.-affiliated Pacific Ocean. Image: NOAA Coral Reef Ecosystem Program The U.N. last year launched a diplomatic process to resolve such thorny questions as: Who can propose a protected area in the high seas? Who is responsible for managing them, and who would foot the bill? Should the U.N. create a new agency just for Marine Protected Areas? Morgan said that, if all goes to plan, the process should wrap up in 2018, giving countries about 12 years to establish conservation zones before the 2030 deadline. "That's a pretty good time frame to start doing bigger and more important things," he said. "With more than 60 percent of the ocean in the high seas, it will be virtually impossible to hit that 30-percent target without a treaty in place to negotiate that." Despite the deep well of bureaucracy and politics surrounding the new marine conservation target, participants in Hawaii last week said they had felt optimistic in large part because of the success surrounding the Paris climate change agreement. Leaders from nearly 200 nations signed a global pact to curb greenhouse gas emissions and limit global warming to well below 2 degrees Celsius, or 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit, relative to preindustrial levels by 2100. With the U.S. and China formally signing on this month, the agreement may enter into force by the end of this year. "There's a feeling that ambitious goals are possible to achieve, and governments are coming to the realization that it's time to actually start moving on these things," said Auron, the Avaaz campaign director. By Ruma Paul DHAKA (Reuters) - A suspected militant believed by Bangladesh police to have been among the planners of a July cafe attack that killed 22 people killed himself during a police raid on a hideout in the capital, police said on Sunday. The July attack in Dhaka's diplomatic quarter was claimed by the jihadist group Islamic State and was one of the most brazen in Bangladesh, hit by a spate of killings of liberals and members of religious minorities in the past year. The government has pinned the blame on domestic militant groups, but security experts say the scale and sophistication of the incident suggest links to a trans-national Islamist network. National police chief Shahidul Hoque said the dead man, Shamshed Hossain, was suspected to be one of the planners of the cafe attack, and to have rented a flat for the militants who carried it out. "He killed himself inside the flat so that we cant collect information from him through interrogation," another official, Sanwar Hossain, told reporters on Sunday. An autopsy report confirmed that the militant committed suicide by slitting his throat, doctors said on Sunday. Police had earlier said they shot the man during Saturday's raid on the hideout. Three women who were wounded and arrested in the raid also tried to kill themselves, Hossain added. Five officers from the police counter-terrorism unit were wounded when women militants attacked them with chili powder, explosives and knives, police have said. One of the women could have been the wife of a man killed last week in a shootout with police and believed to have trained the cafe attackers, police said. Police have killed more than two dozen suspected militants in shootouts since the July attack, including its presumed mastermind, Bangladesh-born Canadian citizen Tamim Ahmed Chowdhury. The United States believes elements of Islamic State are "connected" to operatives in Bangladesh, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said during a visit to Dhaka last month. The targeting of foreigners - nine Italians, seven Japanese, an American and an Indian were among those killed - could hurt foreign investment in the poor South Asian economy, whose $28-billion garments export industry is the world's second largest. (Editing by Clarence Fernandez and Stephen Powell) Users of Samsung Electronics Co.s troubled Note 7 smartphones in the U.S. and South Korea were urged to immediately turn off and stop charging them, while aviation authorities around the world called on passengers not to use the devices during flights. The warnings were issued by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and Samsung, which are also in talks on an official recall of the devices as soon as possible. About three dozen of the phones, released just three weeks ago, had batteries that caught fire or exploded. This consumer warning is based on recent reports involving lithium-ion batteries in certain Note 7 devices that have resulted in fires, the CPSC said in a statement. These incidents have occurred while charging and during normal use, which has led us to call for consumers to power down their Note 7s. The troubles come at a critical time for Samsung. The company rolled out the Note 7 last month to give it a head start on Apple Inc.s new iPhone, which was unveiled this week. But that advantage has now disappeared. Samsung shares fell 3.9 percent in trading Friday in Korea, the biggest drop since Jan. 4. The recent introduction of new products by the two leaders of the global smartphone market are critical to their competition, Bloomberg Intelligence analyst John Butler said in an interview. Samsungs troubles, and theyre meaningful at this point, are a positive development for Apple and its competitive position vis-a-vis Samsung, Butler said. Were rolling quickly into the holiday quarter, so Samsung has to move quickly to recall the Note 7 devices with faulty batteries and get replacement units to people who already bought this model. The Suwon, South Korea-based company has already announced a voluntary, worldwide recall of all 2.5 million of the smartphones it has already shipped, at a cost to the company estimated at as much as USD1 billion. On Saturday, Samsung told users in South Korea to stop using the devices and to bring them to the companys service centers. Customers can rent replacement phones until Note 7s with new batteries become available on Sept. 19, the it said. It wasnt clear whether the fixed Note 7 models would also be offered elsewhere on that date. Almost all CPSC recalls are done voluntarily in conjunction with a company and the scope of any action on the Note 7 may be identical to what Samsung has already suggested to consumers. But once the agency becomes involved, it triggers additional protections for people. For example, U.S. law prohibits the sale or resale of any recalled item once CPSC acts. The CPSC action came as aviation regulators in several countries and airlines advised passengers against turning on or charging the devices during flights. The European Aviation Safety Agency on Friday issued such a warning and cautioned against packing them in checked bags, according to a posting on its website. That followed a non-binding warning issued Thursday by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration. In light of recent incidents and concerns raised by Samsung about its Galaxy Note 7 devices, the Federal Aviation Administration strongly advises passengers not to turn on or charge these devices on board aircraft and not to stow them in any checked baggage, the agency said late Thursday. Indias Directorate General of Civil Aviation banned switching on the phones during flights, or placing them in checked bags that arent carried in the cabin. Singapore Airlines Ltd. has barred travelers from powering up or charging the devices on flights, the company said in an e-mail. Samsung issued a press release Friday saying consumer safety and peace of mind are our top priority. Following the FAAs statement, U.S. carriers were taking a variety of steps. Delta Air Lines Inc. posted a notice on its website telling passengers to comply with the FAAs guidance. Southwest Airlines Co. will share information on its website and social-media channels to make passengers aware of the FAA recommendations, said Lisa Tiller, a spokeswoman for the Dallas-based carrier. Spirit Airlines Inc. said all passengers will receive a copy of the FAA notice 12 hours prior to flying. American Airlines Group Inc. and JetBlue Airways Corp. said they are consulting with the FAA on the issue. JetBlue added that it is trying to get more FAA guidance for its employees so they can answer customer questions. The Airlines for America trade group, which represents most large U.S. carriers, said in an e-mail it is closely monitoring the situation. The actions are the latest to focus on the risks of lithium-based batteries on aircraft, which have been linked to three accidents on cargo carriers, two of which were fatal. The FAA has logged dozens of more minor incidents in which the batteries caught fire, smoldered or exploded on airline flights. The United Nations International Civil Aviation Organization in February voted to ban passenger airlines from carrying bulk shipments of rechargeable lithium-ion batteries, such as those on the Samsung device. The group stopped short of placing restrictions on batteries contained in devices because any fires that occur are much easier to extinguish. The Air Line Pilots Association, the largest flight-crew union in North America, said the recent incidents underscore the need for greater controls on lithium-battery shipments. These batteries can self-ignite, explode, and are unresponsive to halon, the primary fire-extinguishing agent used aboard aircraft, the union said in an e-mail. Alan Levin, Robert Fenner, Bloomberg Dr. Oz is getting two unlikely groups together in Monday's episode of his show. The doctor and talk show host will have a discussion with the families of those affected by violence between police officers and civilians from both sides. The show will bring together women from the "Mothers of the Movement," an organization of mothers of people who were killed by police officers, as well as the mothers of the police officers who were purposefully gunned down by civilians. Among those in attendance for the episode are Sybrina Fulton, Trayvon Martin's mom, as well as Paulette Thompson and Valarie Zamarripa, both of whom lost their sons this summer when a gunman opened fire on police officers at an otherwise peaceful Black Lives Matter protest. And while differences are clear, Oz said, "What bonds them together is the very public way their children died." Some of the most moving parts of the interview came from Geneva Reed-Veal, the mother of Sandra Bland. In July 2015, a medical examiner determined Bland had committed suicide in a Texas jail cell three days after an apparently routine traffic stop led to an arrest for assault. "Unfortunately, we have experienced an overload of loss and nobody seems to care about it because it keeps happening over and over again," Reed-Veal said in a clip, explaining why she decided to come forward with her story. And for Gwen Carr, her son Eric Garner's death has encouraged her to join the "movement" as well. In a heart-wrenching clip, Carr talked about the viral video of her son dying from a chokehold. "I have never looked at the video in its entirety because it was too devastating and they kept playing it over and over on the TV," she said. "And it was like them killing my son over and over and over again. A re-occurring nightmare, and it was worse than a nightmare because I never woke up. And I have to live with this for the rest of my life. It's just a news article for the media, but this is my life." For Thompson, whose newly-wed son Brent Thompson was slain in the tragic shooting during a Black Lives Matter protest in Dallas, said prayers from well-wishers have been "comforting." Moving forward, Reed-Veal had a question and request for members of the audience. "I'm thankful for the opportunity to have this audience of people and I just want to know, ''What Those that are sitting in this room, what will you do when you leave this room? What are you gonna do?" she asked. "Find out what your role is, what your part is. Never leave another room where this conversation takes place and you go back to your home and it's just okay." Dr. Oz's special episode, "Healing America's Grief: Mothers of The Movement And Mothers of Slain Officers Together For The First Time" premieres Monday, Sept. 12, on The Dr. Oz Show at 2 p.m. ET. Maputo (AFP) - The Mozambican army has destroyed a base used by Renamo rebels -- the country's main opposition -- to launch ambush attacks, police said on Sunday. Renamo, which previously waged a 16-year civil war that ended in 1992, has refused to accept the results of 2014 elections when it was beaten once more by the ruling Frelimo party, in power since independence 40 years ago. The base in the central Morrumbala district had been used to attack trucks transporting goods, commuter buses and other targets, police said. Renamo has in past few years staged a string of deadly attacks in the country as it fights to make its voice heard and for a greater share of power. "Defence and security forces stormed Renamo's headquarters in Zambezia (in Morrumbala district) on Saturday morning and managed to recover goods that had been stolen in the area," police spokesperson Jacinto Felix told AFP. The country's independent broadcaster STV reported that eight people were killed during the Saturday clash, but neither the police nor Renamo could confirm the report. Since 2013, tensions have flared between the Frelimo government and Renamo fighters who have again taken up arms in a battle they say is against the Frelimo elite, whom they accuse of enriching themselves at the expense of the country. On August 12, Renamo gunmen attacked Morrumbala's main town, torching a health centre and looting medical supplies. A local police station was also vandalised and 23 prisoners set free by the rebels. On Monday peace talks between the government and Renamo are set to resume in the capital Maputo in the presence of international mediators. They were suspended in late August when the parties failed to agree on a ceasefire. Seoul (AFP) - A defiant North Korea Sunday restated its demand for recognition as a "legitimate" nuclear-armed state, as world powers pondered ways to punish Pyongyang for its latest and largest atomic test. The North also vowed to increase its nuclear strike force "in quality and in quantity", two days after its fifth test in a decade sparked international condemnation and moves for tougher UN sanctions. In Japan, a visiting senior US envoy said Washington and Tokyo were seeking "the strongest possible" measures in response. North Korea insists that its missile and nuclear tests are necessary to counter what it says is a US nuclear threat to its independence. A statement Sunday from a foreign ministry spokesman in Pyongyang mocked President Barack Obama's "totally bankrupt" policy on the country. "Obama is trying hard to deny the DPRK's (North Korea's) strategic position as a legitimate nuclear weapons state but it is as foolish an act as trying to eclipse the sun with a palm," said the statement quoted by the official KCNA news agency. Friday's test came only eight months after the previous one and was almost twice as powerful, at an estimated 10 kilotons. Most worryingly for the international community, the North claimed it had been a miniaturised warhead that could be mounted on a missile. The UN Security Council agreed Friday to start work on new measures -- even though five sets of UN sanctions since the first nuclear test in 2006 have failed to halt the North's nuclear drive. Sung Kim, the US State Department's special representative for North Korea policy, said Washington and Tokyo would work closely in the Security Council and beyond "to come up with the strongest possible measure against North Korea's latest action". He also suggested the US may launch its own unilateral sanctions in response to "the provocative and unacceptable behaviour by the North Koreans". Story continues -- Retaliation -- KCNA insisted Sunday that North Koreans were delighted by Friday's detonation. "The test demonstrated the dignity of the country guided by the iron-willed commander as well as the strength of the Korean people," scientist Choe Kwang-Ho was quoted as saying. The government in Seoul will take "all diplomatic and military efforts to counter North Korea's continued provocation", senior presidential secretary for foreign affairs Kim Kyou-Hyun told reporters Sunday. Referring to Friday's phone conversation between President Park Geun-Hye and Obama, he said the United States had vowed to defend Seoul using "all means available" -- including the nuclear umbrella and conventional forces. The South's military has said it would launch a retaliatory strike at Pyongyang's military leadership if it deemed the country was under nuclear threat. Dubbed the Korea Massive Punishment and Retaliation system, the countermeasure would "directly target" key North Korean sites -- including its war command post -- if any sign of a nuclear attack was detected. "We will deploy strike forces with precision-guided missiles and elite special forces," Leem Ho-Young, chief director of strategic planning at Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff, told reporters Friday. The South has no atomic weapons of its own and shelters under the nuclear "umbrella" of its US ally, which stations 28,500 troops in South Korea. But there are growing voices calling for the South to have its own nuclear weapons, despite government opposition. A group of ruling Saenuri Party lawmakers, whose membership is now 24 and growing, was launched last month to push for the country to start preparations for its own nuclear development. Natalie Portman and Lily Rose Depp became friends in the best way weve ever heard Natalie Portman and Lily Rose Depp became friends in the best way weve ever heard Sometimes all it takes is a little spa time to truly bond with your new colleagues. At least if youre Natalie Portman and Lily-Rose Depp, who went for massages together before filming their upcoming period piece, Planetarium. What makes it even better is their director Rebecca Zlotowski planned the outing. Imagine your new boss arranging for an ice breaker salon trip with your coworkers before starting. Thatd be just gary In the movie, the two star as sisters who are professional spiritualists in Paris in the 1930s who are able to communicate with the dead. Originally from America, the duo is wrapping up a world tour when a French producer taps them to work on a film project. The film, which has received quite a bit of buzz, premiered at the Toronto Film Festival yesterday. Portman and Depp said they have the massage to thank for their sisterly onscreen chemistry. We just got along really well as soon as we met, Depp told The Wrap at the Toronto Film Festival. Likewise, Portman said: We became very comfortable, very quickly. Its been a big year for Portman, who is expecting her second child and also embarked upon her first directorial experience with, A Tale of Love and Darkness. Depp as well, who as the daughter of the legendary Johnny Depp and French actress Vanessa Paradis, is already stealing cinematic hearts at age 17. We cant wait to see it when it hits theaters on November 16. The post Natalie Portman and Lily Rose Depp became friends in the best way weve ever heard appeared first on HelloGiggles. At a heated press conference on Sunday morning, Nate Parker tried to keep the spotlight solely on his passion project The Birth of a Nation. But he could not escape a grilling by the media about his role in a college rape case from 1999. When asked if he planned to apologize to the victim or her family, he dodged the question. Its not mine, he said about the platform of the Toronto Film Festival press conference. I definitely dont want to hijack it with my personal life. Parker arrived in Toronto on Friday, where hes been carefully managed for the last two days by an army of publicists from Fox Searchlight, the boutique studio that spent $17.5 million for the indie about slave revolt leader Nat Turner. Parker attended a no-press-allowed party on Friday night, before appearing at two screenings for his film. On Saturday, Parker granted interviews to a small group of journalists at a junket, where a Canadian reporter was cut off after bringing up the rape case. That night, he attended the Hollywood Foreign Press Association party, co-hosted by In Style, where he told a Variety reporter he hadnt been reading a lot of the press about himself. For the last month, all headlines about The Birth of a Nation have been about Parkers past. In 1999, as an undergraduate at Penn State, Parker was accused of raping an 18-year-old classmate. Although he was acquitted, questions about the case persist. He wrote Birth of a Nations story with his former roommate Jean Celestin, who was found guilty of sexual assault in the case but later had the conviction overturned. Last month, Variety uncovered that the alleged victim in the case committed suicide in 2012. The press conferences moderator, Essences Cori Murray, described herself as an advocate for the film, and said it was not fair that people were judging the film before seeing it. The reality is there is no one person that makes a film, Parker said. Weve had over 400 people involved in this project. So many people are away from their families and working on the film I would just encourage everyone to remember, personal life aside, Im just one person. Story continues He added: I think its equally important that everyone onstage who has sweat and bled and cried for this film has the opportunity to get any award that comes from their work. He said that many of his actors made sacrifices for his independent film, including working for scale. The mood inside the Fairmont Hotel was tense. When it seemed like a Fox Searchlight publicist was only calling on reporters with softball questions, Mashables Jeff Sneider piped up about how there were others in the room too. Parker then said hed take his question, although he didnt answer it (it was about whether the press has a double standard about which scandals it would forgive). For most of the hour-long press conference, the seven other cast members that shared a stage with Parker spoke glowingly of working with him. A majority of the conversation was driven by three of the movies female co-stars Aunjanue Ellis, Aja Naomi King and Gabrielle Union, who appears in a supporting role. The best 12 minutes of my life, she joked. Dont tell my husband. For me, this isnt the Nate Parker story, said Penelope Ann Miller, who plays a slave owner in the movie. This is the Nat Turner story. I would say from most of the interviews Ive done, most people dont know about the Nat Turner story. I think its an important story to learn about. She added, I hope people would give us a chance. Related stories Toronto: James Gunn Horror Film 'Belko Experiment' Sells Variety's Creative Conscience Symposium Celebrates Socially Conscious Filmmakers Toronto Festival: Canada Strikes Co-Prod Treaty With Booming New Zealand Nate Parker on Sunday chose not to directly address the college rape allegations overshadowing his film, The Birth of a Nation, at the Toronto International Film Festival. "I don't want to hijack this with my personal life," Parker told a press conference for his pic at the Royal York Hotel. "I've discussed this a few times. I'm sure I'll address this in different forums. But this is a forum for the film, this is a forum for other people sitting on the stage. It's not mine," he added, before insisting he wanted to talk about his first directorial effort and those that helped him bring it to the screen. That meant not taking an opportunity when offered by a reporter's question to apologize to his late accuser's family. "There is no one person that makes a film. Over 400 people made this film. We were gone for almost 15 weeks. I would encourage everyone to remember that I'm just one person," Parker answered at one point instead. He then left it to fellow castmembers as surrogates to urge audiences to separate the film from its creator and come out to see it when Fox Searchlight rolls it out. "It would be a shame if people didn't get an opportunity to see this movie and judge it for itself," actress Penelope Ann Miller told reporters. "Yes, it started with Nate, but we all, once we took this job, we all felt it and it literally seeped through to every crewmember." "This movie is the song we are singing in our heart. We need to communicate because we are being beaten by a baton," Aujanue Ellis added, echoing her fellow castmembers. Gabrielle Union, who plays Esther, said the film will speak to anyone looking to end injustice everywhere. "If you're a decent human being who wants to take part in a conversation at the very least, about the things that bug the crap out of you, this movie is for you, and I hope you don't sit it out," said Union. Story continues The Sundance breakout was on its way to awards-season contention until Parker's resurfaced rape trial details cast a shadow over the powerful film and upcoming commercial release. While Parker chose to talk around the controversy when questioned about his personal past on Sunday, Union, who was raped at age 19 and plays a silent character who is sexually assaulted in the indie film, was more direct. The actress in a recent column in the Los Angeles Times revealed her "stomach-churning confusion" after learning that Parker was accused and acquitted of rape. Parker and Union have since apparently talked about the controversy to iron out any differences. "I talked extensively with Gabrielle [Union] about different things. But when I made this film, and I often say it, healing comes with confrontation with the past. So as we move forward with this film, we need to deal with injustice everywhere," Parker said in a veiled reference to his personal past. Union told reporters graphic details about her own past sexual assault, and about the daily thanks she receives for bringing the issue out into the open. "I think we're all craving acknowledgement that we're real, that we exist, that we live among you, that we are your mothers, your brothers, your sisters," she said of herself and other survivors of sexual violence. Parker's first-time directorial effort about a slave rebellion led by Nat Turner in 1831 got a lift to rehabilitation in Toronto after the indie received standing ovations at overlapping screenings on Friday that included no heckling or other disruptions. The question now is will Academy voters and cinema audiences everywhere similarly look past the creator's personal history only recently brought to light to the content of an indie film looking to illuminate a U.S. antebellum South history long kept in the dark. The presser, and the progress of Birth of a Nation, is being closely watched in Toronto by the film's producers: Bron Studios, Phantom Four, Mandalay Pictures and Tiny Giant Productions. They watched as Parker's American slave resistance drama picked up for $17.5 million at Sundance by Fox Searchlight got sidetracked on its likely way to the Oscars by the sudden debate over the director's past. Looking to get the conversation back on his film, Parker and his cast on Sunday talked extensively about the pic's message about injustices past and present. Colman Domingo, who plays Hark in Birth of a Nation, echoed fellow castmembers in insisting the film aims in part to start a conversation about racial injustice in the U.S. "We are examining an enormous stain on American history," he told reporters. "Until we continue to confront our history, there won't be peace," Domingo continued. "There's no peace in the streets right now, there's blood in the streets, and it's on everyone's hands, because we're not facing our truth. ... Birth of a Nation is a gigantic tool that will help us examine who we are." No apologies. Asked whether he should have apologized for a claimed sexual assault of which he was acquitted in 2001, Nate Parker told assembled reporters at the Toronto International Film Festival that this wasnt the time or place to deal with it. This is a forum for the film, said Parker. It is not mine, it does not belong to me. Overall, Parker and his fellow-cast members from The Birth Of A Nation hammered that theme, again and again, as they spoke before perhaps a hundred reporters in a session at the Fairmont Hotel. The conference wasnt associated with the festival, but followed the usual TIFF format: A moderator, Cori Murray of Essence magazine, chewed up time with empathetic questions, leaving just a few minutes for queries from the floor. Murrays only brush with the rape controversy was to ask Parker whether his acquittal might lead people to judge the movie, with its plea for racial justice, before they see it. Parker side-stepped, replying instead with a long disquisition about the 400 or so people who worked on The Birth Of A Nation, often for little pay. Even the grips and gaffers got their due. Everyone felt that they were involved, said Parker. But his only reaction to the rape controversy was to say: Ive addressed it, and Ill address it more. But Murrays question triggered a passionate outpouring from actors who were determined to make it clear that they, not just the writer-producer-actor-director Parker, had made the movie. This isnt the Nate Parker story, this is the Nat Turner story, said Penelope Ann Miller, who played a slave-owner in the movie. We own the film, its our film, said Colman Domingo, who said the picture belong to the entire cast and crew, as advocates for social justice. Gabrille Union, who had written a Los Angeles Times op-ed about her consternation over the Parker charges, went even further. Were not creating a movie, were creating a movement, she said, claiming the speaks for everyone who has suffered every kind of injustice, including veterans who dont get adequate health care, people who need mental care, and victims of trans-violence. Story continues Rarely has so much obligation arrived with a moviesomeone on the cast urged the reporters to buy tickets and join the movement. But Parker declined to be tagged with responsibility for an act of which he had been acquitted (though one questioner, Cara Buckley of the New York Times, referred to his accuser, who later committed suicide, as a victim). One reporter asked whether Hollywood had a double standard when it comes to asking who is to be held accountable for past transgressions: It was a pointed question, in that the cast repeatedly spoke of Americas need to atone for the sins of slavery and a racist past. Parker simply said that he would stick to making films that address wrongs in the big sense. Im going to say in that lane, he said. Im a filmmaker, you guys are journalists. Overall, the press conference was an awkward affair. It started late, and Murray spent most of the session asking questions designed to underscore the movies importance. Beautiful, she said at one point, as Aja Naomi King, who plays Turners wife Cherry, described how she found a tiny historical snipped that confirmed the existence of a real-life wife, and mentioned that Turners papers had been beaten out of her. Parker was vague when asked whether he planned to proceed with a college tour that Fox Searchlight had scheduled before the old rape case resurfaced in August. I cant speak for Fox, he said. But, he added, from what I understand, were going forward. Sundays press session followed screenings at which The Birth Of A Nation, which had its premiere in January at the Sundance Film Festival, re-emerged to a respectfully warm welcome at Toronto. But the audience reception was clearly not warm enough to reassure a cast that used every opportunity on Sunday to insist that people had a duty to view the film, both as an educational moment, and a call to social change. This nation is built on white supremacy, it is built on white supremacy, said Aunjanue Ellis, apparently forgetting for a moment that she was not in the United States. But she quickly caught herself: Slavery happened in Canada, so hello, Canada, she added. Union, who was herself a rape victim, came the closest to a direct confrontation with the controversy that for weeks has diverted attention to the film. Asked about the reaction to her op-ed piece, which voiced concerns about the old case, but made no accusations against Parker, she said most reaction had been positive, though five percent feels I threw Nate under the bus, and five percent feels Im a rape apologist. She added: I invite those two five percents to talk to each other. Related stories "Fan Pens", Gender Inequity And Armenian Genocide In 'The Promise' Bring New Problems To Toronto As 'Sing' And Its Battery Of Stars Hit Toronto, Chris Meledandri's Decision To Stick With It Suddenly Makes Sense Finally! A Toronto Deal! BH Tilt Lands Orion's 'The Belko Experiment' Washington (AFP) - US President Barack Obama on Sunday urged Americans on the 15th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks to embrace the nation's diversity and not to allow "terrorists" to divide the country. Extremist organizations like Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State group "know that they will never be able to defeat a nation as great and as strong as America," Obama said at a memorial service at the Pentagon, one of the sites attacked on September 11, 2001. "So instead they try to terrorize, in the hopes that they can stoke enough fear that we turn on each other," said Obama, who observed a moment of silence Sunday at the Oval Office in honor of the nearly 3,000 people killed that day. "And that's why it is so important today that we reaffirm our character as a nation (...) Our diversity, our patchwork heritage, is not a weakness. It is still and always will be one of our greatest strengths," he added. "This is the America that was attacked that September morning. This is the America that we must remain true to." In an indirect reference to the controversial anti-Muslim, anti-immigrant campaign rhetoric of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, Obama recalled that Americans were "a people drawn from every corner of the world, every color, every religion, every background." Obama, who is a Democrat, has repeatedly criticized Trump's statements, including the billionaire's proposal in the wake of last December's mass shooting attack in San Bernardino, California to ban Muslims from entering the United States. In the 15 years since the Al-Qaeda suicide plane strikes on the Pentagon, New York's World Trade Center, and in Pennsylvania, "the threat has evolved," the president said. "With our stronger defenses, terrorists often attempt attacks on a smaller but still deadly scale," he added, recalling the Boston marathon bombings, the nightclub massacre in Orlando in June and the carnage in San Bernardino. North Korea said it conducted a higher level nuclear test explosion on Friday that will allow it to finally build an array of stronger, smaller and lighter nuclear weapons, a move strongly condemned by the U.N. Security Council which promised new measures against Pyongyang. The Norths fifth atomic test and the second in eight months brought the U.N.s most powerful body into emergency session, just three days after it strongly condemned North Koreas latest ballistic missile launches. South Koreas president said the detonation, which Seoul estimated was the Norths biggest-ever in explosive yield, was an act of fanatic recklessness and a sign that leader Kim Jong Un is spiraling out of control. President Barack Obama condemned the test and said the U.S. would never accept the country as a nuclear power. North Koreas boast of a technologically game-changing nuclear test defied both tough international sanctions and long- standing diplomatic pressure to curb its nuclear ambitions. It will raise serious worries in many world capitals that North Korea has moved another step closer to its goal of a nuclear-armed missile that could one day strike the U.S. mainland. The press statement agreed upon by all 15 Security Council members late Friday said diplomats will draft a new resolution in response to its earlier promise to take further significant measures, if the North continued to defy the international community. In line with this commitment and the gravity of this violation, the members of the Security Council will begin to work immediately on appropriate measures in a new U.N. resolution, the statement said. The measures will be under Article 41 of the U.N. Charter, which specifies non-military actions including sanctions, it said. U.S. Ambassador Samantha Power said the council must use every tool at its disposal including new sanctions to demonstrate to North Korea that there are consequences for its unlawful and dangerous actions. This is more than brazen defiance, Power told reporters at U.N. headquarters. North Korea is seeking to perfect its nuclear weapons and their delivery vehicles so they can hold the region and the world hostage under threat of nuclear strikes. What measures are included in a new resolution will largely depend on China, the Norths major ally and neighbor which fears any instability on the Korean peninsula. All sides should refrain from mutual provocations and any actions that might be a threat to peace and security, Chinas U.N. Ambassador Liu Jieyi said after the meeting. We believe it is more urgent than ever to work together to achieve denuclearization of the Korean peninsula [and] to prevent proliferation and [] maintain peace and stability on the Korean peninsula. In March, the Security Council adopted its toughest sanctions against North Korea in two decades in response to its nuclear test in January and a rocket launch. It took two months of negotiations mainly between the U.S. and China. South Koreas U.N. Ambassador Oh Joon said he hopes agreement on a new resolution will come quickly. Hours after South Korea noted unusual seismic activity near North Koreas northeastern nuclear test site, the North said in its state-run media that a test had finally examined and confirmed the structure and specific features of movement of [a] nuclear warhead that has been standardized to be able to be mounted on strategic ballistic rockets. The standardization of the nuclear warhead will enable [North Korea] to produce at will and as many as it wants a variety of smaller, lighter and diversified nuclear warheads of higher strike power, North Korea said. This has definitely put on a higher level [the Norths] technology of mounting nuclear warheads on ballistic rockets. North Korea, led by a third-generation dictatorship and wary of outsiders, protects its nuclear program as a closely guarded state secret, and the claims about advancements made in its testing could not be independently verified. But they center on a technological mystery that has long bedeviled outside experts: How far has North Korea gotten in efforts to consistently shrink down nuclear warheads so they can fit on long-range missiles? South Koreas main spy agency told lawmakers in a closed-door briefing after the test that it does not think North Korea currently has the ability to develop nuclear weapons that can be mounted on ballistic missiles, but intelligence officials expressed worries that the Norths efforts to do so are progressing more quickly than previously thought, said Kim Byungkee, a lawmaker from the opposition Minjoo Party. Foster Klug, Edith M. Lederer , AP Warning: getimagesize(http://static3.businessinsider.com/image/57d6fef7077dcc21008b52e2/cindy%20whitehead%20headshot%201.jpg): failed to open stream: HTTP request failed! in /home/sites/www.businessinsider.com/releases/20160909145722/models/Post.php on line 1611 Warning: Division by zero in /home/sites/www.businessinsider.com/releases/20160909145722/models/Post.php on line 1615 Cindy Whitehead Headshot 1 It's been a year since "the little pink pill" was approved by the FDA. Marketed as a drug that could increase the libidos of women who struggle with chronically low sex drives, it quickly earned a predictable nickname: the "female Viagra." The pill, called Addyi, is for women with chronically low sex drives, a controversial condition called hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD). It's taken daily and has some pretty serious side effects when it interacts with alcohol. Shortly after the pill got approved on August 18, 2015, Sprout was acquired by the drug company Valeant Pharmaceuticals for $1 billion. The drug was officially available at the pharmacy as of October 2015, but after scientists questioned its efficacy and without an official launch campaign, prescriptions for the drug have fallen flat. Cindy Whitehead who brought Addyi to approval as the then-CEO of Sprout Pharmaceuticals left Valeant in December. "I feel like I've seen it through to what I wanted to accomplish," Whitehead told Bizwomen.com at the time. She's since launched a new venture called The Pink Ceiling. In August 2016, Business Insider caught up with Whitehead to look back on Addyi's approval, the year that followed, and what she's up to now. The first year Whitehead still thinks about Addyi all the time, even though she calls herself just a spectator. "It's my baby," she said. "I wake up every morning and check in on even if from a distance." The last year has not gone anywhere near what Whitehead expected. Shortly after Valeant picked up Sprout, Valeant started getting called out in earnest for jacking up the prices on some of its drugs. In April, Valeant, which has been dealing with other unrelated issues over the past year, cut the Addyi sales team, though it's expected to be re-established in the coming months. The "little pink pill" is still available via physicians who have been through an certification program, Valeant told Business Insider. But your regular physician can't prescribe it unless he or she has gone through this special Addyi education program. Story continues Though Whitehead isn't involved with the day-to-day operations at Valeant (she is available as a consultant but otherwise not affiliated, the company said), she is looking forward to the official launch of Addyi, which she said she expects to happen in the fall. "It's in the supply chain, so you can go to Duane Reade and get it, but it hasn't really been launched in the sense of education efforts or some of the disease state awareness endeavors that you would see with a brand new drug in a brand new category," Whitehead said. Valeant did not specify an exact timeline that the sales team would be re-established, but Whitehead's priorities seem to be in line with what Valeant's up to. "Our focus right now remains first and foremost on educational efforts for prescribers to ensure a clear understanding of HSDD and the appropriate population for ADDYI treatment," Tracy Valorie, a senior vice president and general manager of Valeant Womens Health told Business Insider in an emailed statement. "When that has been accomplished, well look toward [direct to consumer] efforts." sprout Getting a controversial drug approved Whitehead hates the term "female Viagra." There are critical differences in how men and women get aroused. Men get aroused when blood flows into their genitals, making something like a Viagra work for them. Women don't respond that easily. For women, researchers have to look at how to get the brain stimulated to increase sexual desire. But that's easier said than done: The drug was rejected twice before it got approved in 2015. There's continuously been a whole lot of pushback from the scientific community, especially from those who highlighted the low number of additional sexual experiences people on the medication actually have. questioned whether women who take Addyi really get that many more satisfying sexual experiences than off the medication. An April study in JAMA Internal Medicine found that women taking Addyi experienced one more sexually significant event than those on placebo. The drug also carries some rather serious warnings. It causes severe side effects like a drop in blood pressure and fainting when consumed with alcohol. The National Womens Health Network, an advocacy group, recently gave Addyi a "report card" with poor grades, citing some of these concerns. But for Whitehead, the important thing was just having it available so that it could be an option. "Whether they decided to take it, if they had a medical condition a condition we've known about since 1977 I believe they deserve access to medical treatment for that condition," she said. Building up female entrepreneurs Whitehead's currently heading up a venture called The Pink Ceiling, based in Raleigh North Carolina. It has already invested in Undercover Colors, a company developing nail polish designed to change color when it comes in contact with a date rape drug mixed into a drink. The fund, as the name suggests, will be geared toward investing in companies that are working to empower women, a different approach from the typically male-heavy venture capital world. "We're setting out to change that and raise our hand to the women out there who are innovating who have founded these types of companies, because I do understand firsthand the hurdles they raised," Whitehead said. NOW WATCH: The easiest way to get rid of bad breath according to a dentist More From Business Insider The bloody crime war that has claimed nearly 3,000 lives in the Philippines in just two months was dubbed a "success" on Sunday by a spokesman for controversial President Rodrigo Duterte. Martin Andanar insisted many of those slain have been killed in "gang wars" and not by shadowy vigilantes encouraged by the president, as critics have alleged. Duterte, who took office in June after winning election on a promise to kill tens of thousands of criminals, has vowed to press his campaign, despite growing international criticism. "The police operations are a success. But there have also been gang wars or internecine (conflicts) where they eliminate each other," Andanar told reporters. He said such killings were under investigation by the police. Andanar was reacting to police reports showing that more than 41 people were being killed each day under the Duterte administration's anti-crime campaign. By the end of last week, at least 1,466 people have been killed by police in anti-drug operations since Duterte took office, police spokesman Senior Superintendent Dionardo Carlos said. Another 1,490 are classified as "deaths under investigation" referring to people murdered in suspicious circumstances, many of them shot by suspected vigilantes or found dead with crude signs labelling them drug-pushers or criminals. The government has insisted that those killed by police died because they resisted arrest. However human rights groups charge that Duterte has been actively encouraging extra-judicial killings, telling police that he will protect them from punishment while urging civilians to kill drug pushers in their community. The issue of the extra-judicial killings led to a spectacular falling out with US President Barack Obama when Duterte on Monday called the American leader "a son of a whore," over the prospect that he would raise the issue during their meeting at a summit in Laos. Obama cancelled his meeting but later told the fiery Philippine leader in a brief encounter that he should conduct his crime war "the right way". United Nations officials, human rights groups, local Catholic church leaders and some legislators have criticised Duterte's harsh campaign, saying it is eroding rule of the law in the Philippines. Anna Camp and Skylar Astin have tied the knot. (Photo: Getty Images) Aca-awesome! Pitch Perfect costars Anna Camp and Skylar Astin are married, People confirms exclusively. The couple, who began dating in June 2013, wed in an outdoor ceremony on the central California coast. The bride wore a Reem Acra dress with Vince Camuto shoes and Neil Lane jewels. Her wedding band was from Lorraine Schwartz. The groom wore Ermenegildo Zegna made-to-measure with Aldo shoes. The bridesmaids wore Theia and Aldo Shoes and the groomsmen wore Mens Warehouse. Elizabeth Banks shared her excitement on the way to the nuptials, along with other Pitch Perfect stars. Pretty excited to watch @therealannacamp and @skylarastin get A photo posted by Elizabeth Banks (@elizabethbanks) on Sep 10, 2016 at 4:37pm PDT Awkward High Five because these two nerds/ amazing friends of mine are getting MARRIED today! I you both so much. A photo posted by Brittany Snow (@brittsnowhuh) on Sep 10, 2016 at 2:00pm PDT Guess whos getting married today? HINT: its not me x A photo posted by Rebel Wilson (@rebelwilson) on Sep 10, 2016 at 11:51am PDT Camp, 33, previously told People that the wedding party would consist of seven groomsmen and seven bridesmaids, including Pitch Perfect co-star Brittany Snow. As for the look, were thinking different shades of pinks and peach, revealed Camp. I want the colors to feel very nature-friendly, but very vibrant and lively. Its fresh and also romantic. I want it to feel like youre walking into Romeo and Juliets beautiful fantasy. And Astin, 28, had plenty of input in the planning, said Camp. We do everything together. Its really sweet. Camp spoke to Glamour in 2014 about meeting Astin for the first time. We were friends first and just hit it off, she said. Hes literally my best friend. Hes a magical person. The pair got engaged over the New Years holiday weekend earlier this year while they were on vacation in Hawaii. Story continues The pair announced the news in double Instagram posts, with the beaming couple showing off Camps massive diamond ring. For more celebrity videos visit Yahoo View. PITTSBURGH (AP) -- The Pittsburgh Pirates are running out of time. It may already be too late. Ryan Vogelsong pitched four shaky innings in Pittsburgh's 8-0 loss to Cincinnati on Sunday, closing a disappointing four-game set against the last-place Reds. The Pirates have dropped 11 of 13 overall to fall off the pace in the NL wild-card race. After Cincinnati got to Vogelsong (3-5) for five runs in the second on its way to a big lead, Pirates manager Clint Hurdle emptied his extensive bench, giving playing time to some younger and little-used players. But Hurdle insisted he isn't throwing in the towel. ''Not yet. Not for me,'' he said. ''My vision is to get us playing better. That's my thought. I'm not going to walk out of here with anything other than knowing I have a job to do. Negative emotions, I don't carry them at all. Frustration isn't going to help me do what I need to do to get those men motivated and continue to play. Discouragement, I'm not going to go there. I don't go there. We needed to play better. We didn't. How do we play better? That's where my focus is.'' After opening the series with a 4-1 win on Thursday night, the Pirates dropped the last three games. Left fielder Gregory Polanco was ejected by umpire Pat Hoberg for arguing balls and strikes in the third inning of the finale. It was Polanco's first career ejection. Cincinnati left-hander Brandon Finnegan (9-10) struck out seven in five innings, but allowed five hits and walked five. ''The seven strikeouts played for him,'' Hurdle said. ''It got him out of the all messes. We weren't able to convert in some situations that were there for us with a single, let alone a double, let alone a homer. That would have been great. Our execution in crunch time when we were trying to move or score or (get) a two-out hit has been challenging. ... We weren't able to punch through and get that big hit off him.'' Story continues Jumbo Diaz followed Finnegan with two innings and Ross Ohlendorf and Wandy Peralta each got three outs, completing a seven-hitter. The Pirates (69-72) left 10 runners on base and went 1 for 10 with runners in scoring position. ''The Pirates are always good,'' Finnegan said. ''They have a good-hitting team. The Reds and Pirates don't really get along very well. But it's nice beating any team, especially winning a series.'' Cincinnati grabbed control in the second, taking advantage of an error by center fielder Andrew McCutchen and some wildness by Vogelsong. Holt had the big blow, a two-run triple that gave the Reds a 4-0 lead. Eugenio Suarez followed with an RBI single. Vogelsong was charged with six runs and seven hits. Cincinnati (60-82) finished with 13 hits. Joey Votto, one of the hottest hitters in the majors, was the only starting position player to fail to record a hit for the Reds. TRAINING ROOM Reds: Alfredo Simon will miss the rest of the year with a right shoulder injury that will require surgery. Simon went 2-7 with a 9.37 ERA this season. ... INF Jose Peraza was given the day off after being hit by a pitch in his hand Saturday. Pirates: 2B Josh Harrison's right groin injury is ''more than day to day'' and could potentially be season ending, according to general manager Neal Huntington. UP NEXT Reds: Keyvius Sampson (0-1, 3.90 ERA) will move to the rotation in order for the Reds to skip the start of Anthony DeSclafani. Sampson will be making his second start in 2015 after starting 12 games in 2016. Pirates: Gerrit Cole (7-9, 3.55 ERA) is expected to return from the disabled list to start Monday at Philadelphia. Cole has been inactive since Aug. 24 with right elbow inflammation. He has made just 20 starts after pitching 32 games in 2015. MILAN (Reuters) - Rescuers pulled 2,300 migrants to safety on Saturday in 18 separate rescue operations in the Mediterranean coordinated by the Italian coast guard. A Spanish boat belonging to an EU naval force, an Irish navy vessel and boats of four non-governmental organisations were involved in the rescue operations, the coast guard said in a statement. It did not say where the migrants, who were travelling in 17 rubber vessel and one small boat, originally came from. Since moves to stop people crossing from Turkey to Greece, Europe's worst migrant crisis since World War Two is now focused on Italy, where some 115,000 people had arrived by the end of August, according to the United Nations refugee agency UNHCR. (Reporting by Francesca Landini; Editing by Robin Pomeroy) Once served as no-frills sustenance for train passengers in Taiwan, simple rice lunchboxes are selling in their millions across the island, a food trend fuelled by nostalgia. Known as railway "biandang", which means "convenience" in Chinese, the meals have changed little over the decades. Traditionally a pragmatic combination of braised or fried meat and pickles piled onto steamed white rice -- ingredients designed to endure long train journeys -- they are now seen as an enduring symbol of the "good old days", when rail travel trumped planes and cars. While they used to be the preserve of passengers looking for a low-cost meal, now fans are picking them up as comfort food, whether they are taking a journey or not. "It reminds me of when I was little, when I would take the train to Yilan with my family," said a 42-year-old woman surnamed Chang, buying boxes of classic pork chop rice from a shop at a Taipei station to take home. Chang estimates she eats a railway style lunchbox about 10 times a month, making a point to buy one whenever she is passing a station. Although there are now fancier, pricier, lunchboxes containing everything from red quinoa rice to rosemary chicken, Chang still prefers the traditional combination. "It's just tastier -- the rice tastes better," she said. The Taiwan Railways Administration (TRA) expects to sell a record 10 million of the popular lunchboxes this year, pulling in roughly Tw$700 million ($22.4 million). The TRA still sells the "biandang" on trains and in stations -- trolleys wend their way through carriages, or passengers can order them in advance. Private vendors are also cashing in, running their own kiosks in or nearby stations, while convenience store chains now sell "railway style" lunchboxes too. Originally presented in round metal tins placed under seats for collection when finished, they now usually come in simple paper or wooden containers. Story continues The TRA's most popular box is the simple pork chop rice, says Michael Lee, deputy general manager of its food and services division. As well as a nostalgia hit, price is still a major draw -- the classic combo costs just Tw$60 ($1.90). "Like our ticket prices, our biandang prices haven't increased for many years," Lee said. - Japanese style - The idea of catering meals to-go for train travellers originated in far-flung locations along Taiwan's east coast, according to food writer Wang Jue-yao. "The more inaccessible a place is, the more there is a need for biandang," she said. Some vendors who sold them from station platforms would include a pickled plum to prevent meals from spoiling, a trick picked up from the Japanese, she added. Japan built much of Taiwan's railways during its half-century rule of the island, which ended with its defeat in World War II. The name "biandang" is thought to come from the Japanese "bento", used to describe a lunchbox with various ingredients. While more than 230 million people still travel by train in Taiwan each year, increased plane and car travel has hit some lunchbox sellers. For Tseng A-fa, sales at his store in the northern beachside Fulong village have fallen since a tunnel opened in 2006 making car travel easier. "Fewer and fewer trains now stop at Fulong," he told AFP at a recent culinary fair in the capital Taipei that featured a section dedicated to railway "biandang". But Tseng, 70, says he still manages to sell 1,000 lunchboxes each day and will continue with his business -- which has loyal customers. He has barely changed his recipe for 18 years, serving up rice piled with pork, tofu, egg and pickles. Fair visitor Vicky Chen, 32, shunned trendier versions to buy one of Tseng's traditional lunchboxes. "I used to buy one on the platform to take onto the train," she said, recalling the days of commuting home as a university student in the eastern county of Hualien. "I miss that feeling." There wasnt a dry eye at the Princess of Wales Theatre last night following the Toronto premiere of Lion, one of Weinstein Co.s many blue chips heading into awards season. Based on Saroo Brierleys memoir, the movie tells the true story of how the author was separated from his mother at the age of five, lost on a freight train and winding up 1,000 miles away in Calcutta. After Saroo isnt claimed, the countrys adoption service sends the young boy to the Brierley couple in Tasmania (Nicole Kidman, David Wenham) who raise the boy in their upper-middle class world. But as he enters his 20s, Saroo (Dev Patel) ponders his origins. After his friends and girlfriend Lucy (Rooney Mara) inform Saroo about Google Earth, he becomes obsessed about finding the hometown he became separated from so long ago. Screenwriter Luke Davies and director Garth Davis retraced Saroos steps in preparing for this epic feature about his life with the latter present at the 60 Minutes taping when Saroo brought together his birth and adopted mother (I was forced into an intimate situation, a very meaningful moment, says the director). Eight years ago at TIFF, another moving India-based feature (also starring Patel), Slumdog Millionaire, brought audiences to their feet prior to conquering the 2009 Oscars with eight wins including best picture and director. Could Lion do the same this year? Lion hits theaters on Nov 25. Related stories PHOTOS: Deadline Studio At TIFF 2016 - Day 3: Amy Adams, Jeremy Renner, Natalie Portman, Sigourney Weaver & More Barry Jenkins' 'Moonlight' Shines On TIFF - Toronto Studio "Fan Pens", Gender Inequity And Armenian Genocide In 'The Promise' Bring New Problems To Toronto CHICAGO (AP) -- The Kansas City Royals want to wait a week before deciding whether to shut down Lorenzo Cain. The outfielder may or may not agree. The Royals' 6-5 comeback victory over the Chicago White Sox on Saturday night was overshadowed by the unknown future of their former All-Star. Whit Merrifield hit a go-ahead two-run double in a three-run seventh inning and closer Wade Davis barely made it hold up in the ninth. The 2015 World Series champions remained four games back of Baltimore for the second AL wild card. But being without Cain could dampen those postseason hopes. Cain returned Friday from a sprained wrist, but was basically swinging one-handed. He was back sidelined Saturday, and while manager Ned Yost said before the game Cain will likely have to play through pain, Cain told Fox Sports Kansas City that it was ''highly likely'' he was finished for the season. After the game, a team spokesman said Cain had received a stem cell shot that didn't work and they wanted to wait a week to see if his wrist gets better. At his locker after the game, the spokesman repeated that news to Cain before he addressed reporters. Cain said nothing for a few seconds before declining to answer whether he thought he would return. ''I've go to talk to some more people because we talked about something earlier,'' Cain said. ''I'll have to get back to you.'' Davis gave up a single to Tyler Saladino and a double to Adam Eaton to lead off the ninth before Melky Cabrera's infield single cut the deficit to one. With the tying run on third and one out, Davis struck out Jose Abreu and Justin Morneau for his 23rd save. ''He got himself into a little bit of trouble, but that what he does best,'' Yost said. ''He just buckles down when he needs to and got big outs.'' Eric Hosmer hit a two-run homer in the first and Alex Gordon a solo shot in the fourth off White Sox starter James Shields. The struggling righty exited after six innings leading 4-3 before the Chicago's bullpen faltered. Story continues Chris Beck (2-2) was charged with three runs while giving up two hits and a walk and getting one out. Davis was the last of five relievers after Edinson Volquez, who allowed four runs and nine hits over five innings. Kevin McCarthy (1-0) got the last out of the sixth for his first major league win. ''I still haven't wrapped my head around the whole being up here yet,'' McCarthy said. ''My head is still spinning.'' Shields, who helped the Royals reach the 2014 World Series, allowed three runs and four hits. He avoided his 18th loss despite moving into the major league lead with 37 home runs allowed. ''I gave up two homers, but the other two hits were kind of just really weak hits,'' Shields said. Morneau doubled twice and drove in a run in a two-run fifth as the White Sox went ahead 4-3. Abreu drove in his 90th run and Saladino went 3 for 4 to leave him 9 for 12 in the past three games. Volquez allowed the leadoff batter to reach in all five innings, but the Royals overcame Chicago's 12 hits for their fourth win in 10 games. TRAINER'S ROOM Royals: C Salvador Perez (wrist) returned after a two-game absence and went 0 for 4 with two strikeouts. White Sox: Manager Robin Ventura said it's unlikely 2B Brett Lawrie, who last played July 21, returns this season. Lawrie remains in Arizona dealing with nagging knee pain after originally being sidelined with a hamstring injury. ''It's become a long shot at this point just because he's been out so long,'' Ventura said. MERRIFIELD'S YEAR Merrifield, a 27-year-old rookie forced into duty thanks to Kansas City's numerous injuries, has driven in 21 runs in 60 games. ''It was big,'' Merrifield said. ''Happy I came through right there.'' MORNEAU'S FUTURE Morneau, signed in June to a one-year deal, will decide after the season whether to try to play in 2016. He's 35. ''Oh, he's got something left,'' Ventura said. ''He can play next year if he wants to.'' UP NEXT White Sox ace Chris Sale (15-7, 3.07 ERA) faces RHP Ian Kennedy (10-9, 3.76) in the series finale Sunday. JALALABAD, Afghanistan (Reuters) - A senior commander in one of Afghanistan's most dangerous provinces was killed by a Taliban bomb on Sunday, adding to a heavy toll of senior officers killed in recent days. Zelawar Zahid, police commander in the eastern province of Nangarhar, was killed by a roadside explosive device near a checkpoint in Hesarak district, a spokesman for the local governor said. His death follows last week's suicide attack on the defense ministry in Kabul, in which an army general and two senior police commanders died. In a tweet posted by the movement's spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid, the Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack. More than 1,000 Afghan police and soldiers had been conducting a large weapons clearing operation in Heserak district for the past few days, according to police officials. The operation, which had already faced multiple roadside bomb attacks, had resulted in nearly 80 weapons of various types being seized, police said. Nangarhar, on the border with Pakistan, has been the focus of repeated security operations in recent months. As well as a heavy Taliban presence, the province is also known as the main base for Islamic State in Afghanistan. (Reporting by Rafiq Shirzad and Mirwais Harooni; Editing by Stephen Powell) Skopje (AFP) - A moderate 5.3-magnitude earthquake, preceded by two and followed by several tremors, struck the Macedonian capital Skopje on Sunday, causing panic but only minor damage, officials said. Skopje was almost destroyed by a powerful quake in 1963 which killed around a thousand people. Sunday's quake hit at 3:10 pm (1310 GMT), with the epicentre in the Skopje area, seismologists said, adding some 10 weaker tremors were later registered. "In Skopje and surroundings some damages have been reported that occurred on older buildings," the country's seismological service said in a statement. The quake was felt throughout the Balkan country, Dragana Cernic of the seismological service said earlier citing reports on minor damage, such as cracked walls and broken furniture. However, some 60 panicked Skopje residents sought hospital treatment, some suffering broken limbs while trying to flee. All but three were later discharged, hospital officials said. Parts of Skopje were without power and some mobile phone providers were down. Many residents said they were terrified. "I don't know what to do. I don't want to return to my building," a fearful Skopje resident, Mirjana Jovanovska, who remembered the 1963 quake, said outside her home. "It was horrible... I was in a hospital when it happened and everyone ran outside, including patients on a drip, everyone," Dani Kavadarska, a 53-year-old woman, told AFP. "There is not a single doctor or nurse left inside." On Sunday evening many Skopje residents were still on the streets or in parks fearing to return to their homes. Part of The Seven Deadly Sins of American Politics, a special series in which OZYs Sean Braswell examines the literal and metaphorical vices that grease the rails of American government. Get caught up with an exploration of gluttony, lust and pride. Before he exited the presidential race earlier this year, and despite being the acting governor of New Jersey, Chris Christie had more or less been living in the state of New Hampshire. Trailing considerably in the polls, and with time running out before the states key Republican primary, Christie decided to take aim at the candidate whose rise had been as unexpected as his own fall, and whose scripted persona and lack of experience seemed the antithesis of the governors prosecutorial eloquence and lengthy record. And so, desperate for a breakout performance at the final debate before the primary and to topple the man he had taken to calling the boy in the bubble on the campaign trail Christie went straight for the jugular of Florida senator Marco Rubio, hounding him for regurgitating the same 25-second memorized speech, as a flustered Rubio continued to deliver canned lines in the face of Christies rhetorical onslaught. (Christies spokesman didnt respond to our request for a comment.) Envy is a double-edged sword, and for every winning parry it provokes, it can also result in a self-inflicted wound. Politics is a cutthroat and combative arena, and elections are a zero-sum game that can stir resentment toward a competitors good fortune, leading to outcomes both productive and entertaining. Envy explains a lot about the dynamic in Christies epic smackdown of Rubio; it erupted in Christies effective attack at the New Hampshire debate, says John J. Pitney, a professor of politics at Claremont McKenna College. And as the philosopher Immanuel Kant once put it, envy aims at destroying others good fortune which can be a pretty good way to describe a politicians aims as well. Story continues The Road to the White House Is Paved With Envy Envy, like most political vices, is a double-edged sword, and for every winning parry it provokes, it can also result in a self-inflicted wound. Two things, according to Lyndon B. Johnson, make politicians act more stupidly than anything else: sex and envy. Turns out, LBJ had plenty of experience with both. In comparing his womanizing conquests to those of his political rival John F. Kennedy, Johnson once boasted, as if to prove his own point, I have had more women by accident than he has had on purpose. But it was Johnsons successor, Richard Nixon, who best embodied the consequences of political envy. Born into a hardworking Quaker family, Nixon was a high-achieving young man, but one plagued by self-doubt, even as he bested his wealthier peers at institutions like Duke Law School. Envy was a major driver of Nixons whole life, says Pitney. He saw people of more privileged backgrounds having a much easier time, and eventually that envy curdled into something more sinister. It was a chip that would stay lodged on Nixons shoulder even after he attained the highest office in the land and listening to him complain, as British journalist Peregrine Worsthorne once observed, was rather like listening to a man who has won the lottery grumbling about not having had enough pocket money as a child. A similar but countervailing urge can be seen in Donald Trump, a man who has never wanted for wealth and privilege but who, says Pitney, is driven by a need for respect and by his envy of people who have automatic respect. Learn more about the historic candidacies of past presidential and vice presidential hopefuls in The Contenders: 16 for 16, a new TV series from OZY airing this Tuesday at 8/7c on PBS that celebrates the men and women who have run the ultimate political gauntlet in pursuit of the most powerful job on Earth. How to Motivate a Bureaucrat Sometimes envy in politics stems from a disconnect between status and income, and even the most powerful can covet what their neighbors possess. Absurd though it sounded when Hillary Clinton claimed she and Bill were dead broke upon leaving the White House in 2000, it makes a modicum of sense when your political and social orbits include the rarefied stratosphere of billionaires like Trump. Its a pernicious comparison, one that travels much further down the income spectrum particularly in places like Washington D.C. New York Times columnist David Brooks famously labeled this malady that afflicts high-status, low-income functionaries Status-Income Disequilibrium (aka SID). Consider the plight, writes Brooks, of the general who commands 100,000 soldiers but drives a Honda Accord, or of poor John Sununu, who ruled the world when he was White House chief of staff but had to feed, educate and house eight children on $125,000 a year. Statusincome disequilibrium strikes again: Congressman complains hes stuck here making $172,000 a year. http://t.co/VGIsfwV7gp Nick Confessore (@nickconfessore) September 18, 2013 Fortunately, in a place like the Beltway, where high status is seldom matched by a high salary in the public sector, SID can be the fuel that fires up the governments rank and file. What do average Washingtonians want? Pitney once posited in Reason magazine. Better job titles, bigger offices, richer perks and more one-on-one contact with the powerful. The Politics of Envy Envy, however, is not just what propels contenders to victory in the political game it can also be a strategic card to be played. After winning the New Hampshire primary in 2012, eventual GOP nominee Mitt Romney accused President Obama of dividing Americans with the bitter politics of envy. Such a charge, often labeled class warfare, has become a popular rallying cry among conservatives who believe the liberal focus on economic inequality unjustly targets successful Americans like Romney for their hard-earned success. But liberals hardly have a monopoly on the profitable business of envy-stoking. It is an emotion that candidates of all political stripes tap into each election cycle to galvanize voters. What is Trumps signature credo, Make America Great Again deployed by generations of Republican candidates like Ronald Reagan except a device for making voters hanker for a bygone era by creating envy of prior generations? Directing the electorates envy toward some mythical past or a cardboard one-percenter may work, but perhaps we should be refocusing our envy on the more productive political systems enjoyed by other nations (notwithstanding Trumps praise for the far smarter leaders of Russia and China). Still, as demonstrated by the failed presidential candidacies of reformers from Ralph Nader to Lawrence Lessig, there are few political points to be scored in that arena and politicians are always keeping score of whos got the greater advantage. Victoria (Seychelles) (AFP) - The opposition in the Seychelles has won parliamentary polls, putting it in control of the National Assembly for the first time in two decades, according to official results published Sunday. The opposition coalition of the Seychellois Democratic Alliance (known by its creole acronym LDS) won 15 seats. The Parti Lepep, which has been in power since 1977, took the remaining 10. The main opposition Seychelles National Party (SNP) partnered with four smaller opposition parties -- together known as The Seychellois Alliance and made up of former leaders from the dominant Parti Lepep -- to strengthen its bid for power. Before the result was announced President James Michel pledged to work with the newly elected legislature, which had been expected to slip from his party's control. "My hope is that this spirit of consultation continues in the new National Assembly, where we all work together for the common good of our nation," said Michel. The results were announced in the early hours of Sunday morning, and just a few scattered groups of opposition supporters took to the streets of the capital Victoria to celebrate the victory, an AFP journalist at the scene said. The vote in the tourism-dependent archipelago nation of 115 islands took place over three days, ending Saturday. Voting began on the islands furthest away from the main island of Mahe, and its capital Victoria. Mahe voted on Saturday, along with the two other main islands Praslin and La Digue. The three account for 98 percent of the Indian Ocean nation's 90,000 people. "I hope that the process continues to be peaceful, that everyone goes to exercise their rights and goes home to await the final results," President Michel told the Seychelles News Agency during the vote. The SNP had refused to take part in the 2011 elections claiming they would not be fair. The Parti Lepep (meaning People's Party in the local Seychellois Creole language) has maintained a majority in parliament since the return of multiparty politics in 1993. Story continues The SNP's leader Wavel Ramkalawan came a close second in presidential elections in December 2015, losing to the incumbent James Michel by just 193 votes. It marked the first time a candidate from Lepep was forced into a second round. Together, opposition candidates won 52 percent of votes cast in the first round of December's presidential vote, but were then beaten in the run-off after failing to coalesce around a single candidate. The National Assembly is made up of 25 directly-elected members with the remaining 10 members allocated to each party according to its proportional representation in the polls. Victoria (Seychelles) (AFP) - Seychelles opposition supporters took to the streets on Sunday to celebrate after their coalition broke the ruling party's four-decade grip on power with a victory in parliamentary elections. Convoys of cars draped in opposition flags honked horns on the Indian Ocean nation's main island, Mahe, as cheering opposition supporters sang and danced on the streets. "It's better than Christmas or New Year, it's a victory for us and for the Seychelles," said a woman who gave her name as Carene. "We've been waiting for this for a very long time," said Joe Constance. The vote saw the opposition coalition of the Seychellois Democratic Alliance, known by the acronym LDS in the local Creole language, win 15 parliament seats against 10 for the ruling Parti Lepep, known as the People's Party locally. Parti Lepep has been in power in the former British colony since a coup in 1977, a year after independence, and it has won a majority in every election since the return of multi-party politics in 1993. "The results just announced by the electoral commission are historic for our country and I feel somewhat proud," said Roger Mancienne, head of the LDS. There is little political difference between the rivals, but the opposition argued the country needed change while the ruling party claimed it would offer economic stability for the islands, which depend on tourism and fishing. The opposition has pledged to cooperate with the presidency in the interests of the nation. Even before the result was announced, President James Michel vowed to work with the newly elected legislature. "The people have spoken, the people have decided and the peoples decision is supreme," said Michel. "My party respects the people's opinion." The Seychelles National Party (SNP) partnered with four smaller opposition parties -- together known as The Seychellois Alliance and made up of former leaders from Parti Lepep -- to strengthen its bid for power. Story continues In a recent sign of growing opposition popularity, the SNP's leader Wavel Ramkalawan came a close second in presidential elections in December 2015, losing to the incumbent James Michel by just 193 votes. It marked the first time a candidate from Lepep had been forced into a second round. The SNP party refused to take part in 2011 elections, claiming they would be unfair. - 'Work for the common good' - As both head of state and government, the president will now have to rule without a parliamentary majority. "My hope is that this spirit of consultation continues in the new National Assembly, where we all work together for the common good of our nation," said Michel. The vote in the archipelago nation of 115 islands took place over three days, ending Saturday. Voting began on the islands furthest away from the main island of Mahe, and its capital Victoria. Mahe voted on Saturday, along with the two other main islands Praslin and La Digue. The three account for 98 percent of the Indian Ocean nation's 90,000 people. Turnout was 87 percent. In percentage points it was a slim victory, with 48.37 percent for the LDS and 48.01 percent for Lepep. The National Assembly has a maximum 35 seats, 25 of them elected at the ballot box and the remainder attributed proportionally, with one seat for every 10 percent of the vote. IRVINE, CA / ACCESSWIRE / September 10, 2016 / Khang & Khang LLP (the "Firm") announces a class action lawsuit has been filed against Corrections Corporation of America ("Corrections Corporation" or the "Company") (CXW). Investors who purchased or otherwise acquired shares between February 27, 2012 and August 17, 2016 inclusive (the "Class Period"), are encouraged to contact the Firm prior to the October 24, 2016 lead plaintiff motion deadline. If you purchased shares of Corrections Corporation during the Class Period, please contact Joon M. Khang, Esquire, of Khang & Khang LLP, 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 yet. Until certification occurs, you are not represented by an attorney. You may choose to take no action and remain a passive class member. According to the complaint, Corrections Corporation made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose: that the Company'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 information was disclosed to the public, shares of Corrections Corporation fell in value, causing investors harm. If you wish to learn more about this lawsuit, or if you have any questions regarding this notice or your rights, please contact Joon M. Khang, a prominent litigator for almost two decades, by telephone: (949) 419-3834, or via e-mail at joon@khanglaw.com. Story continues This press release may constitute Attorney Advertising in some jurisdictions. Contact: Joon M. Khang, Esq. Telephone: 949-419-3834 Facsimile: 949-225-4474 joon@khanglaw.com SOURCE: Khang & Khang LLP South Korean President Park Geun-Hye will meet the leaders of political parties on Monday following North Korea's nuclear test, amid speculation she will urge them to ease opposition to a US missile defence system. A presidential spokesman on Sunday confirmed the meeting with leaders of the three parties but gave no details of the subject. Yonhap news agency quoted an unidentified presidential official as saying Park would seek cooperation from both her conservative ruling party and liberal opposition parties for her handling of the nuclear threat. North Korea Friday staged its fifth and most powerful atomic detonation, describing it as a test of a nuclear warhead for a missile. Park cut short her visit to Laos and returned home, summoning a meeting of top officials to urgently review defences against what she termed "imminent" nuclear threats from the North. At Friday's meeting, Park urged opposition parties and other opponents to stop "politically-motivated fault-finding such as objections to the deployment" of the highly-sophisticated US missile defence system. South Korea in July announced plans to deploy the Terminal High Altitude Area Defence (THAAD) system in the south of the country to counter growing nuclear and missile threats from the North. China, which believes the system's radar could also be used to track its own defences, objected strongly. Its leader Xi Jinping argued that "mishandling" the issue could intensify regional disputes when he met Park on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Hangzhou on Monday. The plan has also met resistance from residents of Seongju county, the planned venue for the deployment. Opposition parties oppose the THAAD deployment, saying it would only escalate a regional arms race and hurt ties with the country's biggest trading partner China. They say its usefulness against the North's military threats is in any case doubtful. Stoke-on-Trent (United Kingdom) (AFP) - Mauricio Pochettino believes Tottenham have shaken off the hangover of last season's meltdown in the Premier League title race as they prepare to challenge on multiple fronts. Pochettino's side host Monaco in their opening Champions League fixture on Wednesday in the second of seven games in 22 days. And after a low-key start to their title challenge, Pochettino says Saturday's 4-0 win at Stoke proves his players have moved on from last term, when they fell away to finish third after heading into the final weeks as title contenders. "We have a very hard season with the Champions League and everything and it's important we have everyone competing," he said. "After four games unbeaten you can see the players are thinking about the new season and the new challenge. "We have forgotten the past. It was tough for us, but we have worked hard to forget last season and refocus. "We are up for the challenge, we are always optimistic and believe in our players, so why not go better than last season?" An emphatic win saw Harry Kane end his goal drought, with the England striker scoring the fourth for Spurs and his first in 10 games for club and country. It also made him the fastest Spurs striker ever to reach 50 Premier League goals. "It was very important for him to recover the feeling of scoring," Pochettino said. "Strikers always worry when they do not score goals. He will be happy." South Korea midfielder Son Heung-Min scored twice for Tottenham after being linked heavily with a move away from White Hart Lane in the transfer window. And Pochettino admitted Son could have left White Hart Lane before the transfer deadline. "Last season was tough for him," Pochettino said. "We had to decide in or out in the window. It was difficult for us. The decision was for him to stay and I am very pleased." - Hughes in hot water - Stoke manager Mark Hughes denied swearing at fourth official Jon Moss following his sending-off in the first half. Story continues Hughes was sent to the stands on a miserable afternoon for the Potters after reacting angrily to a yellow card for diving for winger Marko Arnautovic, and the FA could now review footage after he appeared to remonstrate again with Moss after being dismissed by referee Anthony Taylor. But he denied using abusive language towards the officials and revealed he had been sent from the dugout as part of a new Premier League clampdown on managers leaving their technical areas. "I did not swear," Hughes said. "I was sent off before I engaged with Jon Moss. So let's put that to bed. "I came out of my technical area. I was a bit upset. The assistant referee had not flagged for a foul (on Jon Walters) and the referee then thought it was the right decision to book Marko when he was taking evasive action. "They were two decisions I thought should have gone our way. "So I reacted in a forceful manner and came out of my technical area, which this year you are not allowed to do, and sometimes you forget that. "Mr Moss, bless him, decided that warranted a sending off, which by the letter of the law it did. So I have to hold my hands up." Beirut (AFP) - An influential Syrian rebel group, the hardline Islamist Ahrar al-Sham, on Sunday rejected the truce deal brokered by Russia and the United States hours before it was due to begin. A high-ranking member of the group, which works closely with former Al-Qaeda affiliate Fateh al-Sham Front, said in a statement on YouTube that the deal would only serve to "reinforce" the regime of President Bashar al-Assad and "increase the suffering" of civilians. Ahrar al-Sham, which has an influential presence on the ground in Syria's brutal war, is the first rebel group to officially react to the deal reached on Friday following marathon talks in Geneva. "The people cannot accept half-solutions," the group's deputy leader Ali al-Omar said in the YouTube video to mark the start of the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha on Monday, when the truce is due to come into force. "The Russian-American deal... will send all the sacrifices and gains of our people who have risen up into smoke. It will only serve to reinforce the regime and surround the revolution militarily." Omar also rejected the aspect of the deal in which Washington is supposed to convince mainstream opposition fighters to break their alliance with Fateh al-Sham. That group, which is not covered by the truce deal, has also dismissed the accord. "It's simple -- the Russian-American deal is intended to eliminate those who protect Syrians," Fateh al-Sham spokesman Mostafa Mahamed wrote on Twitter. "The negotiations and the deals which do not take account of fighters on the ground are useless." The announcement of the truce after weeks of talks between the US and Russia -- which back opposing sides in the Syrian war -- comes with opposition forces struggling on the ground. Pro-regime forces reimposed a devastating siege on Aleppo's eastern districts last week in a major blow to the rebels. The Assad regime and its allies have said they will respect the truce deal. As we settle into the final weeks of the presidential election, it can be nerve-wracking for supporters of Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton to read the news. Each day seems to bring some new tidbit of information that casts the election in a new light. But its important to keep an eye on the big picture too. Heres a look at nine major factors that could determine who comes out ahead on Election Day. Polling Recent surveys indicate a tightening race, but Clinton maintains a lead in state and national polls. At the state level, Clinton continues to lead in the swing states of Ohio, Florida, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Michigan, New Hampshire and Virginia, according to RealClear Politics polling averages. The most recent national RealClearPolitics polling average shows Clinton currently leading by 2.1 points when included in a four-way matchup against Trump, Libertarian Gary Johnson and Green Party candidate Jill Stein. (She leads by 2.7 in a two-way election against Trump.) Clinton also has a better overall record so far. Since both candidates clinched their respective party nominations, she has led Trump in the polling average for all but a brief period between the conventions. Advantage: Clinton The Electoral College The Electoral College map favors Clinton, giving her more paths to reaching the necessary 270 electors than it does to Trump. Like any Democratic nominee, Clinton starts with a baseline of blue states that gives her a head start over Trump. Some analysts put her starting point as high as 242 electors, counting every state thats gone Democratic in each presidential election since 1992. Even assuming a smaller baseline, Clinton has more routes to the presidency. She could win the White House by doing well in states with substantial numbers of Latinos, such as Florida, Nevada and Colorado, or holding on to the Rust Belt states of Ohio and Pennsylvania, for example. By contrast any map that shows Trump winning has a smaller margin for error, with some states as must-wins for him to make the math work. Story continues The RealClearPolitics electoral map shows 229 electors going to Clinton, 154 electors going to Trump and 155 toss-up votes. A FiveThirtyEight forecast based on current polling predicts that Clinton will receive 309 electoral votes, compared to 228 for Trump. Advantage: Clinton Campaign surrogates The star-studded nature of the Democratic National Convention stood in stark contrast to its Republican counterpart. And that comparison continues in the difference between campaign surrogates for both candidates. Clinton has more high-profile surrogates campaigning with her and independently on her behalf, a crucial way for the campaigns to break into local news coverage in swing states. President Obama, Michelle Obama, Vice President Joe Biden, Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, former Democratic candidate Bernie Sanders and her husband, former President Bill Clinton, are among those who have campaigned for her and are scheduled to do so again. Trump lacks the support of all living former Republican presidents, former GOP nominee Mitt Romney and many of the candidates he ran against. His surrogates include his oldest children, who often appear with him at rallies, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson, and his running mate, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence. Advantage: Clinton Get-out-the-vote efforts Although Trump has boasted otherwise, Clintons campaign has a massive ground game advantage, especially in key battleground states. In Florida, Clinton has 51 campaign offices and more than 90,000 volunteers. In North Carolina, her campaign has opened 30 offices and signed up 40,000 people to volunteer. And in Pennsylvania, her campaign has 38 offices and more than 60,000 volunteers. Trump still lags far behind those numbers. His campaign did not immediately respond to a request for a comment, but told CNN it had opened 30 new field offices in 21 states in the past two weeks. More than half of those new offices are in Ohio, New Hampshire and Pennsylvania, according to CNN. In Florida, the campaign plans to have 25 offices running by mid-month, Politico reported. And in late August, Trump still had yet to open a single campaign office in North Carolina, the Raleigh News & Observer reported. Trump has relied heavily on the information and infrastructure of the Republican National Committee for his campaigns ground game. The effects of that strategy will start to show as many states begin early voting as soon as this week. Voters in North Carolina, Virginia and Michigan, among others, can cast their ballots before Clinton and Trump even debate for the first time. Michael McDonald, an early voting expert who heads up the U.S. Elections Project, told the Wall Street Journal that a large number of voters appear to have already made up their minds this year and might be more likely to vote early, eager for an end to a notoriously divisive presidential race. The number of people who vote early has been steadily increasing since 1992. Almost 32% of voters cast their ballots before Election Day in 2012, and McDonald expects that trend to continue. Advantage: Clinton Enthusiasm Both Clinton and Trump continue to struggle with record unpopularity. A recent CCN/ORC poll found that 36% of voters were not too enthusiastic or not at all enthusiastic about voting for president. When asked to compare their enthusiasm to previous presidential elections, 49% of registered voters said they were less enthusiastic than usual about voting this year. (Just 42% said they were more enthusiastic than usual.) Although both candidates are relatively unpopular, Trump might be driving more enthusiasm than Clinton. More registered Republicans (48%) said they were more enthusiastic than usual about voting, while 40% said they were less enthusiastic. Among registered Democrats, only 38% said they were more excited than usual about voting, while a majority (57%) said they were less enthusiastic. That could matter if Trump is able to turn out a substantial number of voters who dont normally head to the polls, upending the assumptions built into polling and get-out-the-vote efforts. Advantage: Trump Earned media As he did throughout the primary race, Trump continues to dominate his rival in so-called earned media, unpaid coverage of his campaign across broadcast, print and social platforms. During the month of August, Trump received about $509 million worth of free media, while Clinton received about $364 million, according to data collected by mediaQuant, which tracks media coverage of each candidate. Clinton had almost caught up to Trump during the month of July amid the Democratic National Convention, nearing Trumps earned media value, which mediaQuant attributed to the historic nature of her nomination. (Trump received $573 million in July, while Clinton received $539 million.) But she doesnt come close to matching Trumps total over the course of the campaign. Since September 2015, Trump has earned about $4.6 billion worth of free media, nearly double Clintons $2.5 billion. That being said, mediaQuants figures include both positive and negative coverage, which means an abundance of free media is not necessarily an advantage. Trumps free media in August, for example, would have included the fallout from his criticism of a Gold Star family whose son was killed while serving in Iraq. Advantage: Toss-up Advertising When it comes to television advertising, Clinton has vastly outspent Trump, who has relied largely on his ability to earn free media coverage throughout much of his campaign. Clintons campaign has spent about $81 million on television advertising during the general election campaignmore than six times what Trump has spent. His campaign spent about $13 million, NBC News reported, citing data from Advertising Analytics. Pro-Clinton outside groups are also outspending pro-Trump outside groups on TV ads by about $35.5 million, according to NBC News. Notably, in seven key battleground states, Clinton has significantly outspent Trump (by a difference of $127 million to $18 million) in purchasing airtime through Nov. 8, NPR reported. That report is backed up by recent data from Advertising Analytics showing that Clinton outspent Trump in most battleground states last week, alone, with the exception of Colorado, Michigan, New Hampshire and Virginia. Advantage: Clinton Debate preparation The first debateon Sept. 26will be a critical moment for both candidates, and their different preparation styles are telling. Trump, who resisted debate prep until recently, dislikes mock debates and practice sessions. I believe you can prep too much for those things, he told the New York Times. The Republican nominee has been relying on guidance from campaign CEO Steve Bannon, campaign manager Kellyanne Conway, former Fox News CEO Roger Ailes and family members, Politico reported. Clinton, known for diligent preparation and a competitive debate style, has been studying policy briefings as well as briefings of Trumps past comments compiled by her team, which includes campaign chairman John Podesta, chief strategist Joel Benenson and other debate veterans. Clintons advisers have consulted with the ghostwriter of Trumps The Art of the Deal and have spent time analyzing GOP primary debates in search of his strengths and weaknesses, the New York Times reported. That said, Trump will benefit from rock-bottom expectations and many outsider candidates have benefited from the chance to appear presidential under the bright lights of the debate stage. Advantage: Toss-up Fundraising Clinton continues to best Trump when it comes to fundraising. Her team raised a striking $143 million for her campaign and the Democratic Party in Augustthe best month for her campaign, a jump from $90 million raised in July. Clintons campaign started September with more than $68 million in the bank, and her joint fundraising accounts have a combined $84 million in the bank, CNN reported. Trump, just a few months into a real fundraising effort, still lags behind Clinton. His campaign raised about $90 million in August, passing the $80 million raised in July, Reuters reported. The campaign didnt release many additional details, but some of that money might have come directly from Trump, who said at a rally last week that he is still self-funding his campaign. Advantage: Clinton 9/11 September 11th Attacks It's been 15 years since the 9/11 terror attacks, but in some ways, we're no safer from terrorism today than we were before 2001. Al Qaeda still has a formidable presence across the world, and a new terror threat ISIS rose up during the chaos that followed the US invasion of Iraq. The world is also now contending with spates of attacks carried out by radicalized individuals who have managed to fly under the radar of Western intelligence officials. The Soufan Group, a strategic security firm, contended in a note this week that the terror threat against the US is actually more pronounced today than it was before 9/11. Since September 11, 2001, "the global terror threat has compounded and cascaded," said the note. We're now facing "unprecedented terror concerns" that will likely persist for years to come, according to the firm. The firm noted that after the attacks, the US outlined several goals with regards to fighting terrorism: Preventing another terrorist attack on the scale of 9/11; denying terrorists sanctuaries in countries like Afghanistan; destroying Al Qaeda, and countering extremist ideology. "As the 15th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks approaches, only one of these goals the prevention of an attack nearing the scale of 9/11 has been met," the firm stated. "While the prevention of another such attack is a significant achievement, many of the other post-9/11 concerns are considerably worse now than in 2001." The US successfully toppled the Taliban in Afghanistan, but the group still controls territory there. And the death of Al Qaeda founder Osama bin Laden hasn't weakened the group to the point where it's no longer a threat. Bin Laden's ideology has actually continued to inspire and radicalize people across the globe, especially with the rise of ISIS, a group that borrowed from the ideological doctrine bin Laden espoused, and the use of social media by extremist recruiters. Story continues Al Qaeda is in fact stronger today than it was before 9/11, The Soufan Group argued in its note. The intelligence apparatus in the US has grown to counter this threat, and new counterterrorism and security measures have succeeded at preventing many attacks, but some terrorists have still been able to slip through the cracks. "The spread of violent extremism since 9/11 has surpassed anything bin Laden likely thought achievable in a fifteen-year period," The Soufan Group note said. And the threat of attacks by lone actors as well as terrorist cells in the West "will remain for years to come." Orlando shooting Obama Biden Richard Haass, president of the Council on Foreign Relations, noted in a column this week how widespread terrorism has become since 9/11. "September 11, 2001, was unique in the sense of its scale; otherwise it was anything but," Haass wrote. "Terrorism has become commonplace." But Haass also puts things into perspective while terrorism certainly is a serious threat, it is not yet a threat to the very existence of the US. "Over the last decade, there have been, on average, more than 10,000 terrorist attacks per year, causing an average of more than 15,000 deaths per year," Haass noted. He continued: "Relatively little of this terrorism has involved Americans. Over this same decade, there have been fewer than 15 terrorist attacks a year in the United States. An average of five Americans per year have died on US soil and approximately 20 per year have lost their lives worldwide." Where terrorism could become an existential threat, however, is with the use of nuclear weapons or a "dirty bomb" with nuclear material. "Such 'grand terrorism' has for decades been the nightmare of many strategic thinkers," Haass wrote. ISIS nuke While such "grand terrorism" hasn't become a reality yet, it could be in the future. Pakistan, for example, is country that has nuclear weapons, a significant terrorist presence, and a weak government. This could create conditions where nuclear material could fall into the hands of terrorists. Even the US has nuclear material that could fall into the hands of terrorists, some of which is relatively accessible in places like hospitals. Steven Brill noted recently in The Atlantic that "despite significant work done by the Obama administration, large quantities of radioactive material already sit unguarded in the US." "It doesn't require a wild leap to imagine someone with terrorist sympathies planting shielded radioactive material in a car or a cargo container that then makes its way through one of our ports," Brill wrote. "But it's even easier to imagine a dirty bomb being constructed from material that doesn't have to be snuck through the ports." As the threats have grown, Americans have also been forced to grapple with another reality: Terrorism doesn't just threaten American lives it threatens our way of life. Terrorists seek to sow fear and provoke overreactions that could fundamentally change not only US policies but how Americans live their lives day-to-day. In his editorial, Haass wrestled with the balance between freedom and security. "Terrorism will happen sometimes despite our best efforts," he wrote, concluding, "This argues for resilience in addition to all else. This may require some compromise on privacy for individuals in order to promote collective security, but this is a price worth paying, since the threat to democracy would quickly become far greater if existential terrorism were to become a reality." NOW WATCH: Animated map of what Earth would look like if all the ice melted More From Business Insider Register for more free articles. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. The business news you need Get the latest local business news delivered FREE to your inbox weekly. Sign up! Already a Subscriber? Already a Subscriber? Sign in Terms of Service Privacy Policy Three crew members on a Malaysian fishing trawler have been kidnapped in waters where militants from the Abu Sayyaf group have previously taken hostages, a security official said on Sunday. The incident is believed to have occurred late Saturday off Pom Pom Island, a popular scuba diving location in the eastern state of Sabah. "The boat is Malaysian registered," Wan Abdul Bari Abdul Khalid, head of Malaysia's Eastern Sabah Security Command, told AFP, without providing further details. Authorities did not directly link the kidnapping to the Abu Sayyaf but Deputy Prime Minister Zahid Hamidi said a "kidnap-for-ransom" group was responsible. "The kidnap-for-ransom group operates near the southern Philippines, near Malaysian islands, and although the authorities monitor the waters closely, this group moves under the radar," he was quoted as saying by the New Straits Times. Zahid added that the three people kidnapped were not Malaysian citizens but permanent residents. In May, the Abu Sayyaf released 14 Indonesian sailors who had been kidnapped in two high-seas raids, attacks that prompted Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines to launch joint patrols. In July, Malaysian police said five Malaysian tugboat crew were abducted by Abu Sayyaf off the coast of Sabah. The Abu Sayyaf is a loose network of a few hundred Islamist militants, formed in the 1990s with seed money from Osama bin Laden's Al-Qaeda network, that has earned millions of dollars from kidnappings-for-ransom. Although its leaders have pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group, analysts say they are mainly focused on lucrative kidnappings. In April and June the group beheaded two Canadian tourists after ransom demands were not met, and a Malaysian man was beheaded last year. Malaysian security forces in Sabah have been on high alert and on the lookout for militants fleeing the southern Philippines after Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte ordered the military in August to ramp up its offensive against the extremist group. Paris (France) (AFP) - The United States is cursed with "Third World police" which has led to "almost state-sanctioned" killings of people from minority groups, one of the country's leading black writers said Sunday. Marlon James, who won the prestigious Man Booker Prize last year for his epic novel "A Brief History of Seven Killings", told a literary festival in Paris that some officers thought themselves above the law, comparing them to death squads during the "dirty war" run by Argentina's military rulers in the 1970s. "What people like me find alarming is there is almost state-sanctioned violence in America, particularly with the police," said the Jamaican-born novelist, who has lived in the US for more than two decades. "America has developed a weird kind of Third World police, which horrifies people like me and my friends from Kenya or Nigeria. "The whole idea that you are beyond the law you are serving and protecting, and that killing people will not have consequences, is something that we who migrated to America thought we had got away from," he told an audience at Festival America. "This sort of unquestioned authority, straight up killing people is why Black Lives Matter happened," he added, referring to the protest movement that sprung up out of a series of high-profile police killings of black men. "The way that kind of violence is protected... means it is state-sanctioned violence and that is no different to Argentina during the dirty war." - 'Minorities victimised' - James, 45, whose parents were both police officers in Jamaica, said Americans had to look hard at themselves as well as at their police. "I don't think it is something that Americans realise because it is mostly a minority that is victimised by it. We are naive in that we never pay attention to violence until it affects us. "And that is a problem because when it finally does come to us nobody is going to be protecting us. It will end up endlessly repeating itself unless we stop it at some point," he warned. Story continues James' virtuoso Man Booker-winning novel follows a group of people involved in the attempted assassination of the reggae legend Bob Marley in Kingston just before he was to appear at a political rally. The ironically-titled "A Brief History of Seven Killings" runs to nearly 700 pages, with the New York Times calling it "epic in every sense of that word: sweeping, mythic, over-the-top, colossal and dizzyingly complex". The writer, who teaches literature at Macalester College in Saint Paul, Minnesota, was the first Caribbean writer to win one of literature's most prized awards since V.S. Naipaul in 1971. Memorable Toronto story? Before we started negotiations on John Turturro's film Fading Gigolo, on which we were working with Bill Block, he sat us around his computer in the suite and made us screen the Alec Baldwin "Coffee Is for Closers" speech from the opening to Glengarry Glen Ross. What's your "only in Toronto" moment? Going to a strip joint with Mickey Rourke. What's your Toronto nightmare story? Going to a strip joint with Mickey Rourke. Read more: Toronto According to ... Programmer Jo Addy What have you lost during the fest? Pride, dignity, sleep. Who's your favorite Canadian actor and why? John Candy, because I grew up on his films, and Christopher Plummer, because he is always amazing and his career is everlasting. One thing you'd change about your hotel? They need to build secret underground passageways. Now most of the agencies are staying there, and inevitably, we run into each other in the elevators while escorting buyers to our suites for negotiations! Double Dutch Intl. has closed three key deals for Cynthia Nixons Emily Dickinson biopic A Quiet Passion prior to its North American premiere at the Toronto Intl. Film Festival. The film has been sold to Paname Distribution for France, Mimosa Films for Japan and Soda Pictures for the United Kingdom, resulting in most of the world now sold. The U.K. rights were previously sold to Metrodome, which subsequently filed for bankruptcy. A Quiet Passion, directed by Terence Davies, will screen Monday in the Masters section at Toronto. The story follows Dickinson from her early days as a young schoolgirl to her later years as a reclusive, unrecognized artist who left the world a huge body of emotional and powerful literary work, discovered only after she was gone. The film premiered in the 2016 Berlinale Gala section and co-stars Jennifer Ehle. A Quiet Passion is produced by Sol Papadopoulos and Roy Boulter of Hurricane Films with Belgium-based Potemkino co-producing. The executive producers include Andrea Gibson of Gibson & MacLeod, as well as Jason Moring of Double Dutch Intl. Related stories Toronto: 'Chasing Trane' Explores Legendary Musician John Coltrane Toronto: James Gunn Horror Film 'Belko Experiment' Sells Variety's Creative Conscience Symposium Celebrates Socially Conscious Filmmakers Everybody loves a group hug. Next to the freeze-frame of Angela Lansbury grinning after shes solved another Murder, She Wrote case, its pretty much the most satisfying ending anyone can hope for. Lion ends in a group hug two, if you count the real-life embrace that follows the reenacted one just before the credits and thats fantastic news for the cash-strapped Weinstein Co., which needs a feel-good crowd-pleaser like nobodys business. After Lion makes its millions, someone else can make a movie about how Google Earth saved the struggling indie distributor. And it can end with a shot of Harvey Weinstein, Saroo Brierley (the Lion himself), and director Garth Davis giving one another a big group hug at the Oscars. But lets get serious: The story of how 5-year-old Saroo was tragically separated from his family, wound up adopted by an Aussie couple on a completely different continent, and managed to find his birth mother 25 years later using Google Earth might be a happy one, but its barely meaty enough to wrap the evening news, let alone sustain a two-hour feature. While unique, Saroos story is somewhere between the-guy-who-found-a-lottery-scratcher-worth-fifty-bucks and the-farmer-who-prayed-for-rain-and-got-it. Such feel-good yarns are only as interesting as the person they happened to. Fortunately for Davis, hes got a terrific cast, chief among them the pair of charismatic actors who split the lead role: First, newcomer Sunny Pawar wins us over as 5-year-old Saroo, whos so adorable he could set off an Indian adoption craze (which would suit the humanitarian-minded filmmakers just fine), then Slumdog Millionaire star Dev Patel steps in to play the less interesting chapter, as the young man turns to the internet to research where hes from. But the movie surrounds these two with Nicole Kidman as Saroos adoptive mother, Rooney Mara as his Indian food-loving girlfriend, and Priyanka Bose as the mum he left behind (her smile so lovely she could pass for Rosario Dawsons South Asian sister). Meanwhile, Google Earth plays itself. Davis, a commercials director whose reel includes Toyotas Ninja Kittens spot, would be a natural to boil Saroos story down to a tear-jerking 60 seconds (even if this material sounds like an extended promo for the one company that needs it least). In 2013, Davis collaborated with Jane Campion on the miniseries Top of the Lake, which suggests that he could probably also stretch Saroos narrative across four more hours. Lion marks his much-anticipated feature debut, previously pegged to be an adaptation of Gregory David Roberts 900-page Shantaram, and its practically the opposite of that project in every way: Shantaram tells of an Australian criminal at large in India, whereas Lion describes an Indian kid who discovers his identity Down Under. With only the leanest wisp of a plot to guide him, screenwriter Luke Davies expands Saroos ordeal into a full-blown heros journey like Life of Pi, with a flesh-and-blood lion in place of a CG tiger. Tagging along with his brother Guddu (Abhishek Bharate) one night, Saroo falls asleep on a decommissioned train, which travels some 1,600 miles before letting him disembark in Calcutta. There, everyone speaks Bengali, rather than Saroos Hindi dialect, making it doubly intimidating for a boy so far-removed from his family. Davis ensures that we understand even less of Saroos surroundings than he does, which makes his first impressions of Calcutta sleeping on cardboard, only to be awakened by a child-snatching mob, or else invited home by a sari-clad woman, who tries to pawn him off to a lecherous middleman seem as dark and intimidating as Pinocchios visit to Pleasure Island. As if there was ever any doubt, Davis clearly wants his audience to appreciate how tough it is to be homeless in India, presenting us with a funeral procession and images of scavenging through garbage dumps for anything to eat. When a benevolent stranger brings Saroo to the local police station, the boy asks for his mother, but doesnt know enough not her name, nor that of the village from which he came to find his way home, and so he is delivered to an orphanage, and shortly thereafter, shipped out to Tasmania, where hes adopted by John and Sue Brierley (played by David Wenham, whod worked with Davis on Top of the Lake, and Kidman, looking just about as unglamorous as she can). Considering everything hes been through, Saroo is an ideal child a judgment made clear by the arrival of a second Indian boy, the deeply unhappy Mantosh, into the household. At this point, nearly an hour into the narrative, the film skips forward 20 years, picking up with Saroos relocation to Melbourne, where he plans to study hotel management, but instead finds himself distracted with dead ends about his identity. He gets emotional support from girlfriend Lucy (Mara), who at one point looks as though she may break out into a Bollywood dance number, but when it comes to answering seemingly impossible questions, thats what Google is for. And so, like any good stalker, Saroo pins clues to a giant bulletin board and begins crawling the web for clues to his past. Except, anyone going in to Lion already knows how Saroos predicament turns out, which makes this agonizingly suspense-free process feel as if its taking far longer than it should. It would almost be more interesting to tell his story from the point of view of the Google Earth engineers say, one who had turned suicidal after months of coding for the Silicon Valley monolith, only to discover what good he was doing in the world or else from the perspective of Saroos birth mother, who didnt have Google (or even a computer) but spent years searching for her lost son. Davies script is noteworthy in its sensitivity, which Davis further enhances through his elegant, deeply empathetic approach (heightened by gorgeous widescreen cinematography, much of it offering hi-res flyover shots clearly designed to evoke the heroic tool), but as a portrait of persistence, it paradoxically suggests that Saroo managed to go two decades without thinking much about his mother, only to become obsessed with finding her at just the moment the technology made that possible. And so, for the feature debut of an acclaimed commercials director, Lion seems awfully brazen advertising its deux ex machina right there in its logline, and though the human story is what makes it so compelling, advertising remains the operative word. Next up: How Siri helped you find your car keys. Related stories Toronto: Cynthia Nixon's 'Quiet Passion' Scores Sales Toronto Film Review: 'The Limehouse Golem' Facebook Live Q&A With Taraji P. Henson, Pharrell Williams and Octavia Spencer - Watch Now! Fisher Stevens, director of Before the Flood, a documentary chronicling Leonardo DiCaprio's campaign to combat global climate change, has defended the Hollywood star and his foundation from accusations of ties to an embezzlement scandal in Malaysia. "The guy's trying to do good. Okay, so he had an unsavory character in there who donated some money. What did he [DiCaprio] know? Leo did nothing wrong," Stevens told The Hollywood Reporter on Saturday while in Toronto to promote the world premiere of his film. His staunch defense came as DiCaprio became linked in press reports that roughly $3 billion was siphoned from a Malaysian sovereign wealth fund called 1MDB. The Department of Justice has filed an asset seizure complaint that alleges some of the money siphoned out of the fund was used to finance DiCaprio's 2013 release The Wolf of Wall Street. Added Fisher: "He's been trying to do something in this space, and he had some guy give him money. It wasn't his fault." Read more: Leonardo DiCaprio, the Malaysian Money Scandal and His "Unusual" Foundation The Revenant star attended the Toronto festival this weekend alongside Stevens to promote Before the Flood, which was executive produced by Martin Scorsese. Stevens said he deliberately used DiCaprio as his film's narrative focus as the Hollywood actor/activist travels to 20 countries to highlight climate-change disasters like the toxic tar sands of Alberta and the depleted forests of Indonesia. "To make a film a film, you need to have a leading man, a character ... otherwise, you're not connected to the material," said the director. Before the Flood will have a limited theatrical release on Oct. 21 before a global premiere on the National Geographic Channel in 171 countries on Oct. 30, just before the U.S. election in November. Stevens is eager to get his documentary out to the world because the current climate change debate has been overshadowed by U.S. presidential contender Donald Trump's denials on the subject. Story continues "It's a horrifying thing that Donald Trump is the Republican nominee," the director said. "He's terrifying for so many reasons, but climate change is one of them." Stevens also wants the American electorate to know many of its politicians are beholden to Big Oil. "They [politicians] aren't really climate deniers. They're on the payroll," he added. Read more: Follow the Money: 'The Wolf of Wall Street' Corruption Timeline The back-to-nature anarchist of Sundance breakout Wild, the pantsuited star of Cannes hit Toni Erdmann, and the actress Francois Ozon has dubbed 'the next Romy Schneider' will be the faces, literally, of a new global campaign promoting German cinema. Taking a page from L'Oreal's playbook, state promotion body German Films has picked six leading actresses to represent the new wave of German cinema in a worldwide promotion campaign. Lilith Stangenberg, star of Nicole Krebitz's Wild, Toni Erdmann lead Sandra Huller, and Paula Beer, who on Saturday won the Best Young Actress award in Venice for Ozon-directed feature Frantz, will be the focus of the new campaign, alongside Julia Jentsch, star of Berlin competition title 24 Weeks, Liv Lisa Fries, the lead in Tom Tykwer's upcoming series Babylon Berlin, and Saskia Rosendahl, whose next role is in Work Without Author, the upcoming feature from The Lives of Others director Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck. "German filmmakers working in every genre are blessed to be able to draw from a deep pool of remarkably talented individuals -- the work of these six actresses, which I have greatly enjoyed and appreciated, embodies much of what is fascinating, enjoyable and enriching about new German cinema today," said Jane Schoettle, an international programmer for the Toronto International Film Festival, responsible for German language cinema. German Films chairman Peter Herrmann said the actresses were picked to represent a new wave in German cinema that is "exciting, modern, bold, dramatic, funny, unexpected and very multifaceted." The campaign, officially called Face to Face With German Films, will launch at the London Film Festival in October. It will run throughout the year, with the actresses taking part in events and festivals around the world. Julia Jentsch One of the best-known faces in the group, Jentsch has been a name on the international arthouse scene since her performances as a would-be anarchist in The Edukators in 2004, alongside Daniel Bruhl, and her star-making performance in the Oscar-nominated Sophie Scholl: The Final Days, which won her a best actress Silver Bear in Berlin in 2005 playing the historic Nazi resistance fighter. Story continues Jentsch was back in the Berlin spotlight this year with Anne Zohra Berrached's controversial drama 24 Weeks, in which Jentsch plays an expectant mother under pressure to abort her child after it is discovered the baby will be born with Down syndrome and a serious heart defect. Read more: '24 Weeks' ('24 Wochen'): Berlin Review Lilith Stangenberg Her fearless performance in Nicolette Krebitz's Wild - as a woman who breaks all connection with society to pursue a deep and disturbing connection to a wolf - wowed critics when the film premiered at Sundance this year. "Hollywood actors who imagine they're bold when they step out of their comfort zones would be humbled and chastened by what they see here," raved The Hollywood Reporter's Todd McCarthy. Read more: 'Wild': Sundance Review Paula Beer No less an authority than French auteur Francois Ozon has anointed Paula Beer as "the next Romy Schneider," casting the 21-year-old actress, who dazzled in Chris Kraus' Poll (2010) and Andreas Prochaska's Alpine Western The Dark Valley (2014), as the female lead in his black-and-white period drama Frantz, which premiered in Venice and Toronto this month. The Venice jury appeared to agree, handing Beer this year's Marcello Mastroianni Award for Best New Young Actress. Read more: 'Frantz': Venice Review Sandra Huller She won Berlin's Silver Bear for her debut film, in which she played a devout Catholic girl possessed - perhaps by demons, more likely by epilepsy and a repressive upbringing - in Hans-Christian Schmid's Requiem in 2006, a role that also earned Sandra Huller her first German Film Award, for best actress. She'd pick up a second in the best-supporting category playing an uptight and self-conscious documentarian in Frauke Finsterwalder's dark comedy Finsterworld. A third may be on its way this year for her lead role in Toni Erdmann as a corporate executive whose prankster father decides to disrupt her life and career path. Maren Ade's film, one the best reviewed out of Cannes, is Germany's pick for the 2017 foreign-language Oscars and will bow in the U.S. via Sony Pictures Classics on Christmas Day. Read more: 'Toni Erdmann': Cannes Review Saskia Rosendahl As the lead in Cate Shortland's Lore, Saskia Rosendahl played a child of true Nazi believers forced to fend for herself, and her younger siblings, in the chaos at the end of WWII. The performance won her best actress honors from the Australian Film Institute and the Australian Film Critics Association. Her next big role will be in Work Without Author, the hotly anticipated new period drama from Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck, who, after winning the Oscar with The Lives of Others, returns to Germany for his latest film. Liv Lisa Fries Arguably the freshest face in the group, Liv Lisa Fries is best known in Germany for her TV work and her award-winning performance in Frederik Steiner's Zurich (2013) as a cystic fibrosis patient seeking assisted suicide. Fries better be ready for her close-up, though, because she's about to be the focus of attention as the female lead in Babylon Berlin, the big-budget German TV series being co-directed by Tom Tykwer (Cloud Atlas), which rolls out next year across pay-TV giant Sky Europe and German public broadcaster ARD. Read more: Tom Tykwer Drama 'Babylon Berlin' to Air on Sky Deutschland in 2017 Let me start out this week by saying that usually when somebody talks about a 15th anniversary, its a good thing. Unfortunately the 15th anniversary of an event that killed more police officers and fireman than any other murderous event in our history is not an anniversary to be happy about. I would like to just say thank you to the law enforcement and fireman out there risking their lifes everyday so that we might enjoy the freedoms we have, even those who might criticize them. To the ones who have gone before us I would like to say Gods speed you fought the good fight now rest in peace. Q: I sold a car to a friend (alleged friend now) and he apparently abandoned it. Well, the tow company sent me the bill for the towing and storage. I told them that I sold the vehicle but they told me that I was liable for the tow because it was still registered in my name. What should I do? -Brian A: I would tell you, from what you are telling me here, to get your wallet or checkbook out and pay the tow fees before they get any higher. I say that because from your question I did not read anything that said you signed the title over to the alleged friend. Idaho code 49-1802 (1) reads: PRESUMPTION. (1) The abandonment of any vehicle shall create a prima facie presumption that the last registered owner of record is responsible for the abandonment and is thereby liable for the costs incurred in the removal, storage and disposition of the vehicle, less any amount received from the disposition of the vehicle. That means that if you did not sign the title over to your friend then you are lawfully responsible for the car and any fees associated with its removal. I would say this is another example too of why its probably not good to allow anybody to make monthly payments to you if you are not going to sign the title over to them until its paid for. Once you sign the title over you have five days to notify the department of the release of liability. The notice should include the motor vehicle identification number, vehicle description, and name of seller, name and address of buyer or other transferee, date of sale, odometer reading, and sales price. This can also be done by a lienholder too. There is also a fee to do that and I believe it is $14. As long you the release is filed correctly then any former owner who files a release of liability statement with the department shall not be liable nor shall the former owner be liable for any motor vehicle infractions, towing, storage, repair or service charges that may occur subsequent to delivery of the vehicle to a dealer, purchaser or other transferee. I should also add that violating Idaho Code 49-1802 is an infraction, if cited, with a fine amount of $217. Officer down: Please put these officers, killed in the line of duty, and their families in your prayers. They fought the good fight, now may they rest in peace. God bless these heroes. Police Officer Clint Corvinus, Alamogordo Police, New Mexico Senior Police Officer Leander Frank, Navajo Division of Public Safety, Tribal Police Senior Police Officer Amir Abdul-Khaliq, Austin Police, Texas Have a question for Policemandan? Email your question(s) to policemandan@yahoo.com or look for Ask Policemandan on Facebook and click the like button. Mail to: Box 147, Heyburn, Idaho 83336 Indian actress Freida Pinto, best known for her roles in Slumdog Millionaire and Rise of the Planet of the Apes, attended the Toronto International Film Festival on Saturday to voice her support for female filmmakers. Speaking at the TIFF panel, titled Women at the Helm, she urged women in film to stop relying on studio heads to greenlight more work by female directors, and to bring about industry change on their own. "It's time to stop talking and to start doing something," said Pinto. The actress touted her recently launched non-profit production company, We Do It Together, to get more women into film and TV in partnership with an advisory board that includes Jessica Chastain, Queen Latifah, Juliette Binoche, Catherine Hardwicke and Ziyi Zhang. Pinto said the seeds of their female empowerment initiative sprang from personal experience, when she and City of God co-director Katia Lund tried to get a film project off the ground. "Every time we took it to a production house, to a potential investor or studio, they'd tear up and say it was such a beautiful story," she recalled. Read more: Toronto: Oliver Stone Says He "Hopes" Obama Will Pardon Edward Snowden, But Has Doubts But their pitch faced setbacks when it was revealed the main protagonist was a woman from Pakistan who spoke no English and wore a Burqa headdress. "And she's brown, so it kept going 10 steps backwards," Pinto recounted. She insisted studio heads reacted emotionally to the film's script, but had fears over its execution, especially by Lund, a female director from Brazil. "We realized doors were closing far too easily for something that was really inspirational," said Pinto. So she and her star-studded We Do It Together backers launched their venture to work with internationally acclaimed directors, actors and producers, whether men or women, to develop a slate of gender-driven films that spawned emerging voices within the industry. Story continues Anna Serner, CEO of the Swedish Film Institute, agreed it was time to fight against preconceptions by studio heads that stop women advancing fast enough in the industry. "We have to always struggle to get under the layers of our starting points, which will always be quality equals men, not women," she said. "That's what I'm fighting for." Carolle Brabant, director of Telefilm Canada, the Canadian government's film financier, also unveiled a new initiative to create a more diverse domestic portfolio of movies in Canada by 2020. "It's clear that we haven't done enough and we need to do more," she told the TIFF panel. Tom Tykwers Kenyan shingle One Fine Day Films returns to the Toronto Intl. Film Festival with Kati Kati, the companys fifth movie, and its first TIFF selection since Something Necessary in 2013. Pic is the feature directorial debut for Mbithi Masya, a member of Kenyas acclaimed alternative house-funk trio, Just a Band. The multi-talented creative has directed numerous short films, documentaries, commercials, music videos, and video installations, but felt he was ready to move in a new direction. This came at what I feel is a perfect time, says Masya, who along with his bandmates announced a hiatus earlier this year to pursue personal projects. Kati Kati opens with a shot of a woman standing in an empty field, unsure of how she got there. She soon discovers that shes dead, and now finds herself trapped at the mysterious wilderness lodge from which the movie takes its name. Shot entirely on location at a working safari lodge, the movie has an intimate scope that Masya says suits his first foray into feature films. Im used to working on a small scale, he says. I think if they told me to write a big African epic I would have been out of my depth. While Just a Band is perhaps in its own short-term limbo, Masya credits the trio for allowing his fellow band members and him to find their creative voice, likening it to a playground to teach ourselves and push ourselves so that we could be able to do things like this. Kati Kati was produced by One Fine Day Films and Kenyan production house Ginger Ink, with support from Germanys Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, the Goethe Foundation, Arri, and Deutsche Welles DW Akademie, a nonprofit sponsoring media development. World sales are being handled by Rushlake Media. Festival rights are represented by The Festival Agency. It had its world premiere Saturday as part of TIFFs Discovery program. Related stories Toronto: Fan Bingbing's 'I am Not Madame Bovary' Bought by Well Go USA Story continues Toronto: Cynthia Nixon's 'Quiet Passion' Scores Sales Toronto Film Review: 'The Limehouse Golem' Istanbul (AFP) - Turkey on Sunday removed 28 mayors accused of links to Kurdish militants or US-based cleric Fethullah Gulen, using emergency powers to replace them with state-appointed trustees in a move that sparked accusations of trampling on democracy. The mayors have been suspended from their posts on suspicion of links to the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) which is waging a deadly insurgency in the southeast, or Gulen, who is blamed for the July 15 failed coup, an interior ministry statement said. Using special powers under the state of emergency imposed in the wake of the abortive putsch, they have been replaced by state-appointed trustees, similar to administrators appointed to head a company that goes into bankruptcy. Twenty-four of the outgoing mayors are accused of links to the PKK and four of links to Gulen, the ministry said. The reclusive cleric denies charges of masterminding the coup. The move is the most important step yet taken by new Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu since he took over from Efkan Ala in a surprise reshuffle earlier this month. Soylu said the move meant that local municipalities would no longer be controlled by "terrorists or those under instructions from Qandil", referring to the PKK's mountain base in northern Iraq. The decree was issued under the three-month state of emergency imposed after the coup. The incumbents had been elected in 2014 local polls. - Observe Turkish law - The municipalities affected -- mainly in the Kurdish-dominated southeast -- include hugely important urban areas known as centres of PKK activity such as Sur and Silvan in the Diyarbakir region and Nusaybin in the Mardin region. The mayors of the cities of Batman and Hakkari in the southeast have also been replaced. The interior ministry said 12 of the mayors suspended were already under arrest. Shortly after the move was announced, the authorities detained the former mayor of Cizre in Sirnak province, Leyla Imret, who in 2014 became one of Turkey's youngest ever mayors, the Dogan news agency said. Story continues There were scuffles between protesters and police outside the town hall in Hakkari and also in Suruc in the Sanliurfa region where dozens were killed last year in an IS suicide bombing, Dogan said. Meanwhile, security forces used water cannon to disperse a protest in Diyarbakir, an AFP correspondent said. The US embassy in Ankara expressed concern over the clashes and emphasised the right to individual freedom of expression should be preserved. "We hope that any appointment of trustees will be temporary and that local citizens will soon be permitted to choose new local officials in accordance with Turkish law," it said in a statement. Critics have accused the government of using the state of emergency to impose a draconian crackdown that has eroded freedom of expression in Turkey. Nobel-winning Turkish novelist Orhan Pamuk, writing in Italy's La Repubblica, expressed fear Turkey was "heading towards a regime of terror" after the detention of a prominent journalist on Saturday. The government argues however that the emergency measures are essential with the country shaken by the coup and battling the PKK insurgency in the southeast. - Ignoring voters - The pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), whose regional politicians were among the chief targets of the move, denounced the removal of the mayors as a "coup". In a statement, it said the move was reminiscent of the military takeover of 1980 and "ignored the will of the voters". It said the mayors in the mainly Kurdish cities had been elected on high turnouts and their dismissal would only amplify tensions in the region. "The Kurdish problem will become even harder to solve... the people will not yield to this mentality," it said, calling on the government to stop "taking advantage" of the failed coup. But Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag denied the authorities had ridden roughshod over democracy, accusing the suspended mayors of funnelling revenues to "terror" groups. "Being elected does not grant a right to commit a crime," he wrote on Twitter. Rome (AFP) - Nobel-winning Turkish writer Orhan Pamuk on Sunday lashed the arrest of a leading journalist and warned Turkey was heading towards "a regime of terror." "In Turkey, we are progressively putting behind bars all people who take the liberty of voicing even the slightest criticism of the government," Pamuk said. The crackdown is being driven by "the most ferocious hatred," he added. "Freedom of thought no longer exists. We are distancing ourselves at high speed from a state of law and heading towards a regime of terror," Pamuk said bluntly. His front-page opinion piece was published by La Repubblica newspaper a day after the dawn detention of prominent journalist Ahmet Altan and his brother Mehmet Altan, a renowned academic and economist. Pamuk, who won the Nobel Prize for literature in 2006, was a known critic of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan before the attempted coup against the Turkish strongman in July. He called for all detained intellectuals to be released "as soon as possible" and to stand trial on the basis of free individuals. Police arrested the two Altan brothers on Saturday as part of an investigation into the failed July 15 coup, the state-run Anadolu news agency reported. Ahmet Altan was for years a columnist with top dailies like Hurriyet and Milliyet before in 2007 founding the opposition daily Taraf. He resigned his post as Taraf editor-in-chief in 2012 and has also written several novels. Mehmet Altan, an economist by training, is the author of several books on politics in Turkey. The Hurriyet daily said the Altan brothers were investigated over comments in a talk show on the Can Erzincan TV channel on July 14, on the eve of the coup. Erzincan is seen by the authorities as being staunchly in favour of US-based preacher Fethullah Gulen, whom they blame for the attempted putsch. The channel has since been shut down. Other arrests include veteran journalist and writer Nazli Ilicak, who also appeared on the same talk show with the Altan brothers. The content of the talk show has not been publicised in Turkish media. ISTANBUL (Reuters) - Turkish air strikes killed 20 Islamic State militants in northern Syria on Saturday, broadcaster CNN Turk cited the Turkish military as saying on Sunday. The strikes targeted three buildings, one vehicle and one motorbike around the Syrian town of Tel el-Hawa, CNN Turk said. Separately, the head of the military said in message to mark a public holiday that "Operation Euphrates Shield", a Turkish incursion into Syria against Islamic State and Kurdish militia fighters launched two and half weeks ago, would "continue decisively", according to broadcaster NTV. (Reporting by Humeyra Pamuk and Asli Kandemir; Writing by Nick Tattersall) By Minami Funakoshi TOKYO (Reuters) - The United States may launch unilateral sanctions against North Korea, a U.S. special envoy for the isolated state said on Sunday, two days after it carried out its fifth and biggest nuclear test in defiance of U.N. sanctions. "In addition to action in the Security Council, both the U.S. and Japan, together with the Republic of Korea, will be looking at unilateral measures, as well as bilateral measures, as well as possible trilateral cooperation," said Sung Kim, the envoy, referring to South Korea by its official name. Specific details of the U.S. unilateral sanctions have yet to be decided, Kim said, speaking to reporters in Tokyo after meeting Japanese foreign ministry officials. But both the U.S. and Japan were looking at "a full range of possibilities, in terms of additional unilateral sanctions that can be implemented," he added. North Korea on Friday set off its most powerful nuclear explosion to date, saying it had mastered the ability to mount a warhead on a ballistic missile, ratcheting up a threat that its rivals and the United Nations have been powerless to contain. The UN Security Council denounced North Korea's decision to carry out the test and said it would immediately begin working on a resolution. The U.S., Britain and France pushed for the 15-member body to impose new sanctions. "We will be working very closely in the Security Council and beyond to come up with the strongest possible measure against North Korea's latest actions," said Kim. (Reporting by Minami Fuakoshi; Editing by Clarence Fernandez) A man ties a memorial ribbon to the exterior wall of St. Paul's Chapel on the morning of the 15th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks in Manhattan, New York, September 11, 2016. (REUTERS/Andrew Kelly) By Melissa Fares NEW YORK (Reuters) - Americans remembered the victims of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks on Sunday at a ceremony marking 15 years, with the recital of their names, tolling church bells and a tribute in lights at the site where New York Citys massive twin towers collapsed. As classical music drifted across the 9/11 Memorial plaza in lower Manhattan, family members and first responders slowly read the names and delivered personal memories of the almost 3,000 victims killed in the worst attack on U.S. soil since the 1941 bombing of Pearl Harbor. Relatives in the crowd embraced and some held photos of loved ones and signs that read: Never to be forgotten, We miss you, and Gone too soon. Tom Acquarvivas 29-year-old son Paul was one of 658 employees of financial services firm Cantor Fitzgerald who perished after the first plane struck the north tower just below where they worked on the 101st to 105th floors. Not a day goes by that we dont remember him, Acquarviva told Reuters. Angela Checo honored her brother, Pedro Francisco, 35, who was a vice president at investment and wealth manager Fiduciary Trust on the 96th floor of the south tower. He was coming down but forgot someone and went back upstairs to save them, Checo said. Thats why he never made it down. The ceremony paused for six moments of silence: four to mark the exact times four hijacked planes were crashed into the World Trade Center, the Pentagon near Washington D.C., and a Pennsylvania field. The last two record when the North and South towers of the Trade Center crumpled. It was held by two reflecting pools with waterfalls that now stand in the towers former footprints, and watched over by an honor guard of police and firefighters. More than 340 firefighters and 60 police were killed on the that sunny Tuesday morning in 2001. Many of the first responders died while running up stairs in the hope of reaching victims trapped on the towers higher floors. Story continues PIECE OF THEIR HEART At the Pentagon, a trumpet played as U.S. President Barack Obama took part in a wreath-laying ceremony. Fifteen years may seem like a long time. But for the families who lost a piece of their heart that day, I imagine it can seem like just yesterday, Obama said. No public officials spoke at the New York ceremony, in keeping with a tradition that began in 2012. But many dignitaries attended, including Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump and his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton. Trump said in a statement that it was a day of sadness and remembrance, but also of resolve. Our solemn duty on behalf of all those who perished is to work together as one nation to keep all of our people safe from an enemy that seeks nothing less than to destroy our way of life, Trump said. Clinton said in a statement that the horror of Sept. 11, 2001 would never be forgotten, and paid tribute to the victims and first responders. She fell ill after about 90 minutes at the service, becoming overheated, aides said, and was taken to her daughter Chelseas apartment in Manhattan. She emerged later and told reporters she was feeling great. TRIBUTE IN LIGHT Houses of worship throughout the city had tolled their bells at 8:46 a.m. EDT (1246 GMT), the time American Airlines Flight 11 slammed into the North Tower. A second pause came at 9:03 a.m. (1303 GMT), when United Airlines Flight 175 struck the South Tower. American Airlines Flight 77 hit the Pentagon at 9:37 a.m. (1337 GMT), then the South Tower collapsed at 9:59 a.m. (1359 GMT). At 10:03 a.m. (1403 GMT) United Flight 93 crashed near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, and the final moment of silence was observed at 10:28 a.m. (1428 GMT) when the North Tower fell. As evening falls across New York City on Sunday, scores of 7,000-watt xenon light bulbs will project two giant beams of blue light into the night sky to represent the fallen twin towers, fading away at dawn. The Tribute in Light was first set up in 2002, six months after the attacks, and has become part of the annual memorial service. The beams reach four miles (6.4 km) into the sky and can be seen as far as 60 miles (96.6 km) away on a clear night, organizers say. In the twin towers place now rises the 104-story 1 World Trade Center. Also known as the Freedom Tower, it is the tallest skyscraper in the Western Hemisphere, at 1,776 feet (541 meters). Fifteen years after the attack, the U.S. government marked its return to the site on Friday, moving its New York City offices there. Nineteen hijackers died in the attack, later claimed by Osama bin Laden and al Qaeda, which led directly to the U.S. war in Afghanistan and indirectly to the invasion of Iraq. In Kabul, the top American commander in Afghanistan, General John Nicholson, paid tribute to members of the NATO-led coalition and Afghan security forces who had been killed since the Taliban regime fell. But in an address which touched on his own experience as an officer in Afghanistan, stretching back a decade, he also underlined how far from peace the country remains. As we know, sadly, the number of terrorist groups has only grown since 9/11, he said. Of the 98 groups now designated globally, 20 are in this region, the Afpak region. Related slideshows: Slideshow: 9/11: Then and now - 15 years later >>> Slideshow: Remembering 9/11 >>> Slideshow: Tribute in Light >>> Slideshow: World reactions to the 9/11 attacks A look back >>> Slideshow: How the 9/11 attacks were reported on front pages around the world >>> Slideshow: 9/11 Memorial and Museum >>> (Reporting by Melissa Fares; Additional reporting by Yeganeh Torbati in Washington and James Mackenzie in Kabul; Writing by Daniel Wallis; Editing by Mary Milliken and Jeffrey Benkoe) TWIN FALLS COUNTY FELONY SENTENCINGS Daniel Joseph Bunch, 79, Twin Falls; possession of a controlled substance, $285.50 costs, $100 DNA, $60 workman's compensation program fee, $1,856.50 restitution, seven years penitentiary, two determinate, five indeterminate, credit for time served, sentence suspended, 100 hours community service. Jerry Edward Hubbard Jr., 57, Filer; possession of a controlled substance, $285.50 costs, $100 DNA, $60 workman's compensation program fee, $522.35 restitution, five years penitentiary, two determinate, two indeterminate, credit for time served, sentence suspended, 30 months supervised probation, 100 hours community service. DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE SENTENCINGS Leopoldo Chavez, 20, Twin Falls; DUI, $500 fine, $300 suspended, $202.50 costs, 90 days jail, 89 suspended, one day credited, 90 days drivers license suspension, 12 months probation with six to be supervised, attend court alcohol school and victim impact panel. Jordon Dawn Sorensen, 22, Twin Falls; DUI .208/.198 bracket, $500 fine, $300 suspended, $202.50 costs, 90 days jail, 88 suspended, two days credited, guilty withheld sentence, 180 days restricted drivers license, 12 months supervised probation, attend victim impact panel and court alcohol school. Injury to a child, $500 fine, $500 suspended, $157.50 costs, 90 days jail, 88 suspended, two days credited. Jessica Charmaine Peak, 24, Reno, Nevada; DUI second offense, $1000 fine, $800 suspended, $202.50 costs, 180 days jail, 170 suspended one day credited, 365 days drivers license suspension, 24 months supervised probation, attend victims impact panel. Jesus Martinez-Aguirre, 25, Jerome; DUI, $1,000 fine, $700 suspended, $202.50 costs, 90 days jail, 87 suspended, one day credited, guilty withheld sentence, 16 hours work detail, 90 days restricted drivers license, 12 months supervised probation, attend victim impact panel and court alcohol school. Francisco Vazquez Guzman, 24, Jerome; DUI, 180 days jail, credit for time served, balance suspended, 24 months unsupervised probation. DIVORCE CIVIL PROCEEDINGS Pamela Knox v. Harry Knox Jeffrey Huntington v. Jesus Garza Christina Cavin v. John Cavin Luis Ramirez v. Kallie Jone Katrina Escobar v. Fidel Escovar Rachel McAuley v. Michael McAuley Bethe Correia and Jessica Eye squared off at UFC 203 on Saturday night in Cleveland, but it would be the Brazilian that edged out the hometown favorite. Leading up to the fight, at Friday afternoons ceremonial weigh-in, the anticipation of the fight boiled over as Eye shoved Correia after she stepped of the scale for the traditional face-off for photographers. That animosity disappeared as the fight started, and both focused on the task at hand. Eye came into the fight having lost four of her last five fights, Correia on a two-fight losing streak. Neither could afford to let emotion get in the way of winning the fight. Unfortunately, knowing that they were both on shaky ground with another loss, neither really let loose in the fight, seemingly afraid to take many risks. RELATED > UFC 203: Miocic vs. Overeem Full Live Results and Fight Stats Eye immediately took the center of the Octagon in the opening round, doing a good job of setting up her range and cutting off the cage from Correia. It proved to be a close round with several brief exchanges, but neither fighter did any significant damage. Correia employed her jab more as round two started, frequently snapping Eyes head back, but she couldnt put the necessary follow-ups in play to take Eye out of the fight. In the latter half of the round, Eye got her jab going as well, but again, couldnt do the damage necessary to establish dominance. The final round was much of the same, several exchanges, but none of significance. At the end of the fight, the judges awarded a split decision to Correia, much to the chagrin of Eyes hometown Cleveland crowd. It wasnt the dominant performance that Correia needed to get back in the title hunt, but it does keep her off the chopping block, where Eye might find herself. The Pitbull is back. Im back. Im back to fight, Correia said after the fight, all smiles and confident. The fight was mine. I absolutely believe I won. I knew I had the fight. Story continues (Subscribe to MMAWeekly.com on YouTube) Follow MMAWeekly.com on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram US diplomacy was just made easier thanks to a pizza party US diplomacy was just made easier thanks to a pizza party Hangry is a legitimate cause for concern, even in the upper levels of politics. Just ask Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. hangry On Saturday, at a meeting in Geneva between the Russian diplomat and U.S. Secretary of State, John Kerry, Lavrov handed out pizza and vodka to a room full of reporters, but not before making them wait for hours upon hours to hear an outcome from the Syria-focused talks between the two super powers. According to Reuters, Lavrov had made three separate visits to the windowless basement of the President Wilson Hotel, where a room full of journalists eagerly awaited news on the negotiations. On his first unscheduled visit, the Russian politician insinuated it was Kerrys fault the talks were taking so long. I hope before Washington goes to sleep we can get some news, he told the room of reporters before departing without anything more concrete for them to write home about. But on his next visit to the basement, a supposed 13 hours after the Russian-U.S. talks had begun, Lavrov returned with a stack of pizza boxes and two bottles of vodka. Pizza from Kerry, vodka from Lavrov: Syria talks and the press in Geneva today... https://t.co/rKPuds5ne6 pic.twitter.com/CSfWjnw69V Maria Antonova (@mashant) September 9, 2016 The pizza is from the Americans, the vodka is from us, Lavrov told the exhausted reporters. Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova revealed on Facebook that feeding the journalists had initially been Kerrys idea. Apparently the pizza was a peace-offering to make up for the nine-hour pause Kerry had called on the talks while he was busy consulting with Washington. Story continues pizza Zakharova also added that it had been Western journalists who suggested they get some vodka to accompany the pizza. Luckily for the reports, the Russians dont travel empty-handed. Apparently Lavrov joked that he had a few bottles lying around. Well, pizza and vodka may not be able to solve an international crisis, but then again, it cant hurt either! The post US diplomacy was just made easier thanks to a pizza party appeared first on HelloGiggles. Tokyo (AFP) - Washington and Tokyo are seeking "the strongest possible" measures against North Korea after its latest and most powerful nuclear test, a top US envoy said on Sunday. Sung Kim, the US State Department's special representative for North Korea policy, also suggested that the US may launch its own sanctions in response to "the provocative and unacceptable behaviour by the North Koreans". "We will be working together very closely in the Security Council and beyond to come up the strongest possible measure against North Korea's latest action," Kim told reporters in Tokyo after meeting his Japanese counterpart Kenji Kanasugi. Kanasugi said Seoul, Tokyo and Washington would be coordinating their response. "We agreed to continue Japan-US and Japan-US-South Korea cooperation...as we work toward an adoption of a new UN Security Council sanction that will include further sanction measures against North Korea," he said in a statement. North Korea has been hit by five sets of UN sanctions since it first tested a nuclear device in 2006, but has insisted it will continue its testing programme, come what may. The North carried out its fifth nuclear test on Friday, claiming that it had successfully detonated a nuclear warhead, and drawing global condemnation. The international community has engaged in a flurry of diplomacy in an attempt to persuade China to use its leverage to persuade Pyongyang to comply with UN sanction resolutions. China has said it "firmly opposes" the test, but analysts believe Beijing wants to avoid a collapse of North Korea in order to prevent the balance of power on the Korean peninsula from leaning towards the US. Washington's "dialogue" with Beijing over the crisis will continue, Kim said. "We continue to work together to urge China to implement existing Security Council resolutions...and to work with us to make sure North Korea's behaviour and their deliberation change in a more productive and positive direction," Kim said. "North Korea continues to present growing threats to the region, to our allies and to ourselves. We will do everything possible to defend against that growing threat," he said. Paris (AFP) - America's response to the 9/11 attacks augmented rather than defeated the jihadist threat, with the consequences of the Iraq war now being felt in terror-scarred France, President Francois Hollande said Sunday. In a Facebook post commemorating the victims of the attacks Hollande echoed a famous front-page headline from Le Monde newspaper on the day after the suicide plane strikes. "Yes, on that day, we were all Americans," he wrote. But the Socialist leader, whose country has been rocked by a string of extremist attacks in the past year-and-a-half, was also fiercely critical of the US riposte. "The response that the American administration gave to these attacks... far from eradicating the threat, expanded it over a wider area. Namely to Iraq," he wrote. "And even though France, through (ex-president) Jacques Chirac, rightly refused to join the intervention (in Iraq) which it condemned, it has nonetheless been a victim of the consequences of the chaos it caused." Hollande's remarks were seen as a reference to the rise of the Islamic State group (IS) which was formed out of Al-Qaeda in Iraq. IS, which later expanded to Syria, has ordered or claimed several attacks in the West in the past year, particularly in France which it has declared a top target. The group ordered the November 2015 attacks in Paris which killed 130 people. It also claimed the truck massacre in Nice in July that claimed 86 lives as the work of one of its "soldiers". Hollande said every terror attack was like a re-enactment of 9/11, with its lot of "buried lives, broken destinies and grieving families". Declaring that democracy would triumph in the end, he called on people to "never give in to fear." Washington (AFP) - The United States and Russia, two former Cold War foes that have brokered a ceasefire deal for Syria, rely mostly on air raids in their separate military campaigns in the war-wracked country. Here are key points about how these two powers are trying to fulfill their military objectives in Syria, where a bloody civil war has raged since 2011. - Different military objectives - The Russians are backing President Bashar al-Assad's regime, saying they are fighting "terrorist" groups. But Moscow stands accused of actually bombing rebel groups fighting Assad beyond the Islamic State group and the Fateh al-Sham Front -- previously named Al-Nusra Front until it split with Al-Qaeda. With Russia's support, Damascus has gained ground against the rebels in western Syria. Government forces have also made gains against IS forces, including in Palmyra. US-led coalition forces are meanwhile seeking to help local groups regain territory seized by IS fighters. Until now, these local forces have mostly been Syrian Kurdish militias and their Arab allies. These militias have retaken large chunks of land in northeastern Syria. Coalition warplanes also backed an offensive by Turkey and Arab groups in late August to regain territory along the Turkish-Syrian border. - Russia's presence in Syria - The Russian military, which has actively backed Assad's regime since September 2015, has a physical foothold in the country, including a naval installation in the western port city of Tartus and Hmeimim Air Base, which houses the S-400 advanced surface-to-air missile system. Russian planes carry out air raids from Hmeimim, as well as from Russia. Moscow has also launched missile attacks from ships in the Caspian and Mediterranean Seas, via submarine and from planes taking off from Iran. There are also Russian forces on the ground, including special forces. In June, Russian lawmakers passed a measure that spoke of 25,000 Russian troops and civilians involved in Syria since Moscow's intervention began there. Story continues About two dozen Russian soldiers have been killed in Syria. - US launches attacks from outside Syria - The United States launches some of its attacks from Incirlik Air Base in neighboring Turkey, where it has stationed A-10 Warthog ground attack planes and Reaper drones. It also uses an aircraft carrier and air bases in Jordan and Gulf countries. Washington has deployed a wide variety of planes for its air campaign, from the F-16 fighter plane to the B-1 and B-52 bombers. - ...but also deploys special forces - Washington has deployed up to 300 Special Operations Forces in Syria, namely to advise the Arab-Kurd coalition of the Syrian Democratic Forces and to help guide coalition strikes. The CIA also has a clandestine program to assist rebel groups fighting the Assad regime, mostly providing weapons directly to the fighters or indirectly via allied countries. No US soldier has been killed so far in Syria since the start of the intervention. - US-Russian military communication - After the start of Russian strikes, the US and Russian militaries set up a communications channel to exchange information on their respective air operations. Washington is quick to point out the effort does not reflect cooperation of any kind. One key objective is to avoid crashes between their aircraft. - Russian strikes killing more civilians - The United States accuses Russia of using unguided bombs, which are more likely to result in civilian deaths, while the Americans use precision-guided munitions to avoid such tragedies. Toll counts by non-governmental groups show that Russian strikes have indeed been far deadlier for civilians than American ones. Russian air strikes have killed nearly 3,000 civilians in Syria since October 2015, according to Britain-based Airwars. That's a higher toll than that caused by the coalition in Iraq and Syria since August 2014 (1,600-2,400 civilian victims). A patient takes a blood glucose test during an event aimed to help people with diabetes to cope with their illness at Saint Luka diagnostics medical center in Sofia, November 13, 2012. REUTERS/Stoyan Nenov Alphabet's life sciences company Verily is making an even bigger bet on diabetes. It's teaming up with Sanofi, a pharmaceutical company it's partnered with in the past, to spin out a new joint venture, which will be called Onduo. The company, which will be based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, is tasked with finding ways to help people living with diabetes to help them better live with and treat the disease. It'll draw from Sanofi's experience making drugs to treat diabetes and Verily's experience in analytics, software, and miniaturized devices. The new company is the result of Verily's past partnership with Sanofi. Diabetes is a condition in which people have a hard time processing blood sugar. To start, Onduo will be focused on type 2 diabetes. In total, diabetes affects 371 million people worldwide, a number that's expected to increase to 552 million by 2030. But what Onduo settles on making to help this community is still up in the air, on purpose, Onduo's CEO Dr. Josh Riff told Business Insider. "Thats the beauty of it. ... We're not jumping to solutions because we're in a rush to get to market," Riff said. "We're taking a thoughtful approach to finding lasting solutions." That means in the end, they could end up creating a service, or building a piece of software, or some other combination of technology and medicine. "As we start to identify those, the thing thats really nice is we'll be able able in parallel to start creating those tools," Dr. Jessica Mega, chief medical officer at Verily told Business Insider. Before heading Onduo, Riff most recently worked for Optum, UnitedHealth Group's health services group, where he worked in prevention and well-being. Earlier on in his career an emergency room doctor, he saw firsthand what happens when diabetes gets out of control. Doing damage control, he said, is how he started to change his career to focus more on prevention so he could help people keep their conditions in check. Story continues Verily has its hands in a lot of projects. It has been developing glucose-monitoring contact lenses, and it makes silverware that makes it easier for people with hand tremors to eat. It's also partnered with some of the biggest names in pharma in everything from diabetes care to a surgical robot spin-out company as well as a bioelectronics company that that will develop ways to use electric signals to treat chronic illnesses. The plan with spinning out Onduo was to have an independent entity to start testing out the diabetes management solutions the company has in store. Right off the bat, Onduo will be partnering with two healthcare networks, Sutter Health and Allegheny Health Network, so that health care providers can start testing out the diabetes management platform Onduo creates. NOW WATCH: How to make it out of a free-falling elevator alive More From Business Insider PITTSBURGH (AP) -- Joey Votto is having one special finish to the season. So good even he isn't sure it can continue for much longer. Votto celebrated his 33rd birthday with four hits, including a home run, and the Cincinnati Reds beat the collapsing Pittsburgh Pirates 8-7 on Saturday night. Votto led off the ninth inning with his 23rd homer, a drive to right off Juan Nicasio that gave the Reds a two-run cushion. The 2010 NL MVP is hitting .427 in 51 games since the All-Star break and could become the first major leaguer to hit .400 in the second half since Ichiro Suzuki had a .429 average in 2004 with the Seattle Mariners. ''It's pretty unlikely,'' Votto said. ''We'll see. Just mathematically, it's very unlikely to hit .400 for such a long period.'' Reds manager Bryan Price, who was the Mariners' pitching coach in 2004, believes Votto can follow in Ichiro's footsteps. ''Joey is such a great hitter,'' Price said. ''He can hit the ball out of the ballpark, hit the ball all over the field and has such great plate discipline that he gets on base at a .430 clip. It's special when you see this kind of production over this period of time.'' The Pirates' flickering hopes of a fourth consecutive postseason berth took another hit as they dropped 5 1/2 games back of St. Louis for the second NL wild card with their 10th loss in 12 games. When asked if he would call a meeting in an effort to spark his team, manager Clint Hurdle gave a terse answer. ''The one thing I do is when I talk to guys, I don't tell you I talk to them,'' he said. Francisco Cervelli hit a two-out RBI single in the ninth for Pittsburgh, but Tony Cingrani held on for his 17th save. With runners on first and second, Jordy Mercer bounced into a fielder's choice for the final out. Brandon Phillips had three of Cincinnati's 15 hits, helping the Reds rally from an early 4-0 deficit for their second straight win following nine losses in 11 games. Tucker Barnhart drove in three runs. Story continues Phillips is hitting .365 (19 for 52) with four homers and 10 RBIs in 14 games against the Pirates this season. The Reds jumped in front with three runs in the fifth against rookie reliever Trevor Williams (1-1). Scott Schebler had a bases-loaded walk before Barnhart made it 7-4 with a two-run double. Jung Ho Kang's two-run homer off rookie starter Robert Stephenson gave the Pirates a 4-0 lead in the third inning. Kang finished with two hits and three RBIs. Pirates second baseman Josh Harrison left in the sixth inning after injuring his right groin while legging out a two-run double that got the Pirates within one at 7-6. He is 17 for 42 (.405) with six doubles during a 10-game hit streak. Josh Smith (3-1) got the win despite allowing two runs in 2 1/3 innings. Stephenson threw 43 pitches during a two-run first inning and made it through just three innings, getting tagged for four runs and five hits. Acquired in an Aug. 1 trade with Toronto and assigned to Triple-A Indianapolis, Drew Hutchison gave up four runs and eight hits in four innings in his Pirates debut. ''I liked the way guys pushed through,'' Price said. ''We're down 4-0. We're struggling to win games. We have to take a struggling starter out after three innings. Then here come the Reds with four runs to tie it, three runs to take the lead then the bullpen bent a little but got the job done.'' TRAINER'S ROOM Pirates: LF Starling Marte (back spasms) sat out for a fifth straight game and there is no timetable for his return. KUHL SET FOR RETURN Pirates right-hander Chad Kuhl will return to the rotation Thursday night and start at Philadelphia. The rookie was originally supposed to start Saturday but the Pirates decided to give him a break after working 134 1/3 innings between Pittsburgh and Indianapolis this season. UP NEXT Reds: LHP Brandon Finnegan (8-10, 4.17 ERA) will start Sunday in the finale of the four-game series. He is winless in his last three starts despite a 3.00 ERA in that span. Pirates: RHP Ryan Vogelsong (3-4, 4.07 ERA) has allowed a combined 10 runs in nine innings in his last two starts while going 0-1. New York (AFP) - Stan Wawrinka will summon the spirit of his epic Grand Slam battles with Novak Djokovic in a bid to sweep past the world number one and capture a first US Open title on Sunday. Wawrinka trails 19-4 in his career meetings with Djokovic, who is chasing a third New York crown and 13th major. But the 31-year-old Swiss has derailed the Serb before on the biggest stage. In 2014, Wawrinka won a five-set quarter-final on his way to a first Grand Slam crown at the Australian Open, beating Rafael Nadal in the final. Twelve months earlier in Melbourne there had been warning signs with Djokovic needing to grind out a 12-10 final set in the fourth round. Last year, Djokovic saw his hopes of completing a career Slam crushed in four sets by the Swiss in the French Open final. Even when the Serb has prevailed at the majors, it's often been on a knife-edge. When he defeated Wawrinka in the semi-finals of the 2013 US Open, he had to fight from two sets to one down. At the 2015 Australian Open, Djokovic needed another five sets to win their semi-final. "I think he's so good that he always find a way to be better. For sure he made me better," Wawrinka said. "The matchup has always been interesting to see because the way we are playing. I'm trying to be aggressive. I can play really hard. He is amazing defender." Djokovic, playing in his 21st major final and seeking a third Grand Slam title of 2016, is only too aware of the dangers posed by the Swiss to his bid to add to his 2011 and 2015 US Open titles. - 'Big stage player' - "He's a big match player. He loves to play on the big stage, against big players, because that's when he elevates his level of performance," said 29-year-old Djokovic. "He doesn't get too stressed by the big occasion. He's very powerful, big serve. Probably the best, most effective one-handed backhand in the world now. He can be very dangerous for everybody." Story continues Djokovic was left wondering what had hit him at Roland Garros in 2015. He had beaten Andy Murray and Nadal to get to the final but Wawrinka hadn't read the script, his 60 winners -- most fired off the backhand -- proving hammer blows to the Serb. Since that loss in Paris, however, it has virtually been business as usual. Djokovic went on to win a second US Open, a sixth Australian Open and first Roland Garros in June which finally allowed him to join the select club of career Grand Slam winners. His only blip was his third round loss to Sam Querrey at Wimbledon, an exit fuelled partially by unspecified personal issues. Despite his run to a seventh US Open final, it has not been plain sailing for Djokovic. He has needed regular treatment on his right shoulder while also requiring help with his left in the heat and crushing humidity of Friday's bizarre semi-final win against Gael Monfils. While Djokovic has enjoyed a walkover and two injury-forced retirements on his way to the final, Wawrinka had to save a match point against unheralded Dan Evans in the third round. He has also spent almost 18 hours on court while Djokovic has made the final after being in action for just over nine. However, the big Swiss has won his last 10 finals. The Swiss player, so often in the shadow of Roger Federer, has blossomed late in his career, winning the Australian title at 28. That made him the oldest first-time Slam winner since Goran Ivanisevic at Wimbledon in 2001. But history at the US Open may not favour Wawrinka on Sunday. Pete Sampras was the last player over-30 to win in New York and that was back in 2002. Elsewhere on Sunday, the women's doubles will be played featuring top-seeded French pair Caroline Garcia and Kristina Mladenovic against Bethanie Mattek-Sands of the United States and Lucie Safarova of the Czech Republic. TWIN FALLS Idaho Career & Technical Education and the Idaho Chamber Alliance have partnered for a statewide legislative tour. Events will showcase the success of last years funding requests, present requests for the upcoming legislative session, and talk about the future of career and technical education in Idaho. Tours of the food processing and diesel programs at the College of Southern Idaho are slated for 10-11:30 a.m. Sept. 20. The event will be hosted by the Twin Falls, Jerome and Mini-Cassia chambers of commerce. A session will follow from 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m. at CSIs Taylor Building. Last year, Idaho Career & Technical Education received $3.8 million in funding to expand 30 high-demand programs in health care, information technology, manufacturing and transportation. The programs had 100 percent job placement rates, as well as more than 850 students on waiting lists. The funding allowed ICTE to reduce the waiting lists by 48 percent, while increasing the number of potential graduates by 76 percent. This year, as a part of overall budget requests, ICTE is seeking $2.4 million to continue investment in high-demand programs to help alleviate Idahos growing skilled-labor shortage. Other proposals are for $1 million to fund the Industry Partnership Fund, and a 5 percent increase in secondary career and technical education program funding. Heres where you need to travel if you love Game of Thrones Heres where you need to travel if you love Game of Thrones Just because you have to wait till summer 2017 for Game of Thrones to return doesnt mean you cant plan a Westeros-inspired vacation in the meantime. Mashable shared a list of five of the best locations to channel your inner great house based on set locations and overall ambiance, and we have to say theyre pretty incredible. Time to start saving our pennies and packing our bags! House Martell First on the list is Seville, Spain, a locale that like House Martells is known for its dedication to the pursuit of pleasure, so prepare yourself for a sensuous trip intended to beguile the senses, Mashable writes. Wine, fine dining and dancing is a major part of the culture there, reminiscent of lavish Martell feasts. Count us in. seville House Targaryen For those who have an affinity for dragons, head to Morocco for an ample mix of beautiful beaches and scorching deserts (though, sadly, no real dragons). Game of Thrones filmed parts of season 3 in Morocco for scenes from Slavers Bay specifically, but there is plenty more to discover in the city that harkens back to the world of Westeros. Check out one of its many marketplaces, including the Western Market, filled with global goods. morocco House Lannister Youre the type who always pay your debts? Consider Dubrovnik, Croatia, and saunter along the Mediterranean backdrop where many Kings Landing shots are filmed. Simply soaking in the beautiful rocky coastline and the sea is enough to really channel your inner Lannister. Aerial view of the Old City of Dubrovnik, Dalmatia House Stark If you love wolves and Winterfell, Mashable suggests going to Northern Ireland for its rugged natural beauty. The production headquarters for Game of Thrones is also located at Paint Hall studios in Belfast, so you can really live vicarious through the characters here. Especially because you can take a Winterfell Tour that offers Game of Thrones cosplay ~and~ archery practice. Tres Stark. Story continues castle You kneel to no man (aka youre a Wildling/Free Folk) For those who love freedom and dont mid cold, head to Iceland for a dose of the freezing temperatures of the North. Mashable suggests taking a glacier walk on Glacier Svinafellsjokull, which is used as a backdrop in the show, before hitting a natural hot spring to warm up (a la Jon Snow and Ygritte, if you know what were saying). glacier Happy travels! The post Heres where you need to travel if you love Game of Thrones appeared first on HelloGiggles. Washington (AFP) - The woman dramatically kissed by a sailor celebrating the end of World War II in an iconic photograph seen around the world has died, according to The New York Times. She was 92. Greta Zimmer Friedman passed away from pneumonia, her son Joshua Friedman told the paper. Then a 21-year-old dental assistant, Friedman was grabbed and kissed by an elated sailor in New York's Times Square on August 14, 1945 as news spread that Japan had surrendered and WWII would end. Photographer Alfred Eisenstaedt shot the iconic image, which would endure as a defining 20th century American photograph after it ran as a full page in Life magazine. The 2012 book "The Kissing Sailor: The Mystery Behind the Photo That Ended World War II" published by the Naval Institute Press identified the pair as Friedman and George Mendonsa. Though their passionate embrace might indicate otherwise, Friedman and Mendonsa did not know each other and never had a romantic relationship. In fact, the sailor's future wife, Rita Mendonsa, can be seen grinning above his shoulder in the photograph. In a 2005 interview archived by the Veterans History Project, Friedman said she had never seen the image until the 1960s when she looked at a book of Eisenstaedt photography. "I'm not sure about the kiss... it was just somebody celebrating," Friedman recalled in that interview. "It wasn't a romantic event. It was just an event of 'thank God the war is over.'" Miami (AFP) - In a bid to stop the killing of elephants for their tusks, world governments voted at a major conservation conference to urge the closure of all domestic ivory markets. After fierce debate -- including opposition from governments like Namibia and Japan -- the motion was adopted on the final day of the International Union for Conservation of Nature World Conservation Congress, a 10-day meeting that drew 9,000 people to Honolulu, Hawaii this month. "Today's vote by IUCN members is the first time that a major international body has called on every country in the world to close its legal markets for elephant ivory," said Andrew Wetzler, deputy chief program officer at the Natural Resources Defense Council. "It's truly a landmark moment, and a victory for elephants that will hopefully be repeated later this month at the next meeting of Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) in Johannesburg." Although the motion is non-binding, it "urges the governments of countries with domestic ivory markets to take all necessary legislative and regulatory efforts to close them," according to the IUCN. Experts say that domestic ivory markets help fuel poaching by allowing traffickers a cover for their illegal imports and exports. The United States and China, among the biggest consumers of ivory, have already agreed to enact near-total bans on their domestic markets. At the IUCN meeting, Japan and Namibia -- which also have thriving domestic ivory markets -- sought to soften the language of the motion by making 20 different amendments, but those efforts were rejected. "The global conservation community is stepping up," said Wildlife Conservation Society President and CEO Cristian Samper. "No more domestic ivory sales. Elephants have had enough of the ivory trade and so has the world." - Poaching persists - CITES banned the international commercial trade in African elephant ivory in 1989. Story continues But illegal poaching of endangered elephants for their tusks persists at dangerous levels, according to research released at the start of the September 1-10 conference, the largest of its kind in the conservation community. Savanna elephants have declined at a rate of 27,000 -- or eight percent -- per year, with a total of 144,000 lost in less than a decade, said the findings. Poaching hotspots identified include Angola, Mozambique and Tanzania, where "staggering population declines" were found, said the study funded by Microsoft co-founder and billionaire philanthropist Paul Allen. Other populations face "local extinction" in northeast Democratic Republic of Congo, northern Cameroon and southwest Zambia. Wildlife groups hailed the IUCN move and called for more action at the CITES talks in Johannesburg later this month. "There, we remain hopeful the delegates will be emboldened by the IUCN vote to adopt a resolution submitted by African governments that also calls for closure of domestic ivory markets," said Samper. "The shutting down of domestic ivory markets will send a clear signal to traffickers and organized criminal syndicates that ivory is worthless and will no longer support their criminal activities causing security problems in local communities and wiping out wildlife." A man looks around Tesla Motors' Model S P85 at its showroom in Beijing January 29, 2014. REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon/File Photo (Reuters) By Alexandria Sage and David Shepardson SAN FRANCISCO/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Tesla Motors Co Chief Executive Elon Musk said on Sunday the automaker was updating its semi-autonomous driving system Autopilot with new limits on hands-off driving and other improvements that likely would have prevented a fatality in May. Musk said the update, which will be available within a week or two through an "over-the-air" software update, would rely foremost on radar to give Tesla's electric luxury cars a better sense of what is around them and when to brake. New restrictions of Autopilot 8.0 are a nod to widespread concerns that the system lulled users into a false sense of security through its "hands-off" driving capability. The updated system now will temporarily prevent drivers from using the system if they do not respond to audible warnings to take back control of the car. "We're making much more effective use of radar," Musk told journalists on a phone call. "It will be a dramatic improvement in the safety of the system done entirely through software." Tesla's Autopilot, introduced in October, has been the focus of intense scrutiny since it was revealed in July that a Tesla Model S driver, Joshua Brown, was killed while using the technology in a May 7 collision with a truck in Florida. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has been investigating Tesla's Autopilot system since June because of the fatal accident. The agency had been briefed on the changes by Tesla and would review them, spokesman Bryan Thomas said. He declined to offer an update on the Tesla investigation. Musk said it was "very likely" the improved Autopilot would have prevented the death of Brown, whose car sped into the trailer of a truck crossing a highway, but he cautioned that the update "doesn't mean perfect safety." "PROBABILITY OF SAFETY" "Perfect safety is really an impossible goal," Musk said. "It's about improving the probability of safety. There won't ever be zero fatalities, there won't ever be zero injuries." Story continues One of the main challenges of using cameras and radars for a braking system is how to prevent so-called false positives, in which a car might think an overhead highway sign, for example, was an obstacle to be avoided. Using radar and fleet learning, rather than relying primarily on cameras, would solve that problem, Musk said. "Anything metallic or dense, the radar system we're confident will be able to detect that and initiate a braking event," he said. Silicon Valley-based Tesla is known for its innovation in luxury electric vehicles but some critics, including rival carmakers, have said it was hasty in rolling out Autopilot. Tesla stood by Autopilot after the fatality. The revised system will sound warnings if drivers take their hands off the wheel for more than a minute at speeds above 45 miles per hour (72 kph) when there is no vehicle ahead, Musk said. The warning will sound after the drivers hands are off the wheel for more than three minutes when the Tesla is following another car at speeds above 45 mph. The dashboard also will flash a pulsing light. If the driver ignores three audible warnings in an hour, the system will temporarily shut off until it is parked, Musk said. Advanced Autopilot users, rather than new users, were most likely to ignore warnings to put their hands back on the wheel, Musk said. Besides the fallout from the fatality, Musk has had to prepare for the Model 3 mass-market vehicle due late next year and completion of its Nevada battery factory, while trying to sell skeptical investors on the merits of a proposed acquisition of SolarCity. On Sept. 1, SpaceX, where Musk serves as CEO, sustained what he later called "the most difficult and complex failure" in the commercial space company's history when a Falcon 9 rocket exploded on its launch pad in Cape Canaveral, Florida. "One of the worst weeks ever, really," he told reporters. Musk said he had wanted to improve Autopilot's capabilities last year but was told it was impossible to do so without incurring more "false positives," such as a car braking suddenly for a harmless tin can. In July tweeted publicly that he was encouraged by talks with supplier Bosch [ROBG.UL] about improvements to radar. "I wish we could have done it earlier," he said on Sunday. "The perfect is the enemy of the good." (Writing By Alexandria Sage; Editing by Bill Trott) The 2016 Glitz Style Awards took place at the Movenpick Ambassador hotel in Accra on Saturday night, and as the name of the awards suggests, there was a massive influx of top notch style from various celebrities from Ghana and Nigeria. Former First Lady Nana Konadu Agyemang Rawlings was at the event in her signature 'kaba and slit' with a touch of yellow. READ ALSO: Latest News from GHANAWEB - Read Now on YEN.COM.GH Madam Joyce Aryee was also present and even received the Fashion Icon of The Year Award. Other celebrities present were KOD, Joselyn Dumas, MsVee, Becca, Nikki Samonas, Berla Mundi, Efya and a host of others. Check out the full list of winners at the 2016 Glitz Style Awards below and photos from the red carpet. READ ALSO: ADOM FM | Listen Free Internet Radio Online Most Stylish TV presenter- Berla Mundi Fashion Icon Of The Year- Dr Joyce Aryee Best individual style- M.anifest Model of the year- Victoria Michaels Stylist of the year- Kelvin Vincent Fashion photographer of the year- Gilbert Asante READ ALSO: ACCRA FM | Listen Free Internet Radio Online Fashion blogger of the year- Afua Rida Most stylish business executive- Nathan Kwabena Adisi aka Bola Ray Emerging designer of the year- PAON Red Carpet Designer of the year Sima Brew Best dressed celebrity on the Red carpet -Nana Akua Addo Most Stylish Radio Personality Berla Mundi Most stylish music artiste of the year- Efya Most stylish Movie Star of the year- Zynnell Zuh Designer of the year- Charlotte Prive READ ALSO: Peace FM: Listen Online Here The other celebs who were preset at the show were: Yvonne Nelson Sandra Ankobiah Nikki Samonas Adina Thembi Stephanie Karikari Sika Osei Hayet Rida MzVee Joselyn Dumas Mai Atafo and Waje Van Vicker and wife Vanessa Gyan Toosweet Annan and Samira Adams Nathaniel Attoh and Lexis Bill KOD and Akuma MamaZimbi Abrantie Becca Anita Erskine What do you think of the celebrities and their outfits? Source: YEN.com.gh McCain has a new ad abandoning Trump and promising the same old Republican Establishment obstruction we've had for the last eight years. We need a Senator who will work with the President, not obstruct solutions our country needs. Here's the slogan from McCain's ad: "My opponent, Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick, is a good person, John McCain says in a glossy new campaign video. But, if Hillary Clinton is elected president, Arizona will need a senator who will act as a check, not a rubber stamp, to the White House. Meanwhile, his operatives deliver a bullet-ridden "wanted" poster to Kirkpatrick's campaign office. Dirty Tricks and a worthless Congress. That's what McCain really promises. Time for a new Senator from Arizona. Vote Kirkpatrick. ANN HEITLAND Flagstaff TWIN FALLS Todd Phillips used to ask his students where they were on Sept. 11, 2001. But this year, the lesson hes planning for Monday at Twin Falls High School will be different. Thats because most of the freshmen in his world history class werent born yet or were only infants in 2001. Their knowledge of the terrorist attacks, which killed more than 3,000 Americans, is rooted in what theyve learned in school rather than personal experience. Sunday marks the 15th anniversary of the attacks on the World Trade Center in New York City and the Pentagon near Washington, D.C. Phillips plans to ask students where their parents were when the attacks happened. And hell show three 9/11 tribute videos on YouTube. For many of his freshman students, their knowledge of the attacks is planes hit buildings and thats about it, he said. One of his students, 15-year-old Brisa Laris, has heard stories about 9/11 from her older siblings, who were in school at the time. She also learned how airport security has changed since 2001. But for her, that level of security is all she has ever known. At North Valley Academy in Gooding, art and keyboarding teacher Katie Klamm and science teacher Witold Ferens led a high school freshman advisory class Friday. Students worked in groups of three or four, using markers to create silhouette drawings of the Twin Towers. The terrorist attacks are a topic of discussion every year at the school. We talk about it every time 9/11 comes around, said Michael Ervin, 14. North Valley Academy, which opened in 2008, focuses on creating patriotic and educated leaders. Students learn about 9/11 in ways such as watching videos, and interviewing their parents and teachers about their memories of that day. We try to have them focus on the facts of what really happened, Klamm said, and the importance of seeking out multiple sources of information instead of relying on what one person tells them. Klamm, who has worked at the school for six years, said her students used to have vague memories of 9/11, such as their parents crying. The kids would say they barely remember it. Now, she has students who werent alive in 2001. The events of 9/11 arent as personal to them and they dont have the same emotional response, Klamm said. Its like history to us, said freshman Cory Webb Glauner, 14. He said he feels knowledgeable about 9/11, as much as an outsider can. On Friday, Ferens read excerpts of text about 9/11 to high school freshmen. One piece was written by a 21-year-old woman recalling her experiences on Sept. 11, 2001 as a sixth-grade student at a school just a few blocks from the World Trade Center. The woman writes she had no concept at the time of what terrorism was. Before he began reading, Ferens told students 9/11 had a profound impact on his life. I remember that day fairly well. Sept. 11, 2001 shattered Americans sense of security, Ferens told students, explaining that emergency responders and workers at the World Trade Center were killed when buildings collapsed. Others sustained severe injuries and post-traumatic stress. At Lighthouse Christian School in Twin Falls, teacher David Bashore led his freshman social studies class in a discussion Thursday about 9/11. He asked his 25 students, How many of you were even alive? Only nine teenagers raised their hand. Bashore told students to follow a writing prompt: Write what you know about the events of Sept. 11, 2001. After they finished writing, 14-year-old Alicia Easterday told classmates she went to the California State Fair with her cousins and visited a 9/11 memorial. It was shocking, she said. It was really humbling at the same time. Its one thing to read about an event in history, Bashore told students, but a first-hand experience has more impact. Who knows some information about the events themselves? Bashore asked. Students raised their hands to share what they know, including that terrorists hijacked commercial flights and crashed planes into the World Trade Center and Pentagon. One student said a fourth plane was possibly heading for the White House, but crashed in Pennsylvania. Bashore told the class about his memories of 9/11 as a college student in California. Side chatter among students came to a stop and the room was quiet. He asked students who was responsible for the attack. One boy responded, bin Laden. What group did he lead? Bashore asked. ISIS, one student responded. No, another student corrected. al-Qaeda. Bashore asked students why al-Qaeda attacked the U.S. They wanted to put the fear in us, said 15-year-old Grant Wolverton. Beyond the textbook explanation of 9/11, there are some conspiracy theories, Bashore told students. The reason were talking about these things is that theyre out there. One girl asked if the hijacked planes had a lot of non-terrorists on board. Yes, Bashore responded they were full passenger planes. Bashore told students many airport security measures such as taking off your shoes, showing a ticket and identification to get through a security checkpoint, and having a limit on liquids and gels in carry-on baggage are a result of 9/11. Back at Twin Falls High School, Phillips who teaches world history for freshmen and U.S. history for juniors said he wants students to make a personal connection with 9/11. Many Americans remember where they were that day, Phillips said. He compared it to Americans experiences with the Pearl Harbor attack in 1941 and President John F. Kennedys assassination in 1963. Phillips also wants students to know they may encounter a coworker or college roommate in the future who grew up without a parent as a result of what happened Sept. 11, 2001. RUPERT The American B-17 bomber nicknamed Spook was flying a mission Feb. 16, 1943, when it broke formation to assist another aircraft. On board the bomber that day was Tech Sgt. Harry W. Tucker, a 37-year-old engineer and top-turret gunner who was born in Arkansas but who married an Idaho girl and would later settle down on some farmland north of Rupert. As Spook descended to help the other aircraft, German fighter planes attacked, downing the American bomber in the icy waters of the English Channel. Tucker was one of only three men to survive the crash, which was just the beginning of a nightmarish road hed soon endure. He and his surviving crewmates spent more than 14 hours freezing in a life raft before they washed up on shore in France. A French family gave them coffee, bread and blankets, but told them they couldnt stay because the area was crawling with German soldiers. Upon leaving the French familys home, they were promptly captured by German troops. Tucker and his crewmates were taken to a jail in Paris, then transferred to a war prison in Frankfurt, Germany. In total, Tucker spent 2 years as a prisoner of war. Upon returning home, Tucker and his wife, whom he met while training in Boise, lived several years in Arkansas before finally settling about 1954 on a homestead north of Rupert. Tucker was honored Saturday at the ninth Annual Rupert POW MIA Ceremony put on by the Rupert Veterans Memorial, the local chapter of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the city of Rupert. Tucker died in 1978, but his youngest daughter, Judy Dennis, of Rupert, accepted a plaque alongside her husband in her fathers honor. I have no words, Dennis said after Saturdays ceremony. It was awesome. Her father never spoke much about his experience as a POW, Dennis said, but one of his crewmates recounted his experiences in The Clarion-Ledger last Veterans Day. Philip Cascio, who was 17 years younger than Tucker when they were taken prisoner, told the newspaper he and Tucker saved each others lives on more than one occasion after they were shot down. Cascio and Tucker were both Southern born Cascio was from Mississippi and the younger man said they were together for all 2 years of their captivity. He did (talk about the experience) to my sisters a little bit, Dennis said. But he was not real comfortable talking about it. Dennis, whose sisters Sandi Tucker Stevenson and Norma Tucker live in Meridian, said Saturdays ceremony was extremely emotional. Kelly Anthon, the state senator from Mini-Cassia, choked up several times as he addressed the crowd of about 200 people that gathered in the Rupert Square. Anthon asked the crowd not just to remember Tucker and other POWS, but also the more than 80,000 American troops who are still missing in action. On the podium next to Anthon was a table set with a white cloth, candle and empty chair to honor POWs and those who are missing in action. Another speaker explained the significance of it all. The white table cloth represented the purity of intent of the soldiers; the red rose represented the blood they spilled for their country; a lemon on the plate represented the bitter fate of a POW-MIA; an overturned glass represented the toast a missing soldier is unable to give; a candle represented the eternal hope that the soldier would one day return home. As the ceremony ended, a firing squad from the American Legion performed a 21-gun salute and then a bugle player played Taps. JUNIPER A Texas man was flown to a Pocatello hospital after crashing his motorcycle Saturday morning on Interstate 84 in Cassia County. Michael McKennedy, 68, of Denton, Texas, was driving a 2013 BMW motorcycle eastbound on I-84 towards the Utah border when he lost control, drove into the median, rolled the motorcycle and was thrown off, Idaho State Police said in a statement. The crash happened about 9:30 a.m. near mile post 252, about 17 miles northwest of the Utah border. McKennedy was wearing a helmet and was taken by air ambulance to Portneuf Medical Center in Pocatello, ISP said. The left lane of eastbound I-84 was blocked for about an hour and 15 minutes. TWIN FALLS Job seekers will have an opportunity to meet with 37 employers Wednesday at the 2016 Fall Southern Idaho Career & Job Expo. The Times-News and Monster.com will host the event from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Canyon Crest Dining & Event Center, 330 Canyon Crest Drive. Employers will set up at tables around the room, ready to take resumes and talk to applicants. All of them are definitely looking for multiple positions, Times-News Marketing and Events Director Michelle Campbell said. Oasis Stop N Go, a new sponsor for the event, is hiring for a variety of positions, about half of which are for its new store on Kimberly Road opening in November. Were looking for about 20 individuals right now, CEO Troy Willie said Friday. Attendees can enter to win a $100 gas card from Oasis Stop N Go. Other sponsors include Clif Bar, WillTran, PSI Waste Connections, Town Square Media and Jerome Cheese. In the past, the event has brought an estimated 750 job seekers. All 37 employers are in the Magic Valley. Its really a win-win for both the employer and the employee, Willie said. Find the event on Facebook to get updated information, or email employ@magicvalley.com. Come ready to interview and bring your resume, Campbell said. WASHINGTON The one great service of Donald Trumps extended peregrinations on immigration policy is to have demonstrated how, in the end, theres only one place to go. You can rail for a year about the squishy soft, weak-kneed and stupid politicians who have opened our borders to the wretched refuse of Mexico. You can promise to round them up the refuse, that is, not the politicians (theyre next) and deport them. And that may win you a plurality of Republican primary votes. But eventually you have to let it go. For all his incendiary language and clanging contradictions, Trump did exactly that in Phoenix on Wednesday. His deportation task force will be hunting ... criminal aliens. Isnt that the enforcement priority of President Obama, heretofore excoriated as the ultimate immigration patsy? And what happens to the noncriminal illegal immigrants? On that, Trump punted. Their appropriate disposition will be considered in several years when we have ended illegal immigration for good. Everyone knows what that means: One way or another, they will be allowed to stay. Trumps retreat points the way to the only serious solution: enforcement plus legalization. The required enforcement measures are well known from a national E-Verify system that makes it just about impossible to work if you are here illegally, to intensified border patrol and high-tech tracking. The one provision that, thanks to Trump, gets the most attention is a border wall. Its hard to understand the opposition. Its the most venerable and reliable way to keep people out. The triple fence outside San Diego led to a 90 percent reduction in infiltration. Israels border fence with the West Bank has produced a similar decline in terror attacks into Israel. The main objection is symbolic. Walls, we are told, denote prisons. But only if they are built to keep people in, not if they are for keeping outsiders out. City walls, going back to Jericho, are there for protection. Even holier-than-thou Europeans have conceded the point as one country after another Hungary, Macedonia, Bulgaria, Austria, Greece, Spain, why even Norway has started building border fences to stem the tide of Middle Eastern refugees. The other part of the immigration bargain is legalization. What do you do with the 11 million already here? In theory, you could do nothing. The problem ultimately solves itself as the generation of the desert those who crossed the border originally is eventually replaced by its American-born children who are automatically legal and landed. But formal legalization is a political necessity. It gets buy-in from Democrats who for whatever reason self-styled humanitarianism or bare-knuckled partisanship have no interest in real border enforcement. Legalization is the quid pro quo. If they want to bring the immigrants out of the shadows, they must endorse serious enforcement. Such a grand bargain could and would command a vast national consensus. The American public will accept todays illegal immigrants if it is convinced that this will be the last such cohort. This was the premise of the 1986 Reagan amnesty. It legalized almost 3 million immigrants. Because it never enforced the border, however, three has become 11. And thats why the Gang of Eight failed. They too got the sequencing wrong. The left insisted on legalization first. The Gangs Republicans ultimately acquiesced because they figured, correctly, this was the best deal they could get in an era of Democratic control. The problem is that legalization is essentially irreversible and would have gone into effect on Day One. Enforcement was a mere promise. Hence the emerging Republican consensus, now that Trump has abandoned mass deportation: a heavy and detailed concentration on enforcement, leaving the question of what happens to those already here either unspoken (Trump on Wednesday) or to be treated case by case (Trump last week). The Trump detour into and retreat from deportation has proved salutary. Even the blustering tough guy had to dismiss it with were not looking to hurt people. The ultimate national consensus, however, lies one step further down the road. Why leave legalization for some future discussion? Get it done. Once the river of illegal immigration has been demonstrably and securely reduced to a trickle, the country will readily exercise its natural magnanimity and legalize. So why not agree now? Say it and sign it. To get, you have to give. Thats the art of the deal, is it not? This appeared in Sundays Washington Post. North Koreas fifth nuclear test, on Friday, its largest yet, prompted South Koreas president to describe North Koreas ruler, Kim Jong Un, as spiraling out of control. Theres a basis for that: In defiance of mounting international sanctions, the Kim regime has now staged two nuclear tests in nine months, along with a steady stream of illegal missile launches. Kim seems to be firmly in control over his country and overseeing a breakneck drive to develop a nuclear arsenal capable of directly threatening the United States. Pyongyang claimed the latest test confirmed its ability to produce miniaturized warheads capable of fitting on a missilelike the intermediate-range rockets North Korea has been testing. The last launch, just over two weeks ago, came from a submarine. As it has frequently said publicly, the regime now aims to be recognized as a nuclear power and to acquire the ability to deter not just South Korea and Japan, but also the United States. President Barack Obama reiterated Friday that the United States does not, and never will, accept North Korea as a nuclear state. But Obama has failed to take the North Korean buildup seriously enough. For years, his administration pursued a policy of strategic patience, which mostly consisted of ignoring North Korea while mildly cajoling China to put more pressure on the regime. In February, Obama signed into law a bill pushed by congressional Republicans that gave him broad new powers to sanction North Korea and cut off its economic lifelines. The next month, the United Nations Security Council unanimously passed a resolution imposing new sanctions on the regime, including limits on its trade. However, China has not aggressively implemented the U.N. sanctionsand Obama has not used the powers Congress gave him. As The Posts Anna Fifield recently reported, customs data shows that Chinas trade with North Korea in June was almost 10 percent higher than the previous year, in spite of the sanctions. Though the White House has issued executive orders sanctioning Kim and other senior leaders, congressional leaders point out that it has yet to penalize any Chinese companies or banks for continuing to do business with the regime. The latest test will prompt some in the West to argue that the sanctions strategy isnt workingwhich is exactly what the Kim regime (and China) wants. In fact, as the Iran nuclear diplomacy shows, sanctions can get results, but only if they are very tough and sustained over several years. Thats the strategy that Obama, and the president who succeeds him, need to embrace. Special To The Washington Post In the frequently contentious debate over Ground Zero, the Vesey Street stairs generated an especially heated conflict. For hundreds of workers who managed to escape the World Trade Center complex on Sept. 11, 2001, the two flights of stairs were a cherished symbol. The stairs had led them from the sites elevated plaza, away from the collapsing buildings and falling debris, to the relative safety of the streets beyond. In the words of one survivor, They were the path to freedom. For preservationists, the stairs were also important artifacts: the last above-ground remnants of the World Trade Center. [They] will be the most dramatic original piece of the site that will have meaning to generations to come, Richard Moe, then president of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, said in 2006, when the group petitioned for the stairs to be kept in place. Yet for developers and some neighborhood groups, the stairs were an eyesoredamaged not in the attack but in the subsequent cleanupthat were impeding construction of a planned commercial tower and, with it, the revitalization of Lower Manhattan. To the extent that this is going to delay rebuilding the World Trade Center site, I think New Yorkers have had enough, John Dellaportas, chairman of the West Street Coalition, a neighborhood group, said five years after the attack . Only after months of fighting did officials, preservationists and survivors reach an agreement. The 38 steps of the survivors stairs were separated from the concrete structure supporting them and moved to the underground National September 11 Memorial Museum. Meanwhile, 2 World Trade Center was allowed to go forward unencumbered by emotion-laden symbolism. Today it is a skyscraper in progress, and the developer is looking for an anchor tenant. (News Corp. and 21st Century Fox had signed a lease but pulled out in January.) Again and again during the past 15 years, the same questions have arisen at Ground Zero: How do you resolve the tension between a mandate to remember and a mandate to revive? How do you memorialize, while at the same time creating a space where people want to work and live and visit? Those twin mandates have compelled continuous accommodation. As a result, the memorial at the Trade Center site is distinctly different from those commemorating the losses at the Pentagon and in Shanksville, Pa., where remembrance is the sole focus. And the revitalization of Lower Manhattan is different than any development project the city, and quite possibly the country, has ever seen. Gov. George Pataki helped determine the contours of the New York memorial with his unexpected declaration, in June 2002, that we will never build where the towers stood. Pataki also strongly endorsed the commercial mandate to rebuild 10 million square feet of office space and replace the high-grossing retail mall at the original World Trade Center. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, as owner of the land, and Larry Silverstein and his investment partnership, as holders of a 99-year lease on the site, were insistent on the full restoration of lost office space. The Lower Manhattan business community wanted the same. But exactly where commercial development should take place, and what should be considered hallowed ground, proved difficult to settle. Even once the idea took hold that the footprints of the twin towers should be preserved, there was disagreement on how to define the footprints and what preserving them meant. For example, the first set of plans prepared by the Port Authority proposed putting bus garages (necessary to accommodate the millions of people expected to visit the memorial each year) underground in the vicinity of where the towers used to be. But that proved to be untenable. Although the towers had been built on a concrete slab, many family members objected to any non-memorial construction below ground level, all the way down to bedrock. The distinction between the symbolic and the literal did not hold meaning, especially for families who never received the remains of those they lost on 9/11. (Some 1,115 victims were never found, and a repository containing 7,930 unidentified bone fragments and other remains is maintained by the citys chief medical examiner within the 9/11 museum.) Ultimately, officials expanded the area for rebuilding by acquiring two blocks south of the Trade Center. This accommodated the Port Authoritys infrastructure and satisfied family members. A jury selected the memorial design by architect Michael Arad and landscape architect Peter Walker for its powerful, yet simple articulation of the footprints of the Twin Towers. Opened to the public on the 10th anniversary of the attacks, the memorial features two voids that borrow their dimensions from the destroyed towers. Each void is framed by walls of water that cascade into pools 30 feet below street level, vanishing into nowhere, seemingly never to fill up. Bronze panels contain the names of those killed on Sept. 11, 2001, and in the first World Trade Center attack, on Feb. 26, 1993. The starkness is softened by a grove of 400 swamp white oak trees. The companion museum, completed in 2014 , is beneath the memorial plaza. The commitment to the towers footprints presented planners with another sensitive issue: how to balance retail and reverence. Shops could not be too close to the footprints, too close to commemoration. The original master plan separated them by siting the memorial 30 feet below ground and incorporating buffer elements: cultural buildings on the north and east sides. However, when the memorial was elevated to ground level, these elements disappeared. Today, the pavilion entrance to the museum, situated between the two pools, helps in the separation. But at ground level, the visual connection between remembrance and commerce remains. Below ground, these two abut, but none of the commercial spaces have access to or visibility from the museum. The tension inherent in the dual mandate flared once again with the opening of the museums gift shop, which the father of one victim called crass commercialism on a literally sacred site. Another issue that has exposed tensions is culture. With the idea that Ground Zero should be a living memorial, planners intended spaces for the arts to help infuse the redevelopment with energy and life. But a small subset of 9/11 family members resisted anything that might interfere with the memorialization of their loved ones. The arts spaces were competitionfor public attention, donations, size and pride of place at Ground Zero. And so the families sought to disrupt the planned selection of cultural groups and successfully petitioned to reduce the scale of cultural buildings. The victims families, with their unassailable emotional claim, commanded singular standing whenever they put forth deeply felt desires for specific forms of remembrance or objections to specific plans for Ground Zero. They were a political constituency, and it was very hard for any politician to push against their opposition. But once most issues relating to remembrance were settled, and the focus shifted to commercial arrangements, the power of the activist families dissipated. Since 2011, a new place has been materializing, a place that balances remembrance of the past with optimism for the future. The many goals officials and development executives set out to achieve have been settling into place. One World Trade Center anchors the skyline of Lower Manhattan, and two other commercial towers have been attracting tenants. The World Trade Center transportation hub, with its distinctive, avian-like Oculus structure, is now populated with retail stores. The eight-acre memorial quadrant, with its 400 trees, is becoming more of a park day by dayNew Yorkers who are used to small, tight spaces are reveling in its openness. The business community downtown has been cheering the long-sought-after growth that promises to accompany the thousands of new office workers, tourists and residents. Rebuilding Ground Zero, a place made sacred through tragic loss, as the memorials president has said, has been a perilous but essential ambition. Remembrance without rebuilding would have constituted only partial healing of the wound to New York and the nation left by the 9/11 attacks. Only the dual achievement would constitute success in the eyes of New Yorkers, the nation and the world. That New York succeeded by the 15th anniversary of 9/11, despite a process beset by passionate controversies, political disputes, personal animosities, sensitive preservation issues, broken deadlines, intense debates about developer subsidies and quarrelsome cost overruns, has surprised many who doubted that the years of chaos could yield anything of lasting value. It is no longer Ground Zero, though the moniker for the Trade Center site is hard to let go. The Flagstaff Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) Meeting has come to the conviction that the environmental challenges facing the Earth community are spiritual at their root. This means that Friends are called to enter into right relationship with Earth and the community of life it supports. At Flagstaff Friends Meeting, this has led us to support unequivocally the proposed Greater Grand Canyon Heritage National Monument, an area that is intimately and critically connected with the well-being of Grand Canyon National Park as well as the health of local communities and local economies and surrounding landscape. Permanently protecting the Greater Grand Canyon region as a national monument will safeguard recreation opportunities, the economic potential, and the natural beauty of this amazing place. National monument designation will preserve archaeological sites, prevent damage from uranium mining and conserve rare old-growth forests, while respecting existing uses and access. Besides contamination of groundwater sources, the Flagstaff community should be particularly concerned about the transport of uranium ore through our city, the reservation and outlying areas in trucks only covered with tarps and conducive to the spreading of uranium along the route to processing in Utah. We must use our intelligence, physical bodies, and spiritual inspiration to protect and enhance this planet and all beings that exist now, in the past and in the future. We urge you to contact President Obama supporting the formation of the Greater Grand Canyon Heritage National Monument. KAY BORDWELL Flagstaff I'd guess that many of us like old toys. As a boy I had a wind-up tin submarine that dove and surfaced, and a few years ago I saw one just like it in the window of an antique store, making me, of course, an antique. Here's a poem by Elise Hempel of Illinois, from "Able Muse: A Review of Poetry, Prose & Art." Her newest book, "Second Rain," will be out in spring 2016 from Able Muse Press. The Jockey Atop his exhausted buggy with its rusted wheels and now-stuck key, one boot missing, a faded jersey, the bill of his cap cracked off, he sits *** behind a nicked brown horse that once flicked its tail, clattered around planked floor or rug when the buggy was wound after school by children who've since *** fallen behind him, white-haired or gone, as he still waves the flopping spring of his crop, still stares through dimming goggles, gathering gray ribbons *** of dust in his silent, frozen race down an ever-unfurling track, hunched to win, leaving far back all claps and laughter, his once-smooth face *** scarred and pitted, just the white fleck of a smile now, more a sneer, his empty fists on the reins of air still holding tight. Montanas prisons and jails are over capacity. What changes in statute and/or funding at the state level if any do you think are necessary? If no changes, why not? A significantly large number of individuals in our prisons and jails are incarcerated due to mental health issues. Although the Legislature made significant progress with mental health funding in 2015, Montana must work at providing treatment for individuals with mental health issues rather than putting them in jail or prison where the mental health problems are likely to intensify. The Legislature must also address sentencing guidelines for nonviolent offenders. Montana has too many individuals serving long term sentences for these types of crimes. Judges and the Department of Corrections must have more flexibility in sentencing and state supervision requirements. Has the Montana Fish and Wildlife Commission adequately guided the states hunting fishing concerns, or does the Legislature need to give the Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks more specific direction regarding topics such as land acquisition, wildlife management, predator control, and bison? The Montana Fish and Game Commission has worked as an effective sounding board for Montana outdoor recreationists while considering the policies and programs proposed primarily by Fish, Wildlife and Parks. The commission has responded to issues such as reducing elk numbers in certain Montana hunting districts as mandated by the Legislature, working with the Interagency Bison Management Plan in managing bison leaving Yellowstone Park and setting limits on predators while addressing the concerns of non-hunting interest groups. Legislation passed in the 2015 session tells Montanans why the Legislature does not need to take over the responsibility of the commission. Many Montanans depend on the extraction of fossil fuels for jobs, yet there is a strong demand for clean and renewable energy in the region, especially since prices for the latter are falling. How do you propose to help workers in the coal, oil and natural gas industries find jobs in this new economic landscape? Since most of Montanas energy production is owned by out-of-state companies, Montana needs to pressure those entities to commit to a job training program when they choose to shut down their Montana facilities. For example, two of the power plants at Colstrip will close within a few years. Those power plant owners need to commit to working with Montana to assist in the retraining of those individuals to work in renewable energy production. Our colleges of technology and state Department of Labor and Industry need to be the leaders in the retraining program. According to Montana University System records, as recently as 1992, the stated funded 76 percent of the university system. Now, though, state support has fallen to 40 percent, which means tuition funds 60 percent of the system putting higher education out of reach for some Montana families. Do you as a legislator have a responsibility to help and if so, how? If not, why not? The Legislature definitely has a responsibility to help. Montana like so many other states chose to curtail a significant portion of its obligation to fund colleges, universities and vocational schools during the Great Recession. The most obvious way to improve support is to better fund the University System. That needs to happen. In addition, the amount of money provided by the university system in the form of grants-in-aid for students coming from lower income families must increase. So the Legislature should design a funding framework to resurrect this assistance program. What do you regard as the most urgent problem facing Montana, and how do you propose dealing with it? Montana must maintain a quality kindergarten through graduate school and an effective job training program. One of the largest portions of Montanas budget is obligated to our education system, yet holes in the system need to be filled and there are threats to how we educate our children and adults. Montana is one of the few states not offering a statewide pre-kindergarten program. Failure to do so threatens our students' ability to stay ahead of their peers in other states. As a 30-year classroom teacher in Missoula, I saw how the pre-K Head Start program gave low-income students an advantage. This fall, University of Montana president Royce Engstrom said the wildlife biology program in Missoula was ranked No. 1 in the United States and Canada by an organization called Academic Analytics. Last week, Anthony Olejniczak, co-founder and "chief knowledge officer" of Academic Analytics, explained the way that achievement came about. In fact, he said the organization doesn't perform or release rankings the way U.S. News and World report does. "We aren't really in the business of putting these rankings out there," Olejniczak said. "It's not something that we're focused on, and it's usually not something the institution is focused on." Rather, Academic Analytics collects data on some 390 major research institutions in the United States and Canada, or every university with at least one Ph.D. program, and not community colleges. Universities that want to see how they're doing compared to their peers pay Academic Analytics to use its toolkit. The organization evaluates programs based on publications of scholarly works, citations to journal articles, research funding by federal agencies, and faculty awards. UM isn't a current client, but one of its associates worked with Academic Analytics to look specifically at the wildlife biology program, according to the organization. Olejniczak confirmed the analysis showed UM came out as No. 1 when comparing nationally recognized benchmarks against those of other research institutions. He also agreed that an institution could self-select variables that push it to a No. 1 ranking, so Montana State University could place itself at the top as well if it chose different measures. However, he said the criteria UM used are considered the default variables. "It's a robust way to do it," Olejniczak said. UM spokeswoman Paula Short said the university was an Academic Analytics client for a few years from roughly 2009 to 2013. Financial data from the 2012 and 2013 school year shows the service cost from $45,000 to $50,000 a year for analyses of all programs, not just wildlife biology. She said UM does not plan to pay for the service this fiscal year: "Its possible that UM could utilize the services of Academic Analytics in the future." In 2002, the most recent fairgrounds development project hadnt begun, horse racing was still the main draw at the Western Montana Fair and the fair manager answered to the fair commission. The only reference in then-manager Scot Meaders job description, written that year, to a fair plan was that the manager recommends plans for capital improvements, including land development to Fair Commission. But by about halfway through his appointment Meader was dealing with a new fairgrounds development plan that isnt all that close to being finished a decade later. In fact, the fair has gone through three serious concepts since 2007 (see sidebar). When Steve Earle took over the fair in 2010, he became the first fairgrounds director, and the first line in his essential duties read: develops and implements long-range plans related to activities and facilities at the County Fairgrounds based on policies adopted by the Board of County Commissioners. The Missoula County Fairgrounds Advisory Committee also was set up at that time, to oversee the fairgrounds development plans transition from Portland, Oregon, design firm Crandall Arambulas sketches to a fully realized construction plan, handled by A&E Architects. Just this summer, the committee recommended to county commissioners that it be disbanded, and fairgrounds director Todd Garretts resignation is bringing another restructuring of the fair director position after the last three fair directors left mid-contract. Jason DeCunzo, an original member of the committee, said in the meeting last month that the implementation stage of the plan would require a more streamlined approach than the committee could offer. If we have accomplished the task given to us then we should be coming to an end, committee member Jim Sadler said at the meeting. Jerry Marks, Missoula County Weed District and Extension director, served on the committee for the entirety of its six-year life, acting as chair the past 18 months. He doesnt think the fair directors job has changed all that much; or rather that it shouldnt, as long as the main goals of the job are kept in sight at all times: recognizing the fair is still important and our culture is still important. Despite the near-constant disagreement with fair plans stretching the last decade (and even longer), Marks said there has always been an agreement that people still want a fair, even as fair boards, directors, commissioners and fairgoers rethink what the fair means to Missoula. The county commissioners recent budget additions to the fair have helped at least to revitalize the yearly fair, Marks said. The long-term fair plan though remains uncertain. I see it as a sort of evolutionary process, Marks said, adding the plan is set to be completed somewhere between now and forever. *** The fair and fairgrounds always have been, and should continue to be, community-oriented, Marks said. But in a town as diverse in opinion, activity and culture as Missoula, pleasing everyone becomes a demanding task, especially when the citys fairgrounds are one-third the size of most. The current fairgrounds implementation plan, designed by A&E, moves the ice rink to the corner of Brooks and Russell streets and adds a new livestock center, rodeo arena and exhibit building. A horse track was officially left off the plan in 2013, Marks said, though the track has appeared on only one plan since 2007. Success depends on all the stakeholders, from the Missoula Maulers to 4-H to concessionaires to horse racing fans, coming together outside the yearly fair to help the whole, he said. Theres gonna be disagreement. That goes with the turf here in Missoula, Marks said. You have a piece of property that Missoula can find hundreds of uses for. "Were a passionate community, we debate things. Were sometimes slow to solve problems. The budget increase Marks spoke of came in 2015, more than doubling the fairgrounds staff, from three full-time employees to six, with an additional part-time worker. A concerted effort was made by the county to give the fair a boost by budgeting for the additional employees, Chief Operating Officer Chris Lounsbury told the Missoulian in August. The last thing we want to do is set the fairgrounds up for a failure, Commissioner Cola Rowley said of the budget increase. Along with the newly hired employees, an (almost) completed fairgrounds plan and the fairs upsurge in 2016, the county hopes to reinstate community spirit, interest and support for the fairgrounds, Rowley said. According to data released by the fairgrounds staff in August, carnival gross, concessions gross and estimated overall attendance rose from the pre-2016 average. We really need to capture that momentum, Rowley said. Were at such a critical point for the fairgrounds success right now. *** When Earle resigned in 2013, he said the job had more moving parts to it that required more from a director than he could give at the time, citing health reasons. Earle worked off and on through October to run the 2013 fair and help Garrett start as director. Patty Baumgart, county human resources director, said theres no procedure in place for promoting interim directors even though the past three fair directors have left before their contracts were set to expire. The county generally relies on having reliable employees to cover during the search for a new director, she said, or, in Earles case, a retiree who doesnt mind staying through the search. Baumgart said Garrett wasnt overwhelmed by the work; rather he relished it and was pleased with the advancements he made on the fairgrounds development. In his letter of resignation, Garrett said despite his arrival in uncertain times for the fairgrounds, he was proud of the improvements made to the grounds and the renewed confidence in the future of the Fair and grounds. Rowley said the 44-year-old Garrett has a child in school, making for an unfortunate scheduling conflict that saw Garrett busiest as his child was at home the most. Its a hard time of the year to be excessively busy, Rowley said. Garrett alluded to the onslaught of duties in August that demand full commitment to tasks, in his letter, writing, It is imperative for me to have greater flexibility in my schedule. Garretts successor will have a much more focused job, Lounsbury said. In rewriting the fairgrounds director job description, Lounsbury said it became clear that Garrett and Earle both worked two different jobs, requiring two skill sets. One was monitoring day-to-day use of the fairgrounds, in the off-season and during the fair. The other was working with the county, fair committee and community to move the fairgrounds plan forward. Both involve strategic planning, but one is more a vision of the future, he said, adding its really, really difficult for one person to serve those two needs. About a year ago, the county restructured the fairgrounds office, hiring the additional employees. Lounsbury sees one of the office staff taking over event management, while the director eyes the long-term implementation of a fairgrounds plan. That job would involve building partnerships within the community as part of funding, as Missoulians are reluctant to keep passing bonds, Lounsbury said, as well as building community support around a single plan and actually seeing its implementation through. We need somebody who is more of a community leader, he said. If this is their purpose, we can really move forward. Suzy Hampton has pots and pans, six straight-back chairs and a recliner to give to the cause. Anna Tucker offered her pickup and four-horse trailer to haul the furniture and household goods. And my kids have a chest of drawers they want to get rid of, Tucker said Thursday night. We can have them outfitted in no time flat. Exactly where in Missoula, and when, their four-person volunteer mentor team will be setting up for the fifth refugee family later this month wasnt clear. A two-bedroom apartment had yet to be secured, though housing prospects are brightening, Molly Short Carr said. The executive director of the International Rescue Committee in Missoula said refugees from camps overseas get a break on airfare when theyre finally approved for placement in the United States, but if the plane is full they can be bumped. That appears to have been the case with Missoula family No. 5. Sometimes working with refugee resettlement is like herding cats, Carr told the 16 men and women who showed up for a two-hour family mentor training session at the IRC office in the Solstice building on Liberty Lane. Bear with me as I bear with the U.S. government and the international organizations that work with the refugee program. A Congolese family of seven landed in Missoula last weekend to join the first family of a father, mother and four children who arrived in August. The next three families will have five, four and three members bringing to 25 the total of new Missoulians by the end of the federal fiscal year Sept. 30. The first two families each have their own mentor team trained previously by Carr and assembled by Soft Landing Missoula, the volunteer group that formed a year ago this week to help ease a crisis of historic proportions. More than 65 million people had been displaced from their homes by war or persecution at the end of 2015, up 5 million from the year before. Its the largest population of displaced families in world history. That was the clarion call heard by Hampton, a retired educator, and Tucker, who retired from St. Patrick Hospital, when they joined Soft Landing. They met while serving on a Soft Landing committee six months ago and instantly hit it off. United States involvement has affected many of those 65 million, said Tucker, and I think probably we should do something when we have the opportunity to be of real help." Missoulas kind of a cool because (refugees) can come in here with an under-the-radar kind of thing, Tucker added. Of course, Missoula may be the most liberal town in the state but it also has the biggest ethnic mix too, and I think thats great. It makes us smarter, it makes us more exposed and more tolerant. In the early 1980s Hampton taught English to newly arrived Hmong refugees and continued teaching English as Second Language classes at Emma Dickinson School and the Lifelong Learning Center. She made annual trips to Chinese villages as a mentor in the Global Language Village program. Still, she said, she wont speak the primary language her refugee family speaks. I told my husband Im going off to translate English into English, which is part of it too, if they have any English (skills) at all, Hampton said. Tucker and Hampton quickly coronated Eamon Ormseth, a 23-year-old University of Montana graduate from Great Falls, as mentor team leader. Ormseth was eager to dive in. He just finished a summer on the staff of the Youth Homes InnerRoads Wilderness Program and has carved out time to aid the refugees in Missoula. I really enjoy volunteering, Im really excited to hear their story, and I love Missoula, too," Ormseth said. "So Im excited to show them my side of Missoula. Carr shared the training podium Thursday with another Molly Molly Cottrell, program director for Soft Landing Missoula. They explained to the volunteer mentors the shared but specific roles the IRC and Soft Landing play in resettling refugees. The latter, with a paid staff that for now consists of Carr and caseworker Jennifer Barile, makes sure government requirements and guidelines are followed and is especially hands-on in the first months of a family's arrival. With the help of volunteers interpreters, teachers mentor team members IRC staff greet new arrivals at the airport; assure they have a warm, culturally appropriate meal; conduct the first home visit within 24 hours, and marshal the first food shopping within the first two days. Soft Landing volunteers will gradually take over such duties as teaching their families how to use a washer, dryer or laundromat; how street signs and the Mountain Line bus system work, and helping select weather-appropriate second-hand clothes. The IRC stresses that adults learn how to fill out job applications and to shop frugally with the assistance of electronic benefits transfer (EBT) card and the Supplemental Nutrition Benefits Program (formerly food stamps). To get started, the IRC allots each family $1,125 of federal funds per family member to pay for housing and food for 90 days. Theyre immediately eligible for Medicaid cards. One goal, Carr said, is to point the refugees toward applying for U.S. citizenship after the requisite five years of residency. Theres the reality that you are dealing with human beings, Carr cautioned. That means that they come with a full spectrum of humanity the spectrum of emotions, the spectrums of knowledge and capacity and ability. The only thing that they really share in common is that theyve all been persecuted in one way or another. The IRCs role, and thus that of the Soft Landing volunteers, is to make the families self-sufficient members of the community as quickly as possible. But it can be a steep learning curve, Carr said. You really have to help the refugees experience the world through new eyes, she told the mentor teams. We also want to make sure you are not experiencing second-hand trauma as you work with the refugees, so we are available at any time. The newcomers shouldnt be asked to tell their stories, Carr said, but we do want you to be prepared that they may come to you and share with you their experiences. If that happens, its important to listen and show respect for the persons reaction and the way he or she chooses to cope, and to hold back expectations and judgments. The refugees are dealing with a whole world of new, as well as a whole past of sometimes very painful things, Carr said. So what they share with you and how they share it, its best to let them do it without expectations. The operating budget of the University of Montana took a 3 percent hit from the 2016 to 2017 fiscal year but most of UM's other pots of money have grown. Money specifically earmarked for travel research is up 15 percent, loan and endowment dollars are up 5 percent, and independent enterprises such as those supported by student fees are up 2 percent, according to a budget summary posted on the Montana Board of Regents' website. "Overall, the university actually has got more money this year than it had last year," said Mike Reid, vice president of finance for UM. The Board of Regents is taking up budgets for the campuses and hearing early enrollment estimates at meetings Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday in Billings. The discussions are broadcast from a live video stream available at mus.edu/board/default.asp. Last fall, UM President Royce Engstrom held a budget forum to announce the university would need to make personnel cuts to shore up its finances. He estimated it would need to cut 52 faculty positions, including 25 open lines, and make 149 non-faculty reductions. The budget on the regents' agenda shows where the personnel cuts actually took place and where they didn't. In fact, contract faculty expenses went up a hair at 0.62 percent, from $47.55 million to $47.86 million. "In all the reductions made last year, there was not one tenure-track faculty eliminated," Reid said. Contract professionals also grew at some 3 percent from $9.13 million to $9.4 million. However, the money spent on graduate assistants dropped 22 percent, from $4.18 million to $3.26 million, according to the report. "Other salaries" plummeted 43 percent, from $1.69 million to $957,082. Reid said he believes adjunct faculty account for a portion of the "other salaries." Contract administrative costs went down 2.87 percent, from $6.27 million to $6.09 million. *** Other large changes in the budget include a 33 percent decrease in communications, which include postage and mailing, telephones, long distance charges, and related equipment. Plant funds, set aside for construction or major capital improvements, are up 42 percent from the previous year. Reid said the cost includes renovations in the Liberal Arts building and also building Missoula College. But he said the change in plant funds from year to year doesn't represent a trend; it represents the current construction projects taking place on campus. "It can swing drastically from year to year," Reid said. *** Enrollment estimates also are on tap at the regents' meeting this week. UM is one of the campuses that has struggled to attract students in recent years, seeing an enrollment decline on the main campus of 20 percent since 2010. The university is hoping to at least hold steady from last fall, when the president put enrollment at 10,915 full-time equivalents. A wildlife biology student bands juncos in the Seeley-Swan. A master's candidate treks in the Sapphire Mountains in search of elk and their migration patterns. In a lab at the University of Montana, a scientist examines the genetics of cutthroat trout to understand how the species can survive in a changing environment. It's all happening on a campus in Montana that draws wildlife biology undergraduates, graduate students and post-doctoral researchers from around the country even beyond. "It just seemed so vast and uncharted when I came from California, and that was a big appeal," said Carly Muench, a junior wildlife biology major. A recent review of UM's wildlife biology program against nationally recognized benchmarks shows it to be performing at the highest level when compared with other major research institutions in the United States and Canada. The result comes from a comparison of data from Academic Analytics, an organization collecting information from some 390 universities to help analyze performance in higher education. "It's something the people of Montana should feel good about," said Zac Cheviron, assistant professor in biological sciences and wildlife biology faculty member. "It's certainly one of the most successful things on campus." In his State of the University address this fall, UM President Royce Engstrom highlighted the program as No. 1 and applauded its faculty. Several major factors contribute to the program's success, and being in the heart of the Rocky Mountains at the Crown of the Continent is among them. The program crosses disciplines, its faculty are cooperative rather than competitive, and it's financially supported, both from its own donors and from Main Hall, according to the program director and faculty. In his budget forum last fall, Engstrom said wildlife biology brings in more out-of-state students who pay full tuition than any other on campus, and he identified it as tapped for growth. The program also appears to be operating at capacity at a time when the university doesn't have money to spare. The challenge will be keeping its high marks and top-ranked faculty in the face of planned growth and restricted resources. "We need to be able to serve those students the way we've been serving them in the past," said Creagh Breuner, a biological sciences professor and wildlife biology faculty member. The question looking ahead: "Given the financial constraints this university is facing, how can we have this continue to be a premier place to come get a wildlife biology degree?" *** Chad Bishop, director of wildlife biology, said one big reason for the program's success is it draws its 22 faculty from three different areas on campus. It pulls instructors from the College of Forestry and Conservation, the Division of Biological Sciences in the College of Humanities and Sciences, and the Montana Cooperative Research Unit. "What that allows this university to do very effectively, more so I think than others, is it's simultaneously advancing basic science while also addressing our most significant wildlife management and conservation issues," Bishop said. In the case of cutthroat trout, for instance, geneticists are studying the species in the lab, and they're working hand in hand with ecologists developing management solutions in the field. "When you put the two together, we're able to make scientific advances that are then, in turn, leading to strategic outcomes for the major natural resource issues," Bishop said. Elsewhere around the country, the two approaches to science don't always work together. On some campuses, professors who work in basic science gathering knowledge for its own sake and those who work in applied science to help government officials set policies, for instance don't have a mutual respect, Breuner said. "That divide can occur, and the nice thing here is there is respect across the aisle," she said. *** The program also has done well financially, even in a time of budget stresses. In Montana, people care about wildlife and ecosystems, and many are generous donors, Bishop said. He also said former wildlife biology director Daniel Pletscher understood early on the need for private funding in academia, and the program has roughly $3 million in endowments that support two salaries. "This past year, when the university had budget reductions, we were actually able to fill those positions because they were supported by private funds," Bishop said. "If those positions weren't endowed, we would not have been able to fund those, most likely." Joshua Millspaugh is the new Boone and Crockett Chair of Wildlife Conservation and Jedediah Brodie is the new John J. Craighead Chair of Wildlife Conservation. Main Hall also has supported wildlife biology, Breuner said. Wildlife biology enrolls some 325 to 340 undergraduates and 50 graduate students along with postdoctoral researchers, and it brings the highest rate of out-of-state students to campus, two out of three. "I think that our administration cares about having more out-of-state students because they pay more, so that helps us get the attention of the administration," Breuner said. Several years ago, Main Hall awarded three programs on campus an increase in base funding because the administration wanted to help nationally distinguished programs become even more competitive, she said. Wildlife biology was awarded some $150,000, and the money partly goes to an adviser whose job is focused on helping students, Breuner said. "That has been an amazing contribution to allow us to be successful in spite of everything that's happening." *** Breuner's own passion for biology is one ingredient to the strong program, although she doesn't say it. The faculty are fired up about teaching, whether it's in the classroom, in the lab, or on a mountaintop. Last week, Breuner taught a wildlife physiological ecology class on the habits of kingfishers. Connor Hakala, a junior wildlife biology major, said he's inspired by the lectures from his professor. "I love listening to (Breuner) talk about all this cool stuff," Hakala said. Hakala, from Yakima, Washington, came to Montana for its wildlife as well as its nationally recognized program, No. 2 in the nation when he first considered it. "One thing that I love is just how enthusiastic the professors are about what is going on," Hakala said. " ... I love that they want us to know what they know and feel about these things the way they feel." Hakala and Muench are both taking Breuner's wildlife physiological ecology course, a class of some 70 students. She keeps it interactive even though it's so large. She calls on students by name and has them speak in front of their classmates, albeit with a word of caution. "When students get up here, give them respect because it's hard to be in front of other people," Breuner told them. Muench, who came to UM mainly because of the location, said she wasn't surprised to hear the program surpassed its earlier ratings. "The faculty here in the wildlife biology program are so productive. Everybody is up to something. Everybody is doing groundbreaking research," she said. She considers it a privilege to learn from "the top experts in the field." For example, professor Dave Naugle is the leading scientist on a national initiative on sage grouse conservation, Bishop said. The learning environment is rich, too, with students studying life on Mount Sentinel, aquatic organisms in the Clark Fork River, and deer mice on a mountaintop in Colorado. The deer mice offers clues about Montana pika. "Students have this phenomenal opportunity to tie the outdoors in with their learning here, so we make that a priority," Bishop said. Then in the lab, they examine samples with state-of-the-art equipment in a new research lab in the Interdisciplinary Science building. Eventually, the work turns up in journal articles, and at a more productive rate than other research institutions. "Of course, that translates to the educational opportunities here," Bishop said. Students who graduate also do well professionally. Karla Guyn, interim CEO of Ducks Unlimited in Canada, graduated from UM in 1988, and she felt prepared to get her master's and doctorate. She's now leading the national organization, and she notes her predecessor also was a UM graduate, Greg Siekaniec, now regional director in Alaska for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Both Guyn and her husband graduated from UM, and she said it was pricey for the Canadians. "(But) we thought the value of the program was such that it was worth it," Guyn said. "And I still believe it was. I wouldnt do anything differently." *** Cheviron, who works out of a new office and lab in the Interdisciplinary Science building, took a job at UM a year ago, attracted by its "topnotch faculty" and the investments being made in the program. In Cheviron's first semester, Engstrom announced major budget reductions. Cheviron said continued cuts could influence other faculty members' interest in staying at UM. At the same time, he sees UM setting wildlife biology as a priority as it moves forward. "They have been investing, at least in the short time I have been here, in our success," Cheviron said. The administration has targeted wildlife biology for growth, and as more students come on board, teachers and staff will need to figure out how to keep giving students the same level of support. "I think the biggest challenge facing our program is continuing to provide the resources for faculty to continue to function at these high levels," Bishop said. Already, faculty in wildlife biology have homes in different departments, Breuner said. "For all of us, it's a doubling of service," she said, or at least more time on committees and more responsibilities. Yet she said faculty are excited about their work, and they want to reach more students. As more students enroll, the pressures will mount, and the one certain way to relieve it is never a sure bet. "Faculty lines are expensive, and they're dear." For the first time in my life, I've put a political bumper sticker on my vehicle a ranch-tested diesel Jeep. Certainly, Ive chosen sides in most elections, voted, done my civic duty. I'm a retired professor, writer and think-tank president, who earlier was a logger and rancher. I've not been a bumper-sticker man. Until now. I want Gary Johnson, the Libertarian candidate for president, in the debates that begin Sept. 26. I want American voters to hear his voice, evaluate his arguments supporting liberty, ecology and prosperity, and witness his character. Naturally, both the Democrat and Republican parties are convulsed by the prospect of a Libertarian standing shoulder to shoulder with their candidates on a national debate stage. Johnson threatens their use of government as an engine of favoritism and redistribution, actions that erode the foundations of American success. Johnson is a two-term Republican governor of New Mexico, a Democrat stronghold. His running mate, Bill Weld, is a two-term Republican governor of Massachusetts. These men threaten conventional politicians of both parties. They challenge the conventional regulatory and redistributive operation of contemporary politics. Both parties want Johnson isolated and the public insulated from his message. They are threatened by where a public discussion of his message could lead, ultimately to responsible fiscal policies and a sustainable environment. Both parties are fighting to exclude him even when poll after poll shows 60-75 percent of Americans want to hear from third-party candidates. I find it surprising and encouraging that despite the major parties' efforts, at least 10 percent of American voters have found and support Johnson. I find it even more surprising and encouraging that this vanguard of voters has done so despite Johnson's minuscule campaign spending. I am not surprised that pockets of voters support Johnson far beyond the averages roughly 30 percent of active and reserve military and millennials. The Ds and Rs realize that Johnson favors responsible liberty and secure property rights to protect both our economy and ecology. Donald Trump, in contrast, explicitly supports the taking of private property to benefit business. In opposition to both Hillary Clinton and Trump, Johnson rejects subsidies to the wealthy and well connected. He sees entrepreneurs not politicians, as sources of progress and prosperity. There is good reason for leaders of the two parties to be worried about sound arguments by a successful man of good character. A recent Fox News poll found an amazing 74 percent of respondents believe Clinton would do anything to be president and 68 percent thought likewise of Trump. Consider the context of this embarrassing duo. America is the world's most successful large-scale social experiment. This is a remarkable achievement for a culturally complex nation. Apart from those entrapped by various government programs, the great majority of citizens have remarkable liberty, prosperity and environmental quality. This is only partially due to America's blessings of bountiful natural resources. Basic and applied science were supported and flourished from the Civil War onward. Meanwhile, our political economy rewarded the creation of wealth far more than its transfers by government. Hence, America enjoyed an explosion of well-being and prosperity. This fostered increased liberty and higher environmental quality. Alas, this virtuous circle of ever increasing liberty, prosperity and ecology has been interrupted. Both the Ds and Rs deploy lawmaking and regulation in a skirmish for power, transferring wealth and opportunity to favored constituencies. They bestow favors and buy votes. Johnson challenges these conventional operations. That's why the major parties oppose including him in the debates. And that's exactly why he should be there. We me, you, all of us are duty bound to support not a political party, but an experiment in liberty that with only a few interruptions operated so well and so long. I hope you will answer Gary Johnson if a pollster calls, even if only to add to the 15 percent polling threshold that gets him in the debates. I hope you will research his policies, examine the options, and be sufficiently sure and proud enough to put that candidates name on whatever you drive. The bumper sticker on my Jeep proclaims my support for the principles Gov. Gary Johnson has long maintained in his personal, business and political life. It has been 15 years since the horrific terror attack of Sept. 11, 2001, that rocked our nation and forever changed our world. With the barbaric acts of terrorists, 2,977 peoples lives were taken when four jet planes were hijacked and crashed into some of our nations most emblematic landmarks. In the wake of the collisions, 411 brave responders lost their own lives while attempting to rescue survivors and fight fires. I dont revisit these facts lightly, nor do I think that any American could ever forget the loss and terror of that day. Rather, I begin this way because we must remain clear-eyed about the continuing threats we face as a nation. Our great nation is a symbol of freedom and democracy the world over, which is something that Im unwaveringly proud of. Yet, there are people around the globe that hate us for our liberty and the freedom that comes with being American. Thats why its so important that we keep the detention facility in Guantanamo Bay open. Guantanamo Bay plays a critical role in keeping enemy combatants off the battlefield and as a source of intelligence to combat future attacks. Earlier this year, I traveled to Guantanamo Bay, and I remember vividly the eerie chill I felt walking past the cell of Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the principle architect behind the 9/11 terror attack. Individuals like Khalid Sheikh Mohammed do not belong on U.S. soil, nor do they belong in the custody of a nation that may allow them to return to the battlefield, as we have seen before. We must ensure terrorists dont continue to spread radical Islam throughout the world, and Guantanamo Bay serves an integral purpose for just that. Just six years ago another tragedy occurred on Sept. 11: the massacre of U.S. Ambassador Chris Stevens and three other Americans in Benghazi, Libya. We have had to mourn far too many innocent lives due to terror and Islamic extremism. As the worlds largest military power and defenders of freedom and democracy, we must remain vigilant in our fight against terrorism and religious extremism. When I was elected to the United States Senate I took an oath to protect and defend our nation from all enemies, both foreign and domestic and thats an oath I take very seriously. Protecting the American people is our constitutionally mandated duty. As Montanas U.S. senator, Im incredibly proud that Montana and the men and women stationed at Malmstrom Air Force Base play such a vital role in keeping our nation safe. And as an American Im thankful to the men and women who so bravely serve our communities as first responders and our nation in the U.S. Armed Forces. I hope that all Montanans will join me on this anniversary and take extra time to keep the victims of the Sept. 11 attacks and their loved ones in your thoughts and prayers. Untreated mental illness. Easy access to firearms. Alcoholism and drug abuse. Poverty. Social isolation. Trauma. Chronic illness and disability. A culture that encourages individuals to solve their problems alone, without asking for or accepting help. Those are some of the many convergent factors that add up to Montanas excessive suicide rate, the highest in the nation at nearly 25 per 100,000 people. These same factors have led Missoula County to an even higher suicide rate nearly 34 suicides per 100,000 people in 2014. Thats nearly three times the national suicide rate. Missoula County now has the highest suicide rate in a state that has the highest suicide rate in the nation. The tragedy of suicide is that it is entirely preventable. And Montanas high suicide rate is completely unacceptable. Much time and effort has been spent identifying the causes of suicide in Montana, and much ink has been spilled calling for greater public awareness and resources to combat the growing crisis. Its time to take stock of the steps being taken to prevent suicide in our state and determine what steps must be taken next. This past week, National Suicide Prevention Week, is an apt time to do just that, while renewing public attention and community support for suicide prevention programs at the local and state level. Suicide has been a major concern in Montana for a long time now. The state has ranked among the top five in the nation for its suicide rate for nearly four decades. In 2014, at least 243 Montanans died by suicide more than the number of Montanans who died in car crashes that year. The numbers were even worse the following year, when 267 suicides were recorded in Montana. The vast majority of suicides are completed by men, and in Montana they occur with the most frequency among those between the ages of 55 to 64 years old. A disproportionate number are Native Americans. More than half are carried out with a firearm. Nearly one in four are veterans. Fortunately, hope is on the horizon. In recent years Montana has finally begun dedicating some much-needed focus to suicide prevention. The 2015 Legislature, for one, approved the Montana Suicide Awareness and Prevention Training Act, which directs the state Office of Public Instruction to develop resources for schools and parents to identify at-risk youth and connect them to the help they need to get better. And currently, the state is developing a strategic plan to tackle the alarmingly high rate of suicides among Native American children in Montana. Meanwhile groups across Montana continue striving to boost the suicide prevention programs available to adults in their communities. The relatively new Western Montana Suicide Prevention Initiative, founded by the United Way of Missoula County, partnered with local groups and experts to offer a number of timely training and outreach events through the past week. The team includes the United Way, the Veterans Administration, local hospitals, Tamarack Grief Resource Services and Missoula Aging Services, among others. One goal of these efforts is to raise public awareness of the warning signs of suicide, and of the resources available to combat it. Although many different factors can precipitate a suicide attempt, depression is a major one, and in fact, many experts name untreated depression as the No. 1 cause of suicide. This is why it was encouraging to learn of a new health system recently formed by Providence Health and Services and St. Joseph Health. The new system, which includes more than 50 hospitals in seven states, includes a new institute and foundation dedicated to improving mental health care, with initial funding of $100 million. While this funding will be disbursed throughout the system, theres a strong case to be made that much of it should go to Montana, which is historically badly underserved when it comes to mental health services. The new institute will award grants to organizations in communities served by its member hospitals meaning Missoula and Polson, primarily and local groups working to provide mental health care ought to seize this opportunity. Today marks the close of the annual National Suicide Prevention Week, but it should not mean the end of efforts to push for progress on suicide prevention. Instead, lets use it as another rung on the ladder leading to a lower suicide rate in Missoula and Montana. School is starting in many parts of Montana as we say goodbye to summer. Sadly, Gov. Steve Bullock didnt request any funding increases for this years special education students in his budget proposal in 2015. There was, however, a nonpartisan bill to allow a Special Needs Education Savings Account for families to use for new educational opportunities for their children. Bullock vetoed this bipartisan good idea that would have let a parent/guardian make decisions with a portion of their childs allotted education funds. Rep. Don Jones, R-Billings, introduced House Bill 322, allowing an education debit card to pay for some tuition and fees for an alternative, qualified school, instructional materials, tutoring or distance learning. Online courses or other technology-based services could also have been used for the child. Im happy to see that the Legislative School Funding Commission is drafting legislation for 2017 to increase public school and co-op special education funding by as much as $6 million, depending on revenues next session. Lets hope we are not in the negative numbers by the time we get to January. Parents make critical decisions for their children on a daily basis. We know our childrens learning styles and what makes them "tick." A lot of decisions for educational opportunities should be in partnership with government and parents. Too bad Bullock didnt see it that way. We definitely need a change on the second floor of the "peoples house" in Helena. Allow parents to have a bigger stake in their childs future. Sen. Dee Brown, Senate District 2, Montana Legislature, Hungry Horse HELENA The Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest will install barriers at multiple campsites in the Little Blackfoot River drainage in an effort to mitigate impacts from motorized travel in riparian areas and near waterways. The Forest Service on Aug. 18 signed the Little Blackfoot Dispersed Site Mitigation and Restoration Project, which comes under the Divide Travel Plan signed in March. The mitigation and restoration project calls for mitigation measures at nearly 30 sites, including the installation of rock barriers to restrict motorized use, setting designated boundaries for some sites and restoring unauthorized motorized routes and sites impacting the watershed. Ten sites will be closed to motorized use while 19 sites will be delineated using boulders, logs and revegetation. An additional 27 campsites are not affected. The Forest Service will also expand parking at the Blackfoot Meadows Trailhead and construct a stock bridge at the river crossing at Larabee Gulch with goals of improving access and safety. In order to keep the dispersed sites available to the public and remain in compliance with federal and state laws and regulations, it is necessary for us to address the resource issues associated with them considering their proximity to the river, Helena District Ranger Heather DeGeest wrote in an email. Motorized travel for dispersed camping cannot traverse riparian areas or come within 30 feet of a stream or waterbody, she said. Rock barriers will be used to define parking areas more than 30 feet from water, but only motorized travel and not camping is restricted, she added. This is a mitigation measure to keep vehicles from traveling to and damaging the river bank and wet areas adjacent to it, DeGeest said. We are required to manage travel in a way that minimizes impacts to natural resources in order to allow these sites to continue to be available to the public. The Divide Travel Plan was a years-long, often contentious process as motorized advocates fought efforts to restrict motorized travel. Some wildlife advocates also opposed the plan, but from the perspective that it did not go far enough in protecting threatened species. The plan saw support from several quiet user groups that believed it is a good balance of motorized and non-motorized access. With eight venues, more than 90 films, 60 directors and producers, and 75 volunteers, the Covellite International Film Festival the first of its kind in Butte opens Thursday for a four-day run. The festival is the largest filmmaker showing this year next to only Sundance and the Los Angeles Film Festival, organizers said. To put that in perspective, hundreds of film festivals are held annually across the U.S., according to the New York Film Academy website. An opening reception where the public can meet the filmmakers will be held from 4 to 6 p.m. Thursday at the Covellite Theatre, 215 W. Broadway St. The party will then move at 6 p.m. to the Original Mine, Main and Copper Streets, in time for the evening farmers market. Local musician Sean Eamon and the Walkaways will perform. The first film screening starts at the Original at 8:15 p.m. The opening reception and the events at the Original are free. An after-party starts at 10 p.m. Thursday at the Silver Dollar Saloon, 133 S. Main St., and will feature music by Bozeman-based band the Hawthorne Roots. The movies will have something for everyone, said festival program director Brian Boyd. The festival includes movies from such faraway places as New Zealand and Brazil. The Brazilian film, a short called Olteanca, is set in a small mountain town in Eastern Europe. Losing its youthful population to the cities, the town tries to reimagine its future. Boyd said he chose that film because Butte residents might be able to relate to those issues. Another film that was made closer to home, a documentary called Dryland, is about farming issues in Oregon and features a combine-jousting competition. The film was made in Oregon by Oregon-based filmmakers Richard Wilhelm and Sue Arbuthnot. There are all kinds of little surprises like that, said Boyd. Volunteer Brett Berry said that given the proximity of venues and the countys open-container laws, Butte is perfect to become the festival city, and the film festival will become the cap to the festival season in Butte. This is a fantastic festival for Butte, Berry said. All festivals are an opportunity to generate income. The films include short movies, longer feature narrative films, and documentaries. The movies were vetted by a panel of 20 screeners. Festival co-founder Don Andrews said they received around 200 submissions this past spring. The Covellite Theatre, meanwhile, has been getting a little improvement in advance of the festival. Co-owner Matt Frey said they did work to the stage and blacked out the windows. Additional work, including treatment to the brick, is expected to take place next year. Both the festival and the theater have received about $50,000 in grants, sponsorships, and in-kind support this year, Andrews said. So far, everyone involved, including Andrews and Boyd, are working on a volunteer basis. But Andrews and Boyd believe this festival is just the beginning and are undertaking work to make Butte a destination city for independent filmmakers. I believe in saying yes to life, Boyd said Thursday. When filmmakers Don Andrews and Brian Boyd pulled into Butte in a Winnebago a year ago, they planned to stay only one day. A year later, not only are they still here, but they are the new owners of an old building at 57 W. Broadway St. which they plan to rehabilitate and turn into a studio space for independent filmmaking. They are also the co-founders of the Covellite International Film Festival, which will bring over 90 films and many filmmakers to Butte Sept. 15 through 18. (See related stories.) The festival will present a mix of short, longer, and documentary films, all independently made. Andrews and Boyd plan to make the festival an annual fall event in Butte. We stopped for an evening and a shower, but now were committed to spending the rest of our lives here, Boyd said Thursday. We recognized just how special this place is. The two-story building on West Broadway, once the home of a barber shop, a second-hand store, and a tobacco emporium, is an 8,000-square-foot labyrinth of studs, debris, and boarded-up windows. The upstairs level has been empty for decades, Andrews said. As the future space for filmmakers, it will include areas designed for working on film animation and puppetry and a living space to host traveling artists through an artist residency program. The filmmakers larger vision is to create both a community of independent filmmakers as well as bring a burgeoning industry to the Mining City. This was never about just a film festival, Boyd said during an interview this week at the Silver Dollar Saloon, a bar on Main Street where he and Andrews work part-time. Andrews and Boyd have also been touring other empty buildings around Butte. If they can attract independent filmmakers to come here to make movies, they plan to rent additional spaces. Filmmaking requires a lot of space and a lot of people. Were (colleges are) creating a work force that we cant put to work. We have to supply the work to keep these cities (Butte, Bozeman and Missoula) vibrant, Andrews said. THE MAKER CITY Boyd described Butte as a maker city, in part because of its inexpensive cost of living. That is borne out by the cost of 57 W. Broadway St., which Boyd and Andrews purchased for $1,000 through the countys Urban Revitalization Agency. The URA takes proposals on rehabilitation projects for buildings that the county acquires due to unpaid taxes. Karen Byrnes, director of URA, said the URAs board believed the pairs proposal for 57 W. Broadway was deemed the highest and best use of the space. But there are strings attached. Boyd and Andrews have a year to repair the building, which they bought in mid-August. They plan to do all the repair work themselves. The idea of Butte becoming the backdrop for stories told through independent filmmaking is thrilling, Byrnes said. Im very supportive of their activities and what theyre trying to do, she said Thursday. They have great goals and great ideas. Anything to do with art and culture is very positive. It opens a whole other door for Southwest Montana. Andrews agrees. Movies employ people, Andrews said. Film can be an industry in Butte. It can do some good. ABOUT THESE GUYS Andrews and Boyd know show. Theyve devoted their lives to making films. Originally from Spring Valley, Illinois, a mining and farming community two hours south of Chicago, Andrews spent nine years in the Air Force. Now 38, he learned building engineering while in the military. After he left the Armed Forces, Andrews went to work at his trade. But he had secretly been a writer since his teens. I have boxes of really bad poetry, he joked. He relocated to Portland, Oregon, where he became involved in the movie industry by writing film scripts. It was in Portland where Boyd and Andrews crossed paths. Boyd, 33, an actor, first performed in a national theater tour of The Sound of Music at the age of 13. His first film feature, an independent called Suck It Up Buttercup, was released in 2014. The movie is about a woman whose life spirals out of control due to drug addiction. He has made 14 short films and two feature films. Originally from Indianapolis, Indiana, Boyd loaded up a Buick Regal and racked up 30,000 miles traveling across the country over three months to see 10 film festivals. Attending film festivals taught Boyd how valuable it was to be in a room full of filmmakers. Boyd believes Butte is the perfect place to attract independent filmmakers because they are artists who got something done. They were told no, and they turned it into a yes. Independent filmmakers are some of the most resourceful people youre ever going to meet, Boyd said. Andrews believes bringing storytellers with a camera to Butte is great idea for another reason. Everybody thinks of Butte as a mining town, that its rough and tumble. You can definitely look at it and see that, but you miss everything else. They call it the Richest Hill on Earth because of the metals they mined here, but its really the Richest Hill on Earth because of the stories that exist here. Cancer survivors, caregivers, and family members are invited to meet Sharon Grace (the pink fire truck pictured here) of Pink Heals Southwest Montana from 4 to 7 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 17, at the Lion's Den in Dillon. People can sign "In Memory" or "In Honor" of your loved one. Learn about the program and visit www.pinkfiretrucks.org, or follow us on our Facebook page, Pink Heals Southwest Montana. Donations to the Pink Heals Southwest Montana Chapter will be transferred into cash cards for cancer patients or those with catastrophic illness. Donations toward the painting or maintenance of Sharon Grace are received into a separate bank and bank account. One hundred percent of donations are kept local. Details: Joan Grogan at 406-925-1871, Russ Schwandt at 406-498-1753, or Ruth at 406-925-1765. The firestorm over gubernatorial candidate Greg Gianfortes handling of his self-called beef with a state agency over an access site on the East Gallatin River near his palatial home near Bozeman is discomforting to almost everyone involved with the issue. In his television ads and elsewhere on the campaign circuit in recent days, Gianforte seeks to wiggle out of criticism of his stance on the access issue by emphatically stating that he supports and always has supported Montanas stream access law. Really? In researching the handling of his beef with a state agency, which in reality is the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks, one finds that the way he initiated this issue was anything but supporting of the stream access law. He flat out began his beef on the issue, through an attorney, with a letter to FWP making this statement: ... my clients request that the Montana Department of Fish Wildlife and Parks relinquish the easement in order to avoid litigating this issue. In addition, he set up a gate and No Trespassing sign blocking access to the site. In effect, he took the law into his own hands and as a result opened a can of worms thats revealing his soul to the public. Access to that site on the East Gallatin had been established long before Gianforte moved to Montana from New Jersey and, as he has found out, access is a sacred issue to Montana sportsmen. The maelstrom he initiated by his arrogant demand to relinquish that easement was of his own making. Actually, so has the outpouring across the state of resentment toward both his attempt to subvert our stream access law. His arrogant and demeaning attitude toward FWP in regard to its handling of the issue has been self-defeating. Again, in researching the issue we find that FWP personnel at both the local level in Bozeman and at state headquarters in Helena treated him politely and fairly in dealing with his complaint. After analysis on-site, some new fencing and signage were put up to more carefully direct public use of the area and reduce the potential of conflicts with people using the site straying onto Gianfortes property. But the easement was maintained, as it should have been. In his television ads, Gianforte makes the comment that this issue convinced him to run for governor because Helena isnt working any more. If thats true, then he really hasnt examined the issue very carefully because, in fact, its a premium example of government working precisely as it should. In response to his complaint, the FWP responded exactly as they should: politely, persistently and with a detailed analysis. And Gianforte shouldnt be criticizing and demeaning FWP because it did its job under the law. They dug into the issue thoroughly, they listened to Gianfortes complaint and made some adjustments at the site to provide for more control of public access, and put up some new fencing to further protect Gianfortes property. The fact is that the handling of this case by FWP (and by inference Gianfortes opponent in the race for the governors seat, incumbent Gov. Steve Bullock, of whose administration the FWP is part) is a marvelous example of exactly how Helena is working perfectly under the law. In this case, FWP deserves the praise and support of all Montanans who believe that government should work for all the people in upholding the intent and application of the rule of law and not just those rich enough to complain like Gianforte has and who wrongly makes the FWP a whipping boy in his campaign. As a Montanan who has worked persistently over the last several decades to help achieve the stream access law we enjoy in Montana, its my conviction that Gianfortes effort to demonize FWP because he had a beef with a state agency gives us helpful insight into a person showing a deep-seated notion of serving only his interest that disqualifies him from the very office he seeks. Neither his manner nor his attitude are conversant with what we expect, indeed demand, of our leaders in Montana. -- Dale Burk, of Stevensville, is an award-winning Montana writer who has written extensively on Montana political and outdoor issues since 1968. When the Montana Supreme Court issued its decision in 1984 regarding access for floating Montana rivers, no one could have imagined the battles that would ensue. Not only did the court ruling open most 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 put sideboards on the ruling with the 1985 Stream Access Law 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, access zealots have demonstrated an insatiable appetite for more. Led mainly by the Public Land/Water Access Association, Inc., these activists file lawsuits in the name of the public trust. Like bees to honey, PLWA is 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 landownerswho own the streambed and pay taxes on itinvested millions of dollars to create a trout stream out of an irrigation ditch. Similarly, they targeted the Ruby River after a private owner changed land uses and improved fish and wildlife habitat. Now rumor has it that the Darlington Ditch near the Madison River is in their sights. The PLWA claims that landowners are trying to gut Montanas stream access law when, in reality, landowners are trying to protect their conservation investments. Youd think this would be something sportsmen and -women would applaud. Stream access advocates are now taking their cause to the gubernatorial race. Campaign ads attacking Greg Gianforte claim that he blocked access to the East Gallatin River, but nothing could be farther 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 did Gianforte block legal stream access, and indeed to this day he even allows people to walk on his property above the high-water mark. Furthermore, 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 flows across private land. This motivates access zealots to oppose damage or shoulder season hunts on private land unless landowners allow free public access during the regular hunting season. The public trust argument is also being invoked as a solution to the whitefish kill that closed 200 miles of the Yellowstone River to recreation. Access advocate George Wuerthner (guest column, Aug. 23) argues that low water levels and low water temperatures giving rise to the parasite-killing fish are due to cattle grazing and irrigation. 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. 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. We should return to Montanas roots honoring property owners who provide the best wildlife habitat often at significant costs to themselves. 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 a senior fellow at the Property and Environment Research Center in Bozeman, and at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University. 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 [] Should we be worried if independent is taking on a meaning different to the one in dictionaries? I certainly believe so. Perhaps there are different levels of independence, as is the case with the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA)? Looking at recent developments in the South African regulatory environment, it would certainly appear so. If it is not disruptive enough to have to report to two ministers, then being taken to court by one of your masters to stop you from performing your primary task, certainly is. One can only ask why, after so many years, South Africans are still being denied access to adequate broadband? There can only be one answer to this question: politics, or could it be a question of government not understanding the important role that access to broadband offers this country? We are so often told that South Africa is the leading country on the African continent but when it comes to access to broadband communication we are lagging behind many African countries. The whole saga started when President Jacob Zuma split the communication portfolio into two and appointed two ministers to whom ICASA has to answer. Matters between the two ministers were not good from the start, and resulted in President Zuma having to broker a Memorandum of Understanding so that the Department of Communication and the Department of Telecommunications and Postal Services could work together. Then came the long awaited White Paper on the broadband saga with which various previous minsters had been involved. Last year we were promised the release of the White Paper for public comment and consultation by 31 March 2016. The date has come and gone. Now five months later the paper has still not seen the light of day. It is apparently still under deliberation by cabinet. On 15 July 2016, despite the absence of the broadband white paper, ICASA issued an invitation in the Government Gazette (no. 40145) for bids for a radio frequency spectrum licence to provide mobile broadband wireless services for urban and rural areas. There was an outcry from the Minister of Telecommunications and Postal Services that ICASA had acted without the official government policy which the White Paper was expected to have spelt out. But ICASA said it was simply following its mandate, whereby the Electronic Communications Act gives ICASA the discretion to develop regulations setting out the procedures and criteria for radio frequency spectrum licences in instances where there is insufficient spectrum available to accommodate demand. The 61-page bid document sets out the conditions for the auction and the process to be followed. If all goes to plan the first licences in the newly available spectrum could be issued as early as 28 March 2017. Some sectors of the communications industry have lauded ICASA while others were a little more cautious and circumspect in agreeing that it was a good idea. Now Minister Siyabonga Cwele is taking ICASA to court to stop the process. If it wasnt so serious to again delay the provision of spectrum for operators one could have just sat back and watched the fun. Leaders of some of South Africas biggest ICT companies, including the four mobile operators, recently met to understand and find mechanisms that they could recommend to the minister and ICASA in order to resolve the impasse between them. They agreed that dialogue would be the only way and that court action should be avoided. The consultation process between the minister and ICASA should include all stakeholders so that an outcome can be brokered that will be of benefit to all South Africans. It is still puzzling why the White Paper on broadband cannot be approved by cabinet. Clearly there are other motives. An auction would favour the incumbents but that is clearly not the way government would like to see it go. Perhaps we should rewrite the dictionarys meaning of independent. Source: EngineerIT More on broadband We need to prepare for 5G today: Expert BitTorrent throttling allowed under new net neutrality rules The next wave of broadband will see companies benefitting from faster speeds at the same price point as their current expenditure. Businesses in South Africa will soon be able to get a 500 Mbps fibre line for the same price as a 100 Mbps one. However, I dont believe it will stop there. There is a flatter connectivity buying structure which will result in more capacity becoming available in the country. Combined with fibre rollout and pricing bottoming out, this will drive networks to offer more in a bid to keep customers satisfied. In the past, connectivity required a change of many hands before internet providers could purchase capacity, whereas soon, buying will happen much closer to the source which will result in lower barriers to entry for smaller players and increased competition in the telecommunications space. As more connectivity lands in Africa, more supply is available to meet the demand for internet. Demand for connectivity in South Africa remains high and is therefore far more expensive than other countries around the world, but bandwidth supply into Africa is growing. Earlier this year the Angolan government announced the building of the first transatlantic cable system a 6165 km route which will cross the Southern Hemisphere, connecting Africa and the Americas. This will build an alternative route to the North Atlantic cables and it will also allow alternative connections from Asia and Africa to the rest of the world. The Monet cable system is also underway, which when completed, will provide access from Sao Paulo to the Americas. This coupled with the existing West Africa Cable System (WACS) connecting eleven West coast African countries and three European countries could provide a total internet capacity of 70 Tbps. With the Monet cable there will be a shorter route to the US through South America this means less points of presence (POPs) to go through making the latency lower than other cable systems. Speed is not the most determining factor when purchasing internet: consistency and latency are just as important. When companies use the internet for data, voice or video it has to travel through many different locations throughout the world and often these are not the quickest routes and slows internet speed down as well as produces high latency. Latency is when the internet lags or takes time to respond. With the proliferation of cloud-based applications, video and voice, businesses require a consistent internet service with very low latency. The Angolan cable means local businesses will have a more direct route to key places, so their lines will be quicker, latency will be better and the customer experience will dramatically improve. The fibre landscape Providers are rolling out fibre at breakeven prices to win territory in what is known as telecommunications land-grab. The strategy here is to build a market by attracting as many fibre customers as possible to pay off the cost of the infrastructure and secure a locked-in customer base. As customers come onto the fibre network their experience is so phenomenal, there will be little reason to change. But, customers always want more, they want better speeds, better performance and better prices. Because business internet is still expensive, the only option is to give customers more in the way of speed. It doesnt cost the networks to increase speeds as the existing fibre infrastructure can handle it: offering more for the same price is the next logical step. In addition, while most businesses are all looking for greater speeds, the reality is that not everyone will use the speeds provided. This makes it easy for the networks to offer higher speeds at the same prices and with more capacity landing in Africa, supply is increased. For many businesses this is great news, but keeping abreast of the latest technology is not always about the cheaper offering, it is about what will work for their business from a contention, latency and speed perspective. Source: EngineerIT More on fibre South Africas biggest and fastest fibre network fight New 300Mbps uncapped fibre-to-the-business service to be launched The North Tower falls after burning for 102 minutes. On the 11th anniversary of 9/11, with an Ambassador and 3 of his staff killed, and two U.S.A. embassies set ablaze, all in Muslim Countries: Was it wise for Candidate Obama's first official act to apologize to Muslims for Americans' exercising their 1st Amendment protected right of free speech? Yes, "unconditionally," he cares No, he just doesn't get it I don't pay attention 111 total vote(s) What's your Opinion? poll#10 Today, on the 12th anniversary of 9/11, we ask: Has Candidate Obama done as much to keep America as safe from terrorists as did President Bush? Yes No Who cares? 105 total vote(s) What's your Opinion? It was a clear beautiful, royal blue sky day on Wall Street. The S & P futures were up markedly, awaiting a positive open, as I turned to get my first cup of coffee, after completing my morning chores. I returned to CNBC to get the morning business news, when I noticed that the S & P futures were falling, and they were falling fast. Down 10 points, 15 points, 20 points:... I heard myself reflexively exclaim.My exclamation was unintended as prophetic, but little did I know thatwas soon to befall the victims of the South Tower, and then the North Tower of the World Trade Center.The World Trade Center's North Tower was struck at 8:46 am by American Airlines Flight 11, which was commandeered by 5 Al-Qaeda hijackers. At 9:03 am, the South Tower of the World Trade Center was struck by United Airlines Flight 175, also commandeered by a second set of 5 Al-Qaeda hijackers. American Airlines Flight 77 was flown into the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia at 9:37am by a third set of Al-Qaeda hijackers. A fourth airline, United Airlines Flight 93, impacted into a secluded field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania after passengers courageously foiled the fourth set of Al-Qaeda hijackers attempting to strike their intended target in Washington, D.C.The late Mark Haines, CNBC's venerable morning anchor of the popular morning business show, Squawk Box, was the first authoritative voice I heard concerning this cataclysmic event that would forever reshape Americans' view of the world, and conversely, how we are viewed by the rest of the world as well. Mark, David Faber, Joe Kernen and Maria Bartiromo, the hosts of this popular show, continued through the day, finding themselves in a most inauspicious position of guiding their viewers through the most terrible moment in America's relative recent collective memory. Most of us will never forget: where we were, what we felt, when we learned of the horrendous attack by Osama bin Laden's Al-Qaeda hijackers.It is a moment seared within the fabric of my soul. I pray it will be a moment seared within the collective consciousness of our American People. Lest we forget, our freedoms will be forever lost.After the attack, the deaths, the tears, the war, the retribution, and the consideration of what is real, and the knowledge of what is lasting, it might be time some real hope and change. Press Release: NFIB is the nation's leading small-business association, with offices in Washington, D.C. and all 50 state capitals. Founded in 1943 as a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization, NFIB gives small and independent business owners a voice in shaping the public policy issues that affect their business. NFIB's powerful network of grassroots activists sends their views directly to state and federal lawmakers through our unique member-only ballot, thus playing a critical role in supporting America's free enterprise system. NFIB's mission is to promote and protect the right of our members to own, operate and grow their businesses. More information is available online at www.NFIB.com/newsroom. Contact: The Pat McCrory Committee The Pat McCrory Committee media@patmccrory.com Raleigh, N.C. Today, Governor McCrory accepted the endorsement from the state's largest small business association during a morning press conference in Charlotte. The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB), representing thousands of small businesses in the Tar Heel state, overwhelmingly voted to endorse Pat McCrory for governor because of his strong record of job-creation and enacting policies that help small businesses start up and grow.said Gregg Thompson, state director of NFIB's North Carolina chapter.said Governor Pat McCrory.Since Governor McCrory took office, he has pursued an aggressive agenda to rebuild North Carolina's economy and create private sector jobs. To date, North Carolina has added over 300,000 net new jobs since January 2013- including over 30,000 since April 2016 - and unemployment has fallen to a 9-year low. Governor McCrory accelerated payment of North Carolina's $2.5 billion debt owed to the federal government for unemployment benefits, saving businesses hundreds of millions of dollars in payroll taxes each year. The governor has also delivered $4.7 billion in across the board tax relief to North Carolina families and businesses including the middle-class, improving North Carolina's tax climate more than any other state in the country, according to the Tax Foundation.Thompson added,In 2013, Governor McCrory signed a major bill to fight government overregulation at the state level, House Bill 74. Now, rules must reviewed for effectiveness and need at least once every 10 years, or they will automatically expire. According to the John Locke Foundation, over one-tenth of the rules reviewed so far have been slated to be removed. Governor McCrory has also sued the federal government to block overreaching regulations like the EPA's power rules which would lead to higher energy costs for families and businesses.Small businesses have led the way for North Carolina's economic recovery since the recession with over 68,000 new businesses starting in North Carolina in 2015, a 19% increase over 2012. Tourism has reached record levels in recent months, Forbes Magazine ranked North Carolina the #2 best state for business and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation ranked North Carolina among the nation's leading states for high-tech jobs, innovation and entrepreneurship.Today's endorsement puts the considerable grassroots support of the state's small businesses behind the governor's campaign. Small business owners and their employees vote in high numbers and are known for recruiting friends, family members and acquaintances to vote.NFIB will encourage its 7,500 members in North Carolina to help turn out the influential small business voting bloc on Election Day. The scion of a longtime Billings car dealer is back in town and back in the family business. Miles Ryan, whose grandfather, Dick Ryan, opened Ryan Oldsmobile in 1951, opened his own used-car lot in early August at 2600 Sixth Ave. N., the former home of Thrifty Car Rental. Ryan Automotive has no direct ties to Dick Ryans former car lot near Rimrock Mall, which is now Rimrock Subaru, except for the logo, Miles said. The distinctive red lettering and a rocket flying through the R in Ryan remain, and workers were installing the sign last week outside the business. I just thought I was gonna follow in the footsteps, Miles, a 2004 Billings Senior High School graduate, said last week. Miles, 30, grew up in the car business, doing detailing and other work at the lot that was later owned by his father and uncles. The Ryans sold the lot in the early 2000s. For the past three years, he was working in the Bakken oil fields of North Dakota as a property manager for a drilling company, renting rooms to employees and overseeing about 100 land leases, he said. Ryan Automotive has 15 vehicles in its inventory now, and Miles said hes aiming to increase that number to between 30 and 60 regularly. He said he gets most vehicles from auctions and a wholesaler. The lot has three employees, including the owner. The Ryans also own the lot across North 26th street, which could be used for expansion, Miles Ryan said. Ryan Automotive is open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday. Call 406-702-7111 for more information or visit www.RyanAutoMT.com. More 'Joy' in Billings Kris Carpenter is expanding her Joy of Life gift store to downtown Billings. Carpenter said last week shes opening a second store in October at 102 N. Broadway, between Big Dipper and the Stacked restaurant. Carpenter has operated her original store, which is undergoing a remodel, at 1524 24th St. W. since 2010. She also owns Sanctuary Spa on Billings West End. At 700 square feet, the downtown store is smaller, but Carpenter said she loves the location. While downtown has lost a handful of retail stores in the last few years, particularly in womens clothing, Carpenter said she thinks the area is perfect for her business. The Joy of Living sells gifts, jewelry, clothing and accessories. I believe in downtown Billings, and Ive felt a little left out that I didnt have a presence there. I predict in a few years, downtown will blow up. I love shopping downtown and the experience of it, Carpenter said. A grand opening is tentatively scheduled in the second week of November. Out and about Signs in the window of a building at the Montana Sapphire subdivision on Billings West End say the "future home" of Sapphire Liquor and Sapphire Lounge. The building is next to the former Steak 'n' Shake restaurant and also houses Dotty's Casino. Across the street at Shiloh Crossing, another sign indicates that Riddle's Jewelers is moving into the Turley Dental building currently under construction. Billings design firm honored The Billings office of AlphaGraphics was recently presented with the companys top 10 sales award for 2015, owners Jake Eaton and Dustin Frost announced this month. At a New Orleans conference, the business at 3413 Gabel Road was recognized for its top-tier performance among 300 AlphaGraphics franchises worldwide. In a separate announcement, Eaton and Frost also said they hired two new members of their marketing team. Rachel Woosley, who formerly worked at Harvest Church in Billings, and Kay Hotchkiss, previously of the Crowne Plaza hotels sale team, were hired this month at AlphaGraphics. AlphaGraphics is a full-service print communications company for marketing, signs and other services. The company is based in Salt Lake City, and the Billings office has operated since 1994. Haikus from the valley Indian Country Together at Standing Rock Fighting the pipeline Organizer Kayhan Ostovar noticed two things Saturday when he and a cadre of volunteers floated down the Yellowstone River for the 10th annual river cleanup. First, there appeared to be less trash on the waterway, he said, standing on Norms Island at a spot overlooking the river. And the reason for that might be due to his second observation. Its the lowest Ive ever seen the river in 10 years, said Ostovar, associate professor of environmental science and fish and wildlife conservation at Rocky Mountain College. High water kind of exposes things. The day started early Saturday, with 30 volunteers in 15 drift boats, canoes, kayaks and rafts setting out from the Duck Creek bridge. The volunteers, RMC professors, environmental students and community members, stopped at Norms Island halfway through their day to unload and sort a load of trash and eat lunch, and then continue to the East Bridge fishing access by MetraPark. An additional 70 volunteers fanned out in parks along the river to pick up trash, and some helped sort and organize trash from the water. The event was sponsored by RBC Wealth Management in Billings, Phillips 66, ExxonMobil, Billings Clinic and St. Vincent Healthcare. Ostovar predicted the group would collect about 7,000 pounds of metal to recycle, plus three-dozen tires, plastic sacks and a variety of other kinds of junk. That's about average for the annual project, he said. Much of the metal comes from old, rusted cars that have been used as rip-rap. Unlike the past, this year, the volunteers had to scour the riverbanks for metal, ripping it out when they found it and digging up refuse from the ground. I think were making a small dent, he said. This was Rocky sophomore Katherine Blackfords second year helping with the cleanup. She was surprised her first time out at how much detritus the river gave up. We had full cars on some of the drift boats, and that opened up our eyes to how there is this much stuff in the river right now, and this is a rally important resource, she said. Because freshmen new to the program filled the boats this year, Blackford helped shuttle the first-time volunteers to their boats and unload the trash at the stopping points. Looking toward the future, shes sees the importance of days like Saturday. I would like my kids to see the Yellowstone in a healthy condition someday. It was the third year for Megan Poulette, assistant professor of environmental science and botany, who also is director of the Yellowstone River Research Center. Shes pleased that the students get exposure to problems and solutions in the environment. One of the things we like to do with our new students is familiarize them with their environment and what some of the big concerns are," Poulette said. "So I think its a great experience for them. Mike Penfold, volunteer conservation program director with Our Montana, said the nonprofit has taken part in the cleanup for several years. This year is particularly interesting to me because were not seeing a lot of fresh trash, which is a good thing, he said. It kind of indicates that people are being tidier along the river. Penfold is concerned with the dangerously low level of the Yellowstone. Some of the boats had a difficult time navigating parts of the water on Saturday. He estimates the river was two feet lower than it was a year ago. The stress that puts on the river causes biologic damage that leads to such problems as the recent fish kill, Penfold said. The Yellowstone River is an economic driver, used for recreation, farming, industry and to provide drinking water to communities all along the way. What were going to need is cooperation up and down the river if were going to sustain all these uses, he said. Just 240 square feet is enough for Ben Hahn, his wife and their dog. They live in a small place, known colloquially as a "tiny home," on a lot along Old Hardin Road. A year ago, it was a move that turned into a good idea, which then turned into a career for Hahn in the tiny home industry. Hahn and Dylan, his wife, moved to Montana last year from Colorado. Hahn initially took a job as a teacher in Fromberg. The housing search was discouraging. "Long story short: Affordable housing seemed to be an issue," Hahn, 27, said. They researched tiny homes and found Eco-Built Homes, a young Billings business that manufactures the small living spaces. In December, the Hahns closed on a mortgage and moved into a unit in Red Lodge. The house is like a freestanding studio apartment, with a living space and kitchen. There's an electric range built into the counter and a full bathroom to the side. Hahn said that he liked the low environmental impact of the unit. It runs on a 50-amp electric connection with a heating and cooling unit in the wall. Others in Red Lodge found it interesting, too, he said. Hahn said that the television network FYI contacted him to do a tiny house search episode. Although they already owned the house, the show depicts them as prospective home buyers who eventually land on the tiny house. Months later, Hahn got in touch with HGTV. Eco-Built wanted the Hahns to show their home for an episode of that network's tiny home show. A couple from California came to Red Lodge in May to check it out. As for Hahn, he went from being a satisfied customer to a sales representative for Eco-Built. "It rapidly became clear to me that teaching was not my career path," he said. He now works to sell homes for Eco-Built while working as a fly fishing guide on the side. Dylan is a veterinary tech in Shepherd. A week ago, the couple moved to Lockwood, where their house now sits among a group of Eco-Built model units. The company started eight years ago and has three employees. Hahn said that most of that time was spent in "research and development," which included use of their homes in the Bakken oil fields. The homes can be trailered to a location in a compact configuration. They're 8 feet wide before, at the press of a button, the kitchen slides out to reveal its living space. Eco-Built Homes lists several one of a kind 240-square-foot homes on its website for between $29,000 and $39,000. A larger, custom built, 307-square-foot home is advertised at $69,000. The company has sold 10 homes so far and does custom work, Hahn said. And while they can be moved by trailer, they have a steel-skid foundation. Hahn said that makes it more conducive to building codes. Wyeth Friday, interim planning and community services director for the city of Billings, said that his staff has talked about the tiny home fad, but there have been few requests from individual residents. "We've certainly had some of those discussions with people interested in doing higher density, cottage-type housing," he said. Friday said that depending on the code qualification of the Eco-Built homes, they could fall under modular or manufactured home categories. Modular homes typically meet the code requirements of houses built from the ground up, he said. They usually have a permanent foundation and can be built in nearly any residential zone. Manufactured homes are assembled in factories and are typically restricted to certain zoning districts. It all depends on the measurements and features of the units, Friday said. Other living situations could be attained through a planned unit development, where a developer can plan the layout of the space. That's what Eco-Built has in the works, Hahn said. The company has purchased 16 acres in Emerald Hills in hopes of building a tiny home neighborhood. And after going all in on tiny homes, Hahn said that his family will be there to get it going. "We're going to be the first residents of that community," he said. The HGTV episode of "Tiny House Hunters" featuring Eco-Built Homes airs on Sept. 12. Advertise Here Be seen advertise here. Contact us. On Sept. 1, The Rev. Dr. Karen Oliveto began her tenure as bishop of the Mountain Sky Area of the United Methodist Church, which includes Montana. Oliveto, 58, is the first openly gay pastor in the denomination to hold the leadership post in the second largest mainline denomination in the United States. She will take part in an installation service Saturday at the Bozeman United Methodist Church. Then, based in Denver, she will begin her first four-year term working with churches in Montana, Colorado, Utah, Wyoming and a sliver of Idaho. Those in the Western Jurisdictional Conference who elected her in July simply say she was the best person for the job. But they also realize her election is a watershed moment for the UMC. The liberal side of the denomination calls her election the culmination of a hard-fought battle to fully include LGBTQ people in the life of the denomination. Conservatives are disappointed in both the action and its timing, saying it violates the UMCs governing policies. One thing most agree on is that her election could be one more step toward schism in a denomination that finds it increasingly difficult to call itself the United Methodist Church. I think its going to be very difficult for the church to stay together because the theological divide is so deep and so wide, said the Rev. Tom Lambrecht, vice president and general manager of Texas-based Good News. The unofficial evangelical United Methodist organization strives to keep the UMC faithful to the traditional understanding of Scripture. Although the Book of Discipline, the UMCs law book, considers all people of sacred worth, it calls the practice of homosexuality incompatible with Christian teaching. It also says that self-avowed homosexuals are not to be certified as candidates, ordained as ministers or appointed to serve in the United Methodist Church. The logical conclusion, opponents to Olivetos election say, is if gay people in committed relationships cant be ordained as clergy, they cant be elected as bishops. Those in favor say its time for that to change. Previously Oliveto served as senior pastor of the progressive 11,000-member Glide Memorial Church in San Francisco. She is the first woman to serve as senior pastor of one of the 100 largest UMC churches. It was tough breaking that stained-glass ceiling," Oliveto said in a recent interview in Billings. Oliveto is no stranger to standing up for the rights of others. As pastor of Bethany United Methodist Church in San Francisco, she learned that the Gospel demands us to take risks on behalf of Gods beloved community. At Bethany, she began to advocate on behalf of the homeless population. She was willing to do whatever it took to help the most vulnerable people, including getting arrested if that was required. If you want street credibility, you better be willing to show you stand up for something, Oliveto said. If were not willing to risk, are we being faithful? Oliveto stood up in other ways. In 1996, during the height of the AIDS epidemic, she and her congregation agreed to be a distribution site for medical marijuana, even though it was illegal. They also committed to being a place of compassion for those who came to buy the drug. What would Jesus ask of us? Oliveto said. Jesus always sought to relieve suffering. The decision radically changed the congregation, she said, and caused them to think more boldly about who God was calling them to be. In 2004, when San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom declared marriages of gay and lesbian couples legal, Oliveto presided over nine marriage ceremonies for couples she pastored. A complaint was filed with the denominations Judicial Council over her actions from someone outside the church. It was eventually resolved. Oliveto left the church and was recruited to teach at her alma mater, the Pacific School of Religion. She spent four years there. Then she was hired as pastor of Glide Memorial Church, where she continued her advocacy work, partnering with the congregation to help people living in the margins. It was, at times, chaotic, crazy-making, she said, but she also saw the Holy Spirit work in the lives of people. A candidate When people started to approach her about the possibility of putting her name in as a candidate for bishop, Oliveto initially resisted, saying she didnt want to harm the church, herself or her relationship with Robin Ridenour, her wife since 2014. She also said fear was a factor. Then at the 2016 General Conference in Portland in May, the legislative body of the denomination that meets every four years, Olivetos thinking began to shift. Maybe instead of causing harm, shed be bringing a gift to the conversation. She woke up one morning at the conference and learned of the mass shooting at Pulse, the gay nightclub in Orlando. That moved her to act. "It confirmed that this was the right thing at the right time," she said. At the same time, she didn't want that to be the only reason for her candidacy. "I'm not there as a single issue," Oliveto said. "I'm there to bring all of who I am, my passion for the Gospel, love of God, and my faithfulness of following Christ to this work." At the general conference, where more than 800 delegates from the U.S. and around the world gathered, tensions were high as committees discussed the fraught issue of homosexuality. Delegates eventually took the unusual step of asking the Council of Bishops to give guidance when it looked like any kind of agreement was impossible. A decision was made to put all debate on homosexuality on hold. Instead, the delegates voted to allow the Council of Bishops to create the Commission on a Way Forward, representing all sides of the denomination, to scrutinize and possibly recommend revisions to the Book of Discipline related to human sexuality. It was a way of trying to find a solution to the deep divisions within the church, Lambrecht said. The commission was presented as an opportunity for the church to pause and allow us to pray together and try to discern the way forward, he said. Fast action But that pause didnt last long. Within a week, some jurisdictions in the denomination approved resolutions saying they would not comply with provisions of the Book of Discipline that discriminate against LBGTQ persons. One conference ordained four openly gay clergy, and the California-Nevada and California-Pacific conferences endorsed two openly gay clergy as bishop candidates, including Oliveto. Were disappointed and angry that the progressives did not give a chance for this commission to work out a way forward before taking precipitous action on their part, Lambrecht said. Matt Berryman, executive director of the Reconciling Ministries Network, an organization that works to bring full inclusion to LGBTQ people in the denomination, saw things differently. He compared the struggle of the people he represents to the one that blacks confronted in the United States. It depends on what side of the struggle you find yourself on, he said. For people living under oppression, the answer to that is fairly obvious: Youre stepping on my toe and it hurts. For the past three years, Berryman said, the Chicago-based organization has led the charge for faithful rule breaking. If the churchs policies are intransigent and anti-gay, he said, there is no option than to take action to change them. Weve been encouraging pastors and others toward biblical obedience, Berryman said. Do the right thing, no matter what the church is saying, and that has had a huge impact. It has created a growing pressure, he said, for change in the Book of Discipline whose rules on homosexuality have been in place since 1972. He sees Oliveto's election as a culmination of their efforts. "In some ways, we're moving to a climax in the story," Berryman said. For the Rev. Jeremy Scott, Mountain Sky Area vital congregations developer, electing Oliveto at the Western Jurisdictional Conference in Scottsdale, Ariz., in July was the right thing to do, but for a different reason. I was looking for somebody with deep relevant and recent experience in the local church, and we need to have somebody who has a passion for making disciples, said Scott, who lives in Billings. And it was clear in our initial conversation that Bishop Karen checks both of those boxes." Scott said the 100 delegates at the meeting approached the selection of a bishop with a high level of intentionality, taking a lot of time to get to know the nine candidates before making a decision. Oliveto was elected on the 17th ballot, with 88 delegates voting for her and 12 abstaining. Scott believes if the delegates had used the excuse she was gay not to elect her, we would have been denying ourselves the best person for the job. Split opinions The delegates were fully cognizant that choosing Oliveto was groundbreaking. But Scott maintains that was never the priority. The characterization that we got together and conspired to elect a token bishop is really disheartening, he said. No one who was actually there can claim that thats what we were actually doing. Even if thats the case, Lambrecht said, Olivetos election still flies in the face of the denominations rules. We have nothing personal against Karen Oliveto, shes evidently done good works of ministry over the years, he said. But we feel like she does not meet the qualifications necessary to serve our church. Soon after Olivetos election, complaints were filed with the Judicial Council, the denominations highest judicial body, for a declaratory decision concerning same-sex church leaders. A decision isnt expected to be rendered until spring. The tension over her election can be felt throughout the denomination, including in Billings, the Rev. Tim Hathaway said. The UMC prides itself in being a pluralistic church, with great diversity within the denomination, said Hathaway, pastor of First United Methodist Church in Billings. So it is not surprising that some people are exceedingly thrilled about this, while others are grieving and find it very challenging, he said. Lambrecht said his organization has heard from a number of churches in the Rocky Mountain and Yellowstone conferences who are at odds with Oliveto's election. "I think that her election puts orthodox evangelicals in those areas in a real quandary," he said. "And I'm afraid that the actions that have been taken over the last several months are accelerating the membership decline." A small movement within the denomination is also urging members to divert their tithe money from the Episcopal Fund, which supports the UMC's administration, and toward other areas of ministry. Scott, who expects the Judicial Council to uphold Olivetos election, believes there is room in the denomination for disagreement. We are the church of Hillary Clinton and George W. Bush, so the opportunity present in this election is to really remind ourselves of that and to embrace it and be OK with disagreeing about homosexuality, he said. Beginning her service Oliveto is focused on beginning her tenure as resident bishop in the Mountain Sky Area. Her first priority is to meet the people in the congregations she will serve. She is keenly aware of the tension that exists in the denomination, and she welcomes the continuing discussion and debate. We might not agree, but we dont have to agree, we just have to love, she said. And the measure of our faithfulness will be tested by our ability to love each other. And Im committed to being in love with the people Im serving. Beyond the Judicial Councils decision, the selection is underway for members of the Commission on a Way Forward. An unprecedented special session of the General Conference will be called, possibly in 2018, once the commissions work is done. Berryman is hopeful that the commission will start taking at least small steps toward more inclusiveness. Anything else, he said, would be a colossal failure. Lambrecht thinks its more likely the body will come up with some kind of structural realignment to allow the more progressive and evangelical parts of the UMC to go their separate ways. There might be some things we can continue to cooperate on, he said. But I think were going to need to create separate groups for the people who have heartfelt and sincere differences on theology. Standing in a streetlights jaundice glow, just off the corner of Ringold and 8th streets in San Francisco, I found myself staring at asphalt and garbage. My eyes locked on the discarded wrappers occupying the space where my car was supposed to be. This was how my first experience with having a car stolen began. I went to the city on a Thursday night for a friends birthday party, a special event that drew me to make the unusual trip to San Francisco on a weeknight. It was nearly 1 a.m. when I left. I pondered getting something to eat, perhaps a late-night burrito or some donuts while walking back to my car. I turned the corner at Ringold and came to a dead halt. The Acura that had parked first was still there. But my car, the banged up, fading paint job of a 1998 Honda Civic, which had been second in line, wasnt second anymore. Nothing was. The first stage of personal auto theft is denial. Did I park on 9th? Folsom? 8th? I walked up Ringold, staring intently at the black 4-door a few cars up. Did I park there? Is that it? This cant be happening. I turned back and walked to the vacant spot I wanted nothing to do with. Without care who heard me, I screamed: WHERES MY CAR!!! I checked the street sign looming above. There were parking restrictions at this hour for street cleaning. But on Wednesdays. I pulled out my cell phone and dialed 911. The second stage of personal auto theft is prayer praying the cops have towed your car away, as opposed to, you know After being transferred to San Francisco Police, I kept hoping the female officer on the other end was going to tell me my car was in some impound lot. I was completely willing, and happily so, to pay whatever cost to get my car back. No, we dont have any record of it being towed, the officer informed me. The third stage of personal auto theft sends your stomach into your shoes. The officer informed me I could wait for a patrol car to be dispatched to my location to file a report. But, she warned, it might not be until the early morning hours. Its past 1 a.m. How more early morning does it have to be? My second option was to make my way to the nearest police station, which was on 3rd Street. I started to plug the address into Google Maps when I noticed a squad car heading in my direction. I waved my arms. I screamed. I did everything but throw my phone at the patrol car. It just cruised on by. I stared indignantly at the disappearing help. Do I look homeless? Is everyone invisible to you? Or just me? I returned to my phone and to mapping the police station on 3rd. Google Maps produced a jagged route reminiscent of an Etch A Sketch. It was a 10-minute trip. By car. Somehow I took it personally that Google Maps didnt know my predicament, that I was without my Honda. Dont you realize! I grabbed a cab, whose clueless driver dropped me two blocks shy of the precinct. I walked into the sparkling, modern Mission Bay station and told the officer behind the glassed-off front counter my car was stolen. She reacted as if I said the sky is blue. She pushed a form through the concave slot in the glass and told me to have a seat. Should I take a number as well? The lobby was completely vacant except for me. The fourth stage of personal auto theft is resignation. And forgetfulness. I sat on a slotted wood bench filling out the stolen vehicle form. I was now becoming a statistic. I struggled to remember things about my car. Like the license plate number. Even the year it was made. 98? 97? The officer was not happy that I didnt completely fill out the form. She pushed something else at me, a booklet: The Victims Bill of Rights Act of Marsys Card and Resources. It details 17 victims rights bestowed on me and all Californians under state law. Thanks, Sacramento. I feel much better. The officer also warned me. If you find your car yourself, contact us immediately. Dont drive it. Your car is now reported stolen. Anyone found driving it will be subject to a felony and officers will approach with guns drawn. She also said if they recovered my car, they would call me and that I would have only 20 minutes to meet them at the location of my vehicle. I live in Napa, so I probably wont make it, I replied. In that case, the officer said, my car would be taken to auto recovery and held until I could get it. Like youre going to find it. Im sure. The fifth stage of personal auto theft is bitterness. I started to turn away, shoulders slumped, when she added: We have a pretty good recovery rate. Was that a fact? Or was she just trying to be nice? Outside the station, I contemplated my next move. How the hell am I going to get home? Home was 50 miles away. BART wasnt running at that hour, now 2 a.m., and I wasnt up for Uber draining my bank account. Roger! One of my oldest and dearest friends lives in Richmond. The City of Pride and Purpose! I called, hoping he was home. He and his wife often spent time at their remote lakeside home in Butte County. Please be in Richmond! I got voicemail. The sixth stage of personal auto theft is isolation. Third Street was void of humanity. A chilling breeze was the only thing keeping me company. I looked up at the moonless sky. I want my car back. I hadnt just lost a car. It was much more than a mode of transportation. Another old friend had given me my Honda two years earlier as a gift during a difficult time in my life. It was one of the most magnificent gestures of kindness I had ever received. I wanted my gift back. This car was supposed to be with me for a long time. Not just two years. I knew Hondas were always at or near the top of the list for Most Stolen Vehicles. Mine and other late 90s models were prized by street racers and those providing them with parts. I imagined my car being dismantled. A victim of some shadowy black market chop shop. If I got it back, I expected it to be stripped. Nothing more than a chassis and frame. The seventh stage of personal auto theft is hopelessness. My phone beeped at me. There was a message from Roger. He was home after all and headed to pick me up. Hallelujah! I spent the night on Rogers sofa, curled up in a sleeping bag that his wife, Maia, had laid out for me. Sleep was fitful at best. Stewart, their puppy terrier mix, was nice enough to bark in my face for a 6 a.m. wake-up call. The next day Roger and Maia dropped me off at my house on their way to the lake. The rest of Friday and the following Saturday were a blur. I came down with a head cold, and teetered toward spiraling sadness. Sunday night I was puttering on Facebook. I had posted the news about my car, and friends were still responding, expressing condolences. I replied to one friend, writing: If I get the car, or anything that was in it, back Ill be pleasantly surprised. Moments after I posted these words, my cell phone lit up with a 415 area code. Swear to god, hand on Bible, this happened right after my Facebook reply. Is this Noelle Brickjertoff? Yes, I said with my usual patience for those challenged by pronunciation. This is San Francisco Police. We found your vehicle. My world stopped. Its at 364 Shotwell. Can you be here in 20 minutes? I explained I was in Napa. They said my car would be towed to Auto Return, and I could pick it up there. I couldnt quite believe what I was hearing. I was hesitant to ask the condition of my car, fearing the details. Its drivable, the male officer said flatly. Drivable? What does that mean? Drivable if you have four spare tires handy? Drivable if you dont mind the human excrement in the back seat? My brother and I left the next morning for San Francisco. I first had to revisit the police station to get a Vehicle Release Form so Auto Return would give me back my car. The officer on duty slipped me the form, and pointed to the stamp she had applied to it. This will waive most, if not all of the fees at Auto Return, she said. The eighth stage of personal auto theft is good fortune. That stamp was golden. It saved me paying a $261 administrative fee, a $208 towing charge, and $58.50 in storage fees. A total savings of $527.50. After checking in at Auto Return, located off 7th Street, I waited patiently at the locked gate for the security guard to let me into the yard. The minutes dragged. Once inside I scanned the lot, spotted my Honda, and nearly broke into a sprint. I couldnt see any damage. I expected my key to not unlock the door, figuring the thief busted it to get in. The key worked fine. I opened the drivers door and froze. My eyes dilated. A reddish hair extension with black spots occupied the drivers seat. The rest of the front area was strewn with garbage, mostly napkins from various fast food restaurants. Subway and Togos logos decorated the floor mat. I tossed the hair extension aside and went to check the ignition. Again, I expected it to be wrecked, with wires dangling from beneath the steering column. Everything was in place, including the ignition. The car started up just as always. My Alpine car stereo was still intact, as were the speakers. The backseat was excrement-free. How is this possible? I drove back to Napa, talking to my car, talking to the universe, thanking whomever or whatever had made this happen. The ninth stage of personal auto theft is amateur police work. In time I determined a few things about my cars journey and the person who stole it. It seemed my Honda spent a lot of time in the Mission District. I know it was at 23rd and Harrison on Friday. I know this because a good Samaritan eventually mailed me my car registration slip with a brief note saying it was found at this location on Aug. 26. Assuming the first order of business for a car thief is ransacking, I figured they went through my vehicle and trunk and disposed of or sold off whatever they could. I lost about $300 worth of stuff. Next, they had breakfast. I found a receipt from McDonalds, located at 345 Bayshore Blvd., that was time stamped 8:06 a.m., Aug. 26. They feasted on four sausage breakfast burritos (with hot picante sauce), one chocolate chip frappe and a hash brown. The total: $11.62. They paid in cash. I have no idea where my car went on Saturday. But Sunday night it was in the Mission District. Police found it at 364 Shotwell St., with someone it. They had told me a suspect was arrested. The tenth, and final, stage of personal auto theft is justice. Napa Valleys wine country seems to have avoided being targeted for an Indian casino for now, with a tribe that had considered the county reportedly looking at Vallejo in adjacent Solano County instead. The Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians has never publicly talked about building a casino. But local vintner groups last year obtained a confidential preliminary agreement between the tribe and a Las Vegas company calling for creating a gaming establishment in Napa, Solano or Sonoma counties. Officials in Solano and Napa counties recently said the tribe is seeking federal restored land recognition for Vallejo property at Interstate 80 and Highway 37 in hills near Columbus Parkway. Success in that attempt would be a step in establishing a casino. Last year, Napa Valley Vintners vocally opposed having the Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians look to Napa County for a casino. The tribe could buy land, have the land placed in trust by the federal government and avoid being subject to county agricultural protection laws. Rex Stults of Napa Valley Vintners said Friday that Napa County still needs to maintain a high degree of vigilance. I think weve learned in the last decade or more of working on these things that they happen in the dark of night, Stults said. Napa Valley Vintners welcomes anybody who wants to be a neighbor in Napa Valley, Stults said. But, he said, they must be willing to abide by rigid county land-use laws that have allowed Napa Valley to become what it is. Meanwhile, the prospect of a Vallejo casino is raising concerns in American Canyon. The city is asking the Napa County Board of Supervisors to join those who oppose having the tribe gain the necessary federal approvals that would allow for a casino. The proposed casino could have a negative effect on both American Canyon and the county in several ways unless it is properly evaluated for its impact, American Canyon Mayor Leon Garcia wrote to the county. Garcia elaborated in a letter to the U.S. Department of Interior. Among other things, he mentioned that his city obtains a portion of its water from Vallejo. There is a concern that the density of water use for the proposed casino resort would strain the already limited water resources available in Solano and Napa counties, particularly given the persistent and ongoing drought conditions faced by the state of California, he wrote. On Monday, the countys Legislative Subcommittee of Supervisors Diane Dillon and Mark Luce will discuss Garcias request. Dillon said Friday she doesnt know what recommendation the subcommittee might make to the Board of Supervisors as a whole. The sad aspect of this is the Scotts Valley tribe, like so many other Indian tribes, needs to have economic development for the well-being of their tribal members, Dillon said. This is a path available to them. I understand why they go down this path. Her job is to look out for the best interests of Napa County and its economic viability. She believes in preserving agriculture and keeping urban uses in urban areas, Dillon said. Solano County and U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein are among those speaking out about the Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians interest in gaining restored land status from the federal government. We dont believe the tribe is native to Solano County, Solano County Board of Supervisors Chairwoman Erin Hannigan said on Friday. Its really nothing more than that. Its not anti-casino or anything like that. Its a matter of process. Feinstein makes a similar point in a July 22 letter to Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell. The Vallejo property is more than 60 miles from the Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians original reservation in Lake County, she wrote. More troubling is the lack of transparency, Feinstein wrote. There has been no notice to the surrounding tribes with historic ties to the area. The affected cities and counties are similarly left in the dark. And the agency has failed to provide any notice to the state. Thats a problem. Rob Ottone of the Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians couldnt be reached for a comment on Friday by phone or by email. The federal government can take land into trust for Indian tribes, allowing tribes to have sovereign status on the land. But that alone doesnt allow for casinos. Land acquired after 1988 cannot have gaming unless it qualifies for a restored land exception. Among other things, tribes to receive restored land exceptions must show they have modern and historic ties to the land and that the land is within reasonable commuting distance of the tribes reservation. Also, a tribe before establishing a casino must have a gaming compact with California. Napa County officials have also expressed concern that the Mishewal Wappo Tribe of Alexander Valley in Sonoma County might try to establish a Napa County casino. The county opposed having the tribe federally recognized. The Mishewal Wappo tribe sued then-Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar in 2009 to gain federal recognition, but a federal judge in March 2015 ruled against it. That case is under appeal. Following morning Mass, roughly 60 people of all ages, including children, a baby who hitched a ride in a stroller and even a dog, gathered in the courtyard of Napas St. Apollinaris Catholic church on Saturday and embarked on a Holy Door Pilgrimage for the Jubilee of Mercy. Pope Francis declared 2016 a Jubilee of Mercy, a period of prayer that began on Dec. 8, 2015, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, and will end on Nov. 20, 2016, the Feast of Christ the King. This year is also considered an extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy because it was not predetermined. Most Jubilees of Mercy occur every 25 years, but the pope was moved to declare it early, after just 16. He called upon all Catholics to make a pilgrimage during the period. The Jubilee of Mercy is a special time that Pope Francis has called in order to focus our spiritual life a little bit more on the concept of mercy, which is Gods willingness to enter into our own suffering and help us through that and forgive us for those times when we stumble and have difficulty in life, said John Dermody, the leader and organizer of the pilgrimage and a deacon in the Santa Rosa Diocese. He continuously invites us back and welcomes us into his life. The door is always open, but we have to walk through it, we have to make the effort and make the journey for that. The pilgrimage is a metaphor for that journey, which for this group was a six-mile walk from St. Apollinaris, up Solano Avenue to St. Joan of Arc in Yountville, which is Napa Countys designated Holy Door for this Year of Mercy. Many switched out their standard church garb for active wear and sneakers, while others donned matching red shirts created for the occasion. Minutes before Father William Donahue led the Prayer of Pilgrimage, the Napa fog dissipated and the group embarked on their sunny, 60-degree trek. Monica Lopez walked with her two sons, Jace and John, and the family met up with her husband John at St. Joan of Arc. This is the Year of Mercy, and I believe its very important for all Catholics to live their faith and participate in this very special year, said Lopez. This is really special to me because were going as a family. When Dermody first organized this event, he spawned a movement across the Santa Rosa Diocese, where several other churches expressed interest in joining in. Dermody said that many of them also made their pilgrimages on Saturday to the other designated Holy Doors across Northern California, including Saint Eugene in Santa Rosa and Saint Bernard in Eureka. Along the way to St. Joan of Arc, there was lively conversation, music and singing. Some people traveled in large packs, while others marched in pairs or solo. Its mostly meant to be joyful. There should be a little bit of recognition that this is a metaphor for life, that were journeying along the way, but those kind of symbolic things dont need to be discussed too much; people will feel it, Dermody said before the pilgrimage. Im sure some people will have some sore feet, be a little tired, thirsty and hungry, as it should be. It shouldnt be really difficult, but also not super easy. This was the second pilgrimage this year for youth minister Dominic Figueroa, 24, who had the opportunity to visit Rome and Poland for World Youth Day along with 3 million other people. He was excited to make another pilgrimage back home. His dad, David Figueroa, who was also on the trip abroad, brought his guitar and played while walking. I say if you sing along, you pray twice, he joked. The pilgrimage is very special because you come together as a community and God does something in the mix of it, so its a beautiful thing. After arriving at St. Joan of Arc, Dermody led a prayer service, which included a Plenary Indulgence. An important part of receiving the mercy is expressing ones desire to leave some sinful aspects of our life, to be forgiven for things that we carry that we feel guilty about, said Dermody. A cleanse occurs and then one is in a much better condition to be merciful. We all walk out feeling Gods mercy and are able to share it with renewed vigor. The group then boarded the bus back to St. Apollinaris, but their work during this Year of Mercy isnt done. First, the Year of Mercy is about receiving Gods mercy, but then we should turn back and show that mercy in the world. The major element of mercy is work. The difference between compassion and mercy, is that with compassion, you can feel sad for someone, one can have pity for someone and be moved by other peoples suffering, which is wonderful, said Dermody. But mercy is like a verb; its what one does to end that persons suffering, improve that persons suffering. Its an act; its work. Im writing in support of the candidacy of Jennifer Baker for Napa Valley College Board of Trustees. I am a Sonoma County resident, and NVC serves a portion of our county. Unfortunately, I cannot personally vote for Ms. Baker, yet I feel confident in saying that anyone who can should as you would be well-served by having Ms. Baker in this post. Ive worked alongside and beside Ms. Baker for more than 10 years, as a fellow library director when she was in charge of the exemplary St. Helena Public Library, and I was director at the San Rafael Public Library. We served on the board of the North Bay Cooperative Library System, and she has a very real ability to work collaboratively and productively in a board environment. During our tenure on that board, we worked together to define the future of the cooperative library systems in Northern California, forging bonds between our own North Bay system and all other libraries in the northern part of our state. This required the ability to listen, to plan, to compromise, and to seek understanding from all of our partners. Ive also worked with Ms. Baker in the context of our professional association, the California Library Association for which she currently serves as secretary on the executive board. There again, her work always manages to combine a sense of fun with a drive toward accomplishment. Youll be very happy with her level of dedication and expertise as a board member when you elect her in November. I only wish I lived there so I could vote for her! David Dodd Petaluma Third in an occasional series Even though answering 10 questions on the government, history and laws of the United States wasnt hard, I still got two wrong. I had studied the 100 questions and answers or rather I had read over them a couple of times and it didnt matter if I got all of them right or wrong. Not so for Blanca Dixon, Immigration Program coordinator for the UpValley Family Centers. Dixon is a lawful permanent resident who is seeking to become a U.S. citizen. She is one of nearly 9,000 LPRs living in Napa County who are eligible to become U.S. citizens. In July 2013, the Napa Valley Community Foundation and more than 125 donors and four nonprofits launched the One Napa Valley Initiative. It is designed to help Napa Countys foreign-born residents become citizens. The nonprofits are UpValley Family Centers, the International Institute of the Bay Area, On the Move and Puertas Abiertas. Before meeting with a U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services officer to orally answer the questions, Dixon said she was studying the questions every night. Additionally, she was listening to them on a CD in her car during her 30-minute commute. I go question by question and if I know the answer, I skip it, she said. At the beginning, I couldnt even get through the 100 questions. Now I can do it twice. The questions arent hard and the answers are supplied. Dixon said, The good thing is that there are several answers for each question. So I tell my clients, pick the one (answer) that is closer to Spanish, so you can remember it. Thats what she did, and she reports she passed the test. During a mid-August mock test, Dixon asked four of us 10 questions. Both Norma Ferriz, operations director for the UpValley Family Centers, and Jesse Duarte, Star reporter, got all 10 right. Jenny Ocon, UpValley Family Centers executive director, got nine of 10 right. How hard were the questions? I think we got some of the easier questions, Ocon said. I feel like I knew quite a bit, but I know there are some questions in there that I would be struggling with quite a bit. Dates and numbers, for example, would be tough. We all knew that George Washington is regarded as the father of our country, and each of us could name a freedom guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution, freedom of speech, for example, or freedom of assembly. A listing of officers in the cabinet such as secretary of state and secretary of defense also was fairly straightforward. For somebody born as a U.S. citizen, who grew up here, I feel like so much of this information is absorbed over time, Ocon said. A lot of this you learn in school. But, if youre not from this country, you dont have that benefit, so it does require studying. Ferriz, who passed the test in September 2013 and shortly thereafter became a U.S. citizen, said the mock civics test was OK, but added she did study before taking it. She said it was the same as when she sat for the oral exam before a Department of Homeland Security officer three years ago, except she wasnt nervous this time because I was not being evaluated. Three years ago, though, she missed one question, because of what she calls a stupid mistake. Ferriz was asked when the Declaration of Independence was and she replied, Fourth of July, 1976. She stuck with her answer even when the DHS officer questioned her again, and the woman told her the correct year was 1776. I knew the right answer, Ferriz said, but I was so nervous. Becoming a U.S. citizen isnt easy, especially for people who didnt grow up here, may have very limited English skills and have trouble reading and writing, Ferriz said. I was nervous because it means a lot to us (to become a U.S. citizen). It really does. Ellis Island connection Lisa Toller has lived in St. Helena for the past 20 years, and her husband Joel was raised here. Lisa has served on the UpValley Family Centers board for the past two years and said she is vitally interested in immigration and citizenship issues in the Napa Valley. I am very interested and very proud of our work regarding immigration and integration, Toller said. I think it is important that community members understand how motivated and how difficult it is for people to become U.S. citizens. I know it is something I take for granted, and Ill bet a lot of folks do. Toller said her grandparents on both sides of her family were immigrants, one side from Italy, the other from Ireland. One was a coal miner, the other a stone mason. When they came to this country, like a lot of folks, it was the land of promise, she said. About a decade ago, Toller and her youngest son, Tyler, went to Ellis Island, in New York, with the express purpose of looking up Tollers great-grandfather, Anselmo Lenzini, who came to this country with his family. Between 1892 and 1954, more than 12 million immigrants entered the United States through the Ellis Island station, which was a small island in New York Harbor. I actually found his signature in the records at Ellis Island and it was really an incredible feeling, Toller said. I had never seen his signature before. I never knew him, but somehow I connected with him at that place. My oldest son Sam is named after him. Citizenship equals integration The UpValley Family Centers offer their citizenship services in both St. Helena and Calistoga. Both Indira Lopez and Blanca Dixon continue with their training through the International Institute of the Bay Area, which began more than a year ago. For Ferriz, becoming a U.S. citizen would be more convenient. I was living here and I was going to live here for the rest of my life. She said the question is not why did she become a U.S. citizen, five years after permanently moving to the United States, but a better question is why not. Ocon said the center is committed to helping people become citizens, so they can feel as integrated as they can with the community. Theres research that shows that U.S. citizens over time tend to have higher education, make more money and have a better quality of life than non citizens, Ocon said. The services are specific for each individual. We each have a different story of how we came to this country, why we came, what we brought and what we didnt, Ferriz said. Its not a cookie-cutter service. Lopez and Dixon analyze each persons situation to make sure the path is the best one for that person. For more information on becoming a U.S. citizen, contact Blanca Dixon at bdixon@upvalleyfamilycenters.org. The final part of the series will tell the citizenship story of Angwin resident Elsa Cairo Carlos. The requested page is currently unavailable on this server. Back to [RTHK News Homepage] Katie Price recently opened up on the subject of her devastating phase after she found out about her husband's extra-marital affair with her best friend. The TV personality reportedly thought about killing herself when she caught husband Kieran Hayler kissing 50-year-old Jane Pountney during a holiday in Cape Verde in April 2014, reports the Daily Mail. The 34-year-old glamour model even disclosed how disturbed she became when she found out that Hayler, even though their second child was on the way, had been cheating on her with her best friend for 10 long months. "I felt so alone. Kieran hadn't bothered to come and find me and I just thought, 'I want to drown myself in the sea'," she revealed. "Looking back it terrifies me - I contemplated hanging myself or ramming my car into a wall. If I hadn't been pregnant with Bunny and had my children, I don't think I would be here today - I would have 100 per cent tried to kill myself," the model added. The author of 'Being Jordan: My Autobiography', during her stint on 'Celebrity Big Brother' in 2015, bitterly narrated the incident leading to her discovery of the affair. "I caught them kissing on a holiday that I had f***ing paid for. I remember going down to the bar one day in Cape Verde to ask the staff if they had seen my husband. They pointed towards the beach and said he'd gone that way," she revealed. "I asked them if he was with anyone and they said no. At that point, I knew he had gone to meet her so I started walking towards the beach and in the distance, I could see these two silhouettes on the sun loungers. My heart was racing because I knew it was them," she continued. Price's emotional meltdown was a result of built up disappointments and desperation which started when she also discovered that Hayler had slept with not just her best friend but another of her friends too. Price is reported to have sworn to never forgive Jane Pountney, who took part in the terrible act, despite the fact that she was twice Price's bridesmaid. Contradictorily, the model has come to terms with her husband's actions because rather than filing a divorce, the reportedly couple underwent therapy and renewed their wedding vows. (ANI) Police today recovered 14 powerful steel bombs, 12 swords from four places, following intensified raids across this Kerala district. The raids were conducted following the tense situation prevailing across the district following the murder of RSS worker M Vineesh of Thilankery and a bomb attack on CPI(M) worker Jijesh on September 3. According to police, they have recovered 13 powerful steel bombs from Thilankery, including nine at Punthillot and four from Narikottapara from different vacant plots around afternoon. One powerful steel bomb was recovered from Arayanghad in Maloor around 1400 hrs when the local residents informed that a bomb is seen near a mud wall.Valapatnam police recovered 12 swords from Keecherikunnu from an unused plot following the raid .Meanwhile, Special Investigation team (SIT) probing the murder of RSS worker Vineesh today arrested two CPI(M) activists Mahesh(33) of Kundhalot and Vineesh(26) of Kundarinjhal near Thilankery who would be produced before the court on tomorrow. This is the first arrest in this case.BJP state president Kummanam Rajasekharan visited the house of RSS worker Vineesh, who was allegedly murdered by CPI(M) activists. UNI AK JW RSA 2350 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0364-927073.Xml Idols, golden umbrellas and jewellery were stolen from Khandelwal Digambar Jain Mandir near Shivaji Stadium as burglars broke into the temple, police said today. According to police, the burglars stole the antiques from the 250-year-old temple which are estimated to be worth crores of rupees on Friday. Police said the guards of the temple did not get to know of the break-in till 1600 hrs and recovered one of the bags containing an antique idol that was dropped by the thieves. As per the CCTV footage, four unidentified persons were seen entering the premises after scaling the rear wall. One person was seen entering the temple hall through a gap below the entrance gate. Then the temple was ransacked by thieves. The thieves fled after scaling the rear wall and the stolen goods were divided into four parts and packed into backpacks. The police have registered a case under various sections of Indian Penal Code and further investigation is on. UNI SM AE SB 1943 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0271-928229.Xml Hundreds of Saint Teresa's adorers took part in a peace rally here to celebrate her canonization from Mother to Saint that took place in Italy's Vatican City last Sunday. Mother Teresa, known as the "saint of the gutters" during her life, was made a saint of the Roman Catholic Church, 19 years after her death. Millions of Catholics revere her as a model of compassion. More than one lakh people attended the ceremony in front of St. Peter's Basilica. Students played school band while small children dressed like nuns of the Missionaries of Charity, formed by Saint Teresa for serving the poorest of the poor and the dying and sick, sat in tableau. People from various religions and walks of life took part in the peace rally organized from committee for the celebration of Mother Teresa's canonization, which started from the Rabindra Centenary Hall and went through the streets of the capital city. Young girls from various tribal communities in their traditional attire walked with placards of the Mother and several of her preachings. Bishop Lumen Monteiro, who was present there at the Saint Peter's Square when Pope Francis canonized Mother Teresa at the Vatican on September 4 last, said, "It is indeed a great honour for me to be present but also to represent Tripura because Mother had a great love for all the people all over and Tripura was no less. She came to Tripura and started a house in Agartala and another house in Kumarghat. She visited our school and loved the place and people loved Mother. It was a honor because this event in Sainthood, canonization in Rome last Sunday, to be present for that was like for being present for whole people of Tripura and India and was a moment of great joy." Not only people of the Christian faith, but from others also voluntarily took part in the peace rally, which according to them, is the need of the hour for global peace and a message against religious fundamentalism. Sumita Roy, a participant said, "I am not a Christian, I come from the Hindu community. I personally believe that peace is a great thing and right now the nation demands peace and it is the need of the hour and that is the reason I personally participated to promote peace..Mother Teresa is known to us right from the childhood, she always has inspired us, motivated us." Meantime, Manila Sahay, a teacher described her as an inspiration to the younger generation in today's modern world. She said, "As Mother Teresa had internationally promoted peace, the participating students shall also get motivated for helping each other and walk in her way for the development of the nation. If we achieve even one percent of Mother's greatness then we shall feel ourselves blessed." Teresa rose to fame in the eastern Indian city Kolkata, where she devoted her life to helping the destitute and the sick in its teeming slums and was also awarded with the Nobel Peace Prize. (ANI) The Janata Dal (United) on Sunday said called for transparency on the NGO run by the Islamic Research Foundation (IRF) of the controversial Islamic speaker Zakir Naik and urged all political parties to stay away from such people. "There must be transparency if a party receives fund by any organisation. There must be transparency for all parties...not for any one party. There must be a proper scrutiny of the funds given to like-minded people for a special reason," JD (U) leader Ali Anwar told ANI. Resonating similar sentiments, another JD (U) leader K.C. Tyagi said, "The political parties should keep themselves away from people like Zakir Naik and his organisation. If the Congress returns the amount, then this matter should be considered as closed." JD (U) leader Sharad Yadav called for a probe into the matter. "If he has broken the law then there should be a probe. Playing 'political kabaddi' is not right," he added. Union Law and Justice Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad yesterday questioned the Congress on Naik's NGO and asked how the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation received a sum of Rs. 50 lakhs from the Islamic preacher in 2011. Prasad said several Congress leaders including former prime minister Dr Manmohan Singh, Montek Singh Ahluwalia, P. Chidambaram, Rahul Gandhi, Suman Dubey, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Ashok Ganguly were associated with the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation back in 2011. The Congress initially denied that it had accepted a donation, but later claimed that the money did not come to the RGF but to an allied entity called the RGCT and the same was returned to the IRF. However, an IRF spokesman quoted Naik as saying that the money had gone to the RGF and not to the charitable trust and that this amount was yet to be refunded. Four officials, including a Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), were suspended a few days ago for renewing the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) registration of Naik's NGO despite an ongoing investigation against him. Naik is banned in the U.K. and Canada for his alleged hate speeches aimed against other religions. He is among the 16 banned Islamic scholars in Malaysia. He is also accused of radicalizing and attracting youth for terror acts and has come under the scanner of the security agencies. (ANI) The government has firmly rejected the charge that it had pursued a 'flip flop' policy on Pakistan during the past two years and is quite convinced that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had deliberately raised the pitch on the Kashmir issue following the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen Commander Burhan Wani in early July to deflect mounting pressure on him from his opponents to resign following the Panama paper leaks. With Prime Minister Narendra Modi deciding to skip the coming UN General Assembly session later this month, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj is preparing herself to launch a counter-offensive if Mr Sharif indulged in 'Pakistani propaganda' on the Kashmir issue when he addresses the meet. Government sources said Ms Swaraj would obviously speak after Heads of State or Government had addressed the gathering and would be in the know of the statement made by Mr Sharif. Asked how India would respond if Mr Sharif highlighted the current unrest in the valley, the sources merely stated, ''wait and watch''. However, there is no doubt in the corridors of power in New Delhi that the current spate of violence in Kashmir had been financially, morally and diplomatically aided and abetted by Pakistan. Asked if there was any possibility of Prime Minister Modi visiting Pakistan in November for the SAARC Summit, the sources said a final decision in the matter was yet to be taken. The sources said Mr Sharif had shown a great desire to improve ties with India after Mr Modi became Prime Minister but what ostensibly brought about a 'sea change' in him were factors like his sons being named in Panama papers and opposition leaders, particularly Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chief Imran Khan, targeting him. Narrating the sequence of events in the accident-prone India-Pakistan relationship ever since Mr Narendra Modi took over as Prime Minister in May 2014, top government sources said New Delhi was clear in its understanding that the country could not realise its true economic potential unless there was peace in South Asia. That was the reason why all South Asian leaders were invited for Mr Modi's oath-taking ceremony at which Mr Sharif too was present. Mr Modi and Mr Sharif had established a 'great chemistry' between them at their first meeting itself even as New Delhi had firmly conveyed to Islamabad that it wanted to resolve all issues between the two nations through peaceful means bilaterally and that terrorism and talks could not go together. MORE/UNI/AT/ ADG 1025DIEXTERNAL-INDIA PAKISTAN TWO LAST NEW DELHIThe two Prime Ministers decided to hold foreign secretary levels talks in Islamabad on August 25, 2014 but the dialogue was called off after New Delhi took umbrage to Pakistan High Commissioner Abdul Basit's holding talks with Hurriyat leaders. The two Prime Ministers picked up the threads from where they left off in Ufa (Russia) in July 2015 and also issued a joint statement in which there was no mention of Jammu and Kashmir. Mr Sharif had to backtrack on the joint statement after he faced intense heat from the opposition for 'giving up' the Kashmir cause. This resulted in the joint statement being given a 'decent burial' by Islamabad. A planned meeting between Pakistan PM's Adviser on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz with Ms Swaraj in New Delhi also became a casualty as Pakistan wriggled out of it at the last minute. In the meantime, Pakistan appointed Lt Gen (Retd) Nasir Khan Janjua as its National Security Adviser (NSA) who had a closed-door meeting with his Indian counterpart Ajit Doval in Bangkok in December 2015. This was considered a breakthrough in India-Pakistan relations as the two NSAs came out with a 'pragmatic and forward-looking' statement, paving the way for Ms Swaraj's visit to Pakistan. Ms Swaraj had meetings not only with the Pakistani leadership but four generations of the Sharif family: the Prime Minister himself, his mother, daughter and grand daughters. Mr Sharif's mother reportedly became emotional during her meeting with Ms Swaraj and told her in Punjabi, ''tu mere watan to aayi hain, ae khoon kharaba band karvao te aman lai kar aao (you have come from my motherland, let's stop this bloodshed and bring about peace).'' Mr Sharif was also quite candid in his talks with Ms Swaraj and gave an impression that he desired long lasting peace with India. However, it was Prime Minister Modi himself who gave a new dimension to Indo-Pak relations when he decided to make a brief halt in Lahore on his way back to New Delhi from Afghanistan on December 25 to wish Mr Sharif on his birthday and attend a marriage function in the Pakistan Premier's family. The sources denied that Mr Modi had unilaterally decided to visit Pakistan without consulting even his senior ministerial colleagues. Just when the two foreign secretaries were discussing the agenda for their talks in January 2016, terrorists from Pakistan carried out the attack on the Pathankot air base. Mr Sharif appeared quite upset over the attack and telephoned Mr Modi to tell him that he would take the investigation to its logical conclusion once he was provided evidence by India that the attack was orchestrated from the Pakistani side. Despite the ups and downs in bilateral ties, the bonhomie between them continued and Mr Sharif telephoned Mr Modi in May end ahead of his heart surgery in London to seek his wishes. But Mr Sharif became a 'different man' altogether following the killing of Burhan Wani in the Kashmir valley on July 8. What baffled India was his statement describing Wani as a 'martyr and freedom fighter' in the midst of the efforts to resume the bilateral dialogue. He not only allowed Pakistani terror groups to hold anti-India rallies but also announced that Pakistan's Independence Day on August 14 would be dedicated to the 'freedom movement' in Kashmir, thus closing all options of resuming any meaningful dialogue. UNI/AT ADG 1030 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0098-927696.Xml A plane had crashed into one of the Twin Towers in New York City. I heard that startling report on Yellowstone Public Radio as I drove to work on Sept. 11, 2001. By the time I parked in the Gazette lot in downtown Billings, YPR had reported that a second aircraft hit the other tower. Those couldnt be accidents. I couldnt imagine what was happening. Just about every American over the age of 20 can remember where she was 15 years ago today when our country was attacked by terrorists in New York City, Washington, D.C., and in a Pennsylvania field. Al-qaida, Afghanistan, Taliban and Osama bin Laden immediately became household words. The U.S. military quickly launched Operation Enduring Freedom and our nation has been continuously at war in somewhere in the Middle East ever since with all-volunteer forces. While all private air traffic was grounded out of concern that additional hijackers could turn more planes into weapons, The Billings Gazette printed two special editions that were distributed around the city. At noon, the front page shouted Oh, my God! quoting a horrified eyewitness who saw people jumping out of windows in a burning NYC skyscraper. That evening, a second special edition led with Day of terror. Evil acts, topped the Sept. 12 regular morning edition, reflecting President George W. Bushs statement that evil, despicable acts of terror had suddenly ended nearly 3,000 lives in a single day on American soil. In Billings, travelers were stranded at Logan International Airport. Local churches organized vigils to pray for the victims while some federal buildings closed as a safety precaution. The Yellowstone County Sheriffs Office called out reserve deputies and the citys Emergency Operations Center geared up. In the midst of this national tragedy 15 years ago, one good thing happened: Americans united. We were all Americans not Republicans, Democrats, Libertarians, independents or any other faction. We, the American people, were under attack and we pulled together more than we had in a long time, more than we have since the early months after the attacks. In the years Since September 2001, America survived the worst global recession in 80 years and emerged in better economic shape than any other nation. Communication technology has evolved so practically everybody can be an electronic publisher. But ubiquitous blogs, talk shows, instant messaging and Facebook have fortified divisions as much as unity. In this presidential election year, many appeals to voters focus on prejudices against other people and fear of what the other candidate might do. Americans need to remember that our common interests are much greater than our disagreements. In Montana and Wyoming, we value liberty and justice, clean air and water. We want good schools for our kids, high-quality, affordable health care, and financial security in our well-earned retirement years. Our tradition is to live and let live, to work hard and respect our neighbors privacy. It shouldnt take a terrorist attack to make us understand that Americas strength is in unity. Americans have different opinions, but through constructive public debate and compromise for the good of the nation, we have found our way forward for 240 years. Tragedy must unite America, said The Gazette opinion published at noon on Sept. 11, 2001. The editorial concluded by saying: America weeps today, but our nation will be stronger tomorrow. The 9/11 attacks reminded us that we are all Americans. On the 15th anniversary, lets remember that spirit of patriotism, courage and concern for our fellow Americans. Dont be afraid; we can make our nation even better together. The government has firmly rejected the charge that it had pursued a 'flip flop' policy on Pakistan during the past two years and is quite convinced that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had deliberately raised the pitch on the Kashmir issue following the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen Commander Burhan Wani in early July to deflect mounting pressure on him from his opponents to resign following the Panama paper leaks. With Prime Minister Narendra Modi deciding to skip the coming UN General Assembly session later this month, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj is preparing herself to launch a counter-offensive if Mr Sharif indulged in 'Pakistani propaganda' on the Kashmir issue when he addresses the meet. Government sources said Ms Swaraj would obviously speak after Heads of State or Government had addressed the gathering and would be in the know of the statement made by Mr Sharif. Asked how India would respond if Mr Sharif highlighted the current unrest in the valley, the sources merely stated, ''wait and watch''. However, there is no doubt in the corridors of power in New Delhi that the current spate of violence in Kashmir had been financially, morally and diplomatically aided and abetted by Pakistan. Asked if there was any possibility of Prime Minister Modi visiting Pakistan in November for the SAARC Summit, the sources said a final decision in the matter was yet to be taken. The sources said Mr Sharif had shown a great desire to improve ties with India after Mr Modi became Prime Minister but what ostensibly brought about a 'sea change' in him were factors like his sons being named in Panama papers and opposition leaders, particularly Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chief Imran Khan, targeting him. Narrating the sequence of events in the accident-prone India-Pakistan relationship ever since Mr Narendra Modi took over as Prime Minister in May 2014, top government sources said New Delhi was clear in its understanding that the country could not realise its true economic potential unless there was peace in South Asia. That was the reason why all South Asian leaders were invited for Mr Modi's oath-taking ceremony at which Mr Sharif too was present. Mr Modi and Mr Sharif had established a 'great chemistry' between them at their first meeting itself even as New Delhi had firmly conveyed to Islamabad that it wanted to resolve all issues between the two nations through peaceful means bilaterally and that terrorism and talks could not go together. MORE/UNI/AT/ ADG 1025 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0139-928623.Xml Official sources said that hundreds of people hit the streets immediately after announcements were made that security forces and state police personnel were conducting raids to arrest youths in Kareemabad, Pulwama. Raising ''pro-freedom'' and anti-security forces slogans, the demonstrators closed main roads to prevent any arrest. Security forces burst teargas shells when the demonstrators refused to disperse, they said, adding that later, pellets were fired to restore normalcy. The sources said about 40 people were injured, some of them with pellets. The injured were rushed to local hospital, from where four of them were referred to Srinagar. Massive protests were going on when the reports last came in, they said. Additional security forces were rushed to the area. UNI BAS SV ADG 1107 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0153-928608.Xml Coming down heavily on Pakistan for the ongoing encounters in Jammu and Kashmir's Handwara and Poonch, Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh on Sunday said Islamabad is hell bent upon creating trouble in the valley. "These are highly condemnable actions of Pakistan because it has been done by Pakistan. On one hand, they are creating trouble in Kashmir...they are hell bent upon creating trouble in Jammu. They are doing all efforts to create trouble in Jammu and Kashmir. Innocent people are being killed," Singh told ANI. Divulging details of the Poonch encounter, Singh said one policeman has been killed and another has been seriously injured. "Now, the encounter is going on. Latest details are awaited. The area has been cordoned and operation is going on," he added. Asserting that militancy and terrorism is a creation of Pakistan, Singh said Islamabad will ultimately suffer because of the same. "Pakistan has become a failed state. See what's happening in Balochistan, Pakistan occupied Kashmir, Gilgit Baltistan and other areas in Karachi. Ultimately, Pakistan is going to suffer. I don't know why they are so mad about creating trouble in Jammu and Kashmir," he added. Meanwhile, four terrorists have been killed in the ongoing encounter with the security forces in Nowgam. Four weapons have so far been recovered from the slain terrorists, while search operation is currently underway. As many as 12 civilians have been injured in a clash between the security forces and protesters in Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir. On the other hand, at least two to three terrorists are suspected to be around the mini-secretariat in Allah Pir area of Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district where an encounter is currently underway with the security forces. Earlier today, a police personnel was killed in the ongoing gunfight. Earlier this week, clashes broke out in Shopian where the protesters set ablaze a mini-secretariat building, injuring more than 80 people. Kashmir is witnessing unrest post the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist Burhan Wani in an encounter with security forces on July 8. (ANI) Defence Ministry spokesperson Colonel N N Joshi told UNI that troops guarding the Line of Control (LoC) noticed a group of militants sneaking into this side from PoK under the cover of darkness. However, when challenged and asked to surrender, the militants resorted to indiscriminate firing with automatic weapons. The troops also retaliated and killed four militants, he said, adding four AK 47 rifles have been recovered from the encounter side. The infiltration bid came just two days after Army Chief General Dalbir Singh visited forward areas to review the situation on the LoC.UNI ABS ADG PM1254 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0139-928783.Xml Reports received here today said that the body of the mother and one daughter were recovered lifeless, with clear injury marks made by sharp weapons. Another minor daughter was found injured and is currently undergoing treatment in a serious condition. The mother and her two daughters were alone in the house when the attack occurred last night. Police have launched investigation to nab the culprits. UNI SG AKM DS ADG PM1257 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0213-928703.Xml The prices of sheep and goats have been on a gradual uptrend. Oneof the villager Mallappa R Challayi from Mallapur in Gokaktaluk, was visibly happy as his 'king-sized' goat weighing more than120 kgs fetched him an astounding price of Rs 1.25 lakh at Gataprabhasheep market, on the outskirts of the this North Karnataka city, yesterday. Increase in price is not withstanding with buyers are ready to shell outmore money for well reared goats for this year's Bakrid. ''I don't care what it costs, but I want to show off with myfriends and relatives the price catch I have had, Abdul Majid whobrought a well grown goat for a big sum and took it in his luxurycar, said.UNI HVN RS CS 1254 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0284-928764.Xml Life remained crippled for the 65th consecutive day today in Kashmir valley, where 77 people, mostly youths, were killed and about 8,000 others wounded in security force action since July 9, a day after Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) commander Burhan Wani and two other militants were killed in an encounter in Anantnag. Though road blocks have been removed in majority areas in the down town and Shehar-e-Khas (SeK), there was no change in the situation at historic Masjid, where main gate was locked and security forces could be seen deployed in the main Jamia market to prevent people from entering there. Both the factions of the Hurriyat Conference (HC) and Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF), spearheading the present agitation since July 9, have not given any call for procession or rallies today. However, besides strike, the separatists had asked local Masjid and Mohalla committee to visit each and every household in their respective areas and prepare a list of needy persons so that they could be provided with essential commodities and other items for Eid-ul-Azha, being celebrated on September 13 in simplicity. In down town, SeK and civil lines, security forces have removed barbed wire on majority roads after more than two months. However, one side of the Nallahmar road remained closed. A number of other roads also remained closed with barbed wire, including at Nawa Kadal, Kawdara and Ali kadal. Pedestrians were being allowed to move from small gaps while those riding two wheelers were being turned back. There was also no change in the situation in and around the Jamia Masjid, stronghold of moderate Hurriyat Conference (HC) chairman Mirwaiz Moulvi Omar Farooq, presently lodged in sub jail Cheshmashahi. For the past nine Friday, no prayer could be offered in the historic Masjid, where the Mirwaiz was addressing congregations every week. The main gate from Nowhatta remained locked and security forces wearing bullet proof jackets and holding automatic weapons could be seen deployed in the Jamia market and outside. Several other roads leading to the Masjid also remained closed. In the civil lines, road blocks on majority roads have been removed. However, road leading to historic Lal Chowk, the nerve centre of the summer capital, remained closed with barbed wire at Aftab Gali and adequate security forces remained deployed in and round the chowk.MORE UNI ABS SV ADG PM1343 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0433-928749.Xml Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju on Sunday said there is no question of the government leaking out information or documents as far as the renewing of the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) registration of Islamic preacher Zakir Naik's NGO is concerned. "We knew the issue of Zakir Naik's Islamic Research Foundation donating 50 lakhs crores to the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation or related body more than a month before, but we do not want to play politics. So, we have asked for more information. In the meantime, some individual journalists have filed RTI to Rajiv Gandhi Foundation and got the information. There's no question of government leaking out the documents or information," Rijiju told the media here. Condemning Naik, Rijiju said it was unfortunate that rather than thinking about what the Congress has done, the Islamic preacher was making unnecessary accusations. "We abhor equating religion with terrorism. Anybody who propagates terrorism will not bear anything with regards to identity of particular religion. National security is most important," he added. Naik has written an open letter to the government, seeking clarification on the allegations of forced conversions. In a series of questions posed to the government, he asked why a probe continued against him even after "not a single conclusive evidence of wrong doing" was reported by any agency. "Why would the government renew Islamic Research Foundation's FCRA registration and then cancel it? Is there design to leaking confidential information of the government, solicitor general and the MHA? Is there a design to leaking selective government documents to the media?" the letter read. (ANI) A policeman was killed while three others, including a Sub-Inspector and two civilians, were injured, when a group of militants attacked a building near the Army area in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir. Meanwhile, the family of ex-MLC from Congress Fareeda Munir has been held hostage by the militants who barged into the house of Nazir Ahmed Mir, police said. "A personnel of special branch (SB) died in an encounter which broke out this morning between suspected militants and the Army and the police in Allapeer area of Poonch district," a senior police officer here said. UNI VBH CJ SB 1525 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0400-928942.Xml The Vibrant Gujarat delegation which is on a visit to the US has generated huge excitement among the business community in Chicago during the roadshow and series of one-to-one meetings. The Vibrant Gujarat international delegation comprising both Government officials and business leaders met CEOs of top companies in Chicago. The international delegation visit to the US was aimed at further strengthening the brand India and brand Vibrant Gujarat to further explore and facilitate US companies to invest and do business in Gujarat, a statement said here today. The roadshow and the meetings were organised on September 8 and 9. The delegation was welcomed by Counsel General of India, Chicago, Ausaf Sayeed. The visiting delegation also met David Sturza, Manager, Global Economic Development at BorgWarner Inc and top officials of the company. A massive roadshow was organised by US-India Business Council (USIBC) and Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) at the Baker McKenzie office which was attended by more than 75 government officials and business leaders. During the roadshow, Mr Sayeed spoke about the significant presence of Indian companies in US and the remarkable Indo-US trade relationship that was existing and growing over the years. He mentioned that India had outpaced the growth of China and had emerged as the fastest growing economy in the world and the international institutes like IMF, World Bank, Asian Development Bank and many others were expecting the market growth in India to continue. Gujarat was the most progressive and trend setting state in the country and was years ahead on their approach in attracting global fraternity and investors into the State, he added. More UNI RBE AE SB -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0427-928884.Xml As the Montana University System Board of Regents prepares to hold a regularly scheduled meeting on the campus of Montana State University-Billings this week, it's a good time for the regents to consider Billings' place in the system. MSUB is simply playing host. The one Billings item on the agenda is important: approval of a new distance learning degree program for licensed associate degree RNs who want to earn a bachelor's degree. That there's nothing else particularly noteworthy now is kind of the issue. The regents don't seem to view dwindling enrollment numbers or the identity crisis MSU Billings as a crisis. And why should they when the community takes a ho-hum approach, as if being average is the most we could hope for? It seems hard to demand much of a university when the community has had held such tepid expectations for so long. And we want to talk about that for a moment. We've said it previously and we'll say it again: We believe Montana State University-Billings remains nearly untapped and completely undervalued by this community. This, of course, is a two-way street. Billings disconnect For so long, the community has not had a strong connection to MSU Billings. As Bozeman has watched its community grow with technology and engineering, the Billings community has remained disconnected, not really knowing how to quite interact with this institution that has seemed to be in the community, but not of it. The community has not demanded more from the one place that should be churning out future leaders in the local and regional workforce. Billings leaders must own some of that failure. And, we must come together to help figure out what we want from this asset that is owned by the entire community. We must figure out how to speak with a unified voice to groups, for example, the regents and legislators, and demand MSUB continue to address our growing, dynamic economy, which is unlike any other market in the state. Speaking of plans, MSUB Chancellor Mark Nook and his team must solicit the community's needs and use those as leverage to rebuild a campus that has been plagued by an identity crisis. It must articulate a plan, rally community support and demand that MSU President Waded Cruzado and Commissioner Clayton Christian develop programs and degrees that meet Billings and Eastern Montana's needs. For example, much of our economy still relies on the energy industry and not just the traditional oil and gas, but fracking and geological engineering as well as solar and wind power. We can point to so many sectors, hungry for well-trained employees, including banking, business, tourism and hospitality, medical, and education. Furthermore, the Montana University System continues to allow a stranglehold of medical arts programs in Bozeman, or at least a bottleneck. There's no finer example of this than MSUB's crosstown higher education institution, Rocky Mountain College, as it has continued to grow its medical arts programs while MSUB still has a limited amount of nursing slots. Rocky has had to reinvent itself and become more nimble at addressing the community's needs because it hasn't had the luxury of counting on state support. Why not figure out a better public-private partnership between the two campuses that sit so closely together. It seems like a tremendous opportunity going to waste. Local involvement Changes must be made at the regent and system level to serve Montana's largest city. We cannot just accept Montana students can go to Bozeman or Missoula. Meanwhile, we can't just expect Bozeman to know what to do here, even though the control of the Billings campus rests 140 miles away. We must advocate for our campus. Even more importantly, we must formulate a plan that's precise and articulates those needs. Billings industry leaders know what they need; they have to provide that information to Nook. We need to find a way to support Nook as he builds a plan, and we must also see ourselves as more than sharing a city with the campus. We need to hear often from him, especially with progress reports. We need to know how we advocate for the campus. Business and civic leaders must truly believe they're owners in the university, and understand that they have a stake in its success, or be willing to own its failures. For their part, the regents and Cruzado must also encourage open dialogue that begins by taking an honest, unflinching look at what MSUB has become. It must reckon with the fact that enrollment has dipped to a near 40-year low. It has to admit that something is broken and cannot be fixed without community buy-in and support. It must be willing to negotiate and rethink what programs are available here. While those who support a single-system approach may be quick to point out that letting MSUB go back to being an independent would be no guarantee of success, they must also admit maintaining the status quo is almost a promise of failure. With one more youth succumbing to his injuries in a hospital today, the death toll has risen to 78 in the Kashmir unrest since July 9, a day after Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) commander Burhan Wani and two other militants were killed in an encounter in Anantnag. Official sources said that one Javid Ahmad, a resident of Wadwan in the central Kashmir district of Badgam, was admitted to S K Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) after he was injured in security force firing at Narbal on August 5. Over 7,000 others were injured in security force and police action. However, local media said the toll is over 80. A police driver also drowned after his vehicle was pushed into river Jhelum while another policeman died in a grenade blast at Kulgam. About 4,000 security personnel were also injured in stone pelting by demonstrators in the valley,where life remained crippled due to strike since last 65 days.UNI BAS SV GC1412 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0153-928819.Xml SSB`s 13th battalion Commandant Surendra Vikram said here that SSB jawans rescued the children in the age group of 8 to 11 before the Mumbai bound Raxaul-Mumbai Jan Sadharan express left the station late last evening. Mr Vikram said that rescued children were natives of Champaran, Sitamarhi and Nepal. Activists of NGOs were also involved in the rescue operation. Child peddlers in particular become quite active in north Bihar after floods to take small children to other parts of the country for employment as child labourers. UNI XC-DH-IS AKM SZ GC1416 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0213-928840.Xml With depleating levels in reservoirs across theCauvery river and its tributaries in Karnataka following SupremeCourt ordered to release 13 tmc ft of water to Tamil Nadu, formerPrime Minister H D Deve Gowda today took an aerial of the reservoirsacross the river basin. Speaking to reporters at Krishnaraja Sagar reservoir acrossCauvery, he said the low levels of storage in various reservoirs wasserious, but agitating farmers should maintain peace to resolve the issue. He flew over the four reservoirs in the basin, the KRS,Hemavathi, Harangi and Kabini reservoirs and said the the levelswere depleating and the state would face a problem not only toprovide water for one crop in the belt, but also supply drinkingwater to Bengaluru, Mandya cities and other towns and villages inthe area. Noting that Apex Court's verdict was binding on the state, MrGowda said that not abiding the order would result in seriousconsequences in the near future for the state Cauvery Water DisputesTribunal (CWDT) verdict, regardless of the storage. ''The situation is serious. In Karnataka the farmers under thebelt are yet to sow paddy crop in most places. This is in contrastto demand by Tamil Nadu that water be released for Samba crop.Farmers are the same both in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu and they needto be supported. But Tamil Nadu grow three crops while there is lesswater even for one paddy crop in Karnataka besides the importantneed to supply drinking water,'' he explained. Mr Gowda came in support of Congress government in Karnataka forreleasing water under apex court direction and said it was importantas the matter will come up before the court on October 18 on thecuavery water dispute, which was key to the State's interests. The Janata Dal (S) national president also held discussions withfarmers in the Cauvery belt. ''For the last 50 years, I have beenfighting for the state's right to Cauvery waters,'' he said. He recalled the then British government had mentioned that theagreement should be reviewed after 50 years. But this did not happen. Discounting the suggestion of changing the State's counsel Fali SNariman, Mr Gowda appealed to political parties to stand united onthe Cauvery issue. He said his main intention of the Aerial survey was to collect anknow the fact that figures on the spot study . he would also givemore suggestions on cauvery water dispute. he also expected to metchief minister siddaramiah later in the day. Mr Gowda took a survey of the KRS reservoir in Mandya, Kabinireservoir in Mysuru, Harangi reservoir in Kodagu and Hemavathi inHassan districts and collected the information. All the four majorCauvery basin reservoirs for the life line for Mysuru regionfarmers and also the southern parts of Tamil Nadu. Officials from all the reservoirs were present during the formerprime minister visit and provided information to him at KRS.UNI BSP RS RSS1410 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0284-928880.Xml With the Indian Army neutralising four terrorists in a counter-infiltration operation today in Kashmir's Nowgam sector, Defence Experts have asserted that security needs to be further stepped up across the borders as Pakistan's intention is to keep Kashmir on the boil. Defence expert M.M Khurana told ANI here, that the ongoing terrorist operations in Kashmir has claimed so many lives, adding that there is also information that they (terrorists) are working for a major strike on Eid day. "Pakistan is finding hard to replace the terrorists and there is also some information that they are working for a major strike on Eid or around Eid day," he said. Adding that the number of terrorists killed today by security forces is a good score, Khurana said "It happened rather speedily and this shows the alertness with which the security forces are operating." However, the defence expert advised that the Indian Army's preparations should be upgraded and there should be no scope for any negligence, be it the internal agencies or the security forces of the local police. When asked about the recent encounter in Poonch, Khurana said, "This attack has come just before Eid in a propaganda bid. Their over all intension is that Kashmir should be on boil.Simultaneously, we have to tighten our security regiments at all the borders. Their intention is that Jammu should be seen as the part of terrorist operations," he added. Meanwhile, another terrorist has been killed in an ongoing encounter with the security forces in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch. Few terrorists are suspected to be around the mini-secretariat in Allah Pir area of Poonch. Earlier today, a police personnel was killed in the ongoing gunfight in Poonch. Earlier today, four terrorists were killed in the ongoing encounter with the security forces in Nowgam sector of Jammu and Kashmir's Handwara. Four weapons have so far been recovered from the slain terrorists, while search operation is currently underway. On the other hand, as many as 12 civilians have been injured in a clash between the security forces and protesters in Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir. Earlier this week, clashes broke out in Shopian where the protesters set ablaze a mini-secretariat building, injuring more than 80 people. Kashmir is witnessing unrest post the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist Burhan Wani in an encounter with security forces on July 8.(ANI) Three Maoists, including a couple, carrying a reward of Rs 5 lakh each, have surrendered before top police officials at the Chhattisgarh State Police Headquarters here. Mainpur local guerrilla squad (LGS) member Saradhu Dhruwa, Kiskod area committee member Ramsingh and his wife Shanti Nureti capitulated to Special Intelligence Bureau (SIB) Senior Superintendent of Police P Sunderraj here yesterday. Saradhu, a native of Koyelibeda in Kanker District, decided to gave up the arms struggle after his Naxal wife Laxmi Rankatta of Gadchiroli was forced to undergo vasectomy operation by the Naxal leaders. Saradhusaid he had written a letter to his wife whom he had married in 2013, to join the mainstream. The rebel, who had joined Naxal movement in November, 2009, and committed several crimes, was also accused of killing 2 Border Security Force (BSF) jawans at Koyelibeda in 2011. Ramsingh and his wife Shanti said they were recruited as Bal Sangham members in 2007 in North Bastar and were now wanted in over a dozen cases of Naxal violence, The couple was upset with their leaders when they forced them to abort their three-month-old foetus. The state government announced a reward of Rs 5 lakh each on the heads of all the three outlaws.UNI SS BDG SB GC1626 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0044-929024.Xml Four heavily armed militants were killed as troops foiled three infiltration bids from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) at the Line of Control (LoC) in the north Kashmir today. With the killing of four militants today, 18 infiltrators were killed by the security forces since July during which three soldiers also lost their lives in north Kashmir. Defence Ministry spokesman Colonel N N Joshi told UNI that troops guarding LoC at Naugam sector noticed a group of militants sneaking into this side from PoK early this morning under the cover of darkness. However, when challenged and asked to surrender, militants resorted to indiscriminate firing with automatic weapons, he said, adding troops also retaliated ensuing a fierce encounter during which four militants were killed. Large cache of arms and ammunition were recovered from the slain militants, believed to be foreigners. The identity of the militants and their affiliation with militant group was being ascertained, he said. He said the operation was still going on in the woods when the reports last came in. Col Joshi said there were two more infiltration bid by militants from PoK in Tangdhar and Gurez sectors. However, when challenged, militants escaped back into PoK before entering into this side. The infiltration attempts from PoK were made two days after Chief of the Army Staff General Dilbeer Singh visited some forward areas, where he was briefed about the measures taken to meet any challenge on the LoC. Troops guarding the LoC are already on high alert to foil any infiltration bid from PoK, where a large number of heavily trained militants are waiting at launch pads to sneak into this side before the higher reaches are closed due to snowfall. In July this year there were four infiltration bids during which eight militants and three soldiers were killed. Six militants were killed by troops when there were three infiltration bids from PoK in August.UNI BAS AE SB 1445 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0153-928926.Xml Senior Shiv Sena leader and Member of Parliament Sanjay Raut today said his party would extend support to former Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh Goa unit chief Shubhash Velingkar, who has taken on Bharatiya Janata Party-led government in the state accusing it of failing to fulfill promises made during 2012 assembly elections. Speaking to UNI, Mr Raut said, ''The cause for which Mr Velingkar is fighting is not political but ideological. The cause is to protect mother toungue and mother land. It has been the cause of Shiv Sena also. If somebody is fighting for politics, Shiv Sena does not interfere. But if somebody is fighting for ideology, Shiv Senasupports them.'' He said, ''What is happening between Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is an internal matter between them. But Mr Velingkar has support of Shiv Sena on the issue of mother tongue. Whatever strength we have in Goa, we will extend that to Mr Velingkar.''More UNI AKM AE SB NS1602 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0171-928920.Xml Police said the arrested, who were not farmers, took advantage ofthe crisis involving Cauvery water sharing between Karnataka andTamil Nadu, which has escalated following the Supreme Court'sdirection to the state government to discharge water to theneighbouring state. They attempted to disturb the law and order, raided governmentoffices and caused loss to the public exchequer, senior policeofficials said. They elements had also threatened shop keepers and street sidehawkers at different places in the town. The arrested have secured bail from a local court, the officials added. ''We have also booked cases against at least 250 persons fordamaging KSRTC buses, private vehicles, vandalising governmentoffices and disturbing government officials. They will face actionunder the law, a senior official said.UNI BSP RS CS 1655 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0284-929105.Xml Leaders of various political partiesin Tamil Nadu today condemned the attack on a Tamil Nadu youth, by a group of Kannadigas in Bengaluru for his facebook comments about the Friday's bandh organised by the pro-kannada outfits in Karnataka opposing release of cauvery waters to the State, and demanded their arrest. The video showing a group of kannadigas surrounding theTamil Nadu youth and thrashing him repeatedly and forcedhim to make pro-kannada slogans, was aired in a privateTV channel and it created a furore among the political circles in Tamil Nadu. The group also made him to kneel down, punched on hisface and made him to tender an apology. Strongly condemning the incident, leaders of the BJP, PMK, MDMK, VCK and Naam Tamizhar Party, demanded the Karnataka government to provide adequate protection toTamils in that state. In a statement, PMK Founder Dr S Ramadoss hit out atthe Karnataka government for maintaining silence on theissue and for failing to arrest the Kannada chauvinists,who had attacked the Tamil youth. He said such incidents would affect the friendly relationsbetween the two states. Referring to reports on Prime Minister Narendra Modi refusing to make any comments on the Cauvery issue, hesaid ''refusing to make any comment is not a neutral stand.Standing on the side of the justice is neutral''. ''Since setting up of the Cauvery Management Board to implement the final award of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal would alone prove his neutrality, the Prime Minister should take immediate steps in this regard'', Dr Ramadoss said. He also wanted the Centre and the State Governments to insist the Karnataka government to take steps to arrest the group of Kannada chauvinists, who have atttacked the Tamil Youth and ensure strong protectionto the Tamils living in that State.MORE UNI GV CS -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0275-929205.Xml UP Open water. The Stillwater and Boulder rivers are open. The Yellowstone River is open to fishing and boating from the Yellowstone Park boundary to the Carbella fishing access in Paradise Valley. Recent Fish, Wildlire and Parks surveys show this stretch has not experienced additional fish mortality since the department opened to boating a week earlier. Only a stretch between Carbella and the Highway 89 bridge east of Livingston remained closed while fisheries experts work to contain an exotic fish-killing disease that broke out during August days of unusually low, warm water. UP Cool relief. Yellowstone National Park eased fire restrictions at midweek as cooler weather reduced the danger level. Wildfires continued to burn in the park, but were less active. All park roads and attractions were open. Fire restrictions also were lifted in several National Forest ranger districts in Montana and Wyoming. UP Teaching contract. Representatives of the Billings Education Association and School District 2 reached agreement on a one-year contract for the school year that began two weeks ago. The contract has yet to be ratified by teachers and the school board. DOWN Main Street robbery. A gunman wearing a bandana over his face made off with cash from a Heights credit union Wednesday afternoon. Billings police arrested and jailed a suspect within hours. According to court documents, the suspect said he committed the robbery to get money to pay a debt owed for methamphetamine. DOWN City firebugs. About 20 arson fires, many in Dumpsters, have been set in Billings since March, and the Billings Police Department has asked the public provide it with information to help its efforts in dealing with the criminal activity. Those with information should contact the BPD Dectective Division at 406-657-8473 or Crime Stoppers at 406-246-6660. UP New gym. With a successful fundraising campaign nearly completed, Billings Christian School broke ground on a $1.8 million gym project that will turn a long unfinished structure into a multi-purpose space for the school at 4519 Grand Ave. DOWN Urban rattlers. At least two dogs have been bitten by rattlesnakes in the past two weeks at High Sierra Dog Park in Billings Heights. Both survived with quick doses of antivenin from veterinarians. This dog story is a cautionary tale: Beware of snakes, especially in rocky areas, on warm late summer days. Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi on the sixth day of his Deoria to Delhi Kisan Yatra continued his attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi claiming that no one has ever seen the BJP leader clicking selfie with labourer or farmers. "The PM has no concern for the farmers or labourers. He is just concentrating on his industrialists friends with whom he clicks selfies," Mr Gandhi said while interacting with the students of the world famous Al Jamaiatul Ashrafia University in Azamgarh. When he asked the students ," Modiji ki kabhi kisanon ke saath selfie dekhi hain, majdoor ko gale milte dekha hai ? The students immediately replied," naahi". Mr Gandhi commenced his yatra on day six by holding a road show in Alingar chowk in Azamgarh and later while addressing jansabha at Sathyaon in Ghazipur with narrating in detail about the purpose of his yatra.He claimed that this yatra will change the fortune of the farmers in UP. The Congress vice-president here said that he will raise the issue of the problems of the Anganwari workers and will try to help them. However, the efforts of some activists of the Ulema Council to show black flags to the Congress vice-president was foiled by the police when they were taken in custody at Sedhari area of Azamgarh district. The Council activists were protesting against the Congress role in the Batala House incident. On the other hand the yatra had some difficulties due to the rains in the area which also delayed the programme. Mr Gandhi held a Khat Sabha at Mardhsar, Ghazipur where he informed the farmers that Congress was determined to work for the sake of farmers unlike the Modi government which neglects them. He charged Modi as anti-farmer claiming that on one hand, the Centre had no money to waive off loan of the poor farmers facing starvation, committing suicide and on the other hand, he obliged his top industrialists friends of the country by writing off their over Rs 1.10 lakh crore of loans. Rahul Gandhi further said, "Congress will continue to fight for the cause of the farmers till they get their returns from agricultural output." He also reminded the people about the promise made by Modi to give Rs 15 lakh to each family from black money account. ``Has Rs 15 lakh came in any of the account", he questioned the public while saying that Modi had no concern for them and is busy in his foreign trips. During his yatra, Mr Gandhi also had a cup of tea at a road side tea shop of one Dinesh Gupta in Mohammadabad area of Mau district and had a long chat with the tea stall owner. Later, he visited farmer Swaminath's home in Badagaon village in Mau and interacted with his family members and had lunch with them. Swaminath has a loan of Rs 60,000 and the family also signed the ' Mangpatra"( Demand Paper) of the Congress for waiving off loan and other demands. Mr Gandhi would end his first leg of the 25,000 kilometers long Kisan Yatra in Mau and now will take a two days rest on September 12 and 13 due to the festival of Eid. He will continue his yatra from September 14 from Allahabad.UNI MB CJ 1742 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0400-929127.Xml Republican Party of India( Athawale) and Union Minister of state for Social Justice and Empowerment Ramdas Athawale today made a scathing attack on Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati saying that if she is a real follower of Dr B R Ambedkar then why she is not embracing Buddhism. "Ms Mayawati may be a good administrator but she has always insulted Dr Ambedkar and never followed her ideology. She had insulted Dr Ambedkar when during her regime the statue of Baba Saheb was removed from a place in Lucknow and instead the statue of Kanshi Ram was put there," he alleged. "If she actually respects Dr Ambedkar then she should convert into Buddhist like Baba Saheb," he added. He added that RPI would be contesting the coming assembly elections in alliance with BJP and has demanded 30 seats but if there is no alliance then RPI would be contesting around 200 seats. He said, "people of UP had made Mayawati or Behenji four times CM of the state, now it is the duty of them to help the Bhai( Athawale) to do something for the state." He added that RPI was not just interested in contesting elections in UP but our main motto would be to work for the people here. Mr Athawale, who was visiting Lucknow for the first time after becoming the Union Minister in the Narendra Modi's ministry, told reporters here today that actually RPI was older than the BSP and it had 16 MLAs in 1967 in UP and there were four of its minister in the Choudhury Charan Singh government. "The BSP encroached our place in UP along with elephant and now it is our turn to grab it and provide the Dalits and other oppressed section their constitutional rights," he said while appreciating the role of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in honouring Dr B R Ambedkar and the Dalits of the country. When asked is there any possibility of BSP- RPI unity to avoid division of Dalit votes, Mr Athwale said he was ready to take Ms Mayawati in his party and later they will join hands with the BJP, so that Mr Modi can work more vigorously for the uplift of the Dalits in the country. "If Mayawati can have alliance with the BJP four times in UP, then why people are questioning me on joining the Union government of the BJP," he questioned. Suggesting that his party was demanding reservation for all in the country, the Union Minister said he will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi to go for an amendment in the Constitution to divide the remaining 50 per cent of the quota in reservation with giving 25 per cent to the general category and remaining 25 per cent to other castes who are demanding for it. Talking about the works of his ministry, the RPI president said, "there is a proposal to hike the number of beneficiaries for students scholarship in UP besides the financial help for inter-caste marriage has been increased to Rs 2.5 lakhs."UNI MB AE SB NS1800 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0196-929040.Xml There was a call for 'freedom rally' from different parts of the Anantnag district to Lal Chowk, where all roads had been closed with barbed wire. Thousands of people, ''shouting pro-freedom'' and anti security force slogans, took to the streets at Zanalgam, Dooru and other adjoining areas. However, when the protestors were moving towards Lal Chowk in Anantnag, security forces, deployed in the area to impose restrictions, stopped them from moving ahead towards Lal Chowk. As the protestors didn't back down, security forces burst teargas shells to disperse the protestors, who were pelting stones. Sources said later curfew was imposed in Anantnag and all roads leading to Lal Chowk Anantnag remained sealed with barbed wire to stop anyone from reaching there. Hundreds of paramilitary forces and state police personnel, wearing bullet proof jackets and holding automatic weapons, have been deployed in and around Lal Chowk and adjoining areas in Anantnag to strictly impose the curfew. Meanwhile, curfew was imposed in Kulgam, where people alleged that security forces were directing them to remain indoors to stop them from attending a 'freedom rally in Lal Chowk. "Security forces have been making announcement through loudspeakers, directed people to remain indoors in view of curfew," Bilal Ahmad, a resident of Kulgam, told UNI over the phone. Similarly, over 60 protestors were injured when security forces burst teargas shells and fired pellets to disperse demonstrators at Kareemabad in Pulwama, where restrictions under section 144 CrPc have been imposed. The situation has further deteriorated in entire south Kashmir since yesterday, when two youth were killed in fresh security force action.UNI ABS SB GC1710 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0433-928891.Xml Hitting out strongly at Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Chief Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday promised that Tota Singh, Kairon, Majithia and Sukhbir Singh Badal will be sent to jail once the party will come to power in Punjab. "In the past 10-15 years because of Badals, Captain Amrinder, Akali Dal, BJP and Congress government, famers of Punjab had suffered a lot and are now committing suicide. Today I want to announce that whoever provoked the farmer of Punjab to commit suicide, we will not spare them. I announce that when the Aam Aadmi Party will come to power, then case will be filed against Tota Singh, Kairon, Majithia, Sukhbir Singh Badal. They will be sent to jail and their property will be seized," said Kejriwal while releasing the party's 31-point farmer manifesto here. Kejriwal yet again accused Majithia for promoting drug trafficking in the state and challenged Majithia to get him (Kejriwal) arrested within four months, otherwise the AAP government will put the SAD leader behind bars once they will come to power in Punjab. In May, Majithia slapped a defamation case against Kejriwal and some of his party members for tarnishing his reputation and accused them of maligning his family name by levelling "false, baseless and malicious allegations" after Kejriwal accused him for promoting drug trafficking in Punjab. However, Kejriwal and his party colleague Sanjay Singh were granted bail by the Punjab Court in connection with the defamation case on a personal bond of Rs. 40, 000. The matter would be next heard on October 15. Two days ago, Kejriwal visited Amritsar for campaigning for the upcoming Punjab election which is due in 2017. While campaigning in Amritsar, Kejriwal said that AAP government would ban consumption and sale of alcohol, meat and tobacco near the Golden Temple. "Anandpur Sahib which is the birth place of the Khalsa will also be declared a holy city," he added. Kejriwal is in Punjab on a four-day visit to hear the grievances of AAP workers in the state. Kejriwal's visit has come at a time when AAP is facing "crisis" over several issues, including the sacking of Sucha Singh Chhotepur as Punjab convener. (ANI) Even as Defence Research and Development Organisation has sought an explanation from aircraft manufacturer Embrear within 15 days after charges of bribery and involvement of middlemen in a 210 million defence deal with India surfaced, the Brazilian firm is likely to escape from being blacklisted if the new norms of taking harsh measures against a tainted company are applied. Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar today gave first hint about the possible course of action on the charges. Speaking to media persons after taking part in function of Federation of Gujarat Industries he said, "If there is a criminal side then we will send to CBI, otherwise we will do internal investigation." "We can't carry out entire investigation, just waiting for the report," he said.DRDO, which is lead agency in the AEW&C (Airborne Early Warning and control) system development programmed and signed the contract for the procurement of three Embraer aircraft, has asked the Brazilian company to explain and provide the details within 15 days. The Defence Ministry has said that further action will be taken after receipt of information. Mr Parrikar, who has been openly advocating against using blacklisting path as the first measure unlike his predecessor AK Antony, had last month approved the new policy of blacklisting, which is said to be under scrutiny of the Law Ministry. The deal to acquire three aircraft from Embraer of Brazil may be the first test case for the new norms, which were being said to be softer than the previous policy. More UNI MK AE SB 1801 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0090-929092.Xml Police have arrested nine members of an inter-state criminal gang, alongwith arms from Muffasil Police Station area of this district. Addressing a press conference here, Hazaribagh SP Bhimsen Tuti today said, the criminals were nabbed late last night during a vehicle checking drive. An SUV, two pistols, six live cartridges, iron rods and other lock breaking equipment have been recovered from them. The members of the gang are residents of Jharkhand and the neighbouring states of Bihar and Bardhman district of West Bengal. Mr Tuti said the gang over the last couple of years had executed various incidents of loot and dacoity in the district. He said recovered vehicle was brought from the stolen money while they have also confessed of having sold jewellery worth Rs 30 lakh. The SP said based on the inputs provide by them raids are on to nab their other associates.UNI XC-AK SB NS1833 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0214-929151.Xml Nepal Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda is undertaking a three-day visit to India from September 15, which is expected to put on track his country's ties with India strained due to the developments of the past one year. The visit is taking place at a time when the new government is trying to strike a balance in its relationship with New Delhi and Beijing. India's ties with its Himalayan neighbour had come under severe strain after a month-long border blockade last year after the ethnic Madhesi people's protest against the new Constitution which, they held, was not just to them. The then Oli government had accused India of imposing an ''unofficial'' blockage on the landlocked nation to put pressure on his government to accept their demand for more political rights. However, India had been denying all these charges and telling the Nepal's Government that it could not expect peace in the country by ignoring the concern of a large section of its people. Mr Prachanda, has, however, said that he was going to India with a positive mind and his endeavour would be to a lay a ''strong foundation'' for mutual trust between Kathmandu and New Delhi. The Nepal Prime Minister, who took over rein of the office on August 4 for a second time, said in Kathmandu yesterday that he was taking the visit to India as a ''challenging opportunity.'' ''I am confident that the visit would not only normalise the relations that went through some bitter experience in the recent past, but also build a strong foundation for mutual trust,'' he said while speaking at the International Relations and Labour Committee of Parliament. Later, at an interaction at Nepal Institute of International Relations, he said that he would not sign any controversial deal with India but said that as a leader he should be allowed to ''take risk in national interest.'' Mr Prachanda, had, earlier at various interactions with media made it clear that he would like to maintain good relations with both India and China but would not like to compare the two relationships as situation in relation to India was quite different. He also said that China would in no way influence Nepal's relations with India. He has been talking of the idea of a tripartite cooperation between China-Nepal-India to meet Nepali people's quest for change and prosperity. Meanwhile, according to reports from Kathmandu, Mr Prachanda would be coming to New Delhi with substantial economic agenda. Ahead of his visit, he held a meeting with Nepal Chambers of Commerce and discuss their trade and business related issues with India. He assured the business leaders that the issues raised by them would be given high priority during his talks in New Delhi. Nepal is heavily dependent on India for fuel and other essential supplies. UNI NAZ SB 1927 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0400-929352.Xml Security forces today gunned down a militant in a ten hour-long operation, in which a policeman was martyred, while a Sub-Inspector among three sustained injuries in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir, when a group of militants attacked a building near the Army area . Close relatives of ex-MLC from Congress Fareeda Munir are also held hostage by the militants who barged into the house of Nazir Ahmed Mir, police here said. ''One of the militants hiding and firing from inside the under construction mini secretariat in Alapeer area of Poonch has been eliminated as the Army's commandos, along with jawans of Special Operation Group and state police, launched the final assault and destroyed the complex also,'' an official said here.More UNI VBH CJ RP1956 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0400-929417.Xml Acting upon intelligence, the troops in the evening spotted a suicide bomber and shot him dead in the busy transportation hub of Alawi district in downtown Baghdad, but he blew his explosive belt, leaving a passerby killed and nine others wounded, the source told Xinhua. The human casualty could be higher as the attacker was intended to detonate his explosive belt at a busy place in the area but the troops foiled his attack, the source said. No group has so far claimed responsibility for the attack but the Islamic State (IS) terrorist group has been responsible for the suicide attacks, targeting areas where crowds of people gather, including markets, cafes and mosques across Iraq. --IANS sku/ ( 159 Words) 2016-09-11-05:57:56 (IANS) The Egyptian Foreign Ministry hailed the truce that was reached on Friday evening and will take effect on September 12, the first day of the Muslim Feast of Sacrifice, calling on all Syrian parties to maintain complete ceasefire "while continuing to target terrorist elements", Xinhua reported. The ministry's spokesman Ahmed Abu Zeid urged Syrian conflicting parties "to put an end to the humanitarian suffering of the Syrian people due to continuous violence and fighting and to pave the way for political talks." The truce was announced earlier on Saturday by US Secretary of State John Kerry who said he had reached the deal with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov that seeks ceasefire all over Syria. The announcement came after intensive US-Russian talks in Geneva in a bid to end the five-year-long fighting in the Arab country. --IANS sku/ ( 173 Words) 2016-09-11-06:25:58 (IANS) We can do a better job of helping victims of crime as they move through the criminal justice system. When you've already been damaged by a crime psychologically and physically the last thing you need is a process that treats you as an outsider. But that's how crime victims can sometimes feel. That's how I felt. I was the victim of a serious crime when I was a child. I've had to retell my story in a courtroom numerous times, from childhood into adulthood. The stress of having to revisit the most horrible moment I've ever endured has been a negative defining factor in many aspects of my life. I know I'm not alone in this experience when you're victimized by a serious crime, it changes your life forever. Improving little things in the process can help. For instance, my offender was held for a time in Arizona. Unbeknownst to me, he requested to be transferred closer to Montana. I was not informed until after that transfer had taken place. If I had known, I would have done everything I could to keep him as far away from me as possible. Marsy's Law for Montana will help crime victims by giving victims constitutional rights to be notified and be heard in the process. As a crime victim myself, I can tell you that just knowing those rights would be there for me has resulted in a positive change in my mental outlook. Please join me in supporting Marsy's Law vote yes on CI-116. Laura Lopez Billings According to UK-based nonprofit group, Syrian Observatory For Human Rights (SOHR), 58 people were killed in an airstrike on a market in the city of Idlib and another 32 when warplanes bombed the Aleppo province, EFE news reported. SOHR said the death toll could rise, as numerous people were also wounded in the bombings, some critically. There were also airstrikes in other parts of the Idlib province including near Jisr al-Shughur, Ain Al-Bayda, Hambushia and Bidama. Currently, airstrikes are being carried out in Syria by the government, Russia, Turkey and the US-led international coalition. The agreement was announced on Saturday by US Secretary of State John Kerry who said he had reached the deal with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov that seeks ceasefire all over Syria. The announcement came after intensive US-Russian talks in Geneva in a bid to end the five-year-long fighting in the Arab country. --IANS ksk ( 191 Words) 2016-09-11-08:29:57 (IANS) Vice Minister of the International Department of the Communist Party of China, Zheng Ziaosong, has stressed that political consensus is essential for fully exploiting the potential of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). Zheng made this remarks during his meeting with the visiting delegation of the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) in Beijing. "Political consensus coupled with unanimity in approach is essential to draw the maximum benefits from this mega project which is a game-changer for the region," the Express Tribune quoted him as saying. Zheng was of the opinion that more than 50 countries will benefit from this $46 billion project. Asserting that national unity is required, especially on projects like CPEC, he said, "In China there is one-party rule; however, in Pakistan, things are different. I don't want to sound critical of the Pakistani political arrangement - I just want to imply that there are more chances of political division when there are multiple political parties." Meanwhile, PPP vice-president Senator Sherry Rehman, who is leading the delegation, responded that CPEC would be a valuable addition in the joint ventures taken by the two countries, adding the project will have far-reaching and positive implications for the region. "Pakistan is fully committed in providing foolproof security to Chinese nationals in general and especially those who have been assigned to the CPEC," she added. Considered a part of China's One Belt, One Road initiative, the CPEC covers Balochistan and Sindh provinces and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The Baloch activists, who have been protesting against the project, say that CPEC is causing much damage to the environment and would not benefit the people of the region but alleged that Balochistan's abundant resources are being diverted for Pakistan's most populous province Punjab. (ANI) The 22-year old was charged with committing a terrorist act and attempted murder after stabbing a man walking through a nature reserve 'a number of times,' according to a statement from the Australian Joint Counter Terrorism Team, reports the CNN. The victim, who suffered serious injuries, is said to be in a critical condition. The attacker allegedly attempted to stab a responding officer through a window before he was arrested. A large knife was recovered from the scene and taken for forensic analysis. New South Wales Police Deputy Commissioner Catherine Burn said it was a premeditated attack. "There was clearly some degree of planning and preparation ... just before the incident happened. When the police arrived he confronted them. We will allege... that he was going to attack (the police) but fortunately that didn't happen," said Catherine. "We know that this person has strong extremists' beliefs inspired by ISIS," she added. The police said there is no threat to the public post the incident. Earlier this year, New South Wales Police arrested a 16-year-old boy in Sydney on suspicion of plotting a terror attack on an Anzac Day ceremony. (ANI) Pakistan has rebuffed calls by Afghan President Ashraf Ghani to involve India in transit trade with Afghanistan, saying it is not possible. "Giving concession to India is unlikely at this stage," an unnamed Pakistani official was quoted as saying by Dawn. Connectivity through the Wagah border was far away, he added. The official was replying to a question regarding President Ghani's statement in which he had threatened to block Pakistan's trade access to Central Asian States (CAS), if it did not allow Afghanistan to trade with India via the Wagah border. Mr Ghani made those remarks during a meeting with the UK's special envoy for Afghanistan and Pakistan Owen Jenkins in Kabul on Friday. The president's office later toned down the statement that was originally released to the media in Pashto and told journalists he had meant to say that Kabul could consider placing restrictions on Pakistani trade with CAS via Afghanistan. The Pakistani official contended that the Afghan leader was practically seeking concession for India as Afghan trucks were already allowed to deliver their goods to India. However, as per the existing arrangement, they were not allowed to carry back Indian goods. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj had at the last Heart of Asia ministerial meeting in Islamabad expressed her country's desire to join the Afghanistan-Pakistan Trade and Transit Agreement (APTTA). The Pakistani official dismissed President Ghani's statement as a political stunt." It's not new. He (Mr Ghani) gave a similar statement last year as well during his visit to India and is again scheduled to travel to Delhi next week (Sept 14)," he recalled. UNI/ XC/AT ADG 1138 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0177-928687.Xml Acclaimed filmmaker Oliver Stone has just one hope after handing over to the world of cinema, his much-anticipated film on the life of American whistleblower Edward Snowden that Snowden gets back his life. "We hope (US President) Barack Obama has a stroke of lightning, sees the light of the day and pardon Snowden," Stone said at a press conference after the screening of 'Snowden' at the 41st Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF). "Snowden has said that if he gets a fair trial, he would return to the US," he said, referring to the man living in an undisclosed location in Russia after being granted asylum three years ago. "The third option is he comes back home and face the music. May be the movie will help," said Stone of the chances of Snowden, charged under espionage laws, being able to end his exile following leaking of America's global surveillance programme details. American actor Joseph Gordon-Lewitt plays Snowden in the 134-minute film, which is based on Snowden's Russian lawyer Anatoly Kucherena's 'Time of the Octopus' and another by the Guardian newspaper's former Russia correspondent Luke Harding. "It is a very upsetting story," Stone said of Snowden's revelations and the subsequent run from law. "For me it is also a drama." Stone, who has made films on the Kennedy assassination (JFK) and the financial greed (Wall Street), visits the drama to give rare insights into the life of Snowden while he begins working as a computer specialist for the American Central Intelligence Agency. "First and foremost I was interested in his patriotism," said Gordon-Lewitt, explaining his character. "He first enlisted in the army in 2004 as a patriot. Then there is another kind of patriotism that has grown into. Asking questions. We have right to ask these questions and make the government accountable," the actor, who met Snowden once in Russian during his preparations for the role said. Stone made nine trips to Moscow to prepare for the film, meeting Snowden in "secured places". "When Snowden was fleeing, everybody was scared of the US. China didn't want to step in when Snowden first went to Hong Kong in 2013. Things have changed. It is more an American world now," he said. Stone tackles yet another controversial story in 'Snowden' and predicts that the next generation won't know what is privacy with governments listening in on conversations and what people do in their lives. UNI XC DS ADG 1315 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0177-928798.Xml Turkish air strikes killed 20 Islamic State militants in northern Syria, broadcaster CNN Turk cited the Turkish military as saying today.The strikes targeted three buildings, one vehicle and one motorbike around the Syrian town of Tel el-Hawa, CNN Turk said.Separately, the head of the military said in message to mark a public holiday that "Operation Euphrates Shield", a Turkish incursion into Syria against Islamic State and Kurdish militia fighters launched two and half weeks ago, would "continue decisively", according to broadcaster NTV. REUTERS SZ GC1336 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0441-928843.Xml In a fresh wave of protests against the ongoing atrocities and human rights violation by Pakistan in Balochistan, the Baloch activists staged a protest here on Sunday. The protestors raised 'stop genocide of Baloch people', 'we want peace' and 'Balochistan zindabad' slogans during their protest. President of Baloch National Movement in Australia, Mir Baloch, said: "We are here to protest the ongoing atrocities in Balochistan. Since five days, our senior activist's house is under siege. No one is allowed to go in or come out. They have no food or water." He added, "We are thankful to the Indian Diaspora and the Indian Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) to raise the issue of human rights violation in Balochistan. We urge the international community to take note of the situation and extend support for Balochistan." Yesterday, the Baloch National Front staged a protest in Turbat, Balochistan, condemning the abduction of Baloch women, harassment of activists and the human rights abuses being carried out by the Pakistani forces. Earlier, Baloch Republican Party representative at the United Nations Human rights council Abdul Nawaz Bugti had stated that in different parts of Dera Bugti, people are now being abducted. He also stated that in Turbat area, a political worker's house is under siege since the past four days and his family, mostly women and children including an infant are starving. Bugti also emphasised that Pakistani forces have denied access to them including their own human rights organisations, who are not being allowed to visit them. Earlier, welcoming Prime Minister Narendra Modi's statement on Balochistan in his Independence Day address, several Baloch activists claimed that the people of the region support him and he should take up the Baloch issue with the international community at the United Nations. Last month, in a bid to highlight the ongoing Baloch genocide and human rights violations and the disappearance of Baloch people through the hands of Pakistani military and intelligence agencies in Balochistan, the Baloch National Movement (BNM) Germany chapter held demonstrations in different cities. Many activists are asserting that since 2003, more than 23,000 activists, students, lawyers, women, journalists, writers and human rights defenders have been enforced disappeared by the Pakistani army and its death squads. (ANI) A militant was killed and eight others including five policemen and three female militant were injured in a gunfight when police conducted a raid at a "militant den" yesterday evening, reports the Daily Star. Karim's wife is also among the injured female militants. One of the others is believed to be wife of Major Jahid. They all are members of the new Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen (JMB). The boy among the three kids rescued during the raid claimed Karim as his father. The rescued kids have been sent to victim support centre. (ANI) Saudi authorities deployed drones to watch over nearly 2 million pilgrims as they ascended Mount Arafat at the climax of the haj pilgrimage on Sunday, part of stepped up efforts to avoid a repeat of last year's crush.In one of the deadliest disasters to befall the annual Muslim rite in decades, the crush killed nearly 800 pilgrims, according to Riyadh, though counts by countries of repatriated bodies showed over 2,000 people may have died, more than 400 of them Iranians.Chanting "here I am at thy service, O Lord," the faithful climbed the craggy hills outside Mecca where Islam holds that God tested Abraham's faith by commanding him to sacrifice his son Ismail and the Prophet Mohammed gave his last sermon."I have prayed to God to have mercy on us, give us relief and resolve Syria's crisis," said Um Fadi, wearing a traditional long black embroidered dress and head scarf native to her home in southern Syria."From the bottom of my heart, I pray that God will lift this agony from Syria and its people," she added.Saudi Arabia has said that 1.85 million pilgrims, most of them from outside Saudi Arabia, have arrived for the annual pilgrimage, a religious duty for every able-bodied Muslim who can afford the journey.Saudi Arabia stakes its reputation on its guardianship of Islam's holiest sites and organising haj, a role that Iranian authorities have challenged this week as part of an escalating war of words over the handling of last year's disaster.The Grand Mufti, the kingdom's top religious authority, warned Iran today that to disrupt the haj would be unacceptable, in comments reported by local daily al-Okaz."Any policy that aims to divert the haj from its proper course is un-Islamic and is a criminal policy," he was quoted as saying.Earlier in the week, Iran's supreme leader accused Saudi authorities of murdering pilgrims during last year's crush. In response, Saudi Arabia's mufti said Iran's leaders were not Muslims.Pilgrims from Iran are not attending haj this year, after talks between the two Middle East powers over haj arrangements broke down in May.The 2015 crush, in which two large groups of pilgrims arrived together at a crossroads in Mina, a few kilometers east of Mecca, on their way to performing the "stoning of the devil" ritual at Jamarat, was the worst disaster to strike the annual pilgrimage for at least 25 years.The Saudi authorities redesigned the Jamarat area after two stampedes, one in 2004 and one in 2006, killed hundreds of pilgrims, and the frequency of such disasters has greatly reduced as the government spent billions of dollars upgrading and expanding haj infrastructure and crowd control technology.The haj ministry has said it had prepared a strict timetable for pilgrims from various countries to follow when leaving and returning to their accommodation.Authorities have also deployed drones to reinforce a network of electronic surveillance of the crowds that would alert authorities to intervene quickly if necessary.Saudi state news agency SPA said that Crown Prince Mohammed Nayef bin Abdul-Aziz, who is also the interior minister, supervised oversight as pilgrims used buses, trains and private cars to move from their encampments in Mena to Mount Arafat.So far, things have proceeded smoothly, SPA added.The pilgrims will spend the day on the mountain and move by sunset to the rocky plain of Muzdalifa, where they will gather pebbles to stone columns symbolizing the devil at another location called Jamarat tomorrow, which marks the first day of Eid al-Adha (feast of sacrifice). REUTERS PY RK2045 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0298-929551.Xml The government advance in Ramussa has completely closed access routes into Aleppo's rebel-controlled east, under renewed siege by forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad. (AFP Photo) DAMASCUS, Sept. 9 (Xinhua) -- Syrian warplanes dropped leaflets over the rebel-held areas in the northern city of Aleppo Friday, giving rebels 48 hours to surrender, pan-Arab al-Mayadeen TV reported. The move comes as the Syrian army succeeded to recapture the town of al-Ramouseh on Thursday, the last area that had fallen to the rebels a month earlier in the southern countryside of Aleppo. Earlier this week, the army units backed by Lebanese Hezbollah group managed to retake control over a series of military bases in southern Aleppo lost to the rebels during a major offensive last month. The rebels' offensive aimed at breaking the government siege on rebel-held areas in eastern Aleppo. Now, the Syrian army has rearranged the siege on eastern Aleppo, urging the rebels to surrender. Located near the Syria's borders with Turkey, Aleppo was the country's largest city and its economic hub before the civil war. It has been a focal point of clashes between the Syrian army and rebels. In the summer of 2012, thousands of armed militants stormed residential districts of Aleppo from its countryside. The Syrian government has been accusing Turkey of supporting the rebels for undeclared interests in Aleppo. The rebels captured several districts in eastern Aleppo and kept trying to expand their presence to government-controlled areas in the west. Military experts said the initial aim of the Syrian army's new battles in Aleppo is to besiege the rebel-held areas and cut off their supply lines to force a surrender. Another target is to ensure the security of government-controlled areas and to prevent the militant groups from blocking the main road connecting Aleppo with the Syrian coast and provinces in central and southern Syria. However, observers said the Syrian military's campaign also aims to recapture areas in the northern and southern countryside of Aleppo in the face of Turkey's perceived attempts to establish a safe zone in northern Syria. ARUSHA, Tanzania, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- An earthquake measuring 5.7 magnitude has hit the northwestern Tanzania's Kagera region at around 3:27 p.m. local time, destroying properties including houses. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the earthquake had an epicenter of 10 kilometers in Nsunga area, 44 kilometers from Kagera's capital Bukoba, close to the western shore of Lake Victoria. Augustine Ollomi, Kagera Regional Police Commander told Xinhua in a telephone interview that the earth tremor has destroyed people's properties including commercial and residential houses. He said the earthquakes caused a commotion in the area, which is close to Lake Victoria's shores. "But, we're still assessing the impact of the earthquakes, so I'm not in a position to speak on the causalities. But, the impact is big," the regional police chief said. One of the victims in Bukoba Municipality, Lilian Lugakingira, said her house was affected by the earthquake. "I thank God it wasn't damaged," she said, adding that the impact caused mayhem in the area. According to her, a number of houses have been damaged with the earth tremor. There were reports of the earthquake being felt in Mwanza city, Tanzania's second biggest city. Mwanza Regional Police Commander, Ahmed Msangi also confirmed on the earthquakes, "but no causalities have reported." Enditem U.S. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump addresses a joint press conference with Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto (not seen in the picture) after their meeting in Mexico City, capital of Mexico, on Aug. 31, 2016. (Xinhua/Str) By Matthew Rusling WASHINGTON, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. presidential race is getting more detailed as two candidates, Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton, start drilling down into policy specifics, giving Americans a break from the two bashing each other. The race up until now has been one mostly built around trading punches, with each candidate trying to make the contest a referendum about the other candidate in recent weeks, highlighting each others' perceived missteps and making the case that the opponent would be a disaster for the United States. But Wednesday night saw a nationally televised question and answer session with each candidate separately, giving Americans an idea of each candidate's policy ideas on a number of issues. Darrell West, vice president and director of governance studies of the Brookings Institution, told Xinhua that Republican candidate Trump came across as competent and able to answer questions about military and defense issues. "That probably boosted viewers' sense that he could handle the job of president. However, he did not display much detailed knowledge of policy issues or put any plans on the table of how to handle major challenges," said West. For her part, Democratic candidate Clinton displayed great expertise on a wide range of policy issues, showing she was knowledgeable and clearly in command of the subject matter, West said. "She exudes a lot of confidence as the potential commander-in-chief. Her worse moments were having to defend her judgment and the way she handled classified materials," he said. Still, Clinton is having problems coming across as personable and approachable in a country that wants its leaders to understand the struggles of ordinary Americans. "She came across as defensive and that could hurt her with independent voters. It was clear she was annoyed at some of the questioning and she has to be careful that this does not disturb potential supporters," West said. Dan Mahaffee, an analyst with the Center for the Study of the Presidency and Congress, told Xinhua that Trump's comments about a loss of American strength under President Barack Obama play well with his base, which feels that the U.S. has declined in strength while terrorism and migration pose significant threats to American safety. But the comments that have hurt Trump are his remarks that praised the leadership of Russian President Vladimir Putin, Mahaffee said. Also Trump's comments about the esteem of American military commanders can be interpreted as insulting to those leaders in uniform who have spent their life in service for the country, he said, referring to some of Trump's comments Wednesday night that could be interpreted as insulting toward U.S. military brass. As for Clinton, she appeared to be serious and experienced, and her statements of regret about her support for the Iraq War were an important appeal to her base, which has concerns about how muscular a Clinton administration would be in terms of foreign interventions, Mahaffee said. "She was very careful about what she said when she was discussing the Obama foreign policy legacy, as she will be defending both his legacy and hers as Secretary of State as foreign policy debates continue," he said. "For Clinton, it is clear that the issue of her handling of emails isn't going away," he said, referring to the ongoing scandal of Clinton's use of a personal email while secretary of state instead of a government-issued one, which critics said endangered U.S. national security. While Clinton has answered numerous questions about the email scandal, the questions continue. And the candidate seemed irritated on Wednesday night when questions on the issue were asked. "Clinton's annoyance about the emails reflects the candidate's and campaigns frustration that this issue continues to be raised even when they think they have addressed it," Mahaffee said. by Maria Spiliopoulou ATHENS, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras inaugurated on Saturday the 81st Thessaloniki International Trade Fair (TIF) in the northern Greece city, heralding the ailing economy's return to growth. "The next year will be crucial to overcome the crisis. I believe the circle of recession and stagnancy is closing and we are entering a circle of economic rebound," the Greek leader said shortly before cutting the ribbon in front of the Russian pavilion at Greece's largest annual trade fair, Greek national news agency AMNA reported. The Greek leader also proposed that a parallel political and economic forum will be held in the future in the framework of the fair, according to AMNA. The 81st TIF is the largest on terms of participants, with 1,015 exhibitors from 18 countries and regions. Russia is the country of honor this year. Some 200,000 people are expected to visit TIF until the closing day on Sept. 18. Tsipras was scheduled to deliver a keynote speech later Saturday on his government's efforts to bring fair growth to the debt-laden country. Approximately 5,000 police officers have been deployed across Thessaloniki to keep order as thousands of demonstrators were expected to hit the streets. BERLIN, Sept.10 (Xinhua) -- Two airplanes crashed into each other in Germany's federal state of Saxony, a local police spokesman was quoted by German media as saying on Saturday. The accident took place during a local airport festival. One of the planes has landed in the city of Grossrueckerswalde, while the other has fallen into a field, killing two people aboard. The festival was canceled after the accident. The victims are still not identified, according to the police spokesman. DHAKA, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- A suspected militant was killed while an ex-army major's wife among three militants were arrested as Bangladesh law enforcers on Saturday night conducted a raid on a hideout of banned Islamist outfit Jamaatul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) in capital Dhaka, an official said. Additional Deputy Commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Mohammad Yusuf Ali told Xinhua that "One JMB militant was killed during the special operation of the law enforcers." He said the operation of Counter Terrorism Unit of Bangladesh Police also arrested three suspected militants including a female who is believed to be wife of an ex-army major. The former Bangladesh Army Major Jahidul Islam, who was killed on Sept. 2 night in a police raid, is considered key trainer behind two major Bangladesh terror attacks in July this year. Ali said five policemen were also wounded in the brief exchange of fire with the suspected militants. Acting on information about presence of militants in Dhaka's Azimpur area, he said security forces launched there cordon-and-search operation there. As the law enforcers zeroed in on their target, he said the militants fired at security forces that retaliated and in the ensuing exchange of fire in which the militant was dead. Monirul Islam, counter terrorism unit chief of Bangladesh Police, had earlier said Jahidul Islam and his wife managed to flee a raid last month in which Tamim Chowdhury, the suspected mastermind of July 1 deadly Dhaka cafe attack, was killed. Jahid was Chowdhury's "second-in-command", he said. Islam said Jahid was the key JMB military trainer. DAMASCUS, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- The Israeli warplanes backed a rebel attack in Syria's southern province of Qunaitera on Saturday, attacking one of the military positions in that area, Syria's national TV said. Citing a military source, the TV said the Israeli air force was backing the terrorists of the Jabhat Fateh al-Sham, previously known as the al-Qaida-linked Nusra Front, in the countryside of Qunaitera, near the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights. It added that the Israelis were facilitating the move of the rebels from inside the occupied Golan Heights. It said the Israeli warplanes attacked a military site in Qunaitera countryside, stopping short of giving further details. The TV report said the Syrian forces and allied troops have thwarted a wide-scale offensive by the rebels against the towns of Hadar and Mashati-Hadar, as well as Tal Ahmar in Qunaitera countryside. The clashes are still raging in that area, the report added. The Syrian government repeatedly accused Israel of backing the rebels in Qunaitera. An earthquake measuring 5.7 magnitude has hit northwestern Tanzania's Kagera region at around 3:27 p.m. Saturday. Photo shows houses affected by the earthquake in Kagera's capital Bukoba. (Xinhua) DAR ES SALAAM, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- At least 11 people were killed and over 200 others were injured on Saturday as an earthquake measuring 5.7 hit northwestern Tanzania, said police. The earthquake jolted Tanzania's northwest regions of Kagera and Mwanza on the shores of Lake Victoria. Kagera regional police commander Augustino Olomi said at least 11 people have been killed in the earthquake and over 200 others injured. Salum Kijuu, the Kagera regional commissioner, told Xinhua in a telephone interview that the morning earthquake also left tens of hundreds of houses and other property damaged. "It is too early to give the exact number of injured people, and the number of damaged property, including houses," said Kijuu, adding that rescue teams had been deployed to affected areas. "But we think the damage is huge. Most of the victims have been rushed to hospitals but we are facing a problem of shortage of medicines," said Kijuu. He said the earthquake hit the areas beginning at 9:27 a.m. local time, sending people into panic with most of them abandoning their properties. Emelensiana Benjamin, a resident of Kagera region, said the earthquake left houses with huge cracks. "The situation is worrying because some of the houses could fall down anytime," she told Xinhua by phone. She said the earthquake was also reported in Simiyu and Mara regions, adding that many people came running from their houses when the earthquake hit. "Panic and fear engulfed many residents across the region because they did not know what was happening," she said. Augustino Nduganda, an officer with the Tanzania Meteorological Agency (TMA) in Mwanza region, confirmed that there was a huge earthquake, but he said it was too early to give details. by Maria Spiliopoulou ATHENS, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- Greece's fire brigade has retrieved the body of a restaurant owner killed in a flood in the Peloponnese peninsula in southern Greece, the Greek national news agency AMNA reported on Saturday. Meanwhile, a firefighter was seriously injured while battling the flames of a wildfire burning on Thassos island in northern Greece, according to the report. The spell of bad weather which has hit Greece since Wednesday continues to test citizens and authorities in several parts of Greece. Fire brigade officers attribute the wildfire which broke out on four fronts on Thassos island amidst adverse weather conditions to lightening. Two villages have been evacuated as a precautionary measure due to heavy smoke, as more than 100 firefighters and another 100 soldiers and local volunteers are struggling to put the blazes under control. Four water dropping helicopters and four airplanes are participating in the operation which is hampered by the strong winds blowing in the area. Meanwhile, flash floods due to heavy rainfall continue to cause severe problems in many regions of central and southern Greece. A 30-year-old restaurant owner was found drown on Wednesday near the city of Corinth, some 90 kilometers southwest of Athens, bringing the death toll of floods in the Peloponnese this week to five. Four elderly people were killed under similar circumstances on Wednesday. The restaurant owner's car was swept into a swollen stream while he was trying to reach his business, according to the fire brigade. A woman is missing since Wednesday in the northern city of Thessaloniki, after her car was swept by waters. In the outskirts of Trikala in central Greece, firefighters rescued at least two people after their cars were swept by flood waters, according to AMNA. Flooded sections of national highways and regional roads in central and northern Greece have been closed and traffic has been diverted, while the fire brigade has responded to more than 1,000 calls for flooded basements of homes and stores nationwide. By Bedah Mengo NAIROBI, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- Kenya's political landscape is set to change radically following the merger of several parties to form one homogenous outfit known as Jubilee, on which President Uhuru Kenyatta will seek re-election in next year's polls. About 12 small parties agreed to dissolve this week to form Jubilee Party, which the President launched Saturday. President Kenyatta, while speaking at the event to formalize the new party in Nairobi, said Kenya has no choice but to unite to avoid tragic consequences. "We have in the past fallen prey to divisions based on ethnicity and religion to serve the interest of a few. Ethnic differences in Africa become political differences, with poverty and hatred being the consequences," he said, adding Kenya nearly disintegrated in 2008 due to ethnicity. He said the Jubilee Party has one sole purpose in the East African country, which is to bring people together for development of the nation. "We will grow as a party to embrace all and bring the nation together. We will promote internal democracy; every shed of opinion will have space in the party and everyone despite their ethnicity, colour and shape will call it home," he said, noting Kenyans are tired of tribal political enclaves. Following the launch of President Kenyatta's Jubilee Party, the East African nation would now have two major outfits namely Jubilee and Cord, an alliance of small parties that form the Opposition under leader Raila Odinga. The two major parties, according to analysts, would dominate the politics of the two nations in the coming years, with one forming the government and the other Opposition. Kenyans are, therefore, going to coalesce under the stronger outfits based on the leaders they love and which party is in government. "Politics is no longer going to be the same in Kenya, it is either one is in the ruling Jubilee Party or Opposition Cord. This would be clear as the country heads towards the elections. There would be little or no small parties," said Henry Wandera, an economics lecturer and political analyst in Nairobi. According to him, only candidates that would be nominated under Cord and Jubilee in regions that they command support would stand a chance to be elected governor, MPs, senators and woman representatives. "Once elected, there would be little chance for leaders to differ with their parties and associate with others and still remain in Parliament under the same ticket as it has been the case. That means Kenyans will see some discipline in parties as it were years ago. The recent passage of law to bar party hopping would help entrench this," he said. While this may be good for the bigger parties, Wandera believes in the long-run it may stifle democracy and kill smaller outfits. "Smaller parties have in the past been the biggest beneficiaries of fallout in bigger parties by some candidates defecting once they lose nominations. But this would no longer be the case as candidates are barred from decamping last-minute to other parties. With their resources, the bigger parties, therefore, would dominate politics killing smaller parties and even independent candidacy." Jubilee Party leaders, however, insist that their outfit is going to unite the country, which is currently deeply divided. "We have started the journey to unite the country. We have brought together different political parties and Kenyans from all across the country to unite. This event is a culmination of many years of nationalist and social transformative agenda for our country," said Deputy President William Ruto. Some critics, however, have dismissed the political developments in the country, particularly the formation of Jubilee Party, noting a similar thing happened in 2008, where former President Mwai Kibaki formed the Party of National Unity, which collapsed soon as he ascended to power. "To me nothing has changed. This is akin to wildebeests temporary migration stampede to eat fresh grass across the river before return with many casualties. The bedrock of Kenya politics should be inclusive economy and strengthening of devolution," said Ndung'u Wainaina, a human rights activist. Enditem Christmann joins Brandi Christmann, a family nurse practitioner, recently joined Sanford North Clinic in Bismarck. Christmann graduated from what is now NDSU Nursing at Sanford Health and received a masters degree from the University of North Dakota. Flaagan achieves Kevin D. Flaagan, Beulah, has been named a member of the 2016 Presidents Council of New York Life whose members are among the top 5 percent of its licensed agents. Flaagan has been a New York Life agent since 1985 and is associated with its North Dakota General Office in Fargo. Two get promotions Amanda Moen and Pao-Yueh (Claudia) Schollmeyer have been promoted to senior staff accountants at Widmer Roel in Bismarck. Moen is in the audit department. Originally from Fargo, she earned a bachelors degree from the University of Minnesota-Crookston and joined Widmer Roel in 2015. Schollmeyer works in the tax department. A native of Hualien, Taiwan, she earned a master's degree in business administration from the University of Mary, a bachelors degree in finance from California State University, Fullerton and an associate's degree in accounting from Ching-Chung College. She joined Widmer Roel in 2011. Adams promoted Chelsey Adams was recently promoted to assistant manager at Dennys in Bismarck. Adams, originally from Tallahassee, Fla., joined Classic Restaurants, which owns Dennys in Bismarck, as a server this summer. She has seven years of restaurant experience, including two years managing her district. Gilbertson included Joel Gilbertson, with the GA Group, Bismarck, is included in the 23rd edition of The Best Lawyers in America, where he is recognized in the areas of administrative/regulatory law, government relations practice and insurance law. He has been similarly recognized since 2007. Five hired by DEI Alyssa Buetow, Chantel Fettig, Lindsay Lien, Stephanie Sheets and Stephanie McGregor are new employees at Dakota Eye Institute, Bismarck. Buetow and Fettig are opticians. Buetow is a native of Bismarck with an associate's degrees through Bismarck State College. Fettig is from Kintyre and has an associate's degree in business management. Lien and Sheets are ophthalmic assistants. Lien is from Tioga, attended the University of Jamestown and served in the Army National Guard for eight years. Sheets is from Bismarck and has patient care experience. McGregor, from Fessenden, is a contact lens technician. She has more than 20 years of health care experience in hospitals, clinics and senior living. Ellison recognized Bruce Ellison has been named the August adviser of the month by Securian Financial Advisors of N.D. Inc. based on production and service to clients. Ellison, based in Mandan, has been a representative with Securian since 2013. Kost appointed Corey Kost has been appointed by Gov. Jack Dalrymple to a five-year term on the North Dakota Real Estate Appraiser Qualifications and Ethics Board. Kost is a staff appraiser at Dakota Appraisal & Consulting in Bismarck and holds a civil engineering degree from the University of North Dakota. Bryant with Dawson Shawn Bryant has joined Dawson Insurance, Fargo, as a business insurance adviser. Most recently an underground product specialist with RDO/Vermeer, Bryant will remain in Bismarck. MOGADISHU, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- Somalia President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud said Saturday security has been beefed up in Mogadishu and its environs ahead of the regional summit to be held on on Sept. 13. Mohamud said leaders from the eight members of the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) bloc - Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan and Uganda - are expected to attend the summit. The summit is expected to focus on political and security progress made in Somalia and the forthcoming in-direct elections planed for September and October. The summit will also focus on ways to bring an end to the conflict in South Sudan. "Mogadishu town will host the IGAD summit next week and that that is why the security in the capital is tightened, I request the people to work with the security forces to ensure success of the summit," he told journalists in Nairobi. Although the Al-Qaida allied militant group, Al-Shabaab had been forced out of Mogadishu, it is still carrying out attacks on government, and public places including the Africa Union bases. "Security forces will increase patrols around the city and I wish to urge Somalis to show patience as the town hosts international level meeting," he said. Somali Foreign Minister Abdisalam Omar Hadliye said the meeting will be the first of IGAD Heads of States and Government to be held in Somali capital Mogadishu after more than two decades of conflict. "IGAD Summit will take place in Mogadishu on Sept. 13. It is great opportunity for Somalia to host such meeting because the country has never hosted international level meetings since 1974, and AU head of States had a summit in Mogadishu at that time," Hadliye said earlier. The minister however decried security concerns citing Al-Shabaab terrorist group which has been fighting to topple the Western-backed government. He said heavy security is underway to enhance the security, seal all loopholes and make sure the significant summit takes place successful. About 22,000 strong force from the African Union are mandated to assist the Somali government in fighting Al-Shabaab terrorists, providing security for the country's important establishments in an effort to bring back to stability. Enditem DAR ES SALAAM, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- The government of Tanzania said on Saturday it will connect the country's gas-rich southern regions of Mtwara and Lindi to the national electricity grid. Sospeter Muhongo, the east African nation's Minister for Energy and Minerals, told Parliament in the political capital Dodoma that the Tanzania Electric Supply Company (TANESCO) has started building a 132 KV transmission line. The two regions currently get electricity from an 18MW power system that was built by Artumas Power a few years ago, said the minister adding that this was not enough to enable all districts in the two regions to be supplied with electricity. "TANESCO is now building a 132KV transmission line complete with two substations that will see electricity easily reach as far as Masasi district in Mtwara region and Liwale district in Lindi region and in all the other districts," he said. Muhongo added that TANESCO was also constructing a 400KV line that will connect Somanga Fungu in Lindi to Kinyerezi natural-gas plant to power production plants in Dar es Salaam. He could not reveal the actual amount to be spent on the project that will see Mtwara residents benefiting from the power, produced by natural gas which is being transported from their area to Dar es Salaam via a Chinese-built pipeline. Enditem JERUSALEM, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- Israel's military said on Saturday that it concluded the searches for survivors and casualties in a collapsed Tel Aviv construction site, five days after the accident that cost the lives of six men. The statement came after the rescuers extracted one last body of a construction worker who was missing since the accident. No more people, dead or alive, are believed to be under the rubbles, the authorities said. The four-story car park in Ramat Hachayal, a high-tech offices quarter of Tel Aviv, collapsed on Monday, injuring 23 people. Police spokeswoman Luba Samri said that the bodies of casualties were taken to the national forensic institute to ascertain their identity. So far, the authorities identified three bodies: Ahed Rimawi, 34, from Beit Rima, a Palestinian village outside the West Bank city of Ramallah; Denis Dianchko, 28, a citizen of Ukraine; and Oleg Yakobov, 60, an Israeli citizen from Tel Aviv. All of the victims were construction workers at the site, which was still under construction at the time of the accident. The car park was supposed to become usable in two weeks, with about 600 parking slots. About 500 Home Front Command soldiers, police, firefighters, and emergency medical personnel worked around the clock to find survivors. "For six days, forces of the Home Front search and rescue forces, both active and reserve forces, have been operating to save lives from the destruction site," Major General Yoel Strik, head of the Home Front Command, said in a statement. "Today the efforts have come to an end with the extraction of the last trapped from under the rubble, unfortunately lifeless. We send our condolences to the families," he said. The reasons for the collapse were unclear. Israel has a high number of construction accidents. According to figures from the Economy and Industry Ministry, 30 workers were killed in construction sites since the beginning of 2016. SANAA, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- At least 10 civilians were killed and dozens wounded when Saudi-led airstrikes hit a village north of Yemen's capital Sanaa on Saturday, a security official said. The death toll is more likely to increase as rescue teams are searching underneath of destroyed houses and near an artesian well in Bait Sa'dan village of Arhab district, about 50 km north of Sanaa, said the official. "The warplanes launched five airstrikes against the residents' houses and farms this morning and resumed with other three strikes when rescue teams approached the area to try to rescue possible survivors, killing or injuring many of them," the offical told Xinhua on condition of anonymity. Further 10 airstrikes hit the village later in the morning, the official added. There were dozens of injured bleeding and rescue teams and medics were trying to rush them to hospitals, the official added. Official Saba news agency, which is under control of Shiite Houthi rebels, reported more than 50 killed and injured in the airstrikes against the village, but without detailing the number. This was the latest in a series of air strikes against civilians in Yemen, which triggered widespread criticism against Saudi-led military coalition. On Thursday, the coalition warplanes killed nine civilians from three families, including four children, in Yemen's northern province of Amran, some 60 km north of Sanaa. The military Arab coalition led by Saudi Arabia has been aerial bombing rebels, Shiite Houthi armed group and its allied troops loyal to former President Ali Abdullah Saleh, since 2015 after the rebels expelled Saudi-backed internationally recognized government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi into exile. Houthi fighters and Saleh forces stormed Sanaa and about half of the country's north in late 2014 and they still dominate despite the 18-month intensified war. The coalition intervened with air military campaign with the aim to prevent the rebels from controlling the country and restore the government. The UN-sponsored peace talks between Yemeni rival factions collapsed last month, but UN envoy Ismail Ould Chiekh Ahmed said this week the Yemeni parties agreed to resume negotiations to end war and share future new government. At least 10,000 people, mostly civilians, were killed in the airstrikes and battles, and about three million are displaced. Enditem CAIRO, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- Egypt and the Arab League (AL) welcomed on Saturday the ceasefire recently reached in conflict-stricken Syria after mediation efforts of the United States and Russia. The Egyptian Foreign Ministry hailed the truce that was reached Friday evening and will take effect on Sept. 12, the first day of the Muslim Feast of Sacrifice, calling on all Syrian parties to maintain complete ceasefire "while continuing to target terrorist elements." The ministry's spokesman Ahmed Abu Zeid urged Syrian conflicting parties "to put an end to the humanitarian suffering of the Syrian people due to continuous violence and fighting and to pave the way for political talks." The truce was announced earlier on Saturday by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry who said he had reached the deal with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov that seeks ceasefire all over Syria. The announcement came after intensive U.S.-Russian talks in Geneva in a bid to end the five-year-long fighting in the Arab country. Meanwhile, AL Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul-Gheit also welcomed the truce and hoped all measures could be taken "to relieve the suffering of the Syrian civilians and get the Syrian crisis close to a political settlement that meets the aspirations of the Syrian people." Enditem SAN JOSE, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- The 10th China-Latin America Business Summit will take place on Oct. 14-15 in Tangshan, a city in northeast Hebei province, visiting Chinese officials announced this week in Costa Rica's capital San Jose. At the presentation on Friday, China's Ambassador to Costa Rica Song Yanbin underscored the importance of business leaders from both countries actively participating in the event. The summit is the first institutional mechanism designed by China expressly to promote economic and trade cooperation with Latin America and the Caribbean, said Song. John Fonseca, Costa Rica's deputy minister of foreign trade, said the day's presentation and upcoming summit aimed to allow the two's business sectors "to get to know each other better." "Since we established diplomatic ties and our bilateral free-trade agreement, our trade flows have developed and diversified," said Fonseca, adding official figures show trade between Costa Rica and China amounted to 2.02 billion U.S. dollars in 2015. Hebei, which covers some 188,000 square kilometers, is China's sixth-largest regional economy, officials highlighted during the presentation. The province boasts solid industrial foundations and a thriving agricultural sector that produces vegetables, grains and meats. Hebei can move a billion tons of goods through its five airports and three ports. Costa Rica's former ambassador to China and former minister of foreign trade Marco Vinicio Ruiz said the summit offers Costa Rican and other Central American business owners a significant opportunity to meet and network with their counterparts in China, especially Hebei. "The province of Hebei is one of the leading zones for trade and development with China," said Ruiz. "For Costa Rica, which already has a free-trade agreement with China and a reciprocal investment promotion accord, it is an enormous opportunity, because it allows us to offer the country as a center of operations for Chinese companies from the region (Hebei) that want to come and do business," Ruiz added. Hebei has the infrastructure needed for logistics and storage, as well as for such activities as roasting and selling Costa Rican coffee, said Ruiz. Hebei has seen significant growth in recent years, benefiting from a Chinese government strategy to boost development. China and Latin America alternate host the summit, which is organized by the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade. Costa Rica hosted the summit in 2013. This combination of file photos shows Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton during the first Democratic presidential debate in Las Vegas, Nevada on October 13, 2015 and her Repubican counterpart Donald Trump during a rally at the Expo Hall of the Richmond International Raceway on October 14, 2015 in Richmond, Virginia.(AFP) By Matthew Rusling WASHINGTON, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. presidential race is getting more detailed as two candidates, Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton, start drilling down into policy specifics, giving Americans a break from the two bashing each other. The race up until now has been one mostly built around trading punches, with each candidate trying to make the contest a referendum about the other candidate in recent weeks, highlighting each others' perceived missteps and making the case that the opponent would be a disaster for the United States. But Wednesday night saw a nationally televised question and answer session with each candidate separately, giving Americans an idea of each candidate's policy ideas on a number of issues. Darrell West, vice president and director of governance studies of the Brookings Institution, told Xinhua that Republican candidate Trump came across as competent and able to answer questions about military and defense issues. "That probably boosted viewers' sense that he could handle the job of president. However, he did not display much detailed knowledge of policy issues or put any plans on the table of how to handle major challenges," said West. For her part, Democratic candidate Clinton displayed great expertise on a wide range of policy issues, showing she was knowledgeable and clearly in command of the subject matter, West said. "She exudes a lot of confidence as the potential commander-in-chief. Her worse moments were having to defend her judgment and the way she handled classified materials," he said. Still, Clinton is having problems coming across as personable and approachable in a country that wants its leaders to understand the struggles of ordinary Americans. "She came across as defensive and that could hurt her with independent voters. It was clear she was annoyed at some of the questioning and she has to be careful that this does not disturb potential supporters," West said. Dan Mahaffee, an analyst with the Center for the Study of the Presidency and Congress, told Xinhua that Trump's comments about a loss of American strength under President Barack Obama play well with his base, which feels that the U.S. has declined in strength while terrorism and migration pose significant threats to American safety. But the comments that have hurt Trump are his remarks that praised the leadership of Russian President Vladimir Putin, Mahaffee said. Also Trump's comments about the esteem of American military commanders can be interpreted as insulting to those leaders in uniform who have spent their life in service for the country, he said, referring to some of Trump's comments Wednesday night that could be interpreted as insulting toward U.S. military brass. As for Clinton, she appeared to be serious and experienced, and her statements of regret about her support for the Iraq War were an important appeal to her base, which has concerns about how muscular a Clinton administration would be in terms of foreign interventions, Mahaffee said. "She was very careful about what she said when she was discussing the Obama foreign policy legacy, as she will be defending both his legacy and hers as Secretary of State as foreign policy debates continue," he said. "For Clinton, it is clear that the issue of her handling of emails isn't going away," he said, referring to the ongoing scandal of Clinton's use of a personal email while secretary of state instead of a government-issued one, which critics said endangered U.S. national security. While Clinton has answered numerous questions about the email scandal, the questions continue. And the candidate seemed irritated on Wednesday night when questions on the issue were asked. "Clinton's annoyance about the emails reflects the candidate's and campaigns frustration that this issue continues to be raised even when they think they have addressed it," Mahaffee said. BUENOS AIRES, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- Two Argentinian friends challenged each other to stop shopping for a year, to draw attention to the ever-increasing pace of consumerism. Evangelina Himitian and Soledad Vallejos, both reporters for the Argentine daily La Nacion, decided to quit recreational shopping cold turkey on April 1. What they have experienced and learned in the past five months is going into their blog deseoconsumido.com ("consumed desire") and has been turned into an art exhibit, with the help of artist Fernanda Diaz. "In very few years, Argentinians have gone from living in a consumer society to living in a hyper-consumer society," they write on their web page. In the span of two decades, the average Argentinian went from buying nine articles of clothing a year to buying more than 20, they said. Stepped up consumerism does not just encroach on your time and savings, it has also lead to an "explosion in clandestine sweatshops," where employees are underpaid and overworked, they warned. What's more, "we only use 20 percent of the clothing in our closet," the two discovered while researching consumer trends. When did they decide enough is enough? "It was during the end-of-year festivities," Himitian told Xinhua at the Hiedra Gallery in Buenos Aires, which is hosting the exhibit. "I felt I had to get home, cross the city and it was chaotic, because we were all out shopping for gifts and buying food. It was a breaking point, realizing 'we are not having a good time with this celebration and this hyper-consumerism'", said Himitian. "While chatting ... the idea came up of not buying anything for a year, no clothes, no wallets, no nail polish," she said. "We didn't feel like going shopping ... there's a drive to consuming, it takes energy, desire, force, and when you (stop shopping), you can use them for something else," she added. Vallejos said the challenge has been tough, especially since the decision to forgo shopping affects not just them, but their families, particularly their young children. "In my urban, middle-class family ... my children, who are small, have a major need for 'buy me this, buy me this'." Still, the experiment has led to a "great change in attitude" among friends and relatives, said Vallejos. "When I got rid of more than half my closet, we naturally began to talk about other things at my house. My husband and my children no longer think the same as they did five months ago," she said, adding that at the end of the year-long experiment, hopefully "our pattern of consumption will have changed." As part of the exhibit, entitled "I'm Out of the Closet" and on show until Sept. 15, an underground sweatshop recreates the "hostile conditions" garment workers are often subjected to. RIO DE JANEIRO, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- China's Yang Liwan secured her third Paralympic gold medal on Saturday, winning the women's shot put F54 in Rio. The 38-year-old recorded a best throw of 7.89m to fall just one centimeter short of her own world record set in April. Tunisia's Hania Aidi took silver with a longest throw of 6.86m and Fadhila Nafati grabbed bronze with 6.38m. Yang also won gold in the event at the 2012 Games in London, where she also triumphed in the javelin F54/55/56. Competing at her third Paralympics, Yang was left paraplegic after being struck by a falling object in 1996. The Sino-Thai Culture and Tourism Friendship Caravan arrives at Chiang Khong in Chiang Rai province, Thailand, Sept. 9, 2016. The caravan began its journey in Ordos, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region on August 22, passed through various cities in China and Laos, and arrived at Chiang Khong district in Chiang Rai province Friday. (Xinhua/Li Mangmang) BANGKOK, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- Thailand held a local style banquet late Saturday to welcome the third Sino-Thai Culture and Tourism Friendship Caravan that just arrived in Thailand. The caravan began its journey in Ordos, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region on August 22, passed through various cities in China and Laos, and arrived at Chiang Khong district in Chiang Rai province last Friday. "Though it is my second time to join the China-Thailand cultural caravan, I am very happy that we made it after a 19-day journey," said Ke Yasha, leader of the Chinese participants of the caravan, adding that he is looking forward to the journey beyond in Thailand. The caravan is going to visit provinces in northern and northeastern Thailand. A closing ceremony of the trip is set on September 29 in Bangkok, as some 40 people from both China and Thailand will finish the whole trip. Chen Jiang, cultural counselor of the Chinese Embassy in Thailand, said the caravan will help people from both China and Thailand understand each other better as well as promote tourism in both countries. SYDNEY, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- A man inspired by the Islamic State has been charged with committing a terrorist attack as well as an attempted murder of a 59-year-old man in Sydney, Australia. New South Wales police said the man was charged on Sunday after another man was found with multiple stab wounds outside a home at Minto in Sydney's West. The attack took place on Saturday afternoon. The victim and the man were not known to each other. The injured was treated at the scene by paramedics before he was flown by helicopter to Liverpool hospital. Police said the victim's condition is reported to be serious but improving. "When police from Macquarie Fields arrived at the scene, attempts were allegedly made to stab an officer through a window before a 22-year-old man was placed under arrest," police said in a statement. Police said the Joint Counter Terrorism team, comprising the NSW Police Force and the Australian Federal Police, has been investigating the incident together with Macquarie Fields Local Area Command. NSW Police Force Deputy Commissioner Catherine Burn in a press conference on Sunday said the man had no connection to terrorist groups although he was known to authorities prior to the attack. "The person is still before the courts and we will find out a lot more as the days go on with the investigation if there was a direct link, but this is the sad reality," Burn said. Burn said the man had been on the police watch list but was not someone who was at the "front and center" of their work at the moment. The man's arrest comes after an 18-year-old teenager was charged for making alleged terror threats at the Sydney Opera House forecourt on Friday. Both of these arrests come just days after an Islamic State linked online magazine called "Rumaiyah" published a graphic and detailed instructions to its followers to carry out lone wolf terror attacks in Sydney and Melbourne. To date, Australian authorities have conducted 16 counter-terror operations since 2014, arresting 44 alleged home-grown terrorists. BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- Brunei's flag carrier Royal Brunei (RB) Airlines has banned the use of fire-prone Samsung Galaxy Note 7 phones on its flights following a global recall on the devices over battery problems. "In light of recent concerns raised about Samsung Galaxy Note 7 devices," RB Airlines stated in a notice posted on its website late Saturday night, "with immediate effect passengers are strongly advised not to switch on or charge these devices onboard the aircraft." The national carrier said Samsung Galaxy Note 7 phones are also prohibited from carriage in checked-in baggage. Brunei's Department of Civil Aviation also confirmed to local media that the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 phones are prohibited from being used in other airlines that fly from the Brunei International Airport, including AirAsia and Malaysia Airlines. The South Korean smartphone maker last week suspended sales of the handsets and issued the recall on Sept. 2 after a number of phones reportedly burned while charging. ATHENS, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras on Saturday night urged investors to invest in his country which is recovering and moving to the period of growth. He made the remarks when presenting his government's roadmap to the post-crisis future during a keynote speech at the opening of the 81st Thessaloniki International Fair (TIF), the country's largest annual trade fair held in northern Greece. "We are exactly at the point where our economy is changing from a negative trend of a seven-year recession to positive growth rates at last," the Greek leader said in his live televised speech, before outlining the "only realistic plan in recent years" to exit the debt crisis and reconstruct the country. He defended his government's policies almost a year after the last general elections on Sept. 25, 2015. He noted that following the agreement on the third bailout last summer, all signs and indexes in recent months are showing that a vicious cycle of dramatic economic and social decline is closing and the Greek economy is changing direction. "I call domestic and foreign investors to take advantage of business opportunities and the favorable framework we are offering to healthy business activity. Invest without any hesitation in Greek economy. The risks are over. From now on there will be only benefits for you and the Greek economy," he said. He called for a radical change in the country's production model to create new wealth which will be fairly distributed, and called for focus on Greece's comparative advantages which can make the country a hub for trade and energy routes. He pledged that his government will continue the battle against corruption and accelerate much needed reforms to support healthy business activity and employment. He also promised concrete swift steps to achieve economy recovery and ease tax burdens. "We want to turn recovery to fair growth. This is the big challenge which lies ahead," he stressed, saying the shift to an extrovert economy is the key precondition of the fair growth sought. Tsipras expressed confidence that Greece will exit the bailout program at the end of the next two years, pledging that until then his government will support the most vulnerable groups of society. More than 10,000 people took part in a series of peaceful rallies organized by the country's largest trade unions earlier outside the TIF's premises calling for more radical actions to put a "real end to austerity." Approximately 5,000 police officers were deployed across the city to keep order. MEXICO CITY, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- Mexico's Dayana Camacho, 14, will soon become the first teenager in Latin America to undergo gastric bypass surgery in a bid to control her obesity, according to her surgeon. Dayana, who weighs 200 kg, suffers from "extreme obesity, which is why it was decided to carry out this operation, the first in Latin America on a child or adolescent," Dr. Jose Antonio Castaneda told Xinhua in an interview. Castaneda said the 45-minute operation, to take place on Tuesday, aims to help the teen "have a better quality of life." "I'm very happy about this operation. I don't want to be like this anymore, I want my life to change and for people to stop staring at me.," said Camacho, resident of Colorado, a town in Mexico's northwest state of Sinaloa, told a local daily recently. In the past year, the teen's weight increased to the point where normal everyday activities, such as going to school, became too difficult, partly from physical exertion, and partly from psychological strains. Her mother, Ramona Carrillo, sought help from local media. "Dayana's situation worsened and that's what made us seek help even on radio and television, so a doctor somewhere could hear us," Carrillo told Xinhua. "Dr. Castaneda was the one who took notice and now he is going to operate," said Carrillo. "We hope everything turns out fine and most importantly, that it changes Dayana's life," said her mother, adding the teen "is excited because she says she is going to be a new, thinner person and she can go back to school and, above all, show everyone who made fun of her and that she can overcome this." The operation will take place at a private hospital in Guadalajara, capital of western Jalisco state, which specializes in gastric bypass surgeries, said Castaneda. Mexico has the world's highest rate of childhood obesity, according to the United Nations. BEIJING, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- China sent a strong message about its commitment to the battle against global climate change by ratifying the Paris Agreement earlier this month, experts said. China and the United States formally joined the Paris climate pact on Sept. 3, one day ahead of the G20 summit held in the eastern Chinese lake side city of Hangzhou. The deal marks a turning point in the united efforts to address global warming. "China seems to be [...] setting an example by implementing steps to limit global warming," Douglas H. Paal, director of the Asia program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, told Xinhua. "It is smart for China to use the G20 Summit to try to engender a bandwagon effect among the participating countries," he said. China, the world's second largest economy and a major emitter of greenhouse gases, signed the Paris Agreement at UN Headquarters in New York on April 22, which is also Earth Day. Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli, acting for President Xi Jinping, signed the document and announced that China would ratify the pact before the G20 summit in Hangzhou. To fulfill its commitments, China will have to cut carbon emissions per unit of GDP by 60-65 percent by 2030 from 2005 levels, increase non-fossil fuel sources in primary energy consumption to about 20 percent, and peak its carbon emissions by 2030. These targets are reflected in China's 13th Five-Year Plan (2016-2020). Many agree that China's ratification of the Paris Agreement ahead of the G20 summit, as wells as the summit's outcomes, will also strengthen China's leadership in the area. Moreover, concrete actions by major powers, like China, will increase expectations for an early initiation of the pact, ahead of its original deadline of 2020. "I think the Paris Agreement will enter into force very, very soon," said Jeffrey Sachs, director of the Earth Institute at Columbia University. Just a few months ago, the early entry into force of the Paris Agreement seemed unachievable. The Paris deal, aiming to reverse the trend of temperature rises mainly caused by carbon emissions, was sealed by negotiators of 196 parties to the UN conference on climate change on Dec. 12, 2015, after a hard and lengthy bargaining process. It will enter into force once 55 nations, making up 55 percent of global emissions, ratify the pact. The joint announcement by President Xi Jinping and his U.S. counterpart Barack Obama of their nations's commitment to the Paris deal could be a game changer, and sets the stage for other countries to follow suit. The world's two largest economies, China and the United States, together account for 39 percent of global emissions. In a Leaders' Communique issued after G20 summit, the remaining G20 members agree to join the agreement as soon as possible. "We commit to complete our respective domestic procedures in order to join the Paris Agreement as soon as our national procedures allow," the communique read. "We welcome those G20 members who joined the Agreement and efforts to enable the Paris Agreement to enter into force by the end of 2016 and look forward to its timely implementation with all its aspects," it said. Joanna Lewis of Georgetown University, meanwhile, called the G20 the "most powerful economic and political club in the world," and China's hosting of it offered a great opportunity to demonstrate its climate leadership. "Climate change is the area in which China has shown perhaps the strongest international leadership. As China hosts the G20, we can expect energy and climate to be front and center," Lewis said in a signed article. "As the role of China in global multilateral financial institutions grows, there is room for it to help shape the use of public finance for green and low carbon investment and determine the rules for such investments around the world," she said. BEIJING, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- China and Russia will stage an eight-day Navy drill in the South China Sea off southern China's Guangdong Province starting Monday, a Chinese Navy spokesperson said Sunday. The drill, "Joint Sea-2016," will feature Navy surface ships, submarines, fixed-wing aircraft, ship-borne helicopters marine corps and amphibious armored equipment from both navies, according to spokesperson Liang Yang. Most of the Chinese participants will come from the Nanhai Fleet under the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN). Together, Chinese and Russian participants will undertake defense, rescue, and anti-submarine operations, in addition to joint-island seizing missions and other activities, Liang said. The marine corps, in particular, will carry out live-fire drills, sea crossing and island landing operations, and island defense and offense exercises among others, he said. Liang said the drill, from Sept. 12-19, is part of an annual program, which aims to consolidate and advance the Sino-Russian comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination, and deepen friendly and practical cooperation between the two militaries. It will also improve coordination between the two navies on joint defense operations at sea, he said. Earlier reports in July quoted a Chinese Defense Ministry spokesperson as saying that the drill "does not target any third party." The annual China-Russia joint naval exercise is the fifth of its kind between the two countries since 2012. The drills were held in 2012 in the Yellow Sea; off the coast of Russia's Far East in 2013; and in the East China Sea in 2014. In 2015, the drill was conducted in two phases: in the Mediterranean in May and then in the Peter the Great Gulf, the waters off the Clerk Cape, and the Sea of Japan in late August. NEW DELHI, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- The Indian Army foiled an infiltration bid in Indian-controlled Kashmir on Sunday by gunning down four militants after a fierce encounter, a defense official said. "Soldiers posted along the Line of Control, the military control line between India and Pakistan, spotted intruders in Nowgam sector of Kashmir's Kupwara district in the wee hours. When challenged, the four militants opened fire, forcing the security forces to retaliate," he said. The four militants were killed in the ensuing encounter and four assault rifles recovered from their possession, the official said. In a separate incident, a policeman was killed and two persons sustained injuries in a gunfight between the security forces and militants in Poonch district, local TV channels reported. Reports said the clash is still on and security forces are also combing nearby areas. The two gunfights came amid unrest in Kashmir, where more than 75 people have been killed in violence since the killing of 22-year-old militant commander Burhan Wani by Indian security forces two months ago. Pakistan has eulogized Wani, while India accuses Islamabad of fanning violence in Kashmir over which the two arch-rivals have fought at least three major wars in the past 65 years. by Xinhua Writer Wu Qiang BEIJING, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- Fifteen years ago, the world entered an age of war against terrorism, waged by the United States and its allies after terrorists destroyed the twin towers in New York and part of the Pentagon in Washington D.C. Since then, the world security scenario has undergone tremendous changes. The war in Afghanistan has been lingering on, Iraq's government of former President Saddam Hussein was toppled in bloodbath, Libya and Syria followed suit to become slaughter houses. Moreover, the Islamic State terrorist organization has controlled large areas in Iraq and Syria and instigated terrorism worldwide. The war and devastation in Middle East has caused a mass exodus of local population towards Europe. Terrorist attacks have been repeatedly staged in France, Germany, Belgium and Turkey. As some have warned before the United States invaded Iraq, once the Pandorra's Box was opened, the devil would come out in the Middle East and would not be brought back into the box again, with centuries-old religious sectarian fighting and old ethnic and tribal wars flaring up like forest fire. During this period, violence also erupted in Egypt, Yemen and some other Arab countries, while the Middle East peace process between Israel and Palestine has been mired in an unbreakable impasse. The so-called "Arab Spring" ended in shambles and shame. The war has destroyed the livelihood of tens of millions in Afghanistan, the Middle East and North Africa. The economy there has almost been destroyed, normal life has become a luxury while society is shattered in the wake of war and violence. "I have lost my husband, I have no job and regular income to support my children. The legacy of foreign forces war against terror is corruption, poverty, endemic conflict and growing poppy," said Jamila, a widow in Afghan capital Kabul, in an interview with Xinhua. As the Middle East has been haunted by violence and terror, Western powers led by the United States are known for their selective approach towards terrorism and a lack of seriousness in addressing the roots of terror. It is widely proved that the Islamic State was a splinter group of anti-government forces in Syria, and Islamic militancy was also used by the Western elements in Chechen war against Russia as well as the unrest in Xinjiang of China. While the United States was a victim of terrorist attack 15 years ago, its policy of military interference in Afghanistan and the Middle East only worsened the security situation around the world and raised wide suspicion that its military operations were serving its own pure interests. "Western miitary intervention in countries such as Iraq, Syria and Libya has led to chaos and anarchy," said Michael Lueders, a board member of the German Near and Middle East Association. He held the United States responsible for the current refugee crisis in Europe, the worst since WWII. Saeed al-Lawendi, a political professor at Cairo University, told Xinhua that the so-called "revolution" in Arab countries has destroyed the region. He accused the United States of having "created a new enemy for the region: terrorism and sectarianism." The biggest victims are women and children of the war-torn Middle East countries and Afghanistan, who make up the bulk of the refugees. The pictures of children who died in war and the refugee crisis have brought the world to look closely at its own conscience. It is clear that military adventures by the United States and other Western powers in the Middle East, the North Africa and Afghanistan are the real cause of the current deterioration of world security situation. To fight terrorism, the United States and other Western countries must stop unilateral actions without UN approval and violating national sovereignty and dignity of any country and abandon their double standard on terrorism. Related: Spotlight: Americans start marking 15th Anniversary of 9/11 attacks in tribute, rememberance WASHINGTON, Sept. 9 (Xinhua) -- From the Atlantic to the Pacific, tens of thousands of Americans start marking the 15th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks in 2001, the deadliest ever in the history of the country. U.S. President Barack Obama declared on Friday a three-day National Days of Prayer and Remembrance in memory of the occasion. Prayers, parades, art exhibitions, concerts, evening candlelight vigils, ringing of bells and various memorial services will be staged across the country. Full story U.S. House passes bill allowing 9/11 victims to sue Saudi Arabia WASHINGTON, Sept. 9 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. House of Representatives on Friday passed legislation allowing the families of 9/11 victims to sue Saudi Arabia in U.S. courts, despite the threat by the White House to veto the bill. PHNOM PENH, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia exported 320,076 tons of milled rice in the first eight months of 2016, down 6.4 percent from the 342,136 tons over the same period last year, according to a report released on Sunday. Some 74 companies have exported Cambodian milled rice to 62 countries and regions around the world, said the report compiled by the Secretariat of One Window Service for Rice Export. Three top buyers are China, France and Poland, it said, adding that China imported about 52,216 tons of milled rice from Cambodia during the January-August period this year, France imported 48,227 tons, and Poland purchased 45,868 tons. The Southeast Asian country produces over 9 million tons of paddy rice a year. With this amount, it has over 3 million tons of milled rice for export. by Mahmoud Fouly CAIRO, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- It has been 15 years since the world was terrified by the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks in the U.S. that killed nearly 3,000 people, yet its wrongful policy thereafter led to the rampant global terrorism, Egyptian experts warned. It's been 15 years and terrorism is still on the rise, yet terror groups are eventually destined to come to an end, said Egyptian experts on Islamist groups. Two years after the 9/11 attacks, the United States "invaded" Iraq with a Western nod in 2003 to "free" the country from its authoritarian leader Saddam Hussein. However, the Arab country sank in civil conflicts and later witnessed the rise of a new regional terrorist group besides Al-Qaeda, namely the Islamic State (IS), which claimed responsibility for a number of regional and cross-border attacks. In a video posted Friday, Al-Qaeda's Egyptian-born leader Ayman al-Zawahiri threatened that Sept. 11 attacks could be repeated a thousand times "as long as Washington crimes continue against Muslims." Experts of Islamist groups' affairs believe that injustice, corruption, poverty and Western interference in the Middle East region, especially in the Arab world, are main reasons for the rise of terrorism and that the solution lies in justice and development. "Terrorism is the legitimate son of corruption and the retreat of national state in the Arab world," said Ahmed Baan, a researcher of Islamist groups' affairs at Nile Center for Strategic Studies. He argued that the lack of justice, freedom and luxury in the region created a suitable atmosphere for self-proclaimed Islamist groups to attract their followers by recalling the model of Islamic caliphate as an example of the union, power and rise of Muslims. Since the rise of the Muslim Brotherhood in 1928, it appeared that their Islamist approach was mainly educational before the group turns to seek rule through confrontation with the state or via political work. "With the development of the situation in Afghanistan, other terrorist groups appeared, the most powerful was Al-Qaeda in 1988 that spearheaded jihadist activities and whose biggest operation was Sept. 11," Baan told Xinhua. Al-Qaeda believed that regimes in the Arab and Islamic worlds blindly followed the United States and saw that the only way to resolve that dilemma was to hit the world's big power real hard. "Eventually, the IS organization started to rise and move from the stage of terrorizing people to the control of some areas in Iraq and Syria and finally announce a caliphate state," said the expert. He stressed that all these groups are destined to come to an end as many groups appeared throughout history and fought against the state but they all failed in the end. Baan referred the recent growing terror in the region to the chaotic Arab Spring that was supported by terrorist groups, although the vision of these groups is different from the Arab Spring vision that calls for freedom and democracy. A few years ago, Ansar Bayt al-Maqdis (Jerusalem Supporters) militant group appeared in Egypt's turmoil-stricken North Sinai province and later changed its name to "Sinai State" and declared loyalty to the IS. It claimed responsibility for most anti-government attacks in Egypt and also for the Russian plane crash in Sinai that killed over 200 in October last year. Experts believe that terrorist groups take the Palestinian cause as a pretext to justify their presence although they did nothing to the Palestinian cause, stressing that resolving the issue could be a big step forward in combating terrorism. Ali Bakr, a researcher of Islamist groups' affairs at state-run Al-Ahram Center for Political and Strategic Studies, argued that the Western influence in the Arab world that led to the occupation of Palestine caused some to believe that politics don't work and the return to powerful, regional Islamic caliphate is the only solution. "There are also economic reasons for the rise of terrorism, because spreading poverty and ignorance represent a suitable environment for planting and nurturing extremist thoughts," Bakr told Xinhua, noting insufficient education and the weakness of religious institutions to face extremist thought are among the reasons for rising terrorism. "The West should be more unbiased and fairer in dealing with Arab issues, such as the Palestinian issue, because unfair and biased policies could be used by extremists as justification for spreading the ideology of violence and bloodshed, the researcher recommended as one of the means for fighting terrorism. He added that economic development is another main tool "as development preoccupies people with work and urges them to preserve the development they have achieved," noting that regimes should also allow some space for freedom to their citizens "for repression is promoted by extremists as war against Islam." Most leaders of terrorist groups are highly educated, including former Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden who was born to a Saudi billionaire and current leader Al-Zawahiri who received his master's degree in surgery from Egypt's Cairo University. Many experts believe that developing and improving the educational system and promoting moderate and tolerant Islamic principles are necessary to spread the principles of co-existence regardless of different religions or ideologies. They also pin hope on Al-Azhar, the most prestigious institution for Sunni Muslims in Egypt and the Muslim world, to develop its curricula to be able to promote tolerance and create generations safeguarded against extremist ideologies by knowledge and awareness. "Al-Azhar seeks to refine and correct the misleading extremist thoughts of terrorist groups while the latter accuse Al-Azhar of disbelief," said Abdel-Maqsoud al-Basha, head of civilization department at Cairo-based Al-Azhar University and member of the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs. He cited a recent incident when Egypt's former Grand Mufti Ali Gomaa, who led one of the country's top religious authorities, survived an assassination attempt in August due to his support of Egypt's current military-oriented leadership, its anti-Brotherhood crackdown and anti-terror war. The professor continued that the ideological gap blocks means of communication between Al-Azhar scholars and extremists, noting extremists rely on misinterpretations of some verses from the Quran to justify their violence while Islam is a religion of peace, tolerance and justice. "It's easier to reason and argue with those who think something wrong than those who hold a strong belief in something wrong," he said. Al-Basha lamented that Al-Azhar scholars do not get enough media space to spread their authentic, moderate opinions, calling for more presence of Al-Azhar in the media through scholars recommended only by Al-Azhar to properly and professionally address Islamic thoughts and ideologies. "Still, Al-Azhar expresses its official opinions on extremist misleading thoughts and refutes them on its official websites as references for whoever seeks the truth," the professor told Xinhua. Alibaba's chairman Jack Ma addresses the opening ceremony of the 13th China-ASEAN Expo and the China-ASEAN Business and Investment Summit in Nanning, capital of south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Sept. 11, 2016. (Xinhua/Huang Xiaobang) NANNING, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- Alibaba will boost investment and development in ASEAN, according to founder and chairman Jack Ma on Sunday. The e-commerce giant will "participate in the development of local small- and medium-sized enterprises and young people," said Ma at the opening ceremony of the 13th China-ASEAN Expo in Nanning, which runs from Sunday to Wednesday. He did not, however, elaborate or share any specific plans. China-ASEAN trade has exploded, it is now 58 times larger than when the two sides established dialogue relations 25 years ago, which translates into great business opportunities and social development, according to Ma. If hundreds of millions of young people and small businesses participate in globalization, the world economy and trade will be changed in a greater way, he said, adding that the Belt and Road Initiative is the start of inclusive globalization. BEIJING, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and his Estonian counterpart Taavi Roivas on Sunday exchanged congratulatory messages on the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between their two countries. In his message to Roivas, Premier Li noted that China-Estonia friendship is traditional and profound, and that great progress has been made in the development of bilateral ties. China would like to make the moment a new starting point for the expansion of bilateral cooperation and exchanges in every field, pushing forward the development of relations between China and Estonia, as well as the cooperation between China and Central and East European countries, Li said. In his congratulatory message to Li, Roivas said that Estonia-China practical cooperation has kept achieving positive results, and that there are broad prospects for cooperation between the two sides in all fields. The relations of bilateral friendly cooperation will definitely further develop in an in-depth way, which will bring greater interests to both peoples, Roivas said. This file photo taken on September 11, 2001 shows the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York billowing smoke after hijacked airliners crashed into them. The towers collapsed on that day claiming 2,753 lives. September 11, 2016 marks the fifteenth anniversary of the event. (Xinhua/AFP Photo) CAIRO, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- It has been 15 years since the world was terrified by the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks in the U.S. that killed nearly 3,000 people, yet its wrongful policy thereafter led to the rampant global terrorism, Egyptian experts warned. It's been 15 years and terrorism is still on the rise, yet terror groups are eventually destined to come to an end, said Egyptian experts on Islamist groups. Two years after the 9/11 attacks, the United States "invaded" Iraq with a Western nod in 2003 to "free" the country from its authoritarian leader Saddam Hussein. However, the Arab country sank in civil conflicts and later witnessed the rise of a new regional terrorist group besides Al-Qaeda, namely the Islamic State (IS), which claimed responsibility for a number of regional and cross-border attacks. In a video posted Friday, Al-Qaeda's Egyptian-born leader Ayman al-Zawahiri threatened that Sept. 11 attacks could be repeated a thousand times "as long as Washington crimes continue against Muslims." Experts of Islamist groups' affairs believe that injustice, corruption, poverty and Western interference in the Middle East region, especially in the Arab world, are main reasons for the rise of terrorism and that the solution lies in justice and development. "Terrorism is the legitimate son of corruption and the retreat of national state in the Arab world," said Ahmed Baan, a researcher of Islamist groups' affairs at Nile Center for Strategic Studies. He argued that the lack of justice, freedom and luxury in the region created a suitable atmosphere for self-proclaimed Islamist groups to attract their followers by recalling the model of Islamic caliphate as an example of the union, power and rise of Muslims. Since the rise of the Muslim Brotherhood in 1928, it appeared that their Islamist approach was mainly educational before the group turns to seek rule through confrontation with the state or via political work. "With the development of the situation in Afghanistan, other terrorist groups appeared, the most powerful was Al-Qaeda in 1988 that spearheaded jihadist activities and whose biggest operation was Sept. 11," Baan told Xinhua. Al-Qaeda believed that regimes in the Arab and Islamic worlds blindly followed the United States and saw that the only way to resolve that dilemma was to hit the world's big power real hard. "Eventually, the IS organization started to rise and move from the stage of terrorizing people to the control of some areas in Iraq and Syria and finally announce a caliphate state," said the expert. He stressed that all these groups are destined to come to an end as many groups appeared throughout history and fought against the state but they all failed in the end. Baan referred the recent growing terror in the region to the chaotic Arab Spring that was supported by terrorist groups, although the vision of these groups is different from the Arab Spring vision that calls for freedom and democracy. A few years ago, Ansar Bayt al-Maqdis (Jerusalem Supporters) militant group appeared in Egypt's turmoil-stricken North Sinai province and later changed its name to "Sinai State" and declared loyalty to the IS. It claimed responsibility for most anti-government attacks in Egypt and also for the Russian plane crash in Sinai that killed over 200 in October last year. Experts believe that terrorist groups take the Palestinian cause as a pretext to justify their presence although they did nothing to the Palestinian cause, stressing that resolving the issue could be a big step forward in combating terrorism. Ali Bakr, a researcher of Islamist groups' affairs at state-run Al-Ahram Center for Political and Strategic Studies, argued that the Western influence in the Arab world that led to the occupation of Palestine caused some to believe that politics don't work and the return to powerful, regional Islamic caliphate is the only solution. "There are also economic reasons for the rise of terrorism, because spreading poverty and ignorance represent a suitable environment for planting and nurturing extremist thoughts," Bakr told Xinhua, noting insufficient education and the weakness of religious institutions to face extremist thought are among the reasons for rising terrorism. "The West should be more unbiased and fairer in dealing with Arab issues, such as the Palestinian issue, because unfair and biased policies could be used by extremists as justification for spreading the ideology of violence and bloodshed, the researcher recommended as one of the means for fighting terrorism. He added that economic development is another main tool "as development preoccupies people with work and urges them to preserve the development they have achieved," noting that regimes should also allow some space for freedom to their citizens "for repression is promoted by extremists as war against Islam." Most leaders of terrorist groups are highly educated, including former Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden who was born to a Saudi billionaire and current leader Al-Zawahiri who received his master's degree in surgery from Egypt's Cairo University. Many experts believe that developing and improving the educational system and promoting moderate and tolerant Islamic principles are necessary to spread the principles of co-existence regardless of different religions or ideologies. They also pin hope on Al-Azhar, the most prestigious institution for Sunni Muslims in Egypt and the Muslim world, to develop its curricula to be able to promote tolerance and create generations safeguarded against extremist ideologies by knowledge and awareness. "Al-Azhar seeks to refine and correct the misleading extremist thoughts of terrorist groups while the latter accuse Al-Azhar of disbelief," said Abdel-Maqsoud al-Basha, head of civilization department at Cairo-based Al-Azhar University and member of the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs. He cited a recent incident when Egypt's former Grand Mufti Ali Gomaa, who led one of the country's top religious authorities, survived an assassination attempt in August due to his support of Egypt's current military-oriented leadership, its anti-Brotherhood crackdown and anti-terror war. The professor continued that the ideological gap blocks means of communication between Al-Azhar scholars and extremists, noting extremists rely on misinterpretations of some verses from the Quran to justify their violence while Islam is a religion of peace, tolerance and justice. "It's easier to reason and argue with those who think something wrong than those who hold a strong belief in something wrong," he said. Al-Basha lamented that Al-Azhar scholars do not get enough media space to spread their authentic, moderate opinions, calling for more presence of Al-Azhar in the media through scholars recommended only by Al-Azhar to properly and professionally address Islamic thoughts and ideologies. "Still, Al-Azhar expresses its official opinions on extremist misleading thoughts and refutes them on its official websites as references for whoever seeks the truth," the professor told Xinhua. Vendors wait for customers at a livestock market in Gaza City Sept. 9, 2016. Muslims across the world are preparing to celebrate the annual Eid al-Adha festival. (Xinhua/Wissam Nassar) GAZA, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- Being unable to afford a sacrificial animal for Muslim's Eid al-Adha feast, Mohammed Hadido, a Palestinian from the poverty-stricken Gaza Strip, purchased a share of a cow instead. "This is the only way I could follow the Islamic ritual," the man in his 40s said. "The dire economic conditions of Gaza have prevented me from sacrifice during the feast for the past three years." Eid al-Adha, the feast of sacrifice, is celebrated by Muslims worldwide in memory of Prophet Abraham's near-sacrifice of his own son as ordered by God. Palestinians in Gaza have adopted the sharing system during the sacrifice feast in recent years due to the worsening financial situation of the majority of the population. This year, consumers can still buy shares in a cow or a calf and can pay on installments after agreeing with livestock merchants. "I bought one share in a cow for 1,500 Israeli Shekels (about 400 U.S. dollars). I will pay the money on installments during the coming 10 months," Hadidi told Xinhua as he was checking the cow he and five of his friends have shared. Only rich people can afford buying a sacrifice in a community that suffers from high rate of unemployment and more than half of the residents live under the poverty line. Gaza has been placed under a tight Israeli blockade since Hamas movement seized the territory by force in 2007. The blockade has pushed Gaza's 1.9 million populations deeper into poverty as unemployment rate hit 42.7 percent, according to official figures. According to international organizations and United Nations agencies, over 60 percent of the people in Gaza live in food insecurity as hundreds of thousands rely on foreign food aid. A report of World Bank said the Gaza Strip ranks third across the Arab region in terms of poverty rates after Sudan and Yemen. Although prices of sacrificial animals have down this year, the purchasing power has been low due to the ailing economy of the blockaded seaside territory. Livestock traders have been eagerly waiting for the holy feast to sell their cattle. But the poverty of most of Gaza's population and the closure blocked their hopes of a better season. Cattle trader Mohanned Abu Ajwa feels frustrated as most of the cows and calves he imported have not been sold yet. "Only wealthy people buy animals for the feast," Abu Ajwa said. "Now we follow the installment system to sell out our animals, otherwise they will stay at the barn and we will lose money for feeding them." The trader, whose farm was destroyed during the recent Israel war on Gaza in 2014, added that most of the livestock are imported from Europe and entered Gaza through Israel, adding that Gaza's local production of livestock during the past three years covered 40 percent of the local market needs. "But the rising prices of food for animals have led traders to prefer to import the livestock from abroad since this will cost less." According to Gaza's Ministry of Agriculture, there are 17,000 calves and cows and 30,000 to 40,000 sheep and goats all over the strip, with the majority of them imported. The ministry said the purchasing ability this year is acceptable in Gaza amid the deteriorating conditions of economy. The Gaza Strip has witnessed three major devastating wars in the past seven years. BEIJING, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Estonian counterpart, Toomas Hendrik Ilves, exchanged congratulatory message on Sunday to mark the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between their two countries. Noting that friendly cooperation has been a main theme in the development of China-Estonia relations over the past 25 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations, Xi said that China-Estonia relations have shown a good momentum for development, and that mutual political trust between the two sides has kept deepening, with fruitful results achieved in practical cooperation, with people-to-people and cultural exchange turning increasingly active, and with close cooperation maintained in international and regional affairs. China is willing to make joint efforts with Estonia to further consolidate friendship between the two countries, deepen mutually beneficial cooperation, and keep bringing about interests to the two countries and the two peoples, Xi said. Ilves, for his part, said that over recent years, Estonia-China relations have developed in an in-depth way, with increasingly close exchange and cooperation in all fields. The Estonian president expressed the belief that the relations of friendly cooperation between the two countries will keep developing in the future, and that the friendship between the two peoples will bear even more plentiful fruits. NANNING, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- China and ASEAN have huge potential for cooperation given the ASEAN Community's robust demand, said Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen on Sunday. The ASEAN Community, a market with more than 600 million people, has strong demand for power, information technology, agriculture and scientific research, said Hun Sen at the opening ceremony of the 13th China-ASEAN Expo on Sunday in south China's Nanning City. To realize sustainable and inclusive growth, ASEAN needs the participation of all dialogue partners, especially China, he said. Cambodia values cooperation with countries within and outside the region. It will continue to pursue a diversified economy and open its market wider for further integration with ASEAN, said Hun Sen. "We care about connectivity in fields including infrastructure, institutions and people-to-people exchange," said the Cambodian prime minister. ASEAN will make it a priority to push construction of cross-border infrastructure, which covers investment in telecommunications, transportation networks and power, he said. MAIMANA, Afghanistan, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- Armed militants gunned down a retired judge in Afghanistan's northern Faryab province on Sunday, police said. "The terrorists shot dead a judge named Mohammad Jalal in Khawja Sabzposh district today and made their good escape," police spokesman in the province Abdul Karim Sarosh told Xinhua. Without providing more details, the official asserted that Jalal was a retired judge. Meantime, a local official on the condition of anonymity blamed Taliban militants for assassination of the judge, saying that armed insurgents kidnapped Jalal last year and asked him to stop working with the government. Taliban militants who are active in Faryab province have yet to claim responsibility for the killing. NANNING, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- China is committed to improving its relations with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Liu Zhenmin, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs said. Sound China-ASEAN ties will contribute to economic development in East Asia and will be conducive to an East Asia economic community, said Liu, ahead of the 13th China-ASEAN Expo that opened here on Sunday. The vice minister was upbeat over better China-ASEAN relations. Liu said China will prioritize ASEAN in Belt and Road Initiative projects, and improvements to the existing free trade zone will boost bilateral trade. The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank will fund infrastructure projects in ASEAN. Industrial capacity cooperation will be promising and the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation mechanism will be supportive, according to him. China is ASEAN's largest trading partner and ASEAN is China's third-largest trading partner. "If the two sides engage in down-to-earth cooperation, ASEAN will become China's largest trading partner someday," he said. ADEN, Yemen, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- A suicide bomber rammed his explosives-laden car into a police station Sunday in Yemen's southern province of Abyan, killing 8 soldiers and injuring 20 others, a Yemeni security official told Xinhua. Two hours after the suicide bombing, residents said that fierce clashes occurred between pro-government forces and suspected al-Qaida gunmen near the local authority compound in Abyan's provincial capital city of Zinjibar. Eight pro-government soldiers were killed and up to 20 were critically wounded, the security source said, adding that the explosion also damaged nearly five armored cars lined up inside the police center in Abyan province. The source said that the suicide car bomb targeted newly-trained soldiers gathered inside a police station in Al-Wadea district of Abyan province, the hometown of Saudi-backed Yemeni President Abd Rabbu Mansour Hadi. No one claimed responsibility yet for the attack. The AQAP, also known locally as Ansar al-Sharia, emerged in January 2009. It had claimed responsibility for a number of terrorist attacks on Yemen's army and government institutions. Yemeni government forces launched anti-terror offensives and drived out scores of gunmen linked to the al-Qaida and the Yemen-based affiliate of the Islamic State (IS) from key neighborhoods and government compounds in Lahj and Abyan provinces in the last two months. Last month, the pro-government army troops stormed two strategic cities occupied by terrorists in the southern province of Abyan near Yemen's temporary capital of Aden from different directions, following intense battles against the al-Qaida group. Scores of the al-Qaida fighters were kicked out from the two cities of Jaar and Zinjibar in Abyan province following an all-out military offensive supported by the Saudi-led coalition and UAE armored vehicles. 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. Yemenis inspect the site of a suicide car bombing claimed by the Islamic State group on August 29, 2016 at an army recruitment centre in the southern Yemeni city of Aden. (Xinhua/AFP Photo) ADEN, Yemen, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- A suicide bomber rammed his explosives-laden car into a police station Sunday in Yemen's southern province of Abyan, killing 8 soldiers and injuring 20 others, a Yemeni security official told Xinhua. Two hours after the suicide bombing, residents said that fierce clashes occurred between pro-government forces and suspected al-Qaida gunmen near the local authority compound in Abyan's provincial capital city of Zinjibar. Eight pro-government soldiers were killed and up to 20 were critically wounded, the security source said, adding that the explosion also damaged nearly five armored cars lined up inside the police center in Abyan province. The source said that the suicide car bomb targeted newly-trained soldiers gathered inside a police station in Al-Wadea district of Abyan province, the hometown of Saudi-backed Yemeni President Abd Rabbu Mansour Hadi. No one claimed responsibility yet for the attack. The AQAP, also known locally as Ansar al-Sharia, emerged in January 2009. It had claimed responsibility for a number of terrorist attacks on Yemen's army and government institutions. Yemeni government forces launched anti-terror offensives and drived out scores of gunmen linked to the al-Qaida and the Yemen-based affiliate of the Islamic State (IS) from key neighborhoods and government compounds in Lahj and Abyan provinces in the last two months. Last month, the pro-government army troops stormed two strategic cities occupied by terrorists in the southern province of Abyan near Yemen's temporary capital of Aden from different directions, following intense battles against the al-Qaida group. Scores of the al-Qaida fighters were kicked out from the two cities of Jaar and Zinjibar in Abyan province following an all-out military offensive supported by the Saudi-led coalition and UAE armored vehicles. 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. JAMESTOWN -- Fifteen years after the 9/11 attacks, Larry Phillips of Jamestown said he is still very angry. Phillips, who said he believes he has the largest collection of 9/11 reference material other than the National September 11 Memorial & Museum, grew up in Brooklyn, N.Y., before moving to Long Island, which stretches northeast from New York Harbor into the Atlantic Ocean. For somebody to do something like that to my New York ... to me is an absolute travesty, he said. For me to talk about it and explain my feelings and talk about the close personal friends that I lost, to talk about them keeps their memories alive. Phillips, who is the CEO of Signal 10 Group and chief instructor at Northwest Region Fire/Rescue, first heard about the 9/11 attacks when his friend, Jimmy Giovanniello, who was with the Queens-based Squad 270, called to tell him about a plane crashing into the north tower of the World Trade Center. He goes, Have you heard? Phillips recalls, adding the conversation will always be engraved in his mind. And I said, Heard what? He said, Turn your TV on. You wont believe what you see. We are heading out right now, and I will talk to you later. Phillips said he had to do a routine inspection south of Jamestown for his job with the Signal 10 Group where he helps businesses, in particular agribusiness properties, come into compliance with federal, state and local regulations in reference to facility safety. But, Phillips stayed home for a little while longer to watch the news. That is when the second plane hit the second tower, he said. Then I thought to myself, This is not going to be good. This is no longer an accident. During Phillips drive to his inspection, he heard on the radio that another plane crashed into the Pentagon and another report about a plane crashing in Somerset County, Pa. I went to make my inspection, but my heart wasn't in it, he said. I was just going through the motions that day. And of course I couldnt be by radio or TV because I had a job to do. Phillips, who said he is now a student of 9/11 and got his start in fire service in New York, said he personally knew six firefighters who died trying to help others at the World Trade Center after the attacks. Jamestown Fire Chief Jim Reuther said he was working at the time of the attacks, and others at the Jamestown Fire Department didnt know the first plane struck the north tower of the World Trade Center until receiving a phone call from one of the members. We turned the TV on and pretty much spent the rest of the day watching the national news, Reuther recalls. I couldnt believe what was going on in front of our eyes. The first plane crashing into the World Trade Center was a surprise, he said, but when the second one crashed into the south tower, Reuther knew it was an act of terrorism. The 9/11 images that stick out most to him are the people running in the streets, the papers coming down from the towers, the dust and all the people who were hurt, he said. The firefighters and other first responders were all heroic in their response to help. You run into a building all the time when people are exiting the building to try to take care of the problem or whatever the situation is -- a fire or whatever it may be, Reuther said. During that day, Reuther said he never thought he would see three Jamestown firefighters being activated through the National Guard. Guardsmen from the North Dakota National Guard unit in Jamestown were deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- New Zealand needs much more Kiwis who are culturally capable of working in a Chinese environment, former Ambassador to China Tony Browne said on Sunday. "New Zealand is now a country that embraces many culture traditions. We need to know the region that NZ situated, we need to know the country with which we have our largest trading partnership, and we need to know the county that sending millions of tourists to NZ in ten years time," Browne said at the launching ceremony of the New Zealand Chinese Language Week. From Sept. 12 to 18, varies of Chinese cultural activities will be held in the country. The culture week is aimed at encouraging more Kiwis to try speaking Chinese in an attempt to bridge the cultural and linguistic knowledge gap between China and New Zealand. Jin Zhijian, the Chinese consul general to Christchurch, echoed with Browne. Jin said the key reason for the Chinese government to promote Chinese language and Chinese culture in New Zealand is to deepen people-to-people mutual understanding and to further the good relationship between the two countries. There are more than 9,000 students who are studying Chinese in New Zealand South Island. About 200 Chinese culture activities were held in South Island in the past year, attracting thousands and thousands of participants. Adam Lam, director of the Confucius Institute at the University of Canterbury, told Xinhua that when the institute was established in 2009, only 100 students were studying Chinese at five schools in the South Island. However, there are one Confucius Institute and eight affiliated Confucius Classrooms involving 67 local schools in the South Island. The number of schools which has Chinese curriculum increased to more than 90. Four local occupational education institutes in South Island cities, in collaboration the Confucius Institute, also provide students opportunities to learn the Chinese language. People started to learn Chinese for different reasons. Lam and his colleagues help people in local healthcare agencies to learn Chinese language and traditional Chinese medicine culture, through which local doctors can understand the expectation of local Chinese patients better. The House of Chambers in Nelson also seeks help from the Confucius Institute to understand Chinese market legislations and even the table manners for Chinese business dinners. As Ambassador Browne said, New Zealand can't conduct or continue to conduct the largest trading partnership on the bases that Chinese all speak English and the Kiwis do not need to learn anything about China. "It is not something come to play with. It is commitment and acknowledgment of something that has long term importance for our country." Christchurch Mayor Lianne Dalziel regarded the Chinese language as "icebreaker" during the launching ceremony on Sunday. She encouraged people in Christchurch using the language to bring down barriers and show mutual respect with Chinese people. According to Dalziel, there are a lot of opportunities for people in Christchurch to study Chinese as there are many Chinese students studying in the city and the number is growing all the time. "There're plenty of opportunities for people to test their skill out," said the mayor. As to the future of Chinese study in New Zealand, Consul General Jin said students in New Zealand will embrace a new chance to better study the Chinese language. Under the framework of the Belt and Road initiative, a new scholarship will be established to sponsor students studying in China, which is a good opportunity for young Kiwis to explore China even deeper. To benefit from that, Jin hopes more and more New Zealanders can join the New Zealand Chinese Language Week and begin their Chinese language learning experience. BEIJING, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- China has made environmental protection and restoration a top priority in its development plan for the Yangtze River economic belt, a senior official said Sunday while discussing the national plan to boost the economy along China's longest river. The development of the economic belt will follow a green path, with the strictest environmental protection and water resources management measures, according to an official with the leading group of the Yangtze River economic belt development. The official said China aimed to markedly improve the environment of the economic belt by 2020, with over 75 percent of the region's water meeting Grade III standard or above and forest coverage reaching 43 percent. China classifies water quality into six levels, from level I, which is suitable for drinking after minimal treatment, to level VI, which is severely contaminated. By 2030, the region's aquatic environment and ecosystem will be much improved, the official said. Environmental protection and green development are "of paramount importance" in the development of the economic belt, and the program should not be used as an excuse for unfettered construction, said the official. Revered as the nation's "Mother River," the Yangtze traverses eastern, central and western China and joins the prospering coastal regions with the less developed inland. It is one of the busiest inland rivers for freight traffic worldwide. China made it a national strategy to develop the Yangtze River economic belt in 2014. The move is expected to boost concerted development in riverside regions and provide new growth stimuli for China's slowing economy. The Yangtze River Economic Belt involves nine provinces and two municipalities that cover roughly one fifth of China's land, accommodate a population of 600 million and generates more than 40 percent of the country's GDP. The economic belt boasts huge potential but its development has been constrained by grim environmental conditions, clogged river traffic, regional imbalances and outdated industries, the official said. GREEN DEVELOPMENT To better protect the environment along the Yangtze, administrative boundaries must be removed and the market should be given a bigger role, the official said. A "negative list" will be rolled out across the economic belt, banning certain industries from the region. Limits will be put on water and environmental pollution, the official underscored, which will clearly define acceptable levels of pollutants. A cross-regional, inter-department emergency response system will be set up to handle environmental incidents, while compensation will be given to encourage local governments to preserve the environment. China's top leaders have, on many occasions, said that environmental protection will play a large part in the development of the Yangtze River economic belt, noting that economic activity should not damage the environment. GOLDEN WATERWAY In addition to environmental protection, the official also unveiled other targets, including improving the river's traffic capacity, promoting innovation and industrial upgrading, boosting urbanization, advancing opening up and establishing a modern market economy. The Yangtze will be developed into a "golden waterway" by 2030, with unhampered traffic flow on the river. A low-carbon, integrated transport system will connect roads, railways and air routes by 2020, said the official. About 60 percent of the total freight volume on China's inland rivers travels along the Yangtze, which saw cargo traffic rise to 2.18 billion tonnes in 2015, up 45 percent from 2010, according to government data. Waterway restoration will be conducted on the Yangtze and its tributaries to improve navigation of the waterway, the official said. Ships will have to pass certain standards, construction of ports and wharfs will be strictly regulated, while port and shipping firms will be encouraged to merge or share resources along the river. In terms of innovation, the official said spending on research and development will account for 2.5 percent of the economic belt's GDP by 2020 and it will be home to a group of world-class companies and industries. Three "poles of economic growth" will be formed along the river, including the delta, city clusters along the central course and the Chengdu-Chongqing economic zone, located in the upper reaches. The urbanization rate of the region's population will be 60 percent by 2020, while the quality and efficiency of its economy will be substantially improved. By 2030, an innovative, modern industrial system will be fully incorporated and integrated along the river, making the economic belt a "strategic support" for national economic and social development, the official said. Somali Navy marines take part in the 51st anniversary celebrations of the Somalia Navy in Mogadishu, capital of Somalia, Feb. 10, 2016. (Xinhua/Faisal Isse) MOGADISHU, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- Security has been beefed up in Mogadishu and its environs ahead of the regional summit to be held on on Sept. 13. Leaders from the eight members of the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) bloc - Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan and Uganda - are expected to attend the summit. Somali Navy Forces keep guard at the seashore of the Mogadishu Port in Somalia, Feb. 10, 2016. (Xinhua/ Faisal Isse) The summit is expected to focus on political and security progress made in Somalia and the forthcoming in-direct elections planed for September and October. The summit will also focus on ways to bring an end to the conflict in South Sudan. Although the Al-Qaida allied militant group, Al-Shabaab had been forced out of Mogadishu, it is still carrying out attacks on government, and public places including the Africa Union bases. File photo shows Somali security forces keep guard around the presidential palace in Mogadishu, Somalia, Feb. 26, 2015. (Xinhua/Stringer) Somali Foreign Minister Abdisalam Omar Hadliye said the meeting will be the first of IGAD Heads of States and Government to be held in Somali capital Mogadishu after more than two decades of conflict. "IGAD Summit will take place in Mogadishu on Sept. 13. It is great opportunity for Somalia to host such meeting because the country has never hosted international level meetings since 1974, and AU head of States had a summit in Mogadishu at that time," Hadliye said earlier. File photo shows Somali soldiers beef up security during the 43rd anniversary for the Somali language in Mogadishu, capital of Somalia, Feb. 21, 2015. (Xinhua/Faisal Isse) The minister however decried security concerns citing Al-Shabaab terrorist group which has been fighting to topple the Western-backed government. He said heavy security is underway to enhance the security, seal all loopholes and make sure the significant summit takes place successful. About 22,000 strong force from the African Union are mandated to assist the Somali government in fighting Al-Shabaab terrorists, providing security for the country's important establishments in an effort to bring back to stability. Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli addresses the opening ceremony of the 13th China-ASEAN Expo and the China-ASEAN Business and Investment Summit in Nanning, capital of south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Sept. 11, 2016. (Xinhua/Wang Ye) NANNING, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) have developed broad, fruitful and close dialogue relations, said Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli on Sunday. The dialogue relations, established 25 years ago, have contributed significantly to regional and global peace, stability and prosperity, said Zhang, when addressing the opening ceremony of the 13th China-ASEAN Expo here. "Gratifying progress" has been achieved in China-ASEAN cooperation in the joint construction of the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road since China proposed the Belt and Road Initiative three years ago, he said. The construction of the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road is a new opportunity, a new driver and a new highlight for mutually beneficial cooperation between China and ASEAN, according to Zhang. China is ASEAN's largest trading partner and the bloc is China's third-largest trading partner. Two-way investment amounts to more than 160 billion U.S. dollars. The two sides have worked on a number of projects, including railways, highways and power plants. People-to-people exchanges are also robust. Last year, more than 23 million trips were made between China and ASEAN members. Related: China commited to developing friendly cooperation with ASEAN A group photo of Chinese ambassador to Gambia Zhang Jiming and Gambian students who have won Chinese government scholarships at the Chinese Embassy in Gambia. (Xinhua) BANJUL, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- A first batch of 12 Gambian students have won Chinese government scholarships after China and Gambia resumed diplomatic ties in March. The first batch of Gambian students have already left for China to pursure their academic dreams. Chinese ambassador to Zambia Zhang Jiming challenged the students to work hard, pointing out that they should never forget to align their own dreams with that of their motherland, to which they are so deeply indebted and will have so much to contribute. "I hope you all will be good ambassadors of your country, and help promote mutual understanding and friendship between our two brotherly peoples and countries," he said. A student delivers a speech on behalf of fellow Gambian students receiving Chinese government scholarships at the Chinese Embassy in Gambia. (Xinhua) According to him, the first group of Gambian students receiving Chinese government scholarships also showcased the benefits being delivered through the newly-established ties. "For the past few months, since China and Gambia resumed diplomatic ties, our bilateral relations have enjoyed a dynamic momentum of development", according to the Chinese diplomat. He disclosed that more plans and projects are in the pipeline which would lead to more benefits for the two countries and peoples. TEHRAN, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- Iran supports the deal between Russia and the United States to bring about a truce in Syria, Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qasemi was quoted as saying by Tasnim news agency on Sunday. "The Islamic Republic of Iran has always welcomed the establishment of ceasefire in Syria and easier access to the humanitarian aid for the whole people of the country," Qasemi said. A lasting ceasefire will require a comprehensive mechanism to monitor the situation and control the borders in order to prevent the inflow of new fighters, arms or financial resources into Syria, he said. In the meantime, the pause in the fighting should not give the terrorist groups the opportunity to replenish forces, he added. The Iranian spokesman urged the international community to keep fighting against the extremists and terrorist in Syria seriously. On Sunday, Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister for Arab and African Affairs Hossein Jaberi Ansari said that Tehran welcomes the cease-fire in Syria and the peace plan to stop deterioration of humanitarian situation in Syria, according to official IRNA news agency. The Islamic republic believes that the Syrian crisis has no military solution and this issue should be resolved through political means, Jaberi Ansari said. He also stressed that any option for solving Syria's problems should take into consideration the significant role of Syrian nation to determine their own fate. The United States and Russia early Saturday announced a landmark agreement on a nationwide cease-fire in Syria, which would commence with the start of the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha. The week-long truce also includes improving humanitarian aid access and a joint military operation against banned terrorist groups. According to the truce, all attacks and airstrikes will be stopped and unobstructed access will be allowed to besieged areas, including the northern city of Aleppo. Iran, a major regional ally of the Syrian government in its fight against militant groups, has repeatedly acknowledged the presence of its military advisers in the Arab state. YINCHUAN, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- In his vineyard along the foothills of the Helan Mountain range, Frenchman Courtade Thierry is moving equipment with a forklift. In about one month, the grapes in northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region will be made into wine. Thierry is busy taking care of the plants, preventing pesticide and diseases. "It's his daily routine," said Thierry's wife Gao Yuan. "Although he is the boss, he lives in the vineyard throughout the year and oversees everything from the soil to planting to harvest." The Silver Heights vineyard is one of many wineries enjoying success thanks to the fertile soils around Helan Mountain, often referred to as China's Bordeaux. By the end of 2015, about 40,000 hectares of grapes were being grown in Ningxia, the majority of the crops will be made into wine, according to statistics released at the ongoing China-U.S. Tourism Leadership Summit in the regional capital Yinchuan. This makes the area the largest grape-growing region in China. There are about 85 wineries in Ningxia, producing about 100 million bottles of wine annually and there are 99 wineries under construction. Thanks to the couple's hard work, Silver Heights-branded wines have won several awards. From 2011 to 2013, one of their wines was named the best wine in China by the China Wine Competition. In 2012, two of their brands won the gold and silver prizes in the French wine and Chinese wine categories. The couple's story, however, is not one of overnight success. In 2000, Ningxia's wine industry was starting to take off, with the government setting plans in motion to send young professionals to study overseas and help the local wine industry. Gao Yuan's father saw an opportunity and sent his daughter to a French vocational school for 10 months to learn the wine making ropes. "My father said that after I returned, we would make the best wine in Ningxia," Gao said. Despite the language barrier, Gao excelled during the 10 months and was accepted on to a more advanced course in Bordeaux. During this time, as an intern at Chateau Calon Segur, Gao met her future husband. In 2007, Gao left Thierry and their daughter to return to Helan Mountain, where she and her father established Silver Heights. The foothills of Helan Mountain are a perfect location for growing grapes. The soil is full of minerals, and the area has about 3,000 hours of sunshine each year, with annual rainfall of less than 200 milliliters. Located just 1,100 meters above sea level, it is easy to use the Yellow River for irrigation. At 40 degrees north latitude, the vineyard is seated at the same latitude as the Bordeaux wine region. With favorable weather, hard work and government support, Gao's winery soon became one of the most successful in the region. In 2008, its wines were given top scores by Jancis Robinson, one of the three top wine testers in the world. In 2012, Thierry joined his wife in Helan Mountain. "He uses processes developed by his own family," Gao said. "All our fine wine is made without chemical or physical filtration." Thierry said he is very happy to work in Ningxia, not only because he is with his family, but because he enjoys his work. "I have high hopes for the wine industry here," he said. The local government is offering support for entrepreneurs like Thierry and Gao, with the Belt and Road Initiative drawing an increasing number of consumers to Ningxia. The regional government plans to extend the region's grape-growing area to abut 47,000 hectares by 2020, producing around 200 million bottles of wine. "I hope to stay here for a long time and make the best wine in the world," Thierry said. "I believe that with hard work, we will make this place as great as Bordeaux one day." LONDON, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- Armed police have surrounded a Sikh temple in the British town of Leamington Spa, after a sword-wielding gang of men reportedly stormed the building, Sky News reported Sunday. Officers are inside the temple negotiating with the group. KUALA LUMPUR, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- Malaysian police have confirmed that the three crew members of a fishing trawler who were kidnapped in waters off Malaysia's Sabah on Saturday are Filipinos, according to a report from Bernama, Malaysia's state news agency. A Sunday report from Bernama quoted Sabah police chief Abdul Rashid Harun as saying that the three Filipinos were taken by a group of seven heavily-armed men during a fishing trip with 13 other crew members on Saturday night. "During the incident, the seven masked abductors, carrying pistols and high-powered M-16 rifles, approached the ship on a speed boat and went onboard," said the report, adding the crew members were ordered to lie on the floor when the gunmen ransacked the vessel, which is Malaysia registered. It is yet to determine whether the gunmen are affiliated with the Abu Sayyaf, an Islamist militant group based in the southern Philippines, which is notorious for kidnappings-for-ransom. The incident came two days after Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte visited Indonesia, during which the two countries vowed to tackle sea kidnappings jointly. According to a report from the Star, Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi also weighed in on the incident, saying Malaysian authorities were facing several obstacles in preventing such cases, including a lack of equipment for the forces to carry out their duties. HO, Ghana, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- Ghana's rich and diverse culture was on display as thousands converged in the small southeastern town of Agotime Kpetoe on Saturday for the annual celebration of the rich hand-woven African Kente fabric. The durbar of the chiefs and people of Agotime started with majority of the over 5,000 people present clothed in rich and expensive Kente clothes sewn in different styles. There was traditional prayer through libation to invoke the presence of the spirits of the ancestors of the land. The traditional rulers wore expensive beads and gold necklaces and wrist bands. Weavers demonstrated the act of weaving to show the care and pain it takes to make one complete kente fabric on parade. Besides, numerous of dancers performed with various forms of traditional African drumming and music. Minister for Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts Elizabeth Ofosu-Agyare, who was the Special Guest of Honor, reiterated the fact that Ghana's tourism sector is a potential gold mine for the country. "Ghana's tourism, culture and creative arts have the potential to become the number one foreign exchange earner. This requires an injection of investment to develop our products and sites," she said. The minister appealed to strategic partners and collaborators in the private sector to take advantage of the investment opportunities that exist in the tourism industry to help it grow. She observed also that Kente weaving is the major source of livelihood amongst the people of Agotime which therefore behoves all to preserve the uniqueness of the Kente cloth to ensure the sustainability of the Kente weaving industry in Agotime and surrounding areas. "There is no better way to project the cultural values of Kente than by instituting this festival which brings all Agotime citizens from far and near to Kpetoe, clad in their resplendent Kente cloths to discuss the development of the traditional area," the minister noted. She took the time to appeal to the youth of Agotime not to leave their ancestral community in droves to the urban areas for non-existent jobs, stressing, "The youth can make a living here by engaging in agriculture and Kente weaving, both of which are lucrative ventures to be engaged in." The theme for this year's celebration, the 21st since its inception, is "Projecting the Cultural Values of Kente for Unity and Development." Nene Nuer Keteku II, Konor (Traditional Ruler) of Agortime Traditional Area, noted that the Kente fabric is the true cultural identity of his people. "Without our cultural identity we are like the leopard without spot. The Kente cloth as the melting pot of our identity is not just a body attire. The designs encapsulate important aspects of our philosophy in the same way they invoke pride and strong feelings," he stressed. Celebrating Kente as a festival in Agotime, the king noted that it is not an arena for the purity of a theoretical debate on where and how the cloth evolved, but a clarion call to everyone to join hands in the celebration of that unique symbol which binds the people of Agotime and most Ghanaians together. GRAND FORKS -- While many around her want to take unmanned aircraft to levels in the sky, University of North Dakota student Elena Parrello has plans to take them the opposite direction underground to inspect infrastructure such as sewers. The senior has an aircraft prototype and ambition but says she needs a business plan to get her venture, Sunshine Industrial, moving forward. Parrello is one of about 20 students enrolled in Entrepreneurship 395, a special topics course focused on the pursuit of business in the unmanned aircraft systems sector. Ive noticed as an entrepreneur its good to get more information than you need and narrow it down to what you can use, she said. Im sure that there will be networking opportunities and information I can use for myself in this class. Offered through UNDs School of Entrepreneurship, the class is open to students of any major and aims to expand their understanding of unmanned technologys place in the global economy, aircraft operations and business development. (The class) is another reminder that its a fledgling industry and that people are still standing up businesses for the first time that weve never seen before, said Matt Dunlevy, one of the courses instructors. The course is a reflection of the growing presence of unmanned aircraft, also known as drones, both at UND and nationwide. Its two instructors represent different sides of the industry established giants and startups looking to capture larger shares of the market. When theyre not in the classroom, Dunlevy is president and CEO of a nearly 3-year-old aerial services company, SkySkopes, and Rick Thomas is the Red River Valley strategic alliance program manager for Northrop Grummans aerospace division. Class components As part of Thomas and Dunlevys curriculum, students form groups and discuss business concepts their members could pursue for the classs final project: a feasible UAS business plan. On Wednesday, Parrello and her group partners, Tyler Wilson and Brandon Taylor, mulled over a number of possibilities, such as using drones for crop spraying or other agricultural work, inspecting underground pipelines, window washing and inspecting tank batteries. Both Taylor and Wilson are business students majoring in entrepreneurship as well as other fields including accounting, investments and banking, while Parrello is seeking degrees in mechanical engineering and unmanned aircraft operations. Taylor said he has been around aviation his entire life and holds a pilots license, which played a role in the class attracting his attention. I took the class because I saw an opportunity, he said. I want to get into the industry to get some networking in and some connections. Its a similar reason from Wilson, who received an email about the class and decided to take it because it looked interesting. I just think unmanned aerial systems are going to be important, and I thought I would get a leg up and learn a little bit about them, he said. In addition to the business planning aspect of the class, students also receive information that prepares them for another reality of the industry operating a drone. In order to become a certified pilot, the students need to pass an aeronautical knowledge test administered by the Federal Aviation Administration. The first half of the class serves as a learning bootcamp of sorts, with students encouraged to take the test after completing that portion of the course. Expert guidance Paired with the classs experiential learning opportunities including watching flight demonstrations is the chance for students to pick the brains of industry experts who serve as guest speakers throughout the course. Grand Forks is unique because we have a heavyweight lineup of subject matter experts and have a higher per capita concentration of UAS experts than perhaps anywhere else in the United States, Dunlevy said. During the classs Wednesday meeting focusing on aircraft maintenance, students heard from Jason Stahl, a former Federal Aviation Administration employee who now works in the private industry. Stahl helped pen a new set of federal aviation rules for small drones known as Part 107 that went live Aug. 29. The regulations open up aviation to more than just those who can afford to spend tens of thousands of dollars securing various pilots licenses, Stahl said, noting that for less than $2,000 someone could start a drone-based business. The opportunity for new businesses also grows as more uses of the technology are pioneered. You are going to have the opportunity to use these tools, even if you yourself are not going to be doing the piloting, he told students. You have a whole new avenue of gaining information with the use of unmanned aircraft. Russian President Vladimir Putin (R) talks to Iranian leader Hassan Rohani during their meeting in Baku on August 8, 2016. (Xinhua/AFP Photo) TEHRAN, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- Iran supports the deal between Russia and the United States to bring about a truce in Syria, Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qasemi was quoted as saying by Tasnim news agency on Sunday. "The Islamic Republic of Iran has always welcomed the establishment of ceasefire in Syria and easier access to the humanitarian aid for the whole people of the country," Qasemi said. A lasting ceasefire will require a comprehensive mechanism to monitor the situation and control the borders in order to prevent the inflow of new fighters, arms or financial resources into Syria, he said. In the meantime, the pause in the fighting should not give the terrorist groups the opportunity to replenish forces, he added. The Iranian spokesman urged the international community to keep fighting against the extremists and terrorist in Syria seriously. On Sunday, Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister for Arab and African Affairs Hossein Jaberi Ansari said that Tehran welcomes the cease-fire in Syria and the peace plan to stop deterioration of humanitarian situation in Syria, according to official IRNA news agency. The Islamic republic believes that the Syrian crisis has no military solution and this issue should be resolved through political means, Jaberi Ansari said. He also stressed that any option for solving Syria's problems should take into consideration the significant role of Syrian nation to determine their own fate. The United States and Russia early Saturday announced a landmark agreement on a nationwide cease-fire in Syria, which would commence with the start of the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha. The week-long truce also includes improving humanitarian aid access and a joint military operation against banned terrorist groups. According to the truce, all attacks and airstrikes will be stopped and unobstructed access will be allowed to besieged areas, including the northern city of Aleppo. Iran, a major regional ally of the Syrian government in its fight against militant groups, has repeatedly acknowledged the presence of its military advisers in the Arab state. The opening ceremony of the 13th China-ASEAN Expo and the China-ASEAN Business and Investment Summit is held in Nanning, capital of south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Sept. 11, 2016. (Xinhua/Lu Peng) NANNING, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli said Sunday that China will push ahead to develop its friendly cooperation with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and together build a closer China-ASEAN community of common destiny. China firmly supports the ASEAN Community, backs ASEAN's central role in regional cooperation and its expanding place in international and regional affairs, said Zhang while addressing the opening ceremony of the 13th China-ASEAN Expo in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. Together with ASEAN, China is willing to look at bilateral relations from a strategic and long-term perspective, expand consensus and cooperation, promote the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road and forge a closer China-ASEAN community of common destiny, he said. Zhang proposed further integration of development strategies, and faithful implementation of the 2+7 Cooperation Framework and the third five-year action plan for China-ASEAN strategic partnership, which would promote inclusive development. He called for boosting industrial cooperation and facilitation of trade and investment. Zhang urged better interconnectivity, which would benefit people on both sides, as well as improved finance cooperation and people-to-people exchanges. The four-day expo, held in Nanning, the capital of Guangxi, highlights industrial cooperation, trade and investment among China, ASEAN members and other countries along the Belt and Road. It was given the theme of "Jointly building the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, Forging an Even Closer China-ASEAN Community of Common Destiny." The event attracted more than 2,500 companies from 29 countries, including the 10 ASEAN members, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Kazakhstan. It features 5,800 exhibition booths this year, an increase of 1,200 from the previous event. FRUITFUL TIES China and ASEAN have developed broad, fruitful and close dialogue relations, which have contributed significantly to regional and global peace, stability and prosperity, according to Zhang. "Gratifying progress" has been achieved in China-ASEAN cooperation in the joint construction of the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road since China proposed the Belt and Road Initiative three years ago, he said. The construction of the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road is a new opportunity, a new driver and a new highlight for mutually beneficial cooperation between China and ASEAN, according to him. Sound China-ASEAN ties will contribute to economic development in East Asia and will be conducive to an East Asia economic community, said Liu Zhenmin, China's vice minister of foreign affairs, ahead of the expo. Liu said China will prioritize ASEAN in Belt and Road Initiative projects, and improvements to the existing free trade zone will boost bilateral trade. The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank will fund infrastructure projects in ASEAN. Industrial capacity cooperation will be promising and the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation mechanism will be supportive, said Liu. CLOSER COOPERATION China is ASEAN's largest trading partner and ASEAN is China's third largest trading partner. The expo has served as a strong boost to closer and more practical cooperation between China and ASEAN. Chinese company Alibaba will boost investment and development in ASEAN, said founder and chairman Jack Ma at the opening ceremony. The e-commerce giant will "participate in the development of local small- and medium-sized enterprises and young people," said Ma. China-ASEAN trade has exploded, it is now 58 times larger than when the two sides established dialogue relations 25 years ago, which translates into great business opportunities and social development, according to Ma. If hundreds of millions of young people and small businesses participate in globalization, the world economy and trade will be changed in a greater way, he said, adding that the Belt and Road Initiative is the start of inclusive globalization. Senior officials from ASEAN members also expected closer and more practical cooperation. China and ASEAN have huge potential for cooperation given the ASEAN Community's robust demand, said Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen at the opening ceremony of the expo. The ASEAN Community, a market with more than 600 million people, has strong demand for power, information technology, agriculture and scientific research, said Hun Sen. To realize sustainable and inclusive growth, ASEAN needs the participation of all dialogue partners, especially China, he said. "As close neighbors, ASEAN and China have many common interests and goals," said Myanmar's Vice President U Myint Swe. Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc said he is glad to see that ASEAN-China relations have become a paradigm of the bloc's external partnerships.The Vietnamese government encourages and facilitates ASEAN and Chinese investment, he said, expressing confidence in ASEAN-China economic and trade cooperation. Chinese President Xi Jinping welcomes Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto before the Group of 20 (G20) summit in Hangzhou, capital of east China's Zhejiang Province, Sept. 4, 2016. (Xinhua/Ma Zhancheng) MEXICO CITY, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- Mexico should expand economic ties with China as a counterbalance to its heavy reliance on the United States, according to a leading academic. Attracting more investment from China would both help spur development in Mexico and reduce the dependence on its northern neighbor, said Cutberto Hernandez, a specialist in Asian and African affairs at the Faculty of Law of La Salle University in Mexico City. "From my point of view, there needs to be a change in outlook, to try and take advantage of the economic and investment opportunity China offers," Hernandez told Xinhua in an interview. "Unfortunately, that has not happened as it should have, due to the economic and political interests established with the United States, a market on which there is a strong dependency," he added. Mexico would benefit from a more balanced situation and from the potential for economic expansion with China, he said. "New expanded ties" between the two countries would lead to a formula for cooperation that would be of mutual benefit, said Hernandez. In Latin America, Argentina and Brazil are reaping the benefits of closer ties with the Asian giant, said the academic, adding both countries today "are essential to China's food supply and food development." Mexico and China have already laid the groundwork for increased cooperation, the expert noted. Laborers work at a car factory March 22, 2016 in Huanghua City, north China's Hebei Province. (Xinhua/Mou Yu) Since 2013, the two have put in place mechanisms to promote bilateral and permanent dialogue on key economic issues, including a high-level bilateral work group (GAN) that meets annually to oversee trade promotion, and cooperation in industry and mining. A similar group focuses exclusively on investment (GANI). On the sidelines of the recent Group of 20 (G20) summit held in the eastern Chinese city of Hangzhou, the presidents of Mexico and China, Enrique Pena Nieto and Xi Jinping met over expanding their comprehensive strategic partnership. Hernandez believes the two countries should draw up a road map for cooperation over the coming years. In the meantime, a multimillion-dollar mutual fund for investment in different projects, which the two heads of state referred to at their meeting, "presents a good opportunity" for Mexico, said the academic. Through the fund, China can participate in the Special Economic Zones Mexico plans to create, especially in the southern parts of the country, he said. More than 70 Chinese companies operate in Mexico, in such sectors as telecommunications and fossil fuels, and more recently in the areas of renewable energy and commercial banking. Photo taken on April 15, 2016 shows refugees and migrants waiting in line to get registered at the Passenger Terminal E2, in Piraeus, Greece. (Xinhua/Lefteris Partsalis) HELSINKI, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- The Finnish Immigration Authority (Migri) has started to arrange new interviews for those already accepted as refugees in Finland, media reported on Saturday. Newspaper Hufvudstadsbladet (HBL) quoted unidentified Migri sources as saying that the repeated interviews are now done to meet government policy demands. The Finnish refugee policy program from last December requires Migri to cancel residence permits if the need for protection no longer exists. Explaining the overall system, Matti Makarainen, division head at Migri, told the newspaper that refugee status can be cancelled if a person would no longer need protection in his or her homeland. Other reasons can be that "the refugee has returned to visit the home country and come back", or "has given misleading information earlier". Makarainen said various investigations are started to verify if the need for protection still exists. "Mostly it concerns people from Iraq, but also Somalis." However, if the refugee has already been given permanent residency permit in Finland, changed circumstances in the country of origin would not change the status in Finland. Permanent residents of alien extraction can only be evicted on account of criminality or security concerns. Reports about reruns of interviews came some days after a demonstration by hundreds of asylum seekers outside the Migri head offices in Helsinki. In the wake of media reports about hasty decisions by Migri, Interior Minister Paula Risikko said "quality must precede speed" in the processing. Statistics gathered by newsmagazine Suomen Kuvalehti this week indicated Finland is at the top of EU countries in dismissing applications from Iraqis. In recent months, only 15 percent of Iraqis have obtained a right to stay in Finland. In Sweden and Belgium, a half have been allowed to remain this year and in Germany 78 percent. However, non-EU Norway is stricter than Finland with only 12 percent of Iraqi applications accepted. The organization of Somalis in Finland told HBL ten refugees of Somali background had just been called for a re-interview. Chairman Arshe Said told HBL his countrymen cannot be sent back to Somalia. HELSINKI, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- Finnish airline Finnair has joined the carriers worldwide that have banned the use of Samsung Galaxy Note 7 use and charging on their flights. Finnair announced late Saturday that passengers must carry their Galaxy Note 7 phones in their cabin luggage and keep them shut down all through the flight. Finnair underlined that the phone must not be charged during the flight either. European air safety agency EASA and the U.S. air traffic authority Federal Aviation Administration FAA have issued suggestions against the use and charging of this particular type of Samsung phone. The statements followed reports that Samsumg Galaxy Note 7 was involved in ignition of fires. Finnair was not in the first wave of carriers reacting to the situation. Earlier on Friday, Finnair said it was considering the matter and awaiting instructions of the Finnish transport safety authority Trafi. Local media reports noted Samsung has announced it will recall and replace the already sold Galaxy Note 7s. JALALABAD, Afghanistan, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- A prominent Afghan police general was killed in a bomb attack in the country's eastern province of Nangarhar on Sunday, a source said. Brigadier General Zarawar Zahid, police chief of Nangarhar province, was killed following a roadside bomb attack in Hisarak district, Nangarhar on Sunday evening, the source told Xinhua anonymously. Further details about the attack are still forthcoming amid the absence of official statement. The late Zahid was monitoring the situation and was inspecting the security checkpoints in front line of battle with the Taliban insurgents in the restive district before came under attack, the source said, adding "details about the incident would be made public later as investigation into the incident is underway." "Zahid was an outstanding member of Afghan National Police (ANP), he was also a well-known anti-Taliban officer, he had served as police chief of eastern Ghanzi province in the past. His death was a big blow for the ANP, the source added. The Afghan security forces' casualties have risen recently as they struggle against a surge in attacks by Taliban militant group and other anti-government fighters. The Taliban-led insurgency has been rampant since early April when the militant group launched its annual rebel offensive in different areas of the country. The province with Jalalabad as its capital, 120 km east of Afghan capital of Kabul, is also a known Islamic State (IS) militants stronghold. BEIJING, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Sunday held a telephone conversation with his French counterpart, Jean-Marc Ayrault, to discuss bilateral relations and the issue of the Korean Peninsula. During the talks, Wang said China is willing to make concerted efforts with France to promote the two countries' comprehensive strategic partnership toward the achievement of new development and add new connotations to this relationship. He also expounded China's stance on the nuclear tests conducted by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK). For his part, Ayrault congratulated China on its successful hosting of the recent summit of leaders of the Group of 20 (G20) in the eastern Chinese city of Hangzhou, saying the meeting between the two countries' heads of state is also a success. Ayrault voiced appreciation for China's firm stance on and responsible role in the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. France stands ready to strengthen communication and coordination with China on the issue, he noted. The collapsed bridge is seen in Taihe County, east China's Jiangxi Province, Sept. 11, 2016. A bridge in Taihe collapsed Sunday while it was being dismantled, injuring five and leaving three missing. (Xinhua/Hu Chenhuan) NANCHANG, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- Three workers went missing and five were injured when a bridge in east China's Jiangxi Province collapsed on Sunday while it was being dismantled. The collapse happened around 9:17 a.m. in Taihe County of Jiangxi over the Ganjiang River. Three of eight workers fell into the river and remain unaccounted for, according to the local government. "I was driving an excavator when the floor of the bridge suddenly collapsed. I lost consciousness after the fall," said Hu Qihua, one of the five injured workers. Two of the injured workers, Shan Yongkun, 27 and Huang Yong, 32, have suffered multiple bone fractures and remain in critical condition. More than 400 police and rescuers are looking for the three missing workers. The 828-meter-long bridge was completed in the early 1990s. An inspection in December 2012 suggested it should be repaired. Workers had been dismantling the bridge structures since August this year. The cause of the incident is under investigation. MOGADISHU, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- African Union peacekeeping mission in Somalia (AMISOM) backed by local forces on Sunday arrested two Al-Shabaab bomb experts in southern region amid heightened security ahead of a regional summit to be held on Tuesday. The pan African body said the two bomb experts were arrested during security operations in Lower Juba, outside the southern port city of Kismayo. "The determination of Somalia National Army and AMISOM to rid Somalia of Al-Shabaab is an assurance to the people that they will continue to enjoy peace and security," AMISOM said in a brief statement issued on Sunday. The militant group did not comment on the latest operations by the AU and SNA forces which come ahead of the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development summit to be held in Mogadishu. Heavy security is underway across the Horn of Africa nation especially in Mogadishu to enhance the security, seal all loopholes and make sure the significant summit takes place successfully. ARUSHA, Tanzania, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- Four people died on the spot and four others were injured after a bus collided head-on with a lorry in Tanzania's lake zone region of Shinyanga, police confirmed on Sunday. The incident occurred Sunday morning at Kolandoto area in Shinyanga Region. Murilo Jumanne, Shinyanga Regional Police Commander said the injured were rushed to Kolandoto hospital for further treatment. He said those who died were in the lorry, as the bus driver was trying to overtake a vehicle, but failed and ended up ramming into the lorry which was coming from the opposite direction. 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. LONDON, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- A scheme that would force families in a post-Brexit Britain to pay around 66 U.S. dollars to head to popular holiday spots in Spain and France came under fierce attack Sunday. The European Union (EU) is considering introducing a U.S.-style visa waiver system for people from outside the EU wanting to enter the zone. Andy Burnham, Labour's Shadow Home Secretary, said a charge on British people wanting to head across the channel on vacation would make it harder for ordinary families to afford a holiday. Even before Britain joined the EU more than 40 years ago there were reciprocal arrangements that allowed free two-way passage between Britain and mainland countries in western Europe. Burnham criticised Britain's interior minister, the Home Secretary Amber Rudd for failing to rule out the idea of a European waiver system. He said Sunday Rudd failed, in media interviews, to reject the EU proposal which is based on the U.S. ESTA travel scheme in which adults and children have to pay 14 U.S. dollars each. "The plan would add 40-50 pounds (53 U.S. dollars to 66 U.S. dollars) to the cost of a British family's holiday to Spain, France or the rest of the EU," Burnham said. In a statement from Labour's headquarters Burnham said: "This is yet another example of the drift and confusion as a result of the government's failure to plan for Brexit. Ministers should not just accept there's a cost of 50 pounds for the average family to go on holiday." In her media interview Rudd, commenting on the EU waiver proposals, said it was a reminder that it was a two-way negotiating process. Rudd added: "I don't think it is particularly desirable but we do not rule it out because we have to be given a free hand." Prime Minister Theresa May has made it clear Britain will not show every twist and turn of its negotiations. The European Commission is scheduled to announce draft legislation later this year to pave the way for an EU travel authorisation system, mainly in response to recent terror attacks in France and Belgium. Latest figures from Britain's Office for National Statistics (ONS) show more than 30 million trips a year are made to the European mainland by Britons, including 13 million to the most popular destination country, Spain and almost 9 million to France. In another interview Sunday, Labour leadership challenger Owen Smith said if he becomes Britain's prime minister he would consider applying to rejoin the EU, even if the country had already left. Boy crowned as King of England back at school after a whirlwind coronation. (Photo courtesy of Marketing Gloucester) LONDON, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- Schoolboy Fraser Martin, aged 11, will be back at his school desk Monday after a weekend of regal pageantry when he was "crowned" as King of England. The young boy was chosen after a contest to re-enact the coronation in Gloucester Cathedral 800 years ago of boy-king Henry III, the nine-year-old son of Britain's infamous King John. That coronation in 1216 was the last time an English or British monarch was crowned outside of London and Westminster Abbey. On Saturday the cathedral was packed as the coronation re-enactment was carried out by the city's religious leaders, exactly the same way as it was eight centuries earlier. Young Fraser Martin was allowed to keep his coronation crown as a momento, and plans to show it to his school pals Monday when he returns to his classes at the city's Crypt Grammar School. After the solemn coronation service, during which Martin delivered his coronation oath with perfection, he was carried in a ceremonial chair through the crowded city center streets in a parade similar to what would have happened in 1216. Fraser Martin, who won the "Search For A King" competition organised by the city's Marketing Gloucester department, was joined by his "footmen", eight-year old Harry Morris and eleven-year old Toby Sellers. Before his coronation, Fraser Martin has been practising his regal walks and regal looks to ensure he looked royal on his big day, said his mom Francesca Martin. The real King Henry III died in 1272, after a reign of 56 years and 29 days, the fifth longest in British history. Jason Smith, CEO of Marketing Gloucester told Xinhua Sunday: "This was a great day and a great occasion for the cathedral and our city. The cathedral was packed and it was just like a real coronation ceremony. There was a real sense of what the atmosphere must have been like 800 years ago during the real coronation." "Young Fraser delivered his words perfectly and when people chanted 'God Save the King' there were tears streaming down people's faces. It was a very moving moment," said Smith. "I spoke to Fraser afterwards and he enjoyed every minute of it. Appearing in such a solemn event before a building crowded with 1,200 people must have been a bit scary for an 11 year old, but Fraser handled it perfectly." "We gave him his coronation coronet as a keepsake of the day he became King of England. It will be interesting to see how he is treated on his return to school on Monday morning," said Smith. Paul James, leader of Gloucester City Council, said: "The coronation of Henry III is a truly historic occasion that Gloucester can lay claim to. It is important that we celebrate our heritage as a city, especially when it is of national significance." The Very Reverend Stephen Lake, Dean of Gloucester Stephen Lake said "Fraser Martin will be blessed with life-long memories of his day spent in the Boy King's shoes." The coronation re-enactment, which took 18 months to organise, is part of Gloucester History festival which continued until Sept. 18. It features a medieval market and a tournaments on the Cathedral Green. RAMALLAH, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said Sunday that Israel is internationally isolated because it doesn't want to make any progress towards peace. He made the remarks in a recorded televised speech addressed to the Palestinian people worldwide on the occasion of Eid al-Adha, Muslims' annual religious festival. Abbas blamed Israel for expanding settlements, violating Palestinian holy sites and carrying out murders. The Palestinians "manifest peace on the ground" and their position was largely respected by the international community, he said. Abbas said he has agreed on a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to conduct talks in Moscow upon an official invitation from Russian President Vladimir Putin, following failure of the International Quartet to push forward the peace process. Palestinians support France's initiative of holding an international peace conference "to discuss the Palestinian cause and establish our state upon a specific and limited timetable," Abbas said. The last direct peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians broke off in April 2014 after it went on for nine months. Sponsored by the United States, the talks failed due to deep differences on settlements, borders and security. Abbas also stressed in the speech that although the Palestinian High Court ruled to suspend holding the municipal elections in the Palestinian territories, "we are determined to carry on with our democratic process at all levels." TIKRIT, Iraq, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- Roadside bombs killed four women and a female child fleeing a besieged town in Iraq's northern province of Kirkuk Sunday, a security source said. The female civilians were headed to the neighboring northern central province of Salahudin, according to the same source. The first blast killed three women in the mountainous area of Himreen along the border between the two provinces, when the bomb planted by Islamic State (IS) militants detonated near them, a source from Salahudin Operations Command told Xinhua on condition of anonymity. In a separate incident, another woman and her female child were killed in a roadside blast in the same mountainous area, the source added. Iraq has witnessed increased violence since the IS group took control of parts of its northern and western regions, including Mosul, in June 2014, 400 km north of the Iraqi capital of Baghdad. Terrorist acts, violence and armed conflicts killed 691 Iraqis and wounded 1,016 others in August throughout Iraq, the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq said earlier. Many blame the current chronic instability, cycles of violence, and the emergence of extremist groups, such as the IS, on the United States due to its invasion and occupation of Iraq in March 2003. ZAGREB, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- Two major parties were neck-and-neck in Croatian early parliamentary elections, according to an exit poll released on Sunday night. The People's Coalition, led by the Croatian Social Democratic Party (SDP), would won 57 seats in the 151-seat parliament and its rival the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) would has 57 seats, it said. The MOST party, which was the third winner in last election held in November 2015, would get 12 seats and a small party Living Wall could make a new surprise with seven seats, six more than last time, the polls added. Despite a tied race, the HDZ likely has a better chance as traditionally it enjoyed the supports from Croatia's diaspora, who has the three reserved seats in the parliament. But it still needs to look for the alliance with small parties or representatives of minorities, who has eight reserved seats, to secure an enough majority for forming a new government. Also there are changes for People's coalition too, but it largely depends on small parties, especially the MOST. It is obvious that small "third-way" parties will once again play a key role in forming a new government, similar with last election when junior party MOST had a surprise win with 19 seats. With the victory, MOST negotiated with two biggest party HDZ and SDP for months and at last formed a coalition government with HDZ, but the government stepped down only five months later following a no-confidence vote in June. Analysts here worry about a similar scenario likely to happen this time and prolonged talks on forming a government and potentially another election. They considered the uncertainty could harm the country's economy which emerged from a six-year recession in 2015 and still remains one of the European Union's weakest. Meanwhile, they believed Croatia was turning a new chapter in its political history. Two strongest parties, the HDZ and the SDP who ruled the country for 25 years, would lose their positions in the future political stage and junior partners would have chance with strong word. However unstable governments and early elections likely become to reality, they added. WASHINGTON, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- Fifteen years into its "war on terror" launched after the deadly 9/11 terrorist attacks, the U.S. government on Sunday touted its progress on securing the U.S. homeland against terrorist-directed attacks while acknowledging that the threat posed by violent extremists was far from receding. "We've dealt devastating blows to al-Qaeda. We've delivered justice to Osama bin Laden. We've strengthened our homeland security. We've prevented attacks. We've saved lives," said U.S. President Barack Obama at a ceremony here honoring those who died in the 2001 attacks. However, Obama noted that the threat the international community was facing today "has evolved." "(Now) terrorists often attempt attacks on a smaller, but still deadly, scale. Hateful ideologies urge people in their own country to commit unspeakable violence," said Obama. During his interview with CNN, U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson echoed Obama's warning and said that terrorist-inspired attacks, or lone-wolf attacks, was posing an increasingly serious threat to U.S. homeland security. "We're safer when it comes to the 9/11-style attack," said Johnson. "But we've got this new environment and new threat which makes it harder." In an intelligence brief released on Friday, The Soufan Group, a New York-based security consultancy pointed out that "only one of the goals stated in the aftermath of the (9/11) attacks has been realized: the U.S. has prevented another 9/11 scale attack." "The other goals- denying terrorists sanctuaries, destroying al-Qaeda, countering violent extremism- have not been reached; all are worse now than before 9/11," said The Soufan Group. There was indeed progress during the 15-year U.S. military campaign, climaxing with the death of bin Laden before the tenth anniversary of 9/11. At that time, Americans were thrilled with a feeling that the terrorists were finally on the run. The hope for now has been dashed. From West and North Africa to South Asia, extremist groups have been lining up to declare allegiance to either al-Qaeda or the Islamic State (IS), once an al-Qaeda franchised group founded after the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003. Moreover, hailing from at least 86 countries as of December, 2015, between 27,000 and 31,000 people had travelled to Syria and Iraq to join the IS and other violent extremist groups, according to data provided by The Soufan Group. In its initial report entitled Foreign Fighter in Syria, which was released in June 2014, The Soufan Group identified about 12,000 foreign fighters from 81 countries. Meanwhile, according to Richard Haass, president of the Council on Foreign Relations, over the last decade, there have been on average more than 10,000 terrorist attacks per year, causing an average of over 15,000 deaths per year. The resurgence of terrorism should by no means puzzling to any. While the goal of the war launched by the United States was supposedly to eliminate terrorism, the fear and hatred those foreign "meddlers" had stirred up in the Middle East has created a breeding ground for extremist ideology. As the latest villain on its black list, the IS originated not in Iran or the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, the so-called "axis of evil" branded by Washington, but in Iraq, a state "freed" and "democratized" by the United States itself. It is also thought-provoking that the IS militants drew much of their fighting experience from the West-involved war in Syria, where the Western bloc supported rebels in their efforts to topple Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Despite the far-reaching and devastating fallout of the Iraqi War, the U.S. authority did not necessarily learn from the lesson that military intervention could worsen the security situation. Nothing could serve as a better example than the free fall of Libya into chaos after the multinational military intervention under the auspices of then U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, now the Democratic presidential nominee. Calling Clinton the "chief architect" of the botched U.S. Libya policy, Republican lawmaker Peter Roskam revealed last October at a high-profile hearing on the 2012 Benghazi attack that Clinton insisted on the U.S. involvement in Libya despite grim warning and opposition from senior U.S. diplomats. "(Stephen Mull, then executive secretary of the State Department) said this, 'In the case of our diplomatic history, when we've provided material or tactical military support to people seeking to drive their leaders from power, no matter how just their cause, it's tended to produce net negatives for our interests over the long term in those countries,'" quoted Roskam from communications from Clinton's private server. "They (U.S. senior diplomats) were pushing back, but you overcame those objections," said Roskam, adding that Vice President Joe Biden, then Defense chief Robert Gates as well as the National Security Council also opposed military actions in Libya. Unfortunately, Washington paid little attention to exploring the root causes of terrorism, and it would be a never ending war on terror if Washington fails to eliminate the root causes of its headache. The photo provided by the Center for China and Globalization, a Chinese leading social think tank, shows that China's former chief negotiator for World Trade Organization (WTO) entry Long Yongtu (4th L, first row) attending a lunch event about China-U.S. trade relations with former U.S. trade officials and think tank experts in Washington D.C., the United States on Sept. 10, 2016. China and the United States are still hopeful that the two countries could conclude negotiations on a bilateral investment treaty (BIT) under the Obama administration, Long said.(Xinhua) WASHINGTON, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- China and the United States are still hopeful that the two countries could conclude negotiations on a bilateral investment treaty (BIT) under the Obama administration, a former Chinese official has said. The Chinese negotiating team will come to Washington D.C. for a new round of BIT talks with the U.S. side in the coming week, China's former chief negotiator for World Trade Organization (WTO) entry Long Yongtu said Saturday here at a lunch event about China-U.S. trade relations hosted by the Center for China and Globalization, a Chinese leading social think tank. "That means the Obama government still wants to get it done before he leaves office," Long told former U.S. trade officials and China experts with Washington-D.C. based think tanks. In China, the BIT talks enjoy strong and wide support from the top leadership to the private sector, said the former Chinese vice minister for trade, adding that "there's a good chance" that the two countries could wrap up the eight years of talks under the Obama administration. A total of 28 rounds of BIT talks have been held since China and the United States started negotiations in 2008 to increase mutual investment, which only accounted for a tiny share of their respective overseas investment. The two sides have recently exchanged "the third revised and significantly improved negative list offers" of sectors that remain closed to foreign investment, and "made further progress in all aspects of the negotiation", according to the outcome list released after a recent meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and his U.S. counterpart Barack Obama in Hangzhou, China. China and the United States commit to "further intensify the negotiation with a view to concluding a mutually beneficial and high-standard treaty" , the outcome list said. While provisions regarding the state-owned enterprises remain a sticking point in the BIT talks, Long believed the two sides would "find a way" to reach a deal. He also suggested that American trade negotiators should be "a little bit less aggressive" trying to manage specific issues in the BIT negotiations, but he didn't elaborate further. As part of the so-called second-track dialogue of China-U.S. relations, Long had met campaign teams of Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton in the past two days, trying to figure out the future direction of bilateral relations after the general election in November. Long expressed his concern about the rise of anti-trade and anti-globalization in the current U.S. presidential campaign. But he believed the forces of globalization "remain strong" with the fast development of new technologies, particularly the Internet, and transnational corporations, which bring investment and trade to every corner of the world. With the help of the Internet, many small and medium-sized enterprises have also started to join the forces of globalization, which will reinforce the trend toward globalization, he said. China will remain a driver of globalization and continue pursuing the policy of opening up to the outside world, the former Chinese official said, noting that a significant majority of Chinese people have benefited from that process. Chinese government also sets up a fund to assist those unemployment workers hurt by certain trade agreements, Long said. "This is the government responsibility. If we don' t do that, people will be against trade agreements and globalization." "I think we have done it quite well. That' s why in China we do not hear strong voices against globalization, we do not hear strong voices against opening up to the outside world," he said, suggesting the United States could learn from China to help those workers hurt by trade agreements and globalization. "It's not the fault of those protesters against trade agreements. It's the fault of the government which does not do sufficiently to address those issues," he said. Reflecting back on China' s accession to the WTO in 2001, Long said China's entry into the WTO has not only brought tremendous benefits to China but also brought significant benefits to the United States and other countries. China has become the largest export market of American agricultural goods, helping create at least 160,000 jobs in the United States, he said, adding that the two countries should continue expanding cooperation in trade and investment. The world's two largest economies have become more closely connected over the past few years, as China has become a huge and growing market for U.S. businesses and Chinese investment in the United States has rapidly accelerated. The investment treaty is expected to continue to expand two-way trade and investment and cement the foundation of China-U.S. economic ties. U.S. Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton speaks on the last day of the 2016 U.S. Democratic National Convention at Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the United States on July 28, 2016. (Xinhua/Li Muzi) NEW YORK, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton was diagnosed with pneumonia at home after she fell sick during a memorial service marking the 15th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terror attacks here on Sunday. Local media quoted physician Lisa Bardack as saying "She was put on antibiotics, and advised to rest and modify her schedule. While at this morning's event, she became overheated and dehydrated. I have just examined her and she is now re-hydrated and recovering nicely." A video posted on Twitter shows the 68-year-old Clinton stumbled and she was being helped by her staff into a waiting van and left the memorial service early. According to her campaign, Clinton had a rest in her daughter's apartment in Manhattan. As she went out the apartment shortly before noon, Clinton said, "I'm feeling great." Clinton's rival, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump and his supporters have questioned Clinton's health, saying Clinton is physically unfit for the White House, accusing her of being "exhausted" and sleeping too much. Last July, Clinton released a letter from her doctor saying she was a healthy female whose health issues were only as bad as hypothyroidism and seasonal allergies. Doctors also found a blood clot at the time, but the letter says those issues were mostly cleared up after two months of various treatments. ZAGREB, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- The Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) would win 62 seats in the 151-seat parliament while opposition Social Democratic Party (SDP) 52 seats in the parliamentary election, preliminary results showed late Sunday. The party MOST would gain 13 seats and the small party Zivi Zid (Living Wall) won eight seats, according to the preliminary results released on Sunday evening by the State Electoral Commission (DIP). The results were based on counts from 15 percent of polling stations and the DIP will release further results around midnight. HDZ was satisfied with the first results and believed it would won the election with more seats. SDP expected final results would be different and one of its official expressed it was necessary to wait for more votes to be counted. There are nearly 3.8 million eligible voters registered for the early election, the second time in 10 months, but the turnout by 4:30 p.m. was 37.5 percent, according to DIP. Some 2,456 candidates ran for 151 seats in parliament -- 140 are elected in 10 constituencies in Croatia, eight are elected by members of ethnic minorities and three by Croats residing abroad. An early election was called after a coalition government between HDZ and MOST stepped down in June following a no-confidence vote. Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras speaks during a press conference in the context of the 81st Thessaloniki International Fair (TIF) in Thessaloniki, northern Greece, Sept. 11, 2016. Tsipras on Saturday night urged investors to invest in his country which is recovering and moving to the period of growth during the opening of TIF. (Xinhua/Marios Lolos) FARGO -- Two suspects in a federal drug case related to the shooting death of a man at a Grand Forks truck stop have pleaded guilty, with two more expected to follow suit. Aaron Lee Morado, 27, and Christopher Alan Anderson, 37, pleaded guilty Wednesday and Friday, respectively, in federal court for their involvement in trafficking more than 500 grams of methamphetamine in North Dakota and Minnesota. Morados sentencing hearing is Nov. 28. Anderson will be sentenced Nov. 30. Andrew Robert Wiley, 26, and Walter Joseph Ganyo, 35, signed plea agreements in late August on similar charges, though change of plea hearings had not been set as of Saturday. Court documents detail the four mens involvement in concealing their attempts to traffick meth across state lines and how they used U.S. currency for dealing the drug. The plea agreements for Morado, Anderson and Wiley also allege they were involved in using threats and violence to further their drug conspiracy. The acts of violence included the March 11 shooting death of Grand Forks resident Austin B. Forsman, 24, at the Flying J truck stop at 4401 32nd Ave. S., according to the documents. The four men faced life in prison with a minimum 10-year sentence, as well as $10 million in fines. Court documents indicated the prison terms for all men will be at the low end of sentencing guides. Thirteen suspects in total have been federally charged in the multistate drug conspiracy case, including Krystal Lynn Feist, 31, and Modesto Alfredo Torrez, 34. Both face charges of death caused by use of a firearm during a crime of violence, murder in furtherance of a drug trafficking conspiracy and conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and distribution of a controlled substance. Though investigators said Feist pulled the trigger and killed Forsman, Torrez greenlighted and ordered the murder, prosecutors said. Other defendants in the case include Ryan Scott Franklin, Vaughn Michael Scott, Andrew Neil Hills, Darla Kay Jerome, Lorie Ortiz and Christopher Ryan Ringsrud-Knowles. The remaining nine defendants are scheduled to go to trial Oct. 18. BOWMAN -- Court documents have revealed the gruesome details of Nicholas Johnsons motel room death and the alleged kidnapping of a witness to his murder in August in the far southwest corner of North Dakota. Madison West, 26, and Chase Swanson, 21, both of Bowman, have been charged with conspiracy to commit murder, theft of property and felon in possession of a firearm. Swanson and West have a preliminary hearing in Southwest District Court scheduled for Oct. 13. They are currently being held at a correctional facility in Denver, where they were apprehended two days after allegedly committing the murder. Conspiracy to commit murder is a Class AA felony in North Dakota, which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison. Affidavits and criminal complaints state West and Swanson allegedly agreed with each other to intentionally or knowingly cause the death of Johnson, a 23-year-old man from nearby Rhame, on Aug. 20 at their room at the El-Vu Motel in Bowman. They obtained a weapon, invited Johnson to their room at the motel -- where West was employed -- and struck Johnson over the head with a flashlight and cinched a belt around his neck. An affidavit from the Bureau of Criminal Investigation states that a medical examiner concluded Johnson died by asphyxiation. The defendants then took Johnsons 1999 Chevrolet pickup and drove it to Denver along with Todd Pashano, 28, of Kingman, Ariz. The BCI affidavit stated that Pashano had sent two individuals text messages in a group thread, saying he had witnessed West and Swanson murder someone and had been kidnapped and taken to Denver against his will. The three individuals dropped multiple bloody items off at Wests fathers residence in Cheyenne, Wyo., including some of Johnsons belongings, before continuing on to Denver. While in Denver, Pashano called 911 and, soon after, the Denver Police Department located him hiding in a hotel bathroom, and located Swanson and West in a parking garage near the hotel. Denver police collected items from the individuals that were bloodied. A search of the vehicle on Aug. 22 resulted in finding Johnsons wallet with his drivers license inside, multiple bloody items, electronic devices, a suitcase containing bloodied clothing in the bed of the pickup, and a Ruger 9mm handgun that had an obliterated serial number, according to the affidavit. On the same day, Pashano was interviewed by the Denver Police Department and recounted what he witnessed. He stated that he saw Swanson repeatedly strike Johnson in the head with a red Maglite flashlight and witnessed West repeatedly stomp Johnsons head while inside room No. 25 of the El-Vu motel. While traveling to Cheyenne and on to Denver, Pashano said he heard West and Swanson discuss how they murdered Johnson. MANDAN -- A reporter from Democracy Now! who documented security personnel with guard dogs working for Dakota Access Pipeline is facing criminal trespassing charges in Morton County. Authorities have issued an arrest warrant for Amy Goodman of New York for a Class B misdemeanor, according to court documents. Goodman, a reporter for the independent news program, can be seen on news footage from Sept. 3 documenting the clash between protesters and private security personnel with guard dogs and pepper spray at a Dakota Access construction site, including footage showing people with bite injuries, a dog with blood on its mouth and a dog attacking a horse. The video footage has been widely cited by people who have since criticized the use of dogs by the security personnel, including the American Civil Liberties Union of North Dakota. The report also went viral online and was re-broadcast on many outlets. This is unacceptable violation of freedom of the press," said Goodman in a statement. "I was doing my job by covering pipeline guards unleashing dogs and pepper spray on Native American protesters. Morton County authorities also have charged Cody Charles Hall, 39, Eagle Butte, S.D., with trespassing after identifying him from video and photos viewed by investigators, said Donnell Preskey, spokeswoman for the Morton County Sheriffs Office. Hall, a protest organizer with the Red Warrior Camp, was arrested Friday afternoon after police stopped him in a vehicle with expired tabs. Hall is charged with two counts of trespassing, one a Class B misdemeanor in connection with the Sept. 3 protest. He also is charged with a Class A misdemeanor count of criminal trespass in connection with the Sept. 6 protest involving people who vandalized equipment or bound themselves to construction equipment. Hall is expected to be in the Morton County Jail until he can see a judge on Monday, Preskey said. A total of 38 arrests have been made in connection with the Dakota Access protests. Morton County authorities also issued arrest warrants last week for Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein and running mate Ajamu Baraka for criminal trespass and criminal mischief. Authorities filed charges after they were alerted to video that showed Stein painting I approve this message on the front of a bulldozer and Baraka painting the last word in the message We need decolonization. The North Dakota Private Investigation and Security Board is investigating the use of dogs by security and whether the personnel were properly licensed or registered to work in the state. BEIJING They have been praised by the leader of al-Qaida and wooed by the head of the Islamic State group. They have distinguished themselves on battlefields in Syria and are accused of carrying out a devastating bombing in Thailand. In the past two years, militants belonging to the Uighur ethnic group native to the vast Xinjiang region in western China have shown signs of becoming a force in Islamic extremism globally, a development that is reshaping both the ground war in Syria and Chinese foreign policy. The predominantly Muslim, Turkic-speaking people ethnically distinct from China's Han majority have chafed for decades under Beijing's heavy-handed rule. Uighur separatists belonging to the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM), a militant group based in the rugged tribal areas of nearby Afghanistan and Pakistan and allied with al-Qaeda, have been blamed for attacks in Chinese cities, often using crude but effective weapons such as knives, Molotov cocktails and speeding vehicles. Their activities have taken on a transnational dimension in recent years as hundreds of Uighur fighters have flowed into Syria to participate in jihad. And instead of targeting China's cities, militants have struck less guarded overseas targets. The reach of ETIM, which seeks to establish an independent Islamic state called East Turkestan, was highlighted most recently when a man crashed a van packed with 220 pounds of TNT into the Chinese diplomatic compound in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, killing himself and wounding five people. Kyrgyz officials on Tuesday identified the bomber as Zoir Khalimov, an ethnic Uighur member of ETIM who carried out the attack with support from the Nusra Front, the al-Qaida affiliate in Syria. In Thailand, a trial began last month for two Uighur men charged with an August 2015 bombing that killed 20 people at a busy Bangkok shrine. The attack came weeks after Thailand forcibly repatriated scores of Uighurs to China, where they faced persecution. Chinese officials said the Uighurs were on their way to fight in Syria when they were arrested. Analysts see the broad outlines of metastasizing Uighur militancy that has prompted a response from China, which has traditionally abided by a foreign policy of non-interference. "China's calculus is shifting because the threat picture is shifting from one in which only the Americans and Europeans were targets," said Raffaello Pantucci, director of international security studies at the Royal United Services Institute, a British think tank. "That's why you're seeing Beijing push out. It's a combination of the new Chinese foreign policy assertiveness but also a real concern about what's happening on the ground." In mid-August, China dispatched a senior People's Liberation Army admiral, Guan Youfei, to meet with Syrian Defense Minister Fahad Jassim al-Freij and a senior Russian military official in Damascus to discuss expanding Chinese support for their war effort. China has made similar moves closer to home. This year, it pledged equipment and counterterrorism training for Afghan police with the aim of containing ETIM. It has also expanded its role as a mediator, welcoming both President Ashraf Ghani and Taliban representatives to China on visits and brokering low-level talks between the sides. In 2015, Uighur fighters from ETIM, also referred to as the Turkistan Islamic Party, began flowing from Central Asia into Syria, according to propaganda videos from the group's Islam Awazi media arm. They have won battles against loyalist forces in Idlib and Aleppo provinces, at times deploying suicide attackers to decisive effect. Although exact numbers are impossible to confirm, analysts believe there are hundreds, possibly more than a thousand, Uighurs fighting alongside the Nusra Front, said Beirut-based analyst Haytham Mouzahem. Separately, the Islamic State group, which competes with the Nusra Front for recruits, has at least a hundred Uighur fighters, most of whom came directly from Xinjiang to escape religious persecution in China, according to leaked IS documents analyzed by the New America Foundation think tank. Uighur groups in exile and international human rights monitors say China plays up the threat of Uighur militancy to justify abusive law-enforcement policies and religious restrictions in Xinjiang, which have fueled resentment among ordinary citizens. ETIM's organization may also be overestimated, experts warn, because it is unclear to what extent they offered training or support to perpetrators of attacks. "China should evaluate its own policies to find the source of Uighur discontent," overseas Uighur spokesman Dilxat Raxit said in a statement this past week following the Kyrgyzstan investigation. "The Kyrgyzstan incident could supply China with more excuses to oppress and expand its influence in Central Asia for its political purposes." China has been sensitive to international criticism of its policies in Xinjiang while casting itself as a target of terrorism similar to Western countries. It has successfully lobbied the United States, the European Union, Russia, Britain and other governments to recognize the Turkistan Islamic Party as a terrorist organization. "I would to stress that East Turkestan terrorist forces headed by the ETIM have plotted and undertaken terrorist attacks many times inside and outside China," Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said Wednesday, while vowing to "strike back" at the group. Chinese anti-terrorism expert Li Wei said the extremist threats that China faces domestically and from abroad are now "inextricably linked, just like with other countries," leading China to expand its dealings in Syria and Afghanistan. "I think the international community would agree that Syria is a nexus of global jihad that does threaten the entire world," said Li, director of the anti-terrorism research center at the China Institute of Contemporary International Relations, a think tank under the Ministry of State Security, China's main intelligence agency. Despite its shifting posture, Chinese observers say the likelihood of the People's Liberation Army fighting directly in Syria and Afghanistan remains extremely low. Over the last decade, China has leaned on Pakistan to carry out drone strikes against TIP commanders in tribal Waziristan, pressured Central Asian allies for intelligence-gathering and sought help from Thailand but never deployed troops. "China can participate in Syria in direct or indirect ways," said Yue Gang, a retired PLA colonel and commentator on military affairs in Beijing. "Currently, the indirect path is better. In the future it can provide a variety of equipment or arms support for Russia and Syria but dressed up as something more pleasant-sounding, like humanitarian aid." China's increasing willingness to confront Uighur militants abroad mirrors global jihadi networks' growing interest in their cause. In the 1990s, the Taliban no strangers to fighting communists sheltered Uighur separatists but forbade them from launching attacks on China from Afghanistan and Pakistan, fearing that would anger Beijing, according to writings by the jihadi Abu Musab al-Suri. And in the years before the Sept. 11 attacks, published interview transcripts show Osama bin Laden downplaying the Uighurs' plight or claiming ignorance of them altogether. Instead, he argued that Chinese leaders and Muslims should unite against what he considered to be common enemies like the United States and Israel. His successor, Ayman al-Zawahiri, takes a starkly different approach, decrying China as an enemy. He opened a recorded message to his followers in July by praising Uighurs' dedication to global jihad and lambasting "Chinese invaders" as "atheist occupiers" of Xinjiang. Islamic State group leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi has also prominently decried Chinese oppression of Muslims while laying out a vision of an Islamic caliphate stretching from Morocco to Xinjiang. Michael Clarke, a researcher at Australian National University, said competition for Uighur recruits between al-Qaida and Islamic State explained the heightened rhetoric, but also underscored the more complicated landscape facing China. "Since the 1990s the discourse has changed," Clarke said. "The long-established conflict between China and Uighur opposition is getting more and more connected to regional and global currents of radical Islamism."